Chapter 4 – Wind blown
Shining leads you through the streets of the city as he tries to explain what's been going on so far. But you ignore the stallion a little as you look around at all the gloomy almost colorless ponies that seem to be walking aimlessly or just standing around. These strange ponies look a little different than any pony you have seen before, the whites of their eyes almost look a dull gray and the manes and tails of there blurred coats hang down to the ground. The city even looks different, you can tell the buildings seem to be made of some kind of crystal but there is no shine like there should be.
Rarity seems to share the same thoughts as she speaks up to Shining, "I thought the crystal empire would be more...shiny."
Twilight nods her head as she talks to the white stallion leading the group, "Shining, why does this place look so...colorless?"
Her brother gives a low sigh as he starts to slow his pace down, "I don't know, I haven't had too much time to ask questions."
Your journey seems to have been brought to an end as he nods to the blue crystal like stairs only a few feet from the group, "This is the castle, Cadence is inside."
You cock your head up as you look over the structure around you, the building looks more like a giant gem rather than a castle, really you're surprised you haven't heard Spike's stomach growl yet. You bring your head back down as you look over the group around you, everypony seems to have a slightly serious face as they look around their new surroundings. But the moment is changed as Rarity shrugs, "Really I do have to say this castle is quite extravagant."
Applejack and Rainbow share a laugh as they start up the stairs; the cyan mare's tomboyish voice calls back to Rarity as she stands halfway up the stairs, "It looks like any old castle to me."
Rarity scoffs at the pony as she follows behind her, "Rainbow? How can you say that!? This place is nothi..." The white mare flips her mane as she realizes her friend's sarcasm.
You give a little smirk to the pointless comment as you wait for everypony to start up the stairs. Twilight still stands next to you with her head facing the magic dome surrounding the city, you give her a little nudge as you wait for her to follow after you.
The inside of the building is large and bright as you look around at the big crystal clear windows that surround the room, it reminds you a lot of Celestia's throne room but unlike the golden white mare sitting at her throne there is only a very tired and slightly older looking pink mare.
"Cadence?!" Twilight gives a quick gallop as the mare opens her droopy eyes, the ponies voice is weak as she talks to the lavender mare, "Hi T-wilight." She gives a low sweet smile as she lifts her head up a little.
You look over the mare now in a almost shocked stare, the only time you met this pony she was all smiles and laughs but now she looks like she can barely even manage a smile..
Cadence stands from the crystal throne as she moves to Twilight and embraces her in a hug, her voice is still low as she talks in idle conversation, "I hope the storm wasn't too bad..." The mare's horn flickers a little and you notice the dome from the window following her horn as the blue of the dome flickers off and on. You stare wide eyed as it starts to close back up.
Everypony else seems to have noticed the flicker as they all stare at the pony for an answer. Shining walks closer to the tired out mare as he talks in a sad low voice, "Cadence is using her magic to keep the city shrouded in a vial of love that way Sombra can't get in." The mare leans her tired head a little closer to the stallion as she still tries to hold a smile. Shining adjusts his body to support her weight as he continues to talk, "...She won't eat and barely sleeps..." He swallows hard as he continues, "...I want to help but my magic is not strong enough to do anything..."
Cadence takes her head from him as she tries to stand up straight her, her voice is still tired and low but it carries a little more tone as she talks, "It's alright Shining i'm fine."
The stallion's face tightens up as he looks to his sister, "Shes not, and if she has to keep holding this spell it can seriously..." He pauses at his words before continuing, "...Hurt her."
Twilight quickly picks her head up as she talks, "That's why we're here."
Her friends you stand beside all give a quick agreeing reply as they all straighten up.
You on the other hand don't share the same enthusiasm as you look over the lavender mare in front of you.
Shining nods his head as he talks, "With Cadence focusing on her spell and me making sure nothings getting though we haven't had much time to ask any of the crystal ponies anything. But we have to believe one of them might know a way to protect the empire without just a spell."
Twilight nods her head as she turns back to you all, "Leave it to us Shinning." She looks over everypony as she talks, "Lets go and see if we can get any information, lets meet back here in an hour."
Rainbow takes herself to her wings as she pulls Fluttershy next to her, "Got it!" The cyan mare darts out of the room with Fluttershy trying to follow after her.
Applejack nods her head as she adjust the cowboy hat on her head, "You can count on us sugar cube."
Pinkie gives a smile as she rubs her hooves together, "Don't worry I know how I can get the scoop on these frozen in time pony-sickles!" She darts out of the room in a puff of pink fluff as she pulls Rarity behind her.
Twilight starts to walk toward you and Spike but as she does Shinning speaks up, "Be careful Twilight, we haven't been able to explore everything in the empire."
You speak up for her as she turns back to the stallion, "She'll be fine."
The stallion nods his head to you as he turns his gaze to the tired mare still fighting to hold the spell to her horn.
Twilight trots herself to you two quickly as she talks in a low voice, "We need to go."
You and Spike follow behind Twilight as you leave the crystal building.
- - -
The hour of questioning has whittled away as you three near the last house before you need to return back to the castle.
As the light brown-red crystal building gets into hoof reach Twilight knocks on the door.
You both stand a little antsy as you shift awaiting the door to crack open. After a few moments the door opens to a squinting mare as she looks out at the three ponies on her doorstep. The pony has the same droopy mane and tail and same blurry coat as all of the other ponies as she talks in a low monotone voice, "Hello?"
Twilight starts up in a low voice as she goes through the same speech that she has gone through the last few times, "Hello, we were sent here by Princess Celestia to help you fight against king Sombra...Can you give us any information that could help us?"
You and Spike lean your head a little bit forward hoping that this pony will have something useful unlike the other ponies you’ve talked too.
The pony blinks her eyes slowly as she talks, "Princess Celestia?"
You both give a slight huff as you lean back again, every pony you have talked to today has said the same thing. You blankly listen as Twilight continues the same way.
"...Yes, now is there a source of magic that may have been used to protect the city in the past?"
The pony's eyes widen a little as the mare talks, "Past? What do you mean?"
Twilight slows her voice down as she continues, "...This empire has been under king Sombra's..-"
Like all the other ponies have done at the mention of the name the mare shutters and brings her hoof to her head as her monotone voice changes to a lower almost whine, "I-I'm sorry...I can't help you.."
Twilight tries to talk as the mare backs herself into the house, "Maybe if we could ju...-"
Shes cut off as the door slams in her face.
Twilight turns back in a slight huff as the little purple dragon speaks up, "These ponies are like zombies."
You give a slight chuckle to his comment.
Twilight rolls her eyes to him as she taps her hoof to her mouth, "No zombies, are spell bound so they don't talk at all."
You stop your chuckle as you think over the comment, zombies are real?
"Well why are these ponies so unwilling to help? Don't they want to stop Sombra." Spike shakes his head to his comment as he continues, "...It just doesn't make any sense."
Twilight stops her hoof tap as she squints to him, "Wait...what if they just can't remember?"
You and Spike both give each other a look of confusion as you speak up, "What?"
The lavender mare shakes her head a little as she spins back to the door, "Well when you couldn't remember anything you didn't like having somepony talking to much right?"
You don't answer her as she continues, "...That must be why Celestia wanted to wait before she called us to Canterlot, she wanted me to master a memory spell."
Twilight knocks her hoof to the door as she waits again.
It takes a few more moments before the mare comes back to the door. The mare's eyes are a little shifty as she looks to the lavender mare at her door, "Yes?"
Twilight talks in a low voice, "Can you not remember what happened?"
The mare closes her mouth as she forces her crystal grey eyes to Twilight. Her voice is low as she talks, "...no...I can't."
Twilight gives the mare a smile as she lowers her head, "Then let me help you, just close your eyes."
The crystal pony hesitates for a moment before she does it. A low chime is heard from Twilight as her horn starts to glow a low purple.
You watch the mare's head take on a low purple aura with a slight unsettling feeling...The spell you watch only makes you think about what it feels like to not know anything...and you know that if that spell works all that mare is going to do is break down. But you hold your mouth shut as Twilight's spell starts to grow a little brighter with each passing moment.
The crystal mare's eyes starts to slowly open as the aura around her head glows with a loud magical chime. Twilight's body shutters a little as the crystal mare brings her head back from Twilight in a scream, "NO no NO! I-I don't want to remember the time Sombra ruled over us! Please Please Don't!"
Twilight breaks the spell as you look over the mare furiously rubbing at her now no longer drooping mane, the color in her coat has slightly come back but it has not made her more colorful it has only turned her a slightly darker tent, "Please please don't...." The mare sobs a little as she leans herself to the door post.
Twilight's voice is a little low as she hold her hoof out, "I'm sorry i'm sorry...we just need your help if we want to stop him...-"
Her voice is cut off as the mare looks up in shock and almost horror, "H-hes coming back!?"
Twilight tries to cover her comment up as she talks, "No no look around you, you're safe...we just need a little help is all."
The mare jolts her head back and forth quickly as she looks around the outside world.
"Can you help us?" Twilight's voice calls back to the mare in front of her as she holds her low sweet tone.
The mare nods her head as she talks, "I-I don't know how to help...but try the crystal library...there could be something."
Twilight nods her head to the pony as the mare slinks back into her house with a final comment, "I-i wish I could help more..."
As the door shuts Spike erupts in a shout, "Alright Twilight! We got something!"
You give a smile to Spike's comment as you think, well looks like I helped a little after all. But your thoughts are quickly changed as Twilight brings her head back to face you.
Her nose is slightly bleeding and she quickly rubs her hoof to her nose as she talks in a rushed voice, "I'm fine i'm fine."
You harden your face as you talk, "Twilight..-" But before you can finish your comment she talks over you.
"I won't do it again, I promise..." She gives you a smile as she trots past you and Spike, "Now come on we don't have time to waste."
Spike gives you a concerned look before following after his friend.
You grind your teeth a little as she shows you another smile. You give a low sigh as you follow after her with Spike beside you.
End of chapter 4