"Soooooooo..." Flash Sentry poked at a plate full of celery stalks in the zeppelin's mess hall. "For those playing the home game..." His eyes darted upwards. "What exactly is so special about the Crystal Empire?"
"Pah!" Fancy Pants nearly dropped his monocle into his porridge. He and Filthy Rich gaped across the eating table as the ship's hull swayed slowly around them. "Why—anypony who's anypony knows all about the Crystal Empire!"
"You forget, Fancy, ol' pal..." Filthy smirked. "Brad here is no regular anypony."
"Mmmmm... quite right..." Fancy Pants sipped from a spoon, dabbed his muzzle with a napkin, and smiled. "Something the Crystal stewards should be keen to learn."
"Stewards?" Flash squinted. "What stewards?"
"That's where Her Royal Highness Princess Mi Amore Cadenza comes in," Soarin said, sitting next to Flash and happily munching on a carrot. "Mrmmmfff... and her husband, Captain Shining Armor."
"The two have been leading the interim government of the Crystal Empire ever since it reappeared from the shadowed depths of the Frozen North over a year ago!" Fancy Pants declared. "Quite a charming couple too—I might add. An inspiration to us all!"
Flash's muzzle scrunched. "Mi Amore Cadenza... Shining Armor... Crystal Empire..." A beat. His ears flicked. "Cadence... Shining Armor... Dean Cadance... Crystal Prep." He snorted out his nostrils, and a smirk formed. "Heh... son of a bitch..."
"Uh uh uh..." Filthy Rich shook a fetlock, grinning. "We left the dogs back at High Paw, my boy."
Flash winced slightly. "My apologies. I'm just..." He cleared his throat. "It's a lot to take in."
"Oh, don't be so modest!" Fancy Pants spoke between modest sips of his morning meal. "You're learning things quite swiftly! Especially for an outsider!" He gestured with his spoon. "Mr. Brad, my good sir, I simply cannot wait to tell the stewards what you've accomplished in your short stay on this expedition!"
"Uhhhhh..." Flash blinked. "...why would you tell the stewards about what went down last night?"
"Because..." Soarin downed another carrot and smirked aside. "...they're the regal powers who will oversee the imports of the diamond dogs' meticulously mined crystalline jewels."
"The new backbone of future Crystal Imperialist prosperity and industry!" Filthy Rich declared. "And we have you to thank for ultimately procuring it for us!"
"I'd say that lies strictly in the hooves of you fine businesstallions," Flash Sentry said with a casual smirk.
"Or more accurately Prince Blueblood's," Soarin muttered out the side of his muzzle, causing Flash to snicker.
Fancy Pants blushed slightly. "Yes, well..." He adjusted his collar. "...Mr. Brad here was instrumental all the same, and it is only fair to let the stewards know that. Since we're headed to meet with them most expediently."
"Wow..." Flash blinked. "We already got the supply of crystalline jewels from the diamond dogs?"
"Eeyup!" Filthy Rich nodded over his breakfast. "Stored up overnight!"
"Wow..." Flash ran a hoof through his mane. "Guess I really slept in."
"Darn straight you did." Soarin tapped at Flash's bowl. "Get some celery down your gullet, pal. It's the last of our food supply before we make anchor in the Crystal Empire."
"Uh... sure... s-sure thing..." Flash lifted one of the vegetables in the crook of his fetlock. Before he raised his fully to his mouth, he glanced across the table. "Just... what is the plan for when we get there?"
"Why, a celebration, of course!" Fancy Pants grinned wide. "Prince Blueblood and I have already sent messengers out to the furthest reaches of Equestria—courtesy of Spitfire's good generosity, of course."
"I see..." Flash looked aside at Soarin. "Why are you still here, then?"
"To feed you, of course."
"Ah."
"It's gonna be a real knee-slapper of a shindig!" Filthy Rich remarked.
"What is?"
"The celebration at the Crystal Empire, of course!" Filthy grinned. "Why... once all of the summons are answered, all the biggest pony names in Equestria will be there to attend! From royalty to commonfolk to the ambassadors of Canterlot themselves!"
"Uhhh... attend what, exactly?" Flash asked. "What kind of a celebration are we talking about?"
"It's time to usher in the joining of the Crystal Empire with the Equestrian Union!" Fancy Pants said. "Not to mention future business relations with canine-kind. Haha! Brad, my boy, I tell you... it is a marvelous time to be alive!"
"Heh..." Flash smirked and brought the celery to his lips. "I'll take your word for it." He took one bite and his mouth exploded with flavor. "Mrmmmmmmmmnngh!" He nearly spat the greenery out and waved his fetlocks daintily before his gaping muzzle. "Humina humina humina...!" A shuddering sigh. "Oh right..." A dumb smile. "...I forgot."