Sweet Hearts and Princesses

by lollipopchica

Chapter 11

The next day Shining Armor awoke with a frown.

He still didn’t know what to make of last night’s situation and it bothered him.

If his family noticed his disposition they didn’t comment. His mother smiled as she prepared breakfast while his father read from the paper. Twilight bounded around the kitchen chattering about lessons and the power of sleep.

He especially paid attention to his sister. The magic Chrystal had used was unlike any he’d ever seen. There was a kid who worked in the library who knew about that kind of stuff and he was making it a priority to see him later today.

“Don’t you think, Shining?”

He blinked as his sister’s voice reached his ears.

“Huh… What?” He stammered as he turned to look at the younger girl. Twilight rolled her eyes as she huffed.

“What’s been on with you, big brother?”

He shook his head as he shrugged. “Me and Chrystal had a fight, that’s all.”

His mother sighed as she turned to serve the family’s meal. “Sometimes you just grow out of some ponies.”

His father concurred as he continued to read the paper. “Not everypony is a good influence.”

“You should hang out with Princess Cadance more. She’s a really nice mare and it’d be nice to have her around more often.”

“Now that you mention it…”

He pursed his lips as he listened to his family subtly talk down about the mare who’d been a decent friend to him. He stood from his seat so fast the chair clambered backwards hitting the ground with a loud smack. “Thanks for the advice.” He ground out effectively excusing himself.

The Sparkle parents blinked as they traded looks.

What had they said wrong?

Shining Armor was already out the front door when Twilight sprinted to catch up with him.

“Shining! Wait!” He mentally groaned as he halted in their front walkway. Twilight trotted up beside him with a timid smile on her face. “I’m not overly fond of Chrystal, but she can’t be all bad if she managed to snag a friend like you.”

Grey eyes softened as Shining Armor stared down at his sister with a lopsided grin. Back to their cerulean hue, his eyes communicated his appreciation. He could always count on Twilight to have his back. “Thanks, Twiley.”

She made a face when he mussed her hair. “Yeah, yeah… But don’t tell her that.”

He chuckled at her words, before bidding her farewell.

Shade was a black stallion who wore silver googles that obscured his light grey eyes. He volunteered at the local library as he had an interest in unusual subjects. Shining Armor had been in the same class as the bookish pony years ago. Though Shade had always been a bit eccentric, he never minded helping a pony in need of answers.

When the white stallion entered the library he politely asked the mare upfront where he could find Shade.

The stern looking mare gave a skeptical glare and answered him in a monotonous voice. Thankful for her help, Shining Armor gave a nervous smile as he went about finding the earth pony.

The library’s second floor contained its archives and special collections. The stallion treaded the steps in no particular hurry as he gathered his thoughts. Pushing open oak wood doors, cerulean eyes scanned the room for the dark-maned academic.

On the far side of the room he saw the object of his search hunched over parchment scribbling furiously as he leafed through various books.

If Shade Noir heard anypony enter the special collection’s archive, he didn’t act it. It wasn’t until Shining Armor was right on top of him clearing his throat did he look up to check his surroundings.

Enlarged grey eyes blinked before recognition blanketed equine features. “Golden boy?”

Shining Armor rolled his eyes as a smile broke out over his maw. “Shade…” He greeted somewhat wary of the nickname. “You still remember that...”

The darker pony shrugged as a good natured look settled over him.

While most of the colts had teased him for his bookish habits, Shining Armor never had. Not that any of the teasing caused him mental or physical stress, it was just the smaller stallion had always found it incredibly annoying.

“Have you come to reminisce about the awkward days, or were you looking for something?” He asked curious about the impromptu reunion.

Shining Armor took a deep breath. “Can I trust you with something? Something you can’t tell anypony…”

Shade gave him a look as he motioned at the empty room. “Honestly Armor, who am I going to tell?” Shade was never the gossipy type and few friends he did have had moved away from Canterlot years ago.

Shining Armor looked apologetic. “Point taken.” With a sigh he told him about the spell he’d seen performed with as little detail as he could get away it. “It was weird… Like it was some kind of black magic. I guess what I’m asking is, is what I saw malicious? Could it hurt somepony?”

Shade had given him his undivided attention as he concluded his tale. Shining Amor had regarded the other with hopefulness only for the bookish pony to fall back in laughter.

“That’s funny! You’re a funny pony!”

“What?”

“Your pretending to be naive. Did anypony ever tell you how refreshing that is?”

The snow colored stallion sulked. ”As a matter of fact….”

“Oh… you’re serious?” Shade cleared his throat suddenly embarrassed. “No, dark magic isn’t ‘evil’ it just tends to be more volatile in nature. Generally speaking, white magic can heal, and purify things. Dark magic can burn, amongst other things.”

“What?!” What did that mean for his sister?

“Well it’s steeped in emotions related to aggression, anger and, manipulation. While the negative aspects of such emotion are obvious, it doesn’t mean they’re bad. I mean it’s all in the intention of the user. It’s not wrong to defend yourself. It’s not wrong to be ambitious and it’s certainly acceptable to feel out the ponies around you before you invest your own feelings or resources into them.” The soldier calmed down as he listened to the other explain. “But the spell you described doesn’t a sound like ordinary black magic. In fact, very few, if any, ponies are capable of that.”

“What’re you saying?”

“That it sounds like a spell relating to subterfuge. It’s brainwashing essentially… or the power of suggestion.” The dark colored earth pony quickly amended in response to the expression on snow white features.

“It takes quite a lot of magic to conduct such a spell as the user has to combat the lack wit’s will. Depending on how magnanimous the illusion intended the more magic is needed. I’m positive it’s an ancient form of magic forbidden to citizens of Equestria, hence its lack of users.”

While it was true Chrystal liked to antagonize his sister, he didn’t think she’d ever hurt her.

“To answer your question, it doesn’t physically hurt… but as you know lies and allusions of grandeur have a way of putting people at risk of harm from outside forces.”

Shade studied the pensive stallion intrigued by his story. Who could Shining Armor know that was capable of such sorcery? It was such an unusual form of magic for a pony to be versed in.

Did Shining Armor really think Chrystal capable of harming his family? He didn’t- So why had he turned her away?

Shade raised a brow as the other unintentionally vocalized his thoughts.

Why hadn’t he listened when she was explaining?

Besides the unanswered questions in his cranium about the situation presented, Shade played the role of a friend. “Why didn’t you?”

White ears flicked in confusion before flattening against his skull as he really thought about what happened as well as what his reaction must’ve said to the mare he- Oh man! He had kicked her out of his house! In the middle of the night…

The darker Stallion shook his head somewhat sympathetically. “It’s never too late to make amends…” He suggested helpfully. “The user has to serenade their prey in a sense. If she didn’t ‘spin’ anything bad… then no harm will befall whoever this happened to.”

“Maker, I’m an idiot,” was his petulant lament as he dropped his head in shame.

Shade shook his head with a slight grin on his muzzle. Some things never changed it seemed.

After thanking Shade for his help, Shining Armor left the library and reported to his station. He desperately wanted to apologize to his marefriend, if that’s what you could call his relationship status, but he also had to work. Maybe a few days away would help him get his thoughts together. As much as he knew about Chrystal’s attitude and interests, he realized he knew next to nothing about her origins.

When the stallion finally arrived to his duty station most of his squadron was buzzing with excitement as something truly outrageous had gone down the previous night.

“It was crazy!” A pony was saying. “One of the mares is in the hospital and the other one refuses to say anything!”

What were they talking about? What did he miss? Shining Armor looked around the station room with a curious expression on his face. “What’s going on?” He asked a passing guard.

“Those three stallions you picked up a while ago finally got what was coming to ‘em. But Capt’ says we still have to investigate. The only available mare is a tight-lipped broad. She won’t talk for anything. Took a beating from those thugs so I can understand her lack of caring. Capt’s not sure what to make of her saying as how she was slinking through the city at like one in the morning.”

Shining Armor felt his heart sink. “Who… was it?”

“I can’t think of her name, but she’s a dark looking unicorn. A little mouthy, but she’s definitely easy on the eyes. They finally sent her home about an hour ago- Hey! Where you going?”

Shining Armor really couldn’t say what he was thinking when he showed up at the mare’s door, but the fear he felt for her safety was painfully real.

When he saw that wide eyed look on Chrystal’s face and the bruise against her jaw it wasn’t enough just to see her. He had to touch her, hold her, kiss her. He needed to feel her slender frame warm and breathing, safely pressed beneath his. He wanted to hear her voice breathless and fierce assuring him that she was okay, that she was with him and that she’d allow him to keep her safe from anypony else who dared to lay a hoof on her.

He had been an idiot, but there’d be time to talk about that later.

Comments

[Fourpony]

This story feels like it has been under appreciated in my opinion. I have so far enjoyed the premise and execution.

[articunos bitch]

“Me and Chrystal had a fight, that’s all.”

All couples fight.

Generally speaking, white magic can heal, and purify things. Dark magic can burn, amongst other things.”

The Elements of Harmony banished a mare to the moon for a thousand years. They turned a draconicous to stone for longer, without harming either. I will never be convinced that the Elements of Harmony do not use dark magic.

He had been an idiot, but there’d be time to talk about that later.

Eh, what else is new? It's a term of endearment to her.

[the space marine brony]

7330355 well harmony whould imply a balance between light and dark so yes thats propably the case.