//------------------------------//
// Arrival and Meetings 
// Story: The Crystal Empress 
// by Mystic Sunrise 
//------------------------------//

As her chariot landed with a soft thump, Princess Luna sighed. Standing, she stretched her wings for all they were worth, before stepping down, her Royal Guard escort falling into line around her.

It was a long flight from the Everfree Castle to the Crystal Empire. How the mail carrier had made it was a miracle in of itself. She made a mental note to commend the stallion when and if she had a chance.

Captain Steel Wing, the leader of Luna's escort, gave the city before them a cold look. "I still believe this to be a mistake. We do not know much of this place or the ponies that live here. This could be a trap."

Luna sighed. This had been a recurring argument between the two of them for some time now, and it didn't appear to be ending anytime soon. "Be that as it may, Captain, we are here, and I have given my word that I will appear. I will not make Equestria look bad by going back on that."

Steel Wing frowned but kept his tongue. His was not to question his princess's orders or decisions. But that didn't mean he had to like them and made that clear with his demeanor.

For her part, Luna wasn't sure how to proceed with this any more than her escort was. Very little was known of the Crystal Empire. Not through any deliberate isolation on the country's part, but the empire had done very little to get to know Equestria.

What was known, was that the empire viewed the racial hatred and outright warfare between the three types of ponies, with disgust and scorn. From what Luna had learned from Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead, the Crystal Royal Family had refused for many years to recognize the leaders of the three tribes in any way, shape, or form. Not even King Buillion had been recognized.

With the establishment of Equestria however, that had begun to change. More and more crystal ponies had begun to be seen in Equestria, and even a few Equestrians had seen the Crystal City itself. 

And while Luna had spoken to Empress Venus on an informal basis, mostly as one ruler to another, much was still unknown about the Crystal Empire. So Luna had been surprised to receive a formal, and a not so informal, invitation to Crystal Princess Amicitia's Royal Crystaling.

Whatever that was. And maybe, just maybe, finally open up real relations between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Luna hoped so anyway. Though Luna would be the first to admit that she was curious as to what this celebration was all about.

Luna watched as a squad what she could only assume was the Imperial Guard approached. Compared to her own guard detachment, the Imperial Guard squad was all mares, which raised a few eyebrows amongst her squad.

Luna could only chuckle before she turned serious and gave her guards a look that brokered no arguments. "Whatever you may think of the Crystal Empire or why we are here, for as long as we are, we are their guests. You will treat them well and with courtesy. Or it is permanent latrine duty for all of you, for the rest of your carriers. Am I understood?"

The guards all gulped in fear, but kept their faces straight and nodded. Luna smiled as she turned back to the mares that had come to greet them.

The mare leading them looked rather young, a teenager if Luna had to guess. Her milk-white coat stood out against her blue and pink mane. Despite her age though, she carried herself like a seasoned professional. "Princess Luna. I'm Captain Crystal Dawn. Personal guard of Princess Amicitia herself. I will be your guide while you are here."

Luna was rather taken aback by the young mare's forwardness, but she was also glad. Too many made a fool of themselves when they first met her. She also seemed to not be shocked at what kind of pony Luna was. But she held off her questions for now and merely bowed her head. "Then please, lead on Captain."

Crystal nodded, and with practiced ease, she and her squad formed an escort around Luna and her own squad. Again, Luna was surprised at how easily it came to them. Clearly, they knew what they were doing and were not just for show.

Crystal saw Luna's look and rolled her eyes, as she fell in beside the princess. "Despite what it looks like, it is dangerous around the empire. I've had to save Amicitia's flank more than once. I think she does it purpose sometimes, just so I can save her."

Luna giggled. "You are comfortable using her name like that, though? Does the princess know about this?"

Crystal sighed. "Amicitia insisted that I use one of her names, instead of her title. "I want you to do this, not because you've been ordered to. But because you want to, Crystal. I don't want you to just be my guard. We have enough of those. If you're going to be assigned to me like this, I want us to be friends," is how she put it to me when I got the duty."

Luna could see the merit in the idea. Being the princess's personal bodyguard was one thing. But it meant, even more, when the pony who did so, fulfilled her role not only because of her duty but because she cared about her charge. Not just as her princess. But as her friend.

Steel Wing, while still surprised by all of this, could also see the merit behind it. He was curious about one thing though. "The princess has more than one name?" He asked.

One of Crystal's companions nodded. "She has several, in fact. Her Throne Name, which is what she is known by in all official capacity and rolls, and which most ponies know her by, and her Personal Name, a much more private name which only those closest to her, her family and closest friends, know. Only the princess herself can tell you her Personal Name."

Luna found that a little odd. She herself only had the one name, and she was more than happy to keep it that way. But this was another nation. Things would be different here of course. She was curious though, as she looked at the mares around the group, as they finally entered the city proper. "Is all the Imperial Guard mares?"

Crystal shook her head, looking smug at something. "No. It really depends on the pony in question. Empress Venus has more than a few stallions in her guard. But Princess Amicitia insisted her guard detachment be all mares. It's her choice after all. What happens when she one day ascends to the throne herself, I do not know. But we are proud to serve her for however long she deems."

Crystal and her squad clashed the butts of the spears against the ground at this, a fierce fire burning in their eyes. Luna could not help but admire it. She would count herself lucky if any of her guards felt like that about her.

Oh, she didn't doubt their loyalty. More than once, they had helped her against something from the Everfree Forest. But she now wondered how much of that was because they cared about her as a pony, and not just as their princess? A question for later, perhaps.

As they passed down the street, Luna and the others looked around at the city around them. It wasn't called the Crystal Empire for anything it seemed. Everything seemed to be made out of crystal. Even the ponies themselves were almost see-through.

Everypony it seemed was going in the same direction. In the distance rose a single spire, presumably where the Royal Family lived. If it was possible, it was even more crystally than the rest of the city.

Few ponies paid them much attention, though a few looked at Luna odd, a sight she was used to by now. She got that look all the time from ponies who had never seen her before. It came with being an alicorn, she supposed. But why did it seem nopony was shocked to see an alicorn at all? The looks seemed more about how much she stood out.

Odd. Maybe it was something she could look into later. For now, though, their escort made it easy for them to move to the front of the huge crowd that was gathering at the base of the spire.

At the base, a crystal heart floated seemingly on its own, between two pillars, one from the ground and one from the ceiling. While the sight intrigued Luna, her eyes were drawn to the two ponies who stepped forward to meet them.

Empress Venus was in full regalia, its crystalline color standing out as a nice contrast to her rose-red coat and sky blue mane. The fact that she was a Pegasus surprised Luna, but she hid it well. She had heard that the Royal Family had contained every kind of pony, each one going on to rule the empire in time.

Next to her could only be her daughter. Amicitia was a contrast to her mother in some ways, but Luna could also see the resemblance in her mane and the slight pink tone on parts of her body. What surprised her the most, however, was that Amicitia did not yet have her cutie mark. Strange. Most ponies her age had gained theirs by now.

Pushing the thought aside, Luna bowed, as did Venus and Amicitia. "Your highness. Thank you for letting me come to your fair city. May it lead to more in the future," Luna intoned.

Venus smiled. "And I welcome you, Princess Luna of Equestria, to the Crystal Empire. I have heard great things about you. I too hope that this may lead to better things between us in the future."

Together, the three of them stood and faced each other again. Venus pushed Amicitia forward with a wing, her smile growing. "And this is my daughter, Amicitia. I'm sure the two of you can get along."

Luna chuckled, while the younger princess gave her mother a flat look before she looked back at Luna. Namely, at her horn. "They were right. We do have something in common," she finally said.

Luna blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Amicitia smiled as she spread her wings and brushed her mane from her forehead, revealing what had been hidden by her crown before now. Luna felt her mouth drop in shock at what was revealed.

A horn.

Amicitia lit her horn, the appendage glowing blue as she removed her crown. "How many ponies do you know of that have both wings and a horn?"

Luna blinked in shock, as did her guard escort, while Venus and Amicitia's own guards giggled. Luna finally found her voice. "You're. You're an alicorn?"

Twilight and her mother shared a confused look, before turning back to Princess Luna. "I'm a what now?" Twilight asked.

Luna shook her head, trying to contain her surprise. "An alicorn. A pony that embodies all three tribes in one. The strength and stamina of an earth pony, the flight and weather manipulation of a Pegasus, and the magic of a unicorn." She pointed at Twilight's blank flank. "It would also explain why you do not have your cutie mark yet. Alicorns gain their cutie mark much later than most ponies."

Twilight tapped her chin. That explained a few things about her. Her horn and wings had been a part of her since the day she had been born. It was only when she had met other foals her age had she had seen how different she was.

Empress Venus, on the other hoof, was still surprised by one thing in particular. "I thought alicorns were nothing but a myth? Until I saw you, I believed Amicitia was one of a kind."

Luna shook her head, more than happy to tell as much as she knew. "Alicorns have never been a common type of pony. Very rarely will one be born to parents of any of the three tribes, for no apparent reason. There is no known way to know if a child will be one or not."

Venus gave her daughter, who appeared to be deep in thought, a worried look. "Is it a bad thing that my daughter is much like yourself, Princess Luna? She has never been one to try and stand out in a crowd. Whether ponies want her too or not."

Amicitia nodded, frowning slightly. "I envy the citizens of the empire sometimes. They don't have to worry about the things I do. About one da ascending a throne I am woefully not ready for. I don't think I ever will be."

Luna and Venus shared a knowing smile, Lifting the young princess's head with a hoof, Luna's smile grew. "And that, young one, is why you are worthy to one day take that throne. No true ruler who ruled well ever thought they were ready or worthy of their position. Those that believe it is their right and destiny to rule? They tend to be the worst kinds."

Venus nodded, draping a wing over her daughter. "And never, ever think, that you are not worthy, Little Star. The empire loves you, and I know you love every one of the ponies in it. You will make a fine ruler one day." She chuckled. "Hopefully, not anytime soon. But I believe in you."

That did more to raise Amicitia's spirits than she had ever thought possible. Her doubts about her ability to one day rule in her mother's place still remained, and a part of her knew that they always would, but her confidence in her ability to do so had grown.

Was this how her mom had felt before she had ascended the throne herself? It was something she would ask her about later.

Luna chuckled, before looking back at Venus. "Onto another subject, what exactly is all of this about? Your letter was not forthcoming with what all of this is for or means."

Venus nodded. "It is Amicitia's coming of age if you will. Normally, a Crystaling is done soon after a filly or colt is born. But for one of the Royal Family that is destined to one day take the throne, it is done at a time that is seemingly chosen at random by the Crystal Heart."

Luna looked again at the heart that floated behind the group. She guessed that is what Venus meant by the Crystal Heart. She had heard rumors of it. That it was powered by the love and warmth of the crystal ponies and kept the empire safe.

Amicitia saw Luna's look and nodded. "I'm sure you've heard rumors of what the Crystal Heart is and what it can do. That our love and warmth help to power it, and it helps to protect the empire. Well, they're right. It's a bit more complicated than that. But that is the short version of it."

Luna nodded. She could feel that there was more to it than that but kept her questions to herself for now. "And what does this, Royal Crystaling entail then?"

Venus looked back at the heart as well. "It is the moment when the Crystal Princess forms her own unique bond with the Crystal Heart. How they do so, and what form that bond takes, changes from one pony to the next."

Amicitia and Venus shared a knowing look, leaving Luna slightly irritated that she wasn't in on whatever passed between the two. "There is more that happens as well. But that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?" Amicitia said with a smirk.

Luna sighed. She wasn't getting any more out of them, it seemed. Though she counted herself lucky she had learned this much already. Was it always like this? Or was it just her being an outsider?