SteelEagle

Muziki was never bored in Ponyville. It was so different from everywhere else she had lived. It was not the hustle and the bustle of the big city, nor the scenic panorama of the nomadic Savannah of her birth nation. It was the middle ground, and she knew for a fact that every day it seemed like she understood it more and more. The very act of learning ponies both in their small day to day ways and in the larger mythos that informed them was worth every bit of her love and attention. It was harder to translate it into unique Unyasan bard ballads sometimes, but worth the effort in any case. But she had to admit that she was mostly just being a passive creature in Ponyville. She read, she listened, she took part in classes but she didn't get to experience the same history as they had lived. So no, she wasn't bored, not at all, but that adventurous spirit that burned within her was not being well tended. So it was when she started seeing all these flyers plastered around town promising adventure and danger and treasure and all those things that she was assured waited at the very heart of a good adventure. And so it was she approached Dark Core, trotting happily. She had a large saddlebag well-stuffed and stocked, and her green and blue bardic hat on just so with a recently acquired pegasi feather sticking out of it (she loved to tease that silly colt). She found the Dark Core and his little colonel croaky as well as a well-looking mare with a cart. What a good group! She bounded up to the Dark Core, whom she had seen once in a blue moon, a little note sticking out. "He-" she started, then remembered to spit the note out, "-pssbbs, okay, there going now. Okay, hello there! I am Muziki, and umm, I have heard that you are going on big danger adventure and treasure hunting?" She beamed happily before reaching back down to pick the note up. "I asked ma and pa if it okay and they said yes and give note. Umm, maybe they not know badland! No matter! This is permission slip. May I be in adventure now?"

“Well, that sounds like a real good idea. Got so excited when Ah was told you were on yer way that I forgot to eat breakfast!” Apple Bloom laughed as she picked up the pace. “Come on, just gotta get ready,” she said as she led Babs to the hotel. It wasn’t the fanciest hotel in the city. Wasn’t as if she was here to see the royals or nothing. The lobby was well-staffed and the ponies were nice enough, but it was off the main road in a secondary business district. Everything had that nice plastic sheen you saw on new places. She went up two flights of stairs and opened up her hotel room. It was a mess. Energetic pups, and Diamond Dogs beyond that, required a level of care and coordination that was hard to maintain. And with them being such bundles of joy and ceaseless energy, well, she was just happy it wasn’t worse. Covers were throw wildly, toys were strewn about, and her own clothes were still somehow neatly set aside. “Make yerself at home. Ah know they have,” she laugh as she shook the baskets off and onto the bed.

It was always interesting, watching sentient, intelligent creatures devolve ever briefly to their baser instincts. The way Niilaavin flared himself to appear more threatening, The way he approached her, held the scruff od her neck, controlled, then licked and purred her. It was a good reminder that they were all animals of different sizes and wavelengths, only a few steps removed from their feral cousins. If such a thought was given influence by Jizara, it was given certainty by Niilaavin. If anything, Jizara seemed to have better control of herself considering she just underwent a dramatic and irreversible species change. Of course, Twilight was certain that in about a second or two they were going to experience the most physically exciting part of Cadance’s domain, so she was quick to speak. “No price, Niilaavin. Jizara is finally herself. I hope you two are able to find your own happiness and harmony in each other’s paws, even as you embark on the custodial role of nation-builders together. There remains just one more thing,” Twilight said as she took a quick breath. She looked at the bands and her horn glowed. She knew she could just destroy them, but that could damage Niil and she did not wish to harm him. It was one of the better defenses against a powerful magical being, make it so that the power itself gave no grand benefit past a certain point. A few different attempts at scouting revealed how well made these cruel bands were. And so her magic traveled back in time, looking for cracks in its metaphysical armor through the eons. Not one. She then went back to the time of their creation- no, indeed they had warded the work before the work began. She went back even further, tracking the base materials used in its creation. She created impurities and magical backdoors to either weaken the work imperceptibly or allow her to override the band. Nothing changed; they were made by somecreature that put great effort into only using the best materials. No matter. She created a new element, a new material, localized it in the time and place of the band’s creation. It had all the strengths and qualities and protections and was for all intents and purposes an atomically correct replica of the source material. All she added was the faintest and lightest of touch, something so absurdly minimal that even Twilight, knowing what it was and what to look for and having placed it there herself, could only barely discover it. Happily, the bands were now made of this material as they always had been. She scanned the bands and found the trail of magic she had left behind. Like picking a lock she moved her magic, working through the personal ley line stealthily added into the material. Finally the bands came off, releasing Niil from them once and forever. She lifted the bands and put them on the table. “There. Now you can act as a ruler should- no chains on you,” she smiled mischievously, her eyes twinkling something fierce. “Maybe I can resize them for Blue?” Cadance allowed herself to simply focus on the happy couple. Niilaavin likely did not know it, but she had infused the teleportation they had undergone with a bit of influence tailored to him. Not that he would need any cause to become so very interested in her, but to be clear, the chances of a litter being bred in the here and now was much higher than normal. Considering a primary goal of the day’s festivities was ensuring the survival of the species, a good decision on her part. She focused on the happy couple, the power of their affections acting as a warm salve to her. Her wings stayed close to her but shifted ever so slightly above, allowing the smallest of air currents to pass through to cool her body as it grew warm. She did manage to see North Wind, and she leaned over and whispered lowly. “How are you feeling about all this?”

“Mane in Manehattan?” Apple Bloom snorted, sounding more and more like her older sister the older she got. “Well, Ah ‘spose that name is as good as any. Pretty nifty, if ya ask me. Ain’t gotta guess what’s up thar,” she said as she beamed at the prodding about Russet. “He sure is,” she said as she gently lifted up the lid to the other basket. There, Roxbury Russet was sleeping, tongue lolling outed, clutching an even smaller plush. His features were more pony the further up you went aside from the ears and tongue, and more diamond dog the further down you went. “He’s a real sweetheart, that one,” she said as she closed the basket. “Applejack was supposed ta tell me? Well, that explains it. Mah sister has had her head tossed here, there, everywhere lately, what with Rainbow and her own kids, tha farm, an’ everything else on her plate. That’s why Ah’m here, actually. She is getting an award of some kind an’ she asked me ta represent her. Not a bad way ta get out of work for a while, right?” She laughed, then nodded towards a nearby hotel. “They’re paying for mah room at tha Shimmering Suites. Wanna come in?’

Apple Bloom smiled. “Where do ya work, exactly?” Of course Babs would be open to doing her mane. She would do it even if it wasn’t her special talent- cousins would be cousins after all. But for all that and two buckets more she was happy to have that on her schedule. She hadn’t had a good mane care day in forever and an hour. She wasn’t like Sweetie or Rarity mind you, but she found herself enjoying a bit of care more than some of her family. “She sure is a cutie. She’s a Diamond Dog through and through- that’s been a whole mess and a half in and of itself, let me tell ya- but her brother is a hybrid. Cute fella, for sure,” she said, wondering whether to wake Roxbury up or not. She decided not to. He was a very concerted sleeper and she’d hate to wake him while he displayed the one-true talent he had already displayed. She was quiet on the someone special line, though she didn’t give a wince or anything of the sort. Truth was, it was all a blur. She had been traveling on Tempest’s airship seeing the world and having a true- blue adventure away from home when they ran across a village in the path of a terrible tornado. One thing led to another and she was being treated like a hero by the town. Drinks were shared and- well, one thing led to two pups, but for the life of her she couldn’t quite put her hoof on the name of the Diamond Dog who laid her up fierce and true. “Well, Ah’m just glad yer out an’ about. Strange we’re meeting here in tha Crystal Empire, though. How’d ya know Ah was gonna be here?”

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...

“Mane care? Well, Ah reckoned it’d be somethin’ like that. Ah’ll have ta have you come by and do mah mane ‘fore Ah pick up AJ’s reward,” Apple Bloom laughed heartily as she turned about and trotted side by side with Babs. She was pretty certain that Babs was one of the best mane care specialists in the whole city because she sure as shine didn’t look like it. She had to work at it, had to find it, search for it. And she thought that was neat! “Awww, thank ya for tha gift. It looks real pretty,” she said as she went to try it on. Her mane had grown and it needed to adjust- no matter. She knew she’d make it work! “Pups,” she corrected. Not that she blamed her. A lot of ponies she knew somewhat distantly or saw rarely heard she had some kids, thought (of course) they were foals. Not many of them knew the father was a Diamond Dog. “Ah reckon-” she began before, on cue, Honeygold pushed up on her basket, the little pup only half away. She saw her momma’s ear and launched up to bit it playfully. Apple Bloom’s head jerked to that side. “Honeygold, stop yer foolin’,” she said, and the Diamond Dog obeyed. Awake, she looked at Babs curiously. “This here’s yer Aunt Babs Seed. Say hi,” Apple Bloom said, nearly cooing as Honeygold waved a paw and started dropping back down into her basket. “That there is Honeygold. Her brother is Roxbury Russet.”

Apple Bloom had taken up the offer to collect some sort of reward for Applejack that was being given out in the Crystal Empire more readily than she’d care to admit. Ever since she had her pups it had been work, work, work. She was a young mare but golly, she didn’t think all her energy could be used up so quickly and readily like this! Still, Applejack was indisposed in some manner with RD and the trip was all expenses paid. She could use the vacation. She had been in the Empire for just a night when she received a message that her cousin Babs Seed was coming into the Empire. Well, that seemed awfully convenient! Apple Bloom wasn’t gonna look the gift-horse in the mouth though. She made sure she looked presentable, with a saddlebag on her bag and two large side baskets. Roxbury Russet in the left, Honeygold in the right. Luckily they were both asleep as the cold wind blew through the train station. It didn’t take long before Apple Bloom saw Babs and trotted up to the mare, giving her a big hug. “Well, if it ain’t Babs Seed! Ain’t seen ya in a while, cuz,” she said, letting go of the hug and taking a look. “An’ look at tha state of ya! How’s Manehattan treatin’ ya?”

“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.

Sunny thought about it for a small moment. If he knew her, she assumed that he had to know about her friends. Of course, maybe he knew of them but not well enough to have a full accounting of their names. pony names could at times confuse or frustrate other creatures, or so the old stories told her. She nodded and cantered on over to a wall that had pictures of her and her friends during their new and joy-filled lives in Maretime Bay. "Princess Pipp Petals of Zephyr Heights. We just call her Pipp!" She said, pointing at a picture of Pipp as she performed at Mane Melody. "She also owns the new mane-care saloon on the boardtrot," she said as she turned back to Allegro, beaming. "I'm sure you've seen her! She is very creative. If anypony could help us create an awesome costume, it would be her!"

When Flurry Heart was out of view, Cadance allowed herself a moment to think deeper about the day’s plans. Fact was, she was not Twilight. There were many reasons why that statement was true, but for today the primary one was that she had grown up a pegasus raised in large by earth ponies. By the time she had magic and Celestia found her, she had her cutie mark. From there she had learned quickly, thanks to some very hooves on training from Celestia. But there was no denying that she lacked a certain degree of finesse, knowledge, and power. Despite being an Alicorn, in all magic not directly related to love Cadance was only above-average. There were plenty of unicorns who were stronger than her, more refined, more efficient, more creative than she was. She had immense power, true, but she never had the proper training as a young filly to mold her magical self to use it well. She didn’t find that it ever really mattered, of course, and with Twilight’s help she had learned a lot of tricks on how to manipulate her own magic to get the best results. More importantly, she had her husband. He had lived his whole life in a family that valued knowledge and learning, and this had translated into a proper magical education and training for the young colt. As he became a stallion- and what a stallion at that!- his diligence and commitment to becoming the best Shining Armor he could be for himself, for Cadance, and for the Princesses had given him a lifetime of training and study that she found invaluable to lean on. Now it was their daughter who would hopefully benefit from this. There were many things only Cadance could help with as an Alicorn, but what she needed more than anything else was somepony who was astute and had the experience of growing up with magic. Shining Armor would as invaluable in her education as he was in so many other ways. Cadance allowed these thoughts to dance at the edge as she started finishing breakfast for her family, the night still fighting to remain relevant ever longer...

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.