My name is Shining Armor. I am A Magian, son of Twilight Velvet and Night Light. And today is the day that I join the Royal Guard.
"I can't believe you're moving out...My little boy becomes a Man today..." Twilight velvet sniffed, hugging Shining tightly.
"It's just a training camp mom. They have visiting hours you know." Shining sighed.
"Let your mother coddle you a little. Once you're a Royal Guard she won't be able to anymore." Night Light chuckled. Twilight pouted, grabbing his hand.
"Do you have to go big brother?" she whimpered. He knelt down in front of her, giving her a gentle hug.
"This is what I'm meant to do sis, who I'm meant to be."
"How do you know?"
"The same way you know you wanna join Celestia's School for the Gifted" Shining Armor answered. Twilight sighed, clutching her Smarty Pants doll close.
"Does this mean you aren't coming to my exam?" she whined, tears stinging her eyes.
"Sorry Twily...If I don't go now then I won't get my chance for another year." he apologized.
"But I promise I'll always be your Big bro and when I get my first leave I'll come visit. How does that sound?"
"Okay I guess..." she mumbled, hanging her head. He smiled, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"Good luck on your test Twily!" he called as he rushed outside and towards his destiny. Sure, he felt a rush of excitement, finally being out on his own, but his family would always be his family. Right now though, he was his own man, ready to make something of himself. That is, if he could get to the training grounds in time.
"Hey Shiny!" a voice called from above.
"I don't really have time to hang out Surprise!"
"Well duh! You gotta get to your camp thing right?!" she asked, hovering beside him as he ran.
"Yea...why?"
"I've got wings dummy! I can fly you there!" she beamed, holding out her hand.
"You sure you can carry me?" he asked, worried she might drop him.
"Easy peasey Shiny. Hold on tight!" she laughed, snatching him up and launching high into the air, the Magian gasping and clinging to his friend for dear life.
Note to self, remember to tell the Captain I don't like heights. Shining told himself. Surprise giggled, weaving through Celamonts aerial traffic with ease. All it took was for a nearby Skyborn to see her Wonderbolt Reserve Badge and they backed off.
"Hey! What were you doing outside my house?!" Shining yelled over the wind.
"Was I looking for a mouse? No silly! I was waiting on you, to make sure you weren't late" she laughed, spinning around a pair of Skyborn and looping around a cloud. Shining swallowed his lunch, again, and tightened his grip on his friend.
"Alright! Hold on tight! I haven't tested my landings with a passenger yet!" she warned with a smile, diving straight for the training grounds.
Shining screamed as the Skyborn rolled about in the air, flicking back her wings and snapping them back into place to create drag, slowing herself and spinning about as she landed, skidding backwards across the ground and clutching her friend, crushing his head between her breasts. He gasped for air as he pried himself loose.
"Are you nuts!? You could've killed us!" Shining yelled.
"Well, lucky for you she didn't." a rough voice spoke up behind him. Shining froze, gulping as he turned around to see his commanding officer, Captain Cloud Lancer, Captain of Celestia's Royal Guard.
"S-Sir! Cadet Shining Armor reporting for duty!" Shining Armor saluted quickly, gasping as he dropped his bag.
"Ah, you're the Sparkle kid. Don't think you'll be getting a free ride here boy." the Captain warned.
"N-Not at all Sir!" Shining answered.
Free ride? What is he talking about? Shining wondered. Sure his parents had a few connections among the nobles, but his father was just a Scholar and his mother was an Author and occasional Nanny.
"Get to your Barracks boy, orientation starts soon and its uniform only." Lancer ordered. Shining nodding quickly, turning to thank Surprise, but she was already gone. He sighed and lifted his bag, making the trip to the Cadet Barracks.
"Well if it ain't wonder boy!? Look out folks, family hero coming through!" a cadet taunted from his bunk. Shining ignored him, finding a bunk close to the door with his nameplate on the side. He dropped his bag, reaching over his shoulder to grab at the hanger there, his uniform hanging from it and carefully wrapped. He was happy to find that Surprise hadn't caused any harm to it.
"Alright ladies, Fall in!" Cloud Lancer bellowed, everyone snapping to attention.
"The next three months of your lives belong to me. I won't lie or sugarcoat it, I don't expect many of you to make it. I expect even less of you to survive. Race means nothing here. Magic won't get you out of everything and so you'll need to learn proper combat. We'll be sparring today, so get in PT dress an get out there!"
"SIR YES SIR!"
Shining Armor gulped as he was paired with what had to be the largest man he'd ever seen. Easily twice his size, possibly even more than that. The man was a walking amalgamation of muscle.
"Now here is where we sort out the real soldiers. There are no rules to be had here ladies other than one. No Magic." Cloud chuckled, blowing his whistle. Shining held up his arms, grunting as the giant smashed his fist into him, sending him skidding backwards. Shining winced, shaking his arms and blinking in surprise. There were Mana burns on his arms. His opponent was using magic!
"Hm, puny, but resilient." the giant murmured, palming his fist. That was when Shining saw it. Right before his hand connected, he surrounded it in Mana. So Shining just had to not get hit. He breathed out slowly, shifting his stance and wearing a smirk.
"I'm more than that. Why not try again?" Shining taunted. As he expected, the giant rushed him, going for the same punch, only with more mana this time around. Shining shifted his foot forward, stepping into the attack and letting it skim over his shoulder. He buckled his arms together, kicking off the ground and burying his arms into the mans chest, making him stumble backwards.
But he refused to stop there. With the man stumbling, Shining dropped to the ground, grabbing hold of the mans leg and pulling with all of his might, toppling the unstable giant. Shining panted heavily, the giant rolling onto his side and slowly lifting himself.
"You...YOU!" The giant roared, his eyes glowing brightly. Shining gasped as he was lifted in the mans magic, the air leaving his lungs as a giant fist was buried in his chest. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Captain watching the fights.
Doesn't he see whats going on? I'm six feet off the ground for Suns sake! Shining growled to himself, another punch knocking the wind out of him.
"Heh, so this is one of the Sparkles huh? I heard you were something special, but you're just a spoiled punk." the giant scoffed with another punch.
"Thank you sir, may I have another?" Shining groaned weakly. On the next punch he tensed up, counting in his head and smiling to himself as the hit landed. The man had him right where he wanted him, which made him predictable.
"You know, its not much of a show if you just hold me here and beat me to death. You wouldn't fall for the same trick twice, so why not put me down and show them what you are really made of. I mean, unless you are just that scared to fight a Sparkle like a man." Shining taunted, wheezing slightly as he spoke. He was pretty sure at least two of his ribs were cracked.
And to his luck, the man bought his bluff, setting him down and giving him a shove, the magic around him vanishing. Shining coughed a bit, grunted from a sucker punch while trying to catch his breath. The next punch however, he was ready for, hopping backwards out of its path and stumbling as his leg gave out.
He bruised me up pretty bad...I gotta end this quick or I really am gonna die here...
"Captain, are you not going to stop him?" A guard asked softly.
"The rules were very clear Rose, And they will be enforced, after the sparring match." Cloud Lancer answered, glancing over at Shining Armor and watching his struggle.
"You are determined to see him dead sir." Rose continued, crossing her arms.
"That is where you are wrong Lieutenant. I am determined to see him succeed."
"Come on! t-that the best you got?!" Shining yelled, raising his arms and ducking under a punch, weaving down and to the right away from the next and stepping in once more, only to slip around as the giant went to grab him.
Shining grit his teeth against the pain coursing through his body, hopping on the mans back and hooking his arm around his neck, pulling it in tight with his free hand. The giant began to gasp for air, trying to throw Shining off, even going as far as grabbing at his legs with magic and trying to pry him loose. But Shining refused to be cast aside.
"You know, a guy like you, a Magian with all those muscles, you can't be very good at magic. Too much time making yourself huge. And then you just cheat with magic to add some extra oomph. You can lift me, but you can't tug me around for too long or you exhaust your Mana pool. Now me? I have a naturally large reserve, but can't use it here. My pops is a bit of a nut job ya know..." Shining taunted as he clung to the man.
The giant thrashed about, clawing at his arms and unable to do anything. The giant had worked every muscle in his body, making it impossible to reach Shinings' arm beyond the mans massive chin. Sure, being under the chin was painful, Shining was sure his arm would break any minute. But in his panic induced state, the mass of muscle hadn't thought of anything but his magic and his fists.
"He told me 'Someday magic won't save you'. And so him and my mom hired all these people to teach me to fight. At the same time, I had to focus my magic on at least three or four tasks at once, building both strength of mind and strength of body. Jack of all trades, master of none. So I can take a hit and..." Shining tightened his hold a bit more.
"I can give one back!" Shining finished, the man toppling forward with Shining on his back. Shining pried himself free, stumbling a bit before collapsing to his knees. He blinked in surprise as he heard clapping. He looked around slowly, seeing the Captain wearing a smile and applauding.
"Color me impressed Sparkle. Not many cadets survive a match with an actual Knight." Cloud chuckled. Shining looked at him, confused for a moment before glancing at his opponent.
This guy is a Knight?! But...he cheated! And his mana management was horrible!
"You don't believe me. I don't blame you. Not all Knights are really cut out to be knights Sparkle. We live in a time of peace and any schmuck these days can pass into our ranks. But it takes true men and woman to become true Knights." Cloud said softly as he made his way to Shining. The Lieutenant helped him to his feet, carrying him along as they walked.
"I don't understand Sir."
"I don't expect you to Sparkle, not yet. I had to throw something impossible at you, had to prove you deserve whats coming to you, but also had to make you earn it. Your name carries weight, more than you could ever know. But others know it, and so, it looks like favoritism. This way, you earn your way, get it?" Cloud asked.
My name carries weight? Just what the heck does Dad REALLY do?!
"I think so Sir...I have a question though..."
"Yes?"
"Could I maybe get a trip to the Hospital?"
"That seems rather cruel of you Captain." Celestia mumbled.
"I was going to discharge him anyway Princess. I'm not the one that passed him." Cloud chuckled.
"I meant about Shining Armor..."
"Ah, no, he's fine. Just some bruised ribs."
"The report says two of his ribs were broken, one bruised, and that he suffered Mana burns along his arms and legs." Celestia argued softly.
"Yes, but he passed didn't he? Against someone twice his size, he stuck to his guns and didn't use magic. And he still won!" Cloud Lancer laughed.
"They are a rather special bunch...Try not to go TOO hard on him Captain. We want him alive and well." Celestia sighed over her tea.
"Eh he won't die on us. Check." Cloud shrugged, setting his rook down. Celestia moved her pawn into place, sipping her tea and watching as Cloud moved his Knight next. With a smile she shifted another pawn forward, the rook sliding into place to claim it. Celestia's next pawn claimed the rook and with a smug smile she tapped the piece.
"Checkmate old friend." She said softly. Cloud blinked, finding his own king pinned in by his pawns and the queen staring him down where the pawn had been previously. None of his pieces could move in-between. With a sigh the captain stood.
"Seems I lose again. One day I will best you Princess."
"Some day you may Captain, but today is not that day."
"Oh wowie, an actual knight? That's pretty impressive Shiny." Surprise giggled, sitting beside his bed.
"Yea, but pretty screwed up too. He said, my name carries weight, like I'm crazy important or something. I mean, sure, mom talked with the Princess a few times and Dad has his projects, but that's normal here. We're just middle class nobles."
"Hmmmm, I dunno Shiny. I think you're pretty special." Surprise smiled, Shining letting out a sigh.
"That doesn't count Surprise, we're friends, and you think everyone is special." Shining argued.
"Well everyone is special! Just in their own different way! Like that nurse! She's super special at caring for others."
"That's her job Surprise..."
"And she picked it cause she likes helping people!" Surprise argued. Shining smiled, leaning back against his pillows.
"Alright, you've got me there...But if that's why she picked her job, why'd you pick yours?" Shining asked. Surprise blinked, twiddling her thumbs.
"Wellll, a lot of my friends went into military jobs and they pay for school if you stay for a year, and its just the reserves, I mean, its not like you and the Guard. I mean, that takes real bravery." Surprise gushed. Shining raised an eyebrow, Surprise clearing her throat.
"I uh...should get going and let you heal up. I'll stop by after my rounds and bring you somethin' sweet to snack on, kay?" She smiled.
"Yea uh, see ya then Surprise." Shining said, watching her go. She stopped at the door, her back to him.
"Shiny...why did you decide to go into the guard?" Surprise asked softly, leaving before he could answer.
She was acting weird...weirder than normal... Shining thought to himself. He sighed, pushing the thought from his mind and going back to the puzzle of his day. Just what made him so important to the Captain?
Author's Note
Surprise is the one on the right. She is pretty much a Pinkie Pie clone, but blonde, and a pegasus/Avaros.
EXPECT THINGS AND STUFF AND DRAMA!
