Equestria Girls: The Crystal Crown

by ObsidianPony

Chapter 2: Strange New World

“Shining Armour!” Twilight screamed, taking off for the window immediately, zooming past Scorpan.

Before she had even reached the window however, a blaze of colour shot up past it, high into the sky.

Twilight had never been happier to see Rainbow Dash than she was then.

“Twilight, I got him.” Rainbow panted, struggling with the weight of a fully armoured Shining Armour. “Get that guy!”

Twilight turned herself to face Scorpan once again; though she still couldn’t see his face, all the swagger and confidence was gone from his body language, now he seemed scared.

“Don’t try it Sparkle, I still have your Princess.” He said, holding up the glowing orb.

Twilight simply smiled, infuriating Scorpan.

“Do you doubt that I’ll do it Twilight? Do you really think I won’t, that I don’t have the gall to-”

“Go right ahead.” Twilight leered, enjoying seeing this loathsome creature squirm. “I saw what you did with Shiny Scorpan; breaking that thing will just release Cadence. You were bluffing, and now you have no way of defending yourself.” Twilight flared her wings, illuminating her horn and began advancing toward Scorpan.

Scorpan took several steps back. “Don’t count on it Princess.” From his satchel he grabbed something and made to put it on his head, but before he could Twilight shot a jet of light from her horn which burned Scorpan’s hands, the crown he had been holding clattering away across the floor.

“And now what will you... do?” Twilight’s threat died in her mouth as both opponents eyes were drawn to the crown, now several feet to the side of them; the gems encrusted around it had lit up with an almost blinding glow of countless colours, sparks flying from it.

“You idiot!” Scorpan yelled, making a dash for the door.

Before he had gone more than a few steps a large dome of light flew from the crown, expanding outwards; Twilight braced herself, expecting to be knocked away but instead the dome passed over her and over Scorpan, who had failed to outrun it. The dome stopped just before the throne room doors, where Scorpan was now pounding on it, sending ripples along the surface but doing nothing to break it.

“W-W-What is, this?” Twilight tried to sound demanding but suddenly she was feeling no more anger or fear but simply felt sleepy.

“You’ve doomed us both you stupid-” Scorpan tried to snap but his legs buckled beneath him mid-sentence. As he fell his hood slipped, revealing his face for the first time.

Twilight was reminded slightly of a monkey that had lost most of its hair; Scorpan’s skin was bare, not covered by fur or scales, the only hair he had was on top of his head, a short crop of dark brown. His eyes Twilight noticed were mis-matched; the left eye was normal looking and a pleasant green that made her think of the forest trees. His right eye was yellow and slitted, almost like a snake and was very bloodshot, though she couldn’t say whether that was normal.

I can’t fall asleep Twilight was screaming at herself mentally but she could still feel exhaustion overtaking her. With a slight thump she saw Scorpan fully keel over, out cold.

“Maybe I can just... rest my eyes... he’s not... going anywhere... right?” Twilight whispered, delirious. Finally, the purple alicorn surrendered to the weight of her eyelids and slumped to the floor, asleep in an instant.

***********

“Twilight! Twilight! Get up, you’ll be late!”

Twilight struggled to sit up, her muscles aching. Stretching her arms above her head she swung her legs over the side of her bed, feet feeling good against the soft carpet.

Wait, WHAT!

Twilight held in a shriek as she shot from her bed to a mirror in her room, examining whatever had happened to her body.

She had somehow gone bald except for her mane, which was a frizzy mess, her skin was still the same colour as her coat. She reached a hand up to her temple to confirm that yes, her horn was gone, and no her reflection wasn’t lying about her wings being gone either.

She was no longer even a pony as far as she could tell; she stood on two legs and her hooves were deformed, too long and flat and her forelegs were ended in bizarre, multi digited hands, the kind that the monkeys and some other animals that Fluttershy owned had.

“What the hay are these even good for?” Twilight muttered, flexing the... she was pretty sure they were called fingers, which seemed so awkward and useless. What she wouldn’t give for her horn back.

Looking back into the mirror it suddenly clicked what she looked like.

“I look like Scorpan.”

With that realisation everything flooded back to Twilight; the attack on the Crystal Empire, the mysterious Scorpan, the capture of Shiny and Cadence, then some kind of magical bubble...

“And now I’m here.” She finished her thought out loud; what was going on? Where had Scorpan ended up, was he in this mysterious place too? If so, she should stop him as soon as possible.

“No time for dilly dallying, I need to stop him now.” Twilight quickly made to rush out of her room.

It only took a few seconds for her to realise that she had just heard her mother. She was in a completely unfamiliar world, didn’t look like herself and wasn’t even the same species anymore, and yet still she evidently had the same mother.

What in Equestria is going on here?

“Hey Twiley, do you need a lift to school? I can drop you off, I’m taking some stuff to Cadence’s place anyway.”

Twilight immediately sprinted into the hallway; standing there was another of these strange creatures, but it had white skin and... a very familiar hair colour of three different shades of blue.

“S-Shiny?” Twilight stammered.

“Last I checked.” Shining Armour replied, raising an eyebrow. “Anyway do you want a- woah, hey Twiley, calm down!” Shining Armour nearly fell backwards as he found himself pulled into a crushing hug by Twilight.

“Oh Shiny, I’m so glad you’re okay! Wait, did you say you’re moving stuff to Cadence’s house?” Twilight asked, eyes wide with hope.

“Umm, yeah... you tend to do that when you move in with someone Twiley.” Shining Armour grinned at his ever excitable sister.

“Let’s go! Can I see her, please!” Even though she had no idea where they were, Twilight knew she had to see Cadence; seeing Shining Armour alive and well had felt like a physical weight lifted from her shoulders.

Maybe this won’t be so bad. Twilight thought as she followed her BBBFF down stairs. I mean after all, what’s the worst Scorpan could be doing?

**********

“Ow, my head. Stupid filly, if I find her I’ll saw that blasted horn off.” Scorpan grumbled to himself as he picked himself off the floor, his head pounding.

“Hey Scorpan, what happened? You fall off the couch again you klutz?” The moment he heard the energetic, teasing voice, Scorpan froze, disbelieving his own ears.

“Well get up you dope.” He felt a pillow hit him lightly in the head. “We can’t be late again or Dad’ll flip out.” Scorpan only saw a pair of pink skinned feet move across the floor before the door slammed shut.

“Was that- no! No Scorpan, no spell can resurrect the dead.” He berated himself before hauling himself back to his feet. He noticed that his clothes had also changed, his blue longcoat had been replaced by a blue hooded sweatshirt and a pair of jeans.

Well, better than arriving naked. He decided before following the girl out of the room, which he could see now looked to be a living room.

“Scorpan, you’re late!” The yell made Scorpan flinch on instinct, the pre-emptive fear meaning it took a moment for him to fully register the voice.

“D-Dad?”

“Who else, now haul your lazy ass off to school. Looks like you didn’t even have time to wash again. Hey, can you help this slob look presentable?” A large man sitting at the dining table demanded of someone behind Scorpan.

Scorpan’s father was a rather slobbish fellow himself, a noticeable beer belly threatening to pop the buttons of his shirt along with a mop of greasy hair the same colour as his sons’

Like he ever needed to be dressed up for anything... No! Stop it you idiot, this isn’t your home, does this look like a castle to you? Scorpan mentally berated himself as he felt someone drag a comb through his hair from behind.

“Geez, what did you do to your hair this morning, wash it with with glue?” The brusher complained as she battled with Scorpan’s short but stubbornly uncombable hair.

“Oh shut it Firefly.” Scorpan snapped. His eyes widened in shock as he fully comprehended what he said, purely out of instinct.

“Well tsk tsk!” The girl behind him muttered teasingly. “Fine then, you can go looking like you were dragged through a hedge backwards, save Hoops and Dumbbell the trouble.”

Who?

“Or will you just cower until Big Mac saves you again?”

I repeat, who?

“Well, might as well get going, see you whenever Dad!” Firefly called over shoulder as she physically dragged Scorpan from the room.

Scorpan wasn’t fully aware of his feet dragging along the floor, eyes fixated on the teenaged girl tugging him along. There was no doubt it was her; sure she looked human but even looking at her all Scorpan could see was the energetic, constantly adventuring Pegasus he had been so proud to call his friend.

Tears threatened to leak out as he finally accepted that yes, in one way or another, this was indeed Firefly before him.

Oh Firefly. If you could see me now, the real you, would you still accept me? After everything I’ve done, would you still call yourself my friend. Is this you or some cruel trick? Could it be that I was wrong, that there is someway to bring you back?

Scorpan finally stopped letting Firefly drag him along and scrambled onto his own two feet; given the backpack on Firefly was carrying and the bus stop they were headed for, it seemed a fair guess that they were supposed to be going to a school.

Good, at least it’ll give me time to get my head on straight.

Scorpan stopped at the bus stop with Firefly. Even as he racked his brain for possible explanations for all this, he couldn’t stop himself staring, just to make sure she was real; same comforting pink hue, same light purple hair falling over her shoulders, the only thing that was different was... well, she certainly wasn’t a Pegasus anymore.

This is bizarre, what did that stupid mare do? How did I end up here? And where exactly is here?

Scorpan decided right there what his first course of action would be; Twilight Sparkle had been caught in the Crowns mysterious spell just as he had, it was possible that she had been sent to this strange world just as he had. Surely in this circumstance, the most sensible solution was to work together to get back home?

Scorpan snuck another look back at Firefly.

That’s assuming I want to leave of course.

************

In a large room, made entirely of crystal as was the rest of the palace, two beds had been erected in the centre; the two figures lying in the beds had remained utterly immobile since they had been moved from what was left of the throne room.

Around Twilight’s bed sat a bizarre collection of guests, five ponies, a baby dragon and even Princess Celestia herself were all sat, apprehensive and desperate for any sign of the Mare awakening.

Across from them lay the limp form of Scorpan, belts across his chest and arms pinning him in case he suddenly awoke; around his bed, a brown stallion poked at his body with what looked to the others like a glowing metal stick; whatever he was doing was evidently telling him something, as every now and then he would nod or give a quiet noise of acknowledgement.

“Ditzy, are you sure The Doctor knows what he’s doing?” Rainbow Dash asked the grey, wall eyed Pegasus who had been sat staring at the Doctor for the last hour.

“Hmm?” It took a moment for Ditzy to tear one of her eyes away from the Doctor. “Oh I’m so sure Dashie, the Doctor has seen all the wonders of the world and a lot of other neat things too and he always helps people! He’ll make Twilight all better soon.”

“It might not be that simple Ditzy.” The Doctor spoke for the first time in his distinctive Trottingham accent. “These two,” he nodded at Twilight and Scorpan, “are showing the exact same brain readings, the exact same vital signs, the same responses to outside stimuli like a jammy dodger and when I bring this thing,” he held up the crown that had been found with Scorpan and Twilight, “anywhere near them it starts humming and tries to poke your eye out.”

“Umm, why does it do that?” Ditzy asked, confused by the last description.

“I’m not sure; personally I think it’s trying to force it’s way onto someone elses head to make them join these two.”

“But then why does it poke you in the eye?”

“I’m not sure. I was thinking maybe it’s just not a very clever crown.” The Doctor shrugged.

“Please continue your work Doctor Whooves.” Celestia was barely paying their conversation any heed, never taking her attention off her sickly student.

Twilight, what has happened to you? Are you okay? Will you ever wake up? Please tell me you are not in any pain, that I have not put you in harms way...
“Sister, you summoned me?” All heads turned to the doorway, where Princess Luna stood in her full royal regalia, a concerned expression on her face quickly becoming one of confused upset as she spied the two beds.

“Indeed Luna.” Celestia beckoned her sister to join her at Twilights bedside with her wing. “Twilight is under the effects of an unknown spell, along with this creature.” Celestia nodded to Scorpan. “I believe you may be our best hope to awaken them.”

Luna looked puzzled for a moment but soon understood what Celestia was suggesting.

“Ah I see, you would suggest that I-”

“Yes indeed Luna.” Celestia had returned her gaze to her student. “I believe your dream wandering abilities will be most useful in this situation.”

Author's Note:

Comments are magic people. Likes are appreciated, criticism and praise in comment form is adored.

Comments

[NightmareMoon]

Nice, but the grammar isn't that wonderful. Might want to get an editor. I give you 4/5 mustaches for this.

[ObsidianPony]

2596748
It's like I said to Kierke, ADD and Dyslexia make a really nasty couple when trying to write a story. And yeah, I have thought about getting a proof reader for a while now.
Hopefully it isn't interfering with your ability to enjoy this story too much for what it is.