Shining Armor felt waves of nostalgia as he made his way down the bustling streets of Canterlot. He’d only been living in the crystal empire for a few months now, but the familiar sights and sounds of his childhood home brought back memories dear to his heart.
At least, that was his excuse for taking the long way to the castle.
It’s not like he was deliberately procrastinating so he could skip waiting in line with all the blue-blooded nobles (and one actual BlueBlood) who were demanding an audience with the Princess. No, he was just feeling strangely nostalgic for no particular reason.
He wasn’t expected for another hour anyway, so there was no reason to hurry. True, the Princess would probably give him priority and let him cut in line, but he didn’t feel like making the nobles dislike him further. Being the husband of true royalty tended to make the high-collars jealous.
Besides, he had every confidence that the royal guard was still under suitable command after he left for the empire. The princess herself had appointed his replacement, so this meeting was really more of a formality that anything.
True, some small part of him still regretting having to leave his position of Captain, but it was a small price to pay for being able to spend his days in the Crystal Empire with his loving wife. And it’s not like he’d retired. The empire’s forces needed a leader to teach them how combat had changed during their thousand year imprisonment.
Not that anything was expected to threaten the empire. Between the powers of the crystal heart, its location in the arctic north, and its connections with the rest of Equestria, the need for a royal guard seemed almost non-existent.
Then again, there hadn’t exactly been an apparent need for a royal guard anywhere in Equestria when Nightmare Moon returned, or when Discord broke free, or when the Changelings invaded…
Shining shivered despite the warm summer air. He still hadn’t gotten over the incident. Not the brainwashing or the crashed wedding (though those were far from pleasant), but because of how helpless he had been.
He was the Captain of the Guard! When trouble dared to show its face, he should be the one leading the forces to stop it! But when he had been released of the mind control, he’d been unable to do anything. He’d only been able to cast the shield spell because Cadence had given him so much power she had to sleep though the first two days of their honeymoon.
And again, when Sombra had begun his assault on the Crystal Empire, his wife had taken up his responsibility to maintain the shield, while all he got to do was sit around with a useless horn.
Ok, so he threw his wife at the bad guy. That had been kind of helpful, except Cadence had NOT let him forget about that. He just hoped she had been joking about adding a “husband toss” event to the Equestrian Games.
But the fact remained: Every time some new threat to Equestria emerged, he was either disposed or useless. Hay, he hadn’t even known about the Tree of Harmony incident until his sister mentioned it in passing the last time she’d paid a visit.
Just once, he’d like to do something worthy of his title as Captain of the Royal Guard, or the Crystal Prince. Just once he’d like to be more than a helpless third wheel. Just once…
PING!!
Shining Armor stopped in his tracks and looked around. That hadn’t been a sound. It had been a deep and powerful feeling. A quick glance confirmed his fears. Everypony is the street had felt it too, and had stopped to look around as well.
Something had just gone through the magic plane. Something so massive that even the occasional pegasus and earth pony in the street had felt it. But what in Equestria could do something like this? Even Discord couldn’t affect the magic plane this strongly…
PING!!
There it was again! Shining was getting worried now. He broke into a gallop toward the castle. If something was affecting the magic plane, then the princesses must have surely felt it as well. They would know what was going on, and what should be done about it.
PING!!
Shining stumbled. Whatever was happening, it was getting worst, and it was starting to affect him. His horn was beginning to burn, and that was not a good sign.
PING!!
Shining’s eyes were starting to water. The air around him seemed to be getting brighter…
Wait.
What?
He ground to halt. Yes, the air around him was starting to glow…
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Shining Armor awoke with a start, glanced around, and winced in pain.
He was in some kind of wooden cell, and his body was incredibly sore.
KNOCK!
Shining slowly turned his head toward the noise. The knocking was from some kind of strange clothed monkey. It was leaning over the wooden door to his cell. Seeing him awake, the monkey gave Shining a nod, turned, and left.
As Shining Armor calmed down, he sighed and laid his head on the ground. Everything was coming back to him. The monkey wasn’t a monkey. This wasn’t a cell. And he wasn’t in Cantorlot. In fact, he wasn’t even in Equestria anymore.
Where was he? He had no idea. Why was he here? Because he had no choice. Why was his body sore? Because he had no magic.
A pony’s entire body, not just their horns or wings, was dependent on magic to properly function. Without magic, everything from a pony’s muscles to vital organs would stop working.
So, yes, there was a small amount of magic available to him, but that was it. Just enough to keep him alive. There wasn’t enough magic in the air for him to even move properly, let alone cast spells.
At least one thing hasn’t changed. I’m still completely useless, he thought bitterly.
A shuffling sound informed Shining that several of the clothed monkeys were coming. He slowly and painfully lifted his head back up to see three of them entering through the door to his pen, each wearing identical clothing.
One spoke some gibberish to the other two. They were clearly talking, but Shining didn’t recognize the language.
They then moved to his sides, and bent down next to him.
Knowing what was coming, Shining slowly moved his legs into the proper position and braced himself. The two monkeys reached under him with their minotaur like limbs. With grunts from everyone, they helped Shining climb to his hooves.
The simple act of standing up was too much for Shining to do on his own. His ‘magic deprived’ body was too weak.
The third monkey (Shining really needed to come up with something better to call them) made a beckoning gesture with its limb. With the assistance of the other two monkeys, Shining slowly made his way out the cell, and followed the leader outside.
The walk gave Shining time to regain his bearings. His pen was located inside what appeared to be a barn designed for equines. What’s more, his pen was but one of many. Through cracks in the wood he saw that several of them had ponies in them as well.
Shining felt a mix of frustration and despair at the sight of it. Pony kind, reduced to little more than livestock.
It was humiliating.
It was unfair.
And worst of all, it was necessary. These creatures were ponykind’s only hope, if they had any left.
Here he was, being moved around by creatures that now owned his life, and he was not only incapable of resisting, but had no incentive to do so. Shining had no idea where they were leading him. He’d watched several ponies being led away before he’d taken his rest, but he never saw any come back.
He just hoped it wasn’t to some kind of slaughterhouse like he heard the griffons used on their livestock. Sure, these monkeys had sharper teeth, which suggested they ate meat, but that didn’t mean ponies were on the menu.
Right?
John Marsh was not a man to be pushed around. To everyone who knew him, be it at his workplace, the local pub, or even the grocery store, he was an iron wall of an individual who took no crap from no one.
Except for his wife, Diane. She knew him as a cute little puppy that bowed to her beck and call.
His wife wanted to move out of the city and live in a more rural environment? “Well, the kids could use more fresh air in their lives…” His wife wanted to buy a few horses for her and the kids to enjoy? “Well, only if I don’t have to take care of them…”
Yes, John had little resistance to his wife’s demands. She just knew him so well. She knew how to push his buttons, when exactly to push them, and when a request was a lost cause. And though he loathed to admit it, this was not one of those times.
“Honey, do we really have to do this?” he whispered to her.
The two of them were part of a large crowd gathered at an improvised auction house, participating in what was quite possibly the strangest auction he’d ever seen. If it could even be called an auction. There weren’t any bids, just volunteers to take responsibility for the creatures being offered.
“Yes, sweetie, we do,” Diane whispered back. “We came all this way to get a pony, and we’re not leaving without one. Besides, you don’t have to do anything. Me and the girls will take care of everything it will need.”
“Then why am I here?” he asked. “I don’t even want one!”
“Because I figured you’d want some say as to which one we take home,” said Diane. “Aside from Sarah hoping for a pink one, the three of us agreed that we really don’t care which one we get. And considering how you would complain if we came home with one you didn’t approve of, I feel you should be the one who ultimately decides.”
John rolled his eyes.
“Oh come now,” Diane said with a mischievous smile. “This isn’t going to require anything from you. We don’t have to even to pay for anything! The government’s agreed to cover all expenses while they try to figure out what’s going on, and what exactly they are.”
“That’s the thing,” John said. “How do we know they’re not just trying to look helpless and cute?”
“Well, if they really are alien invaders,” said Diane, “having one in our home will give you a chance to study how to properly defend yourself from one. Besides, it’s not like we’re the only ones in the neighborhood who are planning to bring one home. If we walked out right now, we’re still be just a small fence away from the neighbors’ ‘evil alien pony.’”
John shook his head and said, “I still think this is some kind of set up. I mean, a whole continent appears out of thin air and it’s populated with rainbow-colored unicorns? Sounds like something a little girl would fantasize about.”
Diane gave a soft giggle. “Either way, one little girl is going to think you’re the greatest father in the world when we bring one home for her. Now, how about you stop making excuses and pick one?”
With a sigh, John turned back toward the platform. Currently there were three of the ‘evil alien ponies’ (ok, he had to admit that sounded stupid) up for grabs. One just had to raise their hand, and declare that they were willing to take responsibility for it.
It was a first come, first serve kind of deal, but the folks who really wanted a pony had already gone through an hour ago. By now the gathering was more for clearing out the few ponies left.
All three of the ponies were lying down, too weak to stand on their own power.
The first was sea green with a blue mane, and had a pair of small wings on its side. Like the rest, it had a pair of strange brands on its flanks, in this case a pair of clouds. Its large eyes were looking around the gathered crowd. It was very apparent it was terrified out of its wits.
The second was dark red with a yellow mane, and had a horn squarely in its forehead. It’s slightly sharper muzzle and hooves suggested this one was a male, though John wasn’t sure. Its brand depicted a small fire. It was also looking around at the surrounding crowd, but this one had a challenging look in its eyes. As if daring someone to claim it.
The third had neither wings nor a horn, but its bright blue coat and bubblegum pink mane gave it an especially soft and cute look. Not that John would admit it. Its brand was that of some kind of flower, though John couldn’t recognize it. Unlike the other two, this one was closely eyeing the ground, trying to ignore all the eyes that were looking at it.
At least that was what it looked like. John had been watching the news and he had heard that there were signs that suggested that these ponies might actually be somewhat intelligent, but they were still just ponies. Brightly colored with wings or horns, but still ponies.
A loud call broke John out of his musings, as someone else in the crowd had laid claim to the pegasus. The auctioneer acknowledged the claim, and the ‘bidder’ stepped up to fill out the paperwork. The winged pony, meanwhile, was gently raised off the stand and led away.
John sighed again. He really didn’t want to pick at all, but the two remaining really didn’t appeal to him. The unicorn looked like it’d be trouble, and there was no force on earth that would convince him to pick a pony with anything pink on it. He decided to wait for a better option.
As the pegasus was led away, a new unicorn was brought in. This one was a solid white with a dark blue mane. This one’s brand looked like a shield, or a crest. As it was lead onto the stand it eyed the crowd with... resolve?
The good news was, it wasn’t a butcher building. The bad news was, it seemed to be some kind of improvised auction house. Which meant that one of the monkeys in the crowd was about to claim him as its property. Shining wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about that.
Well, no point in pretending this wasn’t going to happen sooner or later... He thought.
The auction platform (which had a few other ponies on it) was really just a slightly raised piece of plywood. Next to the platform were a few other monkeys that were wearing the same clothing as the ones that were helping him move, and another that was standing behind a podium.
As he was led onto the platform, he looked out at the crowd. He’d be lying to himself if he said he could read the faces looking at him, but he was able to relax a bit as he saw that no one seemed to be looking at him like a meal.
The fact that he couldn’t smell any blood in the air probably helped too.
The two monkeys gently set him down next to the other ponies. Shining didn’t recognize either of them, but a quick glance made it clear that neither were interested in talking over the muttering going on in the crowd. The unicorn was looking at the monkeys with barely controlled rage, and the earth pony didn’t even seen to notice Shining was there.
It was kind of a shame. This was most likely the last time any of them would see another member of equine civilization. A part of Shining really wanted to just try and start some small talk with the last two individuals he would ever be able to hold a conversation with.
But then again, what was there to talk about?
‘Hello! I hope you become the property of a monkey that actually feeds you!’
‘Hey, I know we’re about to be reduced to pets or worse, but have you seen any good theater lately?’
‘I understand you’ll never see them again, but how’s your family?’
Yeah, that would make anypony in this situation feel better.
Turning away from his fellow ponies, Shining looked back out to the crowd, trying to familiarize himself with the monkeys...
…
Ok, that’s it, I seriously need to think of something else to call them. He thought.
Let’s see... clothed monkeys... clokeys? No, that sounds stupid even in my head... maybe a different primate? Chimps... Apes... clapes? Better, but still-
A voice broke through the dim. Shining turned to see a... clape... raising one of its limbs (what did the minotaurs call them again?) While Shining was no animal expert, he could assume from the creature’s large... ahem... parts that it was a female.
Two of the worker clapes (still sounded better than monkeys) came over to the earth pony, lifted her up, and led her away. She still kept her eyes firmly on the ground.
Shining tried to watch where they were taking her, but quickly lost sight as they turned the corner. The clape female, meanwhile, came up to the platform and began speaking with the clape behind the podium.
That’s odd... there wasn’t any bidding. Guess this isn’t a traditional auction... Shining thought.
Then again, how do I know this is even an auction? I don’t know anything about these things! How do I know this isn’t some kind of ‘reserve your meal’ meeting?
Shining shook his head.
Ok, now I’m just being paranoid. Calm down Shining Armor. You’re not the Crystal Prince to these creatures.
A yellow pegasus with a tornado cutie mark was brought onto the platform in place of the earth pony. Shining didn’t recognize him. The pegasus took one look his fellow ponies before turning away. He didn’t seem interested in talking either.
Shining looked back toward the crowd.
One of them is going to take control of my life, one way or another. I should stop speculating and try to make a good impression.
Shining had only a moment to look before there was another cry from the crowd. Shining turned to see a male (he presumed) clape had a raised limb this time.
And it was looking directly at him.
A moment later, two worker clapes came over to Shining Armor, and he knew all too well what that meant.
Guess this is it... my fate has been sealed... he thought.
As he was lifted up, Shining tried to get a better look at the clape that just claimed him. His new ‘owner.’
Perhaps he was a bit biased as the one being auctioned off, but Shining was not comforted by its less than cheerful expression.