Shining could not be happier in his life. He had some great parents, a wonderful sister, a truthful friend and the best marefriend anypony could have, and things at the Academy were going very well. Everything was perfect. Well, almost perfect. Fire Punch was the only factor in his life that really irritated him, but Shining quickly learned to ignore him.
Whenever he returned home on weekends, he tryied to get as much time as possible with Cadance, going on dates with her. Of course he sometimes tried to take Twilight with them, so she wouldn't get that much jealous that he spend more time with Cadance and not with her. For other teen fillies, Twilight could be a major annoyance, but Cadance really liked to have Twilight around, even if it was in her dates with Shining, and she liked to see how Shining cared for her. Twilight also seemed like a lot her B.B.B.F.F. was dating her best foalsitter ever.
Despite Shining and Cadance had managed to keep their relationship a secret, only revealing it to ponies of their inner circle, such as family and close friends, the news that Princess Cadance was hanging out with somepony had spread at the speed of light, though nopony knew who her colfriend was. However, whenever Shining and Cadance wanted some privacy for themselves, they had their special place, the place where they started dating, that became the perfect hiding place.
In a weekend, Shining returned home.
"I'm home!" he declared.
He went to the living room where he found his parents and his sister sitting on the couch, concentrated in two envelopes that were in Night Light's hooves.
"What's up?" Shining asked, full of curiosity. "What is that envelopes?"
"Tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala!" Twilight exclaimed, all happy.
"Ah, yeah, it's coming, right?" Shining said.
"It is in the next weekend and your father and I got the tickets" Velvet said, showing to Shining two golden tickets which were in one of the envelopes.
"So does that means I have to take care of Twilight?" Shining asked.
"Well, we'll see that" Night Light said. "After all, you got a letter from Cadance, too."
And he showed him the other envelope he was holding.
"She wrote me a letter?" Shining asked, approaching and using his magic to bring the letter to him.
"She had to go back to the castle early, and knowing that you'd come today, she gave us this letter to give you."
Shining took the letter in his hooves and put it to his muzzle. He felt the faint scent of Cadance's perfume. It was really hers. He opened the envelope and the first thing he saw was just a golden ticket, the same as their parents'.
"But this is... a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala" he said in disbelief.
He took the letter, opened it, seeing Cadance's elegant calligraphy, and read it:
My dear Shining Armor,
I hope you forgive me for not being there to tell you, except through this letter, but my royal duties have me busy. Despite being very busy, I can only think of you. For that reason, I want to ask you something.
As you probably already know, the Grand Galloping Gala is coming and, as a princess, I have to make a formal appearance. However, I didn't want to be alone in a big gala. I know you don't like formal parties, but I wonder if you could be my escort. My Aunt Celestia managed to get me an extra ticket and I'm now offering it to you.
Please, send me an answer as soon as you can. If you accept it, come get me at my room at nine o'clock.
With all the love and desperation to see you,
Cadance
He finished reading and then said:
"Cadance want me to be her date in the Grand Galloping Gala."
"That's wonderful, son!" Velvet said.
Shining turned to his parents and asked them:
"You knew this?"
" Well, we had a slight suspicion" Night Light said smiling slightly.
"Does this mean that we'll all to the Grand Galloping Gala?" Twilight asked, excitedly.
"No, my little one" Velvet said, approaching her. "This means I, daddy and Shining will go to the gala. But you'll stay here. The gala is only for grown ponies."
"Oh!" Twilight exclaimed sadly, disappointed.
Shining was not on himself. Cadance wanted him to be her date. Did this mean she wanted to formalize their relationship? If it was, Shining was not sure if he was ready for it.
"I'll go to my room" he said, starting to climb up the stairs.
When he got there, he threw the letter and the ticket on the bed and began to pace back and forth thinking about what he would do. He didn't really like formal parties. The idea of wearing a tuxedo or something like that made him uncomfortable. He liked the freedom of running and moving. But in a formal party, he felt so trapped and shy. He couldn't be himself. But then he thought in Cadance. She had asked him to go because she would feel herself alone. Perhaps the thought that maybe she wanted to formalize their relationship had been a little silly, but when Shining went into emotional nervousness, he could not think how it should be. Now he was calm and thought better, he knew what to do.
He went to his desk, sat down, took a sheet of parchment and then a quill and ink with his magic, and began to write:
My dear Cadance,
I received your letter and invitation and now I send you my answer, as you asked.
You're right, this type of party is not quite my thing, but if it is just to make you company, I don't mind to sacrifice myself just to see you happy. You can count on me. I'll get you to your room at the appointed hour.
With love,
Shining Armor
After finishing the letter, he sealed it and then, in the morning, handed it to his father, before he go to work, so he could deliver it to Cadance, which he gladly accepted.
The next week passed quickly and then came the night of the Grand Galloping Gala. Shining was busy in his room wearing his tuxedo. After tightening his tie bow, he concentrated on his mane, giving it an arrangement with his hoof. When he was satisfied, he smiled and said to his reflection:
"Shining Armor, you're perfect."
He then left the room and went down, finding his parents were ready to leave. His father wore a tuxedo like him and his mother was wearing a beautiful plum color dress and a pearl necklace around her neck. When she saw Shining getting down, she said:
"Wow, dear, you are wonderful!"
"In fact, my boy, you're quite stylish" his father said. "The tuxedo suits you very well."
"Perhaps, but discomfort beats elegance" replied Shining, as he adjusted the collar of his shirt.
Then he looked and saw Twilight nearby, sulking. She had been like that since she got to know she couldn't go to the gala. Shining approached her and said:
"Come on, Twily, don't be grumpy?"
But she just turned her face, still pouting.
"Hey, you will enjoy yourself too" Shining said. "This time, I was the one who got a foalsitter for you."
"I doubt that I'll have any fun" she muttered. "No foalsitter will be as good as grandma, you or Cadance."
"It's funny, that's exactly what you said about Cadance" Velvet said. "Except the part that you didn't mentioned Cadance in that time."
"This is different" Twilight said. "Cadance is the greatest foalsitter in all the history of foalsitters!"
"I don't doubt about it" Shining replied. "But I think you'll like very much of this one."
They heard a knock at the door and Shining opened it. Who appeared was nothing less than Blue Sword. Seeing him, Twilight rose just by looking at him, expectant.
"Wow, man, you look very dapper" Blue said, seeing Shining dressed in his tuxedo, saying it with a certain tone of irony."
"Oh, shut up" Shining said, rolling his eyes as Blue came in, laughing. "I'm glad you came."
"Blue, are you sure you don't mind staying with Twilight?" Night Light asked.
"Of course not, Uncle Night Light" Blue replied. "It will be a pleasure."
"Wait a minute" Twilight said, approaching. "Is Blue the pony who will take care of me?"
"But of course" Shining replied, stroking Twilight's mane. "Did you think I would let anypony else take care of my dear little sister?"
"I hope you're not disappointed" Blue said.
"Are you kidding?" Twilight asked, changing to her state of joy. "I'm very glad it's you who will take care of me."
That made everypony laugh up. After saying goodbye to Twilight, Shining and his parents left, heading to the castle. There were already many ponies approaching there. After they gave their tickets to the guards of the entrance, the family entered. Shining was amazed. He had never really been inside the castle. The foyer was really huge. At the top of the staircase, before it was split in two, was Princess Celestia, receiving the guests.
"Your Majesty, once again, thank you very much for your kindness for inviting us to the Grand Galloping Gala" Night Light thanked, as he, Velvet and Shining made a bow.
"It is a pleasure, Night Light" she said. "Consider it as a thank you gift for all your work."
She then turned to Shining and said, smiling slightly:
"It's a pleasure to see you, Shining Armor. You've grown a lot since the last time I saw you."
"Thank you, princess" Shining thanked, slightly bowing his head, blushing slightly.
"Cadance is waiting for you in her room" Celestia said. "I'll tell you where it is."
"I'm very grateful, Princess Celestia" Shining thanked cordially.
After Princess Celestia have indicated him where was Cadance's room, Shining went to there to get her, because it was almost the time they combined. But when he got there, he faced with nothing less than Fire Punch, who wore a brown tuxedo.
"You?" Fire Punch asked, taken aback. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing" Shining replied also surprised to see Fire Punch.
"I received the invitation through my father" he said. "Although I didn't know that they handed the golden ticket to anypony."
"For your information, my father is one of Princess Celestia's advisors and she managed to get a ticket for me" Shining replied.
Shining could see that Fire Punch had been surprised by that revelation, which gave to the young unicorn some pleasure, seeing his rival's arrogance shrinking.
"I see..." Fire Punch said, recovering his normal arrogance. "But you know the ball is not here, right? Don't tell me you're here to try your luck with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."
When he said that, Shining felt an immense anger bursting within him, different from the others fits of rage he already felt towards Fire Punch. Was it jealousy?
"And what if I have?" he replied. "What does that have to do with you."
"Nothing" Fire Punch said. "But if she refused to come with me, what chance do you think you have? She will dump you before you can even speak."
And he moved forward, giggling. Shining really hated that pony, but he couldn't resist but smiling in what he said about Cadance refusing to go with him to the ball. He would have loved to have seen that.
He then came to the door of Cadance's room. He took a deep breath and then knocked. Then he heard Cadance's voice coming from inside saying:
"Go away, Fire Punch, I told you I don't wanna go with you!"
"I'm sure he realized that the first time" Shining replied, smiling.
"Shining, is it really you?" Cadance asked.
"You offend me for asking such a thing" he joked.
He heard footsteps approaching the door and then it was opened, revealing Cadance. Shining gaped when he saw her. She was so beautiful, wearing a magnificent baby blue dress with golden adornments at the edges and at the waist and her hooves donning crystal shoes. Her smooth and silky mane had turned into beautiful curls with a crown made of silk lines decorated with flowers, but there was one in particular that caught Shining's attention. It was located just behind Cadance's right ear: a blue lily.
"Wow, you're wonderful!" Shining exclaimed.
"Thank you" Cadance thanked. "You too. That tuxedo really favors you a lot."
Shining blushed with that compliment of Cadance.
"Thanks" he thanked. "Despite I don't feel myself very comfortable with it."
That made Cadance give a slight laugh.
"And that flower..." Shining said, stroking her hair around the lily behind her ear.
"You noticed it" she said, smiling.
"How could I have not noticed? It's the lily I gave you when I asked you to be my marefriend. But how can it still living?"
"I cast a spell on it so it will never wilt or die. This lily is now immortal, like our love."
That made Shining doing one of his loving smiles. The two then exchanged a kiss and the young unicorn extended his hoof to the beautiful princess and asked:
"Shall we?"
Cadance waved and gave her hoof to Shining. The two then headed to the ball. They then entered in the ballroom where there were lots of ponies, many of them from the high society. The most of them was watching Cadance and Shining entering. He felt himself quite uncomfortable. Cadance, noticing that, said in his ear:
"Relax, you'll be fine."
Shining waved, smiling. He then looked around. He could see his parents, who watched with pride along with Princess Celestia by their side. Captain White Light was also there, wearing his armor, accompanied by his wife. But what gave him a lot of pleasure was seeing Fire Punch with his idiotic look seeing his biggest nemesis with the most spoken young princess of all, princess that he tried to court but without success. Cadance led Shining to places where there were fewer ponies for them to stay at ease, but they ended up having to change places almost every two minutes. Tired of all that, they decided they had to find time to themselves, away from that whole crowd. So Cadance whispered into Shining's ear:
"What do you think if we go to a quieter place?"
Shining waved and then the two went to the castle gardens and Cadance led him to a part of the garden surrounded by plants, where there was a gazebo with a bank circling the inside.
"Wow, this is beautiful" Shining commented, looking around, as they climbed to the gazebo and sat on the bench.
"Yeah, I like to come here when I want to have peace and quiet" Cadance replied. "As you shared with me your secret place on the mountain, I thought I could share mine with you."
Shining smiled and said:
"And I feel very honored for you to want to share it with me."
Then they started to kiss each other. They stood for a few minutes, stroking each other. Shining felt himself so good, as he was there with the mare of his dreams. It was then that he began to hear the music coming from the ballroom and had an idea. He separated his lips from Cadance's and then stood up, saying to Cadance with his extended hoof:
"May I have this dance, princess?"
She smiled and then handed her hoof to Shining who lifted her and then they started dancing together. It was the first time they did something like that, but they made the steps with a great harmonious and synchronized way. They let themselves be carried away by the music, with Shining leading and Cadance with her head resting on Shining's shoulder. And they stayed that way for the rest of the night, dancing together.