//------------------------------//
// Chapter One 
// Story: The Corruption 
// by DreamHeart 
//------------------------------//

Twilight Sparkle looked out the frosted window of the train . All she could see was the whiteness of the fluffy powder falling from the sky. She was heading to the Crystal Kingdom to look for special pearls, rubies, and mainly more crystals for the opening of a new exhibit. Mayor Mare gave her the honor of managing it, but only for a couple of days. Of course, she had to help open it first, and was sent out to look for these gems. Princess Cadence won't mind... Thought Twi.


Getting off the train, Twilight notice something shining in the corner of her eye. She was going to examine it, when a voice in front of her shouted, "Twily!". Shining Armor ran over to greet his little sister, while Twilight assumed that it was just a random crystal, there was some sort of force to it. "What are you doing here?" The sibling unicorn said.
"What? A sister can't visit her own brother?"
"That's not what I meant!" Twilight smirked at his reaction.
" I know it isn't, but I'm really her to look for some gems for an exhibit in Ponyville."
"Oh..." Said Twi's brother, rolling his eyes. " Well, come and visit  me and Cadance sometime, Ok?"
As Twi nodded "yes", as her older brother walked off to some sort of " Guard Duties". 


Later, in Ponyville, Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie were baking for the grand opening of the Ponyville's Exhibit, mainly apple cupcakes, apple tarts, apple fritters, and so on. Yet, AJ knew that Pinkie Pie was feeling down. She had her ears flat on her baby pink coat, no spark of happiness in her eye, nor a smile, and her mane was starting to droop a bit. She slowly stirred a batch of batter. AJ rolled her eyes. She knew exactly why Pinkie looked so glum.

" Pinkie, Twi's gonna be here soon, probably before dark."

" B-but its been years!" Cried out Pinkie, eyes full of tears.

AJ raised a eyebrow. " She's only been gone 'an hour or two."

"Oooh."

Almost immediately, the pink baker's ears were perked up, eyes sparkling like glitter, a huge grin, and poofy-as-ever hot pin mane. She rapidly stirred the batter, making sticky apple sweetness go every where. " Why ya' gonin' so fast Pinkie?" Apple Jack said, try to shield her eyes from the batter.

" So we'll have time to make Twilight a cake!" Well at least she considerable. Thought AJ.

Checking her bag to make sure it was on tight, Twilight stepped on to the train station. Looking up at a nearby clock she realized she was thirty minutes early. "Well, to past the time, I might as well look at thing I saw earlier." Her curiosity got the best of her, as she went back to the area where the shiny thing was. Probably just a gem. she thought again. If so she would take it to go with her collection. Or just give it to Rarity, if it wasn't valuable. She saw it. But as she continued, Twilight felt it. That force. It grew stronger and stronger the closer she got. Twilight was in a trance. She wouldn't and couldn't stop walking until she was right in front of it. Then she felt wobbly, like, After-A-Pinkie Pie-Party wobbly. When Twilight regained her focus and balance, she looked down in disbelief. That is not a gem. That is not a gem! That is not a gem! NOT A GEM! She was practically galloping in circles. "Oh my Celastia!" In front of her was a dark king's broken horn.


All of Twilight's friends were waiting at the train station for her. Pinkie was non-stop bouncing, excited that Twilight was coming back. "Ah." Groaned the rainbow manned Pegasus. "She was supposed to be here hours ago!"

"She'll be here soon, 'k Dash?" AJ replied.

"How do you know? What if something terrible happened to her!" Pinkie Pie said, as she stopped jumping.
Flutter Shy let out a squeak of fear. "Oh, don't be ridiculous! Twilight is fully capable of fending herself." The glamour pony spoke up.

Then, with a screeching halt, the third train to Ponyville came up the tracks. Every pony got of until the last pony got of, a familiar face, covered in different shades of purple. "Twilight!" They cried out, running over to give her a hug. 
Though, she didn't seem happy." What's wrong?" Said Pinkie, with a serious face.

"Oh. Um... just tired." Twilight replied.

Pinkie wasn't confessed. " Oh really?" She said.

"Give 'er a break, Pinkie." Said the farmer, rolling her eyes.
"Were glad to have you back! But, ah, what took you so long?" RD asked.
"Just got a bit... distracted. Twilight glanced towards her saddlebag.

"Well, I'm happy your back. Pinkie was 'bout to go loco in the coco." AJ whispered. " But we got some work to do. So lets giddy-up girls!"

They headed into the dusty building, what was going to be the exhibit, Twilight and Rarity broomed, while AJ and Rainbow carried the display cases, Flutter Shy wiped the windows, and Pinkie test tasted each dessert. After an hour or so they stopped to take a break. Looking around, AJ said, "We still got 'lot of work to do." The rest groaned. Except Pinkie Pie, happy to taste and bake some more." Oh! Oh! who wants some cold, juicy apple cider?" She exclaimed, with a huge grin. Every pony crowed around her. RD going "yes!" doing hoops in the air. And every pony went down to Sugar Cube Corner, some-what tired. (Except for Dash, hurrying to be refreshed.)