Rarity’s consciousness flicked back into life. There was the sensation that she was floating in a void, which was odd because she also felt the cold press of a bed on her side. For a moment, there were two of her occupying the same space, and then they focused and there was only her.
Sounds. I need sounds.
A low wind howled from a great distance. Both ears focused. No: a low choir flowed through a river, one note always haunting but never ending. She focused again: now the sound was the humming of a celestial giant. It didn’t matter what she tried; it was still hauntingly beautiful. Chills tingled through her.
Finally, Rarity strained and opened an eye. Then she opened the other, because her brain was having trouble believing the first one.
Darkness, filled with stars. A childish impulse in her head shrieked: Oh my word! I’m in the night sky! Rarity flipped over at once.
She’d half-expected the Earth to be laid out below her. She hadn’t expected mist. Yet there it was, glowing as brightly as the stars, spread out carefully like a gaseous blanket.
“I died?” she murmured. As she spoke, the world spoke with her. After she’d spun around, she recognized her own ethereal echo.
Some old piece of schoolyard folklore came back to her. She smacked her cheek with a hoof. Ow. Very well, so it’s potentially safe to conclude I am probably not dead.
“Hello?” she said, and so did the echo. A slight giggle escaped her mouth. “Echo! Rarity! Lady Rarity, the Magnificent Unicorn of Ponyville Palace! Beetles batter better in butter! Six sick bricks might bring back a snack! She sells seashells on the seashore, sure, so you should see the seashells she sells more!”
“Who are you talking to?”
Rarity was not noted for her turn of speed, but that moment she did something complicated that would’ve earned a lot of surprised respect from the Wonderbolts.
“Who’s there!?” She turned horn and hooves to the glowing mist. “I was an ace in Miss Pencil-Pusher’s self-defence classes! Reveal yourself at once, or you’ll regret it!”
A silhouette appeared behind the glowing veil. It was pony-shaped, but oddly stretched like an alicorn. Rarity’s glare focused on the long horn.
“Relax,” said the strange figure. “You summoned me, after all. Don’t you recognize me, Rarity?”
She skewed her lips. That voice was familiar, but it was hard to place with the echo. In any case, the silhouette became clearer. Definitely an alicorn.
“Does your name begin with a P, by any chance?” she said.
“A P?” said the voice, and it strained not to chuckle. “Is that the best you can do?”
Finally, the alicorn’s features cleared the obscuring mist. That cerise coat, those long violet locks with rose and gold streaks, the small crown and golden royal shoes…
Rarity blinked and focused on the smile. “Princess Cadence?”
“Who else were you expecting?” Princess Cadence stretched her wings and, like a swan adjusting its position, flapped until she was sliding to a stop next to her. “And just ‘Cadence’ will do fine. I had a vision of you not too long ago. You seemed to be in trouble.”
“Vision? Whatever do you mean?” Rarity’s memory caught up with her mouth. “Wait a moment… You were the pony I saw when I touched the Crystal Heart!”
Cadence frowned. “You shouldn’t be this surprised. I’m the Princess of the Crystal Empire.”
Rarity shrugged.
“When I reclaimed my birthright, my energies were tied to those of the crystal artefacts. I thought you already knew that? After all, you summoned me with one recently.”
Rarity groped desperately for some part of the conversation to make sense. “There must have been a mistake. I never summoned anyone! I was merely trying to escape from those guards, and Applejack and I endeavoured to seize the Crystal Heart – I mean, I say ‘Crystal Heart’, that’s only what it looked like – and then I had this vision, and now I wake up here with you!”
She was painfully aware of how accusatory her tone was, and added, “Apologies. May we try again? I think this conversation missed a few steps…?”
Cadence smiled again and nodded, and it was striking how noble she looked even when she was nodding like an overeager pupil in class. Rarity, ever the loyal monarchist, felt a bone-deep urge to bend at the knees.
“Of course,” said Cadence breathlessly. “You have no idea how long we’ve been waiting for something like this.”
“‘How long we’ve been waiting’? What do you mean? We only had the vision a little while ago, surely?”
“It’s not that. You’ve been missing from Equestria for a few days. Everyone – from the Princesses to your best friends – has been out searching as much of Equestria as possible.”
“‘A few days’!? I could have been sure it was only a few hours. Oh, poor Sweetie Belle! She’ll be worrying her mane off over me! Did she get back home safely? Who’s looking after her now?”
Then she saw the way Cadence avoided her eye. Icy suspicion stabbed into her heart.
“The crystal ponies kidnapped a few victims that day,” said the Princess softly. “They’d been active across Equestria for months, but no one ever got a clear view of who the kidnappers were. Well, until the Royal Guard saw you and Applejack chase one to the Cosmopolitan Crafts Centre, I mean. Without your help, we wouldn’t ever have gotten this far.”
“They… took… Sweetie Belle?” It came out as a whisper. The ghostly glow of the mist reflected back from her wide eyes. “But… But I never saw her. She can’t be here!”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know where she is. No one knows. I was hoping you could tell me, actually.”
Both of them stood in silence. Amid the chaos whipping at her thoughts and rushes of emotion, she wondered what they could possibly be standing on. Stars twinkled in the void.
I’ve been kidnapped. I’ve been kidnapped. She clasped onto the mantra like a lifebelt. Sweetie Belle is missing. I’ve been kidnapped.
“What kind of place IS this?” She hadn’t meant it to come out as a snap, but so much pressure was building up that she was struggling not to burst as it was.
“I can see you’re under a lot of stress.” Cadence breathed in and out. “Let me put it this way, then. You’re the artistic type, so you must have felt moments when your work is going smoothly, everything fits together just right, and the world is perfect. When you’re in the zone, it’s like a higher kind of experience. It takes you out of your daily life and into somewhere… ‘heavenly’, I guess?”
Rarity forced back the pressure long enough to hum agreeably. Afternoons sewing the dresses, channelling the muse through the horn and onto the page, not so much arranging the gemstones as helping them to do what needed to be done…
“Well, this place is that ‘heavenly’ spot. Ponies can catch glimpses of it if they’re concentrating on higher things like art and meditation and love, but to visit it, you need strong magic. And crystal magic is some of the strongest there is.”
“But I’m not a crystal pony. I’m not even a Princess!”
“You’re attuned to crystal magic. Look at your cutie mark.”
“I know, I know. Three diamonds. That’s only because I discovered the geode full of gemstones when I was a filly, and of course I saw their potential for the costumes, and I was right. They were resplendent when I’d finished with them.”
Cadence beamed at her, and looking up at that softened face, she briefly recalled Miss Pencil-Pusher’s own smile whenever she got a question right in class.
“The spell that helped you discover the inner beauty of that geode was no ordinary spell. Every artist, every philosopher, everyone who has ever done a kind deed or a noble act has gained the potential to reach this place. And, of course, you’ve been touched by the Crystal Heart’s magic already, along with everyone who was present when I claimed the empire. Frankly, it would have been surprising if you hadn’t had that crazy vision!”
Rarity tried to steady her head with a hoof. “I don’t think I can cope with much more of this.”
“Please, don’t worry.” Cadence placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. Concern cushioned her words as she spoke. “We’re not bound by normal rules here. I’ll help you out as best I can, so don’t feel you have to rush into anything. Any questions you have, just ask me.”
“Would it be all right if I gave up and fainted right now?”
Cadence sighed. “I’ll give you some personal space. When you feel ready to talk, call my name. But you have no idea how much your friends miss you back home, and how incredible it is that we’ve managed to meet up like this. We can’t waste this opportunity to figure out what’s happened.”
She faded out. When Rarity yelped in shock, she faded back in.
“What? What!?”
“Sorry! Sorry!” Rarity wiped her face with a hoof and tried to breathe out the adrenalin rush. “It’s the whole weird-ghost-spirit thing. I have a thing about ponies acting like spooks. Not that you’re a spook, of course! Ahahaha…”
“Sorry. I’ll just, er… stand over there, OK?”
Rarity bowed, forced herself not to do so halfway through, grinned apologetically, and sat down hard enough to hurt her flank. She watched Cadence stride a few yards ahead and seat herself carefully on nothing, wings facing her.
Rarity! Compose yourself! You are in the presence of royalty. This is no time to act like a foal. Remember, always act with certainty and poise. You are you. Focus on what you know. That’s what Twilight would have said.
Despair lurked around the margins, but she forcibly turned her nose up and ignored it. She was Rarity. She was a dressmaker – no, the dressmaker of Ponyville, and now of Canterlot and Manehattan too. She’d been kidnapped, and so had poor Applejack, and perhaps her dear, sweet sister too.
NO ONE kidnaps Rarity, she of the rising star that is Carousel Boutique, she of the heroic six of Equestria, benefactor and artiste among artists! I’ll simply find out what I need to know, bide my time, plot and scheme if I must. Now, where am I, who else is here, and how do we escape?
For the moment, she swept all doubts aside. When she noticed a slight intensity in the glow, she glanced down. It was coming from her own body.
Rarity from a few seconds ago opened her mouth to cry out, but a newer Rarity – one made of diamond and stilettos – waved it away. If she didn’t think it was important, then it wasn’t.
“Your Highness,” she purred, “I believe we have an escape plan to discuss.”
Cadence flew over. “Wow. You’ve really been hard at work on yourself, haven’t you? I thought you really were going to faint.”
“Nonsense. A lady does not do anything so uncouth as to faint over a mere complication. However, I must insist we get to the point, as I might change my mind at a moment’s notice. Apologies in advance if I cackle uncontrollably.”
“Um… OK?”
Rarity cast her haughty gaze about the starry sky. “How soon can you come and find us?”
“I’m not sure. You said you’d touched the Crystal Heart, but it can’t be the real one. That’s been watched by the Crystal Empire the whole time, and it’s still locked in place under the palace.”
“Then there must be a replica. But this one was dark.”
Cadence rubbed her chin. “Hold on a moment. I'm sure I know this… Excuse me. This'll need some explaining.”
Her horn glowed, and at once a square floated into view before them. Like a window, it showed a different scene beyond, but there was little to see. Two Crystal Hearts floated on the screen; the right one was light and pulsed with blue flashes, but the left one was dark and seethed with red flames.
“The Crystal Heart and the Crystal Empire are connected. I remember Princess Celestia told me that, when combined as one, they’re a kind of cosmic keystone. The energy of the cosmos flows into and surrounds it as a pool, and so long as it flows, that keeps the entire world in balance. It can be a force for great good, or for great evil. You saw it yourself when the crystal ponies used the light within themselves to spread happiness and love across the land.”
“Are you saying there’s another one out there just like it?”
Despite herself, Rarity smirked at the bewildered look this earned her. Obviously, Cadence had been building up for the reveal. However, the Princess was quick enough to recover, and gracious enough to give a smiling nod.
“Right. From the days of the Great Crystal Empire, when it stretched from the north pole to the south pole –”
“That would naturally mean one Crystal Heart for each pole, would it not?” Under the cool gaze, Rarity blushed and added, “Sorry. Carry on.”
“I’m not sure what the connection is between the two Hearts,” said Cadence. “But if you are at the south pole, then an escape plan is going to be tricky. No one knows much about what it’s like south of Equestria, and even the fastest pegasus would need a few days to reach the Frozen South. We don’t even know where precisely the southern Crystal Heart would be.”
Cracks ran through Rarity’s self-confidence. Although she ventured a smile, the thing quivered and twitched and any moment would bolt back down her throat.
“You can get here?” she said.
“We’ll do what we can, I promise, but until then you’re going to have to fend for yourselves.” Cadence looked away. “I’m sorry I can’t be of much use.”
“Yes, but you located me this way when I touched the Heart. Surely, if I were able to make contact with it again –”
“NO! Don’t even think about it!” Cadence’s glare evaporated. “I mean, it nearly killed you just now. There’s no way I can ask you to take that risk again.”
Rarity waited until the shock wore off. Shouting was not going to stop the cracks from growing into fractures.
She breathed out hard. “I thought you said you were connected to the crystal artefacts, yes? Shouldn’t you already know where we are, then? How did you find me, anyway?”
“It was only a brief contact. I didn’t even realize what had happened until it was over, and by then it was too late to trace you. Anyway, this place isn’t going to help. You were here first. You summoned me, after all.”
“Yesyesyesyesyes,” said Rarity, flapping a foreleg airily. “Nevertheless, if there is a way, any way at all you could trace… I don’t know, my cosmic energy or some such thing… then all you’d have to do is follow it.”
The screen hurled itself away and vanished into the mist.
“And may we speak somewhere else for a change? I mean no offence, but that mist is way too garish, and the acoustic effect loses its charm after the first few minutes.”
Cadence strode forwards. In the manner of a general about to address her troops, she about-turned and frowned down at her new recruit.
“I can see we have a lot to discuss about crystal magic,” she said. “Very well. Since we’ve got time, I’d like to help you understand where I’m coming from.”
“It won’t work, will it?” Rarity hung her head.
“I’m saying it might work,” continued Cadence, “but before you settle on that plan, you might want to know exactly what you’re getting into.”
Uh oh, thought Rarity. The fractures began to crumble, and as they did so, the world around her began to swirl.
Sitting on the cold floor of the chamber, Applejack reached up for the hat she knew would not be there. Overhead, Officer Feldspar prattled on and on about merchandising rights, but she heard nothing except the rough outline of the odd word.
To her right, the ice block taunted her with its mere existence. She glanced up at the frozen faces, trying to project as much comfort as she could. If they’d been encased like she’d been, then they’d know exactly what was going on right now.
Right. Jus’ ‘cause Ah can’t really do nothin’, don’t mean Ah get to be pushed around. Ah’ll figure somethin’ out. Ah’ll watch this monster like a hawk, an’ she better be good, ‘cause if there’s so much as an inch, Ah’m grabbin’ a foot, and then Ah’m pulling the whole leg.
“Don’t worry,” cut in the chirpy voice. “You won’t be alone out there. Every champion gets their own little helpers and teammates to keep them from going ka-boom. I’ve procured one of the best fashion designers to make your new costume, for starters.”
“Rarity?” Applejack looked up sharply, but the smirk read her mind.
“No, not that one. Honestly, what’s the deal between you two? There are other ponies besides the special unicorn, you know.”
“Look, if Ah’m goin’ to do any o’ your dirty work, then Ah wanna make a few things clear.” Applejack thumped one hoof onto another like fist on palm. “One: Ah’m callin’ the shots ‘ere. You ain’t micro-managin’ nothin’, you get me?”
“Oh really?” The smirk widened; it was amazing how many teeth a pony could show. “And why’s that?”
“‘Cause Ah reckon you know who Ah am, an’ you know how much Ah’m worth to whoever the hay wants to watch this fightin’ stuff. You said it yerself; Ah’m a hero. That means you’re bankin’ on me as some kind of big piece o’ resistance, aincha?”
Amusement over, the smirk hid behind tight lips. “You mean like that tatty hat we dragged off your head? Interesting point, if a bit cheeky. And if your choices don’t happen to fit the fad of the moment, then what?”
“You mean you took some designer who can’t make whatever Ah say work?”
“I didn’t say that. Still, it’s not as if it matters. Try whatever you want. It’s just clothes, after all.”
Yet the Officer’s eyes twitched for a moment, and Applejack fought to keep her own smug impulse behind a solid wall. One point to AJ, she thought.
Behind the ice block and the cannon, Peccary shifted uncomfortably from one hoof to another. Now that Applejack focused on them, the grizzled, gnarly faces seemed slightly more twisted than usual. They’re nervous. Ah can smell it reekin’ off of ‘em.
“It’s not as if introductions are going to be tricky,” continued Officer Feldspar, who disappeared and reappeared with another squeak of axles. “Coco Pommel is a close friend of yours, isn’t she?”
Now the nervousness hit her snout and wracked her brains, but it wasn’t coming from the pigs. Bits of her went cold. A dam broke inside her head.
“Now, see here,” she said, rising up on sheer fury. “Takin’ me an’ Rarity is a bridge too far, but this… this is evil. Li’l’ kids an’… an’ Coco ain’t much better! For Pete’s sake, you stole Apple Bloom an’ Sweetie Belle away when they was only wantin’ to watch a nice show with family! That’s messed up something fierce! An’ Coco goes to pieces over community get-togethers! An’ that was after she stopped bein’ bullied by that crook, Suri Polomare. You can't just treat innocent ponies like toys!”
A yelp: Applejack fell back clutching her leg. Something stabbed right down to the bone. Under her one good forelimb, the ring crackled.
“Perhaps it’s about time I explained a few things to you,” said the chirpy voice, a drop of sunshine through a sea of pain. “You think some righteous shouting is going to bowl me over and bite my flank sooner or later, don’t you? Spent one too many summers beating up bad guys to think nothing bad will ever happen to you. Am I right?”
“Apple Bloom…” She almost cracked her teeth trying to force out that much.
“We’re not playing that game anymore. The Great Crystal Empire was the only political body to ever control the north and the south at the same time, and that’s because crystal magic is the most powerful force the planet has ever known. Even the technology the unicorns use – the Tree of Harmony, enchanted tomes, electric cells, the ice pools, the magic mirrors – all of it was crystal pony technology. It was created by us, it was nourished with our help, and then it was stolen from us.”
Applejack tried to beat the pain out of her leg, but colder parts of her snatched at the words and pinned them down. Twilight went on about something like this. One of them books had all these theories an’ ideas about how magic was ranked, or something like that. Weren’t there a table involved?
“And since the Crystal Empire has been held back for a thousand years,” continued Officer Feldspar, whose chirp had deepened to a smug rumble, “we’ve had more than enough time to surge ahead. My house abolished that old-fashioned system of Emperors and Kings and Princesses long ago. There are kids on the street who have more power in their dolls than your precious Princesses have in their whole bodies. So if you still think you have a chance against such awesomely wow-tastic stuff, you’re kidding yourself.”
Eventually, Applejack straightened up and faced the desk again. Above her, the empty howl of the endless cylinder stared down at her sweating back. She blew a few errant strands out of her face.
“Ah got no reason to believe a word you say, you hear?” she said. “Ah got a good idea how this works. There ain’t nothin’ left to chance. You hold my kin and my friends up an’ say ‘Do what Ah say or they get it real good’, an’ that’ll get me to do what you want for a bit. But you know Ah’ll be lookin’ for anythin’, anythin’ whatsoever to slug you one for that. This is jus’ you gettin’ in my mind and tryin’ to break my spirit.”
Nothing met this but the unrelenting smirk. She almost slugged the Officer there and then.
“Say that like you mean it, and I might believe you.” Officer Feldspar tapped the desk impatiently. “I never had this problem with Suri, I’ll say that much. Then again, she’s got the right idea.”
“Eat or be eaten, is that it?”
Peccary shook his neck down, and great folds of fur rippled down to his shoulders.
“Yep,” said the Officer.
“You never heard o’ the magic o’ friendship, aincha?”
“Don’t try and impress me with that malarkey. That was nothing more than crystal pony magic stolen from crystal pony inventors. I’d like to see you try it without those precious crystal Elements to help you.”
This time, it was Applejack’s turn to smirk. “Say it like you mean it, an’ Ah might believe you.”
“Yawn. Make all the ironic echoes you want. No one will even be able to find you without knowledge of crystal artefacts, and our only real competitors fell behind a millennium ago. Your only chance is to do what I say. No pressure.”
Peccary narrowed his eyes at her and stiffened back to attention. Beyond the blue stillness of the ice, she focused once more on Apple Bloom’s wide mouth, and almost heard the unheard scream.
“Ah’m listenin’,” she said. “Tell me more about this team.”
Grey clouds sulked in a pastel sky. The ghosts of skyscrapers lurked just outside the tissue-thin mist, while at their feet the maples and pines crouched and smothered the ground. Flecks of snow wandered haphazardly through the air and reached the ground simply by accident. Only the Oval at the centre was clear, and even that was deathly pale with snow. Although deep pits showed where foals had hopped through the drifts, no one was around now.
The snowflakes stopped. Two spectres fizzed and jolted, and then flashed into existence. One blinked and shook herself down, while the other, much taller one strode forwards.
Rarity snapped back to attention.
“Wait a minute!” she said. “This is the Great Lawn Oval! We’re in Manehattan. Where’s the fundraiser?”
“I’m afraid it’s been and gone, Rarity. Not that you missed much, believe me. We spent most of the time trying to find clues and work out who else was missing.” Cadence sat down on the snow before her, going right through it as though it weren’t there.
Rarity started turning green at the sight. “Who else was missing?”
“Apart from you, Applejack, and Sweetie Belle, we can’t account for Apple Bloom, Coco Pommel, Suri Polomare, or Trenderhoof. One of my unicorn friends from Canterlot also went missing, called Minuette, but I don’t know if you’ve ever met her.”
“Minuette? Of course. I met her when she visited Ponyville years ago. She told me she used to be pressured into becoming a dancing instructor, but then she found her calling in timekeeping and clockwork design. And her best friend is Twinkleshine. And, I might add, she tends to be a bit too quick with a camera! When we had our first tea party together, she nearly blinded me with it!”
Cadence smiled. “That’s the one. Boy, you really know your unicorns, don’t you?”
“Noblesse oblige.” Rarity flicked her mane with a hoof. It didn’t matter that her mane was an uncoiled mass of locks. The important thing was that she got the effect right.
“If you say so…” Cadence shook the confusion out of her head. “If you can find any trace of the other ponies, please let me know as soon as possible. Once our conversation is over here, I’ll organize a rescue party to come find you, but I’d rather know exactly what kind of supplies we’ll need to take. This isn’t going to be a simple journey, after all.”
Rarity stared out at the distant squares of shadow, occasionally pausing to admire a snowflake poised in midair. Only she knew there was going to be a rescue at all, and in the meantime there were going to be days before it even arrived. She’d barely been awake when Applejack had faced that crystal pony with the strange device. A vast ocean of ignorance stretched out before her.
“How do I get you to follow me again?” she said.
“Touch any crystal artefact you can find, and I should be able to triangulate using that. The more crystals you touch, and the stronger they are, the better I can narrow it down. Just be careful what you touch, OK? Anything corrupted is going to hurt you, or worse.”
Rarity frowned, and tried to focus on the words from before. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. Why does it have to be me? Why not Applejack?”
“Because you have something Applejack doesn’t. You have an affinity with the crystals. I’ve already told you about the special magic that led you to the geode when you were a filly. And the evidence is there on your cutie mark.”
“Lots of unicorns have strange magical surges when they’re young. Besides, I’ve met dozens of ponies with gemstones for cutie marks.”
“Rarity, haven’t you been listening to anything I’ve been telling you!?” Cadence paced up and down, glowering at the snow. “This isn’t about material gemstones or unicorn magic! The higher realm opens to those who are willing and able to find it. You were in touch with the realm because, even at a very young age, you weren’t satisfied with material things.”
“You do know me, don’t you?” Rarity blanched at the glower turned onto her, and spluttered in sheer self-defence. “What? I’m the most material pony I know. Even I can’t deny that.”
“But you are also one of the most spiritual, and that is exactly what I mean. There is light and darkness in everyone, but both are strong inside you. Half of you wants to hoard gems for your own selfish ends, and half of you wants to share their beauty and raise the spirits of others to higher things.”
“Um… I don’t know whether to be flattered by that, or insulted.”
“Either way, it’s the truth.” Now Cadence sat down, and she stretched a forelimb and took a deep breath before continuing. “If you’re going to stay in touch with your spiritual side, you’ll need to understand how crystal magic works. The strength of the artefact is important, but so is the inner strength of whoever’s using it.”
Rarity lowered her head and watched the glitter on the snow. “Am I going to have to be extremely generous to someone?”
“Not unless you really mean it. Listen, the cosmic energy doesn’t just stop at the north and south poles where the Crystal Hearts lie. Lines of cosmic energy flow from the poles and through the minerals of the earth like rivers and canals connecting to each other. Have you ever wondered why crystal balls are used to predict the future? Or why quartz used to be called ‘light-stone’? Did you know that ice is another crystal, and it gives its magical properties to water and vapour too?”
“Oh, I heard about all that guff from Fluttershy. That’s merely New Age pablum.” Rarity bit her tongue and added hastily, “Or so I heard, ahahaha.”
“Not quite. Fluttershy has it exactly right. Since ancient times, ponies have known about the healing powers of different types of gemstone. Even metals and salts can act as focal points for the rivers of energy. Anywhere the structure of a thing is regular and orderly and perfect, cosmic energy can flow through it and soften the rules of real life. All the magical species have these things in their bodies somewhere. That’s the essence of magic.”
Rarity hummed to herself. “Is this what you have to learn to become a Princess?”
Cadence offered a sly smile. “Let’s just say you’re getting the insider’s scoop on magic. It's necessary to clear the air a bit. Just don’t tell Twilight anything I’ve told you. She’ll go nuts if she finds out I could’ve told her the whole time.”
“So why don’t you tell her?”
“Come on. You know Twilight well. Can’t you guess?”
Rarity returned the smile. “Of course, dear Twilight wouldn’t want anyone to spoil the surprise for her before she could work it out herself. She does so love her magical studies. How very… generous of you.”
After a wink, Cadence straightened up and stretched her wings. “Well, I think I’ve told you everything you need to know: go back to the Frozen South; find the other missing ponies; touch as many strong artefacts as you can until we come to rescue you. Other than that, just focus on staying alive.”
Yes. “Where am I? Who else is here? And how do we escape?” That’s three out of three answered. Rarity sighed and stared out across the desolate wonderland of snow and shadows.
“Such beauty! I could stay here forever,” she moaned.
Every shadow darkened. The silhouettes of the skyscrapers soaked into the world and faded to black, and snow melted away before the encroaching void. Stars flickered into life. Once more, the night sky swallowed them both and left them floating over the luminescent mist.
“Oh,” she said in a small voice. “I guess I can’t, can I?”
Cadence leapt to her hooves, horn lowered at the darkness around her.
“Princess! What’s the matter?” Words echoed in the emptiness.
“That change wasn’t my doing.” Cadence’s horn burned with a low flame. “Something else is trying to control us. How close are you to the southern Crystal Heart?”
Rarity chewed her lip. “I haven’t the foggiest. Not too far? Why?”
“If it’s corrupted, then the dark energies will be at their strongest near the Heart. We can’t stay for much longer. I’m sending you back. Now.”
“Waitwaitwait!” Stars began to wink out around her, but she fought to stop the panic leaping into her voice. “If the Heart itself is corrupted, then what if every gem I find is corrupted too?”
“I can’t help you there. NO!”
At once, the darkness snapped around the glowing mist, and Cadence’s horn blazed. Margins around them quaked and flexed as both the interminable darkness and the solid light struggled.
“Jus’…” Cadence fought to speak between clenched teeth. “Jus’ go now!”
“One more thing, one more thing, that’s it!” Rarity lost control of the squeak shooting up her throat. Under the gravitational pull of sheer horror, she stared up at the nothingness. “What the heck kind of place is the Frozen South?”
“No one knows… too isolated…”
But it was too late. The Princess tried and failed to stop the panic in her eyes. Sweat beaded her forehead.
Then she swung round and fired a shot at Rarity just before the tides of darkness rushed in and crashed.