Author's Note

My writing style has EVOLVED. This is a VERY sudden style change. As you can tell by my word count and paragraph size. I am now using more adjectives, and a more professional writing style. If you don't like it, please tell me so that I don't ruin the story on accident! Also, a little about me, I am a 16 year old American, ROTC cadet (aspiring for the USMC), avid gamer (pretty damn good at it, too), and I have just started to learn artistry, morse code, writing skills, and various music principles. I, also, may or may not have slipped being a brony to my parents on accident. Luckily, they try to avoid thinking about it too much. However, they do know that I'm writing a story, and that it's on a "brony website". They do NOT, however, know that it is a brony story, what it is called, or how to find it. But I use this screen name for EVERYTHING. I only hope they don't google it and find me here. Welp, I might post a video to my followers about myself. I still won't be showing my face, but it'll talk about me. Adios!

Canterlot the Powerful

There was something beautiful about this town. A cool breeze matched by a blue and silver color scheme. The architecture, the culture, even the scent in its air seemed to produce a vivid, sweet feeling of safety that I hadn't known before. Something that reminded me of a welding facility floated about. Several fires burned outside, warming the still air.

"Jesus..." I whispered to myself, looking at every inch of the sight. Ponies and silhouettes appeared and disappeared in the windows. Many, I believed, stared at me. The ones bowing would occasionally risk a sideways glance at me.

"Don't do anything rash. They're just nervous because of all of the anti-human propaganda going about. You will be redeeming your species' name. Just please forgive them for being more cautious." Twilight pleaded, leaning up to me and whispering. "Hey, look up there." I gazed at her as she raised a hoof forwards, pointing at the higher areas of the mountain.

Sitting over the village, casting a shadow of motherly protection, was a kingdom that rivaled any fairytale, art masterpiece, or childhood imagination's very limits. A seemingly endless river flowed off of a man-made canal and dropped off down the mountainside, which disappeared behind the wall around the town. It had Iranian-style cones resting atop the towers. A bloated bulb shape that covered towers built with geometry that would make Kepler turn in his grave. There were palace doors so large they were visible from here. So close yet so far, this castle was only a kilometer away at most. Half a hike up stone stairs, and I would be able to feel the cold marble under my bare feet.

"That's Canterlot castle. The capital of all of Equestria. Every single decree is made here. This land built around it is Canterlot. It is home to the rich, and the wonderful. The wealthier artists, unicorns, or buisnessponies live here. In Canterlot, the castle works as the state and federal government, with no need for a mayor. Princesses Celestia and Luna have done all of their work in that palace. Very few ever get to see any part of it besides the courtroom. Where disagreements or political announcements can be made. Though it's usually only full of nobles begging for personal attention." Twilight giggled at her own humor. I might have, too, yet I was too distracted by my hunger for knowledge. A town so large, could hold so many secrets.

My feet began to function independently, dragging me slowly towards the palace without my command. I began to speed up, quickly matching the pace of Celestia and Luna, and following them closely. Twilight, too, caught up, and we marched in a close formation all the way through the large street that showed us to the front steps of the castle. We were now much closer, and I could see the doors opening, light casting a shadow through the dusty air.

I gazed about in silence as we closed the gap. I climbed steps that stood only inches taller than one another. They were smooth and uniform, evident of close-keeping of the quality. I briefly wondered who would sign for such a job as to gaze at rocks all day, and determine the quality. But, then again, geology is still a science.

Two guards snapped to attention as we neared the dark wooden door, it seemed like a puny joke compared to the castle towering behind it. The one on our left moved in front of us and lead the way for the princesses, the one behind us closed the doors as we entered and tailed us.

A red carpet soothed my feet as I walked, it led through the center of the hallways and decorated a pinkish hue of marble that tiled the floor. Large purple pillars swirled in gold pressed up on the castle, hardly straining under its weight. There was no dirt, no crack, no speck of dust that tarnished the white castle walls. The windows were clean enough to lick.

"Where are they taking me?" I asked slightly louder than I had imagined. My voice echoed back strongly.

"We're bringing you to the royal guard's hall. There, your 3rd Platoon, will be assembled. I will relinquish my command..." Celestia looked to her sister.

"...Then will I." She answered.

"And then we will appoint them under your command. From there, it's up to you what you do. There will be NO fatalities in this training procedure. And no unnatural injury. You are merely going to demonstrate to me the procedures and tactics of a planet far more sophisticated than our own. Do you agree to these terms?" Celestia finished, turning her head to the side to look at me.

'I suppose it's too late not to anyway.'

"I do." I answered.

"I can't wait to see what you teach them! I'm sure you'll do great!" Twilight offered her encouragement with a smile.

"I can't wait to see how well you handle their training." I smirked at the thought of my first yelling episode.

"I won't be. The training must entirely be yours, I am merely allowed to spectate. As are all staff." Twilight responded curiously.

"I know, and I will be doing it alone. You should remember what I just said, because you'll understand it later." I turned back to the front, we were about to ascend a glorious staircase that reminded me of the Titanic's. An image of the castle falling into an ocean forced me to shake my head.

The palace was a maze. Not the fun kind. The 'this kicks my ass and I'm going to starve to death before I get there' kind of maze. The only difference was, instead of corn that you could cheat your way through, there was solid brick that would win a game of bloody knuckles should I decide to try shortcuts.

At last, after what felt like eons of walking through twisty hallways, we approached a dead-end, headed by a large door with a symbol on it I could not read. The doors didn't look too special, but I assume what was inside would be a treat. Inside, I assumed, would be my platoon. This would be their first time seeing me.

The doors started to float open before we came to them, a mysterious energy seemed to demand them allow us entry. As they opened, I was greeted with a room almost identical in style to the others. This, however, was an entire auditorium below me. Comfy purple velvet seats were lined with guards who immediately silenced themselves at the presence of the princesses. What confused me most of all, though, is that these weren't the white, male guards I had been greeted by before. These were ponies of all colors, and even genders! I was confused at first, so I gazed at Twilight. She didn't pay any mind to me.

The room snapped to attention without a word, a pin-drop silence screamed into my ears.

"Room, at ease." Celestia casually ordered. She need not raise her voice. When there is a force that disciplined, her voice would carry for miles in the silence they'd given her.

The sisters walked in a single 4-person detail down the sides of the seats towards a flat strip of marble at the bottom. It looked like the sort of area you'd give a presentation in. There was even a chalk board sideways in the corner of the room. The dust on it, however, suggested its disuse. At this time, the guard silently murmured and took their seats.

My footsteps were loud, as my bare feet slapped the hard, cold ground. Several eyes broke attention to gaze at me. I didn't yell quite yet, but soon, I would.

Celestia stepped in front of us. I saw Luna standing beside Twilight, I moved to join their line.

"5th, you have been briefed on the nature of this gathering. Time is a priority, as we could lose our captured asset at any given time. Therefore, this ceremony will not drag on quite as long as a formal change-of-command ceremony. Instead, I now relinquish my immediate command over you. Please keep in mind that you are still expected to follow the uniform code, and should you commit acts of traitorism under this new human's command, you will be met with force. You are still given the benefits of the guard, such as the right to report commanders creating misconduct, treason, or unnatural order. My orders will now be passed through Staff Sergeant Grayson, the human in the room." Celestia spoke, slowly gazing throughout the crowd. She took a deep breath, and turned around. Making eye contact with me, she stepped to my right and joined the detail. I followed her with my eyes, when she was beside me, I looked back to the front to find Luna standing in Celestia's place.

"Under the order of my sister, and the consent of the guard, I relinquish my order and duty to Staff Sergeant Grayson, the new temporary commander of the 3rd Platoon. If this passes over well, he will quickly teach the entire Company his art of war. From there, you will aid him in teaching the entire guard. This is one invasion we cannot possibly risk losing. We win, or we die. There is no area between. My orders, as my sister's, will now be passed through Staff Sergeant Grayson." She looked in my direction, and moved to take her position at my side.

Twilight now stepped out from my left, she looked nervous as she took a position on the tile. All eyes were on her. Before she started speaking, Celestia whispered to me without looking.

"You are next, you must simply warn them of the hardships coming, and the logic behind your teachings." She advised as Twilight began to speak.

'You didn't tell me this the four-hundred hours it took to get here?'

I realized that I could do exactly what our Drill Sergeant did in basic. (Me being Elliot and I's). I quickly snapped to parade rest and held military bearing.

Twilight was just finishing her speech.

"...I relinquish my duties and command over this platoon to Staff Sergeant Grayson. All of my orders will now go through him. Thank you!" She chirped unusually, and walked back right at me. She nodded as a non-verbal cue in my peripheral vision.

I marched firmly several steps forward and snapped to the rest position. Parade rest with allowance for head movements and speech. I gazed directly into their eyes. Moving my head erratically to assert myself. My heart was exploding in my chest. This was an entirely free-verse speech.

"My name is Staff Sergeant Grayson. Where I come from is not important. But what you will know is that I have learned from the best, meanest, and most ruthless killers in this entire god-damn universe. I will be teaching you, under the advisement of the princesses, who will be assessing the efficiency of my training. The next days following will be straining, hard, and confusing. But please keep in mind that my procedure will lighten each day. Each day you will become smarter, harder, more efficient. You will understand my ways, you will learn how to avoid my attention. I will be mean, I will seem angry, you will question my sanity, and your own. Many of you will shed tears, and lose sleep. Many of you will feel like you have lost the last bit of individuality you had left, only for things to get worse. This is the phase one, the hardest phase. You will not enjoy it, you will remember it, but you will learn. This is a short phase, it teaches you my mentality, how to survive in the bleakest of combat situation. The next phase, I will teach you how to fight. Not only how to fight, but how to fight together. How to use numbers to overwhelm cleverly. You do not understand my training methods, and won't for years to come. But should you feel the need to quit, to give up and go home to cry yourself to sleep like a coward, remind yourself that this is two-thousand years of military science behind my methods. They work, no matter how mentally violent they can be. If I go to far, you are given permission to request to see me in private for advisory. Do I make myself clear?" I shouted.

"Yes sir..." The crowd mumbled randomly.

"I hope everyone just hiccupped at once, because that had BETTER not have been your weak attempt at a response to me." I complained.

"Yes sir!" They shouted this time, although not quite in unison.

I closed my eyes, pretending to swallow anger.

"You will learn!" I announced. Stepping to attention, I preformed an about face, marched back to my spot, and preformed another about face.

Twilight leaned in nearly immediately.

"You aren't going to hurt them, are you?" She pleaded.

"I won't hit them..." I nodded.

There was an awkward silence. I looked to the princesses, who were both staring at me.

"Ma'am, permission to begin the training?" I tried to sound sweet and innocent, but not sarcastic.

She raised her brows at me and nodded like I should have known in the first place.

"All of you, OUT OF MY SIGHT! Formation out of this door, facing to the rear, you have TEN SECONDS!" I used my diaphragm to increase the volume and attitude in my voice.

They gazed around quickly with uncertainty.

"You just used THREE, GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES AND MOVE!" I ordered more loudly, stepping forward and waving my hands at them.

They immediately jumped up and crawled over each other to reach the door. Some leaped seats, others shoved their way through.

"SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT... EIGHT AND A HALF!" I held in a grin, I had never been in charge before. This was a new, but fun experience for me. I was responsible for them. I wasn't nervous, I was amped up.

"TEN SECONDS AND YOU'RE ALL STILL CRAWLING ASS!" I shouted, moving up towards them and waving my arms to rush them.

I looked behind me, they all looked confused. Twilight bit her lip in nervousness, Celestia gave a look of disapproval.

"You'll understand soon. Very soon!" I assured them, and turned to continue yelling.