The sudden darkness brought with it a biting cold, only somewhat ameliorated by the ambient warmth emanating from the Crystal Heart as it sat silently spinning slowly on its pointed plinth in the exact centre of the Empire.
Mayor Mare looked around as their sextet of five ponies and one juvenile dragon, along with Flash Sentry hauling their provisions in a wagon, made their way out of the Crystal Palace into the streets, which were rapidly emptying of citizens, before giving her verdict.
“Well, credit where it’s due. This city is extremely well-lit. Better than Canterlot,” she said, then sniffed the nippy air. “Cleaner too.”
“We try,” Cadance replied. “If all of you will please follow me to the rail terminal.”
Everyone gave a furtive nod and proceeded to follow Cadance along the wide, well-kept Cwinslæn. The few Crystal Ponies milling about outside their homes or businesses immediately prostrated themselves upon seeing Cadance pass by, not resuming their routines until she had passed. Meyer noticed the look of embarrassment and discomfort Cadance attempted to hide behind a serene smile and furtive bow of her head.
“She really isn’t used to this, is she?” Meyer whispered to Shining Armor, walking two steps behind Cadance to her right as per custom.
Shining Armor tilted his head. “Well, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been groomed for this all your life, which she was. Actually having others bow to you when you’ve always bowed to someone else is a real shock.”
“Why not just ban prostration?” asked Apple Bloom, her breathing slightly laboured as her stubby legs tried to keep up with the rest of the group.
“It’s not that simple,” Raven replied. “The Crystal Ponies are literally of a different time. Some were old enough before the War and subsequent time-slip to remember the Empire’s original Princess, from whom Cadance is descended. As far as they’re concerned, she may as well be the daughter who restored the Empire after a few years of terror and is treated accordingly, whether she likes it or not.”
“And I’m a Marquess!” Spike piped in proudly, his chest puffed out.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as the train station came into sight. “I still can’t believe they put a statue of ya up along Monument Circle,” she told Spike.
“You saw my hero-stuff!” Spike retorted.
The Crystal Empire Rail Terminal was, like most buildings in the city, built out of local stone whose high quartz content made it twinkle amidst the bright floodlamps illuminating the entryway and the platform on the other side. As far as train stations go, it was nowhere near as fancy as the Canterlot terminal but much nicer than humble waystations in small towns like Ponyville. A Crystal-pony stallion with a shiny light red coat and silver mane, dressed impeccably in a crisp navy blue suit with gold trim plus matching hat, approached the party and bowed politely for all of two seconds before speaking in a deep voice.
“Good evening, Your Highness,” he said to Cadance. “I am Eihwaz, your humble Station Attendant. We have been expecting you.”
“How does news travel so quickly?” Mayor Mare asked Raven.
Raven shrugged. “Not sure. The Empire doesn’t seem to have telegraph lines.”
“No,” Shining Armor said, “But I have this thing,” he tapped his horn. “I just cast a light-spell with Caddy’s emblem into the sky towards this station and the staff hop to work. I always try to give half an hour’s warning minimum because it takes time to ready a train. After all, we may be the legal rulers here, but we’re still new to the city and I learned a long time ago it’s a good idea to avoid making enemies.”
“Avoid making enemies? Hm. Maybe I should try that approach to governance…” mused Mayor Mare. “……Nah.”
Raven, Apple Bloom, and Shining Armor all facehoofed as Flash Sentry left to help a couple of station workers load the train. After a few minutes, most of which were taken up by the other stallions trying in vain to convince Shining Armor not to help due to his official royal status (only serving to annoy him), the three-car train was loaded and ready to go.
“Why are there three cars?” asked Meyer. “Shouldn’t we only need two? The engine plus one for us?”
Cadance rolled her eyes. “Take a look at how we’ll be travelling,” she said, gesturing to the middle car: a small but absurdly fancy room on wheels, painted dark violet with light blue and gold accents plus an accurate to-scale Crystal Heart relief carved into the door. “I’m sure you can agree that that car can’t possibly hold the six of us plus luggage and provisions for eight. That’s why they add a caboose.”
“Makes sense,” Raven replied.
“Actually,” said Cadance with a sigh, “I had to stop them from adding a fourth car, since the so-called Royal Car is only supposed to be used by me and Shiny. You four are my guests and friends and deserve better than the Guards’ Car.”
Mayor Mare nodded, “I appreciate that. Maybe I shouldn’t have said I wanted to go back home; this is a nice place.”
“Meyer, you made your decision, much to… everyone’s surprise,” Raven said with some measure of irritation.
“Surprise and fear, fear and surprise,” muttered Spike as he and Apple Bloom approached the Royal Car but were stopped by Eihwaz.
Apple Bloom looked at the stallion in shock. “What the hay?”
“Sorry,” Cadance piped in. “It’s a rule. No one enters the car before my bodyguard, then I enter first once the all-clear is given.”
“In case of a trap,” Spike said. “I guess I understand.”
Apple Bloom, however, did not. “But who’d ever wanna attack ya, Princess?”
Cadance tried her best to shrug while keeping all four hooves on the rock floor of the train platform. “It’s only been a couple years since I assumed control of this city-state. Not sure why this place is called an ‘Empire’, but that’s not important right now. The point is, Apple Bloom, even if my city is peaceful, the Northern Wastes are not. In and beyond the mountains surrounding this plain on three sides lie hostile territories belonging to Yaks, Gryphons, and Wild Dragons, to say nothing of solitary monsters like the Yeti. All of them have a reason to want this area and, indeed, were fighting over it for a thousand years during the time-slip. Plus, I have to be concerned about those few who benefited from this city’s previous dictator whose name I’d rather not say. Even a bloodthirsty slaving tyrant has sycophants.”
“What’s a sycophant?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Think about how Twilight acts around Celestia,” Spike and Mayor Mare said in unison, then looked at each other, then laughed.
Just then, Flash Sentry exited the Royal Car. “All clear, Your Highness,” he said.
“Excellent,” Cadance replied. “Come on, everyone, let’s hurry inside. We don’t want to keep the engineers waiting any longer than they already have.”
As Flash Sentry reluctantly began to walk back to the Crystal Castle, everyone else scurried into the Royal Car. Shining Armor was the last to enter due to his insistence on double-checking that they had packed every needed provision and that everything was properly secured. He had started inspecting the wheels when Eihwaz and the two engineers physically moved him toward the door of the Royal Car, much to his protestation.
Through the closed door, the other five could hear his muffled voice saying, “I was Captain of Celestia’s Guard! Stuff like this was my job! Let me help! I mean, I’m sure you all are good at what you do, but details matter!”
Cadance chuckled.
“I think he’s more like Twilight than he wants to admit,” said Spike. “Or I suppose Twilight is like him, albeit with more of a temper.”
This made Mayor Mare sit up stock-straight. “Why did I decide I wanted to go back to Ponyville again? Someone, please remind me. I think I know what I said, but I am seriously having second thoughts. Am I actually less with-it when sober?” she babbled as Shining Armor was pushed into the car and he magic-locked the door behind him.
“Because, Meyer,” Raven said as she began rubbing her boss’s shoulder, “You realized there was no place for you in the Crystal Empire and didn’t want to be a burden. Very admirable, and I’m sure Ponyville will be glad to have us back.”
“Not like it matters. I doubt we’ll make it to Ponyville,” Shining Armor said flatly.
“Why not?” Meyer, Raven, Apple Bloom, and Spike all asked.
“You’ll see…” replied Shining Armor cryptically as the train’s whistle cut through the crisp cold air and everyone felt the engine roar to life.
Cadance sighed and tried to relax in her overstuffed personal chaise-longue as her personal train chugged out of the Crystal Terminal and down the track into the pitch night and bitter cold of the Northern Wastes.