//------------------------------// // 331. The Crystalling - Part 2 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Starlight hardly uttered a word for most of the journey to the Crystal Empire. It was decided that they would take The Break of Dawn to save time and were seen off by Big Macintosh, the Crusaders, and Faerie Tail. Blueblood piloted the airship while Midnight kept an eye on the main control panel. The crew consisted of mostly Blueblood's employees at his warehouse, and the rest of the Council of Friendship (excluding Big Macintosh and Fluttershy) had made themselves comfortable in the mess hall dining area below deck near the bow, where they had a perfect view of the land below. It wasn't long before the green earth beneath them began to whiten with snow and frost. It was around that time Midnight joined them in the dining area. Coming in, he and Starlight made eye contact for a brief moment, and then he moved to join Twilight and the others as they had begun discussing the gifts they were bringing to give to the new parents and their baby. Starlight had kept her distance from Midnight and done all she could not to get on his bad side, but it always seemed he held her mere presence in contempt. "Ooh! I can't wait to see all that light and love make the Crystal Heart even more sparkly and shiny!" "Actually, Pinkie," Midnight responded, "the Crystal Heart is an ancient relic of great power. Without its magic, the Crystal Empire would be lost to the Frozen North. That's why Crystallings such as this one are so important, for strengthening the Heart so it continues to protect the Empire with its Thermal Barrier. Otherwise, the Crystal Heart would risk losing sufficient power to keep the Empire protected." "Wow, this Crystalling sounds pretty important!" Starlight interjected, "Twilight, if you wanted to say, I dunno, wait to give me a different friendship lesson in light of this big event, I would completely understand." "Are you kidding? This trip is perfect," Twilight pish-posh'd, "Not only do Midnight and I get to see our new niece, and take part in a ceremony that helps maintain the magic of the Crystal Empire, but I'm starting my new pupil off with the most amazing friendship lesson ever. I can't wait!" "Right, me neither..." Starlight replied in a less-than-enthusiastic manner, which did not escape Midnight's notice nor did the way Spike gesture towards Twilight while giving Starlight a look. "Actually, Twilight... I am a little worried about meeting Sunburst." "Oh trust me, Midnight and I know what it's like to see old friends again after a long time," Twilight said reassuringly. "Really?" Starlight couldn't help but give Midnight a curious look. Sighing, he admitted, "A while back, Twilight went to Canterlot to rekindle some friendships she had there, and had a bit of trouble making amends with a unicorn named Moondancer. I on the other hoof ran into an old foalhood friend of mine, Bright Side. We did right by our old friends and now Moondancer is doing better and Bright Side even decided to settle in Ponyville. We even invited them to attend our wedding, and from what he's told me, Bright's been getting close with Moondancer." "So don't worry, Starlight," Twilight assured, "I'll be right there to help things along." Then she held up a scroll, "I've broken the lesson down into a few easy steps to make sure things go off without a hitch," and Starlight gawked at how long the scroll was after it unrolled, revealing it to be over three pony-lengths long! "Attention! This is your pilot speaking," came the voice of Blueblood on The Dawn's PA system, "The Crystal Empire is in sight. At our current speed, we will be landing in thirty minutes." The Break of Dawn descended over the Empire's new airfield. It'd been a recent addition during the Empire's Modernization Project, specifically at Blueblood's suggestion to Cadance and Shining Armor. It was located upon a farmland that was no longer in use, near the edge of the Thermal Barrier, so it was repurposed into an airfield for the Empire so as to have a place for their own airships. As the ponies below secured the mooring lines, bay doors on the starboard side opened to reveal a walkway to allow the passengers to disembark. "Step One, head to Sunburst's house and get you two started on the right hoof," Twilight listed off as she and Starlight stepped down the walkway, followed by Midnight and Spike, "Step Two, get to the castle with enough time to visit the ba-" "Twi, look out!" Midnight exclaimed- *"Oof!/Huh?!"* Twilight gasped to see the pony before her was, "Shining Armor!" "Twilight!" Shining Armor welcomed with a tired voice and demeanor and giving her a hug, and everypony could see the white alicorn prince had looked better. His mane and tail were disheveled, his feathers were in need of a good preening, he obviously hadn't shaved lately and been missing sleep. "We didn't know you were meeting us," Midnight smiled, happy to see his brother-in-law. "Of course I am! It's me, right here," Shining Armor sounded just a little delirious with exhaustion, "Here I am! Why wouldn't I come to meet my sister and brother-in-law? Though we have met before, heheh..." "...Are you alright?" asked Twilight, as everypony gave Shining Armor a funny look. "Never better! Being a father is amazing and wonderful!" Shining Armor waved his hooves and wings with big wide eyes that glinted with slight insanity, "And amazing! And wonderful, and confusing- And AMAZING! But- ...surprising too, you know? I mean, not that you'd know. You wouldn't know, I know... You know?" ... ... ... "If... that's your way of asking us if we're expecting or planning to become parents ourselves, I assure you neither is the case," Midnight deadpanned. "At least, not anytime soon." "Sorry!" Shining Armor got it together, "I haven't really slept since Cadance had the baby... Come to think of it, she hasn't either. It sure would be great to get a break." "Oh, of course! I don't know what we were thinking," said Twilight sympathetically, before turning to her pupil, "I'm sorry, Starlight. It seems that combining your first lesson with this visit isn't going to work after all." "Oh! Don't be ridiculous," Starlight waved it off, taking this development rather well, "You and Midnight are an aunt and uncle now! That's way more important than some friendship lesson." "Well, maybe there's a way to do both," suggested Midnight, which caused the relieved glee on Starlight's face to shatter. "I think there is," Spike spoke up, having the lesson all rolled up and tidy in his claw as he looked to Twilight, "You've already done the work for Starlight's lesson with this list..." He looked to Starlight, "All we have to do is follow it!" Starlight facehooved while Twilight exclaimed, "Spike, you're a genius!" "Yeah, genius..." Starlight muttered with an unenthusiastic manner. "I suppose that settles it, then. We'll go with Shining Armor to the castle while you two go to see Sunburst," Midnight nodded. "Aye-aye, Your Majesty!" Spike saluted before marching off, Starlight in reluctant tow. "Starlight?" She looked back to Midnight, who softly said to her, "Good luck." Those two little words caught Starlight off guard and were probably the nicest things Midnight had said to her ever since she became Twilight's student. But before she could respond, she heard Spike, "Starlight, c'mon!" Starlight gave Midnight a small smile before she followed after Spike, and Twilight said, "Alright, big brother, let's go see this amazing baby pony!" *Zzzzzz.....* Poor thing, Shining Armor had literally fallen asleep on his hooves, everypony sharing sympathetic smiles when Midnight stepped forward, "Atteeennnn... SHUN!!" "WHA?! Hold up- I'm awake, I'm awake!" Shining Armor startled awake when he noticed everypony giving him cheeky looks and laughed lightly. "Oh, uh... did I doze off?" "Sorry about that, Shining, but I need you awake for this," Midnight spoke up. "Gentlecolts, present your swords." Thunderlane, Blueblood, Cheese Sandwich, and Soarin stepped forward and held out their hooves, manifesting an energy as they summoned their swords, to Shining Armor and the girls' confusion. "...What's going here?" asked Shining Armor. "A gesture of respect and camaraderie," Midnight answered as he manifested his own sword, "Ideally, Macintosh should be here for this as well, but he had to remain behind in Ponyville to look after Fluttershy. Shining Armor, step forward and kneel." Having an idea of where this was going, Shining Armor did as he was told, kneeling before Midnight while the other stallions positioned themselves behind him, their swords raised in front of them as they watched Midnight tap Shining Armor's shoulders. "Shining Armor, for actions done in service to Canterlot, to the Crystal Empire, and to Equestria as a whole, by the right of the Council, by the Magic of Friendship, I bid you rise, Sir Shining Armor, Knight of Harmony!" Everypony watching smiled, especially Twilight, who was surprised and proud, when the knights' swords suddenly gave off vibrant glows, to everypony's confusion. The swords' glows became vaporous energies that streamed together, collecting in front of Shining Armor after he'd stood up, and he was stunned to see these energies combine... into a new sword! It was a pristine blade, silvery-white with a rippling pattern along its length, the guard and handle a dark and crystalline blue. "Okay..." Midnight broke the silence as they all gazed upon this new sword floating before Shining Armor, "didn't see that coming." Shining Armor was in awe as he reached out to the new sword... only for it to flash with light at his touch before he felt it get absorbed into his own body. He was confused and alarmed at first until Midnight calmed him down, "Uh- No need to worry, Shine! The sword is now a part of you. When you don't need it it's stored inside of your body until you simply will it to appear when you do need it." "Oh! Well, uh... awesome," Shining Armor cleared his throat and gestured, "This way, then." Inside the Crystal Castle, Shining Armor led them to the door to the new nursery where the baby was. "Before we go in," said an apprehensive Shining Armor as he politely halted everyone, "I should probably tell you, seeing the baby might be a... bit of a shock." "Come on, big brother, I've met babies before," Twilight waved off the concern as she magicked the doors open and they all piled through inside to find a tired Cadance, along with a still heavily pregnant Celestia, Luna, and Sombra, who all nodded a welcome to the arrivals. "Yeah, c'mon, Shining," Midnight chuckled, "Don't take this the wrong way, but what's the big whoop about yours?" He and Twilight approached the cradle, where they found the baby wrapped snugly in a baby blue blanket. She had a soft pale pink coat, her mane was a soft purple that transitioned slightly towards pink with light blue streaks, and she had a horn. The Council of Friendship all smiled and felt their hearts swell... when the baby fussed and freed herself of her blankey and they gasped to see her unfurl a pair of wings! She cooed as she looked up at them with the most gorgeous opal eyes, and Midnight dumbly said, "Oh... that." The baby began sucking on her hoof as Twilight flabbergasted, "The baby is an alicorn?!" "Amazing!!" Midnight snapped out of his stupor and was instantly starstruck as he smiled at his niece. "I suppose it is," Cadance shrugged as she and Shining Armor smiled lovingly at their daughter. "Hold on, I'm confused," Blueblood spoke up as he stepped closer to give his niece a better look, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't one only able to become an alicorn by accomplishing a worthy deed of sorts?" "Yeah, how can ya jus' be born an alicorn?" agreed a confused Applejack. "The birth of an alicorn has not happened for over a thousand years," Celestia explained, "The last time that occurred was when Luna was born, and before her, me." "It makes sense to me," Sombra pointed out, "After all, both parents are alicorns themselves, so why not should this little one be an alicorn?" "Wow! A unicorn and a pegasus!" Pinkie exclaimed as she and Cheese got a closer look at the baby. "I betcha she'll be a superstrong flyer and have crazy baby magic!" added Cheese Sandwich. "Well, I know all about super-strong flying," boasted Rainbow Dash while loop-de-looping. "And I can help keep tabs on her magic," volunteered Twilight, when they noticed the baby fuss a little before she made a big snee- *ACHOO/CRASHOOOOOM* It'd only been for a brief moment, but the baby's sneeze had unleashed a literal pillar of magical power that blasted straight through the ceiling above, and then to the ceiling above that one, and even that one after and so on! A mare two floors above meekly looked down at them, part of her mane burned away, and all eyes looked in stunned stupor to the baby as she rubbed her tickled nose and began to doze. "It appears her magic is more powerful than that of a newborn unicorn!" Celestia exclaimed softly while gently stroking the baby's mane. "The crowds have already started to gather," Luna brought up as she looked out the windows, seeing the citizens gathering outside. A balloon swelled beside her and it suspended Pinkie for a moment... "This Crystalling is gonna be some party!" ... before it popped and she went kerplump. "Do you... think maybe we should call it off?" Cadance brought up while letting her baby suck on her hoof. "Um, we've all faced a lot worse than baby magic," scoffed Rainbow Dash. "I can't imagine canceling such a beautiful and important ceremony over something so potentially adorable," Rarity added, and the girls all added their own words of excited agreement. "Maybe so, but this little one is clearly far more powerful than any newborn unicorn," pointed out Midnight. "I suspect she may be on the verge of a magic surge, which could explain why her magic is so strong so soon." "In light of this young one's abilities, this Crystalling may be more important than we initially thought," Sombra stated before addressing his two successors, "Perhaps you should address your subjects and remind them of that." Cadance nodded and gave her sweet little filly a tender kiss before she ventured out the door, Sombra and the Royal Sisters following, when the Council of Friendship heard more snoring and noticed Shining Armor had dozed off yet again. "Uh, Shining?" Midnight gently jostled his brother-in-law awake, "Is there anything you need before the ceremony begins?" !!! "OH NO!!!" Shining Armor instantly remembered and began to panic, "I still have to interview the Honor Guards, choose the purity crystal, and pick a Crystaller!" The enormity and importance of these tasks he'd let slip his mind threatened to overwhelm the new father as he dropped onto his rump and shook like a leaf when Twilight placed an assuring hoof on her brother's shoulder, "Alright, take it easy. Pinkie and Cheese can stay to help me watch the baby." "And we'll all help you take care of everything," added Midnight, the others all nodding and murmuring yes... when again, Shining Armor's exhaustion got the better of him, "assuming you can stay awake long enough to make sure we do things right." Meanwhile, after a little delay instigated not-so-subtly by Starlight, she and Spike were approaching the address on the list where Sunburst was supposed to live. It was a small crystal house built of pale green crystal with an orange roof that resembled a wizard's hat. Walking up to the doors, Starlight raised her hoof to knock- "Wait!" Spike suddenly yelled. "What?!" Starlight flinched, looking at Spike over her shoulder. "Knocking on the doors isn't the next thing on the list," Spike pointed out. "...Seriously?" Starlight gave the dragon a flat look. "I know Twilight can be a little nitpicky, but this is your first lesson as her pupil," Spike explained, "and it's important that we do it right." "Fine... What's the next thing on the list?" Starlight caved. Clearing his throat, Spike read aloud, "'Before they see each other, make sure to highlight the importance of the meeting'." "I'm... pretty sure we can skip that." "I don't know... I mean, if we skip it, the whole lesson could go south. And then you might end up taking a giant step backwards instead of forwards. Maybe you'll never be able to learn anything about friendship at all!" Starlight flinched yet again when Spike got up in her face, "It's almost like your whole future depends on this moment..." Then the libelous lizard held the list and smugly said, "Highlight the importance of the meeting, check! I can't believe you wanted to skip that." Starlight turned to look at the door again, grimacing as she forced herself to knock. *Knock, knock, knock* Stepping back, she waited... and there was no answer. She and Spike shared a look before she almost turned away, only for the door to ease open. "Sunburst?" "Yes?" a unicorn stallion asked with a slightly nerdy voice, "what can I do for you?" Although he kept to the shadows inside, Starlight could see him and recognize him. He had the same sunny golden coat and vivid vermillion-orange mane (which looked like it was in need of a good combing), and he had a blaze mark running down between his eyes to the tip of his snoot the same color as the "stocking" marks on his hooves and fetlocks, but now his deep blue eyes were behind a pair of glasses, and he'd grown a slightly unkempt beard, and he wore some kind of cloak. "It's me, Starlight," she said hesitantly, "We... used to be friends?" Sunburst thought for a second before he remembered and stepped out into the sunlight, awkwardly smiling, "Oh, of course! Starlight, uh- My goodness, it's... been such a long time. What uh, what have you been up to?" "Me? Oh! You know, some of this, some of that. Different stuff..." Starlight replied awkwardly herself, "Right now I'm sort of Twilight Sparkle's new pupil." "The Princess of Friendship?!" Sunburst was honestly impressed to hear that. "Heh, yeah, that's actually kind of why I'm here," Starlight confirmed, "I mean- I know you're probably very busy." "What do you mean?" asked Sunburst. "Well, I figured, after magic school, you'd go on to do important wizard work, but..." Starlight assumed. "Oh, no- YES! Oh, yes, that's me," Sunburst replied, a little shifty-eyed and nervous, "Important wizard! Really busy with lots of, uh... wizarding stuff." ... ... ... "Right! Well.... good to see you," Sunburst immediately stepped back inside and shut the door, leaving Starlight to look anxiously at Spike. "Huh. Maybe we should have skipped 'highlighting the importance of the meeting', after all," he shrugged. "Well, I guess that's that," Starlight began to leave, only for Spike to bar her way. "Starlight, c'mon! We have to at least explain what Twilight wants." "Ugh..." Starlight responded as Spike pushed her back to the door and she knocked again. After hearing Cadance make the announcement of the Crystalling to their citizens and the crystal ponies cheering in response, Shining Armor was panicking yet again as he looked back and forth between the curtain and the guardsponies who comprised the Honor Guard division of the Crystal Guard. "I'm not ready!" Shining Armor fretted. "Shining, relax, remember," Midnight held his hoof to his chest and waited for Shining Armor to do the same, and then they both took a deep breath before exhaling and making the gesture of letting it out. Then the sapphire alicorn levitated the two helmets for the guardponies who would be selected. "Just choose who among the Honor Guard you have the greatest trust and respect for." "Right! Right..." Shining Armor took the helmets but instead of pausing to think, he just levitated them randomly onto two of the guards, who nodded in gratitude of the honor albeit with the helmets on the wrong way while the rest of them looked a tad disappointed they hadn't been chosen and they all excused themselves. Shining Armor looked lamely at Midnight, who'd already facehooved. "Ugh, I'm sorry, Midnight... Fatherhood is way more stressful than I ever thought." "I can only imagine what you're going through, Shining Armor," Midnight replied in an understanding tone, "but you gotta loosen up! Yes, this ceremony is important, but instead of worrying about it so much, try to remember that this is a happy day. You and Cadance are going to present your daughter and heir to the crystal ponies, and their happiness and hope in celebration of your foal will help to make the Crystal Empire an even safer kingdom." "Okay, okay..." Shining Armor finally began to relax- "Oh Shining Armor...!" called Rarity as she and Blueblood approached, the fashionista levitating a box. "Glad to have caught up with you, Blueblood and I have narrowed down a choice set of crystals for you to choose as the Purity Crystal for the Ceremony!" She levitated the box and opened the lid, revealing the shards inside, "Thus, I have gone through the trouble of arranging them from in order from incredibly pure to-" "Rarity, my love," Blueblood interjected, "I've already told you, apart from their forms they are all the same in purity!" "Blueblood, dear!" Rarity scoffed, "I would think you've a keener eye for these sort of things!" As Rarity and Blueblood bickered, Midnight whispered to Shining Armor, "Ugh, I hope Twilight, Pinkie, and Cheese are doing well with the baby." "Oh, I'm sure they're okay," Shining Armor whispered back, "Earlier, Cadance said to me she sent word to our little... secret weapon." In the nursery, Pinkie tried her best to hold onto the baby, who was laughing and cooing as she flapped about the room, zapping beams of pastel yellow magic around, which Twilight was doing her best to counter with her own magic. "Pinkie, hold her still!" Twilight yelled. "I'm trryyyyyyiiiinnnnngggg...!!!" Pinkie wailed as the baby dragged her along when Cheese tried to wave some stuffies. "Hey, baby! Come get the pwetty bunny, or-or the... snail?" Cheese chuckled nervously,m hoping one of those baby magic beams didn't burn a hole through his noggin. The baby noticed Cheese and the stuffies and squealed in delight before suddenly twirling about and throwing Pinkie for a loop, who landed painfully onto the changing station, while she flew over to Cheese, who nervously held out the stuffies... and felt her take the snail. They watched as she finally relaxed and cuddled with the snail stuffy, cooing softly, which tuged at their heartstrings, and they all went, "Awwwww!!" "Everything okay in here?" Their eyes turned to the door and they smiled to see a familiar changeling foal step in, with reddish-pink coverings over her wings and bright pink eyes, and Twilight smiled, "Elytra!" "Twilight!" Elytra hurried over to Twilight, who swept her up into a hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you," Twilight gave the cuddlebug a warm and tender hug before setting her down, "You look like you're doing well." "And you all look like you're doing okay with the baby," Elytra commented, "and I see you found her favorite stuffy." "The snail?" Cheese was a little surprised. Sure it was a cute snail, but... "Uh-huh, it was one of the toys on sale in the market a while back," Elytra explained, "Thorax and I saw it and I thought it would be a nice present for the baby when she came, and somehow it became her favorite. Usually, if she gets fussy, just give it to her and she'll calm down." "Phew! That's good to hear," Pinkie sighed as she gathered herself. "Cadance thought you all might need a little help, and asked me to come check on you," Elytra mentioned before she went over to the baby, who smiled happily to see her that she immediately flew to her and they shared an adorable hug. "Hi, baby! Ready for your big day?" "I hope so, and I hope that her magic calms down and soon," Twilight sighed with relief to see her niece behaving. LAter, Midnight had gotten Shining Armor to freshen up and get himself together after they'd just grabbed a random crystal from Rarity's box and told her and Blueblood to cool it. Arriving back in the Crystal Heart courtyard, they were joined by Thorax, who'd been finishing up some paperwork for the Crystal Empire advisory board and asked him to come along. As they got there, they saw that the Royal Sisters, Sombra, and Cadance had just arrived as well, and Shining Armor hurried over to his wife, "OK, I chose the Honor Guard, picked the purity crystal, and, if you agree, I thought that Thorax could be our Crystaller!" "Me?!" Thorax suddenly felt like a vice had latched onto his chest. "I think that's a wonderful idea," Cadance agreed before smiling at Thorax, "You've been so helpful ever since you and Elytra came to live here with us, and I think you deserve a little recognition for everything you've done." "I- I- I-" Thorax stuttered. "Then it's settled. Now all we need is..." Shining Armor trailed off, trying to remember- "The baby?" Midnight asked, causing Shining Armor to pull a dumb look of realization. "We're here!" Shining Armor phew'd to himself in relief as everypony looked to see Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Cheese Sandwich coming, with the baby and Elytra inside a magenta bubble of mana flying about and laughing. Cadance lit up her horn to probe Twilight's bubble, and she let it give way to allow Cadance's mana to enclose the baby in her own bubble, separating her from Elytra who Twilight gently set down, none of them noticing the baby's distress as she began to tear up. It was only when she let out a whimper that they looked up at her and- *"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"* -she released such a screaming cry that would have made any lunar pony green with envy, everypony feeling the power behind those pipes as they struggled to stand their ground, some covered their ears, and nopony noticed the Crystal Heart suddenly stop rotating on its pedestal, vibrate as if it were struggling... before webs of cracks spread all over it and it shattered to pieces!!! *GASP* Everypony gaped in abject horror at the splintered shards that were all that remained of the precious artifact, Cadance absentmindedly reaching out with her foreleg to catch her daughter as the little one alighted herself into her mother's hold. "Ah'm... guessin' tha's gonna make it hard t' do th' Crystallin'," Applejack said lamely. "It's worse than that..." All eyes turned to Twilight as she opened the curtain, revealing a distant storm on the rise, "Without the Crystal Heart, the Empire is about to be buried under a mountain of ice and snow!" Indeed, dark surging clouds of cold gathered all around the borders of the Crystal Empire, slowly but surely encroaching inwards, bringing with them the promise of a frozen doom for all, and it was all because of a baby filly's tantrum.