Guardians of Harmony - The Penal Guard

by Tropic_Turd

Chapter 5 - Boot Camp Beatdown V

“Dusty, are you okay!?” I asked, flying up to the branch where my battle buddy was hanging from. A sharp pain on my temple blunted my senses a bit and made me a little dizzy, but I shrugged it off. I’ve had worse.

“I’m alright! Go check on that psychotic bitch!” she answered coughing a bit and pointing her hoof at the base of the cliffs. That raspy tone of hers was not a good sign. She’s hurt, I can’t just leave her here.

“But Dusty-”

“That’s a direct order! Now go!” she barked, prompting me to follow her orders.

This was how we ended up after trying to save Cucklord, the melodramatic bitch we tried to save from falling to her death. We dived in and grabbed her only to receive a punch and a kick that sent us flying towards the trees. My head grazed the trunk of a large oak before I managed to regain control of my flight. Dusty on the other hand fell face flat into the branch of a tree, barely being able to grab onto it and not fall to the ground. Goddess, that must’ve hurt.

And here I am, being ordered to try and save Cucklord. Again. I secretly wanted that bitch to be dead though. I really can’t put up with the likes of her. I hate mopey ponies and I hate suicidally depressed ones even more. I just can’t put up with depressing shit in general.

And besides, she kicked Dusty. She just assaulted my friend. I’m not the type of pony to let things like that pass by easily.

“Cucklord, you fucking dumbass!” I shouted, overtaken by my rage. “You better be fucking dead! Because if you aren’t, I’ll be sure to give you one hell of a story to tell the ponies in Tartarus!”

I grunted in disappointment when I found no trace of her splattered body at the foot of the cliffs. That was, until I looked up.

Up there, at least about fifty or so feet in the sky, was a large Pegasus clad in a white full body plate armor that covered all but its wings. On the pony’s side was a large scabbard that held a bastard sword. I assumed this was the same Pegasus that was stalking us.

The same white flash that was the fastest thing I’ve ever seen. And it managed to move so quickly while wearing that! I really wouldn’t want to be on the bad side of this pony right now.

To top it all off, the damned thing was holding Cucklord by her tail. The Earth Pony mare was frozen still with shock. So much so that she didn’t even react when she saw me. That frightened expression would’ve brought a smile to my face if it wasn’t for the fact that she’s being held captive by an unidentified individual who just so happened to be heavily armed and heavily armored.

“Hey you!” I called, a wing ready to draw my sword in case the thing was hostile. “Over here!”

I froze and stood still as the thing turned its head down and looked at me with menacing glare. A cold chill ran down my spine as those deep green eyes stared right into my soul. It might have been cold tonight, but I could feel my sweat pouring out.

Still, I couldn’t just show signs of fear. If I did, I’ll just become this bastard’s little bitch. “Listen!” I called to her, raising my front hooves to prove that I meant no harm. “I just want that troublemaking shitbag you’re holding. I don’t mean any trouble!”

To my surprise, the thing didn’t immediately try to kill me. So I just watched there in stunned silence as she slowly flew down dropping Cucklord a few feet away from the ground before landing behind her. A long moment of silence followed while I thought of what to do next.

I then began beckoning Cucklord to slowly walk towards me. The mare got the message but she was too frightened to move. She just stood there like an retard, shivering with the fury of a thousand autists. I swear to Faust. I am gonna find a way to kill this bitch without anypony noticing once we’re done here.

Thankfully, the mysterious Pegasus was willing to cooperate with me, much to my surprise. The pegasus gave her a gentle push and waited a few seconds before delivering a borderline punch to her after she refused to move. This prompted her to dash straight towards me and hide on my rear.

“Hey, dumbass!” I whispered with the harshest tone I could muster. “Have you changed you mind or do you still want to die?”

The mare opened her mouth and tried to say something, but she couldn’t form the words. Must’ve been a result of a horrible mixture of shock from nearly dying and being saved by one terrifying son of a bitch. Either way, her stunned silence was kinda annoying.

I turned back to the mysterious Pegasus and continued our staring contest. Those eyes were unsettling, but what’s even more so was this feeling that I’ve seen those same eyes before. I don’t know why, but I think I knew who they belonged to. I just couldn’t exactly remember who that pony was. If only this asshole could just remove that damned helmet.

“Listen, whoever you are. I really don’t like how you’re stalking us,” I said, trying my best to not sound hostile. “But I appreciate the effort you showed in saving this asshole behind me.”

The Pegasus didn’t respond. It just continued staring at me with those emotionless green eyes. The silence was unnerving.

“Anyway. I’d appreciate it if you would just turn around and walk away,” I continued. “I promise I wouldn’t tell anypony I saw you. Just please, go away now before the others arrive.”

It still didn’t respond. The Pegasus just cocked its head and continued staring at me.

“Scoundrel!” I heard a pony shout from way behind me. I turned around and sighed internally when I saw Dusty running towards us. “Cucklord! You, son of a-” she paused when she saw the white Pegasus.

I turned back and checked on it to see if it was still there. Thankfully, it still was. “Dusty, I have this under control. It’s not hostile, it’s just-”

“Seize the fucker! Don’t let it get away!” She shouted, leaping into action and charging at the Pegasus.

“Dusty! No!”

She was confident, but it was probably gonna get her hurt, or even killed. How could she forget that thing managed to fly incredibly fast even when fully armored. No amount of skill could counter something that fast.

The white Pegasus moved so quickly that I wasn’t able to see the blow that sent Dusty flying towards me. I managed to catch her only to get thrown back from the force of the hit.

“Fuck!” Dusty cried, gasping for air and coughing a couple of times. I set her down and inspected the damaged. The bastard’s sword left a visible dent on her chest plate. If she wasn’t wearing it, she would’ve been killed by that blow.

I felt a jolt of rage run through my body as I stared at her lying on the ground. “Cucklord,” I said, turning my gaze onto the Earth Pony mare. “Get the Captain and the rest of the unit. I’ll be dealing with this asshole.”

She paused for a moment before nodding and running off. I turned and faced my enemy, staring at her in pure hatred as she stood there and glared back. I then stood at a defensive stance in front of Dusty, my eyes still locked at the Pegasus in front of me.

It was then when I noticed something odd about its weapon. The blade of the sword that the Pegasus was holding with her wing was not made out of steel nor iron. It was made out of solid dark hardwood. What kind of fairy-ass dogshit have I gotten myself into?

“Take another step forward, and you’re a dead pony!” I roared, drawing my sword with my mouth and spreading my unusually large wings in an attempt to make myself look bigger.

The Pegasus responded by sheathing her sword and spreading her own wings. It was as big as mine, except its proportional to her size so she looked a hell of a lot bigger. Was all this some kind of fucking game to her?

“Scoundrel!”

“Not now, Dusty. I’m-”

“Remember that trick we were practicing?”

A smile crept up my face. That trick was damn near impossible to pull off, but we have proven it was possible. I just hope we get lucky this time.

I slowly lowered my wings and walked backward to get closer to Dusty. I then felt her hand a throwing knife to one of my wings as she stood up and walked towards my side, her head held up high. Guess it’s time to show this bastard just how strong a well bonded pair was.

“Ready?”

“You bet I am!”

The Pegasus squinted and retracted its wings as it quickly drew its sword and stood at a guard stance. That’s right asshole. You can block this dagger, but you wouldn’t be ready for what’s next.

Without warning, I took a step forward and threw my dagger as hard as I can before charging forward. As expected, the white Pegasus managed to easily deflect it with that toy sword it’s holding. But as it was distracted trying to deflect it, Dusty threw a second dagger.

She wasn’t aiming for our opponent though, Dusty was aiming for the dagger which was deflected. The second dagger slammed into the first one, deflecting it and sending it back to its original target. The Pegasus may be fast, but it wasn’t prepared for it. Especially since the bastard was too focused on the pony charging towards him.

The dagger hit the Pegasus’s head removing the helmet it was wearing. But before I can grab onto the pony it flew into the air with one powerful burst of its wings. The gust that came from it managed to send me flying back to my original position beside Dusty. I didn’t even get a glimpse of the pony’s face.

“Damn it!” I shouted, slamming my hoof on the ground. “I almost had her.”

“Well at least we managed to pull the trick off this time,” she said with a labored tone, breathing heavily. “And we do have the asshole’s helmet now.”

“Yeah,” I replied, standing up. “That was some ninja-shit we just pulled off. Too bad the others weren’t here to see it”

I sighed in relief only to gasp in horror a few seconds later when Dusty suddenly lost her balance and fell down. I managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

“Are you alright?” I asked, gently setting her down on the ground.

“Nah,” she chuckled, removing her helmet and smiling at me. “I feel like I got hit by The Law!”

I chuckled in response and laid down on the ground beside her. She’s hurt but she’ll make it. “That was fun.”

“Sure was,” she replied, looking at me for a short while before turning back to the sky.

The sky back at Fort Applebuck was beautiful, but here it was dazzling. At this time in the wild there was no artificial light that desecrated the night sky’s majesty. Looking up, it felt as if I was staring at diamonds and jewels not stars. The relaxing sight almost made me forget that stinging pain in my temple. Almost.

“Psycho! Scoundrel! Where are you!?” I heard a familiar voice shout. It was the assistant drill instructor.

I stood up and dusted my hooves. “Looks like our rescue’s here. Can you get up?”

“If you can give me a hoof,” Dusty replied with a smile as she extended her hoof.

---

“Come on Sweet bean. You’ve been doing so well these past few weeks,” Fatherfucker said, placing a comforting hoof at Cucklord’s back while I watched from the corner of the tent. “You can go on like this and have a successful career. You don’t need that ungrateful bitch to keep holding you down. Let her go.”

“I… I can’t! I just can’t okay,” Cucklord replied. The suicidal mare was on the verge of tears. It was a disgusting sight.

We were taken back to the camp and patched after we were found. The White Pegasus’ helmet and Dusty’s chest plate were both taken away by the drill instructors for investigation. All was quite normal except for how the captain reacted when he saw the helmet. The long sudden pause he made when he saw it suggested he knew something we all didn’t. He said he knew nothing though. I was not convinced.

Anyway, I expected a reward or at least a bit of praise for having taken that much out of the stalking bastard, but it looked like I expected too much. All we got was a bit of scolding for only being able to take the pony’s helmet. To be honest, the senior drill instructor’s reaction could have been worse.

As for Cucklord. The Captain was disheartened by the mare’s act of attempted suicide, so he gave her a choice.

If she really didn’t want to continue on living, he allowed her to go on her own way with enough supplies to reach the nearest town in case she changed her mind. She would die, but she would die as a commoner, neither a guard nor a guard recruit. The other squad members protested against this, but the captain insisted.

He said her life was hers and hers alone. If she wanted to take it, then let her be. I honestly didn’t believe something as cold as that could come out of a pony as calm as him, but I’d like it if Cucklord would go with it. It’ll be one less headache to deal with.

She was given until sunrise to make up her mind. And that’s why I was in the tent with some of our fellow squad members. Dusty, who was supposed to be in the medical tent, was convinced she could make Cucklord change her mind. Everypony participated except me.

I did so personally, because I couldn’t put up with such a whiny mare like Cucklord. She thinks she had it bad because a mare cheated on her. She thinks life’s too hard and she couldn’t handle it anymore. Bitch, you know nothing about a hard life.

“Cuck,” Buster said in his rare serious tone. “Life is awful hard. Ay personally know that there. But trust me. It will get bettuurr.”

He was Cucklord’s close friend. There’s a really big chance he might sway her.

“No it won’t! You don’t understand. None of you do. Nopony understands!” The bitch shouted before crying.

That’s it. I can’t take this shit no more. I stood up and began walking towards the tent’s exit.

“Scoundrel! Where’d you think you’re going!?” Dusty shouted making me stop in front of the tent’s flap.

“Outside.”

“No. We need you here you, insensitive asshole,” Dusty replied with a stern voice “She needs you!”

“Oh no you don’t. After all, none of us knows anything about what a hard life is!” I exclaimed sarcastically.

“Well you could at least help! I’m trying to keep this squad together and all you’re doing is just standing there doing nothing!”

“She’s hopeless, Dusty,” I replied. “And you!” I pointed at Cucklord who stared at me with fear. “You’re the one who knows nothing!” I said before exiting. I really, really hate whinny pieces of shits.

“Cloud! Get back here this instant! That is a direct order!” Dusty screamed. “Don’t you turn your back on us!”

I didn’t respond. Not because I didn’t want to, but because Captain Forthright was standing outside the tent. He just stood there, staring at me in disappointment.

I opened my mouth to speak only to get shushed by him. “I don’t want anypony to know I’m here.” He whispered. “Initiate Cloud, go back there and do everything in your power to make her stay.”

I paused for a short while and tried to process things. And I think I get it now. This was all a test. The captain didn’t want to let Cucklord go, he wants us to make her stay. But I still couldn’t do it. I couldn’t put up with whiny ponies and depressing shit. Because I’ve had enough of that back then to last me a lifetime.

“Sir-”

“If you couldn’t do it for me or for her, do it for Dusty. She needs your help now more than ever.”

“But sir-”

“I know that you know what true suffering is. And unlike Buster, I know that you could use that knowledge to make her think about her future.”

He’s right about one thing. Buster couldn’t handle thinking about his life in the Badlands. His wife died out there. But me. I laugh every time I look back on my shit ridden past. Why? Because I still couldn’t fathom how life got better or because of how destiny had a weird sense of humor. It’s a lot better than being all depressed and mopey about it.

“You know if you do things right she’ll stop being a whiny bitch right? You’ve been through worse Initiate. More than you even know. You can handle this.”

“What makes you say that.”

The captain smiled. “I just know it.”

Fine. I’ll give it a shot. But only because I’m tired of Cucklord’s behavior. Right now, I’m the only pony who could straighten out that bitch. Especially since I have the right tools. So I’m willing to deal with her shit just this once.

“Alright sir,” I replied with a before turning around and reentering the tent.

“Well, well, well,” Dusty glared at me. “Did you change your mind? Or are you just-”

“Shut it,” I replied in a serious manner. “I’m not here to convince her. I’m just here to tell you all a story.”

“A story? Oh! Does it have knights rescuing princesses!?” Dusty replied sarcastically. “Why don’t you-”

She stopped speaking when I reached for my uniform’s pocket. All eyes were on me as I pulled out a small bundle of photos. The same ones that Sky Slasher sent me. They were all surprised and curious, especially Dusty, Canopy and Fatherfucker.

“It’s a story about a boy I once knew,” I said, sitting down in front of Cucklord. I shuffled through the pictures and chose four of my personal favorites.

I set down the first photo on the ground in front of me. It was of a ragged looking Pegasus colt sitting on a chair with a wide smile on his face. “This was what he looked like when I first met him at the orphanage he was at. He never felt the love of a family and the bond between parent and child. And to top it all off, the orphanage was run by an abusive son of a bitch who beat him on a daily basis. She basically made his life hell. And what does he do? Does he cry? No. He smiled, he smiled all the time. Because life won’t get better if all you do is cry.”

“That colt looks really familiar. I-”

“Fatherfucker. Unless you got a better story, I suggest you shut up. Anyway, where was I? Oh right,” I said, taking out the second picture and placing it beside the first one.

It was of the same colt who was now a teenager. In it he was being dragged by the local constabulary officer as he smiled and looked at the camera. “This was him during his teenage years. He ran away from the orphanage a few weeks after the first photo was taken. Of the ten foals he ran away with, only four made it to the nearby city. There they lived as street orphans doing what they can to survive. This picture was taken after he was caught trying to steal apples for his starving friend. That smile of his didn’t go away, not even after the officers nearly beat him to death that night. He later found out his starving friend died.”

“Cloud…” Dusty said. The hint of sympathy on her voice tells me she already knows.

“Shh. I’m telling a story,” I replied with a gentle smile before pulling out the third photo.

The colt had grown into a young adult in this one. It was picture of him during his time in army boot camp. He was smiling as he dug a trench with his fellow recruits. “This was him when he finally decided to straighten his life out and do something worthwhile. He joined the army because he wanted to be a part of something bigger than him. It was hard and the drill sergeant was even harder. But he didn’t let them bring him down. He continued to smile even after he got lost in this path and had to run away.”

Finally, I took out the last picture. It was not really a part of those that Sky took from the compartment. It was a separate one she sent me last week. The last one was my mugshot taken when I was caught a couple of months ago. The other ponies gasped while Cucklord’s eyes widen as I set it down.

“This was the last time I saw him. After he ran away he joined a group of smugglers and made a living for himself. He stayed positive through all his years of suffering because he knew that one day, things would get better for him. And it did when life sent him to those fine bastards. The time he spent with them was one he always looked back at with a smile even after he got caught. But his story didn’t end in prison. He never went there. He went here. In the guard. Where he met a batch of shitheads and dumbfucks whom he was proud to call his squad, his friends and his family! Life was an ass to him but he loved the son of a bitch because of possibility and hope. Because life may be bad, but it can always get better.”

The first thing Cucklord did after hearing my story was to stand up and give me a hug. I was initially shocked, but I returned the gesture. The others soon joined in and soon I was surrounded by ponies hugging me. It was hard to breath in that pile.

“I… I’m sorry, Scoundrel,” Cucklord said, pulling away and looking at the ground. “I didn’t know… I never thought other ponies had it that hard.”

“That’s alright, I forgive you. And it’s alright to be sad at times. It’s natural,” I replied. “But ending your life just because you think it’s hard is as normal as it is stupid.”

“Yeah….”

“You live in a sugarbowl, Cucklord. There are a lot of creatures out there who dream of a life in the peaceful side of Equestria. You should be more thankful for being able to live here,” I explained. “Look at me.”

She reluctantly agreed. “Okay.”

“Life will fuck with you. But don’t let yourself become her little bitch. You’ll satisfy her. Do you want to satisfy an asshole like her!?”

“No.”

“Are you gonna give up and kill yourself because of something as low and meaningless as a cheating bastard!?”

“No!”

“Will you give up on training despite of the stellar progress you’ve made these past few weeks!?”

“No!”

“Do you have what it takes to be a guardspony?!”

“NO!” she shouted before pausing. “No! No wait. I didn’t mean to-”

She was cut off by my boisterous laughter. Oh boy I played her good. The poor mare was blushing hard from embarrassment. Though this prompted Dusty to slap me in the back of my head.

“Say you’re sorry! Or else!”

“Ouch! Okay. Okay. I’m sorry!” I said, raising my hoofs in order to block her. “But seriously, Cucklord, don’t give up because of that mare. Your life, your potential, and most important of all, your smile, is worth more to other ponies than her worthless existence.”

“Thank you…” she said timidly, smiling and blushing as she did. For me, this was the one of the things that made life worth living. Aside from money, the pursuit of happiness and the dream of success, the one thing I really loved was making other ponies smile. Straightening her out may have brought a smile to my face, but that smile. That smile brought a tear to my eye.

“Can you promise me that you won’t ever give up? That you’ll forget about that bitch and go on with your life.”

“I can and I will!”

“Good. Very good,” I replied with a nod.

The three other ponies then walked up and gave Cucklord a hug while Dusty went to beside me. “Scoundrel, I-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re gonna thank me again for my help.”

Dusty smiled. “How’d you know?”

“I just know it.”

---

As expected, Cucklord decided to stay and was with us the following morning when we began our trek. It was quite refreshing to see her in high spirits, humming a tune and looking at the world with a smile. It almost made the heavy weight of the equipment I was wearing bearable. Almost.

It was hard carrying your squad’s equipment especially when you’re walking up a long narrow mountain trail while wearing full armor. As usual, this was the DI’s idea. Still, I did my best as to not look like a wimp. I’m small but I could handle the weight.

“Hey, Scoundrel,” Canopy called, walking up to my side.

“What is it?” I grunted. Goddess I hate hiking. Walking upwards always made everything hard as shit.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said. You know. The one about the hard life up north.”

“What about it?”

“Well, I’ve decided to serve my first post in the Frozen North after graduation.”

I almost stopped and slapped the fucker. No sane pony in any branch of the military would want to be assigned to the Frozen North. That place had nothing but death and suffering for the poor bastards who got assigned there. Canopy was tough, but he wouldn’t be able to stomach the fucked up shit that happens in that Faust forsaken wasteland.

“Are you serious!”

“Yeah… Is something wrong?”

“Everything is wrong! Do you have a death wish!?”

“No.”

“Then why in the hell would you want to be sent to that place. That’s where ponies go to die a horrible death!”

Canopy just laughed. “If everypony sent there had that mindset, there would be no change. They’d just be looking at things with dread not with hope. I want to help them, Scoundrel. I want to help those poor ponies up there and do something worthwhile.”

This naïve bastard does not know what he is saying. And he’ll regret it one day. “Well you should consult your battle buddy first, not me. She deserves to know the-”

I wasn’t able to finish thanks to a stupid pebble. That little piece of shit made my hoof slip and I fell down, my luggage making the fall all the more painful. “Fuck!”

“Scoundrel! Are you okay?!” Cucklord asked, rushing towards my side.

Holy shit. Are y'all alraheet, Scoundrel?” Buster asked, helping Canopy put me back on my hooves before the drill instructors could notice. I’d be in a world of trouble if they did. Unfortunately, some my squad mates did.

“I’m okay!”

“Are you sure?” Dusty asked, unexpectedly popping up beside me. Her sudden appearance almost made me slip once more.

“I’m okay!”

“Scoundrel, let me carry that for you. I can handle it,” Dusty said, trying to unlatch my load. I shoved her off gently.

“No. I don’t need help. I’m okay”

“Bullshit!” Fatherfucker interrupted, taking the initiative and unlatching the equipment crate on my back before taking it. “You’re slowing us down. Let me help you”

“But what if the drill instructors see you,” Canopy asked

“They will nahwt like it if they see y'all a-helpin' him,” Buster reasoned.

“Well either that or they’ll praise me for helping speed up things,” Fatherfucker replied. “Either way I can take the punishment.”

“Thank you, Fatherfucker,” I thanked the mare.

“Don’t mention it, dude. I got your back.”

Our entire unit then suddenly stopped on its tracks when we heard a string of explosions. This was not good. If we get caught up in a firefight out here there will be chaos. Thankfully, the sound was from far away. Staring out from the edge of the mountain road, I could see lights and explosions flying out of what looked like an abandoned castle on one of the distant mountains.

We then heard the drill instructors order one of the Pegasus recruits to fly over there and find out what was going on. We all sat there patiently as he flew away, wondering what the fuck was going on over that castle.

It didn’t take long for him to return. He told us that there was some sort of energy field blocking the way. He said he tried to fly above it but as it turns out, the thing wasn’t a wall, it was a really, really large shield dome.

Things were getting weird. But just when I thought things couldn’t get weirder, shit immediately went south.

A massive energy surge came out of the castle in the form of a large pillar of light. We all had to shield our eyes from the blinding light. Then we felt the shockwave. Some of our ponies almost fell over the cliffs and into their deaths when it hit us. We thought it was over after the light faded away, but it didn’t. We were in for a load of shit that day.

“Earthquake!”

Somepony shouted as the earth began to shake. We stayed put though. We were not stupid civies who would run around like headless chickens at times like this. When you’re caught in an earthquake, you do not run. You stay where you are until the shaking stops.

“Uh, ma’am!” I heard one pony shout.

“What is it Scumbag!?”

“Ma’am, we’re supposed to stay put during earthquakes right, ma’am!?”

“Yes!”

“Ma’am, but what if there are house sized boulders thundering down at us, ma’am!?”

Oh shit. I looked up the mountain to confirm my worst fears. There was a rockslide and a lot of massive boulders rolling down towards us.

“Run! Run forward in an orderly fashion!” the captain shouted

And run we did in order to get out of the path of the rockslide. It was hard to run during an earthquake, but we had not choice. Every time a pony fell, another was more than willing to help. We somehow managed to stay together and work as a team even during a time like this.

In the end we actually succeeded in evading the rockslide without losing a single pony. We stopped in front of a thick forest in a rather flat part of the mountain before deciding to run through it after seeing another set of rocks rolling down on our current position. Nature really didn’t want to give us a break doesn’t it.

“Somepony clear a path!”

“One clear path coming right up!” Canopy replied running towards the front of the unit with the rest of the Unicorn initiates. Together they fired a large beam of concentrated magical energy that carved a wide path through the thick forest. It was wide enough for the unit to pass through.

Shit was really going bad today. But sadly, it was about to get even worse for me.

While running I saw a branch as thick as a tankard flying straight towards Dusty. I acted on instinct and pushed her away. The thing slammed on my side, fracturing my unprotected wing. The only part of the body that the guard armor didn’t cover.

“Cloud!”

“I’m alright! Keep going,” I shouted, pulling myself up. My fracture really didn’t hurt that much thanks to all the adrenaline pumping through my body. Shit was just going too fast.

Then a fissure suddenly sprouted from the ground. It separated me, Cucklord, and for some fucking reason, the assistant drill instructor from the rest of the unit.

“Just go, go!” I watched as the assistant drill instructor wave off the ponies looking from the other side. “We’ll find another way around!”

None of us could cross the gap that just formed. We were stuck. I looked towards the cliff at the distance. The rocks were racing straight towards us. We didn’t have long. If we stay here we’ll get buried alive.

“Sir, what do we do, sir!?” I asked the drill instructor.

“To the forest! Now!” he ordered pointing at the treeline. “It’s our only chance!”

We ran towards it and hid behind one large oak tree just in the nick of time. We placed our backs against the barrier as it protected us from the incoming torrent of rocks and boulders coming down from the mountain as the earthquake continued. I felt Cucklord grab onto me hard. This was it. My luck might’ve actually ran out this time.

Then suddenly, it all stopped. The earthquake and the rockslide eventually subsided. I knelt on the ground. All my limbs were shaky as hell and I felt like I would vomit. This was the closet I’ve been to fucking dying.

“Praise Celestia!” The assistant drill instructor shouted before hugging and kissing the tree that just saved our lives.

“Scoundrel,” Cucklord said.

“Yeah?”

“I’m scared.”

I grabbed the pony by the hoof and gave her a tight hug. I really needed to hug something right now. “It’s okay. I’m scared as well. It’s over now though. We’re good. We’re good,” I said, comforting her.

“Are you two lovebirds done!?” The assistant drill instructor asked us after he carved our names on the oak tree with a combat knife. I really didn’t know why he did that, but I guess it’s his way of celebrating survival. “We still have to find the rest of the unit.”

“Right!” I said, breaking away from the hug. “Sir, lead the way, sir!”

And so we continue our trek up the mountain. After a short while, a question came into mind. “Sir, does the unit have a rally point in case of an emergency like this, sir?”

“Yeah,” he answered, looking at his map. “There’s a Royal Guard listening post near the peak of this mountain. Me and Sergeant Hard Knock decided to meet up there in case the group somehow got separated.”

That was a relief. The trek up may be a long and tiring one, but at least they had a plan. It was a lot better than nothing at all.

More and more questions began popping up in my mind while we made our slow ascent up the mountain. They were unpleasant thoughts that made me feel uneasy. What in the hell was going on in that castle? What was that light? Did the others make it to the top? Are they all okay? Is Dusty safe?

I was so preoccupied with thinking that I barely noticed the assistant drill instructor’s signal to stop. Me and Cucklord stopped on our tracks and watched as the instructor scanned the surroundings.

He abruptly stopped and sighed. He then turned to us looking a bit frightened. “Timberwolves,” he whispered.

Oh come on, give us a fucking break. If I could fly right now I would happily abandon these two ponies for a chance to save my ass. But sadly it looked like I have to run. I have to run fast.

“Don’t move until I say so,” he ordered us.

“S-s-sir, w-where is it, sir?” Cucklord asked.

“Shh!” he shushed her. He briefly turned to where he spotted them before turning back to us and pointing a hoof at the higher ground. “Run up the slope when I give the signal. And don’t you ever think about stopping.”

“Sir, how many, sir?” I asked.

“There are about two dozen of them down there and they’re slowly moving up. If we stay here and fight we’ll be overwhelmed.”

Holy shit. That’s more than twenty four large wooden killing machines. Not even our entire unit can handle that many. We are fucked aren’t we.

The instructor paused while he kept an eye on their movement. He must have a really sharp vision if he could see them walking up. Timberwolves are notorious for their stealthy movements. “Now,” He signaled.

We immediately made a break for it and ran up the mountain as fast as we can. Behind us I could hear several harrowing roars and howls followed by the sound of dozens of heavy footsteps. It did nothing but make us run even faster.

“They’re gaining on us!” The assistant drill instructor shouted while looking back.

This was useless. It wouldn’t take long before these bastards catch up to us. When they do, the only thing that’ll be left of us for the others to identify will be a few shredded armor parts and a lot of blood. I had to do something.

“Scoundrel! What the hell are you doing!?” I heard the drill instructor shout while I stopped and ran back.

“I’m going to distract them. Don’t worry, I’ll find another way around!”

“Don’t be a hero you, dumbass! You’ll get yourself killed.”

“Hey, it’s a lot better than all of us getting killed!”

I honestly had no idea why I was doing this. I was a selfish and cowardly and it makes no sense that I’m suddenly so selfless. So why in the hell was I going on a suicidal charge?

Then I realized something. Those two ponies running up had families and loved ones. Me? I only have myself. They had something to lose, I have nothing. They’ll all be better off without me. It’s better this way.

Sweet Faust! Why am I being all depressing all of the sudden? It’s because I know I’m not gonna make it out of here isn’t it? But hey, at least I’ll die doing something worthwhile. And besides, I’ll be dead even if I didn’t do this. Somepony had make the sacrifice.

“Come at me you bastards!” I shouted as I stood on top of a boulder raising my sword. In front of me was the main bulk of the Timberwolves. Their menacing features were matched only by the frightening glow of their eyes. “Show me what you got!”

A large Timberwolf suddenly dashed towards me with its claws outstretched. I swung my sword hard down it its head and shattered it. I manage to smile in triumph before my short lived victory was ended by another Timberwolf.

It was already too late when I saw the wooden beast pounce on my left side. I could move away, but the big claw will still hit me. Jumping backwards, I managed to saw myself in exchange for a hit on my head. The Timberwolf’s claw ripped my helmet off.

Rolling backwards, I moved to a nearby tree and turned my back into it to make sure none of these assholes would take me from behind. Then I felt a sharp stinging pain coming from the side of my head that got hit. I ran a hoof through it to find out just how bad it way. It didn’t puncture my skull, but there was a deep slash that extended from my left temple to my lower cheek. To make matters worse, the wooden splinters inside it was making the injury all the more painful.

The sight of all that blood was making my head a bit light.

Then things went from bad to worse. At the corner of my eye I saw the alpha moving in from behind the others. It was twice as large as the rest and its wooden frame was completely black. A cold shiver ran down my spine as the other Timberwolves stepped back to make way for the alpha.

A one on one duel huh. The intelligence of some magical creatures can be very impressive sometimes. I may actually make it out of here alive.

Finally, I was face to face with the big son of a bitch. Fortunately, I was in my preferred environment of combat which was anyplace that wasn’t a wide open area. Because here I can actually use my environment to fight smart.

The alpha let out one loud ear shattering roar before charging. This was my chance, my split second chance. I side stepped at the right time and delivered a quick slash to one of its paws as it passed me. This sent the large beast tumbling down and hitting the trunk of the nearby tree face first.

This wasn’t enough though, and soon the thing was up and ready to go again. We circled one another before it finally made its move. I was unlucky this time though. The alpha manage to snag me with one of its sharp claws. It hit my chest and I was thrown back several feet and rolled on the ground a few times.

I quickly checked to see if my guts had been spilled out only to find out that my chest plate survived the hit and protected me. From the size and depth of those slash marks, I would’ve been torn apart if I wasn’t wearing them.

I then turned to the alpha who was already midair after a jump. My eyes widened and my heart raced when I stared down its jaw. This was it. I could feel my life flashing before my eyes. It was a roller coaster of emotions but what got me the most was my unit. One by one their faces flashed in my memory.

These ponies had a special place in my heart. They were essentially my family. But one stood above them all. Dusty Dusks. I was happy that I managed to meet somepony as special as her before I die. I’m going to miss her the most when I sail through the quiet waters of the abyss.

Then I finally realized it. I didn’t do this selfless act because I had no choice. I did this because of her. Because I wanted to be somepony she could be proud to call her battle buddy. Somepony she would be proud to call her friend and her equal.

No. I can’t die. I can’t just give up now. I need to survive. I need to live!

“Waaaagghhhhh!” I roared as I stood up and raised my sword. I’m not going down quietly.

Then a blinding white flash came down from the sky and flew through the alpha, slicing it in half. I covered my face and covered my eyes as the shattered remains of the alpha flew in all directions.

When I opened my eyes I saw it. Or should I say her. The tall Pegasus clad in white armor was standing in front me, facing the pack of Timberwolves in front of us. After a long pause, she raised her wing and pointed her wooden sword at them. This was the same Pegasus from the night before. The same one whose been stalking us. “What the fuck,” I muttered, I was beyond confused at this point.

I can actually see her head now since she was no longer wearing her helmet. Her long silky gray mane flew freely as the wind blew into her. Then she turned her head to face me. Then it hit me. I was right. I have seen those green eyes before. Those were the eyes of a backstabbing traitor.

“Wispy!?” I asked as I stared at her in confusion. What the fuck was Sky Slasher a.k.a. Wispy doing here?

“Yeah?”

“What the fuck! Why are you here? Why’re you stalking us? What’s with the weird armor? Where the fuck is my diary and jacket?”

“Whoa! Slow down there, Clippy,” she replied with a smile. “Let me take care of our friends first.”

I honestly wanted to punch her right now for all the trouble we had because for her yesterday. But I was just too relieved that I didn’t die so I just nodded.

She then gripped her sword with her teeth and proceeded to quickly dispatch the Timberwolves surrounding us. It was an amazing display of talent. She moved like a flash flying through wolf after wolf tearing them apart with ease. Those who didn’t got hit were already running away with their tails tucked between their legs. Overall, I was surprised at how powerful this mare actually was. Was this really the same wimpy mare that I’ve come to know during my time smuggling?

“Hey Clippy, you still there?” Sky asked, snapping me out of my long pause.

“Y-yeah!” I answered.

“Now I know you have a lot of questions, but…” she slowly approached me. I immediately began stepping back out of fear. “It’s okay. I won’t kill you or anything, I promise. Now hold still.”

She took out a white velvet handkerchief and placed it on the left side of my face. Just right above my injury. “W-what?”

“I don’t have any bandages with me so this’ll have to do for now. Please hold it to stop the bleeding,” she said. I did as I was told and held the piece of cloth with a wing. “Now, your questions?”

“Okay, first of all, why are you here? I mean, why did you have to stalk us like that? Hell, you even fucking attacked us!”

“For the record, your friend was the one who attacked first,” she clarified. And yes, she’s actually right about that. “I was following you because I wanted to see how you were doing without interrupting your routine. Anyway, how’re you doing?”

“I’m fine.”

“Based on how you fought back there, I guess you’re right,” She replied with a cheerful smile. “Have you made any friends?”

“As a matter of fact I did. I’ve made a lot of friends actually.”

“Have you made any special friends?” she asked with a suggestive smile.

“I… well… There was this one mare,” I answered. Fuck. Why was I even telling her this? “Hey. I’m the one asking questions here!”

“Was is that Thestral mare you were with last night?” she ignored my question and continued with hers. “The way you stared at her while she sung was so cute!”

Wait, what! She was watching us that time. “Yeah…” I answered. I then felt the all too familiar sensation of heat rising up my cheeks. Then I remembered how she attacked Dusty. “If you ever try to hurt her again, I will-”

“Easy there, Clippy. I really meant no harm,” she explained. “If I did, she would’ve been ripped apart like those Timberwolves. Besides, I know the strong link between you two and I respect it. I’m actually surprised at how you two pulled off that cool knife trick together. It’s been a long time since I actually got hit by something. The bond you share with her is special, Clippy.”

“I guess it is,” I replied coyly.

“Somepony has a crush!” The annoying bitch sung.

“Shut up. I don’t have a-”

“I’m just teasing you, Clippy. There’s no need to be embarrassed,” she giggled. I really want to bash her face in right now, but after seeing how she fought I’ll guess it’ll go the other way around if I did. “I’m just so glad to see you adjusting so well with your new life.”

“What’s with the armor you’re wearing?” I asked. “You’re a guard right? But I’ve never seen a guard wear one of those.”

Her smiled disappeared and was replaced with a serious frown. “Sorry. I can’t tell you where this is from,” she answered in a forbidding tone as she glared at me, her green eyes piercing my fragile soul.

“Ok,” I whimpered. “Can you at least tell me why you’re using a wooden sword?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Oh this,” she said in a warm tone as she took her sword. She stared into its dark hardwood blade for a short while before turning to me. “This is not just a sword. It’s a covenant I made to never kill another pony.”

“You… killed?”

“I used to. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well then I pity those poor sons of bitches,” I exclaimed, looking at the remains of the destroyed Timberwolves. “Against a pony like you, they didn’t have a chance. Where’d you learn to fight like that? How'd you get that strong?”

“Training,” she answered.

Well that must've been one hell of a training then. “Okay. Do you know anything about the fight in the nearby castle?”

“That castle? The abandoned one that sits in a nearby mountain?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know shit about it, but I have heard rumors of cult activity somewhere in the Foal Mountains.”

Cult activity? Then that shit back there must’ve meant those cultists were in a fight. But with who?

“Alright, I need to go now.”

“Hey wait!” I said, making her stop right before she flew away. “My diary and my jacket. Where are they?”

“They’re in my house and don’t worry, I’ve been taking good care of them. I actually haven’t read it in a while. Work’s been stinging my ass,” she answered. It looks like she hadn’t reached that part of my diary. That was a relief.

She then took out something from under her breastplate and handed the to me. It was a canteen of water and a map of the Foal Mountain. “These’ll help you find your way to the peak. Take care now.”

I watched as she flew away, her silhouette suddenly becoming smaller and smaller until it was finally out of view. What a weird mare.

---

After a long and tiring hike, the listening post near the mountain peak finally came to view. The steel radio tower glowed brightly as the ray of the setting sun met its smooth surface. I drank the last ounce of water from the canteen before tossing it aside and walking towards my destination.

When I entered the walled station, I was immediately met by the frightened eyes of my fellow recruits that looked like they’ve just seen a ghost. They stepped aside and out of my path as I continued walking until I finally found who I was looking for.

Sitting at one of the benches was a crying mare. Around her was the rest of her squadron who were busy comforting her. I’ve known this mare for a while now and this was the first time I’ve ever seen her cry. It was a depressing sight and I hated it. I had to change that. I had to make her smile.

“Dusty!” I called her. She stopped crying and raised her head to face me. Just looking at those bloodshot eyes of hers she got from crying nonstop broke my heart.

I watched silently as Dusty stood up and began walking towards me. She gradually sped up until she was running. “Cloud!” she shouted with joy before diving in for a hug. I dropped the kerchief that I was holding against my head when she grabbed onto me so I could hug her as well. Our other squad members immediately followed suit.

“I thought I’d never see you again!” Dusty whispered with a smiled as tears of joy flowing down her eyes.

“Well I’m here now, ma’am!”

In the heat of the moment I noticed the senior drill instructor staring at us from one of the guard towers. Normally, I would’ve straightened myself out in order to avoid punishment but I just waved at her instead. I could’ve sworn I saw her smile just before she rolled her eyes and turned around.

“Oh my Luna! You’re hurt!” Dusty said in a very worried tone when she saw my giant face scar. She hovered a hoof at it making me flinch. Then she noticed the claw marks on my chest plate. “Are you-”

“I’m fine Dusty,” I reassured her. The bleeding ma have stopped but my head was feeling a bit light. “Tis but a scratch.”

“You really are one hell of a pony aren’t you, Initiate Cloud,” Captain Forthright said as he and assistant drill instructor Corporal First Base approached us. My squad quickly broke the hug and lined up with me at the center.

The Pegasus officer and the Earth pony drill instructor then stopped in front of me. “The corporal told me how you ran towards the Timberwolves to buy them some time. That single act of valor killed the old you and gave birth to a new Cloud Clipper. I’m proud to say that you’re no longer a criminal, initiate. You are now a guard.”

“Can it wait until the graduation ceremony next week, sir?” I joked. “I think by then I’ll be ready to call myself that.”

“It could, initiate,” the assistant drill instructor answered with a nod. I nodded back and smiled.

The captain picked up the bloodied kerchief Sky handed me. It was only then when I noticed it actually had her cutie mark stitched on it. “So it really was her.”

“It was, sir. Do you know her?”

“I did when I was still in the Solar Guard,” he answered. “That was a long time ago though.”

This brief exchange of words confused the ponies around us and I’m sure there’ll be a lot of questions later. But right now we were busy celebrating our unit’s success. Because not one initiate died during the disaster that happened.

Tomorrow we’ll be marching back towards Fort Applebuck and next week we will be graduating. And that concludes the end of my new beginning and the start of my new journey in the Harmony Guard, the sworn protectors of Equestria and its ponies.

Author's Note:

Nine thousand words! This is the longest chapter I have ever written. I did so because I wanted to give you all a proper sendoff since I'll be gone for about a month or even longer. This is because of some school projects, exams, and because I wanted to have a break to refresh my mind.

And before I go on my hiatus I want to thank all of you who supported me while making this story. It's your kind words and interesting feedback that made me smile and kept me writing.

Comments

[PaintedPony]

Wow. This chapter was full of some intense emotional scenes. Onions and all that. Well done. It might have been 9000 words, but it flew by and that means it was superb. Enjoy your hiatus, I know I won't. 😉

[fanreader999999]

Eh

[Bhals4]

This was an amazing story I hope you come back soon, onto my tracking folder it goes

[JustFalcon]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh NO. Just when it was getting good! Aw man... I guess to the sad folder of 'Tracking'

[Bhals4]

I have honestly reread this story multiple times it's a great work it makes me sad for it to be abandoned but I'm sure you have your reasons I hope you all the best in whatever they may be and thankyou for what you have written

[Thyrrnatf]

pretty good story, sad that it is dead

[Bhals4]

I don’t know why I’m so drawn to this story I know it is never going to be updated yet even now when I barely read anything on this site anymore I still come back to this story, thankyou for this story