Moon Guide My Dreams

Shining wearing made his way back to the room he and Cadence has been supposed to share. He was still trying to process what Amity had told him. Cadence had cheated on him with Twilight’s boyfriend to get back at him? How in Equestria did that even make sense? He wasn’t going to even try to pretend that he had been right either. After all, he had still gone behind her back with both Amity and Luna. But still… knowingly seducing his little sister’s boyfriend to get back at him? Twilight was supposed to be special to her too. What had she been thinking? Why? He wouldn’t even be upset if it had been somepony else. Just… why had she pulled Twilight into this?

With the room all to himself, he immediately went to the bar area and poured himself a glass of vodka. He knew that at any minute his soon to be ex wife would come through, act like nothing had happened, and whisk the two off back to the Crystal Empire for an unknown amount of mundane days.

Almost as though on cue, Cadence entered the room. She paused when she saw him, then frowned.

“So, are we about ready to go back, Shining Armor?” she asked, her voice cold.

“Eeyup,” he said, not even looking towards her after taking a sip.

“Eeyup. That’s it. That’ all you have to say to me after everything?!” she demanded.

Still not looking towards her, he took another sip. “Considering we didn’t see much of each other during this trip.”

“And I wonder who’s fault that is,” Cadence replied snarkily.

Just to play with her, he made no reaction, instead, finishing the glass of vodka in one shot before pouring another glass.

“I don’t think that was necessary,” he started. “Listen, can we please move past the remarks?”

Cadence raised her eyebrow, but remained silent, listening to him.

Shining sighed and took a deep breath. “Cadence, we’ve been together since high school. We know each other very well. Neither one of us is a bad person, but we’ve both been acting like jerks and idiots this whole trip. Can we please, just this once, put aside our attitudes, anger, and sarcasm? I want to talk to you. Really just talk to you and not have it turn into another war. Please…”

Cadence stared at him angrily for several seconds, and Shining was sure she was going to start yelling at him again. However, she finally unfolded her arms with a sigh, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“...I think I would like that,” she said quietly. “We have a lot of things we need to discuss.”

Taking the glass in his hands, he made his way over to the couch and sat himself down calmly. Knowing what his wife had done was driving him crazy inside but he remained calm, and decided to see what would become of their discussion as she sat down next to him, properly.

“Shining Armor, what are we going to do?” she asked.

“What would you suggest or be willing to do? At this point, either we find some way to fix this or...we don’t. And go our separate ways.”

“We can’t go our separate ways, Prince,” she argued. “We both have our responsibilities, and you can’t just shirk yours.”

“Is that what they say?” he leaned back. “Even if they’re in an unhappy marriage?””

“...Shining, let’s not fool ourselves. We’re beyond a happy marriage,” Cadence said. “But we are still married, and we are still the rules of the Crystal Empire. We need to bear that in mind above everything else.

He thought for a moment. “That’s...becoming harder for me. Listen, if you eased up a little on how you acted, maybe--”

“Ease up?” Cadence interrupted, her anger rising. “Everything I do is for the good of the crystal ponies, and for Equestria in general, including you!”

“Cadence,” he interrupted. “When I say ease up, it’s what I’ve been trying to tell you from the start. You don’t need to have an attitude with me or give me looks where I’m supposed to be 100 percent professional. All I am asking is to ease up. And when I say ease up, just relax. Take a day off or sleep in. There’s two of us, I can do it.”

Her frown deepened. “Like you have been recently, you mean?” she answered. “Like you have been this entire summit? You have done nothing to give me a reason to trust you to handle anything lately. Except maybe handle your own desires.”

“Handle my own… No, no, we aren’t doing this Cadence,” Shining replied. “Listen, I’m trying to keep this civil. We have issues that I don’t honestly think we can work out anymore. We have both changed, Cadence, and I don’t think we’re right for each other anymore.”

“...you had better not be saying what I think you’re saying,” Cadence hissed.

“I’m afraid I am, Cadence,” Shining said. He took a deep breath, and looked her directly in the eyes. “I think it may be best if we get a divorce.”

Cadence was silent, just staring at him. She remained still as a statue, and for a moment Shining thought he had broken her. Then, she stood abruptly and walked over to the window, looking out of it.

“So we’ve come to this, then,” she muttered, almost to herself. “I guess I haven’t got a choice.”

“What? Cadence?” Shining said, concerned. “What are you talking about?”

She turned back around, her expression almost frightening in its calmness. “Before, it was love of your girlfriend that motivated you. Then that girlfriend became your wife, and you were even more motivated by that love. Since then, I’ve also tried to use appeal to your love of the kingdoms, but now we have reached this point. Not even that is enough to push you, so now there is only one other thing I can do. I must utilize the love you have for yourself and your family.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked nervously.

"It would be a terrible thing if word of your affair were to get out, wouldn't it?” Cadence said calmly. “If the Princess of Love were to admit that her love was taken advantage of by her husband, well, that would be bad enough for you, but think of the backlash. Twilight, your little sister, is the Princess of Friendship. It's no secret that she has always looked up to you as an example. Now, if the example she followed were proven to be a corrupt, twisted, advantage-taking backstabber, that would reflect rather badly on her as well. And the parents who raised these two foals? What would it say about them? Oh yes, the backlash would be truly wretched.”

Shining was utterly stunned speechless. Cadence was… threatening his family?! She was really sinking so low?

“..my affair? Are you really stooping this low?” he stood up, walking to her. “Don’t you DARE involve my family when you’ve already hurt someone in my family by sleeping with their boyfriend!”

Cadence didn’t even flinch. “The Princess of Love was drained, desperate, and heartbroken. She had a momentary lapse of judgement, one that she regrets deeply and will spend the rest of her life repenting for if that is what it takes. With what she’s been through, it’s understandable that she would suffer a momentary slip of integrity for an instance of comfort.” She looked up at him, a slight smirk on her face. “Who would they be more inclined to listen to? After all, no matter how you slice it, you went behind my back first.”

“You have NO proof of that!” he glared. “Flash himself confessed what he had done! You cannot force me to stay! The very fact you are suggesting pulling this sort of thing on me, it feels like blackmail! How dare you do this to my family! You have no power over all this!”

“What is going on in here?!” came a thunderous voice. Cadence and Shining both jumped at the doors were flung open, revealing an angry-looking Celestia. She glowered at the both of them.

Cadence was fairly quick to recover, simply turning to her already packed bags and levitating them. “A discussion between spouses, Celestia,” she replied. “I think I’ll take my belongings to the train. Just remember what I said, Shining. Look at the ring on your finger and remember what it symbolizes.” Without another word she turned and left with her luggage, but not without shooting an annoyed look at Celestia for interrupting.

Celestia shook her head and turned to Shining Armor. “I could hear you two from the end of the hall,” she said. “Shining, please, tell me what you intend to do.”

“I--...” Shining paused. “She is threatening to turn this situation around on me to make ME look like the villain. I have to think about my family...but…”

“Luna,” Celestia replied simply. When Shining started to stutter, she held up a hand. “Shining, very little happens within this palace without my knowledge. I’m well aware of what has happened between you and her.”

Shining froze. “...Celestia, I swear I didn’t mean for things to go that way between us. I...I love her. I do. But my first priority is to Cadence, despite all that’s happened. It feels as if I have no choice but to follow Cadence back.”

Celestia sat next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder to make sure he was paying attention. “Let me make one thing fully clear. No matter how bleak the situation, there is always a choice. This entire situation has always been a choice. Cadence chose to prioritize her crown over her relationship. You chose to pull away from her. Luna chose to pursue you. You chose to return that pursuit. Amity, yes I know of him as well, chose to come to you and be a friend. And now you have one more choice to make. So I ask again, what will you do?”

Shining sat there, trying to process what had happened.

She looked him in the eye. “This is not a decision to be made lightly. Regardless of your choice, there will be consequences in some manner. Cadence is not one to be taken lightly, but neither is Twilight Sparkle.”

“...they aren’t my only choices.” he said, sighing quietly.

“Yes, I know,” she replied. “As I said, I am also aware of your friend Amity Faith. Who do you think it was who alerted him to his old friend needing support? And why do you think I have been kept so aware of what has been happening?”

Nodding, he looked to the table and then to the drawer. Standing up, he went over to it and opened it up, taking out the train ticket Amity gave him and the divorce papers. Looking to both, he walked back to the table and placed them down.

“I appreciate that Celestia. And I deeply apologize for all this drama that has happened during this summit,” he stated.

“Shining Armor, do you know why I hold these summits? The true reason?” Celestia asked. At his silence she continued, “It’s to bring my family and friends together so we can help each other, regardless of what it is we need to help each other with. Yes, there will always be political issues to deal with, but being there to help the friends that need me is the true reason I do the things I do, including the summits.”

Smiling, feeling relieved, Shining leaned back against the couch. “...whichever I choose, I just want my family to be safe above all else. Luna is a priority but my family is what matters most to me. May I please have a moment by myself?”

“Of course,” Celestia said standing and heading to the door. Just before she stepped out she looked over her shoulder at him. “You have a strong heart, Shining Armor, moments of weakness aside. You acknowledge the things you did wrong, and you aren’t shying away from the reality of your choices. I have faith that you will make the right choice.”

With that, she left, closing the door behind herself. Shining smiled at her reassurance, and looked at his hand. With a sigh, he pulled off his wedding ring and laid it on the table, looking at his bare hand, remembering when it had felt wrong to not wear that ring. Those days were well gone, and there was no way to get them back. He reached to the table, and paused. The train ticket, the divorce papers, and the ring were all sitting in front of him. He looked at each one.

Tickets, Amity. Papers, Luna. Ring, Cadence.

Which one was he reaching for?