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// 8. Boot Camp: Target Practice 
// Story: Millennia: Beginning 
// by Thunderblast 
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After passing out three more times due to exhaustion and mental stress left over from the time limit of the final physical test earlier, I thankfully sat down in the Chow Hall with a decent tray of lunch. I had been used to eating roasted carrots and a MLTM (Manticore, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise), minus the tomato. Even after breakfast, I was still hungrier than ever and lunch really hit the spot.

I didn't know if there was anything else we were supposed to do today to stay active, but apparently one of the ponies was sent to the hospital in Manehattan after falling from one of the climbing towers. He was a pegasus, but he ended up clipping his wing on the way down and broke one of his hinds. Thankfully, nopony fell to their deaths that morning.

My body still felt strange after lunch, and there was a thick pain in my right forearm towards my joint. I probably pulled a muscle or two, and that would be even more sore tomorrow. Other than the pain, my body felt pretty loose—and in a good way. I felt more fit, I felt lots of energy. I felt like doing it again.

"Afternoon!" Came a voice from behind, I turned my head and saw Solar Wave trotting to my side from behind.

With a smile, I nodded once. "Afternoon."

"Did that food make your stomach feel strange?" Solar's smile went away quickly, he moved a hoof to his stomach.

I shook my head. "No, why?"

"It made mine feel weird," Solar's face looked a bit more pale than usual.

"You're not going to puke, are you?" I looked at him with concern.

"Eh...I'll hold it in," he chuckled a bit, then it turned into a brief sob of pain as his stomach ached.

"Well, there's a trash can over there if you need it," I pointed my hoof towards a small bundle of silver trash cans.

He gave me a funny look, then we both smiled and laughed. Out of all of the ponies I've met in my life, other than Rose of course, he was probably the best and most open stallion I've been around. He's still skittish around others, but when I talk to him, he's someone completely different.

And I don't mean it in a bad way, but I think he's a colt cuddler. Not that I had a problem with it, but occasionally he did get a bit close when we hung out those few times in between training. I picked on him playfully about it and he denied it. Who knows, maybe he isn't and he's just clingy sometimes. Not that I minded still.

The day gradually came to a close, but after the sun went down, it wasn't much of a relief. It was still hot and humid and extremely uncomfortable, especially in a uniform made with cotton. Thankfully, we had fans and dehumidifiers set up in all four corners of the barrack and it left the room at a much cooler and comfortable temperature.

Lights out came and went at the same time as usual, with tomorrow's assignments not shared with any of us. I'll say, I don't think anypony has fallen asleep that fast in the month that we had been in boot camp.


***


Much unlike the previous mornings, the drill sergeant did not burst through the door banging against it with his black baton. Instead, the trumpets woke us. Some ponies stayed in bed, a couple still snoring and drooling on their pillows—I never understood how others could be heavy sleepers—while the rest of us got up and looked around in confusion.

The door opened, and instead of it slamming against the wall, it opened halfway and in walked sergeant Hardstaff in his usual dark blue digital camouflage uniform. We clicked our hooves and went to an attention stance, heads up and eyes straight.

"Morning, conscripts, sleep well?"

We moved our eyes to each other, then forward again. "Yes, sir!" We said in unison.

"Very good, you will need that energy for today," the sergeant stopped at the other end of the line with a smirk crossing his muzzle. 

Walking back towards the door slowly and puffing his chest out just a bit, "Today is the next phase of your training, conscripts. Today, you drop your civilian knowledge and become familiar with your future weapons and will know how to use them. Today we will start with pistols, and eventually, you will be worked up to the big guns. Rifles, explosives, and eventually you will know how to fire weapons from a ship."

This brought a slight smile to my face. I always thought the cannons on destroyers and other naval ships were badass and not meant to be messed with.

"Remember this, conscripts, this is only part two of your training. When you are done with this, you won't have seen anything yet," the sergeant stopped by the door, he looked over us. "Get a shower, get your uniforms on, be at the flag pole at 0740 hours."

Sergeant Hardstaff left the barrack and we were dismissed to get ready. A wave of excitement swept across everypony, one or two of the ponies actually started cheering briefly before being shut down by some others. Then I noticed Solar Wave, who was the least enthusiastic in the room. I walked over to him.

"Hey, everything alright?" I smiled innocently.

"Y-yeah, sure," Solar Wave nodded, obviously nervous.

My smile faded. "What's up?"

"I hate guns."

I tilted my head and furrowed an eyebrow. "Then why for the love of Celestia would you join the Lunar Marines?" 


***


After a quick shower, I dressed myself in a dark blue t-shirt that was almost the same color as my coat, followed by the lighter-shaded blue button-up jacket I picked up on day zero. I was one of the first in the shower and the first to get ready. I decided to wait for the others, which was probably what we were supposed to do to begin with, but the others following me out of the shower went out to the flag pole at the center of the base without thinking of waiting.

Shortly after, I met up with Solar Wave and we followed the group to the flag pole where we lined up and waited for whoever was supposed to take us to the shooting range.

Just as I expected, sergeant Hardstaff had brought the same drill sergeant along over to us. But instead, the drill sergeant didn't do anything. If anything, he stayed off to the side of the sergeant. What a relief.

We still got a short lecture from the sergeant, but by now we were all used to it. Right after that, we were all taken to one of the larger buildings on the base that had a glass entrance with a massive skylight above. There were two see-through elevators that went to the second floor where I assumed there were offices for some of the higher ranks. 

We went around the elevator shafts and into a much larger room where a couple of other ponies stood, leaned against a short wall with pistols in their hooves. One wore a dark blue baseball cap with earmuffs on to block out the loud pop of the weapon firing, the other pony just wearing earmuffs.

Getting in line, we took turns two at a time walking up to a wooden table where we were given a gun known as an Automatic Colt Pistol, or ACP for short, some ear muffs to protect our ears, and clear glasses to shield our eyes. It was a forty five caliber pistol much like the average pistols you see in movies. It was interesting to say the least and we were each given two magazines that clicked into the handle with a simple slap on the bottom and were ready to go. I had never used a gun before in my life and I was a little nervous about it.

"Cock your weapons, conscripts!" Shouted sergeant Hardstaff from behind.

I reached one hoof to the top of the pistol and slid it back with a click that sounded exactly how I expected it. Now holding the gun in both hooves, I waited for the order to fire.

"One at a time boys. Fire!"

Many loud pops which were thankfully mostly muffled by the ear muffs rang through the room as pistols fired, as did mine and it struck the target far from center. In between the weapons firing, I heard the drill sergeant shouting at a pony who presumably let his weapon get the best of him and he fell back when he shot it. 

Taking aim for the simple round target many feet away, I shot another bullet towards it. Again, far from center, if not farther than the first one. Then again. And again. Each one got closer by a hair but still didn't come close to center. Eventually I ran out of ammunition and reached for the second magazine but had no idea how to remove the first.

Shortly after, everypony else was out of ammunition in their first clips and turned to the instructor.

"Y'all better find a way to get that mag out, 'cause yer enemy ain't gonna give ya a chance."

I quickly looked over the handle, and towards the top of the pistol at the butt end of the barrel, I found a small knob and flicked it back. 

Jackpot.

The mag clicked out and fell to the floor with a small clatter. Quickly I reloaded the pistol and took aim again as two others fired their fully reloaded weapons. I took a careful aim towards the bulls eye and pulled the trigger, one bullet shot out and hit closer to the center, but still not even close. I wasn't that worried as it was my first time and from what I could tell, none of the others were doing that well on their aim either.

Bullet by bullet, they stayed far from center. I didn't know what it was, but my aim was getting shittier by the moment.

Then, it was almost done. I had one bullet left. I took a deep breath and adjusted my aim by the slightest pulled the trigger. The final bullet flew into the target, striking just right of center. With widened eyes, I pushed the glasses up over my eyes and stared towards the target as the others ran out of ammunition. How I ever made that one bullet strike close to center was beyond me, but I wasn't unhappy either. With a smile, I turned to the sergeant and handed him my weapon.

When the others were completely done with their practice, the sergeant brought us back to the table where the drill sergeant and another pony were standing. Now sitting on the table were many different assortments of other pistols, shotguns and rifles with one of their respective ammunition sitting up beside their barrels.

This was going to be fun.