//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Crystal Thief // Story: Equestria Girls: The Crystal Crown // by ObsidianPony //------------------------------// “Hey Twilight, did the Princess say why she wants us at the Crystal Palace?” Asked Rainbow Dash. “No idea.” Twilight answered, not looking up from her book. “She just said that something important was happening and we should be-”  “Oh oh oh, it’s probably Shiny’s birthday, or his anniversary or the anniversary of his cutie mark or-” “Pinkie, I think I’d know if Shining Armour was celebrating something.” Twilight giggled at the excitable party pony. “Oh?” Pinkies grin hadn’t faded one bit. “Well darling, he is Twilight’s brother, I’m fairly certain she would know when to throw him a party.” Rarity explained gently to Pinkie. “Aww. Can we still throw a party?” Pinkie practically begged. Twilight only smiled. “I’m sure the Princess wouldn’t say no to a party Pinkie Pie.” Pinkie beamed and settled back into her train seat, already planning out a party and making invitations from a pile of colourful paper which had certainly not been there a few seconds ago. “Anyway, I’m sorry Rainbow Dash but I really don’t know. The Princess said it was too important to put in a letter in case someone intercepted it.” “Wait a moment dear.” Rarity piped up. “The Princess sends all your letters directly to Spike, how in Equestria is a letter supposed to be intercepted like that?” She questioned, nodding to the young dragon nuzzled against her side in a deep sleep. Twilight merely shrugged. “Attention passengers.” A voice rang out from the overhead speakers, jolting Fluttershy awake with a squeak. “We shall be making our stop at the Crystal Empire in approximately fifteen minutes, please depart at our next stop for the Crystal Empire and trains to Fillydelphia and Manehatten shall also be departing from this station.” “Oh, w-we’re nearly there then?” Fluttershy whispered. “Sure are sugarcube.” Applejack answered, stretching her legs out. “Ah tell y’all now, Ah won’t be sorry for an excuse to stretch mah legs. Wouldn’t ya think they’d have figured out how to make trains faster by now?” “Well, we could’ve just flown.” Rainbow Dash grumbled. “And leave us to suffer this boredom alone? Perish the thought dear!” Rarity declared while gently trying to shake Spike awake. “Yeah, I guess we wouldn’t want you flying again Rarity.” Rainbow Dash smirked as the marble white unicorn flushed red. “Low blow Dash.” Applejack admonished the athletic pegasus. “Come on girls, let’s not fight. We’ll be in the Empire soon, if you’re still feeling aggressive you can settle it on the race-track.” Twilight said. “Yeah, I guess.” Rainbow shrugged and stretched herself across the seat, laying her head in an annoyed Applejacks lap. “Besides.” Rarity added, still trying to wake a seemingly comatose dragon. “It will be ever so nice to see everyone with no stress this time, no changelings, no evil tyrants and no misidentified games organisers; just us, them and a marvelous Empire to enjoy.” ******** “Stop in the name of Princess Mi Amore Cad- ack!” An armoured Crystal Pony was interrupted from his yell by a hand closing around his neck. “Word of advice.” The owner of the hand spoke up as he hoisted the guard from the floor with no effort. “Attack your opponent, then yell.” As he spoke the figure swung the guard and slammed his face into the wall of black crystal behind him, making visible cracks in the surface. The Guard fell like a ragdoll and didn’t get back up. The owner of the hand stood back and admired the wall, almost surprised that he had actually cracked solid Black Crystal. He wore a long, dark blue longcoat which hid his features completely, including a large hood covering his head. He ignored the minor annoyance and took off at a run down the roughly carved hallways; the mineshaft was recent and it showed, while the wooden supports were new and looked secure there was no doubting that this was the work of ponies unsure of what they would find. Oh my little ponies, if you only knew what you would find. The figure suddenly pressed his back to the wall as he came to another branching hallway, unlike all the others this one had a slapdash attempt at a security barricade at the end of it and several Crystal Ponies in armour matching the earlier guard were waiting, including at least two with Fluglehorns to call for reinforcements. Smart, but it won’t help much. The figure unzipped a satchel that was swinging by his hip and pulled out what looked like a handful of ordinary zippers, exactly like one would see on a coat or jacket. “Go play.” He whispered. In an instant, the zips began coiling and squirming like snakes to escape his grip; he held them for only a moment longer before letting them go free, flying through the air like demented eels. The guards had no time to react, after all, one does not exactly have a plan for “attacked by flying zippers” in most guard manuals. The zippers descended on them and melded themselves over the guards mouths, flesh and metal immediately merging into one as the zippers sealed themselves firmly shut. In an instant their summoner sprinted up to the hopelessly confused guards, who in their confusion turned just in time to be met with a flurry of kicks and punches, dropping several of them to the floor unconscious in an instant. One of the guards with a Fluglehorn, unable to play it, settled for trying to brain his opponent with it but the hooded figure caught it mid swing and sent the guard flying back further down the corridor with a brutal kick to the muzzle. The Figures assault was interrupted as he heard a loud ringing bell from behind him; one of the guards had avoided being knocked out and was now ringing the bell used by the ponies to indicate an evacuation, swinging it wildly in his mouth. Even as he knocked the defiant guard unconscious it was clear that the message had been received, already guards were shouting and making their way to the source of the disturbance. “Dammit.” The figure muttered. He ignored the guards for now and turned his attentions back to the security barricade, blasting the door into splinters with one strike. “Oh but you are a wonder.” He whispered, in awe of what awaited him behind the door. ********** “Um Twilight, you were sure we were here to “celebrate” something right?” Rainbow Dash asked as the six ponies and one dragon made their way to the source of the alarms they had been hearing since they exited the train. “I don’t understand it, Princess Celestia didn’t say anything about an emergency in her letter!” Twilight called to her as they both flew toward the disturbance, Fluttershy flying just behind them. “Ah don’ reckon the Princess had this in mind Twi! Ah reckon this kicked up just now!” Applejack shouted. “It’s true!” Pinkie Pie suddenly stopped in front of Applejack and Rarity. “Um, Pinkie how did you, you were behind us and-” “You were totally right Applejack, I asked the guard up front why all the decorations for the party looked all nasty wasty and he started telling me they weren’t a party they were a “battalion” and then I kinda missed what he said next so I started trying to figure out if it was his birthday because if it was and no one remembered well that would just make anyone all mopey and-” “Ah think we get the point sugarcube.” Applejack interrupted Pinkie. “Twiley!” The group turned back to the barricade to see Twilights older brother racing toward them, full plate armour in place. Despite the situation, he still immediately pulled Twilight into a hug before elaborating on the situation. “What the hay is going on here?” Rainbow Dash demanded. Shining Armour frowned. “Some archaeologists were doing some digs in the mines were King Sombra used to work his slaves.” Shining nodded at the scowls from the others as he mentioned the dreaded tyrant. “I know but they felt it was worth investigating the mines under the castle itself, apparently Sombra once had the slaves dig it for months then sealed it again. They thought he might have hidden something down there.” “Let me guess, whatever was down there didn’t like being uncovered?” Rarity inquired with a raised eyebrow. “I have don’t know if that’s what happened but what I do know is that something is down there attacking my people and it repels any attempts we make to get down there.” Shining scowled. “And it’s made demands.” At this the group nodded to him to go on. “Whatever is down there claims that it has enough magical power to destroy the support structures and possibly bring the whole mine down. There’s dozens of workers down there that couldn’t get out.” Shining said. The others gasped. “So what did it want?” Twilight asked frantically. “It wants me and Cadence to go down there alone and face it.” “Hah, no problem, how’s it expect to take on Twilights big brother and an Alicorn.” Rainbow Dash scoffed. Twilight and the others shushed her. “You can’t do that Shiny, it’s obviously a trap.” Twilight told him with pleading eyes. Shining Armour sighed. “I know Twiley, but if we don’t go down there it’ll just kill the workers and probably start working it’s way up, and that puts even more ponies at risk.” “Well at least let me go down instead of you!” Twilight begged. “Sorry Twiley, it demanded me and Cadence. I need you and your friends to stay at the surface, if me and Cadence... don’t come out, you stop that thing okay? Destroy whatever comes out, seal the mine, blow the mine up, whatever you have to do just make sure it doesn’t get out, okay?” Shining Armour was stern now, clearly he would have it no other way. Reluctantly Twilight nodded, Rainbow Dash even threw up a somewhat mocking salute. “Wish me luck.” The group could only watch as Shining Armour marched to the huge holes edge and began his descent down the rickety wooden steps that spiralled downwards. ********** “Beautiful.” The crown in his hands was elegantly carved from the finest crystal and smelted from pure platinum in many areas; as he held it in his hands it glowed and shifted, changing its size and shape to suit his own head. The gemstones set around the sides of the crown were what truly grabbed his attention. Or rather, the lack of them. “Let’s fix that shall we?” From his satchel the hooded figure pulled a handful of beautiful gems of various types that sparkled as though under the sunlight even in the near pitch black. First, a ruby the size of a bit, slotting into place just above the right ear. Next a chunk of amethyst that seemed like it had been broken from a larger whole, it somehow fit perfectly into a gap just above the right eye. Now came the fun ones; first a disc of black crystal emblazoned with a white crescent moon. Next, an ugly orb of gemstones that seemed comprised of too many clashing colours and types to ever look presentable. Finally a black piece of coal. Hardly impressive on its own but even as he watched it shifted and changed, alternating between a replica of the two other gems still in his hands. “Surrender. Now.” The figure scowled and whirled around, a smile coming to his face as he saw his opponent. “Ah, your majesty, I have been waiting for a long time. Though I have to say, I asked for you AND your wife, where is she?” “Ready to bring this whole cave down if need be!” Shining Armour scowled. “Ah, the noble heroic sacrifice to stop a greater evil. I’d be impressed except I estimate this ceiling at best would give me a headache for a few weeks, so no, not particularly impressive Shining Armour.” The figures smirk was clear in his voice. “Who are you? And for that matter what are you?” Shining Armour demanded. The figure chuckled. “I suppose it is fair my Prince.” Shining growled at the continued mockery. “My name isn’t really important but I suppose you can know it if you want to. Scorpan is the name, a pleasure to make your... I would say acquaintance but here it seems hostility is a better word.” “Fine then, Scorpan, what are you after? Just put the crown down and we can negotiate, just let the workers go.” Scorpan scratched the back of his neck, as if thinking but Shining Armour knew he was just taunting again. “Oh! Those workers, right. Well, I’m not sure about the condition but if you’re interested in a burial then most of them are under about fifteen feet of Crystal down the hall.” That did it; the sheer callousness and sadism in Scorpan’s voice set Shining Armour of, his horn illuminating and launching a bolt of light bigger than either of the two opponents. Scorpan was ready; immediately he crossed his arms in front of his face, the sleeves of his coat slipping back to reveal two metal bracelets on his wrists, one embedded with a sapphire, the other a diamond. The two jewels illuminated, the light from them expanding to form a protective bubble around Scorpan; Shining Armours’ spell struck the bubble, which produced a deafening boom as the two collided but the bubble remained standing. “You really think I don’t know how to dismantle a shield spell? Should have done your homework Scorpan.” Shining Armour scoffed, lighting his horn and focusing on the protective bubble. A wave of agony shot through Shining Armour the instant he reached out with his magic, his attempts to cancel his spell not responding, almost as if his magic had been anchored to the protective bubble. “Hardly.” Scorpan responded, a glass orb full of white smoke in his hand. “I was counting on it.” Scorpan lifted the orb above his head until it made contact with the protective bubble. Sparks flow as the glass and bubble made contact, renewed shouts came from the paralysed Shining Armour as a stream of light flew from his horn, flowing rapidly into the orb. "Don't fret Shining Armour, I promise this is only temporary." He met the barely conscious stallions eyes. "Oh I know how it must seem but I promise I don't want to hurt you." Scorpan couldn't maintain his sincere tone any longer. "No, it's your wife who will truly suffer." "C-Cadence..." Shining Armour managed to choke out before his body became translucent and was pulled along like a leaf caught in a storm, disappearing within the orb. Scorpan grinned at the orb clutched in his hand, now glowing a dark blue. "Now that I have my bargaining chip, let's go meet a Princess, hey Shining?" Scorpan smirked, well aware that Shining Armour could hear and see everything as he made his way back toward the main mineshaft. ********* "This stinks, TwIlight how in the name of Celestia can you just sit there with your brother going down there like that?" Rainbow Dash demanded. Twilight ignored the hot headed pegasus, eyes determinedly locked on the mineshaft entrance. She hadn’t let her eyes wander since Shining Armour had descended along with Cadence almost twenty minutes ago. The silence was unbearable. “Ah to Tartarus with this, I’m going down there to whoop that things flank!” Rainbow Dash darted away before Applejack could grab her tail and shot straight downward into the depths of the mineshaft. “No, Rainbow Dash wait!” Twilight yelled, taking off after the weather mare. “Wait for me y’all, Rainbow Ah Ah’ma kick you flank for this!” Applejack shouted, taking off at a gallop after them. “Oh, wait for me!” Pinkie called out, hopping off after her friends. Rarity shook her head and facehoofed; she knew it was hopeless to call any of them back and resigned herself to doing what they had actually been told to do. “Uh Rarity, s-shouldn’t we go after them?” Fluttershy asked in a barely audible tone. “Yeah, we can’t just let them go down there, who knows what it might be?” Spike agreed, frantically bouncing on his feet in worry. “They will be fine Spikey.” Rarity assured him, stroking his spines gently with a hoof. “They will be with Shining Armour and Cadence, not to mention they themselves are no pushovers. We shall do what we were ordered to and then we will think of the most appropriate punishment for Rainbow Dash.” “Maybe we could force her to model for you?” Spike suggested, enjoying the feeling of Rarity’s hoof on his spines. “Ooooh, how evil Spike! I like it.” Rarity giggled. ************ “Shining Armour? Shining Armour? Sweetie, please answer me.” Cadence was beginning to grow worried now; Shining Armour was a powerful warrior on his own but he never failed to answer her. Especially not recently. “‘Fraid not Princess, though I’m sure he’d answer if he were able.” Cadence glared down at the hooded figure emerging onto a balcony at least twenty feet below her, shouting up to her with barely constrained mirth. “Stand and face me foul creature.” Cadence snarled, the figure made no move and simply leaned against the balcony, almost casual as it observed the hovering Alicorn. “So tell me Princess, was it your block head of a husbands idea to go in first like an idiot or did you just want to test the waters in case you ruined your mane fighting me?” “Don’t you dare talk about Shining Armour like that! If you have done anything to harm him foul beast I will make you beg for death!” Cadence’s voice was almost rivalling that of her Aunt Luna’s Royal Voice but she didn’t care, horrible images of a dead or horrifically wounded Shining Armour running through her head. “Oh I assure you Princess, I’ve done no lasting damage.” He shrugged as he pulled out a glass orb full of a dark blue light. “It’s up to you whether or not that changes.” Cadence gasped as she saw her husbands face glinting like a ghost in the swirling blue lights, his face was gaunt and his eyes seemed to be scrunched in pain. “Your choice Princess, I can release your husband if you meet my demands or I can smash this orb right here.” He briefly looked at the orb as though struck by a sudden thought. “You know, come to think of it, I actually don’t know what smashing this would do. Why don’t we find out, it’s not like a hoity toity Princess was going to give in to my demands any-” “Name them.” Cadence spat, voice full of anger but also acceptance. “Excellent.” Scorpan smiled wickedly, holding up the orb again. “My demands are simple Princess; you teleport us to King Sombra’s throne room and then you take your husbands place inside this orb. One false move and I smash it and trust me,” He gestured to Cadence’s horn, “I’ll know if you try something to get this orb away from me.” Cadence’s eyes widened. “Please, I can take you to the throne room but I beg you, I can’t agree to be trapped in-” “Well that is a shame Princess.” Scorpan was leering, enjoying her fear. “I know exactly what circumstances you’re under Princess; that doesn’t mean I’m going to change my demands, so make your choice.” He shook the orb over the edge of the balcony as he spoke, letting it slip to the tips of his fingers several times. Cadence said nothing. The pink energy that gathered around them both was answer enough, both could feel the slight tugging feeling that accompanied teleportation. ********** “Cadence! Cadence! Shiny!” Twilight called for her brother and sister as she dodged and weaved through the network of tunnels that made up the mine, following behind Rainbow Dash. “Twilight, look!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she turned another corner. It only took Twilight a moment to turn the corner and see what she meant; in the centre of the room stood a figure in a dark blue hooded coat, his shape and the way he stood reminded Twilight vaguely of a monkey. Above him, Cadence was illuminating her horn, Twilight could recognise the tell tale signs of a teleportation spell. “Stop him!” Twilight yelled and took off like a rocket toward the hooded figure. Whether from surprise at her sudden appearance or Twilight doing something so reckless, the figure didn’t react in time and grunted in pain as Twilight slammed her front hooves into his ribs, lifting him off his feet and slamming him into the wall. “Twilight, NO!” Cadence yelled but it was too late, the pink aura encased both herself and Scorpan, who grabbed at Twilights mane and held her in place, pulling her along. Twilight had one last brief look at the mines, seeing Rainbow Dash speeding towards them, before the light became blinding for a moment before suddenly fading altogether. Twilight realised they had appeared slightly off the ground because of her pinning Scorpan and at the same time realised she had stopped flapping her wings in surprise; she only had a second to register all of this before both she and Scorpan fell to the floor in a heap. Scorpan recovered first and grabbed Twilight by the mane, slamming her muzzle into the ground twice before Twilight bucked with all her strength, throwing Scorpan off. Reacting quickly, she lit up her horn and grabbed Scorpan in an aura of purple light, sending him flying across the room, first into a large vase which smashed to pieces as Scorpan collided with it, then a violent launch across the room, Scorpan’s body leaving large cracks in the opposite wall as he slammed into it. “Twilight, stop!” Cadence ordered. Twilight was surprised enough that she dropped Scorpan, who grabbed at the throne and used it to haul himself to his feet, clutching his sides in pain. “Cadence, why? I can beat him, wait, why aren’t you stopping him?” Twilight only now realised the situation as it stood made no sense. “Because she, ugh, listens better than you.” Scorpan grunted from the throne. “I’ve got to say, your brother was nowhere near as obnoxious.” “What have you done with him?” Twilight demanded, making to advance again but stopped bya hoof on her shoulder. Scorpan smirked as he held up a glass orb full of a dark blue light. “Right in here little Twilight, your brother’s right in here, suffering.” Twilight gasped. “Oh yes, and if dear Cadence doesn’t take his place, well...” Scorpan mimed dropping the orb and stomping on it. “Enough!” Cadence sounded defeated even as her eyes burned with hatred. “I’ll do what you want Scorpan, just let him out!” Scorpan smiled and held up another glass orb, this one full only of white smoke. “How can we even trust him Cadence, he’s probably just going to keep Shining Armour as soon as he has you!” Twilight whirled on Scorpan. “And you, you can’t possibly think you’ll get away with this, Princess Celestia herself is going to be here and the Elements of Harmony. If need be I can take you myself! Do you really think you’ll escape?” Scorpan’s smile turned downright demonic. “Oh I’m well aware of that my dear Twilight. Could I brute force my way through this empire? Of course not. But I am no fool, so long as I hold your dear Princess you know you can’t afford to stop me, isn’t that right? Now Princess, kindly cast a spell at this orb, any spell will do. And no tricks.” He warned, nodding at the blue orb in his left hand. “Cadence, don’t!” But it was too late; already the pure, glowing energy of Cadence’s magic was streaming into the orb, soon Cadence herself grew gaunt and exhausted, reminding Twilight horribly of when she had been drained saving the Crystal Empire. Now yet again their Princess was risking her own life for everypony else, as the process completed and Cadence was sucked into the orb, as though snapped up by a twister. “Excellent. Now wasn’t that easy Twilight?” Scorpan asked as though he had just clean her library. “I’ll kill you.” Twilight spat. “Of that I have no doubt. But right now, you have other priorities.” “What’re you-” Twilight stopped mid-question as her jaw dropped with horror; in one rapid movement the orb in Scorpan’s left hand shattered, a dazed and skeletal looking Shining Armour slung over his shoulders when the flash of light faded. Scorpan didn’t even pause as he heaved Shining Armour with all his might, sending him crashing through the windows of the crystal throne room.