//------------------------------//
// 34 - Charge 
// Story: Gladiator 
// by Not_A_Hat 
//------------------------------//

"Any idea if it's working?" I whispered to Bon-Bon.
 
"Nope." She whispered back. "But I hope so." I nodded.
 
We stood behind the counter of a candy booth. Turns out, I'd worried about starvation a bit soon.
 
Sure, the Crystal Empire couldn't get more food. But the tiny burg actually produced a surprising amount. Most homes had a rooftop garden, or a patch of green out back, or even a window box. I would have expected the plants to die in a thousand years, but the stasis protecting the occupants had extended to their gardens as well.
 
In short, we made do.
 
Organizing the Crystal Fair in nine hours, though, had been physically crushing. I looked over at Pinkie, who was playing the flugelhorn and unicycling, and shook my head.
 
We had recruited the Elements, and about a dozen capable-seeming Crystal Ponies. They hadn't remembered much, but if Lyra, Bon-Bon or I pointed them in the right direction, they did pretty well. Their personalities and skills hadn't changed, so we stuck them on something they knew how to do, and they were fine as long as they acted naturally.
 
"Will this really help get our memories back?"
 
I turned to one of our aides, a fuchsia pony with a small desert island mark. She'd been extremely helpful organizing teams to clear the streets and string decorations. The Elements, the stowaways, and I, were ready to fall asleep on our feet but the newly awakened prisoners were still going strong. Apparently napping for a thousand years did that.
 
"You remember the Crystal Heart?" I pointed to where we'd placed the artifact, in the center of the Faire. The party was just getting started, although for us outsiders, it felt like late at night.
 
"I think-Ow." She winced, but forged ahead. "I think so."
 
"We took that back from Sombra, and managed to free you. But there were after-effects. If this works, it will regain its power and finish healing you." I glanced around. Things were running smoothly. Our crystal  aides knew what to do, and ponies would follow leaders. "Look, Paradise, I really need some shut-eye. If you have to wake me, fine, but it looks like things are under control."
 
"Yep!" She nodded decisively. "Go for it. Lyra set up camp in the main hall, if you want someplace quiet and out of the way."
 
"Thanks." By 'morning', we could check if the Heart was gathering energy. There wasn't much more to this plan, so if it wasn't working, we would be starting over from scratch.
 
I hoped it wouldn't come to that.
 
I found Lyra, Bon-Bon, and about half the Elements snuggled into a mound of blankets in the middle of the central hall, making a giant multicolored fuzzy pile.
 
Something caught my eye, and I stopped for a closer look. "Was that here before?" I muttered, curious.
 
When the negative crystal was burnt out of the building, the structure reverted to its pre-Sombra state. The downwards stair was now gone and the floor was whole.
 
However, directly over where I guessed the stairway would be, a strange, spiky pattern had appeared. It was all abstract curls and curves, with no obvious symbolism, but the intricate design drew the eye. I ran my fingers over it, feeling for roughness, but the stain didn't score the surface at all; the color alternated from dark to light with impossible smoothness.
 
"What, the floor?" Lyra muttered. "Was a hole there?"
 
"Well yes, but I meant...never mind." I shrugged, and dropped the subject. I rubbed my eyes, looking for a clear spot, but soon gave up. I tamped down my twitches on being close to others and made some space. "Scoot over." I gave Lyra a shove. "I'm napping too."
 
I fell asleep quickly.
 



 
We awoke to the sounds of panic. Ponies were running and yelling. Something broke, loudly.
 
Lyra and I both leaped to our feet. I was at the door, trying to assess the situation, even as my brain finished waking up.
 
I groaned as I caught on.
 
"WESLEY!"
 
A rust-red pony, with an ochre mane, was limping down the street. Magic moved sluggishly around him, still repairing his shattered body.
 
"Didn't I kill him hard enough?" I fumbled for my hammer. "Dang, this guy just won't give up!"
 
"That's the pony you shot...Shadow?"
 
"Yup. And my gun's out of power, so I can't pull that again. Even if he was obliging enough to hold still. I don't suppose you have, oh, thirteen swirls of power to spare?" I swung my hammer a few times to limber up.
 
"Hah. Nope." I stepped forward, but Lyra stopped me with a hoof. "But I won’t need that. This time, I'll take care of him. You said he's made out of crystal?"
 
"Yeah, but-"
 
"Nope nope. I'm the Jedi. Besides, I could wipe him up with one hoof; this will be a cakewalk. Tell you what, we'll make this part of your training. If you can analyze just one of my moves, I'll accelerate your lessons a bit."
 
"Um..." I hesitated, unsure. I didn't want to shove everything on to her, but Lyra glared.
 
"Trust me."
 
"Ok." I shrugged, replacing my weapon. By now, Shadow had spotted us.
 
"Wesley, I will make your demise painful beyond belief. I will torture you until-"
 
"Doubt it." I muttered.
 
"That's enough." Lyra stepped into the street, dashing forward with her incomprehensible footwork. I folded my hands behind my back and focused every ounce of concentration on her. "I don't know what you're planning for my disciple and I don't care. You're not moving one step further."
 
"Oh really?" Shadow smiled, magic starting to gather around his horn. "And how will you stop me? A half-rate like you-"
 
"You really are crystal." Lyra slipped through his defense and tapped his shoulder, eliciting a ringing noise. "How'd you do that?"
 
"He's an artificial windigo!" I called. "Like Sombra! They've got these crystal bodies the windigos use; he's the upgraded version. Probably."
 
"Ooooh. Huh."
 
"Don't ignore me!"
 
"Ok, Wes, pass that jar." I scooped up the glass jar Twilight made, and tossed it. She snagged it in her aura. We'd disabled the castle wards last night; it had taken ten minutes of searching and ten seconds of hammering.  "Look, Shady, when I'm done, I'm cramming you in this jar and taking you to face justice."
 
"You-!" He grit his teeth in rage and threw himself at her.
 
He was just as good as I remembered. But Lyra was better.
 
I strained, trying to capture her movement. It seemed to defy physics and anatomy, which meant magic, but I didn't sense casting. I ran a finger over my horn, using detection, but I only got jumbled fuzzy impressions. Magic was happening, but not spells.
 
I frowned, staring harder.
 
She was toying with him. Shadow became increasingly frustrated as his blows failed to land, or if they hit, had no effect. Lyra glanced to me after a few moments; I shrugged. She'd been giving me a chance, but I couldn't make much of it. She nodded, and touched Shadow for a split second.
 
His body started to disintegrate.
 
It fuzzed briefly, before elongating and stretching slightly. Suddenly, fractures spider webbed him, and pieces crumbled off. Shadow screamed and fought to escape, but Lyra held him fast. He diffused into mist, trying to float away, but Lyra's horn pulsed gently, and she caught him there, too. My eyes narrowed as ripples ran through his gaseous form, squeezing and flattening it in intricate patterns. Where had I seen that before? I rubbed my jaw, and tried to grasp the elusive thought as Lyra forced him into the jar, sealing the lid. Pitiful wails, thin through the glass, demonstrated futile attempts to escape as the mist swirled angrily.
 
"So?" Lyra asked, trotted back and passed me the jar. I accepted reluctantly; it was strangely warm, and buzzed slightly. "Got anything?"
 
"Maybe." She gave me an impressed glance. "I'm not sure. I need to think about it."
 
"Ok." She nodded. "Let me know when we're back." I smiled; she had no doubt whatsoever.
 
"He really wasn't a challenge for you. I wish we'd known you were along earlier."
 
"Heh, sorry." She shrugged. "I guess...well, we'll pay the penalty to Celestia. But you really did hurt him; he was in a bad way already. You maybe could have taken him yourself, with a generous dose of luck. And being made out of crystal isn't an advantage against my methods."
 
"Hum." I filed that away for future examination, and glanced around. "He did a number on our party."
 
The Crystal Ponies were starting to emerge from their homes, casting wary glances. I smiled; several looked markedly better.
 
"It's alright!" I yelled. "He's gone; you can come on out, now!" I spotted Paradise, and walked over. "How's things?"
 
"Well..." She grimaced. "See for yourself. The Crystal Heart glows, but...I don't know if we'll get further. It hasn't brightened for several hours."
 
I frowned, and walked over. Sure enough, it now sparkled gently. As I watched, a Crystal Pony gazed deep into its depths. A few sparkles floated over him, and he brightened noticeably. The luminance returned to the Heart, but didn't increase the glow.
 
"What do you think?" I asked Lyra.
 
"Paradise is right. It's capped out." She glanced around. "We're missing something. In the Faire, the ponies memories, or the surroundings..." She glanced up, as if searching for the sun. "Anyways, I don't think this will be enough." I sighed, and checked my watch. It was nearly ten; our deadline for outside support was near. "Still." She rubbed her jaw. "Maybe we can work with what we've got."
 
"Huh?" I glanced up. She was looking at Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack emerging from the Crystal Palace.
 
"I've got an idea." She trotted away, returning with Twilight in tow.
 
"Morning, Wes." She yawned hugely. "It was Wes, right? Or Wesley?"
 
"Wes to my friends. Lyra, what's your plan?"
 
"Well, see, the Crystal Heart is related to the Elements."
 
"It is?"
 
"Yup. Some ponies, including me, believe they were both made by Clover the Clever."
 
"I thought she lived in the Ever Free City."
 
"Well, I’m not saying it’s perfect. But she fought the Windigos. They were never that far south."
 
"Huh." I looked to Twilight. "So, you're thinking..."
 
Lyra turned to Twilight. "Maybe, just maybe, your attunement to the Element of Magic will let you draw on the energy in the Crystal Heart. If so, you can try to contact somepony outside."
 
"But..." I frowned. "Would that work?" I turned to Twilight. "No offense, but you don't remember complicated spells."
 
"Right." She frowned. "I can cast little bits by habit, but this mental block is incredibly frustrating. From your words, I should be a lot more helpful than I am."
 
"Don't sweat it." I waved a hand. "You couldn't have known." I wanted to say it wasn't her fault, but technically, it was. Team leader meant you were responsible, simple as that. Still, I doubt anypony could have done better, given who and what we were faced with. Sombra had outmaneuvered Celestia in this.
 
"Ah, but you're missing something." Lyra held up a hoof. "Somepony outside, close to Twilight, has a connection to the Crystal Heart."
 
"Who...Cadence!" I grinned, remembering her cutie mark. "Will that really work?"
 
"No idea." Lyra shrugged. "But it's possible, given our tools." She nodded to the Heart. "Nopony has ever quantified Clover's magic. Seriously; the formulation of the Elements seems to encompasses the entire idea of magic as a whole. They're phenomenotionally absurd. The Heart has myriad unknown capabilities. Cutie marks also defy hard rules. They're amazingly adaptable."
 
"Cadence." Twilight rubbed her head, thinking. "Cadence. I know her. I...owwwww..."
 
"Don't..." I stopped. I wanted to ask her to stop hurting herself, but suddenly felt like a hypocrite. If she needed to do this, could I tell her no? Was I the only one allowed to face danger for the team? As much as I wanted to protect my friends, sometimes they didn't need me. "Be careful," I said instead.
 
"What do I do?" She turned to Lyra.
 
"Do your element thing?"
 
"Not helpful." I turned to Twilight. "Look, I don't know much about activating the Elements, but let's start with this." I lifted the Heart from the pedestal, getting a few confused looks, and sat. The others followed my lead. I placed the Heart in the center of our circle. "Put a hoof on it." Twilight complied. "Close your eyes. Try and focus on the feelings of love, unity, peace, and acceptance." Lyra's eyes lit as the Heart started glowing, effervescent sparkles swirling around Twilight.
 
"Now what?"
 
I frowned. That wasn't enough? I could feel the pulse of power, tugging at my chest.
 
"Um." I thought for a few seconds, and looked to Lyra. She shrugged. I traced my mind back, looking for paths of thought that would help in this circumstance. What did I know about memory...?
 
Suddenly an idea came, but I winced and grimaced.
 
"Ok, I've got something. But...it may be pretty unpleasant."
 
Lyra gave Twilight a concerned look.
 
"Go for it," Twilight said.
 
"You sure? It might hurt."
 
"Do it! I'm sick of not being able to think. And somehow, I need to do this. It's my responsibility."
 
"...fine. Listen to what I say, think about it. I can't predict the effect of your memory block, so be careful. If it seriously hurts, stop. Injuring yourself won't help." Probably.
 
"Go."
 
I drew in a deep breath.
 
"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake-"
 
"-Clap your hooves, and-OWCH!" Twilight grimaced, pain twisting across her face. But as she did, the Heart flashed. Bright. Brilliant. Dazzling and blinding. I felt the pulse of power, the magic skittering across my brain and chest as the backlash thrummed through my crystal and the link tried to form. Unlike the power of the Elements, though, this didn't hurt.
 
I don't know how long I sat, suspended in a luminescent void. But when my sight came back, the first thing I saw was sunlight. Real, white, warm sunshine, spilling across the city and throwing sparkles off a hundred glittering crystals. My spirit soared with joy, and laughter bubbled up from my soul.
 
"We made it!" I sprang to my feet in excitement and threw my hands in the air. The sudden relief of tension made me feel like I could fly. "We made it!" I wiped a tear from my eye. We'd made it.
 
"Yaaaaay!" The two ponies suddenly grabbed me, pulling me into a group hug.
 
"Ooof." Surprised, I nearly fell. But I recovered, and hugged them back.
 
It was done. We were out.
 
"Memory back?"
 
"Oh, yes. Being able to think feels so good!"
 
We slowly disengaged. The crowd was all making similar sounds of surprise and delight, reunions, remembrances, and recollections sparking a hundred joyful cries.
 
"You're see-through!" I exclaimed, looking at Twilight and Lyra, then down at myself. "Me too?"
 
I flexed a hand, marveling at the change. My flesh looked like it was made from colored glass. If I stared closely, I could even see traces of the bones and blood moving under my skin. My clothes, thankfully, had kept their opacity.
 
"We're Crystal Ponies!" Lyra exclaimed, giving a little hop-skip. "I bet I look fabulous!" Twilight and I exchanged glances.
 
"Rarity!" We exclaimed.
 
"And the rest," Twilight said. "We need to gather our team and contact the Princesses. And Shiny." I nodded.
 
"What happened to the Heart?" I asked. Lyra pointed upwards. Floating over our heads, glowing brightly and spreading magic across the city, the Crystal Heart hung in the air, finally cleansed of evil. I felt a strange, warm glow in my chest. It was...pride? Accomplishment? I basked in the feeling. We actually accomplished our mission, and it felt really, really good.
 
"We did it." I repeated, this time more slowly. The challenges had been immense, but we had stepped up and faced each one down. "Against all odds. We really pulled through."
 
"Yeah." Twilight leaned against me for a second. "We really did."
 
"Good job, Fearless Leader." I ruffled her mane playfully.
 
"Hey!" She shot me a disapproving look. "Don't thank me. I nearly doomed us by failing to disarm that trap."
 
"That's not how it works." I help a cautionary finger as we started towards the rest of the Bearers. "As our leader, you're held responsible if we fail. But! You are also responsible if we succeed. And guess what? We did! So, it's your fault. You did a good job, and you can't tell anypony you didn't."
 
A bemused look crossed her face, but she smiled.
 
"So, you're saying…as long as we pull through, I'm doing OK?"
 
"Yup."
 
"Well then!" She sighed in relief. "Maybe leading won't be so bad. I don't think I'll ever fail with my friends behind me."
 
"That's the spirit!" I cheered her on. "Hey!" I yelled to the other five, who had gathered in a knot and were sharing a joyful reunion. "How are you all?"
 
"Fabulous~!" They cheered together. Rarity stamped a hoof in annoyance, but smiled good-naturedly.
 
"Dang, Wes." Rainbow flashed over. "You really came through for us."
 
"Not just me." I nodded to the two others. "It was a team effort the whole way."
 
"Lyra? What are you-"
 
"Look!" We cut off, as a wave of attention moved through the crowd. "Look, a Crystal Princess!" A series of 'oooooh's and 'aaaaaaah's followed the announcement and a pathway cleared, the ponies making a corridor from the edge of the plaza to the entrance of the palace, directly under the Crystal Heart.
 
We happened to be in the way, and were left standing clear of the crowd. Cadence and Shining, eyes wide with amazement and curiosity, slowly walked down the corridor. They had apparently been in the shockwave as well, because they shone and sparkled with the best.
 
"Twilight!" They exclaimed together, breaking into a canter.
 
"Good job." Shining congratulated her with a hug.
 
"But I-" She started, but I gave her a stern look over his shoulder. "Thanks." She ended weakly.
 
"I'm so glad you're all Ok!" Cadence swept us up in a smile. "We're here to get you out. I'm sure you all have quite the story. But first, does anything need to be wrapped up?"
 
"Um..." I drew attention, and shifted uncomfortably. "The Crystal Ponies are in the middle of their Faire right now. We can probably leave them to their celebration? But let me check with one of the organizers."
 



 
Paradise told me to go ahead; there would be no trouble here. With their memories restored, their imprisonment broken, and Sombra out of the picture, the Crystal Ponies had even more reasons to celebrate. They planned to expand the Faire to a bash that would be remembered for the next thousand years. The party planners were already ramping up their efforts. I left with the promise to return as soon as possible; if we got back within the week, the party would still have spots for us.
 
We recruited a team to help, and managed to rotate and re-rail our train, after quite a bit of preparation and planning. Shining and Cadence closed the door on their outpost, Pinkie and I fired the boiler, and we headed back to the research station.
 
By the time we arrived, a meal and showers were ready. We gratefully accepted both. While we ate, we gave the story as best we could to Shining, Princess Cadence, and Princess Luna.
 
I'd been a bit surprised by the Night Princess' presence, instead of her sister, but she'd simply waved my concern away.
 
"I don't need as much sleep as you might think," she said, in near-perfect modern. "So don't worry about me." I shrugged and complied. Worrying pointlessly didn't help anything, so I took her at her word.
 
They made a great audience. Cadence visibly drooped at the tense parts, while Shining cheered our victories. Luna asked insightful questions, and all three were fascinated by Arglefraster.
 
"This is property of the Crown." Shining declared, as soon as he got a good look at it.
 
"But Shiny!" Twilight whined.
 
"Sorry, sis." He shrugged. "Made using royal resources, on a royal commission, by royal agents? Yeah, no contest. Her Highness could probably even claim ownership of your innovations." He frowned. "If she can define them. You broke at least seven laws of magic making this."
 
"The laws of magic are a joke." I waved a forkful of cheesecake; I was currently on my third slice. Luna had donated her chef, who apparently went everywhere with her, to our meal. He was excellent, and wouldn't let anyone leave hungry. "I probably break three by breathing."
 
"Come again?" Shining gave me a quizzical stare. "The laws of magic are clearly set by the boundaries of the schools of magic, and are supposed to be inviolable."
 
"Hah. The schools of magic are picked on a whim, and the boundaries are set by tradition and happenstance. They don't define magic any more than phlogiston defined fire, or the luminiferous aether did light, or elan vital did cellular biology. All of those were science in their time."
 
"Excuse me?" He gave me another puzzled look. "What are you talking about?"
 
"Wes," Twilight interrupted, "not everypony has studied human culture."
 
"Oh." I stopped, realizing my mistake. I was used to discussing magic with Twilight. Talking to her as if she had a human education wasn't a problem, because for all intents and purposes, she did. "You explain, then." I gestured peremptorily with my fork and went back to my cheesecake. She gave me an annoyed glare, but turned to the task, outlining how we'd managed to deduce underlying rules to a few of the magical schools, based on actual physical laws most magicians ignored, that let us unify the actions into a more cohesive whole, beyond the boundaries of the 'schools' system.
 
"You are discussing a unified school." Luna interjected. "Did not Starswirl suggest something similar?"
 
"Nothing nearly that ambitious." Twilight shook her head. "We combined a mere three or four schools, and even then, only a few spells from each. Starswirl was absolutely brilliant, but I'm convinced he was going in the wrong direction. He wanted to find more and more general types of magic to encompass the specific fields. Wes has been suggesting, and I'm beginning to think he's right, that we need to find more and more specific rules, which will pull the disparate fields together. For example, we managed to merge minarchism, for the shield-structure, with kinesthism, for the acceleration gauntlet, by using phenomenotional syntax that confined the effects to particles of a certain size. Minarchism locks the air in place, while kinesthism accelerates the bullets." A look of understanding dawned for the audience.
 
"I think I get it." Shining nodded. "Hum." Luna gave the gun another glance, and then turned her stare to me. I shrugged; I would be willing to discuss physics with her whenever. She nodded.
 
"Anyways," she scooped the horseshoe up and pocketed it. "How did you end up along?" She turned to Lyra, who quailed visibly.
 
"Well, oddly enough-"
 



 
"So, what's happening to the Crystal Empire now?" I yawned and stretched, swallowing a spoonful of breakfast cereal. After our meal, we'd unanimously decided to call it a day. I'd slept well, despite the camp bed, untroubled by nightmares. Now we were discussing what to do next.
 
"No idea!" Pinkie answered. "But they're still partying. I can smell it." I shook my head, bemused; of course she could.
 
"Maybe we should go back?" Rainbow asked. "We're still sparkly."
 
"We should ask Luna along." Rarity added. We all turned to look at her. "What? She could use a little de-stressing!"
 
"And she would look fabulous in crystal, right?" Applejack asked.
 
"Well, perhaps." The fashionista grinned. "Maybe she would. Who can say?"
 
"Have fun." Lyra said sourly. "I'm being given three days hard labor for being a stow-away."
 
"Are you really surprised?" I shot her a glance. "Your interference turned out Ok, but things could have gone much, much worse. Anyways, I noticed you 'accidentally' forgot to tell Bon-Bon when we left. She's still there, isn't she? Living her dream?"
 
"Shhhhh!" My teacher gave me a death glare. "I'm hoping Luna will-"
 
"I might." The princess said, scaring her half to death. "Depending on what you're about to suggest."
 
"I was...hoping you would head back to the Crystal Empire, and enjoy the party?" she finished nervously.
 
"That," Luna exclaimed, "Sounds like…fun. Who would like to come?"
 
"OH!" Pinkie leaped out of her seat. "Me! Me! Pick me!"
 



 
The train-whistle woke me as we pulled back into Ponyville. I rubbed my eyes and gathered my stuff, double-checking I had everything.
 
We had headed back to the Empire. The party actually had continued for days. We left after only three, despite Pinkie's objections. We were guests of honor, literally paraded around town, toasted, feasted, hosted and adored. I saw dramatizations of our fight with Shadow and Twilight's re-activation of the Heart.
 
Ponies lauded us, hailing the Elements for their salvation and including me because I stood nearby. While I enjoyed the attention, I was glad it focused on Twilight; I was emotionally exhausted. I managed to stay somewhat aloof by being tall and intimidating, although I tried to maintain a pleasant smile.
 
We stayed long enough to show solidarity. The Empire wasn't big, but it was bigger than Ponyville. The days passed in a flashing, dazzling, blinding, blurring whirl of color, light, and excitement. There was food for everypony, and smiles on everypony's faces. The Empire breathed again, and they were glad.
 
But despite all the merriment, they weren't thoughtless of their future.
 
Throughout the whole thing, a few movers and shakers, the big-time operators from back when, got together. They were the sort to seize the day, and were at it again. They petitioned Luna and Cadence for help, and got it. Cadence agreed to hold the throne, since Sombra had pretty much snarled the original lines of heredity beyond recovery. Being an alicorn also gave her natural status as a leader, and her familial bond to Equestria offered much-needed political clout and stability. The Crystal Ponies also revered her cutie mark; such a deep connection to their cultural icon couldn't be ignored.
 
Luna was also involved. While the Empire wasn't destitute, they were accustomed to the support of outposts and allies from long before the modern era. Now they were an Empire in name only, and adjusting would take time. Equestria promised aid and support. The railway was nearly functional, and the Empire would receive food before the end of the week.
 
Cadence set up her court immediately, appointing the most trustworthy of the group as her cabinet, and installing herself and Shining in the hearts of the populace through judicious participation in the festivities. By the end of the party, she would be unquestioned ruler, with only a few hold-out factions that might dispute her power. With the support of the rich and powerful, and approval from the masses, even that would fade with time.
 
And, as an immortal alicorn, she had time. A new age of hope and prosperity had dawned on Sombra's demesne.
 
"Come on, Wes! We're headed home!" Pinkie bounced past, and I was pulled back to the present. I slung my pack on my back, and headed out the doors with mixed feelings. Last time I was here, somepony had been trying to make my life miserable. What would I be facing now?
 
Ready or not, I stepped forth.