"You gave our daughter the keys to the Armory?" Cadance hissed as she and her husband walked down a part of the castle only Shining ever really walked.
Shining shrugged. "She is old enough to go inside, honey. Besides, what's the worst she can do? Flurry's at that age where she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. We've all been there. Let her explore a little."
Cadance nodded, even though her journey of discovery had been a little more outlandish after her battle with Prismia. "I know. But that's what I'm worried about. You know she takes after you and Twilight far more than me."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Shining grinned, earning an eye roll from the Princess of Love as the pair came to an open door. One that just so happened to be the one they had been looking for.
Inside, Flurry Heart was having trouble fitting a unicorn's helmet over her head, the helmet not having been designed for a mare with such a puffy mane. "Stupid thing," Flurry grumbled, apparently not having seen her parents yet. "How do the guards wear these things?"
Shining chuckled. "Regulation mane cute, Private Flurry Heart."
Flurry eeped, sending the helmet flying across the room, to be caught in Cadance's magic, who smiled. "Enjoying yourself?"
Once she got her heart rate under control, Flurry nodded eagerly. "Are you kidding? This place is amazing! No wonder the Royal Guard runs in the family."
"I thought royalty ran in the family?" Cadance mused with a smirk.
Flurry rolled her eyes. "That too. But realistically, how many ponies are ever going to be able to join royalty, marry into it, or be born into it?"
"Is this about how Cozy Glow tried to use you?" Shining asked, still upset even months after that little experiment had ended in failure.
Flurry growled. "I thought I could help her, that there was something, anything, good in her. That all Cozy needed was someone to give her a chance. I was wrong. There is nothing inside her heart but an empty shell where her soul should be."
Her parents shared concerned looks. Even months later, this was still a sore spot for their daughter, for it had been Flurry's idea to release Cozy Glow from her stone prison to try and reform her. That the Pegasus had not been put back in stone after it had ended had been something of a miracle, though Cozy Glow was now under permanent house arrest in Canterlot. "Moving on," Cadance quickly said. "Just what do you think you are doing in here young lady?"
Flurry smiled as she saluted. "Isn't it obvious? I'm joining the Royal Guard!"
Shining chuckled. "That's nice, dear."
Flurry, however, wasn't smiling. "I'm not joking, Dad."
Cadance frowned. "And just what is that supposed to mean? You are the Crystal Princess and heir of the Crystal Empire, young filly."
Flurry rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Pointless titles if ever there were any. What's the point of being next in line when you're an alicorn?"
Cadance's frown grew. "Because immortality does not make us invincible, Flurry. Need I remind you of how many times your aunts had to be saved by Twilight and her friends?"
Flurry nodded sadly. "Exactly. Mom, the only way I will ever become a ruler is if something happens to you or Aunty Twilight." She sniffed. "I don't want that. Yes, I know everything that I would need to be able to rule, and the crystal ponies do love me. But that doesn't mean I want the responsibility. I want to do something with my life. Make an actual difference on my terms and not because it was thrust on me."
She snorted. "And I rather not think about how useless Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna are in a fight. They're over a thousand years old, had the magic of the sun and moon, and still lost like chumps in every fight they were in. For crying out loud, Aunt Celestia is afraid of chickens! Who's afraid of chickens?"
Shining rolled his eyes. Chickens could be evil, as anyone who had been on the receiving end of their beaks would tell you. "Well, I am sorry to say, honey, but the Imperial Guard is not recruiting at the moment, and I doubt they would make a special exception for you."
Flurry nodded happily. She had taken that into account, and she was not about to abuse her powers to try and force her way in. "Oh, I know. Which is why I'm joining Equestria's guard! Aunty Twilight just opened recruiting, and Captain Gallus was looking to get more mares to join when I last talked to him."
Cadance managed a smile. It had been too long it felt like since she had heard her daughter talk with such enthusiasm about something. And Flurry was right in a way. While she had no intention of retiring any time soon, Cadance liked dying even less, and she didn't want to leave the empire in her daughter's hooves if she truly didn't want the throne.
Maybe a day would come when she could step down from the throne and give it to someone who truly earned it, or perhaps alicorn princesses would become a thing of the past someday in the future and they could all retire to Silver Shoals and watch Equestria and the world walk into a new future without them.
Cadance could dream at least.
Shining also smiled. He knew the feeling all too well. To want to make a difference, and protect the innocent. Not just because of what his uncle had done, but because it was the right thing to do. "Are you sure you don't want to go through your angsty teenage years though?"
Flurry gagged as Cadance floated the helmet back over to her with a giggle. "Dad! All my friends are doing their angsty teenager "It's not a phase, Mom!" Phase right now. Everyone thinks being Goth is mandatory. I want to be original. So no thanks."
Everyone giggled at the thought. Cadance sighed as she pulled Flurry into a hug, one that was gladly returned. "I am still not sure this is the right thing to do, Flurry. But I know that look in your eyes." She shook her head with a snort. "And you're right. You shouldn't have to be forced to take the throne from me for any reason. I will not make the same mistake Aunt Celestia did."
Flurry nodded as she produced a train ticket. "I've already packed my bags. My train leaves this afternoon. Aunty Twilight already knows I'm coming." She smirked. "She just doesn't know why I'm coming."
Shining smirked, as he ruffled his daughter's mane. "That's my girl. And I know you'll do great honey. I'll be having words with Gallus if not. No daughter of mine is gonna flunk out of the Royal Guard. Not while I'm still around."
Flurry rolled her eyes. That was the hard part done it seemed. It would be a breeze from here on. Right?
Author's Note
So this was an idea I've had for a long time now. I just never got around to doing anything with it. The Shining Armor Is A Terrible Dad Contest gave me the boot I needed to finally do something.
That little bit about Flurry trying to reform Cozy Glow? Noodle incident really, and more of a reaction to the metric ton of stories with those two. Usually in a romantic sense.
