[Friday Evening]

I spent the next few hours in the mess hall’s kitchen cooking one of my favorite recipes my mom used to make me to prepare for my confession. One of the chefs who worked back there was generous enough to let me use their kitchen when I told her what it was for. She was a really sweet mare, and was kind to me when I had worked in the kitchen for two months. She had even taught me how to cook when we weren’t serving food to the cadets. When I finished cooking, I put a good portion of the food in two containers that the chef was generous enough to let me borrow. She even gave me silver ware to use before I stuffed them in a paper bag.

After she wished me luck, I took the bag, and walked around the Castle’s courtyard to find Shining while I rehearsed lines for what I should say when I see him.

“’Hey, Shining! How’s it going? Want to have some dinner while I confess something?’” I rehearsed. “No, that won’t work. ‘Shining my stallion! How about some grub I made while we chat?’ Nah, that’s kind of masculine. ‘Yo Shining! Wanna grab a bite and fuck our brains out after?’ Ugh! Where the heck did THAT come from?! Why is this so hard?” I asked myself with hopelessness.

It’s funny really. For many years, I would strut my stuff enough to leave stallions, and possibly mares speechless to my sexual innuendos. Sure, they were only teases during those times, and I would get quite a kick from seeing their expressions. Now… This is real. I’m not saying something to get a kick. I’m putting my heart and soul out for someone I want to be with. I haven’t felt something like this since… No, I can’t think that far back now. That would get me more hesitant to say anything now than before. And to put on top of it, I NEED to do this to make a choice on whether or not I should join the Royal Guard with Shining. It’s now or never… If only I knew where he went.

I looked around my surroundings, including the castle. On a balcony, I saw a figure that was standing there gazing up at the mostly cloudy sky. Probably taking advantage of the night sky’s view while it was still clear enough to see, as I heard there was supposed to be a heavy rainstorm tonight. Focusing my vision more, I could make out the figure enough to recognize the distinguishing features that I've known.

“There he is,” I confirmed. I went inside the castle, and followed a path that would lead up to the balcony I saw Shining on. I wasn’t skilled in magic enough to do a teleportation spell. I probably could if I had put the time and effort to study it, but that would take too much energy out of me once I learn to use it.

When I got to the archway that led to the balcony, I leaned against a wall, and peaked behind it enough to see outside. Shining was there, leaning against the railing, watching up the sky intently. I hid back behind the wall, and froze. My heart suddenly started to beat faster than normal, sweat coming out of my fur like bullets, my hands grabbing the bag was getting clammy, tail twitching rapidly, to the point my whole body shivering with anxiety.

Oh Goddess, there he is! But I’m too freakin’ scared to approach him! Okay Lumina, calm down. Remember to breathe.

I took a deep breath in, then let it out as I thought to myself.

Okay, good. Now, here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re going to go out there, and ask him to have dinner with you while enjoying the partly cloudy night sky. After a small chat and bites later, you’re going to put out your feelings in the most mature, calm way possible. This isn’t the first time you approached a colt, or in this case, young stallion, you took interest in. You were confident, strong-headed, and goddamn sexy, and you still are now. You, are Luminescent Fucking Lustre, and you’re going to go out there, and you’re going to take that stallion right there and-

“You made it!” Shining’s voice exclaimed, interrupting my thoughts.

I take that back. There’s no way I can do this. I’ve been found out, and he expects me to come out to see what I’m doing up here! Wait, maybe it’s better this way. I’m not even sure if I was gonna go out there myself if I kept thinking about it with all that pep talk. Alright Lumina, this is it. Time to-

“Sorry for coming so late. I had to make sure the coast was clear before I got up here,” a mare’s voice responded.

…Wait… What? Who else is up here?

I took a peek around the wall once more, and saw another figure with Shining. She looked like a mare, pretty slender at that, wearing a white dress that reached her hooves. Her long mane and tail were curled at the end with colors of yellow, fuchsia, and violet. She had a pink coat with wings and horn…

Wait, wings AND a horn?! Hang on, backtrack time. If I remember correctly, I had heard Princess Celestia has a niece that liked to go in and out of the castle. What was her name? Princess… Mi Amore Cadenza right? Could… Could this be her niece? I didn’t see a crown on her when I checked, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t a princess without it. What was she doing here? And how does she know Shining?

I had to stop what I was thinking, perked my ears, and listened in. Hopefully able to gather more info on what was going on.

“You know we’re going to have to tell everyone about us eventually right?” Shining asked.

… Us?

“I know,” the princess said. “But I just didn’t want you or me getting so much unwanted attention while you’re still in the Academy. I know joining the Royal Guard means a lot to you, and I don’t want to make things any harder for you than it probably is.”

“I appreciate that Cadence,” Shining responded. “But training in the Academy would be much harder if we didn’t get together like this.”

… C-Cadence? That sounds so… informal. Like something one would call their close friend… They are close friends… Right?

Cadence giggled at Shining’s words before she continued. “Oh Shining, you can be such a sweet-talker, and I feel the same way going through my days at the castle.”

… This isn’t happening… They can’t be together like that can they? It’s just a platonic, very intimate relationship they have going right?

Silence filled the air until I heard four words that I didn’t want to hear before everything crumbled around me.

“I love you, Cadence,” Shining professed.

“I love you too, Shining Armor,” Cadence returned.

After hearing that, I took one small peek from behind the wall, and I saw the two of them in each other’s arms. Kissing passionately with their eyes closed, as if they were the only two ponies on the balcony… But they didn’t know that I was there.

Without thinking, I just ran back the way I came. I didn’t care how much noise my hooves were making while I ran, or how the guards that passed by me stared, but I just wanted to get away from the horror I just saw before I was seen. When I got outside, I ran to the gardens that were behind the castle. I finally slowed down when I got to a bench, fell hard on it with my bottom, and set the bag of food I prepared on the side. The next thing I did, I choked on my sobs as I cried my eyes out. My chest felt so much pain, just like that one time, but only much worse.

I can’t believe it… Shining said he wasn’t seeing anyone when I asked, but… That just destroyed everything I had dreamed of since I first had feelings for him… The fuckin’ bastard LIED! Lied so he wouldn’t be treated any differently than others. Not only did he lie to everyone, he even lied to ME. The one he tried so hard to convince to stay at the academy when I wanted to run away. How long was he with HER before that time?! What the fuck did he even see in ME when he talked to me?! Why was he being so nice to me up to this point?!

I asked myself many questions in my head, but I didn’t come up with an answer for any of them.

I’m such a fool. A stupid, love struck, hopeless fool.  Everything makes sense now. Why he didn’t show any attracted interest in me. Why he didn’t talk much about his relationships. Why he didn’t looked at me in a way that others would. The one stallion I WANTED to look at me that way, but didn’t get a single FUCKING glance!

I looked up, and saw a pond in front of me. I got up from my bench, walked up to it, and saw my reflection. My eyes were puffy with tears while they kept falling from my face before they hit the water. I closed my eyes tightly, wiped the tears from my face and opened them again before I looked back at my reflection. My brow was furrowed then, while my gaze was filled with anger, betrayal, and sadness while I gritted my teeth.

“Well… I think I found my answer for what I want to do,” I told myself before I picked up my bag of food, and ran back to my room.

I kicked the door to my room open loud enough that woke up Creamy, jolting up from her sleep.

“Dude! Not so loud!” She exclaimed quietly.

“I’m not in the fuckin’ mood Cream! Go back to sleep!” I ordered with a louder, more forceful whisper as I glared at her. She sat there in shock, silence, and fear from my sudden outburst as I got to my closet, and started getting my bag ready to go by first stuffing my food in it.”

“W-what are you doing?” She asked hesitantly.

“Leaving,” I snarled.

“W-what?! But what about-?!”

“Shut it!” I interrupted in the same loud whisper that made Creamy jump back. “I’m fuckin’ tired of this alright?! There’s no reason for me to be here anymore! I’ve fuckin had it! Done! Finished! I’m through with this shit!” I exclaimed as I took a pen out of my bag, and my resignation letter from my pocket before I slammed both down on the floor, and signed everything that was needed as fast as possible. I finished, and put the pen back in my bag before I zipped it up and got it over my shoulder. “Whatever you want to do now, good fucking luck to you! I’m outta here!” I shouted in the whisper before I left the room, and slammed the door shut. Leaving Creamy with nothing to say.

I stopped by the office I had the meeting with the commander, and slipped the signed resignation letter under the door before I headed to the academy’s main entrance. I walked fast to it before I saw someone I didn’t want to see right now. He stood at the entrance while holding two objects in each hand.

“I’m not in the mood Nil! Back off!” I yelled as I walked before he unfolded his wings, blocking my way. “HEY! MOVE YOUR FUCKING WINGS BEFORE I SNAP THEM OFF YOUR BACK!” I threatened before he shoved the objects to my body, to what appeared to be a tent set, and a sleeping bag.

“You’re going to need these since you’re leaving tonight,” Nil finally spoke, which left me surprised and taken aback.

“H-how did-”

“I saw what happened,” Nil interrupted, which made me recall everything I had heard and saw at the balcony that brought back the same sadness from earlier. “I was watching the sky while lying on the clouds before I heard some wings flapping. I looked below the clearing, and saw an alicorn meeting Shining Armor at the balcony. I didn’t know what was going on until I saw… Well you know the rest.

“It wasn’t until later that I saw you running out of the castle and into the garden before I connected the dots, anticipated what was going to happen, and I took those from storage,” Nil finished while pointing to the tent and sleeping bag I was holding.

“Wait… You stole these? But how did-”

“I have my ways of breaking in, let’s just leave it at that. I doubt anyone will notice, but if they find out, I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything. As for how I know your feelings for Shining Armor? I may not have much experience in dating and relationships, but I can deduce from some of your behaviors that you had something going on with him. To be quite frank, I’m kind of hurt he kept that from us as well, but I won’t be staying much longer to worry about it anyway.

“I’ll keep what happened here between us. You get going, and try to think things through. My offer from earlier still stands. If you need me, I’ll be at Manehattan. Just find me at one of the libraries over there, possibly in the early afternoon, and we’ll discuss what will happen from there,” He finished.

I can’t believe it… This guy knows what’s going on, didn't stop me for what I am going to do, and he went out of his way to get this gear for me…

I stood there in shock for a moment before I dropped the tent and sleeping bag, and hugged Nil in a tight embrace. He was shocked from the development as well, but returned the hug in support.

“Thank you Nil," I said. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nil responded.

I didn’t know what I was thinking at that moment, my mind was probably still spinning from the emotions, but after I broke the embrace, I gave him a small peck on the cheek, which gave him a bigger shock from earlier.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” I asked with a small, but sad smile.

“... Yeah. See ya,” Nil responded while he glanced at me and tipped his signature hat to me.

I rushed out of the academy’s property, with my bag, tent, and sleeping bag in tow. Thunder started to boom, and rain started to drizzle as I ran to the station at the front of the town.

“What do you MEAN the next train won’t be until morning?! I need to get out of here NOW!” I demanded in rage to the stallion managing the ticket booth at the train station.

“I’m sorry miss,” the stallion said as he closed the booth. “But the last train to Manehattan just deported 20 minutes ago, and there won’t be any more trains coming in for tonight. Hope you have a good evening,” he said as he closed the blinds, and shut the lights before he left the booth, and quickly ran through the rain.

Great. Just fucking PERFECT. I gotta find another way out of here. I’m not willing to stay in this godddessdamn town for another night before I get discovered.

I looked around Canterlot’s entrance to find an alternative, and saw an open archway in the mountain the town was perched on with a long flight of stairs to the bottom.

“Guess I will be using this tent set after all,” I confirmed myself before I took one last look at Canterlot as a whole. “Good-bye Canterlot, and fuck you, Shining Armor,” I bade while I flipped the bird in the air at the city’s direction. I turned, and made my way down to the base of the mountain. The rain started to pour harder on the city as I left the shithole known as Canterlot.

Next Chapter: Chapter 9: Cyan's Explanation, and the Dark Truth Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 15 Minutes