Bygone Specter was wandering the castle a little after slipping out of his cart. Gosh he was bored! The little changeling had been freaked out a little again by the presence of guards and before he knew it he'd once again ditched them. He really needed to stop getting freaked out by being followed by guards. A troublesome little creature was he! He found himself pausing at a quite familiar room and thought for a moment about running the other way. Then again Cady's Shiny was still in there yes? He hated being near an infirmary. He'd as of yet managed to avoid hospitals altogether save for once! He'd been bailed out by Miss Mist thankfully. He stuck his head in the door and peered to the bed that bore the unicorn in question. He glanced to make sure there were no medical ponies in view and thus he slipped into the room to check on Cady's Shiny.
Discord Draconequus slithering about the castle, as he occasionally did, the spirit had gotten through looting the kitchen for a snack and flashed about through the walls and from the ceilings. The baby dragon laughed as she clung to his back, most amused with the odd woobly wobbly if time slipping. It was only for a moment the spirit would appear just above the little changeling. He was not amused that he, the god of chaos, was refused the company of his playmate. "You choose rather creepy playgrounds Ashy~" He teased, lowering his tail to pluck the foal's hat off his head and set it on his own. The baby dragon smiled and clung to the spirit's back. "I see you are quite good at ditching authority. Good for you~"
Shining Armour gradually awoke from his slumber, one that was far longer than he realized, but to his own point of view there had been little time between chasing the zebra-creature and.. now. There were the vague, half remembered threads of the
oddest dream, one he tried to recall but had little success with. It probably meant it was time to get up, and he was quite confused as to what he was doing in a
bed. The unicorn groaned softly and sat up, putting a hoof to his head- it didn't hurt, but he expected it to. Why else would he be... in an infirmary? Shining cast a glance around and saw two just inside the doors, Discord and a little colt. He.. had seen him before, hadn't he? There was something about an argument. "What in Equestria.. ?"
Princess Cadence looks up when she hears Discord's voice and sighs. "Ash where are your guards." the mare said softly. It was easy to see she was tired. She spent the whole night there laying beside Shining. When he moved she'd stand to check on him and lay back down again. As she heard Shining moving again she'd turn to look at him. He sat up and was awake. To her hooves she went as fast as her heavy from allowed her and to him she moved. "Shining take it easy you were gone for a long time." she replies. It was easy for Shining to tell as she was a lot bigger then the last time he had seen her.
Bygone Specter let out an indignant squeak that might very well have been an 'eep' as he abruptly heard a voice above him. But then what was even worse; His hat was taken! The little changeling in disguise spun and looked up at Dissy. His expression was torn between happiness and indignation at the sight of his hat placed upon the draconequus's head! "Dissy! That's my hat!" he'd foalishly whine as he childishly glared. Didn't Dissy know that hats were such sacred things! A pony doesn't just steal a pony's hat! By the sun he felt incomplete without it! He shivered and his whole body locked up when he heard the question from the quickly identified Cadance. "I can't help it! I'm not used to being followed; It freaks me out!" he'd say as he scuffed a hoof only to look up on the sitting up Shining Armour. Almost instantly he seemed to vanish in a puff of smoke only to re-appear at the bedside. What was even stranger is that he seemed to have another hat! His old hat that is. Discord had the new hostage.
Discord Draconequus smirked at the foal's despair. It was always so amusing to see him so offended. "Oh, but it looks so dapper on my." he tipped if forward, curling a black, gentlepony's mustache that suddenly grew upon his face. He gave it a twirl before crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah Candy, way to make the kid feel like a crimelord." He laughed as he spun upside down, the little dragon latched on with expert ease. Clearly she was used to it. He smirked at Armor as the hat was returned to its owner and the spirit let out a light. "You seem pretty hazy there Armor." He grinned deviously. "Had any weird dreams lately? I hear that's a sign of dementia~" He was a fit with giggles before warping out of sight for a moment, appearing by the window, lounging.
Shining Armour's ears twitched when the sound of his wife's voice wafted towards him and he was quite surprised at the state of her. He uttered something that sounded like a 'Wh?' before he managed speech, shocked. "What are you talking about? I went after that thing but.. I'm here? I couldn't have been out more than a few days.. !" It was awfully confusing, but he tried to smile. Cadance looked farther along than before. How could that be, was that a thing that even happened? He shot Discord and the colt, Ash was his name? a confused look and nearly jumped when the colt teleported to his bedside. Shining didn't even know what to say to the draconequus- he had had a weird dream, but he was aware enough of Discord's mind games. "What happened while I was out?"
Princess Cadence smiles to Ash and puts a wing over him before looking to Shining. She was ignoring Discord's games after all this was sorta he fault after all. "Well we went after the Nightmare but I was not able to keep up and you lost me in the castle. Some how it trapped you and you where gone for two months. Thanks to Luna being a filly for most of it.. due to someone's greed." she shot Discord a look and then looked back to her husband. "But its okay now you're back safe and sound."
Bygone Specter flicked an ear and beamed a little when the wing was moved to be put over him. "Yeah! Cady was really sad that you were missing so I went to try to find you." He shot a sheepish grin Cadance's way since the alicorn had found out about his explosives because of that. Hehehe... secret entrance to the cart is so useful! How could he work on his toys if he couldn't get into his own cart! In any case now he was sitting with not one but two hats upon his head! One stacked on the other. "Miss Luna and Mister Strife were looking to." the little changeling in disguise was unsure just how much the unicorn knew about 'other' topics. Probably nothing since he'd been missing the whole time, right?
Discord Draconequus folded his forearms behind his head, yawning out at the love princess' accusations. "I'd be a pretty worthless chaos spirit if I didn't cause trouble." He mused aloud, though little did the trio stand aware of his true actions in all of it. Better a bad pony reputation than suffering the idolitry of fame. He threw out his paw as the small, but dragon baby crawled on his stomach and curled in his feathers. "Alas I am so touched by your reunion, I could just - gag." He made a gagging motion and his tongue would spill from his muzzle before popping out. He appeared laying beside armor, his claw's arm pulled over his shoulder. "Between you and me big guy you need to start sleeping with teddy ursas." He'd vanish, leaving behind a Discord-shaped plushie by the unicorn prince. The spirit appeared once again, lounged by the window.
Shining Armour stared at the pink mare beside him, and this time he couldn't help but gape. "Nightmare?" He echoed. "
Two months!?" There was also the matter of Princess Luna being turned into a filly, but the news he received was enough. He looked down at himself, expecting a difference- but he wasn't starved, he wasn't dehydrated.. he didn't even have a single wound or scar to speak of. "How can that be?" He felt as though no time had passed at all, but the proof seemed evident in his wife's pregnancy. He focused on Ash and immediately felt a little bad for being so casual about the situation- he had no idea how much Cadance might have been agonizing over his disappearance, and she showed no sign of distress that he could tell. "I'm sorry, de-" was all he could get out before Discord appeared beside him. He'd seen the glimpse of what looked like a baby dragon, something new that could be added to a list of surprises, but he leaned away from the playful spirit. "Shouldn't you apologize? I've been missing for.. for that long and if Cadance has been as upset as Ash says she is.. this isn't just some prank!" All the missed time! He couldn't imagine what had gone on without him or how vulnerable the Crystal Empire was.
Princess Cadence looks to Ash and nudges him with the wing that was over her to shh. She rolls her eyes at Discord and sighs softly as Shining tells him its not a prank she sighs again. "Well Discord does no wrong in this castle." her wing was still hurt and the feathers had not grown back yet. It was easy to see where it had been almost cut off when she was protecting Ash. "The Empire is ok. Flash has been acting as Caption with you gone. I do know he will be happy to see you back. Something about paperwork is evil." she smiles to Shining. "I have been here in Canterlot. I knew you where here and I did not want to leave you." she sighs and looks down she wanted to tell him about Ash but there was so much going on right now maybe in a bit she would.
Bygone Specter was a good little foal and remained as quiet as he could. Cady's Shiny seemed to be rather confused. Could little Ash blame him? Not at all! Who wouldn't be confused after winding up waking up two months after one disappeared! Since the nightmare had him in some sort of stasis... well.. his body didn't even show the signs of such a long period of unconsciousness! Thus the little changeling in disguise sidled up against Cadance's side and let the adults talk. Though his eyes were riveted upon one thing. The plush. Ooooho! The mischief he could get up to with his very own Discord plush! The little changeling thus would try to secure the plush for himself! Discretely of course. Put a little magic into it, some enchanting and haha!
Discord Draconequus smirked widely. "Well of course it isn't a prank. Were it one I'd be in stitches in how grossly late you are." He mused tossing a random pocket watch to the ground destroying it. He would once again appear just beside them settling opposite of the others by the bed. His forearms sat folded behind his back, ears fold. "Not that I'm even here for any of you, but Twilight would be glad to know." He waggled his claws under his chin, snaking his tongue out teasingly at Candy before floating up. "Ah, but it must have been such a nice vacation Armor. Sun, sand, mares." He slipped a pair of sunglasses on, floating backwards. "Minus the sun. Sand, and I guess mares." He cackled.
Shining Armour took a little longer to register what Cadance had said a little bit ago about even the colt coming after him. It was kind of impressive when he himself had gone off after something so dangerous. Frightening, even. "You're pretty brave, kiddo." He would have reached down to ruffle Ash's mane, but he was already wearing two hats.. ? He refocused on Cadance, smiling slightly to hear what Flash thought of paperwork. He knew the feeling. "You really didn't have make such a sacrifice." But of course, she did. Had their situations been reversed, he would have been searching high and low for her. Shining threw off the covers, rolling over to get his legs beneath him so he could lay facing his wife and the kid. "I think my dream was a little weirder than that, but I can't recall." He gave the draconequus a glance with mingling confusion and suspicion. "Well, I'm glad the Empire's been fine- Twily! Has she been all right? Does she know?" Shining was worried about how it affected her too.
Princess Cadence smiles at Ash as Shining talks to him. She looks to Discord. "You're not funny Discord." she states before looking at Shining. "Twilight is.. Well she just found out a few days before they found you. She was so busy with her running around we where unable to get in touch with her." she looks down. "She built a book fort." she knew Shining would understand what that meant. "Also I ahh, well, I adopted Ash when you where gone. You seen him before his name was Bygone then."
Bygone Specter let out a quiet giggle as he finished stowing the Discord plushie away for later hijinks. Unfortunately Discord would probably get blamed for a few things but the little foal wanted to play some jokes! It got so dull at times! In any case Now that the plush was stowed away he turned his attention back to Shining, especially whenever he heard the part about him being 'brave'... His face lit up a little red. "I-I suppose so." Yes, quite brave... After his initial attack he panicked and clung to mister Strife's face... until they got hurt and he went off the deep end! "I even got to blow up the nightmare!" he smiled wide a that. He still considered it an achievement. He stole the kill, yes. In any case he looked up at the unicorn and hesitantly waved a hoof when Cadance dropped the adoption bomb on the poor unicorn.
Discord Draconequus smirked at Cadence. "Who me? I am always serious my dear~" He cooed before stretching. "Well as riveting as family drama is~ I have a princess to bother. Now just to decide which one.... maybe Twilight. She has plenty of empty thrones." He laughed out before wiggling his paw and vanishing!
Shining Armour's ears pinned back up on hearing 'book fort.' She was probably quite upset, and he'd have to go and talk to her as soon as he had the chance to let her know he was alright. He knew her well enough that she would probably be angry, at first, but it was just her way of covering up how upset she was. Sometimes. He made a worried noise in his throat and stopped when Cadance made it clear she had.. adopted Ash. Shining gawked again, first at Cadance and then at the little colt. They were already having a child, but.. if he knew Cadance well (and he did), there was a reason why. She was the Princess of Love, but still.. another thing that had happened without him.. "I.. wow. Okay." His eyebrows went up. "It sounds like a pretty crazy thing to do, but I appreciate you came after me for her. A bit dangerous, though.." Ash could have been hurt, if Princess Luna and this Strife fellow hadn't been around.
Shining Armour looked up at Discord when he announced his departure, and he opened his mouth to speak upon hearing his little sister's name again, but before he could get out so much as a 'Tell her', Discord was gone. He could relax a little with the draconequus out of the picture, despite that. "I'm glad you two are okay, at least, and I do remember seeing Ash before. My memory's just a little hazy."
Princess Cadence nods softly. "Yes he was in the kitchen when Luna was looking at the gifts from the Changeling Queen." she smiles to Ash. "Well yes but I have to say I was following him. But he disappeared. Also he has been grounded and all his bombs have been taken." she looks confused. "I am not sure how he even get them to start with." she replies. "And I have two guards that are meant to follow him but they seem to not be able to keep up with him. He seems to get hurt a lot when he is around Discord." she flexes her wounded wing.
Bygone Specter continued to glance between the two as they spoke. He could only nod when it was said that he appreciated him coming after. Even if it was dangerous. "Ooooh ~ I had enough bombs to take care of myself. I mean, I think I did. Had four heart bombs and a hat full of exploding marbles!" he smiled wide only to look back at Cadance when the kitchen was mentioned. Did the unicorn 'know' about him? Or wait... Maybe he didn't. That was one subject that would be rather difficult to break; even more so than he being adopted, right? He was only half paying attention by the time Cadance mentioned she didn't know where he got the bombs. "Oh... I made them!" he piped up only to blush horribly as he realized the mistake. Oops... And on that note he didn't feel too guilty about dodging the guards. Having guards follow him made him antsy as of yet!
Shining Armour recalled that much and something about Discord.. He couldn't remember much else, detail wise. "That's pretty impressive, fella." It wasn't the best thing to say just in case he was encouraging him- a colt running around with bombs was just too.. dangerous. The same with making them; how did he ever learn such a skill? He hadn't gotten hurt, at least, that was a good thing. Shining grimaced a little but let it pass and reached out a hoof for Cadance's injured wing. There had been so much they were informing him of that he scarcely had a moment to process half of it. "You should try to be a little more careful, Ash. Cadance seems to care about you, you know?" He tried to smile again. "What happened to your wing?"
Princess Cadence looks at Ash. "Wait you make them!?" she took a moment. "Maybe your in the wrong talent Ash. Maybe weapons are your special talent. I do not know of any who can make bombs." she tilts her head softly. As Shining touches her wing the jumps it was still very tender. "Well I had gone looking for Ash and he was with Discord. Who was running about a ruby colored egg. Ash was knocked out, Celestia only know why. But he was on Discord's back, why Discord put him there knowing he was unable to hold on is beyond me. But I came into the room about the time Discord did something and sent Ash sliding across the room and into a table full on plates and knives.." she sighs. "I tried to catch him with my magic but I failed so I ran and laid my wing over the top on him. One of the knives that if I had not been there may have killed him cut my wing socket in half and almost cut of my wing." she shakes her head. "I passed out from blood loss, but it seems its okay Discord kissed it better." she gives a roll of her eyes to show it was sarcasm.
Bygone Specter made a bit of a face whenever Cadance suggested he was in the wrong... talent? "Well, I guess I'm more enchanter than toymaker. I was working on recreating the crystal heart for um... purposes." he'd say as he looked at Cadance briefly. He didn't really know just how much to say! It wasn't like he could be all 'oh yeah! I was making the artificial hearts to feed off of!' When Shining didn't know he was a changeling! Frankly at this point the little changeling was somewhat worried that the unicorn might think he had somehow bewitched Cady! That wouldn't end well if he did... "I kinda knocked myself out I guess... I was chasing the egg with Luna and Dissy and hit two doors, a wall, and fell down the stairs of Luna's tower..."
Shining Armour's eyebrows went up again when they both explained what happened and he couldn't help but cringe. He had no wings to speak of, so he had no idea how that would have felt. The prince withdrew his hoof from Cadance's wing the moment she cringed and left it alone. "That sounds pretty terrible, but I'm glad to see that you're both okay. That's what matters most." Shining tried to stay positive about it. Other than Cadance's wing, both of them didn't seem to show any sort of lasting damage. "When we get back to the Crystal Empire, we'll be able to settle down to some nice peace and quiet. You, especially." He said this to Cadance, nodding at her swollen belly; all of the stress of his disappearance, and keeping Ash safe couldn't have been good on either of them. But he was pretty puzzled on why Ash had been trying to recreate the Crystal Heart! A difficult task for anypony, even a kid.
Princess Cadence looks at Ash and smiles, making him another love balloon to chew on. She lifts it down to him and looks at Shining she knows who he may be doing it. "Ahh, Shining, Ash is not a normal foal." well ya he can make bombs she thinks to herself. "Well hes not.." she sighs. "After you went out looking for the nightmare and I lost you, I found myself back at Luna's room. When she let me in we talked about Ash. She told me he was a orphan and that Discord was caring for him with the help of her and others in the castle..." she takes a deep breath. "Then she told me something I knew thought she's say." she looks at Ash and pulls him close to her with her wing almost as if to protect him in case something goes wrong. "Ash is a changeling foal. He is the only one he made it from his hive. The story he has to tell you will break your heart. But even before I was told he was a changeling and before I was told his story I had decided to adopt him..." she stands tall. "Changeling or not he is a foal and no foal should every be without a mom and dad." she waits for Shining to faint or freak out or whatever he does.
Bygone Specter could hardly help himself! The love-magic-balloon was almost immediately pounced upon when it was low enough with a delighted 'yay' and a "Thank you Cady" for good measure! The little changeling in disguise trapped the balloon between his forelegs and happily nommed on it! Oh such delightful magic! And with Cady's love mixed in to! There he quite happily remained between the likely inquisitive looks from the unicorn... At least until Cadance's wing abruptly pulled him close! He was still clinging to the balloon of tasty greatness! No! He almost lost it! His thoughts drifted to this 'past' that Cadance spoke of but at the same time he couldn't remember much of it anymore! After all, Discord did lock up those memories! It was then he abruptly realized that she'd told him.... Mid nom on the magic heart his gaze was now deer-in-the-headlights grade as he looked up wide-eyed at Shining.
Shining Armour observed the unusual exchange between the pair, from the strange balloon his wife summoned forth to how the colt chewed on it. He was definitely missing something. He focused his blue eyes on Cadance's purple ones when she broached the subject, explaining to him in a tentative way.. that the kid was a changeling. His mind locked up for a moment and he thought back to the wedding, coming to and seeing Chrysalis looming over them. The destruction at the hooves of the changelings outside. It had been dire, but this one was just a foal. He seemed.. harmless even. Shining found the tip of one hoof between his teeth before he realized he was biting it and dropped it. He could see how protective Cadance seemed to be, and if she could forgive changelings, Princess of Love or no.. couldn't he? She was correct that nopony should go without parents.. "This is a lot to drop on me." He commented and Shining tried to push on. "I.. er.. I can understand, it's not like he's responsible for any of the stuff that happened since he's so young." He paused to eye the both of them, perceptive of their interactions. It.. also explained how a foal could do any of that kind of magic, and the comment on the Crystal Heart. "I don't.. see why not. It'll take some time, but hey."
Princess Cadence she nods softly. "There is another thing. It seems Ash was tested on. His whole hive was. He is the only one we know of that made it. And he is infused with Chaos.." she shakes her head. "Not even the Changeling Queen know what he eats or how. I do know that unlike most changeling Ash can eat as much pony food as he wants. And he seems to like tea and cake the most." she shakes her head. "He was doing things that had me worried like studying black magic and casting dark spells and Discord seemed to not care. And so I after a long battle with Discord Ash allowed me to adopt him." she looks at him. "I know Flurry is due in a few months but Ash is very special even for a changeling and he needs to learn and I do not want to see him come to harm because nopony's helping him."
Bygone Specter could only perk up whenever the unicorn didn't go for the combat spells or at least visibly freak out. He was 'conveniently' hardly paying attention when it was mentioned that nopony knew what he ate. He knew what he ate! Well he liked to think he did. Perhaps he was somewhat wrong? He didn't really know. Feeling far more full than before he pulled back from nomming on the magic heart and let out a contented sigh. Much like a creature after gorging itself. Which he somewhat did. All that magic and emotion was quite enough for a little changeling such as he! "I needed to find spells to reconfigure to make the heart prototype! How would I have known king smoke-puff's journal was all dark magic?" he grumped. That wasn't even counting the numerous books in his cart still...
Shining Armour's ears pinned back upon hearing the rest of the story- experimented on? That wasn't good at all, torture, even! He could feel sympathetic for the kid as long as he saw him as just that (nevermind his true appearance) as it was going to take him a while to relax about the idea of changelings. One had to consider the experience Shining had gone through. He decided to slide out of bed on the other side, braving the act of standing up so he could properly approach them. "If you know this to be the right thing, I trust you, dear." Shining ventured. "I'm sure we can take care of him well enough, even with Flurry. Should be no problem." This was said with more of a smile. King smoke-puff?
King Sombra? Shudder. "Mistakes happen! Just as long as you know now that dark magic isn't something to be messed with."
Princess Cadence looks to Ash. "King smoke-puff? Are you talking about Sombra?" she pinned her ears. "Ash Sombra was a dark unicorn all his spells were dark, very very dark. But it was not Sombra who made the heart it was the Crystal King. Sombra was his student." she looks to Shining as he gets up and smiles. "Yes I think Ash will do fine in the castle. As long and he does not enchant it to blow up or something." she gives a giggle and looks at Ash. "The whole town and the castle are all made out of crystal." she said to him.
Bygone Specter quirked his head to the side and nodded. "Yeah! Smoke-puff was doing aaaall sorts of studies on the heart. Probably trying to do stuff to it. Dunno ~ But it gave me a decent point of reference recreating the heart itself! Or at least a basic one... Just enough to store magic and emotions in to munch on later!....Um... You all can have the book and the rest. Don't really need references for mind magics now!" The little changeling could bother to be a foal. However he was forced to yawn. The large snack made him somewhat sleepy! Deciding there was as good as any he just flopped down near Cadance's hoof and laid his head down on his forelegs. Should nothing interrupt he'd have gone right to sleep on the floor with the magic heart held up against himself.
Shining Armour chuckled lightly himself, but he didn't think that would be an issue. If the foal had been alone as long as it was said he was, all it took was giving him a nudge in the right direction. He listened with some interest to what Ash had read up on the Crystal Heart, something that could enable him to make something of it. He was a pretty talented unicorn for somepony so young.. but he still had his limits, just like a kid. Off to sleep~. "Unfortunately for me, I've just woken up or else this seems like a good time to go to bed." Shining said. "We should put him to bed though, and you can catch me up on anything else that's happened while I was.. gone." He cleared his throat. "Maybe later I can visit Twily and give her the news myself that everything's fine! I remember how she reacted the last time she got a letter about something to do with me, that I don't intend on repeating it."
Princess Cadence nods softly as she allows Shining to carry Ash this time and leads the way to the room where she and Ash had been sleeping the past few months. "I know we have to go back soon we have to school." she shakes her head. "As for what is going on well. Discord seems to be the pet dragon to Luna. He does no wrong. Oh and now Discord has a pet baby dragon like that will end well. Discord has changed both Celestia and Luna into foals at some point. But its okay it was a joke.. The left you trapped for months.. there's to much to say.. at this point. I am just happy you have been found. I was so brave of Ash to go and find you. I guess he was just as ready to have a dad as he was to have a mom." she lays on the bed as they arrive to the room.
Shining Armour used his magic to carry the lad and his heart-shaped balloon, content to follow his wife to their assigned quarters in the castle. He listened along the way, frowning deeply and mulling over what had happened. "It seems like Discord's been pretty busy with the pranks, but I wonder why he's hanging around Canterlot so much." He mused. "I don't know Princess Celestia and Princess Luna too well to be able to judge, but they might just be trying to befriend him. And before you say anything, I do understand. He sounds like he's been a pain no matter what. Personally, I still don't trust him after what happened with Tirek." Shining placed Ash down on his own bed, if he had one, with his balloon and sat down near Cadance. "I was wondering where the baby dragon came from.. Hopefully its not in too much trouble with Discord, but.. it sounds like Ash was ready to have parents. Kids are innocent in all this, and if he needs someone to take care of him, I'd be happy to."
Princess Cadence nods softly. "Discord has turned this castle upside down for the most part." She yawns softly. "I hope there is no issues from the dragon. I told Luna that if that dragon rampages they can keep it here." she shakes her head. "Poor Ash at one point almost put all of Canterlot in a sleeping sleep so everypony would be happy using dark magic. Discord ate the thing he was using to do it with. But I do agree there has to be a reason he is here in the castle.. I just don't know what it is." she nods. "Yes Ash was very torn to start with about being adopted Discord made it hard for him. But after a while he allowed it to happen. And no pony understand how upset I was until the day my wing was hurt and I blew up. It was the day before they found you. I just had no idea that Ash had heard me. He was not awake at the time I thought."
Shining Armour listened quietly as his wife spoke and leaned close to offer her some comfort. "They won't let anything really bad happen to Canterlot if they can help it." He put in optimistically, nodding. He was taken aback by what Ash almost did, but Discord seemed to have done a good thing by stopping it. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that alone, if I could have been there, I would have.. Then again, if I was, you wouldn't have had to deal with any of it." He shrugged and nudged her cheek. "If you're tired, you should get some sleep. Everything's all right again."
Princess Cadence nods softly. "I did not know Ash when he did that. But I was there when he teleported himself to one of the towers of the castle and I had to talk him away from the ledge due to he wanted me to adopt him and have a family but he did not want to upset Discord and so he was refusing to do what he wanted to make everypony else happy and he was miserable." she sighs and shakes her head softly. "Yes it has been a long few months. I do need to find better guards for Ash as he seems to be good at losing the two he has. But with Discord around I'd rather him have guards to protect him in case there is an issue." she looks at him worried. "If I had not been there to take the knife, it may have killed him. He was directly under where the knife hit my wing and got stuck. It would have went though him." she pins her ears back.
Shining Armour reached hesitantly towards her wing while he listened, wondering to himself why she hadn't used her magic to catch the knives. But it would have been a situation that such a thought wouldn't have come to mind. He understood. His hoof moved past her wing for her shoulders and gave her a brief hug. "It sounds like he's been through a lot, poor guy." Shining said with a frown, his own ears flicking back briefly. "Go ahead and sleep if you need to. I'll be here.. I think I need a while to think everything over, anyway. Two months.. I still can't wrap my head around it." He grunted, baffled. He didn't move away from his wife, but stay put whether or not she did try to take a nap, and there he'd sit to think.
The End.
