Rising Shadows

Shadow had been walking for a few minutes and was thankful that it gave him some time to think about what to talk about with Vinyl.

"Should I go ahead and congratulate her? I know Pinkie will say yes but I don't want to jinx it," Shadow thought to himself.

"I'd wait to see if Vinyl brings it up first, you did say that her and Pinkie are your best friends, so I think she'll bring it up first," Nightshade replied.

"Yeah you're probably right," Shadow thought while giving out a relieved sigh.

After a few more minutes he finally arrived at Pinkie and Vinyl's house and knocked on the door.

A familiar white unicorn DJ answered the door and after seeing who it was smiled and asked him inside and they both took a seat on the couch.

"What's up dude? How have you been with everything that's been going on," She asked.

"I've been good, I just wanted to come and chat for a while," Shadow answered.

"Well I've been meaning to speak with you anyway, as you know mine and Pinkie's anniversary is today, I've got reservations at a restaurant for us tonight," she said as she levitated a small black velvet box over to her, "and I'm planning on asking her to marry me. Will you be my best stallion at the wedding?"

Shadow smiled, "Ofcoarse I will Vi, the both of you are my best friends after all. And I'm sure Pinkie will say yes cause she loves you a lot so let me be the first to congratulate you."

Vinyl blushed while smiling, "Thanks dude, I hope you're right, I hope Pinkie hasn't figured it out yet cause I want it to be a surprise."

Shadow laughed, "Pinkie hasn't realized it yet as far as I could tell."

"What do you mean," she asked confused.

"Well she mentioned finding a little black box and wasn't able to open it but she doesn't know what's inside," he answered while scratching the back of his neck.

"So you knew I was planning to ask her to marry me tonight before you even came here," she asked punching him in the shoulder playfully.

"Yeah, but I figured you would tell me if you wanted me to know," he answered. Vinyl laughed before flicking Shadow on the horn.

"You know full well what that does to a unicorn, Vi," he said while trying to ignore the sensation it caused.

"Yeah I know, and that's what you get for not saying something," she replied flicking his horn again.

He flicked her horn in return, "You will never change, will you Vi?"

Vinyl laughed at the question, "Ofcoarse not dude, it's too much fun being me, and besides you like it."

She started to try and tempt him by giving him bedroom eyes.

"Not gonna work Vi, just because you've known about my crush on you doesn't mean you can tempt me that easily, especially since you're with Pinkie," he said trying his best to hide that he was tempted anyway.

Vinyl laughed, "Fine you win, but I know you're tempted anyway."

Shadow knew he was caught, "Well you flicking my horn doesn't help any."

Vinyl laughed again before flicking his horn, "You mean like that?"

Shadow gave her a blank stare before he flicked her horn several times.

"You tell me," he said with a devious grin.

Vinyl was openly enjoying the sensation.

"Want me to show you how Pinkie does it," she asked returning his devious grin.

Shadow was very tempted but shook his head, "No that's between you two."

Vinyl giggled, "Suit yourself."

They sat there for hours talking and joking before Vinyl noticed what time it was.

"Well it's time for me to get ready for my anniversary dinner," she said getting up.

"I'll wait nearby so I can come and congratulate you two when she says yes," Shadow said getting up.

"Sounds good, I'll see you there then," she replied brushing his nose with her tail before going upstairs.

Shadow took a moment for his blush to subside before leaving.

"Okay I've got an hour before I gotta be at the restaurant to wait to congratulate them so what should we do," Shadow thought only to be interrupted by his grumbling stomach.

"I think that answered your question," Nightshade replied.

"Yeah, lets go get something to eat," Shadow said as he began to walk to the restaurant, "I'll just eat at the restaurant Vi and Pinkie are going to so I'll be nearby."

After arriving at the restaurant and eating a big meal, Shadow noticed that he still had thirty minutes of spare time.

"Guess I'll go sit on the bench across the street until it's time," Shadow thought to himself as he went to just that.

Shadow felt like he had been sitting there forever when Pinkie and Vinyl arrived, Vinyl looked over and saw him sitting there and smiled.

It was about ten minutes later when he watched take out the velvet box without Pinkie seeing, he got up and started walking towards the restruant.

He watched as Vinyl proposed and took it that Pinkie said yes since they were kissing, he walked in and up to the happy couple.

"Congratulations you two, I bet it'll be the best wedding ever," he said smiling.

Pinkie looked up at him, "You knew that she was gonna ask me?"

Shadow nodded, "Yeah, and I'm gonna be the best stallion at the wedding."

"Yeah, you'll also be my best stallion as well," Vinyl joked.

"That too," Shadow retorted.

"Awe, I wanted you to be my best stallion though," Pinkie said sadly.

"Who said I could only be the best stallion to just one of you, why can't I be best stallion for of you," Shadow asked.

"I agree," Vinyl replied.

"It's settled then, I'll be the best stallion for both of you," Shadow teased, "and the best stallion for both of you at your wedding."

Pinkie and Vinyl giggled.

"Can't argue with that," Pinkie replied.

The three of them laughed together.

Vinyl whispered something in Pinkie's ear and after listening to what Vinyl said, Pinkie nodded.

"Shadow would you like to give us away at the wedding as well," Vinyl asked.

Shadow was confused, "Give you both away? You mean you're both gonna walk down the aisle?"

Vinyl giggled, "Ofcoarse we are, we're both brides afterall. All you have to do is walk one of us down and then head back to walk the other down and then take your spot as best stallion."

Shadow smiled, "Ofcoarse I'll give you both away at your wedding. Like you even had to ask."

Pinkie beamed, "It's settled then, I want you to Pinkie Promise that you'll be at the wedding, give us away, and be our best stallion."

Shadow made the Pinkie Promise.

"Okay now I want you two to Pinkie Promise me that you won't have the wedding without me," he teased.

Pinkie and Vinyl made their Pinkie Promise.

"I was only joking," Shadow laughed.

"We know, but neither of would want to go through with it without out best friend there," Vinyl replied.

Pinkie nodded in agreement.

Shadow smiled, "Fair enough."

"I also want you to Pinkie Promise that you'll beat Strife when he arrives, and survive," Pinkie said completely serious.

"I don't plan on losing or dying anyway," Shadow said before making his Pinkie Promise.

"If it looks like you're in trouble, I'll use my Bass Cannon," Vinyl teased.

Shadow rolled his eyes and laughed, "I think we both know that won't be needed after I showed you the Treble Makers and Bass Buster."

Vinyl began to nod but a look of confusion grew on her face, "Bass Buster? I thought you were calling that blue wave the Bass Wave."

Shadow laughed, "I am calling that the Bass Wave, but I'm calling the final form of the sword the Bass Buster," Shadow replied, "plus I also developed a few new special attacks with it."

Vinyl nodded, "Oh yeah, I finished the special sunglasses you wanted me to, you can personalize the HUD, it has infrared, heat vision, and X-ray vision, and you can take photos and videos with it."

Shadow took the sunglasses and put them on after taking the ones he was wearing off.

"Sweet," he said while going through the features.

He switched them to heat vision and started looking around.

"Hey! Don't get my hopes up by saying it has heat vision," he teased before sticking out his tongue.

"Okay so it's only thermal vision," Vinyl giggled, "I couldn't figure out how to get it to shoot lasers at will, so I didn't include it."

Shadow laughed before putting the sunglasses away in his vest and putting back on the sunglasses he had been wearing.

"That's probably for the best anyway, it could have ended badly otherwise," he replied, "Okay so let's get back on topic, let's go back to your house and get started on your wedding plans, because I'm also gonna DJ for it."

Vinyl looked at him confused, "Wait, you want to help with the wedding plans?"

Shadow nodded, "It's the wedding between my two best friends, ofcoarse I'm gonna help with the planning, otherwise who'll be able to keep the two of you on track?"

Vinyl laughed, "You're gonna leave most of it to Twilight aren't you?"

"Only the stuff that needs a mares touch," he retorted.

"Well I know something that could use a stallions touch," Vinyl teased.

Shadow rolled his eyes and the three of them left and headed to Pinkie and Vinyl's house.

Shadow spent most of the night going over most of the details while making a list of the things that was better suited for a mare to take care off.

"Okay, so for the music, what would you like," Shadow asked them.

Pinkie and Vinyl thought for a moment.

"Anything romantic," Pinkie said.

Vinyl nodded in agreement.

Shadow wrote that on his list even though he should have seen it coming.

"That looks like everything I can help with," he said putting his list away, "I'll let you handle the other stuff."

Shadow thought for a moment.

"Too bad I don't get to throw a bachelor party," he teased, "unless you two wanna just have one big party instead."

Pinkie and Vinyl thought for a moment and nodded.

"That sounds like a super-duper fun idea," Pinkie beemed.

"Yeah, and if you set it up I'm sure it'll the biggest party ever," Vinyl said nudging Shadow.

"It's settled then," Shadow said nudging her back, "So have you decided on a date yet?"

Vinyl and Pinkie shook their heads in unison.

"No, we're gonna wait until all this stuff with Strife is taken care of before we think about that," Vinyl replied.

Shadow nodded.

"Listen if something happens to me," Shadow began, "I want you to go through with the wedding."

Vinyl was about to shake her head when Shadow stopped her.

"Promise me," he said firmly.

Vinyl thought for a moment and nodded.

"Okay, but we will wait one full year before we pick a date," Vinyl said firmly, "right Pinkie?"

Pinkie nodded her head in agreement and they set it in stone with a Pinkie Promise.

"Cheaters," Shadow said starting to laugh.

Pinkie stuck out her tongue before giggling.

Vinyl just gave a devious grin and flicked Shadow on the horn.

Shadow stared at her for a moment before returning her devious grin then proceeded to rapidly flick her on the horn, Vinyl tried her best to resist the sensation.

Pinkie joined in and it wasn't long before Vinyl couldn't resist any longer.

"You give up yet," Shadow asked.

"N-never," Vinyl groaned.

After a few more horn flicks from both Pinkie and Shadow, Vinyl admitted defeat.

Shadow pumped his hooves in the air to symbolize his triumph.

"You had help," Vinyl said trying to catch her breathe.

Shadow stuck out his tongue.

"Like you didn't enjoy it," he teased.

"Totally," Vinyl retorted.

"I'll save the real 'fun' for later," Pinkie teased Vinyl.

"Don't leave Shadow out of the 'fun' or he might feel left out," Vinyl teased.

"I'm good," Shadow replied.

"Oh I bet you still are," Vinyl teased.

Pinkie giggle snorted.

"There's just no winning with you is there," Shadow asked.

"Depends on what you mean by 'winning'," Vinyl teased again.

Shadow rolled his eyes.

"Maybe after the issue with Strife is taken care of," Shadow teased back.

"I'm okay with that," Vinyl replied completely serious.

Shadow blushed when he realized that she meant it.

"Well you may be okay with it but what about Pinkie," he asked still blushing.

"Sounds fun," Pinkie said before giggling.

"What have I gotten myself into," Shadow thought to himself.

"Sounds like a threesome to me," Nightshade said starting to laugh.

Shadow facehooved.

"You two are going to be the death of me," he groaned, "that's if Strife doesn't beat you to it."

"That's cold dude," Vinyl replied frowning.

"I was only kidding, I think we both know that Strife doesn't stand a chance," Shadow said confidently.

"You better win, I'll kick you plot if you lose," Vinyl scolded.

"Anyway the first line of defense has to be the Elements of Harmony, I doubt they'll work but we've gotta try anyway," Shadow began, "if they fail to work then I'm up next, and I'm going all out from the very start."

Shadow looked at the clock on the wall.

"Well its after midnight so I'm gonna head home and get some sleep," Shadow said as he stretched out.

"Why not just stay here tonight, it beats walking all the way to the other side of town," Vinyl replied.

"Only if you Pinkie Promise to not try anything while I sleep," Shadow teased.

Vinyl and Pinkie both Pinkie Promised to not try anything while Shadow sleeps.

Vinyl waited a few seconds and started flicking Shadow on the horn.

"You never said anything about while you were awake," she replied with a devious grin.

Shadow regained his composer from the assault long enough to teleport out of Vinyl's reach.

"Would you stop that," Shadow asked.

"Awe, come on dude, it's all in good fun," Vinyl pouted.

"It may be but you know what that does, and besides you're gonna be a married mare soon," Shadow said firmly.

"Yeah, but Pinkie doesn't mind, right Pinkie," she asked.

Shadow turned to look at Pinkie just as she launched her own horn flicking assault.

"Not you too," Shadow shouted.

Shadow spent the rest of the couples assault teleporting around their house until they gave up.

"Fine we'll stop," Vinyl clearly bluffing, "aren't you tired from all that teleporting?"

Shadow stayed on defense just in case, "Nope, teleportation is as easy as levitation for me and Twilight."

Vinyl knew he was telling the truth because he wasn't even breaking a sweat.

"Fine you win, this time," Vinyl replied.

Shadow looked around for Pinkie before he found he laying on her stomach completely exhausted.

Vinyl yawned, "Okay Pinkie lets go to bed, we need to get some sleep and I think Shadow does too, you can use the guest room upstairs Shadow."

Shadow nodded and followed the two of them upstairs, he went into the guest room as Pinkie and Vinyl continued down the hall to their bedroom.

"I really hope they plan on sleeping," Shadow thought to himself.

"And you're telling me that you don't find it at all tempting," Nightshade asked.

Shadow gave a blank stare, "Oh shut up."

"That's what I thought," Nightshade managed to say through his laughter.

"Like you don't wish you were in my horseshoes right now," Shadow mentally retorted.

Nightshade went silent.

"Uh huh, thought so," Shadow jested.

"Just go to sleep," Nightshade replied.

"Two words: I win," Shadow replied as he laid down on the bed.

"Yes, you win," Nightshade finally admitted.

"I can't believe I walked right into that earlier," Shadow thought.

"Wait are you complaining about being invited to that," Nightshade asked.

"No, I just can't believe I walked into it. It is tempting and all but they're my best friends and they're getting married," Shadow answered.

"Are you sure she wasn't just joking some more," Nightshade asked.

Shadow shook his head, "No, I've known Vi for years and I can tell when she's dead serious, and she was dead serious."

Shadow stifled a yawn.

"Just tell her 'no' then," Nightshade replied.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on doing anything like that with the happy couple, even if they try to make me," Shadow replied, "besides, I think Vinyl was doing that to see how I would react, there have been a few times where I've thought she was dead serious and she was only acting to see what I'd do."

"Yeah, well you better get some sleep. Good thing you made them promise not to do anything while you slept," Nightshade replied.

Shadow yawned.

"Well good night," Shadow said as he drifted off to sleep.