//------------------------------//
// The crystal shard problem. 
// Story: Around A World: Equus 
// by Dragon Shimmer 
//------------------------------//

"Oh right." Diana claps her paws. "Twilight, you work with Matt to gather back the crystal shards. Spike, work with me to complete this wagon."

Spike rubs his head. "Eh.. don't tell me we are in Everfree forest." Diana nods. Spike sighs. "This will be long. Where is the tool?"

Diana points at the chest. Spike takes a hammer and an axe to chop some wood down. Matt tries to take Twilight out of the wagon, but the purple alicorn teleports away from his grasp. Matt gives her a smirk and jumps out of the wagon. Twilight follows him.

Walking together for a while, they find themselves in front of the cave with two floating earth balls next to them. The earth balls glance at them as they try to analyze them. Matt looks at the ball and guesses. "Hmm... these earth balls look familiar. They're like Amelia's."

Twilight takes out the crystal orb to check the location. The dot is spotted inside the cave. Twilight warns. "Look, no stealing here. That's where the zebra lives."

"Zebra?" Matt smiles. "You mean.... eh... ponies with stripes?"

"You can say that. Now, no stealing in this place, okay?"

"Fine."

Matt enters with Twilight inside. There are many zebras around the lake. Many of them are building something while others are resting. Matt notices some of Ponyville's guards are there too. The swordsman is trying to get away from the guard but Twilight pulls him back.

When the guards notice Twilight, they bow to her immediately. Twilight feels embarrassed about this. She asks the guards not to tolerate this again.

"Sorry... Twilight. As for Trixie's wagon...", the guard takes out the picture of the wagon. "Have you seen this wagon? We are trying to find it."

"Eh... no." Twilight shakes her head. "I didn't see anything like this."

"Sorry for disturbing you, Your Majesty. Thank you." 

The guards bow to her and leave the cave. Matt feels peaceful, but he can hear something stomping on his feet. Looking down, Twilight's hoof is pressing against his feet. Matt takes it off and wanders around the lake.

A zebra with a feather hat is walking toward them. Look at the human, she asks. "Princess Twilight, who is this creature?"

Twilight whispers. "This creature is a human, Artamiel, and he is also a thief too so I think you should be careful." 

"Is that real?"

"Yes. Anyway, have you seen anything that flies into your village?"

"Oh yes." Artamiel waves her hoof. "Follow me, I don't know what to do with it."

Artamiel leads Twilight to the house. There are many lightning sparks inside. Twilight ducks to dodge the lightning when the purple alicorn opens the door. The crystal shard in a ball starts shooting lightning around the room when she takes a step into it. 

Twilight rubs her chin. "I bet you quarantined this crystal, right?"

"Yes, it keeps striking lightning into my villagers so we have to put it into a house and keep everyone away from it."

Twilight teleports to the crystal shard to grab it. A lightning bolt is shot at her to stop her from grabbing. Twilight jumps back and sees a filly standing in front of her. The filly slams on the ground and the water is rising. Twilight quickly takes Artamiel and flies off.

 

"Too close." Twilight looks at the crystal. The filly is moving around it. Twilight glares at her. "Why is this filly so familiar to me?"

"Eh, can you put me down, Princess Twilight?" Artamiel is confused. "It's just water."

"No, that water is electrified." 

Matt opens the door and sees the room is flooded. Touching the water, he is electrocuted. The swordsman decides to walk through the water, ignoring the electricity running through his body. Twilight is surprised by his decision. The filly teleports behind the swordsman and tries to stab him but Matt kicks her and throws his sword after that. His swords are thus stuck in the wall, causing the filly to become stuck. Matt quickly takes the crystal shard and yanks it off. 

The water is disappearing and the filly has disappeared. Matt sighs in relief and waves his hand at Twilight. "All right, it's all safe Twilight."

Twilight lands next to him and asks. "Are you okay? I never thought you would run into the water like that."

"Nah, I'm fine. I'll just..."

Matt suddenly falls to the ground. Twilight is surprised and takes him somewhere safe.





Spike nails the wood with a hammer. The hammer is broken and its head hits his face. Spike rubs his head. "The world's toughest wood is not just fame."

"Really?" Diana drops the wood down and starts making the wheel. "Why would this dragon do it?"

Spike looks at Sunset. He looks at the orange dragon who is nailing the wood. The purple dragon is curious and asks. "Eh.. are you okay, Sunset?"

"I'm fine." Sunset smiles. "I... I just remember this kind of wood. Instead, I am bored with this wagon... I want to help you. Hope I don't get into trouble."

"Uh... no. You should take a rest."

Sunset sighs. "I am useless, am I?"

"No no no, we just want you to be safe before you get recovered."

"Fine." 

Sunset enters the wagon and leaves Spike alone. Diana crafts the wheel and puts it on the wagon. "Is this really wood? This could be steel compared to my world."

"I don't know though. They are just the highest quality wood in this world but it is very difficult to chop down so no one wants it."

"Wow, they are wasting a very valuable resource." Diana face paws. "Anyway..." 

Diana sees a ray of lightning shot into the sky. Spike is surprised when he sees this scene. Diana takes out the binoculars and finds that it is quite near them. Taking out the crystal ball, a red dot appears for them.

After 30 minutes, Twilight and Matt come back in a very damaged state. They are holding the crystal shard. Twilight's fur is black while Matt's face is covered in coal. The duo moves for a moment before falling to the ground.

Diana takes the crystal shard and asks. "What happened?"

Twilight groans. "This crystal keeps electrocuting us when we get back here."

Spike takes out the medkit and takes care of their wounds. "I thought those memory shards didn't have any power. Can you explain it, Diana?"

"Looks like this shard is absorbing the mana around." Diana forms a crystal ball around the crystal shard. It keeps firing lightning bolts around it. "I thought it would be easy but seeing the shard-like this... hmm..."

"So, what will happen now? I mean they won't be able to handle this shard, right?"

"Wrong. They can make artifacts with this." Diana spins the shard. "And you know an artifact can be a deadly weapon."

Spike shudders when hearing that. The black cat gives the crystal shard to him. Spike heads to Sunset's room and finds that she is reading a book. When the orange dragon meets him, she smiles. "What are you doing here?"

"Well... I just want to give you this." Spike takes out the crystal shard and wants to put it on Sunset's head but the orange dragon holds his arm and shakes her head. Spike tilts her head. "What's wrong?"

Sunset shudders. "No… I don't want that thing. It hurt me last time." 

"Oh... but you have to remember everything you have lost." Spike smiles. "You were nearly brainwashed by someone you don't know."

"I still don't want that." 

"Oh right. If you insist." Spike leaves the room and whispers. "I will put it on when you sleep anyway."





Many ponies want to read the book but cannot because the library is suddenly closed. Rarity looks at the paper that is written. 'Closed. Open when the mission is completed.' 

Rainbow Dash glares at the paper. "Twilight leaves the library and doesn't tell us anything? What's wrong with her?"

"Ah' don't know. This does not sound like Twilight." Applejack points at the school. "The school needs more textbooks and I need to buy some for my little sister."

"But the paper said they were on a mission? What kind of mission is that?"

"Ah' don't know. Maybe it is an influential one."

"But why didn't they tell us?" Rainbow Dash scoffs. "I want a memorable adventure."

When Rainbow Dash and Applejack are still talking, a guard comes to the library and makes an "open" sign. Rainbow Dash looks at the mare closely and finds that it is Coral Blade. 

Coral Blade tells Rainbow Dash. "My guard said that Princess Twilight was inside the zebra's territory to solve a problem." 

Rainbow Dash and Applejack are surprised. 

"What!?" 

"They also say that she is traveling with the human who just appeared yesterday."

Applejack rubs her chin. "We don't know much about him, but Diana said that he likes stealing."

"So that means... he 'steals' our friend?" Rainbow Dash turns to Coral Blade. "You have to capture him."

"Now now Rainbow Dash. I don't have any proof to claim that he kidnapped Princess Twilight." Coral Blade takes a book and pokes at Rainbow Dash's head. "Plus I can take you to prison right now for slandering a creature."

Rainbow Dash slaps the book away. "Fine. I will find Twilight."

"Don't get scared too easily," Coral Blade teases. "Glass cannon"

Rainbow Dash's head is red right now. She wants to fly to the Everfree forest to find her friend but Applejack stops her. The orange pony shakes her head as Rainbow sighs, then they head to their friend to tell them about their plan.