Forbidden Fruit

by NocturneD85

Chapter 4

Forbidden Fruit

By NocturneD

chapter 4 audio is here.

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It was not an easy three days. I tried to set my mind off both Shining Armor and Big Macintosh by enjoying the luxuries the castle had to offer. I dined on the fine foods. I was entertained by the set up Celestia arranged during one of her high society parties for the nobles. Shining Armor and I were supposed to attend together but with the recent... uh... The recent break up between Shining Armor and I, we decided to go separately. To my surprise aunt Celestia invited Twilight and her friends to the party.

I kept my nose clean all night. But knowing how I was brushed off by Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and the rest. This was going to be a disaster waiting to happen. I dressed myself in my best clothes, but with the news that spread all over Canterlot like wildfire. I'm sure I'm not going to go ten feet without over hearing about my stupid mistake from the guests. I was not even sure I should even attend this party but aunt Celestia coaxed me into coming. Assuring that there will not be any fights or heated arguments in her presence. Well that is good... I suppose... The party was what you would call a party in terms of rich pony. Caviar, expensive wines, shrimp. Classical music playing in the background.

So that night. I tried to make myself look good but not over the top saying, "Hey I cheated, I know you hate me but I'm still good looking." No. I was still being a sour puss over this. I just stayed near my aunts as the party began until I felt better. Well that was not the case. I was still miserable but still kept on smiling. But the guests, the ones that actually wanted to keep this fire going can easily see through my lame smile. But they knew better. They knew not to cuss at royalty no matter how much they think I robbed them of their time and tax bits. Just for me to look good in a dress. I can apologize a million times nicely or beg, but they do not care. They feed off of this attention. Do I feel terrible about it? Yes.

Twilight Sparkle just kept close to her friends all night and would only come over to talk to my aunt unless I left her side. Still I could feel her distrust in me. The others; Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. When they looked at me, they only smiled and nodded. Guess maybe they felt they did not need to be mad at me or something. I don't know. Why am I being so paranoid about this? But something caught my attention. I asked if there was supposed to be another friend in their group one with a rainbow mane. Pinkie and Fluttershy looked at each other then back to me saying that she could not make it that night and had to work overtime. Pinkie Pie told me that somepony else came in her place since it would be a waste of an invitation. I was wondering who else they could have brought. I scanned around the room. I already counted Pinkie and Fluttershy. Twilight Sparkle talking with Shining Armor over at the punch bowl but to my dismay, Rarity was putting on the whole, "I'm interested. Tell me more you hot stud" expression. Oh how my blood started to boil as soon as I saw Shining Armor actually giver her his full attention. Sure it seems harmless you might think but with a stallion on what might seem to be the rebound you can't be too careful. I was not too pleased. Call it jealousy if you want, but I have to talk to Shining Armor by the end of tonight or else.

But something was building up inside of me. Was it fear? Was it desperation? Or was it jealousy? Actual jealousy that my husband is being flirted with by a pony that was one of my brides maids. Part of me wants to go over there and smack Rarity over the head but I just cannot do that. Suddenly, Twilight turned her head and glanced at me. And greeted me with a frown. Still, the feeling of betrayal must be flowing in her mind, just labeling me as a stupid drunken harlot or thinking I will bend my legs over my head and lay on my back for any pony. Rarity and Twilight finally moved away from Shining Armor to go talk with other ponies.

Good now was my chance. I prepared to walk over in his direction but then froze half way realizing. What was I going to say to him? Sorry that I could not hold my liquor and slept with another stallion, let's get back together? No that sounds stupid. If he truly loved me and still did, then he would not hold this against me. Sure the trust might be gone for now but really I do love him. I shook my thoughts loose and just decided to say what was from the heart. If only if it were that easy.

"Shining Armor?" I asked as I approached him.

He stirred his punch with a straw then slowly looked back at me and spoke with a plain look on his face, "Oh hey. Enjoying the party?"

Oh hey? Oh hey? That's all he could say?

"Er... Yes sort of." I fumbled with my words.

He sipped his drink and then placed the glass onto the table, "So... How's it like being back in the castle?"

"...Fine... Just fine." I answered simply. Oh dear Celestia, it sounds like when we first met not knowing what to say to each other. I brushed my hoof into the expensive marble tile and kept slurring my speech, "So... How have you been doing?"

He nodded his head slowly, "Well, being a captain put a lot of stress on me to the point where I could not focus and my performance suffered under pressure." He let out a disappointed sigh, "It was in the better interest that I was demoted and some pony who had a lot of time to fill in the position better than me."

"But you were happy being captain were you not?" I asked, I was surprised at this. But inside I knew he only got that promotion to captain because of our engagement. Call that a little push. Don't be surprised either because that's how some guards or workers get to the top is engaging with the family of business. In a way, yes I did feel bad that he got demoted. How far he would not tell me.

"To be honest... At first it sounded great. I would get more money, I would be higher on the ladder. But..." He shook his head then turned to fill up his glass again, "The job was so demanding where I had to sacrifice a lot of time just to make sure everything was in working order. Had to teach the new recruits, give them training, do drills with them. Give orientations. Also had to get to know them better as Lieutenant Colonel Fire Starter would say, better to know your teams strengths and weaknesses than sending an unknown off to battle. Then there is me being an instructor at the guard academy, lesson plans were terrible as I often figured no pony was really listening to me. Then have to help run the combat training center. Also have to keep a quota up."

I only nodded. I knew there was a lot of responsibility of being captain.This what he was really doing from sunrise to sunset. Coming home dead tired, sometimes not even wanting to eat. He would bring paperwork home with him to grade the new recruits knowledge and then fall asleep while grading them. That was one of his responsibilities of being a captain. Being an instructor to the new recruits and testing them to make sure they get the idea. But mostly from what I managed to read from his material is how to stand like a guard, how to respond like a guard. How to act like a guard. How difficult could that be? Well, from seeing how troublesome the recruits he was assigned to teach I could see why it would be tough. You come in thinking you're going to be the strongest pony then you come out different from what you expected.

"I'm... very sorry to hear about that." I tried to sound sincere.

"Yeah... and look where it got me." He scoffed.

"Surely there was something that you liked about that position." I asked him, trying to get his hopes back up like when were only married for a few weeks.

"I... I like teaching." He chuckled. "Gives you a real challenge to pass your own knowledge onto another pony so someday they can use it and pass it onto another pony."

I gave a soft giggle, "You sound like you would be an excellent teacher."

He let out another sigh, "That's probably what I should have gone for actually. My family are a bunch of scholars anyway. Mom is a history teacher, dad is a professor down at the university. What Twilight might be in the future, probably teach at the school for gifted unicorns I bet."

"Then... why not go for it?" I managed to smile.

"I don't know... I was thinking lately if I did not join up in the first place... then I uh..." He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah sorry to take this off track but I know why you're over here and... I just want to say sorry for calling you a bitch and not wanting to listen."

This had me weeping for joy... at first...

"Honey, I understand that you were mad and I'm very sorry too. And I hope in you're heart that maybe we can..."

"Um. About that actually." His voice trailed off, "I'm sorry but I don't know. I... Just can't take that kind of mistrust anymore."

Now cue the waterworks... In tree... two... one...

I let tears crawl down my cheeks, "But how come? I told you I was sorry. We're married for better or for worse."

He blew air out of his nose and frowned, "I'm sorry but I had some thinking time and thought about this... maybe we... maybe we rushed into marriage too quickly..."

"But... but we were really in love! We even proved that to the changeling queen!" I raised my voice a bit. I did not care if any pony was watching us.

"Yes but maybe we thought we were so sure." He nodded his head slowly.

I could not believe this.

I needed something to wipe my face with or at least hide it.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

Without an expression to read on his face he just said, "I'm sorry that my job took a lot of time our relationship and that we were not around each other as much as we wanted to be. When you're not home I play video games and take care of the bills while you're out babysitting and cutting ribbons for new buildings."

It was true. I did accuse him of ignoring me for video games but I have not been around the house either. Whenever I finish up my day and come home on his day off, I see him sitting on the couch with his eyes glued to the screen playing that Ghost Recon: Future Pony Soldier or whatever he bought a few weeks ago on his Ponybox 720. Knowing he had to get up early the next day he will stop playing when I get home and get ready for bed. He would be sweet and ask me how my day went then we would talk, before I know it when I was finished with my story he would already be asleep. Cute it seems but entirely lame. I still foal sit for many children that has me away from my house. Then there are ribbon cutting ceremonies where the city wants me to attend to unveil a new building just because I was a royal bride. They're probably wishing now that I never did it and thinking that a hussy shopped at their store. Now I fear that the parents I do business with are not going to want me to watch their kids.

"We could not just take one day for ourselves and try to make it work?" I shuttered in sorrow.

"Cadence... you know how work keeps calling me. There's nothing I can do about it, when I get a call it is mandatory to get to the castle." Shining Armor defended.

"So what are you suggesting?" My stomach started to hurt.

"Cadence... I can't leave the guard now. If we get back together then I'm sure we going to be back where we started in this whole thing, barely can catch a glimpse of each other except for mornings and nights." He explained. I knew it hurt him to say this but... it felt like I was stabbed through the heart, "But it feels like we're strangers... I'm sorry but... maybe it is for the better if we split up and think about this..."

No... no... NO!

"Fine..." I whimpered, "Sorry for being such an unsure burden on your career and life!"

"Cadence... Stop crying you're embarrassing yourself." He frowned.

"You want a divorce don't you!" I raised my voice.

"I don... I don't know." He shook his head.

"What happened to the old Shining Armor that would make time no matter what!" I shouted. Now everypony was looking at us. Whispering among themselves. Obviously some of them were taking sides.

Suddenly I heard Twilight's voice from behind me, "I don't know, maybe when he did not have the ball and chain on him."

I gasped, "Twilight?"

She beamed at me, "Cadence. Seriously. Quit whining about how you're sorry. We all know what you are by now."

"Twilight!" Fluttershy gasped.

"Oh no." Pinkie also gasped, but to something else, "There are no cupcakes left on the dessert trays!"

"Cadence. You screw with one Sparkle family member. You screw with all of them." Twilight fumed.

This was obviously crazy Twilight talking. She sometimes got carried away with things.

Suddenly I saw Applejack appear by my side, "Twilight... just let it go. The damage is done and you don't need to get involved. This is between Cadence and Shining Armor and they don't need an audience."

"A little too late for that now." Twilight scoffed. "I'm just trying to defend my brother's honor."

"Twilight. I'm telling you this once as your friend, some pony that cares about you and want to see this marriage fix itself if it can. Just let... it go..." Apple Jack beamed.

"Yeah you been acting so... not like yourself lately." Pinkie munched on a piece of cake. "Well no more stranger than usual."

"Oh shut up Pinkie no pony asked for your stupid opinion." Twilight grunted.

Pinkie dropped her piece of cake. She's a child at heart and with that comment her feelings were hurt too quickly. She started to cry with Fluttershy comforting her with an arm around her.

"Twilight Sparkle..." I heard my aunt do that motherly growl when she is ready to scold a child.

"I'm sorry princess but this is unjustified!" Twilight shouted. "I'm tired of ponies trying to demonize my brother saying he was probably the reason why his marriage is failing! And make Cadence all sweet saying my brother was cheating on her! THAT IS HORSE SHI..."

"Meet me in my study... this instant!" She growled and interrupted before Twilight could finish her sentence. She turned her back expecting Twilight to follow her but the purple unicorn did not. Usually Twilight was scared and did whatever aunt Celestia asked her to do. But not now.

"Twilight..." Shining Armor turned to his sister, "Don't stand up for me. I'm fully capable and yet here you are embarrassing yourself."

"I'm sick of all of this!" Twilight shouted with all of her might and stormed off.

That was so unlike her...

But my eyes were still watering. A red arm came towards my face and offered an old handkerchief. Usually royalty would not want something that looked like a dish rag but in this case I will take anything. I wiped away my tears and thanked the red stallion that offered me a hanky. I looked up and stared at him with wide eyes, "Big... Big Macintosh?"

"Yup..." He yupped I guess. But I could tell he felt uneasy being here. I would learn later that he was the pony that filled in for Rainbow Dash.

"Wait... Big Macintosh?" Shining Armor raised an eyebrow.

"Yup... that's my name." He turned his head while still chewing on a piece of hay.

*BAM*

"BIG MAC!" Apple Jack shouted as she raced to her brother's side.

"This is who you slept with Cadence? THIS INBRED TRAILER TRASH MORON?" Shining Armor shouted, his teeth were gritting.

Before I knew it. Big Macintosh was kneeling on the ground holding his eye and Shining Armor not in a pleasant mood. No. No! NO! I did not want this! Why did you show up Big Macintosh? You're just going to make things worse! But right before my eyes. Big Macintosh rose back to his hoofs like the punch felt like being shot by a paper clip. He put on determined look.

Comments

[djElectrOctavia]

dayum mayum

[Deadsteel]

This is new on fimfiction for me, very exciting

[Sturrn]

Please don't have Big Mac be some kind of badass fighter just because he's strong and an earth pony. Shining is (was) captain of the Royal Guard and one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria, he would put the farmer down so fast it wouldn't even be funny. No formal fighting training and having to fight against magic? Not a chance for the red pony.

I am glad that Twilight didn't bow to Celestia's will immediately. When something this immediate comes to play he's her family and Celestia isn't.
Is Shining actually cheating on her? Isn't that another story you have? And all of this being said, this story is just depressing and makes me glad it took so long to update. I don't read sad fics so if you gave us 10 updates in a week I would probably never read them for over a year. I'm more of a fan of happier romances styled stories. That's purely me and all in all I really enjoy this story.
-Sturrn

[Lazygamer313]

my, Shining Armor seems....calmed and mature with him speaking Cadence again yet completely loses his cool when Big Mac enters the scene. Seems all to....convenient that Big Mac attends the same party in which both Shining Armor and Cadence is in. Did Rainbow Dash skipped out on purpose so Big Mac can go instead? Either way it shall be interesting to see what happens from here. Great writing man, keep up the good work! Best regards

[NocturneD85]

1457961 Well he won't be a super saiyan pony i will tell you that. As for updating the story, i'm almost done with chapter 18 and gonna upload it sometime on fanfiction.net, so if you want to wait so its on here i won't blame you.

[Sturrn]

1459852
I only really head over to that site if a story is outstandingly good or I can't wait...
I'll put my overt pansy-ness away and read up.

[NocturneD85]

1459904 if you want though. I'm trying to take advantage of Fim because its got features that fanfiction.net doesn't. So in a way, stuff might get changed in the profess to look better and brushed up.

[Axel IV]

Very good

[Prince Terrania]

So I just finished Forbidden Fruit on fanfiction.net like you said, and I am contemplating the possibility that it is the best fanfic I've ever read. I'd say this is up there with Anthropology and Eternal in terms of quality.

[SFaccountant]

Aw sheet... Armor, you just opened an ugly can of worms.
However close your family is, you don't have anything on the Apples when it comes to family bonds.

[linkman443]

Well, big mac deserves every punch shining armor throws at him. Thinking he is not goanna be hated as much.