Hearts and Hooves Day had become quite a celebration in The Crystal Empire. Not their biggest one, that honor would always go to The Crystal Fair, but still pretty large. This helped increase both the crystal pony population, and the amount of tourism that the empire received.
In the castle that was home to The Crystal Empire's royal family, Flash Sentry made his way toward the royal throne room. There awaited Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, often referred to as Princess Cadance even by her subordinates. A small smile crossed her face as she caught sight of him.
"Flash," the princess called out as she came down from her throne. "Thank you for coming so quickly."
"Of course, Princess," Flash replied, giving a bow. "It is my job, after all."
"I hope that's not the only reason," Cadance said. Her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head. "Since you brought it up, though, I'm a little surprised that you were on shift today. I figured you would take the day of, having a date or such."
A small blush formed on Flash's cheeks as he looked away, wings giving a rustle against his sides and tail flicking behind him.
"Some of the others already had dates," he said. "Didn't want to have one of them stuck working. Besides, it's hard to know if a mare is interested in me or the uniform." He looked up at her. "You probably know what it's like."
"I have had a number of stallions and mares interested in me for my title," Cadance admitted. "And I'm sure that Shining Armor had quite a number of armor-bunnies looking at him when we were dating." She gave a shake of her head. "However, I think we're getting off-topic here. I actually called you here because I have an assignment for you."
At that, Flash Sentry of The Crystal Empire Royal Guard stood at attention.
"You can count on me, Your Highness," he said, giving a salute.
"At ease, Private," Cadance said, giving a small giggle as she returned the salute. "Now, an old friend of Princess Twilight Sparkle is coming to the empire from Canterlot, and it's her first time visiting. So, I want you to meet her at the train station, give her a quick tour of the city, and take her to the library." She stepped forward. "I want to emphasize that the library should be the last stop on the tour. It is what she is mainly here for, and once she's there, she will not want to leave. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Once she's done at the library, please bring her here to the castle. We have guest quarters all set up for her stay." Cadance's brow furrowed as she thought for a moment. "I think that should be everything. Dismissed."
"Yes, ma'am," Flash said again, giving another salute. He then did an about face, and left the throne room, making his way for the train station.
Now left alone, a grin spread across Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's face. She rubbed her forehooves together as a small chuckle escaped her.
All according to plan.
Flash Sentry stood at the train station outside The Crystal Empire, waiting for the train to arrive with the mare he is to escort. He stood close to the building, keeping out of the wind, and kept his wings fluffed and held slightly out, giving enough space to trap warm air in them against his body. While the cold did not bother him too much, thanks to his pegasus physiology and the various enchantments that had been worked into his armor, it would have been nice if the train station was actually within the confines of The Crystal Empire's protective barrier. Still, it was one of the better days. The sky was only lightly overcast, so bits of sun could be seen through the clouds, and the snow was light and slow, drifting down very lazily.
Would it be unprofessional if he stuck his tongue out and tried to catch a few flakes?
The sound of the train's whistle announcing it's arrival caused Flash to push the thought aside and resume his full at attention stance. As he waited, he went over what he had been told about Moondancer, getting ready to try and identify her through the crowd.
Turns out it was not necessary. Only one pony got off the train: a creamy yellow unicorn mare with thick glasses, with a crescent moon surrounded by stars on her flank, and dressed in a black turtleneck sweater, which fit the description he had been given as well.
Clearing his throat and letting his hooves tap against the ground audibly, he approached the mare.
"Miss Moondancer?" Flash called out.
"Yes?" the mare said, turning to face him.
"My name is Flash Sentry." He gave her a slight bow. "Princess Cadance has assigned me to escort you around the empire and show you about."
Moondancer raised one thick, bushy eyebrow as she looked at him. Her purple eyes narrowed behind her glasses as she let her gaze drift down to his hooves and up to the top of his head.
"Is this a standard procedure performed here?" she asked.
"No," Flash answered, giving a shake of his head. "Although, I don't think we normally have friends of Princess Twilight Sparkle send notice that they are coming to visit alone. Either they simply arrive unannounced, or they are here with Twilight, and are met Princess Cadance and Prince-Consort Shining Armor."
"Hm," Moondancer replied, turning to look around. "Well, I guess I can understand that." She looked at him and smiled. "So, if you can just direct me to the library, I would appreciate it."
A small smirk tugged at Flash's mouth at that, but he quickly hid it.
"Actually," he replied. "I was told to show you around the empire a little before taking you there."
"WHAT!?" Moondancer cried out, eyes going wide as she looked at him again. "But the library is the whole reason that I came here! There are books there that haven't been seen in nearly a thousand years!" She lunged forward, grabbing a hold of Flash in her forehooves. "Do you have any idea what could be found in there? We could find copies that have otherwise been destroyed, or only available in private collections of the wealthiest ponies in the world. There could be theories that we know are inaccurate, giving an opportunity to see how far we've progressed." She started shaking him. "There could be theories that have been lost, giving us all sorts of possible advancements previously unthought of!"
Widening his stance to better brace himself, Flash Sentry wrapped his wings around Moondancer's forelegs, gripping them gently and pulling them away from his armored chest.
"Princess Cadance figured that once you went to the library, you wouldn't want to leave," he stated.
Crossing her forelegs, Moondancer looked away and let out a loud huff. Her ears pulled back against her head and her cheeks took on a pink tinge, but she did not say anything.
Flash let out a chuckle as he moved closer. One wing reached out, wrapping around the mare. He pressed one armored shoulder against her sweater covered one, giving her a friendly smile.
"Come on," he said, starting to guide her. "It'll be fun." He gave her a little bump. "Besides, the empire is warmer than out here, and the barrier blocks out the wind and snow."
Moondancer let out another huff, but nodded.
"Fine."
As they walked toward the empire, Flash took the lead, putting some space between the two of them. He glanced back, looking at the mare that was following him. Since part of his duty was to help her feel welcome, he thought that maybe some small talk would be a good idea.
"So, what made you decide to come to the empire today?"
"Some of my friends had dates for Hearts and Hooves Day," Moondancer answered, "but didn't want me to feel left out. So they were going to try and set me up with somepony. I told them that I already had plans, but I just didn't want them to set me up on some pity date out of a sense of obligation to the holiday. Originally I was going to try spending with Twilight, but she had some sort of city-wide party she had to keep an eye on? Fortunately, Spike reminded me of the library up here, and Twilight offered to send a letter ahead to Princess Cadance."
Coming to a stop, Flash turned to look at Moondancer, raising an eyebrow (an act which, admittedly, was lost under his helmet).
"You mean you came all this way just to get out of a date?"
"No," Moondancer snapped, looking him in the eye. Her gaze then shifted away as she took a step back. "Not entirely." She let out a sigh and took a deep breath. "I'm not against having a relationship, but I'm not actually looking at this time. I'm still getting used to having friends and a proper social life. Plus, like I said, I don't want to go on a date with some random pony just out of obligation to the date. I want them to ask me out due to genuine interest."
She then stepped around him and resumed walking.
"Besides," she said as she went, "it's not just about that. I've always loved learning. Often for its own sake. But lately, I've been trying to apply what I learn as well. I may not be the first to study some of the books that can only be found in The Crystal Empire, but it's still a great opportunity."
A small chuckle escaped Flash Sentry. It was always nice to see a pony get excited about something they were passionate about. He moved to catch up with her, then took the lead again.
When the two of them passed through the barrier and reached The Crystal Empire, Flash Sentry's plan was to start the tour by showing Moondancer The Crystal Heart. In reality, it started with the statue of "Spike The Brave and Glorious" as he was called by the crystal ponies. The sight of it got Moondancer's attention, and her curiosity. It turned out that she had never heard the story behind it. To that end, Flash Sentry tried to give a short version of what happened. It became longer, and more in depth as some of the local ponies added their own bits of information and understanding to the tale.
Although, while he had not actually been in the empire during the events, he was pretty certain that Shining Armor had not thrown Princess Cadance like some sort of javelin. Sometimes stories could just be exaggerated in the strangest ways.
The Crystal Heart was the second stop on their tour. There, Flash was able to tell Moondancer about the heart, how it protected the empire, and The Crystal Fair that recharged it of positive energy. Admittedly, he did leave out the part about Flurry Heart once shattering the heart with a super-powered cry, and how it had to be fixed before the entirety of the empire was buried under a massive blizzard, but there was no reason to share that.
Moondancer found it all interesting enough to take notes. She also asked some questions, most of which he did not know the answer to.
Next, Flash Sentry took Moondancer to what was currently being called The Crystal Gardens. It was something that no ponies had seen outside of the empire as far as he knew. It was a visit that he had cut short though, both because it was extremely crowded with couples and flower fans, and because Mistmane was not available to share her knowledge.
Finally, they made their way to the library. As soon as they entered the crystalline building, Moondancer's eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. Her legs trembled as she slowly walked further into the library. Her gaze drifted from shelf to shelf, working up over the walkways for the upper floors as she tried to take it all in.
"It's... beautiful," she whispered. She moved carefully, trying to keep from making any noise against the crystal floor.
"Yeah," Flash said in a soft voice, armored hooves clicking across the floor. "Even after being here for a couple years, it's still amazing to see places like this."
Moondancer said nothing, still staring up at the entire place in awe. Walking closer, he placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"Come on," he said. "I'll show you where the oldest books are kept."
That snapped Moondancer out of her reverie. Still walking softly, she followed after Flash. The two of them walked past the empty front desk and further into the building. The large skylight that made up the ceiling showed the overcast sky above. Crystals all through out the building gave off a glow, barely noticeable on their own, but all together were more than enough light for ponies to read by.
In a back corner of the bottom floor, Flash came to a stop.
"Here it is," he announced, extending one wing toward a bookcase. "Some of the oldest books in The Crystal Empire, which no pony has looked at since the return, and which not even the crystal ponies remember the contents of. You, Miss Moondancer, are about to be the first pony alive in Equestria to read them. However, we ask that you treat them very carefully since we aren't entirely sure how fragile they have become in time, and have no ponies immediately available to perform repair spells."
Eyes wide, Moondancer gave a nod. She slowly stepped toward the bookcase, staring at all the books before her. She panted with excitement as her horn lit up with magic. Slowly, delicately, she pulled one of the ancient tomes from the shelf, and carried it over to a desk. As she opened it, she also pulled out a notepad and pencil, setting it down beside her. She suddenly stopped, turning to look up at Flash.
"What about you?" she asked. "What are you going to do?"
Straightening up until he was nearly at attention, Flash looked at her, keeping as straight a face as possible.
"I am a member of The Royal Guard," he stated. "If you want, I could simply stand here at attention until it's time to go." He then smiled. "Or, since this a bit more casual, I could go get something to read myself, then come back to keep you company." He motioned toward the front. "The library has gotten newer books, including fiction. I could go grab one of those and come back, keeping you company while we both read."
A blush formed on Moondancer's cheeks.
"Oh," she said. "Right. That makes sense."
She then let out a nervous little chuckle.
Instead of asking about it, Flash made his way toward the front of the library again. His ears perked as he heard the sound of a groan of embarrassment, followed by the thump of a head hitting a desk. Pretending to notice neither, he continued on, making his way to where the new fiction books were set up.
After some quick searching, he found what he was looking for: Spears and Spells by Stone Guardian. Smiling to himself, he pulled it from the shelf and headed back. If this was anything like Guardian's Corruption in Canterlot series, Flash was looking forward to it.
As he returned to the back, Moondancer was slamming a book shut, face pale and lips pressed tight as she swallowed.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," Moondancer answered. She pointed a hoof at the book. "That was the journal of an earth pony field surgeon during the tribal wars." Her body suddenly tensed as she slapped a hoof to her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she brought it back down. "They are very graphic and in-depth about the injuries they saw and surgeries they performed."
Flash felt himself blanching a little at the thought. One part of him was curious as to what kind of injuries a surgeon would be needed that were caused by battling pegasi and unicorns. At the same time, he very much did not want to, wanting to keep the mental images from forming in his mind and possibly haunting him the rest of the night.
Reminding himself that Moondancer was his first obligation as per the request of Princess Cadance, Flash Sentry pushed the thoughts aside and focused on her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "The restrooms are nearby. There's also a water fountain and some vending machines if you need something to drink or a snack to help settle your stomach."
Moondancer turned to look at him, one thick red eyebrow raising up.
"Vending machines?" she said. "As in food and beverages? In a library?"
Flash did his best to give a shrug. As far as he knew, no other libraries in Equestria had vending machines, but the crystal ponies had found the devices fascinating, and had asked Princess Cadance for them in practically every building that they could get one in. There were even some in the public areas of the castle.
"Well, thanks," Moondancer said, "but I'm fine now." She turned toward the desk, grabbing another book. "Besides, I'd like to get started."
"Yes, ma'am," Flash said, giving a nod. He took a seat nearby and opened Spears and Spells to start reading.
It was very different from the Corruption in Canterlot series. Where that was a thriller series about a disgraced (possibly framed) former guard turned private investigator who also sought evidence of corruption in The Royal Guard, Spears and Spells was actually a romance between two stallions that were currently in the guard. It also turned out to be extremely graphic in its anatomical descriptions.
Uncomfortably so.
After the third lovingly detailed description of the unicorn guard's backside, and how it excited the pegasus guard narrator, Flash set the book aside, feeling his cheeks burning with a blush. He would check it out and read it later, when he was alone and out of his armor.
Looking up, he found Moondancer focused on the book in front of her, horn glowing with light pink energy as she took notes. It was kind of cute how her brow furrowed and nose crinkled in concentration as she worked. He could easily imagine her sticking the tip of her tongue out between her lips, or chewing on the end of a pencil. It made him not want to interrupt, but it would be rude for him to just walk off without letting her know.
The lights went out, casting the entire library in darkness.
"What happened?" Moondancer asked, looking up. Her horn brightened with magic, giving up light to let them see better.
Moving away from the desk, Flash made his way to where he could see the skylight and looked up. It had gotten dark, the only indicator of cloud coverage the fact that no stars could be seen.
"Later than I realized," Flash said. "It must be after closing time or something."
"Shouldn't the librarian have told us?" Moondancer asked, walking toward him. "That's what normally happens in Canterlot at least."
"I guess?" Flash replied. "Haven't really been in here so late before, so I can't say."
He turned toward the front and motioned with his head.
"Come on. We should get going."
With a sigh, Moondancer gave a nod. With a sad look on her face, she put the book back on the shelf.
"I'll be back," she whispered to the book. "Promise." After giving it one last stroke with her hoof, she made her way toward Flash, and the two made their way toward the doors.
They were locked.
"Huh," Flash called out. He gave it another pull, but did no better. He then pushed it just in case he had gotten it flipped for some reason.
The door still did not move.
Moving toward the desk, Moondancer rang the bell.
After several seconds passed, she rang it again.
"Hello?" she called out as there was still no response.
"Maybe they can't hear it?" Flash suggested. Giving a flap of his wings, he hopped over the desk and walked over to the librarian's office door. He gave it a knock.
Knocking again and not getting any response, he tried the knob.
Locked.
"Maybe they're putting away books?" Moondancer suggested. "We could check the other floors."
"Yeah," Flash said with a nod. "Okay. You start down here and work up. I'll go to the top and work my way down. We can meet up at the back windows on the second floor."
"Right," Moondancer said, nodding back. The magical light around her horn brightened before shifting into a beam. Moving her way from one aisle to the next, she shined her beam down each, searching for any ponies standing there.
As she did that, Flash Sentry flew up to the topmost level. He made his way to the large window, checking it. He then started to make a circle around the top floor, checking each section for a sign of any other pony.
The two of them met back up, neither having found anything. Making their way back to the front, they checked the doors and desk again, and still found nothing.
"Can you teleport?" Flash asked.
"Technically, yes," Moondancer answered with a sigh. "I am capable of casting the spell, but I can't really teleport more than an inch for some reason." She gave a shake of her head. "So while I can teleport, I can't do it enough to get out of here." She looked up. "What about flying us out a window?"
Flash gave a shake of his head before answering.
"They're not so much windows as thinner layers of crystal," he explained, "and none of them are made to open. I could possibly break one, but it could hurt and would be expensive to replace..." His brow furrowed. "... If it can at all..." He shook his head. "Whatever the case, I don't think that situation is that desperate."
"So what do you propose?" Moondancer asked.
"Worst case scenario is that we're stuck here until somepony comes open the library in the morning. We have access to restrooms and water, so those basics are handled. There's also vending machines if we need a snack or something else to drink. Right now, the best course of action is to stay here, get some sleep, and wait until morning."
"What's the best case scenario?"
"Somepony at the castle notices we're missing, comes to look for us, and lets us out any second now."
Both turned toward the doors, watching it.
Seconds passed, and it never opened.
"That would have been a nice coincidence," Flash sighed out. "Still, like I said, it's best if we just get comfortable and wait until morning when the library opens."
Taking a hold of his helmet, Flash took it off. The moment he did, he felt a chill as cold air touched the sweat on the back of his neck. It was a reminder of how cold The Crystal Empire could be, even inside the protective barrier that protected it. With him being a pegasus, trained as a guard, and having lived in the empire for a while, it was no big deal for him, but Moondancer was a civilian unicorn from Canterlot. She was likely not as used to the cold.
Or sleeping on a hard floor, now that he thought about it.
Fortunately, there was something he could do about it. Undoing the straps, Flash Sentry took off his armor and turned it upside-down. He then detached the padding, pulling it out and laying it on the ground.
"Here," he said as he smoothed it out. "You can use this as a makeshift bed."
Moondancer looked down at the padding as she approached, Flash moving back as she did. She stepped on it gently, flattening further. After walking in a circle, she laid down on the padding, tucking her legs up under her.
Not far from her, Flash Sentry was laying down on the floor. Moondancer glanced down at the padding, then back at Flash.
"You know," she said softly, "we'll have to sleep pressed up against each other, but there's enough room for both of us."
Flash looked at her.
"Are you sure?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.
"Yeah," Moondancer answered, getting up. Her horn lit up as she used her magic to help pull off her turtleneck. "Besides, shared body heat will keep both of us warmer, and more comfortable."
Flash gave a nod as he got up. That was true, or at least something he had been taught during his cold survival training. Making his way over to Moondancer and the armor padding, he laid back down, trying to get comfortable while leaving enough space for the mare to fit.
"Raise your wing," she told him. When he did, Moondancer moved to lay down against him, her barrel pressed against his. After the pegasus's wing came to rest over the mare's back, she placed her turtleneck over them. Taking off the hair band and glasses, she set them aside, then tucked in as close to Flash as she could and curled up.
It was not long until her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Flash Sentry watched her, listening to her breathing before laying his own head down. As soon as he closed his eyes, he was asleep as well.
Flash's eyes opened as he woke up. He started to get up, but stopped as he felt weight against him. Shifting carefully, he lifted his head and looked around.
Some time during the night, he and Moondancer had moved and changed positions. Flash had rolled off the padding, and was laying on the hard crystal floor of the library. Moondancer laid more than half on him, one foreleg thrown across his chest, and her head resting over his heart. A faint whisper escaped her with each breath, and a small bit of drool ran down her cheek and dribbled onto Flash. Her bangs had fallen over her face, covering one side of it, while the rest draped down across him.
It was very adorable. So much so, that he did not want to risk waking her.
Unfortunately, a full bladder and stiff muscles demanded that he get up. Wrapping a foreleg and wing around her, Flash rolled over, sliding Moondancer off his chest and back onto the padding. A mumble escaped the mare as her foreleg shifted, tightening her grip on Flash and trying to keep him close. Taking a hold of her hoof, he gently pulled it off, setting it down. As soon as he let go, Moondancer rolled over, curling up.
A small chuckle escaped from Flash at the sight. Picking up the turtleneck, he draped it over her like a blanket.
For a second, he considered giving her a kiss on the forehead.
Instead, he made his way toward the restroom. He stretched out as he went, working the muscles in his limbs and the stiffness from his back due to sleeping on a cold crystal floor.
It was looking like it would be a nice day. The skylight showed a clear sky above, without a single cloud to be seen. It was still dawn, the sun's light making the sky turn a bright orange more than its typical blue color. That same orange now shined through the crystals that made the library walls, giving the entire place a warm, comforting glow.
After relieving himself, he made his way to the vending machines, then back to their little sleeping spot.
"Moondancer," he said softly as he approached. Reaching out with a wing, he poked at her gently. "Moondancer. Time to wake up, ma'am."
Moondancer mumbled something and swatted at the air near the wing with her hoof. Her purple eyes opened, blinking rapidly before focusing on Flash. They then opened wide as she became fully awake, getting up. A yawn escaped her and she rubbed at her face.
"Is our rescue here?" she asked.
"Not just yet," Flash answered. "I thought it would be a good idea if we had something to eat and freshened up a little before they got here." He held up the bag of cheese cracker and bottle of orange juice.
There was a click and the library doors opened.
"There you are," Princess Cadance called out as she entered, being followed by a group of others, including guards, and the librarian. "When I heard you hadn't returned last night, I came looking as soon as I could." She gave a smile. "How lucky you were in the first place we looked." Her smile grew wider. "And it looks like you're both alright."
"Yes, ma'am," Flash said as Moondancer gave a nod.
"Great," Cadance called out. "Come on. I'll treat you both to breakfast at the castle to make up for staying the night here." Her eyes narrowed as her gaze drifted from the two to the armor and clothing on the floor. "Although, it doesn't look like it was too much of a problem."
The pair looked at each other, then away, bright blushes forming on their cheeks.
Princess Cadance stood at the entrance to her castle, giving one last wave. She had just finished saying goodbye to Moondancer, who was now being escorted back to the train station by Flash Sentry.
With a smile and satisfied sigh, she turned around and made her way inside.
Only to nearly run into her husband, who was looking at her with narrowed eyes.
"Shining?" Cadance asked, leaning her head back. "What's going on?"
"That's what I was wondering," Shining Armor replied. He took a step forward. "A friend of Twiley's, who is single, comes to The Crystal Empire on Hearts and Hooves Day, with an invite to stay at the palace. A guard, who is also single, happens to be on shift, and is assigned to be her escort through the city. The two of them then just so happen to end up in a situation where they have to spend the night together? Only to be found in the morning, by a princess who set the whole thing up, and -- I might add -- whose magical domain happens to be romantic love?"
Straightening up to her full height, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza looked Prince-consort Shining Armor in the eye.
"Are you implying something?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.
"I don't think it was coincidence or luck," Shining Armor stated. He pointed a hoof at his wife. "I think you set the whole thing up, including them being stuck alone together."
With a giggle, Cadance moved forward and rubbed herself against her husband.
"Now, Shiny," she purred out, "what could I possibly have to gain from doing such a thing?" She then looked up at her with her light purple eyes wide, fluttering her lashes innocently.
Shining's blue eyes narrowed further as he looked down at her. His lips pressed tight, and he let out a hum of skepticism.
"I'm going to check on Flurry Heart," he said, stepping away from Cadance and heading toward the stairs.
Cadance grinned and gave a little skip as she followed after him.
"I'll come, too."
Flash Sentry walked with Moondancer, escorting her back to the train station. He was not entirely sure as to why, since she would have been perfectly able to find her way there on her own. Not that he was upset over it or anything. In fact, he was a little sad to see her go, and appreciated the chance to spend a little more time with her.
Too bad the train was already there.
"Well, there it is," Flash said, motioning at the waiting train. "Have a safe trip." He then turned to her and smiled. "And if you're ever in The Crystal Empire again, I'll be happy to show you around." He let out a small chuckle. "Hopefully without us getting locked in anywhere."
"Yeah," Moondancer replied, letting out a laugh of her own. "Thanks." She stepped closer. "And let me know the next time you're in Canterlot." Her hoof moved out, resting on top of his. "I can return the favor."
"I'd like that."
The two of them looked at each other, blue eyes staring into dark purple ones. Their faces moved closer to each other, nose almost touching.
The train's whistle blew, causing both to jump and back away.
"Final boarding call!" a voice cried out. "Final boarding call! All passengers not on yet should do so immediately"
"That's my cue," Moondancer said. Her creamy cheeks took on a bright red tone. "Good-bye." She then turned and ran for the train.
Flash Sentry stood there. He watched as she boarded the train, then stood there as it started to pull away.
As it disappeared from sight, he let out a sigh, turned and walked back to town.
He had some leave accumulated. Maybe he would use it and go visit Canterlot.
