While the threat of the north being investigated, The Crystal Empire was preparing for one of their biggest events of the year; The Crystal Fair.

Tents were put up, the stands were built and soon hundreds of ponies and other races came flooding into the city with music and laughter filling the air. Among the attendees were Princess Twilight and her friends along with Princess Celestia and her family as they came to watch the jousting tournament.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight called out joyfully after seeing her old mentor.

"Twilight my prized pupil. It's good to see you." Celestia replied with a hug and a friendly peck to her pupils cheek before calling to her children.

"Imperius, Selena come say hello."

Twilight was more than happy to see Celestia and Luna's children since she had very few visits to the castle but what made her even more excited was the sight of her little niece; Princess Flurry Heart who was cooing and giggling while reaching for her favorite aunt.

"Hello Flurry~!" Twilight teased while tickling the little foal in her arms.

The royals made their way to the stands as the tournament began and met with their allies from the other nations including Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings and Prince Rutherford of the yaks.

"Ha ha! Pony friends!" The yak prince bellowed before grabbing Twilight and the others in a bear hug.

"ACK! Still too strong!" Pinkie cried out while trying to get some air before they were finally released and joining him on the stands.

As the jousting arena was prepared, all could see a variety of colorful banners decorating the fair with most being from the noble families of each nation and others of traveling knights seeking to make a name for themselves in hopes of being hired by a high ranking official or a member of royalty.

"So Marshall, I take it your boy is competing this year?" Wulfric inquired as they took their seats.

"Yes. He's old enough now and nothing hardens a squires mettle than a good jousting match."

"Speaking of squires. Where's Scootaloo, your old protegé?"

"Oh. she finished her training and went back to helping young blank flanks find their talents."

Their conversation came to a halt when they saw a towering yak warrior riding an even larger war bear in full plate armor and as the knight dismounted, the very ground around him shook beneath his weight.

"Who in Tartarus is that?" Marshall asked looking completely stunned.

"That is Yukon The Giant." Prince Rutherford answered with a look of disgust at the hulking brute.

"He win EVERY tournament in Yak Yakkistan and never loses."

"Why?"

"He kill every opponent."

As soon as the last of the stands were seated, Shining Armor gave the signal for the tournament to begin and the crowd was immediately on fire. The first match featured the giant himself against a knight from one of the noble houses who was dressed from head to toe in fancy armor that was decorated with a large feather.

"I really don't understand why helmets need feathers. It's just gonna flake off or get broken." Said Marshall as he shook his head towards the knight.

"It's just for decoration darling." Replied Rarity who was snuggling up to Spike who was looking rather cheerful.

"You seem to be in a good mood Spike. Care to tell us why?" Asked Twilight with a raised eyebrow to which Rarity replied with a wink.

"We'll tell you after the games darling."

The horn was sounded and both knights came charging at each other with full force before the giants lance found its way to his target and sent the knight flying into the air with his breastplate completely crushed. The crowd was stunned by this display of brutality as the medics rushed to the fallen knight who seemed to be unconscious at the time.

"He....he's dead." The medic said in shock as the crowd looked on in terror while the giant raised his broken lance in triumph towards the royals with a quick bow of the head before returning to his tent.

"My son is going up against that monster?!?"

"You worry too much old friend." Wulfric said to the concerned warden while taking a few sips of ale.

"You trained the boy since he first picked up a sword. He'll be fine."

"I hope so Wulfric. Celestia will have my head if our boy gets injured or worse."

"You do know I'm here dear husband?" The sun monarch said with a smirk that sent chills up the wardens spine before she comforted him by squeezing her breasts against his back.

"I would never do something so barbaric. At most, I'll let you sleep on the couch for a month." She teased with a kiss to his cheek as they continued to watch the matches progress until it was finally time for their son to participate in the final joust.

Imperius had won most of his matches perfectly with most of his opponents being unhorsed after one charge and it was no surprised that his parents were proud, especially his mother who waved at him from the stands and began cheering.

"Knock em dead sweetie!!"

"MOM?!?"

The prince hid his embarrassment by clamping down his visor while the crowd gave a short laugh. Their laughter would soon die out as they saw the giant making his way to the jousting field mounted atop a even more massive war bear.

"Oh man..." The young prince whispered under his breath as he looked at the hulking monster before him.

Both knights were given their lances with the crowd watching on the edge of their seats. The giant smirked at the young colt before him, thinking this would be another easy win and prepared to charge at the sound of the horn.

"Begin!" Shining Armor gave the signal for the match to begin as both knights came charging forward with the giant roaring like a wild beast. As the knights came to blows, the giants lance missed young Imperius completely while the princes lance found its mark and hit him straight in the chest and sent him toppling off his mount and into the dirt making the crowd burst into cheers.

"THAT'S MY BOY!!" Marshall shouted while giving an enthusiastic cheer and applause but not all were in celebration of the princes victory.

Infuriated by his humiliating defeat, the giant called for his squire to bring him his sword which was larger than most and immediately began attacking the prince.

"RAAGH!!"

Blow by blow, the princes shield began to splinter as he tried to fend off the brute attacking him while the guards stood their completely terrified. It was after the fifth strike that Beorn decided to intervene as he grabbed one of their swords shouting out.

"Leave him be!!"

The viking prince parried the giants last attack before it could hit its mark and the two immediately began fighting in front of the whole crowd before Prince Rutherford gave the command to stop.

"YAK PRINCE DEMAND YOU STOP NOW!!" He roared as Beorn quickly leaped back to a safe distance while his opponent threw down his sword and stormed off with the guards stepping aside. For a moment their was silence as Beorn helped his friend up with the crowd still stunned by his display of bravery.

"Thanks for having my back." Imperius said with gratitude as Beorn gave a smile and a firm handshake before Imperius raised his arm to the crowd as if he were the victor.

Both princes stood at attention as their parents came down from the stands while the rest of the crowd returned to the festivities.

"Imperius are you alright?" Celestia asked while looking at the exhausted expression on her sons face and checking the dented gauntlet on his left arm.

"I'm fine mother." The prince replied while a few servants began to remove his breastplate.

"That was very brave of you Beorn, you saved his life." Luna said to young Beorn who unfortunately was getting his ears pulled by his mother.

"YOU EVER PULL A STUNT LIKE THAT AGAIN AND I'LL GROUND YOU FOR A YEAR!!" Rainbow Dash shouted furiously while giving her sons head a noogie and then holding him in a headlock to pinch his cheeks with a bright smile.

"But I'm proud of ya kiddo."

"Thanks mom."

"The nerve of that guy. Tryin' to hurt Imperius just because he lost." Applejack said in disgust with her friends agreeing.

"I agree. The whole ordeal was exhausting." Said Rarity as she wiped the sweat from her brow and taking a deep breath while Spike helped her to sit down.

"You should take it easy Rarity." The young drake said with a worried expression.

"I'm fine Spikey dear." She replied with a smile until she noticed her friends shooting her.

"Something you two wanna tell us?" Asked Twilight when the couple looked at each other before blurting out.

"We're having a baby!!"

The friends were shocked for a moment and quickly became cheerful as they gathered around Rarity and Spike to express their happiness and like any big announcement, a party was thrown in their honor at the guest room of the crystal palace.

Rarity and Spike had been married since the end of the war and had been struggling to have a child of their own but most of the doctors they visited said that their would be a slim chance that the mare would be able to conceive a child from a dragon and they had even considered adopting a child until one day Rarity began to feel ill and more hungry than usual. It was after their last visit to the doctors that they finally got the news they had been waiting for.

"Ohh I'm so happy for you two! This'll be just like when Shining Armor and Cadence told me Flurry Heart was coming!"

"As long as the baby doesn't shoot bolts of magic or breath fire, I wanna be there when it arrives." Rainbow Dash said with a wink.

"Oh I'm sure the baby will be lovely as you Rarity." Said Fluttershy with a smile while rubbing her friends belly.

"And I'll bet it'll be as fiesty as his daddy." Applejack joked much to Spikes dismay as he began to imagine the baby causing all kinds of mischief before getting a friendly slap on the back by Wulfric who was feeling a bit buzzed from all the alcohol he consumed.

"So Spike, how many tries did it take?"

"I'M NOT ANSWERING THAT!!!" The young dragon shouted with his cheeks hot red.

"Really Wulfric, A couple does not discuss such private matters." Rarity replied while turning her nose up at the question, looking like a proper lady.

"Okay big guy, that's enough ale for you." Rainbow said sternly as she took the mug away and helped her husband to the couch while he groped her flanks.

"Did I ever mention how soft your flank is, Rainbow my Valkyrie?"

"Save it for the bedroom big guy~." She teased while continuing to let him feel her up before planting him on the couch.

"When you're sober, you can have me all to yourself~."

Rainbow turned around to rejoin the party and added a little sway in her hips to tease her drunk husband a little further while spanking her right flank and winking at him.

For the rest of the day the friends enjoyed themselves and the fair as the sun went down but just beyond the borders of the empire, A large army had gathered and was preparing to raid one of the outlying villages.

An army under the command of Prince Blueblood.

End.