//------------------------------// // 96. The Crystal Empire - Part 5 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Meanwhile, in the empire, Twilight was speaking with her brother and Cadance in the throne room. After asking around the crystal pony populace failed to yield any information, they checked the local library and found a book entitled History of the Crystal Empire. Deciding to take the information she’d uncovered to them, Twilight explained, “A 'Crystal Faire'. According to this book, it was established by one of their nobles and became their most important tradition. The Faire was held every year to "renew the spirit of love and unity in the empire so they could protect it from harm". My friends and I could put it together. Everything we need to know is in the book!” “That sounds pretty promising,” Shining Armor agreed with an upbeat attitude, hoping it would bring assurance to his wife. But they both frowned to see Cadance remained in her slump, her horn continuing to shine as she provided light and love to maintain the barrier over the empire. Just looking at her, they knew she didn’t have long before she gave out from total exhaustion, only her will to protect the crystal ponies dashing away the ever-tempting desire to let it go and find solace in the slumber she so desperately wanted. “We’ll get started on it right away,” Twilight assured them, “Come on, Spike! We’ve got a Crystal Faire to put together!” The six mares, along with Spike, Blueblood, and Soarin discussed their plans and the Crystal Faire in a counsel room. They studied the book’s information of the faire, and after careful deliberation, they decided who would do what. Rainbow Dash and Soarin volunteered to perform jousting. Rarity and Blueblood decided to handle the décor, Applejack would handle catering, Fluttershy would take care of the petting zoo of tiny ewes, Pinkie (much to everypony’s chagrin) volunteered to play the crystal flugelhorn, and Twilight, with Spike’s assistance, would oversee everything, as always. Working together, the faire quickly came together. “It looks amazing!” Twilight admired everypony’s hard work, as well as the teamwork that helped piece it all together. There were tents, food stands, a pen full of crystal ewes, a jousting arena, games, all they would need for the Crystal Faire. “I don’t know how I could’ve done this without you!” Everypony smiled proudly and gave each other some well-deserved pats on the back as Twilight said, “Just one last check to make sure everything’s in place, and then the festivities can begin.” “Wha’s this thing for?” Applejack, indicating a crudely-carved heart made of crystal. “The last page of the book mentioned a crystal heart as the faire’s centerpiece,” Twilight showed the page. “So I used my magic to cut one out of a crystal block.” “Nice work, Twi,” Applejack nodded. “Kind of an eyesore though, isn’t it?” Spike muttered to Blueblood and Soarin, the both of them discreetly nodding in agreement. “Think we’re `bout ready t’ get this faire up n’ runnin’!” Applejack declared. Later, up on the citadel’s balcony, Pinkie took a deep breath and blew a few eardrums off with the flugelhorn she held, Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadance stepping out. “Hear ye, hear-” Twilight tried to announce, only for Pinkie’s horrid flugel playing to almost make her grit her teeth before she gave the pink pony the stink eye. Pinkie played a few more notes when she noticed them eyeing her, and she put it away, giggling sheepishly, “My bad.” Twilight gave her a few more seconds of the stink eye for good measure before clearing her throat. “Hear ye, hear ye! Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor do cordially invite you to attend the Crystal Faire!” The mopey, not-so-crystally crystal ponies out and about were intrigued, and almost at once they all began to brighten up, in manner and appearance, as they murmured with interest, approaching the faire with barely-contained excitement. “Come one, come all!” announced Blueblood as he led them in. “You’ll find food and drink in that direction, games and crafts this way, and the crystal heart centering it all!” The very mention of the crystal heart, Blueblood noticed, seemed to spur even greater interest and mirth from the crystal ponies. Soarin was starting to enjoy himself as well, as he glomped into a crystal berry pie, savoring each mouthful that he didn’t care if somepony thought had had lousy table manners. “Seeing all of this,” he looked up and saw some crystal mares walking and talking together, “I feel like I’m starting to remember. Things from before the king went mad…” “Me too…!” They both gasped, as their appearances and eyes brightened with gleaming color. “The Crystal Heart!” they said together. “Do you think they really have it?” “You bet we do!” Soarin yelled to them, waving his wing as he wiped his messy mouth off. “I mean, what’s the Crystal Faire without the Crystal Heart?” “It isn’t.” They looked to see the elderly crystal mare Soarin and his friends saw at the library. “The whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to lift the spirits of the crystal ponies… so the light within them can power the Crystal Heart… so that the Empire can be protected!” Soarin felt his spirits go down while the mare’s went up as she gasped, “I do work at the library!” “Uh, what’s that about… powering the heart?” Soarin asked slowly. “I just can’t believe you found it!” the librarian exclaimed. “After King Sombra’s own heart turned dark, he hid the Crystal Heart, declaring it would never again see the light of day! I only hope that after all these years, it will be as vibrant as before!” Soarin whimpered as he realized their goof, the librarian not noticing as she walked away, saying, “Mm, funnel cake!” *SHOOM, SNATCH, ZOOM, FLAP* Twilight pulled off what looked to be a tarp, and saw Soarin looking anxious but could not for the life of her understand why he’d concealed the heart she’d made. “Soarin, what’s gotten into-” “Twi! We… have a problem,” he groaned. After getting the whole story from Soarin and sharing it with Shining Armor and Cadance, Twilight worried as they stood on the balcony, her looking through the history book. “I didn’t know it was an actual relic! The book didn’t mention anything about the crystal ponies powering the heart!” “Oh horseapples…!” Shining Armor suddenly remembered. “Before Midnight tossed me through the barrier, he told me to tell you… Find the Crystal Heart! I can’t believe I forgot that!” “But what is the Crystal Heart?” Twilight asked rhetorically, as she sped-read the book until she gasped! “The last page is missing… How did I not notice that?!” “It’s alright, Twilight…” Cadance whispered before she fainted. Shining Armor catching her, a look of worry on his face. “Twily…!” he said anxiously. But before anypony could say more, they gasped to see the barrier surrounding the empire began to falter, tearing down the pristine landscape the barrier had been showing, revealing the true harsh tundra surrounding them all… and a great darkness rose like a tsunami, ready to swallow them all up.