NOTE: This chapter will be done in three parts due to perspective and plot. This chapter shall also focus mainly on the male perspective. Also contains some disturbing imagery. Some scenes may seem familiar in the first two chapters but that is only because that they are happening as the individuals from each group are intersecting their story lines. Upon it's ending, it will permanently fringe with the separate story line and conclude in it's final outcome.

Enjoy.

Sparkle Residence
Canterlot Inner-District
07:08 A.M.

"Twilight Violet, Shining Armor, Orion, breakfast is ready!" Twilight Velvet screams to the silence of the home.

"Coming!" Answered the filly Twilight.

"On my way!" Shining answers.

"Smells good, dearest!" Orion calls out.

One by one, each member of the family comes down in order of ascending height. Twilight 'Violet' Sparkle runs down the stairs, scampering with a large book in her mouth. She struggles as she tries to keep it in as it shifts her momentum with each turn she makes. Eventually, she makes it to the end of her journey as she is the first one to make it to the breakfast table.

Shining Armor Aegnus Sparkle had made his way down the stairs and was turning the corner to enter the kitchen. He slowed upon entering as he realized that Twilight beat him to the table. Admitting his defeat, he sat at the table across from his little sister. He congratulates her on a victory well won before levitating the jar of maple syrup above his pancakes.

Orion Dusk Sparkle gradually made his way down the stairs, feeling as if there was no real need to rush himself being that his shift wouldn't start for another two hours. As he entered the kitchen, he noticed that something was rather off. Dismissing it, he took to the table and levitated his fork to his plate. As he attempts to make his initial dive, he is suddenly stopped by a floating spatula. As he looked to the source of the magic, he finds that his wife was giving him a seductive smile.

Violet already had made up on what her second course of breakfast would be this morning. But she also had an idea forming in her head as to how she was going to have her husband sing for her. She thought of the many ways to send shivers down his spine. She imagined that she was laying her husband on the bed, just as their children left for school. A vision of her straddling his hips as she tried to bite into his neck flooded her mind. Lusts that have been long dormant awoke that morning as she clinched her haunches in towards each other.

"Don't go chasing after the rabbit now, Alice." Her husband quipped to her, snapping her out of her raunchy daydream.

"Maybe the rabbit should make himself scarce, that way I wouldn't have to chase anything." She snided as she sat across from her husband.

For many minutes, the sound of silverware clattering and clanging against the ceramics filled the quiet home as Shining and Twilight raced each other to see who would be the first to finish their plates. It was a morning rite of passage to the two as they would see who would retain the necessary bragging rights to the title of 'The Household Eater'. It was a tight race as Shining and Twilight stared each other down for the duration of the match.

Meanwhile, the other two combatants stared each other down for a totally different purpose. They stared into each other, keeping a poker face as they ate their food. The action above the table was fierce in it's own right, whereas the action below the table was completely different. Their hind legs poked and prodded into one another as they fought for dominance of who would keep their expressions silent as they teased each other.

Orion slid his leg against the side of Velvet's, touching her mere inches away from her three-starred cutie mark. Velvet did not want to show any sign of hesitation as she prodded her leg into the warmth of his inner thighs, almost reaching as high as where his twin-crescent-moon cutie mark would be located outside. Orion refused to lose to his wife as he slouched down slightly in his seat to reach in between her thighs and even touching the small, outstanding patch of fur that separated her teats from her southern lips.

"Ah!"

Violet knew that she had lost as soon as she hiccuped a quiet gasp of air. She looked to her husband who was smiling as he sipped a cup of coffee, hiding behind a newspaper.

*BANG*

"DONE!" Twilight and Shining yelled simultaneously, surprising both of the parents in attendance.

Velvet cleared her throat as she refereed the match. " *ahem* Well it would seem to be a tie this morning. That means the tiebreaker will be decided at dinner tonight."

"Yeah! That means that you'll have to wash the dishes this morning, mom!" Twilight cheered as neither her brother or her would be subjugated to helping their mother clear the table.

As soon as the two finished their match-up, they ran out the room as Orion and Velvet cleared the table. The blue stallion approached the table as he lit his horn to pick up the dirty dishes and silverware to be shifted to his wife's care. In a second's length, he already shipped the dishes onto the counter for Velvet to recognize. She smiled as she looked back to her husband.

"You know, this could get done a lot quicker if you were to assist me."

Orion playfully mounted his wife, holding her close to him as they swayed in the confinement of one another. Orion gives his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"That... would be a bad idea. And besides, weren't you the one who stated that 'the should make himself scarce' earlier?"

Velvet moans softly as she giggles in her husbands forelegs.

"I don't think I would want the rabbit to go into hiding right now. I want him to guide me to the finish line."

A rush of excitement fills Orion as he stands atop of his wife. He began to reveal himself as he humped into his wife's hindquarters, eliciting an even louder moan from her. Velvet's mouth was left ajar as she softly panted in anxiety of wanting her husband to fill her. It's been so long since she felt the surging rapture that her marriage has given to her.

"Well, if you want me to take you..." Orion speaks as his weight shifts on his wife. "...then you'll have to finish here."

"Put it in Orion. It's been eight months and I haven't diddled myself since then." Velvet pleads to her husband.

"Now now. That kind of behavior is what caused little Violet to show up in our lives." Orion teased as he dismounts his eager wife.

"No. She was created on the kitchen floor, remember? Shining was created when we were at Momma Silver's place." She corrects her husband while trying to keep him mounted.

"Your mom was asleep upstairs and we decided that the sofa was the best place to relieve our stress after that dreadful ordeal of a week." Orion joked as he thought back to the days of their youth, finally freeing himself from the needy clutches of his wife. "Premarital sex was the best."

"And I am to assume that I must have lost my craft over the years?" Velvet asks as she looks to her husband behind her, waving her plot in his face while trying to hide her marehood with her tail in an attempt to leave something to his imagination.

"I suppose you are a bit rusty. But after the kids leave... I'll have you polished like a new gem before the dragon's eye." Orion promises to his wife, feeling a bit teased and wanting to relieve himself at the moment.

"Although I'd personally prefer that you'd do that now, I see your point. I'll be waiting for you." She states impatiently as she turns around to salute her husband with her lips pressing against his. He pulls away as she glides back to him, not wanting her captain to leave her company.

As Orion walked out of the kitchen to make his way upstairs, Shining stood at the top of the stairs to make his way down to see whether or not he needed to carry a jacket with his uniform. Shining and Orion crossed each other as they shimmied past each other on the stairwell. Shining reaches the bottom and makes his way to the front door. He opens the door and finds that the weather is a bit nippy. It would be doable under the circumstances that he was taking a carriage ride to the school. But since his options were confined to a more pedestrian matter, he decided that it would be best to find a jacket to wear. But before he left, something caught his attention.

A moderate oblong box sat in the front of the doorway. It also seemed to be addressed to him. Without question, he brought the package into the home as he wanted to see what was inside. He noticed that there was no return address and deduced that it was one of his friends that dropped it off for him. Maybe it was a present for his birthday that passed just three weeks ago. Maybe it was a cool gift.

Maybe it was a head.

Shining made his way to the kitchen in an attempt to see what exactly was his gift. If there was one thing that Shining didn't pass up on was a free gift. Slowly, he approached the doorway to the kitchen.

"Ori-"

"Hey mom, do you have something I can open this box with?"

Velvet's heart begins to beat even faster as she realized that her son, if he had arrived any later, would have caught her in an intimate moment. But what was even worse was the fact that he was a male, which in her current repressed state, would mean all the same come next month. If Shining was tensed up, she wouldn't refuse to be of assistance.

That's just how things were for her.

"Sure." She paused before she levitated a knife to her son. "When did you get that package?"

"Just earlier this morning. It was at our front door and it had my name on it. Wonder what it is..." Shining asked as he picked up the knife and started slicing away at the tape that sealed the contents shut. As a few seconds pass, he managed to unseal the box as Velvet took the knife to the counter it came from.

Then suddenly, Shining screamed.

"AHhhhhhh! Oh shit!"

Velvet lashed to her son upon hearing him swear in her presence. "SHINING ARMOR AEGNUS SPARKLE! How dare you swear in my presence." She walked over to the young teen who backed himself into a wall. "I know that I have raised you bet-ter..."

Her sentence stalls as she looks at what was contained in the box. She slowly walked up to the box, wondering what has her son so excited. She was that there was a plastic covering and a bit of hair. As she poked at the object, she finally identified what it was that scared her son.

It was a stallion's head. More notably was the fact that it was a unicorn with it's horn completely severed at the base.

"ORION!!!"

Velvet screamed to the top her lungs as she panted heavily at the horror that her son and she had to pay witness to. And mere seconds after, Orion came galloping down the stairs with young Twilight slowly trailing behind him. As the blue stallion walked into the doorway, he saw what exactly had put his family in a distressful state. And Twilight would not be too far behind.

"Mommy, daddy, what's everypony screaming for?"

Shining bolted to the young filly as he didn't have the time, nor the care to put on his school uniform and grabbing his bags.

"Twily, let's go!"

"But big brot-"

"NOW!" He shouted at his sister as he picked her up, tossed her on his back and galloped out the front door in an outstanding burst of speed.

Meanwhile, Orion shook with anger at the threat that was called against his family as his wife hurdled against him, sobbing as she remained terrified at the fact that this delivery would happen in front of her family.

Verdant Praise Boulevard
Canterlot Inner-District
07:29 A.M.

A panicked Shining Armor ran the streets of Canterlot as he tried to find the quickest route possible that would lead to his little sister's school. As he ran, he looked behind him to check to see if they were being followed. As of the moment he didn't see anyone who would be chasing them down. But he didn't care. The only thing that was on his mind was the fact that he didn't want to see his sister get hurt, nor for her to be exposed to everything that happened this morning.

Although Shining was an adequate fighter, he didn't want any altercations at the time. His sister was with him and if something was to happen, then she would be in danger as well as him. Shining couldn't let that happen no matter the cost. He would get his sister to school before anything else. And being that she was much too young to properly defend herself, he had no other alternative than to place her in capable hooves.

As he ran down the cobblestone streets of the city, he huffed and puffed as he tried to keep a steady pace. If he were to slow down, then there was no telling on who or what was to befall them. He couldn't afford to stop now. His target objective was to get his sister to school. And the location of his objective was now a mere four blocks away.

Finally arriving at the entrance of the school, he placed his little sister down to the ground as she grabbed her book and her doll.

"Twily... I need you... to wait... for Amora... this afternoon... got it?" Shining panted as he tried to recollect whatever oxygen before he would run to his next destination.

"Okay. But what's wrong Shiny?" Twilight asked to her exhausted older brother as he turned away to make a break for his next destination.

"Huhh... nothing... for you to be... concerned about... Have a nice day... okay?" Shining tried to put on a smile for his little sister. She returned the gesture as she stated proudly.

"It'll be the best day ever!"

Shining nodded to his sister before finally galloping off into the distance. If only she knew that this was the furthest thing from the best day ever.

Today had become hell.

Sparkle Residence
Canterlot Inner-District
08:16 A.M.

"How dare you leave me here like this!?"

Velvet screams and pounds away at her husband's chest as he recited that he would be leaving for work. Orion only stands there as he takes much of the abuse that his wife is giving him, but he understands why she is like this. She was horrified at what she experienced in the past hour. And it wasn't like it was a daily thing to have your son receive boxes of severed heads and appendages show up at your doorstep on a daily basis. To her, it was a breach of security.

"I have to get this to the Detainment Station and see who was the victim." He responds as he telekinetically held the re-sealed box. "I don't think it would be wise to leave it here."

"Although that is something that I can reason with, I refuse to see myself in this house alone. You are staying with me to-day!" Velvet argued, still clenching her husband.

"I'm sorry sweetie... but in this case, my duty supersedes your personal desires. Why? Because I don't need any more anonymous packages of disembodied body parts making their way to the front door!" Orion rebutted while waving the box in his magical grip slightly, much to the disgust of his wife.

"Do you love me enough, then... to take me with you?" Velvet asked to her husband, not wanting to leave the security that he had to offer.

"Babe, I can't take you with me. This will involve in a compromise of your safety."

"My safety's been compromised since that package came in."

"Yes... but to see... I'm not strong enough." Orion admits as he looks away from his wife.

"You're not strong enough to do what, Orion? You're Captain of the Guard!" Velvet interjects, not understanding what her husband is implying. It doesn't take him long to reveal what he means to say.

"I'm not strong enough to see you get hurt. Or to lose you. And that goes for anypony that is held to my heart. So please... stay. I'd rather myself to be subject to misery and strife than to see you or our children in danger."

Orion leaves the home with the package in tow. As he leaves, he faces his wife one last time.

"...That is where my true duties lie."

Velvet watches her husband leave her once more, causing a ping of sadness to hit her. It wasn't a usual feeling of 'I'll see you when you get home' but rather a 'if you don't come back home, then I will never be the same'. Finally accepting that her husband has gone forth to protect her, she enters the house. Orion gallops to the station as he holds the box that contained the cruel gift in his magical grip. He mumbled to himself as he ran.

"I will protect you all... I have too much to lose if I fail."

Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns
Canterlot Central District
08:49 A.M.

"...and most unicorns' ability to manipulate objects around the area that surrounds him or her is called... Yes, Amora."

"Caster's Sphere of Influence."

"Explain into detail the effects, Miss Fairweather."

"Depending on the caster's level of ability, which is determined by the caster's concentration and stability, it can either be a small globe that takes up the size of half a room or it can grow to the size of an entire city. These spheres will vary the users ability to corrupt or enchant items within it depending on the distance between the caster as well as the object being manipulated. At the center is where the magic is considered the strongest. As the distance increases, the weaker the ability of manipulation becomes."

Classes have already begun as the teacher chalks up his summary on the board. Mr. Grade continues to hold the book to his eyes as he jots down the entire statement of what Amora had just previously announced.

"Very good Amora. That is an additional ten points credited to your next quiz."

Most of the class groans out of misfortune that they managed to pass up an opportunity to raise their grades for their next quiz. Especially of the fact that those ten points were the equivalent of a full letter grade.

"The next time you all want extra credit, take into consideration..."

Amora looks around the classroom as she wonders what happened to Shining Armor, who was assigned directly in front of her. Dismissing the question for the today's lecture, she turned her attention to the paper... until something distracted her in the hallway. She started to grin as she finally saw the one that she's been scouting for since the first period began.

"If you want to get the extra credit necessary, then you must put forth the extra effort."

Amora raised her hoof as a means of asking her question.

"Mr. Grade sir, would it be okay if I used the restroom?"

"Why certainly, but hurry back." The teacher advised to his student.

Amora jumped out of her seat as she walked out of the classroom. As she closed the door, she tackle-hugged the stallion she's been wanting to see.

"Shining! Where we-"

"Shhh!" Shining commanded as he ushered the pink alacorn to another portion of the hallway so that he could say what he had to without anypony else noticing.

"Amora, I need you to take Twily home with you this afternoon. I'm afraid there's not gonna be anypony home." Shining asks.

"Sure... But why?" Amora asks with concern.

"It's nothing that you have to worry yourself wit-"

"How dare you!"

Shining is taken by surprise by the abrupt exclamation.

"You think that I shouldn't be worried? I am your friend, your ally. You don't ever show up to school late like this nor have you ever asked me to do something so suddenly. Now tell me what's going on."

"I can't explain it right now. I gotta go. See you lat-"

"Shining Armor, I don't wanna see you hurt. To see you hurt will hurt me more than you know."

"I don't have time for this. I'll see-"

"I won't let it happen again!" Amora screams, her voice echoing throughout the halls. Shining becomes confused as she begins to cry. "Not another one... not like the others... not to... somepony I love."

Shining stands dumbfounded as he hears the words coming from Amora's mouth. "What did you just say?"

Amora grabs the teen cadet and softly kisses him on the lips as he stands petrified at the sudden action. Releasing his lips from hers, she looks to him with tears in her eyes. "I... love you Shining Armor."

Shining doesn't know what to say, but at that moment he knew that there was much to be done after that. Trying to be gentle, he finally speaks for the first time since the clash of their lips occurred.

"Amora... Can you... tell me that after today?"

Her voice cracks as she finally breaks down in front of him. "And the next day, the day after, and even years from now. Just... don't leave."

Shining wipes away her tear with a hoof as he magically raises her chin to face him. "...We'll talk later."

Finally, he gallops down the hall as he runs for the exit. He knows where his next destination would be as the pink mare stares from the distance, wiping more of her tears off of her face. Amora finally speaks as she watched her beloved stallion ascend to the higher levels.

"You... selfish jerk."

Autopsy Department, 5th Floor
Canterlot Detainment Center
Canterlot Central District
10:13 A.M.

"Yup, this guy was dead before he even got like this."

The Station Chief Guiltless and the Orion stood in the room as the medical examiner, Doctor N. Shrine, described in detail what led him to his hypothesis.

"As you can tell, the head is severed. But what grabs my attention is the fact that there is a significant amount of blood that came from where the horn was severed instead."

"So what you're saying is that he bled to death?" Orion asks.

"Yeah, pretty much. And he was obviously alive at the time his horn was cut off. And of course, if there is a cutting of the horn, they lose all conductivity and the blood vessels that travel to their horn, to transmit the message of spell-casting to and from the brain, will continue to bleed out until the victim dies not too long after."

"And being that unicorn horns are a literal extension of their brain, they can be the cause of severe headaches, migraines and a myriad of other issues that has to do with the thought process." Guiltless states.

"Precisely. And being that he's in this state, means that he's been beaten and tortured. You can see the multiple bruises under his jaw, his cheeks, and even some around the eye sockets. But here's the interesting thing, the horn is how he died, but if you suppress the blood flow in the horn, then you can cause all sorts of magic bursts that will cause a mental strain on the victim. And judging from the scorch marks around his horn-"

"He's been tortured until he died of his wounds. And very few civilians know of the effects of a decapitated horn, even unicorns aren't that aware of the circumstances... Well none that hasn't been well practiced." Orion adds.

"This means that the ones who did this know what they're doing." Guiltless says as he looks at the disembodied stallion head before him. "Pretty fucked up, huh?"

"And they even decided to turn him into a special delivery. Add a bouquet of roses and this would've been a perfect Hearts and Hooves gift." Orion adds as he looked at the unsealed box on the other side of the room.

"Wanna know something that's really depraved? It seems like with the markings and indents in his skull, they might've played some hoofball with the guy." Shrine states.

"Well I think that's enough of the morgue for one day. What should we tell his wife and kid?" Orion asks.

"We'll inform them of the circumstances as soon as we can find the body. The last thing a wife needs to see is her husbands head on a table, with the rest of him missing no less." Guiltless advises.

"Okay! Well I hope you two learned a little something, because I sure did." Shrine replied sarcastically.

"Sometimes, I begin to think that you're learning a little too much." Guiltless fires back at the doctor.

"Yeah. Comes with the job. I'll let you two know if I find anything else." Shrine informs the two other stallions as they make their exit.

"Sure." Orion responds as he clears the room.

Orion and Guiltless exits the room as they begin to make their way to the elevators. Orion can't help but to think about the fact that the victim was tortured, and probably for a long time, before he died. But considering the fact that the cases similar to this were more straight forward executions and assassinations, there had to be more to it than a simply disobeying a confidentiality agreement. But what was it that made his punishment so severe?

As the two walk out of the elevator, they see a familiar face in the lobby. Or rather two familiar faces.

"HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME! I'VE BEEN GOOD TO YOU AND YOUR IMMEDIATE SHOW OF GRATITUDE IS TO IMPREGNATE MY WIFE!?"

"Sir, it was an honest mista-"

"Honest is the last word to describe it. You broke the golden rule; NO AFFAIRS! And now you have to deal with the fact that the foal that rests within my wife's womb is-"

Orion and Guiltless steps in to find a bloodied teenage colt and an angry stallion in a wheelchair arguing with each other. As they saw who was arguing, Orion ran in between the two in order to disrupt the fight.

"ENOUGH! Magnus what has gotten into you?" Orion asks, demanding a reason why he was hitting his son.

"Okay, if you wanna find out..." The injured stallion pointed to the battered teen before him. "...then you ask him."

Orion looked at his son with concern for his safety, but with even more curiosity on what caused the man to assault his son in such a manner. "Shining... tell me. What has been going on between you two."

The teen holds his tongue, not wanting to admit his shame to his father.

"A asked you a question, son." Orion asked gently as he wanted to see if his son would be adult enough to confess his wrong doing.

Shining remains silent throughout.

"I believe I asked you a question, cadet."

Shining didn't like it when his father would put stress on the word 'cadet'. It made him seem like he was back to basic training. But more importantly it meant that he did something to disappoint his father. Taking a deep breath he explained what was going on.

"Dad..." He began as the entire department grew silent. "...I... I-ve... had an affair... W-with Magnus' wife... And now she's pre-"

*DOCK*

Shining saw his world turn upside down as he felt the searing pain of his father's hoof cut across his cheek, even to cause him to lose his balance. He knew that this was a long time coming now. He was only glad that the physically painful portion had finally come to an end. As he fell to the ground with a hard thud, he saw his father stand above him, glaring down at him as if he had become disowned.

...Thought that could be an option at this point.

"I'm sorry... I could've sworn you were about to say-"

"My wife is pregnant by your son, Orion." Magnus hissed as he looked at the teen who laid on the ground before him.

Orion grew his hooves in the air with disgust and frustration. "Great! Just more news that I desperately needed to hear. My son gets into an illegal affair, then he gets her pregnant, and now we get decapitated heads sent to our doorstep in his name!"

"Wait... What did I miss!?" Magnus asks as he performs a double take between the enraged father and his battered son.

"Nothing much, just that an anonymous party, whose not so anonymous in our books, had managed to send the head of the very same referee he tackled in the big game about a month ago." Guiltless informed freely.

"Wait... Are you serious!? So I'm not the only one who feels a little angry at the kid?" Magnus asked as pointed to the bloodied cadet.

"Wait, that was... the ref!?" Shining shot at attention as he heard who the victim was.

"Yeah... and it seems like that little fiasco that gotten the coach fired as well as a few of his players was all because of the ref's testimony." Guiltless added.

Shining stood motionless as he looked to the stallions who surrounded him. His mind circled around the lives he managed to have a negative effect on. At first, he managed to betray the stallion who sat in the wheelchair and ruin his marriage. Second, he managed to ruin a sadistic coach's dream of a championship. Third, he managed to somehow get the ref that he tackled killed. And fourth, he single hoofedly endangered the lives of those who were closest to him. As everything mixed together to create a rancid mess, his body saw it as an ingested threat that needed to be expelled in the quickest way possible. And there was only one way to do so...

"Bleugh-*SPLAT* "

Shining Armor heaved the contents of his stomach as the putrid thoughts of his actions and their results came flowing into his brain. His abdominal muscles convulsed as he continue to expel his breakfast upon remembering, more specifically, the referee he tackled and also what effects that it would have on his family life. It was all to much for him to come to terms with. He continued his evacuations until he was left gripping his stomach and pushing against the ground below him. Finally, he suffered the final moments of his indignity as he painfully dry-heaved the nothingness that remained.

As the others looked on, they could only sympathize with the young teen. At this point in his age, he shouldn't have to deal with these circumstances so quickly and also in rapid succession as it came to be. Even Magnus, the one who was left with more pain than he needed, began to pity him. It's not everyday that you experience the weight of a murder of a life weighing on your back. And he had a kid on the way to begin with. Orion looked at his son with a mix of shame and sympathy. He knew that his son was not used to this kind of pressure, but he also knew that most of this was of his doing with the exception of the murder. Guiltless just simply stared that the mess he made.

" *cough* I- *cough* I'm so *cough* "

Shining couldn't finish his statement as he combated a mix of the coughing that was caused by the post and sobbing. He knew he messed up and he didn't know what to do or where to begin to say how sorry he was. But his father had other plans.

"Feel free to worship at the porcelain alter on a later date. But as for now, your apology can wait..." Chided Orion before he found himself giggling at his own statement. "Hey, that actually rhymed a bit."

"Your meter was off, and so was the flow. You can learn a lot from your son here. He looks like he's got the flow coming from within." Guiltless states as he chuckles to himself as well. Magnus, however, do not find the comedy so appeasing.

"GUYS! I'm here on a serious note! I'm not here to make with the dark humor or the vomit jokes!"

The other two stallions cleared their throats and took deep breaths as they regained their composure.

"The reason I'm here is not to chastise your son, though I'm sorry for doing that for you Orion."

"Be sure that it never happens again. That's my job." Orion responds in a serious tone.

"But I'm here to make a report. As you already know, Southwind, my new off-season rival has decided to pay me a visit. And though how I got here is because I managed to become cleared for a leave earlier today. But what the nurses didn't know about my visitor is that he had a habit of punching things that are broken."

"Ouch." Guiltless mumbles as Shining stopped his coughing and crying long enough to understand what was going on.

"Yeah. Still smarts a bit. But that aside before he left, he managed to tell me what he was going to do to me on a later date."

"So he threatened you." Orion adds.

"Yes, but here's the boot to the horn here. He had the audacity to write out his little threat letter and read it out loud to me."

"And what did it say exactly?" Guiltless asks as he summons a notepad and pencil out of thin air.

"It said that it would break my other limbs as well as my neck. Cut me up to pieces and send it to my family. And also that he would be paying a visit to them at eight this morning-"

"WHAT!" Shining erupted as he tried to run for the door, his father holding him down as he tried to gallop away.

"Yeah, so you're not the only one he threatened, Shining. He threatened to make sweet sweet love to my wife and that he would guide my daughter to an early marehood. All this after he managed to play kick the unborn baby. Which he then told me that I didn't have to worry too much about due to the fact that it was not mine and that it was actually yours. Thus my knowledge on the true father of the foal who rests within my wife's womb."

Shining looked all over the room in distress as the new information began to eat at him. Guiltless looks at the stallion with a bit of concern as he asks Magnus about his story.

"Okay, so he told you what he had planned for you and your family, despite the known fact that you were going to be checking out sometime soon."

"Actually, he didn't know. Which is why I played off my role of the helpless father, despite the fact that I'm not able to do much. But I was able to come to you guys and ask for help." Magnus responds.

"And that's all you need to do for now. You're in no condition to get into any confrontation so it will be just me and the chief who will take care of this." Orion states as he puts a hoof on Magnus' shoulder.

"Dad..." Orion and Guiltless turns around to see that the messy teen had something to say. "I... I'm coming too."

"No, you're no-"

"I AM! IT IS MY DUTY!" Shining screamed at his father. Orion began to felt rage as he started to receive a lecture from his own son. "This all wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me. This is all my fault. And being that it is my fault, then I should be the one that should take responsibility for the events that occurred today... It is my right and my privilege to protect the citizens of Equestria, and as a cadet it is my sworn duty."

"Shining-"

"You said it yourself! That a knight or a guard's job is to do whatever was necessary to protect the ponies that lived within these boarders, even if it was to protect them from an internal threat. And now, our very family and those who we perceive to be our friends are now in danger. So now... I ask- no, I demand it... That I take on the task of this mission!"

Orion found himself staring at the blood and bile covered stallion who stood before him. "You do realize that this is a mission that could cost you your life."

Shining returned his father's stare as he looked to the one that he called not only his father, but his superior officer. "Sir... yes sir."

"And that you would accept the consequences of all failure that were to occur if you fail to achieve your objective."

"Sir, yes sir."

"You will also put your honor on the line as well as the honor of the Equestrian Royal Guard, the organization that you now represent."

"Sir, yes sir."

"Do you understand that you now are accountable for your actions from this day forward?"

"Sir, yes sir."

"Do you pledge to relinquish your spear if you were to commit and/or accused of any wrongdoing and submit to the authorities who will apprehend you?"

"Sir, yes sir."

"Do you stake you life before that of Princess Celestia herself?"

"Sir, no sir."

"Do you vow to maintain order and peace in the realm of Equestria, this realm you call home."

"I vow to maintain order. Peace shall be kept even in tumultuous times. And I shall not brand myself to become that of a traitor."

"...Kneel, Son of Equestria."

Shining blinks in surprise of the sudden command. As he kneels, his father summons a spear. It was nothing ceremonial but rather something that a normal guard would use on a daily basis. Orion walks closer to his son as he rests the blade of the spear upon his horn.

"Those who bear the mark of duty, shall be held to it. Those who are innocent shall be protected. Those who are guilty shall fall before you. These words you uphold?"

"Sir, I shall place it upon my life that the laws of the land shall prevail."

Orion taps the blade against his son's horn, being careful not to injure him. As he retreats the blade, he resheaths the bladed end and levitates the spear to his son. Shining Armor remains bowed.

"Rise, Guardian of the Crown, Champion of the Citizens, Son of Equestria. Take your weapon and march onward."

Shining did as he was told. As he took his new spear and stood up to his father once more, he felt a slap come across his face.

"Ow!" Shining exclaimed as he rubbed his cheek with his hoof.

"Lecture me again, and it won't be just a slap, soldier." Orion muttered to his son as he walked away.

Shining nodded and began to follow the other two stallions that walked out the door. As they walked, a voice calls from behind them.

"Hey Shining..."

Shining turned around to see that Magnus had called him once more. "Yes, sir?"

"You do your job and protect my family and yours. Or I might have to do more than pound you into a red carpet."

Shining agreed as he, Chief Guiltless and Orion set out to the town. With his new weapon in his possession, he trotted with a sense of duty. There was no time for pride.

Verdant Praise Boulevard
Canterlot Inner-District
05:01 P.M.

Shining Armor and Orion make their way home. As the day progressed, they found little to nothing of value when it came to the knowledge of Southwind's whereabouts or where any of his associates could be located. After many hours of searching with very little results and no conclusive evidence that could lead them to the source of their problems, Chief Guiltless and Orion agreed that the results would come sooner if they had managed to be near a steady source of intelligence. Guiltless then made his way to the station.

As of the moment, the two stallions took their time after a long and exhausting day of searching across the city. Their journey consisted of a tour of the Canterlot Keep; the ponies that lived in the posh lifestyle of the upper-crust, the Lower-District; where the workers and those who aspire to make it to the top reside, the Canterlot Slums, where they were vastly out numbered by crooked thieves and finally the Inner-District, where they resided. Needless to say that there was much to be asked and even more to be found. But as for now, there was little that they could do in their energy-deprived state.

As the two walked, Orion looked at the sunset in the distance. Shining only marched ahead as Orion began to slow his pace. Shining's father had decided that now was the time to talk about the secret that his son had been hiding.

"Shining... Why did you hide it?"

Shining stayed facing forward as he walked. His father was not pleased at the response.

"Shining Armor..."

Shining stopped walking. The both of them remained still on the twilight-covered streets of Canterlot.

"...It was a mistake." Shining stated, hoping that it was an answer suitable enough for his father to understand.

"But even then... You could've told me this sooner."

"Dad I was scared, okay?" Shining said as he turned to his father for the first time in the conversation. "I- I'm... not sure if I'm ready to be a father. I can't even provide for myself without you and mom. Not only that, but I found out the night that you took me to the station."

"And... You still had an entire month to bring it up." Orion argued, still not seeing why his son would hide something like that from him.

"But I-"

"And how exactly would you keep this kind of a thing a secret? HUH!? This isn't some sort of game Shining! This is life. And for you to try and hide something like this... How exactly were you going to provide for the mouth that you're going to have to feed?"

"I... would... I don't know-"

"And what about a place to stay, because your mother and I would not be responsible for that."

"I'd-"

"And how about schooling? Clothing when it get's cold? Money for the doctor visits? Utilities? Toys? Appliances?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Shining felt himself explode in the line of questions that his father interrogated him with. He breathed heavily as he finally came to terms with what his father was trying to say.

"Then tell me this... Now that you have the ability to do so, to provide for your family... will you take responsibility?" Orion asked his son as he placed a hoof on in his son's mane.

"...I don't have a choice. But how am I going to-"

"You are a member of the Equestrian Royal Guard. You can provide everything you wish to provide for your family, but only if you work hard enough. Sure you'll finish your schooling, but your schedule will prohibit much of the freedoms you once enjoyed. And you'll be worked like a dog. But just imagine the look on your foal's face when she or he comes screaming to you, cheering that you made it home... Just like you did with me all these years."

Shining felt a different kind of pain grow from within him. At that moment, he remembered all the times that he cheered for his father when he came back from a weekend of duty or a long deployment. And to this day, he still smiles when his father comes home to greet his little sister in the same manner. Eventually he envisions himself in his father's place as he opens his forelegs to his foal, hugging them and kissing them on the cheek as their warm embrace reminds him of why each and every time he heads out the next day is even more important than quitting for the sake of his own enjoyment.

The sun hangs in the sky as the world remains silent around the father and his son. Tears fall silently from Shining's cheeks as he stares into the sky, dreaming of his own family. This aspect that he was so scared of having so early in life had begun to grow into his heart. Shining looked up to his father as he smiled.

"Yeah... I can do that."

"That's my boy."

The two stallions shared a loving embrace as they further strengthened their bonds to one another, as father and son. They each smiled as their eyes remained clenched, trying to hold back any tears.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU KILLED MY DAMN COMRADES!"

Both of the stallions opened their eyes as they heard the words that resonated throughout the neighborhood. They both released each other as they headed in the direction of where the words came from. As they came up to the source, they looked in complete shock as what they saw.

The front door to their home was busted wide open and a griffon lied unconscious in the bush beside it. As they ran up to their once-sacred abode, they found that there was a stallion in the home. More specifically, a well-built pegasus stallion with an Earth-yellow coat with a dark brown mane stood over a seemingly lifeless body. As Shining approached closer, he saw the stallion and instantly remembered who stood before him and the body of his mother.

Flashback

"I didn't me-"

"AND YOU KEEP INTERRUPTING ME! You want to suck this dick, little pussy? HUH!?"

"N-no I-"

"Wrap those lips around it, pussy bitch."

Shining knew that it could only get worse from here as he continued to back away. "I-I-I-"

"Pussy lips! That's gonna be your name. Because mare pussy is the only thing that has lips that don't stop opening and closing. And from the looks of it, you must be in season cus' you look mighty thirsty."

Shining quickened his backtrotting until he felt the cold brick against his flanks. The stallion pushed him against the wall even further as he stood on his hind hooves and spread his wings to intimidate the young cadet even further. But suddenly the intimidating display ended as another stallion pulled on him from behind.

"Hey there, Southwind. Save it for the field. He's no athlete."

Southwind and the other stallion in a similar suit, walked away from the cowering teen. But before the two could disappear into the crowd, Southwind zipped himself back into Shining's face. "I gotta game to play, pussy lips. See to it that... I DON'T... see you again."

Flashback Ends

Shining wasted no time as he unsheathed the spear he carried. There was no time to think. There was no time to plan a method of approach. His mother was being attacked by the one who verbally assaulted him, the one that injured Magnus and the one who threatened the lives of Rarity, Pearl, his unborn foal and now his own mother. There was no time to act.

"SHINING-"

*SLECK* *SLECK* *SLECK* *SLECK* *SLECK*

The slicing sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed throughout the house as two stallions stood over a bloodied and bruised mare that was on the verge of losing consciousness. The pegasus stallion involuntarily stared down at the blade that sunk into him, into his heart. He then looked up and was surprised at who he saw.

"Pussy... Lips?"

Southwind stared at the stallion who pierced into him, and began to laugh at the fact that he saw the one pony who he least expected to see. Although he didn't know what his name was, he remembered his face. And that was all he needed.

"heh heh... heh heh heh... gheh heheheheh-*cough*-heh"

The laughing stallion continued to laugh as he grabbed the spear that was covered in his blood and shoved himself further up it, just so he could get a good look at the stallion who attacked him... All while he continued to laugh.

" Gheeheheheh *SHLINK* Guh huhuhuh huh huh... huh huh..."

His laughter slowed at last as his pupils dilated before Shining's eyes. Blood poured from his mouth as he gritted his teeth in pain. But he tried his hardest to smile at the one who did him in.

"...damn..."

He spoke for the final time as he finally hung his head. Blood continued to flow out of his mouth and land to the abused mare that lied below him. His breathing ended with a soft but quick sigh as his eyes remained open, facing the mare he assaulted.

Shining grunted as he shoved the lifeless body of Southwind out of the way as he dropped to the mare that continued to fade in and out of consciousness. Shining shook with worry as he recognized that his mom was in need of medical assistance.

"Mom? Mom wake up! You gotta hold on, okay."

Orion rushed in behind him as he crouched over his wife's beaten body.

"Velvet... Oh Faust, I shouldn't have left you alone."

As he cleared some of her blood-stained mane out of the way to see her face, she softly lifted a hoof. As it shook, indicating that she had little of her strength remaining, her hoof pointed to the stairs. As Shining and Orion both looked in the direction she pointed to, her hoof dropped to the floor below her. Orion shook as he held on to his wife.

"Shining, go upstairs and see what she's talking about. Maybe there's something that we should see." Orion spoke softly as he continued to encourage his wife to stay alive. "Velvet! Hang in there sweetie, help is on the way."

Shining rushed up the stairs as he tried to identify what was his mother referring to. As he reached the top of the stairs, he ran straight to the master bedroom, as it's door was still open. As he ran, something caught his attention.

*sniff*

He listened closely at what it was. As he walked down the hall, he identified that it was the sound of a crying foal. He was even certain that it came from Twilight's room. As he tried to open the door, it denied him his access as it was locked. This gave him the second option of where the sound was coming from; his room. As Shining turned the knob on his door, he saw that the room was still unlocked. He rushed in and saw that his closet was left ajar. As he slowly approached the door, he opened it to see a pile of his dirty laundry. Shining finally removed, one of the dirty uniforms to reveal an unusual guest.

"Rarity???"

"SHINING ARMOOOOOR!"

The filly cried her tears as her knight held her in his hooves. Beyond shocked to see her in his closet, Shining asked the one question that's been on his mind.

"Rarity I'm so glad you're safe. Where is your mom?"

Rarity tried to be strong as she told him the one truth that remained to her.

"Mother... I- I don't know."

Author's Note

Well this was a rather lengthy portion. To be concluded.

~~I'm gonna hate myself for the next one~~