//------------------------------// // CH 16 (meeting new ponies) // Story: Accepting Change // by drFraud //------------------------------// Patchwork   The two of us were walking through a few corridors with no word spoken. It was getting a bit awkward until we exited the building and entered a massive courtyard. The yard was gigantic, with several sections made for different parts of training, some even repeating a few times. There were, of course, the running tracks, several sparring circles as well as a number of obstacle courses of various degrees of difficulty. I was gawking at it until I spotted Hard Tablet a further away waiting for me with a smirk on his muzzle. I dashed towards him as he turned around and continued walking. I did my best to memorize the layout. “This is how things are going to go, Night Front.” He started off. “Wake up early, physical training, breakfast, studies, lunch, studies, training, and then dinner. You will have a little break in between, and you are expected, especially you, to perform all of it without stopping. Are we clear so far?” “Yes, sir.” Seemed simple enough so far. “The whole thing lasts for three years, and after that, you have a choice; either commit and get an extra year of training or leave.” “I’m committing,” I stated proudly. “Heh.” He chuckled. “You don’t even know what you are getting into yet, little rabbit.” “With all due respect, sir, Captain Strike put me through the wringer before I came here. I know what I’m getting into.” It’s true. Shield Strike made it abundantly clear that if I were to be a guard she would make sure I'm at the peak of what I can do right now. “Maybe so, but believe me, this is different.” After a good ten-minute walk, we came to a series of doors. Opening the rightmost one we entered a long hallway with doors on both sides every few meters. We were walking all the way to the end, entering a balcony that overlooked a small island of sorts, with the direct view of the mountain rising up in front of it. Going right we walked for another minute until we came to a door where Hard finally stopped. “You will be staying in this room.” He pointed at the door. “It’s a double bedroom usually reserved either for officers or on a request. It’s to be clean, clear, and ready for an inspection at any point, understood?” I nodded silently, using my hoof to remove the key from the envelope. Putting the key in I turned to Hard Tablet only to see him looking at me with a frown on his face. “Sir?” He shook his head, a spike of amusement came from him, and he passed me by, mussing my mane up in the process. “Think nothing of it, little rabbit. Just had something on my mind.” Before he left my sight he turned around and shouted. “Report tomorrow to Stiff Edge with Night Light, and that’s it! Good luck, colt, you’ll need it!   Night Light   I was sitting at one of two provided desks when I heard the door jiggle for a second. I dropped the quill next to the neatly organized schedule for the next couple of weeks and looked up. The room was longer than wide. Immediately next to the door are two wardrobes, and across from it, there were two ponyquins, one of which was currently being used and covered in armor. Next to the wardrobes was a small nightstand and past that were the bunk beds (mine was the bottom one, for now). Across from the beds were two desks with a small fridge in between, and next to the desks was a separate room that served as both the toilet and bathroom. All in all, a perfect place for two ponies in training for a guard. But only starting from today. Today I was supposed to welcome the changeling hybrid, Patchwork; or Night Front as he is called now. I did not even know what he looks like, and I’ll be honest, it made me a little bit nervous. Dinner passed by twenty minutes ago and I was starting to worry that he wouldn’t make it today. That thought was swiftly banished when the door jiggled again and opened. In entered a strong-looking pegasus colt. He looked a bit older than me, with a snow-white coat, short ice-blue mane and tail, and white streak in both of them. I also noticed that he tied the back of his mane with a red band giving himself a ponytail. He looked left and right, studying the room when his eyes landed on me. For a second a panicked look flashed on his face, his eyes as wide as saucers, then with a shake of his head, it was gone. “Night Light, I presume.” He entered, closing the door behind him, and sitting down near the entrance. “Precisely,” I confirmed with a smile on my muzzle. “And you must be the changeling, Patchwork. Correct?” I asked, wondering how he looks so much like a pony. He was supposed to be an entirely different species. “Yea, but it’s Night Front in this form.” He took off the saddlebags, and then, looking over which bunk was empty, put them on the top, empty bunk. “Right, right.” I nodded my head absentmindedly still trying to picture what he looked like. Using a burst of magic I cleared the desk, setting everything back to its intended place. When I turned around I noticed that Night Front was keeping a keen eye on me. “What?” “A fellow perfectionist, are you?” He looked over the table appreciatively. “Yes; everything has its place, and there is a place for everything,” I stated proudly, using my father’s favorite quote. “I was rather curious though…” he lifted his head and looked at me. I lifted my hoof and pointed at him, hoping that my silent question wasn’t offensive. His eyes widened for a second before he nodded his head. “I don’t mind,” he started off, “but just to warn you, there will be a flash of fire. It’s not dangerous and it won’t burn.” He scratched the back of his head with a hoof. “Also, a fair warning, I look VERY different in my natural form.” I nodded my head, “I understand, but I was rather surprised to not see you in the natural form, after all, at this time there is nopony outside to notice you in the first place.” He hummed before looking up. “Maybe so, but I cannot risk it.” He looked down straight into my eyes, and shivers ran down my spine for a moment. He looked very intense. “What I'm about to show you is a state secret, as you should know. It does NOT leave this room. Are we understood?” I nodded again and awaited the transformation. There was a flash of turquoise fire and in its place stood a powerful-looking insectoid creature the likes of which I never saw. He looked very much like a pony, but he was covered in black, segmented, armor-looking plates leaving little unprotected with a separate turquoise midsection. His mane, tail, and eyes were the same, but his feathered wings were completely gone. What was left was a pair of diaphanous wings that buzzed lightly before disappearing in his back. He also had a short, curved horn and two antennae on his head on top of everything else. To top it all off, he also had claws, actual claws, on his forelegs. He was almost half a head taller than me and looked extremely dangerous. On his chest was a tuft of fluff connecting to his back that made him look rather regal. I must have been looking for a while because he started awkwardly shuffling. “You can stop staring now, please.” Was his meek request. “Sorry,” I apologized, turning my head to the side, “but I expected something much more monstrous with what I was told about your race.” “Yea I get it.” He nodded his head and using his wings he climbed up to his bunk bed. “I would be grateful if I can stay in this form while we are here, it’s more comfortable.” “I don’t mind at all.” He acknowledged me with a grunt and proceeded to empty his saddlebags, rummaging through them. I had plenty of more questions I wanted to ask but seems that he is distracted. No matter, I had three years and plenty of time to talk about the changelings. Patchwork I was making my bed when three sharp knocks interrupted the morning peace. Night Light was brushing his teeth in the bathroom. I like the colt, he’s very polite and we spent a good two hours just talking. I quickly flashed into my Night Front disguise and dropped on the floor. “It’s open.” In entered an olive-green earth pony stallion. He had no mane to speak of, but his tail was lime-green and cut short. He wore no armor, and on his left shoulder was an officer badge. “Officer on deck!” I immediately shouted with a salute and cringed at a crash coming from the bath. Night Light came out with a brush still in his mouth and saluted. The newcomer chuckled and closed the door behind him with a hind hoof. “At ease colts. I just came by to see what all the hubbub is about. You can drop the disguise, Patchwork, I want to see the real you.” He casually approached me. I only sensed curiosity and no deeper negative emotions. Shrugging my shoulders, I flashed to myself, stretching, and buzzing my wings. “You are Stiff Edge, sir?” I questioned remembering the chat with Hard Tablet yesterday. “That I am, son.” He confirmed, circling, and appraising me like a predator. “I have to say, I’m a little bit disappointed. The way Strike talks about you, I expected you to spit lighting or something.” “Actually…” Came a muffled voice from Light, toothbrush still in his mouth. There was a few seconds of silence before he started laughing. “Really? Like really, really?” He asked between laughs. I nodded my head absentmindedly, ‘How is that weird, he can probably throw me across Canterlot, but me spitting lightning is weird.’ “Heh, you will have to show me that trick one day, bug-colt. In the meantime,” He went to the door still chuckling, “The training starts in ten minutes, don’t be late, colts. Also, Patchwork,” He turned to me before leaving, “be careful, Impulse Strike is here for today. Now he wants nothing to do with you, but that doesn’t mean we can do whatever. Keep your head down, do what you are told, and do NOT rise to any provocations. Are we clear?” He asked with a frown. “Sir, yes sir.” I nodded with conviction. I won’t let him get to me again. “Good, see you in ten.” He closed the door after him, and I a Light were getting ready for our day in Tartarus.  —---------------------------------- “All right gentlecolts. We finally got the last member of our twenty-four-pony group. Night Front here just arrived yesterday, and since he missed a good few months of practice he has a lot of catching up to do.” Stiff Edge was pacing in front of us, doing the whole drill sergeant thing keeping an eye if anyone is out of line. “Now, I'm not going to make all of you fillies follow the pace he will get, but I do expect you to help him up when he drops. And he will drop.” He stood in front of me with a sneer. I could sense some darker emotions, but they were without focus. This was an act of sorts; I wouldn’t be calling him on it. I did make sure I don’t try to feed while I'm here though, to prevent an incident. “All right fillies. Let’s start, light jog first. Turn left!” I swiftly followed the command. “And go, ten laps to start, move, move, move! Night Front start fast, no breaks, I want you to pound dirt!” … We were at our twentieth lap when I spotted Impulse Strike talking to Stiff Edge. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but I apparently caught the tail end of that convo as Impulse left in a huff. “Everything ok, Front?” Asked one of the ponies I ran with between huffs. “Yeah, yeah. Just wondering, who is that ‘tal over there?” I pointed with my muzzle, trying to look inconspicuous. I noticed Night Light looking at me from the corner of my eye. “That’s Impulse Strike.” Came the reply from a pony in front of me. “One of the best instructors in the academy.” “Do I hear you fillies talking? Double time! NOW!” Came the sudden order from Edge, and we started galloping until he said stop. I was already regretting waking up. … “Kill me…” I groaned; my empty breakfast tray to the side along with a bag of cookies I was chomping on. “I think you did rather well, all things considered.” Night Light was sitting next to me, still finishing his breakfast. “I’ll say.” Agreed an earth pony in front of me. “I thought you would keel over with how much he pushed you.” “And you still got a way to go today, Front.” Claimed a unicorn to the earth pony’s left. “You know, now that we have a group here of sorts,” started of a pegasus on my right, “Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself.” “Well, I come from a long way away that’s for sure.” “Do tell.” I pointed my hoof at the unicorn that said it. “Oh, Horn Point.” He was a bit thin but muscular. He was salmon pink with a splotch of white on his forehead. His mane and tail were light pink with a wavey pattern on both. He did not behave as refined as his looks would betray. “Well, you know how decades ago some ponies tried to cross the Griffonstone area and the Celestial Sea?” “No way, your family was one of those? I’m Bright Sheath.” The earth pony was on the shorter side. With golden-yellow fur and a very light-yellow mane and tail. “Yea, more specifically, Night Light's family.” Now all the attention was on Night Light who just shrugged. “It was a long time ago, my family splintered, some left, some stayed. We didn’t keep in contact. In fact, I didn’t know we had any family left over there in the first place.” He said in between bites. “There aren’t many left. I’m the last one with the name Night.” I shrugged. “Which was one of the reasons I came here in the first place. I wanted to see what my ancestral family is like, and I wanted to be a guard.” I chomped on another cookie. I offered one to Bright and the others at the table. “So, what’s your cutie mark, if I may ask? I take it has something to do with clouds.” Asked the pegasus. I prompted him with my hoof. He was looking at it for a moment before it dawned on him. “Oh, oh, sorry. The name is Slow Wing.” A lapis-blue pegasus with a sky-blue mane and tail, both a bit frizzy. “No worries. And yes, it has something to do with clouds. I’m good at being sneaky, but I don’t like it much.” I chuckled. “I prefer the loud and proud method.” “Ha-ha, yeah!” That got me his approval and a high hoof, which I eagerly returned. I stayed there chatting with them for another hour before we had to leave for our studies. —---------------------------------- Playing catchup was not easy. While others continued their studies (types of weapons, which ones are they allowed to carry and where, etc) I had to start from the ground up. Mostly. They essentially told me to go over the stuff I already know, cover the stuff I may have missed, and in a week I would be given a quick test to see how much they need to fix. Not bad considering I skipped several months’ worth of training, but I still did not like it. Oh well, nothing to it, I guess. Night Light has proven to be a blessing in disguise. The stallion is not only an excessive note-taker (I’m not that much better either), but he also has the mind of a steel trap. Memorizing things was easy, understanding it where I started having some trouble. That’s where he and his impressive memory became useful. I would ask him questions constantly. He never complained, and after several bouts of apologizing he just said: “It’s good for me as well, as I get to refresh that section with you.” The first week passed painfully. I struggled to keep up with the extra work they gave me, but the stallions haven’t let me fall. Especially the guys I met on the first day. They were with me every step of the way. Right now, I was relaxing. It was Sunday, for me, and Restday for ponies. Seven days, four weeks, fourteen months, surprisingly similar. One day a week we are free to do whatever. I was bored so I was going through the four rules of the Guard. Rule one: the simplest rule. Always be helpful. Rule two: abide by the laws of the nation of Equestria. Rule three: Protect the citizens and yourself. And lastly, rule four: protect the crown. Simple, easy, and to the point. Which is why the author of the book saw fit to expand, extrapolate and excessively exercise his right to truncate the rules into tiny pieces. Enough to draft a fifty-page book about. Very boring to read, but then again, I was bored as well. I flipped the page with my claw, relaxing on my bed when the door opened. I immediately transformed into Night Front. Night Light came in with a bright smile on his muzzle. “How’d it go, Light?” I asked from my relaxed position transforming back into myself. “It went great, just not how I planned.” He said happily. With a skip in his step, he started putting the pouch he had in the drawer next to the bed. “Oh? What’s her name, and what happened.” I rolled over, putting the book on the top of the closet that was next to the nightstand. “Her name is Bright Sparkle.” I felt the color drain from my face. “I was supposed to meet up with her sister, but from what I was told she was late for a class a week ago and had to do some extra studies to make up for it.” The longer he talked the worse I felt. “What’s, um… what’s her sisters’ name?” I asked. “Why? Interested?” He laughed. “Her name is Twilight Velvet. Such a shame, I really wanted to meet her, but I think I got something better.” He went to shower, singing like a love-struck bird. I was sitting in the top bunk, holding my head, and hoping I could keep my stomach in.