Chapter 33 – Remnants of the past
Sparky's trot has stayed under Sombra's control as the stallion is forced to just hold his head straight down the light crystal road he travels.
This however has benefited the light purple mare that has trailed after her friend, her initial annoyance has turned into a more of a curiosity as to where the stallion could actually be going. The light purple mare continues to hold her distance as she continues to weave through the on coming crystal ponies that trot that she slightly crosses every so often.
However the mare's slight stalking has run it's course as she watches the light orange stallion turn towards a house. Violet stops her trot to the other side of the street as she holds her gaze to the dark magenta colored two story house.
By the door stand two large potted plates that have a few rose red closed crystal buds, however the colored house and unique plants only bring Sparky's voice up as he blinks to the door, "Why am I here?" His whisper bounces from the door as the echo to his head rings back (Somethings stallion are better left unanswered).
Sparky's hoof comes up to the door as he knocks to it.
The sound of his hoof brings the door open after a few seconds as a grayish crystally unicorn mare with pinned up dark green mane comes to the door, the mare blinks to the stallion at the door as she speaks up, "Sparky?"
Sparky is silent for a moment before he speaks up with his own slight confusion, "Starlight?"
A smile comes over the mare as she cocks her head, the mare's well spoken tone turns a little more informal as she speaks up, "H-how did you find where I lived?" A giggle comes from her as she squints her eyes, "You are not following me are you Sparky?"
From the mare's stance a chuckle rolls from Sparky as he shakes his head, "N-no I-..." (Peruse the book)
To the young pegasus's quilted voice Starlight takes a step aside, "Would you like to come insi-..."
"Who's at the door Starlight?" The feminine voice comes up behind the crystal mare as a greenish blue crystal pegasus with cyan lime mane comes next to the unicorn.
"Oh mom...This is a friend from Canterlot." Starlight steps aside in the doorway as the pegasus mare gives a friendly smile, "Oh, hello please come inside."
Sparky hesitates for a moment for Sombra's voice but it doesn't spark up as he eventually takes a step inside.
eyes blink to the mare as his wing uncurls and he extends his hoof and book towards the mare.
Violet still watches the scene from across the street but as Sparky steps inside her mind starts to replay what the stallion said before he left and as it does the light purple mare starts her trot up with a strange sadness that the young mare can't seem to understand.
As the door comes too close behind Sparky his wing uncurls and his hoof comes up to the book as he speaks up with a thought, "Um...I think this is yours."
His hoof extends towards the pegasus mare as the crystal pony stares to the book, but her friendly expression drastically changes as she looks over the old book, her tone almost drops to a more serious low as it breaks through her, "Where did you get this..."
Sparky holds his hoof out as the mare hesitates to take the book, but Sparky's unsure voice is quickly taken over as he speaks up, "I was told to bring this here..." Sparky's voice pauses as Sombra pauses for a name, "...Queen Appetite sent me."
The crystal pegasus slowly takes the book to hoof as a deep building emotion starts to crack over her face.
To her mother's expression Starlight speaks up, "What is it?"
No answer comes from the pegasus as she starts to trot from the entrance hallway, "I-..I need to sit down."
(My debt to those before us has been paid...It is time now for us to return stallion) To the echo Sparky swallows hard as he awkwardly tries to move back towards the door, "I have to go."
Starlight tightens her eyes as she swings her head between the mare that now sits to the couch in the living room and the stallion that has opened the door, the informal and friendly tone shifts as the mare speaks up, "Wait...Who did you say sent you?"
Sparky quickly dips back into the midday sun drenched world as his trot comes back up to Sombra’s control, but Starlight now follows after him as she speaks up, "You said Queen Appetite, my mother talked of this Queen, how do you know of her?"
"I-I can't talk right now." The trot doesn't halt for the mare that now walks beside him as she again speaks up, "Horse feathers, why did you say Queen Appetite, and how did you know where I lived?"
(This mare tries my patience, make quick of her.) Sombra's hold over the stallion's legs ends as Sparky slows his trot, "I meant to say Cadence, s-she sent me."
Starlight holds her eyes to the stallion for a moment as she speaks up, "OH? And what has you at the castle?"
Sparky swallows hard as he gives a little laugh, "Twilight told Violet and me that Celestia moved the school to the Crystal Empire for a little t-to study the Crystal Heart."
"What?" Starlight blinks to the words as she shakes her head, "No, we were told at Canterlot to go home, that the Unicorn school would be put on hold until Celestia or Luna came back-...Wait, is that why they are here? H-have I been kicked out?" The mare's tone only dips into sorrow for a moment as she speaks up, "You said that Violet was at the castle correct?"
Sparky nods his head as he picks his speed up trying just to break away from the mare before Sombra's tone changes, "Y-yes Violet is at the castle."
Starlight nods her head as she speaks up, "Then I shall arrive at the castle once I am prepared." Her trot shoots her head up as she holds her comment.
The words spark the stallion's head to nod as he speaks up, "Y-ya..."
The grayish mare's horn sparks up as she tugs to the stallion's mane, which causes him to stop his trot, "Hey..."
Sparky turns his eyes to the mare as she squints to her hard stare, but her voice comes up before his can come up, "You seem different...Are you ok Sparky?"
(Stallion leave this mare at once.) To the words Sparky gives a little chuckle as he starts to move from her magic until she's forced to break it, "No...I just am a little tired, Violet has been really practicing her spells um, on me."
The comment breaks Starlight's hold as she relaxes her posture and begins to speak up with a slightly shyer tone, "Oh...Of course, p-perhaps if you and Violet find time I could show you around-I,I mean you and her." A faint laugh comes from the mare as she straightens her posture, "The Crystal empire is very different from Canterlot...And I assume if what you said was true that Violet would love to find the library. There are some great pieces on the Crystal Heart in the library, that I am sure she could find interesting."
Sparky blinks to the words as he gives a simple nod, "Crystal Heart...ya." He pauses as he gives a nod, "I should get back Starlight."
The mare nods her head as she watches the light orange pegasus turn away, but her voice comes back up as she calls out one last response, "Sparky, perhaps you should tell Violet to not practice spells on you...That spell she must have did still has a strong aura to you."
Sparky's heart skips a beat as he quickly nods his head, "Ya, thanks." As his voice ends his trot comes back up with a quicker pace as he sets his eyes to the large crystal castle in the center of the city.
However the stallion's fast trot down the blue crystally street is brought to a halt as he takes his first step under the castle's under belly as a weak stallion's voice stops him, "Ah, hello again."
Sparky's ear flicks to the voice but his body stops from Sombra’s tug as he shifts his head to a old tan coated stallion, the older pony holds his bright orange eyes to Sparky as he smile, "I've been waiting for you my king, are you ready my...Friend." The smile holds as the old stallion waits for a response.
But the old stallion's stare is held to the young stallion for a little longer then he intend as Sparky just blinks not knowing how to answer the stallion.
To the silence the old stallion loses his smile as he taps his old hoof to Sparky's chest, "Can you hear me in there?" A faint old wheezing chuckle rings from the stallion as he waits for a response.
As the stallion's laugh holds Sombra’s figure starts to appear next to Sparky as the dark stallion's eyes look over the stallion...(Sparky, nod your head and repeat my words...)
The old stallions laugh ends as Sparky's sure fired words come out, "Wait out here until the heart is brought out...My Friend."
"As you wish, my king." The old stallion gives a little grin as he bows his head.
(Pegasus, find me your mare.) As the echo ends Sparky's hooves start up as he trots towards the crystal stairs.
End of chapter 33