A heavy and slow, yet methodical beat of hoofs on stone echoed in the darkness, the soft almost ragged panting of somecreature carrying a heavy load that weighed far more than they were used to reverberate with the sounds. A dim multi colored light broke through the darkness of the tunnel allowing a young looking unicorn with a frazzled mane to see. The unicorn was slightly taller than average covered in dirt and grime, their coat though hard to make out was a light peach in color. The pony in question though looked rather drawn almost skeletal as they carried another creature on their back wrapped up in a dirty reddish brown material.
“All… almost there… Papa… soon we’ll… get you to a… healer. Just hang on… a little longer… I’m… i'm so sorry…” a light soprano voice hiccuped softly into the dark, identifying the pony as a mare. “Just a bit more… then I can… teleport… right to the Heart… and get you healed…” The pony stated as they gently laid down levitating the heavy weight and unwrapping the creature. A pair of peach colored wings and a blank flank were uncovered from the first pony while the second creature was also a pony through a stallion with a missing horn from the flat bit remaining on his forehead.
The stallion had a grey coat and a slowly shifting mane and tail. His eyes were closed while his breathing was rather shallow and thick crusted bands marred his neglected body starting from around his cut horn and going down his neck shoulders forelegs along his spine down his back legs and heavily encircling his flanks where a trio of ruby crystals softly pulsed like a heartbeat. The peach pony rested beside the grey pony and nuzzled the stallion. “Why… Why did you have to carry this burden alone? Why didn’t you ask Lulu or Celly even Uncle Star for help Papa?” The peach pony softly asked the most likely unconscious stallion. The peach pony sighed when they didn’t get an answer and simply raised their head and lightly pressed their horn to the cut off grey one the stallion had. The pony closed their eyes and smiled a bit when their magic slowly trickled from their horn into the stallion's, causing the pulsing trio of crystals to get stronger and closer together. “Break time is over. Got more tunnels to cover.” The peach pony stated spreading out their wings and standing up on all four hooves.
As the peach pony returned the stallion to their back and began their slow journey once more they began to hum to music only they could hear. A spark of hope lighting up in their eyes. “A harmony song…” they whispered in utter joy. They had missed hearing those songs and now they were starting to hear the echoes of past songs. ‘We’re getting closer! Soon… soon we can finally leave this living torment and I can finally remove this curse on Papa!’ The peach pony thought, their strides were getting stronger as they continued on their journey.
The journey was much like what had just happened but with hope slowly filling the peach pony. “We’re getting closer Papa… I can feel it. Soon I can make a connection with the Heart and teleport us directly into the palace. Just a little more…” the peach pony slowly climbed a rather steep ledge using their wings to hold the stallion on their back. In a single instant their dimly lit multicolored and glowing horn soon burst into four distinct colors, gold at the back with a soft blue followed by a lavender purple and topping it off with soft pink. The peach pony breathed a shaking breath looking like they might burst into tears. “I’m… i'm finally… connected with… Harmony again… I… wonder how big brother Discord… took to my absence.” The peach pony choked back sobs.
The peach pony breathed, calming down their hot tears that rolled down their face. “Okay… okay… I can teleport now… just need to find a connection…” the peach pony closed their eyes and felt their horn’s magic settle before changing color once more as a soft blue glow came from their flank. Slowly a blue crystal in the shape of a heart took form with gold swirls while the peach pony’s horn had a cyan blue color to it before the peach pony’s eyes snapped own revealing blinding white spotlights before in a swirl of multicolored light the peach pony and the stallion were go in a flash of light the sound of rain and chimes left in their wake.
In the few seconds they traveled the peach pony’s eyes closed once more feeling the magic surround them before they felt it come to a stop their hooves now touching magic soaked crystals that felt familiar yet different. Slowly they opened their eyes showing two toned crimson amethyst eyes that slowly blinked at the brightness.
Before them were two unfamiliar ponies, a white stallion with a blue colored mane and tail with armor of the Crystal Knights Captain. In the throne was a young pink mare with a horn and wings just like the peach pony. She had a tricolored mane and tail styled in curls at the ends, on her head was a simple crown while around her neck rested a necklace and her hooves were covered in gold shoes. Scattered through the throne room were several knights and guards that the peach pony felt were familiar.
The peach pony felt their legs buckle as exhaustion and relief filled them. “Where’s… Celly…? She promised… to wait…” the peach pony stated but couldn’t hold back the exhaustion as their eyes rolled into the back of their head and they collapsed in a heap on the crystal ground just as the Crystal Captain started speaking something foreign and strange sounding. They felt somepony lift their unconscious companion while hearing a noise of what sounded like shock fear and anger.
‘Lulu… I’m home… I brought Papa back.’ they thought before everything went dark.