Royal Guard Academy

The next morning went a little more smoothly. This time, they weren’t nearly as surprised to be woken up by loud bugle notes and the yelling of their TI. They swiftly rolled out of bed and pulled on their belts, and at Eagle Eye’s command, started making their beds. Zinnia and Ocean were sent out to go ahead and secure them a time to go to breakfast, and their beds were left for the others to take care of.

Eagle paced, watching them work and barking directions to those that were struggling. They didn’t get the beds done as fast as she wanted, so they had to listen to her criticize them on that as they finished up and pulled their armor on.

She reminded them to make sure their canteens were full and that they took care of all their personal hygiene. She didn’t care how stressed they were, she didn’t want to catch any of them with rank breath or messy manes.

After a few minutes to use the latrine and finish getting ready, Eagle told them to grab their money and put it in their bags, because they would be going to the store later and she didn’t want anyone to have to go back to the dorm first.

A couple more minutes ticked by as everyone got organized and she looked them over, and then she was impatiently ushering them all downstairs.

They lined up in formation, not needing to be reminded anymore. Tempest ended up at the front of the third element this time. She wondered when permanent element leaders would be selected.

They only had to wait a few minutes before they were being called in to eat. There were scrambled eggs and soy patties, along with the pancakes that seemed to be an eternal breakfast choice. Tempest went for a plate of eggs and bypassed the rest for fresh fruit. Today’s cornbread had jalapenos in it. She paused, debating with herself, before moving along. Not quite yet. She poured a bowl of cereal, got her two glasses of water, and went to sit down.

Breakfast was as quick as it was yesterday. She had maybe five minutes of actual eating before she was having to get back up and move along. She hoped they would get more time to eat in later weeks. She was definitely used to quick meals, but she didn’t enjoy them.

After breakfast was the trip to the armory to be issued training spears, and they were shown how to hold them while standing, and then directed to slide them into a slot on the right side of their armor to actually carry them.

They took them upstairs to their dorm, where the spear monitors took down all the serial numbers. Then the spears were stored on a special holder on one of their locker doors, and they were hurried back down.

As the dorm guards had said, they were then taken to a couple more medical appointments to have their teeth and vision checked, and a couple ponies would apparently be getting glasses. Tempest, meanwhile, was told she might need some fillings. She sighed internally, but if it was required, she’ll do it. But none of that was being done today, and she was soon being moved along so the next trainee could be examined.

After that was the trip to the store. They were stopped outside so Eagle could explain what sorts of items they needed to buy, and she listed out several that they better not touch. Then she led them in, single file.

Tempest grabbed a shopping basket once she got to them, and browsed the shelves. Lint roller, clipboard, and ruler, as recommended. She had brought envelopes, but decided to toss more into her basket just in case. She grabbed a pack of black markers, which all of them had been told to get. She wasn’t sure for what yet.

She lingered in the medicine aisle, gazing longingly at various pain relief drugs, knowing she wouldn’t be able to touch them again for weeks. She kept walking.

She stopped by Zinnia, who was checking out the various tubs of armor polish.

“Which one did Major Eagle say we should get?” Zinnia asked.

Tempest scanned the selection, then pointed to a fairly plain tub of bronze metal, with a blue star on it. “Here, this brand.” She grabbed one and Zinnia took another. A few steps down were cleaning cloths, and they picked up those too.

A few aisles down they picked up cheap watches. They've noticed a distinct lack of clocks in the dorm and anywhere else, so if they wanted to know what time it was, watches were pertinent.

They checked each other’s baskets, and briefly discussed if they needed anything else. Then, seeing Eagle prowling nearby, decided they were good and went to check out.

The shop was like any other, which meant the lines for the registers had shelves of impulse items. Tempest was so tempted by the various chocolates, but she knew she couldn’t have them. She tore her gaze away and stepped forward. Once it was finally her turn to pay, she set everything on the counter and waited for it all to be scanned.

Everything was able to be fit in one bag, and the cashier said, “Seventy-one bits please.”

That was expected, these bits were entirely for necessary purchases like this. Tempest counted out the money and handed it over.

“Thank you, ma’am. Have a nice day.”

“Thanks.” She levitated the bag and headed back outside, joining the rest of the flight.

They milled around while waiting, not completely organized but also not really talking. Eagle was still inside but there were other instructors and trainees in the area who would catch them. Though they did briefly talk to discuss their new watches, helping each other program them to the correct times. But that only took a few minutes, and then they were quiet again.

Tempest heard someone marching a flight and curiously turned to watch.

It was a smaller group than hers, all stallions but moving with a confidence that spoke of weeks of training. And to their side was a yellow-orange pegasus with a red crest on his helmet.

“One, two, three, four,” he was calling to keep them in step, and he flashed a smile to the newer trainees waiting outside the shop, before beginning to sing, “When I was a little foal!”

“When I was a little foal!” his flight echoed.

“Papa took me for a stroll!”

“Papa took me for a stroll!”

“Said I don’t wanna hear a neigh!”

“Said I don’t wanna hear a neigh!”

“You’re gonna be a guard one day!”

“You’re gonna be a guard one day!”

The TI put an extra bit of pep in his step. “Sound off!”

“One, two!”

“Sound off!”

“Three, four!”

“Flight! Halt!”

They came to a perfect stop, their hooves all stomping down in unison.

The TI said, “At ease.” They relaxed, and he walked over to Tempest’s flight. “You’re the newest recruits, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

“Hah, you have that look to you. I’m Colonel Flash Magnus. I hope to see you all serving proudly in my guard one day.”

There were murmurs as they recognized the name of one of the Pillars of Equestria. Flash waited for them to settle, and said, “I’ll be seeing you. I expect you all to make it to graduation.” He went back to his flight, went to attention, and called them to attention too and started marching them. They followed him away.

“Flash Magnus!” Zinnia said excitedly. “I heard he was working here but wow!”

There were a few seconds of discussion, but they immediately fell silent when their brother flight’s TI came outside and shot a glare their way.

“Something interesting happen, trainees?” he demanded.

There was awkward shifting, but Tempest had no qualms about replying, “Sir, Trainee Tempest Shadow reports as ordered.”

“What is it, Trainee Tempest?”

“Sir, we were simply surprised by one of the other instructors who came by. Colonel Flash Magnus marched his flight past us and stopped to talk. We were just talking about it. I apologize.”

“Oh, Colonel Flash, eh? That’s exciting. He’s a good stallion. Devoted to his job, and with years of experience. But don’t let his smile fool you, he works his trainees until they collapse from exhaustion.” Charge looked toward the store as Eagle came out. “Alright then, carry on.” She cast him an interested look, and he explained, “Our flights got in a bit of a tizzy over seeing Flash Magnus.”

“Aw, isn’t that cute,” she said. She turned to her flight. “Hey, I don’t care if a general talked to you, you better get yourselves in order. Line up, I need to count you.” She looked down the rows, counting them, then said, “Alright that’s twenty. Let’s go, we’re gonna take everything back to the dorm, go to lunch, and then we’re going to have a fun afternoon together.”

They didn’t trust that one bit. They were sized up and marched back.

They were given about ten minutes to get all their new stuff put away and go to the latrine and do whatever else they needed to, then they were being taken to lunch.

Spaghetti, garlic bread, boiled potatoes. The usual salad and fruit. Cereal. Tempest was amused that some ponies got cereal even for lunch. She moved past that dispenser and got water, though also got a glass of orange juice.

Their flight wasn’t as rushed this time. Eagle spent a few minutes up at the table with the other instructors, yelling at chow runners while munching on an apple. The one currently in front of her apparently had a smudge on his armor and she was just not letting him live it down. The whole building could probably hear her.

“Seriously, are we raising foals here?” she shouted, gesturing to his front. “You spill a little bit of butter on yourself, trainee? Lean against something sticky? And worse, you’re apparently too incompetent to go through the basic effort of wiping it off? I should send you back to first week to learn proper polishing- no, actually, forget that! Should send you back to kindergarten because you apparently need to relearn how to be a big kid and clean up when you make a mess!”

Tempest’s shoulders shook as she struggled not to laugh. She was so glad her back was to that table.

“Ugh, your flight will be the third in, get out of my sight,” Eagle said. “And here, clean yourself up.”

Tempest glanced back in time to see her throw a wad of napkins at him, which he failed to catch and had to gather up off the ground. He trotted away, ears laying back with embarrassment.

She looked back at her tray, glad she didn’t have that job.

Once Eagle had her fun, she got up and told her trainees to hurry up and get outside so they can go back to the dorm.

A couple minutes later they were heading up the four flights of stairs and entering the dorm.

Eagle’s plans for them became apparent after that. She led them through taking their markers and labeled the insides of all their armor and shoes, so if there was a mix-up, they’ll be able to figure out what belonged to who.

Once everything including their currently worn armor was labeled, they moved along to taking out their spears, and Eagle had them all line up to the right of their beds, facing in toward the center. She stood at the end of the bay with a spear of her own.

“You’ll learn how to fight with these,” she said. “There are several lessons you’ll go through, but I like to give my trainees an early start. Now, this is how you hold it when standing at ease.” She stood in a relaxed pose, her front right hoof holding the spear ever so slightly angled forward. “When going to attention, for example you’re standing for the passing of a princess or higher ranking officer, you will move your left front hoof in, straighten your neck, and hold the spear straight up.” She snapped to attention, the spear’s tip aiming up. After holding the pose for a few seconds, she relaxed. “Now let’s see you all do it. Tench hut!”

They straightened. She walked down the aisle, going to adjust hooves, aiming the spears correctly. When she got to the end, she turned and said, “At ease.” The spears lowered. She inspected them again, having to push several up. “You’re only leaning it slightly forward when at ease, I don’t want to see you going limp-wristed. This isn’t a toy, it’s a weapon. Maintain positive control of your weapon at all times! If it’s not in your hoof, it better be on your locker, on a table with you next to it, or in a buddy’s hoof! If I find an unguarded spear, I will take it, I will find its owner, and you will have to explain to me why you failed to have the most basic accountability for your weapon!”

She looked around to make sure they got it, and they shouted, “Yes, ma’am!”

“Good! But one of you will forget, somepony always does. And we’re gonna have a fun day when that happens.” She had them go back and forth a few times from attention to rest, making sure they were all holding their spears properly. Then she showed them a few lunging movements, after ordering them not to copy her. They would only practice that outside and standing several feet away from each other.

She said she would also teach them to march while holding spears, but typically they would stow them at their sides while walking and only take them out if they were going to use them.

“Spear safety 101,” Eagle stated. “Never point your spear at anything you do not intend to damage, injure, or kill. If you are ever issued a real, metal-tipped spear, you will be in possession of an actual weapon. Something that can damage property and hurt ponies. If you point it at anything or anypony, you better be certain you will use it if necessary. If you won’t be in the right by stabbing somepony, you better not even put yourself in a situation where an ‘accidental’ stabbing could happen. Keep. Control. Of. Your. Weapon.” She paced in the aisle, looking at each of them one by one. “These spears are tipped with rubber, but I want you to treat them like they’re metal. You will not use them to push each other. You will not use them to prop open doors. You will not use them to try and swat flies or crush insects. And yes I’ve seen that kind of nonsense. Basically, no goofing around with your spears and the only time I ever want to see you hit each other with them is during combat training. Otherwise, keep them to yourselves!”

After a few more minutes learning what to expect from combat training, they were told to put their spears away and get lined up, because they were going to go outside and practice marching until dinner.

“After dinner will be Guard Time, then showers, then your details. And if our wonderful chow runners run fast enough, we might be able to have an early dinner which will give you some free time tonight. But don’t hold your breath.” Eagle took them downstairs.

True to her word, they were out there for hours. They didn’t march the entire time, typically they would watch her demonstrate something for a few minutes, then they would form up and practice it themselves for a while. They memorized all the commands. Learned how to smoothly turn left or right when told, one row at a time until all of them were going in the same direction again. They were taught how to spin around while marching and immediately go in the opposite direction. This one took a while to figure out, several of them stumbling into each other, and there was a lot of clanking of armor.

“Alright, slight update,” Eagle said as she had them stop for a brief break. “After dinner, you’ll learn how to polish your armor. Then you’ll put it away for the night, then we’ll do all that other stuff.”

They agreed, and were soon being told to start marching again. It was repetitive and dull, especially as Eagle didn’t do any singing with them, instead wanting them to focus on actually marching properly.

But she seemed satisfied by the time she finally let them stop, and snickered at how sweaty they were.

“Yeah, gets kinda hot, huh?” she asked. “Well be glad it’s not the middle of summer. Hey, chow runners, run ahead and get us a spot.”

They started to move, but she stopped them.

“No, wait, you just spent all this time learning to march, now you’ll do this properly. Stand next to each other. Zinnia, you’re taller, you’ll be on the right. Ocean, line up as if next to her in a formation. Good. Okay flight, pay attention.” Eagle made sure she had their attention, and said. “This is called a detail. If you don’t need to go somewhere with the whole flight, you can travel in details of two to four. Any larger is called an element and has to be marched as if it’s a flight. I’ll teach you how that’s done later. But details are easier. You size up, the tallest at the front right. This pony will call the commands. Oh yes, Zinnia, that means you. It’s very easy. Look, it’s practically a straight shot to the chow hall door from here, you can’t mess this up. You will do like I do and stand at attention, and say, ‘Detail, tench hut.’ Anypony else in your detail will go to attention too. Then you just say, ‘Forward, harch,’ and begin marching to the usual cadence. You don’t have to count the steps out loud the entire time but I’d recommend doing it occasionally to make sure nopony’s off. Upon arrival, as you’re lifting your left front hoof, you’ll say, ‘Detail, halt.’ Just like when I do it, you’ll be lifting your front left when halt is said. And then you’ll take that final step and come to a halt, front hooves together. So easy! Now go on.”

Zinnia took a breath, then ordered, “Detail, tench hut.” Ocean went to attention. A little more confidently, Zinnia gave the forward order, and they marched off.

Eagle watched them go, and said, “Alright, now for the rest of you. Fill in their spots and let’s go.”