//------------------------------// // Season 3: Episode 1 - Help From Beyond Part 1 // Story: My Little Pony: When Friendship Shimmers - Reboot // by RobtheMorpherPony //------------------------------// It's been a few weeks since the whole Canterlot Wedding Fiasco. And that was when the Crystal Empire decided to return. And thus, now the elements and the Shadowbolt Trainees were on their way to the Crystal Empire. "Princess Luna is very curious as to what Cole's connection to this place is." Night Wing said. "This won't be something we can just find out though. Princess Celestia told me about the tyrant that caused the place to vanish in the first place: King Sombra." Twilight said. "Sounds like a piece of work if you ask me." Thunderlane said. The train was pulling into the station at the Frozen North, where Throsten and his wives were waiting. "Hey, seems the Crystal Empire's returned." Throsten said. "It'll be great to have this place back under equestrian control." "And the empire is just south of where I was princess. So this is extra personal for me." Gloria said. "That Sombra won't know what hit him, that's for sure." Rainbow Dash said. "Ah reackon you want to fight him, huh RD?" Applejack asked. "I think that one has your number Rainbow Dash." Night Wing said. "I would advise against that." It was Cole. He was suddenly ahead of them. "Again?! You just love showing up in the most random locations." Rainbow Dash said. "And why would we not want to stop a tyranical ruler from taking this place back over, huh?!" Throsten exclaimed. "You misunderstand. You just do not know the full picture. Find the hidden staircase in the castle, and all will be revealed." Cole said and then just as he was walking away, a blizzard picked up; obscuring the view of every one else until Cole vanished from sight. "Okay, the fog in Canterlot was one thing, but since when did it blizzard this close to the Eeveelution Kingdom?" Gloria asked. "...I have a feeling I know exactly what Cole is, but I can't say for certain." Twilight said. "For now, let us perhaps take Cole's advice." "Right. Let's go catch up with Shining Armor and Cadence." Sunset said. The group managed to find Shining Armor and Cadence. "Hidden Staircase? Cadence and I have been everywhere in this castle and we haven't found anything like that." Shining Armor said. "But considering Cole seems to be right about everything, maybe we double check." Rainbow Dash said. "You saw that hamster again?" Shining Armor asked. "Yeah. We did." Twilgiht said. "Actually, now that you mention him, I did notice a statue of that hamster on the ground floor's foyer." Shining Armor said. "What would a statue of Cole be doing here? Did Sombra put it there?" Night Wing asked. "B-but...no one who likes hamsters like that could ever really be evil..." Fluttershy said. "Tell that to the creep whose ramming against the barrier Cadence and I are magically putting up around the empire." Shining Armor said. "There's something deep with this whole thing. Some sort of reason behind all of this that'll explain everything." Twilight said and then she and the group found the statue in question. "So, does it have a secret switch on it?" Sunset asked. "I'm checking." Rainbow Dash said, but then she accidently flew too close to it, causing it to fall over. "Rainbow Dash you just--huh?" Night Wing was about to chatise Rainbow Dash, when she noticed the Statue wasn't falling, and was connected to the pillar it was on by some kind of mechinized gear. Soon, a large staircase going down appeared. "Wow. Cole did say he wasn't called the man of secrets for nothing." Rainbow Dash said as the group headed down. Down at the bottom, the group had found the Crystal Heart, though it was obviously set up to some kind of trap set-up. "How are we supposed to get it without triggering the trap?" Night Wing asked. "Either Twilgiht or myself could use magic." Sunset said. "No. That's not how that works." Twilight said. "Huh?" Sunset asked. To demonstrate, Twilight budged the heart using her magic, only for Sunset to have to suddenly dodge a crystal that popped out of the ground between her and Twilight. "Yipes!" Sunset said. "Oh, you found it already. Your smarter then you look." It's Cole again. "Though I guess the statue of me gave it away." "You knew this was down here." Twilight said. "Of course I did. Why do I think I led you down here?" Cole asked before tossing a book at the group. "What's this?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Sombra's diary. You should be aware of who exactly he is. He wasn't always the way he is now after all. And there is still hope: A door lies past a statue of a mare named in those pages. Find her, and I will appear again." Cole said before he left again. "That guy just comes and goes a lot." Night Wing said. "I've got fresh cupcakes for anyone getting a headache over him." PInkie Pie said. "How can you possibly have fresh cupcakes in THIS cold?" Night Wing asked. "It's Pinkie Pie; don't question it." Rainbow Dash said.