"That's pretty much the gist of the exam, all in all I'd call it a success at most."
I report to fury, he seemed pretty pleased with everything I was saying about the exam's events laughing and grinning at the more awkward segments.
“I see, so how would you grade shining armor’s performance?”
“As much as I hate to admit it he did well enough. So he’s ok in my book, but I would like to know why I had to be the one to grade him when you could have done it yourself.”
Fury sighs as he shows me a great big smile, coming over and petting my head gently. Though he had a tinge of sadness in his eyes, he looked like he was holding something back.
“I’ll tell you later. for now, you and i need to get ready for the party.”
Fury said, leaving the room as I followed after him, knowing that I wouldn't get a straight answer I decided not to ask again. Anyways, I did promise prose that I’d help with catering and other aspects of the ceremony. Basically, the knight academy and Celestia’s magic school hold this party every year for the graduates of both schools to kick off their summer break. Or in our case chaperoning the new knights on easy assignments, more or less giving their seniors a break.
“Man, I can’t wait for this night to be over so i can sleep for a week.”
I can hear fury laugh at me as we go our separate ways, me to the front door and fury to the main hall to talk with prose about something. ***
The party finally started as many ponies and their families come in large packs of crowds and here’s me sniffing at their asses trying to find any dangerous items or contraband. Because the ponies manhandling my neck on this leash don’t want to be rude to their guest and parents.
“Alright all graduates, please come and take your seats. Family and relatives, please sit in the back half of the sitting area.”
With that announcement many of the guards, including the two guards that I was assigned to tie me against the gate and switch shifts with another two sets of guards but honestly they ignored me and go to the post. Leaving me to pull myself out of my collar, nearly dislocating my neck in doing so, but it’s that or staying out here and dying of dehydration in this summer heat.
After I finally manage to pull myself free of my collar though I will give those guards, some credit my neck feels way better. Guess I should thank them for their massage work. I snicker to myself walking past the new guards and entering the main hall, making my way to the food table trying to stay out of sight of everybody.
“Thank you all for coming to this glorious event now before we get to the diplomas, our princess would like to give a few words to our graduates, princess Celestia.”
Prose says moving away from the podium, taking his place on stage is a tall pony, much larger and taller than most other ponies in the room. She had porcelain white fur and flowing mane in the seven colors of the rainbow. She wore a pinkish red ball gown. Aside from that, she had wings and a horn, she’s an alicorn the only other one besides cadence. She also controls the rise and lowering of the sun and the moon, without her the world wouldn’t be able to function without her.
“Welcome, thank you all for coming on this beautiful night. Tonight we are here to say farewell to the students both from the knight academy and the gifted school for unicorns. As just like time we can only move forward, so while we may be saddened by their leaving know that all endings are just beginnings to new adventure and challenges. “
As Celestia finishes her speech many of the ponies began to clap their hooves. Once they’re done Celestia smiles, waving her hoof to silence the crowd as fury, along with four other ponies, a griffin and a dragon stepped up to the crowd.
“Now then I believe I’ve talked long enough so I’ll be handing the mic over to daybreak so they hand out the diplomas.”
With that Celestia exchanges places with a yellow unicorn stallion with a short brown mane wearing the upper half of a tuxedo.
“Thank you, princess now then, first up…” ***
And so began the long process of handing out diplomas. The one part of the whole thing that I can be glad I’m not up there with them cause I know that I wouldn’t be able to sit there stiff for that long. Smiling away, hoping that they finish it quickly enough so that their faces don’t freeze like that.
“That is all them, now, enjoy the rest of the night and a have good summer break! Remember new recruits start on missions two weeks from now.”
Daybreak finishes speaking as the crowds begin to scatter to their children. I decide to leave back to my post before-
“Hey, Lance”
I sigh as I’m stopped in my tracks by a griffin with dark gray feathers and a grey body grabs me by the shoulder and pulls me over to him with a large toothy grin along with the other ponies that were on the stage with celestia.
“Oh, hi guilds. How it’s going?”
“Great actually, though I think we’re all glad to be home. But really lance did you not think we would have noticed ya in the crowd?”
“Well, in my defense the guards I was partnered to tied to the gate and left me to die.”
I say mellow dramatically while rolling over on the floor in a dying motion as I hear fury sigh coming over to us with a smirk.
“Lance, what am i going to do with you?”
“Well fury you could always just take him with you instead of leaving him to ponies who are the ones graduating.”
Along with furry came a grey unicorn mare, the mare was a light shade of gray, her mane was pink with several streaks of silver running through it. She also wore a pair of black thin frame glasses et at the bridge of her nose. They were both wearing formal attire.
“Strings, if I wanted your opinion on this i would have asked. Anyways, I guess it doesn't matter now given most of the guest are already in the hall. Just don’t draw any attention to yourself and please stay out of trouble.”
“Yeah sure thing, anyways I’m gonna wander around for a while. Have fun talking to each other.
“Lance hold on I have something to tell you…”
I hear furry say, but I didn’t really care to listen as I walked out of earshot.***
I enter the garden, though it’s more like a mini park in the backyard of the castle. I always end up here when I want to get away from the ponies a lot of the time. Though i did forget how hot it was out here seriously, why did the weather schedule call for a heat wave this early in the summer.
“Oh come on cadence do you really believe that?”
I’m pulled from my thoughts by two voices arguing though I almost immediately recognized the voices as armor and cadence. Who were arguing on the terrace nearby, knowing those two and their type they normally wouldn’t argue unless it was really important.
Since something like this is so rare i decided to watch the fireworks shoot off. Climbing up on some bushes i manage to get in listening range of the two.
“Shining, I’m sure lance has a good reason for saying that.”
“He literally said he hates me and our relationship, doesn't that hurt you even a little?”
Cadence sighed, moving closer to armor as he brutes over the railing to the night sky.
“Of course it hurts to hear him say that, maybe he’s just being territorial about us because he not used to it yet?”
Armor looks at cadence knowing that what she said made no sense. Before sighing, bringing her close to him in a hug.
“Cadence it's been three years, since we started dating how long is enough for him? I just want to be with you, even if that means I have to fight him for it.”
Cadence put her hoof to armor’s face quieting him as they kissed each others before letting go of each other. They then turned to open night sky. Watching the stars above.
“Shining no, fighting will only make it worse. I’m sure if you give him some more time he’ll warm up to you, and even if he doesn’t, he’ll just have to get used to the idea of you being around because i’m not going to pick between the two of you.”
I sigh and jumped down from the bushes and back to the ground. To be fair, I always had a feeling that cadence and I would split off at some point. I wanted to stay with her, But things change for ponies, zebras, griffons. Everything changes and some just stay in the same place, unable to move with them.
I sit on a nearby bench thinking about when I met cadence. It was during her freshman year of high school, fury had assigned me to watch out for her since it would make too much of a scene if royal guards accompanied her to school. I wasn’t to thrilled to be woken up that day just to sit in front of a gate for nine hours a day, and I expressed that openly to her but she smiled no matter what I put her through.
She was my first real friend in this huge castle. Now don’t get me wrong, I love fury and the other Grail knights but they’re the easiest to talk to.
“Lance, that you?”
I turn to see a dragon who is a bit taller than me, she had crimson scales and bright amber eyes.
“Hey scarlet, I was thinking about stuff”
“You mean cadence and armor right?”
She said seeing right through me. You wouldn’t guess it, but she’s like 20 in pony years, so she usually can coax you into talking about your problems.
“I just wish she didn’t move so fast sometimes.”
Scarlet walks over to me and squeezes me gently with a soft smile on her face.
“Lance did you honestly think she was going to be same forever?“
I get up from my spot on the bench and look up to the sky. Sighing, but know she’s right in the end, I just have to accept that we’re moving past each other. And I guess the best way to do that is to play nice with armor for now at least.
“Yeah, I guess I might have a little but that’s because I felt like I had something with her. It always feels like I’m in a cage separate from everybody else. Cadence was the only pony who i could really bond with. I mean fury transferred me around the knights so much i just got used to the idea of being alone.”
I say, scarlet sits there listening to me ramble on. But she still sat there quietly listening to me.
“I guess I am afraid that I’ll revert back to being that lonely pup without her. And I know what you're going to say, she doesn't think of me like that and that if I told her I feel we’d be all good again. Right?
Scarlet just nods before coming over and joins me, smiling and petting my head and nodding though I just give her an eye roll.
“Give it time, I’m sure you two will find some common ground eventually. Anyway, I’m going to hit the hay. Don’t stay up too late now.”
Scarlet leaves me to my thoughts, yawning as she went on her way back to the castle as I return my attention to the starry sky. Maybe this whole thing won’t be so bad. Though knowing my luck it’s going to be more of a hassle to try.