Dragon Quarry

by Mimkage

Ch 13: Memories in Crystal

The wind whistled, tossing snow about in the harsh cold of the Arctic North. It was relentless, as it always was. Thankfully, in the shelter of the Dragon Quarry Twilight and her team remained unharmed but not unsupervised. Standing on the cliff edge of the quarry, Punchin looked down at them in the brown cloak she had before. Her face was stern, a light growl escaping her throat as she suddenly blazes off into the snow, running off into the blizzard.

The sudden motion captured Twilight’s attention, causing her to look out up only to see just some snow being kicked up. She stared for a long while, attracting the attention of Shining who approached her and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“You okay Twilight?” He asked, giving her a worried look. Twilight nods, smiling

“Yeah, I’m okay.” She replied. Celestia approaches her, giving her a calm look.

“Come on you two, we must go. There is only so much time to search before the sun must be set again.” She said, looking down at Twilight.

“We might have way to narrow the search.” Sunburst added, pulling the clear crystal he picked up from his saddlebag.

Instantly Celestia knew what is was, taking it in her own magic and looking at it closely.

“This is a Remembrance. Where did you find this?” She asked, turning the crystal in the light.

“Back in largest building, on the floor close to where Jade stood. Sunburst found it and we saw something in it.”

Time flashed back to them searching the area, looking around with Twilight narrating over it.

“He had tripped over it, making it glow and project something.”

Both Twilight and Shining jumped in surprise, their horns flaring up defense only to realize it wasn’t real. The crystal floated in the air, glowing brightly. From it a scene was projected.

Clearly this was a glimpse into the Quarry’s prime with the broken walls restored to their former glory. Dragons stood in front of a throne, by it a basket of eggs sat on a small perch. Looking at it Twilight’s eyes grew wide as one of them she recognized.

“Spike?” She said, her hoof reaching to touch the egg, purple adorned with slightly darker purple spots. However, her hoof simply phases through it, wisps of purple swirling around her hoof only to recollect back into the egg’s shape. Her face winces a bit, looking at it until the sounds of doors opening, echoing, attracted her attention. Entering the room was Jade, a bulky red, teenaged dragon standing by her with his head held high. She to held her head up, giving off a feeling of regality only a true leader could give.

As she approached her throne she walks through her future, the crystal encrusted sorrow self, completely unaware of the eternity of sorrow she was to endure. If anything her face showed only joy as she approached her throne, her eggs.

Gently she picks up Spike’s egg, brushing it against her cheek happily.

“Dear Mother, your eggs look splendid. I am sure they shall hatch to be healthy Whelpings someday.” Said the red dragon accompanying her. He sat beside her throne, holding a sharp spear. Jade simply giggles, hugging her precious egg with bright sparkles in her eyes.

“I do hope so,” she looks down at Spike’s egg, stroking it gently, “I feel like this one shall be one healthy dragon. Strong with a heart of gold. That is my wish for all my children.”

“Just like you?” The red dragon’s words made Jade blush, shoving him playfully with her tail.

“Oh hush Sard, you charmer you.” Everyone in the room chuckles, making the red dragon blush a bit. The moment didn’t last long however as the doors suddenly flew open and a familiar, horrid pony entered.

“S-sombra!” Cried Twilight, stepping back with an expression of fear as Shining Armor glared at him angrily. Crystal ponies stood on either side of him, wearing odd armor and seemly unresponsive to all except to their evil king. Jade’s face turned from happy to cautious, holding her egg close and shielding the others with her tail.

“Hello there, friend. What brings you to my Quarry at such a late hour?” She asked, carefully watching the pony’s every move as he chuckled in response.
“Empress Jade, you’re as radiant as a crystal. What an honor it is to finally meet you.” He bows, keeping that smug look that made all of us feel tense, “I must ask why you did not come to the empire as requested. It is very rude to dismiss a fellow ruler in such a manner.”
At that moment Jade’s look turned from caution to slight rage as a low growl came from her.
“That is no concern of yours. If Princess Amore was insulted by me not going than she may come herself and ask me the reason. I will confide to no one but the pony rulers.” Again he chuckled, mocking her words as he replied.
“But I am a ruler my dear. Princess Amore had... stepped down... I am King Sombra, the new king of the crystal empire!”
“Liar! If there were a change in power Amore would have told me for certain! Where is Princess Amore! What have you done to her!?” At that moment, black crystal shards were teleported from the ceiling, falling before Mother. They pulsed venomously with dark magic but that was not what bothered her, no, it was what laid inside. Within the pieces, dragon scales would be found.
“Princess Amore? She shared the fate of the dragon before you now.”
“You... you monstrous fiend! Guards! Attack!” We did as she commanded, lunging for Sombra with our teeth bared and our claws ready to strike.

Back in the present, the crystal sat illuminated in the light of Celestia’s magic. Looking up at her Twilight found a deep sadness unlike any she had ever seen. Her lip quivered, her magic flickering as Twilight told what she had seen within the Remembrance.
She continued to speak, revealing to them all the fate befallen the Empress and as she did Celestia’s face became more and more distraught. Luna too wore a similar expression but it held more regret than it did sorrow like her sister.
“After everything, after you took Spike’s egg that red, bulky dragon from before showed up. He glared at the both of you until you two left and borrowed underground. The crystal blacked out after that but…” Said Twilight, explaining only to let out a small gasp of surprise as she saw something she never thought she’d see from her beloved mentor.

Tears welling up in her eyes, her head hung low. However, she quickly shook her head, wiping the tears aside and composing herself. Her sister simply looked to the side, lost in thought as Celestia spoke.

“Then, we know where to start. Twilight, let us go where you found this crystal.”

Below them, the dragons began to rise from their caverns to start their day. One by one adult dragons crawled down the walls of the stronghold, heading for the large green gem.

Spike slept quietly in a straw nest snuggled next to Splinter. The two seemed precious together, snoozing away as Crush watched them. There was no sunlight down in the stronghold, only the light of crystals to fill the room. The only indication of day was the sound of dragons collecting below as they always did.

“Hmm sounds like it’s morning. I wonder what daylight looks like, it has been so long since I’ve last seen it. The sun, the moon, the wind.” She looks at Spike, mumbling to himself as he dreamed. “They must seem so familiar to you young one.”
Crush turns away, walking off to the kitchen. Just as she did Splinter turned his back to Spike, shoving his sharp spines right into Spike’s face.

“WAHHHHHHHHHH!” His cries of pain blasted through the entire Stronghold, startling every dragon in the area.

Now wide awake, Crush pats Spike’s small cut with a cotton swab, placing a band-aid on his head.
“There we go, good as new.” She said, all of them sat at the stone dining table with a pile of green, yellow and blue gems piled up on a plate. Splinter nommed on one, giving Spike an innocent look who back at him with an irritated expression. Spike grabs a random gem from the pile, taking a large bite out of it. It was green in color, making him pause and stare at it. He stares at his reflection in it, his face growing grim as the image of the painting of Jade flashed through his mind.

“What’s wrong young one?” Asked Crush, noticing his lacking of shoving gems down his gullet.

“Nothing just…” The gemstone let off a glossy sheen, shimmering in the gemlight. “What was Jade like?”

Crush’s eyes widen then narrowed, looking to the side. She thought, looking down at Spike who still just stared into the gemstone in his hands.

“I promise to provide you with answers. There’s a place I want to show you after breakfast.”

Author's Note:

Here we go, back on track. I apologize for the long wait ^^

Comments

[Sam Yellek]

So, I've been assuming that Mother and Father is just what the dragons call their rulers. Is that right? Or is Sard actually Jade's son?