When Twilight came to Ponyville, it was already dark night. All the ponies were already in their homes, sleeping. She arrived to her library, whose lights were off, which meant Spike was sleeping. She entered, stepping care for to not wake Spike. Then she went upstairs to her room. She found Spike sleeping in his basket, snoring as usual. She smiled at the little dragon sleeping. It was the only one capable of doing her smile at that moment.
She used her magic to put her saddlebags on the floor and then she lay down on her bed. She was so tired because she had gone to the Crystal Empire and then returned to Ponyville flying on the same day and also because of all the emotions experienced there. However, she couldn’t sleep, remembering the terrible argument she had with Shining. She couldn’t take out her mind the angry look of his, all the things he had said, to her and to Blue... and all the things she had told him. Fortunately, her physical fatigue eventually overcome her emotional exhaustion and she fell asleep.
When it was morning, Spike woke up, yawning and stretching. When he got up, he noticed Twilight’s saddlebags and then saw her sleeping in her bed.
"Twilight had already arrived?" Spike asked, surprised. "I thought she was going to spend the night at the Crystal Empire."
Despite being surprised, he knew he couldn’t quench his curiosity at that moment, because Twilight should be very tired. For that reason, he went down to prepare the breakfast.
Twilight, smelling the breakfast smell invading her nostrils, woke up, slowly opening her eyes. When she fully awakened, she sat up on the bed, looking out the window and seeing the day that had awakened. Sighing somewhat sadly, Twilight stood up, then down the stairs.
"Hello, Twilight" Spike greeted, setting the table, seeing Twilight down the stairs. "You came early from the Empire Crystal. What happened?"
"Nothing" Twilight replied wistfully, sitting at the table and starting to take the breakfast.
But that didn’t convince Spike.
"Twilight, I know you since the day I hatched" he said. "I know when you're lying?"
Twilight swallowed a piece of toast he was eating and then became quiet for a bit. She didn’t feel like sharing anything that had happened the day before, but she knew that, if she kept everything that had happened to herself, she would ultimately not stand. So eventually she told Spike what had happened. When she finished, he didn’t want to believe.
"Shining punched Blue and ended their friendship?" Spike asked. "Wow, he must have been really pissed."
"You should have seen him, Spike" Twilight said. "I never saw my brother that way, even when I said those horrible things when I tried to expose the fake Cadance. He had no right, he just hadn’t."
"Twilight, you know Shining..." Spike started.
"Yes, I know he loves me and does everything to protect me" Twilight completed. "But honestly, Spike, tell me, do you think I need to be protected?"
"Well ..."
"He thinks I'm a filly, but I'm already a grown mare and I can pretty much make my own decisions and be with whoever I want."
Then she paused a bit and then put aside the rest of the breakfast and said, starting up the stairs, going back to her room:
"I'm going to my room, Spike. I don’t want to be disturbed."
"What about breakfast?" the little dragon asked.
"I'm not hungry" she replied, going to her room and getting out of Spike’s sight.
Spike saddened. It was hard to him seeing Twilight like that.
When Spike went meet with the others in Sugarcube Corner and told them everything, they became concerned.
"Ah knew Shining would eventually discover everythin’" Applejack said. "Tha truth always appears eventually. But Ah never thought Shining would react in that way."
"Yes, he was a big idiot for having treated Blue like that" Rainbow said. "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"
"Well, we have to understand that Shining loves Twilight and seeing her with a stallion, even more with his best friend who always saw her as a sister, must be complicated" Rarity said.
"Rarity, that doesn’t justify what Shining did" Applejack replied.
"You're not on his side, did you?" Rainbow asked.
"It’s not that" Rarity said. "I'm just seeing things from Shining’s point of view."
"I would love ponies could see things from my point of view," said Pinkie Pie. "But it seems that nopony does it."
"That's because no one understands you, Pinkie" Rainbow Dash said.
"Personally, I think Rarity is right" Fluttershy said. "We have to try to see things from Shining’s point of view. After all, Twilight is very important to him."
"Yes, but that does not justify the fact that he ended a friendship of many years because of Twilight dating his best friend" Rainbow Dash said.
Applejack sighed and said:
"Ah think we'd better stop with this thread. Each of us has a different opinion and we will not be here tah discuss it."
The others seemed to agree. Then Applejack turned to Spike and asked:
"How is Twilight?"
"Well, she barely ate breakfast and then went to her room" said Spike. "She even invoked a door in her bedroom entrance to isolate herself. I think it’s better go sleep out, to let her peaceful."
"Ya do well, Spike" Applejack said. "Ya can stay sleep again in the farm if ya want."
"Thanks, AJ" Spike thanked.
"Now, let's concentrate ourselves on more important matters" Rainbow Dash said. "We must try to cheer Twilight up."
"Uh, uh, we can do a party!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, giving her usual hops.
"Pinkie, no offense, honey, but I think the last thing Twilight needs is a party" Rarity said.
"So why?" Pinkie Pie asked. "A party always cheer anypony up."
"Yes, but this case is different" Rarity said. "Twilight should not be in the mood to a party, even a one that should cheer her up. No, what she needs is company."
"Yes, but Twilight doesn’t open that door to nopony, not even me" Spike said. "I think she really want to stay alone."
There was a silence and then Fluttershy said:
"Maybe we should ask Blue. Maybe he can comfort her."
That made the others look at each other and then Rainbow said:
"Fluttershy, you... are... brilliant!" Rainbow Dash said, getting up in the air.
"Yes, indeed, it is an excellent idea, dear Fluttershy" Rarity said, while others waved. "Just somepony as sensitive as you could think in something like that."
"Oh... thank you," Fluttershy thanked, blushing slightly, because she was not used to something like that.
"Spike, it seems we have tah..." Applejack started.
"Write a letter" he asked, making a quill and a parchment appear from nowhere.
"What the hay..." Applejack said, taken aback. "Where does that come from?"
"When you're an assistant to a pony like Twilight, you become accustomed to having a quill and a parchment at hoof" he replied. “Or at claw in my case.”
Mares looked at each other and shrugged. Then they began to write a letter to Blue, explaining to him how Twilight was. Once it was ready, Spike sent it with his fire magic.
In Canterlot, in the Captain of the Royal Guard office, Blue was sat in his chair with his hindlegs on the table. Their guards were already dealing with the transference of the prisoner Changeling to Tartarus and he had not much to do, preferring to sit there meditating.
He couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened in the Crystal Empire. It cost him a lot hearing Shining telling all that he said, but he knew his friend was right about one thing: Blue had betrayed Shining’s trust on him for hide him he was dating Twilight. Despite that, even if Blue had told Shining before, he probably would react in the same way. However, he still had hope that their friendship could still be saved. After all, time heals all wounds. Shining should be meditating very well about this subject as he was meditating, deciding if a friendship of over two decades of them still have hope.
But his mind was also thinking in Twilight. He wondered how she was after discussing with her brother, the pony she admired the most (after Celestia, of course).
Then there was a burst of green flames and a letter fell on top of his desk. When he saw that message, he took the hooves out of the table, using his magic to pick up the letter and opened it, reading it:
Dear, Blue
We know you must have a lot of work, especially with that Changeling that was just capture in the Crystal Empire, but we just want to tell you that we are aware of what happened in the Crystal Empire between you, Twilight and Shining.
We want you to know that Twilight is very depressed and isolated in her room, not wanting to talk to anypony. We know she needs to be comforted, but we believe that we will not be able to do so. However, we know that you would be able to do it.
Can you please come over and raise Twilight’s morale?
Sincerely,
Twilight’s friends
As he read that letter, Blue rose up and went out of his office.
It was already mid-afternoon and Twilight remained shut in her room, lying on her bed, completely distraught over recent events. Then she heard a knock on the door and Spike’s voice saying:
"Come on, Twilight, you cannot stay closed in there. Come eat something. You barely ate at breakfast and you didn’t lunch."
"Leave me alone, Spike!" Twilight exclaimed. "I don’t want to eat anything!"
And then she heard Spike to move away and, by his steps, he was dispirited. It was hard to her talking to Spike in that way and leave him worried, but it was simply costing her to react. She just wanted to be alone to meditate in the recent events.
There was a knock on the door again and then she said:
"Spike, I already told you I want to be alone!"
But heard nor response or steps turning away. That made her get up and go to the door. She opened it saying:
"Did not you hear what I said..."
But she didn’t finish, because he saw who was at the door it was not Spike, but Blue carrying with his magic what looked to be a container of strawberry and chocolate ice cream with two spoons on the top.
"Do not tell me that I now have scales and spit fire" he joked with a smile.
"Blue!" Twilight exclaimed, overjoyed, hugging his beloved, who returned her hug.
They stood like that for a few seconds, savoring the hug of each other and then they separated from each other and she asked:
"But what are you doing here?"
"Spike and your friends sent me a letter saying that you were depressed and that you were locked in your room and they ask me to come and comfort you. So I asked to Princess Celestia if she could dispense me for a day or two and here I am."
"They did that?"
Blue nodded and Twilight smiled and said:
"It's really typical of them."
"Then can I come in or I will stay here?"
"Sure, come in" Twilight invited.
Blue then came in and said, as he walked to the bed and sat:
"I brought ice cream. It is always a good way to drown the sorrows. We could eat it as we speak, what do you think?"
"It seems to me that is..." Twilight said, also advancing to the bed and sitting next to Blue. "... perfect."
Blue then handed her a spoon and Twilight picked it with the hoof and Blue picked the other. The two started eating the ice cream, while they were talking.
"I understand that my brother had reacted in that way when he found out about us, but he couldn’t have done it” Twilight said.
"And you're here closed because of it?" Blue asked. "We calculated that he couldn’t reacted well, if he found out."
"No, it was not for that reason" Twilight replied. "It was more for what I told him. You don’t know how repentant I became. It was like when in his marriage with Cadance, only with the roles reversed."
"Twilight, if you're so repentant, why don’t you write to Shining to apologize?"
"Blue, no. In spite of my regret of the words that I said, I’m still hurt by Shining."
"Look, I didn’t really like Shining’s attitude" Blue confessed. "But if he's still willing to resume our friendship, so I won’t hesitate to accept. You should do the same."
Twilight then smiled at him and asked, as she laid her head on his shoulder:
"What would I do without you?"
"I don’t know and we will not even try" Blue said, stroking Twilight’s head with his.
Then they spent the rest of the day together, eating ice cream and talking. When night fell, Twilight persuaded Blue to stay with her over that night and it was so.
In the next day, Twilight awoke and saw that Blue was not on her side.
"Blue?" she called, sitting on the bed.
But he was not there. Then the door opened and Blue entered, carrying a tray with magic with the tray containing the breakfast.
"Good morning" he said, approaching.
"Good morning" Twilight replied, while Blue put the tray on the bed. "Did you made the breakfast?"
"Well, I woke up early and when I saw you sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t want to wake you up and I’ll make you a surprise" he said, sitting on the bed. "What do you think?"
"We'll see" Twilight said, using her magic to grab a cup of chocolate milk and a croissant.
She bitted the croissant, savored it and then drank some milk. It was so delicious.
"You have to stop making me such food, or I'll be huge" she told to Blue.
"You'd be beautiful like that anyway" he replied.
That made Twilight blush. She blushed always when Blue made those compliments.
They took the breakfast together and, after that, Twilight went arrange herself while Blue took the tray down. They had agreed to take a walk and, for that reason, Twilight decided that she would have to be at her best.
When she sat down in front of her mirror to brush the mane, Twilight thought for a while and, after landing the brush, she used her magic to get a box that was saved and brought it to her, opening it with the hooves. Inside, there was the flower of the great tree of the Oasis of the Heat that Blue had given her. Grinning, Twilight used magic to put the flower behind her ear.
Blue finished washing the dishes and left the kitchen, preparing to go with Twilight to her room to see if she was ready. Then he had a big surprise when he saw her coming down the stairs. Twilight was splendorous with her mane well combed and flowing with the flower of the great tree of the Oasis of the Heart placed gently behind her ear.
"Wow!" he exclaimed, having nothing more to say.
"Is that all you have to say?" Twilight asked with a smile, wiping down the stairs. "It’s not like you."
"It's just that you're so beautiful" Blue replied. "I even don’t know what to say."
They exchanged a smile and then nuzzled each other. They came out and were strolling, heading to the Everfree Forest in order to have more privacy.
In Ponyville train station, a train from the Crystal Empire arrived. The door of the passengers carriage opened and Shining Armor came out. When he left, the train began to go in the opposite direction.
Shining was there to settle things with his sister. He would deal with her first before dealing with Blue, since she was the one who was more upset with him. After that, he would go to Canterlot and talk with Blue.
He walked through Ponyville and went to the library. When he approached it, he saw Spike heading to there.
"Spike!" Called Shining, getting closer.
Hearing Shining’s voice calling him, Spike stopped and turned.
"Shining" he said, while the white unicorn came to his border. "I didn’t expect to see you here."
"I came to talk to Twilight" replied Shining. "Is she in the library?"
He started heading to the library, but Spike placed in front of him and said:
"Maybe you should come back in another day, Shining. Twilight must be currently studying and you know how she hates being interrupted when she is studying."
"Spike, what I have to talk with Twilight is very important. It is a siblings issue."
"Yes, but you have to understand that..."
But Shining simply limited to use his magic to lift Spike and put him out of his way, turning then to the door. He knocked on the door and waited for it to be opened. But it didn’t happen. He knocked again, but still no answer.
"Well, it seems she is not home" Spike said, somewhat nervously. "I think you'll have to come back later."
For Spike’s voice, Shining realized that something was happening.
"Come on, Spike, tell me what's going on" Shining said.
"What do you mean?" Spike asked. "There’s nothing happening."
"Your nervousness says otherwise" Shining said. "I know something's happening."
Then he studied Spike. He realized that his nervousness had something to do with the fact that Shining wanted to talk with Twilight, but what would be the reason? The most obvious reason would be that Twilight didn’t want to talk to him, but Shining knew it could not be that. But then what could it be? What other reason could there be for Spike being adamantly trying to prevent Shining to meet with Twilight. Then he realized that she should be with somepony and she could only be with one pony, for Spike to be trying to push him away.
"She's with him, right? Twilight is with Blue."
"What?" Spike asked, trying to make a dumb air. "Of course not . But where did you get that idea?"
"Spike, I'm not stupid" Shining said. "Your face says everything."
Spike said nothing, merely trying not to look directly to Shining.
"In fact, until it is smooth" Shining said. "So I can talk to both at the same time and I don’t have to go to Canterlot."
Spike looked at Shining, surprised at what he had said.
In the Everfree Forest, Twilight and Blue walked.
"Well, the Everfree Forest is not quite the most romantic place to stroll, but here we have privacy" Twilight said.
"I even like it" Blue said. "It has that dark tone that I like."
They exchanged giggles as they continued walking.
It was then that Blue heard what sounded like branches to be broken. He stopped, looking around. Twilight, repairing in that, asked him:
"What is it, my love?"
"I heard something" he replied.
"Yeah, we're in the Everfree Forest" Twilight replied. "It is normal that there’re sounds here."
"Yes, but I think we're being followed" Blue said, continuing to look around. "My gut tells me that."
"Are you sure?" Twilight asked.
Blue remained quiet and attentive. He closed his eyes and tried to listen. He could hear hoofsteps. They were more than one, that was certain. However, he could not identify them. Then a sudden wind brought him a nauseating smell. He recognized that smell anywhere. So, without wasting time, he pointed his horn and fired a beam of magic against some bushes, hearing a moan. Then a bunch of Changelings appeared from the bushes.
"Changelings!" Twilight exclaimed, retreating to the edge of Blue.
"I would recognize your foul smell everywhere" Blue said to the Changelings. "A tip: the next time you are watching somepony, you must ensure that you are not against the wind."
He just received some chirps coming from the Changelings that began to surround him and Twilight.
"Food!" one said. "Fresh food. It'zz our lucky day."
"And we have an alicorn princezz on the menu" another said. "The bozz will be zzatisfied."
Twilight and Blue looked to each other and then nodded. Then they began shooting beams of magic against the Changelings, throwing them through the air, but they didn’t delay to stand up to attack again. The two formed a fantastic team, knocking every Changeling approaching.
It was then that Blue, after having overthrown some changelings, saw that one was preparing to attack Twilight from the back. He had already begun to carry the magic of his horn.
"Twilight, look out!" He shouted.
Twilight turned and saw with horror the Changeling about to attack her. However, she wouldn’t have time to protect herself. The Changeling launched his emotion sucking ray and Twilight prepared to be hit and closed his eyes. But there was no impact. She opened her eyes and saw, to her horror, Blue had placed in front of her and was hit. He fell to the ground and Twilight came to him.
"Blue!" she called, nesting and grabbing him. "Are you okay?"
"Twilight... I'm fine" he said weakly. "That blow wasn’t so strong."
But things were to get worse, because the Changelings had tightened the siege and were ready to attack Twilight and Blue. Twilight hugged Blue tightly at the time that the Changelings were thrown to attack.
It was then that flower behind Twilight’s ear began to glow and emit a red light that made the Changelings stop their attack and began to retreat, apparently being painfully affected by the light.
Shining walked through the Everfree Forest, looking for Twilight and Blue. He knew his sister very well and knew she would want to walk around with a pony like Blue in a discreet place and that was the only place like that nearby.
Suddenly, he saw a burst of red light happen at some distance, disappearing after a few seconds. Seeing that, Shining hurriedly running towards the burst of light. When he arrived, he was speechless at what he saw.
The surrounding trees had been felled and there was Changelings lying on the floor, all unconscious, but alive, seeming to have burns in their body, with their insect wings folded and battered. Where it should have been the epicenter of the explosion were Twilight and Blue, hugging each other.
"Twilight!" He called. "Blue!"
He went in their direction and when he reached the edge of them, they broke the hug, being surprised to see Shining.
"Shining?" Twilight asked. "What are you doing here?"
"I think I deserve to have answers first" he replied. "What happened here? Looks like a bomb burst here."
Twilight and Blue also looked and were amazed by what had happened.
"What the hell..." Blue began as he stood up with Twilight.
"What happened here?" Twilight asked.
"That's what I wanted to know" Shining replied. "But whatever happened, I'm glad that happened, considering you two had a little problem with Changelings."
Despite what happened had left Twilight without reaction, she was soon back to the question she had done to her brother, doing it with a somewhat cold tone:
"What are you doing here, Shining?"
"Take it easy, little sis" he asked. "I just came to talk with you two."
"Did you came to talk or to continue saying that we have to stay away from each other?" Twilight asked, sharply.
"Twilight, calm down, let him talk" Blue asked.
Twilight took a deep breath and acceded her coltfriend’s request, nodding with her head, and said to her older brother, calmer now:
"Keep going."
Shining took a deep breath too and then said:
"I know that what I did is unforgivable, but it was something thoughtless, an answer to the shock of seeing you two together. But I've been reflecting and, with some help from Cadance, I realized I was being rather unfair and I could keep you away from each other."
He turned to Blue and said:
"Blue, I'm really sorry. I shouldn’t have punched you and have told all those things. I was hot-headed and you know how I am when I get like this. But the truth is, when I realized that you were dating Twilight, I was afraid that our friendship could end, if your relationship didn’t work. I hope you can forgive me and that you accepted to be again my best friend and right hoof."
As Twilight as Blue had been taken by surprise with that apology coming from Shining. It was something they were not even expecting. Blue then recovered from his stunned state and said, smiling:
"Shining, of course I will return to be your best friend and right hoof. For me, our friendship will never end. Despite everything that happened, with you punching me and calling me everything and anything, I was not mad with you. You're the brother I never had."
"I say the same" Shining said.
Blue then lifted his hoof and asked:
"Hoof bump?"
Shining then smiled and bumped his hoof on Blue’s and then they gave a hug to each other. Twilight smiled a lot, seeing those two making peace.
The two friends ended the hug and Shining then turned to Twilight and said:
"I hope you forgive me, little sister. I shouldn’t mess with your courtship with Blue, but... you know... big brother instinct."
Twilight smiled and said:
"Of course I forgive you, silly. You're my B.B.B.F.F."
Then the two siblings gave a big hug, greater than the one Shining and Blue gave. When they finished it, they looked at each other, smiling, for a while, and then Shining said:
"Well, you think it is better we deal with these changelings before they have time to recover."
Twilight and Blue waved and then they went put the Changelings in a protective bubble created by Shining and then they went to Canterlot in order to arrest them and interrogate them.
What they didn’t know was that, firmly hidden in the bushes observing everything, was a Changeling, who brought saddlebags. This was the only one to not attack because the seriousness of the reason that led him and his partners to that forest near a village full of ponies which was also the home of one of the alicorn princesses. He verified his saddlebags, seeing the wooden box he was protecting was still there. After that, he tried to get away from there as quickly as possible, his destiny: the Desolate Zone.