//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Speak Now Or... // by The Tyrannical //------------------------------// No matter how long I stared at the pink bubble, I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. What is it, even? Is it some sort of protective force field? Is it impenetrable? Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me, I thought. I really hoped not. The settlement inside was my only chance, and I didn't know what I would do if it turned out I was just losing my mind. Where on earth was I? What was happening to this place? I had to save those questions for later, preferably when I wasn't on the verge of getting frostbite. With renewed haste, I made my way down the hill towards the strange dome. Only when I was not twenty steps away from it could I comprehend just how large the bubble really was. The pink bulge scaled higher than I can see, and it appeared large enough to cover thirty football fields or more! I had to admit, it was intimidating as hell. I supposed now I knew how my opponent felt whenever I got in a fight. I immediately hated the sense of feeling inferior to something else. Not only was it gigantic, but the thing didn't make any sense! The walls of the barrier didn't look thick at all; in fact it seemed as thin as paper. How was it standing up? Didn't that go against the laws of physics, or whatever? A closer look showed that it obviously wasn't made of glass. My thought process led me to believe that maybe it was some sort of advanced government science experiment to protect cities. Speaking of, I could still hardly see the one inside. All I knew for sure was that one particularly large building towered high into the sky, but still didn't pierce the dome. Seriously, where is this place? I could deal with getting my answers later, because I was positive that I was close to safety! I lumbered forward until I was right next to the force-field-looking-thing. Reaching a hand out, a thought in the back of my mind told me to pull away, as this thing could be life threatening to the touch. I shoved that thought away. It was either do this, or go back out in the snow and die of hypothermia. My hand shivering from icy weather, I reached forward with my fingers until they touched the surface of it. I grit my teeth expecting some sort of electric shock, but it never came. In fact, I didn't feel anything. My hand just passed through as if it wasn't there. Oh no, it really is just a mirage! I thought in dismay. Regardless, I kept pushing through even with the thought in my head until I was completely on the other side of the bubble. What I saw could only be described as astounding. Grass. Honest-to-god grass. There wasn't a speck of snow covering the ground, or a howling blizzard threatening to freeze my balls into icicles. In fact, the snow that was stuck in the folds of my clothes began to melt. I was so relieved that I began to laugh like an idiot. How this was possible, I didn't care! My nightmare was over, I could see my friends and family again! And then I looked towards the city. I hadn't seen anything like it before. Hundreds, maybe thousands of tiny little houses and trees surrounded the one humongous tower in a perfect circle. The humble little houses all appeared to be carved out of some sort of crystal, shades of colors ranging from rose red to turquoise. The same type of crystal was jutting out of the earth everywhere outside of the city as well, although nobody had tried to make a home out of these ones. But no matter what, my eyes always ended up at the grand centerpiece of it all; the large white castle. The very essence of it commanded attention, it was so huge. Lined with alabaster crystals and artistic designs, the titanic tower ended in a single point at the top. This looks expensive, was my first and foremost thought. I knew that earth could be strange sometimes with the places to live, but I had never even heard of something like this! One would think it would be big news, what with the force field protecting keeping this place warm and habitable in the middle of desert wasteland. Maybe I had stumbled upon a secret? But why would anybody hide that kind of technology? Just where was I? Well, surely I'd find out. I decided as soon as I stopped shivering, I'd go try to talk to some of the locals and explain my situation. I might be pretty far out still, but I could just barely make out some of the little blurs walking around on the roads. I'll get home, Janice. I promise. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX At the center of the empire, Stone Rend faced twenty other stallions lined up in a row. Each of their glittering coats altered to a purple tint by their enchanted steel armor. Any outsider might find standing underneath the castle a bit daunting, but it was an everyday occurrence for the crystal guard. "Alright, troops!" Stone Rend barked. "As I have already told the other groups, I am not your acting captain anymore." Their training forced the guards not to make a sound or move an inch, but Stone could see the worry in their eyes. "Until further notice, your acting captain is now Shining Armor," the intimidating stallion roared at them. "I can tell some of you seem a bit unnerved! Any of you want to tell me why?" He already knew what was on their minds. Most of the stallions chose to remain silent, too cowed to say anything. Seconds later, one of them in the middle of the row spoke up. "Sir. I would like to ask why Shining Armor has been promoted to Captain of the Crystal Guard, sir." Stone Rend recognized the voice well. Dusty Ore was possibly the most outspoken guard he had met, and that trait had gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. "You want to know why?" the former captain parroted. "Well I don't know if any of you have noticed, but we have all been gone for a thousand years. Nopony we knew outside of this city is around anymore, save for the princesses. Cities have been built and dismantled in the time we've been gone! And if you asked me what our current relations were with Griffonia, I couldn't tell you!" Stone Rend lectured them, pacing back and forth along their line. "I think you all get my point. As things are right now, I don't have the knowledge to lead you. "Unlike me, Shining Armor, who you will all refer to as 'captain' from now on, has been born in the last century! He will be the one to bring the Crystal Guard up-to-date with current events of Equestria." Stone paused to take a look at his troops. Again, their eyes betrayed their stoic looks. "Now, see here. Shining Armor is a great leader. He is strong, stalwart, and fierce. And if you recall, he also helped to defeat Kin—" Stone fumbled with his words, remembering that monster wasn't in power anymore. "Sombra, yesterday. He is just as dedicated to the safety of this city as we are. I trust him, and I ask all of you to as well. "Now! Anything else on your minds?" They all stood silent. It seemed that Stone Rend's answer had satisfied them all. "Good. For now, you are to resume your daily patrols around the empire, but at exactly 12:00, you are all to report to Captain Shining Armor in the castle courtyard. It is there that he will train you all to be the guard that this era demands of you." Stone Rend took off his helmet. "I know that to some of you it might sound like you're going back to school." A nervous Stone Rend rubbed the back of his head with a hoof, hesitating to finish his thought. "Well, that's because that's exactly what's happening." All of their vigorous training. All of their discipline. All of their years of being in the guard. None of it stopped the loud, collective groan that escaped their mouths. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX I never thought I'd see the sun again. I laid on the warm, dry bed of heaven that was the grass, allowing the green blades to soak up the melted snow which dripped off of my fleece coat. Through the top of the dome, I could see the sun shining through. I had to say, it was a nice alternative to the snowstorm out there. Well, I figure I've been on the ground for long enough, I thought as I threw off my hood. I didn't want to waste any more time. Looking towards the settlement, I got off my rear and put it in gear. It was time to talk to some of the people down there. I had quite a ways to go before I reached the edge of the city, so of course my mind began to wander. Almost always landing on the million dollar question 'where the rollerblading Christ am I?' I was absolutely sure it wasn't America. Somewhere in Europe, maybe? I had no idea. I just hoped I wasn't breaking any laws by being inside this force-field town place. My thoughts stopped as I suddenly felt a pain in my right foot. While I was thinking to myself, I had apparently managed to step on one of those tiny crystals jutting out from the ground. This one might have been really small, but damn was it sharp! I didn't last very long jumping around on one foot, as I fell right back on my ass again. I'm really glad there were no children around, because at that moment I said some profanities that I felt disturbed for even saying. Taking off my shoe and looking underneath confirmed my thoughts. The tiny rock had poked right through my shoe just to stab me in the foot. Damn it, I had just bought these shoes a month ago. I consider myself extremely lucky that, by some miracle, it didn't draw blood. I scanned the ground for the stupid little mineral. I certainly didn't want some other unfortunate fool to step on the death trap. My eyes fell upon a jewel as blue as a Hawaiian sea. It looked barely bigger than a large marble, but the edge of it threatened murder. I was able to pull it out of the ground, with a lot of digging and extra effort. The crystal was bigger than I thought at first. Now that it was fully exposed, the thing was about as long as a comb. I don't know what compelled me to do it, (most likely the potential worth of a crystal,) but I slipped the gem in my pocket. Who knew, it might come in handy sometime. A bit of pain still occurred anytime I stood on my right foot, but I didn't want to stop and rest again. I couldn't wait any longer to get home; I've already been gone long enough as it is. The edge of town was in sight, and I'm noticing how different it is to see this place up close. Now that I can make out all the details, this city became something out of a fantasy. The crystal houses, the design of the walkways, it was all beautiful, really. It's a shame I was in such a rush. Under better circumstances, I would love to explore this place. I'd have to try and come visit here someday after I got out of here. Wherever that was. Soon, I was officially inside the town, surrounded by these crystal houses, or whatever they were. They had doors and windows, so I assumed they were houses. I mean, the doors looked really small, but whatever. I was a pretty big guy after all. Where were all the people? I swear when I walked inside the barrier, I could see people walking around like it was nobody's business. I hadn't imagined them! Now I can't find anyone to save my life. Maybe they were all inside? Looking around, I spotted the nearest crystal building and made my way to it. The house was colored a maroon color, and even had a garden out front by which, one could clearly see by the drops of water on the flower petals, was watered recently. I hated meeting new people. It's always such an awkward experience for me. But I had to get home somehow, and I didn't know where else to go to in this town. It was better to get it over with. I walked up the stairs to the front door, and knocked. I waited for quite a while before I heard a woman spout some unintelligible gibberish on the other side. Oh thank god, somebody does live here! I thought. I could hear her turning the door handle on the other side. The portal opened and... ...out stepped some sort of purple, four-legged animal.