Chapter 29 – FUN
It took a little longer for the two ponies and small dragon to get ready, but after a decent paced trot has brought them within sight of the train station and the ideally hissing train. It comes as no surprise that the train is not the normal bright colored train that the two young ponies road before, seeing as how the trains run all day its common to have the northbound train sometimes run south.
Although the idea of a different train conductor might pose a problem.
"Tickets please."
Violet's horn sparks up as she floats the gold train ticket that she's used every time she has road the train, the Celestia issued ticket allows you to ride the train as much as you want and it does not technically have a set destination...But as the train stallion looks over the ticket he turns his eyes to the dragon and stallion standing next to the light purple mare.
Sparky just gives a smile now slightly regretting listening to Sombra's voice, he told Violet that he didn't want to bring anything just incase he had to go; saying he could always just head back to Ponyville and get his stuff...But the stallion's stare does bring an uneasy feeling.
"Ok...Come on." With the stallion's voice he moves aside from the door.
Violet, Spike and Sparky all start to trot inside as they turn their attention to the last few train seats on the left, there's really no difference to the train other than a slightly different color to the seats and train.
There walk comes to an end as Violet float the two heavy school readied satchels to the ground and begins to take a seat; Spike follows her lead as he comes to sit next to her.
Sparky moves to the seat across from them as he moves to sit near the window, as the train's steady hiss continues to run around the room he speaks up, "So what's the Crystal Empire like?"
Violet pauses to the comment as she tries to think of the hoof motions to describe something so different, it's not really hard seeing as how she's gone there a few times because of her uncle but she still takes a moment.
The motionless hooves of the mare spark Sombra's voice as it echos to Sparky’s head, (My Empire was left with it's beauty...Or at least I know it as such, your Princess may have changed or altered my fair kingdom. OR told lies of how I ruled.)
As the echo ends Violet's hooves come up with a smile as her own explanation of the wondrous city there supposedly going to comes out.
Sombra's noise doesn't come back up as Sparky just starts to drift to the conversation Violet has started to bring up.
However it doesn't get to trial on for long as Spike speaks up, "Awww...Those crystals looks so good." The small dragon points his claws to Sparky as he speaks up, "Just wait, you'll see them." He holds a cocky smile as he continues, "I'll have you know if it wasn't for me getting the Crystal Heart that Sombra might have taken back the whole kingdom." Spike closes his eyes as he folds his claws behind his head trying to act cool, "Ya, Celestia even gave me a stained glass window in my honor."
(BHA! The dragon fell from the castle with the Heart. I shall remind this creature of it's place when I have returned...) The tone of the voice brings a new heat of magic under Sparky's coat but the young stallion holds a very simple smile over the feeling as he just tries to nod to the dragon's comment.
- - -
(Elsewhere in Equestria)
The cool wind runs past Twilight's ears as the lavender mare just holds her gaze to the happy and bright colorful leaves of the trees the two changeling pegasus pull the chariot over.
Twilight has never been one to succumb to her emotions, at least to where she is not able to quickly overcome them with a planed out strategy. But this time is different, the cold hard reality is simple; you are not by her side this time and none of the mare's friends are here so the idea of using the Element's of Harmony has just been tossed...The frazzled mare's mind was held from it's sleep yesterday, forced to listen to the voices that echoed down the hallway and forced to continue to relive the events that have put her in this current situation.
The chariot starts to drop from it's high up position over the happy world, Twilight closes her eyes hard just hoping that in some way if she clenches them hard enough that she can break this nightmare's hold...But no such thing happens as the flapping wings of the pegasus stop.
There's no words from the two pegasus as their dull eyes turn to the lavender mare. The two ponies gaze as they burn a whole to her closed lids, Twilight opens her eyes as she looks to the two stallions.
But to her gaze they hold their hooves up to the box as they just continue to stare to the lavender mare. Twilight's horn sparks up as the box moves to where they stand, without hesitation one of the pegasus stallion's brings his body up from the ground a little as he wraps his front hooves around the box.
The other holds his hoof now to the castle's entrance as Twilight slowly starts to ease her heavy body from the step up, her mouth stays closed as the stallions follow behind her as they guide her to the castle.
As the three ponies near the large double doors they start to open, no time is wasted as Twilight takes her steps inside.
The elegant wood carvings and majestic stone work doesn't make up for what the mare trots through as her heart starts to race a little. Around the main entrance of the castle there stands or hovers just above the ground sleek black emotionless blue eyed changelings, all of the ponies of the castle now stand in every hall and all around the room as the doors to the castle close and the throne room's doors that lay in front of Twilight's trot come to open.
The red regal carpet with gold trim leads up to the throne as Twilight's eyes look over the relaxed sitting misshapen creature.
"Ah Twilight! You're back! fantastic..." Discord holds a smile as he nods his head to the changelings that stand to to the pillars of the room.
To their lack of emotion he turns his head to the Countess that stand next to her throne, "Awww, you should teach your changelings to enjoy simple victories."
The pink haired mare turns her green eyes to Discord's smile as she stays silent.
"Oooh, so serious...Very well." Discord snaps his claw as he teleports in front of Twilight's trot, his tall figure hangs over her as she stares up to him in defiance.
Twilight's strong stare brings a new found joy to Discord's face as he looks to the box the pegasus brings over to him, "You know Twilight...I wonder what Celestia will think of this. You turned the Element's of Harmony over! Y-you turned over Equestria’s defense hah-aha!!" He shakes his head as he rolls through his laugh, the box comes open to a orange glow as Discord looks over the gold necklaces and crown in the center, "Mhhmmm, simply amazing what love will make a-..."
"I did what you asked..."
Discord cocks his eyes to Twilight's raised voice as he wiggles his paw hand to Twilight's sides, "Shhh, Twilight Please...Your stress could hurt the foal. AHa-ah!"
Twilight's defeated face shows but she still holds her stare as Discord's laugh starts to come down, "Very well Twilight..." He turns his eyes to where your statue stands in the room as his claw starts to glow a bright orange, "-...Your prize Twilight."
The bolt of magic strikes against your stone as it starts to crack and shift, Twilight's trot comes up as she quickly moves to where you start to appear.
The darkness over your eyes comes undone and you rush a breath to your mouth as you fall to your front hooves in a coughing fit, your mind has a haze to it much like your eyes as you pant your breath. Your right ear rings as you blink your eyes around the room, but as you do your eyes meet the smiling faces of the sleek black ponies that stand around.
With a quick jolt up you stand yourself up as you try to build your magic but you just fall to your front legs again.
Twilight bends her head down to you as she quickly speaks up, "D-don't you might hurt yourself."
You rush your eyes around the room as you continue to pant hard, "T-Twilight!..."
"Oh yes Twilight, Twilight! HAhaah!" Discord shakes his head as he rolls his claw to you, "What you should be worried about is this." As his voice comes to an end the Element's of Harmony starts to glow a bright orange as the emblems on them start to fade in color, "Tell me Twilight...Did Celestia really have you recharge these with HUMAN magic?! I-I mean really that's like putting a rock in a blender..." His light happy orange and yellow eyes start to turn a coal black as he smiles to the glowing elements, "...That magic is so unstable, wouldn't it be a shame if they just happen to lose their Harmony?"
A loud chime of magic rings through the room as the box falls to the floor empty, as the sound of the box slamming to the ground hits Discord's ears he looks over the gold crown that floats next to him.
You blink to the scene you just saw as you just stare to the only remaining Element of Harmony.
Discord's eyes hold to the gold shining crown as he slowly starts to move it towards his horned head, "I may not be able to destroy these Elements...But I can have some fun with just making them one." He turns his grin to the Countess as he nods his head, "I've had my fun...At least smile when you have yours." As his words end he looks back to you, "Ta-ta!" He snaps his claws as a orange pop comes to the room leaving his figure absent to the area.
You turn your eyes around the room as the changeling's smile turn to a hungry stare, but you turn your eyes to Twilight as you speak up for her ears only, "Why didn't you just leave?"
A simple smile comes up from her as she nuzzles her head to you and through her sniffly voice answer you, "A-all those times you told me that Equestria wasn't as important...Did you really think I thought it was more important than you?"
The sound of her slightly sniffly voice brings a faint tear to your eye as you nuzzle your head to hers, "It's going to be ok Twilight." You clench your teeth as you stand your front hooves up.
Twilight nods her head as she swallows hard, "I know..."
To your words the white coated and pink maned mare next to the throne speaks up as she holds an almost sensual tone, "Ahh, you two care deeply for each other...Please hold that feeling when we feed from it."
Her words lower every changeling’s heads as they take on a lunging or horn sparking stance.
You look over the area around you just trying to ready your tired body for anything. However you don't get to act as you feel a warm magical hold come over as the room around you takes on a bright almost whitish purple glow.
End of chapter 29