//------------------------------//
// Black Magic 
// Story: The Stone Chisel Way 
// by King Genesis 
//------------------------------//


Arc II - Chapter IX - Black Magic


Goosebumps.

She feels goosebumps while hearing her son's name coming out of such a grave voice, but doesn't surrender. She's still standing. "Yes," she answers the shadow. "He's my son. What do you want to talk about him?"

An evil chuckle is heard. "So you finally admit he's your son."

"I always recognized him!" she shouts, while his eyes start to get shiny because of tears. "Not like him... not like my husband, not like any other partner of him, the one with a rope tying all of his hooves together... I ALWAYS WANTED TO LOOK FOR HIM!"

Everyone gets surprised at the mother's reaction, even Trustlight, who is as senseless as her husband. "And why you didn't?" exclaims LaCrowley. "And why you didn't look for him?"

"I tried!" she shouts, this time furiously. "Believe me, I tried... but nopony, no one helped me to... my husband completely ignored me and I... I gave up at the worst moment... my son is now out there, as a minion of an evil monster... while," tears start rolling down her eyes. "While we are just talking about him... instead of rescuing him."

Silence everywhere, and at that moment the shadow gets up, making the light tremble. He stands right there, showing to everyone, through their shadow, his trembling, bony hooves. Cheesecake takes a look at the room, desperately. "Are you going to come out, Mr LaCrowley?" she asks.

Poofy Lantern takes a breath, waiting for the stallion to come out while listening to her husband's shouts covered by Galloway's claw, but then, the grave voice says: "No. There are some who don't deserve me looking into their eyes... and I'm not talking about Ms Poofy Lantern, but somepony else. I won't come out."

The mother looks at her husband while Trustlight is from behind laughing at his boss being humiliated and trapped in such a way. "How can I trust you if you don't even want to come out?"

"I was waiting for that question," answers LaCrowley, taking a long breath. "While you were at work, worrying, showing false concern, in Iron Pick's case, about your son's disappearance and abandonment, leaving you... An old friend of mine named Grapefruit Slice found your son in the middle of nowhere, asking for food near Klugetown, and took him to this place, with me... While you were at work, Mrs Lantern, I was taking care of your son. Do you know what was the first thing he told to me when he arrived with Grapefruit Slice?"

Galloway speaks after so long: "My name is Stone Chisel and I like chameleons."

Cheesecake and Light Eater chuckle after hearing that, but no one else reacts. "Besides that, Galloway."

"Oh," says Cheesecake, now getting sadder. "He said... um..."

"You remember, Cheese?"

"Uh..." she stutters. "He told Mr LaCrowley it was the first time somepony treated him kindly...."

"That's right," says LaCrowley, nodding his head. "If it wasn't for me, your son would have died in Klugetown. Maybe, as a cheap amulet dealer if one of the big stallions of the city grabbed him. The son of a company CEO would have died in complete misery. I saved his life, and no one claimed for him."

The mother interrupts: "I did."

"And what did you do?"

Poofy's jaw trembles while having a lump in her throat. He wants to make a comment but doesn't know how to start, and at that right moment, LaCrowley keeps talking.

"I can't blame you, though," says LaCrowley. "I've felt regret on your words, Poofy Lantern. Sadness in your voice... I know what it feels when you want to do something and no one else supports you. I felt it in the past, a long, long time ago."

"And wait..." whispers the mother. "If you took care of him... where were you when he returned to Manehattan... along with that foolish Stolen Bag?"

All of LaCrowley's friends now look at each other with concern. They clearly know LaCrowley doesn't like to remember that, but they don't make any comments at all. Poofy Lantern knows something is wrong, especially when she looks at Cheesecake, Light Eater and Galloway with concern. The griffon, still covering the husband's mouth, shakes her head. "Here we go..." he whispers to Stone Chisel's mother.

Trustlight, on the other hand, tries to get out of the hut, but a massive dirt wall rises from the ground, destroying the wooden floor and covering the door. "You're not going anywhere, father of Cozy Glow."

"But I'm not the father of that rascal!"

"He is," shouts Galloway. "The mare Lantern has confirmed that to me."

Trustlight now decides to let his anger go. "You mother---!" shouts the stallion, but suddenly he gets thrown away and gets crushed onto the roof. 

"Next time you lie to me you will fly further," says the old stallion, only to push him back onto the ground, crashing himself on the wooden floor. LaCrowley has shown his incredible power, and that even makes Iron Pick shut up, who stops shouting while looking at his partner, almost unconscious, on the floor. "I've got to admit that, despite I love your son as if was mine, he stabbed me in the back and left me for a Manehattan scammer who wanted to dream big on clothes companies. He robbed me of money and an old amulet I preserved for a long time... he betrayed me."

"And if he betrayed you... why do you want to save him?" the mother speaks.

"I'll give you the same answer you'd give me if I asked you that... I want to save him because I know I don't want him there. I want him safe. I made a mistake and I have to solve it."

"Which kind of mistake..." she whispers. "Which one, huh?" She raises her voice. "And you dare to complain about me because I didn't go out there to look for my son because no one supported me... but you did the absolutely same thing and from what I see... everyone here supports you." The pupils get surprised at the mother's words. "Why didn't you look for him if he escaped from you, then? If you loved him so much..."

"Miss!" shouts Cheesecake. "I believe Mr LaCrowley won't be able to make that kind of allegation..."

"As I said, I made a mistake. Don't defend me, Cheesecake."

Cheesecake remains silent while listening to her master talking like that, admitting he made a mistake. LaCrowley? Is the wise Black Magic LaCrowley making a mistake? "But..." says the assistant pony. "Which kind of mistake?"

The shadow of LaCrowley gets his head down. "Firstly, Mrs Lantern, I've got to say this place is not a sect, but a community whose objective is to help those who have lost their family, home and will to live, teaching them the magic of friendship. Stone Chisel lived in this community for a couple of years, and I had a fight with him days before he robbed me. He told me he wasn't sure about living in this place... he wanted to look for the outside, to investigate cities further, but I knew there was something else from behind... and then I found out he escaped to Baltimare, which is near this forest, and met somepony there named Stolen Bag. After a long time arguing about his fate, I angrily told him to do whatever he wanted because he would eventually come back here to beg me for a second chance."

"But he never came back," replies her mother. "He stayed with that stallion named Stolen Bag."

"And then he broke the friendship. He robbed me, he disappeared... and I never looked for him because that was the decision he took, and I learned that sometimes you have to let some things go, so eventually I started ignoring him. The problem was..."

Poofy Lantern opens her jaw, shocked. "You," she says.. "You let the wrong thing go, Mr LaCrowley. You could have saved him."

Iron Pick, on the floor, and trapped with a rope comments after a long time: "Or you could have saved him."

"Or you could have saved him!" shouts Poofy Lantern to her husband. "You piece of trash. You turned your back on me!"

"Please," exclaims LaCrowley. "As I was saying, the problem was I realized I let the wrong thing go when it was too late. I should have fought for him... and now we have to stop arguing between us and start thinking about how can we get Stone Chisel back. I brought you here because you will have to be with me. You, along with me, will have to apologize for everything your son went through because of your fault, and this doesn't get you out of the bubble, Poofy Lantern. We've got to get him back, along with the amulets he robbed."

But in that right moment, something changes inside Black Magic LaCrowley. He fastly raises his head and his shadow turns around, calling Cheesecake's attention. "Mr LaCrowley," she says. "Something happened?"

"I think I found something I don't like so much, Cheesecake..."

The couple, Iron Pick and Poofy Lantern, gets silent while hearing that. "What is it?" asks Cheesecake but the stallion shakes his head. 

"I've got to verify it. Go with Galloway and Light Eater to the library in the south part of the forest. Bring me every book related to the souklat unáe creatures."

Cheesecake raises an eyebrow. "Souklat Unáe? What are you trying to do?"

"Just bring them."





Hoops and Score, the guards sent by Canterlot's leader, Big Stomp, to talk to Tabloid have just returned to the Castle of Friendship. However, Score is looking for somepony who may find an answer to his problem. At that right moment, he comes across several Crystal Guards at the Castle's entrance. "Hey," he says. "Have you seen your leader?"

One of the Crystal Guards points above all of them with a hoof. "He's in the Throne Room."

Score nods his head. "Thank you," he says, and then he trots to where he is staying. Hoops, however, is confused.

"What are you doing?" he asks his partner.

"I have to ask Shiny Mercury a question."

"Which question?"

"You know," he says, now getting nearer the room, passing by countless guards. "Tabloid may be freaking annoying but... he actually asked me something that worried me a bit."

Now his partner raises his eyebrows. "What?" 

Score, however, doesn't answer at the time he opens the door, entering the Throne Room. Lots of Crystal Guards are there talking to Twilight Sparkle and her assistant, Spike, while Rainbow Dash is being helped by her friends Rarity and Applejack to move. Princesses Celestia and Luna are also there, behind Starlight's body covered in the white cloth, almost hiding it from everyone. "Shiny Mercury?" says Score, trying to find him, until one crystal guard turns his back and looks at him.

The Crystal Guards' leader's attention is called, listening to the words of Score. "I'm here, soldier," says Shiny Mercury, next to Score's new leader, Big Stomp.

Score nods his head. "We've told Tabloid about the suspension, sir Shiny Mercury, and this journalist left me with one doubt due to a question he asked me."

Both Royal Leaders look at each other, and then Mercury frowns at the guard while Celestia and Luna observe in silence. "Firstly," says Shiny Mercury. "I didn't give you that order, soldier, but your leader Big Stomp did. You should inform your accomplished mission to your leader, soldier."

"Yes, I know," he immediately says. Hoops, from behind, remain in silence. "But..."

"Let me finish," says the crystal unicorn, and then he keeps speaking... "secondly," he says. "I don't care about what that journalist wants to ask. He clearly doesn't know the real scenario of the problem..." then, the guard approaches the stallion, angrily. "Unless..."

Hoops jumps from behind his partner, defending Score. "Neither my partner nor I gave confidential information to neither Mr Tabloid nor Mr Ink Pot. Their baby dragon assistant also doesn't know the real situation, sir."

Mercury, the leader, approaches his face to Hoops. "Promised?"

"Promised," says Hoops. "I promised not to lie, never in front of the princesses."

Shiny Mercury now looks at Score. "And you?"

"Promised," replies the guard, raising a hoof. Shiny Mercury takes a breath and turns around with no commentaries at all. "But I..." he adds. "It's a question that may help you, sir Shiny Mercury."

He turns around. "I don't want to listen to anything about those questions."

"It's only one."

"One, two or a hundred, I don't care."

"But..."

"Soldier Score!" shouts Big Stomp, now calling everypony's attention. "You shall respect the major authorities and not persuade them. This is clearly a show of disrespect, and even worse in presence of three Princesses and Starlight Glimmer's temporary sepulchre. Don't make me descend you to a lower rank, soldier. Flash Sentry would not have liked that behaviour."

And everything feels something, especially Big Stomp, when Flash Sentry is mentioned. A feeling of hopelessness and loneliness. Of fear. Score wants to keep asking but decides to shut up. Clearly, nopony wants to get descended... however, this is not going to end so abruptly. He has one final card. He sighs, raises his hoof for respect to the princesses and his leader, and turns around, leaving the Throne Room. He opens the doors, while being invaded and surrounded by the silence, and says something else: "It was about the Crystal Heart."

"SOLDIER!" shouts Big Stomp, but Twilight Sparkle decides to defend him. "YOU SHALL BE---"

But the alicorn princess comes to the rescue. "I won't authorize you to descend him, Big Stomp," she exclaims, interrupting the leader. "We are in a state of absolute emergence, and nobody has to change ranks or anything else now. Score, despite this act of persuading Mr Mercury insistently, is a good soldier and deserves his rank for this battle."

Big Stomp even looks at the Princesses Celestia and Luna, who also comment: "I've got to agree with Princess Twilight this time," pronounces Miss Celestia, making this decision undisputable. Score won't be descended.

Silence in the room again, until... "Actually," interrupts now Shiny Mercury, turning around and looking at Score, who has not even moved from where he is standing since. "I want to hear that question now."

"But..." stutters Spike, looking at the guard. "A minute ago..."

"Anybody who dares to talk about the Crystal Heart deserves my attention. The Heart is sacred and shall be respected."

"Uh..." stutters Score, blinking and mentally processing the radical change in the situation. "Um..."

"Come on, soldier. Now you have all of my attention."

"He..." he stutters now having what he wanted in front of him. "He asked me if you were going to take care of the Crystal Heart."

The leader raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean with that, soldier? We always take care of the Crystal Heart."

"He said... he wanted to say the Heart had to be protected."

"It's always protected, soldier!" shouts the crystal leader. "I don't understand the meaning or direction of that question."

"But I think... I think I know what he tried to say, and that's what calls my attention."

"What, then?" he shouts aloud. "Say it, soldier!"

Hoops looks at his partner with confusion. Even though he doesn't know what is he doing at this stage, he can't refuse those orders now. "Um..."

"Go on!"

"Well, from what I think," he adds. "I think he wanted to secure the Crystal Heart, along with the emperors and the firstborn, Flurry Heart, getting out of where it is staying. It called my attention because you didn't tell anything to my leader about the Heart, and in my opinion, keeping it locked would be something safer."

Shiny Mercury's eyes almost come out of their orbits after hearing that. Even some crystal guards who were in the room opened their mouths, shocked. "You clearly don't know anything about the heart, soldier," says Mercury with resentment. "The Heart is light, love, power... it gives us strength, it gives us magic... we have to protect him from the enemies... but we can't hide it far away from our hearts, soldier Score! The Heart is our will, our love, our source of blood, soldier!"

"And what if the enemy grabs it?" asks Hoops from behind, worsening the room's tension. Big Stomp doesn't even know where to hide while the others just observe in silence. "What if the enemy uses your source for something that can benefit them?"

"That will never happen," he replies. "The Heart will be always protected and will be never at the front. We sacrifice our will to live in the battle while the Heart observes us from the back, shining us with its light and love. Nobody will ever touch the Heart."

"Nobody?" asks Big Stomp, this time, confused about Mercury's response, while trying not to pour salt on this open wound. The Crystal leader only looks at him with anger.

"Nobody."





Now there is no campfire inside the hut. Just frightened eyes looking at each other. However, Stone Chisel is a special case. He's just looking at Tenebris, who's still looking at the moon with her blue eyes filled with bloodthirst. The robber wants to get rid of him... but doesn't know how to. He's an ant next to him... well, not even an ant, just a piece of dirt that the ram can step in with no problem at all. He feels a certain fire inside his head, along with anxiety due to having no hooves. He's still thinking this is not real in a way.

"You can look at me with all the resentment you want," says Tenebris. "But you'll still be that stump and nothing will change it... ugh, I don't remember your name."

The stump snorts. "Stone Chisel."

He didn't listen. "What?" 

"Stone. Fucking. Chisel."

"Stone...?" 

"Chisel, you horned piece of crap."

"Stone Chisel," says Tenebris, standing up and jokingly touching the robber's face with one of his hooves. "Look at you. Feel what I felt all of my life, pony. Darkness. Not able to move. Sadness. Loneliness. It's the first time you feel it... right?" 

The robber spits at the ram's hoof, which the beast cleans while rubbing it on Discord's chest. "You want to talk about loneliness?" says Stone Chisel. "My whole life story is about loneliness."

The ram raises his eyebrows while hearing that. "Oh, how surprising," he says. "A lonely pony lost in the tempest? A lonely animal surviving for itself? How interesting..." then, he approaches his face to Chisel's, touching his nose with his. "Would you tell me about it?" 

"And why would I tell you the story of my whole life?"

The ram only raises his hooves. "I'm quite bored. Impatient to arrive at my lands in the morning. I need something to laugh at... my personal jester." 

"Of course not."

"Are you sure?" he asks him and then he turns around. "Stone Chisel, let's see... maybe it was born in a miner family? A stone-related family, sure... um..."

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to find out the roots of your blood."

He sighs. "The name doesn't mean the family, you bastard."

That completely calls Tenebris' attention. "Of course, it does mean something... if it wasn't for your family you wouldn't have a name."

Stone Chisel's sight gets lost for a second until he comes back to reality: "I know."

Everyone, even Discord, raises an eyebrow. "So?" says Tenebris. "Make a decision. At first you say no, and then you exclaim yes... you know name and family go together... unless..."

Cozy Glow appears in the middle: "His father is the owner of a mining company."

Stone Chisel feels the filly stabbed a knife on his back, completely disappointed in her. He frowns at her, with his eyes fully opened, and shouts: "What the fuck, Cozy Glow?"

Cozy Glow rubs her hair. "We talked about that when you were walking outside."

The ram nods his head, looking at the filly, and surprisingly he caresses her light blue curly hair, calling every creature's attention. "So... a mining company? And where are your parents... shouldn't they be looking for you?"

"No."

The ram chuckles. "Why?"

"Because they don't care about me," he says, now trying to let go of his chain. "You wanted me to say that, huh? Bitch? I left my parents' home when I was a filly because they forced me to do things that I didn't want to and I almost starve to death, messing around Equestria on my own, sleeping under trees, completely alone... until my life was saved by somepony else... are you happy now?"

Tenebris moves his head, thinking about what the robber told to him...... "I would say yes. You could say your parents were completely crazy at that time, don't you?"

"They were, are and will be," he answers. "My father is a selfish beast who only cares about money and his own power, and my mother never says anything. She just stays there, observing you, helping my father to destroy your life. They will never change."

Tenebris raises an eyebrow and smiles. "So you are not the only one who thinks his parents were crazier than everyone..."]

Stone Chisel gets confused at how strange sounded that. That tone. The smile. "What... what... what do you mean?"

He turns around and looks at the moon again, only to take a long, long breath and then say: "Finally both of us have something in common, Stone Chisel."





On the other hand, the Royal Guards are preparing to leave the Castle and go to the Crystal Empire, where they will have to stay and protect the citizens, the princes and their daughter. Few guards were left by the Princess to stay, to protect them from anything. Celestia wants the Crystal Empire to be fully protected at all costs. Shiny Mercury, leader of the Crystal Guards, decides to do something before leaving, swallowing the anger that Score gave to him, and showing disrespect to the Heart. The sacred heart... Crystal... He approaches Sunburst, who is feeling completely lonely. After losing his best friend Starlight Glimmer, the only thing he's focusing on right now is to avenge her, fighting Tenebris, whether the Royal Guards want him or not. "Stallion Sunburst," says Shiny Mercury, which makes the orange stallion turn around and shake his head, in front of his mother and some of the Mane 6.

"I'll avenge my friend anyways," he replies. "Whether you want me or not."

"I was thinking about that," says the leader. "I'd recommend you not to. I think she wouldn't have liked you risking your life in that way."

"Uh..." Sunburst wants to say something and wants to counter Shiny Mercury about that. How will he know about her? How dare he, discuss something with the late mare's best friend forever? But no. He's not in the mood. He doesn't want to shout. He has more than one idea to avenge her best friend... Starlight Glimmer. "Bye."

Shiny Mercury moves her head. "Bye," he says, and then he salutes Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. One by one, kneeling to them. He also greets Stellar Flare and goes away, being taken to the Empire he has to protect through a carriage driven by royal pegasi. Stellar also looks at how Big Stomp, along with those soldiers, Hoops and Score, get in another carriage and fly away. Then, she looks at her poor son, destroyed from the inside and the outside, but finds out he's not crying anymore. His face is completely straight, serious, soulless... she has to break the ice when he stops crying and stands up, looking at the moon. Stellar Flare knows something has changed in his son while looking at the shiny satellite in the midnight sky and wants to talk to him. "You calmed down," she says.

"Yes," he replies, also calling everyone else's attention. "I think... because... I think I've got an idea."

"No, darling," says Rarity, getting in the middle. "Don't risk your life like this. Leader Shiny Mercury told you not to... let us and the Royal Guards take charge of this."

Sunburst, however, shakes his head. "I'm not thinking about that."

Applejack raises an eyebrow. "Then... what are you thinking, buddy?"

"I think Princess Celestia will end up calling them, so... I don't think I will have to write to them for help..."

Now his mother wants to know. "And who you are talking about, son? Who can help us right now?"

Sunburst keeps looking at the moon, and ends up saying: "As I said, I think I won't have to... because by the time I finished writing my letter, Celestia would have already taken them to Canterlot."

"But who?" asks Pinkie Pie. "Who?"

He chuckles. "It's them or nothing... The Pillars will make Tenebris pay."