The Brother and The Sitter

by Spike120812

Chapters

Shining's Sight
Plans
Revelations and Beginnings
D-Day
First Date
Floating
The Good Stuff
Metal's Place
Good Girl
Mark of a Defender
Moving Flames
Everypony Talks
Potential
Two Weeks Notice
First Bird
Second Bird
Tattooed Heart
Surprises in the Mail
Movie Night
All Things Go
The Move
The Attempt
Morning Preparations
One More Night

Shining's Sight

Shining’s Sight

"Shining Armor... Shining Armor... Shining?... WAKE UP!!!" roared the lavender filly at her awkwardly positioned brother on the couch.

"Huh, wha, who? What? When? Where?" Shining reacted with a jolt from the couch. Shining Armor looked around, realizing where he was while wiping the dried drool from his muzzle.

"Shining Armor, it's time to get up. You need to take me to the castle so I can study with the princess, and YOU need to get to work," explained Twilight.

Shining Armor stood up from the couch, and groggily headed towards the kitchen. "Alright. Go get your stuff and I'll get breakfast ready," yawned Shining Armor.

Twilight didn’t need a second bidding to prepare for another day of studying magic with Princess Celestia. As she got ready, Shining Armor stood in the kitchen gazing out the window, still thinking about his attempt to ask Cadance out.

At the same time, a light purple aura surrounded his horn and some strips of hay bacon from the open fridge. He placed the strips in a pan over the stove, and left them to sizzle in their own grease. Unfortunately, not even the appetizing aroma of the bacon could pull him away from his thoughts of a certain stuttering colt from last night.

'Oh my Celestia that was bad,' he thought to himself as he hung his head in shame.

Everything around the white colt's world seemed to have been shattered until he remembered the kind words spoken to him by his sister the night before, those kind and encouraging words that reminded him that he wasn't this poor excuse for a pony. He was somepony, and it was a new day, a day for him to bounce back, and a day to plan out how to get the one that he liked.

'You can do it Shining, you can get her, you can be confident, you can ask her... you’re burning the bacon,' Shining Armor thought to himself as he discovered the smell of burning hay bacon. He quickly levitated the pan from the stove and turned the stove off. Shining Armor took a look at the half-burnt crisps of hay bacon with a worried look.

"Twi-Lee, breakfast," he yelled towards her bedroom. Almost instantaneously, the lavender filly with a small green-spiked baby dragon on her back appeared in the kitchen. Twilight took a few sniffs in the air with a puzzled look on her face.

"What's for breakfast?" Twilight asked.

"Hay bacon... ugh... extra crispy," replied Shining Armor with a weak smile as he levitated the bacon onto three separate plates on the table.

"Well, dig in you two," said Shining Armor while taking his own seat at the table. Twilight and Spike sat there looking at the half-burned bacon sitting at their plates, reluctant to take a bite. Eventually, hesitant bite after hesitant bite, breakfast was eaten.

"Mmm, good bacon, Shining," Twilight said while forcing a small smile.

"Oh, whatever, I know I messed up. Sorry guys," apologized Shining Armor.

"At least Spike likes it," replied Twilight while pointing at the infant dragon ravaging his plate for the tiniest of crumbs left from the burned hay bacon.

"You’re usually so focused when it comes to cooking, something wrong Shining?" asked Twilight.

“No!” Shining Armor replied quickly. He was lying, and Twilight knew it.

“Thinking of Cadance again?” Twilight interrogated with a sly smile.

He was trapped. Shining Armor sighed when he replied, "Yea, I was thinking about last night."

"C'Mon bro, I already told you—"

"I know," interrupted Shining Armor. "It’s what you said last night that actually distracted me, it helped me a lot last night and this morning. Thanks again, Twi-Lee."

Twilight got up from her chair and walked over to her brother and embraced him in a tight hug, "I love you, I know that you'll get her someday."

Shining Armor returned the hug with a "Thanks sis, I love you too." The nice brother-sister moment was interrupted by a flash of green flames after a sound of a large belch coming from the opposite side of the table.

"Looks like Spike's done," remarked Twilight, staring at the now giggling baby dragon. Shining Armor sat in his chair and let out an annoyed sigh.

"Do I really need to take him with me?" Shining Armor asked with obvious annoyance in his voice.

"You tell me," replied Twilight as she handed her brother a saddlebag full of Spike's favorite picture books and some shattered turquoise gems.

"Fine, but hurry and get your things, don't wanna be late," replied Shining Armor.

In a flash, the little lavender filly levitated her saddlebag onto her back and bolted towards the door. Shining Armor levitated the dishes into the sink and, with a purple aura, strapped his saddlebag full of Spike's entertainment and food on his back. He turned to the baby dragon still at the table and opened one of the pouches of his saddlebag.

"C'Mon, Spike, in you go," said Shining Armor as a purple aura appeared around the baby dragon, levitating him into the open pouch of the saddlebag.

"Ready, Twilight?" asked Shining Armor as he made his way towards the door.

"Ready, bro," replied Twilight. The brother, sister, and dragon stepped out the front door of their house and started towards Canterlot Castle.

***************

Celestia's sun shone through the stained glass windows of the royal dining hall, reflecting a rainbow of colors through the room where Princess Cadance was eating a breakfast of royal quality. She sat there taking small bites like a princess would out of the many varieties of fruit she levitated towards her mouth with a light blue aura. From the hallway leading into the dining hall came the raiser of the sun, her aunt, Princess Celestia.

"Hi, Aunt Celestia, beautiful morning."

"Thank you, Cadance," replied the sun princess. "My lessons with Twilight are going to begin soon, she should be here in a few minutes." Celestia said as she took a seat across from her niece.

"I know, and I was wondering if I could maybe co-teach with you before I foal sit for her today. I'd like to see her try a few spells I was trying to show her these past few days," asked the pink alicorn.

Princess Celestia swallowed the bit of apple in her mouth before answering her niece. "As nice as that sounds, I actually need you to do something else."

Cadance cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you need, Aunt Celestia?"

The white-furred alicorn wiped her mouth with a magically levitated napkin, and then answered. "The Summer Sun Celebration is happening in two days and I need you to take your cousin to go get his formal attire from that tailor he specifically requested."

Cadance's eyes widened at this news, almost making her spit out the bit of apple in her mouth. "Do I have to, Aunt Celestia?" she whined. "Don't get me wrong, I love my cousin and all, but... he's just so, so... ugh... what's the word I'm looking for?"

Princess Celestia rolled her light magenta eyes before speaking again. "I know Blueblood can be a bit of a... challenge, but I need you to keep him from bad mouthing anypony he comes in contact with, it hurts the family image."

Cadance sighed in annoyance but completely understood at the same time. "I know, Aunt Celestia, I know."

Celestia got up from her chair and walked towards Cadance to place a forehoof on her niece's shoulder.

"Just power through it sweetie," Celestia said in a comforting tone.

As if on cue, a white-coated unicorn with an amber mane known as Blueblood came into the dining hall, all the while whining, "Auntie, is Cadance ready yeeeeet? I want pick up my suit without having to socialize with the filth outside."

A look of dread, anger, and confusion managed to combine to give Cadance the expression shown on her face after hearing Blueblood's comment.

Celestia too showed slight annoyance at her nephew's comment against her subjects.

"Blueblood, regard my subjects with respect, understand," said Celestia with a strong tone.

"Y-Y-Yes Aunt Celestia, I'm sorry," trembled the young unicorn prince while backing away a few paces. The sun raiser turned to Cadance who now got up from the table ready to take on what would be a long and challenging day.

"Cadance, I also need you to do something else for me," said Celestia as her horn began to glow a light yellow and brought a rather old looking book to her side. "I need you to return this book to the library, not only is it almost overdue, but it also gives you an excuse to visit a friend to get away from Blueblood for a while," Celestia explained while giving her niece a wink.

Cadance couldn't believe it; she had the coolest aunt in Equestria. She looked up at her as if her eyes were calling out “THANK YOU!!!!”

"Cadance, are you ready yeeeet?" whined Blueblood.

"Coming, Blueblood," replied Cadance. As she made her way towards her cousin, she snuck out a short whisper "Thanks, Aunt Celestia."

The royal cousins made their way through the spectacle that was Canterlot Castle, and out onto the drawbridge leading out to the city. Before the two could make their way into the city, they were greeted by two armored royal guards, both of which had gray fur and were wearing golden armor and helmets.

"Prince Blueblood, we are here to escort you and Princess Cadance to your tailor," addressed the two guards in unison.

"Ah, Magic Shield, Purple Heart, about time you two made it," huffed Blueblood.

Cadance looked at the guards with an apologetic smile. She then shot Blueblood a glare that would turn a cockatrice into stone. The dumb-founded prince gave his cousin a confused look before answering her already implied question.

"What? We're royalty, and I refuse to get jumped by some poor pony trash, and I refuse to get my hooves dirty trying to protect you."

"You're too kind," Cadance remarked, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"I know, no need to remind me. Now, let's get a move on. My suit won't pick itself up," said Blueblood while motioning Magic Shield and Purple Heart to start their escort.

"Yes, your highness," replied the unicorn guards in unison.

'Suck it up till you get to the library, Cadance, just suck it up,' thought the distressed alicorn as she made her way through town with the king of pompousness and his bodyguards.

***************

"Well, Twi-Lee, you got everything you need?" Shining Armor asked as the two unicorns made their way through the white stone street leading to Canterlot Castle.

"Yup, I even got back up supplies for my back up supplies," replied the little lavender filly.

"Whatever, sis." Shining Armor replied as he rolled his eyes. "C'mon, don't want to keep the ruler of Equestria waiting."

Once at the middle of the street, the unicorn pair saw a familiar figure standing at the end of the drawbridge ahead of them.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed as she ran through the drawbridge towards her mentor.

"Twilight, glad to see you. Hope you’re ready for a challenge today."

"I'm always ready, Princess," replied Twilight with strong confidence.

Celestia turned to face Shining Armor. "Shining Armor, I hope that I will be able to see you and Twilight at the Summer Sun Celebration."

"Wouldn't miss it, Princess. Twilight won't let me," Shining Armor joked.

Celestia gave a light chuckle before responding to Shining's joke, "Whether she makes you go or not, hope you'll have a good time. Oh, and Shining Armor," Celestia inquired.

"Yes, Princess?" asked Shining Armor with a hint of fear and confusion in his voice.

"It's almost 9:00," replied Celestia.

Shining Armor immediately turned his head to view the clock tower a few blocks away from the castle to see that Celestia was right. He had a little under five minutes to get to work.

"AGH!!!! I gotta run, ugh, bye, Twi-Lee... bye, Princess Celestia," mumbled Shining Armor as he bowed to Celestia before galloping out of the outskirts of Canterlot Castle and headed towards the library.

Princess Celestia stood at the front of her castle with her student, trying to hold back a little laugh.

Twilight couldn't help but notice her teacher trying to hold this laughter back. "What's so funny, Princess Celestia?"

Celestia let out a little chuckle out before answering her student. "Oh, your brother, he's just such a goof. No offense, Twilight," said Celestia as she turned her head to look down at her student.

"None taken, he is a goof, but he's my goof," replied Twilight.

Celestia couldn't help but let out even more chuckles upon hearing Twilight's response. After composing herself, a thought came across her mind, and a slightly devilish smile made its way across Celestia's face as she asked, "You think he and Cadance will ever get together?”

Twilight took a few seconds to process the fact that the Princess of Equestria was asking about relationships, but the gossipy side of her came out and replied, "I got ten bits on by the end of the week to the end of the month. Pony Joe says in another year, my mom and dad say by next month, and Ms. Paiges from the library says in another six months."

"You're in a pot with others?" a shocked Celestia asked.

"Y-Yes?.... I couldn't resist," answered an ashamed Twilight.

Celestia lost it, she began to laugh hysterically for a good minute before she composed herself enough to reply to her star student. "Don't be ashamed, it's just funny that a filly is in this with stallions and mares, and now you're gonna be in it with a princess. Put me down for... three months. I think they should be on their first date in three months."

Twilight mentally marked Celestia’s bid down on her gambling list. She still couldn't believe that the Princess was really betting with her.

Pulling away from her thoughts, Celestia turned around to open the front doors of the palace with her magic. The large wooden purple doors creaked open to lead into the main hall of the castle.

"Come on in, Twilight, magic won't learn itself."

The eager filly pranced into the castle ready to tackle another day of learning.

***************

Galloping through the streets like a mad pony, Shining Armor passed up the streets in a flash, nearly crashing into countless ponies on the streets, but kept on his route to the Canterlot library.

'Almost there,' he thought while keeping a close eye on the street in front of him. After passing more ponies on the street, Shining Armor was at the bottom of the stairs to the library, but hadn’t made an attempt to slow down.

"Gonna make it, gonna make it, gonna AGH!" screamed Shining Armor as he tripped on the last stair and rolled face first into the library's doors. The impact still fresh on Shining's face, he felt his head start to slip down the door and onto the floor as the doors were slowly opening.

"Ah, Shining Armor, right on time," said a light elderly voice from the now open doors.

Shining Armor raised his still-aching head to see his boss and librarian, Ms. Paiges. "Morning, Ms. Paiges," groaned Shining Armor as he rubbed a hoof on his head.

"Uh, Shining, there's something moving in your saddlebag," said the librarian pointing to the unicorn's twitching saddlebag. Shining Armor turned to his side to see the flap open up, and a purple figure with barely protruding green spikes emerge from the grey bag with a yawn.

"You were asleep the whole time?" asked a shocked Shining Armor to the baby dragon. Spike just gave a happy giggle as he picked himself up from the floor. Ms. Paiges, a yellow-furred unicorn mare with a greying mane, gave Shining Armor a stern stare through her pointed-edged glasses that could only belong to an elderly librarian that demanded an explanation.

"Ugh, Ms. Paiges, you remember Spike? I told Twilight I'd watch him while she's studying with Princess Celestia," explained a worried Shining Armor.

Ms. Paiges let out a sigh before replying to her employee, "Just make sure that he doesn't accidentally burn any books like last time." With that said she turned around and led the two into the library and towards a counter with piles and piles of books.

"Shining, we got a lot of returned books today, and you need to re-shelve them while I record the returns," explained the old librarian to Shining Armor who was looking up at what would be the cause of a long day's work.

"Sure thing, Ms. Paiges," replied Shining Armor as he levitated the first of many books, and headed towards the shelves it belonged in, with Spike tailing him from behind. Shining kept walking, finally getting to the desired shelf so that he could proceed with his job. He shelved, and finally took notice of the little drake beside him.

"Oh hey, Spike, didn't see you following me. What’re you pointing to?" asked the puzzled unicorn as he saw Spike reaching for the saddlebag with both arms.

"Oh yea, forgot I still had this on," said Shining Armor as he lowered his head to the ground and slipped the saddlebag off of his body to pick out one of the books Twilight packed in. With his mouth he gave the book to Spike, who gave a happy cheer as he started flipping through the colorful pages of the story given to him. Shining Armor gave a quick glimpse of the book he gave Spike and saw it was one of those books where the prince fights monsters and evil ponies to save the one he loves, and eventually gets the mare.

"Wonder what that guy's secret is," Shining Armor sarcastically asked to nopony.

"Spike."

The baby drake looked up from his book to see Shining Armor continuing to shelve books, but he was still talking to him.

"You don't know how lucky you have it. No crushes yet, no possibility of humiliating yourself in front of them, and no thoughts torturing you on how in Equestria you're gonna try to get her to like you back."

"Just be direct wit her, Shiny," said a strong willed voice coming from seemingly nowhere.

Immediately, Shining Armor turned towards Spike thinking that he had just heard the small dragon talk, but was only more confused when all he saw was Spike sitting on the floor chewing on his book. A few seconds later he saw a green aura appear around the books he just shelved, and then saw them pushed to the side to reveal a pair of light green eyes. The striking eyes stared at him from the opposite side of the shelf.

"Oh, hi, Stardust," said a relieved Shining Armor as he recognized his coworker and friend.

The eyes disappeared in a green flash, and the mare suddenly appeared beside Shining Armor.

"Heya, Shiny," said the blue-furred unicorn with a light blue and white mane. "Like I said, you need to be direct wit her, tell her that ya like her, and show this mare a good time," explained the mare in her tough Manehattan accent. "More importantly, stallion up… or at least colt up, and the next time ya see her, buckin' ask her out," dictated the strong mare.

Shining Armor had a bit of trouble processing this display of tough love, but ultimately came to a realization of what he had to do in order to get the mare he crushed on.

"You're right, Stardust. I'm gonna do it, next time I see her, I'm gonna do it!" declared Shining Armor.

"That's colting up!" replied Stardust, giving her friend a light punch on his foreleg.

"Thanks, Stardust. Sheesh! First Twilight now you, does everypony have to talk me into having courage or something?"

"Hey, Twi's ya sis and I'm ya friend, and when you’re my friend long enough, I show you my tough love."

"Well, thanks."

"Ya welcome, now c'mon, let’s finish shelving before Paiges gets on our flanks."

"Good idea," replied Shining Armor as he scurried to get more returned books.

***************

"I don't understand what I did wrong!" proclaimed Blueblood while carrying his freshly fitted suit on his back.

"You yelled at the assistant for thirty minutes and made her cry because she... ahem... 'tried to touch me while she took my measurements'," mocked Cadance in her best Blueblood imitation.

"Well, she did," whined Blueblood.

"Look, right now I don't care, okay, we're going to return this book at the library that Aunt Celestia told me to return, and you’re not going to talk to anypony, or else Aunt Celestia hears about that poor mare you made cry," threatened the obviously annoyed alicorn.

"Okay, okay," complied Blueblood with a newfound fear of his cousin. "Just one question, how much further to the library?"

"It's just around the block, and when we get there, Magic Shield and Purple Heart are staying outside, got it?" asserted Cadance as she stared daggers into Blueblood's eyes.

"Fine, Magic Shield, Purple Heart—"

"We heard, Prince Blueblood," replied the royal guards in unison, again.

The ponies turned the corner of the street they were walking on, and Canterlot Library came into view. The group made their way to the base of the staircase leading into the library, but stopped for a quick talk given by Cadance.

"Thank you Magic Shield and Purple Heart for escorting us and keeping us safe," she said in her usual soft and milky tone.

"It is our duty and pleasure, Princess," replied the duo.

Cadance turned to Blueblood and took on a more aggressive expression and tone.

"You are going to keep quiet, look nice, and not whine about anything. GOT IT, BLUEBLOOD?!?"

"Yes," squeaked the frightened prince.

'Good,' Cadance thought to herself as she spun around, adjusted her pony tail with one of her hooves, and brought back her usual sunny self as she and Blueblood walked up the stairs and into the library.

"Hello, Ms. Paiges," belled Cadance as she came into the library.

The old librarian turned to see who was greeting her, and almost had a heart attack upon seeing who it was. "Y-Y-Your majesty," bowed the stuttering mare.

Cadance blushed a tint of red before calmly addressing the quivering mare, "Please, stand up, I don't need to be called that or bowed to, just call me Cadance."

The old mare could've died right where she stood, but instead decided to let death wait and tried to speak.

"If-If you'd like, Cadance."

A few shelves away, a certain library assistant heard the name Cadance just a few meters away from him, and his heart started to race. Shining Armor quickly peered from the side of the shelf he was working with and saw the mare of his dreams just before jerking his head back behind the shelves.

"She's here, isn’t she?" asked Stardust standing beside a now sweating Shining Armor.

"Yes," he simply answered.

Stardust walked in front of him, and with both hooves, hoisted the crouching colt from his shaking position against a shelf, propped him on all fours, and stared into him with those piercing green eyes.

"Remember what I told you, stallion up, and remember what you said you'd do. Now, go to her and ask her out," whispered the blue mare.

Shining Armor shook his head, took in a deep breath, and turned away from Stardust to walk towards the front desk where Cadance stood.

"Hi, Cadance!" he exclaimed unusually clear and free of any stuttering. Cadance turned around to see Shining Armor calmly walking towards her. Happy to see him, she ran up to him and wrapped her hooves around him in a tight hug.

Shining Armor couldn't believe this, Cadance was hugging him, but he was determined to ‘Stallion Up’. Shining quickly returned the hug in as calm of a demeanor as he could, and asked Cadance, "What's with the affection?"

Cadance broke the hug to answer, "Oh my gosh, it has been a weird day, and I’m just really happy to see a friend."

"Glad I could be that friend. So, what brings you to the library?" inquired Shining Armor, still not stuttering.

A realization hit Cadance as she remembered why she could come to see her friend, the book. "Oh yeah, my aunt wanted me to return a book for her. Let me go get it and I can see you work," she joked.

"Okay, grab it and I'll write it up," replied Shining Armor heading towards the front desk.

"Wait, I gave it to Blueblood before we came in, let me go get it from him," explained Cadance.

'Blueblood', 'we', these words repeated in Shining's mind for a few seconds before he turned his head in the direction of the front door to see Cadance approaching Blueblood.

'Who is this guy?' Shining Armor asked himself. 'There is no way she is just friends with that guy.'

Many more thoughts ran through Shining Armor's head about Blueblood and Cadance, completely unaware of their family relation.

"Here it is," chimed Cadance when she set the book on the counter pulling Shining Armor away from his thoughts.

"Right, let me just record this as a return, and you're all set," said Shining, the nervousness in his voice finally returning. After charting the return in one of the library's record scrolls, Shining couldn't hold in his question anymore. He desperately wanted to ask about Blueblood, but never got to ask once Cadance asked hers.

"So, are you and Twilight going to the Summer Sun Celebration?"

"Ugh, yea, is that why you had a weird day? Trying to help Princess Celestia get things ready?"

"Sort of, I had to help Blueblood get his suit for the celebration. Which reminds me, I need to actually ask my aunt if there is something I'm supposed to do to help set up the celebration," replied Cadance while trotting to the back of the counter to stand with Shining Armor. "Before I go, I just want to say that it was nice seeing you today, I needed to get away from the guards escorting us."

"Why were guards following you, don't you usually go through town without any?" inquired a confused Shining Armor.

"I do, but Blueblood insisted on protection in case anything happened," Cadance explained.

'Royal escort, going through town together, with a colt looking like him! She is with him! I'm too late!' Shining Armor panicked internally as his chest started to tighten. He felt like throwing up, but his emotions were content in torturing him for a bit longer.

"Nice seeing you, Shining, see you again tonight, I'll take good care of Twilight," said Cadance as she began to walk towards the front of the library.

"Come on, Blueblood," she called, finally heading out with the unicorn in tow. The two made their way down the stairs to meet up with Magic Shield and Purple Heart, who awaited to escort them back the castle.

Shining Armor stood at the counter of the library, horrified by his assumption of Cadance and Blueblood.

"My, that was a handsome colt Cadance was with," said Ms. Paiges, coming towards the counter where Shining was to get the return record.

Shining Armor sighed in sorrow and replied, "I guess."

A forehoof suddenly wrapped around Shining's shoulder and pulled him closer to its holder. It was Stardust with a smile on her face, and she was expecting good news.

"So, did ya get a date yet? Or am I gonna have to slap some colthood into ya?"
Shining pulled away from her embrace to sigh again, hinting to her that there was no date.

"No, I didn't get a date; I think she already has one."

Plans

Shining Armor was sitting on the floor, short of breath and crushed from what he had seen. Cadance was with another colt. Somepony by the name of Blueblood. She had a date, or so he thought ever since seeing the two together, completely oblivious to the family relation between the two. Stardust stood by her friend, trying to find some comforting words.

"Shining, I'm sorry, I know ya really liked her."

Shining stood up, still looking very defeated, and headed towards the return counter to levitate more books off the counter.

Shining sighed as he walked back towards Stardust and flatly said, "Let's just finish re-shelving."

Stardust didn't know what else to do but grab some books herself with her green aura of magic, and tail behind Shining Armor as they made their way to another area of the library to continue their work.

For the first half hour that the two started shelving, they worked in silence; they were both only lost in thoughts. Shining, lost in his thoughts about what he could've done differently and how he's gonna have to pretend to be happy for Cadance and Blueblood.

Stardust was lost in her thoughts about how she was going to pull her friend out of his own despair. She had known how Shining felt for Cadance for quite a while. She saw how his eyes lit up at the mention of Cadance's name, how he freaked whenever she was near him, and how he told her his plans for trying to ask her out he ultimately abandoned once he said them out loud and realized how stupid they sounded.

Stardust couldn't take it, she hated seeing her friend like this. She took a deep breath before she broke the lingering silence between them.

"Shining?" she asked.

Shining looked away from the books and faced his friend. "Yes?"

Stardust took another breath, and in an almost motherly tone, began. "I know ya liked her a lot, and I know that seeing her with somepony else must be killing ya inside. I honestly don't know what I can say to cheer you up, but I just want ya to know something. You're cute, funny, nice, and an insanely great pony to be around. Remember that."

Shining Armor stood there listening to Stardust. He couldn't believe the things she thought of him. He couldn't believe that somepony so externally tough could be such a softie.

'This is so unlike her,' he thought to himself.

Stardust could see Shining Armor's eyes light up again, as if the shattered part of his soul was magically re-assembled. However, a hard-shelled mare like her doesn't show her soft side for too long. Her eyes lost that motherly glimmer and took on that of somepony slightly irritated.

"But..." she started. "Ya need to lose the defeated attitude. I don't wanna be workin' with some sad sack for the next three hours, so swallow ya sadness now or I'll hoofslap it out of ya," she scolded.

'Aaaaaaand she's back,' thought Shining Armor as he started to smile in amusement.

"Okay, Stardust. Sadness gone, and thanks for the pep talk," replied Shining Armor as he walked over to his friend to give her a hug.

Stardust took the hug happily, smiling because she knew that she had pulled Shining Armor from his state of depression.

"But that doesn't change the fact that Cadance is with somepony else. I'll be happy for her, but I still want her," explained Shining Armor with genuine desire in his eyes.

Stardust knew that Shining Armor would still want to be with Cadance, so she started thinking of a plan. After a few seconds, an idea came to her.

"Okay, here's what ya gotta do, Shiny. Ya just gotta be up front wit her, tell her that you’re happy for her, but come out and say you're available. In other words, just tell her ya like her."

"Just tell her?" Shining asked after hearing Stardust's plan.

"Yeah, she's already taken, so the worst she can do is nothing," answered Stardust.

"I guess, at least then I can confess to her," said Shining Armor as he played the scenario in his head.

"So what did this colt look like anyways?" asked Stardust with an intense amount of curiosity.

Shining Armor took a moment to remember the colt that he believed swiped the mare of his dreams away from him. "Ugh, let me think... white fur, a little taller than Cadance, about my height, a long amber mane with waves, I think he had blue eyes, rather sky blue now that I think about it, aaaaand that's about it."

Once Shining Armor was finished describing Blueblood to Stardust, he couldn't help but realize she was lost in her own imagination. "Stardust?" Shining asked, trying to pull his friend out of her mind and back to Equestria.

"Huh? Oh sorry, based on what you said... well, ya got some competition, Shiny," replied Stardust as she came out of whatever fantasy she might have had.

"Not helping, Star."

"Sorry, Shiny, just wanted to get an idea about what you’re up against. What was the colt's name anyway?" Stardust inquired.

"Blueblood," answered Shining Armor.

"Blueblood?" Stardust asked as if something clicked in her brain.

"Yeah, why?" inquired Shining Armor, who was curious about the sudden change in Stardust's tone.

"I don't know, I feel like I know that name. Maybe if I saw the colt's face... meh, it'll hit me when it hits me."

BUUUUUUUURP!!!

The loud sound was accompanied by a stream of green flames a couple of shelves away instantly caught the attention of the two unicorns.

"SPIKE!" the two yelled out as they galloped towards the source of the burning embers. They reached the area where the baby dragon was and saw him pounding what looked like a flaming piece of Shining Armor's saddlebag on the floor in an attempt to extinguish the flames.

"OH CRAP!" shouted Shining Armor as he ran towards the baby drake and levitated the burning piece of the saddlebag. The light purple aura around the bag started to compress, slowly condensing the green flames on the bag into a tighter and tighter area until they extinguished from the lack of oxygen. Shining Armor dropped the charred piece of his saddlebag with a look of relief and fear on his face.

"What the hay happened?" shouted Stardust as she came up to Shining Armor and the charred piece of the saddlebag.

Shining Armor didn't answer right away, instead he walked up to what was left of the saddlebag and saw that several turquoise pieces were scattered around and half-eaten.

Shining Armor turned around to see Spike clapping his claws and laughing, then finally lying down, almost instantaneously falling asleep.

"Spike had lunch," answered Shining Armor with an unamused sigh.

"DID THAT DRAGON BURN ANY OF MY BOOKS?!?" boomed the surprisingly loud voice of the old librarian.

Spike awoke with a jerk while Shining Armor and Stardust swung around to see Ms. Paiges standing at the end of the row of books, looking as if her face was about to explode with anger.

"N-N-N-No Ms. Paiges, he only b-b-burned my saddlebag, nothing else. I swear to Celestia," whimpered Shining Armor as all of his legs started trembling.

Ms. Paiges took a look at the row of books and saw no burn marks anywhere except for the ground where a pile of ash from the piece of the saddlebag was. Her once red face slowly turned back to its normal yellow, and her eyes drifted to look directly at Shining Armor and Stardust.

"Clean these ashes, keep Spike from burning anything, and get back to work," instructed the elderly unicorn with a calm yet menacing tone.

"YES MA'AM!" replied the two library assistants.

Ms. Paiges trotted off back to her front counter to tend to more return records, leaving Shining Armor and Stardust in their fear.

"Bravery, another thing to work on Shiny, I saw ya wobblin' like a filly," joked Stardust.

"Ha ha," Shining Armor sarcastically laughed, slowly recovering from seeing what could have been the end of his employment. He stole a glance at the little dragon to see him trying to climb into the pocket of the saddlebag, presumably to take nap. "What am I gonna do with you?" muttered Shining Armor towards Spike.

"C'Mon, Shiny, let's get back to shelving. I may not want to be a library assistant forever, but I do need this job," said Stardust as she headed towards the area they were working at before.

"Coming, Star," replied Shining Armor as he levitated the saddlebag with Spike in it, careful not to wake him, as if he could.

***************

Streets away, Cadance, Blueblood, Magic Shield, and Purple Heart finally made their way to Canterlot Castle. The four ponies were already at the front gates, ready to enter, and Cadance was ready to put aside the horrible first half of her day, and get ready for her evening of foal sitting.

"Cadance, Blueblood, glad to see you're home and safe!" exclaimed Princess Celestia as the royal duo came into the front entrance where the sun goddess waited.

"Hi, Aunt Celestia," replied the royal duo simultaneously.

"Thank you Magic Shield and Purple Heart for keeping my niece and nephew safe, you can turn in for the night if you'd like."

"Thank you, your majesty," replied the two guards while bowing in respect. After the two guards left the castle to return to the barracks outside the back of the castle, Celestia turned to Blueblood, taking on a more angered look.

"Did you really need to bother those two, Blueblood?" she asked with a very irritated tone.

"What? I wanted to make sure nopony would try to attack us. Who knows what those heathens would do if they managed to get their dirty hooves on me or Cadance?" replied the stuck up prince in a rather truthful tone.

Celestia rolled her eyes. On one hoof he bothered two guards for his own pompous reasons, but at the same time, in his own way, tried to look out for Cadance. She didn't want to deal with this right now. "Nevermind, Blueblood, just go put your suit up and meet me for dinner."

"Yes, Aunt Celestia," replied Blueblood as he walked up the staircase towards his room.

After Blueblood disappeared into his room, the regal white alicorn turned to her pink-coated niece and bluntly asked, "How was he?"

Cadence sighed with her answer, "As expected, but he did keep quiet while we were at the library, after a few threats."

"Oh, good. How was your visit with Shining Armor?"

"It was sooooo nice to see him after being with Blueblood all day. Weirdest thing though, he didn't stutter or start sweating when I hugged and talked to him. He was actually composed for like the first time that I've known him."

A small yet devious smile made its way on the sun raiser's face. "Do you miss his nervousness already? Worried that maybe he moved on?" Celestia teased in a playful tone.

"WHAT!? No, it's just that it was really unlike him. I mean he's cute and all but... we talked about this last night, Aunt Celestia!" Cadance quickly explained.

Celestia bursted out into small fits of laughter from her niece’s struggled answer. Pranks may not have been her strong suit, but with Cadance, it was like bobbing for apples in a cup.

"I'm joking, Cadance," she managed to say through the laughter.

Frustration was radiating from the pink alicorn as she tried to change the subject. "Where's

Twilight? I need to get her home."

"HERE I AM!" boomed a cheery tone almost immediately after Cadance asked her question.

The little lavender filly appeared from the top of the stairs and made her way downstairs towards her foal sitter.

"Ready when you are, Cadance," said Twilight looking eager to spend some time with her favorite foal sitter at her house.

"Okay, Twilight, let's get going."

"Are you sure you two don't want to stay for dinner?" inquired Celestia.

"It's fine, Aunt Celestia, I'll make something for Twilight at her house," answered Cadance.

"And I want to play with Cadance," added Twilight with eagerness in her voice.

"Okay you two, be careful and have fun," said Celestia in an almost defeated tone.

"We will," answered Cadance and Twilight, already out of the castle running towards Twilight's house. They were already gone, leaving Princess Celestia alone with Blueblood for the next few hours.

"He's your nephew, he's your nephew, he's your nephew, he's your nephew," she continued to tell herself as she made her way to the dining room, ready to endure what would be an unenjoyable dinner.

***************

Under the now orange painted sky, Cadance and Twilight made their way through the streets, engaging in a rather one sided and uncomfortable conversation.

"Did you want to hold onto him forever?" asked the little filly.

"UGH!" sighed the annoyed alicorn. "I was just glad to see him, nothing else."

"Oh C'Mon, Cadance, I see you laugh whenever you two are together, you've gotta feel something for him."

Cadance pondered what Twilight had said. Shining Armor did make her laugh, he is insanely nice, and he was kind of cute to her. She couldn't deny that the thought of them together hasn't crossed her mind. Was she feeling something for Shining Armor? She still didn't know.

Then again, she never had somepony else to crush on before in her life, always being protected by her aunt from an early age. Cadance never really got to interact with other ponies too much before she met Twilight and Shining Armor.

"Cadance?" asked a concerned Twilight.

"Wuh? Oh, sorry, Twilight, I drifted off there for a minute," explained Cadance as her mind returned to Equestria.

"Well, we're already here," said Twilight, raising a hoof to point to her house.

Was she really that lost in thought? It didn't matter; she'd be lost again in her own confusing emotions very soon.

"Well, go unpack for the night and I'll make us some sandwiches," said Cadance as she and

Twilight walked into the house.

"Sure thing," the little lavender filly replied.

With Twilight upstairs unpacking, Cadance made her way into the kitchen to prepare dinner, only half-focusing on the sandwich.

'Wow, what am I feeling? Yea, maybe I felt something when I hugged him, yeah he's cute, and yeah he's nice... but... oh Shining,’ she thought to herself.

"Cadance?" asked Twilight, coming into the kitchen. "Is something bothering you?"

Cadance turned to face the little filly and was taken back by such a motherly question coming from somepony so young.

"Nothing," was her only reply.

"Cadance, you've foal sat me long enough for me to know when something is bothering you. It hasn't happened a lot, and that just adds onto my hunch. Now what's really wrong?"

Cadance was caught, and she was going to spill her life story and feelings to a little filly.

Cadance let out a sigh, and began.

"I don't know how I feel about your brother. He is just this overall great guy, but I just don't know what it's like to like somepony. All my life I've been, well, sheltered because I'm a princess. I was always in the castle, never got to go out, and never interacted with other ponies. I never even got to feel a first crush. You and Shining were some of the first few ponies I knew. It was after meeting you guys and getting the job of foal sitting you that I got more freedom. I'm able to go around town, and my aunt trusts me enough to the point where I don't need guards, and that's great, but I missed out on a lot. Being around Shining is confusing, I don't know if it is a crush or just deep appreciation. I wouldn't know. I'm just really confused, Twilight."

Silence filled the room, and Cadance, usually full of joy and always upbeat, was sitting down, confused and lost in her own mixed emotions.

Twilight came up to her, with the only comforting advice she could think of. "Cadance, I wouldn't know a lot about crushes either, but I have read A LOT of romance stories. Yes, you’re confused, but that shouldn't stop you from trying. Shining likes you, and if you haven't noticed that yet, then you're blind,"

"Oh no, I've noticed, he hasn't really done a good job of hiding it," interrupted Cadance laughing at the last part she said.

"Yeeeah, he tried to play cool but... anyways, he likes you, you know that he does, and you're not sure about your own feelings. If there is anything those books have showed me, it's that honesty is the best thing. Tell him how you feel, I'm not saying it will go somewhere from there, but I really don't think you want to keep these things in."

‘Wow, I'm getting colt trouble solutions from somepony who has never had a crush,’ Cadance laughed to herself, realizing the slight sadness of her situation. It may have been sad, but she knew Twilight was right.

"Thanks, Twilight, you're right," Cadance said as she pulled Twilight in for a hug. "And I think I got an idea of how I can tell him, and I need your help."

"Anything you need," replied Twilight, willing to finally see her brother and her foal sitter together, and hopefully soon. There was a pot she was in.

***************

"Hey, Shiny, we almost done for the day?"

"Almost, Stardust. Just need these last few books and we are done." answered Shining Armor as he shelved more of the slowly depleting stack of returned books.

It was like that for the past few hours, seemingly nonstop shelving, checking the return records, and the constant worry of a burping dragon. Both Shining Armor and Stardust were ready for the day to end.

"Aaaaaaaand done!" exclaimed Shining Armor as he sat down and raised both fore-hooves up in victory after shelving the last book.

"On Thank Celesita!" Stardust almost yelled. "C'Mon let's go ask Paiges if that was all for today."

At the front counter, the only thing visible was a yellow coated mare running around frantically in her little work area.

"Ugh, Ms. Paiges?" asked Stardust.

"Yes, Stardust?" the tired looking librarian asked from under her counter.

"We finished shelving the returned books, is there somethin’ we need to help you with?"

"Why do you ask?" asked Ms. Paiges coming up from the desk with random pieces of paper stuck to her face and mane.

"Well, there's a bunch of paper on you, and you look as if you're about to collapse," responded Stardust with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Oh, never mind that, this is how I always look whenever I'm gonna close the library for a holiday, want to make sure everything is organized and that I reduce any potential mess awaiting me when I get back."

"Wait, holiday?" inquired a confused Stardust.

"Oh yes, I'm closing the library tomorrow. I'm helping the princess prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration, and no offense, but I only trust myself running the library," explained Ms. Paiges as she started to file some records. "So I'm going to file for a few more minutes, but you two can go, it's almost closing time anyways."

"Thank you Ms. Paiges, stay safe," said Stardust as she began to turn to look for Shining Armor.

"Yo ,Shiny, we can go, where are ya?"

"Coming Star, just needed to grab Spike," said Shining Armor, levitating the half-burned saddlebag from earlier with Spike in the intact pouch.

"Night, Ms. Paiges," said the two unicorns as they exited the library.

"Good night you two," replied Ms. Paiges from behind the front counter.

"Hey, Shiny, any idea on when ya gonna tell Cadance how ya feel?" asked Stardust as she walked with Shining Armor down the streets of Canterlot.

"I don't know, sometime when we're alone or at least away from others."

"Ya gonna tell Twi about ya plan?"

"Nah, I'd like to handle this thing on my own. Plus I'm pretty sure it would be kinda pathetic if my little sister had to guide me through telling Cadance how I feel."

"Good point," laughed Stardust. "So hey, whaddya wanna do on ya day off?"

"I'm gonna be watching Twilight for the day, that I know for sure, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to be cooped up in the house all day when the Summer Sun Celebration is the next day. Odds are we're gonna be helping the princess setting up, upon Twilight's demand."

"I'll join ya, I don't have anythin’ planned, and I don't wanna be stuck in the house eitha. Hey, we're here."

Stardust and Shining Armor arrived at Shining Armor's house, and what caught their eyes was a bright white note in the door.

Shining Armor walked up the stairs to look at the note.

Shining, left as soon as I saw you coming down the street, needed to get to the castle to start on preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. Twilight's already asleep, and since she doesn't have lessons tomorrow, I was wondering if you two would like to help me set up for the celebration. If you want to, meet me in the front of the castle at about 10:00. Hope to see you there.

-Cadance

"What's it say?" asked Stardust coming up the stairs.

"Meet me and Twi at the castle tomorrow at 10. I think I just found out when and where I can tell Cadance how I feel," explained Shining Armor with a smile on his face.

"Okay, Shiny, fill me in tomorrow," replied Stardust as she walked down the stairs and started towards her own house.

Shining Armor walked into the house quietly as to not wake up his sleeping sister, all the while still holding the saddle bag that Spike was napping in with his levitation spell. He couldn't believe it, Cadance practically gave him an invite, and he was finally going to spill his feelings for her. He knew there was the possible chance of him being rejected, but at least he could confess.

Right now, though, he just wanted to fall asleep, and focus on the good that had just happened, and the good he hoped would come out of tomorrow.

Shining walked up the stairs to his room across from Twilight's, and plopped onto his bed, not even bothering with the covers. He carefully set the sleeping dragon by his side and whispered,

"Night little guy, tomorrow's gonna be a good day, I can feel it."

***************

In the night sky, Cadance was flying through Canterlot, making her way towards the castle, smiling all the way, and thinking about the positive possibilities that could arise from her and Twilight's plan.

She thought of it all, she invites Shining to come over and help with the celebration, gets him alone with the help of Twilight constantly urging him to go help her, and just pour out how she feels. Negative results have popped in her head, but for tonight, she just wanted to focus on the positive.

She arrived at the front of the castle and nearly bursted through the doors with unusual strength.

"Cadance, glad you're home. How was the night with Twili-"

"Sorry, Aunt Celestia, can't talk right now, I want to get to bed for tomorrow. Oh, and I'm helping set up for the celebration tomorrow. I invited Shining Armor to come help," Cadance explained not even bothering to stop her sprint to her room.

Celestia stood there at the bottom of the staircase, confused at this sudden news, but not really wanting to bother with it at the current time of night. ‘Teenagers,’ she thought to herself as she started towards her own bedroom.

Cadance laid down on her bed, plush pink covers drawn over her, surrounding her like clouds in the sky. She was happy again, and happily anticipating the next day.

"Tomorrow's gonna be a good day, I can feel it."

Revelations and Beginnings

"He has a marefriend!?!"

Cadance stole another glance towards Shining Armor and the mystery mare with the dual-colored mane. She saw that the mare was stretching her forehooves out as if to ask for another hug, and then saw Shining Armor give it to her.

‘But... I thought he liked me? Why would he... I thought... I was gonna... Shining Armor?’ Cadance wasn't even thinking in complete sentences. She wasn't sure how she felt for Shining Armor, but seeing him with this other mare left her wide-eyed, her jaw agape, and her heart feeling compressed and sunken.

She couldn't face him now, not when she felt like a meteor struck her right in the heart. She needed to get away from him, just long enough to compose herself and prepare to be brave when it came to meeting this new mare.

Without giving it a second thought, Cadance sprinted away from her hiding position towards the castle, making sure she wasn't seen by the three ponies and baby dragon.

Cadance ran as fast as she could, away from that statue she had made her hiding spot as new feelings began to stir inside her. Jealousy? Heartbreak over somepony she wasn't sure she even had a crush on?

‘What's wrong with me? Why am I running?’

Before she could answer herself, Cadance skidded to a halt before nearly crashing into her cousin and aunt, who were both standing by the stairs that lead into the castle.

Celestia turned to face her niece. "Cadance! Is something wrong?" she asked as she took notice of her niece's pants for air.

Cadance, still trying to catch her breath, hurriedly tried to ease her aunt's worries as to not bother her with her inner turmoil. "No... everything's fine... just needed..." She paused as she tried to think of an excuse.

"BLUEBLOOD!" Cadance exclaimed, surprising herself and Blueblood alike with her hasty excuse.

“Why do you need m- HEY!" Blueblood was cut off as Cadance tugged at one of her cousin’s grey hooves and half-dragged him towards the direction she was running off to.

"Be back soon,” yelled Cadance back towards her aunt, whose eyes now doubled in size and her jaw now wide open after seeing her niece's abnormal burst of strength.

Around one of the corners of the castle, Blueblood was whining very audibly while rubbing the hoof his cousin dragged him by just moments ago. "What’d you go and do that fooooor?"

"Blueblood, stop complaining for a second and listen," demanded the pink alicorn as she tried to put on a more serious look to speak, but still carried the shocked and broken look in her eyes.

Blueblood took notice of his cousin's eyes and decided to stop with the indignation only he could perfect to try to console her worries, “Cadance, what happened?"

Cadance let out a heavy sigh before launching into an explanation about Shining Armor, and the passionate hug between him and the other mare she saw with him.

"Soooooo, you’re telling me that this library assistant of your’s already has a marefriend?" Blueblood finally asked after Cadance finished her story.

"What kind of colt hugs a mare like her the way he did without them being more than friends?!?" Cadance retorted with a steady rise in her voice.

"Cadance, calm down," Blueblood nervously instructed with an up and down gesture with one of his hooves, doing his best not to further upset his already panicky cousin.

Cadance reluctantly took Blueblood's advice and allowed herself settle down before continuing on. "Maybe she is, I’m not completely sure... but that's not the only thing bothering me."

"What do you mean?" Blueblood asked with an arched eyebrow.

A small sigh escaped Cadance’s mouth before confessing her inner turmoil, revealing how she has never had a crush on somepony, how throughout her life she went on not knowing how one would feel towards somepony she might be attracted too, how she just doesn't know what she was supposed to feel.

"Then why panic over this colt if you don't even know how you feel?" asked Blueblood after listening intently to Cadance's explanation.

"Because I felt something after I saw him with that other mare! I don't know exactly what, but.... I felt like my breath got sucked out of me, like my heart imploded on itself," Cadance replied as she waved her forelimbs over her heart and demonstrated some sort of implosion gesture.

Blueblood scrunched his eyes in thought, then, as the reality of Cadance’s situation hit him, he opened them wide, his eyebrows raised, and a smile crept on his face in a sort of 'I know something you don't know' kind of way.

"Sounds to meeee, that you actually like hiiiiim," Blueblood teased in a filly-like voice.

Even though Blueblood was teasing her, his words caused Cadance to come to a revelation. Those emotions she felt after seeing Shining Armor with that other mare, jealousy, and fear that he was already taken, emotions that she never felt for anypony else before. After years of not knowing what it felt like to like a colt, she finally knew what it felt like.

Memories of Shining Armor began to race their way through Cadance's mind like a Wonderbolt through the sky, his goofiness, his kindness, his admiration for her. How could she not have felt this way before? Why did it take a hug from another mare to show her her true feelings? Why was she only getting the bad end of experiencing a crush?

"You're right," Cadance said flatly at first with wide eyes.

"Huh?" Blueblood asked, completely perplexed by her sudden change in tone.

"I like him, I just didn't know, I like him... I LIKE SHINING ARMOR!" Cadance exclaimed while embracing the white unicorn in a very constrictive hug.

"I'm... happy for you... but I can't... breathe... my fur, you’re getting it... dirty," Bluebloood wheezed as his typically white face began to redden and then eventually cyan.

"Oh, sorry Blue." Cadance released her cousin and watched him as he gasped for life-saving oxygen that she deprived him of. "I like him," Cadance whispered again like she was the happiest mare in the world, but events not too long ago re-entered her mind and her wide smile began to shrink and her eyes began to contract as unpleasant memories reigned throughout the inner-workings of her mind.

"Oh no, I like him.... and he's with another mare," Cadance said as if she was admitting defeat.

Blueblood, after regaining normal oxygen flow, normal respiration rates, and dusting himself off, came up to the defeated alicorn. "Look, we don't know for sure, the least you could do is just see him and this mare and sort things out."

There was a pause before Blueblood continued. "Remember that determination you had this morning?"

Cadance nodded slowly in remembrance of her original plan to confess her feelings for Shining Armor.

"Well, bring that Cadance out. Get her out, and get her to tell Shining Armor that she likes him," instructed Blueblood in a strong and confident tone.

Cadance couldn't help but smile at her cousin's act of support. He was a pain, there was no denying that. He was a pain to her and everypony else, but when it came to her and their aunt, he'd do anything to see them happy.

"So, can you do that?" Blueblood asked.

"Don't need too," Cadance answered. "She's already here."

Blueblood couldn't help but smile as he saw Cadance fill up again with her previous enthusiasm and happiness. Secretly he wished she would crush on someone of a more... sophisticated type, but as long as she was happy.

"But you’re coming with me," Cadance ordered, switching her tone to match her demand.

"Fiiiiiine," moaned Blueblood as he tried to follow the pink princess who was already making her way to the front of the castle entrance at a rather fast pace.

***************

"It's been fifteen minutes! Where the hay are they?" Stardust was starting to get impatient, or so was indicated by her constant pacing around and stomping of her hooves on the ground.

Twilight and Stardust decided to stay by the entrance to the castle grounds and let Shining Armor go off looking for Cadance, but patience was wearing thin for Stardust as she eagerly awaited the arrival of her friend and hopefully his new marefriend.

"Ya think he went into one of his stuttering rambles when he tried to talk to her?" asked Twilight with an almost certain tone.

As hilarious as Stardust found the idea of Shining Armor spitting out his words in undecipherable sentences, again, she hoped he didn't. "I hope not, I REALLY hope not, Twi."

Stardust went back into her thoughts. This time trying to picture Shining Armor succeeding in confessing his feelings for the mare of his dreams, and that's when it hit her. She has known for a while how Shining Armor feels, and he has heard him talk about her like she was a goddess, and yet, has never met the mare he dreams of herself.

"Hey, Twi."

"Hmm?" asked Twilight.

"I've heard every sappy thing possible to describe a mare from Shiny, but I've never met her. What's she like?"

Nostalgia took over the little filly as she remembered everything wonderful about the best foal sitter in Equestria.

"She is kind, loving, and is able to make anypony smile. She's always smiling whenever she is around me or Shining Armor... she's basically the mare that Shining Armor deserves." A smile made its way across Twilight's face at her last sentence; Stardust mimicked Twilight’s facial expression.

"That good huh?" Stardust inquired.

"Yup, not to mention the best foal sitter ever,"

"It's easy when you’re sitting for the best foal ever,” echoed a voice behind Twilight.

Twilight quickly turned around to see her foal sitter standing behind her. “Cadance!" the little filly cheered as she ran up to nuzzle one of the alicorn's legs.

"Did you hear all of that?" Twilight questioned after backing away from Cadance's leg.

"Just enough to hear you say that I'm the best foal sitter EVER," declared Cadance with a sly smile on her face. Her eyes then drifted from Twilight to the blue unicorn who began to bow in respect to her.

"Your highness," Stardust addressed from the ground.

"Oh no, you can stand up. I'm just a normal pony, so you can just call me Cadance," explained a slightly embarrassed Cadance.

Taken aback by a princess's plea for informality, it didn't stop Stardust from settling back to her normal demeanor. "If ya like, I'm Stardust by the way," Stardust introduced herself as she stretched out a forehoof.

Cadance shook Stardust's hoof, but behind her semi-genuine smile, she had one thought in mind, finding out Stardust's relation to Shining Armor. Cadance stole a look at Twilight, and she got an idea.

"So, how do you know Twilight, Stardust?" Cadance inquired.

"I'm basically Shining Armor's best friend. We've worked at the library together since he got hired, and of course I've gotten to meet his amazing little sister along the way." Stardust gave a playful nudge at Twilight at the last sentence.

Upon hearing Stardust's answer, Cadance's body remained calm and collected, but her mind was going crazy with victory cries. ‘They're just friends... THEY'RE JUST FRIENDS!’ It was as if all the joy and happiness felt in Equestria managed to collect in her body. Hope was restored for Cadance, and she wasn't going to let her crush slip away. Then something registered in her mind, where was Shining Armor anyways?

"Hey, where is Shining Armor anyway?" Cadance asked the two ponies in front of her.

"Ya haven't seen him at all today?" Stardust asked back.

"No, I thought he was with Twilight."

Annoyed grunts escaped all three of them as they came to the realization that none of them knew where Shining Armor was.

"C'Mon let's go find him," moaned Twilight as she made her way in front of the two mares and began leading them anywhere else, hoping to find her brother.

Turning to follow Twilight, something in the corner of Stardust's eyes caught her attention. It was a white colt slowly trotting towards them, his amber mane bouncing up and down with each step.

"Who's he?" Stardust asked, pointing a hoof at the white pony approaching them.

Cadance turned to see it was Blueblood, "Oh yea, I accidentally ditched him."

"Cadance!" stammered Blueblood. "You ask me to come along with you... and you run off!"

"Sorry Blueblood, I guess I got a little caught up in the moment," stammered Cadance as she scratched the back of her head with a hoof.

"Blueblood," that name rang in Stardust's mind for a few seconds until something revealed itself in her mind. She remembered yesterday, in the library, Shining Armor telling her about the colt that came in with Cadance. White coat, amber mane, 'Blueblood', it was him. Strangely enough there was something familiar about him, the way he stood, his demeanor, something prince-like....

"Stardust."

"Wha?" Stardust snapped out of her thoughts to look at the alicorn who asked for her.

"This is my cousin, Blueblood."

Stardust, upon hearing the word 'cousin', quickly turned to see the white furred colt. Her bright green eyes widened and her mind came to a sudden realization of who the colt was. ‘Ohhhhhhh. Myyyyyyy. Celestia!’

Stardust remembered now, Cadance's cousin, Princess Celestia's nephew, Prince Blueblood. As much as she wanted to start convulsing into a fit of laughter after finding this bit of information out, something else came to her mind. ‘Oh crap, Shining Armor doesn't know.’

"HEY! Are you guys coming or not?" hollered an annoyed purple filly a good distance ahead of the two unicorns and alicorn princess.

Reality came back to the three ponies as they remembered who they were searching for.

‘Shiny's gonna die when he hears this,’ Stardust snickered to herself as she picked up the pace to catch up to Twilight.

"I’m a prince. I shouldn't be hollered at by some little-"

"She's Aunt Celestia's student, she's nearly royalty herself, so shut it please," Cadance interrupted with a nudge to Blueblood’s ribs as she walked with him towards an annoyed Twilight.

"Fiiiine," grumbled the prince.

Cadance turned to face Blueblood, this time with a more genuine appreciative look on her face, "Thank you for coming along Blueblood, and for cheering me up back there."

Blueblood smiled at Cadance's thanks, he may not have wanted to be around other non-regal ponies, definitely not yelled at by a filly, but to see his cousin happy, it made today bearable for him. "Your welcome, now let's go get you a coltfriend."

***************

It was supposed to be a simple plan, get to the celebration, see Cadance, get alone with Cadance, then finally, confess feelings for Cadance, but no, things couldn't be that simple.

Shining Armor spent a good part of the past half-hour walking around the castle grounds looking for the mare of his dreams, but ended up just looking like an idiot going in circles.

One pony in particular managed to see said idiot walking in circles. Princess Celestia was overseeing more of the preparations for the upcoming celebration when she saw Shining Armor wandering around, and decided to find out about his curious wanderings.

"Shining Armor," Celestia called which immediately got the attention of the colt.

"Princess Celestia!" Shining Armor bowed to Celestia as she approached him.

"Are you looking for something? I saw you walking around for a while now."

Shining Armor rose up from his hooves to look at the sun goddess before him. "Actually, I'm looking for Cadance. Have you seen her, your majesty?"

"Oh, well she went to go meet with you about half an hour ago, but I haven’t seen her the rest of the morning. Do you need her for something Shining Armor?"

Shining Armor stood still for a few seconds before answering. He was going to tell Cadance how he felt one way or another, so might as well let her aunt know.

"I actually wanted to tell her how I felt about her," Shining Armor murmured as his nerves began to take hold of him.

"Oh?" Celestia urged for the slightly shaking colt to go on.

"I wanted to tell her that I like her, and that I've always liked her since the day I met her," Shining Armor continued, now a little less confident as he feared the reaction the ruler of Equestria would have after finding out a plain colt like him desires to be with her niece.

Before answering, a small smile made its way onto her face, and her magenta eyes began to glimmer. "Shining Armor, I'm sure she'd love to hear that. You are kind, a wonderful brother to Twilight and from what she has told me, fun to be around. You two would be perfect together.”

This was happening; he was getting a blessing from Princess Celestia! The shaking in his legs may have eased up by only a little bit, but the fear he felt was replaced with immeasurable joy.

"Here's your chance now Shining Armor," Celestia whispered to the exuberant colt.

Shining Armor quickly turned around to see Cadance, Stardust, Twilight, the now awake infant drake in her saddlebag... and him. The colt from yesterday, Blueblood.

"It's now or never Shining," Shining Armor told himself in a more or less certain tone. His thoughts were interrupted quickly by the shouts of a certain filly.

"Where were you?!? We've been waiting for you for the past half hour!"

Before Shining Armor answered his enraged sister, tiny hiccups began to come from Twilight’s saddlebag. That could only mean one thing: Spike. His hiccups were picking up pace, which normally meant...

“OH NO!!!” screamed Shining Armor as he ran towards Twilight and grabbed the infant dragon out of her saddlebag with his hooves, and stood up to point him away from the rest of the group. With one final gulp of air, Spike belched out emerald green flames all over the decorations that graced the front of the castle.

"Not again," Shining Armor groaned while the little drake laughed and clapped his claws together.

Panic showed on Cadance's face, the flames were growing, it may not have been a strong fire, but she didn’t want to take any chances with the possibility of the whole courtyard becoming a flame pit.

"I'm going to go help with the fire," Cadance said, biting her lip as she ran towards the slowly spreading fire.

Seeing that Cadance was going alone, Twilight realized the perfect opportunity for Shining Armor, and began to nudge at his side.

"Go help her, it's your turn to pick up after Spike anyway," Twilight ordered Shining Armor, cleverly concealing her intentions on getting him and Cadance alone.

"Okay, Twi," Shining Armor replied as he gave Spike back to Twilight to return on all fours. Wait, he was going to help Cadance, by himself, he was going to be alone with Cadance. Now was the time. "Cadance, I'm coming too."

Cadance stopped running towards the smoke, perking up as she saw that she was going to be alone with Shining Armor. Now was the time.

Before the two headed for the growing fire again, Blueblood motioned for Cadance to come speak with him. "Tell him. He's just friends with that Stardust mare, what's holding you back?" he sternly advised Cadance.

"Thanks, Blueblood," Cadance replied with unquestionable gratitude in her voice, then to Blueblood’s surprise, she pulled him into another appreciative embrace.

Seeing this display of affection left Shining Armor's ears to droop in a bit of sadness, yes he had resolved to confess to Cadance about his feelings, but it still chipped away at his ego seeing Cadance hug another colt that way. There appeared to be so much emotion behind it. He had to turn away to prevent himself from completely losing his resolve and going home with his tail between his legs.

Seeing this change in Shining’s mood, Stardust remembered something of grave importance,‘He still doesn't know,’ she thought as she started to walk towards him.

"Shiny, there's something ya gotta know before ya try anything."

"What is it?" Shining Armor asked, not quite out of his funk.

Before Stardust could say anything, both of them could hear Cadance yelling from about a good thirty feet away, apparently already breaking the embrace from Blueblood and in a hurry towards the emerald flames. "C'Mon Shining, I think the fire is getting larger!"

"Coming Cadance!" he yelled back before turning back to Stardust. "Sorry Star, gotta go."

"But it's really important, it's about Blueblood!" Shining Armor didn't listen. Before she even finished her sentence, Shining Armor was already sprinting towards Cadance and to the growing emerald fire, leaving Stardust to sigh in defeat.

‘Do love-crazy colts always act that way for their crush?’ Stardust asked herself. ‘Eh, what am I thinking, of course they do. Suit yourself Shiny.’

***************

Magical auras of many colors surrounded the flames that burned through various paper-based decor that lined various statues and stages in the front courtyard of the castle. Spike's flames managed to burn stronger than before and spread farther into the decor, but even through all the chaos, one unicorn was handling the situation like it was nothing.

"Does this happen often?" Cadance asked as her light blue aura managed to compress and extinguish more flames.

"About three to five times a month," Shining Armor answered dryly upon remembering all the instances Spike's fire belches have resulted in trouble for him, one of them just being the day before at the library. Shining Armor's light purple aura surrounded a huge chunk of flames and, in a few seconds, they were completely extinguished.

"I think that's the last of them," said Shining Armor, looking around to see that all the green flames were gone.

Everypony else that helped in putting the fire out already scattered to find replacement decorations or to continue with what they were already working on, leaving Shining Armor and Cadance as the only two in the area.

Shining Armor couldn't help but look at Cadance as she cleaned up the remaining ashes with her magic. She was gorgeous, those lively and caring purple eyes that gleamed in the almost summer sun, her carefully groomed pink coat, even her quickly put up ponytail seemed to captivate Shining Armor beyond comprehensible levels. It wasn't just her looks that enticed Shining Armor, her caring nature, her laugh, the way she is able to brighten everything around her up, it drove him nuts.

'Now or never Shining Armor,’ he thought to himself as he pulled himself out of his admiration-induced trance and prepared himself for what he planned to do.

"Cadance?"

"Yes Shining?" Cadance asked back with a little too much enthusiasm.

"There's something I need to talk to you about."

"I need to tell you something too," Cadance replied, still trying to keep 'Determined Cadance' standing.

"Let me go first, it's really important," said Shining Armor as his forehead began to perspire under his blue bangs.

Cadance didn't argue back, his eyes spoke out 'I need to say this', a rare sight considering how often she saw Shining Armor stumble and barely speak right when he was around her, except for yesterday at the library. She knew that he liked her... was he going to be the one to confess first?

"Cadance,"

"Yeah, Shining Armor?" silence fell on the two for a few seconds before Shining Armor continued shakily.

"Ever since you started to foal sit for Twilight, I've... I've had this crush on you,” Shining Armor said the last bit as fast as possible, turning his head and closing his eyes, fearful of her reaction. He gritted his teeth together as his mind tortuously played out her possible reactions; one of which included her left-hoof to his face.

'Oh my gosh!’ Cadance thought. A smile started forming on her face, and those eyes that Shining Armor loved began to glimmer in the most beautiful way possible.

"I shouldn't be telling you this..." Shining Armor continued, earning a confused look from his crush as he went on. "You already look happy with that Blueblood fella, but I just wanted to tell you how I've been feeling for you."

That Blueblood comment is where he lost her. "Wait, me and Blueblood?" asked Cadance, trying to wrap her mind around the concept.

"Yeah, I hope you guys are happy together," Shining Armor congratulated as he tilted his head towards the ground, trying to hide his heartbreak to avoid further embarrassment.

"Shining, Blueblood's my cousin."

The world around Shining Armor seemed to stop or at the very least slowed down significantly after that piece of information leaked out of Cadance's mouth. Cousins. They were cousins, and he just found that out. Even though the possibility of her being unavailable was eliminated, there was the fact that Shining Armor just told his crush that he thought she was going out with her cousin.

Out of all the things he has done to embarrass himself in front of Cadance; the stuttering, the bookshelf incident, and many more instances, this had to take the cake.

"You thought I was going out with Blueblood?" Cadance asked in a quizzical tone and arched eyebrows.

Time seemed to return to normal as Cadance's question processed through Shining Armor's mind, but that still didn't stop his eyes from growing wide and his pupils from contracting into tiny black dots. He had to answer her, even if it was going to make him look like a foal.

"Yes," he answered with a filly-like squeak.

What happened next was completely expected on Shining Armor's part. The trembling smile first appearing on Cadance's face transformed into uncontrollable fits of hysterical laughter. She went on laughing for a good three minutes straight. She even fell over on her back grasping her stomach with her forelimbs to make the laughing pains go away, but to no avail.

This un-princess like fit of hysterics left Shining Armor half-humiliated and half-impressed at how long Cadance could go on laughing, but what she explained through gasps of air took him completely off-guard.

"I'm sorry Shining Armor, but... but I'm not laughing just at what... what you thought," a few more chuckles escaped her mouth before she continued on, this time not laughing and gasping in the middle of each sentence. "I thought the exact same thing with you and Stardust, and I'm laughing at myself for completely overreacting to the whole thing.”

That was new info to Shining Armor, but it did fill him with new hope. "Why would you be overreacting?" Shining Armor was leaning in closer to Cadance to emphasize his desire for her to go on.

'It's now or never,’ Cadance’s mind said in an urging manner. "Shining Armor," said Cadance to the awaiting unicorn.

"Yeah?" Shining Armor was leaning in even closer, causing Cadance to back away for space.

"I like you too," Cadance almost whispered with a tender smile.

That tender smile was met with one on Shining Armor's face that was at least five times as big. If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up. The mare of his dreams just told him that she likes him! His heart began to swell up, and his eyes began to glitter like diamonds, just like the way he always envisioned her eyes.

"Really?!?" Shining Armor asked, leaning towards Cadance even more with a big goofy smile and expanded cerulean eyes.

"Yes, but I need to tell you something," Cadance tried to explain, causing Shining Armor to drop his smile and contract his eyes back to their normal size, yet still somehow managing to defy physics as he remained in his way too far lean towards Cadance without falling over. His heart that swelled up just moments ago, began to tighten up as he awaited what he believed would be the start of a nightmare in his short-lived dream of love.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't know you felt this way about me, and I feel bad that I never was able to express my feelings to you. But...." Cadance sighed before she began to open up to Shining Armor. She invited him for a reason, and she was gonna hold to that.

"All my life, I've been a bit overprotected, being a princess and all. I never got to interact with other ponies, and never got to experience what it was like to have feelings for somepony. You and Twilight were the only other ponies I got to really interact with, and as I got to know you more, I saw how you would get whenever you saw me. How you'd start sweating, how you would start stuttering whenever I talked to you, how you'd swoooon over me." Cadance teased at that last part as she put a hoof on her forehead and leaned to her side, mimicking a love struck pony, leaving Shining Armor a bit red in the face.

"So, like I said, I just didn't know how to return your feelings for me because I had no idea how I felt myself. You were cute, funny, fun to be around, and you always managed to make me smile... even if it was because you were being a goof." A small laugh escaped from Cadance as she remembered all the times Shining Armor made a fool of himself whenever he tried to talk to her.

Shining Armor couldn't help but smile as well, even though his face was still red; he couldn't help but smile whenever he heard that angelic laugh of hers.

"It wasn't until yesterday," Cadance continued, "that I decided to tell you about this, and as I was going to come find you, I saw you hugging that mare, Stardust."

Shining Armor had been listening intently, and upon hearing that part of Cadance's explanation, he saw why Cadance could have thought what she thought. He couldn’t help but cringe a bit as he found out he was the source of her troubles.

“Cadance, I, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that you felt that wa-”

"It’s okay Shining, it’s not like I tried to tell you how I felt before that anyway," said Cadance, trying to ease his guilt that she knew he was feeling. "There was one thing that came out of seeing that though."

Shining Armor cocked his head at this, signaling Cadance to explain a bit more.

"After seeing you guys like that, I thought my heart was going to implode or something... and that's when I realized how I felt about you. If I felt jealousy and fear for you already having a marefriend, I knew then that I really like you." Cadance paused for a bit to see Shining Armor's small smile turn a bit larger after her last sentence.

"I'm sorry that I made you wait this long to finally open up to you on this," Cadance apologized with a more somber tone and lowering her head.

Shining Armor, after returning to a normal anatomical position, walked up to his crush. He lifted her head up with one of his blue hoofs to look at her straight in the eyes.

"Cadance, you don't need to apologize. I shouldn't have taken so long to build up the confidence to tell you how I felt myself," Shining Armor comforted. "Besides," he continued, "I would've waited sooooo much longer for you anyways."

The glimmer returned to Cadance's eyes, this time stronger and even more beautiful than before. He would have waited. What more could a mare want to hear?

"So there's just one more question to ask," Shining Armor began as he took his hoof off of Cadence's chin.

"What is it?" Cadance asked back with anticipation.

"Would you like to go out with me tomorrow after the celebration?"

'Oh by Auntie, he really asked!’ A huge smile graced across Cadance's face before she answered. "I would love to."

She said yes, this wasn’t a dream, he had a date with Cadance. "Dinner? Around 7:00?" he asked.

"Sounds lovely," Cadance cooed as she batted her eyelashes at him. "But first, why don't we finish the preparations for tomorrow," said Cadance as she began a slow trot towards the front of the castle where her cousin, aunt, Twilight, Spike, and Stardust awaited for them.

"Okay, Cadance," agreed the ecstatic unicorn, making his way towards Cadance and the front of the castle.

***************

Shining Armor and Cadance returned to the front of the castle to see Princess Celestia and Blueblood standing by the stairs, discussing further work to be done on the preparations, leaving Blueblood to moan at the thought of more work.

“Aunt Celestia, we’re back,” Cadance beamed in a cheery tone. Of course she’d be happy considering she was just asked out by her crush.

“Cadance, glad to have you back,” responded Celestia before turning to Shining Armor.

“Shining Armor, Twilight insisted on helping with the preparations, so I sent her and your friend to gather some replacement decorations for the ones Spike burned. Your friend, Stardust I believe?” Shining Armor nodded to Celestia for confirmation to continue on. “She asked me to tell you to meet her and Twilight by the royal gardens so she can tell you ‘Shoulda listened to me Shiny’”

Now he remembered, Stardust tried to tell him something about Blueblood before he left to put the flames out with Cadance. ‘Probably should’ve listened,’ Shining Armor thought as he let his ears droop and his face turned red once again.

“Well, better get it over with,” droned Shining Armor, not ready for the ‘told ya so’ attitude he knew he was going to face.

“Cadance, I need you and Blueblood to come with me for some special preparations,” explained Celestia as she saw her niece try to tag along with Shining Armor.

“Okay, Aunt Celestia,” sighed the pink alicorn in defeat as she headed back towards her family, but not before waving goodbye to her new found crush.

“Bye, Cadance,” said Shining Armor as he ran through the courtyard towards the royal gardens.

“Bye, Shining Armor,” Cadance yelled back, her crush already far ahead. “So what are these ‘special preparations’?” asked Cadance, turning to face her aunt who bore a sneaky smile like she had just pulled a prank on somepony.

“There are none, I just wanted to find out how things went,” chuckled the sun goddess, Blueblood joining in with her little laughs.

“Auntie!?!” Cadance stammered in disbelief.

“Come on Cadance, just tell us how things went, did you have to be the one to ask him out?” Blueblood asked with a disapproving tone thinking about Cadance having to be the one to ask out Shining Armor instead of it being the other way around.

It was her family that was asking, and she already felt like screaming to the whole world that she felt like the happiest mare in the world, so why not let them in on the status of things? “We talked some things out, and this happened and that happened, and now I’ve got a date for tomorrow night!” Cadance squealed at the mention of her date.

“Way to go Cadance,” Blueblood congratulated by giving his cousin a light hug with a forelimb, “I still think you can do better than a library assistant, but if he makes you happy.”

“Blueblood,” Celestia said with a stern tone aimed at the white unicorn.

“I said as long as he makes her happy,” defended Blueblood.

It was true, at least he was trying. Celestia just rolled her eyes and faced her niece. “I’m happy for you too Cadance. Where is he taking you?”

“I don’t know, he’s gonna take me to dinner, but he never told me where. I just hope he doesn’t think he needs to go all out to impress me,” answered Cadance as she broke away from Blueblood’s embrace. “What I do know is that I have a date with Shining Armor,” Cadance proudly announced to her family once again.

She has a date with Shining Armor, that along with something else registered in Celestia’s mind. 'Shoot, I owe Twilight ten bits.’

D-Day

Near the back of Canterlot Castle, small waves of ponies were storming the garden sheds for any replacements for the decorations that mysteriously burned amongst the preparations, leaving many of the ponies to argue and grumble about who could've destroyed everything that they had worked on.

"All of our hard work..."

"Destroyed..."

"Who did this?"

"I want to see this little—"

A few groups of angry ponies away, a certain blue unicorn was covering a purple filly's ears so she could not hear what one of them had to say.

"Stardust, what's a 'No good piece of—'"

"Nothin' ya need to know about for a while, Twi," Stardust interrupted, starting to add pressure onto the openings of Twilight's ears as she realized her first attempt left Twilight exposed to a storm of swearing.

"Just turn around and don't let 'em know that the source of their troubles is sleepin' in ya bag," instructed Stardust quickly as she motioned her head towards the steadily rising and falling saddlebag around Twilight.

"He didn't mean it!" Twilight defended as Stardust started shoving her ahead.

"Yeah, yeah, just keep walkin'."

Stardust and Twilight had already gotten their replacements and kept them close with each of their respectable magical auras. They made their way to a tiny area of charred and smoking paper-based decor still wrapped around numerous tables. It didn't take long for Twilight to instantly jump up and begin setting up for the sake of trying to please Celestia.

As she watched Twilight scuttle around the area, stringing up streamers and ribbon, Stardust only had one thing in mind.

'Where are ya, Shiny?'

She was answered almost immediately as Shining Armor called out to her as she came into his sight. Once the white-furred unicorn came into Stardust's line of sight, her expression turned to one of complete slyness. Shining Armor had it coming.

As he arrived in front of her, he sighed before speaking. "Go ahead, say it. 'Should've listened to me, Shiny', 'Don't run off when I got somethin' to say, Shiny', 'Ya wouldn't have looked so stupid if ya listened to me, Shi—'"

"Ya gotta date with her yet?" Stardust interrupted, catching Shining Armor by surprise. It wasn't like her to pass up an opportunity to tease him a little after landing himself into a bad situation because he didn't listen to her, which only meant that her desire to know must have been peaking.

Before answering, Shining Armor's eyes began to widen and glimmer and a huge smile revealed itself on his face, clearly giving away the answer to Stardust's question. She too began to smile and even squeal in excitement.

"Tomorrow night at seven. I'm taking her to dinner."

Before he knew it, Shining Armor was lifted out of the air by a set of blue forelimbs and got the breath squeezed out out of him. Standing on her hind legs, Stardust was giving Shining Armor one of the most constrictive bear hugs ever.

"About buckin' time, Shiny!" She squeezed him a little harder. "Awwwww, my little boy’s goin' on his first date!"

"Can't... breathe... dying... unicorn... here!" Shining Armor wheezed before being dropped on his flank.

"Oops. Sorry, Shiny," Stardust tried to laugh it off, giving Shining Armor some time to catch a much needed breath, or in his case breaths. After a few moments, Stardust let a small smile creep back onto her face and put on her best pleading look to get some info out of her friend. "Sooooooo, where are ya takin her?"

Getting back on his hooves, Shining Armor remembered something. "I... don't know."

He finally worked up the courage to ask and completely forget to tell her where he was gonna take her, or even think of where. Stardust slapped her forehead with a hoof out of a mix of annoyance and expectancy. "Shiny, Shiny, Shiny," she said while shaking her head back and forth.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'll think of something." Shining Armor then turned his attention to a purple blur that circuited a couple of tables. After a few seconds, the tables showcased streamers and ribbons, and the blur slowed down to show the normal shape of a pony. Twilight stood by the tables admiring her work.

"You think Princess Celestia will like it?" Twilight asked, motioning to her outdoor decor.

"She'll love it, Twi-Lee,” Shining Armor said, walking over to his sister.

"Shining Armor!" Twilight, who was oblivious of his return, ran towards her brother and nuzzled his side. Curiosity began to show itself on Twilight's face as she began ask.

"Did you get a date?" Her eyes were twinkling with anticipation and hope for Shining Armor's answer.

All Shining did was smile that big goofy one he had when Cadance told him she liked him, and that was all the answer Twilight needed to start bouncing around her brother, all the while cheering "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Where are you taking her?" Twilight inquired after her burst of cheers and bounces.

"Shiny here," Stardust began to explain without giving Shining Armor a chance to talk, "finally gets himself a date for tomorrow... and didn't even plan on where," she finished with a bit of a snicker, leaving the white colt to turn a deep red.

"Wait, tomorrow?" Twilight asked back.

"Yeah, why?" Shining Armor inquired.

"Who's gonna take care of me tomorrow night?!?"

The smile that was plastered on Shining Armor's face quickly turned into one of shock and fear.

"Wow, you really didn't think this through did ya?" Stardust asked, trying to stifle her laughs.

"I didn't think she'd say yes!" Shining Armor panicked, trying to think of a solution.

"Do you think you could stay late at the castle after your lessons?" Shining Armor asked Twilight, his hope radiating from him like the sun's rays.

Really hating to be the bearer of bad news, Twilight answered him apologetically. "No, remember, the celebration is tomorrow. I don't have any lessons."

Hope abandoned Shining Armor's body as quickly as it came. Possibly the only option he had, and that's a dead plan.

"Where am I gonna find somepony I trust, who's free tomorrow ni—" Shining stopped mid-sentence as he thought of something.

He turned around slowly with begging eyes and a nervous smile towards the blue mare behind him. He leaned in further, somehow commanding his eyes to enlarge out of their sockets.

Stardust was left to absorb that begging look, Shining Armor may not have asked the question, but that puppy-dog look was all it took for her to get the message. That sheepish smile, those still enlarging eyes, she couldn't say no.

"Okay, okay! I'll take care of Twi, just stop with the look, Shiny!" Stardust pleaded.

Shining Armor's eyes returned to their normal size almost instantaneously and his sheepish smile became one of pure joy. Now it was his turn to squeeze the breath out of Stardust. The blue mare found herself twice as high up in the air than when she lifted Shining Armor up, and squeezed even harder than she did to Shining Armor.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" cheered an ecstatic Shining Armor, unknowingly adding more power to his hug with each ‘thank you.’.

"Oooh, can you bring your guitar tomorrow, Stardust?" asked Twilight, eager to see more of what Stardust could do as a musician.

"Sure... if... Shiny doesn't... kill me!" Stardust squawked out.

Realizing that he was crushing his friend’s ribs, Shining Armor quickly dropped Stardust from his grip, allowing her to receive desperately needed oxygen. Slowly, the purple on Stardust's face turned back to its natural blue.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, Star, I just got so caught up in the moment, and I—"

"It's fine, Shiny. Consider us even," Stardust interrupted.

Nervous laughs came out of Shining Armor before addressing his friend, "Thanks again, Star."

"Don't mention it," Stardust replied, swaying her hoof in the air like saving a friend's first date was something she did often.

"Ugh, guys?" The two teenage ponies turned to see Twilight tapping a hoof on the ground. "We still have a celebration to set up," Twilight continued, handing Shining Armor and Stardust some streamers and ribbons to decorate the remaining tables around their area.

"Remember, these tables need to be 'Twilight standard,'" droned Shining Armor to Stardust as he thought of the many rejections his work would receive upon the judgment of his little sister.

"Yeah, yeah, just think of a restaurant, Shiny. First date with Cadance, and you’re not wrecking it just because you never thought of a place."

***************

The rest of the day went as expected; everypony managed to fill the castle grounds with statues, tables, and beautiful decor that reflected a very festive mood for the arrival of the summer sun expected to rise the next day.

Shining Armor, Stardust, and Twilight with Spike still in her saddle bag, were all in the center of the courtyard resting with some glasses of apple cider provided by Celestia for all who helped out with the celebration.

"So, are you guys gonna try to stay up until Princess Celestia raises the sun, or wake up really early?" asked Stardust after taking another gulp of her cider.

"Actually, Star, Princess Celestia gives the ponies who help out a chance to camp in the courtyard, so me and Twi are gonna camp out tonight."

"You guys brought a tent?"

“Yup,” said Shining Armor as he reached into his saddlebag, and pulled out a small green box. He set the box down a few feet away from them and pointed his horn at the box. A small ‘pfffff’ sound was heard from the box as it magically popped open into a green tent big enough for four.

“You wanna camp out with us, Star?” asked Shining Armor.

“Sure, beats tryin’ to get up early tomorrow.”

“Great!” exclaimed Shining Armor as he grabbed his saddlebag and shoved it into Stardust’s hooves.

“But do you think you could set up with Twilight and Spike? I need to do something really quick.”

“Where ya goin’?” Stardust asked, fumbling with the materials in her hooves.

“Joe’s,” Shining Armor replied quickly, already sprinting out of the courtyard and towards his destination.

***************

In the brightly lit establishment that was “Joe’s Donuts,” a certain light amber unicorn stallion was wiping the glass case that displayed his frosted creations. The dinner rush was long over with, and he was getting ready for the late night snackers and his usual nighttime customers.

His cleaning, however, was quickly interrupted as he heard the bell on the front door ring, and a white blur with a hint of electric blue coming into his shop. The blur somehow defied physics as it came to an immediate halt by the bar in front of the donut maker, revealing it to be Shining Armor.

“JOE!” he exclaimed to the stallion behind the bar.

“Heeeey, Shining Armor. Long time no see,” replied Joe as he recognized Shining Armor.

“I need a favor,” Shining Armor panted.

“Sure, anything for one of my favorite customers. What can I do you for?”

“Remember when you told me you have a brother that’s head chef at that really fancy restaurant?”

“‘Lumière des Ètoiles’? Yeah, why?”

“Do you think you could ask him if he could save a table for two tomorrow night at 7:00?” Shining Armor had his pleading eyes out again. This was his only shot at getting a nice place to take Cadance out.

Joe was visibly struggling to answer, it was such short notice, even if his brother is head chef at that restaurant. “I don’t know, Shining Armor. I could ask him tonight, but I’m not guaranteeing anything. Wait, why a table for two?”

“I’m going on a date,” Shining Armor paused, beginning to smile as the next part came out, “with Cadance.”

Joe’s eyes widened at the news. Not only did Shining Armor get a date with Cadance, but was also trying to take her to his brother’s restaurant. A princess at his restaurant! “Why didn’t you say so before? If you’re bringing a princess, he’ll have to say yes! I’ll tell him tonight, and expect a table for you two tomorrow night at 7:00.”

Shining Armor reached for the baker stallion’s forelimbs and shook them vigorously, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“No problem, Shining,” said Joe, after pulling his aching hooves from Shining’s tight grip. “And hey, congrats,” Joe congratulated, giving Shining Armor a light nudge on his shoulder.

“Thanks, Joe,” replied Shining Armor. He stepped back from the bar and started towards the exit. “I’ve gotta get back to Twi, thanks again, Joe,” said Shining Armor, about to leave the donut shop.

“Anytime, Shining,” replied Joe, waving Shining Armor off.

When the doors closed, Joe gave a small smile, “Good kid,” he told himself. Now he had something important to take care of. Make sure Cadance and Shining Armor get a good place to eat for tomorrow… wait, tomorrow?

Joe slapped a forehoof into his forehead. “Dang it, I owe Twilight ten bits.”

***************

Fast paced hoof steps could be heard outside the green tent. Somepony was definitely in a rush, and the beats seemed to grow louder each second.

"Stardust, do you hear somepony coming?" Twilight asked, drawing the flaps of a sleeping bag in the tent to her face.

"Ah, don't worry, Twi. It's not like some madpony is gonna pop right out of the—"

"HEY GIRLS!"

"AGHHHHHHHH!!" Collective screams from Stardust and Twilight filled the tent, but quickly fell as relief set in when realizing who the colt was that barged through the tent flap.

"Shiny! Ya nearly gave me a heart attack. What the hay is wrong with you!?"

Shiny Armor stood there, smiling widely and not blinking. Stardust's question clearly didn't register with him since he said nothing. He was still reeling in from what Joe had promised him.

"Why ya smiling like that, Shiny?" Stardust asked, drawing out the question as she backed away a bit, feeling a little creeped out at his overjoyed facial expression.

"I'm taking Cadance to Lumière des Ètoiles!"

***************

"Lumière des Ètoiles!?!?"

"For the hundredth time, Star, YES!

Stardust and Shining Armor, with Twilight on his back, were walking away from the castle, the Summer Sun Celebration had taken place, and summer's first sunrise was already bathing all of Equestria in its light.

"I still can’t believe you’re takin’ her there. That’s the fanciest place in the city! Some of the Canterlot elite have a hard time getting a reservation there," Stardust said, disbelief pungent with every word.

"I know! I gotta find something to wear," Shining replied, already running the course of his date through his mind.

"I still think we should've stayed and helped with cleanup,” piped up Twilight groggily from Shining Armor’s back.

"Yeah right, Twi-Lee, you're already falling asleep. Your fault for not sleeping last night," said Shining Armor.

"I was too excited, and I'm not falling asleep, I'm just relaxing," Twilight argued, slurring all the way through.

"Twi, Spike's got more energy than you," Stardust pointed out, eyeing the infant drake crawling and bouncing on her back and playing with her white highlighted light blue mane.

"I'm more... energy... than... Spat... I can stay up aaaaaall day lo—" with a soft thump, Twilight knocked out on Shining Armor's back.

"Stay up all day long my flank!" Shining Armor laughed off at the sight of his sister passing out.

"So what time should I show up tonight, Shiny?"

"6:15, it'll give me enough time to pick her up, and get to the restaurant. You think I should bring her a bouquet?"

"It's only the first date, Shiny. You’re already takin’ her to the fanciest place in the city, don't overdo it," Stardust advised, picturing Shining Armor trying way too hard to impress Cadance.

"Maybe just one then." By this time, Shining Armor thought his possible plans out loud, never stopping, and never agreeing with himself on one of them, much to the annoyance of Stardust considering she had to listen to another one of his rambling sessions.

To the rambling unicorn, it didn't seem like that long of a walk back to his house, contrary to Stardust's look of salvation once Shining Armor stopped talking when he realized he was home.

"Thank, Celestia," she whispered.

Shining Armor unlocked the door with his magic, then turned to face Stardust. "Thanks again for foal-sitting Twilight, Star."

"No problem, but promise me one thing."

"Sure, what?"

"Next time ya start thinkin' of ideas to impress Cadance," she paused as she inched closer to meet him at eye level.

"Yeah?" Shining dragged out, a little scared at what Stardust was going to do or say.

"KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!" Stardust yelled while shaking Shining Armor's head vigorously.

"Message received," said Shining Armor, completely disoriented and trying not to topple over. "So I'll see you at 6:15?"

"Yeah, but ugh," Stardust's green aura encased the baby dragon playing with her mane, "I believe this is yours," she said as she placed Spike on Shining Armor's head. "I'll see ya at 6:15."

"Thanks again, Star," Shining Armor called out to his galloping friend.

When Stardust was out of sight, Shining Armor turned to enter his house. Inside, everything was completely untouched since the day before, it was like coming into a brand new house. He started towards the stairs to get to Twilight's room, who surprisingly hadn't moved an inch since she knocked out on her brother's back. Once in her room, he gently placed Twilight in her bed, tucked in and everything.

"Spike," Shining Armor whispered to the dragon on his head. "Do you wanna play 'Royal Guard'?"

Spike let out a few giggles to emphasize his playtime wish. Shining Armor lifted Spike off his head with his magic and set him down near the foot of Twilight's bed.

"Okay, Cadet Spike. There is a sleeping princess who needs protection." Shining motioned to Twilight with a hoof. "Can you be her bedtime guard?"

Spike gave a salute with an arm, and Shining Armor handed him a dull pencil from the floor.

"Okay, Cadet Spike, Princess Twilight's safety is in your claws."

The infant dragon gave some sort understanding verbal response, and immediately turned towards the open door, putting all his focus to that one entry into the Princess's room, all the while holding that dull pencil upright like it was Twilight's only line of defense.

"Do me proud, Cadet," Shining Armor whispered with fake authority as he headed out of Twilight's bedroom door before closing it behind him. "That should keep him busy."

Shining Armor headed across the short upstairs hall towards his own room. There, all madness was let loose. Behind the closed doors of his room, he scrambled around inside, looking for anything and everything to make that night perfect. From his closet, he pulled a slick looking black suit. It looked like it hadn't been used in a while, or at all for that matter. More than likely, he was saving it just for her.

Using his magic, and the early morning sun that bathed his room in sunlight through a window, he carefully creased down any and every wrinkle anatomically possible on that suit. One could swear his eyeball was protruding well out of its socket to examine that suit.

Once done with his obsessive magic ironing, Shining Armor carefully placed his evening attire back in his closet, and from there pulled out a large, dusty, and very old looking book.

"I finally get to use this," he said with enthusiasm as he looked at the book cover after cleaning the dust off. A Colt's Guide to Dating a Mare That's Out of Your League.

Quickly plopping onto his bed, Shining Armor cracked open the book. He still had 8 hours until his date, but he didn't care, he was going to do anything to make sure this goes perfect.

***************

"What about this one? Or is it too frilly?"

Cadance was picking out, well, trying to pick out her dress for that night, and to the annoyance of her cousin, was going back and forth between every possible dress in her extensive wardrobe.

Blueblood was leaning against one of the posts on Cadance's bed, exhaustion very present on his face, not even caring that he was ruffling his new snow white suit from earlier this morning. He had not only been up since 5 AM with Cadance and their aunt, but was also suffering the torture that was answering a mare if she looked good in something.

"For the umpteenth time, you look great. Can't you just pick oooooone? Besides," Blueblood tried to put more seriousness in his drowsy tone, "he should be the one making sure he looks good for you."

"Thanks for the concern, but I wanna look good for Shining Armor as well. Plus, I have no idea how nice one's supposed to dress for a first date."

"It depends on the place, did he even tell you where he's taking you?"

"No, I think he wants it to be a surprise," answered Cadance with a dreamy smile as she imagined what her first date would be like.

"Well it better be nice," Blueblood grumbled, wishing to see his cousin given the best.

"I just hope he doesn't go overboard with where, I'd be good with just sharing a dessert at a bakery. I like casual stuff, one can get really tired of royal treatment after a while."

"Really?" Blueblood was awestruck by Cadance's words. Who could possibly get tired of royal treatment?

"What about this one?" asked Cadance as she pulled out yet another dress, making Blueblood moan at the question.

"I don't know anymore, just pick one," the drowsiness in his tone blended with his whines for her to make up her mind.

"Oh stop whining, help me pick and I'll be done in 10 minutes."

"You said that 6 HOURS AGO!"

Cadance's eyes shot open at Blueblood's annoyed outburst. She craned her head towards a clock hanging by her bedside. It mercilessly read 6:00, and sent Cadance into a fit of panic. She spent the entire day just thinking about one little outfit.

"Okay, just one more." Cadance pulled one more dress and turned to Blueblood, "How about this one?"

She got no answer. Passed out on her bed, Blueblood finally let his boredom and exhaustion take over.

Before she could go in full panic mode, Cadance reminded herself of one of her aunt's teachings about a princess always keeping calm. She brought a forelimb to her chest, inhaled, then exhaled ever so smoothly as she extended her forelimb out in the air. Panic disappeared, and she was back to her elegant self.

Realizing her short time to get ready, she looked at the dress that was hovering in her light blue magic. It was a simple pink and white dress with white puffs by the sleeves. Light golden ribbons lined the collar and sleeves, and the white bottom of the dress was separated from the pink top half by a light gold strap at the torso.

"Perfect," Cadance beamed as she ran to her bathroom with the dress floating close behind her.

***************

Bright orange and pink light flooded Twilight's room as she began to stir from her slumber. She hated when she knocked out. She always thought that somepony that stays up to study anything and everything would be resilient to drowsiness, but not her, much to her disappointment.

But instead of complaining about it, Twilight rose from her bed and let out a yawn of rejuvenation. She may not have wanted it, but the sleep she got really renewed her. As she cracked her purple eyes open, she saw a familiar shape at the foot of her bed, and he was holding... a pencil?

Twilight's eyes rested into an unamused stare at the dragon at her bedside as she realized why he was there.

"Shining Armor got you to play Royal Guard?" she asked Spike.

Spike didn't bother to turn around, he was too focused on not letting anypony or anything suspicious disrupt the once sleeping princess.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she got out of her bed and walked towards the door of her room, quickly opening it with her magic, and snapping Spike out of his focus on the door.

"At ease, Cadet Spike. I, Princess Twilight, have awoken, and nopony dared to attack me because you were my little guard," Twilight played along.

Spike dropped the dull pencil he was holding and let out a few giggles before saluting Twilight with an arm.

"Now, why don't you take a little rest for all your hard work, Cadet."

Twilight got no response; instead she heard a soft thump on the bed followed by light snores.

Deciding to leave Spike alone in his sleep, Twilight closed the door to her room, and made her way to check on her brother. His date was soon, and she had a feeling Shining Armor was going into a frenzy.

As she opened the door to Shining Armor's room, her suspicions were thankfully rejected. Calmly sitting on his bed, Shining Armor was still reading A Colt's Guide to Dating a Mare That's Out of Your League and was already wearing his thoroughly ironed suit.

Hearing Twilight come in, Shining Armor snapped the large tome up and quickly hid the book.

“Getting ready, bro?” Twilight asked.

“Uh-huh,” answered Shining Armor as he stood up from his bed so that he was directly in the light of the window in his room. "How do I look?"

Twilight stood there awestruck. Shining Armor was dressed in a slick black suit, completely wrinkle-free. It was weird, but somehow even the dark shade of black actually glistened in the afternoon sunlight. At the top of the white dress shirt underneath his suit was an electric blue bow tie, a color that matched one of the shades of his mane. It's true what they say, a suit and tie can make even the biggest of goofballs look pretty dang good.

"Cadance is gonna flip!" squealed Twilight in glee.

Shining Armor didn't think he looked that good, so at Twilight's compliment, he couldn’t help but blush a bit.

"Thanks, Twi-Lee."

Shining Armor took notice of the light he was standing in. It was an enticing evening orange sky. Wait, evening. Shining Armor looked to the clock in his room, and on it read 6:15. Stardust should be here by now.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Shiny..."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Shiny..."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Shiny..."

"I'll get it, bro," said Twilight as she galloped out of the room towards the front door.

Twilight opened the door, and standing there with a guitar case strapped to her back was Stardust, who for some reason had a single pink rose threaded through her light blue and white mane.

"Hey, Twi. Where's ya bro?"

"Hey, Star," called Shining Armor from the top of the stairs.

Stardust took in the colt in front of her. He really did look good in that suit. "Daaaaaang, Shiny. Ya clean up well."

"Ugh, thanks?" answered Shining Armor. So he didn't look good before? As he descended the stairs, he spotted the pink flora threaded through her mane. "What's with the rose?"

Stardust swept the rose out of her mane in her green magic and placed it in the pocket of Shining Armor's suit. "It's for Cadance. Give it to her when ya get to the castle," she explained with a small smile. "Mares like a colt that gives her a rose."

Shining Armor couldn't help but smile a little devilishly at his friend. It was a little unexpected to hear this kind of cheesy romance stuff coming from somepony like her, but that didn't matter right now. He had a mare to take out.

"Thanks, Star. She'll love it."

"Great, now go get her, take her out," by now she was slowly shoving Shining Armor out of the house and onto the porch. "Show her a good time, and don't choke."

The door slammed on Shining Armor, and a loud 'ca-chunk' could be heard from the door. She was eager to get him out.

***************

In a certain mare's room, Celestia was viewing a once in a lifetime event, seeing her niece putting the final touches on her outfit for a first date.

"My little Cadance, on her first date." Celestia was on the verge of joyful tears. Her niece was going on her first date, and she couldn’t have been happier for her.

"Auntie, you're embarrassing me," blushed Cadance as she took one final look at herself in the mirror.

"In front of who?" remarked the sun goddess in a playful tone.

"Oh, never mind." Cadance figured it was better to drop the subject before getting into another back and forth with her aunt that always ended in Celestia's victory.

"You look beautiful, dear."

Cadance did. The pink and white dress looked incredibly cute on her. Her mane dropped to her shoulders with slight waves in them, quite a change from her usual ponytail, and on her hooves were her golden slippers she brought out for special occasions only.

"Thanks, Aunt Celestia."

"Now come down stairs, your date should be here any second."

Cadance didn't need to be told twice. She bolted out of her room and descended the stairs like there was a fire, while Celestia took a more graceful walk down to the entryway.

As Cadance reached the bottom step, she was met with a knocking sound coming from behind the front doors. Before charging at the doors, Cadance forcibly put on a calmer face as she opened them up. What she was greeted to could make even the most uptight of mares laugh.

In front of her stood Shining Armor, his jaw struggling to stay closed, and his pupils shrunk to dots in his blue irises. It was a look of a colt being blown away at the sight of pure beauty, but still trying not to be too drawn in for the sake of not looking like he was staring. In front of him was the single pink rose surrounded by a cloud of light purple.

"Awwww, Shining Armor, you shouldn't have," said Cadance as she took hold of the rose and placed it between the purple and pale yellow shades of her mane.

"Amazing... look... you... Cadance," Shining managed to mumble out.

"You look great too, Shining Armor," Cadance laughed. "Well, c'mon, let's go eat."

Managing to break out of his trance of admiration, Shining Armor offered his hoof as he bowed in front of Cadance.

"Aren't we a gentlecolt?" cooed Cadance, taking Shining Armor's blue hoof in one of her pink hooves. "So... where’re we going anyway?"

"Oh, you'll see..."

First Date

It was a short walk to Lumière des Ètoiles. Of course the fanciest restaurants in Canterlot would be located around the castle. That area was basically the Elite's stomping grounds; well, more like prancing grounds. Tonight, however, was just about Cadance and Shining Armor.

To say the restaurant was large would be an understatement. Looking at it from the outside, it towered over any other establishment around. Waterfalls graced the front and its palace-esque exterior just conveyed the feeling that only the fancy could dine there.

The interior nearly caused Shining Armor to go into cardiac arrest. It was graced with crystal chandeliers, live classical music was being played at every corner, and everypony there looked like they were ponies one should instantly know. Maybe he should've aimed for somewhere a little more low-key.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Cadance asked.

"It's so... big," Shining Armor said, trying to keep his heart rate down.

"Shining?"

"It's so... big."

Cadance was about to try to snap Shining out of his stupor, but was instead greeted by a dark brown unicorn stallion in a waiter's jacket looking like he was under all the pressure in the world.

"Princess Cadance! It is a pleasure to have you here at Lumière des Ètoiles again. You and your date's table is right by the fountain. Come along, your majesty," explained the waiter as he bowed to Cadance and took charge, showing them to their table.

The two followed, one of them still eyeing the majesty that was Lumière des Ètoiles.

The three ponies reached the fantastically placed table right in the center of the restaurant and in front of a marble waterfall.

The waiter seated Cadance and Shining Armor and then stood at the ready to take whatever order they might want.

The menus were already placed at the table, making the selection of an appetizer much easier.

"Just a dandelion salad for now, please.”

"Excellent choice, Princess." The waiter wrote down Cadance's order on a little notepad encased in his magic before turning to Shining Armor, "And for the gentlecolt?"

"It's so... big," Shining Armor repeated, and earning a stoic expression from his waiter.

"Is this his first time here, Princess?"

"I think so," Cadance replied, now fully understanding Shining's bewildered state of mind.

"That's quite all right, your majesty. We offer a wonderful appetizer for first-time guests. I'll have your orders out really soon," the waiter explained with pride in his place of employment.

"Thank you, sir," said Cadance before the waiter bowed again then headed for the kitchen. Now it was time to snap Shining Armor out of it.

She placed one of her gentle pink hoofs on one of his shaking blue ones. This got Shining Armor's attention, and he looked at what was happening. He saw their hooves, then looked up to see those caring purple eyes asking him to calm down. He did so, but with a half-hearted sigh.

"It's your first time here isn't it?" Cadance asked.

"Yeah," Shining Armor simply answered.

"Then why did you choose here?"

"Because I wanted tonight to be special. I wanted to take you somewhere really nice, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that place would look something like this!"

"Oh, Shining," Cadance beamed, touched that he wanted to do all this for her. "You didn't have to do that. I would've been more than happy with somewhere a bit low-key. It was actually what I was hoping for," explained Cadance, earning a surprised look from Shining Armor.

"So, you don't like it here?" he asked, expecting the worst possible answer.

"Oh no no no, I do like it here. It's a beautiful place," Cadance quickly answered back to ease Shining Armor's worry, "it's just that I was afraid you were going to drive yourself ragged trying to find a place like this."

Shining Armor let out a short sigh. Relieved that she liked the place he chose, but at the same time realizing he's been making himself look foalish.

"Thanks. Cadance... I'm sorry if I've been acting really weird."

"Don't be. It's your first time here. I'll admit, I was pretty blown away when I first saw this place," Cadance said as memories of that night flowed through her head.

"How'd that go?" asked Shining Armor, curious at the thought of a flipped out Cadance.

Cadance proceeded to tell of one of her less than graceful days, including a part about falling into the fountain and earning a barrage of stares from other ponies.

Shining Armor tried hard not to laugh but his efforts were in vain as he found himself in hysterics. For a while, the two shared their most embarrassing moments, and each one earning more laughter than the previous.

The two could've gone on forever, Shining Armor especially, but eventually their appetizers came and the two were ready to order their main dish.

Cadance ordered something impossible to pronounce if you hadn't eaten there before, and Shining Armor still struggled trying to comprehend just what in the name of Celestia was on the menu. Eventually, the waiter ended up suggesting the featured dish. Shining Armor shrugged and hoped for the best.

After the waiter took their orders and left for the kitchen, Cadance and Shining Armor continued on with their tales of less than desirable experiences.

"Wait. So it took four guards to get you out of the cake?" asked Shining Armor through stifled laughs.

"Yeah, not the best birthday a mare could have, but at least the cake was good," replied Cadance, recalling an instant where her aunt had a 30 foot cake made for one of her birthdays, and ended up falling into the very top of it as she blew her candles out.

"At least you never thought somepony's cousin was their coltfriend," Shining Armor countered more jokingly.

"Okay, you win," Cadance laughed. "Why did you think that anyway, Shining?"

"I honestly had no idea who your cousin was anyway. Since when did he become a prince? And why haven't I heard of him before?"

"Ahhhh, yes," said Cadance with a mix of a smile and a partially shamed expression as she recalled how Blueblood came into her life. "Me and Blueblood aren't direct niece and nephew of our aunt. I'm her great niece, and he's her great great great great great great great great, well you get the idea," Cadance began to explain. "Anyways, I just have more royal blood in me, and I guess that explains why I'm an alicorn." She pointed to her horn and opened her purple tinted wings.

"Blueblood actually came into the family through marriage about a year ago. One of my relatives down the line married his mom, and here he is now. Not too many ponies know about him right now. In fact, the Summer Sun Celebration was his first major thing with us."

"So, are you two close?" asked Shining Armor.

"At times. There are times where he can be this huge pain in my flank, but days like yesterday and today really show how much he cares for me." Cadance began to smile as she remembered something. "He's the one who helped me bring myself to tell you how I felt."

Cadance was met with a warm smile from Shining Armor. It may have been just yesterday, but he would remember that day forever. The day he and Cadance finally confessed their feelings for one another and now here they were, in the fanciest restaurant in town on their first date.

Their eyes met again, her purple orbs locking with his sapphire like eyes. They couldn't help but blush and turn away a little bit, still smiling. Their actions drew some unknown attention to themselves.

Of course others would be staring at the two daters; you don't see a princess out with some colt on what looked like a date every day, and in a restaurant full of Canterlot elite members wanting to know anything and everything about the royal family, interested stares were to be expected. One group of ponies in particular were eyeing the young princess and her mystery date.

***************

A few tables back of Shining Armor and Cadance, a group of at least five expensively-dressed ponies sat eyeing the two.

"Jet Set, dear, who is that young colt with Princess Cadance?" inquired a pale olive-coated unicorn mare with a voice sounding like she's been congested her whole life.

"I don't know, Upper Crust," replied the grey coated stallion in a voice of equally ear-shattering stuffiness. "But he must be somepony worth knowing if he is walking around Canterlot with Princess Cadance."

The other three ponies sitting at the table all nodded their heads in agreement, more out of just agreeing for the sake of agreeing and following the crowd. Typical of such elitists.

***************

Even if others stared, Shining Armor and Cadance let it go unnoticed. Their dinners came, and the two ate whatever impossible-to-pronounce dish they ordered. Even while she ate, Shining Armor couldn't stop thinking how beautiful Cadance looked. She probably knew he was looking at her, thinking wonderful things about her, but she pretended not to know. It was nice knowing that somepony could think such wonderful things of you.

Bit by bit, dinner was eaten, and the two started to just talk and make each other laugh. They talked about anything and everything, from abandoned crazy foalhood dreams, to more embarrassing stories, to just little things about themselves. It was a simple thing done in an extravagant setting. Once the two had enough laughter and stories, they both looked back to the waterfall behind them.

It was a spectacle to say the least. The way the chandeliers next to the waterfall seemed to make the descending water droplets sparkle and create mini rainbows was breathtaking.

"It’s beautiful isn't it?" Cadance asked turning to Shining Armor.

He turned to face her, meeting those twinkling purple jewels of eyes. They were like some kind of rare gem that he always managed to lose himself in.

"Sure is," he simply replied, not really talking about the waterfall.

The two eventually broke their gazes and were met with a little black fold-up, probably containing the bill. Shining Armor took a quick look at it and casually pulled out a small bulky bag from his pocket and placed it on the table. The audible 'thud' it made shocked Cadence. Where did Shining Armor get that many bits?

"I don't spend a lot of my paycheck on myself," said Shining Armor after seeing Cadance's expression. He began to walk up to her, and stretched out a forelimb. "May I walk you home?"

"Such a gentlecolt," Cadance playfully responded, taking his hoof in hers. The two made their way to the exit, glancing back at the scenery one last time before leaving. It really was a lovely place for dinner.

***************

Light drizzle fell from the grey and blue nighttime sky. Celestia had already raised the moon, and it seemed like it was trying to shine through the rain clouds.

Shining Armor and Cadance were walking through illuminated streets of upper Canterlot, hoof-in-hoof and smiling all the way to Canterlot Castle with light purple and blue auras hovering above their heads like umbrellas from the rain.

The two were on the front steps of the castle, and Shining Armor was struggling to find the right words for 'good night,’ so Cadance decided to break the ice.

"I had a really nice time, Shining Armor."

"Thanks, Cadance. I had a nice time too... sorry if I acted weird at the restaurant," said Shining Armor as he kicked his hoof at the ground.

Cadance smiled that heart-melting smile. "It's okay, Shining. Next time, let's just go somewhere more casual. Okay?"

Shining Armor's eyes widened at those words. "N-N-Next time?" He started to sweat.

"Well, yeah. There is going to be a next time, right?" Cadance asked, putting on a sly smile to get the answer out of Shining Armor.

"Y-Y-Yeah. Definitely!" Shining Armor was going nuts in his head. Next time! There was gonna be a next time! But that wasn't the best part, what came next was a complete and oh so welcomed surprise.

He felt a set of pink lips brush his cheek and plant a quick peck, causing his face to go redder than a tomato.

"Glad to hear. Well, good night, Shining." Cadance opened the door after dropping her light blue shield and was met with a squeaky response.

"Good night, Cadance," said Shining Armor, feeling the cheek Cadance kissed good night.

The doors closed, and he was left with his thoughts. Cadance kissed him... Cadance kissed him! It may have just been on the cheek, but she kissed him!

***************

Celestia stood close to the front doors of the castle. Cadance had just closed the doors and she was eager to know everything.

"Hello, Cadance," Celestia belled with a soft smile.

"Hi, Aunt Celestia," Cadance replied back.

"So, how'd it go?" Celestia quickly asked, slightly kneeling down to Cadance's eye level.

"It was-"

"WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!" yelled a voice from behind the doors, followed by fast-paced hoof steps slowly growing softer and softer.

Cadance quickly swung open the doors again and through the drizzle saw Shining Armor taking off at top speed, holding one of his cheeks.

She smiled as she closed the doors and faced her aunt, who was giving her a devilish smile.

"So, I'm guessing it went well?"

Cadance sighed dreamily, leaning against the doors she was standing in front of, and slowly slid down.

"It was perfect."

***************

Shining Armor was running down the streets like crazy. That kiss, his first kiss... and it was from Cadance. It may have been on the cheek, but he didn't care.

He ran and ran, one of his hoofs still on his face, that delicately kissed face. He could never wash that cheek again.

His speed caused him to reach home a lot faster than usual. He skidded to a stop when he reached the front steps of his house. Boy, did he have a story to tell to the two ponies waiting for him inside.

He dropped his light purple magic shield and opened the door to find Stardust entertaining Twilight and Spike with her guitar. She was just finishing up a song with Twilight and it spooked him at how perfectly the song fit in with what had just happened.

"With a kiss goodnight," Stardust sang at the last strum of her guitar.

“Kiss goodnight," Twilight echoed.

The silence lingered before a set of hooves clopped together in applause. Stardust and Twilight turned to see Shining Armor, back home and smiling.

"Shining Armor!" exclaimed Twilight as she ran to her brother and gave him a hug around his forelimbs.

"Hey, Twi-Lee. Great job on the song." He looked up at Stardust, who was gathering her things. "You too, Star."

"Thanks, Shiny." She strapped her guitar on her back and scooted closer to him, and gave him a one-limbed hug before asking what her and Twilight were dying to know.

"How was it?"

Shining sighed dreamily as he recalled the night. It may have started a little bumpy on his part but it ended with one little yet big event he'd never forget.

"Perfect."

Author's Note

Probably should've done this before, but the "Kiss goodnight" part that Stardust and Twilight sang: "Just A Kiss" by Lady Antebellum.

Floating

If a new emotion could be invented, Shining Armor had done exactly that. Floating. Standing in the library by one of the shelves, Shining Armor not only looked like he was, but he somehow felt "floating”. A mix of happiness, hopefulness, and any other possible positive emotion had been used to create this new emotion. One could almost swear he was propelled by tiny hearts coming out of nowhere.

The kiss in the light drizzle, the dinner, just being with Cadance; it may have all happened just two nights ago, but it was a night he would never forget. He was walking on air, and almost nothing could pull him out of his blissful trance... almost nothing.

"SHINY!"

Shining Armor snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head to see Stardust entering the library and trot towards him. She may have been a few minutes late, but Ms. Paige's didn't seem to notice.

"Hey, Stardust," Shining Armor called back to his friend.

She stopped in front of Shining Armor and with both of her forehooves, brought his face mere centimeters from hers. "Tell. Me. Everything."

After being released from her constricting hold, Shining Armor spilled all of the details about his date with Cadance, from her dress, the restaurant, his early screw up, their stories, and the night ending with a kiss on the cheek.

"Awwwwwww!" Stardust drew Shining Armor in and wrapped a foreleg around his neck and noogied him with the other. "Attacolt, Shiny."

Stardust's friendly assault on Shining Armor's head continued for a few seconds until Shining Armor managed to wiggle his way out of her grasp, laughing the entire time.

"Thanks, Star, but didn't I already tell you about it?"

"No," Stardust deadpanned. "You came home, said it went perfect, and then you practically knocked out on the floor!"

"Oh yeah..." replied Shining Armor, a bit ashamed as he remembered himself knocking out in the living room.

Shining Armor looked back on that day and realized that he was up from sunrise into the very late night. The fact that he didn't knock out on the floor the instant he got home was a miracle in itself.

He spent the day after his date like his little dragon brother, sleeping. His house was silent for most of the day, much to Twilight's delight since she buried herself in her literary collection.

Stardust began to nudge playfully at Shining Armor's shoulder with a sly grin. "Soooooo, got any plans for next time?"

Shining Armor put a hoof on his chin in contemplation."I was thinking about that; and maybe I could take her to Joe's one night."

"Oh thank Celestia," Stardust exhaled. "For a minute I thought you were gonna try and find a way to outdo yourself."

"I'm not that desperate!" Shining Armor defended loudly, inadvertently gaining the attention of a certain yellow librarian.

"Stardust! Shining Armor!" Ms. Paiges called from behind her counter.

"Yes, Ms. Paiges?" responded the two assistants with a hint of fear in their voices.

"I may be old, but I can still hear the sound of ponies not working!"

Stardust and Shining Armor raced towards the front counter to pick up part of the enormous pile of books that needed re-shelving.

"Sorry, Ms. Paiges. We'll get shelving," said Shining Armor very rapidly before speeding off to his first area of work.

"Stardust," called Ms. Paiges, making Stardust stop her walk towards her coworker.

"Yes, Ms. Paiges?"

Ms. Paiges motioned Stardust to come closer with a hoof. A little reluctantly, Stardust walked over to the counter. She was met with a small smile on the old librarian's muzzle.

"Is it true? Did Shining Armor finally take Cadance out?"

Stardust stood there for a second, shock present on her face, but that was quickly replaced with a little smirk of her own.

"Uh-Huh. Dinner at Lumière de Ètoiles."

Ms. Paiges brought her hooves up to her mouth in an awestruck gasp. She had known Shining Armor liked Cadance, but to take her to a place like that spoke volumes of his crush. Her eyes began to glimmer a bit like a grandma's would when seeing her grandchildren.

"Awww... Well, I'm happy for him. The poor nervous wreck deserves it," Ms. Paiges spoke with a bit of a laugh.

Stardust couldn't help but laugh as well. "He's getting better, ma'am."

"I'm sure he is," said Ms. Paiges half-heartedly. "Oh, Stardust?"

"Yes, Ms. Paiges?"

Ms. Paiges narrowed her eyes, and her pointed glasses lowered a bit as she gave one of her signature librarian glares. "Get back to work."

"Yes ma'am!" Stardust took off with her stack of books towards Shining Armor. Very few things scared her, and that glare was one of them.

Ms. Paiges was left with an annoyed look as she ducked behind her desk and pulled out a little coin sack. She grumbled a bit as she pulled out ten bits from her sack.

"So much for that new purse."

**************

"Ooooh. Yes, right there... Ahhhhhh, yes that's the spot."

Silence and blissful moans filled the large light purple room that served as the royal spa. Inside, Blueblood was in the middle of a tension numbing massage, not that he really had any stress or tension to numb. Next to him, one of the spa ponies was rubbing some sort of soap into his cousin’s mane, who was seated close by.

From her lying position, Cadance was in a state of total relaxation as one of the spa ponies was washing her mane. "Blueblood, this was such a good idea."

"I know. Just one of the many ideas of my genius mind," bragged Blueblood, earning an eye roll from Cadance, though he didn’t take notice.

The spa pony that was working on Cadance's mane came to a stop on her work to let the soap settle into Cadence's candy-colored mane.

"Okay, Princess, let that settle for a few minutes, and I'll be back for your rinse."

"Also, Prince Blueblood," said the other spa pony as she finished off Blueblood's massage, "I'll go fetch the seaweed and cucumber slices."

"Take your time," replied Cadance.

"Make it quick!" demanded Blueblood.

The two spa workers ran into another room to gather materials, and once they were out of earshot, Cadance spoke up.

"Blueblood, what happened to the other spa ponies?"

"Oh, I fired them," Blueblood answered nonchalantly with a wave of a hoof.

"You fired Aloe and Lotus?!?"

"They got rough on one of my massages," explained Blueblood. "Next thing I know, they started screaming at me and yelling something about building their own spa. Pfffft, as if."

Cadance let out an aggravated sigh; of course Blueblood would fire somepony over something so small.

"So," he began, "how was your date with Shining Armor?"

Cadance took a moment to remember the night and started to see the date playback through her imagination. It was perfect in her eyes, it was everything she had hoped for... though a kiss back from Shining Armor would've been nice.

"Blue, it was perfect. He took me out to eat, we talked, laughed, he walked me home," she paused as she smiled a little wider, "then I gave him kiss goodnight."

"You kissed him?!" Blueblood nearly screamed, concern gripping his voice.

"Relax, it was just on the cheek," Cadance reassured with a smirk as she found Blueblood’s protective instinct hilarious.

"Just tell me if he tries anything funny..."

"He's too nice to try anything."

"So, I'm guessing you still want to date him?"

Cadance let a dreamy sigh escape her lips. "Uh-Huh."

"Is that why you're getting your mane done?" asked Blueblood playfully.

"Mayyyyyyybe."

Blueblood laughed at his cousin's answer. He knew what she meant, and that's what intrigued him. In the time he'd known Cadance, he had never seen her really try to impress ponies with her looks, which explained why she usually went out without her royal slippers or any princess-like accessories, and tended to just put her mane up in a ponytail.

Now she was going so far as to getting her mane done and two days ago she dragged him into her room for six hours to get his opinion on a dress! Blueblood realized that Cadance really liked Shining Armor, and seeing her happy when she was around or thinking of Shining Armor was good enough to make him happy.

"Well, I'm sure he'll love your new manestyle, Cadance," said Blueblood with a genuine smile.

"Thanks, Blueblood."

"You know," started Blueblood with a hoof on his chin, "all this talk about you and Shining Armor makes me think that I should look for a mare myself."

Cadance instantly perked up as she thought of something, "You knowwww, Shining Armor has a friend. Her name's Stardust. Maybe you two could—"

"I don't date commoners," interrupted Blueblood, making Cadance internally scream with frustration. How he could go from caring relative to complete flankhole in the blink of an eye was a complete mystery to her.

"Speaking of commoners, why is HE here?" asked Blueblood as he pointed a hoof behind the royal pair and towards another bed with a small purple and green dragon sound asleep. He was wrapped in seaweed, with two cucumber slices on his eyes, one of which seemed to have a bite mark.

"It was Twilight's turn to look after Spike today, but she and Aunt Celestia are working on more complex magic, so I offered to look after him before I take them home," Cadance explained, smiling at the adorable purple and green sleeping bundle of seaweed and scales.

"You sure it's a good idea to give a dragon a seaweed wrap?" inquired Blueblood as he raised an eyebrow at Spike.

"He seems fine with it," answered Cadance as Spike let out a few unconscious laughs from whatever dream he was having.

Doors flung open and fast-paced trotting followed, catching the attention of Cadance and Blueblood. They looked towards the open doorway and saw the two spa ponies returning with the supplies on their backs.

"About time," pouted Blueblood as one of the spa ponies started his seaweed wrap.

"Okay, Princess, is there any particular style you have in mind?" asked the other spa pony, already halfway through Cadance's rinse.

“I sure do.”

***************

"It's almost closing time you two!" called Ms. Paiges towards her assistants a few shelves away.

"Almost done, ma'am," called Shining Armor.

The two assistants' day went just like any other at the library. Shelve books, fill out return records, help any ponies that wanted to check a book out; the usual that came with their job. The two were just about to finish their shelving just as Shining Armor spoke up.

"Hey, Star?"

"Yeah, Shiny?"

"Remember when you tried to tell me something when I went over to go help Cadance with the burning decorations a few days ago?"

"Yeah," replied Stardust, still shelving some books.

"It was about Blueblood, wasn't it?"

Stardust gave a smirk as she shelved her last book. "Uh-huh."

"How did you know about him?"

Stardust's horn began to glow, and from a few rows above her head, a bright white book floated down to her side. "I shelved this a few weeks ago and gave it a little look-through."

Shining Armor looked at the white book, 101 Interesting Facts about the Royal Family.

"Of course," droned Shining Armor stoically. He stayed there for a few seconds before turning and facing one of the shelves. He brought his head back a bit aaaaaand...

*Thwack! *Thwack! *Thwack!

"Closing time, you two!" called Ms. Paiges again from her desk.

"Give Shiny one more minute, ma'am," Stardust called back to the old mare while watching Shining's episode.

*Thwack! *Thwack! *Thwack!

Shining Armor drew his head back from the case he just struck and looked at his friend.

"Ya done?" Stardust asked blank-faced.

"... Almost."

*Thwack! *Thwack! *Thwack!

Shining Armor took in a deep breath, and turned to face Stardust. "Okay, I'm done."

The two assistants made their way to the entrance of the library, waved goodbye to their boss, and headed off towards their homes.

Celestia was taking her time setting the sun as beautiful shades of burning orange and red painted the evening sky. It was a sight that Shining Armor wished he could share with a certain pink alicorn... maybe someday.

Their trip home didn't take too long, and was spent just like their usual walks home, talking and reminiscing. The reminiscing was mostly done by Stardust, specifically on all the other times that caused Shining Armor to go into one of his "episodes" like earlier.

"One stupid book. One stupid book," he kept repeating, annoyance and shame grasping his tone.

Stardust walked by him, trying to hold back her laughter, but that was proving to be near impossible, especially since she had just reminded Shining Armor of another one of his blunders.

"And after Cadance left the library, you smashed your head into the wall for like ten minutes straight," she managed to say through her gasps for air.

"Oh, and then there was that time you knocked over an entire shelf in front of her, and nearly crushed that stallion." By now, she was in hysterics. Even Shining Armor was laughing at his own mistakes. They were funny in retrospect, but ONLY in retrospect, at least to him.

"Did I really screw up that much?" Shining Armor asked, a little frightened at the numerous examples Stardust managed to think back on.

"Write down all the times you’ve messed up, ya could fill Twilight's collection... five times."

Shining Armor brought a hoof to his face, making the red from his earlier episode grow more vibrant. True, he messed up A LOT, but one sure thing came out of it.

"Yeah, well THIS screw up," he said with a hoof pointed at himself, "managed to get a date with the most beautiful mare in Equestria!" Shining Armor declared, puffing his chest out in rare pride.

"When did I go on a date with you?" Stardust joked, causing the two to laugh a bit. "But seriously, I'm proud of ya, Shiny," she praised, giving a nudge at Shining Armor.

"Hey, maybe I should find a colt for you, Star."

"This mare don't need help findin' a colt, but I appreciate the gesture, Shiny."

Shining Armor rolled his eyes at his friend’s bravado, something he always admired about her.

Their stroll down memory lane, at Shining Armor's expense, ended as he arrived at his house and made his way up the front porch. He waved Stardust off, and she continued her walk home. He turned to the door with a grin. It would be the first day he'd seen Cadance since their date, and he only hoped he could play it cool... hoped.

With a gentle click of the lock from his magic, he walked in only to be blindsided by two set of forelimbs pulling him into a tight hug.

"Oh, my baby! I missed you so much."

"Welcome home, son."

Through his scrunched up vision, thanks to the tight embrace, Shining Armor looked up to see a blue unicorn stallion with a darker blue mane he recognized as his father, Night Light, and a light grey unicorn mare with a light purple and white striped mane he knew as his mother, Twilight Velvet.

"Mom! Dad!" he exclaimed with a wide smile while trying to return the hug as best as he could from his constrained position. "When did you guys get back?"

"Just this afternoon, honey," Velvet began before her husband took over.

"We thought we'd surprise you when you came home from work."

"Shining Armor!" called a high-pitched voice from the kitchen belonging to a certain filly.

Shining Armor broke away from his parents and looked towards the kitchen to see said filly, Spike, and Cadance sitting by a small stack of gifts on the table.

"We got presents!" Twilight squealed like it was Hearth's Warming.

Shining Armor trotted towards the kitchen, smiling dreamily as Cadance motioned for him to sit next to her. That's when he noticed something new about her... her mane. Once again it changed. Replacing the light waves from two nights ago were bouncy curls that fell to the base of her neck. Once again Shining Armor found himself staring dreamily at Cadance, causing the pink mare to blush slightly.

"Can we open them now? Spike's already digging into his!" Twilight complained, pointing to the infant dragon sucking on a sky blue sapphire.

"Alright, Twilight," Velvet complied.

At this, Twilight instantly ripped through the purple and pink wrapping of the rectangular gift. Once she got through the wrapping, she squealed with joy when she saw the gift... a book.

A Full History of the Hayman Islands: First Edition. Twilight rushed to her parents and squeezed them both with unnatural strength in a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Twilight quickly said before letting her parents go and taking off to her room with her new book held in her magic.

"You're welcome," Velvet and Night Light replied in a casual tone that came with learning how their daughter reacts when getting a new book.

With Twilight now muzzle deep in her book, Shining Armor and Cadance were left to open their own little trinkets. Shining Armor quickly tore open his small gift to see a Hayman Island snow globe with two plastic ponies in the center of the globe looking each other adoringly.

Shining Armor looked up to see his dad raising his eyebrows repeatedly while Velvet nodded her head to her side, motioning to Cadance.

Shining Armor decided to ignore the parental teasing to pay mind to Cadance as she delicately undid the wrapping surrounding her small gift. From it, she pulled out a glass heart filled with gleaming white sand and crystal blue water.

"Wow, thank you, Night Light. Thank you, Velvet," Cadance beamed as she held the glass heart in her hooves.

"Anything for our favorite foal-sitter," Velvet replied before turning her attention back to her son. "So, what did you do while we were gone, Shining?"

Shining Armor listed the usual; work, looking after Twilight, Cadance looking after Twilight, helping at the Summer Sun Celebration, preventing another Spike fire. Then, he came to a pause as he looked at Cadance with an adoring look.

"I also," he stepped closer to Cadance, "we also," he corrected, "went on a date two nights ago."

Cadance blushed a bit as she leaned into Shining Armor. Velvet and Night Light on the other hoof were in a state of total disbelief. Both were wide-eyed and their jaws nearly hit the floor at the news. They knew of their son's crush, but they didn't expect him to act on it for at least a few more weeks, partially for the sake of their bet, but still.

With the initial shock now gone, both of Shining Armor's parents couldn't help but smile widely.

"My baby... my baby..." Velvet said through a joyful sob, making Shining Armor go red in the face.

"Mom..." Shining whined out, causing Cadance to giggle at Shining’s foalish behavior. Hearing her giggles only made Shining go even redder.

"You know, Shining," Night Light began, a sly grin on his face, "your mother and I are just gonna be unpacking the rest of the night. Maybe you and Cadance would like to step out for a little stroll? Dinner? Something?"

"Ugh... I... think... what... ugh..." Shining was lost. His dad was basically shoving him into another date.

"That sounds lovely," Cadance interjected, sparing Shining Armor more of his mumbles.

"Great!" Night Light beamed before heading behind the two teenage ponies. In a cartoonish fashion, he shoved the two along the floor towards the front door of the house while naming a few places they could go. Night Light flung the door open with his magic and shoved the two outside.

"Have fun you two," he said with a wide grin before disappearing back inside the house.

Shining Armor and Cadance stood at the front steps, both had looks of surprise plastered on their faces at Night Light's strength.

"Well... that happened," said Cadance, slowly descending the stairs of the porch.

"Sorry about that," Shining apologized as he hung his head a bit.

"It's fine, Shining." Cadance looked around at the slowly emptying streets. Celestia was about ready to raise the moon, and the sky was painted in slowly darkening purple clouds.

"So," she began, turning to Shining Armor, "where should we go?"

'Okay, someplace casual, but nice. Casual, but nice... ughhhhhh,' Shining Armor's mind was racing to find a solution.

After a few moments of thought, Shining Armor instantly sprung up in a full grin. He bowed a bit as he offered a hoof to Cadance.

Cadance happily took Shining's hoof, and the two galloped off. "So where to?"

"It's a surprise."

***************

Night Light stood by the door with his ear pressed against the wood. Once the sound of hoofbeats finally silenced, he let out a sigh of relief before turning to his wife.

"Oh, my baby boy," Velvet sighed out.

Night Light came up to his wife and held onto her in a warm hug. "Come on, honey. It was bound to happen.”

"I know, honey.” Velvet let out a long sigh as she realized something. “Our little Shiney-Whiney is growing up."

"I know, honey. I know. But you knowwww... Shining's out of the house, Twilight's reading a book... so that gives us a few hours to ourselves."

Velvet let a devilish smile crawl on her face. "You'll get the wine and candles, and I'll get the spaghetti."

The two ran towards the kitchen, ecstatic for their spontaneous date night, but upon reaching the kitchen, they were met with a small lavender filly wearing a smirky grin.

"Twilight?”

“Shining Armor told you about his date a few nights ago, right?” Twilight asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah. Why do you ask, honey?” Velvet asked.

Twilight outstretched a forelimb as her smirk widened. “Pay up, mom and dad.”

Author's Note

Sorry it took a while, but this is actually just half of one chapter... well, not really. See, the whole chapter was a bit long, so it's split up. Edits just need to be done and it will be out. Expect some dawwwww next chapter. Also, the last of Twilight's gambling victims. Another also, feedback is greatly appreciated.

The Good Stuff

The two ponies were in a quick gallop towards Shining Armor's date spot. They ran through near-deserted streets, earned a few surprised looks from some passing ponies due to the fact that a princess was with some random colt, and with a few more turns, came up to the purple-blue building.

Shining stopped at the front door and pointed to the sign above it.

"Here we are, Joe's Donuts!”

Cadance stared at the sign with a quizzical look. "What's a donut?"

Shining Armor quite possibly performed the greatest and longest gasp in Equestrian history at that moment. He looked at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. “You don’t… how do… that’s just… we need to get in, now!”

Shining Armor opened the door and motioned for Cadance to step through. She did so with the same elegance and grace that she somehow managed to use with everything she did. Shining followed her in and led her towards the front counter where a certain light amber stallion was tending to a customer at the bar.

“Hey, Joe!” Shining called to the stallion.

Joe looked up from the donut that he was wrapping for his other customer and gave a huge smile towards one of his favorite customers.

“Hey, Shining. Hello—“ Whatever Joe was about to say was interrupted by his own ragged breathing as he saw the regal pink alicorn standing before him. “Pri-Pri-Princ-Prince-Princess Cadance!”

Joe ducked behind his bar and the stallion on the stool instantly fell down to a bow. Shining walked up to the bar and looked over to see Joe in the same bow as the stallion on the ground.

“Joe, you don’t need to do that. Cadance and I are just here to get some donuts,” Shining explained to the still bowing confectioner.

Shining Armor leaned over the bar to get closer to Joe. “She doesn’t know what a donut is!” Joe just looked at Shining, very unconvinced. Joe mouthed out “Are you serious”? but stayed in his deep bow. Shining only nodded solemnly in response.

At this news, Joe shot right up and looked directly at Cadance with wide eyes. “You poor mare.”

Cadance gave back a confused look, clearly not knowing what Shining Armor whispered to Joe.

“Well, I can fix that,” Joe said with pride. “Just sit whereva, and I’ll get you two the best donuts I got, on the house.” In a flash of amber and brown, Joe raced into his kitchen, and Shining Armor guided Cadance to a table.

“What did you tell him?” Cadance asked as she took her seat.

“That you’ve never had a donut. How is that even possible?!?”

“I’ve never been this far down into Canterlot before. Farthest I’ve ever been was to Blueblood’s tailor.”

Silence held for a few seconds as Shining Armor took that in. He knew that Cadance spent a lot of her time in the castle, but he never realized just how much she was kept from. “Well then you’re in for a treat. If anypony’s donuts are gonna be your first, be glad they’re Joe’s.”

As if on cue, Joe zipped from the kitchen to Shining Armor and Cadance’s table, carrying plates with pink-frosted donuts and two hot chocolates. “And here you two go.” Joe placed the plates of goods on the table and walked back to his bar to tend to his other customer of the night.

Cadance eyed the pink-frosted goody lying in front of her. In her life, she consumed some of the finest desserts ever conceived by the equine mind, but never has something like what was lying in front of her ever touched her lips, or even been within her sight. She brought the donut to her face and looked at Shining. He was eyeing her like a scientist waiting for a reaction, so to end his stare, she took a bite out of the simple pastry. The moment her tongue met with the pink pastry, all of heaven seemed to be in her mouth.

“Oh by Auntie...” she whispered dramatically after she swallowed.

“Good, isn’t it?” Shining Armor asked as he saw Cadance’s eyes grow in ecstasy.

Instead of an answer, he heard loud gobbling sounds as Cadance nearly shoved the rest of the treat into her mouth in a frenzy. Once she finished, she let out a nervous giggle. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. Twi, Spike, and I did the same thing with our first donut from Joe,” Shining explained before digging into his own treat.

Using one of the napkins on the table, Cadance wiped her mouth clean of the remaining bits of the best thing she ever ate. “That was soooo good. Kinda wish I didn’t eat it so fast.”

Shining Armor looked down at his own frosted dessert, a thought emerging. He carefully tore the treat in half and outstretched a limb with the donut half.

Cadance looked at the donut half and smiled warmly at Shining Armor. She happily took the donut half, but before she had a chance to take a bite into it, Shining Armor grabbed her attention as he did something a little weird to her.

He was dipping his donut into the steaming mug of hot chocolate and after a few seconds, lifted the now chocolate dripping donut, and took a bite. Sweetness swirled in his mouth as he happily chewed and swallowed. Before going back to get another bite, he looked to Cadance and saw her confused look.

"Try it," he suggested, hovering his donut over the mug.

Cadance did as Shining said and, at the same time, they dipped their donuts in the warm drink. Shining was the first to take a bite, leaving Cadance to ponder this combination for a few seconds. She slowly took a bite... and a part of her died from pure culinary pleasure.

Her taste buds melted from the chocolate soaked pastry, sending her into what could only be described as a food-high. After her short food-high, she dug into the rest of her donut, this time taking more princess-like bites.

When they both finished, Shining looked to Cadance and saw her lost in some unknown sense. She sat there looking off into space just reeling in from what she just ate.

"Amazing."

"That's not even the best Joe's got," said Shining, making Cadance quickly turn her head with wide eyes.

"There's something better?" The intensity of her question was crushing, but all Shining did was smile as he answered.

"Uh-huh," he shuffled around in his seat, ready to get up and get Joe, "lemme just go ask Joe if he can—"

"Bring one of his favorite customers and his beautiful date a pair of his famous jelly-filled chocolate glazed donuts?" Joe finished off Shining Armor's sentence, holding two plates with multiple large, nearly pulsating treats. "You know, the good stuff?"

"You know me so well, Joe," Shining joked.

Joe replied with a small smirk before placing the plates in front of Shining Armor and Cadance and trotting off.

"Enjoy you two."

Cadance and Shining Armor stared down at the sweet concoctions before them, Cadance's eyes especially widening in desire of the chocolate treat.

Both of them turned to each other and each picked up a donut for themselves. Shining Armor took the first bite, and out came the strawberry filling... all over Cadance.

***************

Through the starlit streets of Canterlot, two ponies were brushing past the relatively empty streets, seemingly eager to get away from somewhere.

"Uck! Jet Set, dear, you know I hate coming to this part of the city," an olive-coated unicorn mare complained in a congested-like voice.

"Uck! I know, Upper Crust, but Fancy's charity auction is supposed to be near here," replied the grey-coated stallion in a similar tone as his wife. He scanned the area and scoffed at his surroundings. "Really wish he hosted it in a more... refined area."

The prissy couple continued their hurried prance and their snorts of disgust until something through the window of a certain eatery caught their eyes. From across the street, through the window of "Joe's Donuts," they saw...

"Princess Cadance!" Upper Crust gasped.

"And that colt from the restaurant," Jet Set added. "And they’re..." he looked up at the sign of the eatery the two teenage ponies were sitting in, "at a donut shop?" Disgust in his voice came out very pungently with the words.

What the two saw next nearly made them faint in a mix of surprise and utter disgust. They saw the white-furred colt take a huge bite out of some chocolate covered pastry, and spew strawberry filling all over Princess Cadance.

"Well I never!" Upper Crust breathed out like she witnessed a tragedy.

"That hooligan!" Jet Set exclaimed, a rise in his congested voice.

The prissy pair let out collective ‘hmphs’ as they stuck their noses up in the air and trotted off.

"Let's go, dear. Celestia knows we don't want to be around when the Princess calls her guards to pummel the life out of that ruffian," Jet Set scoffed.

"Or do we?" Upper Crust joked.

The two trotted off, noses raised high, laughing stuffily at Upper Crust's cruel joke.

***************

Cadance sat on her seat, dripping strawberry filling on the floor, and staring at the wide-jawed unicorn in front of her.

Shining sat in absolute terror. He had just squirted filling on his date. His donut was still in his hooves, also dripping strawberry. The momentary silence in the air dripped of guilt, fear, shame, and humiliation.

"Ca-Ca-Ca-Cadance. I-I-I-I'm so sorry," Shining muttered with wide eyes and tiny pupils.

Cadance sat in silence for a while, unknowingly letting Shining Armor’s fears pile on and on. Instead of a slap on the face, or a shriek, or even a stomp out the door like Shining Armor expected, she smiled… devilishly, like she was planning something.

She brought her own overfilled pastry to her mouth, and bit hard, squirting Shining Armor with strawberry filling. Shining Armor sat there, dripping while Cadance tried to stifle her laughs upon seeing the expression smeared on Shining Armor’s face. What she did next, she couldn’t fully explain, but she took hold of another overfilled donut from the table, bit down and dosed her date again with strawberry goodness.

After letting some of the red goop drop from the bangs of his mane, Shining Armor put on a devilish grin of his own. “Oh, so that’s how you wanna play?” Not holding back, he took another donut from the table and bit down, hard, and once again coated Cadance in strawberry. Now it was on.

For as long as there was filling in their donuts, they bit and bit, squirting more strawberry on the other with each bite. As they squirted, they couldn’t help but laugh like foals. By the time the barrage of jelly stopped, the donuts on the table and in their hooves looked like deflated balloons and their coats were littered with red.

“Here, lemme clean us off,” Shining Armor offered. With a glow from his horn, he, Cadance, and the area around them were surrounded in a cloud of lavender. With a precise swipe of his magic, all the gooey red filling was swiped from the floor and their coats and balled up into one glowing red gelatinous orb.

Shining placed the rather large sphere of red onto one of the trays and turned to face Cadance, all evidence of their little food fight seemingly gone from view… almost all. Near the bottom of her left eye, a bit of jelly remained.

“Cadance, you have a little jelly on your face,” Shining motioned towards her face.

“You got a little something there too,” said Cadance as she tried to lean in a bit to get some jelly off of Shining Armor’s muzzle.

Shining also started leaning in to flick off the red residue, but instead of getting to her face, both ponies were met with the other’s incoming foreheads. With a loud ‘bonk,’ the two retracted a bit with nervous laughs of slight pain and embarrassment.

“How about I just—”

“And I’ll just—”

The two gave another try, and this time managed to reach each other without the clanking of heads. They swiped the jelly from the other’s face rather quickly, but with the close proximity between the two, they couldn’t help but look into each other’s eyes. Cadance, staring off into his sapphire eyes and Shining Armor staring off into her twinkling purple orbs.

For some reason unknown to them, they were inching closer together, slowly, but surely. It was weird, but at the same time felt right to them as they inched closer and closer together, their muzzles just centimeters away from each other. They both closed the gap as their lips met for the very first time, and on that night, sparks flew as both closed their eyes dreamily. It was like they were the only two ponies in Equestria for those few seconds that they were locked together, but to them, it felt like being plunged into ecstasy for eternity.

They pulled away slowly, shock ever-present on their faces. ‘Wow’ was the only syllable that was uttered by either of the two for the next few minutes as they gazed at each other’s eyes, lost in their own paradise.

If he could move or talk, Shining Armor would be screaming and jumping for joy, but the experience of his first kiss, his first real kiss, was proving to be too much for him to get over. Cadance was having just about the same reaction. Her own first kiss… on the lips, and it was with Shining Armor.

Shining tried to speak, unsure of what to say until a question popped up that he reluctantly asked. “Does this make us coltfriend-marefriend now?”

Internally, Cadance was going nuts. She never had a coltfriend before, and here she was, minutes after her first kiss, in front of the nicest colt she has come to know. The answer was obvious, so she decided to make something out of it.

She scooted closer to Shining Armor with a sultry look on her face. “I don’t know. You tell me.” She pulled him in again for another kiss. Their lips locked again, and this time, Shining Armor showed no hesitance as he pulled Cadance closer to him. The passion felt between the two, the sparks that flew at that instant, and the rush the two felt couldn’t be described in words.

Joe may have brought what he called “the good stuff” as Shining Armor and Cadance’s desserts, but that wasn’t it. In that shop, their first long kiss on the second date… that was the good stuff.

Author's Note

Way to go Shiny, first kiss and it only took 9 chapters. Wow I hope my pacing is good on this thing. Anyway, hope you guys like it, and hopefully I captured the whole idea of a first kiss right. Feedback always welcome.

Metal's Place

The summer sunlight beating down on the ground was perfectly balanced with the cool breeze blowing in the open space of one of the many parks in Canterlot. The grass swayed in a weird combination of disarray and harmony, and the blue sea of the sky was splotched white with clouds. Sitting by one of the benches, Shining Armor and Cadance were throwing rocks into the nearby lake in front of them.

The pink alicorn was trying her hoof at stone skipping while Shining Armor sat there trying to teach her, holding her close with each motion he demonstrated.

"Okay. First, find as flat of a rock as you can." He levitated two somewhat flat rocks from the lake shore into his and Cadance's hooves.

"Then bring it back to your side at an angle."

She did as she was told.

"Aaaaaaand fling it." The stone left Shining Armor's hoof and met the lake with repeated splashes as it hopped across the water for a few seconds before finally sinking down into the mud at the bottom of the lake.

Cadance watched the sight in awed silence. She looked to the stone in her outstretched hoof nervously, not wanting to mess up.

Deciding to go for it, she flung the rock the way Shining Armor instructed and, to her surprise, saw it hop on the lake at least four times before descending into the water.

She let out a few cheers and hugged her coltfriend tightly at her recent success. Coltfriend. That was a word that still filled her with joy, knowing that the kindest, funniest, and at times, goofiest colt she knew, was somepony she could call hers.

Shining Armor himself was finding it hard to believe that Cadance was his marefriend now. A few days had passed since their kiss at Joe's, and every day since that night, Shining woke up feeling the same sense of joy and disbelief he felt the instant they had shared their first kiss.

He held onto her and they both nuzzled each other affectionately.

"You're so cute, you know that?" Shining Armor complimented playfully, earning a small laugh from Cadance.

"You're pretty cute too," Cadance replied as she leaned into his shoulder, giving her a clear view of the park and the shining sun. It was beautiful, more so than normal. Celestia took extra care of today, and Cadance had a pretty good idea as to why. It was Shining's day off after all, so of course the two lovebirds would want to spend it together.

Shining looked down to the pink mare on his shoulder and took notice of her beauty. The curls from a few nights ago settled back to Cadance's natural manestyle, and for the first time in a long time, he noticed a piece of royal jewelry around her neck, a gold necklace with a dark purple diamond encrusted within.

Sweet Celestial she was beautiful. So many words could've been spoken, so many words of admiration could've been said, but those two didn't need them. Their silence as they leaned into each other was all they needed to let the other know how much they admired one another.

Those two could've stayed that way all day, leaning onto each other side by side, but their stomachs had another plan.

GURGLE GURGLE GURGLE

A wave of hunger surged through Shining Armor's stomach, sounding off like a rabid dog. Cadance rose off Shining's shoulder and saw the weak smile he put on.

She was about to say something until gurgles of her own arose, causing her to put on the same weak smile.

"How long have we been out here?" Cadance asked.

"I... have no idea," Shining Armor laughed. "Wanna go get something to eat?"

"Can we go to Joe's?" Cadance asked with foal-like enthusiasm and a pleading grin.

"Sure." Shining gave a slight bow and outstretched a hoof. "Shall we?"

Cadance placed her gentle hoof into his inviting one. "Let's," she replied, eagerness oozing from her very being at the idea of getting more of those donuts she recently fell in love with.

***************

The two teenage ponies happily strolled through the streets of Canterlot with their destination in mind; a site that will forever mean something special to them.

As they walked through the streets, Shining Armor took notice of something new, something he really hadn't noticed before. Ponies were staring at him and Cadance as they walked by.

With every pony they passed, he saw the same awestruck expression plastered on their faces. It was creeping him out a bit.

"Ugh, Cadance?"

"Yeah, Shining?" Cadance asked back.

"Have you noticed that everypony is... staring at us?"

Cadance began to look around and did in fact see a barrage of ponies eyeing her and Shining Armor. Just as Shining Armor saw, she too saw the awestruck expressions on their faces.

"Oh, yeah," Cadance said with a tone like she just understood a joke.

"And you're not just the tiniest bit creeped out?" Shining said as he looked around.

"When you're a princess of Equestria walking through the streets, you're bound to get some looks. After a certain amount of time, you just get used to it," Cadance explained as memories of the first few times she gained that kind of attention flashed through her mind.

"How do you deal with it?"

"Simple; smile, wave, and let them know everything's alright."

As another pony across the street stopped to look at the two, Cadance caught his eyes. Just as she said, she smiled, waved, and gave a gentle nod. It may have seemed rehearsed due to the many times she's done this set of actions before, but it was genuine nonetheless.

The pony across the street gave a small bow before resuming his trot through the streets and left Shining Armor and Cadance to do the same.

Shining Armor walked beside his marefriend, completely awestruck at how calmly she handled all the eyes on them. He never knew just how strong she could be. For now, he just chalked it up on his ever-growing list of reasons he adored Cadance.

The two continued their walk towards "Joe's Donuts," Shining Armor trying not to have a panic attack from the stares while Cadance handled it with her usual grace. Eventually, they were met with the fragrance of fresh baked dough and cocoa coming from the couple’s favorite donut shop.

Cadance began to trot much faster towards the building once the scent of donuts and hot chocolate reached her nose. By the time Shining Armor caught up to her, he saw Cadance staring at a note stuck on the closed door.

“Back in 15,

-Joe”

"Guess he's on break," Shining Armor suggested.

"I guess..." Cadance began to pout.

"SHINY!!!" called a familiar accented voice. "CADANCE!!!" it called again.

Cadance and Shining Armor spun their heads to look across the street where they saw Stardust in a dead sprint towards the two.

Before crashing into the couple, Stardust skidded to a stop mere inches away from their muzzles. She had what could probably go down as the largest smile in Canterlot on her face and her eyes were wide in excitement.

"Street. Across. Restaurant. New. Come. Job. Perform!" Stardust spat out while waving her forehooves in the air.

"Star, slow down." Shining Armor advised to his ecstatic friend.

"No time!" Stardust exclaimed right before taking off. "C'Mon!" she called, already a good distance away.

“Must be important,” Shining Armor mused to Cadance, “she isn’t the kind of mare to be in a rush for anything.”

"What's this about?" Cadance asked.

"I guess we're gonna find out," Shining Armor answered before he and Cadance began to follow the blue mare ahead of them.

The two chased down the sprinting mare for about two streets from Joe’s until a brown wooden building came into view. Painted in electric blue, a flat stone sign at the top of the building read "Metal's Place,” and by the front of the wooden structure was Stardust, waving for Cadance and Shining Armor to come over.

"Star, what's all this about?" Shining Armor asked once he met up with his friend.

Instead of an answer, Stardust pointed a hoof at the window of "Metal's Place.” Inside was a flyer in big lettering.

"Grand Opening of Metal's Place this Friday!

Best veggie burgers and hay fries in Canterlot. Live music every night. Now hiring waiters/waitresses. Performers needed. Performers come in and show us your stuff! Waiter/Waitress applications can be picked up inside."

"Ohhhh, you're gonna try out?" Shining asked after reading the flyer.

"Even better!" Stardust squealed happily. She motioned for Shining Armor and Cadance to come into the new restaurant.

They descended the small stairs into the interior to see an all wooden design. It was about as big as "Joe's Donuts" and nearly resembled that of a southern cattle house, but in the back stood a circular stage. Tables were scattered around and small stools circled each table.

"There's my new girl!" called a voice from the cider/juice bar by the stage.

Cadance and Shining Armor turned to see Stardust and a grey-coated unicorn colt, who looked no older than themselves, in a warm embrace.

"Guys," Stardust began, "this is my new boss, Metal Wave."

The colt known as Metal Wave went into a light bow upon seeing Cadance and let his blue and black bangs droop over his face.

"Princess Cadance! It's such an honor to have you here!" Metal Wave gasped from his bowing position.

"The pleasure is all mine, but there's no need for bowing. I'm just a regular pony," Cadance soothed.

Metal Wave stood back up a little hesitantly at Cadance's casual tone. "If you say so, your majesty."

"Just call me Cadance."

"Okay... Cadance," Metal said with a tone a little too high for a colt his age.

"Aaaaaany way," Stardust started, gaining the ponies attention in the process, "guess who's the new regular performer at 'Metal's Place’."

"I don't know... you?" Shining Armor answered back slyly.

"BINGO!" Stardust exclaimed excitedly, “this is gonna be my first time performing for others that aren’t in my bedroom!”

"This is also gonna be the first time you’ll be waitressing," Metal Wave added in.

"Oh, yeah, that too," Stardust waved off, making the grey colt next to her a little nervous in his decision of her employment.

"Wait, you're gonna be working here?" Shining Armor asked.

"Oh, yeah. That was the other thing I wanted to tell you. To be a 'Regular Performer', you also gotta work here."

Shining Armor took a moment to reel in this new information before he hesitantly asked his next question. "Does this mean you're not gonna work at the library anymore?"

Noticing his change in tone, Stardust put on a reassuring smile. "Ah, don't worry, Shiny. You're still gonna see me around. Besides, this is like a dream for me. This is gonna be my first time performing for other ponies, and I don't wanna be a library assistant my whole life."

Shining Armor really did understand. He knew Stardust had greater ambitions, and it was just a matter of time until she pursued them. Both were about to enter that age where a pony leaves home to pursue their dreams or destinies, and Stardust was no different.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Star," Shining said genuinely.

"Thanks, Shiny." The reassuring smile on Stardust's face turned into one of pure excitement. "I still can't believe it! In just a few days, I'm gonna perform for other ponies!"

"And waitress," Metal Wave added. "Oh, that reminds me, you need to meet the other mare I hired. She's gonna be another regular performer and waitress."

Stardust was caught off guard by Metal’s revelation, leading her to face him and put on a quizzical look. "Other mare?"

"Yeah, she's helping my uncle with some of the electrical equipment for the stage in the back."

Just as Metal Wave finished explaining, a large speaker and a microphone set encased in a magical aura floated from a room next to the stage in the back. Following the floating objects was a familiar amber-coated unicorn stallion wearing a baker's outfit and hat.

"Well, well, if it ain't Shining Armor and Princess Cadance!" the stallion said with a small smile.

"Joe!" Shining Armor exclaimed at the sight of his favorite donut pony. "What are you doing here?"

"Just helpin' my nephew out with the opening of his new restaurant," Joe said as he was setting the mics and speaker on the stage.

"Thanks again, Uncle Joe," Metal Wave spoke up.

"No problem, Wavy."

Shining Armor started to blink as he tried to force his brain to make the connection that Pony Joe and Metal Wave were related. The fact that they were both unicorns and had nearly the same shade of green in their eyes was enough for him to see the resemblance and enough for his brain to finally finish its connection.

“Joe, you never told me you had a nephew,” Shining Armor spoke up.

“I’ve got a lot of nephews. About an eighth of Manehatten’s restaurants are run by someone in my family,” Joe explained, earning a surprised expression from Shining Armor. “What? Big family.”

“Anyways,” Metal interjected, focusing on the amber stallion, “where’s Sapphire? I thought she was helping you with the setup?”

“I’m right here, Wave,” called a silvery voice from the room Joe exited a few minutes ago. Out from the room appeared a taller than average, pale golden-coated earth pony mare with a tangle of orange extension cords on her back. “Sorry, darling, I got tangled in all these cords when I tried to get them off the shelf.”

Sapphire looked away from the cords on her back to see the five ponies in the room, and dropped into a bow upon seeing a certain pink alicorn. “Princess!” she gasped in a similar fashion as her boss.

“Ya get this reaction a lot, don’t ya?” Stardust asked Cadance, already knowing the answer.

“A little more than I’d like,” Cadance admitted before she went to the grounded mare and retold her what she told Metal Wave.

“If you say so… Cadance,” Sapphire said with some uneasiness.

Picking up on the unsure tone in Sapphire’s, Cadance tried to change the subject. “So, are you going to work here?”

“Yes,” Sapphire answered lightly. “I’m actually going to be one of the waitresses and regular performers here.”

“Ohhhhh, so you’re the one,” Stardust said as she approached the taller mare.

“Excuse me?” Sapphire asked.

She was met with an outstretched blue hoof and a friendly smile. “Stardust, another waitress/performer.”

“Sapphire Shores, nice to meet you,” Sapphire beamed at her new coworker.

“So, ya sing?” Stardust inquired Sapphire.

“You know it, honey, since I was a filly.”

“Can ya show us a bit?”

Rather than a verbal answer, Sapphire rushed onto the stage and stood by the microphone on set. After giving it a few taps to check the sound, she took in a breath and, in a voice bigger than life with some smokiness drizzled in, she let loose.

"Baaaaaaaaabyyyyyy." She gave her body a quick jerk to one side in a diva-like fashion after she filled the room with her voice. She didn’t need any instruments to help her. She was just that good.

"Seems like everywhere I go I seeeeeee you." She gave another diva jerk, letting her poofy blue mane and tail bounce with the movement.

"From your eyes, your smile, it’s like I breeeeathe you." Everypony’s eyes grew to the size of plates upon seeing Sapphire on stage. She was killing it.

"Helplessly I reminisce, don’t waaaaaant to." She lowered her eyes to the small awestruck crowd below her.

"Compare nobody to you!" She ended her display with another diva jerk, and gained a barrage of applause from the ponies below. Cadance specifically was going nuts with applause.

“Thank you!” Sapphire gave a quick bow before jumping off the stage to join the small crowd of ponies.

“Daaaaaang,” Stardust exclaimed in awe. She definitely had some competition in her new workplace. “No wonder Metal hired you...”

Sapphire let out some light laughs, clearly new to the positive feedback. “Thank you,” she replied shyly, completely contrasting her stage presence.

Cadance went to Sapphire with starry eyes. “You were amazing! Awesome! Sensational!"

“Sensational?” Sapphire repeated, that one word , that one word that tickled her lips with each syllable. “I like that. Thank you so much… Cadance.”

Cadance responded with a huge smile and glimmering eyes before she turned her attention to Stardust. “Stardust, why don’t you go and show us something?”

“Ehh, not today. Wait till Friday, I like surprising ponies,” she said in a way like she had some sort of plan brewing that no sane pony could comprehend.

“OKAY!” Metal spoke up. “Surprises and performances aside, this place still needs to get set up! Stardust, Sapphire; I need you two to finish up with stage setup.”

“Aye Aye, Captain!” Stardust gave a playful salute before taking off into the back room with Sapphire tailing her.

“Uncle Joe, do you have the Hearth’s Warming lights?”

“Behind the counter, Wavy.”

Metal Wave took off to the juice bar and pulled out multiple strings of colorful lights, which tangled around his hooves like string. “Thanks, Uncle Joe,” he called from the bar. “Now if only I can just... get these... stupid... lights... un-freaking tangled!” Metal Wave was noticeably having a hard time with the strings of lights. Every motion he made only tightened the lights, and in the process, practically mummified himself in cords. As funny as the scene was, it had to end for the sake of the colt’s dignity.

A light blue aura encased the now mummified Metal Wave, and with a flash of light, he was standing on all fours with a set of perfectly untangled cords of lights laid out in front of him.

The confused colt looked around frantically until his eyes met the pink princess in front of him, her horn’s light blue glow slowly fading away. It was at that point that Metal Wave brought a hoof to his forehead very forcefully.

“Riiiiight... magic,” he deadpanned, earning a small laugh from Cadance in the process. “Thank you, Prin... ugh... Cadance.”

“No problem. Do you need any more help around here?” Cadance asked.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly ask you to—”

“Oh c’mon, I insist,” Cadance interrupted, already taking hold of a few light strings in her magical aura.

“Well ,if you want to...” Metal Wave was still a bit unsure of the whole situation. It wasn’t like a princess offered to help him set up every day, and it was a little less than unheard of for a princess to help out with something like this, but he needed the help nonetheless. He then remembered the white colt next to her. “And what about you?”

The white colt in question lifted a few of the Hearth’s Warming light cords off the ground and held them in his own magical grip at his side. “Where do I start?”

***************

“And here you two go.”

From behind his counter back at “Joe’s Donuts,” Joe hoofed two half-wrapped donuts to Shining Armor and Cadance. Shining Armor was about to pull out a few bits but was met with a grey hoof in front of his face.

“No charge, Shiny. You two helped a lot with Wavy’s place so these are on the house.”

“Thanks, Joe.”

“No problem. Hey, you guys gonna come for the grand opening?” The confectioner began to glow with childlike enthusiasm, and if listening closely, one could swear a small 'squee' was heard as he smiled.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Cadance answered.

“Great!” he replied with a wide smile. Cadance and Shining Armor made their way to the exit and turned to wave off their favorite baker.

“Bye, Joe,” Shining Armor waved.

“See ya, Shiny. See ya, Prin... ugh, Cadance.”

“Bye, Joe,” Cadance called back. And with a swing of the door, they were out.

By now, Canterlot had settled into it’s usual nighttime atmosphere. Street lights filled with fireflies glimmered, the shops that packed the streets only had a few lights on, and the sky was dotted with tiny stars that swirled around without a particular pattern.

Shining Armor and Cadance walked in relative silence for a few minutes, mostly due to the stuffing of their faces with the donuts held in their magical grip. When the last bites were swallowed, they threw the wrapping away in a trashcan that they passed.

“Still as good as ever,” Cadance sighed with delight before turning to her coltfriend. “Sorry that I kinda forced you to volunteer at the restaurant earlier.”

“Hey, I wanted to help. Besides, I got to spend more time with you,” he finished off warmly, brushing his head next to hers. Cadance craned her neck to let their heads rest on each other.

“You’re so good to me, Shining,” Cadance soothed with closed eyes.

“You’re so good to me too, Cadance,” Shining replied before going into a warm nuzzle with Cadance. “So, when should I pick you up on Friday?”

“I’ll just meet you when you get off work. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds perfect. So, are you excited?”

“YES!!!” Cadance answered with a jump nearly five feet in the air. “I’ve never heard music like that! Sapphire was amazing.”

“She was, and we’ll get to see Star sing too. Wait, what do you mean you’ve never heard music like that?”

Cadance’s mood took a tiny swing backwards as she recollected her memories. “What I mean is that all I’ve ever heard in my life is classical stuff. I’ve only heard orchestras. I’ve only heard what’s played at galas and other high-class events. A lot of ‘fancy stuff’,” she said with air quotes. “Don’t get me wrong it’s beautiful and all... but... like I said, it’s all I’ve ever known.”

Shining Armor couldn’t form words for a few seconds after this bit of information. He never forgot about her being a princess. Truth be told, that little fact is what made his relationship with her seem more like a dream to him with each passing day. Which is how he came to understand why she never traveled that far from the castle, and why she didn’t know what a donut was. But this spoke new levels of how little Cadance was truly exposed to.

“You’ve been kept from a lot, haven't you?”

Cadance sighed a bit in defeat before she answered. “More than I’d like to admit.” She let out another sigh and hung her head a bit.

“Well you knowwwww, I can fix that.”

Cadance perked her head up rapidly to see a warm and inviting smile from Shining Armor as he took her hoof in his.

“Cadance, you’ve made me so happy these last few days by just being around me, and letting me call you my marefriend, and I wanna show you just how much you mean to me. So, I’m gonna show you what you’ve been missing out on.”

Cadance looked at Shining Armor for a few seconds, not entirely sure how to react. She didn’t really know how much she had missed before she met Shining. And how in Equestria he was gonna show her everything, she didn’t know. But one thing she did know was that she could trust him, and that fact alone is what made her smile return and her lips to land on Shining Armor’s. It was a surprise, but it was a very welcome one to Shining Armor.

After a few seconds, Cadance broke away and gave her signature smile. “You really are just too good to me.”

No response was needed from him. Just that smile on Shining Armor’s face was all it took for Cadance to know that what she said meant a lot to him. They continued their walk in silence with each others heads resting on the other. After a few minutes, they arrived at the front doors of Canterlot Castle.

“Shining, you know you don’t have to walk me home every time,” Cadance brought up as she opened the doors with her magic.

“I know, but I want to.”

Wow, Cadance really did have a great colt with her. How she got so lucky, she didn’t know. “Good night, Shining Armor.”

“Night, Cadance.” With the closing of doors, Shining Armor spun around and headed home, propelled by his tail as tiny hearts that surrounded him kept him afloat.

Behind the doors, Cadance still bore her smile and was in the middle of sliding down the doors with a dreamy sigh.

“Well, well, sounds like somepony had a nice day,” belled the motherly voice of Celestia from atop the stairwell.

Cadance looked up to see her aunt, smiling as well. “I did, Aunt Celestia. I really did.” She let herself utter another dreamy sigh.

“Ugh, Cadance?” Celestia asked after noticing something off about her niece's appearance. “You’re eyes are shaped like pink hearts again.”

“Yeah, can you help me? All I see is pink right now.”

***************

There was that feeling again, “floating.” Throughout his semi-airborne trip back home brought about by tiny hearts, Shining Armor was in that blissful state once again. He didn’t even notice the shocked glances he was receiving on account of a floating unicorn. It was thanks to this blissful state that Shining Armor’s trip back home seemed shorter than ever as he floated over his porch steps and landed next to the door. It couldn’t have been less than a second that he opened the door that he was pounced to the ground by a small lavender blur. When he looked up, he saw Twilight standing on top of him wearing what could only be described as the largest smile in Equestria.

“So I’m guessing something good happ—”

“Shining! PrincessCelestiagavemeatesttodayandIpassedandthensaidthatIgettoadvancetostrongermagicandinvited
metostayatthecastle!!!” Twilight managed to say in one breath.

“Twi, slow down, and can you get off my ribs?”

“Oh, sorry Shining.” Twilight quickly hopped off Shining Armor and helped him up onto his hooves.

“So what did the Princess say?” Shining Armor asked his sister.

“What your sister was trying to say,” Night Light started, coming from the living room to the doorway where Shining just stepped through, “is that Princess Celestia invited her to live in the castle while she studies with her.”

“And we said yes,” Twilight Velvet finished off, going to her husband’s side and choking down another sob. “My baby girl’s leaving home.”

Twilight found herself gripped between her mother’s forehooves in a rib-snapping hug.

“My baby girl’s leaving home!” Velvet cried out again in a mix of joy and sorrow. “It’s like college but better! My Twilight. My little Sparkle!”

“Mom!” Twilight managed to say through her mother’s grey chest. “Choking! Not breathing!”

Quickly but hesitantly, Twilight Velvet released her little filly and watched her return to her normal breathing patterns. “I’m sorry, honey. It’s just that I imagined you moving out in another ten years or so.” New tears began to form in Velvet’s eyes as she visibly tried to subdue another sob. “Now you’re going off to the castle with the Princess.” Velvet put a hoof to her mouth and let out another sob, but kept a small smile. “And I’m so proud of you, Twilight.”

“We both are,” Night Light added.

Twilight stood there, nearly on the verge of her own tears before she ran up to her parents and jumped into their hooves. “Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad.”

Another set of hooves joined the family hug as Shining Armor wrapped his forelimbs around his little sister. “Twi-Lee, I’m so proud of you. Pretty soon you’ll be the most powerful unicorn in Equestria.”

“Awww c’mon, Shining. I’m not that good.”

“I say this calls for a little celebration,” Night Light spoke up, breaking the hug. “Twilight, what do you wanna do?”

“Can we go to the bookstore?” Twilight voiced out immediately with a large pleading smile.

“Of course, Twilight,” Velvet assured before turning her attention to Shining Armor. “Shining, could you go and get Spike? This is something the whole family needs to celebrate. He’s asleep in your room.”

“On it, Mom.” With a small salute, Shining Armor took off upstairs towards his room. Sure enough, there he was, a small sleeping bundle of purple and green.

“Wakey, wakey, Sleeping Beauty,” Shining Armor whispered softly as he lifted Spike off of the bed with his magical grip and onto his back. The change of feel from the bed to Shining Armor’s fur caused the little baby drake to flutter his eyes open and let out a soft yawn.

As annoying as Spike’s draconic traits could be for Shining Armor, that little yawn from his little brother was something he always found adorable. It got him wondering whether or not Spike would stay home or go off with Twilight when the time came for her to move into the castle. The thought of both his siblings moving away started to shake him up, but at the same time he knew that he wouldn’t want Twilight to be kept from what could be the greatest opportunity of her life, and if she wanted to take Spike along, it only made sense. She did hatch him after all.

‘Twilight’s moving out.’ That one thought started to remind Shining Armor of something he realized during the day. ‘Everypony around me is starting to do something with themselves.’ And it was true. Stardust was pursuing some form of music performance. Twilight was taking her studies to the next level in the best way possible. Cadance would always be a princess. Even two ponies he just met today seemed to be making something of themselves. Metal Wave with his restaurant, and Sapphire taking the same road as Stardust. And where was he? Stuck as a library assistant.

“What do I do now?”

***************

‘What do I do now?’

It was a question that Shining Armor tried not to think about the night before for the sake of making sure the night stayed focused on Twilight, but with a new day came another shift at the library, and that one question was banging on his head mercilessly.

Shining Armor found himself situated with another stack of books to shelve by the “Self Help” section of the library. Instead of shelving, Shining Armor was glancing through some of the books in the section, hoping to find some way to answer that lingering question in his head.

“‘Sup, Shiny,” came the voice of his soon to be ex-coworker.

Shining Armor looked up to see Stardust leaning against one of the shelves. “Hey, Star. Did you tell Ms. Paiges about your new job?”

“Yeah.”

“How’d the old girl take it?”

“Oh, ya know. Wished me well, said she’ll miss me, and then she gave me this as a parting gift.” In her green magical aura, Stardust hovered a relatively thick blue book in front of Shining Armor’s face.

A Loud Mare's Guide to Getting a Colt

“I’m not loud. Am I?”

Shining Armor looked away, darting his eyes anywhere but his friend’s face. “Uggghhhh,” he stalled.

“Oh, shut up.” Stardust put her book aside and then took notice of the one in Shining Armor’s hooves. “What’cha readin’?”

Shining Armor turned the book over to let Stardust see the title.

Career Searching for Dumb Dumbs

“Mind elaborating?”

“It’s like you said, you don’t want to be a library assistant for the rest of your life, and neither do I. But I still have no idea what I want to do. Meanwhile, everypony around me seems to be moving onto something better. You, Twilight. Hay, even Metal Wave and Sapphire.”

“Shiny, ya don’t need to make a huge deal of this right now. A bunch of ponies our age feel like ya do, but I know that you’ll figure something out. Ya always do,” Stardust reassured as she gave a few pats onto Shining Armor’s back.

“You really think so?”

“I know so, Shiny. Now let’s get these books shelved. Last two days until I start my new job,” she finished off in a sing-song tone.

“Okay, Star.”

‘She always knows what to say.’

***************

“I saw that colt again, Jet Set!” sounded the stuffy voice of an olive-coated mare.

“You did? Do tell, dear,” replied the mare’s husband.

“He and Princess Cadance were sitting at the park together. I wanted to get closer to see this colt, but the pollen that day simply aggravated my allergies and I got very congested.”

“Oh, Upper Crust, that’s fine, but that does still raise the question as to who this colt is. Somepony who can get away with squirting a princess with whatever that ghastly looking food was must be very important.”

Upper Crust nodded in agreement as she and Jet Set made their way through the streets of Canterlot.

“So, why do you need to go to the library, dear?” Jet Set asked his wife.

“Pish Posh asked me to pick up a book on fine art for her next art gallery opening. I do hope this one goes well,” Upper Crust answered, nearing the steps of the library.

The couple trotted up the stairs and into the vast building of books, where they saw an old mare filing some check out and return records behind a desk.

Ms. Paiges looked up from her work to see the two posh ponies near her work area. “Can I help you two?” she asked kindly.

“Yes, can you tell us where the fine art section is?” Upper Crust replied.

“Oh, hold one second,” the old mare said before reaching over her desk. “Shining Armor!” she called ahead of her. “Can you come here please?”

No less than two seconds later, Shining Armor was by his boss’s side. “Yes, Ms. Paiges?”

“Can you show these two to the fine art section?” Ms. Paiges requested, showing Shining the two waiting ponies.

“Right this way,” Shining Armor gestured with a hoof, taking lead towards one part of the library.

“Jet Set, is that him?” Upper Crust whispered to her side.

“It couldn’t be. What would a princess see in some library assistant?”

“And here we are,” Shining Armor said with a smile. “If you need any more help, just let me know.”

“Actually,” Jet Set began, “there’s something I must ask you.”

“Yes?”

“Were you at a restaurant called Lumière des Ètoiles a few nights ago with Princess Cadance?”

“Yes,” Shining answered simply.

“And were you with her again just yesterday at a park?” Upper Crust cut in, desperate for information.

“Yes?” Shining answered a little more nervously at the sudden inquiry of his romantic life.

Jet Set and Upper Crust exchanged amused glances that turned sour in a matter of nanoseconds.

“And you’re a... library assistant?” Jet Set asked again, the disgust in his voice thinly covered.

“Uh-huh,” Shining replied, causing the two ponies by him to look at each other again with a disgusted look on their faces.

“A little warning, kid,” Upper Crust sneered at Shining Armor before letting her husband take over.

“Stick to mares of your own class.”

Good Girl

“Stick to mares of your own class.”

It was a sneer that scraped Shining Armor’s ears like the sharpest of knives, and bucked him in the gut like the strongest of bucks, but that wasn’t the only thing bothering him. After Jet Set and Upper Crust’s cruel warning to him, they had the nerve to still expect him to help them like, as they put it, “The library assistant that he is.”

The worst part of it was that he still helped them with their book before they trotted off with their noses raised in the air. Why he did it, he still didn’t know. It could’ve been their condemning glances. It could’ve been that he still needed this job and couldn’t risk impulsively bucking their faces to a pulp, no matter how great it would’ve felt at the moment. Whatever the reason, he didn’t know.

‘What just happened?’ Being the initial reaction, and everything after feeling like he got spat on like he was a lesser pony. For the sake of not letting Stardust worry, and partially for the safety of the two ponies that degraded him if Stardust did find out, he kept the event to himself the rest of the day. All would’ve been fine and dandy, but he just had to have a good friend that knew when something was wrong.

“Okay, Shiny. What’s up? Ya were a little off the whole day.” Stardust stood right in front of Shining Armor when they both exited the library, a determination in her fierce green eyes to find out what was wrong with her friend.

“Nothing,” Shining answered a little too quickly for it to be true.

Stardust stared him down, making Shining Armor feel like a foal about to get a verbal lashing from his mother. “Shiny,” she dragged out, adding to the stress on Shining Armor.

“I told you! It’s nothing,” he lied, this time more meekly. He tried to step out of the way, maybe try to make a dash towards his home before Stardust could catch up to him, but with each step, Stardust matched it, blocking him from going anywhere.

After about ten attempts to break for home, Shining Armor stood still, trying to read Stardust’s next move, but found it to be a futile effort as he could only read the fierce determination in her eyes. He sighed in defeat before eyeing his friend again. “You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”

“Ya know I’m not,” Stardust answered strongly. “So,” she said, relaxing a bit, “ya gonna spill?”

Knowing it was pointless to try and get out of this one, Shining Armor slumped down onto his haunches and let out a defeated grunt. “Fine. But you have to promise not to tell anypony, or get mad, especially promise not to get mad!”

“Promise,” Stardust assured.

Feeling it was safe to tell her, Shining Armor explained to Stardust about the two posh ponies and their barrage of questions about him. Stardust listened intently to pinpoint what caused her friend’s off behavior, and when she heard the part about what they said to him, it took all of her self control to try and not blow a fuse, but even that didn’t stop her face from contorting into one of pure rage.

“Star?” Shining Armor gestured his hoof up and down in a calming motion. “You promised, remember?”

Her contorted face of rage remained for a few seconds as Stardust tried to gather any ounce of calmness that could be found, only coming up with a few. “I know,” she said with a forced calming tone. “Just give me a second,” she asked with a raised hoof. She closed her eyes and took in a few breaths and let them out, slowly helping the her calm down to her former state.

As her deep inhales and exhales ceased, Shining Armor came closer to his friend with some nervousness. “Star? You okay now?”

Stardust opened her eyes and stared at Shining Armor for a few seconds. “Ya lucky you made me promise,” she slightly laughed out, “otherwise, you’d probably have to pick me up from prison in five or ten years.”

Deciding not to dwell on what Stardust meant by that, Shining Armor pushed the what he guess was reassurance aside and gave a nervous laugh. Stardust however put on a more serious face, letting him know that that matter at hoof was still a serious one.

“Ya did say somethin’ back, right?”

She got no response. Shining Armor looked around as he nervously kicked at the ground with a hoof.

“Right?” Stardust pressed on. “Ya didn’t just let them say that and get away wit it, right?”

“Well... not exactly. I mean, well... ughhh,” Shining rambled, avoiding the pressing look Stardust gave him, but his stumbling is what gave him away. That alone was what made her throw her head back with a pained look on her face.

“Shiny,” she exhaled with disapproval.

“What was I supposed to do? Buck them in the face?”

“That’s what I woulda done!”

“Well I’m not you, Star. Yes, what they said stung, but they’re not worth it,” Shining tried to argue.

“They basically said ya weren’t good enough for Cadance!” Stardust pointed out with a raise of volume in her voice.

“It’s not that big of a deal. I’ve dealt with them before.”

Shining Armor knew very few things could keep Stardust quiet, and that last sentence was one of them. Stardust stood still, her eyes wide, her pupils miniscule, and her mouth half open. After a few moments of awkward silence, Stardust nearly boomed out her question.

“Ya went through that before?!?”

“Nononono... well, yeah, but they weren’t talking about me,” Shining Armor quickly answered back, but his quick answer only raised Stardust’s suspicions. She gave him that look again, one that told him he’d better start spilling or she’d find out another way.

Shining Armor let out a sigh before he dove into his story. “It was a few months ago when Spike was finally able to come home with us. Princess Celestia cared for him for a couple months after Twilight hatched him, and then one day she told us we’d be able to take him home.” A smile made its way onto his face as he remembered that day. “It was one of the best days of my life. I was getting a little brother!”

Stardust couldn’t help but let her penetrating gaze drop a bit to allow a smile on her face. Shining Armor was relishing in the memory, but his mood shifted as he recalled something else.

“But not everypony was happy with it. I didn’t notice at first, but after about a week of taking Twilight to the castle for her lessons with the Princess, I started to notice some ponies looking at me weirdly.” Shining’s smile from earlier turned into a slight scowl, and his tone took a more venomous form. “It was always the same group of ponies, the ones living near the castle. All the nobles and all the snobs. Everytime I dropped Twilight off at the castle and walked to work with Spike, they gave me... well not really me, but him this glare. I kept thinking to myself how they could all be angry at an infant, and I figured it was because he was different, something they saw as a lesser creature.”

Stardust listened intently, not wanting to believe it, but at the same time not very surprised.

“Then one day, one stallion came up and asked me, ‘How can you go around carrying a little monster like that around?’”

Stardust gasped and her frown grew, rage increasing dangerously. Since her move to Canterlot a few years back, she realized that Canterlot ponies were about as snobbish as the high up socialites in Manehatten, but these ponies were a different story. She couldn’t believe they could call an infant a monster.

“I didn’t mean to hurt him that much, but I just lost it after he said that and I slugged him in the face.”

Stardust snorted as she tried to hold in a laugh. The thought of Shining Armor actually slugging somepony in the face was an image she honestly couldn't imagine. “That shut ‘em up, I’m guessin’.”

“No,” Shining answered simply with a tone that indicated more, “more ponies just kept giving Spike that glare. I even told some of them off, but they still glared and looked down on him. Thank Celestia he couldn’t understand all of that.”

“My gosh! How could they do that?!?” Stardust asked with more fury in her voice than before.

“That’s the Canterlot elite, Star. They take down anything they don’t approve of, and they’ll always pick out something they don’t like. Ironically it’s how Spike and I moved on.”

The confused look on Stardust’s face was enough to prompt Shining Armor to continue on. “Basically one day, the glares just stopped. They were all focused on something else that came around that they didn’t like.”

“Well, looks like you’re the newest thing, Shiny,” Star said with uneasiness. “Wait, how do ya know those two ponies at the library were elitists?”

“I recognized the stallion’s face. He’s a big time business-pony in town, Jet Set, and the mare was his wife, Upper Crust,” Shining answered.

“Just because they’re rich doesn’t mean ya hafta put up with that. Ya gotta tell somepony, or at least tell Cadance.”

“NO!” Shining Armor blurted, waving his forelimbs frantically. “I don’t want her to worry about this! Besides, it was just two ponies and odds are, they’ll find something else to hate in the next week.”

“Shiny, ya can’t let them do this to ya and get away wit it,” Stardust tried to argue, but Shining Armor was managing to pull out the shreds of stubbornness he had to fight back.

“Star, I just don’t want Cadance, or anypony else for that matter to blow this out of proportion. It’s just a few words, I can handle that. I’m stronger than I look. And they won’t get away with it. When they find something else to snap at, next time Spike sheds some dead scales, I’ll slip them in their fur when they return the book they checked out.”

Stardust gave him a worried look. A big part of her wanted to tell him to stop pretending like it was nothing, but Shining Armor was practically begging her not to. She could see it in his eyes. Before he could try the puppy dog eyes again, she agreed to not tell.

“Fine, Shiny. I won’t tell anypony... but I’m helpin’ out wit that dead scale plan.”

“Deal,” Shining replied with a smile.

Stardust sighed, and with a turn of her body, started her walk home. “The things I do for ya, Shiny.”

“Hey, you’re the one who wouldn’t let me through!” Shining argued, trotting alongside her.

“I know,” she smirked, “though I’m surprised I actually stopped ya.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just sayin’, you’re better at magic than me, ya could’ve just...” she turned her head, showing Shining Armor her sly grin he became used to, “...teleported away.” She turned her head and continued her trot home, snickering a bit as she left Shining Armor behind in a daze. Feeling really stupid now, he brought a hoof to his forehead with a loud *THUNK!

***************

“So when should me and Cadance get to ‘Metal’s Place’ on Friday?”

“Get there around 8:00. Don’t worry ‘bout a table, I already got Wave to save a spot for you guys.”

Shining Armor and Stardust were nearing Shining’s house as Celestia was about ready to set the sun. Shining Armor moved up the stairs to his front porch and called out to his friend before she began to head to her own home.

“Star, can you at least tell me what you’re gonna sing?”

“Ya know I like to surprise ponies, Shiny,” she answered coyly. “But I’ll give ya a hint.”

“What?” Shining asked leaning off the stairs.

“Remember Comet Crush?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You’ll see, Shiny,” she said in a sing-song voice before trotting away, leaving Shining Armor to his own realization.

“Well this should be good,” he said under his breath. With a flick of magic, Shining opened the front door and stepped in to see Twilight, Spike, and Cadance by a various assortment of boxes. Some full and some empty.

“Hey, Shining Armor!” Twilight voiced out in glee as she placed another empty box on what appeared to be a box fort.

“Hey, Twi-Lee. Ughhh, mind explaining?” Shining asked as he took in the box fort.

“I was helping Twilight pack her stuff for her move into the castle in a few days,” Cadance explained. “Then we took a break to make this little box fort.”

“Little!?” Shining gasped when he looked again at the towering fortress of cardboard.

“Isn’t it awesome? After we finished, Cadance crowned me and Spike Princess and Prince of Boxtopia,” Twilight beamed, pointing to the paper crowns are her and Spike’s heads. “We also came up with a little password to get into the fort.”

Twilight rushed to Cadance’s side and both started bouncing about, chanting the same thing in perfect unison.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake.
Clap your hooves and do a little shake.”

They finished off with high pitched laughs as the dragon next to them tried his best to imitate their movements, ultimately he just ended up clapping his claws and drooling.

“Awww, cute,” Shining Armor adored before turning to the boxes actually full of Twilight’s things. About two of them contained necessities, toys, and other foal-hood items, but the other thirty or so boxes contained nothing but books. “So did you already pack up all your books, Twi-Lee?”

“Are you kidding? That’s only a quarter of all my books,” Twilight answered, unknowingly causing her brother to internally faint at the thought of how many boxes he’d have to lug to the castle.

He was broken out of his fearful state when the soft yawns of Spike filled the room.

“Awww, looks like the wittle Pwince is all tuckered out,” Cadance said in her ‘Ootzie Cutezie’ voice.

Spike was, in fact, tuckered out. He gave another yawn and lightly passed out on the floor with his paper crown stuck to the barely protruding spines on his head. Shining Armor came up to the sleeping drake and gently lifted him onto his back with his magic.

“I’ll take him upstairs,” he told Twilight.

“Okay, Shining. And then we need to pack up the rest of my books,” Twilight called back.

“Sure thing, Twi-Lee.” He turned towards the stairs and trotted up to his room and let his smile drop, 'Stupid books.'

Once in his room, Shining Armor discovered all of Spike’s things; teething toys, picture books, and even his crib were laid out in his room. Which made sense considering that Twilight’s room looked like a twister ravaged the place. Guess moving involved more mess than he thought.

Shining walked over to the crib and placed Spike in, tucking him in gently behind purple blankets. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw how peaceful Spike looked, just lightly snoring away without a care in the world. It was something Shining would miss when Spike would move in with Twilight. It had been the night before when he and his family went to the bookstore that Twilight decided she wanted to take Spike with her. It only made sense, her having hatched him and all, but still, a part of him still wanted the little dragon around.

“I’m gonna miss you, bro,” he whispered, patting his scales lightly.

Spike laughed out a bit before squirming in his blankets. Either her knew Shining Armor was there, or he was having a dream, but the little infant opened his mouth ever so slightly, and in the softest, littlest voice, he whispered back.

“Shining.”

Shining stood still, trying very hard not to yell or jump in surprise as to not wake Spike up, but his mind was racing and his heart fluttered. Spike just said his name... for the very first time. Shining’s smile couldn’t have been wider, but leave it to him to think of other events to sour the moment. True, Spike just said Shining’s name, but the fact that the little guy was leaving in a few days is what made the moment bittersweet for the unicorn. He’d be losing his brother, and he didn’t even have him as long as he had Twilight. He’d miss her too. He’s miss them both. He’s miss them more than anything. It wasn’t like they were going away forever, but seeing everything around him change, knowing they’d be away from him, it’s what scared Shining more than anything.

He looked on at the little dragon in the crib, his smile returning a little bit. “Just because you’re leaving, doesn’t mean I can’t spend time with you.” He sat to his haunches and started to gently rock Spike’s crib back and forth.

How long he was there, he must’ve lost track because it wasn’t until Cadance popped into the room that Shining Armor ceased the rocking.

“Shining?”

“Hmm?” he asked back with a turn of his head to see his marefriend approaching him.

“You okay? You’ve been up here for awhile.” Cadance stopped on the other side of the crib and looked down at the sleeping dragon.

“Oh yeah, sorry. I just figured I’d spend a little time with my baby bro while I still can.” Shining went back to rocking Spike’s crib again, never taking his eyes off Spike and his soft snores. Cadance couldn’t help but noticed that even though he was smiling, behind his eyes was a sadness he was trying to fight.

She looked between the sleeping drake and her coltfriend, making the connection rather quickly. “You’re gonna miss him, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” he answered, not meeting Cadance’s eyes, “Him and Twi-Lee.”

The room fell silent again, save for the creaks from Spike’s rocking crib. Shining’s face remained the same, a smile that hid a sadness that could only be felt by a sibling losing another sibling.

“They’ll miss you too, Shining,” Cadance spoke softly, this time gaining Shining Armor’s attention with a snap of his head upwards.

“I know. It’s just that... well... it’s weird. Knowing that two ponies, er, well one pony and a dragon... you know what I mean, are leaving you. I know not forever, but still. It’s weird.”

Cadance put on her best supportive smile and came to Shining’s side, leaning against him. “Shining. You’re an amazing brother and an amazing pony, and you’re always gonna be an amazing brother and pony. That’s something Twilight and Spike will never ever forget, and they’ll always have a special place in their hearts for you wherever they end up. Just like I know you’ll have a special place in your heart for them wherever you go.”

Shining was lost for words.Though it sounded like a lecture one might hear from their mother, Cadance's sage-like words sunk in and, at least in part, alleviated his worries. It still sounded a little strange coming from someone as young as Cadance. “When did you become so wise?”

“My aunt’s been cramming life lessons into my head. Something about helping my future subject’s out in times of crisis,” she answered playfully.

Beautiful, kind, and growing wiser everyday, Shining couldn’t help but think that he hit the jackpot with Cadance. “Thanks, Cadance.”

“Any time.” Cadance leaned in further into Shining Armor and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, causing the colt to blush.

‘Wherever you go.’ That one phrase was still gnawing at Shining Armor’s mind. Where would he go? It was something that had been weighing on his mind lately, and it was showing on his face.

“There’s something else isn’t there?”

Shining faced Cadance, his brow raise and his eyes full of cluelessness. “Huh?”

“Something else is bothering you, isn’t there?”

“H-H-How’d you know?”

“I can read your face like a book. You always have this certain face when something’s bugging you. Like how when you tried to ask me out the first few months you knew me,” she answered with a sly grin.

Shining did his best to forget about that face Cadance was picturing, but failed miserably as images of many many failures resurfaced in his mind that caused that face. A face he knew all too well, and apparently one Cadance knew too. From his reddened face, he spoke again. “You remember that?”

“Oh don’t worry, Shining. You still looked cute.” The two quietly muffled their laughs before Cadance tried to get Shining Armor to talk to her. “So what’s wrong?”

Two things were wrong. Earlier today he got a verbal lashing from two prissy ponies, and he felt as if he’s accomplishing nothing while everypony else seems to be starting their own lives. He couldn’t tell Cadance about earlier today, so he went with the other issue that’s been on his mind lately.

“Well, I’ve just been wondering about what I’m gonna do. Ponies I know are already starting to make something of themselves, and I’m still stuck wondering what the hay I even want to do.”

Cadance could tell this was something recently bugging him. She wanted to offer more help, but trying to whisper advice near a sleeping dragon in the middle of foal-sitting didn’t exactly create the perfect atmosphere for possible life-changing advice.

“Shining.” The colt in question faced his marefriend and saw that she was still stroking his hoof and still bore that caring smile. “I can tell what you’re getting at, and I wanna help, but I don’t think trying to talk it out in your brother’s room while he’s asleep is the best place.”

Shining looked down at Spike, still snoring and giggling in his sleep. “Good point,” he whispered.

“I got an idea,” Cadance slightly spoke up. “Remember when we were helping Metal Wave with setup, and he said that after the opening, him and Joe were gonna have a little celebration at Joe’s for the staff?”

Shining nodded before Cadance continued on. “Well, he told me we were invited since we helped out, so why don’t we go over, mingle a bit, then we sit down and sort this whole thing out?”

Shining didn’t answer at first. Instead he surprised Cadance when his lips met hers in a grateful kiss. When he pulled away, both were wearing wide grins.

“You are so smart, you know that?” Shining complemented, causing the pink mare to blush.

“And you are so nice,” she cooed back. The two started to lean in for another kiss when the creaking of a door cut through the silence. The two ponies turned to see Twilight in the doorway with a forelimb covering her face.

“Ewwwww, grooooss,” the little filly groaned out. “Can you two stop and help me with the rest of my books?” Twilight half-asked and half-whined.

Shining Armor and Cadance quickly scooted away from each other and hopped onto their hooves. “Alright, Twilight,” Cadance replied with a playful tone. Twilight made her way to her bedroom with Cadance following.

Shining Armor got to the doorway of his room and stopped to glance back at the crib. “Night, Spike.” As gently as he could, he closed the door before walking to his sister’s room. It was there that he saw what awaited him... books. Lots and lots of books.

“Better get started,” he grumbled slightly, heading to a station of the room labeled “Shining Armor” on a sticky-note in a certain filly’s hoofwriting.

At his station, stacked in a borderline OCD neatness, were large masses of books with a few empty boxes lying near. Simple enough. With the glow of his magic, Shining Armor brought book after book and gently placed them in the boxes. After about an hour, the three magic users filled up a large number of boxes, actually making a dent in the amount of books needed to be packed. Shining Armor was actually done with this part of the room, so he moved to the area Twilight and Cadance were working at.

“So what’s this pile?” Shining asked Twilight.

“Just some of my newer books,” Twilight answered. Shining replied with a relieved sigh. Not too many left to go through. Books began to float again, and each “newer” book, as Twilight dubbed them, Shining Armor actually recognized, but one in particular caught his eye. He floated an expensive looking tome to his face. It had a red covering with what almost looked like golden edges all around the corners and sides. “Twi-Lee, when did you get this book?”

Twilight quickly glanced at the book in her brother’s lavender aura. For a split second, her eyes grew to the size of plates, but she hoped that if she answered, he wouldn’t ask a follow up question. “When we all went out to celebrate me getting invited to the castle,” she responded truthfully.

Curious, Shining Armor flipped to the cover page, and in the corner of the page read price. “Fifty bits!” he yelled out. Mom and Dad payed that much for a book?!?”

She could’ve just said “yes” and could’ve gotten away with it, but she was a terrible liar. “No, I bought it myself.”

Both Cadance and Shining Armor snapped their heads to Twilight’s direction to the news. “Where’d you get fifty bits from?”

Twilight glanced back and forth between Cadance, Shining Armor, and anywhere else. She started fidgeting with her hooves, and laughing nervously.

“Ugghhh... heh-heh, ugh funny story.”

***************

Friday night came faster than most other Fridays for Shining Armor. Why? The answer was simple, his best friend was finally getting her chance on stage. Sure it wasn’t like a stadium, but something is better than nothing.

With the evening sun casting a golden glow through Canterlot, ponies were either scurrying on home, or coming out to enjoy the soon to be night life of the city. Two ponies in particular were on their way to a grand opening.

“So what does a veggie burger taste like?” Cadance asked her coltfriend beside her.

“Somehow I knew you were gonna ask that. Basically, it’s an awesome sandwich. Trust me, you’ll love it.”

“So did Stardust tell you what she’s gonna sing?”

“No, but she gave me a hint, and if I’m guessing right, it’s gonna be good.”

“What was the hint?”

“That it’s got something to do with her ex-coltfriend, Comet Crush.” Memories of that pony resurfaced as Shining explained, and from the look on his face, Cadance could tell it didn’t end well.

“What happened?” she inquired.

With a hoof on his chin, Shining began to recall the whole crash and burn of that relationship. “It was about a few weeks after I met you. Me and Star were hanging out at Joe’s, and she met this unicorn colt, Comet Crush. He seemed like a really nice guy and those two really hit it off. Soon enough they started dating, kissing, hugging, kinda like us now... but,” with a twist in facial expression and a hesitant tone, Shining continued, “after about two months of dating, Star wanted to surprise him at his work with a song she wrote for him, and when she went to go see him, she saw him... making out with another mare.”

Cadance gasped when Shining finished and her eyes grew wide. “Oh my gosh! How did she take it?” she asked with concern.

“Actually, she took it pretty well. When she told me the next day, and when I asked her if she was sad, you know what she said?” Cadance nodded her head side to side. “She said ‘Why cry over a sleaze?’”

As the words sank in, Cadance couldn’t help but have a high respect for Shining’s friend. “Wow, she’s a tough mare.”

“You have no idea,” Shining mused.

“So do you think there’ll be a table left?”

“Don’t worry. Star told me she got Metal Wave to save one for us.” He gave her a reassuring smile, and the two continued their way to “Metal’s Place”.

The restaurant itself still looked the same as they first saw it on the outside. The same wooden structure, same blue painted sign, and the same window, but inside, that was a different story. Hearth’s Warming lights decorated the ceiling in a colorful display, and the entire place was packed with hungry ponies digging into, what Shining Armor could tell by the face stuffing, were some very good burgers.

"Shiny! Cadance." From nearly out of nowhere, Stardust popped up in front of Shining Armor and Cadance wearing a new black and white waitress outfit with her wavy blue and white mane tied in a ponytail.

"Hey, Star," Shining greeted. He gave the place another look around. "Dang, this place is packed."

"The food here's awesome, Shiny. C'mon, Wave saved ya a table." With a gesture of her hoof, she led the couple to a table with a great view of the small stage right next to the juice bar. "I'll go get'cha guys some drinks. Sweet tea good?"

Cadance and Shining Armor nodded, and Stardust disappeared somewhere in the restaurant, returning a minute later with two glasses of sweet tea and two menus.

"Thanks, Star." Shining quickly began to sip at his drink.

"No prob, Shiny. Just glad you and Cady made it."

"Cady?" Cadance repeated to Stardust.

"Yeah, mind if I start callin' ya that?"

Cadance wasn't used to nicknames, at least not ones that weren't given to her by her aunt that she'd rather not let the world know. To hear another pony suggest one was like gaining a friend, so she hopped on. "No I don't mind. Cady it is."

Stardust beamed at the new nickname for her new friend. When she was about to speak, the Hearth's Warming lights that coated the ceiling all dimmed, and a green earth pony colt looking around Shining, Stardust, and Cadance's age appeared on stage.

"Hello everypony," he spoke loudly, a spotlight shining on his brown and black mane, "My name is Cymbal Crash. I am one of your lovely waiters here and I'd like to welcome you to the grand opening of 'Metal's Place'."

A small round of stomps came from the patrons along with cheers of applause.

"Thank you," Cymbal Crash continued, "Now, as advertised outside, there is live music for your entertainment, and first up tonight is one of our lovely waitresses. So give a stomp of applause for Sapphire Shores!"

Another round of stomps came on, and Sapphire made her way up the stage, nervousness present at first, but quickly melted away when she approached the mic.

She looked at her crowd before a stronger, more confident Sapphire emerged.

"One, Two, Three, Four!"

Background music from a few stereos blasted, and she let loose.

"All the single fillies! All the single fillies!
All the single fillies! All the single fillies!"

Applause arose from the crowd like Sapphire controlled them.

"Wow, look at her go!" Shining awed through the music. "What do you think, sweety?" Shining asked Cadance.

If she heard him, she didn't really pay attention. Cadance was busy dancing in her seat like a spasmodic pony... and Shining Armor didn't care, she was enjoying herself. Plus it was kinda funny for him seeing his marefriend dance like an idiot, it made him feel better about his own limited skills.

As Sapphire's song continued, ponies in the restaurant continued to cheer, sing along, and dance in place. It was like a three and a half minute dance party with food.

"If you liked it, then ya shoulda put a band on it
Oh, Oh, Oh!"

Sapphire finished of with a big note full of attitude, gaining the applause of everypony in the restaurant.

"She was awesome!" Cadance yelled through the applause to Stardust and Shining Armor.

"I know!" Stardust yelled back. "And I'm up next!"

Shining turned to his friend with an anticipating smile. "Go! I've been waiting since the day we helped set up."

"Okay! First I need ya orders."

"Just give us..." with a quick glance at the menu, Shining mentally marked his and Cadance's orders, "two orders of the ‘Original Veggie Burger’ and hay fries."

"Got it." With the orders down, Stardust took the menus and ran up to the nearest order counter to deliver the order.

"Thank you, Sapphire," Cymbal Crash said after taking to the stage again. "Wasn't she wonderful, everypony?"

Another round of stomps answered that question positively. "I know, she was. And next up to take the stage, another one of our lovely waitresses, also filled with attitude."

Stardust made it to the bottom of the stage and took hold of a guitar she brought along to work.

"Give a stomp of applause for possibly your waitress, Stardust!" Cymbal Crash finished off, letting Stardust onto the stage.

She rose to her hind legs and took to the mic. Her guitar; it wasn't the one Shining Armor was used to. No, this blue and white painted electric guitar was the one Stardust brought out for what she dubbed, “Warning Songs.”

"Hello, everypony. My name's Stardust, and I just got a little question for the mares in the room." She paused and looked around, seeing a large number of mares in the room.

"How many of you have been in a relationship?" A large mass of hooves rose up at Stardust's question. "Okay. Now how many of you have been cheated on?" she asked again with a little more edge in her voice. Some hooves went down, but those that remained up belonged to some grumbling mares.

"Okay, okay. A few a’ ya. I've been there, and ya know? I got ova’ him pretty quick and instead of bein' angry, I worried more for the mare he cheated with. She probably thinks she’s got a good colt with her, that he won’t break her heart, but you know what they say about cheaters. So, here's a song for those kind of mares.”

With a few strong strums of her guitar that now connected to an amp on stage, Stardust let herself dive into the music and her own emotions, and in a voice strong and melodious, she let loose.

"Hey, good girl (Hey, good girl)
With your head in the clouds
I bet'cha I can tell ya
What you're thinkin' about

Ya see a good colt (Ya see a good colt)
Gonna give ya the world
But he's gonna leave ya cryin'
With your heart in the dirt

His lips are drippin' honey
But he'll sting ya like a bee
So lock up all ya love and
Go and throw away the key

Hey good girl (Hey, good girl)
Get out while ya can
I know ya think you got a good one

Why, why ya gotta be so blind?
Won't 'cha open up your eyes?
It's just a matter of time, 'til ya find

He's no good, girl
No good for you
Ya better get to gettin' to your goodbyes now, and go, go, go

Yeah yeah yeah, he's low
Yeah yeah yeah."

Taking a break from the mic for a few seconds, Stardust started to strum stronger and heavier in her guitar, showing off what she could do, and it was blowing the crowd away.

Finally, she re-approached the mic, and sang away with more ferocity, flipping her mane wildly as she played and sang.

"Oh, he's no good, girl
Why can't ya see?
He'll take your heart and break it
Listen to me, yeah

Why, why ya gotta be so blind?
Won't 'cha open up your eyes?
Just a matter of time, 'til ya find
He's no good, he's no good

Won't ‘cha open up your eyes?
Just a matter of time, 'til ya find
He's no good, girl
No good for you
Ya better get to gettin' to your goodbyes now."

The crowd sat silent for a few seconds before bursting into an uproar of applause.

Stardust stood on stage panting lightly, but bore her biggest smile to date as she saw her two friends frantically applauding from their table.

"Well, wasn't that something!" exclaimed Cymbal Crash after coming onto the stage. "Stardust, everypony."

With a slight bow, Stardust returned to all fours and took her guitar in her magical grip before descending the stage, a stomp of applause following.

"That was lovely, wasn't it? Well, we've got more talent to show later on and good food to serve, so enjoy, everypony." Cymbal clambered off the state to return to his waitering, and Stardust made a break for the order counter after placing her guitar down by the stage. There, a few plates awaited her.

With a solid grip on the plates with her magic, she returned to grinning faces at Shining Armor and Cadance's table.

"Holy CRAP! You were AWESOME!" Shining yelled out.

"That was AMAZING!" Cadance added in.

“Awww, thanks guys.”

“Is that ours?” Cadance asked with a hoof pointed to the food behind Stardust.

“Oh, no. This is another table’s. Yours should be out soon enough.”

“Stardust!”

The mare in question turned her head to see her boss, Metal Wave, standing behind the juice bar mixing colorful fluids. “Is that table twelve’s order?”

“Yep. I was just tellin’ these two when their food should be out.”

Metal Wave looked to the ponies Stardust was pointing to. “Oh, hey guys.”

Cadance and Shining Armor greeted the new restaurateur and Stardust hurried off to another table.

“So how’re you guys liking the new place?”

“Looking pretty nice,” Shining answered with another look of the restaurant.

“What did you think of Sapphire and Stardust?” Cadance asked Metal Wave.

“I’m not a big pop fan, and I hate country, but those two were amazing enough to almost make me want to listen to the actual songs... almost,” he finished with a smirk, drawing an unamused look from Shining Armor.

“Yo, barkeep!” A few bangs on the other side of the bar called Metal’s attention to a thirsty customer.

“Duty calls.” Metal rushed over to the other side of the bar, leaving Cadance and Shining’s sight.

“I like country,” Shining Armor said to no one specifically a little defensively.

With the Hearth's Warming lights now a bit brighter, Shining Armor was able to fully take in the scene around him. He saw full tables, ponies digging into their food, and more waiters and waitresses than he saw the day he and Cadance helped set the place up. The food looked really good from what he was able to see. Fresh off the grill, and smelling fresh and ready to eat.

Cadance seemed be intrigued by the aromas of hay fries and burgers as well. “Mmmmm, smells good.”

“And they’ll taste good.” Coming from another table, Stardust brought two plates of the steaming sandwiches and the crisp fries. “Eat up, guys. I’ve got some more tables to get to.” As quickly as she came, Stardust disappeared in a crowd of tables and ponies.

The plates were hot, the steam that rose from the meal gave off a blissful aroma, and the fries, crisp and delectable looking. This left the two ponies with one thing left to do... eat.

***************

Cadance sat inside “Joe’s Donuts” with two things on her mind; donuts and how to help Shining Armor. He had been nothing but good to her and continues to a wonderful coltfriend. Taking her to places she’s never been, getting her out into the city, and exposing her to new things. She only wants it to last, and to be able to help him whenever he needed.

The rest of the time they spent back at Metal’s place went off without a hitch, except for when ponies started to finally realize that the Princess Cadance was in their presence, leading to a mass bowing and another explanation of being a regular pony. True, it did get a little exhausting, but it came with the territory,

The small gathering at “Joe’s Donuts” was nothing big. Just donuts, jokes, hot chocolate, and mingling. After about a half hour of that, Cadance got herself and Shining a table by a window while Shining got him and Cadance some donuts and hot chocolate. Dinner, music, and finally dessert... not a bad way to spend a Friday night.

Shining Armor returned with two plates of donuts and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. He sat down with an anticipating smile before he noticed the caring look in Cadance’s eyes.

“Yes, Cadance?” he asked innocently.

“Shining, remember what I said I’d help you with tonight?”

Now it came back to him, and he was glad it did. The last thing he wanted was to go on longer not knowing what to do with himself.

“Oh, yeah.” He slumped a little in his seat with a perplexed look. “So, how am I supposed to know what I’m gonna do?”

“Well,” Cadance began, “there’s always one thing a pony can turn to when they don’t know what to make of themselves.” Shining listened intently, as if this advice would change him forever. “It’s something we all get when we realize our special talent.” She gestured downwards at her flank, specifically at the images of crystal hearts on her flank. Shining looked down at his own flank to see a deep blue shield hovered above by three lighter blue stars, and centered by a larger deep pink star.

“My cutie mark,” he concluded.

“Yeah. How’d you get it?”

“How’d I get it?” Shining started to pull his thoughts together about that crazy yet fateful day. “Well, it was a few weeks after Twilight was born...”

Mark of a Defender

“Well, it was a few weeks after Twilight was born...”

***************

A few years ago...

***************

“Shining Armor, honey, can you go and get the honey oats from that shelf over there?”

“Sure thing, mom.” Shining Armor walked away from his mom and went up to one of the shelves and used his magic to lift a box of honey oats into a small basket carried in his mother’s own magic.

It was a calm and peaceful Sunday morning in Canterlot, and many ponies were out and about doing whatever it was they normally did on Sunday mornings. Shining Armor and Twilight Velvet, well, mostly Twilight Velvet, had decided to spend the morning doing some grocery shopping at a nearby supermarket.

Already in the basket was a mountain of new diapers and other foal stuff for the baby foal strapped around Twilight Velvet’s chest, little Twilight Sparkle.

“Hey, Twi-Lee,” gushed the young colt at his new baby sister.

Twilight replied with tiny laughs and squeals.

Shining Armor proceeded to get these laughs out of Twilight as he covered his eyes with his forehooves. “Where’s Shining? Where’s Shining?” The little lavender foal looked around frantically as she tried to find her brother. “Here I am!” Shining exclaimed after removing his hooves from his eyes.

Twilight bounced a bit in her foal holder as she giggled after ‘finding’ Shining Armor.

“Awwww, that is so cute, Shining. Do it again so I can get a picture,” Velvet said as she dug through her grocery basket.

“Moooom,” Shining droned.

“Just one picture,” Velvet responded as she pulled out a disposable camera she intended to buy from the basket.

“Mom, you can’t use a camera you haven't bought yet.”

“Hey, I’ve given birth twice. I can do what I want.”

Shining Armor shuddered at the mention of foalbirth. She always resorted to that same excuse whenever he protested with her. “Aw, mom. Why do you always bring that one up?”

“Because it works,” Velvet answered with a smirk. “Now c’mon, play with Twilight.”

Realizing it was pointless to argue, Shining Armor began another game of “Peek-A-Boo” with his little sister. “Where’s Shining? Where’s Shining?... Here I am!”

Twilight giggled some more and a single flash of light captured the moment forever.

“See? Was that so hard?” Velvet smirked.

Shining Armor answered with an eye roll that he made sure Velvet didn’t see. She had warned him about doing that to her, but it was honestly more of a habit that he was trying to stop. His eyes landed on another box of honey oats that had an ad for one of those sweepstakes nopony ever wins on it, at least that’s what he thought was on it. Upon closer inspection, he saw the small announcement on the bag.

“Honey Bee’s Cutie Camp

Are you a filly or colt looking for your cutie mark? Come over to Honey Bee’s Cutie Camp, where our Cutie Coaches work to help you find your destiny. Parent’s permission required. Prices start at fifty bits for one week.”

“Mom, look at this,” Shining gestured with a hoof.

Twilight Velvet came over to look at the message on the box. She skimmed the message over and knew exactly what her son was getting at. After reading, she gave him something she called ‘The Face’. A face that always let him know that the answer to what he wanted was a big, fat, relentless ‘No’.

“But, mom, this could help me get my cutie mark,” Shining tried to argue.

“Shining Armor, we’ve been through this. I know you’re eager to get your cutie mark, but trying to force it with some...” Velvet paused and looked at the ad on the box, “... camp isn’t going to work. You can’t force these things, sweety.”

“But I’m one of the oldest colts on our street without their cutie mark. They’re colts younger than me who’ve already got theirs.”

“And you’ll get yours.” Velvet reached a hoof to Shining’s chin and lifted his chin so they met eye-to-eye. “You just need to find it on your own. Nopony can force their cutie mark to appear no more than some...” she looked again at the honey oats box, “... pony in a talking bee costume. And when yours comes, I know it’ll show something wonderful.”

Shining seemed to believe her. True, he wished he could still go to that camp, but he did see some truth in his mother’s word. “Okay, mom.”

Velvet smiled at her son before she drew him in with a forelimb. “You’ll get yours soon, Shining. I know you will.” Shining smiled back. It was a simple smile, but it was enough for Twilight Velvet to know that she was able to cheer him up. “Now c’mon, we still have to get some more stuff for Twilight.”

The other stuff needed presented itself in the form of numerous jars of foal food. They were colorful jars filled with the squishy foodstuff. Some of them having seemingly normal flavors while others nearly made Shining Armor vomit.

“Uck! Spinach and oats?!? What kind of combo is that?”

“It’s a vegetable and a grain, and it’s healthy, so it’s going in the basket.” In the basket stood a mini-mountain of foal food guaranteed to last Twilight for about a solid week, but Twilight Velvet still looked for more.

“How the hay does Twilight eat this stuff?” Shining asked as he picked up another odd-comboed jar.

“You used to eat this stuff too when you were a foal. Plus she always gets distracted by the little butterfly on the label... Ooh, a three for one deal!”

Sure enough, right in the middle of the jar was a picture of a cartoon butterfly with a huge smile and oversized eyes, and Twilight was eating up the little image, laughing and reaching up for the image like it was the real thing.

“You like the butterfly, Twilight? You like the butterfly?” Velvet lightly played as she brought the jar closer to her daughter’s eyes. Twilight laughed and giggled some more, but from her horn came the sparks, meaning only one thing.

“Oh no.” Shining’s eyes grew wide with fear as the sparks from Twilight’s horn grew stronger and brighter.

Velvet quickly threw the jar back into the cart before trying to talk to her daughter. “No, no, no, no, Twilight! No butterfly! No butterfly!” It wasn’t working. Twilight’s horn sparkled and glowed stronger and brighter until a flash of lavender light encased the whole isle.

At first nothing seemed to be out of place. The past few weeks, the Sparkle family knew that with Twilight coming into the family also came the random magic surges that characterized a unicorn foal, and it was in those few weeks that they learned rather quickly that Twilight’s magic surges were a completely different story.

Shining recalled one instance where he woke up one morning surrounded by an ungodly amount of purple and pink bubbles floating around the house. He also remembered another time when Twilight managed to flip the entire house upside down in one of her surges, so it was only natural for Shining Armor to expect the worst when Twilight got another magic surge, but strangely, nothing seemed to have happened.

Shining looked at the ground, everything was right side up. He looked to his hooves and the rest of himself, he was all in one piece. For once, things seemed perfectly normal.

“AGGGGGHHHHH!!!”

Never mind.

“GET THESE THINGS OFF OF ME!!!”

Shining looked across the aisle and saw several ponies in the store running for their lives from what appeared to be giant butterflies with the same animated features on the jar of foal food.

Twilight Velvet came up to her son while Twilight cheered and laughed from her holder on her mother’s chest.

“Well, this is a new one,” Velvet commented flatly, examining the chaos around them. Huge cartoon butterflies were everywhere, and while they really weren’t doing anything harmful, they were pretty creepy to look at. Those huge eyes, the twitching antennae, and that weird near-sociopathic smile. It was enough to make the strongest of stallions shudder, and the weakest of ponies shatter to the ground in an ocean of their tears.

“Okay, honey. Remember the plan?” Velvet asked her son flatly.

“Get rid of them and hide?”

“That’s my boy.”

Velvet and Shining Armor closed their eyes and focused their magic. A few seconds passed and soon enough, their own horns glowed with their own magical auras. The hum of their magic rang and grew louder until a bright flash of light encased every last monster butterfly in the store. A final flash went off, and they were gone, but the chaos they left still lingered.

Baskets lay abandoned on the floor from panic, a few shelves were knocked over, and the confused and panicked looks on the ponies in the store showed just how much of a mess was made... and it all came from one foal.

“Okay, honey. Just back away slowly, don’t say anything, get to the checkout, and this never happened,” Velvet whispered like it was rehearsed.

“What never happened?” Shining replied back with a coy smile.

“Exactly.”

***************

“Okay, that’s the groceries, we got Grandma Moon Light some flowers, got your father’s ointment for that rash on his—”

“MOM!”

Velvet laughed at Shining Armor's outburst. “It’s called getting old, Shining. I’d like to see how you’ll handle it.” Again, Shining Armor made an eye roll that he hid from his mother. “Last stop... actually I think we’re done.”

“YES!” Shining exclaimed as he raise his hooves in victory.

“I just wanna go to one more store.”

‘NOOOOOOOOO!’ screamed Shining’s inner thoughts as his expression of victory froze but a horrified twitch came to his right eye. The thing about his mother was that whenever she says “one more store”, it really meant another three hours of hopping around many stores.

“It’ll just be for a little while, Shining.”

More lies! But he had no choice, so with a fake smile, Shining Armor followed his mother into a large building with ponyquin stands in the windows sporting various dresses and hats. Oh joy.

While his mother was off looking at a painstakingly large amount of dresses and hats and even foal dresses, Shining Armor was left with the sorry job of holding everything. True, there wasn’t too much to hold. Just a few bags and some flowers, but the time it took for Velvet to actually look and or try everything she liked seemed like forever. To add to his torture, Velvet was looking at items that were one section away from the sweet and merciful exit. There it was, the door to freedom, the way out, a way to put him out of his misery. It was there, taunting him, teasing him, reminding him that he still had to stay put.

The only thing keeping the colt from going mad was the fact that he was now carrying Twilight around his chest, and he had to admit, she was really cute when she just half-mindedly laughed and threw her limbs about.

Shining reached a hoof to his sister’s head and rubbed her mane, effectively, but playfully, messing up Twilight’s purple and pink hair. Twilight let out more foal laughs, but seconds later started grabbing for something in front of her. Shining lifted his head to see a stand of stuffed animals. The stand was nothing much, simple colors and a round display, but what caught his eye was the low amount of toys left and the weird assortment of animals. Three were left: a cockatreece, a manticore, and a hydra doll with three of its five heads hanging by a thread.

“Those are some creepy flank dolls...” Shining muttered after coming up to the stand. Twilight didn’t seem to mind. She just kept trying to reach for what she believed was the cutest one, the manticore.

Shining decided to humor her and grabbed the manticore plush before going into his “Play” voice. “You want the manticore, Twi-Lee? Want the doll?” Twilight bobbed up and down in her carrier. “I’m just a fluffy little manticore, stomping around... something something something, and full of fluff.”

Twilight continued to bob up and down and giggle at Shining’s song, even if it was really bad. Sweet Celestia, foals were cute when they laughed. Shining Armor lowered the manticore plush and Twilight took it in her hooves, hugging the thing so tight it looked like the loosely stitched button eyes would pop off.

“Awwww, that is too cute.” Shining turned to see his mom with a large hat on her head that she was trying on. “I need a picture of this. Shining, let me let me see Twilight.”

Finally able to control the eye roll he was about to give, Shining moved Twilight into the sight of the camera that Twilight Velvet held in her hooves.

“Okay. One... Two... Three.”

A bright flash went off, and Twilight continued to giggle with the manticore plush in her hooves, but that would soon lead to a huge problem.

Twilight’s laughs grew slightly louder and her horn started to glow again, sending out sparks as the lavender glow grew brighter.

“Oh no no no no no no no no no,” Velvet and Shining panicked simultaneously. Shining tried to grab the manticore plush, but a lavender glow kept it in Twilight’s hooves.

“Take it away. Take it away!” Velvet muttered quickly as she joined her son in trying to pry the manticore toy away.

“I can’t! The stupid thing won’t budge!”

“Take it away! Take it away! Take it away!”

Like her panicking family wasn’t there, Twilight continued laughing and hugging the plush until her horn glowed to an intense light and sent out a surge of magic. One lavender flash later, Velvet was holding onto Shining Armor tight with shut eyes, expecting the worst.

A few seconds passed with silence from the older ponies and slight giggles from the foal. Shining Armor was the first to crack an eyelid at the possible danger, only to wish he hadn’t.

In front of him, he felt hot breath falling, and he felt the eyes of some creature staring down at him. What was once a plush manticore doll now stood a fully grown golden-furred, lion-maned, fang-bearing manticore that towered over the three ponies.

“Mom,” Shining whispered ever so softly.

“Yeah, Shining? What happened now?” Velvet asked under her breath.

Shining didn’t answer at first. He was paralyzed with fear as the newly formed manticore took a small sharp-clawed step forward, a low growl escaping it’s massive jaw.

“Run,” he squeaked.

“What?” Velvet asked as she opened her eyes, meeting the beast’s large, angry, wild green eyes.

“RUN!!!” Following Shining’s wail, the wild manticore roared a saliva-spewing roar and the three ponies were out of the store in a blur, but the manticore didn’t let them out of his sight. After Shining Armor, Velvet, and Twilight exited the clothing store, they sprinted towards any other street, hoping to avoid the angry beast. Their hopes dwindled after hearing an Equestria-shaking boom and another roar. The manticore had broken through the walls of the store and was now in a dead pursuit of the Sparkles.

“What now?!?” Shining yelled out to his mother.

“Try to lose it, and for the love of Celestia, don’t show fear in front of it!”

Shining Armor glanced back at the charging manticore and saw the savage look in it’s terrifying eyes and its spear-point yellow fangs.

“Too late.”

Velvet and Shining sped up their pace with quickened breaths and fear-induced adrenaline pumping through their veins, but the manticore kept its gaze on them as he continued the chase.

They passed streets, eliciting terrified screams of other ponies, but the manticore only kept his eyes on Shining and his mother. For minutes they ran in what could be described as a deadly game of cat and mouse that didn’t look like it was going to end anytime soon.

The manticore kept its pace, stomping the ground and sending mini-quakes through the streets. The manticore crashed through anything that stood in his path, bumping other ponies out of the way, destroying trash bins and tables. The ponies in front began to sweat profusely, both out of oncoming exhaustion and their increasing fear. It was either now or never to find a way to lose the beast.

Velvet looked around the streets they were running through, frantically trying to find a way to hide and protect her children. From a far spot ahead, Velvet noticed a path to an alleyway.

“Shining! Follow me and don’t slow down,” Velvet instructed with a forced calmness. Shining Armor nodded and followed closely with a now sleeping Twilight strapped to his chest.

“Now she falls asleep?!?” Shining yelled to no one. “Stupid magic surges!”

“NOW!”

Shining looked to his mother and followed her turn into an alleyway. It wasn’t narrow, but Velvet seemed confident in the direction it was leading. The manticore on the other hand managed to trail Shining Armor and fit into the alley, still snarling as he ran.

“Mom! Where are we going?”

“This alley narrows out, sweety. Just outrun him, and he’ll get stuck,” Velvet explained, a triumphant smile gracing her face.

Shining looked on and, sure enough, he saw the walls tunnel in and the sunlight barely shining through. This plan could work. This plan could actually work, but it would have to come soon. Both Shining Armor and Twilight Velvet were starting to tire out, and the alleyway was taking its precious time narrowing out, and the manticore was still able to fit where he ran.

Shining Armor, despite his growing exhaustion, continued to follow his mother, but something wasn’t right. As he ran, he noticed that the sunlight was starting to fade out for some reason. It wasn’t until Velvet’s sudden skid to a halt that Shining Armor found out why the sunlight was fading out. Blocking their way, stood a thick brick wall with a sign plastered in the center.

“Construction up ahead. Wall is here for your safety.”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? FOR YOUR SAFETY MY FLANK!!!” Shining shouted at the sign after stopping next to his mother only to have his attention grabbed by the approaching manticore.

Shining froze, his pupils the size of dots and void of everything except fear. He could only think one thing. ‘You’re gonna die, man!!!’

“Get behind me, Shining,” Velvet ordered before stepping forward and taking a stance. Shining did as he was told and then looked to his mother. Her stance was firm and the hum of magic was heard over the manticore’s oncoming stomps. Instead of sinking his fangs into the unicorn mare, the manticore collided into a barrier of deep purple magic that surrounded Twilight Velvet and her kids.

“Not my kids, you beast!” Velvet seethed with rage.

The manticore roared again, slamming his paws against the barrier.

*CRACK

The simple sound created a world of worry for Twilight Velvet when she looked at her shield, already it was starting to crack. She spun her head to Shining Armor. “Shining! Use your magic and teleport yourself and Twilight out of here. NOW!”

“Mom, what about you?”

“I can handle this, just get out of here!”

*CRACK

Velvet’s shield now bore a clean crack split down the middle after the manticore bashed on it again. It would only take mere seconds before the thing was completely obliterated.

“Shining! Do it, NOW!”

The manticore gave another ear-shattering roar and, with one final hit, he broke Velvet’s barrier, obliterating the magic in a display of lavender sparks. Velvet collapsed to the ground, the stinging pain in her horn and head overtaking her. The manticore stood over her, panting with a monstrous rage. It reared on its hind legs, its forepaws aimed on the unicorn mare, ready to crush her.

Velvet looked at the beast, wide-eyed, expecting her end, hoping Shining and Twilight were safe now. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, not wanting to see it coming.

The manticore brought his claws down with monstrous force.

“MOM, NO!”

*BANG

A howling cry from the manticore echoed throughout the alleyway, and Velvet shot her eyes open. What she saw was her son, eyes and mouth clenched with a foreleg covering Twilight, and his horn glowing a blinding lavender. All this she saw, and a brilliant lavender bubble protecting them from the howling beast outside.

The shield itself glowed intensely. And it actually caused the manticore pain, something Velvet’s own protection spell couldn’t have done. Shining opened his eyes to see the manticore try again, only to cause him even more pain. His horn kept glowing brightly, and what he created stunned him beyond belief, but he didn’t have time for sightseeing.

Shining planted his hooves into the ground and focused his magic. His horn glowed brighter and so did his shield. It glowed, and glowed, and glowed, gathering all of Shining Armor’s available magic into that one protection spell.

The manticore rose to try again. He reared on his hind legs, brought his forepaws up, but as his paws were about to make contact, Shining’s shield pulsed out a brilliant lavender wall of magic, sending the beast tumbling backwards in a show of lavender sparks.

Shining, believing he knocked the manticore out, lowered his defense and hurried over to the beast’s side, but it wasn’t there. Taking its place was the small stuffed animal he saw back at the store.

“SHINING!”

Shining looked back and found himself gripped between his mother’s forelegs.

“Oh, thank Celestia! You’re safe.” She looked down at Shining’s chest to see Twilight still asleep in her carrier. “And Twilight. Oh, thank Celestia! Thank Celestia!”

“It’s okay, mom, I’m fine. Both of us are fine,” Shining reassured while he tried to break free of his mother’s tightening embrace.

Velvet, after a few more seconds, finally let go of her two children. “What was it that you did back there?” she asked her son.

“I don’t know. I saw the manticore about to crush you and I just... hopped in and... shielded us?”

“That was one of the most powerful defense spell I’ve ever seen. There wasn’t even a crack in it! You saved us, Shining Armor.”

Shining Armor’s eyes widened at this realization. He saved them, with his own magic. Velvet’s moist eyes grew even more moist and her proud smile grew wider when a flash of white light started to glow from Shining Armor’s flank.

Shining looked back in time to see the glow disappear and leave an image of a dark blue shield with a large pink sparkle in the middle accompanied by three smaller ones above the shield... his cutie mark.

***************

Present

***************

“So, to sum it all up, Twilight nearly got me and my mom killed, I managed to make some freak shield, and I ended up with this,” he pointed a hoof down at his flank, “and ended up banned from that shopping center for life.”

“Wait, you guys got banned? Over an accident?”

“Weeeell... it was a pretty dangerous accident,” Shining reminded, “but also because my mom left the store with the hat she was still trying on. The manager actually hunted us down and snatched it right off her head when he found us coming out of the alleyway.”

Cadance gave Shining Armor a surprised look. Shining returned her gaze with a smile that muffled some laughter. A few seconds passed before both ponies burst into their own fits of laughter.

Their laughter subsided and Cadance cleared her throat. “So, how does someone with a cutie mark like yours end up working at a library?”

“Honestly, I just wanted to do something,” Shining answered with a shrug of his shoulders. “I still didn’t have a clear idea on what I wanted to do back then, still don’t, but I figured it would be a start... I guess.” Shining saw that Cadance had a thinking face on. Hoof on her chin and half-closed eyes. “Why? What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know what you could do exactly, but I do know what you are.”

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean you know what I am?”

“You’re a defender, Shining,” Cadance explained, earning a stunned look from her coltfriend. “You stood up for your family back then and even now. Your mom told me how before I came along, she interviewed other possible foal sitters for Twilight, and that you personally did an extensive background check on every candidate. Anything you thought was dangerous about them, you shoved them out the door.”

Shining blushed at the story being brought up. In retrospect, maybe he shouldn’t have been so... intrusive, to say the least. But it did land him an awesome marefriend. “Yeah, well, I just wanted to be sure Twilight wasn’t around some creep.”

“I could tell,” Cadance replied with a laugh. “So, my advice to you would be to look into using your special talent that helps you be the pony you were meant to be.”

Shining felt himself light up inside, like somepony just planted a dream or hope inside of him, and Cadance was the source of it. He never forgot why he fell for her, it was a constant reminder. But the number of reasons why, they grew every day.

“Thanks, Cadance,” Shining breathed, practically oozing gratitude.

Cadance smiled and blushed back at Shining Armor. After what he’s done for her, to her, this was the least of what she could do to make him happy as well. Deciding to take her praise quietly, she moved onto something else. Something a little more fun.

“So, back to the whole ‘I didn’t want a creep for Twilight’ thing, what made you not do a check on me, then?” Cadance asked with a playful grin, batting her eyelashes at Shining Armor.

“Oh. Ugh, well, I... ugh... I didn’t think you would... ugh... maybe it was... ugh... Hey! Joe!” Like it was a blessing from Celestia herself, Joe trotted to Shining Armor and Cadance’s table with a small tray with two donuts, ending the directionless pile of crap Shining Armor could pathetically call an answer.

“Hey, Shining. I got you two a little somethin’. It’s a donut my cousin came up with at my other shop in Manehatten.”

“How is that place doing anyway?” Shining asked the baker after he set the tray of new treats down.

“Great! Thanks for askin’. It’s only been open about a few months and I’ve already made a years worth of bits with just one shop.”

“Wow! That’s great. Hmmm, a year huh? You know a lot could happen in a year,” Shining began to seemingly ramble, “a new shop could be built, a lot of money could be made, or it could be enough for somepony to finally get a date like a certain somepony else thought,” Shining said with an unamused glance at Joe. “A year to get a date. Get where I’m going with this, Joe?”

Joe was now looking around nervously, trying to avoid the unicorn’s stare. “Oh! Ugh, well ya see... I didn’t think...” Joe gave a few nervous laughs before putting on his best smile. “... what’s that? Free donuts for the next two months? Ya got it, Shining.” With that said, Joe quickly trotted away to avoid Shining’s eyes.

Cadance watched the stallion trot away with a snarky smile on her face. She turned to Shining Armor. “That was mean, but he so deserved it,” she said with a laugh.

“Yeah, you should’ve seen when I dug into my mom and dad about that,” Shining smirked with his own laugh. When the laughs died out, Shining Armor thought back to the whole talk on cutie marks with. One question about somepony’s cutie mark in particular reared its way into his head. “So, what about your cutie mark?” he asked with eagerness. “What exactly does some crystal heart have to do with you being a princess?”

“Oh, that. I’m not too sure actually. Like my aunt, I was born with my cutie mark, but she said she’d tell me all about what I’m destined to do when I start to reach that age to start taking on more royal duties.”

“When does that happen?”

“In a few weeks, actually. We’re the same age, Shining. The whole thing about ponies our age going off to make something of themselves also applies to me. But back to you and your story. Have you ever done anything like what you did to that manticore before then?”

“Weeeeell.” Shining Armor lifted a hoof to his chin as he tried to recall anything. “I was pretty good with defensive magic, and after I got my cutie mark, I started playing around with it. Now I can make shields or perform counterspells really easily.” Shining’s look started to grow in excitement. “Here, I’ll show you.”

With a soft hum of magic coming from Shining Armor’s horn, Cadance watched in wonder as various sizes of lavender bubbles began to form around her and the table. They were beautiful round things the glittered in the light of the restaurant, radiating a bright lavender glow.

“Wow, they’re beautiful, Shining,” Cadance awed as she touched one of the bubble-like shields.

“If you fire a beam of magic at it, it’ll shoot right back,” Shining said enthusiastically before realizing the bad idea.

“I’ll just take your word for it.”

Shining gave a sheepish smile before letting his spell down and his shields dissipate around them. “So, what kind of ‘Royal Duties’ are you gonna start?”

“My aunt hasn’t gone into great detail on that. I swear I think she does that for fun. But she did tell me one thing I’m starting next week”

“What’s that?”

“Royal appearances. I’m supposed to visit the school for gifted unicorns next week. My aunt said that I just need to ask some of the scientists in the research department of the school before going over to surprise the little foals in the other area of the school.”

“Awwww. That sounds nice.”

“I hope it goes well. It’ll be my first ‘official’ royal appearance, and I’ve only dealt with Twilight. I don’t know if I can handle a lot of foals in one room.” Cadance shifted in her seat and fidgeted with her hooves as the idea of being in a room full of foals reared its way into her mind.

“It’ll be fine, Cadance.” Shining put a hoof on one of Cadance’s fidgeting hooves, ceasing her movement instantly.

Cadance looked at Shining Armor and saw those caring eyes she adored so much. “Can you come with me?” she asked suddenly.

A few seconds of confused silence later, Shining spoke up. “Huh?”

“Can you come with me? Just stand outside the door when I go see the foals? I can handle the research team, but I’m just nervous with a lot of kids.”

“When do you go see them?”

“Monday, after Twilight moves in.”

Shining’s face formed a caring smile as he looked at Cadance with those sapphire orbs she adored. “I’ll be there. And you’ll do great.”

Cadance leaned into him across the table and planted a kiss on his lips. At least it was supposed to be a plant until she decided to stay there a little longer, allowing Shining Armor to return the kiss himself.

They pulled away a few seconds later, each donning dreamy smiles and half-closed eyes.

“Just gets better every time.”

***************

Friday nights in the castle weren’t anything special, but the area around the castle was a different story. The upscale Canterlot nightlife was full of high-end shopping, strolls, and for a particular group of ponies, fancy dining.

Inside a rather posh eatery, a small group of sharply-dressed mares and stallions were busy chattering away, two in particular exposing their latest bundle of news.

“And you know what Jet Set said to the pony?”

The other ponies sat and waited for the answer with level anticipation.

“What did he say, Upper Crust?” one of them asked.

Upper Crust turned to her husband and gave him a smirky smile.

“I said ‘Stick to mares of your own class’,” Jet Set finished.

The table of ponies burst into their own short collection of snooty laughs, noses in the air and everything.

“Oh my, you are too much, Jet Set,” another mare commented. “Wait until Fancy gets in on this piece of news. Where is he anyway?”

“Oh, he and Fleur are on one of their relief missions in Zebrica. They’ll be back before the Garden Party in a few months though,” Jet Set answered, taking his glass off the table and sipping lightly.

“But seriously, a library assistant? Some nopony? That’s who the princess chose?” another stallion spoke up.

“Uck! I know. It’s simply... unheard of! If Princess Cadance wanted a nice colt, I know plenty of other suitable young stallions in the area. Ones with class and status,” Upper Crust ranted.

“I know dear, but you know how teenagers are. When she comes to her senses, or if the colt gets our warning, I’m sure we will see her strolling with somepony much better suited for her. Besides...” Jet Set paused and looked at his glass, swishing the blood-red fluid around for a few seconds, “... she deserves so much better.”

Moving Flames

Saying goodbye to a child is never easy for a mother. Some mothers handle it with dignity and forced strength. Some cry with their child as they send them off into the world. Others just smile and know that their child will succeed. Twilight Velvet managed to define one category single-hoofedly... the refusing to let go while breaking down mother.

“Oh why?!? Oh why?!? My baby girl is growing up too fast!!!”

“C’Mon, honey, you need to let her go.”

“NO! I don’t want to let her go! I want my baby to stay!”

“Mom, you’re crushing me!”

Twilight’s move into the castle was nearly done. The Sparkle family woke up early that day to move all of Twilight’s things into her new room. They had already unpacked most of the necessities and checked out the new room. It was quite something, but then again, what else could be expected from a room in the Canterlot Castle?

Twilight had laid Spike down in her room a few minutes ago to let him sleep. Shining Armor and their parents already said their goodbyes to the little guy, and were now outside the front steps. Shining Armor and Night Light both had said their heartfelt goodbyes to Twilight already. Both of them knew they could come visit anytime, but that wasn’t enough for Twilight Velvet when her turn for goodbye came around.

The whole scene before Shining Armor, Cadance, and Princess Celestia was... awkward, to say the least. Shining Armor buried his face in one of his hooves as he heard what unfolded in front of him.

Twilight Velvet was constricting her daughter in a massive embrace while her husband did his best to pry the two apart, ultimately coming short of his goal.

“Don’t leave me! I’m supposed to have at least ten or twelve more years with you!” Velvet cried as she clung onto Twilight.

“Mom! You can come see me anytime,” Twilight reminded as she continued to try and escape her mother’s death grip.

“Not enough!” Velvet cried out.

“Honey, we went through this last night. You said you’d be alright,” Night Light struggled to say as he continued his efforts to separate the two ponies.

“I lied!”

Shining still had a foreleg over his eyes, not wanting to see the scene for the sake of saving what little dignity he had for his family at the moment. “Is it over yet?” he asked a few minutes later.

“I’ll tell you when,” Cadance answered.

Velvet’s meltdown lasted a while longer, but like most mothers when it came to saying goodbye but didn’t want to, at least not yet, she calmed down and loosened her grip on her daughter, allowing her to return to her own normal respiration pattern.

After Velvet wiped away the more obvious of her tears, she spoke up, “Twilight, dear?” Twilight looked up at her mother, whose warm smile only indicated undying love. “I just want you to know that wherever you go, here or anywhere else, I will always love you, Twilight.”

With moist eyes and a quivering lip, Twilight closed the gap between her and her mother with a final hug. “I love you too, mom.”

Velvet squeezed her daughter tightly, a part of her fearing for the last time, but another part of her knowing it isn’t. She broke the hug and met her daughter’s eyes with her own soft cerulean irises. “Twilight, you are going to do amazing things over here, and I couldn't be more proud of you.”

Twilight stared at her mom, partially wishing she could stay home, but knowing that Canterlot Castle was going to give her the experience of a lifetime. “Thanks, mom.”

“She’s in good hooves, Twilight Velvet,” spoke the gentle, bell-like voice of Princess Celestia.

“I know, Princess.” Velvet gave Celestia a knowing smile and bowed slightly before trotting to her husband’s side.

Celestia returned Velvet’s smile and turned to her student. “Are you ready to see the rest of the castle, Twilight?”

Twilight beamed at the question and started a race up the stairs towards the front of the castle. “Am I ever!”

“Well, alright then.” Celestia began her walk towards her home before turning back to the adults of the Sparkle family. “Remember, you’re welcome to visit anytime.”

Velvet nodded and raised her head to speak. “Twilight,” she called, “we’ll come to see you later on today, okay?”

“Okay, mom!” Twilight called back.

“Don’t you think that’s a little soon?” Night Light whispered to his wife.

“Hey, she came out of me, I’ll say when it’s too soon,” Velvet answered back sharply.

Night Light shuffled a bit nervously after sensing the seriousness in his wife’s tone. “She came out of me too,” he mumbled under his breath.

Celestia, her attention now on her niece and Shining Armor, gave a slight smirk before addressing Cadance. “Oh, Cadance.” Cadance cracked her head up to her aunt. “You remember what you have to do today, right?”

Cadance’s eyes widened instantaneously after she looked out to the city to see the clock tower near the castle as it mercilessly read the time. “Oh my gosh, you’re right!” she bolted towards the nearby school in a panic.

Shining looked at his speeding marefriend and turned back to his parents. “Gotta run. I’ll come by soon, Twi-Lee!” he called to his sister.

“Okay, Shining!” Twilight called back. She waved off and watched her brother and foal-sitter run off to her old stomping ground. She let out a content sigh as she saw Shining Armor finally catch up to Cadance. “They’re so cute together.”

***************

Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was anything but a simple school. The campus was huge, at least half the size of the castle it closely neighbored. The freshly polished halls were gleaming and carried the reflection of Shining Armor and Cadance as they strolled through them. The architecture was similar of that of the castle, and the color scheme: a marvelous mix of light purple, white, and gold.

Both ponies already knew the school rather well. Cadance had traveled here with her aunt numerous times, and Shining Armor became accustomed to the place thanks to numerous trips with his parents to drop off or pick up Twilight from her classes.

It was the familiarity of the school that helped to ease Cadance’s nerves as she walked into the building. With a glow of her horn, Cadance undid her ponytail and let her shoulder-length mane drop in its own elegance, giving her a more regal appearance. Accompanying the sudden hairstyle change were Cadance’s golden slippers, and another royal piece of jewelry around her neck.

“Look at you all glammed up,” Shining complemented playfully, earning a slight blush from Cadance.

“This is important. This is like my pre-test before my aunt tells me more about my upcoming royal duties,” Cadance said as her nerves started to rise.

“You’ll do fine. Here, why don’t we start with the research team first, and then we go see the foals?” Shining suggested, taking one of her gold-covered hooves in his.

Cadance seemed to lighten up at the suggestion and went along with Shining Armor’s plan. The two found themselves walking along towards the eastern end of the building where they found a bunch of labs, research rooms, and other rooms of some importance.

The thing about Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns is that not only did it educate gifted unicorn foals, but also served as a research lab for older students that have already attended and for other scientists looking to improve pony society. Of course, that portion of the school was on the opposite end of where the unicorn foals were taught.

Celestia had made it a habit to always drop by the school to see what kind of magical or scientific developments were being made, and it was a habit she was trying to get her niece to start.

“So, what exactly do these guys research?” Shining inquired as they entered the main research lab.

“I don’t know. That’s why my aunt used to come in here every so often. Sometimes it’s just to see what Canterlot’s finest has to offer. Other times it’s to make sure nothing dangerous is being made.”

“Ugggh... what kind of dangerous things did she stop?” Shining asked a little more unnerved.

“Different things. One time she had to shut down this whole strength-building spell research because it had some weird side effects on the pony that tested it.” Cadance looked to Shining Armor and saw his face contorted into one of slight fear mixed with curiosity. “Oh, don’t worry, it wasn’t anything too bad. I mean, the spell worked, that pegasus is probably the strongest stallion there is... but the spell kinda shrunk his wings, turned his eyes red, and now he can’t talk... only yell.”

She said it so calmly, it kinda freaked him out, but knowing the stallion was okay, Shining Armor just brushed the story aside and sighed. “If you say so.”

The two continued walking down the research hall and soon came to a large set of double doors with the words ‘Main Research Lab’ written in red across the doors.

“So, should I wait out here?”

“I’ll just be a few minutes,” Cadance answered with a nod.

Shining took a seat by the door as Cadance entered the lab. She was met with the smell of smoke and burning metal.

“Princess Cadance!” The pony in question turned her head to see an older looking green-coated unicorn stallion approaching her, not bothering to fix his disheveled black mane. “It is such an honor to have you here, my princess. I am Dr. Petri Dish.” He gave a slight bow before offering a hoof to the pink alicorn in front of him, which she gladly took.

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Dish.” The scientist led Cadance to a large work bench where several other researchers were huddled together, eyeing a strange looking device.

The other researchers made room for the scientist and princess to find a place in front of the device. Cadance observed it as a small cone-shaped machine, small enough looking to fit... say... a horn.

"Ughhhhh, what exactly am I looking at?" Cadance asked as she pointed a hoof at the device.

"Glad you asked my princess," Dr. Dish replied before clearing his throat. "What this device is supposed to be is a magic amplifier. You see the little glow at the tip?"

Cadance looked towards the device again and saw a bright light-blue glow emanating from the top of the cone. She nodded at the sight.

Petri Dish then dove into his explanation of the device. He told Cadance how the glow came from a substance highly reactive to magic and that when placed on a unicorn's horn, the magic flowing through the device will react with the substance and strengthen the magic.

“Imagine, unicorn magic strengthened to where week-long, month-long, year-long, magical projects or construction projects could be performed in a matter of hours. NO!... minutes!” Petri Dish had a gleam in his eyes like he was dreaming. Fitting for the good that could come from the small machine, but two things plagued Cadence's mind about the whole thing.

"Has this been tested out yet?" Cadance finally asked after Perti Dish came back to reality.

"That's scheduled for today," Petri said with a wide smile and eyes to match. Cadance could tell that a lot went into this experiment.

Cadance looked at the light-blue glow again, one question about the whole thing remaining in the back of her mind that needed to come out. "Is it dangerous?"

"Potentially, yes. But in the hooves of ponies like us, not likely," Petri Dish answered, easing the pink alicorn's worries. "So long as that substance doesn't react with pure magic outside its containment."

"Oh... okay?" Cadance muttered with nerves spewing out like a fountain.

"Don't worry, Princess. In the unlikely chance something happens, the school's alarm system will alert everypony to evacuate."

"Oh," she let out a small sigh of relief, "okay, good."

A few moments of silence passed over before Petri Dish spoke again. "Would you like to stay for the test run?" Petri Dish asked with foal-like enthusiasm.

"Oh, sorry, Dr. Dish. I'm supposed to make an appearance for the foals in one of the classrooms," Cadance answered, hating to crush the science pony's hopes.

"Oh, that's fine," Petri waved dismissively. "I wouldn't want to keep you from those little tykes."

With a quick gaze back at the magic amplifier, Cadance trotted back to the double doors. "Thank you for the showcase, Dr. Dish," Cadance spoke professionally yet laced it with her usual serenity.

Petri Dish and the other lab workers waved back. "Any time, Princess," Petri called back.

With a small smile and her own delicate wave back, Cadance was out the double doors and met with the outstretched hoof of her coltfriend.

"Ready for the foals?" he asked innocently.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Cadance replied anxiously as she took Shining Armor's hoof.

The two walked hoof-in-hoof to the other end of the school where Cadance would make her appearance. The walk mostly consisted of Shining Armor trying to prevent his marefriend from collapsing of anxiety.

"Just take a few breaths and remember that they're just little ponies, your little ponies."

"I don't know, Shining. I've only really worked with Twilight. What if I do something stupid?"

"You won't. I don't even think you can."

"Oh, Shining, you already got me, we're dating, you don't need to try so hard," Cadance groaned but couldn't help the smile that came along.

"Who says I'm trying hard?" Shining asked coyly.

Cadance turned her head away, trying to hide her deepening crimson cheeks and wishing he hadn’t said that, but it was helping her ease up. It wasn’t long before Cadance and Shining Armor reached the classroom Cadance was scheduled to appear. They stood there, looking through the window where they saw an elderly pale-blue mare with an updone white mane and glasses, the kind that let you know she’s not the type of teacher to mess with.

The old mare was in the middle of a lesson, but with a quick glance towards the door, her stern expression lit up with one of pure joy. She gestured a hoof for the pony outside to come in.

Cadance took a step back after looking through the window again and seeing the numerous desks of little unicorn foals awaiting her presence. A gentle hoof on her shoulder urged her to look up into the calm ocean-like eyes of Shining Armor.

No words were needed when she returned a smile to him and, with a gentle nudge forward, Cadance walked into the classroom with Shining Armor waiting outside. Her presence elicited excited gasps from the classroom and the old teacher walked up to the front.

“Class, we have a very special guest today, Princess Cadance.” She gave an introductory bow and let Cadance come to the front of the room.

Cadance looked around, seeing all the smiling faces of... her little ponies. She took in a silent breath, and released her worries. “Good morning... my little ponies.”

***************

Shining Armor let the time pass by with quick glances to the classroom, thinking about Twilight’s move, and what awaited him when he needed to go back to work the next day. He was very grateful that Ms. Paiges allowed him the day off. A quick explanation that his sister was moving was all it took for the old gal to open her heart.

It had been about a half-hour since Cadance entered the classroom, so Shining decided to take another glance through the window. From his view he could see her answering a few questions for some of the foals, and other times it was simply her talking about something he couldn’t make out. His special talent was defense, not reading lips. But one foal in particular saw him through the window and raised his hoof in the air. His question, Shining Armor couldn’t make out, but with the little foal’s hoof pointed at the window he was at, he guessed it was about him. The second hint was the blush Cadance had one her face followed by the audible “Awwwww’s” and “Ewwwww’s” from the class. Shining Armor ducked under the window, hoping nopony else saw him. With a few scuddles to the left, he sat down on his haunches away from the door and patiently awaited his marefirend.

A few minutes later, Cadance emerged from the classroom following a few foals calling out “Bye, Princess.”

“See? Told you you’d be fine,” Shining said slyly, earning an eye roll from Cadance.

“Oh, shut up,” she replied as she threw her forelimbs around him, a gesture that he happily returned.

They remained that way for a few moments until a sudden fling of the door drew their attention to a sprinting light-purple coated young colt with a slip of paper gripped in his magic, muttering out, “Bathroombathroombathroombathroombathroombathroom!”

The little colt skidded to a stop before backtracking to the couple. He turned around and gave an awed look at Shining Armor and Cadance. Finally he spoke up to the white young stallion in front of him. “A-Ar-Are-Are you dating,” he paused to glance at Cadance, “the Princess?”

Shining Armor gave a small chuckle before answering the little colt. “Why yes, yes I am.”

The colt let that tidbit settle in for a few moments before offering his hoof. “Niiiiiice, dude.”

Shining bumped the colt’s hoof before something important ran through the foal’s mind. He turned around and bolted again. “Bathroombathroombathroombathroombathroombathroom!”

Once the sound of cries for the bathroom ceased, Cadance turned to face Shining Armor with a raised eyebrow and half-lidded eyes. “Really? ‘Nice, dude.’”

Shining shrugged his shoulders. “What? You’re really pretty.”

“Whatever, Shining,” Cadance sighed with a smile. “So, you wanna go see Twilight before you go back home?”

“Sounds like a plan, but first, you think we can stop by Twi-Lee’s old class?” he asked with hopeful eyes.

How could Cadance say no? “Okay. I think it’s a few halls down.”

A few turns down the labyrinth that was the school, Shining Armor and Cadance came to a very familiar room. No foals were in the room and neither was a teacher, just Shining Armor, Cadance, and Lady Nostalgia.

Shining Armor could remember the times he had to pick up his little sister from this particular room, or drop off her lunch when she grabbed another book instead of her lunch bag. It was only for a short time he had to do those tasks. Twilight ran through the courses of her classes so fast, some of the teachers actually thought of letting her teach, but there was something about foal-labor laws involved, so that never took off.

Cadance stole a glance at Shining Armor and saw a small hint of depression in his distant eyes. “You’re gonna miss her, aren’t you?”

He sighed, and attempted to stay strong. “A lot. More than I really thought, and that was a lot to begin with.”

Now it was Cadance’s turn to put a comforting hoof on somepony’s shoulder. “At least you’ll be able to see her anytime.”

“Yeah,” he breathed, lightening up slightly, “honestly, that’s one of the only things that’s keeping me from going into a ‘Velvplosion’,” Shining said as he motioned with his hooves an action of an explosion, a dorkish face to go with it.

“A what?”

“Something me and my dad call whenever my mom starts bursting into tears for something... please don’t tell my mom,” he nearly begged at the latter part.

Cadance just laughed. “Does she always cry like that?”

“You have no idea. On my first day of Magic Kindergarten, she ended up coming to the school and—”

*BOOM!!!

A rough tremble went through the ground, nearly knocking Shining Armor and Cadance on their flanks.

“What was that?!” Shining screamed, looking around frantically.

His question was met with loud ringing and buzzing of several alarms placed around the hall. They were red and flashed, ensuring that they were seen by all.

*BOOM!!!

The ground trembled again, except this time it came with several cries of panic through the closed doors.

“Attention everypony!” Cadance and Shining Armor looked around to see multiple speakers placed near the ceilings of the hallways sounding off. “Something has happened in the research department of the school, and an evacuation has been ordered. Everypony, in a calm and orderly fashion, please—”

“RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!” shouted the many voices of fillies and colts alike as they poured out of their classrooms and bolted for the nearest exit.

*BOOM!!!

The screams grew louder and the sea of foals grew in size. Shining Armor and Cadance plastered themselves to the wall, waiting for an opening in the tirade of small bodies.

“What happened?” Cadance screamed over to Shining Armor.

“I don’t know!” he answered, the panic on his face making itself clear.

*BOOM!!!

“Attention again, everypony. One of the researchers in the school has an important message. Do not, under any circumstances, use magic within the school. An experiment has gone horribly—”

*BOOM!!!

“AM I TALKING TO MYSELF HERE?!”

Whoever the speaker was, he might as well have been talking to himself. All of the foals and teachers in the school seemed to flood their way through the halls towards any available exit. A few ponies, however, were shoving their way through the sea of foals towards every classroom in sight.

“Princess!”

Cadance turned her head to see the old mare from the classroom she recently left. “Mrs. Script, what happened?”

“I don’t know, some accident in one of the labs, but something else is wrong.” The old mare spoke erratically and her wrinkled eyes flared with undying concern. “Me and a few other teachers had students that weren’t in the rooms. I don’t know if they’re outside or still inside!”

Cadance could see tears beginning to well up in the old mare’s eyes when she looked around to see the last of the foals leave the hallway and bolt towards the exit of the school. She looked to Shining Armor. Some unspoken words were exchanged through their facial expressions.

“We’ll help you find them.”

Mrs. Script looked to her princess in bewilderment. “Princess, you can’t. You need to get out of here before—”

*BOOM!!!

Another tremble of the ground nearly knocked all three ponies off their balance, but after a quick recovery, Cadance stood tall and firm, ready to take charge. “Here’s the plan. Go back out and check with every teacher and get a headcount. Me, Shining, and the other teacher’s will look through the other classrooms and bring any other foals that might still be in here. You send somepony back in and tell us how many you’re missing. Got it?”

Mrs. Script stood there, no words able to form at Cadance’s sudden take charge attitude, but it was the only plan she had heard, so, with a slight nod, she took off towards the exit.

With the old gal gone, Cadance turned to Shining Armor, his look, one of resolve. “Let’s do this.”

Cadance and Shining Armor bolted down the halls, both checking any room they came across. The pattern was simple enough, burst into the room, check around, call out to anypony that might’ve been there, and move on to the next room.

A buck to the door, a scan around the room. “Nothing here.”

A buck to the door, a scan around another room. “Nothing here either.”

They went down the halls, tremors assaulting them every once in awhile, searching for any straggling ponies. A simple cycle, but with one wildball flung their way.

Shining Armor felt the air around him grow dry, it actually started to smell smoky. He wiped his brow to see more sweat than there should’ve been, even his bangs were starting to stick to his face. It was getting hotter for some reason.

“Ugh, Cadance, honey? Are you getting hotter by any chance?” Shining asked before wiping his brow of more sweat.

“Now’s really not the time for compliments, Shining, but thanks anyway,” Cadance replied as she searched through another room.

“No, not that, well you are, I mean... NO! I mean are you feeling like it’s getting hotter in here?”

Cadance stopped her search to actually take in her surroundings. It was hotter now that she thought about it. Her mane started to stick to her forehead and even loose feathers in her wings started to stick to each other. “Now that you say it, yeah.”

“OUT OF THE WAY! FOAL AND MARE COMING THROUGH!!!”

Shining Armor and Cadance turned their heads to see a stallion sprinting wildly with a student in his forelimbs.

“RUN! FIRE IN THE LABS! SPREADING! FLAMING DEATH! JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW!”

The two confused ponies the teacher and student passed turned their heads to see a glowing orange light radiating from further down a curving hallway. A few cautious steps forward revealed a blazing intersection leading all the way to the research labs and multiple ponies trying to escape its fiery grasp.

Thankfully nopony seemed to be burning, and no screams of agony were heard, just ones of panic, and a lot of it. All possible exits were rammed open and numerous amounts of ponies were pushing their way through. The fire itself was spreading as well, slithering up the walls and through the floors like a snake. It seemed to be grabbing for anything to envelope in its fiery grip.

One pony running past them ran up to the two, panting with singed eyebrows, Petri Dish. “Princess! What are you still doing here? You need to get out of here!” Petri exclaimed as he flailed his hooves around.

“Dr. Dish! What happened?” Cadance asked the panicked doctor.

“The magic amplifier. We tested it out a few minutes ago, but something went wrong and it backfired. It got my eyebrows and blew me back in a little explosion,” Petri explained, patting the remains of his eyebrows.

“But what about the other explosions?” Shining asked.

“We didn’t know what happened after the first explosion. After the amplifier blew me away, it flew off somewhere. The other doctors tried to clean up the initial mess with some magic, and that’s when more explosions went off, causing this!” He pointed behind him to the ever-growing flames, backing away with the teenage ponies next to him. “I think the containment unit for reactive material cracked or opened, and now if anypony were to use magic in a close radius to it, it’ll set off another explosion.”

Their eyes widened, and their jaws dropped. It was only a matter of time before that fire spread further until the fireponies showed up.

“But there still might be students in the school!” Cadance pointed out.

“The classrooms end at this intersection. If there were any students in any of the classrooms, you’d have found them by now.”

Above the trio, creaking was heard from the blazing ceiling. It was alight with flames and sounded like a slowly opening door. The creaking grew louder and a portion of the ceiling started to crack.

“We need to get out of here. NOW!” Petri panicked. He shoved the two ponies in front of him, and the three sprinted off out of the flame engulfed hallways and down towards one of the exits that some of the other researchers ran to.

Sunlight and fresh, non-smoky air greeted the trio when they came out of the school. It couldn’t have been seconds later that they heard a loud crash echo outside. Behind them, they saw darkened wood crash down, blocking the doorway.

With a quivering hoof, Petri Dish pointed to the exit he just came from. “The-the-the... door... crash... w-we-we c-c-could have...”

“How about we sit you down to let you catch your breath,” Shining Armor suggested. With a weak nod, Petri Dish followed Shining Armor to a nearby tree and sat down. His ragged breaths and shuddering showed he couldn’t be left alone.

“Shining?” Shining looked towards Cadance. “Can you keep an eye on Dr. Dish? I need to go check with a teacher in front of the school to see if everypony is out.”

With a simple nod, Cadance’s plan was a go. She galloped around the large building beside her until she reached the front grounds where many ponies were either dazed, confused, panicking, or numbing the pain of a few burns.

“Princess!”

Cadance turned her head to see Mrs. Script running in her direction, and she did not look good. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her cheeks were stained with tears.

“Mrs. Script! What’s wrong?” Cadance asked.

“One of my students! The other teachers and I did a head count. Everypony was accounted for... except one. One of my students, Moonstone. He went to the bathroom before... before...” The old mare couldn’t hold it in anymore. She let herself break onto the ground.

The teacher’s breakdown led to a realization that Cadance could only call her blunder of the century. The hard and painful truth sunk into her mind like a burrowing parasite. ‘We forgot to check the bathrooms!’

“The fireponies? Are they on their way?” Cadance brought up.

“Yes, but he’s still in there!”

Cadance stood up, something set in her mind that others would say was reckless and stupid, but it was the only thing there at that moment. “I’m going in.”

Mrs. Script snapped back up, Cadance’s words sounding beyond stupid. She wanted to tell her that, but the Princess of Love was long gone, already charging for the school.

“Princess!”

***************

A kid goes to school expecting everything to be just about the same. The teacher would teach, maybe get angry with a few students, the food... edible at best, talk with friends, and anything else that made the time go by slower for most days. Moonstone was no different. The only major surprises in school was the occasional somepony puking in school, and special visitors. With one of those surprises already done with, he didn’t expect anything else to happen that day, so one could only imagine his surprise when he emerged from the bathroom to see what he saw.

In front of him blazed the inferno that engulfed most of the hallway he walked down. To say he didn’t hear the alarm system and the announcement would be the lie of the year, but when it came to accidents from the lab, or any accident in the school for that matter, it was never anything like this.

Most accidents were either a peculiar class pet getting loose, a spell gone wrong that didn’t really threaten the students, or the occasional small fire in the cafeteria. When Moonstone saw the blaze, he retreated back into the stall he exited, praying somepony would find him, or that the flames would die down somehow.

Moonstone hid in the stall, listening to the crackling of the fire. Minutes passed by with that same sound vibrating through the bathroom. He stayed there, calling out to anypony that might be out in the halls, but no one seemed to hear him.

A little more time passed and he started to realize the inevitable, the increasing heat in the room, and the thick trail of smoke entering the bathroom. Moonstone thought of casting a protection spell around himself, but stopped before he could. He remembered the announcement over the speakers. He didn’t know why he shouldn’t use magic, but if it caused the fire, he didn’t dare try.

He kept himself in the stall, hoping the walls around would keep the smoke out. It seemed to work, but only for a while. Through the slits in the door and from under, the thick black clouds etched their way in with a mission to make breathing the most challenging thing ever for the little colt.

There wasn't anything Moonstone could do to avoid the inevitable. He started to cough when the smoke reached him. Each fit growing louder and more strained. The smoke he inhaled was a sign to him. He either tried to bolt now and risk a few burns, or stay and meet a cloudy end.

“It was nice knowing you, man,” he told himself. He ducked down, inhaled deeply of what little clean air remained, and burst out of the stall and into the inferno. He didn’t realize how quickly the fire spread or how strong it grew. He was in a sea of orange, red, and yellow.

Just seconds after he stepped out, he could hear the cracking of burned walls and ceilings. Following one massive crack came the collapse of part of the ceiling behind him, sending tiles and plaster downwards in a pile of burning remains.

The colt took off after the collapse with his tail tucked between his legs, both out of fear and to keep it from burning. He heard more and more rumbles and creaks around him, everywhere he ran. He outran them all, but was afraid that he would become trapped in a labyrinth of burning rubble.

“Moonstone?”

The voice that called to him was sweet, worried, and sounded close by. Moonstone kept on running through the flame that surrounded the hallway, and within a short distance, saw somepony running at him. Her coat was pink, but slightly blocked by the smoke, yet her jewelery still shined through.

“Princess Cadance!” Moonstone called to the pink alicorn like she was salvation itself. His cheerful expression did little to alter the princess’s speed and her panicked expression. She seemed to be charging faster, like she was about to tackle him to the ground.

“Moonstone! Look out!”

Before he could react, Cadance leapt forward, grabbing the little colt in her forelimbs and rolling along the ground with him for a few feet. He and the princess got up to their hooves and that’s when the debris settled in. Moonstone looked where he stood moments ago to see it completely filled with fallen parts of the ceiling and walls. They were charred black, still smoking, some still ablaze with the flames, and it blocked their way out of the school.

“You... saved me,” Moonstone gasped, his eyes still glued on the barrier.

“No trouble,” Cadance reassured, even though they were still standing in a burning building.

“How are we gonna get out of here?” Moonstone panicked.

Cadance looked behind her, remembering how Petri Dish and the other researchers escaped the school. “This way!” She took hold of Moonstone and flung him onto her back before taking off down the fire engulfed hallway.

She didn’t know how badly the area around the research department had been burned. It only made sense that the earliest area exposed to the fire would burn longer, and damage the area worse than anywhere else, and the fire had done just that.

The walls were blackened as the wisps of flames still ate away at the surface. The ceiling gave another sickening cracking sound, and it wasn’t long until a part of the ceiling and all of its debris came crashing down, blocking Cadane and Moonstone’s way to the other exit.

“What do we do now?!” Moonstone’s tone was beyond panic now. It was the sound of a foal truly thinking there was no way out, and Cadance wasn’t going to let him think that.

Without one word, she bolted back towards the other barricade in their way, stopping just inches in front of it. The air was hot, dry, and smoke-filled. Not as badly where they stood now, but it was just a matter of minutes before it became as bad as the research area.

“Moonstone. I’m gonna try and break through this stuff.” She looked down at her slippered hooves, and hoped that she could do what she just said. “Alicorn strength... please tell me I have you.”

She reared on her hind legs, using her wings to keep Moonstone secure on her back. Then, she slammed her forehooves down onto the debris with all of her might.

*CRUNCH

***************

“Dr. Dish, are you gonna be alright?”

Petri Dish was in the process of breathing into a brown paper bag Shining Armor found. He was still pretty shaken up from the fire, but not as bad. With one last exhale, Petri Dish lifted his muzzle out of the bag. “Yeah, yeah, I think I’m alright. Go do whatever you need to,” he suggested with a wave of his hoof.

Shining nodded to the scientist and broke off to the front of the school. As he ran, he could smell the smoke pouring from parts of the school. He came to the mass of ponies in front of the school before any more smoke could sneak into his muzzle. He walked around, trying to find Cadance, but having no luck in his search.

He kept looking. Still nothing after a few minutes, and he was starting to get worried. He called out to her, hoping to get a response, but was only met with mumbles of the students and teachers.

“Cadance!” he called out again.

“She’s in there.”

Shining Armor turned his head to see the wide-eyed teacher he saw back in the room Cadance made an appearance in. “Excuse me?”

Mrs. Script held a shaky hoof out at the burning building in front of her. “Sh-Sh-She’s i-i-in there... Trying to get one of my students.”

Shining snapped his head in the direction of the school, images of Cadance recklessly charging into that blazing building flashing through his mind. One other thought came to him, and it too was going to be reckless.

“The fireponies are close by, but she’s in there with my student... young stallion? Young stallion?” Mrs. Script scoped her surroundings, finding no trace of Shining Armor around her. It wasn’t until she heard a loud shriek that she found him once again.

“STOP HIM! HE’S GOING BACK IN!”

Mrs. Script turned to see Shining Armor bolt inside the burning school, his face carried the expressions of both worry and determination.

“No way I’m letting her burn.” Shining Armor muttered under his breath.

He burst into the school, and forgot to get a breath of fresh oxygen before charging in and letting the smoky air fill his lungs as he breathed. It was torture for his lungs and it caused him to cough vigorously, but he didn’t pay attention to it. With adrenaline fueling his body, he picked up speed, eventually coming to a large wooden barricade in the middle of the hallway.

He was about to use magic, but that announcement from what seemed like forever ago racked at his brain, ordering him against it. Instead, he came closer to the barricade of fallen wood and plaster, and through the crackling of flames, he could hear talking. He could make out a mare’s voice, and the shifting of hooves.

He got closer, trying to hear the voice more clearly, but a set of slipper-covered pink hooves met the side of his face through the barricade in a painful collision.

Shining Armor fell back with a loud thud. He rubbed his muzzle and let out an agonizing moan.

“Shining Armor?”

That voice. It was her, the mare of his dreams. He stood up in a flash and ran back to the charred barricade. “Cadance?”

A set of light purple eyes met Shining Armor's sapphire blue ones. “Shining Armor!” Cadance squealed with relieved joy before her sight landed on her coltfriend’s muzzle. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn't know you were back there.”

“It’s okay, honey. Just a broken jaw. What happened here?” he asked back through the barricade.

“The ceiling fell in and we’re trapped in here.”

“We?”

“I’ve got Moonstone, the missing student. I’m gonna try and break through this stuff.”

“Hang on. Get on one side of the hole, and I’ll get on the other.” Cadance quickly followed Shining Armor’s plan, and reared on her hind legs again, ready for another blow. Shining Armor had a familiar stance on the other side of the barricade, ready to strike. “Okay, on the count of three. One... Two... Three!”

*CRUNCH

Two small holes combined with the small hole already centered in the middle of the pile of the debris, making it the perfect size for a small pony. Cadance quickly picked up on the use for it and grabbed Moonstone of her back. “Shining, take Moonstone back outside.” She stuck the small foal through the hole easily and Shining Armor took him in one of his forelimbs.

“What about you?” Shining immediately asked back.

“I’ll get out of this soon. Just go!”

More sickening creaks and small cracks sounded off in the blazing school. All three ponies looked up and saw splitting wood. A few embering flakes fell down before the whole thing collapsed.

Instinctively, Shining jumped back in time before the ceiling collapsed on him and Moonstone, but didn’t avoid the smoke that came with the debris. He coughed and hacked, each round sounding worse than the last. He shook his head and once the debris settled, he saw that the barricade separating him and Cadance had grown thicker, filling the holes they had punctured.

“Cadance!”

“I’m fine. Just go!” Her voice was softened by the barricade. He wanted to dig through that debris and wood right then and there, but he had a job to do. “I’ll be back, Cadance. I’ll get you out. I promise.”

If Cadance heard, Shining Armor didn’t wait to find out. He put Moonstone on his back and jetted towards the front entrance. He raced through the blaze and smoke like it was nothing. Fueled by fear and adrenaline, he was out of the school and down the front steps in seconds.

“Moonstone!”

Shining Armor, even as he was coughing out from the smoke in his system, took the young colt off of his back and handed him to the teacher that bolted in front of him.

“Oh, bless you, young stallion. Bless you!” Mrs. Script was hugging Moonstone like he was her own foal. “Oh, Moonstone, we need to get you to the nurse. She’s somewhere around here.” She turned back to Shining Armor with moist eyes. “How can I ever—”

He wasn’t there. A few shocked screams guided Mrs. Script’s sights back to the front of the school where Shining Armor was making a break for.

“Young stallion! What are you doing?!?”

A few rugged coughs brought the old mare’s attention back to her student. In a weak voice, Moonstone explained, “He’s going back... for the Princess.”

***************

Flames and smoke posed a major threat, but Shining Armor blew past them, mostly unharmed. Some of his fur got singed, his snow-white coat was now covered in a layer of soot, and his breathing was getting ragged. The blow from the collapsed ceiling a few minutes ago did a number on him, and it continued to do so.

He was back at the wall of wood, plaster, and soot that Cadance was trapped behind, no visible hole was made in the time he was gone. He concluded that either more debris fell, or she couldn’t break through.

“Cadance!” Shining called.

A few seconds passed before Cadance responded. “Shining Armor?”

“Cadance!” Hearing her voice was the best thing in the moment for him, but even he could tell she was straining, and he was too.

On the other side of the wall of debris, Cadance stood on shaky limbs. Her pristine pink coat was tattered with grey. Her once flawless candy mane was in disarray. And her breathing... it was ragged, strained, nearly hoarse. The smoke was taking its toll, hard.

“Sweety, I can’t break through. I’ve only made a dent,” Cadance said before going into another coughing fit.

“Yes you can, we can.” Shining paused as he too went into a coughing fit. “I’m gonna break this down with you. On three.”

Both reared on their hind legs, forelimbs in place to strike.

“One... Two... Three!”

Cadance's side barely showed a chip in the wood while Shining’s side miraculously made a dent. It would’ve been something to celebrate had not more fire and smoke blazed out when his hooves made contact.

The smoke blew into Shining’s muzzle. He coughed and hacked for a good minute before trying to break the blockade in front of him once again. His sight was blurry and his balance was off to say the least. All the smoke that hit him muzzle-first, combined with what he was already exposed to, was impairing him beyond belief.

“One... Two... Three!”

More crunching sounds were made, but they were light on both sides. Cadance at this point was having trouble just trying to stand. Shining Armor could barely see in front of his own muzzle. The smoke and flames danced around, partially suffocating him and trying to burn him.

“One... Two... Three!”

Another set of light crunches. Cadance could see no progress in their attempts. She started to cough again and Shining mimicked with his own set off smog-induced fits. They were getting worse each time. Each becoming more rugged with each fit.

“One... Two... Three.”

Still light. Shining’s voice was getting raspy from the smoke, and his eyes burned, begging to be closed for moisture.

“One... Two... Three.”

Barely a scratch on the wood. This pattern continued a while, each round of impacts getting softer and weaker with each attempt. Cadance, usually a manifest of beauty, was beyond recognition. Her tattered mane and coat barely compared to the defeated and tired look on her face. Her eyes, usually gleaming by their own accord, only reflected the flames that danced around her.

The hallway around her started turning, her vision blurring. She found herself on the floor, launching into another spasm of coughs. “Shining.” Her voice was weak, hoarse, like anything else she said would make her lose her voice. “I can’t...”

“No no no no, don’t say that,” Shining Armor croaked out before falling to the floor as well. His vision was filled with only blurred flames and the mocking wall between him and his marefriend. “Cadance?”

He got no answer.

“Cadance?”

…

“Cadance?”

…

“Cadance?” He couldn’t speak any louder than a whisper. The fire and smog weakened him. Blackness started to encompass his vision, slowly taking over the sight of blazing flames.

“Cadance?”

He laid there in silence, save for the roars of the fire. This was it, this is how he would go out. He couldn’t move anymore, and he could barely see or talk. He wanted to keep going, but his body betrayed him. All that was left to do was close his eyes.

But fate had different plans.

He heard the stomping of hooves from behind him, stopping right by him. He saw the tirade of bulky stallions in black and yellow coats with hard yellow hats and face shields surrounding the barricade of debris.

“Kid? Kid?!? Get the paramedics, NOW!”

“Two down! I’ve got one, we are trying to rescue the Princess as we speak!”

The last thing he heard before blacking out was the voice one of the stallions. “Kid, we’re gonna get you outta here.”

“No,” he whispered almost inaudibly, “need to get her. Protect... Cadance.”

Everypony Talks

*Beep... *Beep... *Beep...

The steady monotonous sound beside him was all he could hear for a few seconds before his eyes barely cracked open, only to be closed once again when they were assaulted by the merciless rays of the afternoon sun.

“Mom! He’s waking up!”

That small voice. He knew it anywhere. With a few groans, he slowly cracked his eyes open, gradually getting used to the sunlight that invaded his sight. Through his blurred vision, he saw figures of ponies standing over him. He could see the splashes of blue, grey, and purple morph into the shapes of his family.

“Mom? Dad? Twilight?” he muttered once they came into focus.

“Shining Armor! Oh, my baby boy!”

Shining Armor winced in pain after Twilight Velvet’s forelimbs wrapped around him like anacondas. She clung onto him like he was the most precious thing in the world, not noticing that she was squeezing the bandaged areas on her son’s side.

“Mom! Pain! Everywhere!” Shinning squeaked tensely. Velvet quickly retreated from her son with a set of quick apologies.

After recovering from the pain, Shining Armor looked at his surroundings, seeing large white walls, a curtain drawn at his side, and found that he was lying down on a bed with a beeping machine at his other side.

“What happened?” he asked the ponies above him.

Night Light was the first to break the news. “You passed out in the school. The doctor said if the fireponies hadn’t gotten there when they did, the smoke you inhaled could’ve...” he couldn’t nor did he want to finish that sentence. The thought of never seeing his son again was too much for him or his wife and daughter to bear.

“The school was burning so severely,” Velvet continued for her husband with watery eyes. “They couldn’t believe you got that little colt out of there before more of the building collapsed.”

‘Moonstone!’ Shining’s mind screamed at him, bringing all memories of the incident back in a blur. He remembered now. He remembered the little colt he got out of the school before more debris could fall or before anything worse could happen.

“Once the Princess was alerted about the fire, she had the paramedics send you to the castle’s infirmary to get checked out,” Twilight explained to her brother.

Shining Armor took another look around the room. Now it all made sense. The EKG beside him, the bed, the curtain, and the hauntingly sterile white of the room. After the quick glance at his surroundings, Shining looked again at his little sister, seeing her eyes glossed over in a watery veil. Her lip was slightly quivering as well, but it wasn’t out of sadness.

“I’m just so happy you’re here,” Twilight quivered as she brought her own forehooves around Shining Armor, making sure to avoid the bandaged areas.

“Shining!”

Both Twilight and the colt addressed looked down the bed to see a small purple dragon crawling up the blankets, placing himself by his older brother’s head on the pillow and wrapping his little arms around Shining’s face.

“Hey, Spike,” Shining greeted his little brother as he slung one of his forelimbs around the small dragon.

Shining, Spike, and Twilight, all together. It was a sight too sweet for words for the parents standing beside their kids.

“So, what was it like in there?” Twilight asked from Shining’s side.

“Hot,” Shining answered simply. “All I can remember was getting in there, bringing Moonstone out, then going back to try and get—” Shining’s pupils shrunk to pinpoints as it all came back to him. The wall of debris, why he went back in the school, why he collapsed. “CADANCE!”

Shining Armor threw off the blankets that covered him and nearly flung himself in the air, bolting to the side, disconnecting any small probes on him that connected to the EKG in the process. The immediate pain that came to his sides went ignored as he ran across the hospital room, only to turn back when he saw a familiar blowing multi-colored mane out of the corner of his eye.

In the corner of the room, mere meters away from his own bed, Shining Armor saw a relieved looking Princess Celestia standing over two other ponies. One sat next to the hospital bed with Celestia and had a look of pure terror in his sky-blue eyes. His amber mane was disheveled and unorderly, like he didn’t bother with it at all today. And the other was lying in her bed, unconscious and hooked up to an EKG, much like he had been.

Shining instantly recognized the pink pony in the bed and couldn't help but feel his chest clench and his throat dry out almost instantly at the sight of his marefriend lying in a hospital bed.

Celestia caught sight of Shining Armor and gave a small motion for him to come over. He took her invitation and slowly walked up to Cadance's bed, catching glimpse of Blueblood in his less than prince-like state.

Cadance, too, was bandaged up in some areas. Her mane, tattered and singed in some places, and her coat was still blackened by the smog she endured.

'I should've gotten her out.'

He knew Cadance was fine, otherwise Celestia wouldn’t have looked so calm, but he still couldn’t help but feel like he should’ve gotten her out of there. She was the one who just a few days ago said that he supposedly was a defender, but he couldn’t even get his marefriend out of a situation where she needed one.

A gentle gold-slippered hoof on his shoulder caused Shining to look up and see Celestia’s gentle magenta eyes that instantly calmed him down.

“You did all you could, Shining Armor,” Celestia reassured a silky and regal voice. “I’m just glad you two got out of there with only a few burns.”

“Has she woken up at all?” Shining asked after a glance down at Cadance.

“For about a minute a half hour ago, but the doctor insisted for her to get more rest, so she went back to sleep. Other than a few burns and the amount of smoke she breathed in, she’s fine.”

A loud swinging of doors was heard followed by a loud gasp and the clang of a clipboard falling to the floor.

“What are you doing out of bed?”

Shining Armor turned his head to see a shocked pale-brown unicorn stallion in a doctor’s robe rushing towards him, his horn glowing a light brown aura.

“You need to get back in bed this instant!” he instructed forcefully as he dragged Shining Armor in his magic back to his bed. Obviously he wasn’t going to have anything go wrong with any of his patients.

“Sorry if I’m being a little forceful, but I will not risk any more injury to you. So... in you go,” the stallion said hurriedly as he placed his patient in his bed and drew the covers.

“So, how long does he have to stay here, Dr. Scope?” Velvet asked once her son was back in bed.

“Well, I want the skin under his fur to heal up naturally for a few hours before I do anything magically, so overnight should be enough time. Then he’ll be able to walk out of here like nothing happened, fresh as a daisy.” He cast another glance at the colt, giving him a stern look. “In the meantime, I want him resting up and not moving. The skin must heal on its own first for a few hours before any magic can be used.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Velvet said with a smile.

The stallion gave his own smile before trotting off to Cadance’s bed, leaving the Sparkle family alone.

“Do you want me to come and pick you up in the morning, Shining? I can try and take tomorrow off from the observatory,” Night Light offered.

“It’s okay, dad. I’ll be able to walk home by tomorrow,” Shining answered with a small laugh.

“Okay, son. I guess we should be getting out of here if the doc wants you to rest up.”

“Shining, honey, are you sure you don’t need anything else? I can go bring you some leftovers from home,” Velvet suggested, only to be met with a small nod from her son.

“I’m fine, mom. Really,” Shining reassured. His mom always got that way whenever he or Twilight got sick or had to stay alone somewhere else. Motherly instinct is what he always chalked it up to.

“Oh, okay,” Velvet complied hesitantly.

“He’ll be fine, honey,” Night Light comforted, easing his wife’s worries a bit. “Besides, Twilight and Spike are here, they’ll take care of him, right you two?”

“You can count on us, dad,” Twilight said with a small salute. Spike copied his sister’s gesture with small giggles of an infant.

Velvet smiled at the display of adorableness before her. She knew Shining was in good hooves. “Okay, you two. Shining, we’ll see you tomorrow when we get off work, okay?”

“Okay, mom,” Shining called back as his parents headed out of the room, and out the castle, leaving the kids of the family alone.

“So, Twi-Lee, how was your first morning in the castle?” Shining finally asked the filly by his bedside.

“This place is huuuuuuuuge!” Twilight answered with wide eyes and an expanding gesture with her forelimbs. “Princess Celestia was giving me a full tour of the castle... we still haven't finished,” Twilight finished with a laugh.

Shining turned his head over to the side to see Spike clawing at the blankets. “How’d Spike like the room?”

“Well,” Twilight began, “he managed to go two hours before burning something,” she answered sheepishly.

“What did he burn?” Shining asked with a droning tone.

“Just the curtains on one of the windows.... probably should’ve told mom that I needed more Hoofy Potter curtains.”

“What you need, young mare, is to let my patient get some rest.”

Shining Armor, Twilight, and Spike all looked up towards the end of the bed to see a very annoyed-looking Dr. Scope being tailed by Celestia and Blueblood.

“I understand that you want to see your brother, but he needs rest if I am to get him out of here by morning. Meaning you need to leave him alone,” he instructed with a stern hoof pointed at Twilight before turning to Celestia. “Now, if you’ll please excuse me, Princess, I need to chart and file a few records before I do anything else.”

“Understood, Dr. Scope,” Celestia acknowledged. With that, the stallion headed off through some double doors and disappeared. Celestia turned her gaze back to her stunned student. “Forgive Dr. Scope, Twilight. He means well, but he can become a bit of a control freak when he has a patient.”

Twilight’s head drooped down in sadness. “I understand, but I was hoping that Spike and I could sleep with Shining tonight. All three of us... before he has to go back home.”

Celestia looked at the hopeful eyes of her student. She was, after all, just a filly that wanted time with her brother, but doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but Dr. Scope was very clear on leaving your brother alone.”

If sadness could be ponified, it would take form of the lavender filly on the bed at that moment. “Okay, Princess,” Twilight sighed.

“But you know,” Celestia began in a sly voice, “he doesn’t check under the beds at night,” she whispered with a wink.

Twilight radiated with joy at this little tidbit, only to have it grow once her mentor summoned an extra pillow and a perfectly-sized blanket out of nowhere with her magic.

“I’ll see you two tomorrow at breakfast.” With that, Celestia trotted gracefully out of the infirmary with her nephew in tow.

Once the royal pair were out of the room, Twilight turned to Spike, quickly grabbing him in her magic, and scurried under Shining's bed to find a very nice surprise. Slowly fading gold magic residue accompanied a plush set of blankets that sat under the bed. Twilight and Spike quickly got comfy in the setup before Twilight threw the pillow under their heads and the blanket over their bodies.

“Twi-Lee? You and Spike okay down there?” Shining whispered.

“It’s like a bed under here, Shining!” Twilight answered back with all the excitement possible without going over a whisper.

Shining just chuckled a bit at his sister’s answer. “It’s only like seven o'clock. Do you really wanna go to bed now?”

“The doc said you need rest. I just wanted at least one more night, you know, all three of us.”

To say Shining really liked the idea of one more night with his little siblings would’ve been an understatement. The gentlest of smiles etched his face, and his eyes glimmered. “Okay, Twi-Lee.”

The sound of shuffling blankets went on under the bed for a few seconds followed by two soft yawns. Shining, too, got himself comfortable in his bed for the night.

“Night, Spike. Night, Shining Armor,” Twilight whispered from below.

“Night, Twi-Lee. Night, Spike,” Shining whispered back before closing his own eyes.

A few seconds passed before a third, small and tired voice sounded below the bed.

“Ni-Ni, Twilight. Ni-Ni, Shining.”

***************

Silence.

It was the one word that really suited the infirmary that night in the castle. Celestia had raised the moon hours ago and would be up in a couple of hours to raise the sun. Twilight and Spike were knocked out under Shining’s bed, but the unicorn on the bed was a different story.

Throughout the night, Shining Armor tossed and turned, unable to get a good night’s sleep, much to Dr. Scope’s annoyance when he came over to perform the healing spell several hours ago. He just couldn’t fall asleep. The same images of him and Cadance inside that burning building replayed in his mind. The one thing that pulled him out of partial sleep every time was when he reached the part where he couldn’t save her.

To him, it was one of the most horrible scenes in his mind. He kept a sense of guilt throughout the night after seeing Cadance on a hospital bed. It kept gnawing at him like a rat in a cheese wheel.

Currently in another attempt to get some sleep, Shining Armor was in no way having an easy time with it. The replay in his mind made his face contort into expressions one would experience while having a nightmare. It might as well have been.

All he could see were the flames. All he could hear were the coughing fits from Cadance and himself, but mostly from Cadance. He felt nothing but guilt, terror, and heartbreak at the sight and sounds that swirled in his head. A terrible light, and a terrible sound. That’s all that came to him.

“Shining.”

The sound of his name... it wasn’t the hoarse whisper he remembered. No, this one was gentle, smooth... and wasn’t in his mind.

He started to crack his eyes open once more, easily adjusting to the darkness in the room. Coming to his sight was the pink shape of his beautiful marefirend. Her hoof was on his shoulder, and her eyes glittered the way he loved.

“Thank goodness you’re alright,” she whispered as she wrapped her forelimbs around her coltfriend and buried her face into into his shoulders.

Shining returned the hug and realized the bandages that covered her earlier that day were gone and left no trace of any burned fur or skin underneath.

‘Bandages,’ he thought to himself. One thing that reminded him that he wasn’t able to get her out of there. That he wasn’t this protector she made him out to be.

“Cadance... I’m so sorry,” Shining breathed out shakily.

Cadance’s grip on Shining Armor tightened slightly before she opened her eyes at met his own. “Don’t be,” she said sternly, surprising the colt in front of her. “You had no idea that the ceiling would fall in. You had no way of knowing the place would catch on fire. And you had no idea that I would run in there.” Her eyes started to glisten, this time with a watery build behind them. “If anything, I should be apologizing to you.” She buried her head again into Shining Armor’s shoulder, where he felt a few wet drops soak some of his fur. The tears that wet his shoulder felt like daggers to his heart.

‘Now you made her cry,’ Shining’s mind screamed at him. The whole unable to save her idea that plagued his mind quickly left and instead focused on what he believed was his current screw up. This was the first time he ever saw Cadance cry, and he didn’t like it. He had no idea what to do, so he did the only thing that he thought would help.

With a gentle lift of her chin, Shining stared into Cadance’s eyes for a few seconds before closing the gap between them in a light kiss.

He pulled away a few seconds later to see a dreamy look on his marefriend, her eyes no longer running with tears, but back to their usual gleam. “I don’t like seeing you cry.”

Cadance only smiled before leaning back into Shining Armor’s shoulder. He wrapped a forelimb around her and nuzzled her cheek. They stayed locked with each other for a while, just glad to know that they were okay. It was as if the fear of the other one being mad that fell over them just a few minutes ago just disappeared. No words, just each others’ touch.

Cadance’s heart flew beyond description. Shining Armor relaxed with their embrace, all sense of guilt from before melting away.

“You knowwwwww,” Cadance playfully teased as she came up from Shining’s shoulder, “this is kinda like our first night together.”

Shining flung his eyes open at the realization. “Huh. It is.” He gave a slightly nervous look to Cadance. “So, what do you wanna do?”

She batted her eyelashes when a thought came to her. “I’ve got an idea.”

Slowly, but effectively, Cadance brought her lips to Shining Armor’s, and he brought her in. What she said about it getting better every time really proved itself that night. They could’ve stayed that way the rest of the night and let the sparks fly in a tirade of fireworks.

“You know, the next time you guys try to talk to each other at night, make sure you do it a little more quietly.”

The couple’s eyes flew open. Their lips were still locked and their tiny pupils traveled to the other side of Shining’s bed, where Twilight stood, wearing a wide smirk, with her little brother. Small puckering noises came from Spike as he imitated what he heard.

Slowly and uneasily, Cadance and Shining Armor separated before Shining turned to his siblings and tried to wave his forelimbs in a hypnotic way.

“This is all just a dream.”

***************

Smart-alec remarks and funny looks from a certain sister aside, the next morning went by very smoothly for Shining Armor. Breakfast was eaten, Dr. Scope discharged both him and Cadance, and goodbyes were shared between the Sparkle kids. Shining had already said his goodbyes to the two princesses of the castle, and made sure to leave Cadance a little present on her lips before left.

He was already out of the castle and on the streets of the very high class ends of Canterlot. All he wanted to do was get to his house and crash. The previous night was not pleasant to him sleep-wise, but he didn’t complain about the few minutes he had with Cadance last night. That was the highlight of his night in so many wonderful ways.

As he walked through the posh streets of upper Canterlot, he noticed something a little unnerving. He heard ponies whisper and glance back and forth at him. Some whispered, others intentionally spoke out as to make sure he heard.

He knew that news spread fast around these parts of the city. The elite always made sure to know anything and everything they could about the city and the royals, and the incident from yesterday was no different.

From the whispers, he gathered a slew of info. The upside, Moonstone and all the other foals escaped with no injuries, not even burns. All the staff and researchers at the school were alright, minimal hospital trips, any that were were already out and about. Petri Dish was still a little shaken up, but will manage and be back at work on a much safer project in the coming weeks after repairs are made. The device that started the fire was destroyed, and deemed as an accident.

The down side Shining heard in the sea of news and gossip was mostly coming from the more sharply-dressed and very upscale ponies he recognized in business, fashion, and fancy living magazines his parents had around the house. All of it dealt with one pony in particular... him. And he could hear everything.

“There he goes. The colt that left the princess to burn.”

“He’s supposed to be dating the princess?”

“How in Equestria could he be dating her?”

“Some nopony that abandoned her in a burning building.”

“What does she see in him?”

“I heard he left her behind on purpose.”

“She could do so much better.”

Each remark he heard stung like a swarm of killer bees, and the glares they gave him didn’t help. They were like the soul piercing eyes of predators on the prowl in a dense forest, and he was the little rabbit they were chasing.

Shining kept walking, picking up speed as he felt their unrelenting gazes follow him. The whispers followed, forcing Shining to face the horrible opinions of the upper class.

As he walked on, he kept shifting his head back and forth, trying to avoid the eyes, but at the same time, not seeing where he was going. The pony’s side he collided with was not seen by him, but it was felt. He stumbled backwards and shook off the blow. “I am so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going and I—”

“I say you should be sorry!”

Shining blinked his eyes open. He lifted his head up slowly, catching the details of the familiar stallion in front of him, Jet Set. He stood with an irritated look, surrounded by a whole group of important looking ponies and his wife, Upper Crust. Memories of that day in the library when he met the two rushed through his mind, crushing his hopes of escaping this side of town without anymore trouble.

“Oh, it’s you.” Jet Set’s words came out with more venom than a king cobra.

“Should’ve expected as much,” Upper Crust snarked.

"He's the pony you two were talking about?" one of the mares in the crowd asked Upper Crust.

"The very same, Pish Posh."

Pish Posh and the ponies around her erupted into their own whispers of gossip, and from the bit Shining Armor could pick up, it was far from what he wanted to hear.

"He's the one that left the Princess in that burning building?!?" one of the stallions gasped after the round of news circulated.

"I didn't leave her! I tried to—"

"Whatever you tried, kid, you obviously failed at," Jet Set interjected Shining's defense.

Shining retreated a few steps as the glares he was receiving intensified. In the posh ponies' eyes, spoke everything he never wanted to hear; that he wasn't good enough for the mare of his dreams.

“I knew the Princess could’ve done better,” Upper Crust seethed. “She still can, I’m sure.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up banished or worse in the next few days,” another stallion mocked.

Shining stood paralyzed with each insult thrown his way. He knew of the cruelness of Canterlot’s social elite, he had observed it with Spike not too long into the dragon’s life, but even with experience, it still burned fresh.

“Like I said, kid,” Jet Set sneered, “stick to mares of your own class. Maybe try one of the dirt waitresses at that new dive restaurant. At least that way, when you fail her, it’ll be somepony unimportant.”

“Now you listen here!” Shining Armor faced the grey stallion nearly muzzle-to-muzzle with all the rage in his body burning in his eyes and presenting itself in his voice. One of his forelimbs trembled as he lifted it slightly above the ground when the thought of socking the stallion in front of him in the jaw raced in his mind.

“Oh! Out of her league, left her in a burning building, and quick to violence,” Jet Set listed with a taunting grin plastered on his haughty muzzle. “I’m sure that’ll keep her with you.”

Rage. Fury. Irritation. Wrath. What ever word to describe the anger Shining Armor felt at that moment was miniscule to what he really felt. Seeing Jet Set on the ground with a hoof-sized dent on his face was all Shining could think of, but as strong as the desire was, he stopped himself. On one hoof, give the snob what was coming to him, but on the other, it would be proving him right, not to mention putting himself in jail.

Shining brought his hoof back to the ground, but kept his daggered glare on the group of ponies he knew were judging him. Without another word, he turned around and broke for home, sure that if he stayed any longer, he’d end up in jail.

Jet Set, Upper Crust, and their little entourage looked on at the retreating colt with judgemental gazes.

“A runner as well,” Upper Crust commented, “I’m not surprised.”

“If the princess is smart, she’ll have a new suitor, a much better suitor, within the next few days.” Jet Set smirked one last time before turning back to his and his wife’s group. “Now, onto other matters.”

***************

Shining Armor ran through the streets, passing anypony and anything in his way in a mad breeze. Rage turned to worry, and worry turned to hurt, and hurt back to rage. The verbal assault that came his way just a few minutes ago was still fresh in his mind.

Once his house was in view, he sprinted to the front, opening and slamming the door once he was in. He thanked Celestia that he was alone. He didn’t want anypony to get alarmed with what he did next.

With clenched teeth and an intent to hurt, Shining reared his back legs and struck the wall hard, screaming as he did.

The resulting sight was a large dent in the wall. Shining stepped back and sighed out at the damage he did. With the flare of his horn and a flash of light, the dent morphed back into place. He hadn’t meant to cause that, but with all that happened in a short time, Shining had a good reason to be angry, but he didn’t want to be.

He may have been wide awake, but his body ached for sleep. Last night wasn’t the best, so he figured a day of rest was needed.

It was no longer than a few seconds after he made his decision that a familiar pattern of knocks sounded at the door.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Shiny...”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Shiny...”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Shiny...”

Knowing all too well who it was outside, Shining finally smiled. Something about that pattern of knocks always made him smile for some reason he never quite understood. He got to the door and flung it open to see his wide-eyed friend.

“You! Leavin’ me wonderin’ if ya dead or not, and I hafta find out ya still breathin’ from a freakin’ newspaper!” Stardust ranted as her emerald eyes trembled slightly, a rare occurrence for the mare.

Shining just stood in the doorframe and allowed his smile to infect Stardust as she began to lighten up.

Stardust flung her forelimbs around Shining Armor in a tight embrace. “Don’t do it again you idiot,” she said with closed eyes.

“Well, aren’t we worried and mooshy today,” Shining teased.

“Oh, shut up,” Stardust responded with a punch to Shining’s limb.

Shining just laughed off the admittingly strong blow from his friend.“So, where you coming from?”

“Well, before findin’ out about ya, I was lookin’ at some apartments around work.”

“You’re moving out?!?”

“Figured it’s about the right time,” she simply answered, “but enough about me, you’re the one that just survived a fire! How ya holdin’ up?”

“Good, actually.”

“What about Cady?”

“... About the same,” he answered with hesitance when he remembered the guilt Cadance carried with her after the incident.

Stardust instantly picked up on this and dug deeper. “There’s somethin’ ya not tellin’ me, Shiny. I can tell.”

“Look, it’s a long story, and I wanna tell you, but I’m just really exhausted right now. Think it can wait for some other time?” Shining practically pleaded as the exhaustion in his eyes resurfaced.

She was hesitant at first, but one glance at Shining’s eyes was all it took for Stardust to drop the subject for now. “Okay, Shiny.” A light went off in Stardust’s head. “Hey. Ya still got the usual scheduled day off from the library?”

“Yeah, why?” Shining asked, confused.

“Well, I get my first day off tomorrow, so, why don’t you, me, and Cady all hang out tomorrow? This time away from work.”

“Cadance can’t make it. She told me that Princess Celestia wanted to plan a little family thing with her and Blueblood after the fire.”

“Oh, then how about just the two of us? It’s been awhile since it’s just been us.”

Shining lit up at the idea. Just a day out with his best friend to chase the wreck of a terrible beginning of a week. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I’ll show up here around eleven, sound good?”

“Uh-Huh. See you tomorrow, Star.” Shining waved his friend off as she turned in another direction.

“See ya tomorrow, Shiny.”

When Stardust was out of sight, Shining receded back into his house and closed the door. Silence fell over the house once again, and he took its invitation. Sleep was on his mind when he entered his bedroom and plopped down on his bed with high hopes for tomorrow. He debated to himself whether or not to tell Stardust about what happened today. He didn’t know how, but he knew that if he didn’t tell her, she’d find out anyways.

Shining turned on his bed when he remembered his encounter with the Canterlot elite. Their words, their eyes, those horrible, penetrating eyes, and the clear indication that they didn’t approve of him. He didn’t care if they did or didn’t, but what they said was another thing.

“Like I said again, kid, stick to mares of your own class. Maybe try one of the dirt waitresses at that new dive restaurant. At least that way, when you fail her, it will be somepony unimportant.”

His rage started to build again when Jet Set’s irritating voice echoed through his head, but something he said still stuck with Shining Armor, that he had failed Cadance. Cadance assured him the night before that it wasn’t his fault, but some guilt still lingered. Would she also carry some guilt? Did Jet Set’s words actually hold some truth to them? Did he fail? All these questions pounded against his mind in a merciless attack, but his exhaustion thankfully stepped in.

Shining sighed as he flung the covers sloppily over him. “Not now, just... not now.”

Potential

“Shining, your dad and I let you sleep in. Please try to take it easy. I know the doc said you’d be alright, but I worry. Love you my little moonpie.

-Mom

Shining sat at the kitchen table with a half-eaten apple in his hoof and a red tint on his cheeks from the note on the table. It was later in the morning than he usually woke up, but after the day he had yesterday, he deserved a little extra sleep. He could still recall everything that happened the day before, his run in with Jet Set and his entourage especially gnawing at his brain. He remembered wanting to punch the smirk off that stuck up pony’s face and the restraint it took for him not to, but he also remembered the few words from the posh stallion that stuck with him.

Was he right? Or was Shining just letting a guilt that shouldn’t be there consume him? The questions without a clear answer kept up with their attacks for a few moments more until Shining gave his head a shake. He knew he’d have to deal with the whole mess later, but for now, he just wanted to spend the day with a friend.

Shining gave a quick glance at the clock in the kitchen and realized he slept in much longer than he originally thought. With haste, Shining finished off the rest of his apple, downing it like his brother would a turquoise shard. Had he been thinking, he wouldn’t have eaten the core, but was instead left to the unpleasant swallow.

With his face in a twisted expression from the apple core crawling down his throat, Shining ran upstairs to the bathroom. He ran the water in the sink and squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush before sticking it in his mouth to brush. Three minutes later, he was ready for some fun. It wasn’t a minute after he had finished in the bathroom that Shining heard the beginning of his and Star’s signature knock pattern. With a coy smile, he decided to have a little fun with it this time.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Shiny…”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Shiny…”

The door opened before the mare standing in front of it could knock again, revealing the colt standing in the doorframe that began to rap his own hoof against the door.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Shiny...” he finished off, cutting off Stardust’s knock. She was not amused.

“That’s just wrong,” she deadpanned before smiling.

“I know,” he teased, “That’s why I did it.” Stardust just rolled her eyes with a small giggle. “So, what are we doing today?”

“Thought we could catch a movie, then maybe grab some lunch. Have you seen Dragon’s University yet?”

Shining just shook his head. “Nope.”

“Then c’mon. I think there’s a showing in a few minutes.” Stardust’s excitement proved to be contagious as Shining’s own eagerness rose. He reached at a nearby table in the house and grabbed a small sac on a string and threw it around his neck. With a flick of magic, the door was locked and he was ready to go.

The two friends left Shining Armor’s house and made their way down the streets with high hopes for the day. Shining, hoping to forget about yesterday’s incident and all that came with it at least for just a little while, and Stardust, hoping to simply cheer her friend up. Call it a mare’s intuition, but she knew something happened yesterday, and she was gonna find out, but it wouldn’t hurt to have fun at the same time.

***************

Celestia sat in a circle with three of her favorite ponies and her favorite dragon in Twilight’s new room. Everything was already moved in, even Twilight’s seemingly never-ending collection of books managed to all fit in the room. Said filly could barely hold her excitement in as her foal-sitter downed the last bit of soda in the glass bottle they were gonna use for a game, a game a certain prince was already growing a disdain for.

“Truth or Dare? Really, Auntie?” Blueblood whined to the snow white alicorn beside him.

“Blueblood.” Celestia’s voice was gentle, but laced with a firmness that demanded immediate attention. “Twilight and Spike are new to the castle, so we will make them feel at home, and if they want to play Truth or Dare, we’ll play Truth or Dare.”

“But I thought today was supposed to be a family day?”

“The castle is their home now, and Twilight has been my student for almost two years now. She and Spike are just as much family to me as you and Cadance.”

Blueblood gave an uncomfortable look at the filly and dragon in the circle busying themselves with downing the last bit of soda in the glass bottle they were gonna use as the spinner. Finally, he sighed out in defeat. “Fiiine, but if they wanna ask me anything really embarrassing or dare me to do something really stupid, I’m not playing,” he said with a huff.

“She’s just a filly and a dragon that can barely talk. What could they possibly ask or make you do?”

“Speaking of the dragon, Spike, I think, how’s he supposed to play?”

“Twilight’s going to play for him. Just go along with it, Blueblood,” Celestia strongly advised, earning an aggravated sigh from her nephew.

“Okay, Auntie,” he reluctantly agreed.

“Thank you, Blue Blue,” Celestia giggled, causing the young prince to blush a violent red.

“Auntie!”

At this point, Cadance was already adjusting the bottle in the middle of the group while Twilight barely contained herself.

“Are we ready? Are we ready? Are we ready? Are we ready?” Twilight repeatedly asked, bouncing slightly in the air.

“Yes, Twilight, we’re ready. You wanna spin first?” Cadance asked with a chuckle.

“Nah, I think Spike wants to go first,” Twilight answered, pointing to the purple dragon sucking on his tail yet again. “I’ll just spin for him.”

Twilight reached for the bottle and gave it a light spin. It spun around a few seconds before stopping on Cadance. Twilight gave a small grin at the result. “Okay, Cadance. Truth or dare?”

With a hoof to her chin, Cadance thought it over before giving her decision. “Dare,” she answered with a shrug.

Twilight’s grin grew across her face when her eyes landed on Spike. “Give Spike a kiss on the cheek.”

Spike spat out his tail at the mention of his name. The next thing he knew, a set of pink lips met the side of his scaly cheek. Spike replied by going into a fit of joyous giggles while Cadance smiled at the little drake.

“Careful, Cadance. Don’t want Shining Armor finding out you’re seeing someone else,” Twilight joked, moving her eyebrows up and down.

“Whatever, Twilight,” Cadance said with a roll of her eyes. “Your turn.”

Twilight reached out for the bottle and gave it a spin, only for it to once again land on the pink alicorn. “Truth or dare?”

“Let’s go with truth.”

“Okay.” Twilight’s eyes scrunched when she let out a hum of thought. After a few seconds, she had it. “Do you dream of my brother?”

The question froze Cadance in a stunned shock, not so much as from the nature of the question, she expected as much from Twilight, but from the stares of her family as they awaited her response. “On second thought, let’s go with a dare,” Cadance hastily changed her answer, but Twilight wasn’t letting her off that easy.

“Okay. I dare you to tell me if you dream of my brother.”

Cadance’s eyes narrowed slightly at the filly, but even she had to admit that was a clever move. “You’re good.” Seeing there was no way out of her question, Cadance hesitantly began her answer. “There are... some nights ever since we started dating that… Shining has… made a little appearance whenever I’ve had a dream.”

“I KNEW IT!” Twilight shouted, pointing a hoof to a blushing Cadance.

“Is he sweeping you off your hooves and riding into the moonlight in a chariot with you?” Celestia teased in a light-hearted tone.

“No comment,” Cadance answered flatly.

Celestia dropped the topic there for now, but once it was her turn to spin, it was back on the table once the bottle finished its spin, pointing at her niece. If one were to look closely, they would be able to see miniscule reminiscences of golden magic fading out from the bottle and her horn.

“I like this game now,” Blueblood whispered over to Celestia, who bore an intrigued look aimed at the now stone-faced pink princess. With a loud sigh, Cadance prepared for what was to come.

“Hit me with your best shot.”

***************

Outside the palace and outside a cafe somewhere in Central Canterlot, Shining Armor and Stardust busied themselves talking about the movie they saw. After the movie, they decided to grab some lunch at one of the cafes around the city. It was a simple place, nothing too extravagant, and more importantly, affordable.

The waiter at their table, tall and proper like a true Canterlot server, set down two glasses of tea at their table. “You’re refills ma’am and mister,” he addressed, his Canterlot way of speech coming through.

“Thank you,” the two answered back before the waiter bowed and returned inside and left the two to converse.

“This was such a good idea, Star,” Shining voiced before chomping down on the dandelion sandwich he ordered.

“I know. Last time it was just the two of us was back in the library. Speaking of which, how’s Ms. Paiges doin’?” she asked before taking another bite of her rose and daisy salad.

“Good, but she says it’s gotten kinda boring there now.”

“What can I say? I bring the party to places,” Stardust joked as she pumped her forelimbs in the air a few times, gaining a small chuckle from Shining Armor. “And hey, how are things goin’ with Cady?”

Just the mention of Cadance’s name brought a quick smile to Shining Armor’s features, and it was all the answer Stardust needed.

“Guessin’ good?”

Shining confirmed with a small nod before taking another bite of his sandwich. “I know it hasn’t even been two weeks, but I really like her.”

“Imagine if ya acted faster. Ya could’ve had her for months by now.”

Shining’s ears dropped a bit at the comment and he shot Stardust a look that screamed “Really?”.

“I’m just yankin’ ya, Shiny,” Stardust laughed off, earning an eye roll from her friend. “But it was kinda cute how ya spent months just thinkin’ ‘bout her. Makes me kinda wish I had somethin’ like that.” Shining was about to add onto Stardust’s last comment, but was quickly met with a hoof in front of his face. “Don’t even think of settin’ me up.”

Shining slumped back down with a loud sigh. “Fine!”

“But thanks for thinkin’ I deserve one,” Stardust countered cheerfully.

“You do, Star. Especially after Comet Crush.”

“Eh, he was just a sleaze,” Stardust said dismissively, “and I’m not really lookin’ for a relationship right now. I’m more worried ‘bout gettin’ that apartment I was lookin’ at and hopefully move out.”

“Speaking of which, where were you looking around?”

“Just around work. Figured I might as well live close by.” Stardust stopped for a moment as something dawned on her. Hearing herself talk about moving out brought out a truth that scarred most ponies her and Shining’s age, and it put her in a slight daze. “Wow, it doesn’t really come crashin’ down on ya that we’re legal adults until we start talkin’ ‘bout all this stuff. I mean, movin’ out, lookin’ for an apartment… it’s a little scary, Shiny.”

Shining gulped down the bite of sandwich in his mouth before opening his mouth again. “I know.” It came out more with a drawled out disbelief. Technically speaking, he and Stardust had been legal adults for a couple months now, but he knew they both didn’t feel it. It was a confusing time for ponies their age. A time of change, mystery, and fear, and he could only hope he could handle well enough when his life started to take off. “How are you feeling about it? You know, moving out and stuff?”

Stardust had to think her answer out for a few moments. “Other than a little scared… pretty good actually. I mean, I finally get to be my own mare. Me against Equestria, Ms. Independent, finally able to see how I can handle myself, not that I doubt I can. Plus, I get to sing for other ponies nearly every night!” she answered, the last part coming out with full out excitement.

Shining could tell she was radiating with joy. He knew of her dream to sing for crowds, no matter how small. To see her so happy made him smile as well, but then he took notice to the distant gaze she put on when she began to play with the straw in her tea by swirling it around.

“Shiny? Can ya actually see me singing for large crowds? You know, name in lights, selling out shows, putting out albums, can you actually see that?”

Shining paused for a moment to see Stardust baring a truly curious look, like she was sincerely uncertain of herself, something Shining never thought he’d seen before. With a reassuring smile and a confident tone, he gave her his answer, “Star, you are the only pony other than Twilight that I’ve seen so invested in what they do. I mean, your room’s basically got no floor. All I’ve seen in there is guitar equipment, song sheets, lyric notes, and a disturbingly large amount of trash.”

“I don’t like some things I write down, and unless I think it’s perfect, I trash it,” Stardust defended.

“See! You want what you write to be the best you can make. I’ve seen some of your songs, Star, they’re really good.”

“Ya really think so?”

“Yeah. You should sing some when you go to work sometime.”

“I think I will,” Stardust agreed, her confidence shining through once again. “Thanks, Shiny.”

“No problem, Star,” Shining waved off as he took a sip of his own drink.

“So what about you? Any luck with the whole not knowing what ya gonna do thing?”

“Ehhh, some. Cadance talked it over with me a few nights ago. I told her how I got my cutie mark and then she kinda diagnosed me or something.”

“What’d she say?”

Shining took a few seconds to recollect what Cadance had told him. He remembered the sureness she had when she told him, and the surprise he had when she gave her answer. “She said I was… a defender?” he replied, his answer coming out more like a question.

Stardust cocked her head to the side, letting Shining know to go on.

“Okay, she said how I’ve had a history for protecting my family, and that she could see me using my special talent to, I guess, protect others as well?”

Shining’s confusion on the whole thing only increased when he saw Stardust looking him over like he he sprouted a second horn. Her eyes scanned him over until she started to nod. “I can see that.”

Shining sat there in a daze at the sudden comment. “Huh?”

“Ya’ve been there for ya family, ya wanted to be there for me after the whole Comet Crush thing, and ya charged into a flaming building for Cadance and a foal. Ya don’t see it, Shiny, but when ya need to be, you’re a pretty strong and fearless stallion.”

Shining sat in his seat, completely lacking his speech from the praise he was getting.

“Aaaand,” Stardust continued, “Ya were there for Spike. Every time ya had to bring him to work wit ya, and any time some snob tried to treat him like some kinda wild animal, ya stepped in and made sure they got the message that ya brother wasn’t some kind of circus sideshow.”

She was right. After Spike was hatched and started to go to work with him, Shining Armor couldn’t go a whole month without at least one pony coming up to the little dragon and stare at him like he was some sort of rare animal that should’ve been put in a zoo, or at least that’s what one had compared him to.

If there was anything in any of those ponies lives, anything at all that they could say they regretted, it was what they said to, or how they treated Shining’s little brother. The fury they faced was something otherworldly. Uncalled for? Absolutely not.

“You’re a strong guy, Shiny. I can see ya doin’ something’ pretty awesome in the future.”

No words could have described the joy Shining felt from Stardust’s words. He had been so unsure of himself for a while now, but to know his marefriend and best friend had the same high hopes for him, it helped him much more than he could express.

“Wow. Thanks, Star.”

Stardust returned a smile as she reached for her glass of tea and held it up. Shining returned the gesture and held his glass up as well.

“To finding our destiny,” he started.

“To starting life,” she closed off before they tapped their glasses together and taking a drink.

The next few minutes were spent in relative silence as the two friends finished off what was left of their lunches. The waiter had come by again to hoof them the bill, and both payed for what they ate and drank. Shining sipped at the last remnants of his drink with a wide smile. It almost pained Stardust knowing she’d be the one to break that smile, but there was just something she had to know.

“Shiny?”

The white colt looked at his friend as he got down to the last of his tea and gulped it down.

“When I came to see ya yesterday, ya were a little off, and I know ya weren’t just tired.” Shining slowly set his glass down on the table as he readied himself for the question he knew he’d eventually hear from her today. “What really happened yesterday?”

Shining sighed out. He knew it was coming, and he knew he’d have to say something before she found out another way. He had no idea how she would, but he knew she would. He also knew she didn’t ask just to be nosy, she did it because she worries for her friend, and he couldn’t say he wouldn’t do the same.

“Okay,” he began, “I was coming back home from the castle…”

***************

Blueblood’s choice activity for “Family Day” had been one of the more relaxing things done in the day. Cadance and Celestia were lying down in reclining chairs as their manes were being worked on by the spa ponies as Blueblood treated himself to a seaweed wrap. Twilight sat in a nearby hot tub, looking like she was in heaven. The dragon lying down in a safety floaty that glided across the tub had a similar look on his face as his sister.

All five looked like they could’ve died right then and there and be completely at peace, at least until something made Celestia’s ear twitch and open her eyes wide open.

“What’s wrong, Aunt Celestia?” Cadance inquired with a turn of her head.

“I… I don’t know. I got this really strange feeling that a volcano just erupted.”

“But Equestria doesn't have any volcanoes,” Cadance pointed out.

“I know. That’s what’s strange.” Celestia looked over to her niece who bore the same confused look as her aunt. They stared at each other with their perplexed glances before shrugging it off and going back to their rest and relaxation.

***************

Shining’s eyes stuck open and he struggled to keep balance on his tilting chair in an effort to back away from the mare in front of him.

Stardust’s face was contorted to an anger that Shining never knew could come to pass. Her left eye twitched violently and she looked like she was ready to burst. With a motion of his forelimbs, Shining tried to calm his friend down.

“Star? Remember, we’re in public.”

That did very little to ease the blue mare’s anger, seeing as her eyes continued to twitch in frustration. Those ponies insulted her best friend, called him unfit for the mare she saw him dream about for months, and she looked like she was ready to kill.

A heavy breath escaped her ever so slowly as she tried her best to calm herself down for what she had to ask. “Shiny?”

Shining Armor looked at her with a mix of fear and concern. “Yeah?” he squeaked.

“Just tell me ya actually fought back this time.”

An unbearable silence remained between the two friends as Shining ran through all possible answers that wouldn’t set her off, but eventually, only one came out, the truth.

With a little reluctance, Shining took in a breath, “No.”

He watched, with expectancy, Stardust try to contain the fires of fury that burned like Celestia’s sun before he continued on. “If I did, I would've just proved Jet Set right.”

Fury gave way to curiosity as Stardust visibly calmed down and cast a confused look to Shining Armor. “Whad’ya mean?”

A little tinge of regret creeped up Shining’s spine as images of yesterday flashed in his head. All he could see was himself mere centimeters from the snob he wanted to punch. Just one motion away from sweet revenge, only to see himself stop and lower his hoof. With an aggravated sigh, Shining dove right in.

Stardust listened to Shining's recounts of the past day and his run in with members of the elite. Her expressions changed throughout the story, but most coming to ones of contempt, shock, irritation, and finally, understanding.

Shining had come to the part he remembered the most, and it took all he had to keep his voice level and calm. "I wanted to hurt him so bad, Star. I could've. He was right there, and I was so close to doing it, but..."

Jet Set's voice rang in Shining's head as he tried to speak, repeating that same line on loop. "Oh! Out of her league, left her in a burning building, and quick to violence. I'm sure that will keep her with you."

Stardust reached a limb out and placed a hoof over Shining's own, an understanding and genuine pride dawning her features. "Ya were the better pony, Shiny. That must've taken a lot. Hay, if it would've been me, that stallion would be eating from his flank for the rest of his life."

Shining shot Stardust a look of confused fear, only for her to chuckle lightly at the shock on his face. "Don't worry, he'd still be alive." That didn't help. "But seriously, ya did pretty well for a colt in that situation.”

Shining eased up noticeably as he exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Stardust finally knew, she didn’t blow up, and he got that bit of news off his chest. It was relieving but bittersweet at the same time. Just telling somepony about it didn’t make the problem go away.

“Are ya gonna tell Cadance about this whole thing now?” Stardust asked with a partially pleading look on her face.

“Yeah, tell the mare who just got through a near death experience that her relationship is crap to the closest things to neighbors she has.”

“Point taken,” she deadpanned back, “but ya still shouldn't put up with this! I bet none of those ponies would’ve done what ya did in the school.”

“Still, I don’t want Cadance to have to worry about anything right now. It’s only been about two weeks! You really think now’s the time to pour all this on her?”

“It’s gotta come out soon!” Stardust wasn’t gonna let up. That much was clear to Shining Armor.

Shining put his hooves to his temples and began to rub before letting out a sigh. “I know, I know, but just not now, okay. I’ve had this whole not knowing what I’m gonna do thing on my plate, and I’d rather tackle one problem at a time.”

The look Shining gave told Stardust that he wasn’t gonna let up as well. When he wanted to be, he could be stubborn. She didn’t know if he really did want to tackle one problem at a time, or if it was an excuse to not worry Cadance, either way, she knew she wouldn’t be able to persuade him today.

“Fine, Shiny,” she caved, “but if ya keep runnin’ into those ponies and they keep sayin’ that stuff, ya better tell Cadance about it. A relationship is helpin’ one another out to show ya willin’ to do whateva for them, a real one at least, and I can tell that’s what ya want. And just by seein’ the way Cadance looked at ya that night you two came by the restaurant, somethin’ tells me she’d like something like that too.”

Her words had an impact on Shining Armor, and it was showing. With more force, Shining rubbed his temples with a strained expression. So much to think about, and so many ways to approach his problems. For the second time that day, Shining had to admit that Stardust was right again.

“You’re right, you’re right, you’re right, but just not now, okay. I wanna let the whole fire incident blow over first, and then I’ll think about how I’m gonna tell her,” he practically begged.

Stardust gave a small smile at Shining’s plan. Yes, he’d still be holding the problem in, but only for a few more days, at least that’s what she hoped.

“Alright, Shiny,” she simply said. “Hey, why don’t we get outta here? Feel kinda bad I killed the fun.”

“You didn’t kill anything. I’m actually kinda glad you brought it up,” Shining countered happily.

Stardust kept her smile as she leaned over the table and gave Shining a light punch to the shoulder. “Any time, Shiny.”

“So, where do you wanna go now?” he asked while rubbing the shoulder she punched.

Immediately, Stardust had an answer. She was already out of her seat and by the gate of the outdoor cafe. “C’mon, I wanna show ya the apartment I was lookin’ at.”

Shining hopped out of his seat and met his friend at the gate before the two trotted off to their next destination.

********************

It was a simple building. Nothing was falling apart, the various blue shades of paint seemed very well intact, and everything outside advertised the rooms available. Stardust had been true to her word about the closeness of the apartment building to her work, and the instant Shining saw the monthly price, he couldn’t help but gasp at what he saw.

“450 bits a month!?”

“Yup,” Stardust simply confirmed.

“Isn’t that a lot?”

“Compared to what it should’ve been, not really.”

A raised eyebrow and a crooked mouth gave Stardust the signal to go on. “Everything's workin’ in there, the building is in good shape, really it should've been more, but somethin’ came around.”

“What something?”

Like it was on cue, a slight rumble was felt in the ground. At first it was nothing, but within seconds, the sound picked up and the rumbling grew, sending loose pebbles of pavement in the air a few centimeters. Adding to the rumbling, sounded a distant holler of some sorts, growing with each second that passed.

Soon enough, one single unicorn stallion came into Shining Armor and Stardust’s field of vision. His grey coat was covered from the top by an assembly of shining gold-plated armor. Atop his head sat a golden helmet with a white and pale grey helmet crest. He ran down the street with a rushing pace and stern look glued to his face. Behind him came a sight Stardust and Shining Armor wouldn’t forget. Trailing the lone unicorn stallion came row after row of marching young stallions in silver-plated armor. While none of them looked nothing alike, they all moved as one, each bearing the same serious expression as the stallion in front of them.

As quickly as they came, they all vanished in the cloud of dust they left behind, leaving Shining Armor to shield his eyes from the blinding cloud.

Stardust let out a few coughs as the dust settled before waving a limb back and forth to clear the air. “Yeah, the apartment manager told me that the Royal Guard use these streets for some kind of trainin’. Somethin’ about knowing the city and all its streets for emergencies or somethin’.”

“And how does the Royal Guard tie in with the apartment deal?”

“Ya really think ponies wanna live where the ground rumbles at the most random of times? Let alone sleep through it?”

“What do you mean sleep through it?”

“The manager told me that they come and go at the most random times, depending on who’s leadin’. Sometimes it’s early in the mornin’. Sometimes in the afternoon. And sometimes, well, ya get the picture. Anyway, since they use these streets, some ponies don’t want to rent here, so prices got lowered, and here I am,” she finished off with a smirk.

“Aaaand you think you can sleep through this?”

“I lived in Manehatten for most of my life. A few stallions stomping on the ground, please! I slept through police sirens and construction crews.”

Shining gave a small shrug at Stardust’s answer before another small rumble ran through the ground.

“Oh yeah, the manager also said there’s usually more than one platoon the passes by,” Stardust pointed out as the rumbling grew, revealing another swarm of young stallions being led by another golden armored stallion. This time however, the lead stallion caught a glimpse of Shining Armor and came to a halt. The silver-armored platoon that soon followed the lead stallion also came to a halt when they saw their lead pony standing still.

“DID I SAY STOP!” the lead stallion hollered to his group of charges. “FOLLOW YOUR PATHS AS IF I WEREN’T HERE! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME?!? STOP AND WAIT?!? MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!”

Without hesitation, the group of young stallions all resumed their march through the street, kicking up dust in the process and partially blinding Shining Armor and Stardust once again.

When the dust settled, Shining Armor saw the lead stallion approach him. He too was a grey coated unicorn stallion. Very little could distinguish him from the previous lead stallion that brushed through the street a few minutes ago.

“You,” the stallion addressed to Shining Armor in a far less severe tone that he had on his platoon a few moments ago, “are you the colt that saved that foal from the gifted unicorn school?”

At this point, the stallion stood no more than two feet from Shining Armor, and it was then that the white colt took in the size of the stallion. He was a wall of armor and fur and looked like a force to be reckoned with.

“Yes?” Shining half-answered as he tried to keep his tone even towards the intimidating stallion.

Whether he could tell that Shining was nervous, or that Shining was terrible at hiding it, the grey stallion let a smile crack on his face as he extended a forelimb. “Sergeant Iron Defense.”

“Shining Armor,” he returned with a hoofshake of his own before turning to the blue mare next to him, “and this is my friend, Stardust.”

Stardust came up to the large stallion and extended her own limb which he shook as well.

“Pleasure to meet you young mare. I can see you and your coltfriend are a little confused, so I’ll make this quick.”

A deep red spread across Shining and Stardust’s faces at Iron Defense’s words.

“She’s not my—”

“And I’m not his—”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Iron Defense laughed out for a few seconds at the teenage ponies’ baffled reactions. “I know who this colt is. He’s the one dating Princess Cadance. Plus, he doesn’t look like the cheating type.”

“Ugh, thank you?” Shining responded, once again back to his uneasy tone. “How did you know I’m dating—”

“You’re dating a princess of Equestria in the capital city. The real question is who doesn’t know.” Iron Defense’s answer forced Shining Armor into a small round of forced laughter. “You must be a good colt if her highness trusts you,” Iron Defense said with a proud smile and a scanning eye over Shining Armor. “And I believe you proved that a few days ago. Charging in there with no regard for your own personal safety. A little stupid, some would say, but you came back out with a rescued colt.”

Shining’s mind flashed the events of that day rather quickly in his head. He really hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but with this stallion spewing out details like he was there brought at all crashing down on him. He had saved a foal. Plain and simple. He saved a foal.

“And then, to go back into that place to try and rescue the Princess,” Iron Defense continued, “that took guts, kid. Hay, that took bravery. That took something that I wish everypony had in them.”

Shining didn’t know it, but he was smiling at the praise he was receiving. It never really clicked with him that he was brave, he just did what he felt needed to be done back there. “Thank you, sir.”

Iron Defense kept his smile as he stared down the young stallion before him. “Have you ever thought about your future, Shining Armor?” he suddenly asked.

“E-Excuse me?” Shining responded.

Iron Defense’s horn started to glow a deep yellow before a piece of paper appeared in a flash of white and yellow in front of the stallion’s face. He took it in his hoof and offered it to Shining Armor.

Shining took it in his own hoof and looked it over. His eyes widened at the print on the paper.

“Equestrian Royal Guard
Protecting their highnesses, protecting Equestria, protecting our citizens. WE NEED YOU!”

“I know it’s a little sudden, but, give it some thought. A young stallion with bravery like yours, well, Equestria would become a little stronger.” Iron Defense’s smile never faltered as he spoke his words, not even as he started to walk away from Shining Armor and the now wide-eyed Stardust when her eyes landed on the flier. Once he was a good distance away, he stopped again. “Oh, and, Shining Armor?”

Shining and Stardust looked up from the flier in the colt’s hoof.

“Think fast!”

What followed came in a blur. Neither of them could see the quickness of Iron’s movement. First, his horn glowed a bright yellow, then, he seemed to do a complete one eighty in half a second. From his horn, flared out one massive bolt of magic.

It came fast, pulsing with energy, ready to hit, but all it met was a bubble of lavender. The magic bolt shattered on impact, and the bubble of magic that surrounded Shining Armor and Stardust saw no trace of a scratch.

Shining released his magic with a terror stricken face at Iron Defense’s sudden attack. Stardust on the other hoof was not as paralyzed.

“WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT!!!” she shouted at the grey stallion.

“Just a little test for Shining Armor, and I gotta say, I’m impressed,” Iron simply answered.

Irregular breathing came from Shining Armor at Iron Defense’s answer. “W-Wh-What… do you mean?”

Iron Defense just pointed to the mark on Shining Armor’s flank. “I had a feeling it had something to do with defensive magic, but I didn’t expect that! Not even a scratch on your shield!” He began to rub his chin with a hoof as he kept his eye on Shining Armor. “You’ve got potential, Shining Armor. Just thought I’d let you know.”

Iron turned his eyes from Shining to the now less irritated looking mare standing beside her friend. “Sorry for the scare, ma’am,” he said with a small bow.

“Ughhh, yeah. No problem,” Stardust answered, surprised from the well-mannered display.

Iron Defense stood back up and flashed a small smile at the two before breaking into a full gallop toward his now long gone platoon, leaving Shining Armor and Stardust in a stunned silence.

“What… What just happened?”

***************

The evening sun hung in the air as Shining approached the door to his house with the same stunned expression he held for the past few minutes. After his run in with the guard stallion, and after he got to check out what could be his friend’s new home, he and Stardust had decided to call it a day.

The flier given to him sat folded up in the bit bag around Shining’s neck, a penetrating reminder of everything Iron Defense had told him about being brave and having guts. To hear those words being spoken about him was new and unusual to him, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like it.

Still, he now held in his bag an option to a problem that’s been on his mind for awhile now, an option that somepony could see potential in.

With a flick of magic from his horn, the front door cracked open, and Shining stepped inside. When he entered the living room, he heard the scrambling of hooves on the floorboards from the kitchen.

“Shining!”

Once again, Shining Armor found himself in the vice grip of his mother.

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay!” Velvet exclaimed like Shining was a missing foal.

“C’mon, honey, he just went out for the day.” Night Light stepped into the living room and managed to separate the two, receiving a grateful look from his son in the process.

“Hi, guys,” Shining simply said after the pain from his mother’s grip faded.

“Hi, Shining. How was your day today? Did you get my note? Did you take it easy? You didn’t get hurt out there did you? So soon after the doctor sent you home?”

“Velvet,” Night Light chided slightly, ceasing the grown mare’s barrage of worry-filled questions. “So, Shining, how was today? Anything interesting happened?”

“Actually… something did happen,” Shining answered with hesitance. With his magic, Shining Armor pulled the flier out of the bit bag around his neck and smoothed it out before showing it to his parents.

“I got this.”

Two Weeks Notice

Silence was expected when it came to working in a library. Shining Armor knew that even before he applied for the job almost half a year ago, but what he didn’t count on was meeting somepony that took the expected boredom out of it.

Working alongside Stardust made the job fun for Shining Armor, and it got him a best friend he never thought he’d get. All that only made her absence all the more felt in the library, and it was brutal.

The last few days that Shining had started working again passed slowly, excruciatingly slowly, like a foal watching the clock tick away at the last few minutes of class. The unholy snail-paced days progressed with the usual book shelving and record taking, minus all the borderline-intrusive banter, laughs, and other little things that made the job fun. Now, all that remained for Shining Armor were books that he didn’t really care for in monstrous stacks, endless return entries, and a deafening silence in the large building.

He missed having somepony beside him. Not only did he miss Stardust, he missed the days where a certain somepony else would keep him company, even if some of those days required a fire extinguishing spell. Spike may have been a baby, but Shining missed having his baby brother around the library. Now even he was off somewhere else. No Spike, no Stardust, just him and that suffocating smog of silence. He was going to lose it.

“It’s getting to you too, isn’t it, Shining Armor?”

Shining whipped his head to see Ms. Paiges standing at the end of the isle of books. He couldn’t make out her expression exactly. It wasn’t her scowl when things threatened her books, and it wasn’t the resigned calmness she wore at her desk. It was more of a mix of the calmness ready to break, and a hint of concern.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

“Being the only one here? Stardust not working here anymore? Going through the days almost in complete silence?”

Shining’s ears splayed against his head as he tried to think of an answer that didn’t sound like he hated his job now. “It’s noticeable, but it’ll blow over.”

“Are you sure, Shining? Because this entire week you’ve been back, and the few days last week, you’ve been… off, to put it lightly.”

“H-Have I?”

He has.

The day Shining Armor returned to the library, Ms. Paiges nearly lost all sense of professionalism to the urge of smothering the young stallion into a grandmother-like embrace. News of Shining’s heroics at the fire didn’t take long to spread, and Ms. Paiges was one of the first to hear. Since he came back, she kept a good eye on one of her favorite employees, and that was when she noticed the change in him. He didn’t seem to enjoy the library much anymore, at least that’s what she could tell. All the years under her belt taught her how to read ponies, and Shining was a walking “How-To” book. The way he kept quiet, the way he walked around, almost like a lost zombie at times, and the way he now looked at the clock like he was counting the hours down until he got to leave, something he never did before. It was all she needed to know something was up.

“Yes, Shining, you have. And you know, I miss her too, but I saw it coming.” Her lips curved upwards as her eyes lost that plastered on librarian glare. “I’ve gone through so many library assistants in the years I’ve worked here. It’s more of a transitional job. They work a few months or years here, then they leave off to better and brighter things. Stardust just did what everypony else did, and I’m sure you’ll leave me pretty soon.”

Shining Armor never really thought his job as “transitional”, as Ms. Paiges put it, but now that he thought about it, he could see the fitting name. He didn’t want to spend his life working there, and he really knew Stardust didn’t want to during her time of employment.

“It’s going to be a real drag when you leave me as well, Shining Armor. You, Stardust, even little Spike, when he came over, gave a little life to this place.”

“Aw, thanks, Ms. Paiges,” Shining said with a growing smile.

“But,” Ms. Paiges noted loudly with a hoof in the air, “I can’t shake the feeling like something else is bothering you, Shining. It takes more than a friend changing workplaces to get to how you’ve been acting the last few days.”

Where would he even start with that all too correct assumption? There were a few options. Added onto his siblings moving out, and Stardust’s absence, Shining could start off with that royal guard, Iron Defense, and his impromptu test, the questioning of his future, his run ins with the Canterlot elite, or the one that still burned in his mind, his mother’s reaction towards the possibility of her son joining the Royal Guard.

Knowing his mother, he expected her to freak out over just the idea of her son going into the Royal Guard, but that was the thing, she didn’t, or at least, Shining didn’t think she did. The night he pulled out that pamphlet about joining the Royal Guard, Twilight Velvet just stood there completely silent with eyes wider than Celestia’s moon. No immediate protests against it, no wailing cries that if he went, she’d see him in a coffin, nothing. Last thing she did that night was say she was going to her room in a quiet and struggling voice.

“Actually,” Shining struggled to get out, wondering if he could even get advice on what he was wondering from somepony like Ms. Paiges, “I was wondering something.”

“I’m listening.”

“Well, uh, you’ve had kids, right?” Shining asked, wondering if that was an intrusive question on his boss.

A smile crossed the librarian’s aged lips. “Three actually. I even have seven grandchildren now.”

Apparently not.

“Well, how would you have reacted if say, one of them thought of joining the Royal Guard?”

Ms. Paiges knew he didn’t even try to make it sound like that situation didn’t apply to him, but paid no mind to think of an answer. The knowing smile that appeared on her face told Shining she had something. “It all depends on the pony. Some mothers would give a salute and be on board from the get go, and other would protest to the best of their abilities. But if it were me, I’d have a little trouble grasping the idea of one of my children going off like that, but if it’s what they really wanted, then I’d see them off with tears coming out of my eyes and the proudest smile in Equestria.” She paused as she tried to think of another bit she could add to aid Shining’s situation. “First, they’d have to give me a few days though, to really come to terms with it. It’s rough on a mother that cares to know their child is going away, especially if it’s something like that.”

Shining noded knowingly as thoughts of his mother resurfaced. She could be overbearing at times, but she did care. Seeing how she reacted when Twilight and Spike had to move out was a prime example that she did, and that was moving into if not a more safe area. Now he could see how Velvet reacted the way she did.

“Thank you, Ms. Paiges.”

The old mare returned his thanks before trotting to the end of the isle. “Whatever it is that you want to do, whoever it is that’s worried for you will come around. They just need time. And when you do whatever it is you want, I know you’ll do great. Celestia knows you’re meant for better than this little gig here.”

What was with her today? Shining rarely saw the side of Ms. Paiges that didn’t look like that scary teacher everypony knew not to mess with, but it was nice. Somepony else had faith in him. “Thanks, Ms. Paiges.”

“No problem. Oh! Going back to yours and Stardust’s positions, I wasn’t lying when I said it was basically transitional. So, to speed things along for you, you’re fired.

Eyes widened, jaw dropped, a little twitch, only thing missing was a spit take to fully grasp the surprise Shining felt at those last two words. “Wh-Wh-What!”

“Sorry, let me clarify. Consider this your two weeks notice,” Ms. Paiges corrected as she started towards her counter.

“I thought I was supposed to be the one to give that to you?” Shining asked, trying to catch up to his probable ex-boss.

“You are.”

***************

“She fired you just like that?”

“Well, kinda. She kinda gave me some reverse two weeks notice.”

“What’s a two weeks notice?”

“It’s basically telling somepony you’re quitting ahead of time.”

“Oh. Ugh, Shining? You got a little chocolate on your lips.”

Shining gave a quick lick of his lips, tasting the traces of chocolate icing from the donut in his hoof while fighting the blush he felt could appear any second now. “Did I get it, Cadance?”

Cadance took a look at Shining’s face with a sly smile. “Almost.” Her lips met his, and he wrapped his forelimbs around her as she did the same.

“Still gets better,” Shining beamed as he, once again, got trapped in his marefriend’s purple eyes.

“You’re telling me. But, ugh, can your boss really fire you like that?”

“I honestly don’t know, but I’m kinda glad she did it.”

“Really? Why?”

“Well,” Shining began with a thoughtful sigh, “maybe it was time. I told you about Iron Defense, right?”

Cadance just nodded.

“Well, ever since then… well, it’s not like what he said didn’t get me thinking about it.”

“So, you’re honestly thinking about joining the Royal Guard?”

“Maybe?” he asked more than answered. “I don’t know. I mean, it fits in with the whole ‘defender’ thing you said perfectly, but I never even imagined myself like that; suited up in armor, running drills, spears. You’re lucky, Cadance. At least you know what you’re going to be doing.”

“Yeah, try alicorn magic training that somepony’s aunt decided to intensify because apparently I might need it in the future and then tell me I’m lucky.”

“Oh, sorry,” Shining quickly apologized with a weak smile. “Intense?”

“Getting easier, but pretty soon I’ll probably be able to blast any threat to Equestria if it comes to that,” Cadance answered a little too eagerly.

“Oooookay,” Shining nodded ever so slowly as he dragged out his word as Cadance relished in his reaction, wanting to turn it into another reaction she loved to see.

“So… armor, huh? You’d look pretty good in armor,” she smirked playfully, causing the blush Shining had been fighting to shine through. How she loved to see that. “But seriously though, if it is something you want to do, or at least thinking of doing, get a little more info about it. You know the barracks and training ground are on the other side of the castle. Iron Defense is probably over there.”

Shining looked at Cadance with fondness and wonder, thinking how she kept getting more amazing every passing day. A jokester and insightful. “You are a genius, you know that?”

Now it was Cadance’s turn to blush. “I am a princess. Looking out for my subjects is what I do. Especially if one of them is my super sweet coltfriend who brought me donuts before our date tonight,” she added with a bat of her eyelashes.

“I thought princesses aren’t supposed to choose favorites,” Shining smirked coyly.

Cadance just nudged his shoulder as she tried to suppress a giggle. “Oh shut up and hoof me the little pink one.”

Following instructions with an eye roll, Shining Armor grabbed the treat he picked up from Joe’s Donuts out of its box and hoofed it to Cadance, who opted to take more delicate bites than the first time she sank her teeth into a donut.

Shining just sank back into the bench he and Cadance sat in to take in the view. The royal gardens were stunning to say the least. Flora and fauna bloomed or ran everywhere or flew everywhere. And here he was, with the mare of his dreams simply eating their favorite treat together. It almost remained that way; quiet, simple, and nice, but a familiar flash of emerald light and the girlish scream that followed shattered all traces of tranquility.

“What happened? Shining asked, trying not to panic.

“I think Spike just found Blueblood.”

The sound of frantic hoofsteps drew nearer and nearer to the couple. The regal owner of the hoofsteps sprinted right past Shining Armor and Cadance with a trail of smoke following, and an ear-splitting holler ringing through the gardens.

Blueblood didn’t deal with ponies much, much less dragons, and not to his surprise, he eventually met Spike’s fire breath. While he expected to get burned at least once, he didn’t know exactly how hot a baby dragon’s fire could be, and now he knew. Blueblood just needed relief, and the stone fountain in his sight was calling his name. Blueblood dove in, almost like he was cannonballing, into the fountain. Hot met cold in a sizzling bliss on Blueblood’s flank.

“Oh, sweet auntie that feels better,” he moaned as he let his flank sink deeper into the fountain.

Through his half-lidded eyes, Blueblood saw Cadance and Shining Armor running towards him, and behind them, the source of his trouble.

“What happened?” Cadance asked, offering her hoof to help Blueblood out of the fountain which he took immediately.

“I was just doing like you asked me, Cadance. ‘Keep Twilight and Spike company, go play a game, nothing will happen’,” he answered, mimicking his cousin the best he could. “Well, Twilight suggested hide-and-seek, I go along with it, and I get burned!”

“It was an accident!” Twilight defended, stepping from behind her her brother with Spike on her back. “Spike just had to burp, he didn’t mean it, and he’s really sorry.”

Twilight bent her head down to let Spike eye Blueblood, and even Blueblood could see, in those big green eyes, that the little dragon was sorry. If that wasn’t enough, the red rose in his little outstretched claws had to be.

“I sorry.”

Nope, that had to be.

Cadance came to Spike’s side and gave him a quick nuzzle before turning back to Blueblood with pleading eyes. “Aww, c’mon, Blueblood. Can you really stay mad at that little face?”

As mad as he wanted to be, and he really wanted to be, Blueblood just couldn’t win against those big green eyes. They were penetrating him with cuteness, and shattered his defenses like a cannonball of puppies. “Okay, apology accepted. Just, please, make him stop! It’s too much!”

Immediately, Spike’s eyes dialated to their normal size as he went into another fit of giggles, all the while, still holding the rose out. Blueblood took Spike’s offering in his magical grasp, and he could swear he thought he saw Twilight give the dragon on her back a wink.

“Okay, Twi-Lee, now maybe you and Spike would like to take Blueblood back to Princess Celestia to get that burn on his, ugh, well, get that burn healed up?”

Blueblood huffed only slightly, but the severity of his annoyance was made present nonetheless. That, however, didn’t stop the little filly in front of him from smiling and motioning towards the castle. “Thank you, Twilight,” Blueblood said, knowing if he refused her offer out of his own irritation, Cadance would not let him hear the end of it.

Twilight, Blueblood, and Spike all headed into towards the castle, Blueblood taking more reserved steps as to not irritate his flank, leaving Cadance and Shining Armor alone in the gardens once again.

“Okay,” Shining began after a few seconds, “you have to admit, that was pretty funny.”

She really didn’t want to laugh at her cousin’s misfortune, but her quivering lips betrayed her desires as Cadance broke into a small fit of laughter. “I’ve never seen him move so fast.”

Shining raised a taunting eyebrow. “So you admit it?”

“Okay, yes it was. Does that make me a bad pony?”

“If it did, then I’m pretty sure anypony who saw that would be ‘bad’.”

“Well, alright. Hey, are you gonna take those home?” she asked, pointing back to the box of donuts still on the bench.

“Thanks for reminding me. Some of them I got for Twilight and Spike, could you give some to them?”

“Sure.” Cadance picked the box up in her magic and floated it over to her side. “Can Spike have donuts?”

“He eats gems for snacks, and once ate a piles of worms he found in the backyard and came out totally fine. I don’t know if there’s anything in Equestria he can’t eat.”

“Could’ve done without the worm story, but alright then,” Cadance responded, fighting the shiver that tried to crawl down her spine. “I’ll just go give these to them, and then I can get ready for out date.” Her smile and half-lidded eyes sent little shivers down Shining Armor’s entire being. “So where are we going anyway?”

“Oh, I just thought we’d head down to this carnival that’s in town and I win you a crapload of oversized stuffed animals.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cadance cooed before turning towards the castle, making sure her tail brushed past Shining’s face teasingly. “See you tonight.”

Shining watched on as Cadance walked off towards the castle, trying to decide if she was deliberately adding an extra sway into her hips at that moment. Shaking off the topic and remembering something she suggested, Shining broke towards another path on the castle grounds.

***************

Grunts, hollers, stomping, and groans. Had he known that there was training going on, Shining would’ve waited another day, but he was already there. He might as well at least try and look for that guard pony he met days ago. That however, he realized quickly, was easier said than done. Everypony he saw looked alike. Every single stallion and mare were either grey or white, and it didn’t help that the stallion he was looking for fit that color description.

As he trotted around the training grounds, he saw only a few ponies lagging the white or grey colored fur, but he could easily tell they had to be higher ranking ponies of some sorts. Whether it was by their patterned armor, or the fact that ponies seemed to stop dead once they saw one of them.

“Was Iron Defense wearing anything on his armor,” Shining wondered aloud, not noticing where he was going once he felt scorched grass under his hooves.

“READY YOUR SHIELDS!”

Shining whipped his head towards that holler and saw two lines of ponies, all unicorns, a good distance away from one another. Then came the flashes of light. From what he could see before shutting his eyes and hitting the deck, he saw one row of unicorns fire their magic almost mercilessly at the other row of unicorns. Beams met something solid, and once Shining Armor opened his eyes, he saw colors. The other row of unicorns each had a wall of magic projecting from their horns. Some walls looked ready to burst, and some only showed a few cracks.

“NOT BAD PONIES! BUT THAT’S WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING A HIT! WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE CAUGHT OFF GUARD?!? LIKE THIS!”

The screaming stallion that was probably the leader of the lines of ponies whirled around and shot out a beam at a poor unsuspecting pony. He barely had enough time to summon a shield that protected him from the fierce yellow bolt of magic before shattering on impact.

“GOOD REFLEX, HEX! BUT WHAT IF THAT BOLT CAME FASTER?!? AND AS FOR THE ATTACKERS, YOU NEED TO BE QUICKER WITH YOUR DRAW! SO, I WANT ALL OF YOU TO TRY AND LAND A HIT ON ME!”

Both rows of unicorns looked at one another like their leader just snapped.

“WHEN I SAY THAT I MEAN NOW!”

The unicorns stumbled only for a second until they all took stances. With uncertain looks, they all quickly prepared their magic and fired. Shining watched on from his spot, seeing what could’ve been a really awesome laser light show. Magic beams of all colors shot out, and Iron Defense made near-effortless sidesteps, avoiding every single shot.

One shot, however, blasted its way to the lead stallion, but only met with solid yellow magic. Once the dust settled from the magic scuffle, it revealed awestruck ponies, and the stone-faced expression on lead stallion’s face behind a scratchless wall of yellow magic.

“Almost had me there, Quick Draw, BUT WHAT DO I ALWAYS SAY, PONIES?!?”

“ALMOST ONLY COUNTS IN HORSESHOES, HOOF GRENADES, AND ATOMIC WEAPONS, SIR!” the unicorns hollered, slightly deafening Shining Armor even from his distance.

“THAT’S RIGHT! NOW PARTNER UP AND EACH OF YOU TRY TO HIT THE OTHER WHILE HE OR SHE TRIES TO DEFEND. I WANT TO SEE QUICK BLASTS AND QUICK DRAWS. NOT YOU QUICK DRAW, THE ACTUAL THING!”

“YES, SERGEANT IRON DEFENSE, SIR!”

“Oh, well, that made it easy,” Shining mumbled to himself as he got up from the grass. With Iron Defense in sight, all he had to do was walk up and—

“KID! LOOK OUT!”

Shining’s eyes barely registered the stray shot of magic that ricocheted its way across the training grounds. Before it had the chance to ram into his face with a wrecking ball’s force, it shattered against something round and lavender. Shining Armor opened his eyes to see himself encased in his own magic bubble before dropping it once he felt the danger was gone.

Once he lowered his magic, all eyes were on him, and he could hear distant whispers.

“Not even a scratch!”

“That thing was comin’ at him like a torpedo!”

“That was a perfect bubble!”

“BACK TO YOUR TRAINING!” Iron Defense’s voice cut in brutally, and all followed his instruction.

Shining never thought one pony’s screams could leave a ringing in somepony’s ear. Then again that could’ve been the hums of magic in the air from the magic firing going on. He decided to chalk it up to a mix of both.

“Shining Armor, right?” Iron Defense asked as he calmly trotted up to the white unicorn.

“Yes, sir.”

“Well glad to see you again. Though next time, just ask the guards outside the palace where I am. It’ll save you a near-death experience or two,” Iron Defense joked, eliciting a few nervous and forced laughs from the pony in front of him. “So, are you here about what I told you last time we met?”

“Actually yes, but the thing is, I’m a little unsure about joining. I’ve never really thought about it before, and I have no idea about—”

“About what to expect going in and whether or not you even should?” the older stallion finished off, surprising Shining Armor. “I went through that before I joined. Me and quite a few others in the Guard have. I’ll just cut to the chase because I have ponies waiting on me. I was nervous about joining because I was honestly intimidated by other ponies that were joining.”

The look on Shining Armor’s face let the tall wall of muscle, fur, and armor know he didn’t believe it. “Believe me when I say I did not look like this when I joined, thank you late growth spurt,” he added with annoyance. “I joined at about your age, and was probably a head shorter than you with a lot less muscle. I barely passed the physical requirements when I joined. Thinking back on it, that might be the reason my old sergeant told the mess hall workers to load my tray more than the other recruits. Anyway, the ponies that were going in, I used to think that those were the ones that should be royal guards. I didn’t think I had what it took, and I almost backed out completely.”

Shining was hanging on every word Iron Defense spoke like it would save his life. “What made you go through with it?”

Iron Defense’s solid face seemed to soften as his eyes seemed to gleam with life. “Greats friends and family. They all knew I was hesitant and my reasons for being, but no matter how little I thought of myself, they talked me up to finally joining. Had it not been for them, I’d probably still be wondering what to do with my special talent.”

“Wow,” Shining breathed, thinking of four certain ponies and dragon that would probably have his back if he made the decision to join, and hopefully another later on.

“Support goes a long way when you’re unsure, but once you step into that enrollment office, you have to be sure that’s what you want to do.” Iron Defense snorted a small chuckle. “So much for cutting to the chase, huh?”

“No, that actually helped out, a lot actually.”

“Well, let me help you even more. As for what to expect, I’ll make it short. It’ll be tough, and it’ll drain you, but it’s all worth it in the end when you see that strong pony you’ll become if you do everything right. Another thing, if you join and get me as your commanding officer, you will not like me as much as you do right now.”

“Noted, sir,” Shining said with an awkward nod.

“Just think if you can really see yourself as a part of all this,” Iron advised, gesturing to the training grounds. “If you can, then it’ll be a pleasure to see you at boot camp.” Giving a quick salute, Iron Defense hurried back to the awaiting ponies, leaving Shining alone to take in his advice.

He stood there for a few seconds, just lost in thought. Finally, he brought a forelimb up to his forehead in a bent angle. Directed at the grey sergeant that didn't see it , Shining gave a full-hearted salute before walking off the training grounds. He came to the front gates of the castle, the guards ponies already having opened the golden gates once they saw him.

Staring at the streets he knew he’d have to go through, and more specifically the ponies he’d probably see looking at him, Shining took in a breath and breathed a deep sigh. “Let’s get this over with.”

***************

The walk hadn’t been as bad as other days, but it was still pretty bad. Shining Armor just thanked Celestia that he hadn’t run into anypony in that area, otherwise he’d be given yet another round of insults why he wasn’t enough for Cadance. He could feel himself tense up just thinking about what some of those ponies have said, especially that big-headed Jet Set and his equally snobby wife. Even without the verbal assaults, the stares and side whispers he saw were enough to let him know they still didn’t approve. He didn’t care. It hurt a little, but he didn’t care. He saw how he made Cadance smile, and he remembered that she chose him. He remembered their first date, when she kissed him on the cheek in the drizzle, their first real kiss, and every one after. He knew he was good enough. Even if, that still didn't quench the irritating urge to somehow prove it to those snobs wrong.

“Yo, Shiny!”

The familiar accent and volume of that voice was all it took for Shining’s thoughts to take a turn for the better. “Hey, Star,” he greeted with a wave to his friend across the street. “Where you headed?”

“Back to work. Break’s almost over. You?”

“Home. Me and Cadance have a date tonight and I need to get ready.”

Even from across the street, Shining could see the taunting grin Stardust formed. “Ooooh, look at you, little Casanova.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Hey, the two of ya are still comin’ to see me play tomorrow night, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he reassured.

“Great! I haven't seen much of ya all week. We need some catchin’ up. Anything happened to ya?”

“You have no idea,” Shining muttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“I’ll tell you about it tomorrow, I gotta go, and I’m pretty sure the whole block could hear us by the way.”

“Whateva. See ya later, Shiny!” Shining watched Stardust gallop away towards her work as he continued homewards. He reached his front porch wondering if his mother would be open for a talk about the Royal Guard again. Every day after he brought home the pamphlet on the Royal Guard, Twilight Velvet had avoided the topic any chance Shining brought it up. Thinking that today might be different, he pushed the door open to see Night Light on the sofa, reading some astrology book.

“Hey, dad,” Shining called as he stepped through the door.

Night Light glanced up to see his son. “Oh, hey, Shining. How was work?”

“Ugh, good, I guess. I’ll tell you more about it later, but, ugh, where’s mom?”

Night Light’s glance shifted to another room in the house as a worried expression crossed his face. “In our room. She’s still kinda, well… nuts.”

“Dad,” Shining droned.

“Yeah, I know, but I just need to ask, are you still considering the Royal Guard?”

A brief silence grasped the room as Shining became more decisive with his answer. “Yes.”

Night Light pushed his tongue to the inside of his cheek as he nodded his head. “Huh. Well, no wonder she’s like that.”

With a raised eyebrow and cocked head, Shining had to ask. “Huh?”

“Well,” Night Light started, putting his book down as he began, “I think your mother knows that you really are considering this, and that’s what’s scaring her.”

“Dad, I know she’s worried for me, but—”

“It’s not just that she’s worried for you, son. It’s also the fact that if you go, that’s the last of her kids.” Shining had to let that last part sink in. He blinked in realization. He never thought of it that way before. “You’d be the first and only out of you and your siblings that she’d have the chance to watch grow from baby foal to grown pony. I don’t think she’s done getting over that quite yet.”

Night Light breathed in and sighed heavily as a glimmer danced in his eyes. “Remember when Twilight told us that Princess Celestia wanted her to move into the castle.”

Shining nodded.

“Well, as proud as she was, and she really was, your mother was also devastated. I held onto her in our room later on that night as she basically bawled her eyes out. Only two things I said got her to stop crying that night; that we’d still be able to visit your brother and sister whenever we wanted to, and that you’d still be here for a few more months.”

Silence. It was all Shining could do as he listened on, a little bit of pain grazing him as he came to realize the pain Twilight Velvet must’ve felt. Both of her youngest kids were gone, one of which she didn’t get to spend a full two years with.

A weird and short chuckle escaped from Night Light as he remembered a certain day. “Looking back on it, it’s probably no surprise the way she acted when we dropped Twilight and Spike off at the castle, remember?”

How could he forget? If the public wailing as Twilight Velvet clung onto Twilight while Night Light tried to pry the two apart wasn’t enough, the way she held onto Spike had to be the icing on the cake.

“Yeah. I’m just glad scales are tougher than fur and skin, otherwise I’m pretty sure she would’ve squished him alive.”

Both felt shivers go down their spines just imagining that messy image.

Night Light cleared his throat as he pushed that thought aside. “Well, bottom line is, she’s already had to see two of her kids go off, and well before most mothers see their kids off. Now, she has to watch her last one leave.”

Shining opted to staring at the floor beneath his hooves, not really knowing how to respond to that bit of insight just thrown at him. “Did you… did you feel like mom did?” he finally asked after a few moments of silence.

A deep sigh escaped the blue unicorn as he sunk slightly in his seat. “More than I led on, Shining. I had to be strong for your mother, but it did hurt seeing Twilight and Spike go. Just like it’s going to hurt seeing you go, but I know it’ll be for the best. Whether it’ll be seeing you go into the Royal Guard, or something else, but I know it’ll be for the best, and I know you’ll make me and your mother proud.”

How to respond to that? Shining really didn’t have a full idea, and he honestly didn’t think anypony would, so he settled for something simple. “Thanks, dad.”

“Just give your mother a little more time. She’s been through a bit lately.”

Shining’s gaze traveled to the door of his parents’ room as a resigned smile snaked across his face. His gaze returned to his father, and he gave a nod. “Okay.”

Night Light returned his son’s smile. “Thanks, Shining.” He picked his book back up and turned to the page he was on. “Now go and get ready. I know you’ve got a date with your lady.”

“Dad,” came the cry Shining wished wasn’t as loud as it came out. Night Light just laughed as Shining dragged his way to the bathroom.

With the door closed, Shining took a minute to look at his mane. Both shades of blue shined nicely. All he needed was a little readjustment, aaaand…

“Perfect,” Shining grinned, satisfied with his mane.

He stepped back and patted his mane down, making sure it would keep its place. In the mirror though, while he did see himself, he also saw a few other things. The past few weeks had been crazy, but they had gotten him thinking. Before all that, he’d see the stuttering, nervous, and at times dorky pony who never thought too much of himself.

Now, standing in front of the mirror, he saw so much more. He saw a young stallion dating the most amazing mare in Equestria. He saw the pony that risked his life to save two others. He saw the courage that others have pointed out. He saw the purple magic that came so naturally to him. All those combined, he made out a whole nother pony staring back at him.

He was a white unicorn stallion with a mane just like his. He was proud with strong blue hooves and eyes, and he wore the most astounding patterned armor Shining ever saw. This stallion was staring back at him, wearing the same smile he had on his face.

Shining brought a forelimb to his forehead, and the stallion did as well.

Together, they gave a salute.

Author's Note

After three months, it's back! Sorry for the wait, try not to make it as long next time. Feedback appreciated since I haven't updated in a while. Hope you guys like it though.

First Bird

If her lyrics and voice weren’t enough to send the crowd beneath her into a fit of applause, the way she delivered her performance was. Stardust stood on stage with a fierce smile and a fire in her eyes as she took in the stomps of applause and hollering cheers that were all meant for her.

“Stardust, everypony,” Cymbal Crash announced as he came up on stage to lead her off. “Amazing as always.”

She could say she wasn’t that great, but that would’ve made her a liar. Stardust laid her guitar down by the stairs at the bottom of the stage before making her way through the restaurant to a familiar spot. After squeezing through some ponies, she saw her favorite couple eagerly awaiting her at their table.

“Stardust, that was amazing!” Cadance was making no effort to even try and contain herself.

“Was that one of your own?” Shining asked from his seat next to Cadance.

“Thanks, and yes,” the confident musician answered as she pulled herself a chair. “First time that song saw an audience.”

“Really? Well, the crowd loved it.”

Remembering what Stardust said about her song, Cadance couldn’t help but ask, “Wait, you wrote that song, Stardust?”

“That and a few others I sang over the last few days.”

Her eyes went wide. She wasn’t used to music like Stardust’s, let alone the power and emotion that went into them. To know all of that came from just one pony, it was mind-blowing to Cadance to say the least. “Wow.”

Stardust just smiled smugly. “Aww, thanks Cady. I even wrote one about the two of ya.” Stardust dug into one of the pockets of her waitress jacket she had on and pulled out a folded piece of paper. After unfolding it, she hoofed it to Cadance, and she sat back to watch the reaction.

The widening eyes, the wide smile that followed, even the tiny squeal of delight, it was everything Stardust wanted to see.

Cadance passed the piece of paper over to her coltfriend with an eager, beaming smile. Shining Armor took it, the first thing visible being the title.

“Lovestruck (ShiningCadance),” Shining read off the page, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

“It was either ShiningCadance or Shadance, but I couldn’t make a good melody with Shadance,” Stardust answered flatly.

“Well, it is a really great song, Stardust,” Cadance cut in, earning another smug smile from the mare across the table.

“Thanks, Cady, but hey, enough about me, what’s been goin’ on with you two, ShiningCadance?”

Cadance leaned into Shining Armor as she thought, a few options surfacing. “My aunt’s basically turning me into a one-pony-assault team, I may or may not be getting addicted to donuts, and I’m still with the best colt in Equestria, who for some reason couldn’t manage to win me those stuffed animals he said he was going to last night.”

“Those games are rigged, I swear to your aunt they are!” Shining quickly defended, memories of last night invading his mind. So many wasted bits and stubborn tries to win just one game.

“Really? Then how come I managed to win ten life-size plushes from only one game?” The smirk and teasing tone Cadance had sent the poor colt next to her back to his old stuttering habit, and his face into a flushing heat. It was at times like these that Shining wished he was born with a different coat color. Any color. His desire only intensified when he saw Stardust shoot him that look she got when she tried to stifle laughter. Pushing it to the side, he figured that at the end of the day, even through the playful teasing, he was still getting snuggled up against by Cadance.

After regaining what little could be called composure, Stardust settled her gaze on the colt whose face finally lost its red tint. “Whatta ‘bout ya, Shiny? What’s been goin’ on?”

One thing came to mind very quickly. “I got fired.”

For the first time in a long while, Stardust had no immediate response. She sat there, blank faced and unable to think of how to react until the slew of one-worded questions sputtered out. “How? When? Why? What?!?”

Shining gave her the general gist of his soon to be former job. When he finished, Stardust still held that blank stare, like she was still trying to grasp her mind around the whole thing.

“Lemme get this straight, Shiny,” she said, rubbing the side of her head. “Paiges basically told ya you’re better than a library assistant, then says she’s gonna fire ya in two weeks?”

Shining nodded. “Basically.”

“She’s a weird boss.”

The two unicorns shared a little laugh before Stardust pressed on. “So ya okay with it?”

“Yeah. I think it was time anyway. I mean, it’s not like I wanted to be a library assistant forever.”

“What do ya wanna be forever anyway? Or are ya still findin’ that out?”

“Still finding that out, but I have been thinking about something.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

Shining remembered last night in the bathroom before his carnival date with Cadance. He remembered that stallion in the mirror and how amazing, strong, and confident he looked. “Remember Iron Defense?”

“Ya mean the crazy that tried to blast us? Yeah, I remember. If it wasn’t a federal offense, I’d give that guy a piece of my mind for that.”

Something told the two ponies across from her that Stardust was serious.

“Anyway,” Shining continued, “I actually went back to see him about the Royal Guard.”

“Huh. So ya joinin’?”

He saw that stallion in the mirror again. “My dad says he’s all for it, and I’m starting to see myself able to do it.” He paused, one pony coming to mind that was more unsure about the potential choice than he was. “But, my mom’s having a little trouble with the idea.”

“She doesn’t want you joining up?” Cadance spoke up, lifting her head off of Shining’s shoulder to meet his eyes.

“Not exactly,” Shining answered with a twisted expression. “To make a long explanation from my dad really short, she’s just having trouble seeing me go off… anywhere.”

Stardust hummed out, knowing perfectly what Shining was getting act. “Momma Bird doesn’t wanna let the bird fly just yet, huh?”

“That’s one way of putting it, but yeah, and I have no idea when she’d be ready to finally talk about it.”

“What if she never wants to?”

Cadance’s question lingered in Shining’s mind. He could already see his mother avoiding and deflecting that topic anytime it could be brought up. He understood that she’d be worried, but he hoped she wasn’t that worried… or crazy. Whatever came first. “I. Have. No idea.”

“Before ya start freakin’ out about that, lemme ask ya somethin’, Shiny,” Stardust chimed in, setting her eyes right on Shining’s. “Can ya really see yourself doin’ somethin’ like that? Bein’ part of the Royal Guard? Yes? Or no?”

Shining went back to last night in the bathroom. He could remember that stallion in the mirror. The one that looked just like him, wearing some of the most astounding armor ever, and looked so strong and confident. He hadn’t thought much into it at first, but that stallion was the courage, bravery, and talent Shining possessed all brought into that one reflection. It brought a smile on Shining’s face to think of it that way, and with his eyes set on Stardust, he gave a solid nod. “Yes.”

Stardust leaned back in her seat with a satisfied smile of her own. “Welp, then if it’s somethin’ ya really wanna do, ya may have to break Momma Bird’s heart.”

Shining let out a resigned sigh. “Yeah, I know.” Breaking Momma Bird’s heart. Seemed cruel, but if it came down to it…

“Word of advice, Shiny. Actually sit down and talk it out and don’t stall for time.”

It was small, but the shift in Stardust’s tone made itself noticeable to Cadance. “Experience?” she asked hesitantly, hoping it wasn’t crossing any possible boundaries.

Stardust just sighed out and slouched a bit in her seat. “It was back in Manehatten years ago. My mom used to be a fairly well-known concert pianist. Once I showed interest in music, she started cramming piano lessons and classical crap down my throat. I was actually pretty good on the piano, still am, but I never really liked the classical stuff. I respected it, but it just wasn’t for me. I had my own musical taste, and it was nothin’ like my mom’s.”

Her eyes started to twinkle a bit as a reminiscent smile snaked its way across her face. “Then one day when I was walkin’ around a few streets, I came across this music shop. Don’t really know why I went in there, but I did. I’m glad I did because when I went in, I heard some colt playin’ on a guitar. Oh my gosh! You should’ve heard him, guys. Next thing I knew, I end up standin’ off to the side just listenin’. He sees me and asks me if I wanted to give it a shot. So, I gave it a try, and after he told me how to hold it and strum, I end up playin’ for an hour, and that was that. I fell in love with the guitar.”

Cadance and Shining were all ears as they listened to Stardust's story. Shining had already heard her cutie mark story, but not this “experience” Cadance had asked about.

“So I save up for a while and finally buy my first guitar.” She started to laugh. “Ya shoulda seen my mom’s face when I brought it home. She was okay with me bein’ able to play more instruments… until I started focusing more on the stuff I actually liked than practicin' what she taught me. So she gets me practicin’ more piano stuff, but that whole time, all I wanted to do was play my own stuff. Usually I didn’t have a problem telling ponies what I really thought and wanted to do, but she was my mom, and I knew that she was just pushin’ me because she loved me and all that. Coulda done it another way, but thats parents. So I just bottled everything up until one day...”

Stardust paused as she sat back up in her seat. She reached over the table and grabbed Shining’s half-full glass of tea. “... I basically blow up in her face that I didn’t want anything to do with the piano, her, or anything she wanted me to do.”

This was new. Shining never put it past his friend to have had a few fights with her parents. She just came off as somepony that probably did. As for how those fights came about was what shocked him. Her, keeping quiet. It was like Twilight not reading.

Stardust threw her head back as she took a large gulp of Shining’s drink before setting the cup back on the table. “I hated her for weeks and was just horrible to her. She could barely stand me. I basically shut myself from her and kept to my guitar.”

Cadance and Shining Armor sat quietly in their seats, awaiting their friend to go on. Stardust noticed the stunned faces her friends had and couldn’t help but stifle laughter.

“Don’t worry, guys. We made up. One day, my mom comes into my room and breaks down, sayin’ she’s sorry for tryin' to force me to do something she didn’t know I hated.” Her gaze traveled upwards, staring off at something nonexistent. “We cried so much that day. I’m tellin’ her ‘I’m sorry’ ova and ova and ova again.”

Stardust set her eyes dead on Shining Armor’s. “I shoulda just sat down and told her I wanted to do somethin’ else. It woulda saved me an explosion and a lotta tears. Get what I’m tryin’ ta say, Shiny?” He nodded before Stardust leaned back in her seat. “Don’t do what I did, Shiny. Wait too long aaaand BOOM!” she said with hoof gestures.

“Okay, Star,” he simply said.

She smiled back and got out of her seat. “Well, I gotta get back to work. Thanks for the drink, Shiny.” She quickly trotted off to another table, leaving Shining realizing he’d have to order another drink.

“She just took it and drank,” he said flatly, sliding his glass off to the side.

“But she had a good point.” Cadance had stayed quiet the longest out of the three of them, simply absorbing what was said, and observing how they reacted, and it gave her a few hunches. “You’ve already been waiting, haven’t you?”

His silence was answer enough.

“That obvious?” he asked after a few seconds.

She nodded. “Yeah. So, how long?”

“A little over a week,” Shining answered with a sigh. “Last night, my dad said I should give her a little more time before trying to talk with her. Now...” he said, hopelessly confused on what to do.

Cadance put a hoof on Shining’s shoulder, drawing his attention to her soft, beautiful eyes. “Whatever you want to do, or think you need to do, you’ll know it. Things have a way of working out with you.”

Exhibit A was sitting right in front of him, flashing a warm and inviting smile that he couldn’t help but return. “They do, don’t they.”

Exhibit B showed itself when Shining felt a pair of soft lips touch his own briefly before pulling away. He loved those little pecks she’d sneak. Shining just stared at those eyes he adored so much as he leaned in to return the gesture. Cadance took it like she always did, with the same warm and fuzzy feeling that coursed through her with every kiss.

Shining pulled away and moved a menu on the table in front of Cadance. “I’ll worry about that later. Right now, I want to enjoy a veggie burger with my beautiful marefriend.”

He opened his own menu as Cadance tried to fight the small blush that seemed to creep on her face. He always had a way of doing that to her, just as she did with him. She had a keeper.

***************

At the front doors of Canterlot Castle, two ponies stood outside, wrapped in each other’s forelimbs as Celestia’s moon shone its pristine light on the city below. Cadance was first to break away to open the door. She slid inside, but held the door open and turned to face her coltfriend. “I had a great night, Shining.”

“Fight the little hearts! Fight the little hearts! Fight the little hearts!” his mind screamed when Shining felt himself almost being lifted up in the air.

“Me too,” he replied with a faux sense of cool. She could see right through it, but said nothing of it. Like he could sense she could see his act, he surprised her with a kiss through the doorframe.

“Don’t let your eyes turn to hearts! Don’t let your eyes turn to hearts! Don’t let your eyes turn to hearts!” her own mind screamed at the wonderful surprise.

Shining broke away quick enough to catch a glimpse of Cadance still reeling in from the kiss. He loved surprising her. It made him feel a little less silly when he was able to send her into a similar state she always managed to make him go into. It was a good night. They ate, saw their friend sing, had a good talk, and a few unexpected pecks here and there never hurt nopony. All that was left was to bid the mare of his dreams farewell… and make the walk through upper Canterlot just to get home.

That one area. That one area so close to Cadance’s home used to be a place he could walk through without a problem. Now, whenever the time came for him to go, he dreaded what the ponies in that area would have in store for him. Would it be more stares? Whispers? Or another run in with a stallion he came so close to punching in the face, his wife, and the insults they’d throw his way.

He did his best to ignore everything they threw his way. He could handle it. He went through the same thing with Spike before. This time, the negativity and ridicule wasn’t on someone else he could stand up for. It was on him.

He could handle it. At least that’s what he told himself.

Stardust’s promise to stay quiet about his run ins with the Canterlot elite floated up in Shining’s head. At the time, he just didn’t want Cadance to worry. That much was more than true, but Shining knew deep down that something else kept him from telling Cadance about it. He thought it stupid of him to think it, but after a few weeks of verbal abuse, who could blame him? What if, in a twisted and off chance way, they were right? About him not being good enough for Cadance. How she could land any colt or stallion she wanted. She was a princess of Equestria! Niece to Celestia! The Canterlot elite were not hesitant to make that point crystal clear. What if he told her everything that had happened and what they had said, and she began to think she could do better?

No.

She chose him. She still chose him. She even let him take her out of the familiarity of the castle and out into the city she lived in but barely explored. She laughed with him, made him feel like he brought so much joy to her, and wanted to be around him.

The storm of conflicting thoughts raged in his mind for a while until another memory reared its head; one not to long ago, and from a certain musician.

“Wait too long aaaand BOOM!”

Gears started to turn and click. Stardust was either very universal with her advice, or she somehow managed to kill two birds with one stone.

“That sneaky brilliant mare.”

Coming back from Cloud 9, Cadance gave the young stallion in her doorway a brilliant smile as she began to retreat into the castle. “Goodnight, Shining Armor.”

“Goodnight, Cadance, he replied as the door began to close. “Cadance, wait.”

The door stopped its movement and Cadance came back out. She could see the small nervous signs on his face. “Something wrong, Shining?”

How to word it right? How would she even react? Shining only hoped that what came out of his mouth didn’t scare her away. Clearing his mind, Shining took a breath before asking. “What would you do or say… if somepony, or some ponies, told you that you could do better?” He saw her eyes grow wide. “Or if they said we shouldn’t be together?”

To call the following seconds silent would be the understatement of the century. Cadance stood with wider eyes than Shining ever saw, and he couldn’t help but feel terrible about making her act like that. He thought about telling her to forget about it and run as fast as he could back home, but he knew that he needed to stay. He needed an answer.

After another moment or so, Cadance closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. She opened her eyes and laid them right on Shining, a slight tremble taking over the usual uplifting spark her eyes always held. She gave a heavy sigh. “Elitist are talking? Aren’t they?”

Shining was taken aback and nearly lost balance at her question. “H-H-How did you—”

“My Aunt Celestia warned me,” Cadance answered, drawing a well beyond confused expression from Shining Armor. She sighed again and dove in. “Even before I met you, she told me about the ponies in the city that would tear down anything they don’t like.” Her tone dropped slightly as she continued on. “Then she warned me about what they might say when you I started dating. She told me how they wouldn’t see two ponies that like each other, or how happy we could make each other. They’d see it as something they believe shouldn’t be.”

Something that shouldn't be. Yeah, that sounded like something Jet Set and Upper Crust would say. Shining could hear those two and their little entourage mocking him with those exact words. He also saw the strain it took for Cadance to utter that sentence.

“I didn’t think that would ever be something we’d have to deal with, but I’m guessing otherwise?”

Shining took that as his cue to finally come clean. “Yeah. I bumped into a few of those ponies and they basically told me, well, that you could do better.”

“Shining.” Cadance’s soft tone drew his gaze to a fresh, tender smile on her face. “You know what else my Aunt Celestia told me?”

He shook his head slowly. “No, what?”

“She told me that if we ever ran into that problem, that I should tell you what I think about what those ponies think.”

“And what do you think?”

“To put it bluntly, I think they can shove it up their flanks.”

Both tried not to laugh as they covered their mouths with a hoof, only to have their laughter muffled for a few seconds before bursting out full blast. Shining could get used to Feisty Cadance.

Once she calmed down, that warm smile came back, and she stared directly into Shining’s crystal blue eyes. “Shining, you have been nothing but kind, and amazing to me. You were the first pony to really take me out into the city. You’ve done so much for me, and I sometimes stay awake at night thinking of ways I could be just as good to you as you are to me. Everything those ponies say about you and us, they have no idea what they’re talking about.”

All the insults, and the whispers, all the stares, the disapproving eyes, everything that came his way the last few weeks seemed to wash away. Shining could practically hear his facial muscles stretch as a large grin formed on his face.

She did that to him. She made him smile. She had before, but this was one of the largest she’s seen so far. “Shining, I don’t care what those ponies say. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got the best coltfriend a mare could ask for. You’re the pony I want to call my coltfriend, and I want you to be able call me you marefriend. Those other ponies are just—”

Out of nowhere, Cadance felt a set up lips press up against her as she was taken in by a pair of forelimbs, Shinings. She closed her eyes and she melted into his embrace, wrapping her forelimbs around him as well.

Right now, everything she had said, it was all Shining Armor needed to know she wasn’t thinking what he feared. It may have also proved he was thinking stupidly, but he didn’t care. Those elitists wouldn’t get to him. She was staying with him, and he wasn’t going to let her slip away.

They could’ve stayed that way for who knew how long. Eventually, Shining broke it and stared right at Cadance with a beaming smile. “A bunch of flankholes who shouldn’t be talking?” Shining said, finishing off what Cadance was probably going to saw a few moments ago.

“That’s one way of saying it,” she laughed. “Shining, I like you a lot. I’m not gonna let you go that easily.”

“Neither am I,” Shining said before unraveling his forelimbs around Cadance. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Cadance retreated back to the open door frame, making sure to put an extra sway in her hips as she walked. “Uh-Huh. Goodnight, Shining.”

“Goodnight, Cadance.”

The door closed, and Shining could’ve sworn his heart started dancing inside his chest. The only thing keeping him from losing all sense of cool and bolting down the streets, screaming his head off like he did after their first date was the little thought that draped over his mind.

“One bird down, one more to go.”

***************

Across the doorway, Cadance turned away from the door and exhaled a dreamy sigh. Everything was alright, and that was all that mattered.

“Somepony’s looking happy.”

Cadance whipped her head to see Blueblood smirking at her in the middle of the foyer.

“Yeah. I am.”

Blueblood smiled. It was all he could really do when he saw Cadance so happy. It let him know that Shining was treating her right, which might have explained the change in her eyes.

“You’re seeing pink again, aren’t you,” Blueblood asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes,” she answered flatly.

Blueblood sighed before trotting off towards one of the stairways of the castle. “I’ll go get Aunt Celestia.”

Second Bird

Anger, sadness, depression, uncontrollable sobbing, heated protests. All these possibilities and more ran through Shining Armor’s head as he stood outside his front door, picturing how his mom would react when he sat her down. His dad’s words of caution to wait sounded great at first, but after tonight, Shining knew the time for waiting was over. He needed to do this. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind.

“Just go in, and sit her down,” he told himself with resolve. Another breath later, he turned the knob with his magic.

Night Light was on the couch reading when Shining stepped inside. “Hey, Shining. Date go well?” he asked with a knowing grin.

“Uh-Huh,” Shining answered, non fully paying attention to his dad as he looked around the living room. “Ugh, dad, where’s mom?”

“In her bedroom, why?”

“I need to talk to her.”

Night Light snapped his head upwards from his book. He lowered the book in his hooves and turned his head to face his son. Slowly, he asked, “Why?” Shining didn’t have to answer for the older stallion to know what Shining was planning. He had that look he got when he set his mind to something and wouldn’t give up. “What happened to giving her a few more days?”

Searching for an answer that didn’t make it sound like he wanted to disregard Night Light’s advice entirely, Shining found himself sighing again. “Dad, it’s already been over a week. I really don’t know if that’s enough time for her, but it is for me.” He stepped closer towards the couch. “I don’t want to put this off any longer.”

Somewhere along the lines, Night Light understood where Shining was coming from, but his hesitance at the idea made itself present on his face, betraying what he tried to to make a knowing smile.

Shining caught on. “Dad, I just want to sit her down and talk it out.” He stepped closer and Night Light could see the steel in his son’s eyes as he repeated, “I don’t want to put it off any longer.”

Night Light stayed quiet a few moments more as he observed his son, taking in his stance, rare directness, and the strength in Shining’s eyes. His tongue rolled along the insides of his mouth, and his eyelids came halfway down. Finally, he nodded his head. “Alright, Shining. You’re a young stallion, and I’m not going to make you wait. Clearly this is something you feel you need to do, and I won’t stop you. But promise me something.”

“Sure, what?”

Night Light threw a forelimb over the couch as he craned his neck. Shining could see in his father’s golden irises not the commanding look a father would have, but of a pony pleading. “Be gentle with her.”

Four little words was all it took for Shining to momentarily reconsider his plan. Suddenly the hallway that lead to Night Light and Twilight Velvet’s room seemed much longer and narrower, like an unachievable finish line.

Shining turned his eyes away from the hallway to face his father once again, if anything, to derail his previous train of thought. Night Light held a small smile and Shining couldn’t help but smile back. He was with him. With his eyes on the hallway once again, Shining took the first steps down the, in reality, wide and short hallway. His parents’ bedroom was the room farthest down the hallway. The door was slightly ajar when Shining reached it, and he could see light pouring out of the open space. Had his resolve been a little weaker, he would be back in the living room.

No. He needed to do this.

He brought a hoof to the door and knocked.

“Yes?” Velvet asked from behind the door.

“Mom, it’s me.”

“Come in, Shining.”

With a light push, Shining entered his parents’ room. Twilight Velvet was sitting on the bed, surrounded by a mish mash of papers he assumed were work-related. Velvet looked up from her work to greet her son. “Hi, Shining. Is there something you need?”

Brief tension gripped Shining’s body. “Mom,” he said after a moment’s pause, “could you sit down for me?”

Velvet shoved some papers out of the way, keeping her eyes on Shining. “I’m already sitting.”

“Yes you are,” Shining stated as he tried to fight the urge to slap his forehead.

With a hoof over her mouth, Velvet tried not to laugh. “What is it, Shining?”

The last few days started to come up, building and breaking and building again Shining’s strength to press on. Before coming into the house, he thought of ways to start off. Now, as he stood readying himself to possibly “Break Momma Bird’s heart”, as Stardust had put it, every idea he had abandoned ship, leaving Shining hoping he could wing it while keeping his promise to be gentle. He breathed again, feeling himself relax before he came by the bedpost. “It’s about how you reacted when I brought home that pamphlet.”

Shining saw his mom instantly tense up. Her eyes shrunk, and she jolted a little in her sitting position as Shining continued on.

“And how you’ve been avoiding me on that certain topic for over a week.”

She didn’t utter a word. When she tried to speak, her lips quivered before she closed her mouth.

Shining let out a breath and came closer to his mother’s side. “Mom, I just want to know what you’re thinking. You left me in the dark and I don’t like it.”

The smallest cringe displayed itself when Twilight Velvet heard her son. It wasn’t because he was bringing up a sensitive topic, but because he was right. She had left him in the dark since the day he brought home that pamphlet, and she hated it. She hated the fact she did that. It ate away at her, shaking her confidence in herself as a good mother. She had her reasons, both knew it, and Velvet knew they were going to come out tonight.

Ignoring the lump in her throat, Velvet faced her son. “You’re right, Shining.” Her voice was fighting to not break. “I did leave you in the dark. I shoved it out of the way, deflected it, and I shouldn’t have. You want to know what I think about the possibility of you going into the Royal Guard?”

Shining nodded.

“The night you brought home that pamphlet, and when I saw what it was for…” Velvet’s eyes glossed over as she fought the tears that were trying to escape, “... I knew it would be what took you away from me. I knew that it was going to be your calling. I knew that this is what you’d become a part of because it fit you perfectly.”

Shining absorbed his mother’s words like a sponge, but couldn’t believe what he heard. Velvet saw the surprise on Shining’s face and continued on.

“Shining, I’ve watched you grow from a little drooling foal to the wonderful young stallion you are. When I look at you, I see the colt who protected his little sister from monsters in the closet. I see the the colt who completely disregarded his own safety to fight off a manticore with some of the most powerful defensive magic I ever saw.” Velvet scooted closer to the edge of the bed and put a hoof on Shining’s shoulder. “I see the young stallion that stood up for his little brother. I see the young stallion that, once again, disregarded his own safety to save a little colt, then go back to save his marefriend.”

The battle against her tears raged on as Velvet tried to keep a steady voice. “I couldn’t see anything more perfect for you than the Royal Guard. You’re brave, kind, and full of magical talent. You have a heart of gold that wants to fight for and protect others.” She took her hoof from Shining’s shoulder to wipe away the traces of water ready to escape her eyes. “They should be banging on our door, begging for you to join because you’re that great.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything if you think I’d be great at it?” Shining asked after a moment’s silence.

Twilight Velvet choked out a sob. She finally lost her battle against her tears. They streamed down her face, staining her grey coat as she clutched her chest. “Because I knew it meant you leaving me.” She sniffed and struggled to keep her watery eyes from blurring her vision. “I’ve already had to see my youngest kids leave me well before most mothers have to. Part of me just doesn’t want to see you go just yet.”

Shining had to give Velvet a few seconds to compose herself. She wiped her eyes before attempting to even her voice out. “I don’t know if you know, but the night when Twilight and Spike left… I just broke down.”

He did know. Last night was still fresh in his mind, but Shining didn’t say anything.

“But I knew it was for the best. I mean, what kind of mother would I be if I told my daughter that loves magic so much that she couldn’t pursue what she loves with a princess of Equestria? My little filly, taken under the wing of Princess Celestia. I couldn’t say no, no matter how much I wanted to. And my little Spike?”

Velvet’s gaze drifted off towards her dresser. Aligned in a neat row stood three pictures; one of Shining Armor as a foal, one of Twilight, and one of Spike the day he came home with his new family with wide, curious eyes, and grabbing claws.

“I didn’t even get two whole years with him,” she said as more tears fell from her face. “But I knew he had to go with Twilight. He’ll always keep her company in that big castle. He’ll be there for her if she ever gets lonely. Plus, she did hatch him.” She gave a weak laugh. “I guess in some ways she’s more of a mother to him than me.” Her small smile faltered as she looked back at Shining, who sat still and tried to fight the stinging in his eyes. “You’re the only one left, Shining. You’re the only one that I’ve been able to see fully grow up. Now that you have… like I said… part of me doesn’t want to let you go yet.”

Shining thought he had a good idea of the actual pain Velvet was going through after Night Light told him of the night after Twilight and Spike moved out. His idea was miniscule to the pain he saw his mother in. Every sob, tear, and sniff was a mother’s heart breaking at seeing all of her kids go off. Knowing nothing else to do or say, Shining wrapped his forelimbs around the crying mare. “Oh, mom.”

Velvet gripped him even tighter, as if he were slipping away. “You’re all grown up, Shining,” she said with a breaking voice. “I guess I just wanted to hold onto you just a little longer.”

She was holding all right. Shining felt as if his organs were scrunching up against each other from his mother’s embrace, but he didn’t dare say anything.

After a few moments more, Velvet released her hold and sniffed once more before she looked directly at Shining with soaked eyes. “But I know I can’t hold onto you forever. A good mother is supposed to be able to let go of her kids when the time comes because she knows they’ll do wonderful things in the world. I’ve already had to do that twice, and I know I’ll have to do it again. It won’t be any easier, it never is, but I know I’ll have to. And whenever that time comes, I’ll be crying, but I’ll know you’ll be off doing something great. Whether that be in the Royal Guard, or whatever you feel you’ll be great at.”

Shining stayed quiet, unsure of what he could possibly say. Instead, he smiled wide as Velvet wiped her eyes free of moisture. She too was smiling, genuinely and proudly, like Shining had already accomplished something spectacular. “Well, say something, Shining,” she said.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times before uttering out the first thing that came to mind. “This is going better than I thought it would.”

Velvet raised an eyebrow, but laughed nonetheless. “Well how did you think it would go?”

“I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d be begging me to forget about the Royal Guard because you thought I’d die or something?”

There was nothing like the blunt words of your child that Velvet couldn’t find entertaining. “Actually, that’s one thing I’m not so worried about.” She didn’t even give Shining a chance to react before she continued on. “You’ve faced off against a manticore Twilight made, came out of a fire, have constantly put out Spike’s fires, and that’s just the stuff I know about.”

Exhausting, painful, and crazy memories flashed through Shining’s mind. He did not have a normal life now that he thought about it.

“Plus, I’ve been doing some research.” Velvet’s horn glowed and pulled over the mish mash of papers closer. Upon closer inspection, Shining saw they weren’t the work-related papers he took them for, but articles, charts, stories, and statistics all pertaining to the Equestrian Royal Guard. Suddenly, Twilight’s study habits didn’t seem much of a mystery anymore. “I was looking into it. We’re in a peacetime, invaders are dealt with very swiftly, only a few ponies have had serious injury… or worse in recent months, and I’ve read stories where quite a few have said they love it.”

Shining took glances at numerous papers littered over the bed. Velvet was right. The numbers did look good, and the stories of the ponies interviewed held high praise for their job, but the one thing that stuck out to Shining were the ponies he saw pictured in those stories. He looked at each one of them. Something sparked in Shining Armor that he couldn’t quite explain. Whatever it was, it made him think one thing. He could be just like them. He could really see himself in the Guard. He could see himself with just the same amount of strength, confidence, and bravery, if not more, than the ponies pictured.

The glow of Velvet’s horn encompassed the various papers and stacked them in a corner of the bed. “I’ll still worry though. I’m your mother, it’s my job, but at least after seeing all this, I know I won’t need to worry as much. Plus, you’re you, Shining. I just have this feeling that everything will be okay.”

Just like with Cadance earlier in the night, any possible weight or stress Shining was carrying washed away, clearing him like a flowing river and leaving him even more happy and hopeful. “You really mean that?”

“I do.” Velvet brought her forelimbs around her son once more, this time not rearranging his insides with a death grip. Shining returned her hug and felt soft tears fall onto the back of his head as Velvet’s tears came anew. When he raised his head to see her, she was smiling. It was full of pride and warmth with almost no trace of the crushing sadness felt minutes before.

He sighed a relieved sigh. “Thanks, mom.”

“You’re my son, Shining. I’ll always be there for you, and I’ll be standing behind you with whatever it is you want to do. I just want you to be happy.”

Now even Shining could feel his eyes well up. Nothing fell, but the glossiness in his eyes told Velvet just how much her words meant to him. She put a hoof on his shoulder. “You’re going to do great things, Shining. I can tell. It’ll be worth seeing you leave.”

Both were smiling and it didn’t take a genius to figure out Shining was struggling to keep it together. “Now, why don’t we call it a night? It’s been a pretty revealing night hasn’t it?”

Shining nodded at the escape route Velvet planted, but didn’t leave without one last thing. He quickly wrapped his forelimbs around Velvet once again. “I love you, mom.”

Tears threatened Velvet’s eyes again, but she didn’t fight them. She embraced her son, holding him close like he was the little foal she brought home for the first time years ago. “I love you too, Shining.” Neither cared that Velvet was staining his coat.

After they released one another, Shining stepped out of the room, making sure to wipe his eyes once he was in the hallway. Night Light was standing at one end, tapping one hoof on the floor as quietly as he could manage.

“How is she?” he asked.

“She’s good. We’re good.”

A breath escaped Night Light. “That’s good.” His eyes traveled towards the door Shining had come out of. “I’m going to go check up on her. You calling it a night?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Night Light started his careful trot to his and his wife’s room. “Goodnight, Shining.”

“Night, dad,” Shining returned before making his way to his own room.

He fell right onto his covers with a small bounce. Two birds, one stone., one night. A lot had come out, and he was grateful. Not only did Cadance fight his fears of not being good enough, now he had his mother on his side. Not that she never was, he knew, but he finally got her talking.

Velvet’s research came back to Shining, and he remembered the ponies. He had believed he could be one of them. The more he thought about it, the less weird it sounded. If he had proven anything in the last few years and months, it was that he had gone up against quite a bit, and came out stronger than ever. He turned his head to see his dresser mirror. He sat up on his bed when his image began to change.

There he was again, that stallion so similar to Shining’s appearance; armor, piercing eyes, so strong in his stance, and looking right back at Shining Armor. This time, he saluted the pony that envisioned him.

Shining’s eyes locked on the mirror as he stood up. He took a stance on the floor, his lips curled into a victorious smile, and he brought a hoof to his forehead. The stallion in the mirror smiled when Shining saluted, and with that, he disappeared, leaving Shining looking at his saluting form. There really was no difference, save for the armor, between the stallion that just left, and the pony standing in front of his mirror.

***************

The sun seemed to shine brighter as Shining stood outside the gates of the castle. One building was his main focus. It was the day. Two weeks had passed. He collected his last paycheck and only looked back to thank his now ex-boss.

Nothing else seemed to exist as Shining started his trot to that one building. He reached the front door and saw the flier posted on the window. “Equestrian Royal Guard: Recruitment Building.” He gave it a look, then focused on the door in front of him.

Earning his cutie mark, protecting Twilight, standing up for Spike, charging into a fire, rescuing a colt, a desire to protect those he loves, his parents’ support, his best friend rooting for him, and his marefriend backing him up; all these things brought him to where he stood, and gave him the confidence to want to step through.

He knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

He took a breath and exhaled deeply.

He opened the door, and stepped inside.

Tattooed Heart

“Keep them closed, Cadance.”

“Shining, I already know where we’re going.”

“I know, but I set something up I wanna surprise you with.”

“Couldn’t I just close my eyes when we’re nearer?”

“Nope.”

Underneath her closed eyelids, Cadance rolled her eyes, but continued to roll with Shining’s plea. It wasn’t like she didn’t know what was coming, but for the sake of keeping him hopeful, she didn’t dare open her eyes.

Shining lead her through twists and turns of the streets until they both felt grass underneath their hooves. With one forelimb around one of hers, Shining stepped up his pace.

Cadance felt an incline of some sort as she followed Shining’s lead. It grew steeper and steeper until it leveled off.

“Can I open them now?” she asked when she felt Shining release his hold on her.

“Not yet.”

She heard the ruffling of grass and quick steps. She started hearing the clatter of… plates? The next thing she knew, a steady hum of violins and a piano began to take hold of her eardrums, sending her swaying to the steady beats of music.

“Okaaaaaay… now!”

Slowly, Cadance opened her eyes. Shining had seriously outdone himself. A simple set of candles were lit in their holders on a white and red picnic spread. Off to the side, a phonograph revealed to be the source of the wondrous music she heard. A telescope stood on the grass, aimed at the star-filled night sky, and a plate of assorted donuts, arranged into small towers that brought water to her mouth upon sight, were laid out on the spread. Completing the scene was Shining Armor outstretching a forelimb at the setup like a presenter, wearing the biggest, most eager grin imaginable.

“Well… what do you think?”

She stood there few seconds more, awestruck at the scene and the thought that went into it all. Rather than answer, Cadance bolted to Shining and wrapped him in her forelimbs before smacking her lips onto his.

“It’s perfect,” she said after coming back up for air.

Shining stood still a few seconds more, grinning like a goof at the surprise kiss. “So, what do you want to do first?”

The donuts were calling her name. Shining could tell from the traces of saliva on her lips. Then again that could’ve been from just a few seconds ago, but the desire in her eyes was the second hint.

He led her over to the picnic spread and sat her and himself down by the candlelight. His magic took hold of the top two donuts on one of the towers before placing them down on the plates. They both took their desserts in their hooves and stared at each other with adoring eyes before taking the first bites. Had somepony been there, they wouldn’t be able to tell which set of eyes held more admiration.

They sat together, munching away on their treats, making small talk and giggling at the most random things that came up as the candle between them burned away. Stardust’s talk of little things seemed to have an effect on Cadance. She found herself noticing the smaller interactions between her and Shining more than usual. The way he smiled, the way his eyes seemed to have a light in them that danced whenever he was looking at her, even the way his mane bounced up and down as he laughed whenever he found something she said funny. It made her wonder if he ever noticed little things like those about her as well. Judging by the way he was smiling even through the mouthful of donut in his mouth, the neverending compliments, and the way he barely took his eyes off of her, she figured he did.

When their plates were clear, Shining quickly cleaned the area, not that they left a lot to be cleaned up in the first place. All the while, Shining’s record played on. Once they wiped whatever of their desert remained off their faces, Shining gently led Cadance over to the telescope.

Shining made an adjustment before stepping aside and giving a playful bow for Cadance to step up. She did, smiling slightly at his playfulness. She set her eye on the eyepiece, and couldn’t help but gawk at the sight. That telescope had power.

“Wow!”

“Powerful telescope?” Shining said a little smugly at Cadance’s surprise.

“Yeah! Where’d you get this?”

“My mom and dad let me borrow one from the observatory. Like it?”

She did.

Through the high-powered telescope, Cadance saw everything. She could see the blues, blacks, and deep purples of the night swirl around like batter in a bowl. Stars, bigger and brighter than she had ever seen, seemed to dance in the sky as the radiated their debatably harmful light. “It’s beautiful, Shining. This is, just, amazing.”

He began to rub the back of his head as he fought the oncoming blush. “It was my parents’ idea actually. My dad took my mom out to do stuff like this back in the day.”

Cadance lifted her head from the eyepiece to face Shining. She was smiling wide. “Awwwww. Guess great date planners run in the family.”

He laughed. “I guess so.” Now he was smiling wide. Before he allowed his hidden blush to become apparent, Shining came close to the telescope with eager eyes. “There’s something I wanna show you.”

She moved to the side, and Shining took over. His hooves moved fast as he worked certain knobs and positioned the machine. A few adjustments more, he popped back up and stepped out of the way to offer Cadance a glance.

Her eyes were back on the eyepiece. Taking up her entire view was a cluster of stars, several of which she noticed shining brighter than the others.

“See the brighter ones?”

“Yeah,” she confirmed with a nod, accidently making the telescope shake as well.

“They make up a constellation.”

In her mind, Cadance began to draw the lines in the sky.

“That one’s—’

“Monoceros! The unicorn in the sky!” she exclaimed, surprising Shining at her quick recall he didn’t know she possessed on the subject. “That means if I move a little over…” she began to turn the telescope slowly and carefully until she was satisfied, “... here, I should be able to see—”

“Hydra, the water snake,” Shining finished off.

“And if you go a little further North at its tip?” Cadance continued as she raised her eyes off the eyepiece.

“Cancer the crab,” he answered as a smile began to grow on his face. “Which is in between—”

“Leo and Gemini!” Cadance hopped away from the telescope and landed stopped right in front of Shining with wide and ecstatic eyes. “And right above Leo is—”

“Leo Minor!” the two of them said in unison. The clear excitement in their voices showed more than the stars they named.

“You know astronomy?” she asked.

“Yeah, my parents are astronomers. It was either pay attention when they talked about work, or look stupid not being able to tell Ursa Major from Minor.”

Her eyebrow raised before a snicker escaped her. “Minor is smaller than Major.”

“Well I know that now!” Shining defended rather quickly as his face flushed redder than before. “How do you know about… all this?” he asked, waving his hoof in circles at the sky.

“It’s another thing my aunt’s been teaching me. Somepony really close to her taught her to cherish and appreciate the night, and now she wants me to do the same.”

Shining cocked his head. “Really? Who taught her?”

“I really don’t know,” she answered with a shrug. “Like I said, never a straight answer with her.”

Another chuckle escaped Shining’s lips before his eyes drifted to the telescope, then back to the mare in front of him. “Well, do you think you can you give me straight answer?”

“On what?” she asked with a sly smile.

“If you’d like to completely nerd out with me and my high powered telescope and pick out stars with me?”

She lidded her eyes halfway as a sly smile crossed her lips.

Slowly, almost teasingly, she pressed herself against Shining’s chest. He tensed up at the sudden contact, but melted when he felt her head nuzzle his coat. “I’d love to,” she cooed.

Stars were on the young couple’s minds as they searched the skies. Cadance and Shining Armor looked on at the night sky with vigor, leaving no possible constellation unnoticed. From Cancer to Capricorn, they located them all, trading stories and the myths behind them with an enthusiasm even Twilight would have been proud of. It was truly one of the few, if not the only time, Shining felt he had out-nerded his sister. And who better to share that instance with the mare of his dreams sitting by his side?

While myths and stars may have taken a chunk of his attention, Shining’s eyes and mind couldn’t help but go back to the mare that called him hers.

Her delicate pink coat, those lustrous purple gems other ponies called eyes, her candy mane that shamed the most stylish of ponies even in a simple ponytail. She was the embodiment of beauty in Shining’s eyes, but he wasn’t a stupid stallion. He didn’t fall simply for looks. Even when he was simply crushing on her, he could see the kind, smart, and nurturing mare that just wanted to make others happy. Even the little reactions he got out of her the past four months managed to consume his thoughts. From the way she smiled, her laugh, her flirty teasing, the way she’d brush up against him at the most random of times, the way her eyes danced under any form of light, her lips against his, the way she managed to reduce him to a puddle with just a look, all that and more raced through his mind, driving him madder every passing second.

Even now, he found himself staring at her as she moved about. If she knew he was looking, the emphasized movements of her hips and legs were the major hints.

There it was again, that playful teasing; Flirty Cadance. He’d definitely miss her and the way she could make him lose his cool, no matter how little of it he had to begin with.

With a sly grin, and feeling like she had him on the lines, Cadance turned her head and locked eyes with Shining. “Like what you see?”

Shining scattered back like an insect, blushing brighter than he had all night. His face may as well have been an emergency light. Once again, he was reduced to that stuttering colt in the library, and Cadance was loving it.

She was snickering like mad, relishing in her ability to make him act the way he did. A few seconds more of watching him trying to gather himself up, she figured she had her fun. Once Shining’s face was less tomato-like, she stepped away from the telescope and settled by a patch of grass. “I love it when you do that,” she said in a chirpy tone, forcing the still speechless pony into another round of unintelligible stutters. She patted the ground and motioned him to sit with her.

Grabbing what little dignity he had, Shining recomposed himself and forced the lump in his throat down before he settled next to Cadance. She was staring up at the sky, scanning over everything and anything floating high above. She was lost in her aunt’s night.

Feeling like he needed to say something, anything, after his latest trip up, Shining looked up as well. “Your aunt does a good job… the night, and everything.”

It was something.

“Yeah, she does.” She really was lost in the night. There seemed to be more stars out than usual, and Cadance had a pretty good idea on who was responsible. “My aunt would always tell me that ponies used to never give the night much thought. I never understood why. I honestly think it’s one of the best times for something like this.”

“Well, you kinda need night time for stargazing.”

Cadance chuckled lightly at Shining’s joke and rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean, Shining.”

He scrunched his face into a teasing smile. “I’m afraid I don’t.”

“You know…” Her tone was playful, inviting him into something she had planned. “… something like sitting close with somepony special to you.”

Shining inched over on the grass, closing most of the space between the two. “Like this?”

She scanned him and the little space left between them, all the while batting her eye at him. “Something like that.”

Hook.

“But I was thinking something more like this.” She inched closer to him, leaving no space between them as she was now brushed up against his shoulder.

Line.

Everything around Shining seemed to vanish. It was just him, and the mare of his dreams brushing up against him, nuzzling him, lighting his every fiber of being in a blazing yet oh so lovely fire. Going with these feelings, he craned his neck down to return Cadance’s nuzzle. “Like this?”

Now her cheeks began to flush. His feel against her, it was like the warmth of a fireplace after being in the cold. She practically melted into his side. Her eyes fluttered to a close as a smile graced her features. “Exactly like that.”

And sinker.

How long they stayed huddled against one another, neither kept count, nor cared. It was like being surrounded by warm bubbles heating every inch of their being. Their feel against one another, and nothing more, really it was all they needed to let one another know how much they meant to one another. Affection went a long way, and for Cadance, she wanted it to go wherever Shining went, never letting him think for a second she didn’t care.

A small breeze rolled in, blowing strands of Cadance’s mane against Shining’s face. Her mane. Her bouncy, soft, elegant mane bristling his face; they were like thin tendrils pulling him closer to their owner, using their beauty and scent to snare him in their trap. If he could anatomically come any closer, he would. Part of him just wanted to stay where he was and never leave.

He’d miss her. He’d miss everything about her. He’d miss not being able to take her out on dates. He’d miss getting caught off guard whenever she got affectionate. He’d miss her feel against him. He’d miss those lips. He wanted to say all that and more, if anything to relieve him of the feeling he was holding something in if he didn’t something.

Then again, she looked so happy, so peaceful at his side. He wondered if he really wanted to disrupt something like that. Furthermore, would it be weird if he said something he wasn’t even sure he knew how to say? The urge to speak just kept nagging at him, pushing him to say something that would tell this mare leaning on him just how much he adored her, and how much she’d stay on his mind while he was away.

“Cadance?”

She lifted her eyes open. Her eyelashes sprang up like blooming flowers. “Yeah, Shining?”

He smiled at the sight of those glimmering eyes. “I’ll miss you.”

She smiled not a bitter-sweet smile most would expect at the sound of those words, but a full, radiant smile full of joy. He’d be back. That was all there was too it. “I’ll miss you too.” Raising her head off Shining’s shoulder, Cadance sat up, now eye level with her colt. The music he put on was still playing in the background, only making what she was doing all the more perfect. She started to lean in slowly. Shining followed suit. Their eyes started to close. They were just an inches apart… until the needle started scratching the record.

The ear-splitting sound wrung the couple out of their near kiss and had Shining scrambling back, red in the face once again. Muttering a few things under his breath, Shining made his way towards the record player. His horn lit up, and the screeching sound ceased. Once the black vinyl was back in his saddlebag, Shining turned to see purple eyes staring at him and an awkward grin.

“I ruined the moment,” he said with a drone.

Cadance rose up and walked over to their saddlebags, resisting the urge to laugh. “Only a little.” Her horn lit up as well, encasing something in her saddlebag before it was pulled out; the record Stardust had given her. Seeing Shining’s confused expression, she put on a teasing smile. “What? You think you’re the only one that can be romantic?”

Shining struggled for an answer. He opened and closed his mouth several times only for stuttered mumblings to come out. Deciding it was best to shut up, Shining just sat on the grass, failing in his attempt at a stoic look. Cadance stepped towards the record player and put the record on. She recalled Stardust’s vague description of the record, and wondered if she was just joking.

She wasn’t.

Once the record started spinning, she heard a brief piano intro before she heard a mare’s angelic voice come on. The song had her swaying from side to side. Shining stepped closer, joining her as he got adjusted to the music.

Cadance stole a glance at Shining and smiled when she saw him dancing along with her, no matter how initially awkward his movements may have been. Her heart fluttered when she saw him smile. She did that. She made him smile. She wanted to do more; make him feel as great as he made her feel. Even with Stardust’s words about a relationship like hers and Shining’s not being a contest, it didn’t stop her urge to try something, anything. With the music continuing its play, one idea started to come to mind.

Quickly and suddenly, Cadance was right in front of her coltfriend, flashing him an alluring smile. “Wanna dance?”

Shining stayed silent for a few seconds, averting his eyes from Cadance’s peering and captivating look. “Ughhhhh, how about we just… just… sit on the grass and keep swaying?” he said with a weak smile.

She gave a small chuckle. “What’s wrong? Afraid of a little dancing?”

“No,” he said defensively.

“Sooooo, what’s the problem?”

“I-I-I…” he started fidgeting in place, kicking the ground with one of his hooves as he tried to keep his eyes away from Cadance. “I… can’t dance.”

“You can’t dance?”

“More like if I tried, anypony who saw me would think I was having an epileptic attack.”

“Oh c’mon, don’t you think you’re over exaggerating a little?”

Shining narrowed his eyes, giving her a blank stare. Shining sighed and took a few steps back. What came next, Cadance couldn’t figure out what to call it. He moved like he was dancing, or at least trying to, but Shining’s words about him looking like he was having an epileptic attack were not that far off. His demonstration went on for a few seconds more until he nearly tripped over his own hooves.

With a pained expression from the sight and an awkward curve of her lips, Cadance nodded her head slowly. “Okay, I see what you mean.”

“You should see my dad and Twilight,” Shining added in, images of those two coming to mind. “It’s like I’m genetically meant to suck.” He felt the soft touch of her hoof on his own hoof before he saw the way Cadance was calmly eyeing him.

“Not with me you won’t.” She reared on her hind legs, pulling Shining up as well. Tracing her hoof along his forelimb, and getting a nervous reaction out of him in the process, Cadance placed his forelimb around her waist for him to hold. She could hear him gulp at the action before she rested her forelimb on the one now around her waist.

“What are you doing?” Shining asked when she raised his other forelimb out to his side.

She wrapped her hoof around his outstretched limb and held on gently. “I’m going to teach you how to dance.” Using her back legs, she tapped at the ground where she wanted Shining to place his hooves. He followed her directions and waited for her next move. “Just follow my lead.”

“Okay?” he said more as a question. “So, you’re leading?”

“Uh-Huh.”

Shining cocked his head. “Does that mean I’m the girl?”

Her gaze rose up as her teasing smile grew. “Uh-Huh.” Not giving him any time to respond, Cadance took a firmer hold on his hooves and stepped back. “Now you step forward.”

He did.

“Other hoof.”

Shining quickly corrected his mistake, inwardly beating himself up about not screwing up on the very first step. He felt Cadance take a step to the side and a gentle tug guide him in the same direction.

“Now step back,” she instructed. He took a bit of step too far back, but Cadance worked with it when she took a step forward, closing the distance between the two to their original position before bringing Shining along in another sidestep.

The steps seemed simple enough when Shining realized it was a pattern; step forward when she stepped back and vise-versa, and follow her sidesteps. One, two, three, four. A few cycles later, Shining honestly thought he was starting to get the hang of it. His steps weren’t as awkward and lengthy, and he actually put the right hoof forward or backwards, so why was Cadance cringing every few seconds or so?

“Something wrong, Cadance?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said through clenched teeth and squinted eyes. “You just stepped on my hooves like, ten times.”

It didn’t take long for Shining to start sputtering off apologies. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!”

“Shining, it’s fine. Just…. if you feel anything but grass, quickly step off.”

One series of nods and an apologetic smile later, Shining was back to following Cadance’s steps as best as he could. ‘Focus, focus, focus,’ he told himself, staring more at the ground than anything else. As he moved about, he gave constant glances down at the ground, instantly moving his hooves if he felt he was about to trip up or step on Cadance again.

Cadance noticed Shining’s actions like he was a lighthouse. He was jerky in his “corrections” to say the least. It was like his legs were marionettes controlled by a pony with seizures, and everything above was either shaking with nerves, or starting to sweat with an awkward grin. Inside, Cadance just wanted to laugh at the sight. A pony about to head off to boot camp was sweating more over learning how to dance than what the next few weeks would bring him. Sometimes she forgot how strong her influence was on him.

When she felt him start to stumble over his hooves, and hers once more, she slowed down her pace until she came to a stop. Shining was about to question her, but instead met her soft eyes that kept him quiet. She smiled warmly. “Shining, you’re thinking it over too hard. Just relax, and keep your eyes on me.”

In other words, keep looking at two of the most radiant things in Equesetria. Yeah, he could do that. He nodded as his nerves began to settle down. He felt her soft grip on his outstretched hoof and her hold on his other forelimb around her waist tighten lightly. She began her steps, slow and steady for Shining to mirror.

Taking a breath and clearing his mind, Shining kept his eyes on Cadance, and nothing else. The ground beneath him didn’t seem to matter as he let her and the rhythm of the still playing song lead him.

One step back, one step to the side, one step in front, one step back, all the while holding onto one another as Shining tried his best to move as Cadance did, and to his surprise, he was actually doing it. As he moved about, he glanced around, lighting up brilliantly and smiling wide when he realized he was dancing. He was actually swaying and turning with the mare he was holding onto without crushing her hooves or topping over like an idiot.

His steps became more sure, more in synch with Cadance as his guide. He could see her matching his grin when he pulled her in a little closer.

“Told you you wouldn’t suck,” she said as they came to a stop underneath a large tree.

Shining just let out a disbelieving laugh. They were still holding onto each other as Shining was still reeling in from his newly learned skill. “Yeah, you did.”

They stayed silent a few moments more, the moonlight shining through the spaces in the leaves and casting a silver shade over the couple. Both had no words as they stared at one another. All that Cadance could think of was switching Shining’s forelimb around her waist with her own, except around his and pull him into a kiss.

‘Ease into it, girl,’ her mind told her.

Shining had similar thoughts, but the set of pink hooves over his own and the end of the song’s play reminded him that he just played the girl in the last dance. Not exactly wanting the night to end like that, he gave his hooves a little shake. “Think we can switch roles?”

She rolled her eyes and gave a simple “yes” with little laugh etched in. Shining moved his hooves over Cadance’s, blue and white covering pink before his horn lighted up and encased the record and the needle.

“Shall we?” he asked, preparing to lower the needle.

She gripped his hoof and raised it up. “Lets.”

The piano intro began again, and the two were already in their first steps. He didn’t notice at first, but with each step they took, they circled the grass on the hill they stood atop like it was their own personal ballroom with the moon and stars acting as their spotlight. They danced in slow and swaying circles under a veil of leaves and silver moonlight. With his focus not on the ground and his hooves like before, Shining was able to take in Cadance’s full form.

Her ponytail had draped over her shoulder and curled at its end like some kind of swirled piece of candy. She was looking at him with eyes that sparkled under the lunar light, reflecting his own image back at him through pools of the finest and lightest purple.

Cadance saw no trace of the earlier signs of nervousness as she was led by Shining. She had done that. Not only did she calm him down, she had taught him something. She had done something for him, and the feeling was like stepping near a fireplace after being out in the cold, absolutely marvelous. She could see the joy radiating from those crystal blue eyes she was staring at as she was spinning around, a crystal blue she realized was very similar to her own magic hue. It gave her an idea.

“Hey, Shining?”

“Yeah?”

She began to trace her hoof in circles on the forelimb holding her. “Remember when we were first going out, and you showed me some of your magic at Joe’s?”

He didn’t know where this was going, but he nodded and answered anyway. “Yeah, why?”

Her lips curved into a smile, and her horn flared up. Hovering all around the hill, see-through bubbles of magic manifested. Instead of the lavender glow they gave off back in the shop, Cadance’s light-blue aura shined through, bouncing one another’s lights and reflecting the moonlight shining above. Shining stared at Cadance’s display with a gaping jaw and wide eyes. It was like they were in a huge blue disco ball, only a thousand times prettier.

“Wowwwwww,” he said with an exploring gaze.

Cadance could see the light from the blue bubble dance across Shining’s eyes, amplifying his own crystal blue. Even as he stared on, he was still leading her in their dance. With his mind on the shimmering magic spheres, it wasn’t until he felt her soft head brushing up against him that Shining realized Cadance was leaning into his chest, nuzzling his fur with the lightest touch. He smiled before he craned his neck to lay his head atop her mane, her soft, beautiful candy-colored mane. Still onlooking the field of magic bubbles, the two were still swaying in circles.

The last night, the last night to see one another for a while, the last night to hug, the last night to kiss… the last night to dance. All these and more could describe the night the two were having, but to Shining, there was no “last”. For him, it was one of the best nights of his life so far, and he’d rather see it that way than anything “last”. Rather than dwell on what he’d be leaving, he continued to sway with the most beautiful mare in Equestria that he somehow got to date and call his. And this mare was eyeing him from the corner of her eyes.

Cadance raised her head from his chest, getting Shining to move his head off her head. She was eyeing him as she put a hoof by the side of his head. A grin as wide as the moonlight crossed Shining’s face as he began to put a hoof by the back of her head. In the few seconds that followed, their eyes fluttered close, and they inched closer and closer together.

Easing into in, as Cadance had thought, came with all the rewards of its wait. Their lips locked again as sparks flew once again.

Shining had that feeling again; that floating feeling he somehow invented for nopony else but him. Had they had their eyes open, they would have seen Cadance’s magic bubbles glow a more intense light before dimming back down when the two parted. A second or two passed with the two of them just locking in on one another’s gaze, as if in an effort to preserve the image for the weeks following. They came together once again; her head falling into his chest, and his head resting atop her head for another dance.

Not a last dance, just another dance.

***************

The farewells were not easy.

As Shining sat in his seat on the train to the Trottingham base with numerous other stallions and mares in their cadet uniforms, his mind kept going back to the train station platform back in Canterlot.

There were tears. Shining would not lie, a good five percent of them came from him… the rest… Shining could only say that he hoped his mother apologized to whoever had to clean up afterwards.

His dad had saluted him, hugged him, and made him promise to write when he got to the chance for the sake of Twilight Velvet.

Twilight had faced him with watery eyes and a hopeful smile. She had a tight grip for such a little filly. In his duffle bag, placed steadily on top of everything else, was an old raggedy stuffed pony with blue button eyes and a scraggly mane.

“Smartypants will keep you company, Shining, and I know you’ll be back because you need to bring her back, right?”

Twilight’s words were still fresh in his mind. He remembered assuring her him and Smartypants would be back real soon, but it really raised the question if he should let that, in all honesty, creepy doll out of the bag at any time in the next nine weeks. Either way, it still brought a smile on his face to know Twilight trusted him with her most prized possession. He said goodbye to his LSBFF and told her he loved her.

And of course, there was little Spike. Folded in the pocket of his freshly pressed blue cadet uniform, a piece of paper Shining’s little brother had given him rested comfortably. Admittingly, Spike probably had no idea what was going on, but Shining was grateful for the drawing nonetheless. It was a simple, yet really poor outline of purple and green crayon. Next to the messy coloring were splotches of blue and an outline filled in with the white of the paper. He left Spike with a teary-eyed smile as the little dragon clapped his claws when he saw the smile his gift brought to his brother’s face.

Stardust and Cadance had also come to say their goodbyes, knowing fully well that it wouldn’t be that long before the three of them were together again. Stardust had left him with a joke and a punch to the shoulder.

Cadance, on the other hoof, left him with a kiss he wished he could somehow take with him.

The blurry landscape passed quickly through the windows of the train, the sound of the large locomotive running over the tracks shaking the inside of the train car.

It wasn’t long till the blurs started to take form, settling into shapes of far away hills and distant buildings until everything became obscured by brick walls and block buildings concentrated in one area. The train screeched and steam blew when the whistle roared to life and the wheels started to slow down. The sound was excruciating at first, but it could not, and would not, compare to what Shining heard next.

Even with the jerky movements of the train as it tried to come to its halt, a large, very large, earth pony stallion with a grey coat and eyes that could pierce diamond and cut it into a ring stood up at the front of the train. He bore gold-plated armor and the helmet that matched, and his eyes narrowed at the lot of ponies on the train. His face was stone, nearly impossible to trace any sense of equine emotion that didn’t look commanding or a little hostile. His presence alone commanded attention, and if by the slim chance it didn’t, his voice sure did.

“ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP!”

Shining and everypony else on the train immediately went silent. The stallion’s voice reverberated through the cart and even through some ponies’ spines. Shining was sitting up straight, tense all over and hoping the stallion’s eyes didn’t land on him.

“I AM SERGEANT QUAKE! WHEN THE TRAIN MAKES ITS STOP, I WANT ALL OF YOU, IN AN ORDERLY LINE, TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE REGISTRATION BUILDING! STAY IN YOUR LINE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO OTHERWISE BY ME, UNDERSTOOD?”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Shining and the others on the train yelled out.

“ALREADY YOU MESSED UP!” Quake started to walk down the aisle. His armor clattered and clanged as plates hit one another. There was just so much noise from this massive, massive stallion. “SIR, YES, SIR?!? YOU’RE NOT ASKING ME IF YOU CAN DATE MY DAUGHTER! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE ADDRESSING A DRILL SERGEANT!”

Don’t look scared, keep quiet, keep your eyes forward, and don’t let your legs shake and buckle. They were pieces of advice Shining got a lot of when he was doing his research about basic training for the Royal Guard, and he was struggling with two of those pieces of advice as Quake continued to holler.

“WHEN YOU ADDRESS ME, YOU ARE TO SAY, DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT, OR DRILL SERGEANT, NO, DRILL SERGEANT! UNDERSTOOD!”

“DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT!”

Quake came to a sudden stop in the middle of the aisle, eyes dead-set forward in all their fierceness. “I DIDN’T KNOW WE WERE TRYING TO NOT WAKE UP NEWBORN FOALS! SO AGAIN, UNDERSTOOD?!?”

Using nearly all the air in their lungs, the entire car of ponies gave a deafening “DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT!”

“GOOD!” Quake turned around and trotted back to his spot at the front of the train, hooves clattering the floor like they could cause an earthquake. It didn’t take long after that for Shining to get the drill sergeant’s namesake.

The train continued decelerating as the view out the windows passed on slower and slower until coming to a complete, and screeching stop. The whistle blew and steam and smoke arose outside.

Quake gave a single stomp on the floor, commanding everyone’s attention. “ALRIGHT, FIRST DAY AT TROTTINGHAM BASE.” Quake gave the smallest side glance Shining ever saw, but still felt the presence of those cutting eyes. By the looks on the other ponies’ faces, they felt a similar presence.

“CADETS!” If one looked very closely, a very, very small curve of Quake’s lip at one edge could be seen. “WELCOME TO HELL.”

Author's Note

Just as long as I remain on your Tattooed Heaaaaart.

And now Arc II ends, and so begins Arc III, the last and final one. Soooo.... back to the drawing board for that for a while.
A thanks to my wonderful editors, and to Jake The Army Guy for giving me info on how to address a drill sergeant correctly.

Surprises in the Mail

For Blueblood, life in Canterlot Castle was beyond bliss. Waking up in his king-sized bed under warm, velvet-like covers and surrounded by plush, feathered pillows was just the start of his morning. Breakfast was sublime and perfect down to the last crumb, even to his own picky tastes. If that wasn’t enough, the mini-army of servants waiting on him had to have been. For the most part they were, depending on what kind of mood he was in for the day. One of said servants was in the middle of setting a small snack tray for the prince, aligning each little cucumber sandwich perfectly onto a glass plate.

“Your tray, my prince,” the servant pony said when he entered Blueblood’s room, holding the tray of little sandwiches in his magic.

“Just set it on that table over there, thank you.” Blueblood pointed to a small table near the center of his rather large room. He currently occupied one of the upholstered chairs with a book in his hooves, completely absorbed in its contents to not even meet eyes with the other stallion in his room.

The servant pony set the tray on the table and prepared to make his way out of the room before he stood staring at the prince. “Will there be anything else, my prince?”

A moment passed before Blueblood closed his book and set it to the side. “Yes, actually. How is it like outside?”

“Quite nice, my prince. A nice breeze is blowing.”

“Perfect.” Blueblood rose from his chair. “I think a walk in the gardens sounds real nice, wouldn’t you say?”

“Very much, my prince. Do you need assistance with anything before you head out?”

“No, you can leave now. I’m just going to freshen up first.”

“Very well, my prince.” The servant pony gave a courteous bow before he closed the doors behind him without so much as a creak of the hinges.

Blueblood settled himself on the seat facing a dresser and a large mirror. He posed in the mirror for a while before he actually started to fix himself up. With a few strokes of a comb, his blonde mane was picture perfect in his eyes, and worth of some admiration. He stepped off his seat and walked up to just one of the large vanity mirrors within his walk-in closet. “Blueblood, you handsome devil, how do you stay so enticing?” He posed in the mirror a few minutes more until he felt content with himself. Brushing through the doors, Blueblood had a pep in his steps, like he was walking on air.

Outside the windows he passed, he observed that the servant pony was telling the truth. His aunt’s mid-morning sun was hanging high in the nearly cloudless sky. The stroll to the gardens itself was pleasant. The sun shone through the windows like diamonds and painted little patterns on the walls Blueblood passed. Everything was just perfect. He turned a corner that was closing into the last hallway to the gardens, where he came to a sight that drained the perfection out of the day and sucked the pep right out of his step and replaced it with old lead.

Along the walls, multiple wooden mail cubbies were lined together. Each and every single one of them was empty. Cadance was pacing back and forth alongside the walls awaiting the same something Blueblood knew was supposed to come in any time soon.

“Cadance. Again?”

Cadance looked up to see her cousin’s judgmental eyes. “It’s already been almost a week since Shining’s first day. I figured his first letter would be here by now, so I’m waiting for it,” Cadance responded as she continued to pace.

“You’ve been doing this for the last two days! It’s not healthy.”

“Hey! I stop once the mail does come.”

“So you’re just going to keep pacing around until the mail gets here?”

“That’s the plan.”

Blueblood gave a quick glance at one of the windows at his side to see the sun’s position in the sky. “It’s not even noon yet. The mail-pony won’t be here for hours.”

“Uh-Huh,” she simply said, not even stopping in her strides.

The dark lines around Cadance’s eyes and the lazy ponytail her mane was done in were just some of the things about Cadance’s appearance that made Blueblood ask, “How long have you been at this?”

“Since after breakfast.”

He stood there. “That was four hours ago!”

“Uh-Huh.”

Even he didn’t expect that long. The last few days Cadance had done this, Blueblood remembered, it only lasted an hour, at the most, and was followed by a disappointed and near-wounded face he still couldn’t quite get out of his head. Blueblood knew once Shining Armor headed off to boot camp, Cadance was going to miss him, but he had to draw the line somewhere.

“Cadance,” he said as he stepped in her path. “This isn’t good for you. I’m about to take a walk in the gardens, why don’t you come join me?”

She stepped past him and quickly adopted a new pacing path. “Thanks for thinking about me, Blueblood, but really, I’m fine. Besides, I went out into the gardens yesterday.”

“Okay then.” Blueblood tapped the floor for a few seconds. “How about we take a spa day? It’s been a while since the last one, and you know how much you love their hooficures.” He emphasized his offer with a broad smile, but Cadance wasn’t budging.

“No thanks, Blueblood.”

Blueblood continued to list off more suggestions they could do in and around the castle. Each and every one of them was politely turned down, and he was growing thin on ideas. When he exhausted his last idea, he was more sure Cadance could and would just pace around until the mail came in. If she looked more put together and less tired-looking, maybe he would have let her antics slide, but that was not the case. One way or another, he was going to make sure she didn’t stay wandering around the same line she made for herself. It would mean getting out of his comfort zone, but if it was for his cousin…

He groaned and threw his head back as he opened his mouth for one more try. “What if you get a hold of Stardust, and the three of us go into town where ever you want to go for the day?”

Cadance’s ears perked up and she met his look with wide eyes, not even caring he did not bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. This was him offering to go outside the castle anywhere in Canterlot with her and a friend. “You’re serious?”

Blueblood drew breath through his teeth before answering. “Yes.”

“You promise?”

The doubtful look Cadance had prompted the prince to step in front of her, hoof outstretched. “I promise.”

She took his hoof and shook it. “Okay, deal,” she said before her lips curved into a devilish smile.

“What’s that look for?” Blueblood asked with a raised brow and weary tone. He was answered when Cadance quickly rubbed at the bottoms of her eyes and he saw black streaks smear onto her hoof and the pink fur where black used to cover her eyes. “You!” he said after Cadance giggled at the dramatic change in his expression.

“Too late,” she announced victoriously, “you promised. Youuuuuuu…” now she was poking at him like a foal, “... promised!”

“That doesn’t count, you tricked me!” Blueblood argued as he flailed a hoof in the air, but only got Cadance to laugh even harder.

“Too bad, we shook on it.” All the makeup was off her eyes now, but stained her hooves. “I’m gonna go wash up real quick, and then we’ll head out. Stardust’s probably gonna be here any time soon.”

“You just tricked me, how could you have gotten a hold of her so…” It was all but a matter of moments before it dawned on Blueblood. “How long did you plan this?”

Cadance was already making her way towards her room. “Days! Just meet me at the front. You promised! No backing out!” Before she sped up, she looked over her shoulder and happily called out, “Oh, and, Blueblood? It’s Sunday.”

As much as Blueblood wanted to scream back at her in defiance in that very moment, she was already too far gone down the hall. Her laughter, though, still managed to reach his eardrums. Even as he dragged himself down to the front of the castle and out into the courtyard, he still had to give her credit for her trick, even if it was at his expense. If it was for Cadance, he tended to keep his promise, and he knew she knew that, which made the whole situation more detestable than originally. In the end, he figured it was better she used his weakness on him on things as little as getting him to go outside.

Cadance was in more than just a good mood when she trotted into her bedroom. After she rinsed off the last few traces of black mascara from her hooves in her bathroom, she took to the mirror. A solid ten minutes later, her mane was in an updo-ponytail that draped over both of her shoulders in an even split. Through the window in her room, she saw a familiar blue unicorn coming up to the castle gates.

“Let her in, guys!” Cadance called out to the guards at the gate when she stepped into the courtyard. Blueblood stood next to his cousin with a fierce glare aimed at her. “Don’t be like that. You need to get out of the castle anyway.”

“I get out of the castle.”

“Further than the shops across the street.”

Blueblood huffed at that while he walked with Cadance to greet their guest.

“Cady! Ya finally got him outta the cave, huh?” Stardust said when she saw the prince. “I’m Stardust, in case ya forgot. Don’t blame ya if ya did. Only saw ya once back when this girl was still in Crushland with Shiny.”

Blueblood hesitantly took her outstretched hoof and smiled, trying hard not to think where her hoof had been. “No, I remember you. Charmed to meet you again, Stardust.”

“Thanks, guys for taggin’ along. I really needed a day off.”

“Rough day at work?’ Cadance asked.

“Yeah, and night.” Stardust started to rub at her eyes. “Pulled a double shift yesterday. Dear Celestia I was tired. But, hey, gotta save up for the move, right?”

She may not have known what the situation was like, but Cadance still smiled and nodded. “So, where are we gonna take him?”

Blueblood felt both mares’ eyes staring at him and it made him glance back and forth between the two, more so when small smiles formed on their faces.

“Well, Blueblood,” Cadance started to say to him as Stardust threw a forelimb over his side.

“Looks like you’re gonna spend your first time bowling with us.”

“How did you know I’ve never bowled before?” Blueblood asked.

“I can read it in your face. Ya don’t get out much, do ya?” Stardust giggled at the look she got from the prince. “I’m just teasin’. Get used to it if you’re keep hangin’ around me. So! Onward and outwards!” She let go of Blueblood and lead the way into town.

Right before the trio was out the gates, Cadance leaned in and whispered in Blueblood’s ear, “Physical contact, and not demanding to be called ‘Prince Blueblood’?”

“At this point,” Blueblood said with hints of a smile starting up, “I figure I shouldn’t even try when around ponies you know. Besides, she seems... friendly, and you trust her. Maybe this won’t be as bad as I thought.” Blueblood saw blurs of pink as Cadance threw her forelimbs around him in a huge embrace. This time, he hugged back despite his initial eyeroll. He really would have done anything to make his cousin happy, and as much as he hated to admit it, a little change of scenery did sound the slightest bit interesting, even as the view and familiarity of the castle was slowly receding away from sight.

“Thanks for doing this, Blueblood. And trust me, you’ll have fun. You won’t regret it.”

***************

He was regretting it.

As a prince, Blueblood learned that composure was essential when in public, and he made it a point to carry himself with a confidence and pride that sometimes bordered on the egotistical side, but nonetheless commanded an essence of importance and respect. Right now, he was one more bad roll away from blowing his top and bursting into an inferno of flames. He set his eyes on the end of the lane, bowling ball in his hoof, and tried to picture the pins falling over after meeting a horrendous blow from the ball. “I will end you,” he whispered with all the venom of ten cobras at the pins like they could hear him.

A few feet away, Cadance and Stardust sat at a small table by the ball-return machine trying their best not to show any signs of enjoyment at watching Blueblood’s sanity slowly drift away. They watched as Blueblood took a breath, and they swore they could hear the hairs of his mane spring out of place. He strode to the lane and rolled the ball. At first it was on a straight-line path down the lane and Blueblood’s hopes soared. He was all smiles until he saw the ball veer to the left, at first slightly, and then completely to the left. His heart sunk like the ball into the gutter. The pins were reset and his ball was spat back out into the rack next to Stardust’s and Cadance’s.

Stardust scribbled a “0” on the scoresheet: one of the many that lined Blueblood’s row. “Well look on the upside, ya made a perfect score.”

All around him, Blueblood heard the crash of pins and their eminent fall. It was an entire building full of crashing pins. Alleys all around echoed the same thunderous sound, and he was just standing in front of a lane that continuously denied his ball access to the pins. He asked himself how he got to this point. He remembered starting the game out, watching his cousin and Stardust knock a few pins with each roll, and never getting more than one or two pins the first few rolls: and then the gutter balls started. One after another, he watched each ball drop into the lane and roll off, completely missing the pins in every new game.

“I have been at this for over an hour!” The desperation in Blueblood’s voice leaked out like his remaining bit of hope just few moments ago. “Every time! It just rolls away and hits nothing!”

Cadance approached her cousin and lead him away from the lane. “C’mon, Blueblood. Why don’t we take a break? We ordered some lunch. That sound good?”

Just leaving that cursed bowling lane had an effect on Blueblood. The crazy in his eyes began to lift just as his mane began to fall back into place. “Yes. Yes, that does sound good.” He was led up some steps where he saw Stardust seated on a stool at a counter overlooking the lanes. “Are we eating here?”

“Yeah. Should be ready in a few minutes, but, ugh, Blueblood? Ya sure ya don’t wanna do somethin’ about… this?” She gestured around her mane.

Blueblood looked around and saw his disheveled reflection in a nearby trophy case. “Dear, Auntie, I’m a mess! Excuse me real quick. I need to go compose myself.”

Once Blueblood was far enough away, there was nothing holding Stardust back from letting all her laughter spill out in a grand display. “Okay,” she had to take multiple breaths just to start speaking, “that was almost as good as watchin’ Shiny try and fail at askin’ ya out, Cady. Oh, don’t give me that look, he got ya in the end,” she said when Cadance lowered her eyes at her.

“I’m just worried he’s not having fun. I really want him to come out of the castle more, and if this is his only impression on places outside the castle, I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”

Stardust patted down on the seat next to her. “Think I got an idea that can help him out, but let’s eat first.”

Cadance took her seat just as Blueblood made his way back to the two mares. “There could be some major improvements on the bathroom conditions here,” he said as he too took a seat. “And what is it that we’re eating.”

“Order for Stardust! You’re food is ready! Order for Stardust!”

When the last of the metallic screech of the intercom softened out, Stardust was already out of her seat. She returned a few moments later with a hot tray, a few plates, and a few cups encased in the green of her magic. “Pizza time, guys!” She laid out the plastic plates and soda-filled cups out before placing the cheesy tray in the center. She had to have been hungry because slices were cut and served in a flash and Stardust already had a slice in her mouth. “Mmmm, bowling alley pizza,” she said after gulping down another bite.

Blueblood watched as Cadance took her own slice and ate. Even though she was gentler and more lady-like in her bites, he still couldn’t get over the sight of the dripping cheese and messy sauce that marked some of her face despite her attempts to stay clean. He looked down at his plate. Dark marks began to stain his plate as the pizza sat there. It was all so foreign to him: gooey, messy, and so unofficial. Criticisms of the food instantly bubbled to his mind, but he had to force them down. He still noted that the change from fine china and polished silverware to plastic plates and red plastic cups was rather drastic and sudden.

“Not hungry there, Blueblood?” Stardust asked, now on her second slice of pizza.

Cadance was looking at him curiously now. He knew that if he said he was not hungry, everything could move on easily. He would not have to try something so unappetizing to him, and Cadance would have been happy just having him come out for once, yet even as his mind was ready to say he was not hungry, his magic cut a piece off his slice and held it near his hesitant jaw. “Just wanted to cut it first,” he said quickly. The piece was hovering close. He found himself gulping first before finally taking in that first little bite. If he wasn’t preparing himself for the worst, the good taste might’ve registered faster for him. “Huh. Surprisingly good.” He was two more bites in before Blueblood ended up just cutting the rest of his slice into pieces and popping bite after bite into his mouth.

“Likin’ it there, Blueblood?” Stardust asked once Blueblood was down to the crust.

“I had no idea such a food existed! Messy, unappealing in sight in some ways, but absolutely delicious!” He bite into the crisp brown crust. “And with a flavored crust!”

“That’s garlic for ya.”

The two mares watched on as Blueblood started his second piece. Cadance was enjoying herself a little too much at the sight of her cousin, and the grin on her face showed. Not only did it mean she finally got her cousin out of the castle and actually enjoy something outside his comfort zone, it also meant a lot of her being able to say she told him so. “Was I like that when you and Shining started showing me things?” Cadance had to ask when Blueblood ripped another chunk of his slice off.

Stardust looked over at the prince. “Give or take about the same. Maybe less food on his face.” Cadance gave her a look. “Hey, don’t blame me if ya can’t try a new donut Joe comes up with without getting jelly all ova your face and hooves.”

Cadance stayed quiet a little longer while her eyes narrowed. “You win this one, Star.”

“And all the ones before that,” Stardust fired back with a teasing manner that got the two of them to laugh. “So, Blueblood, after we finish up here, ya up for another game?”

Blueblood’s glance flicked over to their alley. Images of pins taunting him invaded his mind and it immediately made him answer, “Absolutely not!”

“Oh, c’mon,” Stardust pressed on, “ya really came close to us that last game.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Now you’re gettin’ it.” She hopped off her seat and took hold of Blueblood’s hooves. “C’mon, one try, and if ya still don’t want to play, we’ll go do somethin’ else.” She was already pulling him towards their lane even as she gave her offer. Cadance followed them and took to a nearby seat.

“I don’t want to do this,” Blueblood said when he was led to the ball return machine, but Stardust either didn’t hear him, or didn’t pay him any attention. He was about to repeat himself until he saw her horn glow green that was quickly followed by a loud *CLINK. He looked to the lanes and saw the bumpers had been raised on the sides of the lane. He looked back at her and saw her holding the ball he picked out.

“Go crazy,” she said, shoving the ball near his chest. Blueblood took it, and Stardust took a seat.

Many things, Blueblood realised, could’ve been said about that mare in those moments. Most of those things, he decided, would be better left unsaid at the moment, so held his ball and turned to the lane. The pins started to taunt him again, beckoning him to try again if only so they could laugh at his inevitable failure. The bubbling anger he felt before Cadance got him off the lane rose once again, and he channeled it all into his roll. It was without the least bit of coordination, but it had a lot of rage-induced power. The ball left his hoof and collided into the bumper ramps. It traveled down the lane while crashing into the bumpers on each side, and this time, it reached the pins in a thunderous collision.

“Yo, Blueblood! Ya gonna pick up your ball and roll or what?”

Blueblood didn’t even realise he was staring off until Stardust’s call reached his ears. He knocked them down. He may not have knocked all of them down, but he actually made more than half the pins that stood at the end of the lane moments ago tumble over in a very satisfying crash. “Finally!” he all but roared out with a triumphant grin spanning wider than Cadance had ever seen. In turn, it made her smile as well and even more so when she watched her cousin take another shot at the pins. Expectantly, not all of them fell, but enough did to leave Blueblood in much greater spirits than from the last game.

“Bumper lanes,” Cadance said, leaning towards Stardust. “Great idea.”

“Thanks,” Stardust replied.

“How’d you think of that?”

“It was the only way I could get Shiny to come bowlin’ wit me before he actually stopped completely suckin’. Speakin’ of the big goof, any word from him yet?”

Cadance wished she could’ve controlled the downtrodden look she got momentarily. “No, not yet.” Cadance felt a little bump to her chest, and saw Stardust’s assuring smile.

“Hey, don’t worry ‘bout it. Knowin’ him, it’s just a matter of time before ya hear somethin’.”

His glowing blue eyes, his friendly smile, even his missteps had a charm to them that Cadance wished she could experience again. Stardust’s words did help alleviate some of the initial pang. “Yeah,” Cadance said, her former mood coming back to her. “I wonder how he’s doing though.”

“Eh, I’m sure he’s doin’ fine.”

***************

Earlier this morning...

***************

Everything hurt.

From his hind legs to his forelegs and even in his chest cavity from breathing too hard, Shining Armor hurt all over. The salt in the wound was that it was only breakfast time: six in the morning. The only comfort he found in his pain was that he could spot a few others in the mess hall of Trottingham Royal Guard base that shared his sentiments. While it had only been a few days at most since he got off the train, along with hundreds of other young mares and stallions, the crappy way he felt made it seem longer.

The first couple of days were some of the easiest. Shining Armor remembered being a part of registration as if he were a blur in a passing scene despite its rather lengthy process. He was sorted into his company, then his platoon, picked up what was handed out, and went through medical examinations like the hundreds of others that were there. He honestly thought the drill sergeants that were at registration would’ve been yelling a lot louder than they had. He later found out they were just giving a false sense of safety because that first morning of waking up to a clanging trash bin at 4:30 in the morning was a surprise. All through those first few days of training, he quickly learned to just follow what was being yelled at him. Not one to usually cause a disruption in the first placed, when not goofing up around Cadance, he learned by watching the poor ponies that did. It wasn’t pretty. How exactly a drill sergeant's voice didn’t give out after one day was a question that made a constant presence in his mind. One other major question that consistently entered his mind was what was he thinking? He knew there’d be drills and a lot of training with a lot of exercise, but just how much that was actually demanded was a major culture shock to him, and he was feeling it.

“Shining, you look like crap, man.” Pinpoint, a brown, brawny earth pony stallion, and Shining’s assigned battle buddy, sat across from Shining with his breakfast tray. Next to him sat an equally built pegasus stallion Shining remembered was Pinpoint’s friend who joined the guard with him, Silver Edge. Across from Silver and next to Shining was Silver’s battle buddy, a scrawny cyan unicorn Shining later on remembered was named Quick Fix.

“Really, Pin?” Silver said to the earth pony, his eyelids half-covering his gold-yellow eyes.

“What?” Pinpoint asked, his silvery tone indicating he was just teasing. “Seriously, Shining, you okay?”

It was hard, but Shining managed to open his eyes all the way, revealing the well-defined lines under his eyes. “I have never been this tired in my entire life.”

“Thank Celestia, I thought I was the only one here.” Quick Fix let his face fall onto the table with a light slam, some of his chrome-black mane getting into his breakfast. “I think my limbs are gonna fall off before the week ends.” His voice sounded drained of all power, almost as if he was about to crash onto the floor in a tired heap.

“How do ponies do this and not die?” Shining asked before daring to take a bite of his food, but found himself hurting even by just moving the food to his mouth.

“It’s not that bad,” Pinpoint tried, but was instantly met with haunting glared from the two ponies in front of him.

“Easy for you to say. You and Silver are towers!” Quick Fix muttered. They didn’t deny it.

"Look at it this way," Silver Edge said, a more chipper tone coming into his usually gruff voice. "Thousands of ponies have done this before us, so why can't we?"

It was such a simple thought, but it still did something to put Shining in a better spirit. Quick Fix fell into a similar uplifting feeling. "I guess you're right," Shining said as he tried to fend off the friendly smile Silver was giving him, but ended up catching his mood.

"Watch. If this is like what my dad went through, one day we'll look back on this and laugh."

"Can that day come soon?" Quick Fix asked, making the others laugh at their own various volumes. “I’m not kidding.”

“Still got about three months left, but hey, you’ve got Silver to help you out, right?” Quick Fix flashed Silver Edge a look and saw his friendly smile that he took as a sign he really would help him out if he was struggling. “You’ve also got me. If you’re stuck with Silver, you’re stuck with me as well, friend.”

Quick Fix’s ears perked up at the word he was just called. Shining could tell in his reaction he didn’t come into boot camp thinking he’d make friends. A little flicker went off in his purple eyes as he asked, “Friend?”

“Why not?” Pinpoint smiled widely at the little unicorn. “We’re all in the same ship, and you don’t look like a psychopath.” Before anyone could react to that, Pinpoint switched his glance to Shining and met him with big green eyes. “You in this boat too, Shining?”

Shining caught all three stallions’ looks and couldn’t help the warm feeling of acceptance that coursed through him. Arriving in Trottingham was new and slightly scary on its own. Going at it alone would’ve made boot camp the more scarier, and Shining immediately took comfort knowing others would at least be doing what he was doing. That was the furthest he went in his thinking. Now, here he was with three others willing and wanting to be around one another. “Count me in.”

Pinpoint continued smiling. Shining could see Silver eyeing his friend like a parent watching their child erupt into excitement. Quick Fix tried and failed to not catch the secondhand joy radiating off the large earth pony. “Well alright then. Right here, the Four Musketeers!”

“I thought there was only three?” Quick Fix asked after Pin’s sudden outburst.

“Yeah, but there’s four of us.”

“There actually is four,” Shining said. “It’s just that the fourth guy wasn’t in some of the other three’s adventures, but he was still their friend and considered the fourth musketeer. He was actually the one who came up with the whole ‘All for one and one for all’ thing. I used to work in a library shelving books.” He added the last part upon seeing his new friends’ looks of surprise.

“Well no wonder you’re all beat out. You’re a book worm.” Pinpoint was quickly met with a light punch from Silver Edge. “Hey, ow!”

Just as Silver Edge was about to say something, something like clanging iron cut all conversation in the mess hall to complete silence. One of the drill sergeants, Ironclad, a lime-green earth pony in gold-plated armor, took each step with a loud *CLANG. Each step seemed to get louder, but it might have just been from the now silent hall.

“Good to see everypony’s up, not like you had a choice.” He wasn’t yelling, a welcome surprise by now for everyone, but he was naturally loud enough to command attention. “Just your ten minute warning, ponies, and if I were you, I’d eat up. The other drill sergeants and I are cranking it up a notch!” In that instant, a part of Shining died at those words. Quick Fix had a similar sentiment as well. “So be ready! That is all!”

“Drill sergeant, yes, drill sergeant!” everypony recited before Ironclad took his seat and going back to their breakfast.

Quick Fix gave an anxious moan before slowly laying his head on the table. “I’m gonna die here.”

“No you won’t,” Pinpoint argued as he took a bite of his food.

Quick Fix either didn’t have the energy to argue, or dropped the topic altogether because he took Pinpoint’s lead and started eating. Shining and Silver Edge followed suit. By the time they finished their meals and put away their trays, morning training was about to begin.

“Ready, buddy?” Pinpoint asked Shining as they started to file out of the hall.

He wasn’t. His limbs were still telling him they were ten push-ups away from falling off, but he didn’t have a choice. He took a breath and exhaled. Just doing that gave him helped him relax and even gave him a little push. He recalled those times he saw that stallion in the mirror. The one so much like him in gold-plated armor. This was just one more day in his road to become that stallion. “Let’s do this.”

***************

“You’re really happy right now, aren't ya?”

“I am rather content, Stardust, yes.” Blueblood couldn’t stop smiling as he, Cadance, and Stardust trotted out of the bowling alley. After seeing how much better he was with the bumper lanes up, Blueblood insisted on staying for a few more games. His insistence resulted in hours of crashing pins, victory dances, and more than a couple rounds of trash-talk that grew between him and Stardust when they got into the competing spirit. “We really burned the day away, haven’t we?”

The two mares look up to see the many shades of red, orange, and yellow that burned in Celestia’s evening sky. “You got work tomorrow, Stardust?” Cadance asked the blue unicorn.

“Just the night shift. We can stay out if ya guys want.”

“Or,” Blueblood started to suggest, “the three of us could go back to the castle for dinner. Stardust, delicious as that pizza was, you must try the food at the palace. The chefs are superb, most of the time, and I can assure you that you will love it.”

Cadance was sure Blueblood’s offer was half of a way to get back in his comfort zone, but she stayed quiet when she saw Stardust actually ponder the idea.

“Wow. Dinner at the castle, huh?” Stardust arched an eyebrow as she looked at Cadance. “How come we’ve never done that before, Cady?” she asked in a way Cadance recognized as her being playful.

Despite this, Cadance still found herself mentally slapping herself. How she never thought of inviting her only friend, outside Twilight, Shining, and her cousin, inside the castle was a blunder she knew had to be corrected as quickly as possible. “Completely slipped my mind?” she answered with a weary smile.

“Cady, I’m teasin’.”

“I know.” Her ears were still folded back as she said that.

“Dinner it is,” Blueblood announced as he stepped up his pace.

By the time they reached the castle, Celestia’s night was just about ready to take over her evening skyline. Blueblood told the first servant he saw to tell the kitchen staff to start up dinner. Stardust stepped into the castle not as awestruck and more contained than Blueblood was hoping. “Wow,” she said with a simple gasp. “Big place.”

“Well, it is only the place where the ruler of Equestria and her family resides.” Blueblood continued to lead the two down to the main dining room. They turned a corner and stopped when a certain alicorn met their eyes. “Auntie!” Blueblood greeted his aunt with a smile.

Celestia strode to the three ponies, matching Blueblood’s grin. “Blueblood, Cadance, it’s nice to see you two home safe. And who is your guest?” She gestured to Stardust, who was on the floor in a low bow. She came back up after Cadance gave her a tap on her shoulder.

“Aunt Celestia, I think you know Stardust,” Cadance said.

“I know of you, but I do not believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the mare who’s become quite close friends with my niece.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, your majesty,” Stardust replied as she gave another bow.

Celestia gave a soft chuckle. “And I see you’re starting to recruit my nephew into your circle of friends as well.” Her look momentarily traveled to Blueblood, who was hoping this wouldn’t turn into something about him. “It’s about time he made a friend.”

Blueblood’s ears fell flat and his face scrunched into a frown. “How does me wanting to say ‘Hello’ turn into something about me needing friends?”

“My hello’s can turn into many things, Blueblood,” Celestia said, keeping her tender smile in a perfect curve. “So do you three have plans for the evening.”

“Blueblood here,” Candace said, looking in her cousin’s direction, “actually suggested the three of us have dinner in the castle.”

“That sounds like a marvelous idea.”

“Do you wanna join us, Aunt Celestia?”

Celestia nodded her head. "I have a few things to take care of regarding Twilight's studies. I'm showing her a few new spells tomorrow, and I need to gather the right materials. Maybe some other time.” She stopped when she got a hint of something in the air. She closed her eyes and sniffed. A dream-filled look formed on her face just as the three ponies in front of her started to sniff the air. “Whatever they’re cooking smells delicious. Well, I hope you three enjoy.” Celestia strode past them as her niece and nephew said their goodbyes.

Stardust stood still for a few seconds as the last few moments replayed in her head until the solar princess was out of earshot. “Wait, did you guys just get me a future dinner with Princess Celestia?”

“Huh. I guess we did,” Cadance answered as they started walking. “What’s that look you got?” she asked more uneasily when her friend started to slowly smile.

“Oh, just the face of a mare who just realized she’s got connections.”

They reached the dining hall and were instantly greeted by three servants who showed them to their chairs. Cadance and Stardust were seated next to each other while Blueblood sat across from the two mares. The servants laid out a few crystal glasses and poured some water before disappearing into another room. From how the delectable aroma wafted into the room, they guessed the food was not that far from being done.

“So, Blueblood,” Stardust began, looking right at the prince with one of her smirks. “Accordin’ to your aunt, apparently you’re part of my circle.”

Blueblood groaned. “Just ignore her.”

The girls couldn’t stop their snickers even if they wanted to. “Ah, c’mon, Blueblood, can ya really say ya didn’t have fun?”

“I suppose today was a… nice change of pace,” he said after some hesitation.

“How did Cady get ya to come out wit us anyway?”

Blueblood eyed his cousin who wasn’t even attempting to hide the pleasure she found in his annoyance. “I bet she would love to tell you more than I would.”

Cadance jumped at the chance and dove right into how she managed to lure the introverted prince out of the castle. Stardust listened and reacted in all the ways Blueblood figured she would: with laughter.

“Nice one, Cady.”

Blueblood sat there with a blank stare, waiting for them to finish. “So is this what friends do? Laugh at each other a whole lot at their expense.”

“Eh, wit me anyway.”

“Blunt. Somehow, I respect that.” Blueblood flashed Stardust a smile before he took a sip from his glass.

“Friend, huh, Blueblood?” Cadance asked him with an inquisitive look once he set his glass down. Stardust was looking at him now, and it took the prince by surprise when he realized what he had said.

“Like I said,” he said after clearing his throat, “today was a nice change of pace, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t want it to happen again. So, I guess what I am trying to say is, I would very much like it if the three of us could maybe start doing more things together.”

“So ya wanna hang out again?” Stardust asked, eyebrow raised and her smirk still present.

Friends were something new to Blueblood, and the moment Stardust asked him that question, the fact that she wasn’t a royal or of any high mark on the social chain, while still lingering in the back of his mind, didn’t really bother him. “If we could find a day appropriate for everyone.”

“Sure! I just gotta find out when I’m off this week.”

“Well, alright then. Anything in particular you two want to do?”

With her head leaned against her hoof, Stardust dug through her mind for ideas. She came back up like and spring and asked Cadance, “Has he seen anything from my ‘Collection’?”

In no more than a second did Cadance catch onto her friend’s codeword and let eagerness take over in a scheming grin. “No, but he needs to and is going to.”

“I’m going to what?” Blueblood asked, his voice giving the slightest of shakes.

“Movie night,” Cadance answered. “You need to see these.”

“Believe me, Blueblood. I’m bein’ a good friend by makin’ ya watch these.”

Blueblood didn’t exactly know how to take Stardust’s last comment, but based on the increasingly creepy stares the mares were giving him, he guessed he was in for a few good movies. “Okay, then. Can you please stop smiling like that.”

They laughed and settled back to taking some sips from their glasses. After a few more minutes of small talk, the doors burst open to let in a line of servants carrying covered plates in their magic or on their backs. Dinner was served and more water was poured before the servants filed out of the room after Cadance, Stardust, and Blueblood gave them their thanks. Dinner was an expertly-balanced cooked-vegetable pasta topped with herbs and melted cheese. It’s taste matched the alluring aroma when they were walking through the castle. Stardust found herself taking faster bites than she usually did. “Oh my gosh, this is amazin’!” The specs of cheese and basil on her face were some assurance to the delight she had of the meal.

“I can ask the chefs for seconds, you know,” Blueblood said, wiping his hooves on his silverware napkin.

Stardust made sure to at least swallow and wipe her face first. “I dunno. Is it too much trouble?”

“None at all, madame.” As if they had been listening the whole time through who-knew-what, a few servants strode into the dining room, refilled their glasses again, and strode back out into the kitchen. They returned with another plate of pasta that Stardust eyed with deep desire. Before they left, Blueblood pulled one of the servants aside and whispered something into his ear. The servant nodded and made a poised stride out of the room with his fellow workers.

“What was that about?” Cadance asked.

“You’ll see,” Blueblood assured, finally able to enjoy having some element of surprise on them for once in the day. The servant he sent out returned a few minutes later with an envelope in his magic. He floated the letter to Blueblood, who took it in his own magical hold. The servant gave a quick bow before he rushed out of the room.

“What’s that?” Stardust asked once the door closed.

“Oh, just a little invite,” Blueblood answered, “for you.” He guided the envelope to her space where she took it in her green aura and could see the curious look that took over. “I don’t think you know, but I’m having quite a bit of a bash in a few weeks here at the castle for my birthday.”

“Really?” Stardust opened the envelope to see a very detailed invite with a collage of pictures of Blueblood inside. “Uh, nice invite.”

“Isn’t it? So, would you like to come?”

“Yeah.”

Despite the short answer, Blueblood felt a warmth like the pasta surge through him in that moment. It made him wonder if maybe he should’ve seeked other company earlier on in his life. The three of them returned to their dinners and Stardust mustered enough willpower to match the slower paces of her friends. By the time Stardust had to take her leave, Celestia had raised the moon and her night sky glittered with stars.

“I’ll come by and tell ya when I’m off,” she told the royal ponies at the door.

Cadance and Blueblood waved her off and waited until she was through the gates to go back inside their home. “That was really nice of you, Blueblood,” Cadance said as she closed the door.

“You make me out to be like I can never be nice.” He was smiling with one eyebrow arched, so Cadance decided to play along.

“I know you can be... when I’m around.”

He stayed quiet, unable to think of a comeback. “You win this one.”

“Like this morning?”

“Why do you feel the need to do that?”

She giggled while he accepted defeat and followed her up the stairs to their rooms. “Seriously though, thanks for doing this, Blueblood.”

“Well, it was our deal.”

“Yeah, but you did more than just head into town with us. You actually warmed up Stardust.”

“What can I say?” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “You trust her, she was friendly, when not teasing me, and she really does have a way of making a pony like her, doesn’t she? Not that way!” Blueblood added quickly when he saw Cadance eyeing him. “Too loud for me.”

“Pfft,” Cadance snorted. “Yeah, yeah, you like the girly girls.”

“ I prefer the terms demure and lady-like.”

“Whatever.”

“By the way, Cadance, did you suggest your movie night idea be here for me?”

Rather than answer at first, Cadance smiled one of those “I know something that you don’t” kind of smiles before giving a high-pitched, “Mayyyyybe.”

Blueblood chuckled. “Well, I appreciate it.”

“Welcome, Blueblood. Just my way of saying thanks.” Cadance had to remind herself to thank Stardust as well for being so open to Blueblood. Today had been more than just a ploy to finally pry Blueblood out of the castle. Cadance remembered how she felt when she began to experience new things outside the castle, and she wanted Blueblood to share her experience. She hoped today would’ve at least shown Blueblood some of the things he was missing out on being cooped up, but she didn’t fully expect him to be so open to somepony like Stardust,, let alone make friends with her. Now with his newfound friendship, she was more sure that he would be experiencing more new things outside the castle.

She still couldn’t get over him spontaneously inviting Stardust to his party. Cadance remembered that he wanted this party to be huge and well known: his big splash into the Canterlot social scene. She just didn’t exactly know who the social scene was. “Hey, Blueblood? Your party, who else did you invite?”

“Oh, that. Well ,since this is going to be the talk of the town, I really just used the list of ponies that usually get a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala, as well as some other major charity organizers that have good graces with Aunt Celestia, and other business ponies, you know, really important ponies in Canterlot.”

In other words, a lot of strangers, but then again, that really was most of the ponies invited to the Grand Galloping Gala and other major parties held at the castle. Cadance figured she would at least have Blueblood and Stardust there to keep her sane. “Okay, Blueblood.” They reached the floor to their rooms and told each other goodnight before walking off to their rooms. Cadance quickly undid her hair once she reached the doors to her room and fell onto her plush bed before slipping under the covers. Today had been a good day, and before any more thoughts got to her about Blueblood’s party, Shining’s awaiting letter, or anything else in her life, she closed her eyes and drifted off.

***************

The next morning followed just about any other for Cadance, but with a new task added the routine. Once everything else was done, she trotted to the hallway with the mail cubbies. She did the math and thought Shining’s first letter should’ve arrived by now, but there was still some anxiety present as she rounded the corner. Anxiety quickly turned to surprise when she saw Blueblood standing by the cubbies. He was smiling wide and his horn was glowing. Before she had a chance to ask, he pulled something out of the cubbies and said, “I believe this is for you.”

She took hold of the letter and brought it closer. Already, she knew what it was even before she read who it was from and tore it open.

“Hey, Cadance…”

***************

“You are cordially invited to celebrate Prince Blueblood’s birthday at Canterlot Castle on…”

Jet Set’s eyes nearly bulged through his glasses as he read the finely printed invite. Suddenly, all the other mail that sat in a pile on his dining table meant nothing as he got up and started to walk towards his bedroom. “Upper Crust, dear, you will not guess what came in the mail today.”

Movie Night

Exactly what he was in for today was still shrouded in mystery for Blueblood. The movie night Stardust and Cadance basically trapped him into had finally rolled around, and he was curious as to the movies he, “needed to see”, as they had put it. The prince had just finished another walk around the gardens and decided to make a stop by the mail cubbies. In one of them, he saw another letter he knew a certain cousin of his couldn’t wait to open. He figured since he was already there and on his way to his room, he might as well bring it up with him and give it to Cadance on his way up. He took the letter in his magic and started towards the grand staircase in the foyer. Before he took the first step up, he heard the start of a series of loud knocks.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

“Cady or Blueblood?”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Cady or Blueblood?”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Cady or Blueblood?”

Blueblood walked over to the doors and slowly threw them open. On the other side, Stardust stood with a large, bulking saddlebag tossed over her back. “You know, Cadance once told me how you and Shining Armor would knock like that, but I honestly didn’t believe her.”

Letting a small chuckle escape her, Stardust stepped through the doorway. “Ya should try it out. It’s kinda funny seein’ how other ponies react to it.”

“Come right in.” The already-accepted invite went unnoticed by Stardust as Blueblood closed the door behind him. “So, what brings you here so early? I thought you wouldn’t be here until late.”

“I was, but Cady invited me to go shoppin’ around wit her before our movie night. What’s that?” she asked when she caught sight of the letter still floating in Blueblood’s magic.

“Oh, just Shining Armor’s latest arrival,” Blueblood said with a grin as he dangled the letter around in his magic. “He really is a stallion of his word. These have been coming in every day save for Sunday.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. Cady’s got him wrapped ‘round her hoof good. You should’ve seen the things he did just to get her attention before they started goin’ out.”

Now he was curious. “Such as?”

Stardust reminisced the earlier stages of Shining and Cadance’s relationship and everything before that as her and Blueblood ascended the stairway to Cadance’s room. Blueblood listened with more than willing ears as he found out more about the stallion that had basically captured his cousin’s heart. He hadn’t realized all the things Shining had actually done for Cadance, and hearing it all from another pony made him respect the stallion all the more. He made a mental note to get to know Shining better when he got back.

“Oh, and I gotta tell ya ‘bout this book he bought one time,” Stardust continued on, recounting the time Shining had bought A Colt’s Guide to Dating a Mare That’s Out of Your League.

“You’re kidding,” Blueblood said, on the verge of hysterics upon hearing the title of the book.

Stardust was already cackling away. “No, really. He kept readin’ into it even after two months in!”

Wrapped around her hoof had to be an understatement, but Blueblood knew Shining had an influence on Cadance as well. “Well you weren’t there when she spent six hours trying to find the perfect dress for their first date.”

Sympathy from her came in the form of a nudge to his shoulder and a simple, “That must’ve sucked.”

“It did.” Still, Blueblood remembered the state Cadance had come back in from that first date. That was just one of the nights where she had come home happier than when she left. “They really make the whole relationship thing look like a dream don’t they?”

“Almost makes me want to get back out there, honestly.”

“Almost?”

Stardust waved a dismissive hoof. “Eh, got bigger things on my plate right now. What about ya? Eva had anypony special?” When he didn’t answer, she got her answer. “Ya know it’s fine if ya haven’t.”

He dragged out a sigh as his ears lowered. “It would’ve been nice to at least have some experience by now.”

“Eh, it’ll come. Heck, you’re a prince of Equestria. Odds are there are some mares out there that want a piece of ya.”

Hearing her say it like that, it did wonders for Blueblood’s ego in that moment. He let his imagination run wild thinking of hundreds of beautiful mares that would kill for a chance with the prince of the land. “You’re probably right, Stardust.”

“Real humble, but hey, if ya need help puttin’ yourself out there, I’m pretty sure me and Cady can help ya out.”

He looked at her as they kept walking. “You’d do that for me?”

“Sure. We’re friends remember?”

As if he could forget. When Stardust so openly and quickly accepted him as a friend, he took it as something unreal and strange. Outside of Celestia and Cadance, nopony really reached out to him like that, and it made a potential friendship with somepony like her all the more desirable. Truth be told, he was looking forward to movie night more than Cadance and Stardust probably were. He may not know what he was being dragged into, but he was full of anticipation. They reached Cadance’s door, and just as Blueblood was about to raise his hoof to knock, he caught Stardust’s eyes darting back and forth from him to the door. It took him a moment to pick up on her hint until he remembered the suggestion she made just minutes ago. He shared her smile as he lifted his hoof once again.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

“Cadance?”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Cadance?”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Cadance?”

Seconds later, Cadance emerged from the door. Most of her mane was tied back in a ponytail while the front was styled so that her bangs swerved to the side, and she was immediately taken aback when she saw Blueblood on the other side of the door, hoof still raised from his knocking. “Not you too,” was her first response.

Seeing the rise he got out of her made Blueblood turn to Stardust. “You were right. That was fun,” he said before the two unicorns burst into little fits of laughter. “Anywho,” he started to say when he settled down, “I just wanted to bring you today’s little message.” The letter still hovering in his magic was quickly snatched out of his hold.

Cadance ripped open the letter and got to reading. Blueblood and Stardust watched on as Cadance’s expression shifted from eagerness to a quiet joy that got them to smile with her. When she finished reading, she clutched the letter to her chest and let out a dreamy sigh mixed in with a small chuckle.

“I see ya got a little collection buildin’ up.” Stardust was pointing behind the alicorn to the bed.

Cadance turned and saw what caught Stardust’s attention. On her bed sat a stack of opened letters she received from Shining within the last several days. She blushed a little and remembered the jist of just about every letter that sat on her bed. “Yeah, I do.” Before she knew it, she zoned off, unaware of Stardust’s waving hoof in her face attempting to recapture her attention. Shining really did have a hold on her as well. Cadance snapped back to attention and remembered why the blue mare was here in the first place. “Sorry, ugh, ready to head out?”

“Yeah.” Stardust’s horn glowed around her saddlebags and she heaved them off her back. “Mind if I leave these in your room?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

As Stardust dragged her bags to the bed, Blueblood couldn’t help but take a curious glimpse at what was in her bags that made it bulge out like it did. “What do you have in there, Stardust?”

Her grin instantly appeared. She dug through her bags and pulled out multiple film reels with her magic. “Just a few options for tonight.”

Blueblood took a closer look at the reels being shoved in his face and read out some of the descriptions written on the back. “Young mare encounters a beast in an enchanted castle… young lion destined to become king… merpony princess dreams of the land… streetrat that finds a magic lamp?” He looked up at her, an eyebrow raised in a questioning stare. “Aren’t these movies for little foals?”

“Eh, some might say.” She began to repack her bag. “But before ya know it, you’ll know every character, every song, be singin’ along at the weirdest of times, and be comparin’’ villains.”

“Musical movies?” There was a dryness in his tone Stardust quickly countered.

“Don’t knock it till ya try it.”

He wanted to. He really wanted to knock it, but if these were movies that he “has to see”, he was glad he wouldn’t be alone for the ride. “If you say so.”

The reels flew back in her bag and she followed Cadance out of the room. “We’ll be back,” Cadance told her cousin when they were at the front doors.

Blueblood waved them off and watched them pass through the gates before closing the door behind him. In the large silence that gripped the castle foyer, Blueblood inhaled and breathed out. He had some preparations to make, but first, he had some questions that needed to be answered. He approached the first servant he laid his eyes on.

“Your majesty,” the servant pony, Chrome Finish, a middle-aged looking pale silver unicorn stallion with a greying mane, gave a gracious bow before he asked if there was anything Blueblood needed.

“Yes, in fact. I have a few questions regarding something that will be happening here tonight.”

The servant pony stood alert, ready to hear the prince with attentive ears. “Yes, your majesty. Is this about yours and Princess Cadance’s plans with your friend for the evening.”

Blueblood nodded.

“How may I be of service?”

Only when the words played out in his mind did Blueblood hesitate on asking, but he needed to know for what he secretly hoped would be a next time. “How does one go about setting up for friends coming over?”

***************

Like a lot of their days in the city together, Cadance and Stardust went just about anywhere and everywhere. Hours flew by, and by the time they knew it, it was almost time for them to head back to the castle. Their last excursion for the day before they would start the trek back to the castle was Stardust’s idea; dress shopping at a nearby boutique. Seeing Blueblood again reminded the unicorn about the invitation to his party she received the last time they were together. Sensing the formal tone the party would probably have, she figured her and Cadance could knock out finding something to wear ahead of time. One look at the price tags on most of the dresses in the shop, however, made Stardust realize she could only browse.

“Dang, I could've rock it in this one.” Stardust stood in front of the main set of mirrors in the changing area the two were using while Cadance occupied one of the changing stalls nearby.

“Lemme see it,” the princess called from behind the stall door. The door opened and Cadance stepped out in her own try-on dress; a one-shoulder floor-length red gown with a large artificial rose placed in the middle of the strap. One look at her friend standing in front of the mirrors made Cadance stop in her tracks. “Wow, Stardust. Just… wow!”

“There’s a mirror right there, I know how I look,” Stardust readily remarked with a smirk before turning back to face her reflection that showed the mare in a snug white dress that hugged all the right places in all the right ways for her trim body. The collar covered her neck and was done in a magnificent deep blue, and the same color filled the few arching patterns along the dress. She was dressed to kill, and the looks she flashed in the mirror showed a dangerously-classy mare with gaze-drawing emerald eyes that could bring a stallion, and even some mares, to their knees.

“What do you mean could’ve? You look great! You said it yourself.” Cadance was still circling Stardust, almost like a mother eyeing her daughter in her future wedding dress. “What’s wrong with it?”

Reflexively, Stardust reached inside the collar and pulled out the tag for Cadance to see. “The stupid gorgeous thing’s more than four paychecks.” She shoved the tag back into the collar. “But forget that, look at ya!”

Cadance faced the mirror and couldn’t believe why she hadn’t given red a shot before. The richness of the color was like a red carpet, and it held all the majesty of one. While it was one solid color, there was nothing boring about it, and when she gave a twirl, specks of glitter shimmered along the end of the dress as well as the small traces throughout the rest of the gown.

“You’re gonna be turnin’ heads for sure, Cady. Seriously, ya probably gonna attract a few ponies.”

“Then I’ll just tell them I’ve got a handsome stallion I’m waiting on,” Cadance said before giving one more look at herself in the mirror. “Guess this is the one then. I’m gonna get unchanged.”

“Me too.”

The two of them went into their stalls and were careful in getting out of their dresses. Cadance was the first to get hers back on the hanger and over the stall door. “Great idea, by the way, Stardust.”

There were a few grunts before Stardust answered. “Thanks. Still wish I found somethin’ in my price range.”

“Was it really that much?”

“It was basically almost as much as I’ve got saved up for the move.”

Cadance drew a breath through her teeth. “Ah.”

“Yeah.”

“Speaking of which, how long do you think you have left until you can move out?” She heard ruffling in Stardust’s stall before a long exhale. She assumed she got the dress off.

“Finally! Ugh, soon actually. I’m gonna go apply for a lease later. One more paycheck, and I’ll have enough for at least the first several months.” Stardust flung the dress over the door with its hanger in place. “It really was a nice dress,”she sighed.

“We could go somewhere else another day,” Cadance suggested as she started to push the stall door into the dressing room.

“Nah. I think I’m just gonna raid my closet for somethin’.”

Upon hearing those words, Cadance locked her eyes on Stardust’s hanging dress from her peripheral vision in the stall. That thing was getting out of the store one way or another. “No you won’t.”

As Stardust was starting to push the door open, she saw fleeting blurs of the dress she had tried followed by the sound of frantic hoofsteps. She stepped into the room and saw Cadance in a full sprint to the register with both dresses held in her magic. “What are you doing?” she asked when she reached her friend, but was answered when a bag of bits hit the counter like plates hitting the ground. “Nooooo, no, no, no, no, no, ya not doin’ that.”

“Yes I am,” Cadance answered as the clerk began to slip plastic over the two dresses.

Stardust rushed to the clerk behind the counter. “Put it back.”

“Don’t listen to her.”

The clerk started to look back and forth between the two mares as he stopped covering the dresses midway. “Should I pull back the—”

“Take my bits,” Cadance said as she pushed the bulky bag further onto the counter.

“Don’t take her bits.” Stardust gave Cadance a frustrated look and pointed at the blue and white dress halfway covered in plastic. “Just please put this one back.”

The poor clerk was stuck for a moment. He uttered something unintelligible as his eyes once again went back and forth from Cadance to Stardust. The intensity of their stares didn’t help ease the pony’s nerves. After a few moments, he slowly turned to Stardust. “I’m sorry, m’am, but,” he gave a sideways glance in Cadance’s direction, “I’m going to have to go with the princess ordering me to take her money.” He smiled weakly as Stardust’s look creeped to meet Cadance’s victorious grin. “I’ll just get these slipped on.” Both dresses were slipped with plastic. “And I’ll get you your change, your majesty.”

The clerk busied himself counting out Cadance’s change and did his best to avoid eye contact with Stardust as she stepped closer to Cadance with a dumbfounded look. “Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted to.”

“I can’t pay ya back, ya know.”

“You don’t have to.”

Cadance’s change was returned to her in a little bag and she took her purchase in her magic. The two headed out, and the clerk could still hear Stardust resume the argument even as he called out, “Have a nice day, ladies.”

“We’re takin’ it back tomorrow,” was the first thing out of Stardust’s mouth when they left the shop.

“No we’re not.” Cadance continued to walk, her victory-grin still present on her face. She admitted to herself that seeing Stardust in a frenzy like that was the reason she let the unicorn continue to argue. It wasn’t until a few more protests that she halted her steps.

“Cady! Ya didn’t have to do that.”

“But I wanted to.” From her magic, Cadance grabbed Stardust’s dress and offered it to her. “Think of it as an early birthday present.”

Seeing the white and blue beauty hanging in front of her face blocked all retorts Stardust could’ve sputtered out. She saw herself in it, loved the way she looked in it, and were it not for the price, she would’ve been the one sprinting to the register. It called to her, beckoned her to just stop arguing and take Candance’s offer.

“Take me, please. You look so pretty in me.”

“Cady!”

Cadance burst into laughter as she dropped the high-pitched voice she put on and stopped bouncing the dress in the air. “Just take it.”

“That’s still the priciest gift anypony’s ever gotten me.”

“I’m a princess of Equestria. Money’s not an issue.”

“It’s still a lot for a gift.”

“Then think of it as an early birthday gift and a thank you gift.”

“A thank you gift for what?”

“I don’t know, ugh, how about for helping me with Blueblood.”

She was taken aback by that and had to pause before she continued. “What do ya mean?”

Cadance threw her head back as she mulled over her answer. “I have wanted to get the guy to go out for Auntie knows how long, and when I did, you basically welcomed him like the two of you were already friends for years. You even helped him at bowling when you didn’t even need to.”

“All I did was put the lanes up.”

Cadance nodded her head. “You still didn’t need to. In just one outing, he invited you to dinner and to his party. Moreover, because of you, he finally has a friend.”

The words hit Stardust harder than she thought. To her, she was just being her usual self, yet Cadance thought much more of it. Had she really had an impact on Blueblood already? The white and blue gift hanging in Cadance’s magic was telling her she did. “I don’t know, Cady. It still seems like a lot.”

At this point, Cadance was trying very hard not to show her irritation in Stardust’s stubbornness. “Okay,” she dragged as she tried to think of something. A few taps of her hoof, she had something. “If you really feel the need to pay me back, you can do it by taking this dress, and find yourself a colt at the party.” Seeing the look Stardust had after she said that was definitely a moment Cadance would remember.

“What!?”

“Wear this dress at the party, and find yourself a date. It doesn’t need to turn out serious, he doesn’t need to be ‘The One’, but please, at least let me see you get back out there and get one date. You know you can.”

She knew she could. Stardust wasn’t going to deny it. She juggled the deal Cadance had proposed in her head. Stardust still felt it was too little to ask for a gift like what she was being offered, and the dress-dangling Cadance started doing wasn’t helping her willpower. Cadance watched Stardust’s battle of self restraint and desire. She wouldn’t back down, but Stardust was starting to. She threw in a few more shakes of the dress, and it was like a bug being drawn to a zapper. And just like that bug in the zapper, Stardust gave in to that beautiful item. “Alright!” The deal was struck, and the aura around the dress quickly changed from light-blue to green when Stardust snatched it out of Cadance’s hold. “What’s so funny?” she asked when Cadance started to chuckle.

“It’s just that, it’s usually the other way around. You usually wear me or Shining down for something.”

“Shiny’s managed to wear me down for a few things. I think this is your first time though.” Stardust’s look went distant before returning to Cadance. “Oh my gosh, the torch has been passed.”

“I’ve got a good teacher.”

The two laughed and Stardust began to wonder if her teachings helped Cadance coerce Blueblood out of the castle in the first place. When she thought of the prince, her mind went back to one of the reasons she was carrying her new dress. All this just for getting him out of his shell for one day. She figured Cadance must have been desperate. “He must be lookin’ forward to tonight.”

“More than he leads on.”

“Welp,” Stardust laid the plastic cover over her back, “better not keep him waitin’.” Cadance settled her own dress on her back, but right as she was about to step forward, Stardust lifted her hoof. “First, help me out wit somethin’.”

“Okay, what.”

“Well, Shiny’s ‘Shiny’, and you’re ‘Cady’. What the hay am I supposed to call Blueblood?”

***************

Blueblood wasn’t exactly sure if he was doing everything right. With help from Chrome Finish, he got other members of the castle staff to ready the castle for the night. The castle was clean enough for newborn foals to drink water off the floors, the projector and screen were set up in the viewing room, and as Blueblood paced around the room, servants were setting up cushions and pillows on the large velvet couch and placing various snacks and drinks on the table in front. “Are you sure this is everything I need?” he asked Chrome.

“I believe this will be more than enough, your majesty,” he answered just as the other servants brushed past him and out of the room to resume the rest of their work. “Oh, and I had Ms. Stardust’s bag moved into the room,” he said, pointing at one of the foots of the couch where Stardust’s bag of film reels sat.

Blueblood thanked the stallion even as he continued to pace the floor. Anticipation had been building for the prince in the last few hours; anticipation and a little nervousness. He hated admitting it to himself that this was the very first time he’d be hanging out with a friend in his own home, but the fact remained, and he was doing whatever he could to make sure there were future hangouts. “They should be here soon,” Blueblood said after looking out the window to see his Aunt’s sun starting to set.

Chrome approached to the prince when he saw Blueblood’s hoof quickly tapping the floor. “My prince, you really should not worry. I’m sure tonight will go on without a hitch.”

“I know, it’s just that… I’m just new to this whole friend thing, so…”

Chrome smiled at Blueblood and his aged eyes lidded halfway in a wise gaze. Somehow, that one look got Blueblood to calm down and stop tapping. “It’s nice to see you trying to make bonds. Just relax and remember they want to be with you, and you’ll have your cousin there to help you.”

Put that way, Blueblood couldn’t help feeling a little silly for his nervousness. He thanked Chrome for the kind words and smiled right before both ponies heard the front doors creak open. “That’s them.”

Chrome left the room while Blueblood waited by the door. Friendly smiles greeted him when the two ponies rounded the corner. “I’m guessing your shopping day went well,” he said when he saw their purchases laying across their backs.

“Sure was,” Cadance said as she and Stardust lifted their dresses with their magic.

“Just set those in the room, and take them up later,” Blueblood offered, gesturing to the room. He lead the girls in and they set their things down. “I already had your bag brought down, Stardust.”

“Thanks, Blue. Dang, nice spread,” Stardust said as she plopped onto the couch and eyed the various snacks sitting on the table.

“Blue?” he turned and asked Cadance.

“Just be glad I talked her out of Bluey.”

Considering his only other nickname was from his aunt, he welcomed “Blue” with open arms. “So what are we watching first?” he asked when he and Cadance to their seats on Stardust’s sides.

She shrugged her shoulders and lighted her horn. “Don’t know.” Her bag floated over to her and Blueblood. She tilted it to his side. “What do ya wanna see first?”

The film reels came into his sight and he read them once again. “The lion one sounds interesting.”

Stardust shoved the other options back in her bag before she sprung out of the couch and over to the projector. “Good call, Blue. Trust me when I say you’ll love these.”

“If you say so.” He reached out for a bowl of popcorn as Stardust worked with the projector. She fiddled with her reel and the device, and once the reel started turning, she was back on the couch hungrily reaching for the popcorn. The three of them sat in patience as the picture on the screen counted down, and the movie began.

***************

Trottingham Base

***************

The good thing, Shining realized, about the nearly non-stop training and instructions that were drilled into his head was that it made time go by a lot faster than he anticipated. Shining looked back on the last week and a half as if it were a moment in time that flashed in his eyes and left as quickly as it came. The second week of training was just as rigorous, and he knew he owed much of his success to his newfound friends. Him, Silver Edge, Quick Fix, and Pinpoint did well in their promise to help one another out, and it showed, more so during the team-building aspects of their training. Just today, a large part of their training involved clearing an obstacle course as a team. By chance, the four of them were grouped together, and to their drill sergeant’s highly-masked delight, they cleared their challenge with flying colors as they worked with one another.

Despite their success, it still didn’t cushion how tired and drained Shining felt along with some of his friends and fellow cadets. The first thing he did when he trudged into the barracks with Pinpoint after his platoon’s daily meetup with their drill sergeant was faceplant onto the bottom bed of his bunk, not even caring half of his body was hanging off the side.

“Shining? You’re on my bed, dude.” Pinpoint had nudged at Shining’s collapsed form, but he didn’t budge.

“Just one minute, please?” Shining begged, his voice muffled through the covers. Shining heard Pinpoint breath a sigh before his retreating hoofsteps and other ponies’ steps coming and going around the barracks. Once he had decompressed, Shining rose off of Pinpoint’s bed. He heard ruffling in his uniform as he moved, and that’s when he remembered the surprise he got during mail call today. He reached into his uniform near his chest and pulled out a letter marked by red lipstick and Cadance’s hoofwriting. Already having opened it in an uncontained bit of excitement when he first got it, he read it over again and imagined her soft voice reading back the words to him. Sweet Celestia, he missed her. The original perfume scent on the letter had been masked by Shining’s own reek from the day’s training, and it reminded him he needed to shower. By now, he had less than an hour to do that, get ready for bed, write his daily letter Cadance, and at least get it in the inbox of the base’s post office, so he was quick to fold and place the letter on the top bunk and scurry into the showers.

Once he was clean, dry, and done with his nightly hygiene, he eagerly paced to his bunk. He received a surprise when he saw Pinpoint, Silver Edge, and Quick Fix all crammed into the narrow space between bunk beds and impishly eyeing Shining.

“Hi, guys?” Shining awkwardly asked, seeing no falter in their coy expressions.

“Hey, Shining,” Pinpoint playfully greeted back as he stepped aside to let Shining up to the bed. “Get anything good in the mail today?” Shining caught the hint and instantly knew where they were going with this. Pinpoint confirmed his hunch when he climbed the ladder and pointed a hoof right in Shining’s face. “When were you gonna tell us you’re dating a princess?”

Shock gripped Shining’s body. He turned back to his letter and saw it was lying open and not where he set it. “You read my letter?”

“Not me.” The vague answer made sense when Shining followed Pinpoint’s turning head that aimed at their guilty looking pegasus friend.

“I was flying over, and I guess I blew it off your bed,” Silver Edge started to explain. “I wasn’t trying to snoop, but it was open when I picked it up, and I saw her signature, and I couldn’t help myself. Sorry, Shining,” he said, gripping at the back of his neck with a hoof.

Shining sighed before accepting Silver’s apology. “It’s fine.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you were dating the Princess Cadance?!?” Pinpoint eagerly asked again, but keeping his voice low enough so others in the barracks didn’t hear.

“More importantly,” Quick Fix added in, matching Pinpoint’s volume, “how in Equestria did you get her?!?”

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shining knew he’d get questions like he was getting one day. He asks some of them to himself at times. “Never came up?” Shining answered Pinpoint with a shrug before turning to the shortest of the ponies, “I’m honestly still trying to figure that out, Quick.” Before his friends had another chance to ask questions, Shining lit up his horn and opened a drawer in the small stand in between Shining and Pinpoint’s bunk and their neighbors’. A quill and some paper floated out of the small space and right in front of Shining’s face as he prepared himself to write.

Pinpoint looked back and forth from the floating quill and paper to Cadance’s letter and thought back to all the nights he had followed Shining into the base’s post office to drop off his daily letters. He mentally and near-physically smacked himself for not asking who his letters were for. “So she’s the reason you dragged me to the post office every night.”

“Uh-Huh.” Shining smiled away as he continued to write his newest letter.

“Dude, we are not done. C’mon,” Pinpoint started to beg, nudging at Shining’s shoulder. “What’s it like dating a princess? When did it start?”

“How’d you guys meet?” Silver asked.

“How long have you guys been together?” Quick Fix asked, joining in on the pile on.

“Not all at once, guys!” Shining finally said before another round of inevitable questions sputtered off. Cadance being his first marefriend, Shining wasn’t entirely sure what should be on the table when talking about his relationship, but he had a hunch the three stallions in front him weren’t going to leave him alone without at least some questions answered, and he figured the more innocent questions were okay to answer. “Let me finish my letter first, then I’ll talk.”

They gave an all-at-once, “Deal!” before splitting off to do their own nightly routines and left Shining to his quill and paper. After minutes of struggling with an opener, he settled on one before scribbling away. Like in most of his letters, he gave her an overview of his day, expressed his excitement to see her again, wished her well, and asked her to check in on Twilight Velvet and the rest of his family. He had been writing home and receiving letters from his family as well, but only so much could be deciphered from “COME BACK HOME!” taking up ninety percent of the letter. He finished the letter off and prepared an envelope. When he closed the envelope and prepared to get off his bed, he was greeted with his friends all waiting in the isle, eagerly staring at him like hungry pigeons in a park waiting for more bread.

“Okay, what do you wanna hear first?”

Pinpoint, Silver Edge, and Quick Fix all looked at one another and nodded. “How’d you guys meet?” Quick Fix asked.

It was easy for Shining to recall almost every detail of that night he first saw his marefriend come over to meet his family and the filly she’d be foalsitting for. When asked how he was like when he first met her, Shining desperately wished he could’ve described himself as less of a muttering, sweating, wonderstruck idiot and more calm and cool than he really was. He was thankful that at least Silver and Quick were able to contain themselves.

“So how long has the stuttering goof and the princess been together?” Pinpoint asked once he recovered from his laughing fit.

“In my defense, I’ve gotten better,” Shining defended quickly, “and we’ve actually been together since a little after the Summer Sun Celebration.”

Silver Edge and Quick Fix were just as impressed as Pinpoint was when he looked back to see them nodding in approval at each other. “Back up first, how did your parents even get a princess as a their foal sitter?” Silver Edge asked.

“Princess Celestia is my sister’s magic teacher. When she heard that my parents needed a sitter, she volunteered Cadance for the job.”

“A princess foalsitting a filly learning magic?” Pinpoint pondered aloud. “Bet there’s some stories there.”

“It wasn’t as chaotic as you might think. Twilight’s got really good control of her magic. I think the biggest surprise Cadance faced was how many fires my baby brother could accidently start.”

The three stallions momentarily drew back in shock. “How does a foal start a fire?” Quick Fix asked.

Shining had to think about the question for a moment until he remembered he forgot one important detail. “Oh, right, that… ugh, my brother’s adopted… and a dragon.”

Silence held as the three ponies on the ground tried to process the, in truth, odd family life Shining just explained. Pinpoint was first to break the quiet. “Soooo, you’ve got a princess for a marefriend, a sister whose teacher is the main ruler of the land, and a dragon as a brother?” Shining slowly nodded. “Are you sure you’re not missing anything else?”

“Pretty sure.”

Pinpoint just held held his look. “Who are you?”

In the brief silence that followed, Shining started to wonder how he, out of all ponies, ended up with the connections he’s made and the life that played out the way it did. The magnitude of it all came crashing down. It started as just a snort, but then grew into full, uncontained laughter. “I have no idea,” he said with the biggest smile he could make while laughing. The others quickly matched his volume as they roared with their own voracious laughter. “My life is pretty strange, isn’t it?”

“It’s a good kind of strange,” Silver Edge added, taking breaths to steady his voice again.

“Hey, back to princess,” Quick Fix said, getting back to the topic at hoof. “You still haven’t told us how you managed to get a mare who is literally thousands’ of colts fantasy as your marefriend. What did you do?”

Shining recapped in his head and came to a wall. What exactly did he do? The first few months that he knew her involved him either sweating or stuttering, and somehow that transformed into their first date, their second date, their first kiss, and so many other little milestones in their relationship. One such milestone that came to mind was the night he told her about the elitists and how she said she wasn’t going anywhere. It was just one of the times he felt he was doing something right. Despite her princesshood, she wanted to stay with him. The floating feeling came back and he didn’t even realize he was smiling. Something like that made him really wonder how could make someone like her want to stay with him? “I don’t know,” he said with a light hearted chuckle.

When he thought a little harder, he remembered one important thing he knew Cadance loved about being with him. He was one of the few ponies Cadance knew that just treated her like a pony. With him, she wasn’t just Princess Cadance, niece of Celestia, and one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria. She was also Cadance, a mare who wanted to see new things beyond her life in her castle, a mare who found a love for donuts, a mare full of love and kindness, a mare willing to put her subjects first, even if it meant risking her own life, a mare that came out of her shell in part because of him. “All I really did was try to make her happy, and she tries to with me as well. Whenever we’re together, I just feel like smiling. We’re happier together than apart. She picks me up whenever I’m down. She’s helped me basically figure out what I want to do in life, and we’ve helped each other out in different ways. When we started dating, things just kept happening that led me to where I am now. I think our lives have gotten better since we met, and we’ve been doing it together.” Warmth filled his chest, and Shining could feel his cheeks burn just thinking of all the times Cadance was there for him. Every hug, every nuzzle, every kiss, every listening ear, every kind word was just another reminder of how much she cared for him, and how much he cared for her. “I’m the luckiest pony in Equestria to have met somepony like her.” When he came out of his daydream, he saw his friends looking like foals with a juicy secret. “What are you smiling about?”

Pinpoint climbed back up the bunk ladder so that Shining and him were eye level and started pointing at the unicorn. “You loooooove her.”

Shining’s grin and warmth in his heart only grew when he thought about those words and just how true they were. “Yeah, I do.”

“Have you told her that?” A distant look came over Shining and it gave Pinpoint all he needed. “You gonna add that to your letter?”

He considered it briefly, but Shining set himself on another idea. “Nah. If I’m gonna tell her something like that for the first time, I wanna say it face-to-face.”

“Good on you, dude,” Pinpoint said as he clasped his hoof on Shining’s shoulder and gave him a playful shake that may have been a little much for the unicorn. “So is she your first?”

“First what?”

“First love?”

“Yeah, she is. First love, first marefriend, first… everything really.” Shining marveled at all the firsts he had with Cadance. A light shade of red began to show easily in his white coat when he thought of a certain first. “She was even my first kiss.”

“What was it like?” Pinpoint quickly dropped the question when he felt Silver Edge’s hoof knock him on the side of his head. “Ow, Silver, what?!?”

“Intrusive, don’t you think, Pin?”

Pinpoint rolled his eyes in response to his friend’s honest question. “Like he was actually gonna say.” Pinpoint swiveled his head faster than Shining thought possible. “Were you?”

Shining slowly shook his head, pretty sure that was one of the things he shouldn’t be talking about with others. “Nooo.” Despite the strange question, Shining still found some humor in the way Pinpoint went at it. Having answered some of their questions, Shining’s own curiosity churned up some of his own. “Okay, my turn. You guys have anypony back home?”

The question halted the others for a second, and for some reason, everypony’s heads turned and looked down to Quick Fix. “Why me?” the unicorn asked loudly.

“Because if you do,” Pinpoint began, “I wanna know if it’s like two adorable dwarves side-by-side skipping along like their trotting on rainbows , or if you have to get on your back legs just to kiss.”

Quick Fix’s brow furrowed and his eyelids came halfway down in an unamused stare at the brown earth pony. He held that look for a few seconds before he simply turned and trotted out of the isle.

“Quick,” Pinpoint called to him, “c’mon, I’m sorry, it was just a joke.” He didn’t get an immediate response, but him, Shining, and Silver heard the open and close of a couple drawers a few bunks down. Quick Fix came back into the isle with two pictures hovering in his magic, one of which he gave to Silver Edge.

“Here, I got you yours,” he said the Silver right before fixing his eyes back on Pinpoint. “A, I’m not that short, and B,” he paused as he flipped the other picture in his magic to the picture side, “we’re the second thing you said.” Shining and the others looked at the photograph to see it was of Quick Fix and a tall pale white pegasus mare with a blended lime green and light yellow mane draped in a loose ponytail embracing each other in their forearms in what looked like a field of flowers. The mare towered over Quick Fix, and her head still rested atop his even as he stood on his hind legs. “Lily Seed,” Quick Fix said with a smile. “We’ve been friends since forever, and we’ve been dating about two years now.”

“Foalhood friend turned marefriend, huh?” Pinpoint added with a coy grin.

“Yeah. You’ve got somepony, Pinpoint?”

“Nah, not now anyway.”

“Have you ever had anyone?”

“More like a string of very pretty mares. I was a bit of a town heartbreaker back home.”

“Here we go,” Silver breathed as he rolled his eyes when Pinpoint’s grin gained some arrogance.

“C’mon, Silver, don’t be that way.” Pinpoint threw glances up at the bed where Shining still sat and back down at Quick Fix. “He won’t tell you, but back home, Silver was a bit of a stud. He’d walk, and he’d have eyes on him from a lot of mares.” Silver backed into the bed frame behind him and stood with a stoic stare at the brief description Pinpoint painted for him. “If he wanted, he could’ve had any one of them, and they would’ve fallen straight into his hooves,” Pinpoint continued on.

“Except for one major thing,” Silver added, extending his hoof with the picture Quick Fix grabbed for him.

Pinpoint took it to let Shining get a better look. His eyebrows rose fast at the pony nuzzling next to Silver Edge in the picture. “Yeah. He plays for another team.” A blizzard blue pegasus stallion was nuzzling the much brawnier and taller white stallion’s foreleg in the picture. Silver Edge had his neck craned down to rest atop the smaller pony’s darker blue mane. Both had their eyes closed, ears splayed down, and smiling like they were at total peace just sitting next to one another.

“His name’s Streamline,” Silver said, walking up to take his picture back. “We’ve been together for about a year and a half now.” He lit up when he took his picture back and saw the two smiling ponies in the picture and almost didn’t notice himself start mirror the exact expression he had in the picture just thinking of his coltfriend back home. “Hey, Shining. You got an extra sheet of paper and an envelope?”

“Do you have two?” Quick Fix asked.

Shining made haste and dug through his drawer in the isle with his magic and pulled out what the two ponies needed. As soon as they had what they needed, Quick Fix and Silver Edge raced to their bunks and got to writing. Pinpoint, still hanging onto the bunk ladder, gave Shining another pat on his shoulder. “You’re a good pony, Shining Armor.”

“I try,” Shining answered with a shrug.

“So who’s gonna tell them they only got,” he stopped and turned to alarm clock on the tiny stand, “five minutes to finish their letters and run all the way to the post office before Lights Out?” Shining’s eyes widened and went to the clock. One glance at the time and Pinpoint could’ve sworn he saw his friend’s pupils actually jut out of their irises. “Guess I will.”

Pinpoint trotted over to Silver Edge and Quick Fix’s bunk where Pinpoint told them of their time limit. Their quills moved faster than the earth pony thought was physically possible. They sealed and prepared their envelopes when they finished, and Shining came to the bunk with extra stamps in his magic. He slapped them on the corners of all of their envelopes before he sternly instructed, “Run!”. In mere seconds all four of them were out the door in a full sprint with Shining and Quick Fix holding the envelopes in their magic.

Pinpoint and Silver Edge were neck-and neck in their hastened pace through the base, and Shining managed to trail just by a few strides while Quick Fix brought up the rear a short distance behind. Celestia’s full moon and starlit night illuminated their path to the base’s post office as the ground trembled underneath their rapid collective steps. Their manes blew in and out of their faces at the speed they were going, and when the post office came into their sights, they focused on one single ingoing box right outside the building. Without warning, Pinpoint and Silver Edge picked up their speed, leaving the other two in their dust. When Shining and Quick could see again, Silver Edge was holding the ingoing mail slot open while Pinpoint kept rotating his forelimb and rapidly sputtering, “Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!” Shining skidded to a stop first and shoved his and Silver Edge’s letters inside seconds before Quick Fix stopped at the box and dropped his in. Silver let the slot drop shut, and the four of them were back in a sprint towards the barracks.

“We’re not gonna make it!” Quick Fix said in a panic when he started to fall behind the others again.

“Well, maybe you won’t,” Pinpoint replied, barely missing the mid-sprint punch Silver threw his way. “I’m kidding! Jeez! Just keep running, Quick!”

Run he did, but even at his fastest, Quick Fix was still lagging behind the others, and the barracks were still a ways away. The rest of the base, they observed, was desolate. It took them only a second to realize Lights Out must be closer than they at first guessed, and nopony wanted to be out past then and have their drill sergeant at their necks the moment he or she found out. “We’re dead! We’re dead! We’re dead!”

An idea came to Shining, and everything seemed to slow down. It was a stretch and he hoped to Celestia he was strong enough. “No we’re not.” He quickened his pace, surprising Silver and Pinpoint, but not as much as the light surrounding his horn. “Just keep running,” he said as the magic began to hum around his horn. Without so much as an explanation, Shining disappeared in a pop of magic.

Right at the entrance of the barracks, Shining flashed into the doorway. He stepped further out of the doorway and waited. While only less than a minute, it seemed like forever as each second injected more worry and agonizing fear into his body until he saw the others come into his view. He gave a frantic wave and they kept running. His horn glowed again, but this time, his magic engulfed the three ponies a distance away. As they continued to run, they felt themselves go faster and faster, with some of their steps not even connecting with the ground. It wasn’t until they looked at their hooves that they saw Shining was literally reeling them in with his magic. The doorway got closer and closer and they continued their frenzied steps. When they were close enough, Shining stopped his magical pull and let them whiz past him into the barracks. In a matter of seconds, and numerous loud and clumsy stumbles that attracted more attention than they wished, they were in their respective bunks. The four of them threw their covers over themselves just before a particular large pony stomped into the doorway with a, by now, familiar iron *CLANG!

“LIGHTS OUT, MAGGOTS!” Ironclad boomed, his voice rumbling throughout the large room. He glanced side-to-side to see everypony in a bed. Shining and the others struggled to keep their breathing even and quiet from their last-second sprint. When the last lamplight went out, he whirled on his hooves and left with his armor echoing with each movement.

When the clangs of his armor receded, and in total darkness, Shining reached his hoof over the side of his bed where Pinpoint had reached his up, and bumped his hoof. One similar sound came from Silver Edge and Quick Fix’s bunk before complete silence took over the barrack.

***************

Four movies. All four movies. Stardust, Cadance, and Blueblood sat on the couch as the credits rolled on the last film. “I haven’t done that in a while,” Stardust said as she rubbed her now dry and pain-tingled eyes that started to water at the sudden contact.

Cadance had been rubbing at her eyes as well. “I think I’m just gonna keep my eyes closed for the rest of my life.” She proceeded to stretch out her front legs out in front of her in a slow manner that gave off a few popping sounds. “So how’d you like the last one, Blueblood?”

Blueblood’s eyes were watery for another reason. He brought the tissue in his hoof to his eyes and started blotting. “He was a beast, but she saved him with love!” The girls drew back when Blueblood grabbed a few more tissues and blew his nose out. “Sorry.”

“No, no. It’s fine. Just glad ya liked ‘em, Blue,” Stardust said as she got off the couch. When she walked over to the projector to remove the film reels, she noticed the more than late night sky. “Cady, what time is it?”

Cadance looked around until she found the room’s clock above the doorway. “Wow, past midnight.”

Stardust exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness I don’t have to go in ‘til late.”

“Go in where?” Blueblood asked.

“Work,” Stardust answered, continuing to pack up her film reels. “I’m gonna bet ya haven’t been to a place called ‘Metal’s Place’, have ya, Blue?”

“Can’t say I have.”

“You should come one night. I can sneak ya some free stuff, and ya can see me sing.”

Just like earlier today, a familiar sense of excitement and anticipation lit up in Blueblood at the invite. “Okay.”

“Great. Just stop by any night I work.” When all of her movies were back in their cases, Stardust gave it her all in trying to stuff them all back in her saddlebag.

“You’re not planning on walking home in the middle of the night, are you?” Blueblood asked, his voice taking a more concerned tone.

“I’ve done it before.”

“Not this late,” Cadance added in. “Why don’t you just stay the night?”

Stardust considered it, but to her friends disappointment, she turned down the offer. “Thanks, guys, but I really need to get home. I didn’t really expect to stay out this late, and my mom’s probably wonderin’ where I am.”

She made it as far as the doorway until Blueblood stood in her way and repeated himself. “You’re not going out there alone.”

“Well whaddya suggest, Blue?”

He only had to think for a second. “Wait here.” Blueblood then disappeared into the maze that was the hallways of the castle and returned a few minutes later with two grey-coated unicorn guards dressed in the standard gold-plated armor. “Stardust, these fine stallions will be your escort home.”

The guards towered over the other three ponies in the room. Combined with their bulky form and intense golden eyes that stared straight ahead at complete attention, Stardust couldn't fight the intimidation she felt at the sight of the two ponies. “Blue, thanks, but I can walk alone.”

“Come now, I trust these ponies with my life. Plus it would make me feel a lot better knowing you had somepony with you while you make your way home.”

“I’m siding with Blueblood on this, Stardust. Please, just go with them if you’re not gonna stay here.” Cadance’s plea made Stardust wish she had at least one friend without as strong a will as hers were showing right now. This wasn’t up for debate, and it was late. She was too tired to argue.

“Fine,” Stardust sighed, “if it makes ya feel better.” She knew they were just looking out for her, and she kept that in mind when she left the castle with both guards closely walking beside her on both sides.

The royal cousins had seen their friend off and waited by the castle entrance until they saw her and her escorts pass the gates before they closed the large front doors. “That was nice of you, Blueblood,” Cadance said as they ascended the stairs.

“Well, she’s our friend. We’re supposed to watch out for her, right?”

The smile on Cadance’s face was almost like that of a proud mother. “Yeah.”

He matched her smile and continued up the stairs to their bedrooms. “By the way, tomorrow, we’re going to the nearest movie store.”

“You really liked those movies, didn’t you?”

“Who wouldn’t?” They reached their floor and were about to part for the night. “First, answer me this, favorite villain, villain song, and why?”

Cadance turned her head away from her cousin and exhaled a long, tired yawn that reminded Blueblood how late into the night they had stayed up. “In the morning, Blueblood. Night.”

“Night, Cadance.”

Rest came very easily for the two royal ponies.

***************

Sleep was a great thing, and sleeping in was an even greater thing. The extra time Stardust had before she went into work, she spent in the messy heap of covers, pillows, and music sheets that was her bed, but inevitably, she had to wake up and get ready. The mid-afternoon sun shined like an eternal flame and clouds dotted the deep blue sky cotton-white. Her mix of really late breakfast and early lunch was enough to sustain her through the night, and she found herself trying to tame the more wavy parts of her mane longer than usual. She needed to look presentable for what she was doing today.

Outside, the sunlight was brighter and hotter, warming up her coat in a wave of heat. She carried her work clothes in her saddlebag for when she was done with her errand. As she walked the familiar path to the restaurant, she made a few different turns in her route, leading her to a long, blue building her and Shining visited a few months ago, and it was still advertising the same thing with multiple signs reading the same message.

“Rooms for Lease. Apply Within.”

Stardust pushed open the main building door and was immediately met with views of purple, blue, and white on the walls, and a large info desk with the name “Canter Square” embroidered in the middle of the face in large letters.

Behind it, a pink unicorn mare was busy writing down a few things until she heard the bell above the door ring when Stardust came in. “Hello and welcome to the Canter Square info desk.” Her voice was light and cheerful, but there was a hint of it being forced that months in customer service Stardust came to recognize. “How can I help you?”

She approached the desk with a friendly smile and cleared her throat. “Hello, my name’s Stardust, and I see that you guys are taking leasing applications, right?”

All Things Go

The waiter stood by the kitchen window in a silent anxiety as he waited for his dish. Under his mane, his forehead sweated around his horn and his hooves just couldn’t stop tapping the ground. The party he was serving was already a large one, and he prayed when he jotted down everything they wanted that he got every excruciating detail down to the dot. The first time he brought out their dishes, the most he got was their unattached and hollow thanks that sounded more obligated than genuine, but one mare at the table made the hollow gratitude seem like recognition from Celestia herself. This mare, in what had to have been a premeditated speech, voiced her complaint of her plate with plenty of criticism. Some of it was even aimed at the poor waiter despite his haste to try and correct his honest mistake.

“Remake for table twelve!” The chef’s voice boomed from behind the food window in the kitchen.

The waiter’s magic engulfed the plates at the window, and with a steady eye, went over the dish and the mental checklist in his head. One double-take later, he cleared his throat and put on his best professional smile. He stepped through the swinging double doors into the large and full dining room decorated with artworks of high value and acclaim hanging on the gold-colored walls and crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling that amplified the white light of the ceiling that shone above all around the restaurant. He made his way to the table where an olive-coated unicorn mare sat with her party. Gently, he set the dishes on the table in front of her. “Here you are, ma’am. Your shrimp scampi on linguine, shrimp mixed in the noodles, not topped, no basil, precisely seven pieces of shrimp, three squirts of lemon on the shrimp before mixing, sauce on the side, and a side salad, tossed, no tomatoes, cheese diced, not shredded, and cold ranch dressing on the side.” The smile he was faking after that hid his nervousness well. He stood and waited while the mare observed her food with a critical eye. “I do believe everything was corrected and made to your liking.”

“I’ll see about that,” the mare said as her magic lifted a fork to the plate with the pasta. She took a small bite of her food and chewed. Every slow movement of her mouth as she chewed was excruciating for the waiter waiting for her response, and every second did its best to break his cool and calm demeanour. Finally, after swallowing, she spoke. “Glad to see the mistake was fixed.”

A wave of relief washed over the waiter, and he desperately wanted to exhale a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, but all that relief fled his body when the mare tried a bite of her salad and he saw her expression.

“The lettuce is too cold,” the mare said, hovering the salad bowl near the waiter’s face. “Take it back and have it remade.”

The forced smile came back, and the waiter tried hard to make sure the sudden rage he was feeling didn’t show in his voice as he said, “Right away, ma’am.”

“And make sure it comes out right this time. This is the second time you’ve messed something up.”

“Yes, ma’am. Right away, ma’am.” He took the salad in his magic after the mare’s last remark and briefly considered his chances at getting away with homicide. When he remembered he didn’t have a heart of stone and that he actually was a good pony, he disappeared back to the kitchen.

When she saw the doors swinging doors come to a close, the mare turned to the grey stallion sitting at her side. “Honestly, Jet Set, dear, you would think after the first mistake—”

“I know, Upper Crust,” Jet Set assured his wife, “I know. Next time we come here, I just hope we get somepony who actually knows how to do their job right.” Similar consents were made among the other ponies of their party. “Which reminds me, thank you all so much for being able to come with us tonight.”

“We wouldn’t miss it, Jet Set,” one mare, Pish Posh, said from across the table. “It’s been awhile since we’ve all enjoyed a nice dinner together.”

“Well, we’ve all been busy, but from what I’ve heard, I understand that we’ll all be seeing each other again for a certain celebration in the next few weeks.”

Everypony at the table started looking at one another as elated smiles grew on everyone's faces. “You all got invitations to the prince’s party?” a stallion named Golden Gavel at the table asked.

Heads nodded all around the table and the party erupted into hushed murmurs of excitement for what they felt might surpass this year’s Grand Galloping Gala as party of the year.

“A party for royalty,” Upper Crust said with a wonder-filled gaze in her eyes. “It is sure to be something grand. You know, I’ve noticed that the prince has actually been out and about around the city recently.”

“I’ve noticed that as well,” another mare by the name of Silver Frames at the table voiced in. “Last time I spotted him, he was with Princess Cadance and another mare.”

Jet Set moved in his seat to meet eyes with Silver Frames. “Was she a blue unicorn with a blue and white mane?”

“Yes, actually. Why? Do you know her?”

“No, but I have seen that mare around the princess before. I don’t know her story though, but you know who I haven’t seen with the princess recently?”

Interest soared and everypony’s ears perked up like meerkats on watch all around the table. Jet Set held his pause and gave his wife a knowing look she shared with him. “That poor excuse of a nopony coltfriend of hers.”

Some of them restrained their laughter while others let it out in a cruel cackle. “Guess this means she’s moved on,” Swan Song said, being one of the ponies who was enjoying a laugh at what she and her friends presumed was the end of Shining Armor and Cadance’s relationship.

“Better,” Upper Crust said, “she came to her senses. I mean really, a library assistant? Surely she must value herself more than that.”

“Well, if the princess is wanting to start looking for a better match, I can bet her cousin’s party should be full of young stallions closer to her level than that other colt could ever be.”

“One can only hope, Jet Set, dear.” Upper Crust’s attention shifted when she heard the kitchen doors burst open. Their waiter held a newly made salad in his magic, and right as he got to the table, he felt eyes lock onto him like buzzards on roadkill.

“Here is you’re remake ma’am. I hope everything is to your liking.” He set it down and waited for Upper Crust to take a bit. For some odd reason, he was smiling genuinely as he watched her take that first, slow bite.

She hummed in thought as she looked at her bowl before turning to look at the smiling waiter. “Glad you fixed your mistake.”

“Happy to oblige.” He followed with a small bow and walked away. As he got closer to the kitchen doors, the smile on his face only widened with each step until his lips were practically stuck in a deliciously evil grin. The second he stepped into the kitchen and the doors swung closed behind him, he rolled something around in his mouth. He turned his head, and with swift precision, spat out a large, damp wad of gum into the nearby trash can. Through the window, he could see Upper Crust taking another bite out of her salad.

“Did she eat it?” the cook from behind the window asked, barely able to contain himself as he let his laughter out in short, but large spurts.

“Yeah, and she has no idea.”

Back at the table, Upper Crust continued to nip at her salad in small bites. “How is it, dear?” Jet Set asked.

“Perfect. I don’t know what they did, but there’s some kind flavor to the carrots.” She took another bite. “Mmmm, and the cucumbers are so moist.”

***************

The first things Blueblood smelled as soon as he stepped onto the wooden floors of Metal’s Place was the hot and fully cooked veggie burgers and the crisp hay fries multiple servers were carrying all around the restaurant. The place was filled save for one or two tables, and the aroma of the food already had Blueblood’s mouth watering and his stomach grumbling for something on the menu.

“Your majesty! Back again I see.” Blueblood turned towards the, by now, familiar voice of Metal Wave by the juice bar where he happily walked over to take a seat. When he sat down, Metal already had a pad and a pencil at the ready. “So what can I get you, tonight?”

There was a menu already laying on the bar displaying the various veggie burgers and other entrees offered. Blueblood scanned it over before deciding on something. “I think I’ll try the Tropical Island Burger.”

“Good choice. Usual drink?”

“Yes, please.”

Metal’s magic swiped the menu right from under the prince and he tore off the page from his pad. “I’ll put the order in right now. Want me to get Stardust before she goes on?”

“Could you?”

Metal Wave swiftly made it to the kitchen counter, slapped the order onto the surface and called the order out to the cook before he disappeared to a room in the back. Blueblood swiveled in his seat to get a full view of the restaurant. The Hearth’s Warming lights hanging around the place were definitely one of Blueblood’s favorite things about the place. They gave him a sense of cheer whenever he stepped through the doors. Mix that with the ponies laughing and talking all around him, the atmosphere created could make anyone smile.

The first time he visited, he came with Cadance over a week ago. After his first experience with bowling, pizza, and their previous movie night, Blueblood was more easily and happily coerced into giving the food a try. He was more than willing to come back for the food ever since that first bite. He thought back to when he first saw Stardust actually perform on stage, small as it was. He marveled at her vocal talent and even her songwriting skills when she sang a song that was all her own.

“Yo, Blue!” Said mare emerged from the room Metal Wave disappeared into with her guitar strapped to her back over her waitress outfit. She met him on the other side of the bar with a drink in her magic. “Here’s your usual.”

“I’ve only been here two other times.”

“Yet ya’ve gotten the same drink,” she said pointing to the glass of sweet iced tea she placed on the bar. “It’s a usual now.”

“If you say so,” he said with an eye roll.

She smiled and gave him a light push on his shoulder. “Glad ya made it. Came alone?”

Blueblood took a sip of his drink before he said, “Oh, yes. Twilight’s family dropped by the castle today to take her and Spike on a little family day, and they asked if Cadance wanted to tag along. The second Twilight pleaded with her to come, she couldn’t say no.”

Stardust let a small laugh escape her as she threw her head back. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Anything else new?”

“Hmmm,” Blueblood hummed aloud with a scrunched face as he tried to think of anything. “Just some more royal stuff my aunt’s been teaching Cadance and I. It’s actually really boring, but it’s needed, so I won’t bother with details. Oh! And of course, the party planning.”

“Ya never gonna not bring that up ‘til it happens, huh?”

“I’m excited,” he simply said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I’m overseeing almost everything, and I want it to be amazing.”

“Just don’t worry too much. I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be eventful.”

“I hope so, but enough about that. What about you? Any word news your application.”

Before she answered, Stardust threw her guitar case onto the bar and began to work on the latches. “Not yet, but the mare at the front desk said I should hear somethin’ in about a week after sendin’ in all the paperwork, and I got that done a couple days ago.” She lifted the cover of her case and started to fiddle with the tuning pegs with her magic. “Hey, tell me if this sounds right.” Rearing on her hind legs, Stardust took hold of her guitar and readied a string. After she gave one of the pegs another twist, she opened her mouth and sung a pitch. “Ahhhhh.” She plucked the string and sang again in a full, even voice.

Ears up and open, Blueblood sat in wonder at the simple technique being displayed in front of him. Stardust continued on, repeating her cycle of peg twisting and singing. When he remembered what he was supposed to be listening for, he snapped out of his daze and refocused. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

“Great.” She smiled wide and repeated her process with all the other strings.

Musically, Blueblood was more of a listener, but seeing the way Stardust engrossed herself in her art was inspiring in itself that he found himself looking back at the instrument that might as well have been Stardust’s baby and pondered how a piece of wood with strings could bring so much joy to a pony. A crisp aroma captured Blueblood’s attention and he saw Metal Wave with a plate and basket in his magic walking towards the bar. Immediately, his mouth started to water when his dinner was placed on the table.

“One Tropical Island Burger, and a basket of hay fries. Enjoy, your majesty.” Metal’s eyes shifted to Stardust after he placed Blueblood’s food down. “Stardust, you’re up.”

“On it, boss.” Metal resumed walking his restaurant while Stardust strapped on her guitar. “Wish me luck, Blue.”

“You know you don’t need it,” he called to her as she left the bar.

“I know.”

***************

The aromas of hot tea, coffee, and hot chocolate blended with the scent of old books and wooden tables. For Twilight, it was what heaven smelled like. Along with Cadance, Twilight’s family had gone out for a nice dinner in the city before they stopped by what Twilight would describe as the best place in any town or city; the local book store. The store in particular they had entered had seen more than enough business from Twilight and her family in the past. So much so, that everypony working knew the entire family by name, and even some of their business if Twilight or her parents was ever feeling chatty.

“Back again, I see,” one of the cashiers at the counter said when he saw Twilight, her family, and Cadance enter the store.

“Hey, First Edition,” Twilight called back to the stallion as she raced to the new releases stand. There, she submerged herself in the numerous stack of books, scanning over the front and back of each tome like they were newfound treasures while First Edition and Night Light started to chat.

“You know, Twi,” First Edition called to her from the register, “there’s a new series that came out a few weeks ago. I think you might like it.”

“What’s it called?” Twilight asked back.

“Go a few stands back, it’s called ‘Daring Do’.”

Night Light followed his daughter to her destination while Cadance, Twilight Velvet, and Spike sat at a table in the coffee shop inside the store. Once she was sitting. Velvet dug through her saddlebag while Cadance went up to the counter. She came back with five steaming cups of hot chocolate held in her magic.

“Here you are, Velvet.” Cadance hoofed the mare a few bits in change and set two of the cups of steaming hot chocolate in front of her.

“Thank you, Cadance,” Velvet said politely. Finally, she found what she was looking for. Spike, who was bouncing up and down in his seat giggled with glee when he saw Velvet take out his green plastic sippy-cup and fill it with a one of the hot chocolates. Before she gave him the cup, she tightly sealed it with the spill-proof lid.

“That chocolate, mama?”

“Yes, baby, it is.” Velvet smiled at her little dragon and gave the cup a few shakes to test the lid. When she saw no trace of a spill, she hoofed Spike the cup.

Cadance noticed that hers and Velvet’s cups were still steaming hot and nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw Spike lift the cup to his mouth. “Wait! Velvet, isn’t that too hot for—” She stopped and watched Spike down the drink like a thirsty bulldog in a desert and sat in mild surprise when the little drake slammed his cup down and laugh in delight. “Right, dragon.” Said dragon was still giggling away and decided to start playing with his cup by sucking on the lid.

“No, no, Spike.” Velvet’s magic took the cup out of Spike’s mouth and brought out something else that made his eyes glimmer in wonder. “You wanna color in your book?”

“Yeah!” Spike answered with a bounce in his seat.

Velvet flipped open the coloring book in her magic to a random page and set it down along with some crayons. Spike quickly took to his coloring and the two mares watched on and sipped at their slowly-cooling drinks. “How is he doing?” Velvet suddenly asked of Cadance. “At the castle, I mean? Anything new I should know about?”

Cadance thought back to Spike’s time in the castle so far. “Not really. He’s walking more than the last time you visited, and there’s still a few fire mishaps here and there, but those get put out more easily now.” If just to mess with them at that exact moment, Spike let out a large burp with a few green embers escaping his mouth that fizzled in the open air. “You know where the fire extinguisher is in this place, right?”

“First thing I looked for when we came in.”

“Good.”

When Spike went back to his coloring, Cadance noticed Velvet just looking on at him with a large smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. She knew how much it pained the mare to see all three of her kids go in a relatively short time span and that any chance she had to visit at least two of her kids, she took as if it was going to be her last chance. “And what about Twilight? How’s she doing with Princess Celestia?”

Just saying “good” wouldn’t suffice, and Cadance knew Velvet would want more details. She began to share with her all the new tricks Twilight was starting to learn and how fast she picked up on nearly every single spell Celestia taught her. Cadance also revealed just how much Twilight was determined to impress her teacher and how she would be with one of her books nearly any time she saw the filly. Every moment Velvet listened on, her smile grew with pride for her daughter. She looked back to see Twilight still exploring the book stands and thought of all the time and effort the little filly had put into her studies, into magic, into making not only Celestia, but her and Night Light proud as well.

“Here.” Cadance offered Velvet a napkin when she saw tears start to well up in Velvet’s eyes.

In her peripheral vision, as she started to dab at her eyes, Velvet saw her husband and Twilight making their way to the table and quickly wiped away the rest of her tears until there wasn’t a trace.

“Mom! Cadance! Look at what dad’s gonna get for me.” Twilight set two books on the table, one incredibly large and dense, and the other, a lighter paperback with a ground-colored pegasus in an explorer’s outfit and a multi-shaded black and grey mane. “It’s this new book series called ‘Daring Do’. First Edition suggested it. I just read the summary on the back, and I think it’s gonna be huge!”

Cadance reached over and tapped at the larger book Twilight set down. “What’s this one?”

The quick series of hoof claps did little to show Twilight’s true extent of her excitement she was feeling about that book. “You’ll love this, Cadance. It’s the new edition of the latest Starswirl the Bearded biography.” Twilight stretched herself over the table to met Cadance’s eyes with her own wide and wonder-filled ones. “It’s got thirty new pages of content!”

Matched excitement came easily to the alicorn. Cadance quickly came to Twilight’s side, and the two cracked open the book. The two of them could’ve sat there and just read on into the night about their shared magic idol if it wasn’t for Night Light reminding them he still had to pay for the books a few minutes into their reading. The two of them hoofed the books over to Night Light, and he walked over to the purchase counter.

“Is this for me?” Twilight asked when she finally saw the last two cups of hot chocolate sitting on the table.

“Yes it is, sweetie,” Velvet answered. “Just leave the last one for your dad.”

Warmth flowed throughout Twilight’s body as she took that first careful sip. Steam was still rising from the cup, tickling her lips and nose when she took a drink. “Delicious,” she breathed with a satisfied smile. Beside her, Spike was still doodling in his coloring book. She looked over and saw him drawing something off to the side on one of the blank page. His movements were getting slower and his eyelids seemed to drop heavier and heavier each time he blinked. “Spike, you okay?”

She was answered with a long and high-pitched yawn. Spike brought his little arms to his eyes and lazily rubbed. “I tired, Twilight.”

The window outside revealed just how dark it actually got. While not very late, the dark blue of the nighttime sky still painted a very shadowy picture barely brightened up by Celestia’s crescent moon. The streetlamps aided in lighting up the streets in a pale-orange glow. Velvet stood from her chair, strapped on her bag, and came to Spike’s chair. “You’re tired, Spike?” she asked in a soothing voice.

The little dragon yawned again and nodded his head with closed eyes. “Mmm hmm.” Velvet took her little boy in her magic and set him atop her back, where in no time, he was fast asleep. Cadance and Twilight took that as the cue that it was time to get going. Before Velvet even told them, the two got up from their seats as well. Twilight left the table with the her dad’s cup of hot chocolate and her own suspended in her magic. They met Night Light just as he finished his purchase.

“See you guys next time,” First Edition said as they pushed the door open. They said their goodbyes to the stallion just before they headed out, and right before he called out, “Say hi to Shining for me.” Cadance, Twilight, and Night Light all felt a collective tenseness grip their bodies when they heard that, and their eyes slowly went to Velvet when they stepped out of the shop.

She didn’t explode into another crying mess like she usually did whenever something reminded her of her son miles and cities away from her, but she wasn’t exactly alright either. Night Light approached her carefully, like she was an occasionally ticking grenade that may or may not blow up. “Velvet, honey, you’re doing fine right now, but I just want you to remember that you said you’d work on—”

“I know,” she said abruptly. “I know. I’m not gonna break down like I did before. I’ve been making progress.” Her voice cracked in places that made it sound like she was close to tears, and the forced smile she put on was anything but a sign she was fine. Even as she tried to continue walking, the others felt it was just a matter of time as they followed closely. “I’m fine,” she repeated. “It was nice First Edition wanted to extend a greeting to my son. It’s just too bad he’s all the way in Trottingham.” From where she stood, Twilight could see Velvet’s eye start to twitch in a way reminiscent of herself whenever she felt she forgot something pertaining to an assignment. “Miles away. Away from his family. Away from me, his mother.” She continued walking, unaware she was garnering some looks. “And I can’t even see him for another two months! My own flesh and blood! The colt I raised since he was a foal; a precious wide-eyed foal that I watched grow up into a stallion who doesn’t need his mother anymore.” Everything came out in spasms of sobs even as she talked, and just like every other time she had burst out like this, Night Light was by her side patting her back. Twilight took her usual place by Velvet’s leg, if anything, to serve as emotional support while Cadance took to Twilight’s side and marveled at just how much liquid could come from a mare’s eyes.

“There, there, honey.” It was all the response Night Light had at the point he was at, and it really was the only thing he could think of to say. After how many times he found himself in a similar position, he exhausted all of his best comforting words. All he could do was rub and pat his wife’s back as she let it all out while her daughter and Cadance provided comfort as well.

When Velvet was finally out of tears and able to speak more cohesively, she looked to her family and guest before looking down at her hooves. This was supposed to be a happy night, and here she was breaking down in the middle of the sidewalk... again. “I’m sorry.”

Twilight held onto her mother’s leg and looked up at her with sweet, loving eyes. “It’s okay, mom. I know you miss Shining.”

“We all do,” Night Light said as Cadance stepped closer to Velvet’s side to add to the bubble forming around her.

In all the fuss and noise Velvet had made, her cries had awoken a certain baby on her back, but instead of waking up crying, Spike’s little arms stretched around to hug his mom’s neck. Velvet could hear his baby noises before hearing him say, “We’re here, momma.”

All these ponies surrounding her with understanding and love, it would’ve made Velvet tear up again hadn’t she remembered that was exactly what put a pin in their night of fun. Instead, she craned her neck to nuzzle the dragon on her back with affection before letting the others let her go. “Still, I really should try and get a better hold of myself whenever I get like that.”

“If it helps, you didn’t go on as long as last time,” Night Light said. It somewhat made her feel better. “Progress?”

For now, Velvet chalked it up as a victory. “I just miss seeing him. I can only get so much from letters.”

“I know what you mean,” Cadance said from the side and drawing Velvet’s attention to her. The older mare quietly gasped when she realized what she had said.

“Oh, Cadance, I’m sorry. I know you and Shining write each other, and I know you must miss him too.” Cadance didn’t resist the warm embrace Velvet gave her. “I will say that out of all the mares he could've fallen for, I’m so happy it was for somepony so kind and loving as you.”

Her cheeks flushed red at Velvet’s kind words. All she could think to do was return the hug and say with as much sincerity that could ever be in one body, “Thank you, Velvet.”

The mention of her letters to Shining reminded Cadance that she still hadn’t written today. When she and Velvet released each other, Cadance was smiling wide as an idea came to her that she hoped would end the night on a high note. “You know, when me and Twilight get back to the castle, I was just gonna write my letter for the night and go to bed. When was the last time all of you wrote him?”

“You mean all together?” Velvet took only a second to think about it. “A week ago, why?”

“Well, how about you and Night Light stay awhile, and we all write Shining a letter tonight from all five of us?”

Restraint was heavily exercised in that instant by Velvet. It took all she had to not swoop Cadance up in another giant hug and accidentally squeeze the fluids out of her. Twilight on the other hoof bound right in front of Cadance with an ecstatic grin plastered on her face before she started bouncing around her and her parents like a jumping bean.”Can we, guys? Can we? Can we? Can we?”

Velvet met her husband’s eyes. Both were smiling as well. “I think that’s a lovely idea.”

With no more than a jump in front, Twilight began to lead the way back to the castle with her parents and Cadance following behind.

***************

The lights, the stage, the faces of an entertained audience, the drops of sweat in her mane that wanted to drop onto the ground, Stardust loved everything about it. She had just finished her set for the night, and the crowd was once again in a roar of applause. She stood and looked over the ponies with a confident look before she gave a bow. “Thanks for comin’ out tonight, everypony. Remember to tip ya waitresses, I’ve got rent to pay.” She laughed at her own joke and so did some of the crowd as she stepped off the stage. When she came to Blueblood’s spot at the bar, he welcomed her back with more claps of his hooves.

“That was great, Stardust.”

“Thanks, Blue.” She hoisted her case back onto the bar and carefully placed her guitar into the soft blue fuzz of the case. “So did ya like the new one I played?”

“The one before your finale?”

“Yeah.”

“It was great. You wrote it yourself?”

“Yup. Would ya believe I finished it last night?”

He was at a loss for words, and his blank stare affirmed that. “I-I-I don’t, I wouldn’t even know if that’s something I should be surprised at or not.”

“Eh, depends.”

Stardust was about to close her case when Blueblood saw something sticking out of the fuzz of the case. He pointed out what looked like some paper protruding from some compartment in the case. “What’s that?”

“Glad ya asked.” The case was rethrown open and Stardust revealed what really was a small compartment in the case opened by a string latch. From it, she procured sheet after sheet of wadded up song notes, lyrics, and even full compositions. Each one was different from the others, both in content and how messily scribbled they were.

“You wrote all of these?”

“Yup. My pride and joys.” Watching the way Blueblood was just absorbed in the sheets put a large smile on her face. She saw him look and scrunch his face in confusion at certain pages. “The one’s with blue stars on the top are my favorites. One day, when I save enough, I’m gonna try and get some recordin’ equipment and finally make a demo.”

“I see you’ve got plans,” Blueblood said as he continued to flip through Stardust’s songs, and coming to a stop at one written in solid red called “Crushed”. It was a full composition, so he read and followed the notes and matched the lyrics written underneath the staff. As he read on, his eyes widened at some of the stronger sentiments expressed.

“Yeeeeaah, I might have to change some words around to avoid a parental advisory label.”

“I should say. How did this one come about?”

“I eva tell ya about Comet Crush?”

Blueblood shook his head, and Stardust pulled up a bar stool. “Alright, I’ve got a few minutes before I need to get back to work.” She started to recount her time with her ex-coltfriend, including a few of the highs of the relationship just to give a full, just account before ending her story with the ultimate crash that came with her discovering his other marefriend at his work during a surprise visit.

Blueblood listened and reacted any way a friend would when they find a friend of there’s was cheated on. “That scuzzbag!”

Stardust snickered at his word choice before adding in, “And a bunch of other things, but I could get fired if I say them out loud.”

“Still, that’s just… just… really sorry of him.”

“Eh,” Stardust said with a nonchalant shrug. “Joke’s on him, really. I got ova him real quick, but in those couple of hours after findin’ out, and goin’ back and forth between category five hurricane crazy angry and destroyed beyond repair on the inside sad, I wrote down that song in ya hooves.”

Blueblood looked back down at the song sheet. The lyrics and the memos about how loud and heavy to play at certain points painted a very vivid image of the rage anypony could’ve felt in Stardust’s position at the time. “So should this be released, and he hears it, you think he’ll know it’s about him?”

“Who cares? I’m not the first mare to write about bein’ cheated on, and I know I won’t be the last. Plus, I’m not namin’ names. It’s a crappy feeling, Blue, and I’m bettin’ any musician that’s been cheated on has written somethin’ similar, or at least covers a song about it. If they say they haven’t, they’re lyin’.”

The animated way she explained herself got a few short chuckles out of the prince. “Whatever you say, Stardust. So how long ago was this?”

“Several months ago.”

“And you haven’t tried to look for anypony else after that?”

First, her ears dropped down, which was quickly followed with an eye roll and an unamused look that gave a message along the lines of, “not this again”. “No I haven’t. Though that might change when your party rolls around.” Blueblood raised an eyebrow, and before he even asked, Stardust continued. “When me and Cady went dress shopping before our first movie night, she bought my dress, and we made a deal. I’d let her buy it if I promised to try and get back in the dating pool.”

The words, he heard, but the message was fuzzy. “You’d let her buy your dress?”

“The girl wouldn’t back down! The second I said I’d just raid my closet for somethin’, she ran to the counter and bought it. Our deal was the only thing that made me feel okay with her gettin’ me somethin’ like that.”

“That good of a dress, huh?”

“So good of a dress,” Stardust said with a dreamy moan as the image of herself in that white and blue gown came to her mind. Never in her life did she think she’d be the kind of mare who couldn’t wait to break in an outfit, but here she was daydreaming about the night she’d finally give it a whirl. “Who knows? Maybe I will find somepony. I mean, I’m in a good place right now, but hey, if I do, I get a new shot at romance, and I can get my mom off my back.”

“Your mom’s been on your back?”

“She’s been askin’ why I haven’t found another coltfriend after Comet Crush.” She straightened herself in her seat and cleared her throat. Putting on a higher voice, she mimicked her mother. “Stardust, why haven’t you found a nice coltfriend yet? Stardust, I have a friend whose son I think you would like. Stardust, why don’t you have a coltfriend yet? Stardust, are you secretly a fillyfooler, and that’s why you don’t have a coltfriend? If so, then why don’t you have a marefriend yet?” Blueblood had been drinking his tea, and had to exercise an immense amount of self control to not spurt it out of his mouth or nose once he heard that. Once he was off the verge of choking from holding his drink in after he swallowed, he broke into a voracious laugh one wouldn’t expect from a prince. “Oh, and I haven’t even told ya my favorite one.” She cleared her throat again. “Stardust, when will you get with that nice friend of yours? Stop stringing Shining along and invite him to dinner!” Even she found some humorous irony in that when she thought back to the times ponies thought her and Shining actually were a couple, including the pony sitting directly in front of her.

It seemed so long ago when Blueblood thought back to the short amount of time he and Cadance thought Stardust was involved with Shining. After just one conversation, the mixup was resolved, and he watched the beginnings of Cadance and Shining’s relationship take place. Looking back on it now, he wondered something. “Okay, Stardust. I am going to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve known Shining Armor even before he met Cadance, right?” She nodded. “Even back at the Summer Sun Celebration, I noticed you two were and are very close, and I mean very close. So, here’s what I’m curious about, in that whole time you’ve known him, did you ever think of starting a relationship with him? I feel like Cadance and I aren’t the only ones to have mistaken you two for something more than just friends.”

Rather than the immediate down-to-the-point answer he was expecting, Stardust stared off with her tongue pressed to the inside of her cheek in thought. She gave a short, “hmmmm,” before she looked away from whatever she was looking off at and back at an awaiting Blueblood. “I’d be lyin’ if I said it never crossed my mind at one point.”

This was definitely new, and the genie was already halfway out the bottle. There was no going back from a question like that. “So what kept you? You know, other than his massive crush on Cadance.”

“Well, yeah, that, but that didn’t start till a few months after we started hangin’ out. I thought about it a few times before that though. I mean, Shiny really is a great guy. He’s kind, good with magic, would never do anythin’ to hurt me, and yet more than enough of a goof to make me laugh. Heck, he’s a better pony than anypony I’ve ever dated before. By that logic, it seems like I shoulda snatched him up while I had the chance.” For a split second, Blueblood feared he just asked a question that opened some unresolved feelings for Stardust that would threaten everything between the her, Candance, and Shining, so he thanked the stars under his aunt’s sky that she continued on and said with a shrug, “Even with all that… I just wasn’t attracted to him. No matter what, I could only see him as a friend, and a great one at that.” She started to smile as memories of all the times had with one another came flooding in her mind. “I’m kinda glad for that though. I actually had some trouble makin’ friends when I moved here. I needed a friend more than a coltfriend at the time, and Shiny just happened to come into my life at the perfect time. Once he started workin’ at the library, well, the rest is history from there.”

It was different, to say the least, seeing Stardust like this for Blueblood. In the relatively brief time he’s known her, he was more used to the quick tongued teaser, and not this pony being so open and revealing about something he could tell meant a lot to her. He thought it was sweet to hear just how much Shining’s friendship meant to her. “He sounds like a great friend.”

“Yeah, he is.” She hopped off of her seat and saw that her song sheets were still scattered all around the bar. As she started to pick all of them up with her magic, Metal Wave appeared at the bar holding a large tray with various plates of food.

“Stardust. We need you back on the floor. The rush is picking up.”

“On it, boss.” Metal went back to finding his tables and Stardust hastened her cleanup. She grabbed her case and stuffed it below the bar when she was done. “How long ya gonna stick around?”

“Probably just until I finish my food.”

Stardust fished out a pencil and pad from behind the bar before she made her way around the structure. “Well, if I don’t see ya before ya leave, thanks for comin’ out.”

“Anytime.”

After some adjustments to her attire, Stardust readied her pencil and paper and made out ponies who looked like they had just arrived. “Gotta run, see ya.” In seconds, she was already at a table with a cemented smile on her face and telling the guests about the latest special while Blueblood swiveled in his seat to deal with the last half of his burger and remaining bit of hay fries.

***************

Trottingham Base: The Next Morning

***************

Dawn hadn’t even cracked yet, and Shining was wide awake; by force, yes, but still wide awake. Even in the dim lighting provided outside on the training grounds, Shining could perfectly make out the three objects lying in front of him like they were surrounded by a halo. Pinpoint was at his side, and the other recruits stood with their battle buddies. Quick Fix and Silver Edge were further down the line standing with similar looks of awe others in the line had. They only had a few seconds to look. The sounds of clanging iron rang in the open field, and everyone stood at full attention. Ironclad stalked down his line of recruits with that solid-eyed look that could command a rock to move. He stopped when he was standing perfectly centered in front of the line, and ever so slowly, a smile that still managed to be scary crawled across his face. “Well, maggots!” Still loud as ever, his gravely voice was heard by all ears. “Congratulations. You made it to Phase Two. Why don’t you give yourselves a round of applause.”

At first, everyone in the line looked at one another in a dumbstruck confusion while some began to lightly stomp at the ground.

Ironclad’s haunting smile easily reverted back to his natural cold scowl. “C’mon, you can do better than that!” The stomps quickly picked up to a thunderous applause. Some even hollered out in glee. “Alright, that’s enough. You survived three weeks of boot camp. You didn’t cure cancer.”

Three weeks. Shining was pretty sure others were in disbelief at how long they had really been going at it. The amount training, the amount of stuff crammed into their heads, the lessons in combat, it all felt like it had passed in a blur; a fast, painful, exhausting blur. If that was just the first three weeks, Shining cautiously wondered what was in store for him and the rest of his platoon in the next few weeks.

“What you see before you,” Ironclad continued on, “are the three basic weapons in the Equestian Royal Guard. Now look down, and get a good look.” On the ground in front of each pair of ponies were a bow, a quiver of arrows, a steel-bladed sword, and a musket. “The next few weeks, in addition to your regular training, all of you will learn the basics and more about each of these weapons and how to use them. Now, all non-unicorns, take a step back.” In one loud, collective swoop, all the unicorns in the platoon stood in a scattered line. In all, about twelve ponies were left in front. Shining and Quick Fix tried hard not to look worried when Ironclad began to walk the line again. “Now, I’ve asked for you all specifically because on your head is the fourth basic weapon in the Equestria Royal Guard; magic.” Shining and some of the others gave a brief look at their horns before Ironclad continued. “Some of you probably have never fired from your horn, but you will learn. Some of you may have, and you will be trained to do it better and with control. With lessons on attacking also comes lesson on defending, so be prepared. Every night, all unicorns will report to Sergeant Firearms during your usual drill sergeant time on the shooting field. Do we have an understanding?”

Like it was programmed into their brains, everypony stood tall and proud and boomed in their collective voices, “DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT!”

“Good. Now, everypony back in their original spot.” The stallion only waited a second before he saw his original line of awaiting ponies. “Now, let’s start with item one.” His massive hooves stomped over to a set laid out a few steps ahead of everyone else. Rearing on his back legs, he rose with a slim wooden bow and a single arrow in his front hooves. “Look and listen carefully, everyone. First, you are to face your target with the proper stance.” A good distance away, there was a target with separate marked zones. Ironclad took his stance with his back hooves shoulder distance from each other, and his bow level with his target.

He set his arrow on the rest of the bow and slowly pulled. Tension built on the bow as he focused on the target. "Keep both eyes open, pull, aaaaaand..." In one fluid movement, Ironclad's arrow sliced through the air with a sharp release from his bow. The tip impacted its target hard just an inch away from a bullseye. "... fire."

Hushed whispers of praise spread around at Ironclad's demonstration that quickly fell silent when he turned to face the line. "Is anypony willing to give their own demonstration before we move on?"

Very few dared to step forward, and when it came to his decision, Ironclad approached the first pony that caught his eye until he was directly in front of the chocolate brown earth pony that came forward. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Drill sergeant, my name is Pinpoint, drill sergeant!"

"Well then, why don't you step up here and show us whether or not your name's an ironic coincidence."

Ironclad stepped aside and Pinpoint picked up the bow and an arrow from the set beneath his hooves. He took his stance where Ironclad stood and copied his exact steps. When he pulled his arrow back, his eyes hardened into a cold, focused stare. He kept his position for a few seconds more and fired. His arrow flew swift and sure, cutting the air like it was a knife made of magma on already melting butter. Where Ironclad's arrow was off the bullseye by a little more than an inch, Pinpoint's hit the center dead on. Only the brief echo of the impact from the arrow hitting the wooden target was heard as everyone stayed silent.

“And that, soldiers, is what were are going to aim for today!” Ironclad yelled out, snapping his ponies out of their awestruck daze. “I want at least three bullseyes from everypony before we move on.”

It truly was impressive how much silent anguish Ironclad could cause with one order. The subtle changes in everypony’s eyes showed just how screwed they thought they were. With Ironclad’s order, Pinpoint took his stuff back to his spot with Shining and awaited the signal to start. Ironclad left his spot in front of his line got behind them before he started pacing behind them. “First pony to their marks.” Shining and the first in every set of partners took their places, picked up their bows, and took an arrow. “Begin!”

Shining took a breath before he tried to pull back on his bow. He must’ve been doing something wrong or was just nervous because as he pulled, his arrow kept wiggling in place on the rest. It took a few tries to finally steady himself and keep his arrow straight, but that had been as far as he thought. In a frenzy to match pace with those who had already fired, Shining released the arrow the moment he got it to stay still and straight. When he looked to see where it landed, his ears drooped when he found his arrow had hit only the outer ring of the target… somepony else’s target. This was going to be a long and interesting morning.

***************

A good crowd at the restaurant always made the mornings after work seem better. Not only was it a nice ego boost, but knowing others loved the performance she gave always made Stardust wake up feeling happy. She awoke with fewer hits of the snooze button than usual and felt the sun’s rays off her windows wash over her in a revitalizing wave. Her mane rested in a wild mess when she looked in the nearest mirror. She gave it a few pats and combs with her hoof until she resigned to worry about it after she had some food in her.

She made her way downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal. After pouring herself a bowl, she looked around for the milk, but had no luck finding it. Behind her, the front door creaked open, and her mother stood in the doorway with her horn and a stack of mail glowing a golden hue that matched her eyes. “Stardust,” her mother, Mezzo Melody, said when she saw her daughter in the kitchen. “Morning, sweety. I didn’t think you’d be up until later.”

“Morning, mom. Thought that too. Where’s dad?”

Mezzo closed the door behind her and set the stack on the table. “We ran out of milk, so your father stepped out to go get some.”

Stardust looked at her bowl on the table and shrugged. She opened a drawer, pulled a spoon out, and took a seat to start eating.

“You don’t want to wait for your dad to come back with the milk?”

After another swallow of the dry cereal, Stardust said, “I’m hungry.”

Watching Stardust shovel down her food the way she was, Mezzo knew her daughter didn’t use her break last night for a quick dinner. She sighed and walked to her side where her eyes instantly went to the tangled mess of Stardust’s mane. From the corner of her eye, she could see little specs of cereal at the ends of Stardust’s mane where it had fallen while she ate. Without warning, Mezzo brought a soft, silver hoof to Stardust’s mane and carefully pulled it back.

“What are you doin’?” Stardust asked through a mouthful of cereal, feeling her mane getting combed through.

“Picking the mess out of your mane, you little foal,” Mezzo said with a smile and a small laugh.

“Mom!” There may have been a little irritation in her voice, but she was smiling as well. When she moved out, this was actually going to be something she’d miss. “So what came in today?” she asked looking at the mail sitting across from her.

Mezzo switched from her hooves to magic to hold Stardust’s mane back and reached up to her own long and elegant curly black mane where she pulled out a single hair pin. “I don’t know. I didn’t look.” She threaded the pin through Stardust’s mane to make a thick, wavy ponytail while Stardust picked up the mail in her magic and started to flip through the stack. Out of everything, she found two items addressed to her. “And done,” Mezzo said with a few more pat downs of Stardust’s mane. “So, what did you get?”

Already ripped open, Stardust held a letter from Shining. She lit up at the simple “Hey, Star,” at the beginning and heard his voice as she read on. Still standing behind her, Mezzo read over her daughter’s shoulder and matched in Stardust’s delight. The letter may have been a simple rundown of everything he’s been through and everything he felt during the grueling process, but it meant the world that she was still kept in mind.

“I still don’t get why you didn’t snatch him up when you had the chance.”

“Mom!”

“I’m just saying.” In reality, she knew there wouldn’t be anything more than friendship between the two, but she loved the reaction she got from Stardust whenever she brought the idea up. “Did you get anything else?”

One letter remained on the table for her addressed from “Canter Square”. Excitement immediately built up like a catalyzed reaction, and she ripped the letter open.

“Dear, Lease Applicant

Congratulations! Your lease has been executed. Welcome to Canter Square.”

The Move

When the day of Stardust’s move finally arrived, she didn’t know how to process or describe the mess of emotions she experienced in the early hours of the morning. When the letter arrived saying that her lease went through a couple weeks ago, Stardust and her parents instantly started planning how they were going to move her and everything she had into her awaiting new home. The packing went little-by-little until everything of Stardust’s was either stuffed into large cardboard boxes or left off to the side in the living room. With her mattress sitting against the wall and her bedding boxed up, Stardust slept on the couch the previous night. When she awoke to see her things filling up the living room, she realized she wouldn’t be waking up in her old room anymore. Heck, she already wasn’t waking up in her room, and her things weren’t even out of the house yet. It was just one of the first of many slaps of reality that her move was truly happening.

Breakfast was quick and once everyone’s morning routines were finished, loading Stardust’s things onto the cart outside became the main task of the morning. Celestia’s sun did it’s best to peak through the abundant amount of thick grey clouds blanketing the sky. A fair breeze blew at a constant pace, bringing with it the cooler nip in the air that signaled the approaching winter. The cooler air flowing through her coat and mane were welcome as Stardust heaved the first of her things outside to be loaded on the cart. Her, Mezzo Melody, and her father, City Streets, all took to the task with team effort. For a little less than an hour, the three of them whizzed in and out of the house to gather more boxes, each of which found its way in some degree of organization onto the cart.

Stardust thought it odd seeing the living room deplete of her things and the cart grow with them. Every box loaded on was another step forward in her move. This couldn’t have been easy for her parents either, but she thanked Celestia that they weren’t anything like Twilight Velvet during Shining’s last few weeks at home before he left for Trottingham. When the living room was empty, all that remained were a few things still in her room she didn’t want to risk getting smooshed among the rest of her things. Mezzo had already started bringing those items down with her and placed them in the front of the cart as Stardust headed in to collect the rest. When Stardust reached her room, her father was already picking up the last box in his own deep-green magic surrounding the box and his horn. The only other thing in the room was her treasured guitar case sitting in the empty bedframe. She strapped it on her back and was about to head out when she saw City Streets standing in the doorway looking into her room with a distant look glazing over his face. Stardust approached her father and lightly patted his leg. “Dad? There’s nothin’ else. We can…” She started to trail off and began to match her father’s look when she started to gaze at what had silenced him in the first place; her empty room.

Two weeks was all it took to devoid her room of practically any life or sense of someone else having lived there. The room that used to be covered wall-to-wall with posters of musicians of all genres now seemed so lifeless and sterile. Both of them looked as if they had forgotten the walls were white underneath all of Stardust’s posters. For the first time in who knows when, the floors were clean. The music notes, scattered pencils, papers, and the random guitar picks that used to litter the wooden floors were all sitting in the cart, leaving their old home to sit in an erie cleanliness. The empty bedframe only added to the growing haunting presence of the room. Stardust could barely wrap her head around it. This used to be her room. It used to be so full of her presence and so full of life. Now, she looked on at it as what it was going to be; an empty space.

Mezzo’s hoofsteps weren’t even heard when she made her way up the steps and into the room. “There you two are. The cart is all loaded up, and I’ve been waiting outside for—” Just as her daughter had, Mezzo fell silent as she took in the room in front of her. She stepped forward and stood next to her husband as a hushed gasp escaped her. It was all too real for her.

City Streets stood in a similar state as his wife. His eyes scanned the room and it was as if all reality came crashing down that his only daughter, his only child, was truly moving out; another slap of reality that this was happening. He looked down at her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. Next to him, Mezzo leaned her head to rest on his side, her mane easily blending into the deep black of his coat. He inhaled and breathed a full, deep sigh that lightly shook his standing form. “This is really happenin’ isn’t it?”

The mare standing below him craned her neck up, and through an open section of his long, darker black mane that covered the upper part of his face, looked into his emerald eyes that were so much like her own. She put a hoof on the one on her shoulder and smiled. “Dad, we’ve been packin’ for days. Ya just noticin’ this now?”

Even in an event like this, City Streets expected such a response from his daughter. “Seriously couldn’t think of anythin’ else to say?” he said through a few snorted laughs that drew laughter out of Stardust as well. Amid his low chuckles, he moved his hoof off of Stardust’s shoulder before he took her in his forelimbs in a tight embrace. “I love ya, Stardust. We’re gonna miss ya so much.”

Mezzo’s forelimbs joined in the collective hug, with Stardust near suffocation in the middle, yet not wanting to break it off just yet. “I love you too, Stardust,” Mezzo warmly said, tears brimming at the edge of her closed eyelids ready to drop.

Seeing her mom so close to crying felt like a burning stake being driven through Stardust’s heart. Without a second though, she wiggled her forelimbs out of her parents’ hold and threw one around each of them to hug them back. “I love ya too, guys.” Mezzo and City’s grips instantly tightened as they held onto their precious treasure, wishing they had more time before they sent her off.

“Be sure to visit,” Mezzo said once the hug dissolved. “And check in with us every now and then. And please let us know you have enough to eat.”

“Come to us if ya low on food, I can make ya somethin’.” City made no effort to conceal the pleading tone in his voice. “And please walk home with somepony at night.”

The two of them continued to list their requests, most of which went along the lines of asking her to be careful coming from work at night, keep them in mind, to not overwork herself, and other basic safety stuff she learned as a foal that she was sure they were only telling her because of worry and the crashing reality of her move her room ignited. She just let them talk until they ran out of things to worry about for the moment, told them she’d do everything, and that she would be fine.

In truth, Mezzo and City knew their daughter could handle herself, but there would always be that part of them that worried for their not-so-little girl. They squeezed in one last hug together in the room before they resumed loading the last of Stardust’s things in the cart. City took the last box down while Stardust took one more look into her old room. She looked in and could briefly see all the posters, mess, and papers scattered around the floors and walls one more time. Her lips curved into a reminiscent grin before everything in the room was bare again as she brought the door to a close.

Outside, Mezzo was already situated on the front seat of the cart while City hitched himself to the cart. Stardust took a seat next to Mezzo at the front of the cart as she steadied her guitar case next to her. “Ya ready, Star?” City asked looking back.

A quick look was shared between the mares in the cart before Stardust gave the all clear to go. “Ready, dad!” City reared on his legs and readied himself. He came down hard and began to pull with all his strength. Once the wheels got moving, the cart rolled much easier as City lead the way towards Stardust’s new home. As the sights of the city rolled by, Stardust sat back and watched it all come and go. Behind her, she could hear and even feel the rattle of her things in the boxes bumping up and down along the ride. She then began to hope the road would be smooth enough for everything to make it to the apartment unscathed. Time and again, she would do a quick once-over to check on her things.

Next to her, Mezzo busied herself with her mane. Mezzo held a pocket mirror in front of her with her magic and played around with her thick curls until she felt she had the perfect look. Satisfied, she clicked the mirror close and turned to face her daughter. “What do you think, Stardust?”

Elegance was, without a doubt, a trait Mezzo carried with her wherever she went. Every time she went outside, she looked as if she just stepped out of a salon, and this was no different. “Ya look great, mom, but ya know we’re just gonna be movin’ my things, right?”

“I know that, but didn’t you say your friends were going to be there to help out?”

Slowly, Stardust answered, “Yeah?”

A still quiet rested over the two for a moment, and the expected connection Mezzo was hoping Stardust would make never came. “And you’re friends are…”

Stardust rolled her eyes away from Mezzo when she filled in the blanks; a prince and princess of Equestria. “Mom, they’re not gonna care.”

“But they’re still royalty. I know the three of you have gotten close, but I still want to look my best when they see me.” She flicked open her mirror again and started to bounce a few places in her mane. “How again did you end up becoming friends with two of the most powerful ponies in the nation.”

She sat back and thought on it for a few seconds only to shoot back up, and in a snorted laughter, say, “I have no freakin’ clue.”

The cart started to slow down when City eased his pace. Ahead, he could see Canter Square advertising signs leading to the entrance road off to the side along with two other ponies waiting on the sidewalk. When the two ponies on the sidewalk noticed the cart, City turned his head back to his wife and daughter. “Almost there guys. Star, I think your friends are here.”

Stardust scooted to the far side of her seat to get better outside view, and sure enough, Blueblood and Cadance were the ones waiting on the sidewalk waving to her. She waved them back until something caught her eyes the closer the cart got to the entrance. More of the apartment building’s walls and the outside landscape came into view as City pulled forward, but what stole Stardust’s attention were the ponies dressed in servant's clothes that emerged from behind Blueblood and Cadance. First, she saw maybe three, then five, then ten. When City finally came to a stop at the front, he, Mezzo, and Stardust looked onto the front courtyard filled with about twenty or so servants standing in silence, awaiting their call for service.

In front of the mini-army of ponies, the royal cousins happily greeted Stardust and her parents. “Good morning, Stardust,” Blueblood said when Stardust hopped out of the cart. “I hope you don’t mind, but I thought I’d bring some helping hooves for your move.”

All at once, the servant ponies took a step forward, all eyes going to the blue mare before they gave a simultaneous bow. As weird as it was to absorb the oddity in front of her, Stardust still thanked her friend for the surprise that would definitely make unpacking easier. “Thanks, Blue.” She hugged him and Cadance before she left the courtyard to pick up her key from the front desk. When the mare at the front desk finished looking over some papers, she pulled a key off a nearby hook and hoofed it to Stardust. On the key, a small note was looped through the ring reading “22”.

Stardust held the key in her hoof for a moment to let it sink in that she held the key to her new home. When she looked up, the mare behind the desk was still smiling warmly. “Welcome to Canter Square, Ms. Dust.”

When she stepped back outside, she was only half-surprised when she saw everything from the cart now on the backs or held in the magic of every servant pony Blueblood had brought along to help. “Where to, Stardust?” Blueblood asked.

One story up and a little off to the right from where she stood, she pointed her hoof up to her apartment. “Number twenty-two, guys.” Her words were like a instructions to the servants. Briskly, they walked in a nicely formed line towards the stairs. Stardust was aiming to lead them up, but stopped at the first step when the first servant pony in line reached her. The servant, a stallion, stopped behind her and was about to ask if anything was wrong. Before he could, Stardust’s green magic surrounded the item he was carrying on his back; her guitar case. She set it on her back and strapped it on. “Sorry, but, I’m the only one who touches it.”

The servant gave a courteous bow and a low, “As you wish, ma’am,” before he and the others resumed their climb up the flight of stairs in perfect formation.

Stardust approached her door and took out her key. She inhaled as she inserted the key and turned the lock to her new home. “Here we go,” she whispered as the lock clicked open. She turned the knob and pushed open the door. Stepping in, she felt the carpeted floors brush under her hooves, and took in the distinct new building smell. It was pretty spacious for the price. The little living area that doubled as a kitchen space actually had a definite border between the areas, and off to the side was the door to her new room. She only had a moment to take it all in before the sound of twenty or so sets of hooves marched in. The servant ponies filed in like a line of ants, bringing in all of her things in one trip from the cart before they started opening the boxes and taking her stuff out.

Before she had a chance to ask what they were doing, Blueblood took her hoof and started to walk her out. “Don’t worry about anything, Stardust. They’ll have everything ready for you in less than an hour.”

She looked back as she was being lead downstairs and got a glimpse of the servants unpacking her things. “Don’t ya think we should help? Or at least tell them where I want things to go?”

“I brought them here for a reason, Stardust, so everything could go by much quicker, and I wouldn’t worry about how they decorate. These are the same ponies who set up the bedrooms for when foreign dignitaries stay at the castle. Trust me, when they’re done, it’ll look like you’ve lived there forever.”

“If ya say so,” she said, hesitation very present in her voice despite the faith she was putting in her friend’s words.

“Of course if I say so. Now come on, I had the chefs make us a little lunch to take while we wait.”

Before they were completely out of earshot from everything happening in the apartment, Stardust vaguely made out the rapid ripping of tape and the labored grunts she figured were from moving the heavier objects around. Many things ran through her mind in that instant of what could happen, but decided to trust in Blueblood’s promise that everything would turn out fine. She still took one last look back. Through the open door, just before she couldn’t see them anymore, she saw the servants scurrying all around the apartment that she was sure shouldn’t be able to occupy so many ponies doing so much moving around. “This should be interesting.”

***************

Trottingham Base

***************

Quick Fix tried hard to pretend he had a chance. He tried his utmost to tell himself he wasn’t completely screwed when he was called up, but when Ironclad barked at him and his opponent to take their stance, all he could think of was how badly it would end this time and how much it was going to hurt. Silver Edge stood opposite of him, the handle of his sword held in his mouth for now.

The latest part of weapons training took on a competitive approach. After a couple of weeks of hoof-to-hoof combat and sword training, Ironclad and the other drill sergeants thought it was time to test their recruits on how far they’ve come since the beginning in a contest amongst their respective platoons; tournament style. Quick Fix, Pinpoint, Shining, and Silver Edge had already taken on a pony or two, disarmed them, and made it to fight another round, but when Quick saw that Silver was going to be his next opponent, any shimmer of hope Quick Fix had at passing on to the next round went out like a weak flame in a dilapidated building during a monsoon.

“ALRIGHT YOU TWO!” Ironclad instructed as loudly as ever a distance away. “TAKE YOUR STANCE! READY!”

They took their stance with their hooves shoulder-length apart and the handles held in their mouths, and before Ironclad ordered them to begin, Quick Fix muttered through a mouthful to Silver, “Be gentle.”

“FIGHT!”

“I’ll try.” Silver Edge cleared the distance between him and Quick, and in a swift, silvery movement, reared on his back hooves and gripped the handle in his mouth before pulling his sword out in front of him.

The most Quick Fix got done was get his sword out in front of him, but everything else around him seemed to go by in a blur. When he saw Silver in front of him, nothing in his body seemed to want to work. He couldn’t get up on his back legs, he couldn’t move forward, and all he could do was get his blade up to defend the strike coming his way. His attempt at defense wasn’t all for nothing. When their swords met, Silver retracted his and went back on the attack, and Quick defended again like it was all he knew. Again and again, Silver would hit, but Quick would defend. It was a steady back-and-forth for several strikes where Silver’s blade would met Quick’s in a reverberating *CLANG that sent Quick stepping back. Eventually, Silver broke the cycle when he charged forward, this time hitting Quick’s sword harder than before and holding it there as Quick struggled against the force of Silver’s sword. Silver moved his sword along Quick’s blade, stopping near the end only to push it along with his own. He led Quick’s blade around, increasing the power he put in, and forced the sword out of Quick’s hoof and onto the ground with a metallic ring.

“MATCH! NEXT PAIR!”

The next two ponies took Silver and Quick’s places right as they left the area to join the rest of their platoon gathered in a circle around the next two fighters. They found a spot next to Shining and Pinpoint, both of whom briefly congratulated Silver and patted Quick on the back for good effort.

The rest of the matches ate up the rest of the morning and a little bit of lunch time. When all was over and done, Silver Edge came out as the top sword fighter. He took his victory almost as if it was nothing as everypony wasted no time in scrambling to the mess hall to get some food in them.

“I didn’t go too hard on you, did I, Quick?” Silver asked when he and the rest of his friends sat down at what had become their usual spot in the mess hall.

Upon the question, Quick Fix looked up from his plate with a mouthful of mashed potatoes. He swallowed before he answered. “Nah, you were fine. Thanks for taking it easy on me.”

“Especially after the guy you beat before him,” Pinpoint said, aiming a glance back at the entrance where a large stallion walked through the open doors with a few bandages wrapped around his upper foreleg.

“Again, sooooo incredibly sorry,” Silver said when the stallion passed by their table as genuinely as he could sound. The pony just waved with a weak smile and assured Silver there were no hard feelings. The easily accepted apology would've been enough for Silver to feel better had he not seen the stallion walk away and hesitate every time he stepped with his injured leg. Viewing the limp, Silver shrunk back in his seat, put a hoof over his face, and groaned.

“Ah, don’t feel too bad,” Pinpoint said as he patted his friend’s back. “He was putting up a good fight.”

“I made him tear a tendon.”

“Well, technically all you did was force the sword out of his hoof,” Quick Fix said in an effort to comfort Silver.

“Yeah, so fast the he tore a tendon!”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Pinpoint tried to stress to no avail, only getting Silver to raise his head off the table and sneer at him.

“Not that bad? Really?”

Quick and Pinpoint could only exchange unsure glances at each other before Pinpoint opened his mouth and hovered a hoof in the air. “I meeeaaaan…”

“Just shut up.” Silver looked away and down at his food before he proceeded to eat. Pinpoint chuckled under his breath at his friend’s little snit and looked away when Silver eyed him to see Shining and the reason for his silence in the last few minutes. He saw that Shining had brought with him a few pieces of paper and an inked quill. As Shining scribbled away, Pinpoint could just make out the name of the pony he was writing to.

“Writing to your mare, huh, Shining? Shining?” Pinpoint called his name a few more times, getting no response out of the unicorn. Shining just kept on writing until Pinpoint’s hoof came down roughly on the table in a series of taps. “Equestria to Shining!”

“What? Where? Why?” Shining quickly looked up and darted his head around until he remembered where he was and saw the curious stares of his friends all aimed at him. “What were we talking about?”

“Well, other than that Silver may or may not have crippled a pony, I was asking you if you were writing to the princess.” After a hard punch to his shoulder from Silver, and through his wincing, Pinpoint asked, “Were you?”

“Yeah. She wrote last night’s letter with my family, so I’m writing one to her, one to them, and another to a friend of mine back home.”

“Why here though?”

“Because last night after we finally got back to the barracks, me and Quick only had fifteen minutes before lights out. Magic training just kept on going, and I could barely write anything down last night before running off to mail it.” Shining looked back down at what he had written so far and started again. “And I am not going to risk being able to mail my letter off due to time.”

“Making good on your letter everyday promise. You’re a good pony, Shining Armor.”

“Thanks.”

A crafty little grin began to show on Pinpoint’s face as he turned to Quick and Silver. “He kinda makes you guys look like chumps. When’s the last time you guys wrote your mare and colt?”

Silver and Quick each put a hoof in up ready to fire back, but stopped cold as the horrible realization that neither had written in a while caused them to look ahead and their faces contort into a dumbfounded look as their minds went totally blank. Several moments later, they broke out of their trance and turned to Shining. “You wouldn’t happen to have any more…” Before Quick could finish his question, Shining pulled two more pieces of parchment from underneath his letter to Cadance and hoofed them to his friends.

“Let me finish this one, then you guys can use my quill.”

Silver and Quick thanked Shining for his offer and let him get back to his letter. “How’s Lily Seed doing anyway, Quick?” Silver asked his bunkmate.

A giddy grin came on the smaller unicorn’s muzzle as he thought of his marefriend back home. “She’s doing good. Her, her mom, and her aunt are about to open up their own flower shop together, and she’s been the one responsible for basically growing their inventory.”

“She likes growing flowers?”

“She loves growing flowers. Always has, and she will find any reason to grow something. For our last anniversary, she planted a small section of her rose garden a different color so that when they grew, the flowers spelled out ‘QF + LS’ with a heart around it.” Quick Fix didn’t exactly know how to react to the very amused grins that came over Silver and Pinpoint. He just awkwardly smiled and tried to keep eye contact. “What? What I say?”

“Nothing,” Silver said, still retaining his cheeky grin.

“I will say this though,” Pinpoint added, scooting a bit in his seat to get a little closer to Quick Fix. “A mare willing to do all of that for you, I’d say that’s wife-material right there.”

“New topic! New topic!” Quick Fix’s face began to heat up and flush a bright red. “For the love of Celestia, new topic!”

“Alright.” Pinpoint quickly turned his attention to Silver Edge. “What about Streamline? How’s he doing? You’ve been really quiet about him lately.”

At first, Silver shrugged, not exactly knowing what to say about his quietness on the subject of his coltfriend back home. “Guess it doesn’t help that I don’t write as much as Shining does.” Across the table, Shining still wrote away, completely unaware his name was called. “But he’s alright, great actually. One of the last things he told me was that he passed his entrance exam.”

“Well hey! Good for him. This mean he's finally gonna get to fly with the big ponies now?”

“Soon enough. He’s only in the reserves for now.”

Quick Fix had been listening, but found himself lost in the conversation. He put a hoof in front of himself to get the two stallions’ attention and asked, “Streamline’s in the reserves for what exactly?”

“Silver here,” Pinpoint said, throwing a hoof around his friend and pulling him close, “managed to catch himself a future Wonderbolt.”

“I didn’t just catch him, we were dating before that,” Silver said defensively as he wriggled out of Pinpoint’s hold.

“Potato-potato, tomato-tomato,” Pinpoint replied with a few waves of his hoof.

“You’re coltfriend’s gonna be a Wonderbolt!” Quick Fix was standing in his seat, stretched across the table with his front hooves almost right on Silver’s food tray, and looking at his battle buddy with the widest, awe-filled eyes the pegasus had ever seen on the unicorn. “Why didn’t you tell us before?!?”

“Who’s a Wonderbolt?” Shining asked, now at mostly-full attention with his quill resting on the table by his, now-finished, letter.

“Streamline,” Pinpoint answered, “Silver just thought that bit of info wasn’t newsworthy.”

“Why didn’t you tell us before! Do you know how awesome that is?” Shining said, eyes now about as wide as Quick’s, but only getting an unsure shrug from Silver.

“I don’t know, and you’re one to talk Shining. When were you gonna mention you’re dating Princess Cadance if I didn’t see her letter?” Shining went quiet at Silver’s answer. He darted his eyes back and forth, unable to think of something to say as he listened to Pinpoint and Quick Fix snicker away.

“He’s kinda got you there, Shining,” Quick Fix said as he settled back in his seat.

“Do you want to use my quill or not?” Shining dryly asked.

Now it was Quick who went silent. “I’ll shut up now.” Shining hoofed the quill to Quick, and the smaller unicorn eagerly started his letter.

While Quick wrote, Shining looked to Silver. “Think you can wait till tonight to write yours to Streamline? I’ve still got two more to write and I don’t know how long magic training will go on tonight.”

Silver nodded. “Sure, I can wait. Hey, how is magic training going anyway. I hear the sergeant’s really tough on you guys.”

“Sergeant Firearms…” Shining trailed off, ears going back against his head. Upon hearing the sergeant’s name, Quick looked up and then at Shining, seeing his face morph into the same uneasy look he had.

“She scares us,” Quick Fix finished before he went back to his letter while Shining recounted the details of their first night with her.

The tall and slender mare that was Sergeant Firearms, at first glance, didn’t seem like somepony to be feared. Rather, it was her actions that made her name a cause for anxiety. Shining told Silver and Pinpoint how Firearms first lined everyone up and gave them a brief talk on magic and it’s importance and use in the Royal Guard right before she lit her horn and shot a burst of magic at one pony who barely had enough time to react and create a barrier between himself and her magic. “Then she looks at all of us, we’re all scared crapless now after she did that, and all she says is ‘Always be alert, and be aware of your surroundings.’”

“Well, that is a pretty good lesson to drill into a future soldier’s head,” Pinpoint admitted.

“Still, though.”

“What have you guys been doing recently?” Silver asked.

“Mostly strengthening our defensive magic,” Quick picked up to answer. He put the quill down and closed his eyes. His horn started to spark with a bright light, and his magic started to materialize and spread out in front of him, circling around until it took form as a half-open bubble covering his face.

Impressed, Pinpoint and Silver looked over the makeshift shield that hummed with Quick’s magic. “Nice,” Pinpoint said to a smiling Quick Fix.

“It gets better.” The smaller unicorn turned to his side to Shining and gestured invitingly to the bubble guarding his face. “Shining?”

Shining balled his hoof and drew it straight back, lined up with Quick’s shield. Panic instantly shot through Pinpoint and Silver, jolting them out of their seats and only able to scream “Shining, don’t!” before the unicorn drove forward. The impact made the two flinch back, clenching their teeth and eyes for a moment. When they dared to open their eyes, they breathed a heavy sigh of relief when they saw Quick’s shield still up and guarding his face.

“C’mon, guys. Have a little more faith in me than that,” Quick said with a smirk.

Silver steadily nodded as he looked on at the crackless magic. “Noted.”

“Can I try?” Pinpoint asked, already halfway stretched out of his seat, only to be met with a panicked chorus of “No!”

“You’re a lot stronger and my magic’s not that resistant just yet,” Quick said rapidly, internally sighing with overwhelming relief when Pinpoint was able to stop himself from doing something stupid and damaging. “But you know who’s is?”

Quick Fix dropped his shield and went back to writing right as Shining lit his horn. In what had to have been less than a second, several of Shining’s bubbles manifested around him and his friends, each of them humming with magic and shimmering with lavender light. Pinpoint and Silver Edge observed the bubble field around their table in awe and raised a hoof to touch one. They gave the bubbles a light bop. The floating orbs hummed a slightly lower pitch at their touch and gave off a soft reverberation that made the two stallions’ ears twitch.

“That is so cool,” Pinpoint said as he reached to grab one of the bubbles out of its suspension.

“Go ahead, try to break it. Punch it,” Shining said.

Shining wasn’t kidding, Pinpoint realized when he saw Shining’s eyes go back and forth to the bubble, openly inviting him to try. “Dude, my hoof is bigger than this,” he said, chuckling as he held Shining’s bubble up. When Shining just gestured to the bubble again, Pinpoint set the lavender bubble on the table and blew a confident snort. “Okay.” His raised his foreleg up. Without hesitating, he slammed his powerful hoof down on the little orb of magic. Right as he was about to claim the task too easy, disbelief held his tongue for him. The little bubble still remained on the table, humming away and glowing brighter than before.

“You know you need to hit it hard to break it, right?” Silver said, the cheekiness in his tone about as apparent as a black sheep in snow.

“Shut up. Let me try again.” Several times, Pinpoint tried to smash the glowing ball of magic, each time, coming nowhere near close to achieving his goal. Whenever he brought his hoof down onto the bubble, it sent his forelimb back with a strong force and a resonant hum. After around his eighth or ninth failure, Pinpoint grasped the bubble in his hooves and set it in front of him where it suspended itself in the air. “One more try.” He drew his arm back and balled his massive hoof. With enough power to obliterate somepony’s snout, he drove forward, striking the bubble and instantly regretted it.

The bubble remained unscathed, much to Pinpoint’s vast annoyance, but his focus was mostly on his hoof that felt like it rammed into a steel wall lined with cactus thorns that were dipped in molten lava. The pain was instant and he recoiled back grasping his hoof with the other as he groaned as much as he’d allow others to hear. “Owhowhow, what is that thing made of, Shining?!?”

“Uh, magic?” Shining dropped his spell, and the bubbles vanished. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Pinpoint answered through gritted teeth and a struggled grin as he kept holding onto his hoof. Next to him, he could hear Silver’s muffled snickers behind his forearm. “You think this is real funny, don’t ya?”

“Hey, you’re the one who kept on going at it like a maniac.”

“I realize that! Sorry for being something called, determined.” Pinpoint countered as he started to shake his hoof out. “Sheesh, has anything gotten past those bubbles of yours, Shining?”

Shining placed a hoof on his chin. “Not that I can think of.”

“You should’ve seen him the first night of magic training,” Quick Fix spoke. “Firearms wanted to see how good or how bad we all were with defensive magic, so she told us to make a shield, and fired at each of us. Shining was the only pony who’s magic not only didn’t break, but also didn’t crack.”

“Yeah, I’d believe it,” Pinpoint said as he continued to shake out his hoof. “Impressive, by the way.”

“That really was,” Silver joined in. “How’d you get so good with defensive magic in the first place, Shining?”

“If I’m being honest, no clue. I didn’t even know I could do stuff like that until the day I got my cutie mark. Then I just kept playing around with it until I could do a little more with it, like the bubbles.” His horn lit up, and once more, the group found themselves in a kaleidoscope of lavender. Like little foals, Shining’s friends curiously observed the impenetrable bubbles hovering around their heads before they started to mess around with the magical orbs and started pushing them around as they hung in the air.

“And how’d you learn to do this?” Quick Fix asked, trying to see what would happen if he pushed one bubble into another.

“I saw the technique in a spellbook where I used to work, so I looked it over and kept working at it.”

“By yourself?”

“Weeeeeell…”

***************

A few months ago

***************

New spells were always a challenge for most unicorns, and the one Shining was attempting was no different. Looking over the spell book on his living room table one more time, he pictured what he wanted. He closed his eyes, pulling all his focus into the spell and what it was supposed to create. For a few moments, all he could hear was the steady hum of magic coming from his horn. In the middle of the spell, Shining cracked one of his eyes open to sneak a look at his progress and briefly struggled to keep focus when he saw the small success floating in front of him. A small orb of magic had formed in front of him, perfectly suspended in front of him. He closed his eyes again. When he opened them, at least a dozen more bubbles had appeared, surrounding him in a reflecting field of lavender light.

“Oh, Shiny! They’re beautiful! Whisk me away and let’s get married, my prince!”

“Star!” The spell instantly broke, each bubble fading away along with the hum of Shining’s magic while Stardust erupted into laughter.

“Sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the cackling unicorn somehow managed to say through her steadily asphyxiating laughs. “I couldn’t resist. But hey, ya finally got the spell down.”

“Yeah, until you made me lose focus. And would you take that wig off!”

Stardust continued to laugh as she removed the blend of pink, purple, and vanilla-white wig reminiscent of the manestyle of a certain pink alicorn from her head. “Hey, you're the one who said he needed a practice date before showin’ off ya spell to Cady. I gotta make sure I look the part, right?”

“Where did you even get that?” His voice went a little higher than he liked, and he was sure Stardust was enjoying every bit of his flustered state like a decadent dessert.

“Ya know how many little fillies wanna dress up as Princess Celestia or Cady for Nightmare Night each year? Literally, all I had to do was head into the nearest costume store on the way ova.”

Shining’s eyes went back to the candy-colored wig and marveled at how this didn’t come as a surprise to him at this point in their friendship. “So you bought a wig to ‘Look the part’, or just to mess with me?”

“Eh, little of Column A, little of Column B,” she said with a smug grin that may as well have been tattooed on her face. The way Shining’s ears splayed down against his head and how his eyebrows lowered to an irritable glare, however, let her know that she was close to treading thin ice. “Ah, don’t gimme that, I’m gonna help ya out. C’mon, give the spell another shot. Just give me like,” slowly, she put the tri-colored wig back on her head as Shining watched with disbelieving eyes, “five more minutes of messin’ around wit this… and ya.”

“You know…”

***************

“I like this mare,” was the first thing out of Pinpoint’s mouth after Shining finished his story involving the blue mare. “She sounds like a riot.”

“She’s definitely something, and she’s my next letter,” Shining breathed lowly, but found himself smiling and shaking his head a second later. Even with the teasing that came with her, Shining could easily recall and treasure all the times Stardust had come through for him or simply brightened up his day. “Eventually, I learned the spell, and then we headed out for donuts afterwards.”

As he listened, Quick Fix finished off the last few words of his letter and gave Shining his quill back. “She a good friend of yours?”

“Best, actually. By now, she’s probably Cadance’s too.”

Pinpoint’s eyebrows went up in slight surprise. “So your marefriend and best female friend are friends?”

“Yeah. Why did you seem like that was weird?”

“Just not something I hear often, but it’s also kinda nice hearing that the princess isn’t the jealous type.”

“He’s had some bad experiences with a few of his ex-marefriends,” Silver interjected, bringing a wave of memories back to him and Pinpoint. “Remember Aurora Rose?”

“Probably the worst one of all,” Pinpoint answered, his face scrunched into a pained grimace. “Never wanted me talking to another mare that I happened to come across, even if she was just a friend. When we would go out to eat, if we had a mare serving us, she’d give me this death glare if I said more than my order to her. She even tried to keep me away from Silver when she found out he was gay.”

Chuckling behind his hoof, Silver said, “The crazy pony thought I was going to steal him away or something.”

“And I got tired of her very, very, very, very, very quickly” Pinpoint said, each “very” hitting harder than the last, and he did not hold back when Shining and Quick asked the details of how his ex became his ex. Despite his ruthlessness, Pinpoint still cracked up as he spoke of his, as he described, biggest mistake of his life. “Bottom line, I ran. I ran far and fast” he said at the end of his story, “dumped her, abandoned ship, flew the coop, whichever sounds harsher.”

“Why’d you get with her in the first place?” Quick asked.

“I’ll tell you guys this, hopefully you won’t need to remember it if things keep going well for you with your mares… and stallion,” he added with once over at Silver. Pinpoint inched forward and pointed a hoof back and forth at his friends with a rare humorless look. “Never fall for just a pretty face.” Holding his intense gaze, Pinpoint eased back into his seat. When seated, he fell back into his regular jovial grin. “But going back a little bit,” his eyes drifted to Shining, “your friend, Stardust… is she single?”

Falling into a blank, empty stare, Shining quickly lit his horn. A small bubble formed in front of him, and before Pinpoint even saw it move, Shining propelled the little hollow orb at his friend’s face where it popped upon harmlessly bopping his muzzle. “I’ll tell her you say ‘Hi’ in my letter.”

Pinpoint put a hoof to the spot on his muzzle where Shining’s bubble had popped. He wondered if the little sneak attack was just him messing around or being protective of his friend. It was probably a mix of both, so he just nodded and said, “Thanks,” before Shining smiled back and began his letter to Stardust. When he finished writing to her and his family, Ironclad started to clomp his way into the mess hall and began directing everyone back outside for afternoon training.

As Shining got up and shoved his letters into his armor, he silently prayed he’d have enough energy to run out to the mail post later on tonight with his letters to everyone. It had been a while since he last wrote to Stardust and family, and he felt a little guilty not writing more. He made a mental goal to remedy that. Running out with his platoon, he also thought on Stardust’s latest letter to him detailing her excitement when she was approved for a lease. While he was not sure when she was moving, he hoped everything would go smoothly, and he wished to hear from her about it soon.

***************

“Holy crap-snacks!”

Unsure if he heard the strange outburst correctly, Blueblood quizzically eyed Stardust. “That’s a... new one.”

The blue unicorn was too focused on the apartment she swore was completely empty just a couple hours ago to give Blueblood any kind of coherent reply. “Because, just, the-the-and the… with the… crap-snacks!” Cadance, Mezzo, and City stepped through the door with similar wide-eyed disbelief. Before they came back up the steps from their lunch, the servants Blueblood had brought along exited swiftly out of Stardust’s new home and announced they had finished unpacking her things. When she went inside, she didn’t expect half the things that were inside. Everything was set up; dishes were placed in the cabinets of her small kitchen, the little couch she had brought with her was set in the living room, new curtains Cadance had brought as a small housewarming gift were tastefully hung and let in the perfect amount of sunlight, and one of her turntables was placed on top of a small table by the couch.

In her room, her posters were already leaving little to no empty space on the walls. Her dresser was moved in with her second turntable placed carefully on top. Her closet was lined with her clothes, and more of Cadance’s curtains were hung on the window. The bed was set and made with an extra pile of small plush pillows that she knew had to be Blueblood’s little gift for her new place. At the foot of the bed, two large plastic bins held every album she had. Along the curtained window, her writing desk and music stand stood, already littered with some of her folders of unfinished songs crammed inside with a few pages peeking out. “Everything’s where I’d put it,” Stardust lightly breathed, as if unable to believe this was real. “How did they—”

“I told you they’d have everything under control.” Blueblood stepped in, beaming proudly with a walk that matched. “Best decorators in the castle, maybe even Equestria. Every few months or so I get bored of the way my room looks, and I have them redecorate. Never was I ever unsatisfied with their work.”

She was about to further question Blueblood’s newly revealed decoration habit until Mezzo and City stepped into the newly decorated room. Stardust stood next to them as they took it all in. “It’s quite somethin’, huh?”

Mezzo was breathless. To her, it was like walking into a magical duplicate of her daughter’s room back home. City held his wife close. As much as they both knew how ready their daughter was for this, it did not make it any easier knowing their not-so-little girl was not going to be as big a part of their home anymore. “Sure is, Star,” City simply said as he looked lovingly at his daughter.

Even underneath her father’s mane, Stardust managed to lock on City’s eyes before she shared a look with Mezzo, who was visibly trying to hold back the tears that desperately tried to fall despite her wide smile. Stardust felt her eyes prickle as they started to water up seeing Mezzo trying to stay strong. All of a sudden, she lunged forward and threw her forelimbs around them in a tight embrace. With all their strength, Mezzo and City hugged her back, not wanting to let go. “I love ya, guys,” she said, her words muffled with her muzzle on Mezzo’s shoulder.

“We love you too, baby,” Mezzo said as she lost her battle in holding back her tears. She sniffed a few times before her and City drew back from the familial embrace, but kept a forelimb on Stardust’s shoulder. She held her daughter’s eyes with a loving gaze. “You are so ready for this, Stardust, and we know you are going to do amazing things.” She cupped Stardust's cheek with a tender hoof. “You are going to take the world by storm.”

“Or by its throat until it does what you want it to do,” City added with a deep chuckle.

Stardust wiped at her eyes and laughed as well. “Love how ya get me, dad.” She thought on how right her father was. One way or another, things were going to work out. Exactly how, Stardust still did not know, but her move was one step in the right direction. Possibilities on how the next few months would play out piled up in her mind and followed her as she walked with her parents towards the front door after Mezzo had suggested her and City taking their leave so Stardust could settle in. “I’ll visit real soon,” she reassured as the older ponies stepped outside.

The verbal promise was elating to hear, and Mezzo instantly brightened up. “Please do, and please be safe. Let us know if you need anything.”

One more hug was shared between the three of them, and right before City and Mezzo started to make their way downstairs, City whispered, “Ya mom and I left a little somethin’ for ya in the kitchen. Love ya, Star.”

Stardust said, “Love ya too, dad,” and closed the door once they were down the steps.

In the kitchen, Cadance and Blueblood stood behind one of the counters where a moderately-sized drawstring pouch sat. “Was this yours in the first place, or did one of the servants leave this here?” Blueblood asked when Stardust joined them.

“No, my dad said he and my mom left this here for me.” She undid the drawstrings and pulled the pouch open and nearly stumbled back onto the stove behind her when she saw the pouch was filled with bits. As her mind struggled to comprehend that there was a sack of bits right in front of her, Cadance called attention to the folded up note lying under the bag. Stardust slipped the note up and unfolded it. Instantly she recognized the familiar hoof-writing of her mother.

“Surprise, Star. Your father and I didn’t want to give this to you while we were inside. I know how weird you get about taking big gifts. Work on that.”

“Shut it,” Stardust shot at the two royals who shared a laugh at Mezzo’s honest words before she read on.

“Take this and put it towards some recording equipment. We believe in you, and we’ll miss you at home. We love you.

- Mom & Dad”

Exasperation aside from her parents’ trick, Stardust felt a welcomed warmth come over her. It was only midday, and she was standing in her new home that was fully decorated after sitting down to a nice lunch with her parents and two of her best friends. Now, another great gift was sitting in front of her. For a moment she wondered exactly what she did so far in life to deserve such great ponies in her life.

“So are you gonna take it without making a big deal about repaying them somehow like you did with me?” Cadance asked, cracking a know-it-all grin she had to have picked up from the unicorn.

In a mocking tone, Stardust repeated Cadance’s question and lifted the bag of bits with her magic. “Yes, I’ll take it, but I’m gonna think of somethin’ to do for them later on. Don’t know what, but it’ll come to me.” The total amount of the bits made itself present in how much more energy Stardust put into keeping the pouch afloat next to her. “I should probably go deposit this now before I forget.” From her room, she picked up her saddlebag, noting the odd feeling that she could grab something in this new place as if she never left her old room, and dropped the pouch inside. “Thanks for comin’ out today, guys.”

“Of course,” Cadance said as she opened the door for the three of them.

“And thanks for gettin’ some help, it made everythin’ so much easier.”

“No problem at all,” Blueblood said on his way out the door. “I’ll let the staff know they did a tremendous job.” Arching his neck forward, the prince aimed a cocky grin at Cadance. “And you said I was going overboard when I suggested bringing some help.”

“Yeah, well, your original idea was to bring in fifteen royal guards from the castle and use them as movers.”

Not believing her ears, Stardust turned to Blueblood as the three of them started to descend the stairs. “Isn't that misuse of power?”

“There’s no written law against it, I checked, but Cadance still thought it was overusing my power. Almost with that same face you're making right now, actually. I just figured they would be able to carry and lift more and move things along faster, and since I was bringing help anyway, it might as well be the best if it's for a friend.”

“And that you hoped it would also excuse you of actually having to lift a hoof to help move things around?” Cadance interjected with a raised brow.

Blueblood shrugged and with a wave of his hoof said, “Little of column A, little of column B.”

They were at the bottom of the staircase where Stardust snorted at Blueblood’s remark. “Either way, thanks. So are ya doing anythin’ else tonight, guys?”

“Not really,” Cadance answered. “But we’re supposed to sit in with our aunt for a meeting with the new Duke and Duchess of Maritonia tomorrow.”

“In other words, an afternoon of boredom, but it comes with the job,” Blueblood chimed in with a roll of his eyes. “So we were just going to head back to the castle after this to get everything ready for tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Stardust’s ears flicked down only for a second before she hastingly brought them back up. “I was gonna see if ya wanted to help break in the new place and hang out for the night, but I guess you’re busy.” She hid it well, but the faint disappointment in her voice was enough for Cadance and Blueblood to pick up on. The regal cousins looked to one another when Stardust was not looking and shared a crafty grin.

“Well,” Cadance began lively, “the meeting isn’t going to be until dinner time.”

“And it’s the servants and our aunt’s staff that usually deal with setting everything up,” Blueblood chimed in. “All we need to do is choose a nice outfit and show up.”

Stardust turned to look at both ponies on her sides as she started to smile. “You guys are the best,” she said, bringing in her friends in a quick side hug. “So what’s the plan?”

“You go make your deposit, and we’ll meet back at your place after we get a few things from the castle.” Cadance’s plan was easily agreed on, and the trio broke off. Stardust continued on towards the bank while the princess and prince started their walk back to the castle.

Half an hour later, a quick trip to the nearest grocery store, and her saddlebags four hundred bits lighter, Stardust was back in her new place moving things around for her night in. She was in the middle of setting up her film projector when the knock on the door came a while later.

“Sorry we’re late,” Blueblood said when Stardust opened the door and followed Cadance inside, bringing with him a bag of overnight supplies and a large set of bedding and pillows in his magic. “Cadance wanted to pick up Shining’s latest letter before we left.”

Cadance laid her own plush bedding that was mostly a bunch of queen-sized blankets stacked on top of each other down on the ground next to the couch. “Can you blame me? Besides, I was thinking that we can write back to him tonight.”

Already back at toying with the projector, Stardust replied, “Great idea. Been awhile since I wrote back to him. What’d he say today?” The projector started to hum and the lens finally emitted a blank light at the wall. “Hold that thought. I’m gonna get the movie and a sheet.” She darted into her room and came back into the living room with the night’s first movie, a white bedsheet, and some tape. “So what’s Shiny gotta say?” she asked as she began taping the sheet to the wall.

“Just the usual; how training’s going, asking how I’m doing, that he misses me. Oh, and he also asked me to ask you for your new address for the next time he writes you.”

Moving to the kitchen, Stardust started to make the popcorn. “Awww. I’ll write it in my letter. I picked up some paper and envelopes on the way home if ya wanna start yours, Cady.”

“Thanks.”

By the time Cadance finished up her letter, Stardust plopped down on the couch and set a giant bowl of hot, buttery popcorn down on the carpet between Cadance and Blueblood. “It’s pretty awesome how you guys are still keepin’ up with the whole letter every day thing.”

“You should see the stack of them she keeps back in the castle,” Blueblood said as he took some popcorn in his magic. “She actually had to get a bigger box to put them in.”

Red flushed Cadance’s pink cheeks as she hastily looked down and began to take some popcorn for herself. Stardust quickly noticed the change in her friend, and once Cadance had looked up at her, the princess was met with the one of the unicorn’s grins. “You’re in love with him, aren’t ya, Cady?”

Blueblood inched in with raised brows, Stardust’s question literally reeling him in so he could see Cadance’s face go even redder before she straightened up in her sitting position. Memories of her blue-maned coltfriend began to rush in her mind, bringing with them images of Shining Armor and some of her favorite moments with him; their first awkward meeting, the Summer Sun Celebration, their first date, their first kiss, their late makeout in the castle’s infirmary the night after he helped save her life, and every big gesture the stallion made over the last several months. She moved her hoof to pick up the letter she had just written and smiled down at the words he would read in a few days. She missed him. She clutched the letter close and looked up at Stardust, and in a gentle voice, almost like she realized it herself, answered, “I do.”

Everypony was silent. The mares in the room were still looking at one another while Blueblood silently darted his eyes between Stardust and Cadance’s wide smiles that seemed to be getting larger by the second. Suddenly, the momentary silence was destroyed when Cadance and Stardust each erupted into loud, ecstatic screams of delight as they flailed their back hooves in the air. Stardust started repeatedly pointing at the letter in Cadance’s hooves. “Tell him! Tell him!”

Cadance looked down at her letter, almost immediately taking her quill and signing off with the sentiment, but before any ink was used, she held herself back. For a moment she stayed still, quill held in her magic and hovering just millimeters off the page, and then she set it down. “No. Not through a letter. I want to tell him face-to-face for the first time.”

“Wouldn’t this be much easier?” Blueblood asked.

“Yeah, but, well, I already told Stardust this before Shining left, but I’ve been wanting to try and do things for him like he does for me. Let me finish,” Cadance said when Stardust pointed a hoof, about to say something. “He’s done these gestures for me, and I wanna do something like that when he gets back, but I might need help with ideas.”

Stardust looked at Cadance for a second, knowing full-well how serious she was about this. She sighed as she swung her legs off the couch to get to the projector. “It can never be easy with the two of ya, can it?” She said as she worked the film reel. “But it is really sweet that ya wanna do this.”

“Almost dangerously sweet,” Blueblood snarkily added in, quickly earning a nod from Stardust.

“Right? No offense, Cady, but sometimes when the two of ya were together, it got so sickeningly sweet, the air around you started to taste sugar. I’m scared that at my next checkup, the doc’s gonna say I’m at risk for diabetes.” No words. Cadance only managed some kind of croak as she tried to think of something to say back, but was left speechless. “Where do I come up with these?” Stardust asked herself happily as she plopped back in her spot on the couch while the film’s countdown began.

Cadance furrowed her brow and groaned. “Can you just…”

“Don’t worry, Cady. Me and Blue will help ya out.”

The film finished its countdown and went black before the opening sequence. Blueblood grabbed some more popcorn in his magic as he kept watching. “It really shouldn’t be too hard if it’s all three of us. We’ll think of something. Maybe you can get some ideas at my party. A lot of ponies are coming, it’s a big event, and romantic things tend to happen at castle events. Remember when Auntie told us about those two mules she saw at the Grand Galloping Gala decades ago?”

Cadance nodded, looking ahead at the movie. “Oh yeah. Wonder what happened to them.”

“Probably married with kids in some little town living a storybook ending. So, Stardust, what movie is this?”

Through a popcorn-filled muzzle, Stardust said, “You’ll love it. Little destructive blue alien crash lands on an island and a little filly livin’ wit her sister gets him as a pet. Ya may or may not cry.”

Taking more popcorn, Blueblood sat back against his bedding and glued his eyes on the sheet. “Well this should be good.”

***************

Dear, Shining

Things are okay over here in Canterlot. Blueblood and I ended up helping Stardust move all of her things into her new place. Well, the servant staff Blueblood brought along helped, but whatever. She’s writing in her new address in her letter, I think you should get it along with this letter. Her place looks nice, but she’ll probably tell you more about it herself. We ended up having another movie night… Blueblood was tearing up by the end.... it was a really good movie. Speaking of Blueblood, his birthday is coming up. I wish you were here so we could go to his party together. Castle parties are huge, and he organized it with a masquerade theme. Could you imagine us? Dressed up and wearing masks, and later on in the night, we’re dancing under chandelier light? I miss you so much, but I’m so proud and happy for you to make it this far already. I can’t wait to finally see you again. There’s only so much I can say with ink. I miss you.

- Cadance

The Attempt

A few miles away from the marvel that is Canterlot Castle, a young unicorn was walking through the moonlit streets of Canterot. His snow-white coat seemed to reflect the moonlight, and his dual-colored mane flowed with each light breeze that came his way. The young unicorn slowed to a steady walk as he approached a dark purple house. He started to breathe heavily and his legs began wobbling. A hint of anxiety started to show in his cerulean eyes as he walked closer to the house.

"Okay, don't freak, just walk in, and don't make a foal of yourself like last time," the young colt muttered under his breath as he came up the front porch stairs of the house. "Here we go," he mumbled to himself as he hesitantly opened the door to the house.

"Twi-Lee, I'm home!" a young filly with a purple mane shot straight up from the nearby couch and bolted towards her older brother.

"Shining Armor!" Twilight yelled as she embraced her older brother with a tight hug.

"Hey sis, where’s Cadance?" Shining Armor asked more enthusiastically than he intended.

"Upstairs in the bathroom... why? You wanna say you loooove her?" Twilight teased.

"Shut up." It was at that moment a young pink-coated alicorn with a pink, purple, and bright yellow mane put up in a ponytail emerged from the bathroom.

"Hey, Shining Armor, how was work?" the pink beauty asked.

"Oh, you know, just another day of shoving books on shelves,” Shining Armor replied.

Cadance walked downstairs to join the two unicorns, her light purple eyes sparkling like diamonds in the light of the house.

"Twilight was so good; I love foal sitting for the little one.” The little filly known as Twilight blushed a bit behind her brother.

"Yeah, she's a great little sister, and I hear she is just as great of a student."

"I still can't believe she's studying under my aunt, it’s amazing, really. Oh, and Shining, that little dragon is just adorable," Cadance said with excitement dripping from her voice.

"Yeah, but all the little guy does is sleep and suck on his tail," Shining Armor said, just a little annoyed at the small dragon.

"Hey, he's only a year old, give Spike a break," Twilight retorted. Shining Armor laughed a bit while ruffling his sister's mane.

"Whatever, sis.” Cadance couldn't help but laugh at this tiny bit of family teasing. Although it was just a short giggle, to Shining Armor, it was the most beautiful sound in the world. It only compared to her singing voice that he occasionally heard when she and Twilight had a small duet in the house as he came home from work. Shining Armor could still remember the first day he saw his crush.

***************

It was a few months ago, Shining Armor and Twilight's parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet, had announced that they were both going to work together to help their family friend, Pony Joe, expand his donut business. However, trying to establish a business all the way in Manehatten can leave a family in demand for a foal-sitter. Night Light and Twilight Velvet didn't want to make Shining Armor quit his first job at the library to become a constant foal-sitter, which left them in a bit of a difficult situation. One day, while studying with Princess Celestia, Twilight explained her family's predicament, so Celestia did something nopony would have thought a princess would do. She got her niece, Cadance, to be Twilight's foal-sitter. Celestia, with Cadance, dropped by Twilight and Shining Armor's house one day to offer their help, and of course their parents said yes, and it's been a plan in motion since. That same day Cadance got to meet the whole family, even Spike, and it was on that day that Shining Armor laid his eyes on the most captivating mare he ever saw. Her tri-colored mane put up in a ponytail, her light purple eyes, her loving and caring personality were all Shining Armor could think about for weeks to come. Even then he struggled to utter out a full complete sentence to her. In fact, all he could manage to say to her when she asked his name was:

"Abugh- ugh- you- my- my- my- my- name- ugh... Shining Armor." Cadance chuckled at his response while he continued to shake and sweat.

"Alright, Cadance, let's get back to the castle; you need your rest before your first day on the job," Celestia called while heading towards the front door.

"Okay, Aunt Celestia. Bye, Night Light, bye Twilight Velvet. You won't be disappointed, I promise."

"Oh, we’re sure that you'll do great," replied the still-flabbergasted parents. Cadance started towards the door then turned around to Twilight.

"I can't wait to get to know you more, Twilight, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Princess Cadance," replied Twilight.

“Just call me Cadance," Cadance replied with a small giggle at the formality shown towards her.

"Okay, Cadance," said Twilight, who nearly passed out at this showing of casualty towards royalty. Cadance then turned towards the still shaking Shining Armor, "Hope I see you too."

'Oh no, what do I say? What do I say? What do I say?' thought the quivering colt.

"Y-Ye-Y-Ye-Yeah, hope I get to s-s-see you too," he quivered.

'You stuttering idiot!' he thought to himself while forcing a smile. Shining Armor could still hear the chuckles coming from Cadance as she flew off with Celestia towards the castle.

"She's wow!" muttered a love struck Shining Armor standing in a pile of his own sweat. Since then, Shining Armor had a crush, and has been a bit of a muttering buffoon on numerous occasions.

***************

Today, though, Shining Armor made it his mission to finally work up enough courage to finally ask his crush out on a date. He stood up, took in a deep breath, and laid his eyes on the pink pony.

"Cadance?" he asked.

"Yes, Shining Armor?"

"I was wondering, if maybe... on some day... when you're not busy... or not foal-sitting... or just want to do something... or I don't know... ugh... ugh, maybe Friday, Saturday?" Shining Armor managed to get out with long pauses between each part of his question. Cadance really tried to follow his question, but the all too obviously confused look on her face showed that she was lost with his words.

"What?" she asked.

Shining Armor opened his mouth, only to be cut off by a ground-shaking BONG. The three ponies looked towards the direction that they heard the disturbance from. Cadance was the first to pick up on the fact that it was the clock tower a few blocks from the house.

"Oh my goodness, I've gotta get back to the castle before my aunt gets worried!" exclaimed Cadance, hurrying towards the doorway. Shining Armor stood there gazing at his crush, unable to come up with something else to say after part one of his train wreck of an attempt to ask her out.

"Bye, Cadance, see you tomorrow," Twilight waved ecstatically as she imagined the fun she was going to have the next day.

"Okay, Twilight, see you tomorrow. Bye, Shining Armor," Cadance cooed, turning away from Shining Armor and walking out of the doorway, her hips swaying with each step.

‘Great job, Shining. You just bucked up and lost her. Fantastic.’ He groaned, both as a way to vent his anger towards himself and longing for the pink princess walking out of his front door.

Shining Armor propped himself against the door frame, trying to keep himself from collapsing to the ground. He watched helplessly as the mare of his dreams prepared to take flight. He urged himself to do something more, say anything to get her attention. “Y-Y-Yeah, bye, Cadence.”

‘REALLY!?! That’s the best you could come up with?!?’

Twilight, with a look of disapproval, started nudging at her brother’s chest, urging him to do more.

“C’mon, Shining, go after her!”

“I know I should, Twi, but I can’t do it,” Shining Armor whispered back. “What if I mess up again?”

“You already did, you got the worst part over, you can only go up from here,” Twilight retorted.

Shining Armor, after brushing off Twilight’s blunt advice, started to composed himself. He took in a deep breath, and went after his crush.

"Cadance!" he called after the mare of his dreams. The pink beauty turned around, her eyes sparkling beautifully under the moonlight.

"Yes, Shining Armor?"

The young colt froze in his spot. His heart started racing, sweat began to form along his mane, and his legs began to wobble. He was literally melting from the look she gave him, her eyes too captivating for him to look away. A few moments passed before Cadance broke the silence.

"Shining?" she asked.

"Ugh, ugh, w-w-would you, ugh..." he mumbled.

"Yes?" Cadance asked in anticipation.

"Ugh... have a nice night," Shining Armor managed to say with a hint of shame in his voice.

"Oh, ugh, okay... thanks Shining," replied a confused Cadance.

Twilight stood there in the porch, observing part two of the train wreck that was her brother’s attempt to ask Cadance out. Cadance turned away and flew off into the night sky towards the Canterlot castle, leaving the stuttering colt to mentally, and physically, beat himself up about his horrible attempt at asking Cadance out.

'Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot,' thought the white unicorn as he slammed his hoof into his forehead repeatedly. After beating at his forehead for a good minute, Shining Armor walked inside his house, with Twilight waiting by the couch.

"C'Mon bro, that was worse than the time you tried to ask her out when she came to the library, and you ended up running away and bumped into those bookshelves."

Memories of that day flashed through Shining Armor’s mind a little too quickly for his liking. The way he choked up upon seeing Cadance at the library, and the end result of books falling atop his head and burying him underneath a pile of literature. "I know, but at least the books hid my face," Shining Armor half-heartedly joked.

"Well, you still have a few days left before mom and dad get back home from their vacation in the Hayman Islands, maybe you can find a way to ask Cadance out by then, she isn't gonna foal sit forever you know," Twilight teased.

"Yeah, yeah, shouldn't you be in bed right now?" Shining Armor asked, getting a bit annoyed.

"Ughhh, fiiiiiiine," Twilight sighed as she headed upstairs to her room. The door shut, and Shining Armor walked over to the couch and sat down.

"Oh Cadance, why can't I just bring myself to ask you? Why can't I be more confident? Why am I talking to myself?” Shining Armor’s mind went straight to thoughts of Cadance, no, not just Cadance, Princess Cadance. His ears drooped and his self-confidence plummeted into the negatives. “I'm just a library assistant, and you're a princess, the niece of Celestia! You deserve so much better than me," Shining Armor mumbled to nopony.

Twilight stood by her door, listening to her brother's self-loathing. She couldn't stand listening to her own brother talk about himself like he was the most unworthy pony in all of Equestria. She opened the door, and went downstairs to her brother.

"You're not just a library assistant, Shining," spoke Twilight. Shining Armor jolted up to see the little filly standing by him with the most sincere look in her dark purple eyes.

"Oh... you heard that," Shining Armor groaned, then averted his gaze to the floor.

"Shining Armor, you’re the most caring, hardworking, and biggest lovable goofball I know, you're an awesome brother, and yet you talk about yourself like you're the most pathetic colt in Equestria," lectured Twilight.

"After that horrible attempt, even you have to admit that I looked pathetic," droned Shining Armor.

"No, not pathetic, more like just really really really really nervous. But you shouldn't be, Cadence thinks you're a super nice guy, and I honestly think she might like it if you actually told her you feel," explained the little filly. Shining Armor took this all in, raising his head as if new hope was ignited in his heart.

"Thanks, Twi-Lee, you always know how to pull me up when I'm down."

"What else are sisters for?" remarked Twilight as she gave her brother a hug.

"Now go to bed, Twilight, you can't be sleepy while studying with the Princess," instructed Shining Armor as he broke off the hug between the two.

"Okay bro, love you BBBFF," Twilight said.

"Love you too, LSBFF," replied Shining Armor.

Twilight headed up to her room and got into bed. Little snores could be heard from the side of her bed as the little baby dragon dreamed on.

"Good night, Spike, get your rest. Shining Armor's taking you with him to work while I study with the Princess," the little filly whispered to the still sleeping dragon.

Downstairs, Shining Armor sat on the couch wondering how he would be able to get the most beautiful pony in Equestria, nay, the world to go out with him. Shining Armor yawned and stretched out his forelimbs. "I'll sleep on it, maybe something will come to me," he yawned out. And just like that, Shining Armor knocked out on the couch, not even bothering to make an effort to go to his room. Finally, there was silence, and temporary peace, in the house.

***************

Cadance made her way to the castle, landing in the large courtyard with grace. When she entered the castle, she was greeted by the great white alicorn she knew as her aunt.

"Aunt Celestia, I'm home!" she exclaimed.

Princess Celestia turned around to greet her niece. "Cadance, how was Twilight?" she asked.

"Wonderful, I got to show her some spells that she could study, got to play with Spike, and had a bit of a half-gibberish half-conversation with Shining Armor." Celestia chuckled at the last comment.

"Awww, do I sense a little crush on my student's brother?" the white alicorn asked.

"Auntie, Shining Armor's a nice guy, but... I don't know, if I see him in that way, but he is really... I mean... I don’t know." There was a short silence before Celestia spoke again.

"You're young, you'll have plenty of time to figure out how you feel, just remember, the heart that waits the longest, aches the most," and with that, Celestia walked away from the confused Cadance, back to her throne room.

Cadance stood there by the entryway of the castle for a while before heading up the gigantic staircase up to her room. She pondered what her aunt had said for quite a while, thinking about it even more as she headed out onto the balcony outside her room. Cadance gazed up at the starry night sky, and then down at the view of Canterlot she had from her balcony. A few streets away she could see the dark purple house she had just left, and stared at it for the longest time.

"The heart that waits the longest aches the most."

Those words echoed in Cadance's mind. The young alicorn looked on at the house, deep in thought.

‘I don't know, I just don't know.’

Morning Preparations

"Twi-Lee! Twi-Lee! C'Mon, wake up!!!”

"I'm up! I'm up! I'm up! I'm up!" Twilight shot up from her bed wide-eyed, thinking something terrible had happened but was only met by Shining Armor’s face hanging above her. That was odd; usually she was the one waking him up so something was definitely up.

"C'Mon, sis, time to get ready. We're meeting Cadance at the castle to help prepare for the celebration," explained Shining Armor with a smile big enough to match the smiley faces on Twilight's pillows.

"Oooooooh, any plans for Cadance, Mr. Casanova?” Twilight teased, already anticipating the plan she and Cadance had concocted last night.

"Yup, I'm finally gonna tell her how I feel!” Shining declared, raising a forehoof in the air like somepony out of a comic.

Usually, Twilight would ignore declarations involving Cadance that came from Shining Armor on the account that every time he made one, he fell extremely short of his goal, miserably and usually hilariously. However, there was something in Shining Armor's eyes this time that actually shocked Twilight beyond belief. He actually looked like he meant it; he really was going to tell Cadance how he felt.

"Oh my Celestia, you're actually gonna do it..." Twilight whispered in disbelief of her brother’s determination.

"I am, Twi-Lee, I really am!" Shining Armor replied with no hesitance whatsoever.

'This is great, both of them are gonna do it. They're gonna get together! I'm getting a sister!' thought Twilight as a huge smile made its way onto her face.

Shining dropped his dramatic pose and took on a more serious expression. "C'Mon, get ready, we've got a big day ahead of us. I already woke Spike up and made breakfast... so chop, chop!” said Shining Armor as he clopped his hooves together.

"Okay, Shining," Twilight replied as she got up and headed downstairs to eat. Shining Armor stayed in Twilight's room to make her bed and pick up whatever mess lingered.

"I'm really gonna do it," he said to himself as he finished picking up and headed downstairs to meet Twilight and Spike, who were already digging into their plates of dandelion omelets.

Shining Armor took his seat and started munching away at his breakfast almost faster than the baby dragon still tearing away at his omelet.

It only took two minutes for both Shining Armor and Spike to finish their omelets and upon finishing, Shining Armor, in a nearly cartoon fashion, jolted upstairs to get ready for the day.

Twilight was left at the table with Spike and a surprised expression after seeing her brother in that big of a rush to get ready. He was usually never that energetic in the mornings.

A gargle and spitting noise was heard from the bathroom followed by Shining Armor's hasty gallop towards his room to collect whatever supplies he needed for the day. In a matter of minutes, Shining Armor was back in the kitchen carrying a new saddlebag full of tools and shattered turquoise.

"C'Mon, sis, we gotta get a move on," said Shining Armor as he levitated all the dishes into the sink, completely ignoring the fact that half of Twilight's omelet was still on her plate.

"Hey! I wasn't done ye—" Twilight was cut short as she and Spike were encased in a light purple aura and brought upstairs alongside Shining Armor towards the bathroom.

"We need to hurry, I don't wanna keep Cadance waiting," explained Shining Armor as he set Twilight and Spike on the ground of the bathroom floor.

"We still have an h—"

"Brush your teeth, guys," ordered Shining Armor as he magically shoved toothbrushes in the unicorn and dragon's mouths.

With the brush already in her mouth, Twilight didn't even fight him; she knew how eager he was to get to the castle. After all, when would he ever gather so much confidence again?

After finishing up, Twilight moved on to help the struggling infant dragon with brushing his tiny fangs.

"That's good enough," ruled Shining Armor as he pulled the brush away from Spike's mouth with his magic after two minutes. "Clean him off and meet me downstairs."

"Shining Armor we still have—" Twilight tried to explain before Shining Armor bolted back to his room to finish gathering supplies.

"UGH!" Twilight sighed loudly as she washed the leftover toothpaste off of Spike's face.

Seconds later, Shining Armor stood in the bathroom door carrying another saddlebag in his light purple aura. "Here you go, Twi; you’re carrying Spike this time," he explained as he magically attached the saddlebag to her body. "Now let's get going," Shining panicked as he lifted Spike into his sister's saddlebag pouch.

"Shining Armor, we still have... HEY!" Twilight was again interrupted and encased in her brother's magic and soon found herself by her brother who was running downstairs at record speeds.

"If we get there on time, I can tell her right away, but maybe showing a little late will make it easier to do. NO! I should get there earlier so I can tell her sooner, but maybe I'll seem too eager and scare her off if she even considers me," Shining argued with himself out loud, still heading downstairs.

"Shining," Twilight tried to say.

"Early? Late? On time?"

"Shining."

"Late. No early! No, on time!"

"SHINING ARMOR!!!!" Twilight boomed, pulling her brother's mind out of his thoughts as he stood at the front door. "It's only 8:30. We have an hour and a half!"

Shining Armor took on a quizzical look before opening the front door to see the clock tower a few streets away from him. Twilight was right; it was 8:30 and they still had an hour and a half before meeting up with Cadance and Stardust at the castle.

"Oh," choked out the white unicorn as he set Twilight back on the ground.

"Yea, 'OH!'" retorted the annoyed filly.

"Sorry, sis. I guess I got a little carried away back there," chuckled Shining Armor as he scratched the back of his head nervously and a shade of red made its way across Shining Armor's face.

Twilight let out another sigh before continuing on, "It's fine. Just try to relax before we get to the castle."

"Good advice," Shining Armor choked out.

"Well, we got an hour and a half, and I really don't wanna wait around the house that long. So what should we do, Shining?"

"Hmmmmm," pondered Shining Armor as he put a hoof to his chin. "Wanna go see Stardust? We were supposed to meet her at the castle but we can walk with her instead."

"Okay. At least now I can see how she teases you today," laughed Twilight as she gave her brother a playful shove.

"Ha ha," Shining Armor dully laughed while thinking about what kind of friendly abuse he would have to deal with.

'Well, Cadance, hope you’re ready to hear this,' thought Shining Armor as he closed the door behind him and started his way to Stardust's house with Twilight by his side.

'Today's the day.'

***************

Fruits and plates of eggs, omelets, and various breads were spread along a table as Princess Celestia awaited her niece and nephew to join her for breakfast.

"Good morning, Aunt Celestia!" a cheery voice piped from one of the hallways that led into the dining hall.

"Ah, good morning, Cadance," belled Celestia as she turned to face her niece. Cadance took her seat at the long table and hungrily eyed her breakfast.

"Hold on, Cadance, we need to wait for your cousin. Family meeting," explained Celestia as she magically pulled the plate away from Cadance.

"About what?" inquired Cadance with a pouty face.

"Preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. This is Blueblood's first one with us and since you volunteered last night, I figured we should prepare as a family."

"Are you sure he'd even want to help? He barely lifts a hoof around here..." replied Cadance with a quizzing tone.

"He will help and he will like it!" declared the sun goddess as she put a hoof down on the table.

"I will like what?" asked a voice from the hallway opposite of Cadance's entry.

"Ah, Blueblood," said Celestia as she saw her nephew enter the dining hall and take his seat at the table. "I was talking about preparations for the celebration tomorrow and how ALL THREE OF US are going to help out," explained Celestia.

"Shouldn't the help be preparing this? That's why they're the help in the first place!" retorted Blueblood as he put his nose in the air snobbishly.

"Come on, BlueBlue, don't you want to make family memories with your Auntie? You'll make me very sad if I can't spend this day with my family," Celestia replied with a fake pout as she made her magenta eyes wider to make a mother-like puppy dog face.

Blueblood couldn't argue anymore; although he was relatively new to the family, he had grown a deep family love for his aunt. "UGH! Fine, Aunt Celestia, I'll help. Just please stop calling me BlueBlue."

"Okay, BlueBlue," teased Celestia.

"Auntie!" Blueblood nearly yelped back as a shade of red made itself very visible on his white-furred face.

Celestia finished her little laughing fit before she turned to face Cadance who was doing her best to not laugh at her reddened cousin. "And speaking of preparations... Cadance."

"Yes, Aunt Celestia?" asked Cadance as she kept trying to hold back her laughter.

"You said something about Shining Armor last night when you came home, correct?"

"Oh yeah, I invited him to come and help out with the celebration. Is that alright?"

"Yes my dear. Any plans for him today?" Celestia teased as she raised an eyebrow playfully at her niece.

"Actually yes, yes I do," declared Cadance with confidence.

"Oh?" replied the confused white alicorn.

"Yup, I'm gonna talk to him about something that may or may not result in us having a date in a few days," explained Cadance with a huge smile spread across her face.

"Cadance, is Shining Armor the colt with the blue mane we saw at the library yesterday?" Blueblood asked, trying to get into the family loop.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Just to see exactly who I might need to send the guards after in case he tries something funny."

"That won't be necessary, Blueblood; Shining Armor’s completely harmless," laughed Cadance as she pictured the idea of guards kicking Shining Armor out on his flank. "But I’m glad to see your looking out for me, Blueblood."

"We're family, Cadance, it's one of the few jobs I feel I need to abide to," replied Blueblood honestly and yet somehow annoyingly.

"Well then, why don't we finish our breakfast as a family as well?" suggested the regal white alicorn.

"Yes, Aunt Celestia," replied the royal cousins as they started to dig into their breakfast.

***************

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Stardust?"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Stardust?"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Stard—"

"Shiny, wut are ya doin' here? I thought we were meeting up at the castle?" asked Stardust after opening the door to see Shining Armor, Twilight, and Spike at her front door.

"Ugh, funny story... you see I kind of got a little bit carried away this morning... and, ugh..." Shining Armor tried to describe the events of the morning without coming off as too eager or looking like an idiot.

"He got up too early and nearly dragged me and Spike against our wills to the castle at 8:30 in the morning to meet Cadance at the castle when he had an hour and a half left!" interrupted the annoyed filly by Shining Armor's side.

"Twi!?!" cracked Shining Armor with a quick turn to his sister.

Stardust busted out laughing just thinking about the short story of Shining Armor's frantic morning. "Sorry, Shiny, but that is just so you to do somethin’ like that when it comes to Cadance." Stardust continued to cackle a bit while Shining Armor stood there with a pathetic look plastered on his face.

"Okay, I'm done, I'm done. Oh boy," said Stardust through breaths as she started to compose herself. "Come in guys, we still got a good hour ‘till we need to be at the castle," said Stardust as she motioned for Shining Armor and Twilight to enter.

"Thanks, Star," replied Shining Armor as he led Twilight into Stardust's house.

"Oh, Shiny, I gotta show you and Twi somethin' I learned last night," said Stardust with much enthusiasm.

"What is it?" inquired Shining Armor as he and Twilight were being led upstairs into Stardust's room.

"Somethin' I learned on my guitar," answered Stardust already opening the door to her room.

In Stardust's room, there hung many posters of various musicians throughout Equestria. Most of them were of rock or alternative bands and other well-known guitar players ranging from Colt Cobain, Flank 182, S!nc, Revolvers & Tulips, Taylor Swiftheart, Flash, Rod Harley, and many others.

Stardust's floor was littered with sheet music and lyric notes and her bed was barely visible under mountains of guitar picks and guitar care materials. It's no wonder Stardust's cutie mark depicted a guitar.

"Looks like your room, Twi-Lee," joked Shining Armor to his sister after remembering the many books and scrolls that usually littered Twilight's room.

"Ha ha," Twilight sarcastically laughed before turning her attention to Stardust, who was grabbing her guitar and a pick.

"Okay, guys, prepare to get blown away."

Stardust began showing off her talent, each strum sounding more magical than the last. She kept strumming and strumming, completely in tune and hitting all the right notes without a single mistake.

Stardust started to really get into the music, making faces at certain notes, rocking her body as she played, and even letting out certain squeals at some parts.

Shining Armor and Twilight stood there in awe as they watched the blue unicorn strum away. Stardust was sounding like a true musician, the kind that you would hope to see playing in arenas one day. Neither Twilight nor Shining Armor knew what song she was playing, but they did know that she sounded amazing.

"Wooooo," yelled Stardust as she finished up the song. She looked up to see her audience clopping their hooves together.

"Wow, Star, you've been getting better and better..." said Shining Armor still in awe.

"You were awesome!" cheered Twilight who was still clapping her hooves.

"Ah ha ha yay!” cheered the baby drake from within Twilight's saddlebag in whatever sounds of joy that could be uttered from a baby.

"What was that song, anyway?" inquired Shining Armor.

"It was part of a Colt Cobain solo, blessed be his name," responded Stardust as she looked up to the ceiling at the last part of her answer.

"You did great!" beamed Twilight, still in shock of the talent Stardust possessed.

"Thanks, guys," blushed Stardust as she packed her guitar up. "Oh, Shiny, you never filled me in on that note from last night. What was on it?" asked Stardust with deep curiosity.

"Oh yeah, Cadance invited us to help out and I figured that would be the perfect time and place to tell her how I feel about her."

"Heeeey, good for you, Shiny," congratulated Stardust.

"Thanks, Star. I'm hoping that she doesn't get scared off after I tell her, though."

"Hey, don't worry right now, just focus on your goal," Stardust ordered with a stern look.

"Will do," replied Shining Armor with a new amount of confidence.

GURGLE GURGLE GURGLE

"Ah ha ha ha," Twilight nervously laughed after her stomach let out very audible grumbles.

"Hungry, Twi?" asked Stardust.

"Guess so," responded Twilight as she grabbed her stomach with a forehoof.

"We had breakfast less than an hour ago," said Shining Armor in disbelief.

"Yes, except that a certain frantic unicorn threw out half my omelet in the sink before I got to finish it this morning!" retorted Twilight with an 'as a matter a fact' tone.

Red was starting to color Shining Armor's face upon realizing that he was starving his little sister.

"Oh yeah."

"Why don't we head to Joe's Donuts? We still have an hour to kill," suggested Stardust as she made her way to the door of her room.

"Ooooh, can we, Shining Armor?" pleaded the lavender filly as she widened her purple eyes.

"Sure thing, Twi-Lee," answered Shining Armor as he guided Twilight towards the door.

"Yay!" cheered the little filly.

GURGLE GURGLE GURGLE

Upon this second wave of stomach growls, the little dragon in Twilight's saddlebag began to let out his own fits of growls at Twilight's stomach.

"Let's hurry before Spike gets in a fight with your stomach," joked Shining Armor as he, Twilight, and Stardust made their way downstairs and out of the house on their way to Joe's Donuts.

***************

"That goes over there, mister."

"No, not there, over there."

"Put that higher over the gates... a little more... a little more."

"Where is the pedestal?"

"Get the food."

Directions were being tossed around like crazy from the outskirts of the castle as ponies were preparing the grounds for the Summer Sun Celebration. In the center of the grounds stood Princess Celestia, Cadance, and Blueblood.

"Are you two ready?" asked Celestia standing in between the two regal cousins.

"Ready," the two replied in unison.

All of their horns started to glow; Celestia's a light golden-yellow, and Cadance and Blueblood's a light blue. Together, their magic lifted up the golden Summer Sun statue that Celestia would soon use to show the rising of the summer sun.

"Thank you, Blueblood. Thank you, Cadance," said Celestia with a smile at her niece and nephew after viewing the finished result.

"You're welcome, Aunt Celestia," responded the two cousins.

"So, Blueblood, is preparing the celebration as bad as you thought?" asked Celestia with a sly smile.

Even though Blueblood hated all of the work, and would rather be in the castle posing in the mirror with his new tuxedo, he didn't want to disappoint his aunt.

"No, Aunt Celestia, it's actually kind of fun," Blueblood lied.

"See." Celestia turned to see her niece checking the clock tower a few blocks away, again.

"Cadance, do you have somewhere to be?" inquired the sun goddess with a questionable look.

"Huh?" said Cadance as she turned around to face her aunt. "Oh, no, I was just expecting Shining Armor to be here at 10:00 and I just wanted to see what time it is," explained Cadance rather quickly.

"You've been checking that clock a lot since we came out here, dear, and you're starting to look nervous," said Celestia with a worried tone.

"I'm not nervous," denied the now even more nervous pink alicorn.

Celestia knew there was no point in arguing so she rolled her magenta eyes and calmly told Cadence, "Why don't we all take a break? Cadance, you can go wait for Shining Armor if you want t—"

"THANK YOU, AUNT CELESTIA!" yelled Cadance who was now meters away from her aunt and cousin.

"—to," Celestia finished wide eyed as she watched her niece gallop away at record speeds. Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Teenagers."

***************

"Thanks for payin' for the donuts, Shiny," said Stardust with a mouthful of glazed donut in her mouth.

"Yeah, thanks bro," beamed Twilight as she swallowed hers.

"No problem, guys. Gotta practice being a gentlecolt if Cadance says ‘yes’ to me," said Shining Armor as the thought of him and Cadance on a date crossed his mind.

"Hey, look, I can see the castle," exclaimed Twilight as she pointed a hoof in the direction they were walking in.

"Ya ready, Shiny?" asked Stardust as she nudged Shining Armor in the torso.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

The three ponies and baby dragon continued their walk towards Canterlot Castle, and after a few minutes, were met with the familiar shimmer of gold, white, and purple that shown brightly from the castle's outer walls. The gates were open and shined just as you would expect gold to shine.

"We’re here!" cheered Twilight with unmatchable glee.

Shining Armor stole a quick glance backwards at the city clock tower to see it was 10:00 on the dot.

"Where's Cadance?" asked Shining Armor to no pony in particular as he shifted his head back and forth trying to look for his crush. Shining Armor's search became more frantic as he paced back and forth trying to look for the pony-tailed mare of his dreams.

"What if that was just a joke? What if she never wanted to invite me in the first place? What if she did want me to come but I look like an idiot when I tell her? What if she never wants to see me again after I tell her?" These were all questions Shining Armor muttered out as he paced back and forth in the same area for a good minute. It was as if all the confidence built up in him from earlier this morning suddenly spilled out of him in a puddle upon arrival at the castle.

"Shining Armor!" Stardust nearly boomed.

Shocked by the sternness in her voice, Shining Armor turned his head quickly to face his blue-furred friend.

Dropping the sternness in her voice, Stardust started her attempt to calm her friend down. "I know you're nervous, and I know that you're scared she'll reject you or that ya might make a foal of yourself, but what I want ya to do is calm down, and take a deep breath," Stardust ordered as she began taking in deep breaths and signaling for Shining Armor to do the same.

Shining Armor reluctantly took Stardust's advice and began to take a few breaths.

“In,” Stardust instructed before slowly taking in a breath. "And out," she followed up before exhaling.

Shining Armor repeated the process a few more times until he was at ease. "In... and out," he thought to himself. "In... and out. In... and out."

"Feelin’ better?" Stardust asked as she took a few paces towards her friend.

Shining Armor let a breath out before answering, “Yeah, I am now."

Shining Armor raised his head to see Stardust's deep green eyes shimmering and full of concern.

"Thanks, Star, I could never get through things like this without you."

"Hey, that's what friends are for. Now be a good friend to me, and go to her. Tell that mare how ya feel and for the love of Celestia, don't chicken out," Stardust somehow comforted and stammered at the same time.

"Alright, Star," chuckled Shining Armor as he rolled his eyes. Before he went off to look for Cadance, Shining Armor did something that completely took Stardust by surprise. Before she knew it, he ran up to her and gave her a hug. Not just one of those quick hugs, but a deep embrace that came out of deep appreciation. Stardust returned the hug and wrapped her forehooves around Shining Armor.

“I’m serious, Star. I never could do these kinds of things without you. You’ve put up with my timidity, you’ve stayed my friend after seeing multiple failures come out of me, and you still continue to encourage me to go after her. You’re a true friend, Star.” Shining Armor broke the hug and saw a small smile on Stardust’s face. She honestly didn’t realize how much she did for him but was nonetheless happy to accept his words of praise.

“Happy to help,” replied Stardust as she tried to stay cool. “Now, C’Mon,” Stardust said as she stood up and opened her forehooves. “Give Star some more love.”

“Okay,” Shining playfully replied as he gave Stardust another hug.

***************

'Dang it, it’s 10:00, I hope he’s not here yet,' thought Cadance as she sprinted her way to the front of the castle to meet Shining Armor. 'Calm yourself Cadance, better late than never. Besides, it’s not like he’ll be here right at 10:00,' she continued to think to herself.

As Cadance rounded a newly set up area for the celebration, she could see the entryway into the castle grounds. Before making herself visible to the front of the gates, she could see ponies by the gates.

'They’re here,' thought Cadance as she saw the ponies more clearly. 'There’s Twilight, and Spike in the saddlebag. Shining Armor’s here too, aaaand….. some other mare?' Cadance thought to herself as she came to a stop and hid behind one of the statues in the near front of the castle.

From her hiding spot she could still make out the three ponies and baby dragon, but something else caught her eye. She saw Shining Armor grab the other mare with a blue body and white and blue mane much to her surprise, and hugged her tightly like she was his…

“MAREFRIEND!” Cadance yelled out, nearly drawing attention to herself from other ponies working on preparations. “Is he with her?!?”

One More Night

Combine saving up for moving out, packing, work, and drafting new material for said work, Stardust thanked Celestia for the nights when Cadance and Shining Armor wanted to hang out. Not only was it the perfect stress reliever, it was simply fun. It also helped that the love birds that were her friends were up for a place that didn’t have what she came to slowly despise on the menu. After so many weeks working with, seeing, and smelling them, veggie burgers and hay fries nearly made Stardust gag at the thought of having that combo for a meal. Even the scent of the now-deadly combo that wasn’t at her work almost made her stomach churn.

The three had opted for one of the little outdoor cafes by Stardust’s house. Celestia had raised the moon a few hours ago, and the stars had filled the night, twinkling alongside the full, bright moon, painting a perfect night to be outside. Not being one to normally notice things like the simple beauty of her surroundings, Stardust found herself strangely looking around and noticing things she ignored; the way the streetlamps cast their light on the streets, the swirling shades of blue and black in the night sky, even the blooming flowers in pots and the life they added around the tables.

For a second, she wondered why she began to look into these things until her reason screamed out loud in her mind; it would be the last time the three of them would have nights out like this for a while.

“Stardust?”

Shining’s voice brought her attention back to the ponies in front of her. “Huh?”

“I said, are you gonna want another carrot dog?”

She stared down at her crumb-littered plate, and the little blots of mustard and ketchup still lingering the surface. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks anyway, Shiny.”

Shining turned his attention back to the pink princess sitting next to him, continuing a conversation Stardust paid half attention to.

It had been like that for the last hour or so. The three of them would be talking about something, then she’d drift off until Shining or Cadance would pull her from wherever she went. It was always the same thought that got her drifting off, and she knew her friends knew what it was. They just didn’t know how to breach the tender subject, so they went back to their meals or whatever it was they were talking about.

Stardust on the other hoof was not so hesitant or subtle. The clear avoidance of what was all on their minds was about as evident as a unicorn growing wings. “Elephant in the room, I’ll say it,” she said loudly, throwing her forelimbs up. “Shiny, ya leaving’ for boot camp tomorrow and we won’t see ya for a while.”

Shining came close to the perfect spit take at the sudden comment. “Star!”

“Thank you for saying it!” Cadance all but breathed out in relief as she slouched in her seat.

After giving Cadance a quick look, Shining whipped his head back to see Stardust give him a shrug.

“Well, dang, Shiny, what did ya expect? Tonight’s the last night the three of us are gonna be together for a while. You’ll be here one day and gone the next. Somethin’ like that’s gonna pop up.”

Shining didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. If anything really surprised him, it was how long she was able to go before breaking the ice on the subject. “I’ll give you that one, Star.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, well, ya know I don’t hold back. Still, when ya told me and Cady ya signed up, I could and couldn’t believe it. Could, ‘cuz I could see ya goin’ through with it nicely, and couldn’t, ‘cuz I find out later on that we only had three months left together. Now we’re at the last night.” Her horn glowed its green aura, crumbling a few napkins together into a ball. She flung it lightly at Shining’s chest where it dropped to the ground. “Ya jerk,” she said, somehow smirking as she laughed.

Rolling his eyes, Shining saw Cadance giggle at Stardust’s antics. He really couldn’t blame her. “Yeah, well, I’m the jerk that made sure to include his best friend in his last day at home plans,” he countered, matching the smug expression Stardust still held.

That smugness melted into a genuine smile as Stardust scooted her chair closer to the table. “Ya did, didn’t ya?” She reached across the table and gave Shining a light punch to his shoulder. “Thanks, Shiny. Means a lot.”

The smile across Shining’s face was all Stardust needed to know it was no problem. Turning her attention to Cadance, she rested her head on her hoof propped on the table. “What about ya, Cady? Ya coltfriend’s heading’ off for a while. Holdin’ up fine?”

Cadance gave a quick once over towards Shining Armor before she answered. “We already talked about it,” she said calmly while reaching for Shining’s hoof. “We’re still gonna stay in touch. He says he’s gonna write everyday, and when he gets back, I’ll be the second mare greeting him home.”

Stardust tilted her head as an eyebrow went up. “Second?”

“His mom’s probably gonna beat me to him. That and if I were the first one instead of her, princess or not, I think she’d tear the flesh from my bones.”

Stardust drew breath through clenched teeth as she straightened out in her seat. “Yeeeeeah, I’d bet. No offense, Shiny.”

“None taken. She’d… she’d probably do that,” Shining admitted as another mental image began to scar his mind.

“Speakin’ of which,” Stardust continued on, “how’s she doin’? Ya know, last day and everything.”

“Her, me, my dad, Twilight, and Spike all went out earlier today for a little family day in town.”

“Yeah? How’d that go?”

Shining made a face as he pondered his words. “Ughhhh…”

***************

A few hours ago

***************

Wailing cries. Wailing cries and a sobbing so forceful, they could move oceans. It wasn’t much of a surprise that everypony in the crowded restaurant stopped and stared at the source of those cries, which only added to the young stallion’s embarrassment as he continued his struggle to escape his mother’s hold on him while avoiding the numerous sets of eyes.

“No! No! Not yet! Not yet! I’m not ready!” Twilight Velvet clutched her son harder when she felt the tiniest millimeter of him slip away.

“Mom!” Shining managed to say through forced breaths, “I just need to go to the bathroom.”

“C’mon, honey, let him go,” Night Light said as he tried his hardest to separate his wife and son, barely making a trace of progress.

“Don’t say that horrible word!” The sobbing mare gained back the distance Night Light created between her and Shining, tightening her grip as more ponies stopped to see the side show.

“What? ‘Go’?”

“You said it again!”

“Mom!” Shining’s ragged squeak might as well have come from a mouse with laryngitis.

“My baby! My baby! My baby! Don’t leave me just yet!”

Somewhere in between Night Light’s futile attempts as a pony jaws of life, the onlooking eyes, the booming cries, and Velvet’s anaconda-like forelimbs, Shining could’ve sworn he saw a tunnel of bright light and some motherly voice calling his name.

From their table, Twilight and Spike watched on at the scene they called their family. Spike watched from his booster seat, completely unaware that his brother may or may not have been suffocating. Twilight remained in her seat, meeting Shining’s eyes. All she could do was give him sorrowful eyes and a pitied look of “I’m sorry.”

***************

Present

***************

“Better than I thought it would go,” Shining admitted with a shrug.

Stardust couldn’t be bothered to hide her laughter. She was rolling on the ground, hollering in a disarray of spasmodic gasps and laughs. She gripped her sides as she began to settle down and stand back up. “Sorry, Shiny.” She paused to take a few much needed breaths. “The image… stuck in my head… and it’s freakin’ hilarious!” She found herself on the ground once again.

Cadance began to find holding in her giggles challenging, and even Shining joined in on his own bandwagon with his own roars of laughter. “I swear, one second longer and I would’ve been dead.” How he found that funny, even he didn’t know.

Once her giggles died down, Cadance turned to face Shining Armor. “Imagine if she hadn’t had three months to prepare for you heading off.”

All laughter died down from the stallion as his eyes set somewhere far off. Whatever crossed his mind sent shivers down Shining’s spine. “How about I don’t imagine that.”

Stardust picked up her glass and took a drink. “Wooo, you’d be a puddle, Shiny. Three months huh? Can’t believe we’re at the end of the line now. Nervous about tomorrow?”

“Second most nervous I’ve ever been.”

“What’s the first?” Cadance asked.

Shining suddenly tried avoided her eyes, only to be met with Stardust’s sly look. He tried hard to fight the sudden rise of temperature in his cheeks, but the blush that came put his efforts in vain. “Ugh, well, it was… when I tried to ask you out the first time.”

Cadance smiled warmly and leaned her head against Shining’s shoulder, unintentionally causing his cheeks to glow a brighter red.

“Awwww.” Stardust was gushing playfully, but the sentiment was still there. “And four months later, we still got the cutest pair of lovebirds in the city.”

To the couple still cozying next to one another, four months sounded too short for the amount of joy they brought one another. It was filled with its ups and downs like any other relationship, but just as they had said before, they weren’t going to let each other go that easily.

Since he joined up, Shining made it a point to make the time he had left at home the best he could for Cadance. Did he go overboard at times? At times. Did every single date and hang out go as planned? Being him and his life, no. Were all the little screw ups that came in a relationship make them stronger? Absolutely. They said they weren’t going to let one another go so easily, and they stuck to it, making every day they saw each other more magical than before.

“Ya got plans later on tonight?”

Cadance raised her head off of Shining’s shoulder. “Actually, Stardust, Shining’s taking me to the park for a little stargazing night.”

Her smug smile returned as Stardust swiveled in her seat to face Shining Armor. “Stargazing? What’s next? A ring?”

Hacking followed by a series of coughs ignited from the couple, starting up another round of laughter from the unicorn mare. “I’m teasin’ guys. It’s a cute idea.”

Shining beat down on his chest before responding in a struggled voice. “Thanks.”

“So, Stardust” Cadance began after regaining her regular breathing pattern and eagerly wanting to switch topics, “are you close to moving out now?”

“Still tryin’ to save up a bit more just to be on the safe side, but I’m getting’ there.” Hopeful dreaming wrote itself on Stardust’s smile and shown through in her eyes as she went off imagining what her near future would be like. “What about you, Cady? Any new princess stuff?”

“Not much. My aunt’s mostly been giving me a lot of Equestrian history lessons. A princess needs to know her country, right?” The others nodded. “There’s a lot of stuff she’s been teaching me that I didn’t know. Apparently there’s a lost kingdom up North made of crystals.”

“I thought that was a myth.”

“I thought so too. I don’t know, she kinda told me the story and dropped it.” She dragged out a sigh and rolled her eyes. “I can never get a straight answer with her. One minute she’s talking about crystals, next she’s talking about mirrors.”

“Mirrors?” the other two asked in unison.

“Long story, don’t worry about it.”

Whatever it was, Shining didn’t press on. It was little mentions like those that reminded him of the things Cadance would later on have to deal with. She was a princess after all. He knew there would be more to come for her, and she would have to face it. The same went for him. Tomorrow morning, he wouldn’t find himself in the bed he was so familiar with, nor the house he grew up in. Stardust was nearing a similar position, and she was more than eager to fling herself into the unknown.

“Everything’s changing, isn’t it?”

The girls’ ears flicked up before they glanced Shining’s way. It wasn’t like what he said never dawned on them before, but it still didn’t take the surprise out of it.

“Yeah,” Stardust said with another swig of her drink. “It is.”

Sensing the awkwardness he created, Shining gripped his glass and held it out in front of him above his head for the other to see. He was smiling triumphantly, like a hero in a history book. Cadance and Stardust couldn’t help but be infected by the presence he suddenly gave off.

“To a hopeful future.”

Cadance beamed at her coltfriend before she grabbed her own glass and held it up to his own. “To new adventures.”

Stardust’s glass found itself in the air with its comrades. “And ta not buckin’ everythin’ up.”

The glasses met with a *CLINK, and the three of them found themselves laughing once more. The next hour went by quickly as the three ponies simply talked, joked, and simply enjoying one another’s company. It would have gone on longer had the clock tower a few blocks away not caught Shining’s attention when the hour struck.

“Time to take your lady out?”

Shining met Stardust with an unamused stare, but a trace of a smile lingered. “Almost. I just got a few last minute things I need to set up. Mind if I leave real quick, you two?” They each waved him off with their hooves before Shining disappeared in a flash of magic.

With the young stallion gone, Stardust quickly scooted towards Cadance and propped her head up on her forelimbs. “Okay, Cady, spill. Shiny’s got more planned, and I know it.”

Intrusive to some, enjoyable to others. Cadance leaned towards the later after Stardust asked her question. That, and she was feeling gabby. “The stargazing is true, but he’s also trying to surprise me with some dessert picnic. He’s even bringing a phonograph for some romantic music.”

“How’s it a surprise if you know about it?”

“Shining’s not good at hiding his plans. Seriously, he actually draws them out. He has blueprints.”

Stardust slammed her hoof to her forehead and sighed, half out of amazement, and a little out of shame. “That ding dong tries too hard at times.”

Reluctantly, Cadance had to agree. She wasn't going to lie to herself. “Yeeeeah, he does, but it’s nice to know he cares that much. It’s just that… ugh…”

Her hesitance didn’t go unnoticed. Stardust leaned in closer with quizzical eyes, urging Cadance to continue on.

“Don’t get me wrong, Stardust, its just that Shining’s done all this amazing stuff for me, he’s made me feel so special the last few months, and he goes out of his way just to make me smile. He does so much, and sometimes I feel like I don’t do enough for him.”

“You make him happy.”

“And I can see that, but…” She bit her lip and pondered her thoughts. Was this even something to be worried about? “I don’t know. I feel like I could do more, but I just don’t know what. Anytime I have even the slightest hint of an idea on what I could do for him, or how I could be romantic, he blows my idea out of the water. And I honestly can’t think of anything that I’ve done for him that could match up to what he’s done for me. He’s taken me into the city, introduced me to so much that I’d never would’ve known about on my own, and he’s one of the few ponies that doesn’t treat me differently just because I’m a princess. Hay! Because of him, I got to meet you. I gained a good friend because of him. What have I done for him?”

A smooth intake of air and a calm exhale later, Stardust had Cadance’s full attention. “Cady, it’s not a contest, but I can see where ya comin’ from. Shiny’s just always put alotta heart in what he does. If it helps, the dates that he plans, it’s all him. Honestly, he’d go more overboard if I didn’t talk him out of it.”

It did help, but it made Cadance wonder what kind of things Shining would’ve done. Their first date was in one of the fanciest restaurants in Canterlot. It boggled her mind to think of what else he could’ve planned.

“And as for the whole he’s done a lot for you thing, and I’m sayin’ this to be honest, he kinda had a lot to work with.”

Cadance lowered her eyes in an unamused stare.

“What? A pony that never got to really live outside her home? Ya feel like he’s shown ya show much because ya hadn’t seen a lot to begin with anyway, but if ya really want to try and do something for him like he’s done for you, ya might hafta wait and see what ya can actually do. Shiny’s a pretty stable guy. Not much ya can really do for him that ya haven’t already.”

“Yeah, well, what have I really done for him already?” she said as her expression sunk a bit.

“Ya gave him confidence in the two of ya as a couple. Remember?” She could see the reminiscent look flicker brightly in Cadance’s eyes as a dreamy smile crossed her lips. “Ya told him that no matter what other ponies said, it wouldn’t come between the two of ya. Really, ya gave him the best thing he coulda asked for at the time.”

Humming, buzzing, a tingly feeling? Whatever it was that was coursing through Cadance at the moment brought her back to her normal self and had her beaming like a lighthouse. If she could say she did at least one thing for the colt that had been so good to her, it was that she would stand with him, and she had.

Even after almost four months together, and even after numerous trots through the city, certain ponies still didn’t agree with the idea of a princess dating somepony they saw beneath her. They’d never say anything out loud when Cadance was around, nor would they give Shining those penetrative and disapproving glares. They wouldn’t even hiss or whisper a side-comment like they usually would whenever the two were seen together. They’d save it for when Shining was alone, or when the two were out of sight, but that didn’t matter. What Cadance had told him that night he brought the elite up kept him strong. She gave him strength. She had done something for him.

Fuzzy? Strange? Uplifting? Whatever the feeling it was that was coursing through her, it let Cadance let go of her worries, letting them flow out of her to be replaced by the blanketing warmth she was experiencing. “Thanks, Stardust.”

Stardust gave Cadance a light pat on her back. “No prob. And hey, if bein’ a little more romantic is what you’re aimin’ at, try and be the one to set the mood.”

“How do I do that?”

Taking a few seconds to think, Stardust tapped her chin with her hoof until an idea ignited. “You said he was bringing a phonograph, right?”

Cadance nodded. Stardust wasted no time in scooting away towards her saddlebag. She dove in and scoured through her bag in an animated fashion before popping back up with something in her hooves.

“A record?” Cadance asked after scanning the item.

“Yeah,” Stardust said with a nod and an eager smile. “I went ova to a record store earlier and picked this one out. I wanna let ya be the first ta use it. Spin the track and ya got a cheesy movie scene.” She was practically shoving the record in Cadance’s face, subliminally letting her know she wasn’t taking “no” for an answer.

“Okay, thanks, Stardust,” Cadance said as her magic took hold of the record and put it in her own saddle bag.

“Just lookin’ out for my friends. Now look alive, ya coltfriend’s comin’.”

Cadance turned her head, and sure enough, Shining Armor was trotting back to the cafe, hiding his eagerness rather poorly. She couldn’t help but smile back at his antic. “Ready?”

“All set.”

Cadance stood up to gather her saddlebag. After strapping it on, her body shifted, facing Stardust. Shining was looking at her as well, unsure of just how to say goodbye. It was weird, knowing once he took off, he wouldn’t be hanging out with her for a while. So many words could’ve been said right then and there, and so many mistakes could’ve come out of the whole ordeal, but Stardust wasn’t going to have any of it. She stared at the two with half-lidded eyes and a little smirk before she stood up as well and motioned for them to come over.

“C’mon, bring it in. Give Star some love.”

It was all that was needed; the three of them all together in a group hug. Suddenly, all those possible mess ups were ridiculous, improbable to the three ponies. Just as sudden, all the words that could’ve been said were unnecessary, a waste of air, nothing compared to the embrace they were in.

“Shiny,” Stardust called from within their hug, “when ya get back, the three of us are gettin’ together ta do somethin’, got it?”

“Got it, Star.” Shining knew she was being strong. Never one to break easy, never one to really show the mushy side of herself, and always looking forward to the good times ahead if things went her way. He’d miss that. He’d miss the fire she always held, her confident stride, even the jokes and friendly teasing she mastered.

He’d be back. It was the one thought that kept him from pulling something his mother would do.

The three parted. Stardust backed up a few steps to take in some air. A breath later and she still had her smirk. “Now get outta here, lovebirds. Make the last night count.”

Shining smiled when he was reminded that he still had one more piece of business to attend to; making sure Cadance had a good ending to a great night. He took her hoof, catching her by surprise, and pointed his head in another direction.

“See you tomorrow, Stardust?” Cadance asked.

She nodded. “Yeah.” Now her eyes were on Shining. “See ya soon?”

He nodded. “Yeah. You’ll see me soon.”

Not knowing what else to do, Stardust went with one of the few things she knew how to do… punch Shining in the arm. “Now quit tryin’ to make this goodbye dramatic and go show Cady a good night before I punch ya stomach into ya brain.”

Shining resisted the urge to rub his slightly aching arm, but still couldn’t control the snicker and eye roll that came. Along with Cadance, he spun around on his hooves with his path to the park in sight. When they were a couple of buildings down, he called over his shoulders. “See you soon, Star!”

Stardust’s voice traveled over to the couple loud and clearly. “See ya soon, Shiny! See ya tomorrow, Cady!”

“See you tomorrow, Stardust!”

Final goodbyes out of the way, Stardust watched on as her friends trotted on, their forms growing smaller with each step. As she looked on, she could make out Cadance leaning ever so easily into Shining’s shoulder. A wide grin made its way on her face at the princess’s action.

“Callin’ it, those two are gonna get married.”