“Whyever would I want to do a silly thing like that?” Cadance replied, her voice radiating puzzlement. “Stop him? Oh, Auntie, no! You misunderstand. I think you look wonderful like that. I only wish I could have seen it, but Shiny and I were needed elsewhere to finish this...” Her hand yanked the cloth off with a flourish to reveal a shimmering azure crystal – though the Crystal Heart had changed considerably from when Twilight had seen it last.
The once-pure crystal had been carved into...
"Godfuckingdamnit," King Dainn said, rubbing his face with his palm.
Shining Armor, who had been smiling like a fool moments before, noticed the frustration coming off in waves from his King. Frowning, he asked, "Is there a problem, sir?"
By the way he had phrased his question, either he had been reduced to a drooling idiot with the brainwashing spell, or he was stupid by nature. Whatever the case, he was good at hiding it.
Letting out a long, tired sigh, the King pointed with his hand the problem. Shining followed the direction with his gaze, but when he turned to look at Dainn again, he seemed to not have noticed it at all.
"I don't understand, sir. We did what you asked us to do."
Closing his eyes, Dainn spoke, annoyed, "And that was?..." He let the question hanging in the air, as he feared that if he were to end it properly, the poor idiot's mind would short circuit.
Nothing of value would be lost, of course, but he needed the barrier around the city.
"Make a cock out of the Crystal Heart, sir."
At his look of puzzlement, Celestia couldn't help but giggle under her breath. Dainn shot her a glare, but said nothing.
"Does that look like a cock to you?" The sentence was said through gritted teeth, but every word sounded perfectly clear. Crystal clear.
Shining furrowed his brows, then looked at Cadence, then at the Crystal Cock. He pursed his lips, examining its shimmering surface.
Nothing was out of the ordinary; it was a perfect, normal cock carved in the former Crystal Heart. The cock was smaller than thought, though, but all the details were there; the small, almost round crest, the short feathers that formed the tail and the lobes under its beak.
They had even carved a pair of folded wings! Just what was wrong with the—
"Oh..." he trailed off, as if the past conversation had just begun registering in his fogged mind.
With his eyes widening, Shining looked back at his King and blurted out, "We made a hen!"
It is said that, to this day, that the echo of King Dainn's hand smacking himself in the face can still be heard throughout Equestria, followed by the loud, hysterical, maddening laugh of two mares.