Royal Advisor Anon, Princess Cadance | The Crystal Mines

Mentally, Anon had been envisioning a much more traditional ore mine. Some shit out of Skyrim, or one of those shitass survival games. Hole in the ground, some wooden braces, dirt. Lots of dirt.

But, he forgot the tag line to this whole place was 'Crystal'. It was a hole in the side of a hill, sure; but said hole looked like they'd been punching through outcroppings of crystal and rock, delving deep below. There's a pair of guards stood by its entrance, who bow when they approach.

"Didn't expect to see anyone guarding an empty Mine." Anon idly comments, tucking his hands into his pockets. Even just outside the city, the weather took a nosedive. Yuck. The Guards had their own little crystal tower to the side, about two stories tall, which they probably duck inside of to stay warm.

"Despite nopony wanting to go near it, that doesn't change just how valuable it is. A light patrol is, at the least, needed. According to Shining, anyway." Cadance notes. Despite bringing the cloak, she looked like she didn't even need it; chalk that up to either being an Alicorn, or just how much she fluffed up in her time as the Crystal Princess.

Their escort remains by the carriage, which is pulled in close to the tower. One of the stationed guards, a maroon-colored Stallion, trots forward to greet them.
"Princess. How may we serve? We had not been expecting you."

"A showing of the Mine to our newly minted Royal Advisor, Farbrook." Cadance imparts, motioning to Anon.

"Hey. Scale of one to ten -- how bad is it?" Anon asks, giving a quick nod.

"Oh!" Farbrook quickly throws another short bow, now in Anon's direction.

"You... don't do that to me, it'll feed my ego and nobody wants that." Anon waves a hand dismissively. Cadance throws anon a coy look, but Farbrook quickly rises back up.

"Very well, sir. It's... hard to explain. You'd best see for yourself." He motions towards the Mine, turning to lead them.

"Have you taken a peek yet?" Anon asks, looking to Cadance.

"Not personally, no. Though the reports are... confusing." Cadance admits.

The second guard hands Farbrook a lantern, which he carries in his teeth after lighting it. The warm glow bounces and refracts off the crystals left by the entrance.

The Mine itself is roughly two meters tall (thankfully for Anons head); and the chipped and carved tunnel into the hill continues as such. The walls, floors and ceiling eventually turn from a burst of crystals, to more recognizable rock and dirt; this early in, most of it has long since been mined, the mine track running adjacent to them as they move deeper. The odd, unfilled or spilled mining cart peppers its tracks or lays beside it. Notably, among the burnt out lanterns and the odd pickaxe, are more of those weird, 'mind control' hunks of iron one might call helmets. Seems the moment they were freed, they were tossed aside; at least the guards gathered theirs up.

So far, Anon was counting cleanup... but didn't see much else at issue, even when he paused to lean down and inspect the state of the tracks. They were... fine, at least to his untrained eye. Nails weren't rusted, wood wasn't split (probably more Equestrian Imports). Anon guesses a thousand years in the ether is more like stasis than anything.

"The main mining cavern is just up ahead, sir." Farbrook calls as Anon rises back to his feet to join them, Cadance watching patiently.

In a few more minutes of walking, most notably around what looked like the remains of a crystal-made rest station with broken tables, chairs and stools, shattered to pieces, they reached the main cavern.

The problem was starting to make itself very clear.

Big, multistory cavern that looked naturally formed. The front half of it had long since been mined out, so was mostly a place for the track to wound down, spare carts, tools, places to sit and eat; almost all of which were damaged now.

The back half of the cavern, still ripe for mining, was... well, unsafe was one word for it.

Eerie Black Crystals half-hazardously jutted out of the naturally grown ones, likely providing some level of footing or support to the Ponies tasked with mining, like a terrible attempt at scaffolding. Despite being numerous stories, there didn't look to be a single safe place to mine; somehow, even the ground floor looked hazardous to stand on, with shards and chunks of crystal all over the place. There weren't any support pillars or anything placed, either -- Anon wondered how long the cavern might last without them, if they tried to start mining it again.

"Watch out, sir." Farbrook warns, pulling him from his ruminations as he nudges Anon's leg. Anon glances over, confused, but still stepping back.

Close to where he'd been standing, a strange, deep-purple magic wisp of smoke that just emanates the very idea of 'Do Not Touch' slowly seeps out of the ground, floating aimlessly. A few more start to appear, actually; is it based on activity? They're slow-moving, and seem to move on predictable paths.

Cadance nudges his side, drawing his attention.
"...I can see why it was marked 'Unsafe'." She mutters.

"They tend to appear any time one of us pokes around. They're limited to the Cavern." Farbrook explains, pointing vaugely at one of them. It seeps into the adjacent wall, out of sight. After a few moments, it emerges elsewhere, idly floating through the air.
"Any idea what happens if you touch them?" Anon tries asking. Farbrook just shakes his head. Anon doesn't blame them; things sent a shiver up his spine. Unnatural.

"Well, I think I've seen enough." Anon states bluntly, stepping away.

Cadance sighs, staring over the cavern. "...How much suffering do you think the Crystal Ponies endured here? Tireless nights being forced to work, just enough food to keep them from collapsing."

Anon purses his lips, nodding somberly. She was quite the empathetic sort. Probably the best fit to be their Princess.

Farbrook eventually nods for the cavern entrance, pulling both Anon and Cadance's attention.
"Princess, we should go. The Caverns are getting too active." Farbrook warns.

Cadance and Anon glance around; seeping out of walls and crystals, ground and ceiling, more of those deep-purple smokey swirls are starting to emerge, and they're moving faster. Definitely familiar to that burst of flame that seems to be bothering the Scribes; looks like Sombra just wasn't going to let any of this be easy.

Princess Cadance silently nods, the trio turning to make a quick exit. Anon pulls the rear as Farbrook walks aside Cadance, leading them out; Farbrooks word holds true. Doesn't look like those swirly smoke things seem interested in following them.

Cadance takes a few vacant steps away from the Mine, looking the entrance over.
"I doubt we'd find another place to start a new Mine in any reasonable time. Not out here, and not this close." She concludes aloud.

"Farbrook; make sure nobody goes inside. I don't know too much about Pony black-magic, but where I'm from, that's a significant health hazard, and I won't see ponies try to work this place while those things run rampant in the mine." Anon warns, turning to the pair of guards. They both nod, Farbrook returning the lantern to the other guard.

"Will do, Sir. Not a soul will pass us." Farbrook affirms. "What do you... plan to do about that, if I may ask?"

Anon glances vaguely towards the Crystal City, visible in the southern distance. Well... can't keep asking their visiting purple-nerd for a solution every time. Maybe trying to track down Sombra's Study might prove worthwhile -- help them find the source of whatever's letting his magics linger.
"We'll need to see if Records pulls anything similar to this. Not quite sure how to go about this... we may have to make a request to Equestria to send Unicorns to help." Anon purses his lips, thinking.

Farbrook nods, as their pair of escort Guards pull the carriage over. Cadance looks to Anon expectantly, before the pair head back to the City.

The carriage ride back is quiet. Neither of them quite expected that to be how their trip rounded out.

Cadance is staring into the distance, out the window, as the carriage lightly jostles along the path.

"Doing alright?" Anon finally prods, leaning against his own window.

"...I am. I'm just growing worried by how deeply he still has his claws in our Nation." She answers simply.

"What happened to him, anyway?" Anon asks, curious. Cadance purses her lips, looking to him.

"His defeat was near a thousand years ago. The heroes of the time united the Crystal Ponies, and fought back -- aided by Auntie Celestia." Cadance sighs, glancing away again. "They routed him, but... he had no intentions of handing over the Empire, choosing to punish it's people instead, whisking them away into... I believe most of the Crystal Ponies relate the feeling to a long, dreamless sleep. I don't think he was properly defeated; I worry he remains somewhere, in the shadows, if his lingering magic is anything to go by."

She continues to stare down at the floor of the carriage, her ears drooping. It's a surprisingly sobering sight that seems to drain any of Anon's desire to try and slip in a joke.
"...Yeah. Quite the burden you've been tasked with, huh?" Anon blows a raspberry, sinking into his chair.

Her eyes glance at him, partially hidden by her mane.
"I suppose I'm just glad I'm not to do it alone. I... appreciate your support, Anon. Shining has been quite the help, and you've only been here a day -- yet I feel like we've been making a surge in progress. And I'm sorry for burdening you with more than I expected to. I originally just wanted a... well, truthfully, a friend who knew the truth, so I wouldn't have to bottle it all up inside. I didn't think you'd actually accept -- much less take such a firm grasp of the role."

Anon nods solemnly, glancing out the window at the snowy wastes that surround the city. That's right. Cadance, as far as Anon was aware, had no proper family beyond being raised by Celestia. Sequestered up here in the North; how many could she actually consider a friend up here, and not just one of her subjects? Married to someone she didn't love, tasked with reviving a forgotten nation with threats inside and out.

His gaze flits over the Princess, sat beside him. Looking at him... looking for something. She looks smaller than usual. If he thought he'd been stressing over the whole thing -- he'd just been here a day. Who the fuck knows how long Cadance has been putting up with this kind of thing.

But, right now, he could help. Twilight was visiting -- Shining was assisting, and he'd be weaving the web that kept the structure secure. Alright, Anon -- he runs a hand through his hair, sitting a little straighter, tapping into Therapy-Mode.

He clears his throat, offering Cadance warm smile. She looks a little confused at first, watching him expectantly.

And he pats his lap. Her gaze follows his hands, squinting.

Cadance blinks a few times, face shifting to surprise. Her eyebrow raises. She's heard about this from Twilight; in fact, it was stipulated in page 35 of his contract, that he tends to be very... touchy, with Ponies. It was one thing for a... hug, or a comforting hoof. But to sit on his lap?
"...Anon, I am the Crystal Empire's Princess. That's not particularly... becoming, of my station." She retorts quietly.

"Cadance. Your duty as Princess is to ensure your Empire, and it's people -- or Ponies in this case -- thrive." Anon starts. She picks up on the shift in his tone, tilting her head.

"So it is, Anon. Your point?" She wonders aloud.

"You're allowed to relegate yourself some time of self-care -- of activities of your own choosing." He continues.

"That's true. But, do explain -- what activity is it called, for sitting on your lap?" She retorts, still watching him curiously.

"You asked me to be your Royal Advisor, and, as the sole Unofficial, Unlicensed, Human-Pony Therapist, it's within my means to..."
He pats his lap again, grinning.
"...Provide one of my hallmark Therapy sessions."

"...Really? Now?" She asks, incredulous.

"I do recall a certain Princess requesting I save her a therapy slot." Anon teases, calling back to their meeting in the prison cell. Cadance hums -- she did, didn't she.

Cadance stares at Anon for a quiet moment, before sighing, letting a playful smile spread on her face. From what she'd heard from Twilight, he didn't really tend to ask first. So... this was appreciated, at least.

Anon, in turn, watches as Cadance mulls it over. Part of him is curious why it feels like it's a bigger deal for her, than it is for other Ponies. It's definitely not the Princess thing; he's had Tia sprawl on him before, quite willingly. Maybe it's a personal thing? It's why he's trying to be a little less pushy; and that seems to be the right play, as she starts shifting in her seat.

Wordlessly, she shuffles across the seat, awkwardly finding a way to lay over his legs, sitting like a loafing cat. Considering she's nearly Luna's size, it's a fair bit different than when Twilight does it -- Anon has to shuffle them both to the middle of the seat to make sure they're not bumping walls.

"...Alright. And what happens now?" Cadance asks, once they're both settled, curious. Even through his pants, he's warm.

Anon holds up his hands, wriggling his fingers. Cadance stares at the odd appendages; she was used to Spike, so it didn't throw her off that hard, but it was still odd seeing them be so... prehensile.

"Wings or no wings?" Anon asks.

"Oh, uh... no wings?" She answers cautiously, unsure of the question. Her guess was he was going to do something with his hands... and she just preened her wings recently. So no wings.

Looking over her own shoulder, Cadance watches as he... "What are you doing?" She asks quietly.

Anon doesn't respond, simply interlacing his fingers, and cracking his knuckles.

Cadance's contemplations are promptly put to rest, as his hands press firmly against her back, kneading his thumbs into her flesh.

Both of them are caught off guard by the noise Cadance makes; it's one hell of a throaty purr.

An embarrassed blush quickly takes Cadance's face -- but Anon simply shrugs it off, knowing how devastating opposable thumbs are to Ponies. Any level of resistance she tries to mount, is quickly worn away as she melts in his hands. His hands knead into her shoulder blades, thumb tracing alongside her spine as he makes rhythmic pushes against her. A long, low hum escapes her as his hands alternate, tracing around the base of her wings.

"This is... wow." Cadance mutters, eyes closed. She's gone from politely sitting, to almost completely sprawled out.

"You looked tense; thought you could use it." Anon says -- it was also an excuse to get a chance to run his hands through her pink fur, because she was one soft pony. This was as therapeutic for him as it was for her, probably. Anon was wrong, of course -- this was doing a lot more for Cadance than him, himself none the wiser.

"...You can push harder." Cadance urges, craning her neck. Really? Must be an Alicorn thing.

"Alright." Anon snorts. He shifts his stance to dig his fingers in firmer, roughly tracing her back, and down her side. One of the prime spots to get a pony was above the flank, roughly around their hips; Cadance's wings start to unfurl, another sigh escaping her.

"Like this?" Anon playfully asks.

"Celestia above, if I had known, I'd have hired you just for this." She retorts quickly; though has some difficulty getting the words out between breaths.

With Cadance melting into a puddle on his lap, Anon glances out the window of the jostling, medieval vehicle. Nearly at the City, now; the crystalline buildings looming. His gaze flits over the refinery, wondering how it looked when it was fully running. Or how they even processed the crystals.

Something feathery tickles Anon's chin -- oh, it's her wings. Her plumage seeming to have a mind of it's own under the duress of his masseuse-ing, sticking up past his arms as they lengthen. The carriage is definitely not big enough for her full wingspan; her other wing is bending as it sticks out.

Well, Cadance seems a little too out of it to reel them in, judging by the noises she's making, and the way her leg is kicking. She said no wings; so Anon just continues to work around them, letting them do their thing. They're pretty fucking soft, so getting brushed by a rogue feather doesn't bother him much, instead focusing on kneading around the base of the wings, where they connect into her back just below the shoulder; working over the joint, carefully but firmly pressing into her fur, to reach the muscle underneath.

Neither noticed the carriage had stopped moving, pulled from their moment by a sharp knocking on the carriage door. They're already back at the Crystal Castle, parked in the square as one of the guards voice calls out.

Surprisingly quickly, Anon finds himself shoved back to his side of the carriage seat -- Cadance already sat on her haunches, head held high, clearing her throat and straightening her fur.

She flashes Anon a quick smile, before hopping down, opening the door, and leaving Anon in the wagon.

...Maybe he didn't have her as melted as he thought. Alicorns were wily ones, after all. He's quick to follow, nearly whacking his head on the top of the door.

Cadance 'excused herself' to take care of something, leaving Anon to enjoy the rest of the day himself.

Shining and Twilight returned later in the evening, finding Anon to be rummaging through the Royal Armory. How he got in, and how nobody noticed, they weren't quite sure. Said something about a bandana.

Cadance returned later, and the group made short discussion, before breaking for the night following a quiet dinner that held a few minutes of small talk.

With Anon adjusting to his new role, and a few ideas already being knocked around, they retired for the night to their rooms.

While Shining and Cadance shared a room, they'd yet to have found a way to comfortably share it, unable to sneak any additional furnishing in past the help, or the maids that cleaned the room. This came up before they broke off for the night, getting a chin-scratch from Anon.

A temporary solution that Anon offered was letting Shining bunk with him for the night, while they figure something better long-term, rather than forcing them to share a bed.

To Anon, a perfectly normal offer -- crashing with a Pony was nothing new. Cadance was quite fond of the idea, while Shining became an awkward mess that got nudged into the situation, unable to voice his opinion of the idea.

Anon may have already forgotten that Shining was actually a mare. It's one thing to keep a secret for one of the Princesses; it's another to try and remember Shining wasn't a dude, when he's spent the whole time knowing him as one, and continues to walk around looking, and sounding, like one.

The room that Anon had been assigned, now formerly a guest room, and now his official room, was quietly squared away. Since the help simply went home, and the guest rooms were often unoccupied, it was a good little splash of privacy.

Of course, Anon didn't have any.

They'd dragged a spare bed from one of the adjacent rooms, bracing it against his, making a mega-bed. This was acceptable enough for his size.

The room itself was politely sparce, with a dresser, desk, singular large window; everything one might expect to reasonably host an Ambassador or the sort.

Anon lay on his back, Shining nestled against his side, back facing Anon. Anon was already getting close to passing out, stifling another yawn.

Shining's eyes were jammed open, unable to possibly sleep like this. He wasn't acclimated to the Anon effect yet.

"...Hey, Shining." Anon mutters. Shining's ears twitch in recognition in the dark room.

"...Y-yeah Anon?" Shining responds quietly. He'd been maintaining his masculine form for the moment. Shining had explained that normally, when alone, he'd drop the illusion; but living with Cadance didn't give him much space to, outside of bathing.

"Three." Anon states, starting to count down on his fingers.

Shining lifts his head, glancing at Anon with concern.
"...Why are you counting?"

"Two." Anon continues, offering no explanation.

Shining is a little worried now. With Anon, this could mean anything.

Then, in the low-light of the evening, Anon barely lit from what little light splashes through the curtains of his window, Shining sees Anon point at the door, instead of saying 'One'.

The door cracks open quietly. A Pony begins to slowly creep into the room, quietly shutting the door behind themself.

Shining's eyes widen in alarm. An Intruder? Who would --

"Hey Twi." Anon says aloud.

The Pony freezes in place.
"...Oh." The familiar voice of a purple pony mutters.

"Good try, but too early." Anon offers with a shrug.

"...Sorry." Twilight sighs, reaching for the door.

"Twily, why are you sneaking into Anon's room?" Shining cuts in, getting a surprised yelp out of Twilight.

"S-Shining?! Why are you here?" Twilight 'quietly' exclaims.

"Bunking with me. You want in? Mega-bed has plenty of room." Anon adds.

"Mega-bed?" Twilight questions, trotting over.

Shining stares at Anon. He wasn't seriously -- and Twilight was already on the bed, Anon having lifted an arm and everything for her to crawl under.

She smiles at Shining, curling up and nuzzling in on Anon's other side, before the blanket covers the trio.

That... Shining lips purse as he settles back down. Now it felt a little more like a sleepover. This might help the situation, actually.

It's... strange, but Shining relents, huffing quietly.

Then the hand starts to scratch along his neck, digging through his mane -- Shining spies Anon's other hand doing the same to Twilight.

Alright, maybe this wasn't so bad, Shining finally sighs. If only the thumping of his heart would calm down, he might actually get some sleep.

Author's Note