Why draw my own characters doing dynamic things and interacting when I can constantly draw 3/4 still poses and explore things not needing exploring.

Let's talk about the Crystal Empire Rulers.

Prince Shining Armor Sparkle

Prince Shining Armor Sparkle belonged to an ancient but modest unicorn line in Canterlot, the Sparkle family. Members of this family always achieved fantastical feats: from writing best selling books to discovering new constellations, Sparkle unicorns placed themselves in history going back to Old Equestria. Shining Armor Sparkle, or simply Shining Armor, grew up fascinated with the stories of his ancestors, especially those unicorns that helped protect the Equestrian Crown such as his Uncle Valor Sparkle. While his sister Twilight Sparkle dedicated her life to learned study, Shining Armor dedicated his life to his physical and magical strength in combat. Eventually the young stallion's determination and hard work landed him a position with the Canterlot Royal Guard, serving to protect Princess Celestia. For the next decade, Shining Armor proved himself valiant and powerful, often leading his own command. Shining Armor's work did not go unnoticed: Shining Armor's retiring commander appointed the white stallion as Captain of the Royal Guard, becoming the youngest stallion to do so in Celestian Equestrian history. Life went well for the white stallion: he held a prestigious position, he was engaged to his foalhood crush Amore Cadenza, and he placed his own mark on the Sparkle family history. However, Shining Armor's world changed during the final moments of preparation for his wedding.

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza

As most know, Princess Cadence was not always an alicorn princess, instead being ascended by Princess Celestia. Amore Cadenza shares a name with her most ancient ancestor, Princess Amore of the Crystal Empire. However, with the disappearance of the Crystal Empire in Old Equestria, the family lineage became muddled and almost disappeared with only Princess Celestia truly knowing of Cadence's heritage. Cadence was born simply a pegasus to two ordinary ponies in a small village outside Canterlot. Much to everypony's surprise, Princess Celestia took in a young Cadence as a "faithful student", seeing an epic magic within the pink pegasus. Through her studies under the sun princess, Cadence quickly grasped the philosophy of love magic, spreading love of all kinds wherever she ventured. However, not everything was harmonious with the pink pegasus: as the only pegasus "faithful" student under Princess Celestia, Cadence experienced the looming jealousy and even rage of the ponies of Canterlot. When not under the gaze of their celestial ruler, ponies harassed Cadence in the streets, damaging the already frail confidence of the pink pegasus. Although Princess Celestia tried to stop these actions, Cadence decided to believe the harsh words of other ponies and left her position as a "faithful" student. Cadence left Canterlot for a short while, returning only at the request of her previous mentor to foal sit for her newer "faithful" students such as Twilight Sparkle and to fall in love with her old school friend Shining Armor. Cadence remained by Shining Armor's side through it all: military academy, guard training, and his eventual succession to Captain. The young couple eventually announced their engagement, much to the spectacle of Canterlot. However, Cadence's world changed during the final moments of preparation for her wedding.
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All seemed according to plan: the Royal Canterlot Castle venue, roses lining the aisles, and every invitation with an yes RSVP. However, behind the satin facades was bubbling trouble. Under the darkness of night, the changeling queen, Queen Chrysalis, sensed a powerful aura of love from Canterlot, and so decided to disguise herself as the most publicized bride, Cadence, and hide away the true pink pegasus in the Royal Canterlot catacombs. For weeks, the changeling queen feasted on love from the handsome groom Shining Armor, and no one suspected a thing until the eve of the wedding when Twilight Sparkle fell prisoner to the catacombs where her friend Cadence lay, the pink pegasus clinging to life. Miraculously, the two ponies escaped the catacombs and reveled Queen Chrysalis. Upon seeing Shining Armor weakened by the changeling's thirst, Cadence offered herself to Queen Chrysalis in return for Shining Armor's freedom. After seeing how powerful Cadence's love was in defeating even Princess Celestia, Queen Chrysalis accepted her new prisoner, foolishly looking away to her changeling army attacking Canterlot. In one moment of blindness from the changeling queen, Cadence ran to Shining Armor and embraced her fiancé, her tears sparkling under a mysterious unknown glow. That mysterious glow suddenly became an incredible flash of light, shining all throughout Canterlot and forcing all the changelings, including Queen Chrysalis, to retreat. When the light faded, the loving couple regained their strength to find that Cadence gained a unicorn horn. Princess Celestia embraced Cadence, knowing this whole time that through her love and sacrifice, Cadence would ascend as the Princess of Love. After a few days rest, the wedding went on as planned, followed by a coronation for Equestria's newest princess, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence remained in Canterlot after the royal wedding, the newly wed couple resuming their lives as normal save for a few things. However, the emergence of Princess Cadence as an alicorn brought more change than previously anticipated, even by Princess Celestia. Not long after the coronation, word spread quickly of the reawakening of the Crystal Empire in the far north of Equestria. Princess Celestia saw the return of the empire coinciding with Princess Cadence becoming an alicorn as a sign, and so commanded the pink alicorn and her husband to go to the Crystal Empire. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor arrived days after its emergence to find the Crystal Empire in a sophomoric state: the crystal ponies, assumingly in limbo for over a thousand years, were dull, acting in a daze. The new couple took it upon themselves to restore the Crystal Empire, but were quickly swept up in simply protecting the empire rather than helping it return. The limbo that kept the Crystal Empire hidden but alive was the work of King Sombra the half unicorn half umbrum tyrant who returned to reclaim his throne. With the help of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, Princess Cadence utilized her alicorn magic for the first time by returning the Crystal Heart to the crystal ponies, the empire accepting this new alicorn as the rightful heir to the throne.

More wonder and awe came to the now Crystal Royal family with Princess Cadence giving birth to the first naturally born alicorn, Princess Nuova Speranza, known as Princess Flurry Heart. No pony, not even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna themselves, predicted the birth of an alicorn foal: the records of alicorns were lost to Ancient Equestrian time. The alicorns of Equestria took this new arrival with decorum but caution, both observing and cheerishing everything about the young alicorn.

For the next few years, the Crystal Royal Family established themselves as rulers of the returned Equestrian city-state, welcoming ponies to help returning the empire to its former glory. One pony that claimed he could help was Starswirl the Bearded who knew of the empire before it vanished. The Crystal Royal Family welcomed Starswirl to their castle, offering the ancient unicorn anything needed to aid in both their inquiries and his own magical research. Starswirl did in fact help the Crystal Empire tremendously; however, the unicorn held a secret ulterior motive to living in the Crystal Empire. Fascinated by the new magic of Equestria and the creation of three new alicorns, Starswirl felt it his greatest task to continue his ancient work of figuring out the magic and mysticism behind alicorns. Starswirl secretly studied Princess Cadence and Princess Flurry Heart, growing even more excited when the Crystal Royal family announced the impending arrival of a new foal. Ultimately the birth of the new crystal prince, Shining Breeze, resulted in the unicorn's departure from the Crystal Empire after his request for Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor to "try again" was not well received.

As parents, Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence do all they can, but sometimes royal duties preside over caring for their children wholeheartedly. Although he loves his children, Prince Shining Armor does not really understand his children, the spoiled alicorn princess and the scrawny pegasus prince. Unconsciously venting his own frustrations at becoming simply a figurehead, Prince Shining Armor felt that his daughter was Princess Cdence's issue, and it was his duty to whip his son Shining Breeze into shape, for how could a son of his be so weak? As his children grew older, Prince Shining Armor simply ignored his children's issues, feeling that if he did not acknowledge the issue it did not exist. Meanwhile, Princess Cadence was so busy running the Crystal Empire that she often left raising her children to hired nannies, the princess only seeing her children at meals.

Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence are by no means bad parents: they always tried to make time for their children and enjoyed spending their previous time together; however, with a fragile city-state to run, sometimes play dates are postponed or things simply fall through the cracks, something the parents regret later on in life.

Fun Facts:
- Like all alicorns, Princess Cadence is eternal, not immortal. Instances such as illness and fatal wounds can kill the alicorn.
- Shining Armor gained the title of "Prince" through a decree made by Princess Cadence, otherwise his title would be Prince Consort.
- Princess Cadence embodies the magic of all forms of love: "Eros, Philia, Storge, Ludus, Pragma, Philautia, Agape, and even Mania."
- Shining Armor relinquished his position as Captain of the Royal Guard once Princess Celestia commanded the couple rule the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor is more of a figurehead, performing royal duties such as making speeches and opening parks.
- Princess Cadence enjoys writing cheesy romantic novels under a pseudonym, her work becoming best sellers throughout Equestria.
- Prince Shining Armor created and is head of the Crystal Royal Guard. Although much more of a ceremonial title rather than official one, Prince Shining Armor does teach combat and serves a role in the promoting of official ranks.
- Princess Cadence likes to "boop" her husband's pink nose spot whenever and where ever.