The Drake Six

by JNKing

Episode Thirteen: The Crystal Empire Pt. 1

Celestia smiled gently as she read Spike’s latest friendship report. Her hopes were truly coming to life. Dragons were just as capable as ponies in learning about friendship, harmony and peace.

And if dragons could learn… who was to say that others outside of ponykind couldn’t learn as well.

Celestia was broken out of her hopeful thoughts as a royal guard entered the throne room.

“News from Northern Equestria, your highness,” the royal guard declared, handing a scroll over to her.

“Thank you, Phalanx,” Celestia thanked the guard, before unfolding the scroll.

What she read sent a flurry of emotions through her. She looked up, a plan already forming in her mind.

##

For the first time since he had gone to the Dragon Lands, Spike burped up a scroll from Princess Celestia. And for the first time in… ever, he found that the scroll wasn’t addressed to Twilight.

It was addressed to him. Him and all of his dragon friends.

Needless to say, the news drew pretty much everyone - dragon and pony alike - over to see what the Princess had to say.

“My honorable dragon Elements of Harmony,” Spike read, “I hope that your stay in Equestria has proven comfortable and relaxing, and that my subjects have been open and kind to you.”

“Sort of,” Night admitted, grinning at Diamondback and Rarity, who both blushed and looked away from each other.

Rolling his eyes, Spike continued. “It pains me to involve you in pony matters, but a situation has cropped up that I believe could benefit greatly from your assistance. Please, join Twilight Sparkle, and meet me in Canterlot at your earliest convenience. We will discuss the matter more there. Yours sincerely, Princess Celestia.”

“The Princess wants us to visit?” Swift asked, his feathers already puffing up from nervousness. “As in… go to the capital?”

“What’re you fluffing up for, buddy?” Jackknife asked. “Ya were there already, remember? We beat up a buncha changelings.”

“Well, yeah, but we had to be there, or the changelings would’ve taken out the kingdom,” Swift justified. “This is gonna be without a fight. With people staring at us. Probably thinking we don’t belong.”

“But you do belong,” Fluttershy assured Swift. “It’s like you said, you helped save the entire city.”

Diamondback still grimaced. “She tried to make it seem like a simple visit,” she noted. “But I get the sense that there’s more to it than that.”

“I agree,” Phoenix noted. “Any situation that could ‘benefit greatly from our assistance’ has got to be something big.”

“Or it could be something minor,” Applejack noted. “Ya never know until ya get there and see for yerself. So let’s quit with the guessing and get with the going.”

Spike glanced over as Twilight’s library started shaking from a racket going on inside. “I think someone’s way ahead of you,” he noted with a wry grin. One the dragons and even most of the mares returned with chuckles.

##

In Canterlot, Celestia gazed out to the North, where she could faintly see snow over the horizon. Luna joined her.

“Tia,” Luna said gently. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go as well?”

Celestia grimaced before sighing. “Concern for Night Fire?”

Luna swallowed and looked away. “I…”

“It’s okay, Luna,” Celestia assured her, gazing at her sister with a soft smile. “I understand if that particular secret isn’t ready to be revealed.”

Luna gave a surprised look to Celestia, but Celestia returned her eyes to the horizon.

“You know my fears,” Celestia said. “If we stretch ourselves too thin trying to solve every problem in Equestria, a day will come where we burn out. And if there is no one ready to replace us on that day… Equestria will fall.” She shuddered. “That day came dangerously close when Chrysalis invaded.”
Luna winced at the memory. “I should have…” she started to say, but Celestia soothed her with a wing.

“We cannot change the past,” she said. “We can only influence the future.” She looked back out the window. “We need to be able to have faith that our little ponies will be able to solve problems without us… and that they can rely on the help of any friends they make along the way.”

“But to reduce such a task to a… some sort of… test?” Luna asked.

“I’d like to think of it as something less… ‘academic,’” Celestia admitted.

“Can you?” Luna asked.

Celestia thought for a moment, before sighing. “No, I suppose I can’t.”

Luna gave her sister a deadpan look, before a knocking sounded at the door.

“Did you seriously just knock at the throne room door!?” Swift’s voice shrilled.

“What was I supposed to do?” Diamondback replied. “Give a little ‘Yoo-hoo; dragons here’?”

Night Fire giggled at Diamondback’s mock voice. “That would admittedly be kinda funny.”

Luna smiled faintly at the sound of Night Fire’s voice, before Celestia hugged her.

“Trust me, little sister,” Celestia asked. “I wouldn’t ask them to do this if I didn’t think they couldn’t handle it.”

Luna sighed. “I will hold you to that, Tia,” she murmured, as the two took their places at their thrones, and nodded for the guards to let the group in.

As Spike and his friends entered, Twilight hurried in with a bunch of paper and quills.

“You wanted to see us, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. “For a test or something? If it’s about the dragons, we’ve done our best to make them feel at home! A-A few hiccups here and there, but…”

“Calm,” Celestia said, soothing Twilight with a wave of her hoof. “This is…” she noticed Luna giving her a raised eyebrow and sighed. “A different kind of test.” She gazed at the dragons and ponies assembled. “The Crystal Empire has returned.”

Diamondback gasped in shock, while Twilight gasped in a panic.

“The what? But… I-I didn’t… I thought I studied!” Twilight almost went into a panic attack before Spike took her in his arms and calmed her down.

“Easy, Twilight, easy,” he said.

“Calm yourself, Ms. Sparkle,” Diamondback said. “The Crystal Empire dates far back before your time. Phoenix and I were quite young when it was around.”

“Quite young?” Phoenix scoffed. “I’m pretty sure I was barely out of my egg, DB. You saying you’re older than that?”

“That’s going to make any interaction between you and Spike even weirder,” Night Fire noted, glancing at Spike. “Then again, you’d be too young for that anyway…”

“Jack!” Spike complained.

Jackknife threw a glob of water at Night Fire. She coughed and sputtered.

“What, I was saying…!”

“Children-children!” Diamondback said sharply, gripping Jackknife and Night Fire. “I believe the Princess was about to explain.”

Celestia nodded in gratitude. “Indeed. Few remember the Crystal Empire existed at all. But it held within it….”

“The Crystal Heart!” Diamondback said grandly. “An incredible gem of epic power. Through its magic, the Crystal Empire was able to thrive within the Frozen Tundra; a normally inhospitable place for any creature.”

“Indeed. Thank you, Diamondback,” Celestia said gratefully, though her smile faded. “Unfortunately, one thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn who’s heart was as black as night…”

“Hey…” Night Fire mumbled.

“...took over the Crystal Empire,” Celestia declared ominously.

Luna rose. “My sister and I were able to best him in single combat. But not before he put a curse on the Empire.”

“A curse that caused it to vanish into thin air,” Celestia agreed.

“But now it’s back,” Diamondback noted. “And that means the Crystal Heart is back alongside it.”

Spike glanced at DB. “DB, remember the Greed,” he warned.

Diamondback shook herself off and grinned gently at Spike. “I remember,” she assured him. “I’m fine.”

“Please do be,” Celestia said. “If the Crystal Heart is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected from it across the Empire and even across Equestria.” Her face darkened. “But if hatred, fear and yes, even greed, take hold…”

“It’ll spell bad times for the entire world,” Night Fire guessed.

“Precisely,” Luna agreed. “Which is why we need your help to find a way to protect it.”

Twilight still looked horrified. “You want me to protect an entire empire?”

“Not alone,” Celestia said. “Measures have already been taken to secure the Empire, but the Crystal Heart still needs to be found. And even if it is found, we do not know if Sombra has cursed it as well.” She looked to the dragons. “It is my hope that the Elements of Harmony will be able to purge any corruption from the Crystal Heart, and charge it with the hope and love needed to reflect peacefully across not just Equestria, but the entire world as well.”

Swift looked nervous. “And… Twilight and her friends can’t suffice?”

“Normally, I would have faith in my student and her friends,” Celestia admitted. “But Sombra was a terrifying force back when we fought him.”

“We barely escaped with our minds and bodies intact,” Luna noted grimly.

Night Fire grimaced. “Did you have to put it that way?” she asked.

“That is why I would like you and your friends with them, Spike,” Celestia said. “Two sets of the Elements of Harmony will do far more good together than apart.”

Spike gazed hopefully at his fellow dragons, and was relieved to see them nod and grin.

“Y'all want our help, Princess,” Jackknife said. “You got it!”

The others nodded or spoke assent. Encouraged by their words, the Mane Five spoke up as well, giving Twilight the courage to stand up and nod in determination.

“Thank you,” Celestia said. “Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor have already journeyed to the Crystal Empire to aid scouts and reconnaissance. Regroup with them; they will be able to tell you more about what avails the Empire.”

The group nodded and began to head out. Just before they could leave…

“And Spike,” Celestia said, walking up to him and giving him a motherly smile. “You’ve picked your friends well. I have every confidence that you will succeed.”

Spike grinned. “Thanks Princess. That means…” He chuckled. “It means a lot.”

He then raced out to catch up to his friends.

##

Spike worried the winter chill would freeze his friend’s resolve.

Yet as the group stepped off the train and into the snow, Spike was pleased to see them not complaining.

For the most part.

“Ha!” Rarity said, all dressed up in a winter outfit. “And you all made fun of me for packing so many scarves.”

Jackknife laughed back. “Keep yer scarves, Rares.” He hopped right into the snow, coming out briefly frozen, but breaking the ice off. “Ice is just water in a new form.” He started swimming happily in the snow.

Phoenix stepped out in a similar winter coat to Rarity. “Please note, he doesn’t speak for all of us,” she noted.

Rarity pat Phoenix’s head. “Oh, don’t you worry, you poor thing. Diamondback and I worked hard to make sure that my winter gear could fit all of you.”

Phoenix grinned and nodded at DB. “Thanks, girls.”

“But, of course, my dear,” Diamondback assured, before clapping her hands. “Now… what about that Crystal Empire?”

Swift struggled not to get blown away by the winds. “I, uh… I don’t think we’ll be able to see much through this storm!” He was nearly blown off his feet, before Fluttershy and Applejack managed to right him.

“Princess Celestia said Shining Armor was here,” Spike noted. “That means he must have left…”

“Scouts, right?”

A pair of pegasi came out of the snow, twin grins on their faces.

Twilight gasped. “Eagle Flies. Flash Sentry!”

“Ms. Sparkle,” Flash replied with a bow. “Prince Armor’s right this way. He sent us to make sure you had a safe trip here.”

“He’d have our hides if we just let his baby sister get lost out in the snow,” Eagle noted with a shudder.

“Oh, you wonderful darlings,” Diamondback cooed. “You’re so sweet, but remember, she’s being escorted by six dragons and five mares more than capable of handling themselves.”

“Darn straight,” Rainbow agreed. “What do we got to be afraid of?”

Flash and Eagle glanced at each other, their smiles fading. “Let’s just say that the Empire isn’t the only thing that returned.”

The levity faded from the other’s faces, Swift’s in particular. “W-What do you mean? What came back with them?”

Flash’s nervous look said it all. Diamondback’s jaw dropped.

“Impossible!” she muttered.

“What?” Spike said. “You’re not saying that… King Sombra came back.”

The mere name somehow caused the already chilly weather to get chillier. A shadow seemed to fall over the snow. The pegasi gulped and motioned for the group to follow, heading into the snow banks. Cautiously, the others followed after them.

“He keeps trying to get in,” Eagle explained as they fought against the wind. “Princess Cadence and Prince Shining have kept him at bay, but it won’t last forever!”

“We need to find the Crystal Heart,” Diamondback noted. “With it, we could use the Elements to strengthen its power…”

“And abolish Sombra and save the Empire,” Twilight realized with a grin. “Diamondback, you’re a…”

However, her smile faded to horror. Diamondback tilted her head.

“Go on, I’m a what?” Diamondback asked, unaware of the shadow falling over her.

“ABOUT TO GET WHACKED!” Jackknife yelled, hurling a snowball right by Diamondback, and pelting what could only be described as a shadow monster in the face.

Night Fire paused. “SNOW BALL FIGHT!” she cheered, before she and Jackknife started hurling snowballs the size of cannon balls at the shadow monster.

The shadow monster, however, reared up and let out a roar of rage.

Fluttershy shrieked in utter fear before picking up Applejack and fleeing. “Every pony run!”

“Right behind you!” Swift agreed, foisting up Diamondback and Phoenix.

“Oh, darling!” Diamondback yelped as Swift carted them away.

Meanwhile, Night and Jackknife continued to blast Sombra with snow, but they had lost the element of surprise, and the shadow monster bore down on them.

“Guys, watch it!” Spike yelled, tackling Night Fire out of the way while Eagle tackled Jackknife.

Leaping up to the clouds, Flash shot a burst of lightning at Sombra, but the shadow monster snarled and hurled a spell back. The spell turned the storm cloud into obsidian before exploding. Flash fell out of the sky, gripping a shrapnel coated wing with agony.

“Flash!” Twilight screamed, but Spike waved her off as he scooped him up.

“We got him, go!” Spike yelled.

“I’ll help!” Night Fire yelled, speeding past Spike and scooping Twilight up.

With the dragons helping the ponies along, Eagle led them to a rapidly glowing ball of light in the distance.

“Come on, we’re almost there!” he said.

But the Shadow monster had other plans, and hurled more chunks of obsidian at them.

Growling, Diamondback leaped off Swift, batting the shards away and forcing the monster back with a burst of flames.

“This Empire is MINE, you hear me, you pathetic shell of a stallion!?” Diamondback snarled as she started to grow. “All MINE!”

Spike’s heart skipped a beat. “DB, no!”

But as Diamondback reared up, the Shadow Monster only started to chuckle in amusement… before a spell hit it and forced it back.

The group turned to find a phalanx of unicorns with horns aimed at the shadow monster. Leading them was…

“Shining!” Twilight cheered.

“Twily, this way!” Shining yelled.

With the ponies and dragons racing for the phalanx, Diamondback glared at Sombra one last time before storming after them returning to a smaller size as the unicorns kept Sombra back.

Yet Sombra kept watching Diamondback with an intrigued expression. He chuckled ominously as he faded away into the storm, allowing the ponies and dragons to leap past the phalanx and into the safety of the Crystal Empire.

As the group caught their breath, Twilight and the others found themselves staring at the Empire in awe.

“Whoa…” Spike mumbled.

“Sight to behold, isn’t it?” Shining said with a grin, before turning to the others. “Welcome to the Crystal Empire.”

Diamondback grinned, but Spike didn’t like the look in her eyes. “It’s so beautiful…” she whispered, before Phoenix smacked her.

“Stay focused,” Phoenix said, gazing at the city. “Hopefully the Crystal Heart will be here somewhere.”

“Right,” Spike agreed. “We just gotta find it.”

“I’ll show you around,” Shining agreed.

And with the unicorns still keeping the border safe, the group ventured into the Crystal Empire.

Comments

[Comickook]

Excellent job on the exchanges, characterizations, action and future chapter set-up in all the right places. Really liked Celestia and Luna reflecting on the potential of sharing the magic of friendship with other species as well as Diamondback and Phoenix acknowledging that they DO have SOME knowledge of the Crystal Empire and Crystal Heart. Also appreciated the stuff with Flash and that other guard before the group met up with Shining. Also appreciated Celestia and Luna providing a good reason NOT to handle the situations themselves. And, just as Diamondback got the idea to combine the Elements of Harmony with the Crystal Empire, Sombra tried to take her over, only for the group to spring into action and, with Shining's help, thwart the attempt for the time being.

Definitely looking forward to part two of this adventure (as well as the Drake Six's adventures travelling the world prior to dropping in for this universe's version of the Season Three finale).

[JNKing]

11563816
Glad you enjoyed.

I'm especially happy that Celestia and Luna's explanation on why they don't handle the situation themselves worked.

I never liked the idea that Twilight and her friends had to save the Empire themselves, hence why I had Celestia send guards alongside Shining and Cadence, so I'm glad that they worked as well. I was hoping it would make Celestia look a little more competent than she's usually depicted in canon.

Looking forward to sharing more soon. Until then.

👍

[AstralFlare42]

I am excited for more.

[JNKing]

11563870
And I am excited to share more. Unfortunately, I'm still working out the kinks on the next chapter.

But never fear, I will have it ready by next week.

Look forward to it.

[AstralFlare42]

11563879
I will.

[JNKing]

11564773
Thank you kindly. 👍

[AstralFlare42]

11564777
You're welcome.