Stolen Memories

by ShootingStar81

Crystal Hearts

Hoofsteps echoed seemingly without end in the arched halls of the crystal palace, the very heart of the Crystal Empire. It wasn't surprising, of course, given that the palace was made entirely of...well, crystal. It did lend to a fantastic view, though. Crystals of all colors lined the halls, floors, and archways, refracting light in brilliants patterns and shades that lent to a beauty that was hard to put into words. It was perhaps the very reason Rarity loved this place.

Rarity...

Remembering just her name was enough to sting the Princess at that moment as she struggled to keep a straight face. Twilight had been trying to be strong for the sake of her remaining friends, but it had been hard. Half their number was missing, and each one of them was enough to break her heart. To lose three of them, even as they had struggled to find answers to this mystery? It was almost more than she could take.

She lead the way to the throne room at that moment, not risking a glance back to Rainbow Dash or Applejack. She might have maintained her composure, but she knew that pain was written across her face just then, and she didn't want them to see it. Not because she believed they'd think her weak for it. No, such a thought would never dawn on any of them. Rather, she worried they would reflect that sting, and they all needed to carry on if this was to ever end in any way other than a disaster. She needed to keep it together!

"Looks like we're here, sugarcube," came that familiar twang that could make anypony smile, even under these circumstances. Taking a deep breath, Twilight managed to smile back at her orange friend just as they reached the massive, arched doors that marked the entrance to the throne room. The doors themselves lacked guards, as it always seemed Cadence relied more on Shining Armor than anything else, a sharp contrast to the heavily guarded nature of Canterlot. Perhaps they had a great deal of faith in the Crystal Heart as well. Regardless of such thoughts, Twilight's horn lit up, and with a telekinetic 'tug', she pulled the doors open, leading the way into the massive chamber.

Across the way sat two weary looking ponies. Princess Cadence was obvious; her pink coat, and the wings and horn, were unmistakable. She looked worse for wear, with a frazzled mane and barely visible bags under her eyes, but Twilight could see it was more than that. Not just her body, but her heart is weighed down by this... she mused to herself before she noted the second pony, a familiar white-coated, blue-maned unicorn. The latter perked up almost immediately when he spotted her.

"Twili!" he cried, all but jumping to his hooves before he launched himself her way, closing the gap in a few short bounds before he embraced his sister in a hug that could make an Ursa Major jealous. As he'd drawn near, she could see the puffiness in his eyes; he'd clearly been crying, and it was easy to guess why. Of course, she returned the gesture, though perhaps not so overwhelming as his own embrace, which he held for quite some time before he let her go.

Cadence began to close the distance just then, trotting slowly as Shining Armor drew back, sniffling sharply as he ran a foreleg across his eyes. "Sorry Twili..." he began, working to regain his composure. "When I heard Canterlot was gone, I thought..." he trailed off, the implication being more than enough to make his line of thought clear. No wonder he seemed so broken up!

"Wait, Canterlot's gone, too?" Twilight finally asked as the realization struck her. Cadence, having reached the group, sighed softly and nodded, their traditional greeting foregone under the circumstances.

"Indeed it is, Twilight. Disappeared just before Cloudsdale, or so reports claim. Cities seem to be disappearing at a faster rate. It's rather...unsettling." Cadence let out another weary sigh, sitting down alongside Shining Armor. "I'm not sure if the Crystal Heart can save us from the same. It's worried me..." she glanced sidelong at her husband. "Us...to no end."

"You're not alone there," Rainbow Dash started, hovering a few feet off of the ground as was her tendency. "We've seen it first-hoof twice now, and...well..." She gestured to the group as a whole, or rather, the lack of a few of them. Shining Armor grimaced as the realization followed.

"There's more than that now," Twilight chimed in, moving her attention from Rainbow and back to her siblings. "We're in search of a pony. A crystal pony, from what Celestia told me, by the name of Abacus. We came straight to you in hopes that you might know of him. He wrote a...well, a rather unique book that may have answers to what's going on, but he may know more than we can find in the book."

Cadence looked thoughtful for a few moments, Shining Armor watching her with some measure of affection, something that Twilight rarely missed. She couldn't help but smile. A few moments later, the pink princess frowned, Twilight copying the gesture even before she spoke. "I know of an Abacus that lives near the palace...he even dabbles in writing, from what I've heard, but he's no crystal pony. I actually thought he was researching something as a visitor when I first met him."

Twilight felt her heart sink just then. Given what Celestia had said, this didn't sound quite like the right pony. Could they have run out of luck? "Great, so where's that leave us?" Applejack queried, glancing between the two alicorns. Cadence shrugged helplessly, not wholly sure of what was going on, but it was Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, that spoke next.

"What, you're not giving up on this, are you? C'mon Twilight! You were way more dedicated to finding out about Pinkie's Pinkie sense, and you couldn't even prove it existed! At least this pony has the right name, and seems to write, right?" She blinked a few times at those last two words, which of course sounded like some kind of oxymoron when said together. Shaking her head, she pressed on. "I mean, seriously, what've you got to lose?"

Everypony else, she mused to herself but didn't say out loud, instead sighing at her rainbow-maned friend. "I suppose you have a point there, Rainbow."

"Course she does," Applejack added, managing a grin. "Y'all should check in. Would kinda be an odd coincidence ifn' two ponies shared the same name an' work, right?"

Groaning in mild annoyance, Twilight was forced to admit they at least had a point. Coincidence or not, it might merit looking into. Options were at a premium, after all. "Fine, but you two stay here." When they both gave her a skeptical glare, she continued. "It will be quicker if I deal with this alone. I need you two to keep my brother sane...and everypony prepared if the city starts to disappear."

"Wait, starts?" Shining Armor chimed in, clearly confused by the statement. "How does that even work?"

"You'll know when it happens," Rainbow replied before his sister had a chance to do so. "Trust me. You can't miss that...feeling."

Satisfied with that explanation, Twilight nodded to all ponies present, making as though to leave. "Captain Starsight kept the Polaris up this time. We're not taking any chances with losing the ship now. So if disaster strikes us here, just get out of the city as fast as you can. We can meet up later under such circumstances. Starsight will know what to do to find us."

Having said that, she focused her attention on Cadence. "Now, tell me where I can find this Abacus you spoke of."

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It was a surprisingly unassuming residence she found herself approaching at that moment. The home itself was built of crystal, much like everything else in the empire, but it was cut and trimmed in such a way to reduce the dazzle effect so many other building had. As if it's occupant wished to be a bit inconspicuous. Twilight was unsure if that was the measure of a pony who wished to live in peace, or one that was up to no good. As she reached the door, she took a deep breath and tapped upon it with a hoof. Time to find out.

A few moments later, she was greeted by a mare with a rusty-red coat, and a lengthy, blonde mane that had traces of a deep gray streaking through it. She was clearly a little younger than Twilight, and of course was immediately perplexing. She hadn't expected to find a mare here...

"Er...hello," she began a bit awkwardly, but clearing her throat, she regained her composure, the mare just smiling at her all the while. "I was here looking for Abacus. Might you know of him?"

"Oh, yes," she replied rather cheerily. Motioning for the alicorn to follow her, she turned to lead the way inside, which was when she caught sight of her cutie mark; an open book, behind which was a pair of crossed lances. Just what it implied was a bit beyond her just then as she followed her inside, glancing around to take in the new surroundings.

"Abacus, you've a visitor today!" she called out, trotting on toward a lone archway across the room. There was little else to see. The room itself had a pair of bookshelves flanking the door they'd come in through, with a couple of chairs nearby, and a lamp alongside each. Clearly just for reading.

"Already?" came the reply, a male voice that sounded almost fatherly, bearing a kindness that was almost tangible to it. It seemed almost familiar to her, but she couldn't place it just then. "I'll be right out."

Smiling back at her, the mare nodded toward the archway. "He's coming. Feel free to make yourself comfortable." Without waiting for a response, she trotted through the archway and disappeared from view. With that, she glanced around once more, then decided to simply take a seat, having nothing better to do as she waited. It certainly wouldn't help getting anxious about it.

It wasn't long before he appeared. Like the mare before, he had a rusty-red coat, but his mane was a startling shock-white. His features looked a bit worn, like he had been through a great deal, but also did well to smile despite it. In fact, his was so warm it was almost infectious; she couldn't help but smile to herself when she saw it. His own cutie mark was much like his namesake, an abacus.

Having entered the room, he briefly bowed to her, that smile never leaving his face. "Ah, had I known I was expecting a princess, I would have done a better job of accommodating your visit. Welcome to my humble home," he said as he moved to take the other seat, keeping his attention on her as he went.

Bowing her head in return to his gesture, she cleared her throat as she often did when gathering where to start. This was unorthodox, but her friends had been right. For all they knew, this was who they were searching for. Of course, she opened with a bit of a lighter question. "Was that your daughter?" she queried, having noticed the similarities between them.

At her question, he only chuckled softly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He slowly exhaled, the act not unlike what Cadence taught her about clearing her mind, which prompted her to cock her head to one side curiously. Opening his eyes again, he affixed a piercing gaze on her. "I'm sure that's not why you've come here, Princess Twilight."

She gasped softly despite her best efforts to suppress it when he spoke her name. Of course, many HAD heard of her before, but she still hadn't expected it. This only seemed to elicit a knowing chuckle from the stallion. "I take it that you know of me, then?"

"Oh, I know a great deal more than that, my alicorn friend," he continued, his tone gentle and kind in a way that was hard to describe. "We all know that you and your friends recovered the Crystal Heart, and ultimately saw the defeat of King Sombra with it. I know that you've come here about a book, one you believe will help you discern what is happening to Equestria." He chuckled once more when the princess went slack-jawed, bowing his head and closing his eyes. "My special talent has always been to calculate the odds. I knew you'd come looking for me as soon as these...disasters began. It was only a matter of time. And before you ask, yes, I am the Abacus that wrote the book. I was also a crystal pony when I wrote it."

That last sentence caught in her mind just then, or at least, did so more than anything before it. "Wait, was?"

Nodding solemnly, he fixed a more somber gaze upon her, seeming to become a fair deal more serious than he had been, though not in a menacing manner. "I'm going to tell you a story, Twilight, and I want you to listen very closely, for it is the same story that taught me what I wrote in that book. As you may have guessed, it is incomplete...it had to be, to get somepony to find me when it would matter. I knew something would come to pass someday, just not what it was..."

Without a word, Twilight shifted a bit in her seat, making herself a bit more comfortable before she nodded to Abacus, listening with the intensity only a bookish student could muster. He just smiled and carried on, the wistful look in his eyes making it seem as though he were dreaming his memories as he spoke them.

It began more than a thousand years ago, in a time fogged over by the passing of the ages. Our empire was not always as it is. We were naught but a collection of villagers and settlers, merely wishing to survive day to day. We did not live richly, but we were happy, if simple ponies. All of that changed with Emberheart.

She was one of our own, a kind, loving, and very outspoken individual who wanted to do what she could for us, and the world as a whole. As I was perhaps the most learned of us at the time, she often spoke to me for lessons in history, ideas of what the other lands were like. However, more than I, she spoke to Sombra, who had long been her mentor...he was very different then from what you know him to be. It was he that put her to task in finding what was to become the Crystal Heart.

He spoke of crystal that had a power and a mind all it's own, that in the right hooves it could change this very world. She became so enamored by the idea that she gathered myself and a few of her closest friends to search for such a crystal. Many thought it foolish, and even I had my doubts, but it was only a few days into our search that she found it, and our lives changed for the ages.

We returned with the relic when we realized it's nature. It had immense power, so much so that even those of us with no sense of magic could feel it resonate through our beings. It was just a crystal when we found it, but Emberheart was the first to touch it, and when she did, it...changed, adopting it's current form, that of a heart. I tell you, Twilight, I have never felt a love like I did at that moment, and I don't doubt that everypony else felt it. I could see it on all of their faces.

Over time, we discovered it took the love and kindness in us and powered itself with it. No thing of evil or darkness could come near it without rebuke, and the more of us that fed it, the stronger it became, to the point that it cast a beautiful aurora across all of the lands. It was...breathtaking.

It was then that our empire was founded, and Emberheart, for better or worse, was elevated to the status of queen. Knowing her myself, I don't believe she really wanted the title, but she did not wish to disappoint the ponies. We built up the city itself rather rapidly after the fact, and soon established the Crystal Empire as you know it.

Things might have been perfect, save for one thing; I knew the odds. Sombra had dark thoughts in his mind, and I learned of his prying about the heart. I believed he had begun to search for the heart's counterpart, a black crystal heart that I had no doubt he would use to dark ends. Sombra had been Emberheart's magic advisor for a few years, but he eventually disappeared, and when he did, I left the empire to search for answers, in hopes that I could stop him.

That was the greatest mistake I have ever made.

My research yielded nothing but dead ends, proving to be nothing more than wasted time. Nothing I found could confirm what I believed he was after, and after two years of searching, I finally returned home empty hooved. It was then that I found out what had happened..

Sombra had risen to power and bent them all to his will. He drew the ire of Celestia and Luna, and they eventually turned the might of the Elements of Harmony against him, banishing him in shadow and ice, but not before he cursed the empire to disappear so long as he did.

Before this had happened, I had spent my time helping to save all I could. I would move in during the night, helping some to escape, but eventually it was gone, just as I said. It very nearly broke my heart to see it...to realize everything I had known or loved was gone.

My mistake had been what I believed he was doing. There IS no black heart. Like all of us, the Crystal Heart is capable of great love...and great hatred. Because Emberheart was the first to touch the heart, it was inextricably bound to her. Her love for her people was reflected in the heart, and the love we had for her empowered it. Sombra wished to corrupt the heart, but to do so, he had to corrupt her...and she would not break. She loved one so greatly that she would not surrender it for anything in the world, nor for anything he could do to her. He was ultimately forced to hide it away, waiting for a chance to try to corrupt it again, but not before he was defeated.

I discovered, as time went on, that the crystalline nature the Crystal Heart had given to us had other effects. I no longer aged. It was then that I dedicated my life to research and study, to learn everything I could about Sombra's power, the Crystal Heart, and the true source of magic; love.

The Crystal Heart was capable of incredible feats of magical power, and was fueled by our love. If love could bear such power, what could a pony who knew nothing but love do, I had wondered. Or worse still, one who's heart was gripped by hatred? That is when I realized the source of Sombra's power. He already had hate in his heart, but it must have grown to impossible strength when he could not break Emberheart.

I realized that they would come back, eventually. As such, I committed most of my research to a book, to lure the one who might be able to best wield the lessons it taught, what it spoke of, for there are two lessons in it that are incomplete. I believe you are the only one that may be able to use them as I hope they can be.

The first is that love, as powerful as it is, comes with a terrible price. We all pay it, some sooner, some later, but it is a price paid by all who have love in their lives. If you have not yet guessed it, it is that all we know and love eventually pass on, and for those that live to see a loved one die, even under the best of circumstances, it wounds the heart in a way that those who have not felt it can never understand. It is the way of things...love, however, does not cease with this, it merely passes on to those who remain.

That is the second. Love is like...a river of magic. Or perhaps an ocean. It ebbs and flows. It surrounds us, embraces us, it is even a part of us if we allow it to be. Most ponies know some measure of love, but you, Twilight...you have been touched by more of it than I have ever seen, ever dared dream. You and your friends have touched so many lives, aided so many ponies, done so many great deeds, that the ponies' love for you is without equal.

This power is so great that even one who is not a unicorn could wield it if they knew how. You will have to teach yourself to listen for it, Twilight, as it is the only thing strong enough to defeat this...thing. Whatever is doing this is not intrinsically evil, but it wields power beyond my ken, and you may be it's only match....

Slowly, the pony lowered his head, offering the princess a small, almost weak smile. When she regarded him with a bit more reverence, she could see the tears in his eyes. Clearly these memories had carried weight on his heart.

For a time, she was silent, carefully considering the story. It explained in greater detail what had happened to Sombra, and the Crystal Empire, but she wasn't sure it completely defined what was happening now. The implication was that love and hate were the greatest of powers, so it had to be, HAD to be somepony behind it who knew how to wield this magic. But who, and why? That Abacus hadn't mentioned such led her to believe he did not know, but then, where would she start?

"Even if I could do this," she began in a slow measure, as if speaking on a thought as it was forming. "Where would I even look? We've been at this for days, and still have no idea where to truly go to find who is behind this."

Offering a knowing smile, his response was as simple as it was obvious. "Look to what remains to find them."

Blinking a few times, confusion briefly graced her features, just before they lit up with enlightenment. What remains...of course! Whatever was happened, they likely weren't doing it to themselves. The one advantage of the disappearing cities was that it would narrow down what remained. Eventually, they would single themselves out. All that was left was whether or not she could face them.

Grimacing, she focused once more on Abacus, who had begin to bear a pained expression on his face, as though he were very intently focused on something. He made no mention of this, though, instead fixing her with an approving gaze. "I knew you could figure it out."

Of course, one more question did dwell in her mind, though it was perhaps less important. "You said you were a crystal pony. What did you mean by that?"

He chuckled despite his pained expression, cocking his head toward her lopsidedly. "Exactly what it sounds like. I was. I have lived over a thousand years, Twilight Sparkle. I have seen many things, some remarkable, some terrible. I have endured a broken heart for far too long. As such, I surrendered my crystalline nature a number of years ago. I have no wish to live forever. If all I have learned of love is true, I will eventually return to the world. Love and life do not end, Twilight, they simply moves on."

Just as he finished speaking, he rose to his hooves as one might expect an elderly pony to, his movements seemingly pained and slow. By now, his coat was visibly dampening, as if he had been working as hard as Applejack, and his pained expression was intensifying. Before she could ask about it, he spoke in a stretched tone, as if he were exhausted. "You must go now. I've stalled it as long as I can, but as I said, I am not powerful enough to defeat this myself."

At first, his words were confusing, but just then, she felt the brush of that familiar sensation, of that emptiness that gnawed at the heart, but not as intense as before. It seemed odd for the briefest of moments until it struck her. "You...?"

Grimacing, he nodded in response, clearly struggling to maintain what composure he had left. "I can wield it, Twilight, but I don't have your degree of power. I could merely delay, and I fear I have done so as long as I can. You need to go. To escape. You can wield the power it will take to put an end to this, for better or worse...as such, it cannot end here."

"But, my friends! My family!" she protested, looking shocked at the sudden shift in events. She had experienced the transition of a disappearing city before, but this was sudden. There had been far less warning than before, aside from the strained appearance of Abacus, and she hadn't made that specific connection. As soon as she spoke, he scowled, clearly at the limit of his ability.

"No time, Twilight Sparkle. For what happens next, I am truly sorry..." She opened her mouth as if to ask what he meant, but as soon as he spoke, she felt a familiar ripple of magic, but on a scale beyond what she had touched. Before a peep could pass her lips, she perceived a flash reminiscent of her own teleport, just before she realized she HAD been teleported. She found herself outside of the Crystal Empire, staring down at the palace mere moments before it vanished. It was almost like blinking away a mirage, the transition from being there to being gone. So much so that her mind even questioned it for a moment before she shook her head. Staring down at the crater that remind, she could feel the familiar hum of that empty magic...but also the touch of whatever Abacus had done, a complete opposite to it.

As sense crept back into her mind, she flared out her wings in the same unconscious manner that Rainbow Dash often did, casting her gaze around as she tried to find anypony who may have escaped. Consequently, she felt her heart sink to a new low when she spotted none. Not a single pony had escaped aside from her.

On the verge of tears, she bowed her head down, struggling not to cry as her wings slowly drooped to the ground. She very well may have, too, save for that familiar thrum that vibrated in the air; the Polaris was approaching. When she saw a yellow pegasus streak by overhead, she knew she'd been spotted by the crew. Sighing wearily, she straightened up, sniffling a few times as she worked to keep her emotions in check. Don't mourn what isn't lost, she thought to herself. They're depending on you now.

With a self assuring nod, she spread her wings out more steadily before launching herself into the air, making her way back to the airship with all due haste. Everything that Abacus had told her was going to change the outcome, that much she new. Now it was time to begin the hunt, to save her friends...and all of Equestria.