“Now arriving at the Crystal Empire station. This is the end of the line folks; everypony must disembark.”
“Hey, that’s us,” Johnten said, elbowing Traev hard in the ribs to break him away from his one-sided staring contest with the Diamond of Light.
“There still hasn’t been another reaction,” Traev said, giving the golden-yellow unicorn a hard sideways glance.
“End of the line means end of the line,” Carrie said. “It can’t hurt to look around a bit until the train’s ready to return. Besides, we’ve skipped every other city and rest stop on the line, and I am sick of being on a train.” Traev grumbled as he got off his seat and walked down the aisle toward the exit, the Diamond floating just above his head.
Just before they could hop off the train, they were intercepted by a smiling conductor. “It was a pleasure having such important ponies as yourselves on this trip,” he said. “Best of luck in finding whatever it is you’re looking for here.”
“Gracias,” Traev said insincerely, brushing past the conductor to hop down onto the station platform. Carrie followed him in silence, but Johnten paused to give the conductor a more sincere thanks before disembarking.
“That was curious,” Johnten said as the team walked out of the station and into the shining crystal city proper. “We didn’t tell anyone on that train who or what we are. Do you think that pony confused us for the Order-naries?”
“That’s hardly a question,” Traev said, rolling his eyes. “Although,” he added after a second’s thought, “perhaps we could turn that to our advantage for once. Those self-righteous sellswords obviously have a strong reputation, but we’re so far away from what I assume is their normal range that the stories about them will be second- or third-hand rumors at best. We can use their identities as a cover if anyone asks any awkward questions.”
“You are unbelievable.” Traev glanced over to the human-shaped patch of shimmering air that only he and his teammates could see and hear under normal circumstances: the ghost known as Carlez Baker. “Don’t you ever tire of playing your absurd game of secrets?” he asked. “It was bad enough back on Earth, trying to hide the existence of the Bipersonality Team from the public even when it was becoming impossible, or refusing to reveal your past even though the Crystalmasks* were right on your doorstep. We just walked out on a whole bunch of ponies who have been extremely helpful, and now you want to masquerade as three of them? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it now: you have serious trust issues Traev.”
“We’re only here temporarily,” Traev said patiently. “I don’t see any value in bonding with creatures we’re never going to see again, and it isn’t fair to place them in harm’s way fighting our battles.” The Diamond suddenly started to glow, and Traev smiled with great satisfaction as he looked at it and concentrated. “You see?” he asked. “We don’t need them. The Diamond still responds to Gems that lay unclaimed by us or Vanatos. Besides, we’ll only play that card if we have to. It’s more likely we’ll just blend into the… crowds.” They’d come farther into town, and they got their first sight of the Crystal Ponies. They seemed to be everywhere, walking around and conducting perfectly ordinary business with their coats and eyes shining in a rainbow of crystalline colors. It looked like a city of living gemstones.
Awestruck though she was, Carrie managed to get off a little dig at Traev. “Oh yes, we’ll be completely invisible here.”
A mare with a pale ruby coat and a cobalt mane noticed the trio and trotted over to them with a smile that seemed to literally increase her radiance. “Hello there,” she said. “Let me guess, this is your first time visiting the Crystal Empire.”
“How could you tell?” Traev asked dryly.
“You all have that starry-eyed look,” the mare said. “It’s ok, we all understand how uniquely shiny the Crystal Empire is. First-time tourists are always overwhelmed by the beauty. My name’s Sapphire Rose, and I can show you around if you want.”
“Thanks, but we’ll be fine on our own,” Traev said. Sapphire Rose looked mildly disappointed, but walked off without pressing the issue. Traev returned to his study of the Diamond, and after a moment the glow reached out of the gem, pointing toward the center of the city. “Follow,” he instructed. The Gem led them down broad boulevards and through what appeared to be a cross between a market and a small-scale carnival. One stand’s offering of crystal berries and another selling crystal corn caught Johnten and Carrie’s interest for a moment, and the heavenly smell of cinnamon buns managed to distract even Traev at one point, but stubborn dedication and the lack of bits to purchase the tempting goods convinced the team to move on. They appeared so confident and legitimate to the ponies around them that none bothered to ask what their business was or why they were following a floating, glowing diamond.
The Diamond’s glow grew stronger the closer it was brought to the palace at the center of the city, and it seemed to be pointing to the large heart-shaped crystal set on a thin pedestal in the center of a circular plaza beneath the palace. Traev lowered the Diamond and stared in puzzlement at the heart, trying to discern its nature. “Skvetch and curse these pony eyes,” he growled quietly. “Why can’t I see the strings of magic anywhere in this world?”
“What is this thing?” Johnten asked, at a more normal volume.
“Why, that’s the Crystal Heart, of course.” Everypony jumped and yelped in fright, and upon turning around found Sapphire Rose smiling guilelessly at them.
“Where’d you come from?” Traev asked.
“I’ve been following you,” Sapphire said truthfully, “just in case you had questions about anything, like the Crystal Heart. It’s amazing, don’t you think?”
“Mm,” Carrie said, giving the Heart a critical look. “It doesn’t look like much. What’s the big deal?”
Sapphire gasped. “You don’t know?” she exclaimed. “How could you have come to visit without learning about the Crystal Heart? Well, allow me to tell you all about it. You see, the Crystal Heart is literally the heart of the Crystal Empire. It’s the source of all our magic and what makes everything and everypony that lives within its aura sparkle. It draws its power from the emotions of the Crystal Ponies; the happier we are, the more powerful the Heart is and the better protected we are from danger. I think it also has a positive effect on magic everywhere, but I’m not positive. I do know that it is our most important treasure and… what are you doing?” While Johnten and Carrie had been listening intently to Sapphire’s explanation, Traev had been walking around the Heart, glancing between it and the Diamond of Light and only partially listening to Sapphire’s lecture. She’d noticed him after he’d completed a couple of circuits, and she started to become suspicious. “You had better not be up to anything nasty,” she said, “or Princess Cadance will kick you and that diamond of yours right out of the Empire.”
“Don’t worry,” Traev assured, “I have no designs on your national treasure. I was just trying to figure out what the Diamond’s telling me. I thought it had reacted to the Heart for some reason, but now I think it’s indicating a Gem somewhere above us.” He pointed to the palace structure arcing overhead.
“Uh,” Sapphire said, looking up with a confused expression. “Oh, if you want into the palace, most of it is open to the public. Princess Cadance loves to have visitors. In fact, I think court officially opens in a few minutes.”
“Lovely,” Traev said flatly. “Well, if we have to deal with royalty, so be it.” He passed the Diamond to Johnten to pack away, and then pointed at Sapphire, saying, “Show us to the front door, if you please.”
*Alien soldiers from Traev’s version of the Shadowstar Empire, sent to recapture him.
Shining Armor’s face was creased from the troubled thoughts plaguing him as he entered the Crystal Palace throne room at his wife’s side. Cadance was well aware of his feelings and tried to project a measure of calming reassurance over him, but deep down she shared his worries. They had just come from a long-distance emergency conference with Celestia and Luna, aided by magically linked crystal mirrors kept in both Canterlot Castle and the Crystal Palace for just such purposes, and thus knew all about the sudden attack by the Dark Changelings. “We should be racing to Canterlot,” Shining said, finally giving voice to both his and Cadance’s thoughts. “It was our combined power that saved the day last time. What if it’s needed now?”
“I know, Shiney,” Cadance said, “but Aunt Celestia’s reasoning for us staying here does make sense. We don’t know if the Changelings will try to invade the Crystal Empire as well, and I can’t direct the Crystal Heart’s power of protection from anywhere but here. Besides, Twilight and her friends should be there soon, and they’ll already have the Elements of Harmony with them. With that power, and the Order-naries, the Royal Guard, and my Aunts backing them, the Changelings shouldn’t stand a chance anyway. We just need to have faith in them.”
“And make sure the Empire can serve as a fall-back position,” Shining Armor added with a sigh. “It’s just not going to be easy having to sit back and wait.”
Cadance mounted up on her throne and motioned for Shining to sit beside her, wrapping her hoof around his as he did so. “We’ll be waiting together at least,” she said warmly. “Shall we open court for the day?”
“Of course,” Shining said. Cadance cast a spell that would cause bells throughout the public areas of the palace to ring, signaling to all who were waiting that court was officially open for the day. Almost immediately, the throne room doors opened and one of the court attendants walked in and bowed briefly at the foot of the throne before speaking. “My Princess,” he said, “there is a group of ponies outside claiming to be the famous Order-naries, to use their own words, who insist that they will only speak of their business with you alone.” He started to withdraw, but Cadance held up a hoof in a forestalling gesture.
“A moment, please,” she said. The attendant nodded and stood at attention while Cadance conferred with shining Armor in low tones. “The Order-naries are supposed to be at Canterlot,” Cadance said. “So what do you make of this? Could it be Changeling infiltrators?”
“Couldn’t be,” Shining replied. “We would know if any Changelings have tried to pass through the Crystal Heart’s barrier.”
“Unless they were already here before we knew about the invasion and I altered the barrier to repel Changelings,” Cadance countered. “However, trying to mimic Ashen Blaze and the others in order to get close to us would be an oddly bold move for them.”
Shining Armor nodded in agreement. “I’ll feel better if we take a little precaution though,” he said, and then cast a spell over the throne room that would cause any Changeling that entered to revert to their true form.
“Alright, you can show them in now,” Cadance said to the attendant. The little Crystal Pony nodded and left the room. A few moments later, an ash-grey unicorn, a golden-yellow unicorn, and a brown earth pony walked in one after the other, all completely unaffected by Shining’s spell. The Crystal Princess and her consort remained inwardly tense, as neither had failed to notice an obvious discrepancy between the trio before them and their memories of earlier years.
The ash-grey pony stopped slightly ahead of his companions at the foot of the throne and executed a bow that held only a veneer of respect. “Good morrow, Princess Cadance,” he said, “I am Ashen Blaze and-”
“No, you are not,” Cadance said tersely. “I know Ashen Blaze; I’ve met him personally, and he always addresses me, almost playfully, as Madonna Cadenza. Additionally,” she added, her tone lightening slightly as a smile teased at the corners of her mouth, “your group is short one pegasus mare. No, you are not Ash, you are not Soul Mage, and you are not Gale. You’re also not Changelings, so that only leaves one possibility. You three must be that group of Order-nary look-alikes Princess Celestia told me about a few days ago when she asked the Crystal Empire to keep an eye out for highly magical gems.”
The grey pony’s jaw had dropped open partway through Cadance’s deduction, but when the brown earth pony started snickering he clamped it shut and gave her a glare. “Ok, I obviously underestimated this world’s communication quality,” he said. “Let’s start over. I’m Traev Maestron Brogalio, and these are my companions Carrie Chen and Johnten Drago. You already know about our Chaotic Gems, so I’ll cut to the chase, Princess: I have reason to believe one of them is in this castle and I’d very much like to have it, if you don’t mind.”
“We did find what we believe to be a Chaotic Gem, yesterday,” Cadance said. “But before I turn it over to you, would you please explain why you felt it was necessary to try and lie about your identities? Has something happened that makes you feel uncomfortable sharing your names with other ponies?”
“No,” Traev said. “We didn’t consider that word of us would have reached so far from Equestria already. Also, we prefer to limit any association between our battle for the Gems and the innocent residents of whatever worlds we fall into.”
Cadance looked confused. “Are you trying to tell me that all the help Twilight Sparkle and her friend have given you was all unappreciated?” she asked.
“Somewhat appreciated,” Traev allowed, “but accepted under heavy protest, as they could attest. This isn’t your fight, and we aren’t going to drag you into it.”
Shining Armor laughed incredulously. “You’ve been hanging around my little sister, and the Order-naries, for days,” he said. “Haven’t you learned by now that if anything potentially disastrous is happening, Twilight Sparkle and her friends and family will be involved? You’ve got help, whether you want it or not.”
Traev sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Fine, I’ll submit to the inevitable,” he said. “If you want to be helpful, how about getting us that Gem?”
“All right,” Cadance said. Turning to her husband, she asked, “Shining, would you please show out guests to the…” A curious look crossed her face for a few seconds, but then she shook off her distraction and cleared her throat politely. “Take them to the Gem we found,” she said to Shining, and then got off her throne. “Join me in the tower afterwards,” she added, whispering in his ear, “I think something is testing our border.” Shining nodded, and Cadance teleported away.
“Follow me, you three,” Shining Armor said to the Bipersonality ponies. He lead them out of the throne room, intending to take them down to the royal treasury, one of the most secure rooms in the palace and thus ideal for storing powerful artifacts. They got no farther than the antechamber, however, when Cadance materialized in front of them and without a word caught them all up in a teleportation spell that deposited them at the top of the palace’s tower. “Cadance?” Shining asked, troubled.
“Traev, Johnten, Carrie,” Cadance said, pointing toward one of several large crystal lenses set up at regular intervals around the edge of the tower, “could one of you possibly identify the creature out there? I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
“And you think we can identify it because…?” Traev asked as he went over to the crystal. It turned out to be enchanted to provide a magnified view of the distant border between the Crystal Empire and the snow-gripped, unclaimed lands beyond, and Traev’s grumpy attitude vanished in a blink as he saw the monster that was the subject of Cadance’s question. Eight feet tall if he was an inch, with a draconic wingspan equally wide or greater, a face fit only for a gargoyle, and his body divided into perfect quarters of glowing red, blue, yellow, and green, the demon was standing in the snow, dragging the claws of one hand along the barely visible barrier that denied him entry, staring up at the pinnacle of the palace.
“Vanatos,” Traev said grimly.
“So, it’s time then,” Johnten said, looking through the crystal himself. “He probably knows we’re here. Why is he just toying with that barrier?”
“So long as the positive emotions and confidence of the Crystal Ponies give power to the Crystal Heart, nothing of evil intent can enter the Crystal Empire,” Princess Cadance said.
“You have not seen what Vanatos is capable of,” Traev said.
“You haven’t seen the Crystal Heart expel the spirit of the unicorn that hid it and the entire Empire from Equestria for over a thousand years,” Shining Armor countered. “Even if this Vanatos does get in, he won’t find it easy to remain.”
“It’s nice that you’re so confident,” Carrie said. “We’re not trying to get away from him though; we intend to fight. Give us the Gem you found, and we’ll go out to face him somewhere where your home isn’t at risk.”
Shining nodded and walked toward the stairs at a brisk, disciplined pace. “It may be quicker if you head for the border now,” he said. “I’ll meet you there with the Gem. And remember, you don’t have to be out there alone if you don’t want to. As long as you mean no harm to the Heart, the Empire’s shield will let you pass through and protect you if you have to pull back.”
“That shouldn’t be necessary,” Traev said. “We intend to finish it quickly, and then we’ll be out of your hair for good. The offer is appreciated though, soldier.”
“The name’s Shining Armor,” the white stallion said, smiling. “Good luck.”