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Training day2,902 words

Training day

One week later.

Canterlot castle.

"Why did I agree to this again?" Eclipse whined to the princesses. Down below the balcony, 40 stallions stood. They were guards, both solar and lunar. They all milled about, talking to each other about various things. The one thing they all had in common was that they were all insubordinates. Questioning orders, going AWOL, you name it they've done it. "Do I have to?" he asked again in a pleading manner.

Celestia gave a dainty chuckle, "Well, you could always go and train the recruits."

Eclipses eyes narrowed at her, "Fine. But remember, I won't show any mercy and I'll be running them into the ground," he said as he jumped the railing. As he neared the ground, he flared out his wings and pumped them hard, sending dust and fine grit everywhere. The stallions all looked to the large figure of Eclipse, squinting and shielding their eyes from the fine debris.

When Eclipse landed, an earth pony stallion decided to speak up, "Hey, look at the flying monkey!". This earned small chuckles from the group.

"RIGHT, I WANT YOU ALL IN LINE 30 SECONDS AGO!" Eclipse bellowed out. The stunned guards all went and staggered into ranks, save one. The same one who had insulted him, "You, get into line."

"Like Tartarus I will, you're not my superior," the stallion replayed with indignation.

Eclipse calmly walked over to the stubborn pony and bent down to his level with a look that could kill, "Get into line, or you'll find out first hand what it's like to get your spine shoved back into your skull. And you should really listen to me, considering I'm the newly appointed commander." This it seemed, was more than enough, as the stallion all but tripped into line with his fellows. "I can only imagine that you're wondering why you are all gathered here today," the assembled guards all gave him a curious look, as he paced in front of them like a general with his hands behind his back. "The reason behind this is because you all have been chosen to become an elite special forces core. Namely, the Elemental Guard."

The guards all gave hushed whispers between themselves, genuinely surprised about what would happen, "Now all that I can say of the coming months is that it won't be easy," Eclipse gave them a slight sympathetic look for a split second, before turning around and pacing back down the line. "Many of you will not be joining the ranks of this new core, many of you may be injured in such a way that you'll never see active duty again. There are 40 of you, but there are only 20 places. Only the best shall make up the first regiment, the only regiment. Now I'm asking YOU," he emphasized to the stallion whom had insulted him, "To ask yourself, "Can I do it? Can I become an Elemental guard?". I now want anypony who wishes to drop out to do so now."

After a few tense minutes, a white hoof shot into the air, followed by five others like the first. "Thank you for your honesty gentlecolts, you have chosen wisely." Those last words sent the alarm bells going off in the heads of the rest, "As for the rest of you, you are now officially in training. I want you all to give me 700 push-ups." Everypony just looked at each other, with the same thoughts. 700 push-ups WITH full combat armor?! "800," was the commanders reply to their silent question. "900," again receiving blank stares of shock at the task. "1000, get down and do them or it'll go up another thousand for each second wasted!"

Shocked into motion from this ultimatum, the guards all dropped into their thousand push-ups. "Alright troops, repeat after me."

"Strong and silent," Eclipse bellowed out, with his new troops replying in unison.

"Faithful and bold,

Cautious yet daring.

I shall never waver from what is right, I shall never back down from my duty to protect all that is right from wrong. I will fight till my last breath, and when I have drawn my last, I will still fight. Honor and courage will be my sword and shield. Duty and cause will be my armor and helm, they will protect myself and my brothers if I deem it. I will deem it.

I shall protect with courage,

I shall fight with honor,

I shall wear my duty,

I shall hold my cause higher then my head."

Eclipse continued to listen to his troops recite the oath, "I will return in one hour. If you finish by then, stand at attention till I return," and with this he left his troops to their grueling challenge.

------

Celestia watched the new special forces recruits go hard at it, while chanting an oath of some form, when Eclipse came flying up face to muzzle with her. "Ah Eclipse, I take it everything is running smoothly?" she asked as he landed on the balcony.

"As smooth as a hydras rear," he replied with a hint of annoyance. "I had to threaten one with maiming just to get him in line."

Celestia let out a soft chuckle, "You did say that you would "run them into the ground", am I not correct?"

Eclipse opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it as he just followed her out to the hallway, "Do you have their military records?" Eclipse asked. Celestia nodded and conjured up a small stack of classical brown file folders, stuffed with paper, "... I shouldn't have asked should I?" again Celestia let out a soft chuckle. Eclipse put the pile floating at his side in his flaming aura, while he casually plucked the first one off the top of the pile, and began to flick through it.

"It's not like they have any outstanding records, Eclipse, they're insubordinates," Celestia asked with a bit of confusion.

"If one were to look hard enough at what they were charged for, then look at the frequencies of those offenses," Eclipse then placed the first file under the pile and grabbed the next one, "One would find out their strengths and weaknesses."

"And which one do you intend on finding?"

Eclipse grabbed another file from the top with a sadistic smile, "Why they're weaknesses of course," then he showed her the file he was looking at. "Solid Force here has a record of being late for drills, takes too long in the shower and uses it so frequently to the extent that he uses ALL of the hot water, is untidy, unruly, steals others rations and has an obvious problem with authority."

"How is his authority issue obvious?"

"He was the one I threatened with grievous bodily harm. Seems I might just have to follow out with that promise, he's the worst by far. What I intend to do is use those offenses against them. Those are their weaknesses". By this point, Eclipse was three quarters of the way through the stack. Celestia had forgotten that he was a speed reader. She also remembered the look on Twilight's face at the discovery, when he had finished one of the larger tomes in her library in under half an hour.

After another five minutes, Eclipse had discovered what he'd needed, and the pair had finally reached the throne room. "Now, Eclipse, I have a special case for your new task force," Celestia said as she sat upon her throne.

"A late comer? You do know I'll only be taking in 20 stallions for this, that's the only room I have. Besides, I need them in the absolute peak of fitness. I need either currently serving guards or veterans," he stated as he scampered up the steps and sat cross legged beside her.

"Oh ho ho, you have no idea who I'm speaking about do you?"

"Garry Stu, a member of the five musketeers, whom in which had battled off intergalactic aliens with nothing but his charming good looks?"

"If only," she replied with a certain longing. At this point, the doors at the end of the hall burst open, and in the doorway stood a white unicorn stallion with a compass cutie mark.

"I have arrived auntie," he said in the most annoying "better than thou" tone.

Eclipse looked in complete shock at who he would be training for his task force, "BLUEBLOOD?! YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT FLAMIN' PRICK, AND PUT HIM INTO MY TASK FORCE?!"

Meanwhile Blueblood had sauntered over to the throne with his nose stuck in the air, while somehow staring poison coated, flame covered, spider infested daggers at Eclipse. "Auntie, what does this monstrous filth mean, "put him into my task force"? Why does he get one? In fact, he should be executed for just breathing."

Eclipses clenched fists took on his magical aura, and his eyes darkened once more, "Say it again, and I WILL put you in training with the others so I have an actual reason to kick you into next millennium..."

Blueblood sneered at him, "You wouldn't dare..."

---

Eclipse had already been up for the past three hours now, casually reading a book out on the balcony overlooking the valley bellow. With a sigh, he looked back into his room and took note of the grandfather clock on the far wall. Seven o'clock. Eclipse let out another sigh, marked the page in his book and calmly put it on the dresser as he pulled on a shirt, and willed his gauntlets on his arms. Then as he made his way over to the door, he picked up his new swords, and pulled one from its scabbard just to remind him that they were indeed his. Putting it back into its scabbard, and strapping them across his back, he made his way to the door and gave the door handle a twist. At least he would of.

The door was locked, and the only way to lock it was from the outside, "Ok, very funny. Open up whoever you are."

On the other side of the portal came a very snobby reply, "I shall not you cur, not until you promise to leave Canterlot and leave my aunties alone. They do not need some common filth such as yourself degrading them."

"Excuse me? Celestia is my oldest friend, I think I'm more than entitled to eat breakfast with her and her sister. So open the door or I will."

"How dare you talk to me like that?! I am prince Blueblood, and you WILL do as I say, and I say you are not welcome here!"

Eclipses face soured at the way this.. Prince Blueblood was treating him. So Eclipse pulled one of his swords, and held it to the lock, ready to be thrust through. 'Celestias gonna kill me', and with this thought he pushed on the pommel, sending the electric blue metal through the steel lock and out the other side, with the ease of a hot knife through butter. Then he twisted the handle of his sword, and the door swung outwards to reveal a, moderately, frightened pony back flat against the far wall. While trying to hold a poker face, Eclipse pulled his sword from the ruined lock and returned it to its home on his back. "Good morning," he calmly stated as he walked down the hall past all the snickering guards, leaving a rather terrified prince out the front of his room.

---

Eclipse calmed his moderately flaring temper and looked to Celestia, "May I?"

"He's all yours now, I certainly won't stop you," she declared with a impish grin.

"Good," and with this, Eclipse stood up and walked over to Blueblood, and grabbed him by the scruff. Dragging his sorry flank across the slick marble floor with ease, past all the gawking guards.

"Unhand me right this instant, I demand it!" Blueblood hollered.

"You'd best shut that little mouth of yours, because your pathetic existence is now mine for the next four years," and with this, Eclipse stopped and looked down to him. "And by the way, welcome to the Elemental Guard maggot, you're just gonna love it with us". This caused Blueblood to panic and thrash around in the humans vice like grip, calling for his mother among other things. This had all the guards in the room trembling with unsung laughter, but they dare not share it for the sake of professionalism.

Once the two were out the door, and said doors closed, Celestia saw them all itching to get it out of their systems. Lest they die from asphyxiation from trying to hold it in, "You have permission boys," as soon as she finished her sentence, the entire room was filled with a laughter that would make a comedy festival look like an orchestra in comparison. After a few moments, she had even joined in with the guards.

------

All the recruits stood at full attention, their forelegs shaking from overcoming their first grueling challenge. Some even wishing they could turn back time, and raise their hoof. And they all stood at full attention for half an hour, till their commander flew in from the barracks carrying something underneath. When he landed, they all discovered it was none other than prince Blueblood, covered in armor, a rucksack and several pieces of equipment. Standard, full combat uniform. Heavy as heck. As Eclipse landed, he bodily threw the prince into the group via his armor slings, "Get into formation recruit."

The newcomer didn't take too kindly to this treatment, as he magically grabbed his extendable spear from its catch on the side of his armor and brought it into play. "I will make you regret this you beast!" and swung it at Eclipses head. His reply stunned the other recruits as his gauntlets glowed and flashed, transforming themselves into a Bo. Eclipse spun around and blocked the attack from Blueblood with one arm, while his free hand went to grab a sword. Blueblood saw this and shifted the polearm of the spear to intercept the sword.

But it turned out that Eclipses attempt to grab his sword was a bluff, which the prince fell into. Eclipse shifted his hand just enough to grab the end of his Bo. When he did, he pulled the Bo up over his head causing the spear to travel with it. Then without giving Blueblood any time to recover, he spun around, gripping the end like it was a club which he smashed into the princes legs, causing him to topple onto his side. Eclipse then spun his staff over his head to dramatize his next move. He electrified it. When he was done, Eclipse held one end over Blueblood's face, the entire Dragonium rod crackling with energy, "Next time I will not hesitate. As I said, your life is mine for the next four years. Get into formation..."

Blueblood, too shocked to make a snide remark, floundered around till he was standing at attention among the group. The others too shocked to even think about the pain in their legs. Eclipse discharged his staff, and turned it back into his gauntlents, "Pucker up lads, grab your shit and fill your canteens. We're goin' for a little jog". At this, a younger member raised his shaking hoof.

"How far, sir?"

Eclipse smiled, "To the bottom of the mountain and back. Full gear, so go and fill your canteens. Meet back in ten, don't be late or it'll be push-ups till the rest get back," Eclipse replied as he picked up his own rucksack.

Blueblood just scowled at him, "You're going to regret this wretch."

"I hate you too," then Eclipse went and knelt down to his level, "And just to clarify the fact that you won't be going back a nice warm bed tonight, you will be sleeping in the barracks, and I don't care. So you will play nice". Eclipse then grabbed his chest piece and gave it a rough shake. Unsatisfied with the movement made from the armor, he went and tightened it, making Blueblood gasp as most of the air in his lungs was evacuated. "Keep your armor tight if you don't want chafe, and no I wasn't trying to be cruel. Just a friendly hint."

Author's Note:

G'day guys.

I know I promised a big chapter with some action in it, but I've been as busy as an evil genius attempting to take over the world, so cut me a little slack.

I figured I've held out long enough.

Enjoy.

Steel Heart, out.

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MuzaWaza

MuzaWaza #1 · Jul 5th, 2013 · 1 · ·

Good to have you back.

Steel Heart

Steel Heart #2 · Jul 5th, 2013 · · ·

2827282Thanks mate, good to have my star child (as it were) back as well

Br2nd66

Br2nd66 #3 · Jul 5th, 2013 · · ·

finaly an update and perfect blueblood bashing

Steel Heart

Steel Heart #4 · Jul 5th, 2013 · · ·

2827521I've always wanted to do that to him since I saw him in that ep.. Shame I cant do it for real

white_raven

white_raven #5 · Jul 5th, 2013 · · ·

2827549 oh dear sweet black Jesus you're back.It feels like an eternity since the last update.Oh man i feel the story just go a little more interesting.