The Dragoon

20 Years Later –

“Aaaaagh!” I yelled as I woke up. I looked around to see I was in my room in Canterlot Castle. It was the same as all other rooms but with some little things that made it feel my own. I had my own personal library that encompassed the back of the room. Where the mirror was it was replaced with a stand that held my sword, Brisingr, and I had my own armour stand besides my closet that held my “casual” wear.

I put a hoof to my eye and felt the scar that I had received all those years ago. “Oh how I wish it was just a bad dream, not a memory.” I moaned as I flopped back onto my soft pillows hoping to get more sleep before the day began.

I got comfortable enough in my bed to sleep, when my alarm clock rang. My eyes snapped upon and I looked over at the alarm clock. Why would I put my alarm clock on for five in the morning? I’m not a soldier anymore… wait, I was going to that Wonderbolt Academy, right. My last day here in Canterlot Castle after twenty years, from my first step into this place I was treated as if I was royalty. Being the royal person was not who I was, nor was I warrior. I was me. A Dragoon, my first Dragon kill was at the age of four and started training on becoming a royal guard when I first came here. Twenty years of training. I learned everything about the arts of war and of dragon kind.

I chuckled, “I guess I grew a bit of an obsession?”

I got out of bed and heard the door to my room upon. I smiled as I saw my old friend Charles, my butler wearing one of his many suites. He was a unicorn with a yellow coat and a green mane that was styled much like Mr. Fancy Pants’. On his flank was a cutie mark of a serving dish with a lid on it which showed that his special talent was to be a butler.

We grew up together and became close friends over the time I have been here. I still remember his father teaching him how to be a butler and Charles not listening but goofing around with me. His father said that I would have made a better butler than his son. Evidently he was wrong, Charles was known as the best butler in Canterlot Castle.

“Good morning sir.” “Good morning Charles, how was your sleep?”

Charles looked at me with a smirk “Still having that bad dream I see?” “What gave it away“The fact that you have a bad case of bed head and have just asked me how well I have slept." Charles replied. Bed head?

I looked up to see that my mane was a complete mess; it looked as if a bird had made a nest out of my mane. The sight caused me to laugh,  “It could be worse I could have to do the night shift on guard duty.” The joyousness that accompanied the conversation was replaced by an awkward silence. We both seemed uncomfortable with the silence, but it seemed to fit with what was happening today.

“I’m going to miss you, sir.” Charles said to break the silence. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me sir? I’m your friend, not your master. Just call me Drake that is my name after all.”

“How many times do I have to tell you my father beat that into my head so that I could become the best butler in Equestria?” Charles replied. It’s good to see he remembers something from the lessons his father taught him.

“Would you like some tea or coffee? I can bring it up along with your breakfast.” “No Charles I think I’ll just have some water.”

Charles bowed his head and left the room to bring up my breakfast. I let out a small sigh. My last day here. I’m going to miss this place, but I can’t continue being a soldier. I have just killed too many. Today was the day I would leave Canterlot Castle for a life I fantasized when I was just a colt, not the life of a soldier.

I looked out the window to see that the sun was rising; I guess Luna gets to sleep soon. Maybe I should say goodbye to the Princesses. They did provide me with this room when I was young.

I started to brush my mane so it would not be a bird’s nest and Charles walked in with a platter of food and a pitcher of water. “Thank you Charles.”

“Anything else I can do for you sir?” Charles asked, “No Charles, and didn’t I just tell you not to call me sir?” “Old habits die hard, sir?”

“Hahahaha, at least you are not calling my lord or anything like that.” “I wouldn’t dream of it, my lord.” Charles said while bowing to me as if I was royalty like the princesses. “You’re lucky it’s my last day Charles.” I said pointing the brush at him. “I’ve been planning on doing all this for a while, it’s not often I get to have a little fun with my masters.”

Charles you always did like to make jokes.

“Well, Drake, I guess this is goodbye.”

I turned around and walked towards Charles and put my hoof on his shoulder. “It has been a pleasure to know you my friend.”

Charles put one of his hooves on my shoulder, “Like wise.”

Charles then left the room and said on the way out “Good luck to wherever you go. You’ll need it!”

With that Charles was gone leaving me alone in my room. Aah, I guess I won’t be able to see him for a while. Better pack my bags and eat, I have to be going!

~      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~

Come on it’s been a week already! Rainbow Dash complained. Can’t the wonderbolts extend the academy to two weeks or a month? I just started showing Spitfire my moves!

“Okay troops!” Spitfire yelled. “I have good news and bad news! The good news is that you have improved greatly ever since you've came here. The bad news is that you have not been able to complete the training we had planned!”

“So we are extending your time here to another week!” Spitfire said. Did she just say what I think she said! Everpony else moaned that they were too tired to do another week, but I just flew up into the sky. “YES! WOOH more time training with the Wonder Bolts!”

“I like your enthusiasm Rainbow Dash, but we have another surprise for you.” Spitfire said. “Today we have another pony joining us.”

Noo! So close, adding another pony into the group will just slow us down even more. I wonder who it is though.

“I would like you to meet Mr. Drake Highwind.” From behind two of the Wonder Bolts came a Pegasus stallion with a brown mane and white coat which was adorned with multiple scars that crossed most of his body. Upon his face was one long scar that went through his eye but did not seem to blind him. On his flank was a Cutie Mark that you would see on a soldier, except this one seemed different.

Woah, how did he get all those scars? He must have done something really brave or really stupid.

“To start today off we are going to see how fast this new blood is.” Spitfire said, “So you slackers get to have a short break this morning. Okay new blood time to introduce you to the Dizzitron. You are to be shot out of the Dizzitron make a recovery then make a perfect landing, understood!”

“Yes, ma’am!” replied the stallion as he flew into the Dizzitron.

This guy must be from the army. He acts like a soldier with precise planned movements, that or I’m thinking way too much.

“Fire!”

With that the Pegasus was shot out of the Dizzitron where he stopped upside down, spiraled to be straight up then landed besides Spitfire on the landing strip.“6.1 seconds, nice for your first try. You almost beat the academy record.”

“And the time for the record would be?” The stallion asked. “The record for the fastest time is six seconds flat, made by Rainbow Dash over here.”

6.1 seconds, that almost as fast as me. I guess this guy won't slow us down after all.

The stallion whistled after hearing the record, “Now that is fast. At least I got close.”

“That you did. Now for us to see how fast you are. Give me 500 laps.” Spitfire ordered and with that Drake was off to circle the sky over head. 20 minutes later he landed again after doing his 500th lap.

Spitfire seemed impressed “Not bad, for a noobie. Now I’m going to re-order your partners so you all have the rest of the day to practice your speed. GO!”

Everpony took to the skies except Rainbow and the new kid. “Hi there I’m Rainbow Dash, nice to meet ya.”

“Pleasure to meet you Ms. Dash, I am Drake Highwind. Seems you are the fastest flyer here?”

“Well I wouldn’t want to brag but I was awarded as the best young flyer of Equestria.” “Impressive. Didn’t that Pegasus do a sonic rain-boom?”

“Well, yeah, I did.” I said. “That would mean you are the fastest flyer here does it not? Also aren’t you the bearer of the Element of Loyalty?”

“Yeah I am. Wait how do you know about that?” “I use to live in Canterlot Castle. Nice place once you get use to the butlers, maids, and being treated like Royalty even though you aren't.”

“Cool! One of my friends lived there, you probably don’t know her. Her name is Twilight Sparkle?”

“I have not met her no, but I do remember hearing about her from some of the other ponies there. She is told to be very intelligent, especially if she is Celestia's own pupil."

More like an egghead. “Well we probably shouldn’t be wasting time, we should be up there practicing.” Drake said.

“Yeah we should be.” I agreed.  We both dashed off the landing strip to practice our flying skills.

Drake seems like a nice pony, a little odd how he knows so much about Equestrian government, but he did say he was from Canterlot Castle. Maybe that's why, I wonder what he did there then.  Ah well I’ll ask him later along with how he got all those scars. Never mind that for now, it’s time for a little practice.

~            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~

The Next Day –

Well that flying yesterday was not my best, but at least I got to meet one of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow Dash, I guess the rumors are true that she is the fastest flyer in Equestria ever since Flash Storm seventy years ago. If she can pull off a sonic rain-boom then she would be accepted in the Wonder Bolts almost immediately. I wonder why she hasn’t shown them yet. It doesn’t concern me I shouldn’t be looking into other people’s business. However, she seems to be keen on being with the Wonder Bolts which means she is a fan of them. I guess her dream must be to join them, maybe even lead them.

I walked outside to see the sunrise. This is always one of my favourite parts of the day. I wonder why no one else is up. The Wonder Bolts are a division of the royal army. Shouldn’t they get up at the same time as army personal?

I looked to the sky to see a light blue mare dashing around the clouds practicing. I guess Rainbow likes to get up early. Would explain why she takes naps in the afternoon.

Rainbow noticed me and made her way over. “Good morning Rainbow, how long have you been up?”

“Not that long actually, I just started my morning work-out.”

“A better question is why you’re up so early, I thought you were one of the guys who liked to sleep in?”

“I do, I just like to watch the sun rise."

"It does look nice."

"Would it be okay if I joined you in your morning work-out. It would be good for me to stretch my wings.”

"Sure, as long as you can keep up and answer a question I have" I gave Rainbow a small smile. "Keeping up with you should be easy enough as long as you don't do a sonic rain-boom, the question, however, I might not be able to answer. But ask away."

"How did you get those scars?" I knew she was going to ask this, why did I even try to see if she would ask something else? "I would rather not talk about it if that is okay with you its... personal."

"Okay, why can't you answer?" Rainbow asked. "Because I would rather not talk about it, it brings up bad memories." "Oh come on they can't be that bad. Just tell me." "My answer stays the same I would rather not talk about it." I said through gritted teeth. I did not know the bearer of the element of loyalty was so persistent. I hope the other bearers aren't like this. "Fine I'll ask something else then." Rainbow Dash but a hoof to her chin thinking of a question she could ask. I guess that was the only real question she had thought of so far. I wonder what the next one will be... please don't be 'have you ever met princess Celestia or Luna?' It gets really annoying having to answer that question over, and over, and over again.

"Hello!" What? I snapped back to my senses. Did I seriously just zone out? "As I said, what's your Cutie Mark suppose to be? It's really easy to tell most people's but yours has got me stumped."

That's a new one. "My cutie mark is the symbol of the Dragoon."

"What's a Dragoon?" "That was not part of your question, you only said what is my cutie mark and I answered." Wow, I just noticed how much of a smart ass I can be sometimes. "Now since I answered your question. Let's fly!" With that me and Rainbow Dash bolted off the ground to the skies to do some morning flying.

~ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~

“Huh, I wonder what Pinkie’s still doing in front of her mailbox?” Apple Jack asked Twilight. What. Uh oh, I thought Rainbow Dash was coming back to Ponyville today?

“Pinkie Pie what are you doing in front of the mail box? Isn’t Rainbow Dash coming back to Ponyville today?”

“No she’s not. The Wonder Bolt academy decided to extend it to another week.” Pinkie said frowning. Another week at the Wonder Bolt academy, when did this happen. “Where did you hear that?"

"Oh from this letter from Dashie explained that the Wonderbolt Academy thing was going for another week and how excited she was."

"Well I guess she will be having fun there." "But what if she forgets our names or what we look like. By the end of the week she probably won't recognize us at all and say 'Pinkie who?'"

Wait didn't Pinkie Pie just say this last week? "Pinkie would you like to give Rainbow Dash another care package?"

"Yep. Could we do it now?" Pinkie asked.

“Well first I have to organize some books at the library then I said I would help Apple Jack get some Golden Delicious on the fields into the barn by lunch.”

“If we do it AppleBloom has to clean her room and my room for a month.”

“Well what happens if you don’t?” “Well then I have to clean her room for two months.”

“But I could definitely help with that afterwards.” "I reckon I could help as well."

“Wait, if I help you girls with your chores could we then do the care package sooner!?” Pinkie asked. “Well I suppose we could, but are you sure you don’t want to leave mailbox in case Rainbow Dash sends a letter?” Applejack and I giggled. “What’s so funny?” Pinkie asked.

“Last time we asked you to leave that mailbox when Rainbow was gone we couldn’t pry ya away from it.”

“Well that was before I knew I could just go to Rainbow Dash at the Wonder Bolt academy. Duhhh.”

~    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~

“Okay we have finished everything can we make Dashie's care package now!?”

Pinkie Pie is really persistent with this, it's like having to deal with a little filly when they want something and 'they can't live without it.' "Yes Pinkie now we can make the care package for Rainbow."

“YAY! Oh wait I know we should bring cake and have a party there! Wouldn’t that be fun that would be fun! Come on let’s do it!”

Pinkie then began to prance away towards Sugar Cube Corner. I gave Apple Jack a confused stare and she shrugged her shoulder. I guess no one really knows what Pinkie’s going to do next.

Pinkie started prancing back towards me and Apple Jack carrying a cake on her back with the party cannon trailing behind with a rope that was tied to her back. “Okay got the cake. Let’s go!”