“Tell me what you know!” commanded Twilight as she interrogated the Goblin that they captured at the Friendship Express.
The Goblin only shook his head sarcastically and gave a quizzical look.
“Don’t play dumb on me! I’ve already casted a translation spell so you can understand me. Now tell me where your master took our friend!” shouted Twilight as her front hooves slammed on the table.
The only respond the Goblin did was sit back, shake his head and gave a cocky smile, to which made Twilight extremely angry as smoke literally came out of her ears. As Twilight was about to explode from righteous anger and was about to give the Goblin a piece of her mind. Shining Armor intervened and spoke.
“Don’t Twiley, He’s not worth it” said Shining Armor.
“But, what about VECTOR? How will we find him? He clearly knows something!” asked Twilight as she pointed a hoof at the Goblin with her last statement.
“Like I’ve said earlier, we’re already tracking the black magical ‘hoofprint’ the culprit left from VECTOR’s room. It’ll take a while, but, we’ll find him” comforted Shining Armor as he put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, reassuring her little sister.
“But---“
“Leave this to your Big Brother Twiley. Now go to the others, they’ve been looking for you”
“Alright, just inform me of any new info you get, alright?” said Twilight as she trotted to the door.
“As you wish, Princess Twilight” answered Shining Armor with a smile. To which made Twilight roll her eyes but with a smile and left the interrogation room.
“(Now that we’re alone, I have some questions for you)” said Shining Armor in a native tongue known by the Goblin, which made the Goblin suddenly change its expression, as Shining Armor slowly trotted to the Goblin with his horn glowing.
“(You can speak our language without magic?!)” said the Goblin in a frightful tone of voice as it started to squirm in his seat.
“(Goblins, Trolls you name it. It’s part of being a captain of the royal guards to know different languages. And I’m not like my little sister, I actually know HOW to get my answers. It all just depends on what method I use, either way, Pain is always a necessary)” threatened Shining Armor as his horn grows closer and closer to the now scared Goblin.
And a loud scream can be heard just outside of the interrogation room.
***
Gathering at the Royal Gardens, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony discussed how to help find their unusual friend.
“So what’s the plan Twi?” asked Rainbow Dash
“Well, earlier, I tried to interrogate the Goblin VECTOR caught at the Friendship Express the other day” answered Twilight.
“Did you get any answers from the critter?” asked AppleJack.
“Sadly, no, it’s loyalty to its Master is pretty solid. I mean, I even tried to threaten him”
“No offence Twilight, but, do you even know HOW to threaten anypony?” asked Rainbow Dash “I mean, we should’ve let Fluttershy used the ‘Stare’ on it” she added.
“I see what you mean, Rainbow Dash, but. I think the Goblin would scare Fluttershy before she could’ve used her ‘Stare’ on her” retorted Rarity.
As the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony were at a standstill, a letter magically appeared in front of Twilight, which shocked the group. As Twilight unfolded the letter and started to read it silently, her friends also trotted next to Twilight and started to also read the letter. They were shocked at what the letter contained.
Twilight,
I hope this gets to you, my current location is somewhere at the northern mountains, where there is said to be a Crystal Empire. I don’t know the exact location but, At least you know where to start. You might be wondering how I got to send you this letter. Well, do you remember the huge red dragon that Fluttershy fended off a few years back? Well, I found him, and good thing he remembers you.
But what’s important is; King Sombra is alive, and he has a huge army at his command, from the look of things, I think he’s still not ready. I also have a hunch that, from what has transpired, I think King Sombra was the one that sent me here in Equestria, and was the one that sent those Trolls in ponyville and Goblins in the Train. I don’t know for sure yet.
Anyway, you all should get ready for a preemptive strike, while his army is still at a bare minimum. I’ll try to find this Crystal Empire, wait for me there.
VECTOR
“So V is still alive!” said Rainbow Dash in an excited tone, as she practically flew up high and did a flip.
“That’s so……Wonderful!” squeaked Fluttershy with a smile.
“Well, that solves one of our problems!” said AppleJack.
“But the beginning of another! To think that King Sombra is still alive and even has an army. Is he planning on retaking the Crystal Empire?” said Rarity with worry.
“Maybe, but an army?! Why didn’t he do that the first time he tried to retake the Crystal Empire? I need to inform the Princesses and my brother about this” said Twilight as she magical summoned a quill and note, and started to write what happened and what was about to happen.
“What about VECTY Twilight? We can’t just wait for him, right girls?” asked Pinkie with a worried look on her face.
“Pinkie’s right, Twilight. We need to rescue V; he’s in the middle of nowhere and in enemy territory to boot!”
“Bu-but he told us to wait for him…” squeaked Fluttershy
“Indeed, we need to believe in the old chap, he is far capable on his own, but Rainbow Dash has a point” retorted Rarity.
“What do you reckon we should do, Twi?” asked AppleJack, as the others turned their attention at a thinking Twilight, whilst writing a letter.
“I think, I have a plan. Rarity, Fluttershy and me will stay at the Crystal Empire and wait for VECTOR. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and AppleJack, you three will be our scouting team, look for any signs of VECTOR. Is that ok with you girls?” said Twilight as she finished writing her letter and magically sending it.
“I’ve got just one question though? What if WE get lost?” asked AppleJack
“Don’t be such a scardy-pony AJ! Or do you want to stay behind too? Cuz me and Pinks can handle being the search and rescue party!” teased Rainbow Dash as she glided next to AppleJack.
“I ain’t afraid of anything Rainbow, I for one, want to come back ALIVE. Like VECTOR mentioned in his letter, he’s in the middle of nowhere, even HE doesn’t know where he’s at. What makes you think we might not get lost? As you all remember, we only visited the Crystal Empire, 2 times! And it was only IN the Crystal Empire, not outside of it” retorted AppleJack as she leaned closer to Rainbow Dash with anger in her eyes and tone of voice.
“AppleJack is right Rainbow Dash, you girls shouldn’t head on out without a guide or a search plan. So here is what we’re gonna do.” Said Twilight as she gestured the others to come closer and tell them of her plans.
***
*THUD*
As VECTOR dropped another Goblin atop of what seems to be an 8 pile of dead Goblins. He looked behind him and stared at a huge red Dragon chained on the ground, and spoke.
“That’s the last of the guards. Now, where did you say was the key located?” asked VECTOR as he dusted himself.
“I cannot believe my eyes. For a creature like yourself, you move within the shadows like you’re a part of it” spoke the dragon with disbelief and amazement.
“Don’t flatter me. Besides, I need you to be free, so that I can get out of here as well.”
“Are you worried of your Pony friends, hmm?”
“They’re not my friends; they’re mere tools so that I can get back home”
“Too my memory; you told me that it was the King who took you from your world. So, why bother telling the other ponies of the King’s plans? Why not just deal with him and get back by yourself?”
VECTOR did not answer, and silent fell on the two for a good while. VECTOR contemplated on what the dragon said; he can clearly get what he wants. So why bother telling the others about the incoming invasion? He could just wait and let the bulk of the army go and wait for King Sombra to be atleast with minimum guards and he can take care of the King himself. So, why?
“How does your world maintain this kind of….Peace?” VECTOR asked again, and as the others heard VECTOR speak in a long while ever since they boarded the train. They trotted next to him.
“Well, not everypony is perfect, we had times of quarreling and fighting. “Answered Twilight
“And sometimes, we make super-duper wrong accusations!” added Pinkie as she looked at her friends and smiled.
“We even fight amongst our own kin” added Rarity as she looked at Applejack and gave a nostalgic grin.
“We even tend to over think the smallest of things” added Applejack with a chuckle.
“Like judging somepony just because they’re different or something as simple as finding the perfect pet” added Rainbow dash as she looked at Twilight with a giggle and then looked at a book in her bunk.
“But by the end of the day” said Fluttershy in a soft voice but with a warm smile.
And as the group of six ponies came closer to each other and gave each other the warmest of smiles, then looked at VECTOR.
“Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, Kindness, Loyalty and Magic are all that is needed to bring the Magic of Friendship to our hearts and live a life of Harmony” finished Twilight.
After a long silence between the two that seemed like an eternity, VECTOR turned around and spoke.
“Because, I’m expecting a Party” replied VECTOR as a small smile crept on VECTOR’s face behind his mask.