The Trials we endure
Prologue:

We all go through some tough horseapples in our lifetime. Whether we are young or old, we deal with our lives one way or another. Sometimes the best things come from our mistakes and fails. Sometimes… we endure pain and loss, just to get the real experience of life itself and live it to its full. Anypony living a life can say that they are happy with their lives, needing nothing more than their jobs, cutie marks, family and health.

I wish that for everypony, especially those that cannot have it all but that can have only one. I make sure that in this little town I call home, that a single pony can have some happiness. I endure pain, loss, humiliation, doubt and fear, just to make sure others don’t.

I took the mantle as Mare-Do-Well so that the ponies in Ponyville can have happiness. I may be young but that hasn’t slowed me down nor has it held me back from saving and caring for so many lives.

However, my time as Mare-Do-Well has been only recent. In six months of being the masked vigilante, I have been feared and respected by many ponies, many of whom are my family and my friends. But there are times where I wish I wasn’t her… the pony behind the mask. I wish that another can take my place and protect my fellow ponies like me. I wish to take a break and spend time with my family, with my friends and relax away.

But sadly… that won’t happen any time soon. Mare-Do-Well is never tired, she never quits, never backs down and is always seen saving ponies or stopping evil from happening. The pain won’t slow her down and she won’t show her weakness. She has endured her training and she will endure anything that she can receive. My time didn't start out as her, I spent my time preparing to become her.
I spent a year and a half under training to get where I am. I studied under the guard as well, formerly as a martial arts class. From the time I signed up from school, I learned how to fight and defend myself from anypony. It wasn’t till I finished my class did I take a private lesson from the Lunar Guards. Why the most ruthless, cunning and even deadly guards in Equestria even bothered with a 12 year old filly? Well… lets just say that I really had to endure… much, much pain and suffering before I even could speak to the Master.

A filly getting beaten down without consequences? Pfft! These freakin guards didn’t hold back, especially with their master and even Princess Luna watching. Why she let it happen? I begged them to let me learn their ways. I didn’t want to be a filly with a few moves and styles in all. I wanted to be a pony who can learn combat, agility, endure pain and show strength.

It wasn’t easy, I will say that. It took me a month to let me talk to them about training under their master and almost two weeks later to let them be merciless on me. A filly asking for a beat down? Yeah… Princess Luna would get a kick out of it… and she did. It took her awhile to get her mouth of the floor but she did speak to me on why I wanted to do this.

To be honest, I didn’t really know how or why I wanted to join the guard. Not because I was weak or because I like getting my flank kicked and anything else, but I felt like I needed to do something. I needed to feel protected, as well as protect others. I didn’t make sense at first to both of us, but Princess Luna understood.

“With all the trouble that Ponyville receives,” she spoke to me. “You feel that you want to protect yourself and others when trouble happens.” It’s true, that Ponyville get into trouble more often than other parts, especially like Manehattan. We have had swarms of bugs, Timberwolves, Deities of Legends, Ursa Minor, Dragons, and more come into that little town.

It got a bit better when Twilight became Princess along with her friends, who are the Elements of Harmony; they are often the ones who handling all the dangers. However, there are times when they are elsewhere and they can’t help us. And they certainly can’t always be protecting us forever.

It gets to a point that now, I actually fear secretly that I might not wake up tomorrow. Not because of gods, or creatures that will come and eat me and kill everypony, but because we all rely on six mares to handle it all.

My friends and I got attacked at Canterlot when the Changeling Evasion happened two years ago. We weren’t hit but we were tied and where about to have our love taken away. I didn’t want to feel helpless… not anymore.

It took a week to get a word from Princess Luna to let me do this. However, this had to be kept under the table, not to mention excuses on why I would be in Canterlot a lot. I got a trainer during the weekend and would stay there until they dropped me off at home, Monday morning to go to school.

But I think Luna really understood what I wanted. She warned me however, that unlike the Royal guard, her guards were trained under merciless, harsh and brutal training. They did that because the Lunar Guards deal with creatures of the night and its traditions to have always been stronger than the Solar Guards. Ever since the Night ponies or ‘Children of the Night’ as there often called, went nearly extinct at the fall of Nightmare Moon by the Solar Guards.

I was given a chance to back out and to never come again if I choose. To live a normal, preteen filly life with my friends and family. I could still have that but it won’t be the same, that Princess Luna could confirm.

Many of the Lunar Guards where chosen at young ages to practice and learn combat. Than they would be given chances to back out or continue their training. Those that backed out, where often seen as different but stable. Those that stayed in training were considered the Outcasts.

She gave me a single day and night to think it over. I would have to miss weekends, summer vacation and a lot of my time, just to train hard. I was not sure of myself that day. I would train under a single master and learn from him only. I would be given tests that will determine my strengths, weakness, and will push my body to its limit. However before she left, she did ask me something and it is something that I will never forget, because I will never say no to it.

“Is all of this worth it?”

The single question caught me off guard. I was about to answer yes, almost right away. I wanted to protect my family and friends. But I also knew there was going to be a price to pay.

My family would see me as a changed pony. A strong willed but scary looking pony. My friends would leave me, thinking that I abandon them, just to train myself to protect them from evils. But would they still even be friends if they saw me as a tough, uncaring, cold mare and not a sweet innocent little filly?

I had stayed locked in my room, staring blankly at my ceiling and wondering what should I do. I often questioned myself, a thousand of them running through my head like the Running of the Leaves races. Why should I continue this? Why should I endure pain just to protect myself? Why should I do all this to protect them?

I guess the biggest question is what will become of me when I start my training? What will change me so that I become an… Outcast or an alien to my family and friends?

Nothing would. I know that deep down; I would always remain as myself, no matter how much training or pain I would endure, I would always remain myself. I know I would have to hide this from my family and friends, and probably all of Ponyville but that was a burden I was willing to endure.

Luna had found that acceptable. And no sooner had she said that, did my training begin. With a single punch from one of her guards, I was knocked out cold.

For the next month on every weekend and sometimes weekdays, I got beaten. Not the ‘Parent beat their foals when they misbehave’ beaten. I got kicked, punched, bucked, tossed, and slammed on for about five straight hours.

Other guards who were just starting out received the same treatment. But they could handle it. Me? A 12 year old filly? No… I couldn’t nor did I held back the tears. I cried my heart out as the pain came. To them, it seemed to be music to their ears and that made them seem evil. Broken bones, concussions and blood loss… easily repaired thanks to modern medicine and magic.

That really sucks…

Luna believed that if her guards were beaten and understood pain, that they could understand what many can go through in a single lifetime. They could be taught that if you going to guard a Princess or protect the citizens of Equestria, you got to know what it would be like if another pony was being harmed. To feel their pain, you must feel it yourself. To take in all that punishment and learn to still fight back so that others didn’t have to, was part of the guard.

I learned what true pain was. I learned what it felt like to be attacked from all sides and have no hope of escape. I learned that sometimes, other ponies carry weapons and many won’t be afraid to use them. The guards weren’t afraid to use them on me, but they were careful not to aim at anything vital. Again medicine and magic.

Along with this, Luna spoke to me that out of the ten recruits that start training, six are sent to the hospital, three make out barely alive, passing their tests and one is always killed. One… is always killed.

How Princess Celestia allowed that was beyond me but… she probably doesn’t know. She probably doesn’t know that her sister has her guards beating up a little filly so she can learn how to be a guard. Isn’t that a bitch of a secret?

Again though… sometimes I wonder if it was to easy to enter and learn from the guards? Was it a plan to get me or other foals to join them or did they secretly get a kick out beating a filly? I didn’t see other foals enduring what I was going through… so I guess I am the reason.

One thing that the guards were told to never do is rape me. Though that goes for the rest of the guards, especially among the female cadets. I was supposed to endure pain but not sexual pain. They did teach me how to get males off of me when they try to force themselves upon me.

To be quite honest though, there were times when a few ‘fake mounted’ me and they were excited about it or I was a bit wet from the idea. I was reaching sexual maturity and that meant that males from all over would try to get me, especially if I entered my heat.

Of course, there were laws on that but there is always one asshole who wants to forget the laws and follow his dick. The guards were careful not to do anything stupid, so most of the time, they brought in a female Lunar Guard to teach me how to protect against this.

I did learn an embarrassing move from one of the female guards. Her name Flashwing and the move she showed me made me forget all the bruising I had endure for the day. You could use your heat against the male, if they were trying to force themselves on you.

Just shove your plot on their faces and get them hard and distracted. When they distracted, you strike them in the balls and knock em’ out.

To prove her point, she tackled a guard on his back, wrapped her legs around his head, and shoved her crouch forward. The guard instantly was caught off guard, grew hard, and was knocked out before he could speak a word. Who knew that your heat or marehood could be used as a weapon?

Anyways, so after the three months of beatings and training, I learned what life meant now. I learned that we protect others so that they can enjoy it, even if there are a few who don’t appreciate it. I learned that there will always be dumbasses who take everything for granted, children who skip out on school to cause havoc or ponies that are just too lazy to give a buck, but sometimes they will learn lessons later on in their lives. How?

By us protecting them and making sure that they live long enough to learn their lessons. I am to protect those who can’t protect themselves and to make sure that evil dosen’t always rule. You can’t protect everyone, that is a rule/lesson that every guard must know but it is your damn choice and your damn bucking job to try and save them, even if it means to sacrifice yourself for them.

It is a thankless job, but in the end it will pay off.

The months went by fast. My life had changed completely and it felt horrible. At first, my family and friends were used to seeing me leave so often. But time went on and they bought the lie that was given to them by the guards. However, every time I came back home, they didn’t look at me like they saw me before.

My friends… they saw a changed filly. Of course, I always had a smile to show them, but I guess they saw pain in my eyes. They saw that I was becoming something else.

Same with my family. My sister didn’t look at me like a little sister anymore. In fact, I think she is secretly afraid of me. With my ability to do magic and know some combat, I think she was scared of what I could do. My mother and father were a bit more oblivious at my change.

Princess Luna was right. Once you start your training, you become the Outcast. My friends stopped talking to me about their days and even about getting their Cutie Marks. The thing is... I had already gotten my Cutie Mark. The day I got my Cutie Mark is the day I was changed forever.

On the night of my first match, I was pitted against one of the guards. Now, others were being trained to fight against other opponents, including some bigger themselves. Me, I was to fight a regular solider in unarmed combat. To say that it would be the biggest fight of my life... well yeah, that is basically it. The biggest fight of my life and the worst one. One that will haunt me forever.

I was not allowed to use magic to fight, just my body. Being placed in a ring that stretched 6 feet long. Other guards and soldiers were outside the ring, waiting for us to fight. Since I was trained under the Lunar Guards, I fought in the night like them. I was still getting used to the darkness, so my vision at night wasn't that bad. However, they had perfect vision and that nearly made it impossible not to see me.

Princess Luna watched from a ledge, staring down at me as I entered the ring. My opponent named Black Flash, was one of the usual soldiers but that didn't mean he wasn't tough. He was know to be quick, arrogant but most of all, a tough S.O.B. I will say this... that old saying that goes “Never judge a book by its cover.'? Well, I did that, think he would go easy and I might have a chance. Oh, Luna, how I regretted so much.

The second the command to begin was said, I found my first punch come at me and I didn't even get a chance to flinch. The punch hurt, like really, really hurt and I was on the ground, almost knocked out cold from it.

My training should have told me to see it coming but I hesitated and it cost me a black eye and some energy. Small cheers arouse from Black Flash as he smiled at the simple punch I received. His cockiness was noted and I will be sure to exploit that but for now, dealing with the pain was first.

I slowly got back up, shaky on my hooves. I knew that my vision was blurry but I could still see his face and the smug look he carried. That was his weakness, as well as his quickness.

One thing I learned was to read my opponent before I fought but me being hesitant about fighting him didn't allow much time. But now, now I knew how to take him down and he probably knew how to do the same to me.

Back on my hooves, I glared at him and took my stance. He grinned and took his stance. A fraction of a second later, he shot off at me, hoof ready to strike me down.

I was ready. With my hooves still bent, I used them to propel my self up and over him. His speed was there but not his brakes. He missed my by an inch and that landed him on the floor crashing face first. I landed and turned, smiling my own victory. The other guards, suddenly went quiet.

There was a growl and from the floor, Black Flash rose. Now, I know that the rules are always to never let your opponents stand up or get a chance to recover, but I wanted to be fair. He gave me my chance, and I will give him his. With lightning quick reflexes, he turned and shot at me again, this time, wings spread. I couldn't jump so I was tackled and felt the air leave my body.

Then the punches came. No holding back, no remorse, just blind fury. His punches connected to my face and the pain only grew. I cried out at each punch, each hit that felt like a crack in my skull.

His arrogance once again saved me and without much thought, I brought my hind legs straight to his groin. Now, I know that was a cheap shot but I am always told to use my enemies weakness when I can.

The squeal that left him was that of a filly seeing a spider or a bit higher than that. All the guards around either 'oooed' or groaned at Black Flash's demise. I felt myself take in air, finally getting some in. I was panting and hurt but mostly panting. I rolled over on to my hooves and did my best to stand.

Black Flash had his hooves buried beneath his junk, groaning. Now I was pissed. I didn't let him back up, nor did I hold back. With a growl of my own, I jumped on him and started beating the snot out of him... and maybe more.

I yelled as my hooves punched at him, not wildly like him but I made sure that it hurt and I made sure, that he knew I was not to be bucked with. Each punch was controlled and marked a spot where I knew I could incapacitate him and keep him down.

Not ten seconds later, he was knocked out and bleeding from his mouth. His breath was labored but I knew that he would live. Not a lot of guards make it alive. Most would kill them to avoid any weakness in the guards or teams. Not me.

No pony should have to die. No pony should suffer when others can take the suffering for them. I would protect and fight those who cannot do it themselves and make sure that they should never harm anypony again.

Luna remained silent but her guards stomped their hooves on the pavement, showing signs of approval. I had won my first match, but I lost something else. My quest for my Cutie Mark was over.

A flash later, a black shield with a white belle appeared on my flank. I didn't realize later as Mare-Do-Well, did I fully understand what it had meant and what it would mean to me.

The shield meant protection in the dark, and the belle meant the sound of Justice and Peace for all. Huh... never knew my name could sound so close to my Cutie Mark.

Till that day, my life had changed. It would only continue to change as I went on with my training. My time after with the guards had left me with a mission in life. To protect those who cannot protect themselves and to make sure that the ones I care for live happy lives, even if it means sacrificing my own.

It is my Trials that I face everyday to keep them all save. I cannot do it as a filly, they would try and stop me or harm my friends and family.

No I had to hide from everypony. I had to hide who I was and to make sure that through a mask, I could still protect. Knowing the perfect one, I took a mantle and made it my own. As a normal filly, ponies would ignore me and leave me alone.. As Mare-Do-Well, I was a protector of Ponyville and it would be my destiny and my goal to do so.

I am Mare-Do-Well and this is my story.

Author's Note

I sorta had/ pulled out of my ass a few weeks ago. I didn't really look at it as I typed because I was in a rush trying to create a new story. I don't expect this one to be as good as my other ones but hopefully, it will help me keep me busy.
My other stories are on hold because my flashdrive burnt out and I had all my files there, including the new chapters.

While I find ways to recover the lost data, I will be doing other shorter stories. This I my first story with clopfic here on this site. I am sorry to keep you waiting for my other stories so I hope in the mean time you will enjoy this one.

Again no grammer check, or anything else was done to this, just typed out of my ass.