Shining Armor awoke with a grunt; his head pounding from the blow to his head. Eye’s fluttering open; Shining looked around to find himself in the now empty arena. Groaning at the pain in his head and the walk of shame he’d have to endure, he got off the ground only to find himself face to face with his father, and he didn’t look happy.
Shining Armor didn’t know what to say. This was supposed to be the day that he debuted into the manticore world as a Sparkle, and he blew it.
“Father, I’m sorry…” he began.
“Don’t you dare apologize, Shining! A Sparkle never apologizes!” His father barked, cutting him off.
Shining Armor’s fury slowly bubbled up, begging to be let out, but he forced himself to calm down out of the respect he does have for him. Choosing his world carefully, Shining spoke slowly, “If being a manticore fighter means killing it….then I’m never going to be one.” Shining stared down his father, not once breaking eye contact.
Night Light’s eye’s narrowed at his son’s declaration. Out of all the times her talked of him not wanting to do this, this was the one that made him pause. The unwavering conviction in his son’s eyes bore through him and kept him from saying anything.
"No...you are never going to be a true Sparkle."
Shining Armor’s eyes stayed forward as Night Light walked right passed him, not acknowledging his presence and walked out of the arena.
Shining continued to stare ahead of him, not focusing on anything as his emotions seethed through his body. He was done. He was DONE!! He didn’t want to be a manticore fighter. He never has! He’s always wanted to defend the weak. Defend his friend and brother. Defend the one he loves. How dare he? HOW DARE HE belittle his dreams and try to make him something he was not.
With a his anger and frustration boiling out of him like molten lava, Shining Armor grabbed his sword that was still in the ground and pulled it out with a mighty heave, spraying dust all around him. Taking his sword in his mouth, he thrust his sword out in the air. With a swift rotation of the sword, he thrusts it in the opposite direction, wiping out imaginary enemies coming to slay him.
With each thrust and swing, Shining Armor defended himself against his invisble enemies, grunting in frustration with every thrust and swing. Every frustration, every angry thought, every single part of his body that held all his problems, he let them go, unaware of the unexpected visitors.
Discord chuckled as he watched Night Light walk away from his son. After he disgraced himself like that, there was no way that he could lose. He turned to his companion as she watched Shining Armor with a sullen gaze, watching him rip the sword out of the ground and started fighting his invisable enemies.
“I’m sorry to say this my dear, but it looks like I’m going to win this one!” Discord exclaimed, throwing confetti all around him while producing a party hat for himself and Fluttershy, who didn’t even flinch at Discord’s antics. After he gave air kisses to his imaginary audience, the confetti and party hats disappeared. “Let’s face it, that colt never really had a chance. But let’s face it, it was a good wager.” Discord held out his paw to Fluttershy, waiting for her to shake it and end this bet. Fluttershy ignored his paw as a small smile appeared on her face and whispered, “It’s not over.”
Coming quietly to the stadium entrance, Cadence peeked out onto the arena and saw Shining Armor, standing in the middle, swinging his sword. She sighed out a breath of relief. She was worried when she saw him get hit on the head and pass out. She tried to go back, but her mother prevented it; insisting that they would attend to him. She was glad she came back though, to make sure he was really alright. Cadence stepped forward to announce her presence when she stopped.
Shining Armor twirled his sword around, thrusting it to the side, where Shining Armor was now facing the entrance where she stood. Cadence stepped back into the darkness, not wanting to be seen by her friend. It was his eyes. His eyes that showed fierce determination and conviction that stopped her from showing herself.
Shining Armor swinging side to side, vanquishing his enemies, determine to keep them at bay. Trasfixed by the display, Cadence couldn’t keep her eyes off of him. This wasn’t like watching Blueblood when he was performing his sword show. No…when she watched Shining Armor, it was like she was watching him dance. The turns, the dodges, the elegance and yet, what she couldn’t stop watching was his face. His face of conviction. The determination that he was going to protect the ones he loved and not be knocked down. To stand up and fight for what’s right. A small smile appeared on Cadence face. This…this was the Shining that she knew.
Shining dodged left then right, getting out of the way from the invisible sword’s trying to harm him and his loved ones. He envisioned an enemy in front and behind him. With a deep grunt, he pushed off the ground sending him backwards and swinging his sword at the front enemy. Releasing his sword, his magic took over and he slew the enemy in the back, landing on his hooves and releasing the sword from his magic, catching it in his mouth once more.
Shining Armor panted around the hilt of the sword, exerted from all the fighting, both mentally and physically. He saw enemies surrounding him. Coming from all directions, leaving no room to escape or defend. He would never be able to escape, never get his family approval, never be good enough. With a deep cry of frustration, Shining Armor dug the sword once again into the ground. Panting hard from the exhaustion, Shining Armor shut his eyes tight and blocked out everything around him.
Cadence stood at the entrance, watching Shining Armor with a broken heart. She knew the pressure from his family and knew how much they meant to him. She hated to see him like this. She stepped out to go console him but was stopped by the call of her mother. She turned toward her voice then back at Shining Armor, who was finally composing himself. She wanted to go to him, but seeing that he was calming down she opted to go back. Shining Armor didn’t need to be seen in this state so she followed her mother’s voice and away from her dear friend, unbeknownst that his head turned toward her, wondering if she was just a dream.