It has passed several days since Shining and Cadance's break up and each day was worse than the last with everything that happened. Shining, for example, had asked Captain White Light to stay with the night shift, so he would not have to cross with Cadance. When he asked the reason for that, Shining kept his true motive secret. After that, he just went out to do his shift at the castle, passing the rest of the time in his new home, which he inherited from his great-aunt, refusing to see anypony. Cadance also reacted in the same way, just going to have lessons with her aunt and then locking herself in the room.
Blue was greatly concerned about the situation. His friend was into a deep depression and he didn't know how to help him. After finishing his last shift in the afternoon, Blue went to Shining's house, took a deep breath and then knocked at the door.
"Shining, are you there? It's Blue. Come on, man, open the door."
It took a while, but the door opened slightly, revealing a cerulean eye.
"What do you want?" Shining's voice asked, which was a little rougher than usual.
"I came to see if you wanted to go for a ride with me. I finished my shift and I thought we could go get some fresh air together before yours."
"I don't feel like it" Shining replied dryly. "Now, go away. I have to rest up for my shift."
"I think you have slept enough, no? Don't think you deserve to get out a bit?"
"No, I don't think that. Now, go away."
But when Shining was going to close the door, Blue managed to catch it with the hoof and managed to open it completely. He was taken aback when faced with Shining. He was a complete mess. His coat and mane, once well kept and shiny, were completely disheveled and dirty, huge dark circles rested under his sleepy eyes and his beard was to be done.
"By Celestia, you're awful!" Blue exclaimed, as he entered.
"You came here just to tell me that?" Shining muttered, moving inward.
When Shining spoke, Blue could feel something on his breath. It was a sweet but cloying aroma. He looked at the table of the dining room and noticed that up there was a half-empty bottle of wine and a glass full of the content.
"Have you been drinking?" he asked, not wanting to believe.
"And if I was, what's the problem?" he asked gruffly, sitting back in his chair in front of the bottle and the glass. "Alcohol helps me to forget."
"Maybe, but it only lasts while you're under its influence" Blue said, approaching. "The worst is when the effect wears off and the pain comes back again."
"Blue, do me a favor and go piss off another pony and let me drown in my grief" Shining said, picking up the cup to drink.
"If you think I'll let you stay here drowning in alcohol you're very wrong" Blue said.
He used his magic to take the bottle and the glass out of the Shining's hooves and took them to the kitchen.
"Now, go take a cold shower and fix your coat and mane."
"You don't give me orders, Blue!" Shining exclaimed, standing up, wobbling a bit. "My life just concerns to me. Don't poke your muzzle into it!"
"But I am your friend and I care about you" Blue replied. "Now, go into the bathtub, now!"
"You can't force me" Shining replied, turning him back.
"Do you think so?"
Blue then used his magic and began to pull Shining's tail, causing him to fall on the ground, dragging him toward the stairs.
"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Shining, while he was squirming. "Let me go!"
"This is for your own good" Blue said as he climbed the stairs, dragging Shining behind him, levitating him a little for not hurt him as he climbed.
When they reached the top and Blue went to the bathroom and put Shining in the bathtub and made a jet of cold water fall on him. After a good time giving him that cold water bath, Blue cut the water and then asked:
"Now, are you better?"
Shining pulled out the wet mane from his eyes and replied in a calmer tone:
"I think so."
"Great, now see if you comb your mane and shave yourself. I'll wait for you downstairs."
And having said this, he went out, returning downstairs. Blue waited, sitting on the couch while reading a book. It was then he began to hear hoofsteps coming down the stairs. He put down the book and went to there and was pleased when he saw Shining getting down, shaven and with his coat and mane regaining the same shine they had. The dark circles also had almost completely disappeared.
"That's much better" Blue said. "Are you now ready to go get some fresh air?"
"I think so" Shining replied shyly. "Sorry, Blue, for what I said before."
"Why, you don't have to apologize" Blue said. "Friends are for these occasions."
Shining smiled. He was really lucky to have a friend like Blue.
The two went out and began to stroll by Canterlot. It felt really good get out a bit and feel the afternoon sun.
"You were right, Blue" Shining said. "I needed to get out."
"I told you, didn't I?" he replied. "There's nothing like a little fresh air..."
But he stopped because Blue had just seen something that made him nervous and perplexed.
"It can't be."
"What?" Shining asked, wanting to look at where Blue was looking.
"It's nothing" Blue replied hastily, placing himself in front of Shining. "What if we come back to your home? After all, you have to rest a little more before your shift."
But Shining knew Blue very well to know when he was trying to hide him something. Frowning, Shining used his magic to drag Blue to the side.
"No, Shining!" he warned.
But it was too late. Shining looked to where Blue was looking and got no reaction. In a esplanade, he could see Fire Punch drinking juice with a mare. It seemed that both were having fun and in a climate that was somewhat romantic. But Shining recognize the mare who was with Fire Punch anywhere. Although she was hiding herself with a hat and her wings under a broad dress, Shining knew very well that mare was Cadance.
Seeing that image, Shining felt his anger rising within him. He only wanted him to go there and punch Fire Punch with all the strength he had. He knew it was just his jealousy and his hatred for Fire Punch speaking, but he couldn't control this desire of his.
"Shining, take it easy, buddy. Just calm down. Maybe this is not what it seems."
Then Cadance looked and noticed Shining looking her and Fire Punch. The two exchanged cold stares between them. Fire Punch also noticed Shining and smirked at him and then gave a kiss on Cadance's cheek that startled, turning to Fire Punch, and then they started making out. That has made things even more unbearable for Shining.
"Or maybe not" Blue said, turning then to his friend. "Shining, are you okay?"
"Let's go" Shining said simply.
"But..."
"Come on!"
Blue then nodded, with no alternative, and the two moved away.
Blue, after separating from Shining, went to the only pony who could help him: Twilight. She received him in her room and told her everything, while the small Spike arranged some books. Although being a baby, he could already do very complex tasks.
"But this is unbelievable" Twilight said. "How can Cadance do something like that to my brother? He doesn't deserve it. And top it off with his worst emeny!"
"Don't blame Cadance so easily, Twilight" Blue said. "I have the impression that this has Fire Punch's doing."
"Do you think so?" Twilight asked.
"There can only be" Blue said. "I may be mistaken, but I think Fire Punch planned all this thing of Shining's betrayal."
"Do you think he is behind of this? " Twilight asked . "Do you think he would be so devious?"
"You can believe so" Blue replied. "I've known him long enough to know all he can do."
"So we have to do something."
"Yes, we have to bring them together again. And for that, we have to open their eyes."
Later, Blue went to Shining while he was doing his rounds through the library, creating a light with his horn.
"Shining, we need to talk" Blue said, approaching.
"What are you doing here?" Shining asked, continuing to walk. "Shouldn't you be resting for the morning?"
"You know I could be three days without sleep I stay still full of energy" Blue said.
"So what do you want to say?" Shining asked.
"You know what?" Blue replied.
Shining sighed. He knew Blue wanted to talk about Cadance.
"You can stop right there, Blue. I don't want to talk about Cadance."
"Shining, you can't keep doing this. Obviously you are suffering because of her. Why don't you go to her and strip everything clean?"
"Do you think I have not tried?" asked Shining. "I tried to explain myself, but she didn't even let me. Besides, what can I do now? Now she's dating that rascal Fire Punch."
"Maybe, but you are the one she loves" Blue said. "I can not believe you're falling in Fire Punch's game. You are letting him affect you. I can't believe you're disappointing me so much. First, you get drunk, then you run away from Cadance and now you're resign yourself? Listen carefully what I'll tell you, Shining. React! Don't you understand that the more you delay, the harder will be for you to win her back? Now, answer me. Would you even let that creep steal you the best thing that happened to you since the birth of your sister?"
Shining stopped, thinking about what Blue had just said. He remembered the day he met Cadance and also the day he asked her to be his marefriend at his special place in the mountains and the night of their first Grand Galloping Gala. Those were moments when he felt absolutely happy, completed. Blue was absolutely right, as in many other times he advised him or gave him a sermon.
"You're right" Shining said. "I was so silly. How could I give it up this way? You know what, I'm going to her right now."
"Wait, what about your shift?" Blue asked.
But it was too late as Shining had already gone to Cadance's room. Blue smiled, shaking his head. He then went to the window and then noticed that Fire Punch walked at a brisk and suspect pace.
"But what he's up to?"
In Cadance's room, she was sitting on her bed reading a book when she heard somepony knocking on the door.
"Come in" she said.
The door opened and then Twilight appeared.
"Twilight!" Cadance greeted cheerfully, putting down her book and going to her. "How are you?"
"How could you have done that to my brother?!" she exclaimed.
"What?" Cadance asked.
"How can you be dating with Fire Punch?" Twilight asked gruffly. "I thought you liked my brother."
"Twilight, you wouldn't understand" Cadance sighed, averting her gaze. "Your brother betrayed me."
"He didn't betray you, Cadance" Twilight said. "He is not capable of that, even if he wanted to. He loves you."
"You're still very young, my dear" Cadance said. "You still don't know much about love."
"In that you're wrong" Twilight replied. "I know a little about love, because... I'm in love."
That caught Cadance's attention who looked at her.
"Really?" she asked. "But when did that happen?"
"It's an old passion but... I still feel it deeply. I kept it secret out of shame."
"But, Twilight, you don't have to be ashamed to love another pony. Tell me, who is this lucky colt who stole your heart?"
"Well, he's not really a colt" she said, embarrassed. "Actually, it's... Blue Sword."
"Blue Sword?" Cadance asked, not wanting to believe.
"I know, it's ridiculous, but I like him since I met him when I was six" Twilight said. "I always found him very cute and charming. But I never could express how I felt about him, because he's older... and my big brother's best friend."
Cadance smiled. She couldn't believed that her little Twilight had already been picked up by love still fairly young and she had been able to keep it to herself all that time.
"But, you know..." Twilight began, drawing Cadanc's attention again. "It doesn't matter if Blue is not in love with me, because for me, I'm only interested he's happy. But what gave me hope was seeing how you and Shining were happy together, seeing how you loved each other. Clearly, now I can no longer see that."
"There are things you wouldn't understand Twilight" Cadance said. "Your brother..."
"Shining didn't betray you, Cadance!" Twilight exclaimed. "And I don't need any proof to say this. I say this because I know him. Shining is gentle, caring, courageous, determined and, above all, loyal. He's the best brother a pony can have.
Besides being the best big brother ever, I bet he must be the best coltfriend ever as well. He never would betray you, Cadance, and you know it."
Touched by Twilight's words, Cadance went to her mirror above her desk. Since her break up with Shining, he couldn't look back at her reflection in the eyes. That was the first time she did that and what she found didn't please her. She couldn't recognize herself. Her sorrow and sadness were soon replaced by feelings of remorse, remorse caused by her having started going out with Fire Punch.
She then looked to the table and then looked at the dome where there stood, gently placed, the beautiful blue lily Shining had given to her. Seeing it, it reminded her when Shining gave it to her, confessing all his feelings for her and asking her fto date him and all times she used that lily, like the Grand Galloping Gala and Shooting Star's wedding. Both occasions ended with her having a completely romantic and magical moment with Shining. That flower represented their genuine and everlasting love.
How could Cadance have forgotten that? She let herself go with the emotion of the moment caused by the fact of seeing Shining kissing another mare that she didn't even leave him explain himself. She should have given him the benefit of the doubt after all the love he showed to her, but instead of it, she put her head in the sand and threw herself into a new relationship. She realized, deep down, starting go out with Fire Punch was just to make Shining pay in the same coin, but all that was wrong. She knew now what she had to do, but she could only expect to fix it time.
"Twilight, I'm sorry, but I have to go" Cadance said, starting to head to the exit of her room.
"But where are you going?" Twilight asked.
"Amend a big mistake I made" she said, leaving.
Twilight smiled, pleased to have been able to complete her mission successfully.
After having talked with Blue and Twilight, Shining and Cadance realized their mistakes and went soon to have with one another. Then, half way, they met up and stopped right in front of each other.
"Hello" Shining greeted.
"Hello" Cadance said.
The two looked at each other sheepishly and blushing. It seemed the first time they met.
"Well, I wanted..." both said at the same time. "You first. No, you."
They giggled. It was amazing how they had synchronized their speechs.
"Ok, I start" Shining said finally. "Cadance, I love you. I love you like I've never loved anypony. You're the mare of my dreams, now and forever. I know you got angry with what happened, but I can assure you that that mare means nothing to me. I don't even know her. She just showed up and kissed me. And..."
But Cadance silenced him by placing her hoof on his lips, smiling. She knew Shining tended to say everything he thought when it came to express his feelings. Cadance then said:
"Shining, I know that you wouldn't betray me, but when I saw you kissing that mare, I couldn't control myself, you know. I admit that I am so sensitive that just such a scene makes me doubt my feelings. I felt myself so confused that I decided to hurt you in the same way you hurt me and then I started going out with Fire Punch. Forgive me, Shining."
"Forgive me to, Cadance" he said. "For everything."
It was then that Cadance kissed him and after that said, smiling:
"This is my response to your apology."
It was Shining's turn kissing her and then said, smiling too:
"And this is mine to yous."
They both smiled and gave a new kiss, this time even more passionate. Both could feel the happiness that they felt once when they kissed again. They then heard a hack, stopped and turned, seeing Twilight and Blue watching them with mischievous smiles.
"It seems that you fixed things between you" Blue said.
"Great!" Twilight exclaimed, hopping overjoyed. "That's fantastic!"
"And all thanks to you two" Shining said, putting his foreleg on Cadance's shoulders.
"Yes, you did everything that was possible" Cadance added, stroking his face with Shining's.
"What we did was our duty" Twilight said.
"You know, I thought that the letter you sent me would eventually lead to something bad" Shining said to Cadance.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"From that letter you sent me to arrange a meeting on the porch" replied Shining. "That Blue found."
"The truth is I found a letter addressed to Shining and he recognized your letter" Blue said.
"But I didn't send you any letter" Cadance said. "If I had, I would have put that special touch that I always put on my special letters. Moreover, it was me who received a letter from you to meet you on the porch, Shining."
"Yes, but I also didn't send you anything" he said.
It did not take much to Blue to realize everything.
"I think I know what happened" he said. "Somepony sent you those letters to make sure everything happened to Cadance caught Shining with another mare."
"What?" asked the two lovers.
"You can trust me, for sure" Blue told them. "And I know perfectly well who was the mastermind behind all this."
And having said this, he did some photographs appear, saying:
"There's nothing like a good memorial register spell" he said, handing that photos.
Shining caught them with the hoof, and watched them with Cadance. They showed Fire Punch with the same mare who had kissed Shining and he delivering a bag of gold coins to her.
"But what is this?" Shining asked, not wanting to believe what he saw.
"It seems that my suspicions were right" Blue said. "Our dear friend Fire Punch is worse than we thought."
"I don't believe in this" Shining said. "I'll kill that son of a..."
"Shining, calm down" Cadance said, stocking his face. "There is a little filly here."
"I'm not a little anymore, Cadance" Twilight protested.
Shining took deep breath and thought clearly. Obviously Fire Punch was really obsessed with separating him and cadance and just to be with her. But now they were together again, it will not take long until he attempted another try to separate them. He had to solve that problem.
"You know, they're right" said Shining. "I have to calm down. Incidentally, I think I know how we can dribble Fire Punch."
"And what is your great idea this time?" Blue asked.
"Hide the fact that Cadence and I came back to each other."
"What?" Cadance asked. "Why?"
"Yeah, big bro, why do you want to do that?" Twilight asked.
"Think with me" Shining said. "If he knows Cadence and I are back together, he will do anything to separate us again. If we make him believe that he still has this under control, he will lower his guard."
"I see" Blue said. "Well it's not a bad idea."
"I totally trust you, B.B.B.F.F." Twilight said.
"I don't know, Shining" Cadance said. "I don't want to date that jerk, even if it is pretending."
"Cadance, trust me" Shining said, taking her hoof. "Everything will be fine. We still can date secretly. You gonna see that everything will end quickly."
She was not sure about that, but she nodded.
"But promise me you won't come back to kiss him again" Shining said. "If that happens again, I think I will not be able to control myself."
That made Cadance laugh and she nodded, saying:
"You can rest assured."
And then she kissed him.
Now, Shining and Cadance would have to hide their love at all costs for Fire Punch couldn't try nothing worse to separate them. They only hoped this situation would not last much.