The guard watches as panic spreads through the streets of the Crystal Empire. All this chaos over an old tale… What monstrosity, or the thought of one could cause so much panic?
The boulevards shone with fires popping up from nowhere, the allies littered with possessions. The guard did not stop even for the weak ponies who were trampled by their fellow kind.
The tower grew larger as the guard approached. The castle was unlike anything in Equestria, beyond even that of Canterlot Castle in terms of beauty and strength. The castle resembled a large tower that grew up from four smaller pillars of crystal, each with its own entrance. The building seemed to be made of glass or crystal, shining in the ever-present sunlight of the Frozen North. The tower almost resembled a large crystal spire, whittled into a majestic piece of art. The riot marred the beauty of it.
Ponies flooded the doors, all clamoring to enter the tower from one mare’s words. Flying up to the royal balcony, he saluted his fellow guards who were keeping the panicked citizens at bay from flooding into the upper part of the castle. Upon moving closer, he confronts the captain, “Sir, I know what started this panic.”
The captain looks away from his lieutenant, to the guard and asks, “Well soldier? What could have possibly started this? This level of panic is unprecedented, and only seen in Ponyville. This is clearly beyond a Class P riot!”
The guard replies, “Sir, a short time ago, an unknown Pegasus came crashing in through the shield with what appeared to be a case of frozen wings. I had noticed this and attempted to interrogate the Pegasus as to why he was making a scene, and to find out why he was frozen so badly. At this time, a large crowd had surrounded us. The stranger spoke of a ‘crystal oasis’ along with some form of possibly necrotic monster, which took on the forms of the victims it consumed. A local attuned this monster to be what is called ‘The Smooze’. Upon hearing this, the citizens broke out into utter panic, which most likely lead to the Class P Riot Sir.”
The captain looks at him, “You’re telling me that some folk tale and a possibly crazy Pegasus caused this? Whatever, I’ll inform Prince Shining Armor. Maybe he or some other pony will be able to shed light on this situation. Most likely it’ll be nothing but we need to make sure. This day is turning into a nightmare, and I don't want some folk tale making it worse."
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Shining Armor was pacing about the room. First, it was breakfast being burnt, then, it was his wife, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza incessantly asking him what was going on outside. Then, upon asking, it turned out to be a major riot, unlike anything seen within the last 300 years. ‘Honestly, these ponies seem jumpier than the ones back in Equestria. ‘After all, the only riot larger than this was about 300 years ago, and that was the cake prohibition act… while cake is important, the resulting riots certainly nearly destroyed Equestria. What could have ponies in such an uproar?’
Moving about the room, he didn’t notice his captain of the guard enter the room. “Sir? May I have a moment? I have some news about the riot.”
Shining Armor pauses, surprised to hear news so quickly and smiles, optimistic about hearing some form of news, “Well captain? I don’t mean to sound rude but we don’t have all day. There is a riot that needs quelling.” He pauses, thinking that he almost sounded hasty, and in some ways quite rude.
The captain shifts, looking at the prince directly with somber eyes, “Sir, from what I have been told, something out in the Frozen North has been unleashed. Some kind of demon long thought gone. We don’t know what it is, or what it is capable of. All I can say, with my limited knowledge, is that it is called the Smooze.”
Shining Armor pauses, having not expected the captain to have such an answer. “The Smooze? I’ve never heard of it… Alright, guards!”
Two guards file into the room, their spears at attention, awaiting orders. “You two correspond with the library to find out what this Smooze is. Whatever it is, it has spooked the locals pretty badly.”
A scream could be heard, and a pegasus flies into the room, scrambling about. The captain jumps onto the pegasus, who flies out of the room. Shining took note of his eyes, the bloodshot eyes that showed true fear. ‘How could one thing strike so much fear into the heart of the Crystal Ponies?’
The captain limps back into the room, favoring his right foreleg. “Orders my liege?”
Shining Armor states in a commanding tone, “Alright, move all the ponies inside the castle and seal the doors. I want the shield re-enforced but only from the castle. I want all resources into finding out what this thing is now!”
A guard flies into the room panting. “Sir… I-I-I I saw something beyond the dome.” He pauses, feeling the stares of both Shining Armor and the captain before continuing, “Sir, I don’t know what it is, but it doesn’t look friendly…”
Shining Armor rushes towards the balcony, and with a flash of light, sends a beam towards the dome. Once the beam reaches the edge, a ripple is sent along the entire shield, until it meets an edge on the ground before disappearing. The pink dome turns slightly darker from the added shield, but nonetheless remains impressive.
Shining Armor turns back to the ponies. “Captain, I want those door sealed as soon as possible. I don’t know how long the shield will hold against this… Smooze as the locals call it.” The captain salutes, and outside the door Shining Armor could hear several shouts to seal the doors. Shining turns back towards Mi Amore Cadenza, “You ready for this?”
She nods, and they move to the balcony in preparation for an attack.
Beyond the dome, a purple wave crests the horizon. Shining Armor and his wife listen. As the wave draws closer, music could be heard. And here we go.
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The guard moved down the hallway with new orders. The other guard who was assigned to help was pulled away to help seal the doors.
The halls were crowded with ponies. They milled about, some with worried faces others serene, believing the castle to be safe.
Moving through hallways, corridors, staircases, all blurring together as the guard makes his way to the library. The doors slide open with a slight push. The guard jumps slightly at the sight of the library. Ponies were rushing about, leaving the library in a mess. Piles of books lay strewn about, and ponies yelled across the room.
The guard moved towards the head librarian, who seemed to be sitting quietly at her desk, ignoring the chaos around her. “Hello?” His voice slightly cracked, having not spoken much in the past few weeks, and the conversation with the Pegasus having strained his voice to the limit.
Upon closer inspection, the guard could see dark spots under the old mare’s eyes. The guard pondered how long she had been sitting here in this mess, and rings the bell as she fails to stir from his slightly awkward greeting. She sighed, and looked at the guard. “Can I help you? We are very busy here.”
The guard chokes out, “Well…” He coughs slightly, clearing his throat, “I’m here to say the Prince ordered an official investigation of something called the Smooze.”
The librarian frowns, “You woke me up for this?” She plants her forehooves on the desk, “I know what we’re facing. I know this needs to be done. What do you think we have been doing here? This is one of the largest libraries on the planet! Of course we would be looking for information on the Smooze!” She pants in an attempt to calm herself down.
The guard’s expression remains cold, not showing the slightest change in emotion whatsoever. Frowning slightly, he glares at the head librarian. She
Placing herself back into her chair, she continues, “Well, even the extra help that the guard would bring wouldn’t help much. There isn’t much material here to begin with on the subject and frankly young one, you would probably get in the way.”
A pony in a dull tan robe gallops towards the desk shouting, “I have some information!” The head librarian turns towards the pony along with the guard, with mixed reactions between the two. The guard’s expression of surprise, not expecting information so quickly. However, the head librarian’s was of dread.
The pony stops, nearly sliding into the table. The head librarian looks over the pony, “Calm yourself young one. You nearly destroyed the last vestige of calm in this entire place.”
The librarian hangs his head in shame. “Now tell me young one, what is it that you learned.”
The librarian’s mood brightens significantly, almost gaining a halo of light around his head in the eyes of the guard, “Well, I learned that there is no information on the Smooze in this library relevant to your search request!”
All the ponies in the area immediately turn towards the librarian, and the mood darkens. The head librarian sighs, “Well, we don’t have anything here.” She turns towards the guard, her face visibly darker than before, “Report to the prince: we will need to find the information elsewhere. I figured we would have little information on the Smooze, so much was lost during Discord’s time. I think the last pony who really knew of the Smooze was Sombra, and even he is but history now.”
The guard turns around, knowing his day just got harder than it needed to be. However, he did smile at the prospect of possibly being able to go home, and warn his family of the oncoming danger.
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In the background of the library, a lone pegasus watched from atop a book shelf as librarians scrambled about looking for something. Trying to catch as many details as he could, he moved closer. Eventually, he heard the word Smooze, and paused for a moment.
After waiting atop the shelf for about a minute, his eyes widened to extreme proportions before sneaking out the window and making a break for the dome.
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All we had ever known was sorrow and hate. Moving through the ice did not bother us, and the measly addition of two souls did not sate us. We required more, and the cold cannot hurt us. After the eons in imprisonment, our mission still stands. To destroy the place called Ponyville. Anything green and luscious would be destroyed by us. We shall rise again.
The music is playing, the song is going, and we know, while our master may be gone, we know that our destiny is out there. While we have been charged with the destruction of Ponyville, it will not sate us. We demand more… and we will have more.
The place that was our prison is gone. The foolish ponies saw to that. One of us senses something. Something unlike anything the ponies have ever had. A city surrounded by light. A place of green in this land of ice. Like all before it, this city shall fall, its walls destroyed, and its people assimilated.
We are the Smooze… and nothing can stop us.
Come my brothers, another city stands before us. A new world of life awaits us. We are no longer bound by our master, free to roam this world and destroy it.
Long has the empire of ponies lasted.
But soon we shall destroy our oldest foe.
And the tyranny of the ponies….
Shall end.