//------------------------------// // Chapter 15-4: Sweet Dreams are made of Fear. // Story: Colonel Hooves and the Empire of Crystal // by KarmaSentinal //------------------------------// Business had slowed down over the last three months, but not enough for the owner of ‘Foal at Heart Toys’ to try running the fledgling store by himself. This became a problem after his first month of business, and had to hire Spring Wash just to keep pace with the current volume, and again when he had to hire a second employee by the name of Crystal Hoof three weeks later. Those were stressful times, but now things were calming down enough that the three ponies could take a collective sigh of relief before pulling their figurative sleeves up for the next phase- summer.  In preparation for the scheduled release of the new Officer Friendly line meant to accompany the comic release, Spring and Crystal were rearranging the store’s layout to make room for the new line while clearancing some of the older stock.  “We should have a better sign than ‘Please give us the courtesy of some time off’.” Spring prattle on once more as he opened another box. “ If word gets out these dolls are here… “It’s not that bad Spring.”  “..it will be the death of us when the foals come marching!”  “Oh, I hope not.” Crystal added, turning to watching the green earth pony pull out another one of the new dolls. He gave the doll a quick inspection and nodded. “But I find myself wanting to buy them all..look! This one is dressed in its own guard slacks like the new Colonel.” The pearl pink unicorn moved closer to examine the strange variant, and eventually gave his nod of approval. “Is that the only one?” Crystal Hoof asked as he began opening a box that was stamped ‘Deputy and Friends’ along the side. “I don’t see… oh Cadence!” “What is it?” Spring dropped the Officer Friendly and rushed to see what made his work buddy so excited. “I don’t… whoa! What is that?” “I don’t know, but it looks like a foal version of Deputy Affectionate. She even has a little notebook!” “No it doesn’t, that would require extra effort from the company which means it is likely a mistake… oh Celestia, it is a new doll.”  “The tag says… ‘L’il Mischievous’. Is this a villain? Oh Cadence, I hope not. They were doing so well with their friendly cast of relatable dolls.”  “Relax Crystal. This is like one of those alter ego characters they do in the Power Ponies comics. See? Her color scheme is different. There’s more reds, and greens…” “Is that a fang?” Crystal Hoof pointed at the corner of the small doll’s mouth, Spring batted the sparkling hoof away. “Stop it! Let me take a look..you’re right. Celestia, that’s really cool.”  The strange, but fascinating new doll in the Officer Friendly continued to captivate the two employees as they temporarily forgot their duties when the bell above the unlocked door rang loudly. Both ponies quickly turned to face the door as a filly approaching her early intermittent school years strolled in without a care in the world, strange dual colored eyes peered toward them, saw the dolls  in their hooves and instinctively made a’ bleah’ motion.  Spring dropped the doll out of fear more than embarrassment.  “Sss..sorry! We’re closed little filly, but we will be open tomorrow at our regu…” “Then why is the door unlocked? I see no ‘closed’ sign, which means you are open.” The filly snarked as she strolled into the store, giving them a wide berth to put her on the colt side.  “Ah, excuse me… UH!” Crystal Hoof was startled when the door was opened with more force than it should have been, and a massive unicorn reminding him of a certain royal came in. He looked at the two ponies, and then to the filly. “Lady Redshock. I am aware of your excitement, but please retain your emotions long enough to not prance forward without my protection.” The voice alone commanded their attention, but it was armor he wore that told them this filly was important. “Crystal Guard!” “Royal Guard!” Each pony thought as the stallion moved toward the filly as she picked up one of the magical infused toys, getting some enjoyment as she matched the musical pattern.  “What do we do?” Crystal panickedly asked as his eyes shifted between his co-worker and the guard keeping watch over the filly. His green furred friend looked more worried about the implication of their visit.  “We could tell them to go away…” he hushed Crystal Hoof with raised hoof “...but why would a guard escort a filly?” “Maybe that’s his foal?” “He called her by title. That’s not what a parent calls their foal.” “Maybe they’re very polite.” That remark earned an eye roll from Spring Wash , but he could not find the statement funny.   “Those Canterlot types might actually do that, so I’ll give you that. But that’s a Crystal Guard, and I didn’t hear of any noble family moving here.”  The filly and guard were still minding their own business as the two employees tried(and failed) to resume their duties of setting up the new Officer Friendly dolls, purposely forgetting the new doll that strangely looked like the filly with swapped colors. They had just finished adjusting the second shelf when a loud BOOM shook the store and knocked everything off their shelves. Startled by this, the employees didn’t even move as the shock of the event rang loudly in their ears. If they were quicker, they might have seen the guard huddled over the terrified filly, and very hesitant to let her go. It was only by the familiar reflection of a certain magic Crystal Hoof knew very well that shook him out of his daze. “Yee alright citizens?” The large unicorn inquired as he continued to nestle the filly against his barrel. It wasn’t enough to hide the scent of scorched fur.  Spring Wash  didn’t answer as the ringing in his ears were still rather loud and annoying, but he did recover enough to blankly turn to Crystal and the guard. Crystal Hoof tried talking to his stunned friend, and after some tricky communication nodded to the guard. “I think so, sir.” Crystal answered, trying not to stare at the guard as he hid the filly from their view. “I FEEL FINE!” Spring added as he carefully got to his hooves, stumbling once before making his way toward the window to see what Under Celestia’s Sun was that.  Left alone, Crystal stayed put as watching his friend carefully open the blinds behind the shelf   before turning to the hunched over guard unsure what he should do. He was never good in potential emergencies, but a strange drive to help made inaction unbearable to the crystal pony, and cautiously he tried to approach the guard and hidden filly. “Are you al…” “Keep your distance, citizen!” The guard’s protective voice ended that desire and pinning his ears back decided to join his friend looking out the window.  The window was covered in a magical cloth that when settled would mimic the colors, and/or details of the surrounding wall. Spring Wash  had pulled the cloth back, disrupting the spell so he could use the repurposed house’s window to observe the city. Ponies were wandering the immediate street with no real sense of direction, as they sought others or looked to the sky. “I don’t see anything strange, Spring.” Crystal noted as he took partial interest in the falling snow. Spring Wash  was regaining his hearing but didn’t trust his voice just yet, and only continued to pony watch.  Crystal didn’t pay any mind to the familiar color of magic being used if it meant avoiding the ire of the dangerous Crystal Guard. He could feel the tension building as his heavy hoofsteps followed the careful pitter patter of a worried filly making for the door.  He flinched when the tall unicorn spoke. “We shall take our leave now…”  “CITIZENS OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE! SEEK REFUGE WITHIN THE CASTLE PROPER!” The cry rattled the house turned store for a second time that day, scaring the two employees away from the window. “WHAT WAS THAT!?” Spring Wash  shouted as he pushed himself away from the window, and into their work area. “I ha..wha.. Spring…” Crystal Hoof started when he was cut off by the Crystal Guard. “Come, citizens. We should not squander our time, and leave now.”  Before the two ponies could question the command, the guard had already placed the young filly along his back. Looking over his shoulder the pair exchanged hushed words before she carefully climbed up to the neck piece, and gripped the edge. Crystal Hoof noticed a feeling of pain also clung to him as he disappeared through the door.  “We need to go.” Spring Wash prodded his dazed friend, and with some effort the employees joined the guard outside where he had attracted a small herd of worried ponies.  The filly clinging to his neck was kept out of the growing crowd’s notice as the tall guard kept maneuvering himself to be the focal point of their demanding accusations, or baseless worries. Spring and Crystal had just joined this group of about a dozen ponies when the clouds above once more exploded with fear and hatred. The arguing quickly turned into fear as most of the ponies took off running, with some toward the castle while a few running in the opposite direction.  Crystal Hoof tried calling out to the ponies when he felt a large hoof on his barrel, and following the hoof revealed it belonged to the massive guard. The towering unicorn shook his head left to right, and motioned for the castle. “NO TIME! We say prayer and move toward the castle” He commanded before galloping down the road.  Spring Wash and Crystal Hoof were two of about a dozen ponies that had instinctually ran to the towering unicorn heading for the castle. It was this primal need to seek safety in numbers that might spare these ponies from the frozen onslaught of the North Storm. Many found their lungs burning from the freezing air, making their already desperate flight worse as they knew slowing down would mean being left behind.   Their trek to the base of the castle was virtually left unmolested as the hatred found much easier targets to occupy their time, leaving their little group one of the luckier ones.  Even as they rested at the base of the grand palace of old, their respite teetered on the stalwartness of the exhausted guards and their rulers. Traditions and teachings of the Crystal Empire commanded a stronger belief in the Crystal Princess and her Guard, but this same respect had waned in their southern neighbors making them more vocal.  “We’re doomed! The Empire will be lost to time again!” Crystal Hoof timidly looked in the direction of the loudmouth Equestrian needlessly stirring up the scared ponies sitting by the Heart’s Podium. Spring was sitting next to him with the filly from before meekly standing between them, with her escort reluctantly leaving the strange filly in their care so he could join the other guard.  So the three of them sat in silence unsure what to do or say as they watched the storm slowly consume the plaza around them. Powerful bolts of magic were being flung into the darkening sky that momentarily lit up the world around them. Crystal tried ignoring the mild irritation surrounding his horn from the lingering spells being casted by turning his attention to the terrified filly doing her best to ignore everypony around them. Spring had offered the filly a piece of clothing he had found to warm the filly, but she quickly rejected the offered cloth. Crystal Hoof scooted closer, but when the filly nearly fled from the touch, it ended any attempts to comfort the strange filly leading them to their current arrangement ‘tolerance by association’.  Crystal Hoof and Spring Wash did their best to be near the filly without scaring the poor dear any further than she already was, but even with the world around them closing in the glittering pony couldn’t help but wonder about the filly.  “Who is she?” He would ask himself as he watched the filly shake uncontrollably.  There had always been the small fear in the back of his mind more would come, but as the days turned into months that worry was gradually replaced with a comfort that the crystal pony wasn’t used to experiencing as compliancy bred blindness. Still, he found himself eagerly falling into his new life, and as the worry was forgotten this filly and her strange escort smacked him back into reality.  “A Saddle Arabian this far north is stretching believability…” Crystal Hoof looked to the foal once more and found his forgotten fears nipping at his thoughts, leaving the pony feeling sicker from all of the negativity in the air. He watched the shaking filly with more uncertainty, but against his own warnings found himself wanting to reach out and comfort the strange filly.  The pearl pony almost did that too, and the thought worried him more as another flash of a powerful spell rippled across the plaza. The ponies huddled close to the Crystal Heart Podium as they whined and reared in fright from the display, but Crystal Hoof noticed the filly did none of that, but continued shaking. Spring Wash was watching the filly as well, and shot his friend a look wanting answers to the strange filly, but Crystal Hoof could only shake his head.  Unless the filly suddenly began telling them about her life, all they could do was wait for either the princesses to stop the impending storm, or accept their fate. Crystal Hoof really liked this place, and what it had to offer and really hoped they could stop the hatred filled storm so everypony could return to their lives. If Crystal Hoof was to be completely honest, he wanted to move on and forget the strange filly and her guard, and the sooner this was over the quicker the guard could claim the strange filly.  “Everything was going well too.” he mumbled to himself as another flash illuminated the darkening sky.  The clouds lingered for another several hours, but the protective dome around the city had been replaced. This allowed the few pegasi the Empire had to begin their weather duties by breaking up the last of the storm clouds. None of the ponies in the castle were allowed to leave until the city was ‘secured’ and that word was only given about an hour ago after the battered guard teams finally cleared most of the buildings.  Spring Wash seemed fine, but Crystal Hoof still walked him home just to be sure before returning to my own dwellings.    The pearl pony was drained by the time he stumbled through the door that acted as his temporary residence, graciously provided by the Crown until more homes could be repaired and built to accommodate the growing population. The accommodations could comfortably house 5 ponies in the main room, and that’s not including the extra room the ‘apartment’ provided. He used the spare room the most because of the seclusion it offered, and made it difficult for a pony to see something they shouldn’t.  Crystal Hoof was offered some furnishings as part of some ‘work package’ the Crown sponsored; a bed (which was comfortable), a dresser, a table, and a couch which allowed more ponies a place to rest if they should visit. He found the floor comfortable enough, and with nopony coming over, the large seat remained unused.  Using his magic to ignite the magical candles that hung from the ceiling for light, the pony found the apartment had survived the terrifying storm unscathed. Crystal felt myself breathing easier knowing he wouldn’t have to bother somepony for help, and that made tonight just a bit easier to process.  “I’m shaking.” It wasn’t from the cold, but he was drained from the day’s events and nearly fell over as he weakly made his way to the spare room. A small struggle to open the door with his magic surprisingly left the crystal pony nearly unable to stand as he leaned against the wall for support, but a little concentration and the door opened inward. The moment it opened Crystal Hoof fell onto the plush rug and just laid there wanting to gather his strength, but the need to eat  forced himself to crawl toward the dresser that hid the pouch of crystals.  If he didn’t force himself there was a chance he would not have the strength to do so tomorrow, and that would be terrible. So, Crystal Hoof found crawling along the rug a struggle because its plush surface offered no real grip for his weak hooves. With some effort, the pony managed to sense the crystals through the crystal dresser and began draining them of their limited supply. The process was slow, but it was enough to find the strength to stand up and open the drawer with his hooves.  Underneath the provided cloth for the bed were the few crystals he had managed to grab before coming to the city, and seeing how only two were dimly glowing made both of Crystal’s stomachs turn. He had been doing well enough at work that he began to leave the crystals to wither at home until their entire supply was nearly exhausted. The pony had been careless since coming to this city, and not only were his only crystals almost drained, but now their might be two more lings running around the city. The thought alone was enough to make Crystal Hoof violently shiver in fright. ‘Grab the crystals and run.’ The thought served him well during his initial escape, and he could pull it off a second time if needed, but he really liked this city.  Everypony was so friendly, and literal love filled the air making this city a wonderland of happiness in a way Crystal Hoof never thought was possible before now. They didn’t need to fight the ponies, but they did anyway and now were hated. For all his carelessness, Crystal Hoof shouldn’t be surprised more found their way here, but he found himself more worried why there weren’t more in a city full of love.  “But that filly…” He couldn’t help but worry now, and this time not because there might be more of my kind in the city, but the reality that an actual nymph was here. It shouldn’t be possible, but he would swear on the Queen he briefly watched over a nymph just hours ago until her caretaker came back.  “...being watched by a pony or a ling?” If it was a ling, then being disguised as one of the guards was both genius and dangerous for the two of them. Yet, why would a drone disguise themselves as a guard unless they had prior experience as one. ‘A soldier of the hive?’ the thought intrigued, and further terrified him as he took a seat on his bed.  True soldiers of the hive were few in number because of the vast resources required to create one, and because of that were highly coveted by the Queen to do a certain job. Meaning no soldier would waste their precious time on anything else, but the will of the queen…  “Yet he had a nymph with him…” He let that statement sink in as his mind slowly reached speculative answers to his questions. To admit them as a possibility would not only endanger  his current way of life, but it would be admitting the very reality that the attack went far worse than he expected.  Crystal allowed the familiar magic to consume his body, and as quickly as it appeared, it had washed away the sparkling pearl disguise of Crystal Hoof for the horrid creature of the dark. Looking up at the single window highlighted the differences of Crystal Hoof and the changeling that now occupied the room, and he didn’t like it for the simple reason it reminded the creature where he came from. Yet, it was this knowing that left him sitting on the edge of his bed terrified as he worried for his brothers and sisters back in the hive, and how it related to the changeling soldier and the nymph.  “The attack failed completely..the hive was lost.” It made the most sense, for why else would a soldier be watching a nymph let alone this far north from the much nicer lands of Equestria unless something terrible had happened. Admitting this possibility had opened the floodgate of worries waiting in the back of his mind, and soon he was assaulted by everything terrible he could conjure up no matter how outlandish it now seemed. What if all of the hive was destroyed and they were the last changelings? He shuttered. Sure he may not have liked how the hive acted, but it didn’t mean he had forsaken every changeling to a fate he felt was worse than banishment.  “I have to know. I’ll need to seek them out, and ask.” Another shutter followed. Since coming to the Crystal Empire, Thorax felt his heart beating against his very carapace. He hadn’t felt this terrified since he first learned of his role in the invasion, but unlike the invasion, he’ll do this with the intention of helping his fellow lings. “No more hurting any creature.” Thorax reminded himself of the oath he made. “I’ll try and find the nymph first given she would be more reasonable than the soldier.”   The plan seemed appropriate given the nature of the nymph’s guardian, and no changeling would dare approach a soldier of the hive without the Queen’s backing. He’ll have to wait until the nymph is alone and introduce himself as a fellow changeling, and hope everything will be fine. Thorax nodded his confirmation, and with a stressed heart laid down on the itchy bed for some well deserved sleep.  Spring Wash and him would likely have a busy next few days getting the store back on track, and Order willing he might see the nymph again. But for now, Thorax’s mind felt the need to show him all of the disasters that might have led the two changelings up here, and how everything he had grown to like might be ending very soon.