Return of the Empire Part 2
As we continued to the Crystal Empire, young Inquisition had turned her attention to the Changeling Rangers (the House of the Bride and the Bearers were the primary ones at the briefing. Due to the nature of the situation it was being kept on need to know. They were aware of certain aspects but not all).
“So you're super heroes?”
“Yeah, I suppose...” replied Fire Ant, the Red Ranger.
“Cool!”
“Uh...you're a superhero too, filly...chick...fillychick.”
“Yeah...does that mean we can't both be cool?”
“Hehe...No...I guess not...”
(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Where bid the Changeling Rangers some from?)
Their original abilities were based on Changeling bio-achemy infusing them with the abilities of various insects. In a bit of irony, Discord's chaotic alterations to the world enabled for a great many things we weren't capable of before, some of our alchemists were, and still are, quite adaptable. They were sadly killed by Discord's secondary set of minions, but resurrected by Queen Libra, getting their new powers from the season spirits, who also returned an ancient artifact to us that once belonged to Queen Rosedust called the Sun Stone.
As for the multicolored suits, from what Master Alchemist Katydid stated they're a 'self-assembling nanofiber formed with an inter-cellar shape memory alloy.' She gets very angry if you call them spandex...She's also a Pony Rangers fan.
(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): She's bill alive?)
She was sadly killed during an assault on Old Avalon shortly after the Rangers died, so she was resurrected by Queen Libra. She's a bit of an introvert due being a 'lab assistant' to the infamous Professor Kabuto (though primarily from how she was viewed after his mind snapped due to Discord). From what she said, had Cadence not become our Queen when she did, she'd have turned out as a far worse Changeling.
“Oh look!” shouted little Ladybird. She and Cherry Pie being the curious children they were had been the first to see our destination. Waterflower almost launched herself out of Spike's claws to try and reach her friends, but thankfully Spike was careful not to let her fall.
The sight took my breath truthfully. Not because of the appearance, though I couldn't deny the architecture had a certain beauty to it. The crystals...they felt so full of love. I'd never felt such a thing in my life.
Also, the size was amazing in and of itself, at least for someone who grew up in a world were big cities were big targets. It was gigantic. The idea the Crystal Heart could protect an area of this size from Discord was astounding. Yes, legend had it that Queen Cadence had been capable of projecting a field around all of Avalon, but only for brief times and the strain on her was enormous. This place had been defended for centuries according to the legends.
“Whao! That's awesome!” Scootaloo announced, flying forwards to get a closer look at the towering land of crystal ahead of us. Pandora had produced a camera from nowhere and took several pictures as if she were a simple tourist instead of the sister of an unholy demon. To her credit, she had assumed the form of one.
Rainbow shrugged. “Eh, it's pretty cool...ugh...am I the only one who feels like Discord cheated us out of this being more amazing?”
“Ah think it's still amazin'!” young Apple Pie chimed in. “Ah ain't never seen these crystals before! And Ah thought there weren't a rock mah family didn't know! Think they'll let meh take some back?!”
That was truly impressive, honestly. The Apple Pie clan were renown rock farmers with a massive amount of knowledge to draw from. If they were unaware of a type of rock, it was truly a rarity.
(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Blow! Kinda like how the Apples blur with apples back a thousand years ago!)
I shall take your word for it. The apples they'd grown now were proving quite delicious, so I don't doubt it.
We approached the boundaries of the Empire, entering through a large purple crystal gate, three jewels floating between the prongs.
It was odd. While I felt nothing but positive feelings emitting from the entire place, I couldn't fight the feeling there was an underlining dark presence looming over this place. I know that sounds self contradictory, but it FELT like two things that simply shouldn't occupy the same place.
(Interviewer's Notes (Queen Libra): Pandora was kind enough to recover some information for us we were unable to obtain in the events proper after returning to the Draconequi dimension so we could have the complete story. As disturbing as that story is.)
Deep below the Crystal Empire, an ancient chamber sat. The chamber itself was a massive geode of crystals as black as night. If there was any living thing in this dark chamber, they'd feel an unearthly, unsettling feeling emitting from the dark crystals.
In the center of the chamber, directly below the middle of the rune that spanned the Crystal Empire, below the very spot where the Crystal Heart had once sat, an ancient horror gestated. The mass of shadows and fears pulsed like a racing heartbeat, bathing in the suppressed terrors, nightmares, and anxieties of an entire empire. Everything the Crystal Ponies buried given a life and shape.
For now the mass was quite small, so small the various deities on the surface had yet to sense it.
As the mass slowly grew, a pair of eyes suddenly snapped open. Red pupils surrounded by a sickly green glow stared out. His senses going out through the crystals composing his Empire. Strands of purple smoke trailed from the eyes as they contorted in rage, falling upon the crystal object held in the clutches of the literal Diamond Dog.
“Crystal...Heart...Mine!” it growled in an animalistic tone bereft of any civilization, an echo reverberating behind it. As if an entire city was speaking at the same time.
It's eyes slowly landed on a familiar Alicorn shape. A rage its primitive, still forming, chaotic mind didn't fully understand nor care why it couldn't.
“Crystal...Princess...Kill!”
The shadows imploded together, trying to assume a concrete form. They got as far as a unicorn stallion's basic shape before the form fell apart. Pony faces rippled across its form, it seemingly struggling to hold itself together at ALL.
“Too...Weak...Need...More...More...Fear...”
We entered the city state proper. The foals were naturally zipping around in excitement as foals tended to do, looking at anything and everything. I believe Waterflower was enjoying the warmth that surrounded the city proper, particularly that she was capable of moving freely thanks to her hydrokinesis.
Golden Tiara, her daughter, and Silver Spoon seemed to be enjoying themselves and the sites. I believe this is as close to a normal family vacation they've had in a very long time. Regardless of my feelings towards Golden and Diamond's...uncle, I couldn't help but feel happy for them.
“Why is everything all shiny?” our curious little hippogriff questioned.
“I believe it is because this place was made by the Crystal Heart's power, which naturally seems to gravitate towards crystalline forms, Sea Pony Waterflower,” Guru Fido explained.
Between her and young Inquisition, I believe Aquamarine, Guru Fido and...our guest had a lot of explaining to do.
And then we saw the various Crystal Ponies. They were interesting creatures, that was for certain. They largely resemble Earth Ponies in appearance, but their bodies appeared similar to many of the revived ponies who had chosen to be composed of living crystal.
Our crystal pegasus foal and griffin looked to Libra rather flatly.
Libra looked sheepish. “...Okay, admittedly this was my inspiration, but I mean look at it!” she stated, pointing over the crystal city. “It's fabulous! How could I not take a little inspiration from this place?! There's just so much here!”
The devil's sister gave a chuckle. “She has a good point!”
“And that explains a number of the dresses you made me,” Abigail explained.
And where some of the 'good will gift' dresses she made me came from.
Several of the Crystal Ponies finally noticed us (that it took so long did admittedly disturb me), suddenly gasping and bowing at my hooves.
“Oh! You've returned to us, O Great and Honorable Queen Cadence the Brave and Glorious!” one of them said, a cyan mare with a light purple mane and tail and some kind of orange leaf or fern for her Cutie Mark, making me take a step back.
“Wow...congrats on having an awesome title,” Spike told me with a smile. Apparently lofty titles were considered a major sign of honor in Dragon culture. Spike's title was “King Spike, the Queller of Chaos and Husband of All.”
I looked nervously at the ponies bowing before me. You see I was admittedly quite conflicted about this.
(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Why?)
Because if I told them I wasn't the original Queen Cadence, then it might not go over well. But if I claimed to be her, I lacked memories I logically should have if I was her.
I gave a sigh. “Um...I'm sorry, but...I'm not that Queen Cadence. I'm her descendant Queen Cadence the XV. But she told us much.”
To my surprise...they weren't saddened as I expected to them to be. For a moment they seemed it but then...it vanished. Like it was there and then just washed away....it sent a shudder down my spine. And given some of Discord's games, that should say a lot.
“Oh...Well it is still wonderful to see a vision of her face again,” the pony said, not seeming very upset at all. If anything she simply seemed curious about us.
“I see...what's your name?”
“Autumn Gem, your majesty.”
There were many introductions, so I will only stick to the ones that stood out.
The pony looked saddened for a moment as she was introduced to little Scootaloo...before it almost disturbingly vanished. “I didn't know any Crystal Pegasi were left.”
“Uh...I'm a new one...long story...”
I sincerely wish the knowledge that two types of Crystal Ponies had been wiped out horrified me more than it did. Oh, I was disturbed, but...all the death I'd seen in my life had left me far more less...frightened by the concept of death.
(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): That's horrible...)
During Discord's reign, it was a necessary evil...I'd be lying to say I don't prefer a world where my subjects' deaths aren't a constant possibility to one where it was.
What disturbed me more was that Autumn Gem and her fellow ponies once more looked grief-stricken for a moment before they returned to their curious demeanor.
“I don't...I don't remember there ever being a Crystal Griffin...”
“Yeah...I'm pretty sure there weren't...”
“What are you?”
“I am a Diamond Dog, Crystal Pony Autumn Gem.”
“So you're like us Crystal Ponies?”
“Yes...we are very similar indeed.”
“So you're a dragon?”
“Yeah...you're not afraid of me?”
“No...”
For just a moment the gathered group looked like they WERE afraid of him before it vanished and they went back to being the curious ponies they'd been before...
“...That's...interesting...”
“Why are you made of crystal?” little Inquisition asked.
“The Crystal Heart made us that way...I hope it can be found...”
The Empire's shadow growled as the shade of a dragon swallowing a pony merged into the collective. “No...Not...Yet...”
It gave a snarl, eyes glowing brighter. A small shadow slipped out of its body, the beast roaring like a part of its very being was being ripped out. The shade snaked its way through the rune, merging into Scootaloo, barely enough to plant a seed of worry. But that was enough.
“Fear...of...unknown...”
I was about to inform the Crystal Ponies that that was true when Scootaloo flew up. “Uh...can I talk to you guys real quick?”
“I suppose, Scootaloo dear...” Libra replied.
We trotted off away from the Crystal Ponies to a more secure area. “What is it, Scootaloo?” I asked, not certain what the cause for the distraction was.
“Okay, look, ya know how on the way over here we talked for like an hour about how this place is under some kind of mysterious magic and all?” asked the mare in the body of a filly. “Magic that even Discord's sister doesn't understand?!”
“Yeah, I don't understand it very well,” said Pandora cheerfully...and annoyingly.
“And how this Unicorn King banished a city for a thousand years with a failsafe in case the Princesses defeated him the wrong way?”
“Tis true,” Auntie Luna replied.
“We did?” Auntie Celestia asked in her cute way.
“Yes, sister, twas a long time ago...”
“Well then is it REALLY a good idea to insert the Heart, something that he stole and hid so it couldn't be used to stop him, into the place were it could be used against him?!” Scootaloo pointed out. “What if when we plug it in it turns on some 'make everypony so fearful it revives him instantly' spell? Or sends the Crystal Empire another thousand years into the future? Or blows the place up? Or summons a giant monster? Grogar did that with the bell that could defeat him.”
“Scoots, settle down,” Rainbow Dash said, patting her on the back. “It ain't like you to get this worked up.”
“S-Sorry, I just got worried all of a sudden...” Scootaloo admitted, shaking her head.
“She has a valid point though,” I pointed out, seeing the logic in it. “King Sombra hid it so thoroughly Cadence and an army of guards, both Equestrian and Changeling, couldn't find it. It seems kind of odd he wouldn't be prepare some sort of failsafe for if we just plugged it directly into the Empire's core. We may want to investigate the mechanism for dark magic curses.”
“But dear,” Libra replied. “If they don't know the Crystal Heart has returned, then they will likely experience negative emotions that the rune is designed to craft something like Sombra from as well.”
Abigail rubbed her chin. “Let me handle it, darling. I know how to work a crowd.”
“...I suppose...”
“It's a necessary evil, dear.”
“I know...”
There was a time I imagine Changelings would be upset for another to claim the title 'Queen of Lies' (that was Queen Chrysalis' favorite moniker if our history is correct), but for the last thousand years, Abigail had done a fair job earning the title.
“Go get 'em my Champion,” said Pandora, suddenly with a 'Applejack is #1' foam finger.
“Champion?”
“You're a fully awakened Element of Fantasy, I'm the Concept of Fantasy.”
“Oh...okay then...”
While we'd been made aware of that alternate name of the Element of Deceit's 'true name' as Mother Deer put it for a short time, I'd noticed that Abigail had taken to it being called the Element of Fantasy more readily than the others (Rainbow Dash and Libra had already called theirs by that name)...though given the awakening that she'd had during the Second Grogar War, that made sense.
Abigail recruited Guru Fido to help her and headed back to the crowd.
“Crystal Ponies? May I speak with you all darlings?” she asked out loud, getting the (rather large) group that had gathered to turn back to her. “We have great news for all of you, we have found the Crystal heart and brought it back!”
Guru Fido held up the ancient relic. The Crystal Ponies gasped, gathering about it like they were moths to a flame. No...like a body gravitating to its soul after it'd been removed. It was like the Crystal Heart was a part of them or they were a part of it. While their constant happiness and cheer up until that point had been unnerving, the pure, unrestrained glee in their faces in that moment brought a smile to my face.
They cheered, they thanked us with tears in their eyes. They leapt for joy.
“Now please wait a moment,” said Abigail. “As you know the Crystal Heart has been away from its proper place for a long time. Before we return it to its proper place, we feel it's a good idea to examine the mechanism it connects to make sure it is up to snuff. It did spend quite some time under...certain circumstances...Don't worry though, we'll make sure everything is up to snuff and then we can plug your Crystal Heart back in and everything will be ready to go.”
The Crystal Ponies were naturally convinced. Abigail's delivery had been so flawless I nearly fell for it and I'm a Changeling. Then again, she is a completely and fully awakened Element of Fantasy. Why would one expect anything else?
While somewhat disappointed, the Crystal Ponies seemed just overjoyed to have their relic back.
Guru Fido took to explaining the origins of his kind to them, I believe he saw them as kindred spirits due to both being 'the children of the Crystal Heart,' but the rest of us had much to discuss.
“Okay, I think we need to do some research,” said Libra.
“Why? You have the entire memory of the planet in your head!” Rainbow Dash complained.
“It's complicated. My memory is...not quite like a ponies' memory in that regard,” Libra replied, sounding like she was trying to explain sight to a blind pony. I wasn't insulted, I do not want to know what it's like to be able to process eternity.
“I think I can explain it, since she has everything that ever was and I have everything that ever wasn't,” our guest explained. “Okay, ya know how I'm Fantasy and Imagination?”
“Yeah...”
“I have every work of fiction, no matter what the format, genre, and so on and so forth to ever exist in my head. At once. And every time a new one comes into existence, poof! It's in my head! Okay, I kinda am them, but it being in my head is easier to explain!”
“Okay...”
“Including slash fan fiction!”
“...I don't envy you there...”
“It's not that bad when you're Concept of Imagination. You should see all the clop art...some of which includes you...especially during that time Fluttershy was a model...”
Judging by her expression, I believe Rainbow Dash wishes she could forget the mental image that brought to her mind...so do I...though mine mostly because I remembered Fluttercruel the butcher more than her 'mother...'
“Now, outside of reality, we've got plenty of time to sift through our memories, recall them, and find what we're looking for, because time is kinda upside down and sideways. But mortal reality isn't built for that, so we kinda have to sift through stuff 'slower'. So looking stuff up isn't that easy here. Yah know, trying to fit infinity into a finite space and all that.”
“That's...probably as close as we can put it into for mortals, and a gross oversimplification,” explained Libra. “But the point is, while I do have memories of everything to ever exist, it would probably be more practical in this case to look into things the old fashioned way.”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Alright, what should we look into? I need to get my brain off that clop art comment...”
“I think we need a pony's eye view of what happened at the tail end of Sombra's reign and perhaps some information on how the rune was constructed in the first place. That may give us some idea as to whether or not we should simply insert the Crystal Heart back into the core.”
“Speaking of things we should look into,” said Spike, kneeling over us. “Does anycreature else find it a bit weird these ponies don't even seem to care about the giant dragon in their city? Or that Cadence isn't the Cadence that saved their flanks? Or...well, about anything negative?...At all? I'm not complaining about them not running and screaming in fear of me, but it's kinda creepy...and well, as far as our lives go...and that's pretty creepy!”
“Yes, I noticed that too...” I replied. “But...the Crystal Ponies were clearly depressed when they first met Queen Cadence according to our history...they should be capable of those emotions, just...dulled...Something isn't right here.”
“Alright, well let's get off our flanks and do something,” Rainbow Dash said. “Inquisition!”
“Yeah Rainbow?!” called our little Hippogriff gleefully, rushing to her mentor.
“Do your thing.”
Inquisition gave a huge grin and flew off, presumably to do what her name implied to the entire empire...
“Are you sure that is a good idea, darling?” Libra asked.
“Yeah, we're in a place that is more full of love than Avalon, she'll be fine.”
“I was more concerned about the Crystal Ponies...”
“Oh...Scoots...”
“I'll go with her Dash.”
“I believe we deities should check out the mechanisms for booby traps and other evil spells,” said Libra, looking to the rest of us. There were no objections.
“I think I'm gonna go check if Sombra left any 'in case I'm dead' brainwashing spells on these guys,” said Rainbow Dash, looking over everything suspiciously. I do not blame her. “After everything we've gone through, I wouldn't put it past an evil overlord to do something like that.”
“Good idea, dear.”
“And I shall check to see if there's any important self deceptions going on,” added Abigail.
“Also good.”
“I'll go check the library for information,” our Sea Pony storyteller replied.
“I think I'll go with her.”
To our surprise, it was Gilda who wished to accompany her.
“Not that I'm opposed, Miss Gilda, but why?”
Gilda looked around as if she were put on the spot. Probably because she was. This was certainly a curious development.
“Well...I...uh...” the crystal griffin stuttered. “...I just want to keep an eye on her. We're friends, and that's what friends do right?”
Rainbow Dash took her aside and they spoke privately before she came back, our Element of Free Will nodding.
I wonder what they said...
What did I tell Gilda?
“...You want to check out the adventure section, right?”
“Uh...N-No, why would I do that, Dash?”
“Because I know ya. You like Daring Do almost as much as yours truly...and I kinda want to do it too.”
Gilda sighed, but I'd caught her. “...Yeah...I just...you know, don't want everycreature knowin' I'm into that stuff...”
“Scared?”
“What?! I'm not scared of nothing.”
I chuckled. I know a bit about how the Elements of Chaos work. AJ calls me 'sensei' when it comes to them...alright, she doesn't, but I still taught her a few tricks. Element of Courage is what Mother Deer calls Gilda's, and if she wants to keep growing, she needs to stop being so scared of what everycreature thinks of her. “I gotcha. My lips are sealed...but you owe me.”
“You owed me for saving your flank during the Grogar War, Dash. Remember?”
“Oh yeah...Dang it!”
“What do we do?!” the Crusaders asked, zooming over.
“Um...have fun and try not to destroy anything...be Cutie Mark Crusaders Crystal Empire explorers, alright darlings?” Libra asked.
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CRYSTAL EMPIRE EXPLORERS! YAY!”
“...I may come to regret that decision...Apple Pie, Bomb Pie, Magica...”
“We'll go with 'em Rarity,” Bomb Pie said, following with the other three.
“Please don't allow Ladybird to lick any of the crystals!” I called. “She might get drunk on the love!”
“Everycreature else can just enjoy the sights. Let's head out.”
“...This is weird...” said Lady Gilda, looking at the beautiful crystal griffins mounted in front of the massive library the city possessed.
“You are not flattered, Lady Gilda?” I asked her in return.
“Huh? Why?”
“According to the history I've received from Princess Luna, the Crystal Empire vanished shortly before the Griffin Wars ended. These statues must have quite a history to have been in place of that time.”
Huh? I believed that fact would make her happier...
“Uh...yeah...I guess that makes sense...sort of...can we just go in already?”
“Certainly.”
“Ugh...come on, is there one adventure book in this stinkin' place?!” I asked myself, a little louder than I wanted to.
(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Eye didn't you ask the librarian?)
I...well...didn't want anypony to know I was looking for books to read...I'm only telling you now because...wait! How did you know there was a librarian?!
(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Why wouldn't there see?)
…I...guess that makes sense.
I finally found a section labeled 'Book From Before The Uplifting', whatever that means and it had some good stuff. Though it was weird, for some reason most of 'em had humans in them...
How stinkin' old is that myth anyway?
(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Blanks for not cussing...)
Eh, Inquisition's ma didn't like her fillychick hearing my pottybeak, so I'm trying to bucking stop.
Other than the self deception they had to hide their fears away, the Crystal Ponies didn't seem to have many self deceptions left over from King Sombra's reign. I think Queen Cadence did a good job of breaking those before she put him down (they had a lot of stories about her). But...
I can sense lies, illusions, and any form of deceit. I've gotten even better at it since I had my little awakening during the second war with that brute Grogar. I do declare I can't be fooled anymore.
But...this place. It wasn't fake, not in the least, but...you know how when an egg goes bad somewhere on the farm you can smell it a mile away even if you don't know where it is? It was like that. And it sent a chill down my spine.
Autumn Gem gave a scream as a dragon roared in her face. Her heart raced on panic...but when she blinked, the shadowy dragon before her was gone...and with it her fear of it. She shrugged and went on her way.
“What's your name?!”
“Aurora.”
“Nice to meet you! I'm Inquisition! Why are Crystal Ponies so sparkly?”
“We believe it's the Crystal Heart making our inner beauty shine through.”
“Cool! Does light shine through you?”
“Um...Yes, it does.”
“Awesome! Why do-”
“Inquisition!”
“Oh, sorry Scootaloo! How does the big thingie the Crystal Heart is plugged into work?”
“Free Will,” I whispered, tapping a Crystal Pony on the shoulder with my 'restore free will' power thing (I really need to come up with a good name for that). Hmm...
“Huh?” they asked, but I'd dashed away before they could turn around. The weird part was they just shrugged and went about their day. Alright, no pony isn't just a little freaked out by being tapped on the shoulder and no one being there when you turn around! Or at least be a little bit on edge. Especially since I snuck up on her. But there isn't any kinda of mind control on them...I know they chose to do this to themselves, but it's still just...surreal to see them acting like this and me not being able to snap them out of it...
“Hmm...” Libra said, looking over the grand machine the Crystal Ponies had made their Empire into. “I don't sense any dark magic besides the rune itself. But I don't understand this magic too well...”
“That's the problem, I don't believe any of us I do,” I replied with a sigh.
Our guest nodded, looking over things with a strange rectangular black device that made phone noises. “I'm going to email some quantum echos to Ponythulhu since this is his family's brand of magic. He'll still know more than us,” she then seemed to take a picture of the rest of us. “And update my status. 'In the Empire with Libs and our friends...' Hehe! Rancor is so jealous! She wants to know if you'll be singing, Libra.”
“Um...nothing planned, no.”
“'Nothing planned'. Oh! And Venus says hi, enjoy the Empire and all its love.”
“...I'm not going to try and understand half of that...” I muttered.
Apple Computer was making...well, 'computers' that were amazing devices, but some of what she said just flew over my head.
“And our cousin posted an 'evil laughter' emoticon...”
“...That's unnerving...”
“Yeah, I didn't even know there was an evil laughter emoticon.”
Libra cleared her throat. “Be that as it may, this is probably the best we can do at present.”
“Yeah, might be awhile for Ponythulhu to get back, he was baking blackbird pie last I checked. Oh! And he says thanks again for the infinite blackbirds!”
Libra gave a small chuckle. “Tell him it was a pleasure.”
Waterflower used her water to redirect some light at a crystal pony, which surprisingly enough caused a prism effect. Interesting. I wonder if the crystal eyes I have would do the same thing...but I couldn't help wondering...
“What was the point of this exactly?” I asked, trying not to offend Apple Pie's cousin and her friends. Tact isn't my biggest strong suit but a leader needed it.
All three blinked. “...That's a good question Magica...” replied Waterflower.
Ladybird raised an eyebrow. “Wait...I thought you knew!”
“I thought Cherry Pie knew!”
I face hoofed, though Apple Pie seemed to get a kick out of it.
“Alright darlings, how did it go?” Libra asked us all after our little meeting.
“We didn't get our Cutie Marks...” little Cherry Pie admitted sadly. I admit, it was cute to see them looking at their flanks, even if they were disappointed.
“Okay...Inquisition? Find anything interesting, dear?”
“Miss Aurora likes to play with crystal that alter light and loves it when there's auroras in the sky! But she's afraid of spiders!”
Aurora leapt in fear an image of giant spider that manifested in front of her for a split second.
“Oh and their bodies are all sparkly because-”
“Um...darling, it's great you learned something about these ponies, really it is, but I meant about their grand machine.”
“Oh! They said it's designed to channel all their light and love into the Crystal Heart and then it goes BOOM and it goes out all over the place! It sounds really really cool!”
“That must be how it'd have taken out Discord if he ever got near it,” Rainbow replied.
“Yes, and it does explain a bit of how it works...” I added. “Anything about the rune, little Inquisition?”
“They said this stallion named 'Obsi-dye-on Zephyr told their Queen to make it to pull all the bad feelings into it and helped them...their Queen was also named Quartz Amore.”
I looked to our guest. “Your cousin?”
“Yeah, he always likes his cool names for his avatars...”
“Of course...”
Libra nodded. “So we know a bit of what the rune does, but naturally if the poor dears knew what it really did they'd never have built it...Abigail? Rainbow Dash?”
“No brainwashing,” Rainbow replied. “They're kinda weird, but my Element didn't break any spells on them.”
“I felt something off, dear,” our Element of Fantasy replied. “But I didn't find anything out in the open. There is definitely something wrong here.”
“You gals find anything?” Rainbow Dash asked, to my mild annoyance at being called gal.
“Nothing, unfortunately,” I replied with a sigh. “Our...guest sent a...”
“Quantum echo!”
“Quantum echo to Ponythulhu to get his opinion on it. But we couldn't tell anything.”
“Right...so where's everycreature else?” Rainbow inquired.
“The Changeling Rangers apparently ended up on some sort of quest from Katydid to get Fire Ant an upgrade of some sort. I believe young Silver Spoon and the Tiaras are enjoying the sights with Minty Pie, and Guru Fido is having philosophical discussion with the librarian.”
Mother Deer looked around us. “What about Miss Gilda and Aquamarine?”
“We're right here,” said Gilda in an annoyed tone as our resident Griffin arrived with her sea pony escort, washing off her head for some reason. “Some bu-” she began, then seemed to gratefully realize children were present. “-stinking birds...well...uh...”
“It appears some birds mistook Lady Gilda for one of the griffin statues in front of the library,” Aquamarine added helpfully, still seeming naïve to the concept of accidentally embarrassing somecreature.
Gilda groaned as her face turned a bright shade of red.
I'm not sure why, stranger things have fallen from the sky under Discord's reign. Though some goodnatured giggles from Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo implied that I needed to get used to that not being the case.
“Yeah...that happened...what are stinkin' birds doing this far north anyway...” she muttered. “But there's something else you all need to see at the castle.”
“I don't believe it...” Rainbow Dash muttered, staring at the yellow pony with a green mane and blue eyes. Her Cutie Mark was what seemed to be a rooster (if I'm remembering normal animals correctly). But none of that was what was strange. The strange part was she was not a Crystal Pony. She was a normal, every day Earth Pony currently staying in a guest room in the castle.
“Um...howdy...Ah...” she muttered in an accent that certainly didn't come from several thousand years prior. “My golly...Ah never expected to see the day...”
We all knew what that had to mean. The only non-Crystal Pony that could be in the Empire...was someone who'd arrived during the second reign of Chaos...
This had just become quite complicated...
To Be Continued.
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I'd question it, but, Power Rangers logic.
Like with Apples a millenium ago.
Explains why he spent most of his time in the episodes as a smoke cloud, he'd yet to record full power and full conciousness to say much beyond "Crystal"
That's fine.
Well, that's certainly something to be proud of.
Ah.
15th huh?
Repressing emotions is rarely a good thing. Few cases are those that work, you are not the Vulcans who's fear of their powerful emotions made them repress them in favor of logic so as not to descend back into barbarism.
That's perfectly fine.
Very. I hope Spike gets to punch Sombra in the face, because come on, how many times do you get to punch a monster like Sombra in the face and make it WORK?
Xenophobia if left unchecked and unjustified.
And ways to dispel or counter said dark magic, just in case.
Since when? I also forgot how annoying and just plan WIERD the whole Abigail thing was.
... Point taken.
Point taken.
Yes, but she has to look THROUGH said memory. And the Empire's not been around for about a millenium.
I see...
Oh dear.
And ya broke her.
Gotcha.
I'm almost disappointed that she's not Spanish.
Oh yeah.
Relax, liking books doesn't mean you can't be awesome, heck, it's a trope, Badass Bookworm, remember Twilight? She fits the bill.
RariLibra, as someone who had to deal with the original Crusaders, you of all creatures should know how bad an idea that is.
Point taken.
Very.
You need to work on it.
Yeeesh...
HEH!
There is now.
*snerk*
No kidding.
4481240
This chapter meant a lot to me too when Ken wrote it. In particular Scootaloo telling Diamond Tiara how selfish she'd was being throwing her lot in with Discord to be with her mother.
6727610
So they just need to shout boldly, and pose dramatically, and giant robots will come to save them?
Let that sink in for a while. There were 13 others between Cadence and her!
And they're all being dumped into creating something nasty.
Discord, "In my defense... Nightmare Eclipse took every incident of collateral damage from my games, from every timeline we wen through, and edited events those always happened afterwards... Seriously, you think I'd WANT to PURPOSELY wiped out my own toys?"
Obsidian Zephyr, "The crystal ponies are the ones who wanted to hide from their own feelings. They should blame themselves."
Radiant Hope, "No! Sombey isn't an evil overlord... he's... just misunderstood! That's all!"
"CRYSTALSSSSSSSSSS!"
Radiant Hope, "VERY misunderstood!"
"Fear! Darkness! Blood! Come unto me!"
Radiant Hope, "VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY misunderstood! And he had a bad foalhood!"
Crystal Pony,, "We're living crystals, do we even have blood?"
Crystal Pony, "I don't wanna find out!"
"Element of Deceit for a 1000 years darlin', ya pick up a few things."
You expect less from he pony pov series?
6740914
Pretty much.
Yes, I get that.
Precisely.
No. So that's ONE point in your favor.
Even you don't believe this at this point.
Not sure.
Ya don't say?
Of course, of course, whatever you say.
Point taken.
Lovely.
No kidding.
Relax, relax, I understand.
A, the dark side of the moon, B, why NOT Mulan, and C, I refuse to make a reference to Bay's movie.
Eh.
Point taken.
Yeah, not pulling the pin on that grenade.
You're talking to someone who watched The Next Generation AND Deep Space 9. ALL of it. Back to back. WOrth it.
Yes. Yes it is.
Hm.
This chapter certainly gives off a paranoia fuel vibes.