I sat with Celestia and the other princesses. Celestia wore her mane a soft shade of blue and covered her wings with a thick black dress. Cadance and Twilight sat across from us, talking to each other. I took a drink of water while Celestia one of wine. "So, how was it?" I asked calmly.

Celestia sighed. "About as I expected. A few ponies came in just to talk about Cadance, aside from that standard."

I took another swig. The cold water was easy on my throat after all the days yelling. "Hmm, you alright?"

"Yes, Able."

I nodded. "You seem a little quiet."

Celestia tapped me with her wing. "There are other ponies around. And I'd rather--"

"Tick." I tapped my fingers on the table. "Other ponies never--"

Celestia slapped my arm with her wing. "That was different." She left a blue smear on her glass. "You know how I feel about bugs. Same way you feel about Spike."

I felt my skin creep. "Don't even compare that to him...I don't--"

Celestia scoffed. "Please...you nearly threw him through a window."

I nodded. "And I would have done it if you'd let me." I moved my hand to her thigh.

Celestia sat calm under my hand. She sighed heavily. "So what are the odds Shining is bent over in the showers?"

I grabbed the inner curve of her thigh and squeezed. "Hopefully low."

Celestia nodded and looked up at her ponies. "How are you both? It is very nice to see you, perhaps not under--"

I squeezed her leg. "Relax."

Celestia looked down at me with a grimace. "I am."

I rubbed her leg. "Speaking as an agitated madman, you're not."

Celestia levitated my hand off her leg. "At any rate.... Twilight, how have you been?"

Twilight smiled wide. "Great! I mean...great, it's been going very well. No major catastrophes."

I scratched my ear. "How'd the tree grow in? That crystal thing still there?"

Twilight sighed heavily. "It just doesn't feel right."

Celestia leaned forward. "The crystal tree, you mean the crystal tree, don't you?"

Twilight nodded slowly. "I just feel a little--"

"Too formal?" Celestia asked calmly. "Personally I think it suits you, since the tree is still a bit young I think it'd work well for you."

Twilight rubbed her neck. "It does! It really does. I just feel a little out of place in Ponyville, since it kind of stands out...."

I rubbed my chin and looked around. A loud metal scraping was coming from the door. "Oh...well shit."

Shining was dragging himself over, a sword sat next to him, barely held in a magical grip. He wore bright gold armor, the same kind I'd proved completely pointless with a bayonet. His mane was singed at the tips and his hooves were covered in mud. "Cadance...he found us."

Cadance popped upright, still tied up. "Shining!"

He walked over rather slowly and tossed the sword down. It clattered loudly and startled a passing man with a food tray. He walked up to me and stared at me. "Why?"

"Testing." I answered with a drink. "Where the hell where you?"

Shining glared at me. "Dragon lands...."

I nodded. "Poor scout work there my friend."

Shining looked over to Cadance. "...You kept her tied up all day?"

I nodded. "Yeah, until you cut her out."

Shining glared at me and snorted. "Are you...kidding...me?"

I shook my head. Celestia and Twilight were still talking. "No, it really took you a day to track her down. If I was actually trying to kidnap her I would have shaved her head and sent you it in a box by now," I turned to Cadance, "no offense."

Shining let out a long grunt and laid down on the floor. "I walked for twenty miles today...."

I rubbed my chin. "Why didn't you send out scouts? Pegasus cover that much ground in minutes."

Shining glared at me. "There are no Pegasus in the Crystal Guard...you ass."

I scratched my neck. "Breed some, you dipshit." I finished off my glass and stood up. "Celestia...." She turned around to face me. "I'm gonna head back home, get things ready. Have fun."

Celestia looked up at me. "Oh, alright. I planned to."

I turned to Cadance. "See...equal, can't baby her." I picked Shining up and set him on my old seat. "Later ya'll." I started off towards home. Crisis now resolved, I was about ready to have a sandwich and go to bed.