Equestrian Service

by Stinium_Ruide

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Dark, Alternate Universe, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, King Sombra, Adventure
Length: 6890

In an alternate universe where King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire even before Luna was reunited with her sister, Twilight must be pressed into military service.

When King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire unexpectedly, Princess Celestia has no choice but to call everypony up to defend Equestria against the tyranny of King Sombra.

Even her most faithful student.

Featured on 20/7/20! Thanks so much to all!

Published 2020-07-19 13:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-08-02 22:36:35 UTC

Prologue: Gazing Ahead

Alone, Princess Celestia gazed out from the comfort of her castle’s balcony as the radiant sun began to descend beneath the horizon, her eyes wandering with thought and contemplation.

It has been many moons since she had first taken Twilight Sparkle under her wing as her personal protégé. She could remember that day when she made that critical decision in absolute vivid detail. How could she ever forget the intense, sheer quantity of magical energy crackling through the air around the keep of her castle on the day Twilight came for the entrance examination? Or how Twilight was actually capable to hatch a dragon egg with just the strength of her magic at such an age?

Until then, she never witnessed any unicorn having such a level of ability and especially at such a young age. But she knew she needed to guide this new student of hers well, else she may turn to the other side, like…

She grimaced slightly at the thought of her former, renegade pupil, as her eyes chose to stare blankly at the cloudless sky. Ever since her old pupil abandoned her, she had always been questioning herself; were her actions justified, fair or even legitimate? Was she at fault for what her old pupil became? Could she have done something more to guide her back on track?

Bowing her head down slightly, she sighed. For a long time, she already knew that her past decisions, no matter how significant, influenced the pupil who turned her back on her to pursue her own warped path. This revelation simply shattered her heart and scarred her conscience deeply as she assigned the blame of what had happened to her pupil to herself.

She clasped her eyes shut. She was still trying to grapple with accepting the reality of things but she knew she had to move on to live in the present. There was always a constant battle of emotions that fought constantly in her heart whenever she mulled over the events of what had happened but she had to let go, no matter how hard that might be.

She tried to calm herself down as she suspired yet again. As she exhaled, her eyes instinctively opened to reveal the view of the rising moon emerging from the horizon as the sun was just about to disappear from below the horizon, bringing in another surge of emotions gushing into her spirit as she remembered who was left abandoned on the lifeless, desolate surface of the moon.

Why did she have to banish her own sister there? Was there another way to convince her own sister of the errors of her selfish ways other than to expel her, denying her of their kinship? Why didn’t she empathise with her sister then? Why-

Princess Celestia shook her head vigorously to dispel the seemingly endless questions and thoughts that came crashing down for her mind to ponder. She needed to clear her mind of such thoughts before it deviated away from the matter she really wanted to deliberate alone. Yet, she realised that she could draw some parallels to her past experiences to help her in her decision making. After all, the past offered her insights into how she could handle the situation in a more appropriate manner that, at least, would not be viewed as a mistake.

Twilight had many similarities with her old pupil of hers, especially pertaining to their unquenchable thirst for academic knowledge in school, causing them to be somewhat aloof among their peers. She firmly believed that Twilight, like her former student before her, needed to build a strong network of friends that could support each other in trying times and learn as a collective group.

This was the pivotal decision that Princess Celestia needed to make. She knew that there was an exceptionally special and unique group of fillies in Ponyville she thought would make great friends with Twilight, though she was so incredibly hesitant to send her away. Her mind was about to go berserk with the bottomless amount of excuses it was more than capable to come up with to convince her to reconsider her decision, but her heart was firm on making a concrete decision that she would agree to today. There would be no more delays, postponements or reconsiderations; the decision must be made today for she had already given herself many dozens of moons to mull it over.

“Your Highness!”

Appalled by this sudden disturbance, she turned around to face one of her royal guards stationed in her castle rushing to her hurriedly. “Sorry, but I must have time alone; other trivial matters can wait.”

“I have sombre news from Northern Equestria…it has returned!” the royal guard proclaimed, pausing briefly to catch his much-needed breath. “And it’s too late, it has already retaken the Crystal Empire!”
“What? How?” Princess Celestia exclaimed immediately, shock written all over her face. “Never mind, send for a reconnaissance squad to scout out the northern regions immediately and locate Princess Cadance!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Chapter 1: Reality

“Mum!”

“Yes?” Twilight Velvet glanced up to see her little mare trot forth hurriedly towards her with a beaming, wide smile emerging from her face. “What is it?”

“I managed to pass my final examination for this final school year!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed enthusiastically as she levitated a parchment revealing her stellar grades of that year for her mother to glean.

“I’m so proud of you!” Twilight Velvet praised as she shifted her position on the couch to obtain a better view of the report card. A seemingly endless line of perfect grades that graced the lines of the parchment greeted her, causing her to gaze with her jaws dropped.

“Mum, where’s dad and Shining? Are they still out there for the cause?” Twilight Sparkle asked, wishing to share the joy of her academic success to her dear father. “I really want to show him this; it would really make him happy!”

At that, Twilight Velvet gave out a heavy sigh when her mind drifted to the thought of her husband. She shifted her eyes inadvertently to stare at the pile of newspapers that was littered on the coffee table in front of her. Immediately, the headlines catch her eyes’ attention, causing her to stare blankly at the narrow, bolded text. “THE BATTLE FOR GALLOPING GORGE BEGINS!” reads the headlines, though the enormity of the words printed suggested that it was more of a declaration than anything.

She knew that her dearly beloved husband was out there fighting, risking his life for the Equestrian standard, while she remained here in Canterlot to handle the logistics of fielding such an army under the general staff. That sorrow she felt when she was told that she was not allowed to join her husband to fight alongside him came back in a wave of emotions that hit her soul to the very core. It pained her heart to think that her relationship with her husband was dissected because of one tyrannical overlord in the Crystal Empire. She would rather suffer with him at the battlefield like the other families she knew were doing, for no amount of blood, sweat and tears could ever make up for her love for her husband.

A tear slid down from the side of her right eye, prompting her to quickly bring her forehoof up to wipe it away before her daughter could see it.

“Mum? Are you alright?” Twilight Sparkle gingerly placed her report card onto the coffee table, unknowingly covering the newspaper’s headlines as she leapt onto the couch to embrace her mother.

“Of course, of course, I’m alright!” Twilight Velvet replied, though her words came out in a slightly forced manner which she knew betrayed her true feelings on the matter at hoof. She frantically brought her eyes back to her cute little daughter while she returned the embrace.

The warmth coming from her daughter brought some solace to her heart, but her mind was still unable to accept the reality before her, even though it has been many moons since her husband was pressed into service. She desperately tried to clear her mind of these thoughts, but another solemn thought popped into her mind to replace the void.

Shining Armor. How was he? Was he coping well in Cadet School? Would he survive the arduous training he had to go through day in, day out?

Again, it has been moons since he was sent to train as an officer in the Equestrian army, yet it seemed as though the day he left for his journey happened yesterday. She could see him stepping off the front porch with a saddlebag filled with necessities in absolute crystal clarity happening right in front of her. She could almost hear the final goodbyes he shouted across echoing in her thoughts for she knew that he might not make it. There was a chance, however huge or slim, that that would be the last time she could hear or even see her son.

And that same cruel logic applied to her husband too.

“You know, Mum,” her daughter remarked slightly sorrowfully. “I really miss dad and Shining…I hope they can come back safely…”

Another tear glided off the side of her right cheek while she gripped onto her daughter’s body tightly. “Yes, I miss them too…”

As her eyes became moist with tears, she forced herself to clasp her eyes shut to bring herself together for the sake of her daughter. She could hear the slightest sniffle from her daughter just right by her side, implying that her daughter must be feeling something similar to what she was too. After all, they both witnessed their loved ones leave the relative safety of Canterlot to venture out to train further and fight for their liberty, like how Shining Armour was enlisted when he became of age.

Wait, how about her daughter? Wasn’t she now of age after her finals? Did she have to go and serve in the military, even if she was Princess Celestia own personal protégé?

Instinctively, Twilight Velvet glanced up into the upper storey of their home as she could hear the hustle and bustle of a certain baby dragon rearranging the books of her daughter’s massive library of thousands of books into some predetermined order from the stairway.

And how about Spike?

As a multitude of questions flooded into her mind, Twilight Velvet exhaled deeply to recompose herself. She had to stay strong in such a crisis, especially in front of her daughter because every inch of psychological and mental weakness or doubt would hurt the morale of everypony aiding the war effort. Basic training had drilled that philosophy into her, and she had to remain steadfast and valiant even in such challenging times. King Sombra sought to replace their spirit of compassion, kindness and love with the darkness and the void. She could not let him sow the seeds of terror and fear in her soul from miles away, for that must be his very intention.

“Hey, Twilight! There’s a message from the princess!”

The mother and daughter somewhat released each other from their strong embrace slowly to turn and face the stairway, where they could see Spike dashing down the carpeted steps with a scroll in his claws cautiously.

“What does it say?” Twilight Sparkle asked excitedly as she slid off the side of the couch to trot towards Spike. Frantically, her mother brought her forehoof to wipe away the thin stream of tears on her cheek before she could notice.

Spike cleared his throat as he unravelled the regal scroll. “My dearest and most faithful student Twilight, I would like to congratulate you for your amazing results in your examination! However, there is an issue that we need to discuss urgently. Please come and see me in the castle immediately.”

“See me immediately?” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed loudly as she frowned with a puzzled look on her face. “There must be a big problem! We need to rush to the castle now!”

Even before her mother could blink, she galloped out of the living room and nearly smashed the front door of her house open into smithereens.

“Hey, wait for me!” Spike called out, rushing out of the door as fast as he could, as he tried to catch up with her. “Slow down!”

Twilight and Spike bolted through the entrance of the throne room of the magnificent castle after the royal escorts dutifully and carefully opened the shimmering crystal door to reveal a marvelling sight. Ornate, sculptured pillars of marble lined the sides of the hallway of throne in style, while panes of stained glass embellished the room with great chromatic vibrancy. A single, maroon carpet extended from the entrance to the gilded throne with the golden, radiant symbol of the sun. And majestically seated on the velvet, cushioned throne was none other than Princess Celestia.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Princess Celestia stood up from the comfort of her throne to greet her most loyal student. “Thank you for coming over so quickly at just a moment’s notice.”

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight and Spike courteously bowed down for a moment as a sign of reverence and respect as they greeted her. “We came as fast as we could; what happened now? Is the war with the Crystal Empire going badly?”

“Not exactly,” Celestia trotted forth to the young unicorn. “But I do want to discuss about something pertaining to this war.”

“What is it?” Twilight tilted her head up at a skyward angle to meet Princess Celestia’s eyes as she stepped down from the steps of her throne.

“Twilight, do you realise that you are now of age to play your role in this struggle?” Princess Celestia stated, her stoicism evident in not only her solemn tone, but also in the glint of seriousness in her eyes.

“Erm…but I haven’t received any letter from the Enlistment Bureau,” Twilight frowned, wondering whether the department had accidentally forgot to send her the crucial letter that would give her the critical details of her role. “Isn’t the Enlistment Bureau supposed to send this letter thirty moons before I am enlisted?”

“I understand,” Princess Celestia began, her eyes deflecting slightly away from Twilight’s, as she stared down hard on the carpet in deep contemplation before continuing. “I was hesitating…but I must tell you now that I will have to send you to basic training tomorrow.”

“TOMORROW!” Twilight and Spike exclaimed in unison, their eyebrows shooting up. “But there’s not enough to time to prepare!”

Princess Celestia exhaled deeply. “I’m sorry, but any delay in your training would impact our military capabilities and it’s all my fault for hesitating…”

Twilight was speechless. Her mind was frozen in panic as she simply stared into the carpet, her eyes unblinking. She could only gape with anxiety at the sudden turn of events, with the rest of her facial apparatus in a state of virtual inactivity, for she did not know what to say to her teacher.

“But what about me?” Spike asked after quickly getting over his shock of the situation, though the tone in his voice made his remark sound more like a demand than a simple inquiry. “Can I go with Twilight?”

“I’m sorry, Spike,” Princess Celestia responded to the obvious dismay portrayed on his face, as she raised her right forehoof. “But every soldier needs to be independent in the battlefield and I can’t allow you to assist Twilight in her training.”

Princess Celestia turned back to her faithful student who, thanks to her astonishment and anxiety, was actually trembling rather spasmodically. It was evidently telling that her student was shuddering and almost cowering to the fear of failure at the thought of rising to the challenge bestowed upon her.

She needed confidence.

“Twilight, I understand that this is a task that I have thrust upon you almost without warning, but you have overcome every challenge that you had been through, no matter the odds. I am more than certain that you will be able to go through this rite of passage and contribute to our fight against oppression and tyranny,” Princess Celestia reassured, as she raised Twilight’s head up to enable Twilight to face her right into her magnificent eyes. “I believe in you.”

“Thank…thank you, Princess Celestia,” Twilight replied, her lips visibly shaking as she spoke. “But I don’t know how I can adapt to the hierarchical environment there…”

“Twilight, I understand your fears. It’s normal to be afraid of the unknown that lies ahead. But many have been through this basic training when it became mandatory since this war started, including your own family members,” Princess Celestia affirmed while placing a hoof over Twilight’s back. “If they can make it, so could you.”

“All right,” Twilight relented weakly, after letting out a deep breath. “As a citizen of Equestria, I will have to play my part in the war effort. But as your student, I will do my best not to let you down...Princess Celestia.”

“Thank you, Twilight,” Princess Celestia responded favourably, as she brought a scroll over from the side of her throne over to her student. “Here, take this. Its contents reveal when and where you are to report tomorrow. You should start preparing for the journey ahead, Twilight.”

After Twilight took over control of the levitating scroll, she turned to her left to see Spike collapsing onto the pristine, carpeted floor, his claws clasping over his knees as he began to tear up. She slowly stepped forth towards Spike, the strength in her legs seemingly weakening with her resolve.

Spike could see the Twilight’s shadow moving towards him through his clouded eyes. He pierced his eyes open, tears leaking out, only to find Twilight crying alongside him as she trotted over.

But before Twilight could come by his side, Spike ran forward as fast as his legs could carry him and hugged Twilight for all it was worth.

Author's Note

Thanks for checking this story out! I hope to follow a rough schedule of a chapter a week, but no guarantees...

Chapter 2: Accepting

It seemed as though time had slowed down to a crawl. Every step, every action and every trickle of emotion that glanced through Twilight’s eyes came in seconds that felt like hours when Spike ran over. It all happened so swiftly, yet Twilight could see it all in slow-motion, with absolute crystal clarity. The hot tears from her eyes dribbling, the tender roughness of Spike’s claws clasping onto her and even the magical shimmer from her horn weakening…she felt it all.

Everything became instinctive. Her heart seized control of her actions, overriding any shred of thought from her discerning mind.

The scroll collapsed onto the carpeted floor beside her as Twilight returned the embrace, savouring every moment they had together.

Princess Celestia watched on silently from the side, her eyes almost inadvertently shifting away from the two characters of interest at the sudden, yet somewhat expected turn of events, before trotting forward to the duo.

“Twilight…I know that this is not a reality that you both can accept so readily,” Princess Celestia began, her eyes glinting of regret and sorrow. “Unfortunately, in life, we are thrown into predicaments without any warning at any juncture. Such is the reality that you had been shielded against when you were a filly, but now you are of age to take up this challenge, to mature and grow despite the hardships.”

Twilight turned back and released her embrace from Spike slightly to bring her mentor back into her shrouded view, as she tried to stifle her sobs.

“You may miss each other’s company, but you will never forget the experiences that you two have had together here,” Princess Celestia continued thoughtfully. “The challenge we face today seeks to destroy the bonds we have forged together, but we will overcome it as one to fight for what we stand for.”

“I…I understand, Princess Celestia,” Twilight responded while wiping her cheeks dry with her forehooves, before turning back to Spike. “Spike, I know you will miss me…and I must let you know that I will miss you just as much as you will miss me. But I will have to embark on this journey to contribute to the fight.”

Spike squeezed his eyes shut for a moment of contemplation, for he needed time to compose himself after the flurry of mixed emotions that ran through his soul.

“I…I will miss you, but I know…I mean, I understand you need to go,” Spike relented as he gazed into Twilight’s very eyes. “But before you go tomorrow, c-can we please…please spend time together preparing for your journey ahead?”

A thin smile emerged from Twilight’s face as she charged her horn to levitate the scroll that was lying idly on the floor to her side. “Of course.”

“Thank you. Alright, I will leave you to get on with your preparations for the journey ahead. It may not be easy, but it shall be a rite of passage for you, my faithful student, Twilight,” Princess Celestia noted calmly as she turned to trot out of the throne room to carry on with her royal duties. “I have every bit of confidence that you will make it out a stronger mare.”

Twilight and Spike watched Princess Celestia leave the throne room, leaving them alone in the silence. And in the silence, the magical jingle from Twilight’s horn was all the two could hear in the emptiness of the throne room. And just for a few moments, the duo simply stared blankly at the closed, heavy gilded doors that Princess Celestia went through mere seconds ago.

“I can…I mean, I must do this,” Twilight spoke aloud, her voice echoing off the sides of the four polished walls of the throne room, shattering the silence lingering within. She brought the scroll to levitate in front of both of them and unrolled it.

Equestrian Military Command

This scroll is to inform you that TWILIGHT SPARKLE has been scheduled for enlistment by the royal decree of Princess Celestia.

The scheduled reporting time and venue are outlined below.
Reporting Time: 4th Moon of Summer, 0900 hours
Venue: Canterlot Downtown (East) Train Station, 8 Parissir Avenue, Canterlot

Should the enlistee stated above not reside in Canterlot, the transport fees by train will be waived by the Equestrian Military. The enlistee may show this scroll to the ticketing counter of any train station to enjoy the catered train journey towards Canterlot only once.

The enlistee stated above will be ferried to the Equestrian Military Training Command where he/she will undergo basic training for 9 weeks.

The enlistee stated above will be provided with the necessary items for his/her training during this period. However, the enlistee should bring a copy of this scroll and his/her identity card as proof of their identity.

We look forward to seeing you at the command.

Yours faithfully,
Argon Ice
For the Commander of the Logistics Command, Equestrian Military

“Wait, what?” Twilight exclaimed as she skimmed through the letter once more. “I don’t have to bring anything but my identity card and this scroll?”

Spike seized the letter from Twilight’s magical grip and read it through, his eyes tracing each word, being careful not to miss out any salient detail. “It appears so…”

Twilight sighed. “Then…then what do I have to prepare for the journey ahead?”

“I don’t know,” Spike admitted, throwing his claws into the air. “But I think you need a rest. After all, you did just come back from your last day of school and there’s not much time to rest for the long journey ahead.”

“You’re right, Spike,” Twilight agreed as she nodded her head subtly, before yawning out loud. “I really do need a break from all this. Come, let’s hurry back home.” With that, Twilight galloped out of the throne room, nearly smashing into the surface of the extravagant glided doors.

“Hey, you forgot the scroll!” Spike called out hurriedly, as he grabbed the scroll frantically, crumpling it slightly before running after Twilight. “Wait for me!”

After a few minutes of running, a fatigued Twilight Sparkle had finally arrived back home.

Stepping into the living room, she was greeted by the view of her mother lying onto the couch staring blankly seemingly into space, apparently mulling over an important decision, with fear and concern on her face. Her ears were slightly drooping downwards and the pupils in her eyes seemed to be devoid of any glint of life.

“Mum? Are you alright?” Twilight Sparkle asked, as she could surely detect that there was something amiss with her mother’s demeanour. She trotted forward cautiously towards her mother, hoping to assure her, though she had news that she was going to the military, like her brother before her.

“Oh, you’re back!” Twilight Velvet turned round to face her daughter swiftly. “What did Princess Celestia say? What happened?”

“I think it is best if I showed you this,” Twilight Sparkle replied, her voice turning solemn. “Wait, WHAT? Where is it? Where is the scroll?”

She looked up, down and around her, wondering whether she subconsciously placed the scroll onto the coffee table or something when she came into the room.

“The scroll? Are yo-”

“TWILIGHT!” a familiar voice suddenly shouted from across the house, interrupting Twilight Velvet’s dialogue. “You forgot to take the scroll!”

Before her mother could vocalise her hunch, Twilight Sparkle replied immediately. “Oh, I must have left it with you at the throne room. Thanks, Spike.” With that, she quickly brought the scroll in front of her mother to read, unravelling it hastily with her magic.

However, even before her mother took a serious look at the scroll, she immediately gasped in shock, her jaws collapsing onto the floor at the sight before her. “Are…Are you…are you…going?”

Twilight Sparkle took in a deep breathe. “Princess Celestia wanted me to go.”

Her mother wordlessly read through the scroll in a flurry, for she knew that exact format and structure of the letter from the back of her hoof, her eyes flying through each line of the manuscript.

“But…but…but this letter was supposed to be issued thirty moons prior!” Twilight Velvet protested, through the strength of the resolve in her voice seemed to be sapped by her concern and worry. “This is not fair to you…”

“Princess Celestia has already apologised to me. She was hesitating on whether to send me or not…but in the end, she believed that she needed me to go and contribute. That’s why the letter came so late and came directly from her,” Twilight Sparkle explained as she settled onto the couch to sit right by her mother’s side, the calmness and serenity in her voice was surprising, and even unsettling to herself.

“I…I mean I had some sort of inkling that you would have to go, but with such short notice…it is almost too much to bear for me, especially with your father and brother out there…without me,” Twilight Velvet responded, seeking to justify her uncharacteristic actions to her daughter, though it was more of an attempt to allow her daughter to empathise with her feelings. “How did you accept this all so quickly?”

She froze after uttering those last few words. It was uncanny to her; she was supposed to be the mare who supported her daughter, but yet she now needed that critical support from her daughter at this unanticipated turn of events. Her daughter’s acceptance of the situation at hoof could not be more starkly juxtaposed by her own feelings of grief and anxiety. In the midst of her conflicting emotions, she fought hard against the tears that inevitably flowed down.

A few uncomfortable moments of silence passed. Spike stood there, shifting his posture nervously and awkwardly at the scene before him. His mind could not decide on where to place his eyes at. Even looking at them made him feel terrible; he felt intrusive, he felt disruptive, he felt…wrong for just being there with no apparent reason but to return the scroll back to Twilight, which he has dutifully done.

But he could not just leave them there, for they were even closer than friends to him. He felt guilty of not doing something to help, to console or to even resolve this. He just felt…powerless.

“Mum…it’s okay. It pained me when I saw Shining leave, and it will pain me when I leave you, but we will always have a place in each other’s hearts,” Twilight Sparkle finally spoke, as she hugged her mother, tears seeping into her own mane. “But I now have to contribute like you all.”

“But how? How could you have accepted all this?” Twilight Velvet was undeniably shocked at the rather blasé attitude portrayed by her daughter, though she could see some moisture in her daughter’s eyes and on her cheeks.

“Maybe I haven’t accepted it yet,” Twilight Sparkle bowed her head down slightly as she leaned onto her mother, shifting her gaze to stare at the carpeted floor. “I’ll miss you…I’ll miss Spike…I’ll miss Shining…I’ll miss dad…because I love you all.”

Those fundamental words, those words of affection, love and emotion turned the dribble of tears trickling from the edges of her mother’s eyes into a cascade. Those words…they had such a deep meaning, so hard to be put forth into written words, yet they were symbolic. They were spoken with such an air of honesty and with such simplicity, so much so that joy gushed into Twilight Velvet’s soul, yet her tears streamed down in a frenzy.

And she was not the only one crying. Her daughter was too.

It felt as though their feelings for each other were liberated and exposed plainly in that very instant, exemplifying that unbreakable bond between the parents and their offspring.

“Thank…thank you,” Twilight Velvet said haltingly between sobs. “I…I love you too. I’ll…always support you no…no matter what happens.”

“Mum, d-don’t…don’t worry,” Twilight Sparkle reassured falteringly, as she tried her hardest to shake off her emotions. “I’ll make it out, and you don’t have…you don’t need to worry about me.”

Despite her words of reassurance, she knew, deep down in her heart, she could not have possibly accepted the reality ahead of her fully, but she had no choice.

Perhaps, accepting that was part of the preparation Princess Celestia was talking about, so that she would be better equipped to set off on the journey tomorrow.

Ultimately, she had no choice but to accept this reality.

And unfortunately, such is life.

Chapter 3: Departure

After a day of riding an exceptionally emotional rollercoaster, Twilight Sparkle collapsed onto her soft, comfortable bed with Spike following right behind her, hoping to catch some shut-eye before the big day tomorrow. She dragged her blanket over her exhausted body on the bed, as she heard Spike collapse into his own bed.

“Good night, Twilight!” Spike called out, turning his head towards her. “You should get some rest; you really shouldn’t worry about tomorrow! We’re all supporting you here!”

“Err yeah…of course!” Twilight replied. “Nothing to worry about…nothing at all! Good night, Spike.”

“Yeah, right…sweet dreams,” Spike responded, as he wondered whether Twilight was actually able to cope with the challenges ahead, especially with that unconvincing reply she gave.

Well, Spike’s precognitive hunch could not be more right. While Spike eased himself into sleep serenely, Twilight was unable to clear her head of her recollective thoughts of the events that just transpired that day. She twisted and turned; she shifted and readjusted; she tried to release the tension that she had within her, in every muscle in her body.

But alas, her mind was evidently preoccupied with wondering and pondering how she was to confront the reality that stood in front of her. She felt incredibly uneasy at the fact that there was a situation ahead of her that she could not actively prepare for with a list of things to do or something. Despite all the affirmation she got from her mentor, her mother and even her closest friend, she still questioned herself and her own abilities. All those kind words of encouragement seemed to breed a level of insecurity within Twilight, for it meant that all those ponies actually placed faith and hope into her. She couldn’t possibly fail them, but what if she did? What if she cracked under the stress and the pressure in the military? What if she didn’t meet the standards of her own mentor? Would her mentor then consider her as one who was no longer worthy to be her student?

No, she couldn’t fail. She could not fail them. But most importantly, she could not fail herself.

Exhaling deeply, she shifted her blanket over to the other side of her bed as she tried to adopt yet another position in an attempt to sleep. She knew that she desperately needed to rest, else she might not be able to face the challenges that must come in the following day, but somehow she couldn’t. She simply stared at the ceiling above her head, as her mind was still in a whizz of activity, conjecturing what could potentially happen on the day tomorrow.

Unable to sleep, Twilight turned to look at the alarm clock placed on her bedside table, wishing that she still had some time available to at least relax in the comfort of her familiar bed. She forced her forehooves to bring herself closer to the edge as her eyes struggled to make out the exact time from the clock. The time was…

“Three hours to sunrise!” Twilight thought to herself, aghast. Time seemed to pass so excruciatingly slowly when she was trying her hardest to catch some sleep, but it appeared that almost four hours flew by without her even knowing.

Sulking slightly, she threw the blanket back over herself with the aid of her magic and pressed her eyelids down to shut out her vision. She then willed her mind to wonder into the void of her vision, where the blackness of her vision seemed to envelope her cloud of thoughts. Slowly but surely, the hive of activity in her mind eventually gave in as it began to release its grip on those invasive thoughts of concern and anxiety.

With the final hurdle impeding her slumber cleared, her mind finally brought the tired Twilight to the sleep she so desired.

“PLATOON TWO! ATTENT-SHUN!” a loud, authoritative voice echoed within the confines of her mind, causing Twilight to jerk up.

“What?” Twilight instinctively spoke out, wondering if she was already in the military. Fidgeting, she glanced around to find that she was in an ordered formation with a group of ponies standing impeccably neat and still at some sort of parade square.

“RECRUIT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!” A pony equipped with a green, pixelated military uniform dashed towards Twilight in an instant, nearly throwing her off-balance as he caught her unawares. “WHY ARE YOU NOT FOLLOWING MY ORDERS?”

In a mental daze, Twilight sloppily brought her two forehooves together and straightened her legs in the process in accordance to the commander's orders. She then brought her weary eyes to glance at the epaulette attached on the uniform of the commanding pony in front of her, observing three black, downward-pointing chevrons with EQUESTRIA embroidered below them.

“IS THIS THE KIND OF STANDARD THAT YOU WANT TO PORTRAY?” The third sergeant shouted at Twilight, obviously dissatisfied with her lacklustre, lackadaisical attitude she appeared to convey to him. “Alright, alright, never mind, it’s okay…WHOLE LOT FACE THE GROUND!”

Instantaneously, the whole platoon of recruits fell to the ground with the sergeant’s command, readying themselves to be subjected to some unknown quantity of push-ups, except for Twilight, whose reaction to the sergeant’s command was definitely slower compared to the rest of the recruits that stood around her.

“Too slow, TOO SLOW!” the sergeant roared, sourly disappointed in the poor attentiveness and performance of his recruits. “Crunches position – CHANGE!”

This time, Twilight did not need to be told twice. Together with her fellow recruits, she immediately shifted her body’s position to a preparatory position for the exercise stated. The sound of the hooves shuffling about on the dry, earthen ground quickly dissipated into an edgy silence as the entire platoon anticipated for the punishment to commence.

“Platoon IC, carry on!” the sergeant commanded with his booming voice.

“UP!”

“One!”

“UP!”

“Two!”

“…Up! Come on, Twilight, wake up!”

“Three…huh?” Twilight spoke out aloud, as she pulled her eyelids open to be greeted by the blinding intensity of the sun’s rays peering through the window. “Oh phew, that was all a dream…”

“No, Twilight! This is not a dream! You overslept! It’s only a half hour more to the time you are supposed to gather at the train station!” Spike announced in a flurry, slightly relieved that he was finally able to knock Twilight out of slumberland. “You’ve got to go in the next twenty minutes!”

“WHAT!” Twilight tossed herself off her bed to verify the time with her own eyes with her clock. “OH NO! I’m going to be late!”

“Twilight, don’t panic; you still have some time,” Spike attempted to calm Twilight down. “See, I have already prepared your enlistment scroll here and your identity ca-”

“Spike, there’s no time for talking! Pass me the scroll and my card pronto!” Before Spike could react to Twilight’s hurried requests to hand over those key objects of interest, Twilight frantically seized them off Spike’s claws with her magic, causing them to levitate in the air freely in a magical veil. “I have to be punctual! See you next time, Spike!”

“Goodbye, Twilight! Safe journey!” Spike exclaimed as he held Twilight tightly in his arms tenderly, wishing Twilight all the very best for her endeavours during her rite of passage.

“Thank you, Spike,” Twilight uttered, her lips reflexively curling into a vibrant smile while returning the hug. “I appreciate it, but I really have to go now.”

With that, Twilight essentially slid out of Spike’s embrace after throwing those crucial items into her magenta saddlebag that hung tranquilly on a hook next to her bookshelves, before closing its pocket swiftly and hurling it over her back. Without turning back, she galloped out of her bedroom in a hurry, nearly ripping the door open with her almost manic usage of her magic.

Rushing down the staircase hastily, she was greeted by the sight of her mother, who was currently finishing up her breakfast before heading to work at the Logistics Command in the Canterlot Military Headquarters. “Morning, honey! I’ve already prepared breakfast for you!”

“Mum, there’s no time for breakfast! I’ve got to go!” Twilight Sparkle asserted as she jumped down the last flight of stairs to shave off a few seconds of time from her journey.

“Honey, you still got time! The downtown train station is not too far away!” Twilight Velvet trotted towards the staircase landing swiftly, hoping to calm her over-enthusiastic daughter and catch up with her, at least for a time. “It only took me seven minutes to reach the train station when I was enlisted years ago. Come on, you can at least have a light breakfast before you head off.”

“Mum…it’s alright. I’m not hungry,” Twilight Sparkle spoke, shifting her position somewhat awkwardly while trying to compose herself. “But, erm...mum…”

“Yes, honey?” Twilight Velvet asked, a quizzical look emerging on her face.

“Before I go, I need to say…to say that I…I love you,” Twilight Sparkle cuddled up to her mother, embracing and appreciating the motherly warmth emanating from her.

“I love you too,” Twilight Velvet replied cordially, returning the embrace with heartfelt love and affection. “I'm sure you can do this. All the best, honey.”

Twilight Sparkle released her mother from their collective embrace, gazing into her mother’s eyes, admiring her wonderful appearance as if that was the last time she could see her again. “Thanks, mum…I’ll see you again when I am allowed to come back home.”

“Goodbye…honey.”

Almost with hesitance, Twilight Sparkle turned and trotted out of the living room, out of the porch, then out of the house. Her mother shadowed her until she reached the front gate and then, she stopped. She stopped, and she wept, as the lavender figure she would proudly call her daughter faded into view with the hustle and bustle of the capital city.

But her mother wasn’t alone. Unbeknownst to her, Spike stood on the overlooking balcony upstairs, his right eye trained on watching through the eyepiece of the telescope Twilight would always use to point up at the sky to recognise constellations, stars and nebulae. However, this time, the telescope wasn’t pointing up, but down onto the pavement below, to observe his companion trotting along the avenue, leaving him for a time. Yet, no matter how powerful the telescope’s resolution might be, Spike’s view of Twilight eventually became a blur, thanks to tears that obscured the vision of his eyes.

Twilight’s journey had truly begun.

Author's Note

A sneak peek into the Equestrian military, but I assure you that it is going to be harsher than that!