Crystal Delicacy

by Skarsnik

Beginning of a new life

Sergeant Ruby Moon was watching the mare in the mirror in front of her. She had a small touch of makeup. Her short pink mane was washed, brushed and had a touch of glitter, well crystal glitter. It was something the crystal pony mares liked to wear for a romantic affair to try to replicate the effect the Crystal Heart had on the ponies. It was a bit itchy but, well, they were encouraged to mingle with the crystal ponies and respecting their tradition was a good way to get friendly with them. And in her case it was more than friendly.

She had met the stallion, a crystal earth pony in the fair after the restoration of the Empire. He was older than her, but that’s how she liked her stallions. Older and/or married stallion make greats lovers in bed. Ruby did not really care about things like competing with another mare, mostly because she was more up for one-night stands. She did not believe that working in the guard and building a relationship could go hoof-in-hoof.

This stallion was different from her usual catch. At first he was a bit grumpy and did not seem interested in any relationship. He did not talk much at first, she discovered it was a common occurrence for most crystal ponies since their most recent memories were about the horror of the reign of King Sombra, but she made him open up more by asking questions about the Crystal Empire. He also had a bit of shyness she came to appreciate.

She put on some lipstick and smacked her lips. The lipstick had the same gloss to match the glittering of her mane and tail. After a last glance at the mare in the mirror she said:

“Perfect.”

***

A yellow-coated crystal earth stallion wearing a bow tie knocked at the door of Sergeant Ruby Moon and he was nervous. The mare had kind of forced him to open up to her. At first it was just a friendly talk where they shared both some information about their respective country. But at some point he had agreed to take her on what the Equestrians called “a date”. He had to reach out to other young Equestrians stallion to learn more. They were lot of hidden rules that made the whole thing seem easy to mess up.

Despite not being young—he was already past forty—his experience with mares stopped at his wife. She had been a foalhood friend and their romantic relationship only started when he invited her out for a dance. He was barely a stallion at the time. Their relationship had bloomed into a wedding and later two foals, but then Sombra happened and he never saw her again, nor his foals.

That was his main concern about his relationship with Ruby. He was pretty sure they were dead, as the mad king did not really do in half punishments, but even still, was it right to start another one? Especially with a mare much younger than him?

His doubts were cut short when she opened the door. He blushed at the mare in front of him and her appearance that made it very clear she was not there for just a friendly encounter.

“You look gorgeous,” he managed to say.

“Thank you, I hope I get the mane right.” Ruby’s pink mane was cut short and stopped past the middle of her neck and it was tied with a small red lace.

The crystal glitter visibly made the right impression on the stallion as he stammered his answer, “Y-Yes.”

“So, where are you planning to take me?” It was her usual tactic: let the stallion believe he is the one controlling, but here in the Crystal Empire it was also genuine curiosity.

“Oh, follow me.”

---

Ruby Moon was at her desk in Canterlot Palace reading reports about the month she missed. She had been sent to the Crystal Empire to help organize the local palace guards, her squad being on reserve duty for this month. And now she had a hard time focusing on the boring reports, her gaze wandering a lot to the small crystal figurine of her sitting close to a picture of her and her stallion.

The crystal figurine was a piece of art carved in a special crystal. It represented her in her guard armor bucking an imaginary target. Sculpting crystal was her stallion’s craft. She did not understand the details, but it was his job before being forced into Sombra’s slavery to work in the mine. The crystal was translucent with a small touch of red to match her coat.

The picture was of their last date, capturing a sweet moment of them leaning on each other. It was very sappy if she was honest with herself, but she was smiling at the memory. She could not believe she missed him now that she was back in Canterlot. Usually stallions were just a way to unwind and she barely remembered their faces or names. But there was something in him she liked, maybe his lack of experience with mares or just his different vision of the world from an old age, which had led to a funny moment of explaining what a photograph was.

A light blue unicorn mare entered her desk, cutting her from the grueling task of reading dull reports about the palace security. “Ruby, you are back!”

“It’s still sergeant for you.” She chuckled at the mare and raised from her chair to hug the other mare.

“So how many stallions and mares were in tears after you left the Crystal Empire?”

“Hum, mostly me. You will found this crazy, but I think I found one I want to keep.”

The unicorn mare looked at the desk, noticed the picture and levitated it to her to have a better look. On the picture Ruby was leaning on a yellow stallion with a shiny coat, one of the mare hoof was resting on his back, they were in front a beautiful garden with crystal flowers reflecting the sunlight.

“Wow, that’s sappy.” The unicorn raised an eyebrow at the tame picture. “It’s not very like you.”

“I know! I did not even sleep with him!” Ruby laughed.

The other mare pointed her horn at Ruby and asked in a joking manner, “Are you a changeling?” before joining in the laugh.

When their laughter died the unicorn picked up the crystal figurine. “Did you mystery stallion give you this? It’s amazing!”

“Yes, I know, it’s crazy to have a statue of yourself like that.”

“No, I mean, do you think he could make one for me?”

“I never know you had feeling for me,” Ruby teased in reply. “Want a mini-me to cherish?”

---

Ruby Moon was in her living quarters, reading the last letter from the stallion.

Dear Ruby Moon,

I see a lot of younger crystal ponies leaving the Empire to start a new life in Equestria. I envy the ones that want to join the royal guard. It could be a way for me to be close to you. But I am too old for that.

I learned that life in Canterlot is not really cheap. I am still not sure what to do in the Empire. I keep helping with rebuilding the Empire, but I feel alone when I get back home with no prospect of meeting you again. I was sure I would forget you, that it was just a nice dream, but you make me remember what the company of a mare brings into a stallion’s life.

I can’t wait to see you again.

With love, Loun

With a smile on her lips and after watching the small figurine of herself, Ruby muttered, “Ruby, you are probably going to make the craziest decision ever.”

She put the more formal letter she was writing in an envelope before grabbing one of the dresses she wore when she went out, hunting for stallions.

***

After knocking at the door of a modest house in one of the residential districts of Canterlot, a pegasus mare around her fifties answered the door.

“Good evening, Miss. What do you want?” Her tone was rather stern.

“Is your husband here?”

The stallion was just behind the mare and his face showed sign of panic seeing the ruby coated mare in her alluring black dress.

“I-I am here.”

Her wife turned to her husband. “Who is this mare?”

Ruby talked before the stallion could imagine a lie, “I am a client. I am sorry for disturbing your evening, but I need an urgent appointment for tomorrow. I have an important business to do before heading out on a trip. I am sure you can free some of your time for me.”

The stallion stammered, “O-of course, 10 am is alright for you?”

“Perfect.” Ruby smiled at the stallion who understood the consequence of his refusal.

***

The next morning Ruby Moon was at the front desk of the lawyer’s office owned by the stallion.

“Do you have an appointment, Miss?” the young unicorn mare asked.

“Tell your boss that Ruby Moon is here,” Ruby said with a tone she reserved for the guards that were under her command. The secretary executed the command promptly, leaving the room and returning with the older stallion.

“You are on time, follow me.”

When both ponies were alone in the stallion’s office, Ruby was the first to talk.

“Nice office.”

“If you want money, say your price so I be done with you.”

“Money? No, I am really here as a client.”

“Alright. I suppose you want my service for free?”

“You get the idea.” Ruby smiled. She never really extorted something from husbands cheating on their wives before, but it felt good, especially with this one that had the bad habit of slapping her flanks before reaching his orgasm.

The lawyer cleared his throat, switching to a more professional tone. “So what can I do for you?”

Ruby started explaining her project to the pony that was visibly more relaxed being in his element.

---

“Good morning, sir,” Ruby Moon stood at attention at the officer in charge of the palace guards.

“Good morning, sergeant. What I can do for you?”

“I am here to say that I am leaving.” The mare took the letter hidden in her armor and gave it to the officer. He opened the letter and read it without showing any sign of emotion.

“I see you even pointed to a replacement. I am not sure if I should say it’s the right time or a bad time with the ongoing reorganization of the Princess’ house guards.”

“I am sure Fast Wing will be a fine sergeant, sir.”

“And I am quite sure there is no talking you out of this decision, but have a seat, sergeant.”

Ruby Moon complied and took the chair just in front of the officer’s desk.

“I am sure a mare like you does not quit without a plan, so what is it? You finally found an old, dying stallion rich enough to wed?”

“There is something like that.” Ruby Moon smiled.

---

Ruby Moon watched her squad all in their carefully polished armor. One could not see the difference between the usual upkeep and the extra polish that had been used for a day like today, but Ruby Moon knew better. It was a ‘public day’, where ponies were allowed to wander in the palace to see the rich decoration, painting or other piece of art that were in nearly every corridor. She was smiling internally at her squad for such professionalism. She spotted a slightly nervous pegasus stallion and said, “Fast Wing.”

“Yes, sergeant?”

“Since you are going to take my place in this unit. I thought you could be the one doing the usual speech.”

“Yes, sergeant!”

The pegasus was the one with the most seniority among the other of the unit. Ruby left her position in front of her ponies to take the place of Wing among the other guards.

“Alright ponies, today is ‘public day’. It cost nothing to remember our dear major’s instructions.” He watched to see if everypony were listening before continuing.

“I want you to be extra civil. There will be foals, teachers, tourists. If one gets lost in an unauthorized area you bring them back to the closest staff member without being harsh. But don’t play hero by searching for a foal’s parent or you will be blamed for leaving your post for too long.

“Today you are the most important guards in the whole of Equestria. Foals will look at you with a lot of expectations. Tourists will judge the whole royal guards based on your performance of today.”

Fast Wing stopped, checking if his words had reached what would be his future unit. He noticed the grin on Ruby’s face and putting on a resigned face, he looked at the mare. Ruby Moon replied with a small nod at his silent question. Wing smiled and resumed his speech.

“And if you find the address of an attractive mare or stallion in your armor, remember to pay them a visit to show them that the palace’s guards are the best lovers of Equestria.”

This last remark earned him a laugh from the other ponies, but Ruby Moon was proud to have her replacement keep this odd tradition. It was a way to remind every guard that they were still ponies under the armor. It was also a reminder that this situation really occurred, like once in a while a lonely teacher slipping a paper with her hotel room written on it.

Wing said proudly, “Alright, ponies. time for the show.” The rest of the guard saluted before heading out of the briefing room.

---

One month later at the Canterlot train station, Ruby Moon was waiting. She never had been so nervous since she enlisted in the guard, even being promoted sergeant was not so stressful. Thanks to her friend the lawyer, things had been rather smooth and surprisingly quick to put together. She found a nice place on a known commercial area. The building was a three story house with a comfortable living area on the second and third floor.

It was a big gamble and thanks to a lot of savings and subvention that encouraged the employment of crystal ponies or the making of Crystal Empire business related (the only downside was it was required to send a part of your profits to the Empire) she was now in possession of a future shop to sell crystal figurines, the Crystal Delicacy

And now she was waiting for her main asset: the craftsman and his shipment of raw materials. She intended to make a good use of all the stallion’s many talents.

The train finally arrived. Not a lot of ponies disembarked, allowing her to quickly notice the crystal earth stallion that was carrying two pieces of luggage on his back. She rushed to him, and they hugged and shared a passionate kiss.

He was the first to speak. “I can’t believe you really did that for me, leaving your duty like this.”

“And still you are here. Let’s move on. I can’t wait to show you your new workshop.”

With a move of her head she pointed to two stallions waiting with a hoof truck. “Loun, please shows these gentleponies our cargo.”

During the travel to their new place of living, the two ponies chatted of how thing were going since they had last seen and written to each other. The stallion mainly talked of the new changes in the Empire.

---

After the ponies loaded the workshop storage room from a door in the back of the shop with the heavy crate containing various crystals, Ruby paid them and waved goodbye to the two stallions.

She stopped to watch Loun laying out a cloth containing various chisels, small hammers, and other tools she could not identify, on one of the workbenches. She said with a smile, “I hope you brought all your tools with you. Let’s move upstairs.”

She heard a clang sound, a sign of the stallion dropping the large chisel he was inspecting. Ruby emitted a small giggle and with a little sashay of her hips she led the stallion upstairs.

Loun was not a colt so he had a really good idea of the mare’s intentions. In his previous relationship, they waited for the wedding night to have their first intercourse. But the month he shared with Ruby he was surprised they had not already shared a bed given how the mare was quite forceful. She kissed him after their first date and she was not shy to display any sign of affection after that. She was really attractive and he could not lie to himself that he wasn’t eager to discover more of the mare’s affection.

So he followed, trying to not look too much at the mare’s flank which bore a red heart crossed by a sword as cutie mark. She had told him it was a proof of her skills with a sword. It was a hard task to try to focus on something else as her teasing tail was moving enough to keep his eyes locked on the area, sometimes letting him view what was hidden under it.

Once reaching the first floor she spoke to him, “Here is the living room and the kitchen; the bedroom is on the next floor with the bathroom. Why not familiarize yourself with the place while I take a bath?”

“Sure.

***

Ruby went back downstairs after a nice shower. She had taken great care of grooming her tail and mane properly. She was wearing a very alluring dress designed to show just enough of her back leg with lace following her well toned flank. She even took the time to put on some underwear that was a great sign of her wanting this stallion to be the one to undress her. It was one of her favorite with small red ribbons holding everything together.

Her plan was simple in her head. Even with her previous teasing she wanted to share a small romantic dinner, before showing him that she fully intended to share a bed with him not just to sleep after a day of work

When she reached the main area, a huge living room, she expected the stallion watching her in awe or making a nice remark about her dress, but instead the stallion was in shock standing in front of one of the bookshelves.

She approached him, her lustful thoughts nearly forgotten for the time being

“Are you alright? Feeling homesick?

The stallion was holding a small crystal figurine of a mare in his right hoof. “W-Where did you get this?”

“Oh this old thing? It’s a family trinket you know. My mother gave it to me, and her mother gave it to her, et cet—” She cut herself off, feeling the stallion’s gaze on her was starting to be filled with tears

“I-I. It’s my wife’s. I give it to her to celebrate our first anniversary. She is… gone.”

Instead of the romantic dinner she had planned, they simply ate while the stallion shared stories about his wife and his foals. It could have bothered Ruby to have her evening ruined but she knew she needed to be supportive.

When it was late and it was time to go to sleep, bringing the stallion upstairs Ruby spoke, “Do you want me to… prepare the guest room?”

“No, sorry if I ruined your plans,” he said while pointing at her dress.

Ruby Moon was up quite early. it’s an habit hard to break after ten years of working in the royal guard.

She reflected on the previous day: one instant she had her head full of certitude and dreams, quitting the royal guard, and building a successful business. Maybe have a nice relationship and why not start a family or something?

And now, well, starting a business felt less appealing but she could not go back. She had hoped that sharing a real night with Loun was the final bridge with his past he could cut, but it had been back at full force when seeing this accursed figurine.

She was looking at the small traitor resting on the dinner table when Loun entered the room.

She said with a smirk, “So, you are my great great great great father? Give or take some greats.”

The stallion replied with a small smile before getting back to a more depressed face, “A thousand years...”

There was a small silence before Ruby spoke again. “Do you want to go to the archives, maybe they have some information about your wife or your foals?”

“Yes.”

---

One week later on the high peak of Mont Canter, one crystal stallion and one earth pony mare were watching a small tumulus of earth were a crystal figurine was buried.

“Goodbye, Laria,” muttered the stallion.

“Let’s go home?” offered the mare

“Let’s go home,” replied the stallion with a smile.

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading so far.
What was just originally a small cameo idea for Secrets of a Royal Guard end up with a full backstory in my head and this is the result of trying to lay out on paper (gdoc document).

This chapter can be considered as a small one shot, but there will probably more chapters (shorter) with more interaction with the Quill & Blade event and characters.

Big thank to Crystal Wishes for taking a bit of her time to edit this.

Comments

[Cindy1552]

[RainythePegasus_Archive]

6202285 that doesn't seem good. I'm afraid to read it now lol.

[Fistfire]

Oh boy, where do I begin