• Published 21st Nov 2012
  • 9,036 Views, 628 Comments

The Brother and The Sitter - Spike120812



A love story of Cadance and Shining Armor beginning back to Twilight's foal sitting days.

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All Things Go


All Things Go



The waiter stood by the kitchen window in a silent anxiety as he waited for his dish. Under his mane, his forehead sweated around his horn and his hooves just couldn’t stop tapping the ground. The party he was serving was already a large one, and he prayed when he jotted down everything they wanted that he got every excruciating detail down to the dot. The first time he brought out their dishes, the most he got was their unattached and hollow thanks that sounded more obligated than genuine, but one mare at the table made the hollow gratitude seem like recognition from Celestia herself. This mare, in what had to have been a premeditated speech, voiced her complaint of her plate with plenty of criticism. Some of it was even aimed at the poor waiter despite his haste to try and correct his honest mistake.

“Remake for table twelve!” The chef’s voice boomed from behind the food window in the kitchen.

The waiter’s magic engulfed the plates at the window, and with a steady eye, went over the dish and the mental checklist in his head. One double-take later, he cleared his throat and put on his best professional smile. He stepped through the swinging double doors into the large and full dining room decorated with artworks of high value and acclaim hanging on the gold-colored walls and crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling that amplified the white light of the ceiling that shone above all around the restaurant. He made his way to the table where an olive-coated unicorn mare sat with her party. Gently, he set the dishes on the table in front of her. “Here you are, ma’am. Your shrimp scampi on linguine, shrimp mixed in the noodles, not topped, no basil, precisely seven pieces of shrimp, three squirts of lemon on the shrimp before mixing, sauce on the side, and a side salad, tossed, no tomatoes, cheese diced, not shredded, and cold ranch dressing on the side.” The smile he was faking after that hid his nervousness well. He stood and waited while the mare observed her food with a critical eye. “I do believe everything was corrected and made to your liking.”

“I’ll see about that,” the mare said as her magic lifted a fork to the plate with the pasta. She took a small bite of her food and chewed. Every slow movement of her mouth as she chewed was excruciating for the waiter waiting for her response, and every second did its best to break his cool and calm demeanour. Finally, after swallowing, she spoke. “Glad to see the mistake was fixed.”

A wave of relief washed over the waiter, and he desperately wanted to exhale a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, but all that relief fled his body when the mare tried a bite of her salad and he saw her expression.

“The lettuce is too cold,” the mare said, hovering the salad bowl near the waiter’s face. “Take it back and have it remade.”

The forced smile came back, and the waiter tried hard to make sure the sudden rage he was feeling didn’t show in his voice as he said, “Right away, ma’am.”

“And make sure it comes out right this time. This is the second time you’ve messed something up.”

“Yes, ma’am. Right away, ma’am.” He took the salad in his magic after the mare’s last remark and briefly considered his chances at getting away with homicide. When he remembered he didn’t have a heart of stone and that he actually was a good pony, he disappeared back to the kitchen.

When she saw the doors swinging doors come to a close, the mare turned to the grey stallion sitting at her side. “Honestly, Jet Set, dear, you would think after the first mistake—”

“I know, Upper Crust,” Jet Set assured his wife, “I know. Next time we come here, I just hope we get somepony who actually knows how to do their job right.” Similar consents were made among the other ponies of their party. “Which reminds me, thank you all so much for being able to come with us tonight.”

“We wouldn’t miss it, Jet Set,” one mare, Pish Posh, said from across the table. “It’s been awhile since we’ve all enjoyed a nice dinner together.”

“Well, we’ve all been busy, but from what I’ve heard, I understand that we’ll all be seeing each other again for a certain celebration in the next few weeks.”

Everypony at the table started looking at one another as elated smiles grew on everyone's faces. “You all got invitations to the prince’s party?” a stallion named Golden Gavel at the table asked.

Heads nodded all around the table and the party erupted into hushed murmurs of excitement for what they felt might surpass this year’s Grand Galloping Gala as party of the year.

“A party for royalty,” Upper Crust said with a wonder-filled gaze in her eyes. “It is sure to be something grand. You know, I’ve noticed that the prince has actually been out and about around the city recently.”

“I’ve noticed that as well,” another mare by the name of Silver Frames at the table voiced in. “Last time I spotted him, he was with Princess Cadance and another mare.”

Jet Set moved in his seat to meet eyes with Silver Frames. “Was she a blue unicorn with a blue and white mane?”

“Yes, actually. Why? Do you know her?”

“No, but I have seen that mare around the princess before. I don’t know her story though, but you know who I haven’t seen with the princess recently?”

Interest soared and everypony’s ears perked up like meerkats on watch all around the table. Jet Set held his pause and gave his wife a knowing look she shared with him. “That poor excuse of a nopony coltfriend of hers.”

Some of them restrained their laughter while others let it out in a cruel cackle. “Guess this means she’s moved on,” Swan Song said, being one of the ponies who was enjoying a laugh at what she and her friends presumed was the end of Shining Armor and Cadance’s relationship.

“Better,” Upper Crust said, “she came to her senses. I mean really, a library assistant? Surely she must value herself more than that.”

“Well, if the princess is wanting to start looking for a better match, I can bet her cousin’s party should be full of young stallions closer to her level than that other colt could ever be.”

“One can only hope, Jet Set, dear.” Upper Crust’s attention shifted when she heard the kitchen doors burst open. Their waiter held a newly made salad in his magic, and right as he got to the table, he felt eyes lock onto him like buzzards on roadkill.

“Here is you’re remake ma’am. I hope everything is to your liking.” He set it down and waited for Upper Crust to take a bit. For some odd reason, he was smiling genuinely as he watched her take that first, slow bite.

She hummed in thought as she looked at her bowl before turning to look at the smiling waiter. “Glad you fixed your mistake.”

“Happy to oblige.” He followed with a small bow and walked away. As he got closer to the kitchen doors, the smile on his face only widened with each step until his lips were practically stuck in a deliciously evil grin. The second he stepped into the kitchen and the doors swung closed behind him, he rolled something around in his mouth. He turned his head, and with swift precision, spat out a large, damp wad of gum into the nearby trash can. Through the window, he could see Upper Crust taking another bite out of her salad.

“Did she eat it?” the cook from behind the window asked, barely able to contain himself as he let his laughter out in short, but large spurts.

“Yeah, and she has no idea.”

Back at the table, Upper Crust continued to nip at her salad in small bites. “How is it, dear?” Jet Set asked.

“Perfect. I don’t know what they did, but there’s some kind flavor to the carrots.” She took another bite. “Mmmm, and the cucumbers are so moist.”

***************

The first things Blueblood smelled as soon as he stepped onto the wooden floors of Metal’s Place was the hot and fully cooked veggie burgers and the crisp hay fries multiple servers were carrying all around the restaurant. The place was filled save for one or two tables, and the aroma of the food already had Blueblood’s mouth watering and his stomach grumbling for something on the menu.

“Your majesty! Back again I see.” Blueblood turned towards the, by now, familiar voice of Metal Wave by the juice bar where he happily walked over to take a seat. When he sat down, Metal already had a pad and a pencil at the ready. “So what can I get you, tonight?”

There was a menu already laying on the bar displaying the various veggie burgers and other entrees offered. Blueblood scanned it over before deciding on something. “I think I’ll try the Tropical Island Burger.”

“Good choice. Usual drink?”

“Yes, please.”

Metal’s magic swiped the menu right from under the prince and he tore off the page from his pad. “I’ll put the order in right now. Want me to get Stardust before she goes on?”

“Could you?”

Metal Wave swiftly made it to the kitchen counter, slapped the order onto the surface and called the order out to the cook before he disappeared to a room in the back. Blueblood swiveled in his seat to get a full view of the restaurant. The Hearth’s Warming lights hanging around the place were definitely one of Blueblood’s favorite things about the place. They gave him a sense of cheer whenever he stepped through the doors. Mix that with the ponies laughing and talking all around him, the atmosphere created could make anyone smile.

The first time he visited, he came with Cadance over a week ago. After his first experience with bowling, pizza, and their previous movie night, Blueblood was more easily and happily coerced into giving the food a try. He was more than willing to come back for the food ever since that first bite. He thought back to when he first saw Stardust actually perform on stage, small as it was. He marveled at her vocal talent and even her songwriting skills when she sang a song that was all her own.

“Yo, Blue!” Said mare emerged from the room Metal Wave disappeared into with her guitar strapped to her back over her waitress outfit. She met him on the other side of the bar with a drink in her magic. “Here’s your usual.”

“I’ve only been here two other times.”

“Yet ya’ve gotten the same drink,” she said pointing to the glass of sweet iced tea she placed on the bar. “It’s a usual now.”

“If you say so,” he said with an eye roll.

She smiled and gave him a light push on his shoulder. “Glad ya made it. Came alone?”

Blueblood took a sip of his drink before he said, “Oh, yes. Twilight’s family dropped by the castle today to take her and Spike on a little family day, and they asked if Cadance wanted to tag along. The second Twilight pleaded with her to come, she couldn’t say no.”

Stardust let a small laugh escape her as she threw her head back. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Anything else new?”

“Hmmm,” Blueblood hummed aloud with a scrunched face as he tried to think of anything. “Just some more royal stuff my aunt’s been teaching Cadance and I. It’s actually really boring, but it’s needed, so I won’t bother with details. Oh! And of course, the party planning.”

“Ya never gonna not bring that up ‘til it happens, huh?”

“I’m excited,” he simply said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I’m overseeing almost everything, and I want it to be amazing.”

“Just don’t worry too much. I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be eventful.”

“I hope so, but enough about that. What about you? Any word news your application.”

Before she answered, Stardust threw her guitar case onto the bar and began to work on the latches. “Not yet, but the mare at the front desk said I should hear somethin’ in about a week after sendin’ in all the paperwork, and I got that done a couple days ago.” She lifted the cover of her case and started to fiddle with the tuning pegs with her magic. “Hey, tell me if this sounds right.” Rearing on her hind legs, Stardust took hold of her guitar and readied a string. After she gave one of the pegs another twist, she opened her mouth and sung a pitch. “Ahhhhh.” She plucked the string and sang again in a full, even voice.

Ears up and open, Blueblood sat in wonder at the simple technique being displayed in front of him. Stardust continued on, repeating her cycle of peg twisting and singing. When he remembered what he was supposed to be listening for, he snapped out of his daze and refocused. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

“Great.” She smiled wide and repeated her process with all the other strings.

Musically, Blueblood was more of a listener, but seeing the way Stardust engrossed herself in her art was inspiring in itself that he found himself looking back at the instrument that might as well have been Stardust’s baby and pondered how a piece of wood with strings could bring so much joy to a pony. A crisp aroma captured Blueblood’s attention and he saw Metal Wave with a plate and basket in his magic walking towards the bar. Immediately, his mouth started to water when his dinner was placed on the table.

“One Tropical Island Burger, and a basket of hay fries. Enjoy, your majesty.” Metal’s eyes shifted to Stardust after he placed Blueblood’s food down. “Stardust, you’re up.”

“On it, boss.” Metal resumed walking his restaurant while Stardust strapped on her guitar. “Wish me luck, Blue.”

“You know you don’t need it,” he called to her as she left the bar.

“I know.”

***************

The aromas of hot tea, coffee, and hot chocolate blended with the scent of old books and wooden tables. For Twilight, it was what heaven smelled like. Along with Cadance, Twilight’s family had gone out for a nice dinner in the city before they stopped by what Twilight would describe as the best place in any town or city; the local book store. The store in particular they had entered had seen more than enough business from Twilight and her family in the past. So much so, that everypony working knew the entire family by name, and even some of their business if Twilight or her parents was ever feeling chatty.

“Back again, I see,” one of the cashiers at the counter said when he saw Twilight, her family, and Cadance enter the store.

“Hey, First Edition,” Twilight called back to the stallion as she raced to the new releases stand. There, she submerged herself in the numerous stack of books, scanning over the front and back of each tome like they were newfound treasures while First Edition and Night Light started to chat.

“You know, Twi,” First Edition called to her from the register, “there’s a new series that came out a few weeks ago. I think you might like it.”

“What’s it called?” Twilight asked back.

“Go a few stands back, it’s called ‘Daring Do’.”

Night Light followed his daughter to her destination while Cadance, Twilight Velvet, and Spike sat at a table in the coffee shop inside the store. Once she was sitting. Velvet dug through her saddlebag while Cadance went up to the counter. She came back with five steaming cups of hot chocolate held in her magic.

“Here you are, Velvet.” Cadance hoofed the mare a few bits in change and set two of the cups of steaming hot chocolate in front of her.

“Thank you, Cadance,” Velvet said politely. Finally, she found what she was looking for. Spike, who was bouncing up and down in his seat giggled with glee when he saw Velvet take out his green plastic sippy-cup and fill it with a one of the hot chocolates. Before she gave him the cup, she tightly sealed it with the spill-proof lid.

“That chocolate, mama?”

“Yes, baby, it is.” Velvet smiled at her little dragon and gave the cup a few shakes to test the lid. When she saw no trace of a spill, she hoofed Spike the cup.

Cadance noticed that hers and Velvet’s cups were still steaming hot and nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw Spike lift the cup to his mouth. “Wait! Velvet, isn’t that too hot for—” She stopped and watched Spike down the drink like a thirsty bulldog in a desert and sat in mild surprise when the little drake slammed his cup down and laugh in delight. “Right, dragon.” Said dragon was still giggling away and decided to start playing with his cup by sucking on the lid.

“No, no, Spike.” Velvet’s magic took the cup out of Spike’s mouth and brought out something else that made his eyes glimmer in wonder. “You wanna color in your book?”

“Yeah!” Spike answered with a bounce in his seat.

Velvet flipped open the coloring book in her magic to a random page and set it down along with some crayons. Spike quickly took to his coloring and the two mares watched on and sipped at their slowly-cooling drinks. “How is he doing?” Velvet suddenly asked of Cadance. “At the castle, I mean? Anything new I should know about?”

Cadance thought back to Spike’s time in the castle so far. “Not really. He’s walking more than the last time you visited, and there’s still a few fire mishaps here and there, but those get put out more easily now.” If just to mess with them at that exact moment, Spike let out a large burp with a few green embers escaping his mouth that fizzled in the open air. “You know where the fire extinguisher is in this place, right?”

“First thing I looked for when we came in.”

“Good.”

When Spike went back to his coloring, Cadance noticed Velvet just looking on at him with a large smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. She knew how much it pained the mare to see all three of her kids go in a relatively short time span and that any chance she had to visit at least two of her kids, she took as if it was going to be her last chance. “And what about Twilight? How’s she doing with Princess Celestia?”

Just saying “good” wouldn’t suffice, and Cadance knew Velvet would want more details. She began to share with her all the new tricks Twilight was starting to learn and how fast she picked up on nearly every single spell Celestia taught her. Cadance also revealed just how much Twilight was determined to impress her teacher and how she would be with one of her books nearly any time she saw the filly. Every moment Velvet listened on, her smile grew with pride for her daughter. She looked back to see Twilight still exploring the book stands and thought of all the time and effort the little filly had put into her studies, into magic, into making not only Celestia, but her and Night Light proud as well.

“Here.” Cadance offered Velvet a napkin when she saw tears start to well up in Velvet’s eyes.

In her peripheral vision, as she started to dab at her eyes, Velvet saw her husband and Twilight making their way to the table and quickly wiped away the rest of her tears until there wasn’t a trace.

“Mom! Cadance! Look at what dad’s gonna get for me.” Twilight set two books on the table, one incredibly large and dense, and the other, a lighter paperback with a ground-colored pegasus in an explorer’s outfit and a multi-shaded black and grey mane. “It’s this new book series called ‘Daring Do’. First Edition suggested it. I just read the summary on the back, and I think it’s gonna be huge!”

Cadance reached over and tapped at the larger book Twilight set down. “What’s this one?”

The quick series of hoof claps did little to show Twilight’s true extent of her excitement she was feeling about that book. “You’ll love this, Cadance. It’s the new edition of the latest Starswirl the Bearded biography.” Twilight stretched herself over the table to met Cadance’s eyes with her own wide and wonder-filled ones. “It’s got thirty new pages of content!”

Matched excitement came easily to the alicorn. Cadance quickly came to Twilight’s side, and the two cracked open the book. The two of them could’ve sat there and just read on into the night about their shared magic idol if it wasn’t for Night Light reminding them he still had to pay for the books a few minutes into their reading. The two of them hoofed the books over to Night Light, and he walked over to the purchase counter.

“Is this for me?” Twilight asked when she finally saw the last two cups of hot chocolate sitting on the table.

“Yes it is, sweetie,” Velvet answered. “Just leave the last one for your dad.”

Warmth flowed throughout Twilight’s body as she took that first careful sip. Steam was still rising from the cup, tickling her lips and nose when she took a drink. “Delicious,” she breathed with a satisfied smile. Beside her, Spike was still doodling in his coloring book. She looked over and saw him drawing something off to the side on one of the blank page. His movements were getting slower and his eyelids seemed to drop heavier and heavier each time he blinked. “Spike, you okay?”

She was answered with a long and high-pitched yawn. Spike brought his little arms to his eyes and lazily rubbed. “I tired, Twilight.”

The window outside revealed just how dark it actually got. While not very late, the dark blue of the nighttime sky still painted a very shadowy picture barely brightened up by Celestia’s crescent moon. The streetlamps aided in lighting up the streets in a pale-orange glow. Velvet stood from her chair, strapped on her bag, and came to Spike’s chair. “You’re tired, Spike?” she asked in a soothing voice.

The little dragon yawned again and nodded his head with closed eyes. “Mmm hmm.” Velvet took her little boy in her magic and set him atop her back, where in no time, he was fast asleep. Cadance and Twilight took that as the cue that it was time to get going. Before Velvet even told them, the two got up from their seats as well. Twilight left the table with the her dad’s cup of hot chocolate and her own suspended in her magic. They met Night Light just as he finished his purchase.

“See you guys next time,” First Edition said as they pushed the door open. They said their goodbyes to the stallion just before they headed out, and right before he called out, “Say hi to Shining for me.” Cadance, Twilight, and Night Light all felt a collective tenseness grip their bodies when they heard that, and their eyes slowly went to Velvet when they stepped out of the shop.

She didn’t explode into another crying mess like she usually did whenever something reminded her of her son miles and cities away from her, but she wasn’t exactly alright either. Night Light approached her carefully, like she was an occasionally ticking grenade that may or may not blow up. “Velvet, honey, you’re doing fine right now, but I just want you to remember that you said you’d work on—”

“I know,” she said abruptly. “I know. I’m not gonna break down like I did before. I’ve been making progress.” Her voice cracked in places that made it sound like she was close to tears, and the forced smile she put on was anything but a sign she was fine. Even as she tried to continue walking, the others felt it was just a matter of time as they followed closely. “I’m fine,” she repeated. “It was nice First Edition wanted to extend a greeting to my son. It’s just too bad he’s all the way in Trottingham.” From where she stood, Twilight could see Velvet’s eye start to twitch in a way reminiscent of herself whenever she felt she forgot something pertaining to an assignment. “Miles away. Away from his family. Away from me, his mother.” She continued walking, unaware she was garnering some looks. “And I can’t even see him for another two months! My own flesh and blood! The colt I raised since he was a foal; a precious wide-eyed foal that I watched grow up into a stallion who doesn’t need his mother anymore.” Everything came out in spasms of sobs even as she talked, and just like every other time she had burst out like this, Night Light was by her side patting her back. Twilight took her usual place by Velvet’s leg, if anything, to serve as emotional support while Cadance took to Twilight’s side and marveled at just how much liquid could come from a mare’s eyes.

“There, there, honey.” It was all the response Night Light had at the point he was at, and it really was the only thing he could think of to say. After how many times he found himself in a similar position, he exhausted all of his best comforting words. All he could do was rub and pat his wife’s back as she let it all out while her daughter and Cadance provided comfort as well.

When Velvet was finally out of tears and able to speak more cohesively, she looked to her family and guest before looking down at her hooves. This was supposed to be a happy night, and here she was breaking down in the middle of the sidewalk... again. “I’m sorry.”

Twilight held onto her mother’s leg and looked up at her with sweet, loving eyes. “It’s okay, mom. I know you miss Shining.”

“We all do,” Night Light said as Cadance stepped closer to Velvet’s side to add to the bubble forming around her.

In all the fuss and noise Velvet had made, her cries had awoken a certain baby on her back, but instead of waking up crying, Spike’s little arms stretched around to hug his mom’s neck. Velvet could hear his baby noises before hearing him say, “We’re here, momma.”

All these ponies surrounding her with understanding and love, it would’ve made Velvet tear up again hadn’t she remembered that was exactly what put a pin in their night of fun. Instead, she craned her neck to nuzzle the dragon on her back with affection before letting the others let her go. “Still, I really should try and get a better hold of myself whenever I get like that.”

“If it helps, you didn’t go on as long as last time,” Night Light said. It somewhat made her feel better. “Progress?”

For now, Velvet chalked it up as a victory. “I just miss seeing him. I can only get so much from letters.”

“I know what you mean,” Cadance said from the side and drawing Velvet’s attention to her. The older mare quietly gasped when she realized what she had said.

“Oh, Cadance, I’m sorry. I know you and Shining write each other, and I know you must miss him too.” Cadance didn’t resist the warm embrace Velvet gave her. “I will say that out of all the mares he could've fallen for, I’m so happy it was for somepony so kind and loving as you.”

Her cheeks flushed red at Velvet’s kind words. All she could think to do was return the hug and say with as much sincerity that could ever be in one body, “Thank you, Velvet.”

The mention of her letters to Shining reminded Cadance that she still hadn’t written today. When she and Velvet released each other, Cadance was smiling wide as an idea came to her that she hoped would end the night on a high note. “You know, when me and Twilight get back to the castle, I was just gonna write my letter for the night and go to bed. When was the last time all of you wrote him?”

“You mean all together?” Velvet took only a second to think about it. “A week ago, why?”

“Well, how about you and Night Light stay awhile, and we all write Shining a letter tonight from all five of us?”

Restraint was heavily exercised in that instant by Velvet. It took all she had to not swoop Cadance up in another giant hug and accidentally squeeze the fluids out of her. Twilight on the other hoof bound right in front of Cadance with an ecstatic grin plastered on her face before she started bouncing around her and her parents like a jumping bean.”Can we, guys? Can we? Can we? Can we?”

Velvet met her husband’s eyes. Both were smiling as well. “I think that’s a lovely idea.”

With no more than a jump in front, Twilight began to lead the way back to the castle with her parents and Cadance following behind.

***************

The lights, the stage, the faces of an entertained audience, the drops of sweat in her mane that wanted to drop onto the ground, Stardust loved everything about it. She had just finished her set for the night, and the crowd was once again in a roar of applause. She stood and looked over the ponies with a confident look before she gave a bow. “Thanks for comin’ out tonight, everypony. Remember to tip ya waitresses, I’ve got rent to pay.” She laughed at her own joke and so did some of the crowd as she stepped off the stage. When she came to Blueblood’s spot at the bar, he welcomed her back with more claps of his hooves.

“That was great, Stardust.”

“Thanks, Blue.” She hoisted her case back onto the bar and carefully placed her guitar into the soft blue fuzz of the case. “So did ya like the new one I played?”

“The one before your finale?”

“Yeah.”

“It was great. You wrote it yourself?”

“Yup. Would ya believe I finished it last night?”

He was at a loss for words, and his blank stare affirmed that. “I-I-I don’t, I wouldn’t even know if that’s something I should be surprised at or not.”

“Eh, depends.”

Stardust was about to close her case when Blueblood saw something sticking out of the fuzz of the case. He pointed out what looked like some paper protruding from some compartment in the case. “What’s that?”

“Glad ya asked.” The case was rethrown open and Stardust revealed what really was a small compartment in the case opened by a string latch. From it, she procured sheet after sheet of wadded up song notes, lyrics, and even full compositions. Each one was different from the others, both in content and how messily scribbled they were.

“You wrote all of these?”

“Yup. My pride and joys.” Watching the way Blueblood was just absorbed in the sheets put a large smile on her face. She saw him look and scrunch his face in confusion at certain pages. “The one’s with blue stars on the top are my favorites. One day, when I save enough, I’m gonna try and get some recordin’ equipment and finally make a demo.”

“I see you’ve got plans,” Blueblood said as he continued to flip through Stardust’s songs, and coming to a stop at one written in solid red called “Crushed”. It was a full composition, so he read and followed the notes and matched the lyrics written underneath the staff. As he read on, his eyes widened at some of the stronger sentiments expressed.

“Yeeeeaah, I might have to change some words around to avoid a parental advisory label.”

“I should say. How did this one come about?”

“I eva tell ya about Comet Crush?”

Blueblood shook his head, and Stardust pulled up a bar stool. “Alright, I’ve got a few minutes before I need to get back to work.” She started to recount her time with her ex-coltfriend, including a few of the highs of the relationship just to give a full, just account before ending her story with the ultimate crash that came with her discovering his other marefriend at his work during a surprise visit.

Blueblood listened and reacted any way a friend would when they find a friend of there’s was cheated on. “That scuzzbag!”

Stardust snickered at his word choice before adding in, “And a bunch of other things, but I could get fired if I say them out loud.”

“Still, that’s just… just… really sorry of him.”

“Eh,” Stardust said with a nonchalant shrug. “Joke’s on him, really. I got ova him real quick, but in those couple of hours after findin’ out, and goin’ back and forth between category five hurricane crazy angry and destroyed beyond repair on the inside sad, I wrote down that song in ya hooves.”

Blueblood looked back down at the song sheet. The lyrics and the memos about how loud and heavy to play at certain points painted a very vivid image of the rage anypony could’ve felt in Stardust’s position at the time. “So should this be released, and he hears it, you think he’ll know it’s about him?”

“Who cares? I’m not the first mare to write about bein’ cheated on, and I know I won’t be the last. Plus, I’m not namin’ names. It’s a crappy feeling, Blue, and I’m bettin’ any musician that’s been cheated on has written somethin’ similar, or at least covers a song about it. If they say they haven’t, they’re lyin’.”

The animated way she explained herself got a few short chuckles out of the prince. “Whatever you say, Stardust. So how long ago was this?”

“Several months ago.”

“And you haven’t tried to look for anypony else after that?”

First, her ears dropped down, which was quickly followed with an eye roll and an unamused look that gave a message along the lines of, “not this again”. “No I haven’t. Though that might change when your party rolls around.” Blueblood raised an eyebrow, and before he even asked, Stardust continued. “When me and Cady went dress shopping before our first movie night, she bought my dress, and we made a deal. I’d let her buy it if I promised to try and get back in the dating pool.”

The words, he heard, but the message was fuzzy. “You’d let her buy your dress?”

“The girl wouldn’t back down! The second I said I’d just raid my closet for somethin’, she ran to the counter and bought it. Our deal was the only thing that made me feel okay with her gettin’ me somethin’ like that.”

“That good of a dress, huh?”

“So good of a dress,” Stardust said with a dreamy moan as the image of herself in that white and blue gown came to her mind. Never in her life did she think she’d be the kind of mare who couldn’t wait to break in an outfit, but here she was daydreaming about the night she’d finally give it a whirl. “Who knows? Maybe I will find somepony. I mean, I’m in a good place right now, but hey, if I do, I get a new shot at romance, and I can get my mom off my back.”

“Your mom’s been on your back?”

“She’s been askin’ why I haven’t found another coltfriend after Comet Crush.” She straightened herself in her seat and cleared her throat. Putting on a higher voice, she mimicked her mother. “Stardust, why haven’t you found a nice coltfriend yet? Stardust, I have a friend whose son I think you would like. Stardust, why don’t you have a coltfriend yet? Stardust, are you secretly a fillyfooler, and that’s why you don’t have a coltfriend? If so, then why don’t you have a marefriend yet?” Blueblood had been drinking his tea, and had to exercise an immense amount of self control to not spurt it out of his mouth or nose once he heard that. Once he was off the verge of choking from holding his drink in after he swallowed, he broke into a voracious laugh one wouldn’t expect from a prince. “Oh, and I haven’t even told ya my favorite one.” She cleared her throat again. “Stardust, when will you get with that nice friend of yours? Stop stringing Shining along and invite him to dinner!” Even she found some humorous irony in that when she thought back to the times ponies thought her and Shining actually were a couple, including the pony sitting directly in front of her.

It seemed so long ago when Blueblood thought back to the short amount of time he and Cadance thought Stardust was involved with Shining. After just one conversation, the mixup was resolved, and he watched the beginnings of Cadance and Shining’s relationship take place. Looking back on it now, he wondered something. “Okay, Stardust. I am going to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve known Shining Armor even before he met Cadance, right?” She nodded. “Even back at the Summer Sun Celebration, I noticed you two were and are very close, and I mean very close. So, here’s what I’m curious about, in that whole time you’ve known him, did you ever think of starting a relationship with him? I feel like Cadance and I aren’t the only ones to have mistaken you two for something more than just friends.”

Rather than the immediate down-to-the-point answer he was expecting, Stardust stared off with her tongue pressed to the inside of her cheek in thought. She gave a short, “hmmmm,” before she looked away from whatever she was looking off at and back at an awaiting Blueblood. “I’d be lyin’ if I said it never crossed my mind at one point.”

This was definitely new, and the genie was already halfway out the bottle. There was no going back from a question like that. “So what kept you? You know, other than his massive crush on Cadance.”

“Well, yeah, that, but that didn’t start till a few months after we started hangin’ out. I thought about it a few times before that though. I mean, Shiny really is a great guy. He’s kind, good with magic, would never do anythin’ to hurt me, and yet more than enough of a goof to make me laugh. Heck, he’s a better pony than anypony I’ve ever dated before. By that logic, it seems like I shoulda snatched him up while I had the chance.” For a split second, Blueblood feared he just asked a question that opened some unresolved feelings for Stardust that would threaten everything between the her, Candance, and Shining, so he thanked the stars under his aunt’s sky that she continued on and said with a shrug, “Even with all that… I just wasn’t attracted to him. No matter what, I could only see him as a friend, and a great one at that.” She started to smile as memories of all the times had with one another came flooding in her mind. “I’m kinda glad for that though. I actually had some trouble makin’ friends when I moved here. I needed a friend more than a coltfriend at the time, and Shiny just happened to come into my life at the perfect time. Once he started workin’ at the library, well, the rest is history from there.”

It was different, to say the least, seeing Stardust like this for Blueblood. In the relatively brief time he’s known her, he was more used to the quick tongued teaser, and not this pony being so open and revealing about something he could tell meant a lot to her. He thought it was sweet to hear just how much Shining’s friendship meant to her. “He sounds like a great friend.”

“Yeah, he is.” She hopped off of her seat and saw that her song sheets were still scattered all around the bar. As she started to pick all of them up with her magic, Metal Wave appeared at the bar holding a large tray with various plates of food.

“Stardust. We need you back on the floor. The rush is picking up.”

“On it, boss.” Metal went back to finding his tables and Stardust hastened her cleanup. She grabbed her case and stuffed it below the bar when she was done. “How long ya gonna stick around?”

“Probably just until I finish my food.”

Stardust fished out a pencil and pad from behind the bar before she made her way around the structure. “Well, if I don’t see ya before ya leave, thanks for comin’ out.”

“Anytime.”

After some adjustments to her attire, Stardust readied her pencil and paper and made out ponies who looked like they had just arrived. “Gotta run, see ya.” In seconds, she was already at a table with a cemented smile on her face and telling the guests about the latest special while Blueblood swiveled in his seat to deal with the last half of his burger and remaining bit of hay fries.

***************

Trottingham Base: The Next Morning

***************

Dawn hadn’t even cracked yet, and Shining was wide awake; by force, yes, but still wide awake. Even in the dim lighting provided outside on the training grounds, Shining could perfectly make out the three objects lying in front of him like they were surrounded by a halo. Pinpoint was at his side, and the other recruits stood with their battle buddies. Quick Fix and Silver Edge were further down the line standing with similar looks of awe others in the line had. They only had a few seconds to look. The sounds of clanging iron rang in the open field, and everyone stood at full attention. Ironclad stalked down his line of recruits with that solid-eyed look that could command a rock to move. He stopped when he was standing perfectly centered in front of the line, and ever so slowly, a smile that still managed to be scary crawled across his face. “Well, maggots!” Still loud as ever, his gravely voice was heard by all ears. “Congratulations. You made it to Phase Two. Why don’t you give yourselves a round of applause.”

At first, everyone in the line looked at one another in a dumbstruck confusion while some began to lightly stomp at the ground.

Ironclad’s haunting smile easily reverted back to his natural cold scowl. “C’mon, you can do better than that!” The stomps quickly picked up to a thunderous applause. Some even hollered out in glee. “Alright, that’s enough. You survived three weeks of boot camp. You didn’t cure cancer.”

Three weeks. Shining was pretty sure others were in disbelief at how long they had really been going at it. The amount training, the amount of stuff crammed into their heads, the lessons in combat, it all felt like it had passed in a blur; a fast, painful, exhausting blur. If that was just the first three weeks, Shining cautiously wondered what was in store for him and the rest of his platoon in the next few weeks.

“What you see before you,” Ironclad continued on, “are the three basic weapons in the Equestian Royal Guard. Now look down, and get a good look.” On the ground in front of each pair of ponies were a bow, a quiver of arrows, a steel-bladed sword, and a musket. “The next few weeks, in addition to your regular training, all of you will learn the basics and more about each of these weapons and how to use them. Now, all non-unicorns, take a step back.” In one loud, collective swoop, all the unicorns in the platoon stood in a scattered line. In all, about twelve ponies were left in front. Shining and Quick Fix tried hard not to look worried when Ironclad began to walk the line again. “Now, I’ve asked for you all specifically because on your head is the fourth basic weapon in the Equestria Royal Guard; magic.” Shining and some of the others gave a brief look at their horns before Ironclad continued. “Some of you probably have never fired from your horn, but you will learn. Some of you may have, and you will be trained to do it better and with control. With lessons on attacking also comes lesson on defending, so be prepared. Every night, all unicorns will report to Sergeant Firearms during your usual drill sergeant time on the shooting field. Do we have an understanding?”

Like it was programmed into their brains, everypony stood tall and proud and boomed in their collective voices, “DRILL SERGEANT, YES, DRILL SERGEANT!”

“Good. Now, everypony back in their original spot.” The stallion only waited a second before he saw his original line of awaiting ponies. “Now, let’s start with item one.” His massive hooves stomped over to a set laid out a few steps ahead of everyone else. Rearing on his back legs, he rose with a slim wooden bow and a single arrow in his front hooves. “Look and listen carefully, everyone. First, you are to face your target with the proper stance.” A good distance away, there was a target with separate marked zones. Ironclad took his stance with his back hooves shoulder distance from each other, and his bow level with his target.

He set his arrow on the rest of the bow and slowly pulled. Tension built on the bow as he focused on the target. "Keep both eyes open, pull, aaaaaand..." In one fluid movement, Ironclad's arrow sliced through the air with a sharp release from his bow. The tip impacted its target hard just an inch away from a bullseye. "... fire."

Hushed whispers of praise spread around at Ironclad's demonstration that quickly fell silent when he turned to face the line. "Is anypony willing to give their own demonstration before we move on?"

Very few dared to step forward, and when it came to his decision, Ironclad approached the first pony that caught his eye until he was directly in front of the chocolate brown earth pony that came forward. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Drill sergeant, my name is Pinpoint, drill sergeant!"

"Well then, why don't you step up here and show us whether or not your name's an ironic coincidence."

Ironclad stepped aside and Pinpoint picked up the bow and an arrow from the set beneath his hooves. He took his stance where Ironclad stood and copied his exact steps. When he pulled his arrow back, his eyes hardened into a cold, focused stare. He kept his position for a few seconds more and fired. His arrow flew swift and sure, cutting the air like it was a knife made of magma on already melting butter. Where Ironclad's arrow was off the bullseye by a little more than an inch, Pinpoint's hit the center dead on. Only the brief echo of the impact from the arrow hitting the wooden target was heard as everyone stayed silent.

“And that, soldiers, is what were are going to aim for today!” Ironclad yelled out, snapping his ponies out of their awestruck daze. “I want at least three bullseyes from everypony before we move on.”

It truly was impressive how much silent anguish Ironclad could cause with one order. The subtle changes in everypony’s eyes showed just how screwed they thought they were. With Ironclad’s order, Pinpoint took his stuff back to his spot with Shining and awaited the signal to start. Ironclad left his spot in front of his line got behind them before he started pacing behind them. “First pony to their marks.” Shining and the first in every set of partners took their places, picked up their bows, and took an arrow. “Begin!”

Shining took a breath before he tried to pull back on his bow. He must’ve been doing something wrong or was just nervous because as he pulled, his arrow kept wiggling in place on the rest. It took a few tries to finally steady himself and keep his arrow straight, but that had been as far as he thought. In a frenzy to match pace with those who had already fired, Shining released the arrow the moment he got it to stay still and straight. When he looked to see where it landed, his ears drooped when he found his arrow had hit only the outer ring of the target… somepony else’s target. This was going to be a long and interesting morning.

***************

A good crowd at the restaurant always made the mornings after work seem better. Not only was it a nice ego boost, but knowing others loved the performance she gave always made Stardust wake up feeling happy. She awoke with fewer hits of the snooze button than usual and felt the sun’s rays off her windows wash over her in a revitalizing wave. Her mane rested in a wild mess when she looked in the nearest mirror. She gave it a few pats and combs with her hoof until she resigned to worry about it after she had some food in her.

She made her way downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal. After pouring herself a bowl, she looked around for the milk, but had no luck finding it. Behind her, the front door creaked open, and her mother stood in the doorway with her horn and a stack of mail glowing a golden hue that matched her eyes. “Stardust,” her mother, Mezzo Melody, said when she saw her daughter in the kitchen. “Morning, sweety. I didn’t think you’d be up until later.”

“Morning, mom. Thought that too. Where’s dad?”

Mezzo closed the door behind her and set the stack on the table. “We ran out of milk, so your father stepped out to go get some.”

Stardust looked at her bowl on the table and shrugged. She opened a drawer, pulled a spoon out, and took a seat to start eating.

“You don’t want to wait for your dad to come back with the milk?”

After another swallow of the dry cereal, Stardust said, “I’m hungry.”

Watching Stardust shovel down her food the way she was, Mezzo knew her daughter didn’t use her break last night for a quick dinner. She sighed and walked to her side where her eyes instantly went to the tangled mess of Stardust’s mane. From the corner of her eye, she could see little specs of cereal at the ends of Stardust’s mane where it had fallen while she ate. Without warning, Mezzo brought a soft, silver hoof to Stardust’s mane and carefully pulled it back.

“What are you doin’?” Stardust asked through a mouthful of cereal, feeling her mane getting combed through.

“Picking the mess out of your mane, you little foal,” Mezzo said with a smile and a small laugh.

“Mom!” There may have been a little irritation in her voice, but she was smiling as well. When she moved out, this was actually going to be something she’d miss. “So what came in today?” she asked looking at the mail sitting across from her.

Mezzo switched from her hooves to magic to hold Stardust’s mane back and reached up to her own long and elegant curly black mane where she pulled out a single hair pin. “I don’t know. I didn’t look.” She threaded the pin through Stardust’s mane to make a thick, wavy ponytail while Stardust picked up the mail in her magic and started to flip through the stack. Out of everything, she found two items addressed to her. “And done,” Mezzo said with a few more pat downs of Stardust’s mane. “So, what did you get?”

Already ripped open, Stardust held a letter from Shining. She lit up at the simple “Hey, Star,” at the beginning and heard his voice as she read on. Still standing behind her, Mezzo read over her daughter’s shoulder and matched in Stardust’s delight. The letter may have been a simple rundown of everything he’s been through and everything he felt during the grueling process, but it meant the world that she was still kept in mind.

“I still don’t get why you didn’t snatch him up when you had the chance.”

“Mom!”

“I’m just saying.” In reality, she knew there wouldn’t be anything more than friendship between the two, but she loved the reaction she got from Stardust whenever she brought the idea up. “Did you get anything else?”

One letter remained on the table for her addressed from “Canter Square”. Excitement immediately built up like a catalyzed reaction, and she ripped the letter open.

“Dear, Lease Applicant

Congratulations! Your lease has been executed. Welcome to Canter Square.”