The Best of Us

The week was awful. Solar Guard and Lunar Guard training was nothing compared to this. Instead of crawling through mud under fake wires, we had to trudge through mud with all kinds of traps in it, and we had to drag ourselves under real barbed wire. The others did just fine, but I was always last to get myself out of there.

Then, we had to fire a crossbow at a target and move on. Thing is, I never used a crossbow before. I've heard of specialists using it, but I never actually handled one. You had to hold it in your hooves, throw yourself on the ground, aim, and bit on the release trigger. It took me half a dozen shots before I even got on the target. The drill seargant, Seargant Sternhoof, cracked on how terrible my shot was. He even slapped me across the back of the head when I overshot it.

And then we had to start with push-ups. Normally it wouldn't be that hard, but in Solar drills we didn't have whips being cracked across our backs. They weren't hard enough to open wounds or leave marks, but boy was it hard. My unit ended up doing 50 while I had to stay behind and do 80. Being an ex-Solar was really going for me here.

Our last drill was my least favorite. Instead of a wall to climb, it was a wall to climb up and then jump to other small platforms. I've heard of this before, parkour as the kids call it. It was a more specific type, no flips or tricks just straight on through. They had a head start, and by that I mean they finished before I started my first jump. Those agents made it look easy, hopping and jumping around easy.

My time? 6:33. Now, here's the thing. When I first joined the Solar Guard, my first time ever, was 4:18. This was probably the worst time anypony could get. And Sternhoof even told me. I had the new record for longest time. With a few remarks from my fellow agents, and a joke on quitting, I left the course to go to the archery field. I could work through the mud, and the parkour training. But archery was definitely something I needed to work on.

Thing was, I was tired as shit since I still hadn't gotten used to sleeping in the day. And all they serve here is that damn meat. Ugh, they even got the fangs for the stuff. The only thing I could eat was hay and grain, better than meat I suppose.

" Silver!". I turned around and saw Rock galloping to me. " What's up Silver? Where ya headed?". Rock was a pretty nice guy, we became friends after my first few days. Turns out I saved his cousin from a Solar Guard who tried to fight him.

" Archery. My shot's worse than a civilians", I weakly laughed. He chuckled some and followed me. Until the other agents warmed up to me he was my 'bodyguard'. He was the biggest guy here.

" It ain't that hard, I'll help you", he said. 'Ain't hard' my flank. I know Lunar Guards used crossbows on their night ops.

While my shot improved minimally in archery, it was better than it was earlier that night. Rock gave me some tips on how to use the bow properly, since he was sort of the sharpshooter in our squad. Glider and Crawler were their version of a shock trooper. It was basically them being equipped with smaller crossbows and a foreleg long blade. For now I was the only one using a dagger and spear, though they had to shorten the spear. GySgt. Stalker had his own sword and the missing Seargant apparently used a single dagger.

I was still curious about who this Seargant was, but I never got around to asking who he was. I was going to meet him tonight though. Tonight we had our first op since I joined. Apparently, whenever a unit gets a new recruit it takes a week for them to train before going into the field. I was on my way to briefing now.

I was wearing my armor, the spear mounted behind me, and the dagger in its sheath. That dagger was hoof crafted by my uncle, who died during the changeling invasion. It was the reason I was here, since he wrote in his will to give it to me. I was 15, and my uncle was like a second father to me. It all happened a month before my sixteenth birthday, and when that day came I didn't have a birthday, no cake, no presents. I just sat by my uncle's casket and cried that day.

Out of anger, and a small portion of my comic book reading self, I enlisted for the Solar Guard. My mom and dad told me I will never join, but I went against their word and joined anyways. For my uncle's sake.

So my coat was black, and my mane was already black so no change there. When I walked in Glider, Crawler, Rock, and Stalker were all standing in line in front of Captain Stone's desk. The CO in the room grinned at the sight of me.

" Still here, huh Private?", he chuckled. I knew he wasn't like the rest of them. He had no problem with Solar Guards. " Good. I knew you wouldn't let those boys get ya down".

" No sir", I saluted.

" Good. Now we just need the Seargant to get here", he sighed as he sat back in his chair.

" Permission to speak freely sir", I recited.

" Granted".

" If I may ask, where is the Seargant? Where has he been?", I asked. The four of them chuckled some, getting me to raise a brow.

" Sorry I'm late boys. Those meatheads in Zulu don't know hay".

When I looked to the door I was surprised. It was a female bat pony, but what really surprised me was how she wasn't black all over. Her coat was still a decent shade of gray and her mane was still kinda purple. Her armor matched a Lunar Guards, for some reason.

" Seargant Blossom was assigned to Zulu squad since they were down one stallion", Captain Stone said to me.

So she had the same name as my sister, coincidence. Though it was kinda weird how when she saw me she kinda sauntered over. She examined me like the other guys did, and she gave me a wink when I made eye contact. Hitting on me? Maybe, something like that hasn't happened since high school.

" So you're the new recruit huh?", she grinned. " Thought somepony was pulling my leg when they said a Solar joined". She eyed me a little longer before getting in line. " You're taller than I thought", she snickered.

" What is our mission sir?", Stalker asked. Stone leaned into his desk and pulled out a folder.

" Apparently some griffon ex-warriors were banished from the Empire", he summarized. " They've been causing hell in a small village at the base of the mountain to Canterlot. The six of you are to infiltrate the police building they're using as an OB and take care of any of those winged bastards. There may be hostages, so free'em and pull your asses out of there. Clear?".

" Yes sir", we said in unison.

" Your chariot leaves in 10. Don't be late". With another salute, we left the building.

We hoofed on over to the gates. Then the enormous door that lifted up. I climbed into the closest chariot. " Mind if I ride along?". Midnight didn't even wait as she climbed in next to me.

I tried to ignore her, but I could feel her gaze on me. The pegasi pulling the chariots took off, and soon the darkness of the cave consumed the three chariots. I felt the chariot turn and rise at times, getting me a little uneasy since I couldn't see. Soon though I saw the mouth of the cave, and not too long after we were out in the night sky. I glanced over to Blossom, who was just grinning at me weird.

" So you're The Lieutenant", she said. " Thought you'd be more...muscular".

It was really feeding what little ego I had that somepony I didn't even know knew who I was. " You knew?", I asked.

" You put a manticore's head on a spear", she laughed. " Why the hay wouldn't I know you? Even Cloud Skipper said you were better than their Captain".

I chuckled, since that rumor was still around. Both of them. " First, that manticore on a stick thing was an accident. Second, if Shining wasn't a unicorn he's sure as hay be here". She rolled her eyes and laughed.

" Take a compliment, jeez". She kept watching me as we flew. I glanced over to Rock who shrugged when I gestured to the only female EUOD agent. Glider and Crawler were glaring at me worse than before.

" So why don't you have your own armor?", I asked Midnight. " Ma'am".

She laughed again. " This ain't Solar anymore LT, just Midnight. And this is my armor, just didn't want that one", she pointed at mine. " Too much black".

I was a soldier, so of course I never questioned the use of the armor. I tried looking ahead again, but she still wanted to talk. " So what happened in the Badlands? Heard you held off a whole swarm of changelings".

" I don't wanna talk about it", I sternly said. She raised a brow and shrugged. She didn't know what happened. It was all my fault, but I won us a war. At a cost. There was nothing for me to be proud of.

" C'mon, Cloud said you killed fifty", she said like some filly. " Was he lying?".

" Fifty-seven", I said kind of loudly. " That's it".

" Well crap, don't blow up at me", she chuckled. This mare was something else, I was starting to wonder how she got in here.

" So how did you get in here Midnight?", I asked. She smirked and exhaled as she closed her eyes.

" You'll see", she smiled.

Ignoring my chariot buddy, Canterlot came into view just in front of us. I already missed my hometown, but it left my vision as we plunged to the bottom of the mountain. The small village was something I saw often, I even gaurded it myself. We landed a mile off from the village, and we used the tall grass to keep hidden. Midnight kept close to me, for Celestia knows what reason.

" Alright", Stalker whispered. " Police HQ is on the south side. We got some G's making rounds a block wide. Rock, get on that shop and take'em out nice and quiet when I give the go".

" Yes sir". He crawled out of the grass and galloped quietly inside the shop. We waited for him to pop up, which he did.

" All right, Midnight, take care of the guys guarding around the building after Rock's done", he ordered. Midnight tapped me on the shoulder and galloped off to hide behind the building.

" What about us sir?", Glider whispered.

" You and Crawler go around back", he ordered. " Me and the Private'll meet up with Midnight out front and we'll work our way up".

" Yes sir", they whispered. The two of them split around the side of a building to get to the back of the HQ.

" Ready Private?", he snickered.

" Yes sir".

We stood up and galloped behind a taxi wagon. Stalker waved his hoof and brought it down sharply. There was five small smacking noises, followed by five loud thuds. We waited another few minutes, then galloped behind a shop. Rock scanned the skies before giving us the all clear. When we got to the HQ Midnight was standing with her dagger in her mouth, two dead griffons on either side of her.

" Glider and Crawler cleared the back", Midnight said. " Ready LT?". I nodded and the three of us walked in

Glider and Crawlers handiwork was clear, three dead griffons layed dead with wounds in their necks and stabs to the chest. I got a hold of my short spear as we climbed the steps.

" Where's Beakbrain?", a voice called.

" Beats me. He's always doing this crap", another voice chortled. Me, Stalker and Midnight got to one side of the hallway as the voices got closer.

" Get the first one, then duck", Midnight whispered into my ear. I drew back my spear until a griffon walked into my sight.

With a hard thrust I stabbed the head of my spear into his head and dropped both of us. Midnight leaped over me and sunk her dagger into the other griffon's neck. We pulled the bodies put of sight and continued on.

" Keep your eyes peeled, might be hostages", Stalker advised us. " Private, take point".

I nodded and took us to where I thought we'd find more. Weapon caches. Sure enough there was five damn feather heads trying to break open the cages.

" Just break the damn thing!".

" What's it look like I'm trying to do?!".

" Just hurry up, boss is gonna be pretty ma-ack!".

My spear flew directly into his skull, and the three of us charged the other four. I bit the handle of my uncles dagger and slit the throat of a griffon. Midnight tumbled with one before stabbing the other in the temple. Stalker was sword fighting one griffon, and before the last could sneak up on him a large arrow embedded itself in his head. With the second threat gone, Stalker slammed his sword into the griffons heart. Before it could cry out he slammed its beak shut and twisted its neck.

I sheathed the dagger and picked up my spear. We left the bodies and searched for more, but found no others. I still didn't see a single hostage, but we had to move up. The stairs were vacant, and before I opened the door I heard another griffon.

" Where is everyone!", one shouted. " I told those dumbasses to report!".

" Want me to check it out sir?", another asked.

" Sure, go. In the meantime you two watch that bitch". So four in total, one coming this way.

I bit the handle of my dagger and pulled it out again. When the door opened we were right behind it, I tackled him and stabbed his throat then threw my spear. The clunk meant I missed, and the griffon was on top of me. My teammates were busy with the other two, so me and him wrestled around a little.

He tried reaching for his dagger on his chest, but I bit it and tossed it away. That pissed him off and we pushed away. He punched me clean across the face before I raised my hoof to block the next one. The training I got taught me hoof to hoof combat. I tried punching, only to have it blocked, then uppercut the poor fella in the stomach. He stumbled back and I grabbed the sides of his head, them twisted hard. The crack of bones shook me, then he slammed into the floor.

The other two had better encounters, and the 'bitch' turned out to be a yellow and pink maned pegasus pony. We glanced knowing glances at each other, then to the Element of Kindness. It didn't feel right, but I had to blindfold her and leave her there.

" Don't worry, help's on the way", I whispered to her. She just whimpered into the gag and the cloth I put around her eyes was getting wet.

Leaving the Element bearer in observation, we met up with Glider and Crawler. They were bloodied some, since Crawler got cut in his leg and Glider patched him up. We seperated and looked through the building again, but found no other gryphons. Silently we went outside, Rock came down from his perch and we ran to the exfil point.

It was in a nearby patch of trees. " Nice throwin' LT", Midnight whispered into my ear. " Don't miss next time though".

She snickered and we kept going at a silent yet full pace. Our exit was the chariot they left for us, big enough for three to pull and three to ride. Glider, Stalker, and Crawler were the strongest pegasi, so they had to pull it. Me, Rock, and Midnight all hopped in back and took off.

" Just like I heard from my cousin", Rock chuckled. " Gets shit done right".

" You know it", Midnight chuckled. I rolled my eyes at their exaggeration and turned to Rock.

" That was some fine shooting", I told him. " Where'd you learn to shoot like that?".

He chuckled and took out the large bow. " I wasn't one of you guys, ex-Royal Guard. I was a merc for my family before Captain Stalker recruited me", he said. " Assassin from a distance and stuff".

So I wasn't just working with ex-soldiers. I was working with ex-mercs too. " Rock could hit a fly and not kill it with that bow", Midnight patted his back. " And where'd you get that dagger? Doesn't look like standard issue".

I put a hoof to the sheath. " It was my uncle's. He made it himself, and when he died in the attack I got it from his will", I said sternly.

Midnight eased up a little. " Wait, you're Captain Moccker's nephew?", she asked. I was more surprised she knew my uncle than when she knew me. " I thought that thing looked familiar".

" How'd you know my uncle?", I asked. She grinned and leaned to the side.

" He did better than Shining Armor or Captain Stalker or Captain Shadow could ever do", Rock said. " A year after I joined the Lunar Guard I met the guy myself. Living legend let me tell ya".

" You're just like him, especially with the commitment", Midnight lightly pushed my shoulder.

It felt good to not only hear that my uncle was the best, but that I was somewhat like him. Soon we found our way back and went into the cave. The others unhooked themselves and the six of us got back to base. Glider and Crawler went to med bay to get their wounds patched up while me, Rock, Stalker, Midnight went to debriefing.

" Took you long enough", Stone chuckled. " How'd it go?".

" All griffons were dealt with, the hostage was the Element of Kindness Fluttershy, and Glider and Crawler are in med bay", Stalker said. " No pony saw us, except for the Element".

" I'm sure she won't be able to identify any of you", Stone waved a hoof. " How was your first mission Private?".

" Good sir", I saluted.

" Good, I knew you'd be good for this. Get to the mess, get some chow in ya", he waved us off. " And Private, a word".

I walked back in and stood before the Captain. " What is it sir?".

He pulled out something I thought I hid pretty good. " What is this?".

I barely restrained myself from snatching the gem back. " A gem my sister's husband enchanted to allow me and my sister to speak with one another", I quickly said.

" Don't let me catch you giving away any information or details as to what you're doing with your sister", he said solemnly. " Or you'll be fired, catch my drift?".

He did not just hint that I was a traitor. " Yes sir", I calmly nodded. He slid the gem to me, and I snatched it up and galloped out of the briefing building.

Before heading to the mess I made sure nothing else was missing. I had everything, bits, rag to clean my weapons, my family photo, and my uncle's ribbon of gratitude. I sighed with relief and put the gem under everything and slid the bag back under my bunk. I took off my armor, put it in the chest, and went to the mess.

I got the grain and what little hay was left. It was gone in three bites, leaving my stomach to rumble. I heard a tray clatter beside me, and when I looked I saw Midnight was a coy grin.

" Have some meat, a big colts gotta eat", she snickered.

" I don't eat that stuff", I groaned out of hunger. My stomach made its own groan that it was desperate for something.

" Hey, it's either this and you get your strength up or die in drills", she told me more seriously. " That's how Dunebug went".

" I thought I was the first Solar Guard to join", I said.

" Yeah, Dunebug was a ram, not a pony", she said. " Still, eat up".

Forcing myself not to gag I put the piece of steaming flesh in my mouth. It tasted...new. I wasn't comfortable with it, but I could bear it. I swallowed another few chunks until I felt satisfied.

" Alright, I'm hitting the sack", I yawned. " Bye".

She waved lazily as I left. I hopped into my bunk and reached back under for my gem. I tapped it twice and the crystal began to flicker, signaling that it was getting in touch with my sister. Sadly, she wasn't available tonight, so I had to sleep with a filled mind. Before I fully fell asleep, more agents came in for rest. When I looked to the pony going into my chest I wanted to hit myself.

" Hey bunk mate", Midnight smirked. She tossed in her armor and climbed onto her bunk. " Night".

This was going to be a problem.