(November 6th: 20th Day Since Capture)

For the third, or maybe the fourth time that morning, Neil placed An Explorer's Guide to the Tenochtitlan Basin down on the coffee table and sprung out of his chair. He didn't know what was happening or why he felt like he did, but he couldn't sit still. His muscles felt like they were constantly tensed with pent-up energy, as if he'd had an expresso shot injected directly into his veins for breakfast.

It was nearly impossible to sit for longer than ten, maybe fifteen minutes at most before he was once more on his hooves and jogging around the living room to bleed off excess energy. Why, though, was the question? He hadn't had this problem before. Most of his time in the castle had been wasted away, reading as many useless books as he could get his hooves on with barely a frustrated twitch.

Perhaps Celestia did something to him? The option was ludicrous, but Neil did decline her politely worded, if entirely optional, dinner invite from the previous night. Then again, even he felt that particular thought was a bit too outlandish. This wasn't the first optional invite he declined, and she never retaliated against him before. Why would she start now? Also, this wasn't exactly a new feeling. Yesterday, he had been feeling restless as well, but it wasn't to the point where he had to run off his frustrations!

Within ten minutes of jogging around his mismatched living room, Neil couldn't help but slowly lose himself in the midst of a daydream. Instead of the mismatched furniture of whites, golds, blues, and greys, he pictured himself once more in the air. Weaving around little clouds of cotton fluff or floating obstacles as if he were running a race. Without his cloak to hamper their movement, even his wings joined in on his distraction, half extending to the point he could almost feel the wind rushing over his extra appendages.

For but a moment, he felt the freedom of flight running through him once more, as if it was the very blood pumping through his veins. Only for his illusion to shatter as a series of harsh, loud knocks tore through his living room. Neil immediately came to a stop between his reading chair and the sofa, unmoving except for his wings, which closed, folding back into their normal resting position.

What followed next was ten seconds of tense silence before a second set of knocks emanated from the door. Somehow, they sounded even more impatient than the first set. He also didn't recognize the pattern, meaning someone he didn't know was possibly at the door. Instead of answering and revealing himself to a stranger, Neil darted towards his bedroom. Once there, his wing reached out and snagged his cloak off its hook before throwing it on. Exiting his bedroom, he did his best to adjust his cloak with the few seconds he had left. Was it haphazard? Yes, but it covered his wings as he stopped at the front door.

Unfortunately, he still had to discretely manipulate the door handle with an unfurled wing. When it clicked, he quickly stowed his wing and replaced it with his wrist before opening the door.

As he peeked around the partially open door, he first saw an appendage not even six inches away from his face, ready to knock for a third time. It wasn't a hoof, though. Instead, it was a scaled fist of four thick, curled yellow fingers, each ending with large, deadly-looking talons. Behind which, instead of the face of a pony, he saw an equally yellow beak that curved into a vicious-looking scowl. It was surrounded by white and pinkish-red feathers along with fierce, purple, feminine eyes.

Despite the apparent anger levelled at him, he felt confusion more than anything else about the unusual being in front of him. At first, his mind latched onto the feathers and beak, assuming the creature before him was an Avian. However, as he glanced beyond her possibly blood-covered face, he noted her body shifted abruptly around her shoulders into that of a grey feline body with a white underbelly, reminding him of a snow leopard (with only the occasional spot).

Automatically, he was just starting to voice, "What the f-" To the Griffon in front of him before he caught Warm Hearth at the edge of his peripheral vision. She was stationed next to the door on his right side and minutely, if rapidly, shaking her head from the side, almost as if her head was trembling. Taking a second to recover from her odd behaviour, he cleared his throat and reconsidered his words. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

As Neil asked that, he also took note of two other Griffons flanking her sides. Both of them carried a spear and wore what appeared to be a leather brigandine covered in splint plate. Its styling was vaguely reminiscent of a Roman centurion and a gladiator but mashed together for maximum mobility and moderate protection. The only real distinction between the two he could pick out was the green feathers highlighting the left Griffon's facial features, compared to the orange feathers on the right. Otherwise, they looked identical, making Neil think their armour might also be enchanted before he shoved that thought aside.

"My name's Giselle; I'm the Griffon Ambassador of Griffonstone," She stated imperiously. At the same time, her eyes slowly narrowed at him before she demanded, "You, were going to tell me to flock off a second ago, weren't you?"

If she was trying to piss on his parade, he was definitely not in the mood for it, as his unexpelled energy still roiled within his chest. But, he was more than willing to flip his dick out and return the favour, metaphorically at least, as he glared right back at her. "And if I was?"

Neither moved, but the tension between their groups quickly grew. Neil heard more than saw the guards' shifting as they tensed, standing even more at attention if at all possible to increase their size or stature. All the while, Giselle's beak glacially morphed into a sneer. "Then you best say it to my face, Pony," She started, stepping towards him.

Though he wouldn't say it, Neil was somewhat intimidated by her boldness. Despite her shorter stature by half a head, she was forcing her presence like an angry terrier, just without the yappy barking. Unfortunately for her, he was used to confronting her type on the ice as he bumped the door open with his shoulder, matched her step with one of his own, and lowered himself so that he was face to face with her. He promptly ignored Hearth's gasp as he pressed the pointed tip of his horn against the Griffon's forehead.

"You slam on my door, interrupt my morning, and now you're puffing up like an angry little sparrow?" He asked in the heat of the moment, calling her the smallest bird that came to mind. "As you so kindly put it: Flock. Off."

Honestly, he had expected the gloves to come off right then and there. And, without any formal combat training as a horse, he knew he would have to rely heavily on his Unicorn guard's overpowered auras to get out of the upcoming scrap relatively unscathed. He was mentally debating whether it would be better to charge the Griffon or let her charge and slam the door in her face when something unexpected happened. Instead of taking offence and starting a fight, her predatory eyes lit up with... not quite mirth, but they were similar to Rainbows after challenging him to do something stupid.

"Finally, a pony with a bit of backbone," She chuckled, her tone shifting from imperious to friendly as she leaned back and sat on her haunches. "I returned from Griffonstone only last night. Care to guess the current rumours taking the castle by storm?"

"Since you're here, I'm guessing it has to do with me?" He questioned as he took a slow, controlled step back into his apartment. Being on the receiving end of games like that typically pissed him off to no end, to the point he was tempted to slam the door in her face right then and there. However, the mention of rumours floating around the castle stayed his hoof for the moment.

"Yes. I was told a new Ambassador named Neil was stationed inside the castle, which is unusual." She explained, watching him with her keen, eagle-like eyes. "To learn about my new neighbour, mainly you, I felt it prudent to offer an excursion into Canterlot for lunch."

If that was all she heard, then that was a mild relief. Though certain ponies like Dainty and the rest of Blueblood's herd seemed trustworthy (when it came to Celestia's orders), it was nice to know the rest of the castle staff were holding true to their promise to keep his wings and the status that came with them, a secret.

Now, all that remained was to deal with the Griffon ambassador before him as he asked, "You expect me to just go with you?"

"Yes," She stated confidently, affirming her feline entitlement.

Unfortunately for her, he didn't feel like going out and dealing with a snow-laden Canterlot or a pretentious Griffon this early in the day. "Why should I?"

"As a fellow ambassador, we're going to do this meet and greet sooner or later," She explained, keeping her mask of pretentious confidence. However, her tail started twitching agitatedly, repeatedly slapping the floor on either side of her haunches and giving away her irritation. "It's inevitable, which is why I want to do it now."

"That's funny. When I was reading the documents for the job, I'm pretty sure it said that I only deal with Equestria," He explained with faintly veiled sarcasm. "Not Griffonstone, Minos, Farasi, or any other Equestrian allies. Just Equestria."

"That might be the case, officially," She countered as her eyes narrowed once more, "Unofficially, we meet regularly to ensure we're all on the same page. When dealing with the Princesses and the Equestrian government, it doesn't help our case if we accidentally step on our fellow allies' claws, paws, or hooves."

"In other words, you what? Make deals with each other behind Celestia's back?" He asked, genuinely surprised that she would admit such a thing out in the open.

"Is it really behind the Princess' back if she knows about and encourages us all to work together?" She offered, giving him some insight into Celestia- if true. "Either way, this isn't about the Princess. This isn't even really about politics. This is about getting to know my new neighbour."

"And how best to use me for your own bullshit political gains." He snarked, brushing aside her obvious excuse with a wave of his hoof. "I already have to do this song and dance with Celestia. What makes you any different?"

Without warning, her tail slammed into the tile, creating a painful-sounding thwack that filled the hallway as her beak shifted into a frown. "To start, I am not an all-powerful being in control of this world's sun. First and foremost, I am a mother. Since we now live near each other, I have a single warning to give. If you utter such foul language near my daughters, I promise to show you how I earned my position with excruciating detail."

To further her point, she tapped a single talon against the floor.

Both Unicorns stationed at his door not-so-subtly shifted at her threat, taking it seriously, unlike himself, as he spotted a coloured light flickering at the base of each of their horns. The two Griffon guards also took notice and reacted in kind, lowering their profiles as if getting ready to pounce and ruffling their wings, shifting their well-polished and deadly-looking spear points an inch or so toward Calm and Hearth.

"Sounds like you agree with me then," Neil snapped before things could escalate further. "You ignore I exist, and I'll do the same for you."

"As much as I am starting to wish that was an option, it is not," Giselle groused as she gave both guards a side-eye. Silence permeated the hall after that until both her guards finally relented and returned to a more at-ease position. "Now, as Bronze Adonis often says, back to the task at hand. What will it take to talk with me without all the vitriol?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Calm's head twitch. One questioning eye was looking his way, while the other was likely aligned with and watching the Griffon guard with green feathers. Guessing what Calm was asking, he nodded, at which point Calm's aura and Hearth's half a second later vanished as both unicorns relaxed their stance.

Once everything had settled down and returned to a somewhat tense normal, Neil asked, "You aren't going to drop this, are you?"

"No, I am not," She said with finality, though he sensed a hint of her previous smugness.

That alone made it tempting to tell Giselle no and slam the door in her face. In the end, he chose not to. Otherwise, he'd be forcing Calm and Hearth to deal with at least one angry Griffon and two more that were likely sworn to protect her. The thought of doing that left a foul taste in his mouth.

"Fine. Let's say I go with you," Neil hypothetically conceded, "What's in it for me?"

Giselle raised an eyebrow at that before subtly leaning to her right and looking further into his room. "Are you sure you're a pony? You sound part-griffon," She... joked? Only to return to the main topic, "As to your question, a free lunch. You might also learn a thing or two about Griffon culture."

A free lunch sounded like a decent consolation prize, so long as it wasn't another gourmet salad. However, Neil felt he could pass on the culture lesson as he added another stipulation to their negotiations. "After which, you don't bother me ever again?"

"Better yet," She said, sidestepping his offer as she gave him the option of something arguably better. "I will recommend to Bronze Adonis and the other ambassadors that they only reach out to you for dire emergencies."

"Deal," He confirmed, snatching away the option to change terms from his fellow Ambassador as he stepped into the hallway. When he did so, Calm and Hearth disengaged from their posts and took up their regular flanking positions around him. "So, where are you dragging me?"

"If you're expecting Restaurant Row, prepare to be disappointed," Giselle remarked as she stood up, exaggerating her fluid, feline flexibility with a stretch, before making her way down the hall. "We're going to the Outskirts."

~~~

One would think two ambassadors, each with their own set of guards, would draw the attention of the nobility around the castle. And, in a way, they would be right. As he and Giselle exited onto the grounds, plenty of eyes, noble and staff alike, were on them. Some were more surreptitious with their veiled gazes, while others not-so-subtly watched. However, no pony got in their way or tried to get their attention. Whether it was due to the guards surrounding him and Giselle or just the predatory presence exuded by the Griffons he was travelling with, they were allowed to exit the castle unimpeded.

Even within the city, its streets bustling with ponies going about their business, the crowd parted and scattered well ahead of them on their side of the road. This gave Neil, following directly behind Giselle and the rest of their group, an easy time passing through the familiar territory of the primary Market District. With one notable exception.

"Hey, Neil!" The distinct voice of Hallowed Eve suddenly cut through the background noise of the city, originating from somewhere on his left. "Over here, Big Guy!"

Coming to a sudden halt, which also forced his guards and the Griffon contingent to do the same, Neil started to look around for the source. Within seconds, he spotted a set of three shopping bags held in a green aura above the crowd on the opposite side of the road. Looking directly under them, he spotted the bouncing curls of an orange mane and an eerily glowing black horn that wove between the crowd of ponies. When Eve broke free on the other side of the road, she eagerly waved at him, "I wasn't expecting to see you out of the castle today."

"I wasn't expecting to leave the castle today, either," Neil called out as he angled his head and gestured towards Giselle and her two guards. "Not until I was dragged out to lunch by her, at least."

"Lunch?" Eve asked, watching as the carriages passed, one after another, until a wide enough gap allowed her to trot across to his side. "I've been shopping all morning. If you don't mind some company, I'd love to join you!"

During their brief exchange, Giselle's fierce eyes turned to watch Eve's every move as she waited for her opportunity to cross the street. After that, she addressed the mare imposingly, "And you are?"

"Hallowed Eve, I'm a friend of Neil's," She offered in a friendly manner, giving the Griffon a polite nod. "What's your name?"

"Giselle, the Ambassador of Griffonstone," The... hen? returned in a professional manner that sounded well practised, if a bit tired. "I'm afraid, Hallowed Eve, that this is official business between ambassadors. It was nice to meet you, though."

Unfortunately for Giselle, Neil wouldn't allow her to dismiss Eve so quickly. He wasn't exactly happy to surround himself with ponies, but if it put a damper on Giselle's plans, he was all for it.

"I don't mind if Eve joins us," He started, latching onto something that Giselle herself had said, "After all, didn't you say this wasn't about politics, it's about getting to know your new neighbour?"

"I did," She admitted, looking at him with a quirked eyebrow. "But, as a one-on-one session."

"With four guards hovering over our shoulders? That doesn't seem very private." Neil countered, pointing out her preference wasn't as confidential as she described. As her brows furrowed, likely searching for a counter, he turned to Calm to further seal the deal. "Do you mind carrying Eve's stuff for a bit?"

"Can do, Neil," Calm confirmed, giving a firm nod before shifting his gaze to Eve. "Miss Eve?"

"Are you sure I won't be a problem?" Eve asked, giving Giselle one last worried look before she walked up next to Calm. Her bags followed in her green aura, though she didn't immediately place them on Calm's back.

"Nah, the more, the merrier," Neil answered before he turned to look at Giselle, not even hiding his victorious grin. "At least, that's how I see it."

He knew he won the exchange when Giselle gave up and rolled her eyes. "If that is how it has to be," She said, though she marred his victory with an extra stipulation, "I'm only paying for your meal, not hers."

If that was the cost to reduce the chances of a fight while earning an extra Unicorn on his side if a fight still broke out, he was okay with that. "That's fine."

With a slight huff, Giselle spun around, taking the lead as the group continued toward... wherever they were going. Eve settled next to Calm, giving her shopping bags one last critical look before asking, "So, where are we going for lunch?"

"No idea," He answered with a shrug as he watched Giselle's ears shift towards them. "All I know is, it's in the Outskirts."

"The Outskirts? That part of Canterlot isn't known for its fine dining," Eve filled him in as she lost herself in thought. "I know there's a Hayburger, but I can't recall any other restaurants in the area. Is that where we're going?"

The moment Eve mentioned the Hayburger, Neil couldn't help but hope that it was a franchise name. Even then, the name invoked an unappetizing image of a pair of buns stuffed with straw hay and a single, sad leaf of lettuce on top of it all. He didn't even try to imagine the taste; otherwise, it might have thrown off his appetite.

Before he could respond, however, Giselle's head turned ninety degrees, almost like an owl to face them. "That's because most ponies don't care to know about this place."

"Oh? Mind telling me what it's called?" Eve asked, sounding genuinely curious. "I'd like to know about it."

Strangely, Giselle matched her curiosity with a smile of her own. "You'll find out soon enough."

After her mysterious answer, the group settled into a questionable silence as they continued. Neil didn't mind as he looked around, hopping from one shop to the next, remembering his nightly escapades. Whether he was darting into the alleyway next to the hardware store to avoid a nearby guard patrol that caught him unaware or ducking underneath the window ledge of a jewellery store because the owner or an employee was restocking displays late into the night.

They even passed Marigold's, which was surprisingly still open. Even though it was winter, with a light powdering of snow on the window frame, flowers he didn't know the name of still bloomed on the other side of the glass. Unfortunately, the flowers weren't enough of a distraction as his eyes glanced over to the alleyway entrance. He vividly remembered the night of his capture. How he recklessly darted around the corner, only to run into a just as surprised Bulk and the pain that followed. Unbidden, his mind summoned up a jolt of pain that arced through the length of his horn.

He knew he shouldn't feel anything with his horn ring on, least of all pain. Yet it still caused him to flinch as he quickly looked away. But not before he caught a knowing, if sad, look in Hearth's eyes. As he looked across to the other side of the street, he also caught Eve watching him with a concerned look. Thankfully, neither spoke up as they continued walking.

At least, neither mare spoke up about that particular topic. Once Neil calmed himself and forced those specific memories out of his mind, Eve asked him a question, "Neil, just so I know, is Giselle part of... how do I put this? The group?"

Blindsided by the question, Neil had no idea what she meant by a group. He wasn't part of any group, official or otherwise. "What group are you talking about?"

That earned a questioning brow from Eve. "You know," She started, looking very pointedly at his body. He followed her line of sight, settling where his wings would be if they weren't covered by his cloak. "That group."

"No," Giselle stated with a hint of disgust. Her head spun around as she also looked at his body. "I have not laid with him. I have no inclination to sleep with soft ponies or join any herds."

"Oh, no, that's not what I meant at all!" Eve exclaimed, shocked at the secondary implication. "Even if we've slept together after a long night of heavy drinking and-"

"Eve," Neil spoke up exasperatedly, cutting her off before returning to a more normal volume. "To answer your question, no. Secondly, Giselle doesn't need to know about that." With that out of the way, he finally looked towards a neutral-looking Giselle. However, there was a hint of something behind her predatory eyes. "And for the record, we didn't have sex."

"If excessive drinking was involved, I would expect not," Giselle responded, as a grin formed on her beak. "Liquor tends to make males... flaccid and unappealing."

"I don't know about the first part," Eve cut in, answering for him. "But, I can say without a doubt, dressed in the costume I made, Neil was very appealing."

Giselle flicked her eyes and gave him a quick once-over, saying, "I do not see it."

Though he refused to say anything else about his looks, he begrudgingly sided with Giselle.

~~~

It didn't take much longer for the group to transfer from the middle-shelf, down the guarded stairway, and into the uncharted area of the lower-shelf. During Neil's time on the streets, he had the occasional opportunity on some nights to sneak up to the edge of the middle-shelf and look at the shadowy buildings below. He always assumed that's where most of the ponies in Canterlot lived. However, he never had the opportunity to study the more modest-looking, middle-class district closely until now.

Compared to the upper-shelf and its mansions, the difference was night and day.

The homes here were smaller than the most modest mansion built near the castle. But that didn't mean they were small. Each home was similar in size to a three, or four-bedroom house back in his hometown. Perhaps even more if these homes had basements. Another thing he quickly noticed was that these homes weren't pristine. They were well kept, to be sure, but there were obvious signs that they were lived in, unlike their upper-shelf counterparts. Walls and fences were less popular here, too, leaving it at a 50-50 ratio as to whether or not their relatively small front yards were closed or open.

It was the openness, however, that painted such a contrasting picture. Groups of younger foals happily played together by building snow forts, crafting snow ponies, or just running around and playing games. Looking down one street, Neil even caught sight of a pair of hockey nets set up, along with a few stallions on the sidelines joking and cheering their children on.

In all honesty, on top of everything else, this was Neil's first glimpse into the average life of a stallion. The foals were often watched by two or more stallions, who were avidly talking nearby. He assumed they were the stay-at-home parents, though it wasn't entirely exclusive. Occasionally, a mare would also be perched and watching over the foals.

Chances were, if he looked into the large, front-facing picture windows standard to these types of buildings, the curtains would be pulled aside to allow sunlight in. This also revealed the home's inner workings, which normally included a stallion going about their daily business. Whether that was watching their foals from the warmth of their living room, reading a book in the sunlight, or doing some type of cleaning was a toss-up. But, among the stallions cleaning, they had a strange tendency to wear an apron. Whether the apron was frilly, plain, or covered in hearts was entirely up to chance.

Of course, as their group passed through the neighbourhood, more than a few foals stopped what they were doing and stared at their entourage. This also attracted the attention of their parents. Giselle opted to ignore them all and just walk on through. The guards also maintained an air of professionalism and ignored the looks they were given. But Eve was more than willing to wave or say hi to anyone who would glance their way. More often than not, she earned a jubilant wave or hi from the foals and a slightly more subdued, if polite, response from the parents in return.

Beyond the housing and the ponies, there was little else to see along the route Giselle took. Neil spotted at least one building on a corner with advertising that appeared to be a corner grocery store. There was also a park with a similar design to the one found on the middle-shelf, but smaller. Much smaller since they walked from end to end in a couple of minutes.

As they curved around the mountain and drew closer to the edge of the lower-shelf, the first thing that caught Neil's attention wasn't the tall, mismatched variety of high-rise buildings, though they were an easy second. It was the massive, gaping, cavern entrance those buildings had been built underneath that kept his eyes transfixed. He'd never seen anything like it before; Not even photos of majestic cave structures from Earth could compare to the sheer scale he was looking at as the back of the entrance slowly curved into the shadows of the mountain itself.

A small but terrifying thought immediately popped up at the back of his mind. The reason nothing like this existed on Earth was likely due to cave-ins and collapses, hinting at a possible disaster that could happen at any moment. If such a collapse occurred, he couldn't really fathom the devastation. At the very least, it would be just as destructive as the Frank Slide in Crowsnest Past, if not more so. The thought of being crushed underneath the weight of an entire mountain gave him pause. Only for another part of his mind to point out, if a collapse were to happen, then the shelves of Canterlot would likely also fall, dooming him no matter which part of the city he was in.

With that not-so-comforting thought, he pushed through his momentary freeze and caught up with Giselle.

When they reached the edge of the lower-shelf, which led into the Outskirts proper, there wasn't a stairway connecting the two as he initially expected. Instead, a smooth-looking brick ramp stretched from the side of the mountain to the naturally formed cliff edge of the Outskirt District. Pegasus guards hovered overhead, watching as ponies went up and down the ramp without issue. However, he noticed a larger cluster of guards hovering near the edge.

It was also apparent that the high-rises weren't the only building to say fuck it to Canterlot's typically uniform district themes and designs. Each building he looked at differed from the next, whether built from stone, wood, concrete, bricks, or even metal. The only thing they had in common was that each building was perched next to a smoothed stone road carved from the cliff, which branched out from the ramp like spokes on a wagon wheel.

Giselle and her guards gave no qualms about the ramp as they strode down it with ease. Not wanting to hesitate and draw even more attention to himself and their little group, Neil followed suit. He expected the ramp to feel slippery underneath his hooves. Instead, the smooth stone bricks felt as coarse as sandpaper, offering a firm grip as he descended the ramp. Once their ragtag group found themselves at the base, Giselle turned towards the mountain, making their destination clear as they headed towards the gaping maw of the cavern entrance.

It didn't take them long to reach the cavern, which loomed overhead. The road underneath was marked with a decorative blue brick line set into the stone. It curved with the edge of the cavern's massive shadow, giving the illusion that the line was holding the darkness back from spilling into the day. However, it had no sway over Giselle, the guards, or himself and Eve as they walked over the line and slipped into the shadows.

There was a noticeable dimming of the light, just not as much as Neil originally expected, as multiple small orbs of orange-white light burst into being on the cavern ceiling. They created a grid of tiny, sun-like dots that lit up the entire cavern while also creating an artistic display of multiple faint shadows stretching from the base of the buildings and overlapping each other on the street. It was enough to distract him from his more terrifying thoughts as he followed Giselle deeper into the cave.

At least until she abruptly stopped right next to the cavern wall itself. Though it wasn't entirely a wall anymore, as Neil looked around. The residents clearly didn't know or care that their survival relied on the structural integrity of the wall and the cavern as a whole. Instead, they carved into the stone, creating even more space for businesses, including the restaurant they stopped in front of.

The most eye-catching detail about the restaurant Giselle had led them to was the sturdy-looking, egg-shaped, red-stained door with a doorknob in the centre that Celestia could easily walk through without trouble. Above which, a long, rectangular sign hung from two metal pegs pounded into the stone. He couldn't read it since it was written in a thick, accented sky-writing. But, the pair of raven heads carved and painted at each end gave him an odd feeling about the place. The design of the two circular windows on either side of the front door reminded him of the Flintstones. Looking through them also revealed the establishment's red and dark green interior.

After a second or two, Giselle nodded towards her green-feathered guard. Promptly the Griffon walked up to the door, took hold of the knob, and pulled on it. Within seconds, Neil picked up the scent of spices, barbecue, and smoked meats. Almost involuntarily, he remembered hot nights in the backyard of his home with his Dad and Grandparents as they seared steaks and cooked homemade burgers on the grill.

Unnoticed by Neil, a small smile formed on his snout as Giselle passed through the open door. "This is the Murder Most Fowl, one of the best restaurants in Canterlot."

Giselle's second guard followed in right after her. The first, however, held the door open and looked at Neil and his entourage expectantly as he waited for them to pass through. Feeling an odd mix of anticipation and nostalgia at the thought of freshly cooked meats, Neil slowly walked through the entrance to the Murder Most Fowl with Eve and his guards following right behind him.

Unbeknownst to Neil, all three ponies were giving him an odd look.

After peeking through the windows, Neil thought the main dining area would have been a little larger than it actually was. However, given how empty the establishment was, he figured that wouldn't be a problem. Of the ten small tables set out, only one was taken by a navy blue Pegasus and a Griffon to his right. The other five were open, and if they pushed three of the tables side by side, Neil figured everyone could sit down with room to spare.

At least, that's what he thought until he noticed Giselle heading towards the left side of the building with her guard, where three large booths were built into the stone wall. Shrugging, Neil followed after her. It would be a little cramped if she wanted everyone to sit in a booth together. Or, they could claim two and split up. Preferably, one for the Griffons and one for the rest of them. Unfortunately, Giselle stopped at the last table before the booths, which was only five feet away from a pair of swinging double doors that led into the kitchen, judging by the slightly more pungent smell of spices.

As if it were routine, the guard next to Giselle pulled out one chair for her, which she quickly slipped into. Once she was properly seated, he pulled out the chair across from her and gestured for Neil to sit. It was a little odd, but Neil figured it was some sort of Ambassador pomp and went with it reluctantly. After sitting down, the guard stood beside and behind Giselle instead of pulling out a seat for Eve.

Not that it seemed to matter, as Eve's horn lit up, and her aura pulled the chair back for her.

Within seconds, everyone had settled down. Giselle's two guards were standing next to and just behind her. Glancing to his right and then left, Calm and Hearth stoically mirrored the position of Giselle's guards. Not only did that seem unfair to both pairs of guards, but as he looked at the empty table to his right, he noticed they were drawing attention.

The pegasus across the room tried to hide it, but he was giving them a curious look. Of course, when Neil caught the stallion looking, he turned back to the Griffon he was eating with. "Y'know, we could pull one more table over. It might be a little cramped, but then everyone could sit down?"

"Don't worry about the guards," Giselle shot down his suggestion almost immediately, "They're on duty, and it would be unprofessional to join us for lunch."

With that said, Giselle settled her eyes on him as she waited and watched. However, Neil had no idea what she was waiting for as he looked away from her gaze and over to Eve.

She seemed just as clueless but took the initiative either way as she politely cleared her throat. "I live in the Outskirts, but I've never been here before. Do we just wait? Or do we have to do something specific to get some service?"

"Within a minute, two at most, one of the staff should appear," Giselle informed them, as she briefly glanced towards Eve, then back at him. "So you know, there are pony options on the back of the menu."

"That's good to know," Eve said, sounding pleasantly surprised at the Griffon's admission, with a hint of relief as well. "I was admittedly starting to worry as I walked into this establishment, but then I saw the stallion over there with a salad."

"Now that you have been reassured about the edibility of the food," Giselle started, sitting just a little more upright and stiffer as she focused her gaze back on him. "Neil, I read the news article about you. But, it was sparse when it came to certain details. For example, what country are you the Ambassador of?"

"Ask Celestia," He blurted out bluntly, as he was caught off guard by the sudden focus back on him. Still, he was quick to follow up and explain. "I don't know why she didn't name my country. But, if she wants to keep it under wraps, that's up to her."

"Yes, she is quite the dragon regarding specific, dangerous information. If you are sworn to secrecy or don't wish to share, I can't make you," Giselle admitted with ease. "Perhaps you could name a nearby country we both might know?"

'Sure. There's this little country called Fuckoffistan just south of your ass,' Is what he wanted to say as he felt a slight throb at the base of his horn. Hinting at the beginning of a possible headache as he told her instead, "That's not possible. I may have been a jock in school, but I didn't skimp on science or math. Without a doubt, from Thestravania to Equestria, none of your countries are on the maps I studied."

"You play sports?" She asked out of the blue, instantly, in an unsettling manner as her eyes darted down to what little of his chest was exposed. "Given your height and lithe build, I could see that. Distraction aside, you failed to exclude Griffonstone, the Dragonlands, Minos, Farasi, Prance, and other important countries."

"From Thestravania to Equestria, implying every single country in between," He explained for a second time, slightly annoyed. "The entire Equestrian map is new to me. I'm not going to say every single name on it."

"If that's the case," Eve interjected, "Maybe your land lies in the Undiscovered West?"

"Maybe," Neil said, unconvinced. Though even he had to admit leaving a land bridge unexplored like that was very suspect on Celestia's part. "But does it matter? I could draw a map from memory, and none of you would recognize a single border. It's no different than me asking if you know about Denmark, Russia, or the USA."

"Den-Mark?" Giselle asked quizzically, sounding out the country's name. "Do you have a sizable Diamond Dog colony near your lands?"

"If there are, I haven't met any," Neil admitted with a shrug, hoping the non-answer would further alleviate her curiosity? Suspicions? And, if he were lucky, maybe even stop this impromptu interrogation.

"So the paper was right in that regard; you truly are lost and far from home," She said to herself. Whether that was a good thing or not, Neil didn't know as she shifted gears and asked, "In that case, do you know how you got here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine? As I said in the paper, I went to bed one night and woke up in a Canterlot alleyway." He told her, completely honest, "And before you ask, yes, it was during Tirek's attack."

Neil might have continued, but at the mention of Tirek's name, Giselle reacted as if he had threatened her life right then and there. Her wings, which had been relaxed moments before, unfolded a few inches from her body before tensing. Whether it was to make her appearance larger and more threatening or preparation to fly or pounce, he didn't know. He focused more on her eyes as her pupils shrank to half their normal size.

Before anything happened, however, Giselle managed to regain control of her emotions. "Yes, Tirek..." She half muttered, half cursed as her wings slowly returned to her sides. "That is an experience I do not wish to relive. Let us move on to another topic."

Before she could think of another topic, the swinging doors burst open to reveal another Griffon. This one stood a foot taller than Giselle and half a foot taller than her two guards. Black and brown feathers intertwined across the Griffon's entire face, only to flare out impressively behind his head like a massive crown. The same pattern travelled down his neck into a smart-looking button-up suit, only to fade into black panther-like fur. In Neil's opinion, the only thing detracting from his looks was the long, drooping, almost whisker-like pencil moustache sprouting from his beak.

The first thing he did was look towards the entrance, but only for a split second. When the waiter caught sight of the occupied table next to him, his head jerked in their direction. There was a momentary nervousness as he scanned the table. Upon seeing Giselle, however, his posture relaxed, becoming friendlier as he brought his platter, stacked with menus, in front of him.

"Madam Giselle," The waiter said in an all-too-familiar tone as he bowed to the table. "What an unexpected surprise to see you today of all days."

Giselle returned the waiter's greeting almost immediately in an off-hand, distracted manner that deliberately ignored the hidden meaning behind his words. "Yes, Gerard, it is good to see you as well. May I ask, who is overseeing the kitchen?"

"Why, our illustrious owner Gabe is in today," Gerard told her, sitting back on his haunches as he grabbed a pencil with his now free claw. "Should I inform him of your arrival?"

"You may," She agreed before adding with a slightly lighter tone, "Since Gabe is here, I'll order my regular dish. I can trust him to do it right."

"Very well. One steamed lemon-garlic chicken for you," Gerard said to himself as he wrote down Giselle's order. When he finished, he shifted his attention around the table, looking at each seated individual as he asked, "And what about your guests? We rarely have ponies here, and now three in one day? May I get your names?"

Eve was the first to answer as she gave him a polite nod. "I'm Hallowed Eve, a well-known costume designer here in Canterlot."

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Eve," He returned with another bow, though not as deep given his seated position. "And who's this dashing stallion with you tonight?"

Given the type of society he was in, Neil would have expected to hear that, or something similar, from a female Griffon or a mare. But from a fellow male, Griffon, or otherwise? That type of statement caught him by surprise. However, another voice beat him to it before he could correct Gerard's outlandish assumption.

"This is Ambassador Neil if you've read the Herald." Giselle interrupted, beating him to the punch as she informed the waiter about him. "He recently received the title from Princess Celestia herself."

After listening to Giselle's explanation, Gerard turned to address Neil. However, something about his expression must have portrayed his distaste at being called Eve's stallion. The moment Gerard looked at him, the Griffon was quick to apologize. "My apologies, Ambassador, for the mistaken identity. Here's your menus," He added, quickly offering Eve and himself a menu. "Please, take as much time as you like. I'll be back shortly with some complimentary wine for you all."

As Gerard retreated back into the kitchen, Eve flipped the menu over with her aura and started scouring the recipes on the back. Neil, however, only half-watched as he looked at the front page of his own menu. All of it was written in the same squiggly sky-writing as the sign outside, but that didn't matter. Instead, he focused mostly on the mouth-watering food pictured between the text blocks. His second thoughts about this place and its staff were quickly discarded between the large pork roast, the grilled ribs drenched in a savoury sauce, and the stir-fried chicken.

Within days of appearing in Equestria, a little thought at the back of his mind kept haunting him. Every time he raided a garbage can or a dumpster, he only found food that hinted towards ponies being strictly herbivores. Only for that worry to be dampened slightly when he discovered Donut Joe's. The existence of baked goods, which required an egg to cook, hinted at a more omnivorous existence. But, even then, it wasn't until he had the oddly prepared bacon in the castle that he put the nail in the coffin for that particular theory.

As Neil appraised the carnivorous menu before him, he knew he would thoroughly enjoy the opportunity presented to him. To experience a full, meaty meal, even if he had to limit himself to a regular pony-size one to keep with his disguise. Before he could fully commit himself to a single dish, Eve lightly pressed her hoof into his shoulder, drawing his attention away from the menu.

Glancing up, he noticed she was looking at him slightly confusedly as she withdrew her hoof. "Since your horn is still injured, do you want me to turn the menu over for you?"

"No thanks," He replied, giving her a slight head shake in the negative before returning his attention to the pork stir fry and the ribs displayed on the menu. "I've pretty much narrowed down my selection to two things."

"Oh, okay," She said, sounding just as confused as the look she gave him. "Speaking of your horn, Neil, mind if I ask how long it will be until your cast is removed?"

"Four more days from the sound of things," He told her, reflecting on the message he received the day before. "At least that's when they scheduled my appointment."

"That's something to be excited about. Two more days, and you get your magic back!" Eve cheered as she set aside her menu. "Maybe we can go out as a group for celebratory drinks?"

Neil couldn't deny the offer of drinks sounded good to him. However, that mainly depended on what happened after the removal of his cast. "Maybe. As tempting as drinks are, knowing Celestia, she has something planned that'll give me a headache for the rest of the day."

Unfortunately, he may have let slip too much as he caught Giselle's apparent interest again. "Interesting. Why do you think the Princess will put aside time for you and your horn?"

"Previous experience," Neil deadpanned, hoping to stall further questioning.

However, luck was on his side as Gerard eased out of the swinging doors before Giselle could ask about anything else. His serving tray was noticeably more full than it had been previously. A glass pitcher full of ice water was now sitting in the centre, with six glasses, three regular and three long-stemmed wine glasses, and his pad and pencil around the edge. Not only that, but sitting on the Griffon's back, held in between his wings, was a basket overflowing with puffy-looking breadsticks, along with an ice bucket with two separate bottles of wine poking out from beyond the metal rim.

"I see every creature is ready to order. Before I take care of that, may I offer you all a sweet cherry wine or a red merlot of Madam Giselle's preferred vineyard and vintage?" As he spoke, Gerard slowly unloaded his serving tray. He started with all six glasses, then filled the three regular ones with ice water before setting the pitcher down in the centre of the table. After that, he reached back and hooked the bucket's handle with a single claw.

Giselle was the first to speak up. "I'll have a red to start, Gerard."

When she finished her request, Gerard placed the bucket on the table and, with expert precision, popped the cork with a claw before slowly pouring her a glass of red wine. Once he was done, he gently placed the glass before her and looked to Eve for her preference.

Eve took a second to decide after that before finally settling. "I think I'll start with the cherry if you don't mind?"

With the exact same speed and precision, Gerard repeated the process. However, this time, an amber red liquid poured from the bottle instead of the deep red wine that Giselle had received. Once Eve's glass was filled, he gently placed it in front of her, before finally turning to him, "And you, Ambassador Neil?"

"No need for the ambassador crap; Neil's good enough," Neil admitted as he looked between Giselle's glass of wine and Eve's. He wasn't a big fan of wine, having tasted the basic red and white boxed variety. But he couldn't remember ever hearing about cherry wine, let alone trying it. Then again, he was usually so wasted he couldn't remember what he drank half the time. "And I don't think I've ever had a cherry wine before, so I'll try that."

"As you wish, Neil," He started, quickly pouring the third and final glass before placing both bottles back in the bucket. He wasn't done either, as he plucked the bread basket from his back and put it next to the water pitcher. "And, as a further apology, here's a large serving of our baked mozzarella buns to tide you all over as we prepare your meals. Has everypony decided on what you would like to order?"

Eve gave Neil a small but questioning look as if to ask if he would like to go first? However, he gestured for her to go instead. "I'll try the chef's gourmet salad, thank you."

"An excellent choice, Miss Eve," Gerard told her as he wrote down her order. Once he finished, he turned to Neil and asked, "And for you, Neil?"

"I would like to order some ribs, please," Neil told him while pointing his hoof at the picture of mouth-watering ribs in the center of his menu.

"You want... a platter of sweet smoked pork ribs?" Gerard asked somewhat uncertainly, as he double, then triple-checked to make sure that's what Neil's hoof was pointing at.

"Yep. It's been months since I've had a good rack of ribs," Neil explained, as he looked up from his menu... only to be met with everyone nearby staring at him. Even one of Giselle's guards, the Griffon with orange feathers, broke decorum and was looking at him strangely. "What?"

"Once more, my apologies, Neil. It's just..." Gerard paused momentarily as if searching for the right word before continuing, "Odd for a pony to order meat."

"Well, it's not odd where I'm from," Neil told the table with an uncaring shrug. "Besides, they serve it every morning at the castle."

"I don't remember any..." Eve said softly, primarily to herself, before her eyes widened. "Unless you mean the bacon?"

"Yeah. It tastes a little odd," Neil admitted, thinking the kitchen staff had an odd way of preparing it. "But bacon is bacon no matter how you slice it," Neil joked, trying to disperse all of the attention fixated on him.

"Very well, one chef's salad and one platter of ribs," Gerard said uncertainly as he wrote Neil's order down. "Gabe is already preparing your meal, Madam Giselle. I'll be back soon when all of your meals are ready."

Once Gerard vanished beyond the kitchen doors for a second time, Giselle pounced on the topic of his diet as she asked, "Do the ponies of your country regularly eat meat?"

He wasn't really sure if he should answer that, but he couldn't see the harm in it, either. After some thought, he opted to go for the middle road. "It depends, really. The average person eats both, but some are strictly vegetarian. Then there's a few that'll only eat dairy, or fish, alongside their vegetarian diet."

"In that case," Giselle continued after listening to his answer, "What's the most exotic creature you've eaten?"

Immediately, his mind jumped to two things. One for the rarity and the other for the oddity. Thankfully, as far as he knew, neither option was considered sentient or sapient in Equestria. "My Dad was given a pheasant once, and those are pretty hard to get legally. He tried to cook it, but it didn't turn out that great in the end. Then there's calamari, or fried squid, served at a local Korean restaurant."

"Squid?" She asked, sounding genuinely surprised by his answer. "I've never heard of any creature cooking and eating squid. Do you know the recipe by chance?"

"Besides turning out crispy like a small onion ring and tasting like chicken? I have no idea." He told her honestly. Besides the end step of deep-frying, he really had no idea how calamari was made.

While Giselle was distracted by the thought of edible squid, Eve quickly jumped in with a new topic before the Griffon ambassador could continue down her food-based line of questioning. "Neil, you mentioned playing sports in school. What teams did you play on?"

Neil couldn't help but smile at the sudden switch to sports. He hadn't played in years, not since he turned eighteen and graduated from high school. However, he still knew the system by heart as he explained, "Unlike most children's sports, hockey isn't separated by school. Whatever age bracket you're playing in, be it peewee, bantam, or midget, each hockey team is separated into a district..."

And it wasn't just the one question. After explaining one thing, Eve would latch onto something else he had just brought up. What did he mean by peewee, bantam, or midget? That's how they categorized players by age. What age did he start playing? He started playing as a forward at age seven. However, he spent an entire year playing as a defenseman at eleven. On and on, one question after another, with only a sip of wine (which wasn't nearly as bad as he was expecting it to be) or a quickly downed cheese bun as a reprieve.

Even Giselle seemed to be paying some attention to the conversation as she listened in. Whether she was genuinely interested or trying to find valuable bits of information to use at a later date, he had no idea. Still, she jumped in with an odd question every now and then, like asking how good of a player was he? Neil felt he was an above-average player, but not by much. He was far from the likes of Joe Sakic... He then had to explain who Joe Sakic was and his relevance to the sport on a national level.

Another question she asked focused on why he stopped playing, which caught him out of the blue. He still loved the game, but there wasn't much money in it playing for a local team. Plus, if he was ever drafted or traded to another team in another city, he'd be obligated to move, which was something he didn't want to do- not when he had other things to focus on.

As much as Giselle was paying attention to their conversation, Neil also noticed she was paying just as much attention to the Griffon and the Pegasus on the other side of the dining area. Often, she would lean back with her wine glass and not-so-subtly look across the room while her ears remained focused on him and Eve. Why she did so, he hadn't the slightest idea.

This continued until Gerard pushed past the swinging kitchen doors with three large silver platters balanced along his back and held between his wings. "I have returned! Hopefully, with a dish that all three of you will enjoy," He offered boisterously as he carefully set all three platters on the table. "One steamed lemon-garlic chicken for Madam Giselle, cooked by Gabe himself. One chef's gourmet salad for the lovely Miss Eve. And finally, for the Ambassador with interesting tastes, one slab of sweet smoked pork ribs, cooked to perfection. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"I think we're good," Neil told him, as he was more than ready to dig into his meal. The platter before him wasn't the picture-perfect set of ribs displayed on the menu, but in the end, did it even matter? The glazed meat was already falling off the bone. Not to mention, the intertwining smell of smoke, honey, and a mixture of spices vaguely reminding him of one of his Dad's preferred steak rubs was already making his mouth water in anticipation.

"Very well. I shall return shortly," Gerard said with a bow before going around their table, as well as Calm and Hearth, and heading towards the only other occupied table in the restaurant.

Not that Neil really noticed as he pincered the closest bone between his two hooves and pulled. He felt no resistance as the bone slipped free without a single ounce of meat. Undeterred, Neil quickly put the first bone aside and grabbed the next one. This time, it pulled free with a sizable chunk of pork attached. That was another reason he settled for the ribs instead of another dish. This way, he wouldn't need to ask for any help, even if he looked a little foolish as he bit down on the bone and stripped it clean in a single go.

The taste was everything he imagined and more. He didn't even care that Eve and Giselle paused, watching him as he slowly savoured the intermingling flavours he had predicted less than a minute ago from the scent alone. Yet another dish forever ruined by the Equestrian curse of tasting too good. Too soon, he swallowed as he placed the second bone down and prepared to pull off the third...

And before he even knew it, he was setting aside the final bone from the entire slab, feeling unfulfilled. He wanted at least three more, just to sate his Alicorn appetite. However, he knew he couldn't so long as he was eating in public or with people who didn't know about his wings (as they irritably ruffled underneath his cloak). With a solemn calm, he clamped down on the long wineglass stem with his two hooves and downed the rest of his wine with a single gulp.

At the very least, Giselle and Eve were almost done, so he didn't have to wait too long. And to help pass the time, he had a question for Giselle. Whether she would answer or not was an entirely different question. "I couldn't help but notice you were stealing quite a few peaks at the other table. Any particular reason why?"

"Yes, but that is none of your concern." She answered with a tone of finality as she speared the last of her chicken. She quickly swallowed it down, then turned to her green feathered guard. "Graffa, please give my regards to Gerard and Gabe, then take care of our side of the bill. We're leaving."

Caught unaware by Giselle's sudden emotional shift, Neil looked to Eve, who appeared to be just as clueless as he was. All she could offer was a simple shrug as the recently named Graffa pushed his armoured head through the kitchen doors. Less than a minute later, he returned and levelled his gaze with Giselle before lightly hitting his chest with his right claw.

After which, Giselle slipped out of her chair. Still, she spared a few seconds for Neil as she turned to face him. "It's been an... interesting time with you, Ambassador Neil. Have a good day, and I shall inform the others."

He watched as the three Griffons confidently approached the front door and exited the establishment. Was that normal here? Or was it still considered rude to enter the kitchen area uninvited? For a moment, he was tempted to ask but disregarded it. Even if it was disrespectful, he could just say he was copying Giselle as he turned to face Calm. "Calm, mind covering our side of the bill as Eve finishes?"

"Will do," Calm accepted with a firm nod before following in Graffa's footsteps.

While that was going on, he turned to Eve. "At least she left the wine?"

~~~

Three hours later, long after he returned to the castle from his odd lunch excursion, Neil found himself confined to his admittedly larger-than-average bathroom. At the time, he would have said getting the chance to eat meat again would have been worth any cost. Now, he wasn't so sure as he learned with agonizing detail on the porcelain throne why ponies don't normally eat meat.

~~~***~~~

Cadence was a flurry of emotions as she flittered about her personal dining room. She knew everything was already perfect, just as it had been half an hour ago. Still, she couldn't help but trot around the room, adjusting the placement of the plates, the cutlery, and even the sealed platters that held Shining's favourite meal. She knew she shouldn't be worried, that Shining would easily accept the news she had. But her worries were getting the better of her once again.

Not even two hours ago, as she sat on her throne and listened to an important dispute between two nobles and their houses, a priority letter appeared next to her via dragon fire. Few knew that spell, and even fewer knew how to reach her. But only Auntie Celestia's magic could warm her up like a sunny day, giving away the sender's identity and the letter's importance. After adjudicating the minor dispute between the two houses, she closed her court early and retreated to the Royal quarters to read her Aunt's letter.

It wasn't the threat to Equestria she initially assumed it would be, for which she was very thankful. With everything else going on in her life, she couldn't imagine another Tirek-like figure rampaging about. Still, it was an important summons to Canterlot. One she would heed with the respect it deserved, only... It was a solo summons, meaning Shining would feel duty-bound to stay in the Empire.

When such devotion was directed at her, she absolutely loved him for it. Yet, when it came to his life's calling and the danger he put himself in, she hated it. Two sides, and emotions, both reserved for the same precious coin that was her husband. She couldn't help but muse as she shifted a napkin just a smidgen closer to his plate. She knew he would feel duty-bound to hold the fort and protect their ponies from harm without him being asked for in the letter.

That same duty also made her husband half an hour late to dinner. Shining was always late whenever he did drills with the Crystal Guard, not that she could blame him. Most of the leadership within the Crystal Guard that survived Sombra's reign of terror were commissioned noble-mares. Most of them were competent at their job but felt it unbecoming to take orders from a stallion. Even if that stallion was the Prince of the Crystal Empire himself. Shining took it upon himself to correct their views and ensure they understood he was an integral part of the military chain of command, only second to herself in matters of authority.

As she refilled her glass with fresh ice water, her ears picked up the tell-tale signs of a door opening and the haggard clanking of plate armour. She immediately put down the glass and pranced into the living area, where she spotted an absolutely filthy Shining Armour leaning against the wall. "Another duel?"

"Unfortunately." Was his response, as his horn lit up with magic. At the same time, the straps underneath his ceremonial officer's saddle started to undo themselves. "Ruby Hoof was frustrated and questioning my unorthodox training regimen, again. It got to the point where she eventually challenged me in the pit. She managed to get in a kick or two, but I forced her to concede in the end."

"Stubborn mares," Cadence growled, doing her best to disregard the negative emotions boiling inside her chest. Instead, she focused on removing Shining's dirt-caked helmet and gently sat it down on a nearby table. "They're always dragging you to the pit, and for what? To claim dominance over my husband? I wish we could abolish the whole system and start from scratch."

"I wish we could, too, believe me," Shining admitted as he undid the final strap and lifted his saddle, revealing even more armour and padding that needed to be removed. "But throwing away everything they know isn't how I'm going to earn their trust. If I have to slog through..." He paused, censoring the term they were both thinking of before he found a far nicer replacement, "Antiquated traditions to lead our people, I'll do it. Even if I have to beat every officer in one-on-one combat."

And each time he did so, she had to deal with the aftermath during court. Except she, and hopefully Shining, would be unavailable when the time came. "Which means the Matron of House Ruby will be gracing us with her presence tomorrow?"

"Us?" Shining asked, turning to look at her with a slightly bewildered glint in his eyes that reminded her of the lovable doofus underneath all of his pomp and armour.

"Yes, us." She continued, focusing on the armour covering his powerful, well-toned flanks. She also took the time to gently raise his tail and inspect everything underneath it. No honourable mare would dare harm a stallion there, but with each and every challenge, her worries grew. Thankfully, his large, white orbs were pristine, if a bit dusty and sweaty. "I need you with me in the throne room tomorrow. And, if she doesn't show by then, I'm afraid she'll have to meet with my personal assistant."

Shining knew something was up as the armour covering his chest fell away. However, instead of clattering to the ground, he caught the plate with his magic. He placed it next to his helmet as he asked, "Why would Emerald Quill be standing in for us after tomorrow?"

"Well, Silly, if you were here on time, you'd already know." She teased as she removed the final strap holding the armour covering his haunches in place. As she sat that aside, it only left his shoulder pauldrons and the sweat-drenched padding underneath, which she started to peel off of him. "Auntie sent me a dragon fire letter, but we can discuss that during dinner."

"Or, maybe my lovely wife could tell me about it right now?" He asked, pulling off both of his shoulders and the padding underneath in a single action, before separating the two in the air. The shoulders joined the rest of his armour, while the padding was placed in a hamper tucked behind the table his armour sat on.

Oh, there were so many things she wanted to tell him. Later. Now that he was wearing nothing but his birthday coat, the heady scent of her handsome and very desirable stallion was starting to fill the room. Uncontrolled, she felt her tail flick, the first inklings of a delightful night. But, for now, she leaned forward and gave Shining's firm butt a very pointed nip. "First, you need to take a shower. Unless you want me feeling all hot and bothered as we eat?"

Taking her advice, he pushed off the wall with a slight groan, likely caused by his sore, aching muscles. "Can do, Cadence," Before he left to wash away his aches and pains, though, he caught her by surprise as he spun around and firmly pressed his lips into hers. Instantly, she surrendered to the kiss of her big (though not as big as her), strong, sweaty stallion. Even going so far as to part her lips and tempt him into furthering his passions right then and there.

Only for her cheeky stallion to pull away instead. "I've been waiting to do that all day," He admitted with a satisfied, teasing grin. "Give me ten, and I'll join you at the dinner table."

His piece said, Shining spun around and happily trotted off to the bathroom before she could respond. Not that she could think of much to say, given his raised tail and the pair of merrily bouncing balls on full display.

It took a few seconds after the door closed behind her husband before she noticed her own flagged tail. She wasn't even in heat, yet she acted like it as she rolled her eyes and forced her tail down. Oh, how she wished she could have something more potent than apple cider. But she couldn't, as she had more than a few essential topics to tell her husband. Knowing he wouldn't even take the full ten minutes, no matter how sore he was, she returned to the dining room.

Not long after she sat down, Shining's rosy pink magic took hold of the dining room door and pulled it open. Revealing her slightly damp stallion as he pressed the last remnants of water out of his mane with a towel. Just before he entered the room, without even looking, he threw the waterlogged towel toward the living room hamper. "So, what dire circumstances are we dealing with? Princess Celestia doesn't normally send letters by dragon fire."

"There aren't any sort of circumstances, threats, or villains, dire or otherwise," She quickly informed him by the time the door swung closed. "Instead, Auntie Celestia asked for my unique expertise. The thing is, we need to be in Canterlot by tomorrow night."

"It hasn't even been a year, but it's still weird for me to think of her as anything other than a Princess," Shining admitted, excusing himself as he sat beside her. Although he clearly rushed, Shining no longer smelled of sweat. Instead, she picked up the faint trace of his favourite lavender raspberry shampoo as he continued. "I take it she's going to send the friendship express with the royal carriage out of Canterlot tomorrow morning?"

"If I remember correctly, it took less than three months for you to stop calling me Princess," She pointed out, remembering how adorable he was during that time, as she slowly broke him out of that habit at the start of their relationship.

Shining was quick to counter as he leaned into her side. "And, if I remember correctly, we were bucking at the time."

"So, in order to stop calling our Aunt a Princess, you need to buck her as well?" She asked, watching as his white-furred cheeks instantly turned a deep red. The thought of being with The Princess Celestia was a forbidden taboo that all adolescent colts dreamed about at some point in their young lives. Not even her husband could deny having such perversions as a teenager, though she knew he would never act on them. Still, it was a fun string to occasionally pluck and tease Shining with as she draped her wing over him. "How very bold my Shiney is, thinking he can handle two princesses at once."

She could only imagine what sort of images spawned from his adorable little head, but she had an excellent guess judging by his dazed, if perverse, stare. Unfortunately for him, she knew after one thousand years of life, Celestia was easier to please in some ways and far harder to please in others when it came to matters of love.

After a few seconds of silence, Shining finally broke away from the visions of her and Celestia in bed as he asked, "A-anyway, what does Auntie Celestia need me to do?"

Unfortunately, that was the one question she didn't want to answer. But, if she ignored it or sidestepped it, Shining would suspect the answer either way. "Auntie only asked for me," She admitted, unfurling her other wing and holding the letter out to him so he could pluck it from her with his magic. "But, I would really appreciate it if my husband came with me as moral support?"

"If she only needs one of us, then you know as well as I do that the other needs to stay and ensure the Empire runs smoothly. It's our duty as Princess and Prince to protect our citizens," He stated, saying the one thing she hated to hear- because she knew he was right.

Sighing, she pulled him in for a tight snuggle as he finished the short, if somewhat vague, letter. "She needs your expertise, but she didn't say why?"

Cadence nodded, knowing he'd feel it before retracting her wing and letting him go. "If you're done reading, you know just as much as I do."

Instead of answering right away, Shining focused on the letter. He moved it over to the unlit fireplace. A safe distance from them both before his magic pulsed and the parchment incinerated. "You don't think Prin- er, Auntie Celestia found a herd, do you?"

"If she did, I doubt she'd need my help. Honestly, I don't know why she needs me of all ponies," Cadence admitted, allowing Shining to hear one of the worries that had been eating away at her since she read Celestia's letter. "Outside of my domain, anything I can do, she can do ten times better."

"You know that isn't true," Shining intervened immediately as his soulful, loving eyes looked up into hers. "I don't think babysitting falls under your domain, but I couldn't imagine Princess Celestia watching over Twilight the same way you did."

"You know how much I love foals, and Twilight was absolutely adorkable as a child," She said truthfully as she skirted another topic that worried her to Tartarus and back. "Kind of like another dork I knew back then who had big dreams of being a hotshot guard."

"Well, with a little perseverance and a little luck, I think I earned that hotshot title, don't you?" He asked jokingly before giving her nose a quick peck of a kiss. "Just relax, take it easy, and you'll be able to do whatever Prin- Auntie Celestia needs you to do. Now, is there anything else we need to talk about? If not, I'm absolutely starving."

'There's one last thing,' She wanted to say. It was such a simple string of words that she wanted, no, needed to say. And yet, like every other night she tried to say those exact words, her muzzle smiled, and she shook her head as her doubts won out again. "You've had a long, hard day. Eat up, and then we can finish what we started in bed."

With that, Cadence focused on her magic and unveiled what lay beneath the platters. She usually wasn't one for spicy foods, but Shining absolutely loved it. As such, she had the castle chefs make her husband's favourite dishes, admittedly, with a Crystal Empire twist. Between the large bowl of chilli, a whole pot of black bean soup, a platter of bell pepper fajitas, and a tray of milder white cheddar frittatas for herself, there was plenty for the two of them to go around.

Shining took one look at the supper she ordered, then turned to look back at her. "You really want me to go with you to Canterlot."

"I do," She admitted with a sigh. "But you're right, even if I don't like it. One of us has to stay."

Instead of digging in right away, Shining wrapped a foreleg around her and leaned in, squeezing her thoroughly with a tight hug. Still, she noticed one of the fajitas lift off its tray and float toward her husband's open mouth, which was uncomfortably close to her fur. After taking a large bite and swallowing, he looked up. "Feeling better?"

"A little," She conceded as she leaned down and kissed his grinning muzzle. Not for long, though, as the moment she made contact, she felt the mild burning sensation of bell peppers. "Now hurry up and finish; otherwise, I might eat all of your spicy stuff before you do."

That was all the cajoling Shining needed to finally dig in, and she followed in a somewhat controlled fashion. That was another thing that made her chuckle. The Twilight household might have been minor nobles, but they sure didn't eat like they were as Shining piled a little bit of everything haphazardly onto his plate.

The food was excellent, as always, and so was the overall meal itself. When it came to dinner topics, both of them tended to avoid anything work-related. Instead, they focused on topics about things that brightened their day, even if they were small. For example, during Shining's lunch break out in the countryside, a small flutter of butterflies decided to rest on one of the stallion recruits, which focused the attention of all the nearby mares on the poor guy in an awkwardly adorable manner.

In return, Cadence didn't have too much to say. She received the performance reports for the newest batch of maids-in-training, all of whom were showing potential. Including the extra glittery sapphire blue Crystal Pony mare that seemed to catch Shining's eye whenever she walked by. Sky Feather had yet to earn her mark, but in Cadence's honest opinion, she was a hard worker and quite beautiful. An excellent addition to their herd if Shining was willing to give her a chance.

In response, he blushed and mumbled something she couldn't quite hear.

It wasn't until after they finished supper and were getting ready for bed, that Shining came out of their attached bathroom with renewed worries about Celestia's letter. "Cadence, I just thought of something."

"Oh? And what did you just think of? Was it my perky butt?" She asked, turning around. Only to see a look of concern on his face.

"No, but I am now, which helps a little." He admitted before voicing his thoughts. "What if the letter has to do with him?"

There were quite a few hims regarding Shining's list of worries. Primarily, it was Sombra and the chance he might return from whatever the Crystal Heart did to him. Tirek was also a close second on his list since the Centaur escaped from Tartarus once. The likelihood was slim, but never zero, that he could do it again. Still, it was probably best to make sure which him Shining was talking about. "Him, who?"

"You know, the new Alicorn with the odd name," He answered, wiggling his body in a silly little dance as if he was unfurling a set of wings. "Kneel."

"I don't think that's how you pronounce his name," She chided lightly, remembering the strangely written word from Celestia's letter two weeks ago. "But, you saw the same letter I did. Auntie never mentioned him once."

"I know, but I'm just saying this all sounds similar to Princess Amore's diary entries," Shining admitted as he looked over to the bookshelf full of ancient, restricted books they had pulled from the Crystal Library. "Sombra had a grey coat and a darker mane, just like Kneel. Sombra appeared at the edge of the Empire's barrier, and Kneel appeared out of thin air in Canterlot. It's too similar."

"That's true," She admitted, going over their similar stories in her mind. "But I also think you're forgetting two small but important details, Shiney."

"I am?" He asked, confused, turning back to her.

"Sombra appeared as a child, and so did I, as far as I can remember," She reminded him as she thought back to her own childhood, and the earliest memories she could remember. "Let's not forget I was found near the Earth Pony village of Evergreen as well."

"We don't know how you appeared there," Shining pointed out, "Unlike Kneel and Sombra."

"We also don't know about Sombra's sudden appearance, only that he was found like me." She corrected, remembering how the guard found the evil king near the barrier. And, when nopony claimed him as their own, they shipped the poor foal straight to an orphanage for care. "Either way, I think I turned out fine. I'm willing to give this new Alicorn a chance."

"Okay, fine," Shining conceded with a slight pout, the exact same one that came out whenever he lost an encounter in O&O. "What's the second detail I missed?"

"Oh, nothing much," Cadence brushed aside as she slowly turned to face the bed. "Just the fact that Sombra and I share a colour."

"What colour?" Shining asked, confused, as he looked appreciatively over her body. "You're a lovely rainbow of pink, purple, and pastels. Sombra was grey, dark grey, and even darker grey."

"He also had red eyes and a red horn," Cadence reminded him as she placed her front legs on the bed, kneeling so that her rump was sticking in the air. At the same time, she began to sway her hips from side to side, alluringly while her tail slowly lifted, drawing his eyes right where she wanted them. She couldn't help but wink as she imagined what he was about to do to her. "Which will match my red flanks once you've pounded them senseless."

Author's Note

Well, I was shocked when we reached 666. I was even more shocked when we reached 1000. How the hell am I supposed to feel now that we've hit 1900 likes, and 20,000 views!? Just short of 200,000 words!?!? Mild panic? I think that's what I'm feeling. Either that, or lightheaded elation. I don't know.

You guys and gals absolutely blow me away. (Figuratively, not literally. I think I'd feel more relaxed if the latter was the case.)

And now that the numbers rambling is out of the way, I guess I'll say I love certain aspects of this chapter, and dislike some others. Every day I went to write Giselle, I had a different feel and vibe about her, making her feel a bit bi-polar in my head? I tried to keep it from the chapter, and likely failed. If I wasn't nearing my monthly deadline, I probably would have given this a couple of days to sit, read over the chapter, and rewritten aspects.

Instead it'll stay until like this until the eventual rewrite. But hey, that's after I complete (Book 1) and see where the story went. :D

Other'n that, a wild Cadence and Shining have made their appearance! And during their private time, no less. Why did Celestia call her to Canterlot? Will she ever manage to tell Shiny the thing she needs to tell him? Will her butt really end up that red? Who knows? ;)

...I do. At least for the butt thing. Shining left her feeling sore and satisfied, just the way she likes it.

Thanks to Dat_Random_Fur for editing. He's American, and filters my story through a Trashy English filter for you all, so throw him a toy gun or something as thanks?

Also, if you want to chat, or just do whatever, our quirky discord can be found here: https://discord.gg/JhhwM89VPY

Anyway, given mine and Neil's abysmal luck, along with the introduction of Shining and Cadence, I felt it fitting to end with this thing that has no relation to the story at all: