Celestia, after placing a few directed studies in order for Twilight, was followed to her garden labyrinth’s entrance by the five aspirants to Knights. She turned at the five of them.

“Inside this labyrinth, you will face dangers, true dangers. Do not take it lightly or it will be your last mistake. I’ll be in the center of the labyrinth the whole time, but I shall not intertwine. Those which reach me with less than ten enemies defeated will have to fight me. You cannot fly over the labyrinth or break through the walls. This is an evaluation of you as Knights of Harmony. If you think you’re not ready, step back now.”

Lightning Dash was in the middle of them all. The other four exchanged glances between them but none moved a hoof. Lightning Dash just closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then there was the sound of hooves clip-clopping on the ground. Turning their faces to the newcomer, they were surprised to see an armored Royal Guard approaching them.

“Sorry, your Highness. I’m late.”

“I understand, Lieutenant Shining Armor. As I was saying, the objective is reaching the center of the labyrinth. No flying or crossing the walls. The dangers you’ll face are real, so beware. I’m waiting for you in the center of the labyrinth. Any question?”

She hasn’t mentioned the fact we have to defeat then enemies… Maybe Shining Armor doesn’t have to? Lightning Dash wondered.

“Farewell. I wish you the best of luck and I hope to see your skills. All of them,” in the next second, Celestia was enveloped in a golden flash of light, vanishing. It took only a moment, for Scarlet Boulder, Ice Sapphire, Golden Breeze and Blaze dart inside the labyrinth. Shining Armor, though, stepped at Lightning Dash’s side.

“I heard about you, cadet. Outflew our elite pegasus guards. Are you planning joining the Wonderbolts?”

“That’s my sister’s dream. I shouldn’t try that, after all I’m here to protect her dreams. I would do quite the opposite in stealing them for me.”

Lightning Dash then looked at the Lieutenant. He was a sturdy, at least for a unicorn, pony. His mane and tail was deep blue with a lighter stripe and his cutie mark was a shield with same pink star he saw on Twilight’s flank. “I understand that well, Cadet,” the white unicorn looked at his own cutie mark. “I also swore to protect my dear young sister. That’s why I can’t fail. See you in the center, Cadet.”

Lightning Dash watched as he entered. Only then he saw a golden magic barrier on the entrance with a deep yellow magic image of an hourglass slowly flowing with the time. He nodded.

It’s then that my time starts ticking. Ten minutes… Lightning Dash thought. I might as well try that charade about that armor thing while I have time. They are powered by our cutie marks, which are powered by our hearts’ deepest wishes. What is my most important wish?

His eyes closed as his always extremely active mind examined every little information, looking for any hint. His mind focused on his cutie mark first: a large simple vertical lightning bolt which was then crossed by a much thinner horizontal one. He also returned his thoughts to that very day…

~~~~

Lightning Dash was having lunch with some of his friends at the flight academy back at Cloudsdale. They were chatting and laughing over lots of things when a commotion called their attention. I the center of that, they found a light yellow pegasus with pink mane and tail curled behind a cyan filly with rainbow hair. Lightning Dash also noticed the two other pegasi bullying them, and his excellent hearing caught the cyan filly challenging them to a race. Lightning Dash smiled wide. That’s my sister, he thought.

As they started, everything was fine. But towards the end, things started to get worrisome to Lightning Dash. Her sister began to dive and wasn’t making it up. She tried with all her might, or so it seemed to Lightning Dash, but something was wrong. He was a lot more advanced in flight techniques, though, so he did a back-roll and crossed right though the cloudy floor, darting at his sister. He also was speeding up a lot, but he had the advanced techniques to get back in proper flying.

Instead of saving her and breaking her ego totally, Lightning Dash approached her and, thankfully that her eyes were closed, he whispered what she had to do. He would, then, dive a bit faster before ascending. The rainbow-haired filly followed his lead and managed to start ascending as well. Knowing where to leave his effort, Lightning Dash flapped his wings and let her sister do the rest on her own. And was only when he decided to see how much they have fallen that he saw a rainbow ring spreading through the sky of Equestria, what would later be called a Sonic Rainboom.

When he returned to his class, his friends were the first to notice the change he had suffered: his flanks, which plenty of people would bully for being blank, now had his very own cutie mark.

Different from his sister, his cutie mark wasn’t because he was awesome. No, that was consequence. His cutie mark represented his will to protect her sister. And, by protecting her, protecting also the innocent filly curled behind her.

~~~~

Lightning Dash opened his eyes again. The golden barrier in his front flickered and then disappeared and the bright yellow pegasus darted inside the labyrinth. His mind, though, kept reminding him of his newest finds.

I’m not here to live my dreams. I’m here to protect hers!, he thought while making a sharp turn to his left. Then he stopped. Protect… defend… my cutie mark… The armor is powered by our cutie marks, hence from our hearts… he then heard a twig snapping behind him.

With his extremely fast reflexes, he threw himself to the side in time to see the same vines from the creature he had fought the first day. As the creature rushed against him, he barely moved a muscle. His eyes focused on the creature.

“Celestia, I’ll reach you,” his position changed, ready to dash forward as his wings opened menacing. “Nothing will stop me from protecting my sister!” And with a single flap of his wings, Lightning Dash lunched himself against his first enemy.

****

Lightning Dash stood outside of the labyrinth for ten minutes, stopped in place… Golden Breeze said as she walked in the middle of the labyrinth. He had already defeated three enemies herself.

“Keep your guard up, Golden Breeze,” Shining Armor said at her side with Ice Sapphire at the other. “We have only succeeded so far because we were focused.”

“I can’t understand why Lightning Dash would be stopped for so long…” she commented. “I’m no less focused than before I assure you.”

The trio then followed up into the labyrinth, “Are you sure this plan will work, Shining Armor?” Ice Sapphire asked.

“If the other two do their part, perfectly…” the royal guard said, but something was still bugging him. “Enemy!”

“I get him!” Golden Breeze quickly flapped her wing and made a rather sharp turn. The pegasus spotted her opponent and with a hoof, she mostly smashed the tree-like pony against the ground. As has been happening, as soon as it was defeated, only leaves, vines and twigs remained into the ground.

Shining Armor and Ice Sapphire got up to her, “Nice shot, cadet. You will have high ranks upon joining the guards.”

Ice Sapphire, though, decided to take a glimpse behind her and slowly turned, “Guys… and what if they could hide their magic presence?”

“If so, this would be a… trap…” Shining Armor slowly trailed off his thoughts as he saw what had given Ice Sapphire her idea. There were about ten of these wooden aberrations.

“Lieutenant, protect us, we’ll lunch an offensive!” Golden Breeze was about to lunch herself when Shining Armor intertwined.

“No! They’re planning something! Run!”

The three of them turned and ran to the opposite side, always careful to watch their backs. Strange enough, they weren’t followed. Not too long later, they found a clearing in the labyrinth, not the center, but a place to rest.

“Finally one of the breakpoints!” Ice Sapphire commented. “We’re running and fighting for near half an hour already!”

“And we found eight enemies and a dead trap that worked most on impulsive ponies,” Shining Armor lunched a glare at Golden Breeze, which quickly downed her ears in embarrassment.

“Forgive her, Shining Armor. Each of us received a different mission from Princess Celestia,” Ice Sapphire commented much to Golden Breeze surprise.

“You too?”

The unicorn just nodded. “I’m almost sure that Blaze, Scarlet Boulder and Lightning Dash got one too. After all, we all did something against the rules on our first day.”

As they sat a bit on the breakpoint, Shining Armor cast his barrier spells so they could have some free time to relax and restore their strengths.

“Well… I didn’t know the Princess would consider joining the other’s training to be something against the rule…”

“But she did gave you a free day, so it was supposed that you would not get back to work…” Ice Sapphire said. “What was you punishment?”

“Since I was so eager to learn how to fight, I have to knock out double of the enemies.”

“Twenty for you then. And you managed to take four so far. I can understand your eagerness to defy such a group without thinking twice.”

“What?” Shining Armor looked at the two. “What are you talking about?”

The two looked at Shining Armor, “Well… We’re being tested for something different from the Royal Guard, Shining Armor. That’s why I keep refusing call you Lieutenant. Each of us has to cross the labyrinth and defeat ten enemies in order to get the next part of our training.”

“If we don’t manage to defeat all enemies before reaching the center, we’ll have to fight Princess Celestia one-to-one.” Golden Breeze continued. “And due to my eagerness, I have to defeat ten more enemies. That’s why I’m always jumping to fight. Sorry.”

Shining Armor thought for some time, “You said all of you did something wrong?” Ice Sapphire nodded. “Do you know what each one did?”

“Lightning Dash was the very first. He burst out flying through castle grounds and raced the pegasus guards. Blaze was next, his fault being using his talents. Lucky him, only the Princess saw that or he would be a lot worse. Then it was Golden Breeze, as she said. Next was Scarlet Boulder, always bothering other ponies on duty. And lastly me, for trying to work an advantage and learn some combat spells from Castle library.”

“Lightning Dash is being punished by being the last to start and probably by being forced into the first to accomplish.” Shining Armor said. “He did started ten minutes later than us after all, and as with Golden Breeze, it’s related to what he did to bypass the rules. I assume you have to use spells to defeat your enemies?”

“I have to invent two basic battle spells and defeat at least four enemies with each of them,” Ice Sapphire assumed.

“Hmmm… Blaze’s punishment must be fighting without using those talents or the opposite, use his talents on full force or something. Scarlet boulder, though, must have to do this solo, so she learns not to bother others?”

“Princess Celestia is training us. No surprise she’s teaching us meanwhile,” Golden Breeze said.

“No, but it got things a lot worse,” Shining Armor said them and downed his head. “My mission is to coordinate and make sure all five of you reach the center of the Labyrinth…”

****

He hasn’t time to stop and relax. It was his fourth breakpoint in the labyrinth and his enemy count was in five, four of them what Lightning Dash called ‘guardians’, tougher enemies which stood always at the break points. As the splints from his shattered enemy fall to the grass of this breakpoint, he could help but wonder about how he seemed far faster and stronger than before.

He looked at his hooves, and then closed his eyes. He could still feel them, as always, and even his mana leylines, which he strangely had more conscience than any other pegasus. So much, in fact, that he could summon his static sparks with almost no attrition at all. He focused more on his leylines, the sensation of his mana flowing through his body. And then, he remembered from the very day he gained his cutie mark, when to get a falling Rainbow Dash, he had a sudden burst of speed. He almost didn’t make it, but he could feel Rainbow Dash on his hooves and his speed burst slowly fading.

When his eyes opened again, Lightning Dash could feel his mana converging in a single place, a place he knew all too well. From his cutie mark, he felt the mana spreading through his body, focusing on his wings and on his hooves. Then he focused his eyes and took off, careful not to fly above the labyrinth walls. He was way faster now than he has ever been. And different from what he thought, it didn’t have him any more tired.

The pegasus keep flying close to the ground, his years of training with Rainbow Dash for her stunts allowing for turns otherwise impossible for any pegasi. And whenever he saw another opponent, a simple lightning-charged hoof on its chest and he was done with. Six, seven, eight, nine enemies along his way, and he showed no signal of slowing down. Passing through two already cleaned breakpoints, Lightning Dash noticed something and made a turn to his left. The center of the labyrinth.

He had reached it. However, he was still missing a battle. He closed his eyes then and thought, I have to find one more. However, the time I take searching may be my end. I must finish before the others… when Princess Celestia’s words echoed in his mind, he remembered that this was a training. His pegasus vision managed to get a glimpse of the regal alicorn and she was not dressed to impress: she was wearing her armor. Right now, she wasn’t the Princess, but a senior Knight training him. He focused all his magic on his hooves and wings and dashed straight into Celestia.

His objective was to smash his hoof into the armor’s chest; however, the ever vigilant amazon flapped her wings and took flight. Lightning Dash made a spin, hit his hind hooves on a stronger tree branch and lunched himself at Celestia again. This time, the amazon of leadership blocked his bolt-charged hoof, just to be surprised at the speed he turned to try and kick her in the face.

However, she wasn’t born a pegasus.

A golden flash of light and Celestia was gone, appearing behind Lightning Dash. When her hooves where about to connect, Lightning Dash arched his back a little then wrapped his hind legs on her left foreleg and with a swift and strong movement, threw the princess towards the ground. A flap of her wings broke her fall and she saw Lightning Dash coming right at her. A side-roll to her left saw the pegasus creating a rather nice crater in the ground. Celestia flapped his wings once more.

He already got hold of his magic… most impressive. Even Luna and I took near to a month to that… Celestia thought. Even so, she was focused on her surroundings. From the dust cloud, Lightning Dash made his movement, dashing to her left to punch straight in her face. When she turned to block, she was almost too late to the punch which came straight at her. However, her horn flared with practiced easy, teleporting her to safety.

Not abated by his failures, Lightning Dash stood there, hovering in place, looking at Celestia, which did the same in turn. She noticed the smile in his face and quickly understood what happened: she was his tenth target.

“Aren’t you aiming a bit too high in challenging me, Lightning Dash?” Celestia asked.

“Maybe I am,” he gave in. “But it’s kinda the way of the Dash family… Before the sun rises, I’ll introduce your face to my hoof!”

Celestia grinned at him and entered in a battle instance, “Then give me your best shot!”

Lightning Dash shoot himself against Celestia one more time. The bright yellow pegasus let a trial of sparks through the path he made as he tried once again to attack Celestia. She, though, danced around his hoof and was going to kick him in the belly. Not trusting in his perception to protect only his belly, though, He searched for his mana, spreading it around his whole body like a blanket or…

Suddenly there was a bright yellow flash. Celestia had felt his hoof connect, but it wasn’t to his skin. It was something hard and at same time warm and cold. When her vision recovered from the sudden flash, she got astonished as Lightning Dash entered in her sight.

All four hooves covered in battle pony shoes, they all in a cyan color and shaped mostly like thunder, with random lines going up and down in sharp angles. On his hindlegs, at his knee, there was a proper plate to protect the joint that covered not only the knee itself but most of the upper part of his leg. His cutie mark, though, was left visible between the leg and the back plates. The wings were free to move and allow both speed and control while flying and still being protected by those same lightning-shaped plates. The forelegs had same protections, this time taking some of the chest. On his head, just below his mane height, he was protected by some armor that looked more like an ornament made of the same cyan as the base color of the armor. The only detail that received a different color was the shining magenta from his eyes in the perfect shape of his cutie mark but placed on his chest.

“How you could…” Celestia was so absorbed by his new armor that in the next second, Lightning Dash had already made moved and kicked with one of his hindlegs right into Celestia’s face, the motion of the movement threw the Princess at the ground.

Lightning Dash kept flapping his wings as his armor slowly faded in a cyan smoke. Celestia rose from the ground and looked at Lightning Dash. With a hoof, she caressed where the pegasus had hit her and her muzzle slowly parted in a grin.

“Congratulations, Lightning Dash,” Celestia said, looking him in the eye. “You were the first one to reach me within the limit time and with enough proof of courage and skills. I, Celestia Solaris, Amazon of Harmony under the virtue of leadership, declare you officially approved in my test.”

Only with Celestia’s words Lightning Dash managed to relax enough for his body to feel the tiredness of using so much magic and speed at once. He fall asleep right there, in midair. The white alicorn, though, enveloped the pegasus in her magic and placed him softly in the ground, so he could sleep.

****

Lightning Dash woke up in his room’s bed. The sun shone through his window and he wondered what has happened. Last thing he remembered, he had faced Celestia one-on-one and, somehow, managed to hit her in the face. Only then his mind managed to put some dimension into that: Amazon of Harmony or not, he had hit his Princess with all his strength.

The pegasus got up and stretched. His body felt lighter and, at same time, stronger, and as same as yesterday, he could feel his mana leylines when he focused enough. The warm sensation of the mana that flowed through his body, powering his four legs and wings… no, he remembered that last act of his… It could power his whole body, like armor!

Then he was brought back to reality by someone knocking twice on his door. Not waiting for an answer, whoever was outside entered and only then the pegasus noticed that the Sun Princess has paid him a visit. She had a smile in her face when Lightning Dash liked back at her.

“I’m glad to see you have waked up sooner rather than later,” Celestia said with a warm smile.

“Princess Celestia…” Lightning Dash quickly saluted his Princess.

“At easy, Lightning Dash. Take a bath and reunite with the others at the throne room. I have an announcement to make.”

He only nodded and saw the Princess leaving his room.

Author's Note

I made a quick correction on a character's name from chapters 01 and 02: Scarlet Cake was meant for another history. The correct one is Scarlet Boulder and I made that correction already. Sorry for that though.This is chapter 04, a quick battle and a little more into the truth of the histories I'm going to tell. Time for a little vision about next chapter right? With Shining Armor here to tell you about it!

"These young ones have really surprised me. How could I ever imagine they having so much power and skills? And What is a Knight of Harmony? Maybe I should ask Twilight later about that. Anyway, I'm now Captain Shining Armor and I have the duty of protecting the ponies under Princess Celestia's protection! I just wonder what that will do to my love life with my girlfriend... However, more important than that is to get to know these powerful warriors that Princess Celestia is training. The next chapter of Knights of Harmony is: Knowing You, Knowing Me"