//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: That's Not Quite How He Told It... 
// by Calm Wind 
//------------------------------//

MLP: FiM
That’s Not Quite How He Told It…
By: Calm Wind

Chapter 4:






(Shining Armor)

I couldn’t have written it better Spike. Not only was it the perfect night for a moonlit stroll, but we also got lucky. Cherry Blossom Park was relatively clear. There were a few more couples, but there was more than enough space for the two of us to have privacy.

The park was a large open field with three paths. Two that ran along the outer edges and one that ran through the middle. The outside paths were lined with trees thick with pink and white blossoms. There was a pond on the far end of the park. I could see it from the entrance despite being far away because the fireflies were out over it. 

I led Cadance along the outer edge, making sure to take it slow and steady. We stopped beneath a tree in full bloom that was set right beside the bond and sat down against it to take a load off.

“It’s such a nice night.” Cadance spoke up as she leaned into me.

“That’s only because you’re here.” Whenever you take a lady out, THEY are the reason everything is perfect. Make sure you always let them know that.

“You are so sweet Shining.” She sighed and nestled her head into my neck. I took her hoof in mine gently.

“These cherry blossoms remind me of you,” remember Spike, there’s no such thing as too much flattery, “a special flower that brings beauty to something that would be drab otherwise. Without the blossoms, it’s just a tree, but with them it is a beautiful sight.” I rubbed her hoof gently. “Without you, I’d just be sitting in a park, with you I feel like I’m floating on clouds with an angel.”

“Aw, Shining, you’re gonna make my face explode if you keep this up.” She joked as she acknowledged how much I was making her blush.

“I’m only being honest.” I said before we sat silently and watched the fireflies over the pond. We simply enjoyed each other’s company. The date had gone so well and only one last thing remained. If I could hit a perfect score, it would guarantee I’d be seeing her again on many dates to come.

Relaxed and satisfied, we both eventually stood from the tree. It was getting late. I had to get Cadance back to her estate beside the palace. It was time to end it on a high note.





(Cadance)

It really couldn’t get much worse Twilight. Shining was a mess. He had blundered so many times on a night he clearly put a lot of thought into and then got tackled and punched on top of it. I felt so bad for him. 

He had been steadfast and adamant through the mistakes, and that’s what I was loving about him, but it ended at the punch. I didn’t blame him for the way he felt, but I wanted to see it again. I wanted to see that fire rekindled in his eyes that had kept burning despite all the misfortune. 

His perseverance is what I found myself attracted to. I was so drawn in by it, that instead of giving up when it faded, I was desperate to get it back. That’s why I pleaded him to keep going with it. I didn’t want the night to end. Not on a note like that after how hard he had tried.

He didn’t speak at all as we walked to Cherry Blossom Park. I didn’t mind though, I just wanted him to be happy again. We weren’t the only couple who had the idea of coming to the park late. In fact there were quite a few couples. 

While the cherry blossoms were beautiful, my eyes were drawn to the pond at the far end of the park. I could see the little glowing lights of fireflies. 

“Let’s go sit down over there.” I suggested while pointing. Shining just glanced briefly and nodded before coming along silently.

There was a tree planted conveniently near the pond. We took our time down the path and sat down against the tree. I leaned against him as we gazed out over the pond. The fireflies danced about above its surface.

Now you were wondering why I married him Twilight? Well from here till the end of the date was when he officially won my heart. 

“I’m so sorry Cadance.” He finally spoke as he tucked his legs in. I was startled that he said something before I did. I had been thinking about how to make him feel better, but he took the initiative. “This had been a terrible date.” 

“Shining…”

“You probably think I’m a big idiot.” He said. I would NOT have it. 

“Shining! No!” I leaned off of him and grabbed his head, turning it to me. “Why would I think that?” He looked at me like it was obvious.

“Well I’ve done nothing right from the get go. I was late getting ready, I pulled your chair out from under you, I forgot money, I was a wimp at the movie, I decided it would be fine to cross a bad neighborhood, and on top of it all I got beat up in front of you. It sounds like a lousy date to me.” He sounded so frustrated. He had completely given up. I wanted the other Shining back.

“And?” I looked at him sternly. He blinked and stared.

“What?” He turned his head to the side.

“Did I pick up and leave, Shining?” I crossed my hooves and leaned down while looking up to him. 

“Uh…” He looked away, but I quickly reached up and turned his head back to me.

“The date has been a bit rough, but I’m still enjoying it because of you.” I admitted. Seeing him all down on himself was killing me. I had to let him know what he was doing right. “Things went bad, but you kept trying to make it the best night you could. Now you aren’t and it’s making me sad.” I pouted.

“Wha? Ah! Sorry! I didn’t mean!” That did the trick. He instantly tried to figure out how to fix things. His frantic reaction made me smile.

“Yes! That’s the Shining I want!” I beamed and hugged him as he froze in place with his hooves up. 

“Buh?” He sat still and stared forward. “Oh.”

“See what I’m saying?” I winked.

“Gee, if I had known that…” He looked down at me and blushed. “Sorry for being such a downer just now.” 

“I forgive you.” I said as I put him at arm’s length. I blinked as a firefly came between us and gleamed a few times before landing on Shining’s nose. “Look! The fireflies have forgiven you too!” I joked while giggling. The fly on his nose glowed brightly a few times before lifting off again. Shining started chuckling. It was the first time I heard him laugh naturally all night and it really made my heart swell. 

He looked at me, still blushing, but smiling as we sat back against the tree. I noticed his arm hovering towards my opposite shoulder. I looked up at him, but he pulled his arm back quickly. 

“Shining…” I giggled. “I don’t mind.” I assured him.

“Really?” He still looked unsure.

“Yes, in fact.” I scooted forward and put myself in front of him before leaning my whole body back into him. It took him a second to relax at my forward move. “I like this more.” I said as I nestled myself into him.

“Ha…haha…” He laughed nervously. I couldn’t see him, but the tone of his awkward laughing suggested he was so happy to have me like this that he just didn’t know what to say or do.

We sat still and quietly for a while, but I thought I was going to squeal when I saw him slowly put his arms around me. He had won my vote of confidence by never giving up, and now he was breaking out of the shell? He could salvage this date yet.

“C—Cadance?” He suddenly said my name. The extreme stutter was back. I hadn’t heard that since he asked me out. That meant it was something he was nervous about saying. 

“Yes Shining?” I eagerly waited.

“You… really don’t hate me?” Crash. At least initially. I rolled my eyes, but because he was being silly. 

“Of course I don’t Shining.” I answered as I hooked my hooves with his over my stomach. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief. I found it amusing that he wondered such a thing after I willingly put the two of us in our current sitting position.

“C-c-cause I…” He caught my attention again. “I… really like you…” He forced out. Now mind you, I had picked up on this long before this night, but for him to have the courage to say it, especially how bad the night went? It made my heart flutter.

“I like you too Shining.” I tipped my head all the way back on his chest so he could see my eyes and smile.

Now here, Twilight, is where he came through with flying colors.

“No, I mean, I really…really like you.” He said as he gave me a slight squeeze. I blinked and turned so I could face him a little better. “Cadance I’ve… I’ve always liked you. The first day you showed up… to take care of… Twilight, I…” He kept pausing wincing as if he was butchering it terribly, but it was his nervous broken speech that made me love every word, “I had never seen a more…beautiful, kind, and caring mare… in all my life, and… I never have since… I just… I just wanted you to know.” It looked like his whole body was going to turn red, but he had won, I was sold.

Let me tell you Twilight, something you’ll need to get used when you are anywhere else besides Ponyville is that, as a princess, you’ll get a lot of praise for everything. I’ve been kissed up to more ways than I can count, even when I was younger. Sooner or later you can tell when praise is false or forced. Unfortunately nearly all of it always is.

Shining’s stuttering confession was the first time in my life that anypony had said words like those to me and they felt real. I’d been called beautiful, I’d been told I was kind and caring, I’d had stallions confess “undying” love for me all in the past. But Shining was different. He may have felt his nerves, blunders, and klutziness had ruined everything for me, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. It made his sincerity shine. He was nervous to say all those things because he really wanted me to know how he truly felt. It touched me deeply, I loved it.

“Aw, Shining… that’s so sweet of you to say.” I turned completely around in his arms and gave him a long tight hug. I think I surprised him because he flinched, again. Sometimes the sweetest stallions are the ones who are most vulnerable. 

I looked up at him as a cherry blossom fell from the tree above us. He reached up and caught it in his hoof. I watched as his eyes seemed to fill back up with confidence. 

“These cherry blossoms remind me of you.” He began. Oh I was ready for more. Knowing his affection was true and real had supercharged me. Any compliment from this point on would have triple the effect on me. “Because…” He paused, his pupils shrinking. “Because…” He repeated.  He clearly hadn’t thought it through. “Uh… because… they’re… pink?” I could almost hear his brain screaming at him. His face was still full of confidence but his eyes looked mortified. I lost myself in a fit of giggles. Your brother was so clumsily endearing it made my sides hurt.





(Shining Armor)

I walked her back home and all the way up to the front door. She had had a dreamy look in her eyes since we left the park. For me, that meant game, set, and match. She had a great time.

“Tonight was wonderful Shining.” She said as she let go of my arm and turned to face me. 

“It was my pleasure to treat such a fine mare to a fine evening.” I said with a bow as she giggled.

“And you are such a charming gentlestallion.” She added with a wave of her hoof and a look in her eyes that caught my attention. I moved closer to her.

“A gentlestallion who would never forgets to kiss his mare goodnight.” I said as brushed a hoof against her cheek.

“Oh Shining…” She wanted it just as much as I did. She closed her eyes and leaned in. I did the same.





(Cadance)

We left the park soon after that. Shining had come through with flying colors, even if it wasn’t the most graceful process. He had won me over with his honesty and perseverance. 

We stopped in front of my front door and I let go of his arm. 

“Well here we are.” He said as he looked away and rubbed the back of his head. “At your house, cause the date’s over, and uh… I hope it wasn’t too bad.” He continued awkwardly. I giggled at him and looked at him sternly, but with a smile. 

“Shining, stop it. It was an interesting night, but you made it special.” I said while rubbing a hoof on his shoulder.

“I guess.” He looked distraught. “Well it was nice being with you, I should get home, we should probably not go out again, I’ll just screw up more and—” He just wouldn’t stop berating himself, so I decided to shut him up. 

“Shining…” I grabbed his chin with my magic, yanked him back towards me, and firmly planting my lips against his, kissing him with enough passion to get my point across. It made him jitter so much it looked like he was being electrocuted. I pulled away and smiled at him. He was completely stiff, eyes wide, mouth agape, and a quiet, continuous high pitched squeak was escaping his throat. “I really like you too.” I admitted, returning his affection from the park. “You’re a very sweet stallion and I’d love to go out with you again.”

“Eee~” his voice cracked again.

“Goodnight Shining, I’ll see you tomorrow at your house.” 

“Aaa~” He still couldn’t speak. What an adorable, lovable goofball I had fallen for. I smiled at him and entered my house. Out of curiosity I went over to the window beside the door and looked out. As Shining walked back towards the road he began leaping in the air and hoof pumping victoriously. 

Only your brother Twilight. Only your brother could mess up a date so badly and end up making the mare fall in love with him. 





“Awwwwww.” Twilight cooed as Cadance finished.

“And that’s how it all began.” Cadance said as they approached the front door of library. Twilight was lost in a fit of giggles, again. Cadance sighed and shook her head, “I have a feeling our stories don’t match up at all.”

“Yeah, that’s not quite how he told it.” Twilight chuckled as she waved a hoof. She reached for the door knob.

“How did he tell it?” Cadance asked with her eyebrows and ears flat. Twilight opened the door.

“So she and I stood there outside her house, kissing for a good ten minutes,” Shining’s voice came from inside. They both blinked and looked in to see Shining smoothly moving around, making many hoof motions, and talking to a wide eyed Spike. “We finally broke apart and she stared at me with seductive eyes. ‘Come in, nopony else is home.’ She offered. ‘I thought you’d never ask’ I replied while bouncing my eyebrows. Now it was officially the perfect first date Spike. Every single aspect went exactly how I wanted. Now on top of it, or on top of her I should say, I was about to score—”

“A-HEM!” Cadance cleared her throat loudly as she and Twilight entered. Shining’s eyes widened for a moment, but he showed no other reaction. 

“—the winning goal!” He made a kicking motion. “If I could make this shot, our team would win the championship!” He smoothly segued into something completely unrelated. Spike blinked and tipped his head in confusion. “We’ll finish the story later Spike, I gotta put some things upstairs.” He grabbed a random pile of books and headed for the staircase, but a magic aura yanked at his tail and pulled him back.

“Oh no you don’t!” Cadance pulled him over to her by the tail.

“Oh hi honey!” He put on a fake grin and waved. 

“Don’t you ‘hi honey’ me buster.” She scolded him. Twilight was busy rolling on the ground, laughing her hooves off.

“I was just telling Spike a little story! No harm done.” He kept trying to play it off. Cadance surrounded him completely with her magic, and gently forced him to the floor. She walked a circle around him and sat down on his back.

“Well Twilight, here’s the moral of the story.” She began as Shining sighed beneath her. “You’ll know you’ve found the right stallion when he puts every fiber of his being into trying his hardest for you. Shining kept trying and trying and trying for me despite all the bad things that happened. It was his pure and unwavering dedication to me that I fell in love with.”

“Aw, shucks.” Shining said from below her.

“But stop making up stories, dear.” She glared at him. He quickly nodded.

“Yes honey.”

---The End---