Age of Kings

by A bag of plums

42 - The Staff of Equestria

Emerald Edge adjusted her sword belt as she made her way to the Mages’ Tower. She tried to keep herself from breaking into a run, but she could barely stop herself. Today was one of the rare occasions when she didn’t have knightly duties, so she planned to spend it at the tower, where her friend Nightfall Gleam had told her something important was going to happen.

Winter had ended about one moon ago, and while the cold had never bothered her back in Equestria, it had really bothered her here. Being so much more hairless than ponies, human bodies got cold so much faster, making Emerald shiver, even with an outer cloak over her armor. Thankfully, the weather had warmed up in the last few days, making walking outside so much more enjoyable again. If anything, Emerald would rather be in the heat of the sun, than in the cold winter wind.

As Emerald walked past the ever-present oak tree, a small glow near the top caught her eye. Stopping, she looked up. There was a brown owl holding a stick with something round and white speared on it. It was holding the stick over a small pile of glowing coals, and a sweet, mouth-watering scent coming from the roasting food.

“What?” Emerald said quizzically.

The owls she encountered in Canterlot were certainly of an… interesting quality.

Shrugging and leaving the owl to its cookout, Emerald continued on her way to the tower. It didn’t take long for her to realize that many of the mages were outside, standing in neat rows. Emerald trotted to a stop, watching the procession with interest.

After a while, a familiar mop of puffy orange hair made itself known, gently pushing through the crowds to get to Emerald.

“Lady Emerald,” Adagio Dazzle drawled. “I was not expecting to see you here. You’re pretty much just in time for the ceremony to begin.”

“Ceremony?”

“Yes, the ceremony,” Adagio confirmed. “King Dawn Saber will be down here soon enough to see it as well. It is a momentous occasion,” she added with a smirk.

“Did the king finally get an heir?” Emerald looked around at all the mages, spotting Secret Fire two rows down.

“Uh, no.” The muse flicked a speck of dust off her robes. “It’s a ceremony of succession.”

“Succession?”

“This is going to be a very dull conversation if you just keep repeating what I say.” Adagio rolled her eyes.

“I apologize,” Emerald replied, looking to the side. “So a succession to what? The throne? Did they find a regent, then?”

“No, no. It’s a succession of mages.” Sonata Dusk popped up beside them. Aria Blaze followed closely behind, not too happy with being here, it seems. “Clover the Clever is stepping down as Magus Superior and is passing the mantle to her apprentice.”

“She’s stepping down?” Emerald said before realizing she was repeating Sonata’s words again. “Sorry. So she will not be a mage any longer?”

“She will not be Magus Superior any longer,” Sonata clarified with a tap of her finger on her cheek. “She will still be in the tower, teaching her apprentice as she leads the mages.”

“New Magus Superior…” Emerald watched the front as both Clover and Light Speckle stepped out from the tower, with the latter helping the former walk, her golden staff in her hand. “You’ve done it, Speckle.”

There was a blare of trumpets from the castle as King Dawn Saber and Queen Sunlight Radiance began making their way over, flanked by six guards and Sir Agramane.

Emerald wished Morn Dread was here, but he was currently on a quest with Sir Trotivere, looking for his legendary grail and any artifacts that would be from Equestria.

Then there was a flash of fire in the air, before it dissipated into tiny cinders, catching everyone’s attention, before slowly floating their way back down.

“Attention please, everyone!” Beatrix held one hand up. “Tis time to begin the ceremony. Please welcome Magus Superior Clover the Clever and her apprentice, Mage Light Speckle!”

The other mages and spectators began clapping and then there was an explosion by the side. Where Secret Fire had been standing was now a ring of extinguishing fire, while the mage himself was blackened again and there was a small fire on his beard.

“Apologies! I was holding a bottle of firewasp venom!” He pinched out the fire on his beard. “Maybe I shouldn’t have clapped just yet.”

“Well, looks like we’re up,” Adagio remarked, leaving Emerald’s side and joining her two sisters at the front of the procession. On an unseen signal, the three muses began to sing, a soft, soothing song that seemed to relax the crowd. Even Secret Fire seemed enraptured.

Emerald smiled and closed her eyes, letting the melodious tune wrap around her like a soft scarf. The three muses really had talent renowned through the whole kingdom. King Dawn Saber was lucky to have them.

The song went on for what felt like half an hour, though in reality it was probably much shorter than that. The muses’ song slowly faded out, leaving behind a strange void. Emerald wished they could have kept singing for longer.

“And now, we invite the king, his majesty, up here for the succession!” Beatrix waved a hand to King Dawn Saber.

The king put a hand on his wife’s shoulder and smiled at her before walking up to the front of the tower, turning to face the crowd.

“People of Canterlot,” he began, standing tall. “Today, as we hold our succession of Magus Superior, let us first remember all that Magus Clover has done for us. Magus Clover, I, King Dawn Saber, thank you on behalf of the people of Canterlot, for all the work you have done for my knights and my people.”

Emerald joined the crowd in applause for the elder woman.

“And I have had the pleasure to serve you, my king.” Clover bent slowly in a bow. “It has been an honor to lead the mages and to provide our magic when necessary. Alas, age has begun to overtake me and my work, so it is time to pass the mantle on to my prized apprentice. Mage Light Speckle, please step forward.”

Emerald watched her best friend, or at least, this world’s version of her best friend walk before Clover and King Dawn Saber, then pulled her hood down, revealing her locks of curly black hair.

“Mage Speckle,” Clover started again. “Do you swear to protect Canterlot with the staff and the good of magic and to never use its power for the evil and corruption of dark magic?”

“I swear, Magus Superior.” Light Speckle nodded her head. “Magic should only ever be used to help others. I shall hold firm everything you have taught me and I will never divert from your teachings.”

Clover’s weathered face settled into an expression of serene contentment. “Then by my right as Magus Superior, I bequeath unto you my staff. Bear it well, Magus Superior Light Speckle.”

Glinting gold in the sun, the staff was passed from Clover’s hands to Light Speckle’s. Emerald felt a faint thrill of energy from the staff, almost as if it was…

“Of course,” Emerald breathed.

Sparks flew from its tip as Emerald made that conclusion. That led Clover to turn her head and if Emerald was sure she wasn’t seeing things, the wizened mage was looking straight at her with a smile on her face.

When the staff had calmed down, Light Speckle held it in both hands and bowed to Clover. “Thank you for all you have taught me. I hope to continue to learn more from you as I now lead the mages.”

And then not so formally, Emerald’s friend threw her arms around Clover and gave her a hug.

“I look forward to your work as Magus Superior, Light Sparkle,” King Dawn Saber said after she let go. “May your accomplishments be as many as your predecessors.”

“Thank you, your majesty.” Speckle curtsied.

The crowds burst into another round of applause. After that, the sirens sung one more song, allowing Emerald another chance to listen to their divine voices. Shortly after, the people began to disperse, with the mages retreating back to the tower to continue their work, and the others returning either to the castle or the town.

“That was some ceremony, was it not, Em?” Spectrum Song walked over, giving Emerald a pat on the arm. “And all that sparkling from the staff. It’s one of your artifacts, yes? I had a feeling it was!”

“It sure was, young Spectrum.” Emerald looked on at the tower entrance. “I think I shall pay my old friend a visit.”

“Sounds fine, Em. I have some duties to take care of, so I will see you later!”

As the squire ran off, Emerald entered the tower, going straight for the stairs. She waved over to Moon Tide, who was busy concocting some kind of paste in a bowl. It looked like the paste she normally used on Secret Fire, and remembering what had happened earlier, the paste was very likely for the pyromancer.

Emerald only stopped at the next floor to say hello to Nightfall and to thank her for inviting her over for the ceremony. Then there was the case with herself resonating with the staff. It had been a very welcomed sight. All this time, there had been an artifact so close, and she never knew.

“I have had my suspicions that it was no ordinary staff,” Nightfall had said. “But now we know for sure. That explains why it contains such powerful magic.”

After a little chat with Nightfall and some catching up, Emerald went straight up to the top floor, where Clover’s room was. It would be nice to talk to the new Magus Superior about her role and also to take a closer look at the staff, now that she knew what it really was.

Arriving on the landing just outside Clover’s room, Emerald stopped to compose herself, then raised a hand to knock on the wooden door.

“Yes, come in,” she heard Light Speckle say from inside.

Emerald did as she said, pushing the door open.

Light Speckle was working by the large workstation, where all kinds of plants and liquids were. Clover sat on the bed inside, sipping from a cup of tea.

“Oh, Lady Emerald Edge, welcome,” Light Speckle turned and greeted her. “Please, come in. Do make yourself comfortable. Clover has been expecting you.”

“You were?” Emerald said, curious. “Is that one of the staff’s powers, being able to look into the future?”

Clover chuckled lightly and put her cup on the table. “Nothing of that sort, Lady Emerald. After the staff’s display earlier, I had a feeling you would want to come ask about it. And here you are. Please, sit. There is so much to talk about. Much that even Speckle does not yet know.”

“There is?” both Emerald and Speckle asked at the same time.

“I am afraid so.” Clover nodded. “Now that I am no longer Magus Superior and the time will soon come for me to join my teacher, Star Swirl the Bearded, I have so much to reveal to you until then. Clover lifted a wrinkled old hand. “Please, sit, Lady Emerald.”

Emerald pulled a wooden stool over and sat on it expectantly, staring at Clover’s aged face.

“You see, I’ve been expecting someone like you to come along,” the former Magus Superior said. “Ever since, well, it’s a long story.”

Emerald shrugged. “I don’t have anywhere else to be today. I could use a long story.”

“Hear me, Lady Emerald.” Clover looked over to Light Speckle, who was also eagerly waiting for what Clover was about to say. “All these years as a mage, I have kept this secret. I know about Equestria and the artifacts that were sent here.”

“Y-You do?” Emerald was stunned. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“Secrecy, in a word,” Clover sighed. “I was given strict instructions from… the Equestrian Clover that I was not to reveal anything until I was sure of who I was revealing it to.”

“You-you know Equestria’s Clover the Clever?” Emerald leaned forward in her seat. “You knew him?”

“Him?” Light Speckle looked at her mentor. “So you knew all about this other world all this time, Clover? And him? Your Clover was a man, Emerald?”

“Stallion,” Emerald corrected. “And yes, the Equestrian Clover the Clever is male. Doesn’t stop them from getting a mare to play him in every Hearth’s Warming Eve party though…” she finished with a sniff. “When I first heard of you here, I was surprised to learn you were not a stal- uh, man.”

“Oh yes, ponies…” Speckle laughed awkwardly, then looked at her fingers. “And what’s a hearth warming? Like a fire during winter?”

“It’s a celebration that honors the founding of Equestria,” Emerald said cheerfully. “We gather together to remember how the founders chased away the Windigoes and established our nation. We throw parties, drink cider, and exchange gifts. It’s a great time of year overall. You humans don’t have anything like that here?”

“No…” Light Speckle said slowly.

Clover chuckled. “Your Clover has told me all about it. He spent quite a bit of time here when I still had my youth. He told me all about the things you do in Equestria. A world of ponies… I have never been there myself, no, but by what he has said, it sounds astounding.”

“It is. Equestria is a beautiful place. Did he tell you about the Crystal Empire? That is where I am from.”

“He did say something about a Crystal Empire, but more importantly, he told me about the artifacts. Powerful relics created by the Equestrian Star Swirl the Bearded to help deal with threats from Equestria.”

“But then how did they wind up here?” Light Speckle ventured, wringing her hands.

“Clover explained that too,” Clover said serenely. “After the creation of Star Swirl’s artifacts, the wizard thought they were far too great of a power, especially in the wrong hands, so he sent them here, to a world without Equestrian magic, where no one could effectively wield their power.”

“Yes, that is true,” Emerald confirmed. “But dire times call for dire actions. That is why I have come here. Right now, only one of these artifacts can hope to defeat Sombra and rid him from my kingdom.”

“Yes.” The old woman shakily picked up her cup of tea and sipped from it. “Clover explained they have the power to do much good in the world… or much evil. Tell me, Lady Emerald, how was Clover doing, the last time you were in Equestria?”

“Truthfully, I do not know.” The spymaster shrugged apologetically. “Clover the Clever only visits the Crystal Empire ever so often. And all I get to do is see him. We have never actually spoken before.”

“Fascinating, nonetheless...” Light Speckle said, her mortar and pestle now in hand as she grinded up a blue plant. “That our world is a mirror of sorts to yours, except we are ponies, and Clover is a… man. Was I a man, Lady Emerald?”

“No you were not, Speckle.” Emerald chuckled, leaning back and almost falling off her stool. “You were a mare, just like me. Clover is the first I know who is of a different gender. Speaking of which… Clover, may I ask why my Clover came to this world?”

“He first came to hide a secret weapon of his own. He did not tell me much about it, nor where he hid it, but that is how we first met. After that, he came back for visits when he could and we would share tales and he would teach me more about using the staff, but I was never to tell a soul about what I learnt from him, unless it is to my successor, when she was ready to take up my mantle, of course, or another Equestrian. Truthfully, I never expected to meet another, but here you are, Lady Emerald.”

“Here I am.” Emerald laughed internally. Today has just been filled with her repeating words. “But it is amazing that you know another Equestrian.”

“It is an honor to know an Equestrian.” Clover put a hand to her chest and bowed very slightly. “Your knowledge of magics is truly astounding. And I am sorry, Speckle, that I never told you any of this. I was saving it for the day you become Magus Superior.”

“Which is today.” The black haired mage grinned and poured her bowl’s contents into a vial, putting a cork into its hole. “Thank you for such knowledge, Clover. But there is one thing.”

Putting the vial on the table, Light Speckle picked up the golden staff, which leaned against the wall between the table and the bed. She returned to Emerald and held it out to her.

“What?” Emerald breathed, looking at the gold and silver patterns on the staff.

“Lady Emerald, tis your mission to find an artifact and return home, is it not?” Light Speckle shook the staff. “There is one, right before your eyes.”

“B-But, I cannot.” Emerald took one step back. “It belongs to you mages. It belongs to you, Speckle.”

“You will return once you vanquish the usurper, will you not? You may return it to me then, but for now, take it, my lady. Use it.”

Tears filled Emerald’s eyes. Even here, Light Speckle did such selfless things. And could it be? Could she finally return home and do what she had set out to do so many moons ago? Would she be able to vanquish Sombra and restore the Crystal Empire?

Tentatively, Emerald reached out and took hold of the staff. It was cool to the touch, and hummed with a strange resonance that energized the former pegasus.

“You’ll always be my best friend, Speckle, even if you’re from another world. Thank you.” Emerald hugged the mage with her other arm. “With this, it will finally be time to put Sombra in his place. But first, I will need the way home to be opened.”

---

Emerald stood beside the giant stone she had emerged from when she first came to this world, the staff in her hand. Light Speckle and Clover, who had a new wooden staff, stood by the boat behind her, watching expectantly.

Now that she was viewing it with a clear head, Emerald could see that the pale stone monolith was at least four times as large as she was, and probably ten times as thick. Vegetation refused to grow on it, leaving the stone as an oddity on the small island. Emerald and her escort had taken a small rowboat here, and had it not been raining slightly, it would have been a grand day for a boating trip.

Emerald Edge reached her other hand out towards the stone, holding her breath as her mind worked out her plans. Jade Crystal had mentioned the portal only opens for three days at a time every thirty moons. Unfortunately, Emerald had forgotten to count the days since she had been here.

Putting her fingers against the stone, Emerald was unsurprised, but still very disappointed that they didn’t go through the portal; it wasn’t opened to her right now. Then something occurred to her.

Emerald took the staff in hand and pointed it at the stone surface.

“Open!” she commanded.

Still nothing happened. The portal remained closed.

“It must not be time, Lady Emerald.” Light Speckle looked down. “We could try coming back everyday to check.”

Emerald gritted her teeth in frustration, then looked at the staff. These artifacts were supposed to have power beyond any imagination. Can’t power like that open the portal?

Emerald raised the staff and the tip began to glow a soft white. She felt it resonate deep within herself and she began to float off the ground, both feet now in the air. Her ears shifted to the top of her head, becoming like her ears back in Equestria and her ponytail extended down to her feet, while a pair of wings sprouted from her back.

Emerald felt the staff grow warm in her hands and she pointed at the rock formation. A single golden beam emerged from the tip, lancing straight for the stone, reflecting off its surface into a million directions, wrapping around the entire thing.

“Open. Open!” Emerald continued to will the magical artifact to work.

Emerald put more force into the staff’s magic, but even then, the portal remained closed to her.

“No. No! Why will you not open?” she screamed at the rock formation as she descended back to the ground, the magic beam dissolving into tiny golden fragments. “I need to get back. I need to save my empire.”

With her magical form fading, Emerald fell to her knees, putting a hand on the stone’s surface. Even with such power, she could not return home.

“I happen to know some about portals like this, or rather, your Clover told me about it,” the elderly Clover said, edging forward on her staff. “Like a tunnel, the portal network must have an entry and an exit,” Clover scratched out a diagram in the dirt with her staff. “A way in, a way out. That’s why Clover wanted this island to be left alone, so that his exit to this world would not be cut off.”

“B-But that means…” Emerald looked up at the stone, able to partially see her reflection in its surface. “My way in. It was about to explode when Speckle sent me in. It’s gone.”

There was a moment of profound silence, punctuated only by the faint swish of the lake’s waters on the island’s shores.

“Then…” Light Speckle said quietly. “Does this mean there’s no way for Emerald to get home?”

“There’s a second portal!” Emerald remembered the note on the prototype portal that she and her Equestrian friends had discovered. “Maybe that… will work? It’s possible, isn’t it?” Emerald said desperately.

Clover looked pensive. “The portal you came through must be the one you exit through. It is one of the laws of magic that your Clover told me about. It is built into the portals so that the traveler does not arrive at an undesirable destination by accident. If your entry portal is indeed destroyed… unless another traveler comes in through another portal to take you with them, I am afraid you may be trapped here.”

“No. No no no no no no!” Emerald stabbed the staff’s other end into the dirt ground. “It cannot end like this! I have a mission. A mission given to me by my princess. I cannot fail!”

Emerald’s eyes misted over, and she was helpless to stop the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

“Lady Emerald, I am sorry.” Light Speckle put a hand on her shoulder. “But surely there must be another way to return home? This one portal cannot be the only way, yes?”

“I don’t know!” Emerald snapped and shut her eyes. “I was so close. So close! I have what I need to stop Sombra now, but I cannot return home!” She looked back up at the portal with blurry vision, growling at it. “It’s this portal! The portal is to blame! Why did it have to explode on the other side? Why can it not take me elsewhere!”

Emerald activated the staff’s magic again, floating up into the air in her half-pony form, holding the artifact vertically out in front of herself. Her tearful eyes began glowing gold as an aura of magic began to pulse out from the staff, sending tremors running down from the stone to the lake waters.

“Lady Emerald, please, it cannot open the portal!” Light Speckle wobbled her way to Clover to support her.

“I need to try again. It needs more power! I cannot accept the end just like this!”

The staff’s tip began to expand a magical orb, which slowly increased in size as Emerald put more magic into it.

“Lady Emerald, this will accomplish nothing,” Clover said over the rumble. “If there is no door on the otherwise, the way will remain closed regardless.”

Emerald didn’t listen. Instead, she fired the orb of light into the rock formation, splintering beams all across the small island, shearing through dirt and grass and sending Light Speckle and Clover falling back into the boat.

“Open! You will open!” Emerald snarled, increasing her beam’s intensity. The earth around the portal began to crumble under her sheer power, but still, the portal didn’t open.

“Lady Emerald! The island, please!” Light Speckle kept Clover down as waves on the lake threatened to pull the boat into the water. “You must stop! This is not the way!”

“You do not know the way!” Emerald’s voice broke as she began to whimper. “There must be a way to force the portal open! I have to get home! I must…”

“None of us know the way, that is true, Lady Emerald.” Clover sat up in the boat. “But we will aid you. We will find a way together. Not like this.”

Emerald didn’t seem to register Clover’s words, but the arm holding the staff suddenly dropped, and with it, the light show. The portal stone remained as glossy as ever.

The former pegasus, her head hanging low, made her way back to the boat and sat down heavily in it. Defeated, Emerald dropped the staff, sending it falling into Light Speckle’s lap. She didn’t need it anymore. She was never getting home now. There was no stopping Sombra.

“I failed my princess…” Emerald put her face in her hands and sobbed. “What good am I if I cannot return home to rescue the Crystal Empire…?”

Clover put a hand on Emerald’s back, patting her gently. “There, there, dear. It’s not that bad.”

The former pegasus peeked at Clover with one bloodshot eye. “Isn’t it? All the sacrifices I’ve made, that my friends made for me just to get here, it was all for nothing. How could it possibly not be that bad!?”

“It is not that bad, because we have yet to give up,” Clover tried to reason. “While I still draw breath, I will do all I can to find a way to help you home.”

“So will I, Lady Emerald.” Light Speckle put a hand on her shoulder. “As your best friend back in Equestria had done, I shall do the same for you.”

The former pegasus shook her head. “If the artifact could not do a thing, what could you do?”

“I… I do not know, Lady Emerald.” Speckle looked to Clover, who had gone silent. “B-But I know we will figure something out.”

Emerald didn’t bother looking up. “I am ready to return to Canterlot.”

Light Speckle sighed in defeat. She picked up the oar and began paddling the boat back across the lake, unsure of what she could possibly do to renew Emerald’s determination.

---

Emerald Edge sat alone at a table in the Drifting Stallion, three overturned mugs in front of her face while a fourth was in her right hand. The bartender had run out of mugs for her, so Emerald had gotten refills in her current mug instead; after the fifth refill, she had lost count.

She had been in here since returning from Canterlot, ignoring Light Speckle and Clover’s encouragements. She had nothing left. There was no home for her to go back to anymore. If the portal couldn’t open, then she was never getting back. What was her purpose now? There was nothing left to look forward to, nothing left to fight for.

“It’s over…” Emerald downed her mug’s contents once more. “Bartender, more please…”

“Don’t you think you might have had enough, lady knight?” The bartender scratched at his blue beard.

Emerald was about to protest, but then she thought the better of it and slid a small stack of bits to the bartender, then got up unsteadily and stumbled toward the door. After a few tries at grabbing the door handle, Emerald simply walked into the door and allowed her body to push it open.

She accidentally barged into a man carrying a crate, but she barely noticed him and trudged on, wobbling her way towards the central bridge. She was walking in such a large zigzag that the townsfolk gave her the entire path for her to travel on by herself.

It went on like this all the way to the bridge, where Emerald tripped over the side, falling right into the small creek below, face first.

“Who put this broodge here…” She wiped water from her face, not bothering to get up yet. Thankfully, the river was shallow enough for her to lie in. “Yoooou don’t get in Emeraaald Edge’s way. Unless you’re a pourtal…”

The thought of the portal drifted over Emerald’s mind like a dark cloud. She felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. It really wasn’t fair, she thought sulkily. She had done everything right. She had gone through the mirror into this other world, having her body changed as an unexpected part of the deal, she had found an artifact and would have been well on her way to setting everything right when the stupid portal refused to let her back through.

The water was soaking into her clothes but Emerald was too deep in her self pity to care. An owl flew overhead, spiralling around Emerald in the evening sky like a vulture.

Emerald watched it fly in circles until she got bored. Surely the owl would get bored too and leave, but it didn’t, flapping around in spirals like a leaf caught in a whirlpool. Her eyes followed the bird around and around, growing slightly dizzy, well, dizzier, so Emerald closed her eyes and thought about home. Not the room she had back at the castle, nor the cottage she owned near the stables. She thought of Equestria and the Crystal Empire. How would they be getting on without her? Would any help from Canterlot arrive now that the Empire’s last hope had failed? Did Celestia and Luna actually care about them at all? Was anyone even still opposing Sombra now?

Sombra. He was the cause of all this. If it hadn’t been for him, she wouldn’t have needed to come to this wretched world. If it weren’t for him, Princess Amore would still be alive. The former pegasus clenched a fist. Sombra. All her self pity congealed together and moulded itself into a diamond-hard ingot with only one word stamped on it: revenge. The idea burned like a fire in her chest and she sat up, river water dripping from her shimmering hair. And then she stumbled back down into the water. Perhaps she did have a little too much cider to drink.

“I’m going to kill him,” Emerald muttered drunkenly, swiping at the air with a hidden blade. “I’m gooooing to kill heeermmm!”

Emerald crawled her way to the side, leaning her back against the ground as everything spun around her. She was going to kill Sombra, should she ever get the chance, but with the portal closed off unless somepony decided to come over to this world for a visit, there was no going back for her.

Clover mentioned Clover used to come through to visit. Why had he stopped? If he could only just come though now, Emerald would have a way home. But of course, like his old mentor, he just had to make things harder.

“Blaaasted Star Sworl that Beardeeed… Blasted Cloovaaa the Cleverrr…” Emerald splashed at the water around her, putting a hand over her eyes. “You did this. You trapped me hereeee with yorrr foolish inventionsss.”

There was a flicker of movement and something landed on Emerald’s chest. It was the owl, staring down at her with its bright orange eyes. Then there were the sound of footsteps, many footsteps.

“Hey look, there she is!” someone said brightly. Something pink entered Emerald’s field of vision and the owl flew over to Sonata Dusk’s arm, where she fed it a strip of meat. Emerald was too drunk to be disgusted with that.

Spectrum’s voice made itself known. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you, Emerald,” Someone grabbed Emerald’s arms and hauled her up into a sitting position. “Eeurgh, you’re all wet.”

Emerald looked down into the shallow water. Glad you noticed. “What are yooou even doing here? I wanted to be alown…”

“Well, you disappeared after Clover and Light Speckle got back, and then you didn’t show up for dinner. Sir Morn and the others got worried and sent us to go look for you.” Spectrum glanced at Sonata, who was busy rubbing the owl on the head. “Were you just lying in this creek the whole time?”

“Part of it…” Emerald hiccuped, a bubble exiting her mouth and floating up.

Spectrum shook her head and gestured to Sonata, who released the owl into the air before coming over to help Emerald to her feet, albeit unsteadily.

“Come on, Em, we are getting you back to the castle.”

“I do naaht want to return to the castuulll. Just leave me herrreee. I like it herrreee.” Emerald shrugged her hand away and leaned back against the wall, unable to stand by herself.

“Emerald, be reasonable.” Spectrum tried pulling her, but the former pegasus was just too heavy. “You cannot spend the night here, you’ll get sick. Besides, you’re a Knight of the Round Table. You have to represent your king and kingdom well.”

“Don’t want to,” Emerald said mulishly. “Not my king and kingdom anyway.”

“Aw, come on, Em, you don’t mean that.”

Spectrum looked to Sonata for help, but the muse just shrugged, looking just as much at a loss for what to say.

Emerald continued to sulk, muttering about how unfair everything was and how the Crystal Empire would be doomed without her.

“Whether you came from another world or not, Emerald, you swore an oath, remember?” Spectrum tapped at the side of her head. “You swore you would defend this kingdom while you remain here. That is why you are a Knight of the Round Table.”

“Buut I cannot retuurn home now.” Emerald let out another bubble from her mouth. “Why does it maturrr what I do now?”

“Because we will not just sit back and let you mull away about this, Em.” Spectrum and Sonata began trying to drag her to the right, where a stone staircase had been built into the wall of the creek. “We are your friends, Em. We helped you along in your journey here and we will continue to do so. Right, Sonata?”

“She’s right, Emerald.” The muse patted her on the head. “Just come with us to the castle. You’ll see!”

“Don’t want to…” Emerald mumbled.

The two didn’t listen and continued to drag Emerald out of the creek and towards the castle. Spectrum and Sonata had some trouble dragging her all the way, but somehow, they managed, all the way to the castle drawbridge.

When they arrived there, Emerald saw two pairs of feet rush over from the front, before two new sets of hands wrapped around her arms and helped drag her onward. She looked to the left, noticing it was the other Emerald Edge, and then to her right, was none other than Sir Morn Dread, the human she loved.

Just in the courtyard ahead, stood a bunch of humans she knew. More specifically, the friends she had made in her time in this world, which consisted of most of the Knights of the Round Table, Nightfall Gleam, Jewel Pin, Posey, the other two muses, Moon Tide, Light Speckle, Clover and even Crystal Flare and Dash Spiral.

“See, Em?” Spectrum pointed. “See how many people were looking for you?”

“So whuut…”

“Lady Emerald, your quest is not over. Not yet,” Sir Morn said comfortingly beside her. “You have us. We shall aid you to the very end. I shall always be there for you when you need me, so do not give up yet.”

“Your tales of your world have inspired even me, Lady Emerald.” The other Emerald Edge nodded her head with a smile. “Please do not end this quest now before you save your empire.”

“But I have no way hoooome…” Emerald grumbled. As her friends ran to circle around her.

“And we will help you find one, Lady Emerald.” Light Speckle gave her shoulder a pat. “Like I said, you are not alone.”

“But what caaan any of yuuuuu dew for me?” Emerald swiped a hand to the side drunkenly. “Yuuu humans cannot open the portul…”

Adagio sighed. “Moon Tide had a feeling she might be like this. Here.” She produced a small potion bottle with a scrawled label on it. “Someone get her to drink this. It’ll counteract the… drink.”

Sir Morn took it and held it out to Emerald’s mouth. “Drink this, my lady. It will help.”

“No. You cannot make me-”

Sir Morn pushed the bottle against her lips and tilted it up. Emerald had been in the process of talking and accidentally swallowed some of its contents. She took a step back and sputtered, coughing as she wiped the residue liquid from her lips. It tasted salty and slightly metallic, with a hint of some kind of vegetable. It burned all the way down and Emerald felt her head clear almost immediately.

“Pleh! What’s in this?” Emerald said after she swallowed the concoction.

“I do not know,” Aria Blaze supplied. “It worked, though. You’re not slurring any more.”

It was true. Whatever had been in that bottle had banished all the buzz and drunkenness from Emerald’s body. Her mind was clear once again. And with that clarity of mind came a wave of depression at her discovery earlier today.

“Drunk or not, it changes nothing,” Emerald sulked, now able to stand on her own again without all the spinning in her head. “I still do not have a way home and none of you can open a way home for me. We’re trapped on this side unless someone from Equestria comes over.”

“We have the staff.” Light Speckle thudded the end of the golden staff on the ground. “Maybe we could use it to contact the other side?”

“Yes.” Clover nodded. “The staff does have power to communicate with others at great distance. Perhaps it may even help with contacting someone over there. Alas, I have never tried.”

“Yes, we are all here to lend a hand where you need us.” Jewel Pin swiped her purple hair to the side. “You need only ask and we shall be there for you.”

“She has a point, Em.” Posey nodded, fiddling with her bandana. “You were there for us all. It is only normal for us to return the favor and do what we can to help you get home.”

“You have helped me research so much, Emerald.” Nightfall tapped a scroll she was holding. “If I could build something to help you return home, I will try my best! I owe you so much.”

“There is much magic to study about your portal, but I am sure we will figure something out one day,” Moon Tide told her. “It is what we mages do.”

“See, Em?” Spectrum announced. “You’re far from alone, and your quest isn’t over yet. As a knight-to-be, I promise to be there to lend a helping hand if you need it.”

Emerald looked around at all her friends, all of them sporting encouraging smiles and compassionate eyes. Her eyes misted over. They were right: she wasn’t as alone as she thought, and perhaps with their help, they could get the portal open. Half her quest was already over; she had found an artifact. Now it was just a matter of getting back to Equestria and dethroning Sombra, and that was the easy part, right?

The former pegasus sniffled and wiped the tears of happiness from her eyes.

“Thank you, Spectrum, everypony. I’m sorry I got so worked up over it. It’s just that I want to complete my quest, and I didn’t expect so many setbacks.”

“Tis the story of my life, Lady Emerald,” Sir Morn said, coming forward and taking Emerald’s hand. “We can find a way to open the portal, I know we can. Just like how we will one day find the Grail.”

“And on that day, you will have all our support when you banish that Sombra from your empire,” Light Speckle said with conviction. “I will have the staff here for you when you are finally able to return home.”

“Thank you, everyone,” Emerald said again. “I thought I left magic behind when I left Equestria. But I was wrong. Even here, friendship is still magic.”

---

Comments

[Jaxxon Markus Citadel]

Good to see that Canterlot has such fine people to support Emerald in her time of need. Sadly, I think it's a foregone conclusion that Emerald doesn't make it back to the Crystal Empire until the end of Leap of Faith.

[Marcthelightspark2004]

This was good.

[Marcthelightspark2004]

8944381
Everything sapient has the capacity to be civilized. Even monsters. Humans, in a way, can be worse than any demon in the dark.

[GuardianofRoin]

Roll Credits!

[MoonlightRift]

Damn, that's.. I feel for her. As always, what can go wrong, will go wrong.