Manenilla, Fillipines
Forward Operation Base Manilla
The red sun down light peaks past a small window and lights down on a victim of war, painfully sleeping in a hospital bed, his skin on his arm and legs are charred brown and red, with welts and gashes spotting his skin. His face was ripped apart, with a burnt cloth covering his right eye. Blood filled bandages cover is barren chest. Next to his body is a small desk sheltering notes sent to this solider, addressing him as Code and nothing else. Then the rays of sunlight reach to his face and his one good eye opens to a foggy and dim world. His mind commands him to get up but as he moves his head, a slender hand is pushing down on him.
“I’m sorry sir but you shouldn’t get up right now, comes out from the haze. Tilting his head, he sees a woman of purity, her white skin reflecting off the lowering sun. Moving up to the origin of the voice he notices her hair, a light tinted coloration of green, blue and pink hair yet it did not seem that the hair was dyed or was synthetic. Looking to her face to face he fears immediate filled his mind.
“Where am I?” he asked. Looking at the ripped and destroyed brown military uniform from a drawer in the desk, she pulled out a small note on top of it and showed it him. Lifting his hoof to the paper note in the mares hoof, he brought it to his face and started reading, anxious and curious of its contents.
“Dear Code, I understand that you just came from an assignment, but I had just been notified of another assignment that I can only entrust you to do, please notify me when you are allowed to leave, and please follow the nurses orders.” Although there was no signature, he could tell by the writing that this note was from his employer, Princess Celestia. Folding the note, he placed the note by his night table and returned his attention at the patient nurse.
“That note was addressed to you but a guard gave it to you by hoof, and since our policy states that the staff cannot interact or read any material sent directly to patients, I couldn’t read it.” The mare explained. Opening her mouth to explain further, she was interrupted by him.
“Excuse me, but when do you think I can leave, I have some important needs I must take care of,” he interrupted. Taking away her attention from her patients’ tattered clothes and to her actual patient, she looked down and replied,
“I don’t have an exact time of lease but let me go check with your medical history and your personal doctor for an exact day.” Backing away from the bed, she turned around and started to leave the infirmary but stopped and replied,
“My name is Redheart, if you need something, you can just call for me.” Once Redheart left, he groaned, looking back at his uniform,
She said what day, ugh, I need to check with Celestia for the assignment, he thought. Reaching out to his uniform, he looked at the cuts, rips, and chard marks sprayed on it, and then looking at the corresponding wounds on him. Great Celestia, that assignment better had done something, he thought. Moving his attention to the open door, he was still waiting for somepony to tell him when he could leave, anxious of his fate. The slow ticking of the clock next to him on the night table were the only sounds that echoed the room, with the eternity of ticks and tocks replaying in his mind as he waited for his diagnosis. Soon the eternity playing in his mind was cut by an abrupt halt as he the sounds of hoof steps filled the room as a stallion, no bigger than him entered the room, his dark brown mane clashed with is brown yellow coat. His upper body was covered by a white coat. He calmly walked through the small room, unaware of the curiosity running though Codes mind. Moving to his bed, Code could see a manila folder with a picture of him clipped to the front of the page.
“I understand that this isn’t your first time in our facility,” he stated, waiting for an answer. Looking from the folder to his face, all Code could say way a simple
“Yes.”
Taking in the reply, the doctor opened the folder in his smooth hooves, repeating some of the materials encased in it,
“Subject name: Unknown, Gender: Male, Mane color: Black, Coat color: Dark brown, General history: 4 repeated visits to this facility, but had attempted to abscond from the building twice in his previous visits, if he is to enter, restrain him, for some of his previous attempts had ended in self afflicted injuries and injuries to staff.” Looking back to his patient, he placed the folder on top of the uniform, “This was the folder I got from your files, but this note,” he started pointing to the slip of paper from his hoof , “Says that you are quite needed for Princess Celestia, and as a loyal pony to her cause, I think I can cut some corners for you.” Reaching underneath Codes bed, he took out a small grey cloth bag. Placing the item near his bead, he stuffed all of the items on the night table in to the bag from the brown uniform, to all of the scraps of papers, “Now according to my diagnosis, you were in a good state of health and I had allowed you to leave on your own accord,” he stated.
Picking up the items, he put forward his hoof and slowly but surely, Code rose from his rested state, and with some added effort, both stallions were on their hoofs. Looking at his patient, he realized his mistake, for Code was covered in a simple medical gown. Looking around, he took out the tattered uniform which he had just packed a minute ago, draping it on top of Code’s limp and ripped body. Handing the bag to Code, the doctor instructed, “Princess Celestia has a chariot for your escort to Canterlot,” he instructed.
With his new friend now seemingly complete, the unknown doctor left the room. Moving his thoughts to a wounded leg, Code slowly limped to the door, and then outside to search for a chariot, now realizing that sundown occurred quite a while ago and the world was engulfed in the void of the night. The sparsely placed lampposts glow a dim light through the streets, allowing Code to see through the void and notice the blackish blue chariot. Hobbling ever so slowly towards the vehicle, he noticed two armored forms emerging from the front of the chariot, both with a limb to their head. Approaching closer, he saw through his sole eye with a slight grin, as the two forms in true light were fully dawned night guards, both saluting him. Once he was able to see the hair on their coat, he replied the salute with a simple
“At ease, Guards.” Given the order, the two ponies dropped their hoofs and moved in front of the chariot, waiting for their superior to step on the platform. “On to Canterlot,” Code stated. With the word, the two bat ponies started to gallop down the street, picking up speed until both had leaped up in the air.
Picking up altitude, the chariot moved up above the roofs, soon then passing the clouds, showing the clear view of the moon. Unobstructed, Code looked at the crystal white orb, being reminded by its penal colony history. Looking past some clouds, Code moved his sight down to the north horizon, where the mountains lie. At the apex of the curves was the destination, the capital city of Canterlot. Its view growing as the flying ponies go past the ocean that walls the archipelagos of Manilla. The lifeless green pieces of land cover the outer regions of Equestria. The green dots remind the stallion passenger that of his life.
All of his life was spent running away from his community, away from people, and away from his family. But as his life came to a careening halt and the only pony that helped him was that of Celestia. She instructed one of the elite guards to teach him lessons that stayed with him for his life. She had personally financially supported him, but with that assistance, there was a price, as he put his only loyalty to Princess Celestia. He was nearly always sent to the ends of Equestria for assignments. His life was nearly always filled with adventure, but while he was thinking of his life, his eyes noticed the castle on the mountains had appeared closer.
The chariot was nearing the end of its flight. Coming past the clouds, the clear view of the castle and the surrounding city shined pasted the moon light. The two bat guard moved down their altitude to a nearby road as the chariot slowed down. Once the chariot had landed, Code jumped off the platform, looking back where the chariot would have been, it had disappeared with the cover of a dust cloud. “Seem legit,” Code said to himself as he started limping to the castle walls.
Once he approached the gate to the city, the darkened night, near pitch black atmosphere was slowly being filled by the sun. His sole eye looked past the red and orange orb. Its slow flight into the sky, making him feels warmth in his heart. Knowing that as the Sun rises, the moon will fall. With his meeting being with Celestia, he hurried his pace through the capital city, not carrying about any of the questioning stares from the uptight ponies wondering about the bloody, beaten, one eyed pony. The morning streets full with ponies out for breakfast or some early morning shopping. His pace increasing as he pierced through the small waves of ponies and the constant sounds of hoofs hitting cobble. His path slowly bringing him closer and closer to the royal palace as its view silhouetted by the sun. When he moved past the herds of early birds, he was soon directly in front of the spiral tower of the princess, its long shadow covering the communal buildings.
Approaching the steps into the doorway to the building, he nods to the guards, with that movement of the head telling them to let him inside. Walking through the halls, his gaze moves across the windows, its refracted light showing the stories of heroes and battles fought with near abnormal power, all hailing victory or with success.
Past the throne room was halls, filled with empty rows of white halls, walking down the familiar path, he moved through, looking at all of the rooms, searching for a room which he has visited many times before, although it lacks a formal name, the room intentions were simple, distributing specified orders to the receivers. Taking a right at the end of the hall he was in, he moved to a nearby door, opening it, he saw the two familiar chairs, opposing each other.
Moving himself, Code situated himself in one of the chairs, making him as presentable as his destitute body can be shown. After cleaning him to what he thought was as well as he could, he looked around the room. The room had two doors, the one on his right was the way he came but there was another door, one in front of him. What happened to this room? Waiting for Princess Celestia, his mind wondered if he entered the wrong room, but his question was answered when a slow creak was heard to his right. The door moved and a white figure entered. The figured was identified with her metallic horse shoes and golden tiara. Turning his head, he stood up as fast as he could and moved his hoof to his head in a salute.
“At ease Code,” Celestia stated. Moving to the other seat, she flashed a folder in thin air, titled Assignment 27. Opening it, she moved it to Code, it contents shown to him. “You were one of our best royal guards, but while your normal assignments are international due to your worldwide links, this assignment requires you to stay here in Canterlot,” Celestia said. Waiting until Code read the first parts of the briefing, Celestia finished, “Your assignment will be protecting and mentoring one of the finest colts in Canterlot Academy,” Celestia said. Turning behind her, the door opens revealing a young colt, huffing and puffing as if he ran straight to this room, the beads of sweat falling down his blue bi-colored mane, his muscular tone matched with his pure white coat. “Code, welcome yourself to your twenty seventh assignment, Shinning Armor,” Celestia said.