"1"
This was your second visit to the Crystal Empire on your own. The First two were with the elements of harmony, and those two visits were rather hectic. The first time you were here you had to defeat an evil unicorn by the name of Sombra, or Sombrero as you liked to call him. Calling him that got you hit with a black crystal, giving you some manner of magic. Twilight told you that something would change on your anatomy to help you better control magic, but the only thing that changed was your eyes.
Your eyes now change color dependent on your emotions. Surprisingly, the colors don’t match with what you would think. When you don’t really have a strong feeling of any kind they’re normal, when mad they turn purple, when sad they turn green, when in love they turn red, and when confused they’re gold. When you’re embarrassed they’re pink and etc. etc.
So you get off of the train that has a brand new sparkling crystal station that is closer to the city then the remote station that was a couple miles from the city limits. You’re very happy that you don’t have to trudge through the blistering cold weather for a half an hour.
As you walk through the city a few of the crystal ponies wave at you, as they remember you stalling Sombra with your sharp sword, and even sharper wit. A few children rush up to you, and give you a crystalized flower. You smile to them, and put it in your breast pocket. The foals smile at you before running off. You chuckle at their childish ways before continuing on your way to the palace.
Yup, you’re here to see the rulers of this sparkling kingdom. They offered you a position as their advisor, and you gladly accepted, as you enjoyed being in the Crystal Empire, for it reminded you of your old home on Earth. No you didn’t live in a solid crystal house, but you’re parents gave you the family heirlooms, which hang around your neck at all times, the deep amethyst heart from your father’s side, and the opal pendant from your mother’s side.
These two items are the last things you have from your old home.
You stop in front of the two guards at the entrance to the palace, and they look at you before smiling, and letting you through. You thank them before you step onto the platform, and it teleports you up to the entry hall.
“How was the trip?” Asks a servant, which was there to greet you.
“It was long, but well worth it.” You tell her as she falls into step next to you.
“Princess Cadence has assigned me to be your personal servant during your time as the royal advisor.” She tells me. I smile to her.
“Well, I hope we get along swimmingly.” I tell her.
“Would you like me to take your bags to your chambers while you go see the Princess?”
“If you would be so kind?” You say before she lights her horn, and your baggage floats off with her as she turns down a hall, leaving you to yourself.
“I walk a lonely road…” You begin to sing with a smile on your face as you near the throne room doors. You finish the verse before a pony could hear you, as they would try to ask you what’s wrong. The guards at the door smile to you before opening them.
You walk in with a small smile on your lips… well, that is until you see Cadence. Her mane isn’t as perfect as it usually is, her makeup is a mess from tears, and she overall looks like shit.
“Cadence!” You shout before you run up to her. She looks up at you with a sleepless look in her eyes. In her eyes you see sorrow, and old anger, as well as a spark of happiness that you can only guess is because you’re here.
“Hey Anny.” She says with a weak smile.
“What in the name of the stars happened?” You ask her.
“I… no… just… not now please.” She replies. You look at her in concern, your eyes a pale blue.
“Come, let’s get you fixed up first.” You say before lighting your hand in your magic before teleporting to her chambers.
Cadence just hangs her head, as you go to get items to help her clean up. When you’re in her restroom you hear a door open, and being curious you listen with your magic as you gather some tissues and a few brushes for Cadence.
“Why are you here?” I hear Prince Armor ask, but something was off about how he asked it.
“Please leave me alone.” You barely hear Cadence reply.
“Not before you answer me.” Shining replies with what you perceive as venom.
Are they having marrage problems? You think to yourself. You hear a small sob, and decide now would be a good time to act. You put a neutral face on before opening the door.
“Anonymous, what are you doing in here?” Shining asks with anger in his eyes.
“Taking care of your wife as an advisor should.” You reply blatantly. He snorts before leaving the room, slamming the door as he left.
Once he was gone, Cadence bursts into tears. You quickly come to her aid, and embrace her. She wraps her hooves around you, and cries into your shoulder.
After ten minutes of this she pulls away sniffling. She gives you a small smile as thanks, and you nod in return.
“Now, let’s get you cleaned up.” You say before taking one of the tissues you brought, and dabbing at the makeup that streamed away from her eyes.
“So what happened to get this to happen?” You ask as you grab another tissue and start on the other side of her face.
“It was about a month ago when Shinning started to come back to the palace late. He said he was just making sure the guards were ready for anything. I took that as an okay reason since the frozen wastes have been unexplored for thousands of years. It was only a couple nights every other week or so, but then it happened more often, and he started to get irritable from my asking, so I left him be for a bit, and things just got worse from there.” She tells me with her voice quiet and wavering the entire time.
“Then one night, I decided to have him followed, so I asked one of our elite guards to tail him, then report back to me. When the guard came back *sniff* he said Shinning was rutting another mare.” Cadence falls into silent tears, and you quickly wipe them away, along with the makeup around her eyes. Being done with her face you grab a new tissue, and hold it to her nose.
She blows, and you wipe up what stayed behind with another tissue.
“Then things just got progressively worse didn’t they?” You ask her, and she nods. Anger brews in the back of your mind for one stallion, but that would have to come later.
You throw the used tissues away, before grabbing the mane brush, and start running it through her tri-colored mane.
“What would you do Anny?” She asks you. You pause as you try to reply.
“I would get them to leave before things became-” You then see the bruises along her sides and wings. Your eyes turn a pure glowing blue, and your magic flares.
“How many times has he hit you before I got here?” You ask with a voice full of malice, and death.
“Please don’t hurt him.” She tells you.
“How many times?” You ask again.
“I-I-I lost count, but I hurt everywhere.” She tells you quietly. You nod before closing your eyes, and searching for Shining slut before teleporting to him.
Before he could say anything you deck him in the throat before taking your other hand, and picking him up by his horn.
“WHAT. DID. YOU. DO!?” You shout at him before popping his wind pipe out so he could speak.
“Buck off.” He struggles out. You quickly reverse your grip before bringing him up over your head, and down onto the crystal ground as hard as you could.
“TELL ME!” You scream at him.
“Go to Tartarus.” He say weakly. You narrow your eyes before you start adding pressure to his horn. The Crystal ponies either new what he had done to Cadence, or they were too scared to act, but you didn’t care. Shining was starting to try to get away from you, but your grip was locked, and he wasn’t going anywhere, at least with his horn.
“Tell me or you lose your magic forever.” You say with a flat voice. He glares back, so you add even more pressure to his horn, hearing popping sounds. He winces at the pain, but stays adamant in his resolve. Seeing this as his only answer you take your other hand, and push on top of the other.
The ponies around you gasp as Shining’s horn snaps from his head. He screams in pain before passing out.
“Guards!” You shout. A few crystal guards come up to you.
“Lock the Prince up somewhere only the Princess and I can see him. He’s been abusing her.” You tell them. All the ponies gasp again before the guards grab Slutty Armor, and taking him away. You take a deep breathe before letting it out, and teleporting back to Cadence.
“Is it over?” Cadence asks you. You nod.
“Yes, he’s in the jail right now, but he won’t be needing magic anymore.” You tell her before opening your hand to show her his horn. She gasps before looking down to the carpet.
“I guess it was necessary.” She says before heading to her bed.
“I would like some rest. Please come to get me when you go to speak with him.” She tells you. You nod with a small bow before heading to the door.
“Sweet dreams Cadenza.” You say before shutting the door behind you.