Captain Equestria: The First Avenger

by Plumage

Two: New Recruit

Applebloom sat on the assigned bed in a free dormitory. She'd had to make up where she was from. They would never let a filly from Ponyville into the army.
She looked around the dorm. There was a sign on one wall.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO FABRICATE YOUR IDENTITY

Applebloom bit her lip. Was that why they were taking so long in there? Because they knew she'd lied? Maybe she would have to go to jail! Now she was really scared. What if-
"Miss Applebloom?" said a friendly voice.
She looked up. A lavender unicorn was standing there levitating Applebloom's files.
"I evaluated your files." The unicorn smiled. "Excuse me, where are my manners? Good afternoon, my name is Professor Twilight Sparkle. But you can call me Professor Sparkle."
Professor Sparkle levitated the files to Applebloom. "I knew they were fake. Convincing though. You certainly fooled everypony else. Where are you from? Really?"
Applebloom cast her eyes down. "Ponyville."
"Ponyville? Really?"
"Yes,"
"I went there for a time. Did you know, I used to be one of the Elements of Harmony?"
Applebloom gasped. Another Element! "Mah sister is an Element of Harmony too!"
"What is her name?"
"Applejack."
Professor Sparkle nodded. "Yes. I know Applejack." Then she blinked at Applebloom awkwardly and said, "You'd better get to training. It starts in five minutes."

*

"You are the first in a brand new army of super soldiers. Every single one of you will be perfected. Per. Fected. So hut, two! Hut, two! I gotta train you sissies up for the eggheads."
The cyan pegasus walked slowly along the line of recruits. One tough-looking filly said, "Well what if we don't want to?"
The blue pegasus stopped in front of the filly, her rainbow mane blowing slightly in the wind. The pegasus met eyes with the filly, then punched her full in the face. She fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Anypony else who doesn't want to?" She looked around at the ponies. They were all shaking their heads furiously.

*

"That flag has never come down off that pole. Now, if you can get it down, you can ride home with Pipsqueak here," said Coach Dash, indicating the kid in the truck looking interestedly at the running recruits. "If you can't get it down, well you dirtbags get to run home."
Instantly everypony clustered around the base of the flagpole. They punched, they kicked, they attempted to climb up the pole. But it was too slippy: they couldn't get any grip.
Applebloom waited, catching her breath and watching everypony else make a fool off themselves.
Once they had all given up and were trudging back home, she went up to the flagpole.
"HEY! Come on, recruit!"
Applebloom took the pin out of the bottom of the pole. It tipped over. She trotted to the fallen top and took the flag off from where the flagpole lay. Applebloom laid it at Coach Dash's hooves and hopped into the car.

*

"You can't pick her!" Dash groaned.
"I must," said Professor Sparkle determinedly.
"Pick Diamond Tiara! Silver Spoon! Not Applebloom!"
"I can't. Those who grew up with power, they take it for granted, and abuse it. Those who have never known power, they respect it, and use it wisely."
"Why would you pick her?" Dash groaned. She took a loose grenade from the supplies truck they stood next to, pulled out the trigger, and threw it in the midst of the recruits.
"Grenade!" somepony yelled. Everypony ran. Except Applebloom. She ran towards the grenade and curled up around it, a pained expression on her face.
Nothing happened. Gradually the other recruits returned. The one called Diamond Tiara muttered, "Lucky, dud grenade,"
Dash watched it all, as Professor Sparkle smiled triumphantly she said, "Well, she's still short." She trotted away.