Lunar Guard: Red Dawn

by RedDawn

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Other, Princess Luna, Original Character, Princess Celestia
Length: 3240

The story of Red Dawn's enlistment in the lunar guard.

Red Dawn is a Bat Pony/Pegasus halfbreed. She has been hunted, attacked and vilified all her life. All she wants is some positive recognition. She believes she'll get that in the Lunar Guard. But, she has a hidden past, hidden even to her. Will she find out where she came from? And why she has a sigil on her stomach...?

Published 2015-05-09 17:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-07-21 06:57:56 UTC

Enlistment

"ATTEN-HUT! ALRIGHT, YOU MAGGOTS, GET OVER HERE!"

My ears pricked up at this. I had been waiting for this chance my entire life. I'd always wanted to become a Lunar Guard. Yes, the Solar Guard was more welcomed, yes the Border Guard was easier to get into, yes, the Friendship Guard was an awesome job, but I was different. I would be accepted in the other guards, but always, always there would be a racist comment, or a snide joke. I would not only be accepted, but I would fit in in the Lunar Guard. With this thought, I walked over to the instructor.

"OKAY, YOU SACKS OF MANURE, BLUE LINE FOR LUNAR GUARD, PURPLE FOR THE *ugh* HARMONY GUARD, YELLOW FOR THE SOLAR GUARD AND GREEN FOR THE BORDER GUARD. SORT YOURSELVES OUT, YOU MILK FOALS!" he roared. Cantering over to the blue line, I could see that I was the only half-breed, but not the only Pegasus or Bat-pony. I lined up and stood straight. Already, I could hear the comments:

"Is that a half-breed?"

"What is that doing here?"

"There isn't room for filthy half-breeds! This is a respectable job! It should become a dirty prostitute, like it's mother." That one stung.

"Hey, just be glad it isn't going for the Solar Guard."

"SHUT IT! THIS ISN'T KINDERGARTEN! YOU DIDN'T COME HERE TO CHAT! STAND UP STRAIGHT!"

"Lunar Guard, follow me." The new speaker was a mare, but her features bar her eyes were covered. Her voice was clear however, with a resonant quality. Her eyes were a mix of turquoise, emerald and azure flecks, and pitch black slit-pupils, much like my own, electric blue eyes. Bat Pony, I thought. We followed the speaker, and found ourselves at the barracks.

"Put your stuff down, get your armour and get some rest. Be prepared to become nocturnal, recruits." A silence followed. The officer left. Everypony entered and started bagging the bunks. I was left with the bottom bunk closest to the door. I didn't mind. Placing my few belongings in the hoof locker, I turned to survey my fellow recruits. There were 3 Unicorns, 2 mares,1 stallion; 2 Pegasi mares including myself and 3 stallions; and 5 Bat Ponies, 3 stallions and 2 mares. The Unicorn mares obviously knew each other, as they had bunked on the same bed and were chatting amicably. The Bat Pony stallions were rather standoffish, choosing to sneer at the Unicorns. The other Pegasus was looking rather uncomfortable at the prospect of sharing with me, probably because she didn't want to be associated with an half-breed. The Bat Pony mares were just staring at me.

"...Umm, did you want something?" I try

"Are you a half-breed?" they say in sync. Wow, that was creepy.

"Uh, yeah. What of it?"

"You shouldn't be here."

"Um. Okay. That's your opinion. I have the same right to be here as everypony else--"

"No, you don't. You don't have any rights whatsoever. Do us all a favor and die, demon-spawn." I knew I would get some flak, but not this much. I didn't like this at all.

"Hey! Lay off her, wouldja? If she ain't got rights, neither do you! Hay, she's got more rights than you, cuz she's half Pegasus!"I turned around and saw that it was the Unicorn stallion. From his accent, I could tell that he was from the rougher parts of Manehattan. He had a Lapis-Lazuli-ish coat and a crimson mane. His Cutie Mark was... intriguing. It was a newspaper with a picture of a sword, shield, spear and bow on it."Name's Loudmouth."

No way. "Really?"

"'Course not. That's my nickname. My actual name's News Runner. I mainly covered the Guard news, War news and other assorted bad news."

"Oh. Uh, okay, I guess?" I say, confused.

"Yeah, it's cool. What 'bout you?"

"I didn't have a proper job. I was thrown out most places because of my heritage."

"That sucks. So, where you from?" Rather abrupt. But I'll roll with it.

"Hollow Shades. You?"

"Manehattan. You can probably tell from my accent." Well, it was kinda obvious.

"Yeah. I'm gonna get my armor. Wanna come with?

"Yeah, alright. Let's go." Turning around, we trotted to the armory. It was a small building with little decoration. There was, however, a floor-to-ceiling stain-glass window depicting three sets of armor, an Unicorn set, a Pegasus set and a Bat Pony set. We walked in and joined the queue. There was a single mare on the desk. Grey coat, darker grey mane and a pair of spectacles. The procedure seemed fairly simple:

"Name?"

"Storm Cloud."

"Gender?"

"Male."

"Guard?"

"Border."

"Race?"

"Pegasus."

"Take this and go to Measuring Room 3." Rinse and repeat. There was something rather strange about it. It was boring, but interesting at the same time. Then it was my turn.

"Name?"

"Black Feather."

"Gender?"

"Female."

"Guard"

"Lunar."

"Race?"

"Pegasus-Bat Pony half-breed."

"A half-breed, eh? Well, get ready. The instructors are going to give you Tartarus." That was new. I hope that won't be a thing.

"...Okay? Thanks, I guess?"

"Take this and go to Measuring Room 2." Nodding, I trotted to the room marked 'Measuring 2'. Inside, there were different kinds of sets of armor, some with wing-blades, some with horn protectors. There were gold-and-white ones, for the Solar Guard; blue-and-silver ones, for the Lunar Guard; purple-and-pink ones, for the Friendship Guard; and green-camo-ones, for the Border Guard. I noticed that the only Earth Pony sets were either purple or green.

"Oh, hello! Be with you just a moment!"

"Uh, okay." A Unicorn trots in. Gripped in her magic aura is a tape measure and a clipboard.

"Okay. Can I have that piece of paper you were given, please?"

Oh. So that's what that was for. "Okay. Here it is."

"Ah. Thank you." Holding it up to her eye level, she read it. "Right. I believe that a size 5 would fit. come this way please."

"So. What was that, exactly?" I snickered.

"Oh hush, you. You did the exact same thing." He snapped back. He was right. He wasn't the only one who had tripped over his armor. All of us had tripped at some point. Of course, none of us had tripped, slid and gone through 3 beds. That was only News' claim to fame. "Still, it was pretty hilarious, right?"

"Yeah. It was. " I grinned. "It's now 5 pm, you gonna try and sleep?"

"I am way too tired to fall asleep. You?"

"Same here. I'm probably gonna try and get some sleep, though. If the training is half as hard as what I've heard, we're in for a real siege."

"Probably a good idea." he paused. "See ya tonight, then. 'Night."

2 hours later

"News. Wake up. Something's coming. Get up." I say, frantically shaking him.

"Huzzahwuh?" I facehoof.

"GET. UP."

"Okay! I'm up! What?"

"I heard something. There's something coming. We need to-- Oh no. It's here."

"Oh, crud."

"By the door. Now. Ambush it."

"Okay." We creep over to the door and prepare ourselves. The door opens slightly. I can hear something breathing on the other side. News gestures with his hoof. I tense slightly. 3. 2. 1. We begin the ambush.

Author's Note

OK, so. The pilot chapter is out! tell me what you think and hopefully, I will be able to publish the next chapter soon.
I preread it myself, so please tell me if I have screwed up and I will fix it when I have time.

Story suggestion: Semper Pie, by deathtap.

Training - Part 1

Author's Note

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CRASS. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Also, I suck at tenses, so if anyone can correct, that would be amazing.

Training - Part 1

We begun the ambush. News leapt around the door, swinging his hind legs around in a kind of flying buck. Throwing News back inside, somepony walked in, muttering. Walking from the shadows behind him, I smacked him into the wall with a hoof. "Alright, game's up! Who are you? How many are there of you?"

"Heh, heh. You got us. We're your training instructors. Sergeant Battalion, at your service."

"And your friend?"

"Corporal Phalanx." The other pony introduced himself. Battalion was a khaki color with a blood red mane and green eyes. Phalanx, on the other hoof, had a dark green/brown mottled coat, black mane and yellow eyes. A Pegasus and a Unicorn. I narrowed my eyes.

"Prove it. Prove that you're who you say you are. What's the 75th rule of army conduct?"

"Do not ever show your emotions. You will kill people, it is your job. Don't ever cry." Technically, Battalion had gotten it right, but I still didn't trust him. Something felt... Off.

I trotted over to News. "Hey. News. You okay?"

"..." I frowned

"News?"

"... Ow..." Okay. He's alive. Panic averted. Smirking, I roll him over so he's on his stomach and help him up. "That's gonna be sore in the morning," he says, "bloody kicked me in the horn. Ass."

"Well, it's okay. I got him back."

"Good. Bloody bogan." I chuckle.

"GET UP, YOU LAZY SACKS OF CRAP! TIME FOR TRAINING!" Accompanying that statement was a varied bunch of groans, snorts, moans and thumps as almost everypony on the top bunks fell out of bed in surprise. I snorted. "Crap! It's the sergeant!"

"SHIT!"

"Shut it! He'll hear you!" I can't take it. The opportunity is just to good.

"QUIET MAGGOTS!" Silence descends as everypony stops and looks at me, while I try to stifle my laughter. Beside me, News isn't even trying. He rolled on the floor, laughing his horn off.

"Thanks," the corporal murmurs, "ALRIGHT YOU MILK-FOALS, LISTEN UP! FIRST UP IS STAMINA TRAINING! 5 LAPS AROUND THE TRACK WITH FULL ARMOR AND KIT! GO GO GO!"

I was already in kit, so left for the track. When News joined me, his jaw dropped.

"They expect us to run THAT?!" His reaction was apt. The 'track' was referred to a 1 km cross country trail that ran the entire length of the complex. There were pits, rivers and traps galore. This was going to be painful.

5 hours later

A variety of groans, moans and sounds of pain could be heard from the new recruits for the Night Guard. After finishing the laps, most had collapsed with heaving breaths as they tried to return feeling to their now jelly-like limbs. Only News, one Pegasus stallion and I are still able to stand, even so, they are on the verge of collapsing with the others. I haven't even broken a sweat. Weird. Turning to face the other Pegasus, I asked

"I get News having high stamina, he did live in Manehattan--," I then turn to News and say, "no offence," and turn back, "--but what about you?"

He then explains:

"I used to be in the long distance relay team for weather patterns in my old town. We had to import most of our storms in, so we sent our relay teams out to get them." As it turns out, his town, Honeycomb Falls, got their weather from Hollow Shades, my town! Then, of course, our instructors chimed in.

"ALRIGHT, YOU LAZY MUGS, GET UP! NEXT UP, STRENGTH TRAINING! GET UP, NOW!"

The groans and moans increased in volume at this statement. News and Shadow, the Pegasus stallion, both fall over. I chuckle.

"SOMETHING FUNNY, HALFBREED? WANT TO SHARE?" Battalion roared.

I tensed. I knew that it would be useless to try and give an excuse, so I just snapped my wing up in a salute and said

"Sir, no, sir!"

The sergeant seemed mollified by this, as he trotted over to the gym. The corporal followed and I pulled up Shadow and News by their wings and horn, respectively.

"Come on, guys! The instructors are getting away! We don't want to make them madder-- Ow!"

A tail found its way into my right eye. Blinking, I turned my head to find one of the Unicorn mares glaring at me with narrowed eyes. With a haughty huff, she tossed her head and walked away, calling over her shoulder,

"You think you're so much better than everpony else, well you're not. You're just a halfbreed freak who thinks it can do jobs above its station. Do everyone a favor and go die. Nopony will miss you."

Harsh. I lowered my eyes to the ground and took a step back. I then looked up as I heard a loud THWACK. Shadow was holding the mare in a rather dexterous headlock with his wing covering her horn to stop her from casting any spells and his left forehoof around her throat, ready to pull back and destroy her vocal cords. He was hissing in her ear,

"You take that back. You take that back or so help me I will destroy your throat!" I gallop over and yank his hoof off of her throat, yelling,
"Shadow! Shadow, stop! You'll kill her!" He looked at me, and for a second I saw pain and sadness in his eyes. Then, as quickly as it came, it went and he let go.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Sorry, just..." Shadow shook his head. "Bad memories."

I winced. I understand bad memories. Most of my life has been bad memories.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FOOLS DOING JUST SITTING HERE?! MOVE!"

We all legged it to the gym.

Training - Part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Training - Part 3

"Black Feather, we have chosen you, to be a part of an elite group of Guards. Will you accept?"

My eyes widened. My rational side had no idea how to react to this. However, my cynical side knew exactly what to say.

"What would this group do? What would it entail?"

"You would be part of a group assigned to various towns and villages to act like normal ponies during peacetime, but an independent unit during wartime. Your duties would be assassination, espionage and covert ops. You would be given a codename that you would go by, and only certain ponies would know your actual name."

My eyes narrowed. This sounded like a setup to me, but I was curious.

"What would happen if I said no?"

"This event would be wiped from your mind and you would be taken off of our list."

No way. My mind was my only sanctuary left untouched. No way were they getting in.

"Since I have no intention of letting anypony near my mind any time soon, I'm gonna have to accept. What's my codename?"

"Your codename is Red Dawn. You need to talk to your friend, News Runner. He is also a part of the group. He was the pony who suggested you. Tell him, 'The Dawn has risen.' He will know what you mean. If he trusts you, he will tell you his real name."

This surprised me. I knew there was more than he was letting on about him, but I didn't expect this. He was good. Nodding, I trotted back to the barracks and saw News waiting outside for me. Remembering what the mysterious ponies had said, I trotted up and said,

"The Dawn has risen."

He relaxed, and pulled me aside.

"Who, other than me have you told your name to?"

"Other than you, just the pony who gave me my armor."

"That's okay, then. She is a part of us, so you're okay. Now then, as for me, my real name is Moon Chaser. It's nice to meet you."

"My name is Red Dawn. It's nice to meet you too."

Introductions aside, we walked back in to the barracks and went to bed. By now, it was 5 am. I didn't realize just how easy my first night had been...

12 hours later...

"ALRIGHT, YOU LAZY LUMPS OF COW CRAP! GET UP! TIME FOR TRAINING!"

I, like yesterday, was already up. But, unlike yesterday, Shadow and Moon were also up. Everyone else was startled into waking by Corporal Phalanx's shout via the megaphone he had pulled out of nowhere(1). I frowned, trying to figure out how he had done that, then shook my head, dismissing it until later to puzzle out. Beside me, Moon was quietly sniggering. I looked at him and he said,

"Pathetic. Just... Pathetic. They could never serve Princess Twilight like that, nevermind Princess Luna."

I frowned again. That sounded awfully like snobbery. I nudged him and replied,

"Hey, don't put them down because they aren't the best of the best like us. They can get better."

"Maybe, but they'll never be as good as me."

Just egotism. I sighed and turned back to the sergeant.

"ALRIGHT, FOALS, LISTEN UP! SOME OF YOU SACKS OF FAT ARE MOVING ON TO ADVANCED TRAINING! RED DAWN, NEWS RUNNER AND SHADOW SIGHT, GATHER YOUR THINGS AND FOLLOW CORPORAL PHALANX. AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, GET TO THE TRACK! I WANT 2 LAPS, NOW!"

We did as we were bid. We were led to a low barrack building, and when we entered, we could see that there were other ponies bunked there. A few minutes later, the officer that led me to the building where I discovered News' secret came in.

"My name is Nightshade. I'm sure some of you have been wondering why you're all here. You're here because you have the right qualities, skills and attitude to be part of an elite group of Guards. Do any of you have any questions?"

One of the Bat Ponies stepped forward.

"Yeah. What would we be doing?"

"You would be a part of the general population during peacetime, stationed in towns and small cities. During wartime, your duties would be espionage, assassination and covert ops. Anypony else?"

One of the Unicorns stepped forward. She had a pale pink coat and purple/turquoise striped mane(2).

"Why did you let a halfbreed join us? All it'll do is kill us in our sleep."

"Then why hasn't she already? She's been here 2 days already. She's had that opportunity twice and yet she hasn't. Why, Starlight Glimmer?"

Everypony turned to look at the new speaker, News. He had stepped forward whilst the Starlight had been talking. Starlight's eyes widened when News said her name. As he replied, Nightshade started taking off her armor(3). Glancing at her, I gasped. She was a halfbreed too(4)!

Author's Note

(1) Did you really think that Pinkie was the only pony with access to the Hammerspace?
(2) I didn't think that Starlight's cameo was big enough to merit a character tag and I have all my tags anyway, so that's why she doesn't have a character tag.
(3) Not in that way! Get your minds out of the gutter. This fic is not a clop.
(4) Shock! Horror! Another halfbreed! That I'm pretty sure everyone was expecting! I needed a way to show that halfbreeds weren't all thought of as trash, and this was the best I could think of. I'm not gonna change it as i think that it's a nice way to leave the chapter.

I'm sorry that this chapter took so long, but I'll be uploading more now as it's the summer holidays. Hopefully. I'll make some fanart of Nightshade and upload it to my Deviantart page, but for now, just check out the fanart of Red and Shadow that I've put on there.