//------------------------------// // The Buried Lead // Story: Zero Point // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// Although the mood was quietly optimistic in the main castle hall, all eyes - even those of the reporters shadowed in a corner - focused again on the newly commissioned Captain Shining Armor when he stopped in front of Princess Cadance. At first she was confused by what he wanted, but when she saw him levitate a small box out of the ceremonial saddlebag he was wearing she quietly gasped. Shining Armor briefly paused as the hall fell silent again, the arrayed officers both in the hall and on other parts of the stage see what seems to be about to happen; the stallion on the verge of one of the most important moments of his life was grateful for the general cooperation of those also present there. In the shadowed corner, the surprised reporters being scribbling furiously at notepads with charcoal pencils. Shining Armor bends down one front leg and has his magic open the levitating box, revealing a relatively simple ring sized to fit on a large unicorn horn, such as the one Cadance would have. Cadance quietly gasps again, and she quickly looks over at her aunts beside her. Both of them give subtle smiling approvals; Celestia's approval had been earned by faithful and sacrificial service, while Luna's approval had come because both Shining and Cadance had taken the lead in guiding her out of the darkness following her return from exile. And of course, they would gain the young mare both owed immense gratitude to as their niece-in-law, a member of the royal family in more than just spirit. A tear trickles down Shining Armor's face as he begins his proposal, looking up at the alicorn he was speaking to: "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, when I first met you all those years ago, fillysitting little Twily, I was so stunned in your presence I could barely even put together a word to you. Both of us have come an extremely long way since then, not just together but as part of a group your aunt Celestia put together. Now Twily and Spike are in Ponyville learning about friendship, and leadership really, and your aunt Luna has been restored to her old position ruling the night and walking dreams. I believe now is the right time to take the next step in our lives, a step we should both take together. I promise to be the greatest husband I can be for you, and Twily would be a great sister-in-law for you as well... I guess what I'm trying to say is, will you marry me, Princess?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The great castle hall is silent, not a pony in the room daring to even breathe as they wait for the answer to the question. Cadance, who had simply stared in surprised silence as Shining Armor gave his proposal, looks over one more time at the royal sisters beside her. The quiet smiles on their faces remain unchanged, which relaxes Cadance's surprise enough into a smile of her own. Finally, from essentially since the day she was crowned a princess of Equestria, a great hope and dream of hers was ready to start coming true. "Oh you big dork, of course I will!" Cadance chuckles, meeting Shining Armor in a nuzzle as the latter returns to standing up, then switching into a kiss. The crowd breaks into a mixture of quiet cheering and sentimental awing, turning the previous quiet hope atmosphere in the castle hall into something more lively, the hope for the future soaring higher than it ever had before. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, in the shadowed corner, the two reporter ponies were still furiously scribbling away at their notepads, the hushed exchange lost in the sudden injection of optimism echoing in the castle hall: "You got everything?" "Yeah, did that. Absolutely sure we're still burying this?" "Plans haven't changed, rookie. I'm sure the timing of the proposal would surprise some ponies, but it's not something that was unexpected. Burying it just the same." "Alright, boss. But it'll mean having to do more work stuffin' it..." "Let Chiton worry about that. We just need to get out of here before they figure out who we pinched the press passes from..." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE FOLLOWING DAY, IN PONYVILLE... Twilight Sparkle gave a skeptical look at Rarity beside her as both of them stood in front of a cart loaded with magazines, most of which being the "gossip rag" variety. One for earth ponies, one for pegasi, one for unicorns, one focused on Southern Equestria... if there was enough material to justify printing a magazine on it, the rack had it on display! "Yes, Twilight, I double checked with Lieutenant Meadow Song to be absolutely sure you were supposed to look in one of the magazines here." Rarity comments, her own tone showing puzzlement. "I normally only indulge in the ones focused on Canterlot, but I have to keep them out of sight because Applejack thinks they're full of lies and doesn't want moi reading them. Gets real touchy about that." "Well, I don't think she's entirely wrong... this one?" Twilight asks as she levitates a magazine off the rack. "Yes, that one. Their focus is mostly on Canterlot high society, but I was told there was a special announcement related to you there." "Alright, let's see..." Twilight continues on, focusing her attention on the magazine she was levitating in front of her with unicorn magic. "'A Chaotic Starting Point... Inside Source: Heroes Compromised, Royal Words Not To Be Trusted'... What kind of slanderous title is this?!?" "Oh dear..." Rarity winces out as Twilight cautiously opens the magazine, scanning inside it for the headline story the cover title was referring to. "Rarity, I don't remember anypony from this magazine interviewing me about the 'Want It, Need It' spell incident!" Twilight exclaims a minute later, a smoldering indignation beginning to rise within her. "Didn't Lieutenant Crispin come by and do that for the report back to Princess Celestia?" Rarity asks, now gravely concerned about the implications of what Twilight was telling her. "Yes, so either he leaked the information or somepony intercepted the report. And either way that pony had no business reprinting it here." Twilight growls out. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a letter to write to Princess Celestia..." As Twilight Sparkle turns away to head back to the library she was residing in, she lets the magazine she had been levitating drop into the dirt below, leaving Rarity to handle the awkward conversation with the cart's owner about the damaged merchandise. The deliberately buried lead about Shining Armor and Cadance in that magazine was never seen by Twilight or Rarity, preventing either of them from finding out about the potential Canterlot wedding at that time. It was part of a series of communication breakdowns that allowed a grave threat to infiltrate into Equestrian society unnoticed...