Heavenly Crusaders

As True Heart wakes up in his bed, he rises from it and makes it before heading to the bathroom to do his morning business before washing up. Once he finishes bathing, he moves beside his bed and sits on his flank. Lifting his hooves up onto the bed, he places their bottoms together and closes his eyes, praying, 'Thank you for yet another day in this world, oh heavenly spirit, I will endeavor to do something for another this day.'

Just then, a voice calls up the stairs, asking, "Are you finished with your morning routine yet, True Heart?"

Opening his eyes, he then rises to his hooves and heads for the door, replying, "Yes father, I just finished." Using his magic to open the door, he heads for the stairs when he hears a familiar irregular flapping from the other end of the hall followed by a delighted giggle. Knowing the sound anywhere as his younger sister, he prepares for her to crash into him. When she does crash into him, he lets out an audible 'OOF' followed by a good-natured chuckle, saying, "Morning, Muffins. Trying to get your flying under control are you?"

The wonky-eyed light blue pegasus giggles and nods at her brother, saying, "Yas! It hard!"

Helping her back onto her hooves, he nuzzles against her neck and says, "Just try not to fly too fast or too high in the house, okay? We don't want you getting hurt again and take you to the hospital for another cast."

Derpy nuzzles against her brother's coat affectionately, saying, "Otay, I wuv you."

Smiling, he wraps his hooves around his baby sister, saying, "I love you too, Muffy, don't ever let anyone's teasing get you down."

Eventually returning to his hooves after his sisters affectionate nuzzling, he makes his way back downstairs to see his father and grandfather standing in their living room. With his father being an earth pony and having a dark grey coat and a light blue mane and tail with a pair of amber eyes, while his grandfather is a unicorn and has a light grey coat with blue eyes and a white mane and tail. He looks between the two with a curious look on his face, asking, "What is going on, father?, is there a special reason grandfather decided to visit?"

With a smile on his face, Green Root looks at his son and says, "It is your testing day, son. Your grandfather here has a simple phrase for you to hear."

Turning his attention to his grandfather expectantly, he asks, "What might that be, grandfather?"

Thunder Magic turns to his grandson with a stoic expression and decides to try the latin translation first, clearing his voice and saying, "I do indeed have one phrase in two languages, and one of them is, Vita sacra est. Does that bring anything to mind at all?"

A fog lifts in his mind as he stands taller, moving his front and back hooves together as he responds, saying, "Officia nostra ad gloriam ducet."

His eyes widen as he stands a little taller, proud that the boy answered it correctly and heads for the door, saying, "Take a walk with me to the castle gardens, True Heart."

Nodding his head, he follows him out the door as grandfather tells his dad they will be back late, silently walking behind his grandfather as he heads through the bustling city of Canterlot. As his grandfather leads him down another path, he looks around to see the Sculpture Garden to his right.

Not stopping here, Thunder Magic continues on to the private area of the Canterlot Castle Gardens and approaches a pair of guards who watches them warily, stopping just before them as they bar the path with their wings and says softly so no one else can hear, "Fides et officium."

Watching curiously as the guards return their wings to their sides and stare forward, he continues following his grandfather into the garden, asking, "What does that phrase mean to the guards?"

With a smile on his face, he looks over his shoulder, saying, "It is a closely guarded secret, but I will tell you more once we reach our destination." As he spots a light grey alicorn walking through the gardens, he pauses half a step before continuing on towards a corner of the gardens with a lone statue surrounded by well-manicured white rose bushes. Silently hoping the princess doesn't notice them, whispering to his grandson behind him, "Whatever you do, do not draw the princess's attention if you see her out here, she comes out here to relax and get away from the ponies waiting to be heard when court resumes." As he continues towards the statue, a flock of birds takes off from a nearby bush with a noisy flutter of wings, hoping that the princess didn't hear the noise.

Princess Celestia lays in front of a red rose bush, inhaling the relaxing scent deeply before she turns her head to see what caused the noise and smiles at seeing one of the staff members in charge of maintaining the Castle Garden's state of cleanliness and order. Rising to her hooves, she makes her way over with a soft smile on her face as she sees a young foal accompanying the elderly stallion. She watches as the elder continues heading toward a solitary statue she almost forgot was even there. When she is within talking distance, she looks to the statue with a sad smile, saying, "I see that you came here on one of your days off Thunder Magic, and just who might this young unicorn colt be?"

Spinning around swiftly and misunderstanding the expression on her face, he kneels down on his left foreleg and bows his head to the ground in respect, saying, "Forgive me, Your Majesty, for I wanted to bring my grandson to the gardens I help to keep clean and orderly." noticing that his grandson was doing the exact same gesture.

Realizing he saw her sad expression, she smiles softly, saying, "No need to worry yourself, I am not upset that you brought your grandson to the gardens on your day off." Lifting her gaze to the statue, she sighs and says, "Each time I come out here, I somehow forget that this statue exists with it being so near the edge of the gardens. Then whenever I do take notice of it, I can't help but be reminded of a time long ago that always makes me feel sad."

True Heart sees his grandfather rise and turn back to the statue as the princess walks beside them and stops a short distance away, following suit and facing the statue to look at the tall statue of a pony offering a helping hoof to an injured griffon.

After looking at the statue with a tear coming to her left eye, she blinks it away and turns to the foal, saying, "I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit here in the gardens, little one, I must return to my royal duties." She then looks down into his green eyes and smiles at him affectionately, then feels a tear coming to her left eye again and turns away to head back inside, thinking, 'This happens every time I glance at that statue built in honor of the fallen order of Heavenly Crusaders...'

With the princess returning to her duties, Thunder Magic sighs in relief, then turns back to the statue and places his hoof on a gem disguised as a paving stone, saying softly, "Templariorum fidem et officium sequimur."

Watching his grandfather take his hoof off a round stone and start heading toward the edge of the cliff, he follows him curiously and watches him go to take a step off the cliff, grabbing his tail and pulling him back lightly, asking, "Why are you attempting to walk off the cliff's edge, Grandpa."

Chuckling, he looks back at his grandson, saying, "Watch and you will see for yourself, this is another of our secrets." then pulls out of his weak magical grip and steps off the cliff and onto the newly revealed staircase below.

As he sees his grandfather step off the cliff and start walking down to the left through the air, he approaches the edge and looks over to see a stone staircase leading down to a ledge. Following him down the stairs carefully, he stops at the bottom of the stairs as he sees his grandfather look up the stairs before reaching up with his hoof and pressing a cross-shaped button.

A gentle rumbling sounds from the wall before them as a pair of stone doors are revealed, with his grandpa saying, "When you come here next time, make sure you don't let anypony see you head down these stairs or they will be crushed between the stone railing and the mountain." When the stairs pull back into the mountain with no ponies on it, he faces the doors and pushes them open with his magic and heads into the dark room beyond. Joining him in the room as torches along the walls ignite, he spots a large, staircase winding down out of view that his grandfather starts heading down.

As they head down the winding staircase, curiosity eats at his mind and makes him wonder what this place is. When he reaches the bottom of the staircase, his uncle then turns the handles on a pair of old, large, double doors and pushes them open. The doors let out a heavy groan as they are pushed open and reveal a massive chamber on the other side as black metal braziers flare to life around the room, shedding light to reveal many tables and benches around the room with even more stacked along the walls as he asks, "Just what is this place, grandfather?"

Closing the doors behind his grandson with a resounding boom, he says, "This is our order's stronghold, lad. In times long past, this place was bustling with activity, though our days in the open came to an end when we failed to save the Crystal Empire from the tyrannical umbrum, King Sombra."

Cocking his eyebrow, True Heart asks, "So then we are soldiers?"

Nodding his head, he answers, "Yes, though we focus on our primary duties to do good in the world, however, when darkness rises...we enter the fray. We are warriors that protect the ponies and Alicorns from danger and harm, never turning away from those in need of aid. The Heavenly Crusaders have been around since before the first alicorn, Princess Celestia drew her first breath. In fact, we Crusaders had a small, but important part in bringing the world to how it is today despite what their history books say."

Curious, he then asks, "Are there others in our order, or are we all that's left?"

Shaking his head, he says, "There are many others in our order, however, there are very few of us reincarnations remaining." Letting out a sad sigh, he says, "Although there aren't many of us left, we will still give our all in a fight."

Looking around the empty room, he says, "I remember when I was sent down to do my part, I looked around the space and saw that I was all that remained of our group."

Nodding his head somberly, he says, "I thought that our era might be coming to an end one of these decades with so few remaining, all that we can do now is help others where we can and keep the Alicorns from harm. Before our time on this world comes to an end, let's do what we can to help Equestria remember us long after we are nothing but ashes on the wind."

True Heart stands tall and nods his head, saying, "I agree with you on that, brother, and I shall use every opportunity presented to me to make an imprint on history."

Beaming with pride at his grandson, he nods and says, "And so shall I, brother. Let me give you the tour before I start your training."

Taking a great interest in the great library with some interest in crafting, he watches his grandfather lead him to the training hall and draw a couple wooden swords from a rack.

Sliding one sword across the floor to him, Thunder Magic then readies his sword, saying, "Let's see if you still remember how to wield a sword...EN GARDE!"

After spending most of the day being whacked by his grandfather's wooden sword, he heals his bruises and leads him back home, utterly exhausted and starving.

As he leaves his grandson at the door, he grins and says, "There will be a different trainer waiting for you in the meeting hall tomorrow around 8am, so don't make them wait too long."

True Heart nods his head and goes inside, saying, "Alright, grandfather, I will be sure to remember that." Closing the door behind him, he makes his way to the dining room to find his family getting ready to eat.

As the days go by, turning into weeks and then months with a different pony waiting for him in the training hall each morning, he throws himself wholeheartedly into the training regardless of how sore or tired he feels. On a rare day off, he chooses to take a walk through the city while reading through a tome from the Crusader's library containing a variety of battle spells and basic utility spells, occasionally looking to see what is in front of him so he doesn't bump into anyone. However, when he reaches a rather complex spell to move around, he collides with someone and closes the book, saying bashfully, "OH I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Putting the book away into his saddlebags reflexively, he looks down to see a lavender unicorn filly sniffling on the ground with a dark blue mane and tail with a pink and purple streak through them and a matching pair of purple eyes.

Offering her his hoof, he says, "Let me help you up and brush off the dirt for you."

The little filly sniffles and takes his hoof, looking at the ground shyly, saying, "Thank you." then stands still and hears a poof, looking up curiously to see that he now has a brush in his magic, unable to keep herself from asking, "Where you get that from?"

Using the brush to remove the dirt from her coat, True Heart smiles and says, "I used my magic to summon a brush from my saddlebags." then asks, "Can you use your magic yet?"

With a small smile, she nods, saying, "Mhm. I can open doors, and lift things about like your book." When the brush passes over her right foreleg, she hisses in pain, saying, "That hurts!"

He puts the brush away and leans his head down to look at the injury, seeing that she has a small scrape on her leg saying, "It seems that you have a minor scrape on your cannon bone below your knee, allow me to treat that for you."

The little filly watches as the older colt channels magic through his horn as a gentle yellow glow surrounds her injured foreleg, her eyes grow to the size of saucer plates when the pain goes away and the wound closes up without a mark, causing her to move her foreleg experimentally to find that there is no more pain. Eager to know how he did that, she excitedly shouts, "HOW'D YOU DO THAT!?"

Looking at the filly as she looks straight at him with eyes sparkling with wonder, he pulls the book out he was reading and says, "Well, I learned a first aid spell from this book here I borrowed from a private library."

She looks at the book with eyes hungry for the knowledge within and drools slightly, saying, "I WANNA SEE! I WANNA SEE!"

Before she has a chance to reach for the book with her magic, he tucks it away, saying, "Sorry, but I can't share what is stored within this book with just anyone, it could cause great harm if it was used to do bad things."

The little filly's head drops like a stone as she is saddened, muttering, "I understand..." then begins to sniffle.

Finding her hunger for knowledge stirs something within True Heart as he then gives in to her adorable pouting expression, saying, "However...I might be inclined to copy what is in this book if you promise to only use them to help others."

Her hope returns as she lifts her head and smiles, saying, "I promise on my BBBFF that I will use the knowledge to only do good, now can I see?!"

Chuckling softly, he thinks of a way to help her, saying, "I appreciate hearing you promise that, but I can't show you just yet." Before she can start sniffling, he adds, "Perhaps I can reward you with a copy of this book if you can perform three really difficult spells for a filly your age by this time next year, does that sound like a fair deal to you?"

The filly's smile grows wider and threatens to split her face in half as she happily nods her head with an excited giggle, shouting, "OKAY, SOUNDS FUN!"

When she starts prancing around in a circle, a shadow appears off to his right as he asks, "What does BBBFF mean?"

When she spots her big brother standing near the colt she bumped into and looking at him with narrowed eyes, she stops prancing and runs over to him, shouting happily, "Big Brother, Best Friend Forever!"

True Heart sees her run to a stallion ten years older than he is, who is currently looking at him with narrowed eyes, saying, "Thank you for explaining that to me, I'm sorry for bumping into you earlier and causing you to get hurt. I shall be on my way now since I healed your scrape."

Having been passing by when she heard the young filly's surprised cry of alarm, Princess Celestia looks at the group she is guiding around the city and says, "I will be right back everypony, there is something I must deal with before we continue." Walking away from the group, she approaches the three ponies as the oldest one in the group gives the younger colt a suspicious look, asking, "Is everything alright here, my little ponies?"

They all turn at hearing the new voice and quickly bow while the younger colt kneels and bows his head to her, answering for them all when the filly's brother fails to say anything, saying, "Everything is fine now, Your Majesty. What happened was that I became engrossed in a book of spells and bumped into the little filly here, accidentally knocking her down and causing her to start sniffling. After helping her to her hooves and pulling out a brush to wipe off the dirt that got on her coat, I eventually found a scrape on the cannon of her right foreleg just below her knee. Taking it upon myself for having caused her pain, I used a minor spell to heal the wound."

Her eyebrow raises up curiously at hearing a full report from a colt so young, saying before he can continue, "I know. I was passing by and got a good look at her wound, it was in a dangerous spot on her leg and could have resulted in her being unable to even canter if it was not treated right away. That spell you used is certainly no small feat for a colt as young as you to cast, for it simultaneously cleans, disinfects, and heals the wound without a trace." Pausing for a moment as the other two spin their heads around to gawk at the young colt, then continues saying, "How would you like to attend my school for gifted unicorns, young colt?"

The filly's mouth almost falls to the floor as her eyes become even larger at watching the princess extend an invitation herself to a pony before her very eyes as her mind screams, 'NO WAY! AM I SERIOUSLY WATCHING PRINCESS CELESTIA ASK THIS COLT TO ATTEND HER PRIVATE SCHOOL...HERSELF!'

Seeing no reason to object to her offer, True Heart smiles and nods his head, kneeling toward her like he had before, saying, "I shall look forward to all your school has to teach me, Your Majesty."

Smiling ever so slightly, she says, "I shall have details regarding your enrollment delivered to your parents by sunrise tomorrow. May you all have a bright, sunny day." With nothing further to say, she turns around and heads back towards the group to resume leading them around the city with her mood lifted at finding another gifted unicorn.

After receiving the details about attending Princess Celestia's school, True Heart's parents are ecstatic at the news as his grandfather adjusts his training to work around the hours he will be at school. When he first starts attending, he notices that he isn't the only one without a cutie mark. Treated as the odd pony out because of his pitch black coat and platinum blonde hair, he makes no new friends but doesn't let that bother him as he simply immerses himself into what the school teaches and studying new books borrowed from the secret library.

Weeks pass as he is busier than ever before with his studies, quickly rising to the top of his class and gains the envy of a filly named Sunset Shimmer that is four grades above him, admiring her for her studious nature while only being two years older. When she graduates being second best, he hears a rumor of her disappearance weeks later and decides to go look for her when he has a day off from school and training.

A year passes as the young filly he healed is enrolled into the school with her asking him every week if he has any time so that she can show him her new magic spells, telling her that he has a free day in a couple of weeks and that they can meet by the donut shop.

The filly shakes her head and says, "I don't want to show my magic off to a bunch of strangers, can we go somewhere more quiet?"

Thinking it over, he thinks of the Castle Gardens, saying, "Well...how about we go to a place where my grandfather helps maintain the grounds?"

Trying to think of what day it would be two weeks from today, the filly then asks, "I might be with my foalsitter, would you mind if she came along with us?"

Shaking his head, True Heart says, "It doesn't bother me at all, just as long as you don't mind, little one."

Nodding her head with a smile, she says, "Could you come over and pick us up that day?"

Thinking about it for a moment, he nods yes and asks, "I can do that, where is your house located in the city?"

Telling him where her parent's house is at, she then giggles and says, "Also, my name isn't little one, it's Twilight Sparkle! What's yours?"

When two weeks pass, he makes his way towards where Twilight lives and knocks on the door, hoping that her brother doesn't answer. To his surprise, an unfamiliar light pink alicorn with a multicolored mane and tail consisting of pale yellow, a shade of violet, and a shade of rose streaks answers the door. When he spots her eye color, he kneels before her, bowing his head, saying, "Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty, for I did not know that Twilight's mother was home."

Upon hearing being considered Twilight's mother, she blushes fiercely before bursting out laughing, saying, "While I am very flattered that you think I could possibly be Twilight's mother, I shall inform you that I am just her foalsitter and her parents are currently at work. Thank you for seeing me as royalty, but I am a princess in name only. My name is Mi Amore Cadenza, what might your name be, young colt?"

Rising to his hooves, he introduces himself, saying, "Apologies, my name is True Heart. It is a pleasure to meet you..." just now realizing how her name translates, he cocks his head and asks, "Wait, your name is My Love Cadence?"

Gasping with delight at finding a pony not a royal capable of understanding her name, she squeals with delight and then pulls him against her into a hug. Holding him close, she jumps up and flaps her wings to do a little spin before returning to the ground, saying, "I can't believe you can understand my name! Can you speak it and write it as well?"

Shaking his head free of the slight daze, he nods his head, saying, "I can indeed, for I started learning it when I was just a babe." Realizing what he just said, he claps his forehoof to his head, thinking, 'Uh-oh...I shouldn't have said that.' To distract her, he then says, "Sorry again for the misunderstanding, Mi Amore Cadenza, but I was wondering if Twilight is here and not busy?"

Nodding her head happily, she then looks behind her to see the little filly in question standing behind her with a wide grin, saying, "Somepony is here to see you Twilight."

Darting up beside her foalsitter, she then prances in place, asking, "Can we go to that secluded place you mentioned so I can show you what I learned this last year?"

True Heart turns his head to the alicorn foalsitter, asking, "Would you mind going on a small trip to a place I know near the castle?"

Raising her eyebrow for a moment, she then shakes her head saying, "Not at all, but could you tell us where we are going exactly?"

Attempting to keep a smirk off his face, he shakes his head, saying, "Apologies, but that would spoil the surprise, although, I can assure you it is nearly the safest and quietest place in all of Canterlot with how close the castle is to our destination."

Cadance tries to puzzle out the clues offered about the destination, she then grabs her saddlebags and puts them on her flanks, saying, "Alright, we will follow you there." then turns to the filly, asking, "Do you need me to carry anything for you, Twilight?"

Shaking her head, she darts out the door, saying, "Nope, let's go!"

Closing the door, she turns to True Heart, saying playfully, "Lead the way...master."

Facing forward with a flushed face, he clears his voice saying, "I wouldn't say that too loudly or somepony might misunderstand your teasing tone."

Shocked at being talked back to, she smiles and thinks, 'It is going to be really fun with you around, I just wonder how Shining Armor is going to handle your wit?'

After leading them through the city and towards the entrance to the Castle Gardens, True Heart approaches the two guards when they only bar passage for him, responding with what he learned from his grandfather, "Fides et officium."

Cadance is surprised at how the guards just snap back to attention and ignore the colt after hearing the words, using her magic to scan them intensely. Finding nothing dangerous about it, she lets it go and decides to ask her aunt Celestia about it later.

Once onto the grounds, he leads them to the solitary statue rarely visited by anypony and stops before it, then turns around, saying, "Alright, Twilight, here we are. Are you ready to show me what you have learned?"

Smiling widely at finally getting her chance to earn a reward, Twilight moves a short distance away and focuses on the statue, saying, "First one, here we go." then prepares the spell carefully before casting it upon the stone statue.

Looking at how she focuses on the statue, he wonders if he should interrupt the spell or not. Deciding not to do anything as the statue can be easily repaired or replaced, he watches her cast the spell and is shocked to see that the spell doesn't damage it...it makes it sparkling clean. Truly impressed by the spell she pulled off, he says, "That's one, now what shall you do for number two?"

Thinking quickly, an idea comes to her and she turns her gaze to the rose bushes in front of the statue, saying, "Okay, second one...here goes nothing!"

He watches as the rosebush begins to grow quickly and climb up the statue, leaving him awestruck as he says in a dumbfounded tone, "Well...that is certainly something alright... What do you have for the last one?"

With a smile, Twilight turns to her foalsitter and goes to ask something when she notices tears streaming down her face, asking out of concern, "Are you okay, Cady, did you get hurt by the flowers?"

Tearing her tear-stained eyes from the statue and wiping her tears away with a tissue, she realizes that the mascara she applied is running down her face in trails, saying, "Oh I'm alright, sweetie. I just got distracted by some past memories I have forgotten is all and it made me sad. Now, what was it you needed?"

Knowing that she is putting on a brave face for the little filly, True Heart lets it slide for now as Twilight asks her foalsitter for a paper, quill, and inkwell before mentioning performing some kind of special dance. When he watches Twilight and the alicorn face each other, the two begin prancing and doing motions with their hooves, chanting, "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!" When they both turn their rumps to him and shake them side to side in sync, he can't help but chuckle at how adorably funny it is, saying, "That was quite amusing, but where was the spell in all that?"

Dropping her spell with a giggle, she sets the quill down and picks up the paper with her magic and moves it towards him, saying with a giggle, "It happened while you weren't paying attention!"

Taking the paper from her and reading it, he sees that the words to their chant were written down. Though when he notices what he said at the end, his eyes grow wide as he hands it back saying, "You learned how to cast Living Quill? Just how old are you?"

With a proud smile, Twilight stands higher, saying, "I'm four!"

True Heart shakes his head with a chuckle, saying, "I can't believe that you learned an intermediate spell that I am still studying...and I'm four years older than you."

Trotting up to him and patting him on the shoulder, she says, "You'll get it one day, I promise." Tapping her forehooves together lightly, she asks sweetly, "So...do you think I have earned the reward you promised?"

Thinking it over for a moment, he smirks and takes his saddlebags off before unbuttoning a flap. Searching through one side first, then the other, he finds the wrapped gift and pulls it out, "Saying I suppose you do with those spells, though I did leave out the more dangerous spells contained in the book I am still studying." then holds it towards her.

Squealing with joy, she takes it from him and begins unwrapping it saying, "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" When she finishes, she holds the bundled papers above her head, shouting, "YAY! NEW SPELLS!"

Leaving the overjoyed Twilight to her reward, True Heart approaches the alicorn, saying in a low tone, "I can tell that you are being brave, but she is too distracted now to pay you any heed. If you need someone to be there for you this time, let me bear your burden until you can carry it once more."

Cadance's facade slowly starts to crumble as she begins to sniffle when tears start to escape her eyes, turning away from the statue and then burying her face into True Heart's shoulder while fighting her desire to wrap her hooves and wings around him and wail out her sorrow, sobbing, "Th-Thank y-you, you are t-too kind."

Lifting his foreleg and running it under her neck, he places his hoof on the back of her head and presses her further against his mane, saying, "Let your grief flow, Your Majesty, I will sing a song that won't let anyone hear your mournful cries."

Almost losing control, her breath hitches in her throat as she whispers, "Okay...please start."

Taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes and lets a song from long ago come to his mind, then lets himself sing out loud as music begins to play around him and causing time to seemingly slow.

The video is not mine, all rights go to the one who made it!

While heading back to the throne room, Celestia picks up a song with muffled words coming from somewhere behind the castle. Taking a little time to investigate the music, she looks outside the windows to see her niece Cadance with her head buried in the crook of True Heart's neck. Thinking she is being attacked, she then teleports outside to confront him when she is pulled into the magic in the air. Feeling the shift around her, she looks around to see that time is standing still as she finds Twilight hungrily studying the first page of a decently sized book. When the muffled words to the song continue to sound foreign to her, she hears a mournful wail coming from Cadance, she turns to look at her and sees that her wings and shoulders rises and fall erratically. Realizing her misunderstanding right away when she sees the solitary rose covered statue, she turns away, thinking, 'Oh Cadance, I should really spend more time helping you through your grief...'

As Shining Armor Patrols the gardens, keeping his eyes open for any signs of trouble, his eyes pass over a lone statue in the corner of the gardens. When his eyes fall upon the light pink alicorn, his heart throbs in his chest and causes him to freeze in his tracks. With his eyes fixed upon the sight of her head against a young colt's neck, he recognizes the colt from before and makes his way over to break the fight. As he draws nearer, he soon spots her body shuddering as if she is crying and sees a sheen of glistening wetness running down to the underside of his neck, then dripping down to the grass below. Believing that the colt isn't offering her comfort, he approaches the pair, clearing his voice, saying, "Ahem, pardon my intrusion you two, but I shall take things from here."

Nodding his head and not saying a word, he shuffles to the side as the older stallion can take his place. Using his magic to lift her head off his neck, he returns his hoof to the ground and shifts her head over so that the right side of her neck is against his.

The moment she feels her neck touch the neck of a different pony, her hooves wrap themselves around the pony embracing her as her wings go lax and fall to the ground, saying, "Thank you for letting me lean on you, True Heart, but I would prefer being called Cadance without any honorific."

Blinking his eyes in acceptance, he says, "As you wish, Cadance. Should I take Twilight home and keep an eye on her until you return?"

Answering for her, Shining Armor turns to the colt, saying, "Please do, but you better not let any harm come to her, or I will be unhappy."

Nodding his head, he heads over to Twilight, whose head is buried in her new spellbook and ignoring the world, then lifts her off the ground and sets her on his back. With the book in her magic, he makes his way toward the gate to carry Twilight home.