The Changes We All Must Make

Zenith shook his head. He was in a mess of trouble now, and it's his own fault. He just had to tell Celestia about Allura. He just couldn't keep his big stupid mouth from spilling the fact he was a bleeding heart. He was frustrated with himself and the more he thought about it the worse it made him feel.

The only plus side to this whole thing is he wasn't in his detainment cell anymore. Celestia seemed to think it be unnecessary to keep him in there any longer. That however came with a lot of restrictions. He had a magic nullification ring put on his horn which, was a headache to put on in the first place. As well as he couldn't leave the room he was now in. A simple bed, end table with a tea set and the means to make tea upon his request, a dresser for some reason,a sofa, and a recliner in the corner for the obviously mandatory counseling sessions, a doorway to a bathroom which he had inspected upon arrival, a lamp... he hated lamps, and a bookshelf filled with romance novels.

"Oh joy," Zenith said to himself aloud as he rolled his eyes looking away from the bookshelf and heading into the bathroom which had no door, due to the security concerns not allowing him to have any privacy while in the bath. To be honest though he was happy he could bathe at least. Believe it or not after a while even changelings start to smell if they don't bathe even if some of his kind think it's unnecessary because when you change your smell changes as well. He in his current situation needed a bath.

Turning on the water and plugging the tub he looked to the things they left him for bathing and sighed. "Looks like I'll have to use bubble bath like a child instead of a bar of soap to get clean. Because apparently I can't be trusted with a bar of soap. Damn these ponies and there fucking paranoia." He said cursing to himself as he poured some of the soupy liquid into the running water and waited.

Changeling's believe it or not had quite the weakness to water. They can't entirely swim all that well, given how heavy they are. Carapace is very thick and by all means to be used as natural armor so it's a given that it's heavy. So if he were to jump into a deep pool of water he'd sink like a stone. However there was one thought that always made him snicker at his own race, if you angled a changeling like himself right and with enough force could you skip a changeling across water like a smooth stone could? The idea always made him laugh when he pictured it.

Seeing that the water was high enough he turned it off and sat himself in the water adjusting himself to get comfortable so he could relax a bit. This was the first bath he's had in about a week and a half now. He was damn well going to enjoy it even if it was filled with... bubbles. Accursedly fluffy, soupy, rainbowy, and annoying bubbles.

Celestia had made quite the decision, to let the changeling out of containment and into a room. Sure she had the power to do that but it didn't stop Shining Armor complaining for hours after it was done. Honestly she was beginning to think that he was more worried about getting counseling from the changeling than him being in a more comfortable room and able to move around. Cadance on the other hand was ecstatic about this and she thanked her repeatedly. Something Celestia had also found strange but decided it was within her best interest to leave that sleeping dog lie so to speak. As to not bark up a whole new mess of problems between the arguing couple. She smiled at her little attempt at Zenith's humor. She wasn't sure she was using it right but it was fun to try to say the least.

Cadance had been writing things down to talk with Zenith about since she heard about his move to a room where he'd be her marriage counselor and would have full authority to talk to him when she had a problem with Shiny or otherwise. She loved Shiny very much, but they really did need to work out their problems if their marriage was going to keep going strong much later into life.

Shining was angry, nervous and a little scared of the idea of having a changeling for something so important. A normal marriage counselor would have been fine, a normal pony, or even a griffin one would have been fine. But a changeling prisoner, what was his life going to? Tartarus? Tartarus. Yep that's right where it was going because the first of a long nerve wrecking counseling meeting was going to be starting in less than thirty minutes. There was no way out of it, at least not one he could think of yet.

Feeling refreshed from his bath he sighed happily but it stopped in his throat as the sound his door getting knocked on and he looked at the door. "Oh for the love of the creators..." He whispered to himself pinching the bridge of his muzzle in annoyance. "Can I not get just a little bit more than 4 hours of peace?" Shaking his head he walked over and opened the door. "Hello?"

It was Cadance and Shining standing in the hall, Shining completely refusing to look at him and Cadance smiling her wings refusing to stay still twitching clearly trying to hold in some type of urge to scold her husband.

"Well, isn't this a surprise... please come in make yourselves at home... there is a couch just across the room do be seated at your leisure... but feel free to stand if you wish I'll make us some tea..." Zenith had walked over to the tea set and began to make tea. It was something he got quite good at making while living with Allura, the smell of it made him smile as he poured out three glasses and turned around with the tray. He immediately noticed something quite important, Shining armor wasn't sitting down. It was much worse than he thought. He walked over and first offered a cup to Cadance who happily took a cup. Shining just shook his head when Zenith looked at him and he shrugged putting the tray back and taking a cup and saucer for himself.

"Alright," Zenith began taking a seat in the recliner. "I will ask you a few questions first, some may seem redundant but I assure you they are important. Understand?' He received a silent nod from Shining who looked like a grumpy old stallion who got his oatmeal taken from him. Cadance simply smiled at him waiting. "Okay, first question... Who out of the two of you thinks that this is completely unnecessary?"

"I do." Shining responded without even a moment passing.

Zenith hummed taking a sip of tea and exhales through his nose softly. "And why do you think that?"

"Simple, there isn't anything wrong with our marriage."

Zenith clicked his tongue looking at Cadance, "And what do you happen to think about that statement Miss Cadenza, do you agree with that?"

"No," Cadance responded simply.

"Why don't you agree with that?" he asked resting his tea on the arm of his chair folding his hands in front of him leaning back a bit.

"B-Because I don't think everything is fine. To be one hundred percent honest I am starting to question if it ever was." Cadance said getting a look of shock from Shining who looked as if he was going to say something.

"Please Mr. Armor do not say a word. Miss Cadenza isn't finished." Zenith said raising his hand away from his other only to fold it back as he nodded to Cadance to go on.

"After we were married an everything seemed to be going really well, Shiny started to change quite a bit. He payed less and less attention to me outside of... bedroom activity as time has gone on."

"I see, and would you say that this is a normal thing that happens?"

"Umm, I don't really know. The only other married couple I ever talk to are my in-laws who have been together for a long time."

"Mmmmhmmm, and have they ever given you any advice pertaining to a married relationship."

"Yes, it was that married couples are bound to argue and fight, if they don't something isn't right." Cadance said and Zenith felt his heart ache as he winced when she said that all too familiar saying to him.

"That is correct, every couple no matter how compatible or incompatible will fight about one thing or another. It is a fact, and unavoidable. Think of them as a test, that should you overcome the difference it shows the other just how much you love them to get over it." Zenith clicked his tongue again and looked to Shining Armor who is still standing. "I have a particular question for you Mr. Armor... Why are you standing instead of sitting next to your wife?" he asked taking his tea cup from the saucer and sipping from it.

"I feel more comfortable standing." Shining replied shifting his weight uncomfortably. Zenith hummed about that watching him shift a bit uncomfortable from left to right.

"Okay," He said with a nod. "Miss Cadenza how do you feel about Mr. Armor standing instead of sitting next to you?"

"I... don't really mind if he wants to stand. I'm just happy that he's doing this with me." Cadance replied looking to her husband and then back to Zenith.

"So you are content that he chooses to stand up and away from you during this time?"

"Yes."

Zenith let out a inner sigh trying his best to keep a solid poker-face as he looked into his tea cup and thought for a moment about what to ask next. He once again sipped his tea watching the liquid for a few more moments. When he looked over at the couch again Shining was sitting down now but he was sitting on the arm of it.

"Well I believe I have a idea of a major issue here already." They both looked at him intensely and both of them were extremely curious as to his analysis. "You both are guilty of letting your marriage begin to collapse..." Cadance and Shining looked at one another and then back to him. "Shining, your narcissistic, controlling, and from how you've been acting so far in this room I'd say you believe yourself to be inferior to your wife so you make it your goal to seem superior to her." He said putting down his tea cup on the saucer and looking to Cadance. "Cadance you are the practically encouraging this behavior and it's not making your situation any better. You submit to his actions and his wishes after minimal resistance. All and all I find that you relationship is toxic and that is being lenient. If i'm being honest in my professional opinion any other couple would have been divorced or have been subject to physical abuse. Unless this changes, I predict that you will be divorced within the next two months."

"Bullshit!" Shining Armor shouted standing up. "This is absolute bullshit, you don't have any idea what you are talking about!"

"Oh? You don't think I do?" His eyes narrowing dangerously at him. "Tell me exactly what part of my explanation you find to be bullshit."

"The whole damn thing! Our marriage is completely fine!" He said continuing to shout at Zenith.

"Is that the case? Then why is it that your wife is not backing you up and voicing her agreement?" Zenith said making a clear and direct challenge to the white unicorn.

Shining opened his mouth to speak but slowly closed it looking to Cadance and her face said it all. She looked worried, and scared. A look of defeat crossed his face as she looked up at him from her seat on the couch.

"So," Zenith said getting both Cadance and Shining to look at him after a few moments of silence. "Shall we continue?"