The next morning, the three cadets were all sleeping soundly in their cots. Camo Cadet was sleeping purely on his back and had his blanket completely covering up the entire cot. Combat Gear was sleeping on his front with his limbs tucked underneath him as his blanket had slip off the cot. Mocha Jon was in a fetal position cuddling both of his plushies and using a crumbled up blanket for a pillow instead of a real pillow.
Without warning, the door was banged on and barged into. Shining Armor then rushed in holding a bullhorn and screamed into it, “6 AM CADETS! RISE AND SHINE! UP AND AT IT!!!” He screamed, startling all the cadets and making Combat cartoonishly fall out of his cot.
“WWWAAAHHHHHHH!” Combat screamed.
Camo simply leaned up and stretched as he rubbed his eyes and sighed in relief, “Ah bright and early!” He said as he opened up the blinds of the room to let in the first light of Celestia’s sunrise.
Combat shielded his eyes as they were used to the darkness of the night, “Okay… What’s going on, you just said it was only 6 AM.” Combat said as he stood back up.
“I know, I let you guys sleep in an hour since it’s your first morning.” Shining responded as he noticed Jon just put his head underneath his blanket fashioned pillow and walked next to his cot and shook him to get him up. “Wake up Jon, we need to get to work!” Shining incisted. Jon just moaned and reached his hoof out in the air pressing down at nothing. “Uh… What are you doing?”
“Uugghhh… Where’s the snooze button on this thing…?” Jon moaned as he continued to press at the air.
Camo just rolled his eyes at how he couldn’t wake up like that. “Oh come on, I used to get up at dawn as a colt to go hiking with my dad all the time!” He said as he stood next to Shining, Combat seemed to catch his wind too and stood with them, though Jon just continued to snooze.
“Dude wake up, seriously.” Combat said as he started shaking Jon to get him up.
Jon reached his other hoof out and accidentally poked Combat in the face, “Ugh… Is this the snooze button…?”
Camo just rolled his eyes again until he noticed something in Combat’s pile, “Hang on, I got this…” He said as he lifted up a bottle of water from the pile with his horn and held it over Jon’s cot and it opened and tipped over… The water then fell right over Jon’s body quickly, splattering all over him.
Once the water hit the unicorn, he jumped out of bed cartoonishly from the splash, “AAHHH! Wakening! Wakening! Rising! Shining!” He yelled as he shook the water up and stood with the others. “Sorry, I’m not used to waking up without any coffee.” Jon said as he used his horn to get the water out of his mane then put on his sports visor.
“Well it’s fine, it’s your first day.” Shining responded as he opened the door back up, “Now head out, we start out with a two mile jog!” Shining said as Combat then rushed out, with Jon then Camo following.
“Alright… fine…” Jon said as he was about to head out the room before briefly stopping in the doorway. “By the way… About the water…” He said as he stopped Camo where he was. Jon initially looked visibly annoyed and a bit angry at him, but then he instantly started grinning and chuckling out loud, “Absolutely hilarious!!! I mean that’s a classic move! If I ever sleep in again, video tape it so I can watch!” Jon said as he offered a hoof bump to Camo, which he happily accepted.
“Hey no problem, didn’t want you to get in trouble.” Camo said as he chuckled, “And yeah I’m recording it next time!”
Outside on the running course, Shining Armor was running in first place with the three stallions managing to keep up with him really quickly. Camo and Combat were easily following him with their heads held high, though Jon was having trouble keeping his pace. “Oh gosh… Running... ! Panting…! Panting…!” He yelled, clearly out of breath.
Shining didn’t seem that concerned, as he was used to that experience, “Don’t worry Jon, it’s only another half mile to go!” He said as he turned back around and started chanting, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE BEEN TOLD!”
““I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE BEEN TOLD!” The three repeated proudly.
“WE ARE STRONG CAUSE WE’RE NOT FOALS!” Shining added.
“WE ARE STRONG CAUSE WE’RE NOT…” The three tried to repeat but unfortunately were cut off…
“Tripping…!” Jon yelled as he slipped on a rock. He then cartoonishly fell over and accidentally knocked the other two cadets over…
WWWOOAAAAHHHH!” The two yelled, lading on the ground, both managing to get themselves back up quickly.
Jon was reluctant to get back up, he looked down and noticed there was a scrape on his arm, “Okay… ouch…” Jon said as he started licking the wound to keep it from bleeding out.
The other three stallions turned around and noticed he was hurt, “Jon, are you alright?” Camo asked in concerned.
Jon seemed more annoyed than anything, “Oh yeah, just another trip, no biggie…” He said as he tried to stand back up but then moaned in pain as he couldn’t stand. “Okay… That’s gonna leave a mark.”
Camo still looked concerned, “Are you sure?”
Combat noticed the wound and instantly went back to the cyan stallion, “You better cover that up.” He said as he took out a roll of bandage from his fanny pack and wrapped it around Jon’s wound. “There you go, the pressure should keep it from getting worse.” He said as he helped him up.
The bandage did help with the pain, and Jon was able to get back on his hooves with it, “Wow, thanks!” He said as he started to get his wind back too.
Shining grinned at the example of teamwork and whistled, “Excellent work Cadets! Now hop to it! We need to get to the gym soon!” Shining yelled as they all returned to jogging.
The stallions were then seen standing at what looked like a pull up bar while Shining was seen holding a clipboard, “Alright Cadets, it’s your first day so we’re starting out small, each of you up there and give me ten pull ups!” Shining commanded, “Camo Cadet, you’re up!”
“SIR, YES SIR!” Camo said as he saluted then jumped onto the rail. “ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN!!!” Camo managed to do all the pull ups easily before jumping off and sticking the landing on all four hooves proudly.
“Excellent job, nice landing too, Combat Gear, pull it up now!” Shining said as he signalled him up.
Combat saluted too, “SIR, YES SIR!!!” He then jumped up on the rail and managed to do all ten pull ups with ease, he even did another three pull ups just to show off. “Oh yeah! Reminds me of when I was on our school’s hoofball team! I had to do twenty a day to train.” Combat said as he plopped down and hoof bumped Camo.
“Wow, now I get why my friends used to get picked on by our hoofball team, they had a lot of rage to work through…” Shining said awkwardly. “Anyway, Jon you’re turn, show me what you got!”
Jon did a soft salute and nod, “Sir, yes sir.” He said as he went up to the rail. “Gripping.” He said as he grabbed the rail. “ONE! TWO!! THREE!!!” He started out good, but he eventually started losing wind again and began going slower. “S...Six…! Sss...Sseven…” He said as he continued to have more trouble pulling more and more. His arms started shaking then as he had trouble holding on to the bar, “Ei… Eigh… Eight!” He then stopped and breathed deeply, “Nnn… Nnn… Nnn… NNNINE!!!” He said as he pulled off his ninth one and fell down holding the rail tightly as he continued to breath deeply.
“Come on Jon, you can do it!” Camo said encouragingly.
Combat nodded along, “You got this! It’s just one more! Don’t give up!” He added as Shining looked concerned, if he couldn’t do this he may not be cut out for the guards.
Jon continued to breathe harshly as he looked up. His arms were shaking and his hooves were hurting from holding onto the rail for so long. He wanted to just let go and be done with it, he wanted to just go back to sleep, but he heard the two cheer him on and he saw the concern in his lieutenant's eye and tried one last time to finish… “Pulling…! Pulling! Pulling!!! PULLING!!!” Jon yelled as he finally managed to lift his head above the rail and get that tenth pull up, “TEN!!!”
Camo and Combat both hoof bumped each other and cheered, “Alright! You got it!!!” The two then clapped, and Shining just grinned in relief.
“Wait… Cramping… Slipping…! FALLING!!!” Jon yelled as he cartoonishly let go of the rail and fell down on the ground… “I did it…!” He said softly as Shining Armor helped him up.
Camo Cadet and Combat Gear both grinned and offered Jon hoofbumps, “Man I remember being like you as a colt, it hurt a bit at first but the rush is worth it!” Combat said as he hoof bumped Jon… Who had trouble moving his arms…
Shining grinned but cut the group short, “That was great Cadets, but don’t get too comfortable, in twenty you guys need to wash the gear of the Guards.” Shining said as he made some notes on his clipboard, “I know, not fun but all trainees need to pay their dues and do some grum work.” Shining said sympathetically.
The three then just looked annoyed at that and all groaned in unison, “Oh come on… Can’t I just run and scrape my hoof again?” Jon sarcastically asked as Camo and Combat chuckled.
“Very funny Jon… Just for that you get to clean their boots with your toothbrush.” Shining said in a more no nonsense tone as he checked him off on the clipboard.