Out of Cadance

by David Silver

9 - Sometimes, It Doesn't Matter

Tempo rejoined Cadance. "Are you alright?"

Cadance inclined an ear at her sister. "I was going to ask the same. You look rattled."

"Today was educational." She smirked faintly at that. "Despite Blueblood's efforts. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Cadance threw a hoof over Tempo, drawing her forward. "Shining is holding my place on a ride I want to be on, and now I'm taking you."

"Hm?" Tempo let herself be drawn towards a line that seemed to lead towards a source of screams. "Is this safe?"

"This'll be great." There was Shining Armor, waving them forward to join them on the line. "The most thrilling ride in this place. Prepare to have your heart leap out of your chest."

Tempo hiked a brow high at that. "I doubt my heart will do that." More quietly, she added, "One needs a heart first." She cleared her throat. "Sister, why are we going towards danger?"

Cadance laughed, giving Tempo an affectionate little shoulder bump. "Oh it just feels scary, it's not really dangerous!" Her eyes shone with anticipation. "The cars do these big fast loops that make your tummy flip."

She mimed the twisting motions with a hoof. "But I'll be right next to you the whole time. We can even hold hooves if it helps!"

Tempo gazed uncertainly towards where ponies were disembarking the ride cars looking windswept but thrilled. She wasn't even sure she could experience physical thrill...but disappointing Cadance didn't sit right either.

"Very well, if you vouch for its safety, I shall try it," she conceded, allowing herself to be pulled along by her sister's energetic pace.

Shining grinned at them as they joined him in line. "That's the spirit! This coaster is awesome, barely ever fatalities." At Tempo's suddenly stricken face he backpedaled. "Uh, joke! Joking. It's super safe."

Cadance just rolled her eyes, smiling. "Ignore his teasing, he's just trying to psych you up more."

She hip-bumped Shining playfully. "But hang on tight all the same!"

As they shuffled closer, Tempo eyed the rickety tracks and near-vertical drops with increasing doubt. But Cadance's reassuring presence beside her remained a comfort. Surely any experience shared with her sister couldn't go too poorly...

Soon they were buckling into the front car, bar lowering securely over their laps. Tempo clutched it with both hooves, ignore her thrumming magic.

"Here we gooo!" Cadance cheered.

With a lurch, the coaster surged forward...and Tempo's screams soon matched everypony else's. But while the others yelled from adrenaline and fun, her wails stemmed more from ballooning regret...

Cadance turned to check Tempo as they climbed a hill slowly. "Isn't this exciting?"

Tempo glanced ahead where the tracks simply ended with open sky ahead. "Too exciting?!" They began tipping forward, her plea turning to a shriek.

Even if she was a doll, she could feel the lurching motions. She wanted to continue existing. The thrill of that potentially being taken away worked on her just as well as anypony else. When they dismounted, she was just as rattled as anypony else there, leaning on Shining and Cadance.

Shining nudged against her gently. "Wow, I was wondering if you'd try stonefacing that, but you were... Sorry, that's mean, you okay? Have fun?"

"I..." Tempo closed her eyes and settled to the side of the traffic. "Mmm... I... Yes." She opened her eyes, smiling at Cadance. "That was fun, mostly because, even... Even when I was scared, I had you and Cadance."

"Aw!" Cadance wrapped her arms around Tempo's neck. "You lovely pony. " She grabbed Shining in her magic, pulling him into the hug. "Best day ever! Or at least this moon. Now, enough excitement. I want something with a view, and quiet." She pointed to the Ferris wheel. "I say we get to the top of that, ogle at the sights, and then maybe we can head home?"

Shining chuckled, wandering away. "I'll get some drinks to enjoy, you grab the line." The couple nodded at one another, accepting the plan easily.

Cadance nudged her sister along. "No thrills or spills here, just a gentle up and down and a lovely thing to watch. This'll be wonderful."

Tempo let out a shaky breath as Cadance guided her toward the gently rotating Ferris wheel, its glowing passenger cars swaying through the dusk peacefully. Already her nerves were beginning to settle after the hair-raising adrenaline rush of the coaster.

Cadance helped Tempo ease into the cozy passenger bench, the safety bar lowering snugly over their laps. Shining was seated next to Cadance on the other side, the two gentle snuggling. As the wheel began its unhurried ascent, Tempo gazed out over the festive carnival grounds below. From this height, the bright flags and lanterns took on a dreamy quality much preferable to gut-churning velocity.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" Cadance remarked, following her gaze. "Amazing how different things look from even a small change of perspective..."

She scooted closer until their sides pressed comfortably together. Tempo let her weight settle against her sister with a contented hum. Just the two of them up among the emerging stars, the rest of the world fallen away for this quiet moment together...

Soon their car reached the highest point, canopy of lights and velvety sky stretching out before them. Tempo drank it in, the earlier churn of questions and worries in her mind settling.

"Thank you for convincing me onto these contraptions," she murmured. "You make even the wildest ride brighter..."

Cadance nuzzled against Tempo's shoulder affectionately as they began the peaceful descent. "You are my sister." She smooched Tempo, then turned to nuzzle Shining. "I am surrounded, literally, by ponies I love so much." She giggled with a grin. "Best day..."

As they climbed off the ride, soothed and happy, Shining brought a floating drink in to Cadance. "We barely touched these."

Cadance popped her mouth over the straw and took a big sip. "Mmm, perfect. Thanks for grabbing it. Alright, let's--"

"Wait!" A teen colt, much like them, came rushing. Blueblood heaved for breath. "Wait... Finally... found you." He looked ready to collapse from his effort, sides trembling as he struggled for breath.

Tempo inclined her head. "I thought you were avoiding me."

"No!" Blueblood stood straight. "I... said I required a moment to myself." He snorted gently. "You gave me quite the surprise... Ma'am, you will give me some space when I need it." He moved in closer, noses almost touching. "That is what special someponies do."

"We are not..." Tempo's ears danced. "Wait, are you...?"

"If you'll have me." He dropped to a knee. "I don't care about foals or other tawdry things. You are an enchanting pony, all on your own. If I am cursed to enjoy only your presence and nothing more, I accept this curse gladly."

Cadance tried her best to restrain her giggles, hiding behind a fresh deep drink of the floating cup of soda.

Tempo's eyes widened, suddenly finding herself at a loss for words as the earnest prince gazed up hopefully before her. Cadance's bubbly delight was proving infectious too, filling the air between them with giddy possibility where once Tempo had expected only awkward tension after her matter-of-fact revelations.

"Prince Blueblood, I..." Tempo smoothed a hoof self-consciously over her neatly coiffed mane. "Truly, the fact I am...not fully flesh and blood does not trouble you? You would still wish to court one who cannot provide heirs or intimacy?"

She knew a political union would make little sense. Any pragmatic royal would surely seek a bride whose warmth promised a future of love and family. And yet still he knelt, adoration in his eyes eclipsing all pragmatic protests...

"My lady, it is you I desire - the grace of your voice, your brilliant mind, your radiant soul!" Blueblood pressed a fervent hoof to his heart. "Should we never share more than pleasant words and chaste company till the end of our days, still it would fill my spirit to overflowing simply to walk at your side."

Tempo's own conflicted heart quickened at the selfless passion in his words. She searched his face for any lingering doubts. But finding only earnest devotion shining back, she extended a hoof to him with gathering confidence.

"Then rise, good Prince, and greet me properly." She flushed but did not look away as he pressed fervent kisses along her knuckles. "I believe we have much to continue discussing..."

Behind them, Shining mimed exaggerated gagging motions only to get an elbow from Cadance's wing. But her eyes shone too at seeing her stoic sister thawed by first sparks of romance. Linking hooves loosely with Blueblood, Tempo led them towards the carnival's exit, a new glow about her.

---

So their family altered a little. Just as it had when Shining had joined it. Blueblood lingered near them often, even when study was far from their minds. It was confusing at first, but Tempo chastised herself. The confusion stemmed solely from its newness. Blueblood was an attentive and loving special somepony, almost obsessively.

She nudged against Cadance. "My boyfriend seems to love me even more."

Cadance hiked a brow. "Sis... I can literally see you're wrong."

"Hm?" Tempo looked over Cadance with inclines of her head and shoulders. "You can?"

"I can. You can't? Huh, something else we don't share. We share so many other things, I forget sometimes it's not everything." Cadance tapped at the side of her head. "I can see how ponies are tied. I can see love lines. Shining's line to me and Blueblood's line to you shine so bright and, mmm... We are lucky mares, but both are just as brilliant."

Tempo tapped her hooves softly. "Oh..." But it turned into a smile. "You are an amazing pony, sister. I will protect you."

Cadance smooched Tempo's cheek. "Lovely pony. Now, what makes you think Blueblood loves you so much? Is he doing something nice? Tell me!" She grinned with hooves pressed together. "Please!"

Tempo flushed, glancing aside self-consciously even as a pleased little smile tugged at her lips. "He's begun reciting poetry..." she admitted. "Long, elaborate verses rhapsodizing my 'radiant violet eyes more bewitching than the rarest amethysts' and 'shimmering coat which doth shame the very moon.'"

She coughed, ears dipping bashfully. "They're quite overblown praises, dripping with exaggerated metaphor. But..." Tempo peeked up at Cadance's delighted grin. "I'll confess my heart quickens hearing such pretty words dedicated solely to me."

"That so perfectly precious!" Cadance clapped her hooves together. "Oh he just utterly adores you, I knew it from the start." She hip-bumped her sister affectionately. "Look at you inspiring lovelorn ballads."

"He wished to read one aloud at our study group with witnesses," Tempo admitted. "I had to refuse before he drew a crowd. Can you imagine?" She rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously.

Cadance just laughed merrily. "Well I for one would happily spectate such a display of public infatuation! But I understand wanting to keep it just between you two for now..."

She winked. "Either way, seems somepony's quite thoroughly smitten. So soak up the sweet words - you deserve all that devotion and more!"

Tempo's blush deepened but she smiled back gratefully all the same. "I shall have to pen some private verses in return one day soon..." She still struggled to match Blueblood's unchecked passion, but a matching effort felt appropriate for one so unconditionally enamored with a mare like herself.

"You don't have to." Cadance gently rubbed her side against Tempo's. "Don't change who you are. Find how you want to express your love, and do that. Do it genuinely, and see how he reacts." She hopped up onto a chair. "If he likes it, another point for you two." She sighed wistfully. "Languages of love... Ideally, you two should understand each other without a translator."

Tempo hopped up across the table, facing Cadance. "What if we do not speak the same language?"

"Then." Cadance leaned forward over the table. "If you still love each other, you start learning each other's language. And I expect you'll make a pretty poem or two, hm?"

Comments

[Chrome Masquerade]

"This'll be great." There was Shining Armor, waving them forward to join them on the line. "The most thrilling ride in this place. Prepare to have your heart leap out of your chest."

[Cold Philosophy]

This was everything I'd hoped for.

[Chrome Masquerade]

"My lady, it is you I desire - the grace of your voice, your brilliant mind, your radiant soul!" Blueblood pressed a fervent hoof to his heart. "Should we never share more than pleasant words and chaste company till the end of our days, still it would fill my spirit to overflowing simply to walk at your side."

(Gagging sounds)

Behind them, Shining mimed exaggerated gagging motions only to get an elbow from Cadance's wing.

Sorry, Bluey, but I'm with him. If that were any much more sappy. I'd expect to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders taking a bath nearby.

[Chrome Masquerade]

She coughed, ears dipping bashfully. "They're quite overblown praises, dripping with exaggerated metaphor. But..." Tempo peeked up at Cadance's delighted grin. "I'll confess my heart quickens hearing such pretty words dedicated solely to me."

(Ahem) One would reequire a heart for that.

[Chrome Masquerade]

"You don't have to." Cadance gently rubbed her side against Tempo's. "Don't change who you are. Find how you want to express your love, and do that. Do it genuinely, and see how he reacts." She hopped up onto a chair. "If he likes it, another point for you two." She sighed wistfully. "Languages of love... Ideally, you two should understand each other without a translator."

That's a good attitude!

[new55]

That was a good story so far goodluck with the rest of it.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

Cute

[Julius]

11797533
the first work i read from you is Clueless in Equestria

[tsaukpaetra]

Was wondering where he wandered off to.
Speaking of producing progeny, surely there must be a method the install the requisite equipment for the task to make it possible with her sister's assistance? But that's for later.
Besides, there's more than one form of intimacy anyways...