//------------------------------//
// Testing the Code of The Royal Guard 
// Story: The Magic and Mysteries of Friendship 
// by The Stainmore Phoenix 
//------------------------------//

	After Dangersignal’s little stunt with his wings, the group were underway after eating the rations that Aquatis Storm packed. However, none of the other ponies were used to the rations and complained bitterly about them.

“They tasted like sugared foam!” Rarity whined.

“They were too small!” Twilight added.

“Enough complaining please,” Dragonstorm said. “They’re called rations meaning that the food is in smaller quantities, because it’s rationed. The way rations work is that there is one large shipment of food, where it is packaged in smaller portions, thereby rationing how much food each solider gets.”

“Ah,” Applejack said. “Then that way, every pony gets something.”

“Correct,” came Dangersignal’s response.

The others took what he said to heart, but complained none the less. Dragonstorm, Dangersignal, Hurricane and Aquatis Storm glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.

“Remind you of anyone in particular?” Aquatis Storm asked.

“Yes,” Dragonstorm said. “Us.”

Once all the complaining had subsided, everyone headed onwards. It was not the easiest thing, as every branch, leaf and rock seemed to be made of a slippery film, which made it hard to get good traction. Dangersignal’s mind registered this and he dug his hooves into the ground, in a bid to get better grip.

“Thank you training,” Dangersignal thought.

The others noticed his stances and tried to mimic that, with the guards doing it by the book. The Pegasi took to the air to ignore the slippery leaves, but the unicorns and earth ponies were pretty much stuck on the ground.

Dragonstorm gave them the point by point instruction, with him demonstrating it.

“Clear a patch, slightly bigger than your hoof; when digging in, place pressure on the back left hoof, then move to the back right hoof, then front right and at last, front left,” he said. “The dirt that surrounds your hooves will grant you traction on the slick leaf surfaces. The dirt grip lasts about forty to one hundred steps and acts like the sand that me and my brother use when taking engines up to Manehattan, which is on a 1-in-101% gradient, and is often slick with water, as it climbs to a bridge that crosses a river. Traction, for a pony is different to that of the traction of a steam locomotive, but good grip is essential.”

“Correct,” Darkseige said.

The others understood, and gave it a good trial and found him to be correct. As they made their way along, the group noticed that the guards were taking it slowly, so as not to slip.

The ground seemed to change under their hooves. Bewildered, the group looked around, and a sinking feeling began to eat at them. Dangersignal looked at the group and they could read ‘Danger! Follow my orders to the letter!’

“Stand at attention!” he barked.

The others flew to obey, with the other guards showing them how it’s done. The reason for this quick change, they were standing on a mockup of “Canterlot”, the training grounds and soldier’s quarters.

“Field Marshal, any other orders?” Dragonstorm asked.

“None at present, Brigadier General,” Dangersignal said.

Just then, they could hear heavy snarling and standing there, in a state of enragement was Shining Armor. He advanced, hissing and snarling about Alicorns and betrayal and uselessness.

“This, Sir, is not you,” Shaydefire stated. “The Shining Armor I know wouldn’t stoop to such lows. The Shining Armor I have worked for has the utmost respect for his soldiers and we return that respect. I see his little sister as a mare version of him, and I am willing to follow orders she gives, alongside our Field Marshal and Brigadier General.”

“Then you are not a true Canterlot guard!” “Shining Armor” snarled.

“Then I ask you,” Darkseige quizzed. “What is right and what is wrong?”

“You are wrong, Nightmare Moon is right,” came the snarled reply. “None of you can carry out your duties without that turning into a complete disaster!”

“But we can, and I am living proof,” Blazeblade said. “The Real Shining Armor knows and has commented on it. I can even prove it to you.”

With that, Blazeblade looked at him and after getting orders to patrol the woods down to a bridge and back for an hour, she did so, carrying out the training manual to the letter. When she finished, a third of Shining Armor vanished. He growled and Darkseige took up the battle of lost wits.

“You, sir, know that when me and the other guards went to Ponyville, you said that I was to do what I knew to be right, as guided by my experience. I always followed your orders, as they were correct and they were morally sound,” Darkseige hissed.

Another third of “Shining Armor” disappeared. One third left and one Thestral left. Shaydefire kept a deadpan look on his face and stepped forward.

“The Shining Armor I respect wouldn’t say anything. Captain Shining Armor knows that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would need protection. Now that I have changed post, Ms. Twilight Sparkle and her friends are in my charge and I will show them how we do things, under the orders of Field Marshal Dangersignal and Brigadier General Dragonstorm,” he said.

With one last hiss, “Shining Armor” disappeared into the voids of the night, along with the ridiculous setups.

“That was…interesting,” Applejack said.

“Correct, Ms. Applejack,” Shaydefire said.

“Be wary, our individual trials maybe halfway over, but the real battle is to begin,” Dangersignal said.

“Yes, Sir!” everyone said.

“Guards! Standard Formation!”

The Thestrals and Alicorns took up their Royal Guard Standard Position-Two leaders, two rear flank protectors, one on the left flank and one on the right flank. The pegasi took up aerial guard. The unicorns armed themselves with protective spells. The earth ponies looked defenseless, but Dangersignal knew better.

“I want the earth ponies to be prepared for any hoof-to-hoof combat,” he said.

“Because?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“You never know when a simple hoof-to-hoof battle will be needed and I’d like to see what they can do,” he said.