Shining looked between Umbra and Cadance. They were smiling. That wasn't a bad thing... but they were more smiley then usual... Morning wasn't smiling, but that wasn't an expression she did often. Anik was smiling, but it was his usual joy for being alive. A pleasant smile. "So... How's everypony feeling?"
"Great," got out Umbra quickly.
Anik curled a hoof downwards at Morning. "We're going to practice today."
Shining perked at that. "Practice what?"
Morning smiled her calculating smile. "All creatures of this world have magic. He doesn't know what he should have, or should not have. Ideal clay to tease out what magic he actually has."
Umbra's horn glowed as she squeezed her daughter. "What a lovely trick you have there. Thank you, Anik, for playing along. Maybe, at the end, we can all enjoy something new."
Shining applauded gently. "I'll just ask." He looked between his two mares. "You two look really happy. Did I miss something?"
Cadance burst into giggles. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't play like this. Umbra visited me, in my dreams. We had a lovely time. And, I think, made significant progress on some hangups."
Shining blinked, putting that together quickly. "Oh! So, it works then?" He was looking at Umbra. "You can dream walk, like Luna?"
Umbra nodded firmly. "I don't see it how she sees it, but it's lovely in its different way." A thought came to her. "Shoot! Actually, maybe it's doing it here in the Crystal Empire influencing it too. I saw everyone as a different jewel or gem or other thing. To enter them, I just had to wear them." She pointed at Cadance. "You were your tiara."
Cadance peeked up as best she could at her own tiara. "I'm more than a pretty tiara."
"Of course you are." Umbra lowered her hooves from their warding position. "But I had to visualize all the dreams around me. Luna saw them more as pools and puddles and mirrors she stepped into. A treasure vault for the ponies of the Crystal Empire? Works for me, and just as worthy of protection and value."
Shining pointed at himself. "When do I get a visit?"
Umbra could hear the sad little foal in that request and its tone. "I'll be sure to stop by. But what we have in line is a lot more physical." That got Shining coloring. "We'll get to that, hm? Oh!" She looked to her children. "I'm not sure if I made this clear or not." She pointed to Shining, then Cadance. "But we're a thing, for real."
Morning squinted with suspicion. "You were already a thing, mother."
Anik inclined his head. "What manner of thing?"
"Good question." She booped her son, who seemed to enjoy those moments of contact. "We were a thing." She waved between all three members of that union. "But we're becoming even more. We will get married."
Cadance sat up firmly. "I... admit I wasn't entirely convinced you were serious... but my opinion has shifted. I present this as your last opportunity. If you walk past this threshold, it's for keeps. We alicorns can persist a long time, sometimes. At least Auntie Celestia and Luna certainly have. We have no other alicorn to compare against... But you may be signing on for a long time. Are you alright with that?"
Shining looked between the two. "Uh... I'm not an alicorn," he noted weakly. "I don't like the way this is headed."
Umbra thumped him on the shoulder, smiling. "If it comes down to it, I will drag you into the alicorn club. I've seen what you might look like as a mare anyway. You'd still have it."
That struck Shining into a blushing quiet.
Cadance burst into merry laughter. "I will hope it does not come to that. I love my Shining completely, but I would prefer he remains a he for the rest of days, if we have the option. Now." Her eyes settled on Umbra's children. "I'm not sure this came up before, but if we do marry... You two become my stepchildren."
Anik perked at that. "Oh! ... What is that? I would be honored to be your child." He bowed his head. "But what is a 'step' child?"
"A child connected by marriage." She pointed to Umbra, then to Anik. "Still my child, to be loved, fostered, and cared for. One hopes the feelings would be reciprocated, for you to love, support, and honor."
Morning hummed softly. "We'll see if you earn it."
Cadance's eyes widened at that. "How direct... I appreciate that in a way. Better that these things be clear." She looked to Anik. "What are your thoughts?"
"I am honored." He dipped his head at Cadance and then at Shining. "I had a family... And lost it, only to be given a new one that grows in this new life. This world is full of bounty I could not have dared consider before. Like a starving man placed before a great meal, I feel overwhelmed, but tearful with appreciation."
Umbra hugged him with a wing. "Still a poet. So, yes. I am signing that line for the long haul. Trying to halfass things is how I got into trouble before... I don't want that. Trying to grab whatever was in view is how I lost things. I'll miss my 'wild' days, but it's for the better, by far."
Cadance inclined her head. "Before you cement this." She reached out for a thread only she could see. "You should speak to her. To cast her aside without a word? You'll hurt her feelings, and your own. Neither of you deserve that."
Umbra's teeth came together with enough force that, at least, she could hear the thump of enamel. How could she not think of that?! "I am an idiot..."
Morning hummed. "The one you cheated with?" Umbra's startled look of aghast horror only made her smile lightly. "Mother, I'm not a foal," argued the foal. "I know what you did. If you care about this pony, you should tell them."
Umbra brought a hoof to her own forehead, tiara jostling with the impact. "So did everyone figure this out but me? Fine! I'll se--... No. I will not dump her by a letter. That would be so bad..." She slumped in place. "She did nothing wrong. I didn't tell her what mistake I was busy making."
"Why I asked." Cadance nodded softly. "You have a choice to make. Break it up, properly, or maybe you'd prefer her company? We're both just ponies, but that choice has to be made. She isn't part of us." Cadance waved at Shining and herself. "And that invitation isn't open. So it's one or the other, and it needs to be clear."
Umbra caught her head, hoof at either temple. "I still want her as a study buddy. Nothing wrong with that, right? We're both wizards and I want to learn magic with her. No more kissy stuff."
Shining drew some juice to sip. "We'll hold you to that. No more kissy stuff, with her anyway."
Anik pointed at Morning. "You are allowed to kiss her."
"I'm allowed to kiss you too." Umbra leaned over to smooch the top of Anik's head. "Children are great like that. Alright, alright... Alright. I'll do this properly." She hopped down to her hooves and strode off purposefully.
Cadance steepled her hooves. "Now... I want to ask." Her eyes settled on Anik. "What is your view on this? You come from another world, with very different rules."
Anik perked, the spotlight turned on him. "It was simpler. If a man... stallion. If a stallion and a wo--mare like each other and are in the mood, they would... do that. Only members of the same tribe would really consider it. The others were too far away, lost in dark, to think about. There was no 'marriage'. The idea is scary, but... kind of nice? But scary. Promises are important, very important. That mother broke her promise is bad... I can see why she was left. It is hard to trust one who breaks their promises. If you can't accept their word, how can you accept other things?"
Cadance leaned over the table. "What an astute viewing of it. Though it saddens me to think of a world so... stark. I'm glad you don't live there anymore. Though, I say that... Do you miss it?"
Anik was quick to shake his head. "It died, and I died. This is a new life. Too late to 'miss' the old one, and little to miss, in this case. I was ready to surrender to those final moment." He smiled radiantly. "It is my role to savor and celebrate this new chance."
Cadance settled, chin on hooves. "And that is why you still trust her, despite her lie. You see yourself in her, don't you?"
Anik flinched, but it turned into a hesitant nod. "She is also reborn. The past still haunts her, hunting her in darkness, but she is reborn, like me. We will find a better way forward in this new life. Together? I'd like that."
Shining sat up. "So, let's put this somber note to the side. Anik, you seem physically capable. Ever consider joining me and the guards for some training?"
Morning hopped up onto the table to scowl at Shining. "I already claimed possession of Anik for the day. Do you wish to battle for it?"
Shining put up warding hooves at Morning. "Easy... It doesn't have to be today. Whenever you want to and are available."
Anik reached for his sister, but didn't actually grab her. "I am yours today."
"Good." She hopped not to her chair, but atop Anik's head to perch there. "Have you eaten? We're wasting time."
He stood up, sliding from his chair as she slid in stance to back onto the more flat surface of his spine. "Thank you for breakfast, mom, dad." He left the two with bulging eyes as he left the room onto Morning's plans.
Shining shook his head at the empty other side of the table. "At least she's motivated."
"She is at that." Cadance lowered her hooves. "And so am I. I'm glad she, Umbra that is, responded the way she did. She does need to put a bow on... that. Better it be done before we consider what may follow. Now... just to be entirely upfront on this." She rested her hoof on one of his. "We shared a dirty little dream."
Shining pinkened just a little. "Well, we did agree that was alright..."
"And I can still see it means something, which is why I bring it up." She rubbed the top of his hoof gently. "Because I love you quite a bit."
Shining flipped his hoof about, raising hers up to his lips to kiss. "I call dibs on the next one. Not fair, you only getting the dreamtime."
Cadance burst into renewed laughter. "Well, catch me by surprise!" She smooched his nose gently. "Thank you for the reminder of one of many reasons I love you so much. I do hereby officially give permission. I hope you and her have a lovely time, whenever that is. So, silly question... She feels like she might be into that... You try introducing her to your comics?"
"My comics?" An ear skewed, thinking of them. "I didn't think that was super relevant, really."
"They're as relevant as you let them be."
He hummed softly. "You have a point... Maybe she'll really like them. That'd be nice to connect on." He hopped to his hooves. "But we should both get to work too."
"Yes we should." She slid down to be the last to stand properly. "I will admit I'm kind of looking forward to Umbra taking up some of the day to day rulership duties. We need to go over that way more in detail..."
"She knows shadows and magic, not that. I'll be a learning moment." He brushed against Cadance's side. "Let's get to it."
They marched off to face the day.