//------------------------------//
// Princess Cadance 
// Story: You Are Brutally Shut Down By Best Pony 
// by Flutterpriest 
//------------------------------//

	The signs are all there. The private time alone with her. Her husband never being around. You've been spending a lot of time with Princess Cadance lately and even her guards are beginning to spread rumors. Nasty ones. The kind of rumors that get leaked to the press and ruin the public images of a person.

Is it really your fault if you wish the rumors were true.

You and Cadance. Every time you saw her perfect smile, your heart leapt in your throat and the world felt like a happier place to be in. You have to be somewhat honest with yourself. You'd probably get a crush on anypony who gave you the time of day, a compliment, and generally treated you nice. You're easy like a first grade spelling test. But... having a crush on a married mare? That's a new low. A guilty low. It's just something you'll have to swallow.

So, you're sitting in the Crystal Gardens, just like every other afternoon, to have lunch with the Princess. Yet, at the same time, you're wondering what you're even doing here. You're just going to hurt yourself. Or worse, hurt her.

And you know what? Today's fine if you hurt yourself. Because you can't live like this anymore. Hopefully you're reading the signs right. The princess trots merrily along the garden path until she spots you on your bench. You raise your arm and waive to her. She replies with a wide smile and quickens her trot.

"Hi, Anon!" she calls, as she moves toward you. 

"Hey, Cadance. What's up?" you reply, trying to hide your nervousness.

"Oh, you know. Same old song and dance," she answers, sitting directly next to you with a wide smile. "You should have seen this couple I helped solidify today. They way they smiled when they held hooves for the first time... it was so precious."

"It must have been quite the sight," you replied, pulling out two boxes of homemade lunch for the two of you. You made it from scratch, which was more than what you had done previously. You felt like you had to after yesterday.

She made lunch for you yesterday. She, herself, made it. A Princess, who has a countless number of guards and servants to care for menial tasks like this. And she made it herself.

"Yeah... I kinda miss those old days. When everything felt magical and new..." she says with a sigh. "Oh well... What did you bring?"

You look at the box, with butterflies in your gut.

"You know what. No. I can't. I can't ignore the elephant in the room anymore."

She looks up at you as you set the boxed lunches aside. You turn to her and look straight into her sweet lavender eyes. Her features widen in shock, looking you up and down.

"What are you talking about, Anon?" she asks.

"I don't care. I have to say it. I can't stand it anymore. I've felt feelings for you for a long time and I think you have too. I want to make your life magical again," you say. "I've listened to how you complain. How bored you get. How much you still want and need out of life and I just..."

Cadance raises a hoof, cutting you off.

"Anon, I like you too. As a friend. Sure, we're compatible. There's no denying that. But I'm married... Surely we wouldn't let our feelings get in the way of our friendship... would we? Friends can still have feelings for each other and stay friends."

Your heart shatters as she gives you a weak smile.

"Right?"

You bite your lip and turn away, pausing in the path.

"Listen," she says. "If I wasn't... maybe it would be different. But I love him. And I would never leave him. I can't leave him. He means the world to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure," you growl. "Then this was just a waste of-"

As you cut yourself off, Cadance rises to her hooves.

"Then, what?" she says. "You're going to end our friendship just because you want something I can't give?"

A pang of guilt strikes your back like a knife pierces you. You turn on the spot back to her.

"Well, I'm sorry if I don't feel like I've been lied to then. I thought I had a good friend. But if now I've just been a waste of your time, then I see how it really is. Get out."