Synch

by sunnypack

32 - The Cake is a Pie

Convincing Mi Amore Cadenza that using the Crystal Heart was a good idea was something difficult to propose and even more onerous to accept.

“Cadance, please”, pleaded Celestia putting on her best puppy dog eyes. Luna joined her.

“The Crystal Heart is the only source of energy that is both reliable and strong enough to send out the pulse wave, it is very important!”

“Princess Luna, Princess Celestia”, Cadance replied stiffly. “That look only works if you are less than ten years of age.”

“Drat”, Luna cursed silently.

Louder she said, “This is why you should bear foals and we could simply attack the issue through them!”

“Auntie Luna!” Cadance chided, though she blushed. It was just as well Shining Armor wasn't around.

“What? We all know it is coming, there is no need to hide it”, Luna defended flicking a dismissive hoof.

Cadance stared at her hooves in consternation.

“I do but I’m not sure Shining does as well”, Cadance commented to the shocked Luna and Celestia.

“Trouble in paradise?” Luna seized, sinking her proverbial fangs in the juicy gossip.

“No nothing like, dear sister. She is simply deluded. Shining is the perfect husband and I’m sure will be a very capable father”, Celestia interceded, wrapping a wing around Cadance.

Cadance did not look so sure but decided to move away from the topic and decided to readdress the dragon in the room.

“I think you must explain to me why it is so important to use the Crystal Heart, first”, she demanded, gently shying away from Celestia’s wing.

Celestia sighed. Cadance was right. She deserved to know.

“There has been trouble with magic”, Celestia began, and she gazed at her sister, prompting Luna to continue. After all, it had been her original conception.

Luna cleared her throat before launching into the barest bones of Star Swirl the Bearded’s discovery, following the possibility of null object or being, followed by the strange fluctuations in magic within Equestria and finally her own experience with the dream spells.

Throughout most of the exposition, Cadance nodded following along and did not once interrupt with a question. It seemed Cadance understood the situation but was unable to appreciate the sense of urgency it imposed.

“The nullification of magic is not really a bad thing, is it?” she had queried after Luna had wrapped up. “After all it simply stops magic on physical contact. It isn't harming anypony.”

Luna drew breath to explain but Celestia put a hoof up, wanting a turn.

As Luna subsided Celestia put forward her own thoughts.

“The magic nullification problem is not as simple as magic not working as effectively or simply not working in contact with the creature or object. The fact is magic nullification violates the Principle of Thaumic Energy Conservation. The magic is not converted to one form or a less useful form… it disappears from our universe”, she explained, sitting on her haunches.

Cadance nodded.

“So the problem is, the nullification of magic will eventually lead to a drain of all magic from Equestria in the most extreme case”, she posited, but Celestia cleared her throat in response.

“Ahem, more likely it would be the whole universe if left unchecked. Worst case scenario, the magic nullification would create a bigger and bigger vacuum to fill leading to the acceleration of magic to fill in the gap, leading to magic being nullified and creating a bigger magic vacuum and so on, so forth. Eventually, the exponential nature of the magic nullification would drain magic from Equestria leading to those whom rely on magic as a tool being very inconvenienced… to the deaths of those who rely on magic to live, such as Dragons, pegasi who happen to be flying at the time, manticores and cockatrices to name a few”, she finished with palatable dread.

At atmosphere of gloom settled about the room, making the Princesses hunch their shoulders in concern.

“You have my permission to use the Heart”, Cadance said quietly in the gathering silence.

Celestia and Luna nodded solemnly.

“Thank you Cadance”, they both replied.

Cadance cleared her throat.

“Okay enough doom and gloom”, she ended spritely, moving on to the next topic.

“How’s your love life, Luna?”

Luna spluttered unable to speak. Celestia giggled while Cadance wore an easy grin.

“W-w-we I-I-I m-mean I think w-we should move past that area”, she replied shakily and with a false sense of confidence.

Celestia saw past it easily.

“Come now Luna, no romance?” she teased, finally capitalising on one of very little soft spots that her sister had.

Luna grew redder and redder until even a blush could be seen peeking out of her fur.

Cadance couldn't hold her laughter in anymore and she collapsed in a fit of giggles. Celestia joined in a few moments later while Luna fumed.

Shining, who had been about to step in, slowly backed out, unnoticed by the three Princesses.

“Mares”, he grumbled and he had so looked forward to a normal conversation. Preferably one without romance and the like, he turned to the guards stationed outside.

“Am I right?” he asked, seeking affirmation. The guards glanced at each other before nodding slowly. Whether they agreed or not was a moot point. Either side with your ruler or side with your ruler, there wasn't much choice available.

Shining sighed and leant on a pillar. At least there was no disaster this year. The Crystal Empire was safe. He could relax…

Oh how wrong he was.

Author's Note:

What's this talk of romance on the horizon?

I wonder how the immortal princesses deal with mortal romance. It could only ever end sadly. Sniff. Sniff. Oh well, it's not like there are any fics dealing with THAT problem.

Okies, Next Chapter: We find out what's keeping Shining awake at night while Owlowiscious finally gets PhD in Chemistry. The CMC try their hand at cooking hard drugs but get caught while stealing the equipment from Twilight's basement. Fluttershy also teaches a manticore how to dance the cancan.

Cadence to Cadance, can't believe I let that go on for so long...

NB: Only a small plot movement in terms of nullification mechanics, but it's going well. We'll find out next chapter what happens to our hero. Until then...

As always, thanks for reading!

Comments

[PiMan]

4828506
You should give some of his latest stuff a try; 'Mandatory Fun' is his most popular album yet, which must count for something.

[sunnypack]

4828537 Thanks for the recommendation, I will certainly look into it!

[LordBucket]

All the constant back and forth time shifting is really not helping this story. What's being described in this chapter already must have happened several chapters ago. Why are you describing it now? You've done this a couple times.