//------------------------------// // Into Darkness // Story: Diamonds are a King's Best Friend // by Cerulean Wingz //------------------------------// Luna Luna yawned as she studied a thick text book. She was sprawled out on one of her navy blue body pillows, using her telekinetic powers to flip pages. She didn't look up when her sister stepped into the private library, followed closely by a petite, rather frazzled, mare. "My dear sister, we have a guest." Celestia sat right in front of her sibling. Luna looked up finally, smothering another yawn behind a slender hoof. "Oh? Well who is this guest you speak of, sister?" "Her name is Glam Star. She comes from across Equestria. She has two children enrolled in our school system." "How positively lovely," Luna smiled and set her gaze on Glam. Glam was laying down behind and to the right of Celestia. She was close enough to hear the princesses, but far enough so she did not impose. Luna spoke to her sister once more, after Glam returned her smile with a half hearten one of her own. "So, sister, what brings her here to the castle?" "Sombra has returned.." ".... Sombra?.. didn't we banish him to the frozen north?" "Yes. However something has happened. He has sent his shadow soldiers to collect Glam's children." "Wha-? Why?! You didn't let them go did you?" "We had no choice... Glam's daughter is quite determined to handle the problem. I don't trust Sombra to keep his word and allow Equestria to remain untouched." "What do we need to do, Celestia?" "We need a plan to save the children and seal away Sombra and his evil for good." The two princesses stared at each other for a long moment. The task was easier said than done. //*// Glam Star Star listened patiently as Princess Celestia relayed what transpired. She felt sick to her stomach... How could her daughter be so hard headed. Why did she let her go? Glam didn't notice the princesses were now staring at her. She blushed hard. "I think we need a little help... " Celestia's brow furrowed. "From who? Luna and I are the only alicorns capable of subduing Sombra. Even then, It's a heavy risk.." Glam sighed and gazed at her hooves. She wished her husband, Mythic Lights, was here. Despite their disagreements, she couldn't deny that he made her feel safe. Now she felt as vulnerable as a new born foal, and just as confused. "Maybe... maybe I can get someone to help us. What of the Elements? Aren't they strong enough to assist?" Celestia pondered Glam's question." Yes... I would have to pull them out of their studies." "I will send word now." Luna at once stood and practically floated over to her low-lying, writer's podium. Her horn glowed a pretty, nighttime blue, as she dipped a quill into ink and began the letter that would summon the Mane 6. Glam watched for a moment before turning her attention back on Celestia. She could see the anxiety etched on her beautiful, pale face. She noticed her mane and tail were not glowing and sparkling as they usually did. As if the colors were mixed with a bit of black to mute them. "How are we going to do this?" Glam's voice was strangled a little from her holding back the need to sob. Celestia's face relaxed for a moment as she devised a plan out of thin air. "We go to the Crystal Empire and seal Sombra in The Shard..." She said, as if it were well known a shard existed. Glam arced a brow, "One does not simply trot into the Crystal Empire. Its surrounded by villages of crystal ponies and shadowcolts... You aren't planning on a sneak attack are you?" "On the contrary. You will trot right through the gates." Glam's jaw dropped as The Princess inclined her head. Glam stumbled on her sentence. "C-come again?" "I will disguise you as a shadowcolt. You will be able to slip right under his radar. He cannot see passed the walls of this castle. Luna will make the illusion work and you will leave for the Crystal Empire through the courier's entrance. The ever free forest will be of easy access and he won't suspect a thing." "Wait... aren't you coming too?" As The Princess opened her maw to answer, a soft knock could be heard at the door. "Come in.." Celestia stood and greeted Twilight Sparkle with a hug, she simply smiled at the rest and then addressed them all. "Thank you for coming, I know your studies are important to you..." //*// Rainbow Dash RD rolled her eyes as the princess relayed what happened at the school. "He's seriously at it again? Look, I'll give the stallion points for persistence but as for execution I'll have to say 0. Our Elements powers alone could ta-" "Slow down there, filly, I think we need to have a think through before we go chargin'" Applejack adjusted her hat, flashed green eyes at Glam, and winked. Rainbow made a face and then set her own eyes on Star. She immediately questioned the mare. "Who are you? Did you already know about this?" Her eyes narrowed as she asked the last question. Glam was standing by now, and inclined her head proudly. "My name is Glam Star. I make my living as a stylist. I did not know of Sombra's return though I am curious as to who he is exactly?" Rain sighed softly, whether in relief or exuberance, Glam wasn't sure. She sat down and looked at Twilight. "Well? //*// Twilight Sparkle "Well I think we definitely need to have somepony sneak into the castle." "Precisely. That is why I am employing Glam Star as an insert. She will go undercover as a shadowcolt and learn of Sombra's plans. Once we know what he's up to we can take the necessary steps to eliminate him." She glanced at each of the six ponies as she told of her plan. "Um.. okay.. where do we come in?" "Once we have Glam inside she can allow the rest of us access. I suggest you all prepare for battle" "But Celestia, how do we know he isn't stronger than the last time we defeated him?" ".... We don't." //*// Fluttershy "W-we don't?" Fluttershy's voice was like the soft beat of butterfly wings. "But then we may be walking into a trap.." The room fell silent. Fluttershy blushed and hid her face in her long, rose-pink hair. She disliked when ponies all had their attention on her. It made her feel funny. She didn't speak again. Only listened to everypony else as they hashed out the details with this new piece of input. "Alright." Twilight moved next to Shy and nodded derisively. "Miss Star will go in first and then we join her to confront Sombra." Fluttershy merely nodded in agreement and unfolded her wings to hover. She felt better suspended in mid-air. //*// Pinky Pie "Oh dear... well OK so what do we do?" Pinky bounced over to Celestia and stared up at the princess. "You six will use your elements to trap Sombra in this shard..." Celestia cantered over to a black, shiny box, lifting it from the bookshelf it was on with her powers and placing it in front of Star and the others. She opened the box, revealing a moderate sized shard of glass. Inside the shard, silvery smoke swirled eerily, as if it were alive. Glam gasped at the sight of it and frowned. "So we trap him in this and then what?" Luna spoke this time, closing the box with a snap. "Then we cast him into the black seas." Her face was cast in shadow, giving her statement a more menacing feel. Everypony was silent for a moment. Pinky broke the silence with a cheerful giggle. "Alright then. This shouldn't be too hard. He had been defeated before. We can do it again. Besides, we have Glam to help us." She grinned at Star who nervously smiled back. How could she be so happy about all this? Pinky bounced some more. "We can make it a fun journey. It doesn't have to be so serious, right?" Everypony stared at her now. "Right?" //*// Rarity The purple maned one frowned at Pinky pie. "I think you are taking this a little too lightly dear. We aren't going to a party or to visit a friend. This is Sombra. The stallion who once tried to enslave us all." Pinky's smiled faded as she lowered her head. Rarity addressed Star "Miss Glam... if I may... why did you allow your daughter to go with those awful shadow ponies? Are you not aware of our dark history with them?" Glam sighed, "No. My daughter is bullheaded... she cannot be persuaded to not do something she has set her mind on. I am confident she has a plan.. We just need to back her up." Everypony in the room nodded in agreement. They would set out for the castle after dark, when everypony else would be tucked in for the night. They would make their journey under Luna's moon. //*// Luna "I will cloak you in the disguise of the shadowcolt now, Miss Star. Please hold still." Luna closed her eyes and manifested a thick blackish smoke from her horn. The smoke wrapped Glam up in its airy embrace and made her invisible for a moment. When she reappeared, she was no longer the navy-colored mare she once was. She now boasted a coal black coat and sickly yellow eyes that glowed eerily. Everypony took a step back except for the princesses. Glam Star had become Glam Shadow. She looked down and spun once to check out the rest of herself. Her mane and tail was now jet black and gleaming. She wore a vest that bore the insignia of Sombra. The transformation was complete. She looked at Celestia who seemed to outwardly cringe and stepped back from all of them. Celestia spoke, "Go now... we don't have much time." Glam nodded and went to the door. She looked back only once and then disappeared into the hall, heading for the courier's entrance.