//------------------------------// // Clear as Crystal // Story: Sweet Shining Love // by Bespectacled Brony //------------------------------// Disclaimer: Someone once said that a vague disclaimer is nobody's friend. Well...I certainly can't have that, can I? In that case, here's the deal...I don't own "My Little Pony" and you can be assured that I never have, and never will. Hope that's specific enough for you. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Sweet Shining Love Chapter 3 - Clear as Crystal The Crystal Empire! It doesn't take an educated pony to know that it's arguably more beautiful than any other kingdom, due to having the advantage of being the home of incredible luster. A single glance at the domain would captivate attention and leave one amazed and impressed. Just ask Sweetie Belle. "This is WAY too cool! Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are gonna be sorry they missed this!" After only two steps off the train, Sweetie's vision immediately locked in on the crystalline splendor in the distance, just waiting to be thoroughly explored. Her eyes refused to blink at the glamorous sight, for fear of it vanishing into thin air. "Not too shabby, huh?" Shining Armor asked. "Are you kidding? It's totally shab-free! Although...I thought there'd be more bright lights and twinkling everywhere!" "Granted, it may not be as flashy as Las Pegasus, but Cadance and I call it home." "It's too bad you didn't have your wedding here!" "Hey...with all the craziness that popped up, I should be grateful there was a wedding at all!" "I know, I was there." The stallion gave her a dubious look. "Were you?" he slowly asked. "You don't remember!?" Sweetie nearly shouted. "I'm in the wedding photos! I was one of the flower fillies, for crying out loud!" Shining's memory was somewhat foggy, as he'd been hypnotized and manipulated by a changeling queen for a good portion of the proceedings. Not the ideal choice for nostalgia. "Sorry, sorry!" he protested. "There was a lot going on, so some of what happened is a blur for me." "There's a heck of a lot going on here, too! But I'll make sure it doesn't blur up!" The little unicorn whipped out a small notepad and wasted no time scribbling down words. "Hmmm...crystal ponies, crystal houses, crystal streets...hope the food isn't made of crystal, though!" "Last time I checked, it wasn't...at least, not all of it. Speaking of which, is pizza for dinner cool with you?" The little lady's eyes widened so much it was almost frightening. "Could this day get ANY better!?" "We'll see. But first things first...the castle, my papers. Then it's all about you," Shining said with a wink. All about...ME? Is...is he serious? If Sweetie had thought that scratching her skull until it left an unpleasant mark would've driven his statement out of her system, she might've been tempted to try it. As the two of them walked through the main square, the festivities for the exhibition were well under way. Many stalls and their corresponding jewel displays had been positioned and ready to go, while other tents and booths were still being put up. Some food vendors were already in place, waiting and willing to serve any customers, the number of which would inevitably increase as the day progressed. It took all of Sweetie's strength to not run off and start snapping photos, but she knew that her chaperone needed to take care of his business first, and jeopardizing his generosity wouldn't look very good on her part. "Enjoying the view so far?" The deep, yet soft voice broke her concentration on the busy streets and once again, her pupils were attacked by the onslaught of that radiant mug of Shining Armor's, causing his question to unintentionally generate a double meaning. Going from a dazzling crystal kingdom with glittering gems to an increasingly attractive unicorn that she'd be spending the bulk of the day with, picking between "yes" or "no" wouldn't be a difficult decision to make. "Yeah, it's...stunning," she said, thoroughly enchanted by her companion. "Hm?" The single action of one princely eyebrow was raised, triggering a sequence of events for Sweetie Belle, which invoked a look of panic in her eyes, a furious shaking of the head and a rapid clearing of the throat to fight off the blush coursing through her cheeks. "You're sweating again," Shining noted. "Sure you're okay?" "Never better!" the filly croaked. "If you say so. We're here, by the way." The relentlessness of these new and uncomfortable sensations was so distracting that Sweetie barely noticed that they were now standing under the giant, shimmering structure of the Crystal Castle. As Shining Armor walked up the stairs to the entrance, she gritted her teeth, firmly tapped her temple a few times and squeezed her eyes shut. Upon opening them, all she saw was her reflection in the mirror-like surface of the ground staring back. "Stop!" she hissed to herself (literally). "Touring the Crystal Empire is one of the greatest moments of your life, and you're making goo-goo eyes at him! Something that Princess Cadance practically ordered you not to do!" "Coming?" Shining called from atop the steps. Sweetie only answered with jittery nodding. Silent as she was, her mind was louder than the crowds relishing the jamboree. Yeah, I'm coming...to a nasty conclusion! Anxiety was being felt by Cadance as well, but for different reasons. In a little under half an hour, she'd learned the mechanics of "Changeling Crisis" well enough to make some headway. She was smack dab in the middle of the game's fourth stage and showed no signs of slowing down, even with all enemies (and their respective projectiles) attacking her character from all sides. Using the arcade machine to her left was Twilight Sparkle, engaged in some sort of block-stacking game. Cadance (having just reached a checkpoint in the level) took a quick glance at her friend's progress. If the unicorn's unwavering poker face wasn't enough to let Cadance know that things were going smoothly, then her high score surely got the point across. "Not bad, Twilight!" Her sister-in-law broke from her impassive expression to flash a smug smile. "Nothing to it, just a matter of aiming, accuracy, timing...and some delicate eye-hoof coordination!" she bragged. "I should ask my Shiny to put a couple of these cabinets in the castle...maybe as a Hearth's Warming Day gift!" "Uh...when would you play? I know you're on a vacation now, but doesn't ruling over an empire take up the majority of your time?" The Princess's eyes were already focused on the next level of her game, but she managed to keep the conversation going. "You're right, Twilight! However, when something grabs your attention and you really think it's important, you just have to make the time!" Cadance was obviously getting better at multitasking, as she was competently blasting away enemy changelings, carrying a conversation with her friend and thinking about her one true love, so far away. And if that gorgeous husband of mine knows what's good for him, he'll make the time for me tonight! The scope of Sweetie Belle's expedition was almost too much to absorb. From Ponyville to a train ride to the Crystal Empire to its palace...to the inside of it. Each segment of this journey had been more breathtaking than the last. She was still fighting the urge to blink, for fear of the surrounding environment vanishing like a mirage in the desert. "Wow!" Sweetie suddenly remembered to mind her manners (compliments of Rarity's "inside voice" rules) and immediately halt any babbling that was itching to escape her lips. Shining Armor might've taken no notice of this, had it not been for the fact that her lips were sealed a bit too tightly. "Go on...do it. I know you want to," he suggested while plugging his ears again, as on the train. Official permission to yell her head off? Not wishing to pass up an opportunity to let her pent-up excitement out, the little pony opened her mouth and- "IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!" Knowing precisely what to expect, Sweetie turned her head and let her ear take in the resulting echo... "...AMAZING...AMAZING...AMAZING..." She then covered her mouth, taken aback by how loud of an echo her voice generated. "Feels liberating, doesn't it?" Shining asked, uncovering his ears. "The acoustics in here are pretty spectacular if you let your voice go." "You said it! Anyway, where's that office of...hey, wait a minute..." As spacious as the castle's hallway was, all of its doors leading to other portions of Shining Armor's lustrous habitat looked- "Exactly alike!" Sweetie Belle blurted out. "Say that again?" "All these tall, black doors are the same! I mean, they're not even labeled! How do you know where you're going?" "Well, how do you gain the knowledge for tying a knot?" She looked at the floor, itching for an answer. "Um...it's something you learn over time, I guess." "That's right! I just learned over time how to navigate this palace. It may be grander than the common house, but finding your way around eventually becomes second nature to you, like any other residence. Although..." Shining Armor paused to glance down the hall, mildly concerned that there were any eavesdropping ponies lurking about. Not a soul. Still, he whispered his next sentence. "Although Cadance had some trouble herself in the beginning!" It was ironic that the stallion who was distracting Sweetie was also the one whose remark managed to ease her growing nervousness, which she masked with a chuckle. "So, eh...which way do we...?" Devoid of hesitation, Shining pointed in the direction of a seemingly random double door (adjacent to several identical ones) and opened them with his magic. "After you...and prepare to be amazed again." The appearance of his large office was splendid indeed. A sleek sparkling desk with a quill and small bottle of ink at the ready, a respectable cushy chair, and a nearby window with a splendid view of the kingdom below indicated that this was a comfortable place to work. "Whoooooa..." was all she could get out. Sweetie had good reason to be mesmerized right and left, but what caught her attention this time were the numerous awards and plaques on the wall. If she didn't have a grasp of her chaperone's credentials before, she certainly did now. "Oh, yeah..." Shining Armor said, sitting down at his desk. "I've racked up a few honors and medals during my years of service to Princess Celestia, being a former captain of the Royal Guard and all. Some of them are letters of gratitude from civilians for my work and dedication, which I've long since framed." The prince started rummaging through the drawers for the necessary documents while Sweetie Belle continued to admire the wall's decorations...until one unusual item stirred her curiosity. The girl turned her head a few times to verify what was hanging from the wall. "Is that...is that a crown made out of tinfoil?" she asked, pointing upward. "Um...yes," Shining confirmed, slightly embarrassed. "That's not your actual crown, is it?" "Eh, like you said on the train...it's too long of a story to get into." The older unicorn leafed through five folders in the lowest drawer, until... "Got it! I knew I left the papers in the desk!" Those words caused Sweetie to struggle, so as to maintain her composure, but the twitching in her legs was obvious. "Soooo...?" she asked anxiously. Shining Armor couldn't help but smile. "Little missy, you've been more than patient," he said, slipping the folder into his saddlebag. "And now, I believe the Jewel Jamboree is calling your name." Instinct kicked in and yet another plugging of the eardrums was in order. Not even the mighty magic of Princess Celestia could've prevented the outburst, preceded by a deep breath and then... "CRYSTAL HEAVEN!" The empty hall of the royal tower did the rest of Sweetie's work. "...HEAVEN...HEAVEN...HEAVEN..." "Better now?" "Hah...y...yeah..." she panted, making her way out of the room. "We...I...huff...let's...g...get moving..." Now that he'd gotten what he came for, Shining Armor prepared to leave his office, but not before taking a good look at the framed photo of a smiling Cadance on his desk. He smiled back, kissed his hoof and gently pressed it against his wife's "lips" with affection in his eyes. "I'll see you later, gorgeous." Finally taking a break from the arcade, Twilight and Cadance sat at a nearby outside table with a pair of cold drinks at the ready. Soothing as it was to the taste, Twilight became somewhat alarmed at witnessing Cadance's head darting in a seemingly random direction, as if some kind of mental siren was blaring, followed by a flush in her cheeks and a joyful sigh. "Hey...is, uh...is everything...?" "Shining Armor..." the princess replied with another sigh. "What about him?" "Just now...he was thinking about me!" "How do you know?" Cadance closed her eyes and softly pressed her hoof against her cheek. "Wife's intuition. He and I have a bond that's more durable than diamonds! You could call it our...Love Linkage!" "Uh..." "Patent pending, of course." "Of course...anyway, I'm surprised at how easily you adapted to video games. I stick to an occasional claw machine attempt - the timing and precision involved being my area of expertise - but you looked right at home!" "Truth be told, this isn't the very first time I've been to an arcade. Shining Armor and I spent some time at one during our honeymoon." "So that's why you seemed to be so comfortable here." "I wasn't sure about it at first, but Shiny always has a way of making an experience enjoyable...plus, he let me win at Skee-Ball." "And who says chivalry is dead?" The two friends shared a good laugh. It felt wonderful to simply spend time together and not having to concern themselves with a kingdom (or two) under the brutal attack of a sinister army or malevolent entity. "It's just one of his many positive traits. I come first in his eyes." "Which one do I check out FIRST?!? So many booths, so little time!" "Let's start with the one closest to us and go from there." And what a booth to begin with! Well, so to speak. In actuality, it was a wagon with a banner attached to its roof, advertising "GRAND GOLD" and its owner was a tall, pale blue stallion in brown garb. Sweetie Belle felt that his business was as good as any to kick off her report, so she moved as fast as her legs would allow. "Welcome, young lady!" the vendor greeted with a smile. "What can I do for you?" "I'm, uh...doing a report for school and...eh...do you think I could...y'know...look around inside your wagon?" "Ha, ha! That's what it's here for! Why, I-" "Sweetie!" Shining Armor hollered, walking quickly across the street. "Don't just pop off like that! Rarity's gonna give me an earful if I don't keep tabs on you!" The vendor's eyes blinked to verify what he was seeing, and he promptly bowed. "It's...it's you!" he gasped. "Shining Armor, noble prince of this scintillating city! To be graced with your presence bestows much honor upon me and my humble abode! But I heard through the grapevine that you were away...was I misinformed?" "No, you heard correctly. I just returned for the day to wrap up some unfinished business, mister...um..." "I am Hoo'Far, come all the way from Saddle Arabia!" "Wow, that is pretty far! Hope your time in the Crystal Empire is pleasant! Oh...and that little ball of energy is Sweetie Belle, here for academic purposes." "Ah, the pursuit of a good education is worth far more than my modest display of gold," he noted as the three of them stepped inside. A massive glow was instantly upon the trio that would've put Shining Armor's name in the shade. Hoo'Far's wagon may not have been the largest, but the interior seemed to dwarf the exterior, making Sweetie Belle's jaw drop. On shelves and hooks were various bracelets, rings, necklaces, brooches, circlets...all made of gold. Their combined gleam made the inside of the caravan seem golden in appearance, as well. It felt as though they'd just wandered into a lost and forgotten treasure room of glistening delights. "Modest? That, sir...is an understatement," Shining Armor almost whispered. His young companion was at a loss for words, but she wasted no time in taking a few pictures and jotting down some notes. "Regardless, I'm hoping to make some fair trades or sales during this convention! I've been saving up money for a replacement wagon." "Oh? Everything looks sturdy to me." "To the untrained eye, perhaps. But as much as I adore this small caravan of mine, she's unfortunately getting on in her years. A few more and she'll be ripe for retirement, if you know what I mean. It is my desire to eventually make enough bits to buy a newer, more spacious one." "Hope you get there!" Sweetie chimed in while taking a snapshot of a pendant. "Okay, got everything I need! Let's move on to the next joint! Time's a-wastin'!" At that moment, a short cream-colored stallion approached the wagon. He wore a short-sleeved collared shirt and seemed to have no shortage of his own jewelry. His gold earrings, gold medallion, gold tooth and cutie mark (depicting six gold bits) indicated that he had a taste for the finer things in life. The pony's sleazy grin only widened when he saw the banner. "Grand Gold, eh? We'll see what kinda geegaws you got around here and then I just hafta-" His sentence, grin and whatever ulterior motives swirling around in his brain evaporated as the wagon's door opened up. Three unicorns emerged, but his sense of panic was triggered by only one in particular. SHININ' ARMOR?!? What's he doin' here? Just my lousy luck! The first place I wanna scam, and this noble nutcase appears on the scene! If I try to run, he'll grab me! What's a street rat to do!? The phrase "act natural" came to mind, which induced sweating and whistling. However, the validity of such behavior was not convincing in the slightest. While Hoo'Far would've generously regarded the potentially shady character as a potential buyer, the Crystal Empire's prince was not going to give him an inch. "Good day, sir! How can I be of service?" "Yes, this unicorn is quite the honest type," Shining added, with a near smirk. "I've absolutely no doubt that you'll conduct your business in the same manner. " Gotta get outta here! Think, stupid! Something, anything that sounds plausible should...wait, what's that? His eyes locked in on a distinctive pouch strapped to the salespony's side. The design made good use of primary colors. Its body was dark blue, decorated with little gold stars, complete with a red drawstring. "Yeah...well, uh...I thought I might work out a trade for, eh...dat pouch!" he stammered. Hoo'Far looked to where the "customer" was pointing and smiled. "Ah, yes! This item is double-stitched, bears a ten thousand thread count, not to mention an ochre-flecked velvet lining with reinforced triple-crosshatched seams..." "Um...really?" "Quality pouches such as these were crafted in my homeland of Saddle Arabia! They're quite hard to come by!" "Dat's good enough for me! I mean...ah...I wouldn't mind making a deal for your pouch...you game?" "Hmmm...what would you be prepared to offer me in return?" The stallion bit his lower lip and rapidly stroked his stubble for a few seconds until an idea came to him. Tugging on his right ear, he removed its earring and held it out. "Dis here earring! It's solid gold! But don' ask me how many karats, I never bothered to find out!" Hoo'Far put his powers of observation to work as he magically levitated a loupe from his pouch to inspect and appraise the merchandise presented before him. Shining Armor still stared at the short pony sternly, but remined silent. Sweetie Belle was also watching this exchange, but an uneasy feeling compelled her not to record the details. "Mm...I see...mm-hm...yes...hmm?" "Well?" Sweetie, Shining and the patron asked simultaneously. Another smile graced the vendor's face as he finally came to a conclusion, floating the earring into his hoof. "This piece of jewelry is acceptable. The pouch is yours." "Whew, that's a relief! Uh, I meant...done deal, right?" The stallion looked to his watcher for confirmation. "RIGHT?" he squawked. "Hey, all I saw was a simple and legal transaction," Shining coolly replied. "Nothing unlawful here." Hoo'far levitated the pouch over to the customer, who sported a grin that wasn't nearly as confident as before. "Listen, I'd love to hang around n' chat...'cept for the fact that I don't. Gotta bail!" The trio of unicorns kept staring until the shifty pony galloped (and inevitably vanished) into the crowd. Satisfied that all was well, Shining Armor decided it was time to resume his trek. "I need to get moving, too. Nice meeting you, and good luck with your endeavors!" "See ya, Mr. Hoo'Far! Thanks for letting me poke around your wagon!" "Your words exude volumes of encouragement and positivity! My gratitude to the both of you!" The two shook hooves with the vendor and continued on their way, but Sweetie's face bore mild confusion. "I don't get it...if he has all that gold, shouldn't he be able to buy a new wagon now?" she wondered aloud. "Maybe he was selling it on the behalf of some company and only receives a small cut of the profits. Who knows?" One other thing Shining didn't know was the exact time, but a quick glance at a street clock revealed that it was about half past noon. He was getting hungry, but it was reasonable to assume that his ward didn't have lunch on her mind, so that appetite would have to endure for now. And since there was still plenty of time before they had to return to Ponyville...that also meant plenty more jewels to feast their eyes upon. "Oooooh..." Sweetie Belle sighed at a display of lustrous platinum bracelets from Stratusburg... "Aaaaah..." ...and elegant silver candlesticks from Vanhoover. "I've never seen so many diamonds in one place!" What she meant to say was she'd never seen an assortment of small yellow and brown diamonds from Puerto Caballo before. Shining Armor whistled in awe. The two colors complimented each other well and witnessing its glitter was addictive. "Rarity hates earth tones," Sweetie noted. "But I bet she'd approve of a brown diamond!" As the two unicorns shared a laugh, Shining found that he was genuinely having fun. But even though Sweetie was proving to be good company, he wished he could've experienced today's event with Cadance, despite her lack of interest in the festivities. Reminding himself that he'd see his wife in a mere few hours, he refocused on the task at hoof. Meanwhile, some of the most expensive and valuable antiques known to pony were also on display further down the street, considered the pinnacle of perfection at this convention of eye candy. They were arranged in a circular formation with sentries posted around the perimeter. "Get a look at THAT!" Of course, there was no way anypony was going to pass up getting a picture of an ancient, bejeweled Trottingham crown. However, it was enclosed in a cubical glass case on a crystal pedestal and a pair of royal guards stood before it. Both of them raised a very suspicious and alarming eyebrow when Sweetie pulled out her camera. Shining Armor decided it would be prudent to eliminate any possible confrontation before it could start. "Flash Sentry, Stone Wall..." "SIR!" they barked in unison. "Don't mind the little girl, she's in my care." The guards nodded and let the filly click that shutter a couple of times. Shining Armor stepped closer to get a good look for himself. "See the red stone in the front of the crown?" he asked, pointing. "Yeah, it's pretty." "That's the Timor Ruby...and as you can see, it's quite literally the crown jewel." Sweetie nodded, but her eyes were already focusing on another display case. "The shade of crimson is lovely...but that blue jewel's really...uh, respending...re-endingent...reslendermanent...darn, what's that word Rarity always uses?" "I'm guessing resplendent is what you wanna say?" "Uh-huh! It's really resplendent!" "Decent way to describe it. That's the Stallion Sapphire Brooch from Shire Lanka...rumored to be over three thousand years old!" She stared at the royal blue ornament, trying to wrap her head around what Shining Armor just said. "No way!" Sweetie squeaked. "Or so I've heard," Shining added with a shrug. "That brooch is way sweeter than most of the stuff my sister has! It makes her treasured baby blue sapphires look like the color of the water in her toilet!" "Heh...is, um...is that right?" Being "co-ruler" of this empire meant that Shining Armor got a daily dose of crystal exposure, so the shimmer of the landscape was nothing new to him. But the city's qualities couldn't compare to the most exorbitant rock (arguably) the Jewel Jamboree had to offer... Sweetie Belle was entranced by a necklace with a gemstone in the shape of a pony's hind leg (specifically the joint behind its knee), noticeably larger than most of the stuff she'd seen so far. The display case's attached sign demanded attention. "The Hock Diamond?" she read. "Yep. Check out its worth." The little Crusader gasped at the number printed under its name. "That...that...that's a LOT of zeros!" Shining flashed a small grin as he hit Sweetie with another bit of trivia... "Not only that, but it's rumored to be...cursed," he whispered into her ear, with an evil (albeit quiet) snicker. "Whaaaaa?" she murmured. "Precise records haven't been kept, but supposedly...each previous owner of the Hock Diamond has had irrevocable misfortune befall them! Dementia, misery, bankruptcy, imprisonment, poverty...legend says that some have disappeared without a trace, never to be heard from again...all thanks to having that troublesome trinket in their possession!" Sweetie raised her camera, but her hooves were shaking. "That curse wouldn't extend to photographs...would it?" Shining squinted and tapped his chin, pretending to think hard. "I think you'll be all right. Go ahead, kiddo." Not wanting to tempt fate, she made sure that the camera's shutter only clicked once. The two of them noticed there were more ponies approaching the center of the jamboree, so they decided to leave in order to give others a chance to bask in the presence of lavish greatness. Back in Ponyville, two other ponies were exiting a movie theater, but the phrase "lavish greatness" was only running through the head of one of them. "Oh, I just love happy endings...don't you?" Cadance sniffled, holding a tissue to her very wet eyes. "As much as the next pony," Twilight unenthusiastically answered without so much as a single tear to her name. "But do you think we could try for a different movie next time?" "You didn't like it?" "Wasn't bad per se...but a title like 'The Right Time to Love' doesn't exactly sound like it's shooting for a plethora of awards. The acting was mediocre, the cinematography was unimaginative, and the plot was typical." The royal tears vanished as Cadance gave a small smile and gently shook her head. "Twilight, you're missing the point. Ponies need this kind of stuff in their lives! I've always believed that there isn't enough love in this world, and...let's face it, Equestria could definitely benefit from more! Films like the one we saw is just one of many ways to facilitate that objective!" "I admire your certainty." "Hey, I'm the Princess of Love. I know these things," the alicorn said with a cute wink. "Even so, you think maybe we could aim for something not so predictable or sappy next time?" The unicorn pointed to some movie posters, noting their potential. "Let me guess. You'd prefer something more...sci-fi?" "Please?" Twilight asked sweetly. Cadance thought for a moment and giggled. "You agreed to see what I wanted, so it's only fair that you choose the next flick. By the way...I don't suppose 'Changeling Crisis' has been adapted for the big screen, has it?" One thing that was being recorded on film was a case of birthstones that warranted study from Sweetie Belle. Her camera had received quite the workout in the last few hours. At the same time, Shining Armor was purchasing a small pouch from a booth next to her with the banner "PRICEY POTPOURRI" hanging from its roof. "Whatcha got there?" Sweetie asked, still full of energy. "Gift for Spike. Some grab bags were being sold, each one with a different assortment of tiny jewels. Promised to bring something back for him to stuff his face with. And speaking of which..." The prince's rumbling stomach tried to make a strong impression earlier, but now it was redoubling its efforts...and it had help this time around. "My tummy wants some food, too...so, how about that pizza you mentioned?" "I know a nice little place." As the duo made their way down the street, they noticed that the sky was beginning to darken. It wouldn't be long before the moon appeared, thanks to the Princess of the Night. Sweetie Belle swore that she hadn't been admiring the empire that long, but time flies when you're having fun and her adventure today absolutely fit such a description. The restaurant seemed full (due to the number of tourists), but the waiter managed to get them a small table outside where the busy nature of the Jewel Jamboree could still be seen. "Beverages first?" he asked. "Or are you ready to order everything now?" "A tall glass of hay juice and a large slice of potato pizza for me," Shining answered. "I'll have two slices!" Sweetie Belle added. "One with mushrooms, the other with daisies and...oh, great..." "What's wrong, Sweetie?" The filly bit her lower lip as she glanced at the menu. "Well, I'd like a glass of Big Rein...but my sis doesn't usually let me have caffeinated soda," she grumbled. "She thinks it'll keep me up all night." "Does it?" "Actually...no." Although his promise to Rarity (regarding Sweetie Belle's safety) was paramount, that didn't mean he couldn't bend the rules a smidge. "Eh, I won't tell Rarity if you won't." "Really? Awesome, thank you!" "Get all that?" "Every word," the waiter nodded. "I'll have your food ready in a few minutes." Shining Armor arose from the table, leaving his saddlebag slung over the seat. "Nature calls, be right back. Can you hold down the fort until I return?" "Sure thing." As he left for the restroom, Sweetie turned her head to the left, watching other ponies (crystal or otherwise) buying souvenirs, trading jewelry or simply observing the precious stones on display. Even after everything she'd experienced today, it was unbelievable. Being here at the Jewel Jamboree didn't seem entirely real. "This feels like a dream..." she happily sighed. "I can assure you, young one...it most certainly is not," replied a deep, yet gentle voice. Sweetie now turned to the right to see a taller mare, but this one was unique, bearing a dark blue coat and a beautiful continuously wavy blue mane. Complete with a pair of wings, a long horn, a black crown, and a warm smile, her identity was unmistakable. "Princess Luna..." TO BE CONTINUED... Whew! I'm tired after writing this chapter, but it was worth it! But don't think that means I'm gonna slow down, there's still more to come! Luna has made the scene, but what does she want? Probably a slice for herself...but does royalty hafta pay? Who knows?