It's Going to be Cold outside
It's Going to be Cold outside
The Frog that Would Become Emperor;
Cold Night in The Crystal Empire, part 1
MLPFiM
I gritted my teeth as I carried the boxes up stairs.
The strain of all that wait was enough to rupture a disk. I suppose that they could have just fixed me up. I mean I was in a Magical land of ponies after all. When the Liberian of Ponyville, Twilight Sparkles had asked me to accompany her and her daughter to The Crystal Empire and of course I jumped at the chance. I thought it would have been fun seeing another country. Little did I know that I was going to be used as a living wall of meat and moving things all around the Crystal Library.
“Ms. Sparkles,” I grunted. “Where is this going? I feel like I am carrying rocks.”
“Your almost there just one more flight of stairs and to the left. As for what’s in the boxes... Well,” The Lavender unicorn mare paused as her ears drooped and looked a little bemused and gave me a hesitant smile. “They are filled with Crystal Tables that have the Empire’s history written on it.”
“Oh, is that all. Did you just bring me here because I have opposable thumbs? I thought you had a dragon assistant.” I grunted again.
“That is one of the reason I brought you here, I mean you’ve never really seen any other country and...” Her voice changed a bit. “Spike is in Canterlot on official Royal Business. Besides this is a working vacation. It’s still my way to thanking you for entertaining my daughter and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders.”
“Oh that, no problem it was fun being a storyteller.” With final grunt I flatly said.
Finally I was able to put the boxes down in the right room. Once there were arraigning the tablets where they belong. That’s when I heard the scuffle of little hoof steps followed by the heavy clank of armored hooves. That caused us both to turn around a set of crystallized ponies clad in lavender crystal armor with a snowflake emblem in the center were standing in the doorway between them a little black Alicorn filly.
“Mommy,” Nyx cried and ran to her mother. “I’m glad your OK.”
“Of course I’m OK why wouldn’t I be?” Twilight smiled and nuzzled her daughter.
“Because we have a slight problem.” One of the guards said.
Twilight looked up at them. “What’s going on?”
“It’s not our place to answer, would you three come with us. The Prince and Princess wish to talk with you. Please come with us.” The other guard said and motioned us to follow.
The four of us went down stairs to the main Library, waiting for us was a pink alicorn and a white unicorn in a military uniform with the same snowflake emblem in the center of his chest. They both had a serious looks on their faces, which meant something was serious.
The white unicorn smiled slightly but it quickly soured. “Thank you soldiers, go back to the palace and prepare the fortifications. The Princess and I will stay here for the night.” He ordered.
“At your command your Majesty.” They both said and departed.
“Shining, Cadence what’s wrong? Why are you sending the guards away?” Twilight asked.
They both looked at Twilight. “There was a problem,” The white unicorn said. “We were attacked by Changeling raiding party.”
“Oh no! Is everything OK?”
“Yes we managed to push them back but their hatred for us kicked up some Windigos.”
“The Crystal Heart should be able to handle them, right?” Twilight said pulling Nyx closer to her side.
“That’s the problem, you see the heart has two setting as it were one to stop the Changelings another to push back the Windigos. The Crystal Heart has to drop the barrier to reset itself. We were going to mirage the two functions but we haven’t had the time.” The pink Alicorn Princess informed us.
“The Changelings found this out some how. Then they used mutual hatred to attract a herd of Windigos. Their plan was to slip through as the heart changed from one setting to the other.” Shining Armor finished.
“That’s not good, is there any way to stop them?” Twilight urged.
“Easy Twilight, we may not have merged the functions but we did make some other counter measures just in case.” Shining Armor’s stern look lighted and he was now smiling at us.
Princess Cadence looked around the Library. “How many Crystal Ponies are here in the Library?” She asked aloud.
An elderly crystal pony came up to us. “I believe fifteen in all your majesty.”
“Thank you Ms. Lore, I want you to gather them together and bring them...” The Princess stopped and sank into thought.
“We need a room big enough for all of us and a fireplace as well.” Shining Armor answered.
“That would be the reading room on the second floor.” Ms. Lore answered.
“Good gather all we need for the night and lots of fire wood as well.”
“Shining,” Twilight interrupted. “What’s this about?”
“Do you think we did not plan for something like this?” Shining Armor said as he placed his hoof on her shoulder. Shining Armor looked at me. “You think you would like to help out?”
I had been an observer through all this and I was still clue less. “Well if someone is going to tell me what’s going on. What a Changeling and what a Windigo?”
“Just wait until we’re all set up and ready. Then we’ll explain but could you help?”
I shrugged. “Sure, OK.” That is when I help the ponies gather wood for the fire place and other supplies.
Twilight had managed to explain a little what both Changelings and Windigos were to me, I guess another thing I had to get use to in this world. It was not long until we had all the fire of the reading room roaring, blanks, food and water. Outside the winds were picking up and the temperature was dropping quick. I soon saw my breath in the air, looking outside the window I saw the blue shield start to flicker and blinked. The snow started to fall from the sky and in an instant it got heavier and heavier and still heavier. The echo of the supernatural horse echoed throughout out the Empire. It was a little freaky to say the least but I kept going. It was a white-out in only five minutes I have to say the Windigos are nasty. I thought to myself. Soon I could not see through the window because they became covered in a thick layer of frost.
As we all filed into the room Shining Armor was the last he locked the double doors and placed a black lantern around the handles. “All right that should be good. Cadence now it’s your turn.” Shining Armor said.
Princess Cadence looked to her Crystal ponies. “Now for your part my little ponies. Focus your love and positive emotions in ourselves. Focus it into a ball and keep balling it up until you can not hold it in, then release it.”
The Crystal ponies in the room closed their eyes they started glow a light, blue. The blue light started to expand from their bodies and it soon filled the room. The sounds of winter and the Windigos were blocked out and it became quite warm. The two Royal ponies smiled at each other and then to all the rest of us in the room.
“What was that?” Twilight asked taking as seat near the fire.
“That was a contingency plan I had in place. The shield would be shifted from The Crystal Heart to the Crystal ponies, for a short while at least. The Guards are protecting the palace and the citizens are protecting other in special shelters. All with Changeling detecting lanterns.” Shining Armor said as they both sat down on a loveseat together.
“I get so even if they get through they’ll be out in the cold and we’ll be safe in the shelters.” Princess Cadence said with a smile on her face.
“Brilliant, Blooming Brilliant.” I breathed as I took my seat near the fire.
“That is a great idea, Uncle Shining, Aunt Cadence. You guy are really smart to think of this.” Nyx said to her relatives as she nestled close to her mother.
“Thank you Nyx.” Cadence said with a smile
“But now we just have The Crystal Heart to do the rest.” One of the Crystal ponies said as they joined ups by the fire.
“What should we do now?” Then another asked.
I looked around briefly and noticed Princess Cadence was lightly rubbing her stomach. I smiled as an idea came to me a good one too. It was time for as story, and I knew the right one for the job. “I have an idea,” I spoke up. “How about a story, I’ve got a good one too.”
“Oh, can we let him.” Nyx urged as she looked up at her mother.
“Why not, I was wondering about one for a long time myself.” Twilight told her as she looked at me. “Tell us one of you Earth stories.”
I smiled and nodded. “Then in honor of her majesty and he little bun in the oven. I mean are you?”
“Yes, I am but...” She started.
“Fair enough, then if I may?” I smiled at the room full of ponies.
Long ago, where I am from, there is a country called China. In this country there lived a very poor couple. A baby was on the way so the husband was forced to leave to find work. Before he left he gave his wife the few silver pieces he had.
“Whether our child is a boy or a girl, do all you can to raise it well. Perhaps our child can help us make a living.” He told his wife.
Three months after her husband left a curious thing happened to this poor woman, this is where you will all be surprised, she gave birth to a frog.
They all looked at me strangely and some even gasped, but with a smile I continued.
The frog-child was strange, very strange indeed and it was not the end of it. In a few weeks the frog-child could crawl, with in a few more weeks he could walk. The Frog-child grew quickly and in a few months he spoke.
“Mother,” He said. “Father will be coming back tonight.”
She did not know what to say, but sure enough, that night her husband did come home.
When her husband came through the door. “My Love!” She greeted.
“Father!” The frog-child called.
I stopped and took a swig of water. Then I looked at my audience. “I guess you must be saying to yourselves. The father must have a lot of questions. That he did but... Back to the story.
“That would be one of mine.” Nyx said curiously.
“That is impossible!” Twilight shouted.
“Easy now, let him finish.” Princess Cadence said to her.
The father stroked his beard as he examined his son. “You are a Frog how is that so? Also How did you know I was coming home tonight?”
The frog-child shrugged. “As to be being a frog... Why, yes I am... I am sure that is obvious. To answer your second it is because I know every under the heaven. Because of this I know our land is in imminent danger. We will be invaded! Our people will not be able to resist!” The frog-child urged his father.
“This seems hard to believe.” His father replied.
“But it is true! Father, take me to the Emperor! I can save us all.” He pleaded.
“You have no weapons, armor or horse...”
“Horse? You have horse in your world?” One the Crystal ponies broke in.
I paused for a moment. “Yes we do, but I didn’t know you had horse. Are they like the citizens of Equestria and The Crystal Empire?”
“They are, but I think we should hear more about your story first.” Princess Cadence answered.
So I started again.
“Do worry father, against me the invaders have no chance.” The frog-child answered.
The father could not argue so he, brought his son to the capital. It was there they heard word of the impending invasion from other sources.
“Why... this is an imperial Decree! The Emperor will marry his daughter to whomever save his kingdom from the invaders!” It was in center square that the frog-child and his father had see how desperate the government was. He looked at his son. “The Princess is quite intelligent and attractive I might add.”
His son only nodded. “That is how we will see the Emperor.” With those few words he shot his frog taught out, snatching up the decree he swallowed it. With that he went up to the nearest soldier and said. “Take me to the Emperor! I carry the decree with in me. It was quite tasty. Now... Take me to the Emperor!”
The soldier, somewhat mystified of course did as the frog told him. They did not know what to do but they complied because the frog carried with him the Emperor’s decree.
“Presenting... A frog?” One of the Emperor’s courtiers intruded the frog.
The Emperor was by no means a bad person but he had let his position get to him, just a little. He had grown fat and overly concerned with the way thing appeared to be, but that would be touched on later.
“Emperor, I am here to save our country!” The frog declared.
The Emperor was taken aback, he had seen many strange people and events but this? He had to move on because his people and country needed him. So he went about the task of saving his country.
“What will you need?” He asked the frog.
“I need no soldiers, weapons, horse or any of that sort of things. I all I need from you is a roaring fire!”
“Why a fire?”
“For a good supply of burning embers.”
The Emperor held the frog to his word. All he provide was a fire for the burning embers the frog wanted. The frog sat next to a roaring bonfire so intense that none but the frog could come near. All that time the frog ate the hot coals with only a. “Onn nom nom quite tasty!” All the time the frog was eating he grew terribly fat. Incredibly fat, horribly fat.
Soon thousands of soldiers and horse were gathered outside the city was on the verge of collapse, the enemy was at the walls and the Emperor was scared. The frog sat atop the ramparts just below the gates. “Emperor, order your meant to stop shooting and open the gates.”
The poor Emperor was scared. “What! Open the gates? Are you insane?! The enemy hordes will take my beloved city!”
“I serve the empire,” The frog stated. “Opening the gates are our only chances. You must heed my words. The Emperor was helpless he had no choice, so he ordered the bows down and throw the gates open.
The moment the gates were open, the invaders began to flood the walls. They were an unstoppable horde! Or so it seemed. The frog from about the gate waited until they passed beneath him. He calmly spat the coals down into their midst, searing the men with scalding embers! The army was broken! They fled in complete disarray! The battle was won! The Empire was saved!
“No way,” Shining Armor shook his head. “That was one of the coolest plans I’ve ever heard of.” He touched his hoof to his chin. “Wish I could have thought of something like that.”
Princess shoved him slightly. “And when would you use a tactic like that? You would not be able to hold them inside any ways.”
“Still sounds cool.”
The Emperor was of course delighted. He pronounced the frog a hero and a commander general in his army. He decreed that the celebrations would last several days! But the Emperor too scared on what others would think of his daughter marrying a frog he lied to the frog. He said that his princess did not want to marry him and that she refused. That was of course the truth was that she thought the frog was marvelous and she want to marry him.
So he decreed that his daughter would marry by an old tradition. The casting of the Embroidered Ball. It was simple the princess would throw a ball in to a crowd of waiting men and who ever caught them would be her bridegroom. The news of this spread far and wide, many men showed up to take part in this tradition. While many of the men pushed to be in the front the frog stayed on the edge of the crowd and observed. When the moment came and the princess tossed the embroidered ball below. While hundreds of hands were reaching for it... The frog was faster.
“Wait!” The Emperor called. “Listen, I forgot to say that the Embroidered ball must be caught by human hands only!” The Emperor called down.
“Oh, father you’re such a wretch!” His daughter cried, but she threw the ball again.
This time the ball was caught by a handsome young man with a simple. “Ta Da!”
“HAH, HAH! This is the man for me! Here’s a man fit to wed my precious daughter and become my imperial son - in- law!” The Emperor was overjoyed and decreed a royal wedding should take place.
“That Emperor sounds just like Diamond Tiara,” Nyx said aloud.
“Yes, I glad Pinkie wasn’t there she would...” Twilight shivered. “Never mind just continue.”
Of course as you may not have guessed, it was the frog. There princess was overjoyed when the frog revealed his secret for she had fallen deeply in love the savior of the Empire. So by the day he was the frog but at night he stripped away his green skin and took the form of the handsome youth. The princess was lovely and intelligent and adored her husband but, she could not keep the secret. So one day she told her father, and so one night he decided to catch his son in the act.
“Impostor!” He shouted at him. “My daughter tells me that at night you discard your outer skin and become handsome. Tell me, why is it that you were this terrible frog skin all day?”
The young man laughed. “Why, that’s very simple!” He exclaimed. “In the winter I stay quite warm, while in the summer I stay cool. I am immune to wind, rain or poison and as you know the hottest of flames. Moreover, I can live for one thousand years.” The man finished explaining with a smile on his face.”
The Emperor thought about this for a moment and stroked his chin. “Is that so...” The thought of being able to live so long and have all those amazing abilities. He would be the envy of all the other rulers and so with a laugh. “Then I decree that the skin to be mine! He stripped down and quickly put the frog skin on.
Much the dismay of the Emperor he could not remove the frog skin. “What? What is this? I can’t remove it!”
“Yes I forgot to tell you can’t only I can,” The man said as he picked up the former Emperor’s clothes. “Since you are wearing mine I shall wear yours.”
So, the frog became an Emperor and the princess live happily ever after.
With my story done I looked at the ponies in the room. They seemed to have enjoyed my tale. It felt good to help them feel better even in a small way.
“I wouldn’t mind that,” Cadence said aloud. “As long it’s healthy and will become a good pony.”
“I agree with Cadence, be it a filly a colt. Weather wings, horn, neither or both we will love this baby. What I do know is that being part of this family this child will be doing something great.” Shining Armor said holding his wife tight. The two looked lovingly into each others eyes.
“Well what do we do now?” Nyx asked looking at
“Well if you ask me we should sleep in shifts so that the Crystal ponies won’t be worn out by the morning.”
“That’s a good idea,” Shining Armor said. “The four of us will keep the shift’s company. Cadence and I will take the first. The next is...”
“I get it,” I said as started to hunker down to get some sleep. “Wake me when it is my turn.”
“It’s time to go to bed Nyx.” Twilight said to her daughter.
“But mom I want to say up.” She protested.
“Bed, now little miss.”
“Good Night every one.” I said as I closed my eyes hoping to get some sleep.
Author's Note
I do not own the right to My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic, it is the property of Hasbro. The three stories were also inspired by a Chinese Folktale. But I wanted to share this story with you.
