Chapter 54
Every day that week was torture from sunrise to sunset. Wake up before dawn, spend a couple hours on a treadmill with special support straps to keep him upright if he tripped. After that, a quick, light breakfast then back to work. Weight training followed after, lifting, pulling, curling and hauling weights that even Applejack would be have trouble with. A short lunch of fruits for minerals and vitamins. Lastly, endurance. Rick would spend the rest of the sunlit hours trotting around the track near the castle. Each day, the exercises would get a little tougher and more challenging until Rick could give Big Mac a run for his bits in terms of raw power and leave Applejack in his dust in the next Running of the Leaves. Shining was right there with him the whole time for support and encouragement.
Every day, Rick would limp back to the castle and, after his healing session, he would flop on to his bed and stare at the photo Twilight had loaned him. Before this, he had always managed to protect them, but only just. Seeing the smiling faces of his pony family gave him the strength he needed to go at it again the next day. Tonight was different though. Tonight was the end of the week and tomorrow morning, he was going to be on a train bound for Ponyville. If he wasn’t so exhausted, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep. Instead, he was too tired to even dream.
“RISE AND SHINE! OFF YOUR TAIL AND ON YOUR HOOVES!”
“Unngh… what the hell, Shining. It’s Saturday.”
“True, but your train back to Ponyville leaves in an hour and Twilight would never forgive me if I let you miss it. Now, get up, pack, eat and high tail it to the station.”
Rick climbed out of bed and gave a salute, “yessir.” A quick shower was followed by a quick breakfast and short walk to the train station. Shining and Cadence went along to see Rick off.
“Rick, you put a lot of work into this week. If you keep up this level if dedication, then I might just be able to sleep at night without worrying about my sister’s well-being from now on.” Shining patted him on his shoulder.
“I agree,” Cadence told him, “even though Twilight and her friends are more than capable of taking care of themselves, it’s a great relief to know somepony’s looking out for them. On a more personal note, I can feel a lot of love between you and those four fillies. I know you will be happy with them. But just in case something goes wrong and Twilight winds up getting hurt, you better hope Shining finds you before I do.” The warm smile on her face did not say she was joking, no, it said ‘I am one hundred percent serious and you know that I am’.
Rick was nervously laughing at the comment, but he could see Shining’s face and he could tell that he wasn’t the only one scared of his wife right now. Luckily, the call for boarding the train came soon after and he could get away from the scary alicorn of love and back into the forelegs of the alicorn of his heart as well as the earth pony, the unicorn and the pegasus of his heart.
The whole train ride, Rick’s mind was filled with visions of apples and butterflies decorated with diamonds and sparkling in the sun. Other ponies were doing their best not to stare at the large, smiling stallion who was looking out the window at nothing in particular at all.
As the train pulled into the station, there was a familiar group there to greet him, the same group that was there to see him off six days prior. Just as he thought, the sight of so many ponies that loved him, in one way or another, eager to see him again made all the pain and suffering and hard work worth it.
He climbed off the train and was rushed by his four fillyfriends and tackled to the platform. They were all laughing as he wrapped his forelegs around them all and drank in the happiness of the reunion. Pinkie fired her party canon and covered them all with confetti and streamers and Rainbow Dash hovered overhead laughing herself silly. This is what it was all about.
“I’m so happy to see everybody. This week has been rough and the thought of seeing you again is what kept me going.” He stood up after the pony pile lifted off of him, “what do you all think of the results?” He flexed his muscles as best he knew how in his pony body.
“Ah think ya’ll be able to bring in the whole harvest by yerself next year,” Applejack commented as she tested a leg with her hoof.
Rarity was standing there just stuttering, staring and blushing... a lot.
“You look so strong,” Fluttershy observed.
“I guess my brother is a pretty good trainer, isn’t he?”
“Twilight, your brother made me both hate and admire him at the same time, so, yes.” Rick smiled at her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Next week, he’s going to start combat training with the Crystal Guard. I’m actually looking forward to it.”
“You say that now,” Rainbow called from overhead, “but royal guards are seriously tough. You may need more than just a photo to get you through that.”
“Believe it or not, Dash, being able to protect you and everyone else is enough of a push, the photo is just a small aid,” Rick told her with a warm smile and a bit of a wink.
Pinkie bounced over between the group, “c’mon everypony, let’s get this party moving over to Sugarcube Corner!” There was a chorus of agreements from the assembled ponies, including one from Rick’s stomach.
“Rarity, you coming?” There was no response, she was still just standing there staring and stuttering. Rick smiled and trotted over to her. When he reached her, he ducked his head under her barrel and hefted her onto his back. Rarity lay limply across his back and occasionally, Rick thought he could feel her nuzzling his side.
They all entered the little confectionary shop and quickly filled it. Rick was last inside still carrying a very contented Rarity. Once more, the cakes had reserved the store for them and made sure the snacks were always stocked and Pinkie had made sure there were plenty of games and laughs. The night was a blast, one of the best parties so far, but, like every party, it had to end.
The next morning, Rick awoke in his bed to find himself covered under the best blanket ever. “Good morning, girls,” he softly said to his four fillyfriends. They all started to rise and blink the sleep from their eyes. “You ladies take care of your morning routines while I go cook us up some breakfast. Toast and eggs work for everybody?” Smiles and nods all around.
Rick was reluctant to let a single minute of this day go. This afternoon would find him back on the train toward the Crystal Empire and his torment. They all sat around the table enjoying the meal and each other’s company for as long as they had it.
Fluttershy, who was seated next to him, leaned in and whispered into his ear, “Rick, I don’t know if anypony’s told you or not, but Rarity’s birthday is Friday.”
Rick whispered back, “thank you for the head’s up. I’ll make sure to get her something nice.” He smiled and nudged her with his shoulder. A gesture that awarded him a smile and a very sweet giggle.
After breakfast, Rick packed his bag, making sure to pack a plentiful amount of bits. He didn’t want to leave them, but if he didn’t go back to his training today, he never would. When the time came, they all gathered at the train station again.
“You know, the only good part about having to board this train, is it gives me an excuse to receive a big kiss from each of you.” He did just that. Now, with his heart flying through the clouds better than Rainbow Dash, he boarded the train and waved out the window as he departed.
Chapter 55
“UP AND AT’EM!! THE DAY WAITS FOR NOPONY!!” The harsh but not mean tones of Shining Armor’s wake-up call were far and away worse than the pleasant morning he had only yesterday.
“One night off isn’t nearly enough when half my time is spent on the train,” Rick complained as he poured himself out of bed.
“IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH MY SPENDING TIME TO TRAIN YOU, JUST LET ME KNOW!”
That was when it really struck Rick, Shining Armor was spending his entire week with him as a favor. Shining would probably be much happier sitting next to Cadence, bored out of his mind during her royal court duties instead of breaking Rick down in order to build a living shield and sword.
“No sir, sorry sir!” Rick sprung to life and set to his training.
Early, light breakfast followed by more time on the treadmill. After that, Rick learned strikes and blocks, then grapples and towards the end of the week, full-on, drag-out brawling. By Thursday, he had learned as many techniques as Shining could teach him and the next day would be simply execution and practice.
After Rick got his healing from Cadence, he rushed out of the castle and made a mad dash for the jeweler he had seen his first day back in the empire. “Are they ready?”
The clerk smiled and nodded at Rick, “got ‘em right here Rick,” he placed two items on the counter and slid them toward Rick.
Rick approached and lifted one of the two items. It was a beautiful brush made out of a very light blue crystal with pure white bristles. The ivory hoof-strap across the back had three diamond shaped amethysts that matched Rarity’s mane and cutie mark shape.
The second item was a hoof-mirror. It matched the brush perfectly with the amethysts on the reverse side of the flawless mirror lens. Rick confirmed they were both exactly as he specified and set the sack full of bits on the counter as the clerk wrapped the brush and mirror with ivory colored paper that had amethysts sprinkled all over it.
Rick carefully placed them in his borrowed saddlebag and was grinning from ear to ear. The clerk got his attention as he turned for the door.
“Excuse me, Rick, you paid too much. Let me get you your change.”
Rick held up a hoof, “if you ask my opinion, these are worth far more than what’s in that little bag. Thank you very much.” As Rick left, the clerk thanked him for his business and the complement. Rick was asked to return anytime he needed something made.
Rick cantered down the road whistling a song that he heard his grandfather sing many times in his life. He didn’t know how he could get any higher without actually flying.
“You’re certainly in a good mood,” a feminine voice commented.
With his head still in the clouds, Rick responded, “I sure am. My fillyfriends birthday is tomorrow and I can’t wait to see her.”
“I see, and what’s that song you are whistling?”
“The Old Grey… Mare,” too late, Rick recognized the voice. He turned to look into Rarity’s eyes. They were full of shock and pain, they were also quickly filling with tears. “Rarity, I…”
He didn’t get a chance to explain. Rarity took off running for the castle, wailing the whole way. Rick took off after her. Her tears were like acid to his heart. He had to fix this.
He reached the door to her room just in time to have it slammed in his face. “Rarity, please.”
“Go away!”
“Rarity, talk to me.”
“Why? You want to talk to your old grey mare…?” She was crying through her words, making them shake.
Calmly, Rick explained, “Rarity, that song isn’t about you. In truth, it was for you.” Those words didn’t seem to work as her crying got louder. “Listen, when I was growing up, my grandfather would sing it to my grandmother every year on her birthday. It annoyed her at first, but then it became kind of a tradition. When I got married to Hanna, I did the same thing for her. She too was annoyed at first, but… Look, I just felt… I don’t know, I just love you so much that it just came to mind and I… Listen, I wasn’t making fun or insinuating anything.” Rick laid the two gifts on the floor just outside her door, “please, understand. I love you so much.”
Rick placed a hoof on her door as if to hold her head with it. He turned and walked back to his own room with his head hung low. He got to his room and just lay in his bed, petting Paul and wishing he had simply turned to see who had been talking to before he’d answered.
His door slowly opened. The intruder did not announce themselves. They didn’t make any noise as they crossed the floor. Rick finally had to see just who it was that invaded his private moment and was now crawling into his bed.
“Rarity? What are you doing?”
“I was listening to what you were saying. I overreacted and I just had to say, I love you too.”
“So, we’re okay?”
“After those beautiful gifts and knowing just how much you care for me,” Rarity pressed her lips to his and they shared a passionate kiss, “I’d say we’re more than okay.” Rarity looked into his eyes with a pure passion that bordered on lust. Again, she pressed her lips to his, only this time, she slid her tongue past his lips.
The two held each other close. Rarity would put her tongue into Rick’s mouth and in turn, he would massage it with his own before he pushed his own tongue into her mouth.
They shared their embrace and explored each other’s bodies for a while more. Paul had picked up on the cues and left to sleep in the hallway and make sure no one would interrupt the two as expressed their love for one another in a more definite fashion.