Chapter 1 - Boot Camp

Screaming and profanity, that was what Apple Bloom would always remember as her first experiences at the Zone Trooper Training Academy. General Stalwart Shield had just finished her initial address to the platoon of hopefuls and before she could even get out of the amphitheater, the drill instructors were upon them as if the gathered ponies were recruits again.

Despite all of this, Apple Bloom was in her element. Besides helping other ponies finding their special talent, the former farm mare had proven that the Apple Family made as many talented soldiers as it did agricultural workers.

Orders were shouted out at the collection of ponies as they were ushered into a proper mustering bay. Their gear was left on the ground as they got into a proper formation based on rank, followed shortly by being separated into squads all headed by a drill instructor. Introductions weren’t included, as the only ponies that the trainees needed to know for now were that of their instructors.

Staff Sergeant Pleasant Breeze had by far, the most ironic name that could have been given to a GDI Marine, and he made sure that everypony knew it. Rather than change like many ponies did upon getting their cutie marks, the beast of a pegasus took his pre-war talent of providing calm and soothing weather as a point of pride alongside his barely visible smiling cloud cutie mark.

However, this did not make him pleasant to be around by any definition of the word. As soon as he had confirmed the that of each of those in his training squad were who they said they were, he was shouting again and they were all sprinting. He had them until the general assembly in two hours and he made sure they knew it. Packs were picked up, put down, picked up again, and then put down before finally being picked up a third time and staying on their backs as the squad of 10 ponies were ran to the barracks in a race against the other four squads.

Things only got more hectic once 50 trainees, 10 drill instructors, and a single unicorn officer got to the barracks that they would be staying at, even with the building completely cleared out of anypony that wasn’t in the program. Screaming ensued, and at first Apple Bloom couldn’t understand what the point was. At boot camp, screaming was to help put recruits under stress, but here all of the trainees were active military with at least a single battle under their saddle.

It wasn’t until she noticed just how clean some of her fellow trainees’ gear was that it hit her. With the exception of herself, another earth pony in her squad, and a pegasus in the team across the squad bay from her team, all of the other ponies here hadn’t been through the same gauntlet that the trio had. Sure, they had all seen combat, but it was all strictly on the back-hoof, holding a line somewhere or being stationed at a garrison that managed to repel a Nod attack.

Apple Bloom on the other hand had helped push a Nod unit from Smokey Mountain, and even assisted the legendary Dead Six before the Double Rainboom kicked Spike in the teeth. The yellow mare made a mental note to eventually ask both of her fellow combat veterans where they had served, only to have her train of thought violently derailed by the drill instructors demanding that everypony get into formation at the front of the squad bay.

With the platoon gathered and standing at attention, drill instructors included, the unicorn officer that Apple Bloom had barely gotten a look at before finally left his office at the front of the squad bay. It took every ounce of Apple Bloom’s self control not to audibly gasp once she realized who it was.

A blue coat was mostly covered up by the uniform of a ZOCOM Captain, and his navy mane had been trimmed significantly after he began his service. His double crescent moon cutie mark had been branded over with the lightning bolt-bearing eagle of ZOCOM, and his right eye had lost its luster, now being pale white instead of matching the yellow tone of his left.

“Good morning and at ease, Trainees. I am Captain Night Light, ZOCOM Operations. While the esteemed General Shield and her staff are your world for the foreseeable future, when it comes down to whether or not you stay in the program, I am the word of Celestia.” the unicorn stated calmly, “All of you were chosen due to your experience on the battlefield, recommendations from your units, or because you have distinguished yourselves as survivors.”

With that part of the address, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but notice the earth pony stallion next to her tensing up, even if only for a moment.

“When my instructors say jump, you ask how high, when they say scream, you go until you pass out, and if they tell you to run, you’d better try and break land-speed records.” Night Light continued, pacing a little as he addressed them, “The armor that we will be showing you needs ponies in peak condition in order to function properly. If you are not in the best shape you can be, the armor will kill you. At very best, it might cripple you, and if you’re truly ready to become the best that GDI has to offer, it will help you carve a swathe through the Brotherhood all the way to Temple Prime.”
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The address concluded, and the platoon was run out of the barracks into another formation, then marched through the compound until they arrived at an imposing building. Despite being clearly labeled as a research facility, it was built like a doomsday bunker, and it was still being improved even as they were marched through the front door. Armor plating was being bolted onto the outer walls between layers of lead and some materials that Apple Bloom couldn’t even hazard a guess at, but she figured it was to help keep scanners or listening devices that Nod was so keen on using from breaching security.

Getting through the front door wasn’t a walk in the park either. Each trainee had to go through a Changeling Scanner, a metal detector, present their ID cards, and give a small blood sample for the record so that staff could know for sure they were all who they said they were. What would usually be a 10 minute exercise of getting 61 ponies through 5 sets of detectors bogged down as the ponies of Platoon Alpha-001 were introduced into the kinds of security measures Stalwart Shield was willing to go through to keep this project safe.

Once through the front door, and with everypony now logged in with the various EVAs running the city, getting through the other four checkpoints was significantly easier to do. Before too much time had passed, the trainees were now sitting in yet another mustering bay, this one with dozens of roughly pony-sized platforms all in neat rows before the assembled group. Each one had a seam down the center, giving away that they could open up, but for what purpose, Apple Bloom didn’t know yet.

That question was pushed aside as a petite unicorn mare with a beige coat and chocolate brown mane made her way forward and the Zone Trooper hopefuls all braced themselves for yet another speech.

“Hello everypony, I’m the head technician of this facility, Doctor Sydney Mobius. Those of you who are scientifically inclined probably know of my father, Ignatio. While he specializes in tiberium, my field of study is more in robotics.” the mare told them, getting a slight murmur from the crowd, “Now, I know what many of you are wondering, mostly what my work has to do with you. Correct?”

Many of the ponies, Apple Bloom included, answered her and stated that they were indeed curious, getting a smile from the scientist.

“Then I won’t bore you with a speech, I’ll just get right to showing you what you’ll be cracking some Noddie skulls with.” Sydney replied, smiling as all 50 platforms opened up behind her and revealed that the doors lead to miniature bunkers holding identical suits of armor that put what Apple Bloom had worn at Smokey Mountain to shame.

“Each suit is made of a titanium alloy meant to work with the specially made BDUs that you all will be issued.” the doctor’s EVA chimed in, “Power is provided by three miniaturized spark reactors which provide power to the weapons, hydraulics, and jet boosters.”

That portion got an incredulous look from the trainees, many of them repeating the EVA’s last statement in disbelief. Non-pegasus ponies flying was a common thing these days, but it required aircraft or at least a unicorn using levitation magic on themselves. Apple Bloom was having trouble believing that these hulking metal shells would ever get into the air without wings.

As if to answer her unspoken question, screens all across the bay lit up and began displaying a loop of the armor schematics, successful field test footage, and even flight recorder data from the initial jump tests. With all of this data streaming before their eyes, as well as the EVA still monologuing in that monotone, synthetic voice, the future Zone Troopers almost didn’t hear Night Light order them all to find a suit and stand by it.

In a move that at Dr. Mobius’ request wasn’t spurred on by shouting, the 50 ponies stayed in their squads and each found a suit of armor to call their own. Apple Bloom found hers near the front, right next to the earth pony stallion she had taken notice of earlier, only this time she finally saw him from his left instead of his right. Had she not been so enraptured by her new armor, she wouldn’t have been able to keep herself from staring at her squad leader.

He was a similar shade of yellow to Apple Bloom, but instead of a red mane, his was blue. However, what caught her eye most was the expansive scarring on his face, and the fact that his left ear was a ragged, torn mess. Before she could start formulating a question, her attention and that of the rest of the platoon was brought to the front of the bay where Night Light was continuing where Sydney had left off.

“Over the next four months, if my drill instructors aren’t running you ragged, you’ll be in this bay learning how to use and maintain your armor. These suits will be extensions of you by the time we’re done with you, and with any luck, you lot will be the flagship unit for hundreds, if not thousands of Zone Troopers down the line.” the blue unicorn stated calmly, gesturing to the armor bays as he did, “Your performance dictates whether this program will succeed or not, and I expect everypony to do their part to make sure that the first Zone Troopers aren’t the last. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” came an enthusiastic reply from the platoon, to the point that Apple Bloom couldn’t pick out her own voice in the din they created. Their “reward” for such an engaging response was the first bit of personalization they had been allowed since landing. Each pony in the platoon input their retinal scan into the armor station they were standing next to so that, besides the technicians, only the pony whose ID was synced to each armor bay was able to actually get their armor out of their storage bunkers.

As soon as that task was done, they were marched back out of the facility, and all hell broke loose as the lead drill instructor uttered two horrible words. Words that every soldier knew they had to go through, but dreaded hearing all the same.

“DOUBLE TIME!”
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Never in her life, even back at Army Basic Training, had Apple Bloom enjoyed a shower as much as she had just had. To cap off the light-hearted and happy mood the platoon was is, their drill instructors ran them for a good 20 kilometers as an “unofficial welcome” to the Zone Trooper Training Program.

To say she felt disgusting afterwards would have been a massive understatement. Usually PT was done with proper athletic gear on instead of their BDUs, all of which were drenched and sitting in the communal receptacle. They were all going to be issued new uniforms, so their old ones would be washed, have their name tags removed, and put back into service with whatever branch each pony came from.

Even their dog tags and rucksacks were to be turned in so that updated replacements could be issued to them in the coming days. By the time they finished turning in the trappings of their previous assignments, the only thing each pony had left were their civilian clothing sitting neatly in their hooflockers.

For now, Apple Bloom was content to finally find her way back to the squad bay in her PT gear with another member of her squad. A unicorn mare named Funny Cide with a blue coat, an orange mane, and similarly colored eyes.

“So, is that cider really as good as they say it is?” the unicorn asked, nudging her new friend as they walked.

“I wouldn’t rightly know, I’m not old enough to drink yet.” Apple Bloom replied, smirking, “But if I just happened to sneak a few swigs from the reserve stock when my older sister wasn’t looking, I would definitely say yes.”

“Oh? Somepony isn’t all straight and narrow like her sister?” Cide teased, returning Apple Bloom’s smirk.

“Maybe, maybe not. I’ll leave that one up for debate. How about you? What’d you get up to before the war?”

“My parents were in the seafood business, specialized in shellfish.” she stated, “We actually used to live here in Baltimare before things got too heated, now they're out near Manehatten. I was… not built for the water so I struck out on my own in entertainment… then Nod starts shooting everypony on sight and boom, I’m here.”

“Not built for wa-oh, you got seasick bad, didn’t you?”

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up muddy hooves.” Funny quipped, getting a giggle from Apple Bloom.

“Not judgin’ ya, I don’t do well on water either. Rather keep my hooves on solid ground, or at least a well-built deck.”

“Or in a badass suit of armor that can bucking fly.”

“That is gonna take some getting used to.” Apple Bloom added, shuddering slightly. She had already gone through her fair share of flying throughout the years whether it was a botched attempt at getting a glider cutie mark or being thrown violently across a battlefield by a Predator tank exploding.

“Could be worse, they could be making us sky-dive in the damn things.” Funny Cide added, getting an even bigger shudder from the yellow mare.

“Don’t tempt’em. If command gets desperate enough, they might try shooting us at the Noddies from Kodiaks.”

Funny Cide had to suppress a laugh at that, doing her best not to attract the wrath of their drill instructors as they entered the squad bay. Even though it was after hours and instructional periods were the only time that the instructors could mess with the platoon, the trainees weren’t sure if they were keeping tally of “infractions” that happened off the clock.

“I’m gonna go ahead and try to reorganize my stuff, but I’ll catch you in the morning, ok?” Cide said, getting a smile and a nod from Apple Bloom.

“Just be sure to lock it up afterwards, no tellin’ if’n they’ll hurricane the place like at boot camp.” Apple Bloom replied, finally getting a shudder from her new friend.
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Soon afterwards, Apple Bloom found herself making her bunk, checking her gear, and looking wistfully at the picture of the last Apple Reunion before motion caught her attention. Bunking next to her was the same scarred earth pony stallion from before, the army corporal that the instructors seemed to avoid or even treat as an equal.

He was getting his bunk ready as well, moving with well-practiced motions and not even noticing the mare looking at him. It took her a few moments to formulate her thoughts, figure out how to be as polite as she could without being awkward about it. It wasn’t until she spoke up that the stallion actually seemed to notice her.

“Ex...excuse me, I don’t believe I ever caught yer name and since we’re in the same squad’n all…”

“Name’s Jet Deck, you must be Apple Bloom.” he replied with a slight grin.

“How’dya kn-”

“Famous family, apple-based cutie mark, and I’m not the only one who has the platoon spreading rumors.” the stallion replied with a slight shrug.

“Oh, uh… well, nice to meet’ya, Jet Deck.” she responded, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “Now, I know it ain’t exactly polite to ask, but… well, I’d rather hear it from you than one o’them rumors. So can I ask ab-”

“My scars? Yeah, you can. Glad you were polite about it unlike the others, just don’t be spreading it around, word’s already going to travel fast enough as training goes on.” Jet Deck told her, getting a relaxed sigh from Apple Bloom. So far so good, now she just had to not make an ass of herself as they continued on.

“Right… so, uh. Where’d ya get’em?” Apple Bloom asked him. At first she thought she blew it given his reply was to take a deep breath and sigh, but given he wasn’t chewing her out or coming at her for having the audacity to ask, she figured he was just figuring out the best way to explain it.

“I got them at the First Battle of Macintosh Hills” he told her, only for it to take a moment to process. That name was only really used in after-action reports or official documents, the nickname of that fateful day was far more ubiquitous in the GDI lexicon.

“Battle of Macintosh Hills? But then that means-”

“Yes.” he said as a blinding blue light outside of the complex shot up from the ground and lit up the night sky like a hundred bolts of lightning, “I’m a survivor of the Blueblood Massacre.”

Both ponies jumped at the sudden illumination, with more than half of the squad bay breaking out with a similar question.

“What the hell was that!?”

“That was friendly.” came a calm reply from the front of the squad bay, its owner was none other than Night Light as he regarded the rapidly fading light with amusement, “You all should be racking out soon. My instructors have a long day planned for you tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.” was the response that came from the platoon, with many already in their beds just waiting for the lights to be turned off. Apple Bloom and Jet Deck merely looked at each other, then the window, then back at each other once more.

“That was… ominous.” Apple Bloom finally muttered, “That happen every time you tell somepony what happened to you?”

“I wish, then people might try and be polite about it like you were.” the stallion quipped, grinning at her and holding out a hoof, “Thanks again, by the way. Most ponies are asses about it… plus we earth ponies have got to stick together, right?”

She reciprocated, bumping hooves with him before managing a smile back at her squad leader, a smile that he returned surprisingly quickly.

“Figure we’ll be a couple’o terrors for the rest of the platoon. Can’t let the unicorns have all the fun after all.” Apple Bloom told him, getting a harsh, almost mean laugh from the corporal.

“You and me are going to get along just fine, Apple Bloom.” Jet Deck finally said as his laughter died down, “Just promise me one thing.”

“Yeah? What’s that?” the yellow mare asked, hiking up an eyebrow.

“Don’t die.”

Author's Note

I just can't get away, can I? This idea of exploring more into the Zone Troopers has been bouncing around in my head ever since the Battle of Canterlot, and now that Green Sun has been properly finished and set aside, I figured that if I'm diving back into this universe I love so much, I might as well do it with a proper spinoff.