Deployment: Crystal Empire PART 2
Chapter 13
1st Lieutenants Anonymous and Silver Quartz walk down the crystalline hallways to the bathroom. Silver Quartz asks Anon a barrage of questions as they walk about himself and his job as a Royal Guard. Anon can't say he isn't annoyed by the questions. However, he answers the questions honestly.
One thing he notices about Silver Quartz is how young she is. Anon is a few months shy of being 26. Silver Quartz, on the other hoof, is only 20 years old. According to her, she joined when she was 19. Also, Silver Quartz is a bubbly, strange mare. This is very uncharacteristic of a commissioned officer. Then again, she is younger than most officers Anon had met in his three years in the Royal Guard.
"So...do you have a marefriend?" Silver Quartz asks.
"No," Anon responds flatly.
"Why not?"
"I don't date ponies."
"Don't you think that's a little racist?"
"That's not what I meant. Where I am from, ponies don't talk and aren't as colorful and aware as they are here. Back home, they are used as tools, pets, or a mode of transportation. Soldiers used to ride them into battle. Farmers used them for agricultural purposes."
"Oh. Why?"
"I don't know. Probably for the same reason, everyone else has used horses for the past few millenniums."
"Why don't your ponies talk?"
Now, Anon is getting annoyed with Silver Quartz. The endless amount of questions is beginning to make Anon's head hurt. He does not need a headache before a party is thrown in his honor with a few high-ranking officers in the Crystal Imperial Guard. So, to quell the hail of endless questions, Anon stops, squats down, and gives Silver Quartz his all too infamous black stare. He looks the crystal pony square in the eyes and speaks in a low voice.
"Silver Quartz, please, shut up. You're giving me a fucking headache," he says.
The way the request is asked sends shivers down Silver Quartz's spine. The hardened glare from the towering 1st Lieutenant makes her legs shake. Anon notices this and relaxes his gaze. He stands back up.
"Look, Silver, I don't mind answering your question, but I will lose my patience when they are non-stop and headache-inducing. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you are getting on my nerves. Tone it down with questions; I think the next six months will go smoothly. Am I clear?" Anon says.
Silver Quartz nodded her head.
"Glad we are on the same page."
The two 1st Lieutenants walk down the hallway towards the ballroom. When they approach the doors, a lot of noise comes from behind them. There is a high-pitched, shrill voice that Anon recognizes almost instantly. It's not a voice that one can easily forget. It's Pinkie Pie's voice. It doesn't surprise Anon that Princess Cadance invited Pinkie to throw the party for him.
Pinkie's shrill voice catches Silver Quart's attention. Her face contorted to a look of confusion appear on her face. She looks up at Anon.
"Who the heck is that?" Silver asks.
"Ponyville's Number One Part Planner: Pinkamina Diane Pie," Anon sighs in response.
"Isn't she one of the Elements of Harmony?"
"Yep. For some reason, she has a habit of showing up when you least anticipate it. Her hyperactivity and ability to eat pounds of sugar are something to look out for. It's a part of her schtick."
"I'm not that annoying, am I?"
"From what I've seen, not entirely. Sure, the overabundance of questions is getting on all of the seven trillion nerves in my body. Pinkie isn't annoyed at first. Her personality is...an acquired taste. Like mine, for example."
Anon opens the doors to the ballroom, and they walk in. Anon is instantly mesmerized by the beauty of the ballroom. The walls shine and twinkle as the light from a giant chandelier hits them. If he's being honest, Anon thinks that the ballroom has the one in Canterlot Castle beat by a mile. The ballroom has white, blue, pink, and purple walls and windows. Anon guesses the colors represent the colors of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.
Then, a shrill scream breaks Anon out of his trance. It's Pinkie's voice.
"ANON!!!" she screams.
The entire room goes dead silent. Over a dozen ponies look at Pinkie and then look directly at Anon. Anon and Shining Armor turn red and their bodies heat up from embarrassment. Pinkie sprints towards Anon at speeds that only a cheetah can run. The only thing that Anon can see is a pink blur. He has no time to react before Pinkie is mere inches from his face. However, a magenta aura surrounds her at the last second, stopping the imminent head-on collision. Anon leans to the side and sees Shining Armor, wearing his ceremonial uniform, walking towards him. Anon and Silver Quartz snap to attention and salute.
"1st Lieutenant's Anonymous and Silver Quartz, at ease," Shining Armor orders.
Anon and Silver Quarz relax.
"1st Lieutenant Anonymous, I apologize for the Element of Laughter's behavior. I told her to CONTAIN her excitement to prevent making a scene, but it seems I've overestimated her ability to do so," Shining Armor says.
"I accept your apology, Your Highness. No harm done," Anon replies.
"Ooo, it's cool to see Anon and Shiny be all soldiery and serious," Pinkie squeals.
"Not helping," Anon and Shining Armor say through gritted teeth.
"Now, you are all super duper serious."
Anon gives Pinkie a glare that sends shivers down her spine. This new glare of Anon is one that he has developed during the past three years. He uses it during arrests, interrogations, and sparing. It is more intimidating than his blank stare. When Anon's helmet is on, the glare becomes ten times worse.
Pinkie automatically clams up as Anon continues to glare at her.
"Now, promise me that you'll contain your excitement for the rest of the evening, or we'll contain it my way," Shining Armor orders.
"I promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly, and stick a cupcake in my eye," Pinkie says.
Shining Armor releases Pinkie, and she drops to the floor.
Anon squats down to get eye level with Pinkie. The glare on his face is gone and replaced with a warm smile. Anon removed his helmet. He sits next to him and reaches out to Pinkie with open arms. A big smile returns as she wraps her favorite human in a big hug.
"This is a big event for Prince Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and me. I get that you are excited to see me after three years. Now's not the time to embarrass us. I have to be all serious because of all the CIDF officers here. I'm willing to bet they have high expectations for me. I have to keep up appearances for now. If you can contain yourself, I promise I'll hang out with you later. Okay?" Anon explains as he releases Pinkie.
"Okie, dokie, artichoke," Pinkie replies quietly.
Anon pats Pinkie on the head as he stands up. He slides on his helmet and adjusts his cuirass. Everypony is still staring at him as if he were pecker-swinging.
Shining Armor is still red in the face from embarrassment. When Anon and Silver Quartz stand beside Shining Armor, he clears his throat to speak to the awaiting audience.
"Mares and gentlecolts, it is an honor and my pleasure to introduce the Equestrian Armed Force's first human Royal Guard, 1st Lieutenant Anonymous. He is the temporary commanding officer of the Royal Guard garrison based here," Shining Armor announces as he gestures toward Anon.
There is light applause as Anon nods toward the crowd of crystal ponies. Flashes of cameras fill his vision as newspaper reporters take pictures of Anon. Princess Cadance stands behind the crowd, a head taller than most of her subjects. Anon expects to see a smile on her face, but there is none. Instead, there is a look of concern. Anon decides to talk to her later. For now, he has other ponies to speak to.
Shining Armor introduces Anon to the Crystal Imperial Defense Forces' commanding general, High General Diamond Spear. He is a soft-spoken but strong-willed stallion. His dark and light shades of grey match the purple and gold uniform he is wearing. What surprises Anon is that the general treats him like an equal rather than a subordinate. General Diamond Spear reminds Anon of the Generals of the EAF. The average general in the EAF isn't as kind regarding lower-ranking officers.
Then, Anon is introduced to a few more generals, some colonels, and field marshals (the CIDF equivalent of a commander). Most of them are more interested in the fact they are talking to a human rather than his capabilities as a Royal Guard. However, Anon understands this since, as far as anyone knows, he is the only human that has been to Equestria.
After a while of social interaction, he excuses himself to get food. However, Anon takes his plate and glass to the balcony that faces West. He leans against the railing as he munches on some olives. In between bites, he sips on some water.
Anon looks up at the moon and basks in the night that Luna has created. Sometimes, Luna will design the night sky to reflect how she's feeling or what kind of mood she's in. Over the past few years, Anon has discovered what night is which. Tonight is a happy night. The moon is full and bright. The light makes Anon's gold-colored armor shine. Thousands of stars twinkle across the dark sky. A gentle, cool breeze blows. Anon closes his eyes and smiles. It's nights like these that Anon loves most, especially when he needs some peace. He needed it because his biggest life revelation hit him in the face earlier that day. Anon wanted some alone time to think about it.
"Auntie Luna did an amazing job tonight, didn't she?" a familiar voice says.
Anon turns around and stands at attention. He salutes Cadence, as he does with every royal.
"At ease, Anon. For future reference, when we are in private, you can drop the whole military act," Cadence says.
"Noted. To respond to your question, yes, she did," Anon responds.
"Are you okay? You didn't hang around for long, and considering this a party thrown for you, it's a little odd."
"I just needed some air. Meeting stuffy nobles and high brass for an extended period warrants a break."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"I'm starting to think you are lying, Anon."
Anon furrows his eyebrows. Cadence's persistence in his well-being is very odd. It's especially odd, considering that Anon hasn't shown any distress since he arrived in the Crystal Empire. Something is off, but Anon can't put a finger on it. Then, he considers Cadence's official royal title: Mi Amora Cadenza, The Princess of Love. Anon has a hunch about why Cadence is asking about his well-being. It doesn't surprise him at all.
"Cadence, you're asking me about Princess Celestia's confession, right?" Anon asks with a raised eyebrow.
Cadence calmly nodded her to confirm Anon's suspicions.
"I take it the months upon month's worth of secret admirer notes were also your idea," Anon says.
"They were. Did they work, though?"
"If you are talking about them concealing Celestia's identity for several months, they did. It took a last-minute realization and playing a proverbial jigsaw puzzle to figure it out. Unfortunately, it isn't going in my favor."
"What do you mean by 'not playing in my favor'?"
"Processing the information of the Princess of the fucking Sun is in love with me. Can you fucking believe it?"
Anon laughs as he tosses a few pieces of cubbed cheddar cheese in his mouth. He washes it down with the rest of the water. He sets the glass down next to his plate and then stares at the houses below.
"If your question wasn't rhetorical, then yes, I could believe my aunt is in love with you. From what Auntie Celestia and Twilight wrote, you are an honorable, strong-willed, and courageous soldier. You saved my aunt's life from a would-be assassin at the Summer Sun Festival. They also said you were caring and sweet. Those are the ideal qualities that mares will look for in a stallion. It so happens that Auntie Celestia has seen those qualities in you. Of course, she finds you attractive," Princess Cadence explains.
"As good as those qualities are, is she willing to accept my bad qualities? I drink a lot, get drunk when I can, and swear too much that I'd make a sailor blush with shame. You see, Cadence, I'm no better than the common soldier," Anon says.
"If I were a betting mare, those 'negative' qualities are how to mentality block yourself from loving somepony."
Cadence tilts her head to the side. She squints at Anon as if she is studying him. This makes him extremely uncomfortable and slightly nervous.
"Or...to keep yourself from loving somepony again," Cadence continues.
Anon's stomach drops. He stumbles back a bit as he breathes heavily. The Princess of Love read him like a book out of the four princesses. Not even the wise Princess Celestia could do that. All of the childhood memories that Anon had suppressed over the years come flooding back. Then, a specific emotion that he had learned to control boils over. In a fit of rage, Anon grabs his water glass. He looks down at it and grits his teeth. He clutches the glass as hard as he can. Cadence backs up as she sees the enraged look on Anon's face. She had only seen this look from a soldier preparing for a charge.
"CHLOE, YOU FUCKING BITCH!!!" Anon screams as he throws the glass over the ledge.
Anon watches the glass soar and smash onto the pavement below. His rage quickly subsides as he turns and sees Cadence's frightened face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose my temper like that. Just a bad memory that confirms your thesis," Anon apologizes.
"It's okay, Anon. If you don't mind my asking, what happened with this Chloe person you are talking about?" Cadence asks as she carefully approaches Anon.
Anon removes his helmet and sits on the railing of the balcony. He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through the helmet's crest.
"Chloe Barns was a girl I had a crush on in high school. She...was perfect to the 16-year-old me. She and I were in the same grade. Chloe was an all-district, all-region, all-state varsity volleyball player. She had a killer serve and a kickass spike that made her borderline famous in the county. At the time, I was just the typical nobody. Though, I had three friends that I hung around. We watched a volleyball game in a big tournament our high school hosted. I believe it was the championship game. I remember her long, beautiful blonde hair waving majestically as she played. If I get into the spicy stuff, she had the perfect body, too. Her spring and summer break bikini photos were the fucking shit. Chloe was also lovely and friendly. That's unheard of for a popular girl. During that championship game, she got my attention. It didn't help that she gave me a little wave after the team won the tournament. The next day, I worked up the courage to talk to her. I complimented her on the game and the typical bullshit you tell a girl. We had a decent conversation about sports since I played football and baseball then. We started hanging out more often until she asked me if she wanted to start talking."
Cadence raises her eyebrow in confusion.
"I thought you were already talking to each other. From the moment you said something to her, you were talking," she says.
"Oh, I see where you are confused. Talking is a stage of a relationship where two people 'talk' about dating. You could call it 'pre-dating' or 'casual dating,'" Anon responds.
"That makes dating way too complicated and pretty much useless."
"I'll take your word for it because far be it from me to tell the Princess of Love how dating should work."
Cadence chuckles a little.
"Anyway, Chloe and I started talking. She took the lead since I had no idea what the fuck I was doing or how to 'talk.' We go on a few coffee hangouts and shopping expeditions—her idea, not mine. After about a month, we started doing a few intimate things. Mainly, she showed me where and how girls liked to be touched and how most guys liked to be touched. Not only that, I told her all of my darkest secrets and my inner demons. Of course, she shared some of hers. I believed we could start dating since we were doing all of that. Shit, I thought pretty soon I could score if you catch my drift. Did I get to score? In my fucking dreams, I did. My first time with the most popular girl on campus, which was every guy's wet dream, and it went down the fucking drain."
"What happened?" Cadence asked.
"When I asked her out, the fucking bitch told me she wasn't ready for a relationship. It also turns out that she was 'talking' to frat shit stain from her brother's college. She even got mad at me for being a little jealous. Last I checked when you talk to someone romantically, that relationship is supposed to be exclusive to that one person. I let her do things to me that I should've never let her do, to begin with, and after I trusted her with my deepest, darkest secrets. She betrayed me and my trust after I gave her my heart, only for her to kick the chickenshit out of it and throw it back at me. The thought of everyone knowing what went on scared me. It hung over me like a cloud. I tried forcing all the hurt, anger, and fear as far down as possible. I promised myself never to trust a girl with my heart again. I've got something to remind me of that every day until I start pushing daisies."
Anon removes his left gauntlet to reveal a three-inch scar horizontally going across his forearm. Cadence is horrified at the apparent self-inflicted scare. It looks fresh, too.
"Every year on the day, which marks eight years ago last Monday, when I was stabbed in the back, I cut along the scar of the first cut. I use the pain and the scar to remind myself never to trust a girl with my heart again."
"I'm so sorry that happened to you," Cadence says in a soothing voice.
"Save your goddamn apologies, Cadence," Anon snarls
Immediately, Anon feels regretful for using the Lord's name in vain. Of course, he has used almost every curse word in the book. However, he always attempted not to use that specific one. Every once in a while, he'll slip up and use it when he's angry.
"Pardon my language, Your Highness," Anon mutters.
Anon does the Sign of the Cross and looks towards the heavens in reverence.
"Dios te salve, Maria. Llena eres de gracia, el Señor es contigo. Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre, Jesús. Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.
Perdóname por usar el nombre de nuestro Padre en vano. Amén." (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Forgive me for using our Father's name in vain. Amen.)
Cadence is confused about why Anon crosses his heart and says this prayer six more times. She didn't consider Anon to be a religious man, but who is she to judge? She waits patiently for Anon to finish his prayers. Once he finishes, Anon slips his gauntlet back on. Then, he puts on his helmet. He runs his hand through the helmet's crest and picks up his plate.
"I'm going back to the party," Anon says gruffly.
"Okay," Cadence replies softly.
When Anon walks past Cadence, he stops but keeps facing forward. He clenches the hilt of his sword and sighs heavily.
"Your Highness, not a word to anyone about what we discussed, please. Not even Princess Celestia," Anon asks.
"I won't tell a soul, 1st Lieutenant."
"Thank you, Princess."
Anon steps forward militarily and opens the door to the ballroom. He swallows hard before stepping in.
I will need a good drink after night, Anon thinks to himself.
The morning comes late for Anon. He had stayed up late thinking about his conversation with Princess Cadence and how to deal with his feelings. Anon wants to stay behind and sleep in. Even calling in sick and taking the day off sounds like a good idea. He isn't in the mood to be around soldiers all day. Regardless of that, he has a job to do. Anon mutters a curse as he climbs out of bed. He puts on a clean tunic and his equipment. Then, he eats some breakfast snacks since he has woken up late. Anon grabs his shield and spear since he doesn't know what to expect today and opens the door to his bedroom.
Before he steps out, he sees Silver Quartz standing there with a cheerful grin on her face. Anon sighs heavily as he rubs his eyes.
"Good morning, my fellow 1st Lieutenant. Are you ready for your first day?" she asks.
"Fuck no," Anon grumbles.
"C'mon, Anonymous, it's going to be great."
"Sure, it is."
Anon locks his room and follows Silver Quartz to the CIDF training grounds.
As they walk, Anon notices that Silver Quartz is wearing a leather pouch around her torso. This confuses him.
"Hey, what's up with the satchel?" Anon asks.
"Oh, this? This carries all of the stuff that I need. That includes inkwells, a quill, paper, and my clipboard. I also have the assignment sheet."
"Maldito Inferno. Ella es la versión soldado de Twilight," (Fucking hell. She's the soldier version of Twilight) Anon mutters under his breath. "So, what battalion is stationed here?"
"No one told you?"
"Nope. Sometimes, my COs like to 'keep me on my toes,' if you catch my drift."
"Oh. Well, the Royal Guard battalion that is stationed here is the 35th Corona Battalion. Prince Shining Armor himself handpicked these guys."
"This ought to be fun."
"Also, my battalion, the 3rd Graphite Battalion, will be there with the 35th Corona. Since we'll be working together a lot, I thought it'd be a good idea for you to meet my battalion."
"Okay. I have no issues with that."
Eventually, Anon and Silver Quarts arrive at the CIDF training grounds. Unlike the grounds in Canterlot, these training grounds are not near the castle. They are outside the city and are much larger than the ones in Canterlot. That said, the EAF training grounds across the country since the country is about the size of the People's Republic of China, and the Crystal Empire is a city-state.
All four training grounds are designed to look like crystalline versions of the Olympic arenas. Anon and Silver Quartz go to Arena 3. In the center are 500 Royal Guards and 300 Imperial guards standing beside each other with their respective units. Silver and Anon walk until they stand in front of all 800 troops. Then, he drops his shield and spear on the ground.
First, Anon inspects the ranks of his troops. Each soldier looks well-groomed, and their equipment seems well-maintained. What catches Anon's attention is how shiny the armor is. If Anon didn't know any better, the armor would be polished consistently. To him, this group is a well-disciplined group of Royal Guards he can work with. Then, he looks over the Imperial Guards.
From what Anon has researched before coming to the Crystal Empire, these specific guards are called Crystal Imperial Defense Forces Marines, or just Imperial Marines. They operate like the EAF Royal Guards, except for a few differences. One difference is they don't guard the castle at all. The Army has that honor. The other difference is that the Marines patrol the borders of the country. At first, Anon thought that meant the magical border that protects the city from the weather of the Winter North. He was surprised when he learned that meant a physical border, which meant they'd have to brave changelings and the cold weather. The last difference is that there is a specialized unit of Imperial Marines. Their sole purpose is to accompany the Imperial Family everywhere they go. In combat situations, they fight side-by-side with Shining Armor, according to the information Anon had found. There are exactly 300 of these elite soldiers.
Once Anon finishes his inspection, he asks Silver for the assignment sheet. She uses her mouth to pull the clipboard from the pouch and hands it to Anon. He looks at the sheet to see if there are any outstanding assignments. There is none to be about.
"Good morning, everyone!" Anon shouts.
"Good morning, sir!" everyone else responds.
"If you don't know who I am, my name is 1st Lieutenant Anonymous of the Royal Guard. I'm going to be the replacement commanding officer. I'm looking forward to working with you. I don't know how 1st Lieutenant Sugar Cane ran things, but I'll lead this battalion the best I can. I have no expectations for this battalion because every unit is different except for one. That expectation is that I expect to get the same amount of respect that you gave 1st Lieutenant Sugar Cane. If you can do that along with doing your jobs, I think we'll get along just fine. I'm a pretty laid-back guy, but I like getting the job done so we can look good for the high brass at the end of the day and get a few celebratory drinks afterward. Do I make myself clear?"
"Sir, yes, sir," the Royal Guard replied.
"Good! Now, let's get down to our assignments. 65th, 52nd, 33rd, 82nd, and 88th Squads: you are on border patrol. 22nd, 28th, 30th, 41st, and 92nd Squads: you are on embassy duty until 1200 hours, then you will switch with the squads on border patrol until the end of the day. 38th, you are with me until the end of the day. The rest of you are on...interior patrol? What the fuck is that?"
One of the officers raises her hoof.
"Sir, interior patrol is where the squads will patrol everywhere within the magical. This job is shared with the other CIDF squads."
"Oh, okay. Thank you, uh...2nd Lieutenant Olive Branch. Alright, that's all for now! Dismissed!" Anon says.
The 35th Corona Battalion split into separate squads while the 38th Corona Squad remained at attention. Anon finds this squad attractive because the guards are much younger than the others. Anon thinks that the Imperial Marine Captain who oversees the Royal Guards figured that'd be a good idea, considering Anon is close in age with them. There is a 2nd Lieutenant, Coal Cart, that didn't look a day over 21.
As Anon waits for Silver Quartz to finish telling her battalion their assignments, Anon scans last to see his assignments. There is a lot to do: embassy tour, city tour, castle tour, border patrol, and combat prowess drill. He notices that Silver and a squad, the 4th Graphite Squad, will join him and his squad. Anon shrugs his shoulders and walks over to Silver as she finishes.
"Hey, Silver," Anon says.
"What's up?" Silver asks cheerfully.
"I was thinking that we go ahead and knock out the combat prowess drill while we are here, and the troops are ready to go."
"Sure. We can do that. Okay, everypony, form up in a 1-by-10 company front."
Anon rolls his eyes out of annoyance as the Marines move into position.
"We seriously have to get you to use a more authoritative voice," Anon grumbles.
"What do you mean by that?" Silver asks, sounding puzzled.
"Watch and learn, kid."
Anon turns his head towards his squad.
"Squad, ten of you pick an opponent and stand before them! Move!" Anon shouts. "See? Like that."
"You sounded angry at them."
"I wasn't angry at them. I was asserting my authority and standing fifty feet away, so there's that."
Now, each Imperial Marine had a Royal Guard partner. The rest of the 38th stand off to the side. The ones participating in the drill look at Anon with expectant looks.
"Alright, listen up! Today, we are starting with a combat prowess drill! Royal Guards, how well you fight today will show me if your time here has made you lazy! Prince Shining Armor might have chosen you before you came here because you were the best, but that doesn't mean you haven't gotten lazy since then. Understand?!"
"SIR, YES, SIR!!!" the Royal Guards reply.
"Perfect! We are going by dueling rules! Three hits, you are done! Be aggressive and take down your opponent without killing or maiming them! First, you'll start with spears! Next round, you'll switch to your swords! All of you will start on my mark! Make ready!"
Everyone gets into a combat stance, their spears facing their opponents. The two pegasi in the Royal Guard had their wings flared up. That was perfect for intimidation. Anon waits a few moments to see how they will do under pressure and anticipation. The Marines and Royal Guards don't move an inch. Then, Anon commences the fight.
"START!!!"
The troops rush at each other at full speed. For almost three minutes, they fight. Anon is impressed with the Imperial Marines since they held their own against the Royal Guards. In the end, the Royal Guards were the last ones standing. However, they were given a run for their money. Anon called the end of the match and gave the victory to the Royal Guards.
"I must say, 1st Lieutenant Quartz, I didn't think it would take this long for my troops to beat yours!" Anon yells.
"They did their best," Silver Quartz responds.
Anon taps Silver's leg with his foot. She looks up at him with a confused look. He mouths, "Speak up."
"My troops did their best!" she repeats a little louder.
"Now, everyone, set your spears aside and draw your swords. The next round will begin in thirty seconds!"
The troops toss their spears behind them and draw their swords. Anon orders them to get ready. Then, he starts the match again a few seconds later. This time, the Marines are showing the Royal Guards up. Anon isn't happy with what he sees. He crosses his arms as ten guards are "cut down." He sharply exhales through his nose as the last Royal Guards is struck a third time. Silver looks up at Anon with a smile on her face. He sighs out of frustration.
"This match goes the Imperial Marines! Congratulations, you managed to be the Equestria Armed Forces' great weapon! Perhaps the weapon needs to sharpen its sword! However, it looks as if we have a tie! 1st Lieutenant Quartz, any ideas on a tiebreaker!" Anon shouts.
"Uh...I don't know," Silver stutters.
One of the Marines raises his hoof.
"What's your name, Marine?" Anon asks.
"Corporal Diamond Edge, sir," he replies.
"What is your idea?"
"Why don't you and 1st Lieutenant Quartz have a duel?"
Anon hesitates. It's not because he fears fighting Silver, but out of surprise. He figures that a duel between the best of the two units would have been a better idea. It doesn't help that Silver's squad is advocating for the duel. Anon looks toward his troops to see what they think. They are silent because of embarrassing themselves to a rather famous 1st Lieutenant. Then, Anon looks down at Silver, who, in turn, looks up at him.
"What do you think?" Silver asks.
"I'd only duel you if you want to," Anon replies sheepishly.
Silver Quartz sighs. There is no way she could take on Anon. She had heard from her uncle, an Imperial dignitary in Canterlot, about Anon and how well-trained and brilliant he was. She was even Canterlot during the Summer Sun Festival eight months ago during a well-deserved furlough. Silver saw the griffin try to kill Princess Celestia and how fast Anon moved when he fought him. Silver was surprised at how fast he moved as he sprinted away, even carrying a large shield. Despite that, she thinks it could be a good experience fighting another species than ponies. So, Silver probably makes the worst decision she could make.
"Let's do it," Silver says.
Her troops cheer. Anon finds the cheering a little concerning, considering they had to know that Silver had little chance of winning. He shakes his head out of disappointment as he walks over to get his shield. Anon decides to take it easy on Silver until he sees what she's made of; then, he'll adjust how he fights.
Silver and Anon agree to use swords instead of spears. Silver holds her sword with the blade facing upward in the standard-ready stance. Anon squats down a little and holds a shield facing Silver. He raises his sword, pointing it at Silver. He stares her down, trying to see if she'll back down out of intimidation. She doesn't. Anon flexes his fingers around his sword. Then, 2nd Lieutenant Coal Cart starts the fight.
Silver is the first to strike. She rushes forward and thrusts her sword at Anon's stomach. Anon uses his shield to block the jab and swings his sword down. She jumps back to avoid being hit. Anon's blade narrowly misses her, but he uses the edge of his shield to swing down at Silver. He doesn't swing too hard because one hit could break her muzzle or dent her helmet. The shield makes contact with Silver's helmet. She is knocked back, stunned, and has no time to block Anon's sword with her own or use her magic. There is a plink as the tip of his blade taps her chest plate. Anon back up and returns to the ready position. He lets Silver recover so she can get back into the fight. He worries that he hit her too hard.
"Are you good?" Anon asks.
"I'll live," Silver responds, readying her sword again.
Anon notices something about Silver. She's not as fast, and her reflexes aren't that great. Her entire fighting ability is mediocre at best. How she even passed boot camp is beyond. Unfortunately, he is going to embarrass Silver badly. So, Anon decides to end the fight as soon as possible. He rushes forward at full speed. This catches Silver by surprise. She shoots a weak blast of her magic at him, but Anon's shield blocks it. He sidesteps around her and swings at the side of her chest plate. Anon's blade hits home with a clang. Then, he kicks her in the side. She goes rolling across the ground along with her sword. She has no time to reach for her sword before Anon stands over her. He flips his sword into a reverse grip and jabs Silver in the side of her helmet that protects her neck.
"1st Lieutenant Anonymous is the winner! The Royal Guards are the champions!" Coal Cart announces.
Anon sheathes his sword and walks back to his squad.
"The only reason we were able to win the drill is because I won against a soldier less skilled than me," Anon shouts. "So, it doesn't excuse that your sword-fighting skills are incredibly lacking."
Anon turns and looks back at Silver. He watches as she struggles to get up. Anon is afraid that he has hurt Silver badly. She strolls over to his squad. A defeated look is plastered on her face. Anon's concern levels go up.
"One of you Marines, fetch a medic and get 1st Lieutenant Quartz checked out," Anon orders.
"No need, 1st Lieutenant Anonymous. I'm an Imperial Marine. I can take a hit."
"Suit yourself. Now that the combat prowess drill is over, we can move on to the city tour! Squad, get into a 5-by-5 column formation."
The squad immediately gets into formation. They stand at attention and silently. Silver and her squad do the same thing. Anon watches his unit for a moment. He raises an eyebrow and chuckles a little.
"This is an informal tour, so there's no need to march at full attention! Still, look professional to the public! March in step, spears are to be perfectly vertical, and freeze halts are to look snappy! Other than that, let's move!" Anon shouts.
Silver and her squad march next to Anon and the 38th Corona Squad as they leave the arenas and return to the city. There, Silver shows Anon the main attractions of the Crystal Empire: the best restaurants, the CIDF barracks, the CIDF High Command Headquarters, the Crystal Imperial Magical Academy, and the CIDF Academy. The last thing that Anon is shown is the Crystal Heart. This attraction is located underneath the castle. Anon is interested in how the Crystal Heart is important to these ponies.
According to Silver, the reason why the Crystal Empire exists is because of the Crystal Heart. After some miners found it, when mining the Crystalline Mountains, Amore projected her love into the Crystal Heart, which magnified it, and sent over what would be the Crystal Empire. Essentially, it gives the city and its citizens life and the love they share. Anon finds the history exciting but then asks where the best bar is in town. Silver is highly shocked that he passed off the lifeline of the empire she so proudly serves for the location of a decent bar. She looks back at her troops to see if they are shocked, too. Their faces look like they didn't even hear Anon's question. Silver is assuming they didn't until Sergeant Emerald Marble raises her hoof. Anon notices her and narrows his as if he heard a private the stupidest thing in the world.
"Yes, uh...Sergeant?" Anon says as he looks at her rank insignia.
"Permission to speak, sir?" Sergeant Marble requests.
"Sure. What's up?"
"There's this kick-ass bar near High Command called the Velvet Crystal Dinner Bar. A lot of the Marines and the Royal Guards go there after duty. You should join us tonight, sir."
"I might just take you up on that, Sergeant."
"Hell, yeah. That sounds fucking awesome."
A few of the Marines hoof-bump each other. Silver shakes her head in disappointment at her troops. They should be horrified at Anon's blatant disregard for the Crystal Heart. This boggles her mind, and she doesn't know what to do. For now, all she can do is move on to the tour at the embassy.
When they arrive at the embassy, only Silver and Anon go inside. The rest of the troops are allowed to sit and rest outside the gates.
The embassy looks different from every other building in the city. It looks like a building straight out of Canterlot. The Equestrian flag flies high and billows in the wind. The three-story building has high walls protecting it. The Royal Guards that were assigned there walk on top of the walls.
The two walk the halls so he can get familiar with them. The office that Anon is given is on the top floor. A large window overlooks a large courtyard with a lovely fountain. The office itself is much smaller than the one in Canterlot. However, it has the homey, cozy feeling that Anon enjoys. After that, the two 1st Lieutenants meet the Equestrian ambassador, Ivory Spark, in his office.
As Anon had predicted, the ambassador doesn't take kindly to the idea that a non-pony Royal Guard is assigned to him and the 35th Corona Battalion. He tries subtly insulting Anon, but that doesn't have the desired effect, considering Anon is used to being insulted by nobles due to his species.
Once the meeting is over, Silver and Anon return to their troops. From there, the small band returns to the castle so Anon can get a proper tour of it. Prince Shining Armor himself leads this tour. He allows Silver, her squad, and the 38th to get a meal at the mess hall. The tour lasts about an hour and thirty minutes.
After the tour, Anon is taken to one of the high-end restaurants near the CIDF Academy. Griffins run the restaurant, and it's the only one in the city that serves meat. Over their meal, Anon and Shining Armor share stories about their service in the Royal Guard. The story that interests Anon the most is Shining Armor's wedding. It's not the intro that's interesting, nor the battle in the streets. It is the aftermath.
The aftermath was a nightmare—10,000 Solar, Lunar, and Royal Guard casualties in the first six hours. There were over 50,000 changeling casualties. The number that was the most concerning was civilian casualties. Queen Chrysalis had ordered her troops to kill any they fed on for love. There were over 200,000 civilian casualties. The Invasion of Canterlot was a massive embarrassment to the EAF. The noble called for the resignation of several commissioned officers, including Shining Armor's, and for dissolving the Lunar Guard due to little involvement in repelling the changeling forces. Of course, Princess Celestia didn't have anyone fired, nor did Princess Luna dissolve the Lunar Guard. Nonetheless, it took over two years for Canterlot to fully recover. It didn't help that the city was invaded again by the Storm King and Commander Tempest Shadow.
After Shining Armor tells the story of his wedding, he gives Anon some advice about being an officer and how he ran things. The advice-giving is easy, considering Anon has been a 1st Lieutenant for over two-and-a-half years and is willing to take constructive criticism of his leadership. However, there is one thing that Shining Armor is curious about how good of a fighter Anon is. He has heard stories down the grapevine about how Anon took on two griffin would-be assassins. Shining Armor also heard that Anon was trained by the head minotaur armorer, Magnus Björnsson, instead of a pony. That tells him that Anon is a formidable fighter, considering the minotaurs know how to fight and kill about anything that breathes and walks.
"So, Anon, do you mind if I join you on patrol this afternoon?" Shining Armor asks.
Anon spits out his drink. A look of surprise is on his face. This is something he didn't think he'd ever hear.
"Sure, if you want to, sir," Anon replies, dumbfounded.
"Why not? I haven't been on patrol since my officer days. Besides, it gets me out of that damned office of mine for a while."
"I hear you on that, sir. I'll be rotting with the 75th Corona Spear Team during patrol."
"Okay. That's a good spear team. I look forward to patrolling with them."
"Also, I have a question for you. Will I begin something, or will I need to buy something?"
"Cadance had some winter gear tailored for you by the best tailor in the Crystal Empire. He even does our clothes. It should be delivered today."
"Oh, okay."
"Don't worry about the gear not being within Royal Guard regulations. I made sure that it is."
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."
"No problem."
Anon, Shining Armor, and five other Royal Guards trudge through the snow. The wind sends bits of snow and ice to hit their armor like shrapnel. The ponies only have blue scarves around their necks. Anon is wholly bundled up. Instead of his thin battle tunic, he wears blue sweatpants. Over his torso, he wears a thick blue sweatshirt. The sweatpants and sweatshirt had the same markings as his tunic. His feet are protected by close-toed sandals and blue wool socks that are enchanted to keep his body heat in. He was also given a scarf to cover the lower half of his face. Of course, Anon was given a pair of enchanted gloves.
As seven soldiers patrol the southern border, they talk amongst themselves as they scan the icy horizon. Anon and Shining Armor walk in front. For the most part, the two are silent. Then, Anon gets curious about something.
"Your Highness, tell me about 1st Lieutenant Silver Quartz," Anon requests.
"She's the daughter of Platinum and Golden Quartz. Platinum is one of our dignitaries in Canterlot. Golden is Cadance's secretary. Her younger brother was a sergeant in the Army. 1st Lieutenant Quartz went to the CIDF Academy when Bronze was conscripted in the Army. They didn't get along very well, according to their parents. Even after she graduated and could pull rank and age on her younger brother, Bronze and his friends are still very cruel to her. Even still, she keeps her head up and tries to be nice to everypony she meets. I only met 1st Lieutenant Quartz once before the party last night. She's alright except for the fact she's a little..."
Shining Armor trails off momentarily, searching for the right word that isn't insulting. However, a Royal Guard corporal speaks what's on everyone's mind.
"She's completely annoying," Corporal Bronze Medal announces.
Anon and Shining Armor give him dirty looks for talking about an officer like that. Deep down, they knew he was right to a certain extent.
"What? We are all thinking the same thing, sir. This morning, I could tell you were getting annoyed with her. Plus, I heard from one of the maids that I'm fuu-I mean...seeing overheard you talking last night," Corporal Medal says.
"Malditas sirvientas," (Fucking maids) Anon grumbles. "That still doesn't give you the right to disrespect a commissioned officer, Corporal. I suggest you shut it or keep your criticisms respectful."
"Sir, yes, sir."
"Well, the words I was looking for is 'out there,' but I guess that works, too."
"Prince Shining Armor, you should've seen 1st Lieutenant Anonymous and 1st Lieutenant Quartz duel. He kicked her ass so damn fast," Private Drive-In says.
Shining Armor looks at Anon with an "Oh, really" look. In return, Anon smiles sheepishly.
"I was during combat prowess drill, sir," he says nervously.
"I see," Shining Armor mutters.
Anon shrugs as they trudge further. He continues to scan the snowy horizon as his troops talk amongst each other quietly. It is always to him that Royal Guards could yap their heads off and still do their jobs properly. Anon remains silent as he tunes out his troops so that he can do his job right. As one of the privates talks about making ice creme out of snow, Anon notices something moving toward them in the distance. Just as he notices it, everyone else does. The entire spearteam goes silent. Anon raises his spear to halt the unit.
"Is that a hostile?" Anon asks as he squints.
"Its armor is too shiny to be hostile. It's one of ours, probably. That begs another question: what is a CIDF soldier doing here at this hour? We are the first unit to patrol this sector unless I have my days messed up," Shining Armor muses.
As the figure gets closer, they can tell it is an Imperial Army soldier. She is limping, and there's blood on her armor. This concerns everyone.
"Thank Celestia for that...you found me," the soldier gasps.
"What's your name, rank, and battalion, soldier?" Shining Armor asks.
"Emerald Petals, Sergeant Major, 38th Diamond Battalion, Imperial Army," the soldier replies.
"What the fuck are you doing out here, Sergeant Major?" Anon asks.
"My spearteam and I were on patrol when changelings ambushed us. I'm the only survivor."
"When?" Corporal Bronze Medal asks.
"Okay. Come on."
Emerald Petals stands up and begins leading the rest of the unit to the spot of the ambush. However, there is something that isn't sitting right with Anon. First, the soldier seems a little eager to show the unit, which happens to have a member of the Imperial Family with them, to the slaughtered unit. Second, there is blood on her armor but none on herself. Plus, there are no combat wounds, as well. Third, there is the thing that Shining Armor said. There hadn't been any patrol in the sector. Nothing is adding up. Everyone else seems to notice, too. Anon grips his spear tighter as he prepares to kill the soldier. In one move, he thrusts the spear through the base of her helmet. There is a spurt of green blood and a green flash. The changeling changes back to her original form. She gurgles as Anon pulls out his spear, and the soldier slumps over and dies.
"I knew there was something off. Sergeant Major Petals was declared KIA during a skirmish around three months ago. This changeling must have been the one to kill her and loot her equipment. It makes me wonder how many other of my troops have fallen victim to this trap," Shining Armor announces.
"What are your orders, sir?" Anon asks.
"Private Silver Arrow, send a magic message to the 10th Corona Spearteam and request backup at our location. Be sure to get a healer over here. We will need it. Everypony else, get ready for an attack. Likely, those shapeshifting bastards are already watching us."
"Sir, yes, sir," the troops reply.
Private Arrow's horn has a grey aura surrounding it as everyone else prepares for battle by forming a circle so they'd have each other's back and have 360-degree vision. Anon holds his shield in the ready position as he scans the horizon. It isn't long before Anon notices a green flash out of the corner of his eye. He turns forward and sees five heavily armed changelings walking towards them, stopping about twenty yards away.
"Five hostiles! Noon!" Anon shouts
"Five more hostiles! Our three o'clock!" Private Leather Satchel, who is facing directly to the right, shouts.
"Five more changelings at our six!" Private Steel Pipe yells.
"I've got five more hostiles at our nine o'clock!" Corporal Bronze Medal announces.
"Surrounded on your first day here. This is quite the experience for you, huh, Anon?" Shining Armor chuckles.
"I guess so. I've been looking forward to fighting one of these things, so there's that, sir," Anon responds.
Anon narrows his eyes at a changeling he chooses to fight first. He grits his teeth as he psyches himself for battle. He also recalls his training on how to fight changelings.
Since changelings are essentially winged unicorns, since they can use magic and fly, they are tricky to fight. Also, they can spit a green mucus-like substance to ensnare their enemies, and it is challenging to break out of. However, changelings are weaker and not as fast as ponies, but they make up for those weaknesses in numbers. Since their bodies are covered in holes, making them frailer than ponies, brute force is Anon's chosen fighting method. They wear indigo-colored armor that is similar to the CIDF and the EAF. Their helmets have extended cheek guards to protect their fangs from attacks from the side. Their spears and swords look Roman-style but have holes in them, much like their bodies. However, it doesn't diminish the durability due to the material it's made from. It is rumored to be more robust Equestrian steel and absorb magic. Their four-inch long fangs are weapons because they can suck the love out of ponies and inject a deadly neurotoxin that can kill a pony in seconds.
"Prince Shining Armor, surrender your forces and yourself, and perhaps the Queen Mother will spare your lives!" the changeling officer shouts.
"Not a chance. I'd rather die than give my troops over to that bug-faced queen of yours!" Shining Armor shouts back.
"Suit yourself, Your Majesty. Brothers and sisters, ki-"
The changeling officer is cut off as a large spear hits him square in the chest. He is pinned to the ground with a shocked expression permanently etched. The spear belongs to Anon.
"Enough talking! Let's kill these fuckers!" Anon shouts as he draws his sword.
The remaining twenty-four changeling charges. The Royal Guard and Shining Armor rush forward to meet their enemies. They are outnumbered over 3-to-1, but that doesn't matter to them. Royal Guards are trained to fight against greater odds. Besides, they only need to survive until the reinforcements arrive. More than that, they have more heart and passion than their enemies.
Anon slams into the first changeling in his path using his shield. The changeling goes flying into the snow. Before the changeling can stand back up, he is killed when Anon cuts off his head at the neck. Anon uses his shield and the rim as a bludgeoning weapon to stun or kill the changelings by exploiting their frail bodies, then uses his sword to ensure they are dead. However, he isn't as fast as he usually as he is because of his winter gear. This results in him getting slashed in the thigh. The pain only slows him even more.
All but six changelings are dead when the 10th Corona Fireteam arrives. Three more of the enemy are killed by the reinforcements. The rest of the changelings retreat over the border and towards the barren wastelands where the hive is located. When the enemy is long gone, the reinforcements check on their exhausted comrades, give them water, and tend to their wounds.
Of course, Shining Armor is attended to first since he is royalty. He's fine except for a few scratches, bruises, and cuts. The other guards have similar wounds. Anon's leg wound is patched up, and he's given a painkiller to make the trek back to the city, where he can get proper treatment. However, Private Key Set has some significant wounds. He has a deep cut on his left leg down to the bone. An artery has been cut, and he's losing blood fast—his constant pained screaming echoes across the snow drift. The medic gets to work to stop the bleeding. After packing the wound, putting a disinfectant on the wound, and applying enchanted gauze, the healer jabs a syrette full of morphine into Private Set's shoulder. The screaming and moaning die down in moments. Then, the healer uses her magic to summon a stretcher and a wool blanket. Corporal Medal and Private Satchel carry Private Set to the stretcher. He moans weakly as they set him down. Then, they cover him with a blanket.
"We need to get Private Set and 1st Lieutenant Anon to the RGB Gemstone medbay immediately. I'll use the rest of my magic to transport the both of them back," the healer says.
"Go ahead. The rest of us are good enough to walk back. Don't tire yourself out, Sergeant Breeze," Shining Armor advises.
"No promises, Your Grace."
Anon limps over the healer as Privates Satchel and Drive-In carry their comrade on his stretcher. Her horn glows as she charges up her magic. Then, a flash of purple fills everyone's vision. Within seconds, the four Royal Guards disappear.
Later that night, 1st Lieutenant Silver Quartz walks through the palace gardens as she waits for Princess Cadance. She had heard about Anon's battle with the changelings and the injuries he and Private Key sustained. When she got the news, she rushed to RGB Gemstone. Private Set had been sudated and is recovering. However, his days on active duty are over due to his wounds. He'll likely be given a non-combat role or a medical discharge. Anon, on the other hand, is faring much better. His wounds are almost entirely healed since they aren't too bad. When Silver requested to see him, Anon turned her away. However, they weren't turned away when Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor came to see him. This doesn't come as a surprise since turning away royalty could result in a messy court martial. She walks over to a terrace on the gardens' northside. She puts her hooves on the railing. Silver looks down on the city. The lights create a nice ambient glow. The full moon also adds to the ambiance.
"A beautiful night, isn't it?" Princess Cadance asks as she approaches the terrace.
"It is Your Majesty," Silver replies as she salutes.
"You can dispense with the military formalities since we are alone."
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."
"Now, what's going on?"
Silver hesitates. She doesn't know how to word what she wants to say. According to her parents, the best option is complete but polite honesty. Silver tells Cadance about what happened at the Crystal Heart and her concerns about Anon's cold personality. When she finishes, Cadance thinks about what Silver has said. She will admit that what Silver talked about doesn't surprise her. She expected this conversation with someone to come sooner or later.
"Anon...is different from everypony else, as if it wasn't already obvious. Not just species-wise but in attitudes and feelings. Unlike ponies, Anon is emotionally detached, which explains why he dislikes expressing his feelings to almost everypony. This comes from a lot of trust issues. Anon is also a logical and analytical thinker, prioritizing rational and realistic thinking over emotional thinking is something he does. We ponies use our hearts and listen to them. Anon won't do that. As you may have noticed, Anon is very blunt and will not sugarcoat anything. I've seen that he doesn't like to beat around the bush. This might seem harsh to us, but that's Anon's character. That's just the way his. There's nothing we can do to change it. Besides, he's like that with everypony he meets at first, so don't take it too personally."
"And his disregard for our lifeline for alcohol?"
"Love isn't a topic that Anon likes discussing because he's had some personal issues with it. He likely doesn't want to talk about it to specific people. According to my sister-in-law, Anon loves history, so I don't believe Anon is uninterested in the Crystal Heart. Besides, he's quite the drinker, so there's that."
"I don't understand why he always seems annoyed with me. When I saw him at the medbay, he turned me away."
"Silver, your personality is an outgoing one. There's nothing wrong with it at all. It's just your energy can be emotionally and mentally draining to Anon. It can be overwhelming to him, too. From what Princess Celestia has told me, he prefers to be alone, hence why he likes the confines of an office. That doesn't mean he doesn't like friendships or intimate relationships. Your personality clashes with his. Just give him a little time. Eventually, he'll grow on you, and you'll grow on him."
"I guess that makes sense. Thank you, Princess Cadance."
"You're welcome, Silver. Have a good night."
Silver and Cadance go their separate ways. Silver walks down the hallways to exit the palace. She contemplates what the Princess has told her. However, her strain of thought is interrupted when she runs into her brother and three of his friends. She gulps as the familiar smug grin creeps across his face.
"Uh...hi, Bronze," Silver says quietly.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is," Bronze sneers.
"How...was your day?"
"It was okay. It'll be better when I get some alcohol in me."
"You really shouldn't drink. It's not good for you, especially since you are a soldier."
"I need some booze since I have to put up with you, Mom, and Dad crawling up my ass every fucking day."
"Hey, aren't you working with that human Royal Guard?" one of Bronze's friends asks.
Silver nods slowly.
"How does a lousy officer like you get paired up with a kickass Royal Guard," Bronze laughs.
"Dude, I heard she got her ass kicked by 1st Lieutenant Anonymous in a combat prowess drill," the other friend says.
The group laughs as Silver's head and ears droop. A tear falls, but Bronze and his friends don't notice. The laughing suddenly stops when someone clears their throat from behind Silver. She turns and sees Anon standing behind her. He's wearing his blue tunic, a fresh pair of sandals, and his sword belt. Anon's hand is on the hilt. A blank state on his face sends shivers down everyone's spine.
"Is there a problem?" Anon asks.
"No, sir," Bronze replies nervously.
"There's no problem here, 1st Lieutenant," one of the other friends says.
"That's a load of bullshit. I heard everything about how you treat your sister from YOUR commander-in-chief—the last minute I observed confirmed his story. Let me give you some advice, you piece of worthless shit. Silver is not only your commanding officer; she's your fucking sister. Your flesh and blood. When your parents are gone, she'll be all you have left. Familial solitude isn't a good experience. It would be best to treat Silver respectfully, not as an officer, but as your sibling. If I hear as much a fucking peep about you treating her like shit, I'll make sure your life is a living hell. I have royal connections with Crystal AND Equestrian royals, so it'll be easy to accomplish such a feat. Do I make myself fucking clear?"
They nod their head quickly. Fear is plastered on their faces.
"SAY IT OUT LOUD, FUCKING DAMN IT!!!" Anon screams.
"Sir, yes, sir!!!" they shout.
"Now, fuck off!"
Bronze and his friends run as fast as they can. Anon sighs as he walks away. He mutters a few curses in Spanish as he goes down the hall to continue his journey to the bar. Then, he stops and turns around when Silver calls out to him.
"What's up, Silver?" Anon asks flatly.
"Thank you for sticking up for me, Anon. No one has ever done that for me."
"Don't mention it. Just let me know if that shitstain brother of yours does anything else to you."
"Okay, I will."
"See you tomorrow, then."
"You, too."
Anon turns back around and continues his trek to the bar.
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Awesome, new chapter!
Yay! It's back
11604282
*Back in Black intensifies*
Nice character building, but religious stuff basically kills the vibes of the chapter really hard.
welcome back
11604413
It was essential since Anonymous was raised as a Catholic and has prayed before in other chapters, but I appreciate the criticism nonetheless.
There’s one in every unit or branch
I’d do agree with the nobles for once on restructuring the military but the dissolving the lunar guards and dismissing officers, depends of this has happen before or at least temporarily demote some and retrained them.
Once okay makes sense, but happens twice is concerning a bit.
11604465
Actually what happen to tempest armor that she had with the storm army, is it in R and D for the equestrian military or did they just melt it down. I really hope they did not melt it down or got rid of it.
By the way when’s the next chapter?
11605667
She's wearing the Royal Guard armor now. Golden-colored and blue crest. And this chapter came out the other day, so I don't know. Lol
11604465
Also what does the cover art for your watt pad story look like since I can’t zoom in.
11605696
I don't know how to send a picture. Lol
11607015
I appreciate the criticism, but I won't take advice from someone who can't spell correctly or write a proper sentence. Please, check your grammar skills. Have a nice day! 👍
Not bad, I have to say that how Anon treated Silvers brother is probably the same as I would, I can't stand someone picking on good people
Wtf? That makes little sense, why salt the ground that grows ones food?
This Chrysalis is absolutely insane...
he is
Anon was pretty badass. So Griffons and Changelings are on his kill list. That will make for some great drinking stories.