The Machine

by ADRNEL

Chapter XXIV~The Empire~

Chapter XXIV
The Empire

---

Day 180

"CRYSTAL EMPIRE! LAST STOP!" yelled the train conductor as the train arrived at its destination.

In one of the cabins, both Adam and Fluttershy were alone sleeping and cuddling with each other from the long train ride. Adam felt the train come to a complete stop and woke up. "Fluttershy," he said while he shook her. "I think we're here."

"Mmm...five more minutes hun, I love this." said the yellow pegasus, disappointed that cuddle time had to end.

"I'm sorry...but we can cuddle later tonight if you want." offered the human to his special somepony.

"Oh all right...I'll hold you on to that." said the mare in a playful tone as she got off the seat and grabbed her bags. Adam did the same and they left their cabin to meet up with the others.

Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were already on the platform. "Ah, about time you two finally got out." said a relieved Twilight.

"So...remind me why we are here again?" asked Adam.

"The Crystal Empire is in line to host the next Equestrian Games, so they're going to send an inspector here to see if the empire is ready to host such an event." explained the lavender unicorn.

"And what does this have to do with us?"

"Because Shining and Cadance asked for our help." the unicorn mare said.

"Besides, I don't want the Crystal Empire to be rejected like Cloudsdale was when I was a filly." said Dash with painful memories flowing through her head.

"Do we know what the game inspector looks like?" asked Fluttershy.

"We're going over to see Cadance to find that out." explained Twilight.

"Lead the way then."

---

"She's coming today and the headpiece is not even ready yet!" panicked Cadance as her mane was a horrible mess. Adam and the mares even saw the instruction manual that stretched almost all the day to the door.

"Why can't you just meet the inspector without the complex headpiece?" offered the human.

"And turn my rump on tradition?"

"Right..."

"Don't worry Cadance!" started Twilight. "We will keep the game inspector busy until your headpiece is finished right guys?" she asked her friends and Adam.

"RIGHT!" the six of them answered in unison.

"Okay then...but the inspector will be here in about an hour." Cadance warned them.

"I'll stay here to help with Cadance, that headpiece sounds like a two pony job." said Rarity.

"Good, and the rest of us will go to the stadium to get it presentable for the inspection!" said Twilight as her idea fully played out in her mind.

"Uh...I think I will go and sight-see instead." chimed in Adam.

"You are not going to help us?" the lavender unicorn was in shock.

"Twilight...the only reason I agreed to come to the Crystal Empire instead of helping Spike pet-sit is so I can take in the sights of a place no human has been before." explained the human to the unicorn.

She sighed, "Okay...but will you at least be at the train station to meet the inspector?"

"Don't worry, I will." Adam smiled before he turned to Fluttershy. "Want to join me Shy?"

"Oh...I think I'll stay here and help out my friends if you don't mind." Fluttershy did not like to turn him down at all, but these games are very important.

"I understand." he said as he kissed the yellow mare's forehead. "Hope you do well."

"Thanks." smiled Fluttershy.

"By the way," said Cadance. "I heard the game inspector is carrying purple luggage...so watch out for that."

"You heard that Adam?" asked Twilight.

"Train station, one hour, purple luggage...got it." nodded the human. "How you do well."

"Thanks, we need all the luck we can get." smiled Twilight as the human waved good-bye and walked away.

---

Adam walked the main street of the city, he admired the crystalline scenery and ponies. "So beautiful...ponies that shimmer like crystals...amazing." he said to himself but his train of thought was interrupted by a growling stomach. Lunchtime.

The human saw a nearby bar and walked in. Inside where many crystal ponies drinking, eating, socializing and gambling. Adam went up to the bar. "I would like some onion rings and very pale ale please." he asked the bartender.

"Coming right up sir." he said as Adam payed him. He sat down at the bar-front but could not help but notice several crystal ponies in the far corner of the room playing poker. The human's interested was captured.

---

"Four of a kind, I win the round." smirked Adam as he showed the rest of the ponies on the table his four nines and a joker.

The crystal ponies at the table reluctantly gave him the bits they bet away. As Adam collected the pot, he looked at his pocket watch to see that it was three minutes past the hour...he's late!

"Damn it...got to run!" placed all the winnings in his saddlebag and ran out the bar to reach the train station.

---

"Damn it! I'm ten minutes late!" yelled Adam to himself as he finally reached the station. He waited for a few minutes to catch his breath before he straitened himself out and walked to the platform to meet this important pony.

Adam looked around the platform for any pony with purple luggage and he found one; a mare with a short mane, a purple suit and a mean scowl on her face. "Hmm...purple bags, professional haircut, professional business suit and a trophy for a cutie mark...that must be the game inspector...but there's only one way to find out." he walked to the mare.

"Excuse me ma'am?" the mare looked up to face the human.

"Yes?"

"Are you the game inspector for the Equestiran games?" asked the human, he hoped he was right.

"Yes, yes I am...Miss Harshwhinny...and you?" the mare introduced herself.

"Adam Gray." he reached out his hand and shook her foreleg.

"So I am guessing you are here to show me around and state your case on why I should select the Crystal Empire to host the games?"

"Apparently." answered the human, he was told Twilight and her friends would be here, but what he did not know was that they already did got there but left with a random mare who they thought was the game inspector a few minutes before the human arrived.

"And what do you have planned for me Mr. Gray?" asked the serious mare.

"Depends on how much this," he took his saddlebag filled with bits and showed it to her. "can buy us."

"Hmm...with that amount of bits...I have a feeling I will end up getting spoiled...lead the way Mr. Gray." she directed. "But first, take me to the nearest hotel so I can drop my bags off."

"Yes ma'am." nodded the human as he helped Miss Harshwhinny with the luggage. "I wonder where those girls could be" he thought. He did not want the responsibility of being the one that tries to impress the inspector, but he'll do it if there is no other choice.

---

"WHERE IN TATARUS IS HE?!" exclaimed a panicked Twilight. "He promised he would be here to help us impress the game inspector!" what she did not know was that the mare they picked up at the station was not the game inspector and that she was flirting with her brother behind Twilight's back.

"Calm down Twi...he's probably just got lost or something..." Fluttershy nervously tried to calm the unicorn down.

"But Shy!" exclaimed Dash. "He promised us he would help us and guess what? He blew us off! It's Cloudsdale all over again!" the cyan pegasus was also panicking.

"Maybe he got held up or something...just please calm down...we are useless if we do nothing but panic." pleaded the yellow pegasus.

"But still...this is mighty unlike Adam to do this...he's one of the most reliable ponies ah have ever met and him not showing up when promised is mighty suspicious..." commented Applejack.

"My Pinkie-sense is telling me that he's with another mare right now!" cheerfully stated Pinkie.

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Fluttershy. "He would never see another mare without my permission!" the yellow pegasus was even more worried. "He never even ONCE kissed another mare!"

Twilight and Rainbow Dash gave looks at embarrassment, they both knew that was not true.

"Oh my...uh..." bad scenarios started flow through Shy's head. "I gotta find him!" she quickly flew off into the sky. She left Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie behind.

Applejack gave Twilight and Dash a dirty look. "Okay...who here has been intimate with Adam and how far?"

"Does it count if it was Pinkamena that did it?" asked the pink pony.

"Ugh...yes!"

Twilight, Dash and Pinkie all raised a forehoof into the air. Everyone except Pinkie had a look of shame on their faces.

"I made out with him spur of the moment and he was about to go down between my hind-legs before we were thankfully interrupted." explained the cyan pegasus with shame.

"Pinkamena kissed him and almost gave him mouth present." explained the pinkie pony like it was nothing serious.

"And me and him went...uh...far...at the Canterlot archive with him." sheepishly explained the unicorn.

"How far?" asked a curious Dash.

"Just short of going all the...way...uh..." Twilight sweated bullets. "I can guarantee you there was no penetration involved."

"And if ah were to guess...Rarity has done thin's with him as well." said a bemused Applejack.

"Actually...all Rarity and Adam ever did was kiss...Rarity told me." clarified the pink pony.

"Ya know...you should all be ashamed of yerselves! He's with Fluttershy remember?"

"Don't YOU have feelings for him too?!" asked a suspicious Dash.

"No ah don't have feelin's for him, because ah happen to be the mature one of this group and ah don't let lust cloud my judgement!" she berated the three mares. "Ya just made a relationship tougher than it should be!"

The three said nothing.

"Ah swear ah feel like ah'm surrounded by a bunch of horny teen-aged mares and ah'm forced to be the babysitter!" Applejack continued her rant. "Ya know what, ah now need a buckin' drink...see ya later girls." the orange mare just left the stadium, disgusted by what her friends did to the human.

Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie took a good look at each other. "Applejack is right girls...we nearly jeopardized Adam and Fluttershy's relationship with each other." admitted the mare.

"So what now?" asked Pinkie.

"For now we continue our plan to impress the game inspector."

"Well, she is already impressed with you brother I can tell you that." pointed out the rainbow pegasus as she saw the mare they think is the game inspector rub her tail against Shining's chin, the stallion had a look of horror on his face.

"Oh no!' Twilight ran to the mare to make her stop.

---

At the same time, Adam and Miss Harshwhinny ate at the most expensive restaurant they could find in the city. "Anyways, I suggest that we keep our relationship professional Mr. Gray so I can remain objective when I inspect the city." stated the mare.

"Why of course Miss Harshwhinny." agreed the human as he poured her another glass of wine. "Although to be honest, I wasn't supposed to be the one that showed around."

"Oh, then who?" wondered the mare.

"My friends and marefriend...but I guess they got distracted with other matters." as he said that, the waiter came up and served the two their meals.

"So how long have you been in Equestria Mr. Gray?" she asked as she started to eat.

"Around six months already, the ponies here are very friendly and kind," Adam decided to ask her another question back. "so, how long have been a game inspector?"

"Well, I wasn't always a game inspector, I was a really good athlete in a past life, participated in several Equestria Games and some of the records I've set in my career are still waiting to be broken." answered Harshwhinny. "but after a while, you realize that being an athlete can only get you so far in life and I loved how professional the sports officials were, so I became an official member of the Equestira Games Congress and then became a game inspector shortly afterwards."

"How did you do in the games?"

"In the three games I participated in, I won three gold, two silver and a bronze, most of them in gymnastics, but some in Pentathlon and one in wrestling."

"Impressive." he was impressed.

---

"And so I managed to dismount of the balance beam perfectly and the crowd cheered...I won gold." related Miss Harshwhinny as they had a nice walk through the shopping district.

Adam saw an art museum ahead of them. "What to go see some priceless works of art Miss Harshwhinny?"

"Oh of course...I fondly remember the days when the Equestrian Games also held art competitions as well...so I know my art." agreed the mare as they ran inside the museum.

---

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was over the crystal city as she looked everywhere for Adam. She really did hope that he wasn't cheating on her, she worries about that scenario many times. "Oh please Adam...I really want to be your first mare...don't prove my fears true."

Although the pegasus also hoped that he and Lyra did not do anything during their trip to the resort together. Adam claimed they did not do anything, but Fluttershy could not shake her suspicion of the opposite.

---

"Well...I had a lot of fun today Mr. Gray." mused the game inspector as both she and the human left an outdoor fashion show. "I feel like I have seen everything the Crystal Empire has to offer."

"So, does that mean you will award this city the right to host the games?" asked Adam.

"Well...to tell you the truth...the Crystal Empire has ALWAYS been considered to host the games since it re-appeared again...so me coming here was a bit pointless yet worth it." she admitted. "Though I would still like to meet Princess Cadance and her consort."

"Why of course...let's go there now." nodded the human as they headed towards the palace.

"HOW COULD YOU ADAM?!" shrieked a voice. Both Harshwihnny and Adam looked up to see Fluttershy dove at them. "HOW COULD YOU?!"

"Uh..." Adam had no idea what was wrong with his marefriend.

"I loved you and cared about you and this is how you repay me? By cheating on me with some random hussy?!" cried the pegasus.

"Hussy?" Harshwhinny took offence and glared at her.

"Yeah! That's what you are! Now stay away from my man!" growled Fluttershy being protective of the human. "I had him first!"

"How unprofessional of you!" glared the orange mare.

"Fluttershy..." Adam was in shock.

"YOU BAILED ON US WHEN WE NEEDED YOU ADAM!"

"Bailed?!"

"When we met the game inspector, you were nowhere to be found!" exclaimed a heartbroken Fluttershy. "I defended you and my friends were right..."

"Game inspector?" exclaimed Harshwhinny.

"Now the Crystal Empire's chances of hosting the games have shrunk because-"

"FLUTTERSHY!" yelled the human to keep her from spiraling out of the control.

The pegasus snapped out of her momentary swing of emotions. "Huh?"

"Fluttershy...you would like for you to meet Miss Harshwhinny...game inspector." he introduced to the other mare.

"Game inspector?!"

"That's right Missy...game inspector." the inspector raised an eyebrow at the pegasus.

"B-But...she can't be...we already met the game inspector...and...we gave her the 'Welcome' routine and everything..."

"You gave a potential impostor the 'Welcome' routine?!" Adam was also in shock.

"Did you ask for any identification of documentation proving that she's a game inspector?" Harshwhinny was suspicious.

"Y-yes...uh...no...Twilight thought she was...OH NO!" Fluttershy realized something. "WE'VE BEEN IMPRESSING THE WRONG PONY!"

The pegasus quickly wrapped Adam into a hug and cried on his shoulder. "Oh Adam! We blew it! We blew it!"

"I wouldn't say that Miss Fluttershy." chimed in the other mare.

"Huh?"

"The Crystal Empire was always planned to be the host for the first games after its re-appearance." explained Adam.

"It was?"

"Yes." answered the suit wearing mare.

"Now come on Shy...we can still salvage this day." Adam smiled.

Fluttershy just smiled back and fully agreed to that statement. "Good...now let's go!" exclaimed the human as he pointed to the palace in the distance. The three of them sprinted to it to fix the misunderstanding.

---

That night, Adam got himself settled down in his guest chambers in the Crystal Palace. Thanks to him, then entire day did not go to waste and everything was quickly forgiven. Adam got of the room's attached bathroom from his thrice weekly shave only to see to his surprise Twilight by the main door. "Twilight?"

"Oh hey..." this were still slightly awkward between them. "...I just wanted to apologize for believing you would refuse to help us and all."

"That's okay Twi...you just got worried about my absence...but you should know by now that I would never abandon any of you at your time of need." explained Adam as he sat on his bed.

"But I also wanted to thank you for saving the day back there...I guess I was so worried about getting the Crystal Empire the chance to host it that I completely forgot to notice that she defiantly was not the inspector."

"We all make those mistakes at some point in our lives."

Twilight smiled, but she decided to ask a question that was on her mind for a while. "Do you think what we did back there at the archives was a mistake?"

Adam just sighed. "Look...we made it clear that what we did back there was a one time thing and that it meant nothing."

"I just worry that Fluttershy would find out about it and ruin everything..." began Twilight, little did she knew, but Fluttershy was outside the door eavesdropping in. "The fact that we all wanted a piece of you and that was not right."

Fluttershy felt betrayed. "Twilight and Adam? My friends?!"

"Look Twilight...just remember that I would love for you to join me and Fluttershy to form a herd...but I feel like it would be wrong to force Shy to share me with someone else no matter how close of friends you two are. Polymory is not my thing."

"You're right...best not too put pressure on a good thing...anyways...I must go now, goodnight Adam."

"Goodnight Twi." they both gave each other a friendly hug before Twilight left the room.

Fluttershy was already in her room, crying her eyes out on her bed. "Oh Adam...you promised me I will be the only mare for you..." she cried. "But you had to do with my best friend of all ponies!" she was heartbroken. "Maybe I was wrong to assume that he wanted a monogamous relationship...that he wanted me and only me..." she could not say another word through her bawling. She basically cried herself to sleep that night.

TO BE CONTINUED...