//------------------------------//
// A Talk About Love 
// Story: World of Ponies: A Collection of Days 
// by ShadowWalking18 
//------------------------------//

It came to Twilight that perhaps being a genius was often a disadvantage then an advantage. While she could come up with an advanced magical, alchemical equation based in the later verse of antiquarian runic script on the bases of transportation magic, she could often find it difficult to grasp basic solutions to her problems.

At least, that is the conclusions she came to after last week.

Frankly she could kiss Spike for his ability to look past the complex and focus on the basic. She was lucky to have such an assistant who was there to offer a point of view that did not let itself become clouded by distress. Or emotional uncertainty.

Not that she had any!

Still, never the less the fact that she did not think of this sooner was somewhat of an embarrassment. But perhaps it was also due to a desire to not burden another pony with her problems. She was a princess after all, shouldn't she be able to solve her problems on her own? How could she be expected to handle other tasks put to her if she was not able to solve one, tiny, slightly impossible, utterly heart draining and hangover inducing, problem?

Besides, with Flurry Heart and an entire empire to run, Twilight didn't want to add more to Cadence's troubles.

And yet here they were, seated in her study, enjoying a warm pot of tea. The fact that Cadence was able to answer her letter was both a blessing and a worry for Twilight. Even after almost an hour of drinking tea, she had not yet started the conversation she feared to start.

'So....um...how do I start?' Twilight wondered. 

"So," Cadence started, as she set down her tea cup, "How are things Twilight?"

Twilight blinked, looked at her sister in law, "Huh?"

Cadence looked at Twilight confused, "I asked how you were? Twilight, is something-"

"Oh," Twilight gasped, "I-I'm fine. How are you and Shining? How is little Flurry Heart?"

Cadence smiled, "Flurry Heart is doing fine. Though she seems to become more energetic by the day. If it wasn't for Sunburst's spell, I think Shining and I would be nervous wrecks."

Twilight giggled, "Yeah. Having an Alicorn baby can't be easy. I only watched her for a short time, and yet even I was pushing my limits to keep her from blasting things apart."

"It certainly isn't easy. But every time I see her sleeping, it all feels worth it." Cadence said with a smile.

Twilight smiled, "It's good to know everything is okay." 

"Yes, but what about you?" Cadence asked, "In your letter you said you wanted to talk about something. It surely can't just be about how me and Shining are."

Twilight gulped, "W-Well, um...."

"Twilight." Cadence said, then took in a breathe and let it out slowly.

Twilight did the same, and once she felt calm she started again.

"Well, I kinda need your advice about love..." Twilight said, blushing.

Cadence coughed on her tea, setting her cup down and looked at her sister in law in shock.

"Twilight? Are you in love?" She asked, then smiled, "Oh this is wonderful news. Who is it? Is it a stallion or a mare? Are you starting a herd?" Cadence leaned in, eyes wide with excitement now. This was her area of expertise after all.

Twilight leaned back, "N-no, no no! I-I'm not seeing anyone. I-I mean I hope to one day, but I am having some dating trouble is all. Y-yeah that's it."

Cadene blinked, tilting her head as she sat back, "Oh. Well, how can I help?"

With an additional calming breath, Twilight began.  “I need you to remove my affections toward someone.”  

The silent pause that followed lasted so long, one could have heard a pin drop.  

Cadence simply eyed the younger Alicorn before her.  “You...want me...to make you...not like someone?”

“Precisely.”  Twilight said resolutely with a nod.

To say that the Princess of Love was taken aback would be a grand understatement.  She would’ve taken the request as an insult on par with a slap in the face had it not come from her friend and sister in law.  “Twily...I can't...do that.”

“Yes, yes you can actually!”  The purple mare said encouragingly.

With a pull of her magic, Twilight brought over a number of scrolls and held them out for Cadence to see. Perhaps a bit to close, as Twilight stood up and started leaning in towards Cadence.

"I've done the equations, and with a simple harmonic reversal we should be able to turn your Affection Enhancement spell into a Affection Nullification spell. I have charts and graphs made to show the exact wave length of the spell and everything!" Twilight said as she stuffed the charts into Cadence's face.

Cadence pushed the charts out of her vision, "Twilight," She gasped, "What would make you even think I would use magic to force another pony to feel a way they shouldn't?"

"But you did it to that one pony couple back in Canterlot when I was a filly." Twilight said, still leaning in.

"Oh," Cadence said with a wince, "Th-that isn't what it looked like. I mean, sure my spell can often make ponies feel affection for another pony they normally wouldn't, but I am simply amplifying emotions that are already there. And they were fighting, if they didn't really love each other it shouldn't have worked as well as it did."

Twilight pouted, putting away the charts. She sulked a moment before another idea came. She smiled and pulled more charts and books, "Well in that case, I have a better idea!"

'Oh no.' Cadence thought with worry. What could be better then magical mind control?

“I did some research, and while I did have to crack open some of the more forbidden texts in the Starswirl wing,  as well as a bunch of medial text books, but its just as possible to surgically remove feelings physically as well as magically!”  Cadence couldn't ignore that manic look she saw in the purple mare’s eye, the one she knew all too well, and it scared her every time.  “It's just a matter of brain chemistry!”  She continued in a mentally strained voice, one of her eyes twithing.

Cadence gulped, leaning into her chair in slight worry and fear. She had to remind herself to have  a talk with Spike about contacting her when Twilight needed help. The little dragon could be very intuitive with Twilight's problems and having him contact her sooner might help prevent things like this.

“All you need to do is just SCOOP those chemicals out!  And everything with be hunky dory!”  She punctuated with a maniacal chuckle to herself.  

‘Much sooner, Spike much, much sooner.’ Cadence thought, fear being replaced with dread.

“So as you can see! YOU CAN! Let's get this started…” Twilight chirped as she pulled a cart over to Cadence's chair, unveiling a number of medial instruments; half of them Cadence had no idea what they were used for. 

“WHOA! WHOA!” Grabbing hold of Twilight's hoof she sat the mare back down.  “Let me be clear;  I am NOT gonna DO that.”  

Oblivious the grisly task she was asking to be inflicted upon herself Twilight seemed crestfallen.  “But-But it will work! Let me show you the-”

“Twily…”  The pink princess said in her best stern motherly tone. “I am not going to open your head and take a melon baller to your brain.”  

“I-it's a hypodermic…"

"No!" Cadence interrupted with a shout, pushing the cart away. She set her sister in law back on her chair with a sigh.

Sitting back down herself, taking calming breathes, Cadence asked, "Twilight. Why do you need me to take away your feelings for someone?"

Twilight bit her lip, "B-because...because. Ugh! Because its getting in the way!"

Cadence blinked at the outburst, but Twilight kept going.

"I've tried everything to forget about him. I even went on speed dates. The first time failed, but I figured that I needed to try again. So I went to Canterlot. Then Manehatten with Rarity when we were helping set up her shop there. I must have had twelve hundred and seventy four dates. None of them ever worked out, because I always end up think about Ca-uh him."

Cadence smiled softly, placing her hoof on Twilight's, "Twilight, love is not something that just goes away. And it isn't based in quantity, if you truly care about someone, then no amount of dates or magical brain washing will make it go away."

"But I have to make it go away!" Twilight shouted, before sobbing into her hooves.

Cadence blinked in surprise, before moving over and wrapping Twilight into her hooves and asked softly, "Twilight. Why do you need to do that?"

"Because he already has somepony and I can't just go up and tell her that I want him too. She doesn't deserve that after finally finding someone that makes her happy." Twilight sobbed, "So I have to make these feelings go away."

Cadence rubbed Twilight's back, "Twilight. It's okay to have feelings for someone, even if they are with another. But you first need to come to terms with what your feelings are for this person before you can do anything else?"

Twilight sniffled, "Come to terms?"

Cadence sighed, "Love is a wonderful thing Twilight, but too often ponies confuse lust, or desire for it. A lot of young fillies often find their hearts broken because of this inability to differentiate between love and lust. Even in herds, some ponies are only in the herd for the sex, and care little for the others. Those herds always end terribly. So you need to ask, how does this person make you feel?"

Twilight lifted her head, wipe at her eyes with a sniff, "W-well...H-he is an intellectual scholar. He understands more about magic and alchemical algorithm then anyone I've met. He never laughs at any of my theories, and he is always willing to experiment with already proven facts; unlike most other scholars."

"He sounds like a smart one." Cadence said with a  smile.

"But its more then that," Twilight said, looking up at her sister in law, "He's a caring person, always willing to help and he never lashes at ponies when they are mean to him, but he also won't let them hurt the pony he loves. But despite the animosity that ponies feel for him, he still tries to help them and doesn't ask anything in return. In fact, a lot of the new theories we've created were meant to make life easier for ponies in Equestria and beyond."

"Oh, he sounds like a shining knight." Cadence giggled. 

"Well, no...I wouldn't say that," Twilight said, biting her lip.

"Oh?" Cadence tilted her head, "Why?"

"Well," Twilight started, "He's done a lot of bad things. He regrets a lot of what he had to do, you can see it in his eyes when he talks about it. He's has a lot of emotional pain he keeps inside."

"Well, he sounds like a complicated man." Cadence said.

"I know, but that's what I...what I find so attractive about him. How he can keep such a happy smile, even despite everything he has to deal with. How he can act so...normal. He always make little faces when he is concentrating on a difficult task or problem," Twilight giggled, "And when he holds a baby, he talks to them in this adorable voice and uses baby talk. He does the same thing to kittens and puppies."

Cadence giggled.

"Oh and one time, when all of us went out to a bar to celebrate Rainbow Dashes birthday, she challanged him to a drinking contest. Of course, he never bothered to tell her that human alcohol has a stronger percentage then equestrian alcohol," Twilight chuckled, "Dashie wasn't happy when she came to the next morning and found out. She still demands a rematch."

Twilight sighed, "Frankly, I'm amazed at how normal he can appear and act. And when he has to be a leader, he goes about it with confidence. Sometimes I'm jealous of the confidence he has. I'm an Alicorn, but sometimes I feel like I'm failing in my responsibilities as Princess of Friendship."

"Oh, you do wonderfully Twilight," Cadence hugged Twilight, "you're still young, but as you mature you will improve in your role as a princess. I felt just like you did one day, just like Celestia and Luna."

"Thanks," Twilight smiled, hugging Cadence back.

"Still, you said that this person is with someone else. Who is she?" Cadence asked.

"She's a shy pony. Sometimes, maybe too shy," Twilight giggled, "But she has a strong heart."

Twilight frowned, "But still, that didn't stop ponies from treating her badly in the past. A lot of them have stopped, but there are still a few who mistreat her simply because she found someone who loves her. But despite that, I can see that as long as she has him, she can endure anything. And he cares the same for her. They have even started a family. Only a monster would try to tamper with that happiness."

"Is that why you won't talk to her?" Cadence asked.

Twilight winced, and looked down, "Sh-she doesn't deserve to have me just come up and say, Hey I want him too. She might feel pressured just because I'm a princess. And I'm her friend, what kind of friend just goes up and says that?"

"Well, what about a herd? Have you asked her about that?" Cadence asked.

Twilight blushed, "A h-herd? Th-that...I-I mean, I didn't...but I don't think I could....I don't even know if she swings that way. Or if he would even consider it. He is...different." 

Cadence sighed, "Oh Twilight. I can see that you don't understand the real meaning behind a herd."

Twilight blinked, "What do you mean? Isn't that what herds are? Ponies coming together in an informal group of equal minded sex partners to help increase fertility and genetic spreading to help avoid inbreeding? That's been the historical pretext of the herd for Equestrian history given that our population has a higher percentage ratio of mares to stallions."

Cadence sighed, "Yes...there's that. But that's only the physical side. I know most books only talk about that, but there is more to the Herd then just sex Twilight. Let me explain."

Twilight nodded and listened.

"Herds are more then just ponies grouping up for multiple sex partners," Cadence said, smirking as Twilight blushed, "True herds, real long lasting herds, are made up of ponies who care about each other not just for sex, but because they are about the well being of that pony. Old or young, a real herd is more of an extended family then just an informal orgy group. Herd members need to be there for their fellow members through tough and happy times, to offer a shoulder to cry on. A hug when they need it. Just like your immediate family would. When you invite a pony into your herd, your not only asking them to be family to you and yours, but telling them that you trust them on a very personal level. That's how the best herds survive for so long, sometimes generations at a time." 

"Oh. That does sound nice." Twilight said, smiling.

"Yes, in fact you could say you're already in one." Cadence said.

"I am?" Twilight asked, confused.

"Your friends. You all trust each other. You care about each other. You help each other in the hard times. Applejack shows it the most I think. Remember when you told me about the Flim Flam  brothers and how you and your friends all worked to help the Apple Family keep their farm. Applejack considered you part of her family, and that is just like being in a herd." Cadence said with a smile.

Twilight frowned, "I never thought of it like that."

Cadence smiled and nuzzled Twilight, "Oh Twilight. I know you're scared. You're worried that maybe you will mess up your friendship. Or worse, being rejected. But you have to talk with Castus and Fluttershy and tell them how you feel. Especially Castus. Either you will be accepted or rejected, at least then you will be able to move on. Otherwise, you'll tear yourself apart from the inside."

Twilight sniffed, "I-I guess-WAIT!"

Twilight shot up, a look of horror on her face, "Wh-h-how did you know I was talking about Fluttershy and Castus!?"

Cadence rolled her eyes, "Come on Twilight, I'm the Princess of Love and I know both Fluttershy and Castus. It wasn't hard to figure out who you were talking about."

"I-I-I-Oh dear." Twilight slumped in her chair, blushing.

Cadence laughed, "Oh Twilight. Dear, sweet, innocent Twilight." She reached over and hugged the blushing alicorn.

The study door opening, made the two separate and look to see who was entering. It was Spike, leaning in through a crack in the door.

"Hey," the purple dragon said, "Sorry if I'm interrupting Twilight, but someones at the door."

"Who is it Spike?" Twilight asked.

"It's Castus."

"-Eeeeep!!" Twilight sank into her chair, "Wh-what is he doing here?!"

"Uh, its your weekly get together. Remember?" Spike deadpanned.

"What!?" Twilight shrieked, and she pulled out her scheduling book, and to her horror saw that she had scheduled Cadence's visit on the same day as Her's and Castus' meetings.

"Spike!" Twilight shouted, "Why didn't you tell me!?"

Spike shrugged, "I thought you were inviting Cadence to join. You did have Starlight over a few times, and I think you said something about having Moondancer over as well."

"Oh nononononononnoononononono!" Twilight started to panic, "What do I do!?"

Cadence giggled, watching as Twilight panicked. If she needed any proof that the bookish alicorn was in love with the human Castus, this was all she needed.

Twilight continued to look around in a panic, before that look of an idea came to her face, "........just....tell him I'm not here."

"He's...." Spike started

"Yeah," Twilight flew over to Spike and leaned in against his face, "that's it!  Tell him I stepped out for important business in the Crystal Empire,  that kinda works right?"

"Twilight....." Spike started again, leaning back with scared eyes.

"No wait, he might use that waygate to check on me if it sounds really important." Twilight bit her hoof as she tried to think of another reason.

"Tell him it's a family matter,  I needed to talk to Cadence about a personal matter!" She said again, her face looking a cross between manic and worried

"Twilight, I already..."

"No! No!" Twilight pulled on her mane in frustration, "That sounds like I have some kind of disease! After the last time we talked, I don't want him to think that I...."

"If we need to reschedule." Castus said, walking in

"EEEEEEEK!!!" Twilight shrieked, flying into the air and back into a book case.

"I already let him in." Spike deadpanned, face clawing.

Cadence burst into laughter, wiping a tear from her eyes.

"Hello Castus," Cadence said, once she had collected herself.

"Hello Cadence," Castus said with a nod as he stepped over, "how are Shining and Flurry?"

"Oh they are doing good. Flurry Heart will be starting her first day in magic preschool." Cadence said, smiling in delight of her daughter's first day of school.

Castus chuckled, "Good. Maybe I'll suffer less second degree burns when I see her again."

Cadence groaned, "Oh will you ever let that go. We said we were sorry, we didn't realize that she had managed to counter act her normal inhibitor spell."

"Oh, three hundred years more or so." Castus said with a  smirk.

Cadence giggled, "Oh don't be ridiculous now."

Castus chuckled, before looking up, "So uh...is this a bad time again?" 





Castus sighed as he rubbed his head. He was still trying to figure out what to do after coming back from Twilights; who they had both agreed to put their meeting off for tomorrow. She had looked like she wanted to say more, but she seemed to flustered or scared to say so. So after a few last bits of conversation with Cadence, he had gone home with more questions, and suspicions.

'Twilight. What am I going to do with you?' He thought.

He was sure by now that Twilight had a thing for him. And he would be lying if he didn't find her attractive in her own right. He had to come to terms with that. But whatever they had, had to remain as friends. He had a woman, er well mare, that he loved and two beautiful daughters. He wouldn't compromise that for anyone, or anypony.

'I'll have to let her down gently. Twilight's a good friend, but....damn it things like this never work out.' He thought with another sigh of defeat.

"Something wrong?"

Castus looked up and saw Fluttershy sit down next to him. For a few brief moments, he focused more on the lingerie she wore and how its veil like fabric clung to ever curve of her. 

"Girls asleep?" He asked, licking his lips.

Fluttershy nodded, "Yes."

Castus smiled and slid his arm around Fluttershy's waist, and pulled her as he leaned back on the couch. She followed, laying on him as she planted a kiss on his lips.

"Mmm, you know," Castus said after the kiss, "I know a spell that can...make a sound barrier around a room. No one could hear us."

Fluttershy giggled, "Tempting. But lets wait. I want to know how your meeting with Twilight went." 

"Are you sure you want to know, or do you just like teasing me?" Castus smirked, sucking a breath as Fluttershy grinded gently against him.

She giggled, "Just tell me." Her slow motions of her body coming to a stop.

Castus rolled his eyes, "Well, it was uneventful. Cadence was there today. We had a nice chat."

"Oh, how is Cadence? Is little Flurry Heart doing okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh she's fine. And Flurry will be starting Magic Pre-school soon. Hopefully she can learn to keep that magic of hers under control. It will do the world a lot of good," Castus rubbed his face, "Or at least keep me safe."

Fluttershy patted his cheek, "It wasn't so bad."

"You weren't the one getting blasted from a tiny sneeze." Castus smirked.

Fluttershy smiled, "And what about Twilight?"

"Oh, Twilight was okay. As well as she can be." Castus said with a shrug.

"What did you talk about?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, nothing much. We didn't talk long, we had to reschedule the normal discussion for tomorrow."

Fluttershy tilted her head, "Oh? Why?"

"Eh, complications." Castus said.

"What kind?" Fluttershy asked.

"Its nothing. Just some minor things she and I gotta work out." Castus said, kissing Fluttershy's forehead.

"Hmmm," Fluttershy hummed. Her hoof traced small circles on Castus' chest.

"Castus, what do you think of Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

Castus blinked, "Huh? Uh, she's fine."

"Fine? That's all?" Fluttershy looked at Castus intently, "You don't think she's pretty?"

Castus blinked again, "Waaait. This is that game you girls like to play right? You ask me if your friend is pretty. I say yes, you get mad at me. I say no, you get mad at me. Right? That trick question thing."

Fluttershy playfully slapped Castus chest, "No. I really want to know. I promise I won't get mad."

"You sure?" Castus asked cautiously.

"Yes," Fluttershy said with a roll of her eyes, "Now tell me."

"Okay, okay. What do I think of Twilight?" Castus asked again as he thought, "Well she is good with magic, and she is a hell of a fellow minded scholar."

"And?" Fluttershy asked.

Castus sighed, "And she's cute. In a librarian sort of way. Heck, she's gorgeous in her own way. But nothing compared to you babe." Castus kissed Fluttershy once more.

"Mmmm," Fluttershy hummed as the kiss ended, "Oh? but she's a princess. And an Alicorn. I'm just a simple Pegasus."

"Your my Pegasus though." Castus said with a smile.

"And you will always be my human." Fluttershy smiled back, "Still..."

"Still what?" Castus asked.

"I was wondering. That....well..." Fluttershy started to blush, and she hid her face in her mane; as she always did when she wanted to talk about something she was shy about.

"Hey, come on babe," Castus said softly, pushing back Shy's mane, "You can tell me."

Fluttershy smiled, but the blush never faded, "Well. I was just thinking that...maybe we should ask Twilight out on a date."

Castus blinked, "A date? Like a date as in hanging out, or a...date, date?" 

"A date date silly. To see if she wanted to start a herd with us." Fluttershy said, giving a shy smile.

Castus blinked, "Uh? Herd? You mean a ...herd, herd? Or a..."

A knock at the door made the two lovers jolt up, and look to the front door.

Looking at each other, Fluttershy pulled the quilt on the couch up and around her, while Castus stood up and walked toward the door.

Slowly, he opened and peeked outside. 

It was Twilight.

"Twilight?" Castus said, surprised as he opened the door fully.

"H-hi Castus. Fluttershy. Oh!" Twilight blushed, as Fluttershy came into view.

"Hello Twilight." Fluttershy smiled.

"I-I'm not interrupting anything...am I?" Twilight asked, looking down with her cheeks flushed.

"Uh, no. What brings you out here at this hour?" Castus asked.

"Uh, well...um." Twilight coughed, cleared her throat and looked up at the two of them.

"Castus. Fluttershy. There's uh....something I need to talk to you about." Twilight said.