The Assistant

Dash flew towards Red's mansion. Once she arrived she was greeted by the familiar pegasi pair. They directed her to a small fenced off area in the backyard. Looking at one of there watches told her that she still had five minutes until her training began. She saw her fellow squad mates and was lazily greeted by Colgate who seemed to be thinking about something else. Octavia, on the other hand, was fairly angry.

"Are you ever going to be on time?"She asked hatefully.

"I had to deal with something else,"Dash replied. She figured it was a bad idea to start spreading the story of her and Twilight's fight.

"Well we almost got expelled because of you,"Octavia replied sharply,"You know they only recruit in multiple's of three, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah,"Dash said with an exaggerated sigh as she stretched her wings,"Look, I'm here, aren't I?"

"Had you been five minutes later we would've been expelled"Octavia said angrily.

"It won't happen again,"Dash replied, barely listening to Octavia. She had heard something else,"I think there letting Big Mac's squad out."

Sure enough Big Macintosh and his squad were leaving the building, though Dash and her squad mates never saw them. As they left Chief came into their view.

"Come on!"He yelled at them,"We haven't got all day! Get to the basement, move!"

They all ran, or in Dash's case flew, inside and into the elevator leading to the basement. As they went down they were silent. They had all been through Albert's training, and even though they knew Chief wasn't going to be as hard they expected the worst.

They reached the basement and saw that it had been set up with many obstacles and targets. They couldn't quite tell what Chief had planned, but they all came up with there own idea's for what was going to happen.

"Line up!"Chief shouted as he teleported down. They got in line in front of the tower as they had many times before,"Alright, listen up. I have 8 weeks to turn you all into a well oiled machine. After a few minutes of crunching the numbers, here's the plan i came up with. I will spend 18 day's on each of you, and then the last day your going to run this course in 30 seconds, no sooner, no later. Any questions?"

All three of there hooves went up at once."Colgate,"Chief said.

"How are you going to get us all up to the right skill level with only 18 days apiece?"

"Whoever I'm training that day will get my undivided attention. We'll rotate everyday, that way you all keep your skills up to par. Octavia."

"Are we going to run the course before the last day?"

"The end of each day will be spent running the course as practice. RainbowDash."

"When do we start?"

"You start on the day after tomorrow. Today I'm focusing on Colgate. In the meantime you two just run through your normal training. Target practice and stuff like that."

"Yes sir,"Dash and Octavia said in unison. Octavia moved to the larger shooting range to work on her skills with her new personal railguns, which she could barely move whilst wearing. RainbowDash went to her usual tunnel where the dummies were set up with walls in front of them to prevent forward assault. In the main chamber Colgate stood nervously next to Chief.

"For you I have something special planned,"Chief began,"But first a demonstration."His horn glowed an Islamic green color for a split second and then turned off."Ok,"He started again,"Try to kill me."

"What?"Colgate said with confusion.

"Try to kill me,"Chief said flatly as if he were asking her to pass the salt,"In the forest you can't second guess my orders. Now try to kill me."

"Yes sir,"Colgate replied nervously. She braced herself, certain that she was about to be kicked out of the NLR. She pointed her horn directly at Chief and sent a huge surge of magical energy through it. A blue beam of pure magical energy shot towards Chief. It stopped about ten feet in front of him, arcing and flatting as if it had hit a wall. A slight greenish glow appeared underneath and around the edge of the where the beam hit the magical barrier. In her shock and confusion Colgate lost concentration and the beam disintegrated into the air. The glow disappeared with the beam. A second later Chief's horn glowed once more and he walked towards Colgate.

"How did you...?"Colgate began, speechless.

"It's an invisible barrier spell I developed,"Chief began,"And your going to learn it by the time we go into the forest. It works just like a normal barrier spell, you just have to concentrate some more to make it invisible. Go on and try."

Colgate focused. Her horn glowed and a blue barrier appeared. She shut her eyes and tried to picture it being invisible. After a few minutes she got a headache and had to stop. This spell was a lot harder than what she thought she had guessed it to be.

"Not a bad first try,"Chief complimented,"But you have got a long way to go. Try again."

The rest of the day was spent attempting to cast the spell. At the end of the day Colgate had only managed to make a slightly translucent barrier, but it could still be easily seen. About ten minutes towards the end of training Chief called them all to the center.

"Alright everypony,"He began,"Time to run the course. Your objective is to make it to the center, grab the flash drive, and make it to the end. You will need to work together. Remember, complete it in 30 seconds. not 31 seconds, not 29 seconds, 30. Any questions?"

"Why can't we complete it faster?"Dash asked.

"Any pony in the NLR could easily beat this course in under 30 seconds,"Chief began,"But speed isn't everything. sometimes you have to take your time to ensure you did the job right. To make sure you don't get caught. The 30 second rule teaches you to move quickly whilst pacing yourself. Anything else? No? In that case, GO!"

They shot off into the course as the timer started. It was much harder than they thought. Multiple times they had to double back to get one another, and it took them almost two minutes to get to the center and get the flash drive.The course was filled with hidden traps that appeared to come out of nowhere. The more they messed up the more difficult it appeared to get. The way out was almost impossible. Dummies and turrets popped up at random intervals. By the time they were done they had less then two minutes left.

"Not to bad for a first try,"Chief commented,"The last squad i trained took half an hour their first try. But there is defiantly alot of improvement to be made. Before you go take this holograms. They are maps of the forest. Study them, you need as much information you can get. Octavia, bring your bow tommorow."

"My bow?"Octavia asked.

"Yes,"Chief answered,"Is that problem?"

"No sir!"Octavia replied.

"Good. Dismissed."

They filed out of the basement and then out of the house. Upstairs Red was in the middle of the most through checkup he had ever experienced. Nurse Redheart wasn't leaving any stone unturned, so to speak. He had known to expect something more attentive then his usual checkup's, but this was insane.

"Almost done nurse?"He asked impatiently.

"Almost,"She replied,"Do you have somewhere to be?"

"Yes actually,"Red answered proudly,"I'm supposed to be heading out with Fluttershy again."

"What about that project your working on?"Nurse Red heart asked as she prodded his wings with some sort of medical device.

"I've been trapped in that basement for the past three months,"He shot back,"I need a little break before I go back to work."

"Ok, ok,"She said,"One last question."

"Yes?"

"Have you had sexual intercourse recently?"

His heart literally skipped a beat."What?"He said quickly and nervously,"Why?"

"Well,"She began, a sly eye crossing his face,"According to these charts either you had sex or the elixir is having some major unpredictable side effects."

"Oh,"was all he could manage to choke out,"Well, um, you see, I, uh..."The monitor's on the walls were having a field day.

"I'll take that as a yes?"Nurse Redheart replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Please don't tell anypony,"He said quickly,"Neither of us want anypony to know. It's a bit private."

"Doctor Jordenson, I am insulted!"She replied,"I am a medical professional, I would never stoop to such a level as gossip!"

"Thank's Nurse,"He replied,"And sorry. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date to attend." He walked down stairs and went out side. It was midnight; he could see Chief's squad leaving the premises. He took a quick moment to try and catch them, or at least RainbowDash. He wanted to thank her again. He saw her take off and head towards her house. He caught up to her in an instant.

"Hey!"He shouted at her. She turned around, slightly worried for a second she was in trouble.

"Oh,"She said with a sigh as she saw him,"It's you! How's it goin'?"

"Pretty good,"He replied cheerfully. It wasn't fake this time like his happiness used to be. Ever since he had started dating Fluttershy he had been truly happy for the first time in his life. This just so happened to be the happiest day of his life.

"Cool,"Dash replied,"Didn't expect to see you up and about for a while. How'd you do it?"

"Let's just say i gave Nurse Redheart a new trick,"He replied,"But anyway's, I just wanted to thank you again."

"For what?"Dash asked with a tilt of her head.

"Let's see,"He started,"Since I've been here you have saved my life twice and set me up with the most amazing mare on the planet, no offence."

"None taken,"She replied,"And don't mention it. Your my friend, and that's what friends do for each other."

"It is, isn't it?"Red replied. He had never had friends, so he wouldn't know,"But still, thanks."

"Again, no problem."Dash replied.

"Ok, well I have a date with Fluttershy,"Red said, turning towards Fluttershy's cottage,"So I better get going. Goodnight."

"Ok,"She replied,"It was nice talking to-wait Fluttershy?"

"Yeah,"He said, turning back around to face her,"Is there a problem?"

"Yes,"She began, remembering the events of the afternoon,"I don't know how, but Twilight knew you guy's were having sex this morning."

Red went unconscious. When he woke up he was on Fluttershy's couch."Wha-"Was all he could say before he was stopped by a massive hug and kiss from Fluttershy.

"Stop doing that!"She screamed after she was done.

"What happened?"He asked, attempting sit up.

"After I told you that Twilight knew about you two having sex you fainted and I carried you here,"Dash answered. Red noticed that she was leaning against the wall. He looked at the clock. It read 2:30 am.

"Holy shit,"He began,"Is that clock right?"

"Yes,"Fluttershy stated,"Listen, Albert, are you feeling ok? Is your medicine doing this?"

"No,"He replied,"It was just shock. How did she know? And, how did you know?"

"Well,"Dash began, scratching the back of her head with her hoof,"I kinda followed you guys, and Twilight..."

"You what?"Red and Fluttershy asked in unison.

"I followed you,"Dash repeated,"I was curious. Last night I had seen you leaning over about to die from the beating's your dad had gave you, And then I saw you flying like you had a thousand times so I followed. Don't worry, I left as soon as I saw you guys move to the bed. And no, I didn't see anything really, I could just see your shadows."She added as there faces dropped.

"And Twilight?"Fluttershy asked after an awkward moment of silence.

"I have no clue,"Dash replied,"I was flying away and she teleported onto the path."

"Hhmmm..."Red hummed,"This is troubling."

"How so?"Fluttershy asked,"Twilight probably just followed us like Rainbow did."

"I don't think so,"He replied,"Dash would've noticed her then. Plus she wouldn't have been able to know we were...doing that without looking through the window or..."

"Or what?"Dash asked.

"I think Twilight may be reading one or both of our minds,"Red answered.

"What?!?!"Fluttershy and RainbowDash said at the same time.

"She has been approaching me more often than usual, in the NLR I mean,"He began to explain,"Saying that this relationship is going to far, or that my skills are being affected, and a ton of other bull shit to. Sorry sweetheart."He added. Fluttershy didn't like cursing.

"Why that little bitch,"Fluttershy nearly screamed,"How could she do that? And how did we not notice? When I see that little fuck..."

"Goddamn Fluttershy,"Dash exclaimed as Red's mouth hung in shock,"I don't think I've ever heard you curse before."

"That bitch,"Fluttershy began,"Has been badgering me about dating Albert from day one, and now I learn that she's reading our minds? She is so dead."

"There's only one problem with the whole, mind reading thing,"Dash pointed out.

"And what might that be?"Red asked.

"She didn't know that Fluttershy knew about the NLR,"RainbowDash added.

"What?"Red said,"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, she was completely clueless,"Dash replied,"If she was reading your minds she would've known that, right?"

"Mind reading spells are tricky,"Red began to explain,"You usually only see what you are looking for, so if she was only looking to see how far the relationship had gone, that might explain it, but the NLR come up quite a bit with us, so she should've still know. Unless...."

"Albert, honey, your rambling again,"Fluttershy said quietly.

"What?"He snapped out of his trance like state,"Oh, sorry sweetheart."

"It's fine darling."Fluttershy assured him.

"Well, I better get going,"Dash said,"I got training tommorow."

"Alright Dash,"Fluttershy replied, failing to hide the fact that she wanted to be alone with Red,"Get home safely."

"Good bye Dash,"Red said to her,"Sleep well."

"You to,"Dash replied,"Or, maybe not" She winked and left.

"So, what do you want to do now?"Red asked.

"Well, um,"Fluttershy began quietly, her face reddening with every word,"I was kind of hoping that maybe, um, if you wanted to, uh, maybe...."Her voice trailed off.

"Go again?"Red asked.

"Yes."Fluttershy answered,"I mean, only if you want to...."

He kissed her red cheeks and put his wing around her,"Let's go,"They went upstairs.