Only a few days had passed since Shining Armor had ascended to alicornhood, but already he was finding it difficult to adjust. His new wings felt bulky and awkward, and what few attempts he had made at trying to fly with them had not ended well. And so it was that on this early summer day, Shining Armor was getting some flying tips from his wife, Cadence, on a field far removed from the hustle and bustle of Canterlot. All of his friends had gathered to watch and offer moral support, but mostly just to watch.
Cadence instructed Shining Armor to take a few deep breaths. "Ready?" She asked him, to which her husband nodded ever so slowly. "Okay then, let's start with the basics. When taking off you've got to flap those wings hard."
"Exactly how hard?" Shining Armor asked, as he eyed his wings nervously.
"There's no exact estimation, it depends on the pony and the kind of take off you're going for," Cadence instructed. "For a simple take off like this, you need to flap them hard enough to generate substantial lift. Too little and your body will weigh you down, but too much you'll crash. Now, follow my instructions and make your attempt."
"Go ahead, we won't laugh," Soarin promised, though under his breath he couldn't help but add. "Much."
Shining sighed, taking a few more calming breaths to try and clear his head. "Okay, here goes." He gulped, and started trying to flap his wings. The process proved to be very difficult and taxed his body heavily.
Cadence became concerned. "You're flapping too hard, you're going to wear yourself out." She protested, and she was right. Shining hit the ground with a thud, luckily he wasn't hurt.
Big Macintosh was quick to help the young alicorn prince to his hooves. "Not bad, Prince Shining Armor. I've seen worse."
"Big Mac, there's really no need for such formalities," Shining insisted. "You know you don't have to call me that when we're such good friends."
"And why is it so wrong if we insist on calling you by your full name?" Fancy Pants asked honestly. "You don't have to wear it on your sleeve all the time, but the least you can do is embrace your new status. You're an alicorn now, and that's no mean feat. Most ponies would kill to be in your horseshoes right now."
Shining sighed, he knew Fancy Pants meant well, but at times he could have a little too much faith in the Canterlot nobility. "If other ponies want to call me by my full title, I don't have a problem with it. But you guys are all my friends, it just doesn't feel right having you address so formally. I may be an alicorn, but I don't see why that means everything needs to change. Our friendship has survived plenty of changes to the status quo before, I don't see why this should be any different."
"Nopony's saying our friendship needs to change, but it's important to realize that not everything will be the same now," Soarin explained. "Like it or not, you're now practically one of the leaders of Equestria, and ponies are going to start looking to you for advice."
"I know that, but this all feels like too much too soon," Shining protested. "I was just starting to get used to life in The Crystal Empire, and now I've got these blasted wings to deal with. I can't even begin to tell you how many sleepless nights I've had thanks to them."
"The only way those wings are going to stop bothering you is if you break them in," Cadence called, interrupting the conversation. "The Summer Sun Celebration's only two days away, and you've got to be ready to perform your part. Now come on, let's try the take off again. And try not to flap too hard this time."
Reluctantly, Shining did so. This time, he didn't flap his wings nearly as hard, so the take off went much more smoothly. "Hey, this isn't so bad. I could get used to this." He thought, as he carefully flapped and fluttered about. Having his hooves off the ground felt surprisingly nice, when he'd been expecting his body to start panicking at the fact that he wasn't touching solid ground.
"Okay, looking good so far," Cadence said with a smile. "Now, are you ready to attempt the big finish?"
"I guess so," Shining replied. "It's risky but, here goes nothing!" Shining started to flap his wings more fiercely to build up speed, he doubted he would have the agility needed to pull off a Sonic Rainboom, but he knew what he was attempting to do would require a lot more speed than he'd ever attempted to use before. However, Shining pushed himself too far too soon, it didn't take long for him to start flapping about wildly and lose control! He swooped towards the ground like a lightning struck pegasus, then suddenly pulled up at the last second! He spun around in a loop and screamed frantically, as he plummeted towards the ground again, this time slamming into it and burying himself in a massive pile of dirt!
"Wow, that was a big finish!" Braeburn exclaimed, trying to adopt a sincere smile.
"Stupid wings." Shining muttered to himself.
Cadence decided it was best to scrub the flying lesson after Shining's crash landing, but the very next day she insisted on once again instructing him. While that training session ended more smoothly, Shining still found himself struggling to manage his "big finish" for the Summer Sun Celebration, which was slated to be held in Canterlot for the first time.
When Cadence's flying lessons had ended for the day, she and Shining Armor decided to spend some time with their friends in the throne room, hoping to take Shining's mind off his troubles.
"You know, you really should be grateful," Fancy Pants commented to Shining Armor, observing the stained glass window depicting Shining's ascension to alicornhood. "Many a pony dreams of having their coronation displayed in stainless glass for all to see. I must say, they really captured your likeness."
"Yeah, well it's not everypony's dream to be a prince and marry a princess," Thunderlane commented in reply. "And let's not forget, we didn't become friends with Shining because he was royalty."
Shining sighed. "I never asked for any of this. Sure, part of me always longed for the chance to marry Cadence. And The Crystal Empire is a lovely change of scenery compared to Ponyville and Canterlot. But being asked to help with the Summer Sun Celebration so soon after becoming an alicorn, it all feels like too much too soon. Plus, it seems like lately, I've been making more mistakes than I should. I let my guard down during the royal wedding, foolishly threw myself onto the front lines when King Sombra returned, and it was my decision to cast that unfinished spell even when Twilight said it wasn't wise. Sure, in the end, everything worked out for the better, and I don't expect to be perfect. But I don't feel like I truly earned my wings and crown, I'm not prepared for ponies to see me as some kind of god."
"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," Cadence observed, putting a wing around her husband. "But you can't lose faith in yourself, Shining. Princess Celestia saw great potential in you, she wouldn't have made you an alicorn if she felt you weren't ready for the responsibilities that come with it. Trust me, I know what it's like to have all of this thrust upon you suddenly, but you're lucky."
"Why is that?" Shining asked.
"Because, when I earned my horn and became an alicorn, I had nopony I could look to for support or advice," Cadence explained, her eyes reflecting a look of sadness. "Even though I reversed that spell, it was too late to save my parents. I was orphaned, and while Princess Celestia took me in and raised me, she couldn't fill the hole in my heart that my parents' demise left. In many ways, I had to learn for myself about what it meant to be a princess. I had no kingdom, no throne, no friends, and no family. That was when Princess Celestia adopted me as her niece, and I gained a sibling in the form of Prince Blueblood, but even then the old wounds still surfaced every now and then. Shining, you have your parents, your sister, and all of our friends to count for support, not to mention the royal guards and my aunts, and of course me."
"Yeah, and no matter what, there will always be a greater force keepin' us connected!" Big Macintosh boasted, pointing to the stainless glass window depicting the stallion six's first victory, their successful purging of Nightmare Moon from Princess Luna with the aid of The Elements of Harmony. "You were the one who tried valiantly to warn Princess Celestia of Nightmare Moon, and the one who led us to The Elements of Harmony. They chose the six of us to wield them, and they gave you the most important element of them all, the Element of Magic!"
"And that's very magic, the magic of friendship, that brought us all together and will always keep us together no matter what," Soarin added. "We're like a team! At times we be may seperated by great distances, physical or mental, but as long as we have our friendship, we'll never truly be alone! And that's not going to change no matter what, you may grow dozens of wings, sprout hundreds of horns, but to us you'll still be Shining Armor, our best friend!"
Shining smiled, despite the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Thank you all," He told everypony in the throne room. "I suppose I needed to hear that. As I said before, this isn't the end but a new beginning, for all of us! And I know that no matter what changes this new beginning will bring, we'll find a way to get through them together, just like we always have!"
"Now there's the Shining Armor we know and love!" Spike happily exclaimed, and he joined the rest of the stallions and Cadence in giving Shining Armor a big group hug.
Not long after the mental pep talk, it was time for the group to split up and go their seperate ways. Even though Shining Armor was going to stay in Canterlot for the duration of The Summer Sun Celebration, there were still plenty of things going on in Ponyville and The Crystal Empire that could not be ignored.
Down at the train station, Big Macintosh, Braeburn, Thunderlane, Soarin, and even Fancy Pants, were all making a "Pinkie Promise" to stay in touch with Shining Armor as best they could, before they departed for Ponyville on The Friendship Express.
"Sorry we can't stay and watch ya, Shining Armor," Big Macintosh apologized. "But Mayor Mare's quite instant that we help Pinkie Pie throw one heck of a party, even if Ponyville ain't hostin' this year's Summer Sun Celebration."
"But don't you worry, with Spike by your side we'll be sure to keep you up to date on all the details!" Braeburn vowed. "So it'll be like you never even left Ponyville at all! And we'll be sure to spend time with your sister as well, she's tryin' her best to keep it hidden, but it's clear the poor gal misses you very much."
"And you can be darn sure that, once the celebration's over, we'll be on the first train up here to be with you!" Fancy Pants added. "I really do wish I could leave Miss. Rarity alone to manage Carousel Boutique, but my darling Fleur tells me that Rarity is clearly swamped and needs all the help she can get. I'll try my best to talk her out of making any 'adjustments' to your living quarters at The Golden Oaks Library for the time being."
Shining chuckled. "Hey, if it makes her happy, I don't mind. Besides, any plans she makes she'll have to run by Twily first."
Just then, the train's whistle blew and the conductor shouted. "Last call for The Friendship Express to Ponyville!"
Shining, Cadence, and Spike watched, as their friends stepped aboard the train shortly before the conductor shouted "All aboard!" and the doors to the coaches closed. With a mighty blast of its whistle, the locomotive chuffed and puffed its way out of the station, bound for Ponyville. The three on the platform stood and waved to their friends, until they were out of sight.
"You sure you didn't want to go back to Ponyville with the guys, Spike?" Shining asked the little dragon, once the train had disappeared. "I know you really miss being with Twilight, and I'm sure she misses you too."
"You know me too well," Spike confessed. "But Twilight says I'm getting to be a big boy, and I can manage without her being by my side all the time. I've managed without her before, and I can manage again now. Someone's got to serve as a channel of communication while the gang's split up, and that's a job I wouldn't trade for all the gems in Equestria."
"Twilight's really raised you well," Shining observed, nuzzling Spike. "I'm proud to consider you my nephew." Shining's comment caused Spike to blush, but both Shining and Cadence pretended not to notice.
Just then, a streamlined steam locomotive pulling a series of stylized coaches pulled into the station and announced its presence as it let off steam loudly. "All aboard!" The conductor shouted.
"Looks like it's time for me to get going too," Cadence commented. "Sombra may be gone for good, but he left quite the impact on The Empire during his brief reign of terror. And as The Crystal Princess, it's my duty to tend to the needs of my subjects and help them recover. Plus, we need to start preparing The Empire for The Equestria Games, they'll be here before you know it."
"Promise to keep in touch," Shining called, as he watched his wife step aboard her specially prepared train. "And tell Flash Sentry to stop oogling my sister and do his job."
"No promises," Cadence giggled. "I am The Princess of Love after all." A short time later, the coach doors closed, and the streamlined Crystal Express departed the station. The locomotive quickly sped away on its nonstop journey to The Crystal Empire, and it didn't take long for it to disappear over the horizon.
Just like that, Shining Armor and Spike were alone once again. It took a moment for the reality to fully sink in, but once it did Shining couldn't help but let out a lonely sigh.
"Hey now, no sour faces! We promised to be strong for the others!" Spike told Shining.
"I can't help it, Spike," Shining commented. "Already I feel like I'm missing out. But I can't abandon my royal duties, that's not who I am!"
"You haven't changed a bit," Spike quipped, before he rolled out a checklist he and Shining had worked on the day before. "Come on, let's get to work on those preparations for The Summer Sun Celebration. We've got a lot to do." And both dragon and alicorn left the train station.