Gentle Repose - 15th of Chillfrost 16 EoHGentle Repose - 15th of Chillfrost 16 EoH
Crystal Spire - Crystal Empire
I decided to stand on the side ramp as the Kestrel descended to land at the Crystal Spire. At first, I had been very irritable that I was being granted a safe place to stay only because somepony wanted my work. But well, how was that different from normal life? I hadn’t had a choice but to work for the Iron Line back home.
Once I’d realized that, and Blade had reminded me that Princess Cadence wanted me to do enchanting work for her, well, that was different. I’ll happily take my hobby as a job in exchange for a warm dry place where colossal skeletal horrors aren't trying to eat me.
I just hoped I’d have enough time to make a new amulet for Light. I could tell she was uncomfortable in the cargo bay. As astounding as it was to see a pony that big, she definitely needed some means of entering areas meant for the normally sized.
But she probably wouldn’t need help entering the Crystal Spire! I could see how massive it was even from up here, several kilometers away.
I had not thought for an instant that the Crystal Spire would literally be a spire made from crystal. It wasn’t even a tower. It was just a single massive spire sitting atop four massive legs, tapering upwards into the sky like a pyramid someone had stretched to an unimaginable height. Sure, it had a few smaller towers built on it, but the main structure itself was a single spire.
Made from what looked to be a single massive block of quartz. That thing would make for the world's largest managem if the quartz was properly cut and shaped.
By the Emperor! It had to be. The building had to be a massive battery to store arcane energy. The arctic ice and snow just stopped at a bubble around the developing walled city. The spire sat in the center of a calm bubble of green, warmth… A near tropical climate, all within a prefect circle of that keep.
That would take an insane amount of energy to maintain all day every day. Which is why pegasi normally handle weather control. What the hay were they doing for power? It had to be putting out more power than anypony could feasibly use!
“Heh, that’s what I looked like when I saw it the first time too,” Blade said as she walked up behind me.
“How can they generate enough power to keep the land green despite the… Meters of snow!?” I asked in awe.
Blade’s hoof steps stopped, a soft questioning sound escaping her lips before she chuckled. “An artifact known as the Crystal Heart. It radiates seemingly infinite power. The Spire is one big managem, soaking up some of the energy it puts out the rest is just… Lost. There’s no way to use it all.”
“Ah! Some kind of self-sustaining mana generation system. Perhaps a PosNeg Thaumaturgic Collider? No, no… That has a limit to- Hmm…” I rambled still trying to work out how what I was seeing was possible.
If I had to take this on faith I would be extremely disappointed in myself.
“I meant the Spire, not the eternal summer,” Blade said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “It’s an amazing place. Isn’t it?”
I nodded, looking over the soaring crystal building once more. It stretched higher into the air than we were flying.
“Yes. It certainly is,” I agreed.
“You’ll want to do yourself a favor when you arrive,” Blade warned. “There are illusion spells on everything. Don’t peek under them. I know you’re able to spot them since you found mine. Trust me, you don’t want to peek under the ‘table cloths’ Princess Cadence drapes over things for her guest’s sake.”
I frowned suspiciously. What was going on here?
“What is she hiding?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“Nothing sinister,” Blade giggled. “Princess Cadence is the Alicorn Princess of Love. All kinds of love. But she treasures the physical expression of romantic and sexual love the most. Her home is a reflection of this, as are her servants.
“The illusions are well, censors. Meant to prevent outsiders from seeing something they would rather not. I poked one time and well, I’m no prude, but I regret doing that.”
“Ah,” I replied with a nod. “I understand. Thank you for the warning. While I hardly care about that sort of thing I wouldn’t want to upset anypony.”
“Good, just stick to doing what you’re here for. Once you’re done with it, I’m certain that you’ll be put up anyplace you like. Cadence is a good pony. You can trust her to act in your best interest,” Blade said comfortingly.
“I know she hired you, but how can you know that?” I asked curiously. “You implied you used to know her but haven't seen her recently save for well, work. Do you two have more than an old friendship and some work together in the modern day going on?”
Blade laughed, and I turned around to see her flashing me a huge smile. “You’re not exactly well versed in Equestrian history, are you?” She asked with a shake of her head. “Princess Cadence is an alicorn. All of the Princesses are-”
“Bullshit!” I objected. “Merging the three tribes magics into a singular individual is an impossible feat of magic. The whole story has to be Equestrian propaganda. No offense meant to you, but-”
Blade rolled her eyes. “What rock have you been living under? Princess Twilight’s photo was in international newspapers after her ascension. Oh well, you’ll know it’s true when you land. You can’t fake an alicorn’s aura.”
I spent the rest of the flight to the Spire trying to process how you could create an Alicorn. I couldn’t formulate any sort of basis for doing anything other than grafting on some wings. Then again, I was a necromancer and enchanter, not a transmuter. Still, the entire idea seemed like one of those things smaller kingdoms did by calling their leaders ‘god-kings’ to seem more important and imposing.
That said, Blade had seemed very confident, and I didn’t really read any news simply because it wasn’t relevant to my interests. Perhaps it was tr-
SWEET FAUST, WHAT THE BUCK IS THAT OVERWHELMING AURA!
It had to be the artifact generating all this power. That was the only explanation that made any sort of se-
Nope. It was coming from a landing platform which we were headed towards. More specifically from a pony standing on it. It’s always hard describing your arcane sense to a nonunicorn, even though it works just like sight. But this was different. This was like looking directly into the sun when most ponies were like campfires.
Staring at the mare’s aura was already causing my head to pound. In order to avoid a migraine, I stopped paying attention to my arcane senses, which normally dimmed everything until it wasn’t even noticeable. Her aura was still very bright. Thankfully not painful to look at now but still, just how much power did that one pony ha-
Oh. Well I’ll be damned. Blade was right.
The balcony-dock had a small reception party set up on it. Six guards armored in ceremonial crystalline looking armor, a few servants waiting with what looked to be trays of snacks, and of course… Two winged unicorns.
Or well, Alicorns I supposed. No normal pony would ever have this much arcane power. The taller of the two was pink, with a tri-color purple, pink, and blond mane, and looked oddly happy. Her aura was almost completely hidden, only a few sparks visible without my attention focused on searching for arcane energy.
The shorter of the two had a deep lavender coat, a purple main with a magenta stripe that made me jealous thanks to its striking look, and was definitely the mare who appeared to be an unshielded arcane reactor core. She seemed nervous. Which made me nervous. Because she could definitely level a small mountain with a simple spell bolt if she wanted to throw half her energy into it...
Wait a minute, lavender mare. The fortune teller said to befriend the lavender mare!
I waited as calmly as I could while the Kestrel drew up alongside the balcony. The battered airship’s timbers groaned as she slowed to a stop, and the side ramp lowered transforming my ‘window’ into a doorway. While I had been waiting and watching, everypony except for Light had lined up behind me to disembark. Meaning I would have to be the first pony off.
Pulling my cloak tightly around me, I stepped off the deck and into the exceptionally bright sunlight. As soon as the three of us set hoof on the balcony, the taller pink alicorn offered us a polite short bow and stepped forwards.
“Welcome to my city,” she greeted with a kind smile. “I am Princess Cadence, Mistress of the Crystal Empire. You are welcome and safe in my home, and after a few short weeks, that welcome will be extended to the whole of Equestria. I’m sorry, but your visas are… Tied up in bureaucracy at the moment.
“Um… One moment. Wasn’t there supposed to be three ponies? Blade, did something happen to somepony?”
Princess Cadence’s concerned frown astounded me. It was genuine. She was actually worried about the safety of the random refugee she had offered to shelter. A noble who gave a rat's ass. There’s something you don't’ see every day.
“She’s fine, Cadie,” Blade said with a smirk. “She just won't fit in the living quarters. Give us a moment to turn the ship around and drop the cargo ramp. The friends I picked up have a package for Princess Twilight, we need to deliver that anyways.”
The lavender mare frowned, her lips pulling back and down into the most confused expression I’d ever seen. “She can’t fit? But that’s a Bastion-class airship. It’s an Equestrian design, meaning it has to comfortably fit Celestia,” she protested.
“Heh, yeah… She’s taller than old Sunbutt,” Blade snickered.
My eyes widened in terror. That could NOT be a good thing to call the High Queen of a nation!
“If I may,” I said quickly, hoping to defuse any potential hostilities Blade may have caused. “While I am only now aware that alicorns are not mythical, and only have you two as a sample size, it is abundantly clear that you are quite a bit taller than the average pony.
“Light Step is three times taller than I am at the most conservative estimate. She apparently was tricked into drinking a potion concentrate, and now suffers from gigantism. I have promised to make a charm to allow her to easily and comfortably assume a normal pony’s size, as otherwise, she is very massive.”
Princess Twilight winced. “I see. Could we get her here as well so nopony misses out on the introductions?”
Blade nodded and turned to yell into the airship. “Oi! Turn ‘er around.”
The airship groaned and lurched as it backed away slowly to begin its turn, the ramp closing with even more protest and the creak of iron chains as the ramp was drawn up.
As the ship finished turning Princess Cadence hummed to herself. “Oh yes! You mentioned you were also picking up a small remnant of the Saphire’s livestock ponies. Are they also aboard?” She asked Blade.
Blade opened her mouth to reply, but Felling cut her off. “Yes, Ma’am. They are. If it is not possible for them to be safely housed here, I am afraid I must go with them. They need someone to protect them.”
“I assure you that I have a place ready for them, Felling,” Cadence said with a kind smile. “There are plenty of empty homes in the city. They will all have homes, jobs, and citizenship here by the end of the week. I take it you feel responsible for them?”
Felling nodded. “I do. I should have returned to the hive to make sure they were okay years ago. It’s my fault they are in this mess.”
“I’ll arrange for you to have quarters near them. But that will have to wait for a while. There are some matters to attend to immediately. But, we need to wait for your large friend…” Cadence trailed off and coughed into her hoof in embarrassment. “I- I didn’t intend for that to be a fat joke. I apologize.”
I couldn’t help but smile just a little. I liked Princess Cadence. She seemed nice.
Twilight, on the other hoof, seemed like a duty bound stick in the mud. Standing as rigid as a soldier on a parade ground, staring intently at the cargo ramp.
Why?
The Kestrel drew near the balcony again. The cargo ramp lowered with a shuddering groan, making everypony wince.
“Time to retire that ship,” a guard on the left side of the balcony mumbled.
I had to agree, but kept silent.
As the ramp lowered, and the extra bright sun lit up the cargobay, one of the guard ponies squeaked excitedly before returning to a dutiful and focused pose. Twilight’s jaw dropped in amazement, and Light timidly pulled herself out of the airship, testing her weight on the balcony before she stepped on it.
“Woah!” Twilight exclaimed in what I could only think of as ‘delighted shock’. “What kind of concentrate were you poisoned with? I’ve never seen anything enlarge a pony that much. Do you know the recipe by chance?”
Light and I shared a moment of stunned disbelief as the Princess’s rigid dutifully stance revealed itself to be the focused attention of a geek waiting for something cool to happen.
By the Emperor! She sounded just like I did when I got to examine a new arcane gizmo.
Light blushed in embarrassment and stammered for a moment before finally managing. “I um… I don’t know… They just used a lot.”
“I can see why you want to make a charm for her,” Princess Cadence said to me before turning and looking at Light with an honest glee in her eyes. “Miss Light, I am Princess Cadence. I will do everything in my power to keep you comfortable while you are here. I’m afraid you won't fit through the balcony door, so while Princess Twilight takes your companions inside after some formal introductions, I will fly down with you to the front door. I have a small welcome dinner planned, and I am certain a pony of your size must be very hungry.”
Light blinked and took a half step back as a wave of confusion crossed over her face. She seemed surprised to be treated nicely.
Oh. Yes. Felin.
“Your tail is adorable!” The same guard from before blurted.
Light’s confused blush deepened.
Cadence turned and shot the skinny tan colored mare a stern but kind glance. “Lilac, you’re on duty,” she reminded before turning her attention back to us.
“Now, as I was saying, I am Princess Cadence, and this is Princess Twilight Sparkle. Twilight will be staying with us for the week, partially to assist you, Mister Repose, with your work but also to help evaluate the three of you for obtaining a more permanent visa. It’s nothing personal, Princess Celestia simply prefers to have first hoof knowledge of any powerful individual seeking to stay within Equestria. While I fully trust Queen Bladestorm’s word, I am sure you can see why some may not.
“Until then, you are welcome to stay in my keep as my guests. My chambermaid, Sunset, is currently arranging guest chambers for each of you.”
“Is that where she is?” Princess Twilight asked. “I thought she would be a part of the welcome party.”
“She will be. There was simply a… Mess made in one of the guest rooms. As it will take too long to clean, she is working to get another room ready,” Princess Cadence explained.
Something didn’t sit right with that for me. I didn’t know why… Just a hunch I suppose.
“As I was saying, the three of you are my guests. I’m sorry that my liege has asked you to work in exchange for her protection, Mister Repose. I would have taken you in simply because you have need of shelter. However, I am certain you will enjoy the laboratory I have prepared for you to work in. Princess Twilight is rather excited to watch you and help if necessary.”
Princess Twilight nodded eagerly. “I’ve never gotten the chance to see Prench enchanting up close! I am aware of the technique differences between our two nations, but I’ve never quite understood the reasons behind the differences. I hope you don’t mind being asked questions while you work.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Despite her intimidating power, Princess Twilight’s smile and friendly manner were quite disarming. “I will happily answer your questions, Princess. However, I am not a teacher and may not explain myself as well as you would like,” I warned.
She seemed like a pony who you didn’t want to disappoint.
Twilight nodded understandingly. “I’m fairly certain that won’t be a problem… Before we go inside can I ask one question?”
I nodded.
“She means six questions,” Princess cadence warned with a smile.
I frowned. Not because of her words, but because of her smile. That was Blade’s smile! But blade was standing to my right. What?
“You are supposed to be undead,” Twilight said, snapping my attention away from my suspicions. “But the scanning spells I’ve cast show you to be, well, alive. How is that possible? Is it an illusion of some kind?”
“Oh, no,” I explained. “At present, I am alive. I prefer to keep my body whole and working. As an undead pony, this is an option for me. If injured I can keep functioning just fine unless a body part is too greatly damaged to resemble what it is supposed to.
“I’d rather not spend a good portion of my daily manna on animating myself. So I keep my body alive as much as possible. But I don’t need to. I don’t live in this. Additionally, I find that other ponies react very poorly to a rotting corpse trying to speak to them.”
Twilight pursed her lips and nodded. “Good point. Um, is it rude for me to say I didn’t expect you to be this polite?” She asked.
I shook my head. “Not at all. I am very well aware of the admittedly deserved stigma against litches. Might we begin this tour? I am eager to see the lab Princess Cadence mentioned. And I imagine Light would like to own a shrinking charm again.”
Light cleared her throat. “I um, yeah. I really would. Especially one I didn’t have to take off to, well, deactivate. That’s how I lost my old one,” she said, burying a request I’d anticipated in her words.
“I had already planned on that,” I said politely.
Princess Cadence nodded in satisfaction. “Well, I believe everything is in order. Twilight, would you lead our friends to the dining hall while I take-”
“One sec!” Red Granite's rough voice called from inside the cargo bay.
Cadence and Twilight looked up, peering into the cargo bay in surprise as Red and his wife pushed the large wooden crate they had placed the changeling stasis pod into down the ramp onto the balcony.
“What’s this?” Cadence asked before Twilight. Eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“Sorry, Princess,” Sa’mas apologized with a short bow. “My husband and I are mercenaries, unaffiliated with Queen Bladestorm other than she offered to give us a lift. We were hired to find this package here, and deliver it to Twilight. I know now isn’t the best time, but we are already late due to deciding to try and help Felling’s family out around their home.”
“We just need Twilight to sign this parchment saying we delivered it to her so we can get paid,” Red added. “We’re just trying to skip a trip to your home, Ma’am. Won’t take two seconds.”
As he spoke Red took a sheet of parchment out of his saddlebag and held it up along with a sealed envelope.
Twilight shrugged. “Sure… I can’t detect any active magic in there other than a stasis spell. What is it?” She asked stepping forwards to take the page.
“Afraid I can’t say, our employer insisted it’s for your eyes only. But it is harmless. Any of these four can attest to that. It’s hard to keep something secret from others when they stumble into it,” Red admitted. “The envelope contains instructions on what our employer would like you to do with this package. I have no idea what they are, or what the overall plan is. I’m just the delivery stallion. But tell you what, if whatever’s in here somehow hurts you, give me a call and I’ll go exact revenge for you. Deal?”
Twilight smiled as she took the page and signed it with a quick flash of purple magic. She thought Red was joking. That was probably a good thing.
“Sure,” she said with an amused smile. “Don’t worry Cadence, I’ll open this with all proper safety later and for now…”
Twilight horn burned a deep purple for several long seconds as her magic’s touch brushed over the crate, trailing like paint being brushed on with the lightest possible touch, until the whole thing was covered in her magic’ purple glow.
“And for now, I’ll put my own stasis spell on it. Could somepony deliver this to my room, please?” She asked looking at the pairs of guards.
Two of the guards saluted and moved forward, lifting the crate between them and quickly marching it inside.
“Thanks for signing, Ma’am,” Red said with a polite nod.
“You’re welcome,” Twilight replied as the two mercenaries walked back onto the Kestrel.
Turning back to everypony else Twilight nodded. “Shall we?”
“Please,” Felling asked. “Oh, um, when will everypony else be getting off?”
Two guards bit their lips, holding back a laugh. Why? What was the joke?
“This is a secure dock,” Princess Cadence explained politely. “They will be ‘disembarking’ at the commercial air port. Dont’ worry, I have an escort waiting to bring them back here. There are a few unused barracks on the first floor where I will be housing them for the next few days, until a proper apartment complex can be found and the proper paperwork filled out. I’m well aware of how changeling bred ponies prefer to stay in groups. I grew up as one myself.”
“It’s true,” Twilight confirmed. “I didn’t believe it myself but well, it’s actually true.”
Holy bucking… I was right! She was blade! The smile, having apparently grown up with changelings, her general body language. But how? Blade was just over there.
“Well, I’m going to head out. You’ll send my payment along the usual way, right Cadie?” Blade asked as she turned to climb back into the airship.
“Of course, Blade. Thanks for the help,” Cadence said giving the bandit queen a wink.
A wink they shared.
It suddenly clicked. Those devious bastards! They were both Bladestorm! I knew ‘Blade’ used illusions, and her colors had been slightly different every day, but always in the two different sets… Princess Cadence and whoever that mare was shared Blade as an alias!
But why? Obviously, so Cadence could do things without getting Equestria into international trouble… But to what end?
While that was a mystery I wanted to solve, at least I knew that I could trust Cadence now. She’d wanted me to come here from the beginning, and based on ‘Blade’s’ combat performance, I was willing to bet she had been the one who saved Fell and my plots from Light’s former comrades.
I would work out the larger schemes here in time. But anypony who saved my life was worth helping a little bit in return.
The airship’s cargo ramp began to creak shut. I turned around and looked into the open doorway into the Crystal Spire’s interior. While the purple crystal walls were not at all to my liking, the plush red carpets, and warm-looking tapestries gave the palace a homey rather than a regal interior. It felt inviting and safe.
“Well, I for one would like to get started on repaying this hospitality,” I requested as politely as I could. “Princess Twilight, would you mind showing me the laboratory on the way down to dinner? That way if any critical equipment is missing it can be brought in while we have dinner and I can begin work right away.”
“Of course!” Princess Twilight exclaimed with a smile. “Oh and please, just call me Twilight. As the Princess of Friendship, it doesn't feel right to make everypony use my title all the time. Ready, everypony?”
Felling nodded. I nodded.
“Then let’s go,” Twilight said with a smile, trotting into the palace.
As I walked after her, I couldn’t help but feel that I had perhaps the easiest fortune to follow along with. That made me feel bad I couldn’t repair and recharge the fortune teller's deck for everypony else’s fortunes as well. Fell was certain he knew what the cards had been talking about now, but Light was still lost.
And who could blame her? Her fortune had been extremely confusing and seemed to use cultural idioms we didn’t know a damn thing about.
We walked through the spire for a short distance before entering an elevator and moving up three floors. Twilight explaining the laboratory was a bit of a detour from the Dining Hall, but it would take a little time to get Light into the Dining hall and comfortably seated since Cadence would want a higher table set for her and therefore would delay slightly.
The laboratory was only a short walk from the elevator, and to my surprise it had a pair of large sliding doors made from steel with decorative glasswork laminated to the face.
“Why metal doors?” Felling asked.
“Incase of fire,” Twilight and I answered at the same time.
We shared a brief chuckle at speaking in unison as Twilight opened the doors herself. “Right, this is Princess Cadence’s laboratory. It was originally only set up for alchemy, but I helped her get it set up for enchantment. I’m pretty sure we’ll have everything you need, but if we don’t I’ll definitely get ahold of it.”
I mentally sighed and stepped into the lab to inspect it. While alchemy was one of my hobbies, and quite useful to know as an enchanter there were highly specific tools you needed for enchanting which an alchemist’s laboratory would lack. Something would be missing for cert-
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Corrosion resistant tile flooring. Stainless steel workbenches. Plural. As in several. Each set up for a different alchemical task, and all of the equipment first rate pyrex containers. Built in bunsen burners! With regulated gas burners!
Oh my goodness! The magelights in the room were the same color as sunlight! You wouldn't accidently judge a color wrong because of the lighting. Was that a petri dish incubator?! And a centrifuge!? And a motherbucking compound microscope with a thaumaturgic recording device and display?
It was beautiful! I wouldn’t have made enough to afford half of this set up in two centuries! I could almost cry. Not from my financial situation, but at this artwork laid out before me.
I gasped as I saw the other half of the room. “I-Is that a full micro soldering and brazing station with a thaumaturgic current multimeter?” I asked Twilight while I looked at the three benches set along the far wall.
“Yes. Why what do you normally use?” She asked.
I felt a tear slide down my cheek. “A blowtorch and careful measurements combined with precise calculations…”
“I used to do that when I was a teenager,” Twilight commented. “My parents wouldn’t let me buy-”
My eyes snapped to one work table dominated by a large brass plate topped with a domed quartz lid interlaced with an intricate series of silvery hair-thin wires.
“Is that a motherbucking spell matrix capture device!?!” I squeed, zipping over to the exotic instrument as fast as my hooves would let me.
“I know right!” Twilight laughed gleefully. “I don't have one of those. I can’t justify it, not with how little enchanting I do personally.”
“What’s the big deal?” Fell asked. “You know, for those of us with no idea what it does.”
“You cast a spell under the dome and it prints out a schematic for you which shows you how to build the thaumaturgic circuit to make it work as an enchantment!” I squeed.
Ohhhh the things I could do with this! So much time saved! So much higher level math unnecessary to prototype and develop absolutely anything I could ever want!
“I could make a spoon that would move as much earth as a full sized shovel! Just for fun! Right now!” I giggled, blurting out the first idea that popped into my head.
“Hehe! We totally should! That might be pointless over all, but the concept is pretty funny! Oh, but the cooler thing, is over here,” Twilight said eagerly. “This mirror is enchanted to let you draft any schematic and see how you can fit it into the design of the object you want to build and test things before physically constructing them.
The hay was this feeling in my chest? Oh! Joy. Hello, joy! It’s been some time. Welcome back, I missed you!
I trotted over to Twilight and gripped her shoulders with my forehooves so I could look her in the eyes as seriously as possible. Which was very very hard to do with the huge grin my face refused to stop making.
“Twilight, I have become horribly violently ill,” I said with a coy wink. “I won't be able to make it to dinner, and Princess Cadence doesn't have to check up on me. I’ll be fine in the morning. Just tell me where the lab’s stock of brass and arcanite is kept!”
Twilight’s ears drooped sadly as she kicked one hoof against the floor. “It’s an official welcoming function… We can’t skip it,” she lamented sadly. “I know… I wanna play too.”
My ears drooped too, and for the first time in five hundred and twenty years, I gave somepony puppy dog eyes.
“I-I’m sorry… But we have to,” Twilight apologized, equally upset we couldn’t just tinker with things.
“Reep, mare who is probably his female clone, let’s go before you two get any more sad and I vomit from your negative vibes. Please,” Fell pleaded.
Twilight nodded. “Yeah… Dinner will only be two hours. And I already cast an alertness spell on myself. I don't have to sleep for the next thirty-six hours! We have plenty of time.”
She turned and began to walk towards the doors. “Come on, we’ll be back soon.”
I sighed and trotted along after her, ears plastered firmly back in a mixture of sadness, annoyance, and plain old upset.
“Stupid bucking living pony necessities… Keeping me from having any fun… I don’t need food… That was half the point of this whole thing I’ve got going...” I muttered, looking back longingly at the laboratory set up one last time before following along after Twilight. Keeping my grumbling up for good measure.
Light Step - 15th of Chillfrost 16 EoH
Crystal Spire - Crystal Empire
I watched as everypony walked inside, ears drooping sadly as the doors closed behind them. It would have been nice to keep as a group… But then again they couldn’t fly.
As the doors closed, Cadence slipped a small gemstone out of a concealed spot on her person. Just as I recognized it as a messenger Gem she whispered into it. “Sunset,” a moment later she continued. “Sunset, one of our guests is a real giantess. Could you please get some kind of taller table set up for her? There’s no need to make her stoop.”
“Of course, ma’am.” the voice on the other end said.
Putting her gem back Cadence gave me a smile that I just couldn’t understand.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked in honest confusion. “Is there something you need?”
Cadence took a step back, eyes widening in honest horror. I took a step back, eyes widening in honest shock at her reaction.
“I- I- Faust’s mane!” Cadence exclaimed. Clearing her throat she gave me a sympathetic frown before asking. “Do you know what Alicorns are able to do, Miss Light?”
I shook my head no. “I-I know that Celestia can control the sun. And that you are very powerful. But that’s it. We um, we have no plans for fighting Equestria, so our guidebooks don’t include Alicorns.”
Cadence nodded slowly. “I am the Princess of Love, I can see into a pony’s heart. It’s not mind reading, but I can know what kind of person they are, their passions, and their pains.
“I’m sorry if that feels intrusive, but I can’t help but do it when there is an overwhelming amount of emotion tied up behind someone's feelings. I… How you have been treated by most everypony you’ve ever met. I need you to know that it is loathsome and abhorrent. I can’t conceive of anypony striking you simply for being half griffon.
“The ‘kindness’ I am showing you is what we Equestrians would refer to as ‘common courtesy’. But I see now that you are in dire need of some actual love. Please, let me talk to you. You can’t go around carrying this kind of pain.”
Cadence said, looking pleadingly into my eyes.
I sat down. Unable to process what she had just said. “I um, er… What?”
“Please let me help you. Let’s just talk for a little bit. Five minutes is all I’ll need. You have a good heart, and my magic can help soothe those pains as long as you are willing to talk through your problems with me. I can’t just wave my horn at you and make the pain go away, but if you are willing to work with me, like a therapist, I can help you get over this very quickly, and I can feel how you hate yourself right now and want so desperately to fit in.
“While I agree that gaining control over your size has utility and is good, you want it for the wrong reasons. I can help you be happy, being yourself, no matter what. If you would like me to.”
I shook my head, scooting back as my wings fluttered distressingly. “Are you saying you want to mind control me!?” I demanded.
“What?” Cadence asked, face twisting into a horrified gasp. “No! That’s not remotely what I- Right… You’re not an Equestrian. Please, let me explain.”
“It better be good!” I insisted, giving her a slight glare.
“As the Alicorn of Love, it is my duty to help everypony who is miserable due to a lack of well, love,” Cadence explained. “If a couple who have been fighting come before me and are willing to talk, I can guide their hearts with my magic and repair their emotional bond.
“There is no mind control involved. I can only fix existing bonds, I can not make them, and I can only fix them if all parties are willing. If they are unable to reconcile themselves, I am able to help. I can do this for individuals too. You have been beaten and battered into a state where you are incapable of loving yourself. I can feel that, and that you hate it.
“If you talk through your problems with me, and let me use my magic to help, we can change that in minutes instead of months or years, and you can be happy with being yourself.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “I doubt that…”
“Will you let me try? Please?” Cadence begged.
I thought about it for a moment. What did I have to lose? Nothing. I guess.
I sighed. “Fine. We can try.”
“Excellent! It will take about ten minutes for Sunset to get the dining hall set up for you anyways,” Cadence said with a happy smile. “Okay. Let’s get to work. Your greatest passion is to be accepted by others. Why?”
Cadence’s horn took on a light blue silvery sheen, and I could feel something gently brush against me, like a caring it felt nice but… Weird.
“Isn’t that obvious?” I asked bitterly. “I’m not a pure blooded pony. Prance has been at war with the griffons since, forever! Every time anypony looked at me they just see the enemy. Even my mom had problems not treating me like an enemy sometimes…”
“And so you see yourself as the enemy too,” Cadence said with a sad frown.
“Well, yeah! I mean, what else am I?” I countered. “It doesn't matter if I go out of my way to help others. I’m still the ‘lion-tailed freak’. It doesn't matter if I become one of the top marksmares in Prance. I’m still ‘birdwings’. If nothing I can do ever lets me be more than tolerated, I’m just the friendly enemy, aren't I?”
“Light,” Cadence said soothingly. “Think back on everything you ever did to gain others approval. Please.”
Tartarus… Did I have to? I probably did.
I thought back as far as I could remember. Keeping the house spotless for mom so she didn’t have to. Taking the time to do my absolute best on every last school assignment to try and impress my teachers. Working out what my classmates favorite snacks are and giving them to them hoping to show I was friendly only to be accused of trying to position them.
Taking on the workload to do all the planning for the party where I’d been poisoned… Lying about breaking into the base’s pub to cover for some squadmates to try and win their respect. Always taking the late watch so everypony else could get a full night of sleep.
Refusing to take credit for monster kills so somepony else on the fireteam could get the award for it…
“Are those things that an enemy would do to their enemy?” Cadence asked calmly.
No.
“Um, no… Not really. But, you know,” I stammered awkwardly.
“We both know that those are the actions of somepony who cares deeply for others,” Cadence stated. Correctly. “How did they respond to your acts of kindness?”
Insults. Racial slurs. Occasional beatings. A few nights locked in the stocks for covering for a squadmate’s crime only to be insulted by them later. Not one word of thanks for forgoing claiming a kill everyone knew I made.
“Like a bunch of assholes,” I answered bitterly.
“See? You know the truth. You were not the enemy. They were the enemy. Of course you didn’t fit in with them! You’re a pony of moral fiber, and they had no compassion for others,” Cadence said supportively.
“They were my peers, my countrymen, my people,” I objected. “What kind of pony can’t belong with their own nation?”
“Not everypony belongs everywhere, Light,” Cadence soothed. “My city here is a refuge for those Equestria finds distasteful. Not murderers, thieves, or other such ponies. But those who simply love odd things which others frown on them for. Their place is here. It’s not where they happened to have been born and raised.
“Sometimes, the place you are born is not your home. Sometimes you are destined to find it for yourself.”
Find it for yourself? That did ring pretty true. Wait a minute...
For a good life, embrace the night beneath the sea of sand. You will find what you have always wanted within the darkness by brightening it.
Find what I always wanted. I wanted acceptance. And she was right, sort of. Home was a place where people accepted you for who you were. This wasn’t the whole package promised, but it would be a start, right?
“You’re right,” I agreed, nodding with a small frown. “Prance was never my home.”
The odd hug-like sensation became oddly warm for a moment, and I felt an enormous weight lift off my shoulders.
Prance had never been my home. Screw what those ponies thought about me! They never cared!
“That’s right, they didn’t care about you. But you served them loyally, if not gladly,” Cadence agreed. “You are better than they deserved, and whoever you wind up spending your life with when you at last find your true home, those who share it with you will be honored by the kindness you show even to those who don't give a flying buck about you.”
“Yeah!” I agreed with a nod. “That’s absolutely right. I’m not a piece of shit, how can I be? Look at how I treated ponies who treated me like a piece of shit!”
“You’re a beautiful mare, Light,” Cadence said honestly, smiling happily. “Can you see that now?”
“Yeah, I guess I do have a kind hearted personality,” I agreed with a nod.
Cadence nodded, and smiled a bit wider. “No silly, we’re not quite done here. Your body, it’s great! You're not ugly. In fact most equestrians like larger wings. And that tail? Well, you saw how Lilac liked it so much she flirted with you while on duty.”
I blushed deeply. “T-that was flirting?”
Cadence nodded and giggled. “It was, silly! What else would it be? Equestria has many griffon citizens. And plenty of hybrids living with them. You’re beautiful, exotic even. And not in the bad way.”
I felt my ears droop. “Y-yeah, okay… Maybe… If I want ginormous,” I grumbled.
Cadence rolled her eyes. “Light, everypony loves something others find strange. Just watch this.”
She looked up, squinting into the sky for a moment before whistling sharply and yelling, “Hey! Rays! Check this girl out. Is she hot or what?”
I blushed with embarrassment and turned to look where Cadence was yelling in time to see a distant blue and orange Pegasi drop into a hover, look at me and smile, then yell back, “Looking great stranger! My sister’s an alchemist. If you run out of that potion her shop is on main street! It’s ‘Fun Draughts and Charming Tinctures!’”
“... What?” I asked of reality.
“Light, some ponies find giants sexy,” Cadence said seriously. “There are whole shelves of potions designed to change one’s size. It’s a common kink, probably because of how big Celestia is, and her cultural importance combined with how she’s believed to be the most beautiful pony alive. I’d bet that a sixteenth of my subjects think your size just makes you even prettier. You may not have asked to be like this, but it’s useful for many things, and for some ponies it enhances your beauty.
“Your size is nothing to be ashamed of. Once your friend has enabled you to control it, you should embrace it as a part of who you are. It’s something that makes you unique and special. And you know what? Because of it, you could really make some mare or stallion extremely happy. Because I honestly don’t think a normal potion could get anypony as large as you.”
I blushed deeply and squirmed a little, wings fluttering awkwardly. “A-actually I can get bigger… This is my minimum size…”
Cadence laughed. “You should show me how big you can be some time! I don’t personally find giants to be extra sexy, but it certainly doesn't make you unattractive. In fact... One moment.”
Cadence fished out her message gem again and instructed. “Enable visual link. Shiny.”
A millisecond later a white furred blue-maned unicorn stallion’s face appeared as a projection in the air over the gem.
“Hey, sweetie! Is something wrong? You should be at dinner right now,” he said with polite concern.
“I’m just trying to help a nice mare out,” Cadence explained. “Light, this is my husband Shining Armor. Shiny, this is Light. Now, Shiny, is she hot or what?”
The stallion turned, looking at me for not even a split second before agreeing, “Yep. Hot… I’d approve the threesome but I think she might crush the bed. Offense not meant, Light. Can you give me a day or so to get a steel frame on the bed? That’s the only thing making me say no, by the way.”
I felt my mind break a little. That hadn’t been insulting, he said it eagerly. And I could tell he was genuinely concerned for his property, but was otherwise on board.
Hopefully he wouldn’t be upset when I said no...
Cadence giggled happily. “Ha! I knew you’d approve a threeway if it was with a giantess! He loves the concept of somepony like you, Light. You don’t have to do anything with us. I’m just trying to show you that your size isn’t something to be ashamed of.”
“Wait, she’s ashamed of her size?” Shining exclaimed in shock. “Ma’am, you’re beautiful. And whoever you eventually wind up with is extremely lucky. I apologize for offering a threesome, it’s clear Cadence is trying to help you with some issues and that was out of line. I thought she was remembering a particular fantasy of mine. Do you forgive me?”
I nodded, blushing shyly. “Y-Yes… I um, I didn’t expect that at all. But thanks! It- it means a lot.”
It did. I could see it, he genuinely thought I was amazing. But not as amazing as Cadence. I could see that in his eyes too.
“Thanks, I always hate making an ass of myself. Uh, once you get to know Cadence, you’ll probably see why I made that assumption,” Shining laughed. “Um… So, that’s a no on adult fun, that’s okay. But would you mind letting me ride on your back while you fly sometime?”
I blinked at the odd request. “Is that a sex thing?” I demanded.
“No. That’s a fantasy nerd thing. Ever read Daring Doo and the Kingdom of Giants? I’ve wanted to ride a giant pegasi since I was nineteen. Would you mind?” He asked hopefully.
I smiled. “Sure. We can do that after this whole dinner thing.”
“Awesome!” Shining exclaimed with the biggest smile I had ever seen. “I need to see why Sunset is moving a huge table into the dining… Oh! That would be for you. Duh. I should go anyways. I’ll see you later sexy. And you too honey.”
I triple blinked at his compliment, honestly shocked but also delighted.
“See?” Cadence said as the gem went dark. “Your size is a perk. Once you can control it, well, what’s the drawback?”
I had to admit, she was clearly right. At least here. Things were WAY different in Equestria. Better different.
“Yeah. I think I do,” I admitted. “Heh, Tartarus, once I can control it it’s kind of a superpower, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Cadence agreed with a happy nod. “There! Heart’s all better. How do you feel? Are you happy being you?”
I thought about it for a second. Yeah. I was I really was!
“You don’t have to say anything. Your smile and body language speak volumes,” Cadene said with a happy sigh. “My work here, is done! Oh um… You aren't’ planning on accepting Shiny’s proposal, are you?”
I shook my head. “No! He’s married. And while you are pretty hot, and he’s cute… Eh, just not feeling it.”
“Darn…” Cadence lamented, ears drooping. “Ah well. One of these days I’ll get him to open up and realize that others won’t make fun of him for being a bit girly in private. Especially not here.”
“Wait, really?” I asked in surprise.
Then I blushed, starting to realize what Shining ment by ‘once you know Cadence the assumption will make perfect sense.’
Cadence nodded and flashed me a smile. “Yeah. He’s a great commander, so everypony thinks he’s super masculine. But he really isn’t. He cries at weddings, he was the damsel in distress twice, he always thinks about others emotions. He likes pretty things, and if you spend any time with him while he’s not trying to act masculine you’ll sometimes forget he’s a colt. I’m a tomcolt, he’s a… A… Um, whatever the male equivalent of that is. Janemare? Anyways he’s also a total geek! I love him to death for it.”
I shook my head slowly, a smile still on my lips. “He sounds fun.”
“He is. Make no mistake, he’s still a stallion. His personality is just not typical at all. He’s very fun to hang out with, as you’ll learn after letting him have a ride. … Can I go after him? That sounds fun!” She admitted with a playful wink.
I snickered. “I can take you both at once. But um, don't we have dinner to do?”
“Oh! Yes, we do,” Cadence said standing up and spreading her wings. “Come on! Let’s get there before Twilight eats half the buffet table.”
Cadence jumped off the balcony, letting her wings catch the air as she glided down towards the courtyard below. I stood up and carefully stepped off into the air, flowing down as best I could. She was able to make much tighter spirals than I could.
Not that I cared much. My own flight was good enough because I was happy with myself. Wow, that felt so weird but so good at the same time!
Thank you, Cadence. I owe you one.