//------------------------------// // A Brother's Forgiveness // Story: The Canterlot Healing Process // by twilightsparkle3562 //------------------------------// Chapter 4 "A Brother's Forgiveness" After a long day of overseeing the repairs done to Canterlot, Shining Armor returned to the home that he and Cadence shared since their engagement and sighed heavily as he sat down on the sofa. The recent events were still weighed on his mind and the words he had said to his little sister haunted him in his brain. He knew and Cadence knew that Twilight was what held the wedding together and when he told her not to show her face at the wedding; it really in a sense destroyed it. After all, Twilight was important to both him and Cadence, as they all grew up together. Twilight even considered them to being the first pair of friends she ever had made, long before she became Princess Celestia's student and when she moved to Ponyville to do her studies on friendship. Now, he was full of guilt and now that Cadence had learned of his deception, he was worried that he ruined his own wedding now that a primary symbol of his wedding was gone and that one symbol was his own sister. "I just hope Twiley forgives me for what I did to her," Shining Armor said to Cadence as they awaited Twilight's arrival. "The things I said to her at the rehearsal were some of the worst things that had ever came out of my mouth. I'd just hope you'd both find it in your hearts to forgive me for what I did." "Remember what I said to you, Shining Armor," replied Cadence calmly as she turned to look at her husband-to-be. "I am not going to marry you unless Twilight is back in the wedding and I want her to be next to me just as much as you." But, before he could think any further, a knock was heard on the door and Shining Armor got up and opened the door to find Twilight standing right in front of him. Shining Armor tried to hide his guilt and his worried expressions as he'd let his sister inside. "Hi, Twiley," he said trying to put a smile on. "We weren't expecting to see you until later." "It just so happened that I was out and about," she replied as she walked into the house. "I visited mom and dad and helped them cleaned up the mess that the changelings made to the house when they invaded. Spike is still over there keeping them company." Twilight then took notice of her brother's worried expression and as they sat down on the couch, Shining Armor tried to find the words he wanted to use to apologize to his sister over his behavior at the wedding rehearsal as he and Cadence sat down on each side of her. "Yes, Twiley," he said nervously. "I am glad to hear that they are okay. Anyway, can I talk to you about something?" "Sure, Shining Armor," replied Twilight. "Is something wrong?" "No, Twiley," he said, but Cadence tapped him with her wing and lighted nodded at him. "Well, yes. There is something I need to talk to you about. It's about what happened a few days ago at the wedding rehearsal that has been on my mind as well as Cadence's." Hearing the words 'wedding rehearsal' began to weigh heavily on Twilight's mind as well. It was the most remorseful moment in her life that when all was said and done nearly destroyed her relationship with her brother. "I know what you are going to say BBBFF," Twilight said, sensing what was on her brother's mind. "But you had every right to be angry with me. I barged into the wedding rehearsal calling the thing disguised as 'Cadence' evil without any evidence or proof to back up my claims." This caused Shining Armor and Cadence to look at each other with shocked expressions. Both of them knew that Twilight was the victim at the rehearsal and yet, she refused to admit it. "No, Twilight," he said, trying to be honest with his sister. "We all made a terrible mistake that day, even your friends and Princess Celestia made a terrible mistake. I'm your brother and I should have listened to you and because that monster had absorbed so much of my love for Cadence, I couldn't see that you were only trying to protect me from someone who does more harm than good to me." "But in a sense," added Cadence, putting a smile on her face. "What happened was a good thing because you found me in the Canterlot Caves and saved me from my imprisonment down there, Twilight, although you were still believed by the changeling queen when you first found me. I had been down in the caves for a long time and that if it weren't for you, I would have been dead and Shining Armor would have been married to the Changeling Queen instead of me." Twilight had to smile at that because after all, had in not been for Chrysalis' flaw of putting her in the Canterlot Caves, Twilight would not have found Cadence and the Changelings would have taken over Canterlot. "Cadence is right, Twiley," said Shining Armor. "However, when I initially told you to forget about being Best Mare and not show up to the wedding, it was only after I had left you alone that I made a grave mistake that had destroyed the wedding and I ran back to the wedding hall to apologize. But by then, I saw you disappear into the floor and afterwards, I saw the changeling queen walking towards me and I demanded to know what she did with you and Cadence. Instead, she blasted me with evil green magic and made me forget what I saw." "Nevertheless," said Twilight, nervously trying to defuse the situation and continue to put the blame on herself. "You did what needed to be done and I think it's time we all moved on from all of this and get on with the wedding. You two have a big day tomorrow and I think it's time you got some rest. What's done is done and things worked out better, don't you think?" Twilight was just about to leave, when Shining Armor realized he had to do what he needed to be done in order to save his wedding. "Twilight," he called and his sister stopped before she could reach the exit and turned towards him. "Before you go, there is something I need to do before our wedding." So, Twilight walked back towards her brother and former foal sitter and saw that Shining Armor took another enormous gulp almost as if he wanted to tell her something important. "What is it?" Twilight asked as she walked back towards them. "Is there something I need to do before tomorrow? I am pretty sure I checked off everything." "I'm pretty sure you got everything on your list," chuckled Shining Armor. "Except for one thing." "Yes?" asked Twilight, but she was not expecting what she heard her brother say next as Cadence got up from the sofa and walked over towards him. "Twiley," said Shining Armor, as he placed a hoof around Cadence's neck. "Cadence and I are not going to proceed with the wedding unless we have you as my Best Mare." The gloves finally came off as Twilight gasped and her eyes began to well up with tears upon hearing those words. With this appointment, she would be where she wanted to be the most on her brother's big day: at his side as his Best Mare. She walked over to him and hugged him as she cried tears of happiness. "I'll take that as a yes," laughed Shining Armor.. "You know that the wedding is not complete without you there, Twilight." "I know that," sobbed Twilight, burying her face into his chest. "There was a moment in all that chaos, that I thought you will never love me again." "Twiley," sighed Shining Armor, as Twilight looked up at him while he stroked her mane. "I may have lost my head, but I want you to know that I will always love you, no matter what." But, Twilight was also not expecting to hear what Cadence said to her next. Little did Shining Armor realize that Cadence had a role for Twilight just as he had for her. "Twilight," said Cadence. "I know this is kind of an inopportune time and that this is kind of last minute, but I would love it if you would be my Mare of Honor as well. I can think of no one else better than you." Things couldn't get any more better for Twilight as looked towards her former foal sitter and future sister-in-law with happy tears flowing out of her eyes. "I would be so honored, Cadence," she sobbed, throwing herself into Cadence's arms. "This means a lot to me, really it does." "Just consider that as my way of saying thanks for getting me out of the caves," chuckled Cadence. "You know, if it weren't for you, Twilight, we would not be celebrating our wedding the way we wanted it to be. I know you will be at your brother's side, but we want you at our side on our big day." "Just remember, Twiley," said Shining Armor. "I will always love you, LSBFF." "Me too, BBBFF," cried Twilight. "Me too." So Twilight and her first best friends continued to hug each other out now that Twilight was back into the wedding as her brother's Best Mare and her future sister in law's Mare of Honor. There was still more apologizing to go, but for now, Twilight got back what she needed most: the good graces of her brother. "He is my big brother, best friend forever And now we'll do everything Together." -Twilight Sparkle