Colonel Hooves and the Empire of Crystal

by KarmaSentinal


Chapter 5: Matters of the heart are not part of a balanced breakfast. (Edits HorseWordFan)

Lunch was delivered about an hour later, and this time I did partake in the meal. 

We chose to eat at the small table provided for us by the window; a smaller version of a dining table, but big enough to comfortably seat four ponies of a normal stature. This served us well as the bowls of soup and the single loaf of seasoned bread didn’t need too much space. 

I had just taken another sip of this wonderful berry soup when Cersus had enough of her meal, and sought to confront Topaz and myself. 

“What did you say O’ Friendly?” my neck fur was already bristling, but I managed to keep it from being too noticeable. 

“Nothing physical or intentional little one, but there is more to our relocation than the original agreement.” Cersus quickly turned to Topaz sitting next to her for clarification. 

“We’re minor nobility, and Princess Celestia might be around more often.” The pegasus rattled off as she stirred the soup using her wing to hold the spoon. 

I watched while nibbling on the emotions plaguing the pegasus, and the results were disheartening. One moment we were infected with a joy trailing us as an animal looking for substance might, to moping over a bowl of soup. Honesty is the right choice, but every time I attempt to follow this logic the truth only leads to more misery.

“Like those stuck up ones in Canterlot?” Cersus asked now looking at me as Topaz sulked.

“Not even close,  but we do receive a title.”  She perked up while chirping excitedly. 

“Neat! Wait until Nighthawk hears about this! I have to write her…”

“After you finish eating. The kitchen staff work hard to prepare our meal, and we should strive to return an empty dish.” The young nymph looked down at her bowl wondering how she would finish the rest of the soup when Topaz’s hoof reached for it.

“Go write your letter, I’ll finish it for you.” 

Topaz had ceased stirring the soup with her wing, and sat properly once more. Not being told twice, Cersus immediately pushed the chair back and dropped to the floor, running underneath the table as she bolted for the nightstand next to the bed. I gave the pegasus a look, one she returned in kind. 

“It’s the happiest she’s been all week, Idol.” She poured most of Cersus’ soup into her bowl, before offering me the rest, and following her lead did the same and placed the empty bowl next to mine. 

“I’ve noticed her lack of enthusiasm for nearly two weeks now, and wrongfully dismissed the mood as a rebellious plot in the making.” I took another spoonful of the delicious berry soup and hoped Cersus had her fill before leaving.

Topaz held the spoon just above the surface of the soup as she blew on the spoon to quickly cool the liquid, but returned it to the bowl to look up at me. I watched her as I continued sipping on my soup about to read her emotions and face for hints, but gave up when she returned her attention to the bowl. 

“It did come out of nowhere. I didn’t even find a proper replacement for the university, or spend any real time with mother or Honey.”

“The guard scheduled a replacement, but left me little opportunity to instruct them once preparations for the move began. Mothchaser seemed saddened by the news.”

“You still haven’t figured it out?” It was my turn to return the spoon to the bowl as I watched Topaz take another sip of the soup.  Her features were still heavy with the possible betrothal on her mind, but the playful air she often wore was returning to her mannerisms as she asked the question. 

I had a very good understanding of the mild depression, but had feigned ignorance to avoid confronting the issue entirely. The answer was I couldn't, if not for my integrity, but on the condition that Mothchaser had been a great friend that deserved much better than what I could provide. The thestral earned an explanation, and one I will deliver once Luna approves of it. 

“An attraction that has only grown over the years.” Topaz deposited the spoon into what little remained of the soup, her playfulness replaced with the seriousness I`ve only seen when Cersus nearly set fire to her ‘specimen collection’.

Her mouth opened to speak, but closed it just as I was about to ask her something. In the silence following this transition, I could hear a muted grinding coming from Topaz’s direction, her cheeks bulging every time she moved her jaw against the other. I can neither confirm or deny if this was the source of the sound, but her entire body language had become more reserved and rigid with her wings firmly fastened to her sides. 

It’s clear the rumored marriage to Celestia shook Topaz, but to couple it by bringing up Mothchaser only worsened what happiness was still left. 

“I’m fine with both of them..” she looked down at her hooves as she spoke “..they’re nice ponies, and we’ll be..” 

“Enough of this.” I cut Topaz off, making her look up to me with some confusion to my declaration. “The wedding is nothing more than speculation by idle guards lacking enough to occupy them.”

“Idol, this isn’t something we can just ignore and hope it goes away!” 

“It is neither confirmed nor proven by credible sources…”

“...but if it is true Idol? What then?”  There was a hint of desperation coating her features, as she slumped back into the chair. 

“I don’t know, and that worries me.” I finally admitted. 

What was left of our meal ended after that as both of us took the moment to process everything that had been said, and were feeling as I found Topaz’s concerns to be valid.

The topic had been approached before but only as a part of a debate amongst Whispy, Bold and myself when a joke about letting that griffin hen join them grew too confrontational. Not fully understanding the ramifications of the addition of another, I sought my longest friend and roommate’s opinion, and her response only helped reveal another facet of ponies I needed to learn- family dynamics. 

After composing herself, I had listened as Topaz explained the benefit of herds for additional caretakers, resources they provide, and the social meaning behind them. It’s one formality for nobility, or royalty to marry, but another when one joins a herd in a lesser standing of the hierarchy of family politics. 

This lecture from the past became relevant now as the worry for the political scandal would affect her highness’ reputation, while Topaz struggled with what it would do to our current life; all it took was for my friend/partner to spell it out to realize there was substantially more to this agreement than living together. 

“Where’s Cersus?” Topaz asked as she pushed herself away from the table. 

“Writing a letter?” I answered unsurely as I matched her lead and stood up, years of conditioning forcing me to take action.

“Cersus?” She called out, moving around the table toward the vacant desk.

I didn’t even reach the desk when somepony knocked twice on our room door, I looked to Topaz to verify we in fact weren’t expecting any guests. She shook her head no, and with the confirmation we weren’t expecting any proceeded to the door to inform them just that. 

The pony knocked twice more before I managed to open the door, and found a pair of Crystal Guards standing on the other side. The yellow earth pony had his hoof raised for another knock when he noticed me, and quickly dropped the appendage to click his hooves together.

“Corporal Ivory Rock, and Private Snow Bank reporting as ordered.” 

“Neither I nor my partner ever requested a guard detail.” My admission left me unsure as he looked to his partner for confirmation, who nodded in confirmation with the assertion this wasn’t the case. He turned back to me, and I shook my head no. 

“But your foal said you need our presence immediately.”

“WHAT!?” The three of us turned around just in time to see Topaz just landing, likely having flown that short distance to the door. 

“Quickly, take us where you last saw her.” I commanded the guards as I followed Topaz into the hallway.  


When Shining Armor heard the knocking he didn’t know what to expect, but as the Crystal Prince he had some ideas. Opening his bedroom doors, he found no carrier with a message or a guard requesting his immediate attention, but a familiar foal staring up at him with her orange eyes…

Weren't they a different color?’ he thought before lightly coughing into his hoof to address the filly before him. 

“Hello...” Shining left the greeting open to see if she would give her name again, but mentally sighed when she didn’t. 

“Mr. Prince.” 

The two fell silent after that greeting with Shining trying to figure out why his best friend’s foal was here as Cersus waited to be invited in. Shining opened the door more as he took a step back.

“Thanks mister.” the filly commented as she weaved her way through the opening, slowing down to marvel at the room. “Wow, this is nicer than ours!” 

Shining didn’t respond, but nodded along as he observed the filly so casually strolling into Cadence’s and his room. He didn’t even stop the strange filly from wandering around, checking out some of the more mundane pieces of their room with a curiosity that emulated his sister’s own desire to learn and explore. 

Standing by the door, the unicorn was content to watch the pegasus filly explore when he gathered his senses and remembered why he and his wife had decided to stay in bed after dealing with a brief matter.

“I’m sorry, but why are you here and nor with Idol and Topaz?” His question alerted the filly she wasn’t alone, and in the blink of the eyes her color faded slightly.

Shining Armor blinked a few times before rubbing his eyes trying to figure out if he saw what he just saw, but as his mind did flips processing whether or not he saw the change, the filly in suspicion finished her explanation. 

“...and that’s how I got in here.”  Cersus finished explaining, happy to have found somepony that would listen.

“Uh huh.” Shining Armor continued staring down at red and orange foal, still lost how looking for a quill led to their room… past the guards who had disappeared. 

Unsure of what to do, the unicorn looked over his shoulder toward his sleeping wife who had confiscated the entire bed for ‘official business’, and the only indication Cadence was even there was the rising and falling mass of blankets. Movement in his peripheral vision reminded him of his friend’s unusual foal waiting for something.

His experience with foals was limited to his little sister, but even that was less caring for, and more watching over. The actual raising and caring for Twilight besides his parents came from his lovely wife, and his liege and Twilight’s mentor- Princess Celestia. 

Guard training and common sense aside dictated certain protocols when dealing with younglings, pony or not, but theory and experience were two different beasts. 

“I..sorry what was your name again?” He caved in, and asked for the filly’s name. 

“Cersus.” she stated with an edge in her voice, and this aggression was enough for Shining to shift focus away from the strange name. 

“Cersus, right. Uh, let’s take this elsewhere and leave Cadence to her nap…”

“Cadence?” She asked while trying to peer around the stallion at the bed, curiosity piqued. 

“My wife, she’s uh..Cersus?” He moved slightly to block the foal from approaching the bed, and his blatant obstruction of the filly earned him the pegasus way of venting their frustration- wing fluttering. 

“What’s the deal bub?” Her tone was still off putting, and in a way mimicked Topaz’s stern voice she had used at least once in his presence. Doubts of the filly’s parentage were lessening the more he interacted with the filly.

“She needs her rest…”

“But it's the middle of the day!” the filly huffed while trying to sidestep the annoying unicorn that kept blocking her view of this Cadence pony. 

Cersus didn’t even care who this pony was, but if she’s married to the prince Idol knew then wouldn’t she be a princess? One she knew nothing about, and is just right there in view! 

The letter by this point was forgotten as the need to steal a peek of this mysterious princess became her entire mission, but the mass of blankets and the stallion standing in front of her were preventing this from happening. Her time spent in the Canterlot underbelly had wised her up to the real world, and it would be these skills she would draw from to achieve her mission. 

“Do you take naps?” the filly asked, and just as she predicted his stance loosened up at the innocent question. 

“Sometimes when I’m feeling a little tired…”

“You’re old, it's fine.” Cersus almost giggled as the unicorn’s body once more became rigid, his brow taking a sharp descent as he took offence to the foalish tactic.  

“I’m not!” She stuck her tongue out, and falling for the bait, Shining reacted. 

He went to grab the troublesome filly, but having expected this she jumped back to create some distance between them before running for the right. She made some progress, but his height gave him a bigger stride to catch up, blocking her path once more. She feigned left, and then right before reversing to go left again, but years spent keeping up with a teleporting baby sister gave Shining the reflexes to keep up.

This surprising agility only further annoyed Cersus as her normal tricks were failing, leaving the filly desperate to figure out how to get past him when a wicked idea struck her. It wasn’t the exact same method she used to outrun some school bullies back in the Canterlot backways, but it would (hopefully) work all the same. The key to this trick required a sharp mind and quicker hooves, and to the stallion’s misfortune she had both. 

“YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!” Cersus yelled before turning tail and running for the door, leaving Shining confused and looking over his shoulder to see if the noise had woken up his tired wife before giving chase. 

He followed her as she bolted for the door. Her unexpected maneuver gave the filly an early lead, but Shining’s height allowed him to cross the distance much faster. This advantage allowed him to almost catch the filly as she pushed the door open, and not willing to let her get away, he collided with the door using his shoulder to absorb the impact while pushing it open. 

“Where are you?” He asked himself as he searched the empty hall for her. 

As he searched for the filly, Shining Armor nearly missed Cersus who had been hiding behind one of the doors, but she had cut her entry too short and clipped the door eliciting a muted yelp.

“Hey! Stop that!” he called as Cersus picked up speed toward the bed, her laughter pelting his ears all the way.

“Too slow, pinhead...hey!” her run came to halt as the tingling blue magic picked her up into the air.

“That’s isn’t very nice to call a unicorn.'' His hoof steps grew louder as he approached, but his tone was one Cersus knew all too well. The condescending attitude she frequently used during her friendship jobs made her fur bristle as she was flipped around to face the grinning unicorn. 

“I thought it was.” She mumbled as he eyed the filly closer, noting how her red fur and blue mane seemed out of place for a normal color palette.

Maybe she dyed her fur, and mane? I can’t imagine Idol supporting such an alteration on foals, especially his foal.’ 

“Can you let me go?” 

“Are you going to behave?” 

“Nope.” That earned the filly a chuckle as Shining carefully set her down. 

“Listen, Cersus. I’m serious about Cadence needing her rest…” 

Before he could finish explaining the importance of getting a proper rest, the partially opened doors burst inward with the fury of a Clydesdale. He didn’t even get to blink when the miniature frame of Topaz hurried in with Idol following closely behind. 

Her eyes flashed to Shining Armor before locking on the worried filly trying to move behind him.  

“CERSUS REDSHOCK HOOVES!” 

Shining Armor and Cersus both flinched at the griffon like screech Topaz had managed to summon as she hurriedly moved toward them. 

Her hoofsteps carried the same commanding presence as she made her way over to them, and after passing Shining Armor, he appeared to have breathed a ‘thank you’ before bolting over to Idol . 


“Shining.” I greeted him as Topaz confronted our ‘daughter’ about her behavior.


“Idol? Topaz? Cadence!” He blurted out, still reeling from the all powerful display. 

“We didn’t cross paths, but I assumed she was with you?” I asked, wondering if we had passed Cadence on the way here. He quelled my fears. 

“She is but…”

“SHINY, PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN!” 

The chatter ceased as the Canterlot Voice overtook everything while we were left trying to dodge the incoming pillows and flying blankets. Only after confirming we were indeed alright did we return our attention to the bed, and the owner of the pair of lungs.

The missing princess was revealed, and nearly laying upright if it weren’t for a single large mass impeding her ability to stand up. Cadence’s look flickered from irritable rage to astonishment as she processed not only were they not alone, but the identities of their company. Her ears flattened as the embarrassment of her outburst became apparent, but the shocked looks of her friends remained. 

“Idol. Topaz. Hi.” She greeted us with a less flashy demonstration of her voice, but the thoughtfulness was lost when another griffon screech filled the void.

“Cadence! When?” Topaz screamed as she rushed the bed, overwhelmed with the excitement of this discovery. 

Cadence looked to her swollen abdomen and blushed as she counted the months. I turned to Shining who looked equally embarrassed and evasive and after counting the months till now myself explained everything. 

“I won’t tell, and congratulations.” I leaned in to whisper that statement to keep the scandal from being leaked. 

“Thanks, Idol. Thanks.”

“You’re most welcome, possible brother in law.” 

The look he shot me was overshadowed by the excited laughter of Topaz as she buzzed around her friend. Cersus not liking the feelings coming from the unicorn went to join her caretaker on the bed, being careful not to disturb the expecting alicorn.