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Like most momentous things in life, Blueblood found that the iniation of his admittedly long-shot goal of re-establishing sphinxes as a living race and kingdom were suddenly advancing after so long at knocking away gradually at them. The lone survivor of their kind that he had recovered, Niilaavin, had slowly become accustomed to living among ponies, reconciling ancient ways of feline kind to a new era. This had been a process of years, always with the thought in mind that they would need to find a suitable mate to repopulate the species, and territory for their pride's kingdom. This had seemed the harder task, and yet it seemed to be coming to a head in mere months! Niil's study of geography had identified a stretch of Northern Territory where there were light, if any, fronteir settlements, an idea place to hold in exchange for offering border security. More remarkable still, the sphinx had found a mate! Sort of. Blueblood had to admit he couldn't quite tell why the heart had selected in the manner in which it had, save that Spoiled Rich had an absolutely feline ego. There was also the little problem that she was a pony, but magic could do a lot things these days. To resolve this matter of love and land would take the Princesses of Love and Friendship to act in concert, and thankfully Blueblood found both amenable to doing this little favor for his feline friend. Therefore, he wrote letters, made appointments, and arranged travel, wishing Cadence well in hosting Niilaavin and Spoiled Rich... or what she was deciding to call herself now. She had taken the name Jizara in anticipation of her new life....

Whether it was automatically part of the process, or a special request fulfilled, Jizara was getting what she wanted. Perhaps, everything she ever wanted. Maybe that was too much to hope for, but she wasn't too old at heart to not feel it pound in her chest at the prospect. The magic rose, she felt it start to act on her... it was weird, since Twilight's magic was changing, in essence, the past, while leaving Spoiled's memories of it intact. Which, more or less amounted to a retroactive bifurcation of the universe, which at this very point in the timeline was combining and joining on her very overlapping person, who Spoiled Rich was contained only in the legacy of her daughter and the memories in Jizara's head, an existentially world-shaking series of events! It tingled. With a shudder, Jizara felt herself expand to fill the hall, the enormous cushion seeming to shrink beneath her as she shook out changing limbs that felt as if they were going to sleep on her. "Mwa, rar, raowl!" New feline flesh and nerves, along with a spurt of sudden youthful energy, caused her insticts to rile up, pouncing upon the pillow, claws out, working out her weird feelings in a spray of cloth, stuffing and feathers! It took a few minutes for her to get to full size, and get used to it, by which time Blueblood was cautiously emerging from cover, as he'd overturned his table to act as a makeshift shield. Jizara had regained a more regal pose, eyeing the Prince in the midst of the wreck, as if daring him to acknowledge it happened at all. Blueblood, however, was a married stallion, and knew better. "Well... you look... improved. Fitter, I mean. Er, not that you fat before..." OK, so the boy still needed some work...

"Indeed it is easier to get these days... but for you, I would certainly splurge~" Jizara couldn't let Niil do too much spoiling of her without reciprocation, or else she'd re-arn her old name! And honestly, she'd back her own judgment of purchasing makeup over any male's, regardless of whether their culture thought it compatible with masculinity or not! Twilight seemed to think along these lines too, at least as far as giftings were concerned, as it was time to discuss the most precious thing they could give him right now. She had found her respect for the purple alicorn's wisdom and intelligence grow over the years, though Twilight would probably admit both qualities had themselves grown over the same period. "I suppose you learned it not too long after I was aware of it, perhaps before I was willing to admit it to myself. A better garden awaits, but it did take some uprooting to get ready for the transplant." It was fairly unusual for an earth pony of... a certain age, to pull up sticks and move; but perhaps Niilaavin was right when he said she was always a sphinx at heart. And now, it was time to wrap up the last of things attaching her to her old life. She couldn't say she'd miss Filthy now, though there was still a dull ache when it came to Diamond Tiara... "If you can transform me, here and now... I would like you to make the same offer to Diamond Tiara. I want to remember my old life, which will help me live my new one all the better. But if she wants to give me another chance to be raised by a better mother... at least tell her the offer is open." She smiled, a little sadly, "This might be a mother's pride, but I think she'd have the heart of a sphinx too." Blueblood found himself touched by this remark, nodding along as he conversed with Twilight in his mind, *Thank you so much... but until you have a little one of your own, you won't know what it means to have no break!* One of the advantages of having a herd is that little Pax had three parents on rotating duty, which meant that at least one of them should be able to sleep at night. Theoretically. Never seemed to work out like that. How did monogamous households do it? Aloud, he answered, "I do indeed, though I wouldn't want to speak for my wives quite yet. Nonetheless, pending spousal permission, I accept." It was one more in a long line of titles and duties he'd taken on, but likely not the last.... *It's just possible... I may be making a move of subject-citizenship myself. Hyatria may need me as more than an ambassador soon.*

Blueblood sighed a bit in relief as the moment of tension passed. At this point, all that remained were the numbers, and he knew that Niilaavin was content to leave those to somepony else, as long as nothing on the map unduly diminished. And Jizara, as Spoiled, had always been sensible about this sort of thing. "Don't worry, you're in good hooves." He reassured the sphinx, while mentally preparing himself for a prolonged mental workout, followed by a post-maths headache to rival the worst of his hangovers. He envied the fortitude with which alicorns could face such debauches... "If I can deal with the minutiae of town budget to the eighth-bit, surely a kingdom of this size is within my competence." Jizara replied, declaring her intention to stay, even as she stole a last little snuggle beneath Niil's feathery embrace. "And perhaps, Cadence, you might give Niil a little pointer in color theory before the ceremony? Black, of course, is classic for eyeliner, but I think there may be a few subtle shades that would blend better with both our coat colors; obviously they have to match. Still, Princess Cadence, we would be... honored, if you could in some way facilitate the ceremony publicly? A Tyr's match, I think, deserves more than a private ceremony." She hoped Niil didn't mind the publicity so much, but if he was going to go for a royal position, he'd have to get used to pageantry!

Jizara, formerly going by the name of Spoiled Rich, had been mostly quiet in the long train ride up to the Crystal Empire. Partly because she was not comfortable in the open Northern air, and thus could not be with Niilaavin to converse upon the trip. But in the main she was in a meditative mood, enough to shun the company of Prince Blueblood and even to be somewhat lighter than usual on the demands placed upon her servants. Well, technically speaking House Platinum's servants, they weren't under her personal employ. She hadn't learned until recently that the sphinx was officially adopted into the ancient Equestrian House, but it was oddly comforting, in a way. New as her life and lifestyle would become, her old and almost forgotten ambitions of upward mobility in Equestrian High Society were reaching an unexpected fulfillment. It was on those coming changes that she was meditating. Up until now, nothing she had done was in any sense irreversible; her relationship with Niil could have been kept to a mere affair, a pleasant diversion from her life as a provincial official and local bigwig, still officially married with progeny. Now, however... the lines she was crossing would be closed behind her. She had a course she was committed to now, and there would be no going back afterward. For the first time since leaving her family's dairy farm, the light-headed excitement and gut-wrenching fear associated with the word adventure suffused the mare. And yet, once she'd boarded this train, a sense of calm and relief had overlain them both. Having made the irreversible commitment, the great trial of her soul was completed. What blessing or curses would follow required nothing from her, she would sit regal before the world, haughtily receiving its judgment. It was in this attitude that mare strode into the Royal Hall of the Crystal Empire, giving the herald no further acknowledgement than of a mare of royal rank receiving her due. Her aura of dignity was only briefly interrupted by the clamber up to the cushion for a creature much larger than her. She could only be grateful that Niilaavin respected her enough not to carry her like a kitten to her seat, which she took with an almost feline attitude of recline; showing the soul of a sphinx in the body of an older mare. As for Blueblood? He came into the chamber as he had come on the train, surrounded by maps and papers suspended magically around him and carted by his secretary, dumping them in serendipitious order upon the table they all sat on, immediately filling a small plate with various sweetmeats. "Ah, it's been a while, hasn't it Cadence? I don't believe I've seen you since my wedding! Shining and Flurry doing alright? Pax took his first steps and flaps last month, you should really come to visit some time!" He prattled in a facade of fatuousness second-nature to an experienced diplomat, aiming to put Cadence specifically at ease, as he had identified her as the most reluctant to agree to Niilaavin's demands. Better butter her up, and no better way to do that than family!

Babs would be riding the train to the Crystal Empire, she was nervous because she was getting ready to see her cousin AppleBloom, even though she was nervous, she was also exicted because she hadn't seen AppleBloom for a while, Babs looked around the train just thinking about what they would do, and if AppleBloom would even reconize her, "I need to stop worrying so much, she'll know who I am" Babs said to herself. As the Train pulled into the station Babs started to get cold feet, should she get off, or should she not, after taking a deep breath Babs would grab her bag and get off the train, after she had gotten off the train, she got hit with a gust of wind, she shivered forgetting how cold the Crystal Empire was as she grabbed her coat and put it on she began to look around for AppleBloom, maybe she forgot, maybe she was just as nervous as Babs was, after looking around for a bit she spotted her, with a big breath and a sigh Babs walked over to AppleBloom beffore saying "Well, well if it isn't my favorite cousin"

Jizara chuffed at Twilight, then made a surprised face at the noise she'd just made. She'd heard Niil make it many times before, but hadn't yet gotten used to the idea that her own voice produced it naturally rather than a whinny. She also wasn't sure if Twilight was being sarcastic or not, but after giving her a long eyeballing, she decided to let it pass. "I will say... it is good to be here at last myself. If I may-" But what she would have requested was lost to history as, with a flash, Cadence and Niilaavin returned. The intant sight and smell of him hit her nose, she was up on all four paws, smiling. Even less sensitive pony snoots could not escape the smell of cat around a sphinx, but it was just so much... richer, more vibrant and textured to her now. Familiar, and lovable, as if Niil had a second, equally handsome face. "Oh, welcome back, darling~" Blueblood, still behind the overturned table, retreated back a little, wanting to give the two lovers some space. He wasn't sure how active their reunion would prove, either, so remaining under shelter seemed the prudent course of action...

Tongue Twister was trotting back to her wagon after visiting the Post Office to see if she had any mail. There were a few job offers that she'll sort through later. She stopped short. There were posters on her wagon ! It had only been a few minutes, and somepony had plastered advertisements on her wagon ! She sighed. "I hope it's not another 'Buy One for the Price of Two !!' sale on widgets ..." she groused to herself as she took down the posters to read them more closely. She quirked an eyebrow upward as she read the notices. "A self proclaimed 'Master of Evil' plans to set off into the Badlands to look for an unspecified relic ? With a departure date changed four times. On a notice written by hoof. And only later decided to 'grant' some sort of incentive to actually go ? That's - a disaster just waiting to happen ! Throwing together a quest like that will usually end in failure; heck, even quests with weeks of prep can end in failure. Most likely, we'd have to send a search and rescue party after him. And 'unspecified relics' can be troublesome. Nine out of ten magical disasters happen when some unfortunate goober finds Something That Should Not Be Found. Hmmm - we could potentially save Equestria from a disaster by going along to keep an eye on things. Well, at least we can write that on the Expense and Reimbursement forms for STAR ... 💲" With that, she put her mail inside a drawer in the wagon and adjusted her heavily enchanted gear : the blue and silver Second Chance cloak to hide her altered wings, her saddlebags, and the four necklaces she'd taken a habit to wearing. Three of them look normal - the 1st place medallion for winning the Running of the Leaves, a small Klein bottle full of a smoky blue liquid, and a good luck scarab necklace she bought while on a 'mission' in Saddle Arabia. The fourth necklace, on the other hoof, was by no means normal. It was a small, roughly cubical thing that looked like somepony was carving something they'd never seen before, without watching what they were doing. It was a Fair Play charm from Tenochtitlan. She put on the harness and pulled her wagon to the northwest exit of Ponyville. "Let the madness commence !"

Babs would smile and answer Babs "Well, I work in a salon called Mane in Manehattan, quite a name isn't it?" Babs giggled as she looked awestruck "A hybrid huh? He must be cute as a button then!" Babs liked that her cuz had her two little pups to keep her company, especially when Babs didn't talk to her or couldn't see her it sure was odd though a hybrid, why Babs had never heard of it, but she'd bet that her son was a cutie, and that was that. Babs noticed that Applebloom hadn't said anything about the someone special remark that Babs had made, but Babs knew if AppleBloom didn't say anything, then sure enough, that it wasn't important, therefore Babs decided not to press the issue, so she kept quiet. As for the how she knew AppleBloom was here, well that was simple enough she knew AppleBloom was here, because AppleJack had told Babs, Although Babs thought that AppleJack was going to tell AppleBloom about her seeing her cousin, but she guessed wrong "Well, AppleJack had told me that you was going to be here, so I assumed she was going to tell you, but I guess not!" Babs had smiled at her cousin and asked "Where are you staying at cuz? Maybe we could go grab a bite to eat, and maybe do some shopping for you and your pups, but only if that's okay with you!" Babs said while she trotted alongside AppleBloom.

I can only speak a very small bit, and I never try to speak it to actual other people. I just mumble Daijoubou to everyone and hope for the best.

Cadance nodded. “We all have our ways of using magic. I think it is important not how grand or powerful the magic we use happens to be, but how we choose to view it. As long as you use your magic in service, I think you will find your magical capabilities have a wider, grander implication than even you know,” she said as she prepared to end the spell. As he spoke, she had two thoughts. One was that his loneliness was something she may never truly understand. She could respond that having such closeness with other creatures, friendship, love, opened you up to escalating levels of grief that only such warmth could breed. But she wouldn’t turn this into a competition. Secondly was the knowledge she had, foretold, that his concerns for his love for her and how it was shared. He would soon have to change some of those thoughts and concerns. “We will have time enough soon to further investigate these lands, but I think something is happening back at the negotiation that you would be very interested in seeing. I will teleport us in three...two...one...now!” ---- Twilight took her tea gently as she watched Jizara come to terms with her body. It was very cute, in a way. For all their regality, sphinxes were just big cats. All of the great species, despite their advancements and intelligence, had their animalistic pasts buried deep within. Jizara tore and moved and attacked like an over-energized housecat the size of- well, a house. Blueblood chose to protect himself with a table. Twilight remained in her seat, protected by a thin layer of magic from some debris. “Jizara, a delight for you to finally join us. A regal posture befitting your kind,” Twilight bowed her had slightly in respect as she started pouring some tea. As she did so, Cadance finished her teleportation...

Hey there guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Starting up a new little adventure thread of sorts with everyone's favourite super evil villain mildly annoying miscreant, Dark Core! The journey itself is a bit of a loose plan at the moment itself, with the destination/end result more solid, so the length of the thread itself will vary depending on actions, reactions, whim, where the moon is relative to Mars, who knows. I'll be posting the OP shortly after this, and the thread will be Open, though depending on how many people decide to jump in and how complex things do or don't get, I might cut it off to new additions eventually!

Dark Core's misadventure sounds like a disaster in the making, and TT (in good conscience), simply can't let that happen. So she'll help where she can. Also curious as to what's going on, and roving equinologists are notoriously curious/nosy ...

“You are here. Technically. We…” she thought best how to explain it, “we are in the...veil...between material reality and unreality. You are seeing things as they are, in real time, as they exist now. If the spell were to stop, you would take up that physical space that you occupy now for all the good and ill that would imply,” she shook her head. “It is a powerful spell, one I learned not long ago thanks to Twilight. It requires not only a significant amount of magical power, but a deep knowledge of the area I am locating myself and others at while also requiring many magical crystals exist at the location of the spell. Luckily, this cavern has many of them.” It was very true. As they dove deeper, the mine seemed to continue. The mining was indeed extensive, but careful work was shown up and down the mine. They mined at a rate that allowed the crystals and other precious materials to regrow at an acceptable rate, while also doing so safely. Everything spoke to a well-oiled machine being overseen by a startling small number of ponies. “I think she sees in you the same pride and majesty of spirit that she has always looked for. Beyond that, I have learned lessons throughout life. We accept the love we think we deserve. You are worth all that she is giving you now plus much more, if you allow yourself to see it. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Without this, you would not seek to create the better world for all Sphinxkind. Without her love, and without loving her in kind, you wouldn’t have a Kingdom to call your own. The rest, how her love works on you, what it means in your heart, those lessons are personal and take much longer,” she said gently as she turned to face him. “This is a journey that you will enjoy, more than any other.” As she said that, she felt a small aethereal movement along her wings. She bit her lip in excitement, knowing what it meant. “Oh, I see. Well, I think we should be heading back.” *********************************************************************************** Twilight had considered whether to modify Spoiled’s age during her transformation to Jizara. Of course, Sphinx aged in a very different manner. Spoiled was an older middle aged mare, but chronologically she would be barely an adult as a Sphinx if she used the exact birth-date. As far as Twilight could tell, Sphinx may mature somewhat slowly compared to ponies but it was once they reached adulthood that their aging slowed to a crawl. Of course, Jizara didn’t need to know that. If she wanted a favor so graciously given, then she would receive one. Twilight smiled. “You will be a youthful sphinx, matching the energy and future you have and hold in your heart,” she nodded. “Now, hold still.” Twilight’s horn lit up. In the past, such a spell would be hard and dangerous. It required time and preparation and she had messed up similar ones in the past. That would be because she was altering a form, changing what was into what is. For a unicorn or alicorn of her old power, not hard to do, but difficult to do well and accurately. This time, she went a different route. She instead reached through the fabric of reality and rewrote it. She changed what is into what was, and what was happened to be a Sphinx named Jizara. In a brief flash, Spoiled was no more and never had been. The only mark of her existence were her family members and paperwork, but as far as the foundational mechanics of material reality, she herself had never existed. Instead, Jizara existed, as pure and functional as if she had been born a sphinx. To outside observation, it happened near instantly. How Jizara herself perceived it, whether she even could, Twilight could only venture a guess. The spell was finished, and there sat Jizara the Sphinx.

Was that a fair assumption? Jizara frowned at the implication, but Blueblood had to quietly agree. During his brief tenure as Archancellor of the School of Friendship in Ponyville, he'd had a chance to see Diamond Tiara's interactions with her peers, as well as Spoiled Rich's tenure as mayor. Frankly, it was obvious to any who saw the two that they were on divergent life paths. Lineage, more than motherhood, had been Spoiled Rich's ambition, but only Jizara would fill it. But it was hard to blame the mare, at the end of the day. Blue knew full well that the soul and body could be mismatched in identity, and it was just as well that this could be reconciled. Maybe after the divorce, Filthy could find a true loving companion to serve as a stepmother, thus making five happy creatures total, rather than three miserable ones. One had to hope. Standing now on the threshold of this change, Jizara took a deep breath, looking aside at her reflection for the last time as a pony in the wall of crystal. That was a face that would never be seen again. "Well, if you could give me some of my youth back in the transformation, I'd appreciate it. Niilaavin appreciates my maturity, but I'd like to have a lither, more energetic body to enjoy that with. Not to mention some more years." A not unexpected final request, all things considered. With so many impossible things being done before dinner, what was one more?

Chuckling, Shining emerged from the bedroom carrying his daughter in an impromptu ponyback ride. "Mmm, that's good! Magic does burn a lot of calories at high level, so its good to have high-protein breakfasts." Training began even before you hit the practice field; that was one of the first things that Shining Armor had learned in the guard. You needed to develop the attitude beforehoof, and fuel yourself right at the table. Given Flurry's spirit of eagerness and curiosity, combined with Cadence's culinary support, he'd say she was set up for success! The two of them clattered into the kitchen, interruping Cadence's reverie with the noise. Shining made up for this by giving his wife a kiss on the cheek as he deposited their daughter at the table, helping to plate the eggs through the use of his magic. "Sleep well, dear? I hope we all didn't get you up too early." He felt a little bad, to be honest, that Cadence was getting kind of left out of this training. True, it was to be expected, given her pegasus heritage, but Shining had only met her after her alicornification, and hadn't seen her without a horn.

Cadance took his pawing in good stride. Cats liked shiny objects, he was a bag cat. She wanted him to get used to it, however. Crystal ponies would be a going concern for him for as long as he lived now and if he didn’t get used to the way they looked, then he would be be having a very bad time. “Is it now?” She giggled. She nodded. “Sorry. I didn’t expect powerful creatures such as yourself to feel such an effect from teleportation. Same for you, North Wind. I suppose I’m still not as good at this as Twilight is,” she laughed as she led them further, this time into the mine itself. “Ahh. Well, no shame in picking something because it is pleasing. Symbolism is what we make of it, isn’t it? Same thing with Cutie Marks, really. Most Cutie Marks do give you guidance, true, but what it means is up to you. Smiling flowers don’t make you a gardener, after all,” she said as they ventured into the mine further. It was well-made and established, and the few ponies they saw there were universally hardy looking. Most were unicorns, some Earth ponies and even a pegasus, but they were all blackened and greyed by the dark of the mine. Few words were spoken; they worked as a well-oiled machine. Even a small filly was seen using her magic to move and carve and push and pull alongside her father. “And what mark would you give Jizara?” Twilight had learned very early, in fact. Just when was hard for her. The time period of her ascension had been followed by a very literal growing into her role. During that process, time had lost meaning and structure. Even now she was unaware of just when she had learned some things, only that she always had known. She didn’t know how important it was, however, to understand just when the manner of their love and her realization had come to pass. What mattered now was aligning reality correctly. “I will make the offer to Diamond Tiara,” Twilight replied without expansion. Truth was, Diamond was not going to join her mother. She was not given to the greed and the lust for power that defined the heart of a Sphinx, even the ones who did kind things. Her fate would be quite awful as a member of that species. Besides, Twilight knew that Diamond had a bright future ahead of her and wasn’t expecting that to deviate anytime soon. “Though with the assumption she declines it, I will make sure she takes your change in good stride.” Or as well as she could, considering her mother was abandoning her not only in terms of hearth and home but even as the shared experience of a pony. It was a betrayal of that young mare, but Diamond would take it well. The relationship had been strained for so long thanks to Diamond’s innately good heart finally allowing her to blossom into the fine mare she was destined to become that the tears shed would be brief if passionate. “I’ll keep your memories intact. Your past, intact. If this is your wish, so be it. As for the divorce, I will handle the exact distribution of assets at a later point. Your marriage is hereby ended with Spoiled Rich; a copy of the proceedings is now in the Canterlot Archives,” she said as several quills worked feverishly on a stack of papers. One by one, they vanished, leaving only Twilight. Her horn lit up. “Any final requests, Jizara?” As she spoke with Jizara, Twiligtht held back a giggle in her head. Blue may not have known how Twilight looked at Equestria, but in a way it was like she had several dozen million little ones laying around. Weariness in that manner was an old friend, dearly entrenched. “I’m happy to hear you accept, barring spousal approval. As for the other thing- we’ll discuss that, but not for now. One step at a time for you, Blue.”

“Oh, I can see that. Somesphinx could really use with some warmer shades. They stand out in the far north pretty well,” she said as she moved some of them tufts of mane and fur out of the way. She had to stop herself from petting Niilaavin. Big cat, big scratches. It was instinct. “I am sure we can work on making the Tyr presentable for a wonderful public ceremony,” she said as she led the Tyr away on his tour. She flapped her wings once, twice, and then a third time and using Twilight’s leftover magic she teleported them as whisps in flame to an area right outside Crystal Caverns. She sparkled in full Crystal Pony form, and as she moved she moved through tree and rock alike. She was taking him on a tour and she could take him anywhere she so needed to, but they would not be seen by the ponies of the area. This would allow him to get a full understanding without concerns for his size or the fears of the creatures around. North Wind had been transported as well. “I see. Very interesting. It seems many creatures have such coming of age marks. What does your mean? What is the symbolism?” Twilight smiled as the pair left and allowed some time to pass before she continued. “Excellent. Now we can work on his real gifts,” Twilight said with a smile once the Tyr was well and truly gone. She looked at the two who had remained. As she did so, she spoke to both of them. “Jizara, Jizara. A good name for a good Sphinx,” Twilight’s horn lit up as she worked on setting the table appropriately. “I must say, I wasn’t as shocked as others when developments drew you down the path. Your path was always dotted with the trappings of prestige and power, growing like weeds throughout a kingdom. You cannot flower thusly in Equestria, of course; you need a new garden in which to grow. Hayatria will be that garden,” Twilight said as documents of a crackling, energetic nature knitted themselves in front of her. “I will give you your new life as a Sphinx. No conditions attached. Of course, the real question is what to do with assets as they exist now. Your marriage will be ended with Filthy Rich, as much as it exists now. Your status as Mayor of Ponyville will be ended. Your status as a subject of Equestria, as my Subject, shall end. All of these things are clear,” she finished, showing the documents. She looked up, only the barest smirk hidden. “I can do much more, if you will it. So, Jizara, how far do you wish this new life to have gone?” As she spoke to Jizara, Blueblood would hear Twilight’s voice in his head. “Prince Blueblood, I’m so proud of the pony you have become. All that has happened- from your not-so humble beginnings to the establishment of IMAGINE, to the fine stallion and mare you are and the wonderful Herd you have joined- have led you here. You more than most deserve praise and a break, but as you know, leaders get far too much of the first and never enough of the latter,” she finally turned to Blueblood and spoke to him normally. “You know full well that this new kingdom lacks the diplomatic tact and international wisdom that it will require to succeed in the long term. As such, I am offering you the position as Equestrian Ambassador-slash-Ambassadress to the Kingdom of Hyatria. I presume you find this agreeable?”

Twilight was pleased to see the new Tyr retreat from his obstinance, if only to allow the more civic minded and literate among his party tend to the boring matters at hoof and paw. He fell into his love for Jizara, and with it Twilight knew his mind was refocused on matters more up his alley. Cadance smiled a brief, happy thing as she saw the Sphinx no longer offer such resistance. “I am sure that we can work on the exact details, down to the specifications of it. What is important is we have reached an umbrella agreement that would allow us to work on the details. All of which would be approved by you in the end, of course,” Twilight nodded her assent to the proceedings. The hardest work was done. The rest- the minutia, the details- were the fun parts of the job to her, and the parts she was more than ready to work with Blueblood and Jizara regarding. Well, after other tasks were tended to. “Agreed. With the umbrella terms understood, we can work on specifics. For now though, Tyr Niilaavin, would you like to take an in-creature tour of some areas of your new realm not so readily accessible from the air? You can tell me more about these markings. They sound fascinating!” Cadance offered. Truthfully, it was a ploy to remove him from Jizara and Blueblood so Twilight could do her work with them without the big kitten being overly concerned or reactive. “And while the Tyr is taking his tour, if I could ask you two to remain here? I am sure the next part of the negotiation will require a devotion to detail and minutia that would drive other creatures mad,” she said, her eyes swirling in her head as she smiled.

Cadance, for her part, seemed undaunted by the outburst. “I am not bleeding you dry. I am saving you time and money, and helping you become a powerful Tyr worthy of the attentions of wealthy immigrants. You say you can do the work yourself, but even if you never slept and worked with precision and power in the mountains, the time it would take for you to finish the job would see the potential loss of profits from the mines and the prospective other financial opportunities in the mountains supersede the up-front investment costs in deploying my Crystal Corps,” she finished before nodding towards Twilight. “In that scenario, it would be the equivalent of having paid four point one bits an acre in the best case scenario, or five point five bits if things go poorly. Cadance’s plan, so generously conceived, saves you one point four to two point eight bits an acre. As for the dividends, these will be your lands, and so you will benefit both in the immediacy and in time from the work of the Crystal Corp,” she looked back expectantly at Cadance. “Yes, they will be. You will reap the rewards of not only your own immigration policies and internal economic model,” Cadance recited that bit as if she had to memorize it in front of as mirror, “but also the work that my Crystal Corp has done in identifying places of potential wealth and settlement, identifying the necessary work to repair the Path, and then the highly skilled labor in a uniquely challenging environment required to see the work done. I challenge you to find a competing contract at that scale, in that environment, requiring that much skill, investment, and experience, whether it be private enterprise or government, for anywhere near the cost I am offering,” she finished. For the first time, Cadance felt herself putting her hoof down. It was one thing to decline an offer, but it was infuriating to have an offer developed with such absurd levels of support and leniency baked into it shot back at her with such claims. She should be asking for more, frankly. She was being humiliated in small ways the entire time. Her land was being taken, her subjects taken from her (though she expected many to choose to return to her). Her relations with the powers of the west being changed, weakened. Her subjects, only so recently freed from the shackles of slavery and the sleep of a thousand years, being forced to accept the national shame of a nation being carved out of it randomly. It was Twilight's work the previous few days that had seen her be brought into a broad agreement. She was doing everything in her power to be more than simply fair, but supportive of the new nation. The sphinx not recognizing the remarkable kindness and generosity on display was...where was Shining? She needed to see him. “If you do not wish to avail yourself of the full offer Tyr Niilaviin, then that is your prerogative. But it is untrue to claim financial hardship or foreign debt as the primary cause of the decline when it is indeed an offer designed to save you financially and help increase your economic independence faster and in a more secure manner. Military alliance and preferential trade relations between the Kingdom of Hyatria and the Crystal Empire plus one point five bits an acre being transferred to the Crystal Empire is the base offer. The Crystal Empire will as a gesture of good will give the Kingdom of Hyatria the Crystal Corp of Engineers in-depth work on the region. For an extremely generous additional one point two bits an acre, the Crystal Empire will allow the use of the Crystal Corp of Engineers to be deployed in the national borders of Hytaria to work on the plan as developed by them for the Path,” Twilight stated, the terms of the offers being written in large. "As a further demonstration of my willingness to work with Hyatria, I am willing to lower the bits being requested for the deployment of the Crystal Corp to one, bringing the total bit offer to two point five bits an acre. I have stretched the limits of what I can offer without touching absurdities when it comes to that cost, for that offer," Cadance offered, her voice carrying an edge of finality to it. She could and would go no less for their work. “I will work with Blueblood to hammer out the specifics,” she flashed a smile at Blueblood, “hope you brought something to drink, I like to work long into the night! Can’t help myself. Numbers and land surveys are fascinating reads,” she laughed before looking back at the Tyr. “When we do reach an agreement, I suggest you meet with Cadance while I speak with your mate. I have a little to discuss and much to do.” Cadance knew what she meant and looked nervously about for a half-second before fixing on the two leaders, then smiled as they moved ever so slightly into her preferred arena. “And later, I would like to discuss how to properly conduct a ceremony honoring your relationship.”

Blueblood wished that the discussion would switch to total numbers rather than per-acre costs, as it was getting a little more difficult to do the math in his head to calculate the absolute number of bits that would be required by the new prices. Hence, his silent pause during a rather inopportune time, Niil's instincts running ahead of him with an outburst on the pricing. He winced at the hearing of it, offering a softer voiced, "Do consider, Cadence, that total increase does rather exceed the average government contract, especially considering there's no rebid." He hadn't actually finished doing the math, so he couldn't state that with confidence, but it was a more face-saving way to back down from the insistence. Jizara herself couldn't exactly say she was... pleased at her prospective new mate's outburst. "A high upfront investment on our part is not exactly objectionable, as long as we reap the whole of the dividends." She pointed out, in a tone of voice that was gently chiding, even as she was stroked. "That said, what we can do with the labor at our disposal is a discount upon our capital outlay. Now, if prospective subjects wish to bring in their own capital under, say, generous allowances for entrepreneurship, we shall open ourselves to them. At this time, we'll keep what remains after the land purchase in reserve for an open bid on any development project." Sighing a bit in relief, Blueblood flashed Jizara a smile in gratitude for smoothing over the troubled waters. "So be it; we'll leave local industry to local administration and the Tyr's adjudication. It's probably for the best that any potential friend and future comrade in arms be able to stand on their own paws, as it were?"

Crystal would look at Muziki and smile "Well, I've been to Las Pegasus, Manehattan, Ponyville, and Canterlot! I have not seen another Crystal city though, although I do not know if all the Crystal's come from here!" Crystal giggled Crystal would see Kabra'za and her jaw would drop she'd never seen anything like this before this was very new to her, but as much as it was a bit scary it was quite fascinating to see this "Wow, Mr. Kabra'za I've never seen anything like that before, you are very fascinating to watch, so you are a witch doctor?" Crystal asked "Well, I might not be able to do anything like that, but I definitely can immediately tell when two people are meant to be together!" Crystal smiled knowing her "Power" was not as fascinating.

Cadance pondered the offer briefly before shaking her head politely. “Three decades is generous- indeed, overly so. One year is all I ask for and can accept. It will do neither of our nations any good to have these regions living under nebulous, questionable loyalties and conditions for such time. These are your subjects upon our agreement today; whether they choose to remain so or not is up to them,” Cadance replied, shockingly so. Of course, it was not entirely of her own making. Her discussion had made clear that the ruler of Equestria intended for these changes to be handled as cleanly as possible. The temporary pain, while sharp, was better suffered now rather than allowing gnawing, concussive pains to batter away at them alike. It was then that the sphinx brought up an area known as the badlands, a part of which he made clear. She shook her head. “I have no claim there. Princess Amethyst was given a castle in the region as a dowry during her tryst with Prince Bradford of Yakyakistan, but I think it fell into the river long before the time of Sombra. Twilight, who owns that land?” Cadance turned to Twilight. She knew the borders of her Kingdom well, but Twilight had made clear that on issues involving the Changelings she was to be the point mare in these discussions. It was delicate, involving such two unique species. “That territory is currently claimed by the Changeling Kingdom, though it has no official settlers from any nation at the moment. I know Thorax had planned a series of settlements after the Changeling Breeding Program finishes in the next couple of moons, and that area featured heavily. It also exists near Yakyakistan and they have ancient claims up to the river, but they didn’t object to Thorax’s claims. I am sure that you could discuss it further with them. As for what exists there currently, scattered caribou, yaks, changelings, some independent equine and griffons- by my last count, less than a hundred creatures in total, including the changelings disguised as flies spying in the region that Thorax thought he could hide from me,” Twilight smirked. “I am sure that you could strike a deal with them. Thorax is an easy partner and Prince Rutherford, once you understand how Yaks operate, is surprisingly amiable.” As Blueblood discussed the infrastructure, Cadance offered a few pages of assessments. “Crystal Caverns has its own mining operations that are well established. The Webwing Path cuts along the mountains from Crystal Caverns to Fairflanks, and Fairflanks has a road that leads into the Empire. The Webwing Path is certainly...maintained,” her ears drooped, “it is usable, they make sure of it, but outside of it being usable I wouldn’t say it is any good. They have cared only for base utility, not comfort or making sure all of it is to the same standard. Nonetheless, it certainly is better than nothing. Fairflanks itself is as well-developed as any farming settlement of its type could be. We found no infrastructure concerns in the area and believe that it could grow in population considerably before native infrastructure proved inadequate. For Trottderdale’s ‘port’ is in working condition, if shabby and in need of better maintenance. The castle itself, however, remains near immaculate,” Cadance said as she started making her own marks on the map. “As a gesture of good will, I will submit to you the plans my Corp of engineers have recent finalized for improvements to the Path. Not only would it ease transportation in the mountains, but we have even earmarked locations to be investigated for mining and settlement. I think you will find that this will save you tremendous time and treasure having to establish the necessity of these needs. Moreover, I am willing to lend the Crystal Corp of Engineers and Development to Hytaria for the purposes of this mission. In exchange for this aid- which will save you by my estimation nothing short of twenty years of work if everything went right for you without it- my asking price to complete this deal will stand now at two point seven bits per acre.” Twilight nodded. “While I am sure you may be concerned for your immediate financial stakes, I am certain you are aware that with such strong economic partners and with such good relations any fear you have of economic hardship will be short lived. And for those of us here, comically so. Do we have any issues with this agreement so far?”

Spoiled took hold of the documents as if they were always meant for her. They might well have been; it would be a while before she could contribute materially to a hunt, but the mare of business and local politics was in her native habitat here. "Dynastic family business? Well, you could say that I have a bit of experience in dealith with that sort." Growing apples, mining crystals, same difference at the end of the day. Ten to one they were mostly earth ponies getting their hooves dirty in production, as was common, but likely not insensitive to visions of grandeur. Some overtures of everything that could be if they were willing to support it would do the trick, she fancied. "That shouldn't be a problem at all." The other side of the equation was being handled by Blueblood. He couldn't say that the counter-offer was unfair, though knowing that every bit that went into purchasing the land was a bit that couldn't be used to develop it weighed on him. "Well, as long as Twilight is willing to authorize the funds, I think that's a fair offer. What is the state of the infrastructure? If we're going to use the existing settlements as seedbeds, are they all connected by any kind of road or rail? That will likely have to be funded by outside investment, at the very least." That left open the question of where Niil planned to put his eventual capital, though Blueblood suspected that he'd conduct a peripatetic court for the first decade or two. A peripatetic den, however, was a trickier proposition. Try telling a pregnant or nursing mare to go nomadic, and see where that gets you!

The discussion grew rapidly. It was clear to Twilight that Niilaavin had relied perhaps too heavily on the grandeur and scope of his desired empire but had not done a truly deep dive. This was no sin; she was guilty of the same mistake in the past any number of occasions. Having power and knowing what to do with it, or how to use it properly, were very different propositions and one she knew came with experience. Of course, she knew his nation would have issues to start with. She did not really consider the claims to state poverty to be fully compelling, however. The area he had selected was inured against the degradation of poverty by the very nature of how it operated. They were a self-sufficient people who provided for themselves readily enough that the only creatures that would feel the sting would by Niilaavin and Jizara, and even then she was very confident that any such issues would be resolved swiftly. “The settlements that will now exist in your domain are on their own already self-sufficient. Your kingdom has no reason to not immediately benefit from the Crystal Caverns, while Fairflanks provides a basis for food security that will benefit your subjects tremendously. One point five bits an acre is still low; in a normal situation when factoring for the blow to Crystal pride, I would argue four point two bits per acre is an appropriate offer, one that could be easily paid in installments,” Twilight offered, offering up multiple documents detailing the financial boons of the land. Almost too much, frankly. “Thankfully,” Cadance jumped in quickly, saving the big cat from a lifetime of reading and data analysis, “this is not a normal situation, and I am not expecting a fully monetary compensation. One point five bits is still the lowest amount I am willing to discuss. Your offer of alliance and preferential trade is accepted as part of the overall package. However, I will decline the offer of overseers appointed by me,” she smiled. “While I appreciate the thought behind it, if you truly are going to lead a nation you can’t have another leader effectively running or interfering in- even with the best of intentions- your largest or most profitable settlements as your nation begins. A period of transition that would allow my subjects the choice to leave would be appreciated, but overseers would not be required,” Cadance ended gently, herself trying to come to terms with it. It was hard to imagine a Crystal Subject desiring to stay under the rule of a Sphinx, but she also reminded herself that the creatures of the claimed territory were a strange lot who rejected normal society by and large. It would be intriguing to see who decided to stay and who decided to leave, and even better, who decided to immigrate there. Twilight focused more on how he described his relations with the tribal ponies and how he decided to rule his land. It was not unexpected. Sphinx had only ever ruled in this manner and as much as time changed things, you needed a species to exist for that change to happen. Niilaavin would play an important in saving his species and helping it form the basis for a better future, but expecting their societal or governmental attitudes to change was naïve at this stage. Give it ten thousand years of contact. Twilight would document it every step of the way. “I see. They will likely appreciate that more than most. The Basin tribes, as noted,” she nodded to Blueblood, “are more civilized than those of the Leota. You will find good relations with them as Tyr easy. Cemmoyāhua would make a fine pony to negotiate with in order to establish good relations.. Joint guardianship of Tartarus between Equestria and the domains of the Tyr would be agreeable. You may run the entirety of the external area, as guardian and owner. I will handle Tartarus itself. Outside of the baleful magic emanating from it, I hope you never have to involve yourself in Tartarus,” she said, nodding solemnly. Indeed, she didn’t imagine many creatures could even stand to exist in Tartarus for long so it seemed unlikely anycreature from the outside would need to. Cadance for her part nodded towards the honorary-sphinx-soon-to-be-real-sphinx. “There are no formal guilds in the area. But the families who run Crystal Caves have been in charge for eons. Every last pony there is the an expert in their field,” she said, giving Jizara documents detailing the blow by blow financial details of the Caverns. Twilight allowed the discussion to settle a moment. “Where we sit at this juncture is this: In exchange for the land as claimed by Tyr Niilaavin, the Joint Commission for the Establishing of the Kingdom of Hyatria will pay an amount over one point five bits per claimed acre to the Crystal Empire, plus preferential trading with the Crystal Empire and a formal military alliance. Tartarus will be jointly administered by Equestria and the Hytaria. This deal has not yet been finalized as final financial compensation has not been entirely agreed upon, but this should summarize where we are.“

Sometimes the epitome of diplomacy is knowing when to let other people talk. Cadence's requests were best answered by Niilaavin, and the offer seemed fair enough from his perspective. Probably to be better received than his own idea, which was to supplement the purchase money with a regular stipend from Equestria's Evironmental Restoration Fund for Endangered Species; that might be considered a little demeaning. Surprisingly, even Jizara had something to add to the table once Niil finished talking about allowing overseers: "Also, local labor gets first bidding rights and preference, regardless of oversight status. Early wealth that stays local will have an exponential impact going forward... I don't suppose there's any guilds or unions currently chartered there? We will respect all current charters, the last thing we need is a strike, lockout, or any class strife at this critical juncture." To what extent institutional structures imported from Equestria would be able to fit in to the den heirarchy outlined by Niil was as yet an unknown factor, but these developments and compromises were things that would have to be hashed out by those who actually had to live with the results. Blueblood wasn't yet in a position to opine on domestic arrangements, but he could offer a word or two on foreign relations. "Put the western border as a dotted line for now; Aquellia's claim may be tenuous, but there's always a faction willing to push thin claims to break political logjams in the Republic, and they've been stuck in a large one for a while. You have no one lobbying on your behalf in Talonopolis at the moment, and until you have either a robust diplomatic corps or local fighting force, preferably both, tactful silence on the subject would be adviseable. As for the tribes..." He ruffled through his papers, before his very efficient secretary presented him with the needed document, "Ah, yes, we do actually have some information you may find relevant. As you may know, there are different kinds of tribes, with varying levels of centralization and settlement. The Tenochtitlan Basin, which you border, really ought to be considered civilized, in my opinion; there are cities in there, and many of the Leota tribes pay tribute to them currently. Which means they're likely to take a more active interest in a potential power rival early... or partner. I would recommend opening talks with... oh dear I hope pronounce this right... Cemmoyāhua? She's the closest I've found to a diplomatic counterpart there; and most amenable to opening up talks and trade."

Twilight and Cadance looked at the offer. Twilight already knew it, and she rather enjoyed the display that Niilaavin applied to the proceedings. Twilight could feel the snow and cold, though she knew at that very moment there was an unseasonable warm front passing through. That would eventually meet another weather front that would prove difficult for the Empire to manage as it passed over the city, but Cadance relished the challenge. Her love of weather control knew few limits. Twilight allowed the initial round to end before she nodded. “I would be wary of any Griffonian claim to land in the Great Leota. Most- not all, but most- such claims come from a specific document,” Twilight said as she popped an ancient scroll into being, as well as the more boring pieces of work that actually brought it into motion. “King Guto I of Griffonstone ‘received land and property’ as a wedding gift from King Stonebreaker of the Clain Stonehoof in the Great Leota. Of course, King Stonebreaker owned no such land and used it an effort to get Griffonstone to go to war against his western Leotan enemies when Celestia refused to accept his own claim to their lands. Many Griffons claim ownership based on this deal and it has been the source of many congriffon’s fortunes. The lands you have requested so far exist solely in the domain of Equestria and the Crystal Empire, legally speaking.” It was time for Cadance to join. “The area is not densely populated, but there are indeed citizens of my Empire there that I protect and pay taxes for that protection and care. Fairflanks is the largest single settlement. Last census puts the population at the very low hundreds- certainly nothing worthy of being on a map, but someplace I care for. It is a collection of a few farms built around a single Crystal Keep, like many frontier towns. The second largest settlement is Crystal Caverns, where the Webwings curl and the River forks east. A small mining settlement of only a few families, they’ve kept to themselves since before the banishment. Not unkind, just...prickly. Fort Trottderdale is located in the far north of your claim, in the Frozen Swamp near the bay. It is a single large abandoned fort home to several dozen ponies. Beyond that, the land you are desiring from the Empire is populated by some hardy settlers and families. According to what figures I have at present, that would come out to over eleven hundred Crystal Empire citizens,” Cadance said as her magic hovered around the map, marking the settlements. “As for your initial offer, there are other factors at play. The mining settlement in the Webwing is the second highest performing per capita of all mines in the Empire outside of the City Herself,” she said as she lifted several documents over to Prince Blueblood. “Crystal Caverns itself would be worth nearly a full bit for the whole acreage of this Kingdom. Fort Trotterdale already has a built and established port, even if it needs to be repaired and staffed appropriately. One point five bits an acre is the starting point. More importantly, you’re asking for me to ask the citizens of my Empire to accept a chunk of their historic land being sold off. I will work on that myself, but payment for that will need to be part of any financial deal,” Cadance finished. She was being polite and warm still but there was an underlying sense that came through easily that she was upset at the whole ordeal from the standpoint of the Crystal Princess. The Empire had been asked to swallow many indignities and while she more than understood the need to establish a Kingdom for the Sphinx, the need to bring them back, and she was pleased to help the breed return, it was still tough to stomach the loss she was asking her citizens to take. “Nonetheless, I find most of your claims agreeable in large. A few points of discussion. The pony tribes of The Great Leota bow to nopony and I doubt they will bow to you. However, the tribal leaders have recently renewed their vows of friendship with Equestria, their vows of friendship to me. I have little doubt that they would operate peacefully in your new kingdom, should I know how you plan on dealing with them. I also require you to be aware of changes I have made to Tartarus, since it lies within your claim,” Twilight continued. She lifted a wing and Tartarus was shown- it now lacked any entrances or exits, and the mountain hummed slightly with baleful energies. “There exists now no entrance or exit, and I have the whole mountain under a powerful spell that causes confusion, weakness, and illness to all that approach. Be cautious near there.” She took a drink. “Beyond the tribesponies, a few relatively standard questions. How do you plan on running this new nation of yours, Lord Niilaviin?” She asked. “This goes as well for you, Lady Jizara. If this truly is your last day as a subject of mine and the first as Queen of another, I would ask that you answer as well.”

"Why thank you! I know you're Equestria's champion foalsitter, though I should hardly like to impose." While outside flight training wasn't strickly necessary, given that he already had two Pegasi in his household, Cadence did have other skills to bring to bear in such a matter. He took a bite out of a small sandwhich to give himself a little time to think before answering Twilight's question. " "Well, as you've no doubt deduced from the herald, no small amount of my house's future is invested in this project." If sufficiently successful, the Prince was considering going all-in, but now was not the time to tip his hoof in that respect. Not just because of the diplomatic degrees of freedom he'd sacrifice; he also had to secure permission from both his wives for that part of the plan. Not the easiest of tasks. He was, in fact, surprised that Spoiled Rich- rather, Jizara had agreed so readily. Niilaavin just had that much charm, he supposed... or else she must have been much more unhappy than she'd been letting on. The mare herself had just given a smiling, "Thank you." To the sphinx, as she took her tray of little delights, daintily taking a bite from a macaron. Her inputs didn't seem called for at this point in the proceedings, but she had accompanied Niilaavin during his initial land surveys, and so could act as a witness to any discussion of the land if necessary. Blueblood, meanwhile, was passing more formal survey maps and calculations of acreage over towards the two princesses, while his secretary brought out some calculation tables from a manila folder. Once Niil finished the land summary, Blueblood cleared his throat. "Ahem... Given that the land is still classed as frontier, it is difficult to give a market value estimation. The standard homestead calculation is 50% bare land value of the settled margin, but given the high latitude, weather patterns, and security risks of border incursions and caribou raids, the hazard discount would, frankly, make the per-acre compensation minimal." Something like 5/8 a bit per, if Cadence would do a quick check of the math. "Cash on the nail, though; it will be some time before a functional tax base is built, and even then the economy is likely to be barter and in-kind exchange, at least locally." It was a lowball opening offer, Blueblood knew, but what exactly they would need to concede for the Crystal Empire to keep face at the negotiation table wasn't something he knew for sure. Cady's counter-offer would be likely to tell him.

Twilight had never been fully comfortable with the ceremonies that came with her title and position. In that way and manner she was more egalitarian than Rarity would ever be, or Cadance for that matter. Neither mare by nature thought themselves more deserving of such pomp and circumstance. For Twilight that had become a minor point of absurdity after her ascension to the throne as she often wandered Canterlot and Ponyville sans guards. Of course she was safe- safer even than those most easily assured of her safety could even fathom- but that didn't prevent ponies from considering her departure from Celestia's norms unusual. Give it time, say a few centuries, and those concerns would vanish. Which is to say, Twilight didn't really care that every member of House Platinum- or their new name, to be revealed- were given what she would personally deem over the top entrances while Cadance and her were given quick, comparatively modest introductions. She knew at some level that Niilaavin looked at this as a competition and wanted some engagement at that level. A fight, a duel, a hunt. His kind was bred to dominate and control, if not in a malevolent manner than at the least in a superior manner. Twilight wasn't going to dissuade him from that feeling. Like the care of other big cats, it was important to allow their innate instincts to be satiated. "Welcome, Lord Niilaavin. I hope you find these accommodations to your liking," Cadance said, hoping that she had proven a good host. For all the issues she did have with what had transpired, she had no desire to make her guests feel like their care and comfort had been neglected. The diet and care of a sphinx had been mostly left to guess work before Blueblood had bonded as he had with Niilaavin. Now they had to concern themselves mostly with his taste rather than his base concerns. In less stressful news, Blueblood was right to discuss family. “We have been doing very well up here in the cold, Blueblood. A little bit of warmth is always appreciated! I’m happy to hear Pax is getting their wings ready. I’d be more than happy to come by sometime- always happy to teach,” she said with a soft smile. She knew she was being buttered up. Frankly, she didn’t mind nor did she care. Affairs were already beyond her; if she could catch up with family, extended or otherwise, all the better. "I hope you will find this discussion beneficial, Lord Niilaavin. I'm eager to conduct it, myself," Twilight admitted. That much was no lie. Her position and presence disquieted her, but the prospect of change energized her. When you could peel back the layers of time, being able to see its ebbs and flows, recognizing when cycles began and end and knowing you were present during one the turns of it was exciting. "Blue, good to have you here. I hope you've given today's activities a lot of thoughts vis a vi House Platinum?" Twilight allowed her mind to settle on Spoiled Rich as she entered and took her position. Twilight had allowed that mare to run Ponyville despite misgivings, honoring Ponyville’s right to choose. Now here she was, ready to throw away that responsibility, that privilege, the trust of that town, her family, her lineage, her previous hopes and dreams. She had so readily embraced a sphinx’s attitude towards power as she had fallen in with Niilaavin that Twilight’s concern about the ancient Sphinx’s personality imprinting and brain altering powers were set aside, because even in those stories those so changed did not embrace it so readily. So why was she content to agree to the move? Well, that would come later. “Lady Jizara, good. I see we are all here. Lord Niilaavin, you may begin,” Twilight said as her horn lit. Outside light bled away at the ages until they were left alone, even the attendants only verging into the light ever briefly. Blueblood’s maps and graphs were shored up by Twilight, who brought her own array of documentation, and Cadance, whose own magic whisked around the area and brought a secure warmth to them all.

Lord Niilaavin of House Platinum. The lord title was one of raw formality with him being adopted into House Platinum. The later part mattered more. He was adopted into it some time ago, but only lately did he leverage that aspect more. He was, in a way, related to old royalty at least in name. And that did account for something with the nobles even if it was not by blood. And so he put everything on display for this trip. It's been months of work, and well over a year of flying and scouting lands so he prepared to strike his claim with detail and merit. He was after all taking territory from another… With paper and words. The idea was still strange to him but much was in this world now. Even with the passing of years plenty still struck him as strange with how things were done at times. But he adapted and still was. Still learning. Still growing. Both in his mind and in body. The years of steady food, work and moving has done him well. So well Lord Niilaavin of House Platnom can not fit inside a train. And so he was laying on a flat cart. One dressed up well for one of his titles, but a flat cart all the same. He’d fly to the north under any other trip. But this time he had a passenger that was determined to bring… Well, just about everything. And thanks to her his own servants felt the need to bring just about everything as well. And so here he was, laying on a padded flat cart watching the countryside pass by on a train loaded up with some small towns worth of servants and cargo. At least it was not boring. It was relaxing in all honesty and a welcome break from the week's worth of paperwork. ----- He arrived a few days early to prepare with Jizara and Blueblood. Along with his staff all put up housing he found most pleasing, even if some rooms were on the small side for his kind. But changing some grand hall into a bedroom for him was clever. And in that room he peaces, eyes looking at a map on a wall as his servants held makers and kept notes. He did not hope for much, yet his heart screamed for more. Anything to sink his claws into and scream his name to the sky. He needed land. He dreamed of it awake and in sleep. Some deep part of his soul demands he claim something. He had too. And this was the opening. Not some duel with fang and claw. But words, ink and a map… He wished it was fang and claw. This felt more intimidating. ---- Horns bellowed, three long drawn out blows with a sharp tone. He was walking down the hallway, his cape tailing behind as he walked. His gold earrings clacked together, his golden claws peeking out of the pad. He walked with a focused pace. His size makes his servants have to trot to keep peace with his strides. When he was found he was taller than Celestia. In the passing years that gap grew and grew. He was reaching his prime, his mane thick and body built. He had to duck his head down to inter the archway welcoming him to the grand Hall the meeting was to be held in. A pegasus mare with gray stormcloud like fur moved ahead of him to the side. Her voice echoed in the hall. “LORD NIILAAVIN OF HOUSE PLATINUM!” She stomped a back hoof three times, all his servants saying outside the hall did the same and echoed his name. He did not train them to do that, North Wind did that all on her own as his staff's head-master. As the sound died down he walked in and eyed up the table and where Twilight was seated. Then at Cadance. Some Empress. With one glance he knew the Princess held more power in this talk and would be the main target, Cadance second. North Wind shouted again. “LADY JIZARA!” Once again the three stomps sounded, each thundering of hooves followed her name as it was repeated just as many times. It male him swell with pride to hear that as much as his own name. That was his own request for them to treat her name with the same respect of his own. He gave a soft bow for Twilight and Cadance. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic and Princess of Friendship. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Empress of the Crystal Empire, Princess of Love.” With that he moved and took his seat atop a truly large pillow. He was pleased to sit atop something clearly made for something of his size. He was more pleased to see the just as big pillow next to him. It was almost comically large for Jizara but he knew she’d do just fine. North Wing spoke up again. “PRINCE BLUEBLOOD OF HOUSE PLATINUM, PRIMUS INTER PARES!” Once again the echoing thunder of three hoof strikes sounded alongside the name being echoed three times. Niil looked over to watch Blueblood enter the hall and take his seat. By paper work, they are legally siblings in a way. And as blood brothers by word go, he was pleased with blueblood. He’d spend a day retailing all the things that pony did to get him where he was now. He was kin, by name as much as niils own feeling of family. He looked back down the table, sitting pride in place at the other end of it looking head on to Twilight. He licked a fang, a nervous tick of his and felt a hoof jab his side and stopped. It was time for the game too began.

Cadance had prepared her Royal Hall as best she could, full in the knowledge that they were in uncharted waters. A part of her was happy. Sphinxes had edged on being entirely extinct or just as well for eons, long before she was alive. The possibility of not only helping that species find a way back into the common vernacular of modern life but civilization itself was a treasure that Cadance was absolutely pleased to be partaking in. And the fact she was being asked to participate also in the first officially sanctioned union of Sphinxes was a treasure to her. Love in all its forms was special, and love when it would help lead to the salvation of species was special and unique. She had prepared more than her usual bits and baubles for the occasion and was hopeful that Spoiled Rich and Niilaavin would be more than pleased. What she was less than happy about was the proposed land arrangements. While she was fully aware that the Crystal Empire was subservient to Equestria and found this arrangement to be beneficial for both, as Empress of her subjects she cared deeply for not only their well being, but treasured their sense of joy and pride. She knew there would be negotiation, but she hadn’t expected it to start so poorly for her. Twilight for her part had found the deal quite beneficial for both sides. The northern territory proposed had only included a small number of settlers but cost a lot for the Empire to defend from stray caribou who refused to accept the end of the war, the pony tribes of the jungles and High Woods who bowed to nopony, and the various criminal clans and so-called ‘independents’ that ranged beyond. While by no means especially dangerous compared to other parts of the world, it was the most dangerous part of the continent. If the Sphinx Kingdom could rule the land it would bring further peace and prosperity to the continent. Besides, it was a good way to see her family some more. She had arrived earlier and had a healthy breakfast with them, including getting quite the show with Flurry Heart and some magic. Now the Hall was ready for work, prepared for two(three) Princesses, one Sphinx, one Sphinx at heart, and a Prince (or none). The two were prepared in the Hall. Cadance, despite being the ruler of the Crystal Empire, sat at one of the long edges of the table while Twilight sat at its head. Maps and figures were arranged, and the table itself had a soft shimmer to it. Food and drink wad out for the guests, with appropriate seating for massive creatures of power and grace.