//------------------------------// // Crystal Empire // Story: Changed // by Dream Seeker //------------------------------// Rose woke up, and walked out to the kitchen where breakfast was already cooking. Remembering yesterday, she needed to know what Twilight's response to Celestia's message was. "Twilight, what did you say to Celestia?" Rose asked, trying to keep emotion out of her voice. "How do you think she should treat the Changelings?" "I thought that your idea was the best. After consulting all of my friends, we unanimously decided that before doing anything we might regret, we should at least see what their side is." Twilight replied, smiling. "Now we have a trip to the Crystal Empire to prepare for!" Rose sighed in relief, but as Twilight reminded her of the trip to the Crystal Empire, the sigh caught in her throat. All of her worries about being caught flooded back, but she banished the thoughts from her mind as she ate her breakfast and began packing. There wasn't much to pack, as the only things she really had were saddlebags and the ten bits from yesterday. "Can I have some books to bring with me?" Rose asked Twilight hopefully. "Of course!" Twilight smiled. "But I hope you realize that you should go out any see the sights while you're there! For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Rose gulped, realizing that it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. Because her lifetime might be shortened considerably by her visit. ----------The Crystal Empire---------- Rose and Twilight got off the train, taking a cab to the castle in the center of the city. Entering the range of the Crystal Heart, Rose's eyes opened wide in surprise. The sheer amount of love in the air was staggering! Just by passively draining, Rose felt herself fill up with more energy than all the energy she had ever felt as a Changeling combined. Breakfast during her first day at the hive was almost nothing compared to this! Entering the castle, Rose felt her nervousness increase. If anypony could stop her, it was the rulers of the Crystal Empire. Misinterpreting Rose's nervousness, Twilight attempted to cheer up her student. "It'll be fine! Shining and Cadence are very kind and compassionate rulers. They don't bite." Rose and Twilight entered the throne room, Rose gazing in awe at the crystalline structures around her. "Presenting Twilight Sparkle and Rose Bloom, Celestia's personal prodigy and... Celestia's personal prodigy's personal prodigy?" the guard announcing the titles said, confused. Cadence giggled. "Twilight! So nice to see you!" "Sunshine, Sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" Cadence and Twilight chanted, simultaneously doing the motions that went with the words. "Twily!" Shining Armor said, giving his sister a noogie. "And you are Twilight's student?" Cadence asked Rose, smiling. "Yes." Rose said quietly, head down and shuffling her hooves. Cadence bent down to look Rose in the eyes. "You saved many ponies. On behalf of the Crystal Empire, I thank you. Twilight is my sister-in-law, and you are her student. I'd say you're already part of the family. Don't be afraid." Rose looked up at Cadence, and smiled. "Thank you. I've never met royalty before, I was nervous." Cadence chuckled. "Technically, Twilight is royalty. She's related to me and Shining." Rose contemplated that. "I've never thought of that before." "Anyway, I heard you helped Twilight help Celestia decide about the Changeling situation." Rose blushed. "Yes, but I just gave my opinion. It's not like it matters much." "On the contrary, Celestia decided to use your suggestion. You might even be able to ask the Changelings some questions!" On the inside, Rose winced. The interrogation would probably ruin everything. On the outside, Rose smiled. She couldn't let Cadence know that she was a Changeling. "Wow, really? What will you ask them?" Cadence thought about that for a moment. "Well, I'll start by asking them their names. Then, I'll ask a few questions about home, maybe make them feel a little more comfortable. I'll bet Twilight will ask them about various science knowledge they may have that we don't, and Celestia and Luna will probably ask about why they live in secret and attacked us. The one pony I don't know as well as I would like that will be asking questions is you. What will you ask?" Rose thought about that for a moment. "I'll ask them if they enjoyed being a pony, even if temporarily. Maybe a few questions about their life in disguise?" Cadence smiled. "Good choice. I don't think anypony else would have thought of that. You think differently from everypony else, but that's often a good thing. Don't let anypony tell you otherwise." By this time, Twilight and Shining had finished their discussion, and Cadence and Shining had work to do. Twilight and Rose were given a tour guide, so Rose could see the sights around the empire. Twilight had already seen it, but asked the tour guide to do the throne room last. She had something to show Rose there at the end. Crystal Empire showcase montage! "-and that's the tour!" the tour guide finished. "Any questions?" "Nope!" Rose said. "Then that's all! Goodbye." the guide said, leaving. "Rose?" Twilight said carefully. "Yes?" "Don't tell anypony about this. I mean anypony. Alright?" "Sure." Rose said slowly. Rose watched in awe as Twilight's eyes went green, and shadowy smoke appeared around her eyes. A spell was cast, and it revealed a giant staircase going down. "What was that?" Rose asked, surprised. "Dark magic." Twilight replied grimly. "Dark magic exists?" Rose asked excitedly. "Yes. However, overuse of dark magic can twist you in ways you don't even want to think about. I rarely use it. Jump off, I have a spell to cushion the fall." Rose gulped, looking down. Closing her eyes, she jumped, Twilight following soon after, her horn alight with magic. They landed with a dull thud, Twilight's cushioning spell worked so well the ground felt like a pillow. Twilight grinned. "Now for the fun part!" Twilight used a powerful magic beam to open a door, and they both stepped through. Twilight cast an reverse-gravity spell, allowing the two of them to slide up the stairway. Soon, they reached the top, where Twilight turned gravity back to normal. They walked to the center of the spire. "This is the tallest point in the Crystal Empire." Twilight said, smiling. "King Sombra hid the Crystal Heart here a long time ago. It's such a beautiful view, isn't it." Rose gazed out across the Crystal Empire, amazed. "It looks like a spiderweb." she commented. "I noticed that too, when I first came here." The two of them sat there, watching the sun set over the beautiful city, the crystals reflecting the red glow of the sun. Finally, it was over. "Time to go back." Twilight sighed. "Thank you." Rose smiled. "I'm very glad you showed me this, it was amazing." Rose and Twilight travled back across the stairs, glad that they didn't have to climb up and down them manually. Reaching the throne room, they met up with Shining and Cadence. "Where were you?" Shining asked, concerned. "Oh, I was just showing Rose some places in the castle that the tour guide couldn't reach." Twilight replied, smiling. "We were worried." Cadence replied. "Sorry, I guess I should have told you." Twilight blushed sheepishly. "It's alright." Shining replied, giving Twilight a hug. "Now, I have a few guards to guide you to your guest rooms." "Of course." Twilight said. "I'd like to visit more often, by the way. Maybe you could arrange that?" she asked hopefully. "Sure!" Cadence replied. "We'd love to have you over more often!" "Goodnight." Twilight called softly, as she left the room with Rose. Guards took them to their respective guest rooms, and they slept soundly until next morning. ----------The Next Morning---------- "Good morning!" Twilight said to Rose as they met up in the throne room. "We have to get going, or we'll miss the train!" "Wait!" Rose called. "First can I get a crystal as a souvenir?" Twilight smiled. "I was wondering what you would do with the bits I gave you! We have an hour, I just like to be early." "An hour?!" Rose exclaimed, aghast. "That's ridiculous!" Twilight blushed. "I missed a train, once. Only once. Never again will I repeat the embarrassment. Everything I do reflects on Princess Celestia, so I have to be careful. Last time I missed an appointment with her, she sent out a third of the guard to go looking for me! They found me reading in bed. I lost track of time." "I promise I won't make you late!" Rose said, determined. "In fact, I'll probably find a good store while we walk to the station!" "Then let's get going!" Twilight smiled. A few minutes later, they were down the street, opting to walk instead of taking a cab so they could stop to shop if they saw something they liked. As they were passing a store, Rose turned her head and stopped. "What is it?" Twilight asked. "That... crystal..." Rose breathed, looking at a store window. "You mean, the big one in the center? The one that costs, a thousand bits?" Twilight asked, reading the price tag. "I don't think you can afford that. I don't think I can afford that!" "No, not that one. The other one!" Rose said, pointing. "You mean, that little one, that costs 12 bits?" Twilight asked. "You can't afford that either." "Then I'll have to bargain." Rose said, determined to get it. She entered the store, to talk to the clerk. "Eight bits for that!" she said, pointing. "Eleven." the storekeeper said calmly. "Ten." Rose declared. "It's all I have." "Deal!" the storekeeper exclaimed, hoofing it to her as Rose passed her the bits. "Come again soon!" she called, as Rose left. As they boarded the train, Rose held her crystal carefully. It more than a hunk of crystal, it was a memory of good times, of a sunset over the Crystal Empire. She studied it, feeling its every surface by the time they reached Ponyville. Exiting the train, Rose and Twilight noticed that for some reason, everypony looked miserable. Noticing Pinkie passing by, Twilight stopped her for a moment. "What happened?" Twilight asked, confused. "Petal Blossom died." a normally chipper Pinkie Pie replied, sobbing. "She was hit by a wagon!"