"It's optics, you absolute moron!" She rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Have you even considered what will happen if your job found out about any of this? Did that thought really never cross your mind even once?"
This is the one element of the whole situation I call bull on. Shining is a cop. Even when cops shoot children they can just claim they were somehow being threatening, and then just get put on paid administrative leave for a couple of months, our justice system applying no meaningful consequences 99% of the time. And cheating on his fiancé with a recently legal woman is nothing in comparison.
10831833 That doesn't apply evenly across all organizations. Cop in a big city where corruption is normal? Sure. Cop in a smaller town where everyone knows them? Not a chance.
Cop even in a larger town where the parties involved are prominent, visible members of the community, and one of them (as lead of a prestigious private school) has political connections? Especially if that party with political connections gets their message out first? Not generally compatible with continued employment. At the very least, not in the position he currently holds; at best, it'd be a fast transfer to whatever position makes him the least visible to the public.
The main reason that hasn't happened? Cadence isn't finished yet; when it comes to blackmail, the worst thing you can do is rush through it.
An interesting bit of drama. I think it's safe to say the Cadance from EQD/Canterlot High's world would never have become the Princess of Love in Equestria. 10831833 Aside from your statement being both factually incorrect and irrelevant to the story, they're in EQD/Canterlot High's world. Your belief about what happens in this country on this world doesn't define how it works in theirs. Many professions across every culture, especially ones with the potential to be life-long careers, look poorly on people who break their marriage vows, as it raises issues about trust and commitment; although they aren't married yet (and it seems unlikely at this point), they were still publicly engaged after a ten-year relationship. Shining Armor in Equestria held a senior officer's rank, which is guaranteed to have security clearances. In nearly every country on Earth, our world, someone with security clearances will have them revoked if they get divorced, and having a divorce in someone's history is a nearly-insurmountable obstacle to overcome to obtain them in the first place. There's no reason to believe that the same principles don't hold true in any other culture in any dimension.
Considering that Twilight here is bringing up Shining Armor's parallel self's accomplishments as part of her disappointment with him, it's easy to see the motivation behind her statements and how her concerns are applicable.
10831969 Though Shining and Cadence weren’t fully married yet, only being engaged. Still doesn’t look that good, but he does have proof that she was unfaithful first.
10832120 Then that would call into question his ability to judge the character, motivations, and intentions of others, which would still be potentially damaging to his career. If nothing else, it would keep him in positions where all he's doing is processing paperwork (an extremely important function of any police force that is improperly looked down upon; without someone to process paperwork, literally nothing else is possible in a modern bureaucracy), which may not be what he wants to do.
The greater concern here, however, is still what's coming next for Cadence, because I can promise you that she isn't finished; she has become (quite happily, it seems) an agent of chaos in this mess. She's already started causing destruction in the lives of others, and she won't stop. I have a feeling that part of the reason Rarity is meeting with her is to figure out what it will take for her to leave them alone; the answer will most likely be "nothing." This isn't about getting Shining back, or about getting even with them; this is about punishment. Cadence is sour about the wish that she made by sending Shining with the girls to the mountain; she got what she asked for, but not what she wanted; what she wanted to to burden Shining with guilt she that he'd come groveling to her, which would allow her to write off her (ostensibly) broken promise about her own unfaithfulness, assuming she ever even brought it up; she wanted power that she could use to control him, so that any time he objected to her breaking a promise she made, she could dredge that up and frame it as way worse to shut him up, or whenever he wanted to do something she didn't approve of, dredge it up and frame it as her being so forgiving when he broke a promise to shut him down.
Like I said earlier, Shining was never a mate or partner for Cadence; he was an accessory. She never loved him, and probably could never love him; she's too in love with herself.
10832232 Oh no doubts or disagreements there! Cadence has certainly revealed herself as a top rate narcissist. Things didn’t work out the way she wanted, instead turned against her, so now she’s out to simply destroy. Quite happily, it seems. It’s telling in the version of events she told Twilight: she was the victim here. Shining was unfaithful, seduced by Rarity, one of Twilights closest friends. They’re the ones ruining lives and friendships. It’s good that Shining knew how to talk Twilight into hearing out the full story. Cause Cadence was definitely gaslighting.
i for one would be very interested in reading the text message Twilight sent to Rarity, and i'm excited to see how Rarity's lunch with Cadance is going to turn out
10832382 And that’s the key point of good manipulation: avoidance of lies. Lies overcomplicate, and ultimately truth will come to light. But, if you instead control the narrative? Keep certain parts of the truth out of it (which could be argued as a form of lying by omission)? It’s a major component of gaslighting, turning others against you.
10832382 No, she did outright lie in addition to omitting things.
If Twilight noticed, she said nothing. "When you stopped responding to her texts, she went to check on you and found you, in bed, with the blue-eyed skank who used to be my best friend. After that, everything just fell into place."
In the previous chapter, when Cadance showed up, she yanked down Shining Armor's pants practically in his doorway and ignored most of the times he was saying "No". Rarity was in the kitchen cooking Alfredo, fully clothed.
10832528 Yeah, but that's the one lie she could get away with; there is no way to provide evidence to confirm or deny it, so it's one word against another.
Of course, this depends on other information not casting doubt onto the statement; Cadence either didn't think that could happen, or didn't care because she was convinced that Twilight wouldn't listen no matter what. Again, she's a narcissist, so of course Twilight would believe her even over her own brother, because that's how incredible she is.
10832557 Definitely, it's a he-said she-said quagmire. It changes the nature of Cadance's actions somewhat though that she did falsify information to Twilight; this isn't just some narcissist looking for sympathy points by leaving out her side of the blame, she is a narcissist actively trying to harm those who aren't feeding her self-image any longer and inaccurately portraying herself as the victim.
you had twilight end still way to high and mighty here, to be frank she wasn't 'wronged' the fact shining armor is her brother or rarity her friend is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things as there both adults neither of whom twilight has any personal control over. whatever twilight said to rarity is without argument in the wrong but these perceived wrongs to her are non-existent
This is the one element of the whole situation I call bull on. Shining is a cop. Even when cops shoot children they can just claim they were somehow being threatening, and then just get put on paid administrative leave for a couple of months, our justice system applying no meaningful consequences 99% of the time. And cheating on his fiancé with a recently legal woman is nothing in comparison.
Oh boy! Cady, you manipulative ice queen.
10831864
What if Chrysalis murdered Cadence and stole her identity a long time ago? Fake documents, plastic surgery, etc..
10831833
That doesn't apply evenly across all organizations. Cop in a big city where corruption is normal? Sure. Cop in a smaller town where everyone knows them? Not a chance.
Cop even in a larger town where the parties involved are prominent, visible members of the community, and one of them (as lead of a prestigious private school) has political connections? Especially if that party with political connections gets their message out first? Not generally compatible with continued employment. At the very least, not in the position he currently holds; at best, it'd be a fast transfer to whatever position makes him the least visible to the public.
The main reason that hasn't happened? Cadence isn't finished yet; when it comes to blackmail, the worst thing you can do is rush through it.
Great chapter!
What does Cadance have planned for Rarity?
An interesting bit of drama. I think it's safe to say the Cadance from EQD/Canterlot High's world would never have become the Princess of Love in Equestria.
10831833
Aside from your statement being both factually incorrect and irrelevant to the story, they're in EQD/Canterlot High's world. Your belief about what happens in this country on this world doesn't define how it works in theirs. Many professions across every culture, especially ones with the potential to be life-long careers, look poorly on people who break their marriage vows, as it raises issues about trust and commitment; although they aren't married yet (and it seems unlikely at this point), they were still publicly engaged after a ten-year relationship. Shining Armor in Equestria held a senior officer's rank, which is guaranteed to have security clearances. In nearly every country on Earth, our world, someone with security clearances will have them revoked if they get divorced, and having a divorce in someone's history is a nearly-insurmountable obstacle to overcome to obtain them in the first place. There's no reason to believe that the same principles don't hold true in any other culture in any dimension.
Considering that Twilight here is bringing up Shining Armor's parallel self's accomplishments as part of her disappointment with him, it's easy to see the motivation behind her statements and how her concerns are applicable.
10831969
Though Shining and Cadence weren’t fully married yet, only being engaged. Still doesn’t look that good, but he does have proof that she was unfaithful first.
Boo, now I cannot wait until the next chapter
10832120
Then that would call into question his ability to judge the character, motivations, and intentions of others, which would still be potentially damaging to his career. If nothing else, it would keep him in positions where all he's doing is processing paperwork (an extremely important function of any police force that is improperly looked down upon; without someone to process paperwork, literally nothing else is possible in a modern bureaucracy), which may not be what he wants to do.
The greater concern here, however, is still what's coming next for Cadence, because I can promise you that she isn't finished; she has become (quite happily, it seems) an agent of chaos in this mess. She's already started causing destruction in the lives of others, and she won't stop. I have a feeling that part of the reason Rarity is meeting with her is to figure out what it will take for her to leave them alone; the answer will most likely be "nothing." This isn't about getting Shining back, or about getting even with them; this is about punishment. Cadence is sour about the wish that she made by sending Shining with the girls to the mountain; she got what she asked for, but not what she wanted; what she wanted to to burden Shining with guilt she that he'd come groveling to her, which would allow her to write off her (ostensibly) broken promise about her own unfaithfulness, assuming she ever even brought it up; she wanted power that she could use to control him, so that any time he objected to her breaking a promise she made, she could dredge that up and frame it as way worse to shut him up, or whenever he wanted to do something she didn't approve of, dredge it up and frame it as her being so forgiving when he broke a promise to shut him down.
Like I said earlier, Shining was never a mate or partner for Cadence; he was an accessory. She never loved him, and probably could never love him; she's too in love with herself.
10832232
Oh no doubts or disagreements there! Cadence has certainly revealed herself as a top rate narcissist. Things didn’t work out the way she wanted, instead turned against her, so now she’s out to simply destroy. Quite happily, it seems.
It’s telling in the version of events she told Twilight: she was the victim here. Shining was unfaithful, seduced by Rarity, one of Twilights closest friends. They’re the ones ruining lives and friendships.
It’s good that Shining knew how to talk Twilight into hearing out the full story. Cause Cadence was definitely gaslighting.
Nice story more more more.
10832250
she didn't actually say anything that wasn't true, but she omitted her part of the blame.
i for one would be very interested in reading the text message Twilight sent to Rarity, and i'm excited to see how Rarity's lunch with Cadance is going to turn out
10832382
And that’s the key point of good manipulation: avoidance of lies. Lies overcomplicate, and ultimately truth will come to light. But, if you instead control the narrative? Keep certain parts of the truth out of it (which could be argued as a form of lying by omission)? It’s a major component of gaslighting, turning others against you.
10832382
No, she did outright lie in addition to omitting things.
In the previous chapter, when Cadance showed up, she yanked down Shining Armor's pants practically in his doorway and ignored most of the times he was saying "No". Rarity was in the kitchen cooking Alfredo, fully clothed.
10832528
Yeah, but that's the one lie she could get away with; there is no way to provide evidence to confirm or deny it, so it's one word against another.
Of course, this depends on other information not casting doubt onto the statement; Cadence either didn't think that could happen, or didn't care because she was convinced that Twilight wouldn't listen no matter what. Again, she's a narcissist, so of course Twilight would believe her even over her own brother, because that's how incredible she is.
This Cadence seems like a personality blend of both canon Cadence and Chrysalis.
10832557
Definitely, it's a he-said she-said quagmire. It changes the nature of Cadance's actions somewhat though that she did falsify information to Twilight; this isn't just some narcissist looking for sympathy points by leaving out her side of the blame, she is a narcissist actively trying to harm those who aren't feeding her self-image any longer and inaccurately portraying herself as the victim.
It’s nice to see them make up, but I can’t see Rarity and Cadance’s meeting going well. O boy, can’t wait for next chapter
you had twilight end still way to high and mighty here, to be frank she wasn't 'wronged' the fact shining armor is her brother or rarity her friend is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things as there both adults neither of whom twilight has any personal control over. whatever twilight said to rarity is without argument in the wrong but these perceived wrongs to her are non-existent