Chapter Twenty Seven.
Cadenza.
"And, over there is the library!" Shooting Star pointed towards a large grand building, "And that concludes our tour." She turned to the group, a big grin on her face.
"Woah..." Zoom looked up at the tall spire that dwarfed them all, "That puts the Zephyr Height's palace to shame." She said to herself as Pipp and Dazzle snapped a couple of photos of the building.
"Heh, well if ya want. We can hook you guys up with our city designers and architects to improve your homeland." Shooting Star replied, "If you don’t mind me asking, what's Zephyr Heights?" She added, tilting her head.
"It's the home city to all Pegasi." Zipp stepped forward, "I am Princess Zephyrina Storm, heir to the Zephyr Height's throne." She smiled, before pointing to Pipp, "And that is my sister, Pipparina Petals, she's the spare." She snickered.
"Hey!" Pipp shouted before resuming taking photos, "You're just embarrassing me in front of our new friend." She added while hiding her blush as a few Crystal Ponies gathered around the group.
"Heh, for once Pipp, you're not the shortest pony around." Izzy chuckled to herself as she munched on something Shooting Star called Crystal Candy.
"So, these are all Crystal Ponies?" Sunny asked, writing notes down in her father's journal as a crystal foal ran past chasing a butterfly.
"Yes." Shooting Star smiled, "Except me of course, I'm only half Crystal Pony." She flapped her wings.
"Half?" Sunny tilted her head.
"My Mom, the Empress, is a Crystal Pony, and my Dad." Shooting Star gestured towards David, who was being crowded by Crystal Ponies, "He is human, of course." She smiled as the Crystal Ponies charted about David's return.
"They sure love your father, huh?" Sunny turned to Shooting Star, a small smile on her face.
"Yeah... He is still their Emperor after all, even if he did turn down the titles." Shooting Star answered, leaning against a market stall selling gems of all shapes and sizes.
"Sparky, No." Hitch spoke sternly, "We don't even have the correct money to pay for them." He added, sighing as he saw the sad look on the dragon's face.
"Aww. you hungry little guy?" Shooting Star cooed, tossing a crystal over to Sparky, "Here you go." She smiled as Sparky licked his lips as he stared at the ruby-red gem.
"No, Sparky, Don't eat tha-!" Hitch watched in horror as Sparky ate the gem as easily as biting into a piece of soft bread, "Wow..." Hitch smiled, "I didn't know he could eat crystals..." He rubbed his chin.
"All dragons can." Shooting Star replied, turning to the stall owner, "Can we get a Spike The Brave and Glorious sack to go please, Sapphire?" She spoke to the owner, placing down a small sack of money on the tabletop.
"Did you say Spike?" Zipp asked, ears perked up at the mention of that name, "I read something about a dragon by that name in this history book." She mused, quickly rummaging through her saddlebag, "Ah ha." She smiled, pulling the book out.
"Yes! Spike The Brave and Glorious. He brought the Crystal Heart back to the Crystal Ponies to prevent the evil Emperor Sombra from using it." Shooting Star smiled, gesturing to a statue near the base of the Crystal Palace as she picked up a sack filled with gems, "Here you go, Sheriff." She winked, tossing him the sack.
"Always knew you were a mare magnet." Izzy chuckled, nudging Hitch's side as he blushed at her comment, "Izzy... Not in front of the mares please..." He groaned with embarrassment.
"Uh, not to kill the good vibes, but where's tall, dark and scary?" Sprout spoke up from the back of the group.
"That's a good point, where is Opaline?" Zipp looked around.
"Wait, Opaline's here?" Shooting Star asked wide-eyed.
"Ok..." Opaline paced back and forth just beyond a small wooden fence, "You can do this Opaline. Just knock on the door and say hello." She psyched herself up, "Oh, but what if they don't want to see me." She said to herself as she continued to pace around, "But, they're your parents..." She continued to talk to herself, she paused her pacing and inhaled the crisp air.
Opaline's horn crackled as she used her magic to open a small metal gate, "Let's get this over with..." She faked a smile as she knocked on the door of a small cottage, her foalhood home.
Her smile faded as no reply came from the door, "I knew it..." She sighed to herself as she began to turn around.
"Opaline?" Called a voice from behind her. The alicorn froze on the spot, "Is that you Opaline?" The voice spoke again.
Opaline slowly turned around to face the source "Hello... Mom..." She smiled weakly, fear in her eyes as she looked down at an older mare.
"Opaline!" Her mother shouted with delight, tackling the alicorn to the ground, hugging her in a tight squeeze, "You're alive!" She wiped a tear from under her glasses, "When magic fell and the Empire had to go into hiding, we feared we'd never see you again."
"The Empire went into hiding?" Opaline frowned, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, but none of that matters now!" Her mother leapt onto her hooves, "Jasper!" Her mother shouted, "Come here, quick!" She bellowed through the open door.
"Jade. What's the matter- Opaline!" Her father appeared in the doorway, dropping a garden shovel on the floor.
"Hello, father... I see you still like gardening." Opaline looked down at the shovel as it rocked back and forth.
"Yeah, you can never give up a hobby, it was how I met your mother after all." He chuckled softly, trotting over to his daughter and giving her a hug.
"Oh my..." Jade stared at Opaline's torso, "You're an alicorn?" She added, perplexed as she looked down at her own wings before looking back to Opalines.
"Yeah, It’s a long story, Mom..." Opaline frowned, looking at her tattered wings, "But I'll explain everything when the time is right. I promise." The alicorn and the two ponies embraced, "Oh, and you're grandparents now." She blurted out.
"WHAT??" Jade and Jasper shouted in unison.
"So, it’s true, we've really been gone for over two thousand years?" Shooting Star spoke, continuing to lean on the market stall.
"2021 years to be exact." Sunny looked solemnly at her father's journal, "My father's research suggests that this Empire disappeared the same time magic did... I'm sorry that you've missed so much..." The orange mare replied.
"Nothing more can be done." Shooting Star sighed, "Time keeps moving on and we have to move along with it and rebuild what was lost." She added, "For those who were lost." Shooting Star lamented, looking at the statue of Spike the dragon.
"Hey..." Zipp rubbed her chin, "I recognise you!" She pointed at Shooting Star, "You were that Pegasus I chased from Maretime Bay after that hell mouth opened up on Mainstreet!"
"Gilty as charged." Shooting Star smiled, taking off her face guard, "I sure gave you a run for your money, glorified pigeon."
"Excuse me?" Zipp glared at Shooting Star, eye twitching, "What did you call me?" The white pegasus snapped.
"You. Are. A. Glorified. Pigeon." Shooting Star said smugly, poking Zipp's chest as she spoke each word.
"Do that again, and I'll break your hoof off and shove it where the sun doesn't shine." Zipp snarled.
"Not my fault your flight style makes you look like a pigeon from afar." Shooting Star grinned smugly.
"Urgh!" Zipp groaned in frustration, nostrils flaring as she exhaled.
"Come on, I'll introduce you all to the Empress." Shooting Star smiled, quickly changing the topic, "This way to the palace." She gestured at the big crystal building.
"Wait here." Shooting Star stopped by large doors, "I'll see if I can get you an audience with Mom." She added, slipping through the doors, "I mean it, stay put." She continued, quickly sticking her head out the door before closing it.
Shooting Star slowly approached two thrones at the far end of the room, Sitting on the thrones were two ponies, one of the ponies, an alicorn jumped from its seat and trotted over to Shooting Star.
"Shooting Star, you're meant to be patrolling the border." The alicorn spoke in a hushed tone, moving to the side of the room with Shooting Star.
"Urgh, hello Flurry Heart..." Shooting Star sighed, "I need an audience with Mom."
"No way, she's busy." Flurry Heart raised her voice, whilst still keeping a hushed tone.
"It's urgent!" Shooting Star raised her voice in kind.
"Sorry sis, you know I can’t let you, Mom’s up to her neck in important papers to read and sign and you aren't interrupting her!" Flurry replied, "But, if it's so important, tell me first and if I deem it urgent enough, I'll assist you."
"Urgh. Fine." Shooting Star groaned, rolling her eyes, "Follow me." She trotted back towards the door, sibling in tow.
Opening the doors, the pair slipped through, quietly closing the door, "This is why I wanted an audience." Shooting Star gestured to the group of ponies.
"Outsiders..." Flurry muttered under her breath, hoof on her mouth.
"You're Highness." Sunny bowed before Flurry Heart, "I'm thankful your daughter was able to give us an audience with you." Sunny looked up at the alicorn, still bowing.
"She's not my mother..." Shooting Star face hoofed, "Meet Flurry Heart, my half-sister..." She groaned, shaking her head as Flurry Heart giggled.
"Lillian, you're such a spoilsport, I was enjoying having her fawning over me..." Flurry faking a huff.
"Lillian? I thought your name was Shooting Star?" Zipp raised an eyebrow.
"Lillian is my middle name." Shooting Stat quickly replied, "But these ponies aren't the only thing I want to show Mom." She quickly spun Flurry Heart around to face David as he leaned against the wall.
"He's... Alive..." Flurry struggled to find her words as she locked eyes with David.
"He showed up in their town a few days ago..." Shooting Star smiled while gesturing to Sunny and the others, "It was only a few days for him, but for us, it's been six years, Flurry..." She added.
"And your Empire was gone for over 2000 years by our research..." Sunny spoke up.
"What..." Flurry muttered, ears falling flat against her head, "2000 years?? Please tell me you're joking!" She shouted, grabbing Sunny by the shoulders.
"We are not..." Zipp sighed sadly, "We were all without magic up until last year. All of us." She added, looking down at the smooth crystalline floor.
"The crystals..." Flurry mumbled under her breath, a horrific thought entered her mind.
"Now you see why I wanted an audience with Mom?" Shooting Star spoke as she looked at Flurry Heart with stern eyes.
"Ok, Ok." Flurry Heart waved her hooves around, "But what the hell are we gonna do?" Flurry placed a wing behind Shooting Star's head, "How are we even gonna explain this all to Mom." She spoke sternly.
"Explain what to me?" They both heard a voice.
"Welp, we're both dead." Flurry's eyes widened as both she and Shooting Star froze on the spot.
"Flurry Heart, Shooting Star." Their mother spoke sternly, "Would you mind explaining why 10 other ponies are waiting outside my throne room?"
"Well... Uh... You see..." Flurry tapped her hooves together nervously.
"I found some ponies at the border, dads alive and I gave them a tour of the city before trying to give them an audience with you!" Shooting Star spoke rapidly before slamming her butt down on the floor and quickly breathing into a brown paper bag.
"Hold on, rewind." Their Mom held out her hoof, "Your father's alive?"
"She doesn't speak like an Empress..." Zipp whispered to Sunny.
"David is alive, Mom..." Flurry spoke on her sister's behalf.
"Flurry, don't you joke about things like that." Her mother spoke sternly.
"It's true, Cadenza..." The Pink pony's ears twitched at the sound of the voice.
"David..." Cadenza turned around, "Is it truly you?" She asked, already on the verge of tears as she reared up on her hind legs, touching his face all over with her forehooves, "You could still grow a beard at least..." She slowly chuckled to herself.
"It's been a while... For you I mean..." David sighed, "Lillian told me that for you, it's been nearly a decade since I've been gone..."
"Uh, we'll leave you two alone, hehe..." Flurry smiled nervously, gesturing the group down the hall, Shooting Star pacing behind the group.
"Welcome home, Dad..." She muttered to herself.
"How could you be here?" Cadenza struggled for words, "We sent out search parties... They thought you fell through the ice..." She rested her head on his chest, "They said the tire tracks just ended suddenly in the snow... I thought you were dead." She added.
"I'm not even sure myself..." He gently stroked her mane as it flowed down her neck, "One minute I was driving and the next, I ended up nearly crashing into a tree outside of some coastal town called Maritime Bay..." He added, his fingers running through her thick mane.
"So... What's New Equestria like?" Cadenza flashed a toothy grin.
"New Equestria?" David raised his eyebrow.
"It's what the few scouting parties we've been sending out over the last year call Equestria now." Cadenza replied.
"It's... Not like how it used to be... It's all mostly a wasteland out there now..." David replied, "I really only saw two settlements, Maretime Bay and Zephyr Heights..." He added, "But there is a third, Bridlewood."
"I know...Cadenza sighed, "But everyone else is gone... Canterlot, Ponyville... All gone."
"What about Celestia, Luna and Twilight?" David looked down at the mare, holding her close, "Where were they when it all went to shit?" He added.
"No idea..." She sighed, "We lost contact with Luna and Celestia... Twilight though... She went MIA..." She stared longing into David's eyes.
"How did it all go wrong so fast?" He wondered, gently cupping Cadenza's ear in his hand.
"I don't know David, I just don't know..."
End of Chapter Twenty Seven.