//------------------------------// // Crystal Treason // Story: Wise Beyond Her Years // by Pen Stroke //------------------------------// Wise Beyond Her Years By Pen Stroke Preread, Edited, and Reviewed By Batty Gloom, Illustrious Q, Obselescence, El Oso Fangwarden, Kohta Izumi, Applejack-fan, Kirk Heller ===================================================================== Chapter 3 Crystal Treason ==================== The rattling of train cars and rustle of ponies with their bags roused Applejack from her nap. She tipped up her hat brim and looked out the train’s window to see the crystalline station standing proudly just outside. She had to admit, it was nice being able to travel by herself once in a while. She didn’t have to wait for Rarity to get all her bags checked. She didn’t have to deal with Rainbow Dash racing to get a particular seat. She did miss Pinkie Pie’s snack stash, but a solid nap more than made up for the sugary treats. Her legs popped as she stood up and stretched. She was the last off the train, but Applejack was okay with taking her time. The longest part of the trip was over; now it was just a trot over the hill from the station to the Crystal Empire’s outer gate. She joined the herd of ponies walking the road. A lot of them were tourists. Some were business ponies. She even saw a few crystal ponies who looked as if they were just coming home from trips abroad. Applejack could only imagine that a lot of the ponies in the Crystal Empire were eager to travel and see how Equestria had changed in a thousand years. Twilight had wanted to write ahead, to tell Cadance and Shining she was coming, but Applejack talked her out of it. She had been on the first train out of Ponyville the morning after they agreed to help Twilight. Any letter she sent by normal means would have been on the same train Applejack was on. The only way to get it there faster would be by express air mail, which was unnecessarily expensive in Applejack’s opinion, or by magic, which would have meant bothering Celestia with the task of forwarding the mail to the empire. So, despite Twilight’s protests, Applejack had gone to the empire unannounced and, so far, was enjoying being able to plot her own course through the city. There were no guards who met her at the station, no ponies expecting her to check in the moment she arrived. Yes, perhaps she was taking it a bit too easy, but there was no rush. The library and all its books were not going anywhere, and she had until the end of the week to tackle a very short list of names. In all, the simple farm mare was enjoying being able to go about her business without a lot of of the craziness that tended to follow her and her friends when they went out together. Still, at the same time, Applejack didn’t let herself wander too much. She found a place to have lunch and then made her way to the Crystal Empire’s library. As awe inspiring as ever, the sapphire toned building stood proudly. The pair of griffin statues that flanked the staircase leading to the front entrance stood silent and vigilant. And, upon slipping inside, valleys of shelves stretched out before Applejack. But unlike the first time she and her friends had come to the empire’s library, there was more life moving about the stacks of books. Multiple crystal ponies, along with a few other creatures, were mingling about. Some were putting books away, others cataloguing the library, and the rest were just patrons around to enjoy a good book. “Oh, hello again.” Applejack turned and smiled at the older crystal mare who was the head librarian, the same mare who had been idly standing in the library when she and her friends first came looking for the empire’s secret to protecting itself. “Oh, howdy there Miss...” “Lilac Scroll,” the mare replied. “Applejack,” she said as the pair shook hooves. “Looks like you’ve got this place running like a well oiled machine.” “Well, it certainly helps when you remember you are the head librarian,” Lilac joked. “So, Applejack, what brings you back to the Crystal Empire? I hope it isn’t anything troubling.” “A little, but it ain’t nothing you need to worry about. I just have some research that needs to get done for Twilight. It’s on a couple zebras from a thousand years ago.” “Zebras. Well, we do have an extensive section on Savannah. Do you have some names in particular?” Applejack nodded, reaching into her saddlebags and withdrawing a short scroll. “Yep, I do got a few, but there are two names Twilight really wanted me to focus on first. Does the name Wise Word ring a bell?” “Oh, of course. We have the most complete transcription of her speeches, lectures, forums, and philosophy. It was written by a mare who followed Wise Word around Equestria, like an acolyte to her teachings, and that pony documented everything. The original book was given to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and was kept in the archives of the old castle. The first copy made of it was brought here to the Crystal Empire for safe keeping. A wise decision, in hindsight, considering the princesses’ old castle and likely the original transcript were lost to the Everfree Forest. “We’re just lucky Sombra was something of a scholar before he took over. Other conquerors might have burned such treasured books to legitimize their rule.” A small shiver crawled down Lilac’s spine as she looked across the library, picturing it flames for just a moment. “Though, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out he kept the library around just so he could, in time, figure out a way to defeat Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.” “Would a book like that really be in this here library?” “If it is, then it’s a secret well hidden by the shelves,” Lilac mused, running her hoof across a few nearby books. “I guess it’d be hard for any one pony to know everything about this place,” Applejack said. “Still, is there any chance I could get a look at that book? I just need to check a few things about what Wise Word did right before she disappeared.” “I don’t know. It’s in the most secure part of the library. You’d need royal permission from Princess Cadance before I could let you in there. I mean, considering all you’ve done for the empire, I suppose I could sneak you in just this once. But, I—” “Hey, you don’t need to go bending the rules for me,” Applejack assured her. “I’m gonna go talk to the princess later anyway. I’ll get that royal permission and come back bright and early tomorrow morning.” “I appreciate it,” Lilac said. “I never knew Wise Word personally, but my mother listened to her lectures numerous times when she was young. The way my mother used to go on about her, you’d think Wise Word was the princess of wisdom. I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if I snuck you in and something were to happen to the rare books in that part of the library. Not to say that I think you’d damage anything on purpose. No, I’m sure you’d be careful, I’m just—” “It’s all right. I know these hooves of mine look rough from workin’ the farm,” Applejack said with a chuckle before looking back at her list. “And don’t you feel guilty about keeping me out either. I’ve got a few other names we could look into until I can come back tomorrow. So, have you ever heard the name Grass Snake?” The smile on Lilac’s face and the gentle flutter of laughter in her voice drained away. Her whole body seemed to darken, her mane drooping as the shimmer of her coat faded back to a dull, opaque color. It was like Sombra had just stepped up behind her and whispered some dark threat into her ear. “Grass Snake? You want to know about Grass Snake? Why would you want to know about her?” Applejack cocked her head to one side, noticing Lilac take a step back in fear. “Is everything okay, Sugarcube? You’re lookin’ pale.” “Applejack, I know you’ve done a lot for the empire and that you don’t know a lot of our customs. But, just like nopony wants to talk about Sombra now that he’s gone, no one wants to talk about Grass Snake. It’s just... too soon.” Lilac snatched the paper from Applejack’s hoof, her smile returning as she latched onto her distraction. “Why don’t we just skip her and go to the others on the list? Ah, yes, I have lots of books about these other zebras. Just give me a moment and I’ll pull them from the shelves for you.” With that, Lilac was gone, disappearing around a corner and leaving a dumbfounded Applejack in her wake. ~~~ “Applejack, you’ve been so quiet. Is something wrong?” Snapped out of her thoughts, Applejack looked up from her dinner plate and across the table. After spending the afternoon in the library, she had finally made her way to the castle. Shining Armor and Cadance graciously welcomed her to the empire, their hospitality reminding Applejack of the down home welcome her own family was famous for. They talked about the upcoming Equestria Games and the empire’s preparations. Shining Armor even convinced Applejack to show some of their athletes in training a few tricks she had learned through her years in the rodeo. But through it all, Applejack’s thoughts kept drifting back to how frightened Lilac had been. She had never been able to bring the subject of Grass Snake back up with the head librarian, but now, as she looked at the royal couple, she couldn’t force the thought out of her head. “Have I told y’all why I’m even here yet?” Shining Armor shook his head before putting a bit of food in his mouth. “No. We just thought you were here for vacation.” “From what we’ve heard from Twilight, you sound like a pony who deserves a lot more time to rest than you actually get,” Cadance added before shooting a quick glare at Shining for talking with food in his mouth. “I won’t deny, there’s always something needin’ doing on the farm, but I’m not really here to relax. Twilight’s got herself wound up about some conspiracy she thinks is going on in Equestria, and I’m here tryin’ to find some information on it.” “Is Twilight all right?” “Well, she was a little bit nutty when Rarity brought her to see the rest of us,” Applejack admitted. “She calmed down though after we all had a good talk about what she thought was goin’ on. Honestly, I didn’t believe most of what she said at first, but now I’m startin’ to really worry something is goin’ on.” “And why are you worried?” Shining Armor asked. “Well, Twilight sent me here to get some information on a couple of zebras. For some reason, these zebra are all livin’ their lives and disappearin’ under some very similar circumstances, usually after doin’ some really big things in the little time they were around. But the reason I’m worried is that, when I mentioned a name to the librarian this afternoon, she got as scared as if King Sombra had just walked in the door.” Cadance and Shining glanced at one another, beginning to share in Applejack’s concern. “What was the name?” Cadance asked. “Grass Snake.” A plate clattered to the floor, and the trio quickly turned to see a castle servant standing in the doorway to the dining room. She had been bringing in the dessert tray, but now the slices of crystal berry pie were splattered across the floor and she, like Lilac, looked like Sombra had come back from the dead. “I’m... I’m sorry, Your Highnesses. I’ll get this cleaned up and bring you more.” “It’s okay, Ruby Flask,” Cadance said, quickly getting up from her seat and moving beside the servant. “You aren’t hurt, are you?” “No, princess. I just lost my grip and the tray slipped. The only thing ruined was dessert.” “Why did you lose your grip?” Cadance asked, even as Ruby Flask began to pick up the fallen tray and plates. “Was it because of that name Applejack said?” “I-it was, your majesty.” “Why?” Shining Armor asked as he rose from the table and walked up beside Cadance. “What did that mare do?” Ruby Flask finished picking up the plates. There was still a big smear of crystal berry pie on the floor, but the bulk of the mess now rested on her tray. “I really shouldn’t say. To talk about her is to invite misfortune. She was an omen, Your Highnesses. She marked the beginning of the end.” “This has something to do with Sombra, doesn’t it?” Cadance said, speaking to the servant like a mother calming a child after a nightmare. “He’s gone now. You don’t have to be scared of him anymore.” “I know, princess, but... I really don’t know that much.” “Just tell us what you know then.” Ruby Flask shook a little, as if trying to get a chill off her spine. She then turned back to face Cadance and Shining as Applejack came to a stop beside them. “L-like I said, I don’t know much. Sombra had been around the empire for a few years. He wasn’t a tyrant when he first arrived. He was just another unicorn coming to study in the library. “The first time I saw him was right after I was hired. He came to Princess Amethyst’s open court. It wasn’t the first time he had made his petition, but it was the first time I had been attending to Princess Amethyst personally when he had come to open court. He wasn’t so scary back then. Still kind of imposing, mostly because you don’t see a lot of unicorns with that kind of height and strong build. “He actually seemed to have such good intentions back then. When he spoke to Princess Amethyst, it was with respect. He was a scholar, and he was in the empire to try and understand the magic behind the Crystal Heart. From the way he spoke, I think he wanted to magnify or replicate its power. That way, the hope and light it spread across Equestria could be shared with the whole world. “Princess Amethyst denied his request though, like she had every time before,” Ruby Flask continued. “The Crystal Heart is too powerful a relic to just let anypony toy around with it. Still, Sombra never seemed mad. Disappointed, yes, but he always used to respect the princess’s decision. “He came a few more times. I was in the throne room for a few of them, but then he stopped coming altogether. We didn't’ see him for a year. We thought he had just gone back home and abandoned his research. There were some rumors around the staff that he had just sequestered himself in the library, but we never knew for sure. “But Sombra did come back,” Ruby Flask said as she shifted on her hooves, like somepony was threatening to poke a sensitive, painful wound with a stick. “And he had Grass Snake with him. He introduced her to the court as his assistant and then went into his research again. I was in the room again, tending to the princess, and Sombra’s presentation started how it usually did. “But it soon became obvious his research had advanced by leaps and bounds. He knew things about the crystal heart and its magic that nopony else except the princess was supposed to know. Like how the castle acts as an amplifier.” “The castle is a what now?” Applejack asked, glancing up at the walls and ceiling. “An amplifier. That is why the castle reacted the way it did when Princess Cadance and the young dragon, Spike, brought the Crystal Heart to the fair. While it serves the purpose of being home to the royal family, the castle’s greatest responsibility is to spread the power of the Crystal Heart across all of Equestria. “It’s something not well known outside the empire,” Ruby Flask continued. “Sombra, however, had somehow learned or figured out exactly how the castle worked with the Crystal Heart. It was something no one on the castle staff knew about, and, to be honest, there were some rumors that Princess Amethyst herself hadn’t known the finer details. “It was about then the princess ordered us all out of the room except for her and Sombra. Even Grass Snake was asked to leave, and I was asked to wait with her until Sombra and the princess’s now private audience was over.” Ruby Flask shivered again, the messy plates rattling a little on the tray. “I did not like waiting with that mare. She was so silent. I tried to make some small talk. I wanted to know how Sombra had learned so much about the Crystal Heart. But she didn’t even acknowledge I was there. I might as well have been a potted plant.” “We thankfully didn’t have to wait long. Maybe fifteen minutes after we had been asked to leave the room, the doors to the throne room opened and Sombra came out. I expected him to look angry or disappointed, but instead he was smiling. He called to Grass Snake, said they were leaving. She lingered for only a moment, looking back into the throne room, and fell in line behind him. They left, and not long after I heard Princess Amethyst had ordered the guard to keep an eye on them. “That was the last time Sombra came to the princess’s open court,” Ruby Flask concluded as she turned to leave. “Now, I must go and fetch something to clean up the mess. I’ll have another servant bring you some new slices of pie.” “Wait, Ruby Flask, what happened after that?” Cadance asked. Ruby Flask paused just as she was about to leave. She looked back at the princess only once, a deep sorrow in her eyes. “Sombra took over, and Grass Snake made it possible by assassinating Princess Amethyst.” With that Ruby left, no longer able to bear the weight of the memories. In her wake, she left three stunned ponies. Shining Armor and Cadance looked to one another, each trying to find the words to explain what they had just heard. Applejack, however, continued to sit silently as she had through the whole story. She glared at her plate, hat brim turned down as she thought back to something Twilight had said. Before, the organization they sought to expose had seemed benevolent, but Twilight had feared it had the potential of perpetrating some truly heinous crimes. But now, that fear seemed much more real. For, if Grass Snake was part of the conspiracy, the organization didn’t just have the potential to do great evil. It had possibly been the architect behind Sombra’s rise to power. ~~~ Applejack followed behind Cadance and Shining Armor as they navigated the halls of the crystal palace. They hadn’t waited for the new slices of pie to arrive. After a few hushed words between the royal couple, they had asked Applejack to follow them. They worked their way up several staircases, almost reaching the very top of the castle and the chamber where Twilight and Spike had found the crystal heart. But before reaching the final set of stairs, the trio turned and entered another room. It was about the size of Applejack’s bedroom back home and felt more spacious from the absence of furniture. The walls were lined with square holes, looking like the display racks in Berry Punch’s juice shop, and each held in it a single, self-contained crystal. “What are we doin’ here?” Applejack asked. “We’re going to see what Sombra and Princess Amethyst talked about during those few minutes they were alone in the throne room,” Cadance said as she and Shining began to walk along the walls, searching the many crystals contained in the racks. “Just how’re we supposed to do that?” “As Ruby Flask said, the castle is much more than just a building. While not as powerful, it is just as magical as the Crystal Heart. And, like Princess Amethyst, I don’t know all of its secrets. The one thing I have learned is that it creates these memory crystals.” Cadance removed one of the gems from the wall and set it out in the center of the room. Then with a touch of her magic, the crystal came to life, displaying a miniature version of the Crystal Empire. “Hey, this looks like the thing Twilight says Princess Celestia has. She told us about it on the train ride up here when we were comin’ to help y’all deal with Sombra.” “It’s the exact same kind of crystal,” Shining Armor explained. He too removed a gem from the wall, but promptly put it back after glancing at it for just a moment. “The one Princess Celestia has was smuggled out of the empire so that she and Luna could see what was going on with Sombra. That’s why it’s able to show the transformation of the empire from what it is now to what it was under his rule.” “These crystals are the memories of the empire as remembered by the castle,” Cadance said as she took the crystal she had activated, shut it off, and put it back in its place. “A honest, unbiased record of this nation and its ponies. And, in rarer circumstances, a silent witness to the goings on within the palace walls as well.” “Here it is, Cadance.” Shining held out a crystal he had pulled from the walls, one that was slightly smaller than the others. Cadance took the crystal, looked it over, and nodded before setting the gem out in the middle of the room. Shining did the honors of awakening the crystal with his magic, and, as it floated into the air, it projected the memory it stored against the ground below it. “Clear the hall, I wish to have private words with Sombra.” Applejack took a few steps closer, coming to a stop just at the edge of the memory. The scene before her was set in the throne room, and two figures stayed prominently centered in the memory as others stepped away. Applejack was able to recognize one as Sombra. He was not the dark king she and her friends knew him as, but there was no denying who she was looking at. The other pony sat on the throne. She had regal stature, not too different from Princess Celestia and Luna, and had a purple tinted crystalline coat and matching mane. The sound of closing doors echoed from the crystal. Sombra and Princess Amethyst were alone. And, as Applejack, Cadance, and Shining Armor looked on through the memory crystal, the pair began to talk. “Sombra, where did you uncover these secrets? The nature of the relationship between the castle and the Crystal Heart is only to be known to the ruler of the empire and is only to be passed down to the heir to the throne.” “I read it in a book,” Sombra answered. His words were guarded, and he watched the princess with an unflinching gaze. The princess rose from her throne and stepped down slowly. She began to circle Sombra, like a shark in the water. “That book wouldn’t be called the Crystallinus Silenda, would it?” “No, I’m pretty sure it came from another book,” Sombra answered, feigning ignorance. “There is no other book, Sombra. The Crystallinus Silenda is the only guidebook to the magic of the Crystal Heart. It was penned by the first Crystal Queen, and has taught every heir to the throne the secrets of the empire. It is kept locked away in the most secure vault in the kingdom. “So how did you do it? How did you reach the book?” The princess questioned as she continued to circle. “Maybe your secrets aren’t as well guarded as you think they are, Your Highness,” Sombra said, his words taunting the princess despite the nonchalant way he had spoken. “And have you ever thought I could have figured it out for myself?” “And you believe yourself as wise as the first queen? Sombra, when you first came to my court, you were but a humble scholar seeking the truth. What has changed you?” “The truth, Princess. I finally found it, and I also found it quite enlightening. I mean, please stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The Crystal Empire has for centuries been the crown jewel of Equestria. It has been a beacon of hope and light for the entire kingdom. A separate principality, but still such a strong ally to Equestria the two are practically two parts of the same whole. “But that’s not how it started, is it princess?” Sombra said, his mouth turning up in a smile. “No, once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria, this empire and this castle had a much different purpose. It was meant to be the new capitol of this continent, when Equestria was set to be conquered by the last true crystal king. “And this castle was going to be what delivered the nation to him. By his own design, King Alexandrite ensured this castle could bathe Equestria and lands beyond in his influence. And, in time, they would all bow to him of their own free will, as if it was as natural as breathing. It was such a brilliant plan. Really it was. All the king had to do was stay on the throne, and the continent would have been his. “But Equestria caught wind. With the first army ever assembled by the three tribes, a siege was brought against the empire. They offered refuge for any who wished to flee, and fought all the others who remained. As I recall, that winter was particularly cold that year.” Sombra smiled, chuckling a little to himself. “It was likely the last time the Windigoes got to properly feed before Equestria fell into its comfortable daily life of peace and harmony. Still, the king was defeated, and those crystal ponies that sided with Equestria were given the empire and they chose a new queen. But that still left this castle and its original purpose. It would still send the will of the pony who sat on its throne across Equestria. This castle still sought to make itself the very capital of the nation. “So, it needed a heart transplant. Something to change its sentiment, so it would wish only to support the empire and Equestria. That’s the truth of the Crystal Empire. Despite its power, the Crystal Heart was never the empire’s greatest weapon. It is and has always been this castle, a castle once made purely of the blackest crystal.” “So then why did you come back here, Sombra?” Princess Amethyst asked as she circled Sombra still, her eyes glaring daggers at him. “Why did you come if not to petition to gain access to the crystal heart?” “Just to tell you that you were right,” Sombra said as he turned to leave, walking towards the door as if the princess had been the one gracious enough to get an audience with him. “I never did need to examine the crystal heart to find out the truth. I just needed to be pointed in the right direction and to spend a little time with a wise old king.” Princess Amethyst paled as she watched Sombra leave. The doors to the throne room opened, and through them Applejack, Shining, and Cadance caught a short glimpse of not just Grass Snake but also a younger Ruby Flask. Applejack squinted, and wished they could look back at the memory again, but Grass Snake and Sombra were already gone and some of the castle staff were coming back into the room. “Princess, are you alright?” one of the guards asked. “Yes, just... Please, go tell everypony else that wishes to see me today that I must cancel the remainder of my open court today. Also, please send somepony to the royal mausoleum. Check the casket of King Alexandrite and see if it has been disturbed. I must head to the royal vault for a moment. I will be back shortly and I expect a report on the mausoleum within the hour.” “Of course, Your Highness.” The memory stone’s light began to fade, and it floated back to the floor as the memory Applejack, Cadance, and Shining had been watching came to an end. The trio of ponies all looked to one another, their mouths unable to find the words they sought for. In all of the empire’s history they had been told, Sombra had just come to power and ruined the otherwise pristine empire. But the empire itself had a sordid history of its own. “What do you think he meant by bein’ ‘pointed in the right direction?’” Applejack asked, her mind spinning as she tried to break the silence. “Do you think Grass Snake had somethin’ to do with it?” “I don’t know,” Cadance answered as she placed the memory crystal back in its space in the racks. “The only one that would be able to tell us that is Sombra himself, and he destroyed any memory crystals the castle made of him during his rule. He probably didn’t want anypony to find out where the Crystal Heart was being kept if they happened across this room.” “Or that he had boobytrapped it,” Shining commented with a bitter snip. “So there’s no crystals about what happened after that?” Applejack asked, looking across the hundreds of gems that surrounded them. “Besides a few here that document how the empire was saved, no. That crystal was the last surviving memory the castle made of Sombra.” Applejack cursed and stomped her hoof. It was a dead end! Not only was the final fate of the past princess lost to history, but there was still no clear indication of what part Grass Snake had played in it all. She had done something, that much was clear. Sombra had left the empire, perhaps giving up on his research, and then Grass Snake did something. She did something that lead him to understanding the empire’s magic backwards and forwards and may have very well planted the first thoughts of conquest into Sombra’s head. ~~~ The guest suites in the crystal palace were amongst the finest in the kingdom. The beds were soft. The rooms were kept at a comfortable temperature. It was a place that should have lulled Applejack quickly to sleep, especially after the arguably long day she had faced. But sleep did not come to her. Applejack could only lay awake, staring at the ceiling with her maneband and hat resting on the nearby nightstand. She couldn’t stop thinking of Grass Snake, of what had happened with Princess Amethyst and Sombra. She hadn’t truly believed Twilight when she started talking about her theories. It just didn’t seem real, to think any group of ponies could have such a profound effect on the world. Of course, she and her friends were a contradiction to that belief. Just the six of them had done a lot of good in the world. They had helped Luna return, had defeated and then rehabilitated Discord, and so many other things. That realization did nothing to ease Applejack’s mind. It felt like she was scared of a monster under her bed, something that might not even really be there. The only way to be sure whether or not the danger was real was to uncover the organization, but to do that she needed to know more about Grass Snake. Was she part of the organization or not? And what did that mean if she was? How would the ponies they sought react to their secret being revealed? Were they putting themselves in danger by trying to contend with these mysterious zebras and any unseen cohorts? Paranoia was starting to get to Applejack. Her eyes wandered to the corners of the room, and the shadows that surrounded her seemed deeper than they should have been. Her heart began to race, even as she was telling herself there was nothing there. It felt like something just wasn’t right. It felt like she was being watched, like something was drawing close. She sat up in the bed and turned her head as if expecting to find somepony standing just out of the periphery of her vision. But there was no one. There wasn’t another soul in the room, but the sensation of being watched rested on Applejack’s skin. Then, a sound, a single audible snap. It came from the hallway, and, like lightning unleashed from a cloud, Applejack sprang from her bed and ran into the hall. She looked about, turning her head and ears in every direction. But there was no one and nothing. She couldn’t even see the source of the sound. All was silent, all was still, and yet she felt as if she was not alone. Then it came again. The sound was further away, but the note was exactly the same. She began to gallop, caring not for who heard her as she tromped down the halls. She chased the sound through corridor after corridor. At each intersection she would stop and listen, and every time the sensation of being watched would press down upon her again before the sound echoed from somewhere in the distance. She knew she was being lead, perhaps to a trap set by the very zebra she was there to help uncover, but Applejack didn’t let her concerns slow her hooves. She galloped with all speed, showing no fear until, finally, the sounds lead her to a single room. A room she had looked at through the light of the memory crystal just hours before. She stood in the throne room of the Crystal Empire. Striding slowly forward, Applejack looked about the room as if expecting something or someone to jump out to attack her. By the tense feeling crawling up her spine, it felt as if she would soon face King Sombra himself. Yet nothing leapt out at her. Only the uneasy feeling continued. A feeling she could not describe. It felt like her sense of balance was off, like the whole world was shifting. And as she looked out the windows of the throne room, she realized just how true that was. Like the horizon out of the window on a boat, the world beyond the castle seemed to be swaying. It was not by much. In fact, if not for how tense her mind was, she may not have noticed it at all. But, as Applejack drew close to the window, she was able to get a better sense of what was going on. Further and further the horizon line seemed to tilt, and the further she tilted herself to try and stay level. It wasn’t the ground that was moving. It was the castle. And then, just as the castle’s lean began to reach a point where it would truly become noticeable, even if one were away from a window, Applejack heard the sound again. It was clear, crystalline, and it was close. She turned abruptly, ignoring the sensation of the castle leveling itself off again as she quickly trotted to the throne. She knew she had heard it, the sound of something falling against something else, but could not see where it was coming from. But the sound came again, and, with a quick glance out the windows, Applejack could see the castle had leaned itself ever so slightly in the opposite direction. And this time, she heard exactly where the sound had come from. It was emanating from beneath the throne, and after dropping down to the floor, Applejack was able to see something glinting beneath the royal chair. It took a little effort to fish the item out. Applejack had to tilt the heavy throne to one side and reach under at the same time. More than once she almost caught her hoof beneath the throne. With a triumphant smile, she held the item in her hoof. It was a memory crystal. A bit dusty, a bit cracked, but it was a memory crystal all the same. “Okay, how do we turn this thing on?” Applejack said, turning the crystal over in her hooves. She had seen Cadance awaken the memory crystals upstairs, but that required magic. And unless she grew a unicorn horn in that very moment, she wouldn’t be able to activate it herself. Still, Applejack tried her best. She tapped on it, turned it, and even tried to bite on it a moment, like she was trying to open a tightly sealed jar of peanut butter. Biting on it proved a poor decision, though. The gem slipped free of Applejack’s grip. It clattered down the steps leading up to the throne, and spun to a stop in the center of the throne room. The jolt, however, awakened the magic within the gem. It slowly floated into the air, swaying a little as its light faltered. It was not working as it should, a side effect of the crack Applejack had noticed. The memory took shape. The throne room was the stage once more, and, once more, two ponies stood in solitude. One was Princess Amethyst, but the other was a zebra. She wore a traveling cloak with the hood pulled back, her long mane draping over her shoulders and reaching down to the knees of her front legs. “Grass Snake, you dare to * before me after what Sombra * * *.” Applejack cocked her head, watching as the memory distorted and the audio fell in and out, like a pony speaking as she covered and uncovered her mouth. The gem was damaged, but Applejack watched intently all the same. She hung on every word she could hear and focused on Grass Snake like a hawk. “Princess, I am no enemy to you * * *. I am * here to * stop * * *. “One I * * put into motion,” Princess Amethyst said coldly. “I * not plead innocence for * * *. I’ve * trapped in the web * *. I believed Sombra’s * were pure. I saw him as one to * * a *. Chaos * in these * lands, * order reigns from * * * * *. Discord will return to seek his throne. Already he plots to escape * * * *. “The Crystal Heart and Castle * strength *, strength that has been lost since * * *. Sombra had the potential to bring it *, to unlock * secrets lost in * * * * *. But just as King Alexandrite fell to the temptation of power, Sombra became corrupted * * * *. The light of the crystal * * cannot stop chaos. Balance with something else is needed * * the world * * *. “This is the * truth I * to *, something ponies across the land refuse * *. Everything must be * * equal *. Chaos and order together * * * * *.” Applejack cursed, wondering just how much of the conversation she was missing, but things were getting better. The memories were becoming clearer the longer the memory crystal ran. “And so you sought to * * * by * him to the tomb of King Alexandrite?” the princess snapped. “You sought to balance the light of the * * with the dark crystals that once defined this castle’s * *! You have only invited doom upon me and my kingdom, and you did so in fear of Discord!? He is sealed, and should he escape * * and Princess Luna will wield the Elements of Harmony against him again. But now Sombra knows the black magic of * * *. With that, he could reshape this castle into what it was under King Alexandrite’s *. He could seize control of the * Empire and Equestria.” “His power is nothing before the Crystal Heart,” Grass Snake spoke, a calm confidence in her voice. “You can stop his coup * * *. Just keep yourself safe until the * * fair, and afterward you will be * *. The dark magic he holds will be carried away by the light, like the * * * * * * *. “And what if he should attack before then?” “As long as you live, his plans are in vain. For that is the castle’s law * * *. It will bow only to the ruler of the empire and to the heirs you chose * *.” “Well then, I’ll just have to make sure I get put in the will.” It was at that moment the shadows behind Princess Amethyst’s throne seemed to spring to life, quickly encasing her. Grass Snake rushed forward and reached out to save the princess, but one of the smoky tendrils knocked her away. In a moment, Princess Amethyst was consumed by the magic as Sombra stepped out from behind the throne. “I should thank you * Snake for luring the princess out of her quarters so late at night, away from her *.” Grass Snake jumped back to her hooves and, from beneath her cloak, drew a long dagger. “Release her, Sombra, or, * * *, I will * on you * *.” “A wonderful threat,” Sombra said as he stepped to the side of the throne, the memory finally growing clear. His dark magic receded, revealing the crystal princess was alive. She, however, was not well. The rich, regal purple of her coat was darkening and her breathing was labored. “But, truthfully, you are already too late. The black crystal is poisoning her body even as we speak. Soon, she will be as subservient to me as a slave who has never tasted or even dreamed of freedom. And my first order to her is the only one that matters.” Sombra moved up close to the princess, leaning into her ear as if to whisper yet speaking loud enough Grass Snake was able to hear him from even the far side of the room. “I order you to proclaim me the new king of the Crystal Empire.” Princess Amethyst tightened her jaw and seemed to struggle against herself. But then her rebellion faded. Her eyes drooped and her head nodded slowly once before her mouth began to form the words. “I... Princess Amethyst... do hereby relinquish my power as ruler of the empire...” Grass Snake leapt forward, breaking into a sprint as she raced across the room. Sombra lashed out at her with his magic, but she jumped and dodged each incoming blow as if she was the wind bending through the branches of a tree. She drew closer and closer to the throne, dagger glinting in the moonlight from the throne room windows. “and... I bestow it... upon...” With a powerful push of her legs, Grass Snake leapt into the air, her eyes focused murderously on Sombra. The unicorn quickly brought his magic around him, to shield himself from the blade, but then Grass Snake’s gaze shifted. She turned her head and bit down hard on the dagger. And with the force of her body weight behind it, the blade drank deep of blood, of crystalline blood. “S-ss-s... S-s-s-s-s....” Princess Amethyst leaned forward, coughing and sputtering as she fell to the floor. Grass Snake drew back, and, for a moment, Sombra’s face was contorted into an expression of horror. The power he sought was slipping away from his hooves, and Grass Snake looked on. She bore no smile nor a frown. She had saved the kingdom at the cost of its most important life. “Sombra.” With the last breath on her lips, Princess Amethyst had finished her command, and a smile burst forth on Sombra’s face. With little respect for the dead, he shoved the princess away from the throne and took his seat upon it. Already the castle was responding to him. The crystal of the throne began to warp and darken, and just as the poison had flowed through Amethyst it now swam in the magic of the castle. “Grass Snake, as my first act as king, I find you guilty of treason against the empire. Your punishment shall be death.” His magic shot out at Grass Snake, this time with murderous intent. She dodged and blocked the tentacles and was starting to make her way to the door. Yet, with a loud snap, the exit closed, the dark poison of his magic already beginning to seize control. “You’re feisty as always, but I can’t have you warning the ponies of the empire. No, let them sleep, so that by morning I will have already taken over and enslaved their precious minds. In fact, why don’t you go to sleep yourself? A nice long sleep. You can dream about flying. Oh, who am I kidding? You don’t need to be dreaming. I can make you fly right now!” A toss of his head and Sombra’s magic cascaded across the room, flowing from left to right. There was no where to dodge, no way to block the magic. Grass Snake took it at full force and was tossed into the air. She crashed against one of the windows, the thin, crystalline glass shattering from her body weight. A shout escaped her lips, and her hooves reached for something to grab, but it was all too late. She flew out the window, flew into the cool night air of the empire, and then plummeted to the ground below. Sombra stood from the throne and moved to the window, looking outside just long enough to see Grass Snake’s body lying limp below. He then smiled, chuckling a little to himself as he went to retake his seat upon the throne. “I do hope the servants don’t mind cleaning up the throne room tomorrow morning. Dear Princess Amethyst made quite the mess.” Applejack watched all this in utter silence, her heart in her chest and the air cool in her lungs as she just watched Sombra sit on what was now his throne. Grass Snake had killed the princess, but not as part of Sombra’s plan. No, she had brought Sombra back for another purpose, but he hadn’t been strong enough. He hadn’t been able to resist the corrupting nature of the power he had to wield. When she realized that, Grass Snake had tried to warn the princess. And when Sombra’s plan was in motion, Grass Snake had tried to do the only thing she could to stop him and save the princess from being his slave. Applejack couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering to the steps below the throne. She stared at that one spot, as if she could see Princess Amethyst’s body lying there. Perhaps the organization had pure intentions. Perhaps they only wanted to do good in the world. Their methods, however, were flawed, and this flaw had caused them to make a mistake. And it was a mistake that cost ponies their lives and their freedom. One mistake in judgement on Grass Snake’s part had caused it all. She had trusted Sombra, and he had proven too weak. And for a moment, thoughts of her own friends crept into Applejack’s mind. They had failed before. They had failed during the changeling invasion. It was only by luck that they had been saved by Cadance and Shining Armor. What if they weren’t so lucky next time? What if they trusted somepony else and they turned out like Sombra? Applejack tried to calm her shaky breathing, tried to ignore the weakness in her knees, but still she felt like she was about to collapse right there. It was scary to see just how far one bad decision, one mistake could go. She would probably have nightmares about what she had seen for months to come. Even as Applejack began to steady herself, she looked back to the memory crystal. It was beginning to lose power, beginning to reach the end of its memory, but, as it did, the focus shifted away from Sombra. The vision of the castle went to the broken window, and then down to the streets below the castle. And there, where Grass Snake’s body should have been, was only a smear of something that had been dragged away. ===================================================================== Questions, Comments, Concerns? pen.stroke.pony@gmail.com My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic © Hasbro I do not own the intellectual properties this fan-fiction is based on. =====================================================================