Shining Armor Hates Anon - Chapter Ten

>It’s 6:18 a.m.  One hour ago you got out of bed and went through your morning routine.  You dressed, armor and all, took a hunk of bread from the kitchen and went down to the officer’s barracks.  That took exactly twenty-two minutes.
>For the remaining thirty-eight, you have been on the receiving end of a rather passive aggressive butt-chewing on the part of Lieutenant Laurel Wreath.  Apparently word of your bout with Guardspony Glen has already made its rounds through the barracks and is the talk of the castle.
>The aged unicorn paces in front of you, shaking his head again.
>“Further more, as you have been placed on an assignment with the highest priority, you should seek to end confrontation with as little violence as possible.  Your job is not to fight, it is to protect.  I didn’t think I would have to explain this so thoroughly, but apparently I do.  Do you understand?”
>After nearly three-quarters of an hour, you certainly hope you do.  Taking another long drag from your cup, you hit the bottom and place it back down on the plate.  Without taking your eyes off your second-in-command, you push both pieces of china towards him.  Laurel huffs and rolls his eyes, but lifts the pot and pours you another cup.
>Smiling, you bring it back to your lips and savor the scent, feeling your eyelids descend.  You let out a satisfied sigh that scatters the steam and take a quick sip.
“I understand that I did make a few mistakes, Lieutenant, but the situation escalated out of my control very quickly.  I was not adequately prepared to deal with the more, rambunctious side of the Princess.”
>“And you’re saying that you are today?”



>The corner of your mouth slides up as you open your eyes.  The unicorn is giving you a concerned look with his lips curled downward, his brow furrowed.  Placing your coffee down, you nod.
“Absolutely.  Princess Mi Amore Cadenza will no longer be any trouble.”
>That’s an out and out lie and you both know it, perhaps you better than he.  Cadence is playful by nature and that has a tendency to get her into trouble.  It’s impossible to watch her every hour of the day and still provide her the level of control over her life that she clearly appreciates.
>Still, if you can stop the big things from going wrong, it’s very likely that any remaining issues can be nipped in the bud.  Of course, that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with problems that have already cropped up.  You tap your fingers on the table a few times and then look to Laurel.
“Lieutenant, how do I assign a guard to the Princess’ detail, for when I have personal matters to see to?”
>“For today, inform me who you would like to observe the Princess and when.  I’ll make sure that it makes it onto the assignment board before the day guards are roused.”
“Ah, all right.  Then put down Guardspony Meadowlark and another two ponies of your choosing to cover the Princess’ detail from after breakfast until lunch.”
>For the first time all morning, Laurel smiles a little.  Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he moves across from you and sits down.  After a sizeable slurp, he raises an eyebrow.
>“Not looking forward to face time with Guardspony Glen, I take it?”
>You tip your cup in his direction and laugh.
“That’s part of it.  I realize I’m a far cry from what Royal Guards are supposed to be, but that doesn’t excuse my rather lackluster performance.  It’s obvious that I need to step up my training, but the last pony I need to be hearing it from is Snowy Glen.”



>A comfortable quiet settles into the room, punctuated by soft sips of the black brew.  Finally, you ask
“What’s going on with him anyway?  He seems like he’d be an excellent officer, possibly even Captain.”
>The Lieutenant gives a nod and then shrugs his shoulders.
>“We all thought so too, as a matter of fact he was fast tracked coming out of the academy to be the Guard Captain.  Our previous Captain beat him by the skin of his teeth, and that was only because he was a better politician.  After that, Glory decided his skills would be better served as a Guard Attendant.  He was assigned to Blueblood’s mother and has served the young Prince since her death.”
>You give a short grunt and finish your cup.  Placing it down on the table, you climb to your feet and wipe your hands against the hardened leather armor on your chest.
“Well, I can say nothing of his dedication then, though his attitude could use some work.”
>“That attitude made him who he is.  Snowy is highly regarded for his earlier years in the Guard, though you’d have to ask him about it if you want the whole story.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening.  Make sure that Guardspony Lark knows about his assignment?”
>“Understood.”
>The officer bows his head and you give him a brief salute before making your way towards the kitchens to grab some breakfast before beginning your day.  It would be best to inform the Princess of the change in her protection before it occurs as well.
>She doesn’t take it as well as you would have hoped.
>“Really?”
>The distaste on the Princess’s face is evident, her brow furrowed with a scowl resting along her pretty lips.  You give Cadence a quiet smile and hold your hands out, palms up.
“I think it’s a valid reason.”
>“Being afraid of a few words from my cousin’s attendant?  Anonymous, you have nothing to be ashamed of, you did your best.”



“I didn’t say I was ashamed of my performance, just that my best wasn’t enough.”
>You take a moment to bow your head and let out a heavy sigh.
“Princess, it is my duty to protect you, is it not?”
>“It is.”
“And if I can’t fulfill that duty, then I’m failing you, correct?”
>Cadence’s scowl deepens into a frown, her stern gaze softening a little.  She shuffles her hooves a little and finally glances away.
>“Anonymous, I don’t like the direction this is headed.”
“Just hear me out.  Yesterday showed me that I still have a lot of room to grow.  If somepony attempts to bring you harm, I have to be able to put a stop to it.”
>In an instant, her eyes snap back to yours.  It’s not very pronounced, but there’s a hint of desperation dulling her eyes.
>“And I’m sure that you will.  You had Guardspony Glen reeling back on his hooves yesterday and”
“And it was in fair combat.  Criminals and desperate ponies do not fight fair, and will capitalize on any opportunity.  You don’t often get second chances when you’re soundly beaten the first time around.”
>“I still fail to see why you are ashamed to be seen in front of them.”
>You give a short laugh and shake your head.
“Again, it’s not shame at being beaten, I can handle any sort of verbal quip he might have on him.  But, he beat me, soundly.  My performance was lackluster, and I can’t abide by that.  I want to continue being your attendant, and so I need to get stronger.”
“I will be using my time away take part in some of the morning training exercises, to get a better feel for the sort of tactics that the Guard uses.  Surely there’s someone there who can help me.”
>Cadence scowls, puffing out her cheeks and averting her eyes.  You see the pale tip of her tongue wet her lips before she speaks again, in a soft and low voice.
>“Well, I still don’t like it.  I wanted you to be my attendant because you were honest and fair, not because you could protect me.”



“Well, I’d like to be all of that, and more.”
>You reach down, taking one of her hooves in your hand.  You give it a firm squeeze and bow your head.
“How about we go our separate ways after breakfast, and then at noon we can take lunch outside again.  I’ll even share another story about my time in Canterlot.”
>Though you’ve averted your eyes, you look up just enough to gauge the situation.  Cadence has a wide smile spread across her face and, after a long moment, pulls her hoof away, maintaining contact with your hand for as long as possible.
>“I suppose that is a fair arrangement.  But I’ll hold you to that, and I want a real story.”
“And you’ll get it, I promise.”
>Another smile and this time you’re allowed to bask in the innocent warmth behind it.  The Princess trots by you as you stand then follow her into the dining hall.
>Breakfast operates in much the same manner as it had the day before, though you notice that the Prince’s eyes seem fixated on you until he reaches his seat.  For the most part, you decide it would be better to focus on the delegate’s end of the table, sparing a look to the Princess every minute or so to see if she needs anything.  It works rather well, and prevents you from engaging Guardspony Glen.
>Eight o’clock comes soon enough, and at the first chime the ponies, gryphons and minotaurs are again at one another’s throats.  Cadence manages to escape unscathed this time around, meeting you at the door rather than walking through the mess of bodies to get to you.  As you wander through the halls, the Princess turns and gives you a concerned smile.
>“While I can’t make you stay by my side all day, will you at least promise me that I won’t have to call a physician for you again?”
“If you agree to be the picture perfect princess who sits up straight and never gets herself into trouble, I imagine I can.”



>She doesn’t miss the playful upturn at the end of your statement.  Though the grin spreads across her face, you can still see the worry in her eyes.
>“You know that I could never do that.”
“Well then, all I can say is that I’ll do my very best to avoid it.”
>With a satisfied nod, Cadence turns her eyes forward.  You meet with her guard detail soon after, Guardspony Lark donning a face splitting smile.  While you don’t recognize the other two guards, they seem much more professional than the fresh pegasus.  Maybe you can bring Laurel some coffee from the kitchen later as thanks.
>After a brief goodbye, you head down to the barracks to meet with Festus.  This early in the day, he’s still doing inventory, Dusty squirming in and between baskets of weapons, calling out quantities for the large unicorn to write down.  You clear your throat and earn the attention of both ponies.
>Festus grins as he sees you’ve still got your stick and murmurs something to the earth pony colt.  With a rather irritated scowl, he trots back to the back room, leaving you alone with the sizeable unicorn.  Tilting his head to your weapon, Festus chuckles and asks
>“So, not bad, hmm?”
“Not bad at all.  What is this exactly?  It’s like nothing else I’ve ever used.”
>With a conspiratorial smile, Festus heaves himself up onto his hind legs, crashing one leg down on the counter on his side.  Glancing left and right, he levitates a flimsy looking arrow in front of you before letting it go with a clatter.
>“Break that.  Just snap it in half.”
>You frown, but pick the projectile up.  Its light, as you would expect, that the arrowhead is fashioned in such a way that it would require a good deal of time and energy to remove it from the shaft.  The end is thicker than the rest of the bolt and boasts several eagle feathers.  With a curious glance up at the still grinning Festus, you clasp your hands on either side of the arrow and turn your hands down and towards one another.



>It offers no resistance as it flexes between your hands, flowing up higher and higher until the knuckles of your pinkies clack together.  Still intact, the bolt quivers in protest, but does not snap.  You adjust your grip so that your hands are closer, with similar results.  On your failed third attempt, Festus lets out a deep, rumbling laugh, and pulls the arrow from your hands.
>“Not so easy, is it?”
>The arrow flops back into place, seeming none the worse for wear, straight as it ever was.  You chuckle a little and watch as Festus attempts to saw through it with a knife, with about as much success as you had.
“While that is amazing, it doesn’t let me know who it’s like that.”
>“Ironbark.”
>Festus grins, leaning in closer.
>“Strong and resilient as metal, flexible and light as wood and its used to produce heirloom quality items.”
>There it is again, this magical wonder wood.  First your storage box, then the arrow and staff, it sounds too good to be true.
“Sounds like it’s the best material you can work with.  Why isn’t everything made of the stuff?”
>“Lots of reasons.  Access to the raw materials, since ironbark trees grow in the Gryphon Confederacy and the cost is enormous because of the labor required.  But, I’d say that it’s mostly because this,”
>A quick tapping sound draws your eyes to the arrow, which is again glowing green with the Quartermaster’s horn.
>“gave the stuff a bad name.  You know that the only way to remove an arrow is to pull it out.  Normally, you’d snap off one end and just pull it through, but as you saw that’s almost impossible.  So, you can remove the head, pull the fat end through and risk further damage, or you can apply a goodly amount of heat, melt the bark, and pull it through.”
“None of those sound very comfortable.”



>“Aye, that’s why it’s a crime to use them.  The Gryphons never had much in the way of metal, but they’ve got entire forests of ironbark.  And by the time ponies made landfall in future Equestria, the tribes had been harvesting it for centuries and become quite adept at archery.”
>“Masterful, it’s the claws y’see, gives them a manual dexterity that ponies could only ever dream of.  Pegasi Commanders lost countless soldiers to these fellas in border conflicts before the peace accord.  Wouldn’t know it form how buddy-buddy Cloudsdale is with the tribes now, would ya?”
>Festus enjoys a deep laugh while your stomach turns a little bit at that thought.  Despite the pleasant nature of the land, it seems it had a very colorful, very dangerous, history.  A part of you wants to ask what sort of contorted legality would allow the use of an ironbark spear over an arrow, but there’s a look in the Quartermaster’s eyes that makes you think it might be a question for another time.  You search for a quick way to change the subject.
“So, I’m looking to take in some training today, and I was wondering if you had any idea who might be the pony to study under.”
>“Guardspony Stardust, of the Night Guard.”
>The unicorn doesn’t hesitate with his answer, which leaves you at a loss for words.  Finally, you manage to string something together.
“And, why Stardust?”
>“I’d hate to ruin the surprise, so just trust me on this one.  Guardspony Stardust is your best bet if you’re looking to get a handle on your weapon.”
>Smirking, you nod and tilt your staff at him.
“I appreciate the insight, Festus.  You enjoy those bits, all right?”
>“Surely as grass grows I will.   And if you’ve ever got the feeling that your pouch is too heavy, you come see me and I’ll be glad to take more off your hands.”



>The two of you share a laugh before you wave him off and head out to the training grounds.  While you’re familiar with the area, the grunts and groans of cadets in conflict are a pleasant reminder that you’re on the right track.  Stepping out into the sunlight, you shield your eyes for a moment and let them adjust before taking in the scene.
>Compared to the straw ponies you had access to in the City Guard basement, this is a paradise.  Wide open spaces of lush green grass, matted down in some places from the constant falling of hooves, while dirt and earth peek from beneath equipment racks.  The sharp clacking of steel and wood is ever present, along with the occasional cheer or grunt of disapproval from the guards.  Reaching out to one of the passing unicorns, you place a hand on his shoulder, earning a look you’ve become quite used to.
>“Aye, what is it?”
“I’m looking for Guardspony Stardust, can you tell me where to find him?”
>Before he can answer, a second voice cuts through the din.
>“What’s a hairless boar like you looking for me for?”
>The guardspony smirks as he nods behind you.  Taking a breath, you turn and face the speaker.
>Not a stallion, certainly, not even with that low grumbling beast of a voice.  A thin vertical black slit sits perfectly centered in two large yellow eyes.  Her lips curled up in a teasing smile as she stands on her hind legs, a heavy looking spear spread across her shoulders, held in place by her forehooves.
>While her grey coat is unremarkable, her armor glistens like starlight in the late purple of dusk.  Perhaps most remarkable are the wings stretching from her back, not those of a pegasus, but rather a bat.  You’d seen them, on occasion, circling the castle towers as you patrolled the common streets, but never had you been this close.
>“I’ll say it again.  What d’you want?”



>You waste no time crossing the grounds to meet her.  Even as you approach, towering over her as you do with nearly every pony in this city, she does not flinch.  If anything, her smile grows all that much wider.
“Guardspony Stardust, I presume?”
>“You’d presume right.”
“My name is G-”
>“I know who you are.”
>Stardust cocks her head to the side, still maintaining that playful smile.  Behind her eyes, however, there is something simmering, threatening to boil over.
>“Everyone in the castle knows who you are by now.”
>Rolling her shoulders, she knocks the spear loose and spins it over her head in a slow, lazy motion as the crowd gives a quiet laugh of approval.  The blunt end of the weapon drops into the soft dirt and you feel her eyes, roaming your body.
>“How could anyone not?  The lowly City Guardspony who won the attention of a Princess, enough that she would personally request him to be her Attendant.  Surely”
>She pauses and nods to the crowd of ponies as they grumble in agreement.  Waving her hoof, Stardust smirks and locks eyes with you again.
>“Surely, he must be among the greatest of warriors to have ever graced Equestria, rivaling the legendary heroes who fought, bled and died for our great country.”
>Using her wings and the spear to balance herself, Stardust stalks forward on two legs and though she is still a good deal shorter than you, she shows no fear.  Her lips curl into a snarl.
>“Certainly more worthy than a future Weapons Master of the Royal Guard, wouldn’t you think?”



>The ponies murmur in agreement.  Stardust’s scowl deepens as she thrusts wide to your right side.  You flinch towards the left out of habit, but her surprise attack would have skewered you if it had been on target.
>“But then he shows himself to be nothing more than a talentless!”
>Setting herself back to a neutral position, she thrusts again, far to the right this time.  You feel your right side tug as the spear bounces off the outside of your armor
>“Graceless!”
>You’re falling back on your heels now, stumbling to keep up.  As she thrusts up at your head, you have the sense to knock the spear away from your face.  Though the strike was knocked aside, you still feel the force of the breeze as it zips by your ear.
>“Beast of a creature!”
>Snarling, she thrusts her entire body towards you this time, again knocking you back.  Stumbling, you regain your footing and grip your staff all the tighter.  Though she still smiles, Stardust’s eyes betray nothing but outright hatred towards you.  You’re going to have to have words with Festus.
>“Even if it was at the request of a Princess, you took what might have been mine.  So take your business, whatever it is, and shove it down your throat.”
>Well, this is certainly not going as you’d planned.  The guards are all seeming quite pleased with Stardust’s performance, cheering as the mare drops to her hooves and turns her back on you, moving deeper into the training green.  Your reputation is sinking, and if you can’t hold at least some measure of respect in the Guard, they’ll likely turn against you.  Your eyes dart from side to side, searching for some way to bait her.  It comes in an instant
“Is that why you’re the only Night Guard out here?”



>The crowd hisses, a low and dangerous sound, as Guardspony Stardust stops in her tracks.  Those vicious yellow eyes find yours again, burning all the brighter with righteous indignation.  You can’t help but smile, knowing you've struck a nerve as she snarls at you.
>“What, are you implying?”
“Only that it’s rather strange that none of your comrades are in sight.  Is that because the Night Guard is somehow less capable than the rest of the Royal Guard?”
>Laughter trickles in from the corners, rolling its way through the crowd as the ponies delight in the fact that you’re finally showing some backbone.  Stardust takes a step forward and her nostrils flare.
>“The Night Guard is descended from the most mighty and noble of the warrior pegasi!”
“Is that so?  Then why does the Princess of the Night not use her own Guard to see to her needs?  Last I checked he was a unicorn, from the Royal Guard.”
>“Hold your tongue, beast!”
>Watching the pony quiver with rage, you know that you’ve made your point.  While you’ve likely stepped into dangerous territory, you’re building rapport and a presence in the Guard.
>“I’ll not have you insult me any longer.  Ready your weapon.”
>The only question in your mind is if you’ll be able to keep any respect once she’s done wiping the floor with your backside.  You take a deep breath and bend your knees a little, holding the staff at the end and around the middle, the opposite end running parallel to your shoulder.  And then, you wait.



>It doesn’t take long.  With a howl, Stardust descends upon you with all the fury you should have expected.  As before, her attacks are quick and send you reeling.  Unlike before, however, she is well prepared for your attempt to escape.
>On her fifth attempt, she feints high and left.  You bite, jerking your head away and to the right, only to see that she has set herself up to strike again.  Stardust thrusts right for your heart.  Too late, you begin to roll your body into the blow but still with enough time to avoid getting run through.  Still, the attack is enough to knock you from your feet.
>The bat-pony clears the space between you with a single leap, her spear angled down as she descends.  It’s easy enough to tell where she’ll strike, but another matter entirely to escape from the ground.  Rolling as far as you can to the right, you force yourself left and onto your belly.  The metal tip of Stardust’s spear digs deep into the soft earth near your ear.  Her hooves make themselves comfortable on your back.
>“Not so big now, are we?  Where are all that taunting now that you’re eating dirt and muck, like a wild creature should?”
>While the ponies in Equestria aren’t especially large, Stardust is not light by any means.  You can feel your ribs creak as the pony places her full weight onto your back, as though two large sandbags attempt to pin you to the ground.  At that thought, you smile.
>It’s awkward to move your arms, certainly, but you persevere.  The fact that you can see the spear shuffling back and forth as your opponent digs it out of the dirt certainly provides you with a sense of urgency.  As the weapon leaves the earth, you position your hands underneath your body and push upwards as quickly as you can.
>A cry goes up from the crowd as you feel the weight on your back vanishes.  With an ungraceful grunt and an accompanying cloud of dust, the bat-pony falls on her flank.  Sneering, you hop to your feet.



“Why don’t you leave the standing upright to me?”
>With an equally unpleasant scowl, Stardust moves back to a two-legged stance, though she uses the spear to steady herself until she extends her wings.  That earns your attention.  She wobbles once and then drops back into a ready position.  You decide to goad her a little more.
“Looking a little unsteady on your hooves, maybe you’d like to take a break?  Get your scrapes looked at?”
>“I’m going to set the record straight once and for all, you filthy baboon.  You’ve got some fancy footwork and your reach is to be reckoned with, but off your feet you’re as helpless as a newborn foal.”
>Though she taunts you, there’s a small smile there and the hatred seems to be matched by a ravenous hunger burning in her eyes.  Dropping back into a defensive position, you give her a smirk right back and wait for her to engage.
 >
>“What do you see, Snowy?”
>The aged guard glances over his shoulder towards the Captain.  Shining Armor’s eyes, cold as winter’s wind, remain locked on the field below.  With a sigh, Snowy Glen turns his gaze back to the green.  Leaning against the stonework, he props his head up on his hoof and sighs.
>“Guardspony Anonymous gotten under her skin, not that it is incredibly difficult.”
>“His movements, what are you learning about his movements.”
>The detached tone in the Captain’s voice gives Snowy pause, though he doesn’t dare look back again.  As Stardust renews the conflict by charging forward, Anonymous backpedals, knocking the incoming blows aside.  He has several close calls, the nicks along the outside of his armor attest to that, but he does well protecting his sizable core from the bat-pony’s assault.
>“He’s slow to attack, but his steps are precise, moving only as much as he needs to avoid contact.  He’s more concerned about saving his own hide than ending the battle quickly.”



>Shining Armor sneers at that conclusion.  Stalking forward, he keeps his eyes on the retreating human as Anonymous begins to circle around to the inside of the half-circle of guards, giving him more room to evade.
>“So he’s a coward?”
>“Uncertain in his combat ability is more likely, Captain.  By all accounts he’s had only a handful of time as a member of the City Guard, but he moves with a grace most warriors take years to learn.  Whatever he did before arriving in Canterlot, it prepared him for long bouts of combat.  Watch.”
>Even from their perch, the unicorns can’t miss Stardust’s cry of frustration as she continues to press her advantage, to no avail.  As Anonymous runs out of room to retreat, he shifts his weight and knocks the attack wide, turning out and away before setting his feet.  He repeats the process on the next attack, forcing Guardspony Stardust into the corner he had so recently been trapped in.
>“I see.  Then we shall simply have to place him into a position where he cannot run.”
>A stillness settles between the ponies as they observe.  The elder of the pair at last speaks, resisting the urge to lick his lips in anticipation of the answer.
>“Captain?”
>There is no response, but after a moment, Snowy presses on.
>“Might I ask why you drew me away from the Prince?  I consider my business with Guardspony Anonymous to be concluded.”
>The silence carries on for several seconds more.  Guardspony Glen sighs, resigning himself to never knowing the secrets of his Captain’s mind.
>“It is because I have business with him.”
>Pursing his lips, Snowy keeps his eyes on the field and waits quietly and it is not long until the Captain continues.
>“If he is unfit to be a member of the Guard, he must be routed out as quickly as possible.  I do not believe he has the strength, training or conviction to be one of us.”



>“He may not have the first two, and his conviction may be questionable, but he is unflinching in the face of danger.”
>“All the more reason to have him removed, the reckless have no place among those who would protect lives.  Once the Princess sees that he is unfit, she shall have no choice but to remove him from her service.”
>With a heavy frown, the older unicorn looks to his superior officer but says nothing.  Shining at last meets his eyes, cold determination in his voice.
>“Snowy, you shall serve as the leader of the opposing force for Anonymous’ test.  Together, we shall drive this blight from our castle and return things to the way that they should be.”
>Another bout of silence, then Shining Armor turns and makes his way towards the interior of the castle.  Before disappearing around the corner, he turns back to the Prince’s Attendant, smirking.
>“And do not try to fool me, Guardspony.  I know that the Prince would not let a defeat mar his conscience, and neither would you.”
>The realization that the Captain is aware of Prince Blueblood’s interference ties a knot in Snowy’s belly.  The opportunity to pay Anonymous back, however, still brings a smile to the old stallion’s face.
>
“Getting a little tired?”
>Stardust snarls as she meets your eyes.  It’s quite funny, actually, watching her scamper after you, extending her spear again and again without success.  You’ve watched her stumble three times already as she balances in a bipedal stance.  Nearly frothing at the mouth, she spits in your direction.



>“Ugh, if you’re going to fight like a beast, at least have the decency to get skewered like one!”
“I’m afraid that would make meeting the Princess for lunch rather difficult.  As an attendant, I must place the needs of my liege above all others.”
>“ARGH!”
>Another push forward.  The weight of the spear is getting to her; it’s evident in the slower strikes, the tip taking about .8 of a second longer than the three close calls you had at the start.  She really would have been better to be more cautious with her assault.
>Despite the back and forth, you’re both grinning like idiots.  She’s in far better physical shape than Guardspony Glen, but she’s beginning to get worn down.  Now is a good time to put a stop to this.  On her next thrust, you move to roll away again.  From there, it’s a simple matter of pinning her back against the crowd, and forcing her to yield.
>As you rotate away and move to plant your back foot, you hear the low whistling sound of wood cutting through the air.  The bat-pony grins, having taken another few steps with her latest attack which put her in prime position to slam the broad end of the spear into your gut.  The wood smacks hard against your armor and sends you to the ground.
>She’s on you again, faster than last time, placing her hooves onto your shoulders and wedging her spear against your staff.  A sharp kick to the face has you seeing stars as the crowd roars in approval.  As her cheshire grin comes back into focus, Guardspony Stardust laughs.
>“D’ya yield?  Or would you prefer a chance to get more intimate with my spear?”
>It takes a moment to swallow your pride but you nod.  Stardust smirks and shakes her head.
>“Oh no, not after all that bluster and bravado you were showing earlier.  You’ve got to say it.”



>Your tongue grows fat and useless as your mind scrambles for some way to come out of this and save face.  But concerns for your reputation are quickly replaced with those for your body as she hefts her weapon once again.
“I yield.  You are the better warrior.”
>Laughing again, she jabs your chin playfully with the tip of her spear.  While she doesn’t break the skin, the pressure is certainly unwelcome, and if you didn’t think she’d make you regret it you would throw her off right then and there.
>“The very best, and don’t you go forgetting that.”
>No matter how good she claims to be, you’ll never be comfortable with her waving that pointy stick in your face.  Thankfully, she is quickly hoisted off of you by the crowd of onlookers, laughing as they carry her off in celebration.
>A few linger around, offering their condolences.  It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but made easier by the fact that they seem honest about it.  You made an impression, and a good one at that.  In the end, that’s all that you can really hope to do.
>Lifting your suddenly heavy body, you grab your staff and make your way back into the castle.  A quick trip back to your room to freshen up, noting again that grass stains are a real pain, and you find yourself outside the library scant minutes before Princess Cadence wraps up her lessons.
“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”
>You bow, putting on your best smile.  Glancing up you can see Guardspony Lark and the others standing a good distance away, content to observe for the moment.  The Princess tosses you a wry smile and raises an eyebrow.
>“My Attendant comes, at last.  I must say, things were dreadfully dull without you around.”


>Chuckling, you lift yourself back to a standing position and approach her.
“Is that so?  Why would that be?”
>“Despite your occasional ineptitude, you are quite pleasant to be around.”
>Cadence doesn’t miss a beat as she chuckles, the smile soon spreading into a wide grin as she walks up to you.  It’s evident she’s paying attention to the bruising and bandages on face, though she does well to hide her concern.
>“Did you have an eventful morning?”
“I don’t believe so, took in some training and made the acquaintances of some of the guards, so no, nothing terribly interesting at all.”
>Out of habit, you offer her your hand.  Your eyes meet and your heart gives a small flutter as a slight pink tinge graces her cheeks
“So, my Princess, where shall we dine today?”