An Undertale of Equestria

by David Silver

33 - Return of the Empire

Sweet trotted over to Trixie and I. "We have to go back. If we can stop Cadance, we can bring this madness to an end." She glanced back at the other ponies of dark and shadow. "It's not over until Little Tite is allowed to rest, or brought back entirely."

I considered Sweet. "Alright, that sounds right, I guess." Maybe my whole heart wasn't in it at that specific moment. "What is your real name, anyway?"

Sweet smiled. "I'll stick with Sweet Tooth if that's alright?" She turned to the others. "We have a ride for two, three if James takes the center seat, but there's no pedal there, so let's keep it to a light pony."

Aquator snorted, shaking out his black fur. "I require nothing. I'll meet you all there." He wasn't very wet anymore, but he took off at a powerful gallop, charging back towards the city.

Sombra sighed softly. "My approach would ensure the damnable crystal is immediately used. I will stay out of sight and await your signal."

Pinkie suddenly reached up, grabbed Little Tite and stuffed him in her party canon. "You're coming with me! Let's go!" She rushed for the bicycle with a manic grin. "Destiny awaits!"

Sweet moved beside the fallen Long Night. "I'm sorry."

I clenched my teeth. Who was he? If it worked at all... like that. I rushed over to Long and rolled the big inert pony with some effort, Trixie and Sweet gawking at me like I was crazy. I put an ear to his bloody chest, nothing. Okay, I never did CPR before, but I've read about it! I've seen it in movies and videos. How hard could it... be? "Trixie, tell me you can do a little electrical zap." I moved up to Long's mouth and sealed our lips like I was giving him the kiss of a lifetime. I blew air into him, drew back, then again. "Shock him." Would it work? It couldn't be worse than not trying at all.

Pinkie tilted her head. "Well? He hasn't been wrong so far, try it!"

Trixie cringed back a half step before her horn began to glow. The glow jumped from her into Long's body, like a powerful stroke of static electricity. He jerked and I rushed back to put an ear on his chest. The faint thump I heard made my own heard beat savagely. I put a hand in front of his mouth, still nothing. He wasn't breathing, damn it. I closed lips with him and remembered something. I pinched his nose tightly and tilted it back as I breathed into him, trying to act as his lungs. Each huff felt like I was trying to blow up a balloon that was too big. Why were all the ponies so much bigger than me! Why were their mouths shaped differently than mine? I shoved these thoughts aside and keep breathing. It had to work. It had to... I was determined.

Suddenly he coughed, right in my face. A small price to pay, but he started breathing. I fell back, panting and wheezing. "Put pressure on his wound, but he's alive."

Trixie stepped forward slowly. "How? Familiar! James, I mean. You are a constant source of miracles." Pinkie hopped off the bicycle and soon she, Trixie and Sweet were crowded around Long, giving basic first aid.

Trixie shook her head suddenly. "Look, you have to go. Trixie's done her part. Very well, she'll have you know, but only you and the rest will get Cadance to change her mind. She'll watch over Long Night, you take the bicycle and return when you can."

Sweet suddenly hugged Trixie tightly. "You are a Great and Powerful pony. Thank you for being my friend." She moved for the bicycle quickly, and I felt I should too.

"We'll be back, mom."

Trixie waved it off. "You don't have to call me mother. We know you have a mom."

Pinkie suddenly picked me up by the scruff. "No time to talk!" She raced off with me back to the bike and dropped me on the middle seat before hopping on the front and starting to pedal like mad. We lifted violently into the air before stabilizing and tilting towards the Crystal Empire. "Cadance, here we come, ready or not!"

We soared through the air under Pinkie's manic pedaling, returning towards the Crystal Empire a lot faster than Sweet and Trixie's hooves had managed. Sweet had her hooves lifted away from the wildly swinging pedal as if scared to touch it with Pinkie working them. She was amazing! The bicycle's propellers were leaving a trail through the sky with the speed we were going, bursting through a cloud and leaving a fine line of mist behind us.

As we approached the city, we could see there was a huge gathering of ponies milling around outside. Were they already doing the ritual? It hadn't been two days yet! "Take us down, Pinkie. We're running out of time!"

We swooped down like a bird coming to get a tasty mouse, landing with a skid right in the middle of the crowd. It was a miracle we didn't crash into anyone there, but they had the good sense to scramble to either side as we came to a stop. Sweet squealed with sudden pain, trembling, but forcing her way off the bike and to her hooves. "Come on... James... We have to go." I hopped down beside her and took a step towards the stage just to get grabbed up by her and tossed in her quivering back as she galloped for it. "No time..."

Cadance was staring at us along with Shining Armor. When we fully burst from the crowd and hopped up onto the stage, she recoiled a step. "You're alright? We thought..."

Shining Armor shook his head. "We saw, and felt, tremendous dark magic being used. We thought all was lost."

Pinkie drew out her party cannon. "Nope! Everything's gonna be alright." She started to bring it around on the crystal heart. That was bad. I jumped for it with the odd distortion of time jumping felt. Had I failed? It was becoming a lot harder to even know, but I crashed into the cannon and knocked it aside. Little Tite exploded free, but well away from the crystal.

He quivered and wavered where he landed on the ground, but didn't attack anything. I nodded at him then bopped Pinkie on the head. "He wants to break it, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

Cadance looked between us. "Would somepony kindly bring me up to speed? What is going on?"

Sweet dipped her head, trembling. "We have... found it all... Please, accept this envoy of peace, on behalf... of the dark ponies."

Cadance raised a brow. "There was never a doubt that we could accept your people, Sweet."

"And the shadow ponies."

Cadance stepped back. "What?"

Emerging from the ground before Cadance, Sombra flowed upwards, staring at her with his fell eyes. They gazed at one another, the entire crowd stunned into silence.

Shining Armor swallowed heavily, but, to his credit, simply asked, "Is this true?"

Sombra lowered his head a few inches, as close to a bow as ever he might come. "We, the shadow ponies, are willing to negotiate a truce. Our purpose could change." His eyes boring into Cadance's. "Only if you will right this injustice."

Cadance rose to her full height. "What injustice?"

I pointed at the Crystal Heart. "We're not pointing fingers here, but a long time ago, the ponies of the north, you all, would make crystal totems of your enemies and predators, and use it to banish them. It has the soul of one of their number inside. Namely the one quivering on the ground there." My finger lowered to Little Tite's shadowy ball of a form. "He's been fighting for so long, he's ready to die instead of continue it, but--"

Sweet stomped a hoof, almost falling over from the effort. "It doesn't have to be that way."

Emerging from the startled crowd, Aquator's form burst free and hopped up. His form trembled with the pain of the crystal, but he said nothing of it. "Free my son, please. If you know any small bit of compassion in your heart."

Cadance's eyes danced between Sombra, Aquator, Sweet, Pinkie, and me. "This is... a lot to take in."

I waved a hand at the damn crystal. "At least turn that off! They're being hurt just trying to talk to you. You can see they're not here to attack you."

Cadance put a hoof to her chest and stretched it out with a slow exhale. "Yes, right." Her horn glowed softly as its magic wrapped around the crystal and pulled it free. Floating free in the air, its magic dimmed. Sweet fell to the ground, panting with relief. "I'm sorry if that hurt. It..." She glared at Sombra. "You once ruled this city and the entire empire. You dominated and hurt ponies every day without remorse. Why should we trust you now?"

Pinkie thrust up a hoof. "Every pony deserves one chance."

Shining Armor peered at Sombra, then Pinkie. "But he's Sombra!"

Sombra snorted, shadow gusting from his nostrils. "If you do not wish peace..."

Cadance put up her hooves quickly. "No no, let's not be hasty."

A cackling drew their attention as Little Tite reached the heart and flowed around it. "Finally! At long last!" His green smile consumed his form before it faded into the crystal itself. "I... by the darkness... My soul..." Instead of launching in a sudden attack or becoming a demon like I thought he might, he began to sniffle, then cry from within the crystal. He was no returning conqueror.

Aquator trembled. "Please, that's my son... let him free."

Cadance shook her head. "How? How do I even do that? His... He's..." She stepped towards the crystal as she pulled it closer, meeting her halfway. "People of the Crystal Empire, as your princess, I must make a decision." Thousands of perked ears were focused on her, eyes wide with fear and hope. "Your ancestors did what they thought was right, but those times are over." She put the crystal under a hoof. "Sir." She looked at Aquator. "It's time for your child to rest... Do you have any parting words?"

Aquator took shaking steps forward. He was clearly trying to remain composed, but failing. "S-son... I'm... I'm so proud of you..."

Sweet rolled to her haunches. "You were so brave to venture into this place, when we knew so little. You were the best of us."

Little stopped his bawling and eyes appeared in the crystal, not shadowy, but instead deep black with brilliant color within. "Do you mean that?"

Sweet stood up. "If... we could, I would be proud to know, you, as a pony, once more."

Aquator nodded towards Sweet. "This... This will hurt, but you are a child of mine. If anyone can live through this, it is you. Fight it. Fight this one last time, and return to me." He put out his forehooves. "I love you."

Author's Note:

Maybe a good ending can be reached?

Comments

[Diokno44]

Wait, this is a Displaced fic? Holy crap....I didn't realize it, and this is quite good

[David Silver]

6711876 Thanks for the kind words. It was my challenge from me to me.

[Emtu]

She moved for the bicycle quickly, and I felt I should to.

too

[Booster Spice]

Pinkie pedals so hard, one of these dys she is going to oull off a Baumgartner, given she already does Felix.

In this story, is the Crystal Heart only for the shadows, or does it not have the general Equestrian effect?

What reason for the Empire, if not the Fair, what reason for the Fair, if not for the Heart, what reason the Heart, if only to keep those away that would just be freinds?

[David Silver]

6711920 Fixed!

[David Silver]

6711921 If we are speaking canon sources? Who knows. The comic gives some ideas, but the comic is soft canon, though I have use it to make this story work.

[farsan]

Smelling a sudden, but inevitable betrayal...

[Oroboros098]

Aaannnd Flowy time! Or will this end well and restart? Maybe Chara will make an appearance?

[Andy Ray]

The faint thump I heard made my own heard beat savagely.

"Herd" ?

Nope ! "Heart". Like this: .

[Andy Ray]

I shoved these thoughts aside and keep breathing.

Please, stick to one tense.