Chapter 4: On the Eve of War.
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~Flurry~
The evening turned out to be a lovely experience. Unlike every instance that Harmony had imagined, it turned out to be just like they had done so many times before - when their families would have dinner together. Except this time, it was just her and Shard at the table, eating their favorite foods, swapping their favorite stories and just enjoying each other's company while listening to a song that Jelly had composed. A spell from Flurry and the instruments required had played by themselves. What followed was a soothing, classical piece that would have been worthy of the Royal Canterlot Symphony Orchestra.
Throughout the whole affair, Shard listened intently - and through the conversation he had answered every one of her questions and offered a few of his own back in turn. Eventually the conversation turned away from their daily lives and interests into something a bit more serious.
"Emerald has feelings for Star-Shield?" Shard had said after Flurry had revealed that little bit. "Huh. I never would have guessed."
"Figures. You didn't even guess I had feelings for you." Flurry said dryly. "Even though according to everypony else, I had a big neon sign over my head reading: 'I like Midnight Shard.'"
"Very funny Flurry." Shard replied with a squint. "But then, we were both foals. Spike in particular was surprised you were the one to ask me to this."
"Do you regret that?"
"No." He replied almost immediately. "Honestly, when it comes to things like dating, everypony makes a big deal out of nothing." He was quoting Cadance; Flurry knew that speech. "I mean, if you let a little thing like rejection stand in your way, you'll never get anywhere."
"So," She bit her lip. "You think there was a chance you would have ever rejected me?"
"No." Once again, Shard answered without missing a beat. "I mean, you're my best friend. Isn't that what a relationship is?" He leaned forward. "I mean, why should things have to be any more complicated? We've been friends since we were foals. Now? Now, we just hang out and do more things like... well, hug and kiss - and whatever else it is couples do."
Flurry couldn't help but grin. She would clearly have to give Shard a better understanding of what it meant to be a couple, but first things first, she stood up and sauntered over to him, offering a hoof.
"Here, Shard."
He blinked. "Here what?"
"Come with me. I've got something I think you're going to like."
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~Shard~
Flurry brought him out to the balcony of the Friendship Castle, overlooking Ponyville. At night, the whole town was lit with little candles in window-sills and under awnings, making the hamlet glow. The streetlights speckled like stars. It would be Hearth's Warming soon; less than two weeks away, Shard remembered. A light layer of snow had just now started to fall thanks to the evening Pegasi teams.
Far below the Castle, on the grounds of Twilight's school - he could also make out the scene of Captain Tempest Shadow (no, Fizzepop Berrytwist to use her true name) - leader of the Friendship Guard making a routine inspection of her troops. At Flash's insistence, Twilight had created a group of specialized fighters to protect Ponyville in the event she or the other Element-Bearers were away, or to escort her on official functions. Twilight had acceded after they adopted Star Shield and had Harmony, but Shard imagined that she felt their presence was a bit superfluous.
Equestria had been at peace for over a decade. There was little need for a military - or even guards for that matter.
"It's beautiful up here." He remarked. "I can see why you would like to come up here."
"Aunt Twilight often likes to stand out here and stargaze." Flurry said. "She says it reminds her of her old home in Golden Oaks Library, before Tirek destroyed it."
Shard nodded. That all had happened before he was born, but he'd heard stories from Twilight about how a powerful Centaur had destroyed her home. Shard couldn't imagine what that might have felt like; losing everything he knew in an instant. That was one of the reasons he was so glad that Equestria had been at peace - why so long as they had the element bearers they had nothing to fear.
"You know," she said, gingerly wrapping a foreleg around his shoulder. "This is a pretty romantic view."
Shard looked down into Flurry's eyes - and she batted her eyelashes with a slow smile, a sign which Cadance told him to look out for. Recalling the advice she had given him, he wrapped his own hoof around her back and gently pulled her in close. In that moment, his trademark logic forsook him and he went purely on instinct. There came a hot feeling in his chest - along with his heart's sudden rapid pounding. Electricity seemed to spark between them as she returned the hug. For a long moment they stood there, just holding each other, until he parted and looked down into her gentle blue eyes.
"If you say so." He replied softly before he closed his eyes, lowered his head and gently placed his lips on hers.
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~Sombra~
Unbeknownst to either of the two young ponies below, Sombra was present in the Castle as well, looking down at his son from the window of the highest tower, Hope by his side and Spike watching beside them. When Shard was the one to initiate the kiss, he felt his pride swell.
"Our son's all grown up." Hope said softly. "How long do you think it will be before...?"
"Shard's grown, but he's not that grown." Spike said with a smirk. "Unless, Sombra you've already given him 'The Talk'?"
Sombra laughed. "I haven't. I didn't ever think my boy would catch on to how Flurry felt about him."
Hope looked up at her husband; a teasing grin on her face. "I remember when Miss Chestnut gave you 'The Talk', dear. You were so shocked you couldn't speak for a week."
"And you enjoyed the week after when you snapped me out of it. You showed me how beautiful you had become. That was when I first noticed you."
Hope laughed, a bell-like sound. "Still a shameless flatterer."
"You two should get a room." Spike said with a snort.
"You're one to talk." Hope said wryly. "The way you gallivant with Rarity. Besides, you talk about getting a room? Aren't you supposed to be chaperoning? Twilight, not to mention Cadance, will be very upset if they find out Shard and Flurry were to... well-..." She purposely let her words hang in the air.
"By Celestia, you're right!" Spike exclaimed as he jumped and practically made a beeline for the door. "I've got to stop this!"
He slammed it so hard that Sombra thought the whole Castle might have felt it. He turned back to his wife.
"Don't you think that was a little overdone, honey?" He gestured to the young couple below them. Shard had just parted and now was holding the princess' hooves. For her part, Flurry seemed to have turned bright red. "Shard's far too much of a gentlecolt to take advantage of Flurry."
"I know." Hope's grin returned. "But I couldn't resist giving Spike a hard time."
"A thousand these years and you've never changed." Sombra said with a shake of his head. It was an old joke they shared.
"And I never will." Hope said. Then she gestured to the young couple, just as the doors to the balcony slammed open and a young Dragon stepped through. "But in all seriousness, how long do you think it'll be before...?"
"It's a bit early to be thinking about that isn't it, Hope? I don't want to be called 'Grandsire' already."
Hope laughed again. "Not even remotely what I meant, dear."
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~Sunburst~
As he galloped through the streets, Sunburst's mind was on fire with questions. What on Equiss had he been seeing? Why would Amore contact him of all ponies? Why had the vision cut out so quickly? And the million bit question was what in Tartarus was she trying to warn him about?
He stopped at the gates of the Crystal Palace and hammered against them with all his might. The night patrols were usually the ones to answer first - and unlike other petitioners, he never needed to worry about any lines.
Being the Crystaller meant that Sunburst had direct access to Cadance anytime - and indirectly to Celestia & Luna. That, however didn't make explaining what he'd seen any easier. Before leaving the house, he left Starlight a note explaining he'd gone off to see the princess and that he'd be back in the morning - and he left it at that.
"Come on, open up." He muttered as he thumped against the door. "Cadance! Shining Armor!"
Not to his surprise, one of the guards answered, one he was familiar with from the description from his son - but hadn't actually met, face-to-face: Rapid Fire.
Almost half a decade older than Sunburst from the looks of it - (and it showed in the lines on his face), the guard-pony was an armor-clad Pegasus with a blue coat and short-cropped white mane that was flecked with gray spots from either stress or age or both. Parallel to his right eye was a long, deep scar from where one of the Storm King's guards had slashed him during the Siege of Canterlot - many years ago. According to his son, Blitzkrieg (one of Cosmic's friends) - Fire declined having it healed.
"Who would see the Crystal Princess?" He asked after a moment. His voice was deep and baritone - like gravel being ground under a boulder. "Speak."
"I'm the Crystaller, Sunburst."
"You're Cosmic's father?" Rapid-Fire's expression softened considerably. "Sorry, I didn't recognize you; normally, Blitz says you wear a cape and glasses."
To his surprise, Sunburst noted that Fire was correct - he had left the house in such a hurry he didn't even bother donning his trademark clothes.
"Yeah, I'm in a bit of a hurry. Please, is Cadance awake? Please, I need to see her right away!"
"Yes, she's awake. Come inside." Rapid-Fire stepped aside and led the way.
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~Cadance~
The Princess of Love or Cadance to those who knew her better - had her doors always open to any pony who sought her attention. Most of the time it was just the usual stuff - long, boring lists of royal things or suggestions on how to better run things from the nobles. This time however, it was a rare visit from Sunburst. Given his status as Flurry's Crystaller he had a close relationship with her and Shining - and he was close to the younger princess as well, but tonight he seemed especially desperate to get her attention.
He had burst into the room - spouting sentences almost faster than Cadance could comprehend. A quick onceover and she could tell this was serious. It was easy for Cadance to read a Pony's heart, but Sunburst's was beating faster than Rainbow Dash's after a full mug of cider. His eyes had turned bloodshot, probably from lack of sleep, and he was breathing in short exhales.
"We... we have a serious... problem." He stuttered in between wheezes. "Amore... sent a warning."
Cadance rose from her seat almost immediately in alarm. That was not a name she was expecting to hear used in that context again in her lifetime. Amore had died over sixteen years ago. How could she have possibly sent a warning?
"Slow down, Sunburst." She urged, raising a hoof in a calming gesture. "Catch your breath and explain."
The Crystaller took a few minutes, but he did as told - and after a few deep breaths he started from the beginning. Cadance listened intently, only interrupting once or twice to ask for context (and to ask if he was sure of what he'd seen). When he was finished with his explanation, it took a great deal of strength not to let her jaw drop to the floor.
"You are certain of this?" She asked, probably for the fifth time.
"Absolutely!" He replied. "I saw it; Canterlot, the whole city was burning and Amore said to beware the bells! They herald something's return; something awful, that'll bring death, destruction - the end of our way of life."
"What exactly is this, something?" She asked, leaning forward.
"I don't know, I'm afraid. My dream cut off before I could hear."
Cadance's brow furrowed - and she leaned back, thinking.
"I'll contact my aunts." She turned to Rapid-Fire. "And tell Shining to have the guard readied. From the sound of things, we might need an army."
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In a place forgotten by both time and by Ponykind, a dark figure stirred on its stone throne. Having watched events unfolding for countless millennia, finally, the time was nearly right.
"Amore, my old enemy - you try to interfere with my plans yet again?" The figure said aloud to no one. A toothy grin and it watched the Princess of Love and her servants scurry about like insects.
Though it had failed to prevent the former Crystal Princess from sending her little warning, it mattered little. The Ponies were now afraid - and that made them vulnerable. They remained unaware of the true nature of the threat right before their eyes, even now. And that ignorance would be their undoing.
"Come forth, my servants." The figure said aloud - rising from the throne. With a gesture and a flash of crackling magic, the spell was cast.
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~Mr. Waddle~
The sound of dirt rustling outside his house woke Mr. Waddle from his sleep. He grumbled as he felt, blindly for his glasses. The gravekeeper's sight was nearly gone from sheer age - even with the extra thick lens' offered by his specs. That didn't mean his acute hearing was gone however, as he could hear everything that went on outside his little house. The walls were thin wood, which did little but to keep out the cold and the rain.
To think that even with how old he was, there were still those that thought they could disturb the dead and get past him!
Mr. Waddle was an aged stallion that lived just outside Ponyville, tending to the graveyard and the recently departed. He had no doubt he'd be joining the dead soon, given that he was older than most ponies usually lived. In fact, next to the Apple Family's Granny Smith, (who was nearing her hundredth year), he was the oldest living pony in Ponyville.
With a grunt of effort and an amount of labor that nearly broke his back, Waddle forced himself from his bed and onto his hooves. His joints creaked from the effort, but held.
"Curse you, young whippersnappers making me do this at this time of night." He grumbled. From his window he yelled as loud as his old lungs could manage. "Who's out there!?"
No answer. Just the sound of rain pounding against his roof.
"Disturbing the dead at this hour?" He grumbled again. A glance over at the clock and it was just half past ten. "I should have been asleep for another three hours."
Grabbing his umbrella, Waddles opened the door and was greeted by the sight of several dark figures looming over the graves nearest to his house. Their features were not easy to glimpse, given just how dark it had become, but they were unmistakably equine in shape.
"Hey, you troublemakers you!" He called. Several of the figures looked up slowly at him. "Get lost and leave those graves alone! They deserve to rest in peace!"
Suddenly, the nearest of the figures started towards him. What was odd was just how it moved; a slow, lumbering gait that was almost jerky.
"Stop right there!" He called, suddenly feeling alarmed. "I'm warning you! I may be old, but I mean business!"
That was a lie, but Waddles hoped these figures wouldn't notice. He was alone, weaponless, old and too far away to call for help.
What unnerved him most however was how the figure ignored his threat and kept at it, jerking towards him. It was getting closer with every step.
"Stay back!" Waddles shouted. "I mean it!"
With surprising speed, the figure broke into a gallop and was upon him in seconds. By the time it reached him, he was attempting to slam the door. Mere moments before he could, he caught a glimpse of his attacker's face - and he was horrified by what he saw.
It wasn't a living, breathing pony trying to get him, it was a rotting corpse.
Bloated from its time in the earth, most of the cadaver's coat and skin had decayed away, showing bits of its skeleton beneath. Green light burned in its empty eye sockets - which glowed with murderous intent.
Waddles slammed his door, just as the corpse reached for him with a chipped, crumbling hoof. The creature forced its foreleg in between the door and the frame - holding it from shutting fully with incredible strength. Waddles tried to kick, feebly at it with his foreleg, but the creature seemed immune to all pain.
Suddenly hit with a burst of adrenaline, Waddles turned about and kicked his door with all his strength - and this time it closed, separating him from his attacker - at least temporarily. The creature's leg was clipped right off at the elbow - falling to the ground with a wet thump.
Waddles gasped when suddenly, the appendage started moving.
For several seconds, it flailed about - as if still connected to its owner, groping and trying to force its way back through the door. Suddenly, it laid still. Whatever dark magic that was animating it was gone.
Waddles breathed a sigh of relief. At least in here, in his house he was...-
*CRACK!*
Suddenly the window next to the door was shattered - and another cadaver forced its head through - glass shards embedded in its forehead and muzzle. Another two, or three appeared behind it - as it began to climb through the now broken window.
The old gravekeeper could only whimper and back away, too late, as rotting hooves reached for him.
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~Shard~
The sensation Shard felt from Flurry when they kissed was soft, warm and a bit like honey. And there was passion in it too. The kind that was just like Flurry herself; sweet and full of simple, heartwarming happiness. Before long, they parted - and the balcony doors were flung open, but Shard didn't notice. He was too caught up in the moment - and Flurry's eyes.
In that moment, just as Spike opened his mouth and started to speak, Shard could not help but see Flurry in a whole new light. Like the moment they shared at the Gala, but something else entirely as well. Flurry had been his best friend his entire life; a constant companion. A bit snarky, a bit clumsy, awkward at times and a bit of an attention seeker, but always well meaning and kind. Flurry was all these things and more - brave and noble and undyingly loyal to her friends and family - and to him.
What a fool he'd been, not realizing this all sooner.
"Shard!" Spike said, waving a claw in front of his face, finally snapping him out of his reverie. "Hello? Shard?"
"Huh?" He said at last.
"Spike..." Flurry said with daggers in her eyes. "We were having a moment, which you just interrupted."
"Sorry Flurry, but I couldn't let you two...-"
At that moment, another figure stepped through the doors to the balcony - interrupting the dragon. A dark purple Unicorn stepped through. Tempest, or Fizzlepop rather. Shard remembered that Twilight said in times of peace she preferred her true name - but she said once that if there ever came a time for combat, she was to be called by her assumed name. That time seemed to be now - as she was wearing her armor - steel plate with Twilight's Cutie Mark emblem engraved on the breastplate - and a helmet that helped focus her broken horn's magic into something weaponized.
"My apologies, but there is a serious problem." She said grimly. Her eyes were narrowed. "Princess Twilight requests all of you in the Map Room immediately."