"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
A loud 'bonk' sound responded to the scream. Several guards of the crystal empire bounced away and slid across the ground, most groaning in pain.
"What if we tried using spells?" a unicorn asked.
"Worth a shot," a guard answered.
Several of them focused their spells into their horns, the appendages glowing bright in response. A variety of spells were released onto the dome surrounding them ranging from whips, to simple beams, to lightning bolts and drills. The shield reacted and threw them into the air via explosive feedback. One of the two captains on the side facehoofed and groaned in annoyance. The other, standing next to him, just heaved a sigh and stared at the void.
"What's going on? I heard explosions," Shining Armor said. He pushed through the crowd and looked at the guards and civilians in pain on the floor. "What happened?" he asked with worry.
"Bah! We can't get through that stupid shield, general!" the first captain said. "It's not even a normal shield spell. The damned thing won't react to anything we throw at it." He punched the dome angrily.
"Except for explosions," the second captain added in boredom. The first pointed at him and nodded enthusiastically to confirm. "We can always wait for the other princesses to arrive." He shrugged. "I don't know. Worth a shot, no? We're not going anywhere anyways."
Shining rubbed his chin. "Reminds me of when Sombra was roaming the tundra and Cadance put a barrier up." Shining stared at the barrier for a moment. "Have you tried focusing all your magic in a single area?"
Shining partially closed his eyes when the civilians and guards focused their magic into a white beam that pounded against the barrier, only to have it create another feedback that exploded in their faces and threw them everywhere.
"Now we have," the second captain noted. He yawned loudly.
The prince slowly blinked in response. "Have we had any news about the princesses?"
The first captain took off his helmet and scratched his head. "Well, the letter Princess Cadance sent is confirmed to have gone through, so it's only a matter of time before they arrive."
"Plus, there's the train station now," the second captain interjected. "So while they can't get through the dome, they can at least stop at the barrier."
"Why did you trap them?" Twilight asked the cephalopony. "I don't see ANY reason to do that!"
"You don't?" he replied with two raised brows.
"W-what? Is there a giant storm that's going to engulf them?" The traveler shook his head. "Is the ice the city rests on going to give in and cause the city to collapse?" The traveler shook his head in response to Twilight's question again. "Is it a monster attack? A magical calamity?"
The traveler locked a bolt in the foot of the multi-story farm. He stepped back and looked up, admiring the work already done thanks to his ship and the work of the many races present.
"The support of the farms are coming along nicely."
He wiped his forehooves then walked away, leaving Twilight to stutter angrily.
"Why are you dodging the question? Why are you ALWAYS dodging questions?!" She teleported in front of the traveler, startling him for nary a microsecond, and glared at him straight in the eyes. "Is it because it'll affect the future?" There was a pause while the lavender alicorn's eyes darted back and forth between each of the cephalopony's. "You already established that that's not what can happen."
"I don't speak it not because of disinterest or an absurd stupidity such as that, but because every timeline is different."
"Then why dome the Crystal Empire? Hm?"
"Because timelines still have commonalities, and around this time, Sombra is slated to return."
Twilight's features softened, and she spoke with a gasp. "What? Wh-why didn't you tell us? We could have evacuated the--"
"They're part of the issue." The traveler dug into his mass of tentacles and pulled out what looked like a fractured, white mask made of cooked clay. The right side was destroyed, leaving an angry eye hole on the left and the top of an upper jaw. It had some sort of long fang sticking out of the far side. He looked at it longly and bounced it a few times. "This is souvenir from that time. One of my first attempts. Maybe." He handed it to Twilight who held it in her magic and spun it around, confusion on her face. "Interesting, no?"
"I sense dark magic coming from it. What is it?"
"The skull of a corrupted pony." Twilight and dropped the mask. Her face was partially contorted, although with what concoction from a mixing pot one could not say. "That is what happens to the Crystal Kingdom. It could be in weeks or months, but the corruption is there and the plague is spreading."
"H-how can we save them?!" Twilight grabbed the traveler by the shoulders. "How? My brother and sister-in-law are there! You have to tell me!" she begged.
"Then they are corrupted." He shrugged the notion off. "I never found a solution because the corruption is on their soul."
"O-on? Why not in?"
"Because Sombra does not have that kind of power. I learned about that detail through..." The traveler scrunched up his lower lip. "specific means. A magic that shouldn't be used casually."
"How did you get it?" Twilight asked cautiously.
"It was a gift. Part of the many things I received from the dying timelines. An intriguing order that did not want their whole history to vanish to the ages for all eternity, so I gladly took it and kept it safe. I haven't told anybody else about such a thing before." He sighed. "Although I suppose the possibility of sharing this information with you can be...allowed." He blinked a few times in an irregular pattern. "But you will have to accelerate the construction of this farm to a week max."
"A WEEK?!"
"A favor for a favor, Twilight Sparkle," he spoke harshly. "The easiest solution is the one I have taken. The Crystal Kingdom has enough food and water reserves for a week at best. Perhaps a little more. Perhaps a little less. If you help with the construction and finish it within the allotted time, then I will have supplies dumped into the dome regularly until a time that you have found the solution through the magic of souls I might impart." He looked up at the sun. "I would hurry, though. Time is running out."
The lavender mare was conflicted, but she knew what to do. "Fine! I'm going to tell the princesses about the situation, and then I'm going to help you with organizing the construction." She snorted angrily. "I'm the best at organizing and speeding things along efficiently."
"You better be," the traveler threatened.
Twilight bared her teeth angrily then galloped off, leaving the cephalopony to his own devices, but the mare wasn't pleased. She looked back at him and huffed in annoyance. "He could've told us. We would have found a solution to it without going to such drastic measures," she mumbled to herself.
"Perhaps a drink?" the traveler thought to himself. "I could do with something vanilla-mint flavored."
Applejack and a large minotaur missing his left horn were busy checking the soil compounds placed at their behest in large white crates the height of an average pony. As such, the farm mare needed a stool to climb to be able to look with them. The minotaur passed his hands in some of the soil samples and grunted. He had the reflex to wipe his hand off on his orange vest, and every time he grunted in annoyance that he forgot again.
"This soil is pretty malleable and fulla chunks," he said.
"Sure, but t'ain't no kinda soil fer a tree. They need sum'in proper strong fer their roots," Applejack replied. "Maybe this could do fer sum'in a little more..." she rotated her hoof. "Cabbagey?"
The minotaur shook his head. "Ain't the soil fer that. More better fer the regular type plants. Could be good fer gardenin', but we'll need ta check the best plants fer this kinda soil. Could be good to regrow forest what burned down or experiment with new plants."
The farm pony nodded. "Ah reckon we keep away from this soil, then." She walked over to another box, pushing the stool along the way, and passed a hoof through the substance. "Mmm. This one is good. Rich soil, no large chunks, 'n looks like water can easily pass through it."
The minotaur nodded. "We use soil like this at home. Very good for simple crops like tomatoes, salads, and eggplants. Mostly fer the small plants. Ain't sturdy enough fer the big ones."
The two stared longly at the crate then looked up at the sun burning down on them.
"Reckon this thing'll revolutionize how we farm?" Applejack as the minotaur.
Said giant spat on the floor and wiped his mouth using his arm. "Maybe, but sum'in like this would require several farmhands ta maintain, not to mention we'll need a way to take our equipment in each dome fer tillin', seedin', 'n fertilizin' with manure."
Applejack nodded and leaned against the crates. "Gotta say ah was surprised when ah heard that a minotaur was a farmer. Thought minotaurs preferred huntin' 'n gatherin'."
"We do. I just prefer the farming." He flexed his arm, demonstrating growing muscle mass. "Builds up the body 'n gives me plenty to do without threatenin' my life." He nodded for a moment then shook his head. "I didn't think I'd be called by Equestria to help with a new project of its, let alone see some kind of giant saucer-a floatin' above head."
The farm pony adjusted her hat. "True, but that traveler...ah can't tell what his end goal is." She narrowed her eyes to better see the cephalopony walking away from the work site. "He says he doesn't want us to suffer 'decay' 'n so he's tryin' ta help us get better lahves. Facilitate our livin' 'n improve our technology at a steady pace." She laughed a single time. "Ah won't be 'round ta see the end result, but ah believe that somethin' ain't right."
"If he wants to help your people exist, then I think that's a great endeavor," the minotaur spoke positively.
"Ya say that, but y'ain't seen the weirdos he keeps around himself. One tried ta kill Princess Celestia and nearly destroyed all of downtown Canterlot just because she saw a picture of her."
The minotaur hummed at the incident. "And what happened to her?"
Applejack shook her head. "Heck if ah know. He said he was gonna punish her, 'n he brought down some weird gigantic thing ta do it, but he knew it was gonna happen anyways." Her tone started becoming increasingly angry. "Instead of keepin' her away from the princess, he kept her around her more and more. It's like he was deliberately trying to make her get into some kinda explosive rage 'n make himself look like a hero for stoppin' her. He's even gone to repair the city, too."
"I see. 'N so what? They ain't got free will? He didn't think he could trust her?" he asked.
Applejack rubbed the back of her neck. "They got free will, but...dunno. They're a might bit strange. The round one seems alright ta me. Acts a bit happy like mah friend Pinkie Pie. " She leaned over to the side and looked up at the giant. "Albeit less extreme." She chuckled. "Still..." her smile dropped for a frown. "Ah can't figure him out. He's doin' all these...things around Equestria without tellin' us. What if he starts murderin' large swaths o' ponies just because they don't follow what he wanted 'em to? What if he needs ta control more?" She sighed and jumped off the stool.
"Well..." The minotaur put his fists in his hips. "I don't know anything about that, but someone with great power who ain't showin' all his cards is tryin' ta hide somethin', whether it be about themself or what gives them their power. I would keep a close eye on him while he's here." He looked at the saucer gently rotating above Canterlot. "Even IF he has a giant flying disc of death."