How could a day meant to bring joy and love instead bring sadness and regret? Shining Armor asked this time and time again ever since it happened. It was his wedding to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza but she preferred Princess Cadance and was to be held at Canterlot Castle with Princess Celestia herself to be the one to pronounce them husband and wife. But when the day came he was brainwashed by Chrysalis the queen of the changelings who took the place of his wife to be. The only one that was able to see through her deception was his little sister Twilight Sparkle but when she tried to call off the wedding Shining Armor defended his false wife.
While being brainwashed he was still aware of his actions and in time would greatly regret what he did that day, for he all but humiliated his sister in front of her friends and teacher. The last thing he said to his sister was that she shouldn't even come to his wedding but despite saying so, she did and revealed the changeling right before they were married. Twilight showed up with the real Cadance but Chrysalis and her minions still attacked not even Princess Celestia could stop it. But even when things seemed hopeless Twilight refused to give up. "If I were you I wouldn't get so comfortable," Twilight said to Chrysalis after she and the rest of the mane 6 were forced back to the hall where the wedding would have taken place.
"Oh really and why is that?" The queen asked clearly not taking Twilight seriously.
"Because we're going to stop you," Twilight answered right away, which made Chrysalis laugh.
"Oh really, and just how are you going to do that?"
"I don't know but just like my instincts told me that you weren't the real Princess Mi Amore Cadenza-
"Actually Princess Cadance is enou-"
"Not important right now!" Twilight interrupted.
"Right, sorry."
"Just as my instincts told me that you weren't the real Cadance, they're telling me that we'll still defeat you, someway, somehow."
"Oh please listen to yourself, how are you going to stop me exactly? I bested your precious Princess Celestia, my minions stopped you from getting to the Elements of Harmony, and your brother is under my complete control."
"Is he now?" Twilight said as she looked over to where her brother was standing which whipped Chrysalis's smile away as she noticed it. "SHINING NOW!" Chrysalis then turned around to face Shining Armor expecting an attack and that's exactly what she got, from behind. Twilight blasted Chrysalis as hard as she could right when she turned around.
"That was dirty!" Chrysalis said as she was actually knocked to the ground by Twilight's sneak attack.
"Oh really? You don't find your own methods dirty?" Twilight asked, getting the changeling queen angry who got up and tried to blast Twilight, but she teleported behind Chrysalis and blasted her again. Once again the queen was knocked to the ground when the changelings saw their queen in danger they tried to swarm Twilight but she summoned a barrier to protect her. "Are you all planning on helping out or are just going to keep standing there?" Twilight said to her friends who were still watching in awe of Twilight.
"Oh right!" They all said snapping out of it and attacking the changelings to get them away from Twilight so she could continue to fight the queen. Chrysalis tried to blast Twilight but she teleported again, however this time Chrysalis kept her guard up and blocked Twilight's attack. Twilight kept teleporting to try and get Chrysalis off guard while Twilight's friends fought off the changelings and got to freeing Cadence who would break Shining Armor of his brainwash. Chrysalis knew she would have to act fast and saw that Twilight's friends were gathered together and got a rather nasty idea, she charged straight at them with murder in her eyes.
"NO!" Twilight said as she saw the look in Chrysalis's eyes and instinctively teleported in front of her friends, one of the last few things she would do. For as Chrysalis charged at Twilight's friends with her horn faced right at them, so when Twilight appeared to protect them the horn impaled the brave little pony.
"TWILY!" Shining Armor called out when he regained his senses thanks to Cadence. Suddenly in both his rage for what Chrysalis had done and in love for his sister Shining Armor summoned all the magic he could even though he was drained and forced every single changeling out of the capital. Shining Armor then went over to his sister to see if he could seal the wound somehow. But Twilight was already bleeding out and with the last of her strength she looked over to her brother who like all the others were in tears.
"I, forgive you," Twilight said before she closed her eyes for the final time making what should have been a grand day of celebration one of despair and loss.
***
1 year had passed since Twilight's death and those who knew her had tried to move on, the key word being tried. Twilight's Ponyville friends went back to their usual things at home except for Spike who moved back to Canterlot to stay with Celestia. Princess Celestia, except perhaps for Shining Armor, felt the most guilty over what happened, the whole thing happened under her muzzle and when the cat was out of the bag she couldn't help at all. She thought she could have healed her favorite student if she managed to escape from that slime cocoon. Disappointed in herself not being able to help one of the ponies she cared for the most, she became determined to be a much better protector. As a result she as well as her sister became much more active in protecting Equestria from threats realizing they like being part of the action.
Shining Armor eventually married Cadence who is now expecting and they run the Crystal Empire after Celestia and Luna stopped King Sombra.
"I'm thinking we should call her something like Flurry Heart, what do you think?" Cadence asked but then saw that her husband was looking at the window, a habit he had picked up ever since Twilight died. "You're thinking about her again aren't you?"
"I can't help it," Shining answered. "Somehow everything reminds me of her."
"Shining I know you miss her but it's already been a year she wouldn't want you to keep moping about."
"WELL HOW WOULD YOU KNOW!" Shining snapped as he turned around to face Cadence which rather shocked her, despite the numerous times he had already done that. Shining then snapped out of his snap. "Cadence I'm sorry I did that, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lay around all day and that I've snapped at you over nothing too many times"
"It's all right Shining Armor," Cadence said as she wanted to walk over to her husband to comfort him but he walked in the other direction.
"No it's not! But I keep doing it, but I can't help it. Why did I storm out on her!?"
"Huh?"
"I thought she made you cry but I should have known she was doing it to help. I should have known you would never act like that, the last thing I told her was that she shouldn't even come to the wedding, I-I-I was such a jerk Cadence," Shining said as he started to cry, another habit he picked up ever since Twilight died.
"Oh Shining," Cadence said as she looked at her husband with pity and empathy. "We've been over this a hundred times. Twilight didn't hate you, if she did she wouldn't have gotten me out of the mines."
"I can't help it Cadence," Shining said as he cried more. "I wish I could tell her that, I wish I could take back all the things I said. But I can't, nothing can bring her back and no matter what I do I can't make the pain go away, why can't I make it stop Cadence?"
"Sadly we can't control our emotions," Cadence answered as she approached her husband again who this time allowed his wife to get to him and pull him into a hug. "But listen Shining, I know Twilight and I know that she did what she did out of love. I may be the princess of love but greater love hath nopony than she who lays down their life for their friends, she cared about you and even though the last things you said weren't pleasant the last things she said to you were she forgave you."
"I know, she was the best sister anypony could’ve asked for. I just wish I could talk to her one more time."
"Well maybe you could," Cadence said which made Shining Armor look away from Cadence as he knew what she was going to say. "You could finally visit her grave." Twilight was buried near Canterlot castle but Shining Armor could never find it in himself to go see her, even after all this time.
"I-I-I don't know, I know I should but just thinking about it makes me freeze up more than walking around in the cold just outside the Crystal Empire." Cadence didn't say anything, she just hugged Shining Armor a little tighter hoping she could find someway to help his heart heal. Not too long after that Cadence and Shining Armor made their way to Canterlot to see to some royal business and along the way arrived to see Shining's parents, who were doing well considering. When they made it to the castle they were rather surprised to see that Spike was arguing with Princess Luna.
"Spike I don't understand I figured you'd want to do this, who else can I ask to do such a thing?"
"No!" Spike almost shouted. "I won't do it! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" And with that Spike ran off with tears in his eyes. Seeing the little dragon running away Cadence and Shining Armor went over to Luna to ask why Spike was so upset but Celestia beat them to it.
"Sister, what in Equestria is the matter with Spike?"
"I'm not sure I was almost certain he'd wish to do it."
"Do what?"
"Well sister, it's been a year since your precious student passed away and I was thinking we should finally have the funeral," Luna answered. "A better one anyway." While Twilight was already dead and buried the funeral wasn't quite as good as one Twilight deserved as several who cared for her couldn't come as they were too heartbroken. Luna wanted to have a new one and have Spike be the one to give the eulogy.
"Oh I see," Celestia replied.
"Sister, I don't understand, have I done something wrong?"
"No Luna, it's okay, let me go talk to him." Celestia then took off to where Spike ran off leaving Luna with Cadence and Shining Armor. If there was one creature that missed Twilight more than Shining Armor and Princess Celestia, it was Spike. He was always there for Twilight since the day he was born acting as her number 1 assistant and would do just about anything for her. The day she died Spike refused to get out of his bed for days and nopony could get him to come out, not even Rarity.
Before long Celestia found Spike who was in Twilight's old tower crying, when she saw him she quickly approached him surprising him with a hug as she felt he really needed that. "Spike, are you all right?"
"No," Spike answered, still in tears. "Luna wanted me to-"
"I know Spike, she told me after I saw you run away." Spike then got up to face Celestia as he whipped the tears away but even when he did new tears came out.
"Please, please don't make me do it." Spike was about to continue but stopped when Celestia pulled him into another hug this time wrapping her wings around the baby dragon.
"Ssh, It's okay Spike. You don't have to if you don't want to," Celestia said as she continued to comfort him. "Luna just thought that you would be the best one to give Twilight a proper farewell."
"I," Spike tried to talk but stopped because he got all choked up and had to clear his throat before he could continue. "I actually did want to do it, kind of."
"So why did you tell Luna no?"
"Well, the idea of talking about how she's gone-" Spike couldn't finish as he got all choked up again and started to cry even more. "I just miss her so much."
"I know Spike, I know exactly how you feel. It's been a year now but it still feels like it happened yesterday. Twilight was so precious to me I saw so much potential in her but now it's gone and I can't stop blaming myself."
"What?" Celestia then stopped hugging Spike as now she had tears of her own to wipe away.
"Not a day has gone by I don't think about what happened, Twilight was right there fighting for Equestria and all I could do was watch. If I didn't try to stop Chrysalis by myself I could have helped Twilight fight, I could have done something. Oh Twilight, you could have done so much for Equestria and beyond, so much that I pushed her too hard. I sent her book after book to read about magic and I had her friends face dangerous threats, to teach you valuable things you would need on the road to your full potential. If any good has come from all this, it made me realize how much I should have appreciated all that she did. And all the little things she did that I miss, I miss her letters, I miss her visits, I miss that glow in her smile when she saw me and made me proud of her-" Celestia would have gone on longer but stopped when Spike hugged her leg.
"I know I miss those things too," Spike said as Celestia remembered that he was in the tower.
"Sorry Spike I really went on a rant there didn't I?"
"Yeah, you really did. But I bet that made you feel better."
"Yes Spike yes it did, it's really nice to talk about her."
"It's also nice to hear how much she means to everypony."
"Yes she touched many hearts, when great deeds are remembered in this land her name will stand among all others. Spike, would you mind letting go of my leg now please?"
"Oh sorry I suppose it's a rather awkward place to hug."
"No it's not that, your claws were really sinking in."
"Oh sorry."
"It's quite alright Spike." Celestia said. Princess Celestia then sat down next to Spike as she wished to talk more about her favorite student. Princess Celestia and Spike would be in the tower for quite some time leaving Princess Luna to help the prince and princess of the Crystal Empire with what they came to the capital for. They finished it up around the time Celestia had to lower the sun and Cadence and Shining Armor got ready to head back to the Crystal Empire.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for at least the night?" Luna asked.
"No thank you." Cadence answered.
"We're grateful for the offer but we have to get back to our kingdom. It can be a full time job. Plus Cadence wants to get back to work on the nursery." The royal couple were about to head out when suddenly several guards came up saying a mysterious pony arrived at the castle.
"Mysterious how exactly?" Princess Cadence asked.
"He doesn't have a mane." One of the guards answered.
"Okay, I guess that's a rather unique fashion choice, but that doesn't exactly make him mysterious." Shining Armor replied.
"It's sort of the overall aura coming from that guy." another one of the guards said.
"Well what does this pony want exactly?" Princess Luna asked.
"He said that he was requesting an audience with Prince Shining Armor." the 3rd guard answered. Cadence and Shining Armor wanted to go home but decided to see what this pony wanted and made their way to see him.
"I think I get what the guard meant by mysterious aura." Cadence whispered to her husband as there was something to this stallion that she didn't like. When asked what he wanted the stallion who went by the name Kronos said he wished for Prince Shining Armor to help him retrieve an artifact that was beyond the borders of Equestria.
"That's it?" Shining Armor asked, almost not believing his ears. "You want me to help you find some old relic?"
"It's not just any old relic, my prince," Kronos replied. "It has great power, but it can only be found in a rather dangerous area so I can't get it alone."
"Wouldn't it make more sense for you to ask some explorers or archeologists for help instead?" Princess Luna asked who came as well as her sister.
"No, I doubt they would be strong enough to help me in this quest."
"What do you mean?" Princess Cadence asked.
"The relic is in dangerous territory. To get it I would need the help of rather powerful ponies or perhaps just one that had the power to push back an entire invading army." Kronos said as he looked at Shining Armor.
"Yeah I see where you're going with this, but I'm not interested." Shining Armor said as he started to walk away.
"Is that so? What if I told you that the relic I wish to obtain had the power to turn back time?" Hearing that stopped Shining Armor right in his tracks.
"What?"