Chapter 2: Love's Beauty
Vinyl and Brink were riding in a train heading to the crystal empire; they were in their own little cabin both of them looking out the window, but all they saw was a snowy wasteland
"What's the big deal, I thought the crystal empire was sunny? Why is it snowing so much?" Brink said in an annoyed voice.
"Didn't you read up on this? The crystal empire is surrounded by a barrier that keeps the snow out, and inside, I hear it's sunny and beautiful." Vinyl said in an exited voice. The intercom came on and a voice said
"Attention attention we will be entering the crystal empire momentarily."
"Yes finally, I thought this train ride would never end" Said then giving out a big sigh.
"What's wrong Brink" Vinyl said with a confused look on her face.
"Well, it's just I'm a little on edge" Brink said.
"Why" Vinyl said still confused.
"Well I mean think about it, I go and talk to Tick Tock, he keeps telling me love is irrational and stuff and then out of nowhere gives us tickets to the crystal empire and 5 star hotel reservations! Something is up- I just know it. Brink said. Then out the window there was a flash of light. Vinyl and Brink were blinded for a moment and then they looked out the window and saw trees, flowers, the sun, and crystals everywhere.
"Wow! It's beautiful!" Vinyl said in amazement.
"Yeah it is pretty amazing" Brink said. The intercom came on again, "attention, attention, we will be arriving at the crystal train station momentarily. Please gather your belongings, and prepare to depart, that is all."
"Well come on let's get our stuff together." Brink said.
A few minutes later
"Ok I have my duffle my suit case and my satchel. Perfect. Vinyl, do have your luggage?" Brink said.
"Sure do- got my bags and stuff I also brought my equipment." Vinyl said while putting on her glasses.
"Um, exactly how much equipment did you bring? Said Brink.
"Oh, just this laptop. I'm going to try to mix a few a few of my songs." Vinyl said
"Phew- I thought you were going to go overboard on the DJ equipment". Brink said while giving a big sigh, then a conductor came up to Vinyl.
"Miss, here's the keys to the car you rented for all that DJ equipment of yours". Said the conductor. Brink looked at Vinyl and Vinyl gave a small smile.
"Oh yeah I also brought my stereos, my DJ station, all of my records and a few other bits of equipment." Vinyl said in a sheepish voice.
"Well this is your treat so you can do whatever you want." Brink said as he started to laugh.
"Also sir you left this briefcase in your cabin" The conductor said as he laid a briefcase down on the ground in front of Brink.
"But I didn't bring a brief case" Brink said with a confused look on his face.
"But I did" said a muffled voice coming from the brief case. Then the brief case opened on its own and Tick Tock climbed out of it."Damn that train ride was brutal" Tock started to roll his and Vinyl just stood there baffled at what they were seeing.
"Damn it I knew it, of course you wouldn't just give us a lovely vacation without hitching a ride and having a little fun!" Brink screamed.
"Brink, you know me too well. Anyway you got it mostly right: I came here to hang out with you guys and to see the crystal empire as well" Tock said as he brushed himself off. Brink continued to yell at Tock but then someone tapped him on the shoulder. Brink turned around and saw Twilight.
"Twilight, what are you doing here!? Brink said in surprised tone.
"I was about to ask you the same thing" Twilight said with a little smile on her face.
"I'm here with Vinyl on a little vacation but Tock decided to crash the party." Brink said while rolling his eyes.
"Well that's Tock for you. Where is he? Twilight asked.
"He's right behind me-" Brink turned around and didn't see Tick Tock. Brink looked around and saw that Tock was standing next to a giant crystal.
"Tock what are you doing?" Brink asked.
"Hmmmmm... hey Twilight. Is it ok if I break a piece of crystal off this?" Tock shouted.
"Sure, but good luck- those things are as hard as steel, there's no way you'll be able to break a piece off anyway." They all looked at Tock to see what he would do. Suddenly his horn started to glow, and then the scarf around his neck started moving. It lifted into the air and formed a fist and then it shot forward and hit the crystal, it shattered into pieces. Tock went over to a piece of crystal; his scarf picked it up and placed it in his brief case. Brink Vinyl and Twilight stood there in disbelief.
"How did you do that!" All three of the shouted at once.
"This?" Tock said looking at his scarf." Oh it's a magic technique I invented, It's simple: I channel magic through my scarf and I'm able to create things like fists, hands, blades, drill, etc. You get the point- it comes in handy a lot."Said Tock.
"Um, so Twilight why are you here? Brink asked.
"I'm just here on a little trip with the girls." Twilight said.
"Where are they?" Brink asked.
"Let's see AppleJack is at the market, Fluttershy is at the zoo, Rarity is in some clothes shops, Rainbowdash is on a date, and PinkyPie is being PinkyPie." Twilight said.
"By the way, Twilight, we were wondering if you could tell us some good places to visit?" Brink asked.
"Well actually if you like I could introduce you to the Princess of love herself" Twilight said.
"YES! We would love to meet Princess Cadence!" Vinyl shouted
"But Vinyl I thought we were going to the hotel to drop our luggage off, I mean, we can't haul all this luggage around it would be too heavy." Brink said while pointing at all of the bags.
"Allow me" Tock said. Tocks horn started to glow and all of the bags started to float, Tocks brief case opened and all of the cases got into the case. Then the briefcase closed shut. "Ok there now will you stop bitching" Tock said with a blank face.
"How did he?" Vinyl and Twilight said at the same time.
"It's Tock, don't question it. Brink said.
"Alright the every pony follow me to meet Princess Cadence." Twilight said as they started to walk.
Outside Princess Cadence's chamber
Brink, Vinyl, Twilight and Tick Tock were all walking through a huge hallway with drapes, crystals and paintings everywhere. "I must hand it to them, the architecture in this place is marvelous" Tock said while looking around.
"Well, it IS a castle" Twilight said.
"Yeah I know. So Twilight how do you know princess cadence anyway? Tock said.
"Oh she used to be my foal sitter" Twilight said modestly.
"Hmmm can you explain to me why having a princess of love is even necessary, having a princess of the sun and the moon I can understand- but having a princess that rules over love kind of seems useless to me." Said Tock.
"Well here let me tell you" Twilight said." Having a princess of love is actually really important for the well being of the Equestrian ponies, you've all heard of the crystal heart, right?" Twilight asked.
"Of course" Brink Vinyl and Tock said at the same time.
"You see, whatever emotion surrounds it, radiates all over Equestria and affects the way ponies act and think. And since Cadence is the both the princess of love and the princess of the crystal empire, her presence here causes love to radiate all over Equestria. So that, Tock is why a princess of love is necessary." Twilight said with enthusiasm.
"Well if you ask me. I think that Equestria would fare much better if a princess of logic or rationality or something were stationed here instead of a princess of love. Anyway, I'm going to go look around the guys go meet princess Cadence, I'll meet up with you there." Said Tock.
"Ok see you later Tock" Brink said. Then Tock vanished.
"...Ummm how does he do that? He vanished without a trace but that was not a teleportation spell." Twilight asked.
"Yeah the only thing I really know about that is that he can stop time for short periods" said Brink.
"HE CAN STOP TIME!?" Twilight yelled.
"Yeah I most unicorns he's shown that to don't even know where to begin on how to do that." Said Vinyl. Twilight looked at the ground puzzled. Then all three of them came up to a giant door. Two guards where at the front of the door.
"Halt who goes there!" Both the guards said at the same time.
"Hi my name is Twilight Sparkle I'm on the V.I.P list." Twilight said to the guard. The guard took out a sheet of paper and looked at it for a second.
"Ah yes, your name is right here. Right this way. Miss Sparkle. I'm sure the princess will be very glad to see you. The princess is having lunch right now." The guard said as he opened the door. Brink, Vinyl and twilight all walked into a large room with a high ceiling and decorations everywhere. Princess cadence sat on her throne at the end of the hallway eating a sandwich.
"Cadence!" Twilight yelled with joy then she started to run to cadence.
"Twilight!" Cadence threw here sandwich got out of her throne and ran to Twilight.
"Sunshine, sunshine ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!" both Twilight and Cadence sang.
"Hahaha I love doing that, so Twilight why the sudden visit and who are your friends?" Cadence asked.
"This is my friend Brink and his girlfriend Vinyl." Twilight said.
"It's an honor to meet you princess" Brink and Vinyl said and then bowed.
"Thank you very much, so you two are dating?" Cadence asked.
"Yes we've been doing so for 8 months" Brink said.
"Do you mind if I look at how much love you two have for each other I am the Princess of love after all." Cadence said.
"Sure, go ahead" Vinyl said. Cadence closed her eyes then they opened again and they were glowing, they stayed open for a shot period then they closed and her eyes opened up to her normal eyes.
"You two have much love for each other, and it makes me very happy to see true love like this, remember every living thing has love in it." Cadence said.
"Thank you princess but I must disagree on that statement. I know a pony who says he thinks love is useless and says he carries none of it." Brink said.
"Oh hogwash, that can't be true! Everything has love inside it." Cadence said. Just then Tock walked in carrying his brief case.
"Damn! This place is like a maze. Oh- there you guys are! I've been looking for you." Tock said.
"Ok, here, this is the guy. Princess look inside him and tell me if you see anything." Brink said.
"Very well, would you mind if I look inside you." Cadence asked Tock.
"Sure go ahead I don't mind." Tock said. Cadence closed her eyes then they opened glowing. Cadence looked at Tock but instead of seeing the pinkish aura radiating from things that contain love she saw a black aura coming from Tock. She then closed her eyes and opened them to be normal again.
"Hmmmm my magic must be acting up or something. Anyway, Twilight, I have some business to attend to so why don't you and your little friends leave, okay?" Cadence said.
"Alright, come on guy's It's getting late anyway." Twilight said. Twilight, Brink, Vinyl and Tock left through the large door then it closed behind them.
"I have a really bad feeling." Cadence thought to herself." Let's just hope nothing bad will happen."