"Is it time yet sister?" asked Luna laying on her back on a giant pillow in front of the desk Celestia was working at, "Is it finally time to raise the moon?"
"Patience, Luna," replied Celestia working on signing mass produced enlistment letters due to the recent increase in ponies signing up for the Royal Guard. It was the least she could do for all of the young colts and stallions answering the call of duty because of the threat of Warlord Bloodmoon returning and waging war on all of Equestria. "About five more minutes and it will be time. I won't be going to bed until I've signed every last letter regardless."
It was the evening of the Summer Sun Celebration and Princess Luna eagerly awaited the moment in which her older sister would lower the sun in order for her to, once again, raise her beautiful moon. Not a single cloud was in the sky, which made her all the more excited because she knew that meant that the stars would be out adding to her night sky's beauty.
"How was your day sister?" questioned Luna in order to waste time.
"I've spent most of the day doing exactly what I'm doing right now." Replied Celestia, "The only time I set hoof outside this room was this morning when I raised the sun. What I wouldn't give to have spent the day in celebrating with my subjects. But these are troubled times, I guess, and Equestria needs leadership now more than ever."
"Why not get Princess Twilight to help you?"
"The time for her to play her part is coming, but for now I wanted her to spend more time with her friends so I sent her back to Ponyville for the day. I want for her to be relaxed for what I have planned for her to do should the Empire of the Sands resurface."
"What exactly will you be having her do?"
"When the time comes, we will sit down and discuss it together but for now I'd like to keep it to myself... Have you even started on signing your letters Luna?"
"I have the entire night to do that, sister."
"Are you forgetting that tonight is the shortest night of the year and that on top of these letters you have your nightly duties to perform."
"All of the letters will be finished by the morning, sister," said Luna rolling over onto her stomach, "don't worry about them."
"Uh-huh," replied Celestia coming out from behind her desk, "Come on then, it's time."
"Finally!" shouted Luna springing up from her pillow in excitement and running up to her sister to join her as they both headed out onto the balcony overlooking the city of Canterlot which was patiently awaiting the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon.
Celestia raised her horn so that it was perfectly vertical pointing straight at the sun and began to use her magic to move it slowly across the sky towards the horizon. The sky's colors gradually changed from blue to red to black as it hid itself underneath the mountains where the sky met the land. One by one the stars began to appear in the sky until all of the stars were out and accounted for awaiting the moon's grand arrival.
Princess Celestia stepped to the side in order to make way for her sister to finally raise her moon. Princess Luna joyfully ran up next to her sister and pointed her horn towards the opposite horizon, closed her eyes, and began to use her magic to raise the moon. She slowly lifter her horn until it was perfectly vertical indicating that the moon was at just the right place in the sky when she heard, "Luna, did you do that?"
Princess Luna opened her eyes to see the moon bright red in color as if it was dragged through a river of blood shining into her eyes menacingly. Thoughts began running through her mind as she questioned as to why her moon ended up like this. Was it something she did differently?
"W-what is this?" she whimpered, "M-my moon."
Her thoughts suddenly came to a grinding halt as an unbearable ringing noise began to sound throughout her mind bad enough to cause her physical pain. She fell to the ground screaming out in agony holding her head tightly trying to make the pain stop.
"Guards!" shouted Celestia dropping down and cradling Luna's head in her hooves, "Please, somepony, anypony! Help!"
"What's going on? What's all the commotion?"
"It's the moon. It's... red."
"What? No way. Let me see... It is!"
"I've never seen it do that before."
"What do you think it could mean?"
"Alright, alright, get back in your racks, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow. I'm sure we'll have more information about what is happening in the morning."
"Yes, sergeant, right away."
"Alright, everypony, listen up!" a white stallion dressed in royal guard armor stepped into a room of other ponies dress the same way holding up a piece of paper with names listed on it. "It's the moment you've all been waiting for! When I read your name roger up and I will tell you where you are going for your first primary duty station! You will then make your way to me to obtain your orders!"
Swift Steel sat in his shining Royal Guard armor among the newly trained class of lancers eagerly awaiting to hear where his first duty station was going to take him.
"Lancer Spearpoint!"
"Here sergeant!"
"First Royal Guard Protection Force Canterlot, Equestria. Royalty Protection Battalion two six, Personal Body Guard Duty!"
The whole room suddenly erupted in sounds of awe. RPB-26 was known for their body guards being the princesses personal body guards but it wasn't a surprise for Swift Steel that Spearpoint was chosen for the unit. Normally the best of the class was chosen to fill vacant positions in the unit and Spearpoint was the honor grad. Throughout the school they went through he would always come out on top. It was almost as if he was born to be a lancer in the Royal Guard. But Swift Steel wasn't disappointed that he didn't get the position. He knew that Personal Body Guard Duty meant he would spend most of his time cooped up in Canterlot guarding the castle. Swift Steel didn't want that. He wanted to be out on the front lines. He wanted to see the world.
"Lancer Blaze, Azure!"
"Here sergeant!"
"Second Royal Guard Offensive Force Manehattan, Equestria. Royal Offensive Battalion two, Royal Guard Rapid Response Force."
Exactly like that.
Manehattan was actually one of the cities he wanted to visit most and on top of that the RGRRF is known for being the first to be deployed anywhere in the world at a moments notice. He could not ask for a better first unit and he was hoping that since they were in need of one lancer, hopefully they needed a second.
"Lancer Steel, Swift!"
Swift Steel's ears twitched out of excitement for hearing his name. It meant that he would finally hear what his first duty station would be.
"Here sergeant!" he replied.
The sergeant looked over the paper once, twice, before saying in an uncertain tone, "First Royal Guard Protection Force Canterlot, Equestria. Foxtrot."
Swift Steel sat confused. Was that all? What was Foxtrot?
"Well, Steel?" the sergeant resumed, "Are you done sitting there looking dumb? Come get your orders."
Swift Steel rose to his hooves and began walking to the front of the room towards the sergeant holding his orders. As he did the eyes of all of his peers fell upon him in wonder. He could tell they were asking the same questions he was. He didn't even need to hear the whispers. None of them had ever heard of an unit named "Foxtrot."
When he arrived at the sergeant, the sergeant extended the paper on which contained his orders to which Swift Steel sat there staring at it. Questioning it in his mind.
"Well?" said the sergeant, "Take it already."
Swift Steel reached out and took the paper in his hoof.
"Sergeant," replied Swift Steel, "What is Foxtrot?"
"To be honest with you, I haven't heard of it," answered his sergeant. "All I can tell you to do is follow your orders and find who you're supposed to report to. I'm sure whoever it may be knows more about Foxtrot than any of us here."
Swift Steel turned and headed back to his seat among his peers and the sergeant continued to read names and hand out orders. When he had finally sat down he took another look at his orders which read,
Lancer Swift Steel,
You are to report to Swordspony, Sergeant Scar of 1st RGPF Canterlot, Equestria "Foxtrot" building number CC203 no later than 24 hours after receiving these orders.
The building number shone a bit of light on his situation. He knew that the prefix 'CC' meant that the building he had to report to was actually inside Canterlot Castle but where inside the castle he did not know. Even though for the most part he had been training in the Equestrian capitol of Canterlot, he had yet to enter the main castle. Especially since there was an increase in security. Nopony was even allowed close to the castle unless they had an official reason to or they were a very small handful of ponies who the princesses themselves selected who were given a right to come and go as they pleased. These special slots were reserved for their loved one's and top trusted advisers. Swift Steel knew that a newly trained lancer such as himself would have trouble getting in at the gate which was why he didn't waste any time waiting around after they were finally dismissed from getting their orders. He had skipped saying his final goodbyes to his friends he had made through training in order to go back to his room to pack his things for Canterlot Castle.
When he got there he began to fill his bag with extra uniform items, issued gear, and equipment. Over his shoulder he slung his trusty full metal spear that had carried him through lancer school. He trotted over to his drawers to get the his last item of importance to him. A picture of a beautiful young mare with a pure white coat, blonde hair, and crystal blue eyes. Swift Steel looked at the picture a while before taking off his helmet to put it inside. Afterwards he put his helmet back on and trotted out the doorway closing the door behind him leaving him on the busy streets of Canterlot.
Everywhere the ponies of Canterlot were joyfully at work with the construction and restoration of the city. It had been two years since the day the city had been attacked by a mysterious dragon and what seemed to be ghost ponies and Canterlot seemed to be finally returning to it's former glory, if not better. Everywhere he trotted, Swift Steel could overhear talk of the previous night's red moon. From what he could hear, nopony new why it happened and the princesses have yet to inform them of what it meant, if it meant anything at all.
As Swift Steel made his way through the crowd it seemed to thin until he was left in an large open area where nopony was in sight between him and the steps leading to Canterlot Castle which were guarded by two other members of the Royal Guard each carry a more advanced spear than the one he was carrying. Ever since the order came down to lock everypony except a select few came down nopony dared come close to the main castle. Nopony had a reason to anyways.
Swift Steel shyly took his first step into the open area which immediately caught the guard's attention and their watchful eyes snapped to him as he continued to approach them. When he got to the guards they moved their spears to block his path.
"Halt," said one of the guards, "What is your purpose here?"
Before Swift Steel could say anything he was interrupted by another guardspony from behind him shouting, "Make way! For the Queen and the Princess of the north approach!"
He turned around to see Queen Galacia accompanied by her daughter, Princess Snowblind, and four guardsponies. Immediately Swift Steel stepped to the side and bowed before them and the two guards at the stairs removed their spears and did the same as Queen Galacia and Princess Snowblind passed by.
Swift Steel could hear somepony stop as they were walking by and he tilted his head up to see who it was. He saw Princess Snowblind staring back at him with a slight smile on her face.
"Come, Snowblind," said Queen Galacia, "We have urgent matters to attend to."
Princess Snowblind's gaze quickly shifted from him to her mother walking up the steps to Canterlot Castle. "Coming mother!" she shouted as she ran to catch up to her mother.
When both had left the presence of the guards, they returned to their original standing positions as Swift Steel watched Snowblind trot off wondering what he had done to catch her eye.
"What is your purpose here?" asked the guards yet again.
Swift Steel looked back at the guards in from of him and lifted up his orders saying, "I have been given orders to report to a Sergeant Scar in building CC203."
The guard on the left snatched the paper from him and looked it over before handing it back over to him.
"New to the guard, huh?" asked the guard. "What are the chances that new blood like you would be assigned to Foxtrot with Sergeant Scar?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not even quite sure what Foxtrot is." said Swift Steel, "I've asked around but nopony has ever heard of it"
"I don't blame them. After all it did only just form about a week ago and information from within the castle doesn't flow out of it as well anymore now that security has been raised."
"Foxtrot is just now forming?"
"You heard me right, and you're it's very first lancer. You've got a pretty big gap to fill. Especially since it's just you, Sergeant Scar, and... well... Stella so far."
"Stella?"
"You'll see her when you get there." said the guardspony stepping aside to let Swift Steel through, "Head up the stairs and when you get to the top ignore the doors. Turn left and follow the path down another set of stairs. When you get to the bottom there'll be a door that says 'Foxtrot.' That's Foxtrot's guardhouse. Sergeant Scar should be in there. At least you should hope he's in there."
"Thanks, I guess," replied Swift Steel beginning to head up the stairs.
"Good luck kid!" he heard the guard yell at him as he made the climb. When he got to the top he stood and marveled at the gigantic doors which lead to the main castle before him. They two giant white doors towered before him each of them carved from the purest of marble with many intricate details depicting a sun and a moon on them. Swift Steel could only wonder what was behind them and when he would finally get a chance to see the secrets within.
Swift Steel did as the guard told him and turned to the left and followed the path that was there leading along the side of the castle leading to a set of stairs going down the castle's side. As he descended the stairs with all of his gear clanking in his bags at his side and his spear slung atop his right shoulder. It almost seemed as if he was descending into some basement or a dungeon. When he arrived at the bottom of the stairs a slightly aged door stood in front of him with a sign which read, 'Foxtrot.' It was clear that he had finally arrived at his destination but he was expecting so much more out of his first unit.
Slowly he reached out, grabbed the door knob and began opening the door enough to stick his head through the crack. When he peaked inside the room was pitch black until a set of two menacing yellow eyes appeared out of the darkness along with an unwelcoming growl.
Swift Steel quickly retracted his head and closed the door in a panic. He stepped back to look at the door and check his surroundings to see if he accidentally stummbled upon the wrong door but he knew he had followed the guard's directions exactly and there were no other doors around to be seen.
Regretfully he reached out once again and took a hold of the door knob only this time he swung it open with a force in order to shine the outside light onto the thing that was growling at him in order to identify it. When the light rushed into the room it landed on an unhappy timberwolf the size of an mature dog which immediately rose from it's position laying on the floor and charged at him barking and snarling.
Swift Steel, out of fear, threw his gear bag to the floor and unslung his spear ready to strike at the monster before it got to him when a voice also came out of the darkness.
"Stella, yield!"
The timberwolf stopped dead in it's tracks right in front of the tip of Swift Steel's spear, looking past it into his eyes as he looked into it's. Clearly it's intent was to maim him and nothing was going to stop it, not even the fear of death. But it did stop, and for nothing more than a simple command. It was clear that whoever's voice that command came from the timberwolf had an abundance of respect for.
Soon later the light's to the room turned on and there standing in front of him was a pony of the royal guard, who looked a lot like he did, only with an eye patch across his left eye failing to hide a massive scar which began from the tip of his brow and ended right above his cheek.
"You must be our new lancer..." he said looking Swift Steel up and down, "looks like you dropped your gear..."
Swift Steel, still holding his spear towards the growling timberwolf, looked down from the pony at his gear bag lying on the ground.
"Well,' said the pony, "Pick it up and get in here. Don't worry Stella doesn't bite unless I tell her to."
Swift Steel raised his spear, reached down, and picked up his gear bag before proceeding into the room past the growling timberwolf, closing the door behind him.
"Stella?" Swift Steel said looking at the timberwolf who was now more relaxed sitting next to the scarred pony.
"It's her name," answered the pony, "She's a part of the unit too, one of the first of the royal guard's new K9 division despite the fact that she's a timberwolf." The timberwolf and the pony both looked at each other. "I found her on one of my patrols through the Everfree forest. She was still just a puppy then, if that's what you call baby timberwolves. I fed her a bit and she followed me out of the forest so I decided to keep her and we've been inseparable since then. Later, when the idea of K9 operatives in the guard was still fresh in everyone's heads, I proved to them that she would be a valuable asset and that's how we got where we are now."
"That must mean you're Sergeant Scar."
"The one and only," He replied, "and this, so far, is Foxtrot."
"Where is everypony else?"
"Simply put, not here yet,"
"Where are they then?"
"Son, you ask a whole lot of questions," Sergeant Scar replied turning around to sit down at a desk on the far side of the room with an irritated tone in his voice, Stella followed him and sat next to him still starring at Swift Steel. "I was told just about as much about this unit as you were when you heard about it, okay?"
Swift Steel hung his head low. Sergeant Scar had made it known that he had already overstayed his welcome.
A moment of silence passed until Sergeant Scar spoke again pointing to a group of six lockers against the left wall saying, "You can put your gear in those lockers over there. So far the only duty we've been given has been manning guard posts so be sure to keep your armor polished and clean. I've been overworked the last couple of posts because I have been the only one in the unit for a while so next time around it will be your turn." Sergeant Scar then pointed to a group of bunk beds across the room. "You can take your choice of the racks over there. Once your settled in just take a seat somewhere and do whatever it is that you do in your spare time just try not to bother me doing it."
Swift Steel went and put his gear in the locker next to Sergeant Scar's then went, sat down at a desk along the right side of the room, and began starring at the wall. It wasn't long before his head fell and came to rest on the desk in front of him. So far his experience in the guard had been far from what he expected it to be. He could hear what sounded like claws walking across the room stopping next to him on his left side. He lifted his head to see what it was only to see Stella sitting there staring at him with her bright yellow eyes.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Stella just sat there starring at him for a while until she walked away once more.
Swift Steel lowered his head down to the desk once more until the clicking of Stella's claws on the floor returned once more a few moments later again stopping just to his left.
Swift Steel looked up once again to see that Stella was now sitting there with a tennis ball in her mouth placing it on the floor in front of him.
It was very clear she wanted to start a game of fetch with him. Swift Steel looked over at Sergeant Scar to see that he was still sitting at his desk focused on whatever it was that he was doing not caring much about what Stella got herself into.
Swift Steel bent down, picked up the ball, and tossed it across the room. Stella ran after it immediately in hot pursuit catching it in her mouth before it reached the other side of the room and brought it back to Swift Steel dropping it at his hooves once again and starring at him with her bright yellow eyes waiting for him to throw it once more. Swift Steel reached down, pat Stella on the head, picked up the ball and threw it across the room once more watching Stella run after it again and again.
"Welcome to Foxtrot," he whispered to himself.
