//------------------------------//
// Black Crystal 
// Story: Leap of Faith 
// by A bag of plums 
//------------------------------//

Twilight Sparkle paced around the room, contemplating her choices. They had only just returned to Ponyville when she got Sunset Shimmer’s message. Now that she thought about it, it seemed all too clear.

Of course Sombra’s plan wasn’t to drain the portal of magic. He was Equestrian, just like Sunset and herself. Of course he would want to come back home and rule. He had no reason to fight for the human world.

“There, message sent, Twilight,” Spike dusted his claws and wiped at his mouth. “What now?”

“I think it might be a good idea to move the portal,” Twilight voiced her opinion. “If Sombra succeeds in getting through, we’d want to be somewhere secure.”

“The Crystal Empire will do,” Princess Cadance said. “The Crystal Heart can protect us from him. That would be the safest place to be, even if his artifact can defend himself against it.”

“But we just came from the Crystal Empire!” Spike threw his hands up in irritation.

“Well it’s either we go back or watch Sombra come over here,” Twilight gave her assistant the options.

It was a clear decision for the baby dragon. “You know what, going back to the Crystal Empire isn’t all that bad.”

“Yes,” Princess Cadance trotted to a window and looked out at the horizon. Snow had begun to fall again, blanketing the green hills with white. “Maybe we can hold him back with our combined magic, but I don’t know how much he’d be stronger with one of Star Swirl’s artifacts. He did seal them away for good reason, after all.”

“Well, I did mention to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to bring a troop of guards in the message,” Spike mentioned. “You know, just in case.” Then he considered what he said and pulled out another scroll. “Aaand… I better let them know we’re moving the portal to the Crystal Empire. Don’t want them sending guards here by mistake.”

“I doubt they could stand against the dark king himself, even if they were the best Canterlot has to offer,” Twilight gulped. “But it’d never hurt to have some around. Some of the guards are pretty hardy and resourceful, like you, Agent Eclair.”

The batpony with them looked away from the mirror and floated over.  “Oui, princess, but I am no longer a guard. Agents do not train in the same combat courses as the regular guards do. We specialize more in subterfuge and stealth, at least, the Lunar Eclipse guards do.”

“Well, maybe you can plan some sneak attack against Sombra, you know?” Spike threw a few punches in the air. “Catch him off guard when he isn’t looking and steal that artifact from him?”

“I’m pretty sure he won’t just leave it around while he goes off somewhere, Spike,” Twilight chuckled. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to leave it to Sunset and her Assassin friends.”

“It doesn’t feel right to just hang our hope on somepony, er, someone else, but I guess we have no choice this time,” Princess Cadance shook her head. “All we can do is hope we hold Sombra long enough for her to do her job on the other side.”

“I trust Sunset,” Twilight looked through the mirror at her reflection. “She’s been through a lot, but I know she’ll be the one to get it done. Betting it all on her isn’t just a leap of faith. I have complete confidence in her. She’ll pull through. I know it.”



Sunset Shimmer got out of bed, shaking stars out of her head having gotten up too fast. Needing a drink of water, Sunset threw her covers off and headed outside, shuffling soundlessly down the hall as to not wake anyone else; According to her phone, it was only four in the morning.

She had neared the living room when she noticed the TV was on, casting light against the back wall, illuminating the shadows of the couch and someone sitting on the main couch.

She continued out, exiting the hallway, spotting Frigid Night sitting back, looking at a small square photo in his hand. He looked up and saw Sunset, and immediately stowed the picture in his pocket.

“Sunset Shimmer,” he said. “You’re up early.”

“Had another dream,” she rubbed her eyes and walked over, deciding to sit down beside him. “What’re you looking at? Was that the picture of you and Mirror Match?”

The Assassin’s acting Mentor sighed, but pulled it out again and looked at it. “Yeah… She was everything to me, before she left. To this day, I still don’t know what made her change sides. I really don’t.”

“Well, here’s a question you might be able to answer,” Sunset watched him, his eyes still on the picture. “After what she’s done, why do you still love her?”

“I guess it’s because of who she was,” he said at last. “Even in my darkest moments, she was always there for me, even when none of the other Assassins were. But… I see now I was wrong. I did have friends there for me all this time, but I was foolish and pushed them away. And here I am, reminiscing about her again. I thought I could move on from her death, but I guess I’m still brooding over it.”

“I… I’ve never lost anyone before, not like this,” Sunset said. It was sure easy to console someone, but she could never really understand what it felt like. “But I think letting go of the past is the first step. There’s nothing we can do to change it, is there?”

“I guess we can’t,” he hung his head down. “You know, I never knew she could be killed like that. Mirror Match is a tough one, but it looks like the artifacts are still stronger than anything she can throw at us. I don’t know where she is now, but I do hope she’s watching out for us instead of that terrible Grand Master Sombra.”

“Yeah. He’s the only one left?”

“The only important one. All the other Templars in the inner circle are dead. Finally, things feel like they’re coming to a close. You can believe he’s preparing himself to face us any time now.”

“If he does… Do you-do you think we can win?” Sunset asked nervously.

Frigid looked at Sunset and nodded his head. “If Mentor Steel Shine believed in you, then I do too. You’re the only one who can truly stand up to Sombra. We know you’ll figure this out.”

“Thanks, Frigid. You know, I was wrong about you. You do care,” Sunset grinned.

“And I hope I continue to do so,” he looked back at the picture with Mirror Match. “I let one woman change the way I did things. I may miss her, but you’re right. I need to look forward to who is still alive, to those I need to protect from Sombra.”

“Sounds splendid, Mentor,” Sunset gave him a pat on the back. “So what are we going to do now? We need to stop him from using that auditorium.”

“And we will,” Frigid answered. “We just need to know how that auditorium functions. For now, Sunset Shimmer, go back to bed. You still have a few hours to catch.”

“I guess it won’t turn, huh?” Sunset got off the couch and rearranged her pajama top. “Well, good night, Frigid, or good morning. Whichever one it is right now.”

The Assassin nodded his head again and got up, walking to his laptop on the table.

Sunset returned to her room after getting a glass of water and immediately fell on the bed, pulling her sheets around herself. She didn’t realize she was so tired until she felt the soft pillow below her head.

Well, at least Assassins have good beds…



Sunset Shimmer dried her hair off with her towel before slipping her regular clothes on.

Just after lunch, Frigid had discussed with her his possible plans for stopping Sombra’s auditorium. Their last ditch option was to simply drive a truck or at least something heavy into the structure itself.

Sunset had mentioned the magical consequences to the auditorium’s destruction, but if they had nothing else, it was something they would have to consider doing. Though, after the assassination of Mahogany Wood, law enforcement had begun investigating the area for clues on the Templar leader’s death. It wouldn’t be wise to attack the auditorium like that, at least not yet.

After their conversation, Morning Blade had taken Sunset out on a run, trying to help her build up her stamina.

The female Assassin had done up her hair in a braid again, though it was shorter than before. Sunset had found out that she lost part of her braid in her fight with Crescent Wing, Mahogany Wood’s bodyguard. Morning Blade didn’t like it, but at least it wasn’t all cut off.

The Assassin had only received her injuries the day before, but she seemed to be able to run alongside Sunset without much trouble. The fiery haired girl could still remember the stitched up skin, shuddering at the mental sight of it.

Sunset’s shoulders still ached from the run, but it wasn’t all that bad. Besides giving her the skills, Emerald seemed to have also given Sunset the ability to control her muscles well; she didn’t feel as tired as she normally would after a long run.

When she left the bathroom for the living room, Morning Blade and Frigid Night were already at the table, discussing something.

“Hey, Sunset,” Morning Blade waved with a hand. “Did you happen to hear about the news?”

“What news?” the fiery haired girl asked as she pulled up a chair beside the Assassins.

“There was an apartment building in Manehattan that was damaged. The police found bodies of Dragon Unit soldiers all over the place. I could only guess it was Velvet’s handiwork.”

“We’ve been trying to get ahold of her for the past hour,” Morning explained. “But she’s not picking up. We don’t know where she is or what she’s planning.”

“And apparently, there was a massacre at the Board of Education,” Frigid added in. “More bodies of Templars and educators alike were strewn all over the upper floors, multiple stab wounds. Wolfgang and many other Board members have been deemed killed, or missing.”

“Do you think Velvet had something to do with all this?” Sunset thought about it. Could she really have massacred so many people on her own volition? She never thought Velvet could be capable of such violence, even if she was an Assassin.

Frigid rubbed at his hair and looked at his laptop screen. “Some bodies were found completely crushed or cut into bits, and I think these are Velvet’s work. Remember what she did to Talon and… and Mirror Match?”

“The Mentor’s shard!” Sunset hit herself for not thinking of it sooner. “If it still has power like that, maybe, just maybe we can use it to defeat Sombra! We have to find Velvet.”

“Been trying, remember?” Morning dangled her phone between two fingers. “She’s not picking up.”

“Well, we could go look for her. She should still be in Manehattan, right?”

“Who knows,” Morning Blade rubbed her forehead. “She could be anywhere by now. There are too many possibilities…”

Frigid sighed and looked away from the two girls. “No. I… I think I know where she’ll be.”

“What?” Morning turned back to him. “You do?”

Frigid looked at the far wall, remaining silent. If Sunset didn’t know better, she’d think he was hiding something. Something important.

“I… I told her-”

Before the acting Mentor could continue, there seemed to be a crash outside, coming from the door.

“What was that?” Morning Blade got up, flipping her coat away from her right leg, her hand hovering over her pistol in its holster.

Both Frigid and Morning wearily kept their eyes on the front door, while Sunset slowly inched back, unsure of who it could be.

“Sunset Shimmer, go to the armory,” Frigid instructed, not taking his eyes off the door as more crashing was heard outside. “Grab something, anything that you think you can handle.”

“W-What if it’s someone on our side out there? Should we see who it is first?” Sunset took a few steps towards the armory door.

“Keila’s the only other one with the key to this place and I doubt she’d be banging on the door like that. Assume the worst. Get a weapon, now.”

Sunset didn’t have to be told another time. She bolted through the armory door to the first weapons rack she could find. She figured since she had used a sword before, she’d just stick with it now; she had no idea what other weapons she was capable of using just yet.

She joined the Assassins back by the door when a strange black crystalline object jabbed through the steel door. “What is that?”

“I don’t know, but get ready,” Frigid unsheathed all four of his blades. “Looks like trouble.”

As abruptly as the noise had stopped, the door was suddenly ripped from its hinges as a mass of human-shaped crystal golems stood outside, their featureless faces looking in at the Assassins and Sunset.

“What are these things?” Morning Blade drew her pistol and flicked off the safety.

Sunset recognized them from her first dream about Emerald Edge. There were crystal monsters like that back in Equestria, but they took the forms of ponies instead, but there was no doubt, these constructs were the work of Sombra.

“It’s Sombra,” Sunset told them. “He found out where we are.”

“Well, we defend ourselves,” Frigid scowled at the crystal constructs. “Watch your surroundings, Sunset Shimmer. Do not let them catch you off guard.”

Sunset took a slow and long deep breath, grasping her sword in both hands. This was it.

Time to see if I’m really any good at this…