Hurricane looked over his plans in far more detail. There were too many uncertainties already with the departure of the strange Crystal Golem. There needed to be a few more plans placed into the fold before fully committed to the plan ahead. He slowly trotted down towards the main hallway over to the Main Meeting Room.
Hurricane knew who to expect when he stepped into the room… but neither of the two ponies he expected were actually within the room at all. Princess Platinum and Chancellor Puddinghead were nowhere to be seen. Instead there were three other ponies within the room.
Smart Cookie, a chocolate chip coated pony with brown mane, working on some of her leader’s more… absurd laws. The mare in question was busy discussing things with two other ponies in question.
To her right was a unicorn stallion of silver azure coat and several shades of gray mane. He seemed to be trying to grow a beard… but it still hadn’t come in. This was Clover the Clever, the current protege of Star Swirl the Bearded. He was also locked in an argument with the pegasus in the room.
Said Pegasus was pink in coat color and golden mane with orange streaks through it. She was coiling down feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden raising of voices until she noticed her Commander trotting in. With a sudden raising of her wing she knocked Clover over and saluted the Commander.
“What was that fo- Oh! Hello Commander Hurricane… heh heh…” Clover chuckled as he fumbled back to his hooves. It took a few seconds to get back up while Hurricane looked over the other ponies in the room.
“Private Pansy, Report.” Hurricane solemnly stated.
“We were arguing over the tapestry that was to be hung on the walls. Smart Cookie wants to place harvesting fields, Clover wishes to place those of Star Swirl and I wanted to place the Pegasi Legions upon them. We haven’t come to a decision or compromise.” Pansy quickly belted out making certain never to relax her guard.
“You are to place those of the sun and the moon with a starry field behind it. Remember… we are transitioning eventually to the other monarchs soon enough. So remember to turn over to those tapestries.” Hurricane ordered quietly staring down the other three.
“But wouldn’t…” Clover started before Hurricane stared him down and made him stop.
“Right away sir. Ah before I forget I’ve been hearing a strange rumor around the castle as of yesterday. Something about a golem. I’m certain that it’s nothing of the sort.” Pansy questioned clearly uneasy about the rumors shooting up all over the building. Hurricane took a deep breath.
“Yes Pansy. They are true.” Hurricane bluntly stated.
Pansy did as she was apt to do in a high stress situation and promptly passed out. Cookie poked at her compatriot with the tip of her hoof only to find that she was stiff as a board. It was slightly unsettling that she was Commander Hurricane’s liaison between the tribes with how timid she was.
“Pansy. Private Pansy get up already there is work to do.” Hurricane growled out which roused Pansy from unconsciousness and she once again saluted the commander.
“How is she able to do that?” Clover questioned as Pansy was still clearly shell shocked.
“Years of training.” Pansy mumbled while she kept her gaze straight and true.
“So the rumors of a golem were true then? Aegis has been more antsy since last night and there have been many… discouraging comments coming out of that flankhole he calls a mouth.” Cookie grumbled as she looked through her notes.
“He has been a lot mouthier than usual.” Clover added on as he summoned up some more notes. “This has been the eighteenth time his mouth has almost gotten him in trouble. We fear that this will hurt the tribes chances of cohabitation at this point. We've barely gotten the armies to work together and that was due to necessity rather than unity.”
“I would think we've had unity since we defeated the Windigos. We just haven't learned to trust one another yet.” Pansy cut in finally relaxing.
“We got lucky. As it is right now we are working on a borrowed timescale and our new rulers are still in the learning phase. We need to step up their speed.” Cookie sighed as she looked over to her compatriots.
“You three keep up that trend then. I'll be leading the assault out on the Crystal Empire.” Hurricane mumbled before starting to trot out.
“Yes sir.” Pansy answered.
“Got it Commander.” Clover muttered.
“Understood.” Cookie mumbled.
It took a few moments until it sunk in for the three. Hurricane had nearly reached the door as well.
“Wait, What!” Three cries echoed out in near perfect harmony.
“Ugh… this is why you three need to relax. I just told you what I'm planning to do and you are already freaking out on me.” Hurricane growled out as he turned to face the others.
“But sir! That's tantamount to suicide at this point. All the golems created from the Crystal Empire have been able to fight us off and kill many of our troops without breaking a sweat.” Pansy cried out not caring about decorum as her tears ran down Hurricane’s shoulder.
“They've proven to be resistant to most shattering spells unless focused by three ponies. Even with numbers advantage we haven't been able to teach every unicorn the shattering spells necessary.” Clover grimly admitted.
“You are one of the leaders of these ponies. Putting yourself out there will just end in your death.” Cookie mentioned like the crack of a whip.
“All valid concerns… but irrelevant. We have to clear those ponies and save them from that tyrant. Besides… I think we've got our ace in the hole at this point.” Hurricane chuckled as the other three seemed a bit scared. He never chuckled or cracked whenever something was happening.
“What is is sir?” Pansy bravely stepped up even with her shaking knees and twitchy wings. She was preparing for the possible problems.
“The golem has been sent out to attack the Crystal Empire. We’re going to use the distraction to make our way into the fray.” Hurricane mentioned which received another length of cries about how insane the plan was.
“That’s nuts! What about Raven Scar!? Have you forgotten what happened during that farce of an idea!” Clover called out not wanting to deal with the same incidents all over again.
“It’s fine. I’ll be heading out now.” Hurricane declared and took off before the others could react. “You three stay here and keep things running.”
“What!?” The three called out but the Commander had flown off to rouse the troops.
“Get the others in here now!” Clover yelled out to the other two.
It took several hours to get Princess Platinum up from her nap… needless to say that the one who did was now stumbling around holding their ears. It had explained the piercing shriek that had assaulted everypony’s ears. Chancellor Puddinghead had been harder to find since she was somehow in the kitchen and had made several tubs… of pudding.
“Mam… you can't make copious amounts of new pudding just because you want a new hat.” Cookie muttered as she led her leader into the meeting.
“I'll have you know it wasn't just to make a hat. I was also making a delicious lotion that coats your tongue from the harmful rays of disgusting foods. Jeez… give me some credit Cook.” Puddinghead scoffed as she used her little nickname for Smart Cookie… though that also confused her when she also had Silver Cook nearby. Cookie sighed and rubbed her temples trying desperately to keep the migraine away.
“Clover~ why do I have to wake up now!” Platinum shrilly whined. “We’re not exactly in crisis mode.”
“Princess… we’re at war technically. Remember… the Crystal Empire.” Clover muttered keeping his frustration from showing.
“I thought we had won already. You made it clear to me that we were winning.” Platinum rounded on Clover who now on the backpedal was worried about what was going on now.
“I… I - I didn’t forget. We are winning… it’s just Commander Hurricane has decided to take it upon himself to finish this war off.” Clover finished stuttering out hoping that Platinum would finally cut him some slack.
“I see. Then we should help him right Puddinghead?” Platinum called out.
“Yup. We should head out and make sure to keep the troops motivated. I have plenty of provisions to handle these problems.” Puddinghead smiled as she gathered up several bowls of pudding in her grasp managing to keep everything balanced without even trying.
“Right then. Let’s get out and help out that old featherhead.” Platinum chuckled as the two started to trot off.
“Wait! Why are you heading out!?” Smart Cookie cried out to no avail.
“Adventure awaits!” Platinum and Puddinghead called out in unification.
And with that cry both Chancellor Puddinghead and Princess Platinum charged off to join their fellow leader on what amounted to a suicide mission. At least as far as everypony but Commander Hurricane knew.
Already heading to the Crystal Empire was their answer to the crystal golems. His name was X.