It was now midnight in the evening as everypony was closing their shops and heading home as others went to bed.
Well, some were going to have dinner at the famous cafe in the Crystal Empire, even Sunburst, Starlight & Lightning were going there as well.
It was red and orangey crystal made, bigger and larger than the other crystal buildings, with several circle opening windows and a double opening door.
Inside the cafe, there was a red carpet with a register stand with a grey stallion, with blue mane and tail and wearing a smart uniform, standing behind it making sure he gets the right ponies in and ponies that didn’t book to not come in. There were a lot of servers and tables that most ponies sat at, ready to eat.
Sunburst, Starlight and Lightning were sitting at one table near three tables near the closest window. Sunburst was wearing a black tuxedo with blue tie while Starlight was wearing her dress she wore at the Grand Galloping Gala as Lightning was wearing his tuxedo he wore at the Gala but remade after Cold Wind foalnapped him.
Just then, the waiter came to their table with their meals as he levitated them on the table near them with his magic.
Both Sunburst and Starlight were having a salad while Lightning was having a salad with yummy pasta. In fact, the salad and pasta were in a shape of a smiley face, just like Celestia and Starlight would do on the pancakes.
They thanked the waiter and began to eat their meals.
“Mmmm,” said Lightning after swallowing his first bite of the salad pasta, “This is so delicious.”
“They so are delicious sweetie,” Starlight said, “That’s why me and Sunburst enjoy coming here once a week every month.”
Lightning looked at his aunt before swallowing his third bite of his food. “You mean like as in, dates?”
Sunburst and Starlight nodded in response.
“Yep,” said Sunburst while cutting his next slice of the salad, “We’ve been doing it five times now. So this would be the sixth date we went on. Plus, the last date, was actually different than the other four.”
Lightning looked curiously at his uncle and aunt. “What do you mean? What happened on your fifth date?”
Sunburst and Starlight smiled at each other before looking at Lightning as Starlight then said, “Well, why don’t we show you instead of telling you?”
Starlight went into her little bag, pulled out a small black box with her magic and showed it to Lightning as she then opened the little box to reveal a pink ring with blue stars on it as it shine with tiny brightness while Lightning stared at it.
“Wow,” He said with awed, “It’s so pretty.” Just then, something popped into his head as he knew what that ring means. “Wait. That ring. Does that mean you two are...”
“That’s right cutie,” said Starlight as she closed the box and placed it back in her bag, “Me and Sunburst, are getting married.”
“In two months,” added Sunburst.
“Wow!” Lightning said excitedly, “This is so awesome! Am I aloud to come to the wedding as well as help out?”
“Of course you can,” answered Starlight as she rubbed her nephew’s mane playfully, “We wouldn’t have the wedding without you.”
Lightning smiled at his aunt as the three went back to eating their meals.
A few minutes later, the three had finish their meals as they placed their knifes and forks down on the table.
“Oh that sure was good,” said Sunburst.
“I agree,” Starlight said.
“Me too,” added Lightning.
After a few seconds of silence, Lightning spoke, “Auntie Starlight, I need to go use the toilet.”
Starlight nodded before saying, “Okay, sweetheart. The toilets are just over there.” She pointed to right with her right hoof as Lightning saw the gentlecolt’s toilets next to the mare’s toilets. “Would you like one of us to come with you?”
Lightning shook his head before saying, “No thanks, I think I can go on my own.”
Starlight nodded her head in respect of his answer, “Okay. See you in a bit.”
Lightning gently got off his seat as he then walked towards the gentlecolt’s toilets leaving just Sunburst and Starlight alone at the table till he comes back.
After a few minutes in the toilets, Lightning came out of the gentlecolt’s toilets as the door closed behind him.
He was about to return to his table, when he saw something that made him stop in his tracks.
Sitting at a table next to four tables on the left, he saw a Pegasus wearing a black coat that he knew who it belongs to as he saw that black coat before. The Pegasus was rubbing the table hardly as he was in a bad mood about something while growling angrily.
Lightning began to shake in fear, he knew who that Pegasus was in that black coat and knows what he’s doing here. He then quickly ran towards the table he was at before the Pegasus could even see him.
Meanwhile, Sunburst and Starlight were looking at the desert menu trying to decide what to have for desert.
“Oh I think I’ll have the chocolate brownie with chocolate custard,” said Starlight.
“Yeah I think I’ll go for that too,” Sunburst said, “Do you think Lightning might want one too?”
“Yeah I think he might like a chocolate brownie too,” answered Starlight, “He always enjoys having chocolate brownies whenever he goes to Sugarcube Corner for a...”
Before she could finish her sentence, she felt a tight grip around her as she looked down and saw Lightning hugging her while shaking in fear as tears were streaming down his face.
“Hey hey hey hey,” said Starlight softly as she picked Lightning up with her hooves and looked at him in the face, “Lightning sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“H-H-He’s here!” Lightning said to his aunt as he still shook in fear with tears rolling from his eyes, “H-He’s here, I s-saw him i-in a b-black coat when I w-was coming out of the t-toilets!”
“Okay, slow down,” said Starlight to him, “Slow down. Who’s here?”
“D-Daddy's here!” He answered, “He w-was s-sitting at a table w-wearing a black c-coat and h-he’s still s-searching for m-me!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, we’re gonna make sure he doesn’t get you,” Sunburst said as he tried to make him feel calm.
“Wait,” said Starlight quickly as she just thought of something, “Lightning, did he see you?”
Lightning took two seconds to think about that question before answering, “No I... I don’t think so.”
Sunburst and Starlight looked at each other with great concern, they knew this was bad for them, and they couldn’t stay for desert in case Cold Wind did saw Lightning.
“We better head home quickly,” said Starlight as she held Lightning in her right hoof, “We’ll have some treats tomorrow to make up for skipping desert.”
Sunburst nodded in agreement. “Yeah, let’s go and pay before we head on home.”
The two got off their seats as Starlight levitated her bag with her magic onto her back before gently placing Lightning back on the ground as he walked underneath his aunt so Cold Wind doesn’t see him. They then walked towards the stand so they can pay for their meal before quickly heading home.
Once they were at the stand, the register pony said, “Ah hello again. Are you here to pay for your meals?”
Sunburst nodded before answering, “Yes we are, how much do we have to pay?”
“Alright, now let’s see.” The register pony began to look at the bill, the waiter gave to him, to see what they had and how much they cost altogether. But none of them notice a hoof reaching towards Lightning.
While the two were waiting, they then heard somepony screaming in fear and also crying for help. Sunburst and Starlight turned their heads to the left, while the register pony looked straight forward, before they grew shock looks on their faces as they saw who was crying for help.
Starlight let out a gasp of shock before saying, “Lightning!”
Lightning was being tackled by the Pegasus in the black coat as he was screaming, “Help me!”
The Pegasus continued to hold Lightning tightly before flying towards the fire exit at the end of the cafe as Starlight used her magic to help fly after them as she then said, “Hold on, I’m coming!”
The Pegasus was a few miles away from the fire exit as Starlight manage to reach them in time before grabbing Lightning with her hooves and pulling him towards while the Pegasus continued to hold him and trying not to let him go.
Starlight began to sweat as she tried her best to set Lightning free from the Pegasus’s hold. “Let! go!”
The Pegasus continued to hold the colt tight as Starlight continued to pull her nephew free, until she had enough of this as she reached her left hoof out and punched the Pegasus in the face making him let go of Lightning and fly backwards.
Starlight held Lightning close to her as they then saw the Pegasus’s black coat fall off him, because of that hard punch, to revealed Cold Wind.
Starlight let out another gasp of shock, even Sunburst let out a shock gasp as he was still at the stand with the register pony still looking in shock. Lightning began to shake in fear once more as he buried his face into Starlight’s chest.
Cold Wind continued to fly in mid-air as he then glared angrily at Starlight and Lightning making her hold Lightning even close to her before glaring at him.
The register pony looked at Sunburst before saying, “You know what, sir. Your meals are on the house, you two better get your nephew out of here fast.”
“Thanks sir,” replied Sunburst as he then shouted, “Starlight! Quick, fly!”
Starlight heard Sunburst as she quickly flew towards him while holding Lightning close to her as she gently landed on the ground.
They then saw Cold Wind flying towards them as Starlight used her magic to quickly trap Cold Wind in a Crystal stone as it then landed hard on the ground, but didn’t break since it was in mid-air.
The two quickly made their way out of the cafe, with Lightning in Starlight’s right hoof, as Cold Wind’s angry face grew angrier as he then tried to break free which is hard to do because only unicorns and alicorns can break free from crystal stone magic.
The three made it back to Sunburst’s house in one piece as they were now in Sunburst’s room with Starlight’s dress was off her as well as Lightning and Sunburst’s tuxedo as Sunburst was wearing his cape again.
Starlight was sitting on the bed with Lightning in her hooves as she comfort him while Sunburst was looking at the window making sure Cold Wind hasn’t broken free and found his house.
“I think we’ve stopped him,” Sunburst said as he then turned to look at Starlight, “But I don’t think that crystal stone will hold him for long.”
Starlight nodded in agreement.
“You’re right, Sunburst. We better warn the others, it won’t take Cold Wind long before he finally breaks free.”
She then looked at Lightning, who was still shaking in fear, as she nuzzled him hoping that’ll calm him down a bit.
“It’s okay, Lightning sweetheart. You’re safe now, he won’t hurt you anymore. We’re gonna get you back to your mother, okay?”
Lightning nodded his head before Starlight carefully held Lightning in her right hoof and got off the bed.
The two were about to leave the bedroom, but stopped as they saw Cold Wind in front of the doorway glaring at them as he closed the door behind him.