Theatrical! [Canterlot - Gerrard + Imagination]

[Imagination]

Everypony loves the theater, especially during the winter when they're playing holiday classics. Heartwarming tales of love, friendship, togetherness and generosity. It was still some time before the Hearth's Warming pageant, but there were other just as wonderful stories to be portrayed. Aside from the experience on stage, it was nice to be able to get out of the winter's cold and enjoy some Equestrian culture.

Velvet drapes hung all over, ponies of influence seated in the boxes flanking the grand stage. The lights dimmed while the theater band played soothing or riveting tunes to go with the scenes, as well as entertain with little numbers of their own during intermissions. It was a full house, the Canterlot Grand Theater offering three different shows tonight for everypony to look forward to. Not everypony always stayed for the later shows, but a less crowded room wasn't all bad. It was a formal night at the theater, everypony showing up in their best garb. It was especially nice for the commonpony, being able to fit in with the elite.

Unfortunately, this formal night's cultural spectacular was a newly-made rendition of one of the 'Daring Do' books.

The scene playing out on stage at the moment was Daring Do sharing a 'romantic' moment with Sir Bravado, after they had just barely escaped a cursed temple with their lives. All for an old, ancient spelltome worth a small fortune to a bold scholar or museum. It... Could be worse. The acting was a bit off, the humor stale, the props tacky... And they couldn't even find a real pegasus mare to play Daring, but the fake wings weren't that noticeable. Thankfully this was just the opening show, probably by an enterprising young/new director trying to get his/her bearings. Hey, everypony has to start somewhere, and the night was young.

Master Sergeant Reveille was enjoying his time at the theater to the best of his abilities, though he was clearly unimpressed with the display. His formal attire consisted of his dress uniform, with medals and badges galore, the stripes of his rank decorated his sleeves in gold. He was currently chatting it up with an elderly stallion next to him, the seat at his opposite side currently vacant. "No, I agree, it doesn't do the book justice... Really, the whole thing seems rushed to me. You can't fault them for trying, I guess." Most of the audience seemed to be enjoying the show to some extent, however. Come on, it's Daring Do.

[Gerrard]

Asteria was often browbeaten by her parents into doing cultural things, the often stoic mare almost always conceding to their demands in her own unique ways. After reluctantly agreeing to attend a theater program, the black unicorn mare found herself at the last showing of any play for the night, an amalgamation of all things Do. It was her first official play attendance, at least in her post university life, play of course being used loosely as many snobs might have commented. In the context of her recent theater experiences, it was definitely the best and worst play she had seen, the well dressed unicorn having nothing else to compare it to in her recent memories. She decided to take a few moments to compose herself during a brief intermission, the tall mare returning to her seat beside the critical stallion that she didn't have a chance to meet until now.

The beautiful dress wearing mare took her seat and listened to the complaints of the sergeant, her cold expression remaining static as he spoke negatively of the play. "Sir, if I may interject. Plays are often designed from stories that facilitate a play. In general, changing something into a play when it was not intended to tends to create a great deal of inefficiency. There are many analogies that could convey this, but perhaps an appropriate one might be of a wooden sword. While wood can be shaped into a sword, it is better as a warming tool and using it as a sword is just inefficient for that particular object. While this story may be good as a story, it was not designed to be made into a play. While it can work, as a play, it is an inefficient use of the subject matter," she explained, objectively providing a strange opinion as she looked across to the sergeant with her fiery crimson eyes. Her expression was completely stoic, almost as if she found nothing particularly interesting in the relatively innovative play.

"The playwright was wise enough to potentially cast an earth pony as his lead. While her form may differ from that of the protagonist, expanding the casting to a wider variety of applicants is an efficient means of increasing talent in a play, especially when you lack the notoriety to attract established stars of a particular species. These stories are not reliant on the heroine being able to fly, thus creating no need for an actual pegasus actress. If the main actress is an earth pony, I would be forced to believe that she was more proficient than any of the pegasi who applied for this role. Are my assertions well founded Sir, or have I erred in my judgement," she asked calmly in a vaguely alluring voice that had trace amounts of Canterlot accent carefully woven into her speech. A closer inspection of the unicorn would reveal her tall dark form that was very well accented with an absolutely dazzling white dress that greatly contrasted her dark coat. Her scarlet mane was shortly cut in a utilitarian manner and swept off to the side as not to obscure her vision. Her expression seemed carved from granite, completely static as she maintained the most neutral expression that was physically possible.

[Imagination]

Reveille's attention was quickly grabbed by a mare who had pretty much snuck up on him, having been distracted by the older gentleman. She could certainly teach his recruits a thing or two about bearing, that's for sure, her expression seemingly unchanged as she voiced her own opinions on the show. He didn't know much about showbusiness himself, just that he had been to the theater a lot... But this mare certainly seemed to know what she was talking about. Certainly seemed to know how to dress, too. Her appearance put some of the elite in the theater to shame! He thought so, anyway. Captivating, even, though her tone and expression made him mentally back off a bit. Not that she was off-putting or stuck-up of course. He just listened, the mare having his undivided attention.

Her first point of rebuttal seemed... Almost in agreement? In terms of an inefficient use of subject matter, anyway... He had to mull it over a bit. Her second point interested him a bit more, having thought that them playing an Earth Pony for Daring was a negative point himself. He had to smile at the little 'ah-ha' moment, nodding. "Oh, no, you seem pretty spot on with your assertion... I never thought of it like that. I guess if you want to get big names in casting you gotta be a big name yourself. All thing considered, she's not doing a terrible job." That, and her point on them not really needing the 'flying' portion of the character considering the limits of the stage. He was under the impression she was well-versed in these sorts of things... He could only wonder what she did here in Canterlot. She carried a sophisticated air pretty well. "You come to the theater often, I assume? You seem like somepony from this area" A compliment, of course, considering the other ponies in the room. As for him, there was really only one of three places he could be from: The Honor Guard barracks at the palace, the Canterlot garrison, or the Recruit Depot. "I'm Reveille, by the way. Don't think I've ever seen you in here before... Though to be fair I'm not here as often as I'd like"

Which was to say whenever he could get a ticket on a day he was off base. As the Senior he had to be around most of the time... If he wasn't dealing with recruits directly, he was doing paperwork, or trying to hunt down people to go over plans and schedules. It wasn't a bad job, though. The pay was decent and it was respectable work. He enjoyed it a lot more than his other postings. In truth, while he may be red in the face and screaming at recruits sometimes, he just found most of their blunders to be hilarious, having a laugh telling stories with other instructors when the recruits weren't around. It was an inside joke within the Army that you could find the best actors in Equestria in the ranks of Drill Instructors.

[Gerrard]

Asteria closely watched every reaction of the earth pony to her every word, gauging his interest and possible sincerity of his words. Her critical eyes could not detect anything deceitful about him, not that they ever found many people deceitful to begin with. "When you see people making bad choices, it is often easier to be critical than it is to be understanding. When you understand their choices, however bad they may or may not be, you gain access to unique perspectives," she explained simply as she turned her gaze away from the white earth pony before casting it down upon the stage. She paused only for a brief moment to gather her thoughts into a more coherent form.

"While it may not always be true, it is advisable to expect that everyone tries to act rationally. If you assume otherwise, then you have no way to gleam meaningful thoughts from those you are studying. Therefore, if we assume the playwright knew that this was a poor subject matter to turn into a play, we must ask why. If I were to speculate, history has told us that acting unconventionally is often unwise, but in times when such actions work, those who did so were often seen as geniuses. With all the information I have learned from my experiences, I would assume they are simply trying to become innovative in an attempt to garner fame. I would imagine that they are using the Daring Do brand to gain name recognition in an attempt to draw in the most people who are familiar with the content. There are of course many ways to view this entire play though, and in reality, it may be as simple as the playwright just liking the books, I can only speculate with the information I have available to me," she explained elaborately, giving almost a dissection of the seemingly irrational choice as she tried to pry logic from madness with her unchanging tone.

When asked if she came to the theater often though, she blinked her fiery eyes before turning her visual attention away from the stage and back to the earth pony. "This is my first time coming to the theater since my graduation from the Royal University of Canterlot. I am a native of this particular town, although I often do not find myself here due to work obligations. Perhaps you have not seen me here before because I do not come here and because I am rarely in Canterlot for extended periods of time," she explained politely, giving him a great deal of information about herself without directly saying anything too meaningful. Even her well designed dress seemed design to hide bits of her personal information, her identifier mark well hidden beneath the billowing white fabric of her dress.

"I am Asteria, It is an honor to meet you Sir Reveille. May I ask for additional information of you as well? Perhaps allowing us to be on equal footing," she commented calmly, doing a polite curtsy for him with her long lean legs. It was clear that she was well versed in the act as she managed it in a seamless manner before returning to her regular posture. Something about her words were strange though, she volunteered strange information and asked an open ended question of the stallion, allowing him to volunteer any information he felt comfortable giving out. She seemed to be very passive in her words, almost as if she were trying to avoid alienating the stallion she had just met.

[Imagination]

He nodded as she spoke, feeling that to interrupt this mare would be unethical somehow. In most instances, he could agree, though in his line of work he was called upon to be critical. They don't promise those recruits a rose garden. But outside of the depot, he could have more of an understanding disposition... You know what they say, don't take work home with you, afterall. Though the theater obviously wasn't his home, the general rule could apply. "Sure, I can see that... The books are pretty popular, so if nothing else it would draw fans if nothing more than to satisfy curiosity... Even if it got a bad reception it would still probably be a positive point for the playwright as having attempted it in the first place..." Of course he was going entirely off assumption for his rebuttals.

Her first time to the theater since she graduated from the University? Well she didn't seem that old, so it couldn't have been too too long ago... But probably long enough to make a difference. Either way, her comfort in talking about the matter suggested (to him, anyway) that maybe she was familiar with the workings of the arts from her youth? Would make sense. A lot of the elite seemed to coddle that.

But then at last came introductions. Normally he would offer his hoof for a shake, but he knew the elite were... iffy at best about that. And she seemed very elite to him. "Sir? Oh, no no, there's no need for that, Miss Asteria... I'm not quite that notable to the crown" He told her with an amused little grin. Maybe one day he could do something spectacular enough for Equestria to be knighted... But for now he was still just any old grunt to the Princesses. As for asking more about him? "I don't see why not. Seems only fair."

Though he was most curious about what she was going to ask. So far their conversation has been pleasant, if not a bit on the strange side. Though not so strange in a fashion that made interaction with this mare unbearable. Only one way to see where the road goes.

[Gerrard]

Asteria silently listened to her new associate as he spoke. The odd mare took it upon herself to never interrupt anyone as they spoke, even if she felt like their claims were completely unwarranted. Such caution wasn't needed in this particular situation though as the stallion didn't say anything too far from the established norms of society. "I apologize if my manner of addressing you is inappropriate. I will simply refer to you as Reveille. I generally use honorific prefixes to display respect, but in some situations it is deemed counterproductive. You may refer to me in any manner that you feel appropriate, I will not take offense," she explained in her usual composed manner with the same tone her voice has always been.

"I would theorize that the playwright was wise to take the initiative with the creation of this production. The interest in this topic would artificially boost attendance numbers, and in the chance that it was successful, they would make a name for themselves. There seems very little to lose here, especially considering that the type of audience he is seeking is probably less familiar with this media and will most likely be less critical of any technical failings." Asteria added politely, speculating that large portions of his audience wouldn't be snobby high class individuals to begin with.

When he replied that it would only be fair, Asteria blinked at the bold choice of words. "Please do not feel obligated to answer my questions if you find them uncomfortable or irrelevant. I only wish to gleam over a small portion of your character. May I ask what your occupation is, assuming of course that you are willing or able to speak about it. May I ask where you live, again assuming that you are comfortable divulging that information. Is there any personal information about yourself you wish to volunteer, and if so, may I hear it from you Reveille," she politely asked, always leaving the option for him to back out of everything. At a cursory glance, she did not seem the type to try and pin anyone down on anything at all. She was almost too nice if that was actually a thing!

[Imagination]

"Oh, no need to apologize, Miss Asteria, though I appreciate your gesture" He had to respect a pony who still had a habit of showing respect. They needed more of it in Equestria, in Reveille's opinion. It was a dying art: respect and courtesy. If not, it was certainly quickly fading. Not that the younger generations were worse in Equestria, heavens no. There just seemed to be a different understanding of how to address eachother among the younger ones...

Though when he started thinking like that, it made him feel old! He's not old! No way no how!

When she spoke of the theater again, he looked to the stage as she spoke, kindof getting a commentary sort of feeling from it. "I agree" was really all he could think to say in response, now having a bit deeper insight into the subject thanks to her. She stole his attention back as she asked her questions, the stallion sitting up in his seat with a smile. "Well, I'm serving in the Army. I'm a Drill Instructor, from the depot not too far from here, thankfully just here on one of my liberty days. As for where I live, I have a small apartment here in Canterlot I usually go to when I'm not on base... Though I've been sleeping a lot more at the depot lately. If you meant where I grew up, I'm a Stalliongrad native."

He figured that'd be good enough. It tells her about himself, where he's from, what he does, and he wasn't revealing anything she probably couldn't find out on her own anyway.

[Gerrard]

Asteria nodded as he made it clear that there was no need to be overly formal. She had been accused of apologizing too much for trivialities in the past and resolved to hold her future apologizes to the earth pony for when they were really merited. The black mare tried to keep her thoughts on topic and decided to keep the earth pony and the play as the primary focuses of the thoughts while she put her personal concerns out of her mind.

When he spoke of his qualifications, Asteria almost started to bow yet again but decided to honor his previous wishes. "I've gone past the Army depot a few times on my travels, but they aren't the type of organization I often find myself dealing with. In addition to respecting the military for the security it provides for the country, I also find the discipline they instill in their recruits admirable. I would speculate that their discipline is double that of the normal citizen. Perhaps you being an instructor means even more so for yourself. I live in the manor of my parents when I am in town, and I sleep wherever I can when I am abroad. Stalliongrad is a surprisingly busy place, I often find myself on travels to that town. Wearing heavy clothing in such climates is rather troublesome," she explained, going on a bit in her usual honorable manner. It almost seemed as if she were perpetually awed by everything, not that her static voice did anything to support her select choice of words as she spoke.

"Perhaps a demonstration of your instruction could be arranged in the future. I've never been instructed by a professional before. I believe that I am physically capable of handling a set of drills. I may be incorrect though, perhaps I overestimate myself in some manner though. That is of course assuming that asking you for casual instruction is not a disrespect to your position," she asked politely before making a bold claim. It was hard to tell if the fancy dressed mare was serious, but nothing about her seemed to indicate that she was the type to joke or kid. As for her physical ability claims, that was harder to verify, her body carefully hidden away beneath her elaborate dress. She was clearly tall, and her mane was shortly cut in a similar manner to what a recruit might wear. As for how physically ready she was though, that would require further inspection.

[Imagination]

He could agree with those points. If nothing else, Army recruits would at least have twice the respect of your average citizen, and wouldn't think twice about lending a hoof to a pony in need. And Stalliongrad... Well, he could easily say it was the most inhospitable place he's been... That's even after having had to go into the Everfree Forest and patrol through the Pinto Desert! He has yet to venture into the frozen wasteland around the Crystal Empire, though. At least he thought it was still frozen... He might have to check up on that, seeing as one of his fellow instructors was from there. "Well thank you very much for saying so, Miss. We try our best with the recruits, to break down their bad habits and build them up into moral, patriotic and useful citizens." Of course that's not to suggest they were useless before enlisting.

A demonstration? Like... A demonstration of the Drill Instructor experience? He hoped she didn't mean in public. Ponies sometimes took offense to that. Though this wasn't the first time he had been asked for a taste of being a recruit... Even if she wasn't right-out saying it. "Uhh... Well I suppose I could sometime. The chances of getting to see recruits in action are almost nill, except in certain situations, like graduations or drill competitions... But if it's what you want, I don't see the harm in a private demonstration." He was sure she was looking for the aggressive yelling and screaming, though he found keeping a level voice could be just as frightening. Just look them right in the eyes and tell them exactly what's going to happen to them.

"Oh, but anyway you mentioned you travel alot? I hope it's not inappropriate of me to ask exactly what it is you do, Miss Asteria?" He was most curious... He couldn't really get a bead on what it could be.

[Gerrard]

Asteria listened, nodding as he explained that they worked to rid recruits of bad habits and change their mindset. The well dressed unicorn often believed it wasn't worthwhile to change the thoughts of others, but she could see that chain of command in a military setting necessitated a certain amount loyalty and training. "Are there any particularly bad habits that are most necessary to remedy, assuming of course that it is appropriate to ask such a question of you Sir Reveille. Perhaps I am subconsciously demonstrating bad habits and I am unaware of my transgressions," the odd mare cautiously remarked as she looked across to the stallion. If she had anything vaguely resembling a hobby, it would probably involve self improvement of some kind, the black unicorn looking to improve herself physically, mentally and socially whenever possible.

She could sense the hesitation in his voice when he thought over her request for a session of instruction. "Perhaps I failed to accurately convey my request Sir Revielle. I am aware that the public demonstrations of military training and drills are often frowned upon for a myriad of reasons. My request was for a session of military drills for myself. I have seen enough drills to be familiar enough with the skeleton of a standard routine, although I have no firsthand experience in the execution of such drills. If it is inappropriate to subject a civilian to a drill session sir, I understand and will cease my requests for training," she requested in a more clear manner as she hoped for a bit of self improvement with the experience of the drill instructor. She had confidence in her physical abilities, but wondered if her state of mind was compatible for military service. While it was unlikely that she would ever join the military, Asteria always entertained all options, even ones that she felt were incompatible to her disposition and skill set.

He then asked a vaguely personal question of the melancholy mare. In normal circumstances, she might answer it explicitly with the agreement of silence from all parties involved. This of course was a unique situation, the pair in a crowded theater with numerous people around who might be able to overhear the details of her profession, something the black mare often tried to avoid whenever possible. "I would be willing to discuss my profession Sir Revielle, but it would be inappropriate for me to discuss it in a public setting. If you wish, I could explain it in a private setting and give you a personal demonstration when this play is over, assuming of course you wish to learn about my personal skill set." she replied in a strangely vague manner, her words left to the imagination of the stallion. She was talented in misdirection of both physical and verbal, although sometimes she indirectly suggested things that were completely the opposite of what her literal words might have meant.

[Imagination]

Bad habits? "Well nothing you have to worry about, Miss. Usually common courtesy stuff, or just their general demeanor when it comes to acting as a pony of respect and authority.. Being too quiet or nervous, not speaking up when they need to, lack of confidence, being able to retain information, study habits... Things like that. It's a pretty big culture shock for most of the recruits, but most of them get through without a scratch." Those who don't of course, are the ones who just couldn't hack military life, or were too much of a problem for the Army to keep them. Of course, there's always understandable yet still unfortunate dropouts due to things like injury. Always accidental, of course.

As for her getting a bit of training for herself, now that it has been clarified a bit... He didn't see the harm in it. "Well I can't say no to a pony seeking a bit of self-improvement... Sure, Miss Asteria, I'd be happy to help you out sometime." After that little exchange came her answer to his question, in prying into her own occupation. Of course, the pretty mare's response was... Unexpected. Surprising, even. He wasn't entirely sure how to interpret it, but all immediate results he could think of... Well, it did bring a bit of a blush to his face. He knew it was probably something as innocent as can be, but even so. "Uhh... Very... Very well. I apologize if asking was unbecoming of me" After clearing his throat the intermission seemed to be over, a slew of ponies returning to their seats as the lights started to dim. When the play resumed, the mare playing Daring started to go into a monologue, as if reading from a travel journal.

She told of her rendevouz with Bravado, as well as her thoughts about her journey and what she expected. But she was close to the temple she seeked, if her map was correct, and with luck what she was trying to find would still be there.

Reveille risked a quiet question so not to disturb the other guests around him. "Forgive my asking again, Miss, but have you seen this before...?" he whispered. He couldn't quite pick out the scene from any of the books he had read, and he wondered if she may have seen another rendition of this, or at least another showing of this same group.

[Gerrard]

Asteria listened to her new acquaintance patiently, deciding to hear him out before speaking on her own. "Being nervous is irrational, it serves no constructive purpose. I can alter the volume of my voice if necessary. I am also willing to alter my study habits. While it would be unethical to promise a retention of information, in my experiences, I have generally been able to recall any information that was deemed pertinent before hand,"she explained casually, finding the requirements acceptable.

The well dressed unicorn had to take a moment to digest his culture shock explanation. After a brief moment of silence, Asteria decided to answer in a slightly misguided manner as she mentioned something else entirely different. "While I am not familiar with the culture of the military, I am well versed in the societal norms of both dragons and griffons," she explained in an unusually straightforward manner, either hinting at her profession or further reinforcing an existing incorrect notion. "They require assistance as well, and market prices would suggest they would be willing to pay more for services than a pony in a similar situation might," she explained vaguely, her words going off in an extreme tangent as she veered miles from the topic they were speaking about.

When he agreed to help her out later, the perpetually stoic mare nodded in acceptance before addressing him. "I look forward to any individual sessions you may be able to offer me. Your knowledge and expertise will be a welcome addition to my schedule," she added thoughtfully as her eyes noticed him blushing ever so faintly.

The icy mare listened to his apology and shook her head calmly. "There is no need for you to apologize sir. I am not offended. There are a myriad of reasons as to why your complexion may have reddened," she simply explained almost as if she were an expert in dealing with such reactions!

Asteria watched the play in silence, her actions a mixture of respect and necessity. She also noticed a clear deviation from the script of the book but said nothing until the sergeant spoke in a confused manner. "I have not seen this particular play before, but I am fairly certain that this is a clear deviation from source material. In some mediums, there are instances where a writer must add 'filler' content that is not from the source writing to satisfy time requirements. In a play though, only a fraction of the source material can be covered in the time allotted. It is usually unnecessary to create unique content for such a play, but I would theorize that they wish to present their ideas to an audience that may be willing to accept their ilconcepts. What do you believe Sir," she theorized aloud in a lower voice that seemed to capture her perpetually static tone.

[Imagination]

She's a smart one, he had to credit her that. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have a few qualities the instructors had ot iron out when he first enlisted, however. Everypony has something they can improve on, and there's always a noticeable difference from how they arrived. That was probably his favorite part of his job: Actually getting to see the recruits, molded into soldiers, be presented to friends and loved ones as new ponies of courage, honor, and discipline. 

 

This came to mind when she mentioned not knowing much about military culture. He was about to tell her there's really two, since inside the depot and outside the depot are really two different cultures in themselves... But, the rest of her answer just seemed to reinforce some prior assumptions. Those very assumptions were still creeping more and more to something vastly inappropriate, but he decided to keep an open mind about it. Again, he was sure it was something innocent and worthwhile...

 

...Right...?

 

Though thankfully his thoughts were pulled away by her little evaluation of the play before them. But even more interesting was her asking for an opinion of his own. "Well... I can't say I'm as adept with theater as you are, Miss, though I just think the book is still better. That might just be me being stubborn, but even so the play itself isn't terrible. I have to say listening to you has given me a few more things to consider, after all, so I should thank you for that". He usually went to the theater because no one else he really knew did. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the depot where he could meet new ponies and enjoy a show by himself. Everypony needs a bit of me-time.

 

Though he had to say this was by far on the top of his list for interesting encounters at the theater. A very interesting mare, even if his assertions for her occupation are incorrect, which they most likely are. But, can't blame a stallion for thinking that way, right? She was pretty and smart. Good enough for him to not complain.

[Gerrard]

"I believe that I may not have been entirely forthright with my previous explanation of my theater experience. While it is true that I rarely visit the theater, I must admit I have additional experience from a knowledgeable source. My mother is an actress. She has recently retired from full time work and only sparingly provides her services to theater groups," she explained calmly after noticing a positive reaction to her knowledge on his face. And almost on queue, she had to right the injustice that was a positive opinion by objectively describing why she had her knowledge! She still had it, but wanted Reveille to know her unique perspective instead of giving him a notion that she was a mythical savant. When the ponies sitting next to them snuck out for reasons unknown, Asteria blinked her eyes and decided to give out one of her most personal secrets. Asteria leaned in close to his ear, the courier getting uncomfortably close as she parted her lips and gently spoke to him.

 

"My mother's name is Elegant Star, and I have had the luxury of relying on her wide breadth of experience," the black mare whispered before returning to her normal controlled posture. Her mom was a fairly famous actress, at least a decade earlier. An older pony who visited the theater often would surely remember the white unicorn mare with fiery eyes and a knack for wearing tons of absurd costumes in her plays. The similarity between Asteria and her mother literally ended with the eye similarity, the two almost seeming to be polar opposites. Her blonde maned mother was opposite in color scheme and disposition, not that many ponies actually knew she had a daughter to begin with. While many ponies might have enjoyed having an actress mother to play games with, Asteria found it bothersome to deal with the shenanigans of her overly protective mother disguising herself as every type of thing imaginable.

 

And just as soon as she had spoken about her mother, the play decided to enter the final stretch of the story. Daring entered the temple with the illustrious treasure and was greeted by something both spectacular and absurd. The writer had made a critical change to the script and wrote out the primary villain, and introduced their own! The adventuring pony found herself under assault from a giant octopus, the cephalopod literally crashing down from the rafters and crushing the treasure hunter. Lucky for the earth pony playing Do, the octopus was actually a white unicorn in a purple octopus suit. Her fiery red eyes peered at the adventurer before beginning a monologue and wrestling with her. "Don't tease the octopus, kids!" the actress cackled maniacally before using her magic to attack the the treasure hunter with a barrage of textile tentacles.

 

Asteria recognized the actress immediately, the courier impressively not reacting at all to the sight of her mother acting like a complete buffoon. She had the resolve of tempered steel, and this was common fare for the unicorn to deal with. The gasps of the crowd filled the air as the writer had clearly abandoned the story as written. A few concerned ponies wondered if this was some sort of crazed fan running onto the stage, but when Daring began to acknowledge the octopus, she initiated the final portion of the story. "Semi-retired," Asteria vaguely remarked as the play went from serious, to jovial and quickly into the realm of absurd. The black mare slowly drifted her eyes away from the stage and back to her sitting partner as the crowd decided to buy into the absurdity of the scene with loud cheers. Her eyes examined the face of Reveille as all chaos broke loose on the stage. "I would propose that there is a theoretical limit to the changing of a story, but I believe that I may not be correct in that assertion," she replied as the story before them turned into the most unusual of spectacles. If Reveille was expecting high theater, this was a departure from the notion.

[Imagination]

Well, if nothing else she was modest. 

 

Then again, that at least explains her theater knowledge. Of course not knowing that wouldn't have changed his opinion much, but it was interesting nonetheless. He was about to inquire who this actress was, when out for the corner of his eye he noticed her leaning in! He only glanced, fearing that turning his head might lead to something accidentally uncouth! Reveille was tense, but listened.

 

Elegant Star? Sure, he'd heard that name before! Though also knew of her reputation, as Asteria mentioned. "I see. That must've been interesting" It was a vain attempt to convey support and condolence at once. Not long after, the octopus arrived on stage... Wait, octopus?!

 

Sure enough there was an octopus on stage! The Army stallion couldn't have looked more confused if he tried. He didn't hear much of the exchange, his mind busy processing what was happening. Though once she uttered 'semi-retired', the blanks filled in fairly quickly. By this time the crowd had filled the theater will various cheers and jeers, though Reveille was clearly disinterested at this point, focus now on his new theater companion. Asteria said it best. "Oh, no, I... I can definitely say there's a limit..." Sure, he wasn't expecting something incredibly high-brow and cultural. This was Daring Do, after all! But... Seriously. 

 

"Were you planning on staying, then?" he couldn't necessarily ascertain the sort of relationship she had with her mother through the tone of Asteria's voice... Though he imagined she must be somewhat embarrassed. Or perhaps she was used to it? Or she loved it! Again, hard to tell. Her mother was an interesting individual if nothing else.

[Gerrard]

In her younger years, Elegant Star was a respectable actress. Well, at least when the job required her to be for the sake of a compelling story. Asteria could sense his misgivings about her mother and while she could argue that they were all stemming from her later years of experimenting, the black mare decided that there was nothing to be gained by lobbying in defense of the eccentricities of her mother. Her eyes drifted back to the play, just in time to see the octopus wink at her and wave a tentacle before being thrown off stage by the quickly victorious Do. The courier knew that she had been at the play long enough to appease her mother's demands and felt that it probably was acceptable to leave the play early. While most children would either be embarrassed or enraptured by the fact that their mother was a famous actress, the courier was willing to allow her contrasting mother the freedom to pursue her own goals, something the open minded actress was always willing to allow for her strange daughter as well.

 

Asteria was always trying to be mindful of her surroundings, even seeming to put the needs of strangers above hers whenever reasonably convenient. She wanted to avoid disturbing the other guests and leaned in close to the ear of the sergeant as she gently whispered to him. "Perhaps we are simply a vocal minority on the quality of this play. Please don't hold my mother's performance against her. The likelihood of her writing the play is rather low. I imagine that her involvement would be limited to the creation and execution of her costume. Regardless, I think it would be rude to discuss the play at great length here and further disturb the other guests. Perhaps a more secluded location would be more appropriate," she whispered into his ear with her usual obsequious voice. Upon finishing her short request, Asteria gently pulled her head back to a normal posture and silently slinked out of sight behind the sergeant. With a few quick strides, the tall mare was easily able to slip her powerful form through the few guests that were sitting nearby in their box seats.

 

Once she was out of immediate earshot of the other guests, her long black horn began to glow a dark red. With one flick of her magic aura, numerous low popping noises filled the air as she seemingly undid all the straps on her fancy dress. With a second delicate swipe of her magic, the unicorn had removed her elaborate white dress to reveal her own sculpted black body. At first glance, she could have passed for a soldier with her long lean muscles, but she didn't seem to have the quite the same disposition as a member of the military. Her eyes seemed ever so more curious and receptive to the world around her than one might guess from a rookie recruit. She was careful to block the view of her cutie mark as she gently folded her dress and place it over her flanks. "Please lead the way to a private location Revielle. I will give you a more appropriate description of my talents, upon arrival. I trust your judgement and will follow your direction accordingly," the odd mare explained in her usual aloof manner as her fiery crimson eyes seemed to critically examine him.

[Imagination]

The Drill Instructor did catch the wave from the mighty octopus before it was disposed of, guessed who it was aimed to. It actually made him smile. At least her mother appreciated Asteria's being there. He actually couldn't remember the last time he had saw his parents. They were probably still in Stalliongrad. Maybe he'll write. He hadn't done that in some time. Regrettably, of course. 

 

His train of thought was again thrown off kilter by the mare's breath in his ear, perking up to listen. Once again, he dared not turn his head. He wasn't planning on holding the role against her mother, since he supposed if he had to credit her anything she played a fine octopus. About to say so, all he saw was the mare's flanks making their way out of their section. The uniformed stallion got up to follow, also making his way past those who were still enamored with the play. By the time he had made his way out, she was already in the process of freeing herself from her dress with her horn. He couldn't boast being able to do that. Earth pony and all. He had completely missed his chance to see her cutiemark though, honestly finding himself entranced. He almost didn't even notice she was speaking to him until she was finished.

 

"Oh! Right." He recovered, thinking of exactly where they could go. It was somewhat late... He went with the safe option. She did say she would be willing to see the depot sometime. And it wasn't that far away! 

 

It was clear when they were getting closer and closer to the depot, though. More and more Equestrian flags decorated houses, some REA ponies in uniform walking on the sidewalk, not to mention the sounds of the depot itself. Faint shouting, marching, singing cadences, though those were all probably going to stop fairly soon. They needed to be respectful of the residents close by.

 

The front gate was just that: A large gate that glistened like polished stone, two spotlights illuminating the area around it. The only thing in front of this gate were two guardsponies and a dog, barking as the two theatergoers approached the entry control point. 

 

"Evening, Master Sergeant." one of the guards casually greeted. The other, who remained inside of a small shack, wrote down something in a log as the dog sniffed around. It was likely there to sniff out changelings. Or just make ponies uncomfortable. "Your lady friend...?"

 

"A guest of mine. I'm taking responsibility for her. Name's Asteria". It took a few minutes, though after the appropriate logs being done the gate finally split in half and opened for the two. Inside the main area were possibly some of the most rectangular buildings to ever exist, with a platoon trotting by every now and then. Though now that they were in, "Hope you don't mind the selection. I remember you say you'd be interested in some training, and I thought you'd be interested in seeing the facility"

 

If this was a flop they could always go someplace to get something to eat. Or something. Rev wasn't a picky guy. Whatever the lady wanted.

 

Of course there were certain (several) areas he couldn't take her to, and obviously he couldn't do any sort of drills with her here, but maybe give her a taste of what the training is like for others. With screaming and regimented schedules included. She was going to get the special treatment.

[Gerrard]

Asteria understood the fascination with her cutie mark, ponies being remarkably social creatures with a society known for its extreme openness. She often found herself dealing with other creatures, griffons in particular, and they often were less interested in her secrets. When she turned to see him, staring at her in the light of Luna's moon, she nodded silently and decided to follow after the master sergeant as he lead her off to places unknown. The courier let her mind drift into speculation on their destination, but pushed it out of her thoughts as their direction made it clear. The high density of national flags indicated that they were heading closer to the military base, causing the strange unicorn to blink her fiery eyes as a thought entered her mind. She had never really developed any sense of nationalism that many of kind had, the odd unicorn seemingly spending almost as much time in the settlements of other species as her own. She wasn't some sort of anarchist who disliked her government, but being nationalistic would bias her too much and make dealings with others a bit more difficult. If she were some sort of imposter though, surely these gate guards would expose her!

 

The black coated mare didn't react to the sudden barking of the guard dog as it zealously inspected them for things unknown, changelings or some sort illegal contraband. She was used to getting searched by fancy griffon families and often had her personal space intruded upon by uneasy eyes. After submitting to the search and nothing of importance being found, Asteria nodded her head in a subservient manner, finally speaking for what seemed like the first time since their departure from the theater. "It is an honor to meet you sir. I thank you for your service to Equestria and all its citizens. I will do my best not to embarrass you or your master sergeant," she politely remarked, her tone staying as sensual as ever as her 'date' lead her into the military base. She had passed this part of the town on many occasions, but had never seen it so close before. There were ponies of seemingly all species, colors and genders working to become as cohesive a unit as possible. Individuality was something that few members of the military seemed to outwardly have, something that the mare wasn't sure how she would react to being limited in.

 

She could hear and see all manner of shouting and screaming coming from instructors, Asteria blinking and coming to a realization as she looked over to her date for the evening. "Sir Revielle, may I ask how you prepare yourself for instruction? I do not regularly raise my voice and wonder what preparation you have made for doing so. I believe that if I were to speak at such a volume, even for a limited time, my voice might become hoarse. Perhaps my vocal chords might be better served if I used them at a wider variety of frequencies. Perhaps you could show me some proper exercises, I believe that cardio alone may not be the best way to train by breathing," she suggestively asked, her words seeming absolutely true, at least in regards to tone. It seemed quite clear that didn't seem to yell or scream often, her disposition probably the reason for such an occurrence. It was a strange wording though, it seemed like she wanted to be taught how to yell efficiently, or something similar at least. If Asteria was some sort of changeling spy, she must not have been a great one, her fiery eyes seeming more interesting in the master sergeant than the actual arrangement or layout of the military base. If she had any curiosity about the secrets of this base, they were probably similar to what most ponies probably had, just imagination and theorizing that happened out of sight of the general public.

[Imagination]

How he prepared for instruction?

 

Well, she did have a point that there as the danger of one's voice becoming hoarse, as even a couple of the other instructors had a raspy tone about them as they appeared to be in a large courtyard of sorts. At this point it was just easy for him that he didn't think about it much, so he had to think back when when he first started as an instructor. Back when he was just Sergeant Reveille. 

 

"Well, when I first started I wasn't aware of all the tips and tricks the instructors use to keep their voices going out, and I paid for it several times. But, one day I learned that it's better to project your voice from the diaphragm as opposed to the throat. It's louder, puts less stress on your throat, and helps with breath control at times. Lung capacity also helps, but it's not terribly important. Time and place to know when to do it is also important. There will be new, young drill instructors who think they have something to prove and act like they have a broken volume knob. They'll pay for it, like you said, with a hoarse voice. I'd be lying if I said it didn't happen to me once or twice."

 

As if on Cue, one of the nearby platoons was practicing stances. One of the instructors, likely their senior, was demonstrating proper stances. This platoon was probably mostly new arrivals. He was projecting his voice well, booming so that everypony could hear him. While not scolding, it had an authority behind it. Meanwhile, another instructor started to scream at another recruit who had made the mistake of shooting a glace at Asteria, and was now being berated by the hoarse instructor to stop looking around. While he was already raspy, there was certainly a sharp, harsh tone to his voice, and it was clear the two instructors were projecting themselves from two different areas.

 

"Course, like I said, there's a time and place. The instructors don't shout to be mean. There's a purpose behind everything we do. Addressing recruits in this way creates a sense of urgency, demonstrates authority, and increases their stress levels so they can personally learn to overcome it. This helps them make better decisions under pressure later on in their careers. But, if you shout and scream at them all the time, they'll tune you out. We all do it. So loud voices are usually only used in regards to discipline, or instruction if addressing a large group. Otherwise it's stern and authoritative. The instructors aren't here to make friends, they're here to make soldiers."

 

He still remember how most of his time in the depot he always thought his instructor was one mean son-of-a-gun. But after seeing that same instructor risk his hide for Reveille, as well as becoming an instructor himself, he realized how much the drill instructors really do care for their recruits...

 

They jut have a funny way of showing it. Tough love isn't particularly strong enough.

[Gerrard]

As he spoke wise words, Asteria remembered back to her first few deliveries as a courier, the sheer distance daunting to the fledgling delivery mare. While she was not intimidating, her body was not physically ready for an optimized delivery time. She was a day late, and while the customer didn't seem to notice or complain, she definitely knew of her own 'excruciating' failure! From that day on, she knew that her identifier mark showed her potential, but did not imbue her with the ability to succeed in spite of her own personal failings. "I am proficient in broad training for a variety of my most commonly used body parts, although I believe I could use more practice in speaking with my diaphragm. You may have noticed that I don't vary by volume or tone very much. Perhaps I would be better served speaking in a wider variety of manners. It is a strange way to progress my personal development, but learning appropriate times to alter my voice may be helpful," she mused aloud for him, the unicorn making the most obvious statement of all time about her own voice as her tone seemed to prover her personal assessment correct.

 

Her observant red eyes watched the display with the instructor as he managed to gain the attention of his recruits. While there was of course some amount of attention automatically given due to his rank, his tone and manner of speaking seemed to draw the respect of all the ponies before him, all except one of the recruits who couldn't hold his eyes away from the pretty mare in his presence. The foolish recruit was met with the ever stoic gaze of the mare, even as the instructor chewed into his clearly embarrassed hide. The odd unicorn didn't even as much as flinch at the seemingly infuriated roar of the instructor, the seemingly cold-hearted mare not even seeming to acknowledge his mistake like a true professional! At the mention of being mean, Asteria simply blinked and looked over to the instructor, her stoic expression hiding her interest in the idea of a mean instructor. "I understand Sir Revielle. While the aggression may outwardly appear to be mean, it is a way to build urgency and adapt ways to react properly under stress. It would be entirely illogical and self-defeating to be mean for no reason. A wise leader knows when and how to properly address their citizens, it seems this is true for the military as well," she theorized aloud for him, seeming to agree with his beliefs. In Asteria's mind, emotions were irrational, and doing things like being 'mean' was irrational. Now while people may be mean, there is usually some rationale behind their actions. Recognition from peers or misdirection often served as primary reasons for bullying or meanness.

 

After verbalizing her thoughts on rationale, she blinked her eyes one last time and looked over to Revielle for a piece of information that could be seen as abstract. "How do you contend with the conflicting motivations of all your recruits. While I imagine some recruits are interested in service and protection of their families, I imagine that sometimes you have others who are driven by personal pursuits. Do conflicting interests cause any significant disorganization? Perhaps you attempt to alter the pursuits of your recruits by bringing them into team building exercises to influence them into aligning their interests with those of their fellow recruits? Perhaps you could show me team-building exercises in the near future. It may help me create motivations and proper cohesion between others in the near future. This is assuming you are willing to or able to do so in the near future. I don't wish to impose if it is not something you feel is appropriate or necessary," she politely remarked, the analytical minded mare perhaps looking into things too much. Although it was unlikely that these were all completely ignored by the military, she may have been looking a bit too deep into things. People didn't have ulterior motives for everything, but it didn't hurt to try and understand what they might have been in the event they did exist. She wondered if Revielle had ulterior motivations of his own! Asteria made a lot of her motivations pretty clear as she asked relatively forward questions of the military pony, and his weren't quite as clear aside from the possible enjoyment of her presence.