• Published 5th Jan 2017
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Age of Kings - A bag of plums



When King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire, one pony went into another world to seek help. Featuring the ancestors of the cast of Equestria Girls, this is the account of her quest in the human world.

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26 - I'll Face Myself

“Fascinating discovery, Lady Emerald,” Sir Morn whispered as they entered the castle the next morning. “Your theory does make sense. If indeed your friends are alive and well in this world, then there will also be an Emerald Edge here.”

“Correct, Sir Morn.” Emerald Edge smiled and walked along, admiring the many braziers that lit the castle’s insides. “I have yet to meet her myself, but I have been told that she’s around.”

“Unfortunate that we knights don’t mingle with the guards often, or at all even.” Sir Morn led the way ahead, taking Emerald up a flight of stony steps. “Perhaps I may have known about this other Emerald Edge sooner.”

“It is no trouble, Sir Morn.” Emerald held his arm. “Maybe if you had met her first, I wouldn’t have the chance to be with you.”

“Oh, that may be true, my lady.” Sir Morn patted her hand. “Now are you ready? A sight to behold, I tell you.”

“I have wondered why you were named Knights of the Round Table.” Emerald nodded her head. “I haven’t had the privilege to see this Round Table.”

“And you will shortly, my lady. We are almost there. It sits above the king’s throne room and it is where we Knights of the Round Table and his majesty gather when we have things to discuss or worse… when we have war on our hands.”

Emerald gulped. She had never experienced a war herself, nor did she want to, though she had done her fair share of assassinations and subterfuge to avoid war situations.

“Have you ever… fought in a war, Sir Morn?”

“We haven’t had war since I became a knight.” He shook his head. “I have had to quell uprisings. Nothing large-scale.”

“That’s good. So your mother wanted you to be a knight, yes?”

Sir Morn shook his head. “Nay. Actually, she wanted me to follow in her footsteps and be a mage. I have told you before, my lady, ha ha.”

“Oh… yes… You did. Silly of me.” Emerald looked away embarrassedly.

“Tis fine, Lady Emerald. We all make mistakes, do we not?”

“Yes. But I still find it hard to imagine. You? A mage?” Emerald put a hand to her mouth and she let out a small laugh. “Why, I would never imagine the great Sir Morn Dread a mage! Robes instead of armor? Now that is an interesting image.”

“I know. I sometimes wonder what I would be if I had been a mage instead.” Sir Morn chuckled alongside her. “Perhaps I would have my mother’s penchant for healing magic?”

“Perhaps. Though you don’t need healing magic yourself, Sir Morn,” Emerald said as they went through another doorway. “The way you heal is unlike anything else I have seen here.”

“Tis true, my lady.” Sir Morn stopped before another door, this one larger than the last one, and reached for the handle. “Maybe being a mage would not be too bad. Now, are you ready?”

As he opened the door, Emerald Edge looked through the widening crack, until the door was fully opened. Inside was a large cylindrical room, along with torches adorning the walls, providing decent lighting inside. In the center of the room, was a large circular table, with engravings carved into the wood, containing pictures of dragons, knights and all kinds of other things. Whoever had worked on that table must’ve really taken a long time to finish it. Along the table’s edge were chairs, all with high backs, circling around, one for each of the knights. Then there was a chair that was contained more gems and metal than the other ones, likely the chair of King Dawn Saber, with a sheath placed on the right side of the chair’s back.

There were few windows, but they were all higher up, with Emerald unable to look out through them. That was a good idea, considering who came into this room. Big windows would only provide assassins with more chances to shoot someone in here with an arrow or something similar.

“Behold, the Round Table.” Sir Morn held his hand out to the room. “What do you think, Emerald?”

“A magnificent room.” Emerald walked in, her greaves tapping away on the cobbled stone. “This table has incredible detail. So you knights and the king sit around here?”

“Yes we do, my lady.” Sir Morn ran a hand along the table’s edge. “And soon, you will too. We just have to get a new chair for you.”

“Oh, I mean, uh, is there space?” Emerald rubbed at her elbow. “I could always stand.”

“Preposterous!” The blue haired knight shook his head. “You are one of us now. You should be treated an equal. A phrase I like, my lady. United we stand, now and forever.”

“I like that,” Emerald told him. “It’s a good reminder that friendship and harmony is what we all strive for.”

“That’s one way to put it, my lady.” Sir Morn turned back from the table and looked at her. “And that concludes our tour of the Round Table. Would you like to see anything else?”

Emerald gave that question some thought. “I cannot think of any sights, no, but there is someone I want to see.”

Sir Morn looked up, then back at her. “As you wish, my lady. Who is it you wish to see?”

Emerald looked up at one of the windows. “Where would the other Emerald Edge be at this time?”

“Oh, that is your plan,” Sir Morn Dread laughed. “I suppose she will be around the castle, either currently on shift or resting in the barracks. Or perhaps she could be having a meal right now. It is about time for one.”

“Well, shall we go have a look, Sir Morn?” Emerald nudged the knight. “I want to see how similar she will be to me.”

“Aye, that does sound like an interesting plan.” Sir Morn picked up his helmet from the table. “Then let us be off. This is something I would like to see.”


Emerald Edge wandered around Canterlot Castle with Sir Morn, looking for her doppelganger, but at the same time, allowing herself a better lay of the castle. It would be good to have the entire place mapped out in her head if she was going to be a knight here.

The scoured the various castle halls, and even one of the towers, but there was still no sign of her other self, nor did she see her other friends as well. Perhaps they were all busy with something else at the moment.

“Still no sign of this other Emerald Edge…” Sir Morn rubbed his chin with a armored hand. “I do wonder where she is stationed this day. Mayhap we should check at the ramparts outside. Tis a common posting for the majority of the guards.”

“Then let us go on!” Emerald took Morn’s hand and picked up her speed.

The spymaster was both excited and anxious about meeting this world’s version of herself. She wanted to know what the other Emerald looked like and if she behaved the same in terms of her behavior and mannerisms. For one, this Emerald Edge was a guard and not a spymaster, meaning she would likely not possess the same skills in subterfuge as Emerald did, but perhaps she would have a better skill in combat.

No chance, Emerald smiled to herself. Since coming here, she’d gotten better at open combat, even besting some of the knights during the tournament. Perhaps she would have the upper hand over the other Emerald Edge now.

But then there was also the point of talking to her. What was she going to say? What was she going to do once she found her? Meeting a different version of oneself was something she has never ever thought to plan for.

Eventually, the two knights made it over to the ramparts near the entrance to the castle grounds, spotting a troop of guard stationed on top with their spears and shields in hand. They all had their helmets on, so it was hard to tell if the other Emerald Edge was among them from this distance, so they opted to move closer.

When they got closer, the guard closest to them turned and saw them approaching, quickly telling the others, who all turned and bowed their bodies.

“Good day, sir and lady knight!” she greeted loudly.

It seemed word spread quite fast here.

“You know I am already a knight?” Emerald placed a hand on her chest.

“But of course!” The first guard nodded her head. “It is but our duty to respect all who protect our kingdom. And not to mention, Lady Emerald Edge, you are an interesting one. With permission, may I remove my helmet?”

“Do so.” Sir Morn motioned with a hand.

The guard nodded again and put her spear and shield down before lifting the helmet from her head. Emerald quickly recognized her as Spirit Flicker. She had spoke to her the other day at the courtyard.

“Spirit Flicker,” Emerald said. “My dear friend…”

Unable to control herself as her mind was flooded with images of her friends who had given up their lives to get her here, Emerald ran forward and suddenly embraced the guard, much to the shock of the other three guards with her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t do better…” Emerald choked, remembering how Spirit Flicker and Dash Spiral had stayed behind to guard the door.

“What are you talking about, my lady?” Flicker asked her, squirming in Emerald’s embrace.

“I think it’s time I tell you pon- um, guards.” Emerald looked at the other three guards behind Flicker. “I am Emerald Edge, royal spymaster to Princess Amore of the Crystal Empire. From the land of Equestria.”

“Eq-Equestureeya?” Spirit Flicker tried to repeat. “I… do not believe I know this land, my lady. Forgive my lack of knowledge.”

“That is because Equestria isn’t in your world.” Emerald paused for a second. “I have come to you from another world. Through a magical mirror of the great Star Swirl the Bearded. I have come seeking the artifacts he has created so that I may return to my world and vanquish a dark king that has taken my home from me.”

Spirit Flicker’s face began cycling through various emotions, ranging from confusion and shock to many different faces Emerald didn’t know the expressions for.

“A whole other world…?” she eventually said, seemingly still trying to wrap her mind around it. The three guards behind her began to whisper amongst themselves.

Then one of them stepped forward, asking for permission to remove his helmet. After Sir Morn permitted it, he removed it, revealing the almost familiar pale face of Dash Spiral.

“D-Dash. You’re here too…” Emerald released Flicker and gave him a hug as well. “I have missed you all so much…”

“May I ask, my lady,” he went on after Emerald released him from her embrace. “How do you… know us, if you are not from this world?”

This was the part Emerald had been waiting for. “Our worlds, they are not so different. They are like… parallels.”

“Please, my lady.” Spirit Flicker stopped her. “What is a… parallel?”

“Uh…” The spymaster had never had to explain the word before. “They are similar. You guards, my friends, you were my friends… Back in Equestria. You, Flicker, and you Dash… you gave your lives to help me get to this world. And the others, Captain Jade Crystal, Crystal Flare, Spring Amber, and of course, Light Speckle… My friends…”

Emerald began to feel her eyes blurring as she thought about their final moments once again.

“You know our names…” Flicker said, astounded. “And even the mage, Light Speckle…?”

“I think she is telling the truth.” Dash Spiral ran a hand through his blonde hair. “A whole other world… Goodness.”

“Wait…” Emerald suddenly registered what Flicker had said. “Light Speckle. She is here? Where is she?”

Spirit Flicker looked confused, but pointed to the Mages’ Tower. “Where all the mages are, my lady.”

Emerald was about to sprint off to the tower, but then she remembered a more important thing. It was why she had come here to the ramparts in the first place.

“The other Emerald Edge,” she started. “This world’s Emerald Edge. Where is she?”

“I had a feeling you were going to ask, my lady.” Dash nodded. “She is by the back wall today.”

“I shall take you there, Lady Emerald.” Sir Morn placed a fist on his chest, with a clink.

“Yes, let us go.” Emerald made a reminder to have a look for Speckle as well, after she was done finding herself. “Thank you both. I hope we can catch up more in the future.”

“Our pleasure to assist you, my lady.” Both Dash Spiral and Spirit Flicker bowed as Emerald and Morn left the ramparts.

Sir Morn had to run after Emerald as the spymaster made her way back down to the ground, anxious to meet herself.

“Slow down, my lady,” the male knight chuckled, giving her a pat on the back as he caught up. “You don’t even know the way yet.”

“You need to keep up, Sir Morn,” Emerald told him playfully, but she did want him to move faster.

“Very well. This way, my lady.” Sir Morn took Emerald’s hand in his and led her on.

Emerald followed the blue haired knight around the back of the castle, between the wall and the actual structure. She passed by plenty of crates, likely keeping equipment or resources, along with at least a dozen straw dummies they use in practice.

And soon, they found themselves behind the castle, standing by the wall and an entrance to the castle, with two guards on either side of it, spears and shields in hand. One was a man with white skin, and the other was a woman with green skin.

“G-Good day, sir and lady k-knight,” the woman greeted, her voice wavering.

Emerald didn’t need the guard to remove her helmet to know it was. The guard’s voice sounded exactly just like hers.

“So it is true,” Emerald breathed, walking up to her counterpart, who looked very uncomfortable with it. “You are the Emerald Edge of this world…”

“And there really is another me around…” Other Emerald continued to stare at the spymaster. “I did not think we would be so similar, my lady.”

“Neither did I…” Emerald examined her human world’s self. She hadn’t gotten a chance to get a proper look at her own face, but she guessed their features would be similar, or even identical. As for the color, Other Emerald had the same purple eyes as she did and the same green coat. For the hair, however, Other Emerald’s hair did not seem to glimmer like Emerald’s did; it was just two shades of green, hanging out from behind her helmet, tied in a low ponytail. “Please, could you take off your helmet?”

“At once, my lady.” Other Emerald nodded and did as she was asked.

Sir Morn and the other guard, who Emerald knew was Crystal Flare, looked between both Emerald Edge’s, their eyebrows creased as they examined both of them.

“There is much similarity between you two,” the knight eventually said. “Why, I may not be able to tell you two apart if you dressed the same. Save for the hair.”

Emerald turned to Flare. “So this is why you guards kept saying I did something to my hair. This world’s Emerald’s hair does not shine like mine.”

“Yes, my lady,” the male guard nodded his head.

“All this talk about worlds, Lady, uh, Emerald… What does it all mean?” Other Emerald put a hand to her forehead. “You are from an entirely different world?”

“One of ponies, not humans.” Emerald went on to explain Equestria again, almost used to it by now. Then she told the other Emerald Edge why she was here in the human world and her quest to return home with the power to defeat Sombra.

Sir Morn was also used to hearing it by now, putting a comforting arm around Emerald’s shoulders as she spoke her story to the guards.

“And you are brave to have not given up,” Sir Morn told her soothingly. “You honor your princess with your actions. Be assured, my lady, you will return home and you will vanquish this Sombra.”

Emerald nodded, then turned back to her doppelganger. She had a look of bewilderment on her face. She didn’t blame her. When she first came to this world, she had been outright confused. These creatures called humans and these fingers they have? It was all out of this world.

“There is so much to take in, my lady… Forgive me.” Other Emerald rubbed at her forehead. “I have never heard such tales. But I have no reason to doubt you. You are a Knight of the Round Table.”

“Ah, yes, Lady Emerald, that reminds me.” Sir Morn suddenly exclaimed, startling both Emeralds. “There is to be a ceremony, up at the Round Table when you receive your sword. Where you formally become one of us and join us at the table.”

“Another ceremony?” Emerald sighed. She’d been doing things way out in the open as of late. This wasn’t how she was trained to operate. “Oh, if it has to be done, Sir Morn.”

“I insist. After that, you will really be acknowledged as one of us.” The good knight clapped her on the shoulder.

“Very well,” the spymaster said, then turned back to her other self. “But it is… good to finally meet you, Emerald Edge.”

Other Emerald smiled and covered her mouth. “Likewise, Lady Emerald Edge. I look forward to your victory over that dark king back in your world.”

She nodded. “Then I better let you get back to your duty.”

With a final farewell, Emerald and Morn left the back wall, returning back to the courtyard just in front of the main castle entrance.

“What now, my lady?” Sir Morn held one of Emerald’s hands. “Is there more you wish to see?”

“There is,” the former pegasus nodded and looked past him to the Mages’ Tower. “My dearest friend, Light Speckle awaits.”


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