Boreal Forest, East of Canterlot

The Royal Hunting Estate

"Well, it appears we've arrived." Princess Luna said with a wistful smile. "I haven't visited this house in many, many years."

"What is this place?" Thorax asked, staring at the massive villa before them, made from oak-wood and granite.

"My sister and I often sojourned here, back during the old days of Equestria." Luna said. "We've never used it since, but we keep it clean in case of special circumstances, like our own right now. It's perfectly isolated from everything else, as it should be."

As the five of them entered, Cadance brought Shining into the master bedroom and closed the door, then locking it.

"I presume they need some time alone." Luna said to a confused Spike. "I don't blame them. It's been quite the series of events for the two of them."

"I agree." Thorax said. "Speaking of, where are the other Changelings going to live?"

"There's an abandoned mineshaft south of Canterlot. Nopony uses it anymore, and seeing as it's just gathering dust, it will serve you as your new home. We can work out the details of supplies and renovating it later." Luna said. "There, nopony will bother you."

"That sounds good." Thorax said. "Anyway...Spike?"

"Yeah?" Spike replied.

"Can you tell me about this Twilight Sparkle?" Thorax requested. "I've heard so much, but understand so little."

"Sure thing." Spike replied as the two of them headed into the den. That left Princess Luna by herself, and she soon left for the library to relax.

====

"Shining?" Cadance asked as they sat down on the bed. "Can I ask you a few...questions?"

"Anything." Shining replied. "What's on your mind?"

"When I was gone, you stayed and slept in the same bed with her?" she asked. Shining gave a reluctant nod, realizing where this was going.

"Did you..." she asked. "Take...that step?"

"No." Shining said. "I made it clear to...her, that I wasn't going any further then our plan until after the wedding. She didn't like it, but she stayed with it."

"Good." Cadance said, wiping her eyes clear. "So, we're sticking to the plan?"

"Yep." Shining said. "Cadance, I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner."

"It's okay." she replied, brushing his cheek. "We found each other in time, and she's never coming back. Let's just take our time for now, okay?"

"Okay." Shining smiled, reminded of why he fell in love with her in the first place. "I promise I'll never leave you again."

"I'll hold you to it." Cadance smiled, a genuine smile for the first time in a long while. As they laid back on the bed, Cadance looked up with an expression of deep thought.

"What's up?" Shining asked.

"I'm just thinking about Twilight." she said. "What will she think if she arrives in time for our wedding? As far as she knows, I'm the evil one."

"We'll deal with it when the time comes." Shining said. "Cadance, trust me. It's only been a few days, what could've happened to her between then and now? It's not like she'll have changed much. If anything, she'll know its you the moment she sees you."

"Why's that?" Cadance asked, slightly surprised.

"I've never told you about this, but you've got this gleam, like a shimmer effect in your eyes whenever you're around me." Shining said. "I just now remembered that the Changeling Queen didn't have it when she was disguised as you."

"Odd." Cadance said. "I've never noticed that."

"Well, I have." Shining said, sitting up. "Anyway, you wanna get something to eat?"

"You're thinking of food at a time like this?" she replied. "You never change."

"Well, any soldier runs on his stomach." Shining smiled. "One of the greatest generals in history said that, and with good reason."

"I'll take your word for it." Cadance smiled again. "Alright then, let's get some lunch."

As the two of them headed out of the room and into the kitchen, they were surprised to see that the last time somepony was here, they didn't restock the expansive, shelved pantry before leaving.

"So, what now?" Cadance asked. "There's nopony around here with food that I know of."

"That's because you're looking in the wrong place." Luna said, approaching them. "That's the broom closet. This..."

Luna pulled open a nearby sliding door, revealing all sorts of food piled high to the point of overflowing.

"...is the pantry." Luna laughed. "We always keep it stocked. You need to learn where to look, Shining Armor."

"Brilliant!" Shining laughed. "I can learn how to cook with this much food!"

"Shining, the last time you tried cooking, you nearly caused a fire." Cadance chuckled.

"Well, we've got three months." Shining said. "I've got a sense for learning new things."

"And it's not called common sense." Cadance smirked. "Let me handle the cooking, okay?"

"Fine, fine."

As Luna procured the necessary ingredients for pancakes, Shining looked out the window at the nearby lake.

"I miss you, Twily." he said quietly. "Just get home soon."

====
Atlas HQ, Ronoake, United States

Dorms, Room 5527

As Twilight and Ilona, their exo-suits detached and clad in casual clothing, knocked on the door to Gideon's room, Twilight could hear the clinking of glasses through the door and the occasional gasp or curse word.

"The boys like to celebrate after each mission." Ilona said as she opened the door. "With alcohol and what they refer to as "the highlight reel"."

"Yeah, and you're just in time!" Joker laughed as he stood up to change the feed on the viewscreen to a news report on their recent mission in Nigeria while Mitchell got the lights. As the five of them watched, Joker smirked.

"Goddamnit, Gideon. I didn't know you were a movie star." he chuckled.

"Heh, I know it's the first time your backwoods, hillbilly ass saw someone with a full set of teeth, but don't get carried away." Gideon replied, earning smirks and voices of approval from Ilona, Twilight, and Mitchell.

"Funny, that's what your mom said..." Joker started to say, interrupted by the footage of Mitchell throwing a KVA soldier into a support pole.

"Holy...did you see that shit?" Joker asked.

"Not bad, right?" Mitchell said, as Joker tossed him a beer.

"We got lucky. The KVA's getting better every day." Gideon said.

"Yeah, also, what happened to that technologist that came in with us?" Twilight asked.

"Irons took that one on, which is fine by me." Gideon said. As they continued to watch, Joker smiled at the video feed.

"Bad-ass, fucking bad-ass." he said approvingly as the door opened a second time. Irons walked in and the whole room tensed up.

"As you were, son. As you were." Irons said.

"Was there something we could help you with, sir?" Gideon asked as the shutters opened, lighting the room. Irons looked to a shelf stocked with alcohol and smiled, taking out one bottle of whiskey.

"Well, a glass would be a start." Irons said.

"I'll do you one better. Gather round, ladies, gents." Gideon said as the six of them took their seats and Gideon grabbed a set of shot glasses. As Irons poured each one a glass, he spoke.

"There's an old military saying. "You treat your men like you would your own beloved sons, and they'll follow you into the deepest valley". I lost my son, and it taught me the importance of seizing the moment, of saying what needs to be said when you have the chance. All of you did a hell of a job out there. Lagos has opened up...fantastic opportunities for Atlas, and for that I'm grateful."

Irons raised his glass for a toast.

"To you, all of you." he smiled.

As they drank their shots as one, Twilight smiled, finally feeling like she belonged here for the first time. As the conversations continued, Twilight relaxed.

"I'm enjoying it here so much..." she thought. "But I do miss home. I'll go back one day, that's for sure. But who knows what the future has in store for me and my new friends."

====

Meanwhile, in the city of Seattle's nuclear power plant, blasts and explosions began to echo through the facility as the sun began to set.

Author's Note

Double Update!