//------------------------------//
// Ch.7: A Rightful Apology 
// Story: Marching Towards Harmony 
// by TrackdNTraild 
//------------------------------//

The picture Flashionista took printed out from the front of the camera, and she grabbed it in her hoof. She shook it lightly in the air, and watched as colour bloomed onto the flat white sheet. She squealed in joy, hopping from hoof to hoof and holding the picture close.
"Oh, yet another perfect picture!" She sang joyously before handing the picture to Mystic. "You simply have to see it now, look at yourself!"
Mystic forced a smile as the picture was surrounded in a bright and sparkling teal, bringing it closer to her. She stared down at the picture in silence for a few moments. She wasn't a fan of it. Her innocent expression, showing off the dimples she didn't know that she had. Lapis's giggling expression, knowing very well what she just did... everything else about the picture was fine at least, but Mystic just couldn't like it because of how she looked.
"...Thaanks," She smiled at Flashionista, trying to force some enthusiasm into her voice. "It's, uh... great! Can't wait to um... put it up when we get home."
"I hope you do!" The mare laughed. "It's a lovely picture, everypony will just be dying to see it!"
"Mhm," Mystic hummed half-heartedly.
Flashionista closed the legs of her tripod and lifted up the full camera mount under one of her forelegs. She turned and walked back to her parents, humming happily. Mystic glared at the picture, trying to decide whether or not she wanted to crumple it or set it on fire. She split her magic in half along either side of the picture, ready to rip it. Of course, her destructive thoughts were silenced as Twilight's magic lit up around the photo, and took it away from Mystic.
"Hey-!" She tried to protest.
"Oh, this is a perfect picture!" Twilight squealed, tapping her hooves. "Maybe if I ask really nicely, I can get a tiny little frame to put it in..."
"Oh no no, we can't frame it just yet!" Rarity protested, trotting over to Twilight. "Why, we've got to take it to the Crystal Empire for our visit so that Flurry Heart and Scarlet Gem can see it! You don't suppose we could get them to sign it, could we?"
"We could ask them," Twilight said. "I've been meaning to plan a visit for some time, but with all the coronation plans, I've been swamped."
"We've been quite busy too," Cadance laughed as she walked over with Shining Armour. "Honey Cake was knighted last month, so we've been trying to build her a section of the Crystal Empire's royal guard to supervise."
"Honey Cake is a knight?" Mystic looked at Cadance and blinked in shock. "I thought that the royal family was just... you know, royal. Princesses and stuff."
"Well, we wanted Honey Cake to have a princess coronation after her Crystalling..." Shining began to explain. "But she wasn't interested. Besides, she isn't an alicorn like Skyla, Scarlet, and Flurry Heart."
"Not all royalty consists of alicorns," Twilight said. "You're still a prince because you married Cadance, and Lapis is still a princess because she's my daughter. Even if you haven't had proper coronations, you're still royalty."
"That's how things are in Canterlot," Cadance hummed. "Since Skyla began ruling the Crystal Empire, some things have changed. Only her immediate family are considered royalty, that being her, her husband, her child, and Flurry Heart. I stepped down from ruling on purpose, which means Shining's prince status is null and void, according to Skyla's new rules."
"You can just do that?" Mystic turned to Skyla with wide eyes.
"Well, of course," Skyla laughed, and flapped her wings. "I'm the ruler of the Crystal Empire, I can technically do whatever I want. And everything that she just said is true. My cutie mark talent is based on ruling, that's why I was given the position. I'd say I'm doing a pretty good job so far, haha."
"Wow, I wish I could've been like that," Mystic said, passing Twilight a glare. The purple alicorn glanced away, whistling absentmindedly. "I was already training to be part of the royal guard, and even though I'm a princess now, I was still assigned to work under Tempest Shadow. At my core, I'm still a guard."
"Oh, I remember that!" Shining spoke up with perked ears. "You started that... what, before you went to college?"
"Somethin' like that," Mystic shrugged. "It was pretty much the month after Twilight ended my homeschool program."
"You graduated," Twilight sighed. "Please stop saying it like I took you out of school."
"Yeah yeah whatever," Mystic said with an eye roll. "Anyways, yeah, I was in guards training for a couple years, and I graduated before I went to college."
"Well, if you don't mind, there's something I'd like to ask," Skyla said, stepping forward and extending a hoof to Mystic. "Like mom said, Honey Cake recently got knighted and she's going to be captain of her own army. You've already expressed how much you don't like being a princess, and while I can't change your title, I can offer you a new position. As ruler of the Crystal Empire, I'd like to extend to you the opportunity to join the Crystal Empire's royal guard under Honey Cake."
"What?" Mystic's eyes widened and wings flared out.
"What?!" Rarity and Twilight spoke out in shocked unison.
"Woah," Lapis's eyes sparkled in excitement. "You're serious? Right after her coronation?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't think I could allow that," Twilight laughed nervously. "Mystic has... well, she's going to have duties that will require her coming back to Canterlot. If she's in the Crystal Empire--"
"I'm sorry to interrupt Empress," Skyla said, resting her hoof on the ground. "But it's Mystic's decision. She is 35 years old and deserves to make her own decisions without her parents butting in. You've known for more than half her life that she hates being a princess, and she never wanted to be one officially, but you still forced her into the position just because she's your daughter. I didn't need to be in Canterlot to know that Mystic is unhappy with the position; she's been scowling all day!"
"Well, actually," Mystic cleared her throat. "I've been hurting a lot more today than usual, so that could be part of the reason why. But be honest, have you ever seen me smile genuinely?"
"In the photo, you did," Lapis snorted, taking the photo in her own magic and waving it around.
"Shut up," Mystic hissed at her sister, her cheeks blazing red.
She grabbed the photo from Lapis in her own magic and tossed it on the ground. She then cleared her throat and quickly calmed back down, lifting her head to gaze up at the crystal princess in front of her.
"Anyways..." She cleared her throat, fanning herself to calm the red on her face. "Skyla, are you serious about that offer?"
"Absolutely," Skyla hummed with a smile and a nod. "Of course, you'll need to gain approval from General Tempest Shadow as she is still your superior. But, if your decision is to come to the empire, I won't refuse you. We'll just need some time to help Honey Cake organize her squadron so we can reserve a space for you."
The group fell into silence, eyes sliding to Mystic to watch her closely. She briefly glanced around, already feeling the weight of this decision on her back. Well, Skyla was right that she hated being a princess, and she definitely did prefer being a guard. She knew she was going to hate all the royal titles that she would be called if she stayed in Canterlot. In the Crystal Empire, according to Skyla's rules, her titles might be null and void... she'd just be a guard. The idea was tempting, but at the same time she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave her family in Canterlot...
"Mystic," Twilight said, breaking the mare out of her thoughts. "If... If you want to go to the Crystal Empire to be a guard, I won't stop you. Um, while I'm saying that now, I just... want to apologize for forcing you into being a princess."
"You're choosing to apologize for that now?" Mystic raised an eyebrow and turned around to face the mare head on. "If I didn't know any better, it almost seems like you're just trying to guilt me into staying."
"Mystic Amethyst!" Rarity gasped, and stomped a hoof.
"Rarity," Twilight spoke firmly.
Rarity's brief protest was silenced as Twilight spread a wing before the white unicorn. She stared back at Rarity with soft eyes, and smiled. 
"It's alright," Twilight reassured the mare. "I… don't blame her."
Rarity's gaze mellowed out, and her shoulders relaxed. She stepped back, clearing her throat and falling silent. Twilight turned her head to look back at Mystic with guilt in her eyes.
"I'm not trying to make you stay, or change your thoughts over the last few years," Twilight continued. "But, admittedly, Skyla's words have made me really take the time to think. I've known all this time that you never wanted to be a princess, but I thought putting you in the position might... I don't know, change your mind?" 
"What gave you that horrible idea?" Mystic grumbled, raising a brow.
"Because the same thing happened to me," Twilight explained. "I never wanted to be a princess either, but, when I got my wings, I had to accept my fate. It was difficult to manage at first, but as time went on, I learned that being a princess wasn't as bad as I really believed it was. I thought being an Empress would be impossible as well! I never thought I was ready, but I still took on the position, and I've been ruling Equestria since you were a filly. I suppose, for your situation, I was trying to base things entirely on my own experience, thinking that your obvious hatred of the position was something that could be changed, just like how my negativity towards my ruling ability was for me." 
Mystic stayed silent as Twilight spoke. Her expression did not soften, but her eyes did not wander either. Twilight was doing her best to avoid her daughter's gaze, but Mystic's eyes were locked on her mother's. It was obvious that the stare made Twilight uncomfortable, but that's what Mystic was hoping for. Despite Twilight's efforts to apologize, Mystic didn't feel like her words could make up for it. And as a result, her jordy blue eyes burned holes in the violet mare's coat.
Mystic had practically hated her mothers for the longest time. Twilight with her forced coronation planning and friendship lessons, and Rarity with her frilly dresses and skirts... Mystic had never been a fan. She never was, but they tended to push whatever narrative they wanted. Mystic's thoughts were flooded with the memories of the first time Twilight had brought up the idea of her princess coronation when she was 21. Every year following, Twilight and Rarity both brought up the idea at different times, and every time she had turned them down.
Mystic's eyes met the ground. Not once did her mothers ever think to consider her feelings on the matter. Lapis never had a coronation because she had her horn removed. Twilight gained her wings and was forced into the position. Flurry and Skyla were born into princesshood as alicorns, and even Honey Cake was due to be a princess despite not being an alicorn. No one in her family wanted to be royalty, but they were all forced into the position either by birth or by their family. She suffered the same fate as the rest of her family, but she was the only one who spoke out about it.
The anger in her expression must've roused something in Twilight. She blinked as she heard the mare clear her throat. She lifted her head to meet the Empress's gaze again, and raised a brow as a tear rolled down Twilight's face. She lifted a hoof, quickly clearing away the tear and taking a deep breath.
"I-I don't blame you for being angry at me," Twilight stuttered as she began speaking again. "If I were in your position, I… would be angry too. So many years of your life were spent having to cancel the coronations I planned without your permission. I just... want to say I'm sorry while the thoughts are out in the open."
Mystic stared up at Twilight silently. Her expression was blank as it always was, in comparison to Twilight's face, which showcased feelings of regret and remorse. But, love shined in her eyes as well. Mystic eyes glanced around Twilight's own to catch each emotion she was feeling. Each sparkle meant something different in that mare's eyes. She wondered if any emotions reflected in her own eyes that she was showing without knowing. She took a deep breath and sighed, lightly fluttering her wings and turning around to face Skyla again.
"I'll think about it," She said finally. "This is still coronation day after all, and I... need time. Give me two months. Two months and I'll have made up my mind about whether or not I want to stay in Canterlot, or join the Crystal Empire's royal guard. Tell Honey Cake to reserve a place for me, and I'll explain the situation to Tempest Shadow when I have the opportunity."
"Understood," Skyla said, dipping her head. "I'll notify her as soon as we return to the empire."
"Boy, the mood really shut down here," Shining coughed nervously. "How about we all change the topic and do something else, yeah? This is supposed to be a happy day, regardless of what brought out the events, or what comes of them. Mystic, if you're not willing to take this as your own coronation, then let's consider it... a party!"
"A party?" Mystic raised an eyebrow. 
"That's not a bad idea," Cadance hummed happily. "I believe Pinkie organized an after-coronation celebration. We could all check and see if things have already been set up. The crowning was some time ago, I'm sure the venue is open."
"Well, if it gets us all away from all these...-" Mystic drew a circle in the air with a hoof, ears pinning back. "-...'topics,' I'm not against the idea. I haven't been to an actual, uh... party before."
"Oh boy," Skyla laughed. "Miss Pie threw a party for Earthquake in the Crystal Empire before he moved in with Rumble. It was... something, to say the least. It was the happiest I'd seen him in some time. Of course I wasn't the greatest at the activities when I was chosen to participate in them... but I can't say I disliked the experience."
"Well, this is going to be an experience for Mystic!" Lapis said, throwing a wing around the mare, after she moved to stand by her. "I'll just warn you now, things might be a little crazy. But hey, your maaarefriend might be there!"
"Marefriend?" Mystic raised a brow. She didn't even blush.
"Yeah, Carrie!" Lapis said, clapping her hooves and removing her wing from her sister's back. "The brown haired mare?"
"Oh, her," Mystic mused. "It's been some time since I last talked to her. But, she's not my marefriend."
"Keep telling yourself that," Lapis snickered. "You guys will be practically official before you know it, I bet."
"Whatever Lapis," Mystic sighed, scratching her head with one of her wings. "Let's just get going."
"I'll lead the way," Cadance said.
The ponies nodded to eachother, and watched Cadance descend down the path. Each pony fell in line after her, and once more Mystic chose to bring up the rear. Once more, the photo on the ground sparkled, and was lifted due to her magic. She brought it in front of her, tilting her head down to stare at it. 
She sighed, using her magic to hopefully teleport the item back to her bedroom. She'd hate to lose it after everypony else seemed so infatuated with it. She lifted her head, forcing a stern expression back onto her face. She said she was going to wait to accept Skyla's offer, but she was already back in her military mindset. She had become so used to it over time, even though she had been so busy forcing herself into college.
One hoof after the other, her gait had naturally become more of a march. Her body was stiff and her head held high. She found herself counting her hooves as they hit the ground in succession. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, She thought. She had learned that marching motif while training under Tempest. In this sort of formation, she couldn't keep herself from following it. At the very least, no other pony seemed to mind her military attitude showing.
Rarity and Twilight were busy talking, but Mystic couldn't hear what exactly they were talking about because Skyla and Cadance were talking as well. It was hard to pick out who was saying what between them all, but Mystic couldn't really be bothered to care about the conversation. She didn't have any plans on joining in, so she didn't have a reason to listen. She sighed, fluttering her wings against the gold on her sides.
"Still feeling nervous?" She heard Lapis say to her.
"Sort of," She said, shrugging her shoulders. "I just don't like crowds."
"There won't be a big crowd at the venue," Lapis said. "Well, I don't think so anyways… I think it'll just be us for the most part, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of mom's friends are there too."
"Some of my friends were in the crowd, so I'm sure they'll be there too," Mystic grumbled. "They're all going to talk about the crowning, and how stupid I looked."
"You didn't look stupid!" Lapis groaned. "Will you ever quit being so negative?"
"Bite me and I might," Mystic said, sticking her tongue out.
Lapis brought a smirk to her face. She suddenly bent down, clamping her jaws on Mystic's wing. The alicorn mare yelped, kicking the pegasus in the side and making her fall over. Lapis made quite a racket as her laughter filled the air.
"I didn't think you'd take that literally!" Mystic hissed, pulling forward her wing and rubbing her hoof against the spot Lapis had bit down on.
"What's going on back there?" Twilight asked, making the group stop to look back at her daughters.
"Lapis bit me!" Mystic complained, showcasing her bitten wing.
"You asked for it!" Lapis snickered.
"That's enough, girls," Rarity laughed. "Lapis didn't bite you hard, did she?"
"I didn't!" Lapis whined as she got back to her hooves. "It's not like it's gonna leave a mark…"
"It better not," Shining hummed. "The pain should go away quickly as long as Lapis doesn't bite you again."
"Don't tempt her, she just might," Mystic hissed, passing a glare to her sister, who returned it by sticking out her tongue and pulling down on her eyes.
"You two better calm down before we get to the venue," Twilight said with an eye roll. "What are your friends going to say if they see you fighting?"
"They know how we are," Lapis retorted. "They're used to our play-fighting!"
"Biting your sister is play-fighting?" Skyla asked with a smirk and a raised brow.
"Erm…" Lapis's face flushed, and her ears pinned back. She partially covered her face with one of her wings, and scratched her head with a hoof. "I guess not…"
"Hah!" Mystic laughed lightly. "Looks like I'm the winner in this situation."
Lapis passed Mystic a glare and a pout. She didn't say anything, but her displeasure showed in her eyes. She folded her wing back to her side, turned and lifted her head, and shut her eyes with a 'hmph.' Mystic rolled her eyes, letting her expression fall stoic again. Classic Lapis, she thought. Gives the silent treatment when she doesn't get her way. Nerd.
"Alright, let's keep moving now," Cadance chuckled behind one of her hooves. "The venue is just up ahead, so you both better look proper when you're meeting other ponies."
"I wonder how many ponies will be there," Skyla hummed. 
"Hopefully not too many," Mystic snorted. "I'd love nothing more than to be able to just sit down without being dragged everywhere."
"I suppose we'll see for ourselves," Twilight laughed as she continued walking.
The rest of the ponies began to follow her again. Mystic continued her marching on. Lapis trotted ahead of her, rejoining the main ponies of the crowd and striking up a conversation with Skyla. Mystic let her world fall into white noise as their walk continued. Like before, she couldn't be bothered to listen in on the conversations anymore. It wasn't her business.
She sighed, staring down at her hooves. She knew her friends were most likely waiting in the venue right now. She glanced behind her, seeing the crowds much further back now. They had walked past the crowds and out of the main plaza. Her mood perked as she lifted her head and properly looked at her surroundings. She glanced up, and noticed a large hedge wall that they were walking past.
She blinked, looking to the side opposite her and catching the eyes of a stone pony statue, cloaked in a sculpted cape and holding a polearm. She hadn't even realized it, but they had walked all the way to the sculpture garden outside the hedge maze. She looked back to the front of the group as they stepped off the path, approaching a large stone platform surrounded in flower hedges. At the front of the platform, on either side of a small staircase, were two smaller statues representing Celestia and Luna. The statues faced each other, with their heads lifted and horns pointed to the sky.
Mystic had never seen this part of the garden before. She wondered why it had been built. Of course, the original reason didn't matter, as she heard the cacophony of voices on the platform inside of the hedges and knew why they were here. This was where the after-coronation party had been set up. They made it to their destination.