Brother's Lament

Chapter 12: Training day

The sun rose above the horizon marking a new day, at the front of the palace, Bass Rhythm stood with saddle bags over his back; looking up into the sky he noticed several pegasi at work “Must be winter wrap up soon…” he yawned loudly as he was joined by Warsong with his own saddle bags over his back “You’re set to go? We’re going to an old retired Solar guard training camp which has been reinstated as Lunar Guard training grounds, they've been restoring the place this entire time for us, everything should be brand spanking new.” They began walking down the street making for the entrance of the city “Of course the armour is a thousand years old and has been in storage this entire time but it’s enchanted and doesn’t need restoration.” Bass Rhythm looked up at his teacher “Yeah I’ve been wandering about that, how does every Royal guard look alike? Why do they look alike?”

Warsong smiled as he looked ahead, they were leaving the city now into the outskirts of Canterlot into the mountainous wilderness “An army that looks alike looks professional, and the armour is enchanted to alter the appearance of everypony that wears it to look exactly alike in coat, mane and eye colour” They followed a trail for a few hours, making idle conversation “What is the news on your parents?” Bass Rhythm lowered his gaze “They heard about my duel with Blueblood, they’ve been trying to get a hold of me in the past two days, but I’ll talk to them when I talk to them” Eventually they came upon black gates with the white symbols of a crescent moon on its surface, opening the gates with his magic, Warsong stepped inside to see the training grounds a bustle of activity with ponies wearing black fatigue uniforms with the crescent moon symbol on the chest.

Bass Rhythm looked surprised at the amount of activity “Who are these ponies? They’re not the Lunar guard…” Warsong shook his head “No they’re the training ground staff, cooks, cleaners, they maintain the training grounds, our first recruits will be arriving soon so let’s get you settled into your quarters.” They stepped into the training grounds, the complex itself had several rows of wooden buildings where the recruits stayed and at one end of each row was a single building where the officers stayed, right now two of those buildings was where Warsong and Bass Rhythm would be staying separately the grounds of the complex was low cut grass except for a large square of hard ground where parade would be held. The mess hall was a large brick building that was big enough to hold all the recruits that would be staying at the training grounds.

There were training facilities included on the site with duelling circles, magical practice grounds and an obstacle course, above the complex the clouds were shaped like the obstacle course obviously for the Pegasus recruits. Dotted around the training grounds were speakers placed on long wooden beams obviously an announcement system. Alone to one side of the complex was a large landing zone obviously for Airship traffic.

Making their way to the officers’ quarters, Bass Rhythm looked above to see the large shape of an Airship the flying ship’s body looked much like the wooden ships that would sail on the seas only it was much more bigger and bulky with large propeller engines holding it aloft the front of the ship held a large iron phoenix statue as a decoration, it slowly began to lower down towards the complex through the clouds, keeping clear of the cloud obstacle course. Stepping into the officers’ quarters, Bass Rhythm was shocked to see the inside looked like a cosy home big enough for a couple to live comfortably “I can’t live here if my subordinates are going to live in less comfortable lodgings…” a knock came at the door before it opened to admit Warsong “Come along now the recruits are here”

***

Outside on the parade ground stood four ponies with saddlebags standing at mock attention, Bass Rhythm looked them over before looking at his teacher “This is all we have? All of this for just these four?” Warsong leaned down to his student to whisper to him “There is much more I believe they’ll be here later, these are just the new recruits the rest are veterans from the Solar guard joining the Lunar guard.” Bass Rhythm nodded sullenly before Warsong walked up to each pony, stopping by a brown pegasus stallion with a black mane who had a mean look in his eye and he looked like he had been in several fights, his cutie mark being a simple white cloud “What’s your name and where do you hail from?”

The Pegasus looked up and saluted “I’m Lightning flicker guvnor, and I hail from Manechester” his accent was very heavy and his had this particular tone to his voice that made him sound quite threatening but Warsong could see it was his normal voice and this was his happy face. Warsong simply nodded and moved to the next one a black pegasus stallion who had a neutral expression on his face with piercing green eyes and a green mane, his cutie mark was a  light grey storm cloud with several small bolts of lightning shooting from underneath it “What about you lad?” The stallion simply looked up at him without saying a word before Lightning flicker spoke up “That’s me mate Cross Wind, he don’t talk at all but he hails from Manechester as well”

Warsong nodded and peered into Cross Winds face, his eyes narrowing as he focussed on the eyes, suddenly visions of death and destruction flashed in his mind as he stared into the Pegasus’ eyes, a simple smile coming to Warsongs face as he didn’t seem bothered at all “You both will fit in nicely with the Lunar guard…” He moved on to a burly red Earth pony he was bald but he had a short blue tail his cutiemark was a golden horse shoe with a hammers crossed behind it “You look like you’re from Stalliongrad” The burly pony shook his head “No I am born and raised in Canterlot, but my parents are from Stalliongrad, I got my accent from them. My name is Heavy Hammer” Warsong nodded before moving on to the last of the recruits.

An Earth pony mare, she had a butter coloured coat with a black mane and tail, a pink stripe went down the left side of her mane the stripe being reflected on the tail, and her cutie mark looked like a strange symbol of a foreign nature “I haven’t seen a symbol like that in a very long time are you from Neighppon my dear?” The mare nodded with a big smile on her face “I’m Kasumi Grass Blade and I do hail from Neighppon” Warsong nodded “Yes the symbol does mean grass blade, Runagādo e yōkoso” Grass blade bowed to Warsong.

Warsong stepped away from the line of recruits “Welcome, you will spend fifteen weeks here in training to join the Lunar guard, my name is General Warsong the first and last words out of your mouths when speaking to me will be sir, is that clear!?” The recruits except for Cross Wind only answering “Sir Yes sir!” however it sounded strange to hear three different accents sounding off out of key “This is Captain Bass Rhythm, he will be your leader in the Lunar Guard, he will be training with you so if you have any problems relay them to him and he will relay them to me if he deems it necessary” Warsong went on to explain each location, taking them to their Quarters, the inside of the building was a long row of bunk beds with foot lockers at the foot of each bed and a metal wardrobe against the wall between the beds, the four recruits all went for the top bunks of course settling their personal effects.

After five minutes Warsong ordered them out to the front of the building before taking them towards the armoury which was a large wooden building leading underground when they stepped inside they were greeted by racks and racks of dark blue and purple armoury similar in design to the Solar guard but with a much darker look instead of the plumage on the helmets instead fins were in place however every piece of armour looked dusty from lack of use and storage “Alright…Get in a line and come forwards one at a time, Bass Rhythm your first when you receive your armour I’ll teach you how to clean and maintain it before you put it on” when Bass stepped forward he was given a special type of armour different from the others, it was similar in design but it was pure black with silver edging, it felt small in his hooves but as he held it, it seemed to grow in size before his eyes like a sponge that was squeezed and grows when let go.

Warsong jerked his head to the side “There should be a box of rags the guys left behind for us, I asked them not to clean the armour, it’ll be punishment for those who fail to perform their duties or listen, you will come down here and clean one rack of armour” Bass Rhythm nodded as he picked up a rag with his magic and ran it over the armour to clean it of the dust as the other recruits began to join him with their own sets of armour that grew or shrunk to their size. “I should mention Bass that as Captain of the Lunar guard you are also the personal bodyguard of Luna herself. That is why you were picked; there is no other pony aside from me that has the same skills you do. So you will be by her side almost the entire time, Shining armour has similar duties of course but Celestia has ordered him to perform duties that forces him from her side.”

His student nodded to him before he began placing the clean pieces of armour onto his body, the recruits gasped as they looked at him, before their eyes his coat changed from blue to black, his eyes turning reptilian and yellow, fangs growing in his mouth and his ears becoming tufted like a wolves, his tail turned dark blue and purple and looked almost fin like his mane changing colour beneath the helmet to a dark blue and purple to reflect the tail. He looked himself in the mirror and recoiled in shock “This is like when Luna turned me into Bladesinger…” Warsong shook his head with a smile before he watched the other recruits put on their armour and go through similar changes but the pegasi’s wings turned reptilian and dragon like.

When they were armoured Warsong led them out to the parade grounds once more his bracers turning into his armour once more but leaving his head bare “Get used to the weight, it’s there to protect you, now we’re going for a ten mile gallop and be back in-time for lunch” Warsong then led them out of the training grounds at a gallop, the recruits keeping in line behind Bass Rhythm with Warsong at the side making sure non lag behind “Call the cadence Bass” Bass nodded to Warsong and called out “Join in if you recognise the lyrics!”

I can't see where you're comin' from

But I know just what you're runnin' from

And what matters thinkin' who's baddest but the

Ones who stop you falling from your ladder

When you feel like you're feeling now

And doin' things just to please your crowd

When I love you like the way I love you

And I suffer but I ain't gonna cut you 'cause

By now the recruits recognised the song that Bass was singing as they galloped through the mountain wilderness and joined in for the chorus

This ain't no place for no hero

This ain't no place for no better mare

This ain't no place for no hero

To call home

This ain't no place for no hero

This ain't no place for no better mare

This ain't no place for no hero

To call home

And every time I close my eyes

I think, I think about you inside

And your mother givin' up on asking why

Why you lie and you cheat

and you try to make a fool out of she

I can't see where you're comin' from

But I know just what you're runnin' from

And what matters thinkin' who's baddest but the

Ones who stop you falling from your ladder, cause

This ain't no place for no hero

This ain't no place for no better mare

This ain't no place for no hero

To call home

This ain't no place for no hero

This ain't no place for no better mare

This ain't no place for no hero

To call home

This ain't no place for no hero

This ain't no place for no better mare

This ain't no place for no hero

To call home

***

Hours passed and the sun was at its highest when the recruits returned, trotting slowly with sweat pouring off of them, Warsong moved ahead of them by some distance, looking barely tired he lined up the recruits, panting and wheezing especially Bass Rhythm with his nicotine infected lungs “By the time I’m through with all of you, this will be nothing, we’ll eat lunch then you are all going through the physical course, afterwards Blade and Heavy will be meeting their Earth pony trainer who will follow a strict training scheme I’ve written for him. Same with Cross and Flicker going up for their training with a Pegasus trainer and I’ll be taking Bass for some more magic and sword training. I hear you got your own enchanted blade, we can begin training with them, at oh-seventeen hundred hours dinner will be served then we will begin guard training. This will consist of keeping a straight face, carriage flying and so on.”

The black ponies shakily saluted the General before making their way to the mess hall, Warsong walked with him at the back, he pulled Bass Rhythm out of the lin and put him in front of him at the back “The officers code Bass, is First into battle Last into mess, you best follow it.” His student nodded as the recruits were given food by the cooks before they all sat at the same table, the interior of the mess hall was empty except for the kitchen staff and the six military ponies, taking their food to the table with the recruits Warsong went into a description of their further activities “Tomorrow the real training begins with more PT, marching, then combat and survival training. You will learn everything I know on how to be a soldier, when I am through with all of you, you will be better than the current Solar guard.”

After they ate their lunch the six ponies left and began more physical training with the obstacle course, coming up to the wall where they had to work as a team to get over the pegasi made short work by galloping up the surface with their wings flared before offering their hooves to help the earth ponies and their captain. When they cleared the wall they made their way to a gauntlet where they had to balance onto a beam while avoiding bags of sand swinging back and forth with a pit of mud below Lightning flicker skidded to a halt flaring his wings to stop the others “There is no bucking way I’m going to go through that, just to fall into some bucking mud”

Grass blade rolled her eyes “Stand aside colts…” hiking her tail she balanced on the beam with little effort, dodging and weaving past the bags of sand, turning on her hoof and back flipping several times to dodge the last few before landing on her hooves. The stallions stared in shock and awe, the two Pegasi’s wings unfurling to their full wing-span Bass Rhythms smirked and stepped forwards for his turn looking back at the others “A mare after your heart eh?” he didn’t see the bag of sand coming, the stallions tried to warn him but when the bag hit Bass Rhythm it passed through him like he was a ghost. Their captain kept his smirk as he walked through the gauntlet, each bag passing through him until he reached the other side, the spell wearing off he looked to the others and yelled “The objective is to dodge! Use any means necessary”

Cross wind shook his head and stepped onto the beam, flaring his wings he stepped off the top of the beam and began walking on the side, avoiding the bags of sand entirely Heavy looked towards Flicker who simply shrugged “Use any means necessary mate” The second Pegasus followed the same lead as his friend by defying gravity, Heavy being the last one snorted loudly as he walked onto the beam the bags of sand hitting him but not even fazing him or slowing him down “Little bags cannot hurt me.” Warsong watched them and rubbed the back of his head “We have a lot of work to do…”