Dear Papa,

It's been a few days since the… incident I told you about last time I wrote. I hope you're not too disappointed in me. I really should have been a better friend to Tea. Ginga always told me I can be a little dense when it comes to reading people sometimes. I guess that's why she's an investigator and I'm not.

But things have been going well now. We've all started doing counseling with Tea and Dr. Shamal to help with our… issues? Yeah, issues. I think it should really help Tea and Scootaloo a lot, since they seem to need it the most.

As for our training, Twilight's finally given us the go-ahead to start training with our Devices' alternate forms. I can't wait to show Ginga Mach Caliber's power now!

---

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Vita let out an irritated growl as her Schwalbefleigen spheres collided harmlessly with the pillars of stone that dotted the landscape. Clouds of pulverized stone and metal wafted up through the air, doing little to hide the pair of Road spells that sliced and swerved through the air like colorful ribbons.

Okay, who thought it'd be a good idea to make the two of them even faster? Vita's eyes narrowed as she lifted Graf Eisen, the mallet's head gleaming in the sunlight. It's hardly fair if they can outrun my damned Schwalbefleigen.

Hey, you're the one who wanted to go after Stars Squad, Trixie's telepathic voice noted playfully. Besides, we haven't been teaching these kids to fight 'fair.'

Hold that thought, Mistress, Vita grunted as she conjured another quartet of spheres. She eyed the quickly turning blue energy ribbon and purple fog bank, the shapes skating atop them quickly angling back towards her. She swung her arm out again and again, summoning another eight spheres before she pulled Graf Eisen back.

"Let's see if we can nail them this time, Graf Eisen!"

"JAWHOL!" The Device shouted in joy as she swung, each powerful sweep sending a volley coursing out towards their targets. Twelve streaks of red shot towards the approaching targets.

The leading set exploded in mid-air as orange bolts of light shot out from the rocky floor below, intercepting them.

Vita smirked. There you are, little brat… She dove towards the source of the shots, dismissively swatting the incoming blasts with swings of her hammer. Soon, she was almost on top of Teana Lanster. The girl, to give her credit, tried to dive out of the way as Vita swung and connected...

…which caused 'Teana' to vanish in a swirl of orange mana.

Scheiße! An illusion! Vita spun about as she heard the soft vmm of the girl's tow line. Teana was rocketing up a nearby column, a pair of thin orange tethers pulling her along. Vita growled and started to pursue her, right before she found herself intercepted by a familiar duo.

"SHRIKE SPEAR!"

"REVOLVER CANNON!"

Subaru and Scootaloo launched their attacks together. Vita summoned a Panzerschild to block the smashing and piercing combination, the whine of Subaru's Revolver Knuckle and the staccato crackle of Scootaloo's conical jackhammer almost deafening.

Vita could see the alterations caused by the new modes Shari had unlocked. Subaru's skates were now adorned by a pair of blue energy wings thanks to what Shari called 'Gear Soar.' The name was ridiculous, but even Vita had to admit the difference in speed between it and Gear Gallop was impressive. Scootaloo's hooves, meanwhile, were sheathed in a vortex of purple-tinted air thanks to what Shari called 'Tornado Form.'

As if Scootaloo needed to go any faster… Vita stepped back as she held the shield spell up, though cracks were rapidly forming on the surface. The shield soon shattered inwards under the force of their attacks. Vita leapt backwards as the duo broke through, letting them hit empty air.

"Graf Eisen, Raketenform!" Vita swung her hammer around as the Device let out a reply, the head shifting from its traditional flat mallet into a sharp cone-and-jet-nozzle configuration. "Alright kids, come and get me!"

Scootaloo and Subaru glanced at each other, then nodded and shot towards her, their skates sending up sparks as they skimmed across the ground.

Vita swung, Graf Eisen's rocket engine igniting with each strike. The pair dodged out of the way, quickly darting in and out of attack range while launching their own attacks. Vita's off hand jerked up, calling up a small Panzerhindernis to intercept their punches and kicks. Despite her irritation, however, Vita had to admit that she was actually enjoying herself.

I wonder if this is how Signum feels when she's dueling Fate. Vita smirked as Scootaloo's wings flared, pushing her backwards as Vita swung at her. She quickly parried Subaru's incoming punch with her off hand before launching a back-handed swing at the blue-haired girl. Subaru parried with her own Barrier, leaping backward and letting the force of the blow push her away.

Both of the Stars Squad skaters drew back before they came back in at full throttle, clearly planning to pincer her between them. Vita smirked, then shot upwards into the air with a boost from Graf Eisen's rocket engine. Just as she was about to speak, however, she felt something impact against her back. Motes of orange mana scattered past her head as she jerked forwards as the Variable Barret collided with her Knight Clothing.

"Alright!" Scootaloo exulted as Vita regained her footing mid-air. "Score one for the Stars Squad's resident sniper! Wooo!"

"Yeah, yeah," Vita snorted, though she couldn't help but smirk as Scootaloo and Subaru bumped gauntlets. "Good job, the lot of you. This just means that I have to take you seriously next round."

---

Meanwhile, Fate Testarossa-Sparkle was having trouble in another part of the training field.

The ringing of metal-on-metal filled the air as Fate and Erio squared off. The young boy stabbed and slashed at Fate, Strada's chisel-tipped blade clashing with Bardiche's head and shaft as Fate danced away.

"Your spear handling has improved, but you're still too aggressive," Fate said as she hooked Bardiche's blade around Strada's shaft. Her horn ignited as she pulled along with her Device and dragged Erio off balance. Erio dove forward, following the pull and landing in a roll behind Fate.

"No such thing!"

Fate turned as Spike roared and charged her on all fours. The purple dragon leapt upward and let out a great gout of green flame. Fate's form flickered out as she Blitz Rushed out of the way of the blast, sparks of golden lightning crackling along her hooves as she came to a stop. However, Spike landed and lunged toward her.

"DEFENSER PLUS," Bardiche announced, a golden Mid-Childan circle blocking Spike's punch.

"That's entirely your opinion," Fate replied calmly. "Bardiche?"

"CRESCENT FORM!"

There was a loud crackle as Bardiche's head rotated, a broad blade of golden plasma extending outwards into a scythe. Fate dropped her shield spell and swung. Spike simply raised an arm as a pink field swept up his arm, catching and parrying the blade for him.

Ah, there we go… no wonder Spike held off for so long. Fate glanced skyward as Caro swept by on Friedrich's back. She could see the spell loops circling the girl's outstretched hand. That must be Kerykeion's Guardian Mode…

"Hey! Eyes on me, Fate!"

Fate smirked as she parried Spike's strikes, sparks of pink and gold mana flying as they parried and slashed at each other. Spike wasn't even worrying about defense; Fate's blows glanced off of Caro's field spell, allowing Spike to focus entirely on trying to punch or flambé her.

Fate swung Bardiche back and sent a mental command to him. The Device responded promptly.

"CRESCENT ARC!"

She leapt backward and swept Bardiche upwards, launching a whirling buzz saw of plasma at Spike. The dragon's eyes widened before he reached out and grabbed the loop of energy, his toes digging into the ground as the spell ground against Caro's defensive spell. Much to Fate's approval, the dragon pushed the arc upwards and let it fly away, though she could see the field guttering and sputtering.

Of course, Fate didn't stick around. She launched herself skyward, a new blade of plasma forming as she streaked toward Friedrich and his rider.

"Friedrich!" Caro tugged on the shimmering reins as she held up her free hand. The dragon roared and released a blast of orange fire in her direction. Fate dodged out of the way, her cloak fluttering as she flew. A pink summoning square formed above Caro as she raised her hand, then pointed imperiously at Fate.

"ALCHEMIC CHAIN!"

There was a rustle of steel as proto-matter emerged from the square and transformed into numerous metallic chains. The lengths of steel wove through the air towards Fate, only to be slashed apart with a blurred swing of Fate's scythe. Caro let out a squeak and raised both hands, summoning a pink Barrier as Fate swept in and slashed at her, sending out a spray of golden sparks.

"Very nice," she complemented before she flashed away, deftly avoiding Friedrich's fire-breath. She quickly circled overhead and peered down at the others on the ground, which was why she saw the shift before she heard the effects.

"DÜSENFORM," Strada announced as four nozzles extended beneath Strada's blade, two on each side. Another nozzle extended from the butt of the Device's shaft as Erio leveled it in Fate's direction.

Spike, meanwhile, had taken a solid stand and thrust both of his hands outward. Ritterherz's core flashed and let out a roar as his gauntlets and grieves shifted, small draconic wings extending from his wrists and ankles.

"Let's go, Spike!" Erio clenched tight as the Device fired off a cartridge, a golden Belkan triangle flashing beneath him as the Device's engines let out a whine.

"Right with you, Erio!" Spike inhaled deeply, then closed his eyes. Emerald green flames erupted from his wrists and ankles as Ritterherz let out another mighty roar. His own emerald green Belkan triangle flashed into existence around his feet.

"SPEERANGRIFF!"

"Drachenatem," Spike invoked as he crouched slightly. "Flügel!"

There was a thunderous explosion as both Erio and Spike rocketed up towards her, propelled by jets of plasma and dragon-flame, respectively. Fate smiled and darted backwards as they rocketed past her, her horn lighting up.

"STRIKE LIGHTNING!"

Bolts of lightning shot out from her horn and zigzagged through the sky after Erio and Spike. Erio released his spear and dove down through the web of electricity, while Spike finished the arc of his rocket-assisted leap, turned, and blasted down after him. Strada's rockets fired, the spear quickly re-orienting itself before chasing after its master.

"Clever," Fate aimed her horn at the pair and focused. Spike let out a shout as a square-shaped Bind snapped around his tail, jerking him to a sudden stop. Erio, meanwhile, reached out and grabbed onto Strada's shaft as it passed by. Her eyes widened as he rapidly rocketed toward the ground with no signs of stopping.

Her horn ignited as she dove after Erio, her body flashing instantly into a Blitz Rush in order to get past him. She landed in a crouch on the ground beneath him as she hurled her telekinesis upwards to catch him.

"Strada! Strada deactivate!" Erio shouted, then let out an 'oof' as he landed on the golden nimbus of Fate's magic.

There was a loud hiss as the spear's jets deactivated. Fate swung Bardiche about, the axe's core gem flashing as another bind caught Strada in mid-air, promptly stopping it a scant few inches above the ground.

"Looks like the two of you need a bit more practice flying," Fate said as she lowered Erio to the ground.

"Yeah," Erio said as he landed. "So... I guess I'm out?"

"Well..." Fate smiled, "unless you can defeat me right-"

And then Fate found herself smashed onto the ground beneath a surprisingly heavy silver-scaled dragon.

"Friedrich! You landed on her! Folaas!" Caro scrambled off of her draconic companion and landed daintily on the ground. "Captain Testarossa-Sparkle, are you okay?" "Fine," Fate said with as much cheer as she could manage as Friedrich took to the air again. "My Barrier Jacket soaked most of the impact..."

"I'm so, so sorry." Caro shuffled nervously, then shot the Soaring Silver Dragon a very angry look. "That was uncalled for, Fried! Folaas! Rinik Folaas, Friedrich!"

Friedrich let out an irritated trill.

"I don't care if it was effective! Say you're sorry."

Friedrich snorted as his great wings flapped.

"It's fine," Fate said gently as she got to her feet. "I've been hit by worse."

Caro sighed, then quickly turned to Erio. "Are you okay, Erio?"

"I'm fine. I'm still getting used to Strada's Jet Form..."

"You really need to be more careful, Erio," Caro scolded. "You can't just launch yourself like that without any control! You're not as sturdy as Spike is. Wait..." Caro glanced around. "Is Spike still..."

"Hey," Spike shouted from his spot in mid-air, "could you let me down now!?"

Fate sighed and flicked her horn, releasing the spell. Spike, to his credit, flipped as he fell and landed on the ground in a three-point crouch no worse for the wear.

"Alright everyone," Fate said as Erio collected Strada, "it's clear some of you still need a little practice maneuvering in the air safely. However, given Friedrich's... unorthodox method of landing a hit on me, I'll count this as a win for your side."

---

Ginga Nakajima stared at the hovering holographic screens, watching the two squads with slowly mounting amazement. She knew Subaru was getting special training, but she hadn't expected something quite like this…

"How're they looking, Shari?"

Ginga glanced over to the Device Meister as Twilight addressed her. Shari was busy typing away on her keyboard, her eyes flicking hurriedly through the dozen or so monitors floating around her.

"So far, so good," Shari replied distractedly. "It looks like Subaru's finally gotten the hang of Gear Soar's enhanced acceleration, while the power of Scootaloo's spells has increased within expected parameters. Still need to work on Strada, though..."

"What do you think, Ginga?" Twilight turned to her. "You know Subaru; what do you think of her progress?"

"It's… impressive, to say the least. I knew Subaru had gotten a new Device, but I hadn't expected it to be so… potent."

"I'll admit, I might have gone a bit overboard," Shari said, glancing over at Ginga. "All of the Devices I designed are heavily modular and meant to adapt to multiple situations in the field. The one I built for you is much simpler compared to Mach Caliber, but the overall performance is much more balanced."

'Thanks for that, by the way," Ginga glanced down at the purple jewel dangling about her neck, then turned back to Twilight. "Anyway, Subaru's gotten a lot better from what little I've seen. It's pretty clear she's growing well under your teaching."

Twilight blushed. "Well, I can't take all the credit. She does hand-to-hand with Zafira, defense magic from Yuuno and Vita… I've been working with her on ranged combat, but overall I'm just one of many teachers she has."

"And yet you're the one she talks about the most."

There was a flicker of light that caught both her and Twilight's attention as a tiny alicorn warped into the air between them. Reinforce hovered in the air, giving a polite nod to Ginga before turning to Twilight. "My apologies, Twilight Sparkle. My Mistress is running a bit late…"

"That's fine, Reinforce. Let me guess, more reports to Director Gracia?"

Ginga stared as Twilight and Reinforce casually chatted with each other, then slowly slipped around and over to Shari's side. "Uh," she said to the engineer, "so, how're things going now?"

"Fine," Shari replied, then grinned as she looked at Ginga. "I had the same reaction too, in case you're wondering."

"Huh?"

Shari gestured to Twilight and Reinforce. "That."

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Ginga shook her head and sighed. "It's a little surreal, knowing just how much raw power is concentrated at this little base."

"You get used to it. Kinda."

"So, do they go like this every day?" Ginga gestured to the multiple view screens.

"No. This is a comparatively light session," Shari didn't seem to notice Ginga's surprise as she tapped on her console. "They usually do squad-based scenarios and full-contact practice during the morning session, and intensive one-on-one training during the afternoons. Training runs basically all week, though we alternate full and half-days so we don't completely destroy them."

"Sheesh. That sounds like Basic all over again. I didn't expect Twilight would be that rough on them."

"Actually, we decided on the schedule as a group."

Ginga looked back as Twilight walked over, Reinforce drifting alongside her. "Fate and I decided on this schedule as a compromise. You're welcome to join in during the group combat scenario if you like. I'd love to compare your skills against Subaru's so I can get an idea of how far she's come along."

"Sure, if you're okay with th- wait. Group combat? I assume I'd be on the Forwards side. Who's going to be the OpFor?"

"Oh, well… it'll be a group consisting of myself, Fate, Vita and Reinforce."

"Seriously?!" Ginga held up her hands defensively. "Uh, you'll forgive me if I'm a little nervous about fighting the Altenritter, the leader of the Shadowbolts, and the famous Alicorn Ace."

"Oh, don't worry," Twilight gave Ginga a sunny smile. "I won't go too hard on you."

"Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about myself," Reinforce noted. The tiny alicorn landed atop Twilight's back and flared her wings wide, a small smirk on her face. "There will be no mercy; only swift destruction. Pray to whatever deity you worship, pitiful human. You will be meeting them soon."

"Reinforce," Twilight chided as Ginga felt her face grow pale. "This is just a friendly sparring match, not a duel to the death. You don't need to scare her. Well… more than she already is."

Reinforce blinked, then frowned. "My apologies. I was attempting to emulate my Mistress's typical hyperbole and engage in some playful banter." She reached up and gingerly rubbed a hoof under her chin, eyes narrowed in thought. "Perhaps I overdid it?"

Ginga tried very hard not to quiver in her shoes. "A… a little bit, yes."

Reinforce ducked her head bashfully. "Again, I apologize. I meant it only in jest. Though given my reputation, I should not be surprised…"

"Uh… yeah. It's fine." Ginga laughed nervously. "So, does this mean you're going to go easy on the kids?"

"Oh, no," Reinforce shook her head. "I fully intend to use all appropriate spells in my arsenal to crush them. As my Meister would say, 'better the practice field than the battlefield.'"

Twilight gave Ginga a pained smile. "So… I'm guessing you're having second thoughts?"

Ginga sighed. "A bit. But despite my better judgement, I'll join in. If nothing else, I'm curious to see how well Subaru does." And maybe take some of the heat off of her…

---

About an hour later…

"Well," Reinforce said jovially as she looked at Vita, "I think they performed satisfactorily."

"Eh," Vita shrugged as she rested Graf Eisen against her shoulder. "I'd say closer to 'barely passed.' I mean, just look at them."

A weak groan came up from the assembled Forwards, who were all laid out on the ground of the S4 as the terrain faded away. Ginga and Subaru were seated back to back, while Teana looked like a stiff breeze would've knocked her over from her standing position. Scootaloo was flopped onto her belly, her legs splayed out beneath her. Caro and Erio were leaning against each other, while Spike had flopped onto his back. All seven of them looked worse for the wear, their Barrier Jackets covered with scorch marks and other clearly defined battle damage.

"I can't feel my everything," Spike groaned, smoke drifting from his nostrils. "I think I'm dying."

"Oh stop whining, you baby lizard." Vita snorted. "I didn't hit you that hard."

"You hit me with a hammer as big as I am tall!"

"Details."

"I can still see the projectiles…" Teana muttered softly as she swayed. "So many daggers… daggers everywhere…"

"I was under the impression that you could handle the projectile volume," Reinforce countered, her voice polite yet firm. "Now we know your limits, Private Lanster."

"Hooray," Teana replied as she toppled over. A magenta nimbus of light surrounded her as Twilight caught her and gently lowered her to the ground.

"I think we should probably break for the day," Twilight said as she looked the group over. "Any objections?"

"No, ma'am," the seven of them replied.

"I think that's unanimous," Twilight said as she looked to Fate. "Should we save the announcement for later, once they've recovered a bit?"

"I think so," Fate replied before addressing the group. "Feel free to return to the barracks. If you don't feel well once you've rested, report to medical for a check-up."

"Dismissed," Twilight said with a clap of her hooves.

There was another soft groan as they Forwards began picking themselves up. Subaru and Ginga smiled at each other and gently bumped their gauntleted fists. Subaru picked Teana up and slung her over one shoulder, then knelt down and hefted Scootaloo under her other arm.

"She seems to be handling this pretty well," Fate said as Ginga chuckled.

"Subaru's tough. Not as tough as me, mind," Ginga slowly stretched her arms above her head. "Still, you guys really don't hold back, do you?"

"That's the point," Fate replied as Twilight trotted over. "Enemies in the field won't hold back on them just because they're kids."

"Speaking from experience?"

Fate nodded as Twilight nuzzled her gently. "So," Twilight said as she looked up at Ginga, "what's your opinion of Subaru's progress?"

"It's impressive. She's catching up to me quicker than I expected." Ginga let out a soft grunt as she arched her spine. "I might actually have to worry about the little nerd beating me now."

"Hey, remember who you're talking to," Twilight teased. "Nerds are scary."

"No objections to that," Ginga replied with a grin. "Still, I'm surprised you're taking the lot of them to Equestria with you."

"It makes sense, if you think about it. If they're working with the Bureau they'll be working with Equestrians sooner or later. Might as well give them a bit of insight into how things work in Equestria." Twilight glanced over her shoulder at Reinforce. "Besides, this way we can work on their training while handling our… other business."

"Is that how you pitched it to Captain Harlaown?"

"Actually," Fate interjected, "it's how Captain Harlaown pitched it to the Lieutenant General. Though I think there was a bit more emphasis on 'showing the Equestrians a thing or two' added in."

Ginga rolled her eyes. "I bet."

"At any rate," Twilight said briskly, "I'd like to thank you for joining in our little sparring session. I hope you're alright; you and Subaru took a bit of a beating going up against Vita like that."

Ginga shrugged. "Eh, I'll live. The two of us are made of pretty stern stuff."

"I'll say," Vita added as she walked over. "Though really, shouldn't that be considered cheating? If I hit you with my hammer, you should stay down, not block it."

"And you were expecting an easy battle, Vita?" Reinforce floated down and landed on top of Vita's head. "Shameful. Perhaps our Mistress's overconfidence is rubbing off on you."

"Shut it, you midget alicorn," Vita said with a pout, eliciting a laugh from Twilight. "I didn't ask your opinion."

"You rarely do," Reinforce replied as she took flight. "I'm off to confer with Ms. Finieno about the data collected from today's session. Good day, everyone."

"Reinforce seems to be taking this whole visit thing in stride," Twilight noted as the tiny alicorn flew off.

"Eh, you know how she is," Vita shrugged. "She's not the sort that lets her nerves show."

"I know, but she's going in for a check-up with Princess Luna. You know how those two can be…"

"I'm sure if Reinforce had a problem with it, she would let us know," Fate interrupted. "Until then, it'd probably be best to leave her be."

---

Time-Space Administration Bureau Headquarters (AW #0)

Dimensional Sea (Coordinates 001A-1010-2271-C808-7774-A0111-626-B1625)

The Next Day

For many people who worked for the Bureau, HQ was equal parts home and workplace. A vast fortress built around a small planetoid in the Dimensional Sea, HQ was the gleaming pole-star of the Bureau's Navy and the heart of the great federation.

Thankfully, HQ was rather palatial for what was effectively a military administrative nexus and defensive base. The Dimensional Sea shimmered beyond reinforced skylights, the swirling turquoise and green expanse dotted in the distance by the lights of passing D-Ships and the rings of satellites surrounding the massive station. The insides were gleaming white, with many sections opening into wide, open expanses that wouldn't have been out of place in a shopping mall or promenade, complete with splashes of carefully tended flowers and low shrubs.

Twilight had been there before, of course, but she was still somewhat in awe of it.

"Good to be back," Chrono said as he walked alongside Twilight, much of the rest of their large party trailing behind them. "I've missed this place."

"Really?" Yuuno chuckled, his hands tucked into his pockets as he walked opposite of Chrono. "I'd think after living here so long, you'd be sick of HQ."

"Not really. This place was like my second home during my training. Then again, I can see why you'd think that, ferret boy."

Yuuno snorted. "I'll admit, it's a nice place. I just prefer being on an actual world instead of hanging out in the middle of the dimensional sea."

"On that, we can agree," Twilight added, glancing up towards the enormous skylight overhead. "I'd go crazy looking at that day in and day out. Give me an actual sky any time…"

"That explains a few things about Chrono," Yuuno teased.

Chrono shook his head. "Well, you won't have to look at it for too long. It won't take too long for us to get clearance for a DDL to Equestria. After that, it's a hop, skip and a warp to the Crystal Empire."

"I'm just glad we don't have to take a ship," Twilight said. After the official alliance with the Bureau, Equestria had retained a Direct Dimensional Link to the Bureau's HQ for diplomatic and trade usage. Equestria was one of a few worlds other than Mid-Childa directly linked to the Bureau's headquarters. Which, of course, made travel a great deal easier.

"Amen to that," Yuuno added as he glanced back over his shoulder at the others.

Twilight followed his gaze. Subaru was excitedly explaining things about their surroundings to a very wide-eyed Scootaloo, aided by a slightly more subdued Teana. Trixie trotted along confidently, flanked on either side by a stone-faced Signum and smirking Vita. Shamal and Zafira hung back slightly behind their fellow Altenritter, though their professional exteriors were showing slight cracks from what was likely nerves. Fate was quietly talking with Caro, who was cradling the bag she was carrying her little dragon in nervously. Erio and Spike, meanwhile, lagged behind, the purple dragon clearly regaling his companion about something.

"I feel like a teacher leading a field trip," Twilight muttered softly.

"Isn't that exactly what you are?" Yuuno grinned as Twilight arched an eyebrow at him. "What? It's true."

"I know, but still…" Twilight paused as she heard something chime loudly. "Um, Chrono? You're beeping."

"Yeah, I know." Chrono reached into his pocket and fished out his Device. A small holographic screen popped up, eliciting a small smirk of triumph before he tucked it away. "I've got a little bit of personal business to handle. Think you two can keep this little herd in line?"

"Hmph." Twilight snorted and shifted slightly, hip-checking Chrono. "Of course. Go on, shoo."

"Thanks a bunch. I'll catch up to you guys later…"

---

Lieutenant-Commander Amy Limietta was seated comfortably at her table, a glass of orange soda slowly dripping condensation onto the napkin beneath it. She fidgeted with the straw, twirling it between her fingers like a stylus as she waited.

"Ugh… where the heck is-"

A hand slipped over one eye. She jumped slightly, then paused as she heard a familiar voice. "Guess who."

"Hmmm… only covering one eye, male, grumpy… gee, I wonder who it could be." She reached up and playfully swatted the hand away before quickly standing up and turning to face Chrono. "You're late. Shameful behavior for an Enforcer."

"You're right," Chrono said mock-seriously. "Maybe I should be charged with conduct unbecoming an officer. That'll teach me…"

"Mmm… I'll show you 'conduct unbecoming,'" Amy teased, then quickly rose up on her tiptoes and slipped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a very long kiss. Chrono's good hand slipped down to her waist as they held the embrace.

Amy broke the kiss slowly, letting out a soft 'whoosh' of breath. "Ahhh… sweet Saint Kaiser, I missed that…"

Chrono, meanwhile, reached up and touched his lips. "Peach lip gloss?"

"They were out of cherry. Now sit down and order something to drink." Amy slipped around her husband and gave him a gentle push.

"I'm going, I'm going." Chrono smirked and plopped down into a chair. "Where's our fearless Admiral? I figured she'd be here."

"She's handling bureaucratic horse-apples." Amy took a seat and waved down a waiter. "The new ships just finished their proving cruises, so they need to be integrated into the Core Defense Fleet ASAP. That means all the captains and admirals get to be shuffled around. They're already jockeying to see who gets first pick."

"They finally finished the LC series?"

"Mhmm…" Amy took a sip of her soda. "And just in time too. Most of the XV series ships are starting to show a little wear around the edges. Even the Claudia is scheduled to get replaced soon, and you know how much your mom loves that ship."

"About as much as she loved the Arthra." Chrono quickly placed his order with the waiter, then turned back to Amy as he walked off. "I'm surprised they pushed the LC series through that fast. You'd think that with the security concerns they'd-"

"Ah-ah-ah," Amy wagged a finger at him. "No. We're not getting into this."

Chrono blinked. "What?"

"This. Whenever we get together it's always work." Amy pouted. "As much as I love you and your job, Chrono, I'd like to talk about something other than that."

Chrono huffed. "Fine. Sorry…"

"How are the kids?" Amy leaned in. "Seriously, how are they? You've been sending me messages telling me they're alright, but-"

"They're fine, Amy." Chrono waved his good hand. "Better than fine, really. Both of them have really hit it off with Spike. They treat him like a big brother most of the time."

Amy exhaled. "Thank goodness. Though if you think about it, Spike is old enough to be their big brother…"

"Yeah. I'm glad we decided to group them together. He's really helped them come out of their shells, so to speak. Hell, even Friedrich is tolerating him."

Amy's eyes widened. "Friedrich? As in Caro's cantankerous little pet lizard, Friedrich? Are you sure Twilight didn't put some magical friendship spell on him? Some sort of anti-jerk-dragon charm?"

"You're just mad that Friedrich doesn't like you," Chrono teased.

"The feeling's mutual," Amy replied with a pout. "Not after he almost burned the house down when I threw Caro that surprise birthday party."

"That's what happens when you adopt a summoner, dear." Chrono paused as the waiter returned with a glass of pale green soda. He reached over and picked up the straw, tearing off the packaging with his teeth before plopping it into the drink.

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Amy glanced around as Chrono sipped on his drink. "You didn't let them wander off, did you?"

"They're in good hands. Or, rather, hooves." Chrono smirked. "They've gone ahead with the others to Equestria. They should probably be warping as we speak…"

---

City of Adamanetia

The Crystal Empire

Equestria

Caro could tell that something was different the second they left the DDL's magical 'embrace.' It wasn't just the glistening, slightly opaque walls of the great chamber they'd warped into, nor the glittering ribbons of color visible in the sky through the windows above. It was the air.

Caro inhaled deeply, her eyes closed. She could feel it; the sheer energy in the air around them. Compared to Mid-Childa, it was like leaving the thin air of a mountaintop for a lower altitude.

"Woah," she heard Teana mutter. "Anybody else feel a little… weird?"

"Yeah." Erio scratched at his hair before pulling a few strands down. "It's strange. It's like everything's tingling…"

"That's Equestria's natural ambient mana," Subaru interjected. "Most worlds have some amount of naturally occurring ambient magical energy, but Equestria's background energy is much, much higher than any other worlds. According to the Bureau's surveyor corps, Equestria's existing Ambient Radiant Background Mana is easily three times higher than the highest human-"

"Um, excuse me, but could you all please leave the receiving pad?"

Caro turned to look at the individual who spoke to them. She'd seen ponies before, but this one was… different. Her coat was a pale green, but shimmered and glittered like she was carved from an oversized gem. She was dressed in a simple, but business-like cream-and-purple dress with a large, teardrop-shaped purple gem clasped at the base of her neck. Her forest green mane and tail shimmered with an inner light, and her blue eyes almost seemed to glow.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Subaru let out a squeak. "It's a crystal pony! Tea, it's a real live crystal- ow!"

"I'm sorry, miss, we'll be on our way right this instant." Teana smiled cheerfully as she proceeded to drag Subaru off the pad by her ear. "Come on guys. Let's wait outside for Special Instructor Sparkle and the others."

"Thank you," the pony said to Teana as she passed. "Make sure to have your identification cards ready once you get to the front gate, and have a pleasant stay here in Adamanetia!" She then reached up and touched a hoof to her pendant. "C5, notify DDL control that pad six is clear for arrival."

"Acknowledged, Master," the gem replied.

Caro quickly sprang off the pad and walked after the others. Spike hung back a little, letting her catch up.

"So, Caro, ever been to Equestria before?" Spike grinned eagerly at her.

Caro shook her head. "No, I haven't… should… I be expecting something odd?"

"Well," Spike said as he buffed his claws against his chest, "just to give you guys a heads up, I'm kind of a big deal here in the Crystal Empire. Just figured I'd let you know so you don't get surprised…"

"Uh… okay? What do you-"

"Guys!" Subaru shouted excitedly from a nearby window. "Look!"

Despite herself, Caro quickly moved to the window to look alongside the others. Her eyes widened at the sight. A city unlike any she'd ever seen before stretched out before them. The streets weren't made of asphalt or concrete, but rather great ribbons of shimmering purple glass. Tall spires of lustrous, opaque gemstone protruded like obelisks from the ground, carved in ways that caught the light. Ponies, both crystal and otherwise, trotted and galloped about their business, some of them glancing at hovering holographic images or glowing billboards made of magical light. In the distance she could see the tall towers of the Great Palace, a spike of shimmering blue and white diamond from which the aurora above emanated.

"We're really here," Subaru whispered in rapture. "Adamanetia, Diamond of the North, the heart of the Crystal Empire…"

"Yeah, I guess it's pretty cool," Scootaloo said with a shrug.

"Pretty cool?" Subaru looked back at her companion. "This is incredible! I mean, I've seen pictures of it in An Illustrated Guide to Equestria, but those were from when the Crystal Empire had just returned. Now look at it! It's almost like… like a fantasy version of Cranagan! And all this got built in less than a decade!"

"Actually, you can thank Cadence for that," a familiar voice interrupted.

Caro and the others turned as Twilight and the rest of their party stepped out of the chamber. "Of course, I don't think you can really see the sights from here at the Dimension Anchor. How about we get everyone through customs first?"

"Yes, ma'am." Teana turned to her fellow Forwards. "ID's out everyone. Let's set a good example here."

"Yes, mother," Scootaloo teased as they began fishing out their cards.

Twilight, meanwhile, approached Caro. "I sent a message ahead about Friedrich," she assured her. "We shouldn't have any problems getting him through."

"Thank you, ma'am," Caro said with a small smile.

Yuuno chuckled softly as he walked up behind Twilight. "Did you really think we'd just leave your best friend hanging like that, Caro?"

"Well, no… but it's nice for you to make sure…"

"Hurry up!" Trixie's shout echoed as she trotted after her associates. "We don't exactly have time to waste here!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Come along, everyone. We can't keep some ponies waiting, after all…"

Caro swallowed softly, then glanced over at Erio and fell in beside him, gently hugging his arm. Erio glanced down at her, then nodded and gave her hand a gentle, reassuring pat.

---

Celestia's sun poured down on the shimmering streets of Adamanetia as Twilight led her gaggle of students and friends along the way. The passers-by didn't bother them; most of the ponies either cantered out of their way or were too busy with their own business to take note of their passing. The reflections of light off the glistening walls cast pools of color onto the purple streets and outcroppings of glittering plant life, making it look like everything was made of crystal.

"I have to admit, it's a little surreal." Twilight looked up at Yuuno as they walked. "I remember when the Crystal Empire was a bit… smaller. Now all the buildings are so tall and everything's so… classy."

"Comes with being one of the main trading hubs between Equestria and the Bureau, I guess." Yuuno glanced skyward, shielding his eyes with one hand. "With so many ponies and humans around now, the Empire was due for an upgrade."

"Still, it's hard to believe all of this was done by Cadence's magic." Twilight glanced over as they passed by a road-side café, where crystal ponies and humans alike were having lunch. "I guess she's gotten used to the power of the Examia by now."

"Excuse me, Special Instructor Sparkle?"

"Hmm?" Twilight glanced back at Teana as she spoke up. "Yes?"

Teana was doing her best to corral a wide-eyed Subaru. "Um, we were just wondering where we'll be staying tonight?"

"Oh! I thought I'd told you." Twilight held Raising Heart up and touched her horn to the red gem. "Just one moment, let me check the itinerary… ah. Yes, I thought so. We'll be staying at the Palace."

"That… doesn't sound like a hotel."

Twilight grinned. "That's because it isn't. Let's just say being sister-in-law to royalty has its perks."

Teana stopped. The other Forwards did so as well. Twilight silently counted down the seconds until the inevitable reaction.

"Wait… you mean we're staying at the Imperial Palace? As in…"

Subaru let out a tiny squeak. "Does… does this mean we get to meet Princess Cadence?! Oh gosh, if I knew I'd be meeting royalty I would've…"

"Cool! It's been a while since I've been in the palace." Scootaloo grinned at Subaru. "I remember one time during the Equestrian Games when me and the girls tried to sneak into the palace…"

"A-are you sure that's okay?" Caro's eyes were wide. "I mean, we're-"

"Caro, calm down," Erio said as Friedrich peeked his head out of his bag and let out a concerned trill.

"Jeez, what's everyone getting worked up about? It's just the Imperial Palace." Spike shrugged. "Not like it's a big deal or anything…"

"Not a big deal!?" Teana almost screeched at Spike.

Okay, Yuuno whispered over a mind-to-mind connection with Twilight, you did this on purpose, didn't you?

Maybe. Twilight sent back before coughing loudly. "Everyone, quiet!"

The Forwards fell into silence. Twilight nodded in satisfaction before she continued. "There's a reason why we're staying at the Imperial Palace. We'll be visiting and observing the Crystal Guard while we're here. As guests of the Imperial Family and as representatives of the Bureau's Ground Forces, I expect you to comport yourselves and act professionally. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," came the nervous response.

"Excellent!" Twilight said with a winning smile. "Now, unless you all want to panic a little longer, we should probably be on our way."

Twilight turned away, half-listening to the nervous whispers of her students as she began trotting along, only to have a familiar blue pony sidle up beside her.

"Have I ever told you," Trixie said in a low voice, "how unbelievably jealous I am of you, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Not recently," Twilight replied. "But please, by all means. Go ahead if it makes you feel better."

Trixie huffed. "Fine. Take all the fun out of it why don't you?"

"Oh please, it's not like you're hurting for fans, Trixie."

Trixie pouted. "But you're related to royalty."

"By marriage."

"Exactly! Do you know how hard it is to marry into a royal family?"

"About as hard as it is for any other pony to get married," Twilight replied sarcastically, then quirked an eyebrow at Trixie. "Are you still bitter that Prince Blueblood turned you down?"

Trixie snorted. "No. I'm over that. Besides, he's way too prissy for my tastes. Such a drama queen."

"Coming from you, that's saying something."

"Ahem, Mistress?"

Twilight and Trixie turned and looked up at Signum. "Shamal and I can see to our objective," the pink-haired Knight said calmly. "If I may take my leave?"

"Oh! Of course." Trixie made a shooing motion with one hoof. "Just make sure to update me once you're done. Oh, and take our fuzzy little archeologist friend. This should probably be right up his alley."

"Of course, Mistress." Signum then glanced to Twilight. "May I borrow Scrya?"

"Uh, sure?" Twilight peered back at Yuuno. "You could just ask him."

"Of course. Pardon me, then." Signum politely nodded, then slowed her pace to match Yuuno's.

Twilight looked at Trixie. "What was that all about?"

"Lady Carim requested we take a peek at this so-called 'schismatic sect' that's sprung up here on Equestria," Trixie replied. "Apparently there's a group of Saint Church priests who are incorporating the Princesses into Church teachings."

"Huh. Well, that's definitely new… wait." Twilight's eyebrows shot up. "You're letting Signum talk to them? Signum?"

Trixie grinned wickedly. "Maybe."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, Signum's… well, herself."

"Why do you think I told her to take Yuuno and Shamal with her? Now come on, we should probably hurry up. Don't want to keep your sister-in-law waiting."

---

The Imperial Palace stood tall and proud at the center of Adamanetia, serving as the crown jewel of both the city and the Empire. The gleaming spire stood at the exact center of the city, its four legs firmly planted in the hexagram-shaped rotunda beneath. The Palace itself was seemingly carved and shaped from opaque blue and white diamond, the many facets shimmering and opalescent in the sun's light.

"Wow…" Subaru stared slack-jawed up at the towering palace. "It's so… shiny."

"On that, we agree," Teana replied quietly, a hand shading her eyes as she looked skyward. "There is no way that thing can be structurally sound…"

"Oh trust me, it's pretty solid," Spike said with a chuckle. "Considering it's made of solid magical crystal and is the center of the Empire's magic."

"I was wondering about that…" Caro shivered slightly. "Does anyone else feel something… strange? It's… almost like a heartbeat."

"Now that you mention it, yeah…" Teana glanced around at the others. "I just thought it was something caused by the ambient mana around here. It's faint, but I can feel it…"

"It's the resonance of the Crystal Heart," Twilight replied, turning to look at the Forwards. "We're very close to it."

"The Crystal Heart?" Erio quirked an eyebrow. "As in the Lost Logia that can transform emotional energy into magical power?"

"The very same! Gold star for you, Erio." Twilight smiled and gestured towards the tower. "The Imperial Palace is the focal point of the Empire's magic. Thanks to the crystal ponies' connection to the Crystal Heart, their love and happiness is channeled through the palace itself, which then spreads it all throughout Equestria in the form of pure positive energy."

"You'd think there'd be more guards around," Erio noted as he glanced about.

"…Actually, that's a good point." Twilight scratched at one ear as she looked around with a confused expression. "Where is everypony?"

Fate looked skyward, then pointed towards the high balcony that overlooked the rotunda. "I think that may be the answer."

Twilight looked up as a tiny equine silhouette clambered onto the railing and, with a delighted scream of 'Wheeeeeeeeee,' jumped out into the open air.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" Twilight scrambled backwards. "I got her! I got her!"

A warm magenta glow surrounded the plummeting pony, slowing her fall until she landed on the ground, her dainty hooves landing with a click. She was a petite, blank-flanked filly, barely half as tall as Twilight. Her coat was pearly white, as were her down-covered wings and stubby little horn. Her mane and tail were a wild tangle of brilliant purple, gold and blue striped curls that seemed to glitter in the sunlight, and her lilac eyes were big and bright and full of mischief.

"Nice save, Auntie Twilight," the filly said with a giggle.

"Letta!" Twilight let out a relieved whoosh of breath. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! What were you doing?!"

"Trying to get away from them," Letta pointed skyward. Twilight peered upwards as a dozen glittering crystal ponies, some of whom were in armor, peered over the railing.

"And why, exactly, were you trying to escape the servants?"

"Welll…" Letta rolled her eyes back slightly. "I kinda disagreed with them on getting dressed up for your visit. Oh, by the way…" Letta pounced on Twilight and nuzzled her nose into her neck. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too." Twilight blushed and hugged the alicorn filly, glancing back at Forwards. "Students, this is my niece, Princess-"

"Call me Letta!" Letta sprung free of the hug. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Hey," Fate said with a playful smile, "no hugs for your favorite aunt?"

"Eee! Aunt Fate is here too!? Awesome!" Letta pronked over to Fate and nuzzled up to her. "Yay! This is so cool!"

Twilight rolled her eyes as Fate gave her a triumphant smirk, only to watch as Letta pulled away. "So anyway, I should probably start running before-"

"PRINCESS MI CORAGGIO CABALETTA," a feminine voice boomed as the ponies on the balcony parted, "YOU ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE!"

"Shoot," Letta muttered. "I knew she wasn't too far behind me."

And with that, an enormous lupine shape leapt over the railing. An enormous orange-furred wolf landed on the ground, its tufted ears and fluffy tail tipped in white, while enormous spikes of crimson fur formed a mane behind its neck. Purple crystalline bracers covered its paws, and a chain of small blue gems dangled from one of its ears.

"You can't run forev-" The wolf paused, its expression shifting from anger to surprise as she saw the assembled people and ponies. In particular, it stared at Fate and Twilight.

Fate smiled wide as Letta hid behind her. "Hello Arf. It's been a while."

"FATE!" The wolf pounced, its body flashing orange and melting away into a more familiar, humanoid shape. The wolf-girl was well dressed, a royal purple vest covering a cream shirt and wide-legged purple shorts. The diamond-tipped, six-pointed snowflake of the Empire was embroidered onto the back of the vest. She slung her arms around Fate's neck and buried her face in the mare's mane. "Oh, it's been so long! I've missed you so much!"

Fate nuzzled the wolf's ears in return. "I missed you too, Arf…"

"You know, you really need to visit more often," Arf said with a playful smirk, her lupine tail waving behind her as Fate reached up and rubbed her ears with a hoof.

"Sorry. You know how things can get."

"I know. But you could at least call-" Arf's ears perked slightly as Letta slowly crept out from behind Fate. The filly tried to dash past Arf, only to find herself dangling by a hind leg from one of the wolf-girl's hands. "Oh no you don't! You're not getting away that easily, Princess!"

"H-hey!" Letta squirmed as she hung upside down in Arf's grip. "Lemme go! Put me down!"

"Has somepony been up to no good?" Twilight peered at Letta curiously.

Letta's cheeks turned bright pink, bright enough to be seen even under her coat. "Um… no?"

"Her mother insisted on Letta getting dressed up for this little meeting," Arf replied. "Letta… disagreed. Then she used a barrier to trap the maids in the bathroom so she could escape."

Twilight's eyes went wide. "You're already using magic at that level of proficiency?! That's amazing! At your age I was struggling to cast simple spells, but you're already showing-"

Arf coughed pointedly.

Twilight caught herself, looking bashful for a moment. "Oh. Um. Right." She cleared her throat and did her best to look serious. "That was… uh… very naughty. I'm very disappointed in you, Letta."

"If you'd seen the dress they were gonna stuff me in, you'd agree with me."

"I'm sure the dress your mother picked out for you is lovely..."

"It's dumb and frilly and I hate it." Letta pouted and crossed her front limbs before her. "It looks like somepony barfed up a wedding cake. I don't wanna look like a wedding cake. Wedding cakes aren't cool."

"Them's the breaks, kid." Arf chuckled as she flipped the filly right-side up and cradled her close to her chest. "Now if you'll excuse me. I need to deliver this royal pain back to her room so we can make her look somewhat presentable."

"Nooooo," Letta wailed as she squirmed. "Save me! I'm too cool to wear chiffon!"

Arf crouched slightly, then took flight with a rush of wind, quickly soaring up and landing on the balcony above.

"Well," Trixie said with a forced air of casualness, "it's nice to know that the Imperial Family is… interesting."

Twilight laughed nervously, then quickly gestured. "Let's head inside. We're expected…"

---

The inside of the palace was just as beautiful as the outside. Caro stared all around as the group made their way through the wide, shimmering corridors of the palace, her mouth slightly agape.

"Right this way, honored guests," their guide said demurely, the crystal pony quickly opening a door for them. "Please wait here until Her Majesty finishes her business with the court."

"Thank you," Twilight replied, gesturing for the others to file through the door first. The group was funneled into a large sitting room, the glittering walls decorated with lush tapestries in bright, jewel-toned colors and the chairs and seats made of shimmering crystal with large, plush cushions to sit on.

"I can't believe we're actually here in the Palace," Subaru squealed as she flounced onto a chair and began bouncing excitedly.

"Is she going to be alright?" Erio looked nervously at Teana.

"I think so." Teana smirked slightly. "Assuming she doesn't explode."

"At this rate, I'm surprised she hasn't fainted," Scootaloo added.

"Just so long as she doesn't mess up the décor, she can do whatever she pleases," Vita said, rolling her eyes at Subaru's blush. "Exploding fangirls are hell on the carpet, you know."

Caro turned away from their conversation as she heard a rustle come from her bag. She quickly crouched down and unzipped the cover. "Alright Fried," she said softly. "You can come out now."

The silver dragon let out a chirp as he stretched his wings, then launched himself up into the air. Air strange, his mind-voice whispered to Caro. Feel light. Feel stronger.

"It's the magic," Caro replied as she stretched out a hand for him to land on. "Do you feel comfortable here, Fried?"

Friedrich let out a low trill. If you safe, then yes. But I will watch. Will protect.

"Sounds like someone's in a good mood."

Caro glanced up as Spike approached. "I suppose he is. I mean, this place should be pretty safe…"

"Well, duh. Imperial Palace. Hey Fried," Spike looked at the smaller dragon and gave him a thumbs up. "You don't have to worry about anything. This is my home turf. I'd be a pretty crappy knight if I let one of my teammates get hurt while we're here. It'd kill my reputation."

Friedrich let out a grumpy growl before taking to the air and landing on Caro's head.

"Uh…" Spike quirked an eye-ridge. "I'm guessing that's one of those things that doesn't translate well?"

"You could say that," Caro said as she reached up and poked Friedrich in the belly. The little dragon let out an irritated grunt in reply. She then turned, her gaze landing on Zafira. The Guardian Beast was leaning up against one of the walls, his tail stiff and his arms crossed. His eyes were shut as he drummed his fingers atop his right bicep. "Um, Spike? Is there something wrong with Zafira?"

Spike started to speak, only for Vita to lean in with a smirk. "Oh, don't mind the old dog," Vita said as she looked in Zafira's direction. "He's just antsy because he wants to go see Arf."

Caro blinked. "Arf? You mean the Familiar we saw earlier? The one that belongs to Fate?"

"That's the one!"

"But why would that make Zafira nervous?"

"Well," Vita's smirk grew into a grin. "It might have something to do with him wanting to-"

"Oh, hey Caro, come over here and look at this really super cool tapestry with me!" Spike quickly grabbed Caro's hand and dragged her off.

"Oh come on, I wasn't going to-" There was a loud thump. "Ow! Hey!"

"I think that's enough, Vita," Zafira growled softly at the edge of Caro's hearing as she trotted behind Spike.

"Uh," Caro said as she came to a halt, "what was that all about?"

"Eh-heh, you're better off not knowing," Spike said nervously as he scratched at one ear frill. "It's one of those adult things. Something someone your age shouldn't worry about."

"Oh." Caro looked at Spike, then back at Zafira, then back to Spike. "Was Vita talking about Zafira and Arf mating?"

Spike's cheeks turned scarlet. "Wha-buh-huh? Uh… y-yeah. How'd you-"

"Part of a priestess's duties was blessing weddings and births," Caro explained. "I know where babies come from and how they're made."

Spike stared at her, then glanced away bashfully. "Uh… wow. I really didn't expect that. Now I feel all sorts of awkward."

Caro let out a giggle, then reached over and patted Spike on the head. "It's okay, I forgive you."

Then there came a loud knock at the door. The door swung open, admitting a stallion in servant livery. "Her Majesty will see you now," he announced.

---

Now remember, Teana hissed over her telepathic connection to Subaru, we're going to be meeting royalty.

Uh-huh.

As representatives of the Bureau, it's important we show proper decorum.

Yup.

So please, she thought as the group approached the tall, stately blue and gray double doors, if you value my sanity, try to contain yourself.

Tea, trust me! I'll be fine!

The great doors to the throne room opened slowly for the motley group, admitting them into the hallowed hall. "Now announcing," the liveried herald shouted, "The representatives of the Time-Space Administration Bureau's Resolution Instructional Operation Task Force."

Tall, narrow windows and long, faced crystalline columns lined the walls, while the shimmering floor gleaming like the surface of a frozen lake. A wide strip of violet carpet lined with white satin bisected the room, leading up to the Crystal Throne. The throne itself was a grand edifice: a massive formation of neatly cut crystals in all shades of blue and purple, surrounding a cushioned dais.

And upon that dais sat Her Imperial Majesty, Jewel of the North and Princess of Love and Beauty, Mi Amore Cadenza. Her coat shimmered like every strand was made of spun rose quartz. Her thick and voluminous mane and tail flowed gently, the thick bands of purple, gold and crimson pulsing with an inner light in time with an invisible heartbeat. She rose from her throne and gracefully cantered down the carpeted ramp, her pink-and-lilac-feathered wings folded against her sides. A golden circlet rested upon her brow just below her horn, and her golden peytral and shoes were studded with gleaming, sky-blue sapphires. She moved with the absolute certainty and poise befitting a pony of her position.

Wow… Teana stared at the approaching alicorn, her eyes wide. She could feel a ripple of power flowing outward from the tall pink mare, almost like a gentle breeze nudging against her skin. She came to attention and noted, with satisfaction, that Scootaloo was standing at attention as well. Captain Testarossa politely inclined her head to the Princess.

"CADENCE!"

And then Teana watched, mouth agape, as Twilight Sparkle broke out into a gallop towards the princess. Her jaw went even slacker as the Princess giggled and quickly knelt down to get eye level with the unicorn.

"Sun-shine, sun-shine, lady bugs awake!" The pair of ponies danced in place, cheerfully chanting as they capered like a pair of schoolfillies. "Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

I wanna to hug her, Subaru whispered to Teana. I wanna hug her so bad, Tea.

Teana couldn't find the words to retort.

"Oh goodness, it's been so long!" Cadence pulled Twilight into a tight hug. "You really should come and visit more often."

"I've been trying to, but you know how work can be…"

"Ugh, tell me about it." The princess rolled her eyes. "At least you can get vacation time without worrying about a kingdom imploding around your ears. I'm lucky if I can get a spa makeover every so often."

"Speaking of makeovers, look at you!" Twilight gestured at her. "Decided to take some styling tips from Princess Celestia?"

Cadence giggled girlishly and touched a hoof to her glowing mane. "Maybe a little. But let's save that for later." Cadence stepped around Twilight, then grinned. "Fate! It's been a while!"

Fate nodded demurely. "It's good to see you too, Cadence."

"Oh, don't be so formal." Cadence trotted over and hugged the black-uniformed unicorn, nuzzling her mane. "Mmmm… Arf's been moping that you haven't visited recently."

"My apologies." Fate squirmed, her cheeks turning red before Cadence released her. "Ahem… Cadence, perhaps we should wait until…"

"Ah! Yes. Sorry." Cadence coughed, then drew herself into a statelier pose. "Welcome, young students of RIOT Force, to the Crystal…" She paused as her eyes landed on Spike, her poise promptly breaking. "Spike!? You're in this too?"

"'Sup Cadence?" Spike grinned.

"Well, aren't you the little over-achiever? And Scootaloo!" Cadence nodded to the pegasus, who shuffled her hooves nervously. "I didn't realize you'd be here too. How've you been?"

"Uh… fine, Your Majesty." Scootaloo tried not to look too sheepish.

"Oh, please, just Cadence." The princess glanced at the others, then grinned playfully. "That includes the rest of you. At ease, all of you."

"What is Trixie, then? Chopped liver?"

Cadence glanced over at Trixie. "As if I'd forget you, Trixie. Vita, Zafira. Wait," she paused for a moment. "Where are Signum and Shamal?"

"They had some other business to take care of," Trixie replied. "They'll join us later."

"Ah. Right. That's good to know." Cadence turned back to the Forwards. "Like I saying before I got sidetracked, welcome to the Crystal Empire. I hope my, ahem, humble little city stacks up to Cranagan."

"It's beautiful," Caro said softly, eliciting a proud little head-toss from the Princess.

"Thank you! I know that this is strictly a training exercise for you, but I hope you enjoy the Empire. If there's anything you need, please let me or my servants know…" Cadence paused as Subaru slowly raised a hand. "Yes?"

"Uh… I hope I'm not breaking protocol or anything," Subaru said nervously, "but… uh… could I… hug you? Or maybe get an autograph?"

Teana made a strangling noise, causing Subaru to blush.

Cadence blinked, then broke out into laughter. "I don't see why not." Cadence looked over at the amused Twilight and the quietly face-hoofing Fate. "Permission to hug one of your students, girls?"

"Go ahead," Twilight said.

"Granted," Fate said with a soft sigh.

Subaru squealed and pounced.

---

"So," the crystal pony said as she looked up from the ID and passport, "what brings you to Equestria, miss?"

"Business," the soldier-like woman replied, her violet hair carefully combed back and her golden eyes visible.

"Fair enough. Looks like everything checks out." There was a thump as the pony stamped the passport and slid it back over. "Have a nice stay."

Tre nodded, collecting her documents and slipping them into her jacket pocket as she walked over to her three companions. "Is everything ready?"

"Of course," the first said in between smacks of her bubblegum. She was short and built like a professional swimmer, all lean muscle underneath her gaudy red and purple tee-shirt and wide-legged pants. Her thick hair and large eyes were bright turquoise, and the smell of mint hung around her as she blew a bright green gum bubble.

The second member of their party glowered at the bubblegum-chewer. She was only slightly shorter than Tre, her bright orange-red hair slightly spiky and hanging down around her yellow eyes. She was dressed in a black, loose-fitting shirt with a yellow jacket hanging loosely off her shoulders, her black pants decorated with loosely hanging chains that dangled from her belt loops. "Do you really have to smack like that, Sein?" She flexed one of her fingerless-gloved hands. "It's really starting to bug me."

"Oh calm down Nove," the third said from her perch atop their luggage. Her eyes and hair were both a dark wine-red, the latter pulled up in a loose and messy ponytail with large side-locks that framed her pixy-like face. She was wearing a frilly cream blouse with long sleeves and a wide, fluffy skirt that showed off her well-muscled legs. "You're just upset she didn't share any with you."

"I didn't ask you, Wendi," Nove turned her glare on the other girl, while Sein stuck her tongue out and wiggle it and the huge glob of gum at the back of Nove's head.

"Awww, does ickle little Nove not like it when her big sister doesn't share?" Wendi grinned wickedly before letting out a giggle.

"Call me that one more time-"

"That's enough," Tre said firmly. "Nove, Wendi, Sein, gather your things. We don't have time to waste."

"Yes, sister," the three of them said with varying degrees of reluctance as they picked up the various pieces of luggage they had transported. Tre watched them with her arms crossed, then took the lead as the four Numbers made their way into the Crystal Empire.