Lore Dive #003
This is from the LORE VOTE. Vote which lore you'd like to know more of in the discord server: Patreon Royal Channel! - REDXBACON
Military Ponies Origins
When I was fairly early in the fandom, I created a fictional military group called the Black Seed. Old as hell, but I still liked the concept of having a special forces group. So, I decided to revive it, giving it actual characters with proper development, a mission, and a story line.
This is in a separate military AU, I don’t like having guns/military in my main AU, it doesn't fit the logic nor aesthetic so this is in its own AU. I’m going to be lazy and call it the Black Ceed AU. (I renamed Black Seed to Black Ceed for coolness😎)
Initially, I had planned to create a two-part story to go along with it, but that was before I realized how challenging it was to handle writing, editing, proofreading, and drawing all on my own. 🙁!
Going back to the characters... While there are many other members in the Black Ceed, these four ponies are the primary focus of the story I had in mind.
Main Characters
2021-07 | A collection of snippets of Pin Point
Pin Point, the sniper, remains a mystery to everyone in the Black Ceed except her superiors, who keep personal matters confidential. Her origins and background are shrouded in layers of secretes. Pinpoint refuses to give up any information about herself when asked, leaving her past, family, and life before the military unknown to others. Though through her actions and know-how a few information such has been slowly unraveled by her team, such as her experience in an active battle field, survival experience etc etc. Given the role of a leader of her group, Pin does a good job in giving orders, planning, staying calm, focused and when needed, to be empathic.
Pinpoint is always depicted as tired, sleepy, and perpetually sleep-deprived, a well-known fact attributed to her insomnia. She struggles to sleep at night and finds it easier to sleep during the day, possibly due to past events. Despite being exhausted and on edge daily due to her poor sleeping habits, she never shouts or raises her voice, maintaining a calm demeanor.
Often found napping on the job, she gives the impression of being incapable, yet she always manages to get her tasks done. Her reluctance to engage in conversation and her seemingly annoyed demeanor make her an unpleasant company. Although she appears grumpy and her expressions can be contradictory, she rises to the occasion when needed. In critical moments, Pinpoint confidently steps up, demonstrating strong leadership and guiding her group effectively.
Pin loves to eat but has a strong dislike to anything with caffeine. She loves dogs. 🐶
2021-07 | A collection of snippets of Aerial Swipe
Aerial Swipe, the heavy tank of the team, comes from a long line of military ponies, with multiple generations serving in the armed forces. Raised in a military environment, joining the Army was a natural choice for her, perhaps even an unavoidable one. Aerial embraced her military heritage from a young age and eagerly joined as soon as she came of age, finding pride and fulfillment in her service. She was scouted into the Black Ceed by Pin Point herself, when her skills and loyalty were acknowledged.
As the firstborn of her family, Ariel has always had a strong sense of accountability and responsibility. She takes pride in following the rules religiously and often lectures others, whether they are her juniors or superiors, whenever the rules are broken or not followed. Though this behavior annoys many, Ariel backs down immediately if confronted. She wants to help others improve, not control them, and she simply suggests what she believes is best. However, she fully understands that her approach may not work for everyone.
She often has trouble approaching newcomers or outsiders due to her large figure and strong features, which unintentionally intimidate others. Her voice is very quiet and airy, a contrast that she finds complex. She tries her best to raise her voice to sound more strong and confident, which often leads to squeaks and embarrassment. Nevertheless, she persists in her efforts.
The large Pegasus has a secret love for boy bands, with a locker full of her favorite boy band pictures, merchandise, CDs, and posters. Although she tries to keep this a secret, everyone at the base knows and chooses to turn a blind eye, letting her enjoy her passion. Bush Wack on the other hand frequently tries to embarrass her about it, but the entire base somehow manages to prevent this, either by distracting Bush or by force.
2021-07 | A collection of snippets of Bush Whack
Bush Whack, the runner/scout/wildcard of the team, led a peculiar life before joining the military. From leading a small gang in elementary school that was able to overpower the local police station, to involvement in starting up a pyramid scheme as a teenager that caused the elderly in the neighborhood to go bankrupt, her journey was unconventional and destructive. Sent to a military camp by her parents in hopes of instilling obedience, Bush Whack unexpectedly found inspiration and passion within the Army's chaotic yet orderly atmosphere. Despite facing skepticism from peers due to her chaotic personality, Bush Whack proved her worth with her exceptional speed and versatility, earning acceptance from her superiors despite initial resistance from her fellow soldiers. Bush was scouted into the Black Ceed by one of the superiors of the project.
Having lived a chaotic life, Bush Wack remains a walking nightmare for everyone around her, even within the structured military environment. While she takes her training and missions seriously, the journey to that point is unpredictable and stressful for many that stands next to her. Bush Wack seeks no approval and appears to have no clear goals other than having fun and getting paid. Her chaotic nature means that any problem or issue at camp often traces back to her.
Despite the chaos she brings, Bush Wack's presence has its advantages. If Black Ceed has a hostage, placing Bush in the room ensures they get answers within minutes. She doesn’t resort to violence, but whatever she does is terrifying and stressful enough to make any hostage talk.
With a unique view of life and an unusual sense of humor, Bush Wack is unfazed by the horrors of war. This detachment can be advantageous for a soldier, though it might also be a drawback.
2021-07 | A collection of snippets of Snap Back
Snap Back, serves as the team's combat medic and brings valuable experience from actual war and battle. Raised in a poor household by her ailing father, Snap joined the military as a means to secure a stable career and support her family. Despite her father's passing before she could provide for him, Snap found comfort and a sense of belonging in the army, prompting her to continue her service and advance her career. Known for her kindness, humor, and charisma, Snap Back often lightens tense situations with her amusing jokes, although their effectiveness can be hit or miss depending on who she’s trying to cheer up. Snap often migrated between stations for reasons only her superiors knew, but Snap finally settled in a proper team after she was scouted into the Black Ceed by one of the superiors of the project.
Snap Back looks, acts, and embraces being a nerd. She checks all the boxes and has no shame about it, often performing exaggerated imitations of anime characters and quoting them, usually laughing alone. Snap is optimistic and bright, and she’s perhaps the only one who understands how Bush Wack operates. Being the only genuine friend of Bush, she tries to prevent chaos from spawning from Bush the best she can! (She is not always successful,... she's rarely successful)
Though she was never formally trained as a nurse, years of caring for her ailing father and her self-taught medical knowledge gave her a strong start, allowing her to work as a helping hand in the medic bay and soon getting proper education. Snap Back doesn't have a commanding presence but is memorable for her willingness to help wherever needed when the medical bay is empty. She loves being around others and seeks out group environments.
Side Characters
2021-07 | Over Cast Reference 20??-?? | Savan Sperrow Head Shot
I drew an additional character that i thought would have occasionally visited the team as their mentor, but it didn't go anywhere. I've decided to post it in here in this post in case there was anyone interested in seeing her! The second OC is an old one, she was created to work for a top secrete military OP and I figured it be fun if they were working on an off-branch Black Ceed team in the cold areas!
Questions & Answers
some direct questions from the Patreon Discord server!
What was the story going to be about?
The story was intended to focus on the day-to-day slice of life of the Black Ceed team, with some comedy sprinkled in. However, the main plot would involve the Black Ceed discovering an impending attack from an unknown source. They would investigate each potential enemy, including those with a history with them or under suspicion. The story would follow their journey as they unravel the mystery and ultimately defeat the threat before they can unleash hell to Equestria.
Did they all get along in the beginning or were there a lot of arguments between them?
Ariel Swipe and Snap back struggled to connect with Bush due to her chaotic and unserious demeanor. However, Snap's openness helped in the way for friendship with Bush, influencing Ariel to also adjust to her new team mate. Pinpoint preferred being alone, engaging in solitary activities, she never bothered with Bush, letting her go do whatever she'd like as long as it didn't ruin the mission or training. The team had some problems, but they didn't fight a lot. If they couldn't work with each other, they wouldn't be on the team.
Are they all volunteers or does your world have a form of conscription in place too?
In this particular AU, it's all volunteers. They do a lot of advertisements and give out benefits for those who come in. But it is not a mandatory law! I like to think the benefits are good enough for it to be a 'trend' for the youth to join in for 3years after high school/college if they're a bit unsure of their next step! I think 3 years would be the minimum to get the said benefits.
What's their favorite food / weapon / hobby?
Pin Point: Don't have one / Don't have one / napping
Ariel Swipe: BURGERS / Mini gun / boy bands
Bush Whack: Doughnuts / Combat knife / singing
Snap Back: Oranges / Don't have one / anime
Who writes the best Evals for the team?
Best to worst
Snap Back > Ariel Swipe > Pin Point >>>>>> Bush Whack (don't let her near that fucking paper)
Who’s the best shot with their weapon, and who barely qualified?
Best to worst
Pin Point(Sniper Rifle) > Bush Whack(K2 Assault Rifle) > Ariel Swipe(Mini gun) > Snap Back(Pistol)
Same list order if everyone is given the same weapon.
Have they ever done any special deployment methods?
They are special secrete forces, I like to think they've done most things.
Are you planning on working on it in the future?
Nope! I don't think the concept/story is interesting enough. It will be for a very niche group of people i think. Not to mention over the years I grew to think it's not good enough to be made into a Patreon project. It's interesting, but not good. I doubt I'll continue with the concept unless I suddenly get a whole army worth of interest for it! 🤔
Who was the villain?
2020-12 | 2 PNGs of Rune Spark, with and without her uniform.
I will need a separate Lore post to go deep about the enemy (vote if interested!), but for simplicity, the enemy was a small village of ponies, the main antagonist character being a mare named Rune Spark. She is a albino earth pony and would have had specialty in stealth and hacking! I often imagined her hacking the electronics and taunting the members if they got close enough. She had gemstones implanted into her skull (red things on the back of her head) that let her do Unicorn magic, she had access to basic magic only: Levitation, light emulation.
Is this related to the Special Ops AU with the main six?
2021-11 | 2 PNGs of four of the six main six in a Special Ops AU
No, that’s a completely different AU, the 'Special Ops' AU has no story or plot. It’s just for aesthetics and fun that's focused on the design inspired by a dark, techy military asthetic and nothing more. It has nothing to do with the Black Ceed and they are not in the same AU.
Can I smooch? 👉👈
This is how every pony will react to you suddenly smooching them.
Pin Point: -pokes your eyes out-
Ariel Swipe: -blushes, confused, scared, slowly back away n run-
Bush Whack: 👁️👁️ "what the fuck was that?"
Snap Back: "Heehee" -smooches back-
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If you have any more questions, feel free to tag me on #patreon-royal on the patreon discord server and ask me about it! I will update this post as questions are answered. 😊💖