Hurricane

Might've smelled the writing for her from Season 3...

Smells like a farm in here... I recognise that scent...

The two rolled and tumbled, Cadence and Fang, a flurry of wings and claws and hooves and teeth. Cadence was not well versed in the ways of combat, and tried fighting in ways she had seen in comics and during films. It very quickly resulted in the mare being trapped beneath the snarling, growling dog. OK, this is good, Spotlight... mostly got away. This is... NOT GOOD! she thought to herself, as Fang lunged down, biting into the air where her neck had been until she violently shifted to one side. She spread her wings as wide as she could hoping to somehow slip free from the canine's grip, but her struggle was in vain. The alleyway, and subsequent passages from it, was in the middle of a tight network, the creation of which had formed after many streets converged to create a sort of deadzone within the city, an area behind areas. It was, then, rather fortunate that Spotlight came across anypony at all as she ran like a maniac, screaming at the top of her lungs. It was UNfortunate that the pony in question was blind. Bamboo Blade paced idly through the streets, her large oak sword resting upon her back, tail gripping the hilt as she trotted, tip tapping at the ground in front of her. The sound from this let her 'see' roughly what was in front of her, enough that she could guide herself and not trip over any unexpected obstacles. Loud screams, on the other hand, were enough to draw her attention. For a long while now, she had been exploring beyond her usual residence. She theorised that for a pony to be accepted into Celestia's personal guard, she would need to know a lot of information about the whole world, so she set out to explore it. "Ho there Citizen!" she called out, assuming that the caller was a crystal pony, even though her hooffalls sounded more like a regular pony... perhaps a pegasus, it was hard to tell against cobbles. "What seems to be the trouble? Might I offer some assistance?" she said, trying to make herself seem more mature and competent than her height and age might otherwise tell.

Cadence halted her advance, a look of surprise and a faint hint of anger apparent on her face. She was angry with herself for utterly underestimating the *****, her canine mind seemed a lot sharper than those she commanded, her claws doubly so. "Spo... citizen, you need not fear," she said, still believing that her cover was not blown, that Spotlight believed Mia to be a different pony to herself. She lowered her head a little, the glow from her horn subsiding as she moved. "Please, name yourself, Diamond Dog. I wish this to be a civil discussion," she stated, bowing graciously before the patched dog. "Hmph... I am known as Fang," the dog replied, digging her claws in slightly, enough to touch against the skin beneath the actress' fur, "and I did not ask for discussion! I want the Crystal Heart, and if I do not get it, this mare's trip to the crystal kingdom will be very, very memorable," she said. Cadence baulked at this, her whole body taken aback by this. She had been hoping to at least negotiate with Fang, to settle this dispute without resorting to violence or trickery, but it seemed like she had no choice. She lowered her head a little more, hooves shuffling about, slowly bringing her closer. "I cannot give you the heart. It is not mine to give. I can offer you gems, crystals, all manner of golden jewels and fabulous richery, but the Heart is no mere gemstone," she said quietly. "I do not care! I grow tired of this foolishness! You seem to think my threats are idle! Let me demonstrate," she said, touching her spare paw to her face, which had a series of scars upon it, just below her eye. "Don't you think this mare would look pretty like me, if she had similar markings," she said, turning to face Spotlight, her paw high in the air, claws outstretched. Cadence took the opportunity, and charged forwards, knocking into the dog with her whole body. "SPOTLIGHT! RUN!" she bellowed, as she and Fang collapsed to the floor

"NO! Let ME show you how things work in MY city!" Cadence's voice boomed as she came running up behind them. She had tried her best to get there as quickly as possible, and had narrowly avoided colliding with a diamond dog that was scampering for a stick that had been tossed over her head. She hoped that this dog would not return, but she could not focus on him for now. She needed to protect Spotlight, after all, this was her city, and everypony in it was her responsibility. "I have known of your presence for a while, Diamond Dogs. I have had plants walking the city, carrying small amounts of gemstones, to keep you from attacking the general populus, but I cannot forgive you this assault. You have attacked a visitor to this city, and a resident. You are to leave my city at ONCE!" she bellowed, stamping her hoof into the ground. Her horn was blaring bright pink, and her wings were spread wide, making her quite the imposing figure. However, the largest of the diamond dogs was far more imposing than she was. "Gunna git tha gems!" he rumbled loudly, his stinking breath almost making Cadence gag as she wrinkled her muzzle, trying to shut as much of the smell out as possible. "You da princess. You got lotsa gems! BIG gems!" he said, turning to the other diamond dog, a female who looked by far the most well presented of the trio. She rolled her eyes a little, flexing a paw to make her claws tease in and out from their housings. "Yeah! You got dat big gem in the centre of town! We want it! Gunna get it!" the tiny dog cried out, his voice slightly muffled by the large plank of wood in his mouth. Cadence turned to see him leap up towards him, in an effort to tackle her. She ducked, her horn flashing brilliant pink light that seemed to focus on the larger dog's tail. A little sparkle also appeared in the tiny dog's eyes, as he let go of the plank, landed, and dove towards the tail, snapping it into his mouth. The larger dog howled, and began running around in a circle, trying to snap his own jaws against the little dog. "Idiots..." the female dog said with a faint sigh. She had, in the confusion, sidled up to Spotlight, and in an instant, had grabbed her throat, claws poised to dig into her neck. "Do not try anything silly, Princess. You know what we are after. Bring us the crystal heart, and your friend will not be harmed. Or, perhaps, you could have the 'other' mare bring it," she said with a chuckle, making a little sniff towards the mare.

Cadence cursed beneath her breath, the mare had run towards the alleyway. "NO, NO THAT WAY!" she cried out, as her leap took her up and over the short diamond dog. She skidded to a halt as the dog turned back to her, grinning widely, as his two companions chased after the pegasus. Cadence's horn flared, but it was too late. The third dog had turned tail and was running away, too. The mare sighed faintly, and with a soft lament, removed her dress and sunhat, tucking them away behind a crate. As the Pegasus ran, she would have come to a boxed alley, completely empty save for a few doors leading into the buildings, all locked. Far above, a great tarpaulin had been spread, tied up to cover an escape attempt. It was a box, and the pegasus had run right into it. The trio of dogs chased after her, arriving behind her with a low growl.

Despite the situation, Cadence couldn't help but smirk. This mare, wether she was intending it or doing it by accident, was a true drama queen, in every sense of the phrase. "One thousand years, yes. And it is hardly under siege, there is but one small group. I believe the guards seem to think them nothing but a nuisance, and unworthy of their attention, despite my many orders to apprehend them..." she said, not realising she had let slip a little tidbit of her true nature. She patted the cowering mare gently. "You need not fear, Miss Spotlight As long as we... ah, it seems I have been proven right," she said, as a small, burly figure emerged from a pile in front of them. A swift glance behind told her that the way they had just come down was already blocked, and one of the alleyways out was blocked too. Only one escape, more than likely a trap. The answer, it seemed, was simple. "Hand over your jewels and nopony gets hurt!" the small figure said, a gruff voice that did not seem to fit his diminutive stature. Three other diamond dogs approached, one of dark fur, one white, and another brown. Cadence closed her eyes slowly, and let forth a gentle sigh. "I assure you, we have nothing to give right now. There is only clothing and personal items within these bags, my companion is simply visiting this city to perform on stage, and I have no gemstones upon me," she said, once more bending the truth slightly. Personal items could apply to jewelery, but it was not to be given, and she was wearing none. "When I say the word, you must run. There is a chance that we will lose one or two of your cases, but better that than all of your jewels, right?" she whispered softly to Spotlight. After taking in a breath or two, she flared her horn, taking the cases up at an alarmingly fast rate. Her wings shifted a little beneath her dress, which fluttered with the burst of magic she was exuding. The cases vanished into the rooftops, and Cadence's magic dissipated. "RUN!" she bellowed, pulling Spotlight to her hooves, heading not for the one free alleyway, but for the leader of the dogs, the shortest.

Cadence grinned widely as the mare spoke. As much as other ponies may have teased the mare for her overbearing voice, even if she had since lost the 'Royal Canterlot Voice' that Twilight had told her about, the royal sister had a way of speaking, even when softly, that commanded respect. The pink princess hoped that one day she might have the self confidence and self assuredness to speak so boldly. "Perhaps you are correcy, Aunty. Perhaps it is all within my own head... but I still cannot shake the feeling that for now at least, I lack a proper home. It is a little unsettling. Perhaps I need to speak with my family in the forest, to seek their advice," she said, sighing gently as she pawed at the ground with a hoof. She and the dark mare were in the crystalline hallways of the palace now, heading towards the grand archway entrance, beyond which lay the gleaming gem, the Crystal Heart. As the two ponies approached it, Cadence felt a little twinge deep within her body, like a tug of string tied to her very soul, pulling her towards it. She looked down at the gemstone, her eyes fraught with concern. "Tell me... Aunty Luna... do you ever feel a connection to the moon, to the stars? Do they ever... speak to you, call out to you? Lately... ever since the dreams started, the Heart has been pulling me towards it, weakly, but it has gotten stronger of late. I am a little worried that it's trying to warn me about the dreams," she said, hooves touching the gem lightly, her gaze falling deep into the crystal's reflected facets. "Telling me to seek more crystallssss," she whispered softly, before shaking her head, shuddering. "Aunty Luna, might I confess something to you that I have told no other pony?" she asked, looking around faintly, quickly heading away from the crystal. She was aiming down the grand promenade that lead to the castle, and the restaurant she had spoke of.

There isn't a No big enough, loud enough or long enough to accurately convey how I feel about this. Darth Vader's ham 'No' would look like a little squeak compared to the No that would be required to show even one tenth of my feeling. Dr No would hand in his doctoral degree and change his name to Senor Si, when he encountered the first eight point three seconds of the No required to explain my opinion. There is not enough Nobelium (No) in the world to power a megaphone to shout for long enough to express the No that I wish to emit. In short. No. In long, see above.

"Indeed, the Crystal Heart, a gem but so much more as well. It is a symbol, a beacon of love for the whole empire, and a powerful force on par with even the Elements of harmony!" the mare said, enraptured by her own thoughts of the magnificent gem stone. "Though, regretfully it is rather too large to wear as an item of apparell, and certainly too powerful and rare to sell. Even I am only afforded scant moments to study it," she said, again, not a lie. She was too busy most of the time to perform any sort of study upon it, and it had been hinted that she should not poke too deeply, not that that would have stopped her. "Thank you so much! I shall certainly be there, come rain or shine! I wonder if I might get a sneak peak now, while we walk, or perhaps, simply a synopsis? As much as I love the theater, knowing what I will be seeing shall be a distinct advantage for me," she said with a smile. She glanced around, noting that the avenue they were walking along was almost empty. She also noted that there were one or two large piles of boxes, crates of merchandise no doubt, but still, the set up was worrying. "Tell me, Miss... um... I'm sorry, but I do not know your name, how crass of me," she said, bowing her head a little, allowing herself a subtle glance behind them as she did so. "Have you ever heard of a Diamond Dog? I do not wish to alarm you, but we may encounter them soon. I have heard whisperings of a small group of them, shaking down individuals for gemstones, and we may soon discover if these rumors are true," she said, glancing along the side alleys of the street. "It could be nothing, I simply wish you to be aware," she stated softly, continuing her nonchalant trot, as heavy boxes levitated around her.

"Oh my! A performer, how wonderful! I have some small talent in acting myself," she said with a smile, finding it easier to rest a few of the bags upon her person, even if they pinched a bit at her obscured wings. At least it made carrying the bulk much easier, enabling her to walk and converse without strain. "But I would very much like to see you perform. I have heard of the Players, a young mare told me of them while I was in Trottingham, but regretfully I was unable to catch them," she said, recalling with a smirk about a pair of the Players getting charged for public indecency after they were discovered engaging in... less than family friendly activities on a public beach. "I believe that Prince Armour is very busy at the moment, with training and security, but the Princess has been known to frequent the arts recently. She is spending her time getting to know her citizens and her city. There is even a chance you might encounter her as we walk round," she said, a little giggle escaping her throat as she spoke. While it was indeed technically true, she did want to avoid revealing herself just yet. What a shock it would be for this mare to have the very same princess appear upon her openning night, and certainly enough to draw crowds to her next shows. "As for the reason I am here... well, I have been many places before now, and I am currently studying the crystal heart. I wish to know what is so important about it that makes darker forces crave it so. Thankfully, I am afforded as much free time as I please, though. As for my name, well, you can call me Mi'a.. Mia! Please, I insist," she said, bowing gracefully once again. She was feeling immensely proud of herself, that nothing she had said so far had been a lie. She was getting rather good at this whole deception malarkey.

Cadence's smile did not waiver as the mare spoke. She knew of the Galium, though she was a little disappointed to hear that the mare was likely not a new tenant. Still, any publicity for the city was good, and she nodded her head enthusiastically. "Certainly! It should be no trouble at all, providing we rest once upon the way. Fortunately, I know of a magnificent and accomodating cafe that serves the finest coffee beans all the way from Unyasi!" she said, bowing her head towards the bags. Her pink magical glow wrapped around them slowly, and she lifted her head back up, struggling a little as she had underestimated the sheer weight of mass of luggage. "O..oh... my goodness... we might have to rest twice upon the way," she said, her voice partly strained under the pressure of the baggage. "This is certainly a lot of things for one mare alone... might I ask if you are here relocating to this wonderful city?" she asked, as she paced towards the exit, the bags swarming around her like angry cloth bees, jostling among themselves.

[colour=#800080]"Pardon me, your majesties, but allow me to express what a pleasure it is to have you in attendance at this event. It would be an honor if you would accept these humble gifts from me, and my sincerest wishes that you both enjoy your time here"[/colour] Cadence slowly turned to face the mare who had come up to them, a sweet looking white mare with pink curls to her mane. She smiled warmly, bowing her head gently, but instead of taking the flower, she enchanted it with her magic, turned it around, and slowly tucked the beautiful plant into the mare's own locks, being careful not to jab her with the thorns. [colour=#ee82ee]"Thank you for the generous gift, but I believe I much rather it here,"[/colour] she said with a warm smile. [colour=#ee82ee]"This way, we can all enjoy your magnificent work, while you can wear it with pride. I think it suits you rather well, actually,"[/colour] she added, using a hoof to secure the rose in place. She turned her attention back to the party, as a rambunctious mare declared that she had some... interesting intents for the tastebuds of many a pony present. Cadence giggled a little, ears twitching as she was sure she heard the high pitched squeeing of a certain unicorn fashionista whom she would likely speak with later, before she spotted another white unicorn, and clopped her hooves together. [colour=#ee82ee]"Oh my, the even have the DJ who performed at my wedding! This shall be a magnificent party!"[/colour] she said with glee, almost hopping up and down upon the spot, a girlish giggle escaping her as she did so. She let out a soft cough, and retained her composure, but only a little, a silly grin still present upon her face.[colour=#ee82ee] "As you can see, aunty, this is... sort of similar to Nightmare Night. There are probably games we could play, and dancing later I bet, or simply mix, talk to some ponies, ask them about themselves, try and find some common ground. I bet you'll be making friends in no time flat!"[/colour] she said, smiling brightly. [colour=#ee82ee]"Which reminds me, there was a certain baby dragon I wished to converse with about an important matter,"[/colour] she said, eyes scanning the party for signs of the purple dragon. [colour=#ee82ee]"Spike? Spiike! Oh, where has he vanished to now?" [/colour]she wondered, tapping a random pony upon the shoulder. [colour=#ee82ee]"Excuse me, would you happen to have seen a tiny purple and green dragon recently?"[/colour]​

The sun was just beginning it's firm ascent into the sky as Cadence stepped up onto the platform of the crystal station. She had her hair tied back, into a tight bun, which was obscured by a sun hat, and her body, wings and tail included, were hidden by a loose fitting pale yellow dress. She had stepped off the train after a little visit to Canterlot, a simple affair which had seen her talking trade with her aunts, before trying to get them to come with her to a night club, unsuccessfully. She had chosen to travel back incognito, mainly because she wished to relax, stealing the duration of the train ride for her own private introspection. Now, however, she was, for all intents and purposes, home, but she was loathe to be rid of her garments. She had a simple sachel bag slung over her body, and, for all intents and purposes, she was simply a tall, slim unicorn, visiting the city state for her own leisure. Teeheehee, I could sneak up on somepony I know, and see how they react, or, go and find Shiny and act like I'm trying to woo him away from his wife! she thought mischievously as she paced towards the exit. Her trotting halted when she heard somepony mutter 'Oh dear...' nearby. She turned to see a magnificent white pegasus mare, staring at a large pile of baggage that seemed altogether unnecessary for a small visit. Perhaps this mare had relocated, she had heard whispers of some of the wealthier ponies of the Royal City buying property within her Empire, and it would certainly do the economy of her city no harm to have an influx of ponies from outside it. The pink furred mare trotted slowly towards the pink maned mare, and bowed slightly. "Excuse me, Miss. I was wondering if you required any assistance. That seems like a lot for one pegasus to carry, and I thought, perhaps I might be of assistance," she said, beaming widely. And this could also be fun for me! I can see how well I can decieve her, fool her into thinking I am somepony else. I need a convincing name and profession. I could tell her that I am an actress... but that would just be silly! Hmm... she thought to herself as she waited for a response, her horn glowing brightly to demonstrate her power.

As Cadence followed on after the two military ponies, a twinge of guilt ran through her. She turned her head back to Shining Armour, letting out a gentle sigh as she did so. "Forgive me Colonel," she said softly, as she slowed her pacing to a halt. "I cannot leave him like this. It would be cruel to abandon my husband on this night," she added, turning back to him. "If you would be willing, I would appreciate your informing the Princess what has occured, and that myself and Shining Armour shall be back soon, hopefully in a more suitable attire." With that, she began to walk back to the pale unicorn stallion, her eyes almost closed as she paced. Her head was throbbing, she had been losing out on sleep lately, and even when she had been sleeping, it was troubled and restless. The mare hated to admit it, but she was suffering, and it was beginning to affect her mind. She stopped in front of Shining Armour, head still low. Her wings unfolded slowly, and she took a step forwards, sliding the large pink appendages around the stallion. Her muzzle went to his neck, and she nuzzled in against him gently. "Save me, my Knight," she whispered, a little smile appearing upon her lips as she drew her head back, gazing across into his eyes. She touched her horn to his, and leaned in again, kissing his cheek softly.

As Cadence watched the mare pace around the room, she could indeed begin to feel the knot of worry begin to tighten within her. She knew that the mare was torn, her duties, from what she had been told of the mare, were very, very important to the alicorn, and to not only be pulling her from them, but to be asking if some other pony should shirk theirs in order to spend more time with her, was asking a lot of the old fashioned mare. Upon hearing the mare's suggestions, she nodded, her expression grim. "I was afraid that you would say that. I have tried to broach the subject with him before, but he is either too tired, too distracted, or too stressed. I have tried my very best to retain contact with him, but it becomes harder and harder with each passing day, and now that I have begun to avoid sleep..." she said, feeling something catch in her throat. She stopped, and took a deep breath, composing herself as she listened to the mare. She nodded her head, arguably, she felt the same. Her duty, her talent, was love, to help spread it and nuture it, and it existed wherever she went. Lately, however... she had been closing herself off, making it harder for anyone to communicate with her. Even... "Oh... Shiny... I've been the one, haven't I. I'm too tired and stressed..." she moaned faintly. She could feel sadness welling up deep within her, but, with thoughts of her husband now turning brighter once more, she could feel that beginning to melt away. I can make this up to him, I know it! I shall bring home some of those buns that he loves with the crystal berries on top! she thought, tapping her hooves together with a little grin. "Aunty... one worry I do have that I think you might have more experience with, an issue from my dream. I believe the ponies and cyrstal ponies turning their backs represents how I have been feeling lately. I... I feel like I no longer belong, like I am alone. I am no longer a Princess of Canterlot, and while I do love the city and the ponies, it is no longer my home. And yet, when I am here, though the citizens here treat me with respect, it is a cold one. I am a ruler, a leader, nothing more. I... I am not a crystal pony. I belong neither here nor Canterlot, or, at least, that is how I feel," she said, pushing up onto her hooves. She was a little wobbly, but she held herself upright well enough, pulling her wings in tightly to her body. "As for strategies, I have had all essential Palace guards and house staff write a letter to me, at their leisure of course, giving me some personal information, as well as a word that means something special to them. I am contemplating having this word spread to those they work with, with their consent, so that anypony who suspects can ask them for it. Not a foolproof plan, but it might work to discourage any would be infiltrators," she said, taking a few steps towards the mare. "I have also asked Shiny to train the crystal ponies in some basic martial arts, to better protect themselves, but wether he will remember that I have is another matter," she added with a wistful smirk. She trotted around the room, slowly getting used to her newly re-energised body, testing the limits of the loaned power, before heading to the grand mare, giving her a soft nuzzle to the neck. "I could have the artificers create a room to your liking if you would like. They crafted a room that reminds me of my forest home in less than a day, I am sure they could fashion something that will soothe your stay here. It could become your room perminantly, and allow you to come visit more often," she said with a smile. She was already on the way to the door before she had finished, pulling the thing open with a flare of magical pink energy from her horn. "And, I trust you are hungry. I know a magnificent restaurant quite close by that serves the best pasta you will have ever had!" she added, smiling as she turned back to the mare.

Cadence was rather overwhelmed by the rush of it all. She took her badge, noting with glee that it simply said Cadence, not Princess, or her full name, which she felt was rather bloated and pretentious. Her head was spinning, so many ponies milling around, a wall of noise as conversations spread like wildfire. And not a single pony I recognise... she thought as she scanned the room as best she could. [Oh, no, wait. Is that the Equestria Games inspector? Mrs... Harsh...whinney? I believe, she mused as she recognised the rather prim and proper mare. Who very quickly became rather unproper, charging through the crowds to greet... [colour=#ee82ee]"Aunty Luna!"[/colour] Cadence exclaimed with a gasp. She had not been expecting to see the Princess of the Night here. Her head swam through a sea of emotions, excitement at seeing her aunt, to confusion and irritation that she had not been informed that she would be there, to a little sadness that the mare had gotten such attention from arriving, while most of the room were simply silent when she arrived. It was almost as though SHE were the pariah, and Luna were the popular, illistrious one. She blinked a little as she thought that, it was a terrible thing to even consider. Through her heady daze of it all, she caught the mare's eyes, and her heart all but skipped a beat. She looked truly nervous, and the weak little smile she gave betrayed her so. All her previous thoughts and jealousies vanished, and the mare began to trot purposefully through the crowds, being careful not to barge anypony aside, striding up to the mare. [colour=#ee82ee]"Mrs Harshwhinney! It may not be my place to say this, but I would like to remind you that this is EqGcon, and we are all here as guests. As equals. There are no Princesses here, only mares... and one brave little dragon boy,"[/colour] she said, glancing towards the purple dragon whose efforts had saved her people. She caught Luna's eye as she returned to face the orange mare, winking a little, one of her wings sneakily brushing against the mare's side to show her a little comfort. [colour=#ee82ee]"Now..."[/colour] she said, coughing a little. She knew that this would be embarassing for her, but to break the tension in the room, it had to be done. She had been speaking eloquently all her life, but she felt her formal tone needed to be replaced with something more befitting the town, and the event. [colour=#ee82ee]"Ain't this supposedta be a party?"[/colour] she said, squeaking nervously as she did so.​

As Cadence was carefully brought to one side, she could feel something rising inside her, a rebellious urge that she had to put some effort into quashing. She wanted to just charge through the crowd, gallop up to Luna and have her picture taken. Wasn't it her right? She was the mare's adoptive niece, after all. However, she was able to suppress the urge, but she most certainly was not done with the situation yet. "Shiny, I do not need you to explain. You were late. Again. It could have been because you fell asleep in the park, or it could have been because you were saving ponyville from a giant, pony eating hamster. I know it is selfish of me to say this, but you are my husband, and I would have thought that you would have put me first, or at least had the decency to send word to me, to have me woken earlier..." she whispered as she slipped from his grip. "Now I have something I wish to do, before I am rigged up into whatever frilly little thing I am supposed to be wearing tonight," she added, turning back to the Colonel. "Colonel. If you still be willing, I would graciously like to accept your offer of escorting me to my dear Aunt," she said with a delicate little bow, turning away from Shining Armor, letting her tail pat against his face, not a hard impact, but one that would let him know that, while she was still angry with him for being late, she was not upset. A playful little gesture to make him aware that she was still in good spirits.

As she lay there upon the sofa, she could feel the alicorn's energy revitalising her, filling her body with the energy it needed to secure itself a little more. No longer was she feeling deathly fatigued, and she could move her body freely without feeling like the weight of the entire nation rested upon her wings. "Aunty Luna..." she mumbled softly, nuzzling into the mare despite herself. It was a hidden secret of hers that she had long wanted to get to know her new aunt better, but what with her past, and her rather old fashioned methods of speaking and acting, she had been too afraid to bridge the gap between them. In a way, she was a little thankful that the nightmares had done it for her. "Shining Armour has seemed... distant lately. When he is not on patrol, his is coaching the crystal ponies, and when he is home, he is usually very tired, and it is difficult for me to talk with him, or even spend time with him," she said faintly. "Do not misunderstand, I do not believe for a second that he is up to any... illicit activities. I just.... sometimes, I want to keep him to myself for a little bit, you know?" she said, blushing a little as she spoke. She hated all the selfish feelings within her, and regretted not being able to be rid of them. It seemed that even though she had mastered her magic, she still had a long way to go before she was the master of her own emotions. "As for the rest of the dream... Chrysalis is... I fear she may return, but I am prepared for that. I have plans that would stop a changeling from infiltrating the castle, and have been contemplating sending them to Aunt Celestia... I could show them to you, if you want," she said, tapping a hoof against her chin. The mare was silent for a few moments as she thought, waiting for the mare's response, before nodding in recognition of her words. "The thing that terrifies me is... well... it's... difficult to explain properly. When I enter the cave, I am supported by the crystal ponies, and by the ponies of Canterlot. But once everything gets problematic... they leave. I am left utterly alone in the darkness, with nothing but danger around me, and I am expected to cope, alone..." she said her body shaking a little as she began to speak in more detail about her dream. "The darkness is everywhere around me... how am I supposed to deal with all that on my own..." she said softly, feeling a pinching sting within her eyes as they threatened to let loose tears. She sniffed, and quickly rubbed at them, shuddering. "Aunty..." she whispered, upon hearing the mare's offer. "I... Do you not have duties in Canterlot? I do not wish to disrupt them. Please, do not feel that you have to do this for me, I-I will be fine," she began, trying to put on a brave face, and failed miserably. "Thank you, thank you so much Aunty," she said, pulling the mare in for a tighter hug, attempting to wrap her wings around the mare. After a few moments she pulled back, and sat up, looking a little embarassed by her reaction. "Uh... seeing as you are willing to stay, and this is your first time to the crystal empire in its current state, perhaps I could give you a tour of the city? There are many magnificent sights within the city itself, and many wonderful ponies to meet. If you are hungry, there are some truly amazing cafes in the city, as well as countless restaurants serving fine cuisine," she said, regaining her composure a little.

Cadence nodded her head as her name was spoken, as if she had been asked a question. The mare had barely any grasp on the situation at hand, and was yawning constantly. The butler gave a worried glance to the large dark mare, almost beseeching her to help the princess. Even her hoofmaidens looked worried, not out of fear for being close to Luna, whom none of them knew as Nightmare Moon, but only as Princess Luna, thanks to their Imprisonment by the evil king. The crystalline ponies aided their princess into the capable touch of the nightly mare, watching in awe as her magnificent, sparkling magical energy began to levitate the mare's wings with barely a thought from the larger alicorn. When her name was spoken again, Cadence nodded once more, grumbling a little. "I am capable of doing this myself you know..." she muttered as her aunt aided her towards the voluptuous sofa, which ballooned high above them, with soft velvet cushions that seemed to mold themselves to whatever form pressed into them, whilst still remaining malleable enough to move about with ease. The pink princess listened to her aunt's words, drifting in and out as she sat there. Several times already she had contemplated sleep, but she knew that was not an option. Better to get lectured than to go back to what awaited her there. Yawning loudly, she blinked once or twice, looking over at the mare, whom she realised had stopped talking. Sheepishly, she glanced to one side, and coughed. "Um... I must confess, I drifted a little there, but I can easily guess why you are here, Aunty. I've not been sleeping. I... I can't. It's just... there's something in my dreams, something that I cannot face. Not alone," she said faintly, looking down into the large red cushion, her face flustered with embarassment, not only at the silliness of the statement, but at the fact that it had taken her own aunt, the Princess of the Night, to come and speak to her, to get any sort of confession out of her. For the last few nights now, she had been fooling her servants, making them think that she was asleep, when in fact she had been busying herself with various hobbies, silly attempts to keep her mind occupied, and sharp, but it had all failed. She was failing at keeping an appearance up in front of her servants, and she had almost lost her composure the day before, in front of a group of schoolfillies. "Shining Armour is out on a mission. I cannot get in contact with Twilight, or Aunt Celestia, and, um... I still do not know you well enough to be in personal correspondance with you, I am sorry. I did not wish to disturb you with my problems, and yet, here you are... you have come all this way, just for me. Thank you, Aunty Luna," she said softly, resting her head against the mare. "I... I can't sleep," she whispered, closing her eyes tightly as she shuddered. "I'm sorry."

"Good evening, your Highness." Cadence winced upon hearing those words. She seemed to recognise the voice from somewhere, but it was not the source of the words that made her ill at ease, rather, the words themselves. It seemed the simple illusion spell she had been attempting to cast upon herself to make her look more like a unicorn model, instead of the alicorn that she was, had utterly failed. 'Well, of course it did, it's not like your magic's meant for things like that, you fool,' she chided herself as she put on a forced smile, and turned to the pony who had addressed her, bowing low. "And a good evening to you to... Colonel," she said, recognising the pips upon the stallion's insignia, due to her many an hour sat with Shiny going over his military training. She had enjoyed the time back then, even if the stallion had seemed a little over zealous about it, it had been time spend alongside the stallion whom she adored. Now, however, he was nowhere to be seen, and here she was, she realised, in a room full of ponies who wanted to see the Princesses, looking lost and alone, and more than a little out of place. "Do forgive my appearance. I had hoped to get a picture with my aunts as simply their niece, and no as another royal. A foolish and somewhat selfish act, I will admit, to my shame," she said, hanging her head low. And then the hoof came to her shoulder. As she felt it, she turned her head, looking across with her eyes wide and sad, as the white stallion grinned his silly little grin, and mumbled. "Honey... hi." Cadence let herself fall against the stallion with a little whimper, forgetting for the moment that she was in the company of what was more than likely a superior to her husband, at least, within the army that was. Shiny was still Prince Regent, and held high station within the Empire. But, of course, they were not there. "Shiny, I'm so sorry... I've made a mess out of everything," she mumbled weakly, resting her head against the pony's chest, her eyes clenched tightly shut. "I've ruined your evening, I've ruined Aunty Luna's evening, I've just made everything... just... wrong." The mare pulled back from her beau, sniffing slightly, using one of her wings to wipe her cheek free of moisture. "Is there any way you can forgive me?" she asked, sniffing faintly. A small thought in the back of her mind, however, was screaming with rage at her. How could she be so stupid, all of this was HIS fault. If he had woken her up in time, none of this would have occured! The mare shuddered a little, and pushed that voice aside, putting on a brave face for the crowds that were forming. "I do not know what to do now... perhaps I should just come clean... Colonel, do you think, if I were to propose my selfish want to the crowd, that they might allow me my silly little request, before I put on something a little bit more appropriate?" she asked. As she waited for an answer, she leaned in against her husband once again. "Where were you? I asked you to get back here an hour before the ceremonies started!" she snapped to him, in a hushed whisper.

"Certainly, Your Royal Highness. Please make your way to the Lapis Lounge, where your every need shall be tended to. I am Bauxite Shale, humble butler to the castle. Please do excuse me," the stallion replied with a bow, a hoof sweeping low as he did so. He then turned, and paced off, with haste but without speed. Cadence lay upon her bed, listening to the hustle and bustle of the castle around her. Her room was quite unlike the rest of the rooms in the castle, she had specifically requested that a layer of wood be placed around the walls of her chamber, to remind her of her forest beginnings. This was her private place, somewhere that even her husband asked before entering. It was where she went to to escape the pressures of being a ruler, and it had been where she had been sleeping the past few days, even though sleep was a very loose term for the activites she had been partaking in. For the last few nights, Cadence had been too scared to sleep. Her dreaming world had become one too terrifying for her to enter, and it had left her with swollen, baggy eyes, unkempt fur and a fairly bedraggled mane. As she listened, she heard the echo of hooves against the floors, and a thunder of knocking against her door. She sighed, and sat up slowly. From beyond the door, a voice called out. "My Lady. Princess Luna is here! She wishes to see you right away!" a stallion called out, before hurrying away, as crystal ponies in the room beyond her own began to feverishly move about. Cadence let out a gentle groan, and stood slowly, wobbling about a little upon her hooves. The mare barely noticed as her hoofservants tended to her appearance, smoothing out her fur and combing her mane, making her at least presentable. She was given the official regalia of the empire, and her crown, which she let rest right against her horn, the headwear threatening to tumble or spin at any moment, a threat doubled by the princesses hung head and slow gait. Her wings were sluped, and dragged against the floor as she walked, despite the best efforts of the crystalline ponies about her to keep them close to the mare's body. They steered the sleep deprived alicorn through the crystal castle, to a room full of luxuriant furniture. At one end of the expansive room, there was a log fire, which gave the room a hazy glow, as it's light reflected through the light blue crystal of the room itself. Several book cases, in deep mahogany, lined the room, filled with classic and modern fiction, as well as dozens of scientific, historic and magical tomes. "Aunty Luna," Cadence croaked as she regarded the midnight mare, bowing her head with respect. "To what do I oooaaaaaahhhhhh! Owe the pleasure?" she went on, her own words interrupted by a heavy yawn, one that made her shudder, and her eyes water. The mare wiped away the moisture from her eye, rubbing at it with her hoof. "And at such short notice, too. Please, forgive my appearance," she said faintly, looking down at her limp wings and loose, unkempt dress.

'Not again, not again, NOT AGAIN!' Cadence whimpered to herself as she ran through the hallways of the castle, her hooves echoing in the empty passageways with every heavy thud. Her dress was flapping about upon her, all asunder due to her hastily tugging the thing on, her crown was crooked upon her head, and one of her hoofguards was on sideways. "Every time I tell Shiny to wake me up, he forgets, and I oversleep! I swear, that stallion has his head in the clouds more than most pegasi!" she grumbled to herself as she skidded around a corner, taking the opportunity to adjust her vestments as best she could. The mare's mane was mercifully free of tangles, and would merely need setting in place to look proper, and it billowed behind her as she ran. Sometimes, she lamented the fact that her hair had yet to take on a more ethereal quality that her aunts had, it would make tending to it a lot easier, but, at the same time, she was a little glad that she was still on the same level as other ponies. And, in fact, technically at a lower station than her subjects. Her body didn't sparkle, her hair didn't glitter and glow, and despite her best efforts, she felt no resonance with the crystals that made up her usual home. She cared deeply for the ponies of the Crystal Empire, but she sometimes couldn't shake the fact that she was an outsider, a pony not born from there, and thus, never truly able to understand all the feelings of her countryponies. 'Stop that Cadence, this is no time to get worked up. It's going to be a fun evening!' she chided herself as she carried on through the halls, more and more servant ponies being seen going about their jobs, somewhat oblivious to the galloping mare. She skidded to a halt atop a balcony, that looked over the foyer, the salmon coloured mare gasped. Of course they had started without her. It would be foolish to expect them to wait. And yet, deep within her, the mare felt a little sad. She couldn't really explain it, but, to her, Canterlot was still her home, and she felt a little... unnecessary. With three other princesses to chose from, the ponies of the city had their pick of pretty ponies. And this night, it seemed, they had chosen her Aunty Luna. Cadence turned slowly upon the balcony, slumping behind the ballistrade. She began fixing her dress, a gaudy thing that she had chosen because she thought the affair would be full of glamour and pomp, regretting it as she looked down at her aunt's muted, refined attire. She removed the crown from her head, and politely asked one of the servants to return it to her quarters, along with her hoof guards and the rest of her gems. Finally, when no-pony was looking, she removed the dress, leaving her utterly devoid of finery. She quickly scanned the crowd to find a safe and hidden place to land, and, as attention was drawn towards the dark mare, she dropped down into the crowd. 'Here, I'm not a princess. I'm just a pony,' she thought to herself, as she paced towards the queue of ponies waiting to have their picture taken with the regal mare, the Princess of the Night.

Princess of Lurve will be in on this

Princess MiAmore Cadenza still very much open for RPs people! Any ideas considered!