The Crystal Ponies just woke up. This is the story of two of those ponies and what they talked about. What will happen? Talking. A lot of talking.
If you don't like stories with dialogue in them, turn back now.
The cover art is kind of irrelevant.

Have you ever wondered "Where did Spike come from? Where did Celestia get his egg?" Well, what if that question was a mystery no longer? When visiting Princess Cadence, Shining armor and their little baby, Flurry heart, Spike stumbles across a particular crystal statue in a closet in the Crystal castle. When he asks about it he discovers something that prompts him to run into the arctic north without telling Twilight.

There he meets a stranger, someone he never thought he would in the ruins of the Dragon's Quarry.

Ascension to Alicornhood. For thousands of years it had been thought impossible. How was it that the unicorn mare would have been able to achieve something that had never been done before? Princess Luna knows, and she will do anything to keep the knowledge from getting out.

This is the story of an alicorn, an insane unicorn king and his allies, and a unicorn filly. This is also the story of the world's newest alicorn, and how she is connected to it all.

Please note that this story does contain some mature themes, although nothing that I feel warrants a mature rating. Let me know if you have concerns, however.

Cover art by TheWolfPack15, originally found on Ponychan. If the artist wants me to remove it, please let me know.

Two crystal ponies meat to talk of ponies, and what they are.

Art is from derpibooru ID:1056251

See This Blog for licensing.

Nearly a century ago, he found himself in a world he recognized, one he dove into with an enthusiasm only an RPG lover could manage. But it wasn't everything he'd hoped, it wasn't a paradise. It was a prison. Now, after a desperate attempt to flee that empty world, he finds himself lost once again. Only now, he can feel the wind and the snow. He can feel hunger gnawing at his stomach. He feels the burn of every step he pushes his body to take.

Definitely worth it.

Queen Umbra lives her life with anger in her heart and spite in her soul. She's tried her hardest to serve the Empire to the best of her ability, yet no one takes her seriously due to a past she had no choice over and a curse that she can barely control. And in the midst of all this, she has forced herself to isolation from others so that none may get hurt.

That is, until happy-go-lucky party planner Bubble Berry comes along.

Now stuck with her annoying ball planner every day until the day of the ball's arrival, Umbra ends up getting caught up in the rambunctious behavior of Bubble. Not that she enjoys it... Right?

Coverart done by: demdoodles on DeviantArt

The Crystal Empire is falling.

King Sombra is desperate to retain control of his kingdom - the crystal ponies under him are just as desperate to escape his tyrannical rule.

Not everyone will get what they want.

An entry for the Depth In Innocence contest.

Featured 6/11/2020!

In the war against King Sombra, a young mare realizes who she is. Not a war hero. Not a savior. She won't go down in history. In the grand scheme of things, she will be remembered by a tally on the wall.

This is her story. Her reckoning. She won't be a memory. She will be a statistic.

Based on the 'King Sombra' future from S5 finale.

Trolls and dragons stalk the plain
Seek for mischief they may wreak
Hush now child, they seek in vain
We are gentle, but not weak

When the night seems cold and frightening
And you know not what to do
They will be there, fast as lightning
So no harm can come to you

Do not dread the sun descending
Know that they are always near
And their vigil never ending
And they face the things we fear

For they are our good protectors
They are strong, and kind, and brave
While the Lance does still protect us
Little children can sleep safe

- Crystal Empire nursery rhyme, author unknown

After a thousand years of absence, the Crystal Empire has been freed from Sombra's curse and returned to the world. The crystal ponies can finally live free from fear and slavery, but their once mighty nation has dwindled to a mere shadow of its former glory. Still, their tribe was never known for a lack of tenacity, and with their chains broken at long last, the crystal ponies are willing to face any challenges the world might throw at them.

I these difficult times, the young crystal pony Ruby Chip has risen to knighthood, and proven herself to be worthy of joining the legendary Order of the Crystal Lance. It seems like she has achieved everything she ever dreamed of, but then she starts being plagued by dark and frightening visions from the Empire's troubled past.
To make matters worse, Ruby fears that the Order might come into conflict with the Empire's new ruler. As a former officer of Equestria's military, Prince Shining Armor is not very fond of the way the Empire's armies are run and organized, and sees them in dire need of modernization. It remains to be seen if the traditional warrior caste of the Empire still has a place in the military force he seeks to create.

Very soon, Ruby and her brothers and sisters in arms will have to prove that they are more than a misplaced remnant of a long gone era, and show that the knights of the Empire can still fulfill their sworn duty as champions and protectors.

However, whether or not Ruby herself will be ready to be the pony others need her to be, that is another question altogether.

My name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and I am a terrible pony.
I didn't mean to be. I never meant to be. But I am.

Written for the I'm the Villain of the Story contest.