Finding Hope: Hope is Lost

        "There! All signed up!" Shining Armor happily announced "We just need to make armor that fits you and we will be good!" Shining took me down to the black smith's forge to get armor made for me.

        Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself! My name is Joshua Fowls. Im six feet tall. I'm also 22 years old. I just joined the Canterlot Royal Guard. I am a human. How I got in Equestria im not entirely sure. Last thing I remember was I went to be d one night and when I woke up I was in a Canterlot hospital bed. That was little more than a year ago.

        We approached the blacksmith. He was a brown stallion with a black mane just a little shorter than my friend (and now boss) Shining Armor. His cutie mark was a hammer and anvil. The wall behind him was full of weapons and armor.

        "Ah Shining! Good ta see ya!" The stalllion stepped over to us "Ah is this that creature you were talkin bout?"

        "Yeah, this is Josh. He is a human," Shining exlaimed

        "Nice ta meet ya Josh! My name's Ebony Mane!" He announced "Now It'll take some time befor your armor is ready but you can pick out your weapon from the shelf."

        "Most of the guards get spears or war axes," Shining announced

        I walked up to the shelf gazing over each weapon. None of them really appealed to me. Near the end of the wall though something caught my eye. It was a small sword, three quarters the size of my arm.

        "How about this one?" I asked

        "Ah the small sword. Easily conceled but deadly weapon," Ebony said "Tose go for about 20 bits but since its your first weapon you can have it."

        "Thanks!" I strapped its sheeth to my belt.

        "Well now we can go to the barracks,"Shining said "Heres your key."

        We headed out into the hallway and continued down towards the barracks. It was a large room with six sets of bunk beds, a few wooden tables and a small stone fireplace. It may not be much but after being a homeless alien creature in Canterlot for a year it was pretty much everything.

        "Well your armor should be ready in half an hour," Shining exclaimed "After you go pick it up you can head out to the courtyard where we are working on drills then you will be assigned to your first assignment."

        "Alrighty then captain!" I saluted as taught in training.

        Shinign left. I unpacked my stuff and placed them in the chest infront of my bed. It wasn't much, just an extra blanket, some casual clothing and a gold heart shaped locket the size of my palm.

        In the locket there where pictures of two very beutiful human women. One with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes and a hypnotizing light blue dress. The other had curly blonde hair and saphire blue eyes and she wore a casual tee-shirt and jeans. I don't know why I kept the locket, I guess it just had some conections to who I used to be and maybe I can get my memories back.

        When I finally looked down at my watch I realized 20 minutes had passed and I better go down to pick up my armor. The guards would wave at me and say "Welcome to the herd, Newblood." which was their way of saying Hello to the new recruits. As I approached the smithery I could see Ebony working away on some armor.

        "Hey there Newblood!" He greeted me as I entered "Still working on your guantlets. I've never really worked on human hands before so these will take much longer."

        "How much longer?" I asked "A few more hours?"

        "Try days!" Ebony Explained "I didnt have enough metal to give you the regualr gurd attire so I did the next best thin and gave you a humanized version of our assassin armor."

        I looked over to the human mannequin holding some armor. It was still amde from the regular Gold-Steel alloy as the other armor but less of it. It had a short cape made from brown fabric. The same fabric drapped down both sides of the waist where he would most likey conceal his sword in. It didnt include a helmet rather a brown fabric hood.

        "This is some really cool stuff Ebony!" I complimented

        "Whoah there your in the Royal Canterlot Army now," Ebony stated "You gotta go by codemanes!"

        "Okay, whats mine?" I aksed

        "What are ya, a parasprite?" Ebony said "Newblood, New recruits get the name Newblood until a new Newblood comes along then you make your own codename, Captains code name is Big Dipper and his right hand commander is the Little Dipper. An apprentice blacksmith is Ironblood while a mastered one is Steelblood and a heavily experienced one like me is Golden Arms. Now you should be filled in."

        "Wow. Thats a little confusing but I think I got it!" I said "Well i'll be of to training, see ya later Golden."

        "Come back wednesday for your guantlets,Newblood!" I hollered as I ran through the palace towards the courtyard. It was quite the workout on its own. The courtyard was located on the opposite side of the palace. When I arrived I saw about a dozen groups of three or more all training in a different way.

        "Ah Newblood! Have you familiarized yourself with the codename system yet?" Shining came running up behind me.

        "Yes I have Big Dipper!" I chuckled at myself even saying the name

        "Good, I'll be introducing you to your team in a moment and you will need to know the system." He announced as a group of four ponies stepped up behind him "This is Little Dipper, My second in command. She will be dicaplining your group."

        "So you better watch your back maggot!" The small grey furred pegasus mare had a surprizingly masculen voice.

        "My name is Jade Hoof but everybody just calls me Firework!" A green pegasus mare from behind the group called up "It's because im kindof an explosions expert!"

        "The names lock'n'load and I have a PHD in Forensic and Physiologist sciences." A unicorn stallion with light blue fur trotted to the front.

        "And i'm lone wolf. Just shut up and mind your own buisness and us two will get along fine." A scary voice from behind me came bomming, she was an earth pony, white fur and a black mane "Oh and my special talent is camofluage, hiding and spying. Generally sneaky stuff."

        "Well hi guys! I'm Josh er... um Newblood and I like to specialize in Strategic positioning and single handed combat."

        "Well and that bad maggot because im alredy this groups stratigist, so why dont you take your toothpick of a sword and LISTEN TO ME, GOT THAT MAGGOT?!?!?!" Little Dipper hollered right in my face.

        "Eep!" was all I could get out. This was going to be a long day!