NOIRE POV

I was taking a nap in my new room Cadence gave me. I thought I would never leave the ward and there would have to be a reserved bed just for me. My joy had nothing to do with not having to hear Curdle's rambling about my biology and pony biology or biology in general... Okay, it had was a small part in it. I digress. The room was fantastic! I had a large, soft bed. Way better than the piece of rock I used to sleep on. The room itself had royal blue walls; My favourite colour. the carpet and drapes were the same colour. In some ways, it kind of looked like Cadence's room except blue. It even had that lamp held by a crystal animal. In Cadence's, it was a pink peacock, spreading its wings out gracefully. In mine, it was a blue wolf with white tips at the end of its tail. Did Cadence pick this one out? Did she look at this lamp and think of me? Probably not. It's probably just coincidence.

Speaking of rooms, that morning in Cadence's room, Shining and the Princesses was certainly strange, weird, abnormal (and somewhat kinky in some regards) but at least there's a chance I won't die of starvation or hypothermia out in the cruel, cold and snowy wastelands. Neither will I have to abandon my new friends. They seem like very nice people inside and out and probably will keep me around if I stay out of trouble. As soon as I said that a knock sounded at my door. I immediately stopped my thoughts and went to the door. There stood Cadence, looking at me with a serious expression, an expression which often signified trouble in paradise, or just trouble if you're having a shitty day. I stood aside to let her in and she walked In silently. No 'Hello, Noire' or anything. Now I know shits are about to go south for me. When she sat down on a chair, she silently motioned for me to sit as well. Nodding, I did the same and the moment I sat down in a chair of my own, she grasped my hands lovingly but her serious expression remained. I was now getting confused. "Cadence, what's going on?. Has something happened with you and Shining again? " I asked, causing her to flinch slightly. Her face turned from serious to sombre. Now I was seriously concerned at that, gripping the end of my pants in anticipation. Whatever she was here to talk about must've been incredibly serious.

"Noire, please tell me. Why didn't you tell me you had magic?"

CADENCE POV

There was nothing but silence as Noire just looked at me blankly. I couldn't tell if he was discovered or if he just didn't know about this. My questions were answered when he burst out in laughter. This, even in these confusing times, was nice to hear. This was the first time I ever heard him laugh. He just continued laughing, his closed eyes crying slightly before he opened them and saw my sad face had remained, instantly stopping his laughing "Oh" he said " You were being serious. Well, I 'll tell you I have no magic. No-one on Earth has magic. The closest thing we can do to resemble magic is an optical illusion and sleight of hand tricks."

I turned my head in confusion "What do you mean by optical illusions?" I asked before he simply just performed that trick where you look like your removing his thumb, causing me to 'oh' in realisation "It may be true that your kind has no magic but I read both Shining's letter and Doctor Curdle's reports on you and it says that you are extracting magic from ponies you touch."

Noire merely put his hand on his chin and looked to the ceiling in thought "Well that's... cool and concerning at the same time" he said, looking down in shame "Does that mean that I've been..."

"Absorbing the magic from me, Celestia, Luna and everyone else you've come into contact with, even if only slightly? Yes," I interrupted. It was hard to ask him such a question but it was needed to confirm Shining's suspicions to be false. However, it seems that was incorrect concerning Noire's abilities. On the other hand, it would be nothing a pair of gloves wouldn't solve. I wonder if he can use them as well as absorb them? Time to find out. "Can you try to move that pen over there with magic?" I asked. Noire merely shrugged and pointed his right hand over to the pen on the desk. It did nothing, causing Noire to grunt and focus harder until a blue aura surrounded the pen and it started to float in the air.

"YES!" he yelled, flinging his arms in the air, causing the pen to rocket towards the ceiling and embed itself in it "Uuuh my bad," he said, bringing his arms and used his magic once more to bring the pen back down. It was shocking. I never expected him to not only succeed at levitation but on his FIRST TRY!!! He could probably be quite a valuable asset to the Crystal Empire if Shining didn't have such a hate boner for him. My thoughts were interrupted by Noire waving a hand in my face.

"OH! Uuh... good job Noire. Especially on your first try at magic. Most unicorns take on average an hour to successfully perform levitation but maybe you shouldn't do that" I said, pointing to the hole in the ceiling, gigging.

"Of course and maybe it will be enough to get Shining to lay off on the hate," he said smiling. How did he know that? Well, he is full of surprises. I mean, he looks like he is smarter than he lets on.

"Well, it seems I can get to my other question seeing as you got my plan all figured out," I said amusedly "Noire, are you really human?"

"Honestly, I don't really know anymore," he said sombrely "No human I know can perform actual magic so probably not,"

I looked at Noire sadly. He seems so happy but when you get personal with him, he just bursts with negative feelings and you get to see just how tormented he is. However, he seems to be trying to work past it.

"I'm sorry to ask even more questions but... What are your feelings about Shining?" I asked hesitantly, scared that it might invoke some form of hatred in him.

Instead, he just shrugged and said "I don't care much for him but I want to", shocking me greatly "I mean I get why he's so angry with me. My existence is destroying his marriage and my powers might harm you. He's scared to lose what he loves. I want to admire him but I can't. I feel like my anger reaches its peak around him but bottoms out around you. Maybe when this is all over and if I'm still here, we can go out for drinks and talk about embarrassing, drunk stories but until then, we'll just have to be worst enemies."

That was certainly disheartening to hear how Noire is unable to see the good man Shining really is when you look past his jealousy and protectiveness of me. However, he did say he would change his mind about Shining if this whole issue could be resolved and maybe they could become friends. That's what I really wanted at the end of the day. It was a struggle having to side against your loved one and the even more heartbreaking to see the people he trusts side against him as well. With all that has been said, I should've been able to convince Shining that Noire's intentions are pure and we can finally resolve this issue on a good note. "Well Noire, I suggest we go find Shining and tell him about all that has transpired and finish this business once and for all," I said, standing up and motioning for him to follow. He nodded confidently and we set off to Shining's office spends most of his time. Hopefully, this ends well.

SHINING POV

I sent off the last patrol to their stations and made my way to my office to finish the last of my paperwork for the morning. This morning was very stressful; I haven't slept with Cadence in days and I've been banished to the guest room due to my little stunt. Damn that Noire! He may have won this round but this is definitely far from over. I just need to find a way to force out that creature's true form and intentions and Cadence will see that I was right all along. Being able to absorb magic is too familiar to a certain shape-shifting race Equestria has become very familiar with; Changelings.

Changelings are an abomination! I still remember what Queen Chrysalis did to me so many months ago. The feeling of having no free will, no way to say no to her. Even now, I still have nightmares of what she did to my mind and that isn't even the worst part.

I still feel it. I still feel the love for her.

It sickens me to the very core of my being how I could love my wife every moment of every day yet still have that feeling of undying love for that Changeling trash that soiled Cadence's lovely face with her wicked smile. The nights of passion we spent together still plagues my thoughts. The moaning, the thrusting, the shared juices mixing together as we came. I will truly never forgive myself for what I've done. That is why I will NOT let Cadence fall to the same fate I did. I cannot allow Noire to taint her, to bend her to his twisted will like what Chrysalis did. I will not stand for such a crime to repeat itself in our family. Not again.

"Shiny!" a voice yelled from behind me. I turned around and found Cadence and the creature chasing after me. I stopped my walk and let Cadence hug me "Shiny I'm so sorry for all that has happened these few days and what my shunning has done to you but I need to have you know that Noire never knew of his abilities and has confirmed that he has no evil intentions".

Noire decided to step forward and put his hand on Cadence's shoulder before quickly checking himself and removing it. "Cadence please, let me speak for myself. He needs to hear the truth from me; the one who started all of this," he said confidently. Cadence opened her mouth to protest but decided to let him speak "I know what has happened between you two and I will refuse to say it isn't my fault because it is. The truth is I don't know if I am human or if I was ever human in the first place but I will tell you now that I never thought for a moment about hurting your wife. She has come to be my closest friend here and has offered me more support than I deserve. So to compensate for causing so much trouble and lounging around your castle, I am willing to accept any punishment you see fit. You and you alone". He kneeled before me like he was about to lick my boots. It was a shocking sight. Cadence was also in shock at what Noire had just said.

"NOIRE! What are you doing! We have enough evidence to prove you are an innocent man so why throw yourself on the chopping board like this?!" she asked, both anger and worry in her voice. Noire did nothing but remain there, kneeling before me as a knight would do for his princess. Like what I should have done to her. Even if only slightly, the wall I put up around me was starting to break down, and I started to see what I had been doing to her and myself even before Noire entered the picture. It pained me to hear her like that. Seeing her sad was never my intentions when marrying her and now I realised it was not Noire's intention when coming here. I was confused about what to do. I could see the strength behind Noire's conviction but there was also the fear of Cadence getting hurt by him, the fear of her losing her magic because of him or even worse.

"Stand up, Noire" I said. It pained me to have to say his name like we were now friends but it seemed like I had to since he just kneeled before me "I want you in guards uniform tomorrow. You'll be training under me personally and with me on my patrols around the city, understood?" I couldn't tell if he was lying or not about him not being evil and whatnot but I could tell he was strong-willed. So what better way to see if he is as good-willed as Cadence says he is by testing him. If he gains my trust then maybe, just maybe I will believe what Cadence says about him. Cadence was at a loss for words at this point and just watched as Noire and I discussed his new job. When we finished our talk, I turned to face Cadence. I didn't know what to say in all honesty, with her kind of blowing up in full. I took a deep breath and let everything out "Cadence, I'm sorry for what I said in the letter. I was trash-talking you and all the effort you put into seeing me every day even though you were buried in paperwork and snobby nobles yet I had the nerve to call our marriage mine. I just couldn't see past my paranoia and jealousy to see how you cared for Noire, not because of any magic but because he was a good man. While I may not trust him completely just yet and for this reason, I will drop all hostilities and treat him fairly"

Cadence was lost for words, merely standing there and watching me pour my heart out on a crystal platter. I sighed out exhaustedly and waved goodbye to her before she quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me in close. She kissed me passionately and I kissed back. Our saliva mixing together as we made out. She leaned into my ear and whispered "Apology accepted" she licked my ear, making me shudder "Though I want you in bed tonight and you're going to give me your 'apology' in full". Those words alone started to form a tent in my pants. Luckily, It was hidden beneath my armour. I blushed madly and Cadence giggled in response until we heard a small cough from Noire.

"Please, can we leave the bedroom talk for the bedroom?" he asked, hiding a blush of his own. Did he know? I didn't really care. All I care about right now is giving all the love Cadence deserves and getting thoughts of changeling queens out of my mind...

...and getting to a bathroom...

CELESTIA POV

I watched from afar at the three adults blushing like fillies, causing me to giggle quietly before Luna came up from behind me. "Does thou think Noire can get Sir Shining's trust, dear sister?" she said, also gigging at the funny scene.

"If Noire is who he says he is then he can definitely pull it off. What worries me is that if he is here and he has magic then the legends could be true" I said, drifting off into thought. Luna merely nodded and went into her own train of thought. If the legends were true then the 'code' could really be returning to Equestria. If this is the case, then the world as we know it could change forever..."

Author's Note

Sitting in my room, typing up this chapter while eating a nice, warm pizza. This is what makes writing worth it. Now...Noire being a guard and Shining going to therapy to get over his Chrysalis issues, anyone?

I really want to use this next 'arc' (Can I call it that?) to really flesh out the issues that I made in Noire and Shining's character and fix them up in future chapters 'cause what is better: Edited mistakes in characters or turning their flaws into decent writing material?

26/09/18- Edited for pacing issues