“You three did good,” High Tower said. “Princess Celestia relays her congratulations for going above and beyond, and all that formal academy stuff you’re probably sick off. Point is you did good.”
The three cadets beamed. It felt excellent to be in the dean’s office for all the right reasons. Thundering, begrudgingly, gave his thanks and congratulations after they were sent to the infirmary to be checked out. Apparently the twerp wasn’t so bad after all.
Exactly how the gremlin situation was going to be handled was up to Celestia: probably Tartarus, maybe one of Equestria‘s lesser known quarantine zones. Now the gremlins had to be handled differently: they were capable of learning, and shame on Equestria for learning that lesson that hard way.
“Shining, you did well son. Only thing we have an issue with your repeated use of a fellow cadet as ordinance,” High Tower said. “Please get out of the habit.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Her Royal Highness Princess Cadence…”
He noticed Shining seemed to perk up at her name. High Tower decided to ignore it, for now. Good that the lad was committed to the monarchy. His aspirations seemed a little…unusual. High Tower hoped they were at least realistic.
“Will be presenting the award during her next guard inspection.”
Dear Celestia: Shining looked ready to melt. High Tower rolled his eyes and swallowed his urge to revisit his youthful tendency to make smart ass comments. He decided to wrap things up: he was afraid of what he’d say if they stuck around any longer.
“That is all. Dismissed.”
The three saluted and filed out of the office. High Tower leaned over his desk and thought for a moment. Did he just meet the future Canterlot guard captain? High Tower shook his head. Let’s not get presumptuous, he reminded himself.
#
“Slow down,” Rock said.
Shining was nearly skipping ahead of them like a little filly. Some of the other cadets were giving them funny looks: okay, they were the heroes of the hour, but still it was a little embarrassing.
“Sorry,” Shining said, feeling suddenly light-headed.
“She’s not here yet, lover boy,” Luminous teased.
Shining’s smile grew more wide at the thought. Rock sighed.
“Any way you can chase your roommate out for a night?” Rock asked Luminous. “I dread what those two will be up to.”
“So long as they keep it down,” Luminous said, “I personally couldn’t care less. Best of luck to you.”
Rock sighed. “Air out the room when you’re finished.”
Shining let them have their fun. Nothing could knock him down now: he felt a hundred hooves tall and made of iron.
“What are you thinking?” Rock asked.
“Well,” Shining said, “we could go find someplace to celebrate.”
“Where?”
Shining shrugged. “The Mare, maybe?”
“You’re kidding?” Luminous said. “After what we went through?”
Shining smiled. “Maybe we’d get away with it now.”
Rock and Luminous both looked sick. “Kidding!” Shining said.
“Thank Celestia,” Rock said.
The three laughed and walked on.
#
Herding chickens during an earthquake would be fun compared to this. Somehow, all these formerly mature cadets had turned into a mob of school foals. They seemed incapable of standing and waiting for instructions, they swarmed like a flock of bees. Shining, golden sophomore bars on his uniform, bellowed for attention.
“Everyone who has arrived and is part of group three formation, please identify yourselves! Group three, over here!”
The cadets began to cluster around him. They babbled their names all at the same time. Shining struggled with quill and paper to keep up. “One at a time, please!”
One by one he managed to check all the names off. There were still a latecomer or two, but more trains would arrive any second now. He looked around to see how the cadets were distributed amongst the waiting proctor cadets. He couldn’t have been this clueless on his first day, right?
“All right: assemble over there,” Shining pointed to an open area just in front of the station, “and await the command to move. Understood?”
The ponies shuffled off. Shining sighed: when this day was over he’d feel a lot better. From today on he would be responsible for these innocents.
One pony staggered off of the train. He paused for a moment, almost staring at something in front of him that he alone could see. Shining walked over, lowering his face into the newcomer’s.
“You’re supposed to identify yourself with the formation leader.”
“Yes…sorry. Uh…Star Rising?”
The last name on Shining’s list: he made a quick flick with the quill and scratched him off. He turned to face the pony, who had wisely started to regard him as more venerable than Celestia.
“Group three is assembling over there.”
Star Rising swallowed, flinging his bag over his shoulder and began to walk to join the other cadets. He walked slowly, hesitantly, each step careful and measured.
“You’ll be all right.”
Star Rising’s face brightened. “Really?”
“Move!”
Star Rising scampered. An expression of terror was in his eyes. Shining couldn’t help but smile. The order for the cadets to march to the academy (finally) came. Shining managed to get his pack to shuffle towards the academy.