... Cori's Wit Can Fit the Bill.
Cori’s eyes finally opened.
Having repeated a silent mantra of “Firstdayonthejobfirstdayonthejob” to herself for the past five minutes, her lungs appreciated the visual stimulation as a reprieve to the constant vocal stress. Regardless, the scene before the Crystal Pony – coat a sparkling sapphire blue, hair an elaborate pin-up of curls and weaves that made it look more like a birthday cake than a mane – was still one to behold.
Crystal Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and sheens were before the sliver of black curtain before her, nestled on the series of plush cushions inside this large auditorium. Even Cori herself was wide-eyed. After all, this was her first venture into the world of ambassadorship! Ponies the Empire over clamored for a chance to represent the newly emancipated kingdom to the new Equestria! And she’d shot up to the ranks of Junior Ambassador!
Suddenly, Cori had to keep from rushing onto the stage and belting out a tune about Ambassador status she had Ambassador status, she was literally a part of this place’s government and she wasn’t even fully an adult yet somepony fly her to the moon and let Luna herself dance with her in the pale light-
No.
Focus, Cori.
She was indeed the one mare for the job before her. But it wouldn’t be accomplished by squeeing, fantasizing, or mentally reinventing special travel to make a Princess dance with what would likely be an oxygen-deprived Crystal corpse.
That would not be the level of preservation expected from an ambassador. JUNIOR Ambassador, came the reminder from her inner pony. Thanks, Inner Pony Cori.
Cori was not alone, however – far from.
“Goodness, Cori - any more shaking and I’ll start thinking you’re leading up a Dancing support group instead of an Assertion one!”
Did the voice of Sapphire Joy bring relief to Cori’s clenched Heart? Indeed. Did it affect any other part of her anatomy? ~~Possibly~~ definitely not, she was still shaking.
“Y-yeah, I’ve got this.” If only Cori felt as confident as that sentence implied.
A slight giggle erupted from the blond Crystal Pony. “I’d hope so – you’re my apprentice, after all!” Turning back to the curtain, Sapphire continued, her voice a tinkling uplift in the cramped stage.
“Now, we’ve all been a bit shaken by Sombra’s defeat – you’re only helping them up for right now. You don’t have to have everything tip-top.”
“But that’s one of the best ways to become a ‘Top Class Ambass’!” Cori could keep her voice level that time! Progress, reassured her inner pony.
“Top Class-? My gosh, Cori, don’t tell me you got a peek at Shining Armor’s new book!” Joy pleaded.
“More than a peek, Master Joy.” Cori’s bouncing on the hooves was for a different reason. “I’m getting the first copy! I even have the manuscript in my room!”
“By Cadance’s crest, Cori! You actually had me going for a second during training! ‘But what if I can’t keep a secret from a diplomat’ – honestly, I’m starting to wonder if YOU don’t have a second Crystal Heart on you now!” Airborne thanks to being swung around in Sapphire Joy’s forearms, Cori could only laugh.
Of course, the Sapphire-go-round had to end, and Cori’s gut thanked her for not extending her battle with vertigo. “Thanks… Sapphire.” Cori’s smile went half-mast. “And thanks for smoothing things over with Mom and Pop, by the way. I know they’re so busy, but this is a real step up from repair work.”
“You sure? I’ve known things that were icier than Kubic, but they'd give you permafrost just talking about them.”
“Mom… she’s got my best intents up for me. If not for her not holding my hoof through everything, I might not have had the drive to approach you for a spot in government.” Cori’s sheepishly rubbed her forehoof along the back of her mane. “Thanks for the breather bag, by the way.”
“That… was a tarp, Cori.” Sapphire Joy’s eyes narrowed. “You shrank it to the size of a tissue. It was supposed to be for your house.”
“Did I?” Cori’s blush was so furiously red it nearly turned her face black. “Nevermind. My size-shifting spells won’t go off here – only thing larger than life is my assistant.”
Sapphire took a look around the backstage, still empty except for them. “I... wanted to talk about that actually. I haven’t actually seen him, and with this whole King Sombra mess behind us, I’m actually curious what your first trip outside got you.”
“Well, you said that my first duty as an ambassador was to make sure the Empire’s citizens were ready to welcome outsiders. So, I went into Equestria and found someone who’s walked the cities themselves to help break ponies out of their shells of sorrow. It’s a win-win!”
“How so, young apprentice?”
“Well, I can learn a lot about Equestria and mediation through him, and he can help introduce Equestrian passion and joy to our gathered crowd for me!”
“You’re learning fast!” Sapphire thumped Cori on the back. “I only hope you’ve picked well. This is your first solo project, after all.”
“Don’t worry; I’m not on a tightrope without a trampoline, Miss Joy.” Cori beckoned her closer with a hoof. “Got an exercise or two ready, and one involves arrow aiming – with some luck, having ‘eyes on the prize’ won’t just be a dragon-centric trait by the end of today!”
“Yeah, I’ve also seen what ‘targets’ you’ve been planning to use…” Sapphire was studying a disc in her hand. It was brightly lit, clearly well-marked, and barely bigger than the diameter of the hoof it was in. “You sure you’ve got the measurements right on this?”
“I’m Cori,” And with a blown air-kiss, the Crystal Pony was past the curtain. “I always have my measurements right.”
Of course, Cori slowly started wishing she’d made the above spotlight in the auditorium smaller, because she felt less like a Crystal Pony and more like a doe in it. Regardless, thirty-eight pairs of sparkling eyes waited for her next move, and a cursory nod from her master Sapphire, the (ahem, Junior) Ambassador began her first mission.
“Hello, all! And welcome to the – well, my – first seminar as a Crystal Empire Junior Ambassador!” A light round of applause followed her words. “I’m Cori – the aspiring ‘Top class Ambass’, recent graduate of the Crystal Square Prep School, and your main host for this evening. “And today, the word of the day for this seminar is ‘assertion’.”
Hearing the respectful please let it be respectful silence following her words, Cori continued.
“As of now, I’m sure you’ve heard of Tall Dark and Mindscrewy being banished from our fair land, so it’s time we started sowing more of the great spirit of the Crystal Empire power this Square’s wonderful Heart and relegated him to bogey-mare status. We’ve got visitors coming and going this time and I don’t just mean the new Princess that helped us.
So hence, I’ve devised a series of workshops, made to show the power of ambassadorship can work for anypony, anywhere, any time. And we’ve got quite a lot of it to catch up on, all of us.” Her gaze swept the room. So far, so good. “And what better way to start off such a self-assured seminar than with the help of a self-assured trailblazer!
Cori’s voice swelled as the attention of the audience did. No doubts about her captivating talent resided with her now. “I’ve found him and his traveling show just outside of Filydelphia, and his attention to aggression has shown that even the littlest pony can become a mighty mountain if they’re ready to tackle the day headfirst! “
“So put your hooves together…”
“… Because Iron Will’s here to CHANGE THE WEATHER!”
Were Cori staring back at the stage, she would have caught Sapphire Sky’s eyes rocket to the size of saucers. “Today’s forecast, everypony: A bellowing, irresistible FORCE! OF! NATURE!"
Cori had to duck on several instances to avoid being a few hat sizes shores form the minotaur’s sweeping gestures. “And if there’s anything that can change the nature of a pony, from the most diminutive doormat of a filly to the stallion just waiting for a push to chew out their meatheaded boss, it’s the thrill from the lessons of Iron Will!”
His eyes finally caught the sign just outside this auditorium’s door.
“…and Cori? Iron Will remembers now. Speaking of which, where is that assistant of mine?”
Was it possible for a Crystal Pony’s ears to crack from auditory force alone? Thanks to Cori’s timely interruption, the answer would remain a question mark. “A-actually, you’re my assistant. Junior Ambassador Cori.”
“Huh?” Iron Will had to almost go chest-to-floor to meet Cori’s eyes with his own. “Apologies! Iron Will, of course, is all too happy to help this Crystal collection sand its edges sharp! But for that to happen, you’ll need to match the ferocity that Iron Will can dispatch!”
“Um… certainly!” What was she to fear, said the inner pony very unaware of Sapphire Joy’s teeth chattering through the layers of keratin that were her hooves five footfalls behind them. “And what better way to start thank by something every pony in this Empire got experience in?”
And with a flourish, a baseball sized gem was present in Cori’s hand. “Everything that glitters!”
A spark from her horn and the gem grew to the size of Iron Will himself. “And since it’s reflective, any Crystal Pony in front of it will see a perfect reflection of themselves!”
“This is the first step to taking your inner pony by the scruff, to tell them you’ll never TAKE ANY GUFF!”Iron Will’s finger whipped to point at a Crystal Pony in the front row. “Like you!”
Immediately, the Crystal Pony stood up and with shaking hooves, made her way to the stage. “Cori was the first to grace her. “So, my first volunteer. This is so great!”
Small wonder, Cori’s stomach was apparently feeding the butterflies fluttering in it well. Halfway through the inner pony of Cori reminding her of this, she (professionally, of course) told it to go stand in the corner with a dunce cap. Then enlarged it to such a height it became that inner pony’s teepee.
“We guarantee you’ve nothing to worry about.” Reassurance was much more forthcoming to the volunteer before Cori.
“So long as being a wimp’s what you want to stay!” Incoming to give three Crystal Ponies something to worry about, mares and gentle-colts, Iron Will. “However, with Iron Will! And Cori, the learning process goes faster with a pony that’s ready to show their war face! Now give your reflect ion a good look, and let them know you’re doing thins by the book!”
And Iron Will whipped out a ledger to his side the busy grin on its cover a mirror image of his own as he held it up side-by-side to his own head.
“Specifically, this book – Iron Will’s Guide to Attacking the Day! 300 bits, money back guarantee if not fully satisfied.” His tone went deadpan. “Never. Collected. On.”
Cori, several feet below the Guide, turned to the Crystal Pony. It took doing, but the glittering equine was finally able to make a bared snarl at the crystal.
“That’s more like it!” Iron Will lifted up the pony like she was a prized egg.” The very face and form this pony showed is what we’re gonna bring out of everypony here today! Now let’s hear your cheers!”
The Crystal Ponies before them were happy to oblige.
“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”
Starting to think that’ll be a room-wide problem if his voice doesn’t let up. Inner Cori may not have been let out of timeout, but the Cori beside Iron Will concurred nonetheless.
Now.. .next up in this assertiveness seminar is the prime concept: aim. Drive is nothing without direction, and we’ve got a way to keep your trajectory in this Crystal Empire – archery!”
“-which of course, requires a target as well!” Iron Will was all too quick to produce the target that Coir had given him beforehoof. But in his paw it barely looked big enough to serve as a button for his black tie. ”Now bring out the target- - this coaster for Iron Will’s drink is appreciated but inadequate!”
Cori could have pointed out that that disc in the minotaur’s paw was a target. But she’d finally gotten a 1v1 with Sapphire before hand, hoping to hear some errant praise from her mentor, a clap on the back for her ingenuity in choosing session assistants, or even a possible rise to full ambassadorship to take home to Kubic.
After Joy did none of those things, and instead found a way to make a whisper drop like a freight train – one Cori’s eardrums regretted – Cori had stumbled marched back out onto the stage, the goal of taking back her own role in this seminar back in focus. She wouldn’t fail her first session as an ambassador (Junior!) and for that she’d need to show more of the assertion that Iron Will exuded.
So, her horn did the taking this time – and one zap made the target the half the size of Iron Will’s ego. Needless to say, it left a slight rut in the wooden stage floor. “Iron Will would prefer the target be smaller – and also a warning next time!”
“Oh. Sorry.” Confidence train peeling off the rails, Cori re-sized the target. It only rose to half of Iron Will’s height now. “Now, then. We’ve had practice in games so this should be easy. Hit the bull’s-eye.”
“And make sure that target hold’s all the doubts in your soul before you pull back and punch a hole!” Curse it, Cori was losing the stage to Iron Will again! The ‘Top-Class Ambass’ had to take command!
…and the very thing that made that target that size might be how. Good job, Inner Cori, thought she.
“Take me, for example, everypony. Like all of you, my magic as a Crystal Pony is potent, but more stratified than a normal unicorn’s – I can only alter the size of things.”
Cori produced a bow from one of the many divots holding up her hair, then threaded it with one of the hairs from her tail. Three practice flicks, and it held taut. “But size doesn’t matter when you’re all the pony you can be, and letting your talent fly is a perfect way to leave Sombra’s shadow behind us!”
Finally, Cori picked up one of the arrows besides her, pulled it into the string, and aimed.
Only for Iron Will’s next missive to make her fire early. Thinking fast, a speedier-than-light beam from her horn turned the arrow small though to be a mini-piercing for Iron Will’s horn. “Much as… Iron Will appreciates the attempt to give out more jewelry…” huffed the minotaur… "One arrow is easy for anypony to bring out here! To show you’re all the pony you can be, Iron Will says you’ll need three!”
Sapphire Joy turned her eyes away as Cori took the three arrows further into her hooves and notched them. “Goodness, I can’t watch!”
A pity, it would have given her access to eyes widening in shock as all three of Cori’s shots hit the center point. Even Iron Will was left gaping. “Iron Will... definitely needs to know how you did that.”
“Crystal Prep training – There was a… lot to tackle, but one’s proper aim. Had to for the lancing contests.” Cori offered her bow to the crowd. “So, who else wants to try?”
Five volunteers, ten out of twelve strikes onto the board, three bull’s-eyes and one near-death experience for Cori later, the target lesson was over. “Now for the final part of this lesson – the power of your voice!“ Cori announced, finally fishing out the ricocheted arrow out of a knot in her hair.
Before the Crystal Ponies were five fuses, each attached to a different colored wire. They both seemed to lead to a set of five fireworks.
“Only two volunteers needed for this, but it’ll require the assertion to give and follow orders!” Cori said. “And since the first two of our exercises involved the spirit in our eyes, this one will take away that vision!”
“Behold, all you wimps! As both helpful assistants of this contest of IRON WILL! And Cori… are blindfolded!” Both Crystal Pony volunteers were blindfolded – the first in front of the wires’ ends, the other on the opposite end of the stage.
‘Now, for this stunt, the pony next to me –” The first volunteer, on the left end of the stage and close to the wires, was next to the announcing Cori.
“-and the pony next to Iron Will-“ this one was led to the left end of the stage and the fuse wires. “-will show just how assertion can help you act in times of danger! But this time, it’ll be to follow one’s heart, not just power one up!”
“Now, MY volunteer…” Iron Will announced. “… Has been granted the exact order in which Cori will light the fuses before his partner!”
“And… mine,” Cori scolded the tremble that entered her voice. “Will stomp out the switch connected to that wire –and keep it from reaching these fireworks!"
Iron Will beamed at the words. “Finally, an event Iron Will can get behind in full! Iron Will knows all about lighting fires under these ponies, and you’ve finally gone and make it happen in real time!’
Coir’s sheepishly grinned. “I do my best. After all, I’ve seen your shows; they’ve been a great spark of-”
Then a hoof gripped Cori and yanked her back behind the curtain, Sapphire Joy in her face within seconds. “Okay, now I’ve really gotta put my hoof down! You know what happens if you don’t stop those fuses in time, right?!”
“Relax – I said I’d taken everything under precaution, and I have!” Cori produced a flap underneath the stage where the five wires trailed before finally meeting firework.
“I tap a hoof, and the stage drops underneath the wires – more than enough time for me to cut them! Simple!”
Sapphire Joy relaxed. “Alright, Cori, but I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Didn’t blow up in my face before, did it?” Cori trotted out to the stage. "Let’s begin!”
And with the strike of a match the rightmost wire began the contest. Iron Will rapped his hoof-foot to the ground three times.
“U-um, hit the rightmost wire, Ivory Rook.” Goodness, the golden Crystal Pony’s voice wouldn’t rattle a mouse! Thought Cori.
Iron Will wouldn’t have it either. “Speak louder, Golden Hooves! If you’re quiet, he won’t buy it!”
“YELLOW WIRE!” That got movement from Ivory Roof, and his hoof moved to the rightmost switch, a dimming hissss proof of his success.
“Next one!” Cori quickly lit another wire, this one the center. One rap of Iron Will’s hoof followed.
“RED!”
Another lit. Three raps.
“YELLOW!”
Another snuffed out.
Twenty further repetitions followed, and by the end of it, Ivory Roof was all too happy to leap and defuse the wires himself, his last one a bound that had even Cori oooooh-ing and her inner pony aahhhh-ing.
Though that might have been because Ivory had nearly collided with her when he landed. Bit of column A, bit of column B.
Back at the center of the stage and blindfolds off, Ivory Rook and Golden Hooves were hoisted upon Iron Will’s shoulders. “And that should too it for you all! So know, whether it’s your stare into the soul of another…”
“… or a voice that’s strong enough to frighten your brother…”
“Iron Will…”
“And Cori!”
“CAN TURN THE PAGE ON YOUR NEW STORY!” And two gouts of flame accompanied their shared cry, the Crystal Ponies before them loudly cheering them on.
Until Cori realized something as she looked back at the jets of flickering embers – and what they were way-too-close to. “Uh, Iron, where did you hook these up to?”
“Under this platform! Iron Will lucked out with some juts underneath the stage itself! Really helped sell the effect!”
And then Cori noticed the flames that hadn’t gone out yet. One now disappearing up the barrel of her still-present firework cache, as fast as Sapphire Joy’s jaw was descending to the floor.
“…oh horseapples.”
BLABLABLAM! TSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW!
And suddenly three rockets were spiraling around the room, the gathered crowd now seeking cover. Cori and Iron Will, however, were in action. Several pinpoint shots of Cori’s horn brown three of the rockets to the size of her horn, exploding against the walls with only enough force to char them instead of collapse them.
The one Iron Will had gone for, however, had dragged him along for the ride. “Whooaaoaoaoah!” Cori’s attempt to lock on was proving fruitless, and her mentor was leaping onto the stage to help settle the frantic crowd.
“C’mon Cori, get the last one already!” Sapphire Joy yelled.
Cori was only barely following the trajectory of the Iron Will – chauffeured rocket. “Can’t! Iron Will’s too much in the way, and if that hits a wall...!”
As if to spite the Junior Ambassador, the payload and minotaur were hurtling out the door.
Faster than they could reach it, however, Cori had a plan. Whipping out the crystal from before, Cori hurled it at the door and zapped it. The gouged out a hold in the room, allowing Iron Will and the firework to pass into the air of the Crystal Center unimpeded.
However, Iron Will was in danger still.
And Cori was barreling out to follow him. Threading one of the un-burnt fuses in her bow, Cori took aim one last time, let her arrow fly…
And it hooked into Iron Will’s tie, anchoring him to a strut of the Crystal Palace just as the firework away from him exploded. Sizzling streams of red and yellow dotted the air and lit up the evening sky, treating the Empire itself to a brilliant lightshow.
Sapphire was panting next to where her apprentice lay, flat on her back and marveling at her quick thinking. Still, this had nearly happened indoors, so Sapphire Joy needed to know if she…
“Learned anything from this, Cori?”
Cori turned to her, slowly bracing herself on her rear legs. “That Ambassadorship and asserton go hoof-in-hoof, that it helps to have backup plans for your backup plans…”
RRRRIP!
Iron Will’s tie gave way under the arrow, causing him to fall into the ground with a solid “OOOOF!”
Cori winced at the impact. “And that I might need to vet my assistants harder.”
Author's Note
If it's not obvious, I think Ironsides was in two episodes too few. Especially considering how considerate he is to other ponies offering their audience on his teaching ways.
Anyways, hope this insight into Cori's personality was worth your while. And if you want to see it in a darker scenario, Carnation is your sensation.
