Of Love and Crystals

by Pnakotic

Chapter 4

Two weeks passed, Twilight had begun to tutor Olive Branch on pony culture. The lessons progressed quickly for Olive Branch was a quick study and had a lust for knowledge that could rival Twilight’s. The two had made fast friends even after their initial rough period; this was for the most part due to shared interests.

One afternoon as the two sat studying Spike entered with a letter for Twilight. After thanking Spike Twilight broke the seal and read the letter, her expression quickly changed to one of panic. After noticing Twilight frantically pacing the room talking to herself in a near incoherent manner Olive Branch decided it to interject. “Is something wrong Twilight? What was on that letter?” He asked with concern after seeing Twilight’s abrupt mood shift, for all he knew another disaster could have befallen Canterlot or elsewhere.

“Oh it’s terrible! Oh I’m so unprepared, I can’t fail! Not now!” Twilight said resuming her gathering of materials.

“What’s terrible? What aren’t you prepared for?” Olive Branch asked; his own panic level rising.

“I have a test! From Princess Celestia herself!” Twilight’s pupils shrunk to near pinprick size, “I need to go get ready, oh I’m so unprepared!” Twilight galloped off to another room, she was followed by a mess of random supplies being pulled along in her magical aura.

“I don’t get it… it’s just a test isn’t it?” Olive Branch asked himself, he was then pulled aside by Spike who explained how nervous Twilight got, especially when it involved Princess Celestia. “I still don’t get it, isn’t she Celestia’s personal student… wouldn’t she have tests all the time?” Olive Branch sighed, “I guess I better get the rest of her friends, they’ll probably want to hear about this.”

After gathering Twilight’s five friends, who were all oddly understanding of the entire ordeal which lead Olive Branch to think that this had happened before, the group returned to the library. Twilight, meanwhile, had stuffed her saddlebags past capacity, to the point where scrolls and quills stuck out of the top. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting just a bit Twilight, I mean it is just a test.” Spike said drawing the purple unicorn to a halt.

“Just a test? Just a test!? Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria, has asked for my presence in Canterlot and you want me to believe it’s just a test!?” Twilight’s magic flared as her emotions ran rampant.

Spike quickly grabbed a set of pillow armor and an armor helmet from somewhere, “Um… Yes.”

“I’d say she’s taking things pretty well, considering.” Applejack commented.

Olive Branch could have sworn the entire library jumped out of the ground with the resulting magical discharge. “So I take it we’ll be on the next train after her?” He asked which was followed by a chorus of yeses.

A few hours later, in Canterlot…

Twilight entered Celestia’s throne room; she was passed ways with Princess Luna on the way in. Luna gave Twilight a knowing glance and a smile before exiting the room. Continuing on Twilight approached her mentor, “You wanted to see me? To give me a test? I brought my own quills and plenty of paper to show my work.” As Twilight removed her saddlebags a large roll of paper fell out and unrolled across the floor to come to a stop in front of Celestia. “Sorry, sorry!” Twilight apologized profusely as she feebly attempted to roll the paper back up with her snout.

Celestia rerolled the paper with her magic and repacked it in Twilight’s bag, “This is a different kind of test,” Celestia paused hanging her head slightly before continuing, “The Crystal Empire has returned.”

“The Crystal Empire…” Twilight searched frantically through her books, “I’m sorry I thought I’d studied, I don’t think there’s anything in any of my books…”

“There wouldn’t be,” Celestia said which caused Twilight to look up from the book she was desperately searching through, “few remember it ever existed at all.” Celestia pulled a crystal from a nearby pedestal with her magic.

“As I recall most of your records disappeared along with the empire itself.” Said a familiar voice, one Twilight wasn’t sure she’d wanted to hear again anytime soon. Queen Chrysalis appeared seemingly from out of a shadow and strode up next to Celestia.

“What are you doing here?” Twilight asked with more than a little bit of venom in her voice, her last memories of the queen were not that friendly.

“I asked her to come here Twilight.” Celestia said diffusing the conflict which threatened to develop, “My own knowledge of the empire is sparse; Chrysalis’, however, is fairly expansive. Up until its fall the changelings were in direct trade with the empire.”

“Come now Twilight, it is all water under the bridge is it not? Mares such as us are beyond such petty prejudices.” Twilight wasn’t sure but she thought she could almost hear a hint of mockery in the queen’s voice.

“Returning to the situation at hoof,” Celestia said in an attempt to move the conversation forward, “about a thousand years ago a unicorn named Sombra, whose heart was as black as night, crowned himself king.” Celestia floated the crystal to a rest in front of Twilight, with a burst of magic the crystal projected an image of a giant tower, one that if proportions were correct dwarfed Canterlot’s royal palace, and a city surrounding it. The city was beautiful at first but quickly changed as the crystals which made up the structures turned black. Images of ponies bound in chains beneath the great tower were displayed next. Finally, an image of two alicorns, Celestia and Luna themselves, were portrayed sealing the king in an icy tomb. Celestia continued, “While ultimately the king was defeated, the Crystal Empire disappeared entirely shortly after it.”

“At first we tried to treat with the king.” Chrysalis explained, adding to Celestia’s account, “He seemed to oblige, sending the swarm many crystals full of what we assumed was love as a show of “good faith,” too late did we realize they were filled instead with hatred. Hate is as poisonous to us as it is to a relationship, nearly all who fed upon the tainted crystals died within a few days.” Chrysalis let out a sigh, “I was foolish back then, to accept such kindness at face value. In retaliation I led the remainder of the swarm in an attack against the wicked king and his army of crystal constructs. The losses were devastating, the swarm was knocked so far back on its hooves that it took generations to recover.” Chrysalis’ expression turned to one of dark satisfaction, “I did, however, manage to wound that wretched king before being forced from the field.”

“But how was King Sombra able to fight off the entirety of the changeling swarm, surely numbers alone should have almost guaranteed your victory?” Twilight asked.

“As I mentioned his treacherous deception had decimated my swarm, aside from that he had his own army of golems constructed out of magic resilient crystal, but even with all these things you are right, we should have been victorious. The greatest power he had at his disposal wasn’t his treachery or his army, however, it was magic. Tell me Twilight do you know what ley lines are?” Chrysalis questioned.

“Of course, ley lines are the streams of energy which encompass the planet, beings such as unicorns, alicorns and changelings tap these lines in order to perform magic.” Twilight explained giving a definition straight out of the dictionary.

“Indeed, now if you were to trace all of the ley lines across the planet you would realize that all of them converge directly in the center of the Crystal Empire. Being able to tap such tremendous power is what gave King Sombra the edge over the swarm.” Finishing her explanation both Chrysalis and Twilight turned back to Celestia.

Celestia continued with a nod, “When the empire is filled with hope and love those emotions resound throughout Equestria,” Celestia channeled magic through the crystal which refracted a spectrum of light throughout the room, “this also allows changelings to sustain themselves without need for a direct source of love. If hatred and fear take hold, however,” Celestia’s eyes glowed green with dark energy and struck the crystal with a bolt of magic which caused its shadow to spread across the room, multiple other dark crystals grew from the shadow it cast. Celestia’s eyes glowed again, this time with her natural golden energy, with another pulse of energy she shattered the dark crystals, “This is why I need your help finding a way to protect it.”

“You want me to protect an entire empire?” Twilight said in awe.

“It is as I said a different kind of test,” Celestia said, replacing the crystal on its pedestal, “but one I’m certain you will pass.”

“How do I begin?” Twilight asked.

“By joining Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire.”

“My brother is there?” Twilight asked excitedly.

“Ah yes, them, do send the newlyweds my regards.” Chrysalis said jokingly.

“Also, your friends from Ponyville will join on this quest as well. Additionally, you should bring Olive Branch. It will behoove you to have one who is sensitive to the magic you are trying to protect along with you after all.” Celestia led Twilight to the exit.

“But what if I fail?” Twilight asked nervously.

“You won’t, I have the utmost faith in you Twilight.” Celestia reassured her, “Just remember it must you and you alone who ultimately assists Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in protecting the Crystal Empire. Now go, the fate of Equestria is once again in your hooves.” Without further ado Twilight departed for the train station to meet up with her friends and to depart for the Crystal Empire.

Back in the throne room Celestia and Chrysalis were joined again by Luna. “You play a dangerous game Celestia,” Chrysalis commented, “if Twilight fails a new age of strife will no doubt be ushered forth.”

“Sister, I must agree with Chrysalis on this you are staking a great deal on Twilight.” Luna added, “Perhaps one of us should have accompanied them, to ensure success.”

“Well I’m not certain Cadance and Shining armor would take very kindly to Chrysalis’ help, they still have a ways to go before they forgive you for nearly ruining their wedding and relationship. As for you Luna I must beg you to have faith, with their combined effort Twilight and her friends should easily be able to overcome this challenge, and when they do we will know that Twilight is ready for the next level of study.” Celestia said.

“Hmph, and ponies call me manipulative,” Chrysalis retorted, “very well Celestia I will trust you in this matter, I pray I will not regret it.”

Comments

[erictheblue]

i just have to put this here: