A Squire's Tail

by BBkat

Chapter Six

Chase was more than thrilled to be able to leave the infirmary, trotting back to his room with a skip in his step. As strange as it sounded, he was actually excited to pull out his books to study! He parted ways with the pegasus trio, they had to return to training since lunch break was over, but doctor’s orders had Chase on the sidelines for the time being, so he was relegated to his books. He didn’t mind very much though, now that his head wasn’t pounding it was much easier to focus on what he was reading.

He carried the books to the common room where he sat down to read, the open window letting in a cool breeze. He spent the afternoon pouring over the books till he was dragged off to dinner, being told that he had done more than enough studying for the day and should eat.

“Finally, real food!” he said, mouth watering as he heaped noodles and cream sauce onto his plate. “This looks so much better than that stuff the hospital called food.”

He inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of the cafeteria and the food as he carried his tray over to a table, balancing it on one hoof.

“Mmmm, real food at last.”

“Oh come on, you weren’t in the hospital for that long,” laughed Cloud Runner as Chase sat down.

“Long enough to figure out that hospital food is disgusting and not worth being called food,” said Chase. “So hush it and let me enjoy this food.”

With a grin he dug into the pasta, scooping up mouthfuls of the noodles and cheesy sauce. His tail flicked happily as he ate, a dopey grin on his face, nose scrunching ever so slightly and the ends of his ears wiggling.

“Dis ish sho good,” he said, cheeks tinted pink with happiness.

“Watch it, if you keep talking with food in your mouth you’re going to make a mess,” snickered Thundermane.

Chase rolled his eyes, “Thanks dad.”

A round of laughter filled the table from the other pegasi and Thundermane just shook his head before they all went back to eating.

---

While the dorms themselves were split between the Solar Guards and Lunar Guards, so that one group wouldn’t disturb the other while they were sleeping, the dining hall, or cafeteria, was not split and so during mealtimes both groups tended to mingle. Even if both generally avoided one another, even while there.

Chase munched on his dinner, his bunkmates lost in their own conversation about something they’d done while flying, letting his eyes scan around the dining hall. Some ponies remained in there to eat while others took their dinner elsewhere. The day guard seemed to make a point of ignoring the night guard, steering clear of them as if they were something dangerous.

“I wonder if Wish is around,” he mused, looking through the group of Nocturns that were getting their own meals. He hadn’t talked to her for a bit, and after what he’d been through recently he wanted to talk to her again. It would be a nice change of pace from the dorks that were his roommates. His gaze landed on a familiar mare and his eyes lit up. He glanced over at the pegasi and shook his head, they were too busy talking and there was no sense in interrupting them.

Standing up he trotted across the dining hall towards the familiar Nocturn with the dusk blue coat and short grey-violet mane.

“Hey, Wish!” he called, waving enthusiastically as he trotted closer.

She looked up from the pony she was talking to and her eyes lit up. She nodded a goodbye and trotted towards Chase with a grin on her face, and a tray in her hooves. “Chase, I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.”

He laughed, “Hardly, they’ve just been keeping me really busy since the last time we met. You wouldn’t believe how crazy everything’s been.”

“Why don’t you come on back to the common room and you can tell me about it?” she asked.

“Eh? But won’t I get in trouble?” asked Chase.

She shook her head, “No way, the only reason you‘d have gotten in trouble last time was because you were over during lights out. Since you’re not supposed to be in bed right now, and I’m inviting you over, you’ll be fine.”

“I just hope that no pony else minds,” he said, rubbing the back of his head.

“Ah, to Tartarus with that they think. You’re my friend and I’m inviting you over to hang out, so let’em gawk.” She gestured for him to follow her and they headed out of the dining room and into the halls. She took to the air a few inches off the ground, the tray balanced perfectly in her front hooves.

“I gotta ask though, what is up with that thing on your horn?” she asked, gesturing to the inhibitor with her head.

He sighed, “Yeah, that’s the cause of most of my, excitement,” he said. “I’ll tell you once we’re at the common room and I can sit down. Like I said, it’s been crazy.”

“I’ll bet I’m sure that accessory has a good story behind it.”

“Depends on what your definition of good is,” laughed Chase. “Because I’d really rather I didn’t have to wear it at all.”

She grinned, “Well, now you’ve really got me curious there.”

She pushed the door open, gesturing with her head for Chase to follow her in. There were a couple other Nocturnes in the room who looked up at the sound of the door opening and regarded Chase curiously before going back to whatever it was they were doing. Wish trotted over to a beanbag and flopped down, setting the tray down in front of her and gesturing for Chase to sit down on one too.

“So spill, what’s with the horn thing?”

He sighed as he sat down, making himself comfortable in the cushion. “It’s a magic limiter. I had an accident the other day during training. Got conked in the noggin so hard by a stray spell it cracked my horn.”

Her eyes widened, “Oh my god!”

“Yeah, tell me about it. So now I can’t use magic till it heals.”

“How long will that be?”

“At least a week provided things don’t get worse, again.”

Wish tilted her head curiously, the tip of an ear flicking, “What do you mean worse?”

Chase sighed and set about explaining what had happened to him the previous day, about his fit and subsequent trip to the hospital and overnight stay. Wish listened, wide eyed with interest and shock as he spoke.

“Chase, what in Luna’s name did you do to offend Lady Luck?” she asked as his tale came to an end. “I mean good gravy but your luck seems to have become horrendous.”

Chase rolled his eyes, “Tell me about it, I’m basically out of training and stuck studying instead. It’s ok for a bit but not several days on end. I’ll be glad to get back in the field once this is all over, and to get rid of this awful thing,” he gestured to the magic dampener. He sighed and stretched out, resting his head between his forelegs. “Thanks for letting me ramble. I mean, the guys are nice and all but sometimes I think their heads are still in the clouds.”

“Oh, so you guys are actually speaking now?” she asked. “Last I remember you saying, they didn’t seem to like you very much.”

“Yeah, we finally worked that out. Apparently they thought I was some, snobby unicorn noble and since they’d had some bad run-ins with those kinds, they figured it was best to nip it in the bud and not talk to me.” He shook his head, holding back a laugh. “I mean really, me, a noble? How could anypony think I was a noble? I mean, they’re so uptight and stiff, and act like there’s a bad smell under their nose. I act way too, lax, to be some noble pony.”

Wish giggled, “Yeah, you carry yourself all wrong. Of course, not all nobleponies are like that,” she said. “I remember when I was shadowing one of the older guards we were assigned to be security for some charity event. Anyways, most of the rich and elite were there and they acted pretty much how you described, heck they barely paid attention to us. But, Mr. Fancy Pants and his wife Fleur, they were different. They actually looked like they wanted to be there and like they were enjoying themselves. They even said hello and goodbye to us and thanked us for doing such a good job. They may be rich nobles, but didn’t act like most.”

“I guess there’s bound to be someone who breaks the mold,” said Chase. “I’ve just only ever seen the bratty, rude ones.”

Wish tilted her head, “You met nobles? How? When?”

“My dad. He’s not a noble sure, but he’s a dang good smith so he often gets commissions to make something or to fix something for them. I think it’s the only time you’ll catch them ‘slumming it up’ with the lower class, not that I’ve ever heard them say it to his face.” He stretched out on the beanbag before tucking his legs to his belly. “Not to mention they seem to get really quiet when they realize he’s married to a pegasus. It ruffles their feathers for sure, if you’ll pardon the pun.” He grinned, “I actually heard one once comment under his breath that he couldn’t understand how a stallion like my father could have lowered himself to marry a pegasus.”

“Oh my,” said Wish quietly.

“Yeah, so I told him to buck off and that my mom was the best mother in the world, pegasus or not. And I’d rather be part pegasus than a rude pony like him.”

Wish gaped, “You didn’t.”

“I did. But cut me a little slack, I was only four. I was hanging around my father’s workshop because he was almost done. Of course, I got a paddling afterwards for swearing in front of a customer.”

The Nocturn laughed, “I can’t believe you actually did that.”

“I don’t think my dad could either, I distinctly remember hearing him drop something heavy and metal on the floor after my outburst. Besides she’s my mom, why wouldn’t I defend her?”

Wish smiled and ruffled his mane, “You’re a dope Chase, but with a heart like that you’re going to go places for sure.”

He blushed, the heat rising up to his ears as he looked away. “Now you’re just saying things,” he mumbled.

“I am not,” she said. “Once you’re all healed up and back to training you’ll make a great guard, I know it. Who knows, maybe you’ll even end up a personal guard to the Princess?”

“Wh-what!” Chase sputtered in surprise. The idea of being one of her personal guards had never crossed his mind, only the elite of the elite could reach that position and Chase doubted he’d eve qualify for something like that. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why not?” asked Wish with a frown, “It’s possible. I mean, I think it’d be cool to be one of Princess Luna’s personal guard.”

“I thought you wanted to make star maps?”

“I can do both. They rotate the guards you know, when I’m not on duty I can work on my maps. I need someway to make money in the meantime. What about you, you have any kind of, fall back job in case this doesn’t work out for whatever reason?”

Chase rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, “Honestly, not really. I mean, I could probably convince my dad to let me work for him, but then he’d never let me live down that my dream failed.”

“Any idea why he doesn’t want you to do this?” asked Wish.

Chase shook his head, “None. The first time I told him that I wanted to be a royal guard he was, upset. He told me flat out not to do it and choose something different. That this wasn’t the job for me. I’ve asked him before why he disapproves of this so much, but he won’t tell me. And it’s beyond aggravating, I just want to know why my father is so against this.” He sighed, lowering his hooves and resting his chin on his legs. “I’ll probably never find out.”

“Maybe he’s just worried that it’s to dangerous?”

“Well a blacksmith’s shop ain’t exactly a walk in the park. Skin searing heat, mane-scorching flames, bone crushing solid metal, molten metal that’ll melt your face off, it’s a death trap if you don’t know what you’re doing. And that’s not even taking account of the smell and the ash. Yeesh. That’s why I always had to sit in a corner when I visited the shop, he didn’t want me hurting myself on anything.”

“What about working for your mom? You said she runs a flower shop yes?”

He nodded, “Yeah, but I dunno how well that’d work out. I don’t know anything about flowers and if I’m around that much pollen for too long I start sneezing. Can’t do business if I’m sneezing all the time.”

“That would make it difficult wouldn’t it,” she mused before tapping her chin with her hoof thoughtfully. “Well, I’m sure you’d come up with something if you had too.”

“Which is why I hope I don’t have to.” He sighed, “Of course, if my lucks keeps being the way it’s been recently I might have to. I’m beginning to feel like I might not be cut out for this sort of thing, I can’t seem to do anything right recently. I couldn’t even raise a barrier to protect myself and got injured because of it.”

“Now that’s no way to talk Chase,” huffed Wish. “That certainly doesn’t sound like the Chase I first met. You’ll do great, but not if you start talking like that.”

He was quiet, she was very determined sounding and it was a bit startling. “I guess so,” he said. “I’ll try.”

“You better, I don’t like hearing ponies talk like that, it’s depressing and you shouldn’t be depressed.”

After a moment Chase lifted his head to look around, scanning the common room curiously. While it had emptied a bit since they’d got there, there were still a few Nocturns around.

“Hey, where are the twins?” he asked when it dawned on him who was missing. “I don’t see them here at all.”

“They had to grab breakfast on the go, they actually have guard duty tonight out patrolling the grounds, so needed to get out there. Especially since they slept late,” she said with a nod. “So, you won’t get to see them tonight I’m afraid.”

“Ahh, that’s to bad. Can you tell them I said hi the next time you see’em then?”

“Sure, I’ll be seeing them later tonight anyways, I’ll tell’em then.” She looked down at the tray then back at Chase, “You hungry? You can have some of this if you want.”

The tray itself was filled with an assortment of fruits and seasoned insects, much like it had been the day they’d met.

“Well, if you’re offering,” he said, reaching for a few grapes. “Thank you.”

She grinned, flashing her pointed teeth in the process. “No problem, I don’t know how much you had for dinner, but I’d feel like a bad host if I didn’t offer at least once.”

The conversation petered off into silence as Wish ate, Chase occasionally sneaking a few grapes from one corner of the tray while avoiding the insects, they still grossed him out. He tried not to eat too much; this was her breakfast after all. Which it and of itself was still a strange thought, that she was having breakfast at the same time he’d been having dinner, and that she probably had dinner when he was getting breakfast, if not before. He couldn’t help to wonder when they had their equivalent to lunch, at midnight, sometime later, earlier?

A crunching noise caught his attention and he looked towards Wish just in time to see the remains of a cricket vanish into her mouth.

Chase blanched, pulling a disgusted face, “Ughh, that sounds so disgusting. How in Equestria can you stand to eat that stuff?”

She stuck her tongue out, “Says you, I find these guys tasty and crunchy. No different than crunching on a hoof full of sunflower seeds really.”

He shuddered, “Great, now I’ll never want sunflower seeds again, thank you for that image.”

Wish snickered before popping another cricket into her mouth, this time purposefully crunching it loudly. “You should try these dipped in chocolate, it’s like chocolate with nuts, it’s really good.”

“Are you trying to turn me off all my favourite foods?” he asked. He liked chocolate, a lot, but sullying it with bugs? Definitely a no go in his books.

“You just don’t know what is good,” she said with a dramatic sigh, leaning back with her foreleg resting on her head.

“Oh hush it you drama queen,” he teased, tossing a grape at her and bouncing it off her muzzle.

“I’m a drama queen? What does that make you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, a smug grin plastered on her face.

“Normal? Rational?”

Wish stuck her tongue out playfully, “Yeah right.”

The next thing Chase knew a small cushion bounced off his head, smacking him square in the face and accompanied by giggles from Wish. “Really, throwing pillows at me?” he asked, prodding the pillow. “What are you, a foal-ahh!” He trailed into a yelp as she pounced on him, barreling into his side with a giggle and flap of her wings.

“I’m a drama queen am I?” she asked. “Who’s the one who just screamed like a foal?”

“You startled me!” he sputtered as he looked up at her, now stuck on his side from how she’d tackled him. “What did you expect me to do, not scream? And what the hell was that for anyways?”

“You need to loosen up a bit,” she said, poking his nose firmly. “You’re way to uptight. Plus you’re being a sourpuss and hard on yourself, you should smile more.”

“That still doesn’t tell me what this has to do with anything,” he said, pushing her off and back onto the floor with a thump.

Wish huffed, “You really don’t know anything do you?” she asked. “It’s called play, or as my mother put it, horsing around. You never gotten into a wrestling match of sorts with your friends?”

“Not since I was a foal, aren’t you a little old for this sort of thing?”

She snorted, “Of course not, you’re never to old to have fun, just as long you don’t hurt anyone and I’m always careful. Besides it’s a good form of exercising and fighting practice. You should try it. Not to mention you always end up laughing in the end, and you seem like you could use a laugh or two right now.”

“Not in my condition, I could make my horn even worse if it gets hit or something.”

“Oh, now you’re just being a foal,” she said, rolling her eyes. “That’s why you avoid the head, and it’s not that hard. I think you’re just chicken because you know I’d win.” She stuck her tongue out playfully.

“That-that’s not true at all,” he huffed, cheeks reddening slightly. “I’m not scared of losing, especially not t you.”

“Why, because I’m a mare?” she asked pointedly.

“What no, th-that’s not it at all.”

She crouched down with a playful grin, “Then prove it.”

“What, here, but won’t everyone else get worried?”

She shook her head, “Naw, roughhousing happens all the time, they won’t think anything of it. Besides, I really don’t think they’ll care as long as I’m not killing you.”

He gulped and took a step back, what had he gotten himself into? “I dunno, I mean, we just ate, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Oh it’s not that much of a problem, I’ll just go easy on you.”

He flattened his ears, “Oh, now that’s not cool.”

“So you don’t want me to go easy on you?” She grinned, “Sounds good to me, I’d hate to have to hold back because you were a wuss.”

Chase felt his legs swept out from under him as she collided with him with a laugh, wings flared from her sides.

“Oh come on, you gotta react faster than that or you’ll never make it anywhere,” she said, half splayed across Chase, pinning him down as he lay on his side. “I mean what if this was a real fight? You’d have lost.”

“If this were a real fight I’d be using my magic to fight back.”

“But you don’t have magic, what if you got into a fight and couldn’t use your magic? You need to know how to fight back without it. What are they even teaching you anyways? Which raises the question, I have you trapped and magicless, how are you going to get free?”

Chase huffed, wiggling underneath of her as he tried to get free. She was a lot heavier than she looked and seemed to know exactly how to pin him. If he could have used his magic he’d just have lifted her off, or in a real fight blasted her off. As he wiggled he felt one of his hind legs slip free. A grin crossed his face as he looked up at her.

“You better think fast,” he warned, tucking his leg up momentarily before it connected with her stomach.

Wish gasped, stumbling backwards as his hoof made contact. “No bad,” she said, rubbing her stomach. “But you took a while to figure that out, in a real fight you’d be toast.”

“Good thing this isn’t a real fight then.” He looked around before looking at Wish. “Is there even enough room in here for this? I’d rather not get body slammed into a wall or break something.”

“I guess you have a point there, and I can’t really fly in here either.” She took his hoof, pulling him to his feet, “Come on, we can find a spot outside.”

Author's Note:

As promised, here's another chapter!

Now onto slightly serious matters. I shouldn't have to reiterate this but, after six chapters, three downvotes and no comments I have to ask, what am I doing wrong? Just like at work, I am not psychic and a lack of feedback doesn't help me in correcting what is wrong. Are there typos I missed? Do you just not like the story? Is there something wrong with the characters? Is it because there's no coverart? (I want to draw my own but I haven't the time) Is it my slow updates?
If it's because it's an all OC cast, well I can't help you being petty. It's obvious as soon as you come onto the page before you start what you're getting into.
The story isn't done yet so i can, and will to the best of my abilities, change things if it'll make it better. But I need FEEDBACK. Because after 6 chapters, no comments and three downvotes, I'm a bit disheartened and wondering what I'm doing wrong. Hell, you can PM me with feedback is you don't want to comment, I don't bite.