Chapter 56
When Rick woke up the next morning, he was surprised to see that the sun was already up and Shining wasn’t giving him his wake-up call. Instead, he was blessed with the sight of the prettiest seamstress in Equestria sleeping in his forelegs. She was peacefully, lightly snoring with a contented smile on her face. Rick planted a very soft kiss on her lips, she hummed happily but didn’t wake up, then he very carefully slid out of bed and went to start his last day of training for the week.
“There you are,” Shining called out to him, “I was about to wake you but Cadence told me to let you sleep for some reason.” Rick looked at Cadence who was enjoying her pancakes with a knowing smile and not appearing to be concerned with the conversation. “Well, you’re awake now. Grab an apple or something and let’s get this day started!”
“Right, lead the way.” Shining did just that. As Rick walked by Cadence, he whispered to her, “thank you,” then he grabbed an apple and trotted after Shining as he ate.
The usual morning treadmill was cut short due to the elongated sleep the night before. Rick quickly learned that he should stop thinking about said night and focus on his exercise instead or risk removing more fur from his knees.
After the treadmill was a refresher course on the techniques learned so far. With the help of the Crystal Guard, they ran through the strikes, blocks, grapples and throws. All of which Rick had performed perfectly multiple times.
After Shining was happy with Rick’s performance, they took a short break for lunch. Shining was giving him pointers on hoof-to-hoof combat while they enjoyed their tea and lunch, which, for some reason unknown to Shining, Cadence had suggested contain more electrolytes than usual.
When they were done with lunch, Rick readied himself for sparring with the Crystal Guard. First, one-on-one without weapons. After that, one-on-one with the guardpony armed with different types of training weapons.
Much to Rick’s pleasure, he was doing alright. Better than alright in fact, he was practically dominating. Upon seeing this, Rick decided to up the challenge. First, two-on-one open-hoof, then three-on-one. Now this was a challenge. Several times, a guardpony would land a good blow but would eventually subside to Rick’s superior size and strength.
For the final test, Rick would go up against three guards, each with a different weapon. One had a sword, one a spear and the last had a staff. They were given orders to do everything in their power, short of actually permanent damage, to bring Rick down.
The three surrounded him looking for their chance to strike. Rick dropped down into a defensive stance and watched them. He was very careful to watch their shoulders and hooves instead of focusing on the eyes. The eyes may show where they’re looking, but not necessarily where their body’s going.
The sword pony (pony A) charged in with a straight jab, it was easily dodged and countered with a sharp blow to the hip. The blow sent A stumbling between the spear pony (pony B) and the staff pony (pony C).
B rushed in, point first. Rick dodged it as well but was caught by surprise when B stopped mid-charge and swung with a broad sweep that connected with Rick’s shoulders. He avoided receiving too much damage by allowing the momentum to travel through him as he rolled in the same direction as the swing.
If C hadn’t shouted, he might have been able to clock Rick with his downward strike. What happened instead was rick bucking him in the stomach. He had to be careful though, if Rick used full Apple strength, he might have shattered the crystal pony instead of simply causing him to temporarily know how a pegasus feels. When C stopped feeling like a pegasus and started feeling like a stone, he had been knocked unconscious and was taken out of the fight.
A was back on his hooves and watching for his chance to attack. Rick was squared off with B and doing the same thing as A. Seeing an opportunity, A swung his sword low. Rick hopped over the swing but was caught when B also swung at is legs. Having just made contact with the ground at that very moment, he couldn’t react and was knocked to his side. Following their orders to take him down, A and B began to relentlessly strike him.
There was a shrill scream from the stands in the training arena. “Rarity?!” Suddenly, both guards were enveloped in a blue aura and flung in opposite directions and slammed into the walls.
Rarity rushed down and stood over Rick in a defensive stance. “Don’t you hurt him!” she warned with her horn glowing intensely.
“Rarity,” Shining was approaching but stopped when she turned her horn on him with murder in her eyes. “Rarity, please calm down. This is a training exercise. Those weapons are blunted and they have orders to do no serious damage.”
“You call beating on pony while they are on the ground training?!”
Rick placed a hoof on her barrel, “yes, I do.” She looked down at him with shock and concern. “Rarity, you have no idea how scared I was after my fight with Chrysalis. With my magic, I only managed to slow her down. Then after the fight, I had no magic. If she, or someone as powerful as her were to attack you girls, I would only be able to provide fodder. I asked Shining to train me, and that’s what he’s doing.”
Rarity turned back to Shining Armor, “well it seems to me that he’s simply attacking a defenseless stallion.”
“ ‘Defenseless’… is that really what you think?” Rick was hurt by her words and as soon as Rarity heard his response, she knew it and looked back at him to rebut that but was cut off. “I guess that’s true.”
“Rick, I-”
“But that’s exactly why I asked for help. This man has taken time from his schedule to make sure I wasn’t ‘defenseless’,” he spat the word. “Shining wants to make sure that I can protect his sister as well as the rest of you, and if need be, Ponyville. I’m sure he has tons of things he would rather be doing, but he’s here instead, helping me to not be defenseless.”
“But… but they were simply beating you.” Rarity defended.
“Because if they held back, it wouldn’t be proper training. Do you think someone is going to hold back while trying to get to you? Did Chrysalis hold back?” Rarity was starting to tear up.
Shining stepped up, “uh, Rarity, why don’t you go find Cadence, the girls should be here soon and I don’t think there’s any more earth pony techniques I can teach Rick, so we’ll call it a day.”
Rarity made her way up the stairs to the castle while Rick and the Crystal Guard headed for the showers, C was taken to the infirmary where he cleared and allowed to sleep it off.
“You know, you came down pretty hard on her,” Shining told Rick as they walked back to the castle.
“I know, and I feel like shi… hoarse apples for it. Especially since it’s her birthday.”
“Well, if there’s anything I’ve learned from being married, it’s this, ‘you’re always wrong, just apologize’.”
Rick busted out laughing, “so, what you’re saying is, it’s the same in Equestria as it is on Earth.” They both laughed and continued their short journey back to the castle and their waiting mares.
Chapter 57
Rick found Rarity in the throne room with Cadence. Rarity seemed to be upset but was no longer crying. Cadence was comforting her and looked across the throne room at the approaching stallions, one of which was limping slightly as his training injuries were starting to take their toll.
“Rarity,” Rick called to her, “I need to talk to you, please.”
Cadence gently stood, “I think I’ll give you two some privacy.” She walked across the room to meet her husband. “Be careful, Rick, fillies are far more sensitive than stallions.”
“I understand, thank you.”
He walked across the large room until he was less than a foot away from Rarity. She wasn’t looking at him but was sniffling. It seemed she was trying to compose herself. When she did finally look at him, her eyes widened to their maximum, “Rick, Darling, you’re injured! We must get you attention immediately! Come, Caden-”
Rick placed a hoof gently on her cheek, “please, let me speak, then I promise I’ll see Cadence.” Rarity calmed down as she accepted this. “Rarity, I’m so very sorry. I said some things I shouldn’t have and I regret them. You were trying to help I let my own demons get the better of me took it out on you. Can you ever forgive me?”
Rarity looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity in them. “Of course I can, Dear,” she placed her hoof on his cheek and traced the scars down, “how can I possibly stay mad at somepony who is willing to go to such lengths for my well-being?”
Her hoof continued to slowly trace down his scars on his face then down to the scars on what would have been his chest if he were still human. Rick watched her. He watched as she stared at the muscles under his skin. He couldn’t help but smile at her, he worked hard to get these muscles and she seemed to notice.
Rick placed his own hoof on her cheek and ran it through her mane. For a second, she thought she could feel more than just his hoof on her neck. He pulled her closer ‘til they could feel each other’s breath on their muzzles. Slowly, they closed their eyes and moved closer still and…
FLUUU-GGLLLEE-HOORRRNN!!!
Rick and Rarity jumped at the sudden interruption by the musical interlude and the slamming doors. The difference between Rick and Rarity was the Rick was still waiting for his session with Cadence and her healing magic.
Through clenched teeth, Rarity turned to the door, “girls, so glad to see you. I do hope the train ride was pleasant.”
Pinkie bounced over to the pair, dropping a crystal horn with three bells as she did. “You betcha! Though even if it weren’t, we would still have come because it’s your BIRTHDAY!”
Pinkie collided with Rarity and squeezed her in a tight hug, “I truly am lucky to have friends like you aren’t I.”
Then Pinkie tested the limits of Rick’s patience when she hugged him and seemed to somehow hit every bruise on him, “It’s so good to see you, Pinkie,” he wheezed.
As fast as Pinkie had wrapped up Rick, she was ripped off of him. “Oh no. You’re hurt. We need to get you some help.” Fluttershy was inspecting his injuries while oozing concern for her stallion. In the middle of her medical evaluation, there was a light blue magical cloud.
“There, all better,” Rick told Fluttershy as all his bruises disappeared in Cadence’s magic.
“Yes, sorry it took me so long,” Cadence apologized while she walked into the throne room with Shining and Twilight next to her.
“No, no, it’s fine. I’m still alive and doing quite well.” Fluttershy seemed appeased but still clung to him, “does anybody else smell that?”
“Uhh, nope. Ah don’t smell uh thing,” Applejack was making a weird face that Rick couldn’t read. “C’mon, Fluttershy, let’s go get settled in,” the two mares walked out of the room, one appeared very reluctant.
Rainbow Dash floated over to Applejack and whispered something to which AJ responded also with a whisper. Though Rick couldn’t hear, the surprise expression on Dash’s face, it wasn’t something all that great.
When she finally floated over to rest of the group, Rick asked, “what was that all about?”
“What, that? Nothin’, just some, uh, final prep work for… the… party,” Rainbow quickly explained.
Before Rick could question further, Pinkie interjected. “WHAT?! If she needed help setting up, then she should have asked me! She knows I never go anywhere without my party canon!” On instinct quickly learned by anyone who calls themselves Pinkie Pie’s friend, Rick covered his ears and made himself as small as possible. The large, blue canon appeared from nowhere and was fired just over his head covering him and the immediate area in confetti and streamers while balloons floated to the ceiling.
“I think that’s a good idea, Pinkie. Why don’t you check on things?” the ever diplomatic Twilight suggested, a rapidly dissipating pink cloud the only remaining evidence of her presence. “Now that that’s taken care of, let’s get this party underway.”
And with that, two princesses, one prince, a daredevil, a fashionista and a Royal Protector of the Elements made their way to the ball room where the loudest birthday party the Crystal Empire had seen in a thousand years was kicking off.