Chapter 32 – Leaving for them
You were not able to hold the gallop like you thought you would, and as a result your trip back through Ponyville has taken a lot longer than it should have. A few times the thought of just teleporting back to the train station crosses your mind, but there's no way you're tired out body could run through the spell.
As your fast slightly out of breath trot comes within a few hooves of the trainstation your thoughts drastically change as you relize what you're doing. A whole hive of Changelings are most likely tracking you and Twilight down, Discord has taken the only thing that can stop him and your leaving the mare of your life here in a town as she goes through a birth by herself...Why...Why does everything have to be so hard.
Your stressed out mind brings you to halt as you stop again to the older chocolate stallion that stands next to the train's door.
The stallion blinks to you for a moment as he speaks up, "Your leaving sonny?"
You nod your head as you bring your voice under control, "There's something I have to do." The words tumble in your mind for a moment as you think, it's been forever since you had to be the hero...You just hope this time your heroic act is just messanger pony.
The stallion nods his head as he beckons you on, "Well your ticket was left on the seat if you are coming aboard..."
Without a moment's hesitation you move yourself into the train as you set your eyes to the train seat that you left what felt like only moments ago. As you take your seat again you run your hoof to your head as you blow a quick and slightly shaky breath from your mouth as you just dread the split mind battle to leave or stay that continues to rage to your head.
As your breath runs from your body you move your left hoof over your left ear, you blink to the feel as a slight twinge of pain runs throughout, why does my ear hurt?-...Your mind quickly sends the answer to your question as you look out the window, come on train...
- - -
(Crystal Empire)
The guest room of the Crystal castle seems to be carved right out of the castle's interior, which brings a unique color to it. There are no lights in the castle, instead the room glows with its own bluish white color that acts as a light, most likely that is because of the sun refracting inside the crystal or perhaps some kind of chemical effect of the light of the sun on the stone.
However the decent sized room the light orange pegasus resides in from his spot on the slightly ruffled bed has no importance to him. As his mind has been caught between the dark black figure that stands in front of the empty mirror and the light purple mare and small purple dragon that sits around the table that's pushed up against the wall as they continue to try and conjure the spell Violet has been collecting for the last few days.
Really though there's no contest as Sombra's voice echos to the warm bodied stallion sitting on the bed as Sombra continues to stare into the reflection void mirror. The stallion's body no longer has a rim of shadow around it which now has started to toy with Sparky's mind as the young pegasus just holds his stare to the realistic being in the room. (...How could Appetite be alive? I saw the crystal take her from me years ago..)
Despite the different names and not knowing what the stallion is truly talking about Sparky still gives a nod to the echo as he just rocks to it a little.
(And if she is back, how can she still have the same problem as before?) Sparky gives a slow blink to the warm magic under his coat as he begins to speak to the stallion in a low and emotionless voice, "She is pregnant my king."
His words go unnoticed to both him and the pony and dragon in the room as the young stallion's slightly green glowing eyes watch the dark stallion turn around. The purple wisp that steam from Sombra's eyes spark up as the stallion's voice booms to Sparky's head, (NO, my mare could not carry a foal...This is just another sign of The white one's lies and manipulation.)
Sparky nods his head to the words as Sombra's glowed eyes start to fade, (My powers are almost full stallion, Discord should feel my presence soon...) Sombra’s stare drifts towards the two bags that lay on the bed as the echo comes back, (But there is something that must be done first...To your hoof stallion, there is something from the land before the deceitful that must be returned. Both for my sake and for others.)
To the words Sparky moves his hoof into the open satchel Violet grabbed her spell book from, the light purple mare didn't pay the extra book any mind..In fact her and Spike both don't even notice the stallion's actions as the light purple mare's desire to impress the two princesses and now her mom have taken over, to Violet even if school has been called off this day could still be the day she's able to show of the spell she has worked on for the past few days...Even if this would be the first day of doing the spell with no practice.
However as Sparky stands his hooves to the ground and moves the old book under his wing to both hide and carry it Spike's eyes turn back to the room's disturbance as he speaks up, "Where are you going?"
Violet's ear flicks to Spike's words as she looks up from the book that sits on the table in front of the few jars, her eyes come to Sparky as she gives a little smile and sparks her hooves up.
To the mare's motions Sparky snaps back to reality as he starts to stutter, "Uh...I just need to step out for a bit."
Violet blinks to the comment as she rolls her hoof and tries to remind the stallion of where he is.
But Sparky's voice comes back as he gives a little laugh, "Y-ya I don't know anypony here but I thought I could uh..." (Stallion your words have dragged me behind long enough.) Sparky's shifty and unsure tone changes as his eyes get a little wider to the thoughts that begin to explore uncontrolled from his mouth, "I have a more important pony to find right now, and I can not waste any time here to watch your spell crafting mare."
Violet and Spike just stare to the light orange pegasus as his trot comes up a little fast and he exits the room.
As the door behind Sparky closes Sombra's hold over his mind ends and the stallion is hit with the reality of what he said, but his trot has not stopped as the echo rings on, (You will be free soon enough pegasus...For now you are mine to control.)
- - -
Violet's stare to the closed crystal door turns into a more annoyed and confused squint as she stands from her seat and begins to trot after her friend.
"Wait, you're leaving too?" Spike holds his eyes to the light purple mare as Violet stops her trot, but she only gives him a simple nod as she extends her hoof to the door.
"O-oh...Well I guess I could stop by the dining room for a bit. How long will you be *gone*...Ok bye?" Spike holds his eyes to the newly closed door for a moment as he sighs and moves from his seat, "Pff, and I thought you had Twilight's manners." Spike's boyish words ring around the empty room for a moment as he just stands there.
Violet's trot through the castle's hall has held a fast pace as she tries to think over where her friend could be going, but there's no guess to the mare as she notices the light orange pegasus just now starting down the stairs that lead to the crystal empire's entrance. The light purple mare picks her trot up as she tries to trail after the stallion without him being aware of it.
End of chapter 32