Gerry and I laughed as he told his side of the unicorn wagon story while Lily and Orange fetched dinner. I shook my head with a sigh and wiped my eye with my thumb.

"Hoo, boy," I said.

"I'm really glad we could hit it off so well, Admiral," Gerry chirped before adopting a bashful smirk. "Based on all the stories I heard, you, well, I was worried you'd react pretty poorly to seeing me."

"Ah, I get you," I said waving my hand and reclining against the back of the sofa. "But hey! The war's over! S'all water under the bridge, says I!" Before he could retort, I leaned in with a narrow-eyed frown.

"Now, tell me about this lighter-than-air business you two got going on," I demanded.

Lily, Gerry, and I paced the deck of their recently completed airship as it drifted across the Celestial Sea, bound for Canterlot.

"Took a lot of work and a lot of money, but I'd say it's all been worth it!" Gerry declared as he peered over the edge.

"Yep!" Lily added with an eager nod before turning to me. "What do you think, Papa?" I hummed with a nod as I rubbed my hand on the ship's rail.

"Aw, she's a beauty, she is," I declared before sighing. "Aw, if only Orange were here to see it!" I shook my head with a wistful sigh before turning to the pair.

"You two did a great job," I declared causing them both to beam.

"Thanks, Papa," Lily tittered before prancing in place. "I can't believe we finished it so far ahead of schedule!"

"Yeah, for sure," Gerry added with a huff. "I thought it wouldn't be ready until November at the earliest." I froze.

"November?" I groused just before a cold sweat began to overtake me. I desperately waved my hand at him. "Wait, wait, wait, what month even is it?" He recoiled and shared a look with Lily before shrugging.

"October?" He murmured. My jaw fell open and I grabbed my head with both hands as a pained expression came to my face.

"Papa?" Lily gasped. "What's wrong?" I bared my teeth and strained.

"Twenty-fourteen is only three months away," I yelped before falling backward over the rail and tumbling to my doom in the sea below. "Yaaar."

Lily and Gerry stood dumbstruck as James fell out of sight. After a few moments, Gerry slowly blinked and shook his head.

"I-I-I I don't get it," he declared, looking to Lily for guidance.

"I don't either, no," she replied, shaking her head as well.

THE END

Author's Note