When Darkness Falls

It has been 4 years since the first day of my new life, and much has changed. Bugs Lee had since been adopted, and he now lives in Fillydelphia with a family that owns their own buisness. Although he lives much farther away than before, we still keep in close touch through letters. On occasion when I was able to leave the Barracks, I would sometimes travel with Celestia and Luna whenever they had business to take care of in Fillydelphia. Bugs's new family are very much respectful, and very loving towards Bugs. He seemed just as happy as I was, even more so that he was now going to Flight School and had more friends. My days at the Barracks never slowed down, training hasn't let up at all. Training never gets easier, you just eventually adapt to it. Its been brutal, but I've been able to keep up with everypony and even surpass some when it came to the stats. But even through all that progress over the years, I began having doubts about if I have what it takes to be in the Royal Guard. As if my doubts weren't bad enough....the nightmares I used to have...they've come back. The dark corridor, the unbearable sounds, and the monster...it all seemed more amplified than it was before, and more intense. I'm very worried that if I can't get my head on straight soon, I'll fail the Endurance Test that we have to do. What adds on to my dread filled suspense is that they refuse to tell us what we have to do, and what happens if we fail. I know it means whoever fails won't be a guard, but I don't know if it is a permanent ban from it.

"Sunny?!" I suddenly snapped my head back, bringing me out of my state of deep thinking. "Yes, Celestia?" "Is everthing ok, you've been loosing focus a lot lately.", she asked getting more worried by the second. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I've just had a lot on my mind lately.", I said hoping that we would move on to another subject. "Is it because of the upcoming test?", Luna asked. "Kinda...", I replied thinking about the nightmares once more. "Is it something else then?", Luna asked once more. "Nothing I can't handle.", I said. I was kidding myself, I didn't know how to contemplate all of what I've been seeing. None of it made sense at all. "Sunny, you know you can talk to us if somethings wrong", Celestia began. "You can talk to us about anything." "I know its just, I just believe that it's something that I have to handle on my own." Celestia and Luna then looked at each other, before Celestia finally said: "If you feel you must handle this yourself...then we won't talk about it unless you want." "I'm sorry, its just...its been bothering me for some time now and I just feel I need to take care of it on my own.", I said feeling like I was pushing them away even though they wanted to help. "Sunny, you don't have to be sorry. We understand completely. We've done the same to each other when we felt we had personal problems, but the other stayed close when needed. We're here if you ever need us, you know that.", Luna said reassuringly. "Thank you, both of you.", I said feeling very grateful that I had them as good friends. As dinner continued on we talked like we usually did. All through dinner they kept assuring me that I was going to pass the Test, it helped some but overall it didn't do much good. But the test was only half my worries. No matter what anypony said or what I told myself, I couldn't help but believe that the nightmare that has been plaguing me for the last 5 years was more than just some dream. Ever since the night I had met Celestia and Luna, my mind has never truly had rest from it.

I couldn't spend the night that time, because tomorrow was the test and I needed to stay in the Barracks. That night, as I laid in my bunk, I couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried. I stayed there for a few hours, thoughts of complete failure kept forcing their way into my mind. I eventually couldn't take just laying there any longer, and I finally just got up and headed outside in hopes that getting some air would help. As I am walking around the work grounds, I began reflecting over the past 4 years. Everypony didn't think I belonged here, and that I could never make it this far. But as I stood there watching my training playback in my head, I start to believe that they were probably right. I've spent 5 years including the year I put my so called party crasher plan together, trying to be in the Royal Guard. I was 13...hitting my teenage years, I hadn't even gotten my Cutie Mark yet. I must have been the only 13-year-old in all of Equestria that still didn't have a Cutie Mark. I was teased because of it yes, but it wasn't until now that I had just realized how odd that was. At that moment with all the thoughts of doubt already messing me up, I thought that I had done nothing but wasted my time chasing some childhood dream that cost me 5 years of my life. All because of that dream. "Hey, what are you doing out here?" I quickly turned around to see that Reap had just walked out the door. "Just getting some air, sir. Couldn't sleep." Just by the look of me and the fact that I have never gotten up during sleep hours, Reap could tell that I wasn't in my right state of mind. "Something on your mind?", he asked. "Nothing I can't handle, sir." Reap then walked up beside me looking out at the work grounds and said: "Last I checked we were off duty at this time of the night, I'm no sir to you during sleep hours. Thinking about tomorrow?" "Among-st other things", I said trying not to express what was going through my head. But something just made me want to get this out in the somehow, to tell somepony. I finally spoke up: "Have you ever felt that if you failed at something, it was going to affect your life more than you thought?" Reap looked at me and said: "I'm not sure I follow..." "Like...you knew something was going to happen, and no matter what you did it felt as if it was all in vain?", I asked trying not to be too revealing about what was causing these questions to arise. "Your having doubts about whether or not you have what it takes to be in the Royal Guard...", Reap said sounding as if he had been in that position before. "Yeah...", I uttered, glad that he knew somewhat of how I was feeling. "Sunny...your the youngest trainee to have ever undergone training. The oldest out of everypony in the group is getting close to his 21st birthday, and both you and him are neck-to-neck on the stat boards beating out everypony else and you are only 13-years-old." Reap stayed silent for a moment before he said something I never thought I would hear him say: "I know that you and I have never seen eye-to-eye, and I definitely know that we hate each other with a passion. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let the one that could surpass Cyrus himself just walk away from it all." I looked up at Reap in complete shock, "Do you really think that?" "No...I know it for a fact, and so does everypony else here. Except for the most important of all...you. No one else got you here except you. Everypony has doubts, even Celestia and Luna have their doubts. But what you've got to learn is that it doesn't matter what fears you may have, what is important is that until the day you die, you do your best to make sure that those fears don't come true." And with that he turned and started heading back to his private quarters, leaving me by myself to think....about everything....

Suddenly from behind me in the building, I heard the bell. It was time to wake up and get ready. I quickly rushed back in and started the daily process of the early morning hours. I made my bed as neatly as possible, and I then brushed through my hair with haste. As soon as we were threw with our personal area, we ran and stood in front of our bunks at attention awaiting the arrival of Cyrus and Reap. As they entered we were all greeted the usual way, "Good morning, ladies." To which we replied like we always did, "Good morning, sir." "Today, is a very important day. I regret to say that some of you may not receive a high grade today. But I am confident that most of you won't disappoint. First, we shall eat breakfast. Second, we will all meet out front to march as a team to the Caslte grounds. From there you shall receive further instructions on how the test will be executed. Dismissed!" Our final day of Basic Training, had officially begun. We all headed to the Mess Hall for our morning meal. With the test that we had to do today, we were going to need the energy bad. After we had eaten breakfast we all piled out front and formed two single file lines, Cyrus and Reap were already waiting for us. We began marching, everypony was watching us as we made our way down the main street. When we passed by, I could hear laughing coming from several citizens. I automatically assumed that they were laughing at me, being I was smaller than everypony else that was marching. But deep down I didn't care, I was happy to be marching. But in the back of my mind I was dreading it as well. When we had arrived at the castle we were ordered to march to the right of the castle. To the right of the castle was a small semi-steep hill that lead below the castle to a small private garden. I could remember when I was younger...I remember when Celestia and I played hide and seek. Luna was away on royal business for most of the time. We stayed in the garden longer than we originally planned. We stayed out to watch Luna raise the moon and awaited her return. All three of us stayed out watching the stars, until I had fallen asleep. Hard to believe that was just over 2 years ago.

"Halt!" We stopped right where we stood, still staying in line looking forward. "Welcome to the Castle garden boys.", Captain Cyrus began. "This is where you will be taking the Endurance Test. The test will proceed as follows: The object of the test is to carry 4 times your body weight across the main field. This main field runs the length of 100 meters. If you stop moving, Sergeant Reap here will begin counting to three. If you do not continue moving after the count reaches 3, then your test is over. Depending on exactly how far you can carry your weight over the field will determine what position you will have and what level of training you will receive over the next 3-6 years depending on what level you acquire here today. Sergeant Reap and I shall be evaluating you personally. You are also being observed by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna so you all better be respectful." I looked around for Celestia and Luna, careful not to move out of line. They were seated at one end of the field, presumably the side we have to crawl to. I snapped my eyes forward once again to see what other information Captain Cyrus had to give. "This is your final test in Basic Training. This test not only determines what position you will be in, but IF you will even be in the Guard at all. The minimum results required are you have to at least reach the 1/4 mark on the field. If you do not even reach that far, then its so long. I wish you all good luck. Is all that clear?" "Sir, yes, Sir." The test has officially begun. One by one they all had the weights thrown on and they pushed themselves to their limits trying to at least get across the 1/4 mark on the field which was equal to 25 meters. There wasn't but one that didn't make it to the 1/4 line, he was sent to be medically checked out and then sent home. Most of them made it over the half life, but only two made it over 75 meters of the way across the field. Then...it was my time...

As I slowly trotted toward the starting line, I could feel time slow down. Seconds eased by as if they were minutes, I could hear my heart pounding in my chest feeling as though it was going to come out of my chest. They attached the harness on me and readjusted it to my size. I weighed at that point in time a mere 85 or 90 pounds, which meant that I had to carry an estimated total of 360 pounds across 100 meters of solid ground. Soon as the weights were secure I felt how much they weighed all at once, making me feel as if I was about to just drop to the ground like a brick. I looked up and seen Celestia and Luna were seated just past the 100 meter marker, watching my every move. I had to give it my all, I can't just quit. "Go!", Cyrus yelled. I pulled with all the strength I had, moving slowly to start with. Soon enough I made it past the 1/4 line, 25 meters and counting. I pushed on, my knees wobbling and throbbing in pain from the strained muscles. The 1/2 marker is just a few feet away, thoughts run through my head about quitting once there. But in that split second, with tears and sweat rolling down my face, and my muscles locking up...time slowed down in my head. And I heard Reap's voice echoing: "It doesn't matter what fears you have..." I reached the 50 meter line and pushed on heading for the 3/4 marker as my vision started to blur. When I had gotten only 6 feet away from the 3/4 marker, I began fighting to stay conscious. I suddenly collapsed on my stomach exhausted, and I then began hearing counting. "ONE!" I barely opened my eyes and glanced forward to see Celestia. Only my vision is so disorientated I can only see her and everything else seems dark. "TWO!" All at once...I heard laughing... And I could see...the monster. It seemed as though it was flashing in and out of view as if I was hallucinating. I couldn't tell if what I was seeing was real, but all in that instant it didn't matter. That wasn't just a dream I had been seeing, it was something more. I felt my hoof slam down on the ground in front of me as I started to crawl. I could no longer hear counting, only the maniacal sick laughter of whatever this was I was seeing. As I am struggling to keep moving on, I hear Reap's voice once more: "...what is important is until the day you die, you do your best to make sure that those fears don't come true." I clawed the ground, with every muscle in my body continuously growing weaker by the second. I passed over 75 meters and began moving toward the ending line, still keeping focus on this monster that is circling above Celestia. My heart pounding...my muscles flaring with pain...and sweat pouring from every pore on my physical being, I barely see a flash of bright light through my tears coming from somewhere behind me. Finally...I cross over the finish line and collapse once more at Celestia and Luna's feet. Without even being able to catch my breath...I saw everything go black...

I had awoken some time later. When I had opened my eyes I had seen that it was night time, but the moon was shining through the window bringing some light in. I tried to raise my head up, but immediately fell back. It felt as though every muscle in my body was cut to pieces. While trying to ignore the high amounts of pain that were shooting through me, I tried remembering why I had blacked out. I remember that I was doing the test...and that's all. I can't remember how far I had gotten, I just remember seeing Celestia and Luna just before I lost consciousness. I stuck my head up slightly once more to look around, only to see Celestia and Luna were in the room as well. Both of them were asleep, even Luna. She usually slept during the daytime but given the test was happening today I didn't think she had gotten much sleep. It wasn't long before I noticed a rolled up letter that was sitting just a few inches from my left arm, I very carefully rolled over to try and get a hold of it. Every inch moved meant another wave of pain I felt rush over me. I had tears running down my face before I had gotten in a good enough position I could open the letter. I untied the ribbon and broke the seal, and I began reading leaning toward the moon lit side of the room:

Sunny,

If your reading this then it means that your tougher than we originally thought. You did an unbelievable job out there. Not only did you go farther than everypony else, but you crossed the entire field. We had you brought to the guest room and we had the town doctor take a look at you to check and see if you were going to be OK. He said you over exhausted yourself and pulled almost every muscle in your back and legs, and that you just needed a lot of rest and some time off. When we had gotten you settled in and relaxed, Celestia and Luna requested that along with your acceptance into the Royal Guard, they also asked that you be assigned to be their personal bodyguard for when they must do business outside the kingdom. This means that you will receive the highest level of physical and combat training possible, which will take some more time to learn. But with what you accomplished today, you are more than qualified to tackle this kind of high level training. They became very worried when you collapsed unconscious like that. I had came up earlier this evening to drop the letter off, and they were still here at your bedside waiting for you to wake up. With all that you have been through for the last 4 years, it gives me great honor to say: Congratulations. We knew you had the potential to be in the Guard, but we never expected for you to achieve the highest honor possible. You surprised us all, welcome to the Royal Guard, Sunny.

Signed,
Captain Cyrus of the Royal Guard

P.S.: In case you haven't noticed already, check your flank.

I very carefully leaned forward, fighting all the pain. I pulled the covers away to reveal that I had gotten my Cutie Mark. It was in the shape of a knights helmet, with a deep blue tone. It was everything that they said a Cutie Mark would be, a reflection of what your good at and what your destined to do. I was right all along, I did belong here. All the pain and physical tole it took, was all worth it. As I laid my head back on my pillow, I whispered to myself: "I did it..." I soon drifted off back to sleep, and slept peacefully. For many years after that I never even thought about the nightmares I used to have. But little did I know that the true Nightmare...had not even started yet...

END OF PART 1