//------------------------------// // Conditions // Story: My Shining Love // by DraconequusMaximus //------------------------------// Twilight stood before the Shining Armor and Spike, the expression on her face unreadable. Shining's poor attempt at breaking the tension in the room did nothing to help the matter. None of the three could meet any of the others gazes. Twilight however was the first to break, more wanting for an escape than anything. "You two get cleaned up, we'll talk about this afterwards." She said completely emotionless as she left the room. It may have been Twilight's way of grasping for more time to deal with the situation. Shining and Spike took advantage of it regardless of motives. They took a long hot shower together, reasoning that it was all in the open now and didn't matter. Spike tidied up the room as Shining put on a clean outfit, though they both took as long as possible to do so. After there was absolutely nothing left to keep them from the impending awkwardness Shining opened the doors to let the disgruntled alicorn in. Twilight walked in without saying a word, still blank and emotionless. She pulled a chair from the other side of the room to herself and sat down. Spike sat on the floor in front of the bed, while Shining remained standing. The uncomfortable silence was bravely slain by Twilight. "How long has this been going on?" Twilight asked, seemingly unsure she wanted a real answer. "This specifically or...?" Shining asked, seeking clarification. "Everything I guess." Twilight replied uncertainly. "We've been together for a little over a month. Today was the first time things got... physical. I was in an uproar about some lousy nobles, and Shining was getting down about it too. One thing sort of lead to the other I guess." Spike answered as he looked the alicorn in the eyes guiltily. Twilight's expression softened somewhat, she could tell Spike regretted keeping this from her. She sighed, letting much of her apprehension leave her with her breath. She was unsure of the situation, but she couldn't hate two people she'd known nearly her entire life. "I really don't know how I feel about this, but if you two are happy who am I to judge?" Twilight relented with a small, but warm smile. "Thanks Twily, it means a lot to us." Shining replied happily. "Don't thank me yet, there are a few conditions. I need to know you're serious about all this." Twilight said ominously. "What do you mean exactly?" Spike inquired, somewhat worried. "First off, I want you two to tell your subjects about this. They love you guys, they'll understand." Twilight explained wearing her normal sunny expression. "Done." Spike answered before Shining could say anything to the contrary. If he could turn this awkward situation into something positive he was going to do so at all costs. "Second, get rid of the current nobility. I heard about them blowing you off, just use ponies you know you can trust from now on." Twilight continued. "Agreed." Shining and Spike both answered less than a second later. "The third and final condition isn't optional regardless of what the two of you decide." Twilight said adopting a somewhat embarrassed expression. "What's that?" Spike asked, taking notice of the alicorn's mood change. "You have to talk to Mom and Dad about this because I sent them a letter while I was outside." She replied quickly and quietly hoping they wouldn't hear her somehow. "What? You tattled on us to Mom and Dad? You've only known about this for like forty-five minutes!" Shining complained loudly. "Not exactly, I just told them you had found someone. They've been really worried about you, dad even took up smoking. You know that's serious." Twilight explained sadly. Spike and Shining both deflated at that news, the head of the Sparkle household was always an incredibly straight laced and clean cut gentlecolt. To think that he would pick up such a bad habit was world shattering to those who had looked up to him as children. "This isn't a big deal, Velvet and Night Light are good friends of mine. Things are gonna be fine, they babysat me even! It's not like I'm a stranger or anything, granted I was shorter than either of you the last time I saw them face to face." Spike said feigning confidence to make Shining feel better. "That's not what I'm worried about, I haven't spoken to them since the attack. Mom is literally going to kill me." Shining practically groaned. "Oh, yeah that's not gonna be pretty." Spike agreed reluctantly as Shining began having a minor panic attack. The next fifteen minutes were spent reassuring Shining of his continued existence, in the end Spike had to promise he would protect him from his mother's fury. Twilight went to the kitchens to fetch him a corn dog to ease his nerves. It was a well guarded secret that every member of the Sparkle family had a weakness for different fast foods. Their mother loved onion rings, while their father was addicted to mozzarella sticks. Anyone that knew Twilight very well knew she loved hayburgers, especially with a side of horseshoe fries. After the stallion resumed a somewhat normal disposition they left the royal bedchambers to make good on their mutual agreement about the nobility. Firing the pompous jerks he himself had hired did Shining's mood wonders. Spike even sent the orders directly to the now former nobles via fire-mail, they would have to receive news of their termination in a crowded room full of VIP's. It would take some time to find new, trustworthy investors for the empire's growing business ventures, but it would be worth it in the long run. By the time the trio had finished their task it was nearly dinner time. They adjourned to the dining hall to talk about their mutual friends in Equestria while they waited. Time flew by as the servers brought out their meals long before they had finished talking. Spike watched happily as Shining's mood improved even further as he reconnected with his sister, he felt proud to have had a claw in all this. As the hour grew late conversation slowed a bit until Twilight remembered something. "I suppose you two should hold off on the big announcement until after talking to Mom and Dad. It might be easier on you if you tell them before they could learn about from newspapers or gossip." She reasoned. Spike groaned internally, but nodded his agreement. As usual Twilight was right, Shining's parents would likely be a bit miffed if they found out their son was in a new relationship from a secondhand source. Of course Shining was somewhat relieved, his confidence still somewhat shaky from all he had been through despite Spike's best efforts. I should get him a therapist or something... Spike thought to himself. If he couldn't help Shining on his own seeking professional help was beginning to sound like a good idea. "Okay, well I seem to have taken up most of your unexpected day off. Fortunately not all of it was... unpleasant. I'd like to spend a few days here if that's alright with you guys. I really did have some business to discuss when I arrived but it's really late already, we can talk about it in the morning." Twilight punctuated her statement with a large yawn. "No problem sis, feel free to take one of the guestrooms for your stay. We'll have the chefs notified that they need to make breakfast for three for the next few days." Shining replied happily. Soon after he succumbed to the infectiousness of the yawn his sister had let out as did Spike. The dragon's eyes were already beginning to feel heavy, Luna's night had really snuck up on them. Spike decided to have a little fun at his stallion's expense before bed however. Before Shining knew what was going on he found himself held in midair high off the ground, Spike had used his tail to grab hold of Shining's midsection. The stallion wiggled and flailed in an attempt to free himself, however Spike knew Shining was entirely helpless right now. He had recently discovered that Shining was extremely ticklish. "You just settle down, we may not be public just yet but I've figured out a way for us to be closer without raising suspicion." Spike whispered as he lowered the uncomfortable stallion to his level. "Twilight, I'd appreciate it if you played along." He said giving his former employer an evil grin Discord would have been proud of. She merely nodded, holding back her concern. A few moments later Spike could be seen holding a disgruntled Shining Armor aloft with Twilight looking determined with her horn lit and at the ready following closely behind heading down the halls. They continued on purposely trying to gain the attention of the servants in the halls. Eventually one of the braver maids stepped forward to question the bizarre sight. "Um... Sirs? Is there something the matter, or something I could help you with?" The maid said as she tried to avoid looking at the bound king above Spike. Shining opened his mouth to speak out against his loved ones who had him captive but was silenced by Twilight's magic. "The king has been working himself too hard again, even today when he had no appointments. We both know nothing good can come of that, so I had his sister Princess Twilight come to assist me in making sure he gets his rest. I'll be guarding his doors during the night for the next few days to make sure he doesn't sneak off to do work. The king has proved I'm the only one in the castle that can keep him in line, otherwise I'd simply post guards. It's all in the interest of the king's health, but he is remarkably stubborn." Spike explained, using his forked tongue to spout sweet lies that warmed the maid's heart. "That's ever so generous of you Royal Adviser, the kingdom owes you a great debt for your ceaseless efforts." The maid said with a smile and wide, bright eyes befitting a character from a cartoon for children. Those eyes hit Spike right in the gut. He felt genuinely bad about this, despite it originally just being some playful revenge. He was just getting fed up with their relationship being just under the public eye. He wasn't used to hiding things, being a dragon amongst ponies he always stuck out like a sore claw. He was almost always open with everypony because secrets made ponies distrusting, especially to members of a species known for hunting and eating most creatures. Twilight could tell it was eating at him, so she kept quiet about it. All throughout their childhood Twilight could count the number of times Spike had lied outright on her hooves. The only occasion he had ever done so with ill intent was when he had tried to frame Owlowicious for murdering a stuffed mouse. Twilight left the pair without a word as soon as they made it to the doors of the royal bedchambers. Spike opened the door with a claw and set Shining down where the two headed to the bed. Shining disrobed and placed his uniform in the hamper before joining Spike on the bed. He still had a look of annoyance on his face right up until Spike pulled him into another kiss, after that his cares just seemed to melt away. "I'm sorry about the tail thing, I regretted it just as soon as I had to lie to that maid. I guess I'm not as fine with us staying secret as I claimed to be." Spike said guiltily. He turned away from Shining, facing the opposite side of the room in penance. Now it was Shining's turn to feel the overpowering guilt Spike felt. His paranoia was getting in the way of his new relationship and he hadn't even noticed it. Spike had been hiding his discomfort from him for the last month to make him feel better. Cadence would have spoken up about something like that right away, but that was another issue. He had only ever been with Cadence until now, Spike was an entirely different person. He hadn't bothered to learn Spike's quirks, he had just assumed things would be the same. I'm terrible at this... Cadence was just too nice to say anything. Shining lamented silently. He needed to think about things more clearly from now on. The first thing he could think of was to do something for Spike that took him out of his comfort zone. "Spike, take a letter."