Twenty Six Years Ago…

It’s been a few weeks since I first started training. It’s been very brutal, the instructors expect nothing but perfection when doing drills and practice scenarios. Out of the eight hundred recruits from the first day, only eighty are still left including me and Paladin. Graduation is only three more weeks, I just gotta push on through, I will make it through, I must. We began the day by doing some drills to make sure we’re still in shape, push ups, laps around the base, and going through the obstacle course. We had finally got a break and Paladin and I headed towards the mess hall.

“I’m so sore! I’m going to just sit down and not get up for the rest of the day,” Paladin complained,

“Hey at least we’re not doing hoof combat right now, we both know how much you suck at that,” I joked. Paladin pouted and looked like a little foal, somehow he always makes me laugh at how childish he acts.

“Yeah right, I bet I could wipe the floor with you!” he said.

“Dude remember last week? Ten to zero ringing any bells?” he frowned,

“Y-you just got lucky, that’s all, the sun was in my eyes so I couldn't see where to strike!”

“Uh-huh keep telling yourself that buddy,” I patted him on the back which made him more angry, I have to say getting him mad was too much fun.

We entered the mess hall and got in line for our food. Paladin got a huge fruit salad and a glass of apple juice. I took the hayburger and hay fries with a glass of water. We sat down at the far end of the hall as it was our usual spot. A few other guys joined us, I didn't really bother to learn their names because honestly they were not interesting, which is funny because they sit with us everyday. We started eating and talking and in walked her.

Paladin noticing this, gave a sly smile.

“So you still haven’t asked her out yet? What happened to the great and brave Lawful Hunter? Can’t even ask a mare out?”

“No, I’m just afraid of her seeing you and running away, we all know that you’re bad luck when it comes to girls,” I responded.

“Dude that was just one time! So what if I accidentally sent that one girl to the hospital by dropping two tons of armor on her… I still have to get a lawyer,” I counted five total accidents that Paladin had when it came to girls, and it usually involved dropping something really heavy on them because he wanted to show off his strength.

The mare that we we’re talking about was a pegasus mare named Sky Shot, she is the best archer in the entire base, and she besides the instructors is the only pony who can beat me in hoof to hoof combat, no matter how hard or how much I train she always beats me. She had a light grey coat with a red mane and tail. Her eyes were a dark sapphire blue, her cutie mark was a bow and arrow with wings. I never really got the courage to talk to her. I’ll give Paladin this one, I am afraid. I don’t know what it is about her though, my thoughts were interrupted by Paladin attempting to get my attention.

“Hellooooo! Equestria to Hunter, come on back from sexy fantasy dream land to the real world!”

“Wha-what? Sorry, what were you saying?”

“I said when are you going to stallion up and go talk to her?”

“Soon, very soon. I’m just waiting for the right moment is all,”

“Uh-huh yeah, and will that happen during this lifetime, or when we’re all dusty bones in the ground and we’re ghosts having fun in the afterlife?”

“Um, at this rate probably the latter,” I said.

“Well, at least you’re honest,” just then sergeant Ironside came and yelled out.

“ATTENTION!” everypony immediately stood and saluted.

“Today, we’re having a hoof to hoof battle in two hours. Winner of this event will not have to do drills for a week, the losers will not only get one week of non stop drills, but they will also be held in the rain, since all of next week will be a serious storm that will most likely kill you,” everypony including myself groaned at the punishment.

We headed outside to the circle of champions as they called it. The drill instructors like to boast about ponies who previously underwent the circle, one stallion in particular was our very own Ironside.

“Alright, first match will be between Hunter and Sky Shot, I know how easily she can whoop your flank so this is just to entertain me before the real fights begin,” what a dick… jerk never liked me anyway, calls me a suck up,

Me and Sky went to the middle of the circle, in these fights it’s always no holds barred only restrictions are no magic and you can’t attack with wings, they can fly but not to attack. Sky had a smirk on her face the kind that said “I've already won” I stayed serious, or as serious as anypony can get when they face a mare they like in a fight. Honestly, I was sweating like crazy. I could never beat her, I wanted to win more than ever.

“Let’s make this quick, I've got things to do for next week,” Sky said.

“Right, well you’ll be eating those words when I’m through with you!” an empty threat, she chuckled.

“Yeah right. Come on big boy, let’s see if ya got any better!” we got into position.

“BEGIN!” yelled Ironside.

Immediately I ran straight to her hoping to quickly tackle her down to the ground. Unfortunately she swiftly evaded my attempt and I got a face full of dirt. I charged again and threw the first punch, she blocked and countered with a hoof to my stomach. Let me tell ya, she hits hard for a pegasus. I got up and attempted to give a strong buck to her head, she flew out of the way. Never have I seen anypony with speed like her, she was as fast as lightning. She dived down and kicked me with her back legs in my face, which sent me straight to the floor.

“Give up?” she asked.

“In your dreams!” I tackled her and began pulling blow after blow to her, she managed to escape and pinned me to the floor. She quickly grabbed my right hoof and began to pull on it, she was trying to make me submit. I used my back legs to kick her in the back and was able to return the favor. I changed positions and grabbed her back hooves and did a hold on her. She gave a frustrated groan and tried to escape from the hold.

After a few minutes she was able to brake the hold and kicked me in the chest, she jabbed two times with the third I was able to block. We traded blows for a while before she did a well placed uppercut to my chin. It was over, I couldn't get up I was tired from the fight and Ironside called it.

“Well, that was better than what I was expecting. The winner is Sky Shot!”

“Not bad, Hunter. Better than the other times you fought me,” she began to walk away but I quickly stopped her.

“Hey Sky!” I called out.

“Yeah?” here goes, moment of truth.

“So like… you wanna hang out later or something?” she tilted her head to the right and studied my face to see if I was serious. My heart was bounding faster than a speeding comet. She soon smiled.

“Yeah sure, why not. Pick me up after drill ends,” after that she left. I just stood there dumbstruck. Not noticing Paladin approaching me.

“Dude you finally asked her out huh? About damn time, though now I owe some guys some bits I bet on…”

“She said yes… she actually said yes…”

“Uh yeah she did, so you wanna head on over back to the mess hall for a quick bite before drill or…”

“She said yes… she said yes…”

“Right, well uh I’ll come get you later then alright, so just stay there for now I guess,” I just stood there with a goofy smile on my face.

“She said yes… she said yes…”

Author's Note

Well this was a strange change of mood in the story. I suck at writing action scenes so forgive me if it seemed pretty lackluster. Also don't worry, the romance between Hunter and Sky ain't gonna be a focus point in the story, though that might change later on or something. Plus I'm not gonna have any sex stuff in this so I won't be adding that tag unless I think it's necessary or something. Anyway hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for another Gift Maker P.O.V. chapter coming hopefully soon. Oh yeah almost forgot, Happy Halloween everyone!