It was a special day in the Crystal Empire, but also around the world as well. The griffins called it Valentines Day. The Zebra language, when translated, called it Give Love To All Day. And the Minotaurs actually celebrated it last week, but it was still called Mating’s Day. For ponies though, it was Hearts and Hooves Day.
Normally, such a day would be special, but when your ruler was the alicorn of love itself, you tend to give it a bit of an extra special meaning. All around the Empire, the crystal ponies could be seen decorating and celebrating the holiday with great vigor. Stores were decorated with little cupid ponies, heart shaped banners or balloons, and discounts on any flowers, chocolates, perfumes, jewelry, and other romantic items one associated with today. Trees were covered with carving from couples whose initials were placed in hearts that were carved on the bark. And, naturally, ponies of all ages could be seen giving cards, hugs, kisses, or marriage rings to those they really cared about.
All of this was topped off with a big glowing heart at the top of the Crystal Palace, an illusion Princess Cadance had powered up with the Crystal Heart. The Heart itself was surrounded by dozens of wish cards for those who sought its power for courage to confess their feelings.
The inside of the palace was just as grand. With some alicorn magic, Cadance was able to turn the entire palace red and pink, making girls squee in joy and boys moan in disgust. Even the guards were asked to wear red and pink armor. With the aid of her loyal hoofservants, Cadance was putting the last of the decorations in the palace room. Hundreds of red roses filled the room. Giant heart-shaped balloons—graciously donated by Pinkie Pie—floated in the air. The throne was replaced with three crystal statues: one with a mare and a stallion kissing, and the other two containing two mare and two stallions doing the same thing. A testament to love in many forms.
“You’ve been working on all this since six this morning. Shouldn’t you take a break?” asked a voice from behind.
Smiling, Princess Cadance turned around to see Shining Armor—Prince-consort of the Crystal Empire, Commander of its Armed Forces, and total romantic goofball—smiling at her while levitating a coffe mug bearing the words "World's Best BBBFF" beside his dorky smile. Heedless of decorum, the two kissed passionately, ignoring the giggles from the aids who politely went back to working. After several seconds, and with a disapointed moan from him, Cadance pulled back and smirked, plucking the coffee from his telekinetic grip and giving him a little boop on the nose. “And how many times have I told you that during your training drills with your soldiers?” she said, walking back towards their bedroom.
Blushing, Shining Armor followed his wife before answering, “T-that’s different. You never know when we’ll be attacked!”
Cadance only shook her head before she opened their bedroom and sipped some of the coffee before she turned around with a gleam of mischief in her eyes. “I want to show you something. Sit on the bed.”
Shining’s cheeks turned red as he eyed the bed and his wife before a big smile stretched across his muzzle. “W-whatever you say, darling.”
Cadance gave him a quick peck before she rushed over to the closet, stepping inside and closing the door. When he was sure his wife was gone, Shining Armor pumped his hoof in the air and sat on the bed like a dog waiting a treat. He could only imagine what his wife was going to come out wearing, especially for Hearts and Hooves Day. It could have been a sexy nurse. A sexy ninja. A sexy valkrin. Even a sexy goth would be fine. Everything was open as long as it was sexy.
“Okay! I’m ready!” said Cadance, behind the closed door. Shining Armor rubbed his hooves in anticipation, but when the door opened all he could do was stare in confusion. “What do you think?”
“Um,” said Shining Armor, trying to figure out what his wife was wearing. She was in a skin tight archers outfit, like one of those Rangers that Princess Celestia had to watch over the Badlands for any trouble, only the collar had a little heart cut out in the front. Instead of the traditional green or brown, it was purple with some shade of pink via stripes that extended from her center color to her rear hooves. There was also a purple cloak that flapped through the air thanks to the wind from the window. Her forehooves had matching golden bracelets with miniature diamond hearts in the center that looked similar to the Crystal Heart. Finally, she had a purple masked that covered the upper part of her face. Wielding a quiver of arrows behind her and a purple bow in her magical grip, she posed like a superhero in front of her husband who only asked, “Why are you dressed like that?”
“Well, it’s Hearts and Hooves Day, right?” Shining nodded dumbly. “So, it’s time for my yearly tradition of making ponies fall in love! But this time I’m going to do it with style!” With a flourish, Cadance pulled out an arrow from the quiver, notching it in the bow she held. “I’ve been making various type of loves arrows that have all kinds of effects. Such as giving you the courage to address your feelings! Observe!” Cadance walked over towards their window and looked down where two guards were patrolling the front gates, one stallion and one mare. Cadance pointed to the male and said, “Private Malachite has had a crush on Private Violet Top for about a few months. This arrow is gonna give him the push he needs to ask her out.”
“It’s not gonna hurt him, is it?” asked Shining Armor, getting off his bed to observe better.
“Oh course not. It’s just gonna be a bit of a pinch and then the arrow disappears. He won’t be hurt at all,” assured Cadance as she drew that arrow back and aimed. “Unlike the practice ones at least.”
“Wait, what?” asked Shining Armor just as Cadance fired the arrow.
It sailed through the air until it landed directly on Private Malachite’s cutie mark, causing the stalwart soldier to give a loud yelp. Before he could even turn to see what hit him, the arrow disappeared and Malachite eyes flashed pink for a split-second. He turned to his partner, foreleg scratching the other, and asked, “H-hey, Violet?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you want... to go out for coffee later?”
“Sure, I’d love to,” said Violet with a smile before she focused back on her duties.
A goofy smile decorated Malachite before he resumed his duties as well. Meanwhile, Cadance was smiling with satisfaction. “See? Am I good or what? Just call me... Pink Arrow!”
Shining Armor blinked several times. “Okay. One, stop stealing Spike’s comic books.”
“Hey, I’m just borrowing them!”
“Two, I don’t know about this, Cadance. Shouldn’t you let love be as it is? I mean, I know helping ponies with their love problems is your deal, but maybe this is going too far?”
Smirking, Cadance pulled out an arrow that had a very big red tip. “If you let me do this, I’ll use this arrow which is designed to increase hormones between a pony and the love of his life by ten fold... for us tonight?”
In less then a second she was being pushed out by her husband with a beet red face.