Down a long, opulent hall lined with statues, an elderly Earth Pony trotted towards a large set of double doors that were engraved with designs of books and scrolls. He pushed open the doors with one hoof while balancing a pile of old tomes on his back, and entered the expansive shelves of the Canterlot Royal Library and Archives. Carefully, he made his way over to a writing table already weighed down with other books, and slid the tomes off his back. He stretched, and picked up an ink stained quill, ready to write, when he stopped, sensing a presence.
“My lady, how may I help you?” The Earth Pony turned around and bowed deeply to a nearby bookshelf.
“Perceptive as always, Silver Page.” Stepping into the lamp light of the library was a tall and majestic Alicorn, whose mane was like a flowing rainbow of light. An open book hovered by her head, held in place by her horn’s magic.
“Yes, I do have something I’d like your help with.” Carefully, Princess Celestia lowered her book onto a nearby end table, and walked over to the still kneeling librarian. “Please rise, old friend. You do not need to bow to me.”
Slowly, Silver Page rose, joints creaking with his old age. He settled into a more comfortable position and looked up at Princess Celestia as she took a seat on a nearby couch.
“Old habits are hard to break, your Majesty. And I would be honored to help in any way I can.” Nodding, Celestia smiled at the Master Librarian.
“Thank you, Silver Page. I need you to go to the Crystal Empire. Their library is supposedly full of many old and valuable books, and I’d like you to catalog them. I do believe there will be some that even you have not read.” Silver Page grinned, his eyes sparkling at the chance to study the vast collection.
“I did hear that from Twilight Sparkle when she was here last. I shall prepare to leave in a day or so, your Majesty.” Silver Page took a long look around the library, and sighed wearily. “It has been rather empty since your student left, Princess Celestia. I’d like her to read some of my most recent magical studies, give them some critique.” Silver Page smiled with his happy memories, and looked out the stained glass windows into the night sky.
“Things have changed, haven’t they? Your sister’s return, Discord running amok, that incident with the Changelings, and now a long lost culture resurfaced. It almost feels…”
“It feels just like when you were younger, doesn’t it, Silver Page?” He gave a mischievous grin, and Princess Celestia stood up.
“I must go now. Have a pleasant evening and a safe trip.” Silver Page nodded absentmindedly, and looked over at the book Celestia had been reading when he’d come in. It was a journal, detailing the exploits of a dashing adventurer who uncovered many lost treasures and secrets, fighting monsters along the way. In it was a faded photograph of a much younger Silver Page, standing triumphant with the relics of the Horned Ones at his feet. He chuckled softly as Celestia’s hoofsteps faded in the distance.
“Now, I am not saying that the pie was the size of my head, my good friend, but that it was the size of yours!” A chorus of childish laughter accompanied this proclamation, and an Earth Pony with a pale blue coat and silvery mane jumped up onto a nearby park bench, the crowd of young fillies and colts hanging on his every word. “Have you ever seen a ninety year old stallion eat a pie? I have! It was crazy, he stuck his whole muzzle into the pastry, and the filling went flying everywhere! At one point a glob of apples smacked in the face, but it was actually his dentures! He was so wild with his feast, he lost his teeth! That, or the teeth ran away scared, afraid he’d eat them too!” Children laughed even harder now, and a few rolled about in the grass as they hooted with amusement.
“Did this really happen?” A filly Unicorn asked, eyes wide.
“Sure did, little Jolly Jump! And when it was finished, we didn’t even have to clean the plate, ‘cause he licked it clean! We washed it though to get rid of the saliva he left behind.” More laughter and the pony basked in it.
“Silver Tongue! What are you doing?!” the party atmosphere broke as a pale brown Unicorn with a golden mane stomped in.
“Oh, hi, Gold Dust, I was…”
“You were supposed to be at the library with grandfather! But when I arrive, I find that you hadn’t shown up! So here I am, to take you back!” A nimbus of gold appeared around Gold Dust’s horn, and Silver Tongue was yanked off the bench by the ear, and dragged magically away. A cry went up from the assembled children, but Silver Tongue smiled at them.
“Well kids, that’s all for today! Next time I’ll tell you about the picnic that Gold Dust made! Spoilers, there were a lot of upset stomachs!”
After a while, Gold Dust let go of Silver Tongue, and he walked behind her as she fumed and ranted.
“…and if you are going to go telling children some crazy stories, at least tell them stories that are informative and clever, not overblown exaggerations! Honestly, Silver Tongue, if you…”
“Hey there! You look lovely today, my dear. Did you do something to your mane?” Gold Dust stopped dead in her tracks, and spun around to see that Silver Tongue was no longer following behind her, and was instead hitting on a mare that was out shopping. He leaned up against a wall, and was putting on his moves. “You and I should go out for a bite to eat sometime. Maybe a nice little café, some candles, and…”
Magic crackled around Gold Dust’s horn and Silver Tongue went flying, crashing to the ground next to the irritated unicorn. Muttering under her breath, Gold Dust dragged the prone Silver Tongue away, while a rightly confused mare shrugged and walked off.
“I can’t leave you alone for more than a few minutes, can I?! Honestly, you cause more trouble than should be possible!” she stamped her hoof angrily as her cousin rolled around on the street, still trapped in her magic.
“Is that a challenge, Gold Dust? If you want, I’ll test your theory.” Silver Tongue was lifted up and tossed in a heap in front of the train station. “Ow! Watch it, GD! Sheesh, you don’t have to be so angry all the time. All I did was some harmless sweet talking!”
“Harmless? Like the time you hit on that mare from Manehatten who turned out to be a fashion model, and got mugged by her fans? Or the time you flirted with that griffon, who turned out to be a guy and knocked out your front teeth? Or more recently, where you got chased out of the museum for feeling up the participants of the Living Sculpture exhibit?”
“I told you, the museum was an accident! I tripped on something!” Silver Tongue protested as he got off the ground, rubbing his ribs where he had landed. Gold Dust snorted in disbelief and headed over to a pile of luggage and started loading it onto a train that was waiting. Sighing, Silver Tongue trotted over as well and loaded the rest of the bags into the storage compartment.
“So, why are we doing this? This seems like a lot of stuff just for gramps.”
“We are accompanying him to the Crystal Empire, remember? He told us yesterday. Or were you eyeing the royal maids again?” Silver smiled and winked at a mare who passed by.
“No comment, GD.” A hoofbag smacked Silver Tongue up the side of his head, and he turned to a fuming Gold Dust who huffed and went into the train. With a groan, Silver Tongue picked it up and followed her inside.
In the train, Gold Dust was already seated next to a dark brown Earth Pony whose mane was silver and curled with age. An open book was his Cutie Mark, and his eyes shone with excitement.
“Gramps! How ya doing?” Silver Tongue went over and sat across from Gold Dust and the elderly Silver Page. Silver Page smiled when he saw his grandson, and leaned back to enjoy the train ride.
“I am well, Silver Tongue. I am looking forward to exploring the Crystal Empire, and learning its history and culture,” Silver Page said. He rummaged around in a satchel bag and removed an old book from it.
“There is very little that is known about the Empire. It was lost long ago and was isolated due to being beyond the Crystal Mountains even before that. Founded by Earth Ponies, they apparently mastered the use of magical crystals to survive in such a cold wasteland…” As Silver Page rambled on, Silver Tongue began to doze off, while Gold Dust listened eagerly to her grandfather’s notes and lecture.
“Wake up, Silver Tongue! We’ve arrived!”
“Wha?! No, I was just resting my eyes…” jolted back to wakefulness by his grandfather’s excited voice, Silver Tongue rolled over on the train seat and yawned, easing himself up to look out the window. Beyond the glass, vast plains of ice and snow rolled by. The sunlight was dipping beyond the horizon, and the vivid red dusk was thrown across the landscape by the countless ice crystals. It was breathe taking, and Silver Tongue had no glib remarks for it. Gold Dust, looking out, was also suitably impressed and made little gasps of wonder as it rolled by. Their grandfather kept glancing back from the scene to a notebook he was scribbling notes into, trying to capture the vista best he could in words, but the look of awe in his eyes told that even he thought it was impossible.
“It has been a long time since I was up North. I never got to see the wide, open plains of the Frozen Lands because there was nothing to see, though. No cities or ruins, just lots of cold. I guess I was missing out,” Silver Page said, Gold Dust and Silver Tongue nodding in agreement.
“We will be arriving in the Crystal Empire in five minutes. Please watch your luggage and do not mix it up with other passengers’ items. Also, please be aware that the station has not been finished yet, and thus we will stop out in the tundra. It is very cold, so dress appropriately. I repeat; it is cold, dress warm.” The conductor looked around the coach, eyeing each passenger, and making sure they had heard him. Most of the passengers were ponies sent by Princess Celestia to investigate the Crystal Empire and assess the situation. From construction workers who would work on the tracks, to legal experts who would try to integrate the nation into the rest of Equestria, all sorts were on board.
After a bit, the conductor leaves, and the train starts to slow down, eventually coming to a halt with a blast of steam and the grinding of gears.
“Huh. The tundra. Sounds romantic. Wonder if it’s a good place for a date?” Silver Tongue mused aloud. Gold Dust and Silver Page roll their eyes, while smiling a bit at his cluelessness.
“So, on a scale from one to ten, how romantic was it, Silver Tongue?” Gold Dust asked as she shook some snow off her scarf once they were within the area of warmth that was the border to the Crystal Empire.
“I c,can’t f,feel my fl,flank…” Silver Tongue said his mouth numb with cold and the rest of him covered in heaps of snow. Behind him was a sled full of their luggage, also covered in snow that Gold Dust magicked away. Silver Tongue pulled it a few feet further before he collapsed, tired from dragging it through the snow drifts.
“The conductor did say it would be chilly,” Silver Page said, grinning despite himself.
“No, gramps. I have been chilly. That was not chill. That was colder than the look a mare gives me after shooting down my sweet talking. That was colder than being tossed in the ice stores at the palace after I accidentally walked in on some royal maids changing uniforms. What I just experienced was pure, utter, frozenness. Not sure if that is a word, but it fits the description.” Silver Page shook off the snow on his back bitterly, while Gold Dust raised an eyebrow.
“What was this about maids and their uniforms?” Silver Tongue stopped mid shake, an expression of ‘I just walked off the edge’ on his face, then quickly trotted off towards the city without a word. Gold Dust glared after him while Silver Page laughed heartily.
“I think I remember that. Shining Armor had to thaw him out with his magic when we found him…” With a disgusted exclamation of “Boys!” Gold Dust trotted off to follow her cousin, and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid.
“Hello Silver Page! Oh, it has been ages! How are you? Was the train ride comfortable? I’m sorry to have you come out so far to help us.” In the main hall of the Crystal Palace Silver Page and his grandchildren were heartily greeted by Princess Cadence while Shining Armor clapped them on the backs.
“It’s a pleasure to see you as well, my dear. Not since the wedding, I believe. Are you adjusting to married life? How about with management of the city?” the trio was led through the halls to the guest rooms as they talked, with Silver Page looking around at the artifacts as he spoke with Cadence.
“I am quite happy in both aspects, Silver Page. It was challenging for a bit, but now that the Crystal Heart is working properly, all is well. By the way, Twilight said she found a use for the Gravity Magic you taught her a while back.” At the mention of Twilight, Gold Dust grimaced slightly, but quickly reasserted her composure. Only Silver Tongue noticed the expression, and frowned with concern.
“Here are your rooms. We can go over what to do in the morning, so you three just relax tonight,” Shining Armor said, handing out three keys to the pony guests. “And don’t wander around too much Silver Tongue. I’d hate to have to defrost you again.” Shining Armor and Silver Page shared a laugh at Silver Tongue’s embarrassment, which was increased by Princess Cadence looking away politely while blushing and Gold Dust huffing.
Later that night, Silver Tongue crept out of his room, and knocked a hoof on Gold Dust’s door. After a moment, a muffled “Enter!” was called out, and Silver Tongue slipped into his cousin’s room.
“What’s up, Silver Tongue?” Gold Dust was reclining on her bed, lifting a brush with her magic and combing her hair, despite the fact that it kept on curling up after each stroke. Silver Tongue closed the door behind him and trotted over to the bed, hopping on to sit next to her. He was silent for a while, than he plucked the brush from the air.
“Let me, GD. I know how to do your hair better than you.” Gold Dust gave a nod, and Silver Tongue started to go over her golden mane with careful movements.
“Reminds me of when we were foals, and I forced you to play dress up with me.”
“Hey, its thanks to all those dresses you made me wear I now know how to compliment the ladies on their attire.” Gold Dust chuckled, and Silver Tongue joined in. They were silent for a bit, and then Silver Tongue broached the topic that had brought him over.
“You know you don’t have to be jealous, right? Of Twilight Sparkle, I mean.” Gold Dust went still, and Silver Tongue flinched, braced for a smack or hit, but was surprised when Gold Dust just sighed.
“Of course I know that, Silver Tongue! But I get so frustrated when grandpa talks about her with other ponies. Yes, she’s brilliant, a wiz with magic and the personal student of Princess Celestia. Oh, and saved Equestria three times!”
“Actually, I think it might be four now, what with the whole Crystal Empire and banishing of King Sombra and so on…” belatedly, Silver Tongue realized his blunder, but Gold Dust kept on talking regardless.
“Exactly! But Silver Page was teaching me magic way before he met Twilight Sparkle! Sure, he taught me, and still does teach me, but it’s not the same. Why, last week, I wanted to practice some spells from one of his adventures, but he took the book out of my hooves and put it away, saying it was too difficult for me!”
“Well, gramps has done more research on that stuff than you, so he must know best.”
“But how does he know? Maybe I’d be a master at that kind of magic! It’s high level, sure, but why can’t I try! He doesn’t trust me like he does Twilight. He taught her Gravity Magic before he taught me!” Silver Tongue put down the brush and nuzzled against Gold Dust’s mane, comforting her.
“He doesn’t want to hurt you, GD. You know that, I know that. He cares about you, and doesn’t want to put too much strain on you, or cause something to harm you. It’s like he says, there is more than one way to cast magic, and more than one way to mess it up.” Gold Dust sighed, and nuzzled Silver Tongue in return.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Silver Tongue stood up and hopped off the bed and headed to door. As he left his cousin’s room, she softly said “Thank you,” and he smiled back at her.
“Pleasant dreams, GD.” The door closed, and Silver Tongue yawned, tired. He was about to go back to his room, when he saw a maid pass by the hallway.
“Well, I could go to sleep, or…” Silver Tongue gave it a record five seconds of thought, before heading out to talk to her.
“Wow, your coat is beautiful! Such shine! Does it glow in the dark too?”