//------------------------------// // Chapter VI: Shiney and Cady // Story: A Princess and Her Queen // by kildeez //------------------------------// A FEW DAYS LATER The sun slowly dawned over the Crystal Empire, peeking over the snow-covered mountains to set the city blazing with dazzling light. The red and yellow pre-dawn rays sparkled through the crystalline structures of the Empire, refracting and bouncing about as dark and muted rainbows throughout the streets. One stray beam of sunlight bounced right off the sparkling awning of a shop in the streets, shimmering right into the palace through the window of the master bedroom. Prince Shining Armor groaned and turned over in his bed, burying his face under his pillow. “I swear, if I ever figure out where that one beam is coming from…” he mumbled sleepily. Next to him, his wife sat up the instant the beam hit, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She yawned, stretched, blinked a few times, and ran a hoof through her bedhead-inflicted mane. Turning to her husband, she smiled and lifted his pillow up to give him a soft peck to the forehead. “Wake up, sleepy head,” she cooed. Groaning, Shining didn’t turn away from his wife, but did manage to stick his lips out. With a tired smile, Cadence obliged him with a quick little kiss to the lips. He exhaled through his nose, sparing her his morning breath. “That was lovely,” he said, promptly rolling over and wrenching his pillow from her grasp. “Oh come on, Shiney,” she said, her hooves going to her hips. “You may not be a morning pony, but you know I’m going get you up eventually.” “Who says I’m not a morning pony?” He asked sleepily. “I love mornings; I just wish they came later in the day.” “Ugh, that joke is older than Auntie Tia,” she said with another roll of her eyes. “Too early to be clever.” “C’moooooon,” she urged, pulling the sheets away from his body. The unicorn promptly shivered and curled up, grimacing against the brisk morning air. Harumphing, a wicked smile spread across Cadence’s face. The princess promptly trotted to Shining’s bedside and laid her head on his pillow. Still smiling, she closed her lips over his and stuck her tongue in his mouth, curling it against his back molars in that ticklish way she knew he couldn’t resist. Shining smiled contentedly, still half asleep as he returned the kiss. A few seconds in, Cadence pulled her head back, and Shining followed like a fish caught on a hook. She kept up the pull, easing him further and further away from the bed until… “Woah, buck!” He screamed, eyes flying open and hooves spinning wildly as he crashed to the hard, crystal floor. Shaking himself awake, he turned and glared at his wife. “That was a dirty trick, you know.” “Dirty trick? From a princess?” She gasped with a cute little smile. “You forget your place, Captain Armor!” “Maybe,” he said, his glare turning into a sultry smile. “Perhaps I need to be punished so I’ll remember next time?” “Mmh…yes,” she said, arching an eyebrow seductively as she tapped her horn and a strange, pink aura with lavender polka dots appeared at the top of her horn. “I think I’ll start with this.” His smile faded. “Ugh, Cadyyyy…” he groaned like a colt being told to eat his vegetables. “You know I hate your scans!” “You’re due, Shiny: we have to make sure that bug’s influence is really gone,” she replied, lowering her head so her horn drew closer to his. The stallion sighed dramatically, but tilted his head in turn, offering his horn up. Cadence closed her eyes, and there was a brilliant flash, and… Last semester in college, oh man! I’m almost out! I just hope the Guard takes my application… She frowned and shot past the memory, trying not to look too long to keep her husband’s privacy intact. Or, what little there was left of it. She was just here for one specific group of memories anyway, so after pushing past the embarrassing high school memories and the urges to scratch himself (she KNEW that was hard-wired in somewhere!), she reached his love. Oh man, that new transfer student…she’s beautiful… Her laugh is amazing…I didn’t even think that story was all that funny… Say yes, please say yes, I can’t imagine my future without you, Cady, oh Celestia please say yes… I do. Smiling, she dipped her head further, and instantly waves of pleasing warmth washed over her body, working down from her head and back down to her tail. If she had her way, they would stay like this all day, but as it was, she quickly pulled away, signifying the end of the spell with a kiss to his cheek. “It’s wonderful to have a constant reason to see what you really feel about me.” “I still hate these things,” he grumbled. “There are some things a stallion should have to himself, and the inside of his head is one of them.” “You only hate it because you don’t like sharing your emotions, like the big, stereotypical meathead you are,” she said with a tiny smile and another kiss. “Maybe,” he said. He still hadn’t met her eyes since she’d started the spell, despite her obvious efforts to make him do just that. A thought occurred to him. “Hey, Cady?” “Hmm?” “I’ve been thinking…about…that day…” he said, every word needing to be forced out his mouth past a wall of embarrassment. “Don’t,” she said sternly. “Don’t even start this again. I know what you’re going to say, and I’m telling you now as your wife, don’t.” “It’s just that…Chrysalis took me out so easily!” Shining said, her words apparently rushing in one ear, only to shoot right out the other. “She had me totally convinced she was you! And the only one smart enough to see through it all was my sister! I failed you!” His hooves dropped, as did his muzzle. “I failed everypony. I didn’t protect you on the day I took a vow to do just that. You deserve a pony that can succeed where I failed, Cady. The Empire deserves a pony who can at least protect their Princess.” “Shining Armor, look at me.” She said, still with that stern tone, like a mother trying to impress a lesson on her whipped foal. Shining Armor obeyed, meeting his wife’s hard gaze. “How do you think I feel about that whole day?” His eyebrows rose. “What’s that?” “You’re not the only one who took a vow to love and protect,” she said, her hard gaze melting into a wan smile. “Remember, in order to even get close to you, Chrysalis had to go through me. Which she did. Quite easily, too. And as an Alicorn, a princess of love, no less, how do you think that feels?” The couple sat on the bed, stunned, gazing at each other. Then, rather suddenly, Shining leaned forward, his lips puckering out. Cadence was quick to reply, closing the distance between them and joining in the kiss. It dragged out, their nostrils flaring as their forehooves wrapped around one another, the pair sharing a passionate, loving embrace. Finally, it ended, their lips parting with a smack, Shining Armor looking into the eyes of his mare, Cadence looking into the eyes of her stallion. “Did you honestly believe I’d leave you for falling at Chrysalis’s hooves, after everything we went through after?” She asked, her voice gentle. “She was the Queen, my Shining Armor. I’m proud that you shook her influence off as quickly as you did.” “I didn’t say you’d leave me,” he replied with a grin. “I could stay in town and remain your secret lover, if you want.” “Sounds ever so naughty…” she replied, tracing a hoof along the side of his neck. “I think you just want an excuse to run around and hide with me, like when we were first dating.” “What’s wrong with that? At night, I’ll don a mask and cape, appear at your window,” he suddenly wrapped her in his forelegs and swept her off-balance, supporting her in his grip. “Sweep you off your hooves…” “Shining!” She giggled. “What? Don’t tell me you wouldn’t like making out in the back of a rented carriage again!” He grinned mischievously. “Oh, whatevah will my Auntie Tia think if she finds me with the mysterious phantom of the Crystal Empire!” She gasped in a fake country accent she’d picked up from Applejack. “Zink not on zat, Pwincess!” He cooed in the worst French accent he could muster, nuzzling into her neck. “For tonight, zere is only ze moon, ze stars, and thou!” “Oh phantom…” she whispered, slowly pulling him in, lips extended for a kiss. Smiling, he bowed his head, ready to give his wife the mother of all smooches, when the door burst open and a certain lavender unicorn trotted in. “Good morning!” Twilight Sparkle said, thankfully too distracted by a roll of paper held out in front of her eyes to pay any attention to what her brother and sister-in-law were doing. “Twily!” Shining gasped, losing his grip on Cadence and dropping her to the floor with an unceremonious thud. “Just wanted to go over everypony’s schedule for the day,” the lavender unicorn said, still not looking up from her list as she took a seat on the bed and Shining helped his wife back to her hooves. “Um, right, Twily,” Cadence said, resting a hoof on the lavender unicorn’s leg. “Could we maybe do this later? Shining and I were in the middle of…” she trailed off, looking to her husband for help. “Something,” he replied with a shrug. “Right. Something.” “Well, whatever it is, it’s not in the schedule,” Twilight chimed, her quill pen dashing over her scroll as she hoofed a couple stacks of papers towards Shining. “Now, while I’m here, I’m going to need you to help me dictate my letters and daily status reports to Princess Celestia.” “Oof,” he groaned under the weight of the stack. “Shouldn’t Spike be helping you with this?” “I decided he should get a vacation while the girls and I are here,” she explained, eyes still locked on the scroll. “I left him with the Cutie Mark Crusaders back in Ponyville.” “The Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Shining asked bewilderedly. “As in those three fillies who keep blowing stuff up all over Ponyville with increasingly irresponsible attempts to find their special talents?” “That’s them!” She replied brightly. The stack of papers fell from his hooves. And here he was, thinking his sister was some sort of genius this entire time. How she’d duped him, he’d never know. “Twilight…” Cadence started, pressing a fetlock to her former babysitting charge’s forehead. “Are you feeling okay?” “Why in the name of Celestia’s blazing almighty flank would you think leaving a child to care for three dangerously irresponsible fillies would be a good idea!?” Shining gasped. Taken aback by her brother’s outburst, Twilight quickly shrugged him off and glared back. “I’ll have you know Spike is a growing dragon! It was about time he assumed some responsibility! And besides, I have the Cakes checking in on them!” Backing down instantly, Shining held his hooves up in defense. “Alright, alright, far be it for me to question how you’re raising him. Still, are you absolutely sure there was nopony else who could look after them full time?” “I trust Spike to manage the library all the time, a few fillies he’s close friends with shouldn’t be much more responsibility,” she said, easing back into a smile. “Besides, they’re still in Ponyville, which is now the safest town in rural Equestria thanks to all the defenses Mayor Mare has been putting up since the last few…er…nation-threatening incidents. What could go wrong?” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scootaloo sighed, slowly letting her breath out through her nose. The black paint under her eyes still felt cool to her skin, glistening in her fur. Okay, alright, stay calm, she reminded herself. You’re nervous, but that’s okay. Nopony’s gonna judge you. Just do your best. In truth, she’d only ever participated in this ritual once before, and even then as just a casual observer. They’d only dreamt up the rites for welcoming a new Crusader into their ranks a few weeks after she had met Sweetie and Applebloom, and even then they’d only done it once for real, to welcome AB’s cousin into their midst. Applebloom had, of course, held the honor of heading that little ritual. Now, it was her turn. Summoning all her courage, she turned to the young drake with as hard a glare as she could muster. “Spike of Ponyville,” she bellowed, her raspy voice thundering from her tiny frame. “You have been instructed in the ancient rites of CeeEmmCee, do you understand the instructions given to you?” Spike gulped despite himself and shivered; his shaking calming after a hoof fell on his shoulder. He squeezed it without thinking, knowing from the white coat that it was just his marefriend, trying to keep him calm. He turned and grinned cheekily at her, and Sweetie Belle smiled right back. Nodding with approval, Scootaloo turned her attention to the other two fillies. “Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, as already-drafted members you are here to participate in the ancient chant meant to keep our young friend’s spirits up during this test. It is up to you to give him as much encouragement as you can, lest he stumble and fall. Do you understand the chant and its purpose?” The fillies both nodded. Sweetie’s hoof tightened on Spike’s shoulder, and he couldn’t help but squeeze right back, easing up when a little squeak rose from her. “Sorry,” he whispered, retracting his claws. Nodding again, Scootaloo lowered her gaze on the dragon, meeting the slit-pupil in his eye. He returned the glare, though he did take a step back unintentionally. For a second, it appeared to him as though she were a full-grown mare glaring down at him for something he’d done wrong, though in actuality she had maybe just an inch or two on him and they were about the same age. “This ritual has been performed since the beginning of the Crusaders,” she said. “Since before the rise of the changelings, since before the release of Discord, since before old mare Thatherston’s knee gave out that one time in the garden…” “Actually, we all met after that,” Applebloom pointed out. “Um, what?” Scootaloo asked, her train of thought derailing. “No, no, that was last spring, remember? That would make it just a few months.” “No, you’re thinkin’ ‘bout the spring before that,” Applebloom insisted. “I remember that was the same year as the buffalo stampede through Manehattan, which was a couple years ago.” “Nuh-uh! It was the same year as the rise of the super-intelligent manticore-eating flowers, which was just last year!” “Nuh-uh!” “Yeah-huh!” “Nuh-uh!” “Yeah, hu…” “Girls!” Sweetie screeched, popping up between the two to split them up. “In case you forgot, we’re here for Spike right now?” The fillies blinked in surprise, then turned to the young drake waiting patiently behind them. “Oh, right,” Applebloom said, her eyes sinking to the floor. “We’re awful sorry, Spike, we jus’ got caught up.” “Eh, it’s alright,” he said. “Can we just get this over with? I still got chores to do.” “What? Twilight’s gone, how do you have chores?” Sweetie pointed out. “You really think she would have left without leaving an itemized list, laminated and in triplicate?” He asked, pulling out a scroll that promptly unrolled until it stretched past the Crusaders, across the library floor, and out the door. Scootaloo craned her neck to look the list over. “ ‘Don’t forget to breath’?” She read aloud. “Seriously?” “Twilight is…thorough,” Spike said with a sheepish shrug. “Yeah, the word you’re lookin’ for is ‘crazy,’ “ she muttered. “Hey! That’s my sister you’re…” “Guys!?” Sweetie Belle shouted, stomping a hoof and glaring at the pair. “Right, sorry Sweets,” both ponies said, though the meaning behind each of their use of the nickname was massively different. Nodding, Sweetie resumed her place at Spike’s side, replacing her hoof in his claws. Dating for two months and she already has him wrapped around her hoof, Scootaloo thought with a shake of her head. Obviously, the small white filly had inherited her sister’s ability to twist any stallion’s will around, throw it over her shoulder, and call it hers. Scootaloo wasn’t sure if she should be jealous, concerned for Spike, or just impressed. “As I was sayin’ before being rudely interrupted,” she said, glaring at Applebloom, who glared right back but kept her muzzle shut. “Spike, this great and ancient ritual has been handed down through the ages of…uh…last February, I’d say. Know that upon completion, you will take another step on the long road to full mare…uh…dragonhood. This will forever change your view of the world, as you will begin to see the world through the eyes of an adult, not through those of a child. Are you ready?” Spike blinked a few times. “Wow. Epic speech, guys,” he said. “Thanks. Took me a whole week to come up with it.” “And I am ready,” he said, giving Sweetie’s hoof one last squeeze before releasing it. “Then let us begin,” the filly said solemnly, producing a mug of frothing liquid from Celestia-knows-where and handing it to the baby dragon. Spike inhaled, exhaled, and pressed the mug to his lips, beginning to drink. “Chug,” the Crusaders started, beating their hooves against the ground in time with their voices. “Chug. Chug. Chug chug chug chug chug chugchugchugchugchugchugchugchugchugchug…” Before long, Spike had upended the entire mug down his muzzle and slammed it to the ground, wiping his lips. The others stared at him expectedly. He smiled and hiccupped. “I love root beer.” “WOOOOH!” The three ponies screamed, Sweetie heading in for a kiss while Applebloom clapped him on the back. “Y’did it, Spikey!” Sweetie gasped, beaming proudly as they shared the quick kiss. “Yeah, I…” suddenly, Spike hiccupped again, something welling inside of him. “Spikey?” Sweetie asked, running a hoof along his chin. “What’s wrong?” “I…I think I’m…hnngh…” he moaned, running his talons over his tummy and pressing a hand tight over his mouth. “Oh man! He’s gonna be sick!” Scootaloo beamed, grabbing a yellow hat and raincoat and leaning forward in anticipation. “Spahke! Say somethin’!” Applebloom gasped. The dragon swayed unsteadily on his feet, still clenching his tummy. The mug fell from his hands and clattered to the floor as he collapsed to his knees, still groaning. Panicked cries of “Give him some air!” and “Somepony help him!” filled the room. With a final groan, Spike fell on his back, his tongue lolling out. The others quickly surrounded him, Sweetie frantically grabbing his shoulders and shaking. “Spike! Please, say something!” She begged. The only warning she got for what was coming was a sudden twitch in his throat, followed by a soft roar building from somewhere deep in his gullet. In an instant, he jolted upright and let loose with a mighty belch, rumbling the windows as his breath ignited, turning the burp into a flamethrower. “DUCK AND COVER!” Applebloom screamed, grabbing her screaming friends and leaping for safety behind an overturned desk like a war hero pulling his comrades to safety. Green flames curled out the baby dragon’s mouth and enveloped the library, sending scorching walls of fire and embers right over the other’s heads. Over the next few seconds, half of Twilight’s copy of The Encyclopedia Equestria, an end table, a cheap flower vase, and Applebloom’s bow had all been enveloped and teleported to Canterlot. With one last poof, the belch ended and Spike dropped to his stomach, rolling over onto his back with a little moan. A few seconds passed, and suddenly he bolted upright and let out one little burp, a scroll materializing from the flames. Recognizing it as Celestia’s personal stationary, he quickly unrolled it and scanned its contents: Stomach trouble? Still groaning, he penned in a quick Yeah and sent the scroll back just as the dog and ponies cautiously poked their heads out, taking in the destruction. Scootaloo poked her head out, a grin on her face so wide that anypony could count her molars with just one look at her. “Now that was a man-sized burp!” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaking off the feeling that somepony somewhere was doing something dangerously irresponsible, Twilight turned back to her brother and his wife. “Anyway, I have each of your days itemized and planned out to produce the maximum possible output by sunset. Just keep to these schedules and you two should have no problem tackling the day’s workload!” Shining Armor arched an eyebrow as he scanned the massive, itemized, and painstakingly-detailed scroll trailing by his hooves. “Hold on, I thought the whole reason you came to the Crystal Empire was to help us with all this stuff!” “Well, there’s been a change of plans,” Twilight said with a sheepish smile. “Last night, Princess Celestia sent me an urgent message saying Princess Luna would be arriving in the Empire soon, and that me and my friends ought to keep her company.” “WHAT!?” Shining barked. “For Equestria’s sake, we’re the rulers of the Empire! Why wouldn’t she tell us that Canterlot royalty was on its way!?” “I’m sure she just assumed Twily would let it slip on her own,” Cadence replied, nuzzling her husband. “She can be quite wise when it comes to predicting the actions of other ponies.” “And besides, how much help did you really think Pinkie and Rainbow were going to be with the paperwork?” Twilight asked with a knowing smile. “Wouldn’t they be better placed on the streets, keeping ponies’ spirits up and ensuring the Crystal Heart remains charged?” Shining grimaced. Twilight had just logic-ninja’d him again. He hated when she did that. “Fine,” he sighed, rolling up the scroll. “Still, I’m a bit insulted that Princess Celestia went to my sister with this, rather than the crown prince and princess of the Empire!” Suddenly, the door burst open again (Shining made a mental note to add a rubber stopper to its handle: it was already starting to leave a hole in the wall). “Your majesties!” A crystal pony guard gasped, his hide shimmering as he bowed before the royal couple and held a small scroll up to them. “I have an urgent message from Canterlot!” Curious, Shining broke the wax seal over the scroll and quickly unrolled it, scanning its contents, his eyes widening. “Well then…” he mused. “Sweetheart?” “BBBFF?” “It’s an official communique from Celestia herself informing us that Princess Luna will be taking a small vacation in the Crystal Empire and should be arriving shortly,” he replied, eyebrows up in his hairline as he rolled the scroll back up and tossed it over his shoulder. “Right when I was fuming about it too.” Cadence arched an eyebrow at him. “You don’t suppose…” “No, no, that’s ridiculous. Nopony’s that good at predicting others. This has to be a coincidence,” Shining replied, but his tone was unsure. He turned to his sister, the one pony who knew Celestia better than anyone in Equestria (besides, perhaps, Luna herself). “Right?” Twilight just smiled knowingly as she cantered out the door. “Like Cadence said: she can be quite wise when it comes to predicting the actions of others. I’m gonna get the girls so we can greet the Princess together."