//------------------------------//
// Prologue: A Hero Falls 
// Story: Broken Hearts 
// by Silver Inkwell 
//------------------------------//

Prologue: A Hero Falls

It was an unusually strange week leading up to the event, cloudy dark gray clouds in the skies, creatures roaming about, even the birds stopped singing their little cheerful songs for the ponies, it was almost like the world knew what was coming, almost. The day that Shining Armor was to leave was not as dark gray and cold as it was because there was one tiny little spark or joy within at least one family’s hearts and minds. However, that was to be the last spark of joy for a very long time to come after this single moment. “Don't worry Cadence, I'll only be gone for two weeks, everything will be just fine, it’s just a friendship summit after all, it’s not like anything I going to go wrong, I'll be safe, and even if things do go wrong I'll still probably be safe, you know me, strong, proud, independent, and honest, I never break a promise and I promise to come back to you no matter what it takes, there’s nothing to be worried about my dear.”

“I know Shining, and I know that you always keep your promises, but I’m still worried, what if I don't see you again? Or even worse, what if she is there?”

“Cadence, it has been well over ten years since the last confirmed sighting of Queen Chrysalis, all the other stuff is probably just rumors and myths.”

“But what if it isn't? You’ve heard them too, strange green flashing lights, ponies mysteriously disappearing in the night, if she’s out there she’s planning something, as to what, I don't know, but if she is out there you need to be ready and prepared, you can't handle her by yourself, maybe not even the princesses can, you know how she is, patient, she is willing and ready to wait no matter how long it takes to get revenge, and you know what almost happened to Sunburst! And then after that, what it did to Starlight Glimmer’s mind, she couldn't speak for months and could barely cast a spell without killing somepony or destroying something! She almost went insane even saying that she saw shadows on the walls and strange scuffling noises, she even swore she kept seeing Chrysalis even in the reflection of her mirror, she even tried to cut herself to end the pain! And guess what Chrysalis almost got her full revenge, thankfully she had friends, she recovered, but I don't know if I can recover without you.”

“You have to, I couldn't stand the thought of you living life in pain, you have to move on and find a way to be happy without me IF it comes to that, not that it will, I would never want you to be miserable, there’s already enough strife in Equestria, don't add yours to it, I don't care what you have to do but you need to think about all the good times we had and focus on how you can create more by living in the moment, if you focus on the past too much you’ll never be able to live life, address your problems but don't keep repeating the same old day and routine as always because then life will become nothing, meaningless as dust.”

“Yes, I think I understand what you mean, I just hope I can remember it.”

“I don't think you’ll need to, but if you want to maybe you can give me a kiss and I'll give you something in return to help you remember,” Shining said with a grin.

Cadence rolled her eyes and shook her wings ruffling her feathers giving a ‘Are you serious?’ look at him before smiling, “Well of course my dear, I would love to,” she said leaning in for a kiss just as Flurry Heart opened the door and popped in to see the two of them kissing each other, and she acted in turn.

“Ugh, gross, you two are kissing again!” she cried out wrinkling her face in absolute disgust, and because she was just a child this was completely and a totally natural response from her, but maybe not so much from a child for her own mother and father basically represented the element of love.

Cadence smiled and quickly pulled away from Shining Armor who blushed as she turned around to face her daughter, “One day when you’re in love with a bright young strong stallion you’ll understand my dear and I bet you won't think it’s gross either, probably.”

“Yeah, but he better be a good stallion otherwise I'll beat him so hard he’ll be wishing that he was dead or in Tartarus instead,” Shining said with a grin.

“Dear, don't be so hard on our daughter, she just barely turned ten!”

“Yeah, I know, I just want to make sure you know.”

“Ugh! You guys are so gross, I’m going to go play out in the garden or something, you two are the worst when kissing and you’re not that fun even when you’re not, this is why I hang out with Twilight and Spike more than you two!”

“Come back here right now young lady, your father has to say goodbye to you!”

Flurry turned around and sighed and walked back to them and once she did her father gave her a big great tight hug that almost took the breath out of her.

“Can't… breathe, please let me go!”

“I’m sorry my dear,” Shining said with a big laugh as Cadence giggled a little bit and Shining rubbed his hoof back and forth on Flurry’s hair ruffling it a bit, “It’s just that I’m going to miss you so much and I wanted to give you something to remember me by, anyhow, have fun without me and stay safe!”

“We will, but you make sure to stay safe too!” Cadence said.

“Trust me, I will, see you in two weeks!” he called back grabbing his bags with his magic and leaving the front entrance of the castle which was two large crystal stone doors imbued with very strong magic as he went to the train station and then to Canterlot which was where the summit was being held.

Now then if the reader wants a happy story with rainbows and smiles I would highly suggest that you turn away from this story because there is not much joy to be found within these pages, and very little good things to happen either.

For those of you that wish to stay and continue reading however…

Two weeks later Shining Armor still did not return from his trip.

Three days after that there was still no sign or word from the summit, Canterlot, Ponyville, or the other princess on what had happened to him and both Flurry and Cadence were starting to get worried about what could’ve happened to him.

It was to be yet another three long terrible weeks before they heard anything back, and once they did, it was not very good news at all.

Chrysalis had somehow managed to sneak herself inside the summit where she systematically spread deceit and mistrust killing off the dignitaries and royalty leaving Shining Armor to be last because she wanted him to fear her, it was only toward the end that the princesses realized this, but by then they were too late, Chrysalis had already locked herself inside a room disguised as a maid and tried to seduce him as she had been trying for weeks, but when he refused she took action and revealed her true identity and plan, but Shining Armor even within the grasps of his enemy, even in this trap was still brave, at least he was, until the very end, and then no more. The two of them battled fiercely, even more so than the rest of the dignitaries, Celestia and Luna raced to the rescue to help him out, but by then it was already too late when they opened the door and found him dead laying in a puddle of his own blood with Queen Chrysalis standing over his cold, dead, lifeless body with blood on her mouth, horn, and hooves with a victorious grin, and while she was quickly captured by the two she laughed glad to finally have some sweet revenge. After Cadence received this message she went into shock denying that it could be true, then she asked the princesses if it were true to which they sadly had to respond yes, then after this she became angry at the one who had killed him and she swore revenge on Queen Chrysalis and even tried to kill her more than once within her jail cell, but Celestia insisted that killing Chrysalis would not bring justice according to the law, besides, as she pointed out so clearly if Cadence did kill a prisoner of Canterlot then she would have to face the consequences of the law even if she was a princess and royalty, to with great anger and sorrow in her heart she flew away back to her castle.

After this she started to bargain with herself saying if only this were true and asking what if questions and writing in her journal more and wishing he was back at any price, and then came the depression, she locked herself in her own room barely moving or eating, but she did write a lot, and saw many things, illusions, shadows on the walls, hoof-steps in the corridors even when they were completely silent and empty, and even his voice within her mind too.

But through this all she began to neglect Flurry Heart and her advisors and other royal dignitaries had to step in to take her place as she was taking her leave of absence to get over his death, but the only time she came out of her room was for the funeral which was held days after her message had arrived.

But then the madness began to take hold of her, it was longer than a month after Shining had died but less than three months that she began to recover slightly, she could stand, walk, talk, eat, drink, but she still seemed dead inside, empty, cold, lifeless, even flurry was doing better with her friends and advisors.

But such is fate having a way and will to torture us to its own design and pleasure. Cadence began to fear for the safety of her family and the ones she cared about, but while she could not control or even change the actions of her sister-in-law of Celestia and Luna, there was still some things she could change so long as she had the power and control, and she would use that for her own means. She grounded Flurry Heart to stay within the castle walls and never to leave without her express permission, trips anywhere outside where always with her own mother and at least a dozen guards to keep them safe, needless to say this did not bode well for making any new friends and soon enough all of her old friend left her due to many reasons, one being it felt no fun to have fun if they were being watched, and two, her mother was very suspicious of her friend, new or old, she always through that they could be a changeling in disguise and ordered them to take a test to prove their worth or face jailtime, and she enforced this policy throughout her entire kingdom, she would not have anypony being fooled by a rogue or dark changeling. Fear and mistrust soon spread through the empire and even the good reformed changelings were still treated less than the ponies even though they were ‘friends’ now. It was not a very good time for anypony, especially Flurry. Outside the empire life went on, allies were made, Twilight and her friend still had fun, Starlight went off with Sunburst to ‘study magic’ and Twilight even adopted a new student named Nebula Moon who was very clumsy but had a strong heart, mind and soul and could learn very fast too.

The Elements of Harmony were still used when needed to protect the land and Cadence herself took on the roles of princess and the royal guard trainer too once she was out of her bed and had regained herself in one sort of strange weird way, one that was completely different from anything else that she had ever been.

Everypony in the Empire complained about how strict Cadence was becoming and how they just wished she could go back to her old fun self, many tried to hold and throw parties, but Cadence only ever came to the parties to officiate them, never to celebrate as she saw no reason or point to celebrate and rejoice and wear silly dresses that looked ‘cute’ and eat and drink and talk as well.

She said on many occasions that it was “A waste of time and resources, ponies should be concerned about protecting themselves and others and not waste time playing games and having fun and talking and wearing silly dresses that make you look ‘cute’, it’s all just a bunch of pointless rubbish and nonsense.”

But the ponies could do nothing, and neither could Celestia because as Cadence would so clearly point out that forcing her to do something through any means would be against the law, but still she tried to reason with her, but Cadence never listened to her. But the one who suffered most of all was Flurry Heart herself who as part of her mother’s actions she did not earn her cutie mark which further isolated herself from any potential friends and as her own status claim as a princess, she was one in name only as she did not have the power of one yet unlike her own mother because she had not earned it or proven herself worthy, but at least her mother did try to train her for that and teach her other things too, but that was the limit of what she did for Flurry Heart.

It was a very sad time indeed for Flurry, but our story is not in her past nor will it dwell in it for too long, no, this story begins on the eve of her 18th birthday when she makes a very important choice that will change not only her life, but the future for everypony around her that she could possibly ever meet, even including her own family, now then, enough of that, let us begin our tale…