//------------------------------// // Shining Armor's Grandfather's Protege // Story: The Life of a Young Colt // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// Shining Armor, determined to find out what had happened to his grandfather, went to Captain White Light's office. When he got there, he took a deep breath, as if gaining courage for what he was about to do, and knocked at the door. "Come in" White Light's voice said. Shining opened the door and entered in White Light's office. He was behind his desk reading a book while a vinyl record was playing a classical music. "Ah, Shining, my boy" White Light greeted, closing the book and setting it on the edge of his helmet. "But what brings you here to my office when you should be preparing yourself to go home?" "I need to talk to you, Captain" Shining replied. "Please, take a seat" White Light asked, motioning to the chair in front of his desk. Shining then used his magic to take out his saddlebags and put them on the floor and then sat on the chair. "How can I help you?" White Light asked. Shining took a few seconds to answer and then said: "I want you to tell me everything you know about my grandfather." Captain White Light looked away for a moment, breathing deeply, and then said: "Shining, I know there are things you want to know, but the truth is that there are things that should not be talked about. Now, if there's any subject you want me to help you with..." "Sir, with all due respect, I need to know what happened to him" Shining said. "It's my grandfather we are talking about. And don't tell me you didn't know him, because I know that very well." "And how can you be so sure?" White Light asked. "Because I know he was the Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard before you." "Sorry to say this, Shining, but just because your grandfather was my superior, it doesn't mean that I know him very well. Indeed, at that time, I was a young royal guard who just finished his studies in the Academy." As knowing what he would say, Shining, using his magic, took his grandfather's file from the saddlebag where he had kept it and then showed it to the Captain, putting it on the desk. "So what have you to say about this?" Shining asked. White Light picked up the file and opened it, starting to see its contents. Shining expected him to be nervous about all that, but Captain White Light just saw it with immense calm and tranquility. It even seemed that he knew Shining would to counter argue with that. When he finished seeing the file, closed it and said: "This was very well positioned in the library so no cadet could find it. I have to admit that I have to commend Blue Sword's efforts to find it. " "How do you know it was Blue Sword who got this from the library?" Shining asked. "You just confirmed it to me right now" Captain White Light replied. "Besides, I presupposed he would help you to find out the truth." "So it's true, isn't it?" Shining asked. "You knew really my grandfather." "Yes" Captain White Light replied, taking the photograph where he was with Star Shield. "He was my mentor. He was the one that taught me everything I know. He taught me all about leadership and the meaning of honor and justice. He taught me how to be brave and never give up, even when we are facing the greatest obstacles. He was a great stallion." He turned then to Shining and smiled at him slightly. "You know, you look a lot with him" she told him. "Of course you are like him at the outside, but you're a lot like him at the inside. You're honorable and determined and you don't let anypony intimidate you... You have the same dream he had... and the same way to unload anger. Shining then remembered what Captain White Light had said about Shining reminding him of somepony who had made him what he was now. "It was my grandfather who you were talking about at that time you found me training in the training camp, wasn't it?" Shining asked. "Yes" White Light replied. "Of course when I met you when you were little and I saw how you were similar to your grandfather, I suspected that maybe you were like him. Partly I was right." "What do you mean?" Shining asked. "Well, in many aspects, you two are very similar. But there is some differences, something that differentiates you from him. I'm not sure how to explain it but it's like a flame that waits to be able to ignite. Believe in me when I say you can make yourself a royal guard as good or better than your grandfather." Shining thought that was highly improbable, because, for that, maybe he should be a Captain of the Royal Guard and he didn't know if he would ever be prepared for such an honor. However, all that didn't answer the reason which brought him there. "But what happened to him?" asked. "Why did he just disappeared out of nowhere?" White Light didn't answer immediately and, when he did, he said: "It's not my place to tell you that. You have to ask that question to your family. Only your family can answer you that." "If they didn't tell me until now, I don't think they'll tell me now." "Look that you can surprise yourself." But seeing that Shining was not very convinced, White Light said: "You know, I have exchanged correspondence with your grandmother." "With my grandmother?" Shining repeated, surprised. "Before your grandfather disappeared, he made me promise to him that I would look after her and their children and that if any of them or their children wanted to follow his footsteps, I would help them to become honored and faithful royal guards. Of course I had to wait for you, because your father became one of Princess Celestia's advisers and your uncle Shooting Star became a great hoofball player. Anyway. I told to your grandmother you discovered that your grandfather was Captain and advised her to tell you the truth. I just got her answer saying that she also thinks you're ready to know everything." "That I don't understand" said Shining. "Why did you hide this from me? And my sister, of course. She also doesn't know this." "It was something agreed not only by me and your grandmother, but also by your parents and your uncle" White Light said. "My reason was merely to develop your spirit and your honor. You may have already noticed the effects of knowing you have a relative in high places in the Royal Guard to a young aspiring royal guard." Shining knew he was referring to Fire Punch. "It was also why your grandfather's picture was covered by that curtain. About the others, you have to ask them" White Light continued. "And I will ask them" Shining said. He was disappointed he had not managed to get Captain White to tell him what had happened to his grandfather, but now he knew that his grandmother would tell him everything, which made him happy. "Well, I think I'll go..." he said. "I apologize for having bothered you, Captain." "Don't say that, my boy. You just did what you felt you should have done. And I understand that perfectly." Shining rose up, making a salute to White Light, and, using his magic, he put his saddlebags on his flanks. But before leaving, he was called by White Light: "Shining Armor." Shining turned and saw White Light using his magic to levitate some photographs. "I believe you wanna get some memory of your grandfather that you have not yet." he said. And then he made a duplication spell and doubled the photographs and made the duplicates go toward Shining who caught them with his magic. He then saw that the photos were of his grandfather, the same ones that were in his file. Shining smiled and said: "Thank you, Captain White Light." He waved and then Shining went out of his office, then heading towards the train station to catch the train which would take him and Blue back to Canterlot to spend the week-end with their families. White Light then took the photograph where he was with Captain Star Shield and then said: "Your grandson has become a great young stallion, Captain. You would be proud of him. I won't be surprised if he became a great Captain of the Royal Guard like you." And having said this, he saluted the pony who was his mentor and then put the photo in the file.