Bitter Duty, Ch1: Behind the Mask by Nomine (Shining Armor / Cadance) (14/03/2019) https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/33536866/#q33623243 --- Shining Armor trotted nervously down the halls, a bead of sweat forming on his brow before he wiped it away. Today was the day...he didn’t actually want to do this, but he had volunteered for it to get his required one judicial lashing out of the way. He still wanted to know why….WHY...prospective guards had to witness five, assist in three, and perform one judicial whipping before their introductory training could be considered complete. Even more so, he didn’t understand why even underage trainees like himself were ALLOWED to do so! Granted, he had noticed that they primarily set the teenage trainees to whipping teenaged offenders. He figured there was probably a connection there. Similar age grouping or maybe not wanting to risk a lawsuit over an adult hitting too hard...either way, that wasn’t really his problem. No, his problem lay in the fact that, thanks to his volunteering, he was in line to deliver one to a teenaged criminal right now. And there was no backing out of it. Not without incurring some severe demerits with his superiors. And the last thing a prospective guard wanted to do was… “Focus, Shining.” he admonished himself, righting his stance and marching properly down the hall like a good soldier. No matter HIS opinions on the subject, this was the law, and he had sworn to uphold it and honor it. Silently, though, he cursed himself for volunteering. Not because he had to do this, no....well, partially, but...mostly because of the timing. His fillyfriend, Cadance...Cady… Cady had been caught stealing a book from Princess Celestia’s personal library. And not just any book, a book of highly advanced summoning spells. Dangerous magic indeed, even Shiny knew that. Conjuration in general was dangerous, but summoning most of all...or was that Calling...what was the difference again? Maybe he could ask Twily, she’d know... “FOCUS, Shining!”” he scolded himself again, snapping back into proper posture. Always with his wandering mind...Mama had said it would get him in trouble more than once. And more than once, he’d proven her right. Still, he felt bad for Cady...he had wanted to be there when she had to endure her given penalty. Forty lashes, and not in the silly joking way. No, she was going to be made to endure forty strokes of the regulation strap upon her flanks, no hope of mercy. Her sentence had been decreed by Celestia herself. Shining sighed as he kept walking towards his CO’s Office, reporting for duty. He really did wish he could be by her side...she would need comforting after all this was over and done with. And, most likely, so would he. He hated having to watch poor defenseless ponies, most of them his classmates, be reduced to humiliating tears over such small things as minor shoplifting. In fact, quite frankly, he often found himself questioning the… CLONK! Shining suddenly fell back on his haunches, rubbing his nose and his horn as the door to his CO’s office loomed in front of him, soon to open up, revealing the grizzled grey grimace of Sergeant Iron Sides...or Sarge, as he was known to the cadets. The older stallion stared down at the teenaged private in front of him. “You know, Corporal Armor, most cadets knock on the door with their hooves, not their faces.” Sarge quipped, holding out a hoof and helping Shining to his feet again. “What prompted this new method of asking to come in? Or is it just what you youngsters are doing nowadays?” “No...Sir, No sir!” Shining said, snapping a salute. “I was...lost in thought as I walked, sir. I am sorry, sir.” “At ease, Corporal. You’re not even on duty yet, technically.” Sarge told him, returning the salute. “And while I applaud how very much you have taken the lessons on Constant Vigilance to heart, you need not worry. I sincerely doubt the palace is going to be disturbed by a rampaging rouge-red rabid rum-reeking rhinoceros.” he told him, leading Shining into his office and taking a seat. “Sit.” As Shining sat down, Sarge turned to the files on his desk, selecting one and nodding. “Well, Corporal, it seems today is your day. You’ve witnessed five paddlings, assisted in three, and today is the day you will finally deliver the one required lashing all prospective guards must give. I’m certain you are excited for this.” he said, looking over at Shining. “Yes, sir.” Shining said in turn, nodding his head. A blatant lie, but...well, one he knew he had to mak… “Liar.” “What, sir?” Shining asked, looking up at him again. “Corporal, it’s written all over your face. You’re no more excited for this than the poor pony whose posterior you are about to punish.” Sarge told him, point blank, picking up a specific file and nodding. “Walk with me, Corporal. We need to head to the main building anyways.” As Shining obeyed, hurrying to salute and fall into position, Sarge nodded. “Good, Armor. You always have been a good soldier. But there’s more to being a Guard than just falling in line, following the regulations, and doing your exercises, isn’t there? That’s not what being a guard is about, is it?” “No sir.” Shining answered, not sure what was going on, as the two of them trotted off down the halls and out into the complex. “Armor, do you know what I see in you? What I saw in your face in there? I saw a pony who has the makings of one of the best of the best of the guards. Possibly even Captain someday. You want to be a guard not because you want the glory, or it’s a job, or anything like that. You want to be a guard because you want to protect other ponies from those who would do them harm. To be one of the shields that keeps the evil at bay so those little ponies out there can live free and happy, right?” Shining had, unknown to himself but seen by Sarge, straightened up even more, now marching along properly as Sarge spoke, nodding to him. “Sir, Yes Sir. That is why I want to be a guard. But…” he started, only for Sarge to cut across him. “But you find it difficult to put those two ideas together in your head, don’t you? How can you, a pony sworn to protect and serve, to prevent those kinds of things, deliver agonizing pain and humiliation onto a pony who lays strapped down, defenseless?” Sarge said, quietly, slowing down a bit. Shining turned his head to look at Sarge, nodding, mouth open now. “Armor, I know that...close your mouth, Corporal, you’ll catch flies that way...I know that because I’ve seen plenty of young guards like you. Compassionate, kind, and fiercely determined to protect. There’s one like you in every platoon. And inevitably, ponies like you either wash out entirely...or go on to become one of the best.” Sarge said, then stopped entirely, turning to look at Shining. “I am about to break the rules big time, Armor. We sergeants are not supposed to tell you cadets why you have to witness, assist, and even deliver these judicial spankings. But, every guard like you, every cadet I’ve given this option to, they’ve gone on to become very good guards indeed. So I’m going to ask you now...do you want to know why?” Shining blinked, thoughts tumbling to a halt in his head. Sarge didn’t offer choices, or ask questions like that. Sarge didn’t care what a soldier wanted. His job was to mold them into proper guards. Why was he… “Yes, Sarge.” his traitor mouth replied. Sarge nodded. “It’s a test, Armor. A test and a way of gauging and sizing up new recruits, to help us weed out the bad ones and push them towards jobs...or therapy...as needed.” Shining just blinked, opening up his mouth before thinking better of it and closing it again as Sarge stood up and started walking towards the main building again. “Armor, listen. As a guard, even if you are assigned to the city, you are going to see combat. You are going to have to fight. These spankings are a test of whether or not you can bring yourself to deliver blows, even to one who is helpless before you, should the need arise. When you watch the spankings, we Sergeants watch you cadets, seeing who averts their eyes or closes them, seeing who is a little too eager. When you assist, we watch how you handle the criminals. Are you gentle, firm, overly rough? And worst of all, we watch when you deliver. Because, Armor…” Sarge said, then looked at him. “Armor, if you choke when spanking a criminal whose punishment has been set down by Celestial Law, then what will stop you from choking when you have to deliver the final blow to an enemy in a battle?” Shining blinked, then looked down at the ground as he once again lost himself in thought. Sarge was right...that was a very good way of testing recruits indeed. Of gauging their suitability. Still… “I understand, Sarge. But...that doesn’t mean I have to like doing it.” he said, only for Sarge to chuckle. “You don’t have to like it, Corporal. You just have to do it. It is your duty, bitter though it may be. Life as a guard isn’t like that game you and the other cadets play sometimes...what is it called, Mazes and Manticores...Dungeons and Dragons...OH, that’s right. A guard’s life isn’t like playing Ogres and Oubliettes.” “Er, actually, Sir, we play Wayfinder now...it’s a better…” Shining started to say, only for Sarge to wave a hoof. “Not important, Corporal. What is important is, life as a guard is chaotic, crazy, and full of duty. Some duties are sweet, but most are bitter as gall. And this is one of them, Armor. Can you swallow your misgivings and give a criminal what they deserve?” Sarge asked, opening the door and leading him down into the hall towards a certain room. “Sir, Yes Sir!” Shining replied, snapping a salute as they stopped by the door. Sarge nodded, giving him a plain white mask. “Then put this on. You’ve been selected to paddle a high-profile prisoner, and so, as per regulations, everyone in there save them will be wearing Masks of Anonymity. And there will be no witnesses other than the ones already there, plus your assistants.” he said, placing the mask over his own face. Immediately, he changed, his face becoming generic, his body changing to a grey shade, different than his own. Shining nodded, slipping his own mask on, feeling it settle over his face. After a second, it felt like he wasn’t wearing anything at all, and he sighed, stepping inside and waiting next to the punishment frame. The room was filled with grey ponies, each the same size, shape, and shade. Shining, Sarge, and three other ponies stood there, awaiting the arrival of the convicted who was to face the doom of their flank at his hooves. Shining gulped a little...he really wasn’t looking forward to this, and he knew that it would show on his face if he weren’t wearing that mask. Finally, as the clock chimed four fifteen, the doors opened, and two more grey ponies trotted in, the prisoner between them. As the assistants parted way, Shining had to stifle a gasp as he saw who it was he had been assigned to punish. His high profile prisoner was none other than Princess Cadance herself. As the two assistants brought her forward, one of the grey ponies stepped up, unrolling a scroll and beginning to speak, reading off the sentence awaiting the Princess of Love for her crimes. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, you stand convicted by Celestial Decree after being caught in flagrante delicto in possession of stolen property belonging to one Princess Celestia Aurora Pendragon, such property comprising one of her spellbooks containing powerful and forbidden magic. While a crime of this severity would normally constitute a jail term, Princess Celestia has decreed that, owing to your good behavior up until now, your services to Equestria and the World, and to your confession and lack of attempts to mitigate your punishment, you are to be shown Celestial Mercy. Thus, you are hereby sentenced to suffer forty lashes of the regulation strap upon your bare and unprotected flanks, and are forbidden from seeking magical or mundane healing for any marks left by such until such time as they fade naturally or a week shall have passed. Do you understand and accept this sentence?” the masked officer asked. “I...I do.” Cadance stammered, looking fearfully at the rack in front of her. This was it now...no turning back. Nothing she said or did could in any way prevent this from happening any longer. “Very well. Assistants, please secure the prisoner to the punishment rack.” the Officer said, stepping back and pulling out a clipboard. With that order, the two anonymous assistants gently took Cadance, leading her over to the rack and pushing her up along it, securing her wings, placing a ring upon her horn, strapping down her forehooves and hind hooves, even as the now-sniffling and spooked princess held herself still for them, allowing them to do their work. Not that it would make things any easier on her. Finally, after five minutes of work, the assistants stepped back, Cadance now firmly secured to the rack, her flanks exposed and vulnerable. Even her marehood was slightly visible, though with her legs tied together there was no chance of him accidentally striking it. Quite frankly, if Shining weren’t the one about to have to deliver her into a realm of agony, he would have greatly appreciated the sight. Cady always did have a rather shapely plot, and he had lost count of the number of times he had quietly locked himself in his room and gotten out tissues and… “I said, you may execute the sentence, sir guard.” came the Officer’s voice, and Shining jumped. Off to the side, one of the grey ponies...most likely Sarge...chuckled. Shining walked over and gently grabbed the strap in his magic...thick, heavy faux leather, sanded edges, doubled over just like a belt. Every part of it designed to give maximum sting while minimizing the risk of damage. Swallowing his dislike of this, Shining turned to Cady now, gently taking aim with the strap, bringing it up and...Splat! His first swing was far too weak, and the officer shook her head. That hadn’t counted at all. He would have to try harder, or else he… Or else Sarge would have to take over for him. And while that would just get Shining some demerits, it would mean Cady would have to suffer far more than if he just stallioned up and did his bitter duty. He could try to give Cady an easier time...Sarge wouldn’t be near as merciful. With that thought in mind, Shining raised the strap again, and this time lashed down with a loud CRACK! “AIIEEEEE!!” Cadance’s yell of pain let him know he’d gotten it right that time. Maybe too right. He needed to control it, and keep with the count. That was it, focus on the count of the seconds, just like they had taught him to do when marching drills. One….Two...Three… CRACK! “OWWW!!!” Well, that was two delivered well...five percent of the way there. But Cady was already sniffling from the fire growing in her hindquarters. No doubt she had no idea just how bad this would likely go for her. Shining could already feel his heart going out to her… CRACK! “WAAAAAH!” But he couldn’t stop to comfort her or ease her pain. Her punishment had been set down by Celestia herself, and he had to carry it out. He was her only hope of avoiding something worse. Much as he hated it, bitter as it was… CRACK! “I’mSorry!Please!” He was the best chance his beloved alicorn had. He had to be strong for her. As Shining continued to lash Cadance’s behind, he watched that pink bottom grow more and more red with every stroke, even as her cries grew louder and more vocal, every strike bringing forth a fresh yelp of pain and a fresh wave of tears. Finally, the Court Officer gave the signal for fifteen strikes, prompting Shining to cease his actions while one of the grey ponies looked Cadance over in sheer silence...the doctor, most likely, making sure she was uninjured and able to continue. Shining could see Cady blubbering at the doctor, begging him in half-words to declare her unfit to continue. Unfortunately for her, she was still very much fit and Shining was given the symbol to proceed. “No! No no, Please no…” CRACK! “AAAAAHHH!!!” And thus it began again, this time with Shining aiming his blows higher up on Cadance’s rump, now having to vary his strikes in accordance with how he was trained. Already his strength was starting to run out...it was much harder to control one’s strikes than ponies tended to… crack… Once again, the court officer shook her head. That was the second strike. He could only miss one more before Sarge would take the strap away and deliver it himself. Shining steeled himself yet again, delivering the next WHACK! “OWWWWYYYY!!!!” Yep...too hard, but it definitely counted. On and on Shining strapped his beloved, trying not to cry as he watched her writhing on the boards, tears rolling down her face and cheeks. Finally...Finally!...The officer gave the signal for thirty strokes, and Shining could again rest his magic. In fact...he dropped the hoof out of his magic and into his hooves. Maybe the fact he wasn’t an Earth pony could help preserve her flanks. “PleasepleaseIcan’t take it...Please I’ll do anything let me go…” he could hear Cadance begging the doctor, only for that grey pony to shake their head and step back, giving Shining the nod to continue. CRACK! “AAAAaaaaahhhhh…” Cady cried out, her voice starting to give out now as she just hung limp and sobbed. Now Shining’s heart fully melted, and he started to focus just on the numbers again. One...two...three… CRACK! It was a basic rhythm game now...those little clapping games he played with Twily when she was a foal. Just keep the tune, listen to the cracks of the strap against Cady’s flanks. And...finally… CRACK! That...by his thoughts, that was forty. Everyone in the room was silent, save for Cadance’s broken sobs and sniffles and cries. Finally, the officer spoke. “Forty lashes delivered. Sentence is completed.” they said, marking something down on their clipboard. The assistants soon helped Cadance down off the boards, the mare looking all around at each one of them before opening her mouth. “I...I don’t know which one of you is my aunty...but whoever you are...I...I...I can’t even say the word I feel towards you right now.” she snapped, wiping her eyes before running out of the room, the sounds of her hooffalls fading away into the distance. Shining wasn’t long after her, either. Stopping only to speak to Sarge after he had removed his mask, being assured that he had done well, and that this was the end of his participation in the Criminal Justice program. Once he had Sarge’s signature on his file, the Corporal was off like a shot himself...he had a mare to go and see. -------------------------------------------------------------- It was well past dusk now, and Shining lay with Cadance on a couch in her chambers in the palace, holding his beloved mare close to his chest, just gently stroking her back as he apologized for the tenth time that he couldn’t have been there to witness her and comfort her afterward. Kissing her and loving on her as he listened to her rant and rave about how unfair it was that she was punished so harshly and even forbidden from seeking even mundane pain relief. And all he could do was just sit there and nuzzle her and whisper sweet nothings into her ears, because...well, how do you go about telling the mare you love that you were the masked pony who had just beaten her flanks. Not to mention, he was sure there was a law against revealing yourself like that. So, lay there he did, cady on his chest as he rubbed her back and wings, gently crooning to her and telling her how very much he loved her and cherished her as his wonderful marefriend. It was a nice quiet moment indeed… knock knock Both pony’s heads picked up at the sound of that tiny little knock. “Come in?” Cadance called out, as Shining gently magiced a blanket over her backside to preserve some of her dignity. Slowly, the door opened, admitting a tiny little unicorn filly with tearstains on her cheeks as she trotted inside, rubbing at one eye with a hoof. “Twily? What happened...were the colts at school bullying you again? Did they try and break Smarty Pants?” Shining asked, looking at Cadance as the larger mare moved so he could get down off the couch. Once he was in front of his little sister, he gently pulled her into a hug, wiping away her tears, even as she shook her head. “N..No, BBBFF...I...I wanted to say...I wanted to say Sorry to Cadance.” she said, looking up at him with a fresh set of tears forming in each eye, even as she hugged him close. “What? Why would you need to say sorry to Cady? Did you do something bad?” Shining asked, only for her to nod into his chest. On the couch, Cadance looked a little nervous...like she knew what was about to come out of Twilight’s mouth. “Well, what did you do, Twily? It can’t be so bad I won’t be your BBBFF anymore…” he said, only for her to nod very quickly. “Yes you will...you’re gonna hate me and not want to play with you anymore and you’re gonna wanna spank me until I’m crying for a year and…” Twilight suddenly hushed as Shining put a hoof to her lips. “I promise, Twily. I’ll always be your Big Brother Best Friend Forever. Now come out and tell me, so we can…” “I stole a book from Princess Celestia’s library and then hid it in Cadance’s room when I realized it was gonna be seen that it was missing and I got Cadance in trouble and…” “You WHAT?!” Shining yelled, as everything fell into place in his head. “Twily, why would you…” “Shiny, calm down.” Cady said, standing off the couch, keeping the blanket wrapped around her flanks. “I knew Twily took the book.” “Wait what?!” Shiny cried, snapping his head to her now. “Let me explain, please...When I found the book in my room, I knew Twily had to have been the one who took it. She had been asking about summoning magic for weeks. But I decided to accept responsibility for it, even though I knew what would happen.” she told him, coming over and nuzzling both him and Twilight. “Why?” he asked, looking down at Twilight with the angry eyes. “Because the worst I would get is a spanking. Aunt Celestia wasn’t about to throw me in prison. But Twily could have lost her position as Aunty’s student. I couldn’t let that happen.” Shining was...in a word, confused. His mind whirled with various thoughts, even as he set Twilight down on the ground and took a deep breath. “So, let me see if I have this all straight.” he said, looking at both of them. “Twilight asked about a book of magic, got refused, and stole it. She panicked and hid the book in your room, right?” he asked, Twilight nodding and sniffling more. “I..Im sorry, BB…” “Shh. I’m not done yet.” he said, still upset. “And then Cady found the book, realized what happened, and decided to sacrifice her own flank to forty lashes instead of getting twily in trouble...committing perjury and lying to her aunt in the process.” Cady gasped and shook her head, but Shining was on a roll now. “Not only all of that, but all these antics led to something absolutely horrible for me as well. Because I had to beat my beloved alicorn’s butt red raw today, forty times with a strap!” he snapped, glaring at both of them. Twily and Cadance gasped as both of them put two and two together in a heartbeat. “And now you two want me, a prospective guard, to keep secret that you both lied about a major crime?” he said, looking at both of them. “S...Shiny please...you’re not gonna tell Princess Celestia on me and Cady, are you?” Twilight asked, only for him to shake his head. “No, I’m not going to tell Princess Celestia anything about you two’s boneheaded stunt.” Shining said, and both Twilight and Cadance sighed in relief...then yelped as both of their ears were grabbed in magic! “You two are going to tell her the truth yourselves. March!” -----Appendix:----- This story is done, actually. There IS a part 2 I have ideas for, but I want to work on some other things first. I'm glad you liked the dialogue between Sarge and Shining, and I will say the whole premise was to be a different take on the standard judicial punishment schtic, along with examining Shining's feeling and misgivings. As for the swapping between terms, that was actually deliberate, so that I didn't specify the system as only using one implement. The enchanted Masks of Anonymity grant the wearer full anonymous coloration and vocals...they're mentioned in Celestial Retribution as well. And no, Shining didn't know until that moment. Despite all the clues that were there, he didn't guess it. While I do not think Shining is dumb...quite the opposite, in fact...I have always seen him as a character with good INT and CHA, but only average or even below average WIS. He's smart, he's got presence and force of personality...but he dooooeeesss have a tendency to be a goofy little derp. Part Two is gonna be a bit...the ideas are still raw and I want to be sure they gel properly.