The adventures of Sally Forth

The moon hung high and visible in the night sky over Balk, silent save for the sound of hooves against brick as a unicorn stallion turns the corner into a straight alleyway. No older than a teenager, his saddlebags were filled with fruit. In intense pursuit behind the thief were Captain Sally and Silver Lining. Turning his head, he saw the two soldiers closing the gap, and tried to pick up speed. Using his magic, he lobbed some bananas to the ground behind him. Spotting the slick in front of him, Silver jumped, spreading his wings and avoiding the trap. Sally, however, wasn't so lucky. As her hooves stamped down on the fruit beneath her, she lost her traction and slammed her side onto the ground, sliding into a nearby trash pile. “Sally!” Silver yelled out, swooping over to her.

Climbing out of the trash pile, Sally winced as she put weight onto her right foreleg, looking up to the batpony. “I'm fine! Just get him!”

Gritting his teeth, Silver beat his wings vigorously, making up for the distance he had lost. Minutes later he had found his target. The unicorn looked shocked as he turned his head, levitating and lobbing apples behind him. Silver was quick to avoid the projectiles, closing in on the young unicorn. As he approached and got ready for the dive, the unicorn was tackled from an open alleyway in a flash of brown. Iron Sights rolled across the ground with the teen. Pinning him, the mare smirked down at him. “Got you punk”

Silver landed nearby, wiping sweat from his brow, still frustrated. “What did you do that for rookie? I had him!”

Athens stepped out from the alleyway behind them, stepping up at the start of the argument. “I was just doing my job, catching the bad guy.” Iron argued.

“What if you had missed? We would have slammed right into each other and he would've gotten away. You should have made your position clearer.”

“If I had done that he would've seen me.”

“Enough!” Sally screamed, glaring at the pair as she limped forward. “You're soldiers, not children.”

“Captain! Your leg!” Iron looked over at her with concern as Athens approached her, opening his medical bag and examining the mare's leg.

“I'm fine, I just slipped on some bananas.” she replied, scoffing as she held out her leg for the lieutenant.

“A little cliche, don't you think captain?” Athens joked, taking some bandages out and treating her leg. “Regardless, you've got a bad sprain, you're done for the night.”

Sally groaned, shaking her head as the teen was put into shackles. “I'll be fine Athens, just finish patching me up and we'll get this kid back to his parents.”

“I'm sorry captain, I've got to go over your head on this one. You're going home, even if I have to take you.”

“Fine.” Sally replied with a roll of her eyes. “But you go with Silver, I'm afraid those two might kill each other if they're left alone too long. Rookie, come with me.”

“I'll go with you captain, Athens can take the rookie.” Silver argued.

“And listen to your constant apologizing? I'll pass. Iron, let's go.”

“Yes ma'am.” Iron was quick to follow Sally, while Athens guided a sullen Silver and their delinquent captive.

It was a long walk, especially for Sally and her sprained leg, but they had made it into the captain's neighborhood, a suburban area just outside the main city. Iron followed alongside her captain, offering a hoof when she stumbles. “Jeez, that must have hurt. Lousy kid.”

“Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. His parents will take care of reprimanding him.” Sally replied, stepping up the walkway to her front porch.

“Yeah, well hopefully they'll tear into him as hard as Silver teared into me. I mean I caught the bad guy.”

Sally's horn lit up as she triggered the magic lock on the door, stepping inside. “He just got a little overprotective. He doesn't show it, but it's been rough on him since-”

“Mommy!” Sally's train of thought was interrupted as Winter Breeze galloped up to her mother, wrapping her young hooves around her healthy foreleg.

Sally smiled, wrapping her hoof carefully around the filly, while Iron Sights took a step back, staring down at the child. “Hello sweetie, were you good for Auntie Scotch?”

Winter nodded, smiling as she took a step back. “Uh huh, I drew you a picture.”

“Oh really?” Sally asked with a smile. “Well, you should go get it, I'd love to see it.”

The filly's face lit up as she rushed toward her room in the back hall. Sally's eyes followed her daughter as she left the room, turning her head over to the pale-faced Iron Sights. “What's wrong soldier? You can handle basic training but you cower at the sight of little kids?”

Iron shook her head, straightening herself with a soft blush on her face. “N-no ma'am, I'm just....not good around kids. I didn't know you were a mother, captain.”

“She's gotta keep up that tough soldier facade.” Scotch replied, stepping out of the kitchen. “You're home early.”

“Hurt my hoof, Athens made me come home.” Sally said, limping up to her sister.

“Good that he did, the only word with more authority than Princess Celestia is the word of her doctor.” Scotch looked over the hoof, peeking at it through the bandages. “Go get some painkillers from the first aid kit, I'll call the doctor and set up a house call.”

Sally nodded, making her way toward the back hallway. “Go ahead and make yourself at home Iron, I'll be back in a few minutes.”

Iron Sights stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment, looking around at the decor. She certainly didn't expect such a normal, suburban house from her tough captain. Finally, she trotted into the main room, sitting down on the couch. “You're new.”

Iron gasped, jumping back on the couch. Looking down, she saw Winter Breezestaring up at her, a sheet of paper face down on her back. There was a moment of silence as the two just stared. “Um, y-yes ma'am.” Iron spoke up, saluting to the filly. “P-private Iron sights, under Captain Sa....your mother's command.”

Winter raised an eyebrow, looking up at the saluting soldier. “You're strange.”

“S-sorry.” Iron replied with a sigh, lowering her hoof.

“You're one of mommy's work friends?”

“Y-yeah, she's my commanding officer.”

“Have you met Auntie Spring? She hasn't visited in a while.”

Iron went silent, staring down at the curious filly. “I-I...”

“Winter,” Scotch stepped back into the room from the kitchen. “Don't bother the soldier, she's trying to relax. Come on, we'll make mommy a plate of fruit.”

“Okay.” Winter replied with a smile, making her way over to Scotch in the kitchen.

Iron sighed, leaning back and trying her best to loosen her stress. Sally stepped out a moment later with a smile, making her way over to the couch and sitting down. “You really are bad with kids.”

“Yeah, never been good with them.” Iron looked over to her commanding officer. “So, is her father a soldier too?”

Sally shook her head. “No, her father's a deadbeat, ran off before she could even remember him.”

“oh, sorry.”

“Don't be, I'm over it.” Sally smiled softly. “I'm glad to be rid of him.”

Iron nodded, looking around the room again. “I have to say, this is a bit different than I pictured where you live. I thought there'd be a punching bag and a bunch of weight training or something.”

“Oh? You think I'm some big gruff soldier man?” Sally giggled, patting the soldier's back.

Iron giggled back, smiling “I know, it sounds dumb to me now, too.” the two laughed for a few minutes, calming down as they smiled at each other. “You just always seemed like the tough as nails type, like a couple nights ago, when you caught that guy with the paralysis spell. You had a look in your eye that reminded me of my training officer back at boot camp.”

“I hope that's a compliment.” Sally replied.

“Well kind of,” she explained, “I had a bit of a thing for him, and we hooked up for a while. I was pretty star struck when I looked at you there.”

Sally raised an eyebrow, smiling at the private. “Well, I'll take that as a compliment then.”

Winter Breeze and Scotch returned to the room, Scotch set down a plate of fruit next to the mare, the young filly standing in front of her with a smile. “Mommy, we got some fruit for you.”

“Well, thank you, that's very thoughtful.” Sally picked up a piece of fruit with her magic, sampling it with a smile.

“And look, it's the picture I made you.” Winter picked up the drawing from her back, setting the crude crayon portrait in front of Sally. “It's you, and Uncle Silver, and Uncle Athens, and Auntie Spring.”

Sally smiled down at the picture, a couple tears welling up in her eyes as she looked it over. “Well thank you sweetheart, it's beautiful. Why don't you go put it on the fridge. Private Iron Sights will help you.” Sally turned her attention to the private. “If you wouldn't mind, Iron.”

“N-not at all ma'am” Iron replied, standing up and looking down at Winter. “L-let's go.”

With a smile, Winter took the picture and walked to the kitchen with the private. Sally smiled as she watched the two leave, and Scotch Neat replaced Iron on the couch. “So, is she a new playmate of yours?”

“No, just the replacement soldier for my team.” Sally explained. “I've only known her a couple of days.”

“And what do you think of her so far?”

“She's young, not very disciplined. But she has the makings of a good soldier, if she puts her mind to it.”

Scotch nodded, sitting back and smiling. “We gonna be seeing more of her around the house?”

Sally thought for a while, silent save for the echo of Winter talking in the kitchen. “I don't know yet.”

Athens smiled as he shook the unicorn's hand, his son glowering next to him. “Always happy to help, you folks have a good night.”

The griffin stepped way as the father took his son into the apartment, Silver was waiting nearby, a frustrated look on his face. “Damn kid, should have taken him to lockup instead.”

Athens shook his head, walking out of the apartment with his batpony companion. “You know the laws, juveniles are put back into the custody of their parents. You need to get over it, Sally's going to be fine.”

“She shouldn't have been hurt in the first place, I should've protected her.”

“You can't blame yourself for that either.”

Silver stopped, stamping his hoof on the ground, making a loud 'clop' against the stone. “I can't blame the kid, I can't blame myself, who is it okay to blame?!”

Athens stopped, staring down at the colt. Silver's breathing was heavy and frustrated, tears started to well up in his eyes. “You haven't spoken a word about it until now, it's not healthy to keep bottled up.” Athens put a talon on Silver's back. “You can talk to me about Spring.”

“No, I can't Athens.” Silver said, gritting his teeth as he cried. “I have to be the strong one, I have to be the rock that people lean against. I can't....I can't break down. I'm the support beam.”

“You're putting too much pressure on yourself. You need to take some time for your own feelings too.”

“There's no time for me.” Silver wiped his eyes, continuing to walk. “Sally, you, everyone needs me to be the strong one. Otherwise everything breaks down, people break up, and you're just left alone!”

The sobbing batpony only made it a few more steps before he stumbled and broke down, sitting against a wall. Athens walked over, wrapping a wing around his comrade, letting him cry it out.

Iron Sights waved back to sally as she left, making her way back to the barracks. After a long trek back, she stepped into the locker rooms, taking off her armor. Nearby, she heard the sound of the showers running. Athens and Silver must have gotten back first. After putting away her equipment, she took out a towel to go join them. Stopping at the shower door, she heard the two talking inside.

“Yeah, we can go by tomorrow, we'll bring her some flowers or something.” Silver replied, rinsing the shampoo from his mane.

“Yeah, I know a good florist in the area.” Athens told him. “Still up for date night at the end of the week? I was thinking we'd hit up the Golden Orchard.”

“I don't know, lately it's been just the two of us. I'll ask Sally if she wants to join us.” Silver smirked. “I'm getting a little tired of playing bottom for you, my tailhole is still sore from a couple days ago. I've been dying to bury myself in Sally's-”

“L-lieutenant?” The room went silent, The two guys looked over, staring at Iron Sights. Iron stared back, a deep blush on her face.

Sally sighed as she sat back on the couch. A day's rest may not seem like a lot to a regular pony, but for a mare like Sally every minute not spent doing something was frustrating. Even so, it was doctor's orders. The silence of the house was broken as a knock came to the door. Sally made a move to get up, but her sister stepped out from the kitchen. “You stay there, I've got it.”

Opening the door, Scotch smiled as she saw the griffin and batpony at the door, each holding flowers. “Well, long time no see boys.” she said, stepping aside to let them in. “Sally, your boy toys are here.”

The guys blushed as the walked in, presenting the flowers and a kiss. Sally smiled, giving them each a loving kiss as a blush went over her face. “Thanks guys, the doctor says I should be up and about tomorrow, just in time for our last day of night shift.”

“Good to hear.” Silver said with a smile. “And sorry about the way I overreacted last night.”

“It's alright, it was good to see you expressing your feelings.”

“I'm afraid we can't stay for long, we're both pretty tired.” Athens told her.

“That's alright, thanks for the flowers and the good intentions.”

“No problem.” Silver rubbed the bags under his eyes. “We also wanted to know if you were up for a date night tomorrow after work.”

Sally nodded. “that sounds great, I've missed dates with you guys.”

The two nodded and gave her another kiss before they stepped away, rubbing at the bags under their eyes. Silver was the first to step out, while Athens lingered for a moment. “Oh, by the way.” he began quickly. “Iron Sights knows, She overheard Silver's loud mouth in the shower.”

Quickly as he'd spoken Athens was out the door. Sally sat there for a moment, gathering her thoughts as she processed the griffin's statement. Scotch walked up to her with a smile, she loved conflict. “You can't yell, you'll wake up Winter.” she told her.

“I know, I won't yell. I'm just going to sit here and contemplate murder for a while.” she said, sitting back with a hard stare in her eyes.