The exit from the hotel was swift and efficient. The security detail, a mix of Secret Service and Royal Guard, having quit their bickering for the time being. The motorcade entered with little fanfare, and the long ride to the White House ensued.

The imposing home of hypocrisy stood in front of us, as we exited the vehicle. Congress, the keepers of such a place in session.

Chrysalis chittered, her wings shifting uncomfortably.

Cadance addressed her concerned, “Honey, you alright?”

Chrysalis coughed, pointing to me, “I,” she gagged, “I can passively taste the contempt and disgust from that one.”

“Shit, I’m sorry,” I stepped as far as I could away from the group, “I don’t know if that is any better but it’s just going to get worse once we're in there, are you going to be able to handle it?”

Cadance responded for her, “Chrysy, Luna, you guys go ahead and handle it. You and I can sit this one out, Carl.”

Chrysalis quickly made her way away from the group getting visibly less tense the further she made it. Luna followed with gusto, attempting to catch up to the fleeing changeling.

Cadance awkwardly coughed pointing to the buildings, “You really hate them huh?”

“I hate what they’ve turned that institution into.”

We continued, quietly walking into the building, having given the emotivore enough space.

Passing through the buildings we found a small garden close by.

Cadance broke the silence, “You and Luna done the deed yet?”

I tripped surprised, “The fuck?! Where is that coming from, who just asks that?”

She snickered, “Princess of…”

“Yeah yeah, love magic power, bullshit.”

“I’m going to take that as a no. What’s wrong, Carl I know you love her.

“There is nothing. Wrong.”

She stepped in front of me being sure to look me in the eyes, “Bull-Shit, don’t lie to me. Luna has been talking with me, you sidestep, derail, or otherwise make excuses. What!? Is wrong?”
I couldn’t look her in the eyes, frozen under the weight of her gaze, “Cadance, I don’t know? It’s not that she is not visually appealing, or that I’m not attracted to her. It just doesn't. I don’t know, feel right.”

She slightly tilted my head up to look her in the eyes, speaking softly, “It’s your first time isn’t it?”

I nodded slowly, tears forming in the corners of my eyes.

“You won’t disappoint her if that's what you are worried about.”

“I sure fuc-”

“NO, you can’t. There is no pony more qualified to teach you how to saddle the beast with two backs. She is! The! Princess of the night and all things that entails!”

I couldn’t talk, the meaning and understanding of the words washing over me. All those tension
fraught moments, making excuses with no reason. A bench across the garden drew my watering eyes, I had to sit. Cadance just watched as I sat, head in my hands, memories replaying in my head now held in a new light.

“Cadance, I’m an idiot.”

“No. You’re not an idiot, you are reasonably nervous about what you believe to be one of the major social goalposts. Luna understands that you are some thousand years younger, and it’s just one of many things you have yet to experience.”

I laughed trying to keep it together, “I keep being reminded I’m dating the original GILF.”

“Don’t let her hear that.” Cadance scolded.

“Don’t let who hear what?”

“Nothing!” Both Cadance and I shouted startled.

“Now I have to know,” Luna said, turning the corner into the garden, Chrysalis at her side.

Cadance trotted over to Chrysalis asking, “You feeling better love bug?”

Suddenly knocked from my inner turmoil I questioned, confused, “Did I miss something? I thought?”

Chrysalis smiled, showing all her sharp teeth, “She gets away with it cause she’s cute, you look like a minotaur with a squashed muzzle.”

Cadance smacked her shoulder, “Hey! Be nice.”

“He Is my. Minotaur with a squashed muzzle, you ought to remember that,” Luna growled.

“Ay, no fighting. I've had enough emotional turmoil this morning,” I said quickly standing.

Luna stepped to my side covering my back with a wing and pulling me close, “Don’t listen to the mean changeling, You're cute too,” she laughed. The jokes clearly going over my head.

“I, you, wait. Y’all set me up. Well played…”

Chrysalis cackled, “I don’t taste any emotions unless I want to.”

I looked at Luna a, shit-eating grin split her face. I surprised her with a kiss, she pulled back bewildered for a moment before returning it. Breaking away I pulled her close whispering in her ear, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“We can talk about it later,” I said, kissing just along her jawline.

She shivered and looked away embarrassed, mumbling, “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”

Cadance and Chrysalis both snapped off, “I don’t think either of you will have to worry about finishing tonight.”

“Jinx.”

I cringed, “Jesus Christ, no horny you two!”

“You’re the one who started getting saucy with your mare over there, don’t blame us,” Cadance said still giggling.

I pointed at them, “You see this shit Luna? Shining has to deal with that on his own, the poor bastard.”

“Thou, art no better you tease…” She said, pinching my ass.

The unlikely couple continued to laugh at my misfortune.

I jumped from the unexpected playfulness, “Ow, I thought we talked about that?” I stopped for a moment thinking, “Now that I’ve gotten my love lecture, what's the plan for the evening assuming that the legislation was a lie?”

A long pause followed as we all thought about what we were doing.

Cadance suggested, “We can all go find somewhere cool and you can continue your story from earlier.”

“Somewhere cool? It’s nice out,” Chrysalis said smiling.

I exaggeratedly wiped the sweat from my forehead, “I would not call eighty-five ‘nice’, Miss Cold-Blooded, and it’s dinner time anyway. I don’t know about you guys but with the ride here and the stern talking to, I skipped lunch.”

Luna hurried me with a wing, “I also skipped lunch, you can continue where I left off on the way there.”

“I guess that's the plan then,” I said as I was pushed along toward the exit of the garden.

Author's Note

WOO! Socially awkward humans and the white house what could go wrong? A small chapter before we get to the meat of the story, and set up for a saucy side thing later. I don't want to alienate anyone with the politics-related stuff in this story I think everyone can agree that it's all broken at this point though.