Frostfire looked out the cabin window as the train she rode chugged along, heading north to the Crystal Empire. She smiled and bounced excitedly in her seat as she saw the empire coming into view, nearing the end of her journey. She had been selected to report on the Crystal Faire, an annual celebration that had begun to draw in tourists from all across Equestria since the empire’s return.
The train slowed to a stop as it reached the station, and the conductor called out, “Alright everypony, we’ve reached the Crystal Empire! Please leave in an orderly fashion, and don’t forget your luggage!” Frosty grabbed her overnight bag and left the train with several other ponies who came to experience the faire.
Here I am, she thought with a smile, looking over to the crystal homes and buildings that made up the Crystal Empire. First thing’s first; get a hotel room, THEN go out and enjoy the faire! She headed down the road with the other tourists, going to a nearby hotel to get a room for the night.
After she paid the necessary bits and got her key, Frosty headed to her room. It was a nice room with a large bed, and she grinned as she noticed it was plenty big enough for two ponies. Well, boss said not to treat this as a vacation, she thought, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy myself after work’s done… She dropped off her luggage near the door, and headed out to start reporting on the faire.
She looked around the streets at the homes and buildings that made up the empire, and the crystal ponies who called it home. She smiled and reached into one of her saddlebags to grab her camera and take a couple pictures, before she hung it around her neck for later use. She reached into her other saddlebag and pulled out a notepad and pencil, taking the latter in her mouth to start writing.
- - -
The Crystal Empire is appropriately named, as seemingly every structure is made of crystal, and even the crystal ponies who call it home shine in the light. It’s a beautiful city, and it saddens me to think that it was lost for a thousand years due to King Sombra’s dark magic. I can only imagine how the crystal ponies have dealt with the time difference.
- - -
She put away the notepad and pencil for the time being, and headed for the center of the city where most of the celebrations were occurring. All around the area near the crystal castle were stalls selling various goods, from knickknacks to local cuisine, and fun games and activities were also available. She reached for her camera once more to take a picture of the stalls and tents lining the street.
Frosty’s stomach grumbled as she let the camera hang from her neck, and she chuckled as she decided that food was the first item to report on. She trotted over to one stall, and bought herself a cob of crystal corn to start with, which she began eating with gusto. She hummed appreciatively at the flavor and juiciness of the vegetable, and it was soon finished off, the remains tossed into a nearby garbage bin.
“That was great, but now I could use something to wash it down,” she said as she looked around.
“Might I recommend trying some of the Crystal Empire nectar over there?” The stall owner motioned a hoof to another nearby stall, and she thanked him before she walked over to get herself a mug.
Frosty bought herself a mug of the nectar, and took a deep sip, smiling wide at the sweetness of the drink. “Mmm, that’s good…”
“Well thank you!” said the mare running the stall. “That nectar is my specialty, and I’m glad to see an Equestrian pony like yourself enjoy it.”
Frosty’s eyes widened as she realized that she should get an interview with some of the locals. “Say, would you be willing to answer a few questions? I’m Frostfire, a reporter for the Ponyville Express, and I was hoping to learn more about the empire and the Crystal Faire.”
The mare perked up at that, and smiled wide. “A reporter? Why, sure, I’d be happy to answer your questions.” She giggled. “Oh, just wait until my husband hears I’m gonna be in a newspaper!”
Frosty chuckled at that, pulling out her notepad and pencil. “Alright, so first off, what’s your name?”
“Oh, I’m Radiant Ruby, though you can just call me Ruby,” said the shimmering red mare. “What’s your first question?”
Frosty pondered that a moment, before she asked, “Well, I suppose the first thing I wonder is, what’s the reason for the Crystal Faire? How did it come to be?”
“Oh, well the whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to raise the spirits of all the ponies living in the empire so that we may keep the Crystal Heart filled with light and love,” explained Ruby.
Frosty wrote that down, then asked, “Light and love? What do you mean?”
Ruby smiled and explained, “The Crystal Heart protects the empire from harm, and keeps away the freezing cold from the north. It’s quite powerful by itself, but we all make sure to fill it with our love and joy every year during the Crystal Faire to keep that protection going.”
“Interesting,” Frosty commented as she wrote that information down. “So, another thing I wondered is how it feels to have all these ponies from the rest of Equestria coming to visit?”
“Ponies like you?” Ruby asked with a smirk. “It’s been interesting, that’s for sure. They come with stories of a world that’s so different from the one we left, most of them from cities that weren’t even thought up when we vanished with the empire.” She chuckled as she added, “And just as we are interested to learn of the outside world, so too are they curious to learn of our empire in return.”
“To be fair,” Frosty said after she finished writing that response, “most ponies forgot the empire even existed, so you’re just as new to them as they are to you.” She thought of something else, and asked, “Another question; what’s it been like under the rule of Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor?”
Ruby smiled as she answered, “Oh, they’ve been just wonderful. They are kind, sociable rulers who balance our desire to hold onto tradition with our need to step into the modern age. Things have been going quite well thus far, and I’m glad that we have them to watch over us.”
Frosty nodded as she wrote down her answer. “One last question; what is there to do around here during the Crystal Faire?”
“Oh, there’s so much to do!” she told the reporter. “As you can see around here, there’s plenty of food to eat, and games to play. You can buy some traditional arts and crafts, or get yourself some souvenirs as well. Beyond that there are other activities to look into, like picking crystal berries or the jousting tournament coming up soon.”
“Wait, hold on, a jousting tournament?” asked Frosty, her interest piqued.
Ruby grinned. “Yep, there’s going to be a jousting tournament soon. The biggest and strongest members of the royal guard jousting for your entertainment.”
Frosty grinned lecherously. “Strong stallions working their muscles in that shiny guard armor? Sounds like quite the show!”
Ruby giggled and nodded in response. “Oh yes, it most certainly is. If I didn’t have to run this stall then I’d be there ogling those stallions too!”
“Anything else to look forward to?” Frosty wondered.
“Well, at the end of the faire, everyone gathers round the castle for the charging ceremony, where the light within us powers the Crystal Heart,” Ruby told her. “I can assure you, it’s something you won’t want to miss.”
“And I certainly won’t,” said Frosty. “Thank you very much for your time, Ruby. Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go explore the rest of the faire.”
“It’s no problem at all, Frostfire,” she replied. “Have a good day, and have fun!”
Frosty nodded and left, heading off to try more of the local food; after all, some corn and juice weren’t going to fill a hungry mare like her! She walked around the area, going from stall to stall to try everything the faire had to offer. By the time she filled her belly, Frosty had eaten a crystal berry pie, a funnel cake, and a couple carrot dogs which she downed with a bottle of soda.
She sat down and sighed contentedly as her stomach settled. That was good, she thought with a smile. In fact, I should probably report on that. With that thought in mind, she pulled out her notepad to write more on the Crystal Faire.
- - -
You can find all kinds of delicious food at the Crystal Faire. The ponies here offer all sorts of things, from special recipes using ingredients found only in the Crystal Empire, to time-honored favorites everyone loves. There’s something for everyone here at the faire, but anyone visiting the empire owes it to themselves to try the local cuisine.
- - -
Frosty put away the notepad and pencil once more, and smiled as she noticed an information booth nearby. She trotted over and talked to the mare running the booth, and found out that the jousting tournament was going to happen at one o’clock, giving her a few hours to enjoy more of the faire before then.
With her hunger sated and the next major event a few hours away, she decided to check out the games available at the faire. She smiled as she walked by a hoop toss game, where a mare and her daughter were playing together. She considered playing some of the games there, but decided against it, knowing that she didn’t necessarily have to play the games to report on them.
As she walked along, she watched as other ponies played the available games. She watched as a couple foals did their best to knock down some milk bottles, and nearby a stallion held up a giant hammer at a high striker game, ready to hit the bell and earn his girlfriend a prize.
She continued to look around, and noticed various stalls selling different things, from trinkets to artwork, and she thought it could be nice to have a souvenir of her visit. She quickly spotted a stall selling some locally made jewelry. She smiled and decided to go check it out, eager to see more of what made the Crystal Empire so unique.
Frosty trotted over to the stall, and was greeted by the mare running it. “Hi there,” the stall owner said, greeting her with a smile. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”
Frosty shook her head, telling the mare, “Nothing in particular, though I must say your jewelry is quite beautiful.” She looked over the selection, a variety of different pieces of jewelry from bangles to necklaces, in silver and gold, and all of them had beautiful crystals and gems crafted into the designs.
“Why thank you,” the mare replied. “I’m Diamond Shine, and I designed and made all the pieces you see before you.” She motioned to the jewelry as she added, “As you can see, each piece of jewelry uses some kind of crystal or gem found here in the Crystal Empire, allowing you to look beautiful while carrying a piece of the empire with you wherever you go.”
Frosty looked over the selection of jewelry, admiring the designs. It was all so beautiful, a mix of simple, everyday pieces and extravagant pieces meant for formal celebrations. She knew she could do with some new jewelry, especially when it was so unique. She saw a golden necklace with three rubies held in spiraling gold. “I really like this one… How much?”
Diamond gave her a reasonable price for the necklace, then added, “And if you really like that necklace, then might I recommend some earrings that match?” She motioned to a pair of golden earrings, each consisting of a ruby held in spiraling gold from the hooks.
Frosty grinned, eager to get the matching set. “I think you’ve got yourself a deal!” She was told the price for both, a tad expensive but still reasonable for the materials and design. She gladly paid for the set and had them put in a gift box which she placed in her saddlebags.
“Thank you, and have a good day!” said Diamond Shine as Frosty left to continue exploring.
“That’s a fine souvenir,” Frosty declared proudly as she trotted along, looking at the various stalls. She found a nearby stall that sold traditional crafts made of wood and wicker, all well-made and quite lovely, but nothing she herself was interested in purchasing. She made a mental note of that for her article before she continued along.
Shortly after Frosty left the arts and crafts stall, she came across a tent selling dresses. She smiled at that as she thought, Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind getting a new dress to match my new jewelry. With that thought in mind, she headed inside.
The tent was large enough for several dress racks and a few ponies, and it included a room divider to one corner to allow a mare to dress in peace. The mare running the tent was busy helping another tourist look through the selection of dresses, so she decided to glance through them herself.
She noticed that the racks were separated by styles, from formalwear to more casual styles, and she decided to check out the formalwear first. Such fine jewelry deserves a fine dress to go with it, she thought. She frowned though, as she thought about the bits she spent on the hotel, and the jewelry, and knew she didn’t have all that much to spend on something too fancy. Then again, maybe something simpler…
She turned away from the formalwear and went to the causal dresses, and before she could start looking she heard a voice next to her say, “Can I help you find anything?”
Frosty jumped a bit in surprise before turning to face the mare. “O-oh, uh, yeah, I suppose,” she answered, a bit shaken up by the unexpected interruption of her thoughts.
The blue salesmare giggled. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Sapphire Star. What sort of dress are you looking for?”
Frosty reached into her saddlebag to pull out the box containing her jewelry, and she opened it to show the pieces to the salesmare as she told her, “I’m hoping to get a fairly nice dress to go with the new jewelry I got at another stall nearby.”
Sapphire smiled at the jewelry. “Ooh, you got some pieces from Diamond Shine?” After looking over the jewelry, and Frosty as well, she asked, “So, fairly nice you said? Nothing too fancy?”
Frosty nodded as she responded, “Right. I rarely have anything to dress up for, but being a reporter, I’d like to have something nice in case I need to write an article on some high-society function.”
“A reporter, huh?” Sapphire inquired as she turned to look at one of the clothing racks. “So, you want something simple but nice, that goes with your jewelry, coat and mane… Hmm…” She glanced through the dresses, sliding one after another to one side, until she found one she liked.
“How about this?” Sapphire asked as she pulled out the dress, showing it off to Frosty. It was a flowing purple formal gown which hung from the shoulder, and it had holes for her wings.
Frosty grinned and nodded at the dress. “That looks great, can I try it on?” Sapphire nodded in response, and motioned to the room divider for her to get changed. She went behind it, taking off her saddlebags and carefully slipping on the dress. After she put it on, she looked to her saddlebags, and decided to try on the jewelry with it.
When Frosty walked out from behind the divider, Sapphire simply gave her a wide smile. “Oh my, you look beautiful my dear! Go and look!” She motioned a nearby mirror for Frosty to look.
She stepped in front of the mirror, looking herself over, and she grinned as she saw just how nice the outfit looked on her. “Wow… I really do look beautiful, don’t I?” She struck a couple poses, and when she was satisfied with how she looked, she turned to Sapphire and asked, “How much for the dress?”
Sapphire told her the price, then added, “And for no extra charge, I can have your dress delivered to your hotel room.”
“That’s great, thank you!” Frosty paid the bits for the dress, and told Sapphire the hotel she was staying at as well as her room number, before she went behind the room divider to get out of her dress and put her saddlebags back on. When she came out to hoof the dress over to Sapphire, she attached a note to the dress for delivery and put it on a dress rack near the entrance for other sold dresses.
With that done, Frosty left the tent to continue exploring the faire, though before she could get too far she decided to write more for her article.
- - -
The crystal ponies offer all sorts of quality goods for sale at the faire, from traditional crafts to high-end jewelry utilizing some of the many beautiful gems available in the empire. Whoever you’re buying for, you’re sure to find something for everyone, so you shouldn’t miss out on getting a unique souvenir.
- - -
She put away her notepad once more, and considered what to do next; she needed to explore more of what the faire offered, but didn’t necessarily want to spend many more bits considering how much she had splurged on the jewelry and dress. She thought about what Ruby had mentioned earlier, about picking crystal berries, and decided that would be a worthwhile experience.
= = = = = = = = = =
After a short flight, Frosty reached a field filled with berry bushes and ponies of all ages walking around with baskets, picking fresh, ripe crystal berries for themselves. From her vantage point in the sky, she decided to take a photo of the scene for the newspaper, before she spotted a stall at the path leading to the berry fields, and flew down to land there.
“Welcome!” greeted the stallion at the stall, a few stacks of woven baskets next to him. “Just a few bits gets you a basket and all the berries you can fill it with!”
“Sold!” replied Frosty, hoofing over the necessary bits before taking her basket. She enjoyed her earlier taste of crystal berry goods, and she liked the idea of trying the berries fresh from the bushes. She also wanted to participate in another traditional part of the faire, and so she trotted off to collect herself some berries.
She found that the nearest few bushes were already picked clean, and so she had to walk a short distance to reach some that still had berries in them. She picked a couple berries, tossing them directly into her mouth to try them out fresh. She smiled at the flavor of the juicy berries, and she went to work picking more berries to fill her basket.
Frosty paused her berry picking to look around at all the ponies wandering among the bushes, wanting to see how everypony else was enjoying the activity. She giggled when she saw a trio of foals nearby, two picking berries and tossing them in a basket, while the third member of the group ate from the basket as fast as the other two could fill it. In another part of the field, she saw a crystal mare carrying a basket with her mouth as her daughter filled it up.
She smiled at the sight of family bonding, and couldn’t help but think of her own family. Frosty grew up in a loving home, her mother and father both doing their best to raise their precocious, nosy little filly. She always had their love and support, even if her exuberant nature caused her parents some difficulties at times, and she had countless memories of times spent together as a family.
As Frosty looked to see a stallion and his foals picking berries together, the siblings working to get all they could, she couldn’t help but wonder what her life would have been like if she’d had a brother or sister. True, she was fine being an only child, especially when she saw how some ponies just didn’t get along with their siblings, but watching scenes like this and seeing how Sunny and her little sister got along, it made her imagine a life spent alongside a brother or sister, and the happiness lost from being alone.
She snorted in amusement at the thought of telling her parents that she wanted a sibling, knowing her mother would probably swat her upside the head and tell her that they’re too old for that nonsense. She shook her head in further amusement, knowing her mom would probably tell her that she should settle down and make her a grandmother if she was so worried about family.
Frosty continued to pick berries, filling up her basket at a fair pace, glancing around at the ponies of all ages getting their fill of crystal berries, and the sight of a family together at a nearby bush gave her pause. “What would it be like to settle down…?” she wondered absently. Even though she enjoyed her lifestyle of chasing after stories and occasionally sharing her bed with hot stallions and mares, part of her wondered what life could be like if she got married and raised a family.
She snorted and shook her head, dismissing the thought as she continued to pick berries. Yeah, perhaps if she found the right stallion, she might considering something longer than a one-night-stand, but she knew she wasn’t mother material; she could be a cool aunt, sure, and foalsit even, but there was no doubt in her mind that she couldn’t raise a foal.
Frosty continued to fill her basket, and finished just in time to hear the stallion at the entrance shout, “Hey everypony! The jousting tournament starts in fifteen minutes, so you better wrap up soon if you wanna see it!” She hadn’t realized that so much time had passed, having been captivated by the berry picking, and she spread her wings to fly to her hotel, wanting to drop off her basket before making her way to the jousting tournament.
= = = = = = = = = =
“Fillies and gentlecolts, welcome to the Crystal Faire Jousting Tournament!” called out the beautiful announcer. “As you can see,” she began, trotting past eight armored royal guards, “we have eight guards here today, all of them eager to earn the title of champion!” The crowd cheered, and she waited for the applause to die down before she continued, “But only one of them can win! Who will it be?”
Frosty grinned and hummed appreciatively at the sight of those strong, armored stallions, and she bit her lip as a few dirty thoughts popped up in her head. How can I choose only ONE of these hotties? she wondered. Maybe I can talk a couple of them into a threesome…?
Her daydream was interrupted as the announcer called out, “Let the games begin!” and the mare in question left the field, along with six of the eight stallions. She watched as the mare stood by a bracket list, showing the list of challengers, while the two starting the battle went to separate ends of the field.
The two stallions got their lances equipped to their armor, and then the assistants stepped away to let the stallions get into position. The two guards stared each other down at opposite ends of the field, readying themselves, and suddenly they both charged at one another, lances at the ready. They both moved to avoid receiving direct blows, the lances scraping their armor but doing little else.
Frosty and the rest of the crowd cheered as the two stallions reached the opposite ends, and turned around to get back into position, before they charged once more. This time, one guard tried to avoid the blow as before, while the other focused on hitting dead-center, and the former managed to receive only a glancing blow while his lance went low and sent the other stallion flying.
The crowd cheered, and the first match ended with the loser dusting himself off and both trotting off the field for the next two to take their places. Frosty was confused by that, and turned to the mare sitting next to her. “Uh, I’m confused, how was the winner decided?”
The mare turned and giggled, asking her, “How’d you miss the rules? The announcer just got finished telling everypony before the first match started.”
Frosty merely blushed, and stammered, “W-well I was distracted, alright? So, anyway…?”
They both glanced over to the field as they heard the next two challengers charging, a loud *CLANG* heard as their lances both struck true, but neither stallion went down on this round. The mare looked to Frosty and explained, “The challengers must charge at one another, until one is knocked off their hooves. Whoever is left standing wins the match.”
“Ah, that’s simple enough,” Frosty replied as she watched the duo charge once more, their lances hitting direct, but neither stallion nor lance yielded to the blows quite yet. The two turned to face one another once more, and they both charged again, determination plain on their faces, but only one could emerge victorious. One of them moved to try avoiding a direct blow, but the other caught on and moved his lance to slam hard into the guard’s shoulder, causing him to lose balance and topple over.
Everypony cheered as the second round ended. Frosty found herself enjoying the show, not just for the strong stallions competing but also for the skill involved in the game. It was certainly something she hadn’t seen before, not in Ponyville at least, and she decided to pull out her notepad to write a new bit for her article.
- - -
A tradition of the Crystal Faire is a jousting tournament, pitting some of the strongest royal guards against one another as they charge again and again, trying to knock each other down. It’s a show of strength and skill, and definitely something you need to see if you come to the faire.
- - -
She put away the notepad once more just as she heard the *CLANG* of lances hitting armor, denoting that the third round was well underway. Frosty enjoyed watching the muscular stallions charging each other down as each round ended one by one, until finally the last two royal guards competed in the final round.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, we’ve come to the final round of this year’s tournament!” declared the announcer. “It’s a match between Hammer Strike, and Stone Heart! Who will win?!”
The two strong stallions tensed up, preparing themselves, before they both began to charge. They got close, and Hammer made an unexpected dip with his lance to catch Stone from below, then toss the stallion into the air for the championship. Stone Heart grunted as he landed on the ground, and the crowd cheered at the incredible display of skill.
“Hammer Strike is the winner, and this year’s champion!” said the announcer. “Congratulations, Hammer Strike.”
Frosty looked over the winner with a grin, quite impressed by the show of strength and skill. As everypony in the audience began to drift apart to enjoy the rest of the faire, she started trotting over to Hammer Strike, hoping to be his grand prize…
Before she could get halfway there, a little colt came running up to him to hug him, and she saw the stallion chuckle as he hugged the little colt. A lovely crystal mare came trotting up to share a tender kiss with him, and Frosty realized that the stallion had a family. With a disappointed sigh, she trotted off, thinking, Good for you, big guy.
= = = = = = = = = =
Frosty sighed as she trotted along absentmindedly, a couple hours away from the closing ceremony she was told about earlier. Just what am I supposed to do now? she wondered. I mean, I’ve hit the big stuff, so what else can I add to this article? She looked around for a bit, before her gaze landed on the crystal castle at the center of the empire.
“Hmmm…” she hummed thoughtfully as an idea came to her. “I could really take this story to the next level if I got an interview with the princess…” An interview with such an important pony would not only make the story great, but it could also go a long way toward making a name for herself. Still, she was a small-town reporter, so she couldn’t be sure that Princess Cadance would even see her, let alone agree to an interview…
It’s worth a shot, she decided as she began trotting to a pair of royal guards at one of the sets of stairs at the base of the castle, feeling butterflies in her stomach. “Um, excuse me?”
“Yes, ma’am? How can I help you?” one guard asked.
Frosty cleared her throat, hoping to sound more confident than she felt at that moment. “My name is Frostfire. I’m a reporter with the Ponyville Express, and I’d like to interview Princess Cadance about the Crystal Faire, if she’s available.”
The two guards talked with one another, then one headed up the stairs while the other told her to wait there. With little else to do, Frosty simply waited for the other guard to return, wondering what would happen when he did. I just hope they don’t throw me in the dungeon for bothering her, she worried.
After a couple minutes, the guard came down the stairs to tell Frosty, “The princess has agreed to your interview. I’m to bring you to her right away.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Wait, really?” She hadn’t been expecting for Princess Cadance to actually AGREE to this interview!
“Yes, really,” the guard replied. “Please follow me, ma’am.” With that, he turned around and started heading up, and Frosty followed along.
As the pair made their way through the castle to reach the princess, Frosty found herself growing more and more excited as the situation sunk in. I can’t believe I’m gonna interview a PRINCESS! she thought gleefully.
They soon came upon a meeting room, and they both stopped at the doors. The guard knocked on the door, and a feminine voice called out, “Come in!” The guard looked to Frosty and nodded to her, then stood to the side of the door to watch over it.
She felt those butterflies acting up again, but she shoved down her nervousness before she opened the door and stepped inside, where she spotted the pink alicorn, Princess Cadance, sitting at the table and smiling at her. “So, you must be Frostfire.”
Immediately, Frosty bowed to her. “Your highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m honored that you would take time out of your busy day just to talk with me.” She certainly wasn’t going to jeopardize this interview by being informal or impolite!
Cadance giggled, and told her, “Oh, there’s no need for all that. Come, sit down and we’ll start this interview.”
Frosty got up and nodded, trotting over to sit next to the princess. “Thank you, your highness. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting you to actually agree to an interview,” she said as she sat down.
“You’re the first reporter at the faire to ask,” Cadance told her. “And I was surprised that you’re a reporter from Ponyville of all places. Do you happen to know Twilight, by any chance?”
“Princess Twilight? Not well,” admitted Frosty. “I interviewed her once, and I’ve seen her around town, but we’re mere acquaintances.” She pulled out her notepad and pencil, ready to begin the interview.
“That’s a shame, she’s a wonderful mare,” said Cadance. “So, you had some questions about the faire? Ask away.”
“Okay, so, um…” Her ears folded as she realized she hadn’t quite planned this far ahead; she wasn’t sure that the princess would even agree to the interview, so she hadn’t prepped any questions beforehoof!
“Is everything alright?” Cadance asked with a bemused smirk.
Frosty smiled sheepishly and responded, “Uh, forgive me, your highness, I admit I didn’t come prepared with questions.”
“It’s alright, take your time,” Cadance told her with a warm smile.
Frosty nodded, and took a deep, soothing breath to calm herself down. After a moment, she began by telling the princess, “So, I’ve heard that the Crystal Faire is an important celebration in the empire.”
Cadance nodded and replied, “It is indeed, in more ways than one.”
Frosty’s brow furrowed at that, and she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well you see, the primary purpose for the Crystal Faire is to power the Crystal Heart that protects the empire,” the princess explained. “Beyond that though, the faire also gives the crystal ponies a sense of peace and security that helps them forget their enslavement by King Sombra.”
Frosty grimaced at that, ears folding at the memory of the stories she heard of that time. “I heard he was a horrible monster, but I didn’t dare ask anypony about what it was like back then.”
The princess nodded slowly. “The crystal ponies suffered terribly under his rule, in no small part because he hid the Crystal Heart where it couldn’t help them. You know, there are several traditions in the empire that revolve around the Crystal Heart, which made it that much more demoralizing for the crystal ponies when it was hidden away.”
“I can imagine. Tradition seems quite important to the crystal ponies, especially because those traditions help protect the empire,” said Frosty, writing down the details of their interview thus far. She remembered her earlier conversation with a crystal pony, and said, “You know, one of the ponies that I interviewed today talked about how you and your husband have been working to bring them to the modern age. How has that been going so far?”
“Quite smoothly, actually,” Cadance responded. “I must admit, the crystal ponies have been taking it all in stride. Granted, many of them seem wary to leave the empire, but they’ve taken quite well to adapting to the modern age.”
Frosty wrote that down, then asked, “’Wary to leave,’ you say?”
Cadance nodded, and explained, “Yes; while they welcome ponies from Equestria, as everyone saw when we hosted the Equestria Games, the fact remains that the world outside the empire is a new and scary place to a lot of them.”
Frosty remembered her earlier conversation with that crystal mare, and nodded. “Yeah, the mare I talked to pointed out how most of the major cities didn’t even exist back then. I’d imagine that Equestria is just one big unknown to all of them.”
“That’s right.” The princess went on to explain, “Beyond the unknown, I think that the crystal ponies are also still feeling vulnerable from King Sombra’s reign. They know they’re safe here in the empire, protected by the power of the Crystal Heart, whereas out in Equestria they would be ‘vulnerable.’”
“That’s a real shame; There’s so much to see in Equestria, so many different cities to visit, and so much to see and do in each,” Frosty said after taking more notes. “I hope they can get over their fear someday.”
Cadance smiled and said, “Well thanks to ponies like you visiting the empire, bringing tales of modern Equestria to the citizens, more and more of them are feeling curious about the world outside our borders. Perhaps soon they’ll feel comfortable enough to tour the land.” She giggled, and added, “But I think we’re getting a little off topic, aren’t we? Did you have any questions about faire?”
Frosty smiled as she wrote down more of the interview, then asked, “Well, what do you like most about the faire?”
Cadance grinned and answered, “Oh, I’d have to say the charging ceremony, where everypony powers the heart. I promise, you’ll get a real kick out if it, it’s just so amazing.”
“What happens then?” Frosty asked curiously.
Cadance gave a sly smile and simply said, “You’ll see.”
Frosty just looked warily at the princess; while she knew it couldn’t be anything bad, she found herself EXTREMELY curious about the events surrounding the ceremony itself. “Okay then, onto the next question…”
= = = = = = = = = =
“…Got it,” said Frosty a while later, after the pegasus finished writing in her notebook. “I think that just about does it for our interview.” She smiled at the princess and reached over to give her a hoofshake. “Thank you so much for your time, your highness.”
“It was no trouble at all,” Cadance replied with a warm smile.
Frosty put away her notepad, and frowned as a thought occurred to her; would her boss actually believe that this interview occurred? She was only a small-town reporter, so he probably didn’t expect anything this big from her. If only I could bring him some kind of proof, she thought. She looked back up to Princess Cadance, and realized how she could get it. “Um, Princess?”
“Yes?” she asked cheerfully.
“I was thinking… My boss might not believe that I got an interview with you,” Frosty explained. “Is there any way you could give me some kind of proof that I didn’t make this all up?”
Cadance giggled, and nodded, telling her, “Give me a sec.” She got out of her chair to trot over to a desk, where she used her magic to pull out some parchment, a quill and ink, and a ribbon. She paused for a moment to reflect, before she began writing a letter. After just a minute, the princess read over what she had written, and nodded approvingly before it was wrapped up and sealed with ribbon and the royal seal.
Finally, Cadance levitated it over to Frosty, telling her, “Give that to your boss, and he’ll have all the proof he needs that this interview actually occurred. All I ask in return is that you send me a copy of the paper when your article is printed.”
“Done!” Frosty exclaimed as she put the letter in her saddlebag. “Thank you SO much, Princess Cadance!” She got out of her chair and bowed to the princess, very grateful for her time.
“It was no problem at all. Now, hurry along, the ceremony will occur very soon,” Cadance told her, waving a hoof to shoo her off.
“Alright! Goodbye, Princess, and thanks again!” With that, Frosty turned and left the meeting room, being led out of the castle by the royal guard who had been waiting at the door throughout the interview.
Soon enough, she was back out on the streets of the Crystal Empire, feeling quite proud of herself after having gone through that interview with Princess Cadance. She hadn’t actually expected the princess to agree to it, and she made sure to make the most of the interview. This is gonna be my greatest story yet! Frosty thought gleefully. A report on the Crystal Faire, and an exclusive interview with Princess Cadance!
She noticed how late it had gotten, the sun starting to get low in the sky, and she saw how everypony was gathering at the castle. She went to join the masses as they gathered at the front of the castle, everypony gazing up at the balcony above. She began to wonder what would happen during this ‘charging ceremony’ when she noticed movement, and saw Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor trotting forward to look upon their subjects and guests.
The royal guards standing on the balcony with the royal couple blew into their trumpets to gather everyone’s attention. Princess Cadance cleared her throat before she spoke to the crowd. “My little ponies, I thank you for another wonderful faire. I trust you’ve all had fun today?” She and the prince smiled at the cheers from the crowd, and she raised a hoof to urge them to calm. “Now it is time for the true purpose of the Crystal Faire; I ask all of you to bow to the Crystal Heart, and to pour your happiness and love into it so that it may continue to protect the empire!”
The crystal ponies all smiled and bowed, knowing of the ceremony and happy to do their part to protect the empire. The ponies visiting the empire, while curious, obeyed the princess, focusing on the joy they felt during the faire. Frosty bowed with them, and her eyes widened as she saw the streets glowing from the positive energy.
After a few moments, the glowing energy all shot toward the Crystal Heart, which began spinning quickly before the castle lit up, and fired the energy into the sky to produce a beautiful, multi-colored aurora over the empire which also flowed over all of Equestria.
Frosty was in awe of the beauty of the aurora flowing through the sky, though when she heard surprised gasps and murmurs of conversation around her, she looked back to the crowd to find everypony looking crystalized. She raised a hoof and gasped as she saw herself looking like she was made of crystal, and she barely registered the gratitude of the royal couple above as she reached into her saddlebag to grab her notepad again.
- - -
At the end of the Crystal Faire, everypony gathers around the castle to fill the Crystal Heart with their love and joy so that it can continue to protect the empire. In return, everypony around is made crystalline from the magical aura generated by the heart, and a beautiful rainbow aurora flows in the skies above. It is all so beautiful and amazing, and the one reason above all to come attend the Crystal Faire.
- - -
Frosty put away her notepad, and decided to go back to her hotel room to find out just what she looked like with this crystalline effect in place. Her wings spread, and she flew off to her hotel, leaving behind the group of ponies at the castle as they dispersed to enjoy the rest of the day or go home for the evening.
Back at her hotel room, Frosty looked herself over in the mirror to find out what the ceremony had done to her. Her shimmering body was somewhat see-through now, as though she were made of topaz and ruby, and her mane and tail were braided. She couldn’t believe just how beautiful she looked, though she hoped the effect wasn’t permanent; she happened to like her normal look, after all.
A grumbling in her stomach made Frosty realize that she hadn’t eaten since that morning, and she decided that dinner was in order. She decided to order room service, wanting to just relax for a while in her room after a rather busy and tiring day. It wasn’t too long before she got herself a hearty meal of baked mostaccioli with a fine helping of garlic bread.
She ate in silence for a time, laying on the bed, and reflecting on her day. She had taken off her saddlebags by this point, but she had her notepad out to look it over. Frosty had enjoyed the faire, and had experienced just about everything it had to offer, as her notes could attest. “This is gonna be a great article, once I get back home,” she reflected aloud.
She glanced over to her saddlebags as she thought about her interview with Princess Cadance, and the letter she received as proof beyond her notes. Still can’t believe she agreed to the interview, Frosty thought as she munched on her dinner. And what exactly did she write in that letter? She wasn’t going to open the letter to find out, but still, she was curious as to what the princess wrote to her boss.
When she finished her meal, Frosty sprawled on the bed and pondered what to do next. “It’s too early to go to bed,” she complained to herself, looking at a clock on the nightstand. A smile grew on her face as she realized that it was still plenty early to go to a local bar and celebrate her success. With that thought in mind, she got out of bed and left the hotel, looking for a bar.
It didn’t take Frosty too long to find a bar, and as she stepped inside she saw everypony relaxed, talking amongst themselves and enjoying their alcohol. She noticed a familiar stallion at the bar, and she trotted up to him, asking, “Is this seat taken?” The stallion in question was Stone Heart, the stallion who finished in second place during the jousting tournament.
Stone Heart looked her over, and shook his head, letting her sit next to him. She smiled and sat down, ordering a hard cider for herself. She turned to him and asked, “You’re Stone Heart, right?”
He perked up at that, and asked, “How do you know my name?”
She chuckled, and told him, “I saw you at the jousting tournament. You did really well, and you should be proud of yourself.” While they talked, she got her cider, which she began chugging in earnest.
Stone snorted and shrugged. “I guess so…” he said, before emptying his mug.
“Oh don’t be like that,” she told him with a smile. “Yeah, you didn’t win, but you got close and put on one hay of a show.” She looked him over and grinned, adding, “I know I certainly appreciated your… talents…”
He glanced over at her, and felt his cheeks heat up when he realized she was ogling him. So this is what it feels like for mares, huh…? He cleared his throat, and asked, “So, uh, what brings a beautiful mare like you to a bar like this?
“I’m celebrating a job well done,” she told him with a smile. “I’m a reporter from Ponyville, you see, and I happened to get an exclusive interview with Princess Cadance for my paper. I think that deserves a drink or two, don’t you?”
Stone Heart chuckled. “Didn’t realize I was talking to a famous reporter. What’s your name?”
“Name’s Frostfire, but you can call me Frosty; all my friends do.” She smirked, and added, “And I’m not famous, yet, but I will be soon! Just you wait!”
He grinned, enjoying her confidence. He motioned the bartender for another drink, then asked her, “So, how’d you like the faire?”
“It was fun. Lots of things to see and do, and I even got some nice souvenirs to bring home,” said Frosty. “The ceremony at the end was amazing, as were the results, though…” She looked herself over, and asked, “Is this permanent, or, what?”
Stone smirked, and said, “What, you being beautiful? I’d think that’s permanent, yeah.”
Frosty snorted and grinned. “That was a good line, I’ll admit, but I meant the crystallization.”
He shook his head, telling her, “For normal ponies like you, it’ll only last a few hours.”
“Ah, good to know.” Frosty finished her drink, then smiled at Stone Heart. “So, do you have any plans tonight?”
Stone shook his head, telling her, “Just planned on drinking before I head back to the barracks. Why, you had something in mind?”
Frosty grinned as she told him, “Oh, I do indeed. Why don’t you come back to my hotel room with me, and I’ll give you a special prize for your performance at the tournament?”
He smirked at that, and nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.” He finished his drink, and left a few bits on the bar before he told Frosty, “Lead on, babe.”
Frosty grinned, and got off the stool to head out with him. It didn’t take them long to reach her hotel room, and she grinned at him as they stood at the door. “I certainly hope you’ve rested up since the tournament this afternoon; I’d hate for you tire too quickly.”
Stone Heart grinned in response as he replied, “Oh don’t worry, I’m very well rested. Besides, royal guards need to have plenty of endurance for long battles, and other strenuous engagements…”
“Good,” Frosty said, opening the door and teasingly brushing her tail under Stone’s chin as she headed inside, the stallion following her in eagerly. That night, they would make one last wonderful memory of the faire.
= = = = = = = = = =
Frosty sighed happily as the train chugged along down the tracks, bringing her home. She’d had a wonderful time at the Crystal Faire, and she couldn’t wait to get back so she could write her article on everything that had happened, except of course for her wonderful night with that handsome royal guard. THAT wasn’t something that needed to be reported on.
She looked over her notes as the train continued along, already planning out the article in her head. It wouldn’t be the piece that brought her fame and awards, perhaps, but it would definitely be a stepping stone on the path to greatness. She felt confident that with a few more articles like this, she could soon live her dream of reporting for a major news publication.
If only every article included a fun night with a hot stallion, she mused.