Chapter 2
Dear Journal,
Today didn’t go so well. Actually, today went pretty horribly. My heart is still racing from what happened even as I’m writing this. I hope my hoofwriting isn’t too shaky for me to read later. Me and Steel Shield were patrolling our usual route along the beach when we heard something. We went to investigate, and... well... things got out of control—fast...
“Come on!” whined Steel Shield.
“No.”
“Aw, come oooooon!”
“What part of ‘no’ have you not been understanding the last twenty times?” Fleethoof snapped. Steel Shield rolled his eyes and huffed.
“It’s a dare! You have to do it!”
Fleethoof groaned and shook his head. There was no getting off the subject unless one of them gave in, and he knew it wasn’t going to be Steel Shield. He pulled his helmet off with no shortage of reluctance. The magic imbued in the armor now broken, the pegasus’s coat began to change from a pure white to a deep crimson, his short cropped golden mane fluffing in the breeze. His eyes darkened from cool ice to sapphire, the deep blue standing out stark against his fur.
“Happy?” he asked, tucking his helmet into one of his saddlebags.
Steel was grinning like he’d won the lottery. “Very.”
“You’re a foal! A little foal!”
“I’m just trying to have some fun.”
“This is the Royal Guard. What did you expect, fun and games?” Fleethoof looked over his shoulder at his pouting comrade with a look of disbelief in his eyes.
“No. But I wasn’t expecting a silent patrol. Every. Single. Day.”
Fleethoof had to admit that this was quite possibly the worst and most boring guard station in all of Equestria. Even the Trottingham Guard was more active than they were. What was so important about this coast anyway? Why had Celestia put a unit here? Either way, they had a duty to do and he was going to see it through, even if that duty was nothing at all.
“I know, my friend, but that isn’t our call. We have to do what we’re told to do.” He could see the relenting look in Steel’s eyes. He knew he was right, but didn't want to admit it. “Now come on. Let’s finish our route so we can get back to camp and relax or play a game or something.”
Steel Shield grumbled something unintelligible before sulking along behind Fleethoof. The pegasus just rolled his eyes and carried on. Their job wasn’t supposed to be fun. It was hard work and dedication. Not any pony could do it.
“Have you ever wondered why we have guns?” Steel asked, attempting to make small talk to break up the quiet between them. “I mean, Equestria hasn't been to war in, like, forever.”
“Centuries, at least. I think they started developing them just before the Solar-Lunar Civil War as a way of strengthening our troops. Plus we had to adapt to keep pace with other nations that do go to war. We've always been an infantry-focused military. It only makes sense we developed our weapons to suit us. Swords and spears were getting too old school.”
“But we don't even have any artillery or anything.”
“We have warships,” Fleethoof pointed out.
Steel Shield rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “Well yeah, but I've heard the war in the south has been using cannons and shells. Why don't we make any of that?”
“Equestria hasn't been to war in hundreds of years, and you're worrying about cannons? Who do you think we'll be invading any time soon that we'll need heavy artillery?”
Just as Steel opened his mouth to make a remark, they heard a sharp crack like a firecracker off in the distance. Both ponies stopped in their tracks and perked their ears up as they looked around.
“Did you hear that?” Fleethoof asked his partner, receiving a nod as an answer.
“Yeah, it sounded like it came from over there.” Steel motioned with his hoof over a nearby hill.
The two soldiers made a beeline for the hill, hooves galloping across the soft grass as they made their way to the top. When they hit the summit, Steel motioned to stay low and both ponies lowered their bodies to a crawl across the grass. Down below, past the hill and a short distance away, they could see a group of three large griffons surrounding a pony. The pony was lying in the grass. The green vegetation was stained a heavy red while two griffons loomed over something in their talons. Another held a small pistol in his grasp.
Fleethoof’s eyes widened the moment he realized what was going on. The first murder in his life and it was right before his eyes. For a moment he was frozen in shock, his heart beating in his chest and mind racing with scenarios of what he was supposed to do.
“Steel... keep low. Let’s get out of here,” he whispered to his partner. “Get back to camp, tell Captain Phalanx. Let’s go. Now.”
“To hell with that!” Steel Shield said in a hiss. Fleethoof heard the distinct sound of a gun bolt locking into place. His head snapped to his side just in time to see the unicorn rise up and lift his rifle.
“Steel, no!” Fleethoof cried out, eyes wide as he reached to lower his friend’s gun. It was too late. The sound of a single gunshot exploded next to the pony’s ear, leaving a ringing in it and deafening him momentarily.
The ground beside one of the griffons exploded in a burst of grass and dirt and all three tensed and dove to the ground, yelling out to one another while one pointed up to them atop the hill. Oh shi— crossed Fleethoof’s mind right before shot after shot ripped through the air past them. The griffons were opening fire on them. The Royal Guard. The griffons were shooting at Equestrian soldiers. He pushed Steel onto his back and out of sight before bolting back for the road.
“Run!”
Steel Shield was right behind him. Just behind them, the griffons had taken to the air, calling and taunting after them as they took potshots at the fleeing soldiers. There was a distinct lack of cover along the shore. The area was as open as a field. The nearest shelter was little more than a small group of trees a fair distance away. It was their only hope.
Not going fast enough not gonna make it we’re dead we’re dead oh dear Celestia we’re dead! raced through Fleethoof’s mind as they ran, unable to turn and return fire thanks to their unit’s lack of sidearms. If they could make it to the trees, at least then they’d have some cover for the time being. But could they make it?
As if a cruel ironic answer from the universe, a bullet flew right by his ear. He yelped in terror and ran all the faster, adrenaline coursing through his blood urging him on. He turned to see how close they were—very—and to make sure Steel Shield was still beside him. Panic covered his friend’s face, along with a look of ‘oh shit, what have I done’.
“The trees! Go!” Fleethoof yelled and flared his wings. He turned in the air as an idea came to him. With a quick flurry of his wings, he kicked up a wall of dust and dirt into the air. He took off, using the temporary smokescreen to glide above the ground. He watched the griffons crash while trying to fly blind through the dust and grinned, proud of his plan. That pride lasted for all of two seconds before another bullet came at him.
Steel reached the trees first; Fleethoof a moment after. Both ponies were panting hard, brows slick with sweat and eyes filled with fear. Steel looked to his friend, the age-old question in his gaze. What did they do now?
“Get your gun.” Fleethoof drew his rifle from his back and checked to make sure it was loaded. Leaning up against the tree, he closed his eyes and whispered a silent prayer to Celestia. His friend chambered another round beside him. Fleethoof's body shifted to a state of focus. He shut down, tuning out the ocean and the sound of his own breathing, hearing only his heart pounding hard and strong in his head. One. Two. Three!
His eyes snapped open. He pushed off and rounded the tree, rifle level and taking quick aim at the nearest griffon. Then he pulled the trigger. The force felt like he’d been bucked in the chest and the sound was reminiscent of thunder. It felt nothing like boot camp. In a life or death scenario with adrenaline in him and his existence on the line everything felt amplified tenfold.
He watched the griffons veer back in the air as they scrambled to find their own cover from the counterattack. None of them seemed hurt. Fleethoof muttered a curse under his breath. There was another gunshot beside him and he saw two griffons split off.
As fast as his shaking hooves could manage, Fleethoof ejected the spent cartridge and loaded another round, his eyes already seeking out another target. He picked one of the griffons turning in flight and raising a pistol toward Steel. Inhaling through clenched teeth, Fleethoof lifted his gun again, aimed down the crude sights, and fired. This time he saw the griffon jerk backwards and fall out of the sky, crashing to the ground in a crumpled mass of feathers.
Fleethoof stared in disbelief, even as a second and third shot erupted beside him. He kept waiting for the fallen enemy to get back up. He never did. Everything sounded distant and muffled. His ears rang loudly like a thousand bells were inside them and he was vaguely aware of somepony calling out his name through a dense fog, but in the mental haze he could barely make it out.
The bark beside his head exploded and he felt somepony grab him by the shoulder and push him down. He blinked twice, coming back into the moment just as the griffons came around for another pass. He heard Steel Shield start to say something to him. Then he heard a gunshot and felt the pressure of his friend’s hoof on his back disappear. There was a yelp and a dull thud.
“Steel!” Fleethoof cried, turning around to see the soldier on his back, clutching at his shoulder and wailing out in pain as blood ran down his leg.
Fleethoof grabbed his friend by the back of his metal breastplate and dragged him back behind what little cover they had. He could hear the taunting calls of the griffons all around them. Cowards, bitches, a slew of insults coming at them from every direction. But at least the bullets had stopped for a moment.
“Steel, listen closely to me. I need you to focus and put up a shield, okay?” Fleethoof spoke to his wounded partner, using all his strength to keep his voice from shaking. “You hear me? You need to do it now. Right now. Now!”
Steel Shield whimpered in agony. He took several deep breaths and strained, his horn stuttering and glowing while he attempted his spell. The sound of something heavy hit the ground hard beside them. Fleethoof turned to see one of the griffons just behind them, racking his pistol. He felt his heart drop into his stomach. This was the end.
Just as their enemy pointed the gun at Fleethoof's head, Steel’s bubble shield formed around the two ponies. There was a sound of metal hitting glass, but without the shattering that would have spelled their doom. Fleethoof laughed in relief, breathless but alive, as he stared at the infuriated griffon who was now pounding on the magic bubble with a clenched fist. They’d been saved by the skin of their teeth.
“Come out, you bastards! Die like the pathetic ponies you are!” the griffon shouted, his partner landing on the opposite side of the dome. “Maybe we’ll even make it quick for you!”
Fleethoof glared at the two avians, standing above the downed unicorn at his hooves even as he shook in fright. He didn’t know how long Steel’s magic would last or how they were going to get out alive, but he was prepared to give his life to protect Steel Shield, and Equestria, from these murderers.
Celestia help us... he prayed. A miracle was what they needed.
That miracle came in the form of a distant gunshot. The bullet struck one of the griffons square in the head, toppling him over against the shield. Fleethoof blinked in shock while he watched the body collapse to the dirt. He and the remaining griffon pivoted to see several ponies in glistening gold armor akin to his charging down the road towards them, many already taking shots at the last standing griffon.
The griffon screeched in terror and took flight, making it about a dozen yards out before another sharpshooter took him down with one precise shot. By the time the other soldiers had converged on them, Steel’s magic had run out and their shield was gone. Several ponies rushed to get the injured pony up and back to camp while Fleethoof sat where he was, too much in shell shock to do anything. Captain Phalanx made his way toward the stunned colt, looking over the pony, then the scene.
“What happened, Private?” he asked. His voice was stern and serious. At first, Fleethoof didn’t respond. He was still staring down at his own hooves with a lost look as he caught his breath. He was crashing hard.
“Private.” Fleethoof looked up. “What happened?”
“I... I... I don’t know, sir...” he managed to blurt out. “We found these griffons. They killed a pony, sir. Over past those hills. And... then we ran... and they chased.”
The captain pursed his lips and ordered the lingering ponies to investigate Fleethoof’s claims. Once everypony was doing something, he turned his attention back to Fleethoof.
“Was that all?” Phalanx pressed the matter. “Private, this is important. Was there anything else?”
Fleethoof racked his brain for a moment trying to recall every detail, no matter how insignificant. Fighting through the fog was a struggle, especially with the pounding still going strong in his skull.
“H-he had... something...” he said, pointing to the griffon he’d killed.
Captain Phalanx looked over the body and then went over and examined it. He searched through the body’s satchel. He produced a few scrolls, unraveling each one with his magic and skimming through them. With each line he read, the officer’s eyes grew wider with clarity and concern.
“You took this one, did you, Private?” he asked as he stowed the scrolls in his saddlebags.
“I... Y-yes, sir, I did...”
Captain Phalanx walked back over and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You did good, son. Very nice shot. Everypony, back to camp, ASAP. Gather the bodies.” Then he turned back to Fleethoof. “And Private, where is your helmet?”
Fleethoof gave Phalanx a confused look for a moment. He touched his hoof to his head and felt his mane tousling in the air. He had forgotten he’d taken it off. He had been more vulnerable than he had realized. Cheeks burning with embarrassment, he shakily slipped his helmet back on, his coat transforming back to the uniform white of the other soldiers, and made his way back to camp, still trying to grasp what was going on.
Steel Shield wasn’t too badly wounded. The doctors say he’ll be back up and walking on his own in no time. He didn’t see it that way, of course. I can’t get today out of my mind. All I keep seeing is me killing that griffon. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about that... Sad? Angry? I just feel numb. I didn’t even think. Does that make me a bad pony, Journal? Maybe I’m not cut out for this kind of life...
Whatever that griffon was carrying with him has been keeping the captain on edge. I don’t know what’s on those papers that are so important, but he’s told me that I’m to accompany him to Canterlot tomorrow to deliver them to Princess Celestia herself. Obviously, they’re so important that the princess has to see them immediately. I don’t know whether I should be excited or terrified... I guess I’ll find out soon enough...
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Really enjoyed this. Keep writing! I could definitely get into this after a few more chapters...
This is really good and the writing and detail is amazing. I really got into this please continue.
Silver out!
Oh, I almost forgot! There are a couple typos in here! I can't find them right now but I noticed a them earlier. Just giving you a heads-up! Keep writing!
Silver out!
1387291
Thank you so very much! Chapter 3 should hopefully be done either today or tomorrow.
1389649
1389682
Thank you as well for all your feedback! I'm really glad to know I didn't put too much or too little detail.
Huh, really? I'm gonna have to go back and reread my work again. I thought I caught any typos, but there's always a chance! Fresh eyes and all that good stuff. Thanks for catching them!
1391979
It was hard word and dedication.
Ya missed one
I think you meant 'white.'
[quote“It’s a dare! You have to do it!” ]Ah, fooling around in the military. Fun times. My sgnt hates me for it though >.<
Seems to me they were some kind of scouting team. Looking for routes to invade or something of the like.
And now this looks good. I know it's old and the last book is unfinished. but I'm officially excited to push on through anyways. Wish me luck ;)
In this story, will we encounter a griffon named Gallus?
Gallus
Where does Alaric meet Celeste?