> Once A Pony > by Gallants > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Night Engagements, Dungeons & Job offers > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My head throbbed while I roused later than I had wanted and needed to; quickly shoving my previous night's engagement off of me to the floor I rushed out of my bed, slivers of blue blocked my vision during my gallop through the bathroom catching a glimpse of silver in the mirror before I jumped into the shower not letting the water strike my coat before brushing my teeth, finishing by drowning my mane and fur in shampoo and an aggressive rinse. yanking my uniform off of my dresser I dived out of my window and raced down the streets. I could hear my heart racing and shallow breathes as I walked through the doors, "Good morning Hibana, you're late," I froze hearing that, "Don't worry I won't tell the boss; if you were to get fired I wouldn't have those lovely pink eyes to cheer me up in the mornings," A brown stallion told me with a light smile and tired blue eyes "Thanks for the compliment, but surely there's more than just my eyes that makes you happy that I'm here Garvey, like my flanks I think they're quite toned," I teased shaking my hips towards him chuckling lightly, before striking up a different conversation "I'm sure today is going to be slow after all we don't even have anything new or any sales," "It certainly should be, but I still want a few people don't think I could handle being laid off, hell I saw Capital on the street this morning... before her body was carted off," Garvey was full of guilt and I couldn't have that. "Garvey look at me=" I demanded placing my hooves on his withers, "-Capital didn't come to either of us for help, in fact, I thought she had gotten a new job it's not your fault, it's not my fault; she was dealt a bad hand and did what she could with them i-it just didn't work out for her," I told him forcing tears to well up in my eyes wasn't too hard I liked Capital a lot. We couldn't quite get ourselves composed when we opened Pain was the only thing I recognized as I walked home over a hundred ponies and only two of us to stock and work the registers. I was stirred by a barbarous banging against my door as I advanced to my door I was quickly overwhelmed with dread my only support was the warmth encompassing my bones and silver fur. My door was quickly blown apart turning on my heels I broke through my window and ran, through the streets of Canterlot with spells striking and destroying the cobble around me, I barreled through the checkpoint using the rubble and smoke to mask my escape of Canterlot jumping off the side of the ridge spreading my wings to glide to the forest floor. there I ran for hours my head starting to hurt when I saw one of the guards a sickly yellow glow coming from the mask's eyes running from behind the thick foliage with its horn lit and then I heard a loud crack, the world twisted bright lights and blackness flashing before me my body contorting with the feeling of being forced through a small hole. The air was sharp and sodden; there was a pony clad in gold armor staring at me with a glare like I never had seen before. An old wooden door loomed behind him the anguish it had seen I could only imagine, his gruff voice was quick to knock me out of my trance "What sort of creature are you, bold enough to teleport into the Princesses chambers and fall asleep on her body," He was holding back rage that I could practically smell when I didn't answer he thumped the bars with his hoof causing me to wince. "She's a human, a creature of, until this morning, I believed to be a myth"- A voice called accompanied by the creaking of the door, -"and she didn't teleport into my bed by her own doing something more wild brought her," A tall light pink pony stood before me clad with elegant regalia and a motherly smile, "Sergeant would you please calm down, I don't believe she is harmful, now what do you remember before you ended up in my bed?" The air told me the technical truth was going to keep me safe. "I was twonning fwom a-amoral," I stopped my muzzle felt smaller, I brought my hooves up to my face only to feel some tentacle-like things touch my face I pulled my hoof back to find something else entirely I wanted to scream but I knew I panicking would most likely end with me rotting in this cell, "I was running from amoral people who wanted me dead, I just wanted to be safe when I felt like I was being squeezed and I woke up here," I slowly said. The tall pony looked at me nodded and opened the cage, "I am Princess Celestia ruler of Equestria and raiser of the sun and I think I have a way to help integrate you into the common citizenship, now what is your name?" I gulped as I looked upon her and bowed, "H-Hibana V-Velox, my Princess," "Good, now how would you like to join the royal guard," I saw the sergeants' eyes widen at that and I smiled. > Runs & Soap > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I regretted accepting the Princesses offer. "Cadet Velox it seems you don't know how to use your own body do you need help going potty too!?" Drill Instructor Brass Hoof yelled at me as I laid face first in the mud my tank top caked covering the royal sigil of the guard, "Well come on you're the slowest one here, in fact, tomorrow morning I think you'll be leading the herd for an all-day run through Canterlot in full gear," The collective groans and a few snarls were heard amongst my company. There was only one way to answer and I did so. "Yes, Drill Instructor we will run until her highnesses sunset," The rest of the days training was uneventful most of my platoon was a bit harsher when sparring me than with the others so I gave it my all and failed. I was awoken by a stallion shoving a rolled towel in my mouth and magic holding my wrists and legs down, he looked at me with pure anger, "This is for the run in the morning," then I felt it the pain, a bar of soap wrapped in a towel, the whole platoon took their turns 6 strikes each, one mare hit lighter than the others. I couldn't do anything after they were done showing emotion wasn't an option.