//------------------------------// // The Visit // Story: The Unicorn of the Crystal Empire // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Charming Thunder stood outside of the bell tower next to two diamond dog statues. He noticed a bird nest inside one of the statues mouth and said to the little bird, "Good morning." The bird woke up and squeaked its approval to him. "Will today be the day? Are you ready to fly?" The bird then squeaked its disapproval. "You sure? Good day to try." He then picked up the bird out of the mouth of the statue and held it in his hooves. "Why, if I were a pegasus and picked a day to fly, this would be it!" Charming Thunder then looked down to see preparations going on in front of the castle. "The Crystal Fair!" The bird who sat in Charming Thunder's hooves gulped and squeaked. "It will be fun. The jugglers, and music, and games, and dancing..." The bird begun to flap its wings as Charming Thunder slowly removed his hooves until the bird is hovering in place. He chuckles and shows his hooves to the bird, who finally realizes that it is flying. It then squeaks an approval, then a question, as a flock of birds fly by. "Go on! Nopony wants to be cooped up here forever." The bird flies off to join the flock. As soon as it's gone, one of the Diamond Dog statues came to life and spat out the nest. "Oh, man!" the Diamond Dog shouted. "I thought he'd never leave! I'll be spitting feathers for a week!" The other Diamond Dog next to Charming Thunder came to life and looked at them. "Well that's what you get for sleeping with your mouth open, Ollie," the other Diamond Dog said. Ollie made a sarcastic chuckle. "Oh, why don't you scare a mare, Scout. Hey, Charmy. What's going on out there A fight? A flogging?" "A fair." "You mean the Crystal Fair?" Charming Thunder nodded as he continued to watch the preparations go on for the fair. "All right, all right! Pour the cider and cut the cheese!" "It is a treat to watch the colorful pageantry of the simple pony folk." "Boy, nothing like balcony seats for watching the ol' F.O.F." "Yeah," Charming Thunder said, dejected. "Watching." He then started to walk away from the balcony and headed inside. "Hey what gives?" "Aren't you going to watch the festival with us?" "I don't get it." "Perhaps he is sick today." Another Diamond Dog catches up to the rest as she said, "Impossible. If twenty years of listening to you two hasn't made him sick by now, nothing will." "But watching the Crystal Fair has always been the highlight of the year for Charming Thunder, Layla." "What good is watching the party if you never get to go hear it?" Birds have begun to roost on Layla. She waves to shoo them away from her. "Get away from me, go on, you bunch of buzzards! He's not made of crystal, like us." Charming Thunder sat at a window with the better view of the fair. Layla went to him to see what's up. "Charmy, what's wrong? Do you want to tell Layla all about it?" "I...I'm just tired of just watching the fair, that's all," Charming Thunder said. "Well, did you ever think about going there instead?" "Sure, but I'd never fit in down there." "Oh, Charmy." Layla paused as the birds returned to perch on her again. "Do you mind? I would like to have a moment with the boy, if it's all right with you!" Her yelling scared the birds away as Scout and Ollie came up to them. "Hey, quit beating around the bell tower," Ollie said. "Whadda we gotta do? Paint you a fresco?" "As your friends and guardians, we insist you attend the fair," Scout added. "Me?" "No, the princess. Of course you!" "It would be a very good opportunity for you to have an educational experience." "Cider, mares, and song." "You can get an opportunity to meet the current princess and her prince." "Bobbing for apples." "And the indigenous folk music." "Playing dunk the jester." "Charmy, take it from an old spectator," Layla explained. "Life's not a spectator sport. If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without you." "Yeah. You're a pony. With the flesh, the mane, and tail. We're just part of the architecture, right Scout?" "Yet, if you chip us, will we not flake?" Scout said. "If you moisten us, do we not grow moist?" "Charmy, just clean yourself up and---" Layla said. "Thanks for the encouragement, but you are all forgetting one thing," Charming Thunder reassured. "What?" Layla, Scout, and Ollie said. "My mother; Radiant." "Oh, yeah." "Well have you ever asked her?" Scout asked. "No. I was hoping to get a chance today. But I don't know how she would react." "You could sneak out," Ollie suggested. "Oh no. I'm not that kind of pony. I might get caught." "Better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission," Scout said. "Or for once wear a disguise," Ollie said. "What your mom doesn't know, you won't get in trouble." "Ignorance is bliss." Ollie gives Scout a noogie on the head. "Nopony wants to stay cooped up here forever," Layla added. Charming Thunder thinks for a moment, then a smile creeps across his face. "You're right," Charming Thunder said with confidence. "I'll go." The Diamond Dogs cheer as Charming Thunder made his way to the stairs. "If she says yes, I'll get cleaned up. I'll stroll down those stairs. I'll march through the doors and--" He was stopped in front of Radiant who stood in the doorway with a smile. The Diamond Dogs turned back to crystal as Radiant greeted, "Good morning, Charming." "Good morning, mother." "Who were you talking to?" "My friends." Radiant taps one of the Diamond Dog statues on the head. "And what are your 'friends' made of, Charming?" "Crystal." "And can they talk." "No." "You are so smart. Why are you so happy by the way?" "I've been wondering about something since the Crystal Fair is today." "I was too when I thought about you." "Really and what's that?" "I was hoping that you would like to come with me to the fair." A smile appeared on Charming Thunder's face as he got excited. "I was going to ask you the same thing. And maybe if you mind, I can meet the princess of this kingdom." "I can try. I happen to know the other three princesses as well if you get a chance." Charming Thunder walked with Radiant outside and stood at the balcony. "Sorry for getting you excited." "It's okay. I just can't believe that I can get to go. It's my first time leaving the cathedral." "Then you will get to experience what it's like out there. I remembered that time when I was young. Now you run along and clean up." Charming Thunder nodded and rushed back inside as Radiant took her leave. "And remember that this is your sanctuary." "My sanctuary." Charming Thunder arrived back upstairs as he got himself cleaned up. Charming Thunder Safe behind these windows and these parapets of crystal Gazing at the ponies down below me Charming Thunder looked out of the window seeing Radiant leaving the cathedral. All my life I watched them as I hid up here alone Hungry for the histories they show me All my life I memorize their faces Knowing them as they will never know me All my life I dreamed about passing a day Not just above them But part of them And out there Living in the sun Given one day out there All I ask is one To hold forever Out there Where they all live unaware What I’d give What I'd dare Just to live one day out there Charming Thunder teleported to the balcony to get a good view of the town. Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives Through the roofs and windows I can see them Everyday they shout and scold and go about their lives Heedless of the gift it is to be them If I was in their skin I’d treasure every moment Out there Strolling through the town Taste Celestia’s morning out there Like ordinary stallions Who freely walk about there Just one day and then I swear I'll be content With my share Won’t resist Won’t despair Won’t be missed I don’t care I’ll now spend One day Out there