Two weeks had passed between Starlights conscription into the Guards and Starlight had graduated from carrying heavy saddlebags around to standing in front of a door to test her mental will. This was nothing like the first day that Sgt. David had put her through. She was hungry, cold, tired, and had to go to the bathroom oh so badly. Yet, if she moved a muscle, somehow David would know as he always seemed to be watching. She tried to calm herself in it being paranoia and that he got lucky a few times when she took a large breath, but it was nagging at her like a bad insect. In truth, he was. Standing in a darkened corridor watching her with a sadistic smile across his face. He had something special planned for her today that would decide her fate if she would make it in the Guard or be hauled off to Tartarus. All he had to do now was wait until he heard a voice from behind.
"Sergeant! What is going on here?" said Shadow as she walked up
"Oh, hey Cap!" saluted David, "Just waiting."
"For what?" asked Shadow looking down the hall, "Is that Starlight Shimmer?"
"Eeyup." said David, "Wont be long now."
"What won't be long? How long as she been standing there?"
"It's not her that's coming. It's who." said David in Glee
"Just what are you talking about Sergeant? Who is com-you're not!" she said finally realizing what's going on
"Oh yeah." said David
"Sergeant, er, David! You can't use her as a final exam to judge her on how good of a Guard she will be!"
"Oh come on! It's what you do!" defended David
"Well, yes, but i do it-"
"Unofficially." said David, "Yeah, yeah Shadow. Spare me the formality code. Besides, this could be fun!"
"Fun?" asked a confused Shadow
"Please to your almighty night Princess Luna you know what fun means!?" asked a exasperated David
"I know what fun means!"
"Really?" asked David not believing her, "Do I have to sing you the FUN song we both have to sing with Filly?"
"Fun is taking part in Enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure. I don't need to sing the song." said Shadow with some uneasiness
"What'd you do? Pull that from the Royal Canterlot Dictionary?" asked David, "OOH! It's starting!"
"What!? No!" said Shadow as she looked on
Before she could intervene David stopped her, and much to his surprise she didn't resist, but this was soon replaced for his eagerness to watch the show.
Starlight was on the verge of collapse when out of nowhere a little Pink Filly Unicorn bounced out of nowhere.
"Hewwo miss." said the little Filly
"Uh, hello young Filly. What are you doing here?"
"I wanna pway!" said the Filly
"Well sorry. I'm on duty." said Starlight
"Eveybody is aways on duty." said Filly before perking up, "Are you Guarding this door?"
"Yes I am. Please let me do my job!" said Starlight
"Ok! Bye bye!" said Filly
"Bye." said Starlight
She went back to standing firm when the door behind her opened and shut. It took her a second to realize what was going on and quickly turned around and burst through the door. Off not far away Sgt. David could barely contain his enjoyment at the subject as a big smile was bore across his face. He looked to Shadow and saw a small smile and decided to take advantage of the situation.
"Come on Cap! Time for some fun!"
"No, Sergeant wait! DAVID!"
Her cries fell on deaf ears as David dragged her up and away.
Starlight dashed through the room, desperately trying to find the little Filly that got in.
"Come on Filly." she said looking under a table, "I really can't deal with this right now!"
She looked behind two statues before hearing a small giggle from across the room.
"My final exam for the Guard is today and I screw this up my Sergeant is going to fail me!"
"I don't think so." said Filly behind her
"Oh really?" asked Starlight
She tried to catch her, but Filly jumped up and took off laughing.
"COME BACK HERE!" she called after her
Filly ran out the door trialed by Starlight. Starlight galloped down the hall looking for the little Filly, but a "Yoo hoo!" from behind her stopped the Guard Recruit dea din her tracks. Looking back she saw the pink filly standing there waving her little hoof at her.
"How did you?" asked Starlight before charging after her
As Filly took off, Starlight charged up her magic and aimed it right for Filly and fired a bolt. It was a spell she learned long ago, and it wasn't to harm the little Filly, but encase her in a magical sphere similar to what Flower had used on her. She fired and the magic spell flew right for Filly and encased her. Filly herself found it hilarious and laughed as Starlight brought her close.
"Gotcha." said Starlight
"Wee! This is fun!" said Filly
"Now how are you going to get out?" asked Starlight
"Like this!" said Filly
Before Starlight's eyes the little Filly's horn glowed and she took control of the orb and started to fly away. Starlight looked on mouth wide open.
A few halls down, Charger and Crescent stood before the door they had grown so used to guarding Crescent was convinced the door was open a tad bit more than usual.
"See! Look at this golden flower here! It's casting a shadow on the third notch in my armor!" whispered Crescent
"Who cares!?" hoarsely whispered back Charger
"If inspection comes here we're screwed!"
"Captain Shadow, maybe! Lieutenant Spirit, I'm sure he wont notice, some random officer wont notice. Sergeant David, he'll laugh at you!"
"I'm just saying!" whispered Crescent
"I doubt we'll lose our positions because of one lonely Flower!"
"Some one call my name?" asked Flower as he walked up
"Oh hey Corporal."
"What's up?" he asked
"Crescent here is freaking out over a flower." said Charger
"What!?" asked a confused and interested Flower
Before anything was said Filly floated by in her little magical bubble. She waved to them all, and they waved back at a loss for words. As the three Guards watched her float off down the corridor.
"You guys saw that right?" asked Crescent
"Sarge and the Captains kid float off down the hall?" asked Charger
"Well really they never officially adopted her, just no one ever claimed her-" started Flower
"LOOK OUT!" came the voice of Starlight
The three looked to see the Unicorn Recruit trying to stop but crashing into all three of them. The sound of grunts and metal armor crashing into each other echoed across the hall.
"Alright Recruit, what's going on?" asked Flower as he pulled himself out from Charger's rear
"I was Guarding and that little Filly-"
"Came out of nowhere." said Charger
"And went in to where you were Guarding?" asked Crescent
"Are you in on this?" asked Starlight out of breath
"No. This happened to all of us." said Flower, "Just let her go, everypony will understand."
"But that ball I put her in! It times out and if she's that high up!" said Starlight in panic
"She'll be in serious pain!" said Charger
"Move it! Move it! Move it!" said Crescent as all three took off after Filly
Starlight lead the charge to catch Filly as she happily floated through the halls of the palace completely unaware of the danger she was in. Every time Flower or Starlight tried to capture the ball Filly was in, she seemed to notice this and maneuvered herself out of the way and block their shots. Crescent was next and flew up, but Filly was too fast and more maneuverable than Crescent and he himself crashed into a pillar supporting the ceiling. The only one not attempting to do anything just run along was Charger, since being a Earth Pony he was just plain useless but didn't want to be reprimanded for not doing anything. They saw Filly fly into a room and the door closed behind her.
"Of course!" said Charger as he barreled forward.
The doors burst open as Charger rammed his head through it and looked around.
"OH COME ON!" he yelled
The hallway forked off into two separate directions. they couldn't tell which way she went but since the windows were stained glass and couldn't open she couldn't have gotten outside by any means.
"Okay, Charger, Crescent, go left. Starlight and I will go right!"
"Why?" asked Starlight
"These two hold the record for chasing her the longest. They're good together!"
"Damn straight!" said Charger, "Come on Crescent!"
The two galloped off down the hall as Flower and Starlight moved down the next. She caught up next to Flower as he looked around for Filly.
"What did you mean they held the record?"
"Filly is a, well, she's kind of adopted by Captain Shadow and Sergeant David!" said Flower, "They found her a few months back and she literally likes to play with new Guards!"
"I bet Sergeant David set me up for this!" said Starlight
"I would bet good bits on it!" said Flower
The two galloped down the hall, Starlight's anger building up inside her as she came to realize that David had set her up once again! They didn't see Filly but they heard her laughing to their left. They looked to see Charger and Crescent chasing after her still in the orb that Starlight had put her in. Filly again darted in and out of sight so the two Unicorns couldn't get a clear shot and was too fast for Crescent. Gaining all her strength, she saw her one opening and leaped into the air. She centered her magic around her feet and it seemed to carry her even further. Filly didn't notice her when Starlight used her magic to break the barrier and grabbed Filly.
"WEEE!" screamed the Filly in joy as Starlight fell to the floor still holding Filly
"Caught you!" she said out of breath
"Yes you did!" said Filly happily
"I'm impressed." came a voice
Starlight looked up to see Sgt. David walking up as Filly got up and happily skipped around him.
"Not bad their Recruit. You are the first pony in awhile to actually catch Filly."
"You did that on purpose didn't you!"
"Yeah. You passed beyond anyones expectations. You didn't beat the record, but you impressed the Top."
"Top?" asked Starlight
"Me." said Shadow
Everyone but David and Filly saluted in her presence. Filly herself trotted over and gave her a hug, which was returned with a warm smile from Shadow herself.
"As I said a moment ago, I am impressed. I think you're training is complete. By tomorrow morning, you will have joined the Guard as a Private. Report to Sergeant David for your posting. All of you dismissed!"
Starlight was a little annoyed at the last part but was overjoyed by it all. She trotted off happily back to her cell as the other three returned to their post happy for her as well.
"Ma'am?" asked Filly, "Am I dismissed to?"
"I think it's your lunch time Filly." she said happily, "Go to the lunch room and I'll make you a sandwich."
"Yay!" said Filly as she ran off
Shadow smiled, something rare for her when she caught sight of David walking off whistling to himself, happy with what he had done.
"Sergeant!" she called to him
"Yes Captain?" he said turning around to face her
"Thanks, for the, the chase today. I had........fun."
"Really?" asked David, "You're welcome Cap. See you tomorrow!"
David then walked off whistling again as Shadow kicked at the ground silently.