The purple wooden wheels of a light-gray carriage pulled by four Equestria-attired earth pony stallions go around along a dirt road, often serving as a favorable trading route between Equestria and the Crystal Empire.
An insignia of a yellow sparkling star rests on either side of the carriage, with purple stripes going across the vehicle’s rooftop, the color scheme matching the owner’s within as the unicorn mare in question looks out the window towards the vast fields of green with patches of snow littering its face, bathing in late-morning sunlight.
“To think that the Crystal Heart has such far-reaching weather manipulation capabilities,” the mare observed with arctic light blue eyes, her gentle, regal voice slightly echoing across the carriage’s innards. “It never ceases to amaze me.”
The sound of something sliding across a metal frame goes off on the adjacent side of the carriage.
“Lady Starshine Velvet.” A guard fastened into the rear end of the trace and pole began, looking back into the vehicle through the now-open narrow window, garnering the mare’s attention. “We should be entering the Crystal Empire within the next hour, ma’am.”
Starshine nods with a close-lipped smile. “Thank you for the update, my good stallion.”
The guard nods affirmatively and slides the window shut—the light-gray unicorn setting her gaze on the outside world once more.
A plethora of thoughts pertaining to her new life and things to come flows through her mind—chief being the one that rises to the surface above all others.
“Ooh!” She squeed in excitement. “I can’t wait to introduce those colts to my family’s Sibling Supreme tradition. Who will manage to claim the crown, I wonder?”
-The Crystal Empire-
Starshine’s carriage proceeds onward from the southern checkpoint, following its thorough inspection from the crystal guards, as the vehicle flows into the vibrant streets of the Crystal Empire. Honestly, it hardly felt like a whole hour had passed for the Equestrian mare. Then again, she did spend most of that time lost in thoughts within her carriage, prompting a giggle out of the mare for her own antic.
Starshine continued to observe the crystalline structures and the passing of the empire’s denizens through her window with great interest. And before long, she felt the vehicle slowly start to decelerate before coming to a complete stop.
“Oh, my,” the unicorn states as she spots a particular scenario unfolding beyond the window. “It looks like I have a welcoming party.” She urgently hops off her furnishing, her hooves clopping against the hardwood floor, sporting a look of determination after taking nerve-steeling breaths.
“Ok! Let’s do this!”
……….
A moderate-purple aura seizes the doorknob of the carriage’s rear entryway in its magical grasp, the white door being willed open by its owner. Starshine exits the vehicle with an alighted horn and kills off the flow of magic while turning to face a small collective of guards with an unarmored, light-blue-ice-coated, non-crystal unicorn mare with an entrancing golden mane and tail at the forefront.
“Welcome, Lady Starshine Velvet,” the golden-maned beauty began, Starshine’s curiosity being piqued by their trio of snowflakes cutie mark. “My name is Arthrodite Snowcrawl. I trust your journey was a pleasant one?”
“It actually was; thank you for asking,” Starshine responds in glee. “Oh. And just Starshine Velvet is fine. No need for any fancy titles with this noble.” She finished with laughter. “Now then, let’s get straight down to business. No need to beat around the bush, as they say.”
Arthrodite nods with a pleasant hum. “Ah. A mare of action. I like that.” She looked to her guards and whistled, the armored force approaching the carriage in response, followed by them starting the process of unloading various forms of luggage and seeing to the needs of the four Equestrian stallions.
“Your belongings will be taken to your new residency,” said Arthrodite. “As well as your carriage. Although, given the circumstances, you’ll probably need to hire some new studs for the harness.”
Starshine gives an understanding and thankful nod, internally banishing away Arthrodite’s ‘colorful’ use of ‘studs,’ before looking back to her Equestrian transports.
“Thank you for your perseverance, gentlesirs!” She expressed her gratitude while waving a forehoof at them. “Please help yourselves to the empire’s amenities and relax before heading back to Equestria. My treat, of course.”
The four earth ponies sign and voice their gratitude before being led away by a crystal guard.
“Things seem to be in order now.” Arthrodite’s words demanded Starshine’s attention once more. “Are you ready to begin?”
The soon-to-be former Equestrian and agent of S.M.I.L.E unicorn nods. “Affirmative.”
“Then follow me, please.”
Arthrodite turned to the right and aimed her form towards the somewhat distant crystalline visage of the Crystal Castle. She starts to venture down the street with Starshine picking up her pace and pulling up at her side.
“Can I safely assume that you’re familiar with your mission’s parameters?” Arthrodite inquired.
“Yes, indeed!” Starshine affirms with upstretched ears. “Incidentally, I even ran into the Royal Sisters during my trip here. I got the basis for my mission via Princess Celestia’s urgent letter to my organization, and she answered any further questions I had when we met in person.
However… I couldn’t help but notice a small pegasus filly was accompanying them. I wouldn’t dare to step beyond my boundaries to question it, but—well…”
“Her name is Snowdrop,” Arthrodite answered knowingly, mildly shocking Starshine, “a blind filly who’s now officially adopted by Princess Luna. Congratulations, your homeland now has a third princess. Well, technically.”
“P-Princess Luna did what?!” Starshine screamed in a panic, causing Arthrodite to pause and turn back as the newly arrived mare paced back and forth in distress.
“This isn’t good. This isn’t good. Sweet Celestia, this is NOT GOOD!”
Aphrodite raises an eyebrow, “So I’m gonna go out on a limb here and assume that isn’t good?” She asked teasingly, earning a stern glare from Starshine.
“You’re not funny,” Starshine asserts, “and you have no idea how much chaos will ensue once the nobility back home hears of this. Maker’s sake, words alone can’t express the amount of trouble Snowdrop’s been dropped into.”
“Right, right. Equestria’s snobby nobility, infestation of superiority complexes, houses vying to outcompete one another, lots and lots of backstabbing, etcetera, etcetera.”
“Not all of us are like that!” Starshine protests. “Some of us, like my family, actually uphold our status with honor, respect, and in absolute accordance with the key tenets of Equestria.”
She sighs and relents seconds later, all while Arthrodite looks upon her with a neutral expression. “But…yes. You’re right. I just hope the princesses know what they’re doing.”
Arthrodite hums and turns away to trek down the road again, Starshine following suit as the duo approaches a crossroad.
“In other words, it sounds like Equestria’s problem,” the larger unicorn mare earns a deadpan expression from Starshine. “And since it’s not the Crystal Empire’s problem, it’s not my problem. You with me so far?”
Starshine’s features scrunch in displeasure. “Hmph! You cold-hearted- hey, wait!” She called out as Arthrodite turned to the left of the crossroad. “The castle is that way.” The mare emphasized while pointing a forelimb in the appropriate direction—dead ahead.
“Sombra and Sombasi are at school right now, tiny teats,” Arthrodite mocked playfully without looking back and continuing on. “And your house is this way.”
“T-tiny- what- I- th-they’re not-” Starshine barely managed while imitating a goldfish, “how dare you!”
“Better hurry up, or you’ll get left behind, Special Agent.”
Starshine’s left eye twitches as frustration build up within her. The unicorn lets out a groan, “This mare…” She mutters in annoyance before quickly trotting forth to catch up to her escort.
“You really shouldn’t announce to the world that I’m an agent, you know.”
That caused Arthrodite to pause in place before abruptly placing a forelimb on Starshine’s withers, much to her confusion.
“Starshine! Starshine! We’ve got Starshine here!” Arthrodite declared, earning absolutely no response from nearby passing crystal and non-crystal ponies, save for a growl through gritted teeth from Starshine herself. “See? Nopony cares. Now knock off the subtle agent crap. We’ll stop by your new place before heading down to the orphanage.”
Arthrodite pats the agent twice before pulling away and venturing off again, leaving behind a fuming, red-headed—despite the light-gray coat—unicorn mare who’s on the verge of screaming out, using all of her willpower to prevent such a cataclysmic event.
Starshine takes a deep and recuperative breath, exhaling slowly. “Patience, Starshine. Patience. Set a good example for your sons.”
With her composure recollected, Starshine quickly catches up to Arthrodite, and thus did the agent of S.M.I.L.E and the changeling in disguise set off to settle the former mare in properly.
But unbeknownst to them both, and just beneath the proud Crystal Castle that stood firm in the heart of the empire, the Crystal Heart shimmered and seemingly glowed more vibrantly for a moment while continuing to rotate clockwise between a crystalline stalagmite and stalactite.
The heart of Latona, as ever, was carefully knitting delicate threads of fate. And if one were to listen closely, they may or may not be able to pick up on a female voice whispering a series of names into the very winds and across the mountains of the Frozen North.
“Starshine Velvet…”
“Twilight Velvet…
“Shining Armor…”
Twilight Sparkle…
“Spike… Brave... Glorious...”