//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Help 
// Story: Necessary Love 
// by Zurock 
//------------------------------//

	The fog of shouts and cries – a storm of vendors hawking their assorted goods – was still thick in the market.  Sellers on both sides of the street blasted out appeals to potential customers like they were trading fire across a bazaar battlefield.  The day hadn't grown late enough for many of the merchants to have yet considered closing up shop, even as the hallmarks of a fading afternoon had grown more readily apparent.  The vendors were especially eager to continue running their stalls since it was a Friday and many of their possible patrons would still be out and roaming the streets until truly late hours.
Fluttershy lead the way, lifted by a hopeful buoyancy that had her wings flapping just enough to float her above the ground.  Rainbow Dash, James, and P.V. followed behind her, not quite in the same spirits.  A general detachment still gripped Rainbow Dash and she stayed on only out of loyalty to her friend.  The man remained awash with skepticism, ever uncomfortable with intruding so carelessly in an another's very personal affairs.  P.V. hadn't shaken free of the despondent weights which enchained his spirit, though the absolute worst of his gloomy dejection seemed to at least be over.  He walked along slowly in the rear of their procession with his head fallen and his nose pointed straight at the ground.
"Now," Fluttershy dictated as she drifted along while shooting searching glances from stall to stall, "We need to find something just right..."
"For what?" James asked.
"For Star Glitter, of course!"
P.V.'s weary head came up an inch.
"I don't understand... I already got her some flowers for the anniversary," he said weakly.  Then, dropping into resigned defeat again, "And it's not like she'd accept anything from me now..."
"No!" Fluttershy immediately contended.  "Star Glitter still loves you.  I know she does!  You two are just in a bad spot right now.  If you can do something extra special for her – some special kindness – then it'll remind her of how much she loves you!"
The stallion groaned nervously as he gave a glum look away and his frightened tail again wrapped itself tightly around his leg.  His former love's upset voice still rang in his ears, haunting him the same as a tormented ghost would.
Rainbow Dash, not particularly convinced, asked, "Uh, okay, so... something special like... what?"
"A gift!" Fluttershy replied.
"A make up gift?" questioned James.  His face rolled with inauspicious thought.  "It's a nice idea but-"
"Oh!" Fluttershy gasped with delight.  She suddenly flitted off to the side, towards a particular stall that had seized her attention.
They all followed her and saw that she had been drawn to a refined setup with a proud, smiling mare who stood behind it.  Fine red cloth covered the display surface and its edges were both embroidered and frilled with very flowery designs.  Lined up on a variety of ornate shelves and racks were a few different kinds of sparkling jewelry: necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more.  They were unified by a theme of silver settings capturing blue crystals and gemstones.  Some were adorned with gorgeous aquamarines, others with turquoises that hinted at a shy greenness, a good many more with brilliant sapphires, and still others with lapis lazuli whose color seemed as deep as the ocean.  It was a collection of silver bands and chains that held and highlighted captured sky and night!  Every last one was laid out or hung with care on the displays, and together they were their own field of shimmering stars.
Floating besides the stall, her wings now beating with excitement, Fluttershy gestured over the many wonderful accessories and said, "These are just lovely, don't you think?  Star Glitter would look beautiful wearing one of these!"
P.V.'s stare widened and his bulging eyes reflected a vision of his most lovely mare trotting around in one of the silver and blue treasures.  Lost in his wishful imagination, he pulled closer to the stall and inspected the jewels deliriously, admitting in aimless wonder, "She would look beautiful..."
Rainbow Dash took a look at them too, pushing her hoof through a necklace that featured a heart-shaped sapphire.  Briefly she held it close to her face, but her mouth curled distastefully and she set it back on its stand.  Fancy maybe, but there was a deplorable lack of awesome in these overpriced trinkets.
"So you're assuming Star Glitter even likes this kind of stuff," the unsold pegasus said.  She passed her eyes over more of the items on display and, thinking lightly of Rarity's affection for such shiny things, she mumbled uncertainly, "I mean I guess she would..."
"Even so," James expressed as he cast his own doubtful glance across the many trinkets, "is buying her love really the way to go?  I get that she's a socialite and all, and so you know... flashy, showy things are probably a big deal for her... but that makes this even more of a bribe."
"It's not 'buying' her love!" Fluttershy protested as if she had taken a personal wound.  She repeated, "She already loves him!  This would be a gift from his heart to remind her of that!"
"If you say so," the man tried to accept, "but..."
He shook his head as he thought about it.  Picking up the necklace Rainbow Dash had set down, he stared into his own blue reflection as cast by the sapphire heart.  His free hand reached down and slowly rubbed the sapphire which was set in his waistband.  The outfit he wore had been generously given to him by Rarity when he had first arrived in Equestria.  Twilight had asked the talented seamstress to make something for him to wear and, just like that, she had.  No attachments, no prerequisites, no compensations; she had made and then she had given, all for free.

A gift.

Pure generosity.

He really needed to pay her back for that one day...

Snapping to, he carefully replaced the jewel heart back on its stand and said, "I get what you're going for with a gift... I really do.  But... if you give it in order to get something out of somepony... it's not really a gift anymore, right?"
Fluttershy landed as James' objections sucked the uplifted air out of her.
"Oh, no no no!  That's not what this is at all!  It's still a gift!  A reminder!"  She was pinned somewhere between mourning sadness and motherly wisdom.  "The love, and even friendship, between any two ponies is something very special.  But... nopony is perfect either.  Sometimes... we make mistakes; we do things wrong.  Sometimes just caring about somepony else isn't going to be enough, and it becomes important to DO something.  Something... real.  Something you can touch.  Some act to show the ponies important to you that you care."
Their disagreement was interrupted by a broken sigh which came from P.V.  As he pulled himself away from the stall full of gleaming trinkets, he abjectly moaned, "Star Glitter would look fabulous in any one of these... but it doesn't matter.  I can't afford any of them anyway."
"Oh, but one of these would make such a perfect gift!" Fluttershy lamented.  In a moment of dainty frustration she immediately offered, "I'll buy one for you that you can give to her."
P.V. picked his dangling head up in a panic and fearfully shot back, "No no, miss Fluttershy, no!  I couldn't-!  I know a thing or two about debts, and I couldn't accept that offer!  I'm very sorry!"
James supported him, telling the kind pegasus, "And if you bought the gift instead of him, doesn't that sort of diminish the meaning in the whole thing even more?"
"No!" Fluttershy protested again, upset, "it's the act of giving that's important!  Not where it comes from!  It what P.V. means with his gift!"
"I just don't get it," the man said.  "Or, at least, I'm not sure SHE'S going to see it the same way you do, and that's probably more important."
"Annnyway," Rainbow Dash butt in, "no money; can't get one; moving on."
"Oh..." Fluttershy sighed with a bow of her head.  She looked at P.V. and saw unequivocally how serious he was about denying her offer.  Whatever goodness she had intended with her gesture, it wasn't in his ability to take her gift and make it his own.

They turned away from the jewelry stall and began to move on, Fluttershy especially stepping with somber clops.
Slightly reluctant to let her idea completely go, she suggested softly, "Well, if something you can buy her isn't any good, maybe you can still give her a special gift.  Maybe... something that you can do for her instead...?"
Rainbow Dash chimed in dubiously, "Do something?  Like what?"
"Mmm, I don't know...," Fluttershy muttered.  She was peeking between market stalls again, though more to jump-start her thinking than to seek another possible gift.  "Maybe serenade her?  Or write her a poem?  That would be ever so romantic."
Rainbow Dash closed one eye and held out her tongue.
For his part, P.V. wasn't any more endeared to those suggestions either.
"I can't really sing," he said, "and I'm just no good with words."
"But when you told us your story I thought it was very touching!" Fluttershy pointed out sincerely.  "I'm sure you could come up with something special to tell Star Glitter if you really put your mind to it!  It doesn't have to be perfect, or even something for a poetry collection!  Just something from your heart; something just for her."
P.V. gathered his thoughts for a moment, though it was clear that some part of him still chafed against the suggestion.  But it seemed even Fluttershy's encouragement wasn't enough and he retreated into shame.  He stopped walking and his voice dimmed.
"Maybe I am a little better than I used to be.  With expressing myself, I mean.  I'm not... naturally social.  Not good with other ponies, really.  But if I'm any better than before, that's-... that's all her.  She was teaching me."
"What?" James asked, stopping alongside him.  This finally seemed like a better example of something tangible flowing from Star Glitter to him; something actual in their relationship which she had given.  "You mean, she was... giving you speaking lessons, or etiquette classes, or whatever?"
"She grew up taking some classes for-...  I mean, in Canterlot, she was part of a culture that-...  She-...  So, she was just helping me-," the bothered stallion rambled.
After his failure to get going he shut his mouth, closed his eyes, thought back to both the words and the wisdom that had been imparted to him by his sweet, refined mare; a thousand moments shared between him and her that had been so simple in essence yet were still so dearly cherished by him in his heart.  And he let out a solid breath.
Beginning again, he said more steadily, "I've usually had just enough income to squeak by on my own.  When she moved in with me, I didn't know how I would ever able to support her.  But... when we saw that I wasn't going to have the business to support us both, instead of finding some kind of work for herself – something that would really fit her – she started handling some of my things for me.  Customer relation type things, I mean.  She would be the one to talk to clients, and she would go and find work for me.  Be a better face for the business than I could ever be."
The adoration that saturated his every fiber was also quick to derail his thoughts, and he sighed with a soft smile, "She's so good with other ponies.  She always carries herself so gracefully and she always knows just what to say...  And she took a lot of time to try to help me learn how to be better at, you know, speaking to others.  Taught me a little about how to engage with others without being so... terrible and awkward."

James was suspicious of the supposedly unbridled altruism of Star Glitter once more.  He was still inclined to blame the flawless perspective on only having P.V.'s rosy memories as a source.  After all, the stallion's veneration of her was so unquestionably obvious and inescapable.  But it was truly becoming harder and harder to ignore what might be the facts behind the myth.  This unending worship of her couldn't have been absolutely blind.
Hm...  Fluttershy was physically unable to ignore a pony so badly broken and so in need.  Rainbow Dash couldn't abandon her friend, even if that friend was going off on some wild, uninteresting pursuit.  P.V. couldn't accept seeing the mare he loved as anything less than diamond-cut perfection.
What couldn't Star Glitter do?

The stallion's short tale had caused Fluttershy's heart to again be profoundly moved.  Hoisted up by the poignant dedication she read in their tale, she reared back and clasped her forehooves together while a generous sweetness poured out of her eyes.
"Oooh, that's so beautiful!  We just have to find a way to-"
The air changed completely, becoming charged and brisk, as Rainbow Dash suddenly pushed her way into the center of the group.
"Yeah, it's very magical, la da-da da-da," she flatly laid out with a thinly veiled sarcasm.  Whirling through a quick turn, she shoved her stare into P.V. and told him strongly, "Look, guy, you're not going to remind her why she's done all that stuff for you with silly gems or stupid songs.  Wimpy, pathetic little gestures of, 'oh please take me back,' aren't going to do anything.  There's only one thing that will work here!"
"There-... there is?" P.V. nervously asked.
"Yeah," she confirmed.  Up came her heroic head, and she instructed in a loud and confident voice, "You got to impress the hay out of her!  WIN her back!  Make her come back TO YOU!  Show her that everything she's done for you was worth it cause you're AWESOME!"
P.V. cowered, as even the everyday self-confidence that the pegasus exemplified appeared intimidating to him.
"I'm not... really that impressive," he limply asserted with a lowered head.
Rainbow Dash shoved a hoof into his face, pushing his surprised expression back up as she barked at him, "Not with that attitude you're not!"
"Uh... R-Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy very politely and somewhat unsteadily interceded, "I'm not sure that's, um, really the best way to, ah, mend their relationship."  Speaking from what felt more like some sort of fanciful expertise than practical experience, she elaborated, "You see, love is a special gift that two ponies give to each other from the bottom of their hearts; a special kindness and affection that they share with one another.  To show that, he has to do something that-"
"Oh, he's got to do something alright," Rainbow Dash easily brushed aside her friend's words.  She stayed staring down the cringing stallion even as she began to pace around him.  "I mean, you've heard his stories.  And you heard Star Glitter back there.  She's been sacrificing and sacrificing for him, and he hasn't been enough for her back.  So... it's time to be enough!"
Fluttershy hummed to herself restlessly as her ears folded down.  She gave James a wistful look, perhaps in the hope that he might take her side.
But he only shrugged with one open palm.  He didn't put great stock in Rainbow Dash's romantic instincts, however... Star Glitter had indeed complained about P.V. having been heavy with words but light on action.  Maybe the suddenly-determined pony had a point pushing for some assertiveness.
Finishing up her cursory inspection, Rainbow Dash marched back and forth in front of the still-cowering pony and she bore a scowl no different than an unsatisfied drill sergeant's.  Dropping a weight into her voice, she commanded P.V., "Alright, step one: be confident!  You're an awesome pony whose going to win his girl back!  Let me see that confidence!  Head up!  Legs straight!"
The stallion feebly tried to respond to her forceful orders, though a frightened, uncontrollable trembling welled up in him.  Unseen fears entwined his neck and dragged his head down.  His wobbly legs shook worse than an earthquake, being no more than wet spaghetti noodles that by all rights had no business holding up a pony.
"I said 'head up, legs straight!'" the authoritative pegasus reiterated in loud, coarse grunts.
With a quick whip of the hoof she pounded him in one of his knees.  The knock straightened his legs, the sharp pain caused his neck to shoot up, and the sore stiffness that blasted through him held him steady.  Even his tail unwound from his leg and shot out straight behind him like a handle, the hairs splaying every which way.
Rainbow Dash slowed her demanding pacing and intently reviewed her results.
Body was as straight as it was going to get, though he couldn't quite keep perfectly still.  Neck was up, kind of, even if it seemed to be teetering on a crumbling precipice.  If one were being generous then that flimsy chest of his could be considered pushed out, though it mostly looked like he was barely holding in some massive breath.  That dark, raggedy mop of a mane didn't help project an image of cool control either.  In total, he certainly was... more than a few pegs away from being a top tier embodiment of confidence.
Actually, he was only sort of NEAR the top peg of the bottommost rack of pegs in the whole peg-rack-confidence measurement system.
But what about his spirit?  Was the confidence at least shining there?
His pupils had run a distance away, retreating into small dots.  The way they jiggled about in his nervous eyes was less than reassuring.  A tense flow of sweat was trickling its way down his face as well.  Not too mention that he may have been biting his tongue to hold in a yelp.

Eh... close enough.

"Now," she resumed commanding as she reignited her back and forth stomps, "step two: be aggressive!  You're not going to let anything stop you from reaching your goal!  Start a fire in your eyes!  Come on, show me some teeth!"
P.V. swallowed the lumpy squeal of pain lodged in his throat and tried to open his lips wide, producing not some grit of determination but some manner of panicky frown.  His brow wrinkled in a pathetic attempt at mimicking intensity; a crunching that looked more like a fleeing caterpillar than any show of assertive will. 
Again the immediate reaction to his subpar efforts was more focused screaming by Rainbow Dash.  She got her own face right into his and spat at him, "You're mean!  You're determined!  You're a beast who gets what they want!"
With each line she belted out he tried to rearrange his face in a way that might please her, shifting eyes and ears and lips.  He took the face attacking him as an example and did his best to copy it, though a mirror he definitely wasn't.  Eventually the impatient pegasus even brought a hoof up and tried to mold his putty-like visage a little herself.
At last, she took a step back and studied how he did.  Unfortunately it took her a concentrated effort to hold in her unsatisfied sigh.
His teeth were bared, but in a way more like he was trapped in an awkward family photo.  His eyes were sharp, in an empty and blurry kind of way.  His ears were perked and forwards, but more like they were trepidatiously scanning for danger.  All in all, he was more 'incidentally frightening clown'-aggressive than he was 'snarling beast'-aggressive.

Ah... it would have to do.

"Okay," she picked up once more, "last step: know exactly who you are and what it is you want!"  She confronted him again.  "Do you know who you are?!"
"I-I t-think?" he shuttered, leaning back.
She pushed in on him all the more.
"Do you know what you want?!  Can you picture it?!"
His eyes went up a little into his head and a warm blushing coated his cheeks.
"FOCUS!" Rainbow Dash snapped.  At least this was one area that he didn't seem to have any trouble with; Star Glitter was ALWAYS on his mind.  "Can you picture it?!" she harshly questioned him again.
The smallest change suddenly occurred in him.  From somewhere inside him there emerged the tiniest hint of belief.
"Ye-, yes," he sputtered.
The commanding pegasus caught wind of that faint spark and immediately she tried to fan it, "Do you know exactly what it is you want?!"
"Y-yes!" came his reply.  His spirit increased.
"Do you see it with every blink of your eyes?!"
"Yes!"  Again, even if it was far from perfect, a militant will crystallized in him more and more.
"Alright!" Rainbow Dash shouted with enthusiasm.  Her pacing became assured and leaderly; a general in front of her army, rallying them for war.
"Let's review!  Sound off!  What are you?"
"Confident!"
"What are you?"
"Aggressive!"
"Who are you?"
For the first time he seemed to stand at his full height all on his own, even if there was a detectable amount of inflated air in his attitude, like a balloon with a tough face.  Loudly he declared:

"I am Plungedro Valvé Seepipe, and I love Star Glitter!"

Rainbow Dash faltered a step.
"Huh... maybe just stick with the nickname," she mumbled to herself.
She shook off the distraction and resumed adamantly, "And what do you want?"
"Star Glitter's heart!"
"And how are you going to get it?"
P.V. sucked in a huge breath.
"I'm going to look for her...," he began.
"Yes?"  Rainbow Dash halted her pacing and leaned in.  Fluttershy and James edged somewhat closer as well.
"... I'm going to find her..."
"YES?" the enthralled pegasus commander encouraged.
With all his self-generated, puffy confidence gathered into a sure sounding voice, and all his kitten-like aggression on full display through his raised chin and focused eyes, he announced with collected certainty:

"... And I'm going to beg her to forgive me for how awful I am!"

What followed was a quiet moment where everypony held silently still, caught in the unbelievable grasp of P.V.'s assured aura as he continued to stand straight and tall, fully convinced of himself.
Rainbow Dash took several slow and deliberate steps away, her face of authority intact.  She stopped before the nearest market stall, one of the few already empty and abandoned by whatever vendor had used it last, and after some long, vacant moments... she pounded her head once onto the wooden display surface like a sledgehammer smashing a brick.
"Well, it's kind of an improvement," James offered in a conciliatory tone.
Their responses were not exactly as P.V. had expected for all the bravery and self-confidence he thought he had displayed.  His steam slowly evaporated.  He returned to his old, sagging, disappointed, sad form.
Recovering, Rainbow Dash rubbed her face strenuously, forcing her hoof in as deep as it would go.  She chanted to herself, "Okay, okay, it's alright.  We can work with this.  We'll just have to... guide him into doing something awesome a little more directly, is all."
"Oh, um, e-excuse me, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy spoke up again.  "I'm still not sure if, um, this is really the, ah, best way to-"
"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash retaliated, "Some sappy show of his affection isn't going to do anything!  He can tell Star Glitter he loves her a million times and it wouldn't do anything!  He has to IMPRESS her!  Do something big that gets her attention and let's her know it would be a mistake not to stick with him!"
"But that's now what love is about," the yellow pony lightly stressed.  "Two ponies should love each other for who they are, and they should show it through special acts of kindness and dedication!  They don't need to impress each other."
"What?" the second mare scoffed.  "She's won him over and she's been giving him chances to win her over!  She wants to see him be something more!  He needs to show her he's got some awesomeness in him!"
Before Fluttershy could mount a counterattack, James wedged himself between them.
"Regardless, a little confidence definitely isn't a bad thing for him," he asserted, "so, Rainbow Dash, what are you suggesting next?"
Taking charge of the situation once more Rainbow Dash returned to standing over the cringing P.V. and spoke at him almost like he wasn't even there, "We just need to take something he can actually do and show it in the most awesome way possible."
Closer she leaned in, well past the bounds of his personal space.
"What CAN you do that's kind of maybe a little cool?"
"I'm-... I'm only really any good at plumbing," he meekly answered.
Frustration kicked at Rainbow Dash's insides.
"Okay," she valiantly tried to force herself along, "but there has to be something-... ugh... has to be something awesome about plumbing."  Her gaze went painfully towards the sky for a moment.  "WOW, I can't believe I just said that!"  Girding herself, she continued, "There's got to be something about it at least that we can really buck into high gear.  Something that would be amazing if taken to the extreme."
"Oh, plumbing is plenty amazing already," P.V. perked up effortlessly.  "Each installation is its own challenge.  There's so much to get right: making sure the potable water lines aren't at any risk of contamination and are protected from backflow; trying to make sure everything is corrosion resistant and figuring out where the worst problems with that would be; predicting and preparing for the most likely leaks..."  His rambling on was automatic, with no hints of an end.  He would've been perfect to teach a course on the subject if he only had the self-assurance to handle a crowd of ponies with as much elocution as Star Glitter.
"Eugh, okay, okay!" Rainbow Dash interrupted.  "So what you're basically saying is: nopony will ever win another pony over through the magic of plumbing."  A sly quality slipped into her eyes and she said, "And that means... we'll just have to go all the way with a sure-fire, patent-pending, foolproof plan devised by only the greatest tactical genius in all of Ponyville: yours truly."  She thumped herself proudly.
James skeptically asked, "And just what are you planning?"
Excited enough to lift into the air, the pegasus blitzed over to her yellow pony friend and with an almost mischievous sort of zeal she requested, "Fluttershy, what's the biggest, fangiest, most clawiest animal that you can get over here?  Breathing fire or spitting poison is a plus."
"I-... what?" the other mare remarked in confusion.
Bobbing in the air between them all, the avid pegasus sighed at their inability to keep up with her and she elaborated for them, "Look, the plan is simple.  We get one of Fluttershy's meanest looking animal friends to spit and foam and roar at Star Glitter and act all crazy, and then P.V. swoops in and takes'em out with one buck."
She threw up a salute.
"The day is saved."
Then she held her hooves up against her cheek, softened her eyes, and fluttered her eyebrows.
"Star Glitter swoons."
Her eyes then rolled up into her head, the flapping of her wings lost some energy, and she became altogether bored.
"And then they kiss or something and live happily ever after or whatever.  The end."
To P.V., most of that plan sounded far too risky and perhaps a teeny bit dangerous, but the very last promised result of it certainly caught his attention and he fell headfirst into his own imagination, blushing warmly.
James shook his head though.
"That is by far the dumbest thing I have ever heard you say," he spoke dryly.  "And you're the pony who thought that the town clock should shoot fireworks instead of chime because it would be, and I quote, 'ridicul-awesome.'"
"What?" she snorted in grisly disagreement.  "Fireworks are a million times better than some dumb old gong, and 'ridicul-awesome' is just another way to say something is 'crazy-sweet.'"  She casually forgave the man's obvious ignorance of radical matters and came back to the issue at hoof, on which she insisted, "Besides, my plan'll work!  Trust me, I know something about being a hero."
"Oh, so all your heroism is based on lies, huh?"
"No, it's based on me being ridicul-awesome," she somehow honestly argued.  "I've saved you more than once, you know!"
"No, no!" he pushed back with waves of his hands, trying to keep things on track.  "If Fluttershy's gift idea was just a bribe for Star Glitter's love then this is nothing but a trick for it.  It's a total lie!  Fooling her into falling for him!  Which, might I suggest, is an absolutely terrible foundation for a relationship."
Touching down again, Rainbow Dash bite back, "Oh yeah, well, why don't you come up with something better?"
"Maybe it's about time that I do," he replied.

Stepping before P.V., he leaned close enough towards the stallion that his presence snapped the daydreaming pony out of his wishful fantasy.
The man's opinion on this whole affair had not changed since the start; not one bit.  There were only two ponies who knew this relationship best: P.V. and Star Glitter, and restoring what had been broken between them was a task specifically for them.  What's more, it hadn't even been two hours since their original breakup!  Everything was going much too fast.
"P.V.," he invited.  He was open, understanding, sympathetic, and even gentle.  "You're really hurting right now, right?"
There was a slow, acknowledging nod from the romantically devastated pony.
"The stuff I told you before still stands," James went on.  "We're rushing things too much here.  You need some space and distance.  You need to let these hurt feelings sit for awhile so you can recover.  Then you—both of you even, you and Star Glitter—will be in much better shape to resolve this.  After all, it's only been a little bit and you're already getting somewhat better.  I mean, you're not trying to drown yourself in the fountain anymore."
An agitated whine escaped from P.V., his eyes wandered all the way down to the ground, and his breaths came out strained like his lungs had hardened into rocks.  It was so hard to have been asked to do nothing.
"I know, I know," the man completely empathized.  "It's scary and everything... being hurt and not knowing how it'll turn out.  I've been there.  So, don't sit out forever but... for now... rest.  Go home and rest, okay?"
Fluttershy jumped, "Oh, but-!"
"No," James kept her from even starting.  He was sympathetic to her as well and he tried explaining, "It's very nice of you to care so much for him and to want to help.  That's something that's wonderful about YOU, but HE-... he really, really needs some space first, Fluttershy."
In a cracking voice P.V. spoke up, "But-... but... Star Glitter...  Without her-"
"Look," the man evenly responded, "it's not like you aren't going to see her again.  I mean, she lives at your place, right?  Even if she intends to go back to Canterlot she'll have to come by for her stuff, right?"
"I guess...?  Maybe...?" the stallion mumbled back, lost.
"It's okay," the man soothingly encouraged.  "Forget these crazy plans, head back home, and take it easy.  Maybe she just needs some time away to rest and think too, you know?"
Actually, James wasn't flying blind.  His words resembled a few different improvised speeches he had given in the past, when old friends of his had gone through romantic turbulences of their own.  He himself had even received a similar lecture once.  However his delivery of the advice in this specific case felt so different than before.  Maybe it was just because P.V. seemed so horribly disoriented from his emotional wounds, or perhaps because the stallion had such an... innocence... about him, but trying to lift the listless pony up with experienced words made the man feel exceptionally wise somehow.
He didn't feel like he had really connected to the suffering pony, though.  And not without undue reason.  Goodness knows that if it had been he himself sitting on some street corner in destroyed spirits and some relative stranger had come along the very same sagely words then there was no small chance he might have confused their intended kindness with interpreted cruelty.  Just like in his darkened moods of the past when it had taken the honesty of Applejack to have forced enlightening words into him.
"WHEN you see her again," James tried to positively reinforce, "maybe that little break – that little space and distance – will have helped her to see things differently.  Maybe you'll feel a bit different.  And maybe... just maybe... you'll be able to work things out."
The glum pony struggled to accept that hopeful dream.  Not even the floppy confidence Rainbow Dash had imbued him with was present to help him.
"But... what if-... what if it DOESN'T work out?" he feared.  A grim and anxious jolt ran through him.
James relinquished a sigh and said honestly, "Then that's just the way it goes."
There was a squeaking crack; the sound of glass slowly being forced too hard until a spiderweb suddenly appeared in it.  P.V.'s eyes turned to wobbling jelly as water gushed up from beneath them.  The strength in his hind legs gave out and he landed with a miserable plop, like wasted ice cream hitting the ground.  Again he was heavyhearted and on the very threshold of despair; all his progress undone.
And again Fluttershy was at his side immediately, trying compassionately to calm him down.  Between hugs and whispers to him, she scolded James with a heated sternness, "Oooh, don't say things like that!  Of course they can work it out!  They're in love!"
"We can hope for the best," James said.
But his words were hardly generous.  He had hoped merely to have been consoling since there wasn't any doubt in his mind that she wasn't going to like what he was about to say.
He couldn't remove a certain firmness from his tone, and with merciful darkness he concluded, "But... sometimes it just doesn't work out.  I'm sorry.  Sometimes you have to move on."
"N-no!  We can't just give up!" the soft-voiced pegasus countered, but her will had noticeably diminished.  Her comforting hold on P.V. stayed stronger, even tightening, like she wanted to scoop him up and fly him away from all the sorrow.
"It's not 'giving up,' it's accepting reality.  Not every relationship lasts."
James' words had a ringing quality.  They were meant for relief but they belied a hidden soreness; the lumps and bruises of an unintended confession.
In a weaker voice, he stated, "And that's regardless of anything you may feel, want, or try to do.  Sometimes ponies that you care about go away.  That's the way it can happen, and you have to figure out how to live with it."
He looked down in a moment of reflection, but in looking at him Fluttershy understood whom he was actually referring to.  She kept on consoling P.V. but out of kind respect did so silently, using only tenders pats and her supportive presence, contending with the man no more.
James let the dim, melancholic memories pass quickly and easily.
Strong and normal once more, he told the stallion prophetically, "If it does come to that...  IF it does...  Well, you'll find others in time.  There are plenty of fish in the sea.  Or ponies in the stable, or whatever."
"There's only one Star Glitter...," P.V. pessimistically moaned.
"I know you feel that way," the man conceded, "because that's where you're at right now.  You can't imagine a future without her.  And I'm not going to shame you for that.  That's what it feels like.  We unfortunately can't exist outside of the present."
He backed off from the stallion at last, walking over to the empty market stall and leaning against it.
"That's why I say: go home and rest.  It's the first step to moving on towards the future... whether that's one where you will make up with her or not."
He gave the pony the biggest, most reassuring smile that he could.
"I'm hoping that you will."

It fell to silence amongst them, though the noise of the market crowd droned on.  The hawking and hammering and haggling that had comprised the busy air of that place all afternoon was the infinitely bustling backdrop to many wordless moments.
And then P.V. stirred.  He wiped his eyes and slowly lifted himself away from Fluttershy, standing up again.  He still wasn't strong; doubtful fears, grim predications, and unassailable worries ever nipped at him from every side.  But from somewhere, inside or outside, he found the wherewithal to sullenly accept, "Maybe I SHOULD just go home."
He took downcast steps forward, inching his way down the market street with his nose nearly dragging along the ground.
"But-!...  But-!...  Oohhhh...," whined Fluttershy.  So sluggishly as to be aching, she took a few sad steps after him, but ultimately she failed to follow P.V. and hung her own head.
Surprisingly, Rainbow Dash also seemed swallowed by sorrowful tides, though she expressed it in her own unique way.  Grim frown, slacked shoulders, and the oddest downward tilt of her neck, she shook her head with disappointment.
"Nice plan," she gently heaved at James.  There was a scratchiness to her voice.  "Way to crush his hopes and dreams."
"That's not-... this might not be the end of it," James defended himself, though he was empty of any pride for what he had caused.  P.V.'s anguished surrender hadn't felt good.  He sighed, "He's just giving himself a little space and then he'll take whatever step is the next one when he's ready.  Maybe it'll be a step without Star Glitter but we don't know that."
The man helplessly glanced at P.V., watching how the pony shambled his way down the road incredibly slowly, hardly making any distance at all.  Still the man felt strongly about the correctness of his own advice, but each forlorn clop which came from the pony's hooves was like a nail being depressingly hammered into his confidence's coffin.  P.V.'s frazzled tail was still tucked tight and close to his leg, and the very end of it dragged on the road like a spiritless street sweeper, blowing a somber trail of dust towards the man.
Rainbow Dash groaned.
"I can't believe you told him that he should consider accepting defeat.  This is why you can't win at wall ball, by the why."
"He has to be prepared for the very real possibility that things won't work out," the man bristled at the pegasus' mild disdain.
"Yeah that's definitely going to be a real risk if he's too bummed out to try and do anything about his relationship problem," she replied with almost misplaced sarcasm.  "I'm sure every relationship hits the rocks at some point, but that's the time to really toughen up and DO something.  To make it work!"
Her nose wrinkled.  A rare, thoughtful affection came into her, and it took the shape of boldness; of heroism.
"Friendships don't work on their own!  They work most of the time, and it's great when they do, but sometimes there's trouble and you got to get in there and TRY – and try and try and try – to fix things up and make it right.  And I'm sure it's the same thing for this!  He shouldn't wait around!  He should show her why they should be together."
Fluttershy faintly added, "... Or show her how much he really cares..."
Rainbow Dash, sure and solid, determined, "This was his chance to prove something to Star Glitter, or maybe to himself."
Briefly James absorbed their hard disagreements and squirmed with doubt, but he shook it off and insisted, "This might not be the end.  Maybe he still will!"
"Or maybe he'll miss his one chance!"

They would have kept going at each other if it hadn't been for Fluttershy's loud gasp.  They both turned to look at her and then followed her wide-eyed, alarmed stare down the road towards P.V.
A dozen galloping strides past the dejected pony,  in all her brilliant and blue glory, was the object of his affection.  She was unmistakable; Star Glitter glowed in the crowd.
She hadn't noticed the presence of her ex-love yet.  She was too intently busy; determined even, like she had to focus her mind off certain terrible things.  Despite having been so stalwart during her prior exit she now showed a subtle tiredness of her own.  The shimmer in her eyes was weak and its low light scarcely gleamed out of her half-sealed lids.
The beautiful pony was preoccupied with a stall of carrying bags for sale, and it wasn't one of the more upscale vendors either.  Every simple sack which her horn brought over for review contrasted greatly to her infinite grace, like swatches of hay being used to patch holes in a silk dress.  Her consideration seemed focused on practicality, not vanity; it was functionality she needed above all.
Perhaps for travel?

Whereas she was blind, P.V. even in his misery was not.  The second she entered his sight he came to a frightened stop and shrunk in place.
"Oh gosh, oh gosh!" Fluttershy gulped.  A frantic, undecided energy filled her and she almost galloped in place, beating her hooves against the stone road as she bobbed up and down.  Her teeth chewed hard into her lip and her head rolled back and forth rapidly between the separated lovers and something behind her.  Her helpless hopes clashed with her hurried deliberations.  Should she?  Shouldn't she?  Should she?  Shouldn't she?
Quite suddenly her wings sprouted and she took off, flying backwards in a scrambled panic.
Rainbow Dash, too, reacted.  Seizing some determination known only to her she scanned the market with practiced precision and then quickly blasted off as well, shooting into the air and leaving behind a swiftly fading rainbow trail.
James tried to watch them go, but between the two of them taking off simultaneously he couldn't cleanly follow either one of them.
Ugh... these ponies...
His focus soon returned to the cowering P.V.
Though, just by looking at the stallion, the man too suddenly felt a call to action.  It was in the pony's eyes and body: a decision in the works; a CHOICE to stay put rather than retreat.  P.V. was alarmed by the unexpected confrontation, but he WASN'T using his free opportunity to escape.
A small battle ignited inside of James, the voices of his two friends still arguing their points even if they weren't present anymore.  But in the end he still felt that he couldn't condone either of their approaches.  He still backed his own policy of non-interference; of letting both lovers solve their own troubles.  Though... as long as he and the others had all gotten in the way somewhat already... maybe he could pull P.V. out of there before Star Glitter noticed him, thus sparing the stallion another public humiliation.

"Hey!  What're you-"
"Sorry, lady!  Emergency!"

Rainbow Dash unexpectedly came roaring by James from behind, galloping along with a small cart hitched to her, the payload in back being quite lively.  She threw down her hooves and came to a screeching stop ahead of P.V, halfway between him and Star Glitter.  The cart slammed into her back but she barely winced as she absorbed the blow, and then she ducked out from under the harness.  Lining herself up alongside the still-rocking cart she gave the confused P.V. a knowing wink.  Then with one swift buck she snapped the wheel behind her, causing the cart to topple over and spill a modest flock of squawking chickens out into a pile on the street.
Briefly inspecting her fowl plunder, a measure of disappointment was plainly evident in Rainbow Dash.  These brainless birds hardly had the shredding claws, ripping fangs, or feisty attitude that she would have liked, but they were the most immediately available animals she had found.
Her less-than-convincing, stony voice twinged with the most awkward attempt at drama as she called out loudly over the market, "Oh no!  Mad chickens on the loose!  Everypony run for your lives!"
But maybe 'mad' had been quite too far of a stretch.  The flock only picked themselves up from their tumble, ruffled and fixed their disturbed feathers, and then spaced out while pecking at the ground for abandoned crumbs.
"Come on you dumb cluckers, do something," the aggravated pegasus silently warned them, and she roughly pushed some of them in Star Glitter's direction.  They squawked, harmlessly, and then returned to their casual sauntering, inflaming Rainbow Dash.  In a bout of frustration she whacked the nearest beady-eyed bird, flipping the fowl over.

That was a terrible mistake.

She got her wish.
In a sudden flash their eyes were red and heartless.  Their bodies puffed up, their feathers jutted out in rough and sharp shapes, and they unleashed their most fearsome, heinous, and diabolical clucks as they all descended upon Rainbow Dash.  The wild and rapid whipping of their wings sounded like a swarm of angry bees, and the sting of their beaks was like much the same.  In mere moments the pony was covered from head to hoof in furious fowls, their vengeful bawks and bakaws the most bloodcurdling cry of terror the world had ever heard.
Screaming for mercy, the chicken-heavy pegasus tried to escape into the sky.  However, all the excess weight combined with the wonky aerodynamics added by her aggressive stowaways threw her off her flight path and she careened into an occupied market stall.  Vendor and shoppers dove for cover, and the crash flipped dozens of containers up into the air.  Lids spun off, rainbow waves of colorful and sticky jam were flung everywhere, and even more puddles appeared as falling jam jars smashed against the ground one after the other.
The timing of the slimy mess proved very unfortunate for a passing farmer who was hauling their ears of corn in baskets upon baskets balanced in a neat stack on their back.  The farmer's desperate attempts to dodge the rain of delicious jam sent shock waves through her cargo.  Like a crumbling tower the layers of corn fell in slow motion until they struck the ground and scattered everywhere.
Which in turn proved quite unfortunate.  Honestly what were the odds that the rarely-seen, esoterically eccentric, high-powered grapple-cannon vendor would have been dragging his unsold supply through that particular portion of Ponyville at that particular time?  With those slickened ears of corn underhoof everywhere his legs were thrown into a spasmodic dance and he helplessly rolled about into every pony, stall, and barrel that got into his way.  Each collision inadvertently triggered one of the cannons he carried in his many packs and soon grappling hooks trailing ropes where shooting in every given direction.  They snagged on every little thing that they possibly could: through opened windows, through CLOSED windows (crash!), around street lamps, on gutters, upon clothes lines, within the nooks and crannies of heavy stacks of displayed wares, and more.  By the time the uncontrollable pony came crashing to a stop headfirst into an empty barrel, the street had turned into an obstacle course of treacherous traps.  Ropes both slack and taut ran up, down, and every which way across the market.
It was around that time that Fluttershy returned.  Rushing back on racing wings, still overloaded with harried panic, she carried in her mouth the silver necklace holding a sapphire heart which they had inspected earlier, now bought and paid for.  She began to slow down, both to avoid the lines of rope that had bizarrely appeared in her brief absence and also so that she could halt over P.V. to deliver the gift.
But just before she could hit her target she had her attention grabbed by the battle between chickens and pegasus which was taking place right in the midsts of the market.  That is to say, her attention was grabbed because the feathery, destructive tornado barreled straight into her and consumed her as it surged about in an aimless, airborne fury.
The messy jumble of ponies and chickens swarmed about randomly before their storm suddenly drew in a sweet old mare who was carrying several squat rolls of finely tailored cloths.  Many of the rolls unwound in the chaos and their silky lengths began flailing about the nexus of destruction like the tentacles of an outraged octopus.
After a few more wild moments both the old mare and Fluttershy were ejected from the carnage.  While the old mare landed safely at a stall selling fluffy pillows the pegasus tumbled about in dizzy drunkenness midair, and several lengths of jam-stained cloth were folded over her body in every which way like a mummy who had collided with a fruit stand.  Some of the sticky bindings began to catch and wrap on the many crisscrossed ropes and soon the poor pegasus was a fly caught in a web.
Hanging prisoner in the most spontaneously created cat's cradle ever, she whined softly and struggled to free herself.  However quickly she realized how hopeless her situation was; she wasn't going anywhere without some help getting down.  Fortunately she still had the sapphire necklace gripped strongly in her teeth and it dangled free of any cloth obstruction.  As much as she could she started to roll her head in small circles, getting the necklace to spin up some speed.  With a well-timed release she tossed it in P.V.'s direction.
The jewel sailed cleanly through the ropes and bounced along the ground with a few clear tinks and a jingling of its chain.  Despite her handicap, her aim had been spot on.  It landed right next to P.V.'s hooves.
The stallion gave the trinket a worried look.  Then, timidly, he slid his hoof through the chain and picked it up.
It glimmered, so blue and beautiful like his dear Star Glitter.  Before his face he brought it and he stared silently at his own reflection.  He gazed unflinchingly into his blue-tinted fear.  Not even Rainbow Dash passing by overhead, still under a loud and furious assault by poultry, fazed him.

By that point all the chaos and destruction about the market had really taken center stage.  Everypony who hadn't gotten caught up in the chaos had stopped and was gawking at the unbelievably absurd show.
Even Star Glitter.  Though in her case it didn't take long for her to be distracted by the presence of a certain somepony else there.
Seeing as how everything had gone belly up, and trying his hardest to ignore the sheer display of improbability which had occurred, James made his decision.  He (carefully) stepped up to the musing P.V. and a placed a guiding hand upon the pony's side, ready to turn him around and take him away.
"Come on," the man invited hopefully.  "It's not the time.  Let's find another way out of this mess and you can talk to her later when you get the chance."
But when he pulled P.V. suddenly resisted.  The stallion shook, perhaps to dislodge the man's hand or perhaps out of some deep nervousness.  In either case, James let go in surprise.
A new form of strength trickled into P.V., brought out from some unknown place.  It was a confidence, though not the confidence exhibited by a self-assured master who knew beyond any doubt that they would win the day.  It was a bravery, though not in the form of a courageous resistance to fear.  It was some call of powerful love, perhaps lending him aid when he needed it the most.
He gently set the sapphire necklace aside, never breaking his eyes from Star Glitter, abandoning the jewel to the road as he stepped forward.
He approached his love, pausing only briefly to let a rumbling tumbleweed of pegasus-and-chickens roll past.  Still fearful, but no longer broken, he came right up to her and stood before her.
Once more in contrast to her assured earlier self, Star Glitter threw her eyes reluctantly away from him and weakly begged, "Not again, P.V.  Please..."
His own voice was saturated with equally hurt debility, and he whispered, "I have to try... because I'm so afraid.  Afraid that I won't get another chance to."
"It's already over...  Just-... just move on...," she replied in a soft, regret-filled breath.  Again, the contrast to her earlier anger was stark.  It wasn't clear whether she was actually advising him or herself.
"Not yet...  It isn't over yet...  Because-... because I haven't given up on us.  And I want you to-... I hope that you haven't given up yet either...  Please..."
His eyes went for hers but she avoided him, throwing her sight down to the ground.  She shut them hard and shivered, shaking her head.
"No, P.V.  No.  We're just going to fall into the same pattern again.  I can't take it anymore."
When her eyes opened up again they were sprinkled in starry tears.
Seeing her obvious pain put P.V. in retreat.  His mild strength diminished, he shrunk, and he also let his eyes turn to the street.  Idly his gaze drifted over the road bloodied by corn and jam.
He nearly wept, "I know, I know... you've sacrificed so much for me.  And you've given me so much.  And then I give you nothing...; give you none of all the wonderful things that you really deserve..."
Hard, hurt anger suddenly resurged in Star Glitter.  She threw her head up and stared at him with disappointment-laced eyes, her frown was wounded, and she gave a whimpering snort.  Her posture spoke for her: 'here we go again.'
The coldness of her reaction made P.V. frantic, and he began to plead earnestly, "I-I-I wish I could give you all those things!  I really wish I could.  I really want to!  But... I also want them to be from ME.  I don't want to hang any old necklace on you just so you have one.  I want it to be something from me; something I made possible.  Something I earned for you, and gave to you like you always give to me."
There was an unexpected pause and then he fell into a crushed defeat, sighing, "I guess that's just me being a terrible and selfish pony.  I really want to give you everything that you deserve... but I'll probably never be able to.  All I know I can give you is me.  Me, and my efforts, and my promises to try."
"Oh, the PROMISES!" Star Glitter moaned.  Bitterly she accused him, "Always promising everything, and always trying so hard, and always falling short, and always declaring yourself awful, and always, ALWAYS insisting you're nothing!"  She shook in pain, sending unhappy waves through her sparkling mane.
P.V. was torn open by her attack and he made no effort to defend himself.  He took in everything she said and accepted it, for she was right: he was the small, pitiful, worthless pony who couldn't ever be as grand and amazing as somepony like her was.  His posture crumpled, his tail dove around his leg in the last dying gasp of his will, and his heart skirted the absolute limits of his strength.  He was nearly ready to burst into tears again.
However, his unicorn love unexpectedly mirrored his despair.  Certainly she showed better poise and control than him, but the pain was all there.  She spoke more, not succumbing to final silence, but there was something less caustic about how she continued; something inside her remark wasn't necessarily trying to spare anypony's feelings but was so essential that it had to be said in order to clear the air.
"... These past few days there were just words and words and words from you.  Reminders that it was going to be our anniversary, and endless talk about how much I deserved and everything you wished you could get me, and how much you'd try, and-... and... then today came and—"
She had to steady herself before she could continue, summoning up and reliving the saddening memory herself first.
"—and you came to me with your head bowed in shame like you-, you were turning yourself in for some crime, you dropped a cheap bundle of flowers at my hooves, and then-... then..."  The flowers passed from her concern immediately.  It was what came next that had truly weighed on her heart: "... you gave me millions and millions of words tearing yourself apart!"
"I wanted to get you something that suited who you are," P.V. sniffled, "but I'm not-... I'm not capable.  All I could do-, my very best was just-, just... crummy flowers.  I'm-"  But his every criticism of himself seemed to only drive another dagger into her, and seeing that he tried desperately to clamp down on his words.
Struggling to change course, he instead said, "Beautiful dresses, and-... and shimmering jewels, and fine drinks, and... upscale events, and-...  Those things are what I wish I-... are what fit you.  You love those things."
It was a battle for her as well to bring forward what she had to say.  After choking on it a little she finally admitted, "I do like jewelry, and classy parties, and art shows...  I like how much they remind me of home.  I LIKE them... but... I LOVE you, P.V.  When I'm there, with you, I don't care about those other things.  I care about YOU.  And I can't keep watching you tear yourself apart trying to give me all those things you want to give me, and I can't keep holding you together each time you fail."

'I love you.'

The faint twinkles of hope surged into him, enough to pick him up completely.

'I love you.'

There was still so much hurt in his body; so much pain in his soul; it hadn't been true healing for either of them, but...

'I love you.'

Oh, what words!  What wonderful, incredible, untouchable words!  Like the sun which dispelled the most consuming darkness!  Like the tender glow of the moon which made the most terrible nights safe!  The energy that poured into him was boundless.

"I love you, Star Glitter!" he shouted.  Not that there had been any doubt or question of that by either of them.  "I'm sorry I-!  I mean, I know I'm not-!  When you say that I-!"
Forcefully he stopped his hapless words, shutting his eyes and mouth so firmly that they pinched.  He again tried to remember every last little thing she had lovingly taught him about communicating.  The chaos drifted out in one relieving breath, he stood straight, opened his eyes up, and started over.
"You give me so much.  You've done so much for me, and given up so much for me.  So much more than I've ever earned.  I just want to try to do the same for you, because you've actually earned it."  His head dipped again.  "But I've never been able to give you anything worthwhile..."
"You do give me a lot," Star Glitter scoffed sadly at his remark.  "Not in the things that you want to give me but..."
For once, and for perhaps the first time to P.V.'s recall, she really seemed to have trouble finding and expressing what she wanted to say.  Her refined control was lost.  She squirmed.  She squirmed out of herself and where she had always come from.
But she wasn't somewhere she didn't want to be.
"... You-, you always tell me that I'm beautiful.  And... it's really me that you're saying it to.  It's not-...  To you, I'm not 'Star Glitter, Canterlot socialite, daughter of Solar Shine, welcomed guest at any Greendairy Gardens function, three-time winner of the Highhorse Society Annual Beauty Pageant,' or any of those layers and layers of trophy things.  To you, I'm-... I'm-..."
A happy blush came to her.

"... to you I'm really just your Glitzy girl."

She gave a far warmer sigh, and in a mildly tearful laugh she spontaneously remarked, "Don't think I haven't learned a thing or two about repairing water heaters and mounting toilets, either."
"Glitzy...," P.V. called to her, taking a step closer, "... I love you."
She reciprocated his approach.  Then they both moved forwards, came together, placed hooves over each other in an embrace, and they softly cradled their necks against each other.
"I love you too, P.V."
But the beautiful mare feared, "I just don't know if we're right for each other..."
"I'd like to keep trying anyway.  If you're willing.  I didn't know how much it was hurting you that I-"
"Shh," she whispered into his ear.  "We can try...  I want to try...  But... something does have to change or else it will eventually go the same way again."
"Let's start today then," he told her, apologetic still yet hopeful at the same time.  "Our anniversary isn't over yet.  Instead of... me trying to get you something I can't or you doing something for me... let's go together and find something we can do.  I know the options aren't much but... we can try."
They pulled apart enough to look into each others' eyes, now without reserve or fear.  It didn't take any words for them to promise each other their efforts, love, and themselves.  Happy and close, they stamped their unspoken promises with a simple kiss before they went back to hugging, squeezing so tightly that they might never let go.

The market erupted into a celebration of cheers, stamps, and whistles.  The catastrophe of rope, cloth, vegetable, and jam hadn't stopped anypony there from intently watching the drama unfold.  And wounded hearts reconciled was a happy ending worth celebrating indeed!
Not that the lovers noticed, too absorbed in each others' embrace.
Fluttershy, helped free by James earlier, wiped a strawberry-flavored tear from her jam-stained eye and held fast the happiest smile.  What a victory for love this day!
Next to her was Rainbow Dash, finally free from the wrathful claws of her vengeful aggressors.  Her body was coated in peck-bruises, each one splattered with jam that had caught loose chicken feathers, leaving her looking like she had been tarred and feathered by some feral clown.  Or maybe like she had spent a Tuesday afternoon with Pinkie Pie.
She seemed to give more regard to cleaning herself up than what had happened between P.V. and Star Glitter, but she wasn't discontent at all and gave a few celebratory whistles of her own.
James looked things over while rubbing his chin.
What a sudden, unexpectedly happy ending.  Or presumably anyway; the two lovers still had problems to work through but now they had the hope to battle through them together.  But still... just like that?
Ugh... these ponies...
In the end he shrugged and then joined the revelry with some claps.  To his immediate companions he said, "Looks like none of us had what their relationship needed quite right... buuuuut... I think I was the closest of the three of us."
He leaned in towards Rainbow Dash.
"So I win.  Eat it, featherbrain."