> Maybe for the last...
>  by Fat1thatyoulove
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe once you do

Chapter 1 – Maybe for the Last 

Its been five days since you got your memories back. Each day has and still continues to bring more and more thoughts about times that have come and gone, some things are still cloudy and some things still make you wish they had stayed forgotten. But throughout the day you push these ideas back anytime they surface which makes sleep a little hard as all the held back things throughout the day are allowed to move from their cages...You stare blankly at the wood grain in front of you as you think over the last few days, but your self centered thinking is changed as the little filly who happily runs diaperless around the library decides its your turn to be bothered.

"...Violet come here." Twilight tries to hold a stern face to the filly but as she gets closer Violet happily gallops away.

You trace after her with your eyes in a smile as you clear your mind with one last thought...the nights maybe lost but the day is still mine. You call out to Violet in a low voice as you stand from your chair, "Violet you're not going outside if you don't put anything on."

The little filly slows her gallop as she allows Twilight to scoop her up.

The mare won't let you have the motionless win as she adds her own requirement, "And your not going out without your boots."

Violet wiggles her legs a little as shes floated into the air and the diaper is slid up her back legs, "We need to start potty training soon don't we? Like a big filly right?"

You give a little chuckle as you motion your head to Violet, "Don't you think thats a little too fast?"

Violet gives a smile as Twilight slowly lowers her back to her hooves. The little filly only stays in one spot for a moment before she starts her playful hopping around the library.

Twilight gives a giggle as she walks back towards the stairs, "No, shes already about three months old?"

You nod your head with a little hint of sadness as you think over her comment, ponies grow fast...

Twilight calls back from the stairs as she continues her ascent, "I'm going to get her boots."

You nod to her as you watch the little filly continue her aimless gallop around the library.

You can't help but chuckle a little as you listen to her little hooves clap against the floor. Over the last few days Violet has started to no longer abide by her old rules, if shes left in her high chair after shes done eating she now will just teleport herself from it; and neither you or Twilight want to worry about her messing her spell up so you two have started to just let Violet get away with a little more. But that doesn't make it any easier as you two now have to make sure the front door is locked, shes still too small to reach the door but her magic has no limit.

After only a few minutes of her playing Violet gives a little yawn as she starts to slow her round about gallop down to a trot. She must have realized she's already gone everywhere in the house and she now no longer sees a point in her gallop as she now trots staring at the larger bookshelf around her.

Her loss of excitement is short lived as she turns her happy face to a knock at the door.

You on the other hand don't share her happiness as you listen to the hoof again knocking on the door behind you. Now that you have your memories back a simple knock at the door sends a slight shiver up your spine.

"...Could you get that?" Twilight's voice calls down from up stairs and you're snapped out of your slightly frozen stance as you call back, "Ya." You shake the thoughts back as you reassure yourself, nothing to worry about...i'll just light it on fire if I need to.

With the thought in mind you place a friendly smile across your face as you unlock the door and open it.

"Finally! Trying to make me freeze my feathers off?"

You shrug as you step aside, "Wouldn't have to worry about being cold if you would move the clouds."

You give a smug smile to Rainbow as she glares at you, "Oh ya? Tell me have you ever tried a hoof to the snot Cheesy Heart?"

You roll your eyes as you close the drafty door, "Don't remind me."

Rainbow gives a laugh as she stretches her wings in the warm house, "Hey Twilight you ever get a letter back from Celestia about these clouds?!"

Rainbow's tomboyish call is not really the best thing to hear in the morning but you ignore it as you talk, "Did Rarity ever get that stuff for Sweetie?"

She nods to you as she listens to Twilight's answer, "No Celestia didn't get back with me."

You bring your head up to the stairs as Twilight's voice gets a little louder. She hoovers the dark purple boots above her as she makes her way down the stars with Spike "...And that’s strange, you said its not just Ponyville right Rainbow?"

"Pff, just Ponyville? Ha  these things are all over. Heck even Cloudsdale had trouble getting rid of there clouds."

Rainbow averts her eyes to the happy filly expelling a happy wheezing sound in front of her. Rainbow's voice lightens up a little as she scoops her up and takes herself off the ground, "...But we don't have to worry do we wheezy? If that big bad storm comes back you will just get rid of it won't ya?"

Twilight gives a little giggle as she watches her friend playing with Violet, "Well  she can't say no...not with the hoofing books we got. These outdated things don't even have the alphabet they only have phrases."

You think over her words for a moment as you flop your right ear a little, "Well it can't be too hard to find something with the twenty six letters."

Twilight squints at your comment as she talks, "There's forty letters?"

You blink at her for a moment as you think, well at least my ears will get a muscle.

Rainbow stops her carrying of Violet as she places her on the ground, "Alright I should probably get going." She places Violet to the floor as she lands herself, "Twilight i'll be around Applejack's in case you get that letter."

Spike gives a slight laugh as he talks, "Celestia probably is n..-" His cheeks puff out a little as he brings his claws to his mouth, in a moment his flamy belch shoots out a letter. He coughs a little as Twilight floats the letter to herself, "...I hate it when i'm talking."

"Alright, what's it say Twilight?" Rainbow picks herself from the ground as she darts to her friends side.

Twilight studies the letter for a moment a little confused as she talks, "All it says is for me and my friends to come to Canterlot immediately?"

Everyone in the room looks at each other a little confused but the moment doesn't last long as the letter is rolled up by Twilight's magic, "Ok everypony, you heard Celestia. Rainbow go tell everypony I need to get packed for Violet."

Rainbow nods her head as she dashes out of the library.

Twilight floats the boot back up the stairs as she talks, "So much for these."

"Wait." You follow after her as you talk, "That's it? She just wants us to come up right now?"

Spike scratches his head as he talks, "Ya that doesn't make any sense? She didn't even say anything about the clouds?"

Twilight turns herself as she hovers Violet's boots into the next room, "Celestia wouldn't had called us to Canterlot if it wasn't anything important...so its best to just get there soon."

You give a sigh as you think over her words, ya that's what i'm afraid of...you take yourself off of the stairs as you turn back to the little filly trying her best to follow after you two up the stairs. You scoop her up as you start up the stairs.

Spike follows behind you as he talks, "Wait you're going?"

You give a little laugh as you talk, "Celestia said friends right? I think I more then count." You stop your voice as you enter the room in thought, not like I was going to stay anyways.

Twilight is quickly jotting something down on a piece of paper as she looks up to you and Spike, "I'll try and tell my parents that we are going to Canterlot."

She hovers the letter to Spike as she talks, "Spike could you please send this and then get ready?"

Spike wraps his claws around the letter as he talks in an excited voice, "I get to go?"

Twilight gives a little giggle as she nods, "Spike your my oldest friend, why wouldn't you?"

He nods his head as he leaves the room.

You trot over to the bed as you place the now wiggling filly onto it. You hold your thoughts back as you talk in a light hearted voice, "You can tell your parents I got my memories back...I don't want Night Light tying me up or anything."

She gives a giggle as she hovers a brush over to Violet's mane. You follow her light laugh as you walk over to the window, you trace the world outside as you look over the still dark clouds above as you study there slight swirling. Your breath blurs the glass as you continue to look out it.
“Lets not take too long...”

End of chapter 1
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2 – So much for a snow day

The train ride from Ponyville to Canterlot was short and uncrowded; from what you guess most ponies weren't really leaving the town. Which is something you wish you didn't have to do; the ride was fairly smooth but the wind on the outskirts of the town was a little bit more prominent but for the most part you could not even tell it was snowing. You hold your head up to the sky above Canterlot as you follow after the group of talking mares in front of you...The sky above the city is cloudless and the bright sun shines through onto the marble white buildings, and just like usual your absent mindedness is brought to an end as you dodge a on coming stallion.

You refocus your mind on following as you adjust the filly still being held in your leg's grasp. Violet doesn't seem to mind your slow walk as she swings her head around the busy streets. You on the other hand are now more paranoid than ever; having all these ponies around you that you don't know makes you feel a little uneasy but you're able to back the feeling off as you catch up to the six mares still talking.

"...Honestly Celestia should give us more warning before she just calls us up here all willy nilly." Rarity's horn glows a faint blue as she adjust the bright royal blue scarf around her neck.

Rainbow rolls her eyes as she floats herself forwards as she backstrokes her wings to turn to Rarity, "Seriously why do you have a scarf? The clouds didn't get this high."

Rarity jerks her head up as she continues her trot, "You'll be wanting a scarf when they do get here." She turns her gaze to the little purple dragon struggling to carry her luggage as she talks, "Now Spiky don't drag that box, its an antique."

Spike puffs out his cheeks as he lifts the wooden box up a little more, "Anything for you Rarity."

Rainbow shakes her head as she looks back in front of her, "So Twilight why didn't those clouds get up here yet?"

You perk your ear up a little as you wait for her answer.

Twilight cocks her head up a little as she thinks, "Well it could be that Princess Celestia has the sun a little closer to burn off any unwanted cloud cover."

You shake your head with a little chuckle as you take a second to look up, all hail the sun goddess.

Pinkie gives a loud laugh as she pokes her head to Twilight, "Or maybe the clouds were made of cotton candy and they ate them?" Her overjoyed smile is only meet with blank stares as Applejack starts her voice up more seriously,

"The Princess should've done that to my farm, there's no way we can get any zap apples if this storm keeps up much longer."

As her comment swings through the group its followed by yellow mare walking at the end of the group, "And all the poor animals think its time to hibernate, I had to wake up three of my bear friends who fell asleep in Carrot Top's barn."

Twilight nods her head as she talks, "Were almost there, i'll make sure she’s made aware of everything."

Your eyes grow a little as you think over her comment, bear friends? You shrug the comment off as Violet starts to get a little antsy in your hold. You move your head down as you talk to her in a low voice, "Almost there Violet."

Her button eyes look up at you as you give her a smile. She stops her fidgeting for a moment as she again swings her head around the other ponies around you two.

You give a short sigh as you look up to the arches you walk under, the normal armoured ponies that usually are standing on them are not there but as you bring your head back in front of you, you notice a few armour suited ponies walking past you.

Rainbow sets herself to her hooves as she stretches her wings out as the castle stairs come a few feet in front of the group.

Spike lets out a sigh as he places his box to the ground, "Finally." He sits himself on it as he waves his hand, "You guys go on, i'll wait out here."

Rarity follows his motion as she trots over to him, "Yes, I think i'll stay out here to, thats enough walking for right now. I need to rest my hooves."

You give a little smirk to her comment as Violet starts to squirm again.

"Ok, well it should only be a minutes so I guess i'll go in." Twilight nods to you all as she starts up the stairs. Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rainbow walk back over to where you, Rarity and Spike stand.

Violet wiggles her legs to the ground as you slowly placed her down, "ok ok." You give a little chuckle to her excitement as you listen to her light happy wheezing.

You watch the little filly closely as she starts to walk around the group...bad move. As she moves closer to Fluttershy the yellow mare bends her head down as she smiles to the little filly, "OH you're so cute, aren't you."

You give a smile as the yellow pegasus scoops Violet up. The little filly's face has a mixture of looks as her exploring is brought to an end before it even started but she holds a smile as the ground beneath her hooves is taken from her.

Fluttershy nuzzles her head to the filly happily as she hovers above the ground.

But the yellow mare's grip is lost as Pinkie wiggles her hooves to her, "Hey, Violet, hey Violet. Look what Pinkie can do." Pinkie dips her hoof into her puffball excuse for a mane as she pulls out a long pink balloon. With a quick breath she brings the blown up balloon to her hooves as she twist at the balloon for a few seconds. The pink pony gives a smile as she holds up the creation, "tadah! It's a dog!"

You blink at the balloon animal that is slowly deflating as you look down to your hoof, how did she do that? I can't even write my name correctly? You give a low chuckle to yourself as you think, great I now can remember how bad I am at being normal.

Fluttershy slowly brings Violet down to her hooves as the filly starts to squirm a little.

"Did you like it?" Pinkie still holds the now barely still blown up balloon animal in her hoof as she pokes her smiling face to the filly.

Violet blinks at the pink mare a little confused, but she gives a smile as she gallops away from her.

The moment of fun and games is brought to an end as you notice Violet not stopping, crap. "Wait Violet!"

The little filly happily gallops a little fast as she notices you following after her, Rainbow follows after you as Violet takes a turn towards the garden area.

Violet is still not faster than you so as you catch up to her you slow your pace down and start to join in to her play. Her once neatly combed mane that resembled Twilight's  now is wind blown as she jerks her head back and forth between you and her path.

You give a light chuckle as she brings herself to a stop as she looks around the stone statues around the garden.

Rainbow follows your stop as she stands next to you.

You look over the cyan mare as you smile.

She turns her eyes to you for a moment as she talks, "Pff, don't look at me like that. We both know i'm faster."

You think over the letters you read a few days ago before bringing your hoof up in front of you, "Horse shoe tossing."

Rainbow rolls her eyes as she walks in front of you, "Alright Violet lets get you back before Twilight finds you got away agi-..."

You squint at her stop in voice as you quickly look back to where Violet was, the light purple filly still stares around the statues but has now stopped on one as she holds her blue eyes to it. 

You get a sharp twinge in your stomach as you look over the remaining half broken statue. Your quick to move as you scoop up the filly up from the broken statue.

"W-Why is that here?"

You back up to where Rainbow stands as you keep your eyes squarely focused on the tail wrapped statue base that leads up to the cracky goat leg and scaly gator like leg.

"Well, what would the world be without chaos?"

You both turn your heads to the low voice behind you, you look over the large dark blue mare as Rainbow speaks for your confusion, "Luna?"

The Princess gives a little smile as she nods her head, "And a hello to you Rainbow Dash, element of loyalty." Her voice slightly lightens up to its lispy tone as she talks more, "It is strange that you would be here when your friends are not."

The tall pony smiles to the little filly in your grasp as she talks, "We presume you are to blame?"

Violet gives a little leg wiggle to the ponies face, but you don't share in there quick change of mood as you think over the stone past nightmare that stands only half broken behind you. Your voice is a little quiet but you focus on your words as you talk, "Why is Discord here?"

Luna's eyes shift back to the stone as her royal sounding voice comes back, "Chaos can never truly be wiped from Equestria, it can only be altered or bound."

You don't really accept her answer as you shift your head back to the half made jagged stone.

Rainbow nudges you as she talks, "We should probably get back, Twilight should be done talking to Celestia."

You both give a slight nod to Luna as you walk past her, but as you do she follows after you two, "Ah yes our sister has informed us of the task at hoof."

Your ears perk up as you turn your head to her, "And wha-..."

Your voice is cut off as Twilight's voice calls out to you as you three leave the hiding hedges of the garden, "There you two are...Oh, hello Princess."

Luna gives a smiling nod to Twilight as she walks over to you, "Hello Twilight Sparkles."

The lavender mare takes Violet from your hold as she talks, "We need to get going, we still need to drop you off don't we?" Violet gives a smile to her mothers voice as Twilight holds onto her.

Luna again speaks up as she listens to Twilight, "If we may ask, you where not going to take Violet to Velvet's and Night Light's correct?"

Twilight gives a confused nod as she talks, "Yes, we need somepony to watch her."

"But surely you are aware that thou brother has told them to go to Fillydelphia for this week yes?"

You and Twilight give each other a look as you think over the pony's comment.

Twilight speaks for you both, "N-no I didn't know that...this is terrible, I can't take Violet with us its too dangerous."

Your ears perk up to her word as you talk, "Where are we going?" Rainbow follows your confusion as she speaks up, "Ya Twilight its just some clouds?"

Twilight is cut off from answering you as Luna speaks over you two, "If Twilight is in need of help we are perfectly capable of this task."

You swing your head to her as you think, ya have Violet stay in a castle she doesn't know with ponies she doesn't know and on top of all that near the broken down undead monster of chaos outside...note to self fuck no! You shake your head as you start to talk.

But your voice is cut off by Twilight's as she talks, "Oh Princess I can't ask you to do that...."

"Not at all Ms.Sparkles, we have nothing asked of us today, Celestia has asked us to refrain from bringing the moon out until your task is complete, we have no other things asked of us today."

You swing your head back to Twilight now with the other question poking at your mouth, "where are we going?"

Again you're ignored as Twilight talks, "I don't have to many of Violet's things..."

The Princess quickly sways her hoof as she talks, "Not to worry we are more than capable of taking care of a young unicorn."

You watch as Twilight starts to slowly start to accept the offer before you can speak up Twilight agrees.

"Wait wait wait, I don't think Violet should stay here." You sway your head between the two ponies as they look at you confused.

Twilight starts to second guess herself as she nods her head. But she's quick to speak in a low voice as she talks, "But this would be the only place we can keep Violet safe while we're gone."

You blink at her as you try to fight with leaving Violet here with Luna or going with Twilight.

The dark blue mare is quick to talk as she straightens up her posture, "You would have nothing to fear, we are very sure that Violet would have much of the ...fun while she is here."

You squint at her funny sounding voice.

Twilight stares at you as she waits for your input, "What do you want to do?"

You snap out of your stare of Luna as you look back to her. You blink between her as you look over Violet's baby like O face, "C-can you not take her into the garden?"

Luna nods her head as she waits for you to finish.

You continue down your list as Rainbow and Twilight dip away from you two and back to their friends who have been waiting silently at the bottom of the stairs to the castle, "...She likes to play tag so don't gallop after her too fast ok? And you have to make sure you don't let her eat too many cupcakes, and you have to make sure all the doors are locked! An...-"

Your list is cut off as Twilight comes back hovering a small satchel. Luna nods her head as Twilight goes down the same list you started explaining only a few moments earlier.

You swallow back your comments as you watch Twilight kiss the little filly’s head as she places her next to the tall dark pony, "Mommy will be right back ok?"

Violet stares at Twilight for a moment before she gives a little smile.

You hold your smile to the happy filly as you watch Twilight rub her hoof around the little filly, "Be good for Luna ok?"

Violet gives another little smile as Twilight plants another kiss to the little unicorns forehead.

Luna pokes her head down to the little filly as she talks in a low lispy tone, "We will have much of the fun yes?"

Violet stares up to the pony with a smile as she wraps her hooves around a piece of the night Princess's flowing mane. Luna looks a little suprised to the little filly as she breaks free of the happy filly’s grasp.

Twilight starts to walk past you to her friends as she holds her smile to you. You rub over the little filly’s  mane as you give a low sigh, "We'll be back soon."

You hold your gaze for a moment before you follow after the lavender mare that now stands near her friends.

You and Twilight give one last look back to Luna and Violet before starting down the road. Rainbow is the first to talk as she picks herself off the ground, "Where are we going anyways?"

Twilight turns her gaze back to the cyan mare as she talks, "The Crystal Empire..."

End of chapter 2
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3 – Heart of the storm

The train you all have taken from Ponyville to Canterlot is now that same train that now is bringing you to your destination...but unlike your first trip this one is not lacking in ponies. Aside from Twilight and her friends the small train cars are bustling with gold plated armoured ponies. The sight of having so many of these suited stallions brings two thoughts into your mind, the first is a slight calming of the mind that at least your not going alone. But the other front and center thought makes you wonder what really awaits you at the end of the tracks.

You drift your head from the warm bright interior of the train as you look out the dark snow wisping window, its not hard to hear the winds that swirl around outside of your enclosed area. Besides from a few spots of snow gathering on the glass you can't see anything. You turn back from the dark gloomy outside world as you listen to the mare beside you.

"...Are there really crystal ponies!?" Rarity pulls at her mane in excitement as Twilight again explains.

"Yes Rarity, there are crystal ponies."

Rarity gives a dramatic faint onto the little dragon that sits beside her.

Rainbow speaks up from her seat across from the white mare, "How come we have never heard of these crystal ponies before this huh?"

Twilight lowers her voice a little as she talks, "Celestia said that the whole city was lost after Sombra was defeated...These ponies have not seen or even heard from any other ponies in a thousand years."

You blink at her comment as you try to take in that fact that anypony could have survived after a thousand years of being well vanished.

Twilight's voice picks up a little as she looks around the car to her friends, "...And that's why we were asked to go, we need to help find a way to protect it...-"

You cut her off as you speak up, "Protect it from what?"

Twilight turns her gaze from her friends and back to you, "Celestia fears that Sombra has returned and that this is why we are getting the freak snow storms."

You try to understand what youre coming up against as you talk, "Sombrero did all of this?"

Pinkie gives a loud laugh as she points her hoof to you, "Its Sombra silly! Not Sombrero...those are fun hats you wear on your head!"

Applejack and Fluttershy give a little smile to Pinkie's snorting laugh as she continues.

You squint at Pinkie as you look her over a bit annoyed, how can she be laughing?! Celestia has just sent us out to protect a whole city that up till now didn't even exist because of this guy! You bite your tongue so that you don't call back to Pinkie as Rainbow speaks up in a tomboyish laugh,

"Ya right Twilight, theres no way one pegasus could move all these clouds without anypony seeing them."

Twilight shakes her head to her friend as she talks, "Rainbow Sombra is not a pegasus, hes a unicorn."

Rainbow stops her laugh as she talks, "But...how can one unicorn do this big of a spell?"

Twilight blinks at her for a few moment before she talks, "I don't know."

You think over her comments as the mixture of annoyance and fear grows in your mind, your voice sparks up in a sharp tone, "Princess Celestia expects us to guard a whole city from an unknown evil unicron?!" You give a sarcastic laugh as you talk, "I-I can't believe you guys are all laughing about this?"

Everypony gives each other a look for a moment before they focus on Twilight. Applejack speaks up for the group as they look to Twilight, "How come Celestia didn't give us the elements of harmony, don’t y’all think we would need um?"

You fixate on Twilight as you wait for her answer.

She gives a low sigh as she talks in a calmed voice, "Celestia would not have asked this of us if she didn't think we could do it." She turns her face to you as she talks, "Theres nothing to wor...-"

Her voice is cut off a little as the train jerked sharply. Everypony is slightly jerked from their seats as they stand. You're the first to talk as you look to Twilight, "Are you ok?"

Twilight rubs at her head as she nods, "Ya, i'm fine..."

One of the armoured stallions pokes his head into the car as he points to the window, "Ms. Sparkle, we're here."

Everypony looks out of their windows as the stallion walks over to the door.

Rarity shakes her head as she talks, "A-are you sure? Its dreadful out there? I thought the crystal empire would be...shinier?"

You stare out of your window as you listen to everypony moving towards the door, the sight outside doesn't look as dark as the snow that you just road through but the sky is still darkened by the clouds and the wind still howls against the glass.

The stallion talks again as he stands near the door, "Are you all ready?"

You follow close to Twilight as she nods her head to her friends, "We're ready."

The stallion nods as he slow starts to open the door to the elements outside. As soon as the door opens the wind from outside picks up in a loud howl, you push in front of Twilight and her friends as you walk out first. You squint your eyes through the swirling snow as you look around the darkened area. You move forward a little as you look to the area around you, the platform you're on looks similar to the train station at Canterlot...but this one is completely covered in snow. Twilight is the next to come out as she talks.

"Ok we need to get to the crystal empire as soon as possible."

You stand beside Twilight still swaying your head around as everypony else follows out.

"Oh, I knew I should had brought more scarfs." Rarity holds a blue tint over her wildly wiping scarf as she looks around the snow covered platform.

Spike rubs his claws over his arms as he talks, "I-I hope the the empire is warmer than this..."

"Twily!"

You all shift your heads to the muffled familiar sounding stallion.

"Shining!" Twilight gives a quick gallop to her brother as she gives him a hug.

Shining moves his large scarf from his muzzle as Twilight moves from her hug. He speaks up a little more as he nods his head, "We need to get moving, there's something out here that we don't want to run into."

You blink your eyes back to the train as you start to follow after Twilight, what the hell? What about the train?

You pick your pace up as you walk beside Twilight.

Shining calls back as he continues his leading through the snow covered ground, "Where not to far! Just a little longer! Once we get there we won't have to worry about anything following us!"

Twilight moves her body a little closer to you as she calls back to her brother, "But Celestia said we need to help protect the city? If its already being protected why would she need us he..-"

Your heart drops a little and Twilight's voice is cut off as you hear a loud howl behind you.

Fluttershy's voice calls out over everypony's sharp gasp as she talks, "It's one of the things!"

You turn yourself around as Shining calls out, "RUN!"

Twilight and her friends are quick as they start up in a gallop. You shift your head back to the group but you don't move for a moment as you look but to the darkening air around you. The snowy wisp seem to be turning a cloudy shade of black as the howling starts to get a little louder.

You still have not started your gallop as you freeze at the growing shadow in front of you. Another loud howl escapes  the massing shadiness as two fuzzy bright green like eyes start to form in it. Your mind and body is telling you to run, but you can't bring yourself to do this as the shady mass starts to grow closer to you. Your breaths are starting to fade a little as you struggle to blink at the swirling green pods that have formed in the mist.

"What are you doing!" Shining's yells is followed by a bright purple bolt. The shady mass in front of you quickly is dissolved where the bolt hits it but the two pod like glowing eyes move from the bolt and squint at where you both stand.

Your quickly snapped out of your daze as you feel a tingling sensation over take your body, you follow through the motion as you send a jagged purplely-green blot towards the mass. The bolt strikes against it and a loud howl is sent bellowing through the storm. As the howl reaches its height the simple ice crystals around you start to sharpen and with each gust of wind the snow stings against your body almost like there were tiny needles.

You abandoned your stance as Shining tugs on your mane with his magic, "Lets go!"

The shadow mass that follows you now has spread from just a cloud to more of a wall as it quickly starts to gain on you.

You don't bring your head forward as you gallop full speed ahead.

But even at your full sprint the mass doesn't seem to be losing any distance to you. The snow around you has also changed to a slight cutting like feeling as the wind you push through hits against your coat. You advert your head forward as you close your eyes and try to push yourself harder.

After a moment a low chime is heard around you and the snow around you no longer cuts against you. You slowly bring yourself to a panting stop as you burst your eyes open to the colorful world around you, "W-what?"

Your quickly rushed into a hug as Twilight talks, "What took you two so long?! You were right behind us?"

You still pant a little as you look over the white stallion who now has red marks over his face and coat. He is silent as he catches his breath for a moment, "C...Come on follow me." Shining walks past you as he trots down the grassy hill.

Twilight slowly lets go of her hold as she looks over your coat, "Are you alright?"

You give a quick look over the same marks that Shinning has as you nod your head, "Ya, i'm fine...let’s go."

Twilight follows after the group with you beside her. But you don't keep your eyes focus for long as you look back to the bright blue magic wall you ran through...you can't really see out of its tint but the faint outline of the green eyes can be seen staring back at you.

You still try to calm your breath and mind as you turn back to the group in front of you.

End of chapter 3
> Chapter 4 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4 – Wind blown

Shining leads you through the streets of the city as he tries to explain what's been going on so far. But you ignore the stallion a little as you look around at all the gloomy almost colorless ponies that seem to be walking aimlessly or just standing around. These strange ponies look a little different than any pony you have seen before, the whites of their eyes almost look a dull gray and the manes and tails of there blurred coats hang down to the ground. The city even looks different, you can tell the buildings seem to be made of some kind of crystal but there is no shine like there should be.

Rarity seems to share the same thoughts as she speaks up to Shining, "I thought the crystal empire would be more...shiny."

Twilight nods her head as she talks to the white stallion leading the group, "Shining, why does this place look so...colorless?"

Her brother gives a low sigh as he starts to slow his pace down, "I don't know, I haven't had too much time to ask questions."

Your journey seems to have been brought to an end as he nods to the blue crystal like stairs only a few feet from the group, "This is the castle, Cadence is inside."

You cock your head up as you look over the structure around you, the building looks more like a giant gem rather than a castle, really you're surprised you haven't heard Spike's stomach growl yet. You bring your head back down as you look over the group around you, everypony seems to have a slightly serious face as they look around their new surroundings. But the moment is changed as Rarity shrugs, "Really I do have to say this castle is quite extravagant."

Applejack and Rainbow share a laugh as they start up the stairs; the cyan mare's tomboyish voice calls back to Rarity as she stands halfway up the stairs, "It looks like any old castle to me."

Rarity scoffs at the pony as she follows behind her, "Rainbow? How can you say that!? This place is nothi..." The white mare flips her mane as she realizes her friend's sarcasm.

You give a little smirk to the pointless comment as you wait for everypony to start up the stairs. Twilight still stands next to you with her head facing the magic dome surrounding the city, you give her a little nudge as you wait for her to follow after you.

The inside of the building is large and bright as you look around at the big crystal clear windows that surround the room, it reminds you a lot of Celestia's throne room but unlike the golden white mare sitting at her throne there is only a very tired and slightly older looking pink mare.

"Cadence?!" Twilight gives a quick gallop as the mare opens her droopy eyes, the ponies voice is weak as she talks to the lavender mare, "Hi T-wilight." She gives a low sweet smile as she lifts her head up a little.

You look over the mare now in a almost shocked stare, the only time you met this pony she was all smiles and laughs but now she looks like she can barely even manage a smile..

Cadence stands from the crystal throne as she moves to Twilight and embraces her in a hug, her voice is still low as she talks in idle conversation, "I hope the storm wasn't too bad..." The mare's horn flickers a little and you notice the dome from the window following her horn as the blue of the dome flickers off and on. You stare wide eyed as it starts to close back up.

Everypony else seems to have noticed the flicker as they all stare at the pony for an answer. Shining walks closer to the tired out mare as he talks in a sad low voice, "Cadence is using her magic to keep the city shrouded in a vial of love that way Sombra can't get in." The mare leans her tired head a little closer to the stallion as she still tries to hold a smile. Shining adjusts his body to support her weight as he continues to talk, "...She won't eat and barely sleeps..." He swallows hard as he continues, "...I want to help but my magic is not strong enough to do anything..."

Cadence takes her head from him as she tries to stand up straight her, her voice is still tired and low but it carries a little more tone as she talks, "It's alright Shining i'm fine."

The stallion's face tightens up as he looks to his sister, "Shes not, and if she has to keep holding this spell it can seriously..." He pauses at his words before continuing, "...Hurt her."

Twilight quickly picks her head up as she talks, "That's why we're here."

Her friends you stand beside all give a quick agreeing reply as they all straighten up.

You on the other hand don't share the same enthusiasm as you look over the lavender mare in front of you.

Shining nods his head as he talks, "With Cadence focusing on her spell and me making sure nothings getting though we haven't had much time to ask any of the crystal ponies anything. But we have to believe one of them might know a way to protect the empire without just a spell."

Twilight nods her head as she turns back to you all, "Leave it to us Shinning." She looks over everypony as she talks, "Lets go and see if we can get any information, lets meet back here in an hour."

Rainbow takes herself to her wings as she pulls Fluttershy next to her, "Got it!" The cyan mare darts out of the room with Fluttershy trying to follow after her.

Applejack nods her head as she adjust the cowboy hat on her head, "You can count on us sugar cube."

Pinkie gives a smile as she rubs her hooves together, "Don't worry I know how I can get the scoop on these frozen in time pony-sickles!" She darts out of the room in a puff of pink fluff as she pulls Rarity behind her.

Twilight starts to walk toward you and Spike but as she does Shinning speaks up, "Be careful Twilight, we haven't been able to explore everything in the empire."

You speak up for her as she turns back to the stallion, "She'll be fine."

The stallion nods his head to you as he turns his gaze to the tired mare still fighting to hold the spell to her horn.

Twilight trots herself to you two quickly as she talks in a low voice, "We need to go."

You and Spike follow behind Twilight as you leave the crystal building.

- - -

The hour of questioning has whittled away as you three near the last house before you need to return back to the castle.

As the light brown-red crystal building gets into hoof reach Twilight knocks on the door.

You both stand a little antsy as you shift awaiting the door to crack open. After a few moments the door opens to a squinting mare as she looks out at the three ponies on her doorstep. The pony has the same droopy mane and tail and same blurry coat as all of the other ponies as she talks in a low monotone voice, "Hello?"

Twilight starts up in a low voice as she goes through the same speech that she has gone through the last few times, "Hello, we were sent here by Princess Celestia to help you fight against king Sombra...Can you give us any information that could help us?"

You and Spike lean your head a little bit forward hoping that this pony will have something useful unlike the other ponies you’ve talked too.

The pony blinks her eyes slowly as she talks, "Princess Celestia?"

You both give a slight huff as you lean back again, every pony you have talked to today has said the same thing. You blankly listen as Twilight continues the same way.

"...Yes, now is there a source of magic that may have been used to protect the city in the past?"

The pony's eyes widen a little as the mare talks, "Past? What do you mean?"

Twilight slows her voice down as she continues, "...This empire has been under king Sombra's..-"

Like all the other ponies have done at the mention of the name the mare shutters and brings her hoof to her head as her monotone voice changes to a lower almost whine, "I-I'm sorry...I can't help you.."

Twilight tries to talk as the mare backs herself into the house, "Maybe if we could ju...-"

Shes cut off as the door slams in her face.

Twilight turns back in a slight huff as the little purple dragon speaks up, "These ponies are like zombies."

You give a slight chuckle to his comment.

Twilight rolls her eyes to him as she taps her hoof to her mouth, "No zombies, are spell bound so they don't talk at all."

You stop your chuckle as you think over the comment, zombies are real?

"Well why are these ponies so unwilling to help? Don't they want to stop Sombra." Spike shakes his head to his comment as he continues, "...It just doesn't make any sense."

Twilight stops her hoof tap as she squints to him, "Wait...what if they just can't remember?"

You and Spike both give each other a look of confusion as you speak up, "What?"

The lavender mare shakes her head a little as she spins back to the door, "Well when you couldn't remember anything you didn't like having somepony talking to much right?"

You don't answer her as she continues, "...That must be why Celestia wanted to wait before she called us to Canterlot, she wanted me to master a memory spell."

Twilight knocks her hoof to the door as she waits again.

It takes a few more moments before the mare comes back to the door. The mare's eyes are a little shifty as she looks to the lavender mare at her door, "Yes?"

Twilight talks in a low voice,  "Can you not remember what happened?"

The mare closes her mouth as she forces her crystal grey eyes to Twilight. Her voice is low as she talks, "...no...I can't."

Twilight gives the mare a smile as she lowers her head, "Then let me help you, just close your eyes."

The crystal pony hesitates for a moment before she does it. A low chime is heard from Twilight as her horn starts to glow a low purple.

You watch the mare's head take on a low purple aura with a slight unsettling feeling...The spell you watch only makes you think about what it feels like to not know anything...and you know that if that spell works all that mare is going to do is break down. But you hold your mouth shut as Twilight's spell starts to grow a little brighter with each passing moment.

The crystal mare's eyes starts to slowly open as the aura around her head glows with a loud magical chime. Twilight's body shutters a little as the crystal mare brings her head back from Twilight in a scream, "NO no NO! I-I don't want to remember the time Sombra ruled over us! Please Please Don't!"

Twilight breaks the spell as you look over the mare furiously rubbing at her now no longer drooping mane, the color in her coat has slightly come back but it has not made her more colorful it has only turned her a slightly darker tent, "Please please don't...." The mare sobs a little as she leans herself to the door post.

Twilight's voice is a little low as she hold her hoof out, "I'm sorry i'm sorry...we just need your help if we want to stop him...-"

Her voice is cut off as the mare looks up in shock and almost horror, "H-hes coming back!?"

Twilight tries to cover her comment up as she talks, "No no look around you, you're safe...we just need a little help is all."

The mare jolts her head back and forth quickly as she looks around the outside world.

"Can you help us?" Twilight's voice calls back to the mare in front of her as she holds her low sweet tone.

The mare nods her head as she talks, "I-I don't know how to help...but try the crystal library...there could be something."

Twilight nods her head to the pony as the mare slinks back into her house with a final comment, "I-i wish I could help more..."

As the door shuts Spike erupts in a shout, "Alright Twilight! We got something!"

You give a smile to Spike's comment as you think, well looks like I helped a little after all. But your thoughts are quickly changed as Twilight brings her head back to face you.

Her nose is slightly bleeding and she quickly rubs her hoof to her nose as she talks in a rushed voice, "I'm fine i'm fine."

You harden your face as you talk, "Twilight..-" But before you can finish your comment she talks over you.

"I won't do it again, I promise..." She gives you a smile as she trots past you and Spike, "Now come on we don't have time to waste."

Spike gives you a concerned look before following after his friend.

You grind your teeth a little as she shows you another smile. You give a low sigh as you follow after her with Spike beside you.

End of chapter 4
> Chapter 5 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5 – Never too...

"There you guys are." Rainbow floats herself back to her hooves as she stands in the middle of the group of her friends as you Twilight and Spike get closer, "...None of us could get anything out of these ponies."

Applejack speaks up as she holds her hoof out, "Ya these ponies are plumb right just not thinking straight."

The cyan pegasus cuts her friend off as her tomboyish voice bounces off the crystal walls around you, "Ya, its like trying to talk to you when you where all memory dumb."

You give an annoyed sigh as you look away to Twilight.

She gives a quick nod as she talks, "It's ok everypony, I think we can find out something if we can get to the library."

Pinkie waves her left hoof in the air as her excited voice beckons to the lavender mare, "OH oh oh Twilight oh Twilight!"

Twilight looks at the pink mare a little confused as she nods, "Yes Pinkie?"

The pink ball of fluff stops her motion as she points her hoof down one of the streets, "Does the library have griffen statutes and look all smart like?" Pinkie gives a wide eyed smile as she waits for a reply.

But the reply doesn't come from Twilight as Rarity blows at the comment, "Pinkie how is any pony supposed to know that?"

"Well its better to start somewhere, we might get lucky." Twilight walks towards her friend as she talks, "Show me where the building was."

Pinkie shakes her head as she hops down the street, "It's thi...-" The ball of fluff everypony follows after stops its happy bounce as you all look to the light blue dome surrounding the city, the magic has started to flicker and as the spell comes back to its solid look it seems like the dome has gotten smaller.

"Lets not waste any time come on!" Twilight motions to Pinkie as the pink ball of fluff starts down the road in a gallop. You follow behind the group as you look over the dome around you...ok king Sombra can control a few clouds and make a city disappear...thats nothing to seven ponies and a small dragon right?

You push the sour thought back as you continue down the road.

The short gallop  is brought to an end as you look over the blue crystal like building in front of you, theres two griffin statues that sit on each side of a staircase. But you're not able to truly take in the sight or the fact that griffins are apparently real in Equestria as you follow the group into the building.

You do however stop in gasp with everypony else as you look to the room laid out in front of you. The building has two stories and slightly resembles the Canterlot library with the dome skylight above, but the biggest difference is that this place is massively huge and every wall seems to be just layered in different shades of colors.

"Theres no way we can find one book in here!" Spike spins himself slowly around the room as he tries to take in the building.

Twilight trots towards the center of the room as she follows his motion with her own head swirls around the room, "...We have to try." She quickly turns around as she talks, "Ok everypony we need to find a book that has anything to do with the crystal empire, ok?"

Everypony splits up as they head in different directions around the library. You on the other hand continue to move your eyes around the room, this is hopeless. How can we find one book or even a few books in a library that no one has been to?!

Twilight seems to have picked up on your stare as she talks in a low voice, "We have to try something..."

You quiver your mouth to her as you try to understand her reasoning, but you push any negative thoughts back as you shake your head with a smile, "This is what you guys do right?"

Twilight gives a smile as she nods her head, "Come on, we don't have time to lose."

You give a slow exhale as you follow behind her.

- - -

The library has become a cluster of books in only a matter of minutes as you all look through the books, you don't know how it started but for every book that isn't something to do with crystals or ponies you have all started to just chuck to the ground. For the most part you have kept your mind a bay from the looming darkness just outside of the barrier. You really can't tell if its because you somehow feel happy that you're a part of one of Twilight's adventures she's talked about or if its because you have finally gone crazy, but whatever it is you like it.

You look over the books that you float past your face as you check each title,The last of us...trash...necromancers...trash...A Colt Tail...trash...You begin to quickly move your head through the book titles as you listen to them plop on the ground behind you, this library has everything about nothing!

You stop your hoovering of the books as you read over one title, "A complete guide to Hoofing" You blink at the title as the rest of the books around you lose there purple grasp. You flip open the first page as you read the usual stuff that starts the books like this, The complete guide to Sombrauim by Starswirl the bearded. You blink over the line in your head as you focus on one word...Sombrau..-

Your thoughts are brought to a halt as you hear Twilight's voice call through the library, "I think I found something!"

You bite down on the book as you start back to the stairs. You look over the pile of scattered books as you think, wow i'm surprised Twilight has not started putting them back yet."

You quickly move over to the group that has gathered around Twilight as she hovers a book in front of her, "The history of the Crystal Empire..."

Everypony is silent as she flips through the pages. But the silence is broken after a few moments as Rainbow speaks up, "Well does it help?"

Twilight puts her hoof on the book hovering in front of her as she reads off the page, "A crystal fair..." She stops at her words as she reads a little more before starting back up, "...It looks like this fair was started by the empires first queen and it was supposed to help restore the feeling of love and unity in the empire so that they could protect it from harm."

You drop the book from your mouth as you listen to her respond, "Thats it? A fair? Thats what stops this city from being taken over!"

Everypony looks at you a little confused as you continue, "Celestia has sent us to a city, put us all in danger for what? To throw a party for it?!"

Your body churns a little as you think over your current situation you stop yourself from continuing as you look away from the group for a moment.

Twilight blinks at you for a moment as she talks in a low voice, "Magic affects everything around us...and if its used correctly yes, it can be used to protect a city...its the same thing that Cadence is doing right now."

You bring your head back to her as she waits for your reply. You nod your head a little as you talk, "alright..."

"Good, now everypony we need to try and get this fair running fast. Rainbow go tell Shining that we found a way to protect the city, that should keep Cadence's magic up while we get this thing ready."

Rainbow takes herself into the air as she talks, "Got it!" She quickly darts herself out of the room as she finishes her comment.

"What about us darling, what do we need to do?" Rarity holds her hoof to the door as she continues, "...Do we need to get all the crystal ponies?"

Twilight bites at her bottom lip for a moment as she look over the book, "There's too much information...and we only have one book..." Her voice picks back up as she talks, "I know i'll use a memory spell, that way we all know what we need to do."

Her horn starts to glow a bright purple before you can bring yourself to speak up. The spell only last a few seconds as the remaining friends head's are covered in a low purple aura. As the spell begins to end Twilight lets out a sigh, "Did it work?"

Applejack nods her head as she nudges Pinkie, "We'll get started on those crystal empire snacks right now."

Rarity cuts in as she follows after the other two mares, "And me and Fluttershy can set up the booths with Rainbow Dash."

"Ok, good...Make sure its by the book we need everything correct if this is going to work..-"

You cut Twilight's voice off as her friends leave the building, "Are you ok?"

She rolls her eyes to your comment as she floats the book over to a nearby table that is not too cluttered with books, "I'm fine."
"Twilight what about me?"

Spike shifts his gaze between her and the door as he waits for an answer.

Twilight gives a giggle as she sits in the chair, "We need to make sure we haven't missed anything." She brings her head back to you as she talks, "What was that book you had?"

You look down to the book that lays open with the spine facing back up at you, "Oh...its nothing." You float the book up as you talk, "Its a hoofing book...I thought we could take it back with us."

Twilight's own purple grasp takes over yours as she hoover the book to her, "Great! This library is full of books that haven't been touched for a thousand years...theres no telling what we could find here." She brings her head to a happy smile as she looks around the room.

You copy her smile as you take a seat next to her, "Well lets make sure we come back...is there anything we missed?"

Twilight snaps her head back to the open book in front of her as she flips through it, "no..I don't think so..." She looks over the pages as she speaks up, "Oh wait..." She puts her hoof to the page as she talks, "It says there is a crystal heart centerpiece..." She turns to Spike as she talks, "Spike could you go and see if Shinning has a crystal I can cut?"

Spike nods as he gets up from the table, "Ok Twilight."

You watch the dragon waddle away for a moment as you look over the book...even though this still seems stupid you're slightly glad that this problem can be fixed with such an easy thing. You give a slight laugh as you think, its a good thing Sombra took all the memories away from these ponies...otherwise they would have thrown this party themselves.

Twilight continues to look over the book but she stops herself from reading through it as she takes the hoofing book in her grasp.

Twilight points her hoof to the page for a moment as she talks in a slightly excited voice, "Look! This book has the whole alphabet in it!"

You move yourself a little closer to her as you read over the book with her. You only take your eyes off the page for a moment as you stare at the still bright blue dome surrounding the city.

End of chapter 5 
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6 – ...Right

"...How about now Spike?" Twilight's horn holds the purple glow as she waits for the little dragon to stop rubbing his chin and speak up.

"hmmm...maybe a little more to the left."

Rainbow gives a huff as she points to the stone heart on the library table, "Who cares if the stupid heart is a little lopsided? Cadence can only hold that spell for a few more hours, we need this thing to be fully started by now."

You shift your eyes to the window as you look over the low blue dome surrounding the city, the last hour or so you have noticed the color changing but truthfully you have been suppressing any thoughts about it as you help out with setting up and looking over the hoofing book with Twilight.

The lavender mare shakes her head as she quickly talks, "No exceptions." She sticks her tongue out a little as her soft purple eyes squint to the stone. The light purple glow to her horn picks up a little in color as part of the carved out stone heart begins to glow.

The magical chime is low as you watch the side of the carving grind away.

"There." Twilight drops her horn as she looks over the heart.

"Finally, Rarity keeps complaining about not having a centerpiece to the fair." Rainbow trots herself over to the freshly carved heart as she speaks up again, "We're going to put it under the castle right?"

Twilight nods her head as she floats the book over to her, "Yes...I think thats where it goes."

"You want me to carry it?" You look over the cyan mare as you move a little closer to the table.

She gives a light laugh as she takes herself off the ground, "Fat chance! I don't want you falling with this thing."

You shrug the comment off as you levitate the hoofing book from the table, It’s not like I would carry it.

Rainbow gives a smirk as she looks back to Twilight, "Alright this is it right? Because these ponies are already starting to get their coats shine back."

You and Twilight blink at her a little confused as she speaks up for you both, "They have?"

Rainbow struggles a little to hold onto the heart as she talks, "Ya, they are even starting to talk about the fair from the pa...-"

The cyan mare's voice is cut off as the door to the library swings open. It wasn't thrown open but seeing as how you're the only four in the whole building the door shoots a small echo through the library.

You look over the crystal pony as she sways her head around the building like she has never even been in here before. You can tell that its the same mare that Twilight did the memory spell to, but the ponies coat has shed from of the blurry coloring from before.

The mare's now blue crystal eyes focus on your positions as she breaks into a full gallop in a happy voice, "I was told you would be here!"

Her hooves clap against the hard floor but the sound gives more of a sound of glass hitting glass then regular hooves. The ponies voice is still very loud and happy as she breaks herself in front of you all, "W-we can't believe you found the crystal heart! All of us were so sure that Sombra has hidden it away forever!"

You squint at the pony with the same confused look as the other ponies around you as you think, why would Sombra take away a center piece? All it is, is for show?

Twilight speaks up for the group as she gives a little giggle, "Well thank you. We were hoping this heart would be fitting for the festival."

The mare loses her smile a little as she looks over the stone Rainbow holds, "B-but this is no Crystal heart?"

You all give each other a look as Twilight again speaks up, "Well no, there were no loose crystals a...-"

The pony's coat takes on a darker dull shade as her eyes sharpen to the stone, "Y-you could not find the crystal heart?"

Rainbow lets out a laugh as she sets the heart back to the table, "Come on, this thing is still pretty cool right? No reason to not have fun right?"

The pony's mouth quivers as her bright crystal eyes start to shift a little, her voice starts up in a loud scream but the scream is not just a regular yell it carries a ear tingling screech to it, "S-sombra is going to take his revenge! Sombra is going to return Som-..."

Her whaling is brought to an end as Rainbow shoves her hoof to the pony's mouth, "Whoa! What are you talking about?!"

The pony backs up from the cyan mare as she talks in a still panicked tone, "Th-the crystal heart is no stone...It is a powerful  weapon of harmony!"

You and Twilight quickly bring your faces to each other in a bit of shock and confusion. Rainbow follows your lead as her and Spike look to Twilight, "Hey Twi, i-is that true?"

The lavender mare is quick as she takes the book to her hooves, "I...I didn't see anything on it..." She flips through the pages as she turns it back to the page that she got her information from. She rolls her hoof over the page as she talks a loud, "All it says is that a crystal heart stood in the center of the festival..." She stops her voice as she flips the page...

You stare at the page unable to see what shes stopped at, "What? What?"

Her voice is low as she takes herself to her hooves with the book floating in front of her, "Theres a missing page!"
She flops the book down as she talks in a high pitched voice, "How could I have not seen a page missing!"

You hold your mouth open for a moment as you shift your eyes to the hoofing book on the table...your heart pounds a little as you look to the low glowing dome outside.

Twilight quickly closes the book as she brings her stern eyes to the crystal pony, "Where did Sombra hide the heart?!"

The crystal pony quivers her head in a shake as her eyes widen, "N...no one know..."

Rainbow's tomboyish voice calls out in a spiked tone to the mare as she talks, "What do you mean you don't know, you're telling me nopony looked for it!?"

The crystal mare's lips quiver to the tone as she talks, "A-anypony that went for it never came back..."

The little purple dragon that has been biting at his claws speaks up in a slightly fear drenched voice, "Twilight...are we going to be ok?"

You speak up as you stand from the table, "Where going to be fine Spike." You swallow back your thoughts as you bring your sure face to Twilight, "We're going back to Violet today."

Twilight closes her mouth as she gives a slow nod, her eyes are slightly shifty at the heavy words but she holds her voice as she talks back to the mare, "What do you know about where it might be?"

The pony shifts her eyes around the room trying hard to think, "I...the only thing any pony knows is the old saying..."

"What is it!" Rainbow quickly shifts her head between the pony and the door as she waits.

"...All we know is that to find the heart you must stand up to a wordless apparition of pure distress..."

Rainbow's voice quickly picks up as she talks, "That doesn't help!"

"Rainbow..." The cyan mare turns to Twilight as she holds her mouth shut. Twilight nods to the pony as she talks, "Thank you for your help." Twilight turns herself back to Rainbow as she talks, "We have to keep everypony thinking there celebrating got it?"

Rainbow nods her head as she talks in a low voice, "What are you going to do?"

Twilight starts herself up in a fast trot as you and Spike follow after her, "There might be something in the castle, just keep everypony in a good mood...we just need some time."

You follow the lavender mare out of the door and down the stairs in a quickening gallop as you try your best at holding your thoughts at bay. Your attempts at holding your gaze from the fading dome are lost as you turn yourself back to the dimly light dome. You swallow hard as you continue down the road, where coming home Violet I promise you that....

End of chapter 6
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7 – It came from under the rug

The short gallop comes to an end as you burst into the castle throne room, "Look for anything that could lead to a clue!" Twilight runs past the crystal throne with Spike behind her as she calls out to you, "Anything at all!"

You swing your head feverishly around the room as you repeat those words, anything? You search the room as you look around, if there was anything in here Shinning would have found it! There's no way he would had let his wife stay here if there was something left unchecked.

Your breathing quickens as you dart around the throne room not knowing if you should go and help Twilight or if you would just get in the way. You swing your eyes around the crystal windows as you look down at the city, the dome around it has moved back a little more you're sure of it... You feel your body shift a little as you feel your thoughts drifting into a magical tingle.

Ok ok fuck! If I was trying to hide a heart what would I do? You look over the throne as you hold the thought....i'm an evil pony that everyone fears...and i'm a king...You move a little closer to the throne as you look over the crystals on the back of the seat...You stare at the throne for a moment as you think, there's no way its that easy...Did he just turn the heart into the crystals on his throne?

You swallow as you call out, "Hey Twilight!"

Only a moment passes before she comes back into the room, "What?"

You nod to the colorful throne as you talk, "Would Sombra have pink crystals?"

She blinks at the throne for a moment before she speaks up, "...This is not Sombra's castle."

You cock your head to her, "Wait what?"

She lowers her head as she talks, 'Well at least it wouldn't look like this."

You watch as her horn starts up in a green glow. Your quick to speak up as you watch her horn's glow become brighter, "Twilight don..." You stop your voice as you watch her horn lose the human like glow and instead turn more of a dark purple green glow...her eyes have a slight purple glow to them as she squints her eyes shut. But the spell doesn't last long as her horn shoots a jagged black-green bolt to the large pink crystal of the throne. Unlike the normal magical chime a low almost bubbly sound comes through the room as a shadow comes over the throne and begins to creep its way up the floor.

You take a step back as you look over the growing shadow cautiously.

But your gaze shifts to the ground below your feet as you hear a loud cracking sound. You take a few more steps back as the floor beneath you gives way to a staircase.

Twilight gives a sigh as she shakes her head.

"What was that?" Spike looks over the crack in the ground in shock as he talks.

"That was something Celestia showed me." She gives a smile as she walks over to the start of the spiralling stairs. Her body shivers a little and her voice sounds a little off as she places her first hoof on the stairs.

You bring you head up as you look over her and her horn, "Are you alright?"

She nods her head as she talks, "Its more or less the same kind of magic Crystals uses..." She pauses at the name before she continues, "...But its much easier to control than human magic."

You nod to her as her horn takes on a low purple glow, "Come on."

You follow behind her as you try to hold your eyes from looking down the dark fall.
Spike starts after you but Twilight quickly turns her head, "Spike go and tell Shining we need a little bit more time...and if we don't come back in a few minutes get everypony down here, this has to be where Sombra hid the heart."

Twilight picks her pace back up as you watch the floor above you start to drift behind you.

This stairway down is cold, damp and smells like nothing but rocks and dirt, which really doesn't have a smell but after the floor gave way to this a lot of dust still whips around your nose.

You tilt your head over the side, still making sure your body is pressed against the wall as you look down. The bottom of the room can't be seen and it looks and feels like this spiral staircase is getting bigger and longer.

Twilight's voice is low as she talks, "We need to hurry if we want to make it back to Cadance." At the end of her words she picks her pace up further. You try your best to keep up with her but you're not the best stair climber, but you manage to keep your pace as the light from the top of the stairs begins to become absent.

You widen your eyes to Twilight's horn as you focus on the purple light, the last thing you want to do is fall so you place each step a little cautiously, "Twilight how deep do yo..-"

Your voice is cut off as your hoof slips against the damp crystal stairs, your breath is rushed as you struggle to readjust yourself but your over compensation leads to your downfall as you tip against your mindlessly moving hooves.

Twilight turns her head back to your scuffle as you feel the ground beneath your right hoof become absent. "AhhH!" , Your eyesight blers as  your weight follows your slipping hoof. The only thought that can race in your mind in the quick blurred motion is simple and painful, i'm dead.

The thought is not held long as your fall leads you against the cold stone ground beneath you with a loud thump. You have fallen onto your right side and the wind has been knocked out of you, the dirt and dust around you now stirs and saturates your muzzle as you give a few wheezing coughs trying to regain your breathes.

Your ears are ringing a little as you listen to Twilight's hooves clapping against the hard stairs as the light of her horn gets closer, "Are you alright!!"

You give a few more dust filled coughs as you try to bring your dirt body up, its at this moment you realize the sharp pain in your right leg. You let out a yelp as the muscles in it tense to the shift in your body. You're unable to bring yourself up the way you have learned, all you can do is bring yourself to a three hoofed crouch almost.

Twilight's voice picks up a little as you feel her magic wrapping around you, "Wait, wait, wait... don't hurt yourself."

With the aid of her magical pull your able to bring your body upright again as you give a low echo groan.

Twilight's horn glows brighter as she brings her head to your leg, "Let me se-.."

You cut her pained voice off as you grind your teeth and wave your bad hoof to her, "I'm fine, i'm fine, its just sprained." You hold the thought as the muscle starts to loosen a little, "If it were broke I doubt I could stand."

Twilight doesn't shift her head from you as she looks you over. But you steady your breathing as you notice a slight glimmer behind her, the outline looks like a door and sure enough as the dust settles theres no doubt in your mind at what you're looking at, "Twilight..." You motion your head behind her.

As she turns you take a look around the room you're in, the bottom of the...pit, is a lot larger than you thought and looks like it covers the whole throne room's length. You drift your head up as you look to the light shining in from the top of the stairs. You breath a sigh of relief as you look up, the room is not too far down the stairs are just mashed together to make it look like a long drop.

"...This is it!"

You bring your head back to Twilight as you listen to her voice.

"The crystal heart has to be here." She looks back to you as she moves a little closer to the door, "Lets go Equestria is counting on us."

You look over the old dark wood door as you move closer to it, Sombra hid the strongest weapon in the Crystal Empire behind a old wooden door. You give a slight laugh as you stand next to Twilight, a wooden door against a super pony librarian alien firebending wizard... You hold the smile as Twilight's hoof opens the door.

The room that the door opens to is strangely bright and you and Twilight give each other a happy look as you both walk through it.

The room you walk into is a bright white marble room that closely resembles the Canterlot throne room, you squint at the area around you as you speak up in a slight chuckle, "Twilight it...-"

Your voice is cut off as you hear a loud booming slam behind you. You quickly turn your head back to the now closed door in a little shock, "What was that?" You stare at the out of place door resting against the white marble as you wait for a response...but nothing comes. You turn yourself to where Twilight was standing only a second ago but the lavender mare has vanished. You jerk your head around the room as you call out her name, "Hey Twilight?"

Your normal tone is quickly changed as you look around the empty replica Canterlot throne room, "Twilight?!" Twilig!!..-"

The room before you is quickly changed into a darkening stone like grayish orange as a echoing laugh fills the room, "Hello Human did you miss me?"

You straighten your posture to the male voice as you look around the darkening room.

End of chapter 7
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8 – The worthless words.

The room still growing changes shades as you feel your tingling sensation building under your coat...

"Have     had      playing
we       fun            pretend?"

The voice echos around the glass panels and walls of the room as Discord's laugh burns inside of you. Your eyes are determined and your body follows suit as you watch a shadowy spot form in the center of the room.

You look over the spot as the voice around the room continues to bounce,
"I think you have played long enough!"

The shadowy spot in the floor begins to rise a little as the laugh rings against the stain glass windows. But your unaffected by the chiming as the form starts to become real in front of you.

The voice no longer plays off the walls as a shifty shape pops from the ground, "Lets play another kind of game shall we? You get the first move." 

Discord's body starts to take full likeness as the shadows around him disappear, but his multicolored and mismatched body seems different and his eyes glow a bright green like the eyes you saw in the storm outside of the city.

You cock a smile to Discord as you hold the magic in you at bay, "Ya, lets play a game Sombra."

Discord's smile slightly fades from his face as you don't hold back and jerk your head forward, a straight shot bolt of purple and green light streams to the unmoving target.

The bolt clashes against Discord as he gives a screaching howl. Theres a moment of nothing but his scream as it rings in the room but only a moment, the glass windows surrounding you are blown inwards as Discord's scream continues to blow like the storm outside.

You bring your left leg over your eyes in reaction to the sound of the shattering glass. You hold them tightly as you listen to the fine sounds of the shattered pieces hitting the marble floor beneath you.

But right as you hear the sound stop your body is rushed and your knocked to your back. Your eyes fly open as you look to the black thrashing mass in front of you.

You give a loud grunt as you hold your right leg to the changling that has pounced onto you. The bug like pony furiously chomping its drooly jaws at you as you hold it from your body. But its sharp blue bug eyes have been replaced with the same bright green glow as Discords, but as the creature continues to lunge its ever growing closer jaws to you, you bring your back legs under it as you smile to the small pony.

Your motion is quick as you buck the pony off of you.

The changeling is set flying from your body and its head makes contact with the white glass ridden marble flooring.
Your movements are as quick as your right leg would let you be as you bring your body up to your hooves. The changeling is still on the ground as you steady your stance, you waste no time as you follow through your motion once more. But the bolt that is sent from your body now is a brighter green jagged stream and it leave your body feeling a little weak. Never the less the bolt strikes against the changeling and the creature lets out a pained squeal as it's dark body is coated in the magic.

You watch with a slight tired pant as you look over the changelings coat almost take on a boiling effect. But the sight is quickly changed as the black body is soaked into the ground and turned back into nothing more than a shadow like spot on the ground.

You look around the now black shaded room as you call out to the walls or whatever else will listen, your voice is cocky and your mind is throbbing in self confidence as your words are expelled, "Thats what you are Sombra a shadow!"

The adrenaline in your body soaks over you as you look around the room wishing and hoping for a response, "Well?!"

But after a few moments theres no response and your left panting in the glass stained room by yourself with nothing but the spot on the ground. Your body and mind starts to calm down as you drift your eyes around the room holding your early thought, "Twilight?!"

Again the room gives a silent faint echo back to you.

"Twilight?!" You call out again as you wait for a response.

After the next few moments of again silence you start to move your body towards the spot on the floor. But you stop as you hear a deep booming voice, "You are a strange pony..."

Your breathing stops as you try to pinpoint the voice in the room.

The spot on the floor gives a bubbling sound like the magic Twilight used to bring you two down here as a figure takes shape in it.

You look over the mass with a closed mouth and a silent mind as you watch a stallion's form taking hold.

"Tell me strange pony, has a thousand years really lead to hornless unicorns?"

The shadowy figure starts to loss the faded blackness as a stallion emerges in a fading vail. You look over the stallion as you calm your breathing. His body doesn't even resemble a regular pony...or even Chrysalis, the stallion looks more like a lion, his teeth are sharp and extend from his mouth in a canine like curve. Sombra is dressed in a silver and red suit of armor and his mane is a long pure black and the unicorn's horn is a red tipped extension of his head; but you focus more on this pony's eyes as you wait for him to speak again, his eyes are bright green with a almost lizard like deep orange and vivid red pupil that leads into a wispy fading purple mist at the edge of each eye.

His voice starts up but his mouth doesn't move at all, "Well unicorn earth pony, are you going to answer your ki..-"

Before his booming voice is done you send a flaming wall of magic toward where he stands. But the stallion's body is turned to nothing more than a trail of smoke and eyes as he teleports directly in front of you. His face is shown in a smile as you feel a tight grab tighten around your body.
You give a pain groan as you try to move through the strong magic grasp, but you're unable to move and even breathing has become a strain for you.

The wisp from his eyes flicker intensely as his booming voice rings in your head, "Tell me pony...what do you fear?"

You grind your teeth unable to really talk as his voice ricochets in you, "...Relinquish your thoughts to me my little strange pony as I have nothing to hold over you."

The greens of his eyes glow a bit brighter as his voice brings you to the calmness you felt outside of the dome when you first saw him.

Your mind races as thoughts of the last months run through your mind, the spell you're feeling is the same spell as Twilight's only its being doubled and run through your mind searching only for pain and fear. You give a few short breaths as you try to take in any air, it feels like your body is being drained but theres nothing you can do about it.

Sombra smiles as his voice in your head trumps the mind racing, "What do you fear...is it being alone like you oh so are...or is your fear lay with the mare in your mind..." His voice stops as he squints his eyes to you, "...IS this it, your fear is not of yourself but of this mare...Twilight is it?"

Your face doesn't even twinge at his words as you still are too busy trying to take in a steady bit of air.

"No.?..." His eyes flutter a little as he moves his face a bit closer, "Then what of this other pony..." The sharp toothed smile traces over his mouth as his words ring in your head, "Violet?"

You shift your eyes to him as the word hits and rolls in your head.

The booming voice in your mind breaks into a laugh as Sombra's hold of you drops and you fall to your front legs, "Yes, Violet is whom you hold your fears for."

You take a few moments to regain yourself as you stand up, "Y...You can't use that...against me."

Sombra cocks his eye to you as he waits for you to finish.

"b-because I won't let you near her." You take up a strong hoof planted stance as you look over the pony in pure defensive anger. 

Sombra shifts his head to one side as he smiles, "And who said you would be there to stop me?"

Your breathing quivers a little as you feel your magic coming back to you.

"Twilight"

Your ears pick up to the low young boy voice as you feel your magic stopping.

"Twi-light!"

The sight of Sombra begins to fade as he gives you a smile, his voice rings one more time through you as he talks, "Lets share your anguish...."

End of chapter 8
> Chapter 9 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9 – For the last

Spike's voice comes fully into play as the wooden door slams shut in front of you.

"Twilight! I couldn't find Shinning in the crowd! And and Sombra has gotten closer! Cadance can't hold the spell much longer! And I called your name but you didn't call back! And and I came down here and you two are just staring at the door!?"

Spike's panicked child like voice is cut off from you as Twilight wraps her hooves around you. Your body feels completely drained but you support her weight as you feel her wet teary eyes on your fur.

Her voice is sniffly as she talks, "I...I..."

You wrap your hooves around her as your own tears start to form in your eyes, "Shhh..."

Spike's once pained voice is brought down as he looks at the two sobbing ponies in front of him, "T-Twilight is everything ok?"

The lavender mare brings her red puffy eyes from you as she nods her head, "E-everything is fine Spike...Sombra put a spell on the door that makes you live out your worst fear..." Her voice cracks up again as she looks back to the door, "B-but I think I can break it."

Her horn glows a bright soft purple as a steady stream of its light swirls into the crystal emblem above the door. The room brightens up a little as the door cracks open.

Twilight gallops over to Spike who stands on the last stairs of the staircase as she gives him a hug.

You turn your head from them as you place your hoof to the door. But as you do this the crystal stairs that Twilight and Spike stand next to quickly slam into the walls.

Spike trips a little but he's held up by Twilight's hug as the room gets a low cloud to it.

You back up from the door as Sombra's laugh jiggles in the back of your mind. Your body is still fatigued but you set your mind up ready for anything as you look at the door in a sharp thought, I didn't come all this way to be killed by a shadow.

The door slowly creeps open as a white light shines behind it. Your eyes are focused on the door as the sound of hooves clapping against the crystal floor echos from the room.

But your mind and body preparing didn't help as you watch the sleek black mare walk form the bright room behind her. The pony's voice is raspy and a ghostly echo as she talks, "hello...hows Violeta doing?"

Twilight's mouth drops a little as she looks over the same pony you look over. Chrysalis’s mane has its full green-blue length to it and her legs have very few riddled holes in it, the devilish mare's eyes have their green glow that set in contrast to the white background behind her.

You take up your posture as you watch the bug queen swaying her head around the room.

"No answer?" She gives a smile as she pokes her eyes toward you both.

"Well I guess I...-" At the first move of her leg you send a straight  bolt of purple magic towards her, but the screaming chimed bolt smacks against the wall and echos an ear ringing sound throughout the room.

Chrysalis seems unfazed as she turns her face from Twilight and Spike to you, "Shall we my little pet?"

You blink at her comment as you nod to Twilight, "Twilight did that spell break the door?"

She's silent for a moment as you call back to her, "Twilight?"

The lavender mare takes her eyes from the sleek black figure as she stammers out her words, "I..I think so..."

You don't take your eyes off of chrysalis’s smile as Twilight's words sink into your mind,  "Twilight get out of here."

She pauses for a moment before you call back to her again.

Chrysalis moves herself from the door as she talks, "Why not, Sombra will be here soon anyways." She lets out her annoying laugh as she stands away from the door, "...Go on now, make your feeble attempt at saving yourself."

Twilight glows her horn a bright purple as she brings Spike close to her with her hoof. But she doesn't take her eyes off of you as she stops her walk, "We're going home today right?"

You nod your head to her as your eyes shift a little.

Twilight and Spike walk past the waiting mare as they duck into the room and close the door behind them.

As the wood of the door touches the stone wall Chrysalis’s voice picks up, "Now than w...-"

Her voice is again cut off as a bolt of magic is set towards her from your heart pounding body. A dark green veil covers her body as she lets out a laugh, "my my, some pony is angry hm?" She flicks her tongue a little as she lowers her horn, "Feed me my little human." Her own stream of green magic is sent back to you as her horn sparks up in a loud bubble sound like Sombra's.

Your action is quick as you close your eyes and jerk your head forward, the spell is countered as you let your own stream of magic blast against hers. The dark crystal room is a vibrant green as she holds her horn low and begins to walk forward almost unaffected by your counter, "Tell me human, with no horn how much does that spell drain your body?"

You grind your teeth as you try to dig your hooves to the slick ground beneath you, but you're still hurt leg buckles a little at the pressure. The spell that you hold starts to give way as Chrysalis moves her cloud clapping hooves towards you.

"AHHH!" You jerk your body from it's spot as her stream overpowers your hold and is sent back to the wall behind you. The ricocheting magic echoes through the room as your heart beat slams in your ears, but you hold your eyes to her as her horn gives no leeway and starts up in a glow again.

A flash of her magic is all you can see as you again jump with your bad leg to avoid the spell.

She erupts in a laugh as she talks, "Don't run!"
Another bolt is sent running at you as you jump from it, but you don't completely miss it as you feel the burn hits against your tail.

"Bow before your queen human."

You give a shifty laugh as the sound of your heart is the only thing still audible in the room, "Why because you gave me a haircut?" You hold the self confidence to your arrogant and pointless comment as Chrysalis losses her smile, "How dare you!"

Her horn starts up but before she can act you charge at her.

Shes taken by surprise at your change of attack and is knocked out of your path, her horn stops its glow as you quickly turn yourself back to her in a shout. A sharp bolt of fire is sent towards her and strikes its intended target as she lets out a bellowing yelp.

Your breathing is sporadic but you're able to bring your mind to a halt as you send another more controlled bolt to her.

Again another pained call escapes her muzzle as it strikes against her, but she stays on her hooves.

Your body feels weaker than ever and your mind is starting to have trouble thinking over your adrenalin pumped heartbeat but you manage one last bolt of strenuous magic towards her.

As the bolt hits against her sleek body, with one last pain filled scream the mare’s figure vanishes in a puff of black smoke similar to Sombra's.

You fall to your front legs as you try to take in your victory. At every breath your eyesight fades a little and you feel at any moment you're going to faint. A slight tingling sensation rolls over your snout as you look to the dark crystal floor your collapsed to, a few drops of hot blood collect to your nose as they drip to the dark floor your blurry eyes still hold there gaze to. Your front legs that rest in front of you are covered in dirt and your hurt right leg now has a visible bruising to it.

As you collect your breathing you let your tired eyes close for a moment as you try to rest. But the moment of reprieve never stays as a faint feminine yell comes from the closed door behind you.

You push against your hooves as you bring yourself to a stumbling gallop through the door.

The room is a white blueish light that seems to be coming from far above you. You lift your head up as you stare past the spiral staircase in front of you...th-there's no way I can make it up these stairs...

You hear a faint rumbling echoing down from the top as you hold your mouth open still looking up...you close your eyes as you try and picture the top of the stairs...come on please...think....cold ground...crystal white stairs....open sky...please just teleport come on, come on... After a few moments of your mind battle you hear a faint whistling sound around your ears as the floor beneath you becomes soft...thank you...

"Spike!!!"

You open your eyes as you watch the little purple dragon trip off the edge of the platform you stand on you can't bring yourself to scream as the floor beneath your hooves rumbles and cracks to jagged stones poking out from the ground. You jerk your head to the blackish red stone round wall in front of you as you start in a gallop.

The sky around you is no longer covered in the blue dome magic and has now taken on an orange end of the world feel. Sharp jagged stones continue to pop up around you as you adjust your gallop to there popping, but your mind and body have kicked into high gear as you focus on the obscure mare in the round stone prison.

You press your body against the stones as you call out, "Twilight!"

The lavender mare brings her sad face to a crack in the stones as she talks in a low serious voice, "You need to go..."

You shake your head as the rumbling around you gets louder, "I-I won't leave you..."

She shakes her head back to you as she talks, over the sounds, "Don't do it for me than."

You look over the stones in front of you as you look for an opening but after your eyes search around them you're unable to find one, even the top of this stone cage seems to be closed in. You bang you hoof to the barrier as you yell, "I'm not losing you! I have lost too much of me already!"

Twilight gives a low forced smile as she place her hoof to the rock outcrop, you try to reach at her hoof but the hole is not big enough.

A low chime is brought to your ears through the still rumbling ground, but you don't look down as you still stare at Twilight. A bright blinding blue light runs past your face as you start to the stone in between you. You have to squint your eyes for a moment as it runs past you but as it does the ground under you stops its trembling and the stones in front of you disappear.

You and Twilight stare at each other in a confused shock for a moment...but the feeling only last a moment as you rush to each other in a happy sob filled hug.

You kiss at her neck as you hold the hug.

There's a loud boom over head and you both break your hold for a moment as you watch a stream of lights shooting up from the tip of the crystal castle.

As the streaming moves over the city you bring your hooves around the mare again as you talk, "Twilight...I...I don't..." You crack up a little as you try to talk, "I don't know how to say this...."

She blinks her red puffy eyes to you as you continue to stutter, "Twilight...it seems like things are never simple for us...even the simplest things almost get us killed..." you both give a sniffly laugh as you continue, "Twilight...make this one thing simple, marry me?"

The lavender mare in your hold blinks at you for a moment not knowing what to say, and after a few seconds of your heart pounding she finally finds the words...only she doesn't say a thing as she brings her head close to yours in a kiss.

You two hold the kiss for a moment as the lights in the sky fly through the air.

End of chapter 9 
> Epilogue III 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

epilogue I I I

Your body is tired and the train ride back to Canterlot seemed almost endless but you and Twilight hold your heads to each other as you walk up to the Canterlot castle.

Everypony else has decided to stay on the train so the nice calm walk is just between you two. Your hooves feel like they're on fire as you finally stop at the stairs to the castle but you ignore them as Twilight's own tired voice speaks up, "I'll go an..."

"Twilight!"

You turn your head to Celestia's voice as the regal white pony walks from the garden.

Twilight takes a step back from the stairs as she turns to her, "Princess Celestia w..."

Celestia holds her hoof to her student, "Don't say anything Twilight...there is nothing I can ever do to repay you for what you and your friends did today."

Twilight nods her head respectfully to her as the ponies soft gaze turns to you, "I am forever in your debt as well as I am sure."

You nod your head to her as you think yourself, more than you know Celestia...

The white pony shifts her gaze back to the castle as she talks, "I will let you three be going now...I do not want to keep you waiting..."

You and Twilight turn your heads to Celestia's gaze as you both look to the dark blue mare walking beside the little purple unicorn.

Violet's face takes on a wide smile as her tiny legs start up in a attempted gallop down the stairs, but she’s slowed down as she tries to hop from one to the other.

Neither you or Twilight give her the chance to move much further as you run over to her. Twilight scoops her up she holds her eyes close in a tight hug.

You stare with a smile as you feel your hoof burning no longer take importance in your mind.

"We hope you do not mind but we have taught Violet a few things while you were away."

Twilight opens her eyes to Luna as she talks in a cracky low voice, "like what?"

Violet smiles to her mother as she wiggles her left ear to a flopping down.

You and Twilight stare at the pony as you watch her left ear flop two times.

You both look back to Luna as she talks, "That is a formal way of saying hello to ones parents."

Twilight wraps the happy wheezing filly in another tight hug as she talks through a light sob, "Hello Violet..."

Luna nods her head as she speaks up again, "Violet is a very smart filly for her age...we had to move the royal cookie jar from her several times."
You both give a light sob soaked laugh as the words hit you.

Celestia talks over her sister before Luna can say another word, "Luna, I think its time these ponies got some rest...in fact I think its time everypony got some rest."

Luna straightens up as her wings spread out, "We will raise the moon in a moment my sister."

Twilight brings her head from the filly one last time as she stands to three legs, "Celestia...there is one thing I would like to ask..."

The white pony nods her head as she talks, "Yes Twilight?"

Twilight moves a little closer to you as she talks, "We are going to be getting married...is it ok if I can postpone my studies...just for a little."

"I don't think I can give you that permission, that lies with your parents..." She gives a short giggle as she nods her head, "Do not worry about your studies Twilight."

You give her a smile as you both say goodbye and start your journey back to the train.

As you and Twilight get out of sight Luna walks towards her sister as she talks in a low voice only to her, "Our sister do you not think we should..."

Celestia shakes her head as she watches you three leave the grounds of the castle, "...The elements of harmony have waited a long time for this...they can wait a bit more."

Luna nods her head to the white mare as she takes herself into the air, "Very well sister."

- - -

Ponyville lays only a few minutes in the distance but the night sky has already taken its toll over the land as you look over the ponies around the train car. Everypony even Spike seems to have their eyes fully shut or barely holding them open. The train ride from Canterlot maybe short but the days tolls is being taken out in full on everypony.

Twilight leans her sleepy head onto you as her head jiggles a little to the train's movements.

You have kept your tired and drained self up as best you could as you watch the little filly's short tail swaying back and forth happily as she looks out the window to Ponyville’s growing sight.

You give a little smile as you nuzzle the lavender mare's head that rest next to yours, she gives a tired groan but follows in your motion as she nuzzles herself into your fur. You hold the action as you think to yourself, I want this to be the last time...the last time I have to worry. You let your eyes close a little as you give a low sigh.

End...