Plans
Shining Armor was sitting on the floor, short of breath and crushed from what he had seen. Cadance was with another colt. Somepony by the name of Blueblood. She had a date, or so he thought ever since seeing the two together, completely oblivious to the family relation between the two. Stardust stood by her friend, trying to find some comforting words.
"Shining, I'm sorry, I know ya really liked her."
Shining stood up, still looking very defeated, and headed towards the return counter to levitate more books off the counter.
Shining sighed as he walked back towards Stardust and flatly said, "Let's just finish re-shelving."
Stardust didn't know what else to do but grab some books herself with her green aura of magic, and tail behind Shining Armor as they made their way to another area of the library to continue their work.
For the first half hour that the two started shelving, they worked in silence; they were both only lost in thoughts. Shining, lost in his thoughts about what he could've done differently and how he's gonna have to pretend to be happy for Cadance and Blueblood.
Stardust was lost in her thoughts about how she was going to pull her friend out of his own despair. She had known how Shining felt for Cadance for quite a while. She saw how his eyes lit up at the mention of Cadance's name, how he freaked whenever she was near him, and how he told her his plans for trying to ask her out he ultimately abandoned once he said them out loud and realized how stupid they sounded.
Stardust couldn't take it, she hated seeing her friend like this. She took a deep breath before she broke the lingering silence between them.
"Shining?" she asked.
Shining looked away from the books and faced his friend. "Yes?"
Stardust took another breath, and in an almost motherly tone, began. "I know ya liked her a lot, and I know that seeing her with somepony else must be killing ya inside. I honestly don't know what I can say to cheer you up, but I just want ya to know something. You're cute, funny, nice, and an insanely great pony to be around. Remember that."
Shining Armor stood there listening to Stardust. He couldn't believe the things she thought of him. He couldn't believe that somepony so externally tough could be such a softie.
'This is so unlike her,' he thought to himself.
Stardust could see Shining Armor's eyes light up again, as if the shattered part of his soul was magically re-assembled. However, a hard-shelled mare like her doesn't show her soft side for too long. Her eyes lost that motherly glimmer and took on that of somepony slightly irritated.
"But..." she started. "Ya need to lose the defeated attitude. I don't wanna be workin' with some sad sack for the next three hours, so swallow ya sadness now or I'll hoofslap it out of ya," she scolded.
'Aaaaaaand she's back,' thought Shining Armor as he started to smile in amusement.
"Okay, Stardust. Sadness gone, and thanks for the pep talk," replied Shining Armor as he walked over to his friend to give her a hug.
Stardust took the hug happily, smiling because she knew that she had pulled Shining Armor from his state of depression.
"But that doesn't change the fact that Cadance is with somepony else. I'll be happy for her, but I still want her," explained Shining Armor with genuine desire in his eyes.
Stardust knew that Shining Armor would still want to be with Cadance, so she started thinking of a plan. After a few seconds, an idea came to her.
"Okay, here's what ya gotta do, Shiny. Ya just gotta be up front wit her, tell her that you’re happy for her, but come out and say you're available. In other words, just tell her ya like her."
"Just tell her?" Shining asked after hearing Stardust's plan.
"Yeah, she's already taken, so the worst she can do is nothing," answered Stardust.
"I guess, at least then I can confess to her," said Shining Armor as he played the scenario in his head.
"So what did this colt look like anyways?" asked Stardust with an intense amount of curiosity.
Shining Armor took a moment to remember the colt that he believed swiped the mare of his dreams away from him. "Ugh, let me think... white fur, a little taller than Cadance, about my height, a long amber mane with waves, I think he had blue eyes, rather sky blue now that I think about it, aaaaand that's about it."
Once Shining Armor was finished describing Blueblood to Stardust, he couldn't help but realize she was lost in her own imagination. "Stardust?" Shining asked, trying to pull his friend out of her mind and back to Equestria.
"Huh? Oh sorry, based on what you said... well, ya got some competition, Shiny," replied Stardust as she came out of whatever fantasy she might have had.
"Not helping, Star."
"Sorry, Shiny, just wanted to get an idea about what you’re up against. What was the colt's name anyway?" Stardust inquired.
"Blueblood," answered Shining Armor.
"Blueblood?" Stardust asked as if something clicked in her brain.
"Yeah, why?" inquired Shining Armor, who was curious about the sudden change in Stardust's tone.
"I don't know, I feel like I know that name. Maybe if I saw the colt's face... meh, it'll hit me when it hits me."
BUUUUUUUURP!!!
The loud sound was accompanied by a stream of green flames a couple of shelves away instantly caught the attention of the two unicorns.
"SPIKE!" the two yelled out as they galloped towards the source of the burning embers. They reached the area where the baby dragon was and saw him pounding what looked like a flaming piece of Shining Armor's saddlebag on the floor in an attempt to extinguish the flames.
"OH CRAP!" shouted Shining Armor as he ran towards the baby drake and levitated the burning piece of the saddlebag. The light purple aura around the bag started to compress, slowly condensing the green flames on the bag into a tighter and tighter area until they extinguished from the lack of oxygen. Shining Armor dropped the charred piece of his saddlebag with a look of relief and fear on his face.
"What the hay happened?" shouted Stardust as she came up to Shining Armor and the charred piece of the saddlebag.
Shining Armor didn't answer right away, instead he walked up to what was left of the saddlebag and saw that several turquoise pieces were scattered around and half-eaten.
Shining Armor turned around to see Spike clapping his claws and laughing, then finally lying down, almost instantaneously falling asleep.
"Spike had lunch," answered Shining Armor with an unamused sigh.
"DID THAT DRAGON BURN ANY OF MY BOOKS?!?" boomed the surprisingly loud voice of the old librarian.
Spike awoke with a jerk while Shining Armor and Stardust swung around to see Ms. Paiges standing at the end of the row of books, looking as if her face was about to explode with anger.
"N-N-N-No Ms. Paiges, he only b-b-burned my saddlebag, nothing else. I swear to Celestia," whimpered Shining Armor as all of his legs started trembling.
Ms. Paiges took a look at the row of books and saw no burn marks anywhere except for the ground where a pile of ash from the piece of the saddlebag was. Her once red face slowly turned back to its normal yellow, and her eyes drifted to look directly at Shining Armor and Stardust.
"Clean these ashes, keep Spike from burning anything, and get back to work," instructed the elderly unicorn with a calm yet menacing tone.
"YES MA'AM!" replied the two library assistants.
Ms. Paiges trotted off back to her front counter to tend to more return records, leaving Shining Armor and Stardust in their fear.
"Bravery, another thing to work on Shiny, I saw ya wobblin' like a filly," joked Stardust.
"Ha ha," Shining Armor sarcastically laughed, slowly recovering from seeing what could have been the end of his employment. He stole a glance at the little dragon to see him trying to climb into the pocket of the saddlebag, presumably to take nap. "What am I gonna do with you?" muttered Shining Armor towards Spike.
"C'Mon, Shiny, let's get back to shelving. I may not want to be a library assistant forever, but I do need this job," said Stardust as she headed towards the area they were working at before.
"Coming, Star," replied Shining Armor as he levitated the saddlebag with Spike in it, careful not to wake him, as if he could.
***************
Streets away, Cadance, Blueblood, Magic Shield, and Purple Heart finally made their way to Canterlot Castle. The four ponies were already at the front gates, ready to enter, and Cadance was ready to put aside the horrible first half of her day, and get ready for her evening of foal sitting.
"Cadance, Blueblood, glad to see you're home and safe!" exclaimed Princess Celestia as the royal duo came into the front entrance where the sun goddess waited.
"Hi, Aunt Celestia," replied the royal duo simultaneously.
"Thank you Magic Shield and Purple Heart for keeping my niece and nephew safe, you can turn in for the night if you'd like."
"Thank you, your majesty," replied the two guards while bowing in respect. After the two guards left the castle to return to the barracks outside the back of the castle, Celestia turned to Blueblood, taking on a more angered look.
"Did you really need to bother those two, Blueblood?" she asked with a very irritated tone.
"What? I wanted to make sure nopony would try to attack us. Who knows what those heathens would do if they managed to get their dirty hooves on me or Cadance?" replied the stuck up prince in a rather truthful tone.
Celestia rolled her eyes. On one hoof he bothered two guards for his own pompous reasons, but at the same time, in his own way, tried to look out for Cadance. She didn't want to deal with this right now. "Nevermind, Blueblood, just go put your suit up and meet me for dinner."
"Yes, Aunt Celestia," replied Blueblood as he walked up the staircase towards his room.
After Blueblood disappeared into his room, the regal white alicorn turned to her pink-coated niece and bluntly asked, "How was he?"
Cadence sighed with her answer, "As expected, but he did keep quiet while we were at the library, after a few threats."
"Oh, good. How was your visit with Shining Armor?"
"It was sooooo nice to see him after being with Blueblood all day. Weirdest thing though, he didn't stutter or start sweating when I hugged and talked to him. He was actually composed for like the first time that I've known him."
A small yet devious smile made its way on the sun raiser's face. "Do you miss his nervousness already? Worried that maybe he moved on?" Celestia teased in a playful tone.
"WHAT!? No, it's just that it was really unlike him. I mean he's cute and all but... we talked about this last night, Aunt Celestia!" Cadance quickly explained.
Celestia bursted out into small fits of laughter from her niece’s struggled answer. Pranks may not have been her strong suit, but with Cadance, it was like bobbing for apples in a cup.
"I'm joking, Cadance," she managed to say through the laughter.
Frustration was radiating from the pink alicorn as she tried to change the subject. "Where's
Twilight? I need to get her home."
"HERE I AM!" boomed a cheery tone almost immediately after Cadance asked her question.
The little lavender filly appeared from the top of the stairs and made her way downstairs towards her foal sitter.
"Ready when you are, Cadance," said Twilight looking eager to spend some time with her favorite foal sitter at her house.
"Okay, Twilight, let's get going."
"Are you sure you two don't want to stay for dinner?" inquired Celestia.
"It's fine, Aunt Celestia, I'll make something for Twilight at her house," answered Cadance.
"And I want to play with Cadance," added Twilight with eagerness in her voice.
"Okay you two, be careful and have fun," said Celestia in an almost defeated tone.
"We will," answered Cadance and Twilight, already out of the castle running towards Twilight's house. They were already gone, leaving Princess Celestia alone with Blueblood for the next few hours.
"He's your nephew, he's your nephew, he's your nephew, he's your nephew," she continued to tell herself as she made her way to the dining room, ready to endure what would be an unenjoyable dinner.
***************
Under the now orange painted sky, Cadance and Twilight made their way through the streets, engaging in a rather one sided and uncomfortable conversation.
"Did you want to hold onto him forever?" asked the little filly.
"UGH!" sighed the annoyed alicorn. "I was just glad to see him, nothing else."
"Oh C'Mon, Cadance, I see you laugh whenever you two are together, you've gotta feel something for him."
Cadance pondered what Twilight had said. Shining Armor did make her laugh, he is insanely nice, and he was kind of cute to her. She couldn't deny that the thought of them together hasn't crossed her mind. Was she feeling something for Shining Armor? She still didn't know.
Then again, she never had somepony else to crush on before in her life, always being protected by her aunt from an early age. Cadance never really got to interact with other ponies too much before she met Twilight and Shining Armor.
"Cadance?" asked a concerned Twilight.
"Wuh? Oh, sorry, Twilight, I drifted off there for a minute," explained Cadance as her mind returned to Equestria.
"Well, we're already here," said Twilight, raising a hoof to point to her house.
Was she really that lost in thought? It didn't matter; she'd be lost again in her own confusing emotions very soon.
"Well, go unpack for the night and I'll make us some sandwiches," said Cadance as she and
Twilight walked into the house.
"Sure thing," the little lavender filly replied.
With Twilight upstairs unpacking, Cadance made her way into the kitchen to prepare dinner, only half-focusing on the sandwich.
'Wow, what am I feeling? Yea, maybe I felt something when I hugged him, yeah he's cute, and yeah he's nice... but... oh Shining,’ she thought to herself.
"Cadance?" asked Twilight, coming into the kitchen. "Is something bothering you?"
Cadance turned to face the little filly and was taken back by such a motherly question coming from somepony so young.
"Nothing," was her only reply.
"Cadance, you've foal sat me long enough for me to know when something is bothering you. It hasn't happened a lot, and that just adds onto my hunch. Now what's really wrong?"
Cadance was caught, and she was going to spill her life story and feelings to a little filly.
Cadance let out a sigh, and began.
"I don't know how I feel about your brother. He is just this overall great guy, but I just don't know what it's like to like somepony. All my life I've been, well, sheltered because I'm a princess. I was always in the castle, never got to go out, and never interacted with other ponies. I never even got to feel a first crush. You and Shining were some of the first few ponies I knew. It was after meeting you guys and getting the job of foal sitting you that I got more freedom. I'm able to go around town, and my aunt trusts me enough to the point where I don't need guards, and that's great, but I missed out on a lot. Being around Shining is confusing, I don't know if it is a crush or just deep appreciation. I wouldn't know. I'm just really confused, Twilight."
Silence filled the room, and Cadance, usually full of joy and always upbeat, was sitting down, confused and lost in her own mixed emotions.
Twilight came up to her, with the only comforting advice she could think of. "Cadance, I wouldn't know a lot about crushes either, but I have read A LOT of romance stories. Yes, you’re confused, but that shouldn't stop you from trying. Shining likes you, and if you haven't noticed that yet, then you're blind,"
"Oh no, I've noticed, he hasn't really done a good job of hiding it," interrupted Cadance laughing at the last part she said.
"Yeeeah, he tried to play cool but... anyways, he likes you, you know that he does, and you're not sure about your own feelings. If there is anything those books have showed me, it's that honesty is the best thing. Tell him how you feel, I'm not saying it will go somewhere from there, but I really don't think you want to keep these things in."
‘Wow, I'm getting colt trouble solutions from somepony who has never had a crush,’ Cadance laughed to herself, realizing the slight sadness of her situation. It may have been sad, but she knew Twilight was right.
"Thanks, Twilight, you're right," Cadance said as she pulled Twilight in for a hug. "And I think I got an idea of how I can tell him, and I need your help."
"Anything you need," replied Twilight, willing to finally see her brother and her foal sitter together, and hopefully soon. There was a pot she was in.
***************
"Hey, Shiny, we almost done for the day?"
"Almost, Stardust. Just need these last few books and we are done." answered Shining Armor as he shelved more of the slowly depleting stack of returned books.
It was like that for the past few hours, seemingly nonstop shelving, checking the return records, and the constant worry of a burping dragon. Both Shining Armor and Stardust were ready for the day to end.
"Aaaaaaaand done!" exclaimed Shining Armor as he sat down and raised both fore-hooves up in victory after shelving the last book.
"On Thank Celesita!" Stardust almost yelled. "C'Mon let's go ask Paiges if that was all for today."
At the front counter, the only thing visible was a yellow coated mare running around frantically in her little work area.
"Ugh, Ms. Paiges?" asked Stardust.
"Yes, Stardust?" the tired looking librarian asked from under her counter.
"We finished shelving the returned books, is there somethin’ we need to help you with?"
"Why do you ask?" asked Ms. Paiges coming up from the desk with random pieces of paper stuck to her face and mane.
"Well, there's a bunch of paper on you, and you look as if you're about to collapse," responded Stardust with a hint of concern in her voice.
"Oh, never mind that, this is how I always look whenever I'm gonna close the library for a holiday, want to make sure everything is organized and that I reduce any potential mess awaiting me when I get back."
"Wait, holiday?" inquired a confused Stardust.
"Oh yes, I'm closing the library tomorrow. I'm helping the princess prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration, and no offense, but I only trust myself running the library," explained Ms. Paiges as she started to file some records. "So I'm going to file for a few more minutes, but you two can go, it's almost closing time anyways."
"Thank you Ms. Paiges, stay safe," said Stardust as she began to turn to look for Shining Armor.
"Yo ,Shiny, we can go, where are ya?"
"Coming Star, just needed to grab Spike," said Shining Armor, levitating the half-burned saddlebag from earlier with Spike in the intact pouch.
"Night, Ms. Paiges," said the two unicorns as they exited the library.
"Good night you two," replied Ms. Paiges from behind the front counter.
"Hey, Shiny, any idea on when ya gonna tell Cadance how ya feel?" asked Stardust as she walked with Shining Armor down the streets of Canterlot.
"I don't know, sometime when we're alone or at least away from others."
"Ya gonna tell Twi about ya plan?"
"Nah, I'd like to handle this thing on my own. Plus I'm pretty sure it would be kinda pathetic if my little sister had to guide me through telling Cadance how I feel."
"Good point," laughed Stardust. "So hey, whaddya wanna do on ya day off?"
"I'm gonna be watching Twilight for the day, that I know for sure, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to be cooped up in the house all day when the Summer Sun Celebration is the next day. Odds are we're gonna be helping the princess setting up, upon Twilight's demand."
"I'll join ya, I don't have anythin’ planned, and I don't wanna be stuck in the house eitha. Hey, we're here."
Stardust and Shining Armor arrived at Shining Armor's house, and what caught their eyes was a bright white note in the door.
Shining Armor walked up the stairs to look at the note.
Shining, left as soon as I saw you coming down the street, needed to get to the castle to start on preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. Twilight's already asleep, and since she doesn't have lessons tomorrow, I was wondering if you two would like to help me set up for the celebration. If you want to, meet me in the front of the castle at about 10:00. Hope to see you there.
-Cadance
"What's it say?" asked Stardust coming up the stairs.
"Meet me and Twi at the castle tomorrow at 10. I think I just found out when and where I can tell Cadance how I feel," explained Shining Armor with a smile on his face.
"Okay, Shiny, fill me in tomorrow," replied Stardust as she walked down the stairs and started towards her own house.
Shining Armor walked into the house quietly as to not wake up his sleeping sister, all the while still holding the saddle bag that Spike was napping in with his levitation spell. He couldn't believe it, Cadance practically gave him an invite, and he was finally going to spill his feelings for her. He knew there was the possible chance of him being rejected, but at least he could confess.
Right now, though, he just wanted to fall asleep, and focus on the good that had just happened, and the good he hoped would come out of tomorrow.
Shining walked up the stairs to his room across from Twilight's, and plopped onto his bed, not even bothering with the covers. He carefully set the sleeping dragon by his side and whispered,
"Night little guy, tomorrow's gonna be a good day, I can feel it."
***************
In the night sky, Cadance was flying through Canterlot, making her way towards the castle, smiling all the way, and thinking about the positive possibilities that could arise from her and Twilight's plan.
She thought of it all, she invites Shining to come over and help with the celebration, gets him alone with the help of Twilight constantly urging him to go help her, and just pour out how she feels. Negative results have popped in her head, but for tonight, she just wanted to focus on the positive.
She arrived at the front of the castle and nearly bursted through the doors with unusual strength.
"Cadance, glad you're home. How was the night with Twili-"
"Sorry, Aunt Celestia, can't talk right now, I want to get to bed for tomorrow. Oh, and I'm helping set up for the celebration tomorrow. I invited Shining Armor to come help," Cadance explained not even bothering to stop her sprint to her room.
Celestia stood there at the bottom of the staircase, confused at this sudden news, but not really wanting to bother with it at the current time of night. ‘Teenagers,’ she thought to herself as she started towards her own bedroom.
Cadance laid down on her bed, plush pink covers drawn over her, surrounding her like clouds in the sky. She was happy again, and happily anticipating the next day.
"Tomorrow's gonna be a good day, I can feel it."