Officer Strikes Adventures- Aftermath of the changeling- complete

[Officer Strike 152]

It was a fine morning in Pony Ville and I was up and out of my bed already. I was patrolling and guarding Pony Ville since the latest attack on Princess Cadence's wedding had occurred and the changelings had attacked Pony Ville before the attack on Canterlot Castle and the whole place had been wrecked.

 I sighed and looked at the wreckage of some houses as I held my spear guarding the place and looking out for any signs of danger.

 

As the Junior Officers of the royal guard we were to clean up the wreckage.

 

I looked around.

 

There was pieces of houses and barns all over the place and the ponies were distressed.

 Chrysalis's attack had been quite harsh on the villagers. They were just poor ponies after all. They had probably just fed on some extra love. Or thats what I had thought.

However it was not my problem. That was what the Senior Officers would say.

I spotted Twilight Sparkle  in the distance. I knew that she was hanging around after the attacks and trying to help as many ponies as she could. I respected her. She was the student of Princess Celestia herself and I would never mess with Princess Celestia, after all I was part of her royal guard troop.

 

Twilight Sparkle spotted me. We didn't know each other as well as me and Rainbow Dash did. Rainbow Dash knew who I was. We had seen each other and decided to race. She knew that I was a young pegasus who had joined the royal guard officer's in the Mare Sectors of the royal guard. There were still more stallions in the academy but over the few years mares had come into the royal guard and started doing as well as the stallions.

That made me feel proud of being a royal guard. I loved this job.

I was called Lightning Strike but mostly my name had become Officer Strike since I was mostly working for the royal guard and I had joined the royal guard a year ago but I was quite trained up and already ranking quite high for my status and age but I had to learn much more of course.

The best thing was that Captain Shining Armour was the Junior Officers's teacher and they had learned that he was the best of the best. I myself thought that he was fair. He could be tough sometimes but then where was the challenge in the royal guard?

Me and Rainbow Dash were another case. We liked racing each other but Dashie had always seemed to win. However there had been a time that I had beaten her once or twice. I didn't gain my lightning bolt cutie mark for nothing.

I was unsure what the bolt meant all the time because all of the things that I was good at happened in one day.

I had been racing quite fast on that day while and idea popped up in my head. On that day I finished a story and read it to my family members. They said that the idea had popped into my head like a "Lightning Bolt!" and I remembered that from that day I would be famous for that in my family.

Twilight Sparkle came up to me. The other Junior Officers  were busy clearing up the mess. I gritted my teeth and lifted a heavy piece and chucked it into the dump with my hooves. I used all my strength and wiped the sweat that was trickling down before Twilight Sparkle spotted me. She was  hesitant to speak to me at first.

"It's probably cos she has seen that I am a mare. Aren't the ponies familiar with mare royal guard officers nowdays?" I asked myself.

Twilight Sparkle finally spoke.

".....What happened here? The ponies were all asking me about it......" Twilight Sparkle said biting her lip and looking around and I knew that I was going to be constantly asked the same question all day by the rest of the town ponies.

"I am sorry maa'm. You can see there was an attack on the same day in Pony Ville before the wedding. Every pony is talking about it, the attack of the changelings!" I cried and then paused to clear my throat.

To be honest though I am not so sure.......but we are clearing away the bits that were left from the damage. It was not too many houses. Just barns really" I explained to Twilight.

Twilight nodded.

"Well it is good to see young officers  help out the ponies. The younger officers have been helping to protect Equestria I presume? I have seen you before you are a friend of Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

I nodded and smiled.

"Well yes I guess so. We just race each other from time to time but we hardly ever talk to each other. Only challenge each other. I am busy training in the royal guard and you know helping out and writing stories!" I replied.

".....Your name is Lighter Striker?" Twilight guessed my name.

"No." I corrected. "

"My name is Lightning Strike. I am in the Mare's sector and Junior Officer..." I said showing her my badge proudly. I really treasured it. 

However Twilight trotted back into the distance. She had obviously lost interest in me.

"That was so awkward!" I chuckled to myself.

"Hey Strike help me out with this lot!" ordered one of the Senior Officer's.

  I obeyed galloping towards his aid and helping him lift the heavy lot of broken up pieces.  I realised I was soaked with dirt and my armour was full of mud. I brushed some of the soil from my helmet. My plume was just as dirty as the rest of me.

Every other royal guards helmet and armour look like that as well. Soon we had to return back to the Royal guard training academy and clean the armour that was dirty.  Then we could go home back to our families after that.

 The royal guard training itself was not too tough as many stallions and mares expected it to be. There was an entry test but it was just common knowledge about Equestria and I had passed that test a year ago. There were rules and if you broke them you would be out of the academy and packing your books and bag before you could say "Celestia raises the sun!".

Of course I had not commited any offences at all. I had made mistakes such as attend late lots of times but I simply had more homework and Shining Armour had a little talk with me.

I hate being late.

"Alright we have cleared up! You lot in a line!" yelled the Senior Officer and I gave a salute and obeyed.

 I lined up and the other royal guard officers all lined up in a straight line.  Captain Shining Armour trotted in front of the officers and looked at us sternly.

"Well what the hay do you expect for a guy whose wedding was a few days ago and he has to put up with teaching officers and clearing up Pony Ville?" That thought popped into my head.

"Officer Strike pay attention!" Shining Armour waved his hoof in my face.

"Sorry sir!" I cried.

"Alright then officers! Good work! Pony Ville looks much better now! Remember!To serve and protect is our aim and so far you have worked up to that for today! Now then! You must all go back to the academy and sort yourselves out! Unpack your books and make sure you do your homework! he ordered.

"Yes sir!" I called

Then we were off. I turned marching with the royal guards that were in my troop and  back to the royal guard academy. Of course Canterlot was quite far away so me and the boys had to catch the quickest train back or we would be late!

 I soon looked up seeing the familiar golden gates of the royal guard academy with massive courtyards. It was inside Canterlot Castle and had an impressive number of classrooms. I could see Senior Officers and Junior Officers training.

"Now for the worst part!" I said grinning at my friend and removing my golden helmet. It didn't look that gold anymore. It looked more like earth with specs of gold instead.

I slumped wearily back down onto the bench and stared out awhile looking around as the Junior Officers polished their armour. Jumping Jacks joked around with me 

She was a little older than me and would be moving to the Senior Officer soon. She was proud and loud and confident but could also jump super high and was very fast. She was a light green earth pony with a red mane.

"Nice day huh then Strike? You already seem that you are ranking fast.....not long before I become a Senior Officer though!" Jumping Jacks exclaimed but there was a hint of sadness in her voice.

We would miss each other. She wouldn't see me much once she became a Senior Officer. She would be training other Junior Officer's but I wouldn't be the one she would coach.

I imagined Jumping Jacks coaching me.

I tore away from that horrible thought. I refused to be coached by my best friend!

 

"Wow I know your becoming a Senior Officer! I can imagine you being really good though. I mean you are loud and confident!" I said patting my friend's hoof.

" Me, now I am different you know I mean I am loud. You have seen me screaming down the streets of Pony Ville and waking up the neighbours. I have anger issues but we will not go into that! You know I am not as confident as I could be. I love the challenges that I face in the royal guard but I could never be ordering Junior Officers around since I will not have the guts!" I admitted to her and she rolled her eyes.

She was sick of hearing "I can't!" all the time from me. I always put myself down and got teased a lot for it. I was quite sensitive as well meaning I got upset very easily.

In the royal guard though, I felt like I was at home.

"Oh come on your a fine royal guard! You have learned a lot! You have learned what a patrol is and how to defend yourself!  I guess everyone needs to face challenges though. I mean I am really nervous! I am sure one day that you'll become a Senior Officer in the royal guard as well!" Jumping Jacks flashed a smile.

"Yeah you are right I suppose. I do want to become  a royal guard Senior Officer and train up our future. The royal guard I have to admit couldn't really handle the threat of Queen Chrysalis but they did try. How can you use spears against a mad Queen?" I shrugged as I continued to polish my armour and Jumping Jacks did not have a clue.

I remembered that particular day. It was the wedding day and I was invited so I could guard the place. It was another Junior Officer drill that we had to take part in. It was good practice as well but when Chrysalis came I was stuck.

I began speaking.

"I mean I was there at the wedding guarding the place when I spotted her army of changelings. I looked for a Commander or a General and warned Commander Courage but then it was too late. Her changelings had tied up the lot of us officers!" I started to remember the incident that had occured.

" Thank Celestia that my mother wasn't there or she would have probably got involved as well. At the end though, the wedding was fun since they organized a party for every pony and the royal guard were allowed to join in! I danced a bit too much there though!" I laughed.

I would chat a lot when it was with Jumping Jacks. Otherwise I would mostly shut up and obey orders. That was what we had to do in the royal guard though. At home it was the complete opposite. I disobeyed any order.

"Yeah . Queen Chrysalis is a damned mean one. She is horrible!" Jumping Jacks said closing up her eyes trying not to remember the sight of Queen Chrysalis.

"I know that she does not look to good. She should pay a visit to Carousel Boutique! However you have got to admit she is kinda cool just busting in like that! Her entrance and the way that plan was conjured up. That is pure evil dude. I hated her for trapping me in that rope though I was stuck in it for a long time and I couldn't get out! Im not exactly good with knots!" I lowered my voice as I spoke.

Many of the royal guards had been hurt in that incident and I had fought off one or two changelings but that newfound glory had not lasted at all. I also saw the mane 6 running around frantically and away from the changelings but the one thing I remembered was Chrysalis coming face to face with me. It had been very scary for me. I had never seen her up that close. She had spotted me in the castle hall when and I had seized my spear. I had soared up as high as I could have done but she kept on tricking me by shapeshifting into different beings and a royal guard I had mistakened her for and Jumping Jacks at some point.

When I had told Jumping Jacks about that one day ago she just glared at me.

I shuddered remembering what the villainess had said.

"Look who we have here! A bunch of young Junior Officers from none other than the royal guard! The Commanders are all kidnapped you know and spears cannot do much against me now!" Chrysalis spat coldly.

However....

I had always had a soft spot for villains in the books that I had read in Pony Ville but that was  if a villain was not real! I would have become a fan of a fictional villain and start writing stories about them but this one was real and that meant that I was on the good side here.

I usually took the evil side's point of view. It was interesting.

Jumping Jacks was unstoppable back when Chrysalis had caught us. She bounced up so high that she gave Chrysalis a slap on the nose and that I had found quite funny. It didn't help though since it just drove Chrysalis even more madder and savage.

Then I had to think serious.

 Jumping Jacks was almost killed with a blast of dark magic from Chrysalis herself in that fight. I should have been a little more careful about what I was thinking. I heard Jumping Jacks scream in pain and so I seized my spear and bashed the heck out of Chrysalis's horn and she was quite shocked.

I might have been a Junior Officer but I packed a punch!

"Apart from all the stuff you have done to us. You know you could take a break from it and get interviewed by me for my latest story if you want! I am curious!" I had managed to blurt out loud the day that Chrysalis attacked me and Chrysalis just stared at me.

"Interested hmm? Well maybe we shall have a chat later on......" Chrysalis said sarcastically and then the fight had continued.

I came back to present and got out of my thoughts.

I blinked and Jumping Jacks laughed.

"You always have a soft spot for evil and villains and always feel sorry for them. You know Strike you are so sad sometimes!" she had figured that out by now.

We both finished polishing our armour and we were told to put it back into our lockers in the hallway of the royal guard academy.  I knew we had a training camp tomorrow and then a shift to guard Canterlot Castle. Guarding could be boring as you just stood there but it was interesting to learn to do and there was so much more to guarding a castle than I had thought.

I had also a lot to study. I had so much textbooks about the royal guard. Such as the History Of the Royal Guard and How to be A Royal Guard and Beginners Royal Guard Handbook.

Soon enough, the royal guard were dismissed from the academy.  I held my satchel around me which was full of the books and textbooks that I had to read back at home since it was homework from the royal guard academy and I had to do it.

My satchel was marked with a shield as a royal guard logo. It told everypony that I was a royal guard and I also had a badge which was clipped onto the satchel showing my rank and my name.

I shrugged and gave a wave to Jumping Jacks as she turned the corner and left in a hurry since she told me her mother needed help back in Pony Ville.

"What now?" I thought to myself.

 I was in Canterlot and I knew that I needed to take the train back home and so I trotted over towards the train station and waited for my train to come. As I did I looked through the massive and long but pretty interesting textbooks. I loved reading and I could read anything from a filly's book to the royal documents in the archives.

I was allowed to borrow books from Canterlot Castles library since I was at the royal guard academy and I loved that opportunity.  The books were mostly aimed for my studies but I could borrow anything there.

As I waited for the train I spotted one of the Mane 6 heading out onto the platform. It was none other than Rarity. I was quite unsure what she was doing there but I said nothing. Rarity and me had hardly spoke to each other but that was not because we hated each other or anything of course. It was because you would have never seen me walking to Carousel Boutique for anything. I hated wearing fancy mane styles and I wanted to stick to the plain royal guard me.

I did not actually act like a mare at all half the time.

She would have never recognised me if Spike had not been with her. Spike had seen me around before. Spike only lived a few streets down so he was my neighbour. and he wondered off everywhere. He was a  close friend of mine. I treated him like my own dragon.

"Hey Strike!" he called waving high and I smiled and looked at Spike.

"Hi Spike! What the hay are you doing here? Isn't Twilight supposed to be with you?" I asked and Spike sighed dreamily.

"Rarity asked me to help her sell her jewels back in Canterlot and when Rarity asks you to do something with jewels you have to go!  The jewels  and diamonds are yummy!" Spike said as he was dribbling all over me. I sighed and rolled my eyes brushing the dribble away. Rarity was looking at me curiously in the distance.

"Spike who is this?" Rarity asked curiously and Spike did the introducing.

"Oh she's just a neighbour of mine! Her name is Officer Strike!.well Lightning Strike! She is in the royal guard and a Junior Officer there! That must be so cool! It must be hard to pass the entry test though but you did it! We often chat!" Spike said lighting up the mood and Rarity smiled.

"Well hello there Strike! I have heard that Rainbow Dash has raced with you! Me and Spike were just around!" Rarity explained and I understood.

"Well that is cool! I guess thats my train back to Pony Ville! Wait! You guys live in Pony Ville as well so your going on the same train?" I asked.

"Of course we are!" Rarity cried.

I was on the train soon enough. I  then shuffled through my book and began doing my homework in the train. Once you got into your homework it was not so bad after all. I was also very tired and wanted to slump down at home and tell my mother and sister everything and then my father would come home back to the house and we could have a chat.

"So you are aware of the attack that had happened recently?" Rarity asked as she looked through the paper and I was aware.

I told her the story of clearing up the place when there was damage done everywhere and I told her the story of Queen Chrysalis.

"I didn't even know the changelings attacked Pony Ville as well! So you royal guard had to clean up the whole of Pony Ville! Those disastrous changelings. I suppose the royal guard came to the rescue once again and made Pony Ville a nicer place! You should be proud of yourself. I mean of course you were involved in cleaning up Pony Ville!" Rarity pointed out and I smiled.

"Oh yes I am proud to help!I do like to help I guess and it  was kind of fun! Well that is Pony Ville after all!" I swallowed and then saw that I had to get going.

"See you around later Rarity and Spike I really have to get going!" I cried and Rarity and Spike waved and I flapped my wings and soared right into the air.

I was in the air flying around Pony Ville and looking down at the town. I loved to speed around and have some fun just flying and practicing to race.  I spotted Rainbow Dash but it must had been best to avoid her or I would get caught up in another challenge. Instead I decided to land and landed back down onto the floor and decided that since I had some bits I could spend them on something nice.

I looked around the Pony Ville's stalls that were in the market square. I could quickly buy something but I was unsure what it was going to be.

Then it struck me.

 My mother did want some apple pies and I could buy them for the whole families. I sniffed and could feel the scent wafting to my nose and it was coming  than none other than Apple Jack's store.

"Howdy there! Let me guess! I spotted you cleaning up the place when the damage of the latest attack was caused! Mighty! You are a royal guard officer! Well then what would the young officer like to buy?" Apple Jack asked cheerily.

Those pies smelt so good.

"Oh those smell delicious! I suppose just four pies then for the whole family! How much do you want for that?" I asked while I was thinking about the homework that I had been doing beforehand and wondered if I would get a good mark.

"Four bits! Each of them are only one bit each!" Apple Jack explained.

I took the offer. It was really cheap, and I handed her four bits and she gave me four apple pies back and I stuffed them into my satchel and darted off towards home. I felt the wind whistle through my blue and yellow mane as I flew and soared high and dodged obstacles bravely. Finally I landed at my house and knocked on the door.

My house in Pony Ville was a nice little house. It had a good amount of rooms but it stood out because it had a palm tree next to it that was planted there. It was quite a rare plant.

"It's Lightning Strike! Mum! Hey Strike come in! Rarity popped over beforehand and she handed me some extra supplies for my latest sewing work I have been doing!." Stylish Mare cried out.

Stylish Mare was my little sister but she was the complete opposite and it was hard to see that we were really sisters at all. She popped by a lot of times to Rarity's boutique and borrowed many items such as wool and thread.  I was surprised that Rarity had not known that the mare she had been giving lessons was actually my sister's sewing lessons. Stylish Mare loved to style around and her cutie mark was a beautiful button with a needle with thread going through the eye.

She was in fact a unicorn. That was because my mother was a unicorn but my father was a pegaus and so I was a pegasus whilst she was a unicorn. I was not really interested in using magic for anything anyway but Stylish Mare found it easier to sew using her magic. She was not really interested in learning any spells however.

Mum came trotting to me (too tired to call her mother now) and smiled letting me in. I raced up to my room and smashed my books all over the floor. I lay in my bed and locked my room door since I was tired and didn't want to be bothered. Typical for a teenage mare like me of course as I began continuing a story that I was writing.

I was totally absorbed in writing my story. It was about Queen Chrysalis the changeling queen herself. I knew a lot about her since I had borrowed books from the library about her and was interested in the whole character of her. I always wanted to know whether she was destroyed and had died or she was out there planning revenge.

I had written many stories about the villains that threatened Equestria from their point of view and what the world was like to them and how it felt to be cast away all the time and how it felt to be defeated. I tried to understand why villains would do things and how as well as it could have maybe been because something had happened to that certain villain in life which made them turn into an outlaw or maybe because they were simply evil and black hearted.

Although I was obsessed with writing about evil nothing could drag me away from being on the good side. I was glad that I was still good.

Later on however I raced back to play a game with my sister. After finishing my homework and taking my mind off my story we both had played a game of cards because she was bored.

I was a very sour loser against her since I didn't want to be beaten by my sister. We immediatly started fighting.

Sibling Rivalry. The most common thing in Equestria.

"Who would want to play with a cheater!" yelled Stylish Mare and I lashed out. I was boiling up now and being a hot head.

"Just get on with it and play with me!" I shouted back and it became heated.  I soared right up to her and wrestled the stupid mare down to the floor and she screamed. We hurt each other quite badly and she had pinched me.

That was when mum stepped in.

"Just stop it both of you right now! Go and do your own stuff!" she cried and I was fuming and ignored my mum but realised that it was no point in fighting now.  Stylish Mare and me had made bruises all over each other since we were hitting and wrestling with each other and we were both hurt and too tired. Stylish Mare had even thrown a ornament on my head with her magic and the bruise throbbed.

"Annoying mule" I thought to myself. I hated all these stupid fights me and my family got into and I had forgotten about the game completly. It was obvious that I was quite tired since I wrote stories all night and read books all night instead of sleeping. That was why eventually I had needed to wear specs for certain things. I popped them on my face.

Later on my mum called me and said that I was allowed to go and have some fun for a while and maybe play some games with my pony friends or something. I dashed down without saying anything and spotted Rainbow Dash chilling outside. She was staring at me.

"Race let me guess?" I sighed as I asked this and Rainbow Dash grinned and nodded.

I grinned back. I knew that I would enjoy this even if i was in a bit of a bad mood and so I started with her as we began racing. She was so fast and her rainbow shot behind her and she performed a Sonic Rainboom. I adored that move. I continued flapping and racing as high as I could.

I overtook her a few times but then the wind pushed me back. Rainbow Dash laughed and kicked me back and I yelled out. I tried to go faster but the bolts were not charging out of me anymore. I had lost my focus and landed with a skid and a halt.

"Come on lazy bones." Rainbow Dash urged and I caught my breath and shook my head.

She knew clearly that we had been doing this for over 3 hours but she was a super pony and she had obviously also been trained in the wonderbolts academy but she knew that I was not one of the mane 6. I was a normal pony from the village and a royal guard.

I was fairly fit.

After a while I had practiced combat skills with my spear and was doing push ups.

"So then what is up with the royal guard thing?"

Rainbow Dash was always curious to know about the royal guard. She would have been quite a good royal guard officer in my opinion if she was not stuck with that wonderbolt craze of hers but yet again I had a royal guard craze as well.

"Yeah wicked! I'll be recieving the highest reward for my rank soon and it is The Royal Guard Sergeant award. I am moving from Sergeant at last!  Training is fine and good and Jumping Jacks is cool. Love her." I told her about everything.

Rainbow Dash nodded again and again. She was eventually bored.

"Chow! See you later then!" I said waving my hoof and she had been off so fast.  I zipped right back up in the clouds after resting my wings for a while. For a while I just flew gently and paced myself but it turned into a dangerous race back home as it began to grow quite dark and I could see that Princess Luna was rising the moon.

"I have to get home!" I told myself.

I was back home soon.  Stylish Mare spotted me and it had taken ages for us to get ready for bed. We had heard that my father was staying at his mother's house somewhere out of Pony Ville for the time being and that meant that it was a mares night!

"Cool so what do you guys have planned?" I asked Stylish Mare and my mum and I got my answer. Throughout the whole night we mostly snacked and talked and played games. We played a game of pin the pony on the tail and we all burst out laughing at stupid jokes of ours.

I loved mares night.

That night was the best night that I had ever had with my family.

But the worst night was about to come.

I yawned and stretched waking up in the morning and realised what the time was. My eyes widened. I should have been back at the academy by now and today I realised I was going to stay there for a night and I could not believe that I had forgotten! My mum had woken me up fast and Stylish Mare and me said goodbye to each other.

"Have a good time royal guard sister!" Stylish Mare said winking.

"Wicked! Thanks sis.....hey and have a good time too. Just don't go and touch my stuff while the cutie mark crusaders come and stay over!" I yelled and Stylish Mare obeyed.

I had brushed my mane and had eaten breakfast and I had my homework done and my satchel over my back and so I was off and ready. I knew that I couldn't be late for the camp or I would have been given a penalty and that would be a nightmare.. I galloped right out of Pony Ville and down to the train station where I caught my train.

The train was slower than usual and I shook my head in disgust and checked the time. I knew that I was going to be late like I usually was for everything but I had always been given a chance.  Possibly because Pony Ville was not too close to Canterlot and I was only a Junior Officer.

I spotted other royal guard officers on the train and so I was happy that I was not the only one who was going to be late. Jumping Jacks was on the train as well and had her bag packed and she spotted me and winked.

"Royal guard training camp! This is going to be so cool!" Jumping Jacks said and I nodded.

"Yeah I cannot wait! I hope that I get to be dorm mates with you!" I said excited.

Soon the train had stopped and I was racing and flying as fast as I could to try and get to the royal guard academy and I had finally made it. The Senior Officers were waiting outside with stern and solemn faces. Most of the Junior officers had already began training and were listening to the announcments.

"Name?" barked one of the Commanders. He was wearing a whistle and looked quite mean and so I decided not to argue.

"Lightning Strike sir!" I said tiredly and the Commander let me through the gates and I was finally in the training academy.

I spotted Captain Shining Armour in the distance. I was shocked to see Princess Celestia was there but yet again the camp was paid for by her and she had sponsored our armour suppliers. I gave a bow to her and then galloped as fast as I could to Captain Shining Armour.

He frowned at me.

"What time do you call this Strike?" he asked angrily and I felt dread wash over me. Princess Celestia was also here examining the training that the royal guard were going through and I was late and that must have been a bad impression.

"I am sorry sir! I promise that I shall come early next time sir!" I began to hestiate but he was teasing.

"Just hurry up and join the line!" Captain Shining Armour cried and I saluted.

"Yes sir! Right away sir!" I said hastily and then Jumping Jacks had also came in and was being told off for coming late and joined the line.

"Alright then! That is all of us! Welcome to the Royal Guard Training Camp! Members of the royal guard academy you shall recieve extra training for a fixed amount of time! Later on of course you shall have a shift! This however is all part of you training for Senior Officers!" Captain Shining Armour shouted.

He continued explaining the rules of the camp and there was a whole list of rules. I had known each of them off by heart since a royal guard had to know them off by heart but the list of rules were very long so I did not really bother telling anyone about them.

"Alright we are going to train and start off with a warm up! That is it gallop around! No flying and no using magic or you shall be chucked off the camp! Go!" Shining Armour yelled and I obeyed.

I was galloping as hard as I could around the track that we were running on and the Senior Officers cheered on and urged the officers to go faster. I gritted my teeth. I didn't want to be the last one behind the rest and so I sped forward careful not to use my wings and get spotted by one of the officials.

We were doing all sorts of other stuff afterwards. We were learning to upgrade our moves and how to defend ourselves better with our spears and learning techniques that none of us had even been trained for before.

It was all part of the camp and I was enjoying it. The spear training was usually daily but this was somewhat different. This was real techniques and they were hard to learn. We all stood in the courtyard hot and began our lesson.

Princess Celestia was pleased with the Junior Officers progress so far. She was curious and watched them since she never really paid attention to the royal guard. She was far too busy ruling Equestria and working with other rulers to restore balance and harmony

Her eyes slid towards me as I was not paying attention.

 I tore my eyes away from her making sure she did not spot me not concentrating in my training. 

Then I wielded my spear as the combat drills were called out.

"Right now do Uppercut Move right now!" the instructors called out and I tried doing the uppercut move although I did it quite wildy at first and with no skill and Captain Shining Armour saw that I was having difficulty with making the uppercut move.

"Strike let me show you how to do this! Concentrate and you hold your spear very firmly making sure that it does not fall out of your hoof and hold it as tight as you can! Now then Strike let's see if i can knock it out of your hoof!" Shining Armour challenged.

"Yes sir!".

I knew that I had accepted a challenge.

I took the order and held my spear with my hoof as tightly as I could. Shining Armour knocked it out of my grasp instantly and I went red with embarrasment while the other royal guard officers around me laughed.

"No harm done!  Try again then! Remind what you are Strike?" Captain Shining Armour questioned sternly as he began circling me and I swallowed.

"Sir! A Junior Officer sir!" I cried and Shining Armour came face to face with me.

"Then try again right in front of me and do it this time! We don't give up Strike and you know that very well. I advise that you hold it with your right hoof and it would be much easier!" Shining Armour suggested.

"Yes sir and thank you for the help sir!" I answered and I held the spear this time concentrating and tightening my grasp so hard on it that it made my hoof quite raw and red  and Shining Armour tried to push my spear out of my grip but it took quite a few minutes.

"Good. You have done good. There is always room for improvement though Strike and remember that. That is the principals of a royal guard! You must agree on that!" Shining Armour said and I knew that he was right.

"I agree sir!" and I had. I agreed with him quite firmly.

I became quite familiar with the uppercut move and interesting blocks that we were learning. We practiced for a while on dummies which were made of straw and I looked up. I was in my golden armour and it was baking hot and I was surprised how hot it was. I wiped the sweat off my mane quickly and whipped around.

"Now that we have gone through warm ups and you are beginning to learn some new skills within the art of combat you shall be assigned with a partner that you shall duel. May I remind you that a duel consists of no physical contact with each other unless a small prod on the chestplate of your armour! No pushing and no shoving!" A Senior Officer called out.

"Yes sir!" I responded again. My heart was racing. We were having a duel!

 I wondered which partner I had been assigned with. I had duelled maybe once or twice within training and I enjoyed duels very much. I turned and my heart lurched as I realised who my partner was.

Jumping Jacks looking smug and holding a big large spear.

"Jumping Jacks. Seriously pal this is going to be interesting" I muttered and Jumping Jacks sneered and looked at me. I narrowed my eyes and held my spear ready for the whistle to blow. I was ready to throw out some new moves that I had learned throughout training on Jumping Jacks.

"I'll show you what I am made of!" Jumping Jacks hissed.

"In your dreams pal....." I replied.

"Are you ready! 1......2.......3......Go!" the Commander screamed and the whistle had been blown and I felt a clatter of  Jumping Jacks's heavy spear against my lighter spear. I looked up to see Jumping Jacks lashing and tried to get me out of  of the duel by prodding me in the chest. I blocked with a sharp block and sent her back and attacked her with a simple jab which made her fall back with her spear.

"You are so going down!" Jumping Jacks cursed me. She was a very good fighter and I was only a amateur afterall but I hit her spear hard and tried to get to her chestplate but she was too fast. She bashed my spear and I fell back.

"Woah!" Shining Armour shouted. He was entertained by the duels that the royal guards fought against each other in. He clapped amazed and Princess Celestia was clapping as well.

There were winners and there were losers. The losers were to sit out and watch the winners and the winners continued until there was a last remaining. It so happened that I had beaten Jumping Jacks with quickly hitting her in the chest before she could react.

"The winner is Officer Strike! Officer Jacks you can go and sit down and watch your royal guard partner fight! Learn from the winners! Officer Strike you are going against Officer Boots next!" Shining Armour instructed.

I fought against Officer Boots next but he was too strong. He had me down on the floor pinned with his spear at my chest and then he helped me out. I sighed and flashed a smile at Jumping Jacks who smirked at me.

"Not so cocky now!" Jumping Jacks cussed and I smiled sitting down and watching. I was exhausted. We had been training since the morning and there were duels just before lunch. Then we would be away on our shifts guarding Canterlot Castle later on for Princess Celestia to earn a bit of extra money and to rank up as well.

The overall victor of the duels was the strongest officer and highest officer who was ranking as a Senior Officer very shortly. His name was Gold Star and he was also quite rich from Canterlot. His parents had sent him to the royal guard academy to make him a royal guard.

"Well done Gold Star! This adds to your rank! The rest of you give me ten!" Shining Armour ordered and there were groans but I was on the floor and doing the push ups without any fuss. It was no point anyway and we deserved to get ten push ups. Gold Star was obviously paying the most attention through training.

I hated Gold Star though. He was such a show off.

After that it was time for lunch and we took off our armour. Jumping Jacks and a few others joined me in the mess hall as we had our lunch break. After this it would be our shifts and then another extra hour of trainng since we were at the royal guard training camp.

While I was eating and bearing with Jumping Jacks havering on about her latest Daring Do book to the other royal guards, I had noticed Princess Celestia and Shining Armour having a talk in the distance. I only had managed to catch a few words and I knew it was bad news.

"Changelings" Celestia mentioned.

"Returned I know" Shining Armour uttered.

I tore my head away and shrugged. Sooner or later I would have figured out what I had heard anyway. Still it did not worry me at all.

As I ate in the mess hall I spotted something going on.

 In the mess hall there was trouble stirring up and a gang of older officers were teaming up against a smaller officer. This was not supposed to happen. These older officers obviously were being stupid. They were all big and buffy and had tattoos on them.

"Look who is here! Officer Baby of course!" the group of officers all chortled and I scowled. They had no respect for each other. How could you bully someone so small and helpless.

Small and helpless of course. That was always the target was'nt it. They were stirring up trouble for a reason but I did not want to know why.

Officer Blue Baby was the officers full name. I had even teased her once or twice but she was very sensitive and shy. I had stopped teasing her because of this and I knew that I could be very sensetive sometimes.

  I could take no more. I had gotten up and so had Jumping Jacks and the others on my table as well. Their eyes all focused on what was going on.

"Hey baby! Let me guess! You learnt to suck your spear?" the horrible questions continued as they were sneering and sniggering away. Officer Baby Blue just stood there helpless. I hated them so much and shook my head trotting right up towards them. Jumping Jacks stood right up in front of me as she was the one to do all the talking. I just tagged along with her and she scowled.

"Leave her alone or I'll tell the Captain. I mean it. I am a Lieutenant after all!" Jumping Jacks boasted and spat harshly and the gang of officers had grown a little more quiet. They knew that Jumping Jacks was one of the best royal guard.

"We don't care. Go ahead and tell Princess Celestia. That royal guard officer. She is a baby and you should know that by her name! I bet that her whole family are a bunch of babies as well! What do you say to that huh Jumping Jacks?" One of them stepped forward.

It was Officer Terror. He was a big lumbering diamond dog looking stallion. He was scared of almost everything apart from scaring others. He would scare and bully others and he had bullied his way through to get to his rank.

"Shall I punch you all then? Do you want me to give your friend a punch Strike?" Officer Terror threatened dangerously. I looked at that massive hoof.

"No why the hay would I! You stop it now!" I yelled.

Officer Terror snarled.

"Who cares what Baby's little saviours say? Let's get the lot of them boys. Believe me we'll have you all out of the camp soon!" Officer Terror said with rage and the officers laughed.

"How are you in the royal guard if you cannot even behave yourselves!" Jumping Jacks tried to backfire what Terror and his mates were up to. I just shook my head in disbelief.

Suddenly Terror came right up to Jumping Jacks and tried to strike her. Princess Celestia and Shining Armour turned to see what was happening and froze watching for a little while and unsure what to do.

He slapped Jumping Jacks face and Jumping Jacks held her cheek and fell back.

"Hey!" roared Shining Armour but the bullying continued.

 I grabbed Baby and pulled her away from the rest of the royal guard officers before they could do anymore damge. I too

"Thanks" Baby whispered smiling at me gratefully.

I hid her away and watched as Jumping Jacks galloped off and away from the mess hall. Her face was still in her hooves. I was proud of her. She had been struck but she had fought her case.

Then I thought about Baby.

Baby had never wanted to join the royal guard in the first place. She was not that kind of  tough pony that the royal guard were looking for andshe might have even been related to Fluttershy. She was very shy and kind.

 This place was not for her and I knew that.

It was just when one of those bullying idiots stole my badge and began laughing around me now. I lost my temper right away even though I knew that I had to control myself but I just could not and started yelling for my badge and Princess Celestia was still watching quite annoyed and shocked by the chaos. I broke into a gallop down the mess hall. The Senior Officers yelled out for us to stop running in the mess hall or we would slip.

Shining Armour put his hoof on his face.

"What is going on there? First the bullying and then all this! The royal guard officers are never like this. I am sorry Princess Celestia....." but before he could finish Celestia raised her hoof and silenced Shining Armour.

I galloped harder than ever and my head was throbbing. That badge meant everything to me. It showed everypony who I was and that I was proud to be part of the royal guard. I was running and I could make it when suddenly there was a thud.

I coughed and then my mouth fell open.

I had bashed right into Princess Celestia and we both fell over.

"Your majesty I am so sorry! Can I help you up?" I asked going red in the face and Jumping Jacks had returned and the other mates of ours were with her. Jumping Jacks saw me as I bumped into Princess Celestia. I could see that she had been crying from those wet eyes but she had brightened up and had a ghost of a smile. Baby however was looking worried rather than amused by the fact that I had bumped into a royal.

Princess Celestia got up herself and shook her head.

"No it is fine really young guard. Watch where you are going. I clearly saw the guards running down the mess hall. We have said that you do not run!" Princess Celestia said explaining hte rules. Her face was serious but her voice was gentle and almost understanding.

"Yes your majesty. However did you see previously that there was some bullying going on. My dear officer friend over here was struck by those bullies over there" I explained to her everything that had happened. Well it was supposed to be my job afterall since I was one of the scouts of the mare sector and that meant I had to be good at describing things.

Princess Celestia frowned.

"You could have come and told me about this earlier guard...." Princess Celestia said.

I looked guilty but then gave a sigh.

"Yes your majesty. May I bring you these......bullies?" I asked and Princess Celestia nodded.

"If you must. It is also excellent for your training as well. The rest of you help the dear guard over here. What is your name officer?" Princess Celestia asked curiously.

"Officer Strike your majesty. Serving the Equestria royal guard and a guard in your sector. I am very proud to serve you as you are a very brave and majestic Princess!" I said clearing my throat and being as polite as I could.

It was very soon when Shining Armour had escorted the guards off the camp premises. It was later revealed that they were actually supposed to be in the camp since they were lower ranked since the camp was for the rank Sergeant and above. I was just about allowed in the camp and I was glad that I had been.

We had finished our lunch soon enough and it was time for my shift. Me and Jumping Jacks headed back for our lockers and finished and Jumping Jacks was wiping her final tears away. There was a small bruise on the young mare's nose and I was concerned.

"Hey Jumping Jacks are you alright?" I asked gently. i put on my helmet and fastened the armour that I had to wear and practiced fighting while sending blows into mid air. My aim was to perform the uppercut which was quite a useful move. It could even disarm an opponent.

Jumping Jacks nodded.

"Thank you for asking Strike. You know you are only the really proper friend that I have got. I mean the others they chat and stuff but they did not ask me if I was ok or anything. In fact they started commenting on how bad I looked but thats royal guard training. I loved the spear moves that you executed!" Jumping Jacks said remembering my moves that I had fought against her with.

"I guess that was what extra training was for. This camp will obviously help us with our rank. We had better get going then or the Commanders will be mad at us. Let's just get our objective and get the hay out!" I said and Jumping Jacks and me clapped our hooves together.

My armour was good and polished and I adjusted my plume stroking it before seizing my spear and whipping back to the training ground. Captain Shining Armour was accompanied by the Equestrian air force. The royal guard were in full armour with all backs straightened.

"Are we ready to fulfill todays drill soldiers!?" roared Commander Courage. Commander Courage was a very brave and noble leader of the royal guard. He had been through many battles and had many battle scars. He had not just been any royal guard but was Princess Celestia's adviser once as well.

"Yes sir!" the eagerness flowed through me. I had always liked working for the royal guard and the challenges that were conducted. The rows were straight and neat.

I swallowed.

"You are here to guard Canterlot Castle today! The reason is because we have found that the changelings have returned. We are not sure how but we spotted one this morning. It was injured and so we have taken it as prisoner. We are not sure what they were doing there! If you spot anything suspicious you shall note it down! You are Junior Officers afterall and I can assure you that the Senior Officers are investigating. You shall be on the lookout! Am I clear! Any questions?" Commander Courage asked.

Officer Gold Star raised his hoof.

"Yes Officer Star?" Commander Courage was growing impatient.

"If the changelings are back sir what can we do against them? The last time we had failed Celestia and the mane 6 had to step in. Where is our role!" Gold Star boasted out a long lecture and I rolled my eyes.

"Show off and know it all of course!" I hissed to Jumping Jacks and she agreed.

"Pay attention Officer Star. Now then no more questions! You are to go to Canterlot Castle right now. Post yourselves around and listen to your Commanders orders!" Commander Courage shouted.

I was ready to take any order. My armour was no longer weighing me down. My spear was gripped firmly in my hoof and my helmet was fastened on. If anything happened I would have to be prepared. I was very nervous and my heart was beating fast but I ignored it.

"Alright then form a line right now! Strike I want you at the entrance post of the castle right now! Princess Celestia shall be returning quite soon and we do need you there! You have a long shift! Now Go and move!" Shining Armour ordered.

There was the galloping of stallions and mares as they raced to their posts. I gritted my teeth and flew right up and with all my speed landed in my post. I put a stern expression on ready to be given my orders.

  My mind was blank.

Then it filled up with thoughts.

My shift had begun and I could hear the yells from guards in the Canterlot Castle. I looked around realising that I would have to grant permission along with some other guards for the ponies of Canterlot to come through the entrance gate to the castle.

It seemed that there was a meeting with Princess Celestia. Officer Gold Star had been assigned with me and we were the door guards. I watched as the guests entered and we ticked off names.

"Name please?" I asked as I began writing down the names and the Canterlot Royal went up to me.

"My name is Prince Blueblood. Please let me through!" Blueblood moaned and I shook my head ignoring the show off.

Prince Blueblood had always been a right spoilt sport. I would never speak about him like that in front of any pony.

"Of course sir! Please make your way through!" Officer Gold Star indicated.

I looked up at the sun for a long time. More guests entered and I had to play my royal guard act. I was sure that there was going to be some danger involved in all of this which was why in the meantime I practiced my uppercut move.

"Anymore guests coming Star?" I asked Officer Gold Star shrugged.

"Do not ask me about that. Well then Strike. How about that move that you were trying to learn? It is such an easy move! Mind you I was doing it ever since I was a little one!" Gold Star boasted and I sighed.

"Really did you Gold?" I replied and I was sarcastic and cold since I was tired of listening to all his stories. He used to always level me down when it came to the royal guard training.

The guests had all come in and had their names noted down. Now it was the boring bit where we just had to stand and spot danger. I was used to waiting for long times guarding however and eventually we were going to be switched around so we got a taste of a different job.

I hummed a tune quietly and was on the lookout seeing what was going on. There was nothing going on so far but Shining Armour had taught me that many things could happen at Canterlot Castle and so I had to be aware of everything.

I was just thinking about what he had said when suddenly there was a scream. Me and Gold Star turned around alert and ready to jump into action. We saw that there was a thief trying to rob one of the royals and my mouth dropped open.

"No Gold Star wait! He's armed!" I shouted as Gold Star galloped into action. There was nothing that could stop Gold Star from going out there. I had to give him the credit that he was quite brave as he yelled out.

"Hey stop right there!" he cried and I joined in the fight.

The other Senior Officers saw the commotion and spotted me and Gold Star trying to take the thief down. The thief was in all black and I could not see his face. I lunged right onto him and jabbed him with my spear as he tried to throw an attack at me.

He had knives and I had a training spear.

Major difference.

I was scared. I was always scared when these sudden things happened. The royal had escaped and had galloped off and I called a Senior Officer and so did Gold Star. I was shaking as I was in a real fight which was very rare. I had only fought off one or two changelings before.

The thief attacked again with his knives but did not manage to slash me. My armour's chest plate was quite strong and he sent a dent in my armour. I was so happy that chestplate was there or I would have been a dead mare.

The thief then whipped around and sprinted for the gates and tried to get out.

"Sir!" I shouted out very loud and the Senior Officers began going after the thief.

I flew as fast as I could and blocked the thief's path and Gold Star did the fighting. I had to block off all the ways that he could escape as Gold Star punched the thief down wrestling him down onto the ground. I fastened the thief's hooves behind his back.

"Stop right there! You are under arrest!" cried a Senior Officer.

I stepped back and let the older officers do their work. I knew that I had called the officers and spotted them just in time. Shining Armour trotted up to me and Gold Star and narrowed his eyes.

"What happened you two officers? I want all the details right now! A thief could not just attack a royal like that!" Shining Armour was shocked about what had happened.

"Sir I do not know. We did not see the thieve's face or anything but he had something black on covering the whole of his body. He had blue eyes I think." I muttered remembering what I saw.

I could have also sworn that I saw a pair of changeling wings.

Gold Star spoke with the Captain while I just stood there.

"I could have sworn sir that was a changeling!" I admitted and the Senior Officers and Commanders all looked gravely at me.

"This is bad. What would a changeling be doing here? I thought we destroyed them but that does not seem like the case! Well thank you officer!" called one of the Senior Officers.

"Any time sir!".

Our shift was over and then we had another few hours of training. It was learning about the history of the royal guard. I wondered if the changelings had really returned after the incident earlier and I was feeling quite nervous.

"Long day huh?" Jumping Jacks asked me. She was lounging around after training and polishing her armour which was dirty. I remembered that I had to polish mine as well.

"Sure thing! I love the royal guard training camp. It helps us improve in all our jobs. Hey Jumping Jacks are you alright now? Officer Terror didn't really hurt you that badly did he?" I did care about Jumping Jacks a lot.

Jumping Jacks snarled.

"He was an idiot you know Strike! How could he ever hurt me? I am older than him and I am a Senior Officer! Those wet things you saw were not tears! I washed my face!" Jumping Jacks immediatly jumped up to defend herself from looking quite weak.

"Oh! Well it is good that you are alright now! You are right Jumping Jacks. We cannot let them scare us and make us look like weaklings. We are tough and love challenge which is why we were put here!" I fumed as I said this because Officer Terror had angered me greatly.

I polished my armour as we talked and I hummed a tune. The other royal guard officers were packing away their armour since it was getting dark. Soon we'd have to be in our dorms and have a kit inspection and then straight to bed with no exception. I was really tired anyway and I had no story to write here.

"Hurry up officers! We need to get you back into your rooms so the academy can close! We need you all to get your sleep so that you are fresh and strong tomorrow! We have work to do tomorrow! Now get a move on!" A Senior Officer roared.

"Of course sir!" I heard myself say and the other royal guard lined up. I brushed my mane out of my face. It was pouring with sweat and I knew that we were going to have to take a shower before we slept.

"Right then! All of you get to the showers right now! That armour has made you hot! Clean yourselves up lads and lassies and then we can think about giving you more orders!" Commander Courage instructed.

Reluctantly I dashed to the showers since I knew that we royal guards had to be inside our dorms and lights out quite early, after all we woke up very early and would begin our training and then our shifts later in the afternoon after lunch.

I took a shower and did not regret it. My mane was much cleaner and I dried myself and blew the water out of my wings. My energy was already returning to me. These Commanders in the royal guard knew everything about regaining energy.

I wondered how mum and Stylish Mare were doing at home. Mum would miss me a lot when I went to the royal guard training camps. I had been to the Cadet's royal guard training camp when I was a cadet and a lower rank. I was still lower ranked compared to most of the officers in the Junior Officers Royal Guard but not as lower ranked as I could have been.

"Strike get over here!" cried Shining Armour.

"Yes sir is there a problem?" I asked hesitantly and Shining Armour frowned.

"No not at all Strike. It is just that I was wondering something. I would like to speak about the thief with you and what your theories may have been on the thief. I also want to ask you to go and sort out of your kit right away!" He barked.

I realised and nodded hastily and raced to the dorm that I was assigned in.

I entered the room. It was a damp smell but that was how all of the camp dorms would smell. There were ten bunk beds all together. There were five bunk beds on each side and I spotted Jumping Jacks. The others were Officer Baby who was at a bottom bunk and had already sorted out her kit and smiled at me.

There were some others I also knew. There was Lightning Dust. Rainbow Dash had known her at the wonderbolts academy. She had been sent to the royal guard academy by her parents because they thought she was doing nothing else. Lightning Dust was on the top of Baby's bunk and there were several other mares working on their kits.

I dumped my heavy back on the bed that I had chosen. It was on top of Jumping Jacks. Jumping Jacks was an earth pony so she preferred the lower bunk whilst I was a pegasus and I liked the higher bunk. I settled myself onto it.

I looked through my kit. There was a tooth brush and my specs just in case I needed to put them on and a lot of different books and bits and pieces. I tried to organize it out and took everything out and neatly folded the royal guard T-Shirt and black coat of mine on the floor. I checked the time and knew that everyone must have been done.

 

The night was going to be awesome.

 

End of Part 1