In the Daylight, the Lone Blades Carve Their Path

Chapters

In Due Course
Trials and Tribulations
To Serve With Honor
Lessons Learned

In Due Course

*Italics signify that it is being spoken in the species’ native language, or in the universal language of the Covenant, and that this is the closest possible translation.

There was a soft creaking noise as the immense golden doors slowly opened under the guardsponies’ magical influences. Through this towering archway strode three of the strangest creatures Equestria has ever seen.

Standing an intimidating eight feet tall, the Ultra proudly and confidently entered the room with measured steps. His black Spec Ops armor was burnished and buffed until it practically shone. To the passing guards, he appeared to be wearing an exoskeleton of charcoal. The armor buzzed with fresh power, its advanced shielding and cloaking mechanisms prepared to be utilized at a moment’s notice.

The Ultra’s gaze passed about the room appreciatively, soaking in its grandeur. For the last several days he had chosen to forsake his helmet, allowing the resident ponies to slowly become acclimated to his admittedly frightening features. On his left hip rested his trusty plasma rifle, pulsing blue with fresh energy and prepared to be wielded at a moment’s notice. On his right hip hung the hilt of his energy sword, quiet at the moment but able to become a terrifying yet majestic harbinger of death in the blink of an eye.

Everypony present knew that the Ultra was a warrior of unmatched skill and ferocity, virtually unstoppable in battle and completely immune to his enemies’ cries of terror or begs for mercy. Yet at the same time he was frighteningly intelligent, unwavering in his beliefs, and fiercely loyal to those that commanded his respect and admiration. For these reasons, and many others, the Ultra was both feared and respected among the ranks of the Royal Guard, as evidenced by several sweaty brows and one rookie’s tremulous gulp.

To the Ultra’s left strode a creature of significantly less stature, but of arguably greater terror. About four feet tall, the lanky alien known as Bok proceeded forward with a relaxed, almost jaunty gait, as if he knew he was as big a deal as the ponies made him out to be. Which he most certainly did. Encircling his head was a pair of sleek goggles, the lenses glowing slightly as they provided several tidbits of tactical information to the alien, which certainly could assist him in accomplishing some of the near-impossible feats he’s capable of.

Bok’s chosen weapon of destruction, the focus rifle, which had been demonstrated on multiple occasions to be both fearsome and awe-inspiring and wielded by an extremely capable and disciplined marksman of the very highest caliber, was casually slung over his back, capable of being whipped into action at a moment’s notice. On his right hip rested his sidearm of choice, a terrifying design known to the ponies only as the ‘needler.’ Everypony whose eyes lay upon it cringed at the thought of the pink, crystalline shards piercing flesh. Its apparent explosive tendencies only served to heighten its aura of fear and mystery.

What little armor the creature wore was covered in intricate markings, colors, and designs, and only served to enhance the rumors and whispers circulating about him. On multiple occasions, Bok had been seen to simply melt into the shadows, move swiftly and silently through the darkness, scale impossible obstacles and heights, and take unfortunate pony passerby completely by surprise. What was all casual fun and games for the alien revealed only a taste of his deadly and honed abilities to his new equine hosts. None was too eager to incur the creature’s ire.

And finally, to the Ultra’s right waddled a creature of seeming innocence and clumsiness that belied the true nature of determination and competence he embodied. Standing even shorter than the Royal Guards, not counting the decidedly strange triangular protrusion he wore on his back, Pip-Pap easily sauntered forth, regarding the guardsponies beside him with nothing more than idle curiosity. There was not a trace of fear or worry in the stubby creature’s eyes. The ponies were not a threat to him. Not in the slightest.

Pip-Pap’s Spec Ops armor gleamed a deep purple, almost black in some places. It too buzzed with slight energy, capable of completely cloaking its user at any given moment. The respiration tank attached to his back also hummed slightly, providing its wearer with deep, refreshing breaths of methane. The ponies didn’t know that, though. For all they knew, which amused Pip-Pap greatly, the mask he wore was to inject combat-improving drugs into his system. He wished.

Hanging from his right hip was his plasma pistol, primed and ready, as evidenced by its healthy green glow. Pip-Pap stroked the handle fondly as he walked. His pistol’s overcharge mechanism, which he was an expert on employing safely, had saved his skin more times than he cared to count. Also attached to his utility belt were several small blue spheres, known to the ponies only as ‘plasma grenades.’ Pip-Pap had denied a demonstration, claiming that they were both valuable and far too destructive. The only thing the ponies needed to know about them was ‘never, ever touch.’

So, it was hardly surprising that the group of assembled guards let out a soft, collective sigh when the three most deadly creatures in a ten-mile radius paused before the throne and bowed before the being they each held in the highest respect, esteem, and admiration:

Princess Celestia of Equestria.

“Rise, my friends,” the melodious voice of Celestia rang throughout the room. She wore a slight smile on her face as the three stood. That smile widened and she cocked an eyebrow as she drank in their appearances. “You three look ready to take on an army. I sincerely hope you are not expecting to?”

The Ultra looked confused. “Of course not, Your Highness. This is a formal meeting, is it not?”

Celestia nodded slowly, understanding beginning to dawn on her face. “Do your people, the Covenant that is, always look ready for war at formal events?”

The Ultra nodded. “To be Covenant is to be ready to fight heretics at a moment’s notice. Though that is no longer the path we follow, I suppose some of our old habits have not yet left us.”

Celestia simply smiled. “Do not trouble yourself over it, Ultra. I trust you are not planning on using those weapons?”

“Of course not,” came the swift reply.

“That is pleasing to hear,” the Solar Princess responded with a smile. “I am sorry I could not meet with you three sooner. The past few days have been...” Her smile faded ever so slightly. “Taxing.”

“We understand, Your Highness.”

“Thank you. I trust your stay at the castle has been pleasant thus far?”

“It has,” the Ultra replied. “Your servant, Cobalt Shine, has been most helpful in familiarizing us with the castle’s facilities.”

“That is good to hear. Have you been receiving everything you may need? Is our food to your liking?” she asked, a hint of worry creeping into her voice.

The Ultra paused for a moment. Although the lack of meat in the ponies’ diets was certainly irksome, the trio had managed thus far. The Ultra decided to tell her the entire truth, though. “For the most part, yes. Although we have also partially relied on our own supplements from the supplies we managed to recover from our ship a few days ago. Some more than others...” he trailed off, sparing a nervous glance at Pip-Pap.

Celestia frowned as she picked up on his hesitation. “Is there something you would like to discuss, Ultra?”

The tall Sangheili considered her question for a moment. “I suppose it would be worth mentioning, as time is indeed running out. The main problem is for Pip-Pap. You see, the atmospheres that would be considered safe for all of us are poisonous to him. That tank on his back contains pure methane in an effort to mimic the atmosphere of the Unggoy’s homeworld. This is the last tank we have available to us. It will need to be refilled if he is to survive. His diet is also rather...unique.”

Celestia’s frown deepened. “That is distressing to hear. Is there anything you can do to meet your comrade’s needs?”

“Without contacting the Glory Upon Salvation currently orbiting the planet, not much, no.”

Celestia considered the Ultra’s words for a moment before speaking again. “That is another issue. Have you managed to make any contact with your ship yet? Is there anything we can do to help?”

The Ultra shook his head. “Bok and I have been tinkering with my helmet, attempting to boost the signal and tune to the right frequencies, but we have not yet had any success. We simply don’t have enough power. With the abilities granted by magic, however, it could be possible.”

“Hmmm...” Celestia pondered, closing her eyes thoughtfully and tapping her forehooves together. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and a small satisfied smirk flitted across her features. “I’ve got it. I will set up an appointment for you with my personal student, Twilight Sparkle. Whom, if I remember correctly, you have already met?”

“We have, Your Highness. However, if I may inquire, what can she do to help us?” the Ultra questioned.

Celestia smiled broadly at that. “I am not yet sure, Ultra. However, she is one of the brightest minds in Equestria, and is always willing to help somepony, or some creature, in need. If anypony can come up with a solution to your problems, it is her. She has the intelligence and expertise to solve, or at least provide insight on, these quandaries. I shall send for her immediately.” Out of seemingly thin air, a scroll and quill materialized, and the quill started moving in quick, sporadic movements as Celestia quickly penned out her message. Soon, both objects vanished back into thin air with a soft golden flash.

The Ultra shook his head slightly. He doubted he would ever get used to the seemingly infinite possibilities afforded by ‘magic.’ “Thank you, Princess. We are in your gratitude.”

“And you, mine,” she replied easily. The Ultra inclined his head but said nothing, allowing her to continue. “So,” Celestia began. “With those issues temporarily out of the way, it has come to my understanding that you three have renounced your so-called ‘Prophets’ in favor of learning our ways, correct?”

“Indeed it is so.”

Celestia smiled widely. “Very well, then. It would be my utmost honor to help you three become acclimated to a life of peace and posterity. The easiest way for your adaptation to begin is if you learn the laws of our country, and abide by them.”

“This sounds simple enough,” the Ultra responded.

Celestia laughed at that. “You say that now! How I wish it were so. You have no idea how often the finer points are discussed in excruciating detail in my court on a regular basis by those insufferable nobles...”

“I imagine that not all of those ‘finer points’ would apply to us,” the Ultra observed.

“Hmmm...” Celestia hummed. “Probably not. However, there is a slight catch to this plan.”

The Ultra arched an eyebrow in surprise. “And that would be?”

The Equestrian monarch leaned forward in her throne and tapped her forehooves together gently. “I’ll start from the beginning. You see, we share our planet with many other sentient species that do not live here in Equestria. And many of them are not nearly as peace-loving and friendly as we are. Thus, we have a very different set of laws governing those that are passing through or visiting within our lands.” She paused for a moment. “If you three are to be expected to abide by Equestrian law, then by all rights I should make you Equestrian citizens.”

The Ultra hesitated at those words. To follow Celestia’s will and learn the ways of peace and harmony was one thing, but to completely abandon his heritage and pledge to live among the ponies was another thing entirely. “I...am not quite sure what to think about that, Your Highness.”

“Nor would I expect you to,” she replied smoothly. “But I can assure you this: Equestria is unlike any place you have ever before visited, though I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that. Believe me when I say I understand your anxiety. To give up your identity almost completely and agree to conform to different cultural norms, and to integrate with another species entirely is a very daunting task. However, I think I have the perfect plan to help smooth things over.”

“Do tell,” the Ultra prodded, his curiosity piqued.

The Princess smiled. “Since you three are trained soldiers, should you accept Equestrian citizenship I would invite you to join the Royal Guard. You would be placed in a brand-new special division of the Solar Legion, my own personal bodyguard, where you would answer directly to my orders but still be subjected to Equestrian law. It makes things easy for the both of us, wouldn’t you say?”

The Ultra pondered the Princess’s suggestion. He was not entirely sure what to say or even think about this unexpected situation. On the one hand, he trusted and respected the Princess above any other leader he’d ever encountered, and he had a desire to follow her. Certainly more than those false ‘Prophets.’ But on the other, all of this was so sudden and confusing, how could he be sure he was making the right choice?

The Ultra glanced left and then right at his comrades, attempting to assess how they were considering the situation. Both Bok and Pip-Pap seemed just as confused and uncertain as he felt. Looking back to the slightly smiling princess, the Ultra cleared his throat and began to speak. “Princess...for perhaps the first time in my life, I am unsure of the path ahead of me. I know not which road to follow. Thus, I shall seek your guidance. Do you truly believe this is the best course of action?”

The Princess’s smile did not falter. “I truly believe,” she replied gently. “And after a few millennia, I like to think I have a bit of a knack for making tough decisions,” she added with a wink.

His mind was made up. Her reasoning was sound, as always. It was time to take the first step of his new life, and to do so all he had to do was something he’d been doing for all his life: have faith. “Very well, Princess,” the Ultra said quietly. He kneeled before her once again. “I accept your gracious offer of citizenship and tutelage. Henceforward, I promise to serve you unwaveringly, through life or death, to never question, to be mindful of my duty, and, above all else, be proud of my life’s calling,” he intoned softly, reciting an old Sangheili oath from his distant past.

Celestia smiled with bemusement. “Rise, my friend. I graciously accept your promises, Ultra, and will hold you to them. But I daresay you’ll soon be making a different set of oaths. Equestrian oaths.”

“As you wish, Princess,” the Ultra replied.

Celestia nodded, but said nothing. She glanced at the Ultra’s two companions with some confusion. “And what of your comrades, Ultra? What do they have to say?”

The Ultra realized with a startled jolt that they still considered him to be their leader, and that he would do all the speaking for them. That was the way of the Covenant. But they were no longer Covenant. “My friends...” the Ultra began as he turned to Bok and Pip-Pap, who both wore expressions of surprise at being called ‘friends’ for the first time.

Equestria was a land of many firsts, the Ultra mused.

“As I have just given up any remaining loyalty I had to the false ‘Prophets,’ the Covenant Hierarchy no longer applies to us. I am no longer your commanding officer. For perhaps the first time in your lives, you are free. You may speak your mind. And most importantly, you may make your own decisions.”

Bok and Pip-Pap were shocked by this revelation. It was understandable. How could they know what to think or say at a time like this? All their lives they were followers. They were spoken to, and spoken for. They followed orders without question, under the penalty of death and public shame. How could they know how to deal with this sudden freedom?

The Ultra swelled with happiness and pride as he considered the word ‘freedom.’ Yes indeed. He was now free. Free to carve his own path. Free to act of his own will. Free to live his life the way he wished. And it was an invigorating feeling.

“My friends,” the melodic voice of Celestia began. “In this court, everypony may freely speak their minds. Everypony has the right to challenge the rules, to fight for their wishes and desires, and to strive to shape the world with their own vision. They may not always get what they want, but everypony has the privilege to ask, and to try. So I implore you to speak your minds as well. You will not be punished for doing so. That can be your first lesson on the Equestrian way.”

The Ultra found himself struck yet again by how deep Celestia’s wisdom ran. She always knew what to say at just the right time. A diplomat, a warrior, and a caring soul all wrapped up into one. He did not regret his decision.

“Well...” Pip-Pap squeaked nervously. “This is a new experience, Princess. Freedom is...strange to us. But it feels good. I’ve never liked the war. Or the Jiralhanae. I too would like to stay and learn. I accept your offer, Princess.”

Celestia smiled broadly. “That is wonderful to hear, Pip-Pap. And remember, feel free to speak to anypony. As a member of my personal bodyguard in the near future, everypony will respect anything you have to say.” Pip-Pap beamed at the thought. He bowed respectfully yet again. “And you, Bok?” she continued.

The Ultra was about to remind the Princess that he was incapable of speaking their tongue, but then decided he would simply translate the lanky alien’s clicking, screeching speech. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head at what Bok said, however. What a mouthful that one was! He was not going to translate that! Sure he hated the Jiralhanae just as much as the next Kig-Yar, but even so...

The Ultra opened his mouth to reprimand Bok for his language. “Bok-”

He was cut off by Celestia’s bemused laugh. “I wouldn’t quite use the same terminology, but yes I can see where you’re coming from.” All three aliens froze as they realized that Celestia, against all odds, was somehow able to completely understand what Bok had said. The lanky alien himself looked rather bashful. The Ultra then noticed that Celestia’s horn was glowing slightly. Of course...

Bok spoke again, this time more respectfully. “Apology accepted, Bok. I thought it was rather amusing,” Celestia replied with a glimmer in her eye. Bok asked yet another question. “Hmm? Oh, how I can understand you. Well, you see...” Bok cut in to jabber some more. “What’s that? Yes, that’s more or less how it works. Don’t act so surprised. If you think this is amazing, Twilight Sparkle will really blow your mind...”

The Ultra watched with amusement as Bok conversed jovially with the Princess, delighted that she could understand his limited speech abilities. As the Ultra considered the Kig-Yar, he realized for the first time that, unrestrained by the rules of the Covenant, Bok was actually quite the cheerful chatterbox. He looked forward to having more conversations with him in the future.

“Very well, Bok,” Celestia replied as their conversation drew to a close. “I am more than willing to bestow the gift of citizenship upon you as well. Scribe!” she called out loudly. A side door banged loudly open and a brown unicorn with a tousled black mane, large spectacles, and green eyes hurriedly entered the throne room, a jar of quills and a long ream of parchment held aloft by a sparkling green aura.

“You called, Your Highness?” the scribe asked in a nasally voice.

“Yes, thank you Pen Scribe. I need you to document the following proceedings...” The Ultra paused for a moment as he realized the pony’s name was actually ‘scribe.’ He had to resist the urge to facepalm.

“Ahem,” Celestia began in a regal tone. “I, Princess Celestia, sovereign ruler of Equestria, hereby pronounce that the three creatures known as Ultra, Bok, and Pip-Pap will henceforward be treated as Equestrian citizens, and will receive all rights that status entails...” The Ultra noticed with some amusement that Celestia was clearly reciting a verse she had used many, many, many times over her years of leadership, and her annoyance at the long bureaucratic ways of law just barely shone through.

Pen Scribe’s quill was moving at a mile a minute as he rapidly filled out what was probably a very complicated legal form. “And do the creatures accept the gift of Equestrian Citizenship?” he inquired, gazing up at the aliens curiously.

“I do,” the Ultra replied steadfastly.

“I do,” Pip-Pap squeaked.

“Ya,” Bok croaked, once again demonstrating the extent of his abilities in the ponies’ language.

“Very good...” Pen Scribe mused as he continued to scribble furiously. With a pleased sigh, he placed his quill back in the jar. The Ultra noted with some alarm that the tip was smoking slightly. Normally he would question how such a thing was possible, but by now he knew better. Equestria was...different. And magical.

Taking the piece of parchment in his magical aura, Pen Scribe somehow managed to copy it twice, producing three identical, and very long, pieces of parchment. Pen Scribe then floated one copy over to the Ultra, as well as the jar of quills. “Alright, I just need you to sign here...”

The Ultra stared at the blank line Pen had indicated. Uncertainly grabbing a quill, and holding it even more awkwardly, he slowly scribbled out his name using the Covenant script. It was his true name, but he wasn’t worried. None of the ponies could read Covenant.

Pen Scribe stared at the mass of scribbles on the page. “Well, at least that will be a doozy to forge!” he joked. The Ultra scowled slightly. Pen Scribe seemed to shrink a little bit. “Er...sorry. I need you to sign here as well...and here...and over here...and don’t forget here...”

The Ultra sighed in disdain. No matter where he went, his hatred of politics would probably never fade...

“And that should just about do it!” Pen Scribe exclaimed gleefully, levitating three monster rolls of parchment before him. “I’ll just get these sent off to legal to be processed and that should be that!” The aliens sighed in relief as they shook out their wrists slightly, attempting to remove the cramps they now all possessed due to signing their names in the complicated Covenant alphabet so many times.

“Well, if that will be all, I’ll just be off-”

“Furthermore,” Celestia began loudly. Pen Scribe audibly groaned. “I, Princess Celestia, sovereign ruler of Equestria, would ALSO like to extend an invitation for the three creatures known as Ultra, Bok, and Pip-Pap to join the esteemed Royal Guard, where they will...”

The Ultra swore the parchment was about to catch fire due to the amount of smoke coming off of it.

Somewhere, in a Canterlot cemetery not far from the castle, a noblepony partially responsible for bringing such processes into effect rolled over in his grave.

Celestia let out a short huff of annoyance as the door slammed closed behind Pen Scribe, who exited the room barely visible beneath the veritable mountain of parchment he now had to deal with. The Ultra noted that the Solar Princess had not shown any outward signs of annoyance up until now. She is quite possibly the most patient being I have ever met...

“Now then,” Celestia began, clearly eager to get on with things. “Since you have all officially accepted Equestrian Citizenship,” she continued, placing a bit too much emphasis on the word ‘officially.’ “And since you have all officially applied to the Royal Guard, I think it is time that you report to Captain Shining Armor in the barracks, whom you already have met, for your assessments. I expect nothing short of amazing results,” she finished with a twinkle in her eye.

Bok turned to Pip-Pap at that and grinned fiercely. The Kig-Yar always loved to show off his skills before others. The Ultra himself couldn’t entirely fight back a sense of pride as well. He would definitely show these ponies what a real warrior was capable of. “As you wish, Princess,” the Ultra replied excitedly.

Celestia grinned slightly at the aliens’ enthusiasm. “I believe Cobalt Shine is on hand to show you the way, just in case you have forgotten where exactly it is.”

The Ultra had not, in fact, forgotten, but conceded anyways. “That will be fine.” At that, Cobalt Shine strode in through the doorway, stoic as ever, and was promptly handed a small, rolled-up scroll from Celestia, along with a whispered message.

Although the aptly-named cobalt blue pony was the picture of emotionless professionalism, the Ultra could tell by the ever-so-slight spring in his step that Cobalt Shine was pleased the Ultra gave him this opportunity. Over the past few days, the aliens’ trusty guide had regarded the newcomers with nothing but respectful curiosity, and the Ultra had rapidly grown to respect his work ethic and sense of duty. He might even daresay that Cobalt Shine was his first pony friend.

“Very well,” Celestia spoke up as Cobalt Shine took his place by the door. “I believe that will be all for now. I shall inform you when Twilight Sparkle arrives at the castle to discuss your problems with you.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” the Ultra replied as he and his comrades bowed once again.

“Until next time,” Celestia bade farewell. And with that, the three ex-Covenant followed Cobalt Shine out the door. The group walked in silence for some time, weaving through the complicated nexus of hallways and large doors that made up the castle. They passed several groups of ponies as they went, but by now most of the castle staff hardly spared the strange aliens a second glance. What used to be expressions of fear and uncertainty were now replaced by respect and curiosity. Cobalt Shine was simply the pony with the most time to get to know them. The Ultra once again reflected on how friendly the ponies as a species were.

“You actually remember how to get to the barracks, don’t you?” Cobalt Shine suddenly spoke up.

“I do,” the Ultra replied, sensing where the blue pony was going with this.

“Well then,” he said with a smirk. “I appreciate the opportunity to be your guide once more.”

“I’m sure you do.”

Cobalt Shine stopped before a doorway, and the Ultra realized with a start that it was the one leading to the barracks. “Well, we’re here,” he mumbled.

If the Ultra had learned anything about the ponies since his arrival, it’s that they were a very emotional species, much like the humans. Their facial expressions and body language could be read like an open book. The Ultra could easily tell that something was bothering his newest friend. “Something bothers you?” he asked, crouching down to the pony’s eye level.

Cobalt Shine released a long-suffering sigh. “I’m afraid my time as your escort has drawn to an end,” he confessed. “Celestia knows you all know the castle by now, and I have other duties I must attend to. So I guess this...is goodbye.”

The Ultra smiled. He was pleased that Cobalt Shine was unfazed by the action. “Goodbye is simply one door closing,” he replied, reciting a saying he remembered from long ago. “We have deeply appreciated your efforts, Cobalt Shine, and am thankful that you have been understanding enough to help bridge the cultural differences between our species. I am proud to call you friend.”

Cobalt Shine smiled as well. “Likewise, friend. I look forward to the next time we meet.” Looking significantly happier, he straightened himself up and pushed open the door to the barracks.

“ATTENTION!” a loud voice boomed. The Ultra immediately recognized it as belonging to Captain Shining Armor himself. At the word, a row of Royal Guards dressed in golden armor immediately snapped to, each giving a salute as they stood motionless. The Ultra had to admit that the ponies, despite not seeming particularly well-suited to the rigors of war, were disciplined well.

“Announcing a royal message addressed to Captain Shining Armor!” Cobalt Shine called loudly, instantly getting the Captain’s attention.

“At ease,” he said before trotting over to Cobalt Shine, eyeing the aliens cautiously as he did so. Understandably, the Captain of the Guard still didn’t quite trust the group of aliens after their display in the courtyard, and even more so after losing one of his soldiers to one of theirs. “Cobalt Shine,” he addressed the page with a nod of his head as he took the scroll in his magical aura and unfolded it.

“Captain,” Cobalt replied.

The Ultra watched the Captain’s eyes as they quickly moved back and forth, scanning the page before him. Upon finishing, he lowered the sheet of parchment and frowned slightly. He seemed to be deep in thought. Finally, his brain kicked back into action. His eyes widened, his jaw slackened, and he spoke the only possible word he could think of that aptly described his reaction.

“WHAT??”

Author's Note

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with the utmost regret that I must inform you of Solar Eclipse's decision to no longer participate in all things pony. Thankfully he waited until Lone Blades was at a good stopping point to make this decision. Thus, the task of finishing, or at least continuing, the story falls to me. Although I am saddened by no longer having a partner to work on this with, I am also determined to go on. This idea is simply too good to let go to waste. And so, here we are.

I would like to thank you all for your awesome support and enthusiasm as I forge ahead. I apologize in advance for any inconsistencies with Halo lore, Solar is more knowledgeable on the subject than I am. I will try to consult the wiki often as needed. But most importantly, I would like to thank Solar Eclipse for the opportunity to work on this story, the awesome ideas, and the permission to go on. Thanks, buddy. I wish you only the best.

And so, I am most proud to present Act Two of the Lone Blades saga. Enjoy.

Oh, and feel free to spread the word around that the story is continuing. I hope all the fans of the original story will eventually find this. Eventually...

Trials and Tribulations

"So let me get this straight." The voice of Captain Shining Armor easily carried throughout the barracks. "Not only does Princess Celestia trust these creatures, who have brutalized and/or killed several of my stallions, she also wants to have them become her personal bodyguards by joining the Equestrian Royal Guard?"

"That would appear to be the case, sir," Cobalt Shine coolly replied.

Shining Armor sighed and dragged a hoof over his face. "I know I've said this before, but is SHE CRAZY?!" he shouted. Cobalt Shine did not deem that worthy of reply and instead fixed Shining with his trademark cool, unamused stare.

"If I may, Captain," the Ultra spoke up. Shining Armor turned his angry gaze to the aliens but said nothing, waiting for the Ultra to continue. "Our previous actions in the courtyard were fueled by a combination of Covenant beliefs and suspicion of your race. Neither are applicable any longer. As for the deaths, they were ALL caused by the hated Minor, who is no friend of ours. As I understand it, he is soon to suffer a fiery fate in Tartarus, and such a punishment is, in our minds, well deserved. So please, have some faith that we are not your enemies."

Shining stared for a moment or two before he sighed again. "Very well. I can't believe I'm about to do this, but who am I if not a loyal servant of the crown? I will do as she requests, and take these creatures out to the training grounds for evaluations."

Cobalt Shine smirked in amusement. "Very good, sir. I will take my leave."

Shining Armor nodded exasperatedly and waved him off. "All right, Privates!" he boomed. "Today's your lucky day! Hit the showers and take the afternoon off. But drill begins tomorrow at 0800 sharp, and forty laps for anypony not ready to go! Am I understood?!"

"SIR, YES SIR!" came the loud reply.

"Dismissed! Lieutenant Iron Helm! Front and center!"

"Sir!" called a burly, white earth pony who had stepped out from the row of officers overseeing the previous drills. The Ultra could not tell him apart from any of the privates that were leaving the room, despite the fact that he was evidently a ranking officer. An interesting method of keeping officers alive, he mused. "You wanted me, sir?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. You are to assist me in evaluating the creatures known as Ultra, Bok, and Pip-Pap. Please acquire the necessary paperwork and meet me at the practice range." Lieutenant Iron Helm snapped a salute and headed deeper into the castle to carry out his orders.

While Shining Armor gave a few more orders to his remaining officers, Cobalt Shine approached the group of aliens and smiled sadly. "Looks like this is goodbye, friends. My duties call. Good luck with your evaluations."

"Goodbye to you, friend, and thank you. May you always walk the Blessed Path," the Ultra replied.

"Goodbye, Cobalt Shine. Thanks for everything," Pip-Pap squeaked. Bok waved sadly and chirped his farewell also.

The Ultra ended the farewell by confidently exclaiming, "we shall meet again." Cobalt Shine smiled ruefully but said nothing more as he exited the barracks, off to receive new orders from Celestia no doubt.

The three aliens turned to see Captain Shining Armor staring at them. They stared back, unsure of what to say. "WELL?" he suddenly roared, causing the group of extraterrestrials to flinch in shock. "Are you going to just stand there like a bunch of slack-jawed idiots, or are we going to move out?"

The Ultra decided to speak up. "We are right here, and can hear you just fine. There is no need to shout."

Shining Armor rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Of course there isn't!" he retorted in a more normal tone. "But I'm your commanding officer right now. I'm supposed to be like that!"

"But...why?" a curious Pip-Pap inquired.

"Because...well...I..." Shining Armor sputtered, unsure of how to explain himself.

"Is it a rule?" the Ultra offered the floundering Captain.

"No it's not a rule!" he shouted indignantly. "It's...just...how we've always done things! It's nothing personal, just accept it! AM I UNDERSTOOD?!" he roared, returning to his seemingly angry manner.

"How...odd," the Ultra commented. His allies agreed.

The Captain sighed defeatedly. "You're supposed to reply with 'yes, sir'..." he moaned.

"Oh. My apologies. Yes, sir," the Ultra apologized.

"Yes, sir," Pip-Pap mimicked.

"Ya," Bok croaked.

"What's that?" the Captain shouted, perking up noticeably. "I can't hear you! Louder!"

"Yes, sir," the aliens chorused half-heartedly, slightly louder than before.

"LOUDER!"

"Yes, sir!"

"LOOOOUDERRRRR!!"

"YES, SIR!" the aliens screamed. They all shared a glance that said 'this is stupid' but complied anyways.

"Better," Shining Armor said happily. "Follow me to the practice range, Privates! Let's see what you're made of!"

The Ultra cast a despaired look at his comrades and shook his head in exasperation, but wordlessly followed the crazy Captain outside. The others hastily followed suit.

"Those fancy, glowing gizmos of yours ARE weapons, correct?" Shining Armor inquired as he led the trio of aliens down a grassy hill.

"That would be an accurate deduction," the Ultra replied.

"Good. Since those are undoubtedly the weapons you're most used to, I will allow you to use them for the marksmanship evaluation. Fair?"

"That is agreeable." Shining Armor sighed and muttered something unintelligible regarding 'simple answers.' The Ultra smirked.

Cresting a small rise, a large field with several wooden bulls-eye targets at one end came into view. Lieutenant Iron Helm was already present. He held a clipboard and several pieces of paper in one hoof, and a golden stopwatch hung around his neck. "Ah, Lieutenant. You have everything?" Shining called.

"I do, sir."

"Very good. Let us begin. The Ultra will start." Turning to the aliens, the Captain began to explain. "The goal is to hit the four targets as quickly and accurately as possible, without crossing this line that marks a distance of two hundred hoof lengths. Ultra, step up to the line and prepare to fire on my mark." The Ultra did as he was instructed, his right hand hovering near his trusty plasma rifle. Hitting the targets? That was it? This would be no problem for his team.

"Ready..." His hand flexed.

"Set..." The Ultra narrowed his eyes.

"FIRE!" So quickly the ponies almost missed it, the Ultra whipped out his rifle and sent four two-shot bursts of blue death hurtling downrange with plasma weaponry's distinct pew pew sound. The bolts all thudded into their respective targets, leaving blue, smoldering pockmarks where they landed. The Ultra smiled. Six bulls-eyes and two near misses. Not bad.

Captain Shining Armor thought so, too. "Not bad. Not bad at all," he said in a voice about one octave higher than usual. "A very high score." He signaled to his Lieutenant, who began setting up four small catapults loaded with bright red apples. "In addition to stationary targets, we want to see how well you can hit moving targets. Keep in mind that we usually use crossbows down here, so we usually only shoot one apple at a time. For you guys, however, I think we'll shoot all four at once." Lieutenant Iron Helm returned to his post, four ropes dangling from his mouth. "Alright, ready? Three...two...one...BOLT!"

The air filled with deadly blue plasma fire as the Ultra attempted to gun down the apples. Two evaporated as they were struck directly, but the other two thudded softly against the ground. Shining Armor's eyes were as big as small saucers. "Okay then. Very good yet again... Alright Pip-Pap, you next."

The short, stocky alien sauntered up to the line. Not quite as proficient as the Ultra, Pip-Pap opted to unholster his weapon immediately, and held it at the ready. "Ready...set...FIRE!" This time, eight green bullets were expelled downrange in rapid succession, though not quite as rapid as the previous demonstration. The shots were also not quite as accurate. Four bulls-eyes, three near misses, and one shot that struck about halfway from the edge of the target made up Pip-Pap's score. Still not bad at all.

"Very good," Shining Armor squeaked, unnerved by such deadly displays of accuracy. "A high score as well. Now for the apples. Three...two...one...BOLT!" Once again Pip-Pap was outdone by his ex-commander, but still managed to tag one of the tiny, distant, moving apples.

"Very good yet again!" came the squeak. He jerked his head again, not trusting his own voice anymore. Bok trotted eagerly up to the line, took out his needler, and began to fiddle with it. After a moment or two, he gave the thumbs-up. "Ready...set...FIRE!"

Tchink! Tchink! Tchink!

Shining Armor's eyes widened even farther in confusion as he watched eight pink needles drift lazily down the range. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head, however, when all eight needles stuck fast in the four bulls-eyes. But Bok wasn't done yet. Oh no, not by a long shot. Unleashing eight more needles, the ponies' jaws hit the ground as the fourth set of needles struck their targets and incinerated them in brilliant pink blasts. Bok grinned cheekily.

"The BUCK was that?!" Shining Armor demanded, his voice shrill.

The Ultra chuckled. "That, sir, is what we call a supercombine. Only the needler and needle rifle can cause them. They are highly effective anti-personnal weapons, as you can see."

Shining's jaw worked soundlessly as he struggled to come up with something to say to that. Deciding to keep things moving along, Lieutenant Iron Helm spoke up. "Let's just move on to the apples, shall we?" Bok nodded and shrugged his focus rifle off of his shoulder. Bok fiddled with the weapon for a moment, and a low-pitched whine started as it powered up. Again came the thumbs-up to the very confused ponies. "Okay...three...two...one...BOLT!"

FSSHHHEEWWW! FFFSSSHHEWWW!

If the two ponies' jaws were dropped before, now they were digging small holes. Their pupils were so small they could just barely be seen. They also appeared to be frozen in place. Bok had managed to eviscerate not one, not two, but ALL FOUR apples with brilliant beams of golden energy. The Ultra waved a hand in front of Shining's face, attempting to get a reaction. When none was forthcoming, the taller alien turned to his comrades with a shrug and the trio opted to lounge around in the sun until the officers came around.

"This next exercise will test your mobility on the battlefield," Shining Armor explained as he led the aliens away from the field. It had taken a while, but eventually the Captain and Lieutenant came to their senses, recorded the trio's admittedly impressive scores, ordered new targets, and pretended their relapse had never happened. The aliens were wise enough to not comment on the odd occurrence.

"It's of the utmost importance that members of the Royal Guard be able to perform their duty no matter what sort of terrain may impede them. Most rookies are unable to complete the obstacle course on their first try, so don't feel bad if you mess up." Cresting a rise, a large wooden structure came into view. A large part of it was encircled by a rather fast-moving stream, with only one bridge and one fallen log bridging its waters. The structure itself was tall, and towered over a few obstacles on the ground.

"Welcome, Privates, to the Equestrian Royal Guard Training Course. You will be scored on the number of obstacles completed and the time to complete said obstacles. Any questions?" The aliens shook their heads. "Good. Lieutenant Iron Helm, please demonstrate to the Privates how the course is supposed to be run."

"E-Excuse me, sir?" Iron Helm asked incredulously, clearly shocked by the request.

"Did I stutter, Lieutenant?" Shining Armor roared. "Get up there and show them how it's done!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" And with that panicked exclamation, the burly earth pony took off towards the structure. The group of aliens watched with interest as the Lieutenant huffed and puffed his way up the rock wall, swung shakily over the mud pit on monkey bars, got tangled as he climbed the net, barely made the rope swing crossing, plummeted to the ground on the sliding pole, languidly army crawled through the wooden tunnel, stumbled through the series of half-barrels, and finally tripped on the fallen log and fell, screaming, into the raging river, eliciting snickers from not only the ex-Covenant but Captain Shining Armor as well.

His horn aglow with his trademark magenta aura, Shining lifted the dripping Lieutenant out of the river and deposited him on his shaky hooves before the group. "Mission...complete...sir..." he managed, giving a half-hearted salute before collapsing.

"Very good, Lieutenant. Thank you for the, ah, stellar demonstration." Iron Helm simply groaned in response and muttered something unintelligible about his rookie days. "All right," Shining began, back to being serious. "Now that you know how to run the course, let's see it! Ultra, you first."

"Very well, sir." The Ultra stepped up to the white line before the bridge and tensed, ready to spring into action.

"On your mark...get set...GO!" The Ultra leaped forward, and with several powerful strides, reached the structure. Vaulting into the air, the Ultra grabbed onto the rock wall halfway up before quickly and easily scampering the rest of the way up. Taking the monkey bars three at a time, he traversed the mud pit just as easily. The net was no match for his long limbs, nor was the rope swing. Forsaking the pole, the Ultra simply leapt to the ground, his powerful legs absorbing the impact with a loud thud. He easily crawled under the wooden planks, effortlessly hopped through the barrels, and cartwheeled over the log just to show off a bit before trotting back to the start. "Finished," he announced, not showing any signs of exertion.

"Yes. Indeed. Well done yet again." The squeak was back in full force. "Most impressive marks for a rookie. Okay Pip-Pap, let's see what you've got." Shining nevertheless pressed on with the evaluations, uncooperative voice be darned.

The smaller Grunt uncertainly plodded up to the white line, his stocky limbs tensed both in anticipation and trepidation. "On your mark...get set...GO!" Pip-Pap charged forward, his short legs moving almost in a blur as they carried him to the structure. Reaching it in fair time, the Unggoy wasted little time and immediately started to clamber up the rock wall, his clawed hands easily finding purchase. He slipped once or twice, but doggedly pressed on. Only taking the bars one at a time, he nonetheless demonstrated impressive upper body strength as he swung rapidly over the mud pit. The net gave his shorter limbs slight trouble, but he eventually made it to the top, easily leaped off the rope after the swing, and fluidly slid down the pole.

He paused at the wooden planks. His methane tank would not fit underneath. But just as Shining was about to deduct points Pip-Pap surprised everyone present by lying down on his side and pulling himself through the tunnel. He had to hop slightly in order to pass the barrels, and tripped once or twice as he did so, but finally managed to wobble over the log and return to the start, panting rather heavily.

Shining Armor was shocked. What appeared to be a very clumsy and slow creature had just surpassed their most difficult course with fiery determination and sheer aptitude. He didn't know what to say. "Huh...buh...I...uh..."

The Ultra smirked. "Having difficulties, sir?" he jested.

Shining Armor recovered enough to shoot him a glare. "Shut your trap, Private, or I'll do it for you." The Ultra snorted but said nothing. Turning to Pip-Pap, he congratulated the stocky biped on a job well done. "Nice run, Private. That was most surprising to witness. Not a bad time, either. You guys are making my recruits look terrible!"

"Anything Ultra can do, I can do!" Pip-Pap exclaimed proudly. "I follow no matter what!"

"Indeed. Alright, you're next hotshot." The lanky alien grinned as he sauntered up to the starting line. "On your mark...get set...GO!" Bok bolted for the structure, rapidly eating ground with his graceful lope. Clearing the rock wall in one clean bound, he tensed again and leaped all the way to the other side of the rope swing, skipping several obstacles. But he didn't stop there. Channeling his momentum, he vaulted off the structure and landed all the way on the other side of the river. He then strutted cheekily back to the starting line.

Shining Armor looked pale, but indignant. "Private, as impressive as that was, you still have to run the course like everypony else. Didn't you read the rules? Go back and do it again." The Ultra noticed for the first time a sign that read 'no flying' and 'no magic.' He chuckled in amusement as he tried to decide which of those rules had been broken. Bok, on the other hand, chittered indignantly with a few choice words but nonetheless complied. It was fortunate for Bok that the Captain didn't know what was being said to him.

"Alright, let's do this properly now. On your mark...get set...GO!" Bok took off yet again and soon vaulted the rock wall just as before. This time, however, he followed the rules. But only just. Swinging off the first bar, he flipped over the mud pit and swung onto the platform off the last bar. He then vaulted both the net and the rope swing with two easy bounds before dropping lazily to the ground. He deftly wriggled under the planks, swaggered through the barrels, and then leaped over the river like it was a walk in the park.

While this was going on, Shining Armor turned to his recently revived Lieutenant and asked, "Lieutenant, what have we gotten ourselves into?"

"Sir, I have no idea..." Iron Helm despondently responded.

“Alright, Privates! Listen up! You have all proven yourselves in the fields of marksmanship and athleticism. But that which separates a good soldier from a great soldier is this: discipline! That’s right Privates, discipline. So for this exercise, we’re going to do exactly that: disciplinary exercise! This will test your physical endurance, flexibility, mental toughness, and discipline, all important characteristics of a good soldier. Any questions? No? Good, let us begin! DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, PRIVATES!” Shining Armor roared. He was met with a bunch of blank stares.

“Did I whisper, Privates? I SAID drop and give me twenty!” Shining repeated.

The Ultra spoke up to voice their joint confusion. “Er…pardon me sir, but you want twenty of what exactly?”

Shining Armor groaned and facehoofed. “Oh, come on! Drop and give me twenty means do twenty push-ups! You DO know what push-ups are, right?” More blank stares. “Or…you don’t know. That’s good. Real good.” He sighed once again. “Lieutenant Iron Helm!”

Fearing the worst, Iron Helm hesitantly spoke up. “Yes, sir?”

“Please demonstrate to the Privates how to perform our standard repertoire of exercises. Push-ups, crunches, jumping jacks, stretches, the works. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Iron Helm groaned miserably as he took up the push-up position.

It was rookie training camp all over again.

Two hours later, the three extraterrestrials and Lieutenant Iron Helm were exhausted. The Lieutenant had spent about half an hour demonstrating all the exercises before collapsing in a heap, unable to stand. Then Shining Armor drilled the aliens with the exercises for a further hour and a half, and although a highly regimented diet with the Covenant left the three in top physical condition, their chests were still on fire and their limbs still ached.

“Most impressive, Privates. Most impressive indeed. Hardly any rookie manages to complete my daily exercise regimen on their first day. You three are clearly in very good physical condition, even if some of your forms were sloppy. Nothing a few weeks won’t fix, though. High scores again,” Shining Armor commented smoothly, his surprise at the aliens’ aptitude already expended. Now he was practically expecting them to perform admirably at everything.

“Why don’t you all take ten. You’ve earned it. Lieutenant Iron Helm, direct the Privates to the drill yard afterwards.”

“Yes, sir,” Iron Helm moaned from his spot on the ground, which he hadn’t moved from at all during the drills.

After taking a few moments to recuperate, the Ultra had to hoist the Lieutenant to his shaky hooves while Iron Helm muttered on about not missing his rookie days in the slightest. Setting off once again, the group reached the main Royal Guard Training Compound, which was alive with activity. White and gray ponies bedecked in golden armor were everywhere, lifting weights, striking dummies, flying laps, practicing spells, or otherwise honing their techniques. The Ultra and his team had to admit that the ponies’ determination was impressive.

Captain Shining Armor was waiting for them outside a large dirt clearing surrounded by a wooden palisade and racks of wooden training weapons including swords, spears, staffs, halberds, battleaxes, maces, and a few other strange-looking things. “Ah, you’ve arrived. Excellent. As you can probably guess, Privates, this is our training yard. This complex specifically is for sparring. You’ve definitely proved your worth at ranged combat, but now it is time to see if you can take it to the enemy hoof to hoof! But first, we’ll need to get you some proper training weapons. Accidents in the compound are taken very seriously.”

At this, the Ultra scoffed. “Bah. I would rather use my own two hands than those inelegant wooden sticks.”

Shining Armor smirked. “Who said you had to? Follow me, Private.” As the Captain trotted over to a shack on the corner of the compound he asked, “your typical melee weapon is that sword you have, right?”

“That is correct.”

“Perfect. Charm’s gonna love this.” The Ultra had no idea what to think of that comment, so simply remained silent as he followed Shining Armor to the open side of what was actually more of a lean-to that appeared to be filled with firewood. “Charm! Got something for ya!” Shining called out.

At his call, a grizzled, older-looking light gray unicorn with a darker mane seated in a chair in the shade woke up with a start and a snort, hastily opening his forest-green eyes. “Eh? What?”

“Got something for you,” Shining Armor repeated. Then he grinned. “And I think you’re going to love this.”

“Ya do, huh?” Forest Charm gruffly inquired. “Something, my back right hoof! I’ve made ya everything from clubs ta halberds ta swords of all sizes and I’m telling ya…oh.” Forest Charm’s good-natured rant came to a succinct close when the towering figure of the Ultra stepped into his view. Forest Charm smiled and chuckled slightly after his brief moment of surprise. “So yer one o’ them aliens that made the headlines a few days ago, eh? Forest Charm. Professional wood craftspony and Mage First-class of the Equestrian Royal Guard. Pleased ta make yer acquaintance.” He stuck out his hoof, which the Ultra firmly shook.

“Charmed.” Forest Charm stared at the Ultra for a moment or two in surprise before bursting out into laughter. Iron Helm sniggered. Shining Armor sighed and dragged a hoof across his face. “Hoo hoo…har har…ahhhh. Even the aliens know that joke! Gets me every time…” Forest Charm trailed off with a sigh as he wiped a tear from his eye.

“Ahem. Yes. Forest Charm, the tall one is the Ultra. The short one is Pip-Pap and the lanky one is Bok. They require your assistance in obtaining appropriate training weapons to suit their, ah, exquisite gear and techniques.”

At this, Forest Charm’s green eyes lit up in excitement. “Oh? About time ya brought me a challenge,” he commented with a smirk.

“Go ahead, Ultra. Fire it up. Let Charm get a good look at it.” Having some inkling of where this might be headed, the Ultra drew his energy sword and ignited it. Forest Charm stared in awe at the bluish weapon, his head twisting this way and that as he examined every angle of it.

“Fascinating…beautiful…deadly. I’ve never seen anything like it…” he breathed reverently. After a few good minutes of examination, the unicorn finally reclined in his chair and began to mutter under his breath. “Teak…no, won’t do it justice…oak…no of course not…mahogany…hmm…yes, mahogany.”

At that, a dark brown plank of wood surrounded by a green aura lifted into the air and rotated slowly, aligning itself with the orientation of the sword. Forest Charm then focused intently on the board, and slowly strips of wood began to peel off. The Ultra was spellbound by this performance. The unicorn was essentially chipping and peeling the piece of wood away with magic!

Slowly but surely, the shape of an energy sword began to form. The ground beneath the wood was soon covered in shavings and sawdust. Once the teardrop shape was complete, lines outlining the blades and handles were etched out, and soon a large chunk of wood fell away and clattered noisily to the ground. After a bit more smoothing and refining, the Ultra was staring at a wooden replica of his own energy sword. And it was VERY good.

“Ahhh,” Forest Charm leaned back in his chair, a very satisfied expression worn on his face. “That was great. I haven’t had such a challenge in years. Thanks fer the opportunity, Ultra.”

“You are welcome.”

“Here ya go. Not sharp, not pointy, but a good whack can still give ya a bad day! Har har har!” The grizzled unicorn laughed heartily at that, slapping his knee a few times.

Shining Armor just shook his head good-naturedly. “Alright, what about the rest of you? How do you fight in hoof-to-hoof combat?”

“Umm…I don’t really,” Pip-Pap squeaked nervously. “If it comes to that I just…jump on them and wait for Ultra to help.”

“Hmm…” Shining Armor mused. “Doesn’t sound particularly effective. Guess you’ll have to get creative with your one-on-one. How about you, Bok?” Bok put up his fists in a boxer’s stance and hopped from one foot to the other. Shining Armor laughed at that. “You too? Well I suppose you don’t ever have to, seeing as most enemies probably get taken out before they get too close.” Bok nodded enthusiastically.

“Alright then! We’re ready to start some fights! Corporal Cloud Runner! Front and center!”

A white pegasus guardspony broke away from the earth pony he’d been sparring with and, landing squarely before the Captain, snapped a salute. “Sir!”

“You will be our first combatant. Your opponent is the Ultra. Now get in there and show them how we ponies fight!”

Cloud Runner gulped nervously and gripped his wooden spear tightly as he sized up the feared and renowned Ultra. “Uh…y-yes, sir.” To his credit, he only had a slight stutter to his speech. Cloud Runner waited until the Ultra had made his way into the compound before heading to the gate himself. Just before entering, however, he turned to Shining Armor. “Rules, sir?”

Shining Armor smirked. “Other than don’t kill each other? None.”

Cloud Runner seemed to relax slightly at that. “Affirmative, sir.” He then took up his position about thirty hoof-lengths away from the Ultra, his wings fluttering in anticipation. The Ultra, for his part, was swishing his new wooden sword about, marveling at how the balance of the weapon was so similar to that of the real thing.

Forest Charm truly was a master of his craft.

“Alright, ready? Three…two…one…FIGHT!”

As soon as Shining Armor belted out the last word, Cloud Runner took off like a rocket, hurtling towards the Ultra with his spear leveled at his chest. The Ultra dived to his side, just narrowly avoiding the streaking pegasus. As the Ultra regained his footing, Cloud Runner came around for another pass, this time in a much higher arc. As the pegasus started his dive-bomb, the Ultra leapt two whole pony heights into the air and slashed viciously towards Cloud Runner’s torso.

The pegasus, however, was anticipating this and suddenly wheeled to the side and sped away, but not before cracking the Ultra on the back of the head with his spear. The Ultra landed roughly and staggered about a bit, trying to clear the stars from his vision. He was dimly aware of Shining Armor and Iron Helm cheering on the sidelines. “Nice hit, Cloudy! Give him what for!”

The Ultra snorted. One measly hit was not going to be nearly enough to take him down. Captain Shining Armor was going to be disappointed. A faint whooshing noise was audible from behind him. The Ultra turned about and found himself face-to-face with a rapidly approaching Cloud Runner. He had to hand it to the pegasus: he was both fast and agile, with his flight giving him a large advantage.

But not large enough.

The Ultra twisted to the side and his sword shot out like a bullet, the tip just nicking one of Cloud Runner’s hooves. At the same time, the Ultra grabbed one of the pegasus’ wingtips and pulled. He lost his grip, but the combined contacts proved enough to send the zooming pegasus into an out-of-control spiral. With a panicked yell and a loud WHAM!, Cloud Runner slammed into the ground, a massive cloud of dust concealing his form.

The Ultra smirked as his comrades cheered for him from the sidelines, while the two ponies muttered a soft, simultaneous, “ooooooh.” The Ultra waited for the cloud of dust to clear so that he may assess the situation. It just would not settle, however. One minute passed. Two minutes.

“Cloud Runner?” the Ultra called out, worried that he may have accidentally severely injured his opponent. He took a few steps towards the dust cloud, inadvertently lowering his sword as he did so. “Cloud Runner!”

“Right here!” With a loud WHOOSH the dust suddenly parted to reveal a manically grinning pegasus zooming straight towards the Ultra, who jolted in surprise and just barely got his sword up in time to block the spear strike. The blow was powerful though, and the Ultra got the wind knocked out of him as he landed flat on his back. The pony cheerleading section was back in full force.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Cloud Runner’s wings had kicked up so much dust and dragged it in his tailwind a bunch got in his eyes. “Arrgh!” the Ultra cried as he attempted to rub the dirt out of his eyes. A whooshing sound made it clear that he was running out of time.

Quickly rolling to his feet, the Ultra prepared for another attack. He had to use the pegasus’ attacks against him once again. As another dive-bomb attack drew near, the Ultra made another leaping strike. Cloud Runner tried the same tactic he used before, but the Ultra had kept his sword in motion after the strike and was ready to block the blow. There was a loud CRACK! as the wooden weapons collided and the combatants separated.

As Cloud Runner wheeled around for another pass, the Ultra got an idea. It was time to ground this pegasus. But first, the Ultra had to make sure his opponent knew he was unpredictable. Waiting longer to leap into the air than he had before, at the last possible moment the Ultra vaulted himself as high as he could, forward flipped over the surprised pegasus, and managed to tag his rump with a sharp rap.

Yelping in pain, Cloud Runner careened away, narrowly avoiding another crash landing. But he soon whipped around and was blazing towards the Ultra once again, trying a different form of attack. The Ultra charged forward, the two bodies heading closer and closer to collision. At the last second, the Ultra sprang, his sword falling from his right to his left.

But it was a fake swipe. The Ultra quickly shifted trajectory, rendering Cloud Runner’s block useless. In desperation, Cloud Runner tried to dodge the strike, and he succeeded. There was just one problem: Cloud Runner had juked straight into the Ultra’s other hand. His eyes widened as a felt an iron grip tighten around his right back leg. “Oh, horsefeaaaaAAAAAHH!!”

WHAM!

Cloud Runner was slammed straight into the hard-packed ground. By the time he regained the abilities to breathe and see, he noticed the Ultra sitting on top of him with the tips of his sword aimed at his throat. “You are dead,” the Ultra said calmly. Cloud Runner simply gulped, shuddered, nodded, and let his head rest on the ground, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

“Well done, Ultra, well done indeed,” Shining Armor called as the Ultra made his way back over to the sidelines. “I’d say I’m impressed, but at this point I’m pretty much expecting you all to flail my tests.” The Ultra inclined his head but said nothing. “You alright over there, Cloudy?”

“Fine, sir…” came the weak reply.

“Good. Off the training field in twenty please.” Shining Armor turned to his side and jerked his head. “Alright Iron Helm, you’re next.”

“W-what??” Iron Helm sputtered, all pretense of formality gone.

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. “You heard me. Get in there, Lieutenant.” Iron Helm gulped and nervously began to trot towards the compound. “You too, Pip-Pap. It’s your turn.”

At that, Iron Helm’s frightened expression changed dramatically. “Oh. OHHHHH. You want me to fight him, not the Ultra! Okay, I can do this. Yeah, no problem!” And with that, Iron Helm confidently strutted into the compound and began to stretch out. Shining Armor rolled his eyes and looked dubious but said nothing.

For his part, Pip-Pap nervously entered the compound and approached Iron Helm, who was inspecting a large rack of wooden weapons. “Hmm…a halberd, perhaps? No no no, definitely the mace…ooh, or the battle axe…” He turned his attention to the stocky alien. “What kind of weapon do you use, little fella?” Pip-Pap glanced uncertainly at his clawed hands. “Ohoho! Hoof-to-hoof, eh? Well, I DID do a bit of wrestling at the academy…let’s do this then! En guard!”

Pip-Pap sat there and stared at a slightly hopping Iron Helm for a moment or two before letting loose the most blood-curdling battle screech imaginable and charging headlong at his opponent. Iron Helm’s eyes narrowed as he charged as well. His hooves thundered against the ground as his massive frame gained momentum. He intended to bowl the little alien over just like that.

Unfortunately for him, that was not a part of Pip-Pap’s plan. Not at all. Right as he was about to be pounded into the ground, Pip-Pap leapt forward, grabbed onto Iron Helm’s neck, and swung onto his back. Iron Helm hardly got a chance to utter a surprised “what the-?” before Pip-Pap let loose another screech and began pounding on the poor earth pony, ripping at his mane, and in general being a total pain.

“Ow! Oh, stop it! Ow! Not the mane! Ow! Quit hitting my face! Ow ow ow! Oh, sweet Celestia, get off! Get it off! Ow! OW!”

Shining Armor and Bok laughed uproariously and the Ultra grinned as Iron Helm staggered about the field, bucking and swaying and doing everything he could to get the smaller alien to stop beating on him. Unfortunately, Iron Helm’s bulk worked against him in this case, as he was unable to twist his body to make sufficiently sudden movements. There was also a lot of him to hold on to. At one point he tried to roll onto his back to crush the smaller alien, but Pip-Pap would have none of that. He had simply jumped to the ground and started pounding on the pony’s sensitive stomach and underside, resulting in more pained groans.

Shining Armor finally completely lost it when Pip-Pap started beating the Lieutenant with his own helmet, and fell to the ground, rolling about in his convulsions of laughter.

DONG! “Ouch!” DONG! “Please stop! I beg you!” DONG! “Aaaah, not in the face!”

By this time, there was a fairly large crowd gathered around the compound, all chuckling and giggling as Pip-Pap bludgeoned his larger opponent into submission. Shining Armor finally managed to recover and shakily got to his hooves. “Ha ha…aah…woo…I think, Ultra…that th-this is the part where…where you go and…deal with him…as per…per…Pip-Pap’s own strategy…straight from his own mouth…” he panted out, still chuckling slightly.

The Ultra smirked. “Yes, I know. Permission to punch out the Lieutenant, sir?”

“Per…permission granted…Private…put him out...of his misery...oh man, I need a breather…”

The Ultra strolled calmly through the gate. Iron Helm staggered over towards him, still being bashed, beaten, bludgeoned, and bruised. “Oh! Ultra! Please, you gotta help me! Get this thing under control! I can’t–OW!–take any more!”

“Don’t worry Lieutenant,” the Ultra replied smoothly. “I’ve got it all handled.”

PUNCH!

The entire surrounding crowd moaned in sympathy as the Ultra downed the blocky Lieutenant with one blow. He and Pip-Pap then dragged the comatose Lieutenant over to a shady spot by the entrance to the compound and let him nap.

“Well I'll be darned. That's actually a rather effective method you have there, Pip-Pap,” Shining Armor commented as the duo made their way over to him, his professionalism restored. “Unorthodox, but effective. You’ve certainly proven that you can hold your own in a sticky situation. And I think the Ultra is a rather reliable comrade, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, sir!” Pip-Pap replied enthusiastically. Bok then sidled over to him and rapidly chattered something off. Pip-Pap guffawed and they exchanged a high five.

“Alright mister hot stuff, it’s time for your turn in the ring,” Shining Armor said, directing his words towards Bok. “And your opponent…will be no other than…” His eyes scanned around the clearing and noted with some amusement how ponies seemed to shrink away from the lanky creature, none too eager to see him as an opponent in combat.

But their fears were all for naught.

Shining Armor cracked his neck before finishing. “Me! Time to REALLY step up your game, Bok! Let’s do this hoof-to-hoof style!”

The alien paused for a moment before letting loose with a torrent of indignant chatter. The Ultra chose to tactfully translate. “Bok does have a point. You have the unfair advantage of magic.”

Shining Armor nodded thoughtfully. “Hmm…that’s true, I do. I do indeed. Is that a problem?”

More chatter. “Of course it’s a problem. Bok still remembers well the last time he had to deal with magic.”

“And he handled it quite well, too. Bok, I must say I am quite confident in your abilities to deal with anything I can think up to throw your way. I also think you should stop being such a big baby and get in the ring with me already,” Shining Armor called over his shoulder as he trotted into the compound.

Bok exploded once again. “Bok!” the Ultra chastised. “Do not say such things! Have you no honor?”

“Oi!” Shining Armor called. “Get in here so I can kick your flank, Private! That’s an order!”

Bok sighed resignedly, trudged into the ring, and took up a half-hearted fighting pose. “Oh, come on! You can do better than that! That’s pathetic!”

He could indeed do better. Quick as a flash, Bok leaped forward, long, gangly arms reaching for Shining’s neck. But Shining was quicker. Rolling under the attack, he kicked out his back leg as he finished the maneuver, sending Bok sprawling. “Come on now! Is that all you got?” Shining Armor goaded, pleased to finally be giving the freakishly skilled alien some flank-whooping.

Bok charged again, but this time he started rapidly circling Shining Armor, looking for an opening as he twisted about, trying to keep up with Bok’s rapid pace. But he then decided he didn’t have to. He quickly summoned a magical force field around him and then exploded it, sending shockwaves in every direction. Bok was caught by the blast and fell flat on his face once again.

“Keep that up and your mother won’t even recognize you!” Shining Armor hollered, snickering with glee. Bok growled under his breath. He would show this cheeky pony. Oh, yes he would. From his position lying on the ground, Bok sprang into the air and aimed a flying kick at Shining Armor. Predictably, the unicorn used his magic to put up another force field, which Bok was no stranger to at this point. Landing deftly on the sphere, he somersaulted off of it and landed on the reverse side, lashing out at the force field with his fists. Shining Armor grunted from the exertion but the shield looked no worse for wear.

But Bok had one more trick up his sleeves. Or rather, up his gauntlets. With a low-pitched whine, the energy shields on his wrists fired up, casting his wrists in a pale blue glow. Bok then slammed Shining’s force field with a shield. The effect was immediately noticeable. There was an amplified screeching sound that made everypony in the training yard cringe, and a large ripple shook the pink bubble. Shining Armor gasped in pain and surprise.

Bok grinned fiercely as he struck the shield again. And again. And again.

KRRAAAKOOOOOM!! KRRRAAAKOOOOOOM!!

Cracks began to appear in the shield. Shining Armor was by now exhausted, disoriented, nauseous, on sensory overload, and above all else, confused. What the heck was interfering with his magic? It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before!

Finally, with one earth-shattering BOOOM! the shield exploded, kicking up a massive amount of dust and sending both bodies flying. Shining Armor landed on his back with a loud oof!, wheezing from the wind getting knocked out of him and coughing from the absurd amount of dust polluting the air. Staggering to his feet, Shining Armor peered through the haze, all the while coughing up a storm.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a long, wiry fist slammed into the side of his face, disorienting him. He felt a gangly creature flip over him and then a foot connected with the underside of his jaw, sending him reeling. One blow to the back of the head later and Shining Armor was struggling just to stay conscious and breathe through the infernal dust.

Alas, it was not to be. Shining Armor staggered through the haze, desperately trying to avoid further hits. But he couldn’t see. He had no idea where his attacker was, what he was planning, or how to defend himself. For the first time in a long time, Shining Armor began to feel the unfamiliar feeling of fear worm its way into his heart.

Suddenly, two arms extended out of nowhere and wrapped around his neck in a vice grip, choking the very life out of him. “Gah! Ack! Bok! Stop!” Shining Armor rasped, his vision starting to turn to black at the edges as he desperately struggled for air, thrashing about and attempting to kick off his assailant.

“BOK!!” a loud, commanding voice sounded from the sidelines. The grip immediately loosened and Shining Armor took a long gasp of air, sending mental prayers both to sweet Celestia and wishing the Ultra good health.

But the arms were still there, and a sudden sound ceased any sort of struggling from the Captain.

CHWING!

The twang of springs. The glint of sunlight. The cold steel pressed to his flesh. Shining Armor slowly looked down to see a pair of spring-loaded knives stored in Bok’s gauntlets resting against his neck. Two very real knives. Two very SHARP knives. “Bok…” Shining Armor said slowly, hesitant to even breath lest he cut himself open.

Bok slowly moved his head forward until his mouth was right at Shining Armor’s right ear. “Ded,” the alien croaked in a whisper, before silently withdrawing his arms, sheathing the blades, and stalking over to the edge of the compound without another word. Or chatter.

“Sir! Sir!” the voices of Cloud Runner and Private Rocky Falls called out as they both rapidly flew towards their downed Captain. “Are you alright, sir? We couldn’t see anything! What happened, sir?” Cloud Runner asked with concern as he landed before him.

Shining Armor knew what he should have said. He should have ratted Bok out. He should’ve thrown away his application to the Royal Guard. Bringing live weapons into the training compound was a severe infraction, punishable by expulsion from the Guard. He should’ve confided his fears in Princess Celestia, warning her that Bok was not to be trusted. He should’ve done all these things and more.

But he didn’t.

For perhaps the first time in his life, fear prevented the stalwart Captain from speaking up. Something about that creature, that…THING, unnerved the Captain to his very core. He couldn’t shake the feeling that, should he speak out against Bok, he would be hunted every night, stalked in the shadows, followed in the alleyways, spied upon from afar…and that one night, far from anypony to hear him scream, he would be claimed.

And nopony would even know…horrifying, no?

Thus, Captain Shining Armor elected to remain silent. He also promised to never ever EVER again piss off Bok. EVER.

FOREVERRRRRRR.

“Sir?” Private Rocky asked with concern. “Should I fetch a medic, sir?”

“No!” Shining Armor suddenly snapped. “No…no that will not be necessary. Thank you for your concern, Private, but I’m fine.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Private Rocky said, saluting smartly as Shining got to his hooves.

“With all due respect, sir,” Corporal Cloud Runner spoke up. “What exactly happened there? One minute you were winning and then…boom.”

“Corporal,” Shining Armor said with a sigh. “I believe that is exactly what happened. I don’t quite understand it myself. But take a bit of advice from your Captain, Corporal…” he said, leaning in towards Cloud Runner and Rocky Falls.

“Yes, sir?” they chorused.

“Never, EVER piss off Bok.”

“Alright, Privates. You’ve all passed every test we have with flying colors. I have little doubt that you will all be accepted into the Equestrian Royal Guard.” Shining Armor paused in his speaking and pacing to let that sink in. The three aliens looked bemused as they examined the checkerboard patterns and small pieces on the tables before them. “This final examination is an evaluation of tactics and foresight. Only our top officers score well on this test. You should expect to become an officer as well should you succeed.

“Now then! What may look like a simple game is actually one of the most brilliant strategic exercises we ponies have available to us. It takes planning, cunning, daring, foresight, and risk-taking to be successful, all traits of a good commanding officer. The game known as Gauntlet has been played by generals and tacticians for centuries. It’s easy to learn, but can take a lifetime to truly master.

“As you can see, both sides have sixteen playing pieces; one team is white and the other black. Every piece is important and plays its part to result in your eventual victory or defeat. The two sides take turns moving, with white going first. On your turn, you move one piece, and if you move a piece into one of the enemy’s, your piece destroys theirs.

“Each side has eight tree pieces. These start on your front line. The tree pieces symbolize nature, and represent how nature always protects us and provides the gateway for our victories. We must work with nature, not against.

“As nature is a one-minded thing, the tree pieces can only move forward. However, nature is also fickle and unpredictable, thus the tree pieces capture on the diagonal, again by one square. Furthermore, we find that nature always has a habit of springing up in the most unlikely of places, and quickly too. Thus, on the first turn only the tree pieces may move two squares. And, upon reaching the back row, a tree piece can be turned into any other piece, symbolizing how nature is the root for all of us.

“The earth ponies start on the corners of the back row, forming the sturdy backbone of your army. Charging headlong into battle, earth ponies use their formidable strength and fortitude to plow through their enemies. However, they are slow to maneuver and react. Thus, the earth pony pieces can move any number of squares, but only horizontally and vertically.

“The pegasi pieces start next to the earth pony pieces, and are the most unpredictable race. Darting through the air, one never knows what tricks they might try next. Thus, their pieces move very erratically: two squares in one direction and then one square in a direction perpendicular to the first. I know it’s strange, but you’ll get used to it.

“Finally, there are the unicorn pieces, starting next to the pegasi pieces. Brilliant tacticians, crafty to the end, and powerful beyond measure, they too can move any number of squares, using their wit and spell power to overpower foes. However, unicorns are often stalwart traditionalists, so they can only remain on the color they started on. Or in other words, they move diagonally.

“The Luna piece starts on the middle-back row square that is her own color. The all-powerful defender of the night stops at nothing and fears nothing, thus allowing her to move any number of squares in any direction.

“The Celestia piece is the most important one, and can also move any direction. However, she is busy overseeing and protecting all of her little ponies, so she can only move one square at a time. Furthermore, she cannot be captured, as that would spell instant doom to her army. If she is placed in a position where she could be captured, she must move out of that position. If that is impossible, she sacrifices herself and her army is soon disbanded, making the other player the winner."

Shining Armor paused in his explanation of the game to glance over the three aliens. “Thus, you know how to play one of our most treasured games. You are the first non-ponies to know the rules, but as Equestrian citizens-to-be, it is your right to know. So! Shall we play?” The aliens nodded their assent.

“Alright. I will play each of you in turn. Bok, you first.” Shining Armor was sure he could beat Bok at this game. He played it all the time with Lieutenant Iron Helm. However, he was definitely NOT going to lord his victories over Bok’s head. He’d learned his lesson.

Shining Armor allowed Bok to be white and make the first move. Play then proceeded from there. Five minutes in, it was clear who was winning. Shining had three more pieces captured than Bok, and was starting to tighten the noose. Eventually, he shifted his earth pony into position and declared, “checkmate.” Bok harrumphed and clicked noisily but conceded the game. Shining Armor smirked but did not gloat. “Actually, for a first-timer you didn’t play that badly. Don’t take it too hard, I’m very good at this,” Shining consoled him with a smile.

Pip-Pap sat down before the board next. Whereas Bok had preferred to wantonly trade pieces away, Pip-Pap played more cautiously, allowing Shining Armor to initiate all of the trades. However, Shining eventually exploited the weaknesses in Pip-Pap’s position, and all of his carefully constructed defenses came crumbling down within the span of about five turns. It was quickly checkmate after that. “I liked the defensive play style, but you just left too many liabilities open," Shining Armor consoled the slightly saddened alien.

Finally, the Ultra sat down and studied the board and pieces. He was shocked by how similar the game was to one that he used to play on his home planet long ago. Perhaps some of the same strategies would work? It was time to find out. The Ultra elected to be the black team, much to Shining’s surprise, but he conceded. Moving his Celestia-tree out two spaces, Shining was shocked when the Ultra moved his Luna-tree out two spaces. “The Alicorn’s Gambit…” he murmured. “Interesting…”

What followed was a perfectly executed bloodbath by both teams. Neither gave up a major advantage as trade after trade after brutal trade followed. In the short manner of a few minutes, both sides were left with only Celestia, one earth pony, and a handful of trees. Thus began the positional part of the game, with both sides using Celestia to block trees’ advances and their earth ponies to attack or defend. However, the Ultra was up one tree after a favorable exchange in the midgame, and that one extra liability proved too much for Shining’s stretched defenses to deal with. Eventually, the tree promoted into a Luna, which Shining was forced to trade his earth pony for. From there, the Ultra simply had to tighten the noose.

“Checkmate,” the Ultra smoothly said as he placed his earth pony in its final resting place.

Shining Armor leaned back in his seat and frowned. “Huh. I can’t believe I actually lost. The only pony I ever lose to is Celestia. That was most impressive, Ultra. Clearly you have the mind of a brilliant leader and tactician. Although, I’m pretty sure we already knew that,” Shining finished with a chuckle.

“So what happens now?” the Ultra inquired.

“Hmm? Oh, I’ll be delivering these reports on your prowess to Princess Celestia immediately. Once you get accepted, she’ll call a minor ceremony to both grant you citizenship and induct you into the Guard. Until then, you three are dismissed. Enjoy the rest of your day, you’ve earned a break. All of you.”

The Ultra nodded contentedly. “Very well. Thank you for your time today, Captain. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Pip-Pap added. Bok chirruped once.

“Don’t mention it,” Shining Armor replied. “It was my pleasure, and not-so-pleasure, to see you three in action. You’ll be fine additions to the Guard. But enough from me! Off to your bunks, Privates! Dismissed!”

“Yes, sir!” the three chorused before standing and leaving the Gauntlet room. Shining Armor sighed and ran a hoof through his mane as he finished up the paperwork.

Celestia was DEFINITELY going to want to see these.

Princess Celestia cringed as she heard the throne door creak open once again. She looked up from her scroll with a frown and prepared to sternly remind whoever it was that the day court was now closed. However, her frown soon melted into an easy smile as she beheld Shining Armor enter the room, a set of files in hoof. “Ah, Shining Armor! How good to see you. I trust you have some results concerning our extraterrestrial friends?”

“Of course, your Highness,” Shining Armor replied, floating over the file. “It is with only the slightest bit of remorse that I inform you the three aliens are the most competent rookies the Guard has ever fielded, and made half of our officers look like blundering buffoons. Clearly a result of their already extensive military training.”

“That is to be expected, yes,” Celestia remarked with a glimmer in her eye.

“However…” Shining Armor trailed off, decidedly uncomfortable with what he was considering saying.

Celestia of course sensed his hesitance. “Yes, my Captain? Is there something the matter?”

“Well…” Again he choked up.

Celestia’s calming gaze did wonders for his courage, though. “Speak, Captain. You have nothing to fear here. None can penetrate my domain without my permission.”

“There was an…incident in the training yard,” Shining Armor finally explained.

“Oh? Did you take note of it in your report?”

Shining Armor took a deep breath. “No, ma’am. I didn’t. It’s on strict need-to-know basis.”

Celestia looked amused. “And why is that?”

“I dare say it’s because I’m…well…afraid.”

“Afraid of them?”

“Yes, your Highness.”

“What did they do?”

“Other than perform like a team of highly trained assassins?” Shining took another deep breath to steady his nerves. “Bok brought live weapons into the training complex…”

Celestia frowned. “I see…that is quite serious. I’ll have to have a chat with him, then.”

“No!” Shining Armor blurted, before covering his mouth with a hoof. But it was too late.

Celestia cocked an eyebrow. “Are you telling me ‘no,’ Captain?” she mocked, a teasing tone laced in her voice.

Shining Armor sighed and rolled his eyes. “No, it’s just that I…well…fear for potential repercussions of that.”

“Dearest Shining,” Celestia began with a chuckle. “Have you so little faith in my abilities?”

“Well…I…”

“And do you fully understand the entirety of the situation?”

“I never said tha-”

“Or perhaps you question the trust I’ve allocated those three?”

“Yes!” Shining Armor blurted again. Celestia raised an eyebrow. “I…well…I’m just not sure I’m ready to completely trust them, your Highness.”

Celestia smiled ever so slightly. “That is to be expected, I suppose. However, trust ME when I say that I have seen their conviction. I know what it is they fight for now, or more importantly what they don’t fight for, and WHO they don’t fight for. Do you know what kind of beings they used to be, Shining Armor?”

Shining Armor feared the worst. “Um…no, your majesty.”

Celestia leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. “Murderers, Captain. Their group, known as the Covenant, is, as we speak, attempting to commit genocide against a race known as the humans.”

Shining’s eyes went wide. “Well then how-”

“Uh, uh, uh,” Celestia cut in. “Now imagine this. In the span of two days you are teleported to a world beyond your wildest imagination and told that your entire life has been one huge lie. The Covenant are fighting their war because their conglomerate species are being spoon-fed lies by their maniacal leaders. The race they once considered their hated enemies are actually the chosen ones of their gods. As you can imagine, there is a fair amount of stress associated with these events.”

Shining Armor was silent for a moment as he pondered those words. “Wow…I…didn’t know. And now they…?”

“Wish to undo what they have done. Oppose their old leaders. Fight to protect, not to destroy. Learn the ways of peace and harmony. Our society will do them much good, dearest Shining. But we have to give them that chance they so desperately need.”

Another moment or two of silence passed. Finally, Shining Armor spoke. “I understand now, your Highness. Your wisdom and insight never fail to amaze me. I am sorry for doubting you.”

“That is why the Ultra and his comrades follow me,” Celestia remarked teasingly as she tapped the side of her snout with a golden hoof. “And do not apologize. I appreciate your concerns and alertness.”

“Very well, your Highness. I trust you will review those reports?”

“I shall. Thank you once again.”

“You are welcome, Princess. I shall take my leave.”

“Do so. Have a pleasant evening, my dear Captain.”

“You as well, milady.” And with that, Shining Armor exited the throne room, his mind abuzz with a million thoughts. But out of all of those, one thought clearly stood out stronger than any other.

What a day…

Shining Armor sighed contentedly as he closed the door to his suite behind him. Excited hoofsteps could be heard coming to greet him. “Shiny!” his wife, Cadance, exclaimed happily as she rounded the corner. “Welcome home, honey!” she greeted as she pulled him into a joyous hug.

“Evening, dearest,” Shining replied, gratefully returning the embrace. “How was your day?”

“Oh, it was fabulous!” Cadance happily remarked. “I’ve been busy all day helping Celestia prepare for that ‘mystery event’ tomorrow that we got called into town for. I must confess that I am so excited to find out what it is! It must be some sort of party considering the food and decorations we were preparing.”

“A party, huh?” Shining Armor mused. “I could certainly go for a party. I wonder when Celestia’s going to tell us what it is?” He and his wife and been called away from the Crystal Empire for a week to help with a ‘mysterious event’ Celestia was setting up for tomorrow. While Cadance was working actual preparations, Shining was of course in charge of security and marching formations. Maybe it was a parade.

“Tomorrow, she promised she would,” Cadance answered. “And I just can’t wait! Oh, but enough about me. How was your day?”

Shining Armor sighed. “Interesting, to say the least.”

“Oh?” Cadance remarked coyly. “Well why don’t you just come inside and discuss it with me over some daisy and vegetable casserole, hmm?”

Shining grinned like a little colt. “Oh, you didn’t.”

“I diiiid!” Cadance sang as she trotted into the kitchen, her tail whisking back and forth excitedly. Shining Armor eagerly followed her to find a piping hot plate of one of his favorite foods waiting for him. His wife was also waiting with a smile so wide it would give Pinkie Pie a run for her money. “Go on! Dig in!”

Shining Armor happily shoved a few forkfuls of hot food into his mouth and chewed, moaning appreciatively as he did so. Cadance nibbled on her food but mostly delighted in seeing her husband so happy. After a few more mouthfuls she spoke up again. “So! How was your ‘interesting’ day?”

Shining Armor swallowed. “Well…you remember those three aliens?”

“Remember? How could I forget?!”

“Yeah, well, I had to run their evaluations for the Royal Guard today,” Shining Armor said with a sigh.

Cadance’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “What? They’re joining the Royal Guard?”

“With Celestia’s blessing,” Shining Armor muttered, shoving more food into his mouth.

Cadance was silent for a moment before, “is she CRAZY?!”

“That’s what I said!” Shining Armor agreed, nodding his head vigorously.

“How exactly did that happen?” Cadance inquired, prompting Shining Armor to explain all that Celestia told him about their previous lifestyle. In between bites of delicious casserole, of course. Cadance took the explanation in stride. “Huh. So that’s how that happened,” she remarked.

“Pretty much,” Shining Armor replied.

“So how did they perform?”

“Like I told Celestia, like a team of highly-trained assassins,” Shining Armor grumbled, helping himself to another serving of delicious casserole.

Cadance giggled as he took more food. “Guess all that training made you hungry, huh?”

“Not to mention the fight.”

“There was a fight?” she inquired worriedly.

“I sparred with Bok, yeah,” Shining Armor replied.

“Oh. How did that go?”

Shining Armor sighed deeply. “Let’s just say…if he had been so inclined he could’ve ended my life right then and there.”

Cadance gasped in horror. “What?! How?”

“He brought live weapons into the complex,” he muttered with his mouth full.

Cadance’s eyes bugged out of her head. “WHAT?! But that’s illegal! Totally illegal! He should be kicked out! Shining, how did you let him get away with that?”

Shining Armor shrugged dejectedly. “He has Celestia’s blessing. He’s protected. And then there’s the fact that I’m downright terrified of him.”

Cadance smirked. “My Shining Armor? Afraid? Guess I should’ve recognized the imposter at the door sooner.”

Shining Armor rolled his eyes. “Har har. But seriously, Cady. You weren’t there. You didn’t see him in action. Everything about him is scary. The way he looks, the way he moves…it just EXUDES the fact that he’s a predator, and a damned good one at that. And to be that creature’s prey…let’s just say I now know fear, Cady…”

His wife looked sadly into his eyes. “Well at least everything worked out…” she trailed off, looking upwards as if staring through the roof into the sky. “Say…aren’t there more of them up there, in the sky?”

“I think so,” Shining Armor replied. “Why?”

“Well…” Cadance began unsurely, the worry etched clearly in her voice. “If one alien is enough to scare you, what happens when the rest of them show up?”

Shining Armor shuddered at the very thought. “Then Celestia have mercy on anypony they deem an enemy…”

Author's Note

And here's chapter two! Nice and long, just for you guys! Stay awesome!

Now for some business. Seeing as I intend to get pretty 'into the story' soon (that means writing a lot), and considering how long it takes me to proofread my own work (to perfection, I might add), I'm going to try something new. I have decided to recruit a proofreading team of five members to comb through the new chapters for errors and whatnot. I will post the new chapter in Google Docs (google docs access required), PM my five pre-readers, and then let you all drop comments everywhere. So! Who wants to not only pre-read my fabulous work but help with this totally awesome story?

STOP RIGHT THERE, CRIMINAL SCUM!! Not just anyone has the skills that I desire. First of all, I expect at least two members of my board to go through a new chapter within 48 hours of the PM that I send out. Or at least confirm when they're going to go through it. That's reasonable, right? (Please tell me if not) If I find that certain members are not quick enough to get to my stuff I may replace them. Vacations and other absences I'm informed of excepted, of course.

Not only do you need to be prompt and available, but you also have to have a FIRM grasp of the English language. I'm not looking for 'oh you mispelled this' or 'oh you forgot a quotation mark here.' That's novice-level stuff (not to say that these errors won't necessarily pop up lol. Even I ain't perfect!) I want to know if my commas are properly placed and allocated, if my sentences flow properly, if my word choice is properly varied and not repetitive, and, most importantly, if everything MAKES SENSE. Am I clear? Am I using pronouns vs. names correctly? Are my descriptors sufficient? Etc, etc, etc.

So! If you think you have what it takes either comment here or send me a PM! I'll PM you back if I decide to accept. I'll also make a blog announcing the five members once I decide. I'll also put your names in the description of the story. Please don't hesitate to apply if you think you have the skills, folks. I'm not mean. If I feel I have to turn you down, I'll be nice about it. I promise.

Okay. Less yammering, more reading, yes? Enjoy everyone!

To Serve With Honor

*Italics signify that it is being spoken in the species’ native language, or in the universal language of the Covenant, and that this is the closest possible translation.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

The Ultra looked up from his breakfast of jerky strips, an apple, and a piece of toast in surprise. It wasn’t often that the trio of aliens got visitors while they were in their suite. Despite the ponies’ increased comfort around them, they were still a rather frightening bunch, and the Ultra could only imagine what sort of rumors circulated concerning what they did in the secrecy of their room.

Their room also probably smelled.

“I’ve got it,” the Ultra said softly to his companions as he stood up from the too-small chair and strode over to the door. Much to his surprise, there was a grinning, blue unicorn waiting for him on the other side. “Cobalt Shine!” the Ultra exclaimed in surprise and glee. “So good to see you!”

“It is good to see you as well, friend. It would seem fate has once again seen fit to cross our paths,” Cobalt Shine replied with a grin.

“Well, we certainly weren’t expecting you, but do please come in,” the Ultra said as he stepped aside to allow the blue pony access to their quarters. Bok looked up from his plate, containing much the same fare as the Ultra’s, and chirped happily.

Pip-Pap appeared to be chugging…something from a bottle he had attached to his facemask. Seeing the blue pony, he disengaged the bottle with a click and a hiss. “Hi, Cobalt Shine!”

“Hello, Pip-Pap. It is good to see you,” Cobalt Shine replied. Ever the diplomat, he declined to ask Pip-Pap what exactly he had just been ingesting. He also wrinkled his nose slightly as he entered the room, but again said nothing. He did, however, warily eye the strips of jerky on the two taller aliens’ plates.

The Ultra took notice and sighed. They had already had this discussion once before, and it was one of the few sore points between them. “My friend, I am sorry you take displeasure with our diets, but we cannot change our species. We are what we are, and we evolved this way. Take comfort knowing that this creature died a long time ago, a long ways away.”

Cobalt Shine scoffed but his reply was even in tone. “I did not come here to criticize your eating habits.” His face brightened. “For today is a good day! One of celebration! I come bringing news of today’s events!”

The aliens looked on curiously. “A celebration?” the Ultra mused as he grabbed another piece of jerky. “Of what sort?”

“Is it some sort of holiday?” Pip-Pap inquired.

“Eh…I suppose it could be described that way,” Cobalt Shine confessed with a grin. “But it’s not any ordinary holiday! Today is a coronation!”

“A coronation? For royalty?” the Ultra questioned. “Is one of your Princesses becoming a Queen?”

Cobalt Shine chuckled at that. “No, no…I’m afraid Princess is the highest rank among our royalty here.”

“A prince or princess, then?”

“Precisely!” Cobalt Shine exclaimed excitedly. “And you already know who she is, too!” he added, waggling his eyebrows ridiculously.

The Ultra frowned. “Now wait a moment. I only know of three Princesses, and they are all alicorns. I don’t know of any other alicorns to be crowned a Princess, as you claim.”

Cobalt Shine’s grin grew even wider. “But you do know her! I promise it’s true!”

“Well then who is it?”

“Nuh uh uh!” Cobalt Shine taunted. “You have to keep guessing. Where’s the fun if I just TELL you?”

The Ultra narrowed his eyes and let loose a low growl. If there was one thing Cobalt Shine had quickly come to appreciate about the Ultra, it was that he was NOT a morning Sangheili. “Cobalt Shine…” he said dangerously. “I’m only going to ask you this once…who. Is. It?”

Cobalt Shine pouted. “Aww, you’re no fun. Fine, fine I’ll tell you. Today is the day that Princess Twilight Sparkle is crowned!”

The Ultra sputtered and choked on the piece of jerky he’d been chewing on. Pip-Pap gasped. Bok chuckled and used the opportunity to snatch a piece of jerky off of the Ultra’s plate. Finally, the Ultra recovered to the point where he could speak again. “Twilight Sparkle is a unicorn,” was all he managed to say.

“Not anymore!” Cobalt Shine chirped happily.

The aliens stared for a moment or two. “Let me get this straight…you mean to tell me that Twilight Sparkle, seemingly overnight, became an alicorn?”

“That’s about it, yeah!” Cobalt Shine replied cheerfully.

More surprised silence followed before the Ultra sighed and rubbed his temples. “I may not be a scholar among my people, but I do possess a basic understanding of this universe and the many, many laws that govern it. You ponies, my dear Cobalt Shine, have consistently, obliviously, and most cheerfully broken, or at least seem capable of breaking, every. Single. Last. One of them,” he finished, poking Cobalt Shine in the chest between phrases to emphasize his point.

Cobalt Shine grinned like a crazy pony. “I know, aren’t we amazing?”

The Ultra rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air. “Amazing doesn’t even BEGIN to describe it…”

“So, remind me where we are going, and why?” the Ultra asked Cobalt Shine as the trio of aliens once again found themselves trailing the blue pony through the halls of Canterlot Castle.

“You’ll see,” was all Cobalt Shine had to say in reply as he led the aliens into an area of the castle they were unfamiliar with. Soon enough, the group stopped before a large wooden door that none of them recognized. A faint, smoky odor lingered in the air, almost as if somepony was burning something. “Welcome, friends, to the armory. I imagine you’ll become fairly familiar with this area before too long.”

The wooden door slowly creaked open, and beyond the aliens could see the dull flickering of fires and hear the clanging of metal on metal. Stepping through the massive archway behind their guide, they walked past rows and rows of golden helmets, chest pieces, spears, swords, and all manner of weapons and armor. They also passed several forges and fires, where ponies were hard at work pouring, hammering, dousing, or heating metal. The Ultra had to say that he was surprised by such a level of industriousness from the seemingly innocent ponies.

Passing all of the loud workplaces, the group entered some sort of office. There, much to the extraterrestrial trio’s surprise, they found the Princess of the Sun herself talking animatedly to a burly orange earth pony with an eye patch over his right eye. The conversation halted immediately upon the new arrivals’ entrance.

Celestia smiled. “Why, hello friends. Good to see you.”

The aliens all bowed. “Princess,” the Ultra greeted. “I must confess that we were not expecting to meet you of all ponies here.”

Celestia smirked at that. “That was the plan, dear Ultra.” She turned to her companion. “I’d like you all to meet our head smith, Fired Forge.”

The dull orange pony stepped forward to examine the trio, slowly circling them and muttering under his breath. His one eye sized up their every feature, detail, and movement. It was rather uncanny. Finally, he stopped before the trio and held out a hoof. “Fired Forge, at ‘cha service. Pleased ta meet ‘cha,” he greeted gruffly, shaking the three aliens’ hands in succession. Then he chuckled. “Ohhh, I think dey gonna like wot we got fer ‘em, Princess. All my measurements were jest roight.”

Celestia’s eyes sparkled. “I had every confidence, Forge.” She turned to the aliens. “I trust you all have been briefed on today’s proceedings?”

“We know that Twilight Sparkle is apparently now an alicorn,” the Ultra replied. “How is that possible? Is it some sort of evolutionary process for ponies?”

“You want to know?” Celestia asked, leaning forward a bit.

“Yes, I do.”

“You REALLY want to know?”

The Ultra scowled. “Yes, I do! It doesn’t seem possible!”

Celestia looked one way and then the other. Confident that nopony was listening in, she leaned in conspiratorially. “Closer,” she muttered. The three aliens stepped closer to her. “Closer…” she repeated. They obeyed. “Closer,” she whispered, now that they were just a few steps away. They all leaned in to hear what she had to say.

“Magic.”

The aliens groaned in unison. The Ultra threw his hands up in the air and stomped towards the other corner of the room. “But of course it’s magic! The answer to every known question in the universe! Why didn’t I think of that?!” he shouted in exasperation. The three ponies in the room had a very hearty laugh at the aliens’ expense.

Eventually, Celestia calmed down enough to resume speaking. “Well…hehe, hoo… You see, Ultra… Reasons behind Twilight’s coronation aside, I have brought you here to prepare you for your part in today’s celebrations.”

The Ultra looked up in confusion. “Our part? But surely this event is…well…important for your people specifically?”

Celestia chuckled at that. “Oh, my dear Ultra, you simply must stop thinking like that. Remember, you ARE one of us now. You may not be one of my little ponies, but I still care for you three deeply as though you were. Today’s celebration is as much yours as it is ours. Remember that.”

“I…see,” the Ultra said after some hesitation. Then, “thank you, your Highness. You honor us with your kind words. It feels good to be accepted so readily. Very well, we shall proudly do our part in today’s celebration. What do you wish us to do?”

“Well…” Celestia began, nodding to Fired Forge as she did so. The orange pony grinned and started rooting through some sort of closet attached to the office. “I have received your reports from Captain Shining Armor. Despite some…hesitation on his part, he admits that you all received impeccably high marks and should be accepted into the Equestrian Royal Guard at once. I agree with his assessment. Thus, as your first role as Equestrians, both to serve your new country and to learn about the magic of friendship and harmony, you three are to become Princess Twilight Sparkle’s personal bodyguards, a brand-new division of the Equestrian Royal Guard.”

The three aliens were stunned into silence at that, completely unsure of what to say, or even how to feel. Honored? Pleased? Grateful? Fired Forge took advantage of the silence by reentering the room with a burlap sack in hoof. The sack clanged and bonged loudly as it moved about. “Har har har, tha’s roight me beauties,” Fired Forge chuckled. “And o’ course, any good guard’s gotta look da part, yeh? So check out what me and my boys whipped up fer ya…”

And with that, Fired Forge withdrew a purple helmet from within the bag and held it up. “Fer you, Ultra,” he remarked as he let the helm sparkle in the light. The Ultra gasped in surprise and awe. Very few times before had he seen such craftsmanship, but never did he dream it could be for him. The helmet’s shape reminded him much of the Arbiter’s helmet, with a pointed front to protect his admittedly vulnerable throat. The rounded dome seemed to be the perfect size for his head. Protruding from the top and sides were three flanges, streamlined to a curve in the front but shaped like flames in the back, that streamed backwards ending about two inches behind the back of his head. And the entire thing was painted a deep purple, the same color as Twilight’s coat, with brilliant golden edging.

“I…I know not what to say…thank you…” the Ultra breathed as he was handed the helmet. Gingerly, as if afraid to damage it, the Ultra placed the helm on his head with a soft clunk. It was a perfect fit, and he was never even measured! “It fits perfectly. Truly, you are a master of your craft, Fired Forge. This is incredible.”

Fired Forge grinned toothily. “Don’t be countin’ yer chickens now, laddie, there’s more where dat came from. It’s jest dat we had ta whip dese up inna jiffy, and only had time fer one piece each. Now, on ta you, Bok.”

Again Fired Forge reached into the sack, and again he withdrew a brilliant purple-and-gold helm. But where the first one had been round, this one was elongated, and seemed to be the perfect shape to fit the Kig-Yar’s natural long snout and high cheekbones. The helmet also had a slit in the top to allow Bok’s plumage through. To the left and right of the slit, about two inches away, were two crescents protruding from the top and hooking backwards to give the helmet an extra-intimidating look. And finally, Bok was delighted to see, there were slight flanges around the round eye sockets to hold his trusty goggles in place while he wore it.

Bok chirruped excitedly and bounded over to Fired Forge, eager to put it on. It was handed over, and once again the aliens were awed by how well the ponies fit their armor without taking a single measurement. Fired Forge looked on proudly, but not too emotionally, as though he’d seen this several times before and it was no big deal to him. Through the Ultra, Bok communicated his thanks before whipping out his goggles and testing them out with his new helmet. As expected, they fit perfectly.

But there was one more gift to be given. Pip-Pap trembled excitedly as Fired Forge reached into the sack one last time. It was still quite full, so Pip-Pap’s piece would certainly be the largest. With a grunt of exertion, Fired Forge withdrew a large, pyramidal object that was quickly identified as a methane tank. Unbeknownst to the aliens, Cobalt Shine had discreetly acquired one of Pip-Pap’s spent methane tanks and brought it to the forges to be refilled. The result was a fully-functioning, bright purple methane tank decorated with golden edges and spirals.

The Unggoy squealed in glee as he scurried over to receive his gift. Truthfully, these last few days had been most stressful for the smaller alien as the reserves of his final methane tank dipped lower and lower. The Covenant tanks are designed for prolonged use but even so, they do have a finite limit. “Excellent! Another breathing tank! I was running out! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Pip-Pap chanted excitedly. Taking a deep breath, he popped off his current tank with a hiss and gladly slid on the new one. Fired Forge shoved the old tank into the burlap sack, presumably to paint and fill it, too.

Once it was installed properly, he took a deep inhale and then sighed contentedly. “Ahhh…that’s the stuff,” Pip-Pap sighed happily. But then he turned to the ponies curiously. “Hey…how did you fill the tank up, anyways?” he asked.

“Do ya really wants ta know?” Fired Forge countered, grinning ear to ear.

“Magic?” Pip-Pap ventured with a sardonic tone of voice.

“Cow farts.”

The entire room erupted into laughter while Pip-Pap looked decidedly perturbed.

“…So all you have to do is wear your pieces of armor, step out when you’re told, and walk behind Twilight Sparkle’s chariot for the duration of the parade. It’s that simple!” Celestia explained as she, the aliens, Cobalt Shine, and Fired Forge made their way to the entrance to the armory.

“Sounds simple enough,” the Ultra replied. “And so the ponies will know that we are a part of their precious guard…I wonder how that will be received,” he mused.

“Well enough. I’m sure most ponies would rather have you with us than against us,” she finished with a wink. The Ultra had to acknowledge the truth of those words with a simple nod. “Oh, and you’ll need to carry these for the parade. It’s for symbolic reasons. And to signify that, without a doubt, you are the newest members of the Equestrian Royal Guard.”

The three aliens eyed the rack of golden spears warily. “We have to carry these? We are already outfitted with weapons,” the Ultra questioned.

Celestia looked bemused. “It is only for the parade, dear Ultra. I assure you that you can use your current gear whenever it may be needed.”

“Very well,” the Ultra relented, picking up one of the surprisingly heavy spears. “We will carry these weapons for the duration of the celebration.” Bok and Pip-Pap grabbed spears as well, the smaller aliens struggling slightly to control the large, heavy weapons.

“Remember, this is a privilege, not a punishment. These spears have served our people since times immemorial.”

“I understand, Princess. Thank you.” She inclined her head. The Ultra turned to Fired Forge and bowed. “And thank you, Fired Forge, for your immaculate gifts. We shall wear them proudly.”

Fired Forge smirked. “Loike I said, there’s more where dat came from. It should all be ready in ‘bout a week or so. Stop back by, and THEN we’ll see what ya has ta say, eh?”

“Thank you. We shall look forward to it.”

Cobalt Shine cleared his throat. “Ahem. Now that you have all your gear, we should report to the staging area. The parade is scheduled to begin in about an hour or so.”

“Very well,” the Ultra replied. “Princess, with your leave?”

“Of course. Farewell for now, Ultra. I shall see you after the ceremony for your promised meeting with Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia promised with a smile.

“We look forward to it.” And with that, the three aliens and Cobalt Shine left the armory and headed out to the fairgrounds.

Thus far, the aliens’ reception to the Equestrian Royal Guard was VERY positive. As they walked through the hallways, purple-and-gold armor and golden spears in tow, guards everywhere would smile, stamp their hooves, and even cheer their approval. Many greetings of ‘welcome to the Guard, fellas!’ and ‘all right! They’re on our side now!’ and other such banter were heard as the group progressed. The aliens couldn’t help but be proud of their new home, and pleased with how well they were fitting in.

Eventually, the group found its way outside and headed towards a cluster of brightly colored tents. Singling out a particularly purple one, Cobalt Shine led the trio into none other than Princess Twilight Sparkle’s personal tent. As the group entered, Twilight Sparkle was facing away from the entrance, looking into a mirror and admiring her reflection. Her five friends were gathered around her, as well as her assistant Spike, all chattering excitedly about how she looked and the upcoming parade. The entire group was dressed in admittedly quite stylish clothing.

Clearing his throat, Cobalt Shine spoke. “Ahem! Announcing the newest members of the Equestrian Royal Guard, and the newest division of the Guard, the personal entourage of Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

The six mares and dragon jolted slightly and whirled around, clearly surprised by Cobalt Shine’s abrupt entrance. The shy one, Fluttershy if the Ultra remembered correctly, let out a small ‘eep!’ and dove behind the rainbow-maned one, whose name he couldn’t remember at the moment. The Ultra would’ve thought it polite to knock or something, but Cobalt Shine was either determined to spook everypony he came across today or was in a great hurry. The Ultra wasn’t quite sure which.

“Oh my! Cobalt Shine! You startled us!” Twilight admonished, a hoof over her chest. Behind her, her friends’ eyes widened as they took in the three aliens and their new gear.

Cobalt Shine was unfazed. “I was simply following standard protocol,” he replied with a shrug.

“Yes, well, try knocking next time. It’s just polite.”

“As you wish, Princess,” Cobalt Shine said with a bow, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Twilight sighed and shook her head before turning to the aliens. “New members of the Royal Guard, huh? Good for you! It’s only the logical choice, considering your past professions. But what was this about my personal entourage?” she questioned.

“It is official,” the Ultra replied. “Princess Celestia has admitted us to the Guard and formed a new division. We are to be your bodyguards, as every Princess has some. It is both to serve our new country and to learn about friendship and harmony.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Oh, how wonderful! Yes, there is much I can teach you about the magic of friendship!”

The Ultra frowned. “Friendship is not magic. It is a thing.”

Twilight and her friends giggled. “Oh, girls, they have so much to learn!”

The aliens groaned as the ponies laughed. This was becoming an all-too-common occurrence…

The Ultra shifted his eyes to the right, where there was a curious blue pegasus hovering just nearby, inspecting him closely. The Ultra was currently standing at attention outside Twilight’s tent, waiting for her to finish preparing for the ceremony. On the other side of the entrance, Bok and Pip-Pap stood, the butts of their spears planted firmly on the ground as they too stood at attention.

“You know…” the pegasus began as she lightly tapped the Ultra’s new helmet, despite his attempts to flinch away. “I’m really digging the new armor. It’s pretty cool.”

“I must agree, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity announced as she trotted out of the tent to get another critical look at the aliens. She sized the Ultra up, her expert eyes comparing the purple of the armor to the dark purple, almost black, of his skin. “I think you three look quite fetching in purple and gold, myself.”

“Err…” the Ultra began, unsure of how to reply to that. “Thank you, I suppose. The armor was given to us by Fired Forge in the armory.”

“Hmm,” Rarity mused. “Yes, quite. They did a fine job. Are you going to be receiving a complete ensemble at some point?”

“I believe so,” the Ultra replied.

“But unfortunately it will probably be more of the same military nonsense…” she trailed off, one hoof on her chin. The Ultra could practically see the gears turning in her head.

“Rarity, you aren’t thinking about dragging these poor guys into all your silly, frou-frou nonsense, are you?” Rainbow Dash asked exasperatedly. “They’re alien soldiers! They do cool stuff like shoot lasers and punch bad guys and fly spaceships! No way would they want to pose in your stuffy boutique for hours on end!”

“I beg your pardon?” the Ultra asked in confusion. Frou-frou nonsense?

“My boutique is not stuffy!” Rarity huffed. “And I was simply pandering a few ideas of mine. If these gentlesirs decide they are in need of my services, they can find me in my shop at any time, free of their own will.” She sniffed. “I may also offer them a discount, but that’s beside the point.”

“What is it that you do, again?” the Ultra asked Rarity.

“Why, I’m only the premiere fashion designer in Ponyville! Anything from gowns to suits to costumes, I can do! At Carousel Boutique, everything is chic, unique, and magnifique!” She posed dramatically as she ran through her little sales pitch, giggling cutely at the end. The Ultra raised an eyebrow. Pip-Pap coughed. Bok guffawed and Rainbow Dash snickered.

“Basically just boring, unimportant, uncool stuff,” she snarked.

“RAINBOW DASH!!”

Said rainbow-maned pegasus flew off, cackling madly, a vehement unicorn spewing angry protests in tow.

The Ultra rolled his eyes and snorted. His comrades chuckled and joked with each other.

Ponies…

The butter-yellow pegasus scuffed at the ground as she gazed up from behind her long, pink hair at the Ultra with her large, blue eyes. The Ultra did his best to ignore her. After all, he was on duty, and was determined to make a good first impression with Princess Twilight Sparkle.

“So…” she softly began, hesitating slightly before pressing on. “You’re to be…Twilight’s personal guards?”

“Yes,” the Ultra replied shortly.

“Oh.” A silence followed. “So…you’ll keep her safe?”

“Yes.”

“Do…you like being a guard?”

The Ultra sighed internally. Bok chuckled lightly from the other side of the tent. “Yes.”

“Well that’s…good.”

“…Yes.”

More snickering. More ground-scuffing. “I…just don’t know how to feel about Twilight having guards. This is all happening so fast…”

“I KNOW!!” shouted a voice from right next to the Ultra’s right ear. Said alien jolted in surprise, hefting the spear and leveling it at the offending…blob of pink? Oh. The crazy one. Pinkie Pie simply bounced in place, completely ignorant or uncaring of the spear pointed right at her face. “I just CANNOT believe how super-duper-amazawesome this is! One day Twilight’s just regular, old Twilight, but then the next she’s super-powerful, feathery, Princess-y, needing-personal-guards Twilight! It’s almost too incredible to be true!”

The Ultra resisted the oh-so-strong urge to facepalm. There were so many questions he had but he settled for, “where the blazes did you come from?”

“From the tent, silly! Duh!” Pinkie cheerily replied, bouncing over to the frozen Fluttershy. Behind the Ultra, Bok roared with laughter while Pip-Pap chuckled lightly. “C’mon, Fluttershy! Twilight wanted our opinion on something, and what kind of friends would we be if we let her down? Come on, let’s get to it!” And with that, she picked up Fluttershy, whose limbs seemed locked in place, and carried her bodily into the tent. The Ultra just stared at the strange scene.

“Whoops! Sorry, AJ!” came the cheerful voice of Pinkie Pie. Just seconds later, Applejack stepped out of the tent, a rather confused look on her face. This was exacerbated by Bok and Pip-Pap’s antics, but she quickly shook her head and turned to size up the Ultra as well. By this point, the Ultra was beginning to feel like an exhibit in a zoo or something.

“So yer Twi’s personal guards now, huh?” she asked.

“Yes!” the Ultra snapped. “We already said so!”

Applejack flinched backwards, wrinkling her nose. “Well what’s got yer tail inna knot?”

The Ultra finally looked down at her, staring in confusion. “I don’t have a tail…” was all he could say in response to that.

Applejack let out a guffaw of laughter. “Hah! Course ya don’t. Sorry, just an expression. Ya seem ta be in a foul mood, though.”

The Ultra snorted. “I suppose I am being a bit short-tempered at the moment.” More snickers. The Ultra made a mental note to scold Bok for his lack of professionalism later.

“Ya wanna talk ‘bout it?” Applejack offered.

The Ultra stared for a moment in surprise before letting loose a long sigh. “It’s just…here. This place. You ponies,” he added, pointing at the orange mare. “Sometimes it’s just too much. Your species is so…strange. Stranger than anything I could’ve ever imagined.”

Applejack chuckled at that. “Ah suppose it probably is. Ah could say th’ same ‘bout y’all probably. But hey, that don’t mean we ain’t gonna help ya fit in. If ya ever need mah help, or just wanna talk, ya know where ya can find me.”

The Ultra was silent for a moment. “Thank you for your offer. I’ll be sure to take you up on it should I feel the need.”

Applejack nodded. She then stuck out her hoof. “And because Ah doubt anypony else has done it, here’s an official welcome ta Equestria, an’ congratulations on becomin’ Equestrians!”

The Ultra stared at the hoof momentarily before finally making up his mind and reaching out to shake it. “Thank you, Applejack. You are most kind.”

She chuckled at that as she turned to the others. “Don’t mention it. Welcome to Equestria, y’all!” Bok and Pip-Pap both expressed their thanks as the apple farmer turned back towards the tent. “Don’t git too comfy, now. Ah think we’re headin’ out in just a moment or two.”

“We shall be ready,” the Ultra affirmed.

“Oh, and Ultra?” The Ultra turned to face her once again. Her gaze hardened. “Don’t ya dare let anythin’ harm mah friend.”

“She is in good hands, I assure you,” the Ultra swore. Applejack simply nodded and headed back into the tent. The Ultra sighed and shook his head.

Ponies!

“We are gathered here today in celebration of a momentous occasion…” Princess Celestia’s regal voice carried through the twin doors leading to the room where the three current princesses, Twilight’s friends, and a good portion of Equestria stood and waited.

The Ultra stood stock-still behind the small procession, spear in hand, as Celestia’s voice continued to drift through the door. After leaving the tent, the group had been hurried into the castle, hidden away in a room for about half an hour, and then rapidly rushed out into this hallway and arranged just so for the big moment.

“…has done many extraordinary things since she’s lived in Ponyville…”

Princess Twilight Sparkle was of course closest to the door. Behind her were four blonde-maned, white mares bearing banners with Twilight’s…what was it called, again? Cutie mark, that’s right…on them. Then there were four gray unicorn guards, none of which the Ultra recognized. Finally, there was him, with Bok on his left and Pip-Pap on his right, all bedecked in their new purple-and-gold armor and gold spears.

“But today, Twilight Sparkle did something extraordinary…”

Twilight Sparkled fidgeted at the front of the line, clearly slightly nervous about her big entrance. One of the mares softly murmured something to her and she calmed down. The Ultra took a deep breath as he prepared to walk out before a good portion of his now-fellow citizens.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, may I present to you for the very first time, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her entourage!”

The doors opened. The procession began to move. All of a sudden, the mares and stallions began to sing as they walked.

The Princess Twilight cometh, behooold, behooold~

The three aliens frowned in confusion, but nonetheless held their position in the queue as they stoically began to walk, holding themselves as upright and still as possible. Their steps were measured, steady, and in time with each other. The Ultra could literally feel the gazes of several hundred ponies upon him as he stepped into the small amphitheater. There were many gasps and exclamations concerning Princess Twilight Sparkle, but his sharp ears detected several directed towards him and his comrades as well. Clearly they were quite the sight to behold.

Behoooold, behoooold~

The singing and walking and gasping continued. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Twilight reached the raised area where Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all waited, their wings outstretched and their faces adorned with smiles. A tiara was levitated from a pillow that Spike was holding, and slowly descended onto her head. The rest of the procession parted and moved to the side, still singing. The three aliens turned around before the steps and stood at attention, simultaneously slamming their spears into the ground, as instructed.

There they were, then. Standing in front of hundreds of ponies, wearing armor the same color as Twilight’s coat, and carrying the tell-tale spears of the Equestrian Royal Guard. But the Ultra did not see many of the reactions he expected. There was very little fear or doubt or disdain. Instead, there was acceptance painted on many ponies’ faces. Maybe even excitement or glee. Despite the fact that they were undoubtedly cheering for the princess, a small part of him felt as though the cheers were for him.

The Ultra’s spirits lifted as he scanned the crowd before him. The ponies truly were a very accepting race. Should he have malicious intents, he could easily hurt them quite badly. Like the Minor did… he thought, recalling his kin’s heinous crimes. Pushing such thoughts away, he focused on the present, and promptly turned around when it was time and followed Twilight Sparkle out onto a balcony, taking up a post near the entrance and standing perfectly still.

The Princess iiiis heeeeere!~

The song finally finished, and the crowd below, which was at least ten times the size of that inside the castle, erupted into massive cheers. The Ultra could hardly hear himself think over the din. He was even more shocked, however, when the cheers instantly died down as Celestia held up a hoof. “Say something!” she whispered to Twilight.

And so she did. The Ultra stood there and listened as Twilight poured her heart out about how she loved her friends, and couldn’t have accomplished all that she had without them. The Ultra doubted the truthfulness of these statements, but she sounded most sincere. He just didn’t really understand, he supposed. All his life he’d been mostly successful operating on his own. He depended on squadmates, sure, but on friends? He couldn’t really say that he had many of those.

“Thank you, friends! Thank you everypony!” she finally finished, and the crowd erupted into cheers once more. The Ultra and his comrades simply waited patiently for the next phase of the ceremony. As they headed back inside, however, the group was confronted with none other than Captain Shining Armor.

“Twilight!” he called. “I’m so proud of you!” It was then that the Ultra noticed something on his face.

“Are you…crying?” Twilight asked mischievously.

“Of course not!” Shining Armor professed. “It’s…it’s liquid pride! Totally different thing!” Bok snorted. The Ultra and Pip-Pap just barely managed to keep themselves entirely under control. Twilight and Shining chuckled as they exchanged a hug. Then, while Twilight and her friends engaged in more mushy, emotional stuff, Captain Shining Armor trotted up to the three aliens, still standing at attention.

“You’re doing a mighty fine job, you three," Shining Armor complimented. “I’m sorry I ever had my doubts.”

“Thank you, sir,” they chorused.

“I also really like the armor. It suits you well.”

“Thank you, sir,” they repeated.

“Carry on,” he dismissed them with a wave as the group moved towards the door. They then hurried down a flight of stairs, where Twilight Sparkled hopped into a chariot pulled by two white pegasus guards. The trio of aliens clambered onto the tiny platform in the back, just as planned. Twilight’s six friends hurried off, probably to go get good seats for the final part of the procession.

The Ultra sighed as the chariot began to move, slowly inching towards the daylight and the crowds awaiting them. “Well, at least the hard part is over,” he said to his comrades.

“Yeah, it’s getting hard to hold these spears,” Pip-Pap complained. “They’re so big and heavy, I’m glad we don’t have to use them all the time…” Bok chirped his agreement.

As the chariot rolled through the crowd, Princess Twilight Sparkle herself began to sing once again. The aliens groaned and rolled their eyes. What was it with Equestrians and their songs? It was really most odd.

The chariot happily rolled on its way, passing five mares and one little dragon trotting along the path of the procession.

…Wait, what? That wasn’t part of the plan. And weren’t those Twilight’s friends?

And then Twilight Sparkle jumped out of the chariot.

…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE JUMPED OUT OF THE CHARIOT!!

“What’s going on?” the Ultra roared as the chariot plodded further and further away from their charge. “What’s she doing? This isn’t part of the plan!”

*“No plan now! Must follow Princess!” Bok yelled as he jumped out of the chariot after her. His two compatriots were quick to join him. They quickly ran towards the Princess, but then stood aside as she and her friends trotted past, still engrossed in song. The three aliens hurried after her, calling her name and imploring her to get back to the chariot, but she completely ignored them. They probably looked like total fools running after her, shouting and pleading with her.

They probably looked like even bigger fools when the party suddenly veered off course, entered the castle, paraded through the hallways, and ended their journey, and thankfully the song, on a bridge between two towers. The entire group then broke out into giggles and hugs.

The three aliens panted as they stood off to the side watching the scene unfold. But before they could say anything, Twilight suddenly took off into the air, and flew away. Her friends cheered and giggled as they moved away from the aliens, their voices fading away as they headed off to…who knows where.

The Ultra, Bok, and Pip-Pap just stood on that bridge and gaped helplessly as their charge flew off into the sunset, with not a care in the world. The Ultra slowly turned to his comrades and finally managed to ask, “what in the name of the Gods just happened?” The others just sadly shrugged and shook their heads.

A chuckling could be heard behind them. They turned to find Captain Shining Armor standing there. “Lose track of your charge, guys?” he managed between snickers.

“Yes, sir…” they dejectedly chorused. At that, Shining Armor broke out into full-blown laughs. Finally regaining his composure, he spoke again. “Hehe…I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Truth is, I don’t envy your jobs. Twilight Sparkle is going to be one tough pony to keep an eye on.”

The Ultra had a million questions he wanted to ask in response to that, but only managed one. “She can already fly?”

Shining Armor chuckled again. “I was wondering about that myself. Probably just some fancy spell she found, if I had to guess. I know from friends that learning to fly takes months of practice.”

“I…see.” The Ultra sighed. “Well, I guess that just happened.”

Shining Armor laughed. “Like I said, don’t worry about it. You handled everything else very well.”

The group sighed again. “Well, I suppose we better find Princess Celestia,” the Ultra muttered, and the three began to trudge off in search of the regal, white pony princess. As he walked, the Ultra only had one thought on his mind:

Gods save me from these confounded ponies!

Author's Note

Teehee!

Thanks to all my pre-readers!
thefluffyone
Tensemasterhalo
RedvsBlue327
Jack-Pony
Still space for a few more if you're interested! Please see last chapter's Author's Note for further details.

Lessons Learned

*Italics signify that it is being spoken in the species’ native language, or in the universal language of the Covenant, and that this is the closest possible translation.

*I have failed. This was the predominant thought rattling about the Ultra’s head as the towering alien slowly made his way through the seemingly deserted halls of Canterlot Castle. The mood hanging around the trio of aliens was rather sour, and that was putting it lightly. None of them spoke as they silently trudged towards Celestia’s chambers, none of them looking forward to admitting they had lost their very important charge.

*I had one job. And I couldn’t even succeed at that, the Ultra lamented inwardly.

Things were going so well, too. The truth had been revealed to him. He had turned his back on a culture of mindless violence and cruelty. Here, among a new race defined by peace and friendliness, he finally was beginning to feel at home. Accepted by the civilians, praised by the soldiers, and loved by the leader, he was finally beginning to feel like he belonged.

And then Princess Twilight Sparkle flew off into the sunset, completely abandoning them.

Letting loose a snarl of anger, the Ultra slammed the butt of his spear into the cold, stone floor, listening as the BOOM echoed down the still hallway. *“How could she do that to us?” he raged. *“Does she not know we are simply trying to protect her? Has she already forgotten us? Do we mean nothing to her?”

*“Ponies probably no have assassins…don’t need us,” Bok remarked sadly.

Bok’s insight brought the Ultra’s anger to a screeching halt, only to have it replaced by despair. *“You are right, Bok…” the Ultra began. *“This world does not know violence and malice. I know not why they even bother training soldiers if there is no reason to fight. What are we even supposed to protect her against? What is there that she cannot handle with her magic alone?” The Ultra paused his questioning, and stopped to gaze out of a tall window into the starry night sky.

*“What is our purpose, if not to fight…?”

No one had an answer to that question. The three outsiders, three puzzle pieces with no space to fit, simply stared into the Great Beyond they were once so comfortable traversing. But the stars weren’t like any they’d ever seen, twisted and deformed into unfamiliar shapes. It only served to intensify their feelings of loneliness and difference.

The Ultra snorted, breaking the silence, as he turned and continued walking. *“Bah, what does it matter. At least we’re no longer partaking of genocide. Perhaps our answers will come. Until then, we must do as we are told and hope something good comes of it.”

As the two shorter aliens hastened to catch up, Pip-Pap spoke up. *“Are we not here to learn that?”

The Ultra frowned. *“Learn what?”

*“Our purpose.”

*“What do you mean?”

Pip-Pap hesitated, still very much uncomfortable with having attention directed at him. An encouraging gesture from the Ultra finally gave him the courage to continue. *“We came here for a reason, the Gods made it so. Maybe that’s to learn the truth, and how to live without war? Maybe we will find our true special talents?”

The Ultra cocked his head in confusion. *“What is this ‘special talent’ nonsense you keep going on about?”

Pip-Pap pointed at his thigh. *“Notice mark all ponies have here?” he asked.

The Ultra contemplated that. *“Hmmm…now that you mention it, I have noticed them. What do they mean?”

*“All ponies have them, unicorn, pegasus, earth pony. Mark stands for pony’s special talent, every pony has one. Little ones in Ponyville said so, but they still looking for special talent. Maybe we find one too?” Pip-Pap said hopefully. The Ultra smiled at his smaller comrade’s enthusiasm. Perhaps not all was lost…

*“Perhaps you are right, Pip-Pap. Maybe we will learn we have talents beyond our abilities to kill and destroy. I certainly hope so, and learning the ways of these ponies seems promising. We will continue to do as they say. Listen. Observe. Learn. Things will change, I think. Thank you, friend, for restoring my hope.” Pip-Pap simply beamed at that.

As the trio of aliens rounded a corner and headed towards Celestia’s throne room, the Ultra let out a sigh. *“I just wish they would actually let us accomplish what we have been instructed…” His two comrades nodded somberly.

Reaching the large, golden doors, the Ultra nodded to one of the unicorn guards on duty. He recognized the guard as the one who had been in the throne room on the day of Watchful Eye’s death. The guard nodded back and saluted, his horn glowing orange as the door slowly opened.

“Thank you,” the Ultra said softly before entering the chamber, mentally steeling himself for what was sure to be a sound verbal lashing.

What the aliens saw upon entering, however, surprised them to no end.

A chagrined-looking, newly-crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle, pawing the ground nervously before a stern Princess Celestia.

“…and they are desperate to fit in however they can, and right now that is through listening and observing, slowly learning the ways of peace and harmony.” As the trio awkwardly shuffled in, acutely aware of the fact that they were indeed the topic of discussion, Celestia glanced up at them, her face splitting into a wide, benevolent smile. “Ah, and here are our Guards of the hour. I think I know why they have come.”

Twilight whirled about, her face immediately flushing red as she beheld her rather bedraggled-looking entourage. “Princess Twilight,” the Ultra began with a slight bow. “We are relieved to see that you are safe, but we must ask that-”

“I’m sorry,” blurted Twilight, still red as a tomato. “I can’t believe that I went and did that, after all that you’ve been through. I’m sorry, I-I wasn’t thinking, and-”

“Princess Twilight, please, it is alright. You don’t have to-” The Ultra tried to comfort the flustered princess, but to no avail.

“But it’s NOT all right!” she proclaimed, emphasizing her speech with a stamp of a hoof. “Princess Celestia just finished telling me about how you’ve had to adjust, and how difficult it’s been for you, and what I did was just irresponsible and-”

“Princess, please, we assure you we are doing quite well-”

“-and I’m sorry,” Twilight finished firmly. “I have disregarded you today and for that I’m truly, deeply sorry.”

The Ultra did not know how to respond to that. His superiors? Apologizing to him for his failures? He glanced sidelong at his allies, desperate for support, but they simply shook their heads, just as confused and lost. As usual, it was his job to speak for the group. “Er…” he finally managed. “That is…good.”

Twilight sighed slightly and smirked at the Ultra’s confusion. “Here,” she said softly. “Let me give you your first friendship lesson. When a friend does something upsetting to another friend, they admit their wrongdoing, sincerely apologize, and ask for forgiveness. Then, the other friend grants it to them and both parties feel better afterwards.”

The Ultra wore a slightly confused expression. “We are…friends?” he said slowly.

“But of course!” Twilight responded vehemently, almost looking a bit hurt. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

The Ultra and company took a moment or two to reflect on that revelation. The ponies truly were an accepting species if they were willing to become friends so easily. But it felt…nice. After some consideration, the Ultra smiled. “Well then, friend, I grant you my forgiveness.”

“I do too,” Pip-Pap seconded.

“Ya,” croaked Bok, giving the Princess a thumbs-up and a cheeky smile.

Twilight beamed as she released a sigh of relief. Behind her, Princess Celestia wore a joyous, all-knowing smile. “Oh good. I feel much better now. Thank you, friends.” The trio nodded in response, still a bit overwhelmed by the rapid-fire events of the day. But they all had to admit, they DID feel a bit better after the apology. Maybe this friendship thing was all it was cracked up to be, after all?

“Seeing as that’s been resolved, I think it’s time we move on to something a little different,” Celestia spoke up, immediately grabbing the attention of all. “Guards, I believe we had a discussion earlier on an appointment with her majesty, Princess Twilight? Well, here she is!”

Twilight Sparkle looked bewildered. “A meeting? With me? Whatever for? Is this my first duty as a Princess?”

Celestia chuckled softly. “Not quite, my dear Twilight. Rather, your first duty as a friend.” Twilight perked up noticeably at this. “You see, our friends here are suffering from a few problems. Problems that will take some of the greatest minds in Equestria to overcome. That is why your presence has been requested.”

Twilight Sparkle swelled with pride. “Problems? Very well, then. Lay them on me. I’m determined to do whatever I can to help!”

At a nod from Princess Celestia, the Ultra cleared his throat and began. “Well, the primary problem has already been resolved. Or at least, it has been for now. Mostly we need to find ways for Pip-Pap to adapt to this world without the assistance of the Covenant and its vast technological resources.” As the Ultra spoke, a pegasus guard approached to take the heavy spear off of his hands. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Twilight Sparkle frowned as she examined Pip-Pap up and down. The alien noticed he was being examined, and straightened as soon as he was finished handing off his spear. “I take it this has something to do with the mask he wears?”

“Indeed. You see, the Unggoy come from a world much different than that of the Sangheili, the ponies, or even the humans. They evolved to thrive in an atmosphere comprised predominantly of methane, and as such the Unggoy must carry respiratory tanks containing methane gas almost everywhere they go. The Covenant hardly ever builds areas where Unggoy can relax freely without the constant threat of asphyxiation. They are not exactly the most humane bunch…”

“I take it he has a tank on now? How long do they last? How long do we have until this becomes a major issue?”

“Tank usually lasts few days, half a week or so,” Pip-Pap spoke up for himself, tapping his pyramidal, purple tank on his back to draw attention to it. “When ship crashed, comrades didn’t make it. Salvaged their tanks and used those. Was running low, but ponies filled one up for me. Think ponies filling up another one as well.”

“So we have a short-term solution,” the Ultra continued, “but I do not see this as being a stable one. What if there is an issue acquiring the methane required? What if Pip-Pap is unable to collect his tank? There has to be a better way to keep the threat of suffocation at bay.”

“How do the Covenant keep their…Unggoy…properly supplied with methane?” Twilight inquired, struggling a bit with the unfamiliar word.

“Lots of pumps, everywhere. Always able to refill. Refilling tank is habit. Learn it, or die. If stuck somewhere, usually just die…Unggoy not very valuable to Covenant,” Pip-Pap finished morosely.

Twilight gasped in horror. “Really? They’ll just let you die? That’s awful!”

“You must remember, Twilight,” the Ultra interjected. “The Covenant are a cruel group, that have committed, and are actively committing, several unethical and immoral crimes. They care not for the individual. In hindsight, I see now how blind I once was…”

“Ultra,” Celestia chided. “You mustn’t think like that. You must let go of your remorse if you are to receive repentance.”

The Ultra took a deep breath before releasing a lengthy sigh. “Very well, Princess. I will try.” Celestia simply smiled knowingly.

“What think Princess Twilight? Any good ideas?” Pip-Pap questioned, eager to return to the subject at hand. The purple pony in question furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, scanning over the shorter alien. She took a few steps forward and began to circle around Pip-Pap, muttering things under her breath as she thought.

“Pip-Pap has one other major problem,” the Ultra chipped in as the Princess did her through investigation.

“Oh?” Twilight asked, cocking her head in confusion as she glanced over at the Ultra. “And what would that be?”

“It has to do with his diet,” the Ultra replied.

Twilight looked bewildered. “The Unggoy have a special diet as well?”

“No,” the Ultra replied. “But how does one eat normally when the very air around them is poisonous?”

Twilight took on a contemplative look as she processed that. “Ah,” she finally responded. “I hadn’t thought of that. How does he normally eat, then?”

“Devices that attach to mask, filled with food-slush,” Pip-Pap replied. “Again salvaged all that we could find, but are running out. Trying to ration, but is hard. Covenant at least feed you well. Makes you perform better.”

“Hmmm,” Twilight murmured. “So the ideal solution would involve a tank with an infinite supply of methane, and some way to surround Pip-Pap with a methane atmosphere for the short time it would take to eat a meal, correct?”

“That good, yes,” Pip-Pap replied.

“Well, projecting a magical field to contain the methane ejected from your tank would be simple enough, although it would need a physical hub to house the spell and an activation mechanism…as for the methane, it could be produced infinitely using an endothermic reverse combustion reaction using carbon dioxide pulled from the atmosphere and a tank of water…

“Hmm…there’s a lot of engineering involved with this solution, I may need to call in an expert…” she finished, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

“And that would be…?” the Ultra inquired, an eyebrow raised.

“You called, Twilight?” a cheerful voice rang out, and all of a sudden Pinkie Pie was standing amongst the group, having seemingly appeared from thin air.

The three aliens recoiled in shock, as of yet completely unaccustomed to the pink pony’s spontaneous and physics-bending behavior. “Gods above!” the Ultra in particular cursed. Twilight and Celestia, however, didn’t so much as blink at Pinkie’s appearance, totally at ease with her strange and unexplained abilities.

“Yes, Pinkie, I did call. Thanks for coming so quickly. I need you to-”

Twilight didn’t get the chance to finish. “Where the blazes did she come from?” the Ultra asked accusingly, pointing a finger at the grinning party pony.

“From downstairs, silly!” Pinkie Pie answered happily. The Ultra blinked.

Twilight sighed but smiled slightly. “Alright you three, time for another lesson: never, ever question Pinkie Pie. If she does something you don’t understand, it’s just because Pinkie Pie.”

The Ultra seemed conflicted. “And…that’s the best explanation you have?”

“Yep!” Twilight replied happily. The Ultra simply groaned in response and facepalmed, muttering incoherently into his hand.

Pinkie Pie giggled as she turned to regard her purple friend. “So what’s up?”

Twilight turned back to her friend with an excited grin. “Pinkie, I have a new project for us. You see, we need to-”

“WAIT!” Pinkie gasped. “My Pinkie sense is telling me it’s time to be super-duper smart! I’ll be needing my trusty sciency hat for this!” Reaching into her mane, Pinkie pulled out a simple yellow hard hat and jammed it onto her head. The Ultra swore under his breath. “Okay, I’m ready!”

“Alright what we have to do is…” Twilight’s voice lowered into a hurried whisper as she plotted with Pinkie Pie, whose face transitioned through a wide variety of expressions. It started with confused contemplation, before her eyes widened in surprise as she gasped, and finally ended with a wide grin on her face.

“Ohhh, I get it…” Turning to her friend, Pinkie had just a few questions. “So all we have to do is…”

“Yep,” Twilight replied.

“And we have to use a…”

“Uh huh.”

“So I will be needing…”

“You got it.”

“On it, chief!” Snapping a sharp salute, Pinkie Pie promptly barreled out of the room to do Celestia-knows-what. The three aliens looked bewildered, and all simply opted to remain silent. Celestia chuckled good-naturedly.

“Ah, Pinkie, so full of energy and life,” Celestia said with a happy sigh. “It’s ponies like her that remind me why I wake up and raise the sun every morning.”

That particular line caught all three aliens’ attention. “Raise the…sun?” the Ultra questioned hesitantly.

Celestia chuckled again, clearly knowing where this would lead. “Yes, Ultra. With my magic, it has always been my sworn duty to raise the sun in the morning, and lower it in the evening. My sister Luna does the same with the moon at night. I imagine this must be rather strange for you…”

“You know what, I’m not even going to ask,” the Ultra replied shortly, throwing his hands up in the air. “Never mind how much energy that would actually take, at this point I’ve heard it all. It’s not even worth questioning anymore.”

Twilight giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get used to how things work around here eventually.”

The Ultra paused his ranting to study Twilight rather intently. “Perhaps…”

“Anyways,” Celestia pronounced loudly. “I believe there was one other matter we wished to discuss with Princess Twilight, and this matter concerns Equestria as well.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide at that. “Whatever do you mean, Princess? Is Equestria in danger?”

“It’s Celestia now, Twilight,” the white alicorn reminded. “And as for your second question…I’m not quite sure, but possibly.”

Twilight rounded on the extraterrestrials, a determined look in her eye. “Well?”

“The Custodian revealed something extraordinary to us the other day,” the Ultra began. “Apparently, the ship that we were trying to dock with right before being thrown through a wormhole, the Glory Upon Salvation, was pulled through the portal as well. It is currently orbiting around your planet and has shown signs of activity. We believe there may be more Covenant above our heads at this moment, and if they learn of the ties this planet has to the Forerunner, things could become…complicated,” the Ultra finished warily.

“The Custodian?” Twilight asked confusedly, turning to Celestia for an answer. All she got in response, however, was a small nod and an ‘I’ll-tell-you-later’ look. “Okay…” Twilight continued, still processing that last bit of information. “So what does that mean? We should try and get in contact with them or something, right?”

“We have tried,” the Ultra replied, accepting his old helmet from a guard who came up to deliver it. “My helmet has the communications equipment necessary to make contact with the ship, but helmet radios are not designed to reach ships in orbit. Somehow, we need to boost the power through these circuits in order to get the signal out. We believe a magical solution is our best bet.”

Twilight looked pensive. “Hmm…I could always rig your helmet to a simple gemstone replication circuit…that would probably provide you with all the power you would need. Although I’ll need access to my supplies back in Ponyville. You have to use the right sort of gemstones, after all.”

The Ultra looked bewildered. “I have no idea what that is, but if you say it will work then I shall trust you.”

“Excellent,” Celestia cut in. “As soon as Princess Twilight Sparkle returns to Ponyville she will immediately begin working on our communications problem. Once a solution has been reached, you will contact me at once so we may go about solving this issue properly. I fear for the consequences a mistake could bring about…”

“Of course, Prin-er, Celestia,” Twilight said with a small bow. “I’ll get right on it as soon as we return.”

“And we will do everything we can to assist,” the Ultra added, looking at Bok.

“Ya,” the lanky alien croaked.

“Good,” Celestia replied with finality. “Then in that case, you are all dismissed. The day has been long, and it is rapidly coming upon the time for me to lower the sun.” Indeed, a cursory glance out the window revealed that the sun was inching ever closer to the horizon. “Princess Twilight,” she continued, “should you have any questions, feel free to come meet with me first thing tomorrow morning and we shall discuss anything you wish,” she finished with a knowing look.

“Of course, Celestia. Thank you,” Twilight said simply before turning about and heading out the large, golden archway.

The three aliens were also striding towards the exit, eager to return to their chambers when Celestia’s regal voice rang out one more time. “Oh, and Ultra…if I may be so bold, may I ask for a few more moments of your time?”

The Ultra turned around, a puzzled expression on his face. “Of course, your Highness,” he replied, heading back towards the throne. He bade his two comrades farewell before returning to where he had just been standing. “How may I be of service?”

Celestia smirked. “Oh come now, Ultra, no need to be so formal. I would just like to talk with you a bit. As friends.”

“As…friends,” the Ultra said slowly. “Very well, what would you like to discuss?”

“Well,” Celestia said with a twinkle in her eye as she rose from her throne and strode towards a small table set to the side of the room, “friends like to spend time together doing rather trivial things, like having fun. Would you care to join me for a game?”

It was then that the Ultra noticed the table Celestia just sat at was covered in Gauntlet pieces. Was this another test? If so, he would surely not back down. “As you wish, Princess.”

“You may also call me Celestia,” she replied with a wide grin. Her horn aglow, she quickly arranged the pieces into their starting positions. “White or black?” she asked coyly.

“Black is fine,” the Ultra replied smoothly.

Celestia smirked as her horn glowed once again, and her Celestia-tree moved forward two squares. Again, the Ultra countered by moving his Luna-tree two squares forward. “Ah, a reactionary player…” Celestia murmured. “Letting his enemy claim first blood but not backing down from a threat. Common signs of a good leader…” The Ultra listened to her comments curiously, but said nothing. It would seem that she was testing him indeed.

Play progressed for a few more turns, the game opening rather normally, before Celestia spoke again. “So, Ultra, how are you and your friends adjusting to Equestria?” As she spoke, she moved one of her unicorns into a strong position.

This caught the Ultra off-guard. “As well as one could hope, I suppose,” he replied as he moved a pegasus to block the attack. “The constant shattering of one’s understanding of the physical universe does become a bit tiring, though.”

Celestia laughed at that, clearly and melodiously. “I suppose it would,” she replied easily, making her move with an unmatched confidence and grace. “But surely that cannot be all you have to say?”

The Ultra pondered both his next move and his response simultaneously. Dare he mention his moment of weakness he had just hours earlier? His question that no one could answer? The feeling that he no longer had a purpose? He sighed as he hovered his hand over a piece, debating internally. If there is anyone who deserves to know, it is her. Making up his mind, he quickly made his move.

“My friends and I cannot help but feel like outcasts,” the Ultra began.

“Of course,” Celestia replied. “I would expect nothing less.”

“But it’s…deeper than that.” At a raised eyebrow from the Princess, the Ultra explained further. “It feels like a complete loss of our prior culture. To so suddenly be thrust from a world of war into a world of peace… we feel as though we’ve lost parts of who we are. We don’t understand. In a world without war, what is the point of soldiers? What is our purpose beyond just standing about and growing old? There is no honor in that…” the Ultra trailed off, deep in thought.

Celestia smiled softly. “I think I understand. Your race is one of noble warriors, always seeking the thrill of battle.” The Ultra looked up in surprise. “Do not look so surprised, my friend,” she continued with amusement in her voice. “You forget, I too have fought in a thousand battles, and even though I strive every day for the continuation and spread of peace, I cannot deny that feeling of empowerment success on the battlefield brings.” She softly pushed another piece into place as she finished.

“So…how do you go without? When you lose that which your entire life revolved around before, how does one adjust?”

Celestia’s smile grew even wider as she leaned forward. “With the magic of friendship.”

The Ultra frowned. “Princess Twilight said something similar. I’m afraid I do not understand this ‘magical friendship’ thing.”

“Of course not. It will take time, but it’s time that you have. And you have friends who will teach you. Trust me, Ultra, you will learn.”

“If you say so,” the Ultra said with a shrug, making his move.

“I do say so,” she replied with a grin, immediately replying with her own move. “And if I may say one more thing, I believe you will have a few more opportunities to prove your worth on the battlefield before this is all over…” she trailed off, her eyes briefly flicking skyward.

The Ultra paused his contemplation of the game for a moment. “You lack faith in our ability to resolve this impasse peacefully?”

“Not exactly,” Celestia responded with a frown. “I just have this gut feeling…though we will certainly get through this, I can’t shake the thought that not all will end happily…”

“No matter what happens, I swear to you I will do whatever I can to serve and protect the Equestrian people…my people,” the Ultra swore solemnly, stumbling only slightly over the last few words as he realized the implications of them.

Celestia smiled. “I know you will, Ultra. I have faith.” The Ultra simply nodded and made his move in response. The game continued on for a few turns in silence as the two players battled back and forth for superior positioning, both opting to hold onto as many pieces as possible.

At last, Celestia once again broke the silence. “I have a proposition for you and your friends, Ultra.”

“Oh?” The Ultra looked up from studying the board intently. “And what would that be?”

“I believe I have a way to allow you to experience our culture further, and perhaps enjoy a relaxing evening among friends,” she continued as she confidently began an attack that the Ultra knew was several turns in the making.

“This sounds agreeable,” the Ultra replied as he swiftly answered with the counter move he had been waiting for.

Celestia paused at that, seemingly stymied by the Ultra’s swift and decisive response. “Interesting…” she murmured, continuing to stare at the board in thoughtful silence.

The Ultra smirked, pleased at his ability to derail the monarch’s train of thought. When she continued to be silent, however, he cleared his throat and said, “You were saying?”

“Ah, yes,” Celestia said abruptly, seemingly snapped out of her deep thought by his words. Deciding to continue her attack regardless, she finished her move as she resumed her previous thoughts. “As I was saying, there is an event coming up this next week, one that has been held annually for several centuries. It is a hallmark of our culture, a time for ponies of all walks of life to gather and enjoy themselves in a meaningful and enjoyable manner. Although some walks enjoy the event more than others…” she grumbled a bit as she trailed off.

The Ultra continued with his own plan as he waited for Celestia to continue. “But despite what few shortcomings the event may have had over recent years, I believe this would be an opportune chance for you and your friends to become acquainted with ponykind in general, and really show that you wish to be one of us. Thus,” and at this Celestia procured three golden tickets from thin air, nothing to be surprised at by now, truthfully, “I cordially invite the three of you to the Grand Galloping Gala to be held right here in the castle in five days’ time.”

The Ultra accepted the golden tickets, studying them intently out of joint curiosity and necessity. “Interesting…” he commented as he concluded his examination. “And you believe our presence at this event will help us feel more comfortable?”

“Perhaps,” Celestia replied, making her move. “If nothing else, I hope it will make more ponies feel comfortable, particularly some of those that could be bothersome otherwise…”

The Ultra chose to ignore that last comment and once again trust Celestia’s seemingly infinite wisdom. “Very well, Prin-er, Celestia. We would be honored to attend.” Another swift response to Celestia’s continuing onslaught followed.

“Wonderful. I look forward to seeing you there. Oh, and Ultra?”

“Yes?” he responded, looking up from the board.

“Try stopping by Rarity’s while in Ponyville to pick up something nice to wear. It’ll go a long way towards impressing the nobles,” Celestia finished with a knowing smirk as she continued her ill-advised attack.

The Ultra smirked as his plan continued to unfold. Recalling Rarity’s prior interest in his group filled him with no small amount of trepidation, but he would be willing to give it a go, he supposed. “Very well. We shall be prepared for the evening.”

“Good. Although keep in mind that I wish your presence there to be as guests first and foremost, rather than guards. As such, I request that you leave your weapons in the armory so as not to frighten anypony.”

The Ultra sighed at that. “Must we?”

“I feel that it would be the wise decision,” Celestia replied firmly but kindly as she once again made a move.

“Very well,” the Ultra repeated. “We shall do as you see best.”

“It is not a demand, Ultra,” Celestia said with a laugh. “I am simply trying to help you. You can decline, if you wish.”

“It is fine, Celestia. So far only good has come from listening to your advice. I will continue to trust you as a leader, and as a friend.”

Celestia smiled knowingly at that. “Oh, Ultra. You are making great strides. I am very proud of you.”

“Thank you,” he replied as he finished planning out his counter-attack and deftly captured one of Celestia’s unicorns with a strategically-placed pegasus.

Celestia frowned, that piece had been pivotal to her attack. “Oh my…” she murmured grimly as she hurriedly tried to do damage control.

But it was too late. The Ultra’s onslaught came hard and swift, and Celestia could do nothing more than cut her losses and give ground under the near-perfect execution the Ultra was displaying.

After a few moments of gritted teeth and intense fighting from both sides, the Ultra finally slid his earth pony into position. “Checkmate,” he said with a grin, leaning back in his chair.

Celestia laughed again, her melodious voice carrying with ease. “Oh my,” she finally managed. “What a game! I haven’t been bested like that in years! Your tactics are truly something to behold, Ultra. You never cease to impress me.”

“You flatter me. I simply saw an opportunity to turn the game around after stymying your initial attack. Which I must say, was rather ill-advised to continue with.”

“Hmmm…yes, it was, wasn’t it,” Celestia murmured softly with a twinkle in her eye. And just like that, the Ultra was left completely unsure of whether he had genuinely bested her or if it was all just some elaborately disguised test.

He didn’t get much time to ponder the matter, however. “Alas, the time draws near to finish the day,” Celestia said with a sigh as she stood and headed towards her balcony. “I bid you a wonderful evening Ultra. Thank you for the game and your company, I rather enjoyed myself.”

“You are welcome, Celestia,” the Ultra replied, standing with a bow. “Have yourself a good night.”

“You as well, my friend.” And with that, she was outside. Seeing no reason to linger, the Ultra headed for his quarters.

Three days.

Three days, he had been cooped up in this cramped, wet, and uncomfortable cell. Three days he’d been locked away from the sun. Three more days he was forced to continue to live, surviving off of barely palatable trays of unidentifiable mush, hardly fit for a warrior of his caliber.

Three days of his honor being slighted, all because she didn’t have the strength of will to finish him off properly.

The Minor grinned to himself as he thought of the petty pony princess. So high and mighty was she. Raised up by centuries of praise from her pathetic subjects, the so-called ruler knew nothing of honor and duty. She was weak, and if he ever found himself the opportunity to escape from his miserable entrapment, he would show her the true meaning of strength.

The true power of a warrior.

And, most importantly, he would secure the holy artifacts this planet possessed and be praised by his people and bring honor to the gods.

Or he would meet his end on this miserable rock, and be forever rewarded for his efforts in the afterlife. Either was fine by him.

“Dinnertime, maggot.” The suddenness of the voice roused the Minor from his sadistic thoughts. He looked up just in time to see yet another tray of unappetizing gruel pushed through the small slot in his solid iron door, the only potential weak spot on an otherwise impenetrable barrier. Grumbling incoherently to himself, and fervently wishing for an energy sword to run the impudent guard through with, the Minor begrudgingly picked up the tray and looked it over.

Deciding to start with the pile of mashed tubers, by far the most tasteful food he was given, the Minor sat in silence as he slowly and mechanically ate, for no other reason than to keep up his strength in case an opportunity presented itself.

About halfway through his pile, however, his fingers encountered something he did not expect. Was that…a piece of paper? Sifting about, the Minor confirmed that yes, indeed, there was something that had been concealed in his food. Quickly turning about, the Minor opened the folded-up paper to reveal that it was a note of some sort, its text penned with a very official-looking cursive script. After staring at the runes in confusion for a moment or two, the Minor almost doubled over in shock upon realizing the note was written in very badly penned Covenant. Who had written the note? What did they want? Did his allies orbiting the planet realize what had happened to him?

As his thoughts raced a mile a minute, the Minor slowly worked his way through the note, deciphering the runes written by a clearly inexperienced hand.

Minor,

Your coming has been long-awaited. We know what Celestia has been hiding from the population of this planet. We know what it means to you. We also share an interest in that which lurks below the surface. We believe that, through our mutual interests, an agreement of sorts can be made between us. As we would very much like to meet you in person, we have arranged for your unofficial release in five days’ time. We very much look forward to any future endeavors.

Your friends,

Impetus Innovations

The Minor quirked an eyebrow in surprise upon reading the note. There was a group that wanted his release? And they knew? Knew what, exactly? Upon re-reading the note for any potential hidden meanings, the Minor smiled to himself. It didn’t matter what they wanted, it would seem that an opportunity had indeed presented itself. Perhaps he would work with his potential benefactors, and perhaps he wouldn’t. Only time would tell.

The Minor chuckled darkly as he scanned his cell. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the guard outside his cell giving him a small smirk. Grinning, the Minor dug into his remaining food with gusto.

The Gods had not given up on him just yet.

Author's Note

First of all, I apologize sincerely for the fact that you're all stuck with me for your miserable excuse for an author. Writing feels more like a chore than fun sometimes, yet I soldier on. Slowly. Slooooooowly. I appreciate those of you who went out of your way to request more story, it makes me feel wanted (yay).

Moving on.

Enjoy the abysmal cliffhanger, mwahaha. Now taking all death threats. No but seriously, I'll try and actually work on the next chapter to not leave you guys hanging for...well, months. As a quick question, do you prefer longer, more spaced out updates, or would you rather I try to cut the chapter lengths in, say, half just for sake of updating more often? Leave me your thoughts in the comments.

And finally, thanks to my editing crew for their speedy response. Still room for more! See chapter 2 I believe for details.
Tensemasterhalo
RedvsBlue327