//------------------------------//
// 3. I Married Darkness 
// Story: The Prince's New Sweater 
// by Hail King Sombra 
//------------------------------//

Prince Shining Armor walked through the streets, lost in thought. Several guards fell into step just behind him. He noted their presence only long enough to be grateful they were his own, highly trained Canterlot-transferred guards instead of these highly amused crystal ponies.

He would whip these delicate crystal stallions into shape, he vowed, as soon as Hearthswarming Eve was over. No sense spoiling the holiday for them with more training than they could probably handle at the moment. He may have been irritated at their laughter, but that was no reason to take it out on them by being unduly mean.

Armor sighed heavily, more disturbed by the shocking revelation that bundled in the perfectly beautiful body of the mare he had married, with her purplish-pink eyes that read him so well, the voice of a goddess and spirit of love and such inner strength, there too lurked the DNA of a creature of hatred, evil and a very, VERY hard left cross.

He rubbed his chin gingerly at the memory, as he waited for a carriage to pass by at an intersection.

The thought of it gave him the mother of all headaches, just waiting to see if he would pass out again, hoping he didn’t so it could pounce on him instead.

“Sir, the way is clear now,” a guard piped up behind him.

“What? Oh, yes, thanks,” he muttered, turning back around and continuing across the street.

Where was he going anyways? He had lost track of that four blocks ago, lost in thoughts of smoky pink bedmares and foals with his blue mane, Cadence’s shiny pink coat and burning green eyes. The resurfacing thought nearly made him step off into the local reservoir until a guard steered him aside at the last minute.

This was getting nowhere.

Stopping, he looked out to the east, towards the residential district. “This is going nowhere,” he sighed, echoing his thoughts. “I’ve got to go back to the registry office to look up where Pin Pony lives.”

“Pin Pony?” one of the guards said from behind him.

Shining turned around. “Yes. You know him?”

“Yes sir, he gave me his address. I want to pick up a few pins for my grandcolts when he opens his shop,” he replied, smiling.

Shining closed his eyes. Please don’t mention grandcolts…