//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: The Search // Story: My Little Senshi // by sister_mike //------------------------------// Chapter 13: The Search "She lost her Rainbow Crystal? Her element?" Rarity hissed. Twilight was surprised to hear the unicorn use that tone of language when referring to Small Lady. Pluto had adored Small Lady. "How could she let this happen?!" "It was an accident," Twilight murmured. She looked cautiously around. She had pulled Pinkie Pie and Rarity over to the side, to fill them in on what was going on. Applejack continued to feign of ponies trying to come see the crystal heart that Twilight had made, and Fluttershy was oblivious and happy in the petting zoo. "King Sombra took it before she could react. You need to calm down, Rarity." "Calm down? How can I calm down? I can't believe she kept this from her mother," Rarity said. She began to pace anxiously back and forth, her glossy mane bouncing with each step. "Do you understand what will happen, Twilight, if we can't find it? If the Elements of Harmony fail to stop this monster and we can't access the seventh element, that's it. Game over. We'll all be killed and Small Lady will be subjected to horrors I can't even imagine at the hooves of this obsessed king." "I understand all of that, Rarity. We're not going to let it happen. You need to be optimistic," Twilight said. "Spike and I are going to go search for the crystal heart and Rainbow Dash is going to go look for the four guardians. Cadance will keep up the barrier. It will all work out." "We should help you look and come along," Pinkie Pie said. "I agree," Rarity said. "You can't," Twilight said. "I need as many of you out there as possible to keep the crystal ponies from realizing that we don't have the crystal heart, and that King Sombra could break in here at any moment. I need you to keep peace and keep them away from that carving as long as possible. Applejack can't do it by herself." "Well I should help Cadance with the barrier then," Rarity said. "You don't know the spell. Just help out Applejack. Tell her what's going on. Pinkie, you let Fluttershy know what's going on too, albeit the whole senshi bit," Twilight said. Rarity opened her mouth as though to argue again, but Rainbow Dash cut her off. "The longer we stand here arguing about the plan, the closer King Sombra gets to breaking in and the less time we have to find the guardians and the crystal," she said. Rarity huffed, but ultimately nodded. She and Pinkie ran off towards their other friends to fill them in. Twilight began to pace and pace. "I don't even know where to start," Twilight said. She placed her hoof to her forehead and let out a groan. "Just start anywhere. I'm going to work my way from the outskirts of the empire in," Rainbow Dash said. "I figure it's easier to hide four sleeping guardians outside of the city." "Good plan. I'll go find Spike. As soon as you find them, inform them of what is happening and tell Cadance. Then come find me if I haven't found the heart by then." "Got it." Twilight rounded up Spike and began to search the palace. "Can you tell me a bit more of what's going on? I feel like you're holding something back, Twilight. I know you made me go with Fluttershy on purpose yesterday to distract her, and now you're frantically searching for some crystal heart? What gives?" Spike asked. "It's complicated and a lot to explain, Spike," Twilight said. "I wouldn't even know where to begin. I just need your help finding the crystal heart. It's the power that the crystal ponies used to battle King Sombra, and he's hidden it somewhere." The crystal ponies must have briefly found a way to power the heart with their love and spirits, and used it to keep away King Sombra on their own, Twilight thought. Otherwise there would be no need for the Crystal Fair and they wouldn't be so eager to see it. "What makes you think it's going to be in the palace?" Spike asked. "I don't. Rainbow Dash decided to work her way out and in of the empire, so I've decided to do the opposite. I figure we'll cross paths at one point and then we'll basically just be double checking each other's work. Both the guardians and the crystal have to be inside the empire, otherwise this whole thing is just impossible," Twilight said. "Guardians?" Spike asked. "I'm sorry, Spike, but I really don't have time to explain everything right now. Rainbow Dash is looking for specific crystal ponies right now to help Cadance with the barrier around the empire, but King Sombra has hidden them as well," Twilight said. Twilight and Spike entered the throne room. Twilight began to lift statues, looking for any hidden doorways or staircases, while Spike began to look under rugs and behind the thrones. If I were to hide something in my own castle, where would I hide it? Twilight stopped at her own thought. She paused and stared at Spike, who was lifting the pillow off of the throne. "What is it?" Spike asked. "I've got it!" Twilight said. "You know where it is?" he asked. "No, because this isn't King Sombra's castle," Twilight said. "Isn't this where he would have lived while he was in rule?" Spike asked. "Yes, but it probably didn't look like this," Twilight said. "I can't imagine a dark creature like him living in such a happy, bright atmosphere." Twilight stared at the crystal structures behind the throne. She closed her eyes and concentrated her magic. With a lot of effort, she began to mimic what she imagined dark magic would look like. How it would feel and how it would move and act. Slowly, the pillar behind the throne began to change from a white crystal to a black one. The black crystal formed a long shadow over the centre of the room and revealed a secret staircase. Twilight smiled and Spike's mouth dropped open. "Whoa... how did you do that?" he asked. They both stared down the dark, deep hole, watching as the stairs cascaded into blackness. "I just... I don't know," Twilight said. She was a little stunned herself. She hadn't even been sure if it would work, but it did. Hopefully it lead somewhere and wasn't a dead end. Twilight lit a light at the end of her horn and began to walk down the stairs. "You stay up here," she said, when she noticed that Spike had hesitated on joining her. He sighed in relief and Twilight continued down the dark, steep steps. The steps seemed to go on forever. She could barely hear Spike when he yelled "Can you see what's at the bottom yet?" "No," Twilight replied. She broke off a small chunk of rock from the wall and let it fall to the bottom. After a minute of silence, she heart the very faint clink of it hit the bottom. "Spike, can you see outside?" Twilight shouted. A moment later, Spike responded. "It's not good, Twilight. It looks like Cadance's power is fading faster. I think I see darkness already inside the barrier." Twilight gasped. She hadn't realized that Cadance was that weak. If she didn't find the crystal soon, or if Rainbow Dash didn't find the guardians, they were going to fail and Equestria was going to fall.