Equestria, Sweet Equestria...

“Now Rainbow, you can’t just simply leave.”

Rainbow let out a sigh as she sat at one of the table taking another look to the front door and cursing herself for not slipping out sooner once everyone had gotten cake. She had even gone to the lengths of devouring her piece quickly, but unfortunately, hadn’t counted on Rarity.

“But, what if he takes off?” Rainbow insisted as Rarity set the piece of cake down she had been eating down, “I told Twilight I would keep an eye on him.”

“Well darling, it seems the Cakes trust him enough to let him make a delivery,” Rarity stated, the lady like tone in her tone not giving one bit, “And as I recall… you even said that Twilight had said he seemed…harmless."

Rainbow was once again reminded of her nose...Winter Wrap Up... and despite the days that had passed she couldn’t help but remember it at the mention of what Twilight had said... She had taken time throughout the days to see if Rick had done anything…at all. Every time she flew by the hospital to look in the window for a moment, Rick had been either sleeping, talking with one of the nurses, or just doing nothing…absolutely nothing... She remembered flying away and at one point she even had considered not going back if it was going to be the case again...

Rainbow turned away from Rarity giving the front door another look. Her gut was screaming for her to trust it and go, but she ultimately let out a sigh. She hadn’t been having much fun as she usually did at a Pinkie Pie party and began to wonder maybe…just maybe..

“Alright, fine,” She said while turning back before pointing a hoof at Rarity, “But if he takes long getting back, I’m going after him.”

“Very well,” Rarity replied with polite nod, “Now. Please. Enjoy yourself, Rainbow. Why don’t you go get another piece of cake?”

Rainbow, though reluctant, let out a sigh as she got up from the table and began to head over towards the kart holding the serving dish for the cake. A good portion of it was gone now, but just enough left over to carry on. Rainbow spotted a decent sized piece sitting on an individual plate before taking a look back to the front door. She told herself if push did come to shove she would act, but in the promise she made, as she got the plate and began back towards the table.

“Roder for the rayor,”

Rick held the brown delivery bag in his mouth as he stood in front of a small desk with an orange pony behind it. The rest of the room was absent of any other pony but the chatter Rick could faintly hear coming from a hallway behind the desk, which showcased a set of stairs, told him otherwise for the rest of the building. The desk pony lifted its gaze from the papers it had been looking over and froze for a slight second with its eyes widening slightly where it would likely go unnoticed. Rick stood silently for a moment waiting for an answer before placing the bag on the desk, the taste of fabric quickly leaving his mouth.

“From Sugarcube corner?” He asked as he motioned to the bag with a hoof hoping to somehow quell the awkwardness that was settling in.

“…Oh yes,” The pony quickly replied, moving the papers off to the side before taking the bag and placing it on the back corner of the desk, “I’ll see to it that this gets to her, but first let me get your payment.”

Rick waited patiently as the pony ducked behind the desk for a moment. He looked around the room taking in the basic décor of waiting room with a single potted plant in one of the corners and hearing the commotion of politics from above still going on strong. He heard of what sounded like a drawer being opened and then shut before pulling his attention back to the desk to see the orange pony coming back up with a small brown bag and tossing it on the desk. Rick was greeted with the sound of several coins clattering together before settling as the desk pony pushed the bag closer with a hoof.

“She usually likes to thank the Cakes for orders like these in person,” The pony explained, while giving a somewhat forced chuckle while motioning towards the stairway behind him, “But, heh, it’s been one of those days again.”

Rick gave a small smile taking one last look to the stairs before leaning forward and taking the tied end of the bag in his mouth.

“Rank rou,” Rick said with a small nod before turning away and heading for the door.

“Have a good day...sir,” He heard the pony say as he went through the doors leaving the room and chatter of the upper levels behind.

Once he was outside town hall, Rick let out a small sigh as he descended the stairs of the porch with the bits in the bag clattering all the way. He couldn't help but remember what the nurse pony had said and find himself slowly regretting about dismissing the idea off as absurd. He thought back to the party he had left behind and thought particularly of the faces of everypony that had been there when he came out with the cupcakes…all attention on him...except... it did go away…somewhat. He quickly recalled the couple the party had seemed to center around,remembering how they were dressed in very royal looking clothes and figured they were local elites of some kind.

Despite his mind being on the party, Rick stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of something in his peripheral vision. He gulped before turning to find a familiar sight laid before him, but now somewhat different. As he eyed the crater before him, Rick instantly recalled the memory of him waking up in it...and all the faces of everypony around him that day. The chase…Rainbow…the fall… He slowly walked onto the dirt giving the filled crater a closer look. He lifted a hoof and began to shuffle dirt away digging a small hole as if it held something just below…an answer..?

He stood there silently for a few moments before looking up to the clear sky. Part of his mind continued to consider the thought while the other told him he was crazy for even doing so, though…something… made it feel like it would work. He closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated on his thoughts as hard as he could….coming up with blurred images...once again. Rick let out a sigh as he brought his gaze back down and looked around. He was greeted with several ponies walking by town hall staring at him a moment with familiar peculiar look on their faces before quickly turning away. He stopped messing with the dirt and tried his best to put the dirt he had disturbed back before patting it flat as best he could. He walked away slowly for a moment before…

“Ro rud,” He mumbled as he quickly went into a gallop and began back on his way to Sugarcube Corner.

Shining Armor couldn't help but smile as he listened to Twilight regale him and Cadence with what she had been up to the since last time they saw her, as they ate their pieces of cake at a table in one corner of the bakery with the party going on still. He had always enjoyed watching her grow up, especially when he was a young colt, and even now it was one of the little things in life he made sure to cherish.

“But enough about that,” Twilight said after gulping down a bite of her cupcake her smile not ceasing for a single second, “How are things in the Crystal Empire? Everypony must be just as excited you two are.”

“You could say that,” Shining replied, remembering how many ponies had showed up to the castle just to wish good fortune to him and Cadence, “And sorry we couldn't say anything sooner, a lot of things needed to be taken care of.”

Despite the news of a foal to be born, the royal duties didn't cease, as if they ever did and that was to be expected. Making any attempt at a visit was a near impossibility with all matters needed dealing with, till a day it was deem possible by some sure amount of luck. Although in hindsight, Shining wished he had relayed the letter to Princess Celestia to give to Twilight sooner, but now that he was in Ponyville with his sister he choose not to dwell on it.

“Not so much as Shining here,” Cadence began with a giggle before leaning a bit closer to Twilight, “You should have seen his face when I told him.”

“Hey, I had a bit of day before hearing that,” Shining quickly insisted, remembering all the appointments with delegates and the troops he had to attend to before hearing the news, “and I took that news the only way a leader of a kingdom could.”

The moment he finished his sentence was when Shining saw it; Cadence pulled back and gazed into his eyes giving him…that look. A mischievous look with a small smirk and an eyebrow cocked every so slightly, a look that she seemed to pull off without much effort… and it hadn’t been the first time he had seen it.

“By fainting?” Cadence asked, the look beyond just being embedded on her face, successfully holding back a laugh.

Shining heard Twilight erupt in laughter of her own as he drew in a breath while closing his eyes trying to savor some sort of dignity. Taking the news of being a father hadn't been his finest moment…or one of them for that matter. He remembered the day far too clearly. At the time, he had noticed that Cadence was acting more reserved around him and had been trying to tell him something only to be cut off by somepony interrupting her, and at the time Shining had pushed it off as her being anxious about the diplomats coming to the Crystal Empire. It had been the main part of the apology he kept giving over and over… once he had recovered that is.

Pulling away from the memory, he felt a hoof pat him on the back as he turned to see Cadence, the look gone from her face and smiling at him, with that warm and caring smile he had also seen many times before. He shifted his eyes over to Twilight, who seemed to be coming out of her laughing fit, which reminded him of when she was just a filly giggling at the childish games he use to play on her.

“So, on another topic” He announced quickly, perking his head up with a wide grin on his face, “Who wants to hear about the first time Twily took a bubble bath?”

“Oh, do tell,” He heard Cadence say eagerly, as he watched Twilight immediately tense up going wide eyed.

The couple erupted in laughter as Shining quickly motioned with a hoof that he was kidding hoping to calm Twilight down before she got the wrong idea. A third voice joining the laughter and the smile on Twilight’s face eased Shining’s mind. He recalled all the times he had given Twilight a hard time when she was a filly. However, back then and even now; he always made sure he didn't go overboard with his antics and always to be there with a hug or a smile to assure his sister he still loved her no matter what.

As their laughter died down, Shining heard the sound of the bell from the front door enter his ears above the conversations of every other pony in Sugarcube corner. Shining gave the door a quick glance seeing the pony that had brought out the cupcakes for the party coming in with a brown bag clenched in his mouth before returning his gaze to Twilight. However, he saw her looking away for a moment back in the direction towards the counter. He looked up again and saw the pony stop at the front counter of the placing the bag in front of Mrs. Cake. He also noticed something that hadn't caught his attention before…the pony’s flank was completely bare.

“Well,” He heard Twilight begin as he pulled his attention back to her, “I’m very happy for you two.”

Shining looked at her for a moment as Cadence thanked Twilight once more. He shifted his eyes to the pony, who was now manning the counter. He had notice Twilight’s attention being held by the pony in question when the cake had been brought out and during the awkward moment before the cupcakes. At first he figured it was a friend of hers, but didn’t remember her ever mentioning…

“Shining?” Twilight asked as the conclusion formed, “Is something wrong?”

As the gears in his head began to click, Shining felt a smug grin start to slowly cross his face returning his gaze to Twilight once more.

“Oh. Nothing, Twilight,” He assured as he took another look before levitating his piece of cake to his mouth, “Just thought I saw something, that’s all.”