Heart and Snow, part 3
As the four of us continue our journey downward, we began to notice the walls and ceiling of the cave we were
trotting through began to smooth out, as if they had been carved by intelligent hands. Several torches lined the walls, and we saw ornate and beautiful carvings that only grew more intricate as we went down. Soon, the tunnel opened into a large cavern, and we ponies found that we had reached our destination.
"Look everybody!" Sports Tyme exclaimed. "We've found the gnome village!"
All around us, the diminutive humanoids worked, toiling away on their machines, crafting the soil and stones of the earth, and cultivating the precious seedlings that will grow into Dream Valley's mighty trees one day. The bearded male gnomes, clad in their blue button over work overalls, worked side-by-side with the females, clad in their earthen skirts and conical hats. Seeing our approach, one of the gnomes approached the spot where we stood, and greeted us.
"Welcome to the dell dweller village!" The little bearded man smiled, bowing to us. "How may I be of service, noble ponies?"
"Thank you, good sir!" Fireflight explained bowing back. "We are seeking a gnome called the Moochick, would you know where we might find him?"
"But of course!" The gnome exclaimed, gesturing towards one of the nearby mushroom-shaped houses. "He is currently visiting with his nephew Garth... be sure to knock before going inside!"
...
"Come in, the door is open!"
After knocking, we enter the colorful mushroom shaped house, and find the Moochick sitting at a small table. Beside him sits a beardless gnome in a greenish blue tunic, a very indignant look on his face.
"Ohhhhh my my my, Dream Valley Ponies!" The old wizard exclaimed, stroking his beard. "What brings you down here, so far away from your forested home?"
"Hmph! Probably here to curry another favor from you, uncle!" The younger gnome scoffed. "These ponies simply can't seem to get along without your help!"
"Garth! Mind your manners!" The Moochick chided angrily. "I apologize, ladies. My young nephew can often speak before he thinks!"
"It's quite all right, we fully understand." Fireflight responds diplomatically. "Mr. Moochick, allow me to present my companions Sweet Stuff, Sports Tyme, and Powder. We've come here to seek your aid, in a matter that is troubling Dream Valley."
"A troubling matter, hmmmm?" The old man noted, leaning back in his chair. "Well well well, let's hear all about it, then!"
And so, I opened up, explaining every little detail of my misadventure since leaving home. I tell him about the abduction of my friends, and the harsh demands the lava demons placed on me. As I shared every nuance and detail with the wily old wizard, his brow only seemed to furrow, and his expression grew darker.
"The crystal heart, you say? Hmmmmm....." The sagely old wizard exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "That was indeed a wondrous artifact, charged with the love and joy of the crystal ponies, and used to protect the kingdom from any outside threat."
"So it did exist!" Fireflight exclaimed a smile spreading across his face. "I knew it did! But if the heart protected the empire, how in the world did it ever fall?"
"When Princess Cadence abandoned her subjects to protect Shining Armor, they lost faith." The old gnome explained sadly. "There was nothing to power the crystal heart, and therefore nothing to protect the Crystal Ponies."
"But what happened to the crystal heart after the empire fell?" Sports Tyme asked curiously. "Clearly, the crystal ponies didn't take it with 'em!"
Turning away from us, the old wizard seemed hesitant to respond for a few moments. Finally, he looked up, and revealed a long hidden fact to us.
"Cadence gave it to Princess Luna, who had her earth pony smiths re-cut the gem into the heart of Ponyland." The Moochick sighed. "It now lies in the caverns below the jewel sea, where it maintains the magical foundations of Ponyland."
"The jewel sea? Oh my word!" Sweet Stuff exclaimed, her gemstone eyes going wide shock. "It's been right there, under the lava demon's nose the whole time!"
"But... how is it protecting Ponyland?" Fireflight asked, his face showing the same puzzlement I felt inside. "Without the love of the crystal ponies to power it, it's merely a lifeless rock!"
"The heart of Ponyland is a battery. All it needed was a new source of energy." Garth blurted out, earning a dark look from his uncle. "The stone is now powered by the elements of harmony. Your lunar Princess infused the powers of the elements into the gemstone for safekeeping."
"WHAT?!? Luna put the Equestrian elements into our tribe's sacred treasure!" My face contorted into a look of rage. "How dare that alicorn tramp mess with a relic like that!"
"Now listen here, little missy!" The Moochick glared at me angrily, his burning gaze powerful enough to make even this snow pony shake in her horseshoes. "Princess Luna may have made many mistakes, but a tramp she was not!"
"Mr. Moochick, I am sorry for any... misunderstanding." Sweet Stuff whinnied apologetically, stepping in between the two of us. "But we need to know how to rescue Powder's friends!"
"My good ponies, the answer is already close at hand. Merely reflect on yourselves, and send the many thoughts that result after the lava demons. They shall soon be seeing things your way!" The old wizard said knowingly, a soft twinkle in his eye. "But now, if you will excuse me, I have a stubborn nephew I need to convince not to do something foolish!"
"But it is not foolish, uncle! I love her more than anything!" The younger gnome protested. "I need to rescue that fair maiden from the castle in the clouds, that her father imprisoned her in!"
"Lad, you've never even seen the girl! You saw her image on an old tapestry in the craftsmen's guild hall!" The Moochick countered. "Besides, I knew her father, and he was one of our order's most powerful wizards! The old coot probably riddled the sky palace with traps!"
"You just don't understand, uncle! You've never understood me!" The young gnome protested. "I really don't even understand why you adopted me as your nephew!"
The two humanoids continued their argument, raising their voices as the four of us trotted out of the hut. Leaving behind the gnome village and it's inhabitants, we start our way back up the tunnel.
"Well, that sure was a whole lot of help!" Sports Tyme grumbled. "What the heck did that crazy old coot mean, anyway?"
"Now Sports time, the Moochick's meaning is never clear right away!" Sweet Stuff chided him. "Twilight always told me if you think about it long enough, you can unravel his riddles."
"But does he really have to be so cryptic?" Fireflight grumbled. "Those poor snow ponies are in danger! We don't have time to solve a gnome's enigmas!"
As we trotted our way back towards the lake, we began to hear several voices talking to each other, and heard the sounds of several dozen sets of hooves galloping about in the cavern we had left behind. As soon as we had come upon the strange underground lake again, our eyes met a truly unbelievable sight.
"Great Horsemaster!" Fireflight gasped. "What in the world?!?"
"Good heavens!" Sweet stuff whinnied. "Where did they all come from?"
"Oh wow!" Sports Tyme said in awe. "There's so many of them!"
And it was at that instant, that I knew what the Moochick had meant, I knew how to free my friends!
...
In the underground kingdom of the lava demons, King Levan was growing impatient.
"Sludge! Has that blasted pony brought the crystal heart to us yet?" The lave king roared, glaring down at his diminutive servant.
"Oh, not yet master!" The smaller lava demon replied, trying to placate his wrathful master. "But the lookouts did see several ponies enter the jewel sea not too long ago! Perhaps they are bringing the heart to us right now!"
"Took them long enough!" The cruel lord of molten rock roared. "I should just go ahead and execute those- wait, Sludge... did you just hear something?"
It started as a low rumble at first, but soon picked up into a mighty rumble, that made the very foundations of the crystal caves shake and tremble. Suddenly, and entire herd of Sweet Stuffs, Sports Times, Fireflights, and Powders came pouring into the caverns shaking the very ground in a mighty stampede.
"Foolish Ponies! How dare you invade my domains!" Levan roared, zapping pony after pony with his fiery lava. But for every one he vaporized, two more seemed to appear it their places. "Sludge, help me! I'm being overwhelmed!"
"You're not the only one, master!" Sludge wailed, as he desperately tried to throw lava orbs at the invaders. All over the caverns, lava demons roasted and boiled the hundreds upon hundreds of look-alike ponies that poured in from every entrance and opening, but the endless stampede continued to pour in at an alarming rate.
So distracted were the fiends, that four ponies were easily able to search out the dungeons, and free the captives right out from under their molten noses. By the time Levan and his goons had eviscerated the last mirror pond duplicate, my friends and I were long gone from the crystal caverns.
...
"I knew you'd come to save us, Powder!" Mittens thanks me, as we embrace outside the Dream Castle. "I told Mittens you'd never let us down!"
"She's right, old friend!" Mittens agreed, smiling. "It was very clever of you to use that reflecting pool to create an army of Pony clones to distract Levan's armies!"
"Oh, girls, it was nothing!" I tell the two of them, as I hug Mittens and my Niece goodbye. "Now, you three be careful on your way back to the mountains, you hear?"
"Bye bye, aunt Powder!" A tearful Jingle Jangle called out, as she followed the other two away from the castle. "I'll miss you!"
Life here at Dream Castle has settled into a wonderful existence. Oh, we have our ups and downs, to be sure. But these ponies I now live among seem to have a knack forgetting out of trouble. My diplomatic skills have strengthened times between the snow pony tribes and Dream Valley, and I like to think has life better for both of our herds.
Sweet Stuff and I spend a lot of time together these days, as she has become my best friend in this castle. When she's not hanging out with me, my jewel-eyed friend is at Sports Tyme's side, and I suspect I'll be serving as maid of honor at thier wedding soon. As for Fireflight and I, we still try to see each other every week. The prince and I are very busy these days, and have decided to take things slowly.
And what of the heart of Ponyland, you ask? While we snow ponies are not exactly happy with the fate of our holiest artifact, we are at least happy it s helping all of Ponykind now. While we might never again shine in the heart's light as crystal ponies, I may at least take comfort in the fact that the heart's light now warms the spirits of all ponies everywhere. I like to think our ancestors would be proud!