CHAPTER 7

Just a short chapter about Drake and Shining's hangover the next morning...just for fun. You have to love their odd couple moments. Please review. I haven't gotten many reviews thus far, and would like to know how I am doing.

The next morning, I awoke on the floor. Standing, I realized several things. One, I had a splitting headache. Two, My back was stiff and my right legs sore from sleeping in an unconscious heap, with nothing but a hardwood floor and a fancy rug beneath me. Three, and what should have been foremost, I felt like something that had come out of the southbound end of a northbound manticore.

"Ugh..." I groaned, smacking my tongue in the gooey, stale cavern that was my mouth. "That's the last time I get drunk on cider." I muttered. My brain finally woke up enough to think rationally. "Nuh...it's the last time I sleep on a floor..." I hobbled into the kitchen, and drained two glasses of water. My mouth at least no longer feeling like flypaper or tasted like fancy cheese, I ventured back into the living room, where my companion still lay draped over his chair like a rag doll. I moved over beside him, and paused a moment, trying to figure out the most delicate way of waking Shining up.

"Ateeeeeen HUT!" I bellowed. Shining rolled out of the chair onto the floor with a loud thump.

"Oh...ow...what in the name of..." He groaned, trying to stand up quickly.

"At ease, Shining." I chuckled. "You're now the colonel of hangover town. Congratulations."

"Ohhh my head." He grumbled, holding a hoof to the side of his head. "Drake...you boorish nitwit...what have you done to me?" Okay, he was back to his old self.

"Heh. Got you drunk, I guess." I replied. He sat down and massaged his temples for a few moments, then glowered at me.

"Never again, Drake." He muttered angrily.

"You remember anything from last night?" I asked, sitting in a comfortable position in my chair.

"What do you..." He began, then stopped and thought a moment. "Did I talk about...was I talking about my beloved?" He asked.

"Ohhh yeah." I grinned. "You were doing some serious drink-thinking last night."

"I...you..." He stammered.

"Your secret's safe with me." I assured. He gave me a questioning glance. "I'm actually kinda glad you got so stinkin' drunk." I said. "I never knew you were a normal pony before." I laughed. "I think I like you better when you're drunk."

"Drake...I think I like you better when I'm drunk too." He stated. "Unfortunately, don't expect me to drink like that again...ever. I feel like I'm about to die."

"Perfectly normal, given how much you drank." I replied. "Don't be such a yearling."

"Shut up, Drake." Shining growled. "I'm in no mood."

"Hah." I laughed. "Alright. I'm gonna go get some breakfast from the cafeteria. You want anything? Flapjacks? Coffee? An aspirin?"

"Just get out of here and leave me to my misery, damnit." He answered.

"Alright!" I called in a chipper tone, walking out the door.

"The misery you caused!" He called back.

I returned a half-hour later, after I had eaten a stack of pancakes and drank four cups of coffee, and felt much better. Walking into our dorm, I glanced around, but Shining Armor was nowhere to be found. I shut the door behind me and walked into the living room. My roommate's chair was empty, and he wasn't in the kitchen. There was only the sound of silence, and it was actually kind of nice. I walked to the window and opened the blinds fully, letting in the midmorning light.

Shining Armor had obviously gone out, probably to walk off his headache or to get something to eat. I finally had some time to relax. I retrieved my recently bought copy of 'We Were Soldier Ponies Once...And Young' from my bedroom, and finally cracked it open as I plopped into the chair closest to the window. I soon became fully engrossed in the story of the 7th Cavalry in their famous battle and was soon on chapter five, when I heard a terrible sound from Shining's bedroom that drew me from the story. I think it went something like this:

"I haven't slept this late since I was a foal! I can't even think straight! You've ruined me, and I still feel like garbage! Drake, if you're still in this dorm, I'll have at you with hooves and teeth like a barbarian!" He opened his door and peered out hatefully at me. I smiled back.

"You'll be alright, old boy." I returned gracefully. "A bit of tea and a warm bubble bath, and you'll be spot on in a jiffy, eh?"

"Go to Tartarus." He deadpanned, and shut the door.