> Defender of Equestria
>  by twilightsparkle3562
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Prince's Nightmare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Defender of Equestria”
By TwilightSparkle3562

Chapter 1
“A Prince’s Nightmare”

Ever since he had become Prince of the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor felt like he had accomplished what he had set out to do from the time he was a colt.  He had a dream of being Captain of the Royal Guard in Canterlot and had dedicated his life to achieving that goal.  When he first met Mi Amore Cadenza when there were in Canterlot Academy, he had another dream: to marry the mare of his dreams and be at her side until their dying day.  

However, that goal was nearly tarnished by Queen Chrysalis and her race of Changelings who had kidnapped Cadence and assumed her identity.  By the time Shining Armor could realize what had happened, it was already too late and he had to be saved by Cadence and his younger sister, Twilight Sparkle, whom Shining Armor had accused of attacking Cadence because she was being too possessive of him.  

But, thanks to his sister’s instincts and dedication to him, Shining Armor, along with Cadence, were able to use the power of their love to defeat the Changelings and their Queen once and for all.

Now, a short time had passed since that dark moment in his young life.  Since then, Shining Armor had faced off against two more of Equestria’s darkest threats: King Sombra, the evil unicorn king who had placed a curse on the Crystal Empire that kept it hidden for 1,000 years and Lord Tirek, the escaped demonic centaur from Tartarus that had drained Shining Armor’s magic and left him powerless while he had thrown Cadence and her aunts, Celestia and Luna, into Tartarus, all because Tirek was imprisoned by them in the first place.  

As he slept one evening, Shining Armor could only toss and turn as he began to think of the horror’s that ran through his mind, the times where he failed to defeat those that had threatened Equestria.  On this particular evening, the anxieties of his failures came to a breaking point.

“No, Cadence!” he cried, jumping out of the bed he shared with Cadence, screaming.  “Where is she, Chrysalis?  Where is she?”

Shining Armor had been shaking so much, that he bumped his wife out of bed and on to the floor.  Almost immediately, Cadence got up and quickly used her magic to turn on a candle that was beside their bed.

“Shining Armor, calm down,” she said, trying to calm her husband down.  “You just had a dream, that’s all.  Now, just relax and I’ll get you some water.”

But Shining Armor could just breathe heavily and hear his heart beat a mile a minute.  For as far as he was concerned, the threat of his three greatest enemies was still out there, despite the fact that Chrysalis had been exiled, Sombra had been destroyed and Tirek had been sent back to Tartarus.

“Cadence,” he gasped, clutching his bed sheets while still trying to catch his breath. “I had a vision…a vision of you being tortured in the Crystal Caverns…by Chrysalis, disguised as you.”

As far as Cadence was concerned, she thought that Chrysalis had been permanently destroyed thanks to her aunts when they entered her dreams.  However, Cadence could not help but wonder of the stress that her husband was under.  After all, the recent rampage caused by Lord Tirek had struck fear in the Crystal Empire, even though Tirek and Discord, who had betrayed to Tirek’s side, managed to not come into the empire.
“I guess the recent events with Tirek may have caused your anxiety to go up, Shiny,” said Cadence, bringing the glass of water to Shining Armor’s side of the bed.  “Maybe it’s time we got away from being rulers of the Crystal Empire for a while.  I’m pretty sure Twilight would invite us over to her new castle.  She’s certainly earned it.”

“Yes, she’s earned it, until the next enemy comes along and destroys it like what that monster did to her library,” replied Shining Armor, calming down slightly although still tense.  

“The Crystal Empire will always be safe, Shining Armor,” said Cadence, reassuringly.  “It will be safe as long as the Crystal Heart remains in its place.  After all, it’s what kept Tirek and Discord from coming in here after all.”

However, Shining Armor was not convinced and went over to the bedroom window, sitting down and staring at it blankly.  It seemed for a moment that he thought that everything he had ever built himself to achieve this goal was all for nothing.  

“Don’t you see, Cadence?” asked Shining Armor, pounding his hoof on the edge of the window, causing Cadence to jump.  “Don’t you see what is happening to me?  I’ve faced three of Equestria’s most feared enemies and I have failed to defeat each and every one of them.  You probably made a mistake marrying somepony who is supposed to protect you from harm.”

This caused Cadence to storm over to her husband’s side and make him turn towards her.  It was bad enough seeing her husband suffer, but for him to be questioning their marriage over something so silly was something that she didn’t take lightly at all.

“Why would you even question yourself like that, Shining Armor?” retorted Cadence, her voice rising slightly.  “I married you not just because you were Captain of the Guard in Canterlot, I married you because I love you for who you are.  I married you because Twilight was the one who saved me from the Canterlot Caves because she was dedicated to us.”

Shining Armor was still unconvinced and merely turned away from his wife with a look of shame on his face.  

“Of course, Twily saved you,” replied Shining Armor, bitterly.  “She only did it just so she could be my Best Mare again.  She was the one who defeated Sombra and was the one who defeated Tirek and…”

“That’s enough, Shining Armor!” interrupted Cadence.  “Don’t you see what you are saying to yourself?  The only one who is being hurt because of what has happened to you, is you alone!  You are your own worst critic, Shining Armor and you didn’t have to be the one to save the day from all of Equestria’s threats.  But, I know that there is something that you are not telling me and I wanted to know what it is right now!”

But, Shining Armor stayed silent and just walked away from Cadence, his head down in shame as he began to hear an echoed voice in his head, a voice that took him back to his days at training for the royal guard.

“All right, Cadence,” said Shining Armor, sitting back on the side of the bed.  “I’ll tell you, but you must not tell anypony else, not even Twily.”

Finally getting some headway with him, Cadence trotted over and sat down next to her husband, who took in a heavy sigh.

“Do you remember the original Captain of the Royal Guard of Canterlot?” Shining Armor asked Cadence.  “The one who was forced out because he was declared to be a loose cannon by Princess Celestia?”

Cadence then began to think of the pony that Shining Armor succeeded as Captain of the Royal Guard.  But, she remembered this pony as a wise and caring leader almost as much as her aunts.  

“Do you mean Lock Down?” she wondered to her husband.  “The pony with the hook for a horn, the one who you said was like an idol to you?”

“Of course he was an idol to me, Cadence,” replied Shining Armor.  “You remember that he was the one instructor who taught me everything I needed to know.  When I was a colt, I was taught from the very beginning that the enemies of Equestria needed to receive swift and immediate judgment.  He said that any creature or pony that is a threat to Equestria would need to be shown no mercy and be destroyed instead of being imprisoned.”

Shining Armor took in another heavy sigh as he felt Cadence rub her bare hoof on his back, stroking it gently.

“But, didn’t you say to him that there was another way?” asked Cadence.  “I remember you saying that directly to him.”

“I did say it to him, but he wouldn’t listen,” explained Shining Armor.  “I do remember that he was brought before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna several times for his poor treatment of criminals.  Even when he was disciplined for his actions, Lock Down still reiterated the message to me that if you are faced with adversity, you show them no mercy.”

“Which is why you were so harsh with Twilight…?” began Cadence, but Shining Armor placed his hoof to her mouth and silenced her, not wanting to relive that dark moment of their wedding.  This caused Cadence to immediately fall silent.

“Before he was dismissed as Captain of the Royal Guard,” continued Shining Armor.  “He told me at my swearing in that if I and I alone, failed to defeat any threat imposed against Equestria, that I would be the biggest joke that Equestria has ever known.  So, I guess that prediction has come true.”

Shining Armor then laid himself back down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling above their bedroom, sighing heavily once again.  The thought of what his mentor and teacher had said to him continued to circulate through his mind.  

“But, that doesn’t matter,” said Cadence, trying to get him to change his mind.  “Maybe if you could just talk to him about the events of recent, you would…”

“He won’t listen to me, Cadence,” interrupted Shining Armor, harshly.  “If I told him how I failed to protect you…”

Shining Armor tried to explain his reasoning behind his decision to not face his mentor, but he couldn’t find the words.  

“He won’t change,” he continued.  “Princess Celestia deemed him unfit and he retreated to the edge of Equestria where he would continue to spread his message as a bounty hunter.”

“Time heals wounds, Shiny,” said Cadence, lying down next to her husband.  “Maybe you must have misremembered what Lock Down said to you.  I’ll tell you what, Twilight and I can find him and try to talk to him about your situation.  Besides, you are probably just tired from all the sleepless nights over this problem.  You are more than what you say you are, Shining Armor and I know that as much as you.”

But, Shining Armor was too tired to think any further and he closed his eyes, falling back asleep.  As he slept, Cadence knew very well that while Lock Down was deemed a loose cannon in the eyes of her aunts, she knew that despite his reckless nature, Lock Down was wise and that he would be the one to get Shining Armor over the self-doubt that he was causing to himself.  

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Empire, a black pony-like figure with holes in his legs and green eyes was watching the Crystal Empire and smiling evilly.

“Enjoy your moments while you can, Shining Armor,” whispered the creature, chuckling evilly.  “For when I am done, our queen will be avenged!”



> Seeking Out Lock Down
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

														Chapter 2
“Seeking Out Lock Down”

Princess Cadence awoke the next morning to find that Shining Armor was still that same tormented soul as the night before.  Being a prince of the Crystal Empire, he had duties and rather than taking a day off to ease his mind, Shining Armor was insistent to attend to them.  It seemed as though what Shining Armor said was indeed true and yet Cadence could see that it was just Shining Armor overreacting due to the stress of the recent events that both he and Cadence went through.

Later that day, Cadence travelled to the Friendship Rainbow Castle and told Twilight about Shining Armor’s behavior along with her friends.

“I don’t know why he can be acting like this,” remarked Twilight, who was pacing back and forth.  “I’ve always seen my brother take pride in what he does, but this is ridiculous.”

“I’ll say,” added Rarity, who was shining her hooves.  “If I was known to have made a mistake, I certainly wouldn’t act like a drama queen.”
The other ponies gave her a strong glare, for they knew that Rarity was first and foremost, a drama queen.  Still, there was a cause for concern.
“Cadence, don’t you think that maybe Shining Armor is a little bit overreactive?” said Applejack.  “I mean, he did manage to defeat the Changelings with your help, of course.”
“That’s true, Applejack,” replied Cadence.  “But, he seems as if he wants to defeat an enemy of Equestria single hoofed and we all know that it cannot be done.”

All the ponies nodded in agreement about this and Twilight knew especially well what Cadence was talking about.  All the times that she and her friends had defeated Equestria’s enemies, it was all done by uniting in friendship.  

“But what he needs is to see his mentor again,” added Cadence, pacing around the throne room.  “The captain of the royal guard before Shining Armor assumed the role.”

It was at this point that Twilight gasped slightly at what Cadence was saying to everpony in that room.

“You don’t mean Lock Down, do you Cadence?” she asked, worriedly walking over to her sister-in-law.  “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna thought he was reckless in his position and forced him to retire.”

“Yeah, kind of like how Lightning Dust was at the Wonderbolt Academy,” added Rainbow Dash, thinking back to the Pegasus pony who put her pride above everypony else.  “If she had remained lead pony.”

“From what I remember,” continued Cadence.  “He became a bounty hunter and took refuge in the Everfree Forest.”

Cadence was silent for a minute and knew that the Everfree Forest was no place for princesses travelling alone, but it was a risk that she was going to have to take.

“Then we need to find him, Cadence,” said Twilight, firmly.  “If there is only one pony who can get through to Shining Armor, its Lock Down.”

So a little while later, Cadence and Twilight left for the Everfree Forest while the rest of Twilight’s friends looked on nervously.  It took a while for the princesses of love and friendship to find Lock Down’s residence, not far from Froggy Bottom Bog where Twilight encountered the Hydra along with Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike and Pinkie Pie.  In fact, Twilight could still see some of the footprints that the hydra had made into the ground from that time.

“There’s a hut, Cadence,” said Twilight, looking down at a hut similar to her friend, Zecora’s.  “Do you think that’s it?”

“Only one way to find out,” replied Cadence as they landed in front of the hut, which was like Zecora’s, but only far more sinister and scarier.  The two princesses carefully stepped forward towards the hut with their horn lightened in case of any trouble that might come out at any moment.  

“Be on your guard,” whispered Twilight as they approached the door.  “We don’t know what is inside.”

So, Twilight used her magic to open the door which led them into a dark and drafty room.  The two princesses had to illuminate their horns further to get lighting into their location.  For a while, all seemed to be quiet, but it wasn’t for very long when a loud barking noise was heard when Twilight stepped on something.

“Yaah, what was that?” she cried and shined her horn at what appeared to be a creature similar to that of a Diamond dog, only that this dog was on four legs and growling menacingly.  

“Down, boy, nice doggie,” whimpered Twilight as Cadence dashed to her side, her horn flashing.  The princess of love fired several blasts of magic to keep the dog away as it continued to growl and bark at the two princesses.  

Suddenly, the lights came on and a gray looking pony with a hook shaped horn entered the room and motioned for the dog to leave.

“Get out of here, you,” said the pony, using his magic to scare the dog away.  “Don’t you see it’s impolite to scare visitors?”

The pony then turned towards the princesses and almost immediately, he recognized them and Cadence and Twilight immediately recognized him.

“Lock Down,” gasped Cadence, staring at the old pony.  “Is it you after all these years?”

“It is me,” he replied, stepping forward towards the princesses and talking in a trottingham accent.  “Lock Down, former captain of the royal guard in Canterlot turned Equestrian Bounty Hunter, at your service.”

Knowing that Lock Down was in the presence of Cadence, he bowed to her in a respectful manner.  

“You probably don’t remember me, don’t you?” chuckled Cadence.  “I’m Princess Cadence, ruler of the Crystal Empire and wife to Shining Armor, your prized pupil.”

“Of course, I know who you are, Cadence,” chuckled Lock Down, trotting over to a chair in another room.  “You always were the one that Shining Armor had come to love in a great manner.  Shame I wasn’t there to see you marry him, I was busy hunting down an escapee from Tartarus.”

“Was it Tirek?” asked Twilight, thinking that it could have been the demonic centaur that she and her friends recently returned to Tartarus. 

“No,” replied Lock Down, taking a sip of tea.  “It was a creature that was just as dangerous as Tirek.  Do you remember what happened at your wedding, Cadence?”

Cadence lowered her head in fear that the Changeling Invasion had to be brought back up again.  It was after all, the darkest moment of her life, even more than when she was sent to Tartarus by Tirek along with her aunts.

“Those creatures that had attacked Canterlot were the creatures that I had been tracking,” continued Lock Down.  “I had tried to warn Celestia of the danger, but by the time I could, it was already too late.  I hope that Shining Armor took the matter seriously and defeated those creatures with all the lessons I had taught him.”

“Actually, Lock Down,” said Twilight, stepping forward towards him.  “He didn’t defeat them on his own.  In fact, my brother was brainwashed by Chrysalis into believing she was Cadence and he believed her.”

“And,” added Cadence.  “I was captured and placed in the Canterlot Caves by Chrysalis.  I guess Shining Armor has been having nightmares about his failures to protect me and those closest to him.”

Lock Down was intrigued by this and was disappointed to hear that Shining Armor did not heed to the lessons that he taught him.  In his mind, Shining Armor had failed him and thus was deemed unworthy to be captain of the royal guard.

“So, he failed to heed what I taught him to do?” remarked Lock Down, bitterly.  “Then, it was all a mistake for Celestia to force me out.  Had I not left, Canterlot would have been far more protected from these evils.”

“He feels ashamed, Lock Down,” protested Cadence, getting up into the bounty hunter’s face.  “Shining Armor did embrace everything you taught him, even if it wasn’t right at times.  However, after what happened with Tirek, he has gone into a depression and I know as his wife, that he needs you to help him.”

Lock Down was reluctant at first, thinking that he would be going back to Canterlot, where he was exiled.  

“Why should he need me to help him when he’s got a wife like you?” asked Lock Down, bitterly.  “Isn’t that why you married him, Cadence?  To love and support him in good times and in bad?”

“I’ve done everything I could to help him,” retorted Cadence.  “All I know is that you are the only one who could listen to what he has to say.  Don’t you see?  I’m worried about him, Lock Down.”

“As am I,” added Twilight, also trying to reason with the Equestrian Bounty Hunter.  “I care deeply about my brother and want to help him just as much as Cadence.”

“Well, you know that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna won’t be so kind in welcoming me back,” said Lock Down.  “I’ve never gotten along with them.  Not since I was kicked out for trying to make the royal guard the most aggressive force in Equestria.”

“But, we don’t live in Canterlot anymore,” said Cadence, causing Lock Down to face her once again.  “We’ve left Canterlot and have now become rulers of the Crystal Empire.”

This caused Lock Down to become in intrigued once again, but this time, it was out of curiosity.  As far as he was concerned, the Crystal Empire was still missing due to King Sombra’s spell that he had casted on the empire.

“Is that so?” wondered Lock Down.  “You share a kingdom together, I suppose?  Maybe I did teach him something right with my lessons.”

“We do,” replied Cadence, looking over towards Twilight.  “And this is his younger sister, Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship.”

Lock Down bowed once again, this time, before Twilight, who blushed slightly.   

“Will you help Shining Armor?” asked Twilight.  “We are not asking you just as princesses, but rather as a wife and as a younger sister.”

Lock Down considered the matter for a moment, but despite after all that had been said, he decided to see his successor and student after all.

“Very well, then,” replied Lock Down, stepping towards the door to his hut.  “We will leave at once and I will do my best to help Shining Armor.  Please lead the way.”

Feeling satisfied, Twilight and Cadence took to the air and led Lock Down towards the Crystal Empire.  

It was going to be a very interesting meeting between student and teacher after all these years…



> Student Meets Teacher
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

															Chapter 3
“Student Meets Teacher”

While his sister and his wife sought after his disgraced mentor, Shining Armor went about the usual business of overseeing an entire empire.  Although his wife was mainly the one responsible, Shining Armor specialized in military and overall defense of the empire.  It was the drills that he oversaw that kept the Crystal Ponies safe from Discord and Tirek during their rampage.  However, he knew that with each challenge that he faced and failed to accomplish was a blow to his self-confidence and a disappointment to all that he looked up to.  

It was during a strategic defense meeting that the Prince of the Crystal Empire was interrupted by a knocking sound at the door.

“Enter,” he called, his voice slightly irritated being that his meeting was interrupted.  “Excuse me, sirs.”

So, Shining Armor walked to the door and opened it to reveal Flash Sentry, one of the guards on duty.

“What is it, Sentry?” asked Shining Armor, as the young guard saluted his superior.

“I’m sorry to be interrupting you, Prince Armor,” replied Flash Sentry.  “But, there is a pony from the Everfree Forest who wishes you royal greetings.”

Shining Armor turned away for a moment and faced the ponies he was meeting with, then he turned back towards the young Pegasus stallion.

“Tell him his highness is busy and wishes for him to return in the afternoon,” replied Shining Armor.  

He was just about to shut the door in Flash Sentry’s face, when he suddenly saw Twilight and Cadence walking towards him with Lock Down right behind them.  This caused Shining Armor to step out of the room he was in and walk towards them.

“Then again,” said Shining Armor, upon realizing who it is.  “He can see me at once.”

Flash Sentry then backed away nervously after saluting his superior and seeing his princess and her sister-in-law approach him.  Once the young Pegasus was gone, Shining Armor excused himself from his meeting and approached the two princesses, however with a look of disgust deep in his faces upon seeing Lock Down, his mentor and predecessor for the first time in a long time.

“Look, Shining Armor, we felt that…” began Cadence before being interrupted by her husband, by having a hoof placed in her face.

“Why did you have to bring him to me?” asked Shining Armor, sharply.  “Do you think Lock Down should be here after I have failed him?”

“We are only trying to think of what was in our own best interest,” protested Twilight, trying to stand up for her sister-in-law.  “Lock Down and you are just like me and Princess Celestia: student and teacher.”

Shining Armor knew that his little sister was right; Lock Down was his mentor, just like Princess Celestia was to Twilight.  But, if there was one similarity that Shining Armor had with his sister, it was that they both feared of disappointing their mentors.

“You’re right, Twily,” he said, scratching his neck in embarrassment for his sharp tone.  “He is my teacher and he probably wants to catch up with me.  Willing to listen to all the failures I have caused under my watch.”

Both Twilight and Cadence looked at each other with looks of disappointment on their faces and left Shining Armor to be alone with his mentor.  Realizing that he had a lot of catching up to do, Shining Armor opened the door to his meeting and informed the ponies inside that he had an emergency to attend to.

“I know what you are going to say,” said Shining Armor as they walked into the throne room.  “You probably have heard of the events with Tirek and the Changelings and how I failed to defeat them?”

“I have heard of those events,” replied Lock Down, walking towards one of the windows.  “But, while I do commend you on attempting to face off against Discord and Lord Tirek, there is a matter of great concern to me that I must share with you.”

“What is it?” asked Shining Armor, worriedly.  “Did Cadence or Twilight tell you anything private?”

Lock Down sighed to himself for a moment and then, as his dog laid down on Cadence’s throne, turned back towards his pupil.

“There was something that they told me that upset me greatly,” replied Lock Down.  “I know that I taught you to always be aggressive to an enemy, no matter if they are guilty or not.  However, the changeling invasion could have been prevented if you had heeded the warnings of your only sister.”

A look of despair went onto Shining Armor’s face when he learned that he was once again reliving that dark day at the wedding rehearsal, when Twilight was trying to warn everypony that his wife wasn’t who she was.  

“I taught you that if there was ever a sign of trouble, you take that warning seriously,” Lock Down said, sternly walking towards Shining Armor.  “The Changelings are a dangerous race, although they can be easily defeated if you find their weakness.  You had a chance to find their weakness and use it to your advantage.  Their weakness is if you can see through their disguise and you ignored it, thinking that Chrysalis was your wife who now rules this very empire alongside you.”

Feeling shaken by this stern confession, Shining Armor could only gulp nervously at this one case where he could sense a taste of the disappointment that his mentor could sense.  

“But, Chrysalis didn’t show anything unusual,” protested Shining Armor, trying to explain himself for his actions.  “I thought the pressures of planning the wedding were getting to Cadence.  I was suffering migraines from keeping my barrier in place.”

“Then you are supposed to control your mind when you do that,” said Lock Down, his horn flashing a grayish aura.  “I taught you that the best cause of defense can only happen if you focus your mind on the defense and nothing more.”

“Cadence and Twilight told you everything that has happened, did they?” asked Shining Armor, feeling that Lock Down was telling him much more than he was.  “They told you about everything I was involved in?”

Lock Down lowered his head for a moment and then walked back up towards the throne where his dog was and sighed heavily.

“Yes, they did, my student,” he replied.  “They told me everything from the Changelings to Lord Tirek and they told me how you feel like a failure for your actions.”

Shining Armor took an enormous gulp as Lock Down continued his lecture.  The prince of the Crystal Empire could only think back to the days of his training, when Lock Down would give these kind of lectures if he did something wrong.

“However,” continued Lock Down, sitting down on Cadence’s throne.  “I know that what I have done and taught you have sometimes been called into question and I have no excuse for it.  My goal was to make the elite of Equestria the most powerful in any nation.  For a while, it seemed, I thought that my goal was getting through to all who enlist in the Royal Guard, including yourself.  Since I have become a bounty hunter, I had a lot to think about for my actions and I am just like you.”

Shining Armor was surprised by this and was wondering why Lock Down would talk in such a manner.  

“In what way is that?” wondered Shining Armor.

“I have been meaning to one day prove to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna that I what I have done was wrong and that they would give me another chance.  I was a different pony back then and I hope that they one day see it.”

It seemed at that moment, that Shining Armor could see that he was the not only pony that sought redemption for his errors.  Yes, Shining Armor made mistakes, but he could see that if his own mentor could seek redemption, then maybe he could as well.

Suddenly, a loud set of screams were heard and knowing that something was wrong, Shining Armor ran to the windows and saw what appeared to be a recent enemy of his.

“It can’t be,” he gasped, seeing what appeared to be a series of black winged creatures taking to the air.  “How could they…?”

He was then stopped mid-sentence when he saw two alicorn ponies being lifted up by the hoardes.  

“Twilight! Cadence!” he cried, his warrior instincts jumping into action.  Knowing that his wife and sister were in danger, Shining Armor broke through the window and started to make chase towards the hordes of Changelings taking his loved ones prisoner with his mentor not too far behind.  

“I swear on my life if anything happens to them…” thought Shining Armor as he ran towards the horde until his breath gave out while the screams of his wife and sister soon gave out as they flew away.

It seemed now that the time for both Student and Teacher’s redemption for their ill actions was now…

> In the Changeling's Den
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

													Chapter 4
“In the Changeling’s Den”

The last thing that Cadence and Twilight remembered before being knocked out in their capture was screaming for help from Shining Armor or anypony who could hear them.  Now, as their eyes opened, they could tell that they were in deep trouble.  For upon realizing where they were, both princesses found themselves upside down inside green cocoons which meant that it was changelings who had captured them. 

“Cadence,” cried Twilight, who found it impossible to move given the space of the cocoon.  “Can you move?”

“Barely,” groaned Cadence, who also tried to move.  “I can’t believe this is happening to me again, Twilight.”

“I know,” remarked Twilight.  “I thought the Changelings were blasted out of Equestria.”

Just then, a loud set of footsteps were heard and the two princesses were greeted by a large, pony like creature that was black and had wings similar to Chrysalis and holes in its legs.  The creature smiled evilly at his royal captives and flanked by two other Changelings, he flew up to them and got into their faces.

“We couldn’t help but overhear what you were saying,” said the creature, talking in a deep voice, rubbing his hoof against Cadence’s cocoon. “Its pretty obvious that we were not blasted out of Equestria, rather we were sent far away from Canterlot, Princess Cadence.  Had it not been for your interference, we would have succeeded in accomplishing our goals.”

The creature then flew away from Cadence and turned his attention towards Twilight, who could only give the changeling a scowl.  This only amused the changeling, who laughed at the princess of friendship.

“What do you want with us, you monster?” growled Twilight, who was more angry than scared.  “If this is about a revenge scheme…”

“You will be silent, Princess!” growled the creature, snarling at her.  “As long as you are here, you will be the perfect pawns for my plan of revenge!”

“I should have known,” said Twilight, quietly.  “But, who are you?  Are you in league with Chrysalis?”

The creature landed on the ground and talked in a voice so deep that it would make King Sombra jealous.

“I happen to be in league with Chrysalis,” replied the creature.  “I am General Kuwaga, Chrysalis’ second in command.  I am the one who carries out the orders of my Queen and will be the one to lead the response against you for our defeat.”

“Well, you won’t get away with this,” cried Cadence, trying to move.  “When Shining Armor gets his hooves on you, he’ll make you wish that you were blasted along with your queen.”

“Is that so, Cadence?” laughed Kuwaga.  “For a delicate creature like yourself, you are so bold when it comes to adversity, namely me.  In fact, as I said, you are both nothing more than pawns that I will use to lure Prince Armor here to this abandoned Crystal mine.”

Kuwaga then turned around and for a moment, he flew around the room in a pacing motion as the memories of his races’ defeat at Cadence and Shining Armor’s wedding.  

“You see,” he explained, still pacing around the room.  “After you and your husband defeated us, my queen and many of my fellow changelings were gravely injured as a result of their vicious exile from Canterlot.  My queen was lucky to have survived her fall from Canterlot, although many of my fellow changelings did not.  We need to survive and Equestria has more love than any place than we have ever encountered.”

But rather than being sympathetic, Twilight and Cadence merely just stayed silent as Kuwaga continued his monologue, denouncing them and all of Equestria.
“By defeating us,” continued Kuwaga, now sounding very bitter.  “You denied the one chance that we needed in order to survive.  Well, after I am done, then we will get that chance that we were denied long ago.”

“How do you expect to do that?” asked Twilight, huffingly. 

“Simple,” replied Kuwaga, snickering evilly.  “I am going to lure the Prince of the Crystal Empire and with you as my witnesses; I am going to destroy him and ensuring my races’ survival without any interference.”

This made Cadence develop tears in her eyes as she realized that her husband was going to be in danger.  She wanted to escape from the cocoon and take on this demon creature herself, a creature who was part of that hoard that nearly destroyed her wedding, the most important day in her life.  

“Oh, you’ll be crying plenty of tears when I finish my task, Princess,” said Kuwaga, mockingly.  “As of right now, I have sent your husband a message to come here alone where I and my race will destroy him before your very eyes.”

Both Twilight and Cadence could only look at each other with a look of worry in their eyes as the thought of being used to lure Shining Armor to his possible doom sent chills down their spines or in this case, up their spines.

Meanwhile, Shining Armor and Lock Down were reading the ransom note that Kuwaga and his minions had sent to him.

“Shining Armor,

I am holding your darling wife and little sister in an abandoned mine not far from your empire.  If you want to see them alive, you will come alone and if anypony tries to alert Celestia and Luna or the other elements of harmony, I will kill my captives.  Remember, alone at the Crystal mines, where I avenge my queen by killing you!

General Kuwaga”

Shining Armor crossly took the paper and using his magic, ripped the letter up and tossed it on the ground, smearing it with his hoof.  As everpony knew, harming his wife or his family was a fatal mistake and he knew that Kuwaga had gone way over the line.

“The changelings have gone too far this time!” he cried.  “If he wanted to face me, then he should have done it in private where I would destroy him myself!”

“Getting angry isn’t going to do anything,” said Lock Down, as his dog joined at his master’s side.  “If there was ever a time to redeem yourself, it is now.”

Shining Armor considered the matter and at that moment, some of the Crystal guards trotted into the throne room, bringing Shining Armor his purple armor and helmet.  However although the note stated that only Shining Armor was requested, Lock Down knew that he had to come along as well, not just for Shining Armor’s sake, but his own.

“I’m going with you,” said Lock Down, his horn glowing.  “I’ve been tracking the Changelings and I know how to take them down.  Let me help you.”

“The note said only I should go,” replied Shining Armor.  “You need to stay here.”

“Don’t be stupid, my student,” protested Lock Down.  “You are not going to be doing this alone as long as I am here.  This is a time not only for you to redeem yourself, but its also a time for me to redeem myself.  Understand?”

Feeling like time was of the essence, Shining Armor allowed Lock Down and several of the guardsponies to accompany him on his quest.  

General Kuwaga may have been thinking that he was getting what he wanted, but he was in for a surprise…

> Prince vs. General
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

					Chapter 5
“Prince vs. General”

Shining Armor and Lock Down both knew that time was of the essence and with each passing minute, the more Twilight and Cadence remained with the changelings.  Despite the fact that General Kuwaga had only requested that only Shining Armor came alone, Lock Down was deeply insistent on coming along knowing that by rescuing Celestia and Luna’s niece, he would finally get the respect that he deserved.  

Upon arriving at the entrance to the cave, the two unicorns were greeted by a hoard of changelings, each growling menacingly and grinning in their faces.  

“Kuwaga!” shouted Shining Armor, his horn glowing.  “I am here!  Where is my wife and sister?  Where are you hiding them?”

Just then, Shining Armor saw what appeared to be a very familiar sight as the creature laughed evilly.  This caused his mouth to drop open upon what he was seeing.

“Chrysalis! “ gasped Shining Armor.  “How did you…?”

But, the creature shape shifted and turned into General Kuwaga, his eyes growing menacingly at the Prince of the Crystal Empire and his teacher.  This only caused Shining Armor to grow even more determined to save his wife and sister.

“A reminder of what you did to our queen,” said Kuwaga, flying into the air.  “Who is going to be avenged when I am done with you.  Changelings, get them!”

So the hordes of changelings charged towards Lock Down and Shining Armor and the two of them jumped into battle, flashing their horns at each changeling that came their way.  Shining Armor wanted Kuwaga and he was not going to let each changeling at Kuwaga’s disposal stand in his way.  With each changeling that came in front of Shining Armor, that changeling was sent flying or was destroyed.  

“Come out and fight, you coward!” shouted Shining Armor, only to be greeted by the sight of the unicorn that ruled the empire before him, King Sombra.  “Don’t try to hide behind your disguises!”

“Shining Armor, help!” called a voice and Shining looked over to see Cadence and Twilight, trying to break free of their cocoon prison.  “Get us out of here!”

So, Shining Armor ran towards the two captive princesses only to be stopped by the disguised Kuwaga, who smiled in a sarcastic manner.
“Let them go!” cried Shining Armor, as Kuwaga revealed his true self once again.

“Why would I do something like that?” laughed Kuwaga, pointing his horn at Shining Armor’s throat.  “Do you think I would just hand them over to you that easily?”

He then pulled his horn away from Shining Armor’s throat and continued to smile evilly as he tried to continue holding his wife and sister hostage.

“I wouldn’t think so,” he said icily, his smile turning to a look of anger.  “You are going to pay for what you did to my queen!  We had a chance to have all the love in Equestria and you took it all away from us, you and your darling wife!”

Knowing that he was about to battle Chrysalis’ top general, Shining Armor continued to glow his horn stronger than ever.  Suddenly, Kuwaga charged at Shining Armor, roaring like a wild animal that had just killed its prey.  This only allowed Shining Armor to fire a blast of magic at the vengeful Changeling which sent him back against a wall.  Only for a second did it seem that Kuwaga had been defeated, but he wasn’t down for long as he fired a blast of magic at Shining Armor causing him to scream in pain, much to Cadence and Twilight’s horror.

“You should have stayed away from us!” groaned Shining Armor, struggling to his feet and trying to shake off the blast that he had sustained.  He fired another blast of his magic and struck the Changeling mountain in the left wing, limiting his ability to fly.  Although he was injured, Kuwaga would not go down that easily.  

And he proved it by firing another blast of magic at the prince, this time hitting him in the back of the neck.  In an effort to keeping him down, the Changeling general fired several more blasts, but Shining Armor was determined to keep fighting.

“Come on, Shining Armor, get back up!”  cheered Cadence, only to be silenced when Kuwaga fired a blast of magic at the cocoon to silence her.  

“Yes, get back up,” remarked Kuwaga, laughing at the injured prince, struggling to get back up.  “Get back up and fight your failures!  When I am done with you, you will fail like all those other times!”

This caused Shining Armor to feel like a failure as he tried to get to his feet.  For a moment, he thought of surrendering to the changelings and for a moment, Kuwaga felt like he was going to finally achieve his goal of avenging Chrysalis.  

“I thought so!” said Kuwaga, smiling evilly.  “Oh, don’t worry.  I’ll take care of your wife and sister after I hang your corpse for all to see!”

He was just about to administer the last blow of justice on Shining Armor when he suddenly was hit by a blast of gray magic and sent against the wall of the room.  The blast was revealed to have come from Lock Down and his army of dogs who had defeated all of the changelings.  

“Are you in need of assistance?” replied Lock Down, walking over to Shining Armor, helping him get to his feet. 

As Shining Armor struggled to his feet, he turned to his loved ones and fired several blasts of magic to free Cadence and Twilight from their prisons. Then, before he turned his attention to Kuwaga, he saw  the Changeling General disappear before his eyes.  

“Lock Down,” ordered Shining Armor, knowing that this was now personal between him and Kuwaga.  “Get Cadence and Twilight to safety.  I’m going to find and squash that bug.”

“Shining Armor!” cried Cadence, running over to her husband.  “Please be careful, my love.”

The two lovers hugged tightly and after a brief moment, they broke apart and Cadence watched along with her sister-in-law and her brother mentor as Shining Armor ran out of the room and up into the mountains.  

Now, the mountains over the Artic north were extremely dangerous and anyone who journeyed into them were very much likely to get lost.  Shining Armor knew this and he had to be careful.  With his horn glowing, he went higher and higher as he searched for Kuwaga.  

“He’s got to be around here somewhere,” thought Shining Armor as he stepped onto a frozen lake.  “When I find him, I will make him pay for kidnapping the love of my life twice.”

Shining Armor continued to walk around the frozen lake for a few more moments when all of a sudden, he heard a loud cry and saw what appeared to be King Sombra jumping down towards him.  

Before the Prince of the Crystal Empire could react, he was crushed by Sombra and Shining Armor knew that this was Kuwaga.  For a brief moment, they struggled with Sombra’s mighty strength pushing Shining Armor towards breaking the ice.  Just when it seemed it was over, Shining Armor managed to find a weak point and push Sombra away while firing several more blasts of magic at Kuwaga.  

“You are brave, Prince Armor,” growled Kuwaga in Sombra’s voice as he struggled to his feet.  “It’s too bad that somepony like you with that much bravery have never been able to defeat those who harmed those closest to him.”

This caused Shining Armor to momentarily look down and try to hide away his emotions.  Kuwaga saw this as an opportunity to assumed Tirek’s form as he used Tirek’s mighty hooves to step onto the ice and cause it to crack.

“Yes, Shining Armor,” said Kuwaga, now talking in Tirek’s voice.  “Feel the brash of failure once again.  You don’t deserve to be a prince, you’re nothing more than a piece of dirt.  No, I’m wrong, you’re lower than dirt.  You’re an Equine!”

At that moment, Shining Armor felt like surrendering to his enemy.  The more words that Kuwaga spoke, the more lower Shining Armor felt.  
“So, why don’t you surrender to me now and I’ll let you and your loved ones leave here alive?” snickered Kuwaga, turning back into his normal self.  “Bow to me as your new leader and accept your fate.”

Shining Armor slowly rose to his feet and just when it seemed like he was going to surrender, he saw Lock Down and his dogs run to the scene.  This gave Shining Armor an idea, but he had to play along with what Kuwaga wanted.

“Yes, I’ll surrender you,” replied Shining Armor, with the horn of Kuwaga still at his throat.  “I’ll turn over my entire empire to you.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear,” laughed Kuwaga and at that moment, he looked up at the sky as he felt a strong cold wind blow at his face. 

“Do you hear that, Chrysalis?” he screamed at the top of his lungs.  “That is the sound of me finally avenging your defeat!”

But, Kuwaga didn’t realize that Lock Down was aiming his horn at Kuwaga’s back and while Kuwaga was caught up in the glory, Lock Down fired a blast of magic at Kuwaga’s back, causing him to roar in pain.  This gave Shining Armor the opportunity he was hoping for and punched Kuwaga in the face with his hoof, sending him down onto the ice. 

For a few moments, Shining Armor continued to punch and kick Kuwaga until he was nothing more than a bloody pulp.  It seemed with each punch and kick, Shining Armor was releasing all of the emotions that he held inside of him.  When he saw that Kuwaga had been subdued greatly, Shining Armor allowed Lock Down to step forward towards Kuwaga.

“You’re mine now,” said Lock Down as he and his dogs stepped onto the ice and surrounded Kuwaga.  

“Lock Down,” groaned Kuwaga, trying to get back to his feet, but because of the beating he took, it was impossible to do so.  

“Kuwaga, evil creatures like yourselves,” said Lock Down.  “Like little foals, always fighting and making a mess out of Equestria, then I’ve got to clean it up.  There’s only one way that you survive.  Surrender and declare your loyalty to the four princesses of Equestria.”

Kuwaga knew that this was the end, but he would not pledge allegiance to the ponies that was his enemy.  

“Never,” he groaned, trying to move, only to have one of Lock Down’s dogs bite its jaws on to his left wing.  

“Never is here,” snarled Lock Down and was just about to order his dogs to finish off Kuwaga when Cadence interjected.  

“No!” cried the Princess of Love running up to the lake along with Twilight, wanting to spare Kuwaga’s life, despite all he had done to Twilight and her.  “He deserves to live, Lock Down.  It’s best if they stay in the dungeons beneath the castle.  You’ve both done enough to rescue us.”

So, they all left and with Kuwaga and his changelings captured they returned to the Crystal Empire with Shining Armor and Lock Down finally being able to redeem themselves of their past mistakes.



> Back Home in The Crystal Empire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

														Chapter 6
“Back Home in the Crystal Empire”

So, Shining Armor and Cadence were back in the Crystal Empire where they belonged and with Kuwaga and his minions rotting in the Crystal Empire dungeons until further notice, at least they could sleep soundly without any disturbances.  However, before this story would come to a close, Shining Armor would meet his mentor again as night fell on the Crystal Empire.  

“How are you feeling?” asked the Equestrian Bounty Hunter, noticing how Shining Armor was quickly healing.  “You look as if you are recovering from your injuries very nicely.”

This could only bring a smile to Shining Armor’s face, knowing that his mentor was able to give such a nice remark.  

“Thanks,” replied Shining Armor, looking down slightly.  “Cadence is glad to be back where she belongs…with me.  And Twilight is glad to be back where she belongs…with her friends and her own subjects.”
Shining Armor then looked back up at where he shared his bedroom with Cadence.  He knew that he had to be joining her soon and that it would be time for him and Lock Down to go their separate ways.
“Lock Down, before you go,” said Shining Armor, knowing that Lock Down was going to be leaving soon.  “Do you think that maybe Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will forgive you for all you had done?”

Lock Down was silent for a moment and shut his eyes thinking back to those days when he was accused of abusing his position.  

“I don’t know, Shining Armor,” he sighed.  “There is a reason why they forced me to resign.  I don’t know if I could ever face them again.”

“They could give you a decent reward and let you retire with honor,” suggested Shining Armor, trying to brighten his mentor’s spirits.  “After all, you did rescue my wife and sister.”

“No,” replied Lock Down, looking back up towards his student.  “You saved your wife and sister.  I just held off the Changelings while you did what you did.  Although I will admit that it would have been nice if Kuwaga was slain in front of his changelings.”

Shining Armor was aghast by this and wanted to make Lock Down see sense that he was talking nonsense.  After all, Cadence disliked violence unless it was absolutely necessary, as did Shining Armor himself.

“He didn’t kill anypony,” protested Shining Armor.  “So, there was no reason for him to die and you know it.”

“Still, the changelings could strike again with their top general now imprisoned,” remarked Lock Down, knowing that his work was not done.  “I will not rest until Equestria is purged of all the creatures that poison it.  I’m sorry, but I cannot face Celestia and Luna again until I have completed my mission.”

Lock Down was just about to leave, when Shining Armor stopped him again.  It was apparent that the prince of the crystal empire was not going to let this matter drop easily.

“You may need to at some point,” he said.  “Cadence is not just my wife, but she is also their niece.  They may want to thank you for rescuing her.”

Lock Down considered the matter for a moment, but he was still not going to face them, despite all he had done for them and for Equestria.  However, he was satisfied with one thing.

“No,” he sighed, walking back towards Shining Armor.  “But, I will say this: I am who I am and nothing more.  I am a bounty hunter, not a captain of the royal guard.  I know I was your teacher, Shining Armor, but when all is said and done, you are my teacher.”

Shining Armor was surprised at this statement made by his mentor.  The last thing he remembered was that Lock Down was brought to him by Twilight and Cadence in an effort to regain his confidence.

“Why am I your teacher?” wondered Shining Armor as they felt another strong gust of wind.  “What did I teach you?”

Another strong gust of wind blew through the two unicorns as Shining Armor listened in to the reasons behind Lock Down’s confession.

“When I was approached by your wife and sister,” he said.  “I thought that maybe perhaps I was going to be given the second chance I had long been seeking since I was banished from the royal guard.  My time as a bounty hunter got me thinking that what I did was wrong and that what I had taught you was wrong to.  I wanted you to be a royal guard captain, not a bounty hunter.”

“But, you taught me all those techniques that you possessed in your tenure,” stuttered Shining Armor, as he followed Lock Down to the edge of the Crystal Empire.  “What did I teach you about?”

“About what I did was wrong,” replied Lock Down as his dogs slowly came forward, standing next to him.  “I caused you to have the failures that you had inflicted upon yourself.  But, when you had those failures, you learned from them and have become the leader that you are now. You just needed another lesson in atoning for your actions and that Kuwaga was your catalyst for achieving that lesson.”

At that moment, Lock Down’s dogs started to make their way towards the route out of the Crystal Empire and with one final glance and one set of farewells, Shining Armor watched as his mentor went off into the night.  Why Lock Down chose to leave so urgently at that moment crossed Shining Armor’s mind greatly.  

However, he couldn’t help but wonder when or if Lock Down would face his former superiors and be thanked for his actions.  That was a question that would be answered in due time, but for now Shining Armor felt like the weight of Equestria was off of his shoulders.  

After all, he was a prince and all that mattered to him was that Cadence and Twilight were safe along with the rest of his subjects.