Fire Resolve (HoW Short Story)(WIP)

>You are Fire Resolve.
>You swore an oath to protect and serve the Princesses for all of your days.
>To support and defend Equestria and her people from all enemies foreign and domestic.
>Foreign and domestic.
>And yet here you are, private, in a usurper's army.
>With a brand on your face so that you may never forget this humiliation.
>You reach your hoof up from the mess hall table you're sat at and mindlessly trace across the 'I' scarred forever into your right cheek.
>The bowl of... Porridge? Is long past being hot. Or warm.
>How long have you been here? You look up and see that the hall has mostly emptied out.
>There are a few soldiers still sitting around some tables, but every table within your radius is unpopulated.
>Last you looked, they were full of stallions and mares scarfing down their food as fast as possible - nopony was in a rush to be seen talking with or near you.
>You suddenly realize that your hoof is still gently touching the scar and set it back down.
>....
>You didn't make a sound when they did it. Not like some of the others....
>Bull's-eye swore and kicked and had to be restrained....
>Descent was much of the same... Except part-way through, he started whimpering and trembling so bad they had to do his twice.
>They 'tried' to keep it as clean as possible, but in the end, his 'I' looked more like a 'V'.
>Pansy actually kept his cool through the whole ordeal. Guy was tough as steel.
>Of course, a name like that in the Royal Guard would do that to a stallion. Especially to an Earth Pony like him and you.
>Can't fly away from your problems, can't magic them away either.
>So when your turn came, you put on your stern stare, as you always have since the first day of training, and let the pain of your hair and flesh burning away wash over you.
>The others could cry and protest all they wished; you would not disgrace your order.
>The world drips off you like rain from the tip of your spear. You are Celestia's best.
>Hoofsteps come from the direction of the mess hall entrance behind you. You pick up your spoon and jab at the porridge in front of you.
>It sounds like a group of two or three, they take a seat somewhere a few tables down from you.
>Sounds like they're whispering something.
>Hopefully nothing, probably something about you.
>Whatever. Rain off a spear's tip.
>One of the group gets up noisily and trots in your direction. You hear the others spring up to follow. A stallion is heard hastily chastising his comrade.
>"No, no no no! Relax, Cutter."
>Another female voice chimes in.
>"They're gonna hang you if you do that... Just calm down a second."
>Well, here we go again. Ponies insulting you, spitting at you, fighting you... Part of the filly princess' gift.
>You turn your head and watch their approach. Three of them, an Earth Pony, a Unicorn, and a Pegasus.
>Aren't they just the picture of diversity?
>The Earth Pony is the mare, green coat and golden mane and tail.
>The Unicorn is male, brown coat and gray mane and tail.
>And the Pegasus who's leading the trio, staring daggers at you, is a pale blue with short, military-cut burgundy mane and tail.
>As he reaches your table, his minions try to place themselves in front of the two of you. He spreads his wings out to keep them from passing him.
>He must be Cutter.
>Cutter's eyes seem to be staring right through you. He puts on a fake smile.
>"Hey there, buddy. How are ya?"
>He says with fake warmth in his voice.
>You nod back at him.
>"Why are you sitting by yourself, huh? You're not sick or something, are you?"
>None of you are in uniform right now, so you don't see any insignias of rank on him. But judging by how he's acting, he can't be anyone important.
"No."
>"No?"
>He touches a hoof to his own cheek.
>"You sure? What's that on your face, then?"
>Ugh. Just throw a punch already.
>These army pukes always feel the need to talk it up before they fight.
>He takes your controlled silence as hesitation. His fake smile drops back into a grimace.
>"What's wrong, didn't bring your explosives with you today?"
>You did your duty.
"Did you need something?"
>You respond with the same neutral courtesy as you had for your years in Canterlot. Distancing yourself from your emotions was the first thing they taught a young trainee back at the academy.
>"Actually yes, glad you asked."
>Here it comes.
>"My sister was in Canterlot - she wanted me to give you THIS!!"
>Cutter's right hoof shoots out towards your face. You pull back, but he just catches your nose.
>He's faster than most of the stallions here, at least. But you were extensively trained in hoof-to-hoof combat. He's going to regret this.
>Your hoof grabs the bowl of cold porridge and flings it in his face. He grunts and shakes it off his head while you close in.
>Just as Cutter open his eyes again, you pounce on him and pin him to the ground. With one leg, you push against his forelegs before he can strike you again, and your other starts pounding on his unprotected face.
>Cutter's friends are shouting and trying to pull you off, while he tries to take a bite out of your hoof. The mare tries to put you in an adorable chokehold.
>You allow yourself to be tugged off him. Cutter isn't too quick to get back up.
>You see him fumbling with his hind leg for something. Only now, you notice the straps around his back hoof.
>"COME HERE YOU BASTARD!"
>Cutter flies straight at you with a knife in his hoof. His friends are both still tightly wrapped around you - so you toss him the Unicorn.
>He yelps as the two impact. When both roll away from one another, the blade is partly lodged in his shoulder.