Chapter One: Pomp and Circumstance
Chapter One
Pomp and Circumstance
Finally, it was time! Graduation day was finally here! I’d spent years working my tail off, and I had no doubts in my mind that it was all completely worth it.
I’d started here when I was five years old, along with fifty-two others my age. When we first arrived to the Academy, we were met with multiple old, scarred griffons with clipboards and blank expressions. On that first day, we were each tasked with one task, to recite our names and how to spell them. That was the easiest task. Next was counting to One Hundred. After that, we had to read a book out loud flawlessly. This process took us all about two weeks, only because cadets are a team. A team cannot move on until the last cadet passes the task given to them. Because of this, we seemed to move slowly.
Eventually, we came to the task of flight. We were taken to a cliff and told the basics of it. I paid close attention to each part. Run, open your wings, jump, flap them simultaneously, fly. That seemed easy, but as I was brought to the edge and shoved off, I panicked and plunged like a rock in water. At the last second before impact, I was caught by another instructor and set safely to watch others pass or fail. It was humiliating to see everyone else, save two others pass.
It took me two months to pass that test. That was two months of being called Flightless and being punched by everyone who was waiting on me. The other two cadets that failed passed before I did, too, so it was even worse. My parents even had me looked at by one of the elder Talons. They thought I had some sort of defect.
Turns out I was just still needing to grow a primary feather on my left wing. It was just coming out. That next week, I jumped off the cliff on my own and took to the sky. I landed, proud of myself, and we finally moved on to the next tasks.
But I think the most important and most challenging task we ever had to face was The Runthrough. We were 16 years old now, and had just recently passed our Advanced Weapons Task. The Runthrough acted as a simulator. We had to go through it as if we were performing actual mercenary work.
It started with a box. Each of us reached in and grabbed a slip of paper with a number on it. Each number determined what kind of mission we'd simulate. I randomly chose an assassination contract. The rules were simple. We were allowed to use any and all resources to complete this task, but if we were hit by any automated turrets more than four times, we would fail the mission. The turrets shot little balls of paint, and they represented a hostile and a hit represented… well… being shot. I guessed that you wanted to avoid getting shot once anyway.
Naturally, my first time in the course, I came out covered in paint. I failed miserably. Luckily, everyone failed.
Yeah, this task took the longest. Time after time, I failed. In total, eight other cadets passed before I did.
Unfortunately for me, my two greatest rivals, Rhet and Drake, did not pass, and they took it out on me a few times. Rhet was a massive griffon for a male. He was strong and extremely impulsive. I think that's why he hung out with Drake. See, Drake was also large, but he wasn't a mountain like Rhet. He was more like a small hill with a bunch of small rocks on his face. He was also ugly, but damn he was quick.
One day, just after I finished washing another round of paint out of my feathers, I had gone down to the mess hall for lunch. It was Radhog day.
And by Radhog, I mean it was a bunch of mushy slop that might have been Radhog or it might have been anything else.
Anyway, I was walking to one of the tables when Drake slapped my food into my face out of nowhere. Then Rhet tripped me. I did not happen to see where they even came from
Not two seconds in and I was already steaming. I got up and wiped my face, glaring at Rhet while wishing I could turn his smirking face into a pile of ash. They laughed at me, so I grabbed my empty tray and put a Rhet’s-face-shaped dent in it. While he recovered, Drake tackled me and started punching.
One, I felt something pop.
Two, that broke a feather.
Three, okay that was it!
At the third, I grabbed his fist and gave a nice headbutt. Then, I used my hind legs to kick him off of me.
I had a second to get up before Rhet had me against the nearest wall. Drake soon joined him, and they just started beating the crap out of me. They cursed at me, saying a bunch of things my father would flay them for.
I struggled of course, but it wasn't like one smaller guy against two other brutes was a fair fight. I started tasting blood and felt dozens of welts already starting to form. Nobody interfered. Nobody wanted to. Except one.
Fera was a female, and one of the few who had passed her Runthrough test already. She was easily one of the best of all the cadets here. I'd heard instructors already saying how she would be a Company Commander one day. Well, Fera had just come in.
Keep in mind that females for griffons are generally larger than males. Fera was exactly Rhet’s size, but it did not stop her. She came up behind them, grabbed both their heads and cracked them together. Both Rhet and Drake were out cold just like that, and it was terrifying.
When she threw them away, she knelt down to me and winced at the sight. “Damn, man… let me help you to the medical clinic.”
And I would have thanked her if my jaw was working. It had been dislocated. Quite painful, by the way!
And in the medical ward is where I met my best friend, Gizzard. We called him Gizzy because nobody likes being called Throat. Gizzy had been beaten up by Rhet and Drake, too. Plus, Fera had also saved him. Wow, we had so much in common. Both our asses were saved by Fera.
After a bit of talking, we found out that we both hated Rhet and Drake. I discovered that Gizzy was some sort of genius but he could not fight if his life depended on it, which is why he was almost always in the medical ward.
That's when I got an idea. The hardest part of my assignment was a single terminal. I could not hack it, and every time I tried, I got shot in the back. I made a deal with him. He needed someone who could shoot, and I needed a smart guy. If he helped me, I would help him. Then he brought something else up. If we had Fera with us, then she would be able to take care of what we couldn't. After all, we had never seen past our failure points.
So when Gizzy and I were in better shape, we went to confront Fera. The only problem with that was the fact that she was in the female half of the academy, which we weren't allowed in. Males and females were to be separate unless we were eating or doing a task. Whenever we had our own time, we could not be in a room together. It wasn't like half the cadets broke that rule to go screw the other sex.
I only snuck over there this once to get some help. I found Fera coming out of the locker room and sighed to myself. There was no way this would work.
The trick was only to get her attention and nobody else's, so I threw a pencil at her. When she turned, I waved her over. I was hiding in a food cart.
When she came, she hissed at me. “The hell are you doing here?”
Here's the funny thing. She wanted nothing to do with our plan until I mentioned Gizzy was in on it. She sighed. Fera was protective over him or something. He was one of the smallest of any cadet. When I said he needed help, she agreed without another hitch.
The next test day came by, and the three of us went into my test. Gizzy hacked the terminal, Fera shot the turrets, and I assassinated the target. Then we all came out without a mark on us.
Other cadets complained that we had cheated using more than one, but the instructors intervened. The oldest told us, “The rules were any and all resources. Other Talons are resources when you need them. These three cadets should be commended, not ridiculed, for their seemingly impossible discovery. It's not as though part of our organization is flying as a flock.”
With that secret unlocked, we helped Gizzy get through his test, everyone else started passing, we moved on, and I made two friends. The three of us stuck together from then on, warding away any more attacks from Rhet and Drake and passing every task later with ease.
And then came our graduation.
All we had to do was write our first contract. The first contract is a symbol, really. This contract is the one we keep on us at all times. It shows information such as names, height, weight, significant skills, eye color, etc. It was basically a way to identify us, but it also had some rules written on it. For example, if we ever are hired to kill a pony who is being protected by another Talon, we are not to kill the other Talon. We are not to kill another Talon period. Ever.
Later on, if someone wanted a job done, we'd write a new contract, discuss the job, discuss payment, and execute. There were really two contracts, but only one that we always had. Our first contract had to be signed with our own feather.
I spent a good two hours writing mine. I finished it with a huge ‘y’ that underlined the rest of my name.
***
- Asher Grey
- Male
- 320kg
- 175cm tall
- Green Eyes
- Light Grey body
- Gold hue Beak and Talons
“I will uphold the old laws of the Talons and bring pride to the world we live in.”
Signed, Asher Grey
***
As soon as I finished writing it all, I jumped with excitement and rushed out to the headquarters, where I would be issued my weapons, armor, and my official position as a Talon.
On my way, as we had previously arranged, I met up with Gizzy and Fera at the Academy entrance. We all looked at each other and smiled. Gizzy got emotional, which was expected, but we moved through those doors together for the last time as cadets. After this, we'd be out doing real work and slowly bettering the wastes.
As we walked in, we didn't meet any lines like we thought we would. This worked as so: when we turned in our contract, they'd stamp it, issue us our equipment, and send us to our company. That was graduation. It didn't sound nearly as exciting as it really was, trust me.
Fera went first, receiving nods and the largest set of armor. Based on her records, she received a minigun and a case of ammo for it. “Fera Sinaclair…” The old griffon with the checklist of our names began, “Gawdina Grimfeathers Company. Congratulations. You move out tomorrow at noon.”
Gizzy got smaller armor and two pistols. To compensate, they also gave him tools for lockpicking, hacking, and medical work. He was the brains after all. “Gizermo Ravenwood… Gawdina Grimfeathers.”
Finally, I came up, handed my contract in, and watched proudly as they stamped it. They then gave me my armor, a 10mm pistol, and 3 boxes of ammo for it.
That was it! This was it!
“Asher Grey,” he started. I could feel my feathers burning with anticipation. Here it comes! He's opening his beak! This is iiiiit!!! “Blackwood.”
YE- Wait what?
“Congratulations, private. You move out tomorrow at noon.”
But… Blackwood was on the border of the Crystal Empire! That was days from here! And a week away from my friends! No! I had to go with them! We were a team! “S-Sir, can I request a change?” I asked before I was ushered out.
I received a sharp “No” as the door was shut behind me. My friends were on the other side. I looked them both in the eyes.
And I told them my placement. Of course we all were silent. What could be said as we were being separated?
I couldn't think of one. Fera wasn't one for words. Gizzy couldn't even find words. It was just… shocking. Honestly, I wondered if they'd care if I went to the wrong one on purpose.
Of course they would. Because they have a strict system, and I would be caught deserting instantly. That wouldn't be fun.
“So… Our last night all together, huh?” Fera sounded just as glum as we all felt. She just spoke up first.
“Yeah, it looks like it,” Gizzy replied, looking at me. I was the only one
“Then I guess tonight's the best night for this surprise of mine then.” She smiled and stood proudly.
“What are you on about, Fera?” I asked with a tilt of my head.
“I mean, I found my dad’s old stash of whiskey and vodka he loots from his targets. He keeps the best ones for himself, and I happen to have found it.”
Okay, so she had a bunch of beer, and she wanted to share it. Now, this was setting some alarms off in my head. If we got caught drinking, we'd be… well, I don't know what would happen, honestly, but it wouldn't be good! But… I was curious.
“So we go drink together. Isn't that what pre-war friends would do like every other night?” I asked.
Gizzy confirmed. “Yeah that's what they did. Guys, this is against the rules, though.”
Fera laughed. “Fuck the rules. You want to have a good last night together? Let's get wasted!”
“You don't even know what that me- AGH!”
And then Fera dragged Gizzy along, and we all got hammered drunk. I don't even remember getting back to the quarters. I don't remember throwing up, though, so that's good, right?
Footnote: Level Up
New Perk Added: Fast Learner- Your academic experience has granted you an easier time learning new things. Gain 10% More Experience.
Author's Note
First chapter down. No editing done yet. We're gonna edit this later. I wanted to get this out before I forgot.
Prologue
There was a storm quickly brewing outside. The usual grey sky was black with coming thunder and lightning and rain. The clouds were looming over a small city of nests hidden in a mountain valley in the Northeastern sector of Equestria. These nests were not like the average bird’s; they were built with care, given walls and a roof to allow a family to peacefully live there.
A male griffon, dark in color and large in stature, opened the door to his home, calling inside, “Rosita, I’m home!” He heard the feminine voice of his mate call him from their room.
“Quick! In here!” Rosita called with urgency in her voice. As the male came, he saw what was happening. Tucked next to Rosita’s even larger form, brushing against her soft tan fur, was an egg. It was gently rocking back and forth. The egg was hatching.
1 “Spire, it’s happening! It’s hatching,” Rosita said with rising glee.
⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛
Minutes later, the storm began. With a crash of lightning, the egg cracked, and with a boom of thunder, a young griffon crawled from the remnants of his egg. He squawked loudly with his first breaths of fresh air. Already waiting for him was his mother’s beak, The hatchling’s first meal was the finest brahmin steak his father could find, already chewed up. The meal put him to sleep soon after.
He had his father’s dark grey feathers with lighter grey fur underneath. They were still all fluff since he had no age yet, but that only made him softer to hold. His parents had not gotten a look at his eyes yet since he had not opened them, but they were amber, like his mother’s.
Spire and Rosita made a warm, protective circle around their child, cuddling with each other. Rosita gave her mate a kiss on his cheek and whispered so as not to wake the baby, “Asher…” Spire looked to her with a confused expression. “We should name him Asher. He… looks like an Asher.”
A few moments of silence passed as Spire processed this, and he nodded. “Asher is perfect.”
“Our little Asher is going to do great things for the Wasteland,” Rosita whispered, really just wanting to say the name again. It made her feel so proud.
Thunder roared outside as Asher stretched his legs, yawned, and kept sleeping. Both parents gave the child a kiss.
Footnote: Game Start
Author's Note
Here we go! Let's get started shall we?
