//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Pony Veracity (the Crystal Empire) // by keithsterling //------------------------------// It has been over one year since I discovered that the Ancient Royal Family of ancient Equestria survived to this day. The two heads of ancient royal family Imperial Prince Justice Silverlight and his wife Princess Celestia Silverlight have sworn my friends and me to secrecy of their true identity.' Sunny Starscout thought as she treks from Maretime bay to the partially excavated ancient Equestrian settlement of Ponyville at the foot of Canterlot’s mountain and Castle of Friendship. 'In that year, the Ancient Royal Family of ancient Equestria has moved from their old hiding place of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters deep in what was called the Everfree Forest. To Queen Twilight Sparkle's old Castle of Friendship on the outskirts of Ponyville. They use the Castle of Friendship as their main residence and home base for the Silverlight Antiquities and Heritage Research team, their business of rediscovering the locations of lost equestrian settlements across the globe. The other part of their business is to rediscover the long-lost technology of Ancient Equestria and adapt it to this new era of Equestria.' Sunny Starscout thought as she wished the dig team would rediscover a way to move around Equestria more accessible, so she doesn't have to walk everywhere. Meanwhile, one of the larger rooms on the first floor of the Castle of Friendship has been turned into a textile lab for studying ancient Equestria fabrics. The first regenerated element bearer walks about the room recreating replicas of her old clothing lines from ancient Equestria, as her old clothing lines are the hottest fashion trends in this new Equestria. Standing in front of one of the pony morph mannequins was attractive light gray unicorn mare with a well-styled moderate indigo blue corkscrew curled mane and tail. Her 5ft 7in slender and elegant equine figure was attired in a white paisley floral lace-up peplum top, and rich black knee-length high/low Ponte knit skirt. Why on her well pedicure ten and one-third inch long light gray bare feet with cherry-red nail polish were black mares Saar block heel pumps with one and one half inch heels. This light gray unicorn mare was Miss Rarity Radiance, the Element holder of Generosity and Godmother to the royal foals, and the expert in ancient textiles for the Silverlight family dig team. Also, at the Castle of Friendship, this day, talking to her uncle outside the castle sitting on a rock, was a beautiful light pink pegasi mare with moderate violet, moderate rose and pale gold streaked mane and tail. Her curvy 5ft 9in equine figure was attired in a wildflower vintage mares square neck short sleeve peasant top and medium blue mares mid-rise skinny fit jean. Her light pink ten-inch long attractive delicate pink slim bare feet with bright baby blue toenail polish were nude as a pair of gray mares zest stiletto heel pumps sat on the rock behind her. And folded on her back were her medium-sized light pink feathery bird wings. This disguised Alicorn mare was Head Archivist Cadence Sparkle, the adoptive niece of Justice and Celestia Silverlight and head archivist for the Silverlight dig team. Standing in front of Head Archivist Cadence Sparkle was a majestic and handsome-looking dark blue unicorn stallion with short textured cut crimson red mane and tail. His 6ft 5in athletic equine figure was attired in Limelight yellow short-sleeve solid interlock polo shirt and gray asphalt colored tapered athletic fit jeans. On his twelve-inch long, socked dark blue bare feet were taupe black lace-up sneakers. This Unicorn stallion was Chief Archaeologist Justice Silverlight, leader of the Silverlight dig team, along with his wife, Chief Dig Supervisor and lead Archaeologist Celestia Silverlight. "Give in Cadence, surrender to the tickle torture…I know how ticklish an Alicorn bare feet are." Justice said, teasing as he continued wiggling all ten fingers against luscious creamy smooth light pink skin. "AHahahahahahahah! It tihihihihickles so bahahad!"Cadence calls out as Justice stops tickling her luscious, creamy, smooth light pink skin on the underside of her slenderly gracefully rounded, gorgeous pair of light pink bare feet with bright baby blue toenail polish. "Thank you, my dear niece. That was fun." Justice said, appreciative as he gestured for Cadence to bring her head down and kissed her on the cheek. "You are very welcome, uncle…Why I was hibernating, I missed your fingers on my luscious creamy smooth light pink soles. Like you did went you, visited me in the Crystal Empire. I would submit to you removing my golden gladiator sandals and tying me up. At which time you would tickle my bare feet. It helps to relieve my stress of ruling the Crystal Empire and the marital stress." Cadence explains as she beams fondly at her uncle as both ponies spot Sunny Starscout walking up to the castle. "Greeting Miss Starscout," Justice said, friendly. "Greeting, Sunny." Cadence said friendly as Sunny quickly noticed that Cadence was barefooted and her shoes were behind her on the rock. She thinks nothing of it and figures it some kind of ancient equestrian custom for Ex-mare royalty to be barefooted, went greeting a friend. "What brings you to the castle, Miss Starscout?" Justice asked as he placed his hand on Cadence's shoulder and shook his head, telling her don't bring up the subject. Cadence nods in acknowledgment and remains in her sensitive light pink bare feet with bright baby blue toenail polish. "Izzy called me a week ago that you extracted the spirit of element bearer of Generosity from her." Sunny comments as Justice looks toward his adoptive niece Cadence. "We did the Element bearer of Generosity is Miss Rarity Radiance. My uncle's people were able to regenerate her real body; all we had to do was extracted her spirit from Izzy. Would you like to meet her, Sunny?" Cadence asked as Sunny's eyes became saucers went. Cadence offered to introduce Sunny to another member of the guardians of friendship. Cadence’s slenderly gracefully rounded gorgeous shaped pair of light pink bare feet with bright baby blue toenail polish pip-popped across the white marble art polished ceramic tiles of the castle's large foyer, followed closely by Sunny Starscout. Sunny is surprised to see how many different breeds of pony morphs now inhabit the castle of friendship. Cadence tells Sunny that many of these ponies are the descendants of a family that once lived in Ponyville. Meanwhile, several miles outside the city limits of Vanhoover, the only city in the frozen north to survive intact due to its location on the outer fringes of the snow field. Lead Site Scout Luna Borealis and Assistant Site Scout Somnus Silverlight make their way in snow gear and cross-country skiing gear into the raging snow storm. About a month ago, the Mayor of Vanhoover sent word to Silverlight Antiquities and Heritage Research team about an unusual find revealed by constant blowing winds. The small cities run Vanhoover antiquities team excavating the site for several months, uncovering much of the site. But soon discovered that the location was more dangerous than they expected, and they did not have the resources to excavate the remainder of the area safely. The head archaeologists of the team asked the Mayor of Vanhoover to call in Silverlight Antiquities and Heritage Research team to continue excavating the site. Upon receiving the request from Vanhoover, Chief Archaeologist Justice Silverlight and Chief Excavation Supervisor Celestia Silverlight sent the Recon team to see what they were dealing with. As the two recon team skiers push deeper into the raging snowstorm, they disappear from sight on the way to the partially excavated dig site deep in the snowfield. “Hey, Auntie…the Mayor of Vanhoover say the trail to the dig site would be marked with red flags," Somnus said through crystal Mic that extended from the side of his helmet. His father's species, the imperial Alicorn, used the same technology. "That right, Somnus, so switch on your crystal mult-optics visor installed in your helmet. We should be able to spot the flags marking the trail to the dig site through the white out of this storm." Luna explains as the two ponies touch the side of their helmets, causing a light-sensitive gray crystal visor to form in front of their eyes. "Ok, Auntie. I have a lock on the flags." Somnus say as the visor scans the area till it locks on pony-made items and forms a picture of a flag on the visor. Somnus gestures his hand toward the north, and Luna nods her head in acknowledgment and follows him to the first red flag. Meanwhile, back in partially excavated Ponyville adjacent to the ruins of the school of friendship sits a new two-story sizeable rectangular building. The Silverlight Antiquities and Heritage Research team motor pool and repair facilities, using the Epoch of another Imperial Alicorn Time Keeper Administrator from the Great Library citadel station. An older female imperial Alicorn Crystalloid-maintenance engineer put the finishing touches on what Time Keeper Administrator called a semi-truck. She adapted the Imperial Alicorn Crystal technology to the plans supplied by the other time Keeper Administrator of this vehicle and created crystal powered semi-truck. This crystal power semi-truck will allow the Research team to bring more equipment to dig sites. The only downside is she must call in an imperial Alicorn Galactic knight to drive this crystal-powered semi-truck as no Terran pony knows how to control this new vehicle. But the imperial Alicorn Crystalloid-maintenance engineer grandson thought of that and called in one of his pilots from his supercarrier Galactic Knight-Captain Urania Corona, an ace pilot from the Crown of light Aerospace group aboard his warship. Checking over the crystal power semi-truck was a lovely looking Spanish gray imperial Alicorn mare with jet black mane and tail. Her 6ft 2in athletic equine figure was in green reef teal green mares V-neck short-sleeve T-shirt and tango talk skinny blue jeans. On her Spanish gray-coloured stunning long and slender mare's bare feet with crimson red nail polish were black mares Mariah slip-on shoes. Folded on her back were her large bio-mechanical silver metal feathered bird wings. This Imperial Alicorn mare was Galactic Knight-Captain Urania Corona, an ace pilot from the Crown of light Aerospace group aboard Justice's warship. She was talking to an exquisite-looking morning blue imperial Alicorn mare with faded pink mane and tail despite her advanced age. This Imperial Alicorn mare has retained her beauty with only a hint of brilliant silver-gray in her mane and tail. Her 6ft 11in superb equine figure was in moss green long-sleeve cotton twill coveralls. On her light blue stunning long and slender socked mare's bare feet with natural beauty painted with crimson red nail polish were black oil-tanned leather rugged flex comp toes work boots. On top of her head, behind her horn was an optics headband and folded on her back were her large jewelled bio-mechanical gold metal feathered bird wings. This old Imperial Alicorn mare was Imperial Alicorn Galactic Technician Ophelia Silverlight, the only daughter of Empress Galaxy Cosmos, the supreme creator of all Imperial Alicorns plus Justice Grandmother and genius crystalloid-maintenance engineer. “This quite a beauty, Your Imperial Highness," Urania said, complementing as Ophelia climbed out from underneath the hood of the cab and closed the hood with her infinity magic. "I thank you, Captain; this took a lot longer than I thought to build from those plans I got from the other Timekeeper Administrator. But it should meet my grandson's expectations…I am working on two other crystal-powered vehicles from the same Epoch. Those other two should be easy to control by terran ponies after a few lessons." Ophelia explains, gesturing toward two other crystal-powered small vehicles in one corner of the garage. "What are those small vehicles called, your Imperial Highness?" Urania asked, looking over these small vehicles. “I think I’ll call them consumer vehicles…Because they are easy to work." Ophelia answered as she unzipped her coveralls, revealing that she wearing camo colored tank top under her coveralls. "What is this vehicle called, your imperial highness?" Urania asked, looking at the box-shaped crystal-powered vehicle away from the other two small cars. "That is a special project for my granddaughter Blueberry…she calls it an ambulance. She asked me to design a crystal-powered vehicle to transport sick and injured ponies to her hospital at Friendship Castle." Ophelia explains as Chief excavation supervisor Celestia Silverlight arrives at the motor pool and repair facilities to get updated on the crystal power truck. Tucked under her belt was her Daisho. (An hour later, a partially excavated dig site in the snow field of the former Crystal Empire) "Hey Auntie, I am getting an unusual reading on this dig site?" Somnus comments as he scans with his crystal mult-optics visor on his helmet, what looks like a wing section. "What do you mean, my little Somnus?" Luna asked as she walked toward the front of the dig site; she noticed something reflecting from under the snow and kneeled down in front of it and began wiping the snow away with her hand. “The reading I am getting on this thing…say it imperial Alicorn made. But what father said doesn’t make sense. This reading says it is quite old and has quite a bit of damage. It was before you, mother, grandmother and father arrived on Equus planet." Somnus explains as Luna continues brushing away from the snow from reflecting in front of her. "I see what you mean, my little Somnus…as I was young, I arrived with my sister and mother. From what my mother told me, the Planet of Equus was a new planet for the Great Library Citadel Station. So that is why they sent a Timekeeper administrator of the tenth circle to record the planet's history; it was quite advanced in its evolution. So they could not send a low-level Timekeeper administrator to this planet without being discovered." Luna explained as she floated a flashlight out of her backpack and shone it into the darkness giving a startled gasp; went mummified eyes stared back at her from the darkness. "Auntie!" Somnus exclaimed as his light blue feathered bird wings appeared on his back, and he flew to his Aunt Luna to see why she gasped. As he flaps his wings in mid-air, he spots the flashlight beam revealing a mummified imperial Alicorn sitting in a seat inside the object. “What in Equestria?!” Somnus exclaims "I think it time to call in the whole Research team, my dear little Somnus," Luna comments as Somnus shakes his head.