Harmony Emblem: Awakening

by NuclearLime

The Verge of History (incomplete)

Three ponies are strolling in a large field; at the front of them is a unicorn stallion with white coat and a blue mane with light blue highlights and eyes just as blue. He was dressed in a blue cape, and a plate of armor on his shoulder. Next to him was a smaller, lavender unicorn mare with amethyst eyes. She was dressed in a light blue dress [like the gala dress](strangely enough, with iron hidden in it). Trekking along behind them was a muscular red stallion with an orange mane, and green eyes. He was cloaked in an impressive suit of armor; all seemed calm and tranquil until the unicorn said:

“Shining Armor,” (the white stallion) “what is that?” The mare was pointing to a peculiar object about a number of feet away from them.

“I’m not sure,” was the stallion’s reply, “let us investigate.”
Once they were much closer, Shining Armor realized that it was a pony.
“It’s a mare!” He yelled to the others, “She’s collapsed!” When the three of them got to her, they turned her over to see if there were any signs of being beaten. Well, she’s obviously a mare, an alicorn no less. At that moment, Shining Armor saw her face; and a beautiful one on top of that.

The mare on the ground was mostly purplish-lavender, and a lavender mane with butterscotch and magenta highlights she was dressed in along dark grey hooded cloak with buckles, little ropes, and purple and gold highlights.

The red stallion walked to the mysterious mare and touched his hoof to her neck, and said, with a noticeable southern drawl, “She’s certainly alive m’lord.”

To which Shining Armor said, “Yes, thank you Big Macintosh, because we couldn’t deduct that from the rising and falling of her stomach until you touched her neck. So, thank you again Big Macintosh.” This bit of teasing made Twilight giggle and Big Macintosh sheepish.

“Okay, that’s enough games, we have to do something.” Nopony noticed that while Twilight was saying this, the mare was beginning to stir. “Oh look, she’s awake!” Twilight said as she saw the mystery pony open her eyes, at this, Shining Armor said:

“I see you’re awake. There are better places to take a nap then on the ground you know. Give me you hoof.” As he helped her up, he asked her, “Are you all right?”
When she got up she confirmed this with a, “Y-yes, thank you Shining Armor.”

“Hm? So you know who I am?”

“No, actually, I… it’s strange, your name… it just… came to me.”

“Hmm, how curious. Tell me, what’s your name? What brings you here?”

“My name is… it’s… Hm?”

“…You don’t know your own name?”

“I’m not sure if… I’m sorry, where am I, exactly?”

At this, Twilight decided to interrupt, “*gasp* Hey, I’ve heard of this! It’s called amnesia!”

Unamused, Big Macintosh deadpanned, “It’s called a load of manticore dung. Y’all want us to believe you can remember m’lord’s name, but not your own?”

Offended, the mare replied defensively: “B-but it’s the truth!”

Now it was Shining Armor’s turn to interrupt, “…What if it IS true Big Macintosh? We can’t just leave her here, alone and confused. What sort of Shepherds would we be then?”

“Just the same, I must emphasize caution. One Timberwolf plus hundreds a’ sheep just doesn’t add up.”

“Right then-we’ll take her back to town and sort this out there.”
Taken aback by the decision made without her input, she voiced her aggravation, but Shining Armor assured her they would her all she had to say in town.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once closer to the town, Cadence bitterly asked:

“What will you do with me? Am I to be your prisoner?”
Shining Armor only laughed and said,

“You’ll be free to go once we establish you’re no enemy of Equestria.”

“Is that where we are? Equestria?”
Here, Big Macintosh so surprised to here that she had not heard of “the halidom,” he laughed and thought she was an actress. This only confused Cadence, causing her to furrow her brow, which Big Mac said only made the act only more convincing.

“Macintosh, please.” Said Shining Armor. “This land is known as the Halidom of Equestria. Our ruler, Celestia, is called the exalt. I suppose proper introductions are in order. My name is Shining Armor-but then, you already knew that. The delicate one here is my sister, Twilight Sparkle.”

Annoyed, Twilight interjected:
“I am NOT delicate! …Hmph! Ignore my brother; he can be a bit thick sometimes. But you’re lucky the Shepards found you. Brigands would have been a rude awakening!”

“Shepards?” Cadence asked, confused, “You tend sheep? ...In full armor?”

“Heh, it’s a dangerous job.” Shining Armor continued, “Just ask Macintosh the Wary here.”

“A title Ah’ll proudly wear. Gods forbid one of us keep an appropriate level of caution. I got every want tuh trust ye stranger, but my work mandates otherwise.”

“I understand, sir.” The unnamed mare responded, politely. “I would do no less myself. My is name is Mi Amoré Cadenza…. I just remembered that. How odd. I suppose that’s one mystery solved.”

“Cadence?” Shining Armor asked, “Is that foreign…Ah, well. I suppose we can discuss it later. We’re almost to town. Once we—”

“Shining Armor, Look! The town!”
Everypony was caught off guard by Twilight’s yell, and looked to see fires in the village.

“Damn it! The town’s on fire! Those blasted blasted brigands, no doubt…Macintosh! Twilight! Quickly!”

“What about her?” Big Macintosh asked, referring to Mi Amoré.

“Unless she’s on fire as well, it can wait!”

“Aptly put m’lord.”

“Let’s go already!” Twilight said.

Instead if staying put when the other three ran off towards the town, Mi Amoré pondered a bit and chased them into the growing inferno that was the town.

“Shining, we have to stop them!” Twilight cried.

“Don’t worry—after today, these bandits won’t be bothering anyone ever again…”

Suddenly, down flew Mi Amoré,

“Shining! Wait!”

“Amoré!” Shining yelled, “You followed us! Why?”

“I’m not certain myself, but I know my way around a fight, so, I can help, if you’ll have me.”

“Of course—safety in numbers. Let’s go!”
Luckily, most of the inner part of the village wasn’t burned.

“Mi Amoré,” Shining began, until Mi Amoré interrupted him:

“Call me Cadence.”

“All right then, Cadence, I see you wear a sword, but is that a tome?”

“It is…”

“So you know combat magic?”

“I think so? Maybe I should check.”

“You think so?!? Maybe I’ll keep a few steps behind you for now.”

“No, I can control it…”

Cadence dashed behind a fruit stand, and when she peered over it, she saw a stallion with a sword attached to his saddle.

“Now, let’s see… how did this work again?”
She looked at the words on the lightning tome, and concentrated. At once, the words glowed gold and shimmered violently. They suddenly flew off the page and surrounded Cadence, they grew into circles and intricate patterns. Suddenly a lightning bolt struck the armed stallion nearly to death.

“What in the bloody Tartarus—?” He tried to start, but was killed by a swing of Shining Armor’s sword.

“Ah yes,” Cadence said, “that’s how it works.”
Working together, Cadence, Shining Armor, Big Macintosh, and Twilight defeated the brigands that were invading, all the while, Cadence telling exactly who should attack whom for the best outcome.

“Well, that’s the end of that.” Cadence sighed.

“Lucky for the town we were close by,” Twilight agreed, “but holy wow Cadence! You were incredible! Swords, sorcery, AND tactics! Is there anything you can’t do?”

“You’re certainly no helpless victim,” Shining agreed, “That’s for sure.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac drawled, “Maybe you can tell us how ya got here in the first place?”

“I understand your skepticism, Big Macintosh.” Cadence assured, “And I cannot explain why only some knowledge has come to me now, but please believe me, I’ve shared all I know.”

“You fought to save Equestrian lives,” Shining Armor said, “my heart says that’s enough.”

“And your mind m’lord?” Big Macintosh cut in, “Will ya listen to its advice as well?”

“Macintosh, the Shepherds could use somepony with Cadence’s talents. We have unruly neighbors and brigands, all wanting to bloody our soil. Would you really want us to lose such an able tactician? Besides, I believe her story, odd as it might be.”

“Th-thank you, Shining Armor.” Said Cadence.

“So how about it? Wanna join us Cadence?” Shining Armor asked.

“I would be honored,” Cadence smiled.

After the fires were extinguished, the four of them stood in the center of town, assessing the damage, until Big Macintosh spoke up (ironically).

“Did you notice milord? The brigands spoke with a Crysian accent.”

“Crysian? What’s that?” Cadence asked, still fairly new to this world.

“Crysia, or the Crytal Empire,” Shining Armor said, informing Cadence, “is Equestria’s westerly neighbor. They send bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war.”

“And it’s the poor townsponies who suffer!” Twilight said, in empathy, “Totally innocent! Totally helpless…”

“They got us milady;” Big Macintosh interrupted, “Shepherds to protect the sheep. Don’t get to mad now, It’ll mess with yer head; make it hard to see what’s what.”

“I know, I know… Don’t worry. I’ll get used to all this!”

Not too soon after

Author's Note:

You probably won't see me for a while (if ever again), but I'm GOING to post this final story, even if it's only half-done!

...

No one is reading this are they?

Comments

[Burnasius]

Reading it. A good character switch here. I would follow this, if only you can continue this. Now onward to more battles, aligning your skills for your child to inherit and marriages on the road!!!

[ultra1437]

Having played awakening multiple times, I am not particularly happy about Celestia's role, knowing what's to come. (Provided you follow the game's story as you have been) That point is kind of moot, because without an OC or subbing in Luna, she's the only canon pony eligible for the job.

[NuclearLime]

3801949
3801756
I'll try to finish the first chapter, but I'm mostly dead at the moment (in terms of the site. you can check my latest blog).

[Burnasius]

3801993
Good luck then for you.

[ultra1437]

3801993
No worries. I waited for Composure to update. I'm patient.

[NuclearLime]

3801949
That's one reason why Luna was at first playing Lissa, then my brother, who is not a brony, said: "but Twilight is Shining's brother, why don't you just her do Lissa?"*
I kinda just couldn't overcome that logic compared to my reasoning for NOT making Twilight play Lissa ("but she would make a great Miriel!").

*This is paraphrased.

[ultra1437]

3802042
Personally, I agree. Twi would make a perfect Miriel, but having her as Lissa fits better when Shining is Chrom.

[MeBurritoLoco]

I know we're not that far into this fic yet, and I know it isn't my job to tell you or any author what goes where, but as a suggestion, I think it would be great to have Pinkie Pie be Gaius.

[symmetricowl]

ok i know i'm late to the party but i have been saying for ALMOST TEN YEARS that henry and pinkie pie would be besties so it makes me actually so happy to know that someone else saw the similarities