Chapter 5: Crystal Field Trip
The years went by for Luster as she studied at the School of Magic. She did many things, not only casting spells, but mixing potions as well. She got the best scores out of any of the students in her class, rarely missing even a single question on a test. Most of their classes were taught by Miss Moondancer, but Princess Twilight would occasionally take over when she wasn’t performing royal duties.
A now teenaged Luster Dawn entered the classroom, and found not only Miss Moondancer or Princess Twilight, but both at once. Not only that, Princess Twilight’s niece Princess Flurry Heart was also present.
“Good morning, Luster!” Moondancer said in a friendly tone. She’d aged quite a bit from when Luster had started out at the school. Her eyes had some bags under them.
Princess Twilight though, looked the same as when Luster started. Yet she was the same age as Miss Moondancer. Was there a reason for that? Luster had heard rumors about the former princesses Celestia and Luna; both of whom had been alicorns and lived for over a thousand years. Then they’d passed away a short time before Luster was born. Perhaps Princess Twilight had an age spell to make herself look younger as well as keep herself alive? Did alicorns live longer?
Luster wasn’t sure, but she didn’t ask questions about that. She smiled at Miss Moondancer and Princess Twilight.
“Good morning Miss Moondancer, Princess.”
Luster took a seat and waited silently as the seats around her filled with her classmates. She got a book out from her bag and read, ignoring the conversations of the other unicorns around her. Only when Princess Twilight began to speak did Luster look up.
“I have some news for all of you. As some of you may know, my niece Flurry Heart is about to come of age,” Twilight indicated Flurry Heart who was now a full-grown pony. “And now that she is, it means she can legally rule over the Crystal Empire. Her coronation is to take place in two days, and I thought I would invite all of you students to attend this on a field trip. Of course, you will need to get your parents to sign these permission slips.”
As Princess Twilight levitated a stack of papers around to each of the student’s desks, Luster thought about a small dilemma. How was she going to get her parents to sign this permission slip in time? The mail pony might not make it in time.
Fortunately, Princess Twilight was ahead of Luster.
“I’ve already contacted your parents, and they’ve given permission for you to visit the Empire,” Twilight said.
Luster sighed in relief. That would save her having to send a letter to her parents and risk being late for the field trip.
“But how are those of us with families outside of Canterlot going to get permission?" Silly Sun asked.
“Come to my office after school and I shall take care of that,” Princess Twilight said.
Once class was over, Luster headed back to her home in Canterlot. She no longer lived in the foal student dormitories since she’d grown up a bit. Now she was in a tower of her own, the same tower Princess Twilight had lived in when she’d been the student of Princess Celestia. Luster was grateful for the distance from the dorms. She’d been fine living there at first, but the other fillies and colts could be a bit noisy. But in this tower, Luster was free from distractions with no pony to bother her. As she made her way there, she heard somepony call her.
“Hey Luster, wait up!”
Luster looked back and saw Silly Sun and two other ponies.
“Hey, we were thinking of going to the donut shop after we got Princess Twilight’s help with sending the letter! You want to come? It will be fun!” Silly Sun said with a wide grin.
“Sorry, I’m too busy,” Luster said. “Got a lot of studying to do.”
She walked off and returned to her tower. Opening her bag, she pulled out the homework pages for tonight and levitating a quill began got to work. It took her over an hour to answer all the questions on the parchment. Most were straightforward, dealing with the theory of magic, alchemy, and other simple stuff, but she did narrow her eyes at the ones about making friends. She knew it from the lessons, but honestly, it was one thing that she disliked about the classes. Sure, Princess Twilight had been known as the Princess of Friendship, but now she was the ruler of Equestria.
Luster had read a lot about her mentor’s old adventures. She and her five best friends had saved Equestria countless times in the past. But Twilight appeared to rul on her own now as far as Luster could see. Her mother was now Stewardess of the Castle where Twilight had first ruled before coming to Canterlot. Luster remembered the thrones with cutie marks on them. But Princess Twilight didn’t seem to be with her old friends anymore, since Luster hadn’t seen them. Most likely their friendship had drifted apart after Twilight became ruler of Equestria. She ruled alone, aside from the Council of Friendship that helped her. Though Luster didn’t know who they were.
She finished the questions relating to the friendship criteria with a slight frown, then double checked her notes and textbooks to make sure she was right. Everything was one hundred percent correct. With her work done she could now focus on practicing her spells, so she made her way to the library. The friendship questions had slowed her down, friendship seemed to pop up everywhere. Her parents worked at a School of Friendship, and lived in a Castle of Friendship. At this point, Luster was kind of annoyed with it. She just needed to study; friends weren’t going to help her become a good spell caster.
…
The next day, Twilight met them at the train station along with Flurry Heart and Moondancer. The naturally born alicorn princess tapped her hooves nervously.
“I don’t know if I’m ready for this, Aunt Twilight,” Flurry said.
Twilight looked at her niece. “I know how you feel, Flurry. I wasn’t so sure I was ready to become Equestria’s ruler back when Celestia and Luna decided to retire,” she looked down, recalling what the princesses had given up. “But they believed I could do it… as I believe you can.”
“But what if I can’t?” Flurry asked. “I don’t have Mom and Dad around. I’m going to be alone in the Crystal Empire!”
“You won’t be alone,” Twilight said. “Captain Starcutter will be there to advise you along with Flash Sentry and the others. Starcutter has done a good job taking care of everypony since I appointed him regent. He cares about helping ponies a lot. He’ll be happy to help you however he can.”
Flurry nodded slowly as the train that would take them to the Crystal Empire arrived. Once they got to the Empire, Starcutter and a full battalion of Royal Guards were there to greet them.
“Welcome, Princess Twilight,” Starcutter greeted with a formal bow as the ruler of Equestria approached. “It’s good to have you home as well, Princess Flurry Heart.”
“Likewise, Starcutter,” Twilight said.
Starcutter hesitated, looking at the many students as they disembarked from the train. He leaned in close to Twilight. “May we speak in private? There’s a small matter of concern.”
Twilight nodded. She turned to Moondancer. “Get everypony checked into the Crystal Hotel.”
Moondancer nodded. Twilight and Flurry followed Starcutter as the sword pony led them to the castle.
“What’s the matter of concern, Captain?” Flurry asked.
“It’s the Crystal Ponies, Princess. Their spirits are all very low,” Starcutter revealed, his expression grim as he looked at some of the ponies they passed with concern.
As they walked through the streets of the Crystal Empire, Twilight took a look around. The Crystal Ponies walking the streets sure didn’t look happy. Their eyes were sad as they moved with heavy steps as though carrying an invisible load.
Flurry put a hoof to her mouth. These were her subjects, and they were suffering. She had to help them!
“Excuse me!” she called one of them. “Can you tell me what’s wrong?”
The crystal pony she asked shook her head. “I’m sorry, I just feel terrible. And I can’t remember things.”
She continued on while Flurry looked after her sadly.
“This is like when my friends and I came here the first time,” Twilight said, recalling when the Empire first returned after the curse was lifted. “Ponies were sad and didn’t remember much about what happened.”
“How did you solve it?” Starcutter asked earnestly.
“We found the Crystal Heart, and the Crystal Ponies used it to destroy King Sombra the first time. Until Discord brought him back,” Twilight said. “Maybe there’s something wrong with the Heart?”
They arrived at the palace. Just before it lay pedestal holding the Crystal Heart.
Twilight took a long look at the Heart and gasped.
“This is a fake! The real one is missing!”
“What?” Starcutter exclaimed, even though he knew it was fake. “Are you sure?”
Twilight nodded. “There’s no mistaking it. The real Crystal Heart would have some sort of magic. But I feel nothing emanating from this! The love from the Crystal Ponies would have kept it going!”
“We have to find the real one then!” Starcutter said.
“Yes, but where do we look?” Flurry asked. “And who would have taken it?”
Twilight didn’t have an answer to that.
“Let’s take a look around. There might be a clue somewhere.”
The two princesses and the captain spread out. Starcutter headed to a nearby patch of grass where he knew a hole was. He walked up to it.
“Princesses! Over here!” he called once he saw the hole.
Twilight and Flurry Heart galloped over once they heard him. He pointed to it.
“This wasn’t here too long ago,” he told them, which was true.
Twilight stuck her head inside. It certainly went deep. She sent a small ball of light down to see if it would allow her to make anything out. It flew straight down slowly. When it reached the bottom Twilight spotted something. A blue gemstone; and a set of paw prints on the ground.
Pulling her head out, Twilight looked at Starcutter and Flurry Heart. “Diamond Dogs.”
“Diamond Dogs?” Flurry repeated. “But I thought ponies had made peace with them! Spike is on a mission to settle things between them and some Absidians right now!”
Twilight nodded. Under her rule, many of the creatures were now living more peacefully, but nothing was perfect. Every so often there were troublemakers among every race.
“There are still some out there that terrorize ponies and steal,” she told her niece.
Flurry gulped. “We better get down there and find the Crystal Heart then.”
“No!” Starcutter said. “Let me go. You’re going to be the princess of the Crystal Empire; we can’t take a chance on your safety.”
Flurry hesitated. “But shouldn’t you have some other guards go down with you?”
Starcutter shook his head and gave her a confident smile. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, Princesses. I’ll have that Heart back in no time.”
Without a word, he jumped into the hole as the two Princesses looked after him.
“Do you think he’ll be alright?” Flurry asked her aunt.
Twilight looked into the hole. She was too big now to fit down there, if she were the same size as she’d been during the good old days, she would have gladly accompanied the swordpony. And Starcutter was right about Flurry Heart needing to stay where it was safe. “Starcutter is a tough pony. Shining Armor always said he was the best fighter in the academy. But I think we better send more guards just in case.”
Once he landed on the floor of the tunnel, Starcutter’s eyes glowed red. He reached into the pocket of his guard saddlebag and drew out a small magic stone. He tapped it with a hoof and it lit up like a unicorn’s horn. This was handy in the event that he had to go into dark areas such as this without the aid of a unicorn. It allowed him to see the tunnel and follow the prints left behind by the Diamond Dogs. Frowning, he drew his sword and walked down the path. After several minutes of walking there came a two-way crossroad, tracks of the rogue Diamond Dogs going both ways. But Starcutter knew which way to take.
He went straight, then turned when he came to another two way.
This led him straight to the Diamond Dogs. There were three of them. They sat near a wagon load of gemstones, which they leaned over greedily.
“This is good! We get the pretty heart gem, lots more gems, and that dumb ram gets the dumb energy that was in there.”
“Yeah, he pretty dumb. Giving us all these jewels and getting nothing but energy!” another said.
“Ehh… he gets what he wants, we get what we want.”
They hadn’t noticed Starcutter yet as their backs were turned away from him. He could have easily taken them by surprise, but that would have been dishonorable. Starcutter was a warrior, and he was not going to rely on dirty tricks such as stabbing one in the back. So he made his presence known to them.
“Hey mutts!” he shouted. “Hand over the heart! That does not belong to you!”
The diamond dogs looked in his direction. They laughed.
“One little pony with a sword!”
“Ooh, scary!”
“Get him!”
They charged at Starcutter, thinking they had the advantage because of their size and numbers. But Starcutter charged at them in turn, not fearing their size. He was a defender of Equestria, sworn to give his life for it if necessary. As he approached them, Starcutter rolled and swung his sword with great accuracy, slicing the leg of one of the dogs, not completely off, but enough to make him unable to walk. Another swung a massive paw at Starcutter, who jumped back and avoided the blow. He then threw the light stone in his free hoof, using it as a projectile to hit the second dog in the face. The dog grunted, distracted for an instant, and Starcutter seized the opportunity to deliver a crippling cut to this dog’s leg as well. His foe let out a great howl of pain and fell to his knees, unable to walk. That was two down, one to go.
The last dog stood stunned at the sight of a little pony beating his partners so easily. He seemed uncertain as he looked at Starcutter. The sword pony let out a mighty war cry that caused the dog to lose his nerve completely. How could one pony be so scary? It was as though he were fear itself! The dog ran in the direction Starcutter had come. But somepony else was there, Flash Sentry and a party of other guards had arrived! With a flurry of hooves, they subdued the final Diamond Dog and with lengths of rope tied the three up.
As the dogs were being led away, Flash Sentry picked up the Crystal Heart and looked at it.
“The energy within the heart is gone!”
“Maybe it was lost because it left the pedestal?” Starcutter suggested, hoping it would cause Flash to lose his suspicion for his own good.
“You don’t know much about the Crystal Heart do you, Starcutter?” Flash asked. “The amount of magic the Crystal Ponies put into it with their love would last a long time even once it left the pedestal. Someone took it!”
Flash looked down the tunnel.
“We should follow this tunnel. Maybe we can locate the energy before whoever has it gets away and uses it for… whatever they have planned.”
He began to walk down the tunnel. Starcutter’s expression turned to one of concern.
“No! You should take the Crystal Heart back up!” Starcutter said. “I’ll look through this tunnel.”
“I’ll have somepony else take it up, can’t leave you to fend for yourself.”
“No pony is here now!” Starcutter pointed out. All the other guards had left escorting the Diamond Dogs away. “And I can… handle myself.”
Flash looked around and sighed. “Be careful.”
Silently, Starcutter wished he could have told Flash, or any pony for that matter about his master. But he couldn’t. He watched Flash fly away with the Crystal Heart in his hooves before taking the tunnel to where Grogar had taken residence temporarily. He came to a solid rock wall, which was really a magic barrier combined with an illusion to make it look like a wall. But he passed through since Grogar had touched him with his magic. The ram waited for him.
“Drop your sword, Starcutter.” Grogar said as he approached.
The guard did as he was bid, for he had no choice but to obey Grogar’s every command. The weapon clattered to the cave floor with a metallic ring. Grogar stood there with a frown, the tiny bells around his red collar glowing.
“I trust you managed to gain a great amount of power, Master?’ Starcutter asked, wishing he could have said the word with the spite he felt inside.
“Yes,” Grogar said simply, without looking at his subordinate. “The princess suspects nothing?”
“No,” Starcutter said while thinking, Unfortunately, if only I could get a message to her somehow.
“Good. I need you for a little longer,” Grogar said. “You will be a key link to my plan for the Crystal Empire soon enough. But for now… the time has come to call upon a new servant. One who will willingly serve me.”
Starcutter said nothing in response to that. Grogar levitated a stick and drew a symbol in the ground as he channeled the power he’d gathered from the Crystal Heart and corrupted it into darkness.
“Where there is light, there is darkness,” Grogar said. “One never drives out the other completely. I merely bring back the darkness, and with it comes…”
A black crystal sprouted from the M letter he’d drawn. Then came a black tornado spinning around, a pair of green eyes and red horn quickly followed. Evil laughter filled the room as a new being appeared in the cave with them. A pony with red eyes wearing armor and a red cape. His moving mane a dark mass of shadow. King Sombra had returned for a third time!
Laughing, Sombra looked at Grogar.
“You have resurrected me again, Grogar. I… I thank you,” the king said to the first Emperor of Equestria.
Grogar gave a wicked smile.
“Yes, I have resurrected you, but this is the first time I have done so.”
Sombra looked at him suspiciously. “But you brought me back from the grave last time?"
Grogar shook his head.
“That was Discord; he pretended to be me and united you and those other three villains together as a way to boost Twilight Sparkle’s confidence. I am the REAL GROGAR!”
“Where are we?” Sombra asked.
“Caves beneath the Crystal Empire,” Grogar informed the king.
“Ah excellent. I can take back my kingdom now!” Sombra said eagerly.
“No,” Grogar said, raising a hoof. “Do you already forget how easily you were overpowered the last time?”
Sombra grimaced. Remembering how he had been disintegrated a second time at the hooves of Twilight Sparkle and her friends.
“I assume you mean for me to team up with you? Fine,” Sombra said, looking down. “I don’t like the idea of working with anypony, but I lost last time because I refused. I won't make the same mistake again.”
“A wise choice,” Grogar agreed. “As long as you willingly work for me, I don’t have to use this to control you as I do this other pony.”
He levitated a small red diamond encrusted in gold in front of himself.
“The Ruby of Reign,” Sombra said, recognizing it. “The artifact that forces any creature to do whatever the wielder commands.”
Grogar nodded. The ruby glowed, as did Starcutter’s eyes. Sombra eyed the sword pony.
“And who is this?”
“This is Starcutter, current Captain of Crystal Empire’s Guard, and my servant. He has been preparing things in the empire the way I want them to be. Isn’t that right, Starcutter? Speak freely!”
Starcutter took a breath as part of the ruby’s control over him was released. He gave Grogar a look of anger as he spoke his true mind freely.
“You won’t get away with this, Grogar! Princess Twilight will stop you just as she has stopped every other villain that came before, including him!” Starcutter gazed at Sombra.
Grogar laughed. “Twilight Sparkle has no idea what is coming! No idea at all! This is only the beginning!”
…
The wind started to pick up as Moondancer led the students to the Crystal Hotel after Twilight left to deal with the business she had with Starcutter. Clouds seemed to be moving in fast. She approached the front desk where a Crystal Pony with a checkmark inside a bright crystal for a cutie mark sat. The pony didn’t shine too brightly, and he looked a bit depressed.
“Hello,” Moondancer greeted.
“Good afternoon, I’m Check Shine. How may I help you?” the greeter said without much enthusiasm.
“I’m here with Princess Twilight,” replied Moondancer. “We reserved rooms for twenty-five students.”
Check Shine looked at a list of reservations. “Ah, yes. Class of Moondancer from the School for Gifted Unicorns. Let me see... It’s for two nights - twenty-five students as well as a teacher. That will be two hundred and sixty bits.”
Moondancer hesitated. The payment for staying at the hotel was going to be covered by the school funds. And only Twilight had access to those.
When she didn’t answer right away, Check Shine frowned at her as well as the students.
“I presume you all bought bits along, didn’t you?”
“Of course, we did!” Silly Sun said with a giggle. “We need bits to pay for meals, sweets, and things like souvenirs here!”
“Well, pay up then!” Check Shine said.
Silly Sun shook her head, her usually constant smile vanishing.
“We’re the class of the princess herself! We ought to get rooms for free!”
“No bits, no staying at the hotel. You pay, you get the keys.”
“Princess Twilight will be covering the students. But she had to go to the castle on urgent business before coming here. If you could just wait a while, I’m sure she will be along shortly,” Moondancer tried to reason. “She’ll bring those bits up in a flash.”
Check Shine shook his head with a frown. “No bits, no rooms. But if you want to wait, feel free.”
He gestured to a nearby sitting room which only had four chairs. Moondancer frowned.
“This is so unfair! Give us our rooms now!” Silly Sun demanded. “The princess will pay you when she gets here!”
The other students, angered over not getting their rooms after having been promised free lodging, joined in the demands. Luster Dawn, who had been listening slightly while also reading a book, looked up in annoyance as the agitated students shouted at the crystal pony.
“Yeah, hoof over those keys!”
“We wanna drop our luggage off!”
“We can just pay for the rooms ourselves,” Luster Dawn said stepping forward.
All the other students looked at her in surprise.
“No! That’s not fair!” Silly Sun said. “We shouldn’t have to pay for the rooms ourselves! The princess promised.”
“Princess Twilight can just reimburse us,” Luster pointed out.
Moondancer thought for a moment. “I guess that would be okay. We were going to pay anyway. You’ll all get your bits back.”
The students looked at each other and shrugged, happy as long as that was the case.
“Hmph, I don’t care as long as you pay,” Check Shine said.
Moondancer scoffed. This wasn’t her most pleasant experience from a hotel greeter.
“Not exactly a friendly welcoming pony, is he?” Silly Sun whispered to her friends. “You’d think somepony would respect the princess enough to let her class go in a hotel without a deposit!”
“No exceptions!” Check Shine said, hearing her. “Now pay up!”
The students each gave him ten bits. Moondancer felt guilty since they had to pay. But at least they would get new bits once Twilight arrived and her business at the castle was concluded.
Moondancer went to her assigned room in the hotel to wait for Twilight.
…
The Princess of Equestria stood by her niece as Flurry Heart walked among the halls of the Crystal Castle. Flurry hadn’t been here since the deaths of her parents. Walking through the castle brought back all sorts of memories. How she would sneak into the kitchen and take cookies from where her mother hid them on the top shelf. Her mother caught her eating one once, and then chased her through the castle.
“Flurry, you get back here!” Cadance called as she flew after her daughter who had just taken off ofrom the kitchen. “Drop that cookie jar right now!”
“No!” Flurry said as she flew while levitating said jar.
She teleported, something that she’d somehow been able to do even as infant. Flurry was back in her room. She grinned at her triumph; her mother, despite being an alicorn, was not as gifted as her with magic somehow. Perhaps it was because Flurry had been born one? Flurry grinned mischievously and prepared to eat the cookies before her mother could get in. Only to find that something very important to that plan was missing. The cookie jar! She’d left it behind when she’d teleported.
Flurry sighed and teleported back to the hallway she’d been in. Only to find her mother there along with a broken jar and cookies on the floor. Cadance gave her daughter a disapproving look. Flurry Heart wasn’t allowed a cookie for a week after that. Guards would be stationed at her door to hear if she tried to teleport out.
Flurry also remembered her father. Shining Armor would hold her in his hooves and keep her close. He’d tickle her and give her blow kisses to the stomach, or she’d ride on his back and feel herself bump around as he ran through the castle.
Flurry and her aunt came to the throne room where her mother would sit as ruler of the Crystal Empire. Now, it was her turn to do so. Flurry had known this day was coming, but she still felt so unprepared for it. She gulped. Was she truly ready to become a ruler? By law, she was now a full-grown pony, but did she have the wisdom to rule like her aunt did?
Flurry then felt a wing wrap around her.
“Still nervous, huh?” Twilight asked.
Flurry nodded. “Nervous, sad, and worried. I didn’t expect the Crystal Heart to be stolen when I’d just gotten back to the Empire! And walking through this castle just…”
“Brings back memories?” Twilight guessed.
Flurry nodded.
“I felt the same way when I came back to my old tower in Canterlot for the first time after leaving Ponyville,” Twilight said. “It’s strange when you come back to someplace after being away for so long. You might see it in a different light. Sometimes, you change- it was like that for me. I left that tower to go to Ponyville, thinking the only thing that mattered was books and studying. Then I came back years later to make amends with the friends I had in Canterlot, like Moondancer.”
Flurry looked from the throne back to her aunt. “Do you think Starcutter and the guards will be able to get the Crystal Heart back?”
Before Twilight could answer, Flash Sentry suddenly flew in with the said object in his hooves.
“Princesses, I have the heart!” he said. “The Diamond Dogs have been dealt with.”
“Excellent work, Flash,” Twilight said with a smile at the pony she’d once had a crush on. “Where is Starcutter?”
“He stayed in the cave to look for whoever took the energy from the heart,” Flash told them.
“Somepony took the energy inside?” Twilight inquired, a little worried.
Flash nodded. “We got the heart back though, and the Diamond Dogs have been locked up.”
Twilight put a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “I hope Starcutter finds whoever took the energy. Whatever they have planned to do with it, it can’t be good.”
Flurry Heart stepped forward. “Now that we have the heart back, can we use it to make every pony feel better again?”
Twilight nodded. “I guess your coronation is going to have to happen a little sooner than expected.”
Flurry sighed. “I don’t know what kind of ruler I’m going to be… but… if I can be one that looks after her subjects and makes them happy and safe - I guess that’s enough.”
She took the Crystal Heart in her yellow magic. As she began to walk with it, Twilight continued to speak.
“Shining Armor and Cadance would be proud of you for becoming a ruler just like that,” she said. “The best ruler is one… that puts the needs of her subjects before her own desires.”
Flurry looked back at her aunt who smiled at her. Though she noticed Twilight’s eyes appeared sad.
“Something wrong, Aunt Twilight?” Flurry asked, placing the Crystal Heart gently on the ground.
“Oh, I’m fine,” Twilight said. “I was just thinking…”
“About what?” Flurry asked.
“Don’t worry about it... it’s my problem,” Twilight said. “Today is all for you, and I want you to know I’m proud of you.”
Flurry blushed, “I haven’t even done anything heroic like you did.”
“You will make the ponies here happy under your rule. That’s more than enough.”
Flurry smiled at her aunt and nuzzled her. “Love you, Auntie Twilie.”
“Love you too, Flurry,” Twilight said, smiling at her nickname. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I need to get my students ready.”
She teleported to the Crystal Hotel and walked up to the front desk and spoke with the Greeter.
“Hello, could you tell me which room Moondancer is staying in?” she asked politely.
“Room Two Thirty-Six,” the greeter said. “I just gave her and all those students a bunch of keys to the second floor after they finally paid.”
Twilight’s mouth fell open. Her students had had to pay for staying here? She was supposed to cover them!
Twilight made her way up to Room Two Thirty-Six and knocked on the door.
“Moondancer!” she called. “It’s Twilight.”
The sound of magic being channeled came from inside and the door opened. Moondancer stepped outside.
“I heard the students had to pay! I was supposed to cover that!” Twilight said.
“You weren’t here,” Moondancer said, without anger. “But it’s no problem. You had royal duties.”
Twilight sighed. “I need to give you access to the school funds in case something like this happens again.”
“You sure you want to trust me with the school funds?” Moondancer joked. “Relax, you can just reimburse the students.”
Twilight nodded. “Alright, I’ll do that. Get them rounded up.”
Moondancer nodded back and pulled out a list she made with the numbers of each of the student’s rooms on it. She and Twilight went to each one and knocked, bringing the students out into the hall.
“I’m sorry to hear that everypony had to pay. I was supposed to cover the expense of each of you staying at the hotel for the duration of our trip,” Twilight apologized. “But I can give you all new bits.”
She lit up her horn and summoned a large chest full of gold coins. Ordering her students into a line, Twilight gave each of them ten bits as they came before doing the same for Moondancer.
“Now that that is taken care of, I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is the Crystal Heart was stolen sometime before we arrived.”
This caused many of her students to gasp.
“But the good news is that thanks to the brave members of the Crystal Empire’s Royal Guard, it has been recovered. Unfortunately, the energy was drained from it. Because of this, the crystal ponies have lost some of their joy, and Flurry Heart must restore it as quickly as possible to make them happy again. So, we’re going to have the coronation as soon as possible. Everypony, please follow me.”
Twilight led her students to the front doors of the hotel. As soon as she opened them, however, she received a rather unpleasant surprise. The streets of the Crystal Empire were now being covered in snow!
“Where did this come from?” Silly Sun asked. “It’s nearly summer for pony’s sake!”
Realization hit Twilight. She was about to say what must have happened. But Luster did it first.
“Without the Crystal Heart to protect it, the Crystal Empire will be buried under ice and snow! The heart is what keeps it from freezing like the rest of the Artic!” Luster said.
Twilight nodded. “You’ve studied this place, Luster.”
“What do we do? What do we do?” Silly Sun asked, tapping her hooves in panic. “We’re going to be buried under snow and freeze or starve to death! We gotta get out of here! To the train station!”
All the other students began to try and scurry out, Moondancer and Twilight had to block the doorway.
“Everypony, please calm down!” Moondancer said.
“Calm down?” one of them shouted. “How can we be calm now?”
“Because we can fix this!” Twilight said. “Everything is going to be fine! I know what to do.”
The students maintained their worried expressions but hearing their princess saying that she knew how to tackle the situation eased them out of their panic.
Twilight looked at Moondancer. “You get the students to the castle. Tell everypony that Princess Twilight and Princess Flurry need them there. We must have all the Crystal Ponies present to power the Crystal Heart and get rid of this snow. I’m going to try and hold it off until Flurry Heart can get the Heart powered.”
Twilight flapped her now-massive alicorn wings and flew up into the blizzard. Using a combination of her own magic and the power that Celestia and Luna gave her, she summoned a beam of rainbow energy and shot it into the immense cloud. But, aside from creating a hole that sealed itself almost immediately, nothing changed. She tried again and again, but it had little effect. During her greatest battle, she’d been able to vanquish the Wendigos and defeat Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow, but this weather was different. Unpredictable, heartless, and chilling to the bone - a kind of foe she never faced before. Even with the combined power of all alicorns, it was obvious she was no match for it. But she was not going to give up!
Twilight continued to battle the blizzard. But soon, her wings and face became covered in ice. She began to lose the ability to fly. Fortunately, she did accomplish her mission. Below her, she saw the Crystal Ponies make their way to the castle. Then a glow came from it and Flurry Heart came soaring up toward her freezing aunt. A moment later the streets of the Empire lit up bright blue, and the snow melted. Energy flowed throughout the area, turning all ponies to crystal. It reached Twilight as well, causing her mane to change as it had whenever she’d been affected by the Crystalling. Her body shined, just as her mane and her wings unfroze from the snow. She sighed a breath of relief and smiled at Flurry then the two Alicorns made their way back down to the surface of the Crystal Empire.
When they landed in front of the repowered Crystal Heart, Twilight saw Starcutter beside Flash Sentry and the other guards. She then turned to the rest of the ponies.
“Thank you, Princess Flurry Heart!” they screamed out in gratitude. “You saved us!”
“If not for you, we would have been buried under snow and forced to leave!” one pony said.
They all began to crowd around Flurry and raised her up on their hooves. Twilight watched her niece proudly for a moment as she basked in the love of her subjects. Then she realized something.
Looking over at Starcutter, Twilight said, “You better get Flurry Heart’s crown wherever it is. The coronation can’t happen without one.”
Starcutter hesitated. “Crown?” He hoofplanted. “I forgot to order a crown be made!”
“What?” Twilight said.
That was not good; they couldn’t have the coronation without a crown. Twilight began to feel the need to pace.
Fortunately, Flash came to the rescue. “I think Princess Cadance kept a few extra crowns in her room! Let me go grab one!”
The orange Pegasus flew to the top tower as fast as he could. Twilight gritted her teeth nervously. Flurry Heart was set back on the ground by the Crystal Ponies and made her way back to her aunt while Twilight watched her with a nervous smile.
Flurry approached her aunt.
“Well, Aunt Twilight, I think I’m ready,” she said.
“That’s good, Flurry.”
“So… where’s my crown?” Flurry asked.
“It… should be here soon,” Twilight replied.
Sure enough, Flash came flying down with a crown in his hooves. It was a rather large crown with four points on it and a sapphire in the center, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Flurry could easily have a new one made for herself if she wished. Twilight took it with her magic and lifted it up as Flurry bowed her head. Her aunt set the crown on her head. Slowly, Flurry rose and turned to her subjects.
“All Hail Princess Flurry Heart! Ruler and Savior of the Crystal Empire today!” Twilight spoke out.
All the Crystal Ponies bowed to their new ruler.
“You once caused a snowstorm to happen when you were a newborn foal. But today, you saved the Empire from being frozen,” Twilight said. “Now that is a major turnaround!”
Flurry giggled, she didn’t remember causing the Empire to almost be frozen, but had heard that was the case when her crying broke the Crystal Heart. She then turned to address her subjects.
“I’m glad to be back home with all of you! I don’t know how good a ruler I will be. But I promise I will do my best to make sure you are all safe and well cared for. Just like my parents before me!”
The Crystal Ponies cheered.
“All hail Flurry Heart! All hail Flurry Heart! Long live the Princess! Let your love and light fill this land!”
…
Two days passed and Twilight’s students were getting on the train to go back to Canterlot. Starcutter and Flash stood by Flurry’s side as she prepared for her aunt to leave, along with her grandparents.
“Can’t believe we missed your coronation, just like the Crystalling when you were first born!” Night Light said.
“But we’re still very proud of you, Flurry!” Twilight Velvet said. “And your parents would be too.”
Both Flurry’s grandparents were now elderly, their mane had turned gray. Flurry smiled as she hugged them. Her heart felt warm as her grandparents told her Shining Armor and Cadance would be proud. Twilight watched the happy family moment fondly as she stood next to Starcutter.
“A pity you couldn’t find who took the energy, Starcutter,” Twilight said. “I don’t want to think about what it could be used for.”
“Me neither Princess,” Starcutter said. “I just hope we’re able to stop… whoever it is."
Twilight nodded. “I’m sure if we ever find out who took it, we will. Now you and Flash take care of my niece, please.”
“We will, Princess,” Flash said.
“I swear,” Starcutter said. “I will not let any harm come to her or this Empire if I can prevent it somehow.”
Twilight then approached Flurry.
“You just send me a letter if you need anything. Advice, or a rainbow laser to the rescue! I’ll be there!”
“You’ll be the first pony I contact, Aunt Twilight!” Flurry said.
The two hugged and Twilight got on the train. Luster sat next to her as they sped back to Canterlot.
“So, did you enjoy the trip to the Empire, Luster?” Twilight asked her top student.
“Oh yes,” Luster said, looking up from her book. “It was amazing to see the Coronation and become like I was made of crystal for a while.”
“And what did you do yesterday?” Twilight asked. “Did you have fun with your friends seeing the sights? Buy any souvenirs?”
Luster laughed. “Me, souvenirs? No, I was busy in the library reading as many books as I could! They have books there you can’t find anywhere else.”
This surprised Twilight.
“You spent all day in the library rather than with your friends?”
“Friends?” Luster scoffed. “Who needs friends?”
Twilight froze up. Her top student… was not interested in making friends!
Author's Note:
Well, figured this would be a good way to set the stage for what happened in The Last Problem.
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He'll be back. He always is.
Oh boy there it is
I'm sensing some Déjà vu does anybody felt a déjà vu lol
oh so As I said that before on your last story or your old story this remind me of Star wars Revenge of the sith
So flurry heart Becomes the princess of the crystal Empire Kind of forget what happened when the crystal ponies become depressed like the 1st time we first saw them And apparently the diamond dogs stole them but thanks to Starcutter and flash They got the crystal heart but little they know sigh* Starcutter is mind Controlled and gorgar Resurrect king sombra now we have another problem But now twilight knows luster dawn problem And this is probly we are heading for that episode the last problem
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Silly Sun: Does that pony do anything except study? I think she is more interested in books than friends.