Chapter 15 - Trapped
A Heart of Change – Chapter 15: Trapped
By: SilentBelle
The walk through the forest would have been quite pleasant for Apple Bloom under just about any other circumstances. The fresh alpine air, clear skies and setting sun, they all played a stark contrast to the bruises and welts that covered her own body. Not to mention the disheveled mess of a mane that kept slipping in the periphery of her eyes, no matter which way she prodded the strands with her hooves.
She let out a heavy sigh as she continued the trek down the sloping forest. She cast a glance back, and Scootaloo seemed to be in just as poor shape as she was.
The pegasus' wings remained tucked in at her side and she carried Sweetie's bags while she walked slowly over series of sprawling pine roots. She had a few cuts and blemishes marking her face, and the uneven rhythm of her stride spoke volumes to the state her hind legs must be in. And amongst it all, the amulet around her neck flashed regularly, indicating Sweetie Belle's unceasing presence.
Her body's gone, Apple Bloom thought to herself, and Ah have no idea what happened to it. Of course we need ta find out what happened and find a way ta fix it quickly. Her body could be wastin' away, if it doesn't eat or drink water... She shook her head. Worryin' does us no good right now, though. We need ta get ta the city.
“Just a bit further!” Apple Bloom called out encouragement to Scootaloo. “If we stop now, we probably won't be able to start again. At least not 'til morning. Once we're in the city we can find an inn, or motel, or somethin'.”
“I'd be just as fine with a pile of hay right now,” Scootaloo responded as she trundled on. “Just anything that's not stone.”
Eventually the stunted forest broke before them, the trees gave way to bushes which led to an expanse of prairie. Apple Bloom looked out at the sea of tall grasses before her, burning red in the light of the setting sun. The individual blades easily reached shoulder height and beyond their seeded tips, the Crystal Empire stood, like a mountain, proudly jutting out from the grassy expanse. It glowed in the amber and ruby light of the reflected sun.
“It must be less than two miles away,” Apple Bloom said with a hint of wonder in her voice. “It'll be the first time enterin' the city on hoof. No wonder some ponies call it the 'Jewel o' the North'.”
Scootaloo moved up beside her. “Well, at least the ground's not sloping anymore.” She took a step into the field and nearly lost her balance. “Ew, gross! The ground's gone all mushy under the grass!”
“Ah guess there was more that just lightnin' fallin' from the storm clouds,” Apple Bloom remarked as she stepped into the grasses. “But it's just a bit o' water. Don't worry 'bout it, we're almost there.”
“It's the last leg of the race,” Sweetie Belle's voice chimed in.
“And I'm walking it, thanks to your bags.” Scootaloo gave the offending burden a glare. “Geez, Sweetie, did you have to put so much stuff in them? It feels like it's full of rocks and pointy objects.”
“It is. Oh, and it has two books as well.”
“It's just like you to pack books that you wouldn't be reading during our trip,” Scootaloo let out a small heartless laugh.
“Hey, I didn't plan on being pulled into some large-scale conflict like this! You can hardly blame me for thinking I'd have time to get some more reading done.”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom forged on through the grassy plains step by step. The squish of the spongy ground played an odd rhythm while numerous birds called out from the pines behind them. Soon, the two ponies both wore a similar frown that only deepened with every step they took.
“Damn it all,” Scootaloo muttered to herself. “Sweetie, why'd you have to go and have your body get disappeared like that?”
“For the last time Scoots, I didn't plan on that happening. I'm still not sure what happened. The other Sweetie said I'd get my body back, but it didn't come back. Something about the magic was different from the first time. It’s like something was missing. I'm trying to figure out exactly what happened so I can fix it,” her voice sounded strained as she spoke. “But just make sure not to bring the fragment of Discord too close to me. If I absorb it, then I won't be able to use magic anymore unless it were specifically channeled through the amulet. And that would mean no more talking.”
“Celestia forbid that ever happened.” Apple Bloom chuckled lightly.
“What? Do you think it's funny that I'm stuck in here Bloom?”
“No, Ah'm just tired, Sweetie. We all are.” Apple Bloom tapped the side of her saddlebags with a hoof. “Don't worry 'bout the fragment. Ah'll keep it safe until ya figure out what ya have ta do.”
“I just wish I could have my body back...”
“Then you'll just have ta make that wish a reality. Right?” Apple Bloom shot the amulet a tired smile. “It's just that simple.”
Sweetie Belle laughed at her words. “Simple in theory, but hard in practice.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “As most worthwhile things are. But Ah know you're not one ta give up when it comes down ta it.”
“I won't give up. I will get my body back.
“O' course ya will. Just try not ta blow up the whole o' the Crystal Empire in the process.”
Scootaloo merely looked toward the setting sun as it slipped behind a distant mountain behind the Crystal Empire. Apple Bloom notice the pegasus let out a small sigh.
“Somethin' wrong, Scootaloo?”
Apple Bloom's question seemed to startle her, and Scootaloo brought her gaze back to Apple Bloom. “What? No, it's nothing. Let's just get to the Empire quick, the sun's almost fully set.”
Huh... What are ya thinkin' 'bout Scootaloo? Apple Bloom wondered as they lapsed back into a shared silence. I wish I could figure you out sometimes. Compared to you, Sweetie Belle's an open book.
The two ponies stumbled out of the grassy plains and onto the hard-packed main road that lead into the city. Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief to have firm ground beneath her hooves once again.
Turning her sights upon the entrance to the city, she spotted no less than four guards standing alert at the city's entrance. “Makes sense. With a crisis like that storm, they're probably aren't takin' any chances.”
“What? They think four guards would stop another storm?” Scootaloo asked with a roll of her eyes. “They'd probably be better off helping with repairing some of those buildings.”
Apple Bloom noticed that a number of the crystalline structures that formed the periphery of the city had dark marks on them, and a few had collapsed or outright shattered. “Even with the shield, the storms did some real damage.”
“The shield must have begun to crumble before we stopped the storm,” Sweetie Belle insisted. “I wonder if Cadence is alright. The shield spell is quite powerful and effective, but the amount of energy it takes would probably be quite taxing.”
“So that guy behind the storms was actually pretty close ta destroying the city after all?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “We need ta talk ta the princess. We know that the guy is still out there plotting revenge. We have ta warn them.”
“What about sleep?” Scootaloo asked in irritation. “Can't we discuss that sort of stuff in the morning?”
“Ah, reckon we will. But as soon as we get in, we'll talk ta Princess Cadence and tell her what we know. It shouldn't take too long.” Apple Bloom moved forward with Scootaloo tagging behind. “But Sweetie, ya might want ta be careful about when ya speak. It would be easier if most ponies assumed that we’re just two ponies.”
“But talking's just about the only thing I can do right now. Geez, if I can't even do that-”
“Quit complainin'! We'll get it sorted out soon enough. Ah just don't want ta have to explain what happened ta every single pony we meet. Like these fellas.
At the city entrance the four guards stood, wearing metallic, gray armour. They all looked to be on-edge as they glared at the two approaching ponies. “Halt!” one of the guards, a silvery crystal pony, shouted before Apple Bloom was even thirty feet away. “Who are you?! State your business!”
Apple Bloom stopped in her tracks. “Mah name's Apple Bloom, and this is Scootaloo. We were on our way here from Ponyville when our train was derailed. We walked the rest o' the way here, and now that the storm is over, we're seeking refuge in the Crystal Empire and an audience with Princess Cadence.”
“You and all the farm-folk!” the same guard retorted. “The city is full-up. We're on lock-down. Sorry, but we can't just let anypony into the city. Go around to the other side of the city and hang out with the other farmers until the lock-down is lifted.”
“But we just came from the diamond dogs to the east, and bring with us words from the clan leader Granette. The diamond dogs are willing to aid their allies however they can, and from the looks of the damage, the Crystal Empire could use all the help it can get. It's imperative that we speak with the princess about this!” Apple Bloom insisted.
The guard frowned at them while one of his companions let out a small sigh and tapped him on the shoulder. “You really think we can afford to turn them away? They might have valuable information. Besides, even if they are just lying to get into the city, it's just two young mares, and they look like they've been through Tartarus and back. Can you really turn them away? Even if they hung around the other farmers, they almost look like they wouldn't make the night.”
“They should stay outside the city,” the silver guard argued back. “Look, I'm the leader here, and we are following protocol. We were told not to let anypony in until the lock-down is lifted. I'm not going to be known as Silver Wake: the guard who failed to do his job! If they have valuable information then they can tell us, and we'll relay it. If the higher-ups want them inside the city after they hear that information, then that's on them.”
“What's his problem?” Scootaloo began stepping forward with a scowl on her face, but Apple Bloom tossed out an imposing hoof.
“Let me handle it,” Apple Bloom whispered to her friend as she moved closer. “You, Silver Wake!” Apple Bloom shouted accusingly at the guard. “We've come here as official delegates from the Black Snout Clan! We have specific, sensitive information about the cause of the storm and how it worked!” Apple Bloom closed in on the guards. “And we are both sisters to bearers o' the Elements of Harmony. Every moment you spend keeping us outside o' this city is another moment that ya don't have to prepare for what's about ta happen next. Ya think yer princess would appreciate not havin' such valuable information at a time like this?”
The guard frowned at her words, but then finally gave a tired sigh. “Fine! You two mares follow me, I'll take you to the palace. But if it turns out that you've been lying, you'll wish that you never set hoof in this city. This is a time of crisis, we will not tolerate any shenanigans. And the rest of you!” he shouted to his guard-mates. “Make sure that nopony else gets in until I get back!”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both nodded and kept up with the guard's quick pace. Apple Bloom didn't have much time to take in the scenery, but she took note of how few ponies there were on the streets. “Wow, this looks pretty bad,” she muttered.
“The storm was the worst we've ever seen,” Silver Wake replied, drawing Apple Bloom's attention. Upon closer inspection, the crystal pony seemed to lack much of the luster that she had been expecting from them. “Nearly four solid days of lightning crashing against the city's shield and a torrent of rain. We've never seen anything like it before.” He shook his head. “It all happened after the bearers of the Elements, your sisters, came into the city earlier last week. There are some who would lay the blame of the storm on them, others have blamed the princess.” He shook his head in disgust. “But I'm smart enough to know that the blame doesn't lie with with either. It's been a tough week and tempers are frayed, I've had to stop more than a few fights myself. If there is a larger threat, as you implied, then it's best that we do not tarry.”
They walked toward the center of the city. The palace loomed ahead, sparkling with numerous coloured crystals.
Scootaloo spread her wings and stretched them lightly as they walked. “So, why do you have the city locked down? If the storm's over, I figured everypony would be out rebuilding and fixing the damage,” Scootaloo pointed out.
Silver Wake glared at the pegasus. “I just get my orders from the higher-ups. They don't want any ponies entering the city until they've solved whatever problem it is that they have. I'm taking a big risk just letting you in.”
“There's something more at work here, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom added. “I think the guy who made the storm might have been doing more than just powering the storm with that magic.”
“Yeah...” Scootaloo mumbled. “Well, I guess it's all pretty much out of our hooves now. We just need to tell the princess what we know and then hopefully catch some shut-eye.”
They arrived at the palace entrance. Silver Wake nodded to two of the guards on duty.
“Silver wake, Sir, please halt,” one of them called out. “It's just protocol, but please state your business.”
Silver gave the two a salute. “Of course. I'm bringing these two mares in to talk with the princess. They have sensitive information on the situation, and it is imperative that they receive an audience immediately.
Both of the guards looked nervously to each other. “Well, we'll let you in, Sir, but you'll have to ask the higher-ups to gain an audience.” They stepped to the side, and opened the doors. “I sure will be glad when this crisis is over with...” one of them muttered.
Once inside, the whole palace seemed to be alight with a dim glow, and had Apple Bloom the leisure, she'd have taken a moment just to study the thick and intricate crystal walls. As hurried as they were, a passing glance would have to suffice. I wonder how they managed to make the walls look as though they are made of one solid block of crystal. There must be some sort of trick to it.
“So, you two are sisters of the bearers of the Elements? I don't suppose you know why they came here five days ago?” Silver Wake asked as he ushered them deeper into the palace.
“Ah can't say they ever told us exactly. Ah just found out the day they left. Mah sister's note said they wouldn’t be too long, but I think it's already been too long. Maybe the Princess knows where they went.” Apple Bloom wasn't about to spill the fact that they assumed their sisters had been crystallized. Hay, I'm not even certain that guy wasn't just playin' us fer fools with some clever illusion. Maybe Sweetie can use her magic to verify whether they really were stopped like that. In any case, it's always best to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Silver Wake led them up a number of shiny stairways and though lengthy hallways until they arrived outside a large set of double doors with two more guards standing at attention.
Silver Wake stepped forward. “Guards, I have brought two ponies who have information pertaining to the storm and its origin. It is vital that they receive an audience with the princess right away. I request that you let their presence be known to her.”
“The princess isn't holding any more audiences tonight,” a rose-coloured guard replied. “They can wait in the guest chambers until they are called upon. What are their names?”
“We're Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, sisters of the Elements of Harmony. Please, it's urgent. We have to talk with the princess as soon as possible.”
“I understand,” the rose guard said stoically. “However, everypony is in a hurry at the moment. Please wait in the guest chambers until you are called for. The princess will see you when she can.”
“Well, I'm fine with that,” Scootaloo muttered. “Where are the guest quarters?”
Silver Wake sighed lightly. “Follow me. I'll take you to them. I suppose it's better than just standing, staring into the night for hours on end.” He gave the two of them a dubious glance and raised an eyebrow. “There are also some royal bathing chambers that might be worth your while to check out.”
“Hey, are you implying something?” Scootaloo asked and stared down the stallion as he walked on down the hall.
Apple Bloom sniffed the air then laughed while blushing slightly. “Yeah, Ah guess that's good to know. Thanks. Just let us know where it is, and Ah'm certain we'll make good use of it.”
* * *
Without a second thought, Scootaloo tossed Sweetie Belle's bags onto the floor beside the bed of their guest chambers. The bags landed with a soft thud on a plush red carpet which framed the bed. The chamber itself was large and held two beds. There was a set of sliding windows that lead to a balcony which overlooked a portion of the city. “It's finally starting to seem like we might be on a vacation. I don't think I've ever stayed in a room this... upscale.”
“Hey, watch where you throw that!” Sweetie's voice piped up. “I have important stuff in there.”
Scootaloo snorted. “Yeah, sure, as if tossing the bag a few feet would break anything more, considering what we've already been through. Next time don't pack it so heavily.”
“Well, at least I did pack!”
“Whatever.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes then moved over to the door. “Bloom, I'm going to hit up those bathing chambers. You coming'?”
“Nah, I'll take a bath in a bit. I'm gonna grab some grub first,” Apple Bloom said as she set down her own bags gently beside the other bed. “I'll bring ya back some as well.”
“Thanks.” Scootaloo nodded in appreciation. “I'll be back in a bit. I just need to get this darn sap outta my mane.”
Scootaloo pushed open the doors and quickly made her way down the halls of the palace. She didn't see any other ponies walking the hall, and only noticed a couple guards as she passed by a large opaque crystal door. She slowly spread her wings as she walked. They were sore, but she needed to stretch them to work out the worst of the pulled muscles and strained tendons. “I guess almost everypony is asleep,” she said aloud. “It must be getting close to midnight.”
“Still, you'd think there'd be a lot more folk out and about. I guess the storm crisis must have been pretty taxing on everypony.”
“Well, your guess is as good as mine.” Scootaloo continued down the hall and took the first right. “Sure hope that bath is open all day and night.”
“You really think that Silver Wake would recommend we go there if we weren't allowed in?” Sweetie Belle japed. “A guard wouldn't do that to guests.”
Scootaloo shot the amulet a small scowl. “He was sort of a jerk. I wouldn't put it past him.”
She continued on down the hall, which had a flight of stairs heading downward. She could smell a warm humidity filling the air as she began her descent.
“I think everypony is just a bit tired, yourself included, Scootaloo.”
“Well, sorry for feeling tired after trekking through caves and forests all day. Oh, and let's not forget that I was almost eaten alive by some stupid dragon.” Scootaloo snorted. “Of course I'm tired.”
“Well, at least you can still feel tired,” Sweetie Belle muttered.
Scootaloo pushed open a set of double doors and was overcome by a warm gust as she entered the room. One large circular pool of water was the centerpiece of the room, plumes of steam rose from its surface. While numerous glowing crystals decorated the ceiling, casting a warm ambient light down into the steam. As she had hoped, there was nopony else in the room, she had the bath all to herself.
“Why would you want to be tired?” she asked the amulet as she looked around the room. In a moment she spotted what she was looking for. Along the side of the room, there were a series of wooden bins each filled with a towel and a compliment of lotions and cleaners.
Sweetie Belle let out an exasperated sigh. “It's not that I want to be tired. I just want my body back.”
Scootaloo picked up the basket and brought it to the side of the shallow pool. Bowing her head, she slipped the amulet off gently onto her towel and after a few moments she managed to unlatch her bracelet. She then entered the hot waters and winced as numerous welts, cuts, and bruises burned for a moment. Bracing herself, she sat down and felt her muscles and joints begin to melt. She let out a tired sigh. “Is it really so bad, Sweetie? Having no body, I mean. Sure, you might not get to relax in a nice luxurious bath like this, but you also don't get tired from staying awake, or have a bunch of cuts from a cave falling on you. Plus you don't have to eat, drink, or sleep.”
“Bad? That doesn't even begin to describe it. It's awful! I can't move, Scootaloo! If I didn't have my magic, I'd begin to doubt if I even existed. Can you even understand what it's like to question whether you are even alive anymore?” She paused for a moment then began quietly, “I'm scared. I need to get my body back. I know it has to be somewhere! Bodies don't just disappear, Scootaloo, it's impossible!”
“But then how are we going to find it?” Scootaloo asked as she began applying a finely scented shampoo to her mane, it smelled vaguely of some citrus fruit. “If you knew where it was, I'd fly out right away and bring you to it.”
“I've been thinking about that. We'll find some crystals to use real soon and then I can scry for my body. But if it's been sitting somewhere without me inside it... and without food or water...” Sweetie Belle's voice trembled. “What if I'm dead, Scootaloo?”
“You aren't dead!” Scootaloo shouted, staring right at the amulet. “We'll find your body no matter what!” And if we can't, I'll give you mine. I promise, Sweetie, I'll help you however I can.
“Scoots... Thanks.” Scootaloo could imagine her friend giving her a genuine smile. “I know I can always count you.”
For all the good it's worth... Scootaloo thought sadly as she busied herself with cleaning and soaking out the soreness of her limbs.
After a few more minutes, Scootaloo felt her head drooping and she shook herself back into alertness. “I really need some sleep though.” With a tinge of regret, she pulled herself out of the comforting waters and began drying herself off with a towel.
“And I might as well put my forced-insomnia to good use.” Sweetie Belle chimed in as she was placed back around Scootaloo's neck. “If you wouldn't mind, would you fish a gem or two out of my bag for me when we get back to the room. I have some scrying to do.”
“Mm hmph,” Scootaloo mumbled her affirmative as she fumbled with latching her bracelet. After a moment it she finally got it to hook properly. “Geez, you really need to make your next bracelet be easier on ponies who can't use magic.”
“Maybe I just like to watch you struggle.” Sweetie Belle laughed as Scootaloo exited the bathing chamber.
Scootaloo came to a halt as she saw Apple Bloom making her way down the stairs. Her disheveled mane and drooping eyes reminded Scootaloo of how she had felt only half an hour earlier. “The bath's really good, Bloom. How's the food?”
“A mite better than oats,” Apple Bloom said with a laugh. “Ah left ya some in our room.”
“Thanks.” Scootaloo smiled as she passed her friend and moments later heard the door close. “Maybe I'll actually get a good night's rest now that we'll have a decent meal and we aren't sleeping on stone anymore.”
“Don't worry Scoots! If you're having a nightmare all you have to do is say my name and I'll help you out.”
Scootaloo paled a bit. “I thought I told you to stop calling me Scoots,” she said with half-hearted gusto. “Besides, you're in an amulet. How are you supposed to help me when I'm asleep?”
“Well, you know... It's the thought that counts.”
Scootaloo made her way back to the room and pushed her way in through their door. “You don't have to worry about me, though. You've already got enough to focus on at the moment. Just do your best to find where your body is.”
She moved over and set the amulet down on her end table, fished through Sweetie's bags for a couple of gemstones and set them beside the amulet. “Now, where's that food?” She turned and spotted a plate on a table in the corner of the room.
She moved over to it and found a couple sandwiches and small bowl filled with crystalline berries. Curious, she took a berry into her mouth and chewed it. “Wow, they taste like really sweet blueberries. Pretty awesome.”
“Oh, those are crystal berries. They're a delicacy of the north. I've always wanted to try some. I know Rarity says it's the source of one of her favourite vintages. Now there’s even more incentive for me to find my body as quickly as possible.”
Scootaloo quickly finished off all the food on her plate and stumbled over to her bed. “Well, if you find any leads, you know where I'll be,” she said with a deep yawn. “Goodnight.”
“'Night, Scoots.”
Scootaloo just rolled her eyes at the annoying nickname, but then smiled at her own annoyance and let the soft embrace of sleep whisk her away.
* * *
Sweetie Belle took note as Scootaloo quickly fell asleep. Darn, she must have been exhausted. I don't know how either of them did it. If I'd still had my body, I would have needed to stop more than once to make the trek all the way here. Well, I may as well get scrying then...
She reached out to the solid emerald stream of magic which came from Apple Bloom's bags. She manipulated the magic and tossed it toward one of the two gems that Scootaloo had left beside her. I'll start with the amethyst. She quickly began to pull the magic out of the gem and reached out with another strand of her magic toward her own saddle bags. After a moment she found what she was looking for, a single bit of her own white hair that had been shed while she had worn the saddlebags.
She formed the glowing green magic into the pattern for a scrying spell. She focused for a moment on the hair. The spell flashed, connecting to her amulet and began spreading outward slowly, searching for a match to the hair. The spell alerted her to more hairs as it passed over the saddlebags. She ignored that useless bit of information and fed the spell as it spread ever outwards and quicker. It passed the palace walls and detected no further hairs. It continued outward into the Crystal Empire and still she felt nothing. Time passed as it kept expanding, eventually reaching the distant mountains and the old broken tower. Inside, she only found the barest trace of her hairs spread throughout the chamber. Most likely from the other Sweetie Belle... Where the hay did my body go?! Damn it all! If I don't find it soon, I might not have a body anymore! With a soft crack like an egg being broken, the gemstone fell to a dusty sand, and she felt her spell dissipate.
“Sweetie, what are ya up ta?” Apple Bloom whispered from the open doorway. Sweetie had been so focused on the spell, she hadn't noticed her friend's arrival.
“Just trying to find my body.” She couldn't hide the sound of hollow disappointment that rang through her words. “It's gone Bloom, it shouldn't be possible, but it is. Or at least if it isn't gone, then it's been moved miles and mile away. What can I do, Bloom? I think I'm out of options.”
Apple Bloom moved into the room. Her glowing form was far tidier thanks to the bath. “Don't ya worry. We will find a way to get yer body back. That takes priority ta everythin' else. Tomorrow we'll talk ta Princess Cadence and Ah'm sure they'll help us out however they can.”
“But what if that's too late? What if my body dies before then? What if-”
Scootaloo squirmed and groaned slightly at Sweetie Belle's panicked words.
“Then that's what happens, Sweetie.” Apple Bloom shook her head. “Look, Ah ain't goin' ta sugar-coat it. But are ya really gonna let a missing body stop ya?”
“But if I don't have a body, then that means I'm dead, Apple Bloom!”
“Look Sweetie, Ah really don't feel up ta arguin' with ya about this right now. Ah'm 'bout ready ta lose mah own body if Ah don't catch some sleep. Sorry.” She moved over and got into the plush bed.
“Yeah, okay... Sorry for lashing out at you. I just feel so helpless and useless... Damn it...”
“Well, why not try and remember exactly what ya saw happening 'round ya before-” Apple Bloom yawned. “Ya ended up inside that amulet. Maybe we can go back and check the tower out fer clues or somethin'.”
You think I haven't already thought back to it a thousand times? She didn't voice her thoughts and instead let the earthpony go to sleep. There was something like teleportation, but there was something bigger to it. The pattern was constantly changing. Like the other Sweetie's spells with her book and cello... Four dimensions... She mulled the idea around for a moment. “But how am I supposed to cast a spell that's always changing? If I change the pattern for the spell it will dissipate at best and explode if I'm unlucky.
As she considered what the spell would look like, she noticed a subtle spark of magic flicker nearby. It came from Scootaloo, seeping out from her closed eyelids. That magic... it's him! Grabbing the other nearby gem, she thought back to the other Sweetie Belle, in a moment, she formed a full shield spell around the pegasus.
But the magic remained there, in spite of the shield. It's not coming from outside, but within? She studied the sickly green and purple pattern. There was something almost corrosive about the magic. Tentatively she reached out a tendril of her own magic and gave it a prod. In an instant she felt her magic slip from her grasp and she saw the evil spell flash brightly for a moment.
“Ah, so we meet again. You didn't honestly think I'd let you all get away with my shards of Discord, did you?” a calm, deep voice called out to her. “I'm sure we'll meet again soon enough. Perhaps even face to face.”
Sweetie Belle tried to reply with words, but she no longer felt any magic under her control. You! You bastard! What are you doing to Scootaloo!? She wanted to scream her thoughts aloud.
“Nothing that you can fix.” The voice laughed cruelly, then it was gone. But the magic remained, seeping from Scootaloo.
The violet and green magic seemed tightly connected to her friend, almost like it was a part of her, it intertwined with the pegasus’ own latent magics. Damn it! She reached with all her will toward the shard in Apple Bloom's bag, and eventually found the slightest thread spinning toward her. With it, she shot it toward the gemstone beside her and pulled what little magic remained into her amulet.
That magic... how can I stop it?
Scootaloo winced in pain and began tossing and turning. “No! You can't!” she protested weakly in her sleep. “No! No, Sweetie! You can't take her too!” Scootaloo began shaking slightly and tears slipped out from her closed eyes.
“Scoots! I'm right here, Scoots! It's just a dream!” She weaved the words hoping that that they would wake her friend, but they sounded quietly and faded into silence as the rest of the magic faded from her grasp.
“We struggle as hard as we can... but we always stand still,” a pained voice said with a laugh. She noticed the faintest strand of magic that shared her pattern. “And here we are, all these years later, still helpless...”
Scoddri! Please, you have to help me! Scootaloo's being attacked by whoever that guy is! How do I stop him?
“And still so full of questions.” The voice laughed hysterically. “What have all my struggles gotten me, Sweetie Belle? And where have your struggles landed you, girl? You've followed in my very footsteps. What can we do but sit and watch the world fall to pieces around us?”
Scoddri, please!
The voice only laughed mockingly.
End of Chapter 15
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Scootaloo! Noo! Don't die!
so... her body is in inter-dimension, I mean that place that is nowhere, that you go through when teleporting. It is my guess, but I had this idea allready in the previous chapter, I can't believe sweetie didn't though of this.
So much interesting stuff going on here.
And so we keep wondering...
Discord; benevolent mentor, or sociopathic Lord of Chaos?
Also really curious as to who exactly that unknown antagonist is..... Sombra seems likely, but it somehow feels off...
As for Sweetie's body... I'd guess it's currently stuck in whatever dimension/space/stuff it is that teleports pass through... She does mention the spell being somehow four-dimensional.
Time for tesseracts!
Completely unrelated, the things spell check does not recognise always amuse me.
Teleports, sociopathic and tesseracts are all french to it
I'm pretty sure I know what is about to happen. I got a really bad feeling the moment the guard mentioned that the Mane Six had entered the city, but Bad Guy saying they'll meet him face-to-face all but clinches it.
Sorry, Crusaders, but you'll be finding no aid in the Crystal Empire.
Also:
I am ashamed.
No I'm not.Heh heh. It's still 8:45 on October 5th here in Texas, yet this chapter has an upload date of October 6th. Where exactly are you physically located, Silent? LOL
EDIT: Also, having finished the chapter, I concur with Arcane Howitzer up there. Things could never be that easy, now could they... it's also interesting that this is the first time I've seen the events from 'Sweetie Chronicles' significantly alter the ongoing course of events in one of the stories it crosses over with. You and Wanderer-D must have worked long and hard on that segment! Kudos.
Can't wait for more!
-Headwind
3306540
images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31500000/My-Body-is-Ready-random-31574380-320-319.png
3306670 Hmm, it's still the 5th where I am... Maybe the site uses a European time zone?
Oh, it was a lot of fun planning out the whole event with Wanderer D. Might as well roll with the repercussions.
Wow I certainly wouldn't want to talk to apple bloom about a dying puppy
Sweetie: Apple bloom we have to do something... my body's missing and if we don't do something quick...my body could die...
Apple bloom: Not to worry sweetie...your body's probably decomposing as we speak...well time to hit the hay.
Wow. Here I thought they'd at least won a small victory in the last chapter, but this guy is clearly still going strong. Yeesh! Can't these three get a break?!
I'm guessing that her body got converted to pure magic when WD!Sweetie arrived, and SB!Sweetie's...unique situation prevents her from reforming like all the other Sweeties would have. Her body isn't being detected because it doesn't exist right now. Possible that it got "teleported" without reforming, but that would only be the mechanic of the de-rez.
To get her body back, Sweetie needs to learn how to "cast" a living body. Discord could meld his body however he wished, now Sweetie needs that power just to HAVE a body.
“I'm scared. I need to get my body back. I know it has to be somewhere! Bodies don't just disappear, Scootaloo, it's impossible!”
It's Sweetie that speaks, so put them italics up in there.
3307766 Nice profile pic!
3308041 thank you
3308041 Oops. Thanks for that catch. It's been fixed.
3307766 Hmm, it's about practicality. Sympathy only does so much for a person. Apple Bloom wants to help her, but without sleep, they are only hurting themselves. Sure it might seem cold-hearted... but I also think it was a pretty reasonable thing to say, if not the kindest. AB knows what sort of danger they're sure to be in, and she wants to spend her time doing useful things (sleep, then actually work on fixing the problem) and she feels the need to keep the group focused on those useful things when she can.
Damnit, now I'm not sure if I should be more worried about Sweetie, Discord, or Scootaloo.
At least Apple Bloom is fine, though.
Hmm I wonder what will happen next, I will patiently await your next chaper.
But I must ask you why you dont have a coverart for this story?
3306540
It's gonna be just like Empire Strikes Back, isn't it.
Cadence - "I've just made a deal that'll keep the Empire safe forever."
*door opens revealing Sombra*
"We would be honored if you would join us."
Although the only real problem with that theory is it doesn't explain why the storm was still attacking the city.
3309852 Oh, a friend of mine was going to do it... eventually. It's been months though... I guess I should remove that WIP blurb on the front of the chapter.
3309911
Probably not. Whoever the Big Bad is, I highly doubt Cadence would accept a deal from him.
And you recall how he reacted when his previous offers were turned down...
3309973 I see
Aaaah the charismatic plothole is back. He could show a bit more gratitude for the rescue effort but.... well, it's not his style i guess.
3323748 Those are legit concerns. Sweetie losing her body was not due to TSC Sweetie though. I'll agree that the chapter was target mainly toward the TSC audience, and having her jump in there is quite a shock and change to the story. I think that the consequences that resulted from that chapter are fine though, since the story still revolved around the CMC. I realize that my own opinion is entirely jaded since I am quite the fan of TSC.
If nothing else, as an experimental bit, this was a lot of fun to write and a great collaboration experience. I sincerely appreciate your bluntness, and I thank you for sticking with the story in spite of the jarring chapter.
stoped reading because of real life reasons but now i catched up with some 6 chapters and i must say that it is awesome how you guided the story so far, and also made a collab with the Sweetie Belle Chroniicles.
Austanding job you and Wanderer D did there.
waiting for next chapter
3330790 I'm glad that you enjoyed it
Good stuff
Got into this universe thanks to TSC!Sweetie sliding into it, and i've just now caught up. Wow.
I'd seen Scion in the feature box, but it'd just been languishing in my Read it Later bin with 150 other stories while I kept up on faves and other personal projects, and it's a shame it's taken me so long to get to these delightful gems of chaos.
Reading this, I get the feeling that there's a lot of depth to the world you're building. Like you've got zillions of places and subjects to explore and probe. Looking forward to more updates, and to seeing what the CMC can do about ending Sweetie Belle's extended out-of-body experience.
3347317 A fun fact: it was thanks to TSC that I even wrote Scion in the first place. The eventual crossover and collaborating with Wanderer D was an amazing experience. I'll keep the updates coming as quick as I can. Thanks for reading. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.
the teen rating gives the a story an even better dark feel. is sweetie going to end up like discord? so many possibilities. i eagerly await the next update.
nice job as always. 
3358525 Glad you've caught up. I hope you enjoy The Sweetie Chronicles.
3358742 i read a bit of it awhile back but wasnt really far in but i did like what i read alot plus it inspired you so im sure it will not dissapoint.
Ok. I'm finally here.
Just another incomplete story to add to the list of anticipations. Let's get started.
3371626 Hmm, it's synesthesia (perhaps used in a very liberal manner). I figured it would be kind of fun for her to have that.
3374673 Well, I'm sure it'll come up when it is relevant.
You know, I do not think that you are the kind of writer who would end the quest to rescue the mentor with mercy killing the mentor, *twice*, but I cannot imagine how Sweetie Belle can possibly help Discord recover any kind of sanity or will to live even after she finds all his pieces. He is in *bad* shape. And he wasn't in good shape when he asked her to kill him in the first place. So I really desperately hope that I am right, given the incredible quality of the writing and the fact that your Scion of Chaos was the most amazing twist on the Hero's Journey mentor-student relationship I've ever seen, and that you know as well as I do that rescuing Scoddri is going to involve more than just recovering all those crystals. Because if you take a guy who is already suicidal because he's immobilized and isolated for centuries and has, eventually, lost all hope of a meaningful life with freedom in his future, and *then* you break him up into tiny pieces and start siphoning his magic against his will...
I'm not entirely sure how to relate Discord's behavior in Elements of Harmony with the characterization you gave Scoddri, why he'd have been so horribly overconfident or why he did so many totally silly things. I love Discord and I love Scoddri and I see a close resemblance between them but it feels like Discord must somehow have been a role Scoddri was playing, and he never told Sweetie Belle why. I mean, they are both assholes who get amusement out of the suffering of others, and Scoddri's comment in Scion about slapstick suggests why Discord's chaos didn't actually kill or permanently harm anypony, but if the role of Discord was to challenge the ponies and make them stronger and more adaptable, why was he so damn stupid about letting himself be put in stone again? That's not the kind of blunder he *ought* to have been taking pride in. :-)
So I'm not sure at this point I know the character well enough to know how he's going to heal from this mentally or if it's even possible. But damn, I want Sweetie to be able to do it. Truly killing him, for good, is probably the only mercy he wants right now and the only way out he can imagine, but I hope like hell that Sweetie can find a way, not just to make his crystal whole again and bring him back, but to make him want to stay alive. Also, without him cracking up completely and destroying things, unless they really needed to get destroyed, like this bastard who has his crystals.
But if you can do it, that's going to be a further amazing twist on the mentor-student concept. In the Hero's Journey, the mentor usually dies to get out of the hero's way so the hero can actually do stuff, except that Scoddri was *never* in Sweetie's way because all he could ever do was give advice, so he didn't need to die for that reason, but he died anyway. (I think I know why, in terms of the story function his death served, but I'd probably put that in a comment on Scion.) So now we're into the variation of Hero's Journey where the quest is to save the mentor, which usually happens after the hero has come of age or is the impetus for the hero to finally achieve their full potential. (The Matrix, where Neo goes back in to save Morpheus, is one example.) But usually rescuing the mentor is a straightforward physical quest; once you find the mentor, the job is done. Because the mentor's role in a coming of age story isn't to be a person, with their own pain and their own character growth; they serve the hero's character arc.
Scoddri has always been a person. (Well, a pony. Well, a draconequus. Ok, you know what I mean.) He's so badly flawed that Scion's secondary theme, beyond Sweetie's Coming of Age/Hero's Journey, was Scoddri's redemption. In this he's like Snape in Harry Potter, where Snape's tragic fucked-uped-ness and redemption is almost as important a driver to the story as Harry's Hero's Journey. Stories where the mentor is screwed up beyond all belief and needs redemption are pretty rare and I cannot think of any that don't end with redemption = death for the mentor. But you already *did* that, so this has to be different. Sweetie's Rescue the Mentor quest here *has* to end with saving Scoddri not just physically but mentally, which inverts the relationship from mentor-student (a parallel to parent-child) to rescuee and rescuer/caretaker (a parallel to child-parent). We become full, complete adults when we care for our aged parents as they did for us; in terms of the Coming of Age story, Sweetie becomes a full adult on a par with her mentor if she saves his mind as well as his body.
But that's going to be so, so hard, because he's so broken right now and the moment he gets any power back (even the power to *move*) he's likely to try to use it to kill himself or to go for Suicide By Hero by doing something apparently villainous so the hero will kill him, and you did basically both those things with Scion so I don't think you're going to repeat yourself but it's so much in character right now for him to pull that shit that I feel like my heart is on the verge of breaking. I just don't know how Sweetie can possibly save him, and I want her to do it so much. Physically, I mean that's obvious, unless it changes genres abruptly from a Hero's Journey to a futility darkness story, she's going to get all the crystals and put him back together. But I don't think that's going to heal his mind (and if it does that's kind of cheating, because he's not just broken because he's literally broken, he's broken because he was suicidal to begin with and now he's being tortured endlessly and he's still in the situation that drove him to want to kill himself except that now he's been split into pieces and he's being used by an enemy.) Any kind of magic to save his mental state would be cheating, really, except the old tried and true "magic of friendship" :-). But I don't know if Sweetie's love for him can possibly get through to him when he's in this much pain.
Argh. I think about this too much. Basically I am desperately hoping that you continue to be as good and original a writer as you have been so far and come up with a plot resolution that doesn't break my heart but keeps everyone in character, when *I* can't imagine how to pull that off, so I hope desperately that you're able to and planning to. :-)
3438953 First of all. This is nothing short of an amazing comment. Thank you so much for writing it. Know full well that I have spent hours and hours considering how Scoddri's story is going to unfold. And yes it's tricky and you've highlighted a number of very important points. I hope what I come up with doesn't disappoint. You've given me a fine perspective of my own story, and for that, thank you so much. I'll keep doing my best to in writing this story.
3455172 I do play MTG, though I'm not too well versed in the lore of the universe. I just play a sealed draft tournament every year or so with my buddies. Though yes, I'd put Sweetie as a Blue/Red maybe even a Blue/Red/Black sort of mindset. Blue's about choice and opportunities, red is about emotion and strength of will. I think that fits her pretty well
Anyone else ever get that feeling once you've read a really great story and it feels as if nothing else will ever measure up and it's pointless to read anything else? This and TSC did that for me. Need more
3460088 Well, that certainly is high praise. I have the next chapter completed, I just need to find the time to edit it. I hope to keep writing at the level which you have come to expect (or even surpass it). I want to bring out that chapter, however trying to keep pace with NaNoWriMo is currently taking up all my free time. Speaking of which... back to writing.
3460402 Hooray :D
Not a bad story thus far. Finally caught up with this ever since the Sweetie Chronicles chapter came out.
Now to read the previous stuff, because I am still a little lost on some things.
My theory is that she's stuck mid teleport.
So in the past Sweetie Belle explained that everything is made out of magic including other ponies, and that if a pony loses their magic they turn into dust. How do we know that didn't happen to Sweetie Belle? That would explain why she can't find it anywhere. But I have to wonder why the alternative can't be true. If a lack of magic causes bodies to collapse into dust then why can't Sweetie Belle use her magic to construct a new body for herself?
4201268 If I had to guess, I'd say her body was teleported forward in time. 'Course, most likely it's already been revealed, thus my insights are hollow. Seems pretty straightforward to me, though. She did say the spell was in four dimensions, the fourth being time. And Discord don't give a flying feather about the space-time continuum. Back to catching up, 'ta.
We will not tolerate shenanigans.
~Leonzilla