Manehatten was a sprawling metropolis. And while that is a generic description, it is also an accurate one. The city was filled with buildings that reached up high and colorful ponies that dreamed even higher. During the day its myriad of streets were filled with carriages and it copious sidewalks were filled with dozen upon dozens of ponies. Each going about their own unique lives.
It was during just such a day, a sunny and cheerful day as well, that two particular ponies were traversing one of those very sidewalks. Both somewhat smaller than the majority of the ponies surrounding them. One was a rather feminine bodied colt, named Glide. And the other was of course Nova, whose horn was currently lit up a pleasing sky blue as he carried several shopping bags just above him. Shopping bags filled with various materials needed to finish their Nightmare Night costumes for the upcoming holiday.
From a distance one could easily be forgiven for mistaking them as a couple. Up close one could still be forgiven for such a mistake. And it was unfortunately a far too common mistake which thankfully hadn't actually happened in awhile.
Poor Glide and Nova just couldn't help it that they apparently looked so gosh darned 'cute together'.
That however was the furthest thing from their minds as they arrived at their current destination. It was a relatively small cafe which they often frequented for its great food and decent prices. It was also a distinct possibility that part of Nova's love for the cafe may have been related to the fact that the owner's daughter often liked to make out with him during her breaks.
But be that as it may, Nova and Glide took their usual spots in the cafe before ordering. A flavourful iced tea for Glide. And a coffee for Nova that consisted of more sugar than caffeine. They also ordered a very large salad bowl to share. Although in reality Glide would usually just end up nibbling at the salad while Nova steadily gobbled it down with an impressive gusto. On any other day Glide would've joked about his best friend secretly being half hippo. But with a glance at a nearby table, where an actual hippo sat eating ten of the same sized salad bowls, the young pegasus seemed to deem his usual joke to not be the most appropriate, or culturally sensitive, thing to say on that particular day.
So instead, as their meal began in earnest, Glide decided to start a different conversation. "Hey Nova, how's everything been going with your new fillyfriend?"
"Great! She's cute and a lot of fun. Was pretty innocent too. But now I think it's safe to say that her new favorite number is sixty-nine, if you know what I mean!" Nova gave a deliberately exaggerated wink to his now eye-rolling friend. "Oh, and I was thinking of inviting her to join us trick-or-treating on Nightmare Night."
"What!? You can't do that. We always do that together!"
A playful smirk broke across Nova's face. "You jealous?"
"No." Glide briefly glanced away with a blushing pout. "It's just that we always go trick-or-treating together, in matching costumes. She doesn't have a costume like that and, um, I don't even know her that well. I mean her name specifically, I don't even know her name!"
"So what? Join the club." Nova waved a hoof dismissively. "I don't know her name either. I just call her freckles, cutie, sexy, or even pigtails sometimes. But I don't know her actual name. And I don't think she's even noticed."
At that Glide was obviously quite flabbergasted. "How is that possible? You've been with her everyday for nearly a week."
There was a pause as Nova took a drink of his caffeinated sugar water. A suspiciously long drink, during which he avoided meeting his best friend's eyes. Before finally confronting the question. "Dude, I'm only one colt! I can't be expected to remember the names of every single filly I've ever been with. You know me. I'm nowhere near as picky as you. Who was even the last filly you dated?"
"You know who." Glide's defeated tone was muffled as he buried his head in his forelegs and wings, while letting his ears droop in regret.
"Oh, the one whose name should never be spoken." The tone Nova spoke with was cold and spiteful. Which made the following pause all the more tense as Glide refused to show his face and Nova quietly munched on their salad. The pause ended just as abrubtly as it had started after Nova loudly swallowed. "Was that bitch really the last filly you dated?"
Finally Glide peeked out of his wings and hazel eyes met with red, slitted ones. "Y-Yeah, she was. I can't believe I was such an idiot with her. It was all my fault." Tears threatened to escape from the pegasus' watery eyes.
"It was not your fault!!!"
Attention was drawn to their table by Nova's sudden outburst, causing Glide to retreat back into the sanctity of his wings. Meanwhile, Nova chuckled nervously and sunk down low, half hiding behind the salad bowl, as he waited for their impromptu audience to lose interest in them. After attention finally shifted off of them, Nova carefully made his way around the table and gently wrapped a reassuring foreleg around his smaller friend. Glide gave a cute, little squeak of surprise from the sudden contact, before peeking back out of his wings and meeting his best friend's gaze once again.
"It was not your fault." Nova repeated with a soothing, yet firm, tone. He affectionately nuzzled his best friend's face to help wipe away the tears. "The one who shall not be named was a bitch. It's as simple as that. And what she tried to do was completely inexcusable. You deserve far better than her."
There was no hesitation in nuzzling his friend in return, yet Glide still seemed quite unconvinced. His quiet voice filled with tremors. "S-Sometimes I just feel so broken. Why couldn't I be a good coltfriend and just give her what she wanted?"
Quickly, Nova wrapped his other foreleg around and pulled the pegasus into a firm hug, causing Glide to blush heavily. A fact which didn't bother Nova in the least as his nuzzling intensified. "You're not broken. I know that I have no problem jumping into bed with a filly who's willing, but there's no shame in preferring to form a more emotional relationship first. And if that bitch had really cared about you then she would never have tried to force you into anything you weren't ready for yet. You did nothing wrong. And she wasn't good enough for you!"
"B-But I couldn't even fulfill her needs and-"
"No buts, dude. Just because you two weren't compatible doesn't mean you did anything wrong. She should've just respected the difference between you two and politely broken up with you. What she did instead was despicable."
"Or maybe... Maybe I just wasn't good enough for her. After all, what makes me so special?"
Nova backed off a bit and gazed right into the pegasus' eyes with the most incredulous look he could muster. "What makes you so special? What doesn't!? You're the prettiest colt I've ever met. I know you don't really like the way you look, but I've met plenty of fillies who were totally into more feminine colts and quite a few of them expressed a strong interest in you. Honestly you'd have a much better time with fillies if you would just take the initiative a little more often... Seriously Glide, no homo or anything, but you also have a great plot!" Just to drive the point home, Nova added a wink to his final statement.
By that point Glide's blush had won the battle for control over his face and he quickly hugged his best friend in a tight grip as he nuzzled into the larger colt's neck. "Thank you Nova. Thank you so much! You always know just what to say." A gentle sigh escaped Glide's muzzle and he spoke in a much softer tone. "You're absolutely perfect."
"Yeah right dude, we both know that isn't true." Nova gave a light chuckle. "But thanks for the sentiment."
The pegasus' heart gave a sudden flinch and he blushed profusely, as if only just realizing that he'd spoken his previous statement out loud. However, Glide still still owned up to it, even if he had to avert his eyes while doing so. "Well, you're perfect to me."
"Oh, um, t-thank you. That's very sweet of you to say." It was finally Nova's turn to feel his own cheeks redden into a blush.
What followed was an awkward moment where neither of the two blushing colts were able to bring themselves to look each other in the eyes. Instead their eyes sort of just darted around with seemingly a volition of their own. 'Til, by pure happenstance, their gazes finally met once more. It was a moment simultaneously uncomfortable and surprisingly intimate.
A moment during which Nova found himself acutely aware of his best friend as they were wrapped up in one another's embrace. From the softness of feathers as one of his hoofs traced slowly along a wing. To the sweet, surprisingly pleasant, smell of the pegasus' scent. And even Glide's rapid heartbeat, which pumped blood in sync to the rhythm of Nova's own heart.
"Oh just kiss already!" A third voice suddenly spoke up.
And thus the intimate moment came to a sudden end as Glide scrambled away from his best friend and ducked behind his wings. Nova however just laughed it off and returned to his spot at the table.
But he wasn't the only one laughing. So too was the owner of the third voice, Sugar Spice. An orangish unicorn filly with a long, silky mane as black as the night sky. Instead of stars her mane had several mane-clips, each of which sported a rather cute, chibi skull design with various facial expressions. Her eyes and magic were a verdant forest green as she used her magic to pull out a small notebook and pencil from the pocket of the adorable apron she was wearing. Still it took her another moment to catch her breath from laughing before she was able to speak up once again. But when she did her voice was akin to honey. "So, you two lovebirds want some dessert or do you already have each other for that?"
Nova wasn't fazed in the least by the remark as he made an exaggerated show of rolling his eyes. "Nah, we'll just take our usuals instead. We're not interested in playing out the events of your yaoi fan fictions."
"Humph, I don't know what you could possibly be referring to!" Sugar's haughty look as she feigned offense quickly morphed into a false pout as she brought her hooves to her eyes to rub away nonexistent tears. "And it's not my fault you two look so cute together. I'm clearly the victim here." The filly's laughter was renewed to full strength once more.
Just before Nova could speak up to more seriously cull the teasing, Glide beat him to it by peeking out of his wings and speaking in a quiet voice that just felt miserable. "Please Sugar, just stop."
Immediately all laughter stopped and an awkward silence followed.
But it was quickly broken by adorable squeak of surprise from Glide, as Sugar lunged forward and wrapped him up in a firm hug. Without hesitation she nuzzled the lithe pegasus and apologized. "I'm sorry. I heard the tail-end of your conversation and was just trying to cheer you up with some teasing and the promise of dessert. But I should've taken your feelings into consideration. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
At the sight of his best friend trying his hardest to hold back laughter, Glide's blush intensified. The pegasus only struggled for but a moment longer before relaxing and releasing a defeated sigh. "O-Of course I forgive you, Sugar. It's not your fault that I'm such a loser."
"You are not!" Sugar beat Nova to the punch and gave Glide a quick kiss on the cheek. "Like Nova said, what Amber did was not-"
Nova's sudden cough drew the attention of his friends. "Don't you mean, 'the one who shall not be named'?"
"No. I mean Amber." Sugar rolled her eyes during her reply before briefly sticking her tongue out at Nova. "As I was saying, what Amber did was terrible. But it was never your fault. Okay?"
Before Glide could reply he was suddenly sandwiched as Nova joined the snuggle express. With two ponies nuzzling him so strongly in a public cafe, Glide lifted his wings to block his blushing cheeks and gave a soft sigh. "I s-suppose you both can't be wrong. Maybe Amber really was just a bitch."
"That's the spirit!" Excited to see her friend somewhat cheered up, Sugar sprung back and gave her biggest, waitress mode, smile. "Now you two sit back and finish your main course. I'll have your desserts out faster than a speeding arrow. Enjoy your snuggles!" And with that Sugar left to take a few more orders for other customers before grabbing their desserts.
In the meantime, Nova returned to his side of the table and resumed shoveling salad into his mouth.
Glide just watched blankly for a few moments before finally speaking up, his voice containing only the slightest tremor. "Do you think I should, you know, get back in the dating game?"
With a head tilt, Nova forced the contents of his mouth down with a loud gulp before finishing off the rest of his drink in a single swig. "Honestly? I think you should do whatever makes you happy. But I don't see how having a fillyfriend could be a bad thing. Especially with me here to shoo away any who want to take advantage of you."
"You'd really do that for me?"
"Well, duh!" Nova rolled his eyes. "Since when have I not done that for you?"
Before Glide had a chance to agree, a rising sound from a nearby table in the cafe rose to the point of interrupting everypony's dining experience. Turns out that a young couple from a few tables down had erupted into a loud argument. And it wasn't pretty.
"So, it's all about your needs then? Well what about my needs? Where were you when I needed you to pick me up after my twelve-hour shift? Just lazing around and sleeping!?"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. I was just tired after working on-"
"Your sorry! Well, I'm sorry, was my widdle stallion all tired from painting for a couple hours? Did he need a nappy to feel all better? How about a big ol' hug from his wife, who only managed to work ALL BUCKING DAY!!"
"B-But I also had a headache all day and-"
"Well my whole body ached! Did you think of that? Do you ever stop and think of me and my feelings? NO!!! 'Cause here we are on our anniversary, which you promised would be the best one yet, and we're eating at some random cheap cafe! You said you made reservations somewhere nice. You said you bought me an amazing gift I never got. And yet here we are. Are you just a liar? Do I even mean anything to you!?"
"Of course you do! I love you!!! And I did make reservations at the best restaurant in the city, but a visiting princess wanted to eat there and they pushed our reservation to a later date at the last minute. And I swear on my life, I bought you the most amazing gift ever from the world famous Carousel Boutique. But then some derby-eyed mailmare came over and tried to apologize for losing the expensive gift. She tried to apologize with muffins of all things. I swear!"
"Oh please. Do you really expect me to buy any of those half-plotted excuses? Why can't you just admit that you're a terrible pony who can't even remember our own wedding anniversary!?"
The mare broke into hysteric tears as her husband tried with a vain desperation to console her.
Meanwhile Nova, and the rest of the cafe, watched the entire scene unfold. Now the cafe was eerily quiet as no pony was quite sure what to do. No pony that is except Nova. The colt's horn and eyes were glowing a light sky-blue, as he narrowed the latter and stared at the couple for nearly ten full seconds. Before he cut his flow of magic and gave a terse nod towards the situation with a look of pure determination.
Glide bit his lip nervously as he watched the gears turn behind his best friend’s eyes. His ears twitched in recognition as a small bag of bits, guided by Nova’s magic, landed on the table with a soft clank. The two friends shared the briefest of glances before Glide let out a soft sigh of defeat and swept up the bag of bits with a wing. Without even a word, the pegasus calmly trotted out of the cafe with a quickened pace.
Satisfied that his best friend knew what to do, Nova took a deep calming breath and approached the arguing couple. At first they didn’t notice his presence, so he loudly cleared his throat.
“What do you want!?” The mare, already at the end of her rope, snapped at the colt.
But Nova wasn’t even fazed in the least as he smiled up at the two larger ponies. “Say cheese!” Before they could react his horn flashed as he released a spell right into their faces.
The young couple yelped simultaneously and rubbed their eyes to get rid of the painful brightness. As their sight returned their gazes at first went to the source of their woe, but the spot no longer held any pony, so naturally they began to look around. And that’s when their gazes met. They froze, their eyes widening as their strongest memories of one another flooded their minds. Every moment they’d ever spent loving and comforting one another.
Suddenly the mare leapt around the table and wrapped herself around her stallion in a tight embrace as tears flowed down her face. She nuzzled him intensely. “I’m so so sorry. I-I didn’t mean to yell. I know you must have tried your best for our anniversary, and it’s not your fault everything went wrong. I love you!”
“I love you too! And I’m the one who’s sorry. I should’ve never let a stupid, little headache stop me from being there for you.” The stallion clung to her just as tightly as he lost control of his tears and nuzzled her back.
Meanwhile, Nova watched with a satisfied grin as the two continued apologizing back and forth before deciding to just make out with each other. But the colt wasn’t done with the two of them quite yet.
It was then, as if on cue, that Glide arrived back at the cafe in a flurry of rapid hoofsteps.
The young pegasus was out of breath from the quick trip he had taken to the flower shop and back. It had been several blocks away and he'd been quite hasty. But the trip had been successful as Glide now held a bouquet of roses securely under a wing. Continuing to catch his breath, Glide did nothing to resist as his best friend took the flowers in his magic and held them aloft before re-approaching the previously arguing couple.
"Excuse me, sir?" Nova spoke in a firm tone, which immediately drew the attention of the couple. The colt gave an innocent smile as he magically held the roses up to them. "I'm here to deliver the flowers you ordered."
"You got me flowers!?" The mare excitedly scooped up the bouquet and deeply breathed in their sweet scent.
"I did?" The stallion gave a confused glance towards the colt, who only nodded in return with a wink. It took a second longer than it perhaps should've before understanding filled the stallion's features. "I mean, I did!"
Nova's smile brightened. "That's not all he did for you ma'am. He also got you a special couple's massage. Just go east down Mane St. for five blocks and you'll see a prominent massage parlor where they'll be expecting you. Just tell them you ordered the Nova Special, you won't regret it."
The mare gave an excited squeal and nuzzled into her lover even more passionately. Meanwhile, the stallion shared a glance at the colt and mouthed his thanks. Nova merely nodded in response. The two exchanged a quick brohoof before parting ways.
With a smug grin adorning his features Nova calmly returned to his spot at the table, where Glide was waiting.
Barely had Nova even sat down before he noticed his best friend staring at him with a less than pleased expression. Feigning ignorance, Nova met his friend's gaze with one of mild confusion. "Is something wrong?"
"I've told you before. I don't like you doing that!" Glide responded immediately with concern. "It doesn't feel right to just mess with other pony's emotions like that. I know you were just trying to help, okay? But do you really think that it's, um, you know... ethical, to do something like that?"
"And I've told you a million times, there's nothing 'unethical' about Empathy Magic." Nova rolled his eyes. "All that spell I used does is make the target recall the strongest emotional moments they've shared with whomever's eyes they look into. And... I enchanted my eyes first to view their emotional connection, just to make sure they didn't actually secretly hate each other. Okay? Does that make you happy?"
"No." The pegasus crossed his forelegs with a huff. "It still doesn't feel right."
"Well, don't blame me then. Blame my old foalsitter for teaching me." A moment passed during which Nova rubbed his chin in thought before a confident smirk emerged. "I know! How about I show you firsthoof just how harmless it is?"
Glide's face became a mixture of confusion and worry. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
"Simple. I just the cast the spell on the two of us. Then you'll see that the spell can't make you do anything you didn't already want to. How does that sound?" The confident smirk quickly soured as Nova witnessed his best friend's reaction.
Wings suddenly covered Glide's face as he flinched away shivering. "No no no, don't cast it on me!!"
"Whoa dude, calm down! What's wrong?"
"I-I just don't want it cast on me. Please!" His shaking started to increase as Glide started to hyperventilate. Only to squeak adorably as Nova suddenly wrapped his friend in another deep hug. Immediately Glide relaxed as he nuzzled into his friend's neck and deeply breathed in his scent. Slowly, as the pegasus calmed down, he peeked out from behind his wings.
"Feeling better?" Nova's face was nothing but genuine concern.
Quickly Glide nuzzled back into his friend's neck in a vain attempt to hide his heavy blush. "Y-yeah. I'm fine. Sorry for overreacting. I-I'm just worried that I'll embarrass myself in front of everypony if you cast that spell on me."
"I'm sure it won't be any worse than the snuggling we're already doing. And no pony is even paying any attention to us right now." Nova smiled reassuringly and added to his still clearly worried friend. "But even still, you know I would never cast anything on you without your full consent. Right?"
"Uh-huh." A timid nod was all Glide managed as he continued trying to hide his blush.
A warm smile erupted on Nova's face. "Great! Now, our desserts should be here any second, so if you don't mind..." Gently pushing off of his best friend, Nova returned to his side of the table where he proceeded to pick up their salad and dumped the contents into his mouth.
Barely had the large colt finished swallowing when Sugar arrived back at their table with two fresh, steaming pie slices held aloft in her green magic glow, a pitcher of milk and two cups balanced on her back. Effortlessly, with a smirk firmly planted on her muzzle, she swept their used dishes off the table and placed their pie slices in front of the expected recipients. Then she gave a little curtsy as she lifted the pitcher and filled up their new cups as they floated onto the table. Only then, in a voice as sweet as honey, did she speak. "Would either of you two like some extra sugar with that?"
"No thanks. I currently have a fillyfriend." Nova gently turned down the offer before smirking impishly at Glide. "But I know a certain somepony who could definitely use some extra sugar.
Doing his best to ignore the quick nod of understanding from Sugar, Glide gave a dry gulp and stammered out a reply. "N-N-No thanks. Really, I'm fine right-"
"Too late!!!" Sugar glomped the lithe pegasus and locked her lips to his.
The kiss was long and passionate, just like all of Sugar's kisses. When she finally pulled away she left behind a mostly frozen pegasus. Only his wings and a single eye twitched in response. And a light blush graced his cheeks. It seemed as if Glide was having some trouble taking in what had just happened to him.
Nova, meanwhile, couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the sight.
"Feel better now?" Sugar's voice was laced with genuine concern. "I've been thinking and I think you need to find a new fillyfriend. I promise it won't be as bad as last time."
Glide winced at the thought as he returned to his senses. "H-How can you be sure. It'll probably just be like last time. I don't want to go through all that again." He let out a defeated sigh.
But Sugar wasn't going to let him fall into a slump that easily. She briefly silenced him with a hoof gently pressed against his lips, and looked him straight in the eyes. "'Cause I know you, Glide. I respect you. And I for one would never treat you the way that bitch did. So... wanna go out with me sometime?"
"With you? I-I don't know. This is all so sudden!" Nervously, Glide rubbed the back of his head with a wing and looked towards his best friend with a pleading look. "What do you think, Nova?"
Nova may have misinterpreted his friend's intention as he smiled and threw in his support. "I think that's a great idea. Sugar's awesome! There's a reason I've dated her so many times before. Even if things don't work out she would never treat you harshly, unless you legitimately did something stupid enough to deserve it. So, come on Glide, what have you got to lose? Just give her a chance."
With a defeated sigh, Glide finally gave in after another moment's pause. "Oh. Okay then, I guess it couldn't hurt."
"Great! Meet me here tomorrow for lunch, I'll take us out somewhere nice where my dad doesn't own the place. Otherwise we'll never get any privacy. Oh, and enjoy your desserts." Sugar quickly gave Glide another kiss on his cheek before sauntering off with a deliberately alluring sway to her hips.
Once she was gone, Nova looked towards his best friend with a big ol' grin. "You're a lucky colt, dude. Don't try denying it. I know you must be excited for this, she's hot."
"Oh yeah, of course." Glide weakly agreed refusing to look directly at his friend, thus causing him to miss an eye-roll directed at him. "Can't wait to start dating another filly."
Nova chose to accept the words at face value with a nod, believing the dour tone to merely be a side effect of his friend's nerves. "That's the spirit! Trust me, you're going to have a lot of fun with Sugar. She can be as sweet as her namesake. Just don't piss her off, okay?"
No response, however, was given as Glide quietly began eating his pie. Obviously already lost in his own thoughts.
<--->
An evening chill settled over the city of Manehatten as Nova and Glide finally began to return home from their day out on the town. A day filled with fabric shopping, an exciting lunch, and the infinite pleasure that is mini-golf. But as the two tuckered ponies walked down the block, shopping bags hovering gently above them, there was only one thing still fresh on Nova's mind. It created a playful smirk upon the larger colt's face as he stole glances at his best friend.
Meanwhile, Glide did his best to pretend he didn't notice. But the growing blush on his face as they approached the block where the orphanage was located, betrayed just how aware of it he truly was.
However, all was quiet as neither colt spoke aloud on the matter.
"So... Whatcha thinking about?" Nova finally broke the silence between them. Only to immediately have to break it once again when his best friend refused to respond. "Perhaps about your big date with Sugar Spice tomorrow?"
This finally prompted Glide into a response as he refused to meet his friend's eyes. "It's not a big date or anything. Just a normal date, you know? No reason to make a big deal out of it."
"No reason to make a big deal out of it!? Have you seen her plot? ...Trust me, it feels even nicer than it looks." Nova whispered that last part conspiratorially as he leaned in close to his friend, causing a massive blush to spread over the pegasus' cheeks. Before a response could be uttered though, Nova leapt back and continued speaking in a more normal tone. "Besides you haven't even been on a date in moons. How on Equus is this not a big deal to you!?"
A brief moment of silence followed before Glide suddenly perked up and burst forward. "Oh hey look we're home. I'll race ya there!"
"What!? Why you little... wait for me!" Playfully annoyed, Nova tried to speed up after his friend. But the pegasus proved too quick and nimble, making his escape into the orphanage just as Nova reached the walkway leading up to the rather large estate. Normally Nova would've done far better at keeping pace with his best friend, but was unable to speed up very much while maintaining focus on all the items he was magically carrying.
Making it to the door, Nova entered and quickly began the search for his friend whom he was going to glomp like there was no tomorrow for the stunt he'd just pulled. However, barely had he began his search before noticing that something was off.
Everypony was in a tizzy of excited chatter. Eagerly talking, about a wedding of all things, amongst each other.
Noticing Glide up ahead, Nova casually snuck up behind him and whispered in his ear. "What's going on?"
With a startled yelp, Glide gave a little jump and his wings shot out in fear. He calmed hardly a second later and glared at his best friend, who merely looked around innocently in response, before the pegasus sighed. "I'm not sure. But something exciting must be happening. Maybe somepony will tell us."
"Nov-y!" As if on cue, Nova's fillyfriend bounced over to him and wrapped her forelegs around him in a big hug. Quickly he returned the gesture and gave her a deep kiss. She blushed and giggled in response before cracking a huge smile. "Did you hear the big news!?"
"No, what is it?" Nova asked. "Did they finally declare you officially the cutest filly in Equestria? You've certainly earned it."
"No silly!" She laughed and nuzzled her blushing, adorably freckled face against Nova's neck and gave him a few kisses. "Not yet at least. Here, let me show you."
She pulled back from her coltfriend and excitedly retrieved a newspaper out of her mane before practically shoving it in his face. Nova gently grabbed the paper and took a look at it while Glide sidled up to his side and did the same.
PRINCESS OF LOVE TO BE WED
We all know of our beloved Princess Celestia who raises the sun every morning and sets it every evening. And certainly we've all heard of her little sister, Princess Luna, who likewise takes care of the moon. But unless you're a member of the Canterlot elite, you may not have heard of their niece, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, who rules over love.
This matchmaking alicorn spends her time spreading love and taking care of foals. Despite receiving some scrutiny by various nobles over the ethical implications of her use of Empathy Magic, Princess Cadance as she prefers to be called, is beloved by all who she's helped. And now she's getting married. She's found her literal knight in Captain Shining Armor of the Canterlot division of the royal guard. The two are to be wed early spring precisely one moon after Hearts and Hooves day.
Furthermore the princess of love has chosen to grace our fair city of Manehattan with her radiant presence. She'll be staying at the luxurious Crown Plaza Hotel 'til after Nightmare Night. When questioned about it the princess stated that she just needed some time to relax and unwind after the hectic flurry of activity her wedding announcement has stirred up in Canterlot. Regardless of reason, we should feel honoured to have such a vision of beauty and perfection gracing our fair city. Certainly we're not worthy of...
As the newspaper article continued devolving into shamelessly sucking up to the princess, Nova quit reading. His previous cheerful demeanor long since vanquished from his expression.