Author's Notes:

This is a collection of min-shorts all 500-1000 words in length, each detailing a tragic death in Equestria. Updates will come five a day with three original chapters, and two guest chapters. Should anyone wish to submit a guest chapter, PM the author or comment a link to a google doc. And yes. It will have 1000 chapters.

Shining Armor hummed to himself as he padded across the room towards his dresser. He had a very important meeting to attend that day, and his uniform had to look perfect. Cadance slumbered peacefully, so he was cautious to not wake her. He reached the dresser and began pulling the parts of his uniform out, setting them aside one-by-one.

Little did he know he wouldn’t be making it to his meeting.

Uniform in-hoof, Shining made his way to the chest at the foot of the bed. He popped the lid, smiling at the multitude of medals and ribbons arrayed there; the product of his long-standing military career. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of the glimmering metal and well-made fabric. He grasped one particular medal for his valor at hoof-to-hoof combat in training and pulled it out, smiling at the reward for his efforts warmly.

Just as he was about to fix the pin to the uniform, though, the clasp popped open and the thin needle fell out of its place, bouncing off of the floor and rolling under the chest.

“Damn it all to Tartarus…” He cursed under his breath. His horn glowed as he lifted the chest up, searching for the pin underneath.

“Oh come on…” The damnable pin had rolled under the bed.

“Honey?” Cadance sounded out groggily from the bed. “What’s wrong? I heard you muttering.”

“Sorry, love.” Shining smiled up at her sheepishly. “I was trying to put a medal on my uniform and the pin dropped off…”

“That’s unfortunate…” Cadance rubbed her eyes as Shining looked down to the floor once more. His horn glowed even brighter as he hefted the chest, trying to shed more light on the pin just past hoof’s reach under the bed. “Can you get it?”

“I think so…” Shining mumbled, pawing at the pin with the edge of his hoof. “Fuck!” He bumped it instead, sending it further into the shadowy recesses of the foot of their bed. “Damnable thing, c’mere…”

“Would you like some help?”

“No, I got this.” Shining felt the pride swell up in his chest. He was the commander of the guard, co-ruler of the Crystal Empire, and one of the most powerful unicorns in existence. “Hang on tight.”

“Hang on? Hang on for wha-wo-woa-woah!” Cadance hastily flapped out of bed as Shining lifted it up off of the ground by several feet. “Shining! Honestly!”

“Got it!” Shining swiped the pin up off of the ground triumphantly, smiling at Cadance. “See? I told you I’d get it.”

“Bravo,” Cadance deadpanned. “Now put our bed back so I can go to sleep.”

“Alright, alright.” Shining backed away and cautiously set the bed down, smiling warmly at his wife. “Sorry, love…”

“Just glad you got your pin, darling. Have a good time at your meeting.”

“Yeah, no problem…” Shining turned towards the bathroom, smiling warmly. “I just gotta-“ his horn died down…

And the chest fell.

*Thunk!*

“Hmm? You just gotta what?” Cadance yawned. Silence. “Shining? You just gotta what?” She sat up and looked down at the floor, where her husband’s skull had been crushed by the heavy chest.

It must have slipped his mind.