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.