The streams of hot water were causing quite a bit of steam in the cadet’s locker room as the group of stallions showered.

While some of them were having conversations with others while they washed themselves, Chrome Shield was keeping to himself. As he lathered up his considerable package, the sensations caused him to smile as his mind wandered elsewhere.

Over the last few weeks, his lessons for Twilight Sparkle’s class had gone well, and it looked like he would end up passing after all, thanks in part to Sweetie Belle’s help. Unknown to the expansive pony, he had also been doing some private magic study of his own.

However, the real excitement had come from a conversation at their last lesson. When talk had turned to the upcoming Spring Dance at Canterlot Castle, Sweetie had mentioned that she had gone to her sister’s boutique location in Canterlot, to get measured for a dress. Rarity was currently working at her boutique in Fillydelphia, but word was she would make her sister’s dress during her stay there.

As his thoughts turned to Sweetie Belle’s “measurements” encased in a figure-hugging dress, Chrome suddenly found himself brought back to reality as a large stallion shouldered past him, shoving him forward! He shot the yellow-haired stallion a glance, before washing off the last of the soap.

As his hooves clopped across the tile floor, he grabbed a towel and began to dry himself off.

“Hey Shield,” said a greenish-yellow stallion coming through a nearby doorway, “Captain wants you to grab some extra gear out of room number four, right now.”

“Can’t it wait?” asked Chrome. “I haven’t even dressed yet.”

“He says now, and you know how the Captain can be.”

Chrome sighed. Doing a quick dry-off, he then wrapped the towel around his waist, and headed for room number four.

He had just gotten the door open and was about to turn on the lights when the scent of burlap filled his nostrils. His already limited vision went pitch-black, and the faint light of the open doorway disappeared!

Next thing he felt was a hard shove that sent him stumbling into the room, where he slammed into a metal shelf and ended up on the floor.

Within seconds, he heard the clopping of numerous hooves and the shutting of the door, before suddenly, he felt his towel yanked away from his body. Next came the sensation of pain assaulting his body from all over! Whomever was in the room with him, they were kicking him with their hooves!

In a split-second, he decided there was only one thing to do: defense! Crossing his arms over his covered head, he felt like they had attacked him all over before suddenly, there was the sound of a door swinging open.

“Captain’s coming,” came a frantic voice.

And suddenly, the pain stopped. There was a clatter of hooves, and then the closing of the door.

Chrome’s body throbbed all over as he waited for his attackers to return. Eventually, he pulled the sack off his head, and crawled towards the sliver of light that signified the door.

As he pulled it open, the locker room’s light spilled in, and right in front of him, was the captain, whose eyes nearly bugged out at the sight of what he saw.

“Sweet Princess Celestia!” he gasped, as he leaned down to help the wounded cadet to his feet. “Somepony call a medic!!”

The next day, Sweetie Belle attended Twilight’s class, but was puzzled by not seeing Chrome in line for the homework test, or in the main classroom afterwards.

As class began, she tried not to let it bother her.

He’s probably just sick, she thought.

The weather had been slowly creeping out of winter and into spring, and it wasn’t uncommon for some ponies to feel a little “off” during the seasonal changes.

Finally the bell rang, and she collected her things. As she headed towards the door, she heard Twilight call out: “Sweetie Belle, can I talk with you for a minute?”

A few moments later, the two were heading down the hall toward Twilight’s office.

“I need your help,” said Twilight. “Did you take good notes over today’s lesson?”

“Of course,” said Sweetie. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, I would appreciate it if you would share them with Chrome Shield.”

“Why?”

“I’ve seen you two talking before and after class, and I hoped you might be able to fill him in on next week’s assignment.”

“Okay. I guess I can stop by his dorm after my next class.”

“Sweetie Belle, Chrome Shield is in the hospital.”

It was then that an uneasy feeling washed over the white filly.

“H-hospital? What is he doing there?”

“I don’t know. I got a note from the main office before class began. They just said that he’s recovering and-“

Before Twilight could finish, Sweetie Belle found herself trotting and bouncing down the hall, her sweater rolling with the undulations of her chest.

It wasn’t until she burst out through the building’s main doors into the cold afternoon air that she paused.

Why am I running, she thought to herself.

A few moments later, she was trotting off in the direction of Canterlot Memorial Hospital, four blocks away.

Because she wasn’t family, Sweetie Belle was not allowed to enter Chrome’s room. However, a nurse was sent in to retrieve him, and a few minutes later, she emerged with Chrome sitting in a wheelchair.

Aside from the white gown he was wearing, Sweetie found her eyes drawn to his arms, where she saw at least a dozen dark bruises that looked black against his blue skin. Her eyes glanced down at his legs, and counted at least 8 more.

“Can…can I take that?” she asked the nurse, pointing to the wheelchair.

“Alright,” replied the nurse. “But you’re only allowed to take him to the visitation room down the hall. Be sure to bring him back here to the nurses’ station, when he’s ready to go back to his room.”

A few minutes later, Sweetie and Chrome were sitting in the visitation room. There were already several other groups of people in the room speaking with patients, and Sweetie maneuvered Chrome over to a window, looking out over a small park next to the hospital.

“Thank you for coming,” said Chrome, as she pulled up a chair across from him. “How did you know-“

“Twilight,” she replied. “She sent me to…to…”

As Chrome looked at her face, he could see her eyes getting glassy, before she suddenly raised her hand to wipe her tear-filled eyes.

“Hey-hey,” he said, reaching out a hand to her shoulder. “I’m fine, just…a little tender, that’s all.”

“But you’re in a wheelchair and-and the…the bruises and-“

“The nurses insist I use the chair for now. I keep telling them I can walk.”

“How, how did this happen?”

Chrome then told Sweetie Belle everything that he could recall. He did find himself censoring some of the information, as he didn’t want her bursting into tears again.

“Do you know who did it?” she asked.

“I have a few ideas,” he replied.

“And how about the captain? What’s he doing about this?”

“He visited me earlier this morning, actually. He assured me that he would interrogate the other cadets who were in the locker room.”

“And how long will that take?”

“Well, cadet training takes precedence over an injured stallion,” he sighed. “This isn’t going to be wrapped up anytime soon, I can promise you that.”

“Maybe I can help,” perked up Sweetie. “I can have Twilight send a request to Princess Celestia. I’m sure she could make things-“

“Thanks, but please, let me handle this myself.”

“Chrome, don’t you want whomever did this to be caught?”

“Of course I do,” he insisted, “just…let me deal with this on my own, okay?”

“I just want to help you-“

“I know you do, and you’re helping me already, by being here and talking to me. Heck, you’ve helped me improve my knowledge of magic over the last few weeks.”

On a nearby counter in a container filled with ice, were several juice bottles. Using his magic, Chrome levitated one over to Sweetie Belle.

“I couldn’t even do that last fall,” he smiled.

Looking at the bottle in her hand, Sweetie could do nothing but sigh, as she popped the top off and took a sip of juice.

“That reminds me,” he said looking at a clock on the wall, “shouldn’t you be in class right now?”

For a split-second, a look of realization passed across her face and she almost spit out the juice before relaxing.

I’ll worry about that later,” she replied. “Though I’d better write to Rarity later on today about cancelling the dress-“

“Whoa-whoa-whoa,” Chrome said quickly, almost shocking her for a second time. “Hold yer horses. Why would you want to do that?”

“But you need to get better,” she said. “And-“

“Look,” said Chrome, getting up from the wheelchair, and taking a few steps. “I said I’m fine! I’m bruised, but I’m fine!”

“Please, sit back down,” she said. “I-this is all just a lot to process. And, also if we go to the dance, whose to say the cadets who did this-“

“Oh for the love of Celestia, Sweetie Belle,” he groaned. “Why do you have to worry so much-“

“BECAUSE I-“

The volume out of her mouth made everyone in the room stop, and her cheeks flushed crimson. Quietly, she waited for the other ponies in the room to look away, before continuing.

“Because, I’m concerned,” she said. “You’re a nice stallion Chrome, and what happened to you is wrong. It’s something that me and my friends would not have tolerated if it happened back in Ponyville.”

“Well we’re not in Ponyville, we’re in Canterlot,” he replied solemnly. “And we’re very much grown ponies and stallions here. I’m pretty sure you understand that there are some things in life, that are outside of our control.”

Deep down, Sweetie Belle knew this was true, as the proof in her own life were resting heavily on her lap, and straining the special sweater and bra Rarity had made her.

“Of course,” she said. “Alright, I’ll let you handle this cadet thing yourself.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

“But tell me this: have you told your family about what happened?”

“No. I don’t want to worry them-“

“But this is important. They should know!”

“Sweetie Belle-“

“Chrome Shield, shut yer mouth and listen to me!”

It was the second time that she had raised her voice at him, but this time her cheeks remained white, and she saw Chrome gulp as her green eyes seemed to bore right into him.

“This is very serious,” she said. “I’m sure you don’t want to worry them, but they need to know. Now, I’ll let you deal with the cadets thing on your own, but, I want you to Pinkie Promise me that you will call your family, and tell them what happened…today…and if you don’t, I’m not going with you to the dance.”

“Y-you can’t do that,” he said, sounding like a spoiled child.

“Oh yes I can,” she replied, confidently. “I never promised I’d go for sure.”

“Well, where am I gonna find a phone?”

“There’s one in your room AND at the nurses’ station,” she replied. “When I take you back to the station, I’ll ask them to make sure that you make that call today. And, I’ll be back tomorrow to make sure you kept your promise.”

And thus, Chrome realized that he had no choice, but to comply with her demands.

“Well, okay,” he admitted, “but if I Pinkie Promise to tell my family, you got to Pinkie Promise that you’re still going to the dance with me.”

“Doesn’t seem like a fair compromise,” said Sweetie Belle. “But, okay.”

“We’ll say it together,” he said. “On the count of three. One…two…three.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

The next day, Sweetie Belle returned as promised, and received a confirmation from the nurses’ station that Chrome had called his family.

When she asked him how the call went, he admitted that as expected, his family was upset, and his Dad had claimed he was going to speak with the captain immediately.

“I told him not to, but I don’t think he’ll listen,” sighed Chrome.

A few days later, he was released from the hospital.

The first day he returned for training, the Captain had called a special meeting that all cadets were required to attend. He made it clear how ashamed he was that a number of them had treated one of their own so disrespectfully.

He also mentioned that he was giving the perpetrators 48 hours to come to him privately, and confess whom the guilty parties were. Otherwise, a formal investigation would begin in earnest.

Like they’ll actually confess, thought Chrome, who wondered if the ultimatum might have been tied to his Dad calling the captain.

When Sweetie Belle saw him in Twilight’s class a week later, she asked if she could come over the next evening and fix him dinner. Naturally, he accepted her offer without a second thought.

However, his thoughts of a quiet night alone with the bosomy beauty, were quickly shattered when he opened the door and found her standing there with her girlfriends Applebloom and Scootaloo, each of whom were carrying a few bags of groceries.

Next thing he knew, his kitchen area was filled with activity and loud voices as the three put on aprons and unpacked their goods.

He offered to help them, but had found the three quickly grabbing him by the arms, and flinging him onto the couch.

“Now-now,” said Scootaloo. “Sweetie Belle says you’re still recovering. Just relax, and let us handle things.”

And so, Chrome found himself sharing conversation with the three across the room while they worked. After an hour, the kitchen countertop was filled with an abundance of food.

Each of them then filled up their plates and glasses, and were soon sitting in the living room having a lively conversation.

Eventually, talk turned to the upcoming dance.

Chrome filled Sweetie’s friends in on what he knew would take place, before sneakily turning the conversation over to the dress Rarity was making.

“I still have no clue what she’s making, Chrome,” she shrugged. “You’ll just have to wait for the big day like a good little stallion!”

“Little? He looks pretty big to me,” Scootaloo whispered to Applebloom, causing the two to giggle like fillies.

The conversation lasted for a few more hours, before the trio claimed they had to get back to their dorm before nine.

This time Chrome was allowed to help them clean up, and by the time they left, the only traces that they had been in his apartment, were some leftovers in the fridge, and Chrome’s very full stomach.

Author's Note

This chapter was a trip.

A perfect example of how an outline I had in mind and talked to Chrome Shield about, ended up getting shifted around, once I realized I had the chance to do some more character development and talking between Sweetie and Chrome.

It also stemmed from the thought that it seemed we had clear sailing until the dance, but I realized I wasn’t feeling I was at a good place where Sweetie Belle could maybe start thinking of Chrome in a way that she had told herself she wasn’t considering.

There had been the idea that maybe the “occurrence” would be something that would happen to her one evening while walking through campus. It had been an idea I had thought of, but the more I ran it through my head, I just didn’t feel Sweetie Belle being assaulted would feel right. Something like that, might make her just not want to go to the dance at all, and I didn’t think having Chrome telling her to get over an episode that could contribute to PTSD would seem very healthy (and might make him seem moreso like a self-centered jerk than I wanted).

Another positive on the chapter, was what I had originally thought would be in the last third, ended up getting pushed into Chapter 13, giving me some incentive to actually get started sooner on maybe getting the next chapter out.