53. Silent Knight, Cadet - Part 1
I arrived at the academy early to get myself oriented. I’d been there before, but never as a cadet. Being in a uniform instead of armor felt strange. It felt even stranger without my First Sergeant pin. Outside the academy, I’d had responsibilities. Inside, it was as if I was starting at the beginning again.
After checking in, I went to the muster area to wait. Several other cadets showed up early. They looked young to me. In the currency of years, I wasn’t much older, but guard life ages you in other ways. Some of them chatted idly and others just sat there looking frightened. I’d seen that same look at the guard academy right after secondary school.
In time, more cadets showed up. It was odd to sit there and watch the next generation of guard leaders assemble. Some of these ponies wouldn’t make it. In fact, statistically speaking, about half would not receive a commission. There were more interested ponies than positions in the Royal Guard’s enlisted rank, and officer positions were even more competitive. It was rare that a bad pony got through, and yet somehow I’d caught two of them in my career.
Ten minutes before the official start time, I moved to the front of the room and stood at attention. That garnered some quiet conversation, but I knew what was coming. They didn’t. To my surprise, another pony came and stood next to me at an equally perfect attention. I gave him a brief glance and nodded. Another mustang.
Three minutes before muster, the doors boomed open and the instructors strode in shouting, “Line up, move, move, move!”
The lead one called, “Act like you have some sense of pride!”
The other cadets scrambled to get up and rush into line beside us. The instructors broke off to start yelling at them as they moved into position. The lead instructor walked down the line and started criticizing postures. He practically ignored me and the pony next to me.
That pretty much summed up what the first two weeks of the academy were like. That is the time where they teach civilian ponies to be military-minded. Stand at attention, march correctly, use the right terms, speak appropriately, and other similar things. Ponies that mess up get attention. The ones that do it right get ignored. I was ignored a lot, and that was fine.
☾
“Cadet Knight, your performance thus far has been exemplary. It is almost as if you were a decent royal guard before you got here,” Senior Instructor Blackhoof said from the other side of his desk.
I’d made an appointment for some of his time. Most cadets stayed on campus in the evenings, but it wasn’t wholly necessary. I’d engaged Crystal Wishes as a personal tutor and wanted to have the freedom to continue our classes. It was slightly unusual, but then again, my case was anything but typical.
“That is how rumors start, sir,” I replied as straight as I could.
A senior instructor would never crack a smile in front of a cadet, and this one certainly didn’t. “Your request for evening liberties is approved. I think this private tutor is an excellent idea, and you’re already ahead of most of your peers. If you show up late one day, however, your plot will be running laps until time stops. Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Dismissed!”
☾
Onyx Mace and I sat across from each other eating lunch. He never said much, which was fine by me. From what little conversation we did have, I learned that he was a royal guard out of Baltimare. He was married, older than me, and wanted to improve his life, so he applied for a position in the academy and was accepted on some sort of scholarship.
Three other cadets approached us. “Tell me something,” the first one said. “How come you two never have anypony come down on you?”
Onyx didn’t even move. He just kept eating his lunch.
I shrugged. “We’ve been through this once before. We’ll be learning more on the back side.”
“I told you,” one of the others said, tapping the first with a hoof. “They’re mustangs. They’re the ones who know how to do it right.”
The first one shrugged. “So you two can help us when we’re not in class? I’m getting tired of being yelled at.”
Onyx snorted and said, “Wrong business.”
It took a lot of effort, but I suppressed a grin. “We’ll all be getting yelled at for as long as we’re royal guards. If you want pointers, I’ll be glad to help you out. It means putting in more hours, though.”
The third cadet said, “My dad said that those ponies are the only ones that make it. Is that true?”
“Yes,” Onyx said between bites.
I continued, “You have to stand out. Half of the ponies here aren’t going to graduate. We lost six in the first two weeks. I’ve never seen ponies run so fast.”
Again, I suppressed a laugh. Onyx didn’t.
“You know that isn’t funny! Those ponies were trying really hard,” the first one challenged.
I lifted a hoof and said, “Easy. We don’t mean anything by it. It’s just, well, the first three weeks are the easiest.”
That is not what they wanted to hear. The second pony’s eyes went wide. “I… I’m done for.”
“Not if you work hard,” I replied as I finished my lunch. Lightly, I tapped Onyx on the shoulder. “Come on. I’d guess we’ve got about five minutes.”
Onyx grunted and got up. The three cadets looked at us curiously. “Lunch is another 20 minutes. We haven’t even had time to eat yet,” the first said.
I shrugged, Onyx snorted, and we went to stand at attention near the doors. Three minutes later, the instructors galloped into the lunch area and interrupted the meal.
Onyx chuckled. “Newbies.”
☾
Crystal and Velvet had moved all of their living room furniture to make room for dance practice.
“Shouldn’t Velvet be here for this?” I asked nervously.
Crystal Wishes arched one brow. “No. Velvet isn’t this kind of dancer. Are you worried I can’t do it?”
Quickly, I shook my head. “That isn’t what I meant at all.”
We were on our hindhooves standing really close together and somewhat intertwined. Whoever invented this sort of dancing was a monster.
“Then what do you mean, Sergeant?” she asked.
“Cadet,” I corrected.
“What?”
My hooves crossed the wrong way and I had to flap my wings to keep upright. “I’m not a sergeant anymore. I’m a cadet now.” I did my best to keep up with the steps as we went through what Crystal called a waltz.
“Be that as it may, you’re deflecting. Now don’t fidget, and answer the question. What do you mean, Cadet?” she pressed.
Fidgeting felt an awful lot like dancing, but we did a spin. I cleared my throat. “Well, we’re awfully close. I don’t want her to get the wrong impression.”
Crystal gave me a strange look as we went into an elegant turn. “Why would she get the wrong impression?”
This was feeling awkward. The dancing, of course, but also the conversation. “You know… you and Velvet. Me horning in on all of your private time.” I dipped Crystal and she peered up at me.
“Wait, private time? Do you think Velvet and I are a couple?” she asked incredulously. “We’re not a couple. We’re just friends.”
I dropped her. She squealed in surprise and landed with a graceful thud… if there were such a thing. I quickly reached down to help her up. “I’m so sorry!”
She set her hooves on my forelegs and asked, “Did you really think Velvet and I were a couple?”
I nodded.
“You’re the only one, right?”
I shook my head.
“No… Velvet and I…” Crystal went silent and she seemed to be looking past me at nothing at all. Her expression was blank. Suddenly, she gasped. “Oh… Celestia…” Crystal dropped her face into her hooves. “So many stallions.”
Lightly, I cradled a hoof around her. “Oh, I’m certain it isn’t that bad.”
Crystal Wishes stared at me. “Really?”
I nodded. “I’m just really accustomed to mares that like mares. Maybe I just… assumed.”
“And everypony else assumed with you?”
“I have that effect on people. I’m the boss.” I replied.
Crystal Wishes laughed. It was a cute little laugh. The beautiful lady unicorn was nestled in my hooves, giggling. I dropped her again.
“Silent Knight! What the hay?” she asked, a bit of the lady slipping.
I blinked. “I’m so sorry, Crystal Wishes!” I reached to help her up and she looked at me with a total lack of trust.
She finally took my hoof and I righted her as she asked, “What is up with you?”
“You’re sweet and selfless. You’ve always helped me out. I just thought you were being a good friend. Then we’re dancing, you tell me you’re not into mares, and giggle at me. That is a whole lot to take in,” I explained.
Crystal Wishes’s brow arched. “Oh, go on?”
“I’m not very good at relationships, but I believe Winterspear would say you’re sending signals. And, honestly, now that I think about it, Velvet was trying really hard to help you, which was really confusing. It sort of felt like she was trying to wrangle some sort of three pony relationship,” I rambled. “Which I’m not against, but, to be frank, I think my capabilities will limit me to a single mare.”
Crystal Wishes laughed more and tumbled onto her back. I guess it was pretty funny, really.
I settled down next to her. “If you’re not seeing Velvet I’d really like to ask you out.”
Behind us the door opened and Velvet came in. Her head tilted at the sight of us on the floor.
“Hi,” she said. “This doesn’t look like dancing.”
Quickly, Crystal got up and exclaimed, “He thinks we’re a couple! Everypony does. Isn’t that great?”
Velvet looked skeptical. “Reason tells me no but your expression says… yes?”
“He finally asked me out!” she cheered.
Blindingly fast, Velvet hurried over. The two mares embraced and bounced while giggling and squealing.
I cleared my throat. Why is it when I want ponies to ignore that I’m in a room, they don’t, and yet when I want to be there, they do? “Still here,” I said.
The pair stopped celebrating and let go of each other.
“So…” Velvet said. “Everypony thinks we’re a couple? That would explain why nopony has asked either of us out in a while, but we’re not that bad… right?”
Crystal made a face and said, “Just think about it for two minutes.”
Velvet did and sighed. “Oh, Crystal, I’m so sorry! It actually kind of looks exactly like that… especially with me being… well, you know.”
“Crystal was just as… uh… familiar towards you, Velvet,” I put in, although I didn’t understand the second part. Slowly, I got up and came over to the two. “I have to get back. Cadets get very little liberty. Keep your date book open, please.”
I hugged them both out of habit and quickly snuck out. When the door closed, I heard a duet of high pitched squeals.
☾
Getting to the academy on time was never really a hard thing for me. It was a surprise that the ponies staying on campus were still struggling with the early morning drills. Being awake early was part of being a royal guard. Of course, in my case, my schedule was normally different, but adapting back was easy.
We were galloping along the exact same path in Canterlot that I’d galloped a thousand times when I had been a Royal Guard trainee. It was familiar and brought back fond memories of simpler times.
Of course, I was still full of fond memories from the night before. Crystal Wishes was not, in fact, with Velvet Step. She was, in fact, eager to spend her time with me.
Why mares could never just come out and say things, I’ll never know. But that didn’t matter now. As soon as I graduated, the two of us would start dating. In the meantime, that would also make my evening tutoring sessions with her… tense, but in a good way.
“Stop smiling,” Onyx said next to me between breaths.
Quickly, I wiped off whatever grin was on my mouth before one of the instructors noticed. They’re not keen on that sort of thing. I put my blank expression back into place and nodded a thanks to my companion. We hurried on. We’d make time, but some of the younger ponies were doing it faster. That was okay, though. Never try to compete with another pony—just yourself and the standards.
Once our gallop and all of our other physical exercises were completed, we hit the showers. Onyx gave me a look. It was possible that I was smiling again.
I shrugged under the water. “I’m in a good mood. I can’t help it.”
His eyes rolled and he grunted, “Don’t show it. Looking like all the others around here.”
“Yeah… I know. I’ll work it out. Come on, hurry up and get clean. You smell like a gryphon carcass. We need to get to our desks and help our three adopted foals get ready for tomorrow’s exam. What will they say if Mommy and Daddy aren’t there first?”
Onyx chuckled and then stopped cold. “Who is Mommy?”
I shut the water off, shook my coat out, stretched my wings, and replied, “Clearly you, you nag…”
I know some of you will say "FINALLY" to this one ;D
Enjoy ^_^
Crystal's Wishes Companion Chapter: A Whole New World
If you are enjoying this story, please consider taking a look at Crystal and my's website QuillnBlade.com for extra content such as mini stories, an Ask Us form to submit questions, responses to said questions, and special rewards for the awesome folks who support our Patreon.
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You got THAT right!
*gasp* oh my gosh, all the yes!
Onyx was hilarious and the crystalknight shipping has comenced! 
And it only took 48 chapters for him to FINALLY figure it out. That ship was stuck in port so long I thought it would never leave! I can only hope for clear seas in the future for them.
Ahh, you know us to well
Keep it comming
5886976
Yeah, and when it reaches open sea, that it will make across to the port of Marrytown
He's got to marry -somepony- or there won't be a next generation of Royal Guards.
FINALLY
Already smilling as silly as Silent.
Then you wrap it up with this:
*patent hoof pump of awesome*
crystal knight ship has set sail!
now I'll go back to writing
Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh soooooooo goooooood
Seriously. Took him long enough
About damn time. :P
It's interesting seeing Silent come out of his shell a little bit in this chapter... cracking jokes and... finally not being oblivious. x3
You troll! First you explicitly say in the comments that those two are dating, then you say the exact opposite in the narrative!
Trolling aside, though, finally SK got a new marefriend!
BTW, you're missing a few commas.
I assume Luna is going to fly in and shout, "About time thou has learned she is interested in thee!" or something along the lines....
Yay!
About time!
I like this chapter. It is informative, fun, and cute.
Wow, a cocky SK is really a nice change.
I can't wait for the CW chapter of this, so much squee, giggles and more!
One word. FINALLY!
The part where Velvet and Crystal explain that they are not together and then pause to think on their actions made me laugh.
ROFL
Fucking finally.
Luna will write so much friendfiction about SK and CW now that they're an item. I just know it.
......yessssss
"FINALLY"
Dammit, Silent Knight! We had a bottle of champagne ready to christen the S.S. Silent Wishes, and you kept us waiting so long we drank it!
Never mind! All aboard, prime the cannons, and double time it, you lousy, lazy mongrels!
We have a lot of ships to sink and holds to plunder!
Yar har har har!
Two things:
1. Silent Knight is always the BoSS! Any dubt is unexistant.
2. I wonder if you know Crystal Wishes personally... like you met her real-live...
ABOUT DAMN TIME!
I love how Silent horrified those three cadets by saying that the first three weeks were the easiest. Now he can teach them! That's going to be great.
There must be more.
memeguy.com/photos/images/mrw-breaking-bad-finally-won-the-emmy-for-outstanding-drama-46690.gif
FINALLY! HE FINALLY DID IT! *gets Pinkie to hit the confetti cannons all around the palace*
I laughed hard at this
And the shoe drops. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
Onyx Mace, sounds like another fun OC.
!!!
I think I hear angels singing.
Now the angels are laughing.
So very true in addition to being hilarious.
Silent Wishes has finally turned into Crystal Knight. Because, you know, they aren't enduring in silence any more.
On an unrelated note, I'm glad to see Silent stepping up to a mentorship role to a few other cadets. That's a pretty good demonstration of his qualifications for what he is training for.
Yeah!!! THAT ANSWERED SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!! Awesome! I can say, I approve of this romance 1000%. Great job and good luck with the next chapter.
Ehh, I was kinda hoping for Crystal to have more to say in the reveal. I dunno, it just felt kind of... anticlimactic, especially after all the build up those two have had.
But the scenes at the academy were funny. Things will be interesting for Silent for a bit.
I lol-ed at the lunch scene, even mil-brats learn to eat quick.
I was happy and sad at the shipping reveal, poor Velvet.
Then that ender.
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!
found this The Anthem of Lunas House Guard soldiers To be played at,Somber events, ie funerals of those killed in action
Ahhh Cadet School!
That actually loosely describes the first two weeks of basic military training even on the enlisted side based on what I heard.
Now that SK knows of CW's singularity, hehehe it's quite obvious that he is going to be on cloud nine for a little while.
Ha, that is kind of how I am when it comes to asking girls out. Short and to the point. SK and I have about as much tact as an M1 Abrams maneuvering through a street full of abandoned cars.
Ah, the S.S. Silent Wishes finally sets sail...
Yes, I will say it: FINALLY!!!!!!!!!
[youtube=_J6-3l3hCm0]
5889068 5888887 5888750 5888095 5887611 5887478 5887462 5887080 Indeed! Now we all get to hope against hope that it goes better than his last relationship.
5888716 Yeah, I'm trying to balance the academy between basic and ROTC at a university.
5888708 Much appreciated ;) I'll check that out when I get home!
5887939 Yup, eat fast or don't eat at all!
5887887 I think it will make more sense when Crystal's part comes out.
5887833 I'm glad you liked it =D
5887825 Onyx is pretty fun. He is a good balance to Silent Knight. There will be more of him.
5887821 Indeed it does! We'll see how that goes. ;D
5887710 The nag line seems to have hit and that pleases me. I've been working hard on squeaking in that comedy. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
5887663 LOL that is perfect.
5887637 More tomorrow!
5887631 He is a realist for sure. They're going to have to work hard to keep up.
5887515 He is indeed. Well, that is a good question ;)
5887492 Some ships just take longer to build!
5887387 Luna writing fan fiction about her friends eh? It could happen!
5887373 Laughs were had by all!
5887355 Yeah, Crystal Wishes's lines were fun to write. Just the idea that they didn't know when everyone else thought they were together. Crystal will be elaborating on that in her story.
5887352 Yeah, Crystal's version is going to be exciting to read. I can't wait either =D
5887312 I'm glad you enjoyed it!
5887310 Luna the match maker!
5887205 I make no apologies, as far as Silent Knight was concerned it was true! They were dating until proven otherwise ;D
5887187 He is growing up for sure. We'll see a bit more of that over the next two chapters. There will be a little "behind the scenes" surprise soon in the author's notes!
5887168 Good things are worth waiting on!
5887118 Pony romance in the air! ;D I'm happy you enjoyed it!
5887103 Hmm Crystal Knight or Silent Wishes. I kind of like the second one!
5887098 Yeah, I loved that line. To be honest that was not in the "written forever ago draft." It was a recent addition that I thought worked. It seemed to!
5887011 Little royal guards? I dunno... it took him a year to figure out she wasn't with Velvet ;D
5886983 You'd all waited so long! It seemed fair to finally share a bit.
5886976 Yeah, he is a late bloomer and Crystal had her own reasons (which will be explained in Crystal's Wishes).
5886968 Long? LOL ^_^ I update twice a week! Glad you're enjoy the story.
5886960 Onyx is a great straight man. Even more than Silent Knight. Which is an interesting thing to write!
5886946 You can only keep your fans waiting so long ^_^
5889884 I give you credit for answering all the comments in one go. that must have took some time.
5889931 It does, which is why I usually wait until the next day to do the roll up. I try to make sure everyone that takes the time to comment at least gets some response. That is important to me.
5889967 and for that cdn.meme.am/instances/61264577.jpg
somepony brohoof Silent Knight for this, he deserves it
5889967 that is something to admire.
5889967 And one of the reasons your one of the popular authors here. Alot of authors post stories then ignore comments. So yeah. Thanks for atleast taking the time to touch base with readers like us
5889967 How will Luna react to the fact that Velvet and Crystal were thought to be couble ?
5890154 I imagine she'll think that is funny ;D
5890097 I love interacting with my readers. It is easier when you have less of course (not that I'm complaining) but I do try to respond to everyone!
5890048 For me it is just common courtesy. If you take the time to comment I'll be happy to respond!
5890043 Agreed!
5890015 A hat tip is most appreciated!
5889884 Okay, if you would now admit it's your wife and you two ploted it since the beggining I wouldn't be supriced...
It would also explain your unnturally good sync in your same timeline stories. [No disagreements or delays whatsoever]
5890335 Well, actually we did plot the stories together from fairly early (not the very beginning though) and the coordination comes from the fact we have an extremely detailed timeline spreadsheet that we share ;D