• Published 12th Mar 2013
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Semper Pie - deathtap



Meet Pinkie's long lost (more like forgotten) brother: Semper Pie.

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The Crucible

"This is wrong! We shouldn't be here!" Misty yelled over the sound of an explosion. She was cold, hungry, angry and severely stressed out. It had only been a little over twenty four hours since the start of the Crucible and she was beginning to regret signing onto the Border Guard. If this was the kind of stuff they had to live through...

"Head in the game, Misty," Sonic shouted shaking her.

She looked up at him. "This isn't a game."

"I know! I know that, but we've got to do the best we can. We've got to take this hill, and already the infantry on the south side is being hit hard in their trenches. The enemy's artillery are hitting them hard, and it's up to us to take them down! We stick to the plan and we will win this! I'm not going to go back to Static and have that flank-head have the last laugh! We're taking those catapults out!"

Misty looked at Sonic with new found respect.

"We'll split into two teams. Team one will fly over and drop quarrels with the smoke spell to cover the northern face. We'll take advantage of the commotion and take out their defensive positions. That's when we'll signal for the unicorns to advance along the hill and we can not only take the hill, but take the catapults as well!"

"Alright. Let's do this!"

"Misty, you're to lead Team one, I'll lead Team two. Don't mess up, okay?"

Misty looked at Sonic and nodded. He really had changed. "You too."


Silence.

That only meant one thing. Peering over the trench he looked up the hill where the catapults had been pounding their positions for the past five hours non-stop. He waited. Waited for the sign. The pegasi had dropped the smoke bombs, but apart from that there was no noise. Suddenly there was a loud bang followed by some shouts.

Where was that sign?

A whistle blew through the thick smoke on the hill.

That was exactly what Static was waiting for. He lowered himself and closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and jumped over the ledge. His entire platoon joined him.

"Form the line!" he ordered.

"Form the line!" his second in command repeated shoving the others into place.

Towards his left and right more platoons were getting into formation.

Too long, Static though. They're taking too long.

"Group one ready, sir!" his second shouted.

"Group two ready, sir!" another aide shouted.

Putting the whistle to his lips Static unsheathed his sword and faced it towards the hill.

"Charge!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

His call was taken up and soon the sounds of the entire regiment exploded into the darkened sky. The unicorns rushed the hill, some using their magic to hold their shields in front of them. The stronger ones formed their own magical barriers as bolts shot through the smoke downwards to them.

So many fell. So many.

It was too hard. The hill too steep, the rain had made the ground slippery. Even with the smoke covering them they were being cut to shreds. Static saw the banner carrier take three bolts and he fell down face first into the dirt. It was merciless. Confused, Static turned to see that most of the ponies were starting to slow down and some had even stopped unsure where to go or what to do.

"No, no, no! Keep going! Don't stop!" he roared, but the sound of his voice was drowned out by renewed sounds of explosions as the catapults started firing again.

He had failed. He was given the simple task of taking the hill from the enemy and he could not perform. Not even with the pegasi giving him support was he able to perform this task. It was over. He had failed.

"For Equestria!" a faint voice echoed in the chaos.

Static looked up and stared in shock and awe. Standing on the crest of the hill was a lone pony swinging a flag around his head. Somehow the smoke had cleared around him and the fires from the catapults illuminated him seemingly bathing the world in fire.

The banner of Equestria, the symbol of their kingdom, swayed over his head. Tall, proud, unyielding.

"Attack!" a voice yelled.

"For the princess!" another sounded behind him.

"To me, stallions! To me, mares!" the voice ahead shouted.

Hope. It surged through his body like a geyser. Every fiber in his being seemed to renew with life and Static pressed up the hill. He wanted to stand by the stallion in the smoke, the pony who seemed to defy every bolt that and artillery barrage coming from behind him. The stallion continued to wave the flag.

Bolts sang through the air, quarrels exploding all around them, and still the stallion swung the banner above his head.

Catapults devastated the ground, engulfing everything in an inferno as their projectiles met the ground. Still the stallion waved the flag.

The sight pulled the unicorn onwards. He was drawn to it. Looking around he saw that he wasn't the only one as the entire company seemed to be drawn to that flag. Like moths to a flame, a flame that inspired them, a fire that ignited the desire to press on. Nothing seemed to stop them. They wanted to press on.

This was what they needed to be reminded of. This was their country. Everything within it represented what was good in this world and it deserved protecting.

Static approached the banner and stopped when he saw the pony waving it.

"Semper? What are you doing here?" he asked incredulously.

"Go!" he shouted gesturing with his head towards the entrance to the defensive trenches for the catapults. Already there were ponies there advancing into it.

Static didn't question him and charged along side others that had successfully made the climb. Through the trenches they went, rounding each corner with lethal efficiency. They had trained long and hard for this and they were not going to lose. Not now, not ever.


Glitter watched the spectacle through her binoculars. This was her third time seeing the Crucible happen, and it still sent shivers down her spine. The final test for the Guard was a fully magical powered simulation of very, very realistic battle conditions. Everypony had to do it once. This time was the Border Guard's turn. It had already been a full day and a half since their briefing and the offensive team still had not captured their secondary objective.

Putting the Border Guard recruits against each other on two opposing teams was a fairly recent tradition. In the very beginning it was always the Royal Guard and Border Guard going head to head, but that started to create serious animosity between allies. So, they changed it. Royal Guard and Border Guard would never work together unless for very specific reasons. That was the way things were, and it worked.

Sadly, Border Guards rarely, if ever, got to go home until they finished their term of duty. Ten years was a long time. Glitter shook her head with a bitter-sweet laugh. It was her sixth year, only four more to go. As much as she wanted to go home, she also wanted to start her own family. She had joined the Guard when she was eighteen, and would be twenty-eight by the time she left. A perfect time to find a nice, handsome stallion to settle down with.

But could she live that life again? Could she really go back to being... normal?

She looked down at her clipboard in an attempt to take her mind off of these things. It was way too soon to even humor them. She had written down things that she had seen. Notes to report to the First Sergeant, who had taken a keen interest in this particular Crucible test. Not surprisingly since he was a part of it. Semper had finished all his objectives and was now helping take the hill putting himself in harms way to inspire the demoralized forces trying to accomplish their task.

Take the hill.

Three simple words that changed everything. If they took it, then the offense would have a better chance at completing the other objectives. Fail, and those objectives would be impossible. Apart from those three simple words, the units assigned their own missions based on the preset objectives. Semper had volunteered to lead half of them, and he had successfully accomplished them using what he had learned.

Now he stood on that hill, and without him the attack would have failed. The simple act of waving the Equestrian flag on the crest calling them to him had instilled the recruits with renewed vigor. They were close to taking control now.

Close, Glitter knew, was never good enough. A lesson that they needed to learn.

Ponies that were 'killed' during the test were teleported away from the fight, their performance graded. Those that did not do satisfactorily were given one more chance to prove themselves at the next Crucible. In the unlikely event that they did extremely poorly, they would have to repeat the last series of exercises performed prior to this simulation. Some of the Border Guard taking part in this Crucible were such ponies.

"What is your opinion of things, Glitter?"

"Ma'am, this test seems a lot harder than usual, ma'am."

"It is."

"Ma'am, some of the recruits have performed unsatisfactorily, ma'am."

Ruby leaned back in her lounge chair and took a sip from a glass of cold lemonade. She placed the glass down and licked her lips. "And yet the same batch of Border Guards have managed to destroy supply lines, take out the various communications depots, sabotaged field advantages, crippled air support and are now overwhelming the enemy's artillery lines. The offensive are outnumbered, outcrossbowed, and with no help from any of our battleships. Tell me, Sergeant Glitter, under what circumstances are our recruits performing poorly?"

"Ma'am, I only meant that they had lost too many taking the hill, ma'am. Ma'am, if I were then I would have concentrated on taking the hill with pegasi, ma'am."

"Do you know that I had actually planned the defenses of this Crucible? Yes. There are some veteran Guard working against the recruits."

"Ma'am?"

"Sorcery Sergeant Major Pain is heading the defense against the recruits. Far Eye is also there, and so's Check Mark. So, you see, it's actually quite amazing that despite the advantages the defense has the recruits have been steadily forcing them back."

"Ma'am, that's... that's impossible, ma'am. I know those ponies, ma'am. There's no way they'd get overwhelmed by a bunch of recruits! Er... ma'am..."

"You would've been right, if they didn't have a commander leading them that is incapable."

"You mean Semper, ma'am?"

"Semper? Oh my, no. Not at all. Semper isn't the kind of pony that can actually plan a successful mission. He's more of a hooves-on kinda fellow. He's the one others rely on to carry out the mission on the ground. No, not Semper. I'm talking about this recruit." Ruby threw a folder onto the side table.

Picking it up, Glitter took a look inside and saw the light violet unicorn with the thick glasses and greenish mane staring back at her. She knew this one. She knew him because he sucked at CQC and was constantly doing laps with Semper after each session.

"Well, at least now I know where all his muscle is," Glitter muttered to herself.

"You say something?"

"Ma'am, no, ma'am."

Glitter looked down at the unicorn's picture and smirked slightly. Tourmaline. The nerdy one. His strategy was actually helping his own forces win. Everypony had their strengths.


"Move, move, move!" Static shouted pushing the ponies in front of him along. They had taken the catapults, but the enemy had booby-trapped them. This strategy was giving them time to regroup and Static recalled Tourmaline saying that under no circumstances were they allowed to do that. He needed to pursue them and end this conflict quickly.

Stepping out of the safety of the trenches he watched the defenders fleeing downwards.

"Form a line!" Static shouted walking back and forth in front of the overtaken trenches.

Bursting out of the trenches, the Border Guard recruits formed another line across the hill, above them were the pegasi using the clouds for cover.

"What do we do now?" somepony asked.

"Form a line! You, get in line!" Ametrine shouted shoving some unicorns into place.

Static blew on his whistle. This was it. This was the final push. If they could not cripple their numbers now, they'd stand no chance against them. He drew his sword and pointed it towards the fleeing ponies.

"Forward!"

The line moved down the hill, the unicorns once again forming a shield of magic, or hovering their shields in front. Above them the pegasi moved in closer, their quarrels ready to be dropped any minute. As the two lines stood over the edge of the field, the forest exploded into life. Crossbow bolts sang into the air shredding the night sky. The pegasi were being torn apart forcing them to rise up and out of range leaving the unicorns underneath them to the mercy of the defenders.

"Wallarmbrusts!" came the call.

Then from the trees the bolts came streaming out at them.

"Shields in the front!" Static roared diving down onto the ground and putting his shield in front of him.

Many did the same, but the damage was overwhelming. He watched as one by one his troops vanished in a puff of smoke as they were 'killed'.

"We need to flank them!" somepony shouted above the din.

The bolts were bouncing off their shields, but it would be only a matter of time before the power from the Wallarmbrusts shredded through their only means of protection. Indeed, they were fighting against experienced Guards. They had played them all along, letting them take the hill and then sabotaging them, leading them downhill where the large crossbows would have the advantage at a wider target. On the hill they were sitting ducks.

Suddenly a 'whump' echoed from behind them. Everypony turned to look as a large fireball arced over their heads and descended into the forest with a loud explosion. A few moments later another fireball streaked across the sky, followed by yet another.

"The catapults!"

"The catapults are fixed!"

Static looked back and soon two more fireballs were whizzing through the skies. Then three.

"What's going on?" Static muttered. The catapults were destroyed, how are they working again?

"Sir, the Wallarmbrusts have stopped!" Ametrine shouted over the noise.

Static stood up and blew his whistle, "Charge! To the trees! Move!"

They unicorns did not need to be told twice, and they down the hill their weapons at the ready. As the approached the trees, a lob of bolts sang through it. Their shields deflected most of them, but a few were not so lucky and they vanished.

Anger. Rage. Whatever he felt, it consumed his fear. He threw himself into a gallop, the sound of his hooves thundering across the ground. Using his magic he raised his sword above his head as he thundered into the treeline. One of the defenders brought her shield up to defend herself, but he hit down on it so hard that the blade shoved it away and before she could react he cut her clean. She vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Kill them all!" Static shouted, but his orders were moot because that was exactly what they were doing.

The fighting within the woods grew fierce, but their opponents had numbers on their side, and they were using it to their full advantage. Slowly, but steadily, they were being pushed back into the open. There was nothing they could do. They would be overrun soon.

"Hold the line! Push them back!" one of the defender's commanders shouted.

"Let's show these ponies who's boss!"

"Yeah! Let's... Hey! Wait-" a shout suddenly cut off from the far left.

"What's going on?"

"Don't let them break through!"

"Stop them!"

Static narrowed his eyes and saw a small group of unicorns cutting their way through the far flank of the enemy. At their head, unmistakable by the way he carried himself, was Semper Pie.

"Hold the line!" Static shouted to his forces. "Don't let them push you back! For Princess Celestia!"

The ponies all cheered in response and held their ground.

Semper and his group vanished into the woods, the enemy now having to split their forces to take out Semper's group. This was what they needed. A break in the lines.

"Move it!" came Static's orders. The ponies instantly formed a vanguard formation and with their swords they plowed into the weakest part of the line in a desperate attempt to break through their ranks. In the woods they stood a chance.

The gambit proved successful and Static pushed into the woods and rounded to the right trying to get behind the enemy.

The enemy on the other hoof had turned around and positioned their shield heralds at the back. This was definitely Border Guard troops, for they were ready and prepared to face them head on from the back.

If only they had more troops.

"Have at them!" a familiar voice yelled.

Major Pain grinned as Static whipped around to see that they were now caught in a pincer. A full line of heavy infantry at the front, and a full line of armed crossbows behind.

Static slowed his gallop down and stood between the two lines. He looked to the ponies with him and sighed. "Oh well. It's been fun, you guys. Let's take out as many as we can, shall we?"

"Aye aye, sir!" they shouted.

And they charged into the archers.


"Oh Celestia, this has got to be the worst two days of my life!" Misty moaned and collapsed onto her bunk. She had just stepped out of a much needed shower and was looking forward to catching up with her sleep.

"He still out there, you know," Static said sitting down on his own bunk and staring at the floor.

Everypony stopped what they were doing.

"Him, Tourmaline, Flash, Perl, Sonic... they're still out there. They haven't stopped. They're still fighting. They're still-"

"We know, Static. We know. But what can we do? We're dead. It's okay! We've past the Crucible!"

At that somepony let out a loud hoot while others gave each other hoof-bumps and half-hearted cheers.

"We even managed to actually kill Pain! How many groups get to say that?"

At that there was more cheering, but these weren't half-hearted, which made some of the recruits laugh.

Static looked up from where he sat. He had not gone for a shower. He had not eaten anything in the mess. He had done nothing by sit there. "It doesn't matter. In this test it might seem okay, but Semper and the others are out there alone, with no help. What if this were real? What if we really died? Don't... don't you feel bad about... leaving them like that?"

Misty hovered over and landed next to Static and draped a wing over him. Despite him being filthy, she felt that it was important that he feel the comfort of a friend's embrace. "Hey, hey. We all did our best."

"Our best isn't good enough. We have to be better. Stronger. We have to be... more."

Everypony stopped their cheering. The barracks became silent.

"Right now, I'm making a vow. I vow from this moment, till there is no life left in this body, that I will never, ever, ever stop trying to be better than Semper, and in that way I hope that I'll always be the pony he can come to when he needs somepony to rely on."

"Yeah... me too," Misty nodded.

"Sure, I'll go for that too," Cloud stated.

"Sounds fun. I think I'll make that promise too," Snow announced standing up on her bunk.

One by one the rest of the ponies there took up the promise, and Static couldn't help but smile.


"Fifty-four hours, ma'am. Shall we recall what's left of the recruits?" Glitter asked Ruby.

The First Sergeant stared out over the expanse of the battlefield. It was still chaos. Despite having overwhelming numbers, Semper and whatever was left of his forces were still harassing the defense enough that they could not mount a full scale search without fear of losing a vital asset. Each time one of the primary objectives was taken, they would reinforce it only to find that it was abandoned by the attackers, who would always manage to find the weakest defenses and wipe out the guards there.

"How many of Semper's team are still alive?"

"Nineteen, ma'am."

"Nineteen out of a hundred and fifty, with odds of two to one in the beginning. Not bad. How many defenders left?"

"Seventy-three, ma'am."

"Who is charge of defenses now?" Ruby asked.

"Ma'am, Far Eye is, ma'am."

"Tell him that he's to isolate Semper's team by drawing him to the hill by reinforcing all other points, then swing in a wide circle through the forest, avoiding the river, and surround him there. If Semper is clever he'll try to use the catapults to take out the necessary targets."

"Ma'am, how did he manage to repair them during the battle from before?"

"He has knowledge on how they work. He spent enough time with the Royal Guard to know that. It wouldn't be hard for somepony like him. Perhaps we Border Guard should take our mechanic classes a little more seriously," Ruby muttered stroking her chin.

"Ma'am, we do have those courses for us, ma'am. It's just... Semper knew how to fix them, ma'am?"

"He's strange that way. It's almost as if he possess some sort of insight that helps him along. The same way he's able to avoid getting caught out there. He's not the kind of pony that does the expected. Even this trap is not guaranteed to succeed, but it's the best I can come up with. With Tourmaline still giving orders, it's safe to bet that Semper will be able to continue to harass the defense."

"I'll relay your orders, ma'am."


"How long have we done this, Semper?" Tourmaline asked.

The earth pony was standing guard outside the small entrance to the cave. He had disguised it well with leaves and other foliage, and it had been their base of operations for the best seven hours.

"Fifty-seven hours," Semper replied.

"Shouldn't they be calling off the test now?"

"Don't know what they haven't," Semper admitted looking into the woods. The rain had stopped.

"What was our mission again?" Sonic asked looking at the map on the ground in front of them.

Tourmaline shook his head in annoyance. "To secure the five objectives and hold them until reinforcements arrive. Sonic, you can't keep forgetting these things, okay?"

The pegasus frowned. "It's not like I mean to..."

"So, what now? We don't have any objectives, we've got nopony else except us, and we're running low on ammunition. Our unicorns are tired and we're evaded capture mostly out of sheer luck the past few times they've sent patrols through this area." Tourmaline looked at the map again. "Our best hope is to take the hill and use the catapults to cause massive losses to the defensive team then clean them up while splitting into small groups and securing the objectives."

"That sounds like a good plan. Let's go with one! Right, Semper?"

The earth stallion tilted his head slightly towards Sonic. "No."

"No?"

"It's the most obvious tactic. Once we take the hill all our escape routes are effectively blocked. It will be near impossible to escape, and if the catapults are beyond repair..." He let the silence speak for him.

"They're not working?" Sonic asked.

"I think they are. They wouldn't make it their base of operations if it weren't," Tourmaline replied.

"Why not?" the pegasus asked.

"Because it's too far to one side. It'd take too long for reinforcements to get to these three points if it were."

"So, what do we do?"

Semper walked into the cave. "We take Wallarmbrusts and move them to the hill."

Sonic laughed sarcastically. "Y-you want to move those things up a hill? Don't you think that they'd have done so if they could already? Wallarmbrusts aren't light, y'know."

"I know."

"And how are you going to get them?"

Semper looked over to the map and studied it for a moment. "We'll find a way."


"I can't believe this," Ruby muttered as she stared at the Crucible with a mixture of admiration, confusion, and anger.

Admiration that nineteen ponies had seized the hill, taken the catapults and were now wrecking havoc on the defensive team. Round after round the catapults fired always seeming to find the right mark. Whoever was directing them must have been a genius. Ruby felt confused as well. How were there Wallarmbrusts on the top of the hill? How did they get up there? Somehow these ponies had managed to do it, and that made Ruby furious. Furious of the fact that her plan had been circumnavigated and she was losing.

"Focus all the forces on the hill from the north-west side, then attack. It's time to end this farce!" Ruby shouted smashing her hoof on the side table shattering it to pieces.


"Brilliant!" Far Eye shouted before placing his glass onto the bar. "Just brilliant. Bested by a recruit! How am I ever going to live that one down?"

"Don't be too hard on yourself. The Crucible is a test centered around teamwork in overcoming adversity," Glitter replied gently to the stallion. "You should be proud, you helped shape them."

"Glitter, we almost lost. If the First Sergeant hadn't intervened, we would have." Far Eye let out a sigh and shook his head before laughing dryly. "You weren't there when we took the hill. Semper and his last few ponies were hiding inside one of the barracks. When we broke through the door he took down almost twenty of us before we were able to get inside. Then the real party began."

"Semper is proficient at CQC."

"You don't say?" Far Eye threw his hoof around Glitter's neck. "Imagine us going into a room with a bunch of ponies huddling in the corner! We expected an easy kill! We thought that they were through! That they had used all their bolts, and had nothing left."

Glitter tried to imagine it. Wasn't difficult.

"Then out of the corner Semper and two other ponies jump us and pushed into our ranks. They displaced and confused the front and before we knew it we were trying to figure out who was on our side and who wasn't! They cut into us and before we had time to react the ponies that were huddling in the corner picked up the dropped the dropped weapons and let us have it from point blank before throwing themselves into the fray. It was utter chaos!"

Glitter took Far Eye's hoof off her neck and placed it on the bar. "Then what?"

"Well, after they tore through the them they went after any CO's nearby. Semper came straight for me."

"And?"

"I wouldn't be so upset if I had survived at least long enough to shout an order. I couldn't think! I was stunned. I froze. First time since... since... I can't remember that happened! I think that was what Semper was going for. Knocked me out of the Crucible even before I could scream. The way he used that sword, it was inequestrian! It was like the blade was a part of his body." Far Eye took a swig from his glass. "There's one thing that I'm very glad about, however."

"Oh?"

"That he's on our side. Blessed be Celestia, thank her Royal Highness that Semper's on our side." Far Eye leaned back and looked at the glass somberly. "And after all that he still survived."

"I know."

Far Eye shook his head and laughed to himself. "Thank Celestia he's on our side..." he mumbled before finishing his glass and demanding another.


"Sonic! Tourmaline! Congratulations!" Misty shouted waving her hoof to the two as they walked into the mess hall. The recruits were given some down town to do as they wished, and most of them had opted to catching up on some much needed rest.

"Hi, Misty. How's it going?" Sonic sat himself down and stretched his aching wings. He had given his all in the last skirmish, and was somewhat glad to find himself back inside the warm medical tent. That was where those that got 'killed' teleported to.

Misty laughed and sat opposite them. "So... how was it?"

"How was what?"

"Fighting along side Semper?"

The two of them exchanged looks.

"He... he tried to save us. We... we didn't listen to his orders and charged in after him. I think he was 'killed' when we charged through the doors. Told us to retreat and regroup during the confusion, but we wanted to be with him. He couldn't have survived if we left him there all alone. So... we attacked." Sonic rubbed the back of his head.

"Where is he, by the way? He should be here." Misty looked around

"He survived because of us."

"Come again?" Misty couldn't believe what she had just heard.

Sonic and Tourmaline exchanged knowing looks. "He's still out there. He's still taking part in the Crucible."

"But the Crucible is now in the hooves of the Royal Guard." Misty pointed out. "He shouldn't be there."

"I know, but that's where he is," Sonic replied and stood up. "I'm going to get something to eat. I'm starving."

"That sounds like a real good idea. I'll join you." Tourmaline stood up and threw his hoof around Sonic's shoulder. "You know, you're not so bad with the sword too..."

"You too. Shame we couldn't use our spears..."

Misty watched the two with wide open eyes. The news of Semper still in the Crucible stunned her to the core.


"Recruit, you're a difficult pony to kill."

"Ma'am, thank you, ma'am!" Semper shouted standing at full attention in front of the First Sergeant.

"You know what I think? I think we've made it too easy on you, so I'm giving you a new trial, one where your objectives are difficult. This time you will have no allies or supplies, nopony to tell you what to do and nopony to turn to when you need help." Ruby smirked at that. "Sound fun?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

"Your mission is to find and kill the top leaders of both groups on the field today. After that, you are to rendezvous at this point here. Only when you have done these things will we mark your objectives completed. Failure is not an option."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

"The Royal Guard taking part have been alerted to your presence. Many do not know what you look like, but their scenario is that here's an assassin and a traitor in their midst at any point. It's good training for them to weed out any potential spies or assassins while they are on duty for the Princess."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

"Once you have terminated the targets and returned to the rendezvous point here, then I will consider passing you."

"Ma'am, thank you, ma'am!"

"You have the advantage of knowing the field better than the enemy. You will also be given more MRE's and some bolts as well as ten quarrels for each magical element. Fire, water, wind and earth. Forty quarrels in total. You will also be given one extra item to use, your choice. Aren't I generous?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

Ruby studied the stallion and narrowed her eyes. "Anything except your spear. Now, what do you want?"

"Ma'am, this recruit requests for an additional crossbow, ma'am!"

"Granted."

Ruby gestured with her head and the nearest Border Guard hoofed a crossbow at Semper who took it and inspected it expertly before placing it over his back.

He was filthy, covered in mud, cut, bruised, with dark circles under his eyes that revealed just how tired he really was. Still the stallion carried himself without any sign of slowing down.

A cold shudder ran down Ruby's spine when she realized something.

This was Semper Pie.

Strong, fearless and terrible.


"So... y'hear about the Border Guard out there?" Rock asked.

The mare next to him snorted out a laugh. "You mean that earth pony? Yeah. Heard that whoever 'kills' him will get an extra five days of leave after this. That's one incentive that I can relate to. Five full days more with my family that I haven't seen in over four months?"

"I thought you hated your family, Opa."

The pegasus Royal Guard looked down at her hooves. "I thought so too, but you know something? I stopped hating them a while ago. I figured that there's no point. I'm a Royal Guard now... or will be, and I'm going to be protecting everypony from danger. Even them. The way I figured it, I can't afford to hate them because I have to protect them too. Does that make sense?" she asked looking up at the light gray earth pony. He really did resemble a rock. Somepony you could lean on. Somepony you could rely on.

She wanted him so bad.

Rock looked at Opacus and averted his gaze when her eyes looked up to his. "A-a-a-after this... why don't... I mean... if you don't mind... that is..."

"Yes?"

"I-I-I m-mean i-i-if i-it's okay with you..."

"Yes?" Opacus' eyes grew wide.

"W-w-w-will y-y-you-"

"You should be paying attention."

Rock stood up straight and turned around, saluting out of reflex. "Sorry, sir! Won't happen... again... sir?"

He looked down and saw a sword through his chest. It felt weird because, although he knew this was an exercise and part of training, it still hurt. A lot. Plus the fact that it was inside him didn't help either. He let out a gasp and dropped to the ground.

"Rock!" Opacus screamed as the colt she loved vanished in a puff of smoke.

Those cold steel eyes stared into her. "Don't worry. You'll be joining him in a moment."

"You-"

She vanished in a puff of smoke.


"How did he get all the way in here?" Moon asked. She was not impressed with finding out that the earth stallion Border Guard had so effectively gone deep into their primary base. Even with all the security checks and passwords he had managed to slay two of the target's personal guards.

The fact that he did not go after her was another mystery she needed to solve. Nopony had not heard of the Border Guard earth stallion, but most of it seemed like exaggerated stories. Seemed being the keyword. Whatever the case, this was unacceptable.

"So, what do we do now?" Mercury asked. The red unicorn looked at the plans of the rounds for the guards. He could now see where they had made a mistake. What was it they said about hindsight? "We know that there's been a security breach here. It would be wise to move the primary target to a safer location."

Moon shook her head. "No. That's the worst thing to do. I know she's not secure here but transporting her would make her vulnerable to other means of attack."

"Ma'am, no offense, but it's not safe here either."

Suffice to say, Moon was not happy about how right Mercury was. Indeed this Semper Pie had proven to be a slippery one. They would need to from another plan in case he struck again, she knew they wouldn't be so lucky the next time.

"Fine. Get a security detail ready. Only the most trusted ponies."

"As you say, ma'am. But, ma'am."


"Sir, our spies have reported that the enemy target was nearly compromised as well," Haze said saluting formally.

Liquid stopped reading over the field reports. Most of it was placing his units to prevent an offensive from the others. A lot of needless maneuvering, but it was essential to maintain their current positions for now. There had been a number of small skirmishes along the undefined border between the two teams. Unlike the Border Guard exercise, this one was more about displaying their forces strategically. The test was more on how to move effectively, efficiently and quickly rather than fighting and repelling attackers. It was the first time in his life that he wanted to be a Border Guard, but he was an earth pony and they did not qualify.

Until now.

"Then perhaps we should communicate with them. It would look bad for the both of us if our designated targets were taken out, correct?" Liquid asked standing up and walking to the edge of the tent. He poured himself a glass of water.

Haze still stood at attention. "What do you want me to do?"

Taking a quill, Liquid wrote down something on a piece of paper and sealed it with wax. "Take this to the enemy commander and hoof deliver it directly. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Haze backed out of the tent, spread his wings and soared into the sky.


"What's the password?" Haze asked the group of ponies coming from the other side of the bridge.

The leader, a red unicorn from the Day Guard walked in front of the group. "Two spheres in the sky. One in night, one in day."

"Okay. Come across slowly. Our archers are positioned in strategic locations along here, so don't try anything funny."

"The deal was to be visible-" Mercury was effectively cut off with a bolt landing inches from him.

"Hold your fire!" Haze shouted towards the trees.

Mercury narrowed his eyes at the pegasus. "This isn't like you, Haze. You're usually under control."

"Yeah, well when one stallion can make a mockery of your entire detail then we'll see who gets edgy."

"Touché."

Usually they were on the same side. They worked well together and in every test the unicorn and pegasus were top of the class every time. So, it was obvious that they'd be separated during the Crucible, and also put in non-leading roles. It would have been easy to override their superior's orders and carry out what they thought was right, but there was a chain of command to follow, and one thing the Royal Guard did not lack was a lot of overinflated egos.

After all, only the most elite of the Royal Guard got to guard the princess. Everypony else was made to do whatever other else was needed. Insubordination was not an option. At all.

Still, Mercury had been tempted to override orders. If this was not a test he most surely would have.

"Come across. I'll tell my guards to back off."

"No need. Just tell them to reveal themselves from the woods."

"You heard him!" Haze shouted.

Twelve ponies peaked out from behind the bushes and stood with their bows ready. They watched as the group made their way across the bridge to the little island in the middle. It was the perfect defensive place. The river flowing on both side created a moat, and the large clearing around the island made it easy for the archers to spot any intruder. The small tower in the middle was where the two primary targets were to be housed.

The plan was to use them to draw Semper out into the open. Everypony knew the gambit, but it was the only way. The pony was causing headaches for everypony else involved and he had to be dealt with. It was a wonder that one earth pony could alter everything so quickly.

"Okay. The deal is an archer for an archer on each floor and on the roof. Two armed guards inside the room and that the two primary targets are to be kept in the center with their decoys and the windows to remain shut at all times. Am I correct so far?" Haze asked.

"So far."

"Great. The door to the room is to be locked from within and bolted from the outside. Then one bridge to this island is to be guarded by your troops while the other will be guarded by ours. Then, when the... intruder... is dealt with, we, together, are to open the door and release the primary targets and proceed on our own paths. Agreed?"

Mercury nodded. "Agreed."

"Then come with me. We've prepared the area, so it's best if you inspect it."

Haze led the way inside followed by Mercury. Behind him came the targets, who all wore a veil that covered their faces. Their coats had been dyed similar, just in case.

Behind them came the four guards. Strong, powerful and fiercely loyal. These were the most trusted guards they had.

Up the stairs they all walked, the sound of their hooves echoed in the stone stairwell. Nopony spoke. There was no need to. They were not friends for this test, they would have to resolve this another way once the main problem was resolved. A certain Border Guard that was being a nuisance.

Putting the targets here served two purposes. One was that they were now out of the way. Semper would be drawn to the tower once he discovers that they'd been moved to the same location. The best archers and guards had been hoof selected to guard the tower. The second was that with Semper out of the way, the two sides could start maximizing their strategies and erode their opponents without having to worry about guard detail for the targets.

It was a win-win situation, so long as they survived.

"Okay. In you guys go. We'll get the outside ready, okay? Just sit tight and we'll make this sorry excuse of a pony disappear soon," Mercury said as he shut the door. He heard the lock on the inside turn before bolting it from the outside. He placed a padlock through the handle for good measure. It wasn't anything special, a good blast of magic would melt it right off the door, but if it bought a few seconds for the ponies on the inside then it was worth it.


"How long have we been standing here?" Mango asked.

Lapis checked her timepiece quickly. "Seven hours."

"Um... I can't hold it in anymore. You think you could... you know... cover for me while I do a little... you know..." Mango blushed and crossed her hind legs hoping that the blue-green earth pony mare would get the idea.

Lapis was not amused. "You just got back from taking a break! Why are you always running to the toilet?"

"I'm not always running to the toilet! You try carrying a foal through all this and see how many times you don't have to run to the little girls room!" Mango humphed and turned away.

"Okay, okay. Geez, get your hormones checked out. Be quick."

"I'm going to let that remark go," Mango said with an unamused frown on her face before speeding off.

She trudged through the woods looking for a quiet spot to relieve her bladder when she came across an open space. One of the archers had been here during the bridge incident earlier on. It was not as private as she would have liked, but she was too full to find another place. She squatted at the base of the tree she saw something flying in the air towards her. Her eyes went wide open as it landed right where she had stood a moment before. It was a bolt. Something was attached to it.

It was a piece of a decoy's veil.

"Oh no..."


"Open it!" Haze shouted as Mercury fumbled for the keys.

Fitting it inside he pulled the latch open and jumped it.

Nopony was there. The place was barely a mess. Whatever had happened in there happened quick and swift. None of them had a chance to raise the alarm.

"It is over. We have failed." Mercury tossed the padlock in his hoof to the ground angrily.

"No. Not yet. We still have one chance. Stop him before he reaches the rendezvous."

The red unicorn laughed. "We don't know how long ago he left this place! How are we going to find him now?"

"You don't need to. I'm right here," a voice whispered.

Everypony turned around. The rearmost guard drew a sword and plowed into the ponies in front of him. He cut through them with lethal efficiency, carving his way upwards. Two of the guards stood in the doorway barring the entrance to the room as Mercury and Haze waited for Semper inside.

"What are you doing, Haze?" Mercury put his shield up as the first of the last two guards fell.

Outside the shouts of alarm were taken up and the guards around the palace were now rushing towards the tower.

"Protect me!" Haze demanded. "I'm the primary target!"

"Y-you?"

"Yes! How did he find out? How did he..."

Haze's mind rewound. The revelation made clear in his mind as he went over Mango's rushed report when she had come to him after moving away from her post. The remains of the veil had tricked him. Semper wouldn't have let something as obvious as that be left behind unless he wanted it found. She had found it. Semper had used that to bring him up into this room when he had uncovered the primary targets. He had managed to weed them out. He had managed to find him.

"Don't tell you you're the other primary target!" Haze shouted.

Mercury glanced over his shoulder at the pegasus. "Yes."

As the second guard fell and vanished in a puff of smoke, Semper rushed into the room. His blade smashed against the shield as Mercury raised to block his attack only to have a knife jab into his gut. He looked down in shock to see it tied to his rear hoof pointing backwards.

How had they missed that?

Semper pulled the blade out and shoved the unicorn aside as he rushed the pegasus backing up towards the wall.

The last thing Mercury saw before appearing in the medical tent was Haze being pinned to the wall with Semper's sword.

Sitting on a gurney in disbelief, Mercury shook his head. How did Semper manage to slay the decoys in the room and draw them up there like that? How did he do it? Did he plan it all from the start? Those supposedly random attacks, the way he had 'almost' reached the decoy targets, how he had 'almost' found out their true identities.

A loud pop came from beside him as Haze appeared staring blankly straight ahead.

"Welcome back. How was it?"

Haze turned to the stallion and shook his head slowly at first before speeding up, the movement getting smaller and smaller until he stopped altogether and let out a loud: "How?"

"That's what I'd like to know."


"First off, how did you find out who the targets were?" First Sergeant Ruby asked as the stallion in front of her saluted.

"Ma'am, this recruit intercepted several letters that allowed me to discover their true identities, ma'am. Ma'am, this recruit had purposely attacked the decoys to confuse them and bolster their confidence, ma'am!"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "You played them?"

"Ma'am?" Semper wasn't sure what she meant.

"Nothing. So then what did you do?"

"Ma'am, the two teams started to communicate between each other, ma'am. Ma'am, this recruit intercepted the letters and modified them, ma'am. Ma'am, this recruit fed them misinformation to make them to choose the tower on the river ma'am."

"The ponies with these letters were never killed, Semper."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am. Ma'am, this stallion caused border skirmishes to buy time when the letters were sent, ma'am."

"You started those fights just so you could get your hooves on these letters? How did you..."

Semper blushed and bowed his head. "Ma'am, this recruit stole them, ma'am."

"Stole?"

"Ma'am, this recruit pick-pocketed them, ma'am!"

Ruby laughed. She couldn't help it. Semper was actually blushing admitting he had to resort to stealing to complete his objectives. It was rare during the Crucible, but not unheard of. Still, for those ponies not to notice...

"Then?"

"Ma'am, after this recruit was convinced that the two teams were sure they were going to work together he came straight to the tower in the river, ma'am!"

Leaning back in her chair, Ruby furrowed her brow and craned her neck. "You're telling me that you were already inside that room when they locked the door? Didn't they check to see if it was clear first?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am. Ma'am, they checked the room three times, ma'am."

"But they never found you."

Semper shook his head. "Ma'am, no, ma'am."

"But you saw them looking for you, correct?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

Ruby put on a knowing smile. "You hid in the rafters, didn't you?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am."

"They never looked up. If they did, would they have seen you?"

Semper shook his head. "Ma'am, they would've needed to fly up there, ma'am."

There was nothing Ruby could do but applaud the stallion. "Very well done, Semper. I'm very impressed. How did you get up to the rafters anyway?"

"Ma'am, the crossbow, ma'am." He turned and placed the crossbow on the table in front of her. The crossbows were on top of each other with two triggers, one in front of the other.

"Show me."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

Taking two special bolts with a metal chain attached at the base between them, Semper took a piece of rope and folded it in half. He placed the special bolts between the half folded rope so that it was sitting on the chain. After that he loaded the bolts into the crossbow.

He looked at the First Sergeant.

"You may fire at will," Ruby stated.

Semper aimed and fired at the roof of her office. The bolts stuck fast and the rope was now near the ceiling. It was only a matter of using the chained bolts as a pulley to haul himself up. He demonstrated that quite easily before setting himself back down on the ground and standing at attention. Ruby used her magic to pull on the bolts, but they did not budge.

"Impressive display of ingenuity. How did you come up with it?"

"Ma'am, this recruit has used something like this since he was a foal, ma'am."

"How did you get the bolts chained together?"

"Ma'am, this stallion used his knowledge in metallurgy to create them, ma'am."

The First Sergeant walked to the window and watched the Crucible in the distance. Predictably the Royal Guard had started to maneuver now. Skirmishes across the various fields were intense, the whole episode with Semper and his targets now a distant memory.

"How did you escape?"

"Ma'am, after terminating the targets, this stallion climbed out the window while everypony made their way up the stairs, ma'am. Ma'am, they did not leave a single guard outside, ma'am."

She chuckled lightly. It was always the simplest plan that usually worked the best. "So you went out the window and jumped into the river."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am."

"Did they try and pursue you?" Ruby asked pulling her attention away from the test.

"Ma'am, this recruit does not know, ma'am."

"Semper, I'm going to level with you. You're the best recruit this academy has had in years. Maybe even decades. Who knows. You've been given the unique opportunity to serve within the Princess' personal guard right out of training. I already know what you're going to say to that, so I've written this letter on your behalf."

The stallion took it, read it and nodded. "Ma'am, thank you, ma'am."

"Are you sure that's what you want? You'd be at the top of your career. You'd never need to work hard again. You've done well and we'd understand if you want to take this post. Of course, you wouldn't be a Border Guard anymore, but..."

"Ma'am, I'm sure, ma'am -- er, I mean, ma'am, this recruit is sure, ma'am!"

Ruby shook her head. "Soon you won't have to refer to yourself as a recruit. Get out of here. Hit the showers and get some rest. You've been through a lot the past few days. You've exceeded our expectations."

"Ma'am, thank you, ma'am. Ma'am, if you wish, this recruit can still take part in the test, ma'am."

Ruby did a double take. Was Semper seriously offering to go back out there? To continue participating in the mock battle that he had been doing for the past five days? The notion of it flabbergasted her. It was one thing enjoying what you do, but to actually enjoy battle? Were there really ponies like that?

"No."

"Ma'am?"

"No, Semper. You're done. Shower. Rest. You've earned it." Ruby walked towards the door that led from her office into her home. She pulled it open and paused just before entering it. "Oh, and Semper."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Congratulations on passing. See you in two days."

"Ma'am, thank you, ma'am!" Semper saluted.

Ruby stepped into her home and shut the door behind her. She leaned against it and took a deep breath. Dealing with Semper was exhausting. She heard the door inside open and close but the hoofsteps stopped once Semper was outside the door. Curious, Ruby walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain ever so slightly. Semper was standing outside her office staring up at the sky. He stood there for a long moment gazing at the beautiful full moon before walking off towards his barracks.

For a moment she thought that those cold, hard, steel-like eyes softened ever so slightly.


It was a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky, primarily because all the clouds had been used up to simulate weather conditions during the Crucible, but also it gave the pegasi a reason to fly around and relax in the sky. Sleeping in the barracks was dreadful and clouds were not allowed inside.

But today there was to be no goofing around. Today was the last day of their time here. Tomorrow was the start of the next part of their lives. They had done it. They had completed their training.

As the last company of Guards stood at attention in front of the stage, a group of ponies zipped overhead a trail of black thunderous clouds flowing behind them. The Wonderbolts were doing a flyby, much to the joy of everypony there.

"Atten-hut!" Sorcery Sergeant Major Pain shouted at the top of his voice.

A single clop echoed as the ponies stood tall and proud. Pain took a step back, turned and stomped his hoof as the First Sergeant, now in full Border Guard uniform, stood up and walked to the podium. She tapped the mic with her hoof, a brief high pitched wail emanated from the speakers as the feedback didn't agree with her.

"At ease."

The ponies relaxed in one smooth, uniformed motion.

"It has been a long arduous four months. The time you have spent here has been good to you. You have worked hard, trained hard, fought hard and, in some cases, bled hard. You have all come a long way from where you started. You have made us all very proud. To be a Guard isn't something everypony can do, but you all know that already. You've seen recruits come and go, but those of you who stand here before me today have stayed the course. You finished what you sought to do." Ruby eyed the graduates. "From this moment on you are no longer recruits. You are Guardsponies. Some of you will be the Royal Guard, others will be the Border Guard, but no matter what, you are all Guards. Remember that. Every pony, from the ones standing next to you here to those that will stand by you wherever that may be, they are your brothers and sisters. You are now a part of this herd. We fight to protect that which is dear to us and I know that you will make us proud."

There came a light applause from the sizable audience sitting in the rafters off to one side. They were the families of the new Guards having come to see their relatives for the first time in four whole months.

"You've all had a taste of what it's like out there. What it can be like out there. You've seen what actual combat situations can be like and you've all faced the challenges in a manner in which we could all learn from. You've been trained to deal with strenuous hardships, sleep deprivation, starvation and dehydration. You've tasted this kind of life and you've come to accept it. You were born to protect Equestria and in return she will love you and all within her borders will share in that love. So, congratulations my fellow Guards. There is just one more thing we have to do. I will now call on Colonel Fire Storm to lead us in saying the oath. Sir?"

There was a excited murmur as the audience began whispering to one another. Fire Storm was a living legend. A survivor of terrible times now long forgotten by the younger generations. The old pegasus stood up slowly and took a step towards the podium. One of his legs was a wooden stump from the knee down. He carefully adjusted his helm and walked to the podium with slow, deliberate steps.

"Atten-hut!" Pain shouted again. "Right. Face!"

The graduates all turned at once towards the Equestrian flag that flapped in the light breeze. They all placed their hooves over their hearts as Fire Storm removed his helm from his head and placed it over his chest. As he said each sentence, the ponies repeated the words. The Oath of the Guard, as ancient and sacred as the Guard itself, it had been their creed since its inception.

"Hear me now, for my word is true.
This Oath, beloved Equestria, I swear to you.
My courage is the shield that defends this kingdom,
Guided by justice, enlightenment and wisdom,
My will is the weapon that repels her foes,
To stand fast against those we oppose,
My soul is the fire that burns keen and bright,
To lead by example and do what is right,
With kindness as my armor,
With tolerance as my shield,
With love as my spear,
From this moment forth I vow to be loyal,
Till my service ends, or I shed this mortal coil."

A sudden blast of wind erupted through them as the great flag of their homeland seemed to acknowledge their pledge. It rushed through the ranks of Guardsponies making their plumes billow in its caress. Fire Storm placed his helm back over his head, saluted the flag, then returned to his seat.

"Left. Face!" Pain shouted.

The ponies turned towards the stage as one unit. Their last order as recruits.

"Good luck out there, Guards. Dismissed!" Ruby Flame saluted them and walked off the stage.

And just like that, the newest batch of Royal and Border Guards was ready.

After they took their two weeks off for a much needed vacation, of course.


"Sempie! Sempie!" a voice screamed as a pink blur rushed through the crowd.

Everypony turned their heads to the source of the noise. Who in their right mind would call the toughest, strongest, best-at-everything-iest, baddest, highest ranked Border Guard Sempie?

The little filly dodged the legs of some of the Guards milling around the marching grounds and plowed right into Semper headfirst. Semper had turned his body in such a way that the little mare's impact hit him on his unarmored side. She wrapped her little hooves as far around him as she could and rubbed her nose into his coat.

He looked down at the filly and ruffled her mane. "It is good to see you too, Pinkie."

Pinkie immediately pushed his hoof away. "Stop! Mommy did my mane."

"Semper, is she your sister?" Sonic asked kneeling on the ground to get a good look at her. "Impossible. She's too cute!"

"She is."

"Can't be. She's adorable!" He held out a hoof to her.

"She is."

Semper watched as Pinkie touched Sonic's hoof.

"Then... all this time when you were referring to protecting somepony special... you meant her?" Sonic laughed as he smacked himself with his hoof. "Boy, do I feel dumb."

Semper slightly raised an eyebrow.

"Semper!" a voice called as a mare pushed past a bunch of Royal Guards chatting together.

"Mother," Semper replied. For a laypony it might have sounded cold, but those who served with Semper could see that he was genuinely happy to see her. He hugged his mother for a very brief moment and stood at attention. The embrace looked awkward and forced. It wasn't that Semper didn't like his mother, it was just that he had never really hugged her since he was around Pinkie's age. Not that he was angry or anything, it just wasn't something he did."My boy. Look at you! So big and strong. Like your father-"

"Dear, I think that would be either an insult to him, or an exaggeration of me. Son, you've made us so proud of you." The old stallion placed a hoof on Semper's shoulder. "That's my boy!"

Semper raised an eyebrow but shook his father's hoof. He had never heard his father call him 'his boy'.

"So, shall we go home?" the mother asked.

"Cloudy, we just arrived here. Don't you want to see the city?" Igneous replied.

"No, I want Semper to come home."

The blue stallion watched his family quietly while Pinkie was running in and out of his legs. She was having fun trying to hide herself from her reflection in her brother's mirror polished armor.

"He's not a foal anymore, Cloudy," Igneous stated.

"Boy or girl?" Semper cut in. "I have not got a letter from you in some time."

That made his parents stop and blush. "We've just been so busy, Semper. Lime took your words seriously and she's been running the farm. I left her home with naan and she's been real keen about it."

"A-a-and Maud's got that scholarship at that fancy Canterlot school. She's going to be leaving us soon too," Cloudy put in. Cloudy pushed her husband making him turn around and removed the basket resting on his flank. Semper recognized it immediately as the one he had seen Pinkie in the last time they had met. She had outgrown it while he was away.

"Semper, this is your new sister. Marble."

He leaned down and looked at his knew sister for the first time. He held touched her tiny hooves with his while she stared up at him with a slightly confused expression on her face.

"Marble."

Semper watched the little foal look at him. She gave a cute little gurgle that made all the mares around them coo, which made Pinkie sulk off to the side. Again she felt a hoof ruffle her mane.

"Sempie, stop!"

"Are you happy you have a new sister, Pinkie?"

"No!"

"No?"

Pinkie folded her hooves and pouted. "No."

"Pinkie, listen to me. Marble's a baby. She doesn't understand anything. It's up to you to help her along the way, ok? You're her big sister. You have to protect her like how I protected you, like how I will protect everypony. Do you understand?"

The pink filly just blinked up at her brother.

"Don't worry. Some day you will."

"Sir!" Semper his head to see a Border Guard saluting him. "Message for you, sir. Congratulations on your graduation, sir."

"Thank you, private."

A sealed envelope was hoofed over to him. Semper saluted the stallion and he did an about face. While he walked away, Semper undid the flap of the envelope, pulled out the contents and read the piece of paper. His mouth formed a tiny scowl, barely perceivable to any who didn't know. Mother's, on the other hoof, always knew.

"What's the matter, son?" Cloudy asked.

"Orders."

"O-orders? Already? But don't you have some time off?"

Semper looked at his mother and she shuddered despite herself. Those eyes. They were like stone. She had let her son leave home, but she would never forget the day those eyes became like that. Like the rocks they tended in the fields. She just couldn't get used to them.

"Not this time."

Cloudy made a face. "That's not fair, Semper. You can't just go off without prior notice. We need you at home as well. You're a part of this family and we-"

"Honey, he's a Guard now. He has to obey," Igneous whispered quietly into his wife's ear. "Stop it. You're embarrassing him in front of the others."

"I don't care! He's still my baby and I want him to come home! I never wanted him to join the Guard! I never wanted him to leave home-"

"Cloudy, stop. We're been over this. It wasn't our choice to make."

Pinkie ears flattened against her head. Her parents never talked like that at home. Sensing something was wrong she walked over and hugged her mother's leg. Cloudy immediately stopped and calmed herself when she saw her daughter's eyes.

"Mommy, are you sad?"

Cloudy quickly wiped away her tears and knelt down to Pinkie's height. "No, dear. Just a little frustrated."

"Where are you going, son?"

"I don't know, father. Even if I did I wouldn't be allowed to tell you, sir."

Igneous looked down at the ground. "How long will you be gone for?"

"Some time."

His parents just looked at him in silence.

"Father, mother, it has been wonderful seeing you, but I must attend to my duties. I am a Guard now, and I must put my service to the kingdom before my personal life." Semper hugged his mom stiffly again and shook his father's hoof. He placed a hoof on Pinkie's head and ruffled her mane, to which she batted it away.

"Semper, wait!" Sonic whizzed past him and landed in front of the stallion. "What about one quick photo for everypony, huh? Everypony together? I noticed that you parents don't have a camera and it's just..."

The family looked at Semper with a hopeful stare.

"Very well."

"Okay everypony, get together. Um... what's your name, little one? Pinkie? That's a wonderful name. Why don't you go there and stand next to your brother. Go on. Great! Okay, everypony smile. That's it." Sonic clicked the shutter and lowered the camera. "Great. Um... where can I send it?"

"Oh just hoof it to Semper. He'll bring it to us when he comes and visits next time," Cloudy said cheerfully.

Sonic looked to Semper through the corner of his eye but the stallion had already started walking away. He turned back to the couple and Igneous nodded at him. "I'll give you our address. Just send it there when you get the chance, okay?"

"Igneous, Semper will bring it when-"

"Cloudy. Stop. Just stop, okay? It's hard enough on him as it is." Igneous put his hooves on his wife's shoulders. "He's Equestria's son too."

She turned away from his face. "I don't care."

"I know, sweetheart. I know," Igneous replied.

Cloudy's ears drooped at those words and she felt tears forming in her eyes.

"There, there. He'll always be our son, but now he has a responsibility to everypony. I know that he'll keep us all safe."

"But... it's so dangerous..."

"We both know he can take care of himself. It's time to let him go, my love." Igneous hugged his wife tightly.

While the two were talking, Pinkie chased after Semper. Her little hooves carried her towards him as fast as she could. Then she jumped up and latched onto his rear leg. He stopped and looked down at her.

"Sempie! Don't go. Please don't go."

"I must, Pinkie. It's important that I go and see my new CO."

"I-don't-care-I-want-to-come-with-you!" Pinkie clung tighter.

Semper raised his hoof and Pinkie, out of reflex, closed her eyes expecting a smack. She sometimes earned one when she was especially naughty. Instead she felt his hoof on her head. She opened her eyes slowly and felt him ruffling her mane.

"Stop!" Pinkie moaned shoving his hoof off of her head. The process made her let go of his leg.

"If you come with me, who will protect mom and dad?"

Pinkie just glared up at her brother puffing her cheeks up for good measure. "You don't love me anymore."

"Of course I do. It's because I love you that I have to go. I'll come home."

"When?"

"In time."

"But when?" Pinkie whined.

"When you're older you'll understand," Semper said as he placed his hoof on his sister's again.

This time, however, she did not make him take it off. She left him ruffle her mane for a bit before he stopped and lifted her up.

"Sempie..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Pinkie."

He stood up and was about to turn away when he felt the little filly latch onto his foreleg this time. He put a hoof around her and lifted her up. He plopped her on his back and walked back to their parents. Cloudy took Pinkie from him and looked at her son. She felt a mixture of admiration and apprehension. The armor and weapons suited him too well.

"Will you come for my birthday?" Pinkie asked suddenly.

Semper looked at his sister with a furrowed brow. "I don't have a say-"

"He will, darling," Cloudy interrupted. She knelt down and stroked her hair. "He will be there. Right, Semper?"

"Mother I-" Semper's voice caught in his throat as he saw her expression. He realized that he had hurt her already, but orders were orders and he had to fulfill them. He needed to honor the Oath. So he did what he had to do.

He lied.

"I'll be there, Pinkie."

"D-do you promise?"

"I do."

"D-do you swear?" she looked up at him with her wide blue eyes staring at him.

Semper placed a hoof on her head. "I swear. I swear to you, Pinkie, that I'll be there for your birthday."

Despite saying it, Pinkie remained unconvinced. She pushed his hoof away angrily. "I don't believe you."

"Very well. I promise you, Pinkie, that I'll be there for your special day. This is a promise. A special promise. A Pinkie Promise. And nopony, nopony can break a Pinkie Promise."

At that the filly looked at her brother. "Do something."

"Do... something?"

"Do something special, like you did with... you know... when you did your thing." She pointed to the Equestrian flag waving at the top of the pole.

At once her understood. She wanted a ritual. Standing up like how he had said the Oath. Semper took two steps back and placed his hoof over his chest. "I, Semper Pie, Pinkie Promise to be there for your birthday."

"Cross your heart!"

"Cross my heart," he crossed his heart with his hoof.

"Hope to fly!" Came a voice from behind him.

"Hope to fly?" Semper turned to see Sonic grinning from ear to ear. He gave Pinkie a wink to which she giggled and nodded.

"Hope to fly," she insisted.

Semper shrugged inwardly. "Hope to fly." He stood on his hind legs flapped his forehooves for good measure.

"Stick a muffin in your eye!" another filly shouted from next to them. The gray mare with the blond mane blushed slightly as they all looked at her.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry about that," a sky blue pony with golden eyes said. She picked up the filly and gave her a gentle bop on the noggin. "Derpy, what did I tell you about bothering other ponies?"

"Sorry, mommy."

"Apologize to the ponies, dear." The mother of the filly insisted. She set the little filly down on the ground and scooted her forward.

"I'm sowwy."

"That's okay, ma'am," Semper replied and bowed his head slightly out of respect. The gray filly giggled and blushed slightly.

Pinkie struggled in her mother's hooves and she set her down. She immediately walked over to Derpy. "Why would you put a muffin in your eye?"

"Because... muffin!"

"Cupcakes are better," Pinkie retorted.

"Muffins!"

"Cupcakes!"

"Muffins!"

The two continued their shouting match for a bit longer before Semper stood between them. "Since it's a Pinkie Promise, I'll have to listen to my sister, but that doesn't change the fact that you can have a Derpy promise."

"That's stupid. You're stupid!" Derpy shouted fighting the tears forming in her eyes. Soon she started bawling and the mother picked up her daughter. She gave them an apologetic look, but Cloudy and Igneous insisted that it was okay.

"Kids."

"I better go. My husband just graduated today and he's probably looking for me." The two of them walked away. Derpy stuck her tongue out at Pinkie, who replied likewise.

Sonic was struggling to contain himself. He found it all immensely amusing. "You made a little filly cry, you fiend!"

Semper didn't quite know what to say to that. "Can you tell her I'm sorry?"

"Me? Well... okay, but they're not my family, just so you know... yeah, why am I even going on about it?"

Those words fell on deaf ears as Semper walked away from them again. Pinkie struggled to get out of her mother's grasp, to run to her brother again, but Cloudy held her tightly. Held her fast.

They all watched him go.

Not once did he look back.


"Congratulations on your graduation."

"Ma'am, thank you, ma'am!" Semper shouted.

"Take it easy, Semper," Glitter replied rubbing her ear with her hoof. "I'm sorry that you couldn't spend any more time with your family. And you can drop the first 'ma'am', that's only for recruits."

"Yes, ma'am. That's okay, ma'am."

"Yeah, well, it's not right and we feel terrible about it, but-"

"We need you again," the voice of the First Sergeant was heard as she walked through the open door into the briefing room.

The two Guards saluted the First Sergeant.

"Semper, I've got a hoof-delivered letter here addressed to us from the Zebrican tribe that helped us deal with the cultists. Remember?"

Semper nodded once.

"Are you familiar with our standing towards the Zebricans?" Ruby asked.

"No, ma'am."

She nodded. "Not many ponies are. Saying they were impressed with you is an understatement. They want you to go there. Apparently you've become the talk of the town... village... whatever, and they want you to go over there and learn things from them. It's no secret that the relationship between our kingdom and the majority of the Zebrican tribes are not on good terms. We don't quite see eye to eye on things."

Semper remained silent.

"I know that the history between us hasn't been the best, but we're looking to change that."

At that Semper raised an eyebrow.

"You are to go to Zebrica and learn whatever it is they want you to. Your primary objective is to improve diplomacy between our two nations by immersing yourself in their culture. Your secondary objective is to try and unite the tribes so that trade and commerce can function properly. This requires more brain than brawn. When you get back then you may go on your break. Don't disappoint me, Lance Corporal. I'm returning your rank, as promised."

Ruby took the wooden box from inside her armor and tossed it to Semper with her magic.

"Thank you, ma'am!"

"Don't thank me. You earned it. I'm going to be honest with you, you're the only pony I know who can tolerate the Zebricans and their ways. I can't see any of your fellow Guard immersing themselves in that kind of life. Until we can find similar hoofing, this tension is going to remain. It's gotten worse the past couple of months because of those cultists."

Glitter was drinking everything in. She had never really stood along the border, despite her skills in CQC. This was the first time she was privy to an actual mission, and she was glad that she was not involved.

"Oh, and Glitter will be coming with you. She'll be your point of contact across the border."

That made the yellow mare do a double-take. "Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Semper will be spending his time in Zebrica and he will be sending reports when he can. You are to take them from him or his couriers and forward them to me. You'll be posted on our side of the border in the town of New Almaty. It's a small place with a population still in the double digits. A frontier town where the locals primarily grow apples."

Glitter's lip trembled. She hated traveling, and now she was off to some Celestia forgotten corner of the kingdom to play messenger for a stallion that equaled her rank in the short time he was there. She had not felt jealous before, but now she felt furious at the blue stallion standing in front of her.

"Is there a problem, Lance Corporal Glitter?" Ruby asked.

"No, ma'am."

"Dismissed." Ruby got up and left.

Semper was about to follow when Glitter stopped him. "I don't know why the First Sergeant asked me to go with you, but I'm not happy about it, understand?"

"You should've asked the First Sergeant to relieve you of this mission. I'm sure she would've taken your words into consideration."

Semper did not bat an eyelid when Glitter stuck out her bottom jaw in anger. She turned away and stomped out of the room in anger leaving the stallion behind alone.


"You've already packed? That was quick," Static said looking at Semper putting the last of his things into the duffel-bag he came with.

Sonic fluttered over to where the two of them were and landed on Semper's bunk. "What I don't understand is how we managed to get more stuff while you got nothing."

Semper looked at the two of them and shrugged.

"So... when's your train home?" Static asked. Then his eyes grew wide as he saw something he did not expect right at that moment. "Hey, hey, hey. You're supposed to return your weapons to the quartermaster before your train... leaves... you're not going home, are you?"

At those words everypony in the barracks stopped their packing. Semper picked up his shield and placed it on the ground. Then he placed his crossbow on the inside, then his sword through the foreleg loops to hold his crossbow in place. Then, through the middle so that the pointed end was safely inside the shield, he pushed his spear inside.

"No."

"You're off on another mission?" Static asked.

"Yeah, he got his orders earlier. His mom and dad weren't happy about it. Nor was his sister!" Sonic shouted the last word out and stood up on the bed with a wide smile on his face. "Oh, that's right! Remember how we thought that Semper's special somepony was Princess Celestia?"

Everypony blushed and exchanged looks with each other. The rumor had gotten out of hoof during their time there. They eventually woke up and smelt the coffee, but it was still a fun rumor while it lasted.

"Well, it isn't her. Semper joined the guard to protect his family, and his cute little sister!"

The whole room exhaled a collective 'oh' as they finally got it.

"You got a sister?" somepony asked.

"He's actually got a family?"

"Where do you think he came from?"

"I thought that Princess Celestia chiseled him out of stone and breathed life into him..." somepony else declared.

That brought some laughter. "I remember that rumor."

Static ignored the gossip. "I'm going to School of Magic after this. All the unicorns are, it's to hone our magic..."

"Well, he can't go there, he ain't got magic," Sonic said nudging the unicorn. "Me, I'll be going to Flight School in Cloudsdale. Two months."

Semper packed up his armor by putting it into his duffel bag. He placed the helm on top of the end so that it sat snugly over the edge, there were special loops around the end for the helm's straps to keep it there. He then slung the whole thing over his back and bent down to pick up his weapons.

"So... where are you going? Where's your post?"

"Can't say," the blue stallion stated at Static's question.

Static gave the stallion a look. "Come on, Semper. We've served together for the past four months. You can trust me!"

"Orders didn't specify that I can explicitly tell others of my mission. Friends or not, orders are orders."

He began to walk out of the barracks and stopped as he reached the door.

"Good luck out there," Sonic shouted. Semper stopped without looking back. "Next time I won't be around to pick up your slack."

The pony turned his head slightly to the side, and for the briefest moment it looked like he actually smiled. From the light outside it was hard to tell.

"And there he goes..." Static whispered as the door shut behind him. "Watch out world. Here comes Semper Pie."

Author's Note:

Almaty is the Kazakh word for Apples. I learned that when I went there.

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