CSF: Beginnings

by XeRom

Training

Two year later....

I was pinned to the ground... Again. "Come on Aces, that can't be all you've got!" called Shadow from on top of me. I groaned slightly, getting up on all four hooves again, just in time to see her jump at me again. This time I dodged her jump and managed to swipe her feet from under her. Getting on top, I pinned her fore and back legs to the ground, looking straight into her eyes.

"Well Aces, now that you've got me, what are you going to do?" she said, smirking. I grinned back and kissed her quickly.

"Just that," I smirked again, hopping off of her. Getting off, she shook of her main, clearing the dust from the training floor off of her. She smiled to me as she got up.

"So what is that for this session, four to one?" she laughed as I looked away from her, staring at the ground. "Oh come on Spade, don't look so down. You may not be the best fighter, but you sure as hay are the best shot." Her use of my nickname made me grin.

Two months ago while on a shooting exercise, Specter bet me that I couldn't hit an ace of spades card at 2.7 kilometers. Always up to a challenge, I agreed, and if I won I would get his spending money for two months. So with the challenge set, I took aim and fired, using some magic to guide the bullet through the air. I knew I hit it from the moment I pulled the trigger, but always the criticalist, Specter and Ice flew down to make sure I had done it. The look on his face when he flew back was priceless, the look was even more priceless when he saw my flank.

"Aces!! You got your cutie mark!" that nearly made me jump out of my skin at the time, and what do you know, when I looked at my flank there it was. A snipers cross-hairs with a spade in the middle, which is how I got the nickname Spade.

Walking away from the practice circle, we went to join the others for lunch. We each have to buy our own supplies in Canterlot each month with the money given to us. Also as a result of the mare and stallion pairs, each pony in the pair has grown affectionate towards the other, as their future careers would be spent together.

We sat next to Ice and Frost, who were busy talking about their own training. "Those magic tests the Guards set up for us were a piece of cake!" Ice laughed.

"Yeah they weren't a problem at all... I wish they could come up with something that was challenging. I feel like I'm still playing foal games with these tricks," Frost laughed with him. Those two were the most magically adept out of all of us. We've heard talk from the Guards that their powers are rivaled to that of Princess Celestia.

"Hey you guys, not everyone is as good as magic as you two are!" I called at them, moving to sit down across from Ice.

"Hey Spade! Nice of you to join us!" he said in his cheery tone, "How did your 'close' training with Shadow go?" he laughed out loud at his own joke.

Hiding a smile and a blush I said, "Oh it was fine, she beat me most of the time... Again." I laughed the last to which the rest joined, as everyone knew that Shadow was the best close quarters fighter out of all of us, not to mention one of the best camouflage artists, on par with myself. Which is how she got her own cutie mark, a cloak and dagger.

"So!" Frost pitched in, "Have you guys heard about the news?" We both shook our heads as she continued, "Well from the talk we pick up from the Guards, Celestia is sending out each team on their very first outside mission!"

All four of cheered at this. Who could believe it! After all this time training and learning to work with our partners, we're finally getting to show off our true talents! "They say tomorrow during breakfast their going to announce to each pair what their mission will be. Also, each pair will be accompanied by one of the Guards they flew in with. All the details of their mission will then be reported to Princess Celestia, and she will decide whether or not each pair is ready to fulfill their roles in active service."

Once again, a smaller cheer, for that wouldn't throw off our excitement of the news. "One last thing," Frost said gravely, "If any of the pairs fail, we all will be sent back to here for another year of training... And any pair that failed will have their memories erased and sent back to wherever they came from."

I looked wide eyed, first at Frost, then at Ice, and finally at Shadow. We both shared the gaze for a long moment, both knowing what would happen if we failed. Finally I nodded to her with a smile, and she returned it. Nothing would stop us from winning, not the princess herself.