33.
The next day.
“Get it together. Stop flying right when I said to fly left.” Silver growled.
The recruits saluted her as she landed in frustration. “Yes ma’am.”
She looked at them then her ears perked up at seeing Celestia walking with a young Pegasus recruit. She looked at her recruits. “Fly laps, twenty times.” They jumped up and started to fly laps as Celestia approached Silver with the Pegasus. He had jet black mane and a gray coat. His eyes were a deep shade of blue. Silver’s recruits watched her talk to Celestia as they did laps. All three wondering who the new recruit was.
“Princess Celestia, thank you.” Silver smiled.
“Anything to help you.” Celestia winked as she turned. “I expect these guards to be in tip top shape next week.” She said as the recruits doing laps landed and approached.
“Yes Princess.” Silver saluted and then bowed. When Celestia was gone she looked at her recruits and the new recruit and frowned. “Alright. Celestia had given me the task of getting you four into shape. She wants you to start guard duty next week for the Grand Galloping Gala.”
“Next week?” asked the clumsy recruit. He had a dark green mane.
She looked at him. “Yes Emerald. Next week.” She sighed as she looked at them all. “Oh, and this is the newest recruit, Fallacy.”
The new recruit didn’t say anything and just looked straight ahead. The other three looked at him curiosity burning them.
“I’ll give you four a break, and I’ll be back. Get acquainted for a moment.” She flew off.
The new recruit saluted. “Yes ma’am.” The other three saluted too, a bit flustered.
All three looked at the newest recruit. He had relaxed and looked at them. “Um, hi.” Emerald greeted him first.
Fallacy looked at him. “Greetings. What are your names?”
“I’m Emerald.” Emerald replied.
The one with a white and red mane grinned. “I’m Grey Shark.” Fallacy gave him a curious glance.
The third one stepped up, he had a yellow mane. “My name is Drop Zone.”
“Nice to meet you.” Fallacy nodded. He then flapped his wings. “So how is this trainer? Is she any good?”
“Lieutenant Silver Dash is really a hard worker. But she gets frustrated easily when we make a mistake.” Emerald replied.
“She’s freaking hot. I love looking at her flanks; bet she’s awesome in the sack.” Grey Shark replied.
“Grey, don’t say that out loud.” Emerald growled. “I hear her husband is some magical genius. Also one of those jealous sorts.”
“He’s also an actor.” Drop Zone added.
“Do you even know much about the lieutenant besides the way she looks or who her husband might be?” Fallacy asked.
The three looked at him and shook their heads.
“Shouldn’t we be figuring out how we can become the best guards we can?” He continued.
“Yeah. I guess so.” Emerald replied.
Grey Shark looked at Fallacy. “What does it matter?
Fallacy stared at Grey Shark for a moment his expression didn’t change. “Have it your way. Just don’t have your downfall bring me down with you.”
“You have a problem with me?” Grey Shark asked.
“I have no problems with you. In a battle of wits I have the better ammunition.” Fallacy stated. “Here comes the Lieutenant.” He stood up straight and saluted.
Silver landed in front of them. “Sorry, I had to talk to Princess Luna.” She looked at them. “I hope you’ve gotten acquainted, now I want you all to fly another twenty laps. Including you Fallacy, you should fly forty laps. To make up for the twenty laps that the other recruits had to fly before you got here.”
Fallacy looked at her and narrowed his eyes. “Yes Lieutenant Silver Dash.” He stretched out his wings and took flight. The other three joined him as they started to fly along with him.
Emerald closer to Fallacy. “She doesn’t seem to like you.”
Fallacy looked at him. “This isn’t a popularity contest.” He flapped his wings and started to fly faster than all of them. Grey Shark started to fly fast to catch up, but Fallacy effortlessly pumped his wings and went faster. Silver watched them fly and she smiled as Fallacy bypassed her recruits. He was the first to land having done forty laps faster than their twenty. He wasn’t even out of breath as he stood and waited for the others to land.
“I think you cheat.” Grey Shark panted as he approached Fallacy.
“I am just far more superior then you.” Fallacy said as he looked straight ahead.
Grey Shark frowned as he was about to yell at Fallacy but he was interrupted by Silver approaching. “Very nice. I am impressed Fallacy.”
“Thank you Ma’am.” Fallacy said.
The other two recruits landed panting as they stood next to Fallacy and Grey. “Sorry Ma’am. We’re trying to improve.” Drop Zone muttered.
Silver looked at Drop Zone. “I can see that.” She smiled at all of them. “I guess we’ll call it a night. I am hoping tomorrow we can really train to be attentive through a party atmosphere like at the Grand Galloping Gala. So please be prepared to work with focusing on the task that is set before you.”
“Lieutenant?” Grey Shark saluted.
“Yes?” She asked the recruit.
“I think that Fallacy has cheated in his laps.”
Silver looked at him and shook her head. “What makes you say that?”
“No pony can fly faster than I.” Grey Shark frowned as he looked at Fallacy
“Oh?” Silver started to chuckle. “You obviously don’t know my mother then.”
Fallacy saluted. “If I may Ma’am; your mother is Rainbow Dash, the only pony that can do the Sonic Rainboom.”
The recruits looked at Silver in shock and then looked at Fallacy. “Correct Fallacy.” Silver smiled. “If I wasn’t married I’d give you a hug.”
Fallacy didn’t reply to that he just smiled lightly.
Drop Zone slowly walked forward. “Ma’am?” He saluted.
“Yes Drop?” She asked him.
“I am curious, why are we going to guard at the Gala? I don’t think we’ll be ready, well not all of us.”
“Who do you think, out of all of you, is ready to guard at the Gala?” Silver asked.
“Fallacy is.” Emerald said quietly.
“Sorry, I cannot guard at the Gala. I will be busy that night.” Fallacy stated.
“Wait.” Grey Shark growled as he stepped forward. “You’re training with us! You need to guard with us.” He looked sternly at Fallacy. “What is so important that you cannot guard at the Gala?”
Fallacy suddenly grinned as he walked forward. Emerald’s eyes widened when he noticed that the new recruit’s teeth were sharp and dagger-like. “Uh…” Emerald stepped back.
Grey didn’t notice the teeth as Fallacy walked up to him. He frowned at Fallacy and poked him in the chest. “Come on perfection of a guard! Tell me what you will do the night of the Gala? You cheat at laps what other things do you cheat at?”
Fallacy chuckled softly. “I didn’t cheat at laps because I had a lot of practice at flying from one of the best teachers in Equestria.” He slowly started to stand up on his hind legs. “The next thing, I am attending the Gala with my wife so I cannot “guard” the Gala.” His front hooves started to change into paws slowly. “Oh, and if I catch you looking at my wife’s flanks again… I will tear your wings off.” Fallacy’s whole visage changed and Paradox was staring at Grey Shark with a menacing grin on his face.
Grey Shark gulped and stepped back slowly from Paradox. “I um… I.”
“You were looking at my flanks?” Silver asked incredulously.
Grey Shark looked over at Lieutenant Silver Dash. “Ma’am, I uh…”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry Grey, I cannot teach you if you are going to stare at my flanks.”
“I am sorry Ma’am. No disrespect but… your flanks, they are…” He slowly closed his mouth before he got into more trouble.
Paradox started to chuckle. “Silver my dearest…”
Silver looked up at him. “Yes Doxy?”
“At least he can admire the finer things.” He answered her. “I say give him another chance, but…” He suddenly looked at all three of the recruits. “Be warned, if I hear my lovely Silver complain about you not paying her attention again. I’ll come by and start plucking your feathers out.”
All three of them shook their heads. “We’ll pay attention.” Emerald said.
“I’ll give Grey another chance Doxy.” Silver said as she walked over to him.
He smiled at her as he looked in her eyes. “Good.”
They suddenly kissed in front of the recruits.