Star appeared in a safer place, for him. "Do you have weapons?"

"No." Some presidents had concealed guns, he wasn't one of them. He actually preferred swordplay, but... "Where are we?"

Star gestured across the large and dark tent they were in. "You are now in the Crystal Empire. When Princess Luna arrives, she will determine what next to do with you. For now, get comfortable." He directed a hoof at a pillow.

Crane could hear noises from outside, motion, activity, and muffled ponish words. He really was with the ponies. He took the seat, seeing little advantage in antagonizing his, so far, agreeable kidnapper. "You realize, holding me will not stop us."

Star hiked a brow. "Is this when you give a grand speech about the unshakability of your soldiers?"

"Worse." He threw up a hand. "The moment it's confirmed I can't act as the leader, the second in command becomes the leader. Nothing will stop for longer than it takes to draft a single letter. They will know who took me, and the pressure will be on the next person to react to that. Getting me back will be a desired outcome, but far from the priority."

"You are quite well-spoken, for an alien." He hiked a brow. "All the others knew not one word of Ponish, how are you so versed?"

The plane touched down in Alaska, its trip completed. Their prisoners were led out, bandaged, blindfolded, gagged, and shackled by all four legs. Some were unconscious, others were not.

The largest of them staggered, but moved under her own power. She said something, but it was garbled by the gag in her mouth, to say nothing of speaking Ponish. Her horn glowed, but that was cut off with a sharp slap of a hand across the offending organ, disrupting the spell.

There were soldiers beside every horned pony, ready and watching. No magic would be permitted.

Word traveled quickly. The president was taken, prisoners were in custody.

Twilight looked up at the sound of approaching feet. "Hello? Did you finish reading that scroll?" How long did it take to read a letter?!

A new man stepped into view. She had never seen him before. "Good morning."

Twilight's ears perked up. "You speak Ponish, excellent. Have you read the letter yet?"

"We have. Our leader was coming to speak with you."

"That's great." Wait... "Was?" She inclined her head softly. "Did he change his mind?"

"You changed his mind. Your people, I should say. He was taken in a violent exchange."

Twilight showed far more emotions than the stoic man, her ears going up and her eyes widening. "That's terrible! Was he hurt? Is he alright?"

The man took note of her responses silently. "We can't verify either of those things. In either event, the meeting is cancelled."

"I'll come back later. You must be beside yourselves. Poor person... We were so close to peace." With a soft sigh, she casually vanished. Her horn barely had time to glow before it happened, far more expedient than most other ponies.

It made it clear that she could have left at anytime.

Time had passed, too much time. Star scowled as he tapped a hoof. "Where are they...?" He knew at least two of them were capable of a long ranged jump. Why had neither of them returned? He looked to President Crane, considering. "I will have to defer to the next in line. Come along." He started for the entrance flap of the tent.

He expected cold when he followed the pony. They were in Alaska! Instead, it was gently temperate. There was no snow on the ground. Ponies moved around him determinedly, most with armor. They noticed him quickly, gazing with suspicious curiosity, but the one that led him didn't even glance at them, striding purposefully.

As long as he stayed in the wake created by his captor, it seemed he would not be challenged.

"Who's this?" Until she arrived. Rainbow Dash crashed in front of Star Swirl. "Why are you leading one of them around? Did you catch him up to something?"

"Official business," gruffly replied Star Swirl, hiking a brow at her. "You do not have a standing rank, meaning I will move past you."

"Hey, dude, don't be like that. We're buds. Hay, I helped save you and the rest of Equestria!"

"I appreciate that." He nodded softly. "But that has no bearing on what I am doing. We are going to the palace."

"Yep, we." She moved to the side and started walking beside him, though her eyes were over her shoulder, towards the president. "So... who is he?"

"I am President Crane, though for how long is uncertain," he introduced himself.

"Like the leader of a business?" It was the only president they had. "What d'ya sell?"

"I am, or was, the leader of my people."

Rainbow's wings shot out wide. "Woah woah woah, back up a second!" She leaned in towards Star Swirl. "You have their leader?!"

Star placed a hoof on her lips, still walking forward. "You have drawn attention to us. If you wish to be helpful, get him to the palace, yesterday."

"Palace, now, got it." She lifted into the air easily, zipping towards Crane. "Hold on." But it wasn't his job to hold on, it was hers. She hugged him and took off with barely a pause, flying through the air with uncanny speed. The wind howled across his ears at the speeds she traveled.

Perhaps the strangest part was that Star Swirl was already there, at the palace stairs, when they arrived.

Rainbow hiked a brow as she set the mildly stunned human down. "If you were going to pop over here, why'd you have me bring him?"

"It gave you something to do." He gestured towards the stairs. "Let's go."

Rainbow rolled her eyes with a little equine snort, but did follow along.

The satellite images had not done justice! The palace was large and made of crystals, like many of the buildings he could see as he looked around. How did they... The numbers were impressive, and he was no architect. In the distance, he could see snowy landscape beyond the city. Was... the entire city air conditioned? The numbers only got more incredible.

"Shouldn't he be, like, tied up or something?" Rainbow was peering down at the gawking human.

"He has given me no reason to assume such is required." Star waved once more. "Come along. Princess Cadance will want to see you."

A princess? Maybe he could talk some sense into things... "Coming." He hurried up the steps. "Our understanding of that word is... less than what I would like it to be. It is less than a queen. Will the queen be attending?"

Star raised a brow. "Among ponies, princess is the highest title. She is the leader of these people, just as you are of yours."

Ah, lovely. They only had contact with two cultures and already differences. Figured. "I see. Cadance then. How does she prefer being addressed?" No reason to be an awful diplomat, even in such unfavorable conditions.

Star glanced at Rainbow with a cocky little smile before answering. "Cadance will suffice, but if you wish to be formal, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is her full name."

The meanings of her name was lost. They were not Ponish, specifically. Still, a name was a name, and he tried to devote it to long term memory. "My Amore Cadenza," he repeated under his breath.

"Yeah..." Rainbow shook her head. "Maybe you have a point. He's more like Twilight than that guy we captured."

Captured?! "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Rainbow looked away from him.

"You have a prisoner?"

"We have you," noted Star as they entered the palace itself. "Summon Cadance. This is a matter of grave importance!"

Rarity looked up from her sewing machine, a bright flash distracting her. "Twilight!" She abandoned her work, rushing to tackle her missing friend. "Oh, darling, we were all so worried! You had us scared half to death!"

Twilight gently hugged Rarity in return with a happy little noise. "It's good to see you too. Where's everyone else?"

Rarity cocked a brow. "I'm actually rather surprised you came here first, dear. What possessed you to do that?"

Twilight waved a hoof. "You keep things organized. I was certain this spot would be clear." She pointed to where she landed. "The palace? No such assurances. The training area, even less so. Your fastidiousness saved me a lot of time."

"A pleasure to be of service." She bowed her head with a smile. "Now we need to tell everypony that you're back! They'll all be so relieved. Tell me it worked out? No more fighting?"

"Not... exactly..." She sighed gently. "I did manage to speak to them, and I think it was making progress, but something happened to their leader. I gave them time to handle that. I know where to go to try talking again."

Rarity blinked softly. "What happened to them? I mean, I can't honestly say I'm terribly sad. Those brutes have... done so much."

Twilight tilted her head. "I feel like I missed a few things. They said someone from our side took him. Can you imagine?! If he's being held by us, we have to give him back, now. This is not how one makes friends!"

Rarity shook her head slowly. "I know nothing on the matter, I'm afraid." She pointed to the palace. "But I can guess where you could get some answers."

"Right." She spread her wings and launched out the closest window that barely had time to open with her magic pushing it. She was gone, off to try and fix some mistakes.

"Applejack!"

A muffled voice in the back replied.

"Darling, Twlight's back. I'm taking the rest of the day off and I say you should too."

A man pulled his cellphone free. "Hello?"

"You will likely become the president within the day. Are you prepared for that."

"Start with what happened." He turned away from the window he had been looking out. "That's a hell of a way to start a call."

"He's been kidnapped by enemy forces en route."

"En route... While he was in a car?"

"In the air. Does it matter?"

He put his free hand to the side of his head. "A little, yes... I don't think we've had many people kidnapped in the air before, let alone the president of the goddamned United States."

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, yes. Of course. One moment." He switched over to a bluetooth headpiece, stuffing the phone away. "Are they looking for him?"

"All due diligence will be taken, but there must be a president, and you're next in line."

"Right." He had hoped to run some day. This wasn't exactly how he envisioned becoming the president. "I'll be ready."

"Expect more official communication, Mr. President."

The line went cold.

With a squeal of a delighted little foal, Cadance landed before Star, Rainbow, and their guest. Her eyes were on the human, watching him curiously. "You... called for me? Tell me this one can speak."

"I can," easily admitted Crane with a little smile. A pink princess with some yellows and purples and reds. She was pretty, as far as horses went. "Nice to meet you, Princess Mi Amore Cadanza."

Her mouth twitched in a brief smirk. He hadn't said her name perfectly, but she did not seem irritated by it. "And to meet you, mister...?"

"(Crane). Crane in Ponish."

"It is... a great relief to meet a human that is willing to speak." She let out a soft sigh. "Does this mean there can be peace?"

"I am afraid that is very unlikely."

Star and Rainbow frowned at him. Cadance's expression was more of alarmed shock.

He held up a hand. "You have taken the leader of another nation. Do your people not have protocols about that?"

Cadance took a half-step back, cringing. "Who brought him here?!"

Rainbow pointed at Star Swirl instantly.

Author's Notes:

Ponies get to start asking questions first, due to a criminal lack of security. Humans are doing things more methodically.

Twilight casually escapes 'capture'. She never even knew she was under arrest really.