Per Constellatum

Chapters

Chapter #1 [Re-Written]
Chapter #2 [Re-Written]
Chapter #3 [Re-Written]
Chapter #4 [Re-Written]
Chapter #5
Chapter #6
Chapter #7

Chapter #1 [Re-Written]

Author's Note

Okay so... Yeah, I'm going over past mistakes and Re-Writing and or editing existing things to make the story seem like less of a train wreck.

Chapter #1 [Re-Written]

“Salve regina misericordie,”

August, 17th, 2555…

Unidentified System…

One Astronomical Mile from the closest star…

UNSC Forti Animo… (Orion Class Assault Carrier)

Subdeck #3-B Infantry Housing Quarters (Bravo Company)...

UNSC Army Sgt. Grayson Maxwell - SN: #33154…

1648 hours...

The silence is unsettling, not just for me of course, but for everyone. This ship, though moving through space and teeming with thousands of lives on board, some of which, if not all, have grown tired of being stranded in this endless vacuum, is still cloaked in a blanket of silence. Of course the ship really isn't quiet. Footsteps are heard walking around me, moving down halls, above and below me, their boots thumping against the floor like the drumming of a stagnant marching band. The air filtration system whirls cold air around the ship as it hums hard at work keeping things fresh, even though we all know the air is recycled, but most importantly keeping the atmosphere dry and cool, which we all appreciate. And over all of that, the belly of the metal beast echos with the sound of talking, and laughing, soldiers, noncommissioned officers, commanding officers, and ship staff, all probably voicing their displeasure, and misfortunes about still being stranded on this ship.

Once and awhile to break up the monotony of listening into an endless void of what I can only assume is repeating sounds and voices, a couple of alert notification sounds would sound off around me from the Public Announcement System, followed by a burst of an automated and robotic voice that gives me little Snippets of information of happenings around the ship, detailing information and such. But as of right now, it doesn’t pertain to me, so I mainly only listen to just to see what's going on elsewhere… giving me something to think about. But still… the silence is unsettling..

And so here I lay on my bed, inside a room of about two dozen or more empty racks while white, bright lights from the ceiling illuminate the sterile and obviously military looking living quarters for my platoon. Each bed, has its own personal foot locker, filled with other soldier's personal belongings, most likely Copenhagen, various different types of candies and snacks, pornographic magazines, and who knows what else… Of course, I wasn't one to talk, as I had a fair bit of my own personal stash in mine.

I am, completely bored out of my mind, alone with absolutely nothing better to do to, or anything to keep me busy. Of course there is a legitimate reason for this, even though not everyone likes it. We’ve been on standby for the past few weeks, as our Expedition Fleet makes its Final Approach on an uncolonized planet that the UNSC has deemed fit for colonizing with their newly introduced colonization tactics, and we're waiting for the warning order to Stow our equipment, and equip our gear. That order is something that me, and the rest of the battalion would all wish would come sooner. The Battalion Commander has ordered our company commanders to rigorously drill the Infantry on Mission tactics, for hours on end, and, we have grown sick of it. Simulation after simulation, classroom after classroom, and lecture upon lecture, never before would I have thought I would grow tired of seeing a firing range, but every time I stare at the targets down range, I want to puke…

For god sake someone give me something living to shoot at, otherwise i’ll go insane.

It’s gotten to a point that, some of the men in my platoon have made their own shooting competition, organized by some of the lower NCO’s, E-5’s and -6’s mostly.

Yeah the, “10 bottle, 10 second challenge,” Our Squad Sergeant, Staff Sergeant James Kowalski said. I didn’t care for the competition enough to put my name down on the roster when it was handed out a few weeks ago, nor did I participate in it. I find it childish, as if our soldiers are begging command to look and see that they are improving, just so they'll relax with the training, and seeings how we’ve been getting slammed with more as of recently, it’s not working. So much like a child's crudely made drawing being put up on the fridge, it was ignored after a couple of days.

But, I digress. The silence of space and the ship is just, mind numbingly exhausting. And I know the ship really isn’t silent, but the lack of combat, and actually military operations, something that I have grown used to while I’ve been enlisted, makes everything that isn’t a plasma grenade going off beside you, quiet. It’s gotten to the point in which, in my down time, like now, i've just decided to count the stitchings on the mattress above me, every little wave of the binding strings that I pass over, another second on the clock. All just to keep my mind active, and moving, to keep it thinking about something, that isn’t nothing...

“324, 325, 326…” I would murmur to myself in the silence of the room. The numbers the only thing on my mind, that and the door to our barracks, of which was closed right now, as it has been for a very long while now. I was waiting for someone to come in here, to do something, say something, clear their throat, fucking anything. But since nothing had happened, I just continued to count away the boredom, count away the day in the endless expanse of space that is this unnamed star system.

“328, 329, 33-,” I stopped counting, the word frozen on my lips as it melted away to nothing as I closed my mouth. I stopped thinking for a moment about the mattress above me and just, stopped thinking all together. I looked around the room slowly, scanning it to find anything out of the ordinary, something for me to straighten up, or hell even clean. Though I liked the silence, and the solitude from the infantry, as an NCO, I can’t help but look out for them, and worry for their sake, even if they don’t worry themselves. A phrase jumped back to my mind for a moment, a sentence from the NCO’s Creed. ‘My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind. Accomplishment of my mission, and the welfare of my soldiers.’ The duty and responsibility I took when accepting this rank was of my doing, I earned it and I shall live up to the expectations of our platoon commander. I will do unto my men, what they did to me, and let the cycle of leadership continue. And laying here, counting fucking stitches isn’t helping.

I pushed my upper body off the mattress and stood up proper, by boots thumping softly on the deck as I swung them around. I straighten my back out and adjust my neck, a small few pricks of pain shoot up and down my body for a moment as cracks and snaps emanated from my bones and spine. Then after came a wave of pleasure and contentment, that shimmered about my body, kinda like a breath of fresh air, or the cusp of an amazing orgasm. I smile and adjust my Battle Dress Uniform, straightening out the wrinkles and creases that it obtained while I laid on my bunk. I ensure that my boots, my new shiny black boots, are bloused properly, and laced up in a orderly fashion. I ensure my name is straight on the left of my chest, and that my rank is squared up in the middle of my two pecs, right above the zipper seam. I then reach down to the ground and snatch my NCO soft cap as I affix it to my head, I square the brim and smile as I look ship shape again.

The uniform that the UNSC has us dressed in now is much different from the past. Instead of a blue BDU, and grey armor, which we wore while fighting the Covenant, it was now all an Olive Drab. It was a plain, stale, old color that has existed in the militaries of the past for a very long time. And yet, it still exists to this day, our equipment, our aircraft, our tanks, it’s all that boring olive green. And now we, the infantry are all that special, not so special olive color. Some units around us have varying versions of it.

Pathfinders, soldiers that drop first, and mark landing zones in the cover of night, have a camouflage pattern that is called, “Tiger Stripe.” And much like the name implies, the pattern is colored to mimic the style of a tiger… a green tiger that is.

Medical Personnel, like combat medics and shock trauma units wear the standard stuff, but they have these large white arm bands, marked with a red cross. Their helmets also have them on the front. It’s so they can be seen in combat easier, so if your hit, you can find them sooner… but of course, so can the enemy.

There are probably others, but I haven’t seen them yet… Which is fine by me.

I walk past row after row of bunk beds, as I head to the front of the brightly lit barracks. I reach the far wall, and turn around. I look at the empty room, the beds facing me vertically, stacked head to toe on one another, in four neat rows. I smile on how clean the room is, knowing full well who its occupants are. I turn back around and see on the white wall, two flags, one the UNSC Army Battle Flag, and then the Flag of the UNSC. Both looked very similar, yet very different all at the same time.

The honor of these symbols, and what they mean, the message they carry to all that see them. The rising storm of the human race, reborn into a new galaxy after we were nearly brought to the brink of extinction, now back on top. Our neverending conquest into an endless of amount star systems, bringing them all into the modern era, or back into it again, and introducing them to personal freedoms, and the rule of law beneth an all poweful One United Government, while nurturing them to make them strong, and powerful, and proud to be united with Earth.

I could feel a smile creep to my face as I stare at our flags, completely acknowledging the meaning behind them. Though I see only two, I know there are more behind it, flags of our past of a bygone era, long lost to history books and time, well almost all gone. I then look to myself, I look down to my right arm, while still smiling a proud smile. I raise my sleeve, I roll it up to my elbow, and there in still proud patriotic red, white, and blue colors, was another flag. A flag of a lost nation. A nation of stars and stripes, the nation of my forefathers and their fathers that died to see it free. A nation of democracy, freedom, and the pursuit of justice, and happiness, just like banners in front of me. A name and meaning lost to many, a culture lost to all. Well, maybe not exactly alike in everyway, but they were close enough for me.

Running my thumb down the ink on my skin, over the stars and stripes, I could feel a magic in the air, as if I carry the symbol of a nation's pride with me, the pride of millions of long gone souls, long lost to civil conflicts and time. A mark of a lost world, a mark of luck for me. I throw down my sleeve and looked to the door. A new world waits for humanity. We will be the soul influence of a new world. We are pioneers of a new era, an era built off of the backs of a world long gone. Long gone, but not forgotten. I walk to the door, leaving the flags behind. The door opens as I walk up to it, I turn back and look at the room one last time before exiting into the ship.

“Our time is now, and we will bring humanity with us,” I say to myself out loud to no one in particular, just wanting to enjoy the sound of my voice, that wasn’t spouting numbers away like some kind of possessed calculator. What I didn’t expect to hear, was a response.

“Oh what now... are you some kind fuggin’.. philosopher or some shit?” The voice came, it’s tone very low, with a bit of slang thrown in, it flowed from it’s lips like syrup, smoothly yet extremely harshly in what it was asking. I spun to my left quickly, slightly caught off guard, and I see Staff Sergeant James Kowalski the, “Child of the Stars,” or, “Star Child,” for short, standing their.

This man had a presence around him, a feeling of death people have described it to be like, a dark history following in his wake, that only those who knew him on a personal level have heard of, but only in snipits, and never the full picture. Luckily, I was buddy buddy with him so he was more, carefree around me.

But physically, he was a tall man, standing at 6 feet 7 inches, and his frame was built to match. He looked as if he could bench press a warthog, and punch a hole in reinforced steel. Other squad NCO’s paled in comparison to him, mostly because he stood out in a line up. Some say he had been with the UNSC for as long as our Platoon Sergeant, and he had been given the chance to be promoted before, on a multitude of occasions but declined, saying in his own words, “I work better in small groups.” Even I don’t know if that’s true.

“Aren’t we all philosophers in our own way Kow’?” I Asked facing him properly, a brow on my forehead arching upwards, a sly smirk creeping to my face, knowing full well he hated being called Kow, and just preferred to be called James. He rolled his ocean blue eyes, and passed some air through his closed teeth, a chuckle shaking his chest.

“Only a dumbass optimist philosopher would say that Maxy. And you, are no philosopher, trust me, you think too much to be one,” He walks slowly over to my right side and playfully wraps an arm around my shoulders squeezing me into his hulking body, without even trying, as the two of us begin to walk down the long corridor.

He extends his right arm out as if showing me a diagram.“You’re more of a living breathing, history book, one that has a mouth,”

“Yeah how so Kow?” I say looking up at him, me being only 6 feet. It was like looking up a mountain, a green mountain with a square jaw.

“You’re boring, heavy, and unfortunately I need to use you. But you’re fun to drop on the ground and scare the shit out of people,” He says forcing me to walk beside him, as he walked down the hall he head come up beforehand. I meet his pace quickly, not trying to slow him down.

We walked through the halls and talked. The halls walls were a pallet of whites and greys, and the ground was, an iron like floor that was polished to a mirror like shine, which gave our boots a nice sounding click clack sound as they passed over. Inspirational posters hung from the walls, telling us to do our best and be all we can be and things like that as bright lights lit everything so bright... you almost needed a pair of sunglasses to look in a mirror.

We also passed signs for rooms with arrows pointing different directions, and directional maps for the ship. Windows that appeared once and awhile beside us, opened up into either classrooms, that were either dark, or filled with soldiers at desks, or into open space, which usually had one or two soldiers standing at, looking off at the planet in the distance that we were slowly growing close to. Pipes would be trailing along the ceiling above us filled with water, gas, or oxygen and such all bolted to the ceiling, and all painted a grey, with a colored red, blue, or yellow stripe on the side indicating what was inside. We also passed room after room of barracks, all part of different platoons, and support elements within our company, and battalion.

“Jesus James, if this is how you flirt with women no wonder your single,” I Jokingly say in a sarcastic tone of voice.

“Yeah ha ha ha very funny dickhead. Maybe if you didn’t constantly rant and rave about humanities past all the time, you’d find a girlfriend too, instead of boring them to death,” He said back in stern but obviously joking sounding tone. In response I became jokingly offended by his jest.

“I do NOT talk about the past all the time Kowalski,” I say as I roll my eyes.

He pointed at me with a flabbergasted face. “YES you DO! What do you mean you don’t?! Every second I’m around you, you’re quoting some fucking dead general or something stupid shit like that! Don’t even play me like that Max, you know that I know better then that!” He said taking his arm off my shoulder, as the two of us walked side by side now at a normal pace.

“Yeah yeah, okay, I do. But what are you gonna do about it huh? Break my arms?” I says nudging him in the side, of which he barely moves. He shoots a menacing death glare at my face, accented with a smile. If looks could kill, he would have blown a hole in the ship.

“I can if you want me to,” He says in a very menacing sounding voice. It was damn near a growl, like some kind of twisted animal. I face front and look away. I knew he was just putting on a act but, Jesus he doesn't hold back sometimes.

“Fuck. Note to self never give you ideas,” I could feel him grin devilishly next to me, without even looking at him. He laughed quietly, it was so full of base... I could feel it.

“Anyway, what brings you back to the barracks?” I Say as we pass a group of infantrymen standing together in a clump, talking amongst themselves in the hall. They make passing glances at me and the Squad Sergeant, and quiet down for a moment as we pass. Something I would have arose suspicion at, if it were not for the person I was walking next to.

“Were you not paying attention at all to today's morning announcements?” He said as we rounded a corner at a “T” junction, taking the right path. I thought to myself for a few moments recounting to this morning. I then snap my fingers at the info I figured he was talking about.

“Oh shit that’s right, briefing at 1700 hours. Shit thanks for coming to get me James. I would have missed it,” I say slapping myself on the side of my head out of pure ignorance. He then proceeds to also slap me upside the head as if reinforcing what I had already done.

“Yeah well, time to get your head in the game, the waiting is over, shits about to get real, and it’s about to get real fast,” He says as we approach a group of soldiers. They were all above the rank of Corporal. Some wore soft caps, some stood their with their boots unbloused, some with their black gloves on, some with knee pads on, but they all looked at least decently uniformed. Some tapped their boots impatiently, others talked to each other, and a few just stand in silence with their arms crossed.

Most looked either annoyed or just plain bored, which was understandable. A small amount of them actually looked excited, probably for what this briefing entailed. It was all about the planet we were slowly approaching for about two days.

It was a relief for all us when the planet was finally found and came into view. It was good to know that we could finally have a chance to feel grass underneath our boots again, instead of concrete or steel.

That’s what me and the rest of the soldiers around me thought about when they came to the window too, to watch the planet in the distance for the first time. Watching the planet just sit their from a distance, watching clouds roll over each other, watching the unmoving oceans, and the mountains that scraped the skies. God it was like some kind of movie, us being the first humans to lay eyes on that marvelous rock, a much needed break from space, and a chance to breathe real air again.

We entered the room a little while after me and my tall friend had arrived. We sat there for a little while, I looked around awkwardly at the men around me, the silence returning reminding me of how alone we were in the vastness of space, and how much it meant for us to be here right now, just as it always had been.

“Lieutenant on deck!” Came our platoon sergeant, Sergeant First Class Nate Long, whom of which was standing at the front of the room. His voice boomed around the small room, forcing us all to our feet. We snapped our heels together and brought our hands to our brows in a proper salute. And then, he walked in his presence really hitting us as he walked slowly across the platform to the Holoboard on the wall behind him. He said nothing until he inserted a flash drive into the board and turned to us properly. He then too stood at attention and returned that salute.

“At ease gentlemen, please take a seat,” He spoke with a slight british accent, which made him sound sophisticated in my opinion. In other soldiers point of views, as I have heard from many sources, makes him sound pompous and arrogant. But luckily for me I tend not to listen to such words. And luckily for Second Lieutenant William Holland, he had the experience to back his voice. It was without question that he had seen his fair share of conflict while serving with the UNSC. His battle record extends farther than all of us lower NCO’s, and it is only surpassed by that of the platoon sergeant. He has led many soldiers before us, and probably will continue to lead more after I, and the rest of us are long gone. And so when he spoke, we listened.

And so we sat down.

“Good afternoon gentlemen, ladies. You have all been assembled here today under circumstances of which, I am sure you already know. We have received intelligence about the planet below us, command has given out a Need to Know doiser of things we need to be briefed on, which includes the only things they can see with the eyes aboard this ship,”

The board behind him began to flicker to life, the UNSC logo disappearing, which was replaced with a white loading bar that jolted and jumped forward. Then as it reach the end, it flashed twice, then a series of reports and pictures flashed up on screen. I looked at them closely and inspected what I could see at the moment. It was aerial photographs of what looked like the rolling hills and shorelines of a massive continent, the one directly below us, assumed to be the largest one on the planet.

“Now from the pictures that they have taken, a few things have become obviously certain on the planet. We, are not alone,” Upon hearing that it put me, and the rest of the sergeants next to me on the edge of our collective seats. We squinted our eyes and looked at the pictures that were appearing on screen over top the existing ones.

“And the best part is. Whatever’s down their isn’t covenant, and it’s not human. It is something brand new, and we are the first ones that are going to be making contact with this new civilization, at least we hope so anyway,” He then clicked the existing pictures away and showed us a new couple of photographs. These pictures, were much closer to the ground of the main massive land mass. They were shots of what looked like a small old european style looking town.

And thus I became confused.

Chapter #2 [Re-Written]

“Vita dulcedo et spes nostra salve,”

August, 17th, 2555…

Unknown System…

Equestria...

Ponyville, Twilight's Castle…

Personal Study/ Sleeping Chambers...

Princess Twilight Sparkle…

2134 hours…

The bright and flickering light from the candle that lay in its metal tray on my desk, illuminated my working space. The golden light that was warm and comforting to be around, shown down brightly to the many somewhat neatly stacked papers and empty inkwells on my desk and onto the dim sparkling crystal walls and window sill of the room I sit in. The window that connected to the sill was open, the window panes being pushed out into the open night air, as cool breezes came in once and awhile, ruffling my fur gently like a cool windy hand running its fingers over my exposed body. It felt lovely, almost like a temporary rest from the candle that glowed brightly in front of me, just enough to make the warmth feel recognized, reminding me that it’s there,as I sat quietly, alone.

These feelings and the current time, was practically ushering me into a sense of fatigue, as if the wind and the warmth was pushing me towards the bed that lay in the middle of my room, the head backed up against the wall to my right, the mattress begging to wrap its warm blanket arms around me, and cuddle my frame into a well needed rest.

Something I needed now, more than ever…

Fighting the temptation to give into my body's need to sleep, I pushed on. My left hand held a single piece of lined paper in place as my horn made a white feathered pen dance across the lines like a elegant ballerina of cursive handwriting, it’s tip scribbling along leading black type across the page. The white feather jerked about at snout level, once and awhile wiping by my nose, tickling it slightly, keeping me awake as more of a physical reminder of my obligations on the table top in front of me. My right hand was just, balled up into a fist and pushed up against my right cheek, squishing my face up as my elbow rested heavily on the desk. It supported my heavy head, which grew heavier as minutes pass me by.

My eyes were heavy as they looked over the paper on the desk, as the words just poured out of me in a consistent line of elegantly constructed sentences, all upbeat and cheerful in nature. My lips mouthed silently as each word was formed on the page, spell checking myself, as if reading directly behind my hand, reading what my half awake brain was telling me to write down. I was trying my hardest trying to hide my obviously tired nature in my writing, making me sound overly happy. When in reality I felt as if I could be slapped across the face and wouldn’t even feel it in the slightest. I blinked quicker then normal, as if rubbing my eyes with my heavy lids, not feeling like moving my hands to rub them, or at least I didn’t think to do so at the time.

“And furthermore I believe that the annual Fall Festival should be pushed back into late September, instead of its regular time, due to the fact that we have not been able to keep Timberwolves from leaving the Everfree Forest and causing a panic on the outskirts of town. I know that I said I would personally deal with the situation, and the promise still stands, but I and the rest of my friends and associates have not been able to locate the origin of the timberwolves. Therefore we have not been able to put an end to their…’

My horn stopped writing, I stopped writing. My mind was drawing a blank. The words that so easily flow from my brain into my horn were gone, I was losing my touch.

I took a deep breath and sighed as I placed the quil down into a halfway filled inkwell, right next to three empty ones that I had not thrown away yet. I look around aimlessly at my desk, looking or nothing, as I brush my hair away from my face. I then looked down at myself, again not looking for anything in particular, as I stared down between my breasts and into my light pink nightgown. It was nice to just let my head rest for a moment.

I’m tempted to fall asleep right here in my seat, I can feel my eyelids beginning to tilt down until I jolt myself awake.

“Ugh…” I groan to myself as I look up amongst the finished and stacked papers of legislation that I have already written up into formal documents, and signed. Every single one of them detailing information of some sorts, all vastly different in nature, but all pertaining to Ponyville or Canterlot.

So many things were happening in the coming weeks. Dignitaries from other nations were coming to visit Canterlot to have a formal meeting that would determine alliances between the dozens of independent states that covered the globe. The annual Fall Festival in Ponyville would also be coming up so we needed to prepare for that. And to top it all off, the local residents are being harassed by Timberwolves that are now prowling outside their natural habitat. All that and many other things were all happening at once, to say I was stressed was an understatement.

“I… I need, I need some tea,” I spoke to myself quietly, stuttering a bit.

My horn picked up the candle that lay on my desk and brought it over near my face as I pulled myself up out of the chair, pushing it in slightly. I straightened out my back for I had been hunched over for quite some time, and made my way across the chamber to the door. As I moved from my desk to the door my eyes cased my bed, as if it were calling to me, begging for me to come and lay on its soft pillowy mattress, and dig deeply into its velvety covers. I almost followed the call, but my mind pulled hard on my reins as I forced my attention back to the door.

“Tea, must get tea, now,” I said to myself in an almost zombie like tone.

I gripped the door handle and turned it slowly, opening it, having my last lingering thoughts of sleep, being pushed out of my mind. It swung inward slowly, my body almost getting pulled with its weight. I walked out into the pitch black hallway, the eerie nature of a quiet and slumbering castle, as I had come to first think of it as, was all but lost to me to me now. Since I had been living here for quite some time I had grown used to the nature of the castles vast openness and almost endless amount of rooms.

It wasn’t really that bad seeings how I knew where everything was now. And plus I was too tired to care if somepony was watching me from the shadows or something equally creepy like that. Soon I was navigating the halls normally, my loud hoofsteps echoing throughout the halls. The crystal walls illuminated brightly once the candle hit them which made things seem less dead then they really were as the shadows of passing objects jumped against the walls.

After about a few minutes of navigation and walking, I made my way into the kitchen. Luckily for me, the kitchen had some more modern lighting. I flicked a light switch on the wall directly to the right of me, and a single white light in the center of the rooms ceiling immediately came to life. The room before me was built to the same code as the rest of the palace, same colored walls, brown square tiled floors, wooden furniture, pans and pots hanging from hooks in the ceiling. But, I ignored its beauty for I did not come in here to marvel at the elegance of the trimming along the walls, I came in here for tea, only tea.

“Mmm.. Where did Spike put the tea kettle?” I ask myself as I walk around to each of the closed cupboards looking for the piece of chinaware that I needed to brew the drink I required to keep myself awake for, at least another three hours.

“At least three, if I work fast I can probably squeeze more work in for the School of Friendship as well, requisitioning supplies for the art classes Rarity is having next week,” I talked to myself as my hands continued to rummage around the kitchen, searching for the teapot. Finally my eyes were met with the object I had been looking for. I threw open a cabinet and there it was, on the top shelf, it’s white porcelain body with purple flowers and green vines painted on it shone brightly in the light of the kitchen.

“Oh thank Celestia…” I said to myself as my horn took it off the shelf along with a single cup and resting plate. I hoist the pot over to the sink, and lift off the cover, while turning the tap on with my hand. The water came quickly as it poured into the sink below, the sound of running water the only thing that could be heard that that point, the rushing water killing the deafening silence.

It was nice to hear something other then distant crickets through the window. I placed the pot under the faucet and let the water pour into it. I waited patiently, watching the water, as if I was mesmerized by it, hypnotised by it. But as the water neared the top, I quickly shut off the tap and placed the lid back onto the pot, taking it over to the stove.

I place the pot on the stove as I turn the fire on. The igniter clicked a few times as gas induced flames shot up from the heater. I settled it on medium high. I let go of the pot and let it sit there for a while, letting the water inside heat up. I look around the kitchen again, this time in search for a box of teabags. I looked around the room, as if I were a detective on a crime scene looking for evidence of a stolen priceless jem, or something equally bad. Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted it, a yellow and green box on top of the refrigerator. My magic took it in its grasp as it floated over to my face. I read the white text on the side.

“Rise and Shine Tea. Drink it in the morning for a good start to your day,” I said as I spoke to myself. I rolled my eyes at the upbeat and happy sounding text on the box.

“Pfffft, I’m not going to bed yet, and you can’t make me, tea box,” I said staring back at the yellow and green temptress.

“You’d like me to have a good morning wouldn’t you?” I ask poking and prodding at the box for weaknesses, as if I were playing bad cop in a suspects interrogation.

“Well guess what? I will have a good morning! I will when, I! Me! Twilight Sparkle decides to do so! How do you like them Apples tea box??” I said as I angrily yelled at the box of teabags. It was mocking me wasn't it? That box didn’t run my life, I wouldn’t let it! I run my life, I decide when I go to bed! Not some stupid Cardboard Box!

I was nearly seconds away from throwing the box on the ground and stomping on it, destroying it’s innocent nature until a voice caught me off guard. It sounded small, tired, and child like.

“Twilight? Why are you yelling at a bunch of tea bags?” I whip my head around, the voice nearly forcing me to throw the box out the nearest window in fright. It was Spike, dressed in his blue pajamas, his left eye being rubbed by his fist as he walked calmly into the room.

“Oh! Spike! I, uh… was just, uhm… uh,” I sputtered to create an answer, to formulate a quick lie as to justify me shouting at a inanimate object. Luckily Spike beat me to the punch as he jumped up onto the table, and sat on the edge closest to me, a worried but mostly confused look on his face. Spike had gotten a bit taller in the past couple years, his height increasing just enough to make him slightly taller than the average filly, but still small enough for him to do this.

“Making tea?” He asked pointing to the box in my hand. I looked quickly down at it, then back up to him embarrassed. Hearing his voice, nearly made me break down in front of him, somepony to talk to that wasn't just a box. But I held my composure enough to move over to the counter and place the horrible box on it. I sighed as I made my way back over to the table, my arms collapsing onto it, my hands folding over my head, my snout slamming into the table as well as I rested next to spike.

“Oh Spike, I’ve just been so busy lately, I have barely any time to myself. Being the principal of a school, the Princess of Friendship, having an overly active social life, and trying to save Equestria from sudden doom, is driving me insane,” I lift my head and push myself up, my arms stiff as I rest my jaw in the palm of both my hands, my elbows on the table top, my breasts squishing into the edge of the counter, as I talk to a listening Spike, my head craning slightly to meet his eyes.

“I have the dignitaries meeting that I need to make sure goes off without any problems, I have the Ponyville Fall Festival coming up, I have Timberwolves to deal with. Dear Celestia Spike I… I think I need a break…” I say finally giving in to what my brain, and body have wanted me to say for such a long time.

Finally saying it and talking to somepony about it, made me feel good, made me feel happy, knowing that somepony was listening to me.

“Aww jeez Twilight, C’mere,” He opened his arms with a comforting smile, implying he wanted to give me a hug.

I smile warmly as I move to him, and return the gesture quickly. He and I lock arms together, mine and his arms swinging around each other in a warm, and well needed embrace. God I needed this more than the tea... I just needed a good hug. That and sleep, okay maybe just sleep but, hugs were nice too. I sighed in to it out of exhaustion it as Spike began to talk.

“Listen Twilight, I know things are really hectic right now, but these things will pass. The dignitaries visit and the festival will be over before you know it, and the Timberwolves… Well… They can be dealt with, we’ve dealt with them before, we can do it again, okay?” His words spoke softly and truly into my ear.

He knew just what to say, and how to say it. Even if he made it sound so simple and easy, it was nice to hear coming from him. All the things I knew deep down already, coming from somepony else just made me feel really good. Knowing that somepony else felt the same way, and understood how I felt. I smiled a long and bright smile as I leaned out of the hug, looking at Spike.

“Thanks Spike, you know just what to say,” Spike pulled out of the hug and smiled back, his left claw coming up and poking my snout playfully, speaking softly before he giggles.

“I have my moments,”

He says that, just before the tea kettle on the stove began to whistle away, drawing my attention away from Spike. I turn away from him, and walk over to it and took it off the burner, before looking back at him.

“Would you like some tea?” I ask as I lifted up the dreaded tea box again. Spike nods a few times.

“Yeah, I think I do,”

Chapter #3 [Re-Written]

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Chapter #4 [Re-Written]

Author's Note

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Chapter #4 [Re-Written]

“Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes,”

August, 18th, 2555…

Unknown System…

One Astronomical Mile from closest star…

UNSC Forti Animo… (Orion Class Assault Carrier)

Subdeck #3-B Infantry Housing Quarters (Bravo Company)...

UNSC Army Sgt. Grayson Maxwell - SN: #33154…

0445 hours…

And so here I lay, covers drawn over my body, with my mind completely doused in a cloak of deep sleep. It was an amazing feeling, a near liberating feeling knowing that when I awake I would be meet with a great commotion amongst not only me, but a commotion that will rock from one side of this ship to the otherside. Our platoon sergeant once said, when we first became a platoon all those years ago,

“The sun shall never set on the UNSC,” and it is our duty as it’s right arm of aggression and deterrence to ensure that statement stays true. But, sleep is good for now anyway. Something that is paramount if we are to do our duty. Luckily I was getting plenty of it, whether I liked it or not.

Months upon months, turned to years I have waited for a day like today, a day that humanity has been waiting for. A chance to show the universe and the trillions of people and other worldly species that we are more than just a wall of bureaucracy with fancy guns and super soldiers. This was a chance to clear our name, a chance for good and righteousness, an opportunity that would likely change how the whole universe views us. For as of right now, I am writing history.

A whole new chapter in human expansion. Something that must be recorded and remembered for all time. No matter how far we stray from our Mother, no matter how far Humanity’s influence strays we must always remember where we have come from, and the lessons we have learned in doing so. It is up to us, as not just soldiers but as beating hearts and intelligent beings, to make sure this happens. So as the lights break open inside the barracks and the whole room is illuminated once again, the day of days begins for the entirety of the UNSC.

There was a few seconds of jaded movement amongst the racks, then with the snap of a silent finger, me and the soldiers of Bravo 1-1 Platoon, spring into action. As if a switch was thrown, an electric kind of excitement was propelled into the room through the walls by an unseen but completely sentient force, that threw the soldiers from their bunks and forced them through their daily routines at a hurried pace. I followed along just like them, tossing my body from the rack, and began my morning rituals of getting ready. Voices could be heard all around me, some were loud and jumbled together and filled with excitement, while voices near me were quieter. The voices I gave any inkling of thought to was the conversation I was now having with Kowalski, of which he started of course.

“Let’s go, shit-head, get your ass in gear and shake that rack fever out. We got shit to do today and I don’t need a repeat of last week.” The surprisingly quick on his feet and nimble for his size sergeant said to me as his hands skillfully glided over his disturbed and wrinkled covers as he remade his bed.

I looked over at him with the most adrenaline filled smile I could muster and nodded quickly, as my bunk was finished being made in probably record time.

“Ooooh ho ho ho…” I chuckled lightly, reaching down to my footlocker and retrieving my toothbrush and toothpaste while slipping my black rubbery sandals on my feet, “Trust me, I couldn’t fall asleep if you took a bat to my head and drowned me in gasoline.” I said at the ready beside my bunk, standing straight waiting for the rest of my squad to finish up.

He looked back at me and gave a, ‘Yeah okay pal,’ look at me while he rolled his eyes.

“Mhm, okay sure you keep telling yourself that.” He says as he was just finishing up fixing his bed.

I turn away from him with a extremely sarcastic roll of my eyes, refocusing on the soldiers to the left of me, which was the infantry in my squad. The soldier closest to me was a sergeant, a soldier by the name of Tony McChesney. He was a textbook infantryman, everything about him looked as if it were ripped straight from a promotional poster, even more so right now than ever before. He stood there at attention, his chest puffed out and his chin held high. His hands were constantly gripped together into fists, and his muscles always looked flexed, as if he were trying to make himself look bigger then he really was. Of course, this was hard for him, seeing how his nickname was, ‘Short Staff.’

He was shorter than the average man, coming in at a whopping 5 feet, and 6 inches, putting him to be the shortest man in not only the squad, but the whole platoon. But, he made up for it in his actions. He was a straight edge, I mean straighter than straight enough that you could cut yourself just by standing next to him. He was, to quote my squad sergeant, “Too hooah for the army,” and it showed.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good soldier and we need more of him, but he’s a bit too straight. But good enough for me.

Time passed us by lightning fast, as if the universe pressed the past forward button. After roll call was taken and submitted we rushed to the washroom. The whole platoon went in squads, first my squad, which took no more than fifteen minutes to brush our teeth, wash our faces, and our bodies in the shower room. All the while feet pounded on the deck, soldiers rushing every which way getting themselves ready for the day going through their routines. After the shower, came the lockers.

My squad entered the locker room, dripping wet from the showers’ hot cascade of clean recycled water, with black towels wrapped around our wastes, bodies still semi-damp. The air smelled of body wash, and deodorant a definitely pleasing smell knowing that at least the soldiers were taking care of their bodies as much as me and Kowalski had stressed them to do so. The air was cloudy and foggy with a damp mist that rose and covered the ceiling lights slightly from the steam and hot water that still streamed in the shower section behind us. We walked in two columns, divided by a long black bench in the center of the room. We walked in such a way that, when we stopped, all of us would be facing our lockers without needing to trade places with someone.

The lockers were a light green and each one housed breathing holes, a black UNSC logo, our respective names, and a four number keypad lock that unlocked the door. I reached mine and instantly began to put in my pin, no time to make small talk not even with the soldiers next to me, and especially not with Kowalski. My fingers glided across the keypad, the numbers of my password being entered as fast as I could. Upon pushing enter, there was a few seconds of nothing, silence, then a small beeping sound, and a click telling me that the locker was open.

Quickly after I heard the tone, I lifted the handle and opened the locker as fast as possible swinging the door away from me, but keeping it from slamming into the soldier next to me, of which was Tony.

There before me illuminated by a small white light inside the locker housing in the top, was my uniform. The green Battle Dress hung from the left side by a metal hanger, that held both the shirt and pants. My white undershirt hung on the opposing side of the uniform from a similar hanger. My black boots sat next to one another on the base of the storage container, and there next to them, was a fresh pair of socks, of which were colored a creamy white. Next to them was a pair of underwear, that sat next to the socks in a tight roll. I smiled seeing that the uniform was still freshly pressed, and held little to no wrinkles along my name, rank, and divisional patches.

I quickly got myself dressed trying to draw as little attention to myself in the locker room that I could, as I dropped my towel in the now very crowded confined space, almost rubbing my bare shoulders up against the infantryman next to me.

After only ten minutes I had my whole uniform on, the only thing left to do was to blouse my boots, and lace them up which I was doing as fast as I could. I worked fast and diligently as I got myself ready for the day. My eyes never left the floor, never looking around, for I dare not break concentration, it was almost a race. And before I knew it my boots were done, and I was staring at myself in a mirror that was hanging from inside my locker door, checking my collar and making sure everything on my uniform was as squared up.

Once I was done I stared at my reflection for moment. I looked around my face, my eyes, my lips, my brows, and finally my teeth, watching and feeling my tongue cross over my front biters, as if testing if they were sharp, like some kind of hungry wild animal.Then I smiled with a full grin, bearing my crystal white teeth to myself, my brows arching down a bit over my eyes, a sinister smile looking back at me. My light green eyes stared back into mine, as if I was trying to intimidate myself, imagining I was an enemy soldier and this was the last thing I saw before death.

I only did this for a moment, doing it as a mere reminder to myself of who I was, and what I was. But as I reached into my locker and grabbed my soft cap, the smile didn’t leave my face. Excitement took over as the soft cap slid onto my head, feeling it hug my scalp, as I straighten the brim to temples. I was done, I could finally face the day, and the excitement that it was going to bring. I turned away from the locker and shut the door quickly, making sure it locked itself up, only for my vision to be filled with the body with another soldier. Kowalski of course. He too was finished as he fit his soft cap onto his head.

His uniform fit just as well as mine, despite the vast differences in our body types, his being more muscular, and taller than mine. He looked at me and raised a brow wondering why I was looking him over, before winking at me and biting his lip, as if saying, ‘Like what you see?’

I rolled my eyes and let out a playfully annoyed sigh as I flipped him off.

I turned around to again find another soldier in their uniform. It was McChesney, he had just shut his locker, and was straightening out his uniform, to the point of almost a compulsive nature. Unlike most soldiers in our unit, he had mastered the art of symmetry, for both sides of his body were damn near identical. His body and head turned up as his eyes looked into mine as he finally stopped fidgeting with his uniform, placing his now closed fists along the seams of his pants.

“You ready there McChesney?” I asked him, looking over his perfect uniform. He almost clicked his heels together when he replied.

“Yes sergeant, I’m squared away and ready to move.” He said in a higher pitched voice, and a quick nod of his head. I had told him, countless times before and i’ll probably tell him again, that he doesn’t need to call me by rank all the time yet, he still hasn’t called me anything else, so I just roll with it.

“Alright then.” I turned around to see Kowalski fixing his collar. “How about you?” I asked him, watching him as he worked. He didn’t lift his head up but he spoke, his voice being practically singled out in the room with its deep base. “Ready for what? For the day, or deployment?”

“Both,” I asked him tilting my head to the side, resting my hands on my hips. He nodded his head softly a few times then lifted his brows, finally looking me in the eyes again.

“Then yes, I’m ready to leave this fucking floating tin can, and feel real air on my skin, instead of filtered stale recycled air.” He said back.

I could agree with him there, as much as I admired the technological marvels of the UNSC Navy, it was going to feel good to have real air on my skin, knowing that the air was at least from a planet, instead of a machine.

“Then let's get a fucking move on then.” I said to him, looking behind him to the door that led outside into the hall, the final veil of passing that I needed to go through before we left our lockers for the last time.

He turned around slowly, taking this time to take a headcount of all the soldiers in our squad, ensuring that they were all in their uniforms, and ready to go. Seeing that they were, he turned around and marched our squad outside the locker room, and into the hallway, and along the closest wall to our left, as we waited patiently for the rest of our platoon. All the while we looked around the hallway and watched the other platoons of our company exit their locker rooms, all in their BDU’s and soft caps, all of varying heights, skin tones, and gender, but all looking uniform.

Roughly 45 minutes later our entire company was ready. Bravo platoons 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3 were lined up against the walls of the hallway, as some soldiers swapped conversation with each other. Loudspeaker announcements came on above us once and awhile, of course none of which applied to us specifically, so none of us cared. Maintenance personnel, deck officers, and crew members walked in between us, all of which were talking as well, not to us of course to the people they were walking with, though some did stop to say hello.

The crowd of neatly lined up soldiers hummed with an electric feeling of excitement as the soldiers talked each other up. Time seemed to pass slowly, as a period of waiting had come. We waited, and stood around, most of the soldiers exhausting everything they could have talked about in mass, as now only a hand full of soldiers talked.

Then the time of waiting came to a close as a group of soldiers approached us from down the hall, rounding the corner from the right. There were five of them, three lieutenants walking in a triangular formation, one captain leading them at the front, and a company sergeant following behind the captain.

The captain’s name was Hawke. Captain Gregory Hawke. He carried with him a presence that could silence an entire company of soldiers, of which he did without even uttering a word. The soldiers around me became wood, straight and silent. They all turned their heads towards him and froze in place. Everyone could feel him nearing them, as if he irradiated a feeling of all mighty power to those that he approached, as if he could melt steel with his piercing gray eyes and boil blood with his words. He was Charismatic, and the wisest of the wise, and he had seen more combat then all of us combined. With him also came a countless number of rumors.

Some say that he was given the chance to become a Spartan, multiple times, but he denied the request, time and time again in order to stay with his friend, the company sergeant, First Sergeant Barney Varnette. Others say that he was an ODST and was in the marines for the beginning of his military career, some say he fought with Spartan John 117 back during the human Covenant war.

Some also say that he’s committed humanitarian war crimes in the past, under special orders from shadowy individuals in the United Earth Government and other shady Intelligence agencies while the Army turned a blind eye to it. But whoever he is, he’s our commanding officer, and the soldiers that were under his command, were glad that he was because he was the bravest of us all.

He stopped at the front of the group, but the three lieutenants didn’t, walking past him in almost robotic fashion, and took the helm of their platoons, standing in a space specifically left for them in their lines. The entirety of the company saluted to the captain, in complete silence. And with his words, “At ease,” and a salute of his own, we relaxed our arms and stood there at an uneasy attention.

His face was sort of soft looking, yet foreboding, as if looks could be deceiving in his favor. Yet across his left eye was a pink fleshy scar, that had healed a long time ago, yet left its mark on his face, and of course that scar came with its own rumors. He nodded his head, and performed an about face, turning away from us. We watched him carefully, and only moved when he did, and soon enough he was marching us towards the cafeteria.

Chapter #5

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

Chapter #6

“Et ihesum benedictum fructus ventris tui, nobis post hoc exilium ostende,”

August, 18th, 2555…

Neptune System…

Equestria...

Ponyville…

Princess Twilight Sparkle…

2101 hours…

The Ponyville Police Department. The shining light in darkness of the local ponies, the law that lays the line between good and evil, the badge that strikes fear into miscreants everywhere. I had approached the building slowly and stopped to marvel at it for a moment, feeling the weight of its presence overwhelm me, as if I felt safe, just by standing near it. It was an impressively massive structure, it was elegantly built with a modern architectural design. It’s three stories tall, and made out of strong grey concrete, with lined blue colored stone accents marking each floor, wrapping around it twice till it reached the top, like a belt, all topped off with a black flat roof. Just by standing near this structure I could feel an overwhelming sense of right take over me, as if it was prompting my soul to make a difference, make a change in my community. Something that I had already been doing my whole life but now, it felt justified, amplified as if a wave of patriotism invaded my mind as soon as I read the big white letters on the entrance sign.

“Ponyville Borough Police Department, Fidelis Ad Mortem,” The last bit was ancient lettering that read, ‘Fidelity Unto Death.’ A motto in which I could definitely tell that the Police had taken very literally. I have seen that they held such honor and respect for each other, and for the ponies of Ponyville. Such respect for law and order, and for the flag that they wear on their arm, and the flag they salute. They took a pledge and had gone through proper training, to fight and protect the innocents of the land, something I had never really done before. Sure I had defended Equestria before, but, I wasn’t a Police Officer, or a Soldier, heck, I didn’t even have a rank, well besides the Princess of Magic & Friendship. But it’s not like I was a Captain, or a sergeant or whatever. I was just a civilian, now a politician.

But maybe if I hold myself with the same amount of professionalism that I do as a Princess, as I do as a public servant especially around them, maybe I could earn their respect. Well besides the respect that I have already earned, having done countless things in the past that they would have done themselves if they had my power.

I walked up the stairs to the massive building and approached the set of four clear glass doors. I looked around for anypony as if I was to go in another way, or that somepony was waiting for me, but as I didn’t see anypony, the most obvious way in, was probably where I was supposed to go. So I pushed the doors inward, and they didn’t open as I bumped into it roughly. I narrowed my eyes and looked at the door for a moment, before pulling on it. And sure enough, it opened right up. Everything I had thought about, professionalism, being a public servant, was compromised right there, as I couldn’t even open a door. I looked around in embarrassment as I felt my cheeks grow a bit red. I cleared my throat and walked inside quickly trying not to be seen in the act.

I walk past another set of doors almost immediately and enter a lobby. It was well lit and was very clean. I was happy to see this to say the least. Along the walls were chairs and benches with coffee tables in between. On the coffee tables were pamphlets, leaflets, and other informational circulars that were of course neatly stacked. Besides the occasional door or water fountain, the walls were lined with light fixtures and paintings, most of which depicted Ponyville in its youth, or famous ponies to the Police. The paintings were not pictures taken by cameras, they were full brushed paintings. I stopped for a moment to admire one and found them to be of impressive quality. But, not wanting to waste anymore time, I carried on.

At the back of the lobby was a counter, behind reinforced glass was a pony, a stallion that was sitting at a chair behind a desk, reading a book. And though of course my curiosity was peaked on what book he was reading I had other things to do at the moment, besides reading. My hooves echoed across the empty hall as they crossed the floor to the receptionist. I assumed he heard me for the book came down slowly, and as his eyes met mine I could tell he was caught off guard. His pupils grew wide and the book fell to the desk quickly, nay, he nearly dropped it. He then straightened his blackish blue uniform, and straightened his police cap, and crossed his fingers on the desk, all before I made it to the counter. Though I would not have cared how he looked, I admired his ability to present himself, of which I was satisfied with.

“Good evening Princess Twilight, it’s an honor to have you in my lobby today! How may I help you?” The Police Officer spoke with a deep and clear voice, it sounded pre recorded as if he had been practicing. It was so perfect it caught me off guard. But not enough for it to show, as I maintain my composure. He had a rank on his shoulder, so he wasn't a mere Officer, I knew that much. Being around Shining when I was young, basically forced me to learn some things about soldiers, and military stuffs, as he would always be talking to Guardsman around me, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough that I could call the stallion by rank. So I figured I would guess, and hopefully not offend him.

“Yes, a good evening it is uh.. Sergeant..?” I spoke with unease in my voice. The Officer looked to his rank and smiled bashfully, he shook his head lightly.

“No ma’am, Corporal, Corporal Frankpledge,” He said, looking back to me, I nod in understanding and smile too, mirroring his.

“Yes Corporal, I’m here to help with the TimberWolves problem, I brought the dossier I was provided with earlier,” I quickly reach into a saddlebag I had strung over my shoulder, bringing out the folder that was given to me by the chief. I go to put it down on the ledge, assuming he would want to take it back, but as he saw it come out and heard what I had said, he reached down to his desk and pressed a button and spoke in a small microphone. He then pointed at the dossier and then to my saddlebag. I guess that meant he didn’t need it, so I put it away quickly

“Sergeant Huecry, Lieutenant Falchion, the Princess is here to deal with the TimberWolves and take part in Operation, Lighting Spear,” Operation Lightning Spear, I don’t remember them giving this mission a name, let alone a name with such a violent title. The Officer looked up at me and nodded quickly.

“They’ll be out momentarily to retrieve you, just wait a few seconds please your majesty,” The stallion said with his professional tone of voice.

“Operation Lightning Spear? I don’t remember that name being said in the dossier,” I said to the Officer, confused, hoping that he would shed some light on the situation for me. He continued to look at me with a smile, before it dropped off a bit into a look of suspicion, he nodded his head and looked around cautiously, as if looking for somepony around us. Finding nopony near, he beckoned me with his hand and following his motion, I quickly came closer.

“I’m technically not supposed to tell you this but, a few weeks ago, around the same time you were given the option to join the mission, a Lieutenant in the Royal Guard, by the name of Iron Falchion walked into the station with two other Guardpony’s. The two under his command were carrying a massive wooden crate that required both of their strength to lift, and when they walked in, they requested to speak with the Chief of Police when he returned from the Ponyville Town Hall. He showed me some papers that, looked in order and I even ran it by my sergeant, but in the end, he disappeared into the station and I haven’t seen him since,” When the Officer was finished talking a wave of dread grab me.

Royal Guard? Mysterious Crates? What kind of mission was this? But, I guess I could see why this wasn’t added into the mission dossier, this happened after it was given to me, and I guess they didn’t want whatever was going to happen to get out to the public through me, so they just never told me. But if, that was the case, what exactly is going to happen? Why all the secrecy? I have so many questions that I needed to say, and needed answers to, but I knew asking the Receptionist wouldn’t help, seeings how he is just as lost as I am.

Luckily I didn’t need to wait for answers much longer, for a set of doors on the right wall of the lobby opened up and two figures stepped through them, and approached me. Their hoof steps were perfectly in sync and they were almost perfectly the same height and build. One was dressed like the Officer at the desk, except he was wearing a black leathery belt around his waist with lots of equipment around it. His fur was a moderate shade of blue and his mane was a silvery black. It was combed back over his head, but it was mostly hidden by his officers cap. His eyes were a hot shade of yellow that were as bright as the sun, and almost seemed to glow from the rest of his colors.

The other one was, what I could only assume was the mysterious Lieutenant that was in question. He wore, a strange looking Equestrian Guard Uniform. It wasn't a officers dress, like something Shining would wear, but it was a full battle ready set of armor. It held an impressive polish and glowed against the lights of the lobby. It fit his frame perfectly as it covered his chest, abdomen, and neck, there was even a piece of armor that descended to his groin which kept that safe too. The lower half of his body was covered in similar armor, as his knees were protected. And though it seemed in order, this armor was, a very different looking uniform set.

I had been around guards before, at my palace, at Canterlot, and the Crystal Empire and I had taken time, mostly out of boredom… I think, to stare at the bodies and the form of the guards as they marched about the grounds. They were akin to knights and each one of them seemed as if you could have bucked them in the chest as hard as you could and they would probably push you away. For they were all covered head to hooves in knights armor with chainmail underneath, with spears and swords.

But this Guard, wasn’t like that at all. His uniform lacked the whole Knight look, there was no chainmail, and he wasn’t even wearing a helmet. This armor seemed more streamlined, as if he took the Knight look, and stripped it down to the basics. The chest armor was held in place by leather straps that connected it together underneath his arms and around his sides. His leg armor held that same design as it held up the armor bits up by brown leather straps, that were around the back of his legs.

But beneath all of this, was a uniform, no chainmail at all. It was blue and made out of cloth. And he wore a pair of black boots as well that had his blue uniforms pants legs tucked into. This whole ensemble looked so simple, yet foreign to me at the same time, to the point where I couldn’t help but stare at the shocking differences he had, compared to what I had come to expect the Guards to look like. But I guess it really didn't matter, a Guards uniform was his uniform, and plus, times change the way things look, so I didn’t make it a big deal.

“Good afternoon your majesty it is a pleasure to finally meet with you face to face. My name is Lieutenant Iron Falchion,” The Guard said as the two finally came to a rest in front of me.

But as they came to a rest, the guard reached forward with his hand, and grabbed ahold of mine. I assumed it to be a handshake, and smiled, ready to begin to shake. But was caught immediately off guard as he raised it to his lips and planted a tender kiss on it, as he took a bow. It lasted but a few seconds, but the shock of the stallion performing it made it last forever to me. It sort of felt good in a way... and it made my eyes widen up a bit as I looked down at him, while my cheeks burned red hot. Nopony had ever really done that to me before, let alone a Guardspony, so to say I was embarrassed was a extreme understatement.

And as he let go and regained his composure I stared at him for a moment catching my breath while lowering my hand, back to my side, still feeling his lips on my fur. I was supposed to look professional in front of the Police, and now I needed to impress the guard, and I was off to a rough start already compromising my cool. Maybe I was overreacting, or maybe a blush was what he was looking for, maybe he was trying to impress me as well, maybe I was overthinking things? So clearing my mind, and apart from the blush and a quick clearing of my throat I smiled again and nodded in response to his name.

“Pleasure to meet you sir. I was not expecting your arrival or presence during this mission, but it is a welcome sight to see,” I say in response. In which he nods his head once and smiles confidently.

“I assure you ma’am, my presence here is solely to make this mission flow much smoother, while also improving the protection of the common pony here and abroad ma’am,” The Police Officer, seeing an opportunity to make an impression on me made himself known as I looked over to him, by cocking a quick salute while introducing himself.

“Sergeant Cuff Huecry, Ponyville Police Department, ma’am. It is an absolute honor to be working with you today. I was your original point of contact for this operation, as explained in your mission dossier, and I am pleased that you showed up on time. Then again, there was no doubt in my mind that you would not show up on time. I am just pleased that the night is off to a good start already,” He came placing his arms behind his back, while standing at the position of attention. The lieutenant looked over at him and nodded.

“That makes two of us Princess, and in keeping with the mission Schedule, I believe we have swapped pleasantries for long enough, I think it is time for us to get down to brass tacks and move on with our evening, if you would not mind following us,” The guard turned to his right and motioned towards the doors they came from. I nodded in response quickly trying not to waste time, and trying to overshadow my blushing from earlier.

“Of course, the sooner we deal with this TimberWolves problem the sooner I can give the go ahead for the Fall Festival, which has been the topic of many conversations between I and the Mayor of Ponyville,” I say as the two stallions turn and begin to lead me further into the station.

As we walked we talked about many things, and as we did I looked around us and marvelled at the interior of the Police Department. Room after room that were all mysteries to me, the knowledge of their use completely flying over my head. I had no real knowledge of what went on in here, but I did know that every room had a purpose and everypony that was employed here was doing there part to make Ponyville and Equestria a safer place.

But it still annoyed me that I was lost in this environment, that I was ignorant to something I did not understand, I wanted to learn about this stuff before the mission but I was to busy and couldn’t get around to it. Reading about the lives Police Officers, Protecting Ponies in a lawful manner, and what any of these ponies were actually doing in here. I always crave knowledge of things that I do not know, and this made me feel… stupid. But as I moved further into the Police Station, and listened to the Sergeant ramble on about protocols and codes and other things, I began to forget about my lack of knowledge and just, listen and learn as he talked. And soon enough, I was just happy to be apart of something bigger. And because of this, I didn’t really care that I was ignorant anymore, In fact I didn’t even care that the Royal Guard was involved now in someway, in fact I welcomed it. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but it felt good, it felt good to be in here. It felt good to be an official public servant.

We finally reached a room that I had the fortunate ability to enter, alongside my more experienced friends, and upon entering said room of which was at the end of the hallway we had been walking through, a wave of excitement washed over me. The room was an armory, I could tell that much, the walls were thick and strong looking and the lights, of which now hung from the ceiling, were much brighter than the Lobby. Lining the walls were lockers and racks for weapons and uniforms, and in between the lockers were benches for getting dressed.

Ponies walked about dressed in Police Uniforms, while also wearing armor that was unique to the Police, but still looked like Military gear to the uninformed eye. It was Knights armor through and through, but it was a little bit watered down from its Military counterpart. It lacked the arm armor and was without the chainmail underneath. The armor wasn’t Gold, but a Midnight Black, and ‘Police,’ was written in white lettering on the front left of the breastplate, and in bigger lettering on the back of the armor from shoulder to shoulder. The helmet matched the Knight look, accept for the Visor, of which was made of Plexiglass instead of steel. I could only assume that this armor that the Police wore was Riot Gear, for I had never seen it before as there had been zero riots in Ponyville, thank god.

All of the Police Officers were armed with very odd and long looking black riot batons, they seemed to have a large rectangular bulb at the end, and were as long as there chests were wide. A holster for this weapon was provided to each officer, and were slung over their chests and rested at their hip. The only other two stallions in the room that didn’t look like them were the Royal Guardpony’s that were apart of the Lieutenants group. They walked around without any weapons in there hands, and were dressed in a similar way to the Lieutenant.

Except they were wearing helmets, of which much like the rest of their armor, looked much different than before, or what I had come to assume that there armor looked like before now. It lacked the blue fur mohawk at the top, and exposed the back of their necks. Their ears were hidden as well. Where they should have popped out at, were two little nubs that had vents for, what I assumed was hearing. The helmet covered most of the head, except the front, of which was left open around the eyes and the snout. The front of the helmet came to about eye level, and curved out a bit with a small lip. Despite all of the differences this new helmet had over the old ones, it was the Guardpony’s helmet, and it was still part of their uniform, so I needed to respect it.

But I wanted to look at it more, admire its shape and ingenuity, but as I started walking left of my group towards the two soldiers, a voice crashed over the room.

“The Princess Approaches!” It was coming from the Lieutenant, and it echoed across the walls and reverbed around us, it was almost ear shatteringly loud, and made me stiffen up like a wooden board. The entire room dropped what they were doing and rushed over in front of us and knelt before me, then silence came. The whole room went from lively to calm in but a few seconds, and I was impressed. No, I was proud, that they were able to perform this act in such a small amount of time, and it was all for me. And seeings how they were kneeling before me, it was up to me, I assumed, to dismiss them, which I guessed is what they were waiting for, for a few seconds passed, and nopony said anything.

“A-At ease!” I said loudly with a strong undertone of confidence, and a shred of resurfacing embarrassment. And much to my relief, the stallions before me rose and went about their business once again, now much quieter than before. I nearly giggled at that quick bout of power that I held over them, but then remembered the professionalism of those around me, and so I went back to keeping calm, and pushing forth my confidence and suppressing my embarrassment. The Guard Lieutenant walked in front of me and beckoned me with an open hand, while the Police Sergeant went off to tend with his Officers.

“Please your majesty, follow me. I have mission critical information to share with you before we leave the Station,” This sounded as if my answers from earlier that I had created in the lobby were about to be answered, at least I hoped, so I quickly followed in his hoofsteps. We walked towards a portion of the staging area that was clearly made for the soldiers to work in. There was chairs, tables, maps and other charting Equipment that looked military like. And in the far corner of the room in the space that was reserved for them, was the crate I had heard about earlier. It was wooden and looked new, it was a deep Olive Green, and held black and white lettering on some of the sides. On the top panel was a white Celestial seal. Basicly Celestia's Cutie mark with the words, ‘Official Equestrian Government Property,’ around it. The lieutenant walked up beside it and looked over to me, placing a hand on the roof of the crate before he started to talk. His voice sounded more serious somehow than before as he talked in a more room temperature sounding tone.

“This, is Operation Lightning Spear,”

The Guards, that had now returned to their little slice of military heaven had walked up next to the crate and stood at attention. But as their leader spoke, and finished speaking, they began to move to the crates sides and open it up while the lieutenant quickly removed his hand from the top. The lid came off and one of the Guards reached in, carefully bending over the side, and pulled out a device. It rose from the box and it seemed to gleam and shine off the lighting of the room, it's radiance and secrecy making itself known to me, as it’s foreign design and shape confused me.

The machine they had presented to the Lieutenant, looked absolutely alien, it perplexed my mind as I tried to comprehend what it was. As the lieutenant held it in his hands and turned to face me revealing it in better detail, I scanned it quickly.

It was rectangular in shape, well at least for the most part. The whole thing was made of, from what I could tell, by researching Minerals, Metals, and Refined Products, back in school; Titanium and Carbon Fiber and some other new components that I had never seen before. The front and mid section was just a massive rectangle, while the back looked as if it was built to be held by a ponies hands, for it housed a handle that came down, and a large stocky looking metal pad in the rear, that was connected to the handle. The Lieutenant then performed an action, which made the devices purpose shockingly clear to me. He raised it to his shoulder and placed his hand around the handle or grip, and rested a finger beside a trigger. His other hand came around and grabbed the long rectangular base of the device, he then leveled it with his eyes and narrowed his lids overlooking the top of it.

It was a weapon. A weapon I had never seen before.. It wasn’t a spear or a sword, it was something new.. He then spoke to me as he lowered it

“This, your majesty, is going to change how the Equestrian Public sees the Royal Guard. It’s going to change modern combat for eons to come, and possibly change Equestria if not the world, forever. And tonight, we plan to use this, in its first verified combat role. I present to you, the Guardspony Focus Spear, or G.F.S-1,” I was absolutely dumbfounded.

I had my questions answered… But now I had so many more! Why did we need it? Who designed it? How did they build such a machine? What did he mean by change modern combat forever? How does it work? I was frozen staring at the weapon, then up at him, then back at it. I tried to speak but found I couldn’t form a sentence, the weapons foreign looking design and its purpose was just to great for me to ask anything. I was breaking, my mind was getting assaulted with so many different questions, and I had such little time to ask them all, I was practically panicking! So the only word that escaped my lips after a while of staring was…

“Explain,”

And explain he did. The weapon was created and built by a small government funded scientist group in Canterlot, of which was made up of ponies of science, wizards, and high ranking guards. I asked for a name of the group, but he said it was classified. They were tasked by Celestia herself, which was hard to believe to begin with, to create a universal weapons platform that could improve Equestrias defence and military tenfold. Celestia's reasoning was founded by some serious claims that, spears and shields could only do so much, and that they needed better offensive and defensive capabilities.

Which then brought me into a mindset that, Equestria needed better offensive and defensive capabilities to begin with. Equestria really didn’t have that many enemies, and the enemies we had come across, we had defeated, without much help from the Royal Guard to begin with. Of course I wasn’t thinking that they didn’t have a place in our nation's defence but, they really weren’t needed all the time, which is why they had spears and shields to begin with, because our military was, rarely used at all. But now, all of a sudden their getting new weapons and more modern looking armor? Something was going on, and I knew it, I just wasn’t going to say anything now, but I was going to keep an eye out in the future for something suspicious, and maybe send a letter or two… or twenty to Celestia, asking questions...

The weapon itself, from what he said, shot magic in high energy bolts to inflict ballistic damage upon an enemy. It used these batteries called MMCC’s or, Micro Magic Casting Cells, to charge and discharge the weapon, and when the charge is gone, it requires a new battery, simple enough I guess. So it could essentially hit a target, at range, without needing to get close to the target at all. Impressive claims no doubt, but I needed to see it in action before I could believe anything.

And so, after much talking and explanation on certain parts of the weapon, he finally finished speaking, and looked over the weapon one last time before looking up at me, with a smile, knowing that he had done what he was told to do, and then some. And luckily for him, I was satisfied with my answers, even if I still had more questions on top of them, and nodded with my arms crossed contently.

“Alright… It seems you have a good understanding on how this weapon works… And whether or not we’ll use it tonight will determine my stance on this weapons usefulness. I may not approve of such a weapons existence for multiple reasons that I won't exactly voice now, for I’m sure you won’t be able to answer them. But I’m sure Princess Celestia has her reasons for having such a machine built into existence,” I say to the stallion as he turns around and gives the weapon to one of the Guards.

“Princess Celestia is the wisest pony in all of Equestria, so I’m sure she knows what's best, and I’m glad you think that too,” He then looked down to his watch, and I saw his eyes widen up. I heard him curse underneath his breath as he turned around and yelled into the room again, this time I saw it coming and I braced my ears with my palms, curling down a bit.

“Were moving out in T-minus 10 minutes get your things together and report out front of the building ASAP!” He hollered. Then as I took my hands away from my ears I heard a massive amount of shuffling and stagnation in the room. I then turned around and watched the Group of officers quickly bolt from the room and into the hallway we had entered in from, all in riot gear, and holding their weapons, now with the added bonus that there other previously unoccupied hands were gripping massive clear shields that read, ‘police,’ on the opposing side. I then turned around and watched the three Guards get themselves ready as well, at impressive speeds.

They all had now gained a Focus Spear for themselves, as they quickly inspected the weapon before they placed it up against the wall nearest to them. They then reached into the crate again and pulled out a bandolier, of which was made out of blue cloth material that was the same shade of blue as their uniform, as they all quickly threw it over there chests. And one last time they reached into the crate and pulled out these grey black rectangles that I assumed were the batteries that charged the Spears, they shoved about four into each of their bandoliers holsters and then reached down and picked up the Spears again.

The lieutenant quickly walked over to a table and picked up a helmet I had not seen until now and threw it onto his head, and then turned around back towards me while strapping the chin strap around his snout, as did the other two Guards, as if he had reminded them to do so by performing the action himself. His helmet had a, from what I could tell, a black lieutenant insignia on the front. The three guards approached me slowly, as the two behind the Lieutenant gained a bit of speed as they tore off towards the door, I watched them as they went. I watched them carefully, as I admired their confidence and new found militaristic power, I looked at their bodies build and muscular frame, and seemed to get lost in it for a fraction of a second.

‘They are.. an impressive bunch,’ I thought to myself getting a bit lost in the moment. I watched them until I felt a hand touch my shoulder, I then spun around and looked at the lieutenant again with a smirk on my face, for a reason I didn’t understand myself. Maybe I was happy that I was about to serve along side Guards and Police officially, or maybe, it was… something else, maybe it was that something else that was making my cheeks burn a bit red as I looked up at him, and made my eyes stare at those Guards the way I did. What was wrong with me?

“Don’t think we’ve forgotten about you Princess. As said, you are going to be providing support, magical support. Protection Barriers and such, maybe some concussion spells to disorient the Wolves? I’ll leave that up to you, but I’m not having you walk out there in… well a dress,” He looked down to my body, and I looked down too, and sure enough, throughout all of this talking and walking and… stuff, I had forgotten what I was wearing. I was wearing a purple dress shirt and a small black dress that came to about my knees. I sigh and blush even more, rubbing my arm sheepishly.

“I uh, I guess I could have dressed a bit down huh?” I say in embarrassment. He laughed, it was a low chuckle but, it felt nice to make him laugh.

“Yes, but, what I mean is, I’m not having you walk out there without armor. Luckily for you,” He turned around quickly and placed his weapon down, “I have something for you…”

Author's Note

The next chapter is already being made, and remember to leave a like if your are enjoying! :rainbowkiss:

Chapter #7

“Alpha et omega misit de superis, gloriosum solamen miseris,”

August, 18th, 2555…

Neptune System…

Equestria...

Edge of Ponyville…

Princess Twilight Sparkle…

2346 hours…

“Excuse me Lieutenant…” I ask, cutting the air of silence that had surrounded me and the rest of our well armored group, my words almost sounding as if I were shouting.

“Yes ma’am?” He said breathing out heavily with his voice. I turn towards him, after looking one last time to the tree line,”

“How long have we been out here?” The lieutenant lowers his spear and looks at the watch on his right wrist. He then clears his throat with uncertainty and looks up at me again.

“Around two hours ma’am?” He answers and looks back towards the trees, adjusting his armor slightly at his shoulders. I nod and then speak again.

“And… How long have we been standing… here?” I gesture to the ground directly at my feet with a pointed finger. He looks over at me again, to my finger, then to the ground.

“Uhm.. I’d say a half an hour,” He would speak again looking up at me now instead of back at the woods. I then speak as his eyes meet my now slowly growing impatient gaze.

“Alright then, where are the wolves?” I say gesturing towards the forest with the nod of my head. He thanks for a fraction of a second, then makes a rectangular gesture with his hand in front of us.

“Well there supposed to be coming from there, or, roughly in that area,” I then nod to his claims and cross my arms across my chest tightly.

“Then…-” I begin to say, trying to find the right words, but as I began to speak the lieutenant figured what I was going to ask and cut me off.

“I don’t know where they are, they were supposed to be out tonight,” He said as he looked around a bit as if he were missing something that was critical to the mission.

After I had met the stallions of the Ponyville Police Department that were part of our sortie, and the Royal Guards that were to accompany them, I was given an armor set of my own. It was for the most part a relatively good fit. It was heavy, and awkward for me to wear at first but, but after a while I had gotten used to it, and now it fit me like a second set of clothes. Of course this was after the lieutenant helped me into it and he taught me how to adjust the straps so that it wasn't too uncomfortable for me. After that, quickly trying not to waste anymore time, especially his time, we tore off to rejoin the rest of our search party, and when we were whole again, we made our way towards the outskirts of Ponyville, as fast as we could to try and catch the TimberWolves off guard.

But as we began to patrol the outskirts of our village, we didn’t come across any, or even any trace that they had been around recently. It was as if they had known we were coming and just decided not to show up tonight. Of course that was impossible for not even my friends knew what I was doing tonight, let alone the beasts of the Everfree Forest, so even now as we stood in formation overlooking a massive section of the forest from a fair distance, from across a river, we could not believe that tonight, of all nights, the wolves stayed away. It was all just a massive slap in the face.

“This is ridiculous,” A Guard came as he turned around to us, lowering his weapon, “The one night things were actually falling into place for us, and this happens,” He shook his head as the lieutenant looked down to him, he seemed annoyed by his outburst. He pointed to the forest again and spoke sternly.

“Maybe if you weren’t bellyaching to me, you could focus a bit more on watching the ridgeline for wolves, and maybe if you’re a good little filly, the forest will give you a wolf to shoot at,” The soldier shook his head and took a deep breath that curved into a sigh, as he re-focused his attention to the woods once more, mumbling underneath his breath.

Though I was just happy to be working alongside the guards and the police, as I always will be from this point on, and happy that I wasn’t getting mauled by a ferocious predator of the forest, it was a bit, dare I say disappointing that we hadn’t seen any wolves to stop. This ment if we turned in and left without stopping any, all this work and preparation would have been for nothing. It would just be one massive waste of time. Failure was something I had come accustomed to in the past but, that doesn’t mean I liked it, especially when it was about something this important.

And as time ticked on and it reached midnight, as luna’s moon shown down to us from the beautiful night sky above, the entire group was feeling let down at the no show of any wolves whatsoever, and much like them I was too. The lieutenant ordered us to pick up our things and move from the area to check another. Our time in that spot was long over done and holding in the same area for to long let our flanks become exposed for the wolves to sneak in, so I knew that this was for the best, then again, I really didn’t have a say in what we did. Up and down the village side of the river bank we went, all the while watching the forest in the close distance as the police lead us with their shields and batons. Still, even as we walked about, no wolf was brave enough, or even active enough to come out and face us.

We even at some point split our group up into two teams to cover more ground, just to make sure we weren’t missing anything, but as we all regrouped once again back where we had started from, and turned out our pockets without any confirmed sightings we all became more annoyed and even more disappointed. Some of the officers suggested to their sergeant that maybe we should turn in for the night earlier, but the sergeant ignored their suggestions seeings how he thought the night was still young. But now, he was the one suggesting it to the Royal Guards, of which they agreed with him.

Soon enough, the whole group was ready to pack it in for the night and go home without defeating a single wolf and the lieutenant was thinking it over, but it was already obvious of what his decision was going to be, given the circumstances. I was discouraged to say the least. I was, dare I say sad that I could really help ponyville at all. But, it wasn’t pointless. We still did what we had to do, even if it was all for nothing in the end.

“No need to kill ourselves staying up all night if the wolves aren't coming around,” I said, voicing my opinion to the Lt, while placing a hand on his shoulder while also gesturing towards the woods.“If they won’t come out tonight, then maybe we can try tomorrow,” He nodded lightly and looked down to me.

“Yeah, you’re right, I was already planning on pulling it in for the night,” And so that's what we did. The lieutenant addressed the crowd and voiced his displeasure in not finding a single wolf tonight. He then began to congratulate the group on giving their time and resources to the cause of defending ponyville and Equestria. And he also said that they would be trying this all again tomorrow. I listened to his brief speech and watched him as he spoke with.. even for my standards, a bit of a creepy obsession. I had to admit, he knew how to speak, his sentences were expertly crafted from scratch and they sounded so fluent and clear, as if he were reading note cards. But I knew he was making it up on the spot. Needless to say I was impressed, and when he stopped speaking, I kind of wanted him to speak a bit more… for whatever reason.

Dear Celestia, this armor was hot all of a sudden…

As the group began to disperse back to the police department, my ear twitched and something caught my attention. I froze in my tracks as I listened carefully to the surrounding environment. I heard nothing but my ear still twitch to as if I were hearing something. But all I heard were crickets and running water, I looked to the forest and I didn't see any glowing green eyes, and, I didn't hear any screaming, so.. what was going on? I was on the verge of ignoring my ear and my senses, when this feeling returned to me again, this time much harder. I suddenly got weak in the knees as they knocked together, my head suddenly got light as I stumbled forth. I had practically passed out and was expecting my head to collide with the ground, but luckily somepony stopped my fall. A pair of large hands and arms wrapped around my stomach and my shoulders as a figure curled its way around the left side of my body taking up my vision. It was the lieutenant.

“Princess Twilight? Are you okay, you're passing out.. and your face is turning pale. Is everything all right?” His voice sounded muffled at first but as he pulled me back up to my feet reality came back in full and I could hear him properly.

“No.. no I'm not alright. Something just hit me, and I don't mean physically. I can sense something is wrong and it's coming to me in waves, like ocean curls on the shore. Whatever it is it's powerful,, and it’s beyond the forest,” The now confused looking Lieutenant was joined by his guards as they pointed their Spears up at the forest.

“So, you're getting what you would call a six sense or something.. right? Like you can sense a disturbance in the magic fields around the planet, and whatever is doing it has a massive amount of power,” I looked up at the lieutenant surprised that he knew that. I hadn't noticed it till now but he wasn't a unicorn he was an earth pony. Hearing that he knew so much about unicorn and Equis magic, sort of caught me off guard. I nod my head approvingly.

“Yes.. that is the more simpler term I would use but yes. I'm not saying that you're simple!.. But there's a much longer and harder way to explain what you just described. To make a long story short, if the balance of the magical fields of the planet have been Disturbed, something or somepony has created a gap in the barrier… The princess use this magic to sense evil and it’s quite effective,” I realize the severity of the situation, something was strong enough to puncture through pure equestrian magic, the magic that was stored within the core of the planet, some of the most powerful magic I know, the magic I have come to obsess over my whole life.

“This… this is extremely distressing, I need to investigate this anomaly immediately!” I pull and hold myself up again, and regain what little strength I had to make myself stand tall and strong in front of the guards around me, trying to cover up the fact that I basically fainted in front of them. Luckily for me it worked for about a few moments, as my brief resting in the Lieutenant's Embrace helped restore a sliver of my energy, that is of course before I fell backwards into his arms again, holding onto him, annoyed.

As I slump there, dazed.. my mind got side tracked as my thoughts swamp about in my brain.

This lieutenant, much like his guards, was very strong and his body, displayed this rather well. I could feel his muscle mass beneath his clothing, specifically his arms, as I held onto them. They were the only thing I could grab ahold of at the moment, and, a part of me enjoyed it. Feeling the bulge of his bicep made my face grow hot and red again, like I stuck my tongue in Pinkie Pie’s hot sauce, much like every other time I had prolonged contact with him. But now isn't the time to fantasize about him, more pressing matters required my attention. So after clearing my head, and regaining my composure, I picked myself up off his body and took a deep breath.

“Eh-hem, right. This requires immediate observation. Gentlecolts, if you are willing to assist me, I would greatly appreciate it. Because I must see what it is now, before whatever it is gets worse,” I Said turning to the small group of guards behind me. I wasn’t sure what they would say honestly. I knew they wanted to turn in, but I also knew they wanted to combat those wolves, and whatever this disturbance was could have something to do with it. The guards looked at their lieutenant, then to me.

“With all due respect your majesty, beyond the woods is out of our predetermined AO,” The lieutenant started to say, but then his statement did an absolute 180, “But, if the security of Equestria, and if not the whole world is in jeopardy, we must assist and halt the destruction of everything we know,” The three guards stepped forward, then suddenly, they knelt before me, the ends of their spears in the dirt.

“Your majesty, we are at your disposal,”

Author's Note

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