As the train rattled on its tracks, Gallants slid the door open to his team's new room and tore his armor off of his body; then yelled at the top of his lungs "Pluck first I lose my journal in the infirmary and then we get replaced by new guards how can this day get any worse!" as he finished his sentence the train came to a screeching halt
"The pluck just happened; should I go and ask the conductor?" Krieger asked.
"no don't bother," Gallants told him. "looks like there's a mare already heading there; but I have a bad feeling about this, keep your eyes and ears peeled," Gallants told his team.
"This is a robbery bitch get down on the ground!" A deep voice yelled from the front of the car.
Gallants peeked his head out of the door Eyes widening as he saw what was at the end of the hallway. "Heavily armored minotaur at the end of hall wearing what looked like a clown mask, wielding a crossbow possibly repeating get your blades ready I have a feeling he's not alone, Krieger I want you to go out the window and jump him from behind I would prefer non-lethally but that's not always an option, hey why aren't you guys looking at me?" Gallants felt something tap his shoulder he looked behind him to see the clown mask wearing minotaur. "I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say that's why, well if you guys don't mind arresting him," Gallants said as he used his hind paw to bring the minotaurs legs out from under him.
Gallants and Phil Moved from car to car gladius in hand no robbers in each one, nopony or birdie with stolen valuables as they reached the door leading to the VIP car door Gallants placed a hand on the handle and softly said. "I think they're going to steal the crystals that Red-feather got from Princess Cadence," as he swung the door open to the sight of two Praetorians pinned to the wall greeted them two bolts in the chest and a bolt through the mouth. "Still not 100% sure but I'm starting to think this isn't a robbery stay here and watch the door and keep the peace." Gallants said to Phill while sheathing his gladius, Phill nodded and stood outside the door to keep prying eyes off the scene.
Gallants was moving down the hallway when a sharp pain went through his right side. "Pluck my wing why my wing why would you hit my wing!" Gallants yelled while he looked to his right to see Red-feather holding a frying pan one thought ran through his head 'Leave it to a politic to not think before attacking and were did he get a frying pan,' Gallants looked at the diplomat and said in the most threatening voice he could muster. " One of your "superior" guards better have survived this attack at least then I can try to piece together what happened here,"
"Well I survived, at least, the Praetorians I were leading weren't very good at their job as you can see but may I ask who in praytell are you?" A gruff voice all to calm said behind Gallants.
"My name is Gallants I'm a trainee at the academy, escorting Red-feather was my team's first mission to see if we were ready to move on to the next level of training," Gallants softly said, the Praetorian nodded turned and pushed Red-feather into the room and before entering the Praetorian looked down on Gallants
"Go back to your room I have everything under control," he said Gallants listened to the Praetorian, left the room and told Phill they were heading back to their room for the duration of the trip.
When Gallants and Phill reached their room they saw that their minotaur prisoner was gone, Gallants was the first to speak up "There better be a good reason why our prisoner is gone or I'm going to do exactly what you did to the wannabe assassin back in the crystal empire,"
"Some of the Equestrian royal guards showed up and we released him into their custody," Krieger said with a sharp salute.
"That seems reasonable you know what let's go to the dinner car and grab a bite to eat," Gallants told his team, but in a hushed whisper said, "I need to tell you though the Praetorian that was with Red-feather seemed off, I mean sure I couldn't see his face but his eyes didn't seem right they were unnerving, to say the least,"
When Gallants and his team left their room to go eat they all agreed to carry their weapons on them except Afro, Gallants felt that the wing blades would be pushing it when they sat down Gallants said, "You know this mission is probably going to be listed as a failure and then all the instructors will be making sure our lives are a living hell extra everything I bet just to spite us,"
Kriger spoke up, "Well then we'll just have to do better than instructed just to spite them, am I right or am I right," that got a hearty here, here from everyone at the table and even a few of the other passengers in the car and Gallants swore he heard a few here, here's coming from just outside the car he figured they were from the guards stationed just outside the door.
A little while after they finished dinner, the waiter came by with four mugs of apple cider after placing them down, he looked at the four soldiers in training with a grin and a motion to his right he said "From the four mares of the round table," Gallants and his team looked at the round table to in fact see four mares and they got what the waiter said the mares were wearing most of their uniforms looking at them giving the four soldiers little waves.
"Those are some fine looking mares and I'm not exactly the type of birdie to go for a pony but there's just something about a mare in uniform that seems so attracting," Gallants said eyes not leaving the four mares. "maybe I'll ask one out what do you guys think?" Gallants asked.
"No don't go for it there's got to be a different reason they bought us a drink they probably lost a bet Gall," Krieger told him
"You're probably right but if I ever strikeout with a birdie if I can find one of those mares I'll give her a chance, anyways it's getting late we should head to bed," Gallants told his team as he got up he gave a little a wink to the mares a blush ran across one of their faces.
242nd Barracks After the Train Ride
Gallants and his team had just got back to their room after getting yelled at by 4 different instructors for not staying with Red-feather after the robbery began.
"I would just love some R&R but Red-feather just had to go and get murdered by the Praetorian who then jumped from the train, you know instead of hitting the guy with a frying pan like he did to me you know I think that was my frying pan, I'm getting off track I told you guys there was something off about the guy," Gallants Said.
"We didn't think you meant murder off we just thought you meant dickish off Gall," Krieger said while he removed his armor and grabbing the team's training gear.
"Really think we should go to training since their thinking about kicking us out of the academy?" Gallants asked Krieger while he catching the gear that was tossed to him.
"Of course, we should go to training if only to prove that their threats don't scare us and we'll still train just as hard if not harder, and hopefully that we're still worthy of being in the army so let's get out there and kick some ass," Krieger said, Gallants decided he was right and with a sigh he started to put on the gear turning to his teammates with their own gear in their hands.
"Well come on boys what are you waiting for your mommy to dress you, we got to go if we wanna make it in time,"
The team of four flew down the halls, except Gallants who ran as fast as he could towards the training room. They came to a skid as they barely made the time required to get a listing for the skirmish as they got signed up they went to their staging area waiting for the announcement and the doors to open to signify the beginning of the fight to prove their worth, everyone in each room were practicing their fighting styles, one team preferred to disarm this was the team called themselves the exarmo, one team relying on not being seen and striking from the shadows and quickly retreating The sicariorum, The last two team's who both knew that stealth may be needed or the ability to disarm their enemy when to strike with brute force was necessary these two teams' knew the strengths and weakness' of each style both teams had members that stepped into the leadership position very naturally and they would need every ounce of leadership they could muster. The doors slowly started to open, anticipation was the only thing anyone could feel the battle was about to begin.
The Storm
Gallants was sprinting through the field trying to find some cover so he could catch his breath every member of his team was down all he knew was that it was a massacre, every other trainee was down except just one-birdy and he was going to hunt him down and claim victory, then the voice of the instructor boomed over the arena. "I think it's time for a change of scenery," It started to heavily snow in the field Gallants knew there was a reason for this other than to be slightly annoying and cold.
Gallants walked down the arena listening for anything, he stopped moving hearing a foot land just after he stopped moving, Gallants spun around and barely brought his sword up in time to parry the blade that was about hit his face he couldn't see who just attacked him then he felt the shock of a magical training blade strike his back there was nothing but black, last thing he heard was a female voice "That must have hurt no hard feelings right,"
Medical Wing One Day After The Skirmish
Gallants woke up with a headache and an unbearable itching on the right side of his head he reached up to scratch it and felt the stitches. "Well, that explains a lot," he mumbled when he tried to get out of the bed he yelped as a sharp pain went through his right side.
Gallants heard the nurses voice coming from her office. "Oh, Gallants your awake you know the only two trainees to come to the medical wing is you and Afro Of Destiny, Oh and before I forget you broke your wing when you fell another thing it looks like it had been dislocated recently, since you're such an idiot and didn't come to me as soon as you hurt your wing I decided to wait till you woke up to set your wing," Gallants' eyes widened as he heard this, he slowly looked towards where the nurses office was to see her standing at the only way out with a sadistic grin on her face Gallants swallowed hard he was terrified, he got up and dashed thinking he might be able to outrun her and get out of the room he was wrong the nurse pounced on him Gallants knew she had more lion in her than bird he felt two hand's on his wing, it felt like his wing was being ripped off, screams could be heard through the entire academy.
Chapter 2 (Name in progress)
Gallants and his team were walking down the halls of the academy in silence, everyone they passed was trying figure out why Gallants wasn't walking with his head up high, as usual, instead, he walked with his head hanging low his wings dragging on the ground. He was shaking muttering something under his breath nobody could tell what he saying over the whispers and theories, one of the two most believable theories was brought up a pegasus with a microphone as his cutie mark. "Gallants and his team were expelled from the academy and they're being arrested for murdering Red-feather," he was the sicariorum team leader he started to grin, "It's good that he's leaving he somehow knew I was coming for him he was bad news for my team," the other theory was brought up by a griffiness who spoke up as soon as the pony finished. "Or you know he feels like shit from losing the skirmish, and what's more important is what was that screaming earlier think the academy's haunted," she ended with a smirk and there were a few chuckles.
Gallants pushed open the door to the barracks he sighed then rasped. "Where are the painkillers I am in cartloads of pain," Gallants looked up to the ceiling and muttered "What is it I can feel you looking me up and I know none of you like me especially that way,"
Afro walked up next to Gallants and yawned to him "Gall we ran out of painkillers during the training exercise after we seriously plucked each other up don't you remember,"
Gallants looked down at Afro and got a face full of mane he placed a hand on Afros' mane and pushed it down. "Well pluck how about whiskey or bourbon we have any of that wait don't answer that, let me guess we naturally don't have any right," Everyone looked at him and nodded giving Gallants another face full of mane Afro backed away "Damn your mane is really soft I think you are going to be our emergency pillow if we need one, anyways I think I'll just try to sleep it off,"
Gallants yawned and walked to his bunk as he climbed up he looked at his window and dropped to his feet and ran over to the window there was a griffin at his window there was flash of lighting and it was gone Gallants stuck his face to the window and started looking for the griffin, he heard his team run up behind him.
"Hey, what's wrong Gall?" Krieger asked a worried look in his eye. Gallants sighed and slumped his shoulders
"I thought I saw him, the praetorian from the train I was sure he was there, come on let's try to get some sleep guys," with that the team went to their bunks and slept the night away.
Gallants woke up in a canyon he lifted his head and looked around his mind focusing on his smaller body "What the pluck,"
