//------------------------------// // Repression // Story: The Sword of Harmony // by milesprower06 //------------------------------// As soon as they had gotten Twilight tucked away in a castle bedroom as far away from the bustling as they could, Starlight and Trixie immediately returned to the train platform on the outskirts to help move the food supplies into the city. True to what he had said, Crystal Empire citizens all around the city were opening their homes to Ponyvillian refugees; all in all, only about 20 needed accommodations in the castle. With the smoking silhouette of Canterlot hours out of sight, everypony seemed to calm down a bit, as they felt a little safer up here. Starlight feared they were anything but safe. "Shining Armor, what are we going to do? They're not going to stop at Canterlot." Starlight asked worriedly, once they were in the castle, away from frightened refugee ears, storing the dry goods in a pantry in the kitchen. "I know they're not. But rushing into something now could be dangerous. The one pony who can give us a ten-hour old update on the situation in Canterlot is out like a light. The best thing we can do for now is get this food sorted and counted, and make sure everypony down there is sheltered and fed." The pair of unicorns heard a magical hissing sound, and stepped back several feet as a portal opened in the kitchen, and Starswirl stepped through. "Starlight, I'm relieved to know you made it here safely." He said, carrying a small rolled sheet of black silk. "How's Twilight?" The mage asked. "Resting in the east wing. I've never seen her so..." "Drained?" Starswirl finished, with Starlight nodding sadly. "More than likely her magic has been stolen, along with that of Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. That would explain the sudden shifts in time of day. We'll have to wait until she wakes up so she can tell us what happened up there." "She said her friends were... Gone. Along with the Princesses. She was the one who insisted we get as far away from Canterlot as possible." Starlight told him as she levitated more supplies over to Shining. Starswirl stroked his beard sorrowfully. "Truly a tragedy. I will have to alter my plans for these, then." He said, slowly unfurling the rolled silk he was carrying with him, revealing six different colored ornamental gems. A magenta six-pointed star, purple diamond, pink butterfly, orange apple, red lightning bolt, and a blue balloon. "The Elements of Harmony? But, without those, the Everfree Forest would..." Starlight trailed off. "Grow, expand, and envelop a town that is no longer populated. A regenerating supernatural force that close to Canterlot will hopefully distract the Storm King and his armies long enough without the need for us to sacrifice lives for time." "Starswirl, sooner or later, we're going to have to organize some kind of retaliation, a resistance." The conjurer looked at the stallion with an incredulous look of disbelief. "Resistance? Across an entire continent? Under these conditions?" "Are we supposed to just sit here and wait for them?" "Prince Shining Armor, I'm afraid you may not appreciate or understand the timetable we are working with here. Do you think this conqueror up in Canterlot has any inkling of the magnitude of power he now holds? That he has the fortitude and foresight to properly cycle the sun and moon, day and night? We will not be able to grow food with unpredictable cycles such as this, and you want to talk of organized resistance when the time of day is no longer predictable? Your Highness, we are talking worldwide starvation within months, losses of life previously unheard of, if we do not put a stop to this, and soon." Shining's eyes widened at the horrific realization, as did Starlight's. "The moment Twilight has gotten enough rest, get her to the castle archives. We need to know what The Storm King has acquired, and if there is a way to stop it. In the meantime, I need an enchanting table." "Lieutenant," Shining called to the guard on watch outside, who immediately entered. "Yes, my prince?" The guard replied. "Please take Starswirl to our armory. I believe he'll find our Arcane Enchanter there." The guard nodded, and led Starswirl out into the halls. Starlight handed Shining one more bag of apples. "I'll find Sunburst, and get a head start in the archives." She told him before likewise exiting to the castle corridors. Twilight didn't suddenly awake with a gasp, bolting up in her bed. Instead, it felt as if a dark vale was slowly lifted from her body as the waking world returned, and she found herself in a bedroom that could only be in the Crystal Castle. She pushed herself up into a sitting position as she quickly recollected events of the past day. She recalled flying down to Ponyville, and bits and pieces of being helped to the train station, laying weakened on the train... And now this. They must have made it. Her attention was drawn to the window as the mid-day sky switched to night, then day again, and she felt her determination harden. She found apple slices and a glass of water on her nightstand, and quickly took two slices and gulped down the glass of water, ignoring the knot in her stomach. She wasn't going to be any help if she didn't keep it together. Getting up from the bed, she went to the door, and almost had to strain to push it open with her magic. The guard standing just outside turned to her. "Princess, you're awake." He greeted. "What's the situation, Captain?" She asked, seeing the insignia on his collar. "Your train arrived four hours ago. If you're able, I've been instructed to take you to the castle archives." The stallion replied. "Lead the way." Twilight answered, nodding. As they made their way down the hall, Twilight didn't notice an increase in the amount of ponies. "Do you know how many made it up from Ponyville?" She asked. "Just around 200 ponies were able to get on the train, Your Highness. Our city has taken most of them into their homes, only about 20 needed rooms here in the castle, so for the most part, it's not a strain on castle operations." The pair of ponies trotted to a pair of large doors, and stepped into the gargantuan three-story Archives Library of the Crystal Empire. Seconds later, Starlight came out from one of the aisles to drop off three books to the dozens already on the large center table, which were being pored over by Sunburst. She was just about to go back for more when she saw the princess at the doors. "Twilight!" She exclaimed, galloping over to her. "Are you—" "No. I'm not alright. But we have a job to do. He was told to bring me here." Twilight said, nodding to the guard, who gave a bow before leaving the library. "What do you need?" She asked the two unicorns as she and Starlight walked down to the center table. "Any details on what the Storm King had to usurp the Princess' magic. Anything you might recall to help us narrow our search to learn what it is and how we might counter it." Sunburst told her as he adjusted his glasses. "A... A staff. Black, obsidian maybe. Large gem of aetherium at the top. The magic was drained from Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and me, and absorbed directly into the staff. I think he even gave some of it to Tempest, his second-in-command, to restore her broken horn." "Staff certainly narrows it down. If it's old enough, and our luck holds, we'll find something here. The Empire's archives used to be the biggest on the continent, before Canterlot became the capitol." Sunburst said, as he began to sort through and categorize the books he had collected on the table. "I'm going check in on Starswirl and Shining, tell him you're awake. Are you gonna be alright?" Starlight asked the princess as she started to open the books that Sunburst was stacking. "I don't know, Starlight. I'm holding it together for now, because that's the only way we're going to solve this." Twilight told her, before turning her attention completely to the first book. With that, Starlight turned and headed back out into the halls. She went up to the third floor, and ran into Shining Armor. "Shining, there you are. Twilight's awake and in the library with Sunburst." Starlight told her as they entered the armory together. "Is she alright?" Shining asked, as they approached Starswirl, who was focusing on a glowing enchanting table. "I... I don't think so. She's focusing on helping Sunburst's research for now, but she's definitely holding it in." Starlight told him. "Good," Starswirl interjected, turning from the table with a glowing rainbow orb in his hoof. "She is saving her emotions until she can use them." He finished. Shining's expression tightened angrily. "Starswirl, my sister is not a weapon of repressed rage that you can just point at the Storm King and hope everything works out!" He seethed. "What would you have me do, Your Highness? She is the last Alicorn. If we are somehow able to find a way to reverse what the Storm King has done, reclaim the magic he has usurped, then she is the only one who can safely wield it. I believe Starlight is right; she is holding her grief in until she has something to release it at, which is exactly what I believe is needed. Did you not lose your wife at Canterlot? Yet here you are, being strong for your city and your daughter. I have nothing but sympathy; for you, for Twilight, for everypony who has and who will lose loved ones. If we survive, there will be a time for grieving..." He said, glancing down at the orb he held. "...Just not now."