The midday sun was drifting to the west, the clocktower of Canterlot ringing out the hour of the day. A few vendors and carts sold their wares in the town square, ponies both young and old chatting and strolling here and there. It was summer, and that meant no school for Shining Armor as he trotted down the cobblestone street toward the edge of town, back home after a camping trip with the colt scouts, a light saddlebag slung over his blank flank. He had always dreamed of joining the Royal Guard of Canterlot, and had been a scout for a few years now.
Coming to the small neighborhood on the outskirts of town, the white unicorn looked here and there, seeing mares and stallions tending to their lawns and fillies and colts playing happily. Coming to a small house just next to woody mountainside, the young colt gave a satisfied sigh, strolling through the picket gate and stepping lightly inside.
"I'm hooooooome!" he called with a smile. Instantly, the sound of tiny hooves could be heard, a tiny purple foal wearing a big smile coming to meet with him. "Oh, it's only you, Twili." he teased, pulling her in for a hug. "Did you miss me?" he asked, hearing her giggle and coo.
"She sure did, Shining Armor." The colt turned to see his father, Night Light, enter the room. "Did you have a good time?" he asked, his son giving him a nod.
"Look at my new badge." he said as he set his sister down, dropping his saddlebag and retrieving his scout's sash, bearing a shiny brass badge, the tall blue unicorn beaming.
"You'll have them all before long, Shining Armor."
The colt's cheeks went pink, his sister still reaching for him as she babbled cutely, her tiny horn gently brushing up against his side.
"What d'you think, Twili?" he asked, hoisting his giggling baby sister up once more. "Am I ready to be a royal guard?"
"B'waaah!"
Shining Armor let out a small laugh as his sister squirmed and reached her hooves for him in delight.
"All in due time, son." Shining Armor smiled as his father strolled over to him and gave his mane a ruffle, Twilight held close by. This really was the life, he thought.
Shining Armor walked through the brush behind his house, stopping to dip his hooves in the stream, the water feeling quite cool in the summer evening, the sky beginning to turn orange and the clouds darkening. Any minute now, his mother, Twilight Velvet, would be home from the market. His saddlebag still slung to his side, he strolled further into the hills, into the woodlands, feeling his blue mane whip in the wind. Cool wind on a warm summer evening was one of his favorite things. Exploring deeper into the forest, Shining Armor thought of his time with the colt scouts. He was one of the best scouts in his troupe, and in just a few years time, he would be ready to enroll in the guard's academy.
He was shaken from his musings, though, when he noticed the wind was feeling oddly cool, looking up to see dark clouds rolling in.
"What's this?" he asked aloud, curling just a little as a whirlwind blew through the trees. This wasn't normal ,he thought. This was a magic storm. Trying to remember his training, Shining Armor raced for a tree and pulled his rucksack off and swung to loop it around it, but another cold burst of wind swept through, cold rain beginning to to fall as as the terrified unicorn was flung upward, tumbling to the ground a brief moment later. Shaking his head, the colt tried to run back toward his house when another blast of wind whipped him up from the ground again, debris and brambles flying through the air with him. His eyes going wide, Shining Armor reached out for anything, seizing a wooden create spinning through the air and tumbling into it, holding his head as the create splashed down into the nearby stream. Shining Armor's eyes went wide and his coat stood on end. If he were adrift in the stream, he was going to go straight over one of the waterfalls going down the cliffside. Scrambling to the side, trying to climb over the edge of the box, the create suddenly lurched with another blast of bitter wind, Shining clinging for dear life as the rain began to grow heavy. He was almost over the side when he felt his saddlebag tug him backwards as it snagged on a board. Giving a jerk at it, his stuck bag pulled him tumbling backwards and he hit his head on the baseboard, everything going black.
Shining Armor shifted just a little as the warm sun shone down on him. Stretching, giving his head a rub, he felt a sore lump on the back of his head. Before he could even think further, though, he toppled over as the create overturned into the shallow riverbed, shaking his mane in a daze. Climbing up to his hooves, tugging his saddlebag free from the splitter, he slung it over his flank and walked toward the nearby road he spotted, looking up at the rocky spires around him.
"Where am I?" he asked aloud. The white unicorn looked this way and that, fishing a map from his saddlebag. There were several mountain regions around Equestria, the rivers and streams could have sent him anywhere.
It was just then, however, that Shining Armor heard clopping hooves. A traveler was approaching. Turning in the direction of the noise, Shining Armor saw a small pony, a brown, light cloak draped over his shoulders and a matching stocking cap over his bowed head, holding a small travel bag on a stick hanging over his front shoulder.
"Hey, you!"
The pony looked up to see Shining Armor trotting towards him. The unicorn saw that the traveler was a small colt about his age, his coat a dull, pale pink and his eyes also a dull purple.
"Where are we?" He asked, the pink colt raising an eyebrow at the question. Realizing this must have seemed an odd question, Shining Armor motioned to the overturned create. "I got lost in a storm," he explained "and when I woke up, I was here. I don't know where I am."
"Oh, well," the acquaintance began,looking around at the mountains "I don't know where we are either." Shining Armor was dumbstruck. "I grew up in a village nearby. That's all I know."
At that moment, Shining Armor jumped as a screeching sound echoed through the clearing. Turning and looking upward, he saw a sight he had never before encountered. A few griffons glided in between the mountain peaks. Nopony he knew had ever seen one before.
"Wow! Are those real griffons?" He breathed as the disappeared into the peaks. The other pony nodded.
"They sure are. Griffonstone isn't far from my old village." Hearing this, Shining Armor looked back at his map, his eyes darting along the parchment.
"Griffonstone?!" he breathed as he spotted the location on the map. "That's more than a day's walk back to Canterlot. Mom and dad are gonna be worried sick!"
"Canterlot?" the boy asked curiously. "Is that the name of your village?" Shining Armor gave him a stern look.
"No, Canterlot is the biggest city in Equestria." The pink colt listened intently. "It's where the princess lives. Have you really never heard of it?" The new pony gave his head a shake.
"Gillkins is the only place I've ever been." he explained "I've never been anywhere ever." Shining Armor's stern look turned to a look of bewilderment. This pony couldn't possibly be serious. "If you're going back to your village, erm, city, ah, home," he stammered "could I maybe come with you? Traveling all alone really isn't fun at all." Shining eyed him for a minute before inhaling deeply.
"Sure. I guess it would be nice to have someone to talk to." The pink colt smiled and nodded, stepping over to join Shining Armor. "I'm Shining Armor. What's your name?"
"Oh, I don't have a name." Shining Armor gave him a flabbergasted stare. "But the ponies in Gillkins called me Clocks, because Moody would always yell 'Tick! Tock!' every time she gave me an order." Clocks could quickly see his new companion's confusion. "Moody is a mean old witch. She's the one who raised me." Shining Armor smiled and gave him a wave.
"Well, you shouldn't have to worry. There haven't been any witches in Canterlot for a long, long time." Clocks smiled at this, the two strolling down the dusty road together.
The day rolled by as Shining Armor periodically checked his map to be certain the were going the right direction. The hot summer sun was offset by the strong winds blowing through the canyons. The two talked about whatever they could think of to pass the time. Their homes, the things they knew how to do, Shining Armor's time with the colt scouts and Clocks' many chores for the witch Moody.
"I'm going to join the Canterlot royal guard someday." Shining Armor explained proudly. "I've almost filled every qualification. All I have to do is go for a one-year survival training trip with an officer and I'll have filled all qualifications."
"That's so cool" Clocks marveled. "You're practically a brave knight already." Shining Armor's cheeks went pink. After a moment, Clocks' smile faded just a bit and he looked to the ground. "I could never make a good knight." Shining Armor turned to him. He was proud to be a skilled colt scout and a prospect for the royal guard, but he still didn't want his new friend to feel inadequate.
"Hey, listen to you." Clocks looked up to his traveling companion. "You work yourself to the bone day and night for a mangy old hag, you're bound to be really good at something." the pink colt gave a small smile. "Don't be so hard on yourself." Seeing his cohort's mood lightening, he decided to change the subject. "You know, my mom and dad are probably looking for someone to watch my baby sister. She keeps having magic bursts, it's hard to find a foal sitter who will watch her. They think she's an anomaly." Laughing, Shining Armor didn't see Clocks smiling at this.
"I'll be her foal sitter." he offered. "I've always been really good with babies." Shining Armor turned to him with narrowed eyes. Quickly, Clocks put on a high-pitched rasp. "Hey you! Go quiet that screaming brat in town! Hey! Tick-tock! Go shut up the bawling foal down there! Tick-tock, get down there and give me some peace and quiet!" The two laughed at his imitation.
"My sister's a cutie, but I'm a future royal guard." Shining Armor sneered. "You can take care of my baby sis if you want."
"Well, Maybe I will."
Shining Armor smiled to Clocks as they trotted on. He really did care about his baby sister, so the idea of someone committed to taking care of her in spite of her fierce magic powers made him feel happy.
Just then, a rush of frigid wind rushed through the clearing, both of them covering their heads, Clock's hood blown from his head, revealing his mane of purple, red and yellow. Looking up, they saw something that made their coats stand on end. A shimmering, iridescent horse flew screeching through the sky, the wind whipping behind it.
"Is that a windego?" Shining Armor called, a burst of steam floating from his mouth. Before they could think, it moved its front hooves in a trotting motion, shooting through the sky like a bullet.
"Wait, where's it going?" Clocks breathed, holding his cloak. They saw it disappear over the peaks. "Is it heading to Gillkins? What even is that thing?"
"A windego is a magical monster that brings about terrible cold weather and unnatural blizzards." he explained. "According to old legends and fables, they are attracted to cold indifference and bitter hearts." In an instant, Clocks' eyes went wide.
"If it's heading to Gillkins, I have to stop it!" he plead. "I can't let everypony get burried under a blizzard that won't go away! None of them deserve that!" Shining Armor gave him a sympathetic look.
"What can we do? We're just two colts." Clocks narrowed his eyes, tears welling just slightly.
"We gotta do something!" he called before he turned and charged back down the trail. Shining Armor watched for a moment then gave his head a shake, racing after his new friend.
