Card was walking to the field where Drake had told him to meet at yesterday. He believed it was part of the training today. Practicing shadows near Sugar Cube Corner wouldn’t have been the best idea, seeing as the colorful inn was set atop a hell gate. Practicing shadows so near something that powerful could easily have adverse effects.

Coming over the hill to the field, he saw bursts of shadow flame, as well as a rather familiar pony creating the shadows. Drake seemed to dance through the air, spinning and curling along with the shadows he commanded. Card waited a good distance away, watching his teacher. He truly is a master of his trade… He watched as Drake crossed his hooves, creating a circle of fire around him in an explosion of power. He spread his hooves normally once more after the fire had faded. Card smiled and walked over, realizing the performance was done. “Truly a wonderful display, Drake.”

“Thanks Card. This is what I’m going to be training you to do today.” Card nodded, listening. “My version is called the Fire Chain. I take it you brought your cards,” he asked, pointing to Cards hat. Card smiled and took the deck of cards out of his hat once more. He noted that the cards no longer had power. The shadows had faded. “Seems you’ll have to use your own shadows for this one.”

Card looked at the cards. “…Alright…”

“Can you call upon them, Card?”

Card kept his face straight. “Honestly… I’m not sure. I’ve never attempted to bring them forth unless in a rage. The only time I’ve been able to call them forth is when angry.”

Drake nodded, thinking. “The best way to bring out your shadows… hmm…”

Card looked at the cards. Making himself mad would never do. In a real battle, he would have to stay calm and rationalize. Maybe if I try that… He closed his eyes slowly, keeping his breathe calm and slow. He had to concentrate on the shadows inside him, and merely push them into the cards. He could feel the power inside him grow… He opened his eyes just as slowly, trying to remain calm. The power… he could feel all of the power inside of him. Drake hadn’t been lying. Now that Card knew what the shadows felt like, he could sense them, and they weren’t weak. He watched as shadows curled around the cards in his hoof, somehow still keeping calm. “T-this… i-is a bit different…”

“You’re doing wonderfully, Card. Just keep calm like you are.”

“W-what do I do with the shadows now?” Card kept breathing deeply, feeling the shadows trying to escape him. He was full of many doubts… What if they broke free? What if he lost control? Calm down, Card… Drake is here… he will protect you… Card relaxed slightly as Drake continued to speak.

“Imagine the cards floating off of the deck, following your hoof like a rope. Imagine what I did earlier, with my flames, but instead with your cards.”

Card concentrated again on the deck in his hoof. He felt himself relaxing, growing somewhat used to the shadows. They had always been a part of him… He COULD control them. He had controlled them for years now. He just hadn’t known it at the time. With a small smile, he watched the cards swirl off of the deck, forming a chain of overlapping cards. “This… isn’t nearly as bad as I thought,” he said, smiling softly. He could grow used to this power… as long as he controlled it.

“Very good Card… now… Think fast!”

Cards eyes widened as Drake summoned a fireball and threw it at him. He had a split second to react. He didn’t trust himself to deflect it… Quickly, he coiled the card chain around the fireball, catching it moments before it hit him. The fireball was contained by the cards, and now Card had control over it.

“Wow… Not what I was expecting, but effective nonetheless. It would be awesome if you could send it back at me with that much power.”

Card couldn’t help himself. Having this much power, he could easily do that, he knew. Might as well get a small laugh~ “Think fast~” He brought the card rope back and struck it forward like a whip, sending the fireball shooting towards Drake at top speed.

“S-SHI-“ Drake quickly caught the fireball as Card chuckled. Drake grinned and laughed along. “Not bad, not bad at all. As cliché as it sounds, we're calling that the Card Whip.”

Card smiled at the cards he had around him, watching them turn and swirl in shadow. “I can do anything… anything I want, just with a deck of cards…” Card could feel the power… and he liked it. He realized then that he was starting to lose control. He COULDN’T do anything he wanted. There were rules. He had to maintain control. Keep that in mind, Card… remember that… Card took a few deep breaths, trying not to relax too much again. These shadows were powerful and dangerous. He had to remember that.

“Now, you blocked one projectile… Let’s see you block multiple~” With that, Drake summoned 5 fireballs and threw them at Card. All 5 came at him from various directions, and all of them came fast.

Card knew he had only moments. The card coiling tactic had worked earlier. All he needed was more chains. Quickly, he concentrated on making that chain again, but this time, without the cards. The card chain stemming from his hoof seemed to split into 4 other copies. These copies seemed to be solid, but they were made entirely of shadow. Twisting this way and that, following the grace he had seen Drake use earlier with his own shadows, Card grabbed each fireball with the card chain and copies. Card noticed a bit of sweat on his brow. This is wearing me out more than I can feel… Card knew he was on an adrenaline rush right now. The heat of the moment, the power from the shadows – all of it was affecting him at the moment. He sent each of the fireballs back at Drake as he had done earlier. After Drake had caught them all, levitating them around himself, Card merged all of the copies back to the original card chain, saving his energy.

“Impressive, Card. You’re much further developed than I thought.” He levitated the fireballs around himself, thinking. “One more test~” With that, he doubled each of the fireballs, creating 10. They surrounded Card from a good distance away, spinning around him with incredible speed. “Attack from all sides~” His eyes flashed, and all 10 balls of flame came barreling towards Card.

Defense. Card felt something click inside him, and though he couldn’t see it, his eyes glowed with shadowy power. The card chain he had formed circled around him and expanded, circling around him in a full length shield. The fireballs bounced off the dies of the spinning cards. Card felt his energy deplete quickly, surprised at how much this tired him. The cards slowed as the flames subsided, finally reaching a halt as Card summoned them back to the deck. He then sat on the ground, panting from exhaustion.

Drake trotted over to him, laughing. “Good, VERY good! You alright, buddy?”

Card nodded, trying to regain his breath. “Y-yeah… T-that last a-attack… t-took a lot outta me…”

Drake nodded, still smiling despite the colt’s exhaustion. “I can believe that. Card, you’re amazing! I couldn’t even do this much at that age.”

Card nodded slightly, feeling somewhat winded. “Must…be i-in my blood…”

“In fact, calling upon your shadows yet keeping calm is no small feat.”

Card smiled slightly at the praise. “It did take q-quite a bit of concentration.”

“In time, it won’t~” Drake helped him stand up straight, taking note that Card looked a little shaky on his hooves. Still a lot to learn yet… “Alright, you know two techniques now. The Card Whip and the Card Shield. Next we’ll be working on your reflexes. No shadows needed for that, just physical training. You’re doing fantastic, Card. MUCH better than I had expected.”

“T-thanks,” Card managed to say. What else could he say to such praise?

Drake didn’t stop there, however. “You’re power is astounding and your control is undeniable. You only really need to learn about endurance and evasion.”

Card shook his head slightly. “I’m not as sure as you.”

“What do you mean?”

Card hung his head slightly, thinking back to their training - the power coursing through his body, the feeling of being strong enough to take what you wanted… and how much he had feared losing himself. “There were moments when I nearly lost control. There were times where I could easily see myself doing something horrible. I barely contained myself.”

“Yet now, you’re doing terrific.”

Card nodded. “That’s now. Later on… I may lose control.”

“Trust me Card. You won’t. You’ve got me as a teacher~” Card smiled at this. True, he had Drake, a master of shadows, teaching him to control his. “Be honest with me Card. Am I EVER this confident?”

Card laughed slightly. “Well, being honest… You do seem rather overly confident in me.”

“That’s saying something, isn’t it? You’re amazing Card. Even a foal could see that~” Cards smile grew at this. “Alright, let’s get you home. Think you can walk? You used a lot of power back there.”

Cards face turned a little troubled, his hooves still a bit shaky. “W-well… I-I think…” Hesitantly he made a step, but felt his hooves give way under him, causing him to fall.

Drake quickly caught him with a rueful smile. “Thought so. Overdid it slightly.” Gently he laid Card on his back. “Come on, I’ll take us home.”

If Card had any qualms about riding a full grown stallions back like a small foal, he didn’t voice them. He was quite content to let somepony give him a ride back to town after that tiring experience.

After a short walk, Drake walked into Sugar Cube Corner with Card still on his back. Pinkie looked up from her spot on the couch as they walked in. “Card?! Are you alright,” she asked, concerned.

Card laughed, lightly getting off of Drakes back. He could walk a little now, but was still tired. “I-I’ll be fine, Diane. Just overdid it a little bit.”

Drake smiled at Pinkie brightly. “You should’ve seen him, Diane. He’s a natural.”

Pinkie smiled and picked Card up so he didn’t have to walk. “Let’s just try not to overdo it anymore, alright boys?”

Card chuckled, feeling an overwhelming sense of family all around. Just as Drake felt like another father, Diane had always seemed to be another mother to him. In fact, everypony at the inn cared for everypony else. It was one, big family.

Pinkie carried Card to his room and laid him on the bed. “There you are. Get some sleep, now. More training to come.”

“Thank you, Pinkie.”

Pinkie smiled and walked out, turning off the lights on her way out. Card quickly drifted to a dreamless sleep, regaining his strength for the next lesson.

Author's Notes:

WHOA. Two chapters in Two days?! IT'S A MIRACLE. Not that anyone can read this yet, cause at this point in time, I haven't submitted it~ *giggles*
I hope all of you enjoy this chapter!~