>Children have always fascinated you, in some sort of distant, academic way.
>Babies, however, have all the downsides of children and then some, with hardly any positives to their accursed names.
>A vestigial religious part of you is convinced all babies are born inhabited by demons, which can only be fully exorcised by good parenting over two decades.
>You were extremely glad, then, when Princess Cadance and Shining Armor left Flurry Heart with Twilight, outside the room you’ve re-purposed into a sort of living room and office.
>Shining had whispered something to her, while handing over the foal, something that had her shoot you a glance.
>Between that and the royal guard outside whispering something to Shining, there was a lot of secrets in your embassy that you weren’t in the loop on.
>Well, you had a big one of your own, stored in boxes in a forgotten side room, but who’s counting, really?
>Besides you. You’re counting.
>Cadance, you notice, does that same bouncy trot that Twilight does when she’s happy. Must be where Twilight got it from, if Cadance had been responsible for some of her upbringing.
>Cadance is apparently happy all the time. Even when calm and relatively stationary, she’s always gently swaying in some sort of subtle bliss, with a warm smile on her face.
>Frankly, you feel happy just being near her. To the point that you’re able to quantify it; unable to resist an easy and informal experiment, on your way over you moderated your distance from her, noting how your mood changed as you did.
>You can only conclude she’s some sort of empath, as capable of broadcasting love and positivity as you’ve heard she is at detecting it.
>Shining Armor is much more stoic and reserved, but basks in his wife’s aura of joy like an cold man before a raging fire.
>It’s very strange seeing a couple that approaches gender dispositions you’re familiar with, but at the same time it’s comforting.
>Comforting is what they’ve pulled you aside to do, and with Cadance here, they’re exceedingly efficient at it.
>Cadance is looking you up and down like a delicious cut of meat, not that ponies here eat any.
>Shining Armor is looking between you two with a strained smile.
>”Ah, sorry Anon, my wife can be-”
>”So you’re Twilight’s lover!”
>The pink alicorn is sitting at the edge of her seat, and leaning forward to boot, her wings extended out behind her for balance.
“Well, that’s a little much.”
>”You can’t lie to me about affairs of the heart.”
“No, I mean ‘lover’. We haven’t, ah-”
>You eye Shining sidelong
“-haven’t made love yet. So maybe not the most accurate term.”
>”Oh! I’m sorry. I thought- no, that might be a couple weeks out still?” She ends the question with a look to her husband.
>Who rolls his eyes. “I don’t know why you’re asking me. I’m surprised you even remember.”
>”It pays to know these details about those you care about, love.”
“What details?”
>”You’ll see!” Cadance leans forward again. “So, I imagine you have a lot of questions about your new life, being from another world and all.”
“You’re getting ahead of the situation again. I’m still getting used to the idea of living here as my new life; living with Twilight is a life yet to come, if it happens.”
>”It will.” Cadance beams at you. “But if we’re getting ahead of ourselves, start us at the beginning. How did you two meet?”
“Work, I suppose. I managed to rope her into some of the side projects I’d been doing to fill time. She got interested enough to start helping me understand magic, and we worked on combining them. Honestly, I never intended any of this. I was just happy to have a friend.”
>”That,” Cadance said, her smile gentler – no, her entire demeanor overhauled in a moment, less bubbly and more sensitive, “is how it often begins. A lot of ponies are caught up in gestures, or courtship, or wooing, but love grows separate from any of that. All those do is create an opening. Friendship – and doesn’t she know about that – is the spark from which the flame of love can grow. And a great fire follows a little spark! Oh, I love it when it develops so naturally.”
“Yeah, and I wouldn’t have a problem with it, if I hadn’t gotten tangled up with another mare.”
>”Oooh.” Cadance shoots a grin at her husband. “Scandalous.”
>She’s flipping her attitude like a switch, from motherly wisdom to teenage excitement. It would throw you off if you haven’t been swept up in its soothing wake, an effect you’re fairly sure she’s actively dictating with whatever her unique variety of magic is.
>Honestly, she can keep doing it. You’ve always felt so uptight when talking about this; it highlighted just how out of place you are in this world. This externally imposed relaxation is a welcome relief.
“I’ve been led to believe that’s pretty common around here.”
>”Oh, absolutely. But a stallion thawing the time-lost Luna’s heart, it’s both thrilling and enigmatic.”
“Well, she and I understand each other on things no other ponies can.”
>”Entirely reasonable, and a good connection to have. Such burdens are always more easily carried with one you love.”
“So, uh, how did you know it was Luna?”
>Her eyes sparkle. “You can’t lie to me about affairs of the heart.”
“Not even by omission, I guess. Thing I’m caught up on is that herding didn’t exist back home. I have no idea how to do it.”
>”Do it?”
“Yeah, like how it all comes together. How the participants, uh, fit into place, I guess.”
>Cadance looks you over. “Twilight wasn’t wrong about you being very unstallionine. You’re thinking about it like it’s a machine, not ponies’ emotions.”
“Yeah. Not a lot of experience to work off.”
>Cadance tilts her head in a pitying expression. “That’s a shame. From what Twilight tells me, you’re very sweet.”
“I’d trust her assessment over mine. But, ah, you two are exclusive. Isn’t that rare?”
>”Love, Anon, works in mysterious ways. We’re privileged by our position to be able to do this; normally unicorn-influenced societies like Canterlot or the Crystal Empire’s upper crust wouldn’t abide it, but we have the clout to have our way. I’m grateful, because truth be told-”
>The look she gives Shining then screams absolute devotion, like her entire world is compressed into the space he occupies. You’re hit with a tinge of something you’d almost call worship when he looks back at her with his own smile, and you’re positive that emotional effect wasn’t intentional; it’s too out of place with the effect she’d been creating so far. Her feelings slipped into her broadcast despite herself.
>“-I don’t think we could include another without hurting them.”
“Hurting them?”
>She looks back at you, and the unintentional effects fade. “Love cannot be diminished by spreading it, Anon. If you love more than one pony – true, selfless, devoted love – they will know, and it will work out fine. But love can be diminished other ways. If it isn’t cared for, if it’s spread unequally, or if it’s compartmentalized. If the one loving does not love themselves. Some – like Shining and I – are too caught up in each other, too busy giving each other all we have, that another would be left out. And in a herd, one has to love love itself. Not receiving it, but giving it.”
“I… I don’t know if I can do all that. I’ve never had to think of all that before.”
>“Your love for Twilight is different than your love for Luna. You might not be able to understand that, I think you’re just confused, but I can see it. They come from different places, and express themselves through different means. This is good; you’ll never need to worry about dividing it.”
“But what about the two of them?”
>Another gentle smile. “Surely you have family, in your old home. Family that you loved?”
>You nod.
>”There are many kinds of love, Anon. They don’t have to be attracted to each other. Though some mares may love other mares of the herd as they love the stallion, there is also the love of a deep friendship, or the love of family ties. There is a form of love in fundamental, unconditional respect. There’s the love of altruistic bonding, and the love of working in harmony for common aims. Any will do between the mares of your herd.”
>You are, on some level, aware of what she’s getting at. You loved your parents, after all, and you loved your work, which definitely wasn’t romantic. You know terms like brotherly love and platonic love. You’re just not used to hearing it all spelled out like this.
>It makes a lot of sense.
“So do I just trust them to work it out?”
>”I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t. Just remember the stallion’s partially responsible for keeping everything together. If a dispute arises, don’t be afraid to step in.”
“I think I can do that.”
>Cadance rocks back, wearing a manic grin again. “Then when’s the wedding?”
“Holy hell, give me some time to get used to everything, will you? Not enough for Celestia to be breathing down my back, huh?”
>Confusion flits across Cadance’s features. “Is she giving you a hard time?”
“Kinda. Mostly teasing me, and being really flirty.”
>Cadance frowns. “Strange.”
“You’re telling me.”
>Shining looks over to his wife. “You could talk to her about it. It’d give Anon and I some time to talk about stallion stuff.”
>”That’s a good idea, love.” She stands and turns to Shining, then the two of them do that thing where they press their snouts together.
>You’ve been wondering if that’s a pony’s version of a kiss ever since Twilight did it to you.
>One of Cadance’s ears perk towards you the moment your recollection of that moment settles into your mind, and when she disengages from Shining, she winks at you before turning to leave.
>Once she’s out – her emotional influence fading away, restoring somewhat disheartening normalcy – Shining sighs and shakes his head. “Sorry, my wife can get over-eager about these affairs.”
“Well that’s sorta her thing, isn’t it? Princess of love and all that. Does it, uh, ever bother you? That she could just be planting the love in your head?”
>”What? No, she can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
>”Because it’s my love in the first place. The positive emotions she uses to lift everyone’s spirits, those are mine, how I feel for her, how I feel about being around her. She just selects the one she wants from them, amplifies it, and sends it on its way. Back home, love keeps eternal winter at bay, so we’re used to using fire metaphors. By those terms, I’m the fuel for her inferno. When I first learned of her ability, I was worried it was the opposite. That she loved me only because of what I felt for her. She told me later it started when she saw how I felt for my sister; she fell for me because how devoted I was to family, and how eager I was to protect them.”
>He chuckles. “So, while we’re on that topic… About Twily.”
>Shit, this is going to be some sort of life-or-death interview, isn’t it?
>Your mind quickly races through what a powerful unicorn could do to someone who’s displeased them, with their magic.
>You don’t like what you’re thinking up.
>”You haven’t told her you love her yet, have you?”
>That detracks all those thoughts.
“I, uh, well, I guess it’s sorta implied… how could you tell?”
>”There was a big difference in how Cadance was acting based off of what she felt coming from you and how you responded. You’re in love - probably already committed to her, from Cadance's comments - but you haven’t done much about it.”
“I, er, I guess you can say that, yeah.”
>”Besides,” he smiles, “I’m a stallion, we have a feel for these things.”
“No offense, but you two are the closest I’ve ever seen ponies to what the dynamic would look like back home. Stoic stallion, sensitive mare. I thought the opposite was the norm here.”
>”There’s no reason it can’t be both. I was a captain of the guard, here, and I lead them in the Crystal Empire. But my leadership is founded on my appreciation and respect for those under me. I pride myself on making a personal connection with every one I can, and being able to predict their wants and needs. That’s stallion sensitivity. Cadance isn’t above using her abilities for utilitarian ends, you’ve never seen her use her powers to influence a crowd like a conductor leading an orchestra; deft gestures and subtle tweaking bringing everyone into harmony. When she needs to be, she’s all business, and when it’s called for, she’ll be your stoic mare.”
“So, uh, maybe you can help me after all. Twilight says there was something I could talk to you about. Just you.”
>He leans forward, in a nearly comical imitation of his wife earlier, though less barely restrained energy. “What’s that?”
>You glance to the door Cadance exited.
“They’re going to outlive us.”
>”Ah.”
“How do you handle that?”
>He sighs. “My wife’s work isn’t all smiles and romance. A sad truth; every marriage ends with one member watching the others die, and continuing on alone.”
>You slump in your chair.
“Fuck, that’s depressing.”
>”Cadance may specialize in the positive emotions – love, happiness, satisfaction, and so on – but she can feel anything. Jealousy, depression, arrogance. Grief. Her self-control, her sheer willpower, keeps her together in the face of it all. That ultimate implacability is the most maresculine thing I’ve ever known, no matter how whimsical she behaves. We’ve had a lot of time to think about those things, Anon, and a lot of nights we weren’t given a choice, if we were alone and something caught her off guard."
>He shakes his head. “In the end, we’re no different than every other couple or herd. It’ll come down to one outliving the other. We’re just cursed with the knowledge of who it will be.”
“I can’t leave them to that. I can’t just fucking disappear on them, leaving nothing but memories.”
>”You’re not talking about death, then. You’re talking about a legacy, some way you can continue making a difference in their life after you’re gone.”
“Yeah. You two have a kid. Er, a foal. I can’t do that for your sister, or any pony. And that hurts, man. That hurts a lot more than I thought it would. I can’t fulfill the most basic desire of a family. Your sister just sorta brushed it off-”
>”Heh, she would.”
“-but I just cant do that to them.”
>”She tells me you’re quite the inventor, Anon. You’ll have plenty of creations that live on.”
“Yeah, and I have something special planned for her, but I don’t know how she’d take it.”
>”Like what?”
>You straighten your back and eye him more critically.
“I can’t tell you that, sorry.”
>”Ah, it’s fine. I doubt I’d understand it anyway. I still have no idea how you two made those claws of hers.”
“Trust me, it was a lot of work. But in a way, those were sort of the start of all this. No, it was as your wife said. A spark started it. A literal one, awhile ago, when I stuck two wires to a chunk of quartz and asked her to squeeze.”
>You can’t help but laugh at yourself.
“It was such a stupid little thing. We had no idea what we were getting into, in more ways than one. I can only hope that whatever I leave behind for her is as magnificent as that first moment was silly and trivial.”
>”With an attitude like that, I’m sure you’ll leave her something worthy of your love.”
>You look up at him.
“That simple?”
>“That simple.”
>You fall to the backrest and sigh.
“I guess it’s all I can try for, then. Thanks.”
>”We’re going to be family, Anon. I’ll do anything for family.”
“Now you’re the one getting ahead of things.”
>He just laughs at that.
“Well, hey, Twilight tells me you’re something of a thrill-seeker like your mom, and your talent’s in protection magic. I can show you one of the things she and I are working on, and you can help us test it, since you can protect yourself from any harm that’d happen. That’s doing something for me, and in return I’ll be doing something for you.”
>He adopts an eager grin. “What’cha got for me, then?”
“How would you like to get a pair of wings of your own, and fly with your sister and wife?”