The Knights of Friendshipby Joeyjambo122ChaptersPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5PrologueAuthor's Note My first attempt at a non crossover story and it is an alternate Mane Six story. Please provideo constructive criticism. Prologue Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon. She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night. Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both... " '....Sun and Moon...' " "'and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations ever since.' Alright Twily, I read you the book, so will you please go to sleep already?" A tired Shining Armor ask the bookish little filly. A small yawn answered the question. Shining smiled softly at the filly before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek "Goodnight L.S.B.F.F." As he turned to leave the room, Twilight's tired voice piped up. "Shiny... is that story true? About Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony?" The curious filly asked as she sat up a little. Shining chuckled a little at his little sister before answering. "Don't be silly Twily, it's just an old pony's tale. There's no such thing as Nightmare Moon or the Elements of Harmony. Now to bed with you." The tired stallion playfully commanded as the filly giggled and went under her covers and went soundly went to sleep. 5 years later Shining walked up the stairs of his home after a long day of his training. Being the student of the captain of the Celestia's certainly hard, but worth it. Shining went to his own room to find his twin baby dragon assistants that his family adopted when they were found on their doorstep cleaning his recruit armor. The oldest twin, a male purple dragon with green eyes and spines named Spike, noticed him come in. "Hey Shining! We're almost finished cleaning your armor for you. And seriously, how many times are they going to make you run through a mud covered obstacle course anyway?" He complained as he smoothed out a paticulary big spot of dried up mud. His younger twin sister Spines had the same color of scales and spines as her brother, but unlike her twin, her spines were less solid and resembled a pony's mane slightly as drooped a little on the left side of her head, and while her brother never wore clothes, she had different shirt on everyday, this day she was wearing a white shirt with a picture of sword with a heart shaped handle on it. Another thing that made her a little different from Spike, was that while her brother was very sarcastic, she was a very silly dragoness and was usually less serious then her brother. She was currently looking at her reflection on the armor with a goofy grin. "Ah quit complaining bro, cleaning mud off his armor is better then when that flock of pigeons left behind last week." They quickly made a gagging noise in agreement. "Your right sis, that was way worse than mud." Shining shivered at the reminder of that event, which was due to losing a bet with Twilight, though he managed to shake the disgusting thought from his head. "Don't remind me. But seriously, I don't know where I be without my two favorite assisstants to help me." He complimented. "Which brings me to something else, have you finally decided who the number one assistant is?" They both looked at him expectantly. He chuckled at their never ending competition. "My answer is still the same as last time. You are both equally great assistants and no amount of begging is gonna change that anytime soon." They both uttered an annoyed groan at the same answer. "Alright, let's get you two to bed." A belch erupted from Spike and a scroll materialized, bearing the the Royal Guard symbol. "A letter from Captain Star Sword this late? It muse be pretty important matter. 'GASP!' Maybe he's finally granting my request to move up a rank in my training!" Captain Star Sword was not only Princess Celestia's most trusted soldier, but he was also Shining Armor's mentor after he saw potential in the young recruit and was personally training him himself. Quickly opening the letter, Shining read it out loud. "To my young student Shining Armor. There is something I must discuss with you when you arrive for training tomorrow, so please come as quickly as you can." The next morning... Shining stood attention in his mentor's office/training room as Star Sword paced back in forth. Spike and Spines stood at the other of the room playing with foam swords used for practice sessions. Star Sword was a blue with a black unkempt mane and his cutie mark was a picture of sword with a star shape cut in it and and wore the purple armor the symbolized the capt a in of the royal guard. Star cleared his throat before speaking. "We're here to talk about your request to move up in your guard rank." His voice calm and neutral and an unreadable expression. Shining grinned like an idiot on the inside, but managed to supress it to a small but professional smile on the outside. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to turn down your request." Okay, he wasn't expecting that. "Bu- but sir-" His stuttering was stopped just as quickly. "Stand down recruit!" His mentor's voice quickly shut Shining Armor's mouth. The stern voice even stopped the twins antics long enough to look over. Star Sword quickly regained his compsure. "Sorry for my outburst. I know you believe your ready for this responsibility, heck your one of our most promising recruits. Your hard working and indipendent and dedicated to the duty of a guard, but that can only get you so far in being a member of the Royal Guard and you need to start relying on ponies you can call friends." The more his mentor talked, the more crestfallen Shining became. "However..." Shining raised his head a little. "I may reconsider request if you mind doing a certain task for me." Shining looked at him curious. "What is it?" "Princess Celestia has asked me to help oversee the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow, but after I received your request, I asked her peremission if you could oversee the preperations for me... that is IF your willing to accept." Overseeing the preperations for Summer Sun Celebration didn't sound that hard a job and would be a pretty simple task and comelting this job wwill help his status in the guard. "Sure, I'll do it. Is it being held here in Canterlot?" He asked. "Not exactly.... Tell me, have you ever heard of a town called Ponyville?" Chapter 1Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 2Spines groaned as she rode on Shining's back with a slightly bulging stomach, with Spike riding on Soarin's back. Spike made a 'tsk' sound as he commented. "That's what you get for eating twent five apple fritters sis." He chuckled as she groaned again. "But they were so taaaaaasssssty...." She whined as she tried to get up. Shining looked over to Soarin, who was also chuckling at the little dragonesses food stuffed state. "What I don't get is how your were able to eat thirty apple pies and somehow not get a stomach ache." Soarin chuckled at Shining's observation. "Trade secret." He said back with a smirk. Shining shook his head as he looked at the list again. "According to this, there's supposed twould pegasus ponie's named Flash Sentry and Rainbow Dash clearing the skies of clouds. Do those name's ring a bell?" Shining asked as Spines got off his back. An orange stallion pegasus with a slicked back dark blue mane and a cutie mark of blue shield with a lighting bolt on it, was currently trying to do his job and clearing the skies for the celebration, which would have been done by now, if it wasn't for two things. One was that his little sister Scootaloo, an orange pegasus filly with a wild purple mane with no cutie mark, was currently riding on his back do to her inability to fly, so he had to go a little slower than usual in order to keep himself from dropping her. Two, a certain rainbow maned pegasus mare was too busy practicing her moves instead of doing her job as his estatic sister wached her idol. "Come on Rainbow Dash! Someponies want to get these skies cleared before the inspector pony gets here!" He shouted impatiently. "Oh chill Flash, one more move and then I'll get to clearing those clouds!" Though he wanted tell her to stop putting it off, he saw his sister giving him a pleading look. Flash sighed in defeat. "Fine, but one move and then you have to start clearing the skies. Got it?" He got his answer when his sister went 'Wooo!' "Yeah yeah, now watch this!" Rainbow suddenly went for a head dive, not realizing there was a certain white coated stallion right in her line of fire. Before Soarin could answer him, Shining was suddenly rammed into a nearby mud puddle by a blue blur, who also landed in the puddle. Rainbow shook her head, getting some of the mud out of her eyes. Now able to see, she turned to see a less than amused mud covered Shining Armor and chuckled sheepishly. "Heh...heh... sorry? Here, let me help you." She quickly dashed off and came back with rain cloud. Hovering it over Shining, Rainbow began hopping on it, causing it to rain which, while it did remove the mud, completely soaked the recruit. Still chuckling a little, She commented. "Okay... now your all wet, but I can fix that too." She quickly whirled around him so fasr, it created a small that, while it dried him off, caused his fur and mane to puff out, making him look lIke a gain't wHite and blue ball of fluff. Rainbow, Spike, Spines, and Soarin all began snickering, trying to hold in their laughter at Shining's appearance, until couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing their flankes off. Though his sister was also laughing, Flash could only face hoof, since he was apparently the only one noticed the guard uniform the stallion was wearing. Shining cleared his throat. "Well, if your all done laughing at my expense, I take it your Miss Rainbow Dash?" He asked maintaining a look of indifference. "Yeah, why? You heard of me?" She boasted only to get a silent stare. Shining sighed in annoyance. "Aren't you and another pegasus named Flash Sentry supposed to be clearing the skies?" "That would be me." Flash had flown down with an annoyed look directed at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, can I speak to you privately, now?" Dash simply and flew with him to a nearby cloud, after he had set Scootaloo on a different cloud. While Flash was busy lecturing Rainbow on looking where you were going while performing a stunt, Scootaloo felt the childish need to imitate her idol and prepared an attempt to perform what Rainbow just try to do. Having completely forgotten that she was too young to fly yet, she jumped off her perch on cloud and in the air for brief second remembering what she couldn't do. "Uh oh...." She gulped as gravity finally took hold of her. Flash's ear twitched as he heard a familiar voice scream before quickly turning around to find his sister plummeting toward the ground. His brother senses immediately kicked in and dove after her. The others on the ground heard the noise and saw the orange filly falling. Shining reacted faster than Soarin and quickly casted shield spell around the filly, completely stopping her fall. Lowering her down to the ground, Shining dropped the spell and Scootaloo was immediately picked up by her panicked brother. "What were you thinking!? Your scared me half to death!" He scolded, but quickly stopped when he saw her tearing up, he quickly gave her a comforting hug. "It's alright...it's okay..., just promise you won't do something like that again." She nodded slowly. Flash landed in front of Shining. "Thank you... how about we properly introduce ourselves. I'm the head of security at weather management Flash Sentry, and this little rascal..." He put a foreleg around her. "...is my younger sister Scootaloo. We also havery a brother named First Base, but he's at baseball practice." He held out a hoof. Shining accepted it. "I'm Shining Armor, and your welcome. I have a little sister of my own and she's a bit of a bookworm and she has tendency to fall off of library ladders when she doesn't pay attention." He chuckled a little at the memories. Flash chuckled a little before examining the armor Shining was currently wearing. "Are you by chance a member of the royal guard?" Shining was caught a little off guard by the question and noticed Flash was examining his armor closely. "Uh... not yet..., I'm still recruit and being taught by my mentor, Captain Star Sword, but hopefully that'll change when we finish overlooking the preparations for celebration tomorrow. Why do you ask?" He asked, curious as to why the stallion was so interested. Flash realized what he was doing and quickly responded. "Oh...oh! Uh... nothing. Just a little curious. We'll get back to that cloud issue wrapped up here so your can go ahead on the next part of your list or something." He picked up Scootaloo and set her on his back and flew back up to the sky. Soarin looked to where they departed and saw there was a lot of clouds to clean up, and knowing Rainbow's tendency to be a little lazy, he made up his mind. "Hey Shining, you think find your way around town by yourself? I'm going to go help those two with clearing the clouds the clouds." Shining shrugged his shoulders. "I'll manage." Soarin nodded and flew up into the sky. "Alright, let's get going you two." Shining turned toward to the twins, only to find that Spines had fallen asleep on the ground from lethargy as her annoyed brother tried to wake her up. Rolling his eyes, Shining levitated Spines onto his back with magic and with Spike walking alongside him, they proceeded to the next item on the list. Flash somewhat solemnly cleared the skies until his sister's voice caught his attention. "Flash, why didn't you ask him if you could join the Royal guard? That could have been your big chance!" She blurted out, her loud shout ringing in his ear a little. "Because I'm pretty sure has more important things on his mind than having to deal with a wannabe royal guard begging him to let him join something like that." He sighed and continued working on clearing the clouds, much his sister's annoyance. Chapter 3The trio had arrived at town hall, where the event was supposed to take place. Spines had finally got over her lethargy and was walking again and was currently holding the list. "According to this, a unicorn named Rarity is in charge of decorating." She looked at Shining and a giggle escaped her lips. He still looked like a giant white puff ball with with his just as puffy two toned blue mane and tail. Shining glared at her and she quickly stifled herself before she could laugh. Walking inside, they found the entire room was beautifully decorated with and bows, making it look it had been decorated by a professional interior designer. "Beautiful..." Spike muttered. "I agree with you on that Spike, these decorations are beautiful." Shining commented as he looked around and admired the decorations. "Not the decorations. Her." He pointed to a white mare on a small stage. She had a purple curled mane and tale and her cutie mark was a picture of three blue diamonds. Both Shining and Spines saw Spike's eyes form into little red hearts. "And there goes Spike." Spines commented as Shining rolled his eyes and approached the mare. "Excuse me miss-" He attempted to get her attention, but quickly cut off. "Not now darling. I'm in the zone right now." She spoke as she put some finishing touches on the directions. Shining made another attempt at talking to her. "Miss, my name is Shining Armor-" He was again interrupted. "And done! Now, Shining Armor wasn't? Did you need somethin... AAAAAH HA HAAAA!" Her sudden gasping caught him off guard for a second. "Oh... uh, sorry if I spooked you, I just came to check on the preperations and then I'll be out of your hair." He said somewhat nervously. The mare still had a white look of horror of her face. "My hair? What about your hair? I simply musn't let a stallion like yourself walk around like that! Come with me and I'll fix you right up. I'm Rarity." She used her magic to levitate the stunned stallion out the door before he could even have a chance to protest. Spines was about to walk out to follow them, turned back to see her brother still looking at the spot where Rarity was standing a moment ago with a dopey grin on his face, which caused to roll her eyes. "Come on Casanova." She grabbed her love struck twin's tail and dragged him out the door and past a confused light gray unicorn stallion and his young unicorn daughter. He had brown mane and tail and equally brown bushy eyebrows and a mustache, and his cutie mark consisted of three footballs. His daughter had white coat and a pink and purple swirled mane and tail and didn't have a cutie mark herself. The stallion let out an amused chuckle when he saw his daughter Rarity dragging a rather odd looking white stallion toward her shop, the Carousel Boutique. "Looks like another victim of your sister's generosity. Why don't we see if we can't help him out, huh Sweetie Bell?" He asked his daughter, getting a giddy nod from her and they both followed after the twin dragons. Though Shining was thankful that his fur and mane had finally been brushed down, Rarity didn't stop there. She then made him try on several different outfits to make sure he wore something nice for celebration, despite him trying to say he was a recruit from the royal guard. "So what's a handsome stallion like yourself doing here in our little town?" She asked as she continued taking measurements. Spike and Spines were sitting on a nearby couch. While Spines was having a good chuckle over Shining's situation, her brother on the other hand was still love struck as he stared at Rarity. Shining took the chance get a word in. "I was sent here from Canterlot to che-" He was interrupted again. "CANTERLOT!? Ohh... The glamour, the sophistication! The elegance I've always dreamed of living there!" She continued ranting about her dreams of Canterlot. "Psst... over here!" Shining heard a voice say nearby behind the exit door. The stallion and filly he saw on the street when he was practically dragged out of town hall by the fashion crazed mare known as Rarity were standing in the doorway. "If you don't want your mane dyed pink, I suggest following me before she snaps out of her little rant." The stallion advised, Shining nodded quickly levitated his armor from where it had been set down by Rarity when he was brought in and quickly levitated the twins on his back and they exited as Rarity was continuing her rant. Making it outside, Shining breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew... any longer in there, and I think she was going to put shampoo in my mane that made me smell like flowers. Do you know her?" He asked. The stallion chuckled a little. "Know her? She's my daughter! Hondo Flanks, but please, call me Magnum. I run the local sports shop and also coach for the junior football team." He held out a hoof. For the third time that day, Shining shook his hoof. "I'm Shining Armor, and these two are my assistants/siblings, Spike and Spines." He gestured to the dragons on his back, though Spines was a little dazed by the sudden departure from the boutique, and Spike still barely registered there were outside, still in his love daze. "Nice to meet you Armor, and this little lady is my youngest daughter Sweetie Belle. Say hello." He gestured the little filly. "Hello..." the shy filly greeted. Spines hopped off his back and approached her. "Hi there! I'm Spines! Nice to meet you!" She greeted loudly, startling Sweetie Belle a little, but giggled a little at the dragonesses silliness. Spines pointed a claw at her brother. "That's guy my twin brother Spike." She looked at him and leaned toward Sweetie Belle. "He's older by five seconds." She whispered. Shining looked at Spike and sighed. "He still has that dopey grin on him." And shook his head with an annoyed look on his face. Spines looked around and noticed a green mare with a red mane and tail nearby and gained a mischievous grin on her face. Spines walked over to the mare as she sat on a bench and approached. "Excuse me ma'am..." She started, getting the mare's attention.. For the first time since he set sights on Rarity, Spike finally made some physical movement when his ear fin twitched at the beginning of that sentence and his head began to mechanically turn in the direction of his sister as his eyes, which were filled awestruck love, was slowly replaced by forbording dread. Spines suddenly got down on one knee and held her hand out. "Will you please take of my brother?" She asked the bewildered mare, causing Spike to immediately jump off Shining's back and quickly got between Spines and the mare and his cheeks were burning red with embarrassment. "Spines! How many times do I have to tell you to stop doin stuff like this!?" As Spike immediately began to apologize to the mare for his sister, the other walked over, Shining with a bored look on his face, as if he's seen this before, while Magnum and Sweetie Belle had confused looks on their faces. "What's going on?" Magnum asked. Spines kept up her smile. "Well I can't take care of my brother forever, so what he needs is for me to find him a good wife-OOF!" She was suddenly grabbed and dragged off by the tail by her brother. "What I NEED is to get you to stop embarrassing me like this!" Spike grumbled as he dragged her off. Magnum looked in the direction Spike dragged Spines off to with even more confusion before turning back to Shining. "Does that happen often?" Magnum asked incredulously. Shining sighed and rolled his eyes. "More than you think." He responded. "It was nice meeting you two, but we gotta get going. Bye!" He suddenly dashed off after the twins, leaving the bewildered father and daughter in the dust. Magnum cleared his throat. "Well, they were certainly an interesting trio." He said with a chuckle. "Spines was nice and funny." Sweetie Belle said with a smile. Magnum chuckled again. "Yeah, she was. Let's just get you home and ready for the party at the library, okay?" She nodded and they left toward the direction of their home. Chapter 4After leaving Magnum and his daughter and later after checking on the pony providing the music, who was named Fluttershy, the trio were now on their way to where they would be staying, the Golden Oaks Library. "Fluttershy was nice." Spines commented as they approached. "If a bit animal crazy." She finished. "I'm just glad we're finally done with checking the preperations for the celebration and relax for the rest of the day at the library." Shining remarked, exhausted from the strange day he had while checking the preperations. Spike still had a pouty look on his face. "Hopefully, Spines won't try to get me a bride again..." He said grumply as Spines chuckled again. "Hey, there's the library." Shining pointed out, ignoring the twins bickering. Both twins looked to where Shining was looking and saw the place they would be staying. It was library built within a big tree, though Shining believed the building itself was firehazard but he decided to keep this complaint to himself since they were leaving when the celebration was over. Using the key Star Sword gave him to get inside the library, the trio entered the pitch black library. "Where's the light switch?" Shining asked mostly to himself as fumbled around the darkness. The lights suddenly switched on as a crowd of what looked like the entire town all shouted- "SURPRISE!!!!" Startling the young stallion enough to knock his young companions off his back with an audible 'Oof!' upon landing on the wood floor. The pink pony that ran off when they first arrived popped up right in front of Shining, startling him further. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! Were you surprise!? Huh!? Huh!? Huh!?" She said in a hyperactive voice. "Yeah, I was." Shining said deathly calm. Pinkie Pie apparently didn't as she continued to rant about she did after she ran off earlier as Shining walked toward the refreshment table. Spines did stop him from accidently drinking some hot sauce that was left there. Looking around the crowded library, he noticed a few ponies he had met during the day, Soarin, Big Macintosh and his cousin Braeburn and Mac's sister, Applebloom, Flash Sentry and sister Scootaloo, and Magnum with his family. "Well Miss Pie, not that this welcome party isn't great, but me and my assisstants need get to bed and ready for tomorrow." Pinkie Pie made a sad face that practically said 'Please stay for the party.' Shining attempted to ignore her and turned to call for the twins, but noticed Spines was being was introduced to Scootaloo and Applebloom by Sweetie Belle and Spike was nearby, keeping a very close eye on her to make sure she didn't try to get him another bride again. Shining flashed back to their conversation on the chariot and sighed sadly, remembering Spines desire to make friends. "Fine, I'll let the go on..." Pinkie Pie cheered in light. "...for a few more hours. Then everypony has to leave, alright?" He finished. Pinkie's smile shortened a little before shugging her shoulders. "Ehh... as long as I get to throw a party. Later!" She zipped to off to party once more. Shining watched the strange pink mare dance around like a complete nut ball. "Why do I get the feeling that my brain will melt if I even make an attempt at understanding her?" He said mostly to himself. "Maybe, but she sure is pretty, ain't she?" Braeburn said walking up to him. Shining raised his brow. "You have a crush on her?" He asked. Braeburn nodded with a dreamy. "She is my special somepony, because to me, she's cute when she acts like herself. Have you ever felt so in love with somepony, you'd thought you would always be together?" Braeburn asked. Whether Braeburn intended to or not, the question ended up bringing up some bad memories Shining had attempted to forget... "So your saying your career is more important than me!?" An angry familiar voice shouted. "That's not what I'm saying at all Cadence! I'm just saying that I'm going to have to devote a lot of my time to my studies under Captain Star Sword for a while until my cadet training is over!" Shining attempted to defend to no avail. "It's not just this! Ever since you became a cadet, you practically shut almost everypony, except your family, out of your life, just to focus on your training, even me! And I'm just sick of it! Well, I've had it..." Cadence said with a huff. Shining gained a worried look. "Cadence, wha... what do you mean?" He asked, dreading the answer. She was about to walk out when she looked back. "I mean this relationship is over. If your training is more important than me or anypony else, than you can have it all to yourself." She finished with a frown and proceeded to walk out the door as Shining begged her not to break up with him, only for him to run straight into the door as it slammed. "Shining, ya'll alright there partner?" Braeburn's concerned voice brought Shining out of his memory induced daze. Shining shook his head and cleared his eyes and saw not only Braeburn, but the other five stallions he met that day looking at him with concern in their eyes. Shining hastily responded. "Uh... yeah I'm fine, just... just fine..." Big Mac walked up to him. "Are ya sure Armor? Ah noticed the moment Ah heard Braeburn ask you that, you froze like sompony just told you your dog died." He noted with concern. Shining shook his head and responded hesitantly. "Really, I'm fine... I'm just going to rest upstairs for a little while. I've had a long day, but I promise I'll be back down. I just... gotta go clear my head. See ya..." He then proceeded to walk upstairs to the room he was staying in. "So, anypony else think it's pretty obvious something is bothering him?" Flash asked the obvious question. Soarin ran a hoof through his mane. "Pretty much. Think we should talk to him?" He asked. Magnum shook his. "Probably not a good idea, we hardly know the guy. Whatever Braeburn asked him, it clearly bothered him, so why don't we just leave it at that?" The older stallion suggested. The others nodded reluctantly, still a little worried about Shining. Shining sighed heavily as he gazed out the window of the library, watching the stars glitter around the fabled 'Mare in the Moon'. Spike, who had noticed Shining wasn't at the party, walked into the room to find his foster brother sitting on the bed looking out the window with distant look in his eye. "Shining?" The dragon's boyish voice snapped Shining out of his trance and finally took notice of the drake standing at the bottom of the steps that led to the bed. "Are you okay? Spines is singing karaoke down there and your moping up here for some reason. Care to explain?" He asked with a raised brow. Despite himself, Shining gave him a small smile. "I'm alright Spike. I just needed to... clear my head. I promise I'll be ba kind down there partying with you in a few, alright?" He responded quietly before returning his gaze to the window. He felt a light tap on his shoulder and found Spike standing next to him. "Seriously, me and Spines will always be here to talk to you if something is ever bothering you." He gave his brother a quick huh, causing Shining to smile a little wider. "Thanks Spike, but it's no big deal. You did help me feel a little better though, juse give me a few more minutes." Spike, though reluctant, shrugged his shoulders, before hearing his sister's distinct voice asking a mare to be his wife again, causing to immediately dash down the steps and out the door. Shining chuckled again and decided to head down, knowing the inevitable twin sibling squabbling he had become familiar with, his spirits brightened a little. Looking out the window one last time, Shining thought he saw something shifting around the moon, but quickly dismissed it and ran back down the stairs and into the library, unaware of the blue swirling mist making its way in the direction of town hall, the Mare in the Moon suddenly missing from where it was. Author's Note Sorry for how long it's taking to make these chapters sometimes, I tend to be a bit lazy, and my grandfather is currently going through cemo therapy right now, so my family is in a rough spot.. right now and trying to pull trough. Chapter 5Shining had been in a much better mood thanks to the party, as he and the twins made their to town hall for the Celebration. Soarin apparently had to leave the party early to get himself ready for the Wonderbolts show to sound off the Celebration after Celestia raised the sun. Shining was completely decked out in his recruit armor, and he had to be there among the guards for the event. "Your really hoping to become a full fledged royal guard aren't you?" Flash's voice asked as he and Scootaloo walked up beside him. "Yeah, every since I was a kid. Your certainly curious about the guard, aren't you Flash?" Shining replied with a raised brow. Flash darted his eyes with a nervous look on his face. "Uh... oh, just curious, that's all..." He replied stuttering. Scootaloo gave her brother a confused look. "Wait... I thought you said you wanted to get him to let you join the-" She was interrupted by her brother covering her mouth. "Heh heh... little sisters... bye!" He quickly dashed off with Scootaloo in tow toward town hall, leaving a bewildered trio in the dust. "What was that about?" Spines asked as the siblings dissappeared into the building. They shrugged it off for now and entered the building. Shining set the twins down in front of the entrance and proceeded to walk into formation with the other guards that were there for the ceremony. He noticed Soarin in his Wonderbolts uniform standing next to the other Wonderbolts on the other side of the room. Shining stood attention with the same serious expression on his face as the other guards. Near the entrance, Spike felt like his bladder was about to burst. "It's your fault for drinking so much punch bro." Spines said with a roll of her eyes as her brother squated trying hold it in. "I-is it my fa-fault the pu-punch was my favorite flavor, fr-fruit punch sis?" He countered. He noticed an arrow pointing to the bathrooms in the hallway. "I'm going to run to the bathroom real quick." He quickly ran off before Spines could respond. Spines let out an exsparated sigh. "Boys..." Celestia sat behind the curtain on the small balcony she was supposed to perform the ceremony. She sighed sadly as she knew this was the night she was forced to banish her sister to the moon, and she knew this was the year Nightmare Moon would return from the moon to once more to bring eternal night all over Equestria, and a potential canimate to stop her, her former student Sunburst, had run off through a mirror into another world when he didn't get what he wanted. She walked over to the curtain and opened it slightly and looked over the guards until she spotted her guard captain's student, Shining Armor standing in the same position as the other guards, complete with a serious facial exspression. Sighing to herself, she walked to her dressing room to finish getting herself ready. She took another look at Shining Armor. "Star Sword... I hope your assumptions about your student are true if he's going to help save Equestria and my sister." She thought to herself as she entered the dressing, leaving the door open a little, letting a spectrel blue mist enter. Celestia reconized the blue mist and scowled. "Hello... Celestia..." A voice she hadn't heard in ages greeted her. "Hello... sister..." She replied quietly. "Okay, okay, bathtroom, bathroom..." Spike said to himself as he searched around the hallways of town hall. He began to walk past Celestia's dressing room when he heard voices coming. His curiosity beating his urge to answer the call of nature, he peaked into the room to find Celestia and a... black alicorn standing in front of her? She was a very frightening sight to behold. She had cat slit eyes, giving her a predatory appearance and wore dark colored armor as well. "What Celestia? Is there no champion for your 'Elements of Harmony?' You seem to be ill prepared for my return." The alicorn's horrible voice gloated. Celestia merely scowled again. "I know what you intend to do Nightmare Moon, so just do it." The dark alicorn nodded with a wicked grin and her horn glowed a light blue color. A flash later and Celestia vanished. Nightmare Moon heard the creaking sound of a door opening slowly and turned to find a small purple dragon stood there, completely paralyzed with fear, the door apparently opened by a stong wind. Another wicked smile crossed her face as she stepped closer to the terrified drake. "A dragon huh? You may be of some use to me..." Spike had barely registered what she said. He suddenly didn't need to use the bathroom anymore.... The Mayor of Ponyville stepped up to the platform as a chorus of began to sing. Spines gazed around the crowded room looking for her brother. "Where's Spike? He's going to miss the ceremony." She said to herself, wondering if her brother fell in at the bathroom or however the saying goes. The Mayor cleared her throat to get the crowd's attention. "Fillies and gentlecolts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" The crowd cheered loudly. The Mayor spoke again. "In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria..." The bird chorus got louder. The curtain opened. "Princess Celestia!" Instead of cheering, gasps filled the room, the curtain had fully opened to reveal nothing sitting back there. Shining Armor's composed stance was immediately dropped when Celestia wasn't found anywhere. He felt jolt on his leg and found Spines clinging to it. "Spines? Where's Spike?" He asked, a little worried by her frightened exspression. Spines trembled as she answered. "I-I d-don't know... he had t-to use the bathroom and he hasn't cone b-back yet..." Her trembling became faster as she continued. "I-I think s-something bad h-happened to him..." Her words only worried him more. Twins are known to have a strong physic connection shared between each other, meaning if something happened to one twin, the other would feel it. An evil cackle filled the room as a blue mist materialized into an alicorn of darkness. Something materialized next to her, floating in her cold magical aura, and to Shining and Spine's horror, it was a terrified Spike floating in it. A wicked smile crossed her face. "Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces." She said with venom in her voice. "What did you do with our princess!?" Rainbow Dash yelled and attempted to attack the alicorn, but was held back by Applejack. The alicorn chuckled in bemusement. "Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am? Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" The silence answered her question. "Figures you simpletons would have no idea who I am. I am the Mare in the Moon - Nightmare Moon!" Lighting flashing finished the sentence. The only thing Shining cared about at that moment was rescuing Spike. "Guards, stop her!" The Mayor shouted. Shining and the other guards didn't need any more prompting and charged at Nightmare Moon. Though she grabbed Shining with her magic she knocked the other guards away. Wrapping her magic around his neck, she levitated him toward her. She looked him up and down, as if sizing him up. "So your the one this dragon holds so much brotherly affection for. How disgustingly sweet." Shining merely scowled as he struggled. "Don't you dare hurt him!" He threatened only to receive a dark chuckle of amusement. "Oh I don't any intention of harming him, I intend to turn him into my own personal guard dog." Her gaze shifted toward Spines, who was just as petrified with fear as her brother. "I would take her too, but males tend to be more aggressive." Spike managed to shake off some of his fear when he remembered Nightmare Moon mentioning the something called the Elements of Harmony. "Shining! She mentioned something called the Elements of Harmony being the only things that ca-MHPH!" His mouth was shut tight by the alicorns aura before he could say anything else. "A little blabber mouth aren't you? No matter. There is nopony who can wield them and the night shall last forever! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She cackled as she turned into a blue wisp and went out the window, taking Spike with her. Shining fell to the floor and Spines rushed to him and hugged him tightly, afraid he would be taken too. "Sh-Shining... what's gonna happen to Spike...?" She asked, her voice trembling. Shining accepted the hug and rubbed her back soothingly to calm her. "I don't know Spines, but I promise I will get him back." He stated firmly. Remembering what Spike said before Nightmare Moon took off with him, he broke from the hug and levitated her on his back and ran out of town with the fleeing townsponies in the direction, unaware he was being followed by five very familiar stallions.
PrologueAuthor's Note My first attempt at a non crossover story and it is an alternate Mane Six story. Please provideo constructive criticism. Prologue Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon. She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night. Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both... " '....Sun and Moon...' " "'and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations ever since.' Alright Twily, I read you the book, so will you please go to sleep already?" A tired Shining Armor ask the bookish little filly. A small yawn answered the question. Shining smiled softly at the filly before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek "Goodnight L.S.B.F.F." As he turned to leave the room, Twilight's tired voice piped up. "Shiny... is that story true? About Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony?" The curious filly asked as she sat up a little. Shining chuckled a little at his little sister before answering. "Don't be silly Twily, it's just an old pony's tale. There's no such thing as Nightmare Moon or the Elements of Harmony. Now to bed with you." The tired stallion playfully commanded as the filly giggled and went under her covers and went soundly went to sleep. 5 years later Shining walked up the stairs of his home after a long day of his training. Being the student of the captain of the Celestia's certainly hard, but worth it. Shining went to his own room to find his twin baby dragon assistants that his family adopted when they were found on their doorstep cleaning his recruit armor. The oldest twin, a male purple dragon with green eyes and spines named Spike, noticed him come in. "Hey Shining! We're almost finished cleaning your armor for you. And seriously, how many times are they going to make you run through a mud covered obstacle course anyway?" He complained as he smoothed out a paticulary big spot of dried up mud. His younger twin sister Spines had the same color of scales and spines as her brother, but unlike her twin, her spines were less solid and resembled a pony's mane slightly as drooped a little on the left side of her head, and while her brother never wore clothes, she had different shirt on everyday, this day she was wearing a white shirt with a picture of sword with a heart shaped handle on it. Another thing that made her a little different from Spike, was that while her brother was very sarcastic, she was a very silly dragoness and was usually less serious then her brother. She was currently looking at her reflection on the armor with a goofy grin. "Ah quit complaining bro, cleaning mud off his armor is better then when that flock of pigeons left behind last week." They quickly made a gagging noise in agreement. "Your right sis, that was way worse than mud." Shining shivered at the reminder of that event, which was due to losing a bet with Twilight, though he managed to shake the disgusting thought from his head. "Don't remind me. But seriously, I don't know where I be without my two favorite assisstants to help me." He complimented. "Which brings me to something else, have you finally decided who the number one assistant is?" They both looked at him expectantly. He chuckled at their never ending competition. "My answer is still the same as last time. You are both equally great assistants and no amount of begging is gonna change that anytime soon." They both uttered an annoyed groan at the same answer. "Alright, let's get you two to bed." A belch erupted from Spike and a scroll materialized, bearing the the Royal Guard symbol. "A letter from Captain Star Sword this late? It muse be pretty important matter. 'GASP!' Maybe he's finally granting my request to move up a rank in my training!" Captain Star Sword was not only Princess Celestia's most trusted soldier, but he was also Shining Armor's mentor after he saw potential in the young recruit and was personally training him himself. Quickly opening the letter, Shining read it out loud. "To my young student Shining Armor. There is something I must discuss with you when you arrive for training tomorrow, so please come as quickly as you can." The next morning... Shining stood attention in his mentor's office/training room as Star Sword paced back in forth. Spike and Spines stood at the other of the room playing with foam swords used for practice sessions. Star Sword was a blue with a black unkempt mane and his cutie mark was a picture of sword with a star shape cut in it and and wore the purple armor the symbolized the capt a in of the royal guard. Star cleared his throat before speaking. "We're here to talk about your request to move up in your guard rank." His voice calm and neutral and an unreadable expression. Shining grinned like an idiot on the inside, but managed to supress it to a small but professional smile on the outside. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to turn down your request." Okay, he wasn't expecting that. "Bu- but sir-" His stuttering was stopped just as quickly. "Stand down recruit!" His mentor's voice quickly shut Shining Armor's mouth. The stern voice even stopped the twins antics long enough to look over. Star Sword quickly regained his compsure. "Sorry for my outburst. I know you believe your ready for this responsibility, heck your one of our most promising recruits. Your hard working and indipendent and dedicated to the duty of a guard, but that can only get you so far in being a member of the Royal Guard and you need to start relying on ponies you can call friends." The more his mentor talked, the more crestfallen Shining became. "However..." Shining raised his head a little. "I may reconsider request if you mind doing a certain task for me." Shining looked at him curious. "What is it?" "Princess Celestia has asked me to help oversee the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow, but after I received your request, I asked her peremission if you could oversee the preperations for me... that is IF your willing to accept." Overseeing the preperations for Summer Sun Celebration didn't sound that hard a job and would be a pretty simple task and comelting this job wwill help his status in the guard. "Sure, I'll do it. Is it being held here in Canterlot?" He asked. "Not exactly.... Tell me, have you ever heard of a town called Ponyville?"
Chapter 2Spines groaned as she rode on Shining's back with a slightly bulging stomach, with Spike riding on Soarin's back. Spike made a 'tsk' sound as he commented. "That's what you get for eating twent five apple fritters sis." He chuckled as she groaned again. "But they were so taaaaaasssssty...." She whined as she tried to get up. Shining looked over to Soarin, who was also chuckling at the little dragonesses food stuffed state. "What I don't get is how your were able to eat thirty apple pies and somehow not get a stomach ache." Soarin chuckled at Shining's observation. "Trade secret." He said back with a smirk. Shining shook his head as he looked at the list again. "According to this, there's supposed twould pegasus ponie's named Flash Sentry and Rainbow Dash clearing the skies of clouds. Do those name's ring a bell?" Shining asked as Spines got off his back. An orange stallion pegasus with a slicked back dark blue mane and a cutie mark of blue shield with a lighting bolt on it, was currently trying to do his job and clearing the skies for the celebration, which would have been done by now, if it wasn't for two things. One was that his little sister Scootaloo, an orange pegasus filly with a wild purple mane with no cutie mark, was currently riding on his back do to her inability to fly, so he had to go a little slower than usual in order to keep himself from dropping her. Two, a certain rainbow maned pegasus mare was too busy practicing her moves instead of doing her job as his estatic sister wached her idol. "Come on Rainbow Dash! Someponies want to get these skies cleared before the inspector pony gets here!" He shouted impatiently. "Oh chill Flash, one more move and then I'll get to clearing those clouds!" Though he wanted tell her to stop putting it off, he saw his sister giving him a pleading look. Flash sighed in defeat. "Fine, but one move and then you have to start clearing the skies. Got it?" He got his answer when his sister went 'Wooo!' "Yeah yeah, now watch this!" Rainbow suddenly went for a head dive, not realizing there was a certain white coated stallion right in her line of fire. Before Soarin could answer him, Shining was suddenly rammed into a nearby mud puddle by a blue blur, who also landed in the puddle. Rainbow shook her head, getting some of the mud out of her eyes. Now able to see, she turned to see a less than amused mud covered Shining Armor and chuckled sheepishly. "Heh...heh... sorry? Here, let me help you." She quickly dashed off and came back with rain cloud. Hovering it over Shining, Rainbow began hopping on it, causing it to rain which, while it did remove the mud, completely soaked the recruit. Still chuckling a little, She commented. "Okay... now your all wet, but I can fix that too." She quickly whirled around him so fasr, it created a small that, while it dried him off, caused his fur and mane to puff out, making him look lIke a gain't wHite and blue ball of fluff. Rainbow, Spike, Spines, and Soarin all began snickering, trying to hold in their laughter at Shining's appearance, until couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing their flankes off. Though his sister was also laughing, Flash could only face hoof, since he was apparently the only one noticed the guard uniform the stallion was wearing. Shining cleared his throat. "Well, if your all done laughing at my expense, I take it your Miss Rainbow Dash?" He asked maintaining a look of indifference. "Yeah, why? You heard of me?" She boasted only to get a silent stare. Shining sighed in annoyance. "Aren't you and another pegasus named Flash Sentry supposed to be clearing the skies?" "That would be me." Flash had flown down with an annoyed look directed at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, can I speak to you privately, now?" Dash simply and flew with him to a nearby cloud, after he had set Scootaloo on a different cloud. While Flash was busy lecturing Rainbow on looking where you were going while performing a stunt, Scootaloo felt the childish need to imitate her idol and prepared an attempt to perform what Rainbow just try to do. Having completely forgotten that she was too young to fly yet, she jumped off her perch on cloud and in the air for brief second remembering what she couldn't do. "Uh oh...." She gulped as gravity finally took hold of her. Flash's ear twitched as he heard a familiar voice scream before quickly turning around to find his sister plummeting toward the ground. His brother senses immediately kicked in and dove after her. The others on the ground heard the noise and saw the orange filly falling. Shining reacted faster than Soarin and quickly casted shield spell around the filly, completely stopping her fall. Lowering her down to the ground, Shining dropped the spell and Scootaloo was immediately picked up by her panicked brother. "What were you thinking!? Your scared me half to death!" He scolded, but quickly stopped when he saw her tearing up, he quickly gave her a comforting hug. "It's alright...it's okay..., just promise you won't do something like that again." She nodded slowly. Flash landed in front of Shining. "Thank you... how about we properly introduce ourselves. I'm the head of security at weather management Flash Sentry, and this little rascal..." He put a foreleg around her. "...is my younger sister Scootaloo. We also havery a brother named First Base, but he's at baseball practice." He held out a hoof. Shining accepted it. "I'm Shining Armor, and your welcome. I have a little sister of my own and she's a bit of a bookworm and she has tendency to fall off of library ladders when she doesn't pay attention." He chuckled a little at the memories. Flash chuckled a little before examining the armor Shining was currently wearing. "Are you by chance a member of the royal guard?" Shining was caught a little off guard by the question and noticed Flash was examining his armor closely. "Uh... not yet..., I'm still recruit and being taught by my mentor, Captain Star Sword, but hopefully that'll change when we finish overlooking the preparations for celebration tomorrow. Why do you ask?" He asked, curious as to why the stallion was so interested. Flash realized what he was doing and quickly responded. "Oh...oh! Uh... nothing. Just a little curious. We'll get back to that cloud issue wrapped up here so your can go ahead on the next part of your list or something." He picked up Scootaloo and set her on his back and flew back up to the sky. Soarin looked to where they departed and saw there was a lot of clouds to clean up, and knowing Rainbow's tendency to be a little lazy, he made up his mind. "Hey Shining, you think find your way around town by yourself? I'm going to go help those two with clearing the clouds the clouds." Shining shrugged his shoulders. "I'll manage." Soarin nodded and flew up into the sky. "Alright, let's get going you two." Shining turned toward to the twins, only to find that Spines had fallen asleep on the ground from lethargy as her annoyed brother tried to wake her up. Rolling his eyes, Shining levitated Spines onto his back with magic and with Spike walking alongside him, they proceeded to the next item on the list. Flash somewhat solemnly cleared the skies until his sister's voice caught his attention. "Flash, why didn't you ask him if you could join the Royal guard? That could have been your big chance!" She blurted out, her loud shout ringing in his ear a little. "Because I'm pretty sure has more important things on his mind than having to deal with a wannabe royal guard begging him to let him join something like that." He sighed and continued working on clearing the clouds, much his sister's annoyance.
Chapter 3The trio had arrived at town hall, where the event was supposed to take place. Spines had finally got over her lethargy and was walking again and was currently holding the list. "According to this, a unicorn named Rarity is in charge of decorating." She looked at Shining and a giggle escaped her lips. He still looked like a giant white puff ball with with his just as puffy two toned blue mane and tail. Shining glared at her and she quickly stifled herself before she could laugh. Walking inside, they found the entire room was beautifully decorated with and bows, making it look it had been decorated by a professional interior designer. "Beautiful..." Spike muttered. "I agree with you on that Spike, these decorations are beautiful." Shining commented as he looked around and admired the decorations. "Not the decorations. Her." He pointed to a white mare on a small stage. She had a purple curled mane and tale and her cutie mark was a picture of three blue diamonds. Both Shining and Spines saw Spike's eyes form into little red hearts. "And there goes Spike." Spines commented as Shining rolled his eyes and approached the mare. "Excuse me miss-" He attempted to get her attention, but quickly cut off. "Not now darling. I'm in the zone right now." She spoke as she put some finishing touches on the directions. Shining made another attempt at talking to her. "Miss, my name is Shining Armor-" He was again interrupted. "And done! Now, Shining Armor wasn't? Did you need somethin... AAAAAH HA HAAAA!" Her sudden gasping caught him off guard for a second. "Oh... uh, sorry if I spooked you, I just came to check on the preperations and then I'll be out of your hair." He said somewhat nervously. The mare still had a white look of horror of her face. "My hair? What about your hair? I simply musn't let a stallion like yourself walk around like that! Come with me and I'll fix you right up. I'm Rarity." She used her magic to levitate the stunned stallion out the door before he could even have a chance to protest. Spines was about to walk out to follow them, turned back to see her brother still looking at the spot where Rarity was standing a moment ago with a dopey grin on his face, which caused to roll her eyes. "Come on Casanova." She grabbed her love struck twin's tail and dragged him out the door and past a confused light gray unicorn stallion and his young unicorn daughter. He had brown mane and tail and equally brown bushy eyebrows and a mustache, and his cutie mark consisted of three footballs. His daughter had white coat and a pink and purple swirled mane and tail and didn't have a cutie mark herself. The stallion let out an amused chuckle when he saw his daughter Rarity dragging a rather odd looking white stallion toward her shop, the Carousel Boutique. "Looks like another victim of your sister's generosity. Why don't we see if we can't help him out, huh Sweetie Bell?" He asked his daughter, getting a giddy nod from her and they both followed after the twin dragons. Though Shining was thankful that his fur and mane had finally been brushed down, Rarity didn't stop there. She then made him try on several different outfits to make sure he wore something nice for celebration, despite him trying to say he was a recruit from the royal guard. "So what's a handsome stallion like yourself doing here in our little town?" She asked as she continued taking measurements. Spike and Spines were sitting on a nearby couch. While Spines was having a good chuckle over Shining's situation, her brother on the other hand was still love struck as he stared at Rarity. Shining took the chance get a word in. "I was sent here from Canterlot to che-" He was interrupted again. "CANTERLOT!? Ohh... The glamour, the sophistication! The elegance I've always dreamed of living there!" She continued ranting about her dreams of Canterlot. "Psst... over here!" Shining heard a voice say nearby behind the exit door. The stallion and filly he saw on the street when he was practically dragged out of town hall by the fashion crazed mare known as Rarity were standing in the doorway. "If you don't want your mane dyed pink, I suggest following me before she snaps out of her little rant." The stallion advised, Shining nodded quickly levitated his armor from where it had been set down by Rarity when he was brought in and quickly levitated the twins on his back and they exited as Rarity was continuing her rant. Making it outside, Shining breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew... any longer in there, and I think she was going to put shampoo in my mane that made me smell like flowers. Do you know her?" He asked. The stallion chuckled a little. "Know her? She's my daughter! Hondo Flanks, but please, call me Magnum. I run the local sports shop and also coach for the junior football team." He held out a hoof. For the third time that day, Shining shook his hoof. "I'm Shining Armor, and these two are my assistants/siblings, Spike and Spines." He gestured to the dragons on his back, though Spines was a little dazed by the sudden departure from the boutique, and Spike still barely registered there were outside, still in his love daze. "Nice to meet you Armor, and this little lady is my youngest daughter Sweetie Belle. Say hello." He gestured the little filly. "Hello..." the shy filly greeted. Spines hopped off his back and approached her. "Hi there! I'm Spines! Nice to meet you!" She greeted loudly, startling Sweetie Belle a little, but giggled a little at the dragonesses silliness. Spines pointed a claw at her brother. "That's guy my twin brother Spike." She looked at him and leaned toward Sweetie Belle. "He's older by five seconds." She whispered. Shining looked at Spike and sighed. "He still has that dopey grin on him." And shook his head with an annoyed look on his face. Spines looked around and noticed a green mare with a red mane and tail nearby and gained a mischievous grin on her face. Spines walked over to the mare as she sat on a bench and approached. "Excuse me ma'am..." She started, getting the mare's attention.. For the first time since he set sights on Rarity, Spike finally made some physical movement when his ear fin twitched at the beginning of that sentence and his head began to mechanically turn in the direction of his sister as his eyes, which were filled awestruck love, was slowly replaced by forbording dread. Spines suddenly got down on one knee and held her hand out. "Will you please take of my brother?" She asked the bewildered mare, causing Spike to immediately jump off Shining's back and quickly got between Spines and the mare and his cheeks were burning red with embarrassment. "Spines! How many times do I have to tell you to stop doin stuff like this!?" As Spike immediately began to apologize to the mare for his sister, the other walked over, Shining with a bored look on his face, as if he's seen this before, while Magnum and Sweetie Belle had confused looks on their faces. "What's going on?" Magnum asked. Spines kept up her smile. "Well I can't take care of my brother forever, so what he needs is for me to find him a good wife-OOF!" She was suddenly grabbed and dragged off by the tail by her brother. "What I NEED is to get you to stop embarrassing me like this!" Spike grumbled as he dragged her off. Magnum looked in the direction Spike dragged Spines off to with even more confusion before turning back to Shining. "Does that happen often?" Magnum asked incredulously. Shining sighed and rolled his eyes. "More than you think." He responded. "It was nice meeting you two, but we gotta get going. Bye!" He suddenly dashed off after the twins, leaving the bewildered father and daughter in the dust. Magnum cleared his throat. "Well, they were certainly an interesting trio." He said with a chuckle. "Spines was nice and funny." Sweetie Belle said with a smile. Magnum chuckled again. "Yeah, she was. Let's just get you home and ready for the party at the library, okay?" She nodded and they left toward the direction of their home.
Chapter 4After leaving Magnum and his daughter and later after checking on the pony providing the music, who was named Fluttershy, the trio were now on their way to where they would be staying, the Golden Oaks Library. "Fluttershy was nice." Spines commented as they approached. "If a bit animal crazy." She finished. "I'm just glad we're finally done with checking the preperations for the celebration and relax for the rest of the day at the library." Shining remarked, exhausted from the strange day he had while checking the preperations. Spike still had a pouty look on his face. "Hopefully, Spines won't try to get me a bride again..." He said grumply as Spines chuckled again. "Hey, there's the library." Shining pointed out, ignoring the twins bickering. Both twins looked to where Shining was looking and saw the place they would be staying. It was library built within a big tree, though Shining believed the building itself was firehazard but he decided to keep this complaint to himself since they were leaving when the celebration was over. Using the key Star Sword gave him to get inside the library, the trio entered the pitch black library. "Where's the light switch?" Shining asked mostly to himself as fumbled around the darkness. The lights suddenly switched on as a crowd of what looked like the entire town all shouted- "SURPRISE!!!!" Startling the young stallion enough to knock his young companions off his back with an audible 'Oof!' upon landing on the wood floor. The pink pony that ran off when they first arrived popped up right in front of Shining, startling him further. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! Were you surprise!? Huh!? Huh!? Huh!?" She said in a hyperactive voice. "Yeah, I was." Shining said deathly calm. Pinkie Pie apparently didn't as she continued to rant about she did after she ran off earlier as Shining walked toward the refreshment table. Spines did stop him from accidently drinking some hot sauce that was left there. Looking around the crowded library, he noticed a few ponies he had met during the day, Soarin, Big Macintosh and his cousin Braeburn and Mac's sister, Applebloom, Flash Sentry and sister Scootaloo, and Magnum with his family. "Well Miss Pie, not that this welcome party isn't great, but me and my assisstants need get to bed and ready for tomorrow." Pinkie Pie made a sad face that practically said 'Please stay for the party.' Shining attempted to ignore her and turned to call for the twins, but noticed Spines was being was introduced to Scootaloo and Applebloom by Sweetie Belle and Spike was nearby, keeping a very close eye on her to make sure she didn't try to get him another bride again. Shining flashed back to their conversation on the chariot and sighed sadly, remembering Spines desire to make friends. "Fine, I'll let the go on..." Pinkie Pie cheered in light. "...for a few more hours. Then everypony has to leave, alright?" He finished. Pinkie's smile shortened a little before shugging her shoulders. "Ehh... as long as I get to throw a party. Later!" She zipped to off to party once more. Shining watched the strange pink mare dance around like a complete nut ball. "Why do I get the feeling that my brain will melt if I even make an attempt at understanding her?" He said mostly to himself. "Maybe, but she sure is pretty, ain't she?" Braeburn said walking up to him. Shining raised his brow. "You have a crush on her?" He asked. Braeburn nodded with a dreamy. "She is my special somepony, because to me, she's cute when she acts like herself. Have you ever felt so in love with somepony, you'd thought you would always be together?" Braeburn asked. Whether Braeburn intended to or not, the question ended up bringing up some bad memories Shining had attempted to forget... "So your saying your career is more important than me!?" An angry familiar voice shouted. "That's not what I'm saying at all Cadence! I'm just saying that I'm going to have to devote a lot of my time to my studies under Captain Star Sword for a while until my cadet training is over!" Shining attempted to defend to no avail. "It's not just this! Ever since you became a cadet, you practically shut almost everypony, except your family, out of your life, just to focus on your training, even me! And I'm just sick of it! Well, I've had it..." Cadence said with a huff. Shining gained a worried look. "Cadence, wha... what do you mean?" He asked, dreading the answer. She was about to walk out when she looked back. "I mean this relationship is over. If your training is more important than me or anypony else, than you can have it all to yourself." She finished with a frown and proceeded to walk out the door as Shining begged her not to break up with him, only for him to run straight into the door as it slammed. "Shining, ya'll alright there partner?" Braeburn's concerned voice brought Shining out of his memory induced daze. Shining shook his head and cleared his eyes and saw not only Braeburn, but the other five stallions he met that day looking at him with concern in their eyes. Shining hastily responded. "Uh... yeah I'm fine, just... just fine..." Big Mac walked up to him. "Are ya sure Armor? Ah noticed the moment Ah heard Braeburn ask you that, you froze like sompony just told you your dog died." He noted with concern. Shining shook his head and responded hesitantly. "Really, I'm fine... I'm just going to rest upstairs for a little while. I've had a long day, but I promise I'll be back down. I just... gotta go clear my head. See ya..." He then proceeded to walk upstairs to the room he was staying in. "So, anypony else think it's pretty obvious something is bothering him?" Flash asked the obvious question. Soarin ran a hoof through his mane. "Pretty much. Think we should talk to him?" He asked. Magnum shook his. "Probably not a good idea, we hardly know the guy. Whatever Braeburn asked him, it clearly bothered him, so why don't we just leave it at that?" The older stallion suggested. The others nodded reluctantly, still a little worried about Shining. Shining sighed heavily as he gazed out the window of the library, watching the stars glitter around the fabled 'Mare in the Moon'. Spike, who had noticed Shining wasn't at the party, walked into the room to find his foster brother sitting on the bed looking out the window with distant look in his eye. "Shining?" The dragon's boyish voice snapped Shining out of his trance and finally took notice of the drake standing at the bottom of the steps that led to the bed. "Are you okay? Spines is singing karaoke down there and your moping up here for some reason. Care to explain?" He asked with a raised brow. Despite himself, Shining gave him a small smile. "I'm alright Spike. I just needed to... clear my head. I promise I'll be ba kind down there partying with you in a few, alright?" He responded quietly before returning his gaze to the window. He felt a light tap on his shoulder and found Spike standing next to him. "Seriously, me and Spines will always be here to talk to you if something is ever bothering you." He gave his brother a quick huh, causing Shining to smile a little wider. "Thanks Spike, but it's no big deal. You did help me feel a little better though, juse give me a few more minutes." Spike, though reluctant, shrugged his shoulders, before hearing his sister's distinct voice asking a mare to be his wife again, causing to immediately dash down the steps and out the door. Shining chuckled again and decided to head down, knowing the inevitable twin sibling squabbling he had become familiar with, his spirits brightened a little. Looking out the window one last time, Shining thought he saw something shifting around the moon, but quickly dismissed it and ran back down the stairs and into the library, unaware of the blue swirling mist making its way in the direction of town hall, the Mare in the Moon suddenly missing from where it was. Author's Note Sorry for how long it's taking to make these chapters sometimes, I tend to be a bit lazy, and my grandfather is currently going through cemo therapy right now, so my family is in a rough spot.. right now and trying to pull trough.
Chapter 5Shining had been in a much better mood thanks to the party, as he and the twins made their to town hall for the Celebration. Soarin apparently had to leave the party early to get himself ready for the Wonderbolts show to sound off the Celebration after Celestia raised the sun. Shining was completely decked out in his recruit armor, and he had to be there among the guards for the event. "Your really hoping to become a full fledged royal guard aren't you?" Flash's voice asked as he and Scootaloo walked up beside him. "Yeah, every since I was a kid. Your certainly curious about the guard, aren't you Flash?" Shining replied with a raised brow. Flash darted his eyes with a nervous look on his face. "Uh... oh, just curious, that's all..." He replied stuttering. Scootaloo gave her brother a confused look. "Wait... I thought you said you wanted to get him to let you join the-" She was interrupted by her brother covering her mouth. "Heh heh... little sisters... bye!" He quickly dashed off with Scootaloo in tow toward town hall, leaving a bewildered trio in the dust. "What was that about?" Spines asked as the siblings dissappeared into the building. They shrugged it off for now and entered the building. Shining set the twins down in front of the entrance and proceeded to walk into formation with the other guards that were there for the ceremony. He noticed Soarin in his Wonderbolts uniform standing next to the other Wonderbolts on the other side of the room. Shining stood attention with the same serious expression on his face as the other guards. Near the entrance, Spike felt like his bladder was about to burst. "It's your fault for drinking so much punch bro." Spines said with a roll of her eyes as her brother squated trying hold it in. "I-is it my fa-fault the pu-punch was my favorite flavor, fr-fruit punch sis?" He countered. He noticed an arrow pointing to the bathrooms in the hallway. "I'm going to run to the bathroom real quick." He quickly ran off before Spines could respond. Spines let out an exsparated sigh. "Boys..." Celestia sat behind the curtain on the small balcony she was supposed to perform the ceremony. She sighed sadly as she knew this was the night she was forced to banish her sister to the moon, and she knew this was the year Nightmare Moon would return from the moon to once more to bring eternal night all over Equestria, and a potential canimate to stop her, her former student Sunburst, had run off through a mirror into another world when he didn't get what he wanted. She walked over to the curtain and opened it slightly and looked over the guards until she spotted her guard captain's student, Shining Armor standing in the same position as the other guards, complete with a serious facial exspression. Sighing to herself, she walked to her dressing room to finish getting herself ready. She took another look at Shining Armor. "Star Sword... I hope your assumptions about your student are true if he's going to help save Equestria and my sister." She thought to herself as she entered the dressing, leaving the door open a little, letting a spectrel blue mist enter. Celestia reconized the blue mist and scowled. "Hello... Celestia..." A voice she hadn't heard in ages greeted her. "Hello... sister..." She replied quietly. "Okay, okay, bathtroom, bathroom..." Spike said to himself as he searched around the hallways of town hall. He began to walk past Celestia's dressing room when he heard voices coming. His curiosity beating his urge to answer the call of nature, he peaked into the room to find Celestia and a... black alicorn standing in front of her? She was a very frightening sight to behold. She had cat slit eyes, giving her a predatory appearance and wore dark colored armor as well. "What Celestia? Is there no champion for your 'Elements of Harmony?' You seem to be ill prepared for my return." The alicorn's horrible voice gloated. Celestia merely scowled again. "I know what you intend to do Nightmare Moon, so just do it." The dark alicorn nodded with a wicked grin and her horn glowed a light blue color. A flash later and Celestia vanished. Nightmare Moon heard the creaking sound of a door opening slowly and turned to find a small purple dragon stood there, completely paralyzed with fear, the door apparently opened by a stong wind. Another wicked smile crossed her face as she stepped closer to the terrified drake. "A dragon huh? You may be of some use to me..." Spike had barely registered what she said. He suddenly didn't need to use the bathroom anymore.... The Mayor of Ponyville stepped up to the platform as a chorus of began to sing. Spines gazed around the crowded room looking for her brother. "Where's Spike? He's going to miss the ceremony." She said to herself, wondering if her brother fell in at the bathroom or however the saying goes. The Mayor cleared her throat to get the crowd's attention. "Fillies and gentlecolts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" The crowd cheered loudly. The Mayor spoke again. "In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria..." The bird chorus got louder. The curtain opened. "Princess Celestia!" Instead of cheering, gasps filled the room, the curtain had fully opened to reveal nothing sitting back there. Shining Armor's composed stance was immediately dropped when Celestia wasn't found anywhere. He felt jolt on his leg and found Spines clinging to it. "Spines? Where's Spike?" He asked, a little worried by her frightened exspression. Spines trembled as she answered. "I-I d-don't know... he had t-to use the bathroom and he hasn't cone b-back yet..." Her trembling became faster as she continued. "I-I think s-something bad h-happened to him..." Her words only worried him more. Twins are known to have a strong physic connection shared between each other, meaning if something happened to one twin, the other would feel it. An evil cackle filled the room as a blue mist materialized into an alicorn of darkness. Something materialized next to her, floating in her cold magical aura, and to Shining and Spine's horror, it was a terrified Spike floating in it. A wicked smile crossed her face. "Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces." She said with venom in her voice. "What did you do with our princess!?" Rainbow Dash yelled and attempted to attack the alicorn, but was held back by Applejack. The alicorn chuckled in bemusement. "Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am? Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" The silence answered her question. "Figures you simpletons would have no idea who I am. I am the Mare in the Moon - Nightmare Moon!" Lighting flashing finished the sentence. The only thing Shining cared about at that moment was rescuing Spike. "Guards, stop her!" The Mayor shouted. Shining and the other guards didn't need any more prompting and charged at Nightmare Moon. Though she grabbed Shining with her magic she knocked the other guards away. Wrapping her magic around his neck, she levitated him toward her. She looked him up and down, as if sizing him up. "So your the one this dragon holds so much brotherly affection for. How disgustingly sweet." Shining merely scowled as he struggled. "Don't you dare hurt him!" He threatened only to receive a dark chuckle of amusement. "Oh I don't any intention of harming him, I intend to turn him into my own personal guard dog." Her gaze shifted toward Spines, who was just as petrified with fear as her brother. "I would take her too, but males tend to be more aggressive." Spike managed to shake off some of his fear when he remembered Nightmare Moon mentioning the something called the Elements of Harmony. "Shining! She mentioned something called the Elements of Harmony being the only things that ca-MHPH!" His mouth was shut tight by the alicorns aura before he could say anything else. "A little blabber mouth aren't you? No matter. There is nopony who can wield them and the night shall last forever! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She cackled as she turned into a blue wisp and went out the window, taking Spike with her. Shining fell to the floor and Spines rushed to him and hugged him tightly, afraid he would be taken too. "Sh-Shining... what's gonna happen to Spike...?" She asked, her voice trembling. Shining accepted the hug and rubbed her back soothingly to calm her. "I don't know Spines, but I promise I will get him back." He stated firmly. Remembering what Spike said before Nightmare Moon took off with him, he broke from the hug and levitated her on his back and ran out of town with the fleeing townsponies in the direction, unaware he was being followed by five very familiar stallions.
