//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 Gift of a Chance // Story: Twisted history // by LordOfMemory //------------------------------// Chapter 1 Where am I Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic -- the characters and creations are the property rights of Hasbro, Inc. and the MLP: FiM writers, producers, etc. Crystal empire Inside a small apartment room a lone mare groaned as sunlight filtered through her windows and her alarm went off forcing her to drag herself out of bed. activating a heating enchantment to warm water for some coffee and a bath the mare began stretching to loosen up her stiff muscles and to help wake herself up a bit as she went about preparing breakfast. Sitting down to drink her coffee and eat some breakfast she started reading her mail as she hadn't been in the best mood to read through it as she had just been fired from her job at the local bar for getting into a physical altercation with one of the patrons for getting more than a bit hoovesy. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem but the patron who's teeth she had bucked in had actually been the son of the governor of the mid rim of the empire. Now not wanting to face the embarrassment that a big strong earth pony had been beaten into the ground in a physical confrontation by a unicorn let alone a woman the governor had been happy enough to just get me fired and leave it at that but it still made me extremely angry that she was getting punished for someone else poor behavior. (Lets see what we have here. Bills,bills, my subscription magazine to diamond mane monthly and a letter from the crystal castle) the mare's mind froze as she spat out the coffee that been in her mouth as she tried to process the words on the letter infront of her. carefully opening the letter she started reading out loud so as to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Dear Gleaming Shield my colleagues and i have recently been forwarded your research paper by on protection spells by on of your old teachers and some of what we have seen has intrigued us. You have given us much to think about and we hope to discuss some of these magic theories you have proposed. Inside the envelope you will find an official royal seal that will allow you to enter the castle. I myself have read some more of your thesis papers an I must say that I'm quite impressed and I hope to speak with you personally if you decide to come the castle. sincerely Arch mage Solomon Gleaming couldn't believe her eyes as she reread the letter a few times. Being a mare in this time had made it extreme difficult for people to take anything she tried to do seriously which was pretty insane considering how all the major pony leaders were mares. This was a major opportunity for her, with access to the royal archives she would have access to the knowledge that could get her home before she damaged the timeline in any way through her presence. (I swear if i remember any of this I'll make sure to apologize to Cadence and Twilight for any jokes i made at their expense during their monthly visitor and heat cycle) Making sure she had everything she needed in her saddle bag Gleaming locked up her apartment and headed off filled with glee that she had a chance to finally get back home and finally regain her life as Shining armour. Crystal Palace The crystal palace was a true site to behold being a small city unto itself as diplomats from all over Equestria made it their home as the empire was considered neutral by most nations. Among its halls you would also see some of the greatest mages known to pony kind constantly studying magic in all its forms try to improve old spells or produce new ones. The Crystal library was a treasure all onto its own boasting the greatest catalog of knowledge known to the creatures of Equestria. walking up to the castle Gleaming actually felt quite nervous as she began to worry about the letter just being some kind of sick joke being played on her or worse what if she couldn't find any knowledge or information that could help her. she would be stuck in the past with a good chance of messing up things in the future or worse when the empire returned from what ever calamity had made it vanish from her time she could end up being forced to live out her life as Gleaming Shield as their would already be a Shining armour around and she refused to destroy his life. As she walked over to the main gate Gleaming took another look at the castle and the surrounding inner city and actually felt saddened as it had so much life and beauty to it that put what she had seen when it had returned from oblivion in her time to shame, a true tragedy must have struck the empire. "Excuse me miss but there are no tours scheduled today and only officials and students of the academy are allowed in the castle at the moment." Gleaming was startled out of her thoughts as she realized the guards must have noticed her and came to see what she was doing as she hardly looked the part of a regular. they probably thought she was a vagrant or something like that. "I'm so sorry sir, i do actually have business in the castle i was just in awe as I've only really heard stories about the beauty of the castle and now seeing it for real is just something else. the stories don't even do it justice." Handing over the letter and seal Gleaming waited anxiously as the guards used a scanning spell going over both the letter and the seal. One of the guards tied a small message onto a small bird and sent it off to on of the castle towers. "Please just wait a moment miss were just waiting for confirmation about your seal." not a moment later the bird returned carrying a seal attached to its leg. one of the Guards held the newly arrived seal to the seal Gleaming had given him. "Keep that seal on you at all times while your inside of the castle. The magic signature on it will acts as a key that will allow you to enter the sections of the castle that you have business in. The seal will also act as a map as it has now been enchanted to help guide you through the castle." A confused look in Gleamings face prompted the other guard to explain the need for a map to her. "The castle is actually a lot bigger than you think when your just looking at it from the outside. Due to all the work that is going on in the castle beyond it just being a home for the royal family and the arch mages it also provides rooms for diplomatic guests and ambassadors, provides rooms for the politicians to talk and rooms for the mages to teach and research and much more. The castle is able to do this via a pocket dimension spell providing a greater deal of space than the castle itself can provide and that map and key will make sure you get to where ever you need to go on time." Gleaming thanked the guards for their help and the explanation of the castle. Taking a deep breath she too her first step into a familiar yet all new place. what had once been a home now felt completely alien to mare as she headed towards her uncertain future.