• Published 9th Sep 2012
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Pony POV Series Season Six: Dark World/Shining Armor - Alex Warlorn



Twilight tries to remember herself after 1K years of chaos/Shining Armor awakes on his promotion day

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Episode 121.5 (Shining Armor): Hoof Maidens

Pony POV Series
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic
Shining Armor Arc

In the Background

By Kendell2 and LZ

My name is Minuette. I'm...Um...why are you interviewing me exactly?

(Interviewers Notes (Pegasus): Why not?)

Well...I'm not really anypony important, I'm just the pony that makes sure the Princess' schedule is in order...and make sure that she doesn't forget to brush after meals. Not that I'm not proud of it, but...why me? I'm a nopony important.

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Nopony important? We've interviewed a lot of ponies, Minuette, and we have never met 'nopony important'. There's no such thing as a 'minor character', especially the ones who think they are.)

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Basically, we interview a lot of ponies because they ALL have stories worth telling.)

...Oh...Okay...Well my name is Minuette. I'm in charge of Princess Cadence's schedule. And...well, I guess I do a little more than just keep her schedule...I've got to keep track of every important meeting and where she needs to be and when.

I'm also Cadence's personal official unoffical first aid medic, but since...well, she's an Alicorn, it doesn't come up that often. But you can't have them seeing the immortal goddess bleeding...Where does that myth about gods not being able to bleed even come from?

And I guess somepony has to make sure she remembers to keep her teeth clean...though I guess that's more of a personal mission of mine..., it's not as easy as you'd think! It isn't just brushing your teeth the exact right number of times. You've got to floss every tooth perfectly at the exact right angle, you've got to pick the right mouthwash. Which, yes, I do put in detail on the schedule.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): If you care so much about her dental hygiene, why aren't you her personal dentist? Was that spot taken?)

No...I WANTED to be a dentist ever since I was a foal...When everypony else wanted to be a rock star or a fire stallion, little Minuette wanted to be a dentist...but...well, you have to become a doctor first and...I've never really been able to take seeing ponies hurt bad...I have nightmares where that kind of thing happens...Really bad ones...So no, I couldn't do it...But I guess I know a thing or two about dental hygiene. And I do know one or two spells that come in handy for the Princess, like one that stops her teeth from yellowing from drinking coffee...or make a nervous captain's fur white again after he spills tea all over himself.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Are all your spells dental based?)

No...not all of them. While I did want to be a dentist, my real talent is with order and time. It just comes...natural to me. I actually wrote this paper on temporal magic at Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns...yeah, I went there. When I couldn't get the Dragon Egg to hatch I...well, used a light spell I knew to illuminate the little dragon inside and make sure its teeth were healthy and I guess ingenuity was the real point of the test...

Huh? Did I know Twilight Sparkle? I knew OF her, and a lot of us tried to get her to open up, but she wouldn't socialize to save her life...And before you say it, I said save her life, not Equestria.

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): Why did you want to be a dentist?)

Well when I was a filly...this is going to sound silly, but my parents always wanted me to take good care of my teeth. They said your smile said a lot about you so you should make sure it's a pretty one...They said my smile with my pretty white teeth were the first thing they saw of me.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Wait...How is that possible?)

I was...well, a doorstep baby. I was about six months old when someone left me on their doorstep with a note and this weird watch...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Fob watch?)

I suppose...What's with the odd looks?

(Interviewers Notes (Pegasus): Oh, nothing nothing.)

+++

...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Is something wrong?)

Huh? N-no, nothing is wrong. Why would anything be wrong?

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Well you're kind of just sitting there staring at us like we're a bunch of Timber Wolves.)

Oh! Sorry...I...Um...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): I can understand you being scared to submit to a random interview after the...interrogation you suffered earlier. Rest assured that this interview is not about that. We just want to get another point of view on things than just from Shining Armor's.)

Oh...ok...sorry...I'm just kind of scared...I've done a lot of scary tricks but...I don't think I've ever been that scared...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Don't worry, we won't push you to talk about it if you don't want to. Can we try this again?)

O-Ok...My name is Sunset. I guess you could say I'm her messenger...If she has anything she needs to go somewhere, I'm the one that takes it...My specialty is low altitude flying, and I'm nimble, so I can get things places pretty quick I suppose...

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): Do you like the job?)

Yes, very much so. Especially when I need to fly...I've always enjoyed anything where I'm up in the air, be it flying or on a tightrope...Hehe...I'll admit, when I was a filly, I'd sneak out at night and sleep on a cloud...I just feel so...free when I'm like that...M-Most of the time...

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): So Cadence trusts you with some pretty important stuff?)

Yes...I guess she does. I carry letters all over the place to lots of important ponies, so...yeah, I suppose so. I get to meet Princess Celestia from time to time delivering letters if Princess Cadence couldn't just go talk to her...She's really nice, I really don't know where those nasty rumors about her get started...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Do you have anything you really want to do? Other than being Cadence's Hoofmaiden?)

Well...to be honest, being her Hoofmaiden was just part of the reason I did this, I really just wanted to see the world...I really want to go back to mom and dad's circus one day...

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): So you want to pick up where you left off?)

...Yes, I suppose you could say that...I only left because I knew they needed it more than me...But I know someday, they'll not be able to do it anymore, and I want to continue on our family business...

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Won't you miss your friends?)

...Yes...I know I would...Princess Cadence isn't just my boss, she's my friend...so are Twinkle Shine and Minuette...Amethyst Star back in Canterlot too...

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): You could always invite them to your shows, I'm sure they'd love to come!)

Oh! I hadn't thought of that!...Yeah...Thank you, filly...

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): :-) )

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Oh now Shining Armor has her doing it!)

+++

It's about time! I wondered when you'd get to the three of us!

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Huh? You did?)

Yeah. We're the ones who make Cadence into Princess Mi Amore Cadenza every day, we're her inner circle. If you're interviewing ponies, why would you miss us?

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Sorry, we're just a little surprised. Minuette and Sunset were a bit more humble about their positions.)

Yeah, I can understand that. Minuette and Sunset are both kind of like that.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Okay, looks like we can skip right to the questions this time. Tell us about yourself.)

My name is Twinkle Shine. Born and raised in Canterlot. I went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Did I know Twilight Sparkle? Eh, no better than most of the school did. I can't really remember a time that mare didn't have her nose in a book. Still can't believe Miss Anti-Social saved the world, and through friendship of all things. I'm the one in charge of Cadence's personal appearance. Minuette and Sunset help out, but I'm the one who decides what we do.

(Interviewers Notes (Earth Pony): You said you made Cadence into Mi Amore Cadenza...what do you mean?)

Oh, well, not to brag or nothing, but the Cadence everyone sees? We make her look that way every day. Sure, Cadence is in charge of making sure everypony gets a good look at what she's like inside, and she's good at it, but the outside? That's all us.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): So you three handle her personal appearance?)

It's more important than it sounds. Remember how Shining Armor had to fix that...mix up with Cadence's photographs?

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Yeah...how do you know that?)

Sunset was the one who found out, since she's her messenger and all that. Point is, Cadence's appearance says a lot about her. Not every ruler can get people to take them seriously without sprucing up. Queen Tiamat may be able to attract everyone attention just by standing there looking ominous, but not Cadence.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): You've seen Queen Tiamat?)

We're supposed to visit her on this trip, so Cadence showed us pictures of her so we didn't freak out...too much. Just her pictures gave me nightmares.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Well she is the Mother of All Dragons after all. Still, I hear she's actually surprisingly civil.)

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Next question, what do you plan to do in the future?)

Me? I kind of want to do this professionally. I like being a hoofmaiden. Though maybe I'll go into hairstyling. That's part of the reason I did this in the first place, I wanted to see all the styles from around the world to get ideas. Thinking about doing Cadence's mane up in a more local style next place we go and see how that goes.

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): That sounds cool!)

Thanks!...Hey, do you know if Cadence is going to get a fancy energy mane like her aunts? Made out of harmony or music or something? How would I style a mane made of that? I'm curious.

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Make sure it's kept clean, things might start evolving in it otherwise.)

That...that can happen?

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Parasites mixed with divine magical energy can lead to some crazy things. Nothing dangerous, just annoying, and potentially sentient. Just wash, rinse, and repeat and it'll be fine.)

...I'll make sure to remember that...How do you know that?

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Princess Luna told us, she's had problems with it before.)

Right...

+++

Sorry about that. Twinkle Shine and I still have to do our studies while on this trip. It's hard to find time for it with everything that's happened to be honest...I'm always worried I'm going to get off schedule! I am NOT getting off schedule!

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Whoa! Calm down, we don't want another Smartypants Incident!)

...Another what?

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Long story...might not have happened yet come to think about it...Just settle down a little bit.)

Oh...sorry. I guess its kind of 'serious business' with me...I just feel it's important, you know? To be the master of your time and have everything planned out.

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): That is important, but don't spend so much time planning for the future you forget the here and now.)

Normally I don't, but I cut it close working around that whole mess with the Zebrawa Embassy and still make our schedule work, and I'm proud of it. I've even started adding 'Incase of Emergency' Days into the schedules from here on out just in case.

( Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): And I thought Twilight was the only one who did that.)

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): So, why did you go on this trip anyway?)

Me? Well, I think Twinkle Shine would be the better one to ask...she found the flier, I just went along with it.

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): We'll get Twinkle Shine's side of the story, Minuette, we want to hear yours now.)

Oh...ok. It's not much. You already know part of it...

---

"Hey! Minuette! Lemon Hearts! Look what I found!" Twinkle Shine called, laying the want-ad in front of me and Lemon Hearts.

Lemon Hearts is a good friend, but she tends to get a bit...high-strung around cold season. Ever since she found out some ponies use lemons to fake being sick, she's always really, REALLY protective of her lemons then...Everypony now fears the Angry Mother Lemon...

"They're hiring staff for Princess Cadence now that she's coming of age! Including hoof-maidens! The pay's good, we can get through college easy!"

Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns has college courses and we were all pretty much there as scholarships...but with scholarships come with a lot of pressure to keep up the grades to maintain them and also the cost of apartments or dorm rooms. As it turned out, being hoofmaidens came with free rooms in the palace and would pay for our classes, since we were taking time out of our schedule to perform them.

I looked at the want ad closely. It had a picture of Cadence on it (I think it was trying to make her look as normal as possible), the requirements, who to talk to. Just the typical stuff like that. I suppose the Princess or Cadence one didn't want to make a huge deal out of it. I don't blame them...not after the whole mess the press made out of her getting Twilight as her personal student.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): You seem a tad miffed.)

I...guess its kind of a big deal being the Princess' hoofmaiden one other way...Most ponies meet one of the Princesses in person maybe once or twice...I see Cadence every single day, we're friends. I guess because of that I can understand what those 'Princess Molestia' articles must've felt like to Princess Celestia and Twilight (I doubt Twilight knew about them for awhile). And, pardon my Prench, but it clops me off.

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): I'm sure Twilight would appreciate your concern for her.)

Yeah, I guess...Anyway, I'd better continue, only so much time scheduled for this interview session...

"I dunno..." I replied. I still wasn't sold on the idea of waiting on someone hoof and hoof...it seemed like it's be more work than we already had on our plate...

"It's a chance to meet Canterlot Royalty! Why pass up a chance like that!" Twinkle Shine being...Twinkle Shine didn't back down so easily. But it was rather tempting honestly...

"Did you show this to Moondancer?" I asked. Moondancer was always a good friend...I just felt more confident if I knew I'd be surrounded by, you know, friends, instead of strangers?

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): We know how that is, continue.)

Lemon Hearts rolled her eyes. "If you two want to do this, go right ahead. But I'm not gonna be a glorified house-servant to pampered royals who can't brush their own teeth."

"Brush their own teeth eh?" I know THAT is probably a silly thing to be what makes or breaks a deal for you, but...

"Count me in!"

I guess it felt like as close to a dentist career I could get at the time, so I thought it would be a good idea...

Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly correct, as I rather...humiliatingly found out the first day...

...

...

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): And?)

...We swore to never speak of it again.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Oh come on, not even-)

Never. Again.


How we landed this job, huh? Well if you insist.

I was just walking down the street between classes. Once you get to the upper grade levels, you get a little more off time.

I was wondering what to get to eat. Me, Minuette, and Lemon Hearts (and sorta Amethyst Star, but she wasn't a student) had this game we liked to play called 'see who can spend the least on meals for the week while still looking like they're a fancy Canterlot pony.' My parents may live in Canterlot, but...well, they wanted me to know the value of a dollar and all that.

Anyway, headed to a restaurant and there it was on the door staring me in the face. A poster advertising openings for Princess Cadence's staff. Now I'd heard of Princess Cadence, I don't think anyone hadn't. She may not have been as big a deal as she used to be, but she was still the only Alicorn the Tabloids gave a good review.

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): You believe that garbage?)

Nah, but generally the tabloids not having dirt on someone meant they had to be REALLY squeaky clean...I remember one time some jerks at the school brought in some old 'Princess Molestia' articles and asked Twilight some just plain wrong questions I'm NOT repeating around a filly. I don't think I've ever seen her that upset before...I might not know the poor girl well, but I definitely gave those girls a piece of my mind for that one...and served a week in detention, but it was SO worth it.

"No way!" I exclaimed...then tried to look inconspicuous as I tore the poster off and ran to my nearest friend's place, Moondancer.

---

"Hey Twinkle Shine," said the white, red maned unicorn opening the door. Moondancer's a nice gal. Has a bunch of plushies. That little dragon that palled around with Twilight has a crush on her. Hehe, poor kid thinks that no pony knows about it even if he's as subtle as a train wreck about it.

"Hey Moondancer! Take a look at this!" I handed her the banner and waited while she took a look over it.

"Staff for Princess Cadence?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm thinking Hoofmaidens, yah know? We get to be close to a Princess! Isn't that awesome!"

She gave a chuckle. "I guess, but doing her mane and stuff like that?"

"I kind WANT to do that honestly. You know I've wanted to be a mane stylist for a long time now."

Yeah, I did. Mom and dad didn't think it was a 'profitable' thing to do but I really kind of wanted to do it. This was my chance to actually make it work out as something they might accept. I mean doing a Princesses' mane is a LOT more impressive than just doing random ponies manes. Know what I mean?

"Yes, I know," Moondancer replied, giving a smirk. "But I don't think I'm into it to be honest. It'd just be kind of awkward, having to spend that much time working on a pony's mane and all that. Not how I want to start my day, but you're welcome to it."

"Oh...okay, thanks anyway."

"Why not ask Minuette? You know how much she loves dental stuff."

---

I admit, it kinda stunk she wouldn't be coming. Then Lemon Hearts didn't want to. You don't push Lemon Hearts too much. Not unless you want to face the Angry Mother Lemon! Beware the Angry Mother Lemon!

But hey, Minuette went with it! But the poster said 'three' hoofmaiden positions, and well, we'd like to have all three of them be our friends. So we went to Amethyst Star, one of our friends. But she wasn't really interested...

---

"So you want me to come and take care of a pampered Princess with you?" asked the purple unicorn standing at the door.

"Yeah, but it could be fun..."

"No. I spend enough time taking care of spoiled brats without dealing with what they grow up into."

---

So yeah, she wasn't interested. At all.

I'd keep going, but this is kinda when Sunset enters the picture, you might want to go ask her what happens next.


Oh, you want to know how I found out about this job?

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Yeah. We've already got Minuette and Twinkle Shine to tell us their versions of it, and we noticed you didn't seem to know them before that.)

Oh...yeah...I suppose I didn't...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): Don't worry, Sunset, we aren't trying to accuse you of anything. We just want to know what happened.)

Oh...ok...

Well I'd been traveling for awhile after I left my parents. You see, I know my family's signature tricks, and I can't use them in any other group for that reason. But developing my own with another troupe would have been very hard, particularly since then if I ever returned to their circus, I couldn't use those tricks anymore. I wasn't really sure what I should do then...So I just wanted to see things, travel Equestria and that brought me to Canterlot.

---

Canterlot was so amazing. It was gigantic. I'd been to Manehatten, but this was big in a different way.

It didn't really bother me how some of the ponies looked at me as an outsider. When you're in a circus, traveling from place to place, you tend to get looks like that in a new place. You just get used to it...

I had no intention of settling down that day to be honest. I just wanted to see Equestria's capital and enjoy the sights...but then I saw it.

I was just walking down the street, taking in all the sights and sounds of the city. But then I happened to look sideways and something caught my eye.

Princess Cadence's image was the first thing I saw. Princess Celestia is our ruler, she's always been there...but Cadence hadn't. From what I'd read, she'd just been born one night in Canterlot. No one really knew why. But my family's circus actually sent a letter asking for her blessing. You see, a circus troupe that's performing must remain in perfect harmony. One wrong move on any one of our parts and the entire performance is ruined. So the Goddess of Harmony's blessing meant a lot to us. And she gave it.

So naturally, it drew my attention instantly. As I read, I started thinking. Princess Cadence was a diplomat. While this was when she was just coming of age, that much was known by most ponies...And a diplomat meant traveling. I'd seen so much of Equestria...the idea of seeing the world and being paid to do it, it was...just something I couldn't pass up.

I don't know how Minuette and Twinkle Shine's job interviews went...


"This style is certainly impressive, Miss Twinkle Shine. I didn't even know it was physically possible to make my mane straight."

"Well it's what I do. Just because my talent is light magic doesn't mean I don't know how to style somepony's mane."


"Darn it! Spilled coffee on the rug!"

"Oh! Let me handle that!"

"A stain removing spell?"

"Yes sir...I know quite a few, actually. I was training to be a dentist."

"...Will it work on fur?"


But I was pretty nervous. This would be the first job I'd attempted to get since I left the circus, and the circus was all I'd ever known.

"Now, Miss Sunset," said the unicorn that was interviewing me. She looked so stern. Cadence was even there, and I couldn't read her face. "Your resume says that you were a circus acrobat?"

"Y-Yes, Ringwing Sisters."

Cadence looked at me. "And why did you leave?"

"Circuses hadn't been doing very well and we were having trouble affording keeping juniors acrobats on...It was either I leave or my parents retire, and with them the experience they had that the circus needed, or I leave. I couldn't let my parents give up what they loved that early if they didn't have to...so I left..." I admit, that wasn't the easiest thing to talk about...

The unicorn cleared her throat. "I see...no prior offenses with the guard. Generally stayed off the radar for the most part." She narrowed her eyes at me, I felt like I was being analyzed. "Why do you want to be Cadence's hoofmaiden?"

"Part of it is because she blessed my family's circus, I feel it'd be a good way to repay her kindness." I think the Princess blushed, but it was kind of hard to tell under her pink fur. "The other part is...after leaving the circus, I've been traveling Equestria, seeing everything I could. Since she's a diplomat, that means I'd get to see the world if I traveled with her..."

"I see..."

I just got more nervous. I didn't know if she was just hiding her emotions or if she just wasn't impressed, and that made it worse.

"...It says here you're skilled at low level fight and can make tight turns, is that correct?"

I nodded quickly. "Y-yes, miss. Low level flight is my Special Talent and being able to make tight turns is needed for most circus tricks..."

"I see. Can you carry weight?"

Again I just nodded. "Yes. For many multi-pony acrobatics, it requires being able to support somepony's weight."

"I see..."

And then they sent me out and said I'd be considered for the position. I can't tell you how surprised I was to get a letter saying I'd got the job. Apparently, they needed a Hoofmaiden to carry Princess Cadence's messages, and I was the most qualified pegasus for the job...

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): And then you met Minuette, Twinkle Shine, and Cadence, right?)

Yeah, our first day. I'd gotten there first. I guess I just wanted to make a good first impression by being on time.

"Hey there!" called a rather enthusiastic voice behind me.

I turned to see a white unicorn with a pink mane and a blue star Cutie Mark accompanied by a light blue unicorn with a blue and white tail and hourglass Cutie Mark. The blue unicorn's hair reminded me of toothpaste...

"Oh...hi...you two must be the other two Hoofmaidens, right?" I asked, trying to be polite.

The blue unicorn gave a smile. I don't think I've ever seen nicer teeth in my entire life. "Hey, good to meet you. My name is Minuette."

"And I'm Twinkle Shine, nice to meet yah!" called the white unicorn, giving my hoof a shake.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Sunset..." I replied, feeling a bit self-conscious, being the only pegasus present. I knew some Canterlot Unicorns looked down on Earth Ponies and Pegasi. On top of that, I was worried I was the only one who wasn't of noble birth, and I knew a lot of Canterlot nobility looked down on ponies like me.

"Cool name," replied Twinkle Shine, giving me a smirk. The first thing that hit me was how energetic she was. She reminded me of some of the clowns I knew. Not in that she was funny, but just how much fun she had doing whatever it was.

Minuette looked to me. "Wow, you've got really nice teeth. Let me guess, a performer?"

I gave a blink. "Yes, I was in the circus...how'd you know?"

"You've got a good build and your teeth are well taken care of. Either you're a health nut or someone used to having ponies looking at you and doing something physical."

That's something I noticed with Minuette, she seemed to be able to read ponies well. Even after that run in with that awful Makarov, she knew he was bad news except when we were under that spell of his (at least that's what the Princess said). That's the only time she's fallen for his tricks, not before or after.

Then I realized what I'd just said. That I was a circus pony...I braced myself for a pair of high and mighty nobles reacting to my social status.

"So you were in the circus?" asked Twinkle Shine with a curiosity in her eyes. "Wow! Why'd yah give that up to be a Hoofmaiden?"

I think they could tell how uncomfortable I looked right then. "You...don't have to tell us, Sunset," said Minuette, giving me a concerned look.

"No...it's ok...we're going to be working together so we might as well know each other..." I replied.

So I told them about my parents and me having to leave...and to my surprise, I felt a hoof on each shoulder.

"Hey, you did the right thing," Twinkle Shine told me, giving a smile. "Giving up that life for your folks? That's awesome! You should be proud!"

Minuette gave a nod. "Yeah...And besides, at least you know your biological parents..."

So we started talking. Minuette was a doorstep foal and had no idea who her parents were. Twinkle Shine's parents didn't support her desire to get into manedressing. And one thing lead to another.

I guess that's how most friendship start, isn't it?

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