The Family Cygnet

The wait at the train station was too long. After several hours of uncomfortable silence and occasional bouts of unnamed emotions, he left. The next train heading to the Empire was still hours away, not arriving until after dark. He’d not wanted to be around so many ponies, so instead he went to one of his old haunts. A restricted corner of the town supposedly for guard training, but rarely used.

The old training dummy took another blow as he slammed his hoof into it, his heavy hooves crunching into the wood and splintering some off it with a loud snap.

He wasn’t angry. Angry meant somepony was at fault. Nopony was at fault. They were just different. As different as ducks and swans. He slammed another hoof into the dummy, hitting it hard enough to crack the wood.

Shining sighed, and leaned into the dummy, hugging it. He started to cry again.

Why had he been crying? Why couldn’t he stop?

Was it because he didn’t feel welcome at any of his homes right now? He needed to go to the Crystal Empire’s castle. He could evade Cadance’s awkward questions and focus on the work. There was a lot of work.

He squeezed the dummy in his hug, unable to stop crying as it snapped in half. He stayed there, tears streaming down his cheek while the sky began to grow dark as the sun set.

“Hey! That’s guard property! Who are you, and how did you get in?” a voice shouted at him from behind.

The sudden military communication soothed him. He could handle rank and structure. Shining stifled his tears. “Shining Armor. Retired guard Captain, Prince Consort of the Crystal Empire, and Royal Family. I apologize for not doing the paperwork to use this facility.”

The pony behind him got closer, suddenly quiet. “Holy Celestia, it really is you! Prince Armor!”

She was a thin little guard, but she carried her spear well, and her armor had a good polish to it. He wiped the tears off his face and nodded.

She smiled, then bowed. “What are you doing here, Prince? This isn’t exactly the best facility. I was only here to make sure nothing had been stolen.”

He sighed. “At ease. I just needed some space to think things through. I’m waiting for a train to the Empire, and I knew this was near the station. And I used to exercise here in my early days, back when it was a nice facility and I was just another guard.”

She looked around in wonder. “Wow. That’s amazing.”

He shrugged. “Everybody has to start somewhere.”

She looked back to him, her eyes twinkling. “You’re a legend in the guard, you know?”

He stared, surprised at the sudden turn of conversation. “A legend?”

She nodded. “A legend. You fought Princess Luna during the Long Night. You stood up to Tirek. Your years of campaigns against the yetis. How you bagged a freaking princess, then fought Sombra to a stand still and became a leader of a country. No other guard has come close to that. Not to mention how Captain Gallus couldn’t even touch you during sparring matches a few years back, and he’s easily ten times better than the rest of us. You’re… mythical.”

Shining felt oddly warm. “Oh. I… Uh… Thank you.”

The mare smiled as her eyes flashed wide in realization. “I’m Cinnamon Crunch, and I actually have a request, Prince. I just realized you might be able to help me with something.”

He nodded, still mulling over her earlier comment. “What is it you want, Cinnamon?”

She kicked her hoof. “Well, this is a completely inappropriate request, but you only live once, and I’m never going to happen across you alone in an abandoned training facility again. I know you’re married, but I’m in heat right now and a little impaired on this topic, which is the real reason they sent me to this abandoned post, and I don’t have anything to help with that, and you have really really good genes, and you’re super hot, and I wouldn’t tell a soul, but could you put a foal in me?”

“Excuse me?” He stared at her.

She blushed, and he noticed the tell-tail flush running across her coat. She really was in the thick of it. “Please don’t be angry, I’m desperate and you’re like a shining beacon of hope in a miserable fourteen hour shift. Truth be told, I could probably keep it under control if it had been anypony else here, but you’re The Shining Armor, and I will never have another opportunity like this again.”

Shining put a hoof to his forehead.

She was untying her armor. “Please? Oh stars, I need this. I’ll do anything you want. Anything at all…”

He swallowed, remembering his sister’s bruises. A guard could take a little abuse. She carried her armor well, and was clearly a tough little pony. She’d probably enjoy it. He was feeling unnaturally aggressive as well. Could he just… do it? Use a random pony whom he just met for that, and work out his aggression? She wanted it. It was irresponsible of both of them.

He felt a warm flush through his body as he realized that her offer was very, very real for both of them. It would solve so many problems at once. Velvet would get her foal. Cadance would be happy he had some fun. His burning, frustrating rage and guilty pent up arousal would be released. He’d be free of this awful, tearing emotion.

Was he a swan? Or was he a duck?

Cinnamon stepped closer, her heady scent hitting his nose and making him feel warm and fuzzy, and causing his nostrils to flare wide as he took a deep, primal breath. His tongue was wet. His voice wavered. “You’ll do… anything?”

She shivered, smiling as she pressed closer to him. “Anything.”

Shining took a deep breath and looked intently at the mare, relishing her red and brown swirls. She was visibly excited. Her hair was clean and trim. He could ruin it. He could leave her peppered in little dark red spots and scattered with darker bruises. He could leave her cream filled, right where and when it mattered most. Cadance wouldn’t mind at all. Cadance would find this whole scenario incredibly hot, and make him retell it over and over.

He swallowed. Everybody in his life was a duck.

“Then put your armor back on and get back to your post.”

Cinnamon’s head dropped. Shining walked past her, towards the train station. Her dejected apology was directed towards the ground. “You only live once and I had to give it a shot. Sorry, Prince.”

He didn’t answer. He kept his head high, and walked gracefully and proud. They could all be ducks. Every single one of them. Maybe that was the pony condition. They could have that luxury.

He was a fucking swan, and he had work to do at his castle.