//------------------------------//
// Chapter 62: To The Top 
// Story: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
//------------------------------//

While Shining Armor and Spike began the long climb up the second flight of stairs, Princess Cadence was struggling to maintain the protective barrier around the Crystal Empire, while everypony else was focused on keeping the Crystal Fair running smoothly.





"Where is Shining Armor? He's been gone a long time." Thunderlane asked nervously, as he attempted to keep the ewes under control on his own. Fluttershy had been roped into a jousting match to give an exhausted Soarin a break, leaving Thunderlane to run the petting zoo by himself.

"We've got to have faith in him," Soarin replied, as Fancy Pants carefully examined him for any signs of injury "He's always come through for us when we're in a pinch, this time shouldn't be any different."

"That may be, but I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea that there's little we can do to help him this time," Fancy Pants frowned "Even when that dasterdly Queen Chrysalis had him under her control, we were still able to help rescue him. And we also helped lead the charge to the elements, even if it turned out to be in vain."

"This is just like his battle with Nightmare Moon," Braeburn spoke up "Except, this time, we've got no idea where he could be or what sort of danger he might be in. It's pretty hard to keep smilin' when one of your best friends is in danger, and there's nothin' you can do about it."

"Well, like it or not, we've got to do our best to keep smilin' anyway," Big Macintosh said seriously "Shining Armor's countin' on us to keep these Crystal Ponies entertained, and we can't let him down!"

"Easier said than done I'm afraid," Fancy Pants replied with a shake of his head "Miss. Rarity just informed she's running out of supplies to make hats, she's had to resort to using hay and drinking straws."

"At least Fluttershy's keeping her performance anxiety under control," Thunderlane commented, as another round of deafening cheers echoed from the stadium where the jousting match was being held "Unfortunately, winning is a different story."

"Rainbow Dash can't take it too easy on her though," Soarin replied "If she does, the Crystal Ponies will lose interest, then we'll really be in trouble."

"I'll say," Big Macintosh nodded "It's really hard to divert the Crystal Ponies attention somewhere else, even I'm havin' a tough time with it."

"Well, you all keep doin' what you can. As for me, I'd better go and help Pinkie Pie with her little show," Braeburn said, as he raced away "It's the only other thing we've got to keep 'em distracted."

Unknown to the stallions, Twilight had overheard everything, and she was frantic. "Please hurry, B.B.B.F.F," Twilight thought to herself "That barrier will fade any moment now, and if you're not back with the real Crystal Heart, we're doomed! You've never let anypony down when it matters most, I know you can do it!"





Shining Armor's legs ached, and felt like they could give out at a moment's notice, as he climbed yet another step on the seemingly endless staircase. 

Spike wasn't too far behind, but he was out of breath and panting heavily. "How many steps does this make?" he asked in between pants.

"I don't know, I stopped counting a while back," Shining Armor admitted "But it's gotta be over 300 by now, possibly even over 400."

"What?! That's impossible!" Spike exclaimed, panting even more heavily "No staircase in the universe could go on this long, nopony would ever have the time and patience to build that many steps! They'd give up by the 200th step!"

"Well, we've got to keep climbing," Shining Armor insisted "The location of the real Crystal Heart must be at the top!"

"But we'll never make it in time at this rate!" Spike shouted anxiously "Even if we reach the final step soon, there's no gurantee we'll find the Crystal Heart, we may have to face yet another obstacle. What if we NEVER find the heart in time?!"

"We can't think like that, Spike! If we do, King Sombra's already won!" Shining Armor replied angrily "We've got to keep our thinking positive, we've got to tell ourselves that we WILL find the Crystal Heart in time to save the empire! If we give up hope, then we give up on everything that's at stake, and that is out of the question!"

"I don't want to give up, but I think we need to face the facts," Spike told Shining Armor "This staircase goes on forever. It must be a trap set up by Sombra, just like the door."

"Then there must be a trick to conquering it," Shining Armor replied, and then an idea came into his head "Maybe we've been climbing this staircase the wrong way from the start!" he said to Spike.

"Even if that's true, how are we suppose to climb it the right way?" Spike asked "It's not like we can just magically flip the stairs upside down."

"Actually, we can. Gravity spells were a part of royal guard training," Shining Armor said with a smile on his face "I always knew they'd come in handy one day!"

"So, how do they work?" Spike asked, as he joined Shining Armor on one of the steps.

"Hop onto my back and hang on tight!" Shining Armor warned "And whatever happens, don't let go!" Spike did as he was told, and that was the cue Shining Armor needed to light up his horn. It proved to be really difficult to master up the strength needed for a gravity spell, thanks to the crystals surrounding his horn, but eventually Shining Armor managed to place himself and Spike on what would be the under side of the staircase, if everything were right side up. Shining Armor then proceeded to slide down the "new" staircase he had constructed, until it led to a door at the very bottom.

Upon returning gravity to normal, so that he and Spike were standing on right side up territory, Shining Armor noticed that the two of them were at the top of the tower within the Crystal Castle. And there, floating in mid air, was the real Crystal Heart in all its glory. It shone brightly through the room with its radiant aura of goodness, and hope.

"There it is, Spike," Shining Armor smiled "Our hard work has payed off. Now we just need to get the heart back to the fair, and we're golden!" Shining Armor then proceeded to walk up to the heart.

"Wait, Shining Armor! It might be a trap" Spike shouted, but his warning came too late to prevent Shing Armor from grabbing the Crystal Heart with his hooves. And Spike could only watch in horror, as the heart gave off a sudden flare of darkness, no doubt a warning sign to King Sombra that someone was trying to take it.

"No you don't! You won't get the heart that easily!" King Sombra roared, and his horn sparked to life, crackling from the dark magic that surged through it.

Before Shining Armor had a chance to realize what was going on, the heart bounced out of his hooves, and he was surrounded by an impentrable wall of crystals. "No!" he exclaimed.





To make matters worse, at the Crystal Fair, the fake Crystal Heart had accidentally been exposed. And at that very moment, the protective barrier faded once again. The Crystal Ponies began to panic "He has returned!" they exclaimed in horror.

"At very long last, the day I've waited 1,000 years for is finally here!" King Sombra gloated, as he began to close in on the empire "Enjoy your final moments of freedom, my crystal slaves!"