Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall
"Isn't this great?"
A candle flared with a resounding crackle, illuminating the room. Shining Armor's glowing horn pulled away after the flame had become stable, his head turning toward the bed nearby in anticipation of an answer. The room, although elegant, contained little furnishing, a sign of newly arrived inhabitants. A single, willow night stand idly occupied the area around the large bed. The bed, with its velvet blanket and high-rising posts, kept the room from feeling completely empty. Flowing scarves of silk attached from one bedpost to the other, adding to the elegance of the bed. The expertly carved wood of the legs complemented the dimly lit wallpaper, which contained complex patterns of curves, all branching from each other, with no starting point able to be found. A plain, blue carpet covered a small portion of the wooden floorboards and provided a place for the legs of the bed to lay. One of the walls housed a door with a brass knob, but it had not been opened yet.
"It is," responded Cadence from the bed, giving the room another look as if she had to make sure. "I can't believe we were able to get it. Celestia really went out of her way this time."
Shining gave a nod and gave the room a once over himself, observing the wallpaper closely.
"Hey, what's this nob for?" Shining quickly trotted to the brass knob, his question quickly becoming rhetorical. With a quick flicker of his horn, the knob turned and the door swung open.
"I think that's the closet," said Cadence, lifting herself off of the bed. Shining poked his head into the unlit room, and sure enough it was a closet.
"How did you know that?" he asked. Cadence simply shrugged.
"I think I remembered Celestia talking about it." Cadence laid her chin on her husband's back, making a soft purring noise.
"Come on," she said,"We can explore the new castle in the morning, let's go to sleep, I'm tired."
"Hold on," replied Shining, his eyes straining to see in the darkness. "Get the candle."
Cadence sighed and obeyed, levitating the candle over to where they were standing. Suddenly the closet was visible, but it was nothing fantastic. Simple white wood, simple designs, and completely empty. Shining, however, was focused more on the roof.
"There's a hatch. That must lead to the attic." Shining broke out in to a grin, curiosity brewing inside of him.
"No, I do not want to go into a musty old attic at this time. Let's just go to bed," Cadence whimpered.
Shining ignored the comment. "This used to be Star Swirled the Bearded's home, right?"
"I think I remember Celestia saying something about that, yes." Cadence sounded annoyed at this point, and Shining picked up on it.
"Well, you go on to bed, I'll join you in a few seconds," said Shining.
Cadence let out a sigh. She placed the candle down on the ground and reluctantly trotted back to the bed, slipping in under the covers as she held them up with magic.
Shining poked around the closet for a short while, looking for a ladder of sorts. Sure enough, embedded in the wall halfway through the closet was a ladder. Shining's horn lit up and he pulled the ladder out, the hinges at the top keeping it attached to the wall. With careful steps, he ascended the ladder, the candle following him, and in a few moments was pushing the hatch open with his head.
Although the paint on the bottom of the hatch looked relatively new, it creaked like it was thousands of years old. A groan came from the bedroom, and an audible shift in position as Cadence rolled over.
Shining stayed frozen until the noises from the bedroom stopped, he did not want to disturb Cadence. When they did, he entered through the door and up into a cramped room. There were no windows in the room, but the candle was able to illuminate it sufficiently. Cobwebs attached across ever corner and idle wooden bar. Dusty boxes and the smell of rotting paper filled the room. The air seemed to be slightly hazy, making the candle give off an eerie glow. Shining took cautious steps on the old wood to ensure he did not make any noises. He danced around the boards that looked in the worst condition, and slowly made his way towards the piles of boxes.
Once he arrived, he set the candle down on one of the boxes and began to sift through them, lifting the flaps up with a shimmer of magic.
Inside the boxes were mostly illegible papers and torn books. Every now and then there would be an unidentifiable object made of brass or ivory. Shining went through the boxes quickly, longing to return to bed, but not yet satisfied in his curiosity. He was positive there was something valuable hidden amid the junk.
And indeed there was. Inside one of the larger boxes was a mirror. It did not take up much of the box, yet for some reason it was designated its own. The outside of the mirror seemed to be made of gold and embedded with diamonds, with a design that resembled vines curling and growing outwards from the center. The mirror itself was a large oval, worn down from so many years in a dusty attic. Shining blew a puff of air and watched as the film of dust covering the glass whipped up into the air, twirling and spinning all around, and then finally settled, unable to be seen. In the candlelight, Shining could make out his reflection. Something about his reflection was off, but it was to be expected in dim light and with a worn out mirror. His curiosity satisfied, Shining took the mirror out of its box and carried with him out of the attic, a souvenir to show that his efforts were not fruitless.
However, upon finally reentering the bedroom, the deep breaths of Cadence signaled that she had already fallen asleep. With a small scowl Shining placed the mirror against the wall and silently slipped himself into the bed. He would figure out what to do with the mirror in the morning.
The moonlight shone through the window on the cold night, casting a dull white glow on the bedroom. Cadence and Shining Armor's faces could barely be seen, and the wallpaper was completely invisible. Not even the sharpest vision could utilize the minuscule light the moon cast, yet the mirror saw it all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upon the sun's majestic rise into the sky, the day of the castle's inhabitants had already begun. Their first full day at the new castle had it's to-do list filled. Right at the break of dawn, both Shining Armor and Cadence's possessions came pouring in, filling the halls as they waited to be placed where Cadence dictated. Hours passed by and the castle's rooms slowly started to feel like a castle, lavish furniture and decorations covering each room. The bedroom's drab old wallpaper was torn down and replaced with a different, more suitable royal purple colored paper with a majestic fleur de lis filling the space every now and again.
Shining Armor did not help with the decorating, only the moving. He ordered his soldiers what to take and where to place it, sometimes moving a particularly valuable item on his own, or any special items with sentimental value. The day progressed excruciatingly slowly, each painting or furnishing being moved around until Cadence was pleased.
As Shining passed Cadence in the hall during a commute to the dining room, he stopped his wife quickly to ask a question.
"Cadence, dear, what did you do with the mirror I left laying on the wall."
Cadence thought for a moment. With all the moving she had done moving a mirror was not something she would remember, however the intricate design of the mirror jogged her memory, and she was able to identify which mirror Shining was speaking of.
"I put it in the hallway near our bedroom, didn't you notice?" she said.
Shining took aback, wondering if he had really missed the mirror. He went to the dining room to complete his business, and then directly after visited the hallway near his bedroom. Sure enough, the mirror was hanging on the wall, looking the same as it did last night. With the light of day, Shining could see his reflection clearly, and quickly fixed his mane as he glanced over himself.
After he had been thoroughly groomed, Shining went back to work, moving boxes in and supervising other workers. By the day's end, all the items had been moved in, albeit not organized completely, but moved inside the house. Everypony agreed that they would finish tomorrow with the organization and unpacking, and the princess and her husband would finally be moved in.
Night fell, as it always did, and once again Princess Cadence and Shining Armor found themselves trotting up the castle stairs to the bedroom. They needed to wake up bright and early the next morning in order to finish the unpacking. As Shining passed the mirror, he looked into it and put on his best smile. He could see his reflection clearly in the candlelight.
"Goodness, Shining Armor, aren't you handsome?" he said, mocking his own voice. With a small chuckle he turned his head away from the mirror and looked down for a short second before he continued on his way, blowing out candles as he approached the bedroom. When he entered, Cadence was already inside observing the new wallpaper and additions. There was now a dresser, painting hanging from the wall, a full closet, and a bookcase, all made from the finest materials in Equestria.
"Fit for a princess," said Shining with a large grin, embracing Cadence as he walked over. She returned the embrace and the smile, but when they parted she went back to examining the room.
"Stop worrying yourself," said Shining,"It looks fine."
Cadence ignored his comment, continuing her search for even the smallest detail gone awry.
"Come on, we need our sleep for tomorrow. It's going to be a big day, Celestia is coming to visit," said Shining, pulling Cadence slightly and signaling at the bed.
Cadence sighed and agreed, reluctantly removing her gaze from the room and trotting to the bed. She slipped into the bed while Shining blew out the last of the candles, and then used the glow of his horn to guide him back to the bed. Both the ponies were lying still in the bed before the moon had reached its peak.
This particular night there was a full moon, a bright ominous spectacle who's dull rays of light peered through the window of the two ponies bedroom. The stars accompanied the moon, signaling a clear sky. Crickets had retreated to their hiding places and played their violins in the starlight, with the occasional call of an owl or croak of a frog added in to the symphony of the night.
As the night progressed, howling winds battered the window and caused the symphony to halt, the animals of the night taking shelter. Dark gray clouds that had been looming off of the horizon were slowly approaching the peaceful castle, yet the pegasi had not arranged for a storm on this particular night.
And there was no storm. The clouds passed overhead without releasing a single drop of rain. However, they did cover up the moon and its stars, stifling their light.
His eyes darting back and forth behind his eyelids, Shining Armor seemed to be murmuring gibberish in his sleep. His eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth a frown, as if he were displeased with his dream. His hoofs shifted ever so slightly from their resting places, and became noticeably larger as time progressed. With each moment, Shining shifted more and showed more displeasure. His murmuring went from essentially inaudible to a normal speaking voice. Droplets of sweat formed on his head, not yet rolling down, but wetting the surface.
In the sky, the clouds continued to push forward. As they moved, a small hole in the blanket of clouds approached the moon and then passed over it. For a moment, it completely unveiled the moon, allowing its light to be revealed. Shining Armor's eyes shot open.
In the darkness, he was blind, yet his memory allowed him to form a spacial reconstruction of the room, and in his blindness he swung out of bed, being careful not to disturb the blanket too much. His senses were alive, and although he had just woken up, he did not feel drowsy at all.
With light steps, he made his way to the door of the bedroom.
As he came upon the door, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and the dull light the moon gave was enough for him to be able to make out the different objects in the room.
"Water," he whispered so quietly that it was almost a thought. His voice was raspy. With a quick spell and a gentle push, the door crept open. When it came to a complete stop, Shining took short, slow steps out of the room, his priority being to make no noise at all. Using the light of the moon that seeped into the hallway, he could make out the objects in the hallway. The brightness of the full moon gave him somewhat decent vision in the dead of the night. Lighting a candle served too much risk, and the bathroom was just a couple steps away from the bedroom. Clean water and a glass awaited him inside.
Abruptly, his steps stopped. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something. Turning his head, he identified it to be the mirror, hanging lonesomely on the wall. Shining resolved to continue his journey, but something was amiss. He squinted.
Even with the slivers of light the moon provided, he could not see his reflection. He squinted his eyes, attempting to find it through the darkness.
The mirror stared back. It's glass was a deep black. A black different than the other shades that Shining saw during the night. It was a void. Shining gazed at it. He was mesmerized, yet he could not clearly see his reflection, only the deep black that constituted the center of the mirror. Where is it? The golden decor surrounding the mirror was visible, yet the murky depths of the backwards world that the mirror created were not. Shining took a small step forward, continuing to squint. His reflection become no more apparent. Instead the blackness of the glass grasped his gaze even stronger. The golden lining around it seemed to fade away. Where is it?
He took another step forward.
The clouds covered the moon, cutting off the light. All around Shining Armor was pitch black darkness, yet he continued to focus on the mirror. Where is it? The mirror separated itself from the darkness around it. It's darkness was unnatural. Shining took yet another uncontrolled step forward, his mind halting in its functions. It was as if the mirror was pulling the carcass of his body closer, with no input from its controller. Shining stared deep into the mirror. He was still looking for the reflection, for anything. His breaths were slow and quiet, completely inaudible to him. As Shining inched closer, his heartbeat stayed controlled, yet it was heavier. His breaths became heavy, his heart slow and powerful. With each small step, his heart slowed more. Where is it?
Apprehensiveness grasped hold of Shining. His face came closer and closer to the mirror, yet the void remained. The darkness around him faded away, leaving only the blackness of the mirror. Each heartbeat was farther and farther away from the next. Where is it? Shining's breathing followed the same pattern, becoming heavier and far apart. He stared directly at the heart of the mirror, but was met with nothing. Inside the mirror was only emptiness. Yet something beckoned to Shining. Something deep inside him pulled him closer. His heart pounded with every sparse beat, almost hurting his chest. Where is it?
Shining stopped. His face was nearly pressed against the mirror. He could feel his breaths bouncing off of the mirror and back onto his face. There was nothing. Emptiness. Shining continued to stare into it. There was something amiss, something eerie about the mirror. It's darkness was unnatural. Shining searched deep into it, looking for his reflection, hoping that it would appear and he could return. The mirror remained silent. Everything around Shining laid still, nothing dared to move. His eyes tried to pierce through the void but they could not.
His heart stopped. With the mirror just inches away from his eyes, he watched. His eyelids seemed to had disappeared. A dark scarlet appeared among the void. Shining's eyes remained glued to the mirror. Slowly, the scarlet appeared within the darkness. When it finished, Shining felt his muscles lock up, his breathing halted. His gaze remained fixed as he read what the scarlet had spelled.
Run.
Within himself Shining felt the impulse to follow the mirrors directions, but he remained frozen. His eyes stayed fixated on the mirror. From within the darkness that consumed the mirror something shifted. Shining Armor's eyes had but a split second to observe it, a shadow moving within the mirror. His eyes froze when he realized that it was a reflection.
Suddenly there was a pang deep inside his soul. He felt it inside of him, and expected a flinch, yet he did not. In that moment he wished he had ran. Not a muscle moved. The pain was there and gone, done within a second.
The darkness within the mirror disappeared instantly. In it's place appeared an image. Shining stared, making out the image the mirror showed, and as he understood his heart twisted within him. It was his bedroom. He was sound asleep, laying next to Cadence, everything as still as the night itself. His eyes remained on himself. It was his reflection. For hours, he watched the image. Soon enough daylight came, and Cadence woke up along with Shining. The mirror followed Shining as he moved around the bedroom.
Shining stared in disbelief at the mirror. He felt anger build up inside of him. Almost instinctively, he reared up on his hind legs and used his forehoof to smash into the mirror. It did not break. Instead Shining's hoof hurt. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. He wanted to run away from the mirror but he could not, his legs locked in place and his eyes frozen.
The Shining Armor in the mirror moved out of the bedroom and into the hallway.
Shining Armor felt a shiver run up his spine as he watched the mirror.
All of a sudden, the Shining Armor in the mirror stopped. His head turned slowly to face the mirror. Both Shining Armors' eyes locked through the mirror, one petrified, one happy.
Inside the mirror, Shining Armor gave an evil smile, while outside the mirror Shining Armor could do nothing but imitate his imposter.
As the Shining Armor within the mirror trotted away, the image followed him.
Behind the glass of the mirror, frozen in place, Shining Armor could do nothing but watch.
His mind repeated the same word over and over again.
Cadence.
