A Girl Worth Fighting For

Fog drizzled in as room 137 made it's way to the courtyard. A man in a white jumpsuit, dark black hair, and a baseball cap stood with his hands behind his back as the future soldiers lined up in a line, backs straight. The man started to speak with a loud, clear voice. "Well then, good to see you back. To uh, most of you. I here we have a transfer?" Shining Armor felt every eye except the coach's float to him. "Uh. me, sir." he said. The coach turned and slowly stepped down. He bent down to become eye level with him.

"So, you're the transferred 1st year?" he asked.

"Yes sir."

"What'd you do?"

"I, uh,-"

"I asked you a question, I certainly expect an answer."

"I sent a kid flying down a hallway, sir."

"D'you hit 'im?"

"Not exactly, sir"

"Ha, sure."

He examined Shining Armor.

"Seem pretty scrawny to me."

"Maybe sir."

"Probably won't last 'till the end of the week."

"I beg to differ."

"Huh?"

"I beg to differ...sir."

The coach laughed. "You know you don't need to address me as sir, but I like the respect." He slapped Shining Armor on the shoulder. "R-right." he stuttered. "Welcome, uh-" "Shining Armor, sir. I mean, uh..." "Shining Armor! Welcome, Shining Armor, to the Soldier Training Academy. I am coach Strong Runner. I hope you know that since you are supposed to be in a 1st year program, I am not going to go easy on you.

"This, soldiers, is what I like to call Death Trap. But, sadly, in reality, it's just a labyrinth. This is going to be your training exercise for today. Inside the labyrinth, I uh, "asked" the three administrators to hide in different locations inside. When you one day become a soldier, some missions will be a search and find. Once, well, more if you find any of the princesses, send a signal with magic, or fly out of the labyrinth." "Uh, sir?" squeaked a tiny, frail earth pony. "what if you're an earth pony?" "Oh, uh...just ask the princess to do it." The boy shrunk back, a worried look on his face, as if he were ashamed to ask such a question. Shining Armor had even took a second glance himself yesterday when he saw him in the dorm, thinking he was a lost 1st year. Or maybe a kindergartener that had snuck into his older brother's bags.

"Well, what are we waitin' for? You have princess's awatin!" Coach Strong yelled. The boys all stepped forward into a small opening in the Death Trap. Shining Armor saw a small shape move past the bleachers and disappear. He glanced again but faced forward. Once Coach Strong blew his whistle, a rectangular hedge grew and covered the backside, so there were no means of escape. A small iron sword was placed by him in a leather sheath. He slowly stepped for and strapped the sheath around him. He withdrew the iron sword from the sheath and continued.

Shining Armor walked a while until he reached a small, tan pyramid with an opening in the bottom. Next to the opening stood a figure. Upon closer examination, it seemed to be a princess. Shining Armor walked forward and felt himself get red. Standing at the opening of the pyramid was none other then Princess Cadence. "Oh, thank Celestia! I feared I wasn't going to be found." She walked forward up to Shining Armor. "Thank you, soldier." "Uh, j-just my, uh, job." he stuttered. She smiled a soft grin. She seemed to emit a glow, bright among the foggy and drear morning. Were Princesses always like this? Or, did he just see her this way?

Cadence turned toward the opening in the pyramid. "I'm not sure, but I think one of the other princesses might be in there. She turned back to Shining Armor. "We best look in there, unless you'd like to head back?" Shining Armor contemplated this. The way she phrased it, it was as if, as if she wanted him to go. Even though finding another princess would technically be against the rules, how could he be docked for it? The next thing he knew, he was halfway down a cold, tan-stoned hallway with Cadence at his side.