Maremagnum

by The6thMaster

1. Shining Armor

Shining Armor knew that his shield was going to fail about two seconds before it collapsed on him. The bright blue light of the piercing spell shattered the formerly solid violet colored energy like glass and continued on to its target. There was more than enough force to send him crashing across the room and slide into the wall with a low groan of pain. Shining's vision swam, his whole body felt heavy and he was completely at the mercy of the Unicorn who stood over top of him.

A chorus of excitable young giggles filled the classroom of Celestia's School of Gifted Unicorns as the finishing blow never came. Shining couldn't help but try and fight off the urge to shoot an annoyed look towards the children laughing at his expense as he slowly got up to his hooves and instead shot a glare at his teacher and supposed mentor, Ivory Tower. The blue coated stallion had already turned away and began to address the assembled fillies and colt who had watched the demonstration.

“Is there anypony here who can tell me why I was able to defeat Shining Armor's shield just now?” Ivory Tower sounded rather smug at the moment, his voice always filled with a remarkably aggravating tone of superiority that had always rubbed Shining the wrong way. “Yes, Shooting Star?”

The little filly who'd been practically jumping off of the ground to be recognized faintly reminded Shining of his sister. “Its because he formed his shield with flat surfaces, Professor Tower.” She was beaming at her correct summation and looked even more happy when she received a nod.

“That would be absolutely correct. Even though our able helper Shining Armor here has a specialty with defensive magic I was still able to defeat him rather soundly.” The way he'd said that certainly tested the young Royal Guard's sense of discipline as he tried not to growl. “Which is what you must recognize if you are in a situation of life or death. To know who and what you are facing impacts what sort of magic you should do.”

The students had been formed in a semi circle around the rather large practice classroom and away from their desk but, being in the middle of the semester, had become well attuned to bringing their notebooks out. They were all scribbling furiously away, guessing this would be a part of some test as their teacher continued on with his lecture.

“Now as I have been mentoring for our young future officer here I have gained a rather clear picture of his abilities and limitations. The latter being rather plentiful at times.” The last bit had been said more softly and with a smirk directed towards the other stallion who did his best to pretend he hadn't heard the slight. “Shining, would you place the strongest sort of shield you know up once more? But if you go for one with flat surfaces I will have you sweeping the floors of my office for a month.”

His blood was up now, today had been awful with barbs and insults thrown and used as a practice dummy almost constantly. It was nearly the end of his officer training in the Royal Guard and Ivory Tower seemed intent on making it as miserable as it had ever been in the few remaining weeks they had left. Where other officer candidates were enjoying praise and guidance from the professors of this school, often aided by their family connections, this whole year had been an absolute hell for Shining.

Here was a chance to maybe put the older Unicorn in his place once and for all and break the veneer of immense capability and coolness Ivory Tower kept around his students. Lowering his head Shining Armor let his not inconsiderable store of magic flow through his horn and into projecting a perfectly round half sphere about his body. Ivory Tower and the rest of his class were now bathed, to Shining anyway, in a violet hue as he glared in challenge to his instructor and part time tormentor.

Ivory Tower merely gave another superior looking smirk after a second and lowered his head as well, Shining braced for the onrush of magical energy to smash against his shield as the Professors horn became alight with a bluish hue of magic. But no spell or attack that Shining could see came at him. Shining was tense with anticipation and couldn't help but focus entirely on his 'opponent'.

That was, at least, until appearance of tunnel vision became truly noticeable in the sense that the entire classroom of young students had utterly disappeared with Shining Armor and Ivory Tower appearing to be in a long narrow hallway of utter blackness. Startled, Shining dropped his shield and looked around in confusion while Ivory merely looked bored and ran a hoof through his white mane.

“All these months and it feels like you've barely learned anything at all. Honestly, what am I suppose to do when I give the recommendation for your assignment?” He asked. “You are exceedingly capable with shields but that appears to be all you are exceedingly capable with. Nothing but a one trick pony really.”

Shining Armor had had enough and stamped a hoof against the cobblestone floor with a snort. “I'll show you 'one trick pony'.” And, having little else he could do, charged. Right up until he fell through the floor and awoke laying on his side right where he'd started. The classroom was back and Shining felt a little dizzy.

The class at least hadn't been laughing, but peering curiously at him. “Shining Armor in particular has a weakness for forms of attack that involve mental invasiveness. His shield was purely a physical one and for that I was easily able to bypass it. You may not always know the kind of opponent you face right away but gathering information and being well educated are at the heart of any pony who wishes to be safe.”

Just as soon as Ivory Tower has finished speaking a bell sound rung throughout the hallway outside and the children, like any, were all too quick with rush back to their seats and collect their belongings outside. Shining Armor for the second time that day gathered himself off the floor as Ivory Tower chased after his students with the next days assignments.

Shining set his jaw as he brushed himself off, the classroom eventually emptying until only the two remained. Ivory Tower stood at the door for a second until he could be sure they were truly out of earshot and chuckled. “If nothing else you make an excellent demonstration.”

“Yes Sir.” Shining replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.

“There’s no need for hard feelings, I've been nothing else but honest with you, 'Shiny'.” He said, trotting over to his desk and shuffling through some papers. “My reports have been fair and better indicators, I would think, then those of my bought and paid peers teaching your peers. I suppose you wish I were Professor Puppet Strings and you Blueblood? Or perhaps Professor Butter Up and Jet Set?”

Even Shining Armor had to wince at that, he didn't think there was a single officer candidate who wanted to be the unmitigated jerk that was 'Prince Blueblood' who'd proven his lack of worth time and time again. 'You still don't have to be such a horses ass about it.' He thought even as he said. “No, Sir.”

“I didn't think so. Or perhaps you wish you were emulating the waves your younger sister is already making in this fine institution? Besides a somewhat rocky start at her entrance exam I can't think of a negative thing to say about her.” Ivory Tower continued, and Shining held his tongue and was fairly sure he was about to be dismissed until Ivory seemed to remember something.

“Speaking of family, there is going to be a banquet held in honor of some new up and coming Princess or the like, you know the sort, I have been cordially invited which means you have also been cordially invited. Its at the end of the week, Sunday. Don't be late, go.” With that, Shining Armor was dismissed and made a point of slamming the door on his way out or yelling in anger...at least within earshot of his smug teacher.

Author's Note:

This is to be my first attempt at a truly long story. Surprisingly enough I haven't run across a story about Cadence and Shining Armor with romance that was long and epic enough to satisfy me. So, I decided I'd try my hand at doing it myself.

Because the show doesn't begin to address things like years or the ages of characters I'm going to assume that at this point Shining Armor is about Twilight's current age in the show while Twilight would be a young teenager with a few years under Celestia's tutelage. Spike would be possibly even younger then the CMC and, according to word of Faust was raised by Celestia.

I'll also be taking a lot of liberties with how I think Equestrian society works at the top rungs of the ladder. My apologies if it clashes with your own head canon but I've tried to stay as faithful to the show while allowing for more adult themes that little kids are unlikely to care for unless they're particularly fond of politics and matters of royalty.