Failing Frequently
The small red frame of the skylight hung over her head for just a second before she rocket through it. The familiar feel of wind rushing past her was brief, like all pegasi she could enjoy the sensation of flight, but it wasn't her favorite thing in the world. Her body curled slightly pushing her on a downward arc, aiming for an open window below. It's small frame might have worried her if the academy hadn't been so keen on pegasi keeping their wings nimble. Without much thought he closed her wings before the rest of her momentum sent her through the open window with a small distance to spare.
“Woah” A word from the side of the room caught her attention. A deep red pony with a mane like fire looked up from the small sandwich that laid before him. Fireblossom smiled as she trotted over, eager to see the stallion who had previously flown in here.
“Hi! I'm Fireblossom, what's your name?” she said with a smile as she sat down across from him, his mouth still held open.
“Hot momma...” he breathed finally getting his mouth to move.
“Hi Hot Momma, did you see somepony fly though he before?” she asked the unicorn receiving a tilt of the head in response.
“Uh, no, uh, I mean, My name is Corporal Starstrike, is there a problem miss?” He gave a half serious look.
“OH, you're Starstrike, that means I found you!” her smile seemed to spread wider.
“And, did you mention somepony flying in here?” he asked after just a second.
“Yeah, I saw a pony go flying out a skylight before heading in here, was that you?”
“Uhm, yeah, I'm really good at jumping, but uh, you know civilians aren't supposed to be in the fort right?” He seemed to shake himself to his senses at last.
“Oh, Private Fireblossom, newest addition to third shift! That makes you my commander!” She replied with her cheer ever apparent.
“So that means...” he started.
“Yup, I'll be working under you all night from here on out.” Fireblossom said causing Starstrike to do a double take.
“Uh, oh, well, uh, woo, yeah, that... wait, aren't I supposed to be getting two of you?” He thanked his dark red coat hiding his blush.
…
Dust sprung into the late night air as frenzied hooves pounded forward. The wooden posts that formed the outer wall of the main building rushed past with each hard beat against the dry ground. Edgeburn pushed the door open quickly, sliding into the large room that served as the general area for everything in the fort. The wind whipped past him, the open door letting wind flee from the open window and back into the night.
His gaze raced from wall to wall, bouncing like a filly on a trampoline as he looked for his target. Her vibrant mane and signature majenta made her stick out in the dust earthen room and Edgeburn sighed in relief.
“Fireblossom, thank Luna you're alright after a stunt like tha...” his words trailed off as he noticed something just past Fireblossom. The red unicorn's gaze slowly wandered all over his sister, a small smile rising to his face and Edgeburn didn't like it once bit. Feeling the all too familiar sensation of his muscles tensing, Edgeburn did his best to not rush over and clobber this stallion.
“Yup, I'll be working under you all night from here on out.” Edgeburn heard his sister say.
His hoof met his face with a speed almost unknown to earth ponies. “She doesn't even realize when she says something like that...” he mumbled giving up on not thinking aloud after the long day. The red stallion seemed to be enjoying that thought before coming back to his senses. “Uh, oh, well, uh, woo, yeah, that... wait, aren't I supposed to be getting two of you?”
“Private First Class, Edgeburn E. Wheatstalk” He said rather loudly as he made his way over to them. Edgeburn enjoyed the momentary look of worry that flashed across this new stallion to consider.
“Oh, cool... Corporal Starstrike, former lone stallion of the third shift.” He said standing up from his sitting position.
“Oh, Edgie, there you are, took you long enough.” Fireblossom smiled innocently back at her brother.
“Sir” was all Edgeburn said to the newly confirmed superior officer.
“Oh none of that, permission to speak freely and all that stuff. I hate dealing with rules. I'm so glad I got away from Ms stuck up thanks to you two. Nice flank on her though.” Starstrike dismissed Edgeburn with a wave of his hoof.
The ashen stallion felt odd hearing such a remark from his superior officer. Sure he had encountered the occasional soldier who didn't really seem to care but he had never had to take a direct order from them before.
“Should our shift be starting soon Sir?” Edgeburn said slightly uncomfortably.
“Oh, yeah, you're right. Well, I finished my food, did anypony or lo show you around before hoof?” Starstrike said leaning back with a yawn.
“Lo?” Edgeburn asked.
“Like, Buffalo, for them it's Anylo, then there is anytaur for Axebeard.” Starstrike didn't seem to blink.
“We met Gemma and Tumble Root! So yeah, they showed us around.” Fireblossom beamed.
“Well that's a relief, without somepony breathing down my neck and two newbies to show around, I think it's time to patrol the town!” he said slamming his hooves on the table.
“WOO! PATROL!” Fireblossom yelled slamming her hooves on the table.
“That's the spirit!” Starstrike said his gaze lingering on her just a bit too long for Edgeburn's liking.
The protective brother watched as Starstrike stood, and walked towards her, the red stallion's gaze seeming unsure for just a fraction of a second. He felt his muscles tense, like something bad was about to happen, but surely his commanding officer wouldn't do anything out of line would he?
Fireblossom blinked in surprise as Starstrike leaned in and kissed her square on the forehead. “There we go.” he said softly before turning from her.
“THE HAY WAS THAT!” Edgeburn roared moving closer as Starstrike turned towards him. He was ready to shove his face right next to his and give this stallion four seconds to apologize when his world seemed so unsure.
“Ladies first?” Starstrike offered before kissing Edgeburn on the forehead as well, the ashen stallion seeming to sway slightly after the contact broke.
“Uhm, Sir?” Fireblossom questioned as her brother stood there still as stone.
“An old tradition, get used to it.” He offered back with a cocky grin. Just as Starstike turned back to Edgeburn he was greeted with a rather surprising sight. A cerulean mane spilled lazily over ashen shoulders while it's origin was putting a dent in the floor.
“Did he pass out?”
“Edgie doesn't do that too often, just kick him awake, he'll be fine.”
…
The night bathed the dusty brown town in blues and silver, looking like an aged set of silverware. The slight shine of windowpanes, softer metals, and even the occasional bit of water. Through the dusty streets, a slow procession cast orange glows from their torches, their light washed over the subtle coloring of the town, like the night was offended at the change.
“While we are out here, keep an eye out for any trenches, bumps, holes, or piles. Especially if you see one move.” the red unicorn at the front of the procession said from around the torch in his mouth.
Edgeburn moved the curve of his own torch farther down his snout, “Moving dirt Sir?”
“There is a reason buffalo don't build houses and minotaurs live on solid rock, the dirt can move quickly out here if you don't watch out.” Starstrike said looking around.
“Wouldn't it be easier to talk if you held your torch with magic?” Fireblossom said looking up from her own fire source with a grin.
“I don't really like to” Starstrike said after just the shortest pause.
Edgeburn wanted to question but it wasn't his place, “So how again does the dirt out here move exactly?”
“Ever heard of elemental creatures?” Starstrike looked over his shoulder to address the earthpony.
“Ooh, like Timberwolves? Those are nature elementals right?” Fireblossom perked up.
“Yeah sort of, well, we have some earth elementals around these parts, the buffalo just ignore them, the minotaurs aren't bothered by um, but apparently somepony decided to settle El Pinto a short distance from their warren, and now they can play havoc on the buildings.”
Edgeburn and Fireblossom took a moment to look at the buildings they were passing, they seemed fine, a few were leaning a bit, or had a few cracks near their base, but other then that just average old buildings.
“Sir, these buildings just seem aged, not destroyed.” Edgeburn felt his thoughts leaving his lips as was now far too common.
“These buildings are two years old, that damage is from Rockrats, little dirt and stone things, burrow under the ground looking for food. Except they aren't too careful where they are going, if one digs into the foundation of a home, it will survive, but the home will start to lose stability, after enough holes, the whole thing will crumble.”
“Wait, so there are little rocky mice eating holes in ponies basements?” Fireblossom said looking harder for any sign of these creatures.
“Most ponies don't have basements around here, but with there not being much wood to work with, half of all these buildings are just mud bricks and sealant. The rats will eat in and never even notice anything but a different taste.” Starstrike stopped in his tracks.
“Son of Celestia, there is one now.” He breathed an motioned towards a corner of a building.
A small grey and brown creature the size of a normal rat scurried out from a hole it had just eaten in a building, sniffing the air and looking around.
“The things are supposed to be partially blind, and they aren't too smart, but they know that it's safe to come out at night. So, we're going to use our torches to convince it the day is coming and it should dig deep down, and away from town, got it?” Starstrike laid out their plan quickly.
“Edgeburn, head straight in, Fireblossom, take the right, I'll cover the left. Let me scare it first, then go after it.” He said his horn beginning to glow slightly.
“Wahoo” Starstrike said calmly before his hooves lit up and he rocketed skyward, clearing the two story building next to them and landing next to their target.
“NOW!” he said swinging his torch near the rat, it stumbling in surprise. Edgeburn and Fireblossom quickly did as told, catching the rat in a triangle, it spinning round in terror before diving headfirst into the ground, a small hole closing up behind it.
“Good, one less rat to worry about, that's about as glamorous as the graveyard shift gets.” Starstrike said with a smile.
“Well that was fun, Hey, Starstrike Sir, how did you go so high?” Fireblossom asked the question that Edgeburn had just been about to present.
“Oh, that's my talent, with my magic I can jump really high, it's about all magic is really good for, making my normal strengths better.” He said with a slight frown at the word 'magic'.
“Wow, I've never seen anypony without wings even come close to that height without a balloon or something before.” Fireblossom seemed to be getting closer as she walked next to him.
“Eh, thanks Private, glad it's interesting” Starstrike said with a slight blush, it barely visible past the torch light.
The group dissolved into silence as they keep watch for more Rockrats. The minutes passed and Edgeburn thought things were finally going to be settling down when the dreaded happened.
Fireblossom seemed to take a moment of deep thought before transferring her torch to her hooves. “So, is there anything we can light on fire?”
Edgeburn began to look around, afraid there might be something flammable immediately next to them.
“Oh, there are a ton of things, we still have to light all the torches back at the fort, I just want to get one more sweep in here, then we can go nuts.” Starstrike said with a light voice.
“Yay, I was hopping we could light some things on fire!” Fireblossom cheered.
“Luna have mercy” Edgeburn muttered as his face paled.