Crimson Sunrise

990 ALB, Equestria, Canterlot, Canterlot

Canterlot, the birthplace of unicorns.

I usually leave the past behind, but to this day I remember that time when Cadance, now Princess of the Crystal Empire, abandoned me, exchanged me for my enemy, my competitor.

Shining Armor, such a wretched luck he carries, what a misfortune for me.

Since I got attacked by changelings when I was a nothing more than little foal, my magic has been weak, for all these years I have been just able to levitate some light objects.

That’s why I inscribed myself into the Canterlot School of magic, even though I would have preferred Celestia’s class, this is the best I could have gotten.

It’s been months since I have inscribed, and I feel my magic being restored, slowly.

I open the doors of the classroom, my professor was reading a book on his desk in front of two little desks for his students, “Good evening, professor.”

Without taking his face out of the book, he looked at me, “Evening, Landmarks, please sit,” He sighted, “Landmarks, I've got interesting news for you.”

“What is it, Professor, a new subject?”

He stands up and walks to the window, looking how the sunshine baths the outside, “You’ll be getting a companion.”

Before I could even react, I hear a laughter, no, two ponies laughing, approaching the classroom’s door, but one fades away.

The professor opens the door with his magic from across the room, “Aah! Mister…” It was Shining Armor, who expected to shake his hoof with the professor at the doorframe. He waved his hoof instead, “Hello, Professor Dandelion!”

“Please just call me professor,” He would approach the doorstep as he would get into the room.

I got up the chair when I saw him, exalted, “Mr. Shining Armor, welcome to the Canterlot School of Magic, I hope you’ll learn like my best students did before you.” Said the professor

"Sure thing, sir!" – He answered, as soon as he saw me, he recognized me – “Hey! You are Landmarks, right? Cadance’s childhood friend!”

“Yes, that’s my name, though I haven’t seen Cadance since a long time.”

He walked to his new desk, next to me and sits down, “Well that’s a real bummer, she is so nice… but you knew that already.”

I sit down next to him, without giving him an answer.

The professor teleports in front of the chalkboard and starts the class.

I had to put up with this bolt head for 5 hours straight, in the middle of the class he began talking about chess moves, and I answered quickly with its counter-move until he got frustrated and stopped talking about it, if not talking about useless matters, he was drawing Cadance and the Royal Guard armor on his notebook, and that was his modus operandi for every single class.

Yet his scores were always slightly worse than mine, not like a didn’t expected him to be worse, but he’s been stepping on my heels since I met him for the very first time.

And I was struggling to beat him, he was always acting natural, if he really wanted to beat me, he could have done it years ago.

Time accelerated rapidly as competition increased, months passed on and winter took us by surprise.

And finally, a week before Heartswarming Eve, the professor declared that my magic power was restored, I could finally enter the real class, and really compete against him.

The final exam was tomorrow, I was just leaving the class and Shining Armor spoke up, “Landmarks!” – I sighed and turned my head towards him – “Good luck with the finals tomorrow!”

“Keep it to yourself, Shining Armor! How else are you going to pass?!” I answered in a mocking tone, I never left nothing to chance, tomorrow’s results won’t be the exception.

I went home, to the Canterlot palace, Cadance didn’t live there anymore, she moved to the Crystal palace on the north.

But my contact with the princesses has not ended, on rare occasions I have the pleasure of having tea with Princess Celestia and chatting with her.

I discovered that she has a certain affection for Shining Armor's family, since her sister is her number one student, and that her magical abilities are unique in all of Equestria.

But she never dispelled my hopes of becoming captain of the royal guard, in fact, she lit the flame inside me more than anyone.

Her words were so captivating, such ensnaring motivation she casted through just words, I would never give up, I will never give up.

Then, the long-awaited day came, the day of the final exam. It wasn’t that bad, not as I expected it to be, it started with some theorical questions about magic and its properties, it also had spell questions, both for defense and offense, historic magic questions and so.

It took its time but I managed to finish my exam, Curiously, Shining Armor handed his exam to the teacher before me.

As soon as both exams were on the professor’s desk, we were suddenly teleported to the lower plains of Canterlot.

“Very well, students, welcome to the practical exam, you will go through these magic tests using real magic, like we did in exercises before these tests.”

This was the test that could end me, with Shining Armor already skilled in the arts of magic, and me who barely just got it back, I had to give it all.

I walked to my first exercise, levitation. Basic exercise, all unicorns have the ability of levitation, some are stronger than others, I made a boulder fly over my head, it was heavy but a fair object for this exercise, Passed.

Next was, transmutation, the art of transforming objects into others, and then teletransportation.

After the basic spells, there was two more, magic shield, and magic bolt.

I began with magic bolt, I aimed to a target 50 meters away from me, I struggled in focusing my magic but I managed to fire.

The magic bolt sped through the air rapidly and hits the target, the result wasn’t anything special, but it was a good one.

Shining Armor’s bolt was potent, way more than mine, but he missed the target, so he lost points.

And the final spell, the magic shield I casted was enough to protect at least 6 ponies.

But then, Shining Armor did the impossible, He casted a magic shield so big, it covered the whole city of Canterlot. Professor Dandelion was amazed, so was I, such demonstration of magic was only performed by the princesses, or legendary history characters like Starswirl.

The exams were over.

The professor ringed a little bell, “Young colts, you have performed excellent, I see great futures in both of you, I’ll have the results in some minutes, wait here.” He said, and then teleported.

I stood next to Shining Armor quietly.

“Do you think I’ve passed?” asked me Shining Armor

“You’d do fine as a border patrol.” I answered, looking away from him.

“You did pretty fine too, maybe you’ll have to train your magic a little more but you got the knowledge and determination to be a great colt someday,” – I remained silent, he was waiting for me to compliment him back – “Well… the professor is taking a while, what do you think he’s doing?”

“Reading our exams? He said he was going to give us the results, give him time.” I replied

We waited, silently, then, after 5 minutes, we were teleported to the classroom.

Cadance and Shining Armor’s family and friends were there, “Sorry for taking so long in bringing you two here, Shining’s friends and family broke in the room.”

The sound of hooves clapping the floor heard reverberated across the big classroom and the ovations to him assaulted my ears.

The professor gave Shining Armor his exam first, “I got a B+!!!”

The shouting became louder and Shining Armor left the room hugging his family.

And the classroom suddenly, became silent, like months ago when I was training alone with the professor.

I walked to his desk, he showed me my test, “Congratulations Landmarks, you got an A+”

I sighed, out of relief, “Thanks, professor.”

He placed his hoof on the exam, not letting me take it, “Landmarks… don’t try to be better than Shining Armor, try to be better than yourself, you have so much potential, don’t waste it all on jealousness.” Then he let go of the paper sheet.

I was shocked, I Couldn’t think of an answer, so I nodded.

Then I rapidly took the paper sheet, and I put it in my saddlebag, “Goodbye, professor.”