The white sun gently warmed the back of Elu as he lazily lay on the bench in the playground castle. His eyelids were low and yet he wasn't asleep, merely zoned out as he enjoyed the moments of quietness. The colts and fillies were conversing nearby but he didn't pay them much mind, tuning them out as background noise. He had done so many times in his life when his old family was particularly loud in the adjacent room to his and made it difficult for him to fall asleep early. He breathed lightly and deeply while he rested, his mind pleasantly empty. He knew he would have to get up sooner or later, but that time hadn't come yet, so why would he care? Instead, he focused on what he could feel.

The wood of the bench was smooth, polished, not a single chip on it. It was dry and warm, and almost perfectly flat. It was neither too narrow nor too wide, but it was the perfect size for him. He knew nothing about kinds of timber or their properties, but this bench could bend rather easily. It was probably a deliberate choice — elastic things are harder to break.

Then Elu focused on his body. He could feel the pressure of the bench where it touched his body, his muscles shifting when he changed his position, his heartbeat, his breath. The most unusual sensation remained the feel of the fur almost everywhere on his body. It felt like a beard but more dense, softer, and all over his body. It wasn't thin, patchy human body hair but proper fur that felt nice and looked good. For a moment, a thought passed in his head, a question — how do ponies grow beards?

Another unusual sensation was the nudity. Most of his previous life, Elu wasn't nude despite the fact that he nearly always wore nothing but his underwear at home. Now, it was complete freedom which allowed his skin to breathe properly in all areas, including his privates. He was slowly getting used to the casual universal nudity but his eyes still passed some of the privates with a sort of interest, one that was forbidden before. Humans don't usually go around nude, and the parts most hidden were always what others wanted to see. And now, Elu had no idea what to think and how to feel about the current reality. But, at the very least, he didn't have to worry about clothes anymore. It wasn't like he had trouble picking them — anything that was for men and came in black was fine to him as long as it was simple, affordable, practical, and comfortable. Sometimes, during especially sunny days, those that were unusually hot for Siberia, he wore white or gray clothes. In any case, there was nothing bright or exciting about anything he wore.

Even now, his colors were rather simple: a light, soft shade of brown for the fur, and the much darker one for the mane. His eyes remained the grayish-green they were in his previous life. In fact, he still wasn't entirely sure what their true color was. Under one lighting, they were gray; under the other, they were clearly green. He had seen old photos of himself, and often the eyes looked clearly gray. It was an interesting thing he discovered while researching eye color change for one of his stories.

Finally, Elu grew bored of lying on the bench and doing nothing, so he fully opened his eyes and stood up. He let out a yawn, blinked a few times, and refreshed his thoughts. He picked up the sword he used and inspected it a bit more closely.

During the battle, he didn't think much, but now he realized that the sword lacked the proper balance or weight of the real examples. It wasn't surprising, but Elu was still slightly disappointed. Some time ago, he got a longsword replica for training; while its blade was made of plastic, the balance and the weight were close to the real examples. With his interested in swordsmanship reignited, he hoped he would be able to get back into it and train again. Unfortunately, he was too young for it, so he had to wait quite a few years.

Elu swung the sword a couple of times. It definitely felt weird not having a proper connection to it; all he had was his horn and the glow around the sword, nothing in between them. He even waved his hoof to check it. He didn't know what he wanted to feel — some sort of string, perhaps? However, there was nothing but air, the very one he breathed. Nothing at all was unusual about it.

He let go of the sword, letting it fall to the ground. However, his aura remained in the air just like he wanted it to. A formless blob of something that looked like smoke or jelly, a substance unlike any other. It felt just like his hand — he was aware where his aura were even if his eyes were closed. It was a part of him despite not being physically connected to him in any familiar way.

"What'cha doing, Roundel?" Speartip approached him, "Ya know, standing there with yer horn glowing?"

For some reason, it didn't seem like he could see the aura floating in the air. Out of curiosity, and also ignoring the question, Elu waved the aura in front of Speartip's face. He didn't react at all, simply looking at the unicorn in confusion. A small smile appeared on Elu's face when...

*Boop*

Speartip scrunched his muzzle in surprise and then sneezed. Elu burst out laughing as the colt reddened in cheeks with embarrassment.

"What was that for?" he complained, "Ya startled me!"

"Sorry," Elu said, using the aura to wipe the tears of laughter from his face, "I do magic."

"Alright, anyway... We gotta counterattack soon while bandits are weak. Ya gonna stay here for defense or attack with us?"

For a moment, Elu considered going with them to approach the bandits and drive them further away from the castle walls. However, he realized that the bandits might expect it and so would attack the castle while the main force was away. It's not an uncommon tactic and was quite easy to pull off. While Elu wasn't a bad swordsman, he was probably the youngest, which also meant the weakest. He still felt a bit drowsy and tired, so it would be best for him to stay and use the advantages of defense.

"I stay," he finally replied.

"Aw, I hoped ya'd come with us, but okay," Speartip replied, "We gonna return with victory!"

He, along with most other knights assembled in the courtyard and soon marched off through the broken gates. Those who stayed were three 'scholars' including Elu and two knights not counting the Lady's guards. Despite having some trouble identifying the ages of ponies judging by the appearances alone, Elu suspected that the defenders were the youngest out of the whole group.

While they lazily walked or lay around, Elu got to work. The gates couldn't possibly be left open like that, so he went to inspect them closer. They were indeed made of some weak cardboard-like material that would never be able to hold off any attack. Perhaps, it was an intentional design since there didn't seem to be any siege engines around: no ladders, towers, and definitely no ballistae or trebuchets to break down the walls. Elu seriously doubted anyone would let foals use any of that.

However, there was one important thing he did notice. Right after the gate, there was a drawbridge over a small stream. For some reason, no one thought of pulling it up before the battle. Elu immediately rushed up the wall to the battlements above the gateway and saw a windlass. Ropes from it were connected to the end of the bridge. Elu used both his magic and hooves to rotate the windlass, slowly but surely raising the drawbridge until it was perpendicular to the ground, closing the access to the castle from the outside.

"What're you doing?" someone approached him, a colt of a similar age to Speartip, but a unicorn.

"Move this up," Elu gestured at the bridge and then up.

"Why?"

"Bandits," he replied, "Knights return — bridge down. Before — bridge up."

"You think they'll show up after the thrashing we gave them?" the unicorn asked skeptically.

"Yes," Elu nodded, then tried to elaborate, "They... distract. Knights away — take castle. Not much defenders."

"So, you're saying they could trick us and take the castle while most of us are away?" the unicorn asked for confirmation, to which Elu nodded, "Hm, makes sense. I'll stand guard here in case they show up, then."

Elu nodded once again and left the battlements to pick up the sword he left lying on the ground. He wished he had a sheath or a scabbard to carry the sword with, but the only thing he could use for it was a rope. A few of them were hanging from the nearby weapon rack, so he picked one up and made a loop to fit a sword. Then he tied it around his body. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but it served its function.

Then his eyes opened wide when he realized that there was a second entrance, the one he used to enter the castle in the first place. Immediately, he took off and galloped to the tower which had the secret entrance. In what seemed like a second, he was near it, looking into the tunnel down the stairs. There was nothing: no movement, no sound. However, he needed to check it, maybe even close the entrance in the house. He pulled out his sword and slowly descended into the tunnel. Dry and silent, it was empty, but Elu's heart thumped like drums. He knew it was just a game, but it was so immersive he pushed the obvious to the back of his mind.

Slowly but surely, he moved through the tunnel, trying to step softly. He held his breath, hoping that its sound won't give him away. Step by step, he went through the tunnel until he reached the next flight of stairs that led into the house outside the castle. Up above, he could hear voices talking. He lowered his body and slowly creeped up, his ears aimed forward.

"...bridge up," a voice said, "Doubt they're defending the secret tunnel, though. I'm sure everyone's on the walls, I counted."

"You certain?" a second voice asked in a hushed tone, "Like, one hundred percent certain?"

"Yeah, absolutely," the first one assured, "So, we can send someone through the tunnel to lower the bridge or just attack them straight away. That'd get a little crowded, though. The tunnel isn't that big, and the exit is pretty cramped."

Elu was almost at the top and he could see a pair of flanks. He almost chuckled, realizing that the bandits weren't paying attention to the tunnel. He sneaked up and hit the pony in the flank. As the first bandit exclaimed in surprise, Elu darted forward and got the second one.

"Damn, you scared me!" the first one said, "Also, did you have to hit that hard? My butt hurts now."

"Sorry," Elu replied and then went back into the tunnel, closing the hatch behind him.

He could already hear someone entering the house, so galloped straight back to the castle. His heart was pumping as he ran, hoping that the bandits didn't get in before he reached the next flight of stairs. The tunnel was straight, it would be easy to use a crossbow to send a water balloon flying towards him. Fortunately, he managed to reach the exit without being hit, and so he closed the hatch. Panting, he stopped for a few moments before dashing into the courtyard.

"Everyone! Bandits go tunnel!" he shouted, wishing nothing more than to be able to speak the language properly.

"What?" someone yelled back.

"Tunnel, bandits!" Elu repeated, and the knights rushed to him, "They attack!"

"They're using the secret tunnel?" one of them asked and he nodded, "Alright, we're going to wait for them there. You ready?"

Still breathing heavily, Elu nodded. Thankfully, he didn't drop his sword while running through the tunnel.

"Water balloons?" he asked, hoping to get some sort of ranged weapon.

"That tower has some," a knight gestured at one of the towers, and Elu took off after a nod.

He swiftly climbed up the stairs and saw a box with water balloons. There were roughly ten of them ready, which should be enough to use against the attackers. Elu grabbed the box and went back into the yard and then into the tower that had the secret tunnel. The hatch was closed, the knights were standing around it in preparation for the bandits, their bodies stiff and their minds silent. The air was so thick with anticipation Elu had to remind himself that it was just a game. And yet, this thought went away as he placed the box and prepared himself.

Deep inside, he was joyful about this kind of childhood. His fear of interacting with foals were gone, and he allowed himself to feel like a child again. Carefree, without any responsibilities, he could play with others and enjoy himself fully. He knew he would have to become an adult someday, but this day wouldn't come anytime soon.

Minutes passed, and yet the bandits hadn't shown up. However, Elu caught the noise of the drawbridge being lowered. He went into the courtyard and saw the knights come in with their steps proud. Surrounded by them, a filly was trotting, dressed all in black, and a flag was dragging behind her.

"We have captured the villain!" one of the knights proclaimed, "Today, we are victorious!"

The castle erupted in cheering, and all knights and scholars gathered to look at the Mistress, the leader of bandits. Not much older than the Lady, she seemed to be a complete opposite of her – dark mane was tied behind her head in a ponytail, and her fur was a gray color. The clothes she wore resembled a cloak with some armored pieces here and there. A frown was present on her face, and yet she congratulated the knights for their victory.

"Yeah, we gave them!" Speartip appeared at Elu's side, "How was it here?"

"Bandits try get in," he explained simply, "But all fine."

"Oh, that's good! Anyway, it's time to get our rewards! All of us are gonna get those nice wooden swords..." the colt trailed off, a dreamy look in his eyes. Elu decided not to disturb him, and soon the two, along with the others, went into the castle keep for the celebration.

The keep was unfortunately a bit too small to fit everyone in, and Elu was too small himself to be able to see anything from the ground. Somewhat uncomfortably squished between others, he still managed to see the Lady coming from the second floor. She stopped in the middle of the stairs, making sure she could see everyone.

"My dear knights, defenders of the realm!" she spoke in a regal tone, "Today, we have gained victory! Today, we are celebrating it!" she made a pause and everyone cheered before becoming quiet again, "And it is my honor to offer the most distinguished knights and scholars my sincerest gratitude... I think you are all aware that if not for one pony, bandits would have taken over our castle and plunged it into ruin. He fought bravely, and his ingenuity saved us from the cunning abilities of our enemies. Sir Roundel, please come here!"

Elu blushed when everyone looked at him and parted, allowing him to go straight to the Lady. In all honesty, he dreaded this moment, even if it was a moment of fame. He had earned it, but it was simply because he was an adult inside. And besides, someone else would've come up with something like that.

But it didn't matter what didn't happen – his deeds did. On numb legs, he made their way to the Lady, counting his steps and trying to look at a dot in the wall behind the filly instead of looking directly at her.

"This is a fine sword that would serve you well," she said, showing a well-polished wooden longsword. The blade was painted in silver, and a wire wrap around the hilt seemed genuine. The straight guard of the weapon along with the pommel at its end were made of another kind of wood, one that looked stronger and more durable, "And, of course, my personal gratitude..." she leaned in and kissed Elu on the cheek. His blush intensified, and he felt like he was going to have a heart attack. This kiss was nothing, but it felt like it meant something. Thankfully, the filly was older, and so it made things somewhat less awkward and wrong, all things considered.

Elu soon returned to his place, his mind abuzz with thoughts. It was a simple game from beginning to the end, but he felt accomplished. The sword he had gotten looked and felt genuine, and even the size was proper – the foam sword he had during the game was nothing in comparison to this one in any way.

After other distinguished knights received their praise and prize, the foals took off their armor and went their separate ways: some went home, others stayed to play around for a bit longer, but the grand game of Knights vs Bandits was over. The Lady herself undressed and appeared in the courtyard soon after, and now no one would think that she looked like a princess once. After giving Elu a friendly wink, she went away.

He stood there in the courtyard, the sword strapped to his side, and he was unsure of what to do next. He was slightly tired, he felt a buzz in his muscles, and he let out a yawn. And yet, for some reason, he wanted to stay and play for a little longer. And yet, with the game over, he didn't know what else he could do. Perhaps, he can just go home and come back some other day to play this game again, but he wasn't sure.

"Hey, what'cha doing?" Speartip approached him.

"Uh, nothing..." Elu replied slowly.

"Ya know, ya'r really lucky," the colt continued, "Getting the Lady's gratitude... not many get that. But anyway... wanna do something together?"

"Tired," he shook his head with uncertainty, "But... tomorrow?"

"I'll be here at around ten," Speartip nodded with a smile, "Alrighty, I'll see ya then!"

"Yeah," Elu nodded, and then went to where he entered the playground.

Soon, he noticed his parents sitting under a tree shade, so he went straight to them. They greeted him with a smile and adjusted their position to let him sit with them.

"I see you've had your fun, Elu," Ring Keeper told him, "Made any friends?"

"Uh... maybe," he replied, unsure. He wouldn't exactly call anyone a friend just yet, although Speartip became the closest. And besides, they could become friends despite the age difference; after all, Elu had fun with the foals, so why would he be uncertain anymore? "Oh! Um... ten hour, tomorrow, going meet, uh..."

"So, you did make a friend?" the mother replied in a gleeful tone, "How wonderful! So, do you mean that you want to meet up at ten tomorrow?"

"Yes," Elu nodded, letting out a silent sigh of frustration. It would be at least half a year before he would learn how to speak the language properly. He chuckled to himself, realizing that he thought about that for quite a few times already. He just needed to remind himself that everything would be fine. He had learned two languages already, and the third one wouldn't be too much difficult.

After spending some time just lying on a bench and relaxing, Elu and his family decided to head back home. The sun was still out, but the colt felt like he needed some rest, and his bed would be the best for it. He had a lot of fun playing around, but if he tried to push himself further, he might just end up hurting himself because he couldn't control his body as precisely as he'd like. He stumbled a couple of times already but, thankfully, didn't fall. Sleepiness might just change that, so it would be better for him to take a bit of rest here and there.

With a yawn and a smile of joy on his face, Elu followed his parents back to his home. Truly, Equestria seemed like a much nicer place, and he would love to discover more. All would come to him sooner or later, he just had to wait and get ready for it.

Author's Notes:

Reminds me of the best parts of my childhood. I've never had as much fun as I'm writing about here, but... I still had some. Doing some roleplay with knights and bandits wasn't something I did often, but I did use sticks for "swordfighting" back in the day. I wasn't always the winner, but there's a reason why people generally didn't want to duel me.

And I still have a plastic longsword replica around. Maybe if I get enough money, I will pick up swordsmanship again, who knows?

P.S. I stopped using Grammarly (they have some vague ToS that might allow them to use any of my writing for whatever purpose they see fit), so the amount of small mistakes might be higher than usual.