So its been a while since I've done anything relating to the nightmare forms of Twilight and Cadance. I've drawn Twilight's numerous times and even came up with a universe surrounding her which as you all know is called the "Duskverse". However, I haven't done much with Cadance's nightmare form. In fact, I've only drawn her twice. The reason for this is simply because I struggled to come up with any good stories or ideas about her. It's been quite a while since I thought about it, but recently, I came up with something that I thought would make an interesting narrative. Cadance transforms into Heart Attack after being infected by King Sombra's lingering dark crystals from his last attempt at taking over the Crystal Empire. She nearly overtakes the kingdom, but her husband manages to stop her. Because she is too dangerous, he is forced to use a spell to banish her into the frozen north. However, her return will be swift. And during this time, Shining Armor faces the trials and tribulations of being the sole ruler of the Crystal Empire. He now has to manage the kingdom, protect it, and still be a father all at the same time. And what will he do when his wife eventually returns?

Yeah, it's extremely similar to my Duskverse idea, but it still makes for a compelling story. Originally, an older Flurry Heart was going to be the main protagonist, but I decided to go with Shining Armor for a couple reasons. One is due to the lack of male representation in the show, especially with Shining Armor who is often dwarfed and put on the sidelines in favor of his much more powerful wife, daughter, and sister. And two, because I wanted to see him in a prominent role where the stakes are high. In the wake of his wife's transformation and temporary banishment, he still has a kingdom to run and protect, and a daughter to raise. And all of this take years off of him. I wanted to show the struggles he goes through and how strong of a character that he can be.