Rainbow and her friends were pulled along down a dark hall, rainbow noting that it felt like they were moving downwards, a fact seemingly confirmed by the fact the clean, pony-made walls and floor were soon giving way to hard carved stone tunnels. She looked at her wings, trying to spark some magic through them but...felt nothing, not even a small spark. She turned to Twilight and Rarity, gestured to her wings and to their horns, giving them a questioning look. The pair nodded and closed their eyes, struggling to do SOMETHING but all they could do was shake their heads, looking disappointed in themselves. Rainbow sighed and gave a reassuring smile to them.
It seemed that, wherever they were headed, there was no possible way that even their own magic was lost to them, just like the Elements.
“Soooo...” Rarity said conversationally. “Where are you taking us? Something about ‘mines’?”
“I work in mines all the time.” Pinkamena said. “They’re no big deal. Also, seriously stop expecting these guys to answer you, they obviously aren’t in the mood to casually chat, especially not now that we’re prisoners.”
Rainbow looked at her friends and frowned. “Well, whatever they got planned we at least got each other...but Spike and Cadance are by themselves at the mercy of that dragon...who knows what terrible things he is making them face...”
Applejack moved closer to the blue pegasus as best she could. “Hey, you have to be strong for them. Cadance is a powerful mage and a smart pony to boot, and Spike is a dragon too, he’s certainly not some weakling. Heck, if it wasn’t for him we never would have beaten Discord! So just keep strong and believe in him and the Princess, just like they’re probably believing in you.”
Rainbow nodded slowly. “Y-yeah...I guess you’re right...I guess...”
Fluttershy grinned. “Wow! I can’t believe we got to see a REAL LIVE DRAGON! I mean, not to disparage Spikey of course, but I mean that Sombra guy was like a BIG, BIG dragon while Spikey’s only an itty bitty one! Wow! Do you think dragons get any bigger? Is his fire like Spike’s or does it do something different? I wonder what he eats?”
The other girls decided to ignore the girl for the time being as the tunnel’s terrain became rougher and the lighting was dim and dark, the group being lead to a large opening...and beyond it they saw a large cavern filled with glowing crystals and several ponies tirelessly working, chains connected to manacles around their hooves and collars around their necks, holding pickaxes in their mouths as they clanged away, while other prisoners picked up large broken gem shards and piled them high on carts, the soldiers stepping forth to inspect them before pulling the cart with them. Rainbow saw an opening to escape at this moment.
“Girls! Run now!” Rainbow called out...only to freeze as she saw red eyes gazing at her in the shadows. The eyes gazed at her, as if challenging her, and she noticed black sparks spurting from the collar on her neck, as if in warning. She gulped softly as she turned her head away. “N-never...never mind...”
The eyes gazed at her for a long while before closing slowly, a loud clang of metal greeting Rainbow’s ears as a large gate was closed, trapping her and her friends in the mine.
“W-was that...?” Twilight asked, staring at the space where the eyes had been.
“He can watch us through the shadows...” Rainbow muttered, pale. “Spike is with him and he knows if we try to escape...” She collapsed, bowing her head low to the floor.
Applejack placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulders. “Hey now, don’t freak out on us...”
Rainbow looked up into her friend’s eyes. “S-sorry I just...I was all ready to fight back but when I saw those eyes...I just...all I could think of was every horrible thing the King could do to Spike and Cadance and I just...lost all my nerve.”
“Honestly, darling, Ah think we all did.” Applejack remarked reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we’ll have another chance.”
“Another chance?” a voice said from nearby. “You really are new...”
The mares blinked and turned their heads to see the speaker...then gasped. Before them was a mare with a drab, low hanging mane and a messy, sooty coat. But most striking of all were her eyes: rather than a normal pair of eyes, instead she had a pair made of glittering, solid red gemstone.
Just what sort of place was this!?
And of course, Rainbow couldn’t help but worry about Spike. If this was what THEY were experiencing, who knew what horrors Spike and Cadance were witnessing.
--------------------
Spike bit his lip, confused and horrified by what he was experiencing.
Confused because he had been made to have a pleasant bath within the royal bathroom (and bore witness to just how well made everything in it was, certainly much better than what they had at Ponyville’s library) and now being made to sit waiting in a dining room as a veritable feast of delicious gemstones of various sizes, cuts and varieties lay on the dining table before him.
Horrified because he had been forced to wear a stylish blue dress for the occasion.
“You look lovely.” A familiar deep voice spoke, startling Spike, who had been alone in the dining room for quite some time. Spike looked around and saw the astounding sight of Sombra’s massive head, shoulders and forelegs moving through the shadows on the wall as if diving in through a layer of water, the larger dragon standing at the exact opposite end of the table as he flashed Spike a toothy grin. “I trust our meal is to your liking.”
“U-ummm it looks...good?” Spike replied, unsure how to handle this. Just moments ago this guy was acting so scary and mean and now he’s all smiles and pleasantries? But that wasn’t important at the moment. “A-anyway, wh-where’d you take everyone!?”
“Someplace where they won’t bother us.” Sombra said dismissively, taking a large handful of gems into his claw and tossing them into his mouth, chewing on them slowly as he regarded Spike. “It must have been quite stifling being put under the humiliating ownership of such weak creatures, knowing how great and powerful you are. I certainly relate to that.”
Spike blinked. “H-huh? W-what do you mean?”
Sombra smirked. “Ancient history, all you need to know is that like you had been kept captive as a...pet, mistreated, humiliated and disrespected. But now we need not worry about that, we are both free of them, able to stand to the magnificent heights we deserve.” He smiled warmly, a glint in his eyes. “I never imagined I’d see another dragon in my life, let alone one who’d be able to understand my tribulations.”
Spike frowned, growing more uncomfortable under the larger dragon’s gaze. “W-what do you want from me anyway!?”
Sombra leaned closer over the table, his face only a couple feet from Spike. “It has been...EVER so lonely here, with only these pathetic ponies to keep me company. I have long sought the company of my own kind, and now not only do I have that but...I think, thanks to our shared experiences, I think you’d make a lovely Queen.”
Spike gaped, staring wide eyed at the dragon. “I-I’m a BOY!”
Sombra chuckled. “You know so little...it’s a good thing I have researched our kind. As dragons grow older, they undergo a transformative process called ‘the molt’, which is how dragons start in such small forms and grow into much larger forms over time, it will also affect other aspects of their body depending on various factors, so a young dragon could grow to develop wings or horns when they had none, develop affinities towards various elements...and may even change gender.” He grinned lecherously. “You’ll make a lovely Queen...Spike, was it not?”
Spike flinched back, a disturbed but angered expression on his face. “Not interested! Where are my friends!? What did you do to Rainbow and the others!?”
Sombra looked confused for a moment. “Friends? Ah, you mean your ‘owners’. Do not worry, they aren’t dead or anything. I have simply put them to work, you need not pay them any much further thought. As I said before, you are free now.”
“I wasn’t their...slave or something!” Spike argued. “They’re my friends! I’m happy with them, I don’t wanna be your queen or whatever! Just let us go!”
Sombra blinked, taken aback, then growled. “Really? You’ve been mistreated and used as...as some sort of TOY, an AMUSEMENT, and you STILL choose them over one of your own!?”
Spike glared. “You don’t know anything about us! Or me! Just beacause we’re both dragons doesn’t mean we’re ANYTHING alike! You’re just a cruel jerk!” Spike tried to run off the chair, trying to get out of the room, away from this crazy dragon, only to yelp as a shadowy claw pushed him down and pinned him to the floor.
“I see.” Sombra growled lowly, leaning his head down to gaze at Spike as he was pinned down. “You will learn in time the inherent superiority of dragons, how ponies have no right trying to treat us as their inferiors. Once you realise how we are meant to be together, you’ll grow to enjoy the idea of being my queen, and forget all about these wretched ponies.”
Spike grunted, struggling under the powerful claw over him, gritting his teeth as he gazed up at Sombra. “Why do you even CARE so much!? If you hate them so much then why are you their KING!? Why do you want me so much!?”
“Because you’re the first dragon I have met since I was born, and I cannot leave you to be corrupted by the thoughts and ideals of these ponies.” Sombra’s gaze was stern, commanding and resolute. “And my ‘Empire’? I rule now as revenge, payback for DARING to try and control and limit me, for disrespecting me, for taking me away from what I should be! You’ll understand in time the way of things...” His voice faded as he withdrew into the shadows, the claw pinning Spike suddenly vanishing.
The young dragon panted as he sat up, looking around as he wondered where Sombra went...as well as what the dragon had meant in his tirade. Spike shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, scared of what the King had planned for both him AND his friends.
------------------------
Cadance groaned as she awoke in a room, sitting up as she looked around. She sat upon a large, comfy pink bed, the room sparsely decorated...but even so she somehow got a pang of familiarity as she surveyed the room.
“Have I....been here before...?”
She got to her hooves and trotted out of the room, finding herself walking down a long crystalline hallway lit dimly by pale blue glowing crystals. Before she knew to question it, she found herself automatically walking past a large door and into an expansive, well-kept but largely empty private library, shelves of books surrounding her. Her horn glowed as she pulled a book to her, finding it was titled ‘Hayseed’s Studies of Dragons.
Cadance smiled as she held up the book, turning to someone who stood beside her. “Here! This book talks all about your people and how they work, what their culture is like, their abilities, all sorts of fun facts! You were curious about what dragons were like, right?”
Cadance blinked and rubbed her head with a groan as the memory flashed across her mind. She looked at the book again.
“I...was here before...? With...with someone...I wanted to show them this book...?” She shook her head, trying to clear it as she heard a thudding noise, her eyes drifting to the apparent source: a large blue book decorated with small gems to form the title ‘The Crystal Empire’. Her horn glowed as she lifted the book and opened it, beginning to read through it.
“‘The Crystal Empire...’” she read aloud, “‘a coalition of various cities within the northern territories of Equestria. The empire was founded by a group of earth ponies led by Smart Cookie who, upon settling down in what would be the future site of the Empire’s capital city, discovered a new form of magic which revolutionised their industry and livelihood, allowing them to better make their own culture; afterwards they were redubbed ‘Crystal Ponies’ after the material they mined for use as a locus for their magic.’” She blinked. “A new form of magic we haven’t heard of...? I’ve never even heard of this Empire or these ‘Crystal Ponies’...how could that be...?” She frowned as she went back to reading. “‘Since then the Empire has been ruled by the Emperors and Empresses descended from Smart Cookie, who maintain and control the Crystal Heart which the founders created to better protect the city from the elements of the harsh north. The Crystal Heart is an incredible creation of Crystal Pony magic, able to fend off any threat to the Empire...’” Her voice trailed off as her eyes sparked with an idea. “Hmm perhaps if we find that, we might be able to do something about Sombra...come to think of it, the Empire was supposed to be ruled by an Emperor, not a King...And this doesn’t mention him at all, in fact...”
She flipped through the pages, trying to find something, finding a page detailing the lineage of the rulers of the Empire...then gasped, dropping the book as it lay open on a page showing a pink stallion named ‘Emperor Mi Amore Pannacotta’ beside a red coated mare named ‘Empress Mi Amore Fuscia’...and between them both was a pink filly listed as ‘Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’.
And she looked exactly like Cadance had when she was a filly.
“Cadenza...Sombra called me that...” Cadance breathed, looking around herself. “I...this...this is...this place is my home...!?”
She gasped and grabbed at her head in her hooves as she cried out, images, sounds and feelings flashing across her mind.
Cadenza smiled as she looked at the small dragon reading the book she had found, the drake clearly enjoying his read. Cadenza reached out to stroke the mane of black hair unusual to most of the dragon’s kind, unique only to him as far as she was aware.
“I’m glad I was able to find something you’d enjoy, Sombra.” The Princess said.
Cadance’s eyes widened as the memory ended. “Sombra...I...I was his friend...?”
“That is what you would tell others, at least.” A voice growled.
Cadance gasped, turning to see King Sombra suddenly standing behind her. “W-wha...!?”
Sombra smirked. “Wondering where I came from? I have my ways, Princess. So you go by Cadance these days, correct?”
“I...” Cadance gulped, gazing up at the dragon as he stood above her, but forced herself to regain her composure. “My finding that book wasn’t a coincidence, considering you just now show up. You WANTED me to know about everything, WHY!?”
“Well that book doesn’t contain everything...” Sombra said, starting to circle around Cadance. “After all, who would be able to talk about the Crystal Empire’s ignoble end? Or of the ‘adorable widdle dragon pet’ the Princess owned?”
“You were not a pet!” Cadance exclaimed. “You were a friend...I’m sure of it...”
Sombra snarled. “Like you even remember! Do you remember the LOOKS everyone gave me? How AMUSED they were whenever I was humiliated, such as slipping into a bucket after I had mopped the castle floors for you! Or how noone would respect me and treat me as a child while you were given more respect, despite us both being the same age! How everyone PRAISED you for hatching me, but didn’t even acknowledge as more than your accessory! And you did NOTHING about it!”
“I...I didn’t know! S-surely!”Cadance said, but truly she had no idea. She remembered some things...vaguely, the process was slow and so she didn’t know the details. She had no idea what Sombra was speaking about or how he could feel...or what she could do to make up for it.
Sombra whipped his tail, knocking Cadance into a shelf. “Enough of your desperate pleas! Because of the way you ponies treated me, a magnificent dragon, I was forced to accept the role of a clown!” He grinned cruely. “But then I got my claws on REAL power and decided to take revenge! YOU got away, but the Empire was left to MY mercy! And you will see what I have done with it in all this time since you’ve been gone! THAT is the ONLY reason you are here, so I may take satisfaction in your despair!” He laughed as he suddenly vanished, as if bursting into smoke.
Cadance stared at the empty space he once stood in...and then dashed she out, running down the hall. He was right about one thing: she HAD to see what happned. She had to find out the truth. What happened? How did her former friend become THIS? What became of her father and mother? And what exactly did he do to the ponies who lived here, to cause the Empire to become forgotten by Celestia and history.
But most important of all: she had to find the Crystal Heart. Not only did the book imply it was quite a powerful object...but her hazy, slowly returning memories gave her the inkling it was possibly the key to escaping from this place. And right now, that’s all that really mattered right now.
Not only that, but she HAD to find her wife, as well as Rainbow and her friends. She had to make sure they were safe, and she felt truly alone without Chrysalis at her side.
As she ran down the halls, Sombra watched through the shadows.