The Spirits of the Everfree

by PeakieB

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Violence, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Death, Zecora, Drama, Mystery
Length: 12583

For the ponies assigned to the Royal Tracking Unit, it has been a slow year. With Princess Twilight on the throne and unity across the land, there isn't much to hunt down besides the occasional infestation. But something is stirring in the Everfree.

For the ponies assigned to the Royal Tracking Unit, it has been a slow year. With Princess Twilight on the throne and unity across the land, there isn't much to hunt down besides the occasional infestation. But something is stirring in the Everfree.

Thrust into action, can they learn to work as a group and overcome the mythical beasts and natural hazards the forest will throw at them, or will they break under the stress?

(6-02-21) - Chapter 1 should now read better, dialogue having been tweaked. Some grammatical errors have also been ammended.

Published 2021-01-27 16:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-02-04 14:55:55 UTC

The Recruits

Author's Note

First foray into writing for a very long time, hope at least someone gets a kick out of this. Thanks for giving it a chance.

If there are any glaring grammar issues that are spotted, please let me know, I am a bit out of practice

(05/02/2021) :Went back and attempted to make some of the dialogue less stiff, and also fixed a few more errors.)

The Recruits

"The RTU is requested to clear out a small infestation of Twittermites... that could be serious, better follow up on that one."

The sound of quill on paper permeated the small room. Located in the lower tiers of the mountainside city of Canterlot, between an old bakery and a run down bookstore, it served as the main office of the Royal Tracking Unit, or the RTU. Although it was well lit by a large window, it seemed rather spartan.

"The RTU is needed to clear out some lost Breezies who have taken up residence in an old barn... That's a job for someone who can negotiate with them..."

There was little in the way of flair besides a framed photo of a stallion standing in front of an old house with a sibling and two older ponies. On a simple desk was a nameplate that read Lt. Quarry. Everything else seemed to be chosen for practicality rather than appearances.

"The RTU is called upon to perform one-on-one duels for entertainment...one hundred percent no..."

Sat on his haunches behind a desk was Lieutenant Quarry, a rather large earth pony who was currently muttering quietly, a bored look in his purple eyes as he rapidly scanned the words before him, but with each new page it was becoming more difficult to focus. His deep forest green coat furrowed around his brow in slight irritation.

Knock!

A sudden rapping on the door cleared the fog that threatened to consume his mind. Tearing his eyes away from the requisition form, he looked at the papers which had been sorted neatly into two piles, one for rejections and the other to sent for further proccessing.

Eyes wondering to the window, he spotted the golden spires of the castle which were visible from even from the lowest level of the city. Judging by the position of Celestia’s sun, he had already wasted his morning filing and checking reports. He wondered briefly if the pony behind the door had yet another delivery of paperwork and bureaucratic nonsense to be added to his already rather hefty pile.

Maybe I should just pretend I am not here... he briefly thought before shaking his head. He scolded himself for considering shirking his duties before deciding he should grant whoever was here to see him entry.

“Come in.” He barked out, the no nonsense tone his words carried letting whoever was interrupting him know they better have good reason. The door creaked open, and a familiar Pegasus greeted him, her light green eyes looking at him with sympathy when she spotted the pile of work that he was currently engaged in. Quarry seemed to relax when he saw it was only his Sargeant, Steel Wind.

“Hiya Quarry, nice pile of paperwork you have there.” Steel noted as she trotted into the room. As she made her way towards him, he noticed that she was holding several folders under her sky-blue wing. She approached the papers and picked one from the top. “What have we got here…?” she began reading aloud.

“The RTU has been formally requested to help clear the rodents out of the estate of…… bleagh.” Steel scrunched her face in disgust and tossed the paper to the declined section. “Ponies seem to think we are nothing but glorified rat catchers these days.”

“Don’t worry about it too much, all the work we do has to be sanctioned by one of the Princesses, and I doubt very much that they would send us out on a mission like that.” He grimaced at the offending papers once more. “We are unfortunately receiving an alarming number of requests of that calibre lately.”

“Well, I suppose we should be grateful that there are less and less troublesome creatures for us to track down, but it gets a tad boring sometimes.” Steel looked nowhere in particular, lost in a memory. “Wouldn’t mind if they sent us somewhere exotic again. That trip out to Yakyakistan was a blast.” She then snapped out of her daze and remembered why she was here, turning back to Quarry.

“But I have some good news, oh fearless leader, another delivery!” she grabbed the folders under her wing with a hoof and raised them dramatically, before she saw the unimpressed face he was wearing. “Hey, don’t give me that look. I’m just the messenger.”

Quarry let out a growl and shook his head. “If I didn't know any better, I would think that somepony is actively trying to keep me locked in this office until I lose my mind.” He motioned to the desk with a scarred foreleg before rising off his haunches. In his frustration, his usually unnoticeable settler pony accent was showing in his deep voice.

Steel let out a laugh. “Your great sacrifice for the ponies of the RTU will go down in our annals.” She then looked up at him, as she was significantly shorter with him standing at full height. “This is something you are going to like, though. These are the dossiers of our new batch of recruits!”

Quarry's eyes widened slightly, his interest piqued. They had been understaffed as of late, with several Guardponies either diverted to other stations or otherwise indisposed. Steel deposited the folders on the table and took a seat on one of the wooden chairs nearby.

Quarry slid them to his side of the desk with his hoof, giving them a critical look. “Are they reassignments?” He asked Steel. As his adjutant, he was sure that she would have looked at them all before delivering them to him.

“Nah, green as the grasses of Ponyville, all just completed boot camp.” Steel relaxed into the chair, one foreleg resting on the back of it as she reclined, it giving a painful creak of protest. In the back of his mind, Quarry wondered if any other guard unit leaders had their Sargent act so casually around them.

He could stamp it out if he saw the need, but Steel was at her best when not being forced into the rigid mannerisms of the Royal Guard. She locked eyes with him and gave a grin. “Very interesting group, from several different parts of Equestria. A settler pony medic, a shady Manehatten Pegasus, and a graduate from Princess Celestia’s School of gifted unicorns. I can't wait to meet them personally, should be entertaining.”

Quarry nodded and moved to look at the first of the three, one labelled with the name Snow Step. The picture on display showed a unicorn, her alabaster white coat and icy blue eyes immediately drew attention and her spiky Tri-coloured mane that transitioned from a deep blue to a sharp grey was equally striking. She sported a self-assured expression seemed to seep out of the picture, and although it was hard to tell from it, she seemed to have a rather slight frame.

The second report, regarding the Earth Pony Crimson Cross, showed a nervous-looking stallion; his red eyes looking away from the camera and a frown on his maroon face. His long red mane was parted to either side of his forehead, with a bolt of purple streaking down the centre. About average in build, he didn’t look particularly remarkable in terms of sheer size.

The last of the reports was noticeably missing a picture. Quarry raised an eyebrow at this and looked at Steel. “Yeah, I thought that was odd as well, but Private Nimbus has a knack for remaining inconspicuous, apparently.” Her bubbly voice stated with enthusiasm. “There was a picture for that file, but it seems to have been misplaced.”

“Anything of particular note?” Queried Quarry. He had learned that Steel Wind had a much easier time getting a read on ponies than he did, and thus trusted her thoughts regarding red flags.

“Well, without having actually met them it is hard to say, but there are a few quirks.” Steel leaned forward and picked up Snow Step’s Folder. “Private Snow Step is apparently an ice magic savant and according to the notes of her trainers has the ego to go with it. Nothing we can’t stamp out in time, however, and she doesn’t have a problem following orders.”

“Nobility, I presume?” Quarry interjected dryly.

“Hah! It’s not nice to assume Quarry, but correct. She is part of a minor house that apparently hosts absolutely fantastic garden parties.” She zoned out momentarily. “Wouldn’t mind going to one of those actually, would be lots of interesting things I could trade for….”

“Focus Sergeant.”

“Ah yes, sorry Lieutenant.” Steel attempted to regain her train of thought. "Anyway…. Crimson Cross is from a frontier town, not too far from the Smokey mountain. Quite the medic, if this report is accurate. Well versed in treating poisons and healing..." she used her hooves to show quotation marks. "...‘the sometimes-malicious wounds created by the creatures of the San Palomino Desert.’ ” She let out a shudder. “Not the most habitable place, from what I have heard."

Quarry nodded in understanding. Being from south of the Smokey Mountain himself, he had encountered quite a few vicious creatures himself growing up. “Sand Swimmers come to mind, fast and vicious with powerful jaws.”

“Yeesh. Well, I pray to Celestia that I won’t meet one of them anytime soon.” Steel said with a grimace and then raised her hoof to her chin and looked thoughtful. “Are we supposed to still invoke Ce
lestia and Luna, I wonder? Now that they are retired, and Princess Twilight is on the throne?”

“Sergeant…” Quarry tried to get her attention.

“I don’t know though, maybe it’s just years of using the old one, but ‘By Twilight!’ doesn’t have the same ring to it.” She rambled.

“Steel Wind!” Quarry raised his voice and leant forward, not quite yelling but causing her to jump back and chuckle nervously.

“Oops! Sorry Lieutenant” Steel bashfully apologised. "Got a little side-tracked there."

“It’s all right, Steel, just try to remain focused.” Quarry leant back from the desk and waited for her to continue.

Steel nodded and then looked at the last of the folders, motioning to it with a wave of her wing. “And then there is our newest enigma. Nimbus is from Manehattan and has done some time in the prison system. Other than that, there is extraordinarily little to go on. Either he has a very mundane past or is exceptionally good at keeping it secret, Even his prison records are vague.”

“Are his crimes listed?” Quarry inquired. He was more than a bit concerned about the lack of information about this recruit.

“Seems to be several charges of petty theft and breaking and entering. Three-year sentence, I believe. Arrested alongside several members of a Manehattan street gang. They were caught in a botched weather factory robbery."

"What went wrong?" Quarry asked, imagining many the many disasters that could have been started from such a facility. The early arrival of Winter in Ponyville a few years ago came to mind.

Well apparently letting all the thunderclouds free and nearly blowing the entire block to smithereens wasn't part of the plan. They were stopped just before the situation got completely out of hand.” Steel opened the folder and smirked. “Seems that almost immediately after his time was served, he was recommended to the guard by one of the town watchmen of all ponies.”

Quarry leant over and turned the folder around and looked at it himself. Several things immediately stood out to him, no mention of parents or former residences. In fact, it seems before Private Nimbus joined up with this gang, the ‘Blue Bulls’, he may as well have not existed.

There were of course the observations made by the training instructors, which stated that he often attempted to blend into the background, wanting to appear bland and uninteresting. He did however apparently have a competitive streak, when challenged he would forgo his attempt to be inconspicuous completely.

Nimbus' list of skills also drew Quarry’s attention, which stated that he was quite suited to scouting. Stealthy movement and flight, and the had ability to manipulate lightning to a higher degree than normal Pegasi. He had also apparently also developed an aptitude for crossbow marksmanship.. “The lightning manipulation would explain his cutie mark…” He mumbled to himself, looking at the one piece of identification they had gotten from the mysterious Pegasus. A bolt of lightning held within what appeared to be a bottle.

"I wonder..." He began to ponder if the supposed 'mishap' during the robbery had anything to do with him gaining his mark. Maybe I will send a letter to the pony who recommended him.

His train of thought was interrupted as Steel jumped off her chair and flapped so she could hover over Quarry’s shoulder, where she pointed excitedly at the hobbies section of the file which had only one word in it. “It says here that he has an interest in Horology! Funny how they could get that out of him and nothing about his upbringing.” She looked at Quarry inquisitively. “What is Horology anyway?”

“Tartarus if I have any idea, but it’s something we can ask him about.” Quarry looked quite interested in that piece of information himself. His father had always said A worldly pony is a prosperous pony, meaning that if there was an opportunity to learn something new, jump on it. He tapped his hoof a few times and his mouth formed a straight line, a habit he had developed when he was thinking. Steel picked up on it almost immediately.

“What are you thinking about, Quarry? I know that face.” She tilted her head slightly as she asked the question.

Quarry nodded to himself, seeming to have decided something. “This paperwork can wait, I want to meet our recruits and get a read on them myself. What is their status?”

“I believe they are waiting in the bunkrooms. They arrived from the training grounds earlier this week.” Steel answered, flying back to the chair and moving it back into its place. “Want me to have them meet us somewhere? I can send courier ponies with a message if you like.”

“Yes, have them and Specialist Bluebell gather in the Barracks. He should have his nose buried in some Tome or another at the archives, so he shouldn't be too hard to find. If he calls it a waste of time, tell him I will have his pass revoked.” Quarry snorted to himself, imagining the reaction that their resident magical expert and historian would have to that.

“With pleasure! Hopefully, he won't need to be convinced that way, but the look on his face will be priceless if I have to!” Steel let out a laugh before moving for the door. She gave a lazy salute of her wing and made for the exit before poking her head back and adding with a grin, “And read those files, never know what could come in useful!”

With a wave of a hoof, Quarry looked back at the paper on the top of his files, vowing to at least finish one more before reading the dossiers in detail. “Reports into the unexplained activity near the Everfree Forest….” He quirked his brow “Maybe something less mundane for a change.”

∞

The sun was now lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the fashion district of Canterlot.

The city was abuzz with activity, a seemingly never-ending stream of bodies and voices approaching from all directions that threatened to swallow up anypony who was not moving with the crowd. One such pony, Private Crimson Cross, looked around somewhat frantically for his destination.

As he tried to remember the instructions he had been given, Ponies and other creatures rushed past and occasionally bumped into him. Ok, think. I turned left at that fancy boutique about a hundred meters back, so I should come up on some embassies right about now…

He scanned the many windows and storefronts surrounding him, their opulent appearance all seeming to blend in his eyes that were more accustomed to the simple structures that occupied his hometown. Sweat formed on his coat as he looked for anything resembling an embassy. Each unfamiliar sight only exacerbating his slowly growing panic. The cacophony of many hooves and claws on the pavement became more and more deafening to his ears with each second.

As his eyes darted around for anything that could get him back on track, he attempted to halt his spiral into what his sister had once affectionately called a ‘panic tornado’, in which he managed to not only make himself manic but also spread his mania to other ponies through the sheer scale of his anxiety.

Luckily, his time at the basic training had helped him out with ways to calm down. Ok, deep breaths Crimson…and calm…

“Need help?” a slightly monotone voice asked.

“Ah!” He jumped in shock, not expecting to be addressed. Sharply turning his head, red eyes wide and slightly dilated, he looked for the speaker. “All good here! Just uh…” He replied, his voice containing a certain drawl. He took another long breath to calm himself again and focused on the stranger who had spoken to him.

A young-looking Pegasus stallion stood before him, below average in stature, with his pale yellow coat brightly contrasting with his wild looking and vivid aquamarine mane. In contrast to his attention drawing colour scheme, his green eyes were half lidded and unfocused. The stallion looked at Crimson and waited patiently for him to continue.

“I’m just a little lost.” Crimson admitted. “Don't suppose you know where the Canterlot Guard Barracks is located?” Crimson Cross asked, shifting his legs nervously.

The Stallion nodded and pointed upwards, above the rooftops of the various buildings. Crimson followed the outstretched leg, which was pointed in the vague direction of the recently rebuilt Canterlot castle.

“It is near the castle, find that and you can’t miss it.” The stallion’s voice struck Crimson as odd, seeming to be completely lacking any distinguishable traits such as accent or emphasis on certain words. But putting that aside, he now had a clear heading.

“Whew, that is a load offa my mind. Thank…” He turned to his new acquaintance, but as he looked back he saw the Pegasus had already disappeared into the crowd. “Huh… bit of an odd fella, but helpful enough.”

With his new heading in mind, he focused his attention on the slightly distant Canterlot Castle. Like most ponies in Equestria, he was familiar with what the castle looked like, or more accurately what it had looked like before it was destroyed. The new castle mimicked its predecessor, with some additional spires and new wings to accommodate the many foreign dignitaries Princess Twilight liked to invite as guests.

Doing his best to keep pace with the flow of traffic, he continued onwards, eyes locked on the castle and occasionally looking down to make sure he would not trot into anypony. The closer he got to it, the more and more in awe he became as its majestic form dominated the skyline.

Crimson muttered to himself in wonder. “They must have a different breed of craftponies living here to have that place rebuilt so quickly.” He subconsciously came to a stop to stare at the marvellous structure before being rather rudely shoved from behind.

“Little pony is holding up traffic! Yak will not stomp pony in accordance to Yaks important role as an ambassador, but pony must move or Yak will file an official complaint!” The Yak bellowed, dwarfing Crimson and casting him in shadows and a bit of spittle.

“Ah, sorry sir, just a tad caught up in the size of this here city.” He apologised quickly, leaning back in trepidation before getting out of the large bovine’s path. Luckily, the crowd had thinned enough for him to do this, but it made him wonder why the yak simply had not walked around. Best not to ask him though, I get the feelin’ that would end badly. The Yak harrumphed and continued on his way as Crimson tried to regather himself.

Eventually, after a few more minuets of travel he spotted his destination, a large building that was situated just on the border of the castle grounds. He also recognised the insignia of the EUP guard, a golden star on a blue shield, as It waved proudly in the harsh winds of the higher tiers from a flagpole near the main gatehouse. Crimson gave a soft smile before trotting forward.

It was a rather impressive structure, reminiscent of a small fort complete with battlements, loopholes and other defensive positions. It was constructed with the same pearly white stone employed throughout the city and thus rather harshly reflected the sunlight. It was constantly patrolled by several of the Royal Guardponies who made their way along the walls as they watched, eagle eyed, for any threats that may appear on the horizon.

The Barracks was a recent addition to Canterlot, one that Princess Twilight had deemed necessary after the ever-increasing attacks on Equestria’s capitol in the last couple of years. If the now seemingly distant changeling invasion had been a wake-up call, the attack of the Villainous trio of Chrysalis, Cozy Glow and Tirek had been a Klaxon alarm at midnight.

The Barracks had been a top priority in the reconstruction after the disastrous attack, second only to Canterlot Castle itself. It was both a training ground and gathering place for the combined EUP guard.

Moving onto the cobblestone path to the main gate, Crimson spotted two Earth Pony guardsmen armed with spears waiting to challenge any who approached. He steeled himself and slowed his pace as he neared. He took in the intricacies of their armour, having not seen actual Royal Guard gear up close. It was breath-taking in the quality of its construction. Much better than what he had previously worn, having only been permitted to wear inexpensive training gear during his time at boot camp.

“Name, rank and business.” The first of the two guards commanded, a neutral look on his face as his partner watched for anything suspicious. As part of the city-stationed Royal Guard force their coats and eyes matched because of the magical enchantment that was imbued into their gear.

“Private Crimson Cross, Combat medic. I was instructed to meet up with my unit.” He replied, trying to keep his voice strong and sure as he stood at attention, awaiting the approval of the gatekeepers.

The first guardsmen looked towards the second, unsaid words seeming to pass between them. After what seemed like an eternity, the guard who had addressed him nodded. Some third member of the entourage must have seen this as with a thunk the gate slowly creaked open. "You may proceed."

As he passed through the gatehouse, the main courtyard of the barracks came into view. The several other Guardponies were dispersed around the area, the majority running exercises with squad mates but a few either lingering around looking unsure or standing at attention.

It was a rather varied space. A mustering area was positioned near the gate along with a grassed area on the eastern wall which was lined with racks of various training weapons. Several ponies were making use of them in fenced off makeshift arenas, the resounding clang of weapons clashing rang out periodically. The western wall was occupied with both Unicorns firing magic at targets and Pegasi wielding crossbows. The schwip of bolts being launched and arcane humming of spells filled the area. The combined noise gave the area a very lively feel.

Observing his surroundings, Crimson thought to himself about his next move. Ok, now that I have made it, I think I was supposed to wait for a Lieutenant Quarry…. What did the messenger say he looked like again? He looked around at the ponies present and tried to spot anypony matching the description he had been given. “Dark forest green with a grey mane… I think.” He pondered out loud. “I may have gotten here a mite early.”

Not seeing a match, he instead focused on the others in the area. His attention fell on the sparring Guardponies, watching an Earth Pony armed with steel horseshoes attempted to subdue his opponent armed with a short sword. Hovering at a reasonable height, two Pegasai circled each other with spears, waiting for the other to make the first move. He cringed as a flail wielding guard landed a heavy hit on a unicorn wielding a shield with her magic. As the shield cracked and the Unicorn staggered, a voice to his left spoke.

“So, you made it.”

Crimson yelped, and the hairs on his withers stood on end. Facing the voice, he saw it was the same Pegasus that had given him directions earlier. “You gonna make a habit of appearing like that? Dang near jumped out of my coat…” he grumbled.

The Pegasus didn’t seem to have any discernible reaction to Crimsons question, seeming to want to appear as neutral as possible. “I’m Private Nimbus” Once again the peculiar manner of his voice stood out. The only actual sign of movement was the fact his eyes were not quite as lidded, though they seemed as dull as before.

“Uh… nice to meet you, I’m…” Crimson started before he was interrupted.

“Crimson Cross, combat medic” Nimbus interjected. This pony was putting Crimson on edge. The fact he already knew his name made him quite unsure of his motives. An awkward silence hung between them briefly.

“If ya don’t mind me askin’, how is it you know me already? Does it have something to do with why you helped me out earlier?” Crimson asked, trepidation creeping into his voice. If Nimbus noticed he was becoming uncomfortable, he didn't acknowledge it.

“I saw your name and picture when I was looking through the folders that they had prepared about us.” Nimbus answered plainly before pointing his head towards another pony in the courtyard. “Yours and hers, they were in the same section as mine. Had to see what they knew about me.” The slightest hint of emotion crept into his voice as he admitted that, but it had left as quickly as it appeared.

“So… you know me from snooping around. I guess it’s good to know, but I ain’t sure it makes me feel any better.” Crimson responded before something about what Nimbus had said clicked. “Wait, same section? Does that mean you have been assigned to the RTU as well?”.

“That is correct. Along with Private Snow Step, who is currently launching icy projectiles at that target with great zeal.” He looked at Crimson before turning towards the unicorn he referred to. “I believe we should acquaint ourselves with our fellow recruit before our ranking officer arrives.”

Crimson held a foreleg out to stop Nimbus from immediately marching over, the nonplussed Pegasus tilting his head slightly as if to ask why his progress had been impeded. “Just before you trot on over there, it might not be a bad idea to let her introduce herself first. Greeting ponies the way you did to me doesn't leave a good first impression usually.” He attempted to explain.

“From what I have read about her, I think she would react positively to such an introduction.” He turned and looked at Crimson. “She responds well to people paying attention to her and stroking her ego.”

“How could you know..." Crimson whipped his head around. "Wait a second, you did more than just spot our files while lookin’ for yours, didn’t you?” he accused, frowning at the seemingly undeterred Pegasus. “That ain’t right to do, you know? Snooping into stuff you ain’t supposed to have seen. Reading about the past of ponies you ain’t met yet.” He then pondered to himself about what they would have about his life in the files. There was a lot that he would not be comfortable with a stranger knowing.

“I have information that will help us. Does it matter how I obtained it? How do you think I found you lost in the fashion district instead of nearing your destination?” Nimbus argued, once again attempting to move past Crimson.

He offered no resistance this time, now thoroughly troubled about what specific bit of information had been gathered in the dossier that allowed the Pegasus to come to that conclusion. “What kind of information gathering experts do they have that could find that kinda stuff out?” He grumbled.

Now clear of impediments, Nimbus walked over to where Snow Step continued to impale a hay target with icicles. Crimson hesitated before deciding that he would rather not risk her getting the same blunt introduction from the seemingly tactless Pegasus that he had received. Stepping in front of Nimbus just as he was about to talk, he cleared his throat.

“Hey there ma’am. Mighty impressive display I must admit.” Crimson said with a forehoof pointed towards the thoroughly obliterated target. Nimbus simply raised an eyebrow but didn’t seem to be annoyed about being cut off, simply ruffling his feathers slightly and letting things play out.

The unicorn in question simply turned around and regarded the pair of them with a smug grin and let out a laugh that was haughty and light as a cool morning wind. “Well, it’s good to see that somepony around here appreciates fine spell work! I assure you that is but a fraction of what I can achieve.” She boasted, her silvery voice almost seeming to flow through the air, her icy blue eyes shining with pride. Then suddenly, they seemed to light up with a competitive fire, and she gave a challenging grin “What say we go a few rounds; let us have a bout and I will show you what I can really do!”

“Uh, no thanks ma’am, I don’t really fancy myself ending up like that target.” Crimson uttered nervously, waving his hoof in front of himself rapidly.

“Hmm. Well, if you don’t want to fight, you must have another reason for approaching me. Perhaps you are fans?” She asked hopefully. She struck a pose and swished her mane dramatically before proclaiming. “It has been quite a while since my last fight, but I am sure I left a lasting impression, no?”

Crimson was just about to clarify that he did not know what fights she was referring to before Nimbus interjected. “Yes, we are fans. That last match between you and Coal Volley was very impressive. I believe several of the nearby structures were significantly structurally weakened.”

Crimson wasn’t sure if what the odd Unicorn was trying to display was supposed to be enthusiasm, but he at least seemed to get the reaction out of the her he was hoping for. A sneer appeared on her face.Probably something else he read in her file. He thought.

“HAH! That fire slinging thug couldn’t be impressive if his life depended on it. One day I will get my revenge on that imbecile…” She seethed momentarily before regaining her composure. “Well, you both obviously know my name, but as a formality I suppose I better introduce myself. I am Snow Step, part of the Canterlot nobility and now a Guardpony. My designation is technically ice mage, but I prefer Ice magic prodigy. It has more panache, don't you agree!” she added with flair.

She emphasised this by summoning several small balls of ice, all perfectly circular, and angled them so that they sparkled in the light of now mid-afternoon sun, causing them to shimmer beautifully.

“Uh, yeah it sure does ma'am... I'm Crimson Cross, combat medic from the frontier town of Dusty Springs, pleasure to meet you, Snow Step. Loved your uh…fights” Crimson replied. He assumed he better go along with Nimbus’ assertion that they were admirers of Snow Steps forays into what he assumed were less than legal magical melees. He was also rather enraptured by Snow Step’s magical display.

“Nimbus, from Manehattan. Scouting specialist.” Nimbus added simply.

“Ah, fellow recruits! I don’t suppose you are here to meet up with your unit then?” She smiled and let the orbs dissipate. Crimson and Nimbus both nodded, the former quite happy that she figured that out herself rather than Nimbus bringing the topic up and probably offending her.

“Well, isn’t that fine news? If you are lucky enough to be assigned with me, I will have plenty of opportunities to show you the extent of my magical power!” she let out a confident cackle. Just as she was about to continue, a voice from across the yard bellowed.

“Privates Crimson Cross, Snow Step and Nimbus. Report to my position!” All three of the recruits turned their heads towards the source of the voice, Lieutenant Quarry.

He was standing by the gates, near the mustering area. Now equipped in his RTU battle Barding, he cut an imposing figure. Though lighter than the standard issue Guardpony Armor distributed to most of the troops, it still covered all the vital areas of importance. Instead of the attention drawing gold, it was an Earthen brown in colouration.

The helmet similarly followed the same design of its more heavily armoured counterpart, a red plume adorning it marking Quarry as unit leader. A stern half-frown was plastered on his face as he looked towards the three of them, making it clear that he knew exactly whom he was seeking.

“Well, it looks like we are being summoned, and that answers the question of our assignments astutely.” Snow Step noted, looking at Quarry appraisingly. “Quite a large gentlecolt, yes? Commanding voice as well. Good show. I must ask him to spar in the future.” She began trotting over to their commanding officer’s position before turning back and waving them forward. “Come along, wouldn’t want to keep him waiting, no?”

Crimson looked nervously at Nimbus, who simply turned his head impassively towards Quarry before also trotting over. Steeling his nerves once again, he made to follow the other two. Once they had all arrived, they stood at attention, waiting for Quarry to address them.

“Welcome to the RTU recruits, My name is Lieutenant Quarry. In a moment, the other two ponies assigned to this unit will arrive, and I will brief you on what is expected of you while you are under my command and what this unit’s primary task is.” Quarry began. As he spoke, he also watched how they were reacting.

Much as he expected after reading about them in the last hour, Snow Step looked eager, Crimson Cross looked slightly pale if not determined, and Nimbus seemed to show no outward emotion in either direction, the embodiment of neutrality. “But, until Sergeant Steel Wing and Specialist Bluebell arrive, we will wait here, understood?” He ordered.

Quarry received a chorus of “Yes, Lieutenant!” from the three of them and nodded. He thought he saw Snow Step shift at the mention of the second name, but he passed it off as imagination for the moment.

Out of the corner of his vision, he spotted movement by the gatehouse, and a shadow of a smirk appeared on his muzzle. “Though we won’t be waiting for very long, it seems.” He spotted Steel Wind trotting through the gate cheerily, followed by a ragged unicorn, his dark grey form resting one hoof against the side of the wall. Both were also equipped in their Barding. The only distinguishable difference was the blue plume on the helmet they both wore contrasting Quarry's red.

“Come on Bluebell, we don’t want to keep them waiting, do we?” Steel Wind called back eagerly. Bluebell snarled at her in response, the evidence of how much he had been exerted clear by the shortness of his breathing and the droplets of sweat falling from his navy-blue mane.

He craned his neck towards the cheery Pegasus, who looked no worse for wear from what must have been a gallop to arrive on time. “This had better be worth the effort Steel, as if dragging me away from my studies wasn’t enough….” He inhaled deeply, slowly regaining his breath.

Steel fluttered towards him, encouraging the winded unicorn to keep moving. “What could be more exciting than meeting your new squad mates? Chin up, you want to make a good impression, don't you?”. His blue eyes glared daggers at her.

The recruits and Quarry watched from their position, not able to pick up on the words being spoken. Quarry noticed that Snow Step was paying particular attention to Bluebell. Now convinced that he hadn’t imagined something earlier, he kept an eye on her.

“ …there are countless many more interesting things. But it seems my hoof has been forced, so let’s get this over and done with.” Bluebell’s voice became discernible, the pair having walked over after he had caught his breath. “Lieutenant Quarry, Sir. Specialist Bluebell reporting.” He gave a salute to his officer, not having shifted to look at the recruits yet.

“Heya Quarry, dragged the grouch out of the archives!” She turned enthusiastically to the recruits after her lazy wing salute to Quarry, ignoring the hole Bluebell's death stare was now boring into the back of her skull. “Nice to meet you all.” Her demeanour seemed to brighten even more when she spotted Snow Step for some unknown reason.

Bluebell sighed and turned as well, not really looking enthusiastic about being roped into the meet and greet. “I suppose I should introduce myself as well…” Suddenly his eyes widened in shock. The rest of the assembled RTU wondered what might have earned the unicorn’s attention. Well, all but one, who was now giving Bluebell a toothy grin. “Snow Step?!”

“Hey Bluey! Long time no see.”

Who will hold the line?

Author's Note

I would like to profusely thank everyone who read the first chapter, 70 views is a lot more than I would have expected to even have glance at the story, so for those who are sticking with it thank you again. And to Midnight Breeze who I have been bouncing idea's of and who has helping me proofread for nearly a month now, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This is the second of what I deem to be the introductory chapters, things should pick up steam soon, but all the same I hope they didn't drag.

You ever notice that sometimes you don't spot grammar mistakes until you upload something...cause I certainly do now. Once again if anything is spotted I am open to any and and all suggestions and criticism, or if any blaring character inconsistencies smack you across the head while you are reading, feel free to point that out as well.

-PeakieB

Who will hold the line?

One hour earlier, Canterlot Archives...

To say that Bluebell was getting frustrated would be an understatement.

Usually, the grey unicorn found great comfort in the towering bookshelves and magical artifacts that the Canterlot Archives offered, but for now the repository of information only contained dead ends. Muzzle deep in a tome, with many more lined up carefully on an old oaken table, he scanned the words at a lightning pace before letting out an annoyed grunt, closing the book and grabbing another with his magic.

Inhaling deeply, he tried to calm his slowly worsening mood. The familiar aroma of old paper and wax candles filled his senses, and the dim throbbing in the back of his head subsided slightly. He had spent the best part of the last week on this subject, and he was starting to think it fruitless.

Inspecting the title of his newest reading material, ‘Magisters guide to Mystical Artifacts’, he heard a noise amongst the usually still air. Twitching his ears, he tried to determine what it could be, noting that it was rhythmic but still fairly distant. “Hmm... it could almost be flapping. But everypony knows better than to fly around in the archives, well almost everypony...” He murmured to himself, a low sharp voice that resonated with the typical accent of a Canterlot commoner.

Gazing upward, he saw sunbeams shining through the dome above the giant golden hourglass that was the centrepiece of the Starswirl the Bearded wing. out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a flash of light blue and immediately knew who the culprit was.

Zipping between various rows of bookshelves was a familiar Pegasus, who was whipping her head around, seemingly on the hunt for something, or more likely, somepony. “Blast... there is only one reason she would come to the Starswirl wing...” He grumbled. That reason, he surmised, would be to find him.

Accepting his fate, he closed his book and trotted towards her, rather than waiting in the vain hope she would miss him. He knew her well enough to dismiss that idea; she was too sharp-eyed and meticulous for that. There was a reason she was such an efficient scout.

Believing he was close enough to be heard without shouting, which would incur the wrath of the librarian, he called out in a cutting whisper. “Steel Wind, I am down here. Cease your incessant flapping.” She snapped her head in his direction, her equally sharp hearing picking up his voice with ease.

“Aha! There you are, Bluebell! Been looking for you for a while.” Steel admitted, gesturing wildly with her front legs. “This place is gigantic! How do you find your way around here?” Bluebell cringed at the volume of her voice, gesturing for her to lower it. “Oops! Sorry, Haha... I guess I should come down.”

“I am set up by that desk, though I am sure you are about to cut this ‌particular study session short.” He gestured towards his research material, making his way back and sitting once again. Steel dipped into a careful hover, landing silently on a part of the table not occupied by various volumes. Bluebell went back to reading the book he had closed moments ago.

“Sooo... whatcha been reading?”. She asked in a singsong tone. Bluebell indicated to his left with a shift of his head. Steel tilted her head sideways, trying to read the various titles as they were stacked. “Well, it looks like magical theory, but I could have guessed at that already. That’s all you ever read.”

She poked at one tome that had been set aside from the others. “You ever try reading something exciting? A good mystery perhaps?” She turned eagerly to him. "I have a book called ‘ Peril at Horseshoe Bay', it's a ghost story, filled with high seas adventure! I am sure you would love it. "

“I appreciate the recommendation Steel, but I prefer my works to be Non-Fiction.” Bluebell replied, not looking away from his page. She shrugged, continuing looking at his books.

“What is this one... ‘Enhancing your magical potency’?” She looked towards him with an expression he had seen before, on the faces of many ponies. Pity. He hated it. “Oh Bluebell... you’re not still on this, are you?”

He loured and snatched the book away from her, his white magical glow surrounding it before he held it to his chest. “Still dealing with the one thing that has plagued me since I got this cutie mark, you mean.” He glowered at the source of his ire. On his flank was a representation of an open book, magic radiating off it. He then glared up at Steel Wind. “You have a reason for coming here, yes? Spit it out.”

Steel looked at him apologetically, not meaning to salt the Unicorn’s wounds. “Well, Quarry is summoning us. The unit is assembling on the hour in the barracks.”. She informed him. He grunted, acknowledging that he had gotten the message, and continued reading. Steel looked at the clock and surmised that they still had time before they would have to head out.

Continuing to read the titles of his books, she noted they all seemed to be related to magical enhancement in one way or another. “You have to be incredibly careful with this stuff, Bluebell. Especially meddling with magical artifacts.” She warned him. “I could name several unicorns in recent times who walked this path, and it always bit them in the flank in the end.”

“I know that! Who is the arcane historian here, Steel?”. He asked rhetorically and huffed in annoyance. “I am well aware of the damage these esoteric objects can cause when used irresponsibly.” Pointing to the book about magical artifacts. “What I am looking for is a connection between them. A root spell that could have been applied to them in their creation.”

“That also seems like a dangerous thing to tamper with. Have you tried writing to some other magical experts?” Steel suggested as she looked thoughtful. “Starswirl, maybe Princess Twilight? That seems like...” She was cut off by Bluebell as he slammed the publication shut, startling her.

“No, it needs to be me! It can’t be somepony else!” He snapped. In a lower voice he muttered and looked at the wooden floor. “Especially not her...” Several of the other occupants of the area turned their heads and looked in their direction, more than a few glares aimed at him and his outburst.

Across from him, Steel had her mouth pursed into a thin line, her ears drooping, and eyes filled with worry. He sighed and ran his hoof through his mane. “Look, I know you are just trying to help, but this is important to me. It is something I need to solve on my own.” He then decided he wanted to change the subject before he had to reveal more than he wanted to. “So, why is it we are gathering?” he inquired.

Steel seemed to hesitate, not sure if she wanted to drop the subject. He is probably not in the mood to reveal more now, and Bluebell doesn’t respond well to being probed for answers. Best to drop it. Mark my words Bluebell, we will talk about this later. She decided before responding with her usual cheer.

“We are gathering to meet some new members of the unit! Give them the RTU history rundown, introduce ourselves, you know, the usual. Surely that’s worth leaving the archives for a bit, isn’t it?” She answered, looking at him eagerly. The deadpan stare she got in return wasn’t what she was hoping for. “Oh, come on, Bluebell! It’s not like I’m asking you to dress up and do the Polka.” She cried out in exasperation.

“Why bother? We have done this song and dance several times in the last few months. What makes you think they are not just going to ask for re-assignment like the last lot?” Shaking his head when she didn’t offer an answer, he returned to his reading. “That’s what I figured. I think I would rather stay here with my books.”

She frowned and clopped her hoof on the table to get him to look at her. “I know that’s what you would rather do, but unfortunately for you this is mandatory. Direct orders from Quarry.” She let a mischievous smirk find its way onto her face. “And if you don’t come, he is going to have your archives pass revoked!”

That got the reaction she was looking for. Bluebell’s head jolted upright; his eyes wide and ears standing at attention. “He wouldn’t do that! I need access to the archives for our missions and my magical threat identification duties! He must be bluffing!” He cried out, trying to seem sure of himself. Steel however could see how rattled he was at the prospect of being barred from where he spent most of his free time.

“Are you willing to take that risk? Quarry rarely says something he doesn’t mean. Besides, it will be good for you and the squad’s unity. You might even make a friend.” She flapped her wings before hovering over and playfully poked him in the side. “You know what a friend is, yeah? I can explain the concept if you’d like.”

Bluebell batted her away with one of his books, and she let out a chuckle before dodging out of the way of the literature turned weapon.

“I have a friend for your information. One who doesn’t constantly pester me to make more.” He encompassed the books he wasn’t interested in keeping in a telekinetic grip. “I suppose if I must attend, we better get moving. We still have to don our barding before the hour is up.” He said without enthusiasm.

Steel was intrigued, hovering around him as he carefully placed back one tome at a time to their proper places. “Oooh, tell me! What is this lucky pony’s name? I would love to meet them!” she rubbed her forehooves together eagerly.

“Her name is Snow Step, a noble in Canterlot. I haven’t seen her since I joined up with the guard. We send letters.” He revealed, before cantering towards the counter to check out the books he was taking with him. “Now let’s get this meeting over with so I can go back to studying.” He didn’t look back towards Steel Wind, but if he did, he would have seen her looking slightly shocked, but and with a wide cheshire grin.

“Oh, this is gonna be golden.” Quickly looking at the clock, she noticed that they would have to hurry to make it on time. Not that she minded, with what she had just learned, the assembly at the barracks promised to be interesting.

∞

Back in the present...

“Hey Bluey, long time no see.”

The silence between the assembled members of the RTU was palpable. A wind blew through the barracks, the scorching afternoon sun beating down on them. Crimson Cross privately thought all that was missing from this standoff was for a tumbleweed to roll on through.

As Bluebell continued to stare at Snow Step like she had grown a second head, Nimbus seemed slightly puzzled, Quarry watched impassively, and Steel Wind looked about ready to explode in excitement.

Her grin transforming into a soft smirk, Snow Step was clearly quite pleased with Bluebell’s reaction. “Why Bluebell, speechless? How unlike you.”

“So, you two are already acquainted?” Quarry asked. His words seemed to wake Bluebell from his stupor, though he seemed to have trouble finding his usually extensive vocabulary. Steel found this quite amusing, her face radiating mirth. It wasn’t often she got to see him flustered twice in a day.

“Uh, yes, Lieutenant. We have known each other for some time, we attended Celestia’s school of gifted unicorns together.” He answered, talking quite fast and sweating slightly, though whether this was from feeling uncomfortable or if he was still recovering from running to the barracks was up for debate. He seemed to be desperately trying to downplay the fact that he had been caught completely off guard.

Snow Step, clearly not satisfied with this answer, let out a dramatic gasp. “Oh Bluey, you wound me! We have known each other since we were foals! We did much more than just...” she then attempted to imitate Bluebell’s voice. “Attend Princess Celestia’s School at the same time.” As she said this, she moved forward and wrapped her hoof around Bluebell’s withers and gave a friendly hug. The grey Unicorn’s face took a shade of red. “We practically grew up together!”

Ruffling his mane, which earned her a scowl, she released him and turned to Quarry. “But I believe our reunion can wait for the time being. We have some official matters to take care of, no?” Bluebell stood as still as a statue.

Steel Wind’s mirth had transformed into interest. She had known Bluebell for some time now, and he was not a pony fond of close physical contact. Had anyone else attempted to embrace him they would have been on the receiving end of the nearest blunt object, but apparently Snow Step was the exception. “Hmm... close friends indeed.” She whispered.

“Uh... Yes! I believe we should get to the matter at hoof!” Bluebell agreed rather quickly, obviously quite uncomfortable with being the centre of attention. He noticed Crimson hiding a grin behind his hoof and Nimbus watching him intently. The Pegasus’ unblinking stare unnerving him slightly.

Satisfied that this slight distraction was out of the way, Quarry stomped his hoof. The sharp noise of a horseshoe on cobblestone drew their gaze, and they all stood stiffly at attention, barring Steel Wind, who maintained her relaxed stance. “Now that we are all gathered, I would ask that the newest additions to the RTU introduce themselves formally.” His booming voice had their complete focus. “Step forward and state your name and designation.”

Unsurprisingly, Snow Step was first up. “Private First class, Snow Step! Combat mage, ice magic specialist!” She announced with flair, giving a very formal and confident salute before stepping back alongside her fellow recruits.

Next up was Crimson Cross, moving up and puffing his chest out, readying himself. “Private First class, Crimson Cross! Combat medic. Pleased to meet y’all.” His salute was not as practiced and precise as Snow Steps, it being slightly more rigid. Quarry gave him a nod before looking at the last of the inductees.

Nimbus simply stepped forward, and without the volume or enthusiasm of the last two plainly stated, “Private First class, Nimbus. Scout and Crossbow pony.” He gave a brief salute and stepped back.

Quarry looked satisfied, and then he introduced the others. “Very well, as you have likely guessed, standing before you are your remaining unit mates.” He held his hoof towards Steel Wind. “To my left is your Sargent, Steel Wind. Specialising in scouting, negotiations, and Equestrian history. She is also my Adjutant and second in command.”

Steel took off her helmet, holding it under her foreleg. Her cerulean mane was slightly flattened out, the white tips drooping towards the floor. She gave the recruits an enthusiastic wave and a beaming smile. “Come and talk to me about any concerns you have! If I had an office, I would say the door is always open!”

Quarry nodded in affirmation before gesturing to his right. “And this is Specialist Bluebell, our generalist magic user and Arcane expert.”

“If you have any magical related maladies or queries, please come and see me. But please do not waste my time with trivialities.” He affirmed, hopeful that he had given the recruits the message that his time was not to be wasted. He then saw Snow Step, who seemed to be still smirking at him. Well, most of the recruits probably got the message...

“And I am Lieutenant Quarry, as I stated earlier. Besides overseeing this squad and its missions, I am trained in tracking and general combat.” He declared before straightening to his full height and looking pointedly at his unit. “I don’t expect perfect regimental discipline, but what do I expect is that you, from this day forward, give your all in making sure that we succeed at any assignment we are entrusted with, no matter how mundane or trivial it may seem.”

Relaxing his stance slightly, he continued, “But, I imagine you are curious about what kind of tasks this unit undertakes.” He then gestured to the other side of the barracks courtyard behind the sparring area. There was a tunnel entrance etched into the wall that seemed to lead underground. “That will be explained shortly. For now, we are relocating to a room that has been set aside for us. Sargent, if you will.”

“Ok Recruits, fall in behind me. We are on the move!” Steel placed her helmet back on her head and gestured for the rest to follow. As the rest of them advanced, Nimbus looked nervously at the poorly lit doorway, his feet firmly planted. The dim interior caused him to seize up momentarily. Quarry walked up and stood beside the petrified pegasus.

“Something troubling you , Private?” Quarry Questioned, raising an eyebrow at him.

“No sir, all under control, sir.” Nimbus stiffly replied. Before forcing himself forward rigidly and catching up to Crimson, who was at the tail of the procession following Steel Wind. Quarry watched the Pegasus for a few more seconds, noting his hesitation to enter the doorway as something to discuss with Steel later. He then made his own way towards the entrance to the barracks underground.

∞

Several minutes later, Canterlot Barracks sub level 1, meeting room.

The meeting room was lit by candelabras from the walls in six separate locations evenly spaced around it, casting it in a yellow hue.

The room seated a fairly large number of ponies, but as of right now only four of the twenty chairs in the room were taken. Bluebell, Crimson Cross and Snow Step were in the front row, but Nimbus had situated himself two rows back, as close to a light source as he could be. Crimson looked over his shoulder at the pegasus, his strange behaviors seemingly never ceasing.

Turning back around, he looked toward the front of the room where Quarry and Steel were both standing. A piece of equipment recognised as a projector was in front of them, Steel fiddling with it and inserting wires. He was eagerly awaiting whatever they had to say.

To his left, Snow Step whispered to Bluebell. “The lighting in this room reminds me of the time we went to that raunchy stand-up comedy night.” She looked towards Steel Wind. “The Sargent seems like the type of pony who would know a few splendid jokes I imagine.”

Bluebell simply rubbed his hoof against his face. “You have no idea, Snow...” He was recalling a rather poor joke that involved a skeleton walking into a bar. He let out an involuntary groan at recollection.

Quarry cleared his throat to get their attention, apparently satisfied that Steel had gotten the projector working.
She Inserted a slide onto the device and flicked a switch. A screen behind them lit up, the letters RTU above an emblem projected on it.

"Continuing where I left off, the broad assignment of the RTU is to track down and eliminate or otherwise neutralise the natural threats across Equestria that may endanger pony lives and livelihoods. This can include anything from monster incursions to assisting with natural disaster rescue." He pointed a hoof over his shoulder at the projector screen. “For those who cannot help themselves, ponies wearing that emblem are the first and sometimes only line of defence.”

“Oh! Quite elegant!” Snow Step noted excitedly as she sat forward in her chair to get a closer look. Shaped like a round shield with spikes around its edge, the green emblem displayed the silhouette of an old, withered tree, its leaves having long since deserted it. The deadened trunk sported the EUP star, alluding to their greater affiliation to the overarching guard forces. A simple design to be sure, but one that held a deeper meaning to the RTU’s history.

Quarry inclined his head towards Steel Wind, who at this signal stepped forward. She had taken on a more serious demeanour; her face etched into a thin frown and her eyes sharp. He knew that look, often reserving it for situations like this. She was focusing, ready to enthrall ponies with a tale. I really should watch one of her recitals at some point. I bet she has the audience eating out of her hoof.

Indeed, she was focusing, deep in thought. Ok, show time. Make these ponies proud to be one of us. Quarry wants to show the importance of our work, and I will do my best to convey that! She stood in silence, and once she was sure all eyes were on her, she began.

“The Royal Tracking Unit has a long and proud heritage dating back to the early Celestial era, with it only recently having been re-established. The tree etched onto our emblem shows a significant moment in our history.” Steel paused for dramatic effect, her love of storytelling taking hold, passion in evident in her every syllable.

“Back when wild and magical beasts still roamed freely throughout pony lands, the RTU was created when a coalition of Guardponies gathered to repel an invasion of Ophiotaruses. They had their sights set on the fledgeling town where Vanhoover now stands. A local Pegasus by the name of Sight Seeker was the first to identify the threat and the one who rallied the forces.”

She was gesturing with her forelegs as she continued, her voice rising with defiance as she told of the gathering of the guard. Crimson Cross, wide eyed, looked positively taken, Steel’s way with words resonating with him. Nimbus watched on with his usual passiveness. Snow Step, who was a fan of theatrics, was also quite enjoying Steel Wind's enthusiasm.

As the three recruits listened intently to the tale, Bluebell and Quarry watched on. The latter, though he outwardly kept on his mask of stoicism, was enjoying Steel Winds retelling. You have a love of the dramatic Sargent, and you draw ponies into a story like I could only dream.

“They gathered at the edge of the Galloping Gorge, east of the Bearberry Brush. An old dead tree, still standing despite the abuse of weather and time, was where they organised a rendezvous. That same tree is what we wear proudly on our badge to commemorate the occasion.” She proclaimed, emphasising her words by pointing proudly to her own badge, fastened to her barding.

“Did they manage to hold those bull snake varmints back?!” Crimson Cross blurted out, his red orbs gleaming with worry. Bluebell rolled his eyes, having heard this story many times before, and it had lost some of its impact for him. Just you wait till you see what most of our work is like. He thought sourly.

Steel Wind nodded, but soberly continued. “They did, but it cost a fair number of lives. Of the 30 guards that stood their ground that day, half perished, including Sight Seeker.”

Crimson gulped, the thought of death made him squeamish, but he held his nerve. There was a reason he had joined the guard, and his own thoughts on his mortality would not hold him back. Ponies were counting on him.

“The horde of Ophiotaruses numbered in the hundreds, but the Guardponies held the line until backup arrived.” She was hovering without noticing, so caught up she was in her retelling. “Without those brave founding members of the RTU laying everything on the line, Vanhoover may never have survived to become the city it is today!”

As Crimson and Snow Step continued to take in Steel Winds’ tale, Nimbus could not help but wonder something. Not one to sugar-coat his words, he raised his concerns rather bluntly. “Those gathered here make up the combined ranks of the unit correct?” The question made Steel look towards him, the wind taken out of her sails, so to speak.

“Yes, Nimbus. Why do you ask?”. She responded, curious about what brought on the question.

“If our duties were like those described in your account, surely we are horrendously understaffed.” He stated.

Quarry cleared his throat, wanting to be the one to address Nimbus’ query. “An accurate observation, Nimbus. The duties we undertake currently do not require a large force. The days of coordinated attacks from vast hordes of monsters are mostly behind us. We deal with isolated incidents for the time being.” He explained. “Should we be needed in a larger capacity, we would be allocated more recruits.”

Snow Step was about to add her two bits to the discussion, but Nimbus beat her to the punch. “So, the RTU is a shadow of its former self then?” There was no malice in the words, just what he saw as facts.

Steel Wind stopped hovering immediately, taken aback by the tactless statement. Bluebell let out a guffaw and Crimson Cross wondered if the Pegasus always spoke his mind so clearly. Snow Step simply looked annoyed at being interrupted.

Quarry, having expected this from reading about Nimbus’ mannerisms in his portfolio, simply kept his expression neutral and simply responded. “A rather blunt way of putting it. But yes.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Nimbus said, nodding his appreciation, seemingly happy enough with how the question had been addressed.

Nimbus was actually quite pleased with this information, though he kept his disinterested countenance. A smaller unit means less chance to draw attention. That also means I can remain under the radar and etch out a comfortable enough living. He looked around at the dim room once more and shuddered. I must also figure out how to avoid coming to these meetings if they are held underground.

“Well, that is slightly disappointing. I was hoping to give a manticore or two some frostbite...” Snow Step admitted. She had thought she was signing up for one of the more combat heavy assignments when she followed Bluebell into the unit. “Well, hopefully an opportunity will present itself. Say Lieutenant, what manner of beast gave you that impressive-looking scar?”

Crimson nearly choked at the audacity of the question. “You know it ain't real polite to ask someone about their scars, Snow Step. There could be all sorts of terrible memories mixed up in that!” He sputtered out. She merely shrugged indifferently before looking back towards Quarry, seeing if he would answer.

Bluebell let out a sigh, this line of conversation having been raised before. I wonder if Quarry and Steel will be as tight-lipped about it as when I asked the same question.

While the room was focused on Quarry, Steel Wind had frozen up. Her pupils shrank and her breathing picked up its pace dramatically. At the mention of Quarry’s scar and its origin, in her mind’s eye she saw a memory she wished desperately to forget. A predatory screech, her yelling in pain as her wings were crushed in a large talon. Quarry bleeding heavily from his foreleg as he carried her to safety. She ruffled her wings uncomfortably, the muscles remembering the wounds that she had received that day.

Quarry, quite attuned to the mannerisms of his Sargent noticed that Steel Wind was looking slightly distressed at where the conversation was headed. It was time to change subjects. “That is not a story I wish to tell currently. Perhaps under different circumstances.” Steel discretely breathed in deeply, calming herself and attempting to banish the memory to the void.

Snow Step grumbled but acceded to his wishes. “That is fair, I suppose. Though I am sure it was valiant and daring tale…” Quarry shook his head, and thought of something else he wanted to address. It also served as a good enough excuse to shift the discussion.

“Moving on, I would like to address one thing while combat is the topic at hand. We don’t go looking for unnecessary fights in this unit. Should something present itself as a threat that needs to be removed, we will act accordingly. However, there are many situations that can be solved without resorting to violence. Do I make myself clear?”. He gave a pointed look at Snow Step.

“Yes, Lieutenant.” They affirmed, though Snow Step seemed quite irked at being the obvious target of that statement.

Steel Wind gave him a subtle incline of her head, grateful that her lieutenant had avoided the touchy topic. Bluebell scowled, annoyed that once again the circumstances of Quarry and Steel’s apparently traumatic shared past had eluded him.

“Excellent. Steel Wind, please continue.” Quarry coaxed.

Steel was happy to continue, a welcome distraction from the vivid memories. As she began anew, Crimson noted that it lacked some of the ardour that was present before, though she still seemed to have her heart in it. Regardless, he was quite eager to hear the rest of her historic recital.

“After the incident at Bearberry Brush and Galloping Gorge, Celestia officially made the surviving ponies the first unit members of the RTU, officially making it a branch of the Royal Guard. The Cockatrice culling, the Rout of the fearsome Rompo and many more triumphs during this era are attributed to this group.” Her zeal seemed to fade away, foreshadowing the original dissolution of the RTU.

“As places where wild magic and dangerous beasts were rampant slowly faded away or were dealt with, there was less and less need for the unit, at least in the same capacity as before.” Her voice carried a certain melancholy tone to it. “Its numbers dwindled, either retiring or being reassigned until eventually the unit was disbanded. Small skirmishes with the occasional beast or natural hazard could be dealt with by the regular guard.” She bowed her head, winding the tale to its conclusion. "Eventually, it like many things from that time faded away, forgotten by all but a few. That is what became of the original RTU."

Now that it was clear the story had ended, Snow Step stomped her hooves in approval, Crimson joining in. “Bravo Sargent, I'm impressed. You have quite a talent for recounting history!” She frowned suddenly, realising a piece was missing from the tale. “That does however raise the question of what we are doing here now. What led to the re-establishment of this once defunct organisation?”

“Mighty fine tale, but I was wondering the same thing.” Crimson agreed. Nimbus offered a nod as well, confirming he shared the thoughts of his fellow recruits.

Quarry took back the lead of the proceedings, communicating his thanks to Steel Wind for her efforts with a nod of approval. "I can answer that question. Several years ago, events I witnessed led me to believe that a section of the guard that specialised in a fast and efficient response to monster attacks was needed once again. It may not be as apparent in places such as Canterlot and towns close to it, but things are getting dangerous for ponykind once more."

Crimson grimaced, quite familiar with the hazardous nature of the frontier lands he called home. Although he admired the guard forces, they had often been too slow on the scene to save a pony in distress or had been ill-equipped to deal with the unfamiliar landscape and the challenges it presented. Part of the reason he had joined was to bring his knowledge of dealing with those conditions to the guard where it could be used for good.

“After gaining an audience with Princess Celestia and raising my concerns, she informed me of the former RTU. It seemed to fit the bill, so I along with several others sought to bring the unit back to active duty. Obviously, there is more to it than that, but that would require a much longer retelling and we are running out of sunlight today.” Quarry concluded. “Any other questions regarding our history?”

When the recruits responded with silence, he flipped the projector off and smirked. “Ok then, story time is over! Let’s get you fitted in your gear.” He stomped his hoof on the ground once again, the recruits quickly realising it meant it was time to stand at attention. They rose out of their seats.

“Bluebell, Steel Wind. You are dismissed, reconvene outside the bunkhouse at 0700 tomorrow. Recruits! Double time to the Quartermaster! Lets get a move on!”. Quarry ordered and set a steady pace as he exited the room, Crimson and Nimbus nodding farewell to Steel Wind and Bluebell as they pursued him.

Before Snow Step followed suit, Bluebell called out to her. “I will meet you at the bunkhouse in a few hours, we need to talk.”

“Looking forward to it Bluey, hopefully by then I will have something that matches your ensemble. Haha!” She said, inspecting his gear. “Quite fetching for guard armour, I must say. Although I think I would have looked dazzling in gold! Tah Tah!” she teased as she cantered away, giving him a dramatic wave of her hoof as she left the room.

Steel Wind stretched out her feathers and made her way beside him. “It always takes it out of me, telling that story.” she yawned. “But, what do you think of our recruits? Snow Step seemed happy to see you.”

“The only thing I am sure of after that ordeal is I need something hard to drink.” Bluebell moaned. The meeting with Snow Step had clearly left him drained. “It’s good to see Snow and all, but she can be a bit...” he searched for the words.

“Over the top?” Steel offered. Bluebell just shrugged. “Maybe now you can appreciate my subtle ways.” She smirked at him.

“You are about as subtle as a buffalo in a tap-dancing competition, Steel Wind.” Bluebell snarked. “Even I can spot what you are thinking from a mile away. You wear your heart on your sleeve, so to speak.”

Steel simply huffed. “You say that as if it’s a bad thing, Bluebell...”.

“I wouldn’t know , it's just an observation. As for the others, I'm no expert on pony psychology but the Pegasus, Nimbus… something is odd about him. Crimson Cross seems nice enough I suppose, if a bit nieve. Hard really make a judgement on ponies that I have known for less than a day though...” He pondered briefly before continuing. “As long as they don't insist on dragging me every which way and heed the advice I give out regarding magic, we should get along just dandy.”

Steel nodded, making a mental note of Bluebell's observations. It was part of her job to get a read on what the squad thought of each other after all. “Are you turning in early or heading back to the archives?” she asked.

“If I know Quarry, he will want to run the newbies ragged tomorrow. And that means we get to be a part of that misery. So logic dictates that I should have an early night. But like I said, I think I need a drink. I think I will visit that place by Donut Joe’s, The one run by High Spirits.” He nodded to Steel Wind and gave a salute. “See you presently, Sargent. If you need me, you know where I am”

Steel Wind saluted in return and watched him trot out of the room. Now alone, her thoughts returned to the events regarding Quarry’s scar and their mission in Dustmane Ridge about two years ago.

Come on, get a hold of yourself Steel. that was in the past. No way that feathered fiend is within 100 leagues of the city. Despite her attempt to reassure herself, she couldn't shake the memories. Unable to dismiss the painful recollections, she decided she would pay a visit to the lower levels of Canterlot before returning to the bunks.

I think l might steal Bluebell’s idea and have a drink at High Spirit’s place. Hopefully, that will calm me down a bit…She decided.

She shrugged to herself and laughed quietly. “And if nothing else, maybe I will be able to grill more information out of that bookworm. Find out what he really thinks about his old friend...”