Author's Note

This chapter flies by and the pacing of events is a little quick, but that's because I don't know how to start off stories that well. But the next chapter and the many others I plan to have after this one will work a lot better. That is, if anyone likes this.
Do try to enjoy?

Welcome to Everville

The night was cold, wind howling through the thick trees. A storm has been brewing for quite some time now and the residents of Everville had been preparing. Even though they were under the reign of the Broken Shield, the good guys gone bad, they got everything they needed. They lived their lives normally and had even gotten extra supplies from their new government. Windows were sealed and boarded up, doors locked and blocked, and everypony had all the lanterns and candles they'd need to get through the upcoming storm. All this was done by the Broken Shield, as they wanted to protect their new subjects, as well as build a good relationship with them. So, they sent out an order to their best troops to assist the townsponies to prep for the horrible next few nights to come. Except for one pony. One pony who refused their help. Dusk Everfree. And no, he has nothing to do with the similarly named Everfree Forest. Dusk was a quiet pony. He grew up loving the Broken Shield, formerly the Equus Shield. But they went corrupt and fought against those they swore to protect. And that was something Dusk now hated about them. He got everything ready himself without help from the several guards that had tried before. Yes, he was reported to the head of the evil organization, but he simply nodded him off as 'a non believer'. The headstallion simply said that he'd come to his senses. Eventually.

All was going well for Dusk during his nap after a long day of placing candles and readying food and water. Until a knock at the door awoke him. "Ugh... What do they want now?!" he asked in his head. "Probably some last second attempt at 'helping' me." he thought.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Dusk lifted himself off the couch and trotted to the door. Unlatching the several locks and twisting the handle, the door swung open from a violent gust of wind, knocking Dusk down and onto his haunches.
Before he could form some insults at the wind and visitor, an armoured mare dashed in, slamming the door shut and locked it again.

"Wha..." was all dusk could say before seeing that the mare was in fact a guard for the Broken Shield.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, HELLSPAWN!" He screamed, hopping to his hooves and swinging at the intruder. It would seem he underestimated the mares reaction time. She ducked under his punch and bucked him at and onto the sofa. "OW! Sonofa-"

"Don't ever assault a guard! I could have you arrested for that!" The mare shouted, glaring at dusk who was currently upside down.

"You are invading my home! I'm defending myself!" Dusk shouted back.

"Oh please, anypony could've seen that punch coming and managed to dodge it." The mare said. "And besides, I have the right to be here. This town and all its inhabitants belong to The Broken Shield!" She said, saluting at the drop of the name.

"I really don't care. This is MY home, and MY home only!" Dusk exclaimed, stumbling to his hooves.

"Look, guy, the storm hit sooner the we thought and the closest barracks for us guards is on the other side of town. I'll be blown away before I even get half way." The mare said, looking around the dimly lit living room.

The living room was pretty empty and boring. A fireplace, sofa and table was all that could be seen. On the far side of the room was two hallways. One to a kitchen, and the other to a bunch of doors. It was a small one floor house.

"I REALLY don't care! Bunk with somepony else!" Dusk shot back, now on his hooves, but keeping his distance.

"Everypony else is boarded in. That and they have direct orders to not remove their barricading for the next few days. You, as stubborn and rude towards us as you are, were you only one I could come to to find shelter." The mare explained.

"Hmph! Whatever... I'll be nice this time BUT you're outta here as soon as the coast is clear. Got it? But the second you try something funny you're outta here!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way. My name's Crystal Rain by the way. Lancepesade Crystal Rain." Crystal said.

"Lancepe-whatnow? You trying to cast a spell on me or something?"

"No. Lancepesade. It means I'm a corporals assistant. Its a rank a Private can get if a corporal decides they fit the roll as their secretary, essentially." Crystal explained.

"Ah... So you're a Private?" Dusk asked.

"Yeah, Private 1st Class before I was selected by Corporal Onyx Armor."

"Monthly pay?"

"Just about 2,000... Why?"
Crystal asked, tilting her head.

"Trying to make conversation instead of thinking about how much I fuckin' hate you." Dusk said simply.

"Right... Well," Crystal began, as she took off her helmet, "Do you mind if I take this stuff off? It gets real hot an uncomfortable."

"Sure." Dusk said, plopping down on the couch while looking away from Crystal Rain.

"Thanks." She said back, stripping herself of all the armor and tossing in to the side. "I don't think I caught your name. What was it again?"

"Dusk Go-FUCK-Yourself. The fuck in all caps."

"I understand you hate me and the Broken Shield, but tone it back a bit! Please!" She snapped back, obviously not happy with his attitude.

"Whatever... It's Dusk Everfree..." Dusk said, grabbing a book off the coffee table and flipping to the book mark.

Crystal trotted over to the couch. She hesitated, before deciding to take the risk and sat down on the other end. She had just invading the home of some stallion that hates what she was a part of. Though she couldn't blame him.

"So... The weather, huh?" She said, trying to spark conversation. But Dusk didn't respond. "I see you're reading a book about..." She looked at the cover, "...About the Equus Shield... Oh..."

Dusk shifted around to hide the title, while still facing away.

"Those books sold out years ago... I'm guessing you had it before the change?" Crystal asked. Dusk still didn't reply. "You know... I used to look up to the Shield... Then they changed. But even though all the bad they did tainted my view of them, I also remembered all the good they did too. I-"

"Just shut up! Don't try to play mind games on me! You lot are evil and all deserve to parish!" Dusk yelled out with a shaky tone, now clenching the book hard enough to almost rip right through it. Though Crystal couldn't see, Dusk had tears forming in his eyes. He normally always got sad while reading the book about the now corrupt hero's he looked up to.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up..." Crystal said, now averting her eyes away from the stallion and the book. While looking around, she seen a picture. Dusk was in it. He looked a lot younger and was standing by the side of a taller stallion in the armor a sergeant would wear. The stallion looked a lot like the little Dusk. If Crystal had to guess, it was his dad... Thats when Crystal realised exactly why Dusk hated them so much... "Dusk... I'm sorry... I didn't know..."

"Don't give me that! You're just trying t-"

"About your dad... I'm sorry... I know what happened to all those above recruit when the Shield went bad..." Crystal said. Now feeling a little sad herself.

"Wh-what? How do you know about that?" Dusk questioned. He removed the book from his gaze and seen where Crystal was looking. "Why would you care?!"

"Because... My mom was there... She was executed too." Crystal was now feeling low and sad herself. She had a feeling she'd get an earful from Dusk for bringing that up. But instead, Dusk said something in a quiet and what crystal assumed was supposed to be a comforting voice.

"I'm sorry... For yelling. And everything else... I didn't know that... That's horrible... But... Why would you JOIN them after that?"

"I made a promise to my family that I'd join up before all that... And the Rain Family always pulls through... Even in the worse conditions." Crystal explained, tears welling up in her eyes now to.

"How do you not hate them though?" Dusk questioned.

"Oh I do... But at the same time, I've always wanted to be one of the Shield... I felt so... Fulfilled when I joined even though they're now the enemy of Equestria.

Things between them got silent, and Dusk finally got a good proper look at the mare. She was an earth pony with a silvery coat with a long, tropical blue mane and tail. She had beautiful blue eyes you could just get lost in.
Dusk thought to himself, "How could such a beautiful mare end up rolling with a job she hates, but does it because of some silly promise? I feel... Kinda bad for her."

Meanwhile, Crystal looked over to Dusk, getting a good long look at him too. He was also an earth pony with an earthy brown coat and short, frizzled dark red mane and tail. He had mismatched eyes though, unlike he did in his younger photo. His left eye was green while his right eye was a lighter brown. She thought to herself, "Maybe I can make him not hate me..? We both hate the Broken Shield but then here I came wearing their armor! Please forgive me."

Crystal took a deep breath before speaking up, "Look... I'm sorry. After the storm passes I was gonna ask the corporal if he could lay me off of work... So I don't have to be another one of their soldiers... Maybe then we could... I don't know, be friends? I get that you don't want me here but when I'm off I'll make it up to you. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Dusk sat there, staring while analysing what she said. He was considering the offer, assuming that she really would drop her association with the broken shield. She was kinda good looking too, and he'd love to get to know her if she wasn't one with the wrongdoers. "I mean I guess... But are you sure you could drop out that easily?"

"Normally no. But the Corporal is basically like the dad I never had. He hardly ever let's me out of his sight because he doesn't want me to get hurt," She began to explain, "so if I ask him I'm sure he'll see it as a way to keep me safe... That's also why he made me a Lancepesade." Crystal finished.

Dusk thought for a moment before saying, "...Ok then... I guess we can attempt being... Friends... when this all blows over... But I won't forgive you for being one of them till then!"

"Understood... It's pretty late by now... Maybe we should sleep? I'll take your couch..." Crystal said, laying down.

"No, you won't. You deserve compensation after all my yelling at you. And for trying to attack you. The beds down the hall and to the left." Dusk said, laying down on his side of the couch and blowing out the candle that was on the coffee table.

"I can't. It's YOUR house so YOU get YOUR bed."

"My house my rules. The new rule for the night is that you get the comfy bed and I get the uncomfy couch for being a dick. That's that and goodnight." Dusk said, closing his eyes and pretending to already be asleep to avoid any disagreement.

"But... Ugh fine... Thanks, I guess..." Crystal said, getting up and off the couch then trotting towards hallway to Dusk's room.

As Dusk heard his bedroom door open them close, he let out a sigh of relief. He thought to himself, "Tomorrow I'm gonna get her to like me. I want to at least try to be nice and take her word that she'll drop the whole Broken Shield thing. Then we'll be friends? Maybe? She seemed nice enough. Plus, I need some friends... I don't have any." He yawned then slowly drifted off to sleep.

Crystal Rain layed in the dark room. She'd been sleeping on rough cots forever now and it felt good to be in a real bed. With a cozy smile, she fell victim to the curse of sleep, slipping off into dream land.

To Be Continued?