Written by Kudzuhaiku, and a direct sequel to The Commander's Compromise in The Weedverse, Crystal Camaraderie
depicts an early portion of Chartreuse' apprenticeship. She's assigned as roommate and helper to Chalcedony. After a brief discussion, they set out to visit Chalcedony's favourite tea shop. Along the way, they meet a nocturnal pegasus colt who's having a rather bad day, and Chalcedony suggests that he tag along.
This work contains examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Chalcedony calls Nomination "Nom", probably intending this. He's not too keen on it, because "nicknames are against regulations".
- The Apprentice: Chartreuse is this, technically to Shining Armor, but in practice to Dim Dark and Sunburst.
- Blind Seer: Chalcedony cannot see conventionally, but can see the flows of magic. This means that some accommodations have to be made, for example, the route to her home is paved in magical stones, and letters to her are written in magical ink.
- Dope Slap: Chartreuse thwaps Chalcedony with her hat when the latter accidentally ruins tea.
- Eating the Eye Candy: Chalcedony would like to do this, but has problems with the classic approach, and colts tend to get bothered if someone comes up and starts touching them all over, so she attempts to recruit Nomination to help.
- Fantasy-Forbidding Mother: Nomination's mother is not pleased by his studying cooking at Cadance's school but acquiesced because "you can cook in the guard".
- The Force Is Strong with This One: Chalcedony can sense how powerful a wizard is as part of her ability to see magic. Some ponies are uncomfortable to look at because of this, but Chartreuse is "easy on the eyes".
- Gayngst: Nomination is gay, which is problematic, because as a draconic pegasus, there are certain expectations.
- Got Me Doing It: After being subjected to a lot of tea puns, Chatreuse begins fearing for her sani-tea. She's not amused to realise she's started thinking in such puns.
- Human Cannonball: The tower Chalcedony and Chartreuse share is too small to have stairs, so has a launcher to access the upper floors.
- Hurricane of Puns: Chalcedony's favoured tea shop has had a succession of names due to people complaining about the punny nature of them. It's settled on "Casual-Tea of a Name". Later on, the shop signs as they walk back home indicate that tea was merely the eye of the storm.
- Incompatible Orientation: Nomination's first attempt at asking a colt out ended this way earlier in the day, so he's still rather miserable. Chartreuse also has a crush on Chalcedony, not that she's figured it out yet, who is straight.
- Inelegant Blubbering: Chalcedony, when it sinks in that she has, for the first time, a home.
- Mandatory Fatherhood: The fact he's expected to have foals does not reduce Nomination's Gayngst. Chalcedony suggests artificial insemination as a potential option.
- Motor Mouth: Chalcedony has her moments.
- Narrative Profanity Filter: After Chalcedony says she can't see the logic in a statement because she's blind, Nomination degenerates into a "stream of echolocative vulgarities".
- Neat Freak: According to Chartreuse, Dim has become this. To be fair, a sterile work environment is important for some magic, particularly Alchemy.
- Overprotective Dad: Downplayed to the point where it's actually reasonable (especially given the rules on cohabitation), but there's an alarm on the door of Chalcedony's and Chartreuse's tower to warn the adults if a colt enters.
- Parental Abandonment: Chalcedony was born at the very end of Sombra's reign, and like many foals in that situation, doesn't know who her parents are.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Sunburst takes a little convincing, but he hears out Chalcedony about Nomination, and while he doesn't have the authority to allow him to move in with her and Chartreuse as a helper, he agrees to plead their case to Princess Cadance.Sunburst: I’m not angry, not yet, anyway, and I’m tough but fair. Spill the beans and I will be merciful.
- Robe and Wizard Hat: Part of the uniform for the Court Mages of the Crystal Empire. In as much as they have one at all.
- Shaped Like Itself: Quoth Nomination:Nomination: Failure to follow the regulations is against regulations!
- Spot Of Tea: Chalcedony suggests they go to a tea-shop, a trip which makes up the bulk of the plot.
- There Was a Door: Thought about, but not actioned. Chartreuse empathises with ponies who flee through walls when she's subjected to a Hurricane of Puns.
- Uneven Hybrid: Nomination is a draconic pegasus.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Nomination is very concerned about what his parents think of him, unfortunately, they want him to go into the guard, but he's more interested in cooking.
