Sarge met us all back at the barracks. I could tell the unicorns and earth ponies were just as sore as we were. Everypony was stiff and walking awkwardly. It was almost comical, except for I was just as sore.

As we entered the barracks I noticed a new addition to the building. A line of armour stands ran down the center of the building. Adorning each stand was a full set of gleaming golden guard armour. I heard a few “ooh“s and “ahh“s around me as I walked in.

I past ponies admiring their armour with complete awe and fascination. Some were as excited as a foal with a new toy. And I kind of did the same with mine.

“TAKE STOCK OF YOUR ARMOUR RECRUITS. ANY PROBLEMS TAKE IT TO MAINTENANCE. MEET IN THE MESS IN ONE HOUR FOR BREAKFAST.” And with that he departed, leaving us to gawk at our new gold plating.

“Wow! Its so shiny!”

Well, I knew Chattermare was back.

“Look Pepper! We’ve got our own armour now!”

“I know.” I picked up the chest piece to test its weight and found it a lot heavier than I thought it would be. “Great, now I get to be sore and lug around a ton of metal.”

I was busy thinking through how the weight of the armour would affect my flying, and I came to wonder how they ever expected us to even move in this junk. Chattermare interrupted my musings by living up to her nickname.

“Uh, Pepper? Are helmets supposed to be able to swivel?”

What kind of a question was that!? I even said as much to her. “What are you talking about? Helmets don’t-” I turned, and simply frowned at her, “What are you doing?” The mare had somehow turned the damn helmet piece on her head so the face opening was facing her left ear and completely covering the right side of her face.

“Umm, I think my helmet’s too big.”

“You think so? Maybe you should go to maintenance and get it changed.”

She wobbled slightly, ‘Yeah, yeah I think I’ll do that.” She turned and smacked her helmeted face right into our bedpost, a clang resounding from it.

“GAH!!” She backpedaled quickly in shock, right into her armour stand. That stand fell over from her impact causing a domino effect on several of the nearby stands, knocking at least nine others over and taking their owners with them. Several of the recruits panicked and knocked other recruits over trying to get out of the way, pulling even more armour stands with them.

There was nothing else I could do but facehoof, “Dear Celestia you are an idiot.”

Then Sarge was behind me. His voice was the same monotonous droll but somehow contained a hint of annoyance. “What is going on here?”

He must have been using the magic ear spell again, because everybody heard and scrambled to attention.

He simply asked, “What happened here?”

All at once thirty or so hooves pointed at Chattermare and, me! What the hell?! Why was I being blamed for this! I wasn’t the one who had just caused half of the new armour sets to fall like dominos! And yet everyone was assigning as much blame to me as they were to that damned mare!

Sarge turned to us, “Well?”

I was about to condemn that mare. But thankfully I didn’t have to , she did it all on her own.

“Sorry Sir. My helmet is too big, and when I put it on it obstructed my vision. I ran into the bedpost then bumped into the armour stands and everything everypony else.

Sarge looked to me, “Mocha?”

“I told her she should change her helmet out with maintenance.”

“Mhm.” He looked around at everypony else. Some were shaking their heads in agreement and some were shaking their heads no! What the hell! I decided I really, really didn’t like those recruits.

“Alright, Days give me ten laps around the compound, then get your armour switched.”

“. . . Y-yes sir.” Wow, it actually seemed like she felt bad for once! That was a first. My revelry was short lived however.

“Mocha, you go with her.”

What.

“What.”

He just glared at me, and I returned it with the best death stare I had. I cursed that bastard’s soul to Tartarus. Because even though I held my glare and wouldn’t back down for anything, he still won.

“Get going recruit.”

And just like that it was over. I growled, “Yes, sir.” as I turned to leave the barracks.

It was like a walk of shame as the other recruits had to make a tunnel to let me through. I glared at the ones who’d blamed me.