Shining was never going to get over how hot it was.

The damp air clung to his fur, water poured down his legs every moment - soaking him through. Even in the supposedly climate-controlled adamantine armour, it was unbearable after a few hours. Every inhale drew the sticky air into his mouth and throat. Even a week after landfall it was driving him mad.

It did turn out, though, that war was boring. More boring than he had imagined. His thoughts on the stomach-sickening travel on the TMS Moonlit Heart had been filled with storming spell-lit beaches to fight hordes of dog-sized cats, himself at the head. The reality was much different. He had spent a full month with the rest of the century in Pan'tho Minx's port, a significant portion of which had been commandeered by the Royal Navy.

They hadn't been allowed out of the swiftly established base, but from what Shining could see the city had been like another planet. Tightly packed wooden buildings dominated what they could see, rarely more than three stories tall at the highest but sprawled out across many miles. On a distant hill, as if in purposeful contrast, sat the current palace of King Jag'tar. A towering castle that looked to be a century or older, the walls stained green with oddly pointed circular towers that gleamed gold and red at their tops. The streets were cobbled in most places, but from the edges of the base one could see the back streets of dirt and mud. It was utterly unimaginable to Shining before now, to see poverty - the locals hawking wares and dingy goods in the streets, a few had been brave enough to approach the swiftly-erected wooden walls of the base. Shining had bought some sort of weird red fruit with orange insides off a young panther, it had been delicious. It had been a single bit. He wonders if the locals understood how little a bit was worth, as that seemed to be the price of almost everything. Weird red fruit? One bit. Want a new blanket? One bit. Shining had watched a legionnaire go off with a young panther girl for one bit.

The panthers themselves were unlike anything Shining had imagined. They were quadrupedal like ponies were, but... primal. They did not stand as tall as a pony but were a good deal longer and much, much more muscled. When Shining had been told they had little magic, certainly not on par with an earth pony, he had expected a small, weak species similar to the simple housecats of Equestria. After seeing the full-grown panthers who worked in the docks he wondered if they needed the small amount they had, able to grip things with their paws as ponies could with hooves. It seemed like their muscles had muscles, nothing but slabs of strength wrapped around a feline body. He had watched one easily crack a coconut with its wicked fangs. In addition, the paving of the streets did not seem to matter much to many of them, they simply took to the rooftops. They ran and lept from each one, moved along thick ropes draped between buildings, their huge back legs capable of leaping entire street.

The northern tigers were meant to be even bigger. The idea made Shining's gut twist.

All of this had been extremely interesting the first few days, of course. After the fourth, it got a bit old. Not even the Legionnaires who were sat around with the Royal Guard seemed to find it interesting. By the seventh, Shining was reduced to betting with Sergeant Basalt Pie on which Legionnaire would break a bone in whatever game they had come up with. Shining lost every time, the stoic Sergeant seeming capable of spotting the foolishly courageous enough to actually follow 'jump between those buildings' or 'take a swim in the filth-filled river' from a mile away. On the thirty-second? He wanted to pull his mane out.

The afternoon sun beat down between the gaps in the clouds even now. He and Sergeant Basalt Pie, along with Corporal Gale Force and Guardspony Shroud's Embrace. They had become the regulars that Shining sat in a prime piece of shade with - the corner between the mess hall and inprocessing, with a single 'requisitioned' tarp they had a place to rest all day out of the sun's direct light.

"I think that'un's gonna take it," Basalt eventually spoke, the odd, dull-voiced accent of some south-eastern Equestrian backwater that not even Shining could remember the name of making him sound like an actual boulder got up to talk. His tone made him sound just as interesting, but the big earth pony had his moments.

Each of them regarded the legionnaire in question, a cute earth pony filly who was being egged on by her friends, their motions indicating toward the stacks of crates that ultimately came from one of the ships hauling in supplies. Shining thought it might be toilet paper.

Shroud's Embrace spoke up, the slight hiss of her silky tone was just shy of a lisp - it must have something to do with the fangs. "No way. She cracked a leg last week, didn't she? No ones that dumb." Shining shot the thestral a glance. Despite looking like she had just stepped out of Tartarus, as she did every day since they made landfall, she was quite pretty. If you got to her after her coffee. Her wings weren't feathered and seemed to almost gleam, the leather of their surface sleek with precipitation, and her coat was some extremely dark red - never fully-black, that seemed to be some sort of rule with the thestrals. Dark blue? Fine. Dark purple? Great. Black? It didn't happen. Shining couldn't figure out why, and didn't want to risk her sharp tongue to find out. She was as fit as the rest of them, with a surprisingly plush looking flank and solidly built body.

"It would be a bit stupid of her to take another dare," Gale Force spoke up, his low, calm tone tinged with amusement and the slightest Cloudsdale accent. "Especially anything to do with those crates. Someone responsible of rank would end up having to stop her." The pegasus shot a meaningful glance to Basalt, one of his eyebrows arching.

Basalt shifted a bit, letting out a snort through his nose, "Might take be a bit to get up. These legs aren't as young as they used to be."

A quick glance at the earth pony's legs made Shining agree with the statement. They were ageing like fine trees, stronger every year. He decided to weigh in, speaking up, "Sergeants not been wrong yet, has he? We thought that colt wouldn't take a second jump off the mess hall, but there he went - and we lost our bits again."

Shroud scoffed, the sound coming out more like a hiss. She stretched her forelegs out, briefly presenting herself like one of the local cats, before lowering to the ground. Shining watched, it was more interesting than anything else that had happened - and she had a nice behind, her fur soaked through and clinging to her. When she spoke he returned his eyes forward, "It'ss not happening. I'll put five bits on it."

"Five bits," Gale Force agreed, sitting and stretching a wing. "Shining?"

"She'll do it. Five." Shining felt sure of the Sergeant's guess.

The corner of Basalt Pie's lips might have curved up a minute degree. "Five bits," he consented, "That young'un'll do it, mark my words."

Their collective attention returned to the group of legionnaires, watching and waiting. The earth pony filly shot a swift glance around - her eyes passing right over them, like they always did. It was thanks to Shroud's Embrace and her nature as a thestral, and that cutie mark on her pinchable flank certainly helped. Thestrals could not manipulate weather like pegasi could, although they were extremely capable of the other aspects of Pegasi magic, but they had instead been blessed with a new ability that was nearly as useful; Localised invisibility. They and their surroundings could become one with the background, completely unnoticeable. Most thestrals would strain to cover their group, but Shroud was a Royal Guard - and they are better.

Then, the subject of their bet started to scramble up the first crate. A collective groan rose up from Gale and Shroud, and Shining felt a grin break out across his face - Basalt's smile widened slightly. "Pay'em up," Basalt instructed as the earth pony kept climbing up and up, the stack of crates was just slightly taller than the mess haul.

The two ponies began to pull out coins from thin saddlebags that contained the typical daily needs for your stay in Pan'tho Minx; Bits and a knife. Shining was startled when Shroud swiftly surged up, interrupting Gale - who had been about to hand over five bits to Shining. It was surprising, but not unwelcome, to find her muzzle inches from his own, her wing depositing bits on the ground in front of him, a wide smile on her face - a sudden desire lit in her eyes, "Careful, Shining, my bits are running low - I might not have enough soon. Then we'll have to get serious, won't we?"

Shining felt his cheeks redden and struggled to respond as Gale Force let out a guffaw of laughter, and Basalt actually chuckled. Shining opened his mouth to finally reply when a voice rang out from a more distant building - magically amplified, "Mail Call; Royal Guards, First Century."

His ears pricked, angling to the noise, followed swiftly by his eyes - breaking the intense contact with Shroud. He heard her let out a huff, and her plot hit the dirt, "Luna preserve us. Go and get your mail, Shining. Do you think you got another pack of cakes from your mom?"

Shining looked back to the others, seeing the laughter in Basalt's eyes, even if his face revealed nothing. Gale Force was certainly interested, the calm pegasus had revealed himself willing to resort to good-humoured petty theft for one of mom's sweetcakes. Shroud, though? She was practically salivating at the thought. She had gotten well over half of his cakes last time, and he would be damned if she got them again. "Maybe. Don't think I'm just giving you any, though," he warned.

He took the bits off the ground in his levitation and turned and made for where the mail was being distributed. He saw Gale Force fall into step beside him, likely looking for mail from his wife or two foals. Shining glanced back to Basalt and Shroud, only to see the thestral's eyes locked on his own flank - upon getting caught, the mare just smiled wider, tilting her head.

Shining returned to looking forward, once more feeling his cheeks redden slightly. Gale chuckled and spoke with a voice coloured by amusement, "Best watch out for that one, Shining. So few of us stallions around. I'm safe, I'm a monogamist, but you?"

The thought both worried and had a very, very obvious appeal to Shining. The thought of getting Shroud alone made him start to stir. Ever since that maid had gotten to him, he couldn't help but think about getting some mare into bed. Maybe it was the sudden interaction with them? In his Royal Guard class he had kept to himself, or the other stallion recruits. Or maybe it was the nothing to distract himself with? The Royal Guard wasn't given any duties around the base, after all. 'Or maybe it's the mental image of her presenting for you?' a traitorous, and quite correct, part of his mind added.

He shook his head and replied, "I'm sure I'll be fine. You're just jealous because she was watching my flank, Gale. You need to work out more, all those patrols in the Palace were making you fat."

Gale shot a look of mock-offense at him as they arrived at the small collection of navy deckponies watching over a collection of opened boxes packed with bags and duffel bags full of letters.

The pegasi upped his pace a moment, wings fluttering as he seemed to slide forward several feet without effort - and ahead of Shining. "Corporal Gale Force," the pegasi intoned to the deckpony. After a swift glance at a clipboard and a few calls, a small bundle of three letters were passed to Gale.

Then, it was Shining. He moved forward, "Guardspony Shining Armor."

Once more, the unicorn looked over the clipboard in his grasp. "11b and bag 7," he told the other deckponies.

Shining felt a burst of homesickness and joy upon seeing them pull a carefully wrapped box from one of the crates, the handwriting on the side instantly recognizable as his mother's. He took it in his levitation, and then the same for the bundle of three letters. Three? His heart lept, had Twily written him?

He turned and made for the Royal Guard barracks, turning the letters over in his grip. The first two were obviously from his parents, they had sent him letters two weeks ago as well. The final, though... He unwrapped the bundle as he stepped inside. He didn't recognize the elegant handwriting on the front, but the scent of perfume that clung to the letter evoked images of flowers and honey and the beautiful pink maid that had cried into his chest.

Shining entered his personal room, a privilege of being one of the Royal Guard, and placed his letters and package carefully on the bed. The room was bare and smelled like freshly cut wood because it was. There was no window. There was a bed, desk, and a small chest for him to keep personal effects.

He clambered onto the bed and opened the box, grinning at the stacks of sweetcakes. Mom had came through for him once again, nothing like a taste of home. He set the box to the side and opened their letters, browsing through the contents with a wide, happy smile. When he finally got to the one from the maid, he hesitated, but carefully opened the top and withdrew the letter, starting to read.

'Shining Armor,

I know this probably seems stupid, I certainly feel foolish as I sit here and try to write it out, but our encounter has stuck with me in my mind. I wanted to write to you, to express how thankful I was that you were there as a shoulder for me to cry on. I feel quite foolish, like I've already ran out of things to talk about.

If you would like, I would love to hear about what you are doing. I heard from Princess Cadance that your Century has been stuck in Pan'tho Minx for awhile. I can only imagine the city, I did my best to look it up a bit - but I've had alot of things to do. Is it true that the buildings are all made of wood?

I'm sorry if the letter bothers you, or came out of nowhere. I wanted to try to talk to you again, and hear more about you.

With Trepidation, Feather Touch.'

Shining was surprised. She wanted to know more about him? He thought back to the beautiful pink mare and found himself not at all against the idea of exchanging letters with her. After all, she seemed like she needed a friend - and she had been quite nice in their talk.

He took up his own piece of paper and quill in levitation, writing out his reply. The letters didn't come out half as regal as the earth pony maids, she must have some grip.

With a happy smile he got up and made to leave, only to be surprised when the door opened - revealing the statue-like form of Sergeant Basalt Pie. "Armor," he greeted, tone formal, "Make sure you have everything packed up. We're being moved north in seven hours, closer to the front. We get to babysit some new cohorts from home, and they want you and the other hornheads with their War Unicorns. Apparently the General had them pulled before their Solarian Academy course was finished."

Shining's eyes widened. They all knew the war wasn't going well, of course - from the rumours they got down here so far from any actual fighting. But bad enough to pull half-trained War Unicorns? He shoved aside his surprise and nodded, "Yes, sir. I'll be ready. Will we be doing any fighting?"

The Sergeant nodded, his jaw set. Then he turned and moved on, the door closing behind him.

Shining unfolded the letter he had just written and added a post-script, smiling.

Finally, they were going to go do something.

Author's Note

Another shorter chapter, but I didn't want to jump to another POV so far away right now. Hope you liked it.