//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: If you can't stand the heat, then get out of the oven. (Edits HorseWordFan) // Story: Colonel Hooves and the Empire of Crystal // by KarmaSentinal //------------------------------// The open recruitment wasn’t a complete disaster as I’d originally assumed with its uncanny similarities with the Welcoming Parade nearly four months ago, with nearly thirty ponies making the first draft. The rest were told that a second class would be hosted in three months after the first class finished their required training, but currently there wasn’t a time frame with everything still needed to be done before they could graduate.   ‘Maybe marching through the city would increase support?’ I wondered as I reviewed Shifting Wind’s training report of the week. From his reports and my own observations of the recruits, I’m starting to relax as my hope for the Crystal Guard is strengthened by these progress reports. The training is a hybrid example using the Crystal Standard as the base while the Equestrian Standard is used to fill in the gaps created from a millennia of inactivity, but reworked to give it a more distinctly Crystal Empire feel. This tweak in protocol has seen success so far as nearly all of the recruits are Equestrian transfers, or immigrants, and from the few records and testimonies we gathered, the new recruits appear more Empire than Equestrian.  Happy with his report, I refolded the parchment and deposited it into one of the drawers of my desk. There was still much work to be done, but by Celestia and Order I couldn’t focus on my duties when the foreign memories were still burned into my mind. I hadn’t told Topaz or Shining about this for the important reasons of not wanting my friends to worry about a potential threat that couldn’t be proven, and the explanation on how I came across this information in the first place. Unable to tell anypony for the time being, it made searching for this possible changeling all the more difficult when my duties were finally trickling in with enough frequency to keep myself preoccupied. Still, I hadn’t completely forgotten my duties, and had taken some precautions in the slim chance this changeling was real, and had sought the city for refuge. With Topaz’s new role in the I.C.A.M Board of Scholars , and my own duties in a full gallop, Cersus was assigned a guard to watch over her as she did whatever a grown nymph did in a pony city. This guard hit two ponies with one apple, and not only granted Cersus the independence she sought, but would provide needed protection should this changeling be proven true.   I wanted to warn the young nymph of this possible danger at the very least without resorting to locking the filly in our room forever. Only the first option made sense, but the second option seemed more appropriate in the near future, and not the present. So, I did the next best thing a changeling could do given the circumstances, and kept it to myself. Looking up at the clock in the corner of my new office, I had just under two hours before my inspection of the recruits, giving me a chance to leave the castle and stretch my legs for a moment. With no immediate priorities save for the one mentioned, I quickly tidied up my workstation and proceeded to leave before anything else sought me out. My two hour escape was severely limited before I could even leave the castle where I was approached on five separate occasions by ponies seeking an answer to a question, or to exchange pleasantries.  I hold no ire against these individuals for seizing the moment to approach me when freetime in the castle is limited, but at the understanding this would limit my own ability to be productive. I had hoped to explore the area of the castle a bit more with the hope of performing my investigation into this possible changeling, but with my time even more limited I decided to make a single stop instead.  The Prism Cup has started to grow on me with each visit, and the staff of this coffee/tea shoppe have taken enough liking to me to accept me as a ‘regular’. This upgrade from customer to regular came with the added benefit of being recognized on a named basis, which included the staff as well, and insider information involving the establishment’s daily operations. It’s not the first time I’ve been privy to state secrets and assured the staff any, and all information would remain on my pony unless told otherwise; the staff found my commitment to the role amusing, and graciously accommodated me accordingly even if they didn’t take it as seriously. “Is this a new recipe?” I took another sip of the delicious tea, trying to separate the orange, and vanilla flavors in hope of finding the source of the sweetness. “It’s more of a fresh take on a local blend than a new recipe. Like adding lemon to water.”  I nodded as I tried to name the local drink, but couldn’t recall tasting a beverage close to this one. The Castle would have a blend like this one I would assume, but unless Topaz, or Cersus ordered a new drink I favored the same drink every time to ease the staff’s work. So, when I’m privy to a cup from a local business, I find delight in sampling something new every time, leading to moments like this where the waiters will concoct a blend on occasion.  “The original blend is Sunrise at Noon, a summer favorite when the harvest starts to ripen…” The roots of my fascination with guessing flavors of tea are unknown to me, and if it's from a changeling sense to not be caught unaware or a pony sense to learn more I can’t say. But it's quickly becoming a favorite activity of mine.  “...many Crystal Ponies have an affinity for the local produce, notably crystal berries for their taste and large harvest yields.” After checking with the server, I took another sip of the summer like tea to validate my theory. “So you believe we put crystal berries in with the tea, Idol?” He asked with a smile, more for my ability to continue with my deduction than truly wanting to know.  “As Celestia raises the Sun, and Luna lowers the moon, you’ve added crystal berries to the tea, but the lack of seed or pulp suggest it's not blended.”  “You are correct in a way, for turning berries into wine has been a tradition for many centuries, so we adapted the process for purpose. Have you heard of the Equestrian red fruit that grows on trees?” “I am well aware of this fruit, apples they are called.” Learning their name, he happily nodded before continuing.  “Yes! Yes! Apples! You take them and make juice out of them, correct? We do the same using the berries. ” “You use the fermenting process not to create wine, but juice to add to the tea?” I asked, giving the cooling tea another taste, but unfortunately I still couldn’t place the supposed berry juice.   “It’s brilliant! A natural advancement in the brewing profession that is sure to spur a new standard!” He shouted while throwing his hooves up with glee, ignoring the few ponies now staring in our direction.  “It’s non-alcoholic I hope?” I asked while taking the final sip of the provided tea to find any taste of fermentation, and was glad to not taste anything, but oranges and wisps of imported vanilla. “Oh, never! We are innovators of a more refined taste, and would never soil our brew with a crass mixture.” “Wouldn’t wine be classified as alcohol by the Equestrian Department of Food & Drink?” I asked more for clarity for my own knowledge than an attempt to outwit my acquaintance, and by these ponies good nature they took it as such.  “I wouldn’t know what Equestria eats or drinks, but are more likely to call well water refreshing, ha! Wine and cider are as different as tea and coffee, and to lump the beverages together is an injustice of the art of distilling.”     “Which is where the inspiration for the berry juice came from, many creatures of a higher status view tea and wine similarly with coffee and cider being reserved for the ‘common’ creature.”  His argument finally clicked, and my years living in Canterlot came flashing back, and how absurd many of the practices were. Yet, years living in the massive city as a pony has led me here to this tea shop berating another creature’s choice in drink…  “Your words are pure truth Mister Hooves, and while I would love nothing more to continue our discussion, I must be returning to my duties.”  “I understand, duty to our profession comes first before our desires. Thank you for the conversation Strong Mix.”   The Crystal pony gave a polite bow, then offered to fill my cup with more of this new blend, to which I agreed, before retreating back to the kitchen. This left me alone to reflect on the very topics I’ve actively been avoiding, but with a clearer head and new perspective on the situations did I breathe a sigh of relief. The training itself isn’t my worry, but the maintenance required to keep the whole guard itself functioning enough I might slip away for a cup of tea without the outfit collapsing.  Then there was the new worry that members of my old hive might be lurking within the city.  Back in Canterlot, after many weeks of searching, and promises I found three fellow exiles willing to stay long for an extended period to help distribute the love crystals as needed. There was a great fear and slight guilt as I’d used my exalted reputation among the more recent exiles to keep them honor bound, and unable to run off with the crystal trove. A necessity I kept telling myself if it meant keeping that fragile semblance of safety every exile near Canterlot had come to seek, and expect even after the failed invasion.   And for me to be stressed about a lone changeling seeking the love this city had to offer shouldn’t worry me nearly as much as it did, but certain responsibilities have made it a requirement to do so. The one thing I don’t want to admit is the possibility I might be developing a craving for the control my standing among the exiles brought. Not at first, but years of being the pillar for our little hive, and ultimately my recent promotions have altered my views enough to be more ‘demanding’ of certain protocols.   The idea that this drone might be a scout for the rest of the hive did exist, but the few memories that were shared with me gave me enough confidence that this changeling was alone. But my duty as a guard, and my inherent need to find and determine if the changeling wouldn't cause any problems kept me wound up enough to make this a priority. Only by meeting this lone changeling or at the very least establish they were no threat could I find peace.  Unable to focus on anything but these thoughts, I admitted defeat, and promptly finished the experimental blend.  “Thank you Strong Mix, Honey Sweet. I must return before order gives way to chaos.” I called out to the owners, making sure they knew of my departure. I waited for their confirmations and well-wishing  before making my way out the door, the two cups of tea would be added to the tab the couple graciously opened up for me.     The sun was still shining high in the sky with the protective dome shimmering as the blizzard outside pelted its surface. By my guess, I might have spent over an hour in the tea shop, and desperately needed to get back before Fireflight could be dispatched to locate me.  The easily excited mare has a habit of releasing that energy into the atmosphere as a way to dissipate some of the excess feelings; while her ability to wield the element of lightning is impressive for a mare her size and shows great promise, her control leaves room for  improvement. But Fireflight is a guard of potential, and has proven this through her willingness to support the guard, and the citizens of the Empire during the hardships without complaint.  The pegasus had already proven this before my official designation as acting ‘Captain of the Guard’ by serving as Shifting Wind’s second in command. Even now, she still operates as his assistant by running errands, executing commands in his name, and unofficially is seen as the higher NCO even among the more senior members of the guard.  ‘I will have to get Shifting’s recommendation along with Shining, and Cadence’s approval, but I believe they will find a promotion is due.’ To personally put a request in for a field promotion isn't unheard of, but a thought just came to me that might only add to this complication- which guard rank would the mare receive?   An Equestrian or Crystal rank? Protocol and logic would say an Equestrian guard would receive a rank within their branch of service to eliminate the potential bureaucratic headache mixing service ranks would cause; yet the majority of our current guard force is Equestrian service members that had either volunteered or volun-told to transfer to the Crystal Empire.  In a legal courtroom, our contracts would note our transfers to the protectorate’s rules and customs...     “Another complication inherent in the system I’m afraid will have to be addressed sooner than later.” I mumbled to myself as a precaution out of fear my thoughts might be transmitted to other changelings.  Until the brief flashes of those memories two weeks ago, I’ve never heard of a changeling other than Her Majesty being able to send and receive entire memories over the Hive Mind. What happened shouldn’t have been possible given my status as an excavator drone, and lack of a proper Hive Mind, and as Celestia and Luna raise the Sun and Moon, I was watching these memories with the authority of a Queen…” “Could the Crystal Heart and love of the Empire be affecting us changelings on a greater scale than merely providing love?” I wondered to myself as I continued my trek to the castle.  I was happy with the decision to leave my armor in the castle since it made identifying myself among a crowd more difficult. I attribute this lack of awareness to the Idolls only ever portraying me in some sort of stylized depiction of guard armor, and without it, I’m a fairly bland looking pony with a fur color meant for hiding in a cave or mine. On the surface, ponies exhibit a diverse range of fur and mane colors as a natural way to stand out when attracting mates while my monotone fur, and mane does little else but to serve as a disguise.  The extraordinary (hidden) ability of my pony disguise has granted me several advantages and disadvantages during my enlistment, but the ability to fade into the background has become my best trait. It was this very demonstration of skill that allowed me a chance to slip away for a cup of tea not targeted by the very ponies I’m sworn to protect. A curiosity any time before my promotion, but after experiencing the phenomenon twice myself, I’ve discovered a greater understanding for the princesses' own scheduling to avoid as many public appearances as possible. I am managing so far, but seeking professional help on the matter might prove beneficial. I will have to seek their expertise later because as I neared the castle, I could tell something was off.  The lax way the guards would patrol the perimeter had been replaced with a traditional rigidness of the Royal Guard back in Equestria. This could be a bleeding effect of the close proximity of the actual Equestrian Guard units, but I doubted this to be the case since they would stop periodically to check their surroundings. Normally, this behavior would be an appropriate measure for a guard to take, but their posture and alertness resembled a frightened creature looking for predators rather than an alicorn watching over the herd.    This became more true as my approach made their nervousness more abundant, and this uncertainty further translated to how the unit as a whole reacted to me. “Halt. Yes, Halt!” The shorter of the two guard stallions commanded, before looking to his companions for their approval. The mare and other stallion seemed conflicted about being called upon, but managed to offer a hesitant nod to show their approval.            Being compliant, and respectful to their wishes I stopped about three ponies lengths away to give the Crystal Guards a chance to collect themselves. They weren’t Equestrian, but some of the few Crystal Ponies still in the guard which possibly explained their less than ideal discipline; unlike Equestria that had several guards branches to cover multiple situations, the Empire had only one branch with different tiers resembling the ancient knight orders of the past.  These three ponies are more than likely inductees doing basic patrols, with squires, and knights guarding the castle and strategic locations. A simple system that promotes an individual based on their own merits which increases the amount of training, and skill to maintain the rank.  From the mild briefing on their guard structure, what echoed the loudest was the crystal ponies near obsession with ranks, and stature. To address a pony improperly is considered a great insult, and on par with Equestrians addressing a noble or the princesses by their name and not their title. A system built upon the proper show of respect to another based on their profession, and class within the Empire greatly shared similarities with the Hive. First there are rogue changelings infiltrating the city, and now I’m making comparisons between the city, and the Hive that hopefully are mere chances of societal development then a meaningful connection.  ‘Order and Celestia, this is becoming too much.’  “The castle is currently closed, please come back later.” He instructed again with a newfound authority accompanying his command, and his companions stood a little straighter as he spoke. ‘Why would the castle be closed?’ Could something have happened while I was away, or maybe it’s because I snuck out without properly informing one of the guards? Order above, it’s my fault. If I hadn’t left then the guard wouldn’t be on high alert, and everypony’s time wouldn’t have been needlessly wasted. “Closing the castle is an extremity that requires one of three ponies to request. Who put in the request, Inductee?”  "Ah..uh.. sir...Wait, citizen. That is none of your concern." The stallion fought off the question after a moment of hesitation, and his demonstration to keep information within guard is commendable. But I needed to know why and who ordered the lockdown, and his defiance won't earn him anymore praise.  "I disagree, Shining and Cadence wouldn't order a lockdown without a valid reason..." "HOW DARE YOU REFER TO THEIR MAJESTIES SO INFORMALLY!" The mare of the trio bellowed with enough ferocity to echo, resulting in some of the nearby ponies to retreat.  Her outburst didn't contain hatred from what I could taste, but an incredible sense of faithfulness to the Crystal Empire and its rulers to an extent that she broke their loose formation to confront me. Now, I found the reaction a bit over the top for asking a simple question when I need to get back inside, and I was starting to lose control. My emotions were becoming more aggressive at the display of rudeness when I found myself approaching the three until I was nearly nose to nose with the mare.  She held her ground, but the bravado fled when confronted by a bigger pony. "How dare I, you ask? How dare I address my two oldest friends by their names?" I asked the mare with no intention of letting her answer, and this I will blame on my frustrations of trying to find the changeling.  I could have handled the situation more fitting to a stallion of my rank, but compounded frustrations, and the need to get back overrode certain protocols to act pleasant. But the admittance of my friendship to royalty earned me enough creditably to collect the three guard's attention for five minutes, and this allotted time cleared most of our concerns for each other. "We didn't know!"  "We didn't know!"  "We didn't know!"  The three crystal guards repeated numerous times as they bowed to signal their remorse for their actions, while I kept insisting they were justified when dealing with an unknown.  "You had no warning nor updates to the previous directive, and acted to ensure it was enforced. Commendable work, young warriors." I added that last bit because of the Crystal Ponies preference for chivalry rather than peacekeepers. Even with the added praise, the three had resorted to groveling in the hopes of avoiding a punishment that would never come. I carefully approached them and began motioning for them to stand up more for my sake, but also to save them the embarrassment of being seen crying in public. “Now, why would the castle be on lock down?”  “It’s happening!” The mare answered, seemingly forgetting her fear of repercussions. Indeed, my lord, it's a joyous day for our fair city!” The other stallion who had remained quiet till now chipped in. “Never have we been gifted with such a blessing.”  Their excitement was obvious, and the longer I stood amongst them did it replace the paranoia and anger, but I was left clueless. “Pray tell...” Luna’s habits were transferring to me “... what have we been gifted with?” “A NEW HEIR!” All three shouted at once, and now I was more lost than before. “ I wasn’t informed of another princess...” then it hit me and everything made sense. By Order's will, every major distraction that could manifest itself weren't present, allowing  me to make the sprint to the sixth floor in record time. Lieutenant Shielded would have happily wept knowing his training had not been wasted.  My best friend and enlistment partner is going to be a father.  Since I’ve known the unicorn, he’d been smitten with the Alicorn of Love, and through the courtship of many years had proven to be a worthy mate. Now, their union has bore results on a magnitude not yet  seen, and not as new parents, but in Equestria’s entire history- a royal heir. To my knowledge, Prince Blueblood and his family is recognized as Princess Celestia's official heir even if they aren't related by blood, which makes the immediate birth of this foal very important for both nations. No accounts of a royal wedding had been witnessed before Shining and Cadence's wedding barely a year ago, and that isn't from a lack of trying if the stories Luna shared with me were to be believed. Many suitors have tried to win the hoof of the princesses, but none have ever succeeded.  The best of these attempts quietly became a consort for many years, but never anything else.  Princess Amore, former ruler of the Crystal Empire was more relaxed in her views, but none of her unions were fruitful in producing a heir which further encouraged the falsehoods of alicorn sterility. Yet, Princess Cadence was about to buck that belief right off the balcony within the next couple of days if the information on pony foaling is accurate. As I approached the medical portion of the wing, it was about the same time security became more apparent with many of the experienced guards patrolling, or guarding certain rooms. None of them gave a salute, but instead offered a more casual greeting as I sprinted by- a nod of the head. Shining Armor was at the end of the hall just in front of the biggest room the medical detachment had to offer, looking around frantically as he mumbled incoherently. I too joined in the unorthodoxy when my legs gave out mid stride, and carried by my momentum slid the remainder of the way along the floor. “...ah, uhh... he..here.” I blurted in between gulps of air. "I..he..Cady..happening." Shining mumbled as he looked down on me, and the door to the room that likely housed Cadence.  "It's ok..." I was more winded than I thought, but managed to pick myself off the floor in time for the distressed unicorn to grip me by the shoulders.  "Father!"  "You're right, Night Light and Velvet should be informed as soon as possible."  In the ensuing panic, I had forgotten all about contacting the future grandparents. Before I could try to rectify this, Shining's hold became tighter as his eyes became wider at the realization.  "NO! I mean yes, but not..." He didn't finish the statement before releasing his hold, and slumping to the floor "...I'm not ready."  The confession caught me unprepared, and I'll admit I was left stunned by his admittance enough to follow his lead and take a seat.   "If you were not ready to preserve your lineage, then why did you marry Cadence?" He looked up in that moment with a sleepless, red eyed stare that conveyed the message perfectly, 'you bucked up.' Looking back, with emotions running free, I could have worded the question better than to appear I was questioning Shining Armor's love for the princess. But hindsight is Celestia's oldest friend I'm told.  There was a moment of quiet reflection over the statement as Shining milled over the question, and I waited for an answer that hurt more than I wanted. Finding the question to his disliking, I didn't have time to react when his shod hoof met the side of my muzzle.  "HOW DARE YOU!" He snarled at me, but didn't come closer.  I was thankful for this since I've forgotten how strong a unicorn Shining could be. A testament to his strict training regiment, dietary habits, and motivation to be the best guard he could be.  "Your right hoof..." I rubbed where he struck me, and flinched when I felt crack under my disguise "...is still exceptional."     Allowing myself to examine the emotions around us informed me about a great many things, primarily my friend wasn't necessarily angry with me than annoyed with everything.   "I hit you..." He looked at his hoof, then me "...buck Idol, why aren’t you mad?"  "I questioned your commitment to Cadence, and you responded to the accusation in kind. It's duly noted."  "Sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that, I'm better than that, and you're my friend..." Shining Armor flinched while trying to curl his hoof, and on a Discordian whim began laughing. "...that hurt."  "I felt some discomfort as well."  "Some? Idol, my hoof feels like I punch one of the castle walls, and you shrug it off."  "I could express some agony, if it would make you feel better?" I offered, but he quickly turned this offer down by shaking his head left to right.  "Celestia sake, please no. I should be trying to make everything better, not you."  "Maybe, or we could declare the matter resolved and move on?" I suggested not wanting to get caught up in the endless game of 'sorry', and offered him my hoof.  After hesitating, Shining's body relaxed in agreement and extended his own hoof.  "Accepted." we hoof bumped only for him to quickly retract the appendage to nurse it. "Buck, it hurts. Are you made of stone or crystal!?" "At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case, but please don't tell Topaz. I'm tired of being studied." “A perk of being with a scholar I’m afraid.It’s why I’m a little worried for Twily.”  His statement wasn’t unsure, and having known the studious unicorn for many years always took her lack of personal relationships a necessary sacrifice to further her magical development, but this has slowly been proven wrong. Having been in the same field as young Twilight, I’ve come to the conclusion we’re both odd ponies to a fault, and the proper way to deal with such a pony is to find a mutual understanding. “As a fellow scholar, Topaz could appeal toTwilight on your behalf with a thesis paper on the importance of species reproduction?”  The suggestion was more of a joke than a proper proposal, but I couldn’t tell if Shining was crying from the absurdity of the idea or the pain in his right hoof.