“Thus are weapons!” it echoed from behind.
It was Princess Luna, she also had found her way into this realm.
The group looked confused upon this comment, not so much about how she had found here... wherever herewas, but more about what she meant by that?
“I don't understand, ain't those just statues?” Twilight said confused, to take a closer look upon them.
There were… about twelve crumbled stallions, all of which in another pose.
One stood on it's back-hooves, but was lacking its head.
The middle one looked like a predator, deep down on all fours, like it was about to jump something... but had a gaping hole on the side of its chest, as well the opposite site.
A few more to the right, there was one which seemed intact, except for a missing ear - one hoof risen high, like it was about to punch a hole into something.
The one thing in common were the black burn marks like somepony had tried to set them on fire.
Pinkie Pie was the first to get close and scrub with her nose over one of the stallion's sides, to knock on it a few times, while pressing an ear against them.
“Hey! Those are metal!” she said, before continuing her studies and look through one of the holes... “and empty” she blinked “Echooo...!” - she listened... but it didn't work, so she pulled a short frown and moved on.
Now it made even less sense. How should be an empty shell be dangerous?
“My dear sister doesn't like to talk about thou part of our past but it has become unavoidable... isn't that right...?”
Celestia's sight was saddened.
Applejack now also made it's a way to the statues, to get in front of the cowering one, giving it a kick, to get a “clonk” as a response “I don't know what ya talking about, but I saw scarecrows more frighting than dat!”
The metal horse suddenly exhaled some air in a long murmuring and rose his head, to take AJ into focus “WOAH!” the cowgirl quickly backed up three steps and fell on her flanks “What in tarnation!?”
The horse had stopped moving.
The others reacted in a similar fashion and backed off - except for Pinkie, which snuck closer like a stalking cat, about to fetch a bird “Pinkie, don't!” Twilight warned her, on which she stopped half a step away, but still fumbled with her hoof in the stallion's face.
The others braced them self- ...
No reaction.
“Hu... broken?” the purple mare shrugged and jumped on it's back, to knock some more on its head “Yep, bro-ken!” she confirmed again while wiping back and forth, like a filly, riding on her parents back.
“Could some pony pleeeheasese explain – what those are?” Rarity towards this unpleasant gallery, to add a squeaked “They give me the creeps”.
“They are scary” Fluttershy agreed while hiding behind the white mare.
“Meh” Rainbow blew, but kept a close eye on them.
“If you don't tell them, I will.” Luna made clear, on which Celestia gave in.
She had brought them here, but it turned out, that telling was a lot harder than showing.
“Those are weapons...” she began mournfully “...they are the remains from the Crystal Empire and the fight against King Sombra.” - this words made everypony hold their breath and even Pinkie stopped wiping, to slowly climb down and back of from the metal horse.
“He had used their strength to conquer the Empire. They were most freighting enemy's we ever came across...” it almost looked like a cold shower was running down the alicorn's spine, by the pure thought “... he had created twelve of them, the ones you see in front of you...” she gestured towards the destroyed exhibits.
“Ya telling me, that it just took those, to conquer an entire Empire?” Applejack wondered.
“Oh come on, what's so special about them? They don't look that tough!” Rainbow grinned, to perform a few quick jabs like she could fight them off herself, which angered one of the alicorn greatly.
Luna quickly made her way up to the mare and extended her wings to give her a serious stare, while pushing her backward “You say you fear em not? You seen em walk through fire...!? Withstand our magic...!? Fight, with boundless strength and speed...!?” she said forceful “With hatred, deepand cold, like the black between my stars!?” Rainbow now bumped backward against one of the statues, which slowly lowered itself, to look headless upon the pony, while she felt her blood freezing inside her veins, right before Luna stepped aside with a scornful “Than you are truly fearless!” on which she snorted, to make her anger space.
The pegasus quickly backed off in a crouching motion, to hide behind Rarity and Fluttershy, which also shook like falling leaves, holding on to one another, after this graphic storytelling. Even Pinkie Pie had her Party-Cannon ready, just in case.
Celestia looked ashamed on this demonstration since she could understand her sister's feelings better than anypony “Luna speaks the truth... we couldn't stop them, no matter what we tried. All we could achieve, was to flee and save our own life's.”
“... but they are wrecked!” Rainbow dared to add, before hiding again, from Luna's fierce glance.
“This wasn't our merit” Celestia picked up “A stranger came to us, which claimed he could help, that he could stop them... at least for a couple of hours and therefore give us a chance to fight...” the memories came back, clearer than she hoped for “...of course we were skeptical, since it could be one of Sombra's traps... but we decided, that we had to take the risk: after all, it was the last chance we had, before his troops would make his move on Canterlot.”
Her sight wandered over the rows, like overlooking the battlefield, so many years ago “The stranger spoke the truth. As soon our forces attacked, the stallions simply stopped moving and we destroyed all of them... banished the King...” to add sorrowful “... and the Empire vanished.”
Twilight had to think about this important piece of history “Is that, why you removed the article?”
Celestia gave a nod “Yes, it is. We decided it is for the best, to keep the Crystal Pony's unaware, if possible. They have been through so many over the years... and we didn't want to hurt them any further. Knowing any of this might cause mass panic among them, if they find out”.
“She is right” Twilight thought.
Cadence had talked to her in private about this issue. Some citizens still were afraid to leave their homes after dark; were frightened by their own shadows and at times: a surprising noise was all it took to let them run.
The Empire had been saved... but some scars would take more time to heal.
The purple alicorn tilted her head “But why you think, this stallion is one of them?”
“At first we weren't sure, but after the Guard confirmed, what had happened... we came here.” All eyes followed Celestia's sight to the stallion, which had kept raising his hoof unnoticed, up to this point – and let it come down like a sledgehammer, breaking the stone ground beneath with a -WHOMP!- making dust and stone pieces fly a few meters over the ground.
“They react on him.” Twilight almost whispered.
“We have to find it and destroy it!” the blue alicorn said strict “Don't show any mercy, it won't either!” leaving the group hasty, to get on her mission.
Now they understood, why it was so important to find him.
If this stallion would run wild... there was no way to tell, how much damage he would cause, before they could stop him. If, they could stop him.
“Princess?”
“Yes, Twilight?”
“If he is just a weapon... why would he steal all those items? And more importantly, why didn't he attack anything else?”
“I guess the pony in control, abuses his powers, to commit those crimes. Remember, he doesn't have a will on its own, he just follows orders.”
“Hm... we might be able to set up a trap and find whoever is behind all of this”.
“I agree, but we have to be careful. We have to defeat him together” the white mare let her sight wander over the remaining group, before making her way towards the exit.
“Lets go everypony.” Twilight announced and followed two steps behind.
“Ya know, I could use one of those for ma fields” Applejack joked to Rarity, which couldn't stop to stare over her shoulder “Please don't, they are horrible... and outdated as well” the mare pulled a face.
“Pinkie?” Fluttershy checked after her, which was slowly backing up, still pointing her Party-Cannon at them “Coming!” she shouted, but not before pointing on her eyes and then onto the statues.
Rainbow was left behind and dared to give the headless horse a nudge, to prove how brave she was. Nothing happened and the mare turned around with a big grin.
The nudged hoof fell off, hit the ground-
-clonk!-
-the pegasus jumped up – racing through the exit, before anypony else.
The pony's left the chamber and the princesses gave a last glance down the hall, which slowly darkened again before the portal finally vanished.
Twilight and her friends got into the library to search for information's, while Luna moved out on her own and Princess Celestia took control over the Royal Canterlot Guard, giving new instructions, while listening in to possible clues they have found.
Searching a single stallion, which barely anypony had seen, wasn't an easy task.
“That should be it” Twilight said and put the chalk away.
She had written down two large blackboard's, with all the stolen items. On the left all the items stolen from the bank, about forty in number and on the right the ones from Fancy Pants - respectable twelve in total.
“I asked the librarian to bring us every book, which is related to one of those item's, so we can figure out what they do and what they might have in common.
“Ughhh...” came as a group reaction, since they weren't anywhere near as much into books, as she was.
The mare frowned “I can't read them all on my own, so everypony gets a book and starts reading” she said strict, levitated everypony a thick dust-catcher to browse through.
It took them hours to find most of them while taking turns, so everypony could stretch one's legs or wings – whatever was the case or even have a snack.
The librarian didn't have this pleasure since he was the one to cart back and forth all the page-turners on his own.
“Guh, dere, de nexd lout” he gave from him and tilted the wheelbarrow, to make space for the read ones and load them up one hoof at a time. He was just done, when Rainbow threw one more onto his stack “Useless!” after which his cart wobbled from side to side and forced him to hold on to its side, in order to keep the balance “few... glose.”
“Uh! Nothing!” Rarity declared and the next book landed on the imbalanced stack.
“Oh shout” - the pile came down and buried the old stallion beneath, while the rest kept browsing.
“Ouh! ouh! I got one I got one!” Pinkie cheered and giggled “The Swamp-Witch Amulet! Legend says it allows to turn everypony into... a frog! Hihihi! Sounds funny!”
Twilight looked onto her blackboard and crossed this one out, while Pinkie grabbed her cup and pulled it upside down, to reward herself for the good work... but only a single drop fell onto her tongue “Ey! Where is my soda!?” she said disappointed “Uh... all empty!? I get new one!” it cheered “Berrryy sooodaaaa!” she screamed, while charging off.
“Uhm, i'm not sure, but I think I got one too...” Applejack said doubtful “Nebula Ring... it is believed that it can be used to cause hallu-..... hallucinata... ha-l-lu.. - it lets ya see strange stuff” the mare declared arsey and closed the book with a frown.
“Could be” Twilight nodded and made a cross in front of the name.
Now the alicorn paid close attention to the pegasus, which was laying in her seat, with a book on her face... snoring at that.
“Harump” she tried... but the blue mare was still sleeping, so she got a few steps closer “Harump!” it came louder... “Chnnnrreeeeeeezzsss”... - “Rainbow...?” still nothing “Rainbow-Da-hash...” ...sleeping like a brick...
She zapped her with a spark of magic and the mare snapped up “I'm reading! I'm reading!” she pleaded while holding the book upside down.
The purple mare rolled her eyes once “Did you find anything?” she asked patient, while the blue mare took a look in her book and turned it a few times, till she was sure it was right.
“I... uhm...” she blinked a few times, while her head began to tilt on the side.
“Looks like somepony needs glasses” Applejack hinted towards Rarity, which giggled “I know an excellent optician, he sure could make some special aviator goggles” it came classy, on which they giggled together.
“Ey! My eyes are fine, it's the book! It's broken!” the mare declared and threw it away, right in front Fluttershy, which picked it up, to give it the same confused look.
“I uhm... t-think she is right... it does look awkward” Fluttershy agreed while trying to figure out what she was looking at, before the book was taken away by Twilight, to be third with this expression on her face “You are both right... this must be some accent dialect...” she said, while her eyebrows could not decide, in which direction they were supposed to go.
“Ha! Who needs glasses now!?” the blue mare triumphed.
“Well gosh, guess you're a bookworm after all” the cowgirl gave in, with a straight face.
“Yeah right! I'm the bookworm!” then she thought about it “... ey, wait a second!”
Applejack dropped her the face and burst in laughter, accompanied by Rarity.
“Oh Applejack, how cheeky of you!” nudging the prankster.
“Shhhhhh” it came from the other side of the room, were the yellow stallion tried to sort in the lend books.
“At least I don't sound like a broken record!” with that said, Rainbow imitated Applejack's problems with big words.
“Ey, that ain't funny!”
“She is right, we didn't mean it like that, no reason to get scathing!”
“Shhhhhhhhh...”
“Why don't you use ur fancy talk on her!?” the pegasus said while turning her back on them.
“Girls, please calm down, we have to keep searching.” Twilight pleaded.
“I ain't do a thing before she doesn't apologize!” the cowgirl said stubborn, also turning her back.
“Puh”
“Rainbow, apologize to Applejack” Rarity snapped towards the pegasus.
“Make me!” showing her tongue.
“Uhhhrrr” with that a chalk sponge hit the pegasus on the flank.
“What the!? Did you throw-” and the next one her face, which left a white stamp on it – just before the blue mare charged down and wrangled with Rarity, to use one of the sponges on her “Lets put on some make up!” it came, while she powdered her cheeks, to make her look like a circus clown, since the sponges had more than white chalk to offer.
Shhhhhhhhh!!!
“Girl's! GIRL'S!” Twilight shouted and got into the mix, dragging the blue mare away with magic “Applejack, a little help here!?” the mare took action, since this really got out of hoof, to hold back Rarity.
“Dez enugh!” the librarian said loud and clear in his thick accent “Diz is a library, nud a blaygruont!” the mares now hold in and let go from one another, while he kept screaming from the depths of his lungs “Oud! Oud I sei!” he gestured towards the door.
Twilight was a princess. She simply could command him to leave them alone or even order in royal guards to provide the necessary space.
However, being an alicorn and therefore a real princess was still a quite new experience for Twilight, but what she really was – and ever would be to the core; was a bookworm. She had spent most of her life between shelf's like this, only accompanied by silence and singled out coughs echoing from the walls. Twilight respected those guardians of knowledge way to much to do such a thing so that not even the thought of it came to mind.
“Please, don't throw us out, we just have to find a few more answers” Twilight pleaded, while walking up to him “it's really important, we just need to read some more books and than we are gone, I promise. Won't take... let's say, an hour?” she smiled.
The yellow stallion scrubbed with hoof-tip through his gray goat-beard and tried to get a calm thought “Nhgnnn... feine... bud keip it duwn!” - barely turned around, he saw a pink flash charging towards him – holding a tablet on one hoof, while trying to hold balance with the others.
The tablets were crammed with soda, popcorn, berries and other threats, higher than the mares head “OUT OF MY WAYYYY! MUNCHIEEE EMERGENCYYYYY!” it screamed, just before they collided and the sticky mish-mash landed all over the stallion: from top of his blue mane... over the yellow body, all the way down to the black hooves.
Everything was covered in sweet, sticky, treats.
The pink mare laid on her tummy - looking up to the yellow victim, which let his face slowly turn into an interesting red tone “Oopsy...”
His hoof smudged some of the burning berry-juice out of his eyes, while Twilight tried to help him out, using one of the sponges.
“Uhm... good as new...?” she smiled less than convincing, while his face had gained a third color.
The librarian hold up a hoof to make her stop, while grinding his teeth.
A barrage of curses was only held back, due to the room they sat in, not because of her title or anything.
“Oud... ahl uff yuew!” out, waving his hoof towards the doors, as soon he could find the vague direction.
“Can we... come back tomorrow?” Twilight tried carefully, but he tightened his pose sharp, to add “OUD! UN LIFEDIME!”
“E-excuse me.” Fluttershy tapped his shoulder gently, to get his attention.
The pegasus had brought some paper and water, which she now used to carefully clean his face, while talking gently to this poor guy “I know my friends made some trouble...” his face lost stroke by stroke one color's and his eyes were freed from this pesky juice “...but could we please finish our work?”
A few more strokes around his neck and it also wasn't as sticky anymore... “I'm sure. they allare terrible sorry...” she said towards the trio behind, to give them a serious glance, on which they all realized how dumb they had acted.
“I'm sorry i made fun of ya...” Applejack started.
“Me too, darling, we really shouldn't have picked on you.” Rarity chipped in.
“Ye, I guess, I kinda overdid it too, sorry about that.” Rainbow shrugged.
Now Fluttershy turned to the pink one “...and surely will clean up this mess, right away...”
“Uh, Uh!” on which Pinkie charged away to get a mop and some more water, in less than no time. It wasn't any different from working in Sugar-Cube Corner... and oh boy, she had wrecked this place one or two times.
Now the yellow mare turned back to him, giving big eyes and sugar sweet “If- if you don't mind of course” with a few strokes of her big blue eyes, but not looking ashamed down in between.
The stallion shook and nodded a few times, but stuck with nodding in the end “fein... iv dey glean ub... and geeb it duvn”
“I knew you are a good stallion” she flattered him, on which his face became another tone of red “Vell... a guezz” he shrugged with a small grin on his wrinkled face.
“M-maybe you could even h-help us?” it came lovely enough, to gain Rarity's approving nod.
“Mhrrr... wat yu neet?”
“Twilight, would you?”
“Hu?”
“The book...” she pointed.
“OH, of course.”
The cause of all this trouble was levitated in front of the librarian, being asked quickly if he might know anything about it.
“Det? Eh, eazy! ... ids vrom ze Frouzn Nourths.”
“You can read it!?”
“I sbend ower fiwty yeirs in dhis libreary! I reat ahl ov dem!” he made clear, with a wide bow over the book shelves.
Twilight grabbed the chance by it's tail and brought the chalkboard's closer.
“Are some of this artifacts described in this book!?”
The stallion took a few minutes, before pointing the first time at the right board “Dat! - Helmed of Brawery – pard of ze undouchable armor!”
“Untouchable?” Twilight asked to make sure she had heard right.
“I zaid dat...! I zaid dat...!” he then nodded, while keeping his nose down, to point a few minutes later on the left side “Spheire of Endschendmend – greadet bei Fumbl ze Wize, whitsch uset id do gondrol helbvul bubbepts.”
The purple mare had no idea what gibberish meant and gave Fluttershy an asking glance “He said: it was used to control helpful puppets”.
“Eyp! I zaid dat! I zaid dat! … ed leazt sumbony lizens!” the stallion smiled, before searching some more, but without any further results “dez it.” to close the book after.
“Thank you, so very much” Fluttershy said kind and gave him a hug, which made him grin like a drunken mule.
“Aww... juo are welgome!” he waved ashamed, after she let go.
“Lady's!” Twilight declared, to get everypony's undivided attention “I think we found something...” the chalked tabbed on both blackboard's, to circle in the names she was talking about “Of all the items on our lists, those two have something in common and seem to be powerful artifacts... it might be a coincidence... but it's all we got.”
Pinkie rose a hoof “Uhhh uhhh uhh!”
“Yes, Pinkie?”
“Can I have your soda?”
“Ugh... yes, Pinkie.”
“Any non-soda related questions?”
Rarity hesitantly rose a hoof.
“You know, you don't have to raise hooves...” Twilight pointed out.
“Oh...” the white hoof lowered “Anyway, you know what this... thing- is up to, don't you?” she asked suspiciously.
“It's a little early to be sure, but... if he gathered more items like those...” Twilight paused to see if everypony was thinking the same thing. At least everypony, that wasn't busy with soda.
“Yar, not say'n that...”
“...whoever is behind all of this, might build more of his kind” Twilight took away, confirming their worst worries.