//------------------------------//
// Crossroads 
// Story: Aurthur visits Equestria 
// by James Fire 
//------------------------------//

Having come up with a plan, I decide that it would also be good to know what we got with Shining Armour. So I ask him what he is good at. Twilight answers faster than should be possible, humanly or otherwise.

"BBBFF can make the best shields! They are even stronger than mine." Considering the difference in power between the two, that means he has very fine control over his available power. Shining Armour, of course, decides to go the modest route.

"Mine may be stronger, but you can make much more powerful ones." I need to see an example of his shielding. So I ask for a demonstration. I am also a bit confused by the acronym, but I let it go for now.

"Can you make a shield? I want to try to break it."

"Uh, sure? This doesn't seem like the right time for showing off, could we do it later?"

I shake my head. "I need to see how good you are. You may be the one to make the containment shield if you are good enough. Otherwise it will probably be me, and my powers could be of use elsewhere."

I hear Shining Armour mutter "Yeah, no kidding." He then speaks normally, "okay, I can make one." He proceeds to make a shield. I watch him do it, see how he gently coaxes the mana into strands, then weaves it, making a blanket-like structure. He then coats both sides in a powerful barrier. "Ready when you are sir."

I power up my shield buster spell, specifically designed to shred and crack just about any shield. You see, most shields are not made to effectively block more than three or four hits at a time, and they typically fail when stress is applied to more than a dozen different points at once. My spell takes advantage of that, being lightning based. It fires about forty different shots that, depending on the power put into it, can hit with the force of a sledgehammer, to the force applied by some of the largest railguns I have seen built. Mine is closer to the latter than the former. In order to absorb the sound, I place a shield with conduits connecting it to the base of the castle. All the sound generated from my lightning should be channeled and largely canceled out.

When I release the spell, a massive thunderclap is heard, as well as the Lightning itself being very bright, creating forty or so channels of plasma. When they all hit Shining Armour's shield, another boom is heard. After the slight blindness wears off, I am surprised to find that the shield is still standing. No, not surprised, completely baffled. The power I put into that, it should be gone, completely distintegrator and probably scorch marks lining the floor and wall on the other side. Instead, nothing. It just... absorbed everything I just threw at it. Time for inquiry. 

"Mr Armour, could you please explain what, exactly, you did to your shield?"

"Sure. You saw me making it right?" I nod. "So, you saw that I used three layers?" Another nod. "Well, each layer serves a specific purpose. The first layer I made, the woven mana strands, are meant to pull the whole shield away from the hit, cushioning any blows to the shield, allowing it to absorb the hit over time, reducing stress. The second layer, on the outside of the fiber, absorbs and converts some of the mana from the attack and feeds it into the fiber layer, and the third layer. The third is basically an unmovable wall, absorbing the shock that the fiber layer did not. They all support each other, as well as the wall layer being extra reinforced, allowing it to take stress in a multitude of places at once. All this makes a shield that can take just about anything, and survive."

My response is mostly just fishing for more information, trying to find why he could make a much better shield than me. "I use mostly the same formula, but how come your shield is much better than mine?"

"Probably because shields and other defensive spells are my special talent, as showcased by my Cutie Mark." He points to his flank, which shows a shield with three stars above it. As well as one in the middle of the shield.

"Cutie Mark?" I look to my flank, which is blank. "Does that mean I have no talent?"

Celestia has a motherly smile as she says "No my little pony, it merely means you have not found it yet."

"I have more than twice your power. I am not so little, nor am I yours." She looks a bit offended, but says nothing. "Anyway, Shining Armour, since you are so good at shields, you can cast and maintain the containment shield. Next on the list is: we need a casting place, preferably one that is away from any major population centres. Any suggestions? We also need to either have line-of-sight to Sombra, or lure him there."

Cadance speaks up. "The top of the Crystal Castle commands a view of the surrounding countryside, I can see for kilometers from up there. There is also the Castle itself. Being made of crystal, it is a very good conductor of magic."

"That will do. Any other concerns or suggestions?" One-by-one, they all shake their heads, or say no. "Then let's go! We have a universe to save!" I gallop off, in some random direction, really just going up. Caught off-guard by my sudden enthusiasm, they sit there for a few seconds before galloping up to me, except Discord. He just flew.