//------------------------------//
// Shining's Tale 
// Story: Lessons Learned 
// by RoyalBardofCanterlot 
//------------------------------//

Shining Armor stood on the wide, grassy field. It was dusk and the sun cast an orange glow over the training area. The alabaster spires of Canterlot were far in the distance. Just a few feet away was the headquarters of the Canterlot Guard. It was a surprisingly humble, cube-like building made from brick. The Equestrian flag and the three tribal flags each occupied a quarter of the roof.

In front of the one-day-hopefully cadet was an archery target. Shining focused on the flow of magic throughout his body and lowered his horn. The magic surged through the young unicorn's body and burst out as a blast of blue that punctured a hole in the dead center of the target. He whooped and jumped in the air. The second he came down he took down the first target and replaced it with a second one. This one was similarly blown to splinters. Shining grinned. He was on a role. He looked towards the headquarters and wondered if he could get one of the guards inside to spar with him. The ten year old's heart swelled with the idea that if he showed his skills to an officer the guard would take him right away.

Maybe, he'd even make captain! He pranced and put up another target. This time he pawed at the ground, snorted and prepared a much stronger spell. He'd never tried this one before. Waves of energy spiraled within him and went through his horn. He released it as one great surge that burned the air itself, twisting and warping and setting the target aflame. Soon, nothing but ashes was left of the target.

The colt stretched and looked up towards the sky. Celestia would soon be lowering the sun, but he knew supper was still an hour away from a glance at the outdoor clock which was used for timed training exercises. Shining looked around to make sure nopony was looking. There were no guards out on patrol. Everypony would be in the mess hall, enjoying their supper. Shining closed his eyes and took in a breath, focusing on his awareness of the world around him. The soft feeling of the grass embracing his hooves. The cool, Autumn air lifting his mane and tickling his neck. The smell of dirt and sweat that dripped down his own forehead. A bird sang off in the distance. 

He focused on each sense in turn. The feel of grass and cool air, the smell of dirt and colt sweat, the trill of the cardinal. He went deeper still. There were strands of mystic energy moving through everything. If his awareness had been linked to his sight, like it was for high mages, he would have seen the multicolored strands of the rainbow magic whose currents moved throughout the universe.

He went even deeper, moving towards the core of his being. His legs shook. His breaths came out in ragged gasps. A throbbing pain had started right between his eyes. He ignored all that. Those were only distractions that could not serve him. A low chant came from his lips in a tongue so ancient that no one was quite sure what the words meant anymore. They were words of power, of that there could be no doubt. With each recitation he could feel the low thrum of power and it was building. The power began at the soles of his hooves, moved up through his well-developed legs, into his core.

He trembled at the power welling up inside of him. There was no doubt in his mind that he could do it. He had spent late nights in the library, memorizing the diagrams in books he would never have been allowed to check out. A sapphire circle surrounded him and one-hundred azure fires burned. He opened his eyes. The flames danced a waltz around him, ever moving and ever shifting. The grin threatened to split his face apart. With several movements of his horn, he conducted the flames around himself. He was the conductor of a symphony of flames.

The flames fascinated him. He stopped moving for a moment and stared at them. The flames were leaping up higher and higher. The grin disappeared, replaced by a frown. The flames were widening. He took in a breath and tried to get the flames back under his control. They ceased their forward advance. Instead they spun towards him. Shining jumped back as the flames closed in on him. With another push of will he forced the fires away. They crackled, sparks dancing up. As Shining watched, the flames went faster and faster, becoming a blur. He held his head. The migraine was pounding. With a stomp of his hoof and a whispered word he dissipated the circle. Unfortunately, that left an ash imprint all around him. The migraine had vanished completely.

He gulped. That would be hard to explain to any guard that asked. The sun was still getting lower, splashes of oranges and pinks against the darkening sky. He could just go home now, but there was one more move he wanted to try. He closed his eyes and fell into a rhythm with his breath. He had read that rhythmic breathing was important for this spell. Four breaths in and then four breaths out, repeated in a sequence of four.

Power was rippling through him. He could feel it coursing through his veins and his muscles. The power begged to be used, to be released. He had to keep it in for a bit longer as he went in the fourth and final rotation. His horn was alight with the enchantment. First one corona, then a second corona and then a third engulfed his horn. His knees buckled and he sunk to the ground. His eyes glowed as the arcane energies filled his body and overpowered his consciousness.

He cried out as the power ripped out of him as one rippling wave of destructive force. The flames scoured the earth, uprooting the grass and reducing dirt to cinders. The stand which held the target was liquified. Shining screamed as power ripped out of him and at last he fainted.

The inferno blazed white hot and stormed in all directions, striking the brick facade of the headquarters. Guards, alerted by the noise, rushed out of the buildings. Lieutenant Iron Sight summoned a wave of water to put out the flames engulfing the side of the base. Private Silver Star summoned another wave to put out the flames spiraling out of control on the training grounds. Iron was the first to notice the colt. Shining was just waking up when the lieutenant rushed up to him and helped him to his hooves. Shining stared at the destruction his spell had wrought. Once fresh, verdant grass was now cinders, a field of ash.

Shining's jaw worked up and down. Tongues of fire had ran up and down the front of the base, turning it black. The two guards frowned at him. Shining's lip trembled, but he clamped down on it. He was not going to break down and start crying, not even if they led him to the stocks.

Iron was the first to speak. "Shining Armor, what happened here?"

He couldn't meet their gaze and he couldn't find his voice. Something slimy and cold settled in his belly. 

Iron lifted his chin up so that Shining was forced to look him in the eye. "Look kid, either one of two things happened. You were just caught up in the world's most inept terrorist attack or you were practicing magic that you're not even legally old enough to study."

Shining whimpered and hated himself for it. 

"Come on, kid. Just be honest. You'll feel better. Confession's good for the soul."

"I-I'm sorry."

Iron sighed. "I guess that's the most we're getting out of you. Your dad was my drill instructor. Do you want me to take you home to him or would you prefer a nice, safe jail cell?"

Shining seriously considered his options. "Just take me home."

"Your funeral."

Shining bit his lip so hard he was afraid he might draw blood. "D-does this mean I can't be a guard?"

Iron threw back his head and laughed. "Shiny, we don't judge you based on every dumb thing you do as a kid. I reckon I'll be seeing you in a cadet uniform in about four years or so."

Shining smiled despite everything. Iron stepped behind him and firmly slapped his hindquarters in an almost playful way. "C'mon. March."

Shining fell into step behind him. Iron kept a telekinetic grip on his ear as they steadily trotted through the streets of the capital. Shining felt his face burning a bright red. 

Iron stared straight ahead with that stony expression guards were known for. The smells of supper wafted through the broad, gilded streets. Large, multi-storied mansions were on both sides of the pair of stallions. The mansions stat in the center of perfectly manicured lawns and a riot of colorful flowers. Ivy and other plants wrapped around some of the pillars. 

Ancient, thick-trunked oaks sheltered the street within the sweep of their dark-green and brown arms. The cool breeze shook the leaves. The smells of supper wafted through the lanes. Iron Sight took a turn onto a street with far simpler homes although the gardens were just as beautiful. These homes were thatched roofed cottages, although some were two stories.

Iron rested a hoof on Shining's shoulder. "Y'know, for a novice, that was impressive spellwork. Stupid and you could have killed yourself and you deserve the punishment I know you're going to get, but it was impressive. If you ever really want to mess with that kind of magic again-and you absolutely should not-you can get one of us to supervise you."

"I won't get in trouble?"

"No, you won't. You already know the spell. It's better to be careful if you're going to do something like this."

"Thank you, Sir."

Iron removed his hoof. "No problem. You remind me of me."

"Really?"

"Well, I used to do stupid stuff too. Alright, sometimes I still do. And I know what a spanking from your dad is like. Just know, he does love and care about you. He wouldn't get mad if he didn't."

"Yes, Sir. I know, Sir."

"Just ask your dad about the noodle incident. Actually, no. Don't. Forget I mentioned that."

They were getting closer to Shining's home. Dusky shadows played along the road, casting everything in shades of purple and dark blue. The moon had been risen, the glowing orb taking its rightful place among the stars. Shining counted the houses as they got closer and closer to home. They were now five houses away. A friend he knew from school sat at a table with his parents, scarfing down hay fries.

He noticed Shining being led by a guard and gave him a quizzical glance. Shining refused to meet the glance of the other colt. He could see his house from here. He slowed his steps. Iron gave a tug on his ear and Shining was half-dragged down the street.

The older stallion gave him a disapproving frown. "Be brave, Shining. You want to be a guard? The guard has no place for cowards. You make a mistake, you own up to it."

Shining looked down at the pavement. "Yes, Sir."

"That's a good lad. Come along."

Shining puffed out his chest and went back to trotting at Iron's side. The walkway leading towards home looked longer than it ever had. Still, he didn't miss a step as he went alongside Iron. The stallion's stride was longer than his, but he had adjusted it for Shining. 

Shining stood still as Iron came to a stop. Iron lifted a hoof and knocked on the door. Shining closed his eyes and didn't see who answered, but he heard his mom's voice.

"Lieutenant? What's going on?"

Shining opened his eyes and looked at the pink roses growing alongside the house. They were overgrown and some of them were wilting.

"I'm afraid there was an incident, ma'am."

Night Light stepped up beside his wide. "An incident? What happened?"

Shining wilted beneath the combined weight of his parent's gaze. Iron Sight continued. "Apparently, your son learned some very interesting combat techniques which he decided to apply. The training field is now ash and so is much of the barrack's front wall."

Night Light's jaw dropped. "Shining, were you using twelfth level combat magic?"

Shining found it once more difficult to find his voice. His mother had no such hesitation. "Shining, what is the matter with you? You could have been killed!"

"Your body could have been destroyed!" His father roared. "Your soul shredded! Your mind reduced to mush! Do you have any idea how very reckless what you did was?!"

Shining shrunk back, his ears pinned to his skull. Iron shuffled a hoof. "I, uh, I think I'll go. We still on for the card game Tuesday, General?"

"What? Oh, oh yes, of course."

The two stallions saluted each other. Night Light took hold of Shining's right ear, Velvet took hold of his left and he was hauled inside. Just as his hooves crossed the threshold a blur of lavender rushed down the stairs and attached itself to his leg. Shining stroked her mane. Twilight unloosed her hold. "Hi, Shining! Dinner's not ready yet. Wanna play scientists? Or librarian?"

"Uh, sorry Twily. I'm sort of in trouble."

Twilight looked to her parents and then to her big brother. "What'd you do?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Night Light grabbed his ear again. "We're going to the woodshed."
...
Shiny followed behind his dad, his head hanging low as they headed towards the wooden building. Shining wasn't sure why his dad always took him out to the woodshed for a spanking-even for a mere hoof spanking. Maybe it was tradition. 

Shining hesitated. "Dad?"

Night Light opened up the door and lit a small candle. 

"Dad?"

Night Light ushered him into the dimly lit room. It smelled of tar and sap. Piles of firewood were raised up to the ceiling.

"...Daddy?" The childish word slipped out.

Night Light lifted up the strap hanging from a nail and held it in his magic. "What is it, Shining?"

"I'm really sorry and I know I earned the spanking I'm about to get."

Night Light raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to try to get out of this?"

"No, Sir."

"That's very mature."

Night Light nuzzled Shining. Shining returned it.

"I love you, Son."

"I love you to."

Shining returned the nuzzle and then bent over the cushion in the center of the room. Night Light wrapped an arm around his withers. "What you did was very dangerous. I don't want you to do it again. I've buried too many of my troops. I don't want to bury my son. Here it comes."

Shining tensed up as the strap sailed through the air and cracked across his backside. He jumped and tried not to cry out as the paddle sailed through the air again and landed a second blow. It was like a line of fire across his behind. Night Land quickly popped his bottom a third and fourth time.

He drummed his hooves on the ground. Night Light rubbed his back. "Only a few more."

The fifth slap sparked an inferno on his backside. It felt like his butt was on fire. The sixth blow across his bottom was lighter, but stung all the same. The seventh spank whacked across his roasted rump, turning his backside a dark pink which stood out against his white fur.

Night Light caressed his withers while tears streamed down Shining's face. "You're doing great. Three more."

An eighth whack smacked against his rump. The ninth whack made him cry out and with the tenth whack he lost the composure he'd been desperate to cling to. "I'm sorry!" He whaled. Night Light set aside the strap and embraced his son just as fiercely as he had spanked him. He rubbed circles in Shining's shoulders while Shining clung to him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Night Light patted his mane while the colt calmed down. "It's alright. It's alright now."

Shining nuzzled his chest and was nuzzled in turn. They held each other for a while. Shining stopped crying, comforted by the warm protection of his father's hug and forgiveness. Night Light finally let him go and wiped away the last of his tears. "Come on. Your mom's making apple casserole."

Velvet was waiting for them outside the door. She wordlessly hugged Shining and he leaned into her. Then the little herd went inside.

...
Shining blinked. "I never did ask about the noodle incident. Oh well. The good thing is that now I can do those spells in my sleep although I didn't touch them again until I was a cadet."

Dash tossed a marshmallow into her mouth. "I sometimes wish I was a unicorn. Those spells sound awesome."

Shining chuckled. "Says the mare who can control the power of storms."

"Yeah, yeah I know, my tribe is pretty awesome."

Cadence flapped her wings. "I have to say, unicorn magic is kind of scary. Took me forever to get used to it."

Twilight snorted. "You want scary?" She rustled her wings. "Try sleep flying. Sleep flying! How is that even a thing?"

"You just gotta tie your wings back, Egghead. I'll show you. You just got to ask."

"Let's talk about it later."

Cadence snuggled close to Shining and yawned. "Ya know what? I feel really close to everypony in this room right now. I think I'll share a story too. This was when I had just been retrieved from the time stream by Aunt Celestia, but just before my ascension..."