Oreo Blizzard in the Crystal Empire

>You had been in the white-washed wasteland for over an hour

>Your hooves were freezing as they sunk deep into the snow with every step, and the gusts of wind felt like lashes of a whip on your back

>You trembled and bit your lip. Maybe someone would find you. Maybe...

>What's that? A light?

>Yes! Someone's coming!

>You ran towards the light, trudging through two feet of snow and ice

>The shape swam in the quickly falling snow, making it difficult to tell if it was really ahead of you

>The light was fading

>"No... c-come back..." you muttered, hoping to see it again. "Don't leave me... don't leave...."

>The cold was getting to you. You felt so tired, so very tired. Your hooves gave in, and you fell into the snow, quickly buried by it, a tiny mark being erased in a vast, icy plain

>You slipped into unconsciousness, unaware that the moving figure was headed in your direction, and was about to discover you...

 

>Your eyes fluttered open, squinting at a bright light directly above you.

>The room was sparkling and immaculate, and you appeared to be lying on a soft, round cushion, wrapped tightly in blankets

>You stayed that way for a while, looking around, trying to figure out how you got here

>You could hear hoofsteps outside the door now, and they were getting closer

>You watched the door carefully as it opened, and a large white stallion with a soft blue mane stepped in

>"Oh, you're finally awake!" he chimed, "I was wondering if you were gonna wake up at all. I thought you were a goner!"

>You blinked. "Uh, what... what happened though? Where am I?"

>The stallion bit his lip. "Oh! Sorry, where are my manners? I'm Shining Armor, and you're in the Crystal Empire. The special care ward of the castle, to be exact. I found you in the snow and brought you here. You sure are tough, going out there by yourself."

>He laughed, then cleared his throat. "So, uh... what's your name?"

 

>"Oreo," you stated directly. "Oreo Blizzard."

>He smiled. "Well Oreo, it seems you're making a speedy recovery. I assume by your name that you're no stranger to cold weather. Still, what were you doing out there in the tundra? You could have died!"

>You sighed. "I was... wandering." You stated this with a tone indicating you didn't want to discuss it. Shining Armor evidently wasn't stupid, as he caught on.

>"I see... well, I'll leave you alone for now. You can get cleaned up, and I'll have a hot meal brought to you soon."

>With that, he turned and left. You listened as his hoofsteps grew fainter, then you finally got out of the bed.

>The floor was clean and clear as glass. If you looked down, you could see your reflection, which showed that you were a...

 

>A unicorn. Of course.

>You looked around, spotting a table that has an assortment of snacks and toiletries.

>You quickly gobbled up the small amount of food, which consisted of apple crisps and hay crackers, then picked up the soap.

>It was then that you saw a second door, which led into a bathroom. You stepped inside, and marveled at the large, luxurious bath.

>You climbed in without hesitation and turned the hot water on. It felt incredible, and you slid back, staring at the crystal ceiling, letting the bath fill and surround you.

>You laid there for a while, relaxing and splashing a little, before finally using the soap and washing out your surprisingly dirty hooves.

>You scrubbed your mane, horn, and coat, getting at everything, before draining the tub and climbing out.

>The bathroom door opened suddenly, and Shining Armor stepped in, a tray of food levitating beside him.

>He stared at you, dripping wet, and smiled

>"Hungry?"

 

>"Uh, yeah, thanks."

>You scrambled to find a towel, grabbing a pure white one off of a rack, and wrapped it around you.

>He laughed. "Ah, sorry. I've bathed with stallions often when I was captain of the Royal Guard, so I'm used to it."

>You blushed slightly, drying yourself with the towel as he set the tray down on the table in your room.

>"When you're all done in here, let me know, and I'll have it arranged for you to be sent back home. It's no trouble, don't worry," he said, raising a hoof as if expecting a wave of gratitude. Instead, he heard nothing.

>You stood there, kicking your hooves against the ground. "Well, sir.... the thing is.... I'm homeless."

>He blinked, and his jaw dropped. "Homeless?! Well, that explains why you were wandering about the tundra. It's a good thing I found you! But still... now what do I do with you?"

>He paced, evidently deep in thought, while you just stood there. He did save your life, nursed you back to health, and gave you more than enough food. You really shouldn't bother him anymore.

>You opened your mouth to speak, but Shining Armor spoke first.

>"I've decided! I'm going to let you live here in the castle!"

>Now it was your turn to look dumbfounded. "Sir, I really can't ask you to-"

>He simply shook his head. "What kind of prince would I be if I just sent people out of my kingdom with no where to go? This can be your new home, if you want. Of course, I'm also going to ask you to work and help out here. What kind of job do you want?"

 

>You thought for a moment. He did say he was captain of the Royal Guard once. maybe if you got a job in the Royal Guard here, he'd be able to help you.

>"Can I work for the guards? I don't think I could be one myself but..."

>He beamed. "Glad you asked! I've actually been looking for some help with maintenance."

>You tilted your head. "Maintenance?"

>"Yeah, you know. Taking care of armor and weapons, cleaning, polishing, keeping a record of things. Think you can handle that?"

>You paused, then nodded. "Yeah, I can do it."

>"Thanks! I can put you to work tomorrow. For now, I'll leave you to finish eating." He smiled and left the room, leaving you in silence.

>You turned to the tray of food on the table. There were dandelion sandwiches, apples, a hay cake, and a tall glass of milk. Your stomach growled, and you quickly devoured the meal.

>You wiped your face with a levitating napkin and looked around the room once more. It was quite lavishly decorated, with tall crystal pillars by the windows and hanging pots of vines by the door.

>Now you weren't sure what to do. Should you wait in the room, or go explore the castle?

 

>You threw your hoof around his neck and sighed.

>He moved to throw your hoof off, but saw that Shining Armor was watching, and so walked along with you, scowling

>"He sure is a hard ass, huh?" you whispered. He turned and looked at you.

>"You don't know the half of it. He goes easy on you, but he gives me a hard time no matter what I do for him. I think he hates me."

>You and Moldavite climbed up into the stands with the other stallions. You tried to sit near Topaz and Skyscore, but Moldavite led you far away from them, all the way to the top of the stands.

>"Why are we going up here?" You started to slow down, but he kept tugging you along.

>"Because I don't want to have to deal with them."

>He finally sat down way above the rest of them, and you sat next to him, fiddling your hooves.

>"Alright Oreo, what's your game? What makes you think you can understand me, huh?"

>You bit your lip. "I just.... I want to help you, not because of Shining Armor. I think we can get along if we-"

>"No! Just stop right there. I know this is because of him. You're not even in our ranks! I work my ass off to get where I am, and you just show up, and he spoils you rotten!"

>You scowled at him. "If you hate him so much, then why do you work for him?"

>"Because this was my DREAM! I've always wanted to serve in the Royal Guard, to serve our queen and protect the Empire! Then Sombra comes, kills her, fucks everything up, and we can't do a damn thing! Celestia and Luna finally show up to get rid of him, but didn't have the foresight to get that he cursed us anyway, so after waking up in a daze, some fucking ponce from Canterlot comes and tells us that we've been gone for A THOUSAND FUCKING YEARS! Then Princess Cadance and Prince Hardass invade, Sombra returns, we manage to get rid of him with the help of someone's dragon, and they take all the credit! Then Celestia, who has no power over us anyway, decides to make THEM our leaders! As if we voted for them!"

>"And you think Shining Armor understands? You think he's going to help us? He doesn't understand anything about the Empire! He has no right to command us! So I'm going to get rid of him. I'LL lead the guard if I have to, but not him!"

>You simply stared, unable to say anything. How could you have known? "I-I'm sorry.... I had no idea it was like that."

>You leaned up against him, trying to offer him comfort. He didn't shove you off, and you took that as a good sign.

>"I want to help you Moldavite, if you'll let me."

>He grunted. "And how exactly can you help me?"

 

>You opened your mouth to make a suggestion, but you couldn't think of anything. You slowly closed your mouth, looking at him apologetically.

>"I only wanted.... I just wanted to help...."

>He laid back, grumbling. "Yeah, well, you can't. No one can. Although, if you want to make things easier on us, don't tell Shining Armor about this conversation. Tell him we're getting along perfectly well. I mean, it's kind of true," he nudged you, "at least I have somepony to vent to."

>You smiled. "Whatever I can do to help."

>Down below, the whistle sounded, and everyone else got up, heading down to the field again. You and Moldavite joined them, having to move a bit faster to catch up.

>Shining Armor dismissed everyone to the mess hall, which was met with nods of approval and an increase in chatter.

>Moldavite walked with everyone else now. You turned to walk with him, but a hoof on your shoulder stopped you. It was Shining Armor.

>"Can I talk to you for a moment, please?"

>You looked back at the group. Moldavite was already gone.

>"Uh... sure."

>Shining Armor sighed. "I know that Moldavite is angry. I know he has problems with me. I just don't know why. If he's hold you anything, or tells you anything, could you let me know?"

>You stood there, kicking your hooves. Moldavite told you not to tell Shining Armor anything. On the other hoof, he doesn't even know what's upsetting him. If you let him know, you could fix everything. What should you do?

 

 

 

>You decided the best course of action would be to explore the castle.

>You slowly opened the door and looked around in the hallway outside. The ceiling was tall and tapered to a glowing point. To your right and left were rows of other doors.

>You turned left, heading down the hall and gazing upward. It occurred to you that the ceiling was actually translucent, and the glowing light was sunlight shining through.

>You were so focused on the ceiling that you weren't looking ahead, and you walked into a large, metallic obstacle.

>You shook your head and stepped back to see what it is you ran into. It was a stallion, clad in heavy armor. He turned to you and grunted.

>"Watch where you're going kid," he growled, walking past you and entering one of the dozens of rooms in the hall.

>You gulped and backed away, continuing your journey through the hall and watching ahead of you.

>The hall turned to the right this time. You began to turn, then stopped, quickly hiding behind a pillar.

>You saw Shining Armor standing there talking to a tall pink mare. You peeked around the corner and looked again, noticing that she was an alicorn.

>"We can't just get rid of him," Shining Armor was saying, "I promise I'll take full responsibility for him."

>The alicorn sighed. "Oh, very well. I just don't want random ponies moving into the castle. We let one in, we have to let them all in."

>Shining Armor nodded. "I understand Cadance. I'll keep this a secret, and I'll tell him the same."

>You pulled back into the hallway just as Shining Armor was headed in your direction. He rounded the hall and spotted you.

>"Oreo? What are you doing? You weren't eavesdropping, were you?"

>You laughed awkwardly. "E-Eavesdropping on what?"

>He sighed. "Well, you'd better come with me. I'll give you a tour of the place."

>You smiled, walking with him. "Hey, Shining Armor..."

 

>"...Why are you doing all this for me?"

>He stopped and turned. "What do you mean?"

>"Well, you hardly know me. I'm some strange pony you found in the tundra. You don't know where I'm from or what I've done. Why do you care so much about me?"

>He sighed, then took a few steps toward you. "Well Oreo... I guess I just--er--what I mean to say is... I like you."

>You tilted your head and blinked. "You... like me? In what way?"

>He coughed and looked away, blushing. "Um, just forget about it. Come with me."

>He resumed walking down the hall, with you following behind. As you walked, you couldn't help but admire him. His pure white coat, his strong legs, his fantastic butt.... you shook your head and looked away.

>He led you into a vast armory, walls filled with bits of armor, spears, swords, shields, and helmets. You marveled as Shining Armor smiled at you.

>"Impressed?" he asked with a smirk. You only nodded.

>"It seems like a lot to maintain, but you won't be doing all of it at once. I'll have you doing one section each day, and the guards will have to give their training report to you. And if any of them give you a hard time," he looked hard at you, almost through you, "come straight to me, okay?"

>You nodded. "But, why would they give me a hard time?"

>Shining Armor said nothing, though he circled the room, apparently looking for something. Eventually he stopped at a large cabinet and opened it, grinning. "Oreo, come here."

>You obeyed, trotting up next to him to see what he wanted to show you.

>You looked up at the open cabinet. Inside was a metal tunic with a white star on the front. Shining Armor removed it with magic, and let the article float down beside you.

>"This is your new uniform Oreo. Wear it with pride."

>You smiled and picked it up, sliding your legs through and pulling it over your torso. It was a perfect fit.

>"Thank you, I will."

>He took a step back, looking at you and smiling. His eyes sparkled with admiration.

 

>"You look.... wow.... I knew it wasn't a mistake. I bet you'll be the best we've had!"

>You couldn't help but feel a little proud of yourself. "I'll do my best sir."

>He smirked, then stood straight, giving you a salute. You've never saluted before, but you did your best to imitate him, standing as straight as you could and raising your hoof to your forehead.

>"Dismissed!" he bellowed, and lowered his hoof. You lowered your too, and he laughed.

>"We'll have to work on that, but not today. I have work to do, and I imagine you have to get accustomed to this place. Why don't you go meet the other guards? They'll be working out in the courtyard out back. It's out the door and straight ahead, you can't miss it. Of course, that's if you want to. Do you?"

 

>You nodded. "Yeah, might as well." He walked toward you and quite unexpectedly rubbed your mane with his hoof.

>"Alright then, you have a good time. I'll be upstairs. If you need me, ask one of the guards to bring you to my room." With that, he left the armory.

>You stood there for a moment, taking a deep breath before slowly trotting out. The hall was empty. He was gone.

>"Alright Oreo, you got this." You made your way directly through the hall, coming upon a round foyer that led into a glass tunnel. Through the glass, you could make out a large stadium. "This must be it...."

>You entered the tunnel and got a good look outside. The houses and buildings were made entirely of crystal, and they gleamed in the afternoon sun.

>You descended several stairs before finally reaching the bottom and entering the stadium. It was truly enormous; the stands could accommodate well over five thousand.

>In the middle was a group of stallions sparring. Some were had smooth, simple coats, but a few were quite unusual. Their coats sparkled and shimmered as if made of crystal.

>You gulped and approached them, listening to their grunts and roars. One guard had another pinned to the ground, his back legs forcing him down, wrapped around his waist. You bit your lip and looked away to see another guard staring at you.

>"Well well, what do we have here? A new recruit?" His eyes scanned you, possibly sizing you up.

>"Oh, me? N-no... I'm the uh, new maintenance guy. See?" You pointed to your tunic, hoping they would recognize it.

>"Oh, thank goodness!" Another guard approached you now, a massive gray unicorn. "My plume's been busted for over a week." He threw his helmet down at your feet, and indeed, the plume on top was severely bent.

>"Well, I'm uh, not exactly on duty now, but Shining Armor sent me to introduce myself."

>The gray stallion laughed. "Why would you need to do that? You'll hardly be working with us. You just fix our stuff and make it nice and shiny, got it?"

 

>You gulped and nodded, opening your mouth to say something, but another stallion stepped in, one who had a sparkling coat.

>"Now Grit, you be nice! He was sent by Shining Armor after all, and you don't want to be reprimanded again, do you?"

>He now turned to you. "I do apologize. He means well but he can be rather... blunt, so to speak." He extended a hoof. "My name is Topaz, and it's a pleasure to meet the stallion in charge of our armory. Now, what might your name be?"

>"Oreo," you said plainly, hoping he wouldn't laugh. "Oreo Blizzard."

>Grit did laugh, though a furtive glance from Topaz quickly shut him up. "Well, it's uh, nice to meet you." He attempted to sound polite, and that was good enough for you.

>"Now then," continued Topaz. "Let me introduce you to the others."

>"This is Skyscore," he said, pointing to a tall, white pegasus, "a renowned flyer and a transfer from Canterlot. He mostly keeps to himself but he won't refuse a pony in need."

>"That over there is Moldavite," he pointed to a dark green stallion with a sparkling coat, "he's remarkably well-read, but he has a mischievous streak."

>"What's that supposed to mean?" grumbled Moldavite, rolling his eyes.

>Topaz laughed. "And now, let me introduce-... hey, where's Sprout?"

>He and the other stallions looked around. You looked around too, feeling awkward since you weren't sure why. You wouldn't recognize a pony you've never met.

>"H-Here I am..." A rather small stallion in armor that didn't seem to fit him right emerged from behind a helmet rack.

>"Ah, there you are. Oreo, meet Sap Sprout. He's shy, and not the strongest of us, he tries, and that's what counts."

>You extended a hoof, in an attempt to be friendly. Instead he flinched, then gradually stepped forward and shook it before turning away and heading back to the field.

>Topaz sighed. "Now then, you said you weren't on duty? You're free to head back to the castle, or you could stay here. Which would you rather?"

 

 

>"I think I'll stay here for now. Not like I have anywhere else to go."

>Topaz smiled. "Glad to hear. It will be nice to have some new company. Most of the guard is off duty now, so it's just us, and I don't exactly feel safe next to those two." He pointed to Grit and Moldavite, who responded with a resentful grunt.

>"Back to work gentlecolts! You don't want Shining Armor to see us lounging about, do you?" The other stallions quickly got back to work, clashing their spears and polishing their armor. Skyscore showed you some tips and keeping the weapons and armor clean, while Topaz fought with Grit. By the time you finished learning the correct scrubbing motion for removing dirt, Topaz had been defeated.

>"Yeaaahhh!!" roared Grit. "Undefeated!"

>"Only for this week." Topaz reminded him. "Sprout, are you even watching? You'll never get better if you don't learn the technique!"

>The small stallion slowly ambled over, his head hanging. You honestly felt bad for him.

>While they continued to practice, Skyscore resumed showing you how to polish, plume, and work the metal when it bends. He actually fixed Grit's plume for you, though you insisted you could do it yourself.

>By the end of the day, you were now quite familiar with how to do your job, and the guards were sweaty and exhausted.

>"Alright, we had a good day!" Topaz called out. "Let's get back, and make sure to bring your armor to Oreo!"

>You walked with them back inside the castle and into the armory. They placed their armor in slotted shelves next to you.

>"Good night Oreo!" said Topaz. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

>You smiled and waved, happy that you made some new friends, and went to tend to the armor.

>However, one stallion remained.

>Grit stood by the door, picking his teeth and smirking at you.

>"Well kid, how do you like it here?"

>You smiled sheepishly. "Well, it's uh... it's good I suppose."

>He snorted. "You know, I like you. You're a little weird, but I really like you."

 

>"Oh, uh, thank-"

>"Listen..." he said, the smile slowly fading. "I really, really like you. You got it kid?"

>You stood there, blinking. "I'm not sure exactly what you mean."

>Grit groaned. "Do I have to come right out and say it? You're cute. You're handsome as hell and I want to make you mine." He stopped, gritting his teeth, as if he wished he hadn't said those words.

>You looked dumbfounded, unsure of what to say. Your eyes scanned him. Without his armor, he was rather attractive. Very muscular and rugged.

>"Well, uh... I suppose you are too, I mean... well, you're, you know..."

>Grit smiled. "Oh, I know I'm a handsome devil. I just needed to know if you, well, if you felt the same."

>You nodded, smirking a bit. "I do. But why? Do you... want something?"

>He cocked his head and smiled. "Yeah. You and me, right here, all alone. You want to make your first day special?"

 

>You blushed, kicking your hoof against the floor softly. "Uh, well... y-yeah. Sure..." You let out an awkward laugh as Grit quickly advanced on you, pinning you up against the wall with his hooves.

>"I like you, so I want you to have fun too." He flipped you around, then slid one hoof down to your cock, pressing up against the base.

>It was then that you noticed his member, which was now erect and much bigger than yours.

>You gulped, marveling at it while Grit smirked. "Impressive, huh? Just wait."

>In one quick moved, he lifted you up, still holding you against the wall, then slid his member beneath your flank, allowing the tip to slide up.

>At the same time, he bent over, bring his mouth to your cock and wrapping his lips around the tip.

>You groaned, experiencing a sudden wave of stimulation from your own cock and from Grit's slowly sliding into your ass.

>You blushed hard, leaning over, but Grit pushed you back against the wall, thrusting his hip up and down, pushing his thick member in and out, causing you to let out a loud moan.

>Meanwhile, his tongue flicked across your cock as his head bobbed up and down, taking the entirety of the shaft into his mouth.

>You panted, kicking your legs slightly from the sensation of Grit's member deep inside you. Each thrust moved your whole body upward, allowing your cock to slide in and out of his mouth. He must be incredibly strong.

>Pre dribbled from the tip of your shaft as Grit licked it up greedily, grunting with approval, or what you assumed was approval, as he now thrust and sucked with more enthusiasm and speed.

>His nostrils flared with every breath, blasting your face with hot air as he thrust harder, pushing in as far as he could while maintaining your body's position. Evidently he's done this before. You clenched your teeth shut your eyes. You could feel it coming.

>He noticed, and sucked harder, running his tongue from the tip to the base with rapid flicks.

 

>Your muscles tensed. At the same time, you could feel his thrusts slow down, though they still went in all the way. Was he almost there as well?

>He removed his cock almost completely, then gave it one final, powerful thrust, shooting hot cum into you.

>The sensation was too much. You moaned loudly and arched your back, spreading out your hooves as you shot strands of cum into Grit's mouth.

>He stood there, holding you against the wall as he licked at your member, swallowing as much as he could before pulling his head away, leaving a trail of saliva and semen stretching from the tip of your cock to his lips.

>He grabbed you and kissed you full on the mouth, his tongue forcing past your lips. You tasted your own cum in the kiss, and it was rather sweet.

>He slowly loosened his grip and pulled his member out of you, allowing you to slide down the wall.

>You panted, standing there for a moment as cum dripped out of your ass and onto the floor of the armory.

>"That was.... you are.... amazing...." said Grit between heavy breaths.

>You looked up at him and smiled. "Now, how are we gonna clean this up?"

>He smirked at you. "That's your job now, remember? Good night." With that, he turned and left the armory, the closing of the door leaving an echoing bang in the room.

>You stood there, now alone, cum dripping from your ass, and a considerable amount to clean up.

>"Aren't I lucky?"

 

>You stirred, slowly opening your eyes as you rolled over in bed.

>You were met with harsh light. Blocking it with your hoof, you realized it was the sun shining through the window.

>You groaned and shuffled out of bed, looking around. There was something... something you needed to do....

>You practically jumped. The armory! Today was your first real day on the job. What if you were late?

>You quickly threw on your tunic that was sitting at the foot of your bed and glanced at yourself in the mirror. Your mane was somewhat untidy, so you licked your hoof and matted it down.

>Satisfied with your makeshift manestyle, you bolted out the door, but only made it a few feet.

>Shining Armor was standing right outside your door. You had to screech to a halt to avoid running into him.

>"Woah, careful there Oreo!" he said cheerfully. "I was actually on my way to come get you. We still have plenty of time before we start, so I was hoping you could join us for breakfast."

>You took a deep breath and smiled. "Sure, sounds great." You followed him, cursing yourself for not checking the time before throwing yourself into a panic.

>He led you down the flight of stairs, then rounded a corner, passing under a large archway that led into a massive hall.

>Many other stallions were there, all talking amongst themselves and eating breakfast. The food smelled amazing.

>You looked across the room before finally spotting Topaz, Grit, and Skyscore. You smiled and hurried down the hall to meet them.

>Topaz turned and smiled at you. "Ah, look who it is! You're up bright and early." He moved aside, motioning you to sit next to him. You squeezed in between him and Grit.

>"I didn't think you'd be up this early, especially after last night." said Grit with a smirk on his face. You blushed, looking down at your hooves.

>"Now now, no need to act all embarrassed," said Topaz, pouring himself a bowl of Redberry Crunch, "he sees it as a sort of initiation. We've all been in your position."

 

 

>"I only hope he wasn't too rough with you." he finished, glaring at Grit.

>"Oh, uh, n-no, it was... he was... g-great." you stammered, trying to keep your cool. These stallions seemed to talk about it so casually, you weren't sure if you should change the topic.

>Luckily, you didn't have to, as Shining Armor was now standing at the head of the hall, and everyone fell silent. You turned to him and listen, unsure of what this was about.

>"Alright everypony, listen up! The Windigos on the border of the Empire are still trying to get in. The Crystal Heart has managed to draw enough energy from the Crystal ponies to be able to repel them, but we need to take precautions. This isn't an enemy that can be beaten with brute strength. They feed on hatred and distrust, o we need to make sure we're all on the same page, and we're all looking out for each other.

>"So today is going to be focused on improving the group as a whole. You will all spend the day fighting targets, not each other. If you have a problem with anyone in your group, speak up now. I don't want to hear about any rumors and lies."

>The hall remained silent. Topaz looked on with reverence while Moldavite snickered.

>"You think something's funny, Moldavite?" Shining Armor snapped. "Well then, we're going to need to work on that." He paused, walking toward your table. You shrank back, though you knew you weren't in trouble.

>"You're gonna learn the value of teamwork and companionship.... and I know just the stallion for the job." He nudged you with his hoof, causing you to jump.

>"Oreo! You up for it?"

 

>You looked around, uncertain if you were up to the task, yet you didn't want to disappoint Shining Armor on the first day.

>"....Yes, I'll do it."

>Moldavite grumbled while Shining Armor patted your head. "That's the spirit! You two are gonna be together now. Moldavite, " his voice lowered, and he glared at the unhappy stallion, "if I hear you've been doing anything to Oreo here, there'll be hell to pay. Got it?"

>Moldavite simply nodded, not even gratifying his commander with eye contact. Shining Armor trot away, leaving you to finish your breakfast in a rather awkward silence.

>When everyone had finished, Shining Armor sent you and Moldavite down to the stadium along with the other stallions, many of them also in pairs.

>"Cooperation is key," he was saying as you all marched through the glass tunnel, "your fellow soldiers are also your friends, your confidants, they may even be your lovers."

>Grit nudged you, and you tried to ignore him.

>"But no matter what, we cannot allow hatred and fear to overtake us. This Empire thrive on love, peace, and unity, and it is our job to uphold that at all costs. You will learn to value your fellow soldier by any means necessary."

>While he sent the rest of the soldiers through various training and group exercises, he left you to deal with Moldavite, who was looking thoroughly unhappy, and probably didn't care for you in the least.

>Still, you couldn't disappoint Shining Armor. Somehow, you had to get Moldavite to willingly work with you and appreciate you. How will you try to do that?

 

>You looked at him and sighed. "Uh, sorry..." He looked at you and grunted, and you took a step back.

>"Look, I know you don't want to be in this, but I'm just doing what I'm asked to do."

>Moldavite sighed. "Whatever. Let's get this over with."

>You smiled sheepishly. "Uh, th-that's the spirit!" He scowled at you and walked with you, joining the other stallions.

>Topaz and Sprout were doing a trust fall exercise, with Sprout shaking over the edge of a platform.

>"Come on Sprout, you can do it... I promise you'll be safe."

>"A-Are you sure?"

>Topaz sighed. "I'll catch you. Don't worry."

>Sprout trembled, closed his eyes, and fell back, right into the safety of Topaz's hooves.

>"See? I wouldn't let you be harmed." He let Sprout down as Moldavite climbed up. You stared, a bit confused, but you held your stance, ready to catch him.

>"You sure you can do this kid?" He leaned over the edge of the platform, staring down at you.

>You nodded, spreading out your hooves. He smirked, stepped back, then jumped.

>His full weight fell into you, and you stumbled back, keeping your back hooves firmly planted.

>He grinned, his body wrapped around yours.

>"Well, you're a lot stronger than I thought." He laughed, jumping out of your hooves. "Your turn kid."

>You gulped, climbing up on the platform. It was little more than two feet up, but you still weren't sure about jumping off, much less onto a stallion who had the most mischievous grin on his face. Do you trust him?

 

>You bit your lip, staring over the edge.

>It's now or never, time to find out if he really cares.

>You stepped on the edge, closed your eyes, and jumped.

>You felt yourself collide with his body, and his hooves immediately closed around you, bracing you and taking the force of your momentum.

>You opened your eyes. Moldavite was smiling at you, his muzzle practically touching yours.

>"What did I tell you? I'm trustworthy."

>You laughed, and he let you go. You barely had time to get your hooves on the ground when a loud whistle blew.

>Shining Armor was walking up behind your group. "Good job everyone. Trusting each other is crucial to being able to work together. The next phase, I'm sure many of you will want to throw in your stallion-cards for this one... compassion. I want to see you guys genuinely caring about each other."

>Several stallions rolled their eyes and grunted. You simply looked confused while Moldavite groaned.

>"I'm not going to sit here and have a snuggle party! I joined to fight!"

>"This IS how we fight!" Shining Armor bellowed. "If there is distrust and hatred in the Empire, then we can't defend ourselves! Love is how we fight. Do you have a problem with that, Moldavite?"

>He remained silent, then slunk back beside you.

>You knew you had to warm his heart now. He was bitter and angry, and, though you wanted to impress Shining Armor as well, you honestly cared about him.

>What will you try now?

 

>You threw your hoof around his neck and sighed.

>He moved to throw your hoof off, but saw that Shining Armor was watching, and so walked along with you, scowling

>"He sure is a hard ass, huh?" you whispered. He turned and looked at you.

>"You don't know the half of it. He goes easy on you, but he gives me a hard time no matter what I do for him. I think he hates me."

>You and Moldavite climbed up into the stands with the other stallions. You tried to sit near Topaz and Skyscore, but Moldavite led you far away from them, all the way to the top of the stands.

>"Why are we going up here?" You started to slow down, but he kept tugging you along.

>"Because I don't want to have to deal with them."

>He finally sat down way above the rest of them, and you sat next to him, fiddling your hooves.

>"Alright Oreo, what's your game? What makes you think you can understand me, huh?"

>You bit your lip. "I just.... I want to help you, not because of Shining Armor. I think we can get along if we-"

>"No! Just stop right there. I know this is because of him. You're not even in our ranks! I work my ass off to get where I am, and you just show up, and he spoils you rotten!"

>You scowled at him. "If you hate him so much, then why do you work for him?"

>"Because this was my DREAM! I've always wanted to serve in the Royal Guard, to serve our queen and protect the Empire! Then Sombra comes, kills her, fucks everything up, and we can't do a damn thing! Celestia and Luna finally show up to get rid of him, but didn't have the foresight to get that he cursed us anyway, so after waking up in a daze, some fucking ponce from Canterlot comes and tells us that we've been gone for A THOUSAND FUCKING YEARS! Then Princess Cadance and Prince Hardass invade, Sombra returns, we manage to get rid of him with the help of someone's dragon, and they take all the credit! Then Celestia, who has no power over us anyway, decides to make THEM our leaders! As if we voted for them!"

>"And you think Shining Armor understands? You think he's going to help us? He doesn't understand anything about the Empire! He has no right to command us! So I'm going to get rid of him. I'LL lead the guard if I have to, but not him!"

>You simply stared, unable to say anything. How could you have known? "I-I'm sorry.... I had no idea it was like that."

>You leaned up against him, trying to offer him comfort. He didn't shove you off, and you took that as a good sign.

>"I want to help you Moldavite, if you'll let me."

>He grunted. "And how exactly can you help me?"

 

>You opened your mouth to make a suggestion, but you couldn't think of anything. You slowly closed your mouth, looking at him apologetically.

>"I only wanted.... I just wanted to help...."

>He laid back, grumbling. "Yeah, well, you can't. No one can. Although, if you want to make things easier on us, don't tell Shining Armor about this conversation. Tell him we're getting along perfectly well. I mean, it's kind of true," he nudged you, "at least I have somepony to vent to."

>You smiled. "Whatever I can do to help."

>Down below, the whistle sounded, and everyone else got up, heading down to the field again. You and Moldavite joined them, having to move a bit faster to catch up.

>Shining Armor dismissed everyone to the mess hall, which was met with nods of approval and an increase in chatter.

>Moldavite walked with everyone else now. You turned to walk with him, but a hoof on your shoulder stopped you. It was Shining Armor.

>"Can I talk to you for a moment, please?"

>You looked back at the group. Moldavite was already gone.

>"Uh... sure."

>Shining Armor sighed. "I know that Moldavite is angry. I know he has problems with me. I just don't know why. If he's hold you anything, or tells you anything, could you let me know?"

>You stood there, kicking your hooves. Moldavite told you not to tell Shining Armor anything. On the other hoof, he doesn't even know what's upsetting him. If you let him know, you could fix everything. What should you do?

 

>You bit your lip and kicked your hoof, avoiding eye contact with him.

>"...Nothing. He's been pretty quiet, but cooperative." Hey, it was technically true.

>Shining Armor scrutinized you, then nodded. "I see. Well them, keep an eye out on him."

>He trot off along with the others, leaving you to shuffle behind the rest of the guard. Should you have lied to him? Shining Armor did save your life, take you in, and give you a job, but Moldavite trusted you. He didn't seem the type to trust anyone.

>You swallowed your inner turmoil as you followed the guards into the armory again. They were all talking, laughing, and grabbing weapons off the shelves.

>You blushed as you noticed two guards pushing each other and laughing in the same spot that Grit fucked you last night.

>"Hey, Oreo!"

>You quickly turned, trying to get the images of Grit's throbbing cock out of your head as Skyscore came bounding over.

>"My helmet's got tarnish on the back. You can get that out, yeah?" You took the shimmering gold helmet, turning it over. You had to squint to see it, but there were indeed small spots of tarnishing on the back.

>"I... guess. Shouldn't be too hard."

>As you opened a jar of tarnish remover to begin wiping the spots, Shining Armor and Moldavite both left the armory, but not before Moldavite shot you a dirty look. You shook your head, indicating that you told Shining Armor nothing.

>You scrubbed the helmet in a circular motion while the other guards got their gear and left for the field once more. Shining Armor and Moldavite were not among them.

>After inspecting the helmet, satisfied with its sheen, you sighed. You cared for both of those stallions, yet they despised each other. What could you try to do about it?

 

>You sit there for a moment, thinking things over while absentmindedly polishing whatever you thought was dirty.

>By the time the whole armory was sparkling, you knew exactly what to do.

>You left the armory just in time to catch Shining Armor stomping down the hall, looking rather upset. When he saw you, his face softened considerably.

>"Oh, Oreo! Finished polishing the armor?"

>You nodded. "Yeah, but.... well, the thing is.... could I talk to you? After training is over, around seven o'clock here in the armory?"

>Shining Armor looked confused. "I.... suppose. Alright, I'll be here. Is it something that can't be discussed now?"

>"Well... I'd rather wait until we're alone. It's a rather delicate subject."

>He nodded and wrapped a hoof around you. "Right then. I'll be there. Take care Oreo." He smiled and continued on his way. Well, that's one down. Now to find Moldavite.

>As it turns out, this wasn't difficult either. As you rounded the corner of the hallway to head up the stairs, you found the other guards standing around talking to each other, Moldavite at the center.

>"So I told the prick 'You don't understand us or care about us.You just want to impress Celestia and your wife. You're wrapped around their hooves and you don't even know it, pathetic little bastard. Take whatever dignity you have left and drag your sorry ass back to Canterlot.You aren't welcome here.'"

>Some of the other guards nodded in approval, mostly Crystal ponies.The others looked unsure.

>"You know," Skyscore began, "he's only trying to pick up the pieces after, well...after Sombra-"

>The Crystal ponies collectively gasped and flinched. Topaz glared at him."That name is taboo here, you know that!"

>Moldavite snickered and kicked him."Sombra Sombra Sombra Sombra Sombra Sombra Sombra."

>After an awkward silence and several guards backing away, Moldavite gazed up at the crystal ceiling.

>"You can come out Oreo. I know you want something."

>You gasped, then sheepishly crawled around the corner, approaching Moldavite.

>"H-Hey ther-"

>Before you could react, Moldavite grabbed you and pulled you in.

>"And this poor guy, Shining Armor finds him in the wild, half-frozen to death, and what does he do? Puts him to work immediately of course! He may not be Crystal, but he knows what we're going through, don't you Oreo?"

>You shifted and gulped. "Well, I uh, c-can I talk to you for a moment?"

>Moldavite grumbled. "Ugh, fine, I was going to had back to the field anyway."

>The two of you walked together through the tunnel. Unsure of what to say, you simply cleared your throat.

>"Is that all?"

>You stared at your hooves. "Well, I can't talk about it now, but.... how about the armory, seven o'clock after practice? It's really important, but it needs to stay secret and can't be brought up now."

>Moldavite stopped. You turned to look at him, and were surprised to see that he looked genuinely concerned.

>"It's about him, isn't it? I swear Oreo, if he's hurting you, you don't need to take it. Join me, let's take him out!"

>You shook your head. "He didn't hurt-... what I mean is.... just come to the armory at seven, please?"

>He sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll be there." He cantered through the tunnel to join the other guards who had already begun to spar.

>Both your literal and diplomatic jobs were done. Now you simply had to wait....

>You paced the armory nervously, running the scenario over and over again in your head.

>You would tell Shining Armor how Moldavite felt, then tell Moldavite how Shining Armor felt, then they'll hug it out and everything will be okay.

>Except you knew it wasn't going to be that easy.

>There was a knock at the door, and Shining Armor stepped in.

>"Sorry I'm a little early. Didn't have much else to do and thought we could do this sooner, unless that's a problem."

>You bit your lip, facing your first problem. How will you stall Shining Armor until Moldavite shows up?

>Why didn't you plan this out? Why didn't you think ahead? Why di-

>There was a knock at the door, and for a second, you were relieved. Then you realized that this was finally happening, and now you were even more nervous.

>Moldavite opened the door and immediately froze, staring at Shining Armor, who was staring back, looking equally confused.

>"What the hell is this? What's he doing here?" He stomped in and slammed the door.

>"I could ask you the same thing," Shining Armor responded. "This was supposed to be a private meeting. Get out!"

>You cleared your throat. "Well, truth is, I invited you both here... without the other knowing. I believe I can help you both."

>Moldavite laughed. "Help us both? Please, he's beyond help. Come on, let's take care of him. Unless you're going to side with him...."

>"No, I'm not taking anyone's side here." You took a deep breath. "Shining Armor, Moldavite is very concerned. He feels like you've usurped the throne. Even if you defeated Sombra, he still remembers the old queen, and swore his loyalty to her, not you. It may have been over a thousand years in the rest of Equestria, but he remember her quite well. He doesn't trust you and feels like you're insulting her memory by just existing. I'm not saying he's right to attack you, but please try to understand why he's upset...."

>Moldavite laughed. "He's not going to listen to you!"

>"I've tried telling him all this before!"

>Shining Armor looked up. "But you didn't mention the queen, or how you felt about her. Was she really that much better... better than me?"

>Moldavite growled. "You are Sombra compared to her."

>You looked at Moldavite and approached him. "Please, Moldavite, he's not your enemy."

>He didn't take his eyes off of Shining Armor, who took a step back. "What do you mean? He ruined everything! Come on Oreo, let's teach this ponce a lesson!"

>As Moldavite reared a hoof back to strike Shining Armor, you threw yourself in front of him.

>"No. I won't let you. He may not be what you wanted, but it's not his fault. This queen of yours, what did she stand for?"

>Moldavite lowered his hoof, still not taking his eyes off his enemy. "She was everything I idolized. Compassionate, strong, fearless, wise, she was incredible."

>"And is Shining Armor so different? Is he really so bad that you cannot follow him?"

>You placed a hoof on his shoulder. "For you, you lost her not too long ago. I bet you still grieve for her."

>"Sh-shut up!"

>"You wanted to kill Sombra for what he did."

>"Y-You don't know-"

>"But Shining Armor got there first."

>Tears were streaming down Moldavite's cheeks. His shimmering coat had grown pale. "It's.... n-not like that, he just...."

>"So now you see Shining Armor like he's Sombra, like he's the one that killed her."

>Now Shining Armor was crying as well. His whole body quivered as he took a few steps forward. "Is... is this true?"

>Moldavite blinked a tear away. "I didn't.... d-didn't.... think I was wrong.... I didn't know..."

>You smiled. "Shining Armor cares about you, and you should be glad. This is the stallion who destroyed Sombra and avenged her death."

>Moldavite trembled, ran forward, and hugged Shining Armor tightly, his chest heaving. "I'm sorry! I'm s-so sorry! All this time, I n-never thought of you as our savior.... I was selfish...."

>Shining Armor held him gently. "I should have noticed..."

>You smiled, watching the two stallions hug it out.

>Shining Armor looked up at you as he stroked Moldavite's back. "Oreo... you arranged this without knowing what we'd do and yet you managed the impossible. You are truly extraordinary."

>You blushed and kicked a hoof. "Oh, it was nothing, really..."

>Moldavite wiped a tear as he pulled away from Shining Armor. "Oreo... you've done what nopony has ever done for me. Surely there's something I can do... for all the trouble you went through..."

>Shining Armor smiled. "It's a nice though Moldavite, but I'm his employer and I'll do the rewarding."

>You smiled awkwardly. Seeing the two stallions hug was more than just touching...

>"I think I know of a way you can both reward me."

>Shining Armor blinked, while Moldavite understood, winking back at you. "I see.... but how exactly would you like to get this.... reward?"

 

>You blushed. "Well, with you on one end and him on another-"

>"So a spitroast? asked Moldavite with a mischievous smirk.

>You nodded. "I think that's what it's called."

>Moldavite made his way toward you while Shining Armor simply stared at you, blushing. It was then that you realized he wasn't aware of your preferences, or of what Grit did as part of your 'initiation'.

>"Oreo, you would.... w-want something like this?" he asked. You smiled and nodded again, and his eyes sparkled. He seemed to be getting more emotional than when he was hugging Moldavite.

>"Well then.... I'll do my best for you Oreo, my absolute best. Moldavite, if you hurt him, " he stared at the shimmering green pony, "I'll hurt you."

>Moldavite made his way behind you, rubbing your flank with his hoof while Shining Armor stroked your mane lovingly. "I can't thank you enough Oreo. I promise I will make this the most special night of your life."

>Your body tensed in anticipation of both stallions, one who you knew would be rough, the other would be as gentle as possible.

>Moldavite ran a hoof along your backside, stopping beneath your tail and gently prodding your puckered hole.

>"Wow, you're really tight," he breathed, smirking as he positioned himself over you, sliding his front hooves over your back.

>Shining Armor was stroking your mane lovingly, pressing his muzzle against yours. "Are you positive you're ready for this Oreo?"

>You looked up at him and nodded. He nuzzled you affectionately and placed his hoof on your head, lowering it.

>You blushed, being brought down to eye level with his marbled shaft, which throbbed slightly. Between your flanks, you felt a slight pressure. Evidently, Moldavite was not keen on waiting.

>Shining Armor stepped forward and, with trembling lips, you took the tip of his cock into your mouth just before Moldavite thrust forward, causing your body to convulse as his member penetrated you.

>Shining Armor continued stroking your mane gently, encouraging you. You flicked your tongue along the tip, unable to fit the entire member in your mouth, though it was enough for him. His body quivered and he gasped, shifting his back legs slightly.

>Moldavite thrust again, pushing in deeper this time. You let out a small moan, but didn't stop working away at Shining Armor's cock.

>The two stallions were watching each other now, Moldavite thrusting again and forcing himself deeper, until his entire shaft was in up to the base. Shining Armor smiled and leaned forward as Moldavite thrust in again, smiled, and leaned forward as well.

>Their muzzles touched, and they shared as kiss. Shining Armor's breathing accelerated as his cock throbbed, dripping pre into your mouth.

>You eagerly licked away at it, guzzling it down. It tasted musky and sweet.

>Moldavite was thrusting in and out at a rather even pace now, gritting his teeth and grunting in tandem with the thrusts.

>Shining Armor thrust once, then stopped, looking down at you, making sure you weren't hurt. You glanced up and winked, indicating that you were okay, and he ever so gently thrust his cock deeper into your mouth.

>You continued to lap up the pre that dribbled out of his member, lifting up a hoof to gently stroke the shaft, going down to the base before stopping to fondle a heavy set of testicles.

>Moldavite did not relent, increasing speed and force while biting his lip. His grunts echoed throughout the armory, and for a moment, you considered the possibility of passing ponies hearing him.

>You were quickly snapped back to Shining Armor as his hoof lovingly ran along your muzzle. He leaned over and kissed the back of your head.

>Moldavite now let out a loud moan. He thrust in hard and did not pull out. His muscles tensed and his face contorted.

>Then you felt him, his seed shooting deep into your hole, filling you with strands of warm cum. He gasped, sputtered, and writhed. Shining Armor stopped thrusting for a moment, smiling at Moldavite, his cheeks flushed red.

>Though the sensation of Moldavite's cum inside you was incredible, you did not forget your job. You continued licking away at the pre that oozed from Shining Armor's tip.

>Moldavite slowly pulled out, his semen splashing onto the crystal floor. You had expected that to be the end of it, but were surprised to feel another soft, warm pressure between your flanks.

>Moldavite had pressed his muzzle against the hole and was softly lapping up his own semen that was dripping out.

>Moldavite's tongue swathed over your puckered sphincter as you eagerly sucked and licked at Shining Armor's cock.

>Suddenly, he tensed. You glanced up at his face, his jaw and eyes clenched tight.You knew what was coming and prepared to accept it.

>He let loose a loud moan, kicking his back legs as strands of his sweet cum were shot into your mouth. Your lips trembled as you swirled his seed around in your mouth, savoring every drop.

>Shining Armor sighed, relaxing his body, then stroked your head once more, smiling down at you.

>Moldavite, finished with his task, pulled his muzzle away and wiped it.

>You gratefully swallowed Shining Armor's cum, then pulled your mouth away from his member, leaving a trail of saliva and semen stretching from your lip to his cock.

>He smiled down at you and wiped your mouth with a hoof.

>"Did you enjoy that?" he finally asked. You could only smile and nod, still shaking slightly.

>"Now then," said Moldavite, "how are we gonna get you off?"

>Shining Armor pursed his lips. "Now hold on, it's been kind of crazy for him, maybe he wants to stop."

>You looked at Shining Armor, then at Moldavite. You were rather shaky and tired, but you were still willing to try something. And anyway, even if you were to do something, how would you want them to get you off?

 

>You paused for a moment. Your own cock was still quite stiff, but you didn't feel like being handled anymore right now.

>"Um, well... I think I'll just finish up in private, y-you know..."

>Shining Armor smiled and cocked his head. "Why in private? No need to be ashamed."

>Molavite walked up beside him. "Yeah, I get if you want to do this yourself, but do you mind if we hang around?"

>You blushed, slowly sitting down."Oh, uh, I suppose, I mean, if you want to."

>They both beamed, staring down at your cock as you brought your hoof to its base. You slowly and awkwardly began to drag your hoof up to the tip, then back down again.

>"Oh!" exclaimed Shining Armor. "Would you like to see something that will aid you?"

>He turned, presenting his toned butt to you and lifted his tail. His tight hole and heavy testicles were displayed.

>You stroked faster now, admiring him from your position, fantasizing about his body but lacking the energy to actually act out those fantasies.

>"Don't leave me out!" Moldavite sat in front of you, fully displaying his cock, the tip still wet from his penetration. You gazed at it, only now realizing that, indeed, every part of a crystal pony shimmered and sparkled in the light.

>Pre dripped down the front of your cock and down the shaft, lubricating your hoof and making each stroke easier.

>Shining Armor turned and smiled at you. "Anything else you'd like to see?"

 

>"Uh, it's f-fine..." you muttered, stroking faster, admiring the two stallions who were shamelessly displaying themselves.

>Shining Armor winked and swished his tail, obviously teasing you with the view of his rump. Not wanting to offend, your eyes drifted over to Moldavite, whose sparkling cock throbbed as he rubbed it gently, smirking at you.

>You blushed, looking as both stallions and stroking even faster. You were close, you just needed a little more.

>Moldavite caught this and knew exactly what to do. He got up and ran his hoof along Shining Armor's backside, prodding the rump and kissing it.

>You gasped, writhing and stretching, then you felt it. A wave of endorphins smashing through your brain. Dopamine skyrocketing. Cum spurted out from the tip of your cock, splashing the floor, your face, and even onto Shining Armor.

>You leaned back, gasping for breath as the cum slid down your mane and onto your muzzle.

>Shining Armor turned around and laughed. "Come on, I think we need to get cleaned up."

 

>Shining Armor peeked around the corner of the hall. It was dark, quiet, and empty.

>"Alright, coast is clear. Let's hurry up."

>You, Moldavite, and Shining Armor quickly and quietly crossed the hallway to a small door that led into the showers.

>You followed them inside and flinched. Unlike the dark hallway, this room was blindingly bright.

>"Ugh, someone left the light on again," grumbled Moldavite. "I'll bet it was Grit."

>"What was that now?" Came a deep and familiar voice from one of the stalls. It opened, and out stepped Grit. He stared at the three of you, then burst out laughing.

>"Oh man, really? With the captain too? And Moldavite? I never thought I'd see the day. Oreo, your cute ass will unite the world, I swear."

>He left the showers, still snickering to himself leaving you feeling quite embarrassed.

>"Forget about him Oreo," said Shining Armor."Come on, let's get washed up."

>He entered one of the stalls, as Moldavite took the one on his right and you took the one on his left.

>You turned the water on and were instantly blasted with warm water. It felt pleasant and soothing. You closed your eyes and smiled, letting the water wash away the dirt and cum.

>You turned to let the water wash away your back and opened your eyes, staring at the inside of the stall door.

>It was covered in graffiti. Mostly penises. In the corner of the door, someone scribbled "Sombra did nothing wrong". You couldn't help but snicker to yourself.

>When you felt sufficiently clean, you turned the water off and stepped out. Shining Armor immediately followed you, and you wondered if he did it intentionally.

>"Hey Oreo?"

>"Yeah?"

>He looked at the ground and blushed. "Well, I just wanted to say... I'm glad I found you. I mean, not just that I saved your life, but that I got to know you. You're an amazing stallion and I...well... I love you."

 

>You blushed. It felt so sudden for him to be using the word, but then again, this was the prince of love. He had more than enough to go around.

>"Well, I uh.... I love you too Shining Armor."

>He smiled, leaned forward, and gave you a peck on the muzzle as Moldavite turned the water off and stepped out.

>"If you two love birds are done, we still need to clean up the mess in the armory."

>Shining Armor pulled away. "Oh, right, that would be an embarrassing discovery for the janitors." He grabbed a rag off the counter of the sink and left for the armory.

>You turned to follow him, but a glittering green hoof stopped you as the door closed behind Shining Armor.

>"Hey, Oreo?" asked Moldavite. You looked up at him.

>"Yes, what is it?"

>He bit his lip. "Well, I... I don't want to sound selfish. Usually the captain and the others don't pick favorites, but the way Shining Armor looks at you, and you look at him, I just want to know.... if you had to pick between us, who would you choose? Be honest."

 

>You grit your teeth, smiling awkwardly.

>"Oh, well, uh, heheh, I don't... I can't really choose, it's...."

>He looked down at his hooves and frowned."No, it's okay, I understand.If you can't answer..." He looked up and smiled. "I'll be okay, really."

>You cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

>He nodded. "Yeah. Even if you choose him, I won't be upset. As long as we're still friends.

>"Anyway, we'd better get to bed. We have a lot to do tomorrow!"

>You yawned, only now realizing how tired you were. "Yeah... see you tomorrow."

>You left the showers and headed to your room. Just to make sure, you turned around and watched Moldavite leave the castle. He seemed okay, but you still wanted him to be happy.

>You climbed the spiral staircase leading up to your bedroom, slunk through the doors, and collapsed on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

 

 

>The first thing you were aware of was a painfully loud siren.

>You shot up in bed and looked around. Moonlight trickled through the window. It was still night.

>The siren continued to wail. You got out of bed and opened the door to see what was going on.

>Ponies ran around in a panic. One mare was sobbing hysterically as another tried to comfort her.

>Cadance and Shining Armor were headed toward the stairs.You ran after them, confused and frightened.

>"Shining Armor!" you called. "What is this, what's happening?"

>He turned to you, his face fraught with worry. "There's not much time, come with me!"

>You followed him as they hurried down the stairs. "Windigos," he said finally. "They're attacking the Empire. The Crystal Heart has been taken, ponies are panicking, and we don't have much of a defense. They're only supposed to attack when ponies are overcome with hatred and mistrust. Even without the Heart, the love in the Empire should have kept them at bay. Now that they're attacking, we don't know if our love spell will do anything, but we're going to try. The guards are preparing for combat in the armory. Go and see if they need help. Then, stay there."

>You shook your head. "Just sit there while you and the others go and fight? No. I'm going to join-"

>"NO!" Shining Armor bellowed. "You can't fight! You can't get hurt! No matter what happens, please, please stay here! I won't let anything happen to you!"

>You sighed. Shining Armor was very concerned about you. It's true that you had no combat experience, but still, you couldn't just sit in the armory while the others could die fighting. Should you try to convince him to let you join the fray?

 

>You had your own plan before Shining Armor even finished talking.

>"Yes... sir. I'll stay in the armory."

>He nodded. "Good, now hurry!" He and Cadance darted down the stairs as you hurried up to the armory to join the others.

>When you got there, the place was packed. Every guard was putting on armor, grabbing spears and swords, and chanting. Sprout was cowering in a corner while Topaz was reassuring him.

>"I'll be here to protect you, I promise. I won't let anything bad happen out there."

>Moldavite was off in a corner by himself. You went up to him, gently putting a hoof on his shoulder.

>He turned and looked at you. He was shaking, and his eyes watered.

>He threw his hooves around you. "Oreo.... I'm scared. We've never fought Windigos before, and we don't have the Heart...this is Sombra all over again."

>You held him gently. "It's okay... I'll be right here. We'll be safe, I'm sure of it."

>Through the crystal roof above,you saw a burst of purple light in the sky, spreading over the stars. Time to see if their magic works.

>"I'll be back," he said sincerely. "For everyone, for you."

>You smiled and gave him another hug as he marched out of the armory. The other guards followed him, giving you a rub on your head as they passed. Grit smacked your butt, yelling "Let's do this!"

>Now you were alone in the armory. Time to begin your plan. You grabbed a remaining bit of armor off the shelf and secured it around you. It was loose, but didn't fall off.

>You found a helmet in the back. Remarkably, it was a perfect fit.

>There was one rusty spear in the back of the closet.You grabbed it and sneaked out of the armory, rushing to catch up with the tail end of the guards.

>Yo marched down the stairs in silence. Through the window outside, you saw hundreds of white shapes moving around the borders of the Empire. You gulped.

>The guards reached the bottom and marched out of the foot of the castle, filing out into the main road.

 

>Everything was deathly quiet. Their magic kept the howling arctic wind at bay, and so there wasn't even a breeze.

>At the end of the road by the border, the Windigos gathered, forming a terrifying mound of white.

>Amidst the white, something glittered....something blue... the Heart!

>The other guards saw it too, preparing to attack.

>"Don't start!" yelled Shining Armor. "It's a trap! They're baiting-"

>He was wrong. With their combined strength, the herd of Windigos burst through the barrier like it was paper, spilling into the Empire. Deafening howls and whinnies filled the air, and was answered with a battle cry. The guards charged forward, and you followed, your heart racing faster than it ever had before.

>"GET THE HEART!" screamed Shining Armor. "AT ALL COSTS, WE MUST RETRIEVE IT."

>The Windigos flew above the guards, howling and spinning. An icy flow came from their circles, and as the suddenly stopped, rays of bright light shot down at the ground.Where they landed, tall, icy structures sprung up, covered in razor sharp branches. The guards slowly backed away, but the structures quickly grew in a circle, surrounding them.

>"We're trapped!" wailed Sap Sprout. Yet the others remained determined to get the Heart.

>Skyscore and the other pegasi flew up to grab it, but another blast of icy wind blew them back. One guard was impaled on a spike of ice. Blood trickled down onto the road as he squirmed feebly, then stopped, and never moved again.

>Realizing that they'd die in here, many of the guards now attempted to smash the ice pillars and break free. You weren't sure what to do. Only now did you realize how foolish it was to join them.

>The Windigos prepared to create more pillars as their bodies glowed once more, but Grit and the other unicorns answered with their own magic.

>Amidst the magical brawl, a burst of light struck a Windigo, and a large blue shape fell into the circle. Topaz dove on it instantly and ran to the edge of the circle.

>Seeing this, you focused your own magic against the icy pillars.

>You didn't learn very advanced magic, but you remembered a basic heating spell from a book you borrowed.

>Screwing up your face in concentration, you show a beam of hot light at a pillar. In a few seconds, it cracked and fell away.

>Topaz leaped through the gap, the Crystal Heart tucked into his armor. The Windigos saw what had happened now, and furiously sped after him.

>The other guards now spilled through the gap, chasing the Windigos. All around them, more icy structures sprung up.

>Skyscore zoomed down, grabbing the Heart from Topaz, then flew up the road toward the castle. A pillar sprung up right in front of him. He turned to the left, but was still nicked by a spike and rolled down, landing and still gripping the Heart. He ran for the castle and, in desperation, threw the Heart towards the center.

>In mid-air, it froze, a bright purple aura surrounding it.Shining Armor was at the ground now, and he put the Heart back into the magic pedestal.

>He charged forward, joining the others and using his magic to push the Windigos back. "Crystal ponies, now! Defend your Empire!"

>Topaz and the other Crystal guards knelt down on the road, concentrating as the ground glowed a bright blue. Around the streets, other Crystal ponies were kneeling down.

>The Empire was filled with the brilliant light. The Heart began to spin rapidly, and the icy structures shattered and collapsed.

>The Heart shone intensely, spinning even faster now, nearly invisible.

>Suddenly, a blast of light shot out of the Heart, bright as day. The Windigos fled in terror, but were not fast enough. The light reached them, and they were instantly vaporized.

>The guards cheered as the howls were silenced, and a beautiful aurora emanated from the top of the castle.

>Ponies emerged from their houses, hugging each other. The guards laughed and hugged as well.

>You, however, looked around frantically. Where was Moldavite?

>You ran around, examining piles of shattered ice, checking to see if there were any bodies uncounted.

>The impaled pegasus and several others who died fighting were being carried off, a solemn silence coming over the celebration.

>As you turned, you spotted a glistening green hoof poking out from under a pile of ice.

>Your eyes widened as you galloped forward, pulling the ice chunks away.

>There lay Moldavite, a gash in his head and on his side, the ice stained with blood.

>He was still breathing. He turned to look at you, but you placed a hoof on him, tears streaming down your face.

>"H-Help..." you muttered. "Help, somepony.... please! Please, HELP ME!"

>Several guards came to his aid. They picked him up gently and supported him on their backs as they quickly walked back to the castle.

>You followed, unwilling to leave his side, but as you came to the foot of the castle, a large white hoof stopped you.

>Shining Armor was glaring down at you. "Oreo? But... you... I told you... I told you not to come out here, didn't I?"

>You stuttered. "I-I couldn't just--... not when the others were-"

>"You could have died!" he shouted. "You could have been hurt! I told you to stay behind for a reason, and yet you deliberately disobeyed me!"

>Your lip trembled and tears welled up in your eyes. You know what you did was wrong, but you were scared.

>"M-Moldavite...he-"

>Shining Armor's grim face softened slightly. "I know you were concerned for him... and I'm sure he'll be okay now. Crystal ponies are remarkably fast healers. But you... you aren't capable of facing combat. I could have lost you tonight! What do you want me to do with you?"

 

>"You assigned me to help the guards. Well, I helped them." You looked at him defiantly. "If it wasn't for me, the Crystal Heart might not have gotten here when it did. It might not have gotten here at all."

>Topaz trotted up beside you. "It's true, sir. He helped me escape with the Heart."

>Shining Armor looked at Topaz, then back at you before sighing. "Look, I just... I don't want to see you get hurt."

>"And I didn't want to see them get hurt," you responded. Shining Armor smiled.

>"It's been a long night... come on, let's go see Moldavite then get some rest."

>You marched inside the castle with Shining Armor, Topaz, Skyscore, Grit, and Sprout, thankful that you were alive, that your friends were alive, and that you still had Shining Armor's favor.