Chapter 1- Remembrance

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Changelings were everywhere; crawling through broken windows, harassing guards, and rounding up the few guests that remained at the wedding. Princess Celestia's body was splayed out on the floor, and several changeling drones surrounded her, trying to encase the Princess in some kind of chrysalis.

Shining Armor's eyes were dull and glazed as Cadence ran her hoof down his face. He seemed to pay no attention to her or the utter chaos erupting around them, not even blinking. Tears slipped down the Princess's pastel cheeks as she weakly embraced her lover.

"Don't bother trying to rouse him," hissed Chrysalis's deep voice. The Queen of the changelings was standing near the wide, but broken, stained glass window. She was smugly gazing out at the streets, looking at the destruction with contentment. She suddenly turned around, magic crackling at her twisted horn. She stomped toward the alicorn and unicorn, muttering under her breath. She telekinetically grabbed Cadence around the neck, holding her up to eye level. Her sharp teeth peeked out from upper lip as she spoke.

"You lost, little pony. Shining Armor, and the rest of Equestria, is mine. Any more noise from you and I'll send you back to the mines." she threw the Princess down, now looking at the drones collected around Celestia. "Hurry up with that chrysalis! I don't want her to wake up in the middle of the process. I'm not too keen on picking another fight with her."

Chrysalis spared a glance at Shining Armor, her slitted green eyes softening with lust. "Don't worry, my Prince. After your sister and her little friends are taken care of, I'll put away that pink wretch and we can finally be alone." The Queen turned and hovered back to the window, barking orders at drones on the ground.

Cadence glared daggers at the changeling queen, violet eyes narrowing as she sharply stamped her golden shoed hoof on the floor.
"No." she whispered, deadly serious.

Drones stopped in their progress, all eyes glued to the Princess.

Chrysalis made a low growl, flying across the room in a flash and landing in front of Cadence. Cadence looked as threatening as she possibly could in her weakened state, dusty wings rising from her sides and spreading out to their full span. She took a few steps, forming a living barrier between the beastly pony and her dear Shining Armor.

"What was that?" Chrysalis snarled, arranging herself to full hight, towering over the shorter Princess.

"I said no." Cadence whispered, keeping her eyes locked on the Queen. "I won't let you near Shining." Her dirty and sweat slicked body contracted with stress as she strained to summon magic to her horn. A few pitiful blue sparks crackled in the air for her effort, but it was a lost cause.

Chrysalis leaned in, breath beating on Cadence's face. "And how do you think you're going to do that?"

Cadence suddenly reared back, ramming into the large changeling with all her weight. Chrysalis was taken off-guard, staggering back several feet. However, Cadence's upper hand was lost fast as the tall changeling reared up, magic storming around her horn. Cadence cowered, eyes widening. Chrysalis roared, striking down the alicorn with a burning bolt of green magic. The magic exploded at such close range, a bright flash resonating around the room.

Shining Armor was motionless as his lover's blood splattered on his pristine coat.
~~~~
"Shining Armor, wake up!"

A concerned voice dragged Shining back into the realm of consciousness. His eyes snapped open, body squirming under bed sheets.
Four faces quickly came into focus. Cadence was nervously waiting at his bedside, flanked by two royal guards. The palace doctor was close by, a clipboard levitating in her magic grasp.

"What happened?" Shining Armor gasp, trying to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his muzzle as he dragged white sheets off his body.

Cadence pulled herself into the bed beside Shining, placing on hoof on his for comfort. "You were having a nightmare," she murmured. "A pretty bad one, at that. Do you want to talk about it?"

Cheeks heating up, the white stallion let his gaze fall on the two royal guards at his bedside. Flash Sentry, the newer guard member, shuffled on his hooves, looking awkward and anxious. Thunder was much more experienced and stern looking, spear firmly tucked under his wing and no emotion visible. He groaned. He didn't want to talk about it with two of his men watching. He didn't want to show weakness, they looked up to him; they saw him as the pinnacle of what a guard should be like.

"I'm fine." Shining Armor muttered, laying his head back down on his hooves. He glanced at the doctor through a curtain of tricolored mane. "When can I go back to my job? The guys must be missing me by now."

Remedy sneered. "You're not going to be doing much of anything until the infection gets better. It's too risky."

Shining Armor squirmed a bit out of the covers to peek at the wound on his leg. His left thigh was wrapped thick in bandages, but the throbbing told him the wound was as bad as ever. He, along with the rest of the guests at his wedding, had discovered the injury once the horror of the invasion and the thrill of the celebration had settled down. Soon after the ceremony and his and Cadence's dance, Shining Armor collapsed, blood stains barely visible through his red tuxedo. He was promptly rushed to the infirmary, and Remedy and her nurses tried their best to heal him, but infection soon found its way into the skin. Ever since then, fever had plagued the stallion, making life miserable.

He flicked his tail impatiently. "I want to be left alone right now." he murmured quietly. "I wanted to see if I could go back to sleep. I'm still tired."

Thunder nudged Flash Sentry out the door, the young pegasus waving goodbye to his superior. The older stallion quickly punched him between the ribs, as a sort of discreet shut up. The door was quietly shut behind them.
Remedy grabbed a bottle from a nearby table, placing it and a small cup on the nightstand. "If your fever gets any worse, drink this." she instructed. Shining Armor nodded, using his magic to pull the blankets back over his chin. Cadence pulled herself closer to him, their bodies touching.

"Cadence..." the doctor murmured.

The Princess jumped to alert. "Yes, Remedy?"

"I believe Shining Armor wants to be completely alone, is that right?"

Cadence looked offended, turning to Shining. The stallion looked sheepish, a bead of sweat running down his face. He hated to admit it, but he did want her to leave. He was already burning up with fever, and another warm body curled up beside him was making him even hotter.

"Yeah, but just for a little while." he murmured, staring away from her. "It will be easier to sleep alone."
Cadence frowned, stepping onto the floor beside Remedy. "Oh...all right. I guess I see you later, honey." she and Remedy stepped out the door, and a light click told him that it was locked.

Shining Armor sighed, rolling onto his side to make himself more comfortable. Immediately, all he could think of was his nightmare. He had been having nearly the same dream every other day, but each time, the ending was different. It always followed what actually happened that day, and then something would go horribly wrong. In the last dream he remembered, his sister Twilight was dragged in and killed before him.

A slight shiver ran down his spine. No matter how much he denied it, changelings absolutely terrified him. Curling up tighter under the covers, Shining forced his eyes closed. He was going to have to rest to feel better, no matter how many nightmares he had. It will only be for a little bit, he thought to himself. Soon everything will blow over and I can sleep peacefully again...

Chapter 2- Adjustment

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About a week later, Shining Armor stared out the window of his room. Cadence had been kind enough to open the blinds for him, giving him a change in scenery. So far the change hadn't been as fascinating as he hoped, as the Crystal Empire was quite boring.
He lay on the bed, stretched out towards the window. He was watching a small crowd explore the surrounding area of the castle. They were obviously tourists, as one would stop suddenly to take a photo or just to stare at a grand sight.

Shining couldn't help but feel anxious. He had examined every pony that passed by, checking for usual behavior that could hint to any ulterior motives. He tried to tell himself he was just trying to look out for his new kingdom the best he could, but Shining knew what he was really doing.

Shining Armor was looking for changelings.

Rolling onto his other side, the stallion sighed deeply. He was bored. Mindless paranoia over changelings wasn't much of a pastime, and he was an active unicorn. Before the wedding, he had a strict daily schedule he did to keep himself amused. Every morning, he would run the perimeter of the Canterlot castle, preferably with one of his fellow guards. Next, he would eat breakfast with the rest of the royal guards, and then training would start. Later, he would retreat back to his room and polish his sword collection before going to bed.

Shining Armor liked life that way, there were no surprises or unexpected events. Celebrations and holidays were alerted to him weeks in advance, so he had more than enough time to prepare. Even his own wedding was planned exactly to the hour and minute.

While they were dating, Cadence had frequently chided on him for his predictable lifestyle. "If you never do anything with your life, nothing ever happens!" she would say with a playful wink.

He would just ignore her well-meaning advice. Shining was comfortable, he felt no need to make any major changes to his life. He was the captain of the royal guard, which was the highest honor a pony like him could have. Shining Armor was on top of Equestria, only a few steps below Celestia herself. Now that he was married to Cadence, his status only rose higher. He was a successful young stallion with an entire kingdom for he and his wife; why make any changes now?

Rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling, he tried to understand Cadence's point of view. She came from an adventurous background, exploring Equestria for years until she decided to settle and start foalsitting in Canterlot. The castle had a room dedicated to her conquests, with relics and souvenirs lining every shelf in the room. He had been in there a few times, Cadence had taken him when they first met.

Shining sighed, blowing his mane out of his eyes. He didn't get why anyone would go out to places unknown, possibly risking their own life, just for the sake of having a change in scenery. Those ponies can do whatever they want, Shining Armor reasoned, but I'm happy with my daily routine.

A soft knock on the door stirred him from his thoughts.

"Come in," Shining Armor murmured quietly, rolling over to face the visitor.

Remedy pushed open the door, the purplish-grey unicorn trotting into the room and coming to a stop beside him.

"It's time for a check up." she explained, patting the bed as a sign for him to get up.

Shining Armor yawned, pulling himself onto the floor and stretching his legs out. He was slightly off-balance, his weight shifted off his injured leg.

Remedy placed her medicine bag down on the bed, pulling out a clipboard and quill. She walked around Shining to examine him, occasionally leaning down to get a closer look.

"Can you raise your front hooves, dear, one at a time?" she said, not bothering to look up from her examination. Shining Armor followed her order, lifting each leg high until she signaled him to stop.

After intently staring at what seemed to be every inch of his body, Remedy went back to her medical bag and dug through it.

"Anything unusual?" Shining asked nervously, as she had been silent throughout the process, besides giving simple orders.

"Just a bit of weight gain, but it seems to be natural. You just haven't been that active lately, that's all." she murmured, turning around. A stethoscope was levitating in her grey magical grasp. "Now I need to check your breathing, okay?"

Shining Armor nodded, raising his head up to expose his chest more. He squirmed when the cold metal touched his bare fur, but a sharp glance from Remedy stopped any further movement.

"Take a deep breath," the doctor instructed, moving the stethoscope up and down his chest, listening to his breathing. Shining breathed easily and deeply as Remedy placed the instrument onto his back. After a few more breaths, she put the stethoscope back into the bag.

"Your breathing is nice and strong, Shining." Remedy said as she jotted down notes onto her clipboard. "Now to check your temperature."

She drew a thermometer out of the medical bag, sliding the covering off and shaking it. Remedy stuck the thermometer into Shining Armor's mouth, waiting exactly a minute before pulling it out.

She stared at the result, lip curling up slightly. "You have a bit of a fever, and that means you still have an infection... I guess it's time to check your wound. I need you to get back on the bed, okay?"

Shining Armor sighed with relief, ready to lie back down. He curled up on top of the sheets, sticking his back leg out for Remedy to examine.

Slowly and steadily, she began to roll the bandages off, revealing weeping and discolored skin underneath. Remedy tossed the soiled bandages in the trash, readying a new roll beside her. Shining Armor allowed himself a glance at the injury. It was two deep slashes across his thigh, both of moderate size. The fur surrounding the area was sheered off, unmasking the flesh beneath it.

"This may hurt a little." Remedy murmured as she retrieved a bottle of antiseptic. Shining cringed. He remembered the sensation of the medicine on a wound, and it had hurt more than just a little.
The stallion stiffened in anticipation as she dripped some of the clear liquid onto the slashes. A sharp, burning pain traveled though his body, making him grit his teeth.

"We're done," Remedy said, gathering new bandages and wrapping them around Shining Armor's leg. "I need you to rest for today. Let's see if you can sleep off that low-grade fever, okay? Would you like me to summon a guard while you rest?"

Shining Armor turned away, thinking. Guards had been stationed at his door while he slept ever since he started recuperating, as a safety measure. It was quite comforting to him to know that someone was there to keep watch while he was unconscious, it probably helped him get to sleep.

"Sure, I don't mind." Shining Armor murmured nonchalantly, pulling blankets over him.

Remedy smiled slightly, grabbing her bag and trotting out of the room.

Minutes later, a shuffling outside the door told him that the guard had arrived at his post. Shining's eyes started to droop as sleep fell over him.

"Shining Armor!"

The stallion's eyes snapped open immediately, wide awake. He turned over, blinking in confusion. Flash Sentry was standing anxiously in the open door, his head cocked in confusion. He fluttered to his bedside, shifting from hoof to hoof.

"Are you okay, sir? You got really still there for a second. I was afraid something was wrong..." The young pegasus said, eyes wide.
Shining Armor sat up, ears twitching. "I was just trying to go to sleep, Flash Sentry. I was told by Remedy to rest." He laid his head back down, closing his eyes.

"Oh..." Flash Sentry looked disappointed. "The guards miss you, you know? Thunder gives us our commands in the morning now. He's pretty good at it, I guess. But you're still our captain. When do you think you're gonna come back?"

Shining Armor sighed. "I have to wait until I am well again, kid. It's not like I'm choosing to be out this long."

Flash Sentry's eyes suddenly got big, and a tremor traveled from the tips of his ears to his wings. "Hey, I got an idea!" the young stallion said cheerfully, pushing on Shining Armor's shoulder for emphasis. "How about you come with me tomorrow for the morning exercises?"
This request perked Shining's ears. He pulled himself into a sitting position, smiling honestly, the first time in weeks. "Actually...I would like that."

The orange pegasus broke out into a wide grin. "Really?! Awesome!" He bounced in the air with joy. "You need to be up pretty early in the morning, after breakfast. I'll come and find you, okay?"

Shining Armor nodded. "That will do. Now, let me sleep some for tomorrow."

Flash Sentry trotted back to his original position at the door. "Alright! See you then!"

Filled with new enthusiasm, the unicorn curled under the blankets, making himself comfortable. Finally, he thought, I have something to look forward to other than my recovery. With that thought spinning in his head, Shining Armor drifted into unconsciousness.

Chapter 3- Scars

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Shining Armor woke the next morning with a sense of excitement. Pulling himself out of bed, he carefully limped into his private bathroom and started preparing a bath. He let the hot water run into the tub, placing a towel on the floor beside it. Once he had a reasonable amount of water drawn, he climbed in and washed himself off.

After his bath, Shining grabbed his brush from the counter and groomed his mane. He noticed his mane seemed coarse, but he assumed it was because he rushed washing it. Shrugging, Shining Armor toweled off and trotted out of his room.

The alicorn was waiting patiently at the door for him, smiling. "Good morning, dear!" she said, waving.
Shining Armor dipped his head. "Good morning to you, too."

Cadence wrapped a hoof around him, kissing him on the cheek. "You look great! Are you ready for breakfast."
He nodded, stomach growling. For the last few days, he hadn't accompanied his wife to the daily breakfast that the castle's higher-up ate every morning. Food was simply sent to his room while he was ill, and he scarcely ate it. Today, however, he felt up to the cause of socialization and eating.

The duo trotted along the broad hallways of the castle, their hooves clinking on the crystalline floors. As they walked, Shining Armor let his eyes wonder across the magnificent scenery. Everything was glimmering and reflective, from the walls to the very floor tiles. Flower vases sat on serene pedestals, and beautiful drapes hung on the wide windows.

Arriving in the dinning room, Shining Armor was met with tall ceilings and grand chandeliers. The table itself stretched the entire length of the room, which had to be at least thirty feet long. Plates and chairs were prepared in advance, and silver wear wrapped in lavender napkins sat on the fine china.

Several guests had already taken their seats; Shining Armor recognized a few of the ponies as the castle nobles, who worked as representatives and managed the castle and its finances.

Cadence nudged him on the shoulder and lowly pointed her hoof. "Look, Shining. The ambassadors from Saddle Arabia arrived! Lets go formally introduce ourselves." Cadence looped hooves with the stallion, pulling him towards the farthest end of the dinning table. Four unique ponies were seated there, their long muzzles and sleek, elongated bodies showing the distinct looks of the desert-dwelling equines. Delicate, bejeweled saddles and reins hung on their backs and head.

Cadence bowed, spreading her wings for emphasis. "Greetings, visitors of the Crystal Empire. I am Princess Cadence, and this is my husband and Prince, Shining Armor."

In line with her introduction, Shining lowered his head, nodding. "Good morning," he murmured.

The oldest looking of the four got out of her seat and bowed in response. "Salutations, Princess and Prince."

Smiling, Cadence called over her shoulder. "Servers, can you bring out breakfast now?"

Immediately, unicorns in aprons spilled out of the kitchen doors, all carrying trays of food in their magic aura. With a soft clink, thetrays were sat on the long table; Cadence and Shining Armor siting down to eat. The morning chatter drastically quieted down as the ponies gathered food on their plates.

Eyes darting over the smorgasbord before him, Shining Armor felt very hungry. Maybe it was because of the scarce meals he had consumed over the last few weeks, or maybe it was just because it looked so good, but the stallion's stomach was growling all the while as he piled food on his platter.

The Saddle Arabian ambassadors began to engage in small-talk among themselves, discussing locations and things that Shining Armor had no idea about.

Shining was choking down a piece of fruit when Cadence tapped him on the shoulder. "Dear," she murmured. "Can you talk a little to our guests?"

The stallion blinked, shrugging. He had planned on going through breakfast silently, then slipping off to meet up with Flash Sentry. He leaned in closer to Cadence and whispered, "What do you want me to talk about?"

Cadence smiled. "Let me handle this." Focusing back on the foreign visitors, the Princess cleared her throat. "I just wanted to let you know that you can ask any kind of questions to me or my husband. Don't be shy."

The youngest looking of the Saddle Arabian ambassadors suddenly looked up, putting down her glass of orange juice. "It is to my understanding," she murmured, the mare's accent thick, "that you had a serious security breach recently."

Shining Armor's heart dropped into his stomach. This was the one thing he didn't want to speak about. He gave Cadence a clearly alarmed glance, and his wife seemed just as uncomfortable.

"That's true." she said, quickly regaining face. "Right, dear?"

"Yes, the attack was during our wedding." he confirmed hoarsely.

Shay, the castle's financial advisor, gleefully jumped in. "Ah, yes! I remember it vividly. I was in the crowd when that witch Chrysalis revealed herself as a changeling. It was quite the terrifying spectacle!"

Shining Armor slumped further into his seat, unpleasant memories playing within his head. He had given up on eating, he was far from hungry now. A hot feeling rushed through his body, and sweat started to seep down his neck. He hated to feel this nervous and anxious, but it was involuntary.

The castle's head maid looked meek as she spoke. "I agree! Our dear Cadence was taken captive, and Shining Armor was held under the changeling Queen's spell. I was afraid Equestria would never be the same." the maid whimpered, shaking her head.

The male ambassador looked enthralled. "Tell me, Sir and Madam, what was it like to have such...close encounters with the changelings?"
Shining Armor swallowed with difficulty, heart thudding. He had taken all he could of this. Muttering "Excuse me," under his breath, the stallion climbed out of his chair and stumbled out the door.

Cadence was shocked, taking a few seconds to process her husband had just gotten up and left. The rest of the ponies at breakfast looked equally surprised, and Cadence thought fast.

"He hasn't been feeling well lately. I guess he needed to lay back down." she smiled uncomfortably. "But we can keep talking, of course! So, how is life in Saddle Arabia? I'm very curious!" the Princess said with false enthusiasm.

The uncomfortable silence was lost when the ambassadors started describing their daily life in their home county, the previous topic forgotten.
------

Shining Armor paced up and down the hallways of the castle, shaking. Unpleasant memories came and went in his head at a rapid pace. The stallion's vision was narrow and his breathing was erratic. He trotted back and forth, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. Sweat dripped down into his tri-colored mane, making his bath earlier useless.

The sound of hooves hitting tile slowly dragged him back to reality. He stopped in his tracks, squinting to see all the way down the hall. Flash Sentry was running towards him, spear wobbling under his tucked wing.

Feeling slightly relieved, Shining Armor stood and waited for the young guard to reach him.

Flash Sentry skidding to a halt before him, slightly too sudden and fast. The pegasus lost his balance, tumbling into a pile at his captain's hooves. Stifling laughter, Shining grabbed him by the hoof and pulled him up. Flash looked dazed, shaking himself off and fluffing out the feathers in his wings.

"I...finally...found...you...sir...!" the young soldier wheezed, clapping him on the shoulder. Flash Sentry paused, looking at Shining clearly. "Hey, um, are you alright? You look terrible."

Shining Armor smiled forcefully, levitating Flash Sentry's lost spear to the guard's side. The orange colt took it with his wing, looking at his superior questionably.

"I'm fine, Flash Sentry. I just got done eating breakfast, and I am ready to leave." he said, his voice strained.

Flash Sentry didn't look as satisfied as Shining Armor had hoped he would be, but he nonetheless dropped the subject.

"Practice is in the castle grounds, as usual," Flash Sentry said causally as they walked through the castle.
"I'm eager to see how the guard is coming along during my absence." Shining Armor murmured, much more calmly now.

They soon arrived on the grounds, and Shining squinted against the bright morning sun. The grass of large plain was cut short and stiff, so it was comfortable on the hoof. Trees bordered the land, all trimmed to look alike.
In the center, several rows of guards stood, Thunder before them. A smile came to Shining Armor's face as he mentally recognized all of the stallions assembled.

Shining Armor felt like he was home now.

Wayward Armor

by Sketchwrites

Chapter 1- Remembrance

Chapter 2- Adjustment

Chapter 3- Scars