A cloudy day, temperature normal. She had made friends with the mare from Neighppon she had sought out, but she had accidentally interrupted a critical vote in the provincial legislature, which she’d thought was the entrance to the local cadet branch of the Royal Academy, and in fact was because she’d noticed students attempting to sign up for classes and failing because of a broken system. As the police closed in on her, she used her seven-league boots to leap up to a ledge in the dome, before walking out a window with her friend to the basalt and marble plaza below. Taking a breath, they stepped, or leapt, again, passing through the everything at unimaginable velocity, eventually landing on an isolated stretch of highway surrounded by ocean and in the midst of being pummelled by a tropical cyclone. She asked if anything could be done to help the other poor souls on the stretch of road. The bald, lanky, sunken-eyed stallion Rikskot said no. They stepped again, the rain and wind battering them like buckshot pellets, before they finally landed on an isolated island at sunset. No storms, no police, no irritating stallions. Just her and her new friend. She asked the much younger mare: “Will you please sing for us again?”. However, before an answer came, the world cracked apart into a darkness full of the most oppressive light.
Mayor Meyer Mare coughed as she reluctantly opened one eye to greet the orange hued sun shining directly at her eye level. She blinked, then allowed her eyes to adjust. A sharp pain in the upper half of her sinus cavity made her briefly put hoof to forehead. When her brain and eyes had finally adjusted, she noticed an attendant, resplendent in his fancy clothes and shiny cool-grey coat, staring at her with his unusual hexagonal pupils.
“Who are you? And what time is it?” Mayor Mare asked.
The stallion nodded. “I am Wulfric, m’lady. And it is officially daytime: 11AM!”
Mayor Mare’s eyes first widened, then narrowed at that second bit. “Eleven in the morning, and only now comes the sun,” she repeated. “I have a headache.”
“I see,” Wulfric replied with a frown as he nodded slowly. “Princess Cadance told me the only cure for your headache is time.”
“Cadance? Hang on. I need to process this…”
“Take all the time you need, m’lady.”
She did. Eventually she spoke again, this time more slowly as she focused her deep blue eyes, which were for once not glassed over or bloodshot.
“I’m in the Crystal Empire?” she asked.
“Indeed you are,” replied Wulfric with a small smile and furtive nod.
She shook her head. “Gods, it feels like I’ve been out for a year. I wonder what–”
It was at that point that Raven Inkwell, she of the grey coat, dark brown mane, and thick black glasses, entered. Upon seeing the Mayor was awake and seemingly coherent, she beelined for her.
“Uh, good morning…ish, Raven?” Mayor Mare said as Raven lightly nuzzled her.
Raven did not move for the moment, instead simply stating softly, “I’m glad you’re awake.”
“I am,” the mayor confirmed, “And my head is killing me. Also, I have absolutely no idea what’s going on. Why are we in the Crystal Empire?”
Raven stepped back, her eyes widened, which was only accentuated by her glasses. “You don’t know what… oh my gods. You’re… you’re sober!”
Mayor Mare thought about this for a second, rubbing her temple. “That would explain the hangover,” she said. Then, without warning, Raven pounced and wrapped her in a massive hug, shocking her to the point they both fell off her chaise-longue onto the crystalline floor.
“Ow…” groaned the Mayor. “At least an injured shoulder should distract from my headache. So, uh, Raven. Did we… do anything while I was out of it?”
“No,” Raven replied with a slight pout. “Besides, you know Spike and Apple Bloom have been with us throughout this whole journey.”
“Have they?” Mayor Mare asked. “Then… where are they now?”
Raven scratched her chin before answering. “Spike is probably either asleep or mopping a floor right now. Princess Cadance told him that, as a Hero of the Empire and her personal guest, he was entitled to laze around but, you know him, always feels the need to assist any pony who isn’t Twilight.”
The mention of that name caused Meyer to groan. “And Apple Bloom?”
“She’s in the castle’s upper cellar, at her Potions tutoring. Radestan is an excellent teacher. Not as good as Zecora, but he has a greater knowledge of crystal-based potions. Learning from both will make her easily one of the best potion-makers in this world. Dare I say, a chemist.”
“Well,” Meyer said. “Sounds like they’re having a good time, however long we’ve been here…”
Raven looked towards a random spot near the ceiling. “You… probably don’t want to know the answer to that question.”
“I figured not. So, what have you been doing?”
“Cadance has allowed me to serve as her temporary personal secretary while Eðelþryð is out on maternity leave,” Raven said proudly.
Mayor Mare blinked as she tried to process all this. “So… you’re not working for me, and all of you are settling down to nice lives in the Crystal Empire, where we are for some reason.”
Raven nodded. “Essentially.”
“Then what am I meant to do?” asked Meyer, simultaneously curious and hopeful.
“Well…” Raven said with a guilty look, “We, uh, didn’t plan that far ahead. Honestly, none of us ever expected you would be sober enough to care. See, the Crystal Empire already has a Lord Mayoress who reports to Shining Armor, and the system here hums along in a way Ponyville never could. I guess ponies from before the War really were superior at things.”
“I see,” replied the mayor. “Sounds like I, and we, should head back to Ponyville and try and apply this newfound knowledge.”
Mayor Mare stood up and attempted to leave the conservatory, but Raven blocked her.
“There’s no rush. Let’s stay here. Now that you’ve finally woken up, we can leave the castle and enjoy the city!” Raven said, a little too earnestly.
“What’s there to enjoy?” asked the mayor, gesturing to the large windows through which could be seen one sparse, low-rise, sleepy neighbourhood. “The sun just came up and, if my brain is working correctly, it won’t be for long, meaning we’re in the middle of winter.”
Raven nodded. “Exactly! Best to walk around now while we still have daylight.”
Mayor Mare blinked. “Okay. You logic’d me there. However, I would still like to speak to Cadance if I can. Please, move out of my way.”
She slowly swept her right forehoof to the side. Raven sadly, reluctantly stepped aside so her boss and friend could exit the conservatory, but made sure to follow a few steps behind, just in case.
After turning a few corners, Raven spoke to Meyer in some awe, “How are you able to navigate the Crystal Castle? You hardly ever leave the conservatory.”
Mayor Mare turned back and smirked. “I was part of the delegation from Equestria proper that attended Cadance’s official coronation. We were given a tour of this place in case any of us were to return for more official functions.”
“I… I’m sorry, Meyer. I’m just not used to you thinking rationally,” Raven replied.
Mayor Mare stopped and furrowed her brow, her mouth registering a pursed frown. “It’s scary, isn’t it.”
They eventually reached the tall cathedral style double doors leading to the throne room. A sign to the left of the door probably indicated exactly that, but it was written in the old runes used a thousand years prior which neither Mayor Mare nor Raven could read. Nor could the orange Pegasus stallion in gold armour, who did not sport a ‘crystal’ coat, standing guard outside.
“Please state your business,” he said in his most professional tone.
Raven rolled her eyes. “Flash, you know who we are. Is Princess Cadance busy?”
“Hang on,” said Mayor Mare. “Flash… Sentry?”
“Yes?” Flash replied.
“You showed up in one of my dream hallucination things. You wore leather and everyone hated you for no good reason,” she said.
Flash’s head drooped slightly. “You aren’t the first pony to tell me this.” He sighed. “The princess is inside and, to my knowledge, is not averse to granting an audience to personal guests.”
He pulled open one of the giant doors and beckoned them enter.
On the Crystal Throne, seemingly ornate but in actuality austere, sat a very bored Princess Cadance slowly following the little specks in her lavender eyes with her full head as they sailed across her field of vision. To her right sat Shining Armor, her devoted husband, with a book in front of him along with quill and scroll on which he had childishly scrawled some runes.
The creaking of the door caused them both to perk to attention, though Cadance was a second or two slower. Yet she was the first to speak.
“Uh…? What’s this?” she asked no one in particular, softly.
Flash Sentry, using his best announcement voice called out, “Presenting Mayor Meyer Mare and Secretary Raven Inkwell!”
“We can see that,” Shining Armor mumbled as he grumpily tossed his quill backwards and crumpled up his scroll.
Cadance nodded with understanding. “Thank you, Flash. You may return to your post.”
Flash saluted, rapidly turned on his heels, and left the room.
“It’s been a long time, Meyer,” said Cadance. “What do you need?”
“Well…” began Raven with some hesitation, “I’m not sure how to explain…”
“Let me guess: She’s finally sobered up,” Shining Armor said with obvious sarcasm.
Raven adjusted her glasses. “Um, actually… yes.”
Cadance and Shining Armor stared at Mayor Mare wide-eyed, their mouths agape.
After several minutes, Cadance stepped off of her throne and approached the not-at-all-drunk mayor. Mayor Mare, for her part, tilted her head in confusion.
“Is it really that big a deal that I’m not drunk?” she asked.
Cadance nodded. “You’ve, uh, been in a state of, um, ‘altered consciousness’ for quite a long time. So, yeah it kind of is a big deal. Also, you usually don’t come to see me… not since you threw a pony-sized pink quartz at my head after I ordered Apple Bloom to cut off your supply of moonshine.”
Mayor Mare blushed, turning to Raven. “Did I do that?” she whispered.
“Uh, that was… just the first part. You’re really better off not asking details,” Raven replied softly.
“Fair enough,” said Meyer with a sigh. “I’ll get right to the point…”
Shining Armor and Cadance made brief but worried sidelong glances at each other before Meyer continued.
“It appears to have been a very long time since I’ve left Ponyville, and it seems I took advantage of your hospitality for far too long and without proper gratitude. So, now that I’m back in control of myself, I’d like to return home and resume my job,” she decreed.
While Cadance stared at the mayor quizzically, trying her best to maintain a neutral expression, Shining Armor facehoofed.
“What? What?” Mayor Mare asked them pointedly.
“That… isn’t exactly possible right now,” said Cadance.
“Why not?” inquired Mayor Mare, her expression belying her mounting testiness.
“You really don’t wanna know,” Shining Armor and Raven said in unison.
“It’s been a bit of a lowkey crisis, actually,” said Shining Armor in a wearier tone than Raven or the mayor had ever heard from him.
Mayor Mare slowly nodded her head, a serious expression on her face. “Look. In my too many years as Ponyville’s appointed mayor, I’ve successfully helped the beings under my care cope with floods, pestilence, beast attacks, racial tension, Twilight…”
“My little sister can be a hoof-full,” Shining Armor mumbled with a quick chuckle.
Cadance shook her head and shrugged in disbelief. “Was I the only one she wasn’t a pill towards?”
“Yes,” replied everyone at once, including Apple Bloom and Spike, who had quietly entered the room during the conversation.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Spike said. “But, are we talking about Twilight, because I’ve got stories, man. Stories… heh…” he trailed off.
Apple Bloom, along with everyone else, turned to Spike. “Why’re your eyes bloodshot? You been eatin’ them Hashativa crystals in the mine again? That stuff’s got huge bits of hydrotetracannibinol and/or mescaline. They’ll mess ya up!”
“How does she know those big words?” Mayor Mare whispered to Raven.
“I told you; she’s been studying crystal-derived potions,” Raven whispered back.
Apple Bloom cleared her throat. “It’s like Zecora said after I screwed up with that flower: It ain’t enough to know what goes into a potion; ya gotta understand why things work the way they do. Twilight was useless; taught me backwards. But honestly, crystals an’ rocks are easier than plants ‘cause they ain’t alive… usually.”
“Listen,” Cadance interrupted in a voice far more authoritative than anyone in that room was used to hearing. “As much as I’d love to hear about Apple Bloom’s studies or Marquess Spike’s drug-induced ramblings about my sister-in-law, it detracts from the issue at hoof here. Meyer wishes to return to Ponyville, not that I can blame her. More importantly in my mind, she’s sober, and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible. I’ve been meaning to travel to the border myself to truly understand the situation there.”
“Um, hun? Is that really a good idea?” Shining Armor asked, clearly concerned.
Cadance smirked as she approached her husband. “Just because you can toss me like a hoofball or javelin doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself. That said, I would feel much safer with you by my side.” She nuzzled him.
Mayor Mare rolled her eyes. Raven pouted out of jealousy. Spike and Apple Bloom stuck out their tongues in disgust.
“Fine,” Shining Armor said, “But, who’s going to watch over this place while we’re gone?”
“I’d say Lord Mayoress Æthelflæd is more than up to the task,” Cadance replied with a smile. “We’re lucky our city has such a capable bureaucracy and someone to lead it in our absence.”
“I’m standing right here, you know,” Mayor Mare interjected with a frown.
Cadance chuckled guiltily, blushing, before regaining her composure. “No offense intended, Meyer.” She then turned to her husband. “Shiny, please gather together half a dozen thermal suits and snow-boots, I’m sure you can guess the sizes needed. Oh! Also six pairs of snow goggles. It’s likely we’ll have to get off our train at the border. Since Meyer, Raven, and Apple Bloom lack offensive capabilities, maybe take along some shields as well in case things take a turn for the worse. Okay?”
“Got it!” Shining Armor said as he galloped away.
Mayor Mare turned to Cadance, utterly befuddled. “What in the world is going on? For the Princess of Love, you’re acting almost like we’re preparing for war!”
Cadance’s countenance dropped as she replied, sadly, “We very well may be. Nevertheless, this is a journey both you and I must take. You’ll understand soon. Once our provisions arrive, get ready quickly. It’ll be dark by the time we leave, which may be for the best.”
“I just hope I’ll get some answers,” Mayor mare said with a sigh.
Outside the tall, narrow windows of the throne room, the sun, which had barely peeked above the horizon, began to dip again.