Chapter 1: Assignment Day
It was a bright spring morning in Canterlot, the sun cast a pinkish glow across the cloudless sky and bathed the castle towers in a rosy light. The birds of the Canterlot gardens sung their beautiful springtime songs for everypony to hear. The air was buzzing with excitement; all around the Guard Academy, ponies were setting up decorations, running around calling out instructions to one another and preparing sweet tasting desserts and mouthwatering dishes for later in the evening. It was the day that the ponies who completed basic guard training graduated and were to be assigned to either the Day Guard or the Night Guard by Captain Shining Armor. From there, it was up to General Iron Curtain to give them their placement orders.
Two recruits in particular were very excited; a young, snow white pegasus, with a dark red and black Mohawk, whose cutie mark was a red peace sign and a quiet, midnight blue unicorn mare whose light blue mane was just long enough to cover her face, and a map for a cutie mark. Even though her mane was regulation length, she still successfully hid behind it.
The two ponies strolled slowly through the academy garden, listening to the song birds in the trees. They had been given the day off because of the preparations for the graduation ceremony.
“Peace Trot I can’t believe that today’s the day we graduate! It seems like just yesterday we were crawling through the mud underneath barbed wire!” the quiet unicorn said, trying, and failing, to sound excited.
“That was yesterday Tactic,” he replied, rolling his eyes, “But yea I get what you’re saying. I can’t believe it’s really happening myself, but you know you don’t have to sound so sad about it. Did you really like crawling through all that mud?”
Tactic lightly punched his shoulder as they walked, “Of course not you dork. I’m just nervous.”
He laughed and over-dramatically rubbed his shoulder. They walked in silence for the next few moments, just enjoying the feel of freedom that came with the tranquility of the gardens.
“Where do you think you’re going to be stationed, Peace?” Tactic asked quietly.
“I hope they put me on the Day Guard here in Canterlot. What about you Tac?” he replied, turning his head to look at her.
“I dunno, the idea of going off somewhere sounds nice, to be stationed somewhere like Prance. I don’t really care which Guard they decide to put me in.” she replied.
Peace quickly looked away, red starting seep into his cheeks. They went back to walking in silence, leaving the beautiful gardens behind. Ponies were rushing past them as they looked around at all the decorations that were being set up for the ceremony.
“Why the long faces recruits?” chuckled somepony behind them.
The two recruits spun around and ended up face to face with brick-red Pegasus mare, with an uncombed black and orange mane that just barely met regulations and a cross-hair cutie mark. A pair of goggles hung around her neck, and two ear piercings were on her right ear.
“Geez Sharp! You nearly gave me a heart attack, don’t sneak up on a pony like that,” huffed Peace.
“Hey that’s Sergeant Sharpshot to you recruit,” the mare chuckled, grabbing Peace in a headlock and ruffling his mane with her hoof, “but really bro what’s with the face?”
The Pegasus pulled his head free of her grasp, his eyes darting over to look at Tactic. Sharpshot saw the glance and winked at him, giving him a silent ‘We’ll discuss it later’ look. Tactic gave them a questioning look then shrugged.
“I think he’s nervous or something ma’am,” she said.
“Come on now ya’ll don’t need to be calling me ma’am , makes me feel old.” grumbled Sharpshot
“You’re the one who said not five seconds ago that we were supposed to call you Sergeant Sharpshot,” Peace accused her, “ besides you are technically older than us.”
“Only by two years!” she whined, “Ma’am makes it sound like I’m 30!” Sharpshot grabbed the two recruits in a headlock, “Now no more calling me ma’am, got it?”
“Got it!” the two said in unison as the mare released them.
“What are you even doing awake Sharp?” Tactic asked quietly, “Would have thought a Night Guard would be sleeping right about now.”
“With all this noise going on? Hell no, there’s no way I could sleep through all this. ‘Sides I’m trying to find out if the bar will be open during the after-party,” she replied running a hoof through her mane nervously.
“After-party? Bar? Wait just a darn minute, you’re looking for Whiskey aren’t you?” Peace pointed an accusing hoof at her, switching into his native Appalossian accent.
The pegasus straightened up to her full, short, height, “Am not!”
Tactic looked from one pony to the other, “What’s so bad about her looking for whiskey, Peace? She’s 21 so she can legally drink now, can’t she drink as much whiskey as she wants?” she asked.
Peace let out a snort, “She not looking for the alcoholic beverage Tac. Whiskey is a Day Guard that Sharp’s totally in love with!”
“I am not pipsqueak! I haven’t seen the bastard in a few months and I thought we could catch up over a few shots.” she growled
“Sharp I’m still taller than you,” Peace laughed, “and you so are! I’ve seen the look you two give each other when you guys talk.”
“What would you know about love, dork?” Sharpshot growled, “You can’t even look at the mare you’re crushing on without turning red.”
Peace lowered his head, his ears folding back, “Whatever.” he said, turning to walk away.
“Aw come on bro I didn’t mean it, I swear,” Sharpshot said quietly.
“Whatever!” he replied as he started to stalk off toward the dormitories, “See ya’ll at the ceremony, maybe.”
Sharpshot sighed as she watched him leave, “Dammit!”
She started to go after her friend to make amends, but Tactic stuck her hoof out and caught her. Sharpshot looked her in the eyes, and nodded. It was best to just leave him alone for the time being.
“He’ll cheer up,” Tactic said quietly, “You know how he doesn’t like to be teased like that.”
“Yeah I know, but ya’ll know how I get when ponies do the same to me. Just can’t help but get mad. That’s partly why everypony thinks we’re related ya know. Damn I gotta do something to make this right. I’ll catch ya’ll at the ceremony, alright Tactic?” Sharpshot replied.
Tactic nodded and headed off towards her own dormitory, leaving Sharpshot to contemplate how she was to fix the damage she’s caused to her dear friend.
Chapter 2: Ceremonies and Memories
Evening had fallen upon the Academy grounds, the stars shone brilliantly in the midnight blue sky. Firefly lanterns lit up the courtyard that was now filled with almost a hundred round tables with pure white table cloths, big enough to seat six ponies. Red ribbons were tied around every tree and lantern post, a stage had been put up at the far end of the oval courtyard so that it could be seen no matter where a pony choose to sit. Ponies, young and old, had begun to file into the courtyard.
Sharpshot, dressed in the stylized, dark purple chest plate of the Night Guard, the central gemstone at it’s center polished to a shine, seated herself on a stool at the bar that was near the entrance of the courtyard. As usual, ponies gave her odd looks, the dull red of her coat stood out against the armor’s vibrant purple, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to see properly if she had been wearing her helmet, so she had left it in her room. She stared out at the stage, memories of her own graduation night floating through her mind.
“What can I get you Sarge?” asked the bartender, a dark brown earth pony.
“A shot of whiskey, please. I’m going to need it to make it though General Iron’s speech.” She chuckled as he pushed a full shot glass towards her.
“Isn’t it a bit early to be drinking?” a gruff voice asked off to the left of her.
Sharpshot’s ears perked up and she turned her head toward the voice, allowing a smile as the familiar black stallion approached the bar.
“Did you get hit in the head or something, Whisk? Since when did you care about if it was too early to have a good shot?” she asked him.
Whiskey Stone was an earth pony day that towered over the short Sharpshot,with his black as night coat ponies would automatically assume he was a Night Guard when in reality he had been assigned as a Day Guard, who had a reputation for being a jerk to every pony his didn’t like. Luckily Sharpshot was one of the few ponies he did like.
“Since its you that’s doing the drinking, Shortshot.” he replied, “What are you doing around here anyway Sharp?”
“Gah why must you call me that?” she growled at Whiskey, “I get I’m short, must every pony remind me? Like really come on for pony’s sake.”
“Relax, geez I’m just messing with you,” he chuckled, “ Chill out. I thought you were the happy kind of drunk? You never answered my question by the way.”
“I am the happy kind of drunk, I’m just not drunk yet. This is my first shot... I think. Anyway Peace Trot is graduating tonight. What are you doing here?” she asked as she gulped down her shot of whiskey.
“You forget I was a training instructor for this batch of newbies,” Whiskey chuckled, “So that little punk of a ‘brother’ of your’s is finally graduating? It seems like a lifetime ago we all met.”
“How did you not know Peace was graduating if you were his drill master?” Sharpshot sighed as she heard every pony start to quiet down, “Oh it looks like the Captain is going to start the ceremony.”
At that moment a pale white unicorn, the Captain of the Guard, and a hulking, armored, red earth pony, General Iron Curtain, trotted across the stage and up to the podium,“Good evening every pony!” The Captain greeted. “I’d like to welcome you to this year’s basic training graduation. I won’t waste your time giving a long speech like we know Iron here likes to,” Iron just snorted his displeasure “but I’m sure you’re all eager to get started.” The courtyard was filled with the sound of hoof stamping as Shining Armour cleared his throat, “We have a smaller graduating class this year so this should be over pretty quickly.”
There was more stamping as the bright red earth pony with the Equestrian symbol of power, three red wavy lines with a circle attached to the right side of the upper wave and the left side of the lowest wave, for a cutie mark, wearing copious amounts of brightly hoof-polished armor took the podium. He waved an armored hoof at the crowed, “Let us begin comrades,” he bellowed in his deep, Stalliongrad accent “would each recruit step forward when their name is called.”
“First up is Brawny Charger.” Announced Shining Armour.
Upon hearing his name a large pale blue earth pony trotted up to the podium, saluted his superiors and then stood rigid at attention as Shining placed him in his Guard.
“Recruit you shall be placed on the Night Guard, congratulations!" Said the Captain of the Guard as he shook the now relieved pony's hoof. "Now for your post of occupation."
"Comrade, you shall be stationed in Manehattan." Bellowed the red giant.
The new Night Guard shook hooves with his superiors, snapped to attention and saluted them each in turn before turning 180 degrees and marched off the stage, taking the empty chair at a table full of ponies that Sharpshot assumed were his family.
"Next up is Crystal Charmer!" boomed Shining Armour and a bright, almost a neon, green Pegasus mare trotted up and stood at attention in front of Shining Armour and Iron Curtain.
"Would you like another shot Sarge?"asked the bar pony, pulling her attention away from the recruits last milestone.
"Yes please. Are you really going to drink all of that Whisk?" Sharp gasped as she saw that the bar pony had handed her companion a full bottle of his namesake.
"No I'm gonna drink the neck of it and dump the rest all over your head." Whiskey answered sarcastically "Of course I'm going to drink all of this, maybe not tonight but I will over time, short stuff."
Sharpshot sighed, shook her head and returned her attention to the stage, where a grey unicorn whose name she believed was Lightning Tumble was trotting off.
"What's got you so down, Sharp?" the black stallion huffed as he waved his hoof in front of her face.
"Peace Trot and I got into another mini fight this morning. He picked on me for being short and I got him for not being able to ask out the mare he likes. He walked away with hurt feelings and we haven't spoken since." she replied, sipping on her shot instead of gulping it down as was custom.
"You're point being?" He asked with a confused look on his face. "What's the big deal? Don't siblings fight all the time?"
Sharpshot sighed, chugged down the burning liquid, and handed her glass back to the bar pony for another shot, "We aren't really related, he is just like a brother to me. You forget that I'm an orphan. I hurt him pretty bad this morning, I just really want to fix it tonight. It has to be tonight, because who knows where he'll be stationed and I may not be able to fix it later."
"Shhs!" He whispered intoxicatedly, "I'm trying to watch Peace Trot graduate."
The mare's head snapped around to look at the stage, sure enough Peace Trot was marching across the stage.
"Peace Trot you will be a Day Guard." Announced Shining.
"And you comrade will be stationed here in Canterlot!" Boomed Iron Curtain.
Peace Trot saluted the two ponies, and slowly marched off stage. Sharpshot raised her glass up in his direction then chugged down the shot and whispered to herself. “Congrats Peace!”
“Will he be joining us this evening?” asked Whiskey
“I hope so.” She replied as she set her glass down on the bar top.
Sharpshot watched her metaphorical brother as he sat down at one of the empty tables and looked around as if looking for someone. She raised her hoof in an attempt to get his attention, but his attention was caught when Shinning Armour announced the next recruit.
“Our last recruit for the night is Tactic!” the Captain said as she walked across the stage and stood at attention. “ You are to be a Night Guard!”
“Congratulations comrade, you will be stationed here in Canterlot as well!” The General stated.
Tactic saluted then walked off the stage towards the table that her friend was seated at.
“Why doesn’t she have a last name Sharp?” asked Whiskey as he took a swig of his bottle.
“Orphans don’t have last names, unless they create them themselves, earn them through some amazing action or get married.” Sharpshot replied.
“So thats why you don’t have a last name either!” he chuckled, “Do something amazing Sharp! Then you can be normal.”
“Get stuffed Whiskey!” she snapped as she hopped off her bar stool and headed towards the table Peace Trot and Tactic were sitting at.
He grabbed her hoof and pulled her back “Wait, I’m sorry Sharp. Don’t leave.” The stallion flattened His ears back as he spoke “Really I was just joking.”
“Just shut up Whisk,” she replied shaking her hoof free and turning away, a tear rolling down her cheek.
As she got close Peace Trot looked up, while Tactic stared gloomily at the table cloth.
“Hey Sharp! Can you believe it we’re all stationed here! What are the odds of that happening, I mean really?!” Peace stammered frantically as he got up to give Sharpshot a hug.
“Yeah it’s pretty awesome isn’t it?” She mumbled as she got a face full of his mane. “Why the long face Tac?”
“All the other recruits get to be stationed someplace exciting and I’m stuck in boring old Canterlot!” The young unicorn cried.
Peace Trot’s ears folded back as he pulled away from Sharpshot. “But it’s not all bad we all get to stay together, so we won’t be lonely on days off and stuff.”
“Hey enough moping about, tonight’s a night of celebration!” Sharpshot said as she sat down.
“How many shots did you have?” The two recruits asked at the same time.
“Chill out, I only had three...or four. I can’t remember.” she shrugged as a waiter trotted up to take their orders for dinner.
“What would every pony like to drink, for starters?” he asked.
“She gets a glass of water!” Peace Trot said, pointing a hoof at Sharpshot, “and I’ll have a glass of plain old apple cider.”
“Cider for me too, please.” giggled Tactic.
The waiter nodded his head and walked off towards the kitchen. Sharpshot ducked her head as Peace Trot glared at her for how much she’d drunk.
“I got ya’ll something, ya know for graduating and everything.” She mumbled as she tugged two bags out of her saddle-bag and placed them on the table.
“Sharp you didn’t have to get me anything.” Squeaked Tactic as her dark blue magic aura picked up a bag and drew it closer to her.
“Well it’s not everyday you become a part of the Guard, ya know.” She replied, running a hoof through her mane nervously. “Go ahead and open ‘em.”
With that they opened up the bags and dumped the contents carefully onto the tabletop. Out of the bags came two identical silver pocket watches. On the top was the Equestrian Coat of Arms: the two Princesses raising the sun and moon, represented in a yin yang fashion.
“Open them up,” Sharpshot said as the waiter returned with their drinks, “then tell me what you think.”
Peace Trot opened his, there was a single word engraved on the lid of the watch: ‘Family’ with his and her cutie mark engraved underneath it. Tactic then opened her’s to find all three of their cutie marks engraved upon the lid.
Peace Trot hopped of his chair, went around the table and gave Sharpshot a back breaking hug, “Sharp!”
Choking and spilling some of her water she coughed. “Does this mean you forgive me for this morning, Peace?”
He nodded his head, continuing his bear-hug.
“Thank you so much Sharpshot! Its so awesome.” Squeaked Tactic.
“It was nothing, I have one too.” She said, pulling out her own, which had a picture of the three of them from when they were all younger on the inside.
“May I take your orders?” The waiter said as he reappeared at the table.
They gave him their orders and went back to talking. “Sharp, why do you look so sad?” Asked Peace. Sharpshot shook her head, trying to wave the matter off. “Come on, what’s wrong?” He demanded smacking his hoof on the edge of the table.
“Whiskey was being a jerk.” She sighed in reply.
“What did he say?” Inquired Tactic “Did he call you short again?”
“Yes but that’s not what’s wrong. He asked why you didn’t have a last name Tac, and I told him how orphan ponies don’t have last names till they’re married, or the make up their own, or do something amazing. He laughed and told me to do something amazing to get a last name so I’d be ‘normal’.” She whimpered, putting her head down on the table.
“Where is he?! Why I outta knock his light out!” Peace Trot said, rearing out of his chair to look around for the black stallion that had hurt his dear friend.
Sharpshot waved her hoof. “Sit down, bro. It doesn’t matter anyway.”
“Yes it does!” he replied, slamming his hooves down on the table as he sat back down. “Nobody should be saying those kind of things to you!”
“Shut up Peace!” Tactic said loudly. “Beating up our drill master won’t solve anything.”
Peace Trot quieted down and took a sip of his cider. “Now what’s so great about being ‘normal’ Sharpshot? It’s pretty boring if you ask me.” The unicorn chuckled, causing a small smile to appear on the red pegasus’ face. “Seriously though, don’t let him get you down.”
Sharpshot nodded her head and took a drink from her water glass. Still fuming, Peace Trot took a huge swig of cider, spilling some on the table cloth.
“Here are your meals.” Announced the waiter as he returned carrying three platters of food on his back.
Once the food was placed on the table the two younger ponies tore into their meals.
“You’d think the Guard was starving you guys.” Sharpshot chuckled, “If ya’ll choke I’m not saving your sorry rumps.”
The two let out a choked laugh and slowed down considerably. “Why aren’t you eating Sharp?” Asked Peace Trot as he swallowed a leaf of lettuce, “Are you feeling ok?”
“I’m just not hungry anymore, I’m really just tired.” She replied, “I think I’m going to go to bed. I’ll see ya’ll tomorrow sometime.”
With that, the mare got out of her seat and headed toward the mare’s barracks.
“Sharp! Hey wait up Sharp!” A gruff voice huffed.
Sharp turned around to see Whiskey racing towards her. “What do you want, I’m heading to bed.”
“Hm maybe I could join you in bed.” He winked as he got close. “Just kidding. Just let me apologize Sharpshot. Look I’m really sorry for what I said earlier. Can you forgive me?”
“Like I said earlier get stuffed Whiskey. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to bed.” Sharpshot growled as she turned and walked away, flicking him in the face with her tail and leaving the black stallion speechless. It wasn’t in Sharpshot’s nature to hold a grudge or go to bed early.
“I hope she forgives me soon.” Whiskey whispered to himself as he watched her fade into the darkness outside of the brightly lit space of the ceremony area.
