//------------------------------// // Chapter II - Evaluation // Story: Adversity // by Ogopogo //------------------------------// Evaluation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “What do you mean?” Oak exclaimed, following the shocked silence. “Exactly what Ah said,” Caldor elaborated. “There hasn’t been a single earth pony accepted into the core guard for three hundred years.” “Are you sure of this?” Doctor Remedy demanded. Caldor sighed heavily. “Aye, that Ah am. Equestria has known peace for so long, your blasted parliament doesn’t even grasp the guard’s purpose. For them, the guard became an ‘unnecessary waste of bits’. Eventually the order was quietly passed down to ‘favor’ unicorns and pegasi over earth ponies to cut expenses." “B-But why?” stammered Oak. “Pegasi have flight, unicorns have their magic and earth ponies have their strength, but where is that exhibited? For them, what can an earth pony do that the others can’t?” If Caldor’s word had merit, there was no reason to head to Canterlot. Wasted efforts accomplished nothing, and that’s all Oak’s goal at the moment was: a waste of effort. But what could he do? Potentially, every answer he sought lay with joining the guard, yet that chance had been stripped away. “Dammit!” Repeated clattering punctuated the silence, the train oblivious to the bitterness within her final compartment. Noir whistled affectionately, trying to comfort his friend, whilst Remedy racked his mind for a solution. “Take those off,” Caldor demanded suddenly, pointing towards Oak’s wrapped middle. “What?” “Unless you can tell me what damn near tore you in two, take ‘em off!” Lending a hoof, Remedy efficiently removed the bandages, revealing the puckered skin. Disturbingly, despite the few hours it’d been, the skin was already knitting together, soon to be nothing more than scar tissue. Eyeing the wounds, Caldor began to murmur worriedly to himself, the meaning eluding the others. Oak glanced over to the doctor for a hint, but Remedy’s face had become eerily pale, words trying to form upon his lips as he stared at the gashes. “Ah screw it,” Caldor decided, grabbing Oak’s attention again. “Ah’m goin’ to help you join the guard.” “What!” exclaimed Oak. “Why?” The gryphon ruffled his feathers uncomfortably. “Ah’ve been fighting long before you were born, so trust me when I tell you those are from a manticore.” “So you’re saying a manticore attacked me?” Oak gasped in disbelief. “No, Ah’m saying you attacked it! That implies one of two things: one, you’re a brain-dead idiot, or two, you were protecting others. Seeing as how you definitely aren’t the former, you had the combination of bravery and foolishness to stand against one for the sake of others, something even ah have to admire.” Doctor Remedy cleared his throat, breaking from his stupor. “I fail to understand how you can make such a claim, merely by examining Oak’s injury.” Snorting, Caldor lifted a claw, displaying his razor sharp talons. “Think about a manticore swinging his claws. Would they really leave scars like that if Oak was running away?” To emphasize the point, Caldor swiped the air before him. Looking closely at Oak’s injuries in a new light, Remedy found what the gryphon had understood immediately. “Yes,” he muttered, “I do believe you are right.” “But what does that have to do with it?” Oak demanded. “Why would that be enough of a reason to help me?” Caldor’s eyes glazed over, recalling the words from a distant memory. “The blood of your kin runs through those who have given it in defense of others. As long as their cause is righteous, and their hearts tempered by the flame of sacrifice, no trust can be misplaced.” Before the value of the profound words could be met and understood, Caldor plowed onwards. “If this is going to work, Ah’ll be needing your help, Remedy; your word is just as important.” The unicorn snorted in disbelief. “Forgive me for withholding my support, but you have yet to so much as breathe a word of what this plan entails. In fact, you seem to be rushing into this with little thought.” Caldor ignored the criticism, detailing his plan. “It’s simple, really. If ah thought Oak was a pegasus, no doubt others will also. Those bandages are big enough to make it look like he’s hiding wings beneath them.” “...Well I can think of no way that could go wrong,” Oak muttered, his voice dripping sarcasm. Seemingly ignorant of the ramifications, Caldor shook his head. “Ah don’t think you understand the value they’ll place on my word. In combination with Remedy’s they’ll ‘ave to give you a chance. Make no doubt about it, you’ll need to work hard to make up for your handicap, but you’ll have an opportunity.” The two ponies exchanged a glance, while Noir stared out the window, seemingly uninterested in the entire matter. It could work, but the margin for error would be slim. If they messed up, even slightly, there would never be another chance. “What happens when they find out?” Oak asked, raising the obvious question. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides,” the gryphon continued, “Ah’d never give up a chance to teach those smug bastards a lesson. Now if you’ll excuse me, the time change is a bitch.” He rolled over, settling back down on the train bench. “You understand there is a sleeping car, correct?” questioned Remedy. The reply was a drawn out snore, shaking the curtains with its pitch. Not to be outdone, Oak’s stomach growled a challenge. Somewhat sheepishly, he met Remedy’s gaze. The doctor chuckled. “Perhaps we should get something to eat.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A dandelion and alfalfa sandwich on toasted sourdough bread filled the void in Oak’s stomach quite nicely, whilst Remedy chewed through his strawberry salad. Across from them, somewhat messily, Noir pecked at a biscuit, sending the odd crumb flying. “You really didn’t need to get him anything,” Oak commented. “Oh, it’s no trouble,” Remedy replied. “Doc, he’s a raven. He’ll literally eat anything.” “Including your hay fries, it would seem,” he replied with a smirk. Oak turned back to his plate too late to stop the raven from gobbling a few more. Noir cackled mischievously as his master glared daggers. Groaning, Oak moved his plate to the side, out of the raven’s reach. “Anyway, what did you think of Caldor’s plan?” Oak asked, swatting away Noir’s wing. “It pains me to admit it, but it does have merit. I once aided a pegasus with a torn tendon to join Briar Field’s weather team. He had to convince them he was suitable for the spot, not to mention in shape, but ultimately, he got in. While I realize your situation is hardly similar, neither is it entirely different.” Regarding the doctor for a moment, Oak shook his head. “That’s not what’s bothering you, is it?” With a sigh, Remedy nodded glumly. “I have my suspicions Caldor is withholding something from us. It’s nothing which will hurt us,” he quickly assured Oak, “just something of another matter.” “Well... We all have our secrets, don’t we?” “True,” the unicorn admitted. “I suppose I can respect his privacy, whatever his reasons may be.” “What do you think of him?” “Who, Caldor?” Remedy questioned, taking a bite of his salad. “Yeah, who else?” “Perhaps you were talking about your pet,” he offered. Noir lifted his beak from his meal long enough to deliver a dissenting reply. He neither liked nor appreciated the title of ‘pet’. Ruffling his wings testily, he returned to his meal, glaring at the doctor. “Would ‘companion’ be an adequate term?” Remedy questioned the raven. A quick bob of his head was all Noir offered. “Let me think for a moment,” the unicorn said, pondering the inquiry in silence. Nearly a minute passed before he had his answer. “Caldor is... interesting,” Remedy decided, taking a sip of his water. “‘Interesting’, really? That’s it?” Oak asked, raising an eyebrow. “Consider this,” Remedy replied, unpersuaded, “Caldor acts and speaks with great vigour and confidence, almost arrogantly so, yet it is not ill-becoming of him. In fact, I am inclined to believe his arrogance has a firm basis in reality.” “So... Not quite so simple as Noir here, right?” Oak joked. The raven swiftly addressed the insult, snapping his head forward to steal away a hay fry from his ‘companion’. “I believe so,” Remedy answered with an amused grin. Both turned their attention to their meals, consuming their respective fare at a reasonable rate. Their waitress, a rose-hued mare, emerged from the kitchen to interrupt their progress. Offering tea or coffee, she scratched down the doctor’s order, the luxury denied to Oak per Remedy’s adamant instructions. When asked why, the doctor waved the question off. “Better to play it safe,” the doctor reasoned, bobbing his teabag gingerly. “Now,” he declared, taking a sip of the brew, “there is something else I would like to discuss with you.” “Yes?” “Regardless of what Caldor and I say, if your memories do not begin to return soon, you’ll have no hope of them accepting your application. Before we left the hospital, I took a moment to compile a booklet of puzzles for you to complete. Such logic-driven puzzles are a great method to jog the mind. From now till we arrive, I want you to complete as many of those as you can.” Oak groaned; unknown to Remedy, he had noticed the pages whilst packing his bags at the hospital. They were nothing more than boring, tiresome and repetitive logic problems that a foal could do. “Fine...” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With the final ‘t’ crossed, Princess Celestia gratefully set down the quill and rose from her seat, taking a moment to stretch her legs. No matter the time of year, constant was the stream of bills and reports demanding her approval, compliments of her court. It was moments like these that Celestia envied her sister. Despite ponies’ ill-founded fear of her, Luna did not tolerate having her time wasted. It was not uncommon for her sister to outright dismiss half the petitions she heard, as pitifully few as there were. From her study’s window, Celestia watched as Canterlot unfolded beneath her, ponies going about their lives unaware of her torment . The recent strain of her work was replaced with a glint of happiness as she made out a group of foals playing catch. Oh what she wouldn’t give even for a chance to join them. Curt knocking broke her from her thoughts. “Enter,” she said, wearily returning to her desk. “You called for me, Princess?” Shining Armour asked, shutting the door behind him. “Yes, there’s something I would like to show you.” “What is it?” A scroll floated over to the captain, propelled by Celestia’s magic. Taking it, Shining unravelled it, eyes scanning the document. “I’ve made a few changes to the Royal Guard’s budget,” Celestia explained. “Before I pass it off, I wanted you to take a look at it.” “Shouldn’t you be asking General Candlelight instead?” Celestia gave her head a small shake. “He has enough work at the moment; it wouldn’t be right to burden him further. Besides, he was never really too good with numbers, while the concepts seem to run rampant in your family.” Eyes already a quarter of the way down the page, Shining Armour gave an absent-minded nod. Amusement perked the corners of Celestia’s mouth as she watched the captain’s eyes grow wide in disbelief. “Princess,” he breathed. “Where are all these bits coming from? “All I did was tie up loose ends and eliminate waste,” she explained. “I’ve been meaning to address it for quite some time now. Meagre as it may be, it should be enough for the guard’s needs.” “Celestia, this isn’t a small amount in any regard!” Shining exclaimed. “This would be enough to increase the guard by...” he trailed off, the pieces fitting together in his mind. Before he could speak his piece, however, the alicorn hurriedly cut him off. “I’m merely fixing something which should have been corrected long ago; there is nothing to worry about. If everything appears to be in order, you may return to your rounds. Sadly, there is still much left for me to do.” Returning the scroll, Shining swiftly bowed and departed. Once more, Celestia wandered over to the window, finding the same foals now chasing each other about in a game of tag. What she had told her captain had not been a fabrication, nor was it the truth. Rumors had begun to bloom throughout Equestria, and she could not idly wait to see whether their fruit bore truth. To place Equestria into a paranoid panic was not an option, the situation, instead, warranting careful manipulation. Celestia glanced back at her desk and the stack of papers awaiting her judgement. Her quill stood ready to do battle with the foul legion, acting as a conduit to her mind. In a rare decision, however, Celestia decreed both were in dire need of a respite. Nestling down onto a cushion by the fireplace, she brought a book over from the bookcase, taking a brief glance at the title before popping it open. Taxes be damned, she was going to finish this book even if the castle burned down around her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A cry of delight filled the compartment as the train finally ground to a halt, waking the sleeping gryphon and raven. Oak was nothing short of ecstatic to be done with the exercises. It wasn’t that they were difficult, just that there were too bloody many. Groggily looking about, Caldor remembered where he was, quickly standing. “Follow me,” he instructed. If there was anything pleasant about hanging around the ice-white gryphon, his ability to clear a path was one of them. As soon as they caught sight of him, ponies on the train, and, once they stepped down from the platform, parted like butterflies before a storm. If Caldor was aware of the fearful glances the crowd gave him, he didn’t let it show. Overhead, the sun clung desperately to the sky, reluctantly sliding towards the horizon. The pleasant warmth of midday had long since passed, the composed cool of the evening beginning to fill the void. The smell of burning coal permeated the station, with no breeze to purge the haze of smoke and steam still coursing from the train. Ponies moved about the platform with a barely contained urgency, some seeking loved ones or a taxi, while others waited for the train to empty so they might board. Encircling the platform of worn tile stood pristine marble buildings, encroaching on the already hectic station. Some of these were stores to pick up a last minute gift, while others were restaurants, offering food and drink to waiting travellers. However, a few of the buildings escaped general use, the station operating specific services necessary for traveling. One of these, the customs office, where larger and foreign luggage was held, stood as the gryphon’s destination. Despite the derived expectation from the bustling crowds outside, the interior was eerily empty. Twelve desks stood to offer their services, yet only three were manned, one busied helping another pony. Without pause, Caldor selected the leftmost official, closing the distance rapidly. “Can I h-help you sir?” a pale blue unicorn asked, hesitating slightly at the sight of him, as she looked up from her papers. “Yes, Ah’m looking for my luggage.” “And your name sir?” “Caldoris Hawkeye,” he declared. “One moment please,” she replied, heading into the back room. Something tapped against a window behind them, breaking the moment of silence. Glancing back, Oak was stunned to see a host of ponies pressed up against the glass, openly staring at the gryphon. Sure, Caldor wasn’t really an average gryphon, but there was no reason for this open display of astonishment. Emerging from the back, the mare gave her head a regretful shake. “I’m sorry sir, but your luggage is being held until further notice. You will be required to contact an officer of the Royal Guard before we are permitted to release it.” It appeared Caldor had been prepared for that answer, expecting it even. Swiftly tugging a scroll from his satchel, he set it on the desk before her. “That is a letter from General Candlelight explicitly expressing the nature of my visit,” Caldor explained, growing irate. “There shouldn’t be any issues.” “I’m sorry sir,” the mare said, quaking slightly, “but we need more confirmation than this. If you could just wait—” “Ah’ll just get them myself.” “Sir,” the mare cried, fumbling a hoof beneath the lip of the desk as Caldor pushed past into the back. “Sir!” Sharing a worried look, Oak and Remedy hustled after him in a bid to save him from doing anything foolish, or, at the very least, too foolish. The backroom of the store was entirely separate from the front, piles of luggage strewn wherever there was room, not so much as where they made sense. It would have been a maze of fabric and zippers if not for the clearing at its heart, and the table within. Light gleamed off the edges of polished steel and shimmering pommels, while dark wood and cloth-wrapped handles provided a stark contrast. Almost every weapon imaginable, in some form or another, lay on the table before them. Caldor swiftly snapped them away, the harness across his chest taking a few instruments of war, an empty bag, retrieved from the floor, the remainder. Curious, Oak went to lift an axe, only to have his hoof slapped away. “Unless you know how to use one, don’t touch it,” Caldor instructed, stowing the axe within the bag and tying it shut. “You’ll never join the guard missing a leg. Can you take the other one, Remedy?” he asked, kicking a bag identical to the first. “Curious,” Remedy remarked, leaning close to examine it. “What is this material?” “Leather.” “You mean—” “Yes.” “What—” “Mountain sheep.”’ “Ah... I see.” “Caldor,” Oak exclaimed, “what’s all this about!” “These are just my—” “That’s not what I mean, and you damn well know it,” he accused, stamping his hoof. “Just relax,” Caldor grunted, hefting the bag across a shoulder. “Ah’m just doing my job.” “By breaking into a customs office!?” “You worry too much, lad,” Caldor chuckled, strolling out into the now-barren front. “Relax.” A symphony of warning bells rang out through Oak’s mind as he realized there was not a single pony in sight, either behind the desks or pressed up against the window. The entire room was devoid of life, the silence bringing an oppressive urgency to the stillness. Yet Caldor appeared unaffected, almost jauntily skipping out into the street. “Halt where you are!” came the cry. “Drop the bags and get down on the ground!” A loose semi-circle of Royal Guards surrounded the building's front, both holding back the crowd and keeping watch. Each pegasus had a spear, the slender weapons pointed loosely at the sky. Deeming the situation to be unfavorable, Noir flew up to perch on a gutter, out of the way but still in sight. Somewhat shakily, trembling with anger and a bit of fear, Oak moved to follow their orders. However, despite their demands, Caldor decided on the polar opposite course of action. “Not bad, not bad at all,” he mused. “Still room for improvement though.” “Gryphon,” shouted the pegasus at the center, leveling a spear as a signal for the others, “This is your final warning! Submit at once or we will resort to force.” “Caldor, what the blazes are you doing!” Oak hissed. Forget a place in the royal guard, their lives or freedom might be on the line. The gryphon scanned the circle. “Good posture, readiness is adequate. Cohesion and coordination need improvement. You leave gaps in your ranks Ah could slip through, and by giving the orders, you designate yourself as the leader and my first target.” The wavering tips of the spears stiffened, intent on their target with the final words. Yet at the same time, their leader’s slackened. “Caldor?” he asked, puzzled. “Right on the first guess! Ah’m impressed, Sky.” “Sir,” asked another pegasus, lowering his spear hesitantly. “Do you know this gryphon?” “Yes; stand down, all of you,” the pegasus instructed. “So who are the others with you?” he asked Caldor. Remedy rose warily, clearing his throat. “I am Doctor Remedy, and this is my patient Oak Leaf, who seeks to join the Royal Guard.” Oak shifted uncomfortably under Sky’s critical eye. “You sure you aren’t looking for a hospital there, buddy?” “I assure you,” Remedy declared pointedly, “his appearance is most deceiving; his body is almost entirely healed. Little more than an additional day will be enough for him to heal entirely, save for his wings.” “Besides, Sky,” Caldor injected, a smile tugging at the corner of his beak, “he did somethin’ more foolish than you ever did.” “Are you ever going to let that go?” Sky muttered darkly, scowling fiercely. The gryphon broke into laughter. “Where’s the fun in that!” he roared. “Oak here tried giving a manticore a bloody nose, but Ah‘d wager he did a fair bit better than that. Ah’ll go as far as to give him my recommendation and call in that favor you still owe me.” “Fine,” Sky relented after a moment’s hesitation, “he’ll get a chance. Now I hope you realize how much paperwork I have to fill out. Couldn’t you have just waited a few minutes for somepony to fetch me? It would have been easier for all of us.” “You’re the ones who hired me,” Caldor countered. “If you don’t like my methods Ah’ll head elsewhere.” “You’re insufferable as ever, you know that?” Sky groaned. “You’re helping me fill out all the paperwork either way. You owe me as much.” The gryphon shrugged. “Fine by me.” “Sergeant Featherlight,” Sky instructed, speaking to the mare to his left, “give your spear to Caldor and escort Remedy and Oak Leaf back to the tower. I’ll be taking Caldor back with the rest of the squad.” Saluting stiffly, Featherlight lightly tossed her spear to the gryphon. “See ya around, lad,” Caldor said, already in the air before any of the pegasi could even spread their wings. “Let’s move,” Featherlight coldly commanded. The mare pushed through the crowd with practiced ease. There was no pause to check if they were following, just immediate motion. Past the obvious herd at the station, the vast multitude of ponies around Canterlot astonished Oak. It was amazing that so many could live in such density, and still live their life to the fullest. Where he lived, there was nothing for him to compare it to. Given the city to themselves, everyone in his town would have a house the size of the castle. Frowning in bafflement, Oak wondered where that memory had sprung from. Following the thread through his mind, he lost himself within the tangled web, paths converging and diverging in numbing patterns. The fragrance of freshly baked pastries wafting past his nose brought him back to reality, the three of them marching past a bakery. Everywhere there was something happening, something exchanged, be it merchandise or merely pleasantries. Yet, despite however foreign it might be, it was not entirely unexpected. To his own surprise, Oak realized that this was not his first time here. Desperately, he tried to match up his surroundings to his memory, trying to find the connection, but too much had changed over the years. Where he distantly remembered a flower store, there was a pub. Where there once was a coffee shop, there was a grocery. Frustrated, Oak Leaf grunted, kicking a pebble up the street. “Everything all right?” Remedy asked, falling back alongside Oak. The doctor had taken the chance to talk with the sergeant, leaving Oak to follow, slack-jawed at the sights. “Yes... No,” Oak admitted, quietly. “I just remember being here a long time ago, and...” He trailed off, realizing Featherlight could be listening in. Nevertheless, the beige unicorn recognized what Oak was getting at. “I see. Excuse me, Miss Featherlight?” he called out, talking a few rapid strides to catch up. The mare saved him the work, halting and turning crisply on the spot. “Yes, what is it?” she questioned, her voice tinged with barely perceptible annoyance. “If you wouldn’t mind, Oak Leaf would like to take a swift swing into the market to find something for his sister.” “He’ll have plenty of time once training starts,” she replied, beginning to walk again. “Recruits have the evenings off.” “All the more reason to go now,” Remedy countered, halting the sergeant. “Many of the shops close a few hours before the sun sets. Certainly it wouldn’t pose a problem to take a look now.” “I was ordered to bring you back to the castle,” she answered, tersely. “Ah, but were you ordered when?” he countered. “I hardly thin—” “Besides,” Remedy interrupted, “it is a beautiful day outside. Why not take advantage of the opportunity? Surely you wouldn’t mind browsing the odd vendor?” “Alright!” she snapped. “But make it quick.” Nodding graciously, Remedy took the lead, deviating from their original destination. Oak’s eyes darted around, anxiously soaking up the sights and storing them to memory. Emerging from a narrow street, he found numerous merchants standing at their stalls, eager to sell their goods. Any and everything, from the latest bestselling novel to a simple apple, could be found somewhere within the market. Ignoring a pegasus pandering his goods, Oak looked about for something that might stand out. Under the watchful eyes of Sergeant Featherlight, he paused to falsely peer at the odd bauble here and there, merely to convince her of the lie. Noir chose that moment to reappear, landing atop Oak’s head and startling nearby ponies. With great interest he inspected the table Oak stopped at. Spying something, he hopped down onto the ledge, picking up the chain of a heart shaped locket. “Hey, get out of here!” the stallion, whose goods Noir preyed on, shouted. Don’t worry; he is with me,” Oak said, placating the owner. “Noir, I know it’s shiny, but I’m not getting it.” Noir shook his head, jingling the chain. He had no interest in it for himself, no matter how shiny it might be. His motives, and goal, lay elsewhere. “Then why did you pick it up?” Snorting, the raven squawked a response, hoping his friend would understand, or rather, remember. “Come on,” Oak said, gently tugging the chain, “let’s get going.” He offered up his foreleg for Noir to perch on. With other plans, though, Noir dropped the pendant and took to the skies, leaving Oak standing, foreleg raised awkwardly. Sighing, Oak turned to catch up with Remedy. The beige unicorn had stopped at a jeweler, studying a set of earrings. The design was a blue garnet gemstone, encircled by two strands of silver, which met at the poles of the gem. A simple silver hook extending from the top completed the piece “Excuse me, do you mind if I take a look at these?” “Sure,” the mare answered, removing the pair from the secure glass case. Grabbing hold of the earrings with his magic, Remedy brought them close to his nose, inspecting the intricate details. Satisfied, he turned to Featherlight, holding them expectantly. “No,” the sergeant growled. “Miss Featherlight, I apologize for putting you on the spot. I merely forgot to purchase a present for my daughter, and I would like to put their size into perspective. If you would rather not, it is perfectly understandable.” “I am on duty.” He raised an eyebrow. “And?” She hesitated for a second, deciding upon her response. Scowling, she nodded her consent. Fumbling with the offered jewelry, she quickly threaded them through her ears, dropping her hooves once they were in. “Yes,” murmured Remedy after a brief inspection, “they will do quite nicely.” Unlike the doctor, seeing the stern mare wear something that seemingly defied her character was too much for Oak. Although he struggled to maintain a straight face, he could not prevent a snicker from escaping. Immediately, Featherlight’s hooves shot up to her ears, nearly tearing the earrings out, and tossed them at Remedy. “Time’s up,” she declared coldly. “Castle, now.” She shoved through the crowd before a response could be mustered. “How much?” Remedy asked the vendor hurriedly, unbuckling his saddlebags. “Forty-five bits,” she replied. Remedy dropped the bits on the counter, turning to chase after Oak Leaf and Featherlight. “Miss Featherlight,” the unicorn began, “I apolo—” “We’re done sightseeing,” Featherlight interrupted. “What you want to do with your own time is up to you.” With a few elongated steps, she increased the space between them, denying a response. Falling into step alongside the doctor, Oak leaned over to whisper into the doctor’s ear. “How long is that stick?” “What?” Remedy whispered back, puzzled as to what he meant. “The one stuck up her ass.” Doctor Remedy had to suppress a chuckle at that, missing Featherlight’s ear twitch. “While amusing, perhaps it is best to save those for when she is not around.” “Come on, there’s no way she heard me.” Each step they took brought them closer to the castle and the rich upper class district. Ponies with their noses held high trotted past, largely ignoring the interlopers. Oak wilted under a few fierce glares, presumably because of his injuries and ragged coat. The elegant dresses and suits of the elite shone without fault, contrasting sharply with Oak’s and Remedy’s worn saddlebags, and disheveled appearances. The Royal Guard barracks and headquarters sat a short distance from any other building, the vacant space acting as a buffer, both for presentation and safety. The wide, squat tower shared a similar design to the slender spires of the royal castle, yet was fundamentally different. The arches and windows took on a far more hostile tone, warning miscreants and Equestria’s enemies of those who would fight to defend the peace and safety of Equestria: the Royal Guard. Featherlight stopped and spun on the spot. “Inside to the left there will be a desk; that is where you apply. Doctor, you will have to find residence elsewhere as the barracks is restricted to the Royal Guard and potential recruits.” Oak looked up at the open, golden doors, steeling himself against the nervousness fluttering through his stomach. It was make or break for the plan; once he had signed up, there was no backing out. Until the moment he could no longer maintain his charade, he was a pegasus. Briefly, Oak thought to the moment when they would find out, but stopped himself, remembering Caldor’s words. He would cross that bridge when he came to it. “Oh, and Oak Leaf?” Oak paused, looking back over his shoulder at Sergeant Featherlight. Her leg shot out, catching him between his legs. Cross-eyed, Oak toppled forward, his mouth forming a silent ‘o’ of agony. A spring in her step, Sergeant Featherlight trotted off cheerfully. “I believe she heard you,” Doctor Remedy said, wincing understandingly. Oak groaned. “Gee, you think?”