Umbra grunted as crystal touched crystal in a heavy meeting that caused the ground beneath them to shudder with the impact. Other builders were on it, chiseling and mortaring it even as she grabbed another. "Almost."
"You're doing it!" cried out Shifting, dancing with joy in a dance from hoof to hoof. "One more!"
Umbra grabbed the next, and final, piece. It wasn't the largest one she'd grabbed that day, but it was significant as she lifted it slowly. The final bit of the dome that'd cover it all. "Ready?" She looked from crystal pony to pegasus and back among those helping her. "This is coming in hot!"
The pegasi gave a hoof up and flew out of the way, a sign for her to finish things. She brought the roof in and lowered it slowly. She could feel the pegasi flying in and lending their help to guide it to the right place. Sure, she had magic, and was using it, but the help if someone actually there, actually touching it, was still a big help! With a crunching thump, the roof settled into place. The ponies were swarming to finish it up.
"Let me help!" Shifting took flight on eager wings to assist in the finishing.
The arena was complete and ready to serve as a stadium for big games, and one was already planned.
Umbra sank to her belly and flopped over with a wheeze. "That is harder than it looks!" No part of being a crystal wizard was as easy as she made it look at times. But she had done all the heavy lifting. It was just up to the others to apply the loving finishing touches. She closed her eyes and faded off with a content smile on her face. A job completed. "Yes." She weakly pumped a hoof before she slumped to the ground with her waking energy entirely expended.
The girls visited! A pity they had little time to spend with Umbra. "We have to be ready." Twilight inclined her head at the others. "We have to win and get the Crystal Empire chosen."
"To host the Olympics, ri--" The ponies were staring at her like she had said something odd. "Right, that's not what you call it. It's..."
Rainbow Dash hopped up, wings beating as she came back down. "Only the Equestria Games. You should... Oh wait, nevermind."
Umbra raised a brow at that. "What should I not do?"
Rainbow waved it off. "Princesses are not allowed to play, sorry. Didn't mean to tease you like that, just forgot. With Twilight helping to qualify, it slipped my mind!"
Umbra peered at Twilight. "Why are you and Cadance so excited about it then?"
Twilight looked up from where she had been reading the scroll in her magic. "Hm? Oh, yes. I won't participate, directly, but I can help my sister-in-law win this honor, and it's very important to her because it would be a huge economic boon for the Crystal Empire to host the game. So that's why we're involved." She leaned in a little closer to Umbra. "I hear you and Cadance are fast friends. Don't you want to see her happy?"
Umbra colored at the accusation. "Of course I do! Um... How can I help?"
"Well, we already have a routine." Twilight waved at the others and herself. "I can't just insert you into it or we'd have to practice from the start and there's no time for that. Hm..."
Pinkie burst into giggles as she pointed at Umbra. "You could always help make the city shine. We want it to be extra crystall-y, to impress the pony they send to inspect it. I can't think of a better pony."
"Now that, I can do." Umbra's horn glowed with fell magic as visions of sparkly buildings danced in her mind. "I will make the empire so shiny, the inspector's eyes will go blind!"
Rarity chuckled softly. "Maybe not that shiny, darling, but spotless and glittering will do just fine."
"Shiny enough." Umbra stormed off, but only made it about three steps before she paused. "Hey, where's Starlight?"
"She couldn't come." Twilight shook her head slowly. "Sorry. If it makes you feel better, we can do a little study after we clinch this."
"Deal!" Umbra charged off, her promise of magic secured. She whisked away dirt that marred her crystals, whether or not she was the one that put the crystal down in the first place. Until she could see her reflection in every surface, she was not satisfied.
Her magic washed from her in pulses that bade the buildings nearest her to spring into vitality, their dirt and grime banished into a fine cloud that settled quickly to the ground, where she could sweep it off the sidewalks quickly. She began to hum and sing as she went, having a fine time of it. "This is a nice change of pace to building that." She glared at the completed arena a moment before she resumed her cleaning efforts.
As Umbra worked through the city, she passed one window of many. This window had Cadance in it. She veered off her course and soon entered the spa. "When did we get this?" She hadn't constructed the spa... But she wasn't the only builder around. Some things happened without her say so, to her surprise. "Cadance!" She hurried up to the princess with a big smile. "What are you doing?"
"Waiting to get my mane done." She waved a hoof up at her undone mane. "My mane stylist should have already been here." She looked past Umbra with worry. "I thought I had this all planned out."
Umbra turned to ask, but a pony was already hurrying past her to Cadance. "Sorry, Your Highness, but your stylist is down with the flu..."
Cadance sagged with defeat. "Of all the timing... The traditional headdress is very important! I won't look the part without it."
"Twilight's here, did you see?" Umbra hopped in place. "And she brought Rarity. She's a fashion expert. Maybe she could do it?"
"That's a lovely idea." Cadance's dourness broke at the suggestion. "Please, go and tell them and see if they'll do it. The sooner, the better."
Umbra snapped a sharp salute even as she melted into the ground, becoming little more than shadow. She flowed out at a breakneck speed. They say light is the fastest thing around, but darkness could be just as swift when it wanted to be! "Rarity?!" She quickly explained the situation to the fashionista.
"Oh my... I'm on the case." Rarity marched past Umbra towards the entrance of the castle. "Thank you for fetching me."
She was soon on the case, doing her best to get Cadance looking the part. It was a shame she got news on arrival. "The inspector is about to get here?!"
Twilight froze with wide eyes, locked for a moment before movement returned to her.
Rainbow Dash threw a hoof. "She's trying to trick us, coming early to catch us off our game!"
"Right, right." Twilight performed the breathing technique just shown to her by her sister in law. "We're looking for a pony with a floral print on their bag. Rarity, bring Cadance to the castle the moment you finish."
Rarity saluted even as she fluffed up Cadance's mane with her other hoof and nudges of her magic. "I'm on the case!"
The Mane 6-1 rushed to the train station to pick up the wrong mare and begin their tour. Umbra was not with them. She had come to the train, but saw no reason to get involved in the tour. The others seemed to have that well in hoof, and a new pony would just get in the way of that.
She was getting ready to leave and find something else to do when another pony with a floral print bag stepped off the train. "Huh?" She stepped closer to the older pony, perhaps middle aged? "Welcome to the Crystal Empire." Umbra couldn't be sure which was the right pony, but she bowed anyway. Could she ask? She considered. Then again, that was the adult thing to do. "You look like the inspector. Can I give you a tour?"
Harshwhinny raised a brow at Umbra. "You are a curious looking greeter. Is there a story behind it?"
Umbra flashed a too-sharp grin. "There is! I'm a local hero. I keep things safe, and helped construct the arena." She pointed off to the colliseum, easy enough to see even at a distance. "But we're not here to talk about me. You are the inspector, right?"
"I am..." Harshwhinny lifted her bag into view in her mouth. "Very well, let's get this train moving." The train behind her tooted and began to pull out. "Not that train."
Umbra wrapped her magic around the bag. "Allow me." She took the bag away and began leading the way through the city. "Now, I feel I am uniquely situated to the job. I'm an outsider too, welcomed warmly against the chest of this grand country! And it's ready to do that. Ponies that come for the big event will be treated well." She was, at least by half, making everything up.
She had not planned to give any tours, but that didn't stop her from doing it anyway. They were relying on her to do it, and none of the others were around. She tapped a message on her chest as subtly as she could as they made their way through the city. 'Got the ladymare. Giving tour.' Her morse code was getting better steadily, as giving out those messages, and receiving them, had proven quite a valuable connection to the others.
Who was Twilight and company giving a tour to? She had no idea, and there was no way for her to ask without leaving the inspector alone, which she would not do. "Long trips can really take it out of you. How about we stop by one of my favorite little stands?" She directed Harshwhinny towards a smiling gem pony at a stand. "Have you tried a crystal berry smoothie? Prepare to listen to your tastebuds sing!"
Harshwhinny advanced on the stand and its friendly operator. "How would you deal with hundreds of ponies in a line at your stand?" There was no humor in her voice. She was completely serious, and awaiting an answer as if it were due to her.
The crystal mare looked around nervously. "Hello!" That was not an answer. "Well... I'd be excited! So many eager ponies that all want my smoothies?" She laughed at the idea. "I'd be over the moon! But first, I'd have to get them what they want. Let's start with you, ma'am. What can I get you?" She waved at a menu of three different berry smoothies available. "Pick a flavor and a size." She brought up her other hoof to point at three cups sitting there for example's sake.
Umbra leaned in from the side. "And before you worry, this is on me. Go ahead, get what you want."
"Hm, thank you." She pointed to the lemon flavor. "I'll take that. In that." She pointed at the medium cup.
"Right away, miss." She began to whistle as she hastily got the smoothie ready for tasting. "And here you are." She set the cup down on the little counter. "I'll send something up to the castle, don't worry about it!" Being the hero of the town meant having a tab, everywhere, without asking.
"I have the coins on me." Umbra floated some free and set them down in a pile to cover the drink. "But thank you, that's very nice." She added a single extra coin, but it wasn't the smallest denomination of them. "And for showing us such great service."
"Ma'am." She dipped towards Umbra with a proud smile, perhaps a little bashful. "Enjoy!"
"Let's see." Harshwhinny grabbed the cup with a sticky hoof and slurped from the straw. "Hm... Not bad." She started down the street. "Show me where you'd host this."