//------------------------------//
// Blossoming Love 
// Story: Twilight's Sister 
// by SabrinaRoth 
//------------------------------//

At home, I was determined to look up this ‘Crystal Empire’ in the library, but before I could sneak away, I was confronted by Twilight.	

“Where the hay were you?” She abruptly emerged from around the corner, catching me off-guard.

“I got lost.” I cover.

“But you grew up here.  You know this place like the back of your hoof.” She states.

I think quickly and come up with an alibi.  “I was thinking and turned at the wrong time.  Ended up at the castle gardens somehow.” 

“Oooookkkkkkaaaaaayyyyyy.....” She accepts the alibi grudgingly, as if she didn’t quite believe me.

“Fine!  I saw a friend and got distracted.  We talked for a while, then I realized you weren’t with us.” 

It was partly true.  Sombra was a friend.  Sorta.  And we did talk for hours.  I just knew Twi wasn’t there with me.

“So,” I said, trying to distract her. “Did Shiny and Cadence to anything important?”

“No!  All they did was stare at each other and call each other stupid nicknames!” And with that, she launched into a tirade of complaints about “how ponies in love never do anything but make goo-goo eyes at each other.”  I just smiled a let her continue her rant.

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I wandered around the Canterlot Library, searching for something, anything about the so-called ‘Crystal Empire.’  I asked librarian after librarian, but no one seemed to know what the Crystal Empire was.  Whenever I asked, they stared at me like I was crazy, and then shook their heads.  Then I resorted to using a location spell to pinpoint any possible information about the Empire.  I found an encyclopedia with a little hint about what the Crystal Empire could be.

“The Crystal Empire is one of Equestria’s oldest realms.  The buildings are made almost entirely about crystal, and the ponies who live there have coats that reflect off of the light, making it seem as if they are made of crystal themselves.”  A footnote read, ‘For more about The Crystal Empire, read “The History of the Crystal Empire”’

Well, that was no help at all.

I stood up and searched the library for the book that was mentioned, but could not find it anywhere.  I asked more librarians, and yet again, they shook their heads in confusion.  After a while, I gave up, and hearing my stomach growl, I headed toward one of the many cafés in Canterlot, determined to get food.  And more answers.

I sat down at the Canterlot Café, one of the more well-known cafés in Canterlot.  I quickly ordered my lunch, and while I was waiting for the food to arrive, I made the decision to find the mysterious stallion - Sombra.

After lunch, I trotted around the perimeter of the Everfree Forest, searching for Sombra.  To my surprise, I found him, sitting and quietly reading a book.  I used my magic to surprise him and take the book and asked “Watch’a reading?” I turned it over, and nearly dropped it.  The title read ‘The History of the Crystal Empire’

“Hey!” Sombra protested.

“Hey yourself.  I’ve been searching for this book for hours!” I replied rather loudly.

“I know.  Once you set your mind on something, nothing can stop you.” He said with a hint of a smile.

“You read my mind?” I chastised him gently.  “Yeah, I can see how fun this ‘connection’ will be.”

“Oh, it’s wonderful.  Your mind is a like maze of knowledge.”

“Huh.  Never heard that analogy before.  Now, gimme the book!” I said, lunging for it.  He responded by simply levitating it just out of my reach.  That only made me angrier.  Not bothering with jumping up and down trying to grab it, I caught Sombra by surprise and used my magic to grab it from him.  
Feeling triumphant, I kneeled down to open it, only to find that he had gently slid it away from me and was closing it.  Standing up, I did something I never would have done with any other pony.  I don’t know what came over me.  I stepped forward, and kissed him.  Square on the lips.  Sombra was so surprised, he dropped the book.  I stopped kissing him for a moment, but not to retrieve the book.  I had to breathe.  Then, he surprised me by returning my kiss, this on just as forceful, but still as gentle as a summer breeze.  The feeling of need I had been experiencing the past few days since I had met Sombra retreated.  It was still there, but it wasn’t throbbing and pulsing as it once was.  Now it was almost purring with content.

Still feeling mischievous, I grabbed the book from the ground and trotted away happily.

“Thanks!” I shouted into the wind, my cheeks no doubt as pink as the frosting on a Canterlot Café cupcake.

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