Crystal Utopia

The wind blew over the empire kicking up leaves and dust in the streets while also causing the banners and flags to wave magnificently. In the streets the ponies from all four classes went about their chores and duties without hesitation in preparation for the annual Aura Borealis festival that was fast approaching. It was a lot of work but the crystal ponies didn’t mind and every class looked forward to the festival. Overseeing the preparations high above the empire from her balcony was Princess Cadance who was accompanied by her advisor to the left and her daughter to the right. She let the breeze flow against her face before taking one last look over the empire and then turning her attention towards her advisor.

“So Shimmer, how goes the preparations for the festival in the lower districts? I don’t want a repeat of last year’s incident that nearly spoiled the celebration.” Shimmer fixed his glasses with his hoof and looked over his notes before giving the princess his answer.  “I can assure you your majesty that the incident in question will never occur again. We are keeping a watch on all Sapphire class ponies now to ensure that there is no interruption in the labor. Arrests have already been made on those believed to cause trouble in the work force.” Cadance turned away from her advisor and looked over the empire once again but this time focusing on the Sapphire district. “Very well done Shimmer, I trust that you will not fail me like my previous advisor did. Now leave us, I wish to be alone with my daughter for a moment.”  Shimmer bowed and then turned away making his way back down into the castle. Cadance now turned her full attention towards her daughter smiling. “Well come on, I believe that lunch will soon be ready and I would prefer that we eat while the food is freshly prepared.” Cadance turned towards the steps and made her way down with her daughter trotting up beside her. “Mother, I think Shimmer seems too nervous for a Diamond Class pony. I’ve heard rumors that while he was being grown the pony in charge of him accidently gave him the nutrients meant for the Ruby class. Do you think this is true?” Cadance couldn’t help but laugh at this. “Don’t be silly Starlight, those are just rumors. Don’t you think that I would know if my own hoof picked advisor had a dysfunction? Shimmer is just worried and doesn’t want to disappoint me like me previous advisor did.” Starlight thought about this for a moment and nearly tripped and fell down the steps in her distracted state. Cadance laughed before putting on a straight face again. “Star, don’t worry yourself with silly gossip and rumors. It would ease my mind if you put more focus on the ceremony that follows the festival.” Starlight looked away and blushed a little in her own clumsiness. “Yes mother.”

Cadance had taken her usual seat at the head of the table with Starlight seated to her left.  To the right of Cadance lay an empty chair. When Starlight was a foal her mother had scolded her one day after accidently knocking the chair over while running around. Starlight had always been confused as to why her mother always insisted that there be three chairs when usually it was only Cadance and herself that ate alone except for the occasional formal dinner where her mother invited her inner circle. Starlight finished her meal of crystal berries and corn faster than her mother as usual and felt a bit curious. “Mother, if I may ask a question. Could you perhaps tell me what’s beyond the crystal walls that protect the empire?”  Starlight asked this question rather playfully, rubbing her horn and tilting her head, knowing that her mother would most likely not answer, as per usual whenever when asked this question, but instead would get a bit annoyed. Cadance sighed, “For the thousandths time Star, nothing is beyond the crystal walls but grass, grass, and the occasional boulder or two. Now if you don’t mind I would like to finish my meal in peace. Why don’t you go run along and go check on the empire for me? Seeing as how you already finished your lunch.” Starlight moaned in annoyance, checking up on the crystal empire usually meant going through all the districts and facilities which usually took all day, “Fine…I’ll go see what’s happening in the streets.” Starlight left the table and began to move away. “Star, when you return I’ll be in the shrine if you need me.” Starlight headed out the door and made her way towards the palace entrance. She approached two diamond guards, “Come on fellas, let’s go have a look around my mother’s empire.”

Starlight blew her hair out of her face and sighed in annoyance, “Why does mother always have me inspect the empire for her? I mean isn’t that what Shimmer is for? Guard, what’s left to inspect? Are we almost finished?”  The guard to her right turned to face her, “Well your highness, since we just finished inspecting the Sapphire class learning facility all that’s left now is the Emerald class district.” Star sighed again, “Fine…let’s get this over with already.” The three made their way to the gate that separated the Sapphire district from the Emerald district. The guards manning the gate opened it up and three ponies stepped inside as the gates closed behind them.  Starlight walked along the dirt streets and looked around for any signs of trouble. She doubted that she would ever have something to report to her mother from these inspections but she did them without questioning her. An Emerald class pony quickly made her way up to Starlight, “Buy…bu…buy some green berries? You like green berries? Horned pony buy berries? Yes? No?” Starlight looked at the muddy green berries in the ponies pouch. One of her guards moved up but Star stopped him, “No it’s quite alright guard. I can handle this.”  She turned her attention again towards the emerald pony who had a confused look in her eyes, “Buy? Buy green berries?” Starlight shook her head, “No thank you, I don’t really like the green berries very much. I much prefer the red ones.  No why don’t you go see if any other pony wants to buy your green berries from you?” The Emerald pony ran off down the street looking for a potential customer. “Come along guards, I want to finish this up before night fa...” An idea suddenly occurred to Starlight, “Guards I wish for you to escort me to the Crystal wall on this side of the empire so that I may inspect it.” Both guards turned to look at each other before one of them spoke, “I’m sorry you’re Highness but under your mothers orders you’re not permitted near the crystal wall. Only your mother and her personal advisor conduct inspections of the empires defenses.” Star sighed; it was worth a try at least, “Very well, let’s finish up today’s inspections then shall we?” The group continued on their inspection of the district making their way towards the Emerald class feeding facility.

“Finally!!! My hooves are killing me…I thought we’d never finish todays inspections.” The guards closed the palace doors behind them. “Will you be needing anything else your highness?” Starlight made her way towards the palace shrine that her mother had constructed, “No guards, that will be all for today.” The two guards returned to their posts as Starlight made her way down the hall towards her mother. She opened the shrines doors and stepped inside to a familiar sight.  In the middle of the chamber stood a statue that Cadance had dedicated towards Lord Shining Armor after he had passed away. Cadance as always lay in front of the statue. At the foot of the statue were two identical rings protected by a diamond cover. “Mother I have returned from the days inspections though there is nothing to report as usual.” Cadance looked over at her daughter, “Ahhhh…Starlight! Come sit next to me for bit will you?” Star nodded her head, “Of course mother.” Star made her way over towards her mother. Cadance looked up at the statue before talking, “It was hard for him you know. Getting used to life after the war ended.” Starlight also looked up at the statue, “For Lord Shining Armor?”  Cadance nodded her head, “Yes and it brought me great pain to see him in such distress. It seemed to be luck that saved us and the crystal ponies since the empire was isolated in the far north. We didn’t feel lucky though, especially Shining Armor. He had lost almost everything that he cared about and loved. He lost his friends, parents, and his beloved sister.” Cadance paused and Starlight turned to look towards her mother. “We vowed to create a better society that would never be ravaged by sadness, tragedy, or conflict ever again. We worked tirelessly day and night to see our vision come true.  My Shining Armor worked until the day that he passed away. I went through a terrible depression for many years locking myself away from the empire…until one day I had an idea.”

Cadance now turned to face her daughter, “And that idea was you my dear Starlight Sparkle. I had grown tired of ruling an empire alone without a companion. Shining Armor and I could never seem to have a daughter of our own because I was infertile. I had decided to have my own daughter grown from perfection, given only the best nutrients and the finest education that the empire had to offer. I watched as you grew from a flawless diamond into the gorgeous pony that you are today. I named you in honor of Shining Armor’s sister who I also cared greatly about.” Cadance now put her hoof around her daughter. “Your love has gotten me through the hardest part of my entire life after my husband passed.” Starlight in turn put her hoof around her mother embracing her in a hug. “Of course I love you mother, I always will.” Cadance stroked Starlight’s mane, “Now off to bed with you, even a princess needs her rest.” Starlight nodded her head and left her mother in the shrine. She climbed the many stair cases and made her way through the various hallways that lead to her bedroom. She entered her room and began to make ready for bed. She washed herself and combed her mane making sure that her horn didn’t mess up her hair. Her horn, it was always something that made her feel…special. She was the only pony in the empire that had a horn besides her mother and even then her mother also had wings. She stood for a while in front of the mirror looking at her horn. She tilted her head back and forth trying to imagine for what purpose the horn was for. “Is it for fighting? Dancing? Does it make a pony sing better or make them smarter? What’s the point of a horn?”

Star’s head started to hurt from so much thinking. She pushed the thought from her mind and then made her way towards her bed. She blew out of the candles and slid under the covers. Minutes passed and Star twisted and turned in her bed trying to fall asleep.  From her window she could hear the noise coming for the streets as the rest of the empire continued on with its routine, “Probably the Emerald class performing their late night duties.” She put a pillow over her head to try and drown out the noise but it was no use. The preparations for the festival were just too loud.  She removed her pillow from her head and her mind started to wander again. “Mother, Shining Armor, and the empire. Where do I fit into all of this? What use am I to mother other than support? I’m sure she expects great things from me. I wonder if I’ll make a good ruler someday. Actually, will I ever rule in my mother’s place? I don’t think she’s ever told me what she expects from me and I don’t think I’ve ever truly asked. Most of the time I just ask her what’s beyond the wall.” Starlight immediately sat up in bed, “The wall…” She got up out of bed and made her way towards her window. She looked out over the streets, her gaze fixed on the crystal wall that prevented ponies from entering or leaving the empire. “Maybe one day mother will tell me what’s beyond the wall or maybe even let me see for myself.”  Starlight looked up the dark sky and yawned. “Someday maybe mother will stop being so secretive with me. Someday…” Starlight made her way back to her bed, laid her head on her pillow and fell fast asleep.

Cadance had stayed in the shine for a few more hours after her daughter had gone off to bed. Her eyes began to get heavy and her strength was fading fast. She took one last look at her deceased husbands face and then turned her attention towards the two rings at the base of the statue. “Such a beautiful day that was.” A tear fell off her face and she quickly wiped it away. She checked to make sure that she was alone before turning her attention towards the candles in the room. Once she was certain that she was alone a blue aura formed around her horn and soon around all the candles as well. Then in an instant all the candles seemingly blew themselves out at the same time. She made her way towards the shrines exit and closed the doors behind her with her hooves. “Your majesty?” Cadance quickly turned around to face to the source of the noise. She saw a figure in the shadows but could not make out who it was. “Who goes there?” The figure quickly moved out from out of the shadows and Cadance breathed a sigh of relief. “Shimmer, how many times have I told you NOT to sneak up on me like that?” Shimmer quickly began to shake and a worried look grew on his face.  “A thousand apologies your majesty but I’ve come to inform you that the Sapphire class ponies that were arrested today have all been interrogated. Cadance’s intrigue grew from hearing this. “Well? Did they confess?” Shimmer fixed his glasses before answering. “Well not to treason or disrupting work but they did confess to not performing their duties on certain occasions.” Cadance grew annoyed by the conversation now. “Well if that is all I’m going to go to my bed chambers.”  Shimmer called out to the princess one more time, “But what shall we do with the Sapphires that have been arrested?” Cadance stopped but did not turn back to look at Shimmer, “Dispose of them… I have no use for ponies that can easily be replaced.” Shimmer bowed his head, “Yes your majesty, as you wish.”  Cadance began again to make her way towards her bed chambers through the candle lit halls