[Friday Afternoon]

The rest of the morning went like usual. Strenuous exercises, obstacle course, practicing close combat, handling weapons, which were mostly just spears, arrows, and swords, and shooting range for unicorns. Having Commander Dusknight around to monitor the activities was the only difference that made the morning routine more tense.

When lunch came around, me, Nil, and Shining had lunch together like usual and chatted, while one by one, the commander called out names by random instead of alphabetical order. He pulled said ponies out from whatever activity they were doing, and they followed him to a temporary office for those interviews. Nil had asked if we could have that private conversation after we both had our interviews, and I agreed. Shining had his first out of the three of us. It took about 40 minutes before he came back with a sigh of relief.

“How did it go?” I asked first.

“I’m not obligated to go into detail,” Shining said. “But it was... Surprisingly okay. He seemed to be more easy-going than what I imagined when I first saw him. I was so nervous when I got in though. I felt like I had forgotten to breathe for a second.”

Guess we won’t get any ideas on what the commander will ask us.

“Interesting,” Nil added.

“Yeah,” Shining responded. “I’m going to take a walk around the palace gardens to get some air. Good luck you guys,” he finished before he walked out of the building.

One of the perks of being in the academy is that since it’s within the Royal Palace’s grounds, we’re free to walk around Canterlot, use their library, and whatever’s in the mess hall’s kitchen (with permission of course). There were some places we weren’t allowed to enter however, and of course we’re expected to bow and greet to the princess formerly when she passed by. I’ve greeted and made small talk with her once or twice before myself. She was very kind and motherly like I’ve heard about, but… Goddess, what a fantastic body she had going.

Her big, beautiful flowing mane and tail that waves to the side with the well-blended colors of teal, green, indigo, and pink; her eyes, a rosy pink that mimicked the sky during the sunset that portrayed great kindness; her horn, longer than I’ve ever seen that showed to be dangerous, but ready to protect her subjects with her widely expanded knowledge of magic; and finally her wings, their span unfurled wide, showed great majesty by each feather while she flew. She stood about 6’7", and of course with large sizes being an alicorn, the proportions go along with them. Her breasts look like they were a G cup size, but had just the right perkiness as they bounced while she walked. Her waist had just enough meat and fat to look healthy, but also had a stomach fit enough that make it look like she didn’t had a cake or pastry in her life. And then there was her hips… Goddess. Damn her hips. They looked to be perfect to bear and give birth to many healthy baby foals, and if I was a stallion, she could take my sperm at any given day. And the way she wags those same hips, plus the royal posterior she sits on a daily basis as she walked, I’d get damp in my panties just watching them.

“Uh, Lumina? You alright? You’re kind of in a trance,” Nil said, which snapped me out of it. I suddenly start to feel that same dampness between my legs, and closed them instinctively.

Dammit, my fantasizing got me pent up.

“Uh yeah, I’ll be fine. Say, can you hold my spot for a moment?” I asked. “I got to tinkle.”

“Sure thing. Come back soon,” Nil said before I quickly got up and fast walked out of the cafeteria while trying to keep my legs closed.

I quickly got to my room, closed the door behind me, locked it before I quickly got to my bed, and started to relieve the tensions between my legs.

I left my room a couple minutes later. It was sprayed down with air freshener to mask the musky smell I had made during my 'stress relief.' I had also replaced the wet sheets from my bed with spares from the closet while keeping a mental note that I would clean the former later. As I walked back to the mess hall, thoughts were looming around my mind revolving around what I fantasized in my room.

I thought of Shining fucking me... Again. I'm really getting tired of doing this to myself. It's been a while since I had a cock in me, and boy, was the last one just AWFUL, and that was YEARS ago back in high school. Not to mention, Shining is just the most amazing stallion I've ever met. I feel there was some connection going on between us as we spent time together, but I just can't be sure he feels for me the same way I do for him... You know what? That's it. After my interview and talk with Nil today, I'm gonna find Shining, and confess how I really feel for him. I've waited long enough for him to come ask me about getting together, which hasn't happened at the slightest. So now I guess I have to come up front with him. He's not seeing anyone right now, as far as what he had told me, and I haven't seen many mares around here making any moves on him over the year he and I attended the academy together. This is my one chance with him to come clean, get together with him, kiss him, and then give him the best sex I can muster. Better that I do it today than hold it off tomorrow, or I'll never get to where I want to go.

I got back in the mess hall with my goal set in stone, but saw that Nil wasn’t sitting in his spot. I guessed he was next to be interviewed. I sat back down at the spot I was in before, waited, and got bored out of my mind.

After a couple minutes of waiting, and a trip to the bathroom that I actually needed, I came back to the mess hall with washed hands before I saw Nil coming out of the other side with Commander Dusknight behind him.

“Luminescent Lustre,” the commander called.

I guess I'm next.

I walked towards Commander Marine as I passed by Nil. “Meet me in my room when you’re done. Good luck,” he whispered while I nodded in response.

I got to the commander and stood at attention. “Follow me please,” he ordered before he led me to his office.

I sat on a chair while the commander was behind a desk. The office was white, barely unused as it was only open for higher ups from the Guard like Commander Dusknight to take the space temporarily. Shining was right on one thing. Though there was only the desk and chairs we sat on, it felt heavy being alone with the commander.

“Luminescent Lustre…” Commander Dusknight said as he pulled up a file. Probably mine most likely. “How’s being in the academy treating you?”

“I try to manage,” I answered.

“I understand that you didn’t come here by your own terms, and albeit, enrolling here in a way that’s unique compared to everyone else,” he pointed out

“That’s an understatement. Everyone else had to take some kind of entrance exam before they got accepted, while I only got in with a ‘special recommendation’ by the old hag. Which reminds me, how DID she get me in here in the first place?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

What I mentioned about the exams was true enough. To get accepted into the academy, you have to get a certain score at the entrance exam before they decide to take you in. It’s actually because of that test that the others called Nil, ‘The Genius of Squad 13,’ due to him getting a perfect score in the exam. I had to ask him about that and what kind of school he graduated from, but turned out he DIDN’T go to public school at all. He was home schooled by his adoptive mother with his sister, and he had took extra time to study more on the side when class wasn’t in session. I envied him when I heard that to be honest. I kind of wished I had that kind of education while growing up. Anyway, I’m going off topic. At the orientation, everyone had looked at me with confusion and suspicion as they hadn’t seen me taking the exam with them. I did not like the attention I had gotten that day, but at least Nil and Shining were chill about it.

The commander chuckled a little from the question I had asked.

Huh, I didn’t think a guy like him would laugh at all.

“Old hag huh?” Dusknight asked. “That fits her somehow. As for how she got you in with that recommendation, let’s just say she and I are in close terms with the princess.”

“Wait, you mean you KNEW her?” I asked in shock.

“Boy did I,” Dusknight confirmed. “And from the way you described Bright Beacon? Seems like she hasn’t changed much since we last met. She and I attended here when we were around your age,” I sat there wide-eyed. I wasn’t sure what I was more surprised about. The fact that they’re in ‘close terms’ with the princess, or that they had a history together. Putting the two of them together now? The beasts of Tartarus would probably tremble with fear if they ever come across them. I could just tell. “But let’s get back to the matter at hand,” he continued. “Whether you attended here on special terms or not, I am inclined to give you a choice.”

“On what exactly?” I asked with skepticism.

“Whether you want to stay and begin your services to the Royal Guard, providing you a place to stay, and a… special program to help hone your ‘special ability,’ or resign from the academy,” he finished bluntly. I sat there in shock for a moment.

Did I hear that right? Am I allowed to leave?

“H-hold on…” I said. “Excuse me if I’m wrong, but it sounds like you’re giving me a choice to leave or be a Royal Guard.”

“That I did,” he confirmed. “To enlighten you on why you’re given the latter choice, it usually takes 2-3 years for a cadet to be trained before they were given the choice to become part of the Guard. You, and a few others in this squad, have made such remarkable progress in your training and education, me, and a couple others around my rank at the Guard are considering to take you in earlier than what we had anticipated.

“Now, you’ll be put through some pre-guard training, including the one with your ‘special ability’ before we put you on the front lines. On the other hand, you’re welcome to decline and resign attendance at the academy, whatever happens afterwards is your choice and responsibility,” he finished.

“So… If I choose to decline and resign, I can go back home? Or anywhere else in Equestria? No one would stop me?” I asked to be sure that I wasn’t hearing things.

“That is the correct,” Dusknight assured. “Personally, Bright’s methods and motives for ‘enrolling’ you to the academy seem unethical, and unfair in my opinion. I have a son myself, and I would never force him to join the Guard if he didn’t want to. I’m not sure what your mother had in mind when she accepted to enroll you, but I can only guess she only did what she had thought was best for you.

“The two of you have every right to choose your own paths. I chose to serve in the Guard because I want to give everyone a chance to live happily, and not let any opposing forces that could put the country in danger. I grew up with some unfortunate circumstances Lumina, and I don’t want anyone, my family especially, to ever experience a possible worse fate than mine,” he finished. I sat there in silence, taking in everything the commander said to me.

Wow… That’s… Really something.

“I will say this Lumina,” Dusknight continued. “If you choose to stay and serve in the Royal Guard, your experiences at that point will be unlike anything compared to what you’ve been through during your year here in the academy. So before you make the decision, I want you to think carefully, and make sure that the choice you make will be for the right reasons, or you’ll probably regret it in the long run,” he pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to me. The words ‘Resignation Form’ were in bold letters at the top of the page. “I’ll come back tomorrow to see where you want to go, but if you’ve made your decision before then, just slide it under the door here, and I’ll be sure to get it registered in the system myself. In the meantime, I ask that you keep what we had within this room, as some ponies may sway their decisions based on the reactions of others.”  

“Of course,” was my only response with understanding.

“Any more questions before we finish up here?” He asked. I took a moment to call back everything he said to form my questions.

“About my… ‘Special ability' if I choose to resign...” I said.

“That will actually be put under the classifieds in our records should you decide to resign. Disclosing something like that will be up to you,” he finished, which I nodded in understanding.

“Any chance you can tell me who else was given this choice before me?” I asked with a sheepish grin.

“If I did, I wouldn’t have asked you to keep what we had in this room, would I?” He answered with a sly grin of his own.

Dammit. Guess that’s not happening anytime soon.

“One last thing if you don’t mind?” I asked, and he nodded. “Why did you tell me so much about yourself earlier? I mean we’ve only met twice, and you seemed… Distant to everyone enough to not open up so much about yourself. So what makes me different compared to everyone else?”

Commander Dusknight sat there, and tried to come up with the right words before he looked back at me. “When I first saw you at the orientation… You reminded me a lot about my time with Beacon ever since we first met. You may not believe this yourself Lumina, but I could see that you two have more in common than you think,” he finished with a small smile, making him a little less threatening than what I had assumed before.

… He’s right. I don’t believe him. The day the old hag and me find some common ground would be the day cotton candy clouds rain chocolate milk.

I sat there in silence unable to make a good response with his claim before I spoke. “I think that’s all I got on me then.”

“Fair enough,” he nodded, got up from his desk, and approached me with his hand out. “Thank you for putting up with us in your time here. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide.”

I stood up and firmly grabbed and shook his hand with my own. “Thank you Commander,” I said before I headed onto my way out, but I stopped midway, and turned. “Oh, and before I go, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?” I asked.

He raised an eye brow at the question. “Continue,” he replied.

“If you ever run into the old hag again? Send her a message that the next time I see her, expect a can of whoop-ass coming her way,” I threatened as I punched into my open palm. He laughed heartily at that. As if he could relate in some way.

“Fair enough Lumina. Fair enough. You take care now,” he finished before I nodded, and left the office.

I got to say… Commander Dusknight… Was kind of cool. I found out a lot about him today, and I have a feeling this won’t be the last I see of him despite what I decide in the end.

“Alright Nil. Now it’s your turn for us to talk.” I said to myself as I walked to his room, ready for whatever the pervy genius has in store for me.

Next Chapter: Chapter 5: Cyan's Magic Duel Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 21 Minutes