A Heart of Crystal and Glass

by Mani-Roar

Chapter 17

My eyes struggled to open despite the sunlight streaming through the window and curtains. The weight of my eyelids refused to budge and allow me to start my day. I had no choice but to roll myself out of bed with eyes half closed and a stiff, sore back. In fact, my whole body was sore. I felt like every muscle had been wrung out like a rag. The attack last night was still fresh in my mind, tormenting me like the Changeling hoard tormented my city. My citizens. At least I had the luxury of waking up in my same bedroom with my same life and normalcy. We had all been given a second lease on life. We had successfully lived to fight another day.

I meandered over to my vanity mirror and nearly shrieked at the reflection. I was used to bedhead, but my normally luxurious blue mane looked like a rat crawled on my head, made a nest, and died. I sighed as I got to work brushing it out. Maybe I needed a haircut. I’d always loved my long hair since high school. It was a miracle that I was allowed to grow it out while I was in the military. One of the privileges of rising up the ranks to officer so fast and young, my hair length was scrutinized less than a freshly enlisted pony. Although, I was basically a kid when I got my first command. I thought I was so grown up at the time, and maybe I was, but my lofty thoughts and ambitions back then seemed so naive to me now.

I just want you to be happy, Cadance told me last night. She had always been in my life. At least it felt that way. From babysitting my little sister, to attending school together, to dating, to getting married - my whole life she had been half of my whole being. I knew she was the one pony I would spend the rest of my life with.

I don’t love you. I had really said that to her. What an awful thing to say. I couldn’t stop myself. It was like I had no mental filter. The only thing my lips could spill was terrible, hateful nonsense. Having my love and emotions magically drained from me was a hideous experience. It was like I was numb to my whole body. My essence. If it was possible for a pony to be a completely blank, emotionless being, that’s what it felt like. In that state I was asked a question, and I just answered it. No hesitation. No stakes. No caring. No feeling.

“I don’t love you,” wasn’t wrong, exactly, but it wasn’t correct either. I wished I could have worded it a better way. But without any love in my heart, I had been a puppet of mindless simplicity. It’s true, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Cadance. New Cadance. The Cadance that lived in the castle with me. She was the same mare I married, but also not. I loved her, but I didn’t love her. Thinking about it made my head hurt. I was used to making split-second decisions, my military career was proof of that. One of the drawbacks of being a meathead jock my whole life. Sure, I was into fantasy role playing and tabletop games, but that just made me a geek, not smart. I had the dumbness of a gym rat lunkhead, and the anti-social awkwardness of being a complete dork. A dork who just had the nerve to tell the hottest mare in school that he didn’t love her.

But I’d heard her love confession to me. My mind was still processing it. Great Celestia knows I couldn’t process it while drained within an inch from death.

I gripped the brush in frustration. My mane wasn’t cooperating this morning, and I didn’t feel like turning it to plastic with gel, or greasing it up with pomade. Screw it. It looked passable enough, so I decided to live with it, as a knock rapped on my bedroom door.

“Come in.” I called, still sneering at my stupid hair. Technically it was all laying flat, but it wouldn’t part right, and it wouldn’t hang loose without a part very well. The part looked way too dorky anyway, so I decided the shaggy look was the lesser of two evils. The door swung open, and I saw Jadiz peer inside through the mirror’s reflection. His mane was perfectly parted, and it looked good too. Must be nice.

“My lord,” His voice was calm and soothing. “I have your itinerary and notes for the day. Shall I make some changes to accommodate the more damaged areas of need, or should we just play it by ear, sir?” I turned to face him, as he stood by the open door with exquisite posture. His silver crystal body was covered up on his top half by a black vest over a white button down shirt. He wore a jade colored bowtie that matched his greased over, and parted mane. I guess some colts could pull it off better than others.

“We’re for sure gonna play it by ear, Jadiz.” He held his position like a statue of a sentry. “Unless something is literally on fire, I think everypony is in equal need of some TLC.” Especially me. I didn’t have a wife to wake up next to anymore, which was almost entirely my fault. I needed comfort, but the kingdom came first.

“Very good, my lord.” His stiff, almost robotic head nod accented the stillness of his posture. He was a very tall stallion, more than most including myself. Although I probably had a decent amount of size on him in bulk.

“You know, you don’t have to knock every morning.” I yawned and forced myself to stand up on all fours. “If my light is on, you can just walk in.”

“Thank you, sir.” He cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his free hoof. The other was holding the dossier of notes he had mentioned. “However, it feels polite to at least give you some notice. For your privacy.” He pronounced “privacy” in a way that rhymed with “chivalry.”

“If I ever need ‘prih-vuh-sea.’” I played a bit with his accent. “I’ll be sure to put a necktie on the door handle.” I winked at him. It was my personal game to try and get Jadiz to blush any chance I got. Unfortunately, he was very accustomed to my antics.

“Indeed.” He raised his left eyebrow back at me. “However, with the Princess currently occupying a separate room, I suppose that would be a solo affair.”

If anypony else had made that comment I would have snapped at them. It was a low blow. Last night was still stinging in my memory, and almost any mention of her hurt at this point. However, Jadiz and I went way back. He had been my personal servant ever since I had lived in the Crystal Empire. I didn’t think of him as a servant anymore. He was a friend. My right hoof colt. Also, he didn’t know about what transpired in the Crystal Heart chamber high above us in the castle spire last night. Nopony knew except myself and Cadance.

And Chrysalis.

Was the threat really over? Cadance had brokered a truce with her, but how could we trust that for even a moment. There was nothing forcing Chrysalis to keep up her end of the bargain. Just thinking about her boiled anger up into my chest.

I decided to lighten the mood for myself. “Well, it wouldn’t have to be solo if you joined me one of these nights.” I laughed out loud. I need a good laugh today.

“I’m afraid I don’t swing that way, my lord.” He shook his head with the tiniest of movement. As if it was just a darn shame.

“You’re telling me you don’t swing with colts?” I had met his husband many times. At this point, I was trying to poke at Jadiz’s buttons. Bring some sense of normalcy to the day ahead.

I walked over to him, finally feeling awake. He handed me the dossier, and I tucked it under my shoulder.

His rebuttal was ironclad. “With spoiled brats, sir. I don’t find them very attractive.”

“Oh yeah.” I racked my brain for a witty comeback. “Well your accent makes you sound like a… pretty girl.” I needed to work on my one liners.

“Thank you, sir.” His smile beamed in my direction.

“Alright, you win.” I marched past him into the hallway. Normally it would be quiet this early, but the castle staff wasted no time preparing for the salvage operation of our own city. Great Celestia knew how much carnage was in the damage report in my dossier.

“Don’t I always, my lord?” Jadiz followed close behind me as we headed to get some breakfast. It wasn’t until food crossed my mind that I realized how hungry I truly was. My body needed the calories I had drained yesterday.

Flash Sentry was already halfway through his breakfast when Jadiz and I entered the dining room. This was also the room where we voted to hold the Crystal Fair. Was it the right decision? I could claim “I told you so,” but what would that solve now? The attack was devastating, but Cadance also unlocked and reaffirmed her connection to the Crystal Heart. So was it a net positive? Or is that too callous of a way to think of it? I was happy that I never attempted to study philosophy.

“Hey Flash.”

He looked up startled, abruptly torn from his eating ritual. He glanced over at me, a bit taken aback by my casual nature. Protocol and etiquette was great and all. I like to think I follow it more than new Cadance does. However, after the attack, it all just seemed unnecessary. Less than twelve hours ago, ponies were running scared and screaming in the streets. It put my everyday life into perspective. Who cares if somepony’s bowtie was done wrong, or a soldier didn’t salute perfectly, or if a Prince shared a meal with subordinates and servants. I’m sure I would feel differently once the shock wore off, but for now I needed the comfort of informality.

I needed friends, not staff.

“Hello… my lord.” The pensiveness in Flash’s voice was palpable.

“Please, call me Shining.” Flash looked at me like I just grew three heads.

“Really?” His confusion continued to distract him from his meal.

“At least for today.” I sat down in my seat, leaning back a little too leisurely for a Prince on duty. “I’m having a bit of a rough one. I imagine we all are.”

Flash finally ate the bite that was suspended on his fork. He nodded and chewed in silence.

“My lord,” Jadiz said, still standing next to me. “While the two of you dine, I believe I shall go and…”

“Have you eaten yet?” I interrupted him, closing my eyes and letting my head rest against the backrest of the chair.

“I have not,” Jadiz began cautiously. “However, I’m sure I will find time to…”

“Have a seat, Jadiz.” I patted the chair next to me, and he sighed.

“Sir, I understand how you feel, but it is highly irregular, while on duty, for a servant to…”

“Cadance held a whole breakfast banquet with the entire kitchen staff, and nopony batted an eye.” I interrupted him again. Cadance would have reamed me for trying to talk over her like that. I hoped she was doing alright. They took her to the medical center last night, but she insisted on recovering in her own room under Pell’s care.

“But if I want to have one meal with two of my friends, NooOOoo…” I exaggerated my “no,” a bit too much.

Both stallions blinked, not sure what to do or say next.

“I’m sorry.” I leaned forward to rest my chin on the table. I was acting about as unregal as possible. Not on purpose, but I couldn’t do the routine today. I was drained. My love, my emotions, my physical being, all of me had been taken to my limit.

“I just… I don’t know… I…”

The words wouldn’t come out. I wasn’t sure if I had them in me at all. With my head on the table, I heard the sound of a wooden chair being dragged across the crystal floor.

“What are we having?”

I lazily rolled my head to see Jadiz had sat next to me.

“Eggs, toast, grits, buttermilk biscuits, and gravy.” Flash grinned as he continued for another bite. He hesitated for a brief moment with the fork at his muzzle before looking over at us. Probably wondering if he should wait, now that we were officially eating together.

“Don’t mind us.” I waved my free hoof. The other was holding my cheek up. “We’ll get our food in a moment. I’m sure the staff already noticed we sat down.”

“Sounds like a rural feast.” Jadiz said in a calm and neutral voice.

I grinned at him. “Well shucks, I know our country ways are confusing to you, but just close your eyes and I’m sure you’ll find our home cooked cuisine to be down right tasty.” I poorly attempted a country accent. Trying to channel the voice of Twilie’s friend Applejack.

Flash failed to hide his chuckle. Making fun of Jadiz’s posh speaking cadence was a sport to me.

“This coming from a stallion who was born and raised in Canterlot.” He bit back. “You’re about as rural as you are pink, sir.”

Once again, I felt the unintentional sting from Jadiz’s joke. Pink just made me think of Cadance. Both of them. My brain was starting to blend the two of them together, which is what got me in an emotional mess in the first place. Yet, thinking of her as separate made her feel so far away from me.

“What’s on your mind, my lord?” Jadiz asked, reading the expression on my face, and my lack of reaction to his humor.

“That’s the issue.” I finally sat up straight. “What isn’t on my mind? There’s too much to think about, and it’s driving me crazy.”

Both of them calmly nodded. Stallions suck at talking about their feelings. Twilie used to say to me. Perhaps she was right. Males preferred to keep their feelings bottled up and deal with them privately, and silently. I can’t say I wasn’t guilty of that as well.

“So, which of those things is eating you right now?” Flash asked. He was close to Twilight. They were in love, I’d heard. Why was that so easy to think about now? A week ago, that thought would have consumed me with rage. It just seemed so… trivial wasn’t the word. It was important, it’s just weird that it was so… natural.

“How are things with you and Twilight?” I side stepped his question.

“I-” His face turned cherry red, as he tried desperately -oh so desperately- to hide his blush. Tried and failed. The fear in his eyes was both amusing and irritating to me. “I thought we were talking about your feelings- ah er… not for Twilight like that, obviously, I meant like in general feelings uh… yeah…” He shoveled a spoon full of grits into his mouth.

“I knew what you meant, Flash.” I wanted to make fun of him awkwardly blurting out a comment about implied incest, but he looked tortured enough on his own. I decided to take pity on him. That didn’t mean I couldn’t wear a knowing grin on my mug. “I just need to warm up on your personal life before I get to mine.”

Both stallions laughed. Well, Flash laughed. Jadiz had a subdued chuckle. At least he was loosening up a bit. And so was I.

“Twilight and I are…” His eyes were glued to my expression, looking for any concerning change of my face. I was tempted to mess with him. Unfortunately, he would probably believe it too much if I did. “Good, we’re very good.” He pursed his lips and nodded curtly. Like a foal trying not to be grounded.

“I’m not gonna bite you, Flash.” I saw a servant approaching the table with two steaming plates. My mouth was already watering at the smell. “You don’t look as good as those eggs.”

“What?” Flash blinked at my comment.

“I mean, it’s ok to talk about. We’ve already talked about it. It’s all good.” I moved my head and hoof out of the way as the steaming plate was set in front of me, filling my senses with anticipation.

“I mean, we’ve talked a few times but…” Flash paused.

“But what?” I raised my eyebrow, feeling the cold judgment return to my downturned cheeks. “Are you saying nothing’s changed since we talked?” I wish I had taken the accusatory tone out of my voice. Too late.

“If you must know…” Flash sat up straight and rolled his shoulders back. He looked at me like he was ready for a physical fight. “I sent her a message saying, in no uncertain terms, that I love her and I want to…” A chink appeared in his armor. “Well, I didn’t wanna say ‘spend the rest of my life with her,’ I mean… I feel that way. But isn’t it a bit too soon to start saying stuff like that? I mean we’ve known each other a long time-”

I mercifully decided to interject. “‘No uncertain terms,’ you say.”

Flash hung his head for a second before straightening up again. “Look, I told her I love her and I want to be with her. And I can’t wait to see her again so I can show her how much I miss her in person.” His cheeks turned bright red again. It looked like fire on the backdrop of his yellow fur.

“Good.” I nodded, and I swear a thousand pounds of weight dropped from his shoulders.

Flash smacked his forehead with his hoof. “Oh Celestia, I shouldn’t have worded it like that. Now she’s gonna think I’m only interested in-”

“No she won’t.” I cut in for his sake once again.

“You don’t think?” He rubbed the back of his blue spiky mane. His two toned blue mane was a darker gradient than mine. Somehow it looked good, all messed up and spiked like that. Did he even have to brush his hair in the morning?

Lucky jerk.

“Nah.” I flicked my hoof. “She’ll have gotten the message, don’t worry. Especially if you had trouble phrasing it. She finds it earnest and… cute.” The word made me cringe. “Twilie and Cadance are very similar in regards to romance.” I instantly regretted my phrasing.

“Sir, with all due respect,” Flash grimaced at me. “Please never say that sentence out loud again.”

Now who was making incest references? “You know what I meant.” It was my turn to wear embarrassment on my face.

“And Twilight knew what I meant.” Flash pointed his fork at me.

“And I’m hungry.” Jadiz spoke up, finally. He dug into his plate about as quickly and greedily as one could while still observing impeccable table manners. I looked down at my breakfast, feeling the rumbling in my stomach. For the next several minutes, the three of us ate in relative silence. Just a calm, serene moment to ourselves. No mention of the battle, or injuries, or losses. All of that would be addressed in due time. For now we needed a moment to heal and rejuvenate.

My eyes glanced over to the bandage on Flash’s left wing. It was a small wrap around the base of the wing on his abdomen. Some Changeling must have caught him there in the battle, grounding him. Although, I’m not sure he could have flown in that magical darkness even if he tried.

“What happened to your wing?” A dumb question on my part. For some reason I wanted to hear the details.

Flash reached over with his good wing to rub the injured one. “Oh yeah, it happened after you and I got separated. Changeling got a lucky shot.” He nursed his wing, continuing to rub it as if I had reminded him that it hurt.

“Don’t need much luck when one side can see and the other can’t.” Excuses. I was making excuses for our loss. There must have been some sort of tell. Some clue we missed that could have prevented it. Magical darkness was alicorn level magic. We failed to consider that Queen Chrysalis would have access to such high level spells. In retrospect it seems obvious, considering how powerful she is. We just assumed that power was highly specialized. Now we were paying the cost of our assumptions, and our underestimation of the enemy.

“I was trying to use my ears to dodge and counterattack.” Flash went on. “That wing buzz of theirs is a pretty useful tell. I just…” He sneered down at his empty plate. “I heard him coming, I just misjudged the distance. I was so mad when he got me. Careless.”

“You fought valiantly.” I had no doubt of that. If I ever had to march an army into Tartarus, I was sure Flash would be there to lead the vanguard. “We all did.”

But did I? I had some minor scrapes and bruises, but nothing that needed too much attention. Would the Crystal Ponies question their Prince when they see him walking around unscathed after a catastrophic defeat like that? Would they whisper things to each other like: Did he even fight? Or, Did he run and hide? And, Why didn’t he protect us? Did Jadiz think any of that when he first saw me this morning? Heck, Cadence was injured more than I was.

“After that, it was a matter of moments before I was overwhelmed.” Flash continued without acknowledging my comment. “I heard them surround me.” He caught a lump in his throat before going on. “They toyed with me. They knew who I was, calling my name. Calling me ‘Captain.’ I tried to fight back, but there were so many of them. Finally I felt their love draining magic on me. It was warm and ugly. Like an uncomfortable sweat on a humid summer day. I panicked. My mind instinctively thought of Twilight. I knew they were going to take all of my love and feelings away. I didn’t want to lose that. To lose her. But that fear it…”

He shook his head. Trying to find the words. “It made it work faster, I think. I don’t know if that’s how the spell works, but the more I tried to hold onto my feelings for Twilight, the faster they drained it out of me. I watched as the image of her in my mind dulled and grayed. Until she meant nothing.” He bit his bottom lip, trying to hold back tears. “I still thought of her, but I didn’t know why. Why did I care? Why did I bother? I wanted to be horrified, but I couldn't even have that. It just didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. I heard them laughing as they flew away from my living corpse. I couldn’t even feel my wounded pride.”

Flash’s story was eerily similar to mine, and probably to thousands who were caught out in the open last night. I looked over at Jadiz, who was quiet as usual in social situations.

“Was it the same for you?” I asked him.

He nodded his head, but didn’t look at me. “Very similar.”

“Do you want to tell your story?” I asked.

“No.” He replied. I decided to let it drop.

“I thought all hope was lost until I saw Princess Cadance.” Flash perked up.

“You saw her?” I assumed he hadn’t seen her since the light’s went out.

“Well, I saw her specter.” He looked up as if she were in the air above him.

“Her specter?” I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Hey!” He narrowed his eyes at me. “I’m not a unicorn, I don’t know how this stuff works.” He raised his hooves in the air, gesturing to the memory of what he saw. “It was the outline of her, but her body was glowing white and gold. Like an angel descending on me. I saw similar light all around me. The magical darkness was shattered, as she walked the city. She was everywhere. I watched as her light went into me. It was warm, not warm like the love draining magic. No, far from it. It was like sitting by the fire on a chilly Hearth’s Warming Eve. I felt myself come alive again. I could feel again. I thought of Twilight, and she was just as beautiful to me as ever. I wanted to see her again. Be with her.”

He paused, and looked down at the table again. “But now that I could feel again, that meant the guilt started setting in. I failed.” His haunted expression looked my way. “We failed. And Cadance saved us all.”

Flash gripped his glass of orange juice, and proudly held it in the air. “To our lady, Princess Cadance. The keeper of the Crystal Empire!”

In the corner of my eye I saw Jadiz raise his milk glass. All I had was water, and I raised it all the same.

“To Cadance!” I echoed.

“To the Princess!” Jadiz’s firm tone stuck out to me. Compared to his usual calm demeanor. We clinked our glasses together, downing every single drop, before slamming the glasses down on the table. We laughed together for a good moment. We needed a good laugh. I hoped nopony misinterpreted it as irreverence.

“So what happened to you?” Flash asked, and it felt like an interrogation. He didn’t mean it that way. He was just curious. “Pretty much the same?”

“The first part yeah.” I nodded soberly. “After we were separated, I was cornered and drained. Although I got away without any serious injuries.” I bit my bottom lip, grimacing at the table. It’s almost like they’d kept me uninjured on purpose.

“You don’t need an injury to prove you fought for us.” Flash tried to tuck his limp wing away.

“I don’t know what you mean.” I lied.

“Don’t give me that!” He sneered at me, and I could feel my blood boil beneath the surface of my skin. Flash knew how to push my buttons just right. Or wrong.

“Watch it, Captain.” I sneered back at him.

“Do you wanna know how I know you’re full of it, Shining?”

“How am I full of it? I’d love to know!” I would actually love to know. Yelling and arguing with Flash just felt… normal. I needed things to be normal.

“Because I’m the Captain of the Royal Guard. And I feel like I failed every stallion and mare under my command. I was embarrassed that I didn’t die out there defending the capital.” He took in a quick deep breath. “Don’t you dare tell me that the Prince of this land, and a former CRG himself, isn’t ashamed that he got out of that fight uninjured. You did everything you could, Shining. We all fought valiantly, just like you said.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I let the dead air hang. The validation meant a lot coming from Flash. I hoped the Crystal Ponies felt the same way. Flash held his hoof out to me. I met his hoof bump with my own. It was the first time we had shared something like that as friends. We held each other’s gaze, pushing our hooves together for a long time. At first it was in solidarity, but soon turned into a competition. To see who blinked first, or moved their hoof, or what have you. We didn’t think about it that hard. I held the pose so long, my shoulder started to hurt. Flash noticed and started grinning at me. I grinned back and pushed my hoof harder against his.

“Shall I begin the wedding arrangements for the two of you? Inform your current wife and girlfriend?” Jadiz chirped with his dry wit. Flash and I broke off at the same time, and laughed so hard we nearly fell out of our chairs.

“I’ll break the bad news to Twilight.” I pointed at Flash, who was waving his hoof and laughing so hard, he couldn’t speak. I turned to Jadiz, feeling on a roll. “Are you officiating the wedding? Which one of us is the wife?”

Jadiz didn’t miss a beat. “I’d say both of you are the wife.”

That did it. We were all reduced to giggling hysterics. So much so that the kitchen staff kept peeking out the swaying double doors at us.

“Yeah, I’ll break the bad news to Cadance too.” Flash slapped his knee, breaking into more laughter. I instantly clammed up. The smile sucked off of my expression like love stealing magic.

Flash noticed my change in mood, and cleared his throat. “I mean uh… well. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s ok.” I let Flash off the hook. “It’s just that, I hope that would be bad news to her.”

I’m sorry I tried to replace her. I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll let you grieve her. Cadance had said to me in the castle spire by the Crystal Heart. Cadance wasn’t a replacement. She was her own pony worthy of love and admiration. Jadiz looked perturbed at me. Flash sat there in remorseful confusion.

“Why do you say that?” Flash asked, and I told them. I told them everything. The weight of it poured off my shoulders with every spoken word. I told them about how I was drained emotionless. I was barely conscious as several Changelings grabbed me and carried me into the air. Being dragged blindly upwards would have been terrifying if I was able to feel it. I was dropped at Cadance’s hooves. Chrysalis used me to hurt Cadance. It wasn’t enough that she wouldn’t leave us alone. She had become the bane of our existence ever since our wedding. Now she was making us hurt each other. How did she know there was something wrong between us? Did her spies tell her? Were they watching us at every private moment somehow? Did she hear us talking on the balcony during the pegasi rain showers? The thought of this wicked Queen stalking us filled me with dread.

And hatred.

I told them about what happened up there. The taunting, my anti-confession, the truce, the Crystal Heart’s revival, and what Cadance said to me. I won’t bother you anymore.

“That’s a tough one.” Flash blew out a long puff of air.

Jadiz swallowed before speaking. “My lord, please forgive my remark earlier this morning.”

“You didn’t know, Jadiz. It’s ok. It was just a joke.”

“All the same, I’m sorry.” Jadiz gave a tiny nod.

“Is that how you really feel about her?” Flash asked. Making me completely exasperated.

“I don’t know!” I blurted out too loud. “Everytime I look at her I see the mare I married, but it’s not her. She’s a completely different person. I don’t even know her.”

“You don’t?” Flash looked confused. “Huh, could have fooled me.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“What do you mean?”

“Well… I mean…” Flash stammered again. I swear he was even worse than me at putting thoughts into words. “Tell me everything you know about her. The new Cadance.”

I sat stunned for a moment. “Like, everything?”

“Yeah, let’s say we’ve never met this new Cadance.” Flash gestured to me. “How would you describe her to me and Jadiz?”

“Well...” I turned to glance at Jadiz. By the look in his eyes I could tell his ears were perked. So I let loose:

“She’s a firecracker of a personality. Completely bold, never afraid to say anything that’s on her mind. She is super passionate to a fault. Which means she’ll go from fine to raving mad if she feels slighted or insulted, but she’ll also defend anypony she cares about with the same quick trigger. And when she drops her shield, even just a little bit, you can see how sincere she is. She has the warmth and care of a mother, along with the fire and grit of a warrior. Sometimes at the same time. She’s a sucker for fine cuisine, basically a foodie. She has a way of rallying an entire room, making everyone feel important and comfortable. She makes anywhere she goes a safe place for everypony to be themselves. She treats everypony equally with no sense of hierarchy. Nopony is more or less than anyone else. I thought I was an egalitarian, but she puts me to shame in that regard. She’s brave, loving, and kind. And if you ever cross her or put somepony she cares about in harm’s way, Celestia help you, she’ll…” I finally paused for a breath, realizing that Flash’s point was thoroughly made.

“That sounds like a lot of things to know about somepony you don’t know.” Flash smiled.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I scratched my cheek. “I do know her pretty well, but it pales in comparison to how much I knew her before.”

“Sir, if I may?” Jadiz chimed in.

“Of course you may.” I turned to Jadiz. “You never have to ask.” That put a gleam in his eye. Still, I was sure he would continue asking in the future. Like a politeness code he lived by.

“It would seem to me that you don’t have a wife in Mrs. Cadance. You have a marefriend.” He said, adjusting his bowtie even though it was already straight.

“Yeah, that’s a good way to put it.” Flash agreed.

“So, what?” The gears in my brain began to turn. “I should just start dating her like we’re a new couple?”

“Do you like her?” Flash gave me a sideways grin. “As in, do you like, like her?” He said as if we were still school colts.

“Yes I do.” I replied with confidence that surprised me. It didn’t surprise the two of them.

“Then you are literally a new couple.” Jadiz’s logical voice confirmed.

“Is it really that sim-” The realization hit me. I laid my head on the table, covering my face with my hooves. “Oh Celestia, did I do it again? Did I really take a lay up and over complicate it?”

I felt a hoof on the back of my shoulder. “Would you prefer I didn’t say it?” Jadiz asked.

“Shut up.” I said through my frustrated smile.

“Well I’d never…” Jadiz siad, taking mock offense.

“So go get that lay up, Shining.” I felt Flash’s hoof tap my other shoulder. “Make it a slam dunk.”

I sat up suddenly, causing them to retract their hooves. “But what if it’s too late?”

“Why would it be too late?” Flash shook his head.

“Because…” My mind raced through the last several weeks. Had it even been two months yet? “She told me ‘I won’t bother you anymore.’” I waited for one of them to say something, but they stayed quiet. “Maybe I pushed her over her limit. She was ready to be with me, and I broke her heart. What if I can’t take it back now. What if it’s too late?” I yelled as I repeated my question.

“What if a meteor strikes the Capital?” Jadiz flippantly stated.

“What?” I wasn’t sure where he was going with that.

“Many things are out of our control, my lord. If it truly is too late, then worrying about it cannot change it. All you can do, all you must do, is tell Miss Cadance how you feel. And if she doesn’t feel the same way, then you must live with her decision. As she was willing to live with yours.” Jadiz’s words cut straight into me. He sat calmly as ever with one hoof on top of the other. A proper gentlecolt.

I turned to look at Flash, who quietly nodded his agreement.

“Alright.” I stood up. “Might as well do it right now.” I marched to the door that exited into the castle hallway. “It’s sure not gonna get any easier.” I turned back to look at the two of them.

“Wish me luck.” I waved.

“Good luck.” Flash waved back.

“May the Crystal Heart bless your union.” Jadiz gave a muted, parade-like wave. I straightened my back, rolled back my shoulders, and took a deep breath. The last thing I heard as I exited into the hallway was Flash asking,

“You gonna eat that?”

****

Author's Note:

Best song to pair with this chapter:

EveryDayDashie - Summer Forever

Comments

[Wooden Wheel]

A chapter starring Shining Armor? Unexpected but not unwelcome. I like Jadiz as a character.

[TronicsM]

good soup

[DarthMaul22]

>Jadiz

Management called to remind you that all minerals collected during missions are considered company property and are not to be taken to other worlds or dimensions, equine or otherwise.

Also I'm certain the crystal ponies would go all-out for Shining and Flash's lesbian wedding.

[Mani-Roar]

11888109

Stop it! Stop it! Get back to work!

lmao I'm glad someone knows where his name came from. I ran out of gemstones that weren't already in Steven Universe, so I borrowed someone else's fake stone.