Crystal Protector

by Honest Wisdom

Friendship Grows...

Friendship Grows

The Student lived to learn, but she never worried enough about the effects of knowledge.
She hid in a tower until she met her friends. Only then did she truly begin to learn.

He's so peaceful when he's asleep. Sombra snored loudly into his pillow. It's a shame he has to wake up. At least I can have some fun with that. She raised the cymbals over his head. 3...2...1 "GOOD MORNING, MY KING!" The cymbals crashed and the King of Shadows leaped across the room in surprise. Silk smiled, barely holding back her laughter. I have to thank the Pink One later. And remember her name. "Now that you're awake we can discuss urgent matters, the Prisoners just made their first attempt to escape and the Purple one managed to put a dent in a Mithril door." She scrunched up her eyebrows. "Which I find very troubling."

"You over estimate them." He growled and rubbed his forehead.

Silk huffed. "You under-estimate them. Celestia wouldn't send six completely powerless mares to battle a Shadow Mage as powerful as yourself. And the Alicorn won't stay weak forever." Damn you voice, why can't you sound more worried?

Sombra brushed passed her and floated his armor to his body. "Has there been anymore changes?"

"No." She bit back a bitter remark. "I believe the Corruption has halted it's transformation of your physical form."

"Good. That means we're one step closer to curing me." He lowered the crown onto his head and rolled his neck. "And you thought it was irreversible."

Silk flicked her tail, one ear twitching. "There's still your memory loss." She earned a glare for mentioning that. "Describe Corazon to me right now." She demanded.

"Loud and irritating, you two would get along swimmingly." Sombra flung open the doors to his chamber and began to storm down the hall. Silk took flight and followed him closely. "I recall that you let one of those 'completely powerless' mares get away."

"She was too fast for me." A touch of irritation finally managed to slip into her voice. "And you're changing the subject. Your temper is just getting shorter and you are letting your emotions influence decisions. The Corruption isn't receding, it's attacking your mind." A memory bubbled up from the previous day and she jumped on it. "Yesterday, you could barely make coherent sentences."

"Well I'm fine today." Sombra shot her a glare. "Is there a point to all this?"

"You aren't going to cure yourself by using even more Dark Magic." She lifted a hoof. "My offer still stands. It won't reverse the transformation but..."

"No." He turned away from her and marched on. Silk watched him with pain in her heart. Her coat, however, remained as bright as polished gems. "I can do this myself." He hesitated for a moment. "Go with Option Three. Just don't go overboard like you usually do." He disappeared into the castle library.

"At least this is some progress." She muttered to herself. She

---

Twilight ceased her onslaught on the wall to examine her progress. A few pebbles littered the ground of her cell but other than that she'd hardly made a dent in the wall. She groaned and flopped onto the bed. I'm never going to get out of here.

The silvery door swung open and revealed the same Pegasus from Sombra's memory. She beamed at Twilight. "Hello, I'm Silk. Wow, you actually broke off a piece of the wall?" Twilight lit up her horn and began to form a teleportation spell. Before she could fire it off the mare ponced and tapped her horn. "Boop. None of that, I mean you no harm Lady Twilight." She jumped off of her and smiled. "Follow me."

Twilight looked up to see her horn had been sheathed in a pale blue Crystal. "How did you..."

"Walk and Talk, Lady Twilight. The Castle is a big place, I wouldn't want you to get lost." Silk purred from the doorway.

Twilight followed her, caution in every step. "How did you block my magic?"

Silk cocked her head to the side in confusion. "It's Crystalkinesis. All Crystal Ponies can do it. It's how we build our houses. It also blocks magic from being used in hostility."

Twilight paused. "Oh for the love of... you mean that's why the walls..."

"It's Sombra's personal Surge chamber. It's top of the line stuff, don't feel too bad." Twilight was positive that Silk was mocking her. The Pegasus paused in front of a pair of massive oak doors. "King Sombra has granted you free rein of the castle."

Twilight eyed her. "What's the catch?"

Silk flung open the doors, revealing an ornate bathhouse. Steam drifted off the clear water, seapony fountains sprayed water into the deep pools, and a particularly pink Party pony was preparing to plunge into one of the soapy bathes. "He'll tell you at dinner tonight."

"Girls!" Twilight bolted towards them only to slip on a puddle and splash head-first into the pool, earning a shriek from Rarity and a squeal of joy from Pinkie. She coughed out the water she'd accidentally swallowed. "He didn't hurt you guys did he? Where's Rainbow Dash? Where are Shining and Cadence?"

"We're fine, darling. We're actually just as surprised as you are." Rarity glared at Pinkie who had decided to make soap beards on everyone. "One minute we were sitting in our cells and then this young lady came to our cell and said..."

"She said tha' Sombra wants' ta have us ta Dinner." Applejack scowled as Silk attempted to run a brush through her mane. "An' then she started fussin' over us like we were newborns."

"I find it simply divine!" Silk placed a towel behind Rarity's head before beginning to rub shampoo int her mane. "It's much better than that filthy cell. Don't you agree Fluttershy?"

"Oh, well, It's nice and all, but, how is she in three places at once?"

Silk beamed and slammed her hooves on a cloud, dousing all five of them. "Sorry, I just can't help myself. When I'm excited my magic starts acting up. I haven't had a chance to indulge my Special Talent in years." She gestured to her Cutie Mark. A pair of knives, bound by a silk cloth.

Pinkie wiped off her bubble beard. "What does that have to do with baths?"

Silk giggled and hid a blush. "Actually my talent lies with Serving and Protecting royalty. And everything that entails. Royals are a very Lazy bunch." She watched as their expressions changed from confusion, to realization. "You girls may not be Royalty but Sombra never gives me a chance to do this sort of thing." with that, she leaped off her cloud and began to wash Twilight's mane.

Twilight cleared her throat. "So where's Spike?"

"He decided he'd rather not get pampered with us. Ah almost wish ah stayed with him." Applejack grumbled, scrubbing her coat.

Rarity pouted. "Poor Spikey-Wikey, all alone in that gorgeous room."

Pinkie Pie looked up from her bubble sculpture. "Shining Armor and Cadence are still in the Dungeons, And Rainbow Dash flew away to get help." She added a horn. "'Mwhahaha! I'm King Sombra! I'm mean and pouty and never have any fun. Bring me Crystals!'" The girls giggled as Pinkie began imitating him.

Silk smirked. "That is amazingly accurate."

Twilight smiled, happy to be among her friends again. For a brief moment she worried about Sombra's Invitation. He could have just had them all killed and moved on without so much as a second thought. So why had he shown them mercy? If what Celestia had told her was true, then Sombra would not have let them live, much less wander the castle unguarded. Her eyes flicked to the Pegasus, who was helping Rarity style her mane. Unless, She thought. Silk is lying about her special talent. It would make sense. Luna says that she's the Crystal Heart so it stands to reason that she shouldn't have a Cutie Mark. Speaking of which, why doesn't she take the form of a Unicorn? It would be easier to explain her abilities that way.

"You alright, Sugarcube?" Applejack queried. "Ya seem like yer in a whole different world."

Twilight blushed and giggled. "I was just... thinking."

Author's Note:

Aaaand the Reason for Sombra's irritability is revealed. When you're immortal you have to have some fun.

Wow, Rarity and Applejack are awesome to write for.

Don't forget to drop a comment if you aren't too busy. I need to know if there are typos.

Comments

[Animated Rarity]

Moarrrrrrrrrrrr please

[dangerbrony]

5875437 Seconded.

[Honest Wisdom]

5875437
5875476 I'm on it! I've already started the next Chapter.

[Animated Rarity]

5875497

[Ebonysdagger]

"At least this is some progress." She muttered to herself. She

Twilight ceased her onslaught on the wall to examine her progress. A few pebbles littered the ground of her cell but other than that she'd hardly made a dent in the wall. She groaned and flopped onto the bed. I'm never going to get out of here.

I think you dropped a sentence or a paragraph there.

[Ice Star]

I have to thank the Pink One later. And remember her name.

So the Honestverse has its own pink one?

[Ice Star]

"At least this is some progress." She muttered to herself. She

She what?

[TwibraFlattercordlover]

Twilight smiled, happy to be among her friends again. For a brief moment she worried about Sombra's Invitation. He could have just had them all killed and moved on without so much as a second thought. So why had he shown them mercy? If what Celestia had told her was true, then Sombra would not have let them live, much less wander the castle unguarded. Her eyes flicked to the Pegasus, who was helping Rarity style her mane. Unless, She thought. Silk is lying about her special talent. It would make sense. Luna says that she's the Crystal Heart so it stands to reason that she shouldn't have a Cutie Mark. Speaking of which, why doesn't she take the form of a Unicorn? It would be easier to explain her abilities that way.

Because she was made into the crystal heart!

[TwibraFlattercordlover]

"At least this is some progress." She muttered to herself. She killed the poor girl that is TwibraFlattercordlover with the suspense of an unfinished sentence."