//------------------------------//
// Training 
// Story: A Rarity of a soldier 
// by Lon35hadow 
//------------------------------//

	Rarity walked back into the room. "So, where's the story at," she asked.

"Just finished my meeting with Urd," Twilight said. "Meaning it's your turn, Rarity."

Rarity nodded, and sat back down next to Twilight. "Then I guess I should start with my official training."





Rarity exited the elevator, the rest of her squad waiting for her. "So, how'd it go," Josh asked.

"Quite well, actually," Rarity replied. "So, when can I start training?"

"That quick and eager for it," Jacob asked. "I know you don't cuss, Rarity, but with that attitude, you're going to be cussing real damn soon."

"I highly doubt that," Rarity said.





In the meantime, in a random and unoccupied portion of space, Discord and a few other. . . interesting persons were watching this. "Oh, I doubt that highly, Rarity," Discord said.

"Aye, I can agree there," a man in a purple and red shirt with white hair and reptilian eyes said. He snapped his fingers, and a plate of cheese and intestines appeared. "Cheese, or intestines, Discord?"

"I'll take the cheese, Sheo," Discord said, taking a piece of cheese in his talons and putting it in his mouth, and the two along with their other notable companions resumed watching.





Diamondback made their way to the firing range via troop 'Hog. Upon arriving, they first made their way to the armory. "So, Rares, here's your beginning weapons," Josh said, tossing Rarity an MA37 rifle and a Magnum. "Don't worry, they're loaded with training rounds, so you won't be able to kill anyone."

"Nor should you," Tony said. "Save that for the enemy, please." This got a few chuckles out of the humans of the squad, while Pawas looked nervous, not that you could blame him.

"So what's first," Rarity asked.

"Simple," Jacob said. "Going for a run."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Rarity commented.

"Just wait until after a few clicks," Bishop said. "That'll change your tone. Does for everyone."

"What 'bout me?" Pawas asked. "Me no have enough methane for run, and no know of any place to refill."

"Uh, Rarity, you wouldn't be able to cast some sort of spell around Pawas that creates his own methane bubble that refills itself, could you," Josh asked.

"I think so," Rarity said. "I usually have my friend, Twilight help me with that, though, as I sometimes need to make one to keep myself breathing fresh air. I suppose I might be able to modify it, but no guarantees."

"Well, do what you can," Jacob said.





"May a well help so she doesn't kill him," Discord said before snapping his talons.





Rarity lit her horn, and the same blue aura of her magic enveloped Pawas, fading a second later. "So, is it okay," she asked the grunt, who breathed in through his mouth.

"Perfect," he said. "Feel just right."

"Looks like you got lucky, Rarity," Bishop said. "Now we just need armor for him." At the other's looks, she added, "Which can wait until later, I know."

Jacob nodded. "Then time to run, Diamondback." With that, everyone, pony and grunt included, left the tent, and began their march to the shooting range a hefty ten kilometers away.





"I hated that run," Rarity commented. "And they only got worse from there."

"I hear that, Rarity," Spike and Rainbow said at the same time. "You think that's bad," Rainbow continued, "try having to fly that distance at slow speeds, with the danger of falling to your death being what keeps you in the air."

"Really?" Twilight asked, glaring at Celestia. "You let that shit happen, Celestia? You're just reinforcing Josh's point, you know."

"I can't help what the wonderbolts do for training," Celestia said in a defensive tone.

"I'd buy that is Rainbow was in the wonderbolts, but she's in her own guard unit," Rarity said. "If there were safety nets under them, maybe I could see it, but that is just plain dangerous, and given what the two of us have seen, we know what we're talking about." The white unicorn exhaled. "But I can rage later. For now, back to the story."





Near an hour later, with both Pawas and Rarity nearly out of breath, Diamondback arrived at the shooting range. "I-I- can't breathe," Rarity said between breathes.

"Agreed," Pawas said.

"Oh, suck it up," Josh said. "It could have been worse."

"He's not joking," Patrick said. "Try a twenty or thirty click run."

"Oh," Rarity said sarcastically, her eye twitching. "Joy."

Behind her, if she had been paying attention, she would have seen Josh, Tony, and Bishop whispering, the topic being a bet as to how and when she would finally cuss.

"So, what first," Rarity asked.

"Shooting practice," Jacob said. "Why else would we be here?"

". . . Fair point," Rarity said. Jacob led her to the range.

"Okay, just aim the weapon at the dummies. The rounds are meant to disintegrate in proximity, and their contents will spill out so that we can see how well the aim is," he instructed. "And at this range, use short bursts, Rarity. Don't spray-and-pray."

"Right," she said before taking aim with the MA37, and pulling the trigger, the kick back nearly sending the magically held rifle into her face.

"Probably should have pointed out that MA37s have a bigger kick than the others."

"You think," Rarity replied.

"Someones getting an attitude," Josh whispered to Bishop and Tony.

"Doesn't mean she's gonna cuss, and make you the winner, Josh," Bishop retorted.

"Hey, long as it's during the next six days and the rest of today, I win. If it's here at the range, I win."

"Just shut up, Josh," Tony said.

Back with Rarity and Jacob, Rarity was still trying to get the firing pattern down for the MA37. "Rarity, all you need to do, and I thought you'd be able to do it easily, is use your magic to hold the thing down, and either brace it here," he said, slapping her shoulder, "or use your magic to hold it out."

"Normally, Jacob, I use it on things that don't kick back," Rarity replied. "Now please, be quiet. I'm trying to aim." The unicorn took a breath, and fired off a small burst, holding the rifle butt to her shoulder and her magic to keep it from kicking up. Three reports from the rifle rang out, and three red blothes appeared on a target.

"Nice shot, Rares," Jacob said. "Now reload, and keep drilling with it until you feel comfortable with it."

"Right," Rarity said, and she reloaded, and kept putting in three round bursts in the target dummies.

Once that was done, Jacob walked up to her, an odd ball in his hand. "This, Rarity, is a fragmentation grenade. Do not be near one, or any thrown object that you don't recpgnize, for that matter, as they will kill you."

"How," Rarity asked.

"This," Jacob said, putting the timer on a delay for a bounce and throwing it. He didn't cover his ears, as he had safety plugs in. Then he forgot that Rarity didn't, and had used a spell to reduce the rifle noise that most likely didn't effect the grenade. Shit.

BOOM!!

"SHIT!" Rarity yelled before she froze wide eyed.

"Did you just cuss, Rares," Jacob asked, having not heard properly.

"I-I believe I just did," she said.

"Ha, pay up, losers!" Josh yelled, and Bishop and Tony handed him the money that had out on the bet. "For both. Both of what I said was right, so both pots are mine."

"Damn it," Bishop said, hoping Josh had already forgotten that.

"I think I actually rather liked it," Rarity said, to her own surprise.

"See," Jacob said with a small smile. "Not so bad, is it?"

"Hell no it isn't," Rarity said, cussing just so she could get used to it now.

"Good," Jacob said. "Now, keep drilling."

Rarity nodded. "Right."

From there, they spent an hour more at the range, with Jacob looking at Rarity's score afterwards.

"Damn," he said. "That's good, considering you were using an AR, Rarity."

"Really," she asked.

"Yeah, it is," Patrick said. "I use a sniper, and I only beat that score on my tenth try."

"Which is to say you are a goddamn AR master in terms of shooting, Rarity," Josh said.

"Well, I do have an eye for little details," Rarity said. "That probably helps."

"Yeah, I'd say so," Tony said. "So, what next?"

"Well, CQC isn't an option," Jacob said. "I guess using a medkit in the field, then."

"Please tell me we're using a dummy for that," Josh said. "I remember the last time you guys pulled a prank on me related to the medkits, and I still haven't washed away all that blood."

"What happened?" Rarity asked.

"Long story," was the unanimous reply.

"Why is that already not surprising with you guys?" Rarity asked.

"No idea," Bishop said. "Come on, the tent for medkit training is close by."





"'Close by' happened to be half a kilometer," Rarity said. "Needless to say, we made it there, and they showed me what a medkit could help with, and showed me how to use it. Nothing of interest happened there."

"They even showed y'all their biology?" Applejack asked, getting looks from the other Elements. "I went ta school to, ya know."

"Oh, no, Applejack, there was actually a diagram on the wall for that," Rarity said.

"I can imagine it was a while before they had any hope of using it on you," Chrysalis said.

"Oh, no, there was a book of equine anatomy in the library Bishop had," Rarity said. "Horses are rare for them now, but to them, ponies are small horses, and she wanted to study horses, so she had a book on their anatomy."

"Talk about useful," Twilight said. "It helped save our lives a few times after we met up, which, by the way, is later on."

"Just like everything else that's interesting," Rainbow said, pouting.

"Don'y worry, Rainbow," Rarity said. "Only two things left of interest, one of which is what Twilight's about to tell, before we get back to where we met back up."

"Guess I should get started, then," Twilight said.





Ruso, Sawn, Hades, and Twilight were making their way to the nearest forge to Urd's office, about a human hour away. "So, what am I going to need," Twilight asked. "Armor wise, I mean."

"I would imagine something sized for an Unggoy," Hades said.

"Agreed," Ruso said. "Though it would be best if it was full body as much as possible with energy shields. Assuming, Highness, you are able to wear our armor. It is quite heavy for those who have not worn it before."

"Don't worry, Ruso," Twilight said. "Since I'm an alicorn, I have the strength of an earth pony, so I should be able to wear it."

"That's good, I suppose," Ruso said. "And what of weapons, Highness? What will you wish to use?"

Twilight thought on this for a few seconds before saying, "I don't know. I probably need to use them in a training scenario before deciding."

"Then that will be our next destination after we reach the forge," Ruso said. "Still, if I may recommend, I would suggest a Carbine and Sword."

"I would suggest the Carbine, yes," Sawn said, "but rather a plasma pistol instead of the Sword."

"Or a Spiker," Hades said. "They are much more damaging than the Pistol."

"I said I'd decide after I try each of them out of combat," Twilight said.

"We were simply making suggestions, Twilight," Sawn said.

"I know," Twilight said. "But I'm not exactly one for handling pressure."

"Neither am I," Hades said. "But then again, I never was in most ground conflicts, and human ships present a threat only when in large numbers. Especially to a ship such as the Faithful Servant."

"Unless they use their demons," Sawn said. "They are the only human weapon that can easily destroy one of our ships."

"Fortunately, that are rare," Hades said.

"What are those?" Twilight asked.

"I do not know all, Highness," Ruso said. "But some say they are beings brought from the dead to fight again. I doubt that is the truth, but it would explain much, including how they can fight far longer than their normal comrades."

Twilight looked sickened with that. "How could they do that?"

"I am not certain, Highness," Ruso said. "But like I said, I doubt it is true."

"There it is," Sawn said, pointing to a nearby building.

"Then let's go," Twilight said.





"Not much happened for a while there," Twilight said. "For the most part, it was just us going there and me getting measured for this baby," Twilight said, gesturing to the armor she still had on. "May be six years old, but it's saved me from a hell of a lot of situations."

"Did you geek out after seeing it," Rainbow asked. "The forge, I mean."

"Actually, not as much as I thought I would," Twilight replied. "But for the armor, it would have been a week before it was ready, they work that quickly with armor, so, from there, we went to a nearby training range where I was able to test out various weapons. Needless to say, since it was my first time, there were a lot of missed shots, but Ruso, Hades, and Sawn all gave me pointers, and I was soon hitting just about every shot. Eventually, I chose this, a T-55 directed energy rifle/ advanced, or Storm rifle, and my needler." Twilight then smiled. "Actually, mine is a custom one, as I can do this," she said before lighting her horn and the same color appearing around the needles on her weapon before they jumped out of the weapon, and began to hover around Twilight. "Basically, I modified what holds the needles to release them if I put a little magical force on it, which allows me to use the needles in close quarters as a stabbing weapon. Though it's more a modification I made after the war, and mostly just because I could."

"That definitely sounds like you, Twilight," Cadence said. "So, what happened next?"

"That would be the last part of the story before we met back up," Rarity said. "But a little backstory, first. It had been a year since I met Jacob and the others, and, due to various circumstances, Pawas, Jacob, and I had been split from the others by way of transfer, though we did meet back up with them soon after Twilight and I met back up. But back on topic, he had been demoted to Lance Corporal because of an incident on Reach that, if I remember correctly, involved a young woman. I don't know the details, but I do remember that, even though he wasn't discharged, he was demoted. Soon after, he applied for, and was accepted into the ODSTs, basically special forces, and I followed behind with Pawas. Our first mission was to an old colony, I think it was called Meridian, to investigate an odd signal coming from underground. It was odd because Meridian was glassed earlier that year, and had been under Covenant assault for three years, only human world to survive that long against a Covenant assault, by the way. It was just the three of us there, and, well, it was that mission that got us the last member of the squad as it is right now."

"And whose that?" Luna asked.

"You might not like the answer, Luna," Twilight said. "I know I didn't."

"Why?" Luna asked.

"Because," Rarity said, "or last member is Nightmare."