Shining Armor couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. The crystal pony that had left the note had to have done so in extreme error. There was simply no other explanation for why it had written upon it what was clearly there in eloquent cursive pen. The trademark gray ink of the Crystal Court Commissioner was etched upon the dark brown canvas of the note in skill rivaled only by Princess Cadance herself, otherwise known as his beautiful and entirely unrivaled wife.
“Something wrong, dear?” that same pink princess asked in ginger tone as she walked into the castle throne room. Her hair was freshly done up into a bun and shone with the day's light in just such a manner as to indicate she had recently come from a bath or the spa.
Shining Armor, on the other hoof, was looking in far less refreshment. His coat may have been naturally white but his face could still paint a ghostly paleness when he was deeply disturbed by something. He had not been so upset as he was now since his sister, Twilight Sparkle, had happened across his stash of secret love letters he had been exchanging with Cadance in private.
“They've finally done it...” he almost whispered in an uncharacteristically worried voice, though it was uncharacteristic only from the general public's view of him.
Cadance found out after the first year of their marriage that she was indeed what she thought she had been even when they had been covertly dating each other under the pretense of purely platonic meetings. That was, of course, that she was several worlds more patient and long-suffering than he was in select circumstances. He tended to fret so much over matters that resolved themselves to nothing and her own calm was able to handle that as well as everything else that came with their marriage. Now to pass that calm on to him...
“Done what, dear?” she continued in a sweet voice and stepped up the stairs to the throne that he was standing in front of. Usually one of them would sit on it but he wasn't because the note had caused him to stand up in shock.
“They're sending us away,” he said in a hurt way.
Cadance rose her brows but figured that he phrased it in a way that misrepresented the true situation. She grabbed the note gracefully from his grip and read it aloud. Sure enough, her suspicion was confirmed. “To our esteemed and beloved rulers, the High Prince Shining Armor and the Crystal Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. The Grand Council has moved to present your majesties temporary leave of the Crystal Empire by a majority vote. This has been supported by thousands of letters sent to our office by the greater populace of the Empire. We, your humble and faithful citizens understand the troubles we cause your majesties by requesting your benevolent leadership and thus believe it is our duty and even our privileged to present your highnesses a reasonable respite. Enjoy the trip.”
Cadance now understood what the two tickets were for. They were secured at the bottom of the note with some fancy ribbon and they both had the image of some kind of beach paradise on them. The two tickets had the following inscription on them in cheerful lettering: “Hello Tropics! Your go-to paradise resort. Perfect for marriage anniversaries and honeymoons. Royal Cottage. Unlimited Visitation.”
“We're being dethroned,” Shining Armor stuck his face in his hooves in despair.
Cadance started giggling at a respectful level of volume. “I keep telling you that you worry too much,” she told him as she put a forehoof on his shoulder. “Our subjects are so nice, aren't they? They're giving us a free vacation. Just the two of us...”
“I guess I should start packing,” Shining moped.
“Oh, stop it,” the princess got more serious. “This is perfect. We've been needing a break. They didn't give us a time limit so how about we take one full month?”
“A month?” Shining stared wide-eyed at her.
“Well,” Cadance blushed and twirled a strand of her mane that had come down from the bun. The note she held with her magic was set down on the armrest of the throne. “Our honeymoon did feel kind of short.”
“It was a full week,” Shining remarked in confusion.
“Oh,” the mare finally wilted and backpedaled lightly. “I guess we don't have to stay so long.”
Shining decided he didn't like it when she looked sad and so he changed his mind. It wasn't as if he was averse to spending that much time one-on-one with his wife. Actually, now that he thought about it that way, the month started sounding rather appealing. “How about we take the month?” he offered up.
Cadance's smile returned and she hugged her husband. “Aw, thank you! We're going to have so much fun. I just know it!”
Shining returned the hug, not being able to help revising his view on the note. Perhaps they weren't getting kicked out. Perhaps their subjects really were that great. He'd be sure to stop by the council room later before they left to thank them. As Cadance leaned back from him, she was planning the same thing.
Shining Armor paced through the bedroom once more. Had he packed everything they needed? Cadance was packing her own little carry bag but he was the one that was in charge of the generic items. Toothpaste, floss, brushes. Did they have that kind of stuff at their lodging? Was it complimentary? Was he supposed to make that assumption and take the risk by not packing it?
“It's going to be okay, Shiny,” Cadance soothed him from across the room. She was standing on the opposite side of the bed where she levitated her things into her bag, a tiny white thing that was decorated in sporty pink highlights. “We could probably show up with nothing at all and they'd provide what we need.”
“I know,” the stallion admitted, sighed, and went over to the bedroom's one glass wall that acted, in its full width and height, as a window. The frost-bitten tundra to the north was laid out for a pleasurable sight, the mid-morning sun glowing onto it bright but not glaring. After the ordeal with Sombra, he began to see the beauty that laid out there in delicate ice formations and peaceful ravines of snow. “I guess Twily rubbed off on me.”
The princess giggled again in that way that made Shining's heart flutter. “She does have that effect on ponies. I think she was the reason I obsessed over every detail for our first date.”
“Oh, yeah,” the prince smiled warmly. “I remember that.”
The whole thing had actually been a disaster. It wasn't an outing with some little mishaps. It was a complete disaster. It may or may not have involved Cadance being covered in tar and himself being lit on fire. It was a long story but they'd both never forget who saved the day. Little Twilight Sparkle.
“She brought us together, if you think about it,” Cadance reminisced.
“That she did,” Shining agreed as he kept looking out to the icy realm beyond the edge of the Empire. “I'll have to get something from the resort and send it to her.”
“Just don't forget the tickets this time,” Cadance grinned. “Our honeymoon was almost canceled because somepony left them behind.”
“To be fair,” Shining finally turned from the window wall and approached the mare, “you totally distracted me when I was attempting to pack them.”
The alicorn grew a mischief expression. “Hmm, maybe I did...”
He kissed her quickly and simply on the lips. “I think I can do this.”
“We're going to have fun, darling,” she beamed like a filly.
Shining, however, frowned. “I told you not to call me that. It sounds...weird.”
“I'm allowed to call you what I want. You did marry me,” she poked him playfully in the shoulder.
“That was my first mistake,” he poked back with his smile returned.
“Sure was, hun,” she agreed and ruffled his mane with a forehoof.
“Hey,” he tried waving her off to fix it. “I thought we were supposed to goof off at the resort.”
Cadance snapped her bag closed and levitated it over near the door. “Oh? I was under the impression that our vacation already started.”
Shining was about to prepare a come back but was promptly pounced backwards onto their bed before he had the chance. His wife proceeded to mess up his mane to the best of her ability.
“Oh no!” she mocked while doing the deed. “High Prince Shining Armor is going on his getaway looking like a tornado victim!”
“Gah,” the male tried weakly to defend himself. “Not the mane. Not the mane!”
Cadance finished her work and leaned back on him. “Mr. Handsome's got a new look,” she giggled.
He pushed her off in panic and shot to the mirror near his wife's vanity dresser. “Ah!” he squeaked in terror. She had magically managed to arrange it to the style of somepony he knew. It was gathered evenly so that it looked identical to the mane of his little sister.
Shining Armor stepped off of the hoofstep of the carriage with less assurance than ever about what he was supposed to do. It was not that he was in need of advice as to what to do on a vacation. Rather, he was desperate to know what he needed to do to give his wife the most enjoyable time possible. Cadance, of course, knew him too well and could tell what he was fretting over simply by the contortion of his face.
“Shiny,” she got his attention gently.
“Huh? What?” the stallion did a double-take on the mare, who had stepped out next to him. The crisp air and warm sun were certainly good with the ocean air but they didn't help him focus any better.
Cadance placed a hoof on his shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. “You're worrying again. Your mane looks fine, you know.”
“After I got it back to normal. No, I just really want you to have a good time,” he decided to take the honest route. It was usually the best idea with the mare.
“It's not your duty to give me a good time,” she dismissed the idea. “I can enjoy myself even if everything goes wrong,” she winked at the end.
“If you say so,” he relented.
They walked up the smooth marble path that lead from the garden road they were dropped off at. The salty smell of the sea was in the air but the origin had yet to show its blue expanse. Instead, everything was impossibly green, tropical plants invading every corner and crevice. There were so many, in fact, that one could only walk forward down the path. It was impossible to go astray, but it didn't seem to be too bad a place to get lost in. The chirps of native birds made a unique song as they went on their way and a hummingbird even zipped by in front of them, making Cadance stop and then smile at the innocent creature.
A clean white building came into view that was built with so much glass that it made the wall of their bedroom at home look paltry in comparison. Large clear letters were accompanied by the resort's logo to spell out “Welcome Center” and the reception desk as well as the lounge were immediately visible even before they entered the building. Shining used his magic to open the door ahead of Cadance and then followed in after her.
With some measure of guilt, the princess alicorn started to wonder exactly how much the tickets cost. How much had the crystal ponies gone out of their way to give them this unexpected surprise? The soft and plush sea blue carpeting and designer lounge chairs of the reception area made her believe the place was the kind of super expensive establishment she would never dream of attempting on her own.
The spring blue mare at the pearl white receptionist desk grew a homely little smile when she looked up from something strange on the counter before her. It looked to be some kind of light projection that had letters and numbers on it, the kind of magical information device only the highest-class businesses could afford.
The room itself was situated in such a way so that the glass wall behind the desk gave an unobstructed and rather breathtaking view of the sea and coastline that laid right behind the building. At first, it looked only to be a straight edge against the water but Shining noticed as they came up to the desk that there were sweeps of beach angling from either side and even an island in the middle which made the area something of a protected bay.
“Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” she greeted them with a tone two steps more friendly than professional. She bore an exotic accent that neither of the guests heard often.
“Just Cadance,” the pink alicorn dismissed what she believed to be her “stuck-up” title.
“Cadance,” the mare corrected herself and looked to the stallion, taking her best guess. “Shining Armor.”
“Wait,” Shining Armor turned suspicious. “How'd you know-”
“Your reservation was booked in advance,” the mare motioned to her projected magical display and gave a cute giggle. She was already turning out to be an expert as world's most welcoming receptionist. “Our best cottage always merits our best service. But even if it was one further down the coast, I'd be sure you received our five star hospitality.”
“Why, thank you,” Cadance expressed her honest appreciation.
“Our tickets,” Shining Armor offered them up to her from where he had them ready in the side-pocket of the large luggage satchel strapped to his back.
The mare barely took a second to look them over before giving them back. “You can keep the tickets as souvenirs. Your reservation is unlimited, so you can stay as long as you want and come back whenever you want as well.”
Shining Armor raised his brows and Cadance brought a forehoof to her mouth in awe. She knew she was going to have to do something extra special for their subjects when they returned.
“Exactly how long was our cottage reserved?” Shining couldn't pass up his curiosity.
“Indefinitely,” the mare replied with a cheerful buoyancy.
“Isn't that...expensive?” Shining persisted. He was already incapable of imagining how much the resort's best cottage cost for one stay.
“Oh, I'm sure the payees didn't have too difficult of a time,” she responded politically. “Having a royal couple visit us would no doubt have given them a significant discount on it. It brings in more visitors, you know,” she whispered the last part as if it was something she wasn't supposed to say.
“Oh, okay,” the stallion finally gave in. “Well then...”
Just as he was about to ask where they were supposed to go next, two strong stallions came up behind him. Each was wearing a light green vest with the resort's logo. The first had a nametag that declared “Wave” and the other “Ice.” The former was larger and had a deep blue coat while the latter was smaller, had a coat of light frozen blue, and seemed half the age of the other. Both were Earth ponies.
“Ice and Wave here will take your luggage to your cottage,” the mare explained, her accent having a peculiar problem with the “l” in every word. “In the meantime, I'll get you oriented so you know where everything is at.”
Indeed, the two resort ponies promptly removed the heavy satchel from Shining Armor's back and took Cadance's small bag, which she reluctantly gave up with a blush. They left with the cargo through a side door that was labeled “Employees Only.”
Shining returned his attention to the receptionist, who clopped her hooves together and never let up her radiant smile. Somehow, she managed to be pleasantly friendly without it seeming forced the way most ponies in her profession came out as.
“Well, now,” the blue mare began. She backed up from her desk and tucked a lock of her short pale and pastel lavender mane behind an ear as she walked around the counter. Now that she was in better view, it was apparent that she was a pegasus. She had a similar vest that the stallions had except that hers was white with bright blue accents. Her flanks bore a cutie mark of a bubble with three arrows pointing up within the interior. “Ready?”
“As ever,” Cadance pranced in place while Shining nodded eagerly.
“Alright!” the mare enthused. “By the way, my name is Oxygen Rush. I'll be your go-to for all your needs whenever you're staying with us.”
“Hi, Oxygen Rush,” Cadance said with a goofy grin.
That managed to make Oxygen laugh. The princess poked her husband and egged him to do the same, but all he got out was a shy “hi.”
“The two of you have nothing to worry about. Just relax and be yourselves around me. I won't bite,” she winked before walking around them towards another door on the opposite side of the reception area.
Cadance noticed her stallion's face twitch a certain way before they began following their guide. She smirked to herself as an idea entered her head, not that she needed it. Even without the attractions the resort doubtlessly had, she had plenty of plans for having a fun time. Teasing her husband was just a small part of that.
“If you ever need anything at all,” Oxygen continued to talk as she lead them through a door marked “To Resort” and out of the building. “Towels, soap, speedboats...just call me up and I'll get it to you in no time at all.”
They started across a path similar to the one that lead to the entrance but this one sloped down and curved around towards the shoreline that only came in glimpses through the thick foliage around them. The sound of the birds came back in a song and a cool breeze kept the warm sun from becoming unpleasant.
“There are call booths all around the resort and every cottage so you never have to look hard for one. Since you both have the Royal Cottage, I'll just be giving you the keys when you're ready to settle in for the day.”
“The keys?” Shining asked, assuming at first that she meant the keys to the cottage itself.
“Yep,” she pipped. “To your personal ride.”
Cadance was about to ask in turn but then saw the mare's meaning when they came around the last curve in the path. Straight in front of them was a spotless dock that looked like it had been built yesterday for how much it shined in the light of the day. Several boats were moored to the walkways that stretched out into the water, but Oxygen Rush was pointing specifically to the one on the far right.
Compared to all the other boats, it was huge. The others were more like expensive speedboats that always sat unused in some rich pony's beachfront estate. This one, however, was somewhere between the size of them and a full-length yacht, which made it about three times as big as the others. It appeared as if it could have been requisitioned directly from the Equestrian Navy because its angles were reminiscent of military stealth. It was white all over except for cyan highlights that raced through the sharp points of its design. At one edge, one of the accents got thick enough for the inside to be printed with white letters spelling the name of the craft, “Hydro Star.”
“I thought you'd like it,” Oxygen beamed as she noted Shining Armor's reaction.