Diary entry #001 from High General Briggs Dunford of the Crystal Empire:

It has been two weeks since the Crystal Empire's former glory has been restored and a month since I was married to my beautiful wife Myranda. As the recently appointed High General of the Empire, I feel that it is my duty to make a record of the happenings of this great and wonderful Empire, (Currently under King Shining Armor's rule.). I must end this entry rather abruptly, I have a meeting with the King himself in an hour. Until my next entry!

Briggs set down his pen and leaned wearily back in his chair with a loud sigh. His desk was covered in random papers of supply orders and letters congratulating him on his recent promotion. He turned his head to face the large rectangular window where morning sunlight was filtering through. Briggs ran his hoof through his blonde mane that fell just above his deep brown eyes.

Zoning out, Briggs kept his eyes locked onto a small spot on the window. He cursed inwardly, wishing that he could have done more for Myranda. He had just been so BUSY with work! He hadn't even taken her on their honeymoon.

White hooves wrapped around his neck, breaking him out of his daydream. He felt a small kiss on his cheek followed by a head being rested on his shoulder, snuggling closer until it touched his neck. "Myranda..." Briggs smiled and began to rest his head on her's. Myranda returned the smile, "Good morning," Myranda greeted and kissed him lightly, "How did you sleep?" "Well, but it could have been better." Briggs sighed, "I kept waking up in the middle of the night. Have you ever had one of those nights, where you just can't sleep no matter how hard you try?"

Myranda nodded in reply before asking worriedly, "Do you know why you can't sleep?" Briggs shook his head, "I wish I did. I'm pretty sure that it's mental, not physical." Myranda kissed his cheek once again and unwrapped her arms from around his neck. "Well if you ever need to talk about something Briggsy you can ask me." She winked slyly, chuckling at Briggs' face which was red with embarrassment. "Now come on," she finished, trying hard to keep herself from bursting out laughing, "Let's get some breakfast!"

With that she spread her beautiful white wings and flew off towards the kitchen. Still trying to recover from his embarrassing nickname, Briggs shook his head and stood up from his chair. He walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table, rubbing his eyes like a child that had just been rudely awoken to go to school. Myranda was already there, digging into a plate of waffles. She was still in her nightgown and her black mane was tussled and bed-ragged, yet to Briggs, she still looked beautiful. Myranda took a second from her meal and glanced up at Briggs. His mane was in no better condition then her's and he wore nothing except the hair on his skin, (Which in the Pony world was quite acceptable to have nothing on.).

The usual breakfast conversation followed, complaints about what they had to do today, complementing one another, and wishing each-other luck on various tasks. Myranda's position in the Empire was no less important than Briggs'. She was the Crystal Empire's chief diplomat as well as the royal advisor to Queen Cadence herself.

After breakfast was cleared from the table they both retired to their room to prepare for the day, which was done in relative silence. Briggs busily began to shine his suit of armor which was his pride and joy. It was a thing of art, bright orange metal that was interlaced with gold patterns. He detested helms, for they made it hard to breath in the heat of battle. He began to strap on his armor and made sure everything was in its proper place.

When he was certain that the armor was all in place, he strapped his sword, foehammer to his back. Foehammer was a four foot long broad sword with a jeweled hilt. It had strange emblems carved into the polished silver blade. The blade and the emblems would glow a bright orange at certain times when Briggs' strength and willpower were at its peak.

While Briggs was polishing and strapping on his armor, Myranda was getting ready as well, the majority of her time spent on fixing her hair. After this long task was completed, she swung a beautiful emerald cloak over her fastened by a ruby brooch. Making sure that she looked her best, she trotted gracefully from the bathroom into the bedroom.

"What do you think?" She asked Briggs happily, twirling around as she did. Briggs stood slack jawed next to his armor rack. His mind had gone numb for a second before his battle hardened instincts kicked in. "You look amazing!" Briggs finally spluttered. "Awwwww, thanks sweetie!" Myranda blushed and kissed him. Even though Briggs was kind of flustered that she had called him that, those feelings quickly vanished as she kissed him. He kissed back and felt his mind go numb. The felling of her soft lips pressed up against his...

Briggs wished that it could last forever, but reality soon pulled the two apart. Myranda rested her head on his shoulder again, "We should just stay home today Briggs. We could act like we're not at home and it would just be the two of us." As tempting as that sounded to him, Briggs knew that he had work to do. "Maybe tonight we can make up for lost time, because my first day on the job is pretty important, don't you think?" Myranda nodded and together they set off for the Crystal Palace.

Inside the Crystal Palace's throne room, King Shining Armor sat pondering over old charts and maps from hundreds of years ago. With him was Queen Cadence who was also pondering over recent news. With a large creak, the two massive doors to the throne room were slowly opened and in walked Briggs and Myranda. Briggs threw Shining Armor a salute, but he quickly dismissed it. "Briggs, we're good friends, none of this formality stuff!" Briggs frowned and nodded solemnly. King Armor beckoned everyone over to an old wooden table where there were multiple large maps and scrolls that Briggs immediately started to study. A good General knows the land in which he fights in! He thought to himself.

Surprisingly there was no relaxed conversation the entire meeting. Queen Cadence went right to the point. "We have reason to believe that the Empire will soon be attacked." Briggs and Myranda looked up at her with confused faces. King Armor nodded and explained, "Do you both know what the power source is for the Crystal Empire's magical borders?" "Its love, isn't it?" Myranda asked quietly. "Yes, and which of our enemies draws strength from it?" Briggs gritted his teeth, "Changelings." He had fought them before.

Changelings were nasty shape shifters that feed off of love. Their Queen, Queen Chrysalis, was defeated in an attack on Canterlot itself, but she wasn't killed. Evil was allowed to endure. She was a dangerous adversary and they knew it all too well. Myranda shuddered, she respected Chrysalis, but feared her all the same.

Shining Armor continued, "Briggs, we need to make sure they never reach the crystal heart, if they drained its power, they would be unstoppable." Briggs took a step closer to Shining Armor and unsheathed foehammer the blade glowing a pale orange. King Armor and Briggs locked eyes for a moment and then, expertly twirling the sword around in his hoof, sent the point of the blade deep into the crystal floor. "I swear," Briggs started, his skin glowing slightly, "Our enemy will never get inside the walls of this empire."

With that Briggs pulled his blade free of the floor, strapped it to his back and marched out of the throne room with Myranda following close behind, her head swimming with questions and worry. Cadence and Shining Armor watched them leave. Cadence looked up tearfully at her husband, "You didn't tell him?" Shining Armor sighed and nuzzled her neck. "They're over burdened with worry as it is, let them be for a little while longer."

Author's Note

The First of MANY!!!