Chapter 1, Dream Come True?
The sun was setting over Canterlot as Princess Celestia brought it down so that her sister could bring out the night. The orange glow made the otherwise vibrant city look even more beautiful than usual. All the beauty in the world could not stop Quick Wits as he trotted on the main street down towards the castle, well more like skipped and his amber eyes shown with glee as vibrant as the city itself and he wore one of the sillies grins possible. The light gray unicorn walked with purpose, his naval blue mane flowing in the light breeze, passing one district after the other. To anyone passing, he looked ridiculous, but Quick couldn't care less about what other thought of him. He had just finished school earlier that day and couldn't wait to sign up for the Royal Guard, he was going to join the guard and nothing could stop him!
Well, maybe something like the ones staffing the sign-up both closing up shop. He ran as fast as his legs allowed, which still wasn't very fast, and shouted. "Wait!"
The two white stallions in golden armor looked up from their packing, just to see a young colt nearing them, panting. They gave each other unsure looks like the one on the left spoke. "Can we... help you, kid?"
Quick slowed down as he got close, trying to catch his breath."I, pant, wanted to, huff, sign up, hah, for, the Royal Guard." He really regretted not getting enough training, he really needed to work out more. Well, more like at all. When was the last time he actually trained? One year? Three years? He couldn't remember. Ah well, he just needed to stop reading all those books and get out of the door. Easy, right?
The voice of the two guards brought the colt back from his musings. "...You do realize we just finished packing everything, right?"
Quick did the only thing left to do, he sat down and gave the two guards his best puppy eyes. His eyes also reflected the last rays of sunlight, making them appear to shine. Of course, the puppy eyes were incomplete without a pout, so, a pout was necessary. Yep. "Bu-bu-but..."
All in all, the guards were very uncomfortable. They felt like they just kicked a puppy. "H-hey, kid, why don't you come back tomorrow? How does that sound?"
Quick just hung his head and sighed. "I guess. I just hoped I could join the Night Guard the day I finished school..." He turned and was just about to head home when one of the guards stopped him.
"You know, if it's the Night Guard you wanna join, I think they should be here soon. Most just want to join the Solar Guard. Actually, come to think of it, you might be the first non-thestrals to want to sign up to the Night Guard. I think?"
The colt almost wanted to pounce on the guard, but he had to stop himself, he was going to become a guard and guards don't pounce on others, well, except criminals, and maybe their special somepony. They were professional, and if he wanted to be a guard, he, too, had to be professional. Well, it was still a long way until he became a full-blown guard, so maybe he could get away with it?
Alas, he never got his chance, the Solar guards bid their farewell and left. "Should we have told him how hard the Night Guards are at recruits?"
They paused for a bit and looked at each other as if they needed to think it through. Both spoke up as they reached their conclusion. "Nah."
It took longer than Quick had hoped and he questioned the guards' sense of 'soon'. But after little under an hour, a thestral mare neared. She wore a bored look as she grumbled about getting the most boring duty a Nightguard could get, waiting for non-existent ponies to sign-up to the Night Guard.
As she got closer she noticed the colt near the sign-up booth, sleeping. She gave him a questioning look but shrugged and got everything set up if somepony, against all chances, did come. As a custom, the one that got somepony signed-up also got to train said pony, probably the only reason why anypony would ever want this shift.
After a few minutes of doing nothing, Moon Blossom got tired of hearing the snoring colt and pushed him awake. "Hey! Wake up, kid!"
Quick groggily opened his eyes not really wanting to wake up. "Huh, wha-? 'm 'wake." As soon as his mind rebooted, his eyes shot up. "Oh no no no! I fell asleep! I probably missed the signup!" In his still slightly sleepy condition, he didn't notice the mare next to him as he threw his front hooves up knocking her jaw.
"Ow! Hey, what do you think you're doing?" The irritated thestral growled.
Quick flinched away from the mare, quickly apologizing for accidentally hitting her. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see," Upon seeing the armored mare, he gulped, realizing he more or less assaulted a Guard. "Wait. You aren't by any chance the one to sign up for the guard, are you?" He said as his eyes lit up with glee, with a small, barely contained, grin.
Blossom just sighed. "If you are looking to join the Solar Guard, you will have to come back in the morning. The recruitment center will be open every day this week. If you are unable to come under this period, you are welcome next month. " She said matter-of-factly in a way that told Quick that she had had many times to practice it to sound as monotonous as possible.
"Um, actually, I'm looking to join the Lunar Guard."
"Well in that case, just sign on here." Blossom gave Quick a fanged smile and a cold chuckle that sent shivers down the boy's spine as he gave her the fully signed document. She wrote down her own name and rank on an empty line before putting it down in the sign blankets box. "Training starts on Monday, recruit. You'll show up in front of the castle gates before 9 PM, where you will be escorted to your new room. You will get thirty minutes to unpack your personal belongings before we'll get you your uniform, some polish, and some other knickknacks. After that training starts, I recommend that you're well-rested when you come."
Quick stared at the thestral for a moment. "…Right. Wait, first on Monday? Aw, but it's just Wednesday today! I was hoping to start as soon as possible."
The mare just chuckled. "Well, if I were you I'd try to start to change your sleeping habits."