//------------------------------// // Tattooed Heart // Story: The Brother and The Sitter // by Spike120812 //------------------------------// Tattooed Heart “Keep them closed, Cadance.” “Shining, I already know where we’re going.” “I know, but I set something up I wanna surprise you with.” “Couldn’t I just close my eyes when we’re nearer?” “Nope.” Underneath her closed eyelids, Cadance rolled her eyes, but continued to roll with Shining’s plea. It wasn’t like she didn’t know what was coming, but for the sake of keeping him hopeful, she didn’t dare open her eyes. Shining lead her through twists and turns of the streets until they both felt grass underneath their hooves. With one forelimb around one of hers, Shining stepped up his pace. Cadance felt an incline of some sort as she followed Shining’s lead. It grew steeper and steeper until it leveled off. “Can I open them now?” she asked when she felt Shining release his hold on her. “Not yet.” She heard the ruffling of grass and quick steps. She started hearing the clatter of… plates? The next thing she knew, a steady hum of violins and a piano began to take hold of her eardrums, sending her swaying to the steady beats of music. “Okaaaaaay… now!” Slowly, Cadance opened her eyes. Shining had seriously outdone himself. A simple set of candles were lit in their holders on a white and red picnic spread. Off to the side, a phonograph revealed to be the source of the wondrous music she heard. A telescope stood on the grass, aimed at the star-filled night sky, and a plate of assorted donuts, arranged into small towers that brought water to her mouth upon sight, were laid out on the spread. Completing the scene was Shining Armor outstretching a forelimb at the setup like a presenter, wearing the biggest, most eager grin imaginable. “Well… what do you think?” She stood there few seconds more, awestruck at the scene and the thought that went into it all. Rather than answer, Cadance bolted to Shining and wrapped him in her forelimbs before smacking her lips onto his. “It’s perfect,” she said after coming back up for air. Shining stood still a few seconds more, grinning like a goof at the surprise kiss. “So, what do you want to do first?” The donuts were calling her name. Shining could tell from the traces of saliva on her lips. Then again that could’ve been from just a few seconds ago, but the desire in her eyes was the second hint. He led her over to the picnic spread and sat her and himself down by the candlelight. His magic took hold of the top two donuts on one of the towers before placing them down on the plates. They both took their desserts in their hooves and stared at each other with adoring eyes before taking the first bites. Had somepony been there, they wouldn’t be able to tell which set of eyes held more admiration. They sat together, munching away on their treats, making small talk and giggling at the most random things that came up as the candle between them burned away. Stardust’s talk of little things seemed to have an effect on Cadance. She found herself noticing the smaller interactions between her and Shining more than usual. The way he smiled, the way his eyes seemed to have a light in them that danced whenever he was looking at her, even the way his mane bounced up and down as he laughed whenever he found something she said funny. It made her wonder if he ever noticed little things like those about her as well. Judging by the way he was smiling even through the mouthful of donut in his mouth, the neverending compliments, and the way he barely took his eyes off of her, she figured he did. When their plates were clear, Shining quickly cleaned the area, not that they left a lot to be cleaned up in the first place. All the while, Shining’s record played on. Once they wiped whatever of their desert remained off their faces, Shining gently led Cadance over to the telescope. Shining made an adjustment before stepping aside and giving a playful bow for Cadance to step up. She did, smiling slightly at his playfulness. She set her eye on the eyepiece, and couldn’t help but gawk at the sight. That telescope had power. “Wow!” “Powerful telescope?” Shining said a little smugly at Cadance’s surprise. “Yeah! Where’d you get this?” “My mom and dad let me borrow one from the observatory. Like it?” She did. Through the high-powered telescope, Cadance saw everything. She could see the blues, blacks, and deep purples of the night swirl around like batter in a bowl. Stars, bigger and brighter than she had ever seen, seemed to dance in the sky as the radiated their debatably harmful light. “It’s beautiful, Shining. This is, just, amazing.” He began to rub the back of his head as he fought the oncoming blush. “It was my parents’ idea actually. My dad took my mom out to do stuff like this back in the day.” Cadance lifted her head from the eyepiece to face Shining. She was smiling wide. “Awwwww. Guess great date planners run in the family.” He laughed. “I guess so.” Now he was smiling wide. Before he allowed his hidden blush to become apparent, Shining came close to the telescope with eager eyes. “There’s something I wanna show you.” She moved to the side, and Shining took over. His hooves moved fast as he worked certain knobs and positioned the machine. A few adjustments more, he popped back up and stepped out of the way to offer Cadance a glance. Her eyes were back on the eyepiece. Taking up her entire view was a cluster of stars, several of which she noticed shining brighter than the others. “See the brighter ones?” “Yeah,” she confirmed with a nod, accidently making the telescope shake as well. “They make up a constellation.” In her mind, Cadance began to draw the lines in the sky. “That one’s—’ “Monoceros! The unicorn in the sky!” she exclaimed, surprising Shining at her quick recall he didn’t know she possessed on the subject. “That means if I move a little over…” she began to turn the telescope slowly and carefully until she was satisfied, “... here, I should be able to see—” “Hydra, the water snake,” Shining finished off. “And if you go a little further North at its tip?” Cadance continued as she raised her eyes off the eyepiece. “Cancer the crab,” he answered as a smile began to grow on his face. “Which is in between—” “Leo and Gemini!” Cadance hopped away from the telescope and landed stopped right in front of Shining with wide and ecstatic eyes. “And right above Leo is—” “Leo Minor!” the two of them said in unison. The clear excitement in their voices showed more than the stars they named. “You know astronomy?” she asked. “Yeah, my parents are astronomers. It was either pay attention when they talked about work, or look stupid not being able to tell Ursa Major from Minor.” Her eyebrow raised before a snicker escaped her. “Minor is smaller than Major.” “Well I know that now!” Shining defended rather quickly as his face flushed redder than before. “How do you know about… all this?” he asked, waving his hoof in circles at the sky. “It’s another thing my aunt’s been teaching me. Somepony really close to her taught her to cherish and appreciate the night, and now she wants me to do the same.” Shining cocked his head. “Really? Who taught her?” “I really don’t know,” she answered with a shrug. “Like I said, never a straight answer with her.” Another chuckle escaped Shining’s lips before his eyes drifted to the telescope, then back to the mare in front of him. “Well, do you think you can you give me straight answer?” “On what?” she asked with a sly smile. “If you’d like to completely nerd out with me and my high powered telescope and pick out stars with me?” She lidded her eyes halfway as a sly smile crossed her lips. Slowly, almost teasingly, she pressed herself against Shining’s chest. He tensed up at the sudden contact, but melted when he felt her head nuzzle his coat. “I’d love to,” she cooed. Stars were on the young couple’s minds as they searched the skies. Cadance and Shining Armor looked on at the night sky with vigor, leaving no possible constellation unnoticed. From Cancer to Capricorn, they located them all, trading stories and the myths behind them with an enthusiasm even Twilight would have been proud of. It was truly one of the few, if not the only time, Shining felt he had out-nerded his sister. And who better to share that instance with the mare of his dreams sitting by his side? While myths and stars may have taken a chunk of his attention, Shining’s eyes and mind couldn’t help but go back to the mare that called him hers. Her delicate pink coat, those lustrous purple gems other ponies called eyes, her candy mane that shamed the most stylish of ponies even in a simple ponytail. She was the embodiment of beauty in Shining’s eyes, but he wasn’t a stupid stallion. He didn’t fall simply for looks. Even when he was simply crushing on her, he could see the kind, smart, and nurturing mare that just wanted to make others happy. Even the little reactions he got out of her the past four months managed to consume his thoughts. From the way she smiled, her laugh, her flirty teasing, the way she’d brush up against him at the most random of times, the way her eyes danced under any form of light, her lips against his, the way she managed to reduce him to a puddle with just a look, all that and more raced through his mind, driving him madder every passing second. Even now, he found himself staring at her as she moved about. If she knew he was looking, the emphasized movements of her hips and legs were the major hints. There it was again, that playful teasing; Flirty Cadance. He’d definitely miss her and the way she could make him lose his cool, no matter how little of it he had to begin with. With a sly grin, and feeling like she had him on the lines, Cadance turned her head and locked eyes with Shining. “Like what you see?” Shining scattered back like an insect, blushing brighter than he had all night. His face may as well have been an emergency light. Once again, he was reduced to that stuttering colt in the library, and Cadance was loving it. She was snickering like mad, relishing in her ability to make him act the way he did. A few seconds more of watching him trying to gather himself up, she figured she had her fun. Once Shining’s face was less tomato-like, she stepped away from the telescope and settled by a patch of grass. “I love it when you do that,” she said in a chirpy tone, forcing the still speechless pony into another round of unintelligible stutters. She patted the ground and motioned him to sit with her. Grabbing what little dignity he had, Shining recomposed himself and forced the lump in his throat down before he settled next to Cadance. She was staring up at the sky, scanning over everything and anything floating high above. She was lost in her aunt’s night. Feeling like he needed to say something, anything, after his latest trip up, Shining looked up as well. “Your aunt does a good job… the night, and everything.” It was something. “Yeah, she does.” She really was lost in the night. There seemed to be more stars out than usual, and Cadance had a pretty good idea on who was responsible. “My aunt would always tell me that ponies used to never give the night much thought. I never understood why. I honestly think it’s one of the best times for something like this.” “Well, you kinda need night time for stargazing.” Cadance chuckled lightly at Shining’s joke and rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean, Shining.” He scrunched his face into a teasing smile. “I’m afraid I don’t.” “You know…” Her tone was playful, inviting him into something she had planned. “… something like sitting close with somepony special to you.” Shining inched over on the grass, closing most of the space between the two. “Like this?” She scanned him and the little space left between them, all the while batting her eye at him. “Something like that.” Hook. “But I was thinking something more like this.” She inched closer to him, leaving no space between them as she was now brushed up against his shoulder. Line. Everything around Shining seemed to vanish. It was just him, and the mare of his dreams brushing up against him, nuzzling him, lighting his every fiber of being in a blazing yet oh so lovely fire. Going with these feelings, he craned his neck down to return Cadance’s nuzzle. “Like this?” Now her cheeks began to flush. His feel against her, it was like the warmth of a fireplace after being in the cold. She practically melted into his side. Her eyes fluttered to a close as a smile graced her features. “Exactly like that.” And sinker. How long they stayed huddled against one another, neither kept count, nor cared. It was like being surrounded by warm bubbles heating every inch of their being. Their feel against one another, and nothing more, really it was all they needed to let one another know how much they meant to one another. Affection went a long way, and for Cadance, she wanted it to go wherever Shining went, never letting him think for a second she didn’t care. A small breeze rolled in, blowing strands of Cadance’s mane against Shining’s face. Her mane. Her bouncy, soft, elegant mane bristling his face; they were like thin tendrils pulling him closer to their owner, using their beauty and scent to snare him in their trap. If he could anatomically come any closer, he would. Part of him just wanted to stay where he was and never leave. He’d miss her. He’d miss everything about her. He’d miss not being able to take her out on dates. He’d miss getting caught off guard whenever she got affectionate. He’d miss her feel against him. He’d miss those lips. He wanted to say all that and more, if anything to relieve him of the feeling he was holding something in if he didn’t something. Then again, she looked so happy, so peaceful at his side. He wondered if he really wanted to disrupt something like that. Furthermore, would it be weird if he said something he wasn’t even sure he knew how to say? The urge to speak just kept nagging at him, pushing him to say something that would tell this mare leaning on him just how much he adored her, and how much she’d stay on his mind while he was away. “Cadance?” She lifted her eyes open. Her eyelashes sprang up like blooming flowers. “Yeah, Shining?” He smiled at the sight of those glimmering eyes. “I’ll miss you.” She smiled not a bitter-sweet smile most would expect at the sound of those words, but a full, radiant smile full of joy. He’d be back. That was all there was too it. “I’ll miss you too.” Raising her head off Shining’s shoulder, Cadance sat up, now eye level with her colt. The music he put on was still playing in the background, only making what she was doing all the more perfect. She started to lean in slowly. Shining followed suit. Their eyes started to close. They were just an inches apart… until the needle started scratching the record. The ear-splitting sound wrung the couple out of their near kiss and had Shining scrambling back, red in the face once again. Muttering a few things under his breath, Shining made his way towards the record player. His horn lit up, and the screeching sound ceased. Once the black vinyl was back in his saddlebag, Shining turned to see purple eyes staring at him and an awkward grin. “I ruined the moment,” he said with a drone. Cadance rose up and walked over to their saddlebags, resisting the urge to laugh. “Only a little.” Her horn lit up as well, encasing something in her saddlebag before it was pulled out; the record Stardust had given her. Seeing Shining’s confused expression, she put on a teasing smile. “What? You think you’re the only one that can be romantic?” Shining struggled for an answer. He opened and closed his mouth several times only for stuttered mumblings to come out. Deciding it was best to shut up, Shining just sat on the grass, failing in his attempt at a stoic look. Cadance stepped towards the record player and put the record on. She recalled Stardust’s vague description of the record, and wondered if she was just joking. She wasn’t. Once the record started spinning, she heard a brief piano intro before she heard a mare’s angelic voice come on. The song had her swaying from side to side. Shining stepped closer, joining her as he got adjusted to the music. Cadance stole a glance at Shining and smiled when she saw him dancing along with her, no matter how initially awkward his movements may have been. Her heart fluttered when she saw him smile. She did that. She made him smile. She wanted to do more; make him feel as great as he made her feel. Even with Stardust’s words about a relationship like hers and Shining’s not being a contest, it didn’t stop her urge to try something, anything. With the music continuing its play, one idea started to come to mind. Quickly and suddenly, Cadance was right in front of her coltfriend, flashing him an alluring smile. “Wanna dance?” Shining stayed silent for a few seconds, averting his eyes from Cadance’s peering and captivating look. “Ughhhhh, how about we just… just… sit on the grass and keep swaying?” he said with a weak smile. She gave a small chuckle. “What’s wrong? Afraid of a little dancing?” “No,” he said defensively. “Sooooo, what’s the problem?” “I-I-I…” he started fidgeting in place, kicking the ground with one of his hooves as he tried to keep his eyes away from Cadance. “I… can’t dance.” “You can’t dance?” “More like if I tried, anypony who saw me would think I was having an epileptic attack.” “Oh c’mon, don’t you think you’re over exaggerating a little?” Shining narrowed his eyes, giving her a blank stare. Shining sighed and took a few steps back. What came next, Cadance couldn’t figure out what to call it. He moved like he was dancing, or at least trying to, but Shining’s words about him looking like he was having an epileptic attack were not that far off. His demonstration went on for a few seconds more until he nearly tripped over his own hooves. With a pained expression from the sight and an awkward curve of her lips, Cadance nodded her head slowly. “Okay, I see what you mean.” “You should see my dad and Twilight,” Shining added in, images of those two coming to mind. “It’s like I’m genetically meant to suck.” He felt the soft touch of her hoof on his own hoof before he saw the way Cadance was calmly eyeing him. “Not with me you won’t.” She reared on her hind legs, pulling Shining up as well. Tracing her hoof along his forelimb, and getting a nervous reaction out of him in the process, Cadance placed his forelimb around her waist for him to hold. She could hear him gulp at the action before she rested her forelimb on the one now around her waist. “What are you doing?” Shining asked when she raised his other forelimb out to his side. She wrapped her hoof around his outstretched limb and held on gently. “I’m going to teach you how to dance.” Using her back legs, she tapped at the ground where she wanted Shining to place his hooves. He followed her directions and waited for her next move. “Just follow my lead.” “Okay?” he said more as a question. “So, you’re leading?” “Uh-Huh.” Shining cocked his head. “Does that mean I’m the girl?” Her gaze rose up as her teasing smile grew. “Uh-Huh.” Not giving him any time to respond, Cadance took a firmer hold on his hooves and stepped back. “Now you step forward.” He did. “Other hoof.” Shining quickly corrected his mistake, inwardly beating himself up about not screwing up on the very first step. He felt Cadance take a step to the side and a gentle tug guide him in the same direction. “Now step back,” she instructed. He took a bit of step too far back, but Cadance worked with it when she took a step forward, closing the distance between the two to their original position before bringing Shining along in another sidestep. The steps seemed simple enough when Shining realized it was a pattern; step forward when she stepped back and vise-versa, and follow her sidesteps. One, two, three, four. A few cycles later, Shining honestly thought he was starting to get the hang of it. His steps weren’t as awkward and lengthy, and he actually put the right hoof forward or backwards, so why was Cadance cringing every few seconds or so? “Something wrong, Cadance?” “Oh, nothing,” she said through clenched teeth and squinted eyes. “You just stepped on my hooves like, ten times.” It didn’t take long for Shining to start sputtering off apologies. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!” “Shining, it’s fine. Just…. if you feel anything but grass, quickly step off.” One series of nods and an apologetic smile later, Shining was back to following Cadance’s steps as best as he could. ‘Focus, focus, focus,’ he told himself, staring more at the ground than anything else. As he moved about, he gave constant glances down at the ground, instantly moving his hooves if he felt he was about to trip up or step on Cadance again. Cadance noticed Shining’s actions like he was a lighthouse. He was jerky in his “corrections” to say the least. It was like his legs were marionettes controlled by a pony with seizures, and everything above was either shaking with nerves, or starting to sweat with an awkward grin. Inside, Cadance just wanted to laugh at the sight. A pony about to head off to boot camp was sweating more over learning how to dance than what the next few weeks would bring him. Sometimes she forgot how strong her influence was on him. When she felt him start to stumble over his hooves, and hers once more, she slowed down her pace until she came to a stop. Shining was about to question her, but instead met her soft eyes that kept him quiet. She smiled warmly. “Shining, you’re thinking it over too hard. Just relax, and keep your eyes on me.” In other words, keep looking at two of the most radiant things in Equesetria. Yeah, he could do that. He nodded as his nerves began to settle down. He felt her soft grip on his outstretched hoof and her hold on his other forelimb around her waist tighten lightly. She began her steps, slow and steady for Shining to mirror. Taking a breath and clearing his mind, Shining kept his eyes on Cadance, and nothing else. The ground beneath him didn’t seem to matter as he let her and the rhythm of the still playing song lead him. One step back, one step to the side, one step in front, one step back, all the while holding onto one another as Shining tried his best to move as Cadance did, and to his surprise, he was actually doing it. As he moved about, he glanced around, lighting up brilliantly and smiling wide when he realized he was dancing. He was actually swaying and turning with the mare he was holding onto without crushing her hooves or topping over like an idiot. His steps became more sure, more in synch with Cadance as his guide. He could see her matching his grin when he pulled her in a little closer. “Told you you wouldn’t suck,” she said as they came to a stop underneath a large tree. Shining just let out a disbelieving laugh. They were still holding onto each other as Shining was still reeling in from his newly learned skill. “Yeah, you did.” They stayed silent a few moments more, the moonlight shining through the spaces in the leaves and casting a silver shade over the couple. Both had no words as they stared at one another. All that Cadance could think of was switching Shining’s forelimb around her waist with her own, except around his and pull him into a kiss. ‘Ease into it, girl,’ her mind told her. Shining had similar thoughts, but the set of pink hooves over his own and the end of the song’s play reminded him that he just played the girl in the last dance. Not exactly wanting the night to end like that, he gave his hooves a little shake. “Think we can switch roles?” She rolled her eyes and gave a simple “yes” with little laugh etched in. Shining moved his hooves over Cadance’s, blue and white covering pink before his horn lighted up and encased the record and the needle. “Shall we?” he asked, preparing to lower the needle. She gripped his hoof and raised it up. “Lets.” The piano intro began again, and the two were already in their first steps. He didn’t notice at first, but with each step they took, they circled the grass on the hill they stood atop like it was their own personal ballroom with the moon and stars acting as their spotlight. They danced in slow and swaying circles under a veil of leaves and silver moonlight. With his focus not on the ground and his hooves like before, Shining was able to take in Cadance’s full form. Her ponytail had draped over her shoulder and curled at its end like some kind of swirled piece of candy. She was looking at him with eyes that sparkled under the lunar light, reflecting his own image back at him through pools of the finest and lightest purple. Cadance saw no trace of the earlier signs of nervousness as she was led by Shining. She had done that. Not only did she calm him down, she had taught him something. She had done something for him, and the feeling was like stepping near a fireplace after being out in the cold, absolutely marvelous. She could see the joy radiating from those crystal blue eyes she was staring at as she was spinning around, a crystal blue she realized was very similar to her own magic hue. It gave her an idea. “Hey, Shining?” “Yeah?” She began to trace her hoof in circles on the forelimb holding her. “Remember when we were first going out, and you showed me some of your magic at Joe’s?” He didn’t know where this was going, but he nodded and answered anyway. “Yeah, why?” Her lips curved into a smile, and her horn flared up. Hovering all around the hill, see-through bubbles of magic manifested. Instead of the lavender glow they gave off back in the shop, Cadance’s light-blue aura shined through, bouncing one another’s lights and reflecting the moonlight shining above. Shining stared at Cadance’s display with a gaping jaw and wide eyes. It was like they were in a huge blue disco ball, only a thousand times prettier. “Wowwwwww,” he said with an exploring gaze. Cadance could see the light from the blue bubble dance across Shining’s eyes, amplifying his own crystal blue. Even as he stared on, he was still leading her in their dance. With his mind on the shimmering magic spheres, it wasn’t until he felt her soft head brushing up against him that Shining realized Cadance was leaning into his chest, nuzzling his fur with the lightest touch. He smiled before he craned his neck to lay his head atop her mane, her soft, beautiful candy-colored mane. Still onlooking the field of magic bubbles, the two were still swaying in circles. The last night, the last night to see one another for a while, the last night to hug, the last night to kiss… the last night to dance. All these and more could describe the night the two were having, but to Shining, there was no “last”. For him, it was one of the best nights of his life so far, and he’d rather see it that way than anything “last”. Rather than dwell on what he’d be leaving, he continued to sway with the most beautiful mare in Equestria that he somehow got to date and call his. And this mare was eyeing him from the corner of her eyes. Cadance raised her head from his chest, getting Shining to move his head off her head. She was eyeing him as she put a hoof by the side of his head. A grin as wide as the moonlight crossed Shining’s face as he began to put a hoof by the back of her head. In the few seconds that followed, their eyes fluttered close, and they inched closer and closer together. Easing into in, as Cadance had thought, came with all the rewards of its wait. Their lips locked again as sparks flew once again. Shining had that feeling again; that floating feeling he somehow invented for nopony else but him. Had they had their eyes open, they would have seen Cadance’s magic bubbles glow a more intense light before dimming back down when the two parted. A second or two passed with the two of them just locking in on one another’s gaze, as if in an effort to preserve the image for the weeks following. They came together once again; her head falling into his chest, and his head resting atop her head for another dance. Not a last dance, just another dance. *************** The farewells were not easy. As Shining sat in his seat on the train to the Trottingham base with numerous other stallions and mares in their cadet uniforms, his mind kept going back to the train station platform back in Canterlot. There were tears. Shining would not lie, a good five percent of them came from him… the rest… Shining could only say that he hoped his mother apologized to whoever had to clean up afterwards. His dad had saluted him, hugged him, and made him promise to write when he got to the chance for the sake of Twilight Velvet. Twilight had faced him with watery eyes and a hopeful smile. She had a tight grip for such a little filly. In his duffle bag, placed steadily on top of everything else, was an old raggedy stuffed pony with blue button eyes and a scraggly mane. “Smartypants will keep you company, Shining, and I know you’ll be back because you need to bring her back, right?” Twilight’s words were still fresh in his mind. He remembered assuring her him and Smartypants would be back real soon, but it really raised the question if he should let that, in all honesty, creepy doll out of the bag at any time in the next nine weeks. Either way, it still brought a smile on his face to know Twilight trusted him with her most prized possession. He said goodbye to his LSBFF and told her he loved her. And of course, there was little Spike. Folded in the pocket of his freshly pressed blue cadet uniform, a piece of paper Shining’s little brother had given him rested comfortably. Admittingly, Spike probably had no idea what was going on, but Shining was grateful for the drawing nonetheless. It was a simple, yet really poor outline of purple and green crayon. Next to the messy coloring were splotches of blue and an outline filled in with the white of the paper. He left Spike with a teary-eyed smile as the little dragon clapped his claws when he saw the smile his gift brought to his brother’s face. Stardust and Cadance had also come to say their goodbyes, knowing fully well that it wouldn’t be that long before the three of them were together again. Stardust had left him with a joke and a punch to the shoulder. Cadance, on the other hoof, left him with a kiss he wished he could somehow take with him. The blurry landscape passed quickly through the windows of the train, the sound of the large locomotive running over the tracks shaking the inside of the train car. It wasn’t long till the blurs started to take form, settling into shapes of far away hills and distant buildings until everything became obscured by brick walls and block buildings concentrated in one area. The train screeched and steam blew when the whistle roared to life and the wheels started to slow down. The sound was excruciating at first, but it could not, and would not, compare to what Shining heard next. Even with the jerky movements of the train as it tried to come to its halt, a large, very large, earth pony stallion with a grey coat and eyes that could pierce diamond and cut it into a ring stood up at the front of the train. He bore gold-plated armor and the helmet that matched, and his eyes narrowed at the lot of ponies on the train. His face was stone, nearly impossible to trace any sense of equine emotion that didn’t look commanding or a little hostile. His presence alone commanded attention, and if by the slim chance it didn’t, his voice sure did. “ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP!” Shining and everypony else on the train immediately went silent. The stallion’s voice reverberated through the cart and even through some ponies’ spines. Shining was sitting up straight, tense all over and hoping the stallion’s eyes didn’t land on him. “I AM SERGEANT QUAKE! WHEN THE TRAIN MAKES ITS STOP, I WANT ALL OF YOU, IN AN ORDERLY LINE, TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE REGISTRATION BUILDING! STAY IN YOUR LINE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO OTHERWISE BY ME, UNDERSTOOD?” “Sir, yes, sir!” Shining and the others on the train yelled out. “ALREADY YOU MESSED UP!” Quake started to walk down the aisle. His armor clattered and clanged as plates hit one another. There was just so much noise from this massive, massive stallion. “SIR, YES, SIR?!? YOU’RE NOT ASKING ME IF YOU CAN DATE MY DAUGHTER! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE ADDRESSING A DRILL SERGEANT!” Don’t look scared, keep quiet, keep your eyes forward, and don’t let your legs shake and buckle. They were pieces of advice Shining got a lot of when he was doing his research about basic training for the Royal Guard, and he was struggling with two of those pieces of advice as Quake continued to holler. “WHEN YOU ADDRESS ME, YOU ARE TO SAY, DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT, OR DRILL SERGEANT, NO, DRILL SERGEANT! UNDERSTOOD!” “DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT!” Quake came to a sudden stop in the middle of the aisle, eyes dead-set forward in all their fierceness. “I DIDN’T KNOW WE WERE TRYING TO NOT WAKE UP NEWBORN FOALS! SO AGAIN, UNDERSTOOD?!?” Using nearly all the air in their lungs, the entire car of ponies gave a deafening “DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT!” “GOOD!” Quake turned around and trotted back to his spot at the front of the train, hooves clattering the floor like they could cause an earthquake. It didn’t take long after that for Shining to get the drill sergeant’s namesake. The train continued decelerating as the view out the windows passed on slower and slower until coming to a complete, and screeching stop. The whistle blew and steam and smoke arose outside. Quake gave a single stomp on the floor, commanding everyone’s attention. “ALRIGHT, FIRST DAY AT TROTTINGHAM BASE.” Quake gave the smallest side glance Shining ever saw, but still felt the presence of those cutting eyes. By the looks on the other ponies’ faces, they felt a similar presence. “CADETS!” If one looked very closely, a very, very small curve of Quake’s lip at one edge could be seen. “WELCOME TO HELL.”