15. Cadet Day
Dear Dolly
So when I told you I was totally ready for this... I lied. I lied a lot. It is now laughable to me that I thought you were tough. No, you were the kind mother figure that pretended to be tough to teach a filly a little bit about life.
Well, Dolly, they’re teaching me a lot about life here! Do you know they expect me to be up before the sun every day? They also expect me to get up when they gallop into the dorms banging pans together. On top of that all, I’m only allowed to have free time on Sundays! Can you believe that?
When you see Melody next, please hug her. Hug her tight. If it wasn’t for her and Strong I wouldn’t be as far ahead as I am. All of that physical training has worked to my advantage and gives me more free time to study… which I need.
There is just so much information they want us to learn. The history of the kingdom, the Guard, the Army, the Navy, and all of that business. Plus, we have to learn so many rules and regulations. Then there is the military stuff. Like how to protect a hallway or tackle a pony in a way that will lead to the least damage possible.
Don’t get me wrong. This kind of discipline was exactly what I wanted but I kind of thought it would be different. Oh well, I guess I had to grow up sooner or later. Still, as soon as I get done I’m out of here!
Love, Sunny
PS: We’re not allowed to skip this graduation so if you come I’ll actually be there.
PPS: Bring alcohol
I set the letter aside and went back to the Royal Equestrian Officer’s Manual. It was like the end-all and be-all of books in my life. Every officer cadet, regardless of whether they were going to be a guard, soldier, or sailor got the same one. Different schools, same book!
The second most important book was the Royal Guard Training Manual. That was the one that talked about everything specific to the Royal Guard. Like, for instance, that a lieutenant in the Guard is an officer grade one where as a lieutenant in the Navy is an officer grade two.
Imagine that! It still didn’t matter, though. Soarin would always be subordinate to me! It was true because I’d written it in the margin of the manual and anything in the manual was fact.
It was also interesting to learn that, at one time, there had been ten officer grades. That was from a long time ago when the Guard was larger and the world was more dangerous. There just wasn’t a need for them anymore, so a lot had been collapsed down.
Then you had the stories about how the Guard basically grew out of the old knightly orders. Ponies that were sworn to protect the ponies of the kingdom and keep the crowns safe. It was odd. They always referred to it as the crowns, plural. I guess that was a throwback to the legends of Princess Luna. Somepony should update these things.
“Cadet Day, are you daydreaming again?”
It was Sergeant Major Peak. He was the most sour, no-nonsense pony I’d ever met. When he looked at a cadet with his bright yellow eyes, we just shrunk back. At least I did. His glare was withering.
“No, Sergeant Major! I was thinking about my history class.”
He peered at me as if judging whether I was telling the truth or not. Finally, he said, “I see. And that is what you do during your free period?”
Free period was a loose term. It might show up once a week, if at all, and was meant to be a rest time. If you rested the wrong way, however, you got in trouble. Daydreaming was resting the wrong way. So was reading your book wrong… or closing your eyes… or not closing your eyes.
“Yes, Sergeant Major! That and writing letters.”
“Very good, Cadet Day! Keep that up and you might just make a decent officer.”
“Thank you, Sergeant Major,” I replied cheerfully. That was probably the most praise he’d ever given me.
He nodded sternly and then smiled. My blood ran cold. His smile did not give me confidence. “Just to be certain, though, when your free period is over I want you to gallop ten laps. Just to be sure.”
Yeah, that was more what I expected. “Yes, Sergeant Major.” I was always galloping laps just in case. So much for having all the right answers! That is how school was though. Scripted, rehearsed, and repeated.
The average day for an officer cadet is pretty straightforward and predictable. It had only taken me a few days to figure that out. First, before Celestia even thinks about raising the sun, you get up and stand in formation while the instructors yell at you. Some of this yelling is important and will be useful later. Other yelling is just yelling.
After that, we galloped and did other physical training. Usually by the time that was over, the sun would finally be up and the day could truly begin. That is also when we were generously blessed with a whole quarter hour to get a shower, do our manes, get into uniform, and become presentable so that somepony could yell at us again.
Then we had breakfast. Most of the time, there was no yelling while we ate. That was a very positive thing. Of course, by that point I was ready for a nap, but we weren’t even halfway done yet!
Once we were done with breakfast, we moved on to hours of classes. There were all kinds of things to learn and every three weeks some of those courses would change. Then it was lunch time. No yelling. Just a short lunch followed by free period. There was no napping in free period.
And such was my life for just half a day. Half of a day! It was amazing that anypony got through this.
☼
“Stand up, Cadet Day,” Sergeant Lindsay said, offering a hoof.
She’d just tossed me onto my back again and subdued me. I was struggling with her lessons because I was very worried about hurting another pony. I took her hoof and she helped me up.
“I want you to come at me like we practiced. Don’t hesitate or you’re going to end up on the ground again.”
“Yes, Sergeant,” I said softly.
“What?”
“Yes, Sergeant!” I yelled.
“Good, now come at me!”
Alright, Sunny, step forwards confidently, swiftly, and with authority. Bump your chest to hers and then end up on the ground again with hooves on your shoulders.
Sergeant Lindsay leaned down. “Listen, I know your record. I understand what happened to you. That is a hard thing but I can’t pass you if you can’t do this. You need to be able to protect yourself, subdue a suspect, and ensure your subordinates can count on you.
“Do you want to do this or do you want to wash out? I’m willing to help you but you’ve got to be able to do this. You have to want it. That timidness won’t work here. What do you want to do?”
“I won’t quit. I’m not a quitter!”
She replied, “Then get up and come at me like a royal guard.”
Sergeant Lindsay helped me to my hooves and I looked across the mat at her. My lip quivered a little bit. Crying wouldn’t work here. I didn’t want to hurt her but I would not quit. I’d never quit. I was going to make a difference! My eyes locked on her as I set my stance.
Okay, confidence, swiftness, and authority. I screamed, “Ahhhh!” and went after her. I was doing it! I’d done it! I’d… been thrown on my back again. Was it bad I was starting to become accustomed to it? My chest heaved as I tried to get my breath back.
“Much better. Nice warcry, too, although maybe make it sound less like you’re being murdered and more like you’re a strong warrior mare. We’re getting somewhere now. Get up and do it again, Cadet Day.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said before rolling back up. This was going to be a very long lesson. Probably series of lessons since we had to see Sergeant Lindsay everyday after breakfast. At least she was kind of cute and having a cute mare toss you onto your back isn’t the end of the world.
☼
“What a week,” I groused as I collapsed onto my bunk.
“No kidding,” Blackberry said from the bed above me. “My brothers all said officer’s candidate school was the easy part. I’m kind of afraid of what is going to happen if we graduate.”
“When we graduate! You know you’re going to graduate and you bet your flank I am!”
Blackberry was from a long line of royal guards. She was nice enough and all. She was also by the book and kind of stiff. There was some kind of cloud over her every now and then. She talked about her family’s expectations a lot.
She replied, “Well… at least we’ll probably graduate. We’re halfway through and over half the class has washed out. Of course, then the real competition begins. Where do you want to get a command?”
“Anywhere in Canterlot. I want to go home. I don’t even care if it is just command over a stock room.”
“Mmm, that is a tough one, Sunny. Even the bad jobs in Canterlot are usually snatched up by ponies with clout. Keep at it, though! I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
I kept hearing that. That getting into any position in Canterlot was hard. Especially as an officer. Limited availability, they’d said, but some of the other cadets pointed out that a lot of those positions went to ponies with influence. I didn’t have any influence at all.
Perhaps I wouldn’t be able to start my career there, but I’d do whatever it took to get home. Life would be easier near Dolly and everypony else. I was really missing them. Blackberry was pretty much my only friend and I used the term loosely. It wasn’t that she wasn’t nice, it just wasn’t her priority. She wanted to graduate top of her class.
She was somepony to talk to, though! “Thanks, Blackberry. Where do you want to be assigned?”
“Vanhoover! Without a doubt, Vanhoover. My family went there on vacation when I was a filly and I fell in love with it. There is a town, a ton of forest to explore, and all sorts of wildlife. That is where I want to be.”
“Is it hard to get that assignment?”
The mare laughed. “Nope! Nopony wants to go there. It is isolated and cold. I suspect I won’t have any trouble at all since that is normally where they send the ponies that barely make the cut. Plus, because of that, I’ll stand out among all of my peers and will be easier to notice. I’ll do some time there and then transfer somewhere more consequential.”
She had this all planned out. I was just trying to think of how to pass my next test. “Oh, well good for you. As long as you’re happy. That is what is important.”
“Yeah, happiness is important, too…” She paused and then I heard her shift. “Well, I’m going to sleep. See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, goodnight, Blackberry.” That was a little odd, but then again that was just her way.
Falling asleep here wasn’t always the easiest. When all of the rush and hustle of the day was over and I was finally alone, that was my time to actually think. Thinking could be dangerous when it came to reflecting on why I was here or how my life would change. And change it would.
There had to be some humor in the fact that I’d wanted to control my own life so much that I’d been willing to drop out of school. Now I was going to swear an oath, accept a commission, and give up almost everything to the Royal Guard.
And yet, as I laid there in bed, that didn’t bother me at all. Not after what I’d seen and what I’d done. This kind of discipline was going to be good. I wouldn’t use my magic out of fear or panic but, instead, out of duty. I had to make up for what happened by helping others. That was my drive, that is what kept me going.
I yawned wide and nestled back into my bunk. It wasn’t that comfortable but it was better than Diddle’s couch. Well, what wasn’t better than Diddle’s couch? Mmm, Diddle’s bed was better than her couch. Especially with Diddle in it. Diddle and Dilly… and Candy…
CLANG, CLANG, CLANG!
“Nooo!” I squealed before rolling out of bed. I was right in the middle of Diddle and Candy! I mean sleeping! Blackberry was already down and getting dressed. I started doing the same.
“Come on, Sunny! Let’s get out there for whatever horrible thing they have planned tonight,” she called back as she galloped out the door.
Was it too much to ask to let me get a little sleep? Didn’t ponies understand that a mare has needs? Gah! When I finally was in command, I was going to let ponies sleep and dream about adult happy fun times.
☼
“Cadet Day!”
“Yes, Sergeant Major?” I replied.
“You respond to a burglary in progress alone. You can see three suspects inside a storefront. How do you proceed?”
Blind them with a stun spell was probably not the right answer. “Where is my partner, Sergeant Major?”
“Out sick.”
Out sick? I’d have been assigned a temporary partner. I get it, though, I’m alone. “I would try to stealthily observe, get a look at the suspects, and then summon backup before attempting to apprehend them.”
He smirked at me. “So you’d just leave them in the store, continuing their burglary?”
The manual was pretty clear. You never tried to apprehend suspects without your partner. Working alone was like having one hoof in the grave. “Correct. No partner means no engagement and there is no threat to life. Without a threat to life, there is no precedent for accepting that level of risk.”
“Textbook answer, very average,” Sergeant Major Peak replied.
I’d take average. Average was better than ‘Wrong, Cadet! Gallop!’ Which happened a decent amount.
“What if your partner was with you?” he pressed.
“Approach the scene, clearly identify ourselves, and demand the surrender of the suspects,” I replied automatically.
“And if they resist?”
“Subdue and secure.”
“You think you and your partner can subdue three suspects?” the sergeant major asked.
“Only three? Absolutely! If we couldn’t, it means you and your staff did a pretty poor job, right?” Wait, what did I just say?
The sergeant major laughed. He actually laughed! “You’re right, Cadet! Well done.”
Hurray!
“Oh, and when we’re done here, forty laps around the building for even suggesting my staff would be so lax.”
How did I keep falling for this? “Yes, Sergeant Major.”
He pointed a hoof at Blackberry. “Assume you’re in command of a protection detail and there are several protesters between your very important pony and your destination. How do you proceed?”
Blackberry responded confidently, “I would deploy my subordinates in a tight diamond perimeter around the VIP then I would send two guards ahead to carefully and respectfully create a gap in the crowd. Then we’d move through together.”
“And how do you respectfully and carefully clear a gap in a crowd of protesters?” the sergeant major asked.
“Standard procedure dictates you ask the protesters to make way. If they disregard the request, you order them to do so.”
He snorted. “And if they refuse, what then?”
Blackberry was quiet for a moment before replying, “The two vanguard members of the detail would have to use minimal force to create a gap.”
Force? With protesters?
“Accomplish the mission through any means necessary, right, Cadet Blackberry?”
“Yes, Sergeant Major!”
“You could be right. Of course, you could also be wrong, too. You didn’t assess your situation very well. Did you look around to see if there was another ingress? Could your VIP return later? You just want to move forward and shove ponies out of the way to get inside.”
Blackberry’s ears fell. “I’m sorry, Sergeant Major.”
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to the ponies your guards just used minimal force on for exercising their legal right to protest. Don’t worry, though, I like initiative. That is why I’m going to let you show initiative by galloping with Cadet Day tonight after class.”
“Yes, Sergeant Major,” she replied.
Peak rubbed his forehooves together. “Alright, let’s see if anypony else wants to take a little gallop tonight.”
I swear he took some sort of pleasure in setting up situations that ponies couldn’t succeed at. Of course, he’d been right with Blackberry and I. We’d both made a mistake and now we had to suffer the consequences. Either way, we’d be spending part of our evening galloping.
Here is a brief glance into what Sunny's life is like at an Equestria Officers Candidate School. Not entirely true to real life but sometimes creative license is more fun.
If you are enjoying this story, please consider taking a look at Crystal and my's website QuillnBlade.com for extra content such as mini stories, an Ask Us form to submit questions, responses to said questions, and special rewards for the awesome folks who support our Patreon.
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There is no correct answer. The cake was a lie.
I love it!
No airman(pony)
Lol just kidding!
I know it doesn't make sense for an air force in the equestrian military. Might be more beneficial to have a special squadron of pegasi in the equestrian army. Much like what the U.S. Air Force did back when it was the Army Air Corps.
may need to take out one "and then" from that sentence
"I send up the proper signal flare to summon the fire brigade."
True to real life?
Three words: magic horse country.
6993299 Congratulations, cadet, you've now endangered the lives of Fire Brigade ponies who are NOT trained to Royal Guard standards in dealing with potentially dangerous ponies. You'll be thinking about what constitutes proper backup while galloping with your fellow cadets.
6993384
Sir. The meat I cook is always well done and never has any fight left in it, sir. The Fire Brigade ponies are in no danger of food poisoning, sir.
I don't like that sergeant major, but I bet he somehow ends up the good guy.
Oh, yes you do. You have Princess Celestia on your side. And Soarin, and Melody, and Strong...
Is it bad that the first place my mind went was that Sunny's got to be so wound up that when she gets out Soarin will have to call out 'sick' for a week? Actually... there might be a whole rash of ponies disappearing only to turn up a week later with only blurred memories of an endless good time.
So, how about a flashbang spell Sunny?
Indisputable logic.
Crowns, heh. It would have been just a little bit hilarious if they got nearly all the way through the thousand years but gave up and revised it down to just 'crown'.
They're just keeping you busy so that you don't have a chance to get in trouble, Sunny.
Yeah, makes sense that Sunny would be having a certain amount of trouble with the combat training.
Much better!
I hope Blackberry does well.
Oh Sunny, no you won't.
Pure karma.
I approve of the sargeant's approach, running builds character.
First rule of the military. Even the right answer is wrong, you are scum, do pushups!... or in this case. Gallop! Anyway It seems that she is doing well. And Im happy to read a new chapter. I cant wait to see how graduation goes. Anyway cant wait for the next chapter.
Isn't the saying that you're supposed to leave that to the officers? Wait, was that a joke in Memoirs or somewhere?
A no win scenario is likely more of an assessment of character superiors use to see where an individual would best fit in a unit.
I swear, despite my utmost respect for soldiers, this kind of military hogwash is what vexes me to my limits.
tl;dr what Lara says during every campsite monologue in Rise, I'm getting tired of her shit there
HA! Rek-
umm, nevermind.
Well done, here's hoping graduation isn't next chapter, this was nice. I'd happily ready moar
Great chapter! I love me some guard training!
6993206 This is pretty much a fact. No answer would be correct!
6993229 I'm glad!
6993255 Yeah, I pretty much view each branch has having its own air corps in the guise of pegasi. No need for a pegasi only branch.
6993299 Fire brigade indeed! Different kind of ponies for stopping burglaries!
6993331 Magic Horse Country indeed.
6993530 Peak is a tough pony!
6993826 She is a student of Princess Celestia, that is true. The others don't really have enough clout to pull strings in Canterlot command though.
6993906
6994116
Don't tell her that! You'll ruin everything. EVERYTHING!
Indeed it does. So do push ups.
6994159 As DjThomp says, it builds character!
6994351 It is ;D
6994458 I agreed. How a person gets to an answer is more important than the answer they got to.
6994608 It is certainly a different lifestyle.
6994891 I'm glad you're enjoying it :D
6996050 Huzzah! I think Sunny's version of it is pretty fun.
6994608
6998952
Reminds me of someone who described the experience of boot camp as being "People are made to do all sorts of hilarious shit and you're not allowed to laugh at any of it."
Ah boot camp, such fun, so many memories.... but never again!
Ah, the DI.
7003201 One day, we're sitting down for breakfast when we hear a commotion from across the DFAC where a male rainbow flight (newbies) were eating, and then an MTI yells at the top of his lungs "SKINNY JEANS?? WHAT THE PISS, TRAINEE, DID YOU BREAK INTO YOUR SISTER'S CLOSET BEFORE YOU CAME HERE?!"
A couple people got 341s pulled for laughing.