Prologue
Rainbow light streamed from the tip of the Crystal Castle, spreading across Equestria in its colourful light. Their coats and his scales shimmered and sparkled, truly making them crystal; for Cadence and Shining Armor; for Twilight and her friends.
Spike gawked at the sky and felt in awe at what he had wrought. He was their saviour, and his little chest could not swell with more pride than it did at that moment.
They all stood on the balcony of the Crystal Castle, watching the Crystal Ponies cheer down below. Feeling her eyes peer at his neck, he craned around, finding Twilight hunched over the edge at the tower above. A pang of regret struck him and he clenched his teeth awkwardly. He was not supposed to be the saviour - she was. But as he saw her slump on the edge in relief, he felt relieved too.
He turned his attention back towards the crowd and his eyes scanned proudly across the Crystal Ponies. At the corner of his eye, he noticed a grey spot in the shimmer of crystal coats that slowly lurched further and further away from the front. Then he found another and then another. Inconspicuously, they gathered at the back and disappeared into their homes and into the alleys on both sides of the street.
***
“Spike!” Twilight shouted, rushing towards him. For a moment, he braced himself for a scolding but she stopped abruptly before him and hugged him tightly. “Are you okay?” she went on. “That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen! I’m so proud of you.”
His lips quivered and he hugged around her chest. Everyone else stood around them and grinned happily at each other, their coats still shimmering. Only Rarity laughed uncontrollably at her crystal coat, unable to take her eyes off herself.
Spike dried his eye and looked at Twilight’s prideful eyes. However, he saw a gleam of worry. She worried about the test, he knew. She had clearly failed it and she probably wondered what would happen. Spike hesitated, unsure whether he should tell what he saw at the rally and add to her worry. But, if there was something he had learned from their adventures together, is to be upfront about everything. He swallowed dryly and said. “Twilight, at the crowd earlier. I saw—.”
Twilight took her eyes off him as Cadence and Shining Armour walked up to them. Every pony talked over each other while he tried his best to get their attention. Pinkie Pie suddenly threw herself in the middle and cried. “Party!” as she brought one of her party cannons, seemingly out of nowhere. With a great pang, the cannon went off and confetti rained over their heads. Spike exploited the following silence and roared. “Listen to me!”
His voice echoed in the hall, louder than intended. Twilight walked up and said softly. “Gosh Spike, what’s the matter? Didn’t get enough attention yet?”
Honestly, he did feel he hadn’t gotten enough praise, but it was beside the point and he ignored her remark. “Twilight, I was trying to say that I saw something strange in the crowd today.”
“What do you mean strange?” Shining Armour added in, looking at Spike as if wanting to find confirmation.
A bit taken aback, he stammered. “T-there were strange ponies walking amongst the crowd earlier. Their coats didn’t shimmer, and they tried to avoid being seen, disappearing into their homes.”
Shining Armour looked intently at him. “I saw it too. I didn’t want to believe it, but what kind of evil presence would resist the crystallisation that even encompasses us who are not of Crystal Pony blood? Even Spike, who is a dragon, became crystallised.”
Every pony looked grimly at each other, and Pinkie Pie slowly removed her party cannon, hunching her neck into her body.
***
The streets were lively and at every other corner, ponies walked up and thanked them personally for what they had done. A great number of them even approached Spike directly as the word slowly spread of his heroism. He couldn’t help but gloat in the attention he received. But, he was soon reminded of the mission at hoof as Twilight glowered at him while one of the Crystal Ponies admired his scales. The Crystallisation had worn off by then and Rarity whimpered from losing her beautiful coat.
As ponies walked up to them, they made sure to ask if they had seen any pony looking, and acting, strangely during the rally earlier today. It took a while but soon they got a lead and a location just a few blocks away.
While outside the house, they scanned it, expecting something… different. But it was ordinary, as any other in the neighbourhood. The only difference was that the drapes were down and nopony seemed to be at home. However, without any other lead, they knocked on the door. Knocking a few times, a pony from inside the house glanced through the window, behind the drapes. “Please go away,” a muffled voice said. “I don’t want to talk to any pony.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you miss,” Twilight said softly. “But it is really important that we talk to you. May we come in?”
The voice hesitated and then disappeared inside the house without a word. Rainbow Dash snorted and said, “This is going nowhere.” And flew a distance away and then rammed the door, smashing it open with her weight alone.
There was a short squeal and every pony rushed inside. Rainbow Dash sat on top of the pony from before and she growled accusations at her.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight exclaimed and levitated her off their reluctant host.
As Rainbow Dash was moved away, every pony gasped as they saw the host cowering on her back, her coat in all grey, her eyes tired, fearful, yet vacant, as if there was no life in them at all. “I’m so sorry, miss,” Twilight went on. “Rainbow Dash, apologies!”
The pony rose wearily and hunched her head, looking at them. “It is fine. It is my own fault for refusing the princess’s protégé. But it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t know anything… about this,” she said, moving her hoof along her body.
“Why?” Applejack joined in. “Haven’t you regained your memory? You must know something that might give us a lead.”
As the grey pony’s eyes darkened, Applejack backed away. Moments later, she closed her eyes tightly a drew a short breath before saying. “If you really want to know, go to the ruins to the east, at the very outskirts of the empire, at the border of the glacier. You will find your answers there. Now go! I have nothing else to say to you.”
Twilight nodded at them all and they left the house, levitating the door back on its hinges.
“Do you know the ruins she was talking about?” Rarity asked.
“No,” Twilight answered, “but I think it should be obvious, there aren’t many ruins around here. I am surprised that there are any at all. Do we need anything before we leave?”
Every pony shook their heads, but as they made ready to leave, Applejack said, “Hold it, sugar-cube,” and whispered into Twilight’s ear. “I don’t know what we will find up there, but considering the look on that pony’s face… Whatever we will find in that dungeon, it is not something that a young dragon should see.”
Twilight nodded agreeably and gestured Pinkie Pie to move closer. She whispered a few words and Pinkie Pie’s lips flattened for a second, before grinning as happily as she used to. “Spike, could you help me with something? I need help to prepare for the going away party later, and I can’t do it without my number one baker!”
“Fluttershy! You should come too,” Pinkie added.
Spike looked at Twilight who quirked her mouth with a relaxed expression, nodding her head in Pinkie Pie’s direction. Spike drooped his head and followed Pinkie Pie back towards the castle, followed by Fluttershy who looked noticeably relieved.