Sunburst and the Shadow Pony 2

by Miner

Lost treasures

“Come on, slow poke.” Melody calls out, jumping in place, “I am waiting.”

“Hold on. I just got up.” I say as I rub the top of her head, “You are full of energy today.”

“You bet.” She stands proud and tall with her head up high. “I feel like I can take on anything.”

I smile warmly at her. “Anything?”

“Yes. Anything.” She turns around, calling out to the door. “Come on, Equestria! Show me your worse!” Just then, the door to the room opens, causing Melody to dunk under the bed as an unknown mare stands by the door. I hold in a chuckle as Melody calls out from under the bed. “I didn’t mean it! I am sorry!”

“Oops, sorry, wrong room.” The mare says quickly before closing the door.

I call out to the departing mare before checking in on the brave little filly. “No problem.” I dunk my head to see that Melody has covered her eyes with her forelegs shaking like a leaf. “Going alone on a train didn’t scare you. Neither did a Queen of the changelings or an all-powerful Umbra. But a door suddenly opens, gets you?”

She stops shaking before lifting a hoof to look at me. “I didn’t see it coming. How can I be ready for something that I can’t see?”

I chuckle softly as she gets out from under the bed. “So, I guess you never had any surprise parties, I take it?”

She shakes her head while dusting herself. “No. I don’t do well with surprises. Mom and dad had to tell me in advance about surprise parties so that I didn’t run away screaming.”

I scratch the back of my head in disbelief at what I am hearing. “How have you survived so long alone if the smallest things can scare you?”

She huffs, lifting her nose in the air. “I can take care of myself. I am just not very good with surprises.”

“I guess everypony has something that they are good with and something that they are bad at.”

“Where are headed next?”

“From what I can get from your father’s journal. We are going to have to go north from the crystal empire. But we are going to have to stay here for a bit. Until night fall.”

“Is that a good idea?”

“No. But I thought about it. Your magic right now would notice the moment we enter the Crystal Empire. But we will have to enter the Empire for supplies before we can continue our journey. That is why we came here.”

“Whatever for?”

“An old friend of mine used to live here. She is very skilled in magic. I am hoping that she left something behind that we can use.”

“Why did she leave? Did something happen?”

Thinking about what Starlight did, I thought it best not to tell her about it. “Nothing that you need to worry about. Let’s just say that she had to leave town in a hurry. I hope that the town ponies haven’t touched her stuff since then.”

We kept ourselves for most of the day, only going out when we needed to gather some supplies for our journey. As night fell, Melody and I moved quickly to the town hall. Surprisingly besides some yellow tape, we found that the building was unlocked. Lightening my horn with magic, we enter the remains of Starlight’s old job, and I can safely say that no pony has been here for a while. If the dust is anything to go by. Guess no pony wanted the job. Finding the Mayor’s office, we split up to search the office for anything that we could find. So far, I found maps of the town, blueprints for buildings, and a picture of a pure white stallion with an equal sign cutie mark. I think his name was Double Diamond, one of the residents of the town. I wonder why Starlight had this.

“Hay Sunburst, look what I found.” Moving to Melody's side. She had found a secret passage leading somewhere. “Do we have to go down the dark spooky staircase?”

“I am sure that it is not that scary,” I said, going down the stairs. Besides a squeaky step, nothing scary happened. Melody slowly follows me down the steps. Once at the bottom, we find an old study with old charts and maps lining the wall. The was a desk with some books on it in the far corner and an old oil lamp sitting near the edge.

Judging by the dust everywhere it safe to say that no pony has been here for a while. And I made the mistake of blowing some dust off some books. We both spent the next three minutes sneezing and couching out our lungs. Melody stares at me with rage in her watery eyes.

“Sorry.” I say turning on the lamp. After going through the books, I found out that Starlight had good reasons to set up her village here. During one of her journeys in the caves nearby, is where she found a hidden room. That is where she where she found the Staff of Sameness. Starlight mentions that there were more magical artifacts lock away with the staff. Some were broken beyond repair, others that she couldn’t identify while others she did not care for. She mentions how to find the room and some notes about some of the artifacts she was able to figure out.

Not wasting a moment. We made our way to the secret room in the caves. Well, we did after fending off some bats, hidden spider webs, and one angry rat. And if anypony asks it was Melody that screamed earlier.

Once inside, I could see old display cases, some intact while most were destroyed however most of the loot was gone. Old banners line the wall to which I quickly identify to be from the Crystal Empire.

“This must be one of the Empire’s old treasure rooms. I wonder why they hide these treasures so far away from the Empire?”

“Hay Sunburst what is this?” Moving next to Melody I could see marking on the walls telling a story. “Any ideas what this means?”

“Give me a second. Let’s see here. A long time ago an Empire shines like the sun spreading joy, love, and happiness across the lands. That must be the curse of Empire.” Melody nods, “But where there is light darkness follows. The Umbra came to destroy the light. These race of shadow ponies spread fear and despair in their wake. They attacked the Empire terrorizing the Crystal Ponies and burning their homes for fun. But they were imprisoned into another realm by the ruler of the Empire Princess Amore using the Crystal Heart. Where they remain. But they fear of their return. And place artifacts in hidden locations away from the Empire to be used in case they ever return.”

“At least they were prepared.” Melody says thinking out loud, “Is there anything else?”

“Yes, there is one last thing.” I had to move some empty boxes to read the rest of the translation, “Only a pony of royal blood may find the artifacts hidden away.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense.”

I looked at her confused, “What do you mean?”

“I mean if this place is where the hidden the artifacts are. How did we find this place? I mean you just said that only a pony of royal blood can find the artifacts. But Starlight found this place and she’s not of royal blood.”

My eyes widen in realization, “You’re right. That doesn’t make any sense. Maybe there’s something we’re missing.” I started looking across the walls hoping to find any clues. However, as I was doing this, I heard Melody contacting me after hearing a strange sound coming from behind me.

Turning around, I see Melody next to the wall but there is a door there that was not there earlier.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. All did was lean on this wall I felt a tinge then this door appeared.”

“That’s right! You’re the daughter of King Sombra.” I rushed over next to her and brush my hoof across the surface of the door, “There must have been an ancient ruin on the wall that would activate only when you touched it.”

“So, the real artifact is in there, but then what are all these?”

“They are most likely fakes to help deter thieves from not sticking around too long in case this place was ever discovered.” Opening the door I find two old books, a large brown cloak, and a small silver necklace with a blue gem in the center. I put the two books in my saddlebag handed Melody the necklace and put on the cloak over my current one without thinking.

We both notice my blunder as I blush in embarrassment. “Why did I put on a cloak when I am already wearing one?” Melody giggles. Next thing I knew was that the cloak shines a deep blue before it disappears leaving me in my original cloak. Feeling around I couldn’t find the new one as if it wasn’t ever there. “What happened?!”

“Where did it go?”

“I’m not sure. It must be magic in nature. The only question is what for?” I say scratching my head, “Any idea what your necklace does.”

She taps the center jewel a few times only for nothing to happen, “Maybe the books have something about them?”

“Maybe but right now.” I say yawning “We better head back before any pony notices we’re gone.”

---

Meanwhile back in Ponyville at castle friendship

A lonely mare stares out the window into the night sky holding the picture in her hooves. Looking down she sees a picture of herself hugging a dear friend in happier times. Both ponies look so happy as a tear falls onto the picture.

“Why did you leave me again?” She sniffs and wipes the tear off the picture still staring at it. “I know we don’t get to see each other very often. But we made a promise not to leave each other like last time.” She sets the picture on her nightstand, “Where are you, my Sunburst?”

A knock echoes throughout the castle catching her attention. Slowly she makes her way to the door and finds two strangers in cloaks waiting for her. And yet one of them seems to be familiar.

“May I help you?”

“Hello, Starlight.”

“Trixie?!”

Comments

[Lab 39]

Will Twilight and Thorax be in this just to check up on them?