With her protection of the Crystal Empire, Quasimodo Quartz becomes much more loved by her subjects, although she has come down with a cold because of exposure as a result of the golems' incursion. Skyla buries her under a mountain of her plushies in an attempt to raise her spirits, and letters wishing her well and news articles from Press Patrol adulating her begin to pile up as she never imagined. The love from her subjects begins to mingle with her half-Changeling biology, aiding in Quartzy's recovery. One day when Curiosity is visiting, Quartzy nods off, and Curiosity plants a kiss on her forehead...
After she's recovered, Cadance holds a conference to declare the crown-princess to the Crystal Empire: Quasimodo Quartz. This is met with relatively positive reception, but the vocal minority which despise this move takes its toll on Quartzy. On top of feeling unworthy of the crown, the vocal hatred wears her down, leaving her open to a kernel of darkness that crept into her from Sombra's horn: a miasma. She is consumed, and transforms into the NightMare Mongrel, which rises up to destroy anypony who would dare to love Quasimodo Quartz.
Everypony in her family is called up to the Crystal Empire who was not present for the announcement of her coronation as crown-princess, in an attempt to cleanse her of this new NightMare. Word is sent to Sunrise Shimmer for her Daydream form to purify Quartzy, but there is no response. Moonlit Bloom applies the Elements of Harmony to various friends and family members, attempting to use the Element of Magic herself like her mother had before her, but it proves useless. Cute Curiosity reaches out to the Mongrel, declaring her love of Quartzy. The Element of Magic appears on her head, and the other Elements appear on others connected to Quartzy, such as Regality and Press Patrol, and the Mongrel is dispelled.
Holding the half-Changeling princess, Cute Curiosity reassures the weakened princess of her love. Quartzy hesitates, wondering why she is worthy of any love if she causes so much hurt. The Lettuce twins Romaine and Iceberg appear, explaining that Quasimodo's current circumstances are a miracle. While her conception is a constant in the multiverse, she is miscarried in most, stillborn in others, or left to die by her mother Chrysalis in others. She only exists in this state in an extremely small number of timelines, and is only truly happy in a minority of those. She should cherish whatever love she comes upon, because she is such a rarity. After a hesitance, she accepts Curiosity's love, confessing to reciprocating it.
Sunrise arrives, having only just gotten their message. Fluttershy had gone into labor with their child (it is about nine months in-universe since the "Dust 'n' Rust" story arc) and she had been seeing her wife through childbirth. She presents a photograph of their daughter Sunlit Orchid, over the moon with her "precious little ray of sunshine".
...well, this is unfortunate, but I unfortunately have to announce that we are pulling the plug on Ask Prince(ss) Quasimodo Quartz. The three of us who worked on this Tumblr have moved on to other things, so it feels like it would be paddling against the tide to try to continue work on this blog. On behalf of the three of us, I am really truly regretful that we were unable to show you what it is that we were going to do in totality. But, StarryOak and I had discussed greatly what we would plan to do through to the conclusion of the Tumblr, so I will divulge what Starr and I had planned for the Tumblr's future, so that nobody is left in suspense.
The following set of posts have had their dialogue entirely hashed out by StarryOak and myself.
We begin with a mini-arc that I dubbed Meet Cute (Curiosity), a multi-meaning title as you’ll see in later posts.
Panel 1:
The interior of the Crystal Empire library, as provided over Yahoo Mail. A table labeled "Returns" sits at the right end of the landing, and Quartz (facing screen right) stands beside it levitating her soon-to-be-returned book. The tabletop is empty save for a magic-circle. (Starr will draw up the table and its magic circle, but feel free to do a quick mock-up.) The presence of the mirror in Quartzy's aura of magic indicates to us that we are still seeing her from beyond the mirror's perspective. Her eyes are idly glancing at the mirror, and though she has a dull expression on her face, she at least doesn't look sad. In the background behind the Crystal Princess, SOME CRYSTAL PONIES mull about the bookshelves. Among them, in the background of the right half of the library, we can see CUTE CURIOSITY, the half-dragon half-Crystal-Pony librarian. She has not yet noticed Quartzy; she is speaking with Press Patrol.
QUARTZ: Because Uncle Spike saved the Crystal Empire, the Crystal Ponies have grown to love any and all dragons that visit us up here.
Panel 2:
Quartzy has placed the book upon the magic-circle'd tabletop, the magical aura around the book dissipating. Her eyes glance down at the book, so she doesn't notice that Press Patrol and Cute Curiosity have finished their discussion, and the latter has just noticed that Quartzy is in the library. Curiosity's mouth forms a perfect "O", eyes behind her glasses widening slightly.
QUARTZ (cont'd): Some, more than others, it seems, as one had settled down with a recent migrant from Fillydelphia's own Dragon Town.
Panel 3:
Cute Curiosity trots off-screen to screen-right, smiling brightly. Quartzy's eyes have returned to the mirror, on which we can make out the question from the last update. The magic circle beneath the book has begun to glow, a clear aura forming around the book as well as it begins to turn translucent.
QUARTZ (cont'd): Granted, there is more than one half-dragon that calls the Crystal Empire home, but our chief librarian is perhaps the most notable, if only because of her...
Panel 4:
Quartzy glances off-screen to screen-right, her pupils shrinking and her ears falling back. The magic circle tabletop is now completely bookless, the magic circle itself beginning to dim.
QUARTZ (cont'd): ...oh no... I thought I could...
Panel 5:
Cute Curiosity practically bounces in from screen-right, having evidently jumped the entire flight of stairs onto the landing in front of the "Returns" table. Curiosity balances on her front hooves as she beams up at Quartzy with a fangy grin. Quartzy takes a step back, looking all the world like she'd rather be somewhere else - anywhere else.
CURIOSITY: Princess Quartz! I heard you talking about me just now and... Why are you carrying that mirror around, Princess?
QUARTZ: You wouldn't believe me if I told you...
Panel 6:
Curiosity casts her eyes up and to our right, raising her right forehoof (foreclaw?) in a practiced lecturing posture. Quartz rubs her right foreleg with her left, glancing down and to our left. In the background, the CRYSTAL PONIES (and Press Patrol) begin to take notice of the scene unfolding at the entryway.
CURIOSITY: Oh you'd be surprised, we get a lot of weird things in this library. The last librarian was always talking about glowing eyes and ghosts. I wish ghosts would have some sort of bones to study, it would be so much easier for forensic magic and fossil records would have an idea of what they really looked like!
Panel 7:
Curiosity's head turns to 3/4 profile, mostly so that we can see that she is quirking one eyebrow upwards and the other down. She points the same forehoof at Quartzy's mirror, where her eyes are also fixated, and the wheelchair-bound Princess follows the half-dragon's gaze and pointed hoof.
CURIOSITY (cont'd): .... but I'm getting off topic here. That mirror right there was what we were talking about, right?
From here, it only got so far as the dialogue that Starr and I had pulled together as a pseudo-RP. I was writing for Quartzy, and Starr as Cute Curiosity.
Quasimodo Quartz: “Well… It’s like there are ponies behind it that are talking to me.”
Cute Curiosity: “Ghosts? Telepathy? Magical transmutation of ponies into an enchanted mirror? A two way mirror with somepony on the other end? Possessed mirror? Is it an image of you that has been enchanted to respond? Can it talk to me? Or can only you hear it? /pokes it/ It looks solid, but does it ever let you poke through it?”
Quasimodo Quartz: “Well… I’ve never poked it, but… It seems like written notes of some sort appear on the surface of my mirror. I can only guess that beings from a higher dimension are watching me… and judging me.”
Cute Curiosity: "Judging you? Is there some sort of contest? What’s the prize? Are you winning? Did you already win and you’re showing off the mirror as a prize?“
Quasimodo Quartz: "No… Judging me as kindly and beautiful, and… I don’t understand why. I’m just a wretch in a wheelchair uncomfortable with her own body. Why are they so kind to me?”
Cute Curiosity: “Well, you’re a very fascinating pony… changeling… what would you prefer? Pony, Changeling, Ponyling? Nymphfoal? Or would you like to invent a new word? Ooh, that would be really groundbreaking! We could do a study on the new species that you are!…. /a bit of a nudge and a goofy grin as she is leaning a little close to her to indicate she’s thinking about that skeleton thing, although the viewers dont know that/”
Quasimodo Quartz: “/ears drooping/ Please, I don’t want to talk about that…”
Cute Curiosity: “Oh… But you’re just such a unique specimen, it’s such a shame for you to think so badly of a scientific marvel! You are completely unique, there’s nothing quite like you! It’s a crime to let such a fascinating discovery go to waste!“
Quasimodo Quartz: "But… I don’t want to be special or fascinating or unique. I just want to be a normal mare!”
Cute Curiosity: “But… but, what will happen to the science! The discoveries! The skeletal structure! You’re so important to the scientific community! You’re already an amazing mare! Just with a infinitely more unique skeleton!”
Quasimodo Quartz: “/crossing a foreleg across the other/ M… My skeleton is horrific, deformed. It’s not worth studying…”
Cute Curiosity: “No it’s not, it’s beautiful! I assume, anyway. Since you won’t let me see, I can’t tell you, but it’s obviously amazing just judging by what I can guess from your appearance! And you have a really nice eyeshadow on, by the way. I like the color. It’s really nice.”
Quasimodo Quartz: “No! No no no no no no no no… You’re just trying to butter me up for that spell! I really don’t want to do it! It’s hard enough to love myself without knowing how mangled I am inside!”
Cute Curiosity: “I don’t have to show you them, I promise, complete scientific confidentiality… at least until after your death, anyway, which is basically confidentiality, right? And it would only take a few minutes! Just one… well, actually, I’d need about a dozen to get a full three dimensional model, but it would be perfectly safe!”
Quasimodo Quartz: “/backing away towards library doors/ No… please… I’m not just a sack of bones… I’m not just some amoeba on a slide to be examined at your leisure…”
Cute Curiosity: “I don’t think of you that way at all! You’re a beautiful mare, and I really do like you.. I mean, sure, I would love to study you and it is really disappointing that you won’t just let me take a scan. Which would only take seconds, but I do want to be friends with you! I wouldn’t study you after taking the data if you don’t want me to! I only need that, and then we can be friends! We can hang out! I want to be friends with you! Please let me be friends with you!”
And that would probably be a mini-cliffhanger until the next post, to let questions roll in along the lines of “Be her friend, Quartzy; she’s not a bad pony… dragon… dracony?”. Y'know, things like that.
Quasimodo Quartz: “/sighs/ As forward as you can be with asking for other ponies’ skeletons… I know what it’s like to want a friend more than anything in the world.”
Cute Curiosity: “So you’ll be my friend? Please tell me you’ll be my friend! /ping/…. What was that noise?”
Quasimodo Quartz: “That was the mirror. It makes that noise whenever a new question… pops up. /eyes widen slightly/ They must know you’re here. The Askers must see you.”
Quasimodo Quartz: “I don’t know, Miss Curiosity… I don’t know if we have any shared interests, any places we would spend time together… I’m a princess, you’re a librarian. The Crystal Ponies love you, and they… hate me. I don’t know if our friendship will work… /smiles tentatively down at C2/ but I will give it a try.”
Cute Curiosity: “Oh my Celestia! /she suddenly pulls in Quasimodo Quartz: for a very tight hug that pulls Quartzy’s head down slightly so she can nuzzle her/ We’re going to be best friends!”
Quasimodo Quartz: “/smiles awkwardly and pats Cute Curiosity: on the back/ Yes. We can try…”
Cute Curiosity: “This is going to be so amazing! A real friend! I’ve never had one of those before! I’m going to have a friend! And we’re going to have so much fun! We can…. um…. I… I don’t know what friends really… do… /ears fold down and her ear spikes droop/”
Quasimodo Quartz: “/with a friendly hoof/ Well, we can find out together.”
After such an episode, Quasimodo Quartz decides to spend a bit of time getting to know her new friend Cute Curiosity. They have ice-cream together at a local ice-cream shop, getting to share stories together. Quartzy finds out that Curiosity carried a lot of issues herself despite appearing to be so self-assured. No matter what she does, the Crystal Empire seems to hold her in the highest esteem just for being half-dragon. She is simply loved too much. She wants to be loved for herself, not for what her mother is. Quartzy takes her hoof and assures her.
(pictured: Tiffany Treats, ice-cream salesmare of the Crystal Empire, drawn by StarryOak)
Meanwhile, after so many years of moldering away in the tundras, Sombra's horn has built up enough malice in the surrounding landscape to construct golems out of snow, ice, and boulders, marching on the Crystal Empire. While her family and friends go forth to fight them off, Quartzy is told to stay behind as her wheelchair in such snowy environs would not be conducive to mobility. Feeling useless, she stands by the Crystal Heart and waits for her loved ones to be successful. She receives word that not only are the golems persisting beyond any equine determination, but her loved ones are becoming overwhelmed.
Initially despairing, Quartzy looks around at her subjects, at those praying at the first Crystal Queen's enshrined horn, and a fierce protective desire rises in her. She channels her magic into the Crystal Heart, and a bubble-shaped shield propagates out, undoing the magic holding the golems together and causing a glow to encompass the horns of Sombra and the Crystal Queen. The horns regenerate into a colt and a filly, respectively, evidently reborn versions of Sombra and the Crystal Queen. They cling to Quartzy and call her their mother. Skyla eagerly decides to name the colt Benitoite (’Ben’ for short) and the filly Carnelian Carnation (’Nelly’).
