The Commander's Compromise
, is part of The Weedverse, and is written by Kudzuhaiku.
Chartreuse Le Feu is a filly with a dream, she wants to be the apprentice of Shining Armor. So she saves up for an airship ticket to the Crystal Empire. Upon arrival, she quickly draws the attention of Sunburst, who takes her to meet Shining.
Unfortunately, Shining Armor is a very busy stallion, and doubts he'll be able to give an apprentice the time and effort they deserve, but promises to consider the problem.
Now has a sequel, Crystal Camaraderie
This story contains examples of:
- Almighty Mom: No-one wants Sleet to find out that the royal foals have been slipped extra chocolate milk. Not even Shining Armor.
- The Apprentice: Chartreuse's goal is to become Shining Armor's apprentice. Although she technically becomes it, she will be learning far more from Dim Dark and Sunburst than Shining Armor.
- Attack Reflector: Chartreuse's shield does this indirectly, converting incoming energy into heat that is (when the shield is charged enough) reflected back at the origin.
- Barrier Warrior: Chartreuse's special spell is a force-field, with a twist. Anything striking the field strengthens it and causes the outer surface to heat up, quickly reaching the point where it will burst into flames. This process can be continued indefinitely. She seeks out another one (Shining Armor) as her master because she thinks he'll be the best option to help her control it.
- Braids of Action: Chartreuse gets some as part of getting prepped by Dim for a session in court.
- Casanova Wannabe: Chartreuse has a brief encounter with one. He backs off when she threatens to use fire magic to alter his gender.
- Cast from Calories: The wizards' kitchen is well-stocked for this reason.
- Classified Information: Exactly what Pasteur Le Feunote does is very highly classified, even Shining Armor lacks clearance to know.
- Court Mage: Sunburst and Dim Dark are the court wizards of the Crystal Empire. Skyla intends to recruit Chartreuse as hers.
- Continuity Nod: Chartreuse's family lives near where the Dark Obelisk once was.
- Deadpan Snarker: Flurry gives it a try. Unfortunately, she's in the presence of Dim Dark, and he is unimpressed.
- Eating the Eye Candy: Cadance is quite interested in her husband's power-trot.
- Foil: Chartreuse is something of one to Dim. Both were raised by parents who has a purpose in mind for their child and worked to arrange it, but while Dim was raised to seek power and rulership, and rebelled against that upbringing, Chartreuse was raised to be altruistic and to serve, and does not rebel.
- Girls Have Cooties: Inverted, Chartreuse finds colts icky. Later referenced during a brief narrative digression on equine flow dynamics, with both colts and fillies separating out into their own groups.
- Gratuitous German: Dim Dark breaks into this upon being exposed to Chartreuse.
- Inelegant Blubbering: Chartreuse breaks down after one too many things don't quite go right. It's brought to an end by her receiving a gift from Blackbird.
- Mark of the Supernatural: Quiet Dark has hetereochromia, a sign of her magical bloodline.
- Meaningful Name: Chartreuse Le Feu is the bright yellow-green of chartreuse, and wields fire magic.
- Motor Mouth: Chartreuse, when in Squee mode. Later on, Princess Cadance also demonstrates hers in response to Chartreuse. As a Princess, it's important for her to speak excitable filly.
- Nightmare Fetishist: When asked to keep an eye on Quiet Dark, Chartreuse is told that she's very easy to watch, just read a book to her. Unfortunately, Chartreuse doesn't share Quiet's taste in fiction.
- Oh, Crap!: Chartreuse, upon leaving the kitchenette with snacks for Quiet and Skyla, including some illicit chocolate milk, and encountering Shining Armor.
- Only in It for the Money: Dim claims this, saying that once coin was promised, he found time for an apprentice. From what we know of him, it's not entirely true.
- Person of Mass Destruction: Canterlot Central Intelligence keeps a watchlist of them. Chartreuse is on it.
- Right on Queue: As a trial-by-fire, Chartreuse is tasked with managing tourist access to the Crystal Heart.
- Robe and Wizard Hat: Before setting out, Chartreuse tried to obtain a proper hat, but was unable to find one that wasn't "dorky and old fashioned". Dim Dark and Sunburst are already well-equipped. Chartreuse is later given a rather nice set made by Blackbird. In electric-blue nacré velvet.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Shining and Cadance's household is a working household, and all those who are part of it are expected to participate.
- Running Gag: Ponies reacting to Chartreuse's extremely bright coat in a variety of humorous ways, a particular highlight is Dim procuring a welding mask after his first encounter, and that he proceeds to wear during the following court session.
- Sadistic Choice: Downplayed, but Shining briefly laments having no good options: if he makes Skyla drink from a sippy cup, she gets huffy about being treated like a baby. If he doesn't, she spills things and he gets lectured about responsible parenting.
- Sherlock Scan: Upon meeting a Casanova Wannabe trying to play on her sympathy, Chartreuse quickly reads his body language and clocks that he's not as naive as he's making out.
- Shipping Torpedo: Skyla does not approve of Nuance and Quiet, and attempts to recruit Chartreuse for a little Relationship Sabotage.
- Singing in the Shower: Strictly, it's not in the shower, but the airdryer afterwards, but it's enough for Dim to tease Chartreuse about her rather geeky choice of song.
- Squee: Chartreuse knows her wizards very well, and is very excited to meet her heroes. Sunburst isn't used to it.
- Unskilled, but Strong: Shining's magical theory is weak. While he can learn and cast spells fine, he can't creatively use them like Twilight, Dim or Sunburst.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Sunburst and Dim are apparently friends, despite Dim's difficult nature. Sunburst comments that he ends up making friends with difficult ponies.
- Zany Scheme Chicken: Cadance and Gosling are apparently in a long-running one involving claiming different objects and locations for their respective empires. Cadance is rather frustrated that new claim notices keep appearing even when Gosling hasn't visited.
