Chapter 57: Of Diamonds and Stars 2

"You know your Majesty, When I arrived here I expected a greeting, but a party like this? You sure are full of surprises," I smiled what I could only hope to look like a princely smile as I sat next to Queen Lanternlight on a balcony overlooking the festivities.

As much of a waste of time as a festival is, I have no choice but to play along with her, or else she gets the upper-hand in our trade negotiations.

It's simple politics really.

"Please, you may call me Jenn, That's what all my friends call me," Queen Jennino Lanternlight said with a smile, her tail wagging behind her, clearly showcasing her emotions.

"Only if you call me Blueblood in return," I must not overstep my boundaries, whilst still trying and keep a good hold on my position at the negotiation table.

I must not slip up.

"Would you like to join me for a walk, Prince Blueblood?" Queen Jennino Lanternlight asked me, immediately ignoring my previous request for her to simply call me 'Blueblood' whilst still giving me an optionless choice.

It is an optionless choice because I cannot say no. While I am the instigator of the trade, and thus have the upper hand in regards to the trade, she is the Queen of this nation, one of two ruling regents.

She is a Queen, and I am a simple Prince.

"It would be my pleasure, Queen Jennino," I smirked at her from across the table.

Two can play at this game and in the game of getting what I want?

I'm the World fucking Champion.

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"How exhilarating," Time Turner said to himself as he walked around the Caninian Port Town, admiring the differences in architecture between Caninia and Equestria.

"Yes... Exhilarating..." Zephyr Breeze whispered along as he walked with his new friend, his eyes moving to look at the Dogs around him before his eyes caught onto one Diamond Dog skulking around in the corner, a hood covering their face, a blue skirt barely visible from beneath it.

"Did something catch your attention?" Time Turner asked Zephyr as he turned to look at him, prompting Zephyr to shake his head in response.

"Nah, just a creep skulking around," He answered before he continued walking, prompting Time Turner to start moving faster to catch up with the taller Pegasus.

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"Why are there Ponies here?" Fiona Floppyears asked herself quietly as she hid among the crowd, confused as to what was going on but still excited enough with the mystery to no longer be bored.

"You didn't hear?" Fiona jumped at that voice, hiding her face under her cloak as a recognizable voice answered her, "Queen Jennino Lanternlight managed to get Prince Blueblood of Equestria to come for a visit,"

Fiona didn't need to turn to see who it was that answered her, recognizing the purple dress the Dog wore with just a glimpse.

It was none other than her twin sister, the one who left her behind to follow Jenn in the pursuit of her passions, or as Kathy would say, "An Undignified pursuit, unfitting for a Princess,"

It was none other than Princess Ambrosia Muffinsbuns.

Fiona quickly turned and ran away, making sure that her sister wouldn't recognize her under her cloak.

She can't allow herself to be recognized, or Indy's plan will fail.

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"This party blows, where's the booze?" Gilda grumbled to herself as she sat on a bench in the corner of a street, looking at a certain filly flying towards her, carrying two sticks of cotton candy in her hooves.

"This is a public party, the booze doesn't come out until the children go to sleep," A K Yearling told her before taking a spoon from a compostable bowl filled with a Caninian Vegetarian dish called Colcannon or something.

Gilda wasn't listening to the seller when he explained, she lost interest when he said Vegetarian.

Gilda grunted at that before she smiled widely as Cozy Glow gave her a stick of Cotton Candy.

"Anyway, Did any of you see Tranko or whatever her name was? She's missing out," Gilda said with a mouth full of sweet pink hairs.

"It's Trixie, and I believe she's talking with One of the Princesses about Magic," Yearling said before placing her bowl on the bench and turning to look at the two other girls.

"So what will you two be doing when the Prince and the rest are off to the Capital?" She asked them, causing Gilda to blink.

"We'll be joining them...? Why are you asking?" Gilda asked the Author.

"Did you not listen to his morning announcement?" Yearling asked with shock, looking over at Cozy who simply shrugged her shoulders before she looked back at Gilda.

"You two, together with Turner and Breeze are to stay on the ship for the duration of our stay here," Yearling told them what the Prince said in the morning.

"What?!" Gilda yelled, throwing the now candy-less stick in the vague direction of a trashcan.

"That's what he said," Yearling shrugged her shoulders and made a "What can you do?" Face at that.

"I guess it is kind of our job, right?" Cozy decided to speak up after finishing her stick of Cotton Candy, "Turner is like the one looking after the machines on the ship, and Breeze is supposed to be his assistant or something, and you're supposed to be guarding the ship, and I'm supposed to be helping anypony who needs help,"

Gilda yelled at the sky in anger.

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"So that magical staff of yours," The Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon said as she stood next to Princess Moonbeam Twinkletail of Caninia, "How does it work?"

"Oh, this old thing?" The Short purple dog asked as she shaved the wooden staff in her paw, "It's made from the branch of a tree grown underground, its only source of water was a natural spring above it that slowly dripped water onto it and its only source of sunlight was from a crystal that refracted the rays of the sun into a rainbow of colors after bouncing off a series of crystal mirrors," She explained proudly before pointing at a glowing protrusion at the head of the staff.

"And this right here? This baby was taken from the depths of a cave in the fog-covered lands of Dun Scaith, Allowing the ambient magic from the land to gather into it, making it act as the Arcane Foci for the staff," The Dog pat the staff as if it was her child.

Trixie nodded along at her explanation, already thinking of ways to make her own Magic Staff to enhance her magical power and finally show that pesky Twilight Sparkle who was the better Unicorn!

"Does the Quality of the ingredients matter in the construction of such a staff?" She asked the princess who sputtered at her question.

"Does the quality matter?! Do you make a pie with moldy dough? Do you drink milk filled with chunks? OF COURSE THE QUALITY MATTERS!"

Trixie made herself comfortable and got ready to listen to an explanation for the construction and use of Magic Staves.

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Hughbert Jellius made sure to watch himself as he made his way to a quiet and hidden alleyway near the edge of the port town.

"You made it, good," He stood up at attention as the voice of his Queen came from behind him before a tall changeling moved to stare him down, "Now listen well, I am giving you your new orders,"

Hughbert nodded, ready to play along with his Queen's plans.

As long as she doesn't learn of his enhanced Jelly, his plan to break away will continue unopposed.

But before all that, there's a certain Badger that's been crawling in the vents, and it needs to be taken care of.

Before it decided to speak.