Creating A Hive

What Kind of Pony Am I?

The Crystal Empire shined.

Raspberry squinted behind her sunglasses. She still hated the sunlight. A week away hadn't changed her opinion. All it changed was the size of her travel party.

Today, she traveled alone. Killjoy worked, so it was better for her to have a reliable schedule. Raspberry wouldn't want Killjoy to feel stifled either, or that Raspberry was doing something sinister like 'controlling her money flow' or 'cockblocking to the extreme'. That was, apparently, a thing. It amused Raspberry all the same.

As for the rest, Thorax stayed behind with the kids. He said it was because they all had too much homework to skip out on, not even for a trip back to the Crystal Empire. If he thought he was hiding the fact that it would become a sleepover between their kids and the Crusaders, he fooled nopony.

That didn't mean Raspberry arrived at the Crystal Empire alone. She arrived with Twilight, and all of Twilight's friends. Sure, Raspberry could count them as her friends too. She wouldn't though.

"Seems like only yesterday I was saving this place from being totally destroyed." Spike mused. "Hey, you guys remember that?"

He said this while standing in front of the statue, one of himself and Raspberry. Raspberry hated the statue.

"You only mentioned it about fifteen times on the train here." Dash complained. "Not even Raspberry brags about it."

Raspberry gave a curt nod. She hated bragging about that damn statue. Or thinking about the Crystal Empire. After the Games, Raspberry would prefer not to think about the Crystal Empire for a long time. She could send letters to Cadance and Shining. They would love to visit Ponyville.

"Yes, and we never hear a peep out of you about your exploits." Rarity teased Dash.

Dash laughed, bashfully rubbing her neck. "Heh, point taken."

"I'm glad you all wanted to come, but I don't think it's gonna be that exciting." Twilight reminded her friends for the millionth time. "Raspberry and I pretty much just have to smile and wave as the dignitaries arrive."

"Yes, but you get to smile and wave like a princess." Rarity reminded her.

Applejack raised a skeptical eyebrow. "How exactly is that different than smilin' and wavin' like not a princess?"

"Like this." Raspberry waved her hoof, smiling brightly. She waved her hoof across her face- the smile vanishing. She waved it back over her face- the smile returned. "I'm so good at princess waving."

"At least one of us is." Twilight frowned, head drooping.

"What's wrong, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"Why the looooooooong face?" Pinkie asked.

"I've just been feeling a little unsure about things lately." Twilight admitted. "It doesn't seem that my new role as a princess equates to all that much."

Raspberry could offer words of comfort. She chose not to do that. Any comforting words would just...fall flat. Besides, it's not like Twilight would actually be assured by anything Raspberry said. Or that she wouldn't call it out as a lie.

"That's just silly. You've got a real important role in Equestria." Applejack told her.

"Princess Celestia wouldn't have asked you to come today if she didn't think so." Fluttershy reminded her.

Twilight's frown stayed on her face.

Raspberry braced herself. The sunglasses made it easier to hide her rolling eyes. "Twilight, I'm here too. You think I would've come if it was useless?"