You have no idea how hard it is to go to sleep after an offer like the one the princesses gave me. I've slept through air raid spell clusters, slept in mud and snow. But that damn offer kept ringing in my head. I still had to see which was worth what, and what would happen if I did join.

Now though was drills, and it was Captain Snaggle's turn to train us. The first thing you learn when you join up, never make fun of Captain Snaggle's name. Not in the mess, not in combat, no for fun, and especially not in front of him. Private Leaf had the audacity to even make a remark after Snaggle whacked him over the side of the head. It was his job to push the boy, but a few days later he quit the Solar Guard.

" Up!". 58. " Down...up!". 59. " Down...up!". 60, finally.

It was the middle of drills, working the front hooves, now we had to run through that battle simulation. The twenty of us trotted in line to the course. Belly first we jumped into the mud and dragged our asses under the fake wires. Each of us grabbed a stick that was supposed to be our spear before jumping in, making the crawling part harder.

" Come on you poor excuse for guards! Drag your asses outta that mud! Let's go, move!", Snaggle shouted at us. " My grandchild could do this and he's not even born yet!".

It was talk like that that got a smile out of me. I never let the drill instructors see, because I saw it as encouragement. They would probably go through the whole,' Think you're better than any of them?' routine. Muddy and tired, I galloped to the wooden wall we had to hurdle over. I threw myself over it and did a sloppy roll.

The boys behind me were climbing over it, which gave me a head start on the rock climb. This wasn't one of those geared up wall climbs. No, in the Solar Guard you learned how to climb and not screw yourself over. If you fell here, well, the ground will feel a lot more comfortable after a few seconds. I got my hooves into the sockets or on top of any edges jutting out.

The first time I climbed the wall I wasn't sure how to get down, until I saw Shining Armor do it. I put my hooves over the edge and pushed off. Using the little bumps to slow myself, I slid down the side of it and broke into another roll to gallop. Snaggle was waiting with the little stopwatch of his.

" How'd I...do, sir?", I panted. He glanced at me condescendingly, which was his job, and chuckled.

" 2:34, a new record", he chuckled. " Good job Lieutenant".

" Thank you sir", I smiled weakly.

" Don't get used to it", he snickered. " You're dismissed".

I saluted again and dragged myself to the barracks. Being first gave me those few seconds to myself, just the shower head beating water on me. It soothed me, which I would need to think thing's over.

Lose everything I ever worked for, all the guards I got to safety, all the guards I watched die, and all those medals I got for my work. Down the drain like useless shit. But in return, enough money for myself, access to knowledge even Twilight Sparkle, the princess' student, didn't have access to. Not only that, but I'd be working with ponies that were better than me, helping me become better at my job. But one of the conditions really bugged me, even now.

Diplomatic immunity.

Even civilians knew what that meant. So of course I knew, but I didn't know why. I'm a guard, my job is to enforce the laws my boss makes, not break them. So why in Equestria would the princess allow these EUOD to break the law?

" Evening Lieutenant". That voice, sure enough when I turned around I saw Captain Stone.

" What are you doing here? These boys'll eat you up now that you're here", I warned him. He chuckled and started the shower next to me.

" Not with this", he flashed the star of the captain.

I tried to ignore him as I rinsed myself, but he was here. The guy that wanted me to join a black-ops divison of elite guards. Any other stallion would jump at the offer, so why couldn't I?

" How many ponies have joined the EUOD?", I finally asked. Even though I kept my gaze on the wall, I knew he was smirking.

" 371", he said. " Wanna know how many Solar Guards have joined?".

" Indulge me".

" A wide vocabulary, just like they said. In all of the EUOD's history, no Solar Guard has ever joined", he sternly said. I looked to him to make sure I wasn't hearing things.

" So they're all Lunar Guards?", I asked. He nodded, confirming my fears.

" Ex-Lunar Guards. Remember, when you join you quit the Royal Guard division you are assigned to", he reminded me. " You would be the first Solar Guard in history to join my op".

I turned off the water and made my way out of the showers. " I kinda picked up on that", I said.

Before I could leave he put a hoof on my shoulder. " This would be the best move for you, Lieutenant. Imagine what you could do as an EUOD agent. No standing around all day waiting for a deployment. This would be something a stallion like you could enjoy".

I made eye contact with him for a moment, then I turned back. " I'll have my answer by midnight, sir".

The rest of the boys came in and started cracking on the ex-Lunar officer. I knew why it went quiet after a few seconds. Those badges work like a charm. I stopped when a thought occured to me.

Lieutenant was right around the corner from Captain. It's something I always wanted to be, like Shining. After all this dedication, and bloodshed, and the stallions I've lost, would I really want to throw all that away?

" Enter".

I forced the door open and shut it behind me. The two alicorns and one bat pony stood in front of me, waiting for my answer. I took a deep breath, not out of anxiety, and layed it out.

" I'll accept your offer". My new Captain was about to say something before I cut him off. " On a few conditions".

Luna glanced at Celestia, who kept her gaze fixed on me. " What sort of conditions?", she asked.

" First, I'd like it if you would tell Shining Armor I've been reassigned, not resigned". Celestia nodded for that one. " And, I wanted to know if I could visit the castle so it would seem I'm still working here".

" You'd have to take your chances for that", Captain Stone said. " We EUOD operate strictly at night, barely any operations in the day".

" Wait, so I'd be sleeping in the day?", I asked. The three of them nodded. " Wouldn't that take some time for me to adjust to?".

My new Captain got a more commanding voice. " You'd better get used to it quick Private".

Damn, back to the rookie stats. At least I could keep the medals and stuff, for the guys sakes.

" You are to take orders from Princess Luna, Celestia, or myself. You'll have your commanding officer by the next night. By the name of Gunnery Seargant Stalker". I saluted and stood tall. " Your armor will be sent to your new quarters, and tomorrow night you leave for your new base".

" New base?", I parroted.

" All in good time Private", he assured me. " Now get some rest, it'll be the last one you'll have for a while".

Just like yesterday, I didn't like that comment. I saluted nonetheless and left for the last of the night. It felt weird again with the salutes the on duty guards gave me, now that I'm a Private all over again. I had to keep the facade up though, so I nodded and said," At ease".

So I was a private, my duties would be at night, and I'd be getting a whole new set of armor. The one Captain Stone had one must be for guys his rank, because I didn't recognize it at all. And I've never seen an EUOD Captain, or underdog for that matter. I flopped onto my bed again, and crossed my hooves behind my head. The bunk above me became my center of attention, I was going to have a hard time adjusting.

Sleep would have to wait, because my bag started glowing. I knew who it was, and boy was it going to helpt get my mind off things. I reached into my bag and pulled out the flat gem shaped like a circular mirror.

" Show the one that looks for me", I chanted. The mirror swirled the image of a scarlet pony with a golden mane.

" Hey Silver", Blossom smiled.

" Hey Bloss", I smiled back. " How's Prance?".

" C'est sympa", she said. " Comment va Canterlot?".

Ma and Pa taught us Prench since Ma was Prench. " Même ici. Je suis heureux de vous voir", I sloppily said.

" You Prench is a bit rusty big brother", she giggled. I rolled my eyes and laughed. " So how's work been?".

I looked away, but feigned a smile. " Pretty slow sis, we got some new recruits. Scrawny guys, nothing Armor can't fix", I joked. " Can I see my nephew?".

She nodded and left to get the little tike. The colt came back in his mother's hooves while she floated back over. " Here he is, say hi Daney". He tried to lick the screen, sometimes I wonder if my nephew's special.

" Hey Daney, behaving with your ma?", I chuckled. He started gurgling and giggling when he recognized who I was. " I miss you too, and I sent your mommy something for you".

The Royal Guard plushie floated over to him. " That's right, my brother-in-law has this for you", Blossom's husband cooed. Daney started biting the back of the guard, getting all of us to laugh.

" Well, it was good to see you guys again. Take care of my sister Chaser", I mock warned him. " And take care of mommy ya tan baby".

He gurgled and started laughing. " See you later Silver, be careful". And with that, the spell broke, dispersing the image of my closest family.

With what was going on, I might just need to be careful.

Author's Note

Second Chapter already! God the ideas have literally overflowed! Remember guys, like, fav, comment and (this is a first) check out my other story here. See ya soon!