> Fire and Brimstone, Book 2
>  by BluePhoenyx
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Note
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Thank you for your interest in reading the story.  This is the second part of an original story of BlueHibiscus’s boyfriend.  Please read the first book so you can avoid any spoilers.  

Fire and Brimstone, Book 1

If you have read the first story and you’re continuing to read, I thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy the story.  I encourage you to leave comments on what you think about the story, the writing, whatever you’d like.  Feedback is so helpful to any writer (hobbyist or whatnot).

Enjoy Book 2 :)

> Chapter 1 - Crimson and the Cloaked Pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All was dark - so much so that one couldn't see a their own nose.  A faint sound of crackling was heard all around.  “W-Where am I?”  The pitch black blurred to a dark red as it slowly got warmer.  “Hello?”  The dark red distorted as flames started to appear on the horizon.  She looked around to witness the shadows of buildings aflame.  No color, just black and red with six very bright stars overhead.  “What’s going on here?”  Then, a dark shadow started to mold before her.  The heat grew more intense as it started to take a shape.  “Who… who are you?”  The shape formed into the silhouette of a very tall, very powerfully built pony.  A large, curved horn formed as the flame’s color desaturate, and glowing red eyes popped from the silhouette.  Smoke emergeed beside the entity and morphed into another figure.  The second figure, a tall and petite silhouette, looked down as glowing yellow eyes opened.  The two looked down at her intimidatingly. 
The yellow eyed unicorn figure leaned forward.  “Can this one see?”  Her voice, soft yet controlling, gentle yet overwhelming, made her drop to her knees.
The large figure groaned as its red eyes squinted.  “Burrrn.”  The figure’s dark voice chilled to the bone as the heat became too intense to handle.  He reared back and spread his large wings, blocking all light, and making only the eyes of the figures visible.


* * *


The sun crept through the drapes into Twilight Sparkle’s face.  The morning light woke her up as she cracked open her eyes.  She blocked the light with her hoof as she sat up in her bed.  She rubbed her mane and forcefully blinked a few times.  “What a weird dream.”  
Spike’s head popped up from his covers.  He yawned and looked at Twilight Sparkle.  “Good morning, Twilight.”  
“Good morning, Spike.”  Twilight rolled out of bed as Spike shifted his weight on his own mattress.  “I had the weirdest dream.  I had a dream that we were all flat and simple, created only to amuse other worldly beings.”
Spike rolled on his back and sat up.  “That is a weird dream.”
“Come on, Spike.  We have a lot of work to do today.”  Twilight started to walk passed Spike.
“Right!”  Spike jumped out of bed, ready to go.
Twilight bumped a table with her right wing.  She looked back to see a book falling from the hit.  Her horn flowed and she telekinetically caught the book.  A light outlined the book, and it moved back onto the stabled table.  
“Nice catch!”  Spike remarked.
Twilight smiled at Spike.  “Thanks.”  She tucked in her wing as she looked at her new appendages.  “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to these.”
“Sure you will.”  Spike walked up to Twilight as she turned her head.  “I’m sure the Princess wouldn’t have given them to you if you couldn’t.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”  Twilight straightened her pose.  “Now what’s on the to-do list?”
Spike grabbed the daily to-do list and started to read tasks for the two to do.  “It looks like your daily meeting with Princess Celestia has been pushed back again.”
Twilight thought to herself for a moment.  “Probably because of what’s been going on with the western coast.”
“What’s wrong with the west?”   
“Well…”  Twilight turned and leaned to Spike.  “You didn’t hear this from me, but there is some sort of pirate activity going on.”  Spike gasped as she continued.  “The pearl divers and other sea traders have been attacked a lot these past few weeks.”
“Wow, that’s odd.”
“Yeah.”  Twilight turned around and started to head toward the door.  “So my princess meetings are not such a high priority.”  She looked down saddened.
Spike walked beside Twilight.  “But you still see her every day, right?”
“You’re right, Spike.”  Twilight perked up a little.  “Let’s get some work done before the meeting.”
“Right!  First up on the to-do list, organize the to-do list...”  


* * *


“Blast!”  A hooded pony stood on the beach, looking into the sea, thinking to herself.  The sun beat on the dark hooded cloak as the tall pony’s face lie hidden in shadow.  “The letter read, ‘from the yellow grounds to the endless water.’  I was sure he was here!”  She turned around to face the San Palomino Desert just as a hot, sandy breeze hits her face.  The cloak rustled in the wind as she stared off in the distance.  She then drew her attention to the neighboring city of Los Pegasus.  She looked at its tall buildings and bustling streets.  She stomped a hoof to the ground in frustration and let out a deep sigh.  “Where are you?”  She said to herself. 


* * *


It had been a number of months since Twilight Sparkle has heard about a letter from her friend, Crimson – the strange pony savior from the underworld who was exploring the surface.  Each letter was cryptic and illegible.  The only one who was able to read it was Princess Luna, and she’d only summarize the scriptures for Twilight and her friends.  From the letters, Crimson had been traveling a lot and seeing the new world.  From the Crystal Mountains to Unicorn Range all the way down to the Badlands, and more.  As seasons passed without a word, the more the girls would worry.  And as time move on, so did their feelings.


* * *


Dusk approached as Luna walked into the castle.  “Hello, sister.”  Celestia walked up to Luna.  “You look tired.  Didn’t you sleep?”
Luna looked up with tired eyes.  “Alas, no.  My tasks have been keeping me busy as of late.”
“I’ve noticed.”  The two started to walk down the halls of Canterlot and up the tower for the daily ritual of the sun and moon.  “Why don’t you take the night off?  You look like you could use a good night’s sleep.”
“You’re very generous to offer such a boon, but I shall be able to keep up with my duties.”
“Just thought I’d offer.”  Celestia smiled at her sister.  Though looking proud and strong, Celestia noticed that Luna lightly drug her hooves from exhaustion.  Celestia stoped as they neared the top.  “Good night, sister.”
Luna looked back to Celestia.  “Good night.”  She opened the door to the tower and steped on the balcony as Celestia looked at her with suspicion.  She then turned and started to head downstairs to her quarters for rest.

The moon was dimmer than usual that night.  Regardless, the mid-summer season kept the air warm, and the breezes were comforting on any pony’s coat.  Luna, exhausted from her seemingly endless tasks, stood atop the tower and watched over Equestria with tired eyes.
Away from Canterlot in a grassy field on a hillside, the ground started to split open and the earth gave way to a hollow void underneath.  The split ground gave an opening, and an armored pony emerged from the depth.  His black coat hid him in the dim moonlight with only a feint glow emanating from his curved tip horn.  Behind him, a dark purple pony donned in leathery robes stood forth and walked up beside him.  Her curved tip horn emanated a feint glow as well.  
The dark coated pony looked around with his red eyes.  “We found it.”  
The soft spoken purple coated pony looked at the armored warrior beside her.  “Yes we have, my lord.”  
“Tell The King that we’ve found the source.”
“Yes, my lord.”  The robed pony bowed, and went back into the cave.  The armored pony looked up at the night sky, staring into the hypnotizing depths of space.


* * *


Days pass as the cloaked pony looked around the docks of Los Pegasus one morning.  She looked at some of the boats in the dry docks for repairs, as well as some of the other boats getting ready to set sail.  She watched the ponies, pegasi, gryphons, and other races work together in a tense harmony as they loaded their assigned ships for their travels ahead.  The cloaked pony turned around and started to walk to the city when she perked her head up.  A memory of something that briefly caught her eye had her turn around.  She looked at a boat as it starts to drift away from the dock for its departure.  She took a couple of steps forward and leaned in to look closer at the boat.  “There you are.”  She caught a glymps of the red skinned pony with the curved horn.  She galloped to the boat try to catch it, but she was too late.  The boat had already taken off the docks and was heading out to sea.  She looked around for the dockmaster and quickly rushed to him.  “You there, where is that boat going?”
The dockmaster looked at the cloaked pony, his left eye in a permanent squint.  His head cocked to the left as to look dead on at the cloaked figure with his good eye.  “Who be ask’n?”  He asked in a gruff voice.
The cloaked pony reached under her robes and pulled out a hooffull of bits.
The dockmaster looked down at the hoof of bits.  He looked back up as he pocketed the bribe.  “That be a pearl vessel.  She be go’n out to the middle of the sea.”
She looked over at the boat as it sailed away.  “When will it return?”  After a brief pause, she looked back at the dockmaster, who was now holding out his hoof.  Again, the cloaked pony reached under her cloak and gave him bits.
The dockmaster pocketed the bits with a yellow toothed grin.  “Mid-fall be her scheduled return.  Two months I recon.”  
She turned again toward the boat.  
The dockmaster looked at the sea, then the cloaked pony.  “Anyth’n else be ye fancy?”
The cloaked pony ignored the dockmaster and walked toward the dock.  


* * *


The night drew near as Crimson stood on the bow of the boat.  His long, dark mane blow in the wind and his loose clothing that hide his scars and his wings rippled in the breeze.  He watched as the endless water continued to be as it sounds – endless.  Splashes of salt water hit him in the face as the wind rustled his cloak.  The cloak hides the scars he received from his past life, and the unusual leathery wings that were tucked in close and tight.  An amulet given to him by Princess Celestia, was bound around his neck and under the cloak.  It fell from the cloak and dangled around his neck from the sea’s wind. 
A griphon walked up to Crimson staring off into the sea with him.  With his white feathery wings held close to his body and his tail low on the deck, he turned his eagle head at him.  “You’re the passenger, right?” 
“I am.”  Crimson replied.
The griphon looked back at the sea.  “It’s sundown.  Food will be served in the mess hall.” 
“Very well.”
The griphon started to walk off to the lower decks.  He stopped and turned his head.  “Be careful out here.  I’m not sure why the captain agreed to your… whatever, but it’s dangerous out on the sea.”  Crimson remained silent as the griphon walked away.
Crimson remained at the bow of the boat as the sun set.  He stared in amazement, as if hypnotized by the mystery and beauty of the setting sun.  
A cloaked pony, who was watching Crimson from the shadows, walked up beside him and stared off into the sea.  The two remained silent for a short time before the cloaked pony spoke.  “Why would one such as yourself be out on the sea?”
Crimson stayed, looking at the sea.  “My business is my own.”
“Your attitude has changed from what I’ve heard.”  The cloaked pony looked at the dangling amulet around Crimson’s neck.  
Crimson stared at the cloaked pony.  “Who are you to claim to know me?”
“So you are him.”  She looked up at the red coat pony.  “We shall meet again.”  She turned and walked away as he stared at the stranger.  “Don’t forget about dinner.”  She went under the deck and out of sight.  
Crimson stared at where he last saw the stranger, then went to follow.  When he got under the deck, he looked around to see that the stranger was nowhere to be found.  He went to the nearest sailor.  “Pardon, did you by chance notice a strange, cloaked pony come by?”
The sailor shook his head.  “Sorry, lad.  Didn’t see a thing.”  He walked off to continue his work.
Crimson looked around thinking to himself.  He noticed the amulet over his cloak and tucked it under to keep it out of sight.  Afterwards, he head to the mess hall.
> Chapter 2 - Crimson and the Sea Legs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All was dark with a familiar sound of faint crackling.  “Hello?”  Once again, the darkness blurred to a dark red as it started to slowly get warmer.  She was scared as the dark red distorted and the flames started to appear on the horizon.  Again, she saw the shadows of the buildings aflame.  It was just black and red with the same six very bright stars overhead.  “What’s going on here?”  The dark shadow started to mold before her.  The heat got more intense as it started to take its shape.  This time, she remained quiet.  The shape formed into the silhouette of the same tall, powerfully built pony.  Like before, a large, curved horn formed as the flame’s color desaturated, and his glowing red eyes popped from the silhouette.  However, unlike last time, the yellow eyed figure doesn’t form.  
The red eyes glared at her.  The six stars dimmed and faded away, then fell from the sky as he growled a deep growl, and spoke in his bone shattering voice.  “The six are ours.  We will survive.”  She was paralyzed in fear as it started to get hot.  “Now burn!”  Flames surround her and she screamed in horror and pain. 


* * *


A couple of days pass while out on the open sea.  Crimson spent most of the time staring out in the seemingly infinite water.  He searched the boat with no signs of the cloaked pony, nor has anyone seen such a figure.  
The sun was high in the sky as the crew of the vessel dove into the cold, dark sea and coming up with beautiful shimmering pearls of different colors and sizes.  Crimson ignored the boundless booty collected from the waters and kept his eyes on the never ending blue water.
The griphon walked up beside Crimson again and stared off into the sea.  A blanket was wrapped around him with his feathers still wet from his most recent dive.  He blew into his claws and rubbed them together to try to warm them up.  “All you do is stare.”  Crimson remained silent.  “You looking for those pirates?”
Crimson took a deep breath of the clean, sea air.  “This is…  difficult to explain.”   
The griphon looked over that the unusual pony.  “What is?”
“This…  sea of yours.  Endless water.  Such wealth is incomprehensible to me.”
The griphon gruffed to himself and turned around.  He leaned against the rail and stareed off the starboard rail into the sea.  “You ever hear that only pony tale about the ancient mariner?” 
“I have not.”  Crimson replied.
“It’s about a ship – much like this one.”  He gave a brief laugh.  “Even the purpose is similar.”  He turned around and faced the same direction as Crimson to stare into the sea.  “Anyways, a storm drove it off course.  The lost ship gets visited by a bird of good fortune.  The bird leads them back on course and saves the crew’s lives.  The captain, however, he felt differently about this ‘good fortune’ and killed the bird.  Angry, the crew was prepared mutiny for his deeds.  ‘The bird brought the storms!’ the Captain accused.  After the weather warmed and the seas calmed after the bird died, the crew believed him.”
Crimson looked at the griphon.  “Am I to assume a point is to be made?”
The griphon looked at Crimson laughing.  “Calm down.  I’m getting there.”  He turned back to the sea and continued.  “The sea spirits were angry with the captain and they pursued the ship from the southlands bringing with them ice and snow sending the ship into uncharted waters.”  He stared into the sea as he began to recite:  

Day after day, day after day, 
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.


The two stood in silence before the gryphon looks at Crimson.  “Anyways, my point being is that the sea water isn’t for drinking.  Too much salt.”
Crimson looked at the gryphon at the corner of his eye.  “And you could not just mention so?”
The gryphon chuckled.  “Come, now.  Can’t I have some theatrics?  Anyways, it isn’t the sea that we’re after.  It’s what’s inside the sea that we’re after.”  The gryphon held up a two inch diameter dark purple pearl.  
Crimson looked in amazement at the pearl, quickly analyzing it.  “The magical properties of this gem is extraordinary!  Healing, wisdom-”
“Magic?”  The gryphon looked at the pearl then laughed.  “No, no.  Jewelry and such.”  He put the pearl under his blanket.  “Nobles pay good bits for these.”  He started to walk away.  “I’ll tell ya the rest of the story later.  I got work to do.”  Crimson stared at the gryphon and where the pearl was for a moment in thought.  Then he shook his head and went back to staring at the sea.


* * *


A short time later, Crimson’s staring was interrupted by the cloaked pony.  “The pearls are extraordinary, are they not?”
“Very.”  Crimson looked at the cloaked pony.  “Who are you?”
“It’s not a question of who I am.  It’s quite the opposite.”
Crimson looked baffled at the reply.  “What do you mean?” 
“Exactly what I said.”
After a brief pause, a bell is rung.  “Captain!”  Crimson turned around to see what’s going on.
The Captain looked at the sea on the other side of the boat.  He muttered something before yelling, “To arms!”  The crew kicked into action as the captain ran to the side of the boat.  “Get the divers out of the water.  Quickly!”
Crimson leaned over the port side to see what looked like a boat almost on top of them.  
The Captain yelled up to the crew member in the crow’s nest.  “Where did they come from?”   
The crow’s nest crew member looked down to the Captain.  “I don’t know, sir!  It wasn’t there a moment ago.”
The Captain rushed to Crimson.  “To arms.  Passenger or not, this concerns you too.”  He turned and rushed to get his crew in order.  Crimson looked toward the cloaked figure only to find them gone.  Calmly, Crimson walked toward the lower decks.  Suddenly, pony-like creatures jumpped from the sea and onto the deck.  Their slimy scales make the water glide off of them, and their long fin tail and webbed fins where their hooves would be.  Fins were their manes, and deep slits in their necks flexed and pulsated as they breathed in the surface air.  The crew looked at these creatures in shock as the creatures fearlessly returned their gaze with pale, foggy blue eyes.  
After a brief standoff, the Captain rose a hoof.  “Attack!”  The crew charged the creatures.  Pegasi and gryphons swooped to knock off the creatures, unicorns use their magics, and earth ponies tried to take down the intruders with their brute strength.  Their efforts seem futile as Crimson stood watching the fight.  The unknown vessel, a boat that looked like it was made of out a single large shell, floats next to the fishing boat.  More creatures came from the strange vessel onto the fishing boat.
The cloaked pony walked up beside Crimson.  “They’re losing you know.”  Crimson stood silent.  “Nothing?”  Again, silence.  “I know you have the power to stop this.”
Crimson lightly shook his head.  “I cannot.”  
“Why?”  
Crimson lifted his hoof and rubbed his chest, feeling the amulet that was a gift from and a vow to Princess Celestia.  
“Ah yes, the binding promise to the princess.”
Crimson looked at the cloaked figure.  “How would you know of such?”  A creature was knocked into Crimson, making him stagger a couple of steps.  His focus went from the cloaked figure to the creature.  He pushed the figure back into the scuffle and he continued to stand his ground.  
A single minute seemed like an hour of fighting.  The gryphon, now bloodied and bruised, landed next to Crimson.  “What the hell are you doing?”  
Crimson stood quietly.  
“Psh, coward.”  He went back into the fray.  
The cloaked figure stared at the chaos.  “If only they knew.”
Crimson looked at the cloaked figure.  “Why do you not assist?”
“I could, but this isn’t about me.”  Crimson took a deep breath in frustration.  “Look around.  The crew is being drug underwater.  The ship is being torn apart.  Still you do nothing.”
“You know why.”  Crimson looked at the battle.
“You mean the missing amulet that bound you to your promise?”
“Missing?”  Crimson lifted his hoof to find the amulet was indeed missing.  He looked at the cloaked figure, who again has vanished.  Crimson looked around to find the amulet, or anything that may have been a piece of the amulet.  He found nothing.  He then stood and looked at the devastated deck.  The crew were but a few.  The creatures overran the ship.  The hull itself was buckling from the holes it has received.  He started to think to himself for a moment.  “Missing…”  He knocked a couple of times on the deck to examine the materials used to make the boat – steel and wood.  He gently rubbed his hoof over the steel.  “This will have to work.”  He grabbed a piece of loose metal then started to grind into the wood and steel.  Going as quickly as he could, he drew a large circle around him, then a symbol at the front edge of the circle.  Finally, he tossed aside the makeshift tool and stood in the middle of the circle he carved in the wood and metal deck.  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  After a brief pause, he opened his now glowing eyes as his curved tip horn lit up.  Crimson let out a deep exhale and stomped his front right hoof on the deck.  The entire boat started to slowly twist and bend as Crimson lowered his head and upper body to the deck.  The boat started to shake as the circle lit up from under Crimson.  He pushed himself up and metal rivets and debris yanked themselves from the hull and flew toward Crimson.  As they reached him, the metal started to break down to their basic elemental compounds as they started to circle Crimson.  
The fighting started to slow down as they looked at the unusual spectacle of power this strange pony has started to display.  After a moment, five of the invading creatures start to charge Crimson.  He reared and pushed his right hoof toward one of the invaders.  The earthly minerals yielded to Crimson’s magic and some of the material launched themselves toward one of the invaders.  He then pushed his left hoof toward a different one with the same effect.  The earth entangled two of the invaders and threw them off the deck, finally splashing into the water over fifty feet away from the damaged boat.  The other three invaders paused as Crimson jumped forward, landed on his front hooves, and started to spin around.  As he moved, the earthly shield started to mold itself into a single object while still orbiting around him.  As Crimson’s hind legs landed, he whipped his forelegs in front of him, then lunged his head toward the three.  The earth shield whipped away from Crimson and hit the three like a giant stone club.  The three slid over the deck, hitting and breaking through the guard railings.  They hit the invader’s hull piercing the shell as they finally settle in their own lower decks.  Everyone, the crew and the invaders, stopped their fighting and looked at Crimson as the giant stone club started to return to its circling pattern around the red coated pony.
Crimson looked around at the invading party.  “If you are looking for a fight, fight with me.”  He started to walk toward the middle of the deck as every creature, crew and invader, kept their distance.  The earth went back to circling him, then fell all over the deck lifeless, covering everything with sand as he continued.  “I shall take you all on.”
The invaders looked at each other for a moment, then they started to circle Crimson.  The crew, tired and beaten, sat back and watched as the invaders start to slowly close in on Crimson.  Every second of pause and silence felt like an eternity as Crimson stood still, his eyes scanning the area.  Then, an invader lunged toward Crimson.  He stomped his right hoof on the deck causing the earth to form a small pillar and hit the invader from underneath.  He then made a push motion with his left hoof causing the earth to grab and pull more off of the boat.  He swept the ground with his left hoof throwing sand to the invaders to his right.  A wave of earth engulfed them as other invaders tried to lunge from behind.  Leather wings burst through Crimson’s clothes and let out a single flap as he leapt high into the air, ripping more of the deck apart.  The earth followed him into the air and fell with him as he lands.  When he lands, the earth slammed the deck hard causing a large ring to pulse outward, catching all of the sea ponies and throwing them off of the boat.  The crew stood in awe as Crimson took another deep breath.  His eyes and horn lost their glow as he exhaled.  He turned his attention to the opposing ship, then walked toward the edge of the deck.  
“Is there no one else?”  The invading crew looked at Crimson from their deck at a total loss for words.  “Is there no one else?”  After a pause, the boat started to drift away from the fishing vessel and dove underwater.  Crimson watched as the water bubbled from the escaping air and they sank into the sea.
The gryphon limped toward Crimson, keeping a badly injured wing tucked in close.  The deck creaked with every step.  “What the hell was that?”  
Crimson remained quiet.  
A pony walked up to the gryphon, who returned their gaze.  “Where’s the captain?”
“I… I don’t know sir.  He was taken underwater.”  The pony looked frightened at the gryphon.  “You’re the captain now.”  The gryphon looked down at the sea for a moment.  “Captain?”
After a brief pause, the gryphon looked back at the crew.  “Give me a status report.”
“The hull is badly damaged.  I don’t know how we’re staying afloat.”
“How many able fliers do we have?”
“I…”  The pony took a hesitant breath, then turned around to the crew.  “Who is able to fly?”  No one said anything.  “Anyone?”  
The gryphon looked at the beaten crew while keeping his own severely injured wing tucked in close.  He turned his head toward Crimson, who is still looking at the sea.  “Why didn’t you act sooner?”  
Again, Crimson remains quiet.  
“The damage of the ship, the death of the crew…  Everything is your fault!”  
Crimson turned and walked away. 
“Don’t walk away when I’m talking to you!”  
He remained quiet and continued to walk toward the bow of the ship.  
The gryphon sighed in frustration, then looked at the pony crew member.  “Tend to the wounded and try to keep this ship from sinki-“  A loud boom came from under the deck and the boat rocked violently to one side.  Crimson was thrown off the deck and crewmembers start to slide off the boat as the deck started to split and tear itself apart.  Before anyone knew it, everyone was in the water swimming for their lives as the ship started to sink to the bottom of the sea.  Crimson, never learning how to swim, was swept away by the undertow.
> Chapter 3 - Crimson and the Twisted Doors
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All was dark, save the red flames on the horizon and the six lights up high.  The six lights grew dim and fell as the red eyes appeared out of the darkness.  “You’re too late, girl.”  The six lights vanished.  Flames shoot up with a deep, menacing laugh. 


* * *


Twilight quickly sat up in a cold sweat.  Her bed covered in sweat and her coat moist to the touch.  She panted heavily, trying to catch her breath.  She looked over to see Spike still in his bed sleeping soundly.  After she took a deep breath, she gulped with a dry throat and looked towards the kitchen.  She quietly got out of her bed and snuck to the kitchen to get a drink.  On the way, her wing bumped the table.  Groggy and slow to react, it tipped over, knocking its contents on the wooden floor causing a brief ruckus.  Spike jolted awake.  
Spike saw Twilight let out a deep sigh.  “Twilight, are you alright?”
Twilight looked back to Spike.  “Yeah, I’m okay.”  
Spike jumped out of bed and walked toward Twilight.  “You don’t look alright.”
“Just a nightmare.”  Twilight continued to walk toward the kitchen.  
“You wanna talk about it?”
Twilight poured herself a drink.  “I just…  I just hope I don’t let every pony down.”  She took a big drink to moisten her parched throat as Spike stood silently.  She put the empty cup on the counter and poured herself another drink.  “What if Princess Celestia made a mistake?”
“Was that what your nightmare was about?”
Twilight took a deep breath and nodded her head as she took another drink.  “I was being judged by the ponies of Ponyville and was being sentenced for not being a loving princess.”  Spike and Twilight stood silent for a moment.  “And there was this one pony – she was old and poor.  She kept pushing me and throwing rotten food at me.”
Spike put his tiny claw on Twilight’s shoulder.   “It was just a dream.  You ARE a loving princess, and I know Princess Celestia didn’t make a mistake when making you a princess.”
A tear ran down Twilight’s face as she looked toward Spike.  “You really think so?”
Spike smiled.  “I know so.”  Twilight let off a faint smile.  “Come on, go back to bed.  You have a busy day tomorrow.”
Twilight puts down the drink.  “You’re right, Spike.  I’m going to do the best I can and be a great princess!”
“That’s the spirit!”  The two walked to their separate beds and laid down.
After a brief pause in the darkness, Twilight turned toward Spike.  “Spike?”
Spike rolled over toward Twilight.  “Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Spike smiled, then rolled back over and the two go back to sleep.


* * *


The sun again beamed through Twilight’s drapes, illuminating her room.  She woke up with heavy eyes.  Yawning and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she then slowly sat up.  After a deep exhale, she got out of bed, walked toward the kitchen again, but stopped to quietly picked up the knocked over table and books.  She looked over at Spike then smiled while shaking her head.  Twilight got her quill and ink and started to write Spike a letter.

Dear Spike,
Thank you for being there last night.  Take the day off.
Princess Twilight Sparkle

She quietly put the quill away, put the letter down next to Spike’s bed, then snuck out of the library without waking him up.
The sun shone low on the horizon as the morning dew cooled the air.  She looked in the distance at Ponyville and Canterlot.  She smiled while breathing in the morning air.  Then she spread her new wings and started to fly awkwardly.  After a few flaps, she fell to the ground.  She got up and looked around embarrassed to see if any pony saw her spectacle of grace and power in flight.  Feeling that no pony  saw her, she dusted herself off, then walked toward the Ponyville Train Station to head to meet the Princess.


* * *


The train slowed down as it reached the gates of Canterlot.  Twilight stared out the window looking at the beauty of the land.  As the train released steam, the doors opened allowing passengers to exit the train.  She started to walk to the main gates when she noticed that the gates were closed, and armed guards stood at the ready.  Twilight walked up to the guards.
“What’s going on?”
The guard looked at Twilight as the gate started to open to allow her in.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia seeks an immediate council.”
“Where is she?”
“In the throne room.”
Twilight rushed through the gates and toward the throne room.  
On her way, she noticed a lot more guards than normal around the area.  As she reached the doors to the throne room, she noticed two guards at the doors.
“Princess Twilight, Pr-“ A guard said before Twilight cut him off.
“Just open the doors!”  The two guards opened the doors to allow her entry.  The sound of the doors opening echoed in the large, elegant throne room.  A large red carpet was stretched from the doors up to the throne where two guards stood, but no princess.  Twilight turned toward the guards.  “Where is Princess Celestia?”
“Princess Celestia is at the royal vault.”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
The guard looked shocked.  “Princess, I tried b-“  
Twilight ran passed the guard and rushed toward the vault to find Celestia.

On her way to the vault, her pace was slowed by the familiar devastation seen in the surrounding area.  She walked toward the vault where Princess Celestia stood.  “Princess!”
Celestia turned to greet the new princess.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, I’m glad you’ve arrived.”
“What happened?”  After a brief pause, Celestia stepped aside to reveal the twisted and warped vault that held the Elements of Harmony.  Twilight gaspped.  “Who could have done this?”
Celestia gestured downward.  “The answer lies under your hooves.”
Twilight took a couple of steps back while looking at the floor.  She saw the burn marks of symbols and shapes under her.  “I’ve seen this before.”
“That you have.”  Celestia walked toward Twilight.  “These are the type of magic runes Crimson used.”
Twilight looked up at Celestia, shocked at the name.  “Crimson?”
Celestia nodded.  “Yes.  I’m sorry to say, but I think he stole the Elements of Harmony.  I know no one else that can use this kind of magic.”
Twilight shook her head in denial.  “He wouldn’t.”
“I’m afraid there are no other suspects.”
Twilight thought to herself with a brief pause.  Then with a deep sigh, she looked down saddened.  “You… You’re right, Princess.  He’s the only one that could have done this.”
A guard approached from down the hall.  “Your majesty, Princess Luna has arrived.”
Celestia nodded to the guard and he walked away.  “Come, Twilight Sparkle.  We must meet with my sister.  Let the royal investigators take care of things here for now.”
Twilight sniffled and held back her tears, then nodded in compliance to Celestia and the two walked away from the vault.

Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia walked together down the hall, not toward the throne room, but to a more guarded room further in the back of the castle.  Twilight looked up at Celestia.  “Princess, is this..?”
Celestia nodded her head.  “Yes, this is the war room.”  The guards opened the large reinforced double doors to show satin curtains blocking the view of the room.  Twilight stopped in her tracks in pause as Celestia started to go through the curtains.  “Come, Twilight Sparkle.  Your council will be most helpful.”  Celestia walked into the room and the curtains settled from the gravity.  Then she walked through the curtains into the mysterious room that Celestia had spent so much time in lately.
After the red satin curtains was a small hallway.  On the other side of the hallway were a pair of guards, and another set of double doors.  The guards opened the door to let the two in.  The room was a large room with a huge table in the middle.  The table itself was a map of the entire known world with a grid breaking down the map into sections via distance.  Tokens were laid all across the table of different shapes, colors, and markings.  Around the table were six chairs which ranking officers sat in.  On a step was a throne and chairs next to the throne.  Princess Luna sat in the chair on the right side of the throne while the left hand side was empty.  Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor, stood to the right of Luna observing the room.  The talking amongst the officers stopped immediately, and every pony stood up at the sight of Celestia and Twilight.  Twilight stood in place for a moment looking around as Celestia walked around the table and to the throne.  After she sat down, the officers took their seats.  Celestia looked over the entire room, then at the confused alicorn princess at the doors.  
Celestia lifted her left hoof and gestured to the empty chair to her left.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, if you would.”
“Oh, uh.. Of course.”  Twilight walked around the table and over to the step, then sat in the chair beside Celestia.  
The room sat silently in awkward tension.  “My sister, Princess Luna, has arrived from the western lands.  At my request, I have asked her to get information for us on these strange occurrences.  Please, let us hear what you have discovered.”
Princess Luna lifted her head slightly.  “I hath discovered that thy western shores are being invaded by an unknown source of pirates.”  The room started to mumble amongst themselves as Luna continued.  “I hath heard reports of fishing and pearl diving vessels vanishing on voyages on a calm sea.”
Celestia slightly tilted her head down toward Luna.  “Survivor testimonies?”
Luna looked saddened at the question.  “My sister, these pirates are ruthless.  They not only leave no survivors, but they don’t leave any trace of any pony, pegasus, gryphon, or anything otherwise to find.”
Twilight gasped.  “What if the gryphons flew away and-“
Celestia lifted her left hoof to politely halt Twilight’s sentence.  “Continue my sister.”
Luna looked over to Twilight.  “I hath thought of such.  No reported sailors or fishermen have been found. Not slain or living.  Not at the docks or at their homes.  They hath simply vanished.” 
Again, the room started to mumble amongst themselves.  “Thank you my sister.”  Celestia looked over the room.  “What of the building of war ships?”
An officer pony dressed in blue stood.  “My Princess, building of your war ships are underway.  However, we’re short on hoof power and it’s a slow process.”
Celestia looked at the blue dressed officer.  “Commander, would more hoof power speed up the process of the construction of my ships?”
The officer in blue nodded. “Yes, My Princess.”
Celestia nodded at the officer in blue and he sat back down.  Then she looked over to a pony officer dressed in green.  “Colonel, status report.”
The green pony officer stood up.  “Princess, our troops are ready to deploy on your command.”
“Good.  Send some of your troops to assist the Commander for my ships.”
The officer in green saluted.  “Yes, Princess.”
Celestia nodded at the officer in green and he sat down.  She turned her attention to a pegasus officer dressed in silver.  “Colonel, status report.”
The pegasus officer stood up.  “Air troops are good to go at your command.”
“Scout the seas.  Find these pirates that threaten our lands.”
“At your command.”
“But don’t go too far out.  Just keep our shores safe until my ships are built.”
The silver dressed pegasus saluted.  “At your command, princess.” 
Twilight leaned toward Celestia.  “Uh, princess.  What am I doing here?”
Celestia turned to Twilight.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, your presence is needed here.”
“For what?”  Twilight questioned.
A unicorn officer dressed in purple stood up.  “Princess, what do you request of us?”
Celestia looked at the pegasus officer, nodded for him to sit, then turned to the unicorn officer.  “Warlock, how is the research?”
The purple unicorn officer stood flustered for a moment.  “Er, it-“
“Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said while turning her head toward Twilight.  “May I request your assistance in magic research?”
“Magic research?”  Twilight looked surprised and nervous, suddenly being in the spotlight.  “O-Of course, Princess.”
“Good.”  Celestia turned back toward the unicorn.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, my star pupil, will assist you in your research.”
“Uh, yes, Princess.”  The unicorn looked at the young Twilight Sparkle with little confidence and sat back down.


* * *


For the next few hours, the room talked about troop mobilization and other military business.  Only a couple of times did Twilight speak, and that was only when Celestia asked her a question about magic.  Otherwise, she remained still and silent.

After the meeting ends, the officers got up and left through the doors.  Celestia and Luna stood up and started to walk out of the room.
Twilight, still sitting down confused, looked up at Celestia.  “Princess?”
Celestia and Luna turned around.  “Yes?”  Celestia asked.
“Uh, I… don’t know what you asked me to do, really.”
Celestia looked at Luna.  “My sister, if you have other duties to attend to, don’t let me hold you back.”
Luna smiled.  “Very well.  Until next time.”  Luna started to walk out of the room.
Celestia looked back at Twilight.  “How much do you know about elemental magic?”
Twilight looked a touch baffled at Celestia.  “Some, I guess.” 
“Ever since Crimson has come and gone from our kingdom, I have had unicorns look into the powers of the elements to manipulate them as Crimson did.  Our research has been unsuccessful.”  Twilight stood quietly as Celestia continued.  “We don’t know if it’s the runes he draws or how he empowers them.  We don’t know if it’s the power he holds in that curved horn, or anything on the subject.  If we’d known, we’d have been able to prevent the theft of the Elements of Harmony.”
“I don’t think it’s the runes.” 
“Please, explain.”
“He draws stuff on the ground, but he also manifested and manipulated fire without the drawings.”  
Celestia thought to herself for a moment.  “Your point rings true.  However, it’s the power of the natural elements we’re trying to use for the better of Equestria.  I need you to help the Warlock and his unicorn troops to unlock this magic.  If we can unlock the power of elemental manipulation, we can defend ourselves better overseas.”
Twilight nodded.  “Okay.”
“Report back to me with your findings.”
The two started to walk out of the war room when Celestia turned her head to Twilight and smiled.  “Did you see how stumped the Warlock was with that simple telekinetic question?”  The two chuckled and talked lightly amongst themselves as they left the room.


* * *


A young colt and filly played on the beach chasing each other in the ocean breeze.  In the distance was a moderate looking cabin bordering a thick forest on a hill overlooking the sea.  Smoke came for the chimney as the sun started to set.  A middle aged mare walked out of the cabin.  She looked over at the small dots on the shores that were her children as the sun started to touch the horizon.  “Children, dinner time!”  She yelled.
The colt ran on the beach sand.  He looked behind to see his sister chasing him trying to tag him.  He then tripped over something causing him to crash face first into the sandy beach.  He slid to a stop spraying sand everywhere.  The colt started to tear up tightly closing his eyes from the sand.  
The filly stopped just before hitting the obstruction.  She looked at the obstruction with deep worry.  “B-Brother…?”
The colt sniffed, trying to hold back the tears.  “Don’t laugh.”
The filly looked with worry and caution.  “Brother!”
The colt wiped his eyes, trying to get the sand out with the help of his tears.  “What?”  He finally was able to peek through his eye lids.  He looked upon a limp body of a stallion laying helplessly, half-buried in the beach sand.  “Who’a.”  He finally got the sand out of his eyes and stood up.  “Where did he come from?”  His sister stood quiet as he walked toward the body.  He slowly extended his hoof to touched the battered and beaten body.  When he touched the body, the body coughed, expelling water from his mouth.  After the coughing, he went back unconscious.  “Sister, he’s alive! …  Sister?”  He looked up to his sister, who was staring at the setting sun over the sea.  He looked at the sea to see what his sister was looking at.  He saw planks of wood slowly drifting to shore with the tides.  He walked around the stranger and stood next to his sister.  He lifted his hoof and placed it on her shoulder.  “I’ll get mom.  You stay here.”  She looked upon his brother scared.  “Just keep an eye on him.  I’ll be right back.”  She nodded as he turned, and trotted as fast as he could to the cabin.
> Chapter 4 - Crimson and the Reoccurring Nightmare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All was dark but the six lights in the sky.  The six lights, once bright and brilliant, were now dim and dark, as if they were tainted.  The flames rose up from the distance, then the yellow eyed shadow figure formed from the smoke.  The yellow eyed figure looked at her.  “Tell me, girl.  How long do you think you can hide?”
The red eyed figure morphed from the smoke next to the yellow eyed figure.  “Enough of this.  Find her, now!”
Her heart dropped in fear as she fell in the shadows below.


* * *


Crimson snapped awake at the scream of a little girl.  He sat up only to feel stabbing pain in his torso.  He grabbed the pain to protect the wound as he tried to look around.  Though his vision was blurry, he realized he can only see through one eye.  He could barely make out the shape of a bed, a table, and the silhouette of a door.  He heared the trotting of hooves over some sort of hard ground.  Crimson coughed and hacked up some form of liquid.  The salt water in his lungs spilled out of his lips and on his chest, then he laid back down on the comfortable surface he found himself on.
In the distance, he heard a faint voice of a female.  “Another nightmare? ...  My poor baby.  You want me to get you some water? …  Okay, sit tight.”  He heard more hoof steps over the hard surface, then it went back to where it was.  “Here you go. …  You okay now? … Good.  Try to go back to sleep.”  After the hooves stopped, the dark room remained quiet.  Exhausted and in pain, Crimson’s eyes grew heavy, and he passed out.


* * *


Crimson slowly opened his eye at the sound of talking in the other room.  Feeling that he can better handle the pain, he rolled over and tried to stand on his own hooves.  He squinted, but he stood.  Slowly, he limped to the door and turned the nob.  He saw a robed pony sitting at a table sifting through a large bag.  Sitting at the table was a mare looking distressed.
The robed pony grabbed a book from the bag and started to look through it.  “Scary dreams your daughter has.  I’ll need to stay a while to find the cause.”  She remarked in a deeper tone and with a strange accent.
The mare nodded.  “Yes, of course.  Please stay for as long as you need.” 
“What time does your daughter wake up?  I’d like to talk to her to discover this hump.”
The mare thought for a moment.  “The sun is rising so she’ll be up soon.  In fact, would you like some breakfast?”
“Ah, breakfast sounds quite good.  It will be nice to again have real food.”
The mare stood and walked toward the kitchen as the cloaked pony removed the hood.  
“What the…?”  Crimson looked upon a strange colored mutation of a pony.  “Stripes?”
The stripped pony turned to noticed the dark red coat pony at a doorway.  She looked slightly to the mare in the kitchen.  “Your guest is awake it seems.  How about I tend to his needs?”
“That’ll be great, Zecora.”
The stripped pony stood up and started walk over to Crimson.  Crimson took a step back, but lightly staggered.  “Do not be afraid, herbs and healing are my trade.”  Crimson took another step back and sat on the bed.  Zecora walked to the door and looked at the injured pony over from a distance.  “My do you seem strange.  Would you prefer I keep my range?”
Crimson stared at the stripped pony.  “You think I am strange?”
Zecora’s eyes widened.  “I didn’t mean to offend.  But help I offer to lend.”
“Help?”  Crimson lightly winced at a sharp pain.  He looked back at the robed pony, who was still standing at the door.  “Why do you speak like that?”  Crimson curled and held his chest as he felt a sharp pain shoot all throughout his body.
Zecora rushed and gently caught him.  “You need to lay down and rest.  It’ll be a while before you’re at your best.”
Crimson tried to sit up.  “I have sustained worse.”  
Zecora pressed against Crimson, preventing him from getting up.  “Just because you said you’ve have had worse doesn’t mean you don’t need a nurse.”
Crimson paused and looked up at the stripped pony.  “Very well.”  He laid back down to rest.
“If you need anything, don’t be afraid to call.  I will be here for a while after all.”  Zecora turned and left the room. 


* * *
	

A little later, Crimson heard the gentle clanking of glass and crystal as the house filled with a strange yet pleasant scent.  He lifted his hoof and rubbed the bandage on his eye.  He started to unwind it, then he turned his head at a young colt entering the room.  “My… My mom said to give this to you.”  He put a plate of food down next to the injured pony.  The colt took a few steps back in horror as Crimson slowly sat up.  He stopped in the middle of his movement and looked at the scared colt.  
Crimson lightly lifted a hoof.  “Be not afraid.  I mean you no harm.”  The colt eased up a bit then Crimson slowly continued to sit up.  Crimson held his chest while he looked down at the plate of food.  “Your mother is most generous.”  The colt turned and ran off.  Crimson lightly grunted as he leaned over to pick up the offering.  Slowly, he started to eat.
Just outside the room, he heard a door open and a young filly's footsteps walk out of the neighboring room.  “Mommy, who is that?”
“Zecora, she’s awake.”  The mother said.
The stripped pony started to speak in her accent.  “Young filly, good morning to you.  As your mother said, you’re awake on queue.”
Crimson heard the room go silent for many heartbeats.  Crimson couldn’t help but to slightly smile at the reaction of the little girl.
“Honey, this is Zecora.  She’s here to help you with your nightmares.”   The mother said.
The filly sounded hesitant at first, but he eventually heard her walk toward the table.
“Please, sit, relax, and enjoy your breakfast.  Then maybe you can get some help at last."


* * *


The next half hour was void of talking.  Crimson heard the colt leave the house, and heard him running around outside in the distance.  Aside from that, only the sounds of clanking glass was heard.  Finally, that streak was broken by the striped pony.  “Tell me, young filly, of your strange and scary woes.  From there, we’ll see how it goes.”
A brief pause in talking before he heard the young filly answer.  “M-my nightmares are getting worse.”
“Tell me about your dreams.  Your mother said you wake up in screams.”
“Why do you talk like that?”  The filly asked.
“Hush!”  The mother hissed, embarrassed.  “Don’t be rude to our guest.”  
“It’s okay.  I don’t mind.   I have always spoken in rhyme.  Please, my dear, continue with your tale.  From there, we’ll see what I can unveil.”
“O-okay.”  The filly replied nervously.  “The dreams are always closeness to each other.”
“Tell me, child.  When was the first nightmare?  When was the first time this woe was yours to bare?”
“Umm…”  It was apparent that the filly didn’t know exactly.
The mother stepped in.  “When she turned five.”
Crimson’s eyes popped as he took a deep breath.  He slowly stood up and walked to the door to better listen in.
“Go on, baby.”  The mother bade.  “Tell her about your dreams.”
Crimson stood in the doorway, seeing the small family and the stripped pony sitting at a circular table with plates of food in front of them.  Next to Zecora was a large saddle bag with many different items inside.  His eyes locked on the filly as she continued.  “Dark.  Scary pony.  Fire.”  She started to tear up in fear.  Her mother hugged her to reassure her safety.  
“Don’t be afraid, child.  There is no shame.”  Zecora, looking through a book, flipped a page over.  “But you said your dreams are always the same..?”
The young filly sniffled.  “K-Kind of.”
“I don’t see what you said in my Tome of Dreams.  It’s hard to say what this all means.”
Crimson stared at the young filly.  “She is gifted with sight.”
Everyone looked surprised over at the badly injured red coated guest.  “What do you mean, ‘sight’?”  The mother asked.
“You are a medium of sight.”  Crimson limped to the table.  The mother and daughter recoiled at Crimson’s presence.  He slowly and carefully sat down and looked at Zecora.  
Zecona looked at the little girl, then at the injured stranger.  “Strange one, what do you mean ‘medium of sight’?  I have never heard of such or of this blight.”
Crimson lightly cringed in pain, but held it together.  “Please continue with your tale.  What else do you see?”
The young filly looked scared at Crimson, then up to her mother.  She held her comfortingly.  “It’s okay, dear.  You can tell him.” 
She looked back at the scary pony.  “I dream eyes and stars and fire.  There is always an evil pony who laughs at me and hurts me.”
Crimson looked concerned at the young girl.  “I do not know the details, but I can tell you this - your daughter is in danger.”
“What?”  The mother stood up and hid her daughter behind her.  “How dare you!?”
Zecora lifted a hoof to ease everyone’s attitude.  “Please, every pony, please enhance your calm.  This is your first conversation with this stranger this dawn.”  The mother and daughter remained standing while looking cautiously at Crimson.  Zecora looked to the injured stranger with curiosity.  “Tell me, strange one, with your strange acclaim.  I have never heard of this ‘gift’ you claim.”
Crimson looked at Zecora, then to the little girl hiding behind her mother.  “Your daughter has the gift of sight, and the curse of sight.  She shall never be alone.  Your spirit is connected through transcendence that I personally cannot comprehend.”
The mare and filly looked scared at Crimson while Zecora looked with keen interest.  “A very interesting tale you tell, but perhaps this is an evil spell?”
“Perhaps.”  Crimson looked at the mother mare.  “However, I bet her first ‘nightmare’ happened within one week after her fifth year cycle.”  The mother slightly nodded her head.  Crimson looked down at the little girl.  “And your ‘nightmares’ seem so real - more real than your previous nightmares.”  The little girl cowered behind her mother.  “The dreams are always similar to one another.  Sometimes, the next dream continues the story your previous dreams held.”  The little girl, in tears, slowly nodded.  “And you said you always wake up with someone or something trying to hurt you?”  Again, the filly nodded.  Crimson looked at the mother.  “As I said, your daughter is in grave danger.”
The mother looked angrily at Crimson.  “Stop it!  How can you say that?”
“As far as I can gather, another seer seeks her out.  For what, I do not know.”
“Very interesting.”  Zecora wrote notes on a blank page in the book.  “But you never explained on how this information you’ve obtained.”
Crimson looked away at the ground.
The mother gestured to the filly’s room.  “Go in your room, baby.  I need to speak with the stranger you found.”  
Crimson turned his head at the filly as the little girl nodded.  “Pardon, but you are responsible for my survival?”
The mother looked at Crimson.  “Yes, she and her brother found you on the beach.”
“I am indebted to you.”
The mother stared at Crimson, then nudged the filly to her room.  “Go on dear.”  The filly went into her room and shut the door.  The mare leaned in and stared Crimson in the eyes.  “I don’t know who you are or what your game is, but I don’t appreciate you scaring my little girl like that.”
“I do not wish to be rude but-“
The mother cut off Crimson.  “But nothing!  She saved your life and this is how you repay her?!”
Crimson looked at the mare.  “By my honor, I shall protect her until my life debt is repaid.”
“You shall do no such thing!”  The mare turned and started to pace in frustration.  
The young colt slammed open the front door and ran in the house.  “Mommy!”  
The mare looked at her son, then at the silhouette that stood in the doorway.  The colt ran to his mother and embraced her out of fear.  
“You there!”  An armored pegasus entered the house looking at Crimson.  “You’re the one known as Crimson the Destroyer?”
The mare looked shocked at Crimson.  “The Destroyer?!”
Crimson stood and turned around.  “I go by no such title.”
“By order of Princess Celestia, you’re under arrest.”  Solders started to enter the house and surround Crimson.  Zecora, the mare, and the colt backed up against the wall out of the way of the armored guards.
“If Princess Celestia wishes my arrest, then I shall without incident.”  Crimson surrendered himself and allowed himself to be shackled by the guards.
Zecora walked up to the leading officer.  “Be careful for his wounds are grave indeed.  Immediate medical attention is what he needs.” 
The officer nodded and they escorted Crimson out of the house.  As they walked out, Crimson stopped and turned his head toward the mother.  “Be on your guard, madam.  I do not know what is hunting your daughter, but heed my warning.”  
A soldier prodded Crimson.  “Stay quiet.”  Crimson looked at the guard, then continued to walk with no more resistance.  
The officer turned to the mare and colt.  “I’m sorry for our intrusion and the inconvenience.”  The officer left, closing the door behind him.
The mother looked to Zecora.  “What was that all about?”
Zecora stared at the door.  “That I do not know.  It was, however, quite a show.”  They stood quietly for a moment, then Zecora started to pack up his a few things.
The mare looked at Zecora.  “You’re going already?” 
“I must look into these turn of events.  I must learn of that stranger’s intent.”  Zecora put on the saddle bag and turned toward the mare.  “I’ll leave you some sleeping elixers for your daughter.  Until I figure out the truth, it’s best to closely watch her.”
The mare nodded and Zercoa left, closing the door behind her.
> Chapter 5 - Crimson and the Dark Room
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With his hooves shackled and a harness attached to his body, the soldiers escorted Crimson eastward around the edges of a forest.  In the distance to the north, the escort walked passed a large city.  Later, they passed a smaller city to the south.  With very few rest stops, he watched the sun rise to its apex in the sky and start to fall as they eventually reached a train station.  The guards put him in a metal car with a secured cage in the middle.  The car itself had no windows showing the outside world to cause a deep sense of hopelessness and disorientation.  Caring not for the various wounds he had sustained, the guards pushed him into the cage.  Crimson turned around and watched the guards close and lock the cage, then sealed the train car, leaving him alone in the darkness.  Then, with a sudden tug, the car started to move down the tracks.  
Crimson’s eyes adjusted to the darkness and he tried to look around.  Only the rough shapes of the bars of the cage were seen in his darkvision eyes.  He leaned in at the door to study the engineering of the cage.  Lifting a hoof, he knocked on the hinge.  His eyes and horn glowed as he slowly lifted his head, causing the hinge pin to warp and lift from the cage.  As the pin fell mangled on the floor, his eyes and horn lost their glow.  He squeezed through the opening in the cage and moved to the door and a wall of the car.  After realizing that the surface ponies use a highly refined earthly element to imprison ponies, he smiled and shook his head while going back into the cage middle of the car.  His magic lifted the mauled pin, placed it back into the hinge, then manipulated it to its original shape.  He then laid down to rest for the rest of the trip feeling no sense of danger from the ignorance of these guards.


* * *


The ride itself had various stops which jerked the cage around.  Eventually, the train stopped and the car door opened.  Crimson squinted his eyes as the sudden bright light blinded him.  After a couple of moments, his eyes started to adjust to the light showing the mountain entrance to Canterlot.  Even though he was resting the entire time, the bumpy ride hadn’t helped his recovery at all.  
The soldiers detached his cage from the train car and pulled the cage through the gates of Canterlot, which were much more guarded than he remembered.  They hauled him away from the castle into the castle prison chambers.  The heavily armed building opened its thick, heavy door to allow the cart to go into a small room for transfer.  The cart were pulled into the guardhouse, then the doors rumbled close behind him.  His cart turned and circled around so the cart faced the other direction.  The soldiers opened his cart and allowed the shackled pony to hop down to the ground with some assistance from the guards.  As the soldier grabbed Crimson’s reins, the second set of heavy doors opened to show a large fortified chamber.  They walked inside to show a couple of guards, a pony sitting at a desk, and barred doors that led to a large stairway underground.  The pony that sat at the desk looked up at the incoming prisoner and he smiled when he realized who it was.  
“You finally found him.”  The sitting pony announced.
“That we did.”  The solder said smiling, and led Crimson to the desk.  The two guards in the room walked up and took Crimson’s reins, relieving the solders of their prisoner.  The pony wrote in a small book, ripped out a page, then handed it to the soldier.  The soldier took the slip of paper and started to walk away.
The pony that sat at the desk looked at Crimson.  “Take him below.”  The guards start to walk toward the barred doors.  “Oh, and the Princess said full magic and anti-magic restraints for him too.”  
“Yes, sir.”  The guards opened the barred doors and took him below.


* * *


Time started to pass as Crimson stood in his near black cell.  Very little light was seen to give direction in his barred room, but the disorientating effect the cell is supposed to have had no effect on one that can see in the dark.  His leg constraints prevent most of his movement, his horn was covered in some sort of cloth sheath, and a leather restraint was wrapped around his chest, preventing him from spreading his wings.  The only visitor he got was a guard who served him his food.  He doesn’t know how long he had been in the cell, but he figured a few days at least, as his wounds became more and more bearable. 
Without notice, Crimson looked up to see a silhouette of a cloaked figure.  “So, ‘tis true.”  
Crimson stood to greet the cloaked figure.  “Who are you?”
“It isn’t I who should be identified, but you.”
Crimson looked suspiciously upon his visitor.  “My name is Crimson.”
“I know your name.”  
“Then why ask?”
“Because that isn’t what I asked.”  The cloaked pony started to slowly pace while looking into the cell.
“Then tell me what you mean.”
The cloaked pony stopped.  “I mean where did you come from?”
Crimson looked at the visitor in thought.  “You know so much about me, but not where I am from?”
“Alas, no.”  The cloaked pony continued her pacing.
He looked suspiciously upon the cloaked pony.  “I come from underground.”
She stopped in her tracks and looked toward Crimson.  “Underground?”
“Yes.”
The cloaked figure looked away in thought.  
“Now, who are you?”
The cloaked pony looked at Crimson.  “I’m not done with my questions.”
“You will be if you continue to ignore mine.”
The cloaked pony looked at Crimson in silence for a moment.  “I am a gatherer of information.”
“A sage?”  
The cloaked pony lightly lifted her head.  “Hm, I suppose you could say that.”
“A sage that lets others die in a battle?”
“It isn’t like you did anything to stop them either.”
Crimson looked away in frustration, with no small amount of shame.  The two remained silent for a moment before Crimson turned his head back to the sage.  “Are you friend or foe?”
“I am neither, and I am both.”
Crimson shook his head.  “Your words speak no sense.”
“One day, you may learn.”
Crimson stomped his hoof in frustration as best as his restraints would let him.  “Who are you?!”
“Do you know why you’re down here?”
Crimson took a deep breath to calm himself down, then shook his head.  “I do not.”
“Do you know of the Elements of Harmony?”
Again, Crimson shook his head.  “I do not.”
The sage started to slowly pace back and fourth in front of Crimson’s jail cell as he stared with curious interest.  “The Elements of Harmony are artifacts with supernatural essences of great power.  The elements have broken themselves down into six pieces of jewelry and have bound themselves to six special ponies.  The power of the elements are only to be used under dire circumstances, such as breaking you out of your petrification.”
“How would you know of such?”
The sage paused and looked at Crimson.  “Isn’t that the duty of a sage?” 
The two stood quietly for a moment.  “What does this story have to do with me?”  
“Because you’re accused of stealing the elements.”
Crimson looked shocked at the cloaked pony.  “What?  That’s absurd!”
The sage continued her pacing.  “You’re the only pony I know of that can use the magic to get into the vault which the elements were held.”
“I am innocent!  Summon Twilight Sparkle.”
“That isn’t an option.  Besides, her new role has her accompanied by Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, or Royal Guards at all times.”  She stopped and turned toward Crimson.  “However…”  She reached under her cloak and grabbed what looked to be a key, and unlocked the door.  “I can free you of your binds.”
Again, Crimson looked suspiciously at his visitor.  “Why would you do such for me?”
“Because you didn’t do it.”  She reached and unlocked Crimson’s shackles and harness.
Crimson watched the wing binding harness fall from his body.  “How can you be so certain?”
“Because of the timing.”  She turned around and went toward the door.  “Find another who can use the same magic as you to prove your innocence.”  She walked to the stairway as Crimson finished taking off the shackles.
“There is no other!”  Crimson looked up to see the sage gone.
“There must be, or you’ll be tried and convicted of this grave crime.”  The voice echoed and faded away.
Crimson stood speechless and baffled at the information he had just learned.  He took off the old bandages from the cabin to expose his wounds to the open air. He thought of his next course of action and what he remembered of his trip here.  Finally, he got an idea and quietly started to go up the stairway to the upper levels.
Crimson reached the top of the large spiral stairway to the base level of the prison.  He saw the guards asleep, the barred doors opened, and the main doors cracked open for entry.  He looked up to notice the anti-magic cloth on his horn.  He rose his hoof, lifted it off his horn, then tossed it aside as he snuck toward the gates.
He peeked his head outside to see everyone in a deep and snoring slumber.  Cautiously, he started to make his way toward the castle gates to escape Canterlot.  He went toward the train station, the only entrance/exit he knew of, to find a small cart with a strange lever on the tracks.  He walked up to the cart and curiously looked at the lever.  He leaned in, reached a hoof out and touched the lever.  The cart started to roll leaving Crimson behind.  He look in shock, then started to run after the cart.  Trotting as hard and as fast as he could, he barely caught up to the cart.  Running behind it, the cart started to gain speed.  Desperate, he jumped and reached his hoof out, catching the edge of the lever.  The cart picked up speed dragging Crimson on the ground.  Crimson started to pull himself up and finally flung himself on the cart.  He lied down on his back panting, his flesh torn up from being drug across the ground.  While on his back, he looked up to see the destination of the cart to make sure the sage didn’t lead him into some sort of trap.  After he felt he was in the clear, he took a deep breath and lied back down to rest.


* * *


What seemed like hours had passed.  When the sun went behind the horizon, the cart came to a stop, then started to turn into sand.  Crimson jumped off, only to stagger and stumble at his injured leg and watched the evidence of his escape turn into nothing more than dust in the wind.  He looked up at the night sky, then started to slowly walk toward a vaguely familiar settlement - Ponyville.  Tired and inured, he noticed the balloon that went into the sky in the distance.  He limped to the balloon and got into the basket, landing on a sack of some sort, and took shelter for the night.  Crimson closed his eyes resting as best as he could before the next day.
> Chapter 6 - Crimson and the Clouds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun crept over the horizon, illuminating the lands and warming the cold chill that was the night.  Crimson slowly got up from his cramped sleeping quarters and peeled out of the balloon’s basket to see if anyone was outside.  Seeing that no one was around, he started to get out of the basket.  Midway, he stopped, then looked at the sky.  After a brief pause, he got back into the balloon.  He whipped his head, unleashing a whip of fire and snapped it at the ropes that binded the balloon to the ground.  The ropes snapped and sizzled as the balloon slowly started to lift into the air.  Crimson stared at the land still lost in amazement of this crazy contraption.  Though he remembered what Twilight did to control large floating device, he struggled to control the balloon at first.  Eventually he was able to set a semi-steady course toward Cloudsdale.  On the way, Crimson looked down at the sack in the basket.  He leaned over, picked it up, and inspected it.  He then started to rip the sack as he headed toward the city in the clouds.


* * *


The balloon drifted to Cloudsdale.  As it got near a good, solid cloud, Crimson, now covered in a make-shift cloak from the sack, jumped out of the balloon’s basket and landed on the cloud.  He rolled a couple of times to absorb the fall, then looked upward to watch the balloon float freely away from the sky city.  He got up and started to head into the city.
Thinking back to the tour given to him by Rainbow Dash, he wandered the city looking for where she may be.  Covering his face and wings to avoid revealing his identity, he finally saw her talking to some other pegasi.  After a brief talk, the pegasi fly off in different directions.
Crimson unveiled his hood.  “Ms. Rainbow Dash!”   
Rainbow Dash stopped, then looked around to see who called her name.  “Is that..?”  Rainbow dashed to Crimson and hovered next to him.  “Crimson!  Holy hoof, where have you been?”
“Greetings, Ms. Rainbow Dash.”
In excitement, Rainbow Dash hugged Crimson.  He looks awkwardly at the embracing pony, then she recoiled and held him at arm’s length. “Wait…  Why are you here?  They said you stole the Elements of Harmony.”
“Such accusations are false.”
“I knew you’d say that.”  She jumped and hovered in front him.  
Crimson looked up at Rainbow Dash.  “I speak the truth, and I request your assistance.”
“Great.”  Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.  “Alright, what do ya want?”
“I need information on this incident and request that you get Ms. Twilight Sparkle.”
“Why her?  And why should I help you?”
“Because you are the only ones I can truly trust.”
Rainbow Dash looked down at the hooded fugitive in thought.  “Fine.  You stay here.  I’ll go get her.”  She turned and started to fly away.  She looked back to Crimson.  “Stay out of sight!”  Then, in a puff of cloud, she quickly flew to the library leaving a rainbow in her wake.


* * *


Rainbow Dash knocked on the door to the library Twilight and Spike resided in.  “Hey Twilight, you’ll never guess who I ran into! … Twilight?”  She opened the door and peeked her head in.  
Spike poked his head from the back room.  “Hey Rainbow Dash.  What’s up?”
“Is Twilight around?  I have to talk to her.”
Spike walked out of the back room and toward the door.  “Sorry Rainbow Dash.  She isn’t here right now.” 
“Great, must have already gone to the castle.”  She turned and started to fly to Canterlot.  
Spike took a step out of the door and waved.  “Uh, goodbye… I guess.”  He shut the door and went back inside.


* * *


On the way to the castle, Rainbow Dash stopped in mid-flight near Ponyville and looked toward something that briefly caught her eye.  “What the..?”  She turned to look at a suspicious pony.  She noticed the unusual yet somehow familiar clothing.  Rainbow flew to the stranger.  “Hey.”
The strange pony, clad in elegant and intricate embroidered fine leather robes, looked up at the hovering pegasus showing her dark purple coat and mane.  “My, that is an interesting trick.”  
“A trick?”  Rainbow looked at the mare with confusion.
“No matter.  I can’t let a lesser being like you address me like that.”
“A what?”  Rainbow looked angry at the stranger before she noticed a small drawing the stranger has done.  “Wait, I’ve seen that before.”
She looked at Rainbow with clear surprise.  “Oh have you?”  Then, her eyes glowed and the darkness under her hood lit up, and she took a bite toward the hovering pegasus.  As she bites the air, a maw of earth reached from the ground and consumed Rainbow Dash.  “Enjoy your crypt, weakling.”  She chuckled to herself then walked away.


* * *


Twilight, taking a break from the various long meetings she had to attend, walked around in the castle.  She went outside and lied on the grass.  She let off a deep sigh then turned her head toward the sky.  She sat up and squinted her eyes at the strange hovering dot in the distance in the sky.  Curious, she spread her wings and, with a lack of any equine grace, started to fly toward the dot.  
After catching up to the runaway balloon, Twilight Sparkle hovered in front of its trajectory with a sense of lacking elegance.  “What’s the balloon doing without a passenger?”  Twilight went into the basket and took control of the balloon.  She noticed some snippets of scrap cloth in the basket.  Thinking nothing of it, she took it down and landed it in its usual resting place.  She jumped out and tried to grab a tie down only to see it had been seared off.  She looked around to notice all of the tie downs were infact been burned.  “Hmm…”  She briefly thought to herself, then her horn glowed and she started to telekinetically manipulate and magically repair the ropes with the cloth scraps, allowing them to once again strap down the balloon securing it to the earth.  She started to fly back to Canterlot, but stopped in thought.  She looked at the balloon, then up to Cloudsdale.  After staring at Cloudsdale for a moment, she started to fly toward the city in the clouds.


* * *


Crimson sat patiently waiting for Rainbow Dash’s return.  Then from behind him, “Crimson?”  Twilight walked up to the red coated pony.
Crimson stood up and turned toward Twilight.  “Greetings, Ms. Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight smiled.  “It is you!”  She looked him over, seeing the cut out make shift cloak, the gashes and scratches from being drug behind the train car, and the various injuries that soaked in the sea’s salt water around his body.  Still, the heavily bruised pony, though slightly groggy, stood his ground.  “What happened to you?  Better question, what are you doing here?”
“A question I expected.  Did Ms. Rainbow Dash not tell you?”
Twilight shook her head.  “I haven’t seen Rainbow Dash in a few days.”  Crimson looked at Twilight in confusion as she continued.  “I’ve been busy.”  Crimson leaned to see wings being tucked in at Twilight’s side.  Twilight noticed him looking, then she turned her head toward her left wing.  She lightly extended her wing showing it to him.  “Oh, that’s right.”  She tucked it back in and looked at Crimson.  “I’m now a princess.”
Crimson looked shocked.  “You are a princess?”
“Yep!”  Twilight smiled happily at Crimson.  “You should have been there.  It-“
Crimson gasped, then bowed down at her presence.  “Forgive my insolence Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia’s Star Pupil.”
Twilight took a step forward and put a hoof on his shoulder.  “No, no, no.  Don’t do that.”  Crimson stayed in his bow.  Twilight sighed.  “Stop that!”  Crimson, while still bowing, peeked his eyes up to Twilight.  “Get up.”  Crimson slowly stood straight up.  “Look, I have to ask…  Is what I hear true?  Did you steal the Elements of Harmony?”
Crimson stood firm.  “I did not, Princess.” 
“Do you know who did?”
“I do not, Princess.”
“Will you cut that out?!”  Crimson looked blankly at the royalty before him.  Twilight sighed.  “I may be a princess, but I’m still me.  Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean you have to treat me differently.”
“Your title entitles you to-“
Twilight lightly stomped a hoof in the cloud, making it puff around her.  “I don’t care about that.” 
Crimson thought about what Twilight said for a moment.  “Then what does your title mean?”
Again, Twilight sighed.  “I… I don’t know.  Sometimes, I wonder why Princess Celestia made me a princess.”
“Princess, it is not your place to doubt.”  Twilight looked at Crimson as he continued.  “Your duty is to stand strong for your people.  You are never wrong.  Your rule is unwavering.”
Twilight shook her head with a smile.  “That isn’t true.”
“But it is, Princess.  Your rule is absolute.”
“You make it sound like I run all of Equestria.”
Crimson looked baffled at Twilight.  “Is that not what your title means?”
Twilight shook her head.  “What?  No.”  Crimson looked away in total confusion and lost in thought.  “Princess Celestia still rules Equestria.”
“What you speak does not make sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“Princess Celestia rules your lands.  You, Princess Twilight Sparkle, rule nothing?” 
Twilight shook her head.  “It isn’t like that.  Princess Celestia is still my princess.”
“So you report to Princess Celestia?”
“Well… Yes.”
“What is higher than a princess?”
“You mean like a title?”
Crimson nodded.
“Well, I guess a queen.”
“Then why is Princess Celestia not Queen Celestia?” 
Twilight stared blankly at Crimson in deep confusion.  “Look, I have questions of my own.”
Crimson bowed.  “As you will.”
Twilight looked upon Crimson.  “If you didn’t steal the elements, then who did?”
“Again, I do not know.”
“But there were drawings on the ground just like yours at the vault.”  Twilight noticed Crimson slightly recoiling, but he stayed quiet and uptight.  “Crimson, treat me like you did.”
“I cannot.  You are royalty and your title demands such respect.”
Twilight once again sighed.  “Please?  Don’t make me order it.”
Crimson looked at Twilight uptight and tense.  Then he visibly relaxed and stood casual.  “Very well.”
Twilight smiled.  “Thanks.  So if you didn’t steal the elements, we have to find out who did.”
“I agree.”  Crimson looked around casually, then semi-frantically.  “Where is Ms. Rainbow Dash?
“You can stop with the Ms. thing.”  Twilight looked around. 
Crimson looked at Twilight.  “Very well.  But Rainbow Dash was to summon you so that I may seek your council.”
“When did you last see her?”
“A number of hours ago, I believe.”
Twilight looked away in thought.  “Hmm…  It wouldn’t have taken her that long to find me.”  She looked at Crimson.  “Can you fly to the library?”
“I am sorry, Prin…  Uh, I am sorry, but I cannot.”  Crimson lightly unfolded his wing to show Twilight the holes in his leather wing from the basilisk fight months before.   
Twilight gasped.  “Oh my gosh!”
Crimson tucked his wings back to his body.  “Worry not about my wings.  I am well.”
“You really don’t look it.”  Twilight turned and started to think to herself.  “Okay, I got it.”  She leaned her head forward and her horn started to glow.  Part of the cloud ripped from the foundation and started to slowly lift away.  “There.  Now you can float down to the ground.”
Crimson leaned and looked at the floating cloud.  “Your magic will never cease to amaze me.”
Twilight blushed.  “Okay, I’ll look for Rainbow.  You go to the library and wait there.”
“I do not think that would be wise.”
“Why not?”
“A small platform like that, I would be defenseless if something were to happen.”
“Hmm…”  Twilight briefly thought to herself, then reattached the cloud back to the base of the city.  “Okay, I’ll be back later.  Be careful.”  She stretched her wings and lifted off of the clouds to retrace Rainbow Dash’s steps.  Crimson looked at the new princess fly off like an owling learning how to fly – unsynchronized flaps, constant loss of altitude, random direction changes.  Shortly after, she was too far to see clearly.  He sat at the edge of the clouds and looked beyond at the awe inspiring scenery in wait.
> Chapter 7 - Crimson and the Teleportation Trick
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight landed in front of the library and opened the door.  “Spike, I’m back.”  
Spike, sleeping on the couch,  snorted and rolled over being woken from his nap.  He started to yawn and stretch.  “Hi Twilight.”
“Have you seen Rainbow Dash?”
Spike sat up and rubbed his eye with the back side of his tiny claw.  “Yeah, she was looking for you.”  He jumped down from the couch and started to walk toward Twilight.  “She said it was important.”
“She was right, Spike.  It was.  Stay here.  If Rainbow Dash returns, tell her to go back to Cloudsdale and wait with Crimson.”  She turned and got ready to lift off before Spike stopped her.
“W-Wait, Crimson?  Like ‘I just stole the Elements of Harmony’ Crimson?”  Spike stared at Twilight as she flew out of sight.  “Great.”  He turned and walks back inside, closing the door behind him.


* * *


Twilight started to fly toward Cloudsdale.  While still in Ponyville, she heard the shouting of Rarity in the distance.  “TWILIGHT!”  Twilight stopped and looked around to see Rarity looking rather anxious and distressed.  Twilight flew down to her.  “Twilight, I’m glad I found you.”
Twilight landed.  “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Rainbow Dash.  She’s in the hospital.”
Twilight looked shocked at Rarity.  “What?!  Come on!”  The two started to trot to the hospital.  “What happened?”
“I don’t know.  Some pony found her laying almost completely buried in solid rock.”
Twilight looked to Rarity.  “You mean buried alive?”
“I think so.  I don’t know.”
Twilight looked ahead.  “How long ago?”
“A couple of hours, maybe.”
“A couple of hours?”  Twilight’s gaze was diverted as she started to think to herself.
“Is it true about Crimson?”
“No, not at all.”
“I didn’t think so.  Somepony as brave and noble as him couldn’t have done that.”
“But some pony knows his magic.”  
Rarity looked at Twilight.  “But who?”
“I don’t know, Rarity.  But we’re going to find out.”


* * *


Twilight and Rarity barged into Rainbow Dash’s room.  Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were already by her bedside while she laid unconscious.  Machines magically pumped purified air into her lungs from a tube lodged down her throat.  Her complexion was pale and lifeless.  “Twilight!”  The girls, in tears, rushed over and gave her hugs.
After the hug, the girls looked to Rainbow.  “How is she?”  Twilight asked.
Applejack wiped a tear from her face.  “The nurse says she’s stable and all, but she jus’ ain’t wak’n up.” 
“Okay, Pinkie and Fluttershy, you two stay here.  Applejack and Rarity, come with me.”  Twilight turned around and started to head for the door.
Applejack questioned her motives.  “Twilight, Rainbow Dash needs us.”
Twilight turned around.  “You’re right, Applejack.  But Ponyville needs our help too.” 
Applejack looked over to the seemingly rushed Twilight.  “Wait, where ya go’n?”  
Twilight turned back toward the door.  “We need to find out what’s going on.”  Applejack and Rarity looked at each other, then turn to followed Twilight.  “Look after Rainbow, girls.”
Fluttershy looked over at Twilight.  “We will.”
The girls rushed out the door with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie in the hospital room to be there for their injured friend.


* * *


Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack asked around Ponyville to find out where Rainbow Dash was found buried.  Finally, they arrive at the location and looked at the scene.
“Will ya look at that?”  Applejack walked up toward a large ditch where Rainbow Dash was buried.  Ponies from all around did everything they could to unearth the buried victim, and the crude yet effective marks all over the ground showed it.  “Whoever did this had to have caught Rainbow first, and that itself is ask’n a lot.”
Twilight investigated the hole.  “You’re right, Applejack.”  
Rarity leaned over to investigate something that caught her eye.  “Girls, look at this.”  Twilight and Applejack went to Rarity, who was standing over a strange burn in the ground.  “This ground has been burned to glass.”
Twilight looked closely at the glass.  “Just like the vault…”
“What?  How’d that happen?”  Applejack asked.
“Whatever it was…”  Twilight stood straight up. “… the ground must have gotten to extreme temperatures for this to happen.”
Applejack looked at Twilight.  “Ain’t this Crimson’s magic?”
Twilight continued to look at the burned ground.  “It is, but something isn’t right.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.”  Twilight turned and started to walk away.  “I just know something isn’t right, but I can’t put my hoof on it.”
Applejack walked up to Twilight.  “It has to be Crimson.”
Rarity caught up to the girls.  "Tell me it isn't true."
Twilight shook her head.  “Crimson was stuck in Cloudsdale for almost the entire day.  He couldn’t have done this.”
Applejack stopped walking for a moment.  “Wait, you’ve seen’em?”
“Earlier today.”  Applejack caught up to Rarity and Twilight as she continued.  “He used the balloon to get up to the city since he can’t fly, and the balloon was floating freely for who knows how long.”
Rarity looked at Twilight.  “I bet he looks fabulous.”
“Actually, he doesn’t look well at all.  He looks badly injured.”
Rarity lightly gasped. 
Applejack turned to question Twilight.  “You said he couldn’t fly.  Ain’t he got wings?  I could’a sworn I saw him fly before.” 
“I’ve seen him glide, but not actually fly - especially not now.  He has gaping holes in his wings that look as if they’ve healed over time.  I don’t think he could glide even if he wanted to.”
Again, Rarity gasped.  “Oh dear.”
Twilight nodded.  “I know.  And he has a lot of fresh wounds that would slow any pony’s ability to travel.  There is no way he could have been in two places at once.”
Applejack looked at Twilight.  “So then what could it have been?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out.”  Twilight led the girls into Ponyville to try to gather more information on the mysterious activity.
> Chapter 8 - Crimson and the Question with Dire Answers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crimson sat on the edge of Cloudsdale watching the scenery from the clouds.  After a couple of hours, he started to wonder where Twilight and Rainbow Dash have gone, and if they’re okay.  In the back of his mind was the thought of betrayal, but that quickly passed as he understood more and more of what the surface world’s culture is like.  The sun traveled across the sky and eventually neared the horizon.  Still, he sat and waited for word from Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, or any pony he would call ‘friend.’  He started to feel weak and fatigued being that he got little sleep and hasn’t had any food or water in over 24 hours.  Suddenly, his ear started to twitch.
The cloaked figure walked up behind him.  “How does your investigation go?”
Crimson stood up and turned to the cloaked figure.  “Why do you follow me?”
The cloaked figure walked next to Crimson and looked at the view.  “My duty demands that I watch you.”
“Who assigned such a task?”
“The princess.”  She replied while still looking at the view.  She observed Crimson’s silence.  “Surprised?”
Crimson turned and looked at the view too.  “More curious than anything.”
She turned to look at the stranger.  “Now to my question – how does your investigation go?”
Crimson looked over to the cloaked pony.  “Tell the princess that my investigation is slow, if not moving at all.”
“And why would that be?”
“Being sought after yet again while as wounded as I am makes it difficult to travel without being seen.”  
“You’re getting soft.”  The cloaked figure turned to look at the view.
“Perhaps.  Or perhaps I do not feel the need to practice the lifestyle of my old life.”
“A wise yet foolish decision.”  The cloaked pony turned her head toward Crimson.  “Speaking of which, do tell of your previous life.  Tell me of your people.”
Crimson in turn looked at the cloaked pony.  “All I have to say has been reported to your princess, and thus has been documented for your research.”
“True, but I wish to know more about your past life.”
“My past life is just that-“  Crimson looked back at the scenery.  “The past.”
“Very well.”  The cloaked pony turned around.  “I will get what I want regardless of your cooperation.”
Crimson turned his head to find that the cloaked pony was nowhere to be found.  He looked around only to find his search had been in vain.  Then, he looked back at the scenery.  After a pause, he turned his attention to the floating city to seek food and drink.


* * *


Princess Luna entered the tower to head to her station for the rising of the moon.  Princess Celestia stood on the balcony awaiting her sister.  Upon reaching the roof, Celestia turned to Luna.  “Ah, my sister.  How goes the western fronts?”
Luna, trying hard not to show great signs of fatigue, walked past Celestia to her place at the balcony.  “The base constructions are underway.  The pirate activity have slowed.”
“Slowed?”  Celestia stared at her sister as she walked passed her.  
“Yes.  From what, I don’t know.”
“That is very unusual.  The reinforcements haven’t fully secured the western shores.”  Celestia walked next to Luna.  
“My thoughts exactly.”
Celestia turned to Luna.  “My sister, why don’t you take the night off.  You’ve been working your hooves off since these pirates showed up.”
Luna stared off in the distance, then turned to her sister.  “You’re right, my sister.  I have been exhausted and these tasks have run me ragged.”  Celestia smiled as Luna continues.  “Will you be able to keep up with thy duties while I rest for the night?”
“Don’t worry about me.”  Celestia turned her head toward the stairway.  “Go on.  You more than deserve it.”
“Very well.”  Luna turned and walked toward the stairway down the tower.  “Good night, my sister.”
“You as well.”  Celestia turned to get ready for the rising of the moon as Luna started her way downstairs.


* * *


As the sun creeps over the horizon, Crimson laid near the edge of the city.  He stayed out of sight of the guards, but near where he last saw the girls.  His eyes opened at the first sign of light and he slowly got up, being careful not to pull any of his injuries too far.  He looked around to see if any of the girls were there, but no one was around.  He sighed then continued to wait.  


* * *


A couple of hours passed before Twilight flew by.  “Pst, Crimson!”  Crimson watched as she flies by.  He peeked from behind his resting spot, but out enough to be somewhat easily visible.  Twilight looked around, and then noticed him from his hiding spot.  “There you are.”  She flew up and landed beside him.
Crimson greeted her in a slight bowing gesture.  “Ms. Twilight Sparkle, I feared the worse.”
“Actually, something has happened.  Rainbow Dash is in the hospital.”  Crimson remained silent as Twilight continued.  “She was buried in the ground on the way to Canterlot.”
“Buried?”
“Actually, encased in stone is more like it.”  Twilight replied.  “And what’s weird is the girls and I found those drawings you do on the ground next to where she was found.”  Twilight observed Crimson as he slowly diverted his head to think to himself.  “I know that look.  What is it?”  Crimson turned and started to walk toward the balloon dock.  Twilight turned to look at him as he walked away.  “What is it?”
“Get me the balloon.  I have to check something.”
Twilight watched Crimson walk away.  “Well that was vague.”  She turned and jumped off the clouds and flew to get the balloon for Crimson.


* * *


After Twilight and Crimson rode the balloon down to the earth, Twilight started to trot toward the hole where Rainbow Dash was found.  She then turned around to realize Crimson wasn’t following her.  
“Hey!”  She turned around and caught up to Crimson, who was going in a different direction.  She looked over to Crimson.  “Where are you going?  Rainbow Dash was found over here.”
“Another more pressing question must be answered prior to my investigation of the site.”
“A more pressing question?”  Twilight questioned Crimson as she wondered what could be more important.
“Yes.  And pray to whatever deity you wish in hopes that I am wrong.”  He sped up, going as fast as his wounds could take him while she slowed down from his reply.
“We’re in trouble, aren’t we?”  She quickly trotted to catch up and the two started their way through the Everfree Forest.  
Eventually, the two make it through the forest and Twilight started to realize where he was going.  “Wait, isn’t this…?”  The two stopped at the edge of greatly disturbed ground that had been healing over the past year.  The ground dipped into a pit with a small pool of water at the bottom.  Foliage struggling to grow from the seedlings that the wind had placed over the seasons from this new lake.
“Yes.”  Crimson started to walk around the dip.  “This is where I escaped the underground.”
Twilight started to follow beside Crimson as he looked around the area.  “What are we looking for?”
“Any signs of disturbance.”
“What for?”  
Crimson remained silent for a moment before answering.  “My family.”
Twilight stopped in her tracks as she looked in surprise.  “Your f- your family?”  She caught up to Crimson as he stopped.
“Yes.  My family.”  He looked down at an obviously unnaturally created cave that led underground.  Crimson leaned in and looks closely at the ground, especially the grains of sand on the ground.  "Events have led me to believe that my family has come to the surface."
“That makes sense, I guess.”  Twilight started to pace.  “That would explain the magic that buried Rainbow Dash.  And that would explain…”  She looked at the cave in surprise in an epiphany.  “… the vault!”
Crimson picked up some sand from his hoof and watched it fall from his hoof to the ground.  “You are right, Ms. Twilight Sparkle.”  He put his hoof down and looked toward Ponyville and Canterlot.  “If I am correct, my family possess your Elements of Harmony.”  He started to trot back through the forest toward the city.  Twilight ran and caught up to him.
“But why?  They can’t use the elements.  The elements have to choose who can use them.”
“Do not underestimate the resources and the power of my family.”  The two leapt over a small ditch as Crimson continued.  “They may find a way to utilize the power of your elements.”
“Impossible!”
“I do not think so.  Demi’s sight and her knowledge of the arcane, paired up with Temethyst’s raw power, there is a possibility.”
“Then come on!  We have to hurry!”  Crimson and Twilight ran harder and faster to get through the forest in a more timely manner.


* * *


The two burst through the forest and continued their run toward Ponyville.  They panted heavily as Crimson slightly turned his head toward Twilight.  “I have been… meaning to ask… does your princess… know of my whereabouts?”
“What?  No.”  Twilight looked curiously upon Crimson panting.  “Why you ask?”
Crimson looked straight ahead as they started to pass travelers on the roads.  “I have encountered some pony… who says she works… for the princess.”
Twilight looked down the path as the two started to gallop around a bend.  “If she knew…  I’m sure she’d have arrested you.”
After a brief pause, she looked ahead and the two continued their way through the foliage.


* * *


The two escaped the forest and ran toward Ponyville.  Twilight looked to Crimson.  “I need to… check on Rainbow.”
“Very well.”
Twilight slowed to get on the other side of Crimson.  “Why don’t you… see her too?”
“I do not think… that would be wise.”
“Why not?”
“My wanted status… lays undiminished… from recent events.”
“What?”  She looked up at Crimson baffled.  “What the hoof does that mean?”
“It means…  I will be arrested on sight.”
Twilight looked ahead as they neared the road she needed to turn on to get to the hospital.  “Where will you be going?”
“Towards the setting sun.”  
Twilight slowed for a moment.  “West?”  She caught up to Crimson and looked at him.  “Why west?”
“The filly in the cabin.”
“What?  What filly?
“If she can truly see, they will seek her out.”
“Where is the cabin?”
“Near the mountains… on the shores… where your metal tracks reach.”
“Near the…”  Twilight thought to herself for a moment, putting Crimson’s clues together.  “All the way to Smokey Mountain?”
“If that is what the place is called, then yes.”
“That’ll take too long.”  She trotted up and got in front of Crimson to stop his run.  The two took a moment to catch their breath.  “You can’t run the entire way.”
Crimson panted enjoying the halt in his run.  “Do you have another suggestion?”
“I do.”  Twilight turned her head toward the train station, then the hospital.  “Meet me at the train station in Ponyville.  I’ll be there soon.”
Twilight started to trot to the hospital and the two went their separate ways.
> Chapter 9 – Crimson and the Trip West
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time passed as the wanted pony sat in in the shadows, out of sight at the train station.  He waited patiently for Twilight, hoping her mystery idea would work.  Eventually, Twilight arrived at the train station with Spike riding on her back, and Rarity and Fluttershy close behind - all of which were carrying saddle bags.  Crimson stepped out of his concealment to reveal himself to the girls.
Twilight turned and notices Crimson.  “Ah, there you are.”
Crimson walked up to the girls.  “Greetings.”
Spike’s eyes popped at the red pony’s brutal sight.  “Who’a.”
Fluttershy looked over Crimson’s seemingly crippled health.  “Oh, dear.  You look terrible.”
Rarity noticed his noble and knightly posture regardless the various wounds he had sustained since the last she saw him.  “I heard you were in bad shape, darling, but this isn’t what I imagined.”
Crimson looked over at the worried Rarity.  “Do not worry yourself with my injuries.  I have sustained worse.”
Fluttershy reached in her bag and started to pull out medical supplies to mend Crimson’s wounds.  “These should be bandaged up.  You don’t want to get an infection.”
Spike hopped off of Twilight’s back and Twilight looked at the tiny dragon.  “Spike, help Fluttershy.”
Spike saluted.  “Got it!”  He started to help Fluttershy bandage Crimson’s wounds as Rarity reached in her bag and started to pull out various articles of clothing.   
Rarity put a dress and a couple of other accessories next to Twilight.  “Twilight, these are for you.”  Twilight grabbed the dress and started to put it on as Rarity pulled out another outfit and set it next to Fluttershy.  “These are yours.”
Twilight finished putting on the accessories.  “How do I look?”
Rarity looked over to Twilight, then rose her hoof to her chin and thought for a moment.  “Well, it’s a start.”  She walked up and started to clean up Twilight, brushing her mane and wiping off the dirt that had collected during her time in the forest.  
Fluttershy and Spike finished bandaging up Crimson.  “There.  All better.”  She took a step back and looked the bandaged pony over.  
Rarity took a step back from Twilight and looked her over.  Twilight returned Rarity;s gaze.  “How do I look now?”
Rarity smiled.  “You look great.”
Crimson looked over at everyone putting on various outfits.  Twilight noticed Crimson’s questionable expression.  “Don’t worry.  It’s all a part of my plan.”
Crimson nodded as Rarity took out his outfit.  “Here, these are for you.”  She started to dress up Crimson while everyone else got in their clothes.  Then, she accidentally nudged an injury while putting on his coat.  She recoiled as Crimson lightly winces.  “Oh, sorry darling.”
Crimson looked over at Rarity.  “Need not worry about me.”   
She smiled.  “I’m sure.”  She took a step forward and continued to more gently dress up Crimson.
The train’s whistle blew in the distance signaling it’s approach.  Rarity quickly cleaned up everyone’s appearance.  She took a step back to look over everyone's appearance one last time.  “You all look fabulous!”  
Twilight turned and looked at everyone.  “Great!  Now let’s get going.  We haven’t a moment to waste.”  
“Umm, Twilight.”  Spike looked up to the princess.  “What do you want me to do?”  Saddlebags were tossed into his arms and he collapsed from the weight. 
“Take these back to the library.”  Twilight tossed her bag to Spike.  “We’ll meet you there.”
“Spike’s hand pops up from under the bags and saluted.  “You can count…”  The bags shifted, then crumble completely, burying the tiny dragon.  “… on me!”  He finished with a muffled voice.
Twilight, looking very noble and one with a prestigious title, started to walk toward the train station.  
Rarity, also looking like a noble of Canterlot, followed.  After a few steps, she stopped and turned toward Crimson and Fluttershy.  “Come on.”
Fluttershy lowered her head and started to walk with a feeling of a lack of confidence.  Rarity turned and looked toward the well-dressed yellow pegasus.  She walked up to her and put her hoof under her chin.  “Head up, darling.  For this to work, you must look confident.”  Fluttershy started to raise her head.  “Keep going…  There.”  
Fluttershy, almost looking straight in the air, struggled to see Rarity with the corners of her eyes.  “Like this?”
Rarity smiled and noded.  “Perfect.”
Fluttershy tried to look at Rarity, much less where Twilight is walking.  “A-Are you sure?”
Rarity smiled.  “Yes, just like that.”  She turned and walked beside Fluttershy.  “That means you’re high society and no pony can look down to you.”
Crimson took a couple of steps forward, his posture as knightly and noble as if he belonged in a life of luxury.  His dark suit hided his bandages.  A fake beard and glasses were placed on his face, and a tophat on his head to hide his notorious curved horn.
Rarity looked over at Crimson.  “Like that.  Perfect!”
Fluttershy peeled over to Crimson trying to see what she was talking about.  Her posture broke as she noticed him going about acting noble as if it were second nature. 
Rarity looked over at Fluttershy.  “Chin up, dear.”
Fluttershy snapped and went back to her posture.
Twilight turned and looked at the ponies in the distance.  She loudly cleared her throat, and the others quickened their pace to catch up to her as a train pulled up to the station.  The steam blew from the train as it came to a stop at the loading platform.  Guards stood at the doors watching all passengers due to the theft in the castle.  Twilight walked up to the doors of the first class car.  The guard’s eyes popped and they stand up straight in respect at the approaching princess.  Twilight walked passed them and boarded the train uneventful. 
Rarity started to walk on the train.  The guards stopped her.  Twilight poked her head out of the car.  “Is there a problem with my royal guests?”
The guards looked shocked and stood up in salute.  “Uh, n-no your highness.”
“Good.”  Twilight turned and goes back into the car.  She turned her head and nudged to gesture everyone to quickly get into the car.  With little hesitation, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Crimson entered the car.  Shortly after, the doors closeed and Twilight lets out a deep breath of relief.  “That was intense.”
Rarity broke her posture and looked at Twilight.  “You’re a genius, darling!”
Twilight sat down at a seat.  “I can’t believe that worked.”  She looked up at Fluttershy, who was as stiff as a board basically looking at the ceiling.  “Uh, Fluttershy? …  Fluttershy?”  Fluttershy peeked down to Twilight.  “It’s okay.  You can relax now.” 
Fluttershy let out a large exhale as she loosened up.  “Thank goodness.  I didn’t know how much longer I could have done that.”
Twilight smiled, then looked over at Crimson.  “You can relax, too.”
Crimson looked down to the princess.  “I am relaxed.”
Twilight lightly chuckled.  “Somehow I knew you were going to say that.”  The group slightly jolted as the train started to move. 
Rarity sat next to Twilight and they looked up at Crimson.  “Okay, what’s the plan?  And why west?”
“The filly.” 
Rarity and Fluttershy looked confused at Crimson.  “You mentioned the filly when we were running back from the Everfree Forest…”  Twilight remarked.
Rarity looked at Twilight.  “No wonder you were so dirty.  What were you doing with Crimson in the Everfree Forest?”
“It’s a long story.”  Twilight and the girls turned their attention to Crimson.  “Now tell us what’s going on and what this has to do with a filly.”
Crimson stared out the window, thinking before he started to tell the girls what he believed what was going on.  “Our race has been slowly dying out these past few seasons.  With our conflicts and the advancements in our magic, the number of casualties have been rising more and more.”  He looked at the girls.  “To put things in perspective, you have outlived the normal life expectancy of a typical soldier pony.  If you grew up where I did, you would all probably be dead by now.”  A chilled feeling ran down the girls’ spine at the thought of that realization. 
Twilight had a passing thought after the chill passed.  “But you lived so it couldn’t be that bad.”
“On the contrary, my brothers have sent me on countless missions which I was never supposed to make it back.  The only times a member of my family came along was to slaughter easy prey or accomplish easy or ‘fun’ tasks.”
Rarity recoiled.  “How dreadful.”
“Even then, my family would continue their internal power struggle in the houses just to be the top of the hierarchy of the city.  We have grown into a loathsome and fearful lifestyle.”  After a moment’s pause, he shook his head.  “Pardon, I digress.”  The girls leaned back in their chairs to listen to Crimson’s tale as he continued.  “I do not know why my family is here, nor why they have captured your magical relics.  What I DO know is that there is one filly in this land that may shed some light on the subject.”
“And why would a filly know what’s going on?”
“She will not know, but she will also know.”
The girls blinked baffled at the answer.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Because the young filly may have seen their intent.”
Again, the girls were baffled at the cryptic answer.
Fluttershy looked at Twilight.  “I-I don’t get it.”
Rarity chimed in.  “Neither do I.”
“Now hold on, girls.”  Twilight tried to put the puzzle everything together as Crimson continued.
“Princess, are you familiar with seers?”
The girls looked at Crimson as Twilight got a vague memory of something she had read.   “Seers? … I’ve read about them.  Something about being able to see the future.”
“You are a wise and intelligent princess.”  Twilight lightly blushed.  “They have the gift and the curse of sight.  They see one of many outcomes that involves their lives.  They can use their sight to track enemies, foresee ambushes, gain prior knowledge of an event in battle before it happens, or even plot an overthrow of entire kingdoms.  The more powerful they get, the quicker and clearer their visions can come to them.  They are a terrible affliction and a great boon for any military to adopt such a weapon.  They are never alone.  They are always watched.  And as of late, they are now hunted.” 
Twilight looked toward the girls.  “Kind of reminds me of Pinkie Pie.”  The girls chuckled.
“All seers are connected and they can interact with each other during their visions.  This filly must have stumbled upon Demi’s vision, which would explain her nightmares.  She knows what they are planning, and they will be hunting her and all she has told her vision to.”
Fluttershy expressed her concern.  “Oh my, we must save that poor filly.”
Crimson looked confused for a brief moment.   
“I agree, darling.”  Rarity turned to look at the girls.  “We have to rescue the defenseless child from those… those… savages!”  Rarity looked at Crimson.  “Uh, present company excluded.”
Twilight noticed the baffled look on Crimson’s face.  “What’s up?”
“You would risk your lives for an enemy?”
Rarity gasped.  “She is not an enemy.”
“Rarity’s right.”  Twilight added.  “We have to save the filly.”
“She is the only clue we have of my family’s whereabouts.  So long as we find her first, we can expect to eventually confront my family.  As they take care of the filly and her family, we shall have the element of surprise with a chance of victory.  Two goals completed in one fell swoop.”
Twilight’s eyes popped as she gasped.  “You mean you were going to use the filly as bait?!”
Rarity and Fluttershy looked at Crimson shocked.  “She’s just a filly!”
“Did you not hear my explanation?  She is dangerous!”
Rarity lifted a hoof while she closed her eyes and turned her head.  “That’s nonsense.  She’s an innocent girl, not a weapon.”
Fluttershy gently chimed her opinion.  “Besides, if she grew up around love and happiness, she wouldn’t be a bad filly.”
Crimson stared quietly at the three ponies across from him as Twilight leaned in.  “The girls are right.  Even if what you say is true, we have to give her a chance.  We have to save her.”
The girls agreed and they looked at Crimson.  He took slow, deep breaths then straightens his posture.  “Very well, princess.  If you wish for me to save the filly and her family, I shall do what you ask.”
The girls cheer and they started to talk about their plan the rest of the way of their trip.
> Chapter 10 – Crimson and the Flashes in the Forest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia stood atop the castle tower watching the sun close in on the distant horizon.  She awaited her sister’s return to raise the moon and wondered where her former star pupil ran off to.  She found it shocking and troublesome to learn that Twilight Sparkle wasn't next to her friend in her time of need, and wondered what errand has taken priority over her friend’s support.  As the sun drew closer to the horizon, Celestia turned and started to walk down the stairs.  The shadows shifting as the light vanished from the sky.  The night will be a moonless night.


* * *


The chilling northern air bit on the coats of any pony outside on the clear and dark no-moon night.  The cabin’s chimney plumed smoke from the fire in the fireplace keeping the small cabin warm and inviting to the residents inside.  In the forest in the distance, two sets of eyes - a yellow set and a red set - lit up, staring at the structure ahead.
The yellow eyes speak a soft and gentle tone.  “My Lord, she’s in there.” 
A pause as the red eyes glared at the cabin.  Then the jet black coated pony stepped out of the shadows, his intricate and embroidered armor flawless, his leather clothing perfect, his mane well groomed, his curved horn glowing and his leather wings tucked in.  Behind him, the yellow eyed pony stepped from the shadows with her leather robes covering her dark purple coat and mane.  She too has a curved horn and tucked in leathery wings.  The red eyed pony took the lead and they start to walk toward the house.  
The two got to the door of the cabin almost invisible to the naked eye.  The red eyed pony grinned.  His horn lit up as he lifted a hoof.  The climbing claws on the pony’s hoof turned bright red.  Then, the robed pony’s eyes turned white as she took a breath.  “Brother?”
The armored pony’s horn darkened as his claws slashed at the door, ripping it to shreds and leaving a purple mist in its wake.  Large chunks of wood flew across the room hitting the wall and falling to the floor.  Crimson stood in the middle of the room looking at the intruding ponies. 
The armored pony lightly laughed to himself at the sight of Crimson as he slowly walked into the building.  “My my, if it isn’t the traitor.”
The robed pony, her eyes back to their normal color, walked in behind the armored pony staring at Crimson.  “Brother?  How did you get here?”
Crimson looked at the two.  “Scorch, I am not surprised to see you come.”
“Right...”  Scorch started to walk around Crimson, keeping his distance.
“Brother, you’re alive!”
Crimson nodded to his sister.  “Demi.  I am pleased to see you too.”
Scorch stomped his hoof.  “Silence, traitor!  You have no right to talk to noble blood.”  He looked at Demi.  “Remember your place.”
“Uh, yes, my Lord.”  Demi’s eyes went from sympathetic to lethal, fixating on her younger brother.
The three stood quietly, looking at each other for a long moment.  Scorch lightly paced back and fourth.  Demi looked devilishly at her new target.  Crimson didn't move from his place, only turning his head to watch the two intruders.  The cracking of the firewood popped in the fireplace.  Otherwise, just silence.
Demi looked over the once honorable and renowned soldier that stood before her.  “You look terrible, little brother.  Looks like this world has taken its toll.”
“This world has treated me fair, unlike the world I once resided.”
Scorch took a breath.  “Silence!  Crimson Thull, I command you to take out your Punisher and redeem your honor by taking your own life.”
“I am no longer your servant of death, or your slave of misery.”
Scorch grinned as he angrily stares.  “So be it.”  His horn glowed and a whip of fire lashed out of his horn. 
Demi’s eyes went white and her expression pale.  She jumped at Scorch to grab him, knocking him out of the way as Crimson stomped his left hoof.  The entire room lit up, burning the drawings that were strategically placed before their arrival to empower Crimson’s magic.  A loud crash was heard as the walls suddenly ripped apart, and two large stone claws made from the ground outside crashed through the wood, lunging to grab the charging pony.  The claws miss the redirected attacker and drug everything in their path down into the ground, burying anything unfortunate enough to be caught in their way.  The fire in the fireplace was extinguished from the attack as dust picked up, making it difficult to see anything.  Wood and other housley materials continued to give at the force of gravity and fell to the ground and bounced off of Demi’s protective barrier, as Demi and Scorch started coughing, trying to catch their breath from the disorientating attack.
“Demi, you fool!”  Scorch pushed her off of him.  “How dare you not see this ambush?!”
“I’m sorry, my Lord.  I-“ 
“Silence!”  Scorch got to his hooves and saw that Crimson is no longer in the room.  “Find the seer!”
“Yes, my lord.”  She dropped her barrier and stood up to regain her composure.
Scorch jumped over the pit that was to be his tomb and looked outside the hole in the wall.  In the distance, he saw the trotting of a pony into the black forest.  “Coward!”  Scorch ran after him as Demi shook the dust off of her.
Scorch ran through the forest chasing Crimson down.  Though Scorch carried a lot of weight on his body, Crimson’s wounds slowed his progress down.  Scorch pointed his curved horn at his prey, blasting orbs of pure fire at Crimson.  Crimson diverts his path, causing the fireball to hit a tree exploding and catching the tree on fire.
“Run, boy!”  Scorch taunted as he unleashed more fireballs at Crimson. 


* * *


Demi’s eyes turned white again as she stared off into the void.  She blinked and her eyes turned normal and she turned toward the back room.  “She isn’t’ here, is she, girl?”
The door opened, revealing Twilight Sparkle hiding.  “How did you know I was..?”  She looked stunned at the devastation.  “Holy hoof!”
“Where is she?”
“My friends took her and her family to safety.  You’ll never find her.”
“Silly girl.”  Demi lightly lifted her head, looking down at the unknowing princess.  “You just don’t understand.”  Her horn lit up and a blast of fire shot from her horn at Twilight.
Twilight’s horn lit up and quickly channeled a spell that shielded her of the attack.  The flames hit the shield, spreading out around her and catching the surroundings on fire, much like when she first encountered Crimson and his fire magic.  Unlike the first time she encountered this kind of magic, she held her ground and felt confident about her defense against fire magic.  Twilight stood and looked at the robed pony totally unaffected by her attack.
“You’re new at this whole, ‘fight’ thing, aren’t you?  Didn’t even counter-attack.”  She whipped her head, unleashing a powerful shockwave of fire from the surrounding flames.  
Twilight ducked down, casting a spell  and shielding her from the impending attack.  The structure around Twilight started to heat up and grow slowly engulfing the house.  Twilight just stood and looked at Demi, who was a more than a little amazed her her magical prowess.  
“Though I have to admit, your magic defenses are very admirable.”  Demi smiled and started to walk toward Twilight.
Twilight tried to take a step back, but felt the flames behind her impeding her path.  
Demi’s eyes went white as she took another step.  “But your defenses won’t be enough!”  She stomped her hoof on the floor, the ground below Twilight started to shift, making Twilight lightly lose her balance.  Then Demi lunged her horn toward Twilight and a cone of flame shot from Demi’s horn at the staggered princess.  Twilight barely got a shield up to guard against the fire, but the powerful hit knocked her back through the flaming wall and into the sandy beach.  Eventually, she slid and tumbled to a stop with a fifty foot sand trail from the cabin to her location.  With her coat and mane singed, and slowly recovering from the stunning blow, Twilight saw the red flashes of magical fire being used in the once dark forest as it starts to illuminate from the trees combusting from the fight. 


* * *


Crimson ran deeper into the forest with Scorch close behind.  Scorch’s horn glowed, charging for a massive attack against the fleeing pony.  Finally, Scorch stopped his pursuit and stabilized his position against the powerful recoil from the spell.  A huge ball of fire blasted from his horn, causing Scorch to get drug back a short distance.  The fireball blasted through the trees Crimson was using for defense and continued toward its target.  Crimson looked behind him to see the flames blast through the wood toward him.  He gave a little jump, the a huge leap, using his injured wings to assist him to get higher into the air.  His horn glowed as he starts to tilt downward.  He lifted his front hooves toward the ground to catch his fall.  His hind legs whipped around, making Crimson face powerful fireball.  As he slid to a stop, the ground started to shake.  With the fireball moments away, Crimson let out a struggling growl as he lunged his head up, causing the ground to split.  A stone wedge ripped from the earth in between Crimson and the fire.  The fire was split in half, going around Crimson, but obliterates the foliage in its path. 
Scorch trotted up to the wedge in the earth and the pony on the other side.  “You fool.  Without the binding circle, I bet that took a lot out of you.”
Crimson looked up at Scorch panting.  “I am not through yet.”
Scorch grinned.  “Challenge accepted.”  With his horn glowing, Scorch swiped some dirt at Crimson.  The dirt merged and turned into a boulder that quickly accelerated and hit the warrior pony, knocking him on his back.  Crimson twisted his body around and quickly went to his hooves.  His head whipped around, causing some of the fire to lash out at Scorch.  He just stood there letting the fire hit him.  Scorch lifted a hoof and tapped his armor.  “You forget about this?” 
“No.”  With the cocky Scorch having a hoof off the ground, Crimson stomped his hoof on the ground and whipped his head in the opposite direction, causing the earth to extract from the ground and slam into the side of the unbalanced Scorch.  He slid on the ground from the surprise hit, but the veteran soldier rolled with the impact and got to his hooves in a heartbeat.  Using the momentum of the hit, Scorch whipped his head around, causing the very same boulder Crimson erected to fly at its originator.  Crimson tried to cast a spell to counter the attack, but he was hit and again knocked on his back.  The boulder shattered with pieces falling all around Crimson.


* * *


Twilight staggerd to her hooves, sand falling from her singed coat and mane.  Demi walked casually toward Twilight and stopped before reaching her.  “You really are a gifted pony.  With the right training, I bet you could have been a powerful ruler.”
Twilight looked at Demi in a daze.  “I don’t need training.”  Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees.  She looked up at Demi with pride.  “I have the best teacher in all of Equestria!”
“Is that so?  Then your teacher is a failure.”  Demi’s eyes turned white.  “Farewe-“  Demi’s eyes went back to yellow as she quickly looked to her left.  A slight blur of a pony hit her and knocked her off her feet. 
“Sorry I’m late, darling.”
“Rarity!”  Twilight, given strength through hope, stood on her hooves once more.  “Where’s Fluttershy?”
“Her and the filly’s family are safe.”
“Good.”  Twilight and Rarity stood side by side as Demi stood from the flanking blow.
Demi looked at her new opponent.  “Well now, this just got interesting.”


* * *


“Your magic is pathetic.  Without your enchanted gems and your armor, you’re just another peasant waiting to be crushed by my hoof.”  Scorch looked down at the exhausted, battered, and beaten Crimson.  “You’ve lost, fool.  You should have saved me the trouble and taken your own life when you had the chance.”  Scorch started to walk toward Crimson.  “It would have been so much less painful for you.”
Crimson rolled over and looks up at Scorch.  “Never again shall I yield to your will.  I am done with you!”
Scorch smiled.  “Likewise.”  His horn lit up and a whip of fire extended from his horn.  Crimson took a breath, closing his eyes, knowing it would be the end.  The fire lashed down at the helpless pony when a black whirlwind appeared between the two cutting the whip in half.  Scorch leaps back to get distance from the strange event.  After the whirlwind dissipates, a cloaked pony stood between Crimson and Scorch.
The cloaked pony looked at Scorch.  “So, ‘tis true.”
“You’re a dishonorable coward, brother!  You can’t even die in honor or dignity.”  Scorch took a step back and looked at the cloaked figure.  “But you, you have signed your death note.”  He lunged forward, firing a ball of fire at the cloaked pony.  Without the slightest gesture, the fireball shrank and fizzled before it ever got close to the cloaked pony.  Scorch looked surprised at the display of power.  He gave an enraged shout as an even more powerful ball of fire shot at the cloaked figure.  Again, the power diminished and fizzled before it reached its mark.  Scorch bucked, then stomped his hooves on the ground, causing a wave of earth to ripple toward the cloaked pony, but they just stood still as, again, the magic diminished before reaching its mark.  The cloaked pony stood silent, staring at the armored pony.  Scorch panted at the figure.  “You have a coward’s luck, brother.  Until we meet again.”  Scorch turned and ran into the engulfed forest. 
Crimson slowly stood up.  “You…  I do not understand.”
The cloaked pony turned around to face Crimson.  “It is not for you to understand.”  The black whirlwind wrapped around the cloaked pony and the strange sage vanished.  Panting, beat up, and exhausted, Crimson started to make his way back to the cabin to check on Twilight.


* * *


The forest behind Demi lit up from the fire fight in the thick.  Demi looked at her new opponent.  “My, you are beautiful.”
Rarity blushed.  “Thank you.”  She lifted a hoof and fixed her mane.  “I work hard to do so.”
“I can tell.”  She looked at the shine her hair gave, even in the darkness of a moonless night.  “How do you get your hair to shine like that?”
“Oh.  A combination of herbs and minerals and a regular regime of cleaning and maintenance.”
“If you live through the night, you must tell me your secrets.”
Rarity blinked stunned at the remark as Demi’s horn lit up while she bent down.  Then she lunged up, causing a pillar of earth to pierce the sand, tossing Rarity and Twilight back and up into the air.  Twilight spread her wings and used her magic to stabilize Rarity as they gently fell back to the beach.  The two looked at Demi, who took the time to quickly draw in the sand.  Before they could react, the pillar turned to dust and covered Rarity and Twilight.  The two lifted a hoof to protect their eyes from the gust of sand.  
When the sand settled down, Rarity started to brush her mane, trying to get the sand out of her hair.  “That was a dirty trick!”  
Then, the sand lifted and tried to suck the two down into the ground.  Rarity and Twilight acted quickly and channeled a counter-spell, causing a large chunk of stone from underneath them to lift them to safety.  Demi looked at her foes.  “Clever…”  Then she pushed against the ground with her hooves as a spike of stone ripped through the ground, attacking the stone platform the two stood on.  While Rarity used her magic to keep the stone stable as best as she could, Twilight used her magic to put a barrier around the two protecting them from the spike.  Upon impact, the spike crumbled into sand not even phasing the two ponies.  The barrier dropped as the sand in the air collected on the platform.
“Very impressive.”  Demi lightly lifted her head and her sand ripped the platform apart.  Twilight and Rarity fell and land lightly on their hooves.  “Your tactic makes no sense.  Why haven’t you attacked?”
“What will that prove?”  Twilight asked.  
“That you deserve to live.”  With Demi’s influence still held on the sand from boulder which the two were standing on, the magic circle under her lit up, and she used the influence of the sand to form into a solid boulder to hit Twilight.  Surprised, Twilight was pinned to the ground.  Demi twisted her hoof and the stone merged with the sand, trapping her on the ground.  Rarity looked over at her friend when she was taken by surprise as Demi pounced Rarity, pinning her on her back.  
Twilight tried to get up but remained pinned.  “Where did that come from?”
“I was drawing it while you were on your pathetic rock.  Now with regret, my pretty…”  Demi grabbed a decorated knife from under her cloak and pressed it against Rarity's neck.  “We won’t be able to trade beauty secrets.”  Suddenly, Demi was lifted off the ground. 
“How dare you hurt my friends!”  Fluttershy started to carry the sorceress off shore over the ocean. 
Demi dropped her blade and, in horror, tried to reach up to grab Fluttershy, as to not fall in the dark void of water.  Demi’s eyes turned white as she stared at the water.  Then, Demi gave a high pitched scream, “Noooooo!!!”  Fluttershy let go, and she started her fall into the water.  With a loud splash, Demi vanished into the abyssal depths. 
Fluttershy flew back to the shore and landed next to Rarity.  “Rarity, are you two okay?”
Rarity stood coughing and Twilight struggled to get out of the stone entrapment.  “I’m fine, darling.”  She leaned her head down and used her magic to weaken the foundation of the stone trap.  Twilight twisted and broke her encasement.
Fluttershy helped Twilight up.  “Are you okay, Twilight?”
“Yeah.”  Twilight looked at her yellow coated pegasus friend.  “Fluttershy, you saved our lives.”
Fluttershy looked down and away blushing.  “Oh, it was nothing.”
Rarity put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder.  “Nothing?  Oh, come now, darling.  Don’t be so modest.”
Fluttershy looked up and smiled and the girls hug each other.
Twilight looked at the forest fire.  “Come on.  We have to help Crimson.  He may be in trouble.”
The girls turned and started to charge into the blaze before a pony walked out of the inferno.  The three stopped and prepare to defend themselves.
Twilight noticed the silhouette wasn't as bulky as Scorch’s, then came to the conclusion who it was.  “Crimson!”  The girls dropped their guard and ran to meet him mid-way.
Rarity cheered in excitement.  “Crimson, darling.  You’re okay!”
Fluttershy briefly looked over the injuries.  “He looks even more terrible than before.”
Crimson staggered and started to collapse, but was caught by the girls before he came close to hittng the ground.  “Poor dear.”
After getting him secured, Twilight looked at Fluttershy and Rarity.  “Come on, girls.  Let’s get him to the hospital.”
“What about the forest?”  Fluttershy looked at the inferno slowly engulfing the forest.  “We have to help the poor, defenseless animals.”
The weak Crimson barely lifted his head.  “Scorch… He is still out there.”
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “Well that settles it.  We have to get out of here.”
Fluttershy looked upon the blaze.  “But the animals…”
“Fluttershy, the weather pegasi will handle the fire.  Now, we have to go.”
The girls worked together to get Crimson to safety.
> Chapter 11 – Crimson and the Aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emergency pegasi were dispatched to extinguish the forest fire to gather rainclouds to pour rain water over the flames.  The sun started to rise illuminating the morning dew and the intense downpour used to fight the fire. 
Deep in the forest, Crimson jolted awake and quickly sat up.  His eyes were dark and his skin was wrinkled.  He started to pant as he felt dizzy and weak.  He lied down feeble and fatigued. 
Fluttershy walked up to Crimson.  “Try not to move.”
Crimson looked around to find himself bandaged up.  He let out a large but painful exhale.  With his voice pathetic and cracking, he tried to talk.  “I have been…”  He felt his mouth dry and sticky and he smacked his lips a few times to try to get some moisture in his throat.  “I have been waking up a lot like this lately.”
“Poor thing.  I bet you’re thirsty.”  Fluttershy grabbed a manipulated leaf for a water collector.  “Here.”  She tipped the leaf letting the rain water from the fire gently pour down his throat. 
Twilight walked up to greet the dehydrated and injured warrior.  “Hey, how are you feeling?”
Crimson lifted his head and saw Twilight walk up, then laid his head back down.  “I have been better.”
“Now I’m worried.”  Twilight sat next to Crimson.
“What happened to my sister?”
“Well…”  Twilight looked at Fluttershy thinking about how to explain what happened. 
Crimson saw Twilight’s expression.  “Nevermind my request.  I know what happened.”  He turned his head toward Fluttershy.  “Did you get them to safety?”
Fluttershy nodded.  “Yes.”
“Then I have accomplished my mission.”  His eyes went heavy.
“C-Crimson?”  Twilight stood and leaned in as his eyes closed,  then he went limp.
Fluttershy lifted her hoof to her lips.  “Hush.  He’s dehydrated and needs to rest.”
“Oh.”  She stood up and walked off feeling, a little naive and embarrassed.


* * *


In a room in the Ponyville Hospital, the mood lightened up as Rainbow Dash finally opened her eyes,  awakening from her coma.  Foggy and fuzzy, she started to make out the shape of Applejack.  With a blink, a pop was heard and a fuzzy form of color shot across her line of vision as Pinkie Pie fired a streamer in celebration to Rainbow Dash’s awakening.  After another blink, her eyes started to focus and she realized where she was at.  “Who-at’a..?”  She gagged when she felt the tube lodged down her throat.  Rainbow Dash reached up and grabbed the tube, then removed it from her throat.  She gagged and coughed.  “What am I doing here?” 
Applejack refrained from gagging and stood in excitement.  “Rainbow Dash, you’re okay!”
“What?”  Rainbow Dash looked confused at Applejack.  “Of course I’m okay.”
Pinkie Pie popped up from behind Applejack.  “See?  I told you the streamers would work!”
Applejack looked at the crippled pagasus.  “Rainbow, what happened?  Did Crimson do this to ya?”
“Crimson?  No.”  Rainbow Dash rubbed her head with her hoof, trying to console a splitting headache.  “In fact, I don’t think he had anything to do with any of this.”
“What’chya mean, hun?”
“I mean he didn’t do anything.”
“Then tell us what happened.”
Princess Celestia entered the room.  “Yes, please tell us what happened.”
“Your highness.”  Applejack and Pinkie Pie turned around and greeted Princess Celestia with a bow. 
Rainbow Dash started to struggle to get up before Princess Celestia lifted a hoof.  “Please, don’t get up.”  Rainbow Dash relaxed and collapsed back in her bed.  “I am very eager to hear what happened.”
Rainbow Dash struggled to remember as the details were foggy.  “I was in Cloudsdale.  Crimson came to talk to me.  He said to find Twilight.  When I went looking for her, I got ambushed by some pony.  Next thing I know, I’m here.”
“And this mysterious pony that ambushed you, you’re sure it wasn’t Crimson?”
“I’m positive, Princess.”
“I see.  Thank you.  Get well.”  Princess Celestia turned around and headed out of the door.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie turned their attention to their recovering friend.  Rainbow Dash looked around and realized that some of her friends were missing.  “Where’s Twilight?  Where’s Rarity?  Where’s Fluttershy?”
“That’s the thing, hun.  We don’t know.”
“What?”  Rainbow Dash started to sit up before Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder.
“Calm down, hun.  They’re not missing.”  Rainbow Dash lied back down.
“Yeah.  A couple of days ago, Twilight just came in with a bunch of bags, asked Rarity and Fluttershy to follow her, and for us to stay here.”
“Oh.”  Rainbow Dash tensed up as she thought about what she just heard.  “A couple of days?  How… How long have I been here?”
“You’ve been here for four days, hun.”
“Four d-“  Rainbow Dash let out a sigh and lied down in surprise.  “And you all stayed here with me?”
Pinkie Pie again popped her head from behind Applejack.  “Yep!  And we were sitting and sitting and sitting… Of course we had to get a drink and some food but we were just sitting and sitting… Then Applejack fell asleep.  Or was it me that fell asleep?”
Applejack looked behind her.  “That’s enough, Pinkie.”  She looked back at Rainbow Dash.  “Of course we stayed with ya.  I’m sure Twilight and the others would have too if they could.”
Rainbow Dash turned her head and smiled.  “Thanks you guys.”
“Don’t mention it.  And I’m glad color is coming back to your face hun.”


* * *


Deep in a cave somewhere in Equestria, Scorch, out of breath and exhausted, walked passed a table with a glimmering and elegant tiara and five golden gemmed necklaces on it.  After a few breaths, Scorch lifted his head and bowed to an oversized robbed pony almost double his size covered in furs.  “My King.”  He lifted his head to address the pony.  “We couldn’t locate the seer.  We were ambushed… … By the traitor Crimson Thull.”
A loud, deep groan echoed throughout the cavern halls.  His deep, grumbling voice boomed.  “The Ebon Commander survives.”
Scorch bowed deeply.  “Yes, my King.”
The very large robbed pony turned to face Scorch with clanking metal with each step.  The sound of dangling steel chimmed and filled the cavern with each movement of the gigantic pony.  “What of Demina?”
“My King, she…  I believe she is lost.”
The king groaned in anger.  Suddenly, Scorch was lifted into the air.  Scorch lifted his hoof to try to grab whatever had his neck and lifted him higher and higher from the ground.  He choked and gasped, unable to get a single breath of air.  The king stepped forward to the helpless Scorch and looked deep into his eyes.  Scorch’s struggle lessened and lessened.  Eventually, his hooves dropped limp as his gasps fell silent.  Then, he fell to the ground, his armor clanking at the impact.  Scorch choked and coughed trying to breath again as the king turned around.  “Find the child.  Bring her to me alive.”
“Y-“  Scorch coughed.  “Yes, my King.”  He stood up.  “My King, I-“  Scorch coughed again.
“What?”
“My King, there was a cloaked figure.  My magic – it has no effect.”  
The king turned around to listen to Scorch’s report.  
“It was like she…  nullified it.”
The king groaned, then turned to the table.  “Be gone.”
Scorch bowed.  “Yes, my King.”  While facing the king, he started stepping backward while bowing until he left the chamber.
The jewelry started to lightly glow as the king looked at the tiara.  They started to shake as a black glow surrounded the elements.  Deep under the cloaked king, his eyes started to light up.  Then the dark glow diminished, as does the glow under the hood.  The king gave a light, grumbling chuckle, turned around, then went about his business.


* * *


Crimson’s eyes slowly opened.  The bright blue sky blinded him as he squinted, and he tried to shield his eyes from the light with exaggerated blinks.  He took a few breaths, then moaned as he started to roll over to see the girls talking around a campfire. 
Crimson lifted his hoof toward the girls.  “Ms. Fluttershy.” 
The girls looked at Crimson.  “He’s awake again!”  They rushed over to assist Crimson. 
Crimson looked at Fluttershy.  “Ms. Fluttershy, I need to talk to the seer.”
“The filly?”  Fluttershy asked.
Twilight looked at Fluttershy, then back at Crimson.  “But why?  They’re safe now.”
“Maybe.”  Crimson rolled over and tried to stand.  The girls extended their hooves to lend their support.  “However, we still do not know of my brother’s intent.”  Finally, he was on his hooves again.  The girls took a step back and Crimson stood tall and proud once more. 
“Well, if you say so.”  Fluttershy turned her head toward the forest.
Crimson looked at the yellow pagasus.  “Can you take me to her?”
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “Can you make it?”
Crimson nodded. 
“Okay, let’s go.” 


* * *


As the four ponies walked through the woods, Crimson looked over to Rarity.  “Ms. Rarity.”
Rarity looked up to Crimson with battered eyes.  “Yes?”
“Even after everything you have been through and after all of this time away from civilization, you still look radiant.”
Rarity blushed and looked away.
Twilight turned her head to Crimson.  “Again with the Ms. thing.”
“I- … My apologies.”
Rarity looked at Crimson.  “It’s alright, darling.”


* * *


The trek was slow as they continued to make their way through the woods.  The night started to sneak up as they finally looked upon the boundaries of a city. 
Twilight looked at the city.  “Fluttershy, you took them to Vanhoover?”
Fluttershy nodded her head.  “Mm-hm.”
Twilight turned her head to Fluttershy.  “Who do you know in Vanhoover?”
“Well, there was this elderly mare who traveled to Ponyville and she got lost.  Then, when I helped her find her way, she adopted a puppy and said if I was ever in Vanhoover to say hello… So I said hello.”
Twilight smiled at the conclusion of the story.  “Wow Fluttershy.  That’s amazing.  Who is the old mare?”
“Well, she said her name was Vanderhoof.”
Rarity shook her head in disbelief.  “Wai-wait.  Vanderhoof?  You mean DUCHESS Vanderhoof?
Fluttershy lowered her head.  “I… I guess…”
Rarity smiled with excitement.  “Come, darlings.  I can’t wait to see the house… I mean the bath… I mean the filly.”
“Me too, Rarity.  Come on.  Let’s go say hello.”
The group started to make their way into the city.


* * *


The moon was weak as the clouds formed in the distance.  Princess Luna met Princess Celestia atop the tower.  Celestia looked behind her and saw her sister.  “Good evening my sister.”
Luna walked up beside Celestia.  “’Tis good to see you again.”
“I’m glad to see you’re back.”
“As am I.  I could use a good day’s rest.”
Celestia smiled.  “I’m sure you do.”
“But first, the pirates called upon a parley with the ruler of Equestria for a cease in hostilities.”
Celestia looked at her sister.  “Really?”
“Tis true.” 
“When is this meeting supposed to take place?
Luna turned around and a large, scaled pony walked up the stairs.  His crown was a silver looking material that shimmered in the dim moonlight as it sat firmly atop his white fin mane.  Large tentacles extruded out of the face and tied at the bottom in a large braid.  Tied around his neck was a large shell.  His muzzle was pierced with rings made of a silver material.  His pony body was made up of brilliant blue and green scales with webbed hooves and a long fin for a tail.  He carries a seaweed looking saddlebag around his back.  On the side of his neck were large, deep slits that pulsate with each breath the pony takes.
“My sister, may I present Sea King Triton.”
In a crude, gurgling voice, the Sea King slowly speaks.  “I belieeeveeed… somewhere… greeeat creeeatures… like my… were in this world.”
Celestia lightly recoiled at the sudden strange accent.  “Equestria is filled with great and powerful creatures.”
The Sea King observed the princess’s odd reaction.  “Aaare my words… not right?”
Celestia shook her head.  “Your words are right.”  She smiled and greeted her guest.  “Sea King Triton, I welcome you to Canterlot.”
“Thaaank.” 
After a brief and awkward silence, Celestia started to get down to business.  “So tell me, why are your pirates attacking our ships and killing our crew?”
“Weee no staaart.  You staaart.”
Princess Celestia looked shocked at the accusation.  “That’s preposterous!  We would never start a war.”
“You taaake… preeecious.. stone… from hooome.”  Celestia and Luna looked confused for a moment as the Sea King continued.  “Weee get baaack.” 
“What precious stone?”
The Sea King reached into his seaweed bag and pulled out illustrious pearls from the depths of the sea.
Celestia and Luna stared at the pearls in the Sea King’s webbed hoof.  “Oh.  I guess we did start it.”
Luna took a step forward.  “We may hath stolen from thou, but that does not giveth thine right to slay our citizens.”
“No slaaay.  No kiiill.”  The Sea King put the pearl back in the bag.
Celestia looked confused.  “What do you mean?”
“Weee… No kiiill you.  Weee…  steal you.  Learrrn... you taaalk.”
“So…  Everypony is alive?”
“No kiiill.”
“I hath heard reports of thou dragging thine citizens to the bottom of the sea.”
“Yeees.  Maaagic... make breaaath.”
Celestia and Luna looked at each other.  “That may be true.”
Luna nodded, then looked at their guest.  “What must we do to get our citizens back?”
“No huuunt… stooone.”
Celestia thought for a moment.  “Pearl diving is a major part of the western economy.  Sea King, perhaps we can open a trade between our two kingdoms.”
The Sea King groaned.  “Whaaat… you haaave.. traaade?”
The three started to haggle and discuss their economies and what they have to offer one another.  For hours, they talked at the top of the ceremonial tower.
> Chapter 12 – Crimson and the Dream of Dreams
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mansion of Duchess Vanderhoof was on a plot of property that spanned acres.  The private residence was sealed by a gate and walled in by a barrier of foliage spanning up a stone wall.  The gate has a security post where a pony sat and guarded the gate.  Fluttershy led the way as Rarity, Twilight, and Crimson followed.
Fluttershy walked up to the security post where the pony guard read a book.  “Um, excuse me.  I was wondering…”
The security pony lifted his hoof to silence Fluttershy, not taking his eyes off the book.
Twilight smiled.  “Boy, do I know what that’s like.”
A pause ensued as it seemed that the security guard either forgot about Fluttershy and company’s presence or totally disregarded them.  “Um, excuse me?”
Again, the guard lifted his hoof to silence her.  This time, he turned the page to move on to the next.
Twilight was appalled at the rudeness.  She looked at Rarity.  “Am I this rude?”
Rarity shook her head.  “No, dear.  You at least acknowledge our existence.”
Fluttershy tried again.  “Um, excuse me?”
This time, the guard didn’t even gesture. 
Twilight had enough.  “That’s it.”  Twilight telekinetically moved the book from the guard pony’s hooves. 
“Hey!”  The guard protested at Twilight’s actions.  “What do you want?”
Rarity recoiled from the blunt and rude question.  “Well I never…”
“Um, I’m sorry to bother you but…”
“The Duchess is not seeing anypony.  Now leave.”  He reached up, swiped the book out of the air, then sat back down sifting through the pages to find his lost place.
Twilight looked at the guard, then to her friends.  “Well, I guess I’ll have to use the royalty card.”  She walked up to the post and spread her alacorn wings.  “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and I demand an audience with the Duchess.”
The guard looked at the ponies with frustration.  “Look, I don’t care who you are.  The Duchess said no interruptions.  No pony gets in.  Got it?”
Twilight Sparkle, feeling defeated, slowly lowered her wings and tucked them at her side. 
Rarity scoffed.  “Crimson, darling.  Can you persuade this gentlemen to let us in?”
Crimson complied with a bow.  “With pleasure.”
The guard shack was launched into the air as the guard slammed into the closed gates, knocking them clean off their hinges.  He flew onto the Duchess property, bouncing on the grass.  With the gates falling to the floor, Crimson bowed and lifted his hoof to gesture to his friends a warm welcome.  “After you.”
The girls walked through the ‘gates’ single file and started to walk their way up the path toward the mansion.  On the way, they looked down at the rude security guard and walked on by.
The path winded through a garden of bush sculptures and led to a multi-story modern architectural home.  The entry pathway reached over a large swimming pool that wrapped around the foundation of the building.  The white paint covered the residence as the group went in between large marble pillars to magnificently engraved double doors.
Above all, Rarity was staring in admiration of the architecture and dreamed of the lifestyle.  “If this is the life of a duchess, sign me up!”
Twilight chuckled.  “I’m a princess and I live in a library.”
Rarity looked at Twilight.  “Yes, but you’re also a modest princess.”
The girls laughed as Twilight reached up and knocked on the door.  Before long, the doors squeaked open, revealing the humongous entryway.  Twilight looked in awe.  “Maybe I could be just a little less modest.”
The butler, an earth pony dressed in a tuxedo, looked at the group.  “Yes?”
Fluttershy stepped forward.  “Um, hello.  It’s me again.”
“Ms. Butterfly.  Greetings.” 
“It... It’s actually Flutt-”
The butler quickly scanned over the dirty group, paying particular attention to the injured Crimson.  “Please.”  The butler opened the door allowing the group in.  “If you would be so kind as to wipe your hooves off prior to entering the premise.”
The great room had a large multi-tier chandelier hanging from the ceiling, elegant tapestries on the wall, and statues of various kinds all around, tiled floors, and various other rich person’s effects.  The butler closed the door behind the group.  “This way, please.”  He led them down a hall to the study.  Twilight’s eyes sparkled as the corners of her lips refused to stop her smile.  “Please wait here and make yourselves at home.  I shall summon the Duchess.”  The butler closed the door behind him leaving them alone in a vast library with a desk near a bay window.
Twilight stared nearly hypnotized.  “Maybe I should be a lot less modest.”  She started to sift through the books while the other sat down and rest.


* * *


A short time passed and the study doors opened.  The Duchess - an elderly mare with her mane up in a bun, a thin framed pair of seeing glasses, strings of pearls dangling around her neck, furs wrapped around her body, and fancy stockings protecting her legs - entered the study.  Books littered the ground as Twilight went as fast as she could, reading every interesting book she found.  The Duchess and the Butler stared at the mess before she noticed the yellow pegasus.  “My, Fluttershy.”  She turned to her butler.  “That’ll be all, Mr. Biggleworth.”  The butler bowed and closed the door behind him.  “Please, introduce me to your friends.”
“Well, um.”  Fluttershy turned to Rarity.  “This is-“
Rarity rushed to the Duchess.  “Rarity.  Charmed.”
“Umm..”  Rarity turned toward Crimson.  “This is-“
The Duchess lowered her head and tipped her glasses.  “The infamous ‘Destroyer’ in my home.”  She looked at his various injuries and saw a handsome pony underneath all of the injuries.  “You’re cuter than they said you were.”
Crimson bowed.  “Duchess Vanderhoof, you honor me with your generosity.”
The Duchess smiled.  “I don’t think he’s really that bad.”
“Yes, well…”  Fluttershy turned to Twilight.  “This is my friend-“
The Duchess gaspped.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle!”  She bowed at the presence of a princess.  “What brings your highness to my humble home?”
Twilight blushed.  “Now, now.  No need for formalities.”  The Duchess stood relaxed as she continued.  “We’re actually here to help my friend.”  She gestured to Crimson.
“If the Destroyer is a friend of Princess Twilight Sparkle, then you’re a friend of mine.”
Crimson bowed.  “Your kind words are undeserving, but might I ask the Duchess to call me by name?”
“Oh?  And what would that be?”
“Crimson.”
“Ohh.  Such a strong name for a handsome pony.  Oooo, if I were younger, I would… Mmm...”  A brief and awkward pause ensued before Twilight cleared her throat.  “Oh, yes.  Crimson.  Very well.  How may I help you?”
“Ms. Fluttershy brought-“ 
Twilight cleared her throat again, this time looking at Crimson.  “Remember, casual.”
“Err…  Just Fluttershy… brought a family of ponies.”
“Yes, they’re a lovely bunch of coconuts.”
“I am sure.  I wish to speak to the young filly.”
“Ellena?” 
“If that is her name…”
The Duchess turned around and opened the door.  “Sure thing.  Just sit tight sweet cheeks.”  The Duchess left the room as the group looked at the doorway.  
Twilight leaned over to Rarity and Fluttershy.  “She seems… Nice…”
Fluttershy looked at Twilight.  “Oh, she is.”  


* * *


After a short while, the Duchess returned with the mother and the filly.  Immediately, the filly hid behind the mare.
The mare looked at Crimson.  “You again?  What do you want?”
The Duchess turned to the mare.  “Now now Sara.  The nice pony just wants to talk to Ellena.”
“’Nice’ pony?  Ever since my children found him, he’s done nothing but give us drama and trouble.”
“Regretfully, you speak the truth.”  Crimson stood.  “However, you would not be alive if I had not intervened.”
Twilight spoke up in defense of Crimson’s claims.  “It’s true.  Things happened just as he described it.  Even we barely escaped with our lives.”
Sara looked suspiciously at the strange curse of a pony.  “You want to talk to my daughter, you’ll have to talk to me too.”
Crimson nodded to Sara.  “That shall not pose a problem.”
Sara watched Crimson trying to interpret his intentions, then turned to the scared filly behind her.  She knelt down so she was eye to eye with her daughter.  “Honey, this pony wants to talk to you again.  But don’t worry.  I’ll be here the whole time.”  The scared filly looked wide-eyed and scared at her mother, but nodded her head.  The mother stood up and led the filly into the study where they sat down across from Crimson.
Twilight leaned to Crimson’s ear.  “Now be nice.  She’s already confused and scared to death.”  Crimson nodded and she went and sit in a chair.
Crimson looked at the young filly.  “Ms. Ellena, I have come to ask for your aid.”
The filly looked up at her mother.  Sara looked down to notice her confusion.  “How can my daughter ‘aid’ you?”
Twilight chimed in.  “Actually, it’s to help me too.”
Sara looked at the new princess.
Crimson continued his plea.  “Ms. Sara, I seek your daughter’s assistance in the location of the kingdom’s relic – the Elements of Harmony.”
Sara and the Duchess’s eyes popped in surprise.  “The Elements are missing?”
Twilight nodded.  “Yes, and we believe your daughter is the only pony that can help us find out who stole them and what they want with them."
Sara looked at her daughter.  “But how?”
“Do you recall what I told you at your cabin?” Crimson asked.
Sara looked up at Crimson.  “About the ‘seeing’ thing?”
“Yes.  We need your daughter to harness that power to peer into the-“
“No!”  Sara stood up and stood between Crimson and Ellena.  “How can you ask my daughter to willingly go through those nightmares?”
“I-“  Crimson stared at Sara unable to answer the question.
Ellena tugged at her mother’s tail.  “I’ll do it mommy.”
Sara turned around to look at her little girl.  “What?”
“Princess Twilight Sparkle needs me.”
Sara stared at her daughter.  “Well yes, but-“
“I want to help.”  Ellena looked up at her mother.  “I want to help Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
Sara hugged her little girl trying to hold back tears.  “I’m proud of you.”  She stood up and turned toward Crimson and Twilight.  “So, what do you plan on doing?”
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “Yeah, I didn’t even know seers were real until you said so earlier.  I don’t know anything about them.”
“Nor do I.  My sister was given private counseling regarding her gift and guarded her with their lives.”
“So…  What now?”  Twilight questioned.
Crimson thought to himself for a moment.  “I suppose…  Princess, can you inflict a magically induced slumber?”
Twilight lifted her head proudly.  “Easily.”
“I believe that is our next step.”  Crimson stood up and Sara took a step back, protecting her daughter from the mauled red coated pony.  “Ms. Sara, please get Ms. Ellena ready for bed.”
Sara looked at Crimson baffled.  “… It’s passed her bedtime anyways.”  She turned around to her daughter.  “Come on, hunny.  Time to get ready for bed.”


* * *


In Ellena’s room, Sara sat next to her daughter, who was tucked into bed.  Twilight stood at the foot of her bed with Crimson on the other side of Sara.  Sara hummed a song to her daughter - a nightly thing for her and her children.  Crimson watched this strange motherly bonding ritual while Twilight smiled watching.  After she finished humming, she sat up.
“Ms. Ellena, here is what I request from you.”  Ellena’s eyes cracked open.  “Do you know what the Elements of Harmony are?”  Ellena shook her head barely conscious. 
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “Why do you need her to know what the Elements of Harmony are?”
Crimson turned to look to Twilight.  “I am hoping that her thinking and focusing on the relics will allow her to track them and pinpoint their location.”
“Is that how Demi found the cabin?”
“I believe so.”  Crimson looked back at the sleepy child.
Twilight looked at Ellena.  “Okay, picture a crown with so much love and compassion that it makes all problems go away.”
Ellena peeked her eyes open at the princess at her bed.  “Like… like the bad man in my dreams?”
“Yes, like the bad man in your dreams.”
Crimson leaned toward Twilight.  “More detail.”
“Okay, okay.  The crown has… five friends.  They too have a lot of love to give to every pony in Equestria.”
“Six?”
“Yes, six of them total.”
“The six… The six… star…s…”  Ellena fell asleep.
Crimson looked at the little girl, then Twilight.  “Did you cast the spell?”
Twilight shook her head.  “No, she just fell asleep naturally.”
Crimson walked to the other side of the bed next to Sara.  “Ms. Sara, if I may ask a request of you.”
Sara looked up at the stranger. 
“May I request that you stay with your daughter until she awakens?”
Sara stared at the stranger, looked at the princess, then back at the stranger.  “Sure.  Sure, I’ll stay with her tonight.”
Crimson left the room with Twilight following behind.  Twilight turned to the mother, who was now staring at her little girl.  “Thank you for you and your daughter’s help.  I’m right down the hall.”  Sara looked at Twilight and nods. 


* * *


The butler showed the two around the halls, pointing out where the rooms were located.  Crimson escorted Twilight to her room, turned around then bowed as he opened the door for her. 
“Princess Twilight, my room is across the way.  Please do not hesitate if I am needed.”
Twilight smiled at the noble pony.  “Thanks, Crimson.”  Twilight went into her room and closed the door behind her.  She turned around to look at her luxurious and spacious room.  “Oh my goodness.  Look at this bay window.”  She walked by the bed touching the fabric with her hoof.  “Silk sheets!”  She kept walking around and her eyes stared at the walk in closet.  “A walk in closet.  Dressing room.  Rarity in a hot tub.  Fireplace.  B-“  She leaned over and looked at Rarity in her hot tub.  Rarity, face mask over her eyes, moisturizers covering her face, hair wrapped in a towel, laid completely relaxed. 
Rarity let out a deep sigh.  “This is the life, Twilight.”  She tilted her head up at Twilight.  “You’ve gatta try this, darling.”
Twilight thought to herself.  “You know, that sounds like a great idea.”  Twilight jumpped in the spa with Rarity.  “Where’s Fluttershy?”
“Fluttershy is with the puppy the Duchess adopted.”
Twilight smiled and leaned back to relax.  “If she needed to relax, a puppy will do it.”  
“I agree darling.”  The two just sat in the hot spa and relax the night away.
> Chapter 13 - Crimson and the Morning After
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night rolled on as each pony went into their respective rooms, sleeping in their well deserved high-class comfortable beds.  Rarity didn’t even have time to remark on the beds before falling asleep - her mane still wrapped in a bun.  Fluttershy, happy to see her animal friend again, fell asleep with the puppy next to her.  Twilight fell asleep with a book from the library.  Crimson stood, staring out the window at the moon waiting.  Eventually, he too would finally get some well needed rest.


* * *


Time passed before a high pitched scream was heard.  Twilight quickly sat up - the book that was once on her chest flying off the bed and onto the floor.  She jumped out of bed and ran to the door.  She ran down the hallway to the filly’s room to find Crimson standing in the doorway watching Sara hug and console her daughter.  Ellena panted heavily, shaking from fear.  Sara looked back angrily to the doorway.  “Are you happy now?”
Crimson remained silent as Fluttershy ran to the doorway.  Twilight walked passedCrimson and into the room.  “No, I’m not.  Is she okay?”
Sara put her attention back to her daughter as she started to slowly calm down.  Crimson walked into the room and stood at the foot of the bed.  “What did you see?”
Sara looked angrily once again at Crimson.  “You heartless-”
Ellena, panting and trying to catch her breath, started to recall her dream.  “I saw six stars…”  Sara stopped mid-sentence and looked at her daughter as she continued.  “They were dark.  They weren’t dark before.  The scary mare wasn’t there, but the big bad pony was.”  She started to shiver again as Sara hugged her.  
“It’s okay, sweetheart.  Mommy is here.”  
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “What do you think that means?”
Ellena continued.  “The bad pony didn’t put me on fire this time.  This time, he chased after me.  He’s coming to get me.  He’s coming to get me!”  She started to cry and continued to be consoled by her mother.  
Crimson looked at the strange bonding of the two as Twilight looks at him.  “Well..?”  Twilight asked Crimson.
“It is difficult to say…”  
“Wait a minute…”  Twilight thought to herself for a moment then shook her head.  “Princess Luna and Princess Celestia would never let this happen.”
Rarity stood in the doorway, her mane brushed and her face clean and pristine.  “You’re right, darling.  The princesses would never allow such an atrocious act to happen.”
“Were they at all depicted in the vision?”
Twilight looked at Crimson, then to the frightened filly.  “Ellena, did you see Princess Celestia or Princess Luna?”  The filly shook her head.
“Do they have symbolic references?”  Crimson asked.
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “Princess Celestia is the sun and Princess Luna is the moon.”
Ellena talked in a hysterical tone.  “The sun and moon…  They vanished.”  Her head peeked out from under her mother’s arms.  “Does that mean they die?”
Crimson looked at the filly.  “What else can you remember?  Try to recall every detail.”
Sara turned her head and looks at the heartless pony.  Ellena thought for a moment.  “The mare wasn’t there.  Shes always there...  The big bad pony was there.  He didn’t catch me on fire this time.  Instead, he said ‘I’ll find you’ and started chasing me.  I ran through a town that was on fire trying to get away…  The sun and the moon vanished in the dream.  The stars were dark…  I think there was something else…  I don’t remember...”
Sara hugged her daughter again.  “That’s enough!  She’s helped you enough.  Now leave us alone.”
Twilight recoiled, her eyes widened, then turned around.  “Come on, let’s leave them be.”  She starts to guide everyone out the door to give the two their privacy.
Crimson, with his back turned, looked at the mare and filly.  “Your visions are what may come, not what will come.”  He looked forward and leaves the room.
Sara went back to consoling her daughter after they left the room.  “Shh, it’s okay.  I’m here.  I’m here.” 
The group gathered in the study to discuss what happened.  The books have been cleaned and reorganized on the shelves from the butler while the others rested.  The group sat in a circle around a table.  
Rarity, sitting to the right of Crimson, looked lavish and flawless, thanks to her royalty grade grooming.  “What could it all mean?”
Twilight, sitting on the right hand side of Rarity, looked at Crimson.  “I think it’s pretty straight forward.  The elements and the princesses are gone.”
Fluttershy, sitting to the right of Twilight and the left of Crimson, started to recoil in fear.  “Oh my.  Does that mean Ponyville…”
Twilight shook her head.  “I don’t know.  She didn’t see the mare, who I think is Crimson’s sister Demi.  But the ‘big bad pony’ was there.  Is that Scorch?”
Crimson shook his head.  “No, Scorch does not possess the gift of sight.”  Crimson paused and thought to himself for a brief moment.  “Temethyst, on the other hoof…”
“What do you mean by that?”  Twilight asked.
“I think…”  The girls stared at Crimson as he pausedin thought.  “I am not sure.  The spiritual presence of him in the filly’s vision only comes to that conclusion.”
“What conclusion?”
“Temethyst may be able to ponyback on Demi’s last vision.”
“I don’t get it, dear.”  Rarity said confused.
“I agree.”  Twilight added.  “Are you saying Temethyst can see too?”
“I do not think so.”  He looked up to the girls.  “Not on his own, at least.  Otherwise, why would he capture the filly instead of slay her like before?”
Fluttershy looked beyond the group toward the wall where the filly rested.  “Poor girl.”
Twilight lifted her hooves.  “Wait wait, how is that possible?”
“As mentioned earlier, Temethyst has unnatural raw power.  Being born a colt, he could not have been born with the gift.  Therefore, he has done the next best thing.”
The group remained quiet for a moment before Twilight speaks up.  “So tell us what you think about the filly’s visions.”
Crimson looked over the group.  “You have told me that there are six elements.  The six stars may represent your relics.”  The girled look frightened as he continued.  “However, from what I understand of your relics, you yourselves use them.  The six starts could represent you.”
A cold and frightening chill ran down each of the girl’s backs.  Twilight lightly shivered in fear.  “I never thought about that.”  She shook it off and stood up.  “Let’s get some rest and talk about it in the morning.”


* * *


A knock on the door woke Twilight Sparkle the following morning.  The butler spoke through the door.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Duchess requests your presence for breakfast.”  She blinked her eyes a few times then slowly sat up.  Her muscles felt more relaxed then they have in weeks, and her uncooperative mane was silky smooth from the spa treatments her and Rarity had the night before.  She stood up and made her way to the dining room for breakfast.  When she opened the door to the hallway, she saw the mare and the filly pause and looked at her in front of the door.
Twilight smiled.  “Good morning.”
“Princess.”  The mare nudged the filly to quickly move down the hallway.
Twilight just watched them as they walk away.
“I shall never understand this world.”  Crimson said.
Twilight turned to look at Crimson, who stood watching from the end of the hall.  “Good morning.”
Crimson walked up to Twilight.  “Such disrespect to royalty should never go unpunished.”
“It’s alright.”  Twilight turned her head to stare down the hall.  
“No it is not.  For your authority to be undermined by lowly peasants shall breed chaos and anarchy.”
“Wouldn’t it also breed abuse and oppression?”  
“Fear would breed obedience.”
“But wouldn’t fear also breed betrayal?”  Twilight looked at Crimson.  “This isn’t the world you lived in, Crimson.  Things are different up here.  Princess Celestia rules with love and she gets all of the respect any pony would ever dream of.”  Crimson stood speechless.  Twilight nudged her head toward the hall.  “Come on, breakfast is waiting for us.”
The two started to walk down the hall when Crimson looked at Twilight.  “I still do not understand your title system here.  Why is Princess Celestia not Queen Celestia?”  Twilight smiled and shook her head as they make their way to the dining room.

The Duchess stood at the entrance of the princess.  “Ah, Princess Twilight Sparkle.  Good morning.  I hope you found my lowly accommodations suitable for you and your friends.”  
“Are you kidding?”  Twilight stretched, extending her wings almost hitting Crimson in the face.  “I haven’t slept that good in a long time.”
Rarity lifted her hoof and bounced her mane.  “I agree, darling.  Your beds were to die for.”
The Duchess smiled.  “Good.  Good.”  She extended a hoof to the empty chairs.  “Please sit down.”
Twilight went to a chair as the butler stopped her from sitting down.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, the guest of the hour always sits to the Duchess right hoof.”
Twilight looked up at the butler.  “Oh, of course.”  She slowly started to make her way to the other side of the table.  
When everyone was finally settled in, the butler started to hand out trays with various breakfast foods and large pitchers full of apple juice.  At the head of the table was the Duchess, with Twilight sitting at her right side.  Beside her was Rarity.  On the Duchess’s left was Fluttershy, then Crimson with two seats open between the mare and her daughter staying as far away from the group as possible.
The filly nudged her mother.  “Mommy, when can we go home?”
Sara glared up toward the red coated pony.  “I don’t think we have a home left to go to.”
“But what about my brother?  Where is he?”
She looked at her daughter.  “Don’t worry about him.  He’s staying with your uncle.  When this is over, you can see him again.”
The butler started to pour everyone applejuice as everyone went quiet.
Rarity took a sip of the applejuice.  “Oh my, this tastes just like Applejack’s.”
From that reply, Twilight took a sip as well.  “You’re right.”
“That’s because it IS Applejack’s.”  Fluttershy answered.  
The Duchess added, “is that the farm you showed me while I was in Ponyville?”
Fluttershy nodded.  “Yes.”
“Such a fun place.  Very down-to-earth.  I almost bought out their entire stock when I tasted their apples.  I’m used to some bars brothers or some flim flam.”
“Wait, you don’t mean the Flim Flam Brothers, do you?”
“That’s them.  And their super what’chyea’ma’jiggy 3000.”  The girls chuckled.  “They had a big song and dance and a big, fancy machine.  They were very captivating.  It seemed impressive at first, but it really just sucked the quality out of the cider.”
“Yeah, they came to Ponyville too and tried to run out our friend’s farm.”
The Duchess nodded in agreement after taking a sip of her drink.  “Quality over quantity.  I can’t get rid of the 10 barrels of cider those brothers sold me.”
After a short round of silence, the Duchess lifted her hoof.  “On another hoof, I heard about my gates outside.”
Twilight suddenly gulped and looked at the Duchess.  “Oh, um, about that…”
The Duchess smiled.  “I agree.  Those gates needed to be replaced.  I was bored of that design.”
Again, a brief silence ensued as everyone continued to eat their breakfast before Twilight looked at the mare.  “So, how did your daughter sleep? Er, after the nightmare, I mean.”
The mare hardly looked at Twilight.  “She didn’t go back to sleep, thanks for asking.”
“Oh…”  Twilight looked down in guilt and continued to eat.  Crimson stared at the mare, then to Twilight with confusion.
The Duchess looked over to the mare.  “Is that any way to treat your princess?”  The mare looked up at the hostess.  “Call it a hunch, but I bet you’d all be worse off if the princess and her friends didn’t come when they did.”
“Well-”  The mare stumbled with her words.
“And I bet your daughter would still have the nightmares even if you never met them.”
Again, the mare was speechless.
Twilight cleared her throat to try to change the subject and relieve some of the tension.  “Uh, so… What’s our next move?”  No one spoke up.  “Okay, we think we know what their next move is.  Now we need to plan ours.”
“And what is their next move, princess?”  The mare asked.
“Well, we think they’ll be coming after your daughter again, but I think you’ll be safe here.  Without the ‘scary mare’ in her dreams around, they shouldn’t be able to find you in a big place like this.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because,”  Crimson chimed.  “Their only means of tracking your daughter drown in your oceans.”  He lightly looked down in sorrow.
Fluttershy gasped.  “I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean to kill your sister.”
Everyone looked at Crimson.  “You need not apologize for-”
“Your sister?!”  The mare looked at Crimson in surprise and anger.  “You never told me you were one of the ponies who wants to get my family!”
Crimson looked at the mare.  “I-”
“Now hold on a minute.”  Twilight stood up with the chair screeching against the hard wood floors.  “Just because they’re his family doesn’t mean he’s one of them.  Can’t you imagine what he’s going through right now?”  She looked at Crimson.  “He just fought off his family for you - a filly and a mare he doesn’t even know.  And you treat him like garbage.”
Rarity stood up and put her hoof on Twilight shoulder.  “Come now, dear.”
“No.  I’m tired of every pony being rude and angry at Crimson for things he didn’t do, or for things he paid for in full with interest for the things he’s done.  He didn’t have nearly this many scars or injuries when he came to live with us.  Now look at him!  He can’t even fly anymore because he put himself in harm’s way just to save Equestria - a place he hardly knew anything about - much less a place that accepted him.”
Again, Rarity put her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder as the table went quiet.  
Twilight looked around the table and noticed everyone was looking up at her.  “I-I’m sorry.  I-”
The Duchess lifted a hoof for Twilight to sit down.  “It’s okay.  These halls haven’t seen any real drama in many years.  I think it’s good to let things out instead of keeping them bottled in.”
Twilight, feeling like crap, sat down and looked at her half-eaten plate.  “Yeah, I guess.”
“But let’s just enjoy the rest of this beautiful morning in peace, shall we?”  
The rest of the meal went in a relieved yet still awkward silence.
> Chapter 14 - Crimson and the Next Step
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun rose beyond the horizon and came to the apex in the sky.  Crimson stood on a balcony in the Duchess’s illustrious mansion, staring at the city and thought about his options.  The deck was of finished wood with decorated railings and foliage all around the deck.  Large double doors were made up of mostly glass were open to let the gentle breeze pass through the doorway, and into the room rustled the curtains that hung on the door and windows.  Crimson had an idea on what may happen, but the interpretation was hazy at best.  He debated on if he should act on the interpretation, or wait and hope the young filly seer would share more of her dreams.
He lightly turned his head toward the door as Twilight knocked on the door with her hoof.  “Hey, you want some company?”
Crimson looked back into the distance.  “Your company will never be unappreciated.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”  She walked next to Crimson and stared off into the distance with him.  
After a brief pause, Crimson started to speak his mind.  “The Seer and the mare…  I have never seen anything like it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The harmony.  The closeness.  I do not understand.”
“You mean the bonding?”
“I do not understand.”
Twilight shook her head with a sigh.  “Don’t worry, you’ll understand soon.”  The two stood quietly for a moment before Twilight turned to Crimson.  “So I’ve been thinking - we should find your brothers.  We need to find the elements.”
“Your words ring true.  However, without the seer’s assistance, the search would be futile.”
“You mean Ellena?”
Crimson nodded.  “Yes.  She is our only hope of finding my brothers and your relics.”
“Could we find another pony with this power?”
Crimson shook his head.  “Unlikely.”
“Yeah, we’d have better luck finding your brothers.”  Twilight said with a half-ass chuckle.
The two stared off in the distance in silence, both thinking of what to do next.  Both turned around as Sara knocked on the door.  “Um, I-um…  I’m sorry for the way I acted.  I just… I just want to protect my daughter.”
Twilight smiled.  “It’s alright.  There is no reason to be sorry.”
She took a couple of steps forward to approach the princess.  “And…  And I’ve been thinking…  Ellena wants to help you… And I should let her, especially since the Elements of Harmony are missing and Van Hoover might be in danger because of it.”
“Are you sure?”
Sara nodded.  “Yes, I’m sure.  We have to help save Van Hoover.”
Twilight smiled.  “I appreciate it.”
“Let me talk to my daughter.”  Sara turned and went back inside.  
Twilight looked up at Crimson, who looked down at her.  “As I said, your title demands respect.”
“Oh hush.”  She turned and took a couple of steps forward before turning around.  “Besides, you weren’t entirely right either.  She doesn’t fear me, and I don’t want her to fear me.  Yet I think she has a respect for me now.”
Crimson shook his head.  “We shall see how far your method goes.”
“Yes, we shall.”  She turned back toward the door and went back inside.  “And now that Ellena is going to help us, we’ll be able to figure out where the Elements of Harmony are.”
“Not quite, Princess.”  Crimson started to walk inside and the two made their way toward the room where Ellena and Sara were.  “She still needs to learn to control and interpret her visions.”
“Is there anything we can do to help her?”
“This is not a field in which I am proficient in.”
“Oh…  So we’re on our own then.”
“I am afraid so, Princess.”
“I’ll start looking through books to see if I can find something after we talk to Ellena and Sara.”
“A wise idea.”
They wandered around the mansion, discovering many rooms they didn’t think the house had.  They found the kitchen, a bath house, an indoor swimming pool and spa, game room, lounge, sun room, a breakfast nook, another library, and more.  “Where are they?”  Twilight asked, starting to get the feeling they were lost.  “The mansion didn’t look this big from the outside.”
“Perhaps we should return to a familiar location to get our bearings.”
“You’re right.”  They turned around to find the butler standing behind them.
“Princess, Ms. Sara wishes to see you.”
“Great!  We’re trying to find her right now.”
“Please, come with me.”  The butler turned and took them down the hall.  In a single turn, they ended up in a very large indoor conservatory.  Various plants and foliage grew in an extremely tall glass dome.  The butler led them into the greenhouse toward the middle where the mare and her daughter were waiting.  “Ms. Sara, your guests have arrived.”  The butler turned and walked away. 
Twilight looked around.  “What a beautiful place.”
Sara stood and walked toward the two.  “Ellena is the most calm here, I think.”
“I can see why.”
Sara looked at Crimson and Twilight, who turned her attention back to the mare.  “Let’s get one thing straight - I don’t know you.  I don’t trust anyone who puts my family through suffering, and you two have.  I don’t care if you ARE a princess.  That doesn’t mean you’re a good princess.  But if Van Hoover is in trouble, and Duchess Vanderhoof thinks you’re the only one that can save it, then I HAVE to trust you.”
“It’s not just Van Hoover that’s in danger, Sara.  It’s all of Equestria.”
Sara looked a little surprised at Twilight’s response.  “That’s impossible.”
Twilight shook her head.  “It’s actually not.  My friends and I have saved Equestria on a number of occasions ranging from chaos, invasions, taking care of powerful creatures, and so much more.  This time, our enemy plans on using our defenses against us - the very defenses that’s saved Equestria in the past.  That’s why we need to find them.”  Sara looked blankly at Twilight as she started to slowly understand exactly what was at stake.  After a brief pause for the mare to take in the words she said, Twilight continued.  “I don’t ask for your daughter’s help likely.  I don’t want to cause her such nightmares or put her through the stress she has gone through.”
“I get it.”  Sara said with a sigh.  “Alright, go talk to Ellena.”  She turned and walked back to her daughter, who was looking at a gardening book.
Ellena looked up and slightly recoiled in fear.
Sara lifted her hoof and put it on her daughter’s shoulder.  “Shh, it’s okay darling.  Remember what we talked about?”
“Y-Yes.”  Ellena replied a little scared.  She got off the ground and sat in a chair so that the group could all talk.
Twilight smiled at the filly.  “Hello again, Ellena.  Do you like to read?”  Ellena nodded her head.  “I love to read!  I’ve learned so much through books that-”
“Have you remembered anything else about your vision?”  Twilight glared at Crimson.  “I am sorry, Princess.  We do not have time for idle talk now that we have a seer on our side.”
Sara put her hoof in front of Sara to guard her from Crimson.  “Stop stop, I forgot to ask about your ‘friend’ here.  What’s with his name, ‘The Destroyer’?”
“Oh.”  Twilight turned back to Sara.  “That was all a misunderstanding from a misguided and overconfident lawyer.  He thought that, by giving him this ridiculous title, the jury would want to side with him.”
“Side with him in what?”
“A trial in Ponyville.”
Sara’s eyes popped open.  “You mean you brought a criminal into our home and into our lives?!”
Twilight lifted her hooves to try to calm Sara down.  “It’s not what you think.  It was all a misunderstanding.  It was a massive assault case that-”
“And a violent one?!”  Sara stood up and got between Crimson and her daughter.
Crimson had enough.  He stood up and stomp his hoof.  “Ms. Sara, I have grown tired of your insolence and arrogance.”  The ground started to lightly shake and the dirt lifted in the air as to defy gravity, then surrounded the group as Crimson’s horn and eyes started to glow.  Sara, in fear, sat down next to her daughter.  “You will listen to Princess Twilight Sparkle and give her the respect she deserves.”  Sara nodded her head, then Crimson’s features dimmed and go back to normal.
Twilight smacked her forehead with her hoof and sighed as Crimson sat back down.  “That wasn’t necessary, Crimson.”
“With all due respect, Princess, we need to stay on target.”
“Right.”  Twilight cleared her throat.  “Anyways, as I was saying, it was an assault trial where he was found not guilty because it was all clearly self defense, and a huge misunderstanding.  And as for the Elements of Harmony, we HAVE to find them or we’re all in trouble!  Ponyville, Vanhoover, and your family - they’re all in danger.”
An awkward silence ensued before Sara looked at Twilight.  “Princess, do you promise to save my family?”
“My friends and I have already gone through hoof and back to save your family.  We’ll do it again.”
Another brief pause of silence before a tear fell from Sara’s face.  “Okay.”  She lifted her hoof, releasing the guard she held on her daughter.  “Take her.”
“Take?”  Twilight lifted a hoof.  “No, no.  I don’t want to take her.  We just need her help.”
“Wait, what?”  Sara looked at Twilight confused.
Twilight smiled.  “We don’t need her to go anywhere.”
“Her visions are what we want, not the filly."  Crimson added.
Twilight put her hoof down.  “We need to figure out how to control her dreams.”
“So…  If this works, she won’t have anymore nightmares?”
Twilight looked over to Crimson for an answer.  “Ms. Sara, the filly’s control over herself and her powers will greatly improve every aspect of her life.”
Twilight looked back at Sara and Ellena.  “In other words, ‘no more nightmares.’”
The two smiled at those words.  “Okay, let’s get started then.”
“See, that’s the thing…  I never knew about this magic until lately.  I don’t know anything about it.”  
Sara looked at Crimson.  “I do not know how to harness this power.”  Crimson said.  “Seers were held and isolated from the rest of us.”  
The group turned as they heard trotting come from a distance.  Rarity and Fluttershy urgently ran up to the group.  
“Is everything alright, dear?”  Rarity asked.
“We felt the ground shake.  We thought-”
Twilight lifted her hoof.  “Everythings fine, girls.  But now that you’re here, you can help us figure out this problem.”
Twilight started to catch Rarity and Fluttershy up on the conversation as Crimson looked at Sara.  “Ms. Sara, would it be okay with you if I talked to the filly?”  
Sara nodded.
Ellena looked at the red coated pony.  “I’m scared.  All of my dreams end very bad.”
“Young one, remember what I said - Your visions are not what will happen.  They are what may happen.  You have the power to change your visions.”
“But I’m scared.”
“You may be scared now, but I am confident you will be a fearless pony soon enough.”
“But you said that… that I won’t have anymore nightmares.  You said that, right?”
“Your nightmares are your powers running out of control.  Learn control, and you can learn when to get your visions.”
Sara stepped into the conversation.  “So, my daughter has these visions and you’re the only pony that knows even a little bit about them.  Tell me what you know.”
“I do not know much.  What I do know is they see what affects them whether it is directly or indirectly.  Multiple seers can see the same vision if they are involved.  I do not know the details however...”  Crimson leaned forward.  “Young one, was there any time where you saw something just before it happened?”
Ellena stared at Crimson.  “Like… like a game?”  Crimson stayed quiet, trying to figure out what these ponies meant by ‘game.’  “One time, me and my brother played Hide-Go-Seek.  I saw where he was at.  He said I was cheating and I peeked, but I wasn’t peeking.  I never beat him in Hide-Go-Seek before.  I was happy.”
“A fine example.”  Crimson said.  “Try to think about what you were doing at that time.”
“I was covering my eyes and counting to 20 like I always do.”
Sara added, “I remember when this happened.  This was after her fifth birthday, like you said at the cabin.”
Crimson nodded at Sara then looked back at the filly.  “What were you thinking about?”
“Sometimes, I can’t count past 10 so I was trying to remember what came next.”
“What else?”
Ellena started to think to herself.  “I.. I was thinking about where my brother could be.  He hides good.  Then, I saw him in the closet shelf.  I didn’t go anywhere else, but the closet.  Then he hit me and called me a cheater.”
Crimson started to think to himself.  “Can it be that simple?”  Crimson looked at Twilight.  “Princess.”
Twilight finished her sentence and turned to Crimson.  “Hey, they’re almost caught up.”
“Might I request that you three walk around the mansion?”
“Uh, sure.  I guess.”  Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity started to leave the conservatory as Crimson turned to Ellena and Sara.
Sara questioned Crimson.  “Why did you have them leave?”
“We are going to do Hide-Go-Seek.”  Crimson looked at Ellena.  “Close your eyes and count.”
Ellena looked confused at her mother.  She nodded.  “It’s okay, dear.  I’ll be here just in case.”
Ellena closed her eyes and started to count out loud.  “One…  Two… Three…”  She kept counting.  “Ten…  Uh…  El… Um...”
Sara leaned to Ellena and whispered, “Eleven.”
“Elven…  Tw...w… Twelve...  Turteen…  Fourteen…  Fiveteen…  S..Seventeen.”
“Sixteen then seventeen.”  
Crimson leaned forward and lifted his hoof.  “Young one, this is a very large residence.  How are you going to find them?”
Ellena, opened her eyes as Crimson’s question threw her off guard.  “Uh…”
“Think…  Where could they be?”
Ellena thought to herself.  “I… I don’t know.”
“Concentrate.”
Again, Ellena thought to herself.  She started to anxiously move more and more as her mental stress rose.  “I don’t know!”
Crimson sat back in thought.  Sara put her hoof on her daughter’s shoulder.  “It’s okay, hunny.”  She hugged her daughter.  Crimson stared lost at the strange level of affection the two showed.
After a brief pause, Ellena looked at her mother.  “Mommy, I’m hungry.”
“Okay, let’s-”
Crimson’s eyes popped open and he suddenly sat forward and lifted his hoof to stop Sara’s sentence.  “Incentive.”
Sara looked at Crimson.  “What?”
“Directly affects her…”  Crimson lowered his hoof.  “Young one, do you know where we are located in this place?”
Ellena shook her head.  “Uh, no.”
“If you can find your way to the food stores, I am sure the Duchess would not mind giving you an apple.”
Catching on, Sara joined the fray.  “Yes, an apple cookie even.”
Ellena looked up at her mother.  “You mean it?”
“Yes.  An apple cookie.”  Sara replied, then looked at Crimson.
“But first, you must find it.  Focus on the food stores and find your sustenance.” 
Ellena started to think, then her eyes turned white.  Crimson stared intently, then Sara noticed her optical transformation.  She turned in horror, but Crimson lifted his hoof.  “Stay calm, Ms. Sara.  This is normal for seers.”
“Is she okay?”
“I believe she is finding her way to the food storage.”
“But is she okay?!”
“Yes.”  Crimson replied.  Ellena’s eyes turned to normal.  She got up and started to run out of the conservatory.  Crimson and Sara stood up and followed her.
Without missing a turn, Ellena maked her way to the kitchen - a room she had never been to before.  Without looking around, she went into the pantry, set up a step stool, then reached up to grab one of many unmarked jars.  Inside the jar were apple crisp cookies.  Ellena grabbed one and started to munch on her delicious reward.  Sara stared in amazement.  
“Apparently…”  Crimson said watching the child eat her prize.  “... it is that easy.”
> Chapter 15 - Crimson and the Art of Misdirection
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chains clanked together and their sounds echoed through the caverns.  The Elements of Harmony hovered in the air with a dark glow around them as the large pony stared intently at the corruption surrounding the relics.  He grinned as the golden tiara’s large purple six-point-star slightly cracked from the dark magic.  


* * *


Crimson watched the young filly run up and touch finish her prize.  Sara watched intently to see if her daughter is unharmed.  The filly looked up at the two.  “That was fun!  Can we play another game?”  
Sara looked at Crimson, then back at her daughter.  “Uh, no more hide-go-seek for now, sweetheart.”  
“Aww.”  The filly pouted as her mother walked up to her.
Crimson turned around to leave the two alone to bump into the Duchess.  
“Hellooooo.”  The Duchess said in an low to upward inflection.
“Pardon my negligence.”  Crimson said with a bow.
“Oh, no.  You can bump me any time.”  The Duchess said, scanning Crimson with her eyes.
Crimson looked up in surprise from the comment, then bowed again.  “Uh, your words are very humbling.”
Twilight cleared her throat from behind the Duchess.  She turned around to see Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy standing behind her.  “Oh, Princess.  My apologies.”
Twilight chuckled.  “It’s okay.  It was kind of funny watching Crimson being embarrassed.”  Twilight took a step forward.  “Come on, Crimson.  We have to talk.”
Crimson stood up and started to walk toward the group.  At the corner of his eye, he noticed the Duchess once again scanning him with her eyes.  The girls started to chuckle amongst themselves as they all headed toward the study.
Twilight looked back at Crimson.  “I have to ask - why did you have us walk around the mansion for over an hour?”
Rarity chimed in.  “Don’t get us wrong, darling.  This place is gorgeous and I loved looking around.”
“Me too.”  Fluttershy added with her gentle tone.  “Her gardens are beautiful and peaceful!”
“I believed that if the filly focused on your positions that she would find you with a vision.”  Crimson replied.  “Much like she did in her games with her brother.”
Twilight stopped and turned around.  “That was a great idea!  Did it work?”
Crimson, as well as Fluttershy and Rarity, stopped and he shook their heads.  “Alas, no.  She was unable to get any glimpse of your position or your doings.”
Twilight lightly stompped her hoof on the hardwood flooring causing a thump.  “Drat.  I thought that would work.”
“Princess, things are not all bad.”  Crimson turned his head back toward the kitchen.  “The young one was able to find her way to a place where she has never been to and found an object she would have no purpose knowing of with impeccable accuracy.”
Twilight looked up at Crimson, who looked back at the group.  “What do you mean?  Is that why you were in the kitchen?”
Crimson nodded.  “She was able to use her power to guide us through this residence into the pantry where she grabbed a…  I believe she called it a ‘cookie.’”
“That’s great!”  Twilight exclaimed with a smile.
Rarity agreed with Twilight.  “That precious filly is amazing.”
“I now believe that she can see with some control so long as she focuses on an event that will directly affect her.”  The girls give a cheer as Crimson continued.  “I also believe that, in time, she will be able to control her visions with some degree with events that will indirectly affect her - like my sister seeing the trap for my brother at the cabin.”
“That is such great news!”  Twilight said, hardly containing her excitement.  
“Now Princess, what did you wish to speak to me about?”
“Oh, nothing.”  Twilight turned around and the girls continued toward the study.  “I just felt you needed an escape from that embarrassing situation.”
The group stopped in their tracks and widened their stance to catch their balance as the ground started to rumble.  The walls lightly shook, shifting the pictures hanging on the walls.  The sound of hanging lamps clanked against the slack from the shaking earth and objects started to tremble on the ground lightly gliding across the ground.  The girls stopped and looked at Crimson.  “Is this you?”
Crimson shook his head.  “No, Princess.  This is not my doing.”
A loud crash was heard from the kitchen as a high pitched scream shot through the halls to give alarm to the group.  The tremors ceased as Twilight gestured for the group to follow her.  “Come on!”  She and the group started to run back toward the kitchen to investigate the source of the screaming.  
The group stopped in the entryway of the kitchen and stared in horror at the wall that was ripped out of its foundation and thrown over thirty meters away from the mansion.  They looked at the destruction of the kitchen as virtually everything on the walls and shelves were now piled and broken on the floor.  Twilight used her horn and started to telekinetically lift a large cabinet under some rubble that had fallen on the Duchess.  When Rarity noticed the struggle Twilight was facing, her horn too glowed and the two successfully broke free of the debris and slowly lifted the cabinet off the Duchess.  Fluttershy flew in and dragged her body out from under the rubble.  Once out of the way, Rarity and Twilight released the heavy cabinet, letting the clutter crash down on the ground.  
Fluttershy looked over the Duchess as the girls rushed to her side.  “Oh my, the Duchess is in bad shape.”
Twilight looked up at Crimson, who was standing behind a pile of clutter and debris staring at something on the ground.  Twilight stood up and looked at him.  “Crimson, what is it?”
He didn't answer.  Instead, he looked up and started to stare out of the hole in the wall.  
Twilight started to walk up to him when she stopped in her tracks.  “Oh no.”  She looked down at the mangled and lifeless body of Sara, the mother of Ellena.  She put her hooves over her mouth to try to restrain her emotions, but it was no use.  Her eyes watered up and her feelings of sorrow quickly overwhelmed the princess.  
“Darling, what’s wrong?”  Rarity stood up and walked beside Twilight and saw the grotesque sight.  She turned her head and placed is it on Twilight’s shoulder.  She too was overcome by sorrow and started to cry.  Twilight and Rarity hugged each other to console one another.
Fluttershy, though curious on what the two are looking at, stayed with the Duchess.  “We need to get the Duchess to the hospital now!”
Twilight once again tried to restrain her emotions.  She wiped her face with her hooves and sniffed back her tears.  “Okay.”  She lifted Rarity’s face and looked into her eyes.  “Come on.  We need to make a stretcher and help the Duchess.”  
Rarity nodded, then the two looked down at Sara.  Rarity used her magic and ripped a tablecloth from the broken table and covered Sara’s body with it.  Then the two started to make a makeshift stretcher for the Duchess.  In little time, the girls gently put the Duchess on a tattered tapestry wrapped around two large curtain rods.  Twilight looked at Fluttershy and Rarity.  “You two go on ahead and get her to the hospital.”
Rarity and Fluttershy leand down and picked up opposite ends of the stretcher.  Rarity looked over to Twilight.  “Be careful.”
“You too.”  Twilight said and the two started to make their way toward the hospital.  Twilight walked up to Crimson, who didn’t move from his location since the incident happened.  “What’s with you?”  Crimson turned his head at the princess, then back at the outside looking at the ground.  Twilight drew her attention at what Crimson was looking at.  “But how...?”  
“I do not know, Princess.”  Twilight looked at a large burnt portion of grass and earth that stretched all around the mansion and a very intricate drawing in front of the kitchen.  “However, Scorch now has the seer and we have lost the map to your relics.”  
“What can we do?”  Crimson turned his attention to the walls that were broken off perfectly as if cut by a large hot knife.  Twilight observed him looking at the walls.  “Crimson?”
He turned his head back to the circle.  “Pursue.”  He leapt away from the building and started to trot toward the ruined gates.  Twilight spread her wings and flew up and over the debris to catch up to Crimson.
“Do you know where they’re going?”  Twilight asked as she landed in stride next to Crimson.
“I do not, Princess.  However, there are faint hoof tracks leading away from the circles.”  
“That has to be them.”
“I agree, Princess.”  The two turned the corner off of the Duchess’s property.  “And with the young one struggling, my brother will not have any time to cover his tracks.”
“Then let’s hurry.  They shouldn’t be too far ahead.”  
The two trotted faster following the tracks until they both turned a corner and stopped.  They looked at a wall of a building - a dead end.  Twilight looked confused at Crimson.  “Are you sure they went this way?”
Crimson leaned down to get a closer look at the tracks.  “The tracks led this way and they go into this wall.”  He lifted his hoof and touched the wall.
“Did he make this wall?”
“I do not think so, Princess.”  Crimson put his hoof down and turned around.  “I do not see a binding circle.  My brother is too clever to…”  He turned his head and blinked for a moment as he thought to himself.
“What is it?”
Crimson turned to Twilight and bowed  “I am sorry, Princess.  I have failed you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Scorch…”  Crimson, while still bowing, looked at the wall.  “These tracks are not real.  They were planted here prior to the abduction of the young one.”  He looked back at Twilight, still bowing.  “I am sorry I have failed you.”
Twilight looked at the wall, then turned around and faced the mansion.  “That means your brothers have Ellena…”
“I am afraid so, Princess.”
> Chapter 16 - Crimson and the Lonely Trek
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“My King.”  Scorch walked into the damp cave with the young filly tied up on his back rendered unconscious.  “I have returned successful.”  He sat the filly down to present her to his king and gave a deep bow at the large pony’s presence.
The large pony turned, the metal clanking in with his movements.  He took a couple of steps forward and looked down at the offering.  His voice boomed deeply as he spoke.  “Good.  Secure my new weapon.”
“As you wish, my King.”  Scorch stood and lifted Ellena on his back.  He started to move to the back of the cave and began to tightly shackle their new resident.  
A short time passed before The King looked up at the entrance at a weak, limping pony entering the room.  Scorch turned around to see who found their secret cave.  He took a few steps forward and looked down at her sister.  “So, you survived.”
Demi collapsed from exhaustion.  She looked up at the large pony.  “I’m here, my King.”  The King stayed quiet, looking down at the beaten pony.  Her eyes turned white, then her face turned pale.  “No, I’m your loyal surv-”  She started to choke and was lifted off the ground.
The King’s voice boomed and echoed through the halls.  “Demina, your failure brings you to the epoch of your death.”  Demi choked and gasped, her eyes still white.  “Suffer and perish.”
Demi’s horn lit up and a blast of fire shot from her horn, hitting the ceiling above the large pony.  Rocks start to fall around the king, but he put up a barrier protecting him from the falling boulders.  With the slight shift in focus to the barrier, his telekinetic grasp on Demi weakened and she fell on the floor.  She tried desperately to quickly catch her breath.  Scorch started to trot to help his king from the rubble.  Demi used that time to get up and started to run out of the cave.  Suddenly, the rocks surrounding the king exploded all around him in a shower of stone and boulders.  Scorch flew back and was knocked into a far wall, then fell to the ground in a staggered daze.  The king looked down toward the entrance at the fleeing pony.  He took a deep breath as his horn lit up.  Then, with a deep exhale, blue fire spewed out of his mouth, engulfing the cavern.  Demi looked behind her and saw the enormous flames rushing toward her.  She trotted faster to win the race for her escape.  Once at the entrance, she dove to the ground as the massive amount of shooting fire burst out of the compact space of the cave and engulfed the entire area in the magical blue flames.  Demi slowly got up, then started to flee the area fearing for her life.


* * *


Crimson and Twilight meet with Fluttershy and Rarity at the hospital where the Duchess Vanderoof was kept.  They waited in the waiting room as medical ponies worked hard to stabilize her critical condition.  
They sat for hours before a doctor came out.  He looked tired and worn out from his hard work.  “You’re the ones that brought the Duchess?”
The girls stood up.  “Yes.  How is she?”
“We’ve done what we could.  She’s in ICU for observation while she rests.”
“Can we see her?”
“No visitors until she’s stabilized.  You’ve done all that you could.  Go home and get some rest.”
“Oh…  Well, thank you doctor.”  The group turned and headed out of the hospital only to be stopped at the door by a police pony.  
“You there, I have some qu-”  He noticed that one of the ponies in the group was a princess.  He gave a shallow and quick bow.  “I’m sorry, Princess.  I didn’t know you-”
“It’s okay.”  Twilight replied.  “You have some questions?”
“Yes.”  He started to question the girls about their role in the attack on the Duchess’s mansion as he wrote notes in a notepad.  They explained that they were her guests as well as the filly and mare.  “Yes, we’ve discovered the mare and the butler.  Perhaps you could explain how a large chunk of the wall was found over thirty meters from where it was supposed to be?”
“That’s who we’re trying to find.”  Twilight answered.  “A very dangerous pony who kidnapped the daughter of the mare.”
“Some pony said…”  The officer started to flip back in his notes.  “... that you and your group attacked the guard post the day before the incident and destroyed the gates.”
“Well, yes.  But-”
“And this was after the guard said, ‘no admittance.’”
“See, that was just a-”
“Much less the Destroyer being in the same place as the incident.”
“Wait, you’re not accusing Crimson, are you?”  Twilight asked.
Rarity shook her head.  “That’s impossible because he was with us the entire time.”
“So you’re saying the Destroyer, a pony who has a reputation of carnage and destruction, was not a part of the death of a mare and colt, the hospitalization of one of the most important ponies in town, and the destruction of private and prestigious property?”
“Yep.”  Twilight nodded.
With a brief pause to analyze the situation, and with a flick of his hoof, the notepad closed and he put it away.  “Well then, thank you for your time.”  The officer turned and walked away.  After a few steps, he stopped and turned around.  “Just to be safe, I suggest you stay in Van Hoover for a while.  There may be questions that need answering.”  Then the officer once again went about his business.
The group turned to one another.  “Geez, it seems that every time we’re around Crimson, there is some sort of legal issue that we need to take care of.”
Crimson gave a slight bow.  “I am sorry I-”
Twilight lifted her hoof to stop Crimson from talking.  “And no, you’re not a burden or whatever you were going to say.”  Crimson stood speechless.  “Ah-hah, I thought so.”  She smiled victorious.
Rarity looked at Twilight.  “What do we do now?”
“I…”  Twilight looked at Rarity with a stumped expression.  “I don’t know.”
Fluttershy gently and quietly chimed in.  “We should go back to Ponyville and check on Rainbow Dash.”
Twilight nodded.  “You’re right, Fluttershy.  But we’re not supposed to leave.  I can’t even report to Princess Celestia about what’s going on.”
“With the young seer in the possession of my family, I feel that they have the upper hoof.  We need to act quickly.”
“Then lets go back to the Duchess’s mansion and try to find where they went.”
The group agreed and they made their way back to the scene of the crime.


* * *


Police ponies scoured the area looking for every trace of evidence they could find about the scene.  The entire property was closed off, sections were taped off, flashes of light blinked from the camera flashes, chemical kits took samples from various elements of the area, and every pony in a large radius were questioned by the law enforcement.  Newspaper crews stood outside the scene just hoping to get their ear on any bit of news to beat the others in publishing the breaking news.  Shoulder to shoulder, flank to flank, the journalists themselves blocked any way to get in close to the gates of the once illustrious property.  Outside that layer were the ponies looking from beyond - citizens of the city looking from a distance wondering what was going on, and talking amongst themselves with their own odd, and sometimes completely outrageous, theories and accusations.  There, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Crimson stood looking on with the other ponies around them.
“There goes that idea.”  Twilight said.
Rarity looked over to Twilight and at her wings.  “You could always fly over the crowds.”
“Not with them.”  Twilight pointed to the pegasus patrolling the area, preventing any unauthorized pegasi to wander in the closed off area.  
“Then how can we get in?”
Crimson shook his head then turned and started to walk off.  Twilight looked over to Crimson.  “Hey.”  She trotted next to him with the girls close behind.  “You have an idea?”
“Our investigation will prove to be futile.”
“What do you mean?”  Rairty asked.
“The scene is flooded and tainted with local investigators.  The possibility of locating Scorch’s tracks are slim to none.”
Rarity quickened her pace to look at Crimson’s face.  “So again, what do we do now?”
“After my incarceration and my witnessing of your justice system, I took the time to research your laws of your lands during my travels.”  He turned a corner on the main road and started to head toward the train station.  “No pony here has been officially charged of any crime, nor have they legally arrested any of us.  Therefore, we have the right to do as we will as per your rules and laws.”
Twilight’s eyes popped with that realization.  “Holy hoof, you’re right!”  She started to quicken her pace.  Fluttershy and Rarity looked at each other, then trotted to catch up.  “We have to hurry!  Princess Celestia must be told what’s going on.”
Fluttershy looked at Twilight as Crimson trotted behind them.  “What about Rainbow Dash?”
“You two check in on her.  And tell Pinkie Pie and Applejack what’s going on too.”
“And what about Crimson?”  Rarity asked.
Twilight started to think to herself.  “Let’s figure that out when we’re on the train.”
Rarity looked ahead, then back to Twilight.  “Will they even let us on?  We don’t have our dresses this time.”
Twilight came to a stop with the group following suit.  “You’re right.  How can we get Crimson on the train?”
“Princess, my wounds are in a manageable state.  I shall find my own way to Ponyville.”
“But that will take too long.”
“Your Princess needs to be made aware of the events that have transpired.”  A brief pause ensued as the girls thought about what Crimson said.  
Twilight nodded.  “You’re right.  Come on, girls.  Let’s go before we miss the next train.”
“I shall meet you at your library.”
Rarity looked at Crimson.  “Do you know how to get to Ponyville?”
“I have spent a lot of time traversing your lands.  I have grown familiar with navigation on the surface.”
“Okay.  Be careful.”
“You all as well.”  Crimson said looking over the group.
The girls turned and started to make their way toward the train leaving Crimson in the city alone.  He looked up at the sky to get his general bearings, then turned and started to make his way to the city limits.
> Chapter 17 - Crimson and the Magical Explanation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crimson, making his way out of the Vanhoover, stopped and turned when he heard a voice from behind him.  “Where are you going?”  He looked to see the police officer pony that questioned him and the girls before.  The officer walked up to Crimson.  “I said don’t leave town.”
“That was a suggestion.”
“No, that was an order.”
“You do not have the authority to give me order.”
“When I say ‘don’t leave town’ I mean stay in town.  Where are your friends?”
“You have no right to keep me here.”  He started to turn before the officer pony lifted his hoof.
“Bull hoof I can’t!  You’re the prime suspect of a multi murder investigation and the attempted murder of the duchess.”
He turned to face the officer again.  “Under Equestrian Law Section 4.8 of the Fair Pony Act Subchapter 1, No pony - Earth, Pegasi, or Unicorn alike - shall be unjustly held without lawful charge.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to charge you with Assault and Destruction of Property until I find the evidence to bring you down.”  The officer pony reached and pulled out manicules.  “You’re under arrest.”
Crimson shook his head.  “I do not have time for this.”  Crimson’s eyes and horn lit up as he swept the ground with his right hoof, then he stomped the ground.  The earth under the officer briefly liquefied, causing the officer pony to sink knee deep into the ground.  As Crimson stomped, the liquified earth turned back into the original solid.   
The officer looked down at his legs.  “What the?”  He struggled as Crimson turned around.  “Come back here, murderer!”  He started to trot away as the officer continued to struggle.  “You cheating bastard!  I’ll get you!  Come back here!”


* * *


Crimson trotted for hours toward Ponyville through the forests south of Vanhoover.  As the light quickly vanished with the dusk approaching, he stopped for a break at a small clear lake in the depths of the woods.  Hungry, thirsty, and out of breath, he went to the shores and started to drink from the clear waters.  
“How do your travels fair?”  Crimson turned to see the robed sage standing before him with a saddlebag over her robes.
“It is difficult for any pony to sneak up on me.  You have done so countless times.  Who are you?”
“You haven’t answered my question.”
“Nor have you.”
The two stood silently for a moment.  “The princess is asking for a report on your search.”
“Then tell the princess to meet with me personally.  I wish to speak with her.”
“You wish to talk to the princess?  What do you have to say?”
“The relics are with my family, as is the young seer.”  The sage stood quietly.  “Unless I have access to a seer, or some pony who has an idea where they are located, I am afraid that I am unable to continue my search without a lead.”
“You’re telling the princess that you failed?”
Crimson shook his head.  “No.  I do not fail.  I will find them.”
“Very well.”  The sage reached back and pulled off the saddlebag.  She put in on the ground, then turned around.
“Wait…”  Crimson said stopping the sage.  The sage turned her head.  “You were able to sap the strength from Scorch’s magic.  If you possess such power, why do you not stop my family?”
“I have other things to take care of.”  She started to walk away.  “I think you have this task well in hoof.”  And with a few steps, she vanished from sight.  “Don’t forget to stop and rest.  Keep up your strength.”   
Crimson stared in the dark forest as his eyes adjusted to the night.  He looked down at the soft dirt to find that the sage left no tracks.  He walked up to the bag left by the sage then opened it up to find a small assortment of food and supplies.  He turned and looked the last point where he saw the sage wondering what her game truly was.


* * *


Hours passed as Crimson slowly made his way through the forest.  The trek was more difficult, and it took a lot longer than he originally planned, but the pesky police officer forced Crimson to travel slower and cautious to keep out of sight.  The canopy of the tall trees made it difficult to see the stars for navigation.  As he traveled, he started to think about that strange sage.  Questions came to his mind - Who was she?  How did she dispel his brother’s magic?  How did she even know where Crimson was in the middle of the forest?  He then came to the conclusion that the sage herself must be a seer of great power.  His questions came to a halt as he came to a small clearing.  He gazed upon the southern train tracks that wrapped around the Smokey Mountain - the same tracks he followed to get to Los Pegasus.  Finally, he was on semi-familiar ground.  From there, he started to trot toward Ponyville.


* * *


Again, hours passed as Crimson continued his long trot toward the Ponyville Library.  Finally, the last turn until the tracks led out of the forest and into the hills.  Just beyond the hills was his destination.  He stopped for a break and started to eat the food given to him by the sage.  He started to think out the last time he ate anything, much less the last time he got any rest.  ‘Keep up your strength.’  The sage’s words echoed through his mind.  With hesitation, he laid down and closed his eyes to rest a bit.
The sun’s light woke up Crimson.  He blinked a couple of times trying to get his eyes to adjust to the sun.  He looked and saw the hills in the distance.  He stood up, puts the saddlebag of supplies on his back, then continued his trek to Ponyville.


* * *


Twilight Sparkle waited in the library with the rest of the group - Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and the injured but recovering Rainbow Dash.  She updated the girls on what was going on - the elements being stolen by Crimson’s family, the fight at the beach, the duchess in Vanhoover, everything.  They waited at the library hoping Crimson maked it.  The library was a mess with books all over the ground.  Twilight went from book to book, trying to find anything that would help them learn more about seers, or something that would catch her eye.
Rainbow Dash sat in a chair at the table in the middle of the room.  Cushions padded her seat, allowing for a more comfortable sit.  Her injuries were not fully healed, but the hospital released her from their care feeling she could recover on her own.  “So the pony who attacked me was Crimson’s sister?”
Twilight, her muzzle in a book, sat across from Rainbow Dash and nodded.  “Yep.  But Fluttershy took care of her.”
Rarity, looking into a portable mirror and brushing her mane, stood up.  “And she saved our lives!  She was amazing!”
Fluttershy turned away blushing.
Pinkie Pie, sitting on the floor, stood up.  “We should have a party!  AWESOME PARTY!~”
“We don’t have time for a party, Pinkie.”  Twilight said, tossing the book she was reading on the ground.  “Spike, get me the next one.”
“Right!”  The tiny dragon climbed up the ladder on the bookshelf and grabbed the next book for Twilight to look through.
Applejack leaned against the table.  “An’ how do yall know she’s gone for good?”
“We don’t.”  Twilight answered as Spike puts the next book in front of her.  “However, the possibility of her being able to swim are slim to none, considering the probability of discovering a large pool of water so deep underground to consider the usefulness of learning how to sw-”
Applejack lifted a hoof.  “Okay, okay.  I get the point.  You don’t know.”
A moment of silence ensued before Rainbow Dash stood up.  “We should go look for him.”
Applejack stood as well and got ready to catch Rainbow Dash just in case she fell.  “Now hold yer horses.  You’re in no condition to be all fly’n around.”
Rarity too stood up next to Rainbow.  “She’s right, dear.  Besides, if Crimson said he’ll be here, I’m sure he’ll be here.”
Pinkie Pie smiled.  “That means we can party while we wait.”
All of the girls stopped and look at the door when they heard a knock.  Twilight stood up.  “The party will have to wait, Pinkie.”  She rushed to the door and opened it up.  
“Princess, I am sorry to keep you waiting.”  Crimson said with a bow.
“You made it!”  
“Yes.”  When Twilight opened the door wider, Crimson entered the library as the girls came up to greet him.  “Have you met with Princess Celestia?”
Twilight shook her head.  “Not yet.  She’s been busy.  Something about an important trade agreement.”  Twilight turned around.  “Come on.  Let’s all have a seat.  I bet you had a long trip.”
The group gathered around the small table in the middle of the room as Spike started to reorganize the books.  
Rainbow Dash looked up to Crimson.  “How in the hoof did your sister bury me in the ground like that?”
Twilight looked at Crimson.  “I’ve actually been meaning to ask you about your magic.”
“My magic?”
“Yes.  I’ve made a number of observations about you and your magic and I’ve been helping the Equestrian Magic Research and Development Department to figure out how your magic works.  Aside from telekinesis, I’ve only seen you do fire and earth magic.”
“You are correct.  That is the extent of my magical capabilities.”
“But we haven’t been able to recreate your magic.”
Rainbow Dash lifted her hoof.  “Hold on, I asked my question first.”
Crimson looked at Rainbow Dash, then Twilight.  “My people of two major kinds of magic - Fire and Earth.  Telekinesis is primarily a utility, and it is rare to have the strength to use it to lift objects heavier than a small table, unlike the astounding power you girls possess.  We can generate fire through our own personal energy.  Fire can also be generated by the use of rage and anger, which is what Scorch uses and thus his name.”  Twilight stared intently as Crimson looked at Rainbow Dash.  ”Our earth magic, though exponentially more powerful, draws upon our inner strength and can weaken us considerably without a binding circle.”
“A what?”  Twilight asked.
“A binding circle.  They are the magical circles we draw for earth magic.”
“And what do they do?”
“They serve two purposes - to enhance the bond from us to the earth, and to lessen the strength that is sapped from our bodies.  The earth demands a great deal of strength to manipulate.  Depending on what we want changes the type and size of bounding circle.  The bigger the circle, the more powerful the magic.  They are also more difficult to control and may forego the cast and go straight for the strength sapping.  Some ponies have drawn circles so big that their very life essence was sucked from their bodies, ultimately killing them with no effect.”
Rarity looked at Crimson.  “So that giant circle all around the Duchess’s mansion…”
“I believe it was a circle used for tracking sound or something to that extent.  Since it didn’t require the transmutation or manipulation of the earth, it was safer to use.”  Crimson answered.  “The building was cut using fire magic and the smaller circle was used to throw the stone wall.”
“So if he couldn’t control the large circle, he would have had his energy taken from him?”
“You are correct, Princess.  Then Scorch would have been weak and all but helpless.”
Rarity smiled.  “That would have been nice.”
Twilight started to think to herself.  “I’ve never heard of such kind of magic.”
“To put things into perspective, Princess, a lot of what you all do on the surface was never heard of from my kind.  Your flight, the rain, and more.  What we consider second hoof is a mystery to you.  It is the same for us.”
Twilight looked baffled.  “Good point.”
“So that strange circle that mare drew, that was the binding thingie that had the ground swallow me up?”  Rainbow asked.
“You are correct.  Considering you were off the ground, the amount of energy used to generate such a spell would have been considerable with out the circle.”
Twilight looked up at Crimson.  “Wait, wait.  What about your little movements?”
Rainbow Dash nodded.  “Yeah.  That girl tried to bite me, then the ground swallowed me whole.”
Crimson thought to himself trying to figure out how to answer.  “I suppose a good way of putting it would be…  Redirection of generated energy.”  He looked up at the girls.  “The energy is still bound to us and the movements help redirect the energy to force the earth to do what we want.  Without the gestures, it would take a lot of focus, concentration, and a lot of skill to manipulate the earth.”
Rarity’s eyes popped as a thought comes to mind.  “Can you make diamonds and gems out of sand?”
Spike turned his head at the thought of a sudden creation of endless food and scampered to the meeting at the table.  Crimson shook his head.  “I am sorry.  That level of transmutation is beyond our power.”  Spike pouted and turned to continue cleaning the library.
“But then how did Demi turn rock into sand?”  Twilight asked.
“And sand to rock?”  Rarity added.
“Sand and stone are basically the same.  The closer the elements are to one another, the easier it is to manipulate.  Artificially refined material, such as iron, takes a great deal more effort, but the bond between pony and the elements are…  muffled, I suppose a good way of putting it is.”
“Muffled, but not muted.  Right?”  Twilight asked.
“You are correct, Princess.  With the right circle, enough energy, and enough skill, one can decompose iron into its basic elements.  A lot of the time, refined materials are used as a barrier against attacks.”
“So bending metal like the vault for the Elements of Harmony…  It isn’t impossible, just difficult.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Rarity brushed her mane with her hoof.  “And what about the beautiful jewelry you made for me?”
“And the ones you had when we first met you.”
Twilight looked at the girls.  “I remember reading up on that.  Aren’t they kind of like an enhancer?”
Crimson nodded.  “You are an intelligent and well-read Princess.  Yes, they enhance the potential of magic depending on the stone, the precision of the cut, and the method of enchanting.  However, a standard stone can work, but will be rather volatile and may give unexpected results.”
“I didn’t know that part.  Truly fascinating.”  Twilight said, soaking in as much information as she can.  “So when the binding circles turn to glass..?”
“When the binding circles are used, the drawings emits an intense amount of heat that melts or molds the surrounding area around the circle.  When they turn to glass, they were drawn in soft dirt or stone.”
“Amazing.”  After a brief moment, Twilight stood up.  “Spike, get my writing stuff.”
Spike slid down the ladder.  “What’s up, Twilight?”
“I have to write a report for the EMRDD.”
Applejack blinked at Twilight.  “A report for the what now?”
Spike placed a quill and ink in front of Twilight and she started to telekinetically write on the blank paper on the desk.  “The Equestrian Magical Research and Development Department.  Warlock Magicrest will want to know what I’ve discovered.”
> Chapter 18 - Crimson and the Reuniting of a Seer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi ran as fast as she could through the forest, fleeing for her life from the cave.  Barely escaping the magical blue explosion from her brother’s magic, she started running in any direction she could away from the cave.  When she felt it was safe, she came to a stop and caught her breath.  She turned to look behind her to see nothing but trees and brush.  She fell on the ground and laid on her side breathing heavily.  Her legs felt like noodles from the vast amount of ground she had covered to get to the cave, and then from her time running away from her brothers.  In the back of her mind, she knew she would be hunted.  After a moment, she gathered enough energy to stand up, then moved to a tree and climbed up a few branches to sit and rest out of general view.  She closed her eyes as they turned white for a dream and a vision of her immediate life.  
Before long, her eyes popped open and she jumped onto the ground as the tree she was resting in was ripped in half by a blast of fire.  She rolled aside as a lashing of a flame whip hit the ground she landed on.  She put her back against a tree as she tried to control her breath.  A moment of silence.  Only the sound of the fire on the tree could be heard.  She looked behind her other shoulder and felt that she had a moment of safety.  Her eyes turned white to catch a glimpse of what could come, leaving her vulnerable during her vision.  She popped out of her vision and ducked just as a flaming lash ripped through the trunk of the tree.  She quickly started to draw a binding circle as the tree collapsed from the cut.  Her eyes and horn lit up as she pressed on the ground, allowing the hidden energies of the earth to combine with her will.  She lifted her hoof, then stomped on the circle.  The circle lit up in a quick burst of intense heat causing the energy built up to travel through the ground twenty meters away, where it burst from the ground, causing a massive stone spike to rip from the ground hitting nothing but air.  With her missed attack, she performed a leaping roll on the ground, keeping low and out of sight while using the brush as cover, then hid behind another tree.  She pressed her back against the trunk trying to catch her breath.  She knew her hunter.  He knew how to kill seers.  That was one of his specialties.  He knew their weakness - their visions.  Exploiting their moment of near helpless while in their trance when they try to use their powers of sight to strike them down.  Scorch was a skilled and intelligent warrior.  Normally, he talked to try to demoralize his foes.  This time, he needed to focus.  He needed to be careful.  He needed to be patient.  Demi knew it.  And deep down, it worried her.  One wrong step for either of them and the battle would be over.  
A pause ensued.  Finally able to control her breath, she waited and listened intently, trying to find out where her brother was.  Again, she started to draw in the ground in preparation of her brother’s attack.  She also knew she shouldn't stay in one place for too long.  It was a risk drawing a binding circle and taking her full attention away from her surroundings, but it was a risk she felt she needed to take.  Then, she caught a break.  She heard a snap of a twig that wasn't a part of the fires near by.  Abandoning the binding circle, she jumped from her hiding place with her horn glowing and launched a pillar of fire from her horn.  The magic reached out and soaked and absorbed some of the flames around, causing the pillar to grow in strength.  The pillar blasted a huge hole in the forest, catching all that it touched on fire.  She looked up at the result only to realize she’s been had.  She started to run through the forest away from the fight knowing her brother was nearby.  Ducking under low branches and jumping over fallen logs, she quickly came to a road where she felt a sting on her flank.  The sudden sting threw her off her stride and she fell to the ground rolling with the impact.  Before she got up, she was pinned by the armored pony that was her brother.  Scorch looked down at her with his red eyes.  His black coat was flawless and his armor was unscuffed.  He started to dig his climbing claws into her flesh as he grinned.  
“My dear sister, how I’ve longed to put you in your place.”  Demi’s eyes start to go white, but Scorch smacked her face, pulling her out of her trance.  “Coward!”  He dug his claws a little bit deeper into Demi’s shoulders.  “I thought you’d have posed at least a little bit of a challenge for me.  I thought you were supposed to be good considering you and the traitor used to always work together.  It’s a shame you’ll die like the traitor will - like a weakling without dignity or honor.”
“Crimson…”  Demi said under her breath.
Scorch lifted his hoof getting ready to slash at Demi with one of his climbing claws.  Just as he was about to snuff her out, he was interrupted by a voice in the distance.  “Hey, are you okay?”  He turned his head to see a couple of earth ponies pulling a cart on the road.  They looked at each other and started to rush to the fighting pair.
“Fools!”  Scorch leaned his head down and blasted them with a fireball, launching them off the road and partially on fire.
Demi got an idea and took the distraction as an opportunity.  She lashed a whip of fire from her horn, grabbing Scorch’s throat.  She whipped her head to the side, tossing her brother off of her and into the bushes.  She got up and started to limp back into the forest where they came from.  She started to recalling the route she took, and remembered what she jumped over and what she avoided.  She went as quickly as she could, taking no caution to the noise or tracks she made.  Finally, she got to the site where she drew the binding circle.  
“You coward!”  Scorch yelled as he steped from the shadows of the forest.  “You’ve run do a slower death.”  He started to step toward her as she turned around to face her foe.  “Go ahead.  Use your sight.  See how your life will end.”
Demi lifted her hoof with glowing horn and eyes.  “Not today, brother.”  Scorch looked down at the binding circle as Demi stomped, releasing her energy into the circle.  The ground was energized as Scorch leaned back, unleashing a whip of fire from his horn.  He lashed the whip toward her injured sister as she pushed up from the ground.  A column of earth lifted, quickly pierced the ground and started to lift her through the trees.  At the canopy, she jumped up from the column as it came to a stop, shooting her into the sky.  She spread her wings and started to glide away from the fight.  The column crumbled as Scorch tore it down with his whip.  He started to jump up into the trees to the canopy of the forest to try to see where his sister had fled.  He looked at the town in the distance.  After a brief study of what he saw, he jumped down and glided to the ground, then ran in pursuit of his sister.


* * *


Twilight finished her notes on her discoveries regarding Crimson’s magic.  She rolled up the notes and sealed it in wax.  “Spike, send this to Warlock Magicrest.”
Spike took the letter.  “Right.”  He took a breath, but paused.  “Wait, who?”
“The head researcher at the EMRDD.”  
“Oh.  Right.”  He took  a breath, then paused again.  “What was that again?”
“The Equst…  You know what?”  She took the letter from Spike’s claws.  “Nevermind.  I should really deliver this myself.”
Rainbow Dash looked up at Twilight.  “Uh, Twilight.  What do you suppose we should do?”
Twilight turned around.  “With Crimson still being wanted, I don’t think it would be a good idea for all of us to go.  You girls stay here.  I’ll be back soon.”  She turned and left the library.
Applejack turned to Crimson.  “So, I gatta ask.  If yall’s magic is all earthly, can ya do something to make things grow?”
Crimson stared at Applejack.  “I do not understand.”
“You know, like make apple trees grow bigger and stronger.”
“I do not know the anatomy of your trees so it would be difficult to say.”
Rainbow Dash walked up to Crimson.  “If your sister made a giant monster face from rocks, can you make like an awesome pony creature come to life?”
“It would take a great deal of power and focus to actively manipulate the earth for an automation.”
“Auto-what?”  Pinkie Pie asked in confusion.
“Automation.  Controlling an object like a golem or other devices.”
“And a golem iiiis…”
Crimson thought for a moment while looking at Pinkie Pie.  “I suppose a statue of any construct that is brought to life.”
“Could they take the form of a cake?”
Rainbow Dash shook her head.  “Pinkie, I don’t think cakes can move on their own.”
“Yeah, but what if you made a cake that could move on its own.  Then you wouldn’t have to feed yourself the deliciousness of cake when it would feed itself to you.”
The girls stood speechless for a moment.  “You know, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.”
Crimson stepped in.  “I suppose you could create a food that is a golem.  Usually, they are in a shape of a creature like a pony.”
Rarity chimed in with her question.  “Crimson, dear.  Do you think your earth magic could find gold and mold it into precise jewelry?”
“Feeling what the earth feels is a difficult task that often ends up in failure.  That being said, it is possible.  As for the bending of gold, that is possible with the proper amount of magical power.  However, magical synthetic refinement is generally required to make a trinket of any real worth.”
The door to the library slowly squeaked open and the group turned to see who it was.  Rainbow Dash jumped and hovered at the sight of the robed mare who put her in a coma.  “You!”
“Little.. broth-…”  Demi collapsed starting to succumb to her wounds.
Crimson stared with wonder and on guard at the sight of his injured sister.  “Demi..?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”  Rainbow Dash said.  “You’re no match for my awesomeness!”
Fluttershy looked at the wounded mare and started to run to her.  Crimson lifted his hoof to stop her advance.  She looked up to Crimson.  “She’s hurt.  We have to help her.”
Rainbow Dash crossed her arms.  “Bull hoof!  She almost killed me!”
Applejack stepped in.  “I agree.  If she’s as dangerous as you say she is, we shouldn’t go rush’n in like that.”
“I don’t care!”  Fluttershy said, pushing Crimson’s arm away.  “We have to help her.”  
Crimson looked at Fluttershy then nodded.  “Very well.  Be cautious.”
Fluttershy rushed to Demi’s aid and noticed piercings in her shoulders and large, deep cuts in her rear flank.  She looked closer at the wounds.  “They’re not bad, but they’ve been untreated.  They may get an infection.”
Crimson stepped up to his sister.  “How did you survive?”
“It…  It’s good to see you too.”
Fluttershy looked up at the girls.  “Get me bandages and clean water.”
Rarity looked at the mare who almost slit her throat on the beaches.  “What are you doing here?”
Demi’s eyes started to blink slower and slower.  “My b.. brother…  hhhelp…”  She closed her eyes and started to go unconscious.
Rarity stomped her hoof.  “That wasn’t a good enough answer!”
Fluttershy looked up at Rarity.  “Rarity, please get some bandages.”
Rarity huffed, then turned to help her once overpowering opponent.


* * *


A short time passed and Demi was wrapped up in bandages.  Her wounds were cleaned and free of infection, and she rested in Twilight’s bed.  Crimson walked into the library from working outside for a bit as the group sat around the table in the middle of the library while Fluttershy worked in the kitchen.  Crimson sat at the table with the group.
Rarity stomped her hoof in a pout.  “This is ridiculous.  Why is she here?”
Rainbow Dash rubbed some of her still tender wounds.  “And why did we help her?”
Fluttershy turned around to the group.  “Because she needed help.  I can’t leave any pony like that.  I have to help.”
“I agree.”  Crimson added.  “This will give us time to interrogate her on her intentions.”
Fluttershy shook her head.  “No, she needs rest.”
Rainbow Dash and Rarity protested.  “And we need answers!”
Crimson stood up.  “I shall stay with my sister.  You all get some rest.  I shall inform you of any developments to her status.”
“She just needs rest.”  Fluttershy repeated as she turned around and grabbed what she was working on.  “Here.”  She handed Crimson a plate of food and drink.  “This is for Demi when she wakes up.”
Crimson looked at her offering in confusion.  “I still do not fully understand you all.”
The girls started to walk toward the library door before Rainbow Dash stopped and turned around.  “I still think this is a bad idea.”
Crimson turned to Rainbow Dash.  “I agree to an extent.  However, something does not seem right.  I must talk to my sister.”
Fluttershy looked at Crimson.  “Okay, but promise you’ll be gentle.”
Crimson nodded, then the girls left the library.
Spike walked up to Crimson.  “So, uh…”
Crimson looked down at the tiny dragon.  “Are there any more bandages?  I will need to change her dressings soon.”
Spike looked around.  “I think they’re all used up.  I’ll go get more.”  He turned and headed out of the library, leaving the two alone.  Crimson went up to the second level and stared at his sister.

Not long after, Demi’s eyes cracked open.  Then she jumps to her hooves and backed up into a corner.  She frantically looked around, wondering where she was.  She saw her brother watching her. 
Demi let out a sigh of relief.  “B-brother.  I found you.”  
Crimson nodded.  “That you have.”
She took a step forward, but the shock wore off and she winced in pain.
“What happened?”
“Scorch.”  Demi replied.  “He tried to kill me.”
“Why would he do that?”
Demi looked down in despair.  “I have apparently outlived my usefulness.  The King was going to kill me for failing my mission.”
Crimson shook his head.  “A cold reminder on why I have forsaken such a lifestyle.”
Demi looked up to her brother.  “Why did you do it?”  
“Do you need to ask why?  Look at you.  You were one of House Thull’s top advisers and King Temethyst almost killed you for a failed mission.”
“The mission cost me my honor.”  Demi looked down trying to look strong, but felt weak and lost on the inside.
Crimson put his hoof on his sister’s shoulder.  “Are you well enough to walk?”
Demi looked over her wounds.  “I’ve had worse.”
Crimson smiled as he turned around.  “Come, my sister.  We have much to catch up on.”
Demi looked at her brother.  “Why?”
Crimson stopped and turned around.  
“Why didn’t you kill me?”
“Things are different for me.”  He took a step forward.  “This world is an amazing world.  It is the opposite of the lifestyle in which we were forced to live in.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“No, I suppose it does not.”  Crimson paused for a second.  “I suppose it is because I did not want to.”
“You always were a softie.” 
The two smiled and Crimson sat next to his sister.  “That of which I do not regret.”
After a brief pause, Demi looked up to her little brother.  “I need your help.  Scorch is hunting me.”
“I figured as much.  Fear not, my sister.  I am ready.”
Demi shook her head.  “You know our brother.  He never fails.”
“On the contrary, he failed to retrieve the filly at the beach.”
“But he succeeded after.”  Demi rubbed her neck with her hoof.  “Otherwise, I’d still be useful.”
“Trust me.  That life was no life to live.”
Demi looked at her brother.  “Your attitude has changed.  You used to be ruthless and brave.  You’re not the brother I used to know.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
After a brief pause, Demi shook her head.  “No, I suppose not.”
Crimson stood up.  “Since you can not walk, get some rest, my sister.”  Crimson presented the food Fluttershy made for her.
“What’s this?”
“Ms. Fluttershy asked me to give this to you.”
“Who is that?”
“The pegasus who treated your wounds.”
“The yellow coat and pink hair?”
Crimson nodded.
“I don’t understand this world.  First she tries to kill me, now she wants to save me?”
“As I said, this is a much different world than what we were used to.  Now eat and get some rest.  We can talk when you have recovered.”  He turned and started to walk to the lower levels.
> Chapter 19 - Crimson and the Hunter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun rose, bringing a new day to Equestria.  Demi’s eyes opened to see Fluttershy prepping fresh bandages.  Her robes folded nicely beside the bed and her jewelry laid on a table.  When Fluttershy noticed Demi was awake, she lightly recoiled in defense.
“You…  You were the one who defeated me.”  Demi said.
Fluttershy looked around, then pointed to herself.  “Who, me?”
“I’m confused.  Why would you try to kill me then help me?”
“Oh.  Well, I couldn’t just let you lay there hurt like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s just mean and insensitive.”
“Insen-”  Demi thought to herself as Fluttershy relaxed.  “My brother was right.  Such a strange place.”  She sat up and looked at her bandage.
Fluttershy proceeded to change out Demi’s bandages.  Rainbow Dash hovered to the second floor.  “Everything okay, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow Dash.  “Oh, yes.  Everything’s fine.  Her injuries aren’t very bad.  I think she was mostly just exhausted and dehydrated.”
Demi looked over to Rainbow Dash.  “You survived.”
“Yeah, don’t think your petty trick can stop me.”
“But it almost did.”  Demi said.
Rainbow Dash landed and looked at Demi.  “So what’s your story?”
“I could ask you the same thing.  Why didn’t you kill me when you had the chance?”
Rainbow Dash shrugged.  “Meh, not my style.”
“Does no pony in this world have any real courage or valor?”
Fluttershy looked down away from Demi.  “I don’t.”
Rainbow Dash crossed her arms offended.  “Well I do.”
“I don’t understand how ponies such as yourselves sapped the strength and resolve from my brother.  He used to be one of the bravest ponies I knew, even though he was a softie.”
“Are you kidding?  He IS a brave and strong pony.”  Rainbow said, hovering again.
“A fraction of the pony he once was.”
Rainbow Dash landed in front of Demi.  “I’m glad.  If he were like you, he wouldn’t be nearly as cool as he is now.”
An awkward silence ensued before Demi looked around.  “Where is my brother?  I must speak to him.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you do.  Listen, I don’t know what your game is, but we won’t let it happen.”
“My game?”  Demi stood up.  “My life is not a game, weakling.”
“Could have fooled me.”
Applejack walked up to the group.  “What’s go’n on around here?”
Rainbow Dash turned around.  “Nothing.”
“Darn toot’n nothing.”  She tipped her hat, looking over the injured mare.  “Ya seem to be in good shape.  Come on, Fluttershy.  Let’s show her to Crimson.”  Demi quickly donned her robes, grabbed her jewelry, then followed the two.  Rainbow Dash stared at her as she walked passed.

Applejack and Fluttershy led Demi outside the library where Crimson stood ever vigilant.  “He’s been stand’n here all night watch’n the place.”  After a brief pause, Applejack put her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder.  “Come on, hun.  Let’s leave these two alone for a bit.”  Fluttershy nodded and the two went back into the library.
Demi looked at the ground as she walked up to Crimson.  “An impressive circle.  Are you sure you have the strength to control it?”
“I already am.”  Crimson looked at his sister.  “It is a proximity ward.”
Demi once again examined the circle.  “Why it is.  But somethings different.”
“It is a silent alarm instead of a vicious trap.  It is much easier to control.”  The two stood silently for a moment.  “Your mane is a mess.”
Demi looked down embarrassed.  “I’m sorry.  I haven’t had the opportunity to groom myself.”
“Your apology is not needed.”
“Another trait you picked up in this world.  You don’t groom yourself like you used to either.”
“You are correct.  However, I have not had the opportunity nor the resources to do such.”
“Am I going to be so unkempt like you if I stay up here?”
“Not if you wish it.”
The two again stood in silence for a moment.  “So tell me, why did you leave?”
Crimson looked at his sister.  “What do you mean?”
“Why did you leave?  Without saying a word, you just vanished.”
“I do not regret my decision.”  Crimson continued to look up into the distance.  “Do you remember when we last spoke?”
“At the wooden structure near that large land of water?”
Crimson shook his head.  “No, before that.  It was in my quarters after the ambush of House Razak’s patrol.”
Demi thought to herself for a moment, then shook her head.  “That was such a long time ago.”
“I think about it constantly.  Day after day, I felt disconnected to what we were lead to believe.  I just did not see the logic behind our way of life.”
Demi looked up as she started to remember.  “Oh, I remember now.  You were saying a lot of traitorous things.”  She looked away in shame.  “I was forced to tell Scorch about what you said.”
“I know.  But even deep into that way of life, you have always been kind to me.”
Demi grinned.  “Well, yeah.  You were my way into power.”
“Back then, I would have agreed to your thoughts and helped you ascend.  Now, I do not think that was the case.”
Demi looked at her brother.  “Oh really?  Then tell me, what was it?”
Crimson stood silent staring at a specific area in the distance.  “Come.  It is time we left.”
Demi’s eyes turned white.  “I agree.”  They phased back to normal and the two started to leave the area.

The two walked outside the town limits into the forest heading north-west - the location of the disturbance Crimson and Demi saw in the distance.  
“Just like old times, right brother?”
Crimson nodded.  “It has been a while.  Ever since the Marchulk Outpost incident, we have been separated.”
“And it’s not like Temethyst was going to keep his promise anyways.  We were going to destroy them after the trade.  We just… saved them the trouble and wiped them out.  And we got what we wanted out of it too.”
“I do not deny the challenge they posed.”
“Oh come now.  Stop being so modest.  You know we were more than a match for that puny outpost and their pathetic guards.”
“You are correct.”  Crimson said with a nod.  “At the time, they were nothing but vile pests to be crushed at my hoof.”  Demi grinned at Crimson’s reply.  “But that was a long time ago.  I am a different pony, and no longer the savage, villainous soldier I once was.”
Demi’s grinned vanished and she rolled her eyes.  “I bet you miss it - the feeling of power and fear.  The feeling of respect and honor.  The feeling of purpose.”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “If what you have told me is true, that life is no longer yours to live.”
“What?  Don’t you trust me?”
Crimson looked ahead as they went through the woods.  The conversation came to a halt when the two stopped and looked at a pony in a blue uniform.  “Greetings, officer.”
“And to you too, Destroyer.”  The officer replied.  “I finally found you.”
Demi smiled and looked at her brother trying not to laugh.  “They call you ‘Destroyer’?  I thought you’ve gone soft.”
Crimson looked at his sister.  “It is not what you think.”
“You are surrounded.  Surrender and return with us to Vanhoover so that you can stand trial.”  Police earth ponies revealed themselves from their hiding places surrounding the two ponies.  Demi and Crimson didn't look the least bit shocked, as if they expected it.
“Wow, so many flesh bags.”  Demi looked at the police officer.  “So tell me, what did my brother do to deserve this?”
“Murder, destruction of private and prestigious property, trespassing…”
“Oh, murder.  I knew you couldn’t resist.”
Crimson shook his head.  “It is not what you think…”
The officer took a more firm stand.  “Surrender and come with us, or we’ll force you to comply!”
Demi started to laugh.  “Insolent swin.  Do you really think you have a goddess’s hope in hell to walk away from this?”
The officer stared at the two criminals.  “So be it.  Ponies, detain them!”
Crimson and Demi turned away from each other as the police ponies started to charge at them.  Demi lightly turned her head to Crimson.  “What do you say?  A race?”
Crimson smiled slightly looking back to her.  “Very well.”  The two went into position as the attackers got closer into range.  Crimson stared intently as his approaching prey, his eyes and horn glowing.  Then he stomped the ground with his hoof, allowing the earth to draw upon his strength.  With the strength of earth empowering his hooves, the police ponies jumped to subdue the red coated pony.  He shifted to the side then jerked his hoof from the ground, causing a pillar of stone to come up from the ground, smashing one of the police ponies aside, colliding with the one next to it.  More ponies attacked Crimson trying to flank him, but the experienced warrior knew what to expect.  He bucked on his hind legs, then jumped at one of the flankers.  The attacker jumped to try to tackle him, but Crimson took the low ground, ducking under the lunging attacker.  As the pony flew over him, Crimson spun around and pushed up, causing the pony to spiral out of control.  In flight, he crashed into the other flanker causing them to both collapse to the ground.  He turned to see how his sister was doing to see the ponies on her side in the same condition as his.  Demi turned to address Crimson while keeping her focus at the attackers.  “I see your life up here hasn’t dulled your fighting skills too much.”
“Just because I have not fought does not mean I do not practice.”
The officer pony stomped his hoof in anger.  “That does it.  Now I’m mad!”  He rose his hoof.  “SWAT ponies, prepare to engage the two criminals!”  Unicorns, who look like they meant serious business, came from their hiding spots with horns lit.  Demi and Crimson’s horns lit up in response to the magical threat as they looked at the surrounding unicorns.  
Demi addressed the surrounding unicorns.  “By the time this is over, you’ll all perish under our hooves.”
Crimson turned his head at his sister.  “No fatalities.”
“What?”  Demi drew her attention from the unicorns to her brother.  “You must be joking.”
Crimson shook his head.  “For you to keep my trust, you must do things my way.”
Demi sighed.  “Very well.  But you’d better not be as rusty as your previous performance was.”
The officer pony looked at the two chattering on.  “Are you done?  This isn’t some story where you can talk during a fight.”
Crimson looked at the officer.  “This is your final warning.  Stand down before you all get hurt.”
Demi turned her head once again at Crimson.  “I’m trusting you with those kind of comments?”
The officer pony shook his head.  “Enough of this.  Attack!”
Simultaneously, the unicorns unleashed an attack at the two surrounded ponies.  At the same time, Demi and Crimson were surrounded by erupting fire bursting from the ground.  Just as the attacks hit, both of them surround themselves in a single omni-shield made of magic fire.  The blasts hit the barrier and it flexed and pulsated with the magical energies hitting the shield.  The unicorns stayed focused on their attack.  
“Second squad, engage!”  The officer pony ordered as a group of earth ponies started to rush the surrounded defenders.  Just as the ponies reached the shield, it exploded, causing a wave of magical energy to burst from the shield and at the attackers.  The armored earth ponies were knocked back, but the unicorns stood in a daze.
Crimson and Demi, unharmed by the assault, started their counter-attack against the special weapons and tactics unit of Vanhoover.  Like a well oiled machine, Crimson and Demi moved as if they were performing a dance of battle.  Demi ducked allowing Crimson to roll over her and unleashed a combined whip of fire, slashing at the earth ponies, sweeping them off the ground and into trees.  The unicorns started to break their daze, then got ready to attack again.  Crimson grabbed Demi’s front hooves and spun her around, lending her the empowered whip and slashed against the unicorns.  In a blink of an eye, half of the officer pony’s special forces units laid incapacitated.  He stood there speechless as the two systematically deconstructed the ambush he held for them until they were all unconscious.  Demi and Crimson, standing side by side without a blow landed on them, looked at the officer pony.
The officer pony looked shocked at the performance.  “How could this be?”
Crimson started to slowly walk up to the officer.  “Your ambush has failed.”
Demi walked up beside him.  “You were a fool to think your childish tactics stood a chance against us.  Be thankful that my brother has shown you mercy in your disgraceful defeat.”
Then, the stomping of a hoof was heard from the outskirts of the battlefield.  Crimson, Demi, and the officer turned to look at the onlooker as Scorch stepped from the shadows.  “Bravo.  Bravo.  You two really do work well together.”
Demi and Crimson turned and faced Scorch.  Crimson turned his head at the officer pony.  “Get your ponies out of here.  This place is no longer safe.”
Again, Demi looked at Crimson.  “Really, brother?  Really?”
Crimson remained silent as the pony officer tired to get his troops out of the area.
A standoff.  Demi and Crimson stared intensely at their foe.  Scorch stared back into their eyes with focus and intent to kill.  Against any other pony, Demi could use her powers to see the outcome of this standoff.  Against Scorch, he would use her state of pause to eliminate half of his resistance.
A long and tense silence ensued.  Finally, Scorch gave a small grin - more than enough of a tell for Demi and Crimson to act.  The two split up as Scorch blasted a pillar of fire between the two, breaking them up.  The pillar shifted toward Demi, allowing Crimson to get some footing.  Crimson launched a pillar of fire back at Scorch.  Scorch flapped his wings and jumped with great height over Crimson’s attack while the pillar shifted to its new target - Crimson.  Seeing the advancement of the fiery pillar, Crimson jumped out of the way.  
Demi tried a different tactic and went for the earth magic.  With her horn and eyes glowing, she stomped her left hoof, then her right, submitting her magic into the ground.  Then she bucked back, redirecting the magical energies from an attack from below.  Scorch lashed his head at the pillar, destroying it, then dove toward Demi to confront the seer in melee combat.  Demi gave a giant wing assisted leap back to gain distance as Scorch charged her.  Crimson tried to help her sister by transmitting some of his magic energy into the earth to create a wall of stone in between the rushing Scorch and the defending Demi.  With seemingly little effort, Scorch, while in his charge, gave a light leap, spun 180 degrees into the air, landed with his back legs, then whipped his head around with a powerful whip of fire attacking the wall.  The wall of stone shattered at the mighty attack causing rocks of various sizes and shapes to blast toward Demi.  She was forced to cover her eyes to protect them from debris as Scorch continued his charge with little delay.  Before Crimson could intervene, Demi was knocked back from a bull rush from Scorch.  He leapt into the air, rose his lethal climbing claws, and was prepared to slash at the helpless pony before a spike of stone launched from the ground at the leaping attacker.  With a wide slash, Scorch destroyed the spike, but the delay gave just enough time for Demi to roll out of the way of the fatal attack.  
Using her momentum of the roll, she jumped to her hooves, but falterd from a slashing wound in her left shoulder from Scorch’s last attack.  Feeling that magic alone won’t win the day, Crimson ran to Demi’s aid as Scorch grinned at the wounded seer.  His horn lit up and fire started to spew out before Crimson leapt and hit his brother.  The two tumbled before Crimson was thrown by the overpowering pony.  He spread his torn wings to try to gain stability only to feel a sting in his torso - another hit by Scorch and his claws.  Unable to maintain stability from his injury, he fell to the ground and tumbled on his back.  Observing Crimson’s condition, Scorch went in for the kill with a menacing bloodthirsty grin.  As he took a step forward, his feet got wrapped up in stone magic from Demi.  He turned his head, his eyes and horn lit up, and the stone shackles turned to dust.  He started to slowly trot to Demi, who was getting ready for the oncoming attack.  Still grinning, he jumped into the air, his horn extending a fire whip.  Demi started to raise a flame barrier to absorb the attack only for Scorch to land without using it.  With his eyes and horn still glowing, he shifted his focus to the ground.  He bucked back, using earth magic instead, causing the ground below Demi to suddenly flip her backward into an uncontrollable tumble.  
She regained her balance to see only a wall of fire rushing toward her.  In desperation, she once again put up her flame barrier to absorb the attack.  She heard laughing over the sound of the intense flames.  The heat from his enhanced magic started to slowly overpower her shield as it started to buckle.  Just before she collapsed, the attack suddenly stoped as Crimson attacked from behind.  Though a weak attack, he was able to muster enough strength to tackle Scorch with a surprise attack.  Scorch just rolled over and kicked him up into the air.  While laying on his back, Scorch smashed the ground with his front hooves causing stones to jump from the ground.  He kicked them with his hind legs and they hurled themselves toward the weakened and airborne Crimson.  The stones shattered into dust on impact, launching Crimson back hard into a tree.  
Before Scorch rolled over to get up, he felt the earth below him suddenly drop like a sinkhole.  He fell for a second before the earth around him closed, swallowing him up.  
With a moment to regroup, Crimson slowly stood to his hooves, then used a foreleg to hold the deep gash in his chest and abdomen.  He looked at his sister, who was in her visionary trance - the battlefield around them engulfing itself in fire from the fight.  After her eyes turned back, she looked at Crimson trying to catch her breath.  “Little brother, we can’t win.”
Crimson nodded and the two started to flee the scene.  
Moments later, the ground blasted open, shooting large chunks of rock everywhere.  Scorch jumped out of his temporary entrapment.  He looked around to see that his prey were no where to be found.  He laughed then takes a deep breath.  “COWAAARDS!”
The two rushed through the forest as Demi used her magic to cover their tracks as best as possible.  Crimson’s wound was deep and got more dangerous the longer it went untreated.  Eventually, he collapsed into a tree.  He tried to catch his breath as he held his wound.  His complexion started to turn pale as he looked down at his blood dripping down his hoof.  He looked up at his sister, who too had deep gashes.  Though she hid it, he can see that the wounds were a great hindrance and will cause a massive problem very soon.  Weighing his options, Crimson leaned against the tree and slid down.  Demi turned around to notice Crimson’s diminishing condition.  
She limped over to him.  “Come on, Little Brother.  We have to move.”
“Go…”  Crimson panted heavily.  “Go on with out me.”
She leaned down and put his hoof over her shoulder.  “Don’t be ridiculous.”  Though a struggle, she eventually got him to his hooves.  “If you die, there’s no hope for me.”
Crimson looked at his sister’s face as she tried to bear his weight.  He looked at her dry skin from being engulfed in flames and her long, sweaty mane that blocked the details of her pretty face.  “You…  You need a grooming.  You are a mess.”
Demi tried to smile.  “Again with your profound jokes.”  Demi’s wing reached forward and brushed back her mane from her face.  
Crimson winced in pain.  “Find…”  His strength left him, and slid from her support.  The tree slightly shifted at Crimson’s impact.  “Find Princess Twilight Sparkle.”  Before Demi could say anything, he lifted his hoof to silence his sister.  “Find her and her friends…  They will help.”
From the depths of the woods, a pony walked up to the two.  “Well now, it seems that I am able to return victorious after all.”  The officer pony stood, watching the two battered and beaten ponies.  “You two got your asses kicked.”
Demi’s horn glowed with rage.  “How dare you speak to me with such insolence!”
The officer lifted his hoof, and the once beaten squad surround Demi and Crimson once more.  “This is your last chance.  Surrender, or be tried and executed where you filth stand.”
Demi’s horn still glowed as she looked over the situation.  She observed the determination in the police officer’s eyes.  She noticed the unicorn's willingness to take them both down at a moment’s notice.  She looked at her brother’s deteriorating condition.  She thought briefly before making her decision.  “You will give my brother medical attention at once.  Do so, and we shall go with you.”
The officer smiled.  “Deal.”  Demi’s glowing horn stopped as the officers rushed in to subdue them.  At the same time, they started to mend Crimson’s wound.
“Sir, this doesn’t look good.”  The medical unicorn said looking at Crimson’s condition.
The detective went over to the subdued warrior.  “Explain.”  
“There are three lacerations cutting through three, maybe four ribs.”  The medical officer looked closer as his horn glowed to illuminate the wound.  “There may be some internal damage.  I can’t tell until we get to Vanhoover.”
Demi looked furiously at the detective.  “If my brother dies, you all die.”
The officer pony lifted his hoof at the mare.  “Calm down.”  He looked at the medical officer.  “Is he good to travel?”
“Do we have a choice?”
“Then let’s hurry.”  They patched up Crimson as best as they could and the group and start their painful trip back to the city.
> Chapter 20 - Crimson and the Trembling Lands
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trek to the north-west was a tough road for the two captives.  Though the medical officer tried his best to keep the critically injured Crimson stable to get to Vanhoover quickly, they’ve had to make constant stops to tend to his wounds and to refresh his bandages.  Demi watched over her brother as he remained unconscious.  She watched him even as the night time darkened the lands, and continued to watch after the sun had warmed the air the following day.  She kept her guard up against her captors and kept an eye out for their hunter.
The caravan stopped unexpectedly.  Demi turned to look at what stopped their trek to the place that her captors claimed could save Crimson’s life.  She saw a cloaked pony at the head of the caravan blocking their way.  She used her seer powers to get a glimpse at what is going on only to be baffled at something that has never happened before - nothing.  The police ponies stepped aside, allowing the sage to walk up to the cart that hauled the two prisoners.  
Demi looked at the sage.  She looked at the long, flowing cloak hiding every hint of detail from the pony underneath.  “You...  Who are you?”
“You must be the blood of his blood.”  The sage remarked.
Demi shook her head.  “He and I don’t share the same blood.  Now who are you?”
“You don’t?  Interesting.”  
“No.  Only Crimson and Temethyst share the same parents.  I was adopted by the house.”
“Very interesting.”
“Now answer my question!”
“Your brother calls me a sage.”
“So my brother knows you?”
“No.”  The sage started to pace in front of the cage as Demi looked at her baffled.  “He’s in bad shape.  The doctor can’t help, can they?”
Demi stood up in anger.  “How dare you!  My brother has lived through worse than this!”
“Ah, your words speak true... to a point.  But you can’t see if he’ll live, can you?”
“I-”  Demi stopped and looked down for a moment.  “No.  I can’t…  Wait.”  She looked up at the sage when she came to realize something.  “How did you know of my powers?”
The sage reached under her robes and grabbed a pouch.  “Use this on his wounds, child.”  She tossed the pouch between the bars.  It clanked as it hit the cart at Demi’s hooves.  “Blend the components, then apply to his wounds.”
Demi protested.  “Why should I?”  The sage turned and started to walk away.  “Wait!  Who are you?”  
The sage turned.  “And use some on your wounds as well.”  Then she continued walking.
“Why can’t I see you?”  Demi shouted at the sage, but she continued without answering Demi’s question.  
After a short delay, the cage shifted again as the caravan continued its trek.  Demi looked at her brother with the words of the sage echoing through her head.  In a gruff, she leaned over and picked up the pouch, then looked at its contents: four smaller bags, a vial of a liquid and a small bowl.  One of the pouches contained a gray dust.  Another, a red dust.  Some dried herbs were in the third, and a few strange looking sticks.  She looked at her brother and his worsening condition, then sat and started to empty the components into the bowl.  The powders dusted up when she poured the contents in the bowl, then she poured the herbs on top.  She poured the vial of liquid in the bowl, causing the powder to thicken.  Then she grabbed one of the sticks and dipped it into the concoction.  The mixture started to fizz and bubble with the introduction of the strange stick as she started to mix everything together.  Then, she took out the stick and looked at Crimson’s wounds.  In the back of her mind, she thought about that robed pony.  In her mind, she couldn't trust her.  On the other hand, she felt like she has no choice but to do what the pony said.  She started to apply the mixture on Crimson’s wounds.  He lightly shuffled in discomfort as the wound started to fizz upon contact.  She brought the mixture up off of his wound to see what was going on to witness the mixture starting create a white foam.  Feeling almost compelled, she continued to apply the mixture to his injuries.  She noticed after applying the mixture to the wound, the stick gradually diminished in size, but only on contact of Crimson’s injury.  She looked up where she last saw the strange pony for a moment, then returned to applying the mixture to his wound.  Once all of his wounds have been treated with this strange medicine, she noticed that there was only a little mixture left and a small usable stub remaining.  Again, the words of the sage ring in her head, then used the remainder on her own wounds.  She winced in pain on contact, but the pain alleviates shortly after the application of the medicine.  Once she finished her application, she noticed the medicine had completely run out.  Once again, she looked at where she last saw the sage wondering who she was.


* * *


Hours passed and the large group finally reached the city limits of Vanhoover.  Crimson’s eyes finally opened and he looked up at his sister, who sat over him almost the entire time.
Demi looked down at Crimson trying to contain a smile.  
Crimson spoke with a weak voice.  “Ms. Twilight…”
Demi’s eyes popped as she looked angrily at her brother.  “Hardly.  Finally awake, are you?”  She stood up.  “Good.  I grew tired of watching over you.”
“D…  Demina?”  Crimson said with a weakened voice.  
“You insolent worm.  How dare you have me watch over you?  You’re so helpless.  You’d be a rotting corpse if it weren’t for me.”
“As… would you.”
Demi remained silent staring out of the cage.  
“Where is the princess?”
“Who knows?”  Demi snapped angrily and shrugged.  “I don’t even know where these hopeless soldiers have taken us.”
Crimson turned his head and looked outside.  “This is not Ponyville.”
“No.  We were taken captive by this… troupe.”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “You were taken captive?  Unlikely.”
“Cowards ambushed me while carrying your lazy ass.”
Crimson trieed to sit up, but Demi rushed to his side and put her hoof gently on his chest to stop him.  “Don’t move.  You’ve been greatly injured.”
Crimson reached and grabbed his injury.  He looked at the dried blood on his hooves and the freshly mended injury on his chest.  “Did you tend to my wounds?”
Demi stood and looked away.  “Shut up, fool!  Only because I had to.”
“I thought as much.”  Crimson said laying back down.  “This…  What treatment is this?”
Demi looked at Crimson and his wounds.  “I don’t know.  Some pony in shoddy surface robes stopped us and gave me this medicine.  Said you called her a ‘sage.’”
“Yes…  She has been…  she is… a mysterious one…”
“Nonetheless, this could be poison for all I know.”
Crimson blinking slowed.  “And yet… you used some on yourself…”
“Shut up, fool!  You don’t know anything.”  With a brief silence, Demi looked at Crimson, who passed out again.  She sighed and sat down.


* * *


The prison cage opened in front of a large medical institute.  The officer pony looked up at the two captors.  “You’re uh…  You’re free to go.”
Demi looked at the officer.  “Your ignorance insults me.”  She hopped down, then lightly staggerd from the soreness of her healing shoulder.  The officer pony lifted a hoof to aid her, but she smacked his hoof away.  “Your assistance is not required.”
“Yeah, yeah.  Anyways, I have orders from the Princess to release you two once we’ve arrived.”
“The Princess?  Of course.”  Demi turned.  “Take care of him.  That little softie always needed someone to look after him.”  She looked away and started to walk.
“There won’t be much of a need.”  The officer said.  Demi stopped and turned around.  “The medical officer said you two were okay to do whatever, so long as you took it easy.”
“Don’t make me laugh.  We do as we please.”
“Whatever you say.”  The officer turned and watched as medical ponies removed Crimson from the cage.  The officer signed something, then started to walk off.
“Your trophy got away from you?”  Demi asked.
The officer turned to Demi.  “Yeah, he did.”
Demi looked down at the ground.  “Yeah, me too.”  She said, and the two went their separate ways.


* * *


Demi walked aimlessly with a depressed look about her.  Her once elegant leather robes were bloodied and dirty.  Her washed and brushed mane now greasy and knotted.  Her coat unkempt and filthy.  Turning down an alley, she stopped and looks up at the cloaked pony.
“Why are you so down, child?”  The sage asked.
“I have nothing to say to you.  Be gone!”  Demi lifted a hoof and gestured for the sage to move.
“I cannot for I have much at stake in this story.”
“I don’t care.”  Demi started to walk, intending to pass by the sage.  Suddenly, she got a strange and overwhelming feeling.
“Don't you?”
Demi looked up at the sage.  “Who are you?”
Scorch turned a corner and walked down from the far end of the alley.  “Yes, do tell.  Who are you?”
Demi’s eyes widened as she taked a step back.  "Foul trickster!"
The sage turned around and looked at Scorch, who was slowly walking toward the two.  “I’ve been expecting you, child.”
“Oh have you now?”  Scorch stopped his advance.  “I’ve been thinking about how in the hoof you stopped my magic, but I have come to a conclusion…  I don’t need magic to kill you!”  He started to charge at the sage eager to kill.  
The sage’s eyes glowed from under the hood of her hood as her robes started to rustle at the intense amount of magic emanating from the robed pony.  “Alas, you are beyond saving.”
Scorch continued his charge as the sage’s lifted her hoof.  He drew closer and closer to the robed pony as her hoof emanated a dark glow.  Scorch let off a battle shout and leapt into the air, lifting his claw ready to swipe at the sage.  Then in a blink of an eye, he turned to red and gray dust in front of Demi’s eyes.  She stared in shock at the display of power the sage produced as the ash and sand littered the area.  The sage’s robe waved in the sudden breeze from the strange explosion.
The sage lowered her hoof and looked at Scorch’s remains.  “I’m sorry.”  
Demi looked at the sage in a speechless horror.
“Return to Crimson and help him, child.  He needs you.”
“Me?  Impossible!  He doesn’t need me.”  She looked away.  “He never has.”
“Return to Crimson.”  The sage started to walk away.
“Wait!”  
The sage stopped and turned her head.  “Go, child.”
Demi stared speechless as the sage turned and walks around a corner.  Demi then trotted and turned the same corner to find that the sage was no where to be found.  Once again, Demi tried to use her visionary powers only to find that they yielded no results.  “How?”  She looked up into the sky lost in thought.  Then, with the words of the sage echoing in the back of her mind, she turned and ran back to the hospital.


* * *


From a gallop to a slow walk, Demi’s paced lessened as she approached the property lines of the hospital.  In the back of her mind, she knew that she was safe.  She thought about why she needed Crimson now that Scorch was gone.  She wondered how the sage was able to defeat Scorch like he was nothing.  Scorch, a decorated war general with nearly unrivaled fighting prowess and fire magic capabilities.  Then she stopped at the entrance of the building.  She turned around at the path she took and wondered how she got to the building so fast.  
“You there.”  Demi heard the voice of an older mare and turned to see who it was.  “You have a curved horn.”
“Yes, all of my brothers and sisters have curved horns.”
“Ah, so you’re the sister of that young stallion, Crimson.”
Her eyes popped open.  “You know my brother?”
“Why yes.  In fact…”  The old mare chuckled.  “He’s one of the reasons why I’m here.  That, and helping a mare and filly.”
Demi turned her head away.  “I don’t care about your weakness for lesser beings.”
The old mare chuckled.  “Yep, you MUST be his sister.”  She turned and started to walk away.  “Nice meeting you.”
“Nice meeting… me?”  Demi turned toward the old mare and watched her got into a cart that was pulled by two strong, stout ponies.  She turned and ran inside the hospital.  She stopped at a young mare behind a desk.  “You there.  Where is my brother?”
The mare looked up to Demi.  “Who is your brother?”
Demi rolled her eyes.  “Useless.  Nevermind, you.  I’ll find him myself.”  Her eyes fogged up as she looked zombified.
“Uh, miss…”  
Demi turned her head with her eyes phasing to normal and started to run down the hall.  After a few turns, she suddenly stopped her ran, sliding a few feet across the ground while leaning back looking into a mirror she passed along the way.  She looked at her dirty complexion, her oily mane, her filthy and bloody robes, and her overall unkempt appearance.  She lifted her hoof and brushed back her mane, then started to look around.  Finally, she went into a room alone.


* * *


Crimson stood in his room looking into a mirror and stared at himself.  He rubbed his chest wound, or the scars that now resided.  He has no idea how wounds so deep and potentially fatal could have almost completely healed over night.  He turned his head as he heard a knock on the door.  
“Little Brother, may I enter?”
Crimson nodded.  “Of course.”  Demi walked into the room, her mane rinsed and her coat washed.  Her robes have been beaten to get the dirt and dust out, but much of the blood stains still remained.  “It seems that you have finally cleaned up a touch.”
“Uh, yes.  Unlike you.”  Demi looked at Crimson’s mane.  “You’re still slacking on your personal appearance.”
“I am sorry you do not approve of my appearance.”
Demi looked at Crimson’s chest.  “You seem to be doing better.”
Crimson nodded, then looked back into the mirror.  “Yes.  The medicine you applied must have had magical properties.”  He rubbed his chest.  “Aside from minor discomforts, I seem to be in good condition.  I have never seen anything like this before.”
Demi looked at her shoulder, noticing she looked the same with her wound.  “That robed mistress sure is something.”
“Yes.  She saved my life once again.”
“Mine too.”  She replied.  Crimson looked at his sister as she took a few steps forward.  “The sage dispatched Scorch.”
“My brother?”  Crimson looked stunned and speechless.
“Yes.  He would have killed me if the sage hadn't come to my rescue.”
With a deep breath, Crimson stood up straight and looked into the mirror.  “Yes, you are right.  I am glad you are okay.”  He stared into the mirror, thinking about the memories he had with his brother.
Demi walked up next to him and stared into the mirror with him.  “He was always mean to you.  Even when he was adopted and introduced into the house.”
“Yes, he was.”
“When he pushed you in the training pits, or when he almost killed you in a simple spar.”
Crimson stood speechless.  Demi, in return, stayed quiet, while she stared at her brother through the mirror’s reflection.  
“He taught me so much.”  Crimson said.  “He helped me survive.  I would not be here if it were not for his training.”
“Yeah, but think of the missions he gave you.  He’s been trying to kill you for seasons now.”
Crimson turned and looked at Demi.  “And yet, I always survived.  Did he know I would survive?  Did he do it to make me stronger?”
“Brother, he was just like any other pony from home - a heartless, tyrannical, power hungry beast.”
“Just like my blood brother?”
Demi nodded.  “Your brother is worse.  Temethyst must be stopped.”
Crimson stared at Demi.  “You are acting… strange.”
“I…”  Demi took a step back and turned around.  “Stop being a fool, brother.  Don’t think I won’t leave when it suits me.”
“But it has.  I do not think you wish to leave.”
Demi’s head slowly tilted down for her to look at the ground.  “No, I don’t.”
“My sister, I feel you will learn that your life will be so much different.  Up here, you can do as you wish.  You can leave if you wish.  You can return if you wish.  You do not have to fight anymore.  You do not have to hide anymore.  You do not have to be afraid anymore.”
“Hah, I’m not afraid of anything.”
Crimson smiled and puts his hoof on her shoulder.  “No, I believe you are a brave and noble pony worthy of respect and title.”
Demi started to feel weak, and her eyes moistened.  Then, she jerked her shoulder away.  “I don’t know what you’re up to, but stop it!”
Crimson took a step back.  “I do not know what you are talking about.”
She stared at him for a brief moment.  “Yeah, right.”
Suddenly, the ground started to shift and shake.  Though the tremor was a brief tremor, the power of the tremor knocked almost everything unprotected off of their shelves and walls.
Crimson and Demi, being used to earth combat with similar effects, stood with a widened stance for balance.  He looked up to his sister.  “That was no natural tremor.”
“You’re right.”  Demi looked out the window.  “It must be your brother.”
“Are we running low on time?”
“Time for what?”  Demi looked at Crimson.  “What do those jewels do?”
“The jewels?”  Crimson looked at Demi.  “You have seen them?”
“Who do you think guided them through that pathetic structure these fools call a fortress?”
Crimson put his hoof on Demi’s shoulder.  “Come, my dear sister.  You must show me where my brother is located.”
“You must be joking.”  Demi wipped Crimson’s hoof off of her shoulder.  “You and I got our asses kicked by Scorch.  What makes you think we have a hoof of a chance in beating Temethyst?”
“We do not stand a chance.”  He put his hoof back on her shoulder.  “However, we have to try.  Otherwise, the young filly’s vision will come true.”  Demi turned around in a huff.  “I know you have seen those visions as well.”
“I have.”
“So you know how grave the situation is.”
Demi sighed.  “This is a fool’s errand!”
“You are right.”  Crimson turned and started to walk out the door.
“Wait.”  Demi got in front of Crimson to halt his advance.  “We can’t do this on our own.  We’ll need an army to stop him.”
Crimson looked away in thought for a moment.  “I believe you are correct.  We must return to Ponyville to find Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
Demi got angry and turned around.  “Again with that weakling.  What’s with you?”
“Princess Twilight is not a weakling.”
“Hah!  She and her darling friends couldn’t beat me.  What makes you think she can help us?”
The two stopped mid-argument to widen their stance for balance as the ground trembled again.  “Come, my sister.  We can not stay here any longer.”  Crimson turned and started to carefully leave the room.
Demi sighed, feeling that weak feeling mixed with anger.  “That Princess….”  She looked up angrily and left the building behind Crimson.
> Chapter 21 - Crimson and the Protestant Mare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ponies all over Equestria scrambled to get things resituated.  Those that were uninjured talked amongst themselves about the earthquake and some told their stories of past experiences of similar effect.  Other stories around the lands were at emergency locations, such as hospitals and police stations.  Those buildings were loud and bustling with patients and doctors, law enforcement and citizens, all trying to prioritize each incident and trying to get things back in order.  In addition to the police stations and hospitals being busy, the major mode of public transportation - the Ponyville Express train - was shut down while mid-restocking and refueling for a safety inspection.
Crimson and Demi stood together at the train station where hopeful passengers rose a ruckus regarding their travel plans.  They stared at the train waiting.
Demi looked at her brother.  “You said that we should take the train.  What are we waiting for?”
“I mean as a mode of travel, not to take it over.”
“That’s ridiculous!”  Demi looked at the engine of the train.  “We could easily take over this contraption and start our trip.”
Crimson thought to himself for a moment.  “We do have to reach Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
“Yes, yes.  We have to get you to your hussy princess.”  Demi started to walk toward the engine and went into the engine room.  Crimson followed behind as a pony flew out of the car.  He went up to the engine room door and looked at his sister, who was staring at the controls.  “This place is a mess.”
Crimson looked around at a small pile of black rock on the floor, the fireplace with a raging fire inside the room, and the strange control board.  “I assume you know how to operate this device?”
“Well…  No.”  
Crimson turned around with his eyes and horn glowing, then stomped his hoof.  The train operator finally got to his hooves to recover from the throw only to be grabbed from the ground and drug back over to the train.  With the strange commotion, ponies were taking notice of the disturbance happening near the engine.  The earth drug the operator over the ground then stopped in front of Crimson.  He looked at the pony who had fear with their eyes.  His horn continued to glow as he continued his intimidating stare.  “You there, I assume you are the operator of this strange device?”  The engineer nodded his head, then the earth pushed him back into the engine room.  Crimson entered the car and closed the door behind him.
The operator looked at the mare, then the colt.  “What’s going on?”
Crimson’s eyes and horn returned to normal.  “Take us to Ponyville.”  
“But I-”
Demi lifted a hoof and smacked the operator.  “That wasn’t a request, fool.”  She picked him up and tossed him at the controls.  
Afraid, the operator started to turn knobs and pull levers.  The mechanical giant bellowed and roared as it slowly started to move down the tracks.  Crimson turned to look out the window to notice security guards running after the train.  Behind the engine, ponies frantically jumped on the passanger cars, thinking they were about to miss their ride.  Finally, the train started to outrun the passengers and the security guards.  
Crimson turned to the operator.  “How soon until we reach our destination?”
The operator looked at Crimson.  “Well, half a day maybe.  We’re hauling a lot of cars and cargo.”
Crimson looked at Demi, who nodded and kicked open the door.  She whipped back her head and unleashed a whip of fire that cut the section of the car that kept it attached to the engine.  She turned around and closed the door behind her as the engine separated itself from its cargo.  
“How long now?”  Crimson asked as Demi stood on the other side of the operator.
“Well…”  He leaned over and looked at the pile of coal.  “I’m not sure we can even make it to Ponyville.”
Demi smacked the pony from behind.  “Such insolence!”
“I… It’s because we don’t have the fuel.”  The operator, shaking in fear, pointed to the coal in the corner of the room.  “We have the water in the boiler, but we didn’t have the time to restock the coal before… before our sudden departure.”
Crimson turned and looked at the coal.  “Is this…  Venzum?”  He picked one up with his hoof and looked at it carefully.
Demi leaned around and looked at the pile.  “That’s your fuel?”
The operator nodded.  “Yes.  We use coal to heat the boilers for steam.”
Crimson dropped the coal and looked at the fire.  “So the hotter this fire burns, the faster this thing goes?”
“Well, yes… For the most part.”
Crimson turned back toward the coal with glowing eyes and horn.  He started to stomp on the coal turning it to dust.
“What are you doing?”  The operator protested.
Demi grabbed the operator and held him back.  “Quiet, fool!  Your knowledge of earthly elements is laughable compared to my brother’s art in geomagics.”
Then, the coal started to glow and float into the air.  It turned a glowing red and started to morph into something else entirely.  After a few seconds, the pieces of coal turned into bars of a red substance.  He turned to the operator.  
“Use those.”  Crimson turned around and watched as the operator stood up and grabbed one of the red bars.  
“What is this?”
“Keravel.”  Crimson replied.  “A combination of vensum and magic.”
The operator looked at the bar, then opened the furnace door and tossed the bar in.  Moments later, he heard the gears of the engine going faster and faster.  He started to smile at the mystery as he stared into the fire. 
Demi rolled her eyes.  “Enough of this.”  She pushed the operator aside and looked down at him.  “The hotter it is, the faster we go?”
"Uh, yes.”
Demi’s horn lit up and she blasted the furnace with a pillar of fire.  The three were knocked back into the wall as the engine’s front section got lifted off of the tracks.  After the burst of heat, the engine’s front side slammed back on the tracks rolling the operator across the ground.  He stood up and looked outside the window and started to smile at the excitement and speed they were going.
“I’ve never gone this fast before!”  He looked out the side as he saw scenery go by in a short amount of time.  He watched the trees in the forest turn into a blur as they came and went from his sight.  He then looked in horror outside.  “Uh, we’ve got a problem.”  He looks at the two.  “There is a major bend in the tracks.  I think we’re going too fast.”
Demi looked at the engineer.  “What does that mean?”
“It means we’ll jump off the tracks and crash into the ground.”
Crimson and Demi looked out the window.  “What will need to be done to prevent that from happening?”  Crimson asked.
“We need to slow down.”  The operator replied as he started to pull on a lever.  A loud screech was heard from under the train as the operator tried to apply the engine’s breaks.  The screech turned into grinding as the friction burned the gears.  “It’s not working!”
“What are our options?” 
The engineer looked out the window as the engine started to approach the bend.  “Umm…”  He sthook his head.  “I don’t know.”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “Sister, follow my lead.”
Demi nodded and their horns lit up.  The fire in the furnace was snuffed out as the energy was transferred into their horns.  “Now, use the energy to create a hill.”
“I can’t do a circle.”
“Nor can I, my sister.  We have to go unbinded.”
"Above ground?"
"Yes, above ground."
Crimson and Demi’s eyes and horn lit up as they focused on the tracks before them.  The engineer peeked his head outside to see how long they have to live.  Instead, he noticed the ground starting to bend and mold into a different shape.  His eyes widened when he noticed a hill forming before them.  Without the fire to heat the boiler to keep the engine accelerating, the train started to gently slow down.
“C… Can you lift the left side and drop the right?”  The engineer asked.
“Demi…  You…  lower the right.”  Crimson grunted under great physical stress.
“Yes, brother.”  Demi replied under equal physical stress.  The two started to sweat and shake as Crimson lifted the left side of the tracks and Demi started to lower the right side.
“Okay… Okay… STOP!”  The engineer yelled.  Crimson and Demi almost collapsed on the floor from their magic seeping their energy.  “Hold onto something!”  Everyone grabbed a hold of something stable as the train started to tilt to the right.  Then, the engine hits the turn.  The shift in direction and the speed the engine was going caused every pony in the engine to be tossed to the left side of the car.  The engine’s mass caused the tracks to dig deep into the magic formed hill as it started its turn.  Finally, the train leveled out as it started its new direction.  The engineer got up off the ground and looked out the window.  “Holy hoof!  You did it!”  He turned around and stared behind the engine at the tracks behind them laughing.  “You hoof’n did it!”  He turned at the two.  “That was amazing!  How did you..?”
Crimson stood to his hooves.  “How many more of those are there?”
“I, uh…”  The engineer flipped a console open to reveal a small compartment and he pulled out a map.  He fliped it open and looked at it.  “Two more like that, and one major near the mountain pass.  From there, it’s basically a straight path to Ponyville.”
Crimson used his magic and started to destroy the bars of "Keravel" he created for the momentum.  “My sister, if you would manage the speed of this giant mining cart, I shall handle the hills.”
Demi used her magic and reignited the furnace with her magic.  The engine kicked a little at the sudden burst of speed.  
“Wait, what are you doing?”  The engineer asked Crimson as he broke down the magic bars into dust.
“Binding circles.”  The bars burst into dust and fell to the floor.  Crimson started to draw a circle around himself in the dust.
“Wait, whut?”
Demi smacked the engineer on the back of the head.  “Don’t question him, fool.  Just stay out of the circle and tell us when the next curve is coming.”
“Uh, right.  Okay.”  The engineer cowered into a corner as Demi poured more fire into the furnace.  "Let's hope there are no other trains on the tracks."


* * *


The earth started to shake at the Ponyville train platform.  Ponies started to flee from the strange phenomena as the platform started to get torn apart from the large hill forming from under the tracks.  Before anyone at the station knew it, the shaking stopped.  With the platform in shambled, the ponies looked at the hill that formed in front of their eyes.  Then, the speeding train from Vanhoover slowly rolled up the hill to the crest, then stopped.  The earth shook again, and the hill went back into the ground.  The engine doors opened as the train arrived in Ponyville in record time.  Crimson and Demi exited the train as it smokes and smoldered from the strenuous run.  The engineer popped his head out of the door.  “Have you thought about engineering?  You’d do a great deal for Equestria with your magic.”  Crimson and Demi remained silent as they continued walking away.  “Okay, well, think about it!”  He looked up at the ruins of a train engine, smiling at what he experienced.
Crimson looked up at the boundaries of Ponyville.  “Come, my sister.  I am sure Princess Twilight Sparkle is in her library.”
Demi looked away.  “I’m sure she is, the whelp.”
The two started to trot their way to the library.


* * *


Demi once again stared at the tree that was used as a residence for Twilight Sparkle.  She sighed at the sight of the door.  “Tell me again why we must ask this weakling for help?”
“Princess Twilight Sparkle is no weakling.  Her and her friends will be a great boon to our assault against my brother.”
She stomped her hoof in frustration.  “Her and her weakling friends will only get themselves killed.”  Crimson walked up to the door.  “Don’t be a weakling too, brother.  Not like them.”
“You shall see they are not as weak as you believe.”  He lifted his hoof and knocked on the door.  
The door opened and reveals Twilight at the entryway.  She smiled when she saw who it was.  “Hi Crimson.  I've been waiting for you.”
“Greetings, Princess Twilight Sparkle.  My sister and I must have a word with you.”
“Yeah, sure.  Come in.”  She moved aside and let the two ponies in.  They looked around as her and Spike worked on putting the books back up on the shelves.  “Did you feel that earthquake earlier today?”
“We have, Princess.  In fact, that is one thing we wish to discuss with you.”  
For the next half hour, the three sat around the table in the library.  Crimson talked to Twilight about what was going on.  He told her about the battle with his brother, their trip to Vanhoover, the earthquake, and who they believed caused it.  The entire time, Demi stayed quiet staring at Twilight.
“And the tremor may have been caused by my brother.”
“That’s a rather big earthquake.  It was big enough to knock all of my books of of the shelves.  You’re saying it was just as powerful all the way in Vanhoover?”
“Yes, Princess.”
“That is one hoof of a spell.”
“In addition to such events, my sister has seen your relics.”
Twilight’s eyes popped.  “You know where the Elements of Harmony are?”
Demi nodded.  “Don’t think I’ll give such information to a lowlife like yourself.”
Twilight recoiled at the remark.  “Hey now, what did I do to deserve that?  Don’t forget, you were the one that picked a fight with me.”
Demi stood up.  “And don’t think I’m afraid to do so again.”
Crimson stood up and stood between the two girls.  “My sister, stand down.”
Demi stared through Crimson at the sitting Princess.  Then she glanced at her brother and sighed.  She sat back down and leaned back.  
Crimson turned and sat back down.  “I am sorry for my sister’s actions, Princess.”
“It’s okay.  She’s just not comfortable in our world.  I think I get it.”  Twilight stood up.  “At any rate, let me get the girls and we can go get the Elements of Harmony back.  You two wait here.  I’ll be back.”  She turned and left the library leaving Demi and Crimson alone as Spike continued to reorganize the shelves.
Crimson looked at Demi.  “What do you think you are doing?”
Demi snapped at Crimson.  “Proving to you that she is a pathetic weakling.”
“Do not underestimate her.  What she lacks in combat experience she makes up for in strength.”
Demi rolled her eyes.  “Oh little brother, the only thing she has that matches her lack of combat expertise is her level of failure.”
Spike walked up to the two at the table.  “I’m sure Twilight has read tons of books on that.  She’ll know what to do.”
Demi stared down at the tiny dragon and started to laugh.  “Please, she’s going to get her and her friends killed against King Temethyst.”  Demi lifted her hoof and dismissed Spike.  “Begone, slave.  Leave us be.”
Spike looked surprised at the rudeness of the mare, then walked away while looking down at the ground, upset at how he was treated.
“I shall protect them.”  Crimson said.
Demi looked at Crimson shocked.  “What?”
“I shall protect Princess Twilight and her friends.”
“Don’t say such foolish things.  They will only bring you your death.”
Crimson shook his head.  “I do not think so.”
“Well, I… I’ve seen it.”  
He stared at Demi.  “Are you certain?”
“Yes.  Yes I have.  It was part of the vision to, uh… to watch the youngest high blood of Thull fall.”
Crimson stared at the mare with suspicion.  


* * *


Twilight eventually returned to the library with the other girls in tow.  They all entered the library and greeted Crimson and, to a lesser extent, Demi.
Twilight addressed the group.  “So here’s our mission:  Retrieve the Elements of Harmony from Crimson’s brother, Temethyst, and rescue the captured filly.”
Pinkie Pie jumped up in the air.  “And have delicious cake!”
Rarity looked back to Pinkie Pie.  “Pinkie, dear, I don’t think cake is going to save the world.”
Pinkie Pie slowly fell to the ground while staring at Rarity.  “Never underestimate the powers of cake.”  She leaned in closer then whispered, “Never.”
Twilight looked at Demi.  “So, where are the Elements of Harmony?”
Demi remained quiet.  Crimson looked at his sister.  “Demina?”
Demi sighed and looked at her brother.  “There is a mountain range where the light vanishes not far from here.”  She looked at the six girls with a hopeless look, then back to her brother.  “Go to the other side of the mountain range to a brown mountain in the midst of several blue mountains where the forest meets the range.”
Twilight blinked for a moment.  “All the way over there?”
Demi went back to looking away from the group.  “Yep.  Now go get yourselves killed.  The sooner the better.”
The group turned and formed a circle.  “It sounds like the eastern tip of White Tail Woods.  I think I know where she’s talking about.”
“Well, we can’t take the train.”  Applejack commented.  “Some pony parked a broken heap after destroy’n the platform.”
“That’s a long way for somepony like me to travel.”  Rarity held her hoof up.  “My hooves just couldn’t handle that kind of strain.”
“And not to mention the filly will have to walk back with us after we rescue the poor thing.”  Fluttershy whispered.
Demi stood up.  “Rescue?”  She walked into the circle.  “You fools plan on rescuing that weapon?”
Rainbow Dash looked at Demi.  “Why not?  We rescued you.”
Demi looked to Rainbow.  “You worms merely assisted my recovery.  I would have survived without your help.”
Rainbow Dash looked away rolling her eyes.  “Whatever.”
Twilight steped between the two.  “We have to focus.  What we need to is to plan a time to make a plan.”
Demi huffed and sat back down.  


* * *


The group started to talk amongst themselves, thinking of a plan of action for when they reached the cave.  After a lot of debate, they believed they had a plan.
Twilight, writing notes, finished her thoughts on the plan.  “And that’s that.”
Demi laughed to herself.  “Hah, do you really think a silly plan like that will work?”
Twilight looked at Demi.  “We have to try, don’t we?  All of Equestria is at risk.”  She stood up with the girls following suit shortly after.  “Let’s get ready and meet at the edge of town in three hours.  We have a long trip ahead of us.”  All but Twilight, Crimson, and Demi left the library to get their supplies.  After Twilight closed the door behind her friends, she let out a deep sigh, then turned around.  She looked up at Crimson, who stood ready, then at Demi, who sat back with her hooves crossed, looking away defiant and angry.  “Well, let’s get started.”
> Chapter 22 - Crimson and the Loss of a Seer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three hours passed and the group gathered at the edge of Ponyville.  They all carried saddle bags full of supplies while Rarity carries a saddlebag and a large hat on her head.  Demi and Crimson spent the time resting for the events to come.  The group greeted one another, then started their trek toward where Demi last saw the Elements of Harmony.


* * *


A couple of hours pass with very few words spoken.  The tension caused by Crimson’s sister made every pony feel a little uncomfortable.  Demi reached into her robes and grabbed a snack while they all walked.  She looked at her brother and offered some of her rations, as he hadn’t eaten much lately either.  Crimson bowed, then started munching on the dried herbs.
Applejack watched the transaction and saw an opportunity to break the ice.  “Hey yall, let’s take a small break.”
Rarity collapsed.  “Please!  My hooves weren’t built for this kind of travel.”
Twilight turned and protested the decision.  “But we have a long way to go.”  
Applejack stared Twilight in the eyes.  “Let’s take a small break.”  She said in a stern yet awkward tone.
“Okay, okay.”  Twilight stopped and sat with the group.
Applejack reached in her saddlebag.  “Demi, have ya ever tasted an apple from my farm?”
Upon hearing that phrase, Twilight understood where Applejack was coming from.  “Yes, they’re really delicious.”
Demi turned her head.  “Your offerings are not wanted.”  She continued to snack on her dried fungi.
Applejack shifted her sights to Crimson.  “How about you, Crimson?  You want an apple?”
Crimson bowed.  “I shall be grateful for your gift.”  Applejack tossed Crimson an apple with Demi watching from the corner of her eye, acting uninterested.  He took a bite into the apple and leaned back with a hint of satisfaction.
“Brother, how can you eat this poison?”
Crimson shook his head.  “This is far from poison, my sister.  Perhaps you should trust my friends as I trust them.”
“Well…”  Demi thought to herself, then put her dried herbs away.  “You there, I have rescinded my decline.  I accept your offering.”
Applejack reached into her saddlebag, grabbed another apple, then tossed it to Demi.  “Here ya go.  I hope you like it.”
With caution, she lifted the apple to her snout and she sniffed the strange, red sphere-like object.  Then she brought the apple to her mouth and licked the outside.  She heard the satisfied crunch of her brother beside her, then decided to take a small bite.  Her teeth chompped through the skin and into the moist apple as the juices seeped down the sides of the fruit.  Demi refrained from showing her physical amazement at the strange snack bestowed upon her, even though she had never tasted anything as delicious as her gift.  “Well now, I suppose your offering shall suffice.”  
Applejack smiled.  “Yer welcome.”  She started to hand out apples to every pony, and they snacked on the delicious fruit for the remainder of their rest period.


* * *


Hours passed and the sun started to set behind the horizon, darkening their route.  Twilight turned to the group.  “We should rest here for the night.”
Demi shook her head.  “Nonsense.  This is the perfect time to move.  We’re but a short distance from the other side of the range.”
Rarity rubbed her hooves.  “My hooves are tired from all of this walking.  I’m all for a good night’s rest.”
Demi huffed and walked to the group.  While everyone set up their resting place with shelter and bedrolls, Crimson and Demi just laid on the ground.  
Rarity noticed the two on bare ground and walked up to them.  “Why don’t you take my tent.  It’ll be much nicer than on the dirty ground.”
Applejack overheard the conversation.  “Yeah, you can share my tent tonight.”
Rarity smiled.  “A marvelous idea!”
Demi lifted her head to look at Rarity, then put her head back down.
“Come, darling.  I insist.”
Crimson looked at Rarity, then at his sister.  “Ms. Rarity insists.”  He rolled over and stood up.
Demi sighed, then stood up too.  “Very well.”  She walked up to the tent and peeked inside.  Crimson walked up beside her and patted himself down, getting the dust off of him prior to entering the tent.  Demi did the same, and the two laid down on a much more comfortable surface than the hard ground.
Rarity looked with near disgust at her decision.  Applejack put her hoof on Rarity’s shoulder.  “Good idea, hun.”
“Yes, a good idea.”  Rarity silently remarked.
“Come on.  Let’s get some shut eye.”  Applejack and Rarity went into their tent and got ready for the night’s rest.


* * *


Before the sun was seen from the horizon, Rarity awakened to get ready for the day.  She brushed her mane quietly to not wake up Applejack, and groomed her coat.  She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a portable makeup kit, and started to prep herself like she did on a daily basis.  Applejack rolled over mumbling something in her sleep.  Her mumbles alarmed Rarity, causing her to cover the light from her makeup kit with her hoof.  Feeling she would wake up her friend, she started to quietly relocate outside where she could work without distractions.  She quietly opened the tent and silently snuck out with her bags.  When she turned around, she saw Demi outside, staring into the darkness of the forest.  Rarity looked around, trying to figure out what she should do.  Finally, she decided on talking to Demi to try to relax the strong tension between her and the girls.
Rarity walked up and sat beside Demi.  “Good morning, Demi.”  After a brief pause, she turned to notice Demi’s eyes strangely white and cloudy.  She waited for a moment, then stood and started to turn around.
“So tell me, what do you think of my brother?”  
Rarity paused, then turned to see Demi’s eyes back to normal, but her gaze continued to look into the forest.  She paused for many more heartbeats, thinking about the reply she should give.  “He’s a noble pony of great stature and honor.”
“That he is. ...  What do your friends think of him?”
“The others?”  She turned to look toward the tents.  “I’m not sure.”  She turned back to Demi.  “Maybe the same as me.”
“Do you and your friends know who he was before he fled to this place?”
Rarity shook her head.  “No, and it matters not.  I feel what he does now is who he is.”
Demi turned her head to look at Rarity.  “And what about me?”  
“You?”  Rarity thought for a moment.  “I suppose it’s the same for you.”
Demi looked back toward the darkness.  “My people have a saying in the old tongue.  It roughly translates to, ‘your every action will carry the weight of you and your house’s honor.’  My brother and I don’t have your luxury of forgetting the past.”
“Darling, it’s not what you’ve done that matters.  It’s what you do.”
“Doesn’t it bother you that I almost slit open your throat in front of your friend?”
Rarity lifted her hoof and rubbed her throat.  “Well, that was different.”
“Do tell.”  After a pause, Rarity stood speechless.  “I thought as much.”
The two went quiet for a moment before Rarity smiled.  “Speaking of that dreadful night, did you still want to trade secrets?”
“Secrets?”  Demi looked up at Rarity.  “What secrets?”
Rarity turned her head and fluffed her mane with her hoof.  “Why, beauty secrets.  You did say you wanted to trade secrets.”
Demi looked down for a moment, then she looked back at the tent which Rarity offered to her the night before.  “Do you think it’ll help?”
“Are you kidding?  You’ll look marvelous!”  She reached into her bags and she started to pull out various portable beauty kits.  
Demi looked at Rarity and the various knick knacks she pulled from her bags.  “What use are these tinkers?”
“Your mane is awfully dry.”  Rarity lifted her hoof to touch Demi’s mane, but her hoof was swatted down from Demi.  
“Did I give you permission to touch me?”
Rarity rubbed where Demi swatted her hoof.  “Now now.  There's no reason for that kind of attitude.  I’m not here to hurt you.”
Demi stared at Rarity, then took a deep breath.  “Very well.  You may proceed.”  
Rarity slowly and cautiously reached and touched Demi’s mane.  “Now, like I said, your mane is very dry, but strong and beautiful.”
Demi smiled from the compliment.  “As it should be.”
“Here…”  Rarity reached in her bags and pulled out a bottle.  “This is a special conditioner to give extra moisture to dried hair.  I figured I’d need this since I wouldn’t be getting my bubblebath any time soon.”  She handed the bottle over to Demi then she pulled out a hair brush.  “And this is a specialized brush made from a well renowned craftspony from Manehatten.”
Demi lifted the bottle up to her face and she sniffed the oil.  “This has a very… peculiar scent.”
“Those are the special minerals and herbs I was talking about.”  Rarity walked behind her with the brush.  She lifted her hoof to brush Demi’s mane, but stopped herself just before touching.  “Uh, you mind if I brush your mane?”
Demi brought the bottle close to her eyes and she inspected the mixture.  “Very well.”
Rarity started to gently brush Demi’s mane with her custom brush.  “Now, this brush is made of rare ivory and shells found at the bottom of the oceans.  It’s designed to soften hair and remove icky things that get in your hair - like leaves, dirt, and gross bugs.”
“I’m always getting things in my hair.  So difficult to get them out.  I’d have to spend hours in my quarters to get them out - a requirement for a pony of my stature.”
“Well, with the proper moisturizers, grooming, and care, you won’t have such a hard time.  Just you watch.  I’ll make you radiant and magnificent before everypony wakes up.”
Demi smiled at the thought of that and the two went on with their Rarity’s morning routine as they talked about various beauty tips.


* * *


When the sun started to creep on the horizon, Crimson exited the tent.  He looked around, his body adjusting the cold air.  With ease, he leaned over and started a campfire with his magic, then sat and waited.  He turned his head at the tent in thought, then got up and walked to the tent.  He peeked his head inside to notice his sister isn’t in the tent.  He started to look around to notice a clutter of various gadgets near the edge of camp, and the tracks of two ponies going away from the camp following the mountainside.  After a brief thought, he started to follow the tracks.  After a quarter mile, he came across a magic circle burned into the ground just outside a small clearing with a large stream cutting across the clearing that led to a lake.  He closely looked at the circle.
“A circle of stone pushing?”  He continued to walk around the mountainside to find Demi and Rarity sitting in a makeshift jacuzzi.  The jacuzzi was shaped from Demi’s magic with Rarity’s design.  The river supplied the fresh water, which Demi used her fire magic to heat at Rarity’s request.  Steam emanated from the hot water as the two sat and soaked in the relaxing waters.  He stared, stunned, at the beautiful bathing mares.  Demi noticed Crimson standing and looking confused.  
“Do you mind?”
Almost turning red at the cheeks, he turned around embarrassed.  “I-I am sorry.  I did not know you were here.”  A wet towel was launched and hit Crimson on the back of his head.
“Return to the camp, brother.  I expect you to be well groomed and ready to go by the time we get back.”
Still stunned at what happened, he started to walk back to camp.  


* * *


By the time Crimson returns to camp, the rest of the girls were awake and sitting around the campfire.  They looked to see Crimson approach the camp.  
Applejack stood up.  “There you are.  Where did ya go?”
Twilight tiltted to look behind Crimson.  “And where is Demi and Rarity?”
“I, uh…”  He turned his head to looked behind him.  “Ms. Rarity and Demina are…  bathing.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes as she noticed the towel around his neck.  “And how did you figure this out?”
Crimson looked back at the girls with an embarrassed look.  “I accidentally intruded on their privacy.”  
The girls laughed as Crimson reached and grabbed the towel off of his neck.  
Applejack lifted a plate.  “Come on.  We made some breakfast.”


* * *


After a short time, Rarity and Demi finally returned to the camp.  The campsite itself was almost completely broken down and ready to move out.  Applejack noticed their return.  “There yall are.  We’re gett’n ready to go.”
Rarity lifted her hoof.  “Oh come now.  Demi and I needed some girl time.”
“Where is my invasive brother?”  
Twilight slung her bags on her back.  “He said you two discovered a lake so he and Rainbow Dash went to get some water for the plan.  They should be back any minute now.”
Within a moment, Rainbow Dash flew up with waterskins on her back and landed in the middle of the campsite.  “We’re back.”  She turned and look into the forest.  “Well, I’m back at least.”
The girls started to grab the waterskins from her back and put them in their bags.  “We’re going to need more.  
“I wouldn’t worry about that.”  Rainbow Dash said.  “Crimson’s hauling a hoof load to camp like we talked about.”
Applejack walked over to where Rarity’s tent was.  “Rarity, we took care of yer stuff, hun.”
“Thanks, Applejack.”  Rarity walked up and started to put her stuff on her back.  Then, the finishing touch - her hat.
Demi looked at the girls, then back toward the forest.  “Which way did my brother go?  I must speak with him.”
Rainbow Dash looked up at Demi and pointed into the forest.  “That way.”
“Don’t be gone long.”  Twilight said.  “We have to go soon.”
Demi looked at Twilight.  “Don’t presume you can give me orders, underling.”  Then she turned and walked into the forest.
Twilight staired blinking at Demi.  “Girls…”  She nudged her head back gesturing for the girls to group up.  They walked up to Twilight and form a circle.  “Rarity, what did you find out?”
“It’s hard to say.  Her mane and tail were extremely dry, but she brushed them daily so they weren’t knotted and messy.  She also tried to take care of her coat, but that heavy yet elegant leather robe she always wears can be rough on any pony’s skin.”
“I mean about Demi!  What did you find out about HER?”
“Oh.”  Rarity cleared her throat.  “She didn’t say much.  Her questions were usually about what we thought of her brother.”
“She was asking about us?”
“Yes.  Especially about you, Twilight.”
Twilight pointed to herself with her hoof.  “Me?”
“Yes.  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she feels threatened by you.”
Twilight looked down in thought.  “Yeah, I kind of got that impression too.”
“Do we trust her?”  Rainbow Dash asked.
“I think we should give her a chance.”  Fluttershy silently said.  “Wasn’t this how it was when Crimson first came to us?”
Twilight nodded.  “You’re right, Fluttershy.  But still…”  She turned her head and looked into the forest.  “What does she have against me?”
“I don’t know, hun.  But if she tries anyth’n, we got’chyer back.”
The group nodded at Twilight.  “Thanks girls.  Come on, let’s finish packing up.”


* * *


Crimson, hauling massive amounts of water through the forest, stopped and closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  He stood in silence, taking in the peace and quiet around him.  The rest period was cut short as his ears twitched at a distant sound.  He opened his eyes and looked into the forest.  
“Ah, there you are.”  Demi said walking through the forest toward Crimson.
Crimson looked at Demi in a bit of surprise.  “My sister, you look… You look lavish.”
Demi stood up straight.  “Is that so?”
“Indeed.  I have not seen you look this exalted since…  Since the Upper Rings.”
Demi tried not to blush.  “It has been a while since I’ve been properly treated.  This world doesn’t treat their superiors very well.”  She looked back to Crimson.  “Tell me, what do you think about your friends?”
“My friends?  What do you wish to know?”
“Tell me all about your Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
“I have yet to meet an intellect equal to Princess Twilight Sparkle’s.  She is brave and thoughtful.  There is no pony where we came from like her.”
Demi felt her anger rising, but kept it contained.  “So that’s what you look for…”  Before Crimson could ask, Demi continued with her questions.  “Do you trust them?”
“I do.  I trust them with my life.”
Demi looked shocked at his answer.  “Maybe this life has made you senile.”  After a moment of silence, Demi walked up to Crimson.  “We can vanish, you and I.  Just live our lives how we want to.  Leave these fools and their suicide mission behind.”
Crimson put his hoof on Demi’s shoulder.  “My sister, there is more than our lives at stake in this mission.”  He looked into her eyes.  “Do you really think my brother will let us walk around living on with the goddess’s power at his hooves?  With this world’s relics in his possession, and the young seer at his side, there will be no place where we could hide.  And when he found us, I do not think he would give us the mercy of a quick and painless death.  We will not be safe until he is stopped.”
Demi looked down in sorrow and sniffs.  Then, she looked angrily at Crimson and smacked his hoof off of her shoulder.  “Stop with your petty magics.  They won’t work!”  She turned away from him.  Crimson stared in total confusion.  “Hurry up, weakling.  Your pathetic friends are waiting for you.”  She left Crimson to carry the entire load of water himself as she walked back towards the camp.
Demi fumed to herself as she walked through the forest.  “The fool.  Who in the hoof does he think he is?”  She looked at the path before her.  “That Twilight Sparkle, she’s the reason.”  She bucked and kicked a tree in rage causing it to lightly shake.  “How dare he!  I should never have agreed to serve his house.  I never should have…  I-”  Finally, she looked down feeling a deep sensation of defeat and loss.  She let out a deep sigh.  “... fine.  You win.”  A tear droped from her eye onto the ground.  She recoiled in surprise and wiped her face with her hoof.  She turned her head toward Crimson.  “Fool.  Enjoy your demise.”  She whiped her head around and started to walk away from the camp taking the effort to leave no tracks behind.
> Chapter 23 - Crimson and the Clash of the Titans
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crimson arrived at the camp and noticed the girls were packed up and ready to go.  Applejack trotted to Crimson’s side.  “Here, hun.  Let me help with that.”  She took some of the water off of his back.
Twilight looked over the load.  “Holy hoof, did you need to get that much?”
“Would it not be wiser to have more than we need than not enough?”
Twilight nodded.  “You’re right.”  The girls started to unload the water from his shoulders.  
Crimson looked around.  “Where is my sister?”
The girls blinked for a moment, then looked around too.  “I don’t know.”  Twilight answered.  “Last I saw her, she was going to meet you.”
He turned his head back into the forest, dropped the remainder of the water, then ran back to where he last spoke to Demi.  The girls looked at each other, then dropped their possessions and ran to follow Crimson.


* * *


The girls caught up to him after he stopped his run.  They found him just staring at a specific spot in a tree.  They went to see what he was staring at to see the cracked and broken bark, as well as some fresh fallen leaves around the trunk.  
“My sister was here.”  Crimson looked down at the tracks leading up to the tree, and paused as the tracks vanished, as if she never left the tree.  
Twilight stared blankly at the broken bark.  “Is she okay?”
“I do not know.”
Suddenly, the ground started to tremble again.  Birds flew off of the trees and rocks from the mountain started to roll down the mountainside.  Every pony that was on the ground was knocked off their hooves.  In the distance, trees started to fall from their roots, weakening and breaking from the trembling earth.  Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie hovered over the ground, watching as the flightless ponies laid helpless on the shaking earth.  
Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.  “Come on, let’s help them off the ground.”  They moved closer to the earth and picked up their helpless friends.  The girls started to look worried at one another as more and more healthy trees weakened at the roots, and fell in the forest.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the ground slowly came to a rest.  
The girls returned to the ground took a breather.  Rainbow Dash looked at the ground.  “Holy hoof, what was that?”  
“My brother.”  Crimson looked over toward where he believed the cave is.  “We have to hurry.”  
Rainbow Dash hovered in front of Crimson.  “Wait, shouldn’t we find your sister?”  
“I am afraid we do not have the time to search for her.”
Twilight protested Crimson’s decision.  “We have to.  She’s your sister.  You can’t just abandon her like that.”
“Yeah.”  Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves.
Crimson looked around the girls who all seemed to agree with Twilight’s decision.  “Very well, Princess.  However, the only pony who would pose any threat would be my brother.  If she is in danger, she will be where we are heading.”
After a brief moment to think about that remark, Twilight nodded.  “Okay, then let’s get things ready.”
Applejack turned and looked at Twilight.  “Will our plan work without Demi?”
Twilight started to shake her head.  “I don’t think so.”
“I shall do her job.  Princess, you will have to do mine.”  Crimson said.
Twilight thought to herself, mentally going through the library of spells she knew in her head.  “Actually, I think I have a better idea…”  The group huddled together as Twilight explained her revised plan.

“I gatta hand it to ya, that does sound like a good plan.”  Applejack commented.
Pinke Pie smiled.  “Yeah, and that can be used at the Saved Equestria party!”  
Crimson agreed with Applejack.  “Your plan seems sound.”
“Great, then let’s get going.”  The huddle broke and they headed toward the campsite.  Rainbow Dash shot into the air, up the mountain and started to gather clouds for the revised plan.


* * *


A couple of hours later, Crimson walked in front of the cave which his brother resided.  To his surprise, he saw his sister sitting on a rock outside the cave.  
“My sister, you are safe.”
Demi stood up and turned to Crimson.  “Yes, yes.  And you’d better be grateful that I’m here.”
“Of which I am.”
Demi walked up to Crimson.  “I could have left you and your weakling friends to perish on your fool’s errand.”
“Fear not, my sister.  Princess Twilight has revised the plan so-”
“And you think I care?”  Demi turned away from Crimson.  “You’re an ignorant, worthless pony.  You should have come up with these ridiculous ideas instead of that bitch.”  Crimson stood speechless before his sister.  “Come, whelp.  Let’s get this over with.”  She turned to the cave and walked inside.  After a brief pause, Crimson followed behind her.

The two walked into the dark cave.  They stopped and let their eyes adjust to the darkness.  Demi turned to Crimson.  “You know he knows we’re here, right?”
Crimson nodded.  “I am sure the filly is now a tool under my brother’s hoof.”
“So what of this ridiculous plan your idiot princess has devised?”
“Your task is to use your superior experience against the inexperienced seer.  Hunker down and set up a defensive position.”
“And leave you to fend for yourself?”
Crimson nodded.  
“Such a stupid plan.”  The two started to slowly continue as the walls turned a blue hue from the temperature difference.  Their eyes finally tuned into the darkness gave them visibility far beyond any pony’s normal sight in the darkness.  What were once vague shapes were now detailed textures from blue to red, depending on the temperature.  Finally, Demi lifted her hoof and the two went low to the ground.  She leaned over close to Crimson to whisper to him.  “Ahead is the main passage.”
The two stayed crouching low to the ground near the entrance of the main passage and started to draw a circle into ground.  
“I am glad you are here.  I was not sure I would have survived this encounter until I saw you at the entrance.”
“You and your friends are fools.”  Demi noticed Crimson was adding to his circle design and drawing a second circle.  “What is this?”
“For the girls.”  Then, with a hint of magic, the circles were burned into the ground.  “My sister, are you ready?”
“Have I told you this is a foolish plan?”
“Yet you still follow me.”
“Oh, shut up.”  Demi’s eyes clouded up.  Patiently, Crimson took a readying pose, waiting for the word.  Finally, in a dazed trance, Demi quietly whispered a single word.  “Gooo…”
Crimson activated the second circle and shook his head.  Dust started to fall from the ceiling as the ward burned and turned useless.  Then, he started to sneak his way into the room.
He looked upon a large circular dome chamber.  The middle of the chamber held a single step to a second tier.  He saw a table on the far end of the upper tier with six pieces of jewelry.  In the middle, he looked upon the large and powerful pony - King Temethyst.  The halls echoed with the groan of his voice.  “Stand, Ebon Commander.”  He said in a deep, slow voice.  “Face me as an honorable warrior would.”  After a moment, Crimson stood.  “Approach.”  With caution, Crimson started to slowly walk into the room.  He stepped on the upper tier and looked at his brother.  The King lightly shifted his weight.  The chains attached to his armor clanked together and chimed in the darkness.  “You are foolish to come.”
“I have come for the young one and the relics of this world.”
“Those relics, as well as the seer, are mine.”
“Why do you want them?  You have everything any pony would want at home.”
“I have seen the end of our kind.  It comes soon unless I conqueror this world.”
Crimson quickly swept the air with his hoof.  “You have seen nothing!  You are no seer.  You have no sight!”
“Ah, Ebon Commander.  But I do have sight.”  The hood of the King shifted as he looked up to the ceiling.  There, Crimson saw the young filly bound by stone in the middle of a large circle.  She laid seemingly lifeless in a permanent daze.  “I see through her.”
“Is this what you did to my sister?”
“Demina is a coward, much like you are.”
“And yet here I stand.”
“True.”  The King stared at Crimson in silence.  
“Brother, I demand you relinquish the seer and the relics!”
The King groaned.  His voice boomed and echoed deep into the cavern.  “You DEMAND!?”  The ground started to shake.  “You are in no position to demand anything, boy!”
“Then you leave me no choice.”  
A deep, slow laugh emanated from the large cloaked pony.  The King took a few steps forward to put the seer behind him.  “Your ignorance humors me.  Come, Ebon Commander.  Face me and look into the eyes of oblivion.”
Crimson’s horn glowed as he started to build up magical energy.  The King stood still awaiting Crimson’s attack.  “You brought this upon yourself!”  Magic burst from Crimson as the lower tier burst into flames suddenly illuminating the entire room.  The flames spiraled around Crimson.  Still, the King stood without movement, watching.  The spiraling fire then raced at the King as he stood his ground.  As the flames rushed at their mark, the ground cracked from under him and more fire shot from the ground, causing a wall of flames to burst toward Temethyst.  The flames got close enough to illuminate under the King’s long hood and enveloped the robed pony.  The flames focused on Temethyst for a moment, before a blue nova erupted from the King’s position, dispersing the flames.  The light dimmed and started to burn itself out as Temethyst stood unscathed.  
Crimson prepared for a counterattack only for the King to stand his ground.  After a moment, Crimson’s eyes and horn glowed as he started to channel his energy into the earth.  The ground below Temethyst warped and gripped his hooves, ensnaring him as the walls start to move toward the King.  Spikes extruded from the walls looking to pierce the flesh of the large pony.  Without even a struggle, the King was smashed by the spiked walls.  Another blue nova burst from the middle, destroying the walls and turning them to dust.  Crimson lifted his hoof, protecting his eyes from the dust and debris, then lowered his hoof back to the ground as the dust settled.
“Is that all?”  The King taunted.
Angered, he once again poured his energy into the earth.  A large spike pierced the stone above the King and rushed forward.  Crimson yelled as he poured as much strength into the attack as he could.  Flames burst from the spike and lashed out at the King.  The explosion caused Crimson to lift his hoof and slightly looked away, trying to shield his eyes from the blinding flash.  After the dust died down, King Temethyst was seen still standing where he once was without a spec of dirt on him.
Temethyst started to slowly walk toward Crimson.  “I am disappointed in you.”  Then, Crimson was lifted off of the ground.  “You are a disgrace of our bloodline!  You are weak.”  Crimson choked and gasped as Temethyst leaned in to look into his eyes.  “Open your eyes, brother.  See the vision I was bestowed to me by my precious filly.” Crimson struggled to open his eyes as his breath started to grow short.  “Gaze upon your death.”  Crimson and Temethyst’s eyes locked and a magic force locked their souls together.  Crimson started to shake in convulsions as he felt his inner strength being ripped apart.  Then, silence and darkness.  
Crimson looked upon the room in a view he had not seen before - a view from above.  He looked down at the circle that Temethyst drew that he has foolishly stepped into.  He looked at the King as he dropped his own body lifeless before him.  Then, the King stomped on the corpse, permanently ending his life.  With the stomp, the ground opened up and swallowed his body whole, then closed, crushing his body, never to be seen again.  Then, the Elements of Harmony started to float and circle the King as he started to laugh maniacally.  
With a weak blink of an eye, the visions ended.  Then, white mist started to fill the room.  Temethyst looked down at the mist as the fire Crimson made suddenly went out.  Again, the room went pitch black.
With his attention diverted, the grasp on Crimson’s throat weakened.  Crimson looked up at the ceiling to see the hole where the girls made.  With a faint smile, he started to choke a single word.  “Now!”
The King was hit from below with a spike of stone tossing him to the other side of the room.  He hit the table, causing the Elements of Harmony to be thrown into the air and all around the room.  Crimson fell to the ground choking and Demi came from the entryway.
“Come, my brother.  We must leave.”  She leaned over and helped Crimson to his hooves as the white mist suddenly turned into a deep chill.  
“Can you see?”
“Barely.  Now move it, weakling!”  Demi pushed Crimson toward the entryway and the two started to make their way out of the cave.  “Did it work?”
Crimson coughed trying to keep moving.  “I believe so.”
They turned a corner and made their way out of the cave.  Crimson collapsed from the exhaustion he sustained from the fight.  “Did your foolish friends do their job?”
Crimson nodded.  “With the mist, they were able to hinder our vision.  That gave them the opportunity to grab the filly from above.”  He coughed then continued.  “Temethyst made it easy for them being that he bound her to the ceiling.”
“Hah, your brother is such a fool.”
“I do not think they were able to grab the relics.”
Suddenly, the entrance to the cave exploded, throwing Demi and Crimson into the forest.  Enormous boulders hurled themselves into the woods, destroying anything and everything in their path.  
After a few moments, Demi finally opened her eyes to see what had happened.  She looked up to see Crimson laying unconscious next to her, heavily bleeding from a large puncture wound sustained from the blast.  Fires raged on around her as she laid in a daze.  She staggered to her hooves then tried to make her way toward her brother.  She felt some of her brittle bones give under the weight and she collapsed just a step away.  Suddenly, she got wrapped in stone.  She looked down, then toward where the cave was to see the mighty king walking toward her.  She tried to focus her eyes to see clearly only to be drug into the earth by her stone shackles.  Gasping for breath, she looked at Crimson, who laid critically injured as his blood stained the dirt under him.  “C… -rimson..?”  Again, she started to feel her eyes water.  She turned her head to look up at the towering pony, who now stood before her.  
“Demina, I should have known.”  The ground started to lift causing her stone prison to rise from the ground until Demi was at eye level with the tall and imposing Temethyst.  “It would seem that your services will be required once more.”  His eyes lit up from under his dark hood and he started to magically rip into her soul.  As she started to feel the urge to give into the unwavering and overbearing power, she heard voices in the distance.  
“Get away from her!”  Twilight and Rainbow Dash landed behind Temethyst to confront him.  
Temethyst broke his bond with Demi as his eyes returned to normal.  He turned around and glared deep into the two’s eyes.  “You are all fools; fools to be crushed by my hoof.”
“Leave our friends alone!”  Rainbow Dash yelled.
“And give us the Elements of Harmony back!”  Twilight added.
“The Elements?  You mean these?”  From under his cloak, the elements, broken from their bonds of the jewelry they were bound to, lifted into the air and start to circle the mighty king.  
“The elements!”  They looked upon the dark haze surrounding each mystical stone.
“Your weapons belong to me, peasants.”  Rainbow Dash suddenly was launched into the air, then Twilight was hit from the side from a flying stone from the mountain.  Rainbow Dash recovered in the air, then fearlessly charged at the King.  Twilight, feeling the pain from the hit, got to her hooves.  Rainbow dove at the King, trying to grab one of the elements from their orbit.  She was met by a below by an earthly column and she slammed into the ground.  
Twilight watched as Rainbow Dash slid between Demi and Crimson.  “Rainbow!”  Twilight’s horn lit up and she fired a beam of magic toward the beastly king.  The magic dissipated at an effortlessly erected barrier by the King as he drew his attention toward the princess.
“Your magic is pathetic.”  The beam exploded, and a counter-spell was launched back at Twilight.  She looked at the column of blue flames fly toward her and she leaned into a magic shield causing the flames to blast around her.  
“I’m com’n, Twilight!”  Applejack yelled as she charged from the side as fast as she could, hoping to get close enough so he wouldn’t be able to use magic.  The mighty king stomped on the ground, causing Applejack to fall into a pit, then she was launched into the air as the King lifted his hoof.  
With the opening, Twilight attacked again, this time hitting the King from his flank.  The mighty blast ripped off the leather and fur cloak revealing the armor clad double horned pony before them.  Twilight looks at him in fear as his horns erect from his head curving backward over his crown.  The King, only taking a step to recover from Twilight’s hit, looked at the startled princess, then exhaled a breath of mystical blue flames.  Knowing her magic wouldn’t be enough this time, she jumped and started to gain altitude to dodge the attack.  
Fluttershy snuck in from the rear of the fight and shook Rainbow Dash awake.  “Rainbow Dash, are you okay?”
Dazed, Rainbow opened her eyes and looked up at Fluttershy.  “Yeah.  I’ve had worse.”
“Come on.  We have to get these two out of here.”  
Rainbow Dash slowly stood up and went to Demi.  “Fluttershy, can you get Crimson?  I’ll get Demi.”
“Okay.”  Fluttershy gently grabbed Crimson and started to move him away from the fight as Rainbow Dash looked at the stone prison.  
Applejack limped toward Rainbow Dash.  “I got this, hun.”  She turned and bucked the stone prison, causing it to crash from the might of Applejack’s strength.  
“Awesome.  I got this now.  Get out of here Applejack.”
“You be careful, hun.”
“You too.”  Rainbow Dash started to pull away the stone as Applejack made her way back to Ponyville.
Twilight sent a blast toward Temethyst to keep his attention only to be swatted aside by the magic defenses the King placed around himself.  “You are a coward.”  Temethyst opened his enormous leathery wings and shot into the air.
Twilight’s eyes popped in surprise.  “You can fly?”
In the air, Temethyst spread his wings, then focused his energy and launched a tendril of fire toward the flying princess.  Thinking she could easily dodge the flames, she shifted her position to the side.  To her surprise, the blue flames formed the shape of a dragon as it started to seek the flying princess out.  “Oh hoof.”  Twilight turned and started to flee from the blue dragon flame.  Temethyst free fell to the ground.  With a loud slam he landed on his hooves; the earth buckling at his very presence, cracking and bending on his landing.
Then, the voice of a divine presence filled the air.  “ENOUGH OF THIS!”  A black whirlwind formed in the sky destroying the flame dragon and landed in front of the mighty king.  The whirlwind vanished and the cloaked sage stood before Temethyst.  Her cloak flowed in the wind as she looked upon the mighty king.  Twilight returned to the scene and hovered at a safe distance.  
The King looked at the sage.  “You…  You do exist.”
The sage steped forward.  “I command you - Return the Elements of Harmony at once and you shall be spared.”
Temethyst stared at the cloaked sage.  “You shall pay for your abandonment, coward!”  The ground violently shook and ripped apart, creating a deep void in the earth.  Blue flames suddenly shoot from the ground into the sky.  Then the flames wrapped itself around the sage and tried to drag her into the ground.  A dark glow emanated from under the sage’s hood.  
“You are beyond saving.”  She leapt into the air spreading her black wings and fired a dark beam toward the grounded king.  Temethyst’s horns lit up as he puts up a powerful barrier to block the attack.  The force of the attack pushed the King against the sand, but he strongly held his ground.
“I hold the power of my people.”  The skies suddenly turned dark.  “You are nothing but a failed goddess.”  A blue glow emanated from the ground as the earth tore itself further apart.  “With your demise, we shall survive.”  Liquid flames shot from the deep cavity high into the air, splitting the clouds on impact.  “And I shall be ruler of both worlds!”  A maw of blue flames unleashed itself from the depths of the earth and lashed itself at the flying sage.
The sage summoned a massive tornado around her, sucking the flames from the maw into the whirlwind, dissipating the magical attack.  She looked at the huge fissure from Temethyst’s magic, and at a distant red glow far below.  Then, she turned and flew to Twilight.  “Return to Canterlot.  I shall meet you there.”
“What?”
“Go, Princess.  I’ll hold him off.”
Seeing the awesome display of magic and power, the two titans clashed again in a glorious and devistating display of black and blue magic, leaving Twilight unthreatened by the mighty king.  Heeding to the sage’s request, she turned and started to fly toward Canterlot, leaving the devastation behind.
> Chapter 24 - Crimson and the Mare's Tale
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight, injured and exhausted, landed on the sun and moon rising ceremony tower peek.  There, Princess Celestia stood, staring at the sky, and at the storm that has died over the mountains not long ago.
“Princess Twilight, I’m glad you’ve returned.”
“P... Princess Celestia.”  Twilight nearly collapsed, but was caught my Celestia.  
“Are you okay?”  Celestia looked over Twilight to see the huge discolored skin tone from her injury.
“I’ll be fine.”  She turned and looked toward the battle.
Celestia looked up at the calming storm.  “What’s going on?”
“The Elements, they’re…  They’re corrupt or something.  They had this strange dark glow around them.  And I think they’re empowering Crimon's evil brother, King Temethyst.”
Celestia looked at Twilight.  “Is that the one who stole the Elements of Harmony?”
“Yes, Princess.  And I fear he’s in control of them now.”
“That’s impossible!”  Celestia looked back up at the storm.
“That’s what I thought.  But it’s true.”
“What was that storm?  And why is the sky dark?”
“Temethyst.  I think he caused it.”
The ground suddenly trembled and shook with great magnitude.  Celestia and Twilight leapt out of the tower and hovered in air as the tower started to crack at the intensity of the quake.  They looked in horror at Canterlot as a number of buildings yield and crumble from the power of the earth.  Then, the sounds of a loud and sudden boom, like an intense thunder, shook the very foundation of the earth, causing Twilight to stop flapping her wings from the stunning sound.  She started to fall down toward the ground stunned by the loud boom, but was caught by Celestia just before she hit the ground.  Shortly after, the ground settled and calmed itself.  
While holding Twilight, Celestia landed and looked around at the devastation caused by earthquake.
Twilight got on her hooves and looked around too.  “This is Temethyst’s doing.”
“What a strange and powerful force.  Come, Princess Twilight.  We have to go into the war room.”


* * *


The council sat, shouting at each other at what they should do next before Celestia and Twilight entered the room.  Forgetting etiquette, they kept on yammering as the two walked around the table and to their seats.  Celestia lifted her hoof.  “That’s enough!”  Slowly, the talking came to an end and they all looked at the two.  “Princess Twilight has discovered a new foe as well as discovered the location of the Elements of Harmony.”
“Where are they?”
“We need their power!”
Again, Celestia lifted her hoof.  “Silence!”  The room quickly quieted down as Celestia continued.  “We have to help the citizens of Equestria with this incident.  I want all resources on this matter while I get the Elements of Harmony back.”
The doors slammed open showing the sage at the entrance.  “I’m sorry I’m late.”
Twilight lifted her hoof at the sage.  “Wait, you…”  The sage walked up passed the table and to the empty seat next to Celestia.  “You’re…”  The sage lifted her hooves and unveils her hood.  “Princess Luna!”
“I have battled our new foe.  He is much stronger than I.”  Luna reached under her cloak and pulled out the remains of the Elements of Harmony, but without the gems.
Celestia tried to refrain her surprise.  “How is this possible?”
“I don’t know.”  The room erupted in chatter before Luna continued.  “There is more.”  The room stopped to listen.  “I fear that this threat will destroy all of Equestria less we can stop him.”
“That’s impossible!”  Celestia stood up.  
“I have delayed him, but he will be back.”
Amongst the commotion, a question stood out.  “How?”  With that, the room silenced to listen to the explanation.  
Luna looked upon the council.  “I fear his power over the earth can rip our world to pieces.”
The room exploded in commotion.  Celestia lifted her hoof.  “Calm yourselves…  I said SILENCE!”  The ponies cowered in fear from the divine voice used by Celestia.  The room remained quiet.
“Princess, I may have an idea.”  The purple unicorn officer said.
“Speak, Warlock.”  
“With the massive amount of information supplied to us from Princess Twilight, I believe we may be able to mend the earth.”
Celestia looked at the unicorn with curiosity.  “Explain.”
“Well, I...  See, we’ve been studying the Princess’s notes around the clock since we’ve received them.  Though we’re not powerful enough to make the magic work, I believe ponies of high power, such as yourselves, can make the magic work.  But, it’ll require you both to work together.”
The room remained quiet as the warlock sat down.  Luna turned to Celestia.  “My sister, I must speak with you in private.”  Celestia nodded her head and the two stood up and walked to the back corner of the room.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle, please join us.  I believe I owe you an explanation as well.  Twilight nervously stood up and walked to the two.  “My sister, I am sorry.  This is all my fault.”
Celestia shook her head.  “Why would you think of such a thing?”
Luna looked down in shame.  “Because these ponies - they were created by me.”
Twilight’s eyes bulged from the bombshell.  “Wait, what?”
“‘Tis true.  I created an army of clay and magic fire underground over a thousand years ago to be used to overthrow my sister from the throne.  When I lost the fight, I was banished to the moon and they were left wandering the ground below us.  Until recently, I thought they have perished long ago, taking my shame with them.  Ever since I have heard the stories of the curved horn warrior, I have searched all over Equestria for him trying to hide my shameful act from you.  I am sorry.”
Celestia put her hoof under her sister’s chin.  “Do not worry, my sister.  I forgive you.”
Twilight started to think about what she heard, and what she remembered from previous encounters.  “So when Temethyst called you an absent and failed goddess…”
“‘Tis because I wasn’t there for them.”
“So your stories must have been told through their generations.  That’s amazing.”
Celestia looked at the two.  “We need to keep order in Equestria so there is no need to discuss this information with anypony.  Luna is my sister and Equestria’s Princess.  We don’t need any pony undermining her from her past mistakes.”  The three came to an agreement, and they returned to their seats.  The officers sat and waited to be filled in.  “My sister and I will use our power to control the earth as best as we can to save Equestria.”
“Then who will battle this powerful pony who has the Elements of Harmony?  Who has the power to do what Princess Luna couldn’t?”
Twilight thought to herself.  “I think I know who we need to talk to.”  
Princess Celestia stood up.  “Then every pony help the civilians.  Warlock, assist Princess Twilight Sparkle.  Dismissed.”


* * *


The haze of a long slumber fogged up her vision as Demi tried to open her eyes.  When her eyes opened, she noticed that she had been put into a room of some type.  She tried to get up to notice that some of her limbs have been bound.  With each movement, she felt a sharp pain in various parts of her body.  She soon realized that she was in an infirmary of some kind.  She looked around to see her brother hooked up to all sorts of crazy contraptions.  She then noticed the girls bandaged and mended too, resting in the same room.  Demi let out a loud sigh as she placed her head back on the pillow.  Her sigh was enough to catch Fluttershy’s attention.
“Oh, you’re awake.”  Fluttershy walked over to Demi.
“So this is what it’s like to lose in a fight.”
“You’ve suffered many injuries, but you should be okay.”
Demi looked over to Crimson thinking about the wound he sustained in the forest.  “And what of my brother..?”
“He… He’s in bad shape.  Twilight came to visit and did something, then she left again.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“I don’t know.”  Fluttershy looked away as she started to tear up.
“That…  What is that?”  Fluttershy looked away from Demi, trying to see what she’s looking at.  “No, that water coming from your face.”  Fluttershy turned and looked at Demi.  “That spell has been cast on me twice while I’ve been on the surface, as well as other strange and mystical enchantments.”
Fluttershy wiped her tears with her hoof.  “What spell?  Crying?”
“Crying...?”
“Crying isn’t a spell.  It’s an emotion of love or the feeling of pain.”
Demi turned her head and stared at the ceiling.  “That’s nonsense.”  Fluttershy sniffled and wiped her tears away.  Demi looked once again at Fluttershy.  “How did I get here?”
“Rainbow Dash.  She carried you all the way from the cave to Ponyville.”
Demi turned her head and looked at the light blue pegasus.  “Why do you ponies do it?”
“Do what?”
Demi looked at Fluttershy.  “This is twice now that you’ve helped me even though I’ve tried to kill you.  I don’t get it.”
“Oh.”  
“You’re all a bunch of idiots for saving my life.  You should have left me to die.  It would have saved you all a ton of trouble.”
“We couldn’t do that.  You needed our help.”
“You all could have died.”
“Well, yes.  But you still needed our help.”
“Fools.”  Demi looked away then noticed a pony missing.  “Where is Twilight Sparkle?”
“Well, she fought that big, bad pony so Rainbow Dash and I could save you and Crimson.  She stopped in after going to the castle to check up on us.  She said she’ll be back later after she takes care of a few things.”
“Hah!”  Demi cringeed in pain from a laugh.  “Don’t think I believe that story for a minute.  She doesn’t have enough power to hold a hoof against King Temethyst.”
“Oh, but she did.  And if it weren’t for her,-”
“Yeah, yeah.  Don’t bother saying it.”  After a moment of silence, Fluttershy turned around and took a step.  “Wait…”  Fluttershy turned around.  “I still don’t understand.  Why are you always taking care of me?  Why did you all risk your lives for me?”
Fluttershy looked down to Demi and smiled.  “Because that’s what friends do.”
Demi remained silent and Fluttershy walked away to tend to another’s wounds.  “Nonsense.”  She said, shaking her head.  Regardless, deep down, she doubted her words.


* * *


The following day, Twilight entered the infirmary where everyone rested in.  Crimson remained unconscious as the hospital kept a close eye on him.  No pony in the hospital believed he made such a painful trip back, much less survived the night with such a wound.  The girls have been on their hooves, taking their recovery one step at a time.  Demi, on the other hand, remained in her bed.
Twilight walked next to Crimson’s bed.  “Hey.  How’s he doing?”  
Fluttershy walked next to Twilight.  “His condition hasn’t changed.”
“What about Demi?  How is she?”
“She’s-”
Demi answered Twilight while keeping her eyes at the ceiling.  “I’m awake, underling.”
Twilight looked over to Demi.  “Ah, good.”  She walked up beside her bed.  “I have something for you.  A mutual friend said you need this.”  She put a pouch on the bed.
Demi looked at the pouch.  “You fool!  Use this on my brother NOW!”
“This medicine has already been administered to him.  It closed the wound, but I was told that the other wounds will take a little longer to heal.”
Demi tried to sit up to see her brother hadn’t moved a muscle.  “Are you sure you did it right?”
“Yes.  The pony who gave it to me explained everything.”  She started the mix the concoction into a bowl just like Demi did in the cage.  Then, she added something that wasn’t in her bag.  The mixture thinned out and she poured it into a vial.  “Here, drink.”
“Do you think I’ll put my lips on-”
“Oh, shut up and drink already.”  Demi looked coldly at Twilight, then drank the elixir.  She tried not to cringe at the grainy texture or the dirty flavor.  “Good.  I’ll be back in an hour to see how you’re doing.”
“Even the all mighty Princess Twilight Sparkle looks after me.  How pathetic.”
Twilight turned around and started walking toward the door.  Demi took  a deep breath, then started to feel groggy.  “You tra… tr…. you… you… drug...ed… me...hhh..”  In a moment’s notice, she was out like a light.


* * *


Again, like a groggy mess, Demi woke up.  She looked around, feeling more relaxed than she did before she passed out.  “Where is that fool, Twilight Sparkle?!  I’ll kill her for drugging me!”  She looked around to find that her and Crimson were the only ones left in the room.
Twilight walked into the room.  “Calm down.  I didn’t drug you.”  She walked up to Demi and started to unwrap her slings.  “You needed your rest anyways.”  Demi’s hoof fell freely onto the bed.  She recoiled, expecting pain to shoot through her leg, but she felt nothing of the sort.  “You okay?”
“Y… yes..  I am fine, apparently.”  
“Good.”  She finished unbinding her.  “I need your help.”
Demi scoffed.  “Hah, my help?”
“Yes.”  She extended a hoof to help Demi up.  
Demi sat up, ignoring Twilight’s helping hoof.  “And what makes you think I’ll help YOU?”
“We need to even the odds for when Temethyst comes to Ponyville.”
“And how do you expect we do that?”
Twilight leaned over and picked up the bag with the medicine.  She grabbed Demi’s hoof, opened the bag, and shook it over Demi’s hoof.  A small illustrious spherical object fell from the bag and into Demi’s hoof.  Immediately, the object caught Demi’s eye.  “What is…”  She started to closely inspect the object.  “What is this?”
“It’s a pearl from the bottom of the sea.  I’m told you can use this.”
Demi looked up at Twilight.  “By who?”
“The same pony who gave me the medicine.”
“I see.”  She put her focus back on the pearl.  “Very well.  I shall help you.”
“Great!”
“In return…”  Demi grasped the pearl and looked up to Twilight.  “In return I want two things.  I want things done EXACTLY how I want them done.”
“Ooookay, I’m sure we can make that happen.”
“Secondly, I want a favor from you.”
Twilight pointed to herself.  “From me?”
“Yes.  And when I ask this favor, you HAVE to do it, no matter what it is.”
Twilight looked at Crimson in his unconscious state, then back to Demi.  “For Equestria, I’ll do it.”  
“Good.  Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you where you stand.”  Demi stood up and walked passed Twilight.  “Now, tell me how you got this exactly.”
Twilight followed behind her.  “Trading.”
Demi turned and looked at Twilight.  “By a simple trade?”
“We have an open trading pact with the Sea King Triton.”
“And how many of these can you get your hooves on?”
“Well, a lot, probably.” 
“And how about precious metals or gems?  Rhrothilum?  Tetctorium?  Chillenium?”
Twilight looked baffled.  “Um, I…  I’m sure we can get some if needed, when I figure out what those are.”
“Good, because we will in fact need it.”  Demi glanced at Crimson for a moment, then looked back to Twilight.  “My idiot brother says you’re unrivaled in wisdom and knowledge of magic.”
Twilight tried not to blush.  “Well, I wouldn’t say th-”
Demi whipped around and stared hard in Twilight eyes.  “Don’t undermine my brother’s words, weakling!  That is a grand compliment from a superior and you WILL accept and appreciate it.”
Twilight lifted her hoof.  “Okay, Okay.  Thank you.”
“That’s better.  Now, tell me of your best blacksmiths, your tailors, and your jewelers…”
“Rarity is probably our best tailor.  She has an eye for fashion…”  Twilight thought to herself for a moment.  “And probably one of our better jewelers in Ponyville too.  The jewelry she makes with her gowns are-”
Demi lifted a hoof to stop Twilight from talking.  “Fine, fine.  She’s decent.  And your blacksmith?”  She turned around and the two walked out of the hospital.
“That’s where we’re in trouble.  A lot of our quality goods are imported.”
“So you don’t have anypony who can run a smith?”
“Well, maybe Applejack.”
Demi sighed.  “I suppose it’ll do.  With my help, I’m sure I can make her sufficient enough.  Come, minion.  Let us get a list together.”
Even though Twilight loveed lists and organization, the belittling started to slowly creep its way into her nerves.  “Now hold on.”
Demi continued walking, ignoring Twilight.  Twilight trotted ahead of Demi and stopped her in her tracks.  Demi looked away frustrated.  “What?”
“I have been nice to you.  I have helped you.  I have even risked mine and my friend’s lives to save you.  You owe it to me to tell me what your problem is.”
“I owe you nothing.”
Twilight stompped her hoof on the floor.  “Bull hoof!  My friends got hurt for you and you continue to treat us like garbage.  I want an explanation!”
“And when I feel you’re worthy of any explanation for any reason, I will give you one.”  Demi lifted her hoof and pushed Twilight aside.  
Twilight’s brow folded in rage as she looked at Demi.  Then, her horn glows and she telekinetically grabs Demi and drags her back.
“That’s it, fool.”  Demi’s eyes and horn lit up as she stomped on the ground.  A large chunk of earth ripped itself from the ground and flew toward Twilight.  Twilight’s telekinetic grip on Demi lifted as she lowered her head and blasted the boulder with magic, turning it to sand.  While still having a magical hold on the sand, Demi twisted her hoof on the ground causing the sand to crawl up Twilight’s legs.  Twilight looked at the stone shackles, lightly nudged her head, then the stone shackles turned back to sand and was pushed away from a light breeze.  Demi screamed and jumps at Twilight to physically attack the Princess, tackling her.  Twilight looked up at the angered pony pushing her away, then used her telekinetic superiority to lift Demi into the air.  She stood up as Demi’s horn glowed, and fired a burst of flame from her horn at Twilight.  While still holding her in the air, Twilight counterattacked the flames with a ray of magic from her horn.  The two attacks struggled for ground back and forth before the two let out a large pulse that knocked Twilight back off of her hooves.  Demi was  thrown away from the battleground and over a hill as the telekinetic lift was greatly amplified by the magical pulse.  Twilight got up and looked at where Demi was last seen.  She huffed to herself, then trotted toward the angered seer.  She ran up to the top of the hill and looked down toward the field where Twilight thought she saw Demi land.  Suddenly, Twilight dropped into the ground down to her shoulder, then the ground closed around her, trapping her from the neck down.  Demi lifted up from a shelter hidden in the earth and she walked up to Twilight.  Twilight struggled and was ready to cast a spell.  “If you do any kind of magic, I’ll crush you.”  Twilight stopped struggling, and looked at her victor.  
Demi looked down at Twilight as the two remained silent.  “Even when you never had a chance, you still fought me.”  She stomped her hoof and Twilight was lifted from her stone prison.  “I don’t understand you.”  Demi leaned in at Twilight and looked in her eyes.  “Don’t do that again.”  Demi turned around and started to walk away.
“What will it take?”  Twilight asked.
Demi turned her head toward Twilight.  “What do you mean?”
“What will it take to get your respect?”  Demi looked ahead of her and continued to walk.  “It’s not courage.  It’s not strength.  It’s not kindness.  So what is it?”
Demi stopped and turned around.  “I don’t think you can ever earn my respect.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like you.”  Twilight lightly recoiled at Demi’s reply as she looked at Twilight.  “You’ve turned my brother a spineless weakling; a foolish whelp running worthless errands for pathetic reasons.  Before you, my brother never took prisoners.  He never risked his life for a worthless pony, much less an opposing seer.  He was feared and respected.  He was a warrior and a conqueror before you!”
Twilight looked away for a moment then shook her head.  “I didn’t change Crimson.”
Demi stomped her hoof.  “That is a lie!”
Twilight again shook her head then looked at Demi.  “No, I didn’t change him.  You say he never took prisoners and he was a conqueror.  He wasn’t like that when I met him.”  Demi remaind speechless.  “When I first met Crimson, he was a different pony than he is now.  That is true.  But when I met him, he overpowered countless soldiers like they were nothing.  He used magic we’ve never seen before and his power was unmatched.  An entire battalion was incapacitated and he didn’t even break a sweat.  He could have killed every pony in Ponyville if he wanted.  Still, amidst all of the power and destruction we brought upon Ponyville, he never hurt anypony.  None.”  Demi looked at Twilight in anger and confusion.  “I didn’t change Crimson.  I think he wanted to change so he changed himself.”
Demi looked away.  “That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
Demi started to think to herself about what she had just heard, then thought about how Crimson acted before he vanished from her life.  Then, she looked down at the ground.  “No, I suppose not.”  Demi started to think about when things felt like they started to change.  “He…  He tried to talk to me and tell me.  And I betrayed him.  I told Scorch about his traitorous words.  He didn’t seem the same after that.  He was… distant.”
“How did you see him?”
“How did I see him?”  Demi repeated questionably while looking up at Twilight.  “My brother was a courageous and fearless pony; disciplined and strong; honorable and noble.”
“Funny you should say that, because I feel he is exactly how you just described him.”
Demi thought to herself for a moment, then looked at Twilight.  “He’s still a weakling.”  
Twilight’s eyes popped in surprise.  “Are you kidding?  Have you ever seen him display so much power when battling Temethyst?”
“... You do have a point.  His strength has improved, even without enhancements.  Speaking of which, why not slay the seer instead of save her?  It could have saved us a lot of trouble.  And I could have helped my brother instead of giving the false visions.  We could have beaten King Temethyst!”
“I don’t think so.  Did you see him spit a giant blue dragon from his mouth?  Or what about him ripping a hole in the ground straight to the core of the world itself?  I think he was playing with Crimson.”
Demi thought for a moment, then looked away.  “You still didn’t answer my question.”
“Well, you didn’t answer mine.”
The two stood silent in a standoff.  “Tell me, what do you think of my brother?”
“Of Crimson?  Well, he is just as you said.  He’s one of the bravest and noblest ponies I know.”
“I’m sure…”  Demi looked suspiciously upon Twilight.  “Come, then.  We have much work to do.”
A few steps later, Twilight got a thought.  “I have a question.  You’ve been asking what we thought of your brother.  I’ve been wondering, what about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do YOU think of your brother?”
Demi stopped in her tracks in thought with Twilight stopping beside her.  She thought to herself as a pause ensued.  
“Nevermind, let’s get back to work.”
Demi looked up to Twilight.  “I believe I owe you an explanation, do I not?” 
“Only if you want.”
“I do.  My brother trusts you.  I believe I should try as well.”  Twilight smiled as Demi started her tale.  “My tale begins when I was still young, and when I was introduced into House Thull.  When I pledged allegiance, I was treated like any other lowlife mare slave - abused and misused.  It wasn’t until a young noble came by that I had any meaning in this life.  His name was Crimson Thull, one of the few remaining blood nobles of the entire house.  He saw me and rescued me from a slave’s life.  The respect every pony gave him was inspiring and fearsome, even for a colt as young as him.  I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I’ve always suspected, but it sounds like you’re not actually physically related.”
“Family is beyond blood where I’m from.  Still, I suppose family doesn’t mean the same as it does to you.”
“It really doesn’t.  The family you’re talking about means love and honesty.  It means trust and-”
“Do you wish for me to continue my tale?”
“Oh, sorry.  Please, continue.”
“As I was saying, I’m older than Crimson, but not by much.  Maybe half a season.  Still, he took me under his hoof and cared for me.  We used to spar all the time and we’d sit in the upper rings staring at the Great Forge of Lazbral’thull and talk for hours.”  Demi looked up into the sky.  “Those were the best days of my life.”  She paused for a moment, reminiscing her tale, then looked back to Twilight.  “When the house discovered I was a seer, they took me away - separated me from the normal life of a simple mare.  I didn’t see my brother for many seasons after that.  I suppose you could call it training, but it felt like I was a slave again.  I was tortured into harnessing this…  curse.  I felt alone again.  I was taught how to control the power.  I was taught tactics, war, fearlessness, strength.  And after I was finished with their training, I was respected.  I had power.  I was feared.  I was an officer.  And I was a different pony.  By that time, my brother was going into combat.  He was a soldier.  I’d heard stories of his battles, but that was it.  Just stories.  Still, some of the things I’d hear sounded like there was a hint of embellishment.”  She paused in thought as she smiled.
Twilight observed the smile.  “What?”
“It wasn’t until hearing the stories when I realized I wanted to see him again.  It took a few seasons, but I eventually weaved my way into his unit.  He was the same pony I knew.  He didn’t have the scars he has now.  He still tried to take me under his hoof, but I was stronger.”  Demi stopped her story as she thought to herself.  “We weren’t as close as we were before I was taken.  Thinking about it now, maybe I was the one who changed, not him.  Maybe I was the reason…”  With another pause, she turned and started to walk away.  “Enough silly talk.  Let’s get back to work.”
The two walked together in silence as they went back into Ponyville.  “Demi, I know it must have been tough to talk to me like you did, but I do appreciate it.  Thanks.”
Demi looked at Twilight.  “I never spoke of that until now.  Though I have to admit, it was strangely refreshing.  It gave me a lot to think about.”  After a few steps, Demi glared at Twilight.  “And don’t you dare speak a word about it.”
“I won’t tell a soul.”
> Chapter 25 - Crimson and the Silence of the Mare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All was dark with an eerie silence.  The only light was the faint glow from the heart of the earth itself.  Celestia stared down the gaping wound the planet had sustained, feeling a strange cold sensation.  She felt the suction of the chasm below as her mane flowed with the wind.  She turned around and looked to her sister, and the army of ponies behind her.  “Princess Luna, are you ready?”
Princess Luna stepped up to Princess Celestia.  “I am.”  Luna turned around to the army.  “Get in positions!”  She spread her wings and flew over the chasm with pegasi following and they landed on the other side of the chasm opposing Celestia.  
The army fanned out behind their assigned princesses as the two faced each other and took a few steps back.  They looked at each other for a brief moment before they nodded.  Then, they pointed their horns at one another as their horns started to glow.  The winds suddenly picked up as a helix of magic shot from their horns and flew at each other.  Upon impact, a huge gust of wind exploded from the impact point, causing a massive pulse to shoot out at the army, making a few of the soldiers get knocked off their hooves.  Celestia and Luna winced in pain as the helixes intertwined and merged, then tensed up creating a long beam of magic connecting the two princesses together from across the earth’s gash.  As soon as the magical bind tensed, the wind suddenly imploded toward the impact point.  Then the combined beams started to violently fluctuate as a circle of volatile magic energy formed around the two princesses.  Then, the magical domes lashed out, causing massive amounts of magic energy to shoot out at the army.  Some of them screamed in pain while others collapsed from the hit.  Before anyone knew it, they were all tethered to the domes from this volatile energy, as some of the ponies struggled to keep their balance from the strong winds that were pulling them into the void, as well as the tether draining them of their strength.  The earth started to shake at the completion of the ritual and the three hundred meter chasm started to slowly close.  Soon after, Celestia started to lose her balance as her fatigue from the ritual started to take its toll.  Finally, she collapsed and was launched into the middle of the chasm.  Luna’s eyes popped and she gasped, then she whipped her head back, breaking the magical tether the two had created and launched herself into the air, stopping the vacuum the spells have caused.  She dove as fast as she could into the chasm and snatched the falling princess from the depths of the earth.  Luna slowly started to make her way back to the surface as other pegasi flew down to assist the recovery of the falling princess.  Finally, they all reached the top and they rested on the ground beside the chasm.  Celestia looked up at Luna and gave a faint smile as the army surrounded the two.  Luna gave a smile back then looked up at the chasm to see the effect that the ritual had.  Celestia turned her head to view their results only to have her smile fade away.  Luna helped her sister to her hooves and they walked to the ledge of the chasm and looked down.  
Luna looked into the glowing red at the bottom of the cut.  “I’m sorry, my sister.  It would seem that our efforts have been for not.”
Celestia shook her head.  “No, it started to close.  I think we did well for our first attempt.”  She looked up at the other ledge.  “We didn’t restore the earth and close the wound, but the healing has started.”
“We need to revise our strategy of this ritual.”
Celestia nodded.  “I agree.  Come, my sister.  Let’s go back to Canterlot and think of another solution to our problem.”
Luna nodded and the army lifted off and flew back toward Canterlot.  


* * *


Crimson’s eyes slowly cracked open.  The fuzzy and blurry shapes of ceiling lights slowly came into focus as he shut his eyes and turned his head, avoiding the light.  He tried to lift his hoof to shield his eyes only to feel that it was attached to some sort of thin hose that went through the flesh of his arm, and was held into place by an adhesive strip.  He stared at the strange object, then followed the strange tubes with his eyes.  He paused when he looked at his chest, and at the new and rather large circular scar on his torso.  He touched the object on his arm with his other hoof to feel the tube.  Then in one quick motion, he grabbed the tub and ripped it out of his arm.  The sound of ripping adhesive made him cringe as the skin tried its best to not tear from the quick and violent motion.  He tossed the tube aside and started to rip out the strange objects from every piece of his body.  He turned over and stood up.  With a sudden rush of blood to his head, he felt light headed and staggerd a few steps.  A pony in a white overcoat rushed into the room and looked upon the red coated pony.  
“You’re awake!”
Crimson tried his best to stand up straight as he rubbed his eyes.  “So it seems.  Where am I?”
The doctor quickly got beside Crimson and tried to help him.  “You’re in Canterlot.  Princess Twilight brought you here a couple of weeks ago with a critical injury to your torso, as well as a ton of other injuries.”  The doctor gestured back to the bed.  “You need to rest.  You being alive is nothing short of a miracle.”
Crimson looked down at his body and looked at the scar.  “What happened?”
The doctor started to lightly turn Crimson back to the bed.  “You had a hole in your torso going from your seventh rib straight through to your sternum two inches in diameter.”
Crimson put a hoof on the bed and he turned around.  “How did I survive such a fatal wound?”  
“I don’t know.”  The doctor started to gather some of the hoses Crimson threw on the ground.  “All I know is we bound you as best as we could, and we kept a pony on you to watch your condition.  Then Princess Twilight came rushing in the next day, put something on the injury, then left.  From that point on, your wound quickly closed up and you were stable.”
“Fascinating.”  
“I know, right?”  The doctor put a hoof on his chest and gestured for him to rest.  “Your wounds may have closed, but it looked like your internal injuries needed a lot longer to recover.  You still had broken and dislocated bones, but they were healing quickly - quicker than anything I’ve ever seen.”
Crimson leaned back into the bed.  “Very fascinating.”
After Crimson settled back into the bed, the doctor took a step back.  “I was told to call Princess Twilight and her Jane Mare as soon as you woke up.  If you’ll excuse me…”  He turned and left the room leaving Crimson alone once again.  


* * *


A short while later, the door to Crimson’s room opened again and Rainbow Dash walked into the room, followed by Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.  
Rainbow Dash looked surprised at Crimson’s awakening.  “Holy hoof, you ARE awake!”  The girls got excited and surround Crimson’s bed.
Fluttershy clapped her hooves together.  “I’m so happy to see you’re okay.”  
“Now we can have a Welcome Back party!”  
The girls started to uncontrollably talk as Crimson looked over the three.  “I can not help but notice that some of you are missing.  Where is my sister?”
The girls quieted down as Rainbow Dash answered.  “Your sister has us running all over the place gathering all sorts of strange stuff and taking them to Rarity’s boutique or Applejack’s farm.”
The doors opened and Demi entered the room.  “Ah, there you are.”  She pointed to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.  “You two, go to the blacksmith.  And you,”  She said, pointing to Fluttershy.  “Go to the clothier.  We’re almost finished.”
Rainbow Dash sighed.  “Yeah, yeah.”  She and the other two left the room.
Demi looked at Crimson.  “What did I say about you and your futile mission?”
“It was not my best strategy devised, but it was sufficient.  And now you have every pony doing your bidding?”
Demi scoffed.  “Hah, hardly.  These lazy sobs are weak and pathetic.”
“What are you planning?”
“I’m not planning anything.  It’s what your precious princess is planning.”
“This is Princess Twilight’s doing?”
Demi nodded.  “Yes, and that whelp owes me big for me even bothering.”  Demi walked up to Crimson.  “Come, you must see.”
“I was informed by the healers to rest.”
Demi shook her head.  “You are turning into a bigger weakling by the minute.”  She grabbed Crimson’s hoof and sat him up.  “Come, we’re leaving.”


* * *


Crimson and Demi walked through the halls of the Canterlot Infirmary.  The doctor's arms went limp in surprise when he saw Crimson walking down the halls.  “H-Hey!”  He rushed to confront his patient.
Demi lifted her hoof and stopped the doctor’s approach.  “Stop, fool.”
“No, you should stop.”  The doctor replied.  “He’s still in recovery.”
“My brother has recovered enough.”  She pushed him aside and continued to walk.  She looked behind her at Crimson.  “Come, we have important issues to address.”
Crimson stared at Demi as she turned and continued to walk.  He then looked at the doctor, who in turn looked at his patient.  “Do not worry about me.  I shall be fine.”
“Are you kidding?  You should be dead and now you’re just going to leave?”
“So it seems.”  Crimson walked passed the doctor following his sister.


* * *


Demi and Crimson went to the train station and waited on the platform.  Crimson sat down to rest.  Demi noticed and turned to talk to Crimson.  “So you are weak.”
“Perhaps.”  He leaned back and rested against a wall.  “Then again, I have apparently been unconscious for many days.”
“And while you were sleeping, I have been working my flank off for your precious princess.”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “What are you up to?”
“Like I said, it isn’t me who is up to something.  At any rate, you’ll find out soon enough.”
Crimson sat quietly for a moment.  “...  Very well.”  A pause ensued as they continued to wait for the next train.  
Demi looked up in thought.  “Brother,”  she said in a less bossy tone.  “Did I change?”
Crimson looked up to his sister.  “What do you mean?”
“Did I…  I mean, am I the same filly you knew before I was taken to the academy?”  Crimson stared speechless at the strange question.  Then he leaned over and started to get to his hooves.  “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about… things…”
Crimson walked up to Demi.  “In a lot of ways, you are not the same pony you once were.”  Demi looked at Crimson as he continued.  “You are strong and brave.”
“I’m also a bitch.”  
Crimson looked at Demi.  “What do you mean?”
“Look around.”  Demi turned to Canterlot.  “I’m the meanest pony this place has ever seen.  I’m so bossy and cold.  No pony likes me or accepts me for who I am.  I’m not respected.  I don’t even think I’m feared.  Unlike you.”  She turned to Crimson.  “Everywhere you go, you get an unsurpassable amount of respect.  These mares will do anything for you.  How do you do it?”
“My sister, this is not our homeland.  It took me a while to finally understand that.”
“Your precious princess told me the tale of your arrival and how you two met.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.  And a question has been in my head ever since.  Why didn’t you kill those guards?”  Demi looked at Crimson as he stared off in the distance in thought.  “I know you could have easily slain every living being here.  So why didn’t you?”
“I have had enough bloodshed from my old life.  Even before I discovered this world, I decided not to kill any pony ever again.”
“So you’re the one who changed, not me.”  Demi turned around.  “I knew it.”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “Your words ring true, but only to a point.  You have changed as well.  I trusted you when we were young.”
Demi turned her head to look at Crimson.  “Are you saying you don’t trust me?”
“I feel like I can not fully trust you.  You still hold on to our kind’s old ways.  You were never a cold and callous mare before you were taken.  You were warm hearted and fun to be with.”
“I…”  Demi stared off in the distance as she felt that strange magic spell beginning to affect her.  She quickly turned around.  “You’re a fool!  A pathetic weakling not even worth my time!”
“You also were not as defensive are you are now.”
Demi lifted her hoof and backhanded Crimson.  Though the pain shot through his entire body, he valiantly stayed on his hooves as she turned her back to him.  She started to take deep breaths.  “Be thankful I’m no longer your superior, whelp.”
Crimson took a few steps and stopped beside Demi.  “No, you are not.  You and I are the same.  And if I can change, so can you.”
The two stood in silence before Demi looked down at the tracks.  “Do you chose Princess Twilight to be your lila’vah?”
Crimson looked at Demi shocked.  “I…”
“In fact, you could probably pick any of those mares.” 
After a brief pause, Crimson regained his composure.  “... I have not chosen a lila’vah.”
“Why?”
“The thought has not crossed my mind.”
“Oh.”
Crimson observed the strange tone in Demi.  “What about you?”
Demi looked up to Crimson shocked.  “What?”
“Have you chosen one?”
“Oh.”  She turned her head.  “I don’t know.  I did a long time ago.”
“I never knew that.  What happened?”
“... Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
Demi nodded.  “Yes.  Nothing.”
The two stared off together in silence.


* * *


The train came and dropped the two off at Ponyville.  The entire trip, though spanning hours, was done in silence.  The two walked to Rarity’s shop and Demi walked in.  Rarity, working on wrapping up a large box with Fluttershy, turned and smiled when she noticed the knightly Crimson up and walking around.  “Crimson, darling!  You’re okay!”
“I am.”
Fluttershy turned and took a few steps toward Crimson.  “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thank you all for your concern.  I will survive.”
Rarity handed Demi the wrapped box.  “All done.”  Demi took the box and left the boutique.  Rarity just stared blankly.
“Ms. Rarity, Ms. Fluttershy, I must be off.”
“Yes, I understand.  I’m glad I finished everything just in time.  Applejack should be finishing  her work too.”  Crimson looked outside toward the farm in the distance.  “Anyways, it was good seeing you.  I have to clean things up.  But we can see each other later.”
Crimson looked at Rarity and bows.  “Yes we can.  Until then…”  Crimson turned and followed his sister.  Rarity stared for a few moments before closing the door behind him.  


* * *


The two walked to Sweet Apple Acres in silence.  Demi led Crimson to a newly constructed building on the property and opened the door.  Applejack and Big Mac, who were cleaning the shop, turned to see the strong Crimson standing at her door.  “Crimson, yer okay!”
Crimson nodded.  “I am.”
“You just missed the girls.  I didn’t expect to see ya on yer hooves so soon.  Heck, we didn’t even know you’d be able to walk after what happened.  Isn’t that right, Big Mac?”
“Yyyyep.”
“I thank you for your concern, but it was not necessary.”
“Anyways,”  Applejack said as she turned her head to Demi.  “What’chya looking for is in the back.”
Demi walked by without saying a word.  Applejack stared at her as she walked by.  Then she looked at Crimson.  “What’s eat’n her?”
“I am not sure.  Perhaps it was something I said.”
“Anywho, go on in the back.  It’s all ready for ya.”
Crimson bowed to Applejack and Big Mac, then went and follow his sister.  When he caught up, he noticed her stopped at a door.  Applejack walk beside Crimson as Demi opened the door.  
Crimson stared inside.  “Is this…  A suit of armor?”  He looked at a suit of elegant chain and studded leather hanging on a mannequin.  The light shone off of the polished metals as the general design looks lavish enough to wear like royalty.
Big Mac poked his head from around the corner.  “Yyyyep.”
Crimson walked inside to take a closer look.  Applejack followed.  “Yeah, this was a tricky one.  Demi and Twilight came up to me with this crazy idea for some armor for ya.  Pinkie Pie and Big Mac helped a lot with the construction.  Fluttershy helped Rarity.  Rainbow Dash got most of the materials and Twilight did all sorts of stuff.”  
Demi walked up to Crimson and put the box in front of him.  Then she turned and walked away.  Crimson looks at Demi, then looked at the box, then started to open it.  Inside were a few smaller boxes and some objects of some kind wrapped in tissue paper.  He picked up a smaller box and opened it up.  He picked up a hair pin twisted in a silver looking material around a small spherical object.  “Elemental stones?”
Applejack shrugged.  “I guess.”
He grabbed one of the tissue wrapped items and unwrapped it to see more pieces of jewelry.  He looked closely at the stones and metals used in the construction.  “I have seen this type of stone before.”
“Pearls.  Someth’n ‘bout a trade with pirates or someth’n like that.  Either way, your sister demanded a lot of crazy things for this stuff to happen.”  Crimson put the jewelry back in the box then walked up to the armor.  “Twilight came up with a design that would offer protection but would be lighter and more flexible than that big lug’s armor.  Demi and Twilight put a hoof load of magic into these things.”
“I must say, I am impressed.”
“Glad to hear it, hun.”  Applejack turned around.  “Big Mac and I have a lot of clean’n to do.  We’ll let you to it.”  
Crimson heard the door close behind him leaving him alone in the room.  He closely inspected his gifts, looking at the details the girls put into every piece offered to him.  He stared at the engravings, the etchings, and the extreme intricacy in the very design of the piece.  “Very impressive.”
> Chapter 26 - Crimson and the Battle of Olympus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three princesses - Celestia, Luna, and Twilight - sat in the throne room discussing the outcome of the ritual they performed the week before, and how to improve on the magic.  Twilight searched through her notes thinking about what they could do to get things to work better for them.
Twilight closed her notes in frustration.  “I still don’t know how Crimson is able to work these circles when neither of you can.”
Celestia looked at Twilight.  “Then maybe, it’s time for us to wait for Crimson to wake up.”
“The remedies thy hath been producing may work for now,” Luna remarked.  “But I don’t know the lasting side effects the solution may have on those ponies.”
The ground shuddered as the princesses widened their stances to keep their balance.  Celestia addressed the other two.  “These tremors must be stopped.  Who knows how it hurts our world.”
Twilight looked at Celestia.  “At least they’re small.  We haven’t had a large earthquake in a while.”
Like a bad cliche, the princesses were knocked off their hooves at the sound of a loud explosion.  The room started to lightly buckle as dust and debris started to fall from the ceiling.  Shortly after, the throne room doors opened and a guard rushed into the room.
“Your highnesses!”  The guard yelled.  “We’re under attack!”
The princesses went to their hooves and Celestia looked at the guard in shock and disbelief.  “What?  From Who?  From where?”
The halls rumbled with a boom once more as the guard covered his eyes from the flying debris.  “A single figure near the front gates.”
Twilight looked at Celestia.  “It must be him.”
Luna turned to Celestia.  “Allow me to handle this, my sister.”
Celestia nodded.  “Go.  Princess Twilight and I will be there shortly.”  Luna turned and ran out of the throne room.  Celestia looked at the guard.  “Mobilize every guard available to get every pony to safety!”
“Yes, your highness.”  The guard said with a bow and he left the room.  
Celestia turned toward Twilight.  “Princess Twilight, I don’t think my sister will be able to resolve this conflict.  Call upon your friend.  I hope he will be strong enough to help us in our time of need.”
Twilight looked up to Celestia with a worried look.  “What about you?”
“You don’t have to worry about us.  Luna and I will protect the kingdom.  Only you and your friend can make it safe.” Celestia gestured toward the door.  “Now go.  We haven’t a moment to lose.”
Twilight turned around and ran out of the room.  She trotted hard through the halls, avoiding ponies and guards in her way.  She finally reached the main doors of the castle where soldiers stood guard, keeping the doors closed.  The guards opened the doors for her and she prepared to squint her eyes at the bright sun.  However, strange, ominous dark clouds darkened the sky.  A loud, low-pitched rumble was heard from the skies as the clouds swirled at a single focal point - outside the main castle gates.  In the distance, she saw Princess Luna flying toward the gates to confront the attacker.  Twilight ran through the main courtyard toward the main gates, up the stairs of the gatehouse tower to the top, and looked over at the cloaked attacker in the distance.  He stood on a wilted patch of ground outside the gates.  The ground around his patch had sunken into the earth, as if he were standing on a circular pedestal showing his power and his greatness.  His hooded cloak fluttered in the strong breeze created by the strange cloud formations as he stood in the calm of what seemed to be a powerful storm.
Luna hovered in front of the cloaked king - close enough to talk, but far enough to protect herself from any attack from him.
The King looked up at the hovering princess from under his fluttering hood.  “We meet again.”  Temethyst said in his deep, loud, and booming voice.
“My child, stop this madness.”  Luna ordered.
“I take orders from no one, even from a goddess such as yourself.”  The cloaked one replied.
“This is your final warning.  Stop this at once!”  
“You have no power over me, failed one.”  The sky thundered.  “Now show me once and for all you are in fact nothing more than a failed goddess…  and perish as a mortal.”  Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shot from the skies and struck Luna in mid air.  She fell from the sky and hit the ground smoldering.  A slow and deep laugh was heard from Temethyst as Luna remained motionless.  Suddenly, the gates opened and soldiers started to pour out from the castle.  Celestia stepped up to the gates and rushed to her sister’s aid as the soldiers stood in between the princesses and the attacker.
“You there,”  Celestia said to a few soldiers.  “Take Princess Luna to safety.  The rest of you, return to the castle.”  The soldiers started to take Luna back into the castle as the soldiers started to back up, leaving Celestia in the front on her orders.  
Temethys's voice boomed, as if a thunder from the heavens spoke to those below.  “Drag the corpse of your false goddess into your fortress, and gaze upon your future.”  
Celestia turned to address Temethyst.  “Why do you attack us?  What did we do to you?”
“It seems that there is another ‘goddess’ in the midst.”  He started to laugh to himself, which echoed into the sky.  
“We have done nothing to you!”
The ground shook and the skies thunderd.  “LIES!”
“If I’m lying, then tell me - what did we do?”
“Foolish goddess, it isn’t a question of what you have done.  It is what you WILL do.”  
“And what’s that?”
“You and your kind bring ruin and extinction to us all.  I will bring balance back to the land and rule this world.”  He looked at Celestia.  “Your time… is over.”  Another bolt of lightning shot from the sky at Celestia, but the princess was prepared for his attack and put up a barrier around herself, dissipating the electrical bolt.
Celestia looked back toward the castle.  “Princess Twilight, you must go.  You haven’t a moment to lose!”
Twilight, looking at the battlefield from the tower, stared shocked at the display of power.  Then, she turned around and jumped off the tower, and flew away from Canterlot toward Ponyville.
Temethyst's eyes glowed as he looked up at the castle.  Lightning started to rain down from the sky at the castle, quickly destroying the structures of the noble keep. Celestia put more focus into her barrier and it started to envelop the entire castle.  Temethyst stared at the princess as the dangers to the castle subside.  “You have saved your precious fortress for now.”  A light emanated from under the King’s hood.  “Let’s see you save your world!”  The Elements of Harmony, tainted and dark, levitated from under his cloak and orbited the King.  The circle he stood on shot out light as the magic flowed into the earth.  Then, the ground rumbled as the ground started to split open.  Liquid flames spit from the depths of the earth and shot out from the ground.  
Celestia stared in horror at the power displayed by the mighty King and from the tainted Elements of Harmony.  Then Luna limpped beside Celestia.  “My sister.”
“Luna, I’m glad you’re okay.”
“There’s no time.  We need to stop this monster from tearing this world apart.”
“You’re right.  If we can’t heal the world, maybe we can help it.  We need to redirect the energy this monster is using.”
“Good idea, my sister.”  Luna and Celestia turned to face away from each other.  
Celestia looked back to Luna.  “Are you ready?”
“I am.”  Luna replied as she lowered her horn.  Their horns lit up as tentacles of magic energy rose from the ground, seeking out a medium to soak into.  The ground’s tremors lessened and the spewing lava stopped as the tendrils started to make their way towards the two princesses.  “It’s… working!”  Luna gasped, struggling with the amount of energy being redirected to her.
Temethyst looked at the two.  “Futile.”  He lifted his hoof and stomped on the ground, causing the entire sunken earth around him to glow.  The elements lit up as their energy started to get soaked into the large circle created by the mighty King.  The ground again started to crack open down to the very core of the planet with fire shooting from the depths high into the sky.
The royal guard swarmed from the castle and landed next to Celestia and Luna.  “Princess, the citizens are safe.”  The officer looked up at the lava blasting into the clouds.  “Now use us like you did at the chasm.”
Celestia struggled to look back at her sister.  “We have no choice.”
Luna turned her head and looked at Celestia.  With a painful expression, she nodded.  Then, a dome started to form around them as the entire royal guard was magically tethered to the princesses, redistributing the energy Temethyst poured into the earth.  Some of the guards collapsed from the sudden pain.  Most endured.  
Temethyst looked at the army.  “A valiant effort, but how long can you prolong your demise?”  
Celestia looked up to Temethyst.  “As long as it takes to stop you!”
Temethyst stared at everyone and groaned a single laugh.  “So be it.”
> Chapter 27 - Crimson and the Transfer Circle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi sat up quietly as Applejack and Big Mac finished cleaning up their workspace.  Applejack looked up to Demi and noticed her sad expression.  She looked over to Big Mac.  “Why don’t you get some rest.  I’ll finish up.”
Big Mac handed Applejack his broom.  “Yyyyep.”  He turned and walked out of the barn.
Applejack sat aside the broom and walked up to Demi.  “You alright, suga’?”
Demi looked up at Applejack.  “What an absurd question!  Of course I’m alright!”
Applejack lifted her hoof.  “Now, now.  Just being nice.”  She turned and started to walk back to the broom.
Demi paused, then lifted her hoof.  “Ac…”  Applejack stopped and looked back to Demi.  The purple coated mare sighed as she put her hoof down.  “Actually, I’m not.”
Applejack walked back to Demi and sat down.  “Jus’ because we don’t see eye-to-eye most of the time doesn’t mean we’re not on the same team here.”
“You’re all so…  weak and strange.  How can you be so pathetic?”
Applejack stood and turned around.  “No need to be mean about it.”  
“I…”  Applejack stopped and looked back at Demi once more.  “My brother is right.  This isn’t the world I lived in.  I guess I’m still… Adjusting.”
“Uh-huh…”
“What I mean to say was…  You’re all so nice to each other no matter who it is.”  Applejack walked back up to Demi as she continued.  “Even to a mean mare like myself.”
“I’ll admit you’re a bit to take in at times, but yer not the bad pony you make yourself out to be.  I can see you care a great deal about Crimson and he seems to care back.”
Demi looked away almost blushing.  “That’s nonsense.”
“I’m not jok’n.  Every time he doesn’t see you around, he’s always asking where yer at or goes out search’n for ya.”  Demi looked at Applejack.  “Crimson sees the good mare in ya.”
“And what about you?”
Applejack pointed to herself with her hoof.  “Me?  Well,  you put up a good front, but I think Crimson’s right.  You jus’ need to lighten up a bit.  Yer among friends up here.”
Demi thought to herself for a moment.  “How does he do it?”
“What do ya mean?”  
“How does he trust sompony enough to let down his guard?  To sacrifice himself for their well-being?”
“Same reason you do the same for him - love.”
“Love?”  Demi scoffed.  “That word has no meaning.”
“Sure it does.”  Applejack said while standing up.  “You jus’ don’t know it yet.”  
The doors to the back of the room opened and Crimson stepped out, donning his new armor and trinkets.  Demi took a step forward and stared at their hard work.  “It looks…”  She cleared her throat.  “How does it feel?”
Crimson lifted his hoof as he looked down at the armor.  “Just as it was said to feel - light and flexible.”  
“How is it’s protection?”
Crimson put his hoof down and looked at Demi.  “Only one way to find out.”
Applejack looked at Crimson, then at Demi.  “Now hold on, yer not think’n what I think you’re think’n!”
Demi lowered her head and launched a ball of fire at Crimson.  Applejack stared in horror as Crimson stood in its path of the ball of flame.  It hit the armor and dissipated as the magic was absorbed into the armor.  
Applejack sighed in relief as Crimson looked down at the armor.  “It would seem that it is much better than my diamond dust plate.”  He remarked.
“Your princess spent a lot of time talking with others in the royal house to get this piece as strong as it is.  Though she is ignorant and weak, she seems to know her stuff.  The spellweave designs she showed me were rather impressive…  For an underling.”
Just then, Twilight burst through the door panting.  “There you are!” 
Applejack looked over to Twilight, who looked in grave distress.  “What’s wrong, suga?”
“Temethyst is attacking Canterlot!  He’s using the power of the Elements of Harmony to overpower Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
Everyone turned to look at Crimson.  He nodded.  “Very well.  I shall go there immediately.”
Applejack lifted her hoof.  “Now hold yer horses.  You’re not totally healed yet.”
“I don’t know how long they can hold.  Princess Luna is hurt and Princess Celestia is barely keeping up a protective barrier against him.”
Applejack got ready to bolt out the door.  “Then there’s no time to waste!”
Twilight nodded and looked at Applejack.  “You’re right.  But first, I have an idea.  Applejack, you get Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.  I’ll get Pinkie and Rarity.”  She looked at Crimson.  “You two, meet us at the train station.”
Demi looked away.  “You must be joking.”
Applejack nodded.  “Yeah, and he’s all banged up.”
“The renewing powers of the armor that Princess Luna showed me should have Crimson good to go by the time we reach Canterlot.”
Demi looked suspiciously at Twilight.  “What do you mean?  I have heard of no such powers.”
“No time to explain.  Let’s go!”  Twilight turned around and ran out of the door with Applejack close behind.  Crimson started to trot, but Demi lifted her hoof to stop him.
“Something doesn’t seem right, brother.”
He looked to Demi.  “What does your vision see?
Her eyes turned white as she gazed into what may come.  “I don’t know.”  She commented in a slow daze.  Then her eyes turned back to normal and she looked at Crimson.  “There has been something going on.  It’s been very difficult to see lately.”
“Troubling.”
“I don’t like what’s going on.”
Crimson took a step closer to Demi.  “Fear not, my sister.  I shall let no harm come to you.”
She stared helplessly at Crimson.  Then she blinked and turned defensive.  “Oh, stop trying to be my hero.  You’re not my savior anymore.  I owe you nothing.”
Crimson put his hoof on her shoulder.  “You have never owed me a thing.  Not then, not now, not ever.”  A pause ensued, then Crimson put his hoof down.  
Demi looked up as she took a sudden deep breath when Crimson turned around.  “What makes you think you can win?  You couldn’t beat him before he was able to properly wield those element weapons.  What’s so different now?”
“Do you not feel it?”
“Feel what?”
Crimson lightly rubbed his hoof on the ground.  “...  Pain.”
“Y-...”  Demi looked at the ground.  “I thought…”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “You excelled in earth magic.  I assumed you felt it too.”
“I did, but…  But I thought it was because I couldn’t see.”
Crimson shook his head.  “No, my sister.  Something is terribly wrong.”  He looked back at the ground.  “Ever since I awoke after the battle with Temethyst, I have felt that my bond with the earth has…  weakened.”
Demi looked at the ground in thought.  “You’re right.  Like it’s... dying.”  She looked up to Crimson.  “Come on, then.  Let’s get going.”
He looked up to Demi.  “You wish to join me?”
“You can’t do it alone.”
Crimson nodded.  “Very well.”  They turned and start to trot toward the train station. 


* * *


Crimson and Demi stood next to the train at the station and they stared off toward the mountain castle Canterlot.  They looked at the strange barrier surrounding the castle, and the ominous storm above it.  Every once in a while, they felt the ground lightly shake with a strange spectacle of light coming from the skies.
“My brother has grown powerful.”  Crimson commented.
“He was talking about some sort of fire from above shortly after we arrived here.  Do you think that’s it?”
Crimson looked at Demi.  “Fire from above?”  After a brief thought, he looked back to the castle.  “I do not know.”
Demi shrugged.  “This is a strange world, my brother.  There is water from above but no ground for it to collect on.  There is that moving light that hides and lets this land turn to darkness.  I have yet to find the ceiling of this place.”
“There has to be since there are the glowing lights in the darkness.  Perhaps those glowing creatures we see down below?”
“That’s what I think.  But they never move.”
“I noticed that as well.”  Crimson started to looked at the clouds.  “Ms. Rainbow Dash was telling me that those swirling things are collections of water.  How can my brother produce fire from water?”
“I don’t know.  I always thought he was talking about that circle of moving light.”
“A wise thought.  Maybe he has not yet mastered that fire from above magic.”
“Let’s hope not.”
Moments later, the girls arrived at the train station.  Twilight, carrying a saddle bag, trotted to Crimson and Demi.  “We’re all here.”  
“Yes, yes.  Now what is your plan?”
Twilight turned towards the train.  “I’ll explain on the way.”  She walked up to the engineer and started talking to him as the group started to walk toward the open passenger car.
Demi leaned in to Crimson.  “Just keep an eye out.  Something feels wrong.”
“Worry not, my sister.”
“Just do it, fool.”
“Very well.”  Crimson said with a nod as he let Demi enter the train car before him.  He waited outside watching Twilight as she finished her conversation with the engineer.  She trotted to the open door and ran inside.  Crimson entered and closed the door behind him.
The passenger cars jolted as the train started to move.  The group was settled in a different car as Crimson and Demi waited for Twilight’s plan.  Twilight entered their train car and walked up to Demi and Crimson to discuss her idea.
“Okay, I told the girls my plan.  Now comes your parts.”  Twilight sat in front of Demi and Crimson as she continued.  “I have been trying to figure out how your binding circles work ever since you told me about them.  I think I figured it out.  At its core, it’s just a form of energy transference.”
“What do you mean?”  Demi questioned.
“Basically, they’re just a simple conduit for moving energy.”
Demi shook her head.  “Don’t be absurd.  It’s much more complex then that.”
Twilight disagreed.  “Not really.”
“It’s a bond with the earth.  We talk to it and communicate with it to do what we want.”
“Okay.  That may be how you perceive it, but just hear me out.”  Demi shook her head and rolled her eyes as Twilight continued.  “It’s a form of energy transference.  The way you two use it is a form of transferring energy that is already in the earth to do what you want.  You can even use it to magnetically float over things or levitate over the ground.  But in the end, you’re using energy already in the earth.”
Again, Demi rolled her eyes while shaking her head.  “You must be joking.”
Twilight shook her head.  “I’m not.  I can’t explain it, but deep down, everything has some sort of energy.”
Demi sighed.  “Get to the point.”
“My point is this - You use a circle of transference on us against Temethyst.”
Demi looked at Twilight.  “What do you mean?”
“If I’m right, I may have a design that can be drawn with your earth magic and-”
Demi laughed.  “That’s impossible.  You can’t use earth magic to draw a binding circle.”
“Yes you can!  Just trust me.”
Crimson put his hoof on Demi’s shoulder.  “Hear her out, my sister.”
Again, Demi shook her head with rolling eyes.  "Fine.”
“If I’m right, this design can transfer energy from certain points in the design.  These nodes in the design allow Crimson to use our energy to battle Temethyst.  It can even be used to redirect HIS energy transference in the ground.”
Crimson looked at Twilight.  “Are you suggesting you can nullify my brother’s use of earth magic?”
Twilight lightly nodded.  “To a point.  At the very least, it’ll dampen it.”
Demi scoffed and looked at Crimson.  “She’s preaching lies.  If she could really do this, then why does she need us?”
“Because,” Twilight answered.  “I don’t know how you can actually ACTIVATE these designs.  That’s what has been stumping me.”
Demi laughed.  “You mean Princess Twilight Sparkle, all knowing and powerful in the ways of magic, can’t use a simple binding circle?”
“I…”  Twilight looked away embarrassed.  “No.”
Demi started to laugh at Twilight “I knew you were a fool, but this is too much.”
“No pony can!  Even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna can't do what you do.  I have spent day and night with brilliant unicorns to get things to work but we just can’t!”
Demi turned toward Twilight.  “Alright then, princess.  If you can’t even use binding circles, how do you know your circle will work?”
“Well, I don’t.”
“You’re a fool!”
“I have studied every circle I’ve seen any of you ponies draw.  I think I know how they work.”
“But you don’t.”  Demi responded.  Twilight sighed and Demi looked up to Crimson, who was still listening to Twilight’s plan.  
“Princess Twilight, may I see your design?”
Twilight looked up at Crimson.  “Sure.”  She looks at one of her bags and telekinetically levitated a rolled up piece of parchment from her bag and moved it in front of Crimson.  Crimson sat down and unrolled the parchment, then studied what Twilight had written.  Demi noticed Crimson’s expression of pure interest and intrigue and went to look at the parchment as well.  
“Princess Twilight, this is a very detailed drawing.”  Crimson said, still looking at the parchment.
“It’s not even a circle.”  Demi commented as she pointed at a section of the drawing.  “It has corners.”
Twilight nodded.  “It’s actually a hexagon.  Those are the nodes I was talking about.”
Demi looked at Twilight.  “If your idiotic idea works, why not just put one of your little nodes on Temethyst?”
“It’s a matter of will.  He won’t let the energy be moved.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Crimson put his hoof on Demi’s shoulder.  “My sister, even the smallest hypothetical possibility of our victory is better than what we are to face once we get to Canterlot.”
Demi sighed then looked at the drawing again.  “Very well.  I’ll go with your foolish idea.”
“Well, you’re actually not going to be a part of this design.”  Twilight looked back and telekinetically pulled out a second rolled up parchment.  “This is the design I’m unsure about.”  
Demi snatched the parchment from midair and unrolled it.  “This is worse than your other one!”
“I remember Crimson telling me about Temethyst being able to see your visions.”
Demi looked up at Twilight.  “That…”  She looked away almost embarrassed.
Twilight noticed Demi’s uneasiness.  “What’s wrong?”
Demi stood silent for a moment.  “...  That’s something I’d rather not talk about.”
“Oh…  Okay then…”  Twilight telekinetically took the parchment from Demi’s hooves and rolled it up.
“What are you doing?”  Demi again snatched the parchment from Twilight’s telekinetic grasp.  
“From what I can tell, you didn’t like someone using your powers.”
Demi opened and looked at the design.  “Is that what this is?”
Twilight nodded.  “I think you can transfer your powers to Crimson.”  Demi stared into the drawing with a blank expression.  “But I don’t want you to do it if you’re uncomfortable.”
Demi looked at Twilight for a moment, then to Crimson.  After a moment, she put her attention back to Twilight.  “Do you think it’ll work?”
Twilight shrugged.  “I don’t know.”
Demi looked down at the design.  “What do you think, brother?”
Crimson looked down at the parchment with Demi.  “This is indeed an intricate design.  I have never drawn any of these shapes.”
Demi shook her head.  “I haven’t even seen anything like them.”
“Look, I don’t know what Temethyst did to you, but I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do.”
Demi looked up to Twilight as she stared back in sincerity.  “...  Okay, I’ll do it.  What do I need to do?”
“Can you use your sight at will?”  Twilight asked.  Demi nodded in reply.  “Then that’s all you need to do.”
“I only see things that directly involve me.”
“Then how did Temethyst use your powers?”
“H…  He...”  Demi looked away for a moment as she gulped, trying to get some of her composure back.  “It’s like…  It feels like my soul was violated - like he destroyed a piece of me.  He was like a parasite that attached itself to my soul and slowly sucked the life out of me.  And I couldn’t do anything to stop him.”  Before Demi knew it, she felt Twilight gently wrap her arms around her, holding her close.  Demi looked around, trying to figure out what this crazy pony was doing.  Demi felt  her sorrow and pain lightly lift as well as a feeling of comfort.  
“It’s okay, Demi.  It’ll be okay.”
Finally, Demi’s defensed kick in and she pushed Twilight away.  “What is this?  What are you doing?”
“You looked like you really needed a hug.”  Twilight answered.
Demi stared angrily at Twilight.  Then, she lightened up.  “It... did make me feel better.  Very well, continue with your magic.”  Twilight smiled and gave Demi another hug.  “Your ways are strange, Twilight.  Your ways are strange.”
> Chapter 28 - Crimson and the Games at the Chasm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The train had stopped well before the castle as the conductor explained that the area was too damaged and unstable to travel safely.  As the steam escaped from the engine's pipes, the group jumped out of the passenger car to get ready for their physical trek to the castle.  Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy didn’t stay in the area, and they flew off to do her appointed tasks.  Rarity, with a large sun hat on her head, ran ahead with Pinkie Pie bouncing in tow.  Suddenly, the ground shook once more, and a loud crack was heard in the distance.  Crimson and Demi almost lost their balance, which was strange considering they never lost their balance from a small tremor.

"Are you okay?"  Applejack asked as the two slowly stood straight once more.

Demi looked defiantly at straw hatted earth pony, but Crimson's pale expression told a different story.  "I do not know," Crimson said before Demi could respond.  "I feel a distant distress I cannot understand."

Twilight walked up next to the stopped trio.  "We have to hurry."  She lifted her hoof to redirect everyone's gaze at the protective dome around the castle, and at the slow fading of its color.  "We don't have a lot of time."

As the group continued their journey to the castle, Applejack slowed her pace to trot next to Twilight.  “Hey Twilight, how in the hoof are we supposed to draw that dang thing anyways?  He would see us before we ever finished.”

“I was kind of hoping that Crimson and Demi could use their magic to draw it,” Twilight replied as the two leapt over a broken rail on the tracks.

Crimson, who barely overheard the answer to the question, slowed down.  “Unfortunately, we are unable to use our magic to create circles.”

Demi, who was running beside Crimson, slowed her pace as well.  “Your answer is ridiculous.  I thought you were supposed to be smart.”

“Hey now!”  Applejack protested in Twilight’s defense.

“Think about it,” Demi continued, ignoring Applejack’s protest.  “You want us to use magic that to create something to use magic?”

“My sister is correct,” Crimson added.  “We have to draw or carve the bindings with our own hooves and horns.”

The land stuck group stopped at a large crack that created an 80 foot long crevice.  Rarity and Pinkie Pie stood at the edge of the hole, while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were off doing their pre-engagement tasks.

“Holy hoof!”  Applejack exclaimed when she looked at the canyon.  Her eyes followed the canyon into the mountain, and at the volatile winding crack that stretched toward the castle.

Twilight’s eyes looked down to see the depth of the newly created canyon.  “This is bad.  This has to be at least half a mile down below Ponyville.”  Her eyes went down the crack toward the castle.  “What could be happening over th…”  Her voice trailed when she noticed Crimson and Demi drawing on the ground.  “Umm, what are you doing?”

Demi looked up at Crimson, grinning.  “I bet I can get higher than you.”

Crimson meet his sister’s gaze with a smile of his own.  “I do not think so.”

Confused, Applejack turned around to the rest of her group.  “How in the hoof are we supposed to get across?“

Demi looked up at Applejack, took a breath, then moved her head down toward the ground.

“Ms. Applejack,” Crimson said as he saw his sister making her final preparations.  “Please brace yourself.”

“What now?”  Applejack asked with a blank and confused expression.

Demi stomped her hoof, then, with an exerted gasp, whipped her head upward toward the far end of the canyon.  A pillar of stone pierced through the earth under Applejack, flinging her up into the air.  Her hat remained behind and floated back and fourth toward where she once stood while she howled, her body flailing and shooting wildly through the air.

“APPLEJACK!”  Rarity shouted as she looked up at the flying earth pony.

Twilight's eyes burst open in surprise.  “What are you doing?!”

After reaching the apex of her arc, her trajectory started to go downward with a high speed collision course on the ground.  Demi and Crimson brought their horns down and, with a glow, Applejack’s uncontrollable flight slowed.  She landed on the far side of the canyon, sliding on all four hooves.

“I'd say two high,” Demi said with pride in her tone.

“Admirable,” Crimson calmly replied.

"Me next!"  Pinkie Pie exclaimed, jumping up and down to get their attention.  "Me!  Me!"

Demi looked over at the excited pink pony.  "You're up."

Crimson looked at the earth pony, then stepped in place a couple of steps.  "Ms. Pinkie Pie, please brace yourself."

Pinkie turned around, then took a low, pouncing position.  Her hind legs padded the floor, wiggling her rump.  She reached up behind her head and put on a helmet, then strapped aviation goggles on her face.  "Ready!"

With a deep breath, Crimson lifted his front hoof.  He slammed his hoof down hard, taking his body down with the momentum.  Then, he lashed his body up, and whipped his head toward the opposite ledge.  Up came the stone pillar from the ground underneath the pink pony.

"WEEEEeeeee..."  Pinkie Pie was flung high into the air.  She put her arms at her side, and her body went straight for maximum aerodynamics.  

"Three," Crimson said at Pinkie Pie started her downward angle.

"Psh."  Demi scoffed, turning her head away in defeat.  

Pinkie Pie landed after the levitation spell slowed her decent.  She stood next to Applejack, then reached behind her and pulled out her missing hat.  

"Well golly," Applejack said in a gasp, still recovering from her en devour.  She grabbed her hat and placed it back on her head.  "That was one hoof of a ride."

"My word," Rarity gasped.

"Yeah," Twilight added.

Crimson turned to Rarity.  "Ms. Rarity, are you ready?"

"Most certainly not!"  She replied in shock.  "I will not have my mane tangled."  She turned her head to show her profile as she bounced her mane with her hoof.  "I have to keep up my appearance for the princess."

"Perhaps if I carry you in my arms," Crimson offered.

Rarity blushed, looking away in embarrassment.  "Well now, I suppose that could wor-"  Rarity was suddenly launched into the air as a pillar of stone threw her across the chasm.  Her straw hat floated to the ground to Crimson's hooves.

"Demina," Crimson said in a mocking punishing tone.

"What?"  Demi asked innocently.  "My hoof accidentally hit the circle."  She looked up at the pony projectile, then smiled.  "Four high."

Crimson's eyes popped at the achievement of his sister's performance.  He turned toward Twilight - the last of the "ammo."

Twilight's eyes widened in surprise, and she lifted a hoof.  "Oh, no.  I will just fly over."  She lifted herself from the ground with some flaps of her wings.

Crimson bowed.  "As you wish."


* * *


Demi and Crimson glided to the other side of the canyon after an assisted lift from the stone pillars.  Crimson walked up to Rarity, who was brushing her wind blown mane.

"Ms. Rarity," he said as he extended his hoof.

She looked at the red coated pony, and at the sun hat in his possession.  "Oh, such a gentlepony."  She took the hat and placed it on her head.  

Demi, seeing the transaction between the two, felt a hint of anger swelling inside and quickly stepped up beside Crimson.  "Come now, brother.  Let us save the world."

Crimson looked at his sister, then nodded.  "Agreed."

As the group continued their journey to the castle, Applejack moved up to Twilight, who was near the back.  "We still haven't figured out how to draw this thing."

"Actually," Twilight remarked as the two started to trot toward Canterlot.  "That crazy stunt they did gave me an idea."


* * *


Wind blew hard against the group as they arrived at the top of a hill that overlooked the area.  The sight the group saw when they got to the borders of Canterlot left them all in awe.  A huge circular crater with a pillar of stone in the middle surrounded the lone cloaked figure of the mighty King.  All around the king was pitch black foliage, showing the desecrated lands in his aura.  A dome surrounded the castle, blocking the many lightning strikes that attacked from above.  Countless soldiers from the castle had a tendril tethering them to one another.  In the middle, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia stood, using their incredible magics for a reason no one could know.

Twilight gasped, taking in the scene.  At first glance, it was a horrific sight.  After the shock, she observed that the large crack was no longer there.

"Does this change the plan?"  Applejack asked.

Twilight shook her head in reply.  "No."  She looked at the field, and at the distracted king.  "Actually, this could work."  She lifted her hoof and pointed at the lone figure.  "His focus is on the princesses."  She redirected her gesture back away from the castle behind a hill.  "That's where we will draw the circles."

After a nod, everyone started their way to their choice in battlefields.


* * *


Every moment felt like hours as everyone dug into the ground, following the design from Twilight's drawings.  Though it was only a couple of minutes, everyone was worried that it was going to be finished too late.

Twilight hovered above the ground, looking down at the work below.  She was satisfied with the design.  She looked at Rarity, then nodded.  After the nod, Rarity's horn glowed, and the circle vanished.

"Okay, I think we're ready," Twilight said as she landed in the middle of the group.  

"Where is Rainbow and Fluttershy?"  Applejack asked.

Twilight looked up at the sky.  "Rainbow Dash is up there, waiting for a signal."  She turned toward the battle.  "Fluttershy was to give a message to the princesses.  I hope she can send the message."  She looked toward Crimson and Demi.  "Are we ready?"

Crimson and Demi looked at each other, then back to Twilight.  Crimson nodded.  "We are ready, princess."

"Okay.  Good luck."  

Crimson nodded, then turned around to face the battle.  The girls scattered to get into their positions.  Applejack headed toward the battlefield while Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie went to the outside of the large circle.  Demi stayed behind, leaving the two alone in the middle of the circle.  "My brother," she said as she walked up to Crimson.  "I..."

"Do not worry, my sister."  He turned his head, his mane blowing behind him.  "The plan that the princess has is a good plan."

"I know, but..."  She looked away to avoid eye contact.  "I was shown something that... helped."

Crimson blinked questionably at his sister.  

Demi put her hoof around Crimson's shoulders, and she hugged him.  Crimson was surprised at the strange action.  "Good luck," she quietly said, holding back the strange sensations in her chest, and the tears that formed in her eyes.  

"You too."  

The hug broke, and the two stared into each other's eyes.  After a couple of heartbeats, Demi turned and trotted to her position to the head of the circle.  Crimson stared as she trotted away, then he turned and walked to meet Applejack near the top of the hill.


* * *


"Your power wanes," the King taunted as he stared at the two princesses from under the hood of his cloak.  "I can feel it."  The wind bellowed the mantle, almost blowing it off of his thick, armored shoulders.  He smiled under the hood of his cloak.  "Can you feel it?  Can you feel your demise?"  

The princesses visibly struggled, and were the last two standing.  All around them, the soldiers fell to the magic that coursed through their bodies.  

"Sister," Luna gasped.  "I... can't..."

"You must!"  Celestia exclaimed through gritted teeth.  "Please!  Just...  a little longer!"

The ground rumbled once more, and the crack started to open once more.  The princesses focused their energies on the cavity, sealing the hole once more.  

"Your death draws near," the mighty king bellowed.  "Look at your lands, and know that you have failed your entire world."

The king took a staggering step forward as a strong pony leapt on his back.  Being larger than the attacker, he hardly struggled against the hold.  His head turned to see Applejack holding onto his back.  Then, the ground below him shifted, and a stone pillar punched through the earth.  The king was flung high into the air, uncontrollably tumbling end over end.  With his concentration shifted, the winds suddenly died down as he tried to extend his huge, leathery wings.  Applejack gripped the folded wings and held them down.  As they flew over the hill, Applejack kicked off the bound projectile, redirecting the momentum for him to crash harder into the ground.  He started to glow as his momentum telekenetically quickened.  He slammed into the ground, bounced on impact, crashed once more, rolled over two times, then slid a dozen feet down the hill on his side.  Applejack's fall was slowed and she gently landed on her hooves. 

"Futile," the king said as he got to his hooves.  He took a moment to get a survey of the scene, noticing the hill they were on, and the apex of the hilltop the foolish pony stood on.  "You shall die a slow, painful death."  

"Come and get me!"  Applejack taunted.  She turned and started to run away.

The great wings of leather spread out, ripping the tattered cloak off of the mighty king to show his double curved horned head.  "Running will only enhance your suffer..."  He paused as he felt something soft hit his muzzle.  His wings relaxed as he lifted a hoof in confusion.  Water touched his skin, washing away the dirt from the events before.  He looked up, then winced as a falling drop of water hit his face.  "What trickery is this?"

"Brother!"  A voice shouted from a short distance.  

The king looked down at the figure standing in front of him  "So you survived," he remarked as he studied the figure.  He looked upon Crimson, and inspected from afar his shining chain linked armor.  He noticed the many trinkets in his mane, the long hair tied back, and his curved horn glowing.  "And you have learned a new power."

Crimson stood proud and tall.  "Give up, brother.  Leave this land."

The king grinned.  "I am amused, brother."  He started to walk toward Crimson.  "For the survival of our kind, this land must be purged."  

"Do you not feel it?  These lands are in pain, and it is weakening us."

"You are a fool."  The king lifted his hoof with a hoof full of dirt in his grasp.  "These lands will be mine, and we will survive."  He continued his menacing walk forward toward his prey.

"You are overpowered, and you can not win.  I implore you, brother.  Leave this land and do not return."

"Overpowered?"  The king asked in a mocking boom, making him stop in his tracks.  The chains clanged together as they settled from the sudden stop.  "Do not think this..."  He looked up at the sky.  "Ability to create water from the sky will empower your abilities enough to match me."  He looked back at Crimson.  "Don't forget that I have this land's war trinkets."

Crimson stood fearlessly and motionless.  

The king's horns started to glow as the orbiting corrupted Elements of Harmony's dark aura pulsed.  "So be it."
> Chapter 29 - Crimson and the Magic of Void
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rain splashed down on Princess Luna's coat as her and Celestia took a moment to recover from the extreme magical strain the two had endured.  The cold water felt good on her coat as each drop of rain sizzled against her overheated skin.  

"It looks like every pony is recovering," Celestia commented when she surveyed the field.  

"And thy ground hast been mended."  Luna slowly stood up, and the sisters looked toward the hill.  Her face turned grim and angry. 

"I know," Celestia said, reading the expression on her sister's features.  "We must trust them while we regroup."  She turned to her sister and put a hoof on her shoulder.  "Come.  Let us help the troops."

Luna, still staring at the hill, nodded, then turned to assist her sister.


* * *


Crimson stood fearlessly at the taller, more powerful Temethyst.  His horn glowed brighter as more rain fell from the sky.

"Come, Ebon Commander.  Let us put your powers to the test."  The mighty King lifted a hoof and stomped the ground, splashing the mud around his hoof.  Chunks of rock started to come from the ground to circle Temethyst in a counter orbit from the tainted elements.  While his hoof was anchored, he punched out with his other hoof, launching the rocks toward Crimson.  In midair, they merged and morphed into a huge, crushing boulder.  Before the boulder hit Crimson, it slowed, then fell harmlessly to the ground next to Temethyst, sinking half way into the earth.  Crimson stood still and silent against the attack, almost as if he didn't do anything.

The King smirked.  "You have grown more powerful than the last time we sparred."  He started to walk forward toward Crimson.

"Do not think you can prevail," Crimson said.

The King paused, then scoffed.  "Don't think you can win against my overwhelming power, weakling."  Again, he started to walk forward, as his horns glowed a bright red.

"Your magic will not have an effect on me."

The King stopped at that comment.  "Truly?"  He mocked.  Then, he took a deep breath and blew out a cone of blue flames.  The flames engulfed Crimson, then started to swirl around him.  A tornado of blue fire formed, with Crimson in the middle.  Then, it shrunk and vanished, being sucked into the armor Crimson wore.  "Interesting."

"This is your last chance to surrender," Crimson said.  "For the last time, I implore you to stand down."

Temethyst observed the strange warrior pony for a moment, wondering what his game was.  "Perhaps," he mused.  "Your goddesses have failed.  Perhaps I shall play with you a little longer, boy."  His horns and eyes burst in bright light as he stomped both front hooves on the mud.  A moment of pause with only the rain making a noise.  Then, the earth split and twisted, bending to the mighty King's will.  Lava started to shoot from the cracks that formed in front of the king.  Then, to his surprise surprise, the ground started to close once more.  The king stood up straight and looked at the muddied earth in confusion.  Then, his lips broken in a smile.  He chuckled as he began to understand as he noticed the hidden magic diminishing circle he stood in.  "Clever."  He looked back to Crimson with an amused expression on his face.  "Very clever.  No more stalling."  He started to walk forward to leave the circle he was lured into.

"You have chosen your fate, brother.  For what it is worth, I am sorry."

"As you should be."  Temethyst punched the ground, then bit the air toward Crimson.  A snake of stone pierced through the ground and lashed out at Crimson with an opened maw of mud and mush.  Then, Temethyst's horns glowed.  The snake's eyes lit up a bright red, and a light from deep down the snake's throat illuminated in a yellow to red gradiant.  

Crimson leapt back, avoiding the stone bite.  He wasn't able to defend himself against the sudden breath of flames that spewed out of the snake's mouth, and he was struck hard with heat and flames.  The pain was brief as the armor did its trick, but the falling rain was the key, in the flames vanished into steam as they hit him.  He stood up, then leapt forward and slashed at the snake.  With seemingly little effort, the stone reptile exploded in a fireball with mud splashing in every direction.

The King laughed out loud at the outcome of his attack.  "I see."  He looked up at the sky.  "This water magic weakens our magic.  Very effective."

Crimson's game was up.  With the mud loosening the bond between pony and earth, and the falling water helping to extinguish any fire magic used, he knew that the conflict would come to physical blows.  He flexed his hooves, ready to engage.  He just hoped the preparations would be enough to fight back against such a large and overpowering opponent.  More so, he was wondering what was taking so long for his friends to act.

"Lets see if your pathetic defenses can hold up against THIS!"  King Temethyst reached his hoof up as the tainted elements pulsed.  They were connected with a dark ring of mist as the hoof swung down hard, slamming into the ground.  A black whip formed from between the King's horns, and slashed downward toward Crimson.  

In surprise, Crimson leapt to the side at the ferocious attack.  The ground split at the power of the attack, creating a deep line to stretch from the point of impact all the way back to the King.  Black tendrils reached from the whip and grabbed Crimson before he could recover from the sudden dodge.  He shouted in pain as the tendrils pulsed dark magic.  He felt a strange, cold bite of the grasping tendrils.  He struggled to stay on his hooves at the strange and unknown attack, but felt it was going to be a futile effort as his strength was being sapped from his body.  

Temethyst laughed as Crimson fell to his knees, weak and helpless against the powerful magical leash that was wrapped around Crimson.


* * *


Twilight, who stayed hidden from the battle near the bottom of the hill behind some rocks, stared in shock and horror at the dark whip attack used by Temethyst.  "Oh no," she gasped.  Then, she noticed something even worse.  She put her back against the boulder, nearly hyperventilating from the bad news.  She leaned over and caught the attention of Rarity, who was standing near her.  "The circle is broken," she whispered.

Rarity looked at the circle through her illusion, then turned to face Twilight.  "What do we do?"  She cringed at a painful sound from Crimson hit her ears.

Applejack, who was on the opposite side behind a bush, looked out of her cover.  "We have to help him!"

Twilight peeked her head around the boulder to view the scene of the fight.  "We can't.  At least, not directly.  This isn't another rock we could slow down."  She paused a moment at that comment, then looked at Rarity.  "I have an idea.  Follow my lead."


* * *


Crimson put his hoof on the wet ground, trying desparately to gain some sort of strength to fight back.  To his dismay, he found that he had no control over his body.  He fell to the wet, muddy ground in a splash.  He saw something glow from the corner of his eye.  He shifted his gaze, then widened when he saw the large boulder that was thrown at him earlier lift from the ground.  Before he could finish registering what was going on, the boulder slammed into the King, making him lose focus on his spell and to take a large, wide step to keep his balance.  The black tendrils vanished in a blink of an eye, and the pain that was tearing Crimson apart subsided.  He felt his body tingle and strength return to his hooves in a strange, albeit pleasant, sensation.

"You still control the earth under such pain?"  The King asked.  "How you have grown in short time.  It is a shame I have no use for someone as weak as you."  The King swiped at the ground, splashing water with his movements.  His horns glowed as he again attacked Crimson.


* * *


"Why isn't using the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight questioned when she saw a wall of earth build up from behind Crimson.  She and Rarity leaned down with glowing horns.  The wall fell on top of Crimson before he could even stand, burring him in stone and mud.  

Twilight heard the king give a laugh, then her and Rarity hid behind their covers as the King turned around.  

"Where the hoof is Fluttershy?"  Applejack asked.

"I don't know," Twilight answered.  "Pinkie Pie and Applejack are in position.  Rainbow Dash is taking care of the rain, and will be here on my signal.  Demi is waiting on us, and we are waiting on Fluttershy."  She peeked her head back at the field, noticing the King starting to return to the hill toward the castle.  "Oh no!  He can't leave the circle!"

"Should we attack?"  Applejack asked.

Twilight went back to her cover.  Her eyes darted back and fourth, looking for an answer.  She looked back at the field, desperately searching for a way to make the mighty king stop his leave.


* * *


The mud and stone around Crimson exploded as he felt his strength fully returned to his body.  The King paused, then turned around to see Crimson standing up, the rain slowly removing the dirt from his armor.  

"How dare you live?"  His attention was fully back to Crimson as the Elements of Harmony started to glow once more.

"I see you can not beat me with your own magic," Crimson challenged.  "Perhaps you are as weak as I always knew you were."

Temethyst's eyes burned with rage at that taunt.  "You dare question my power?"  He started to walk toward Crimson, mud splashing with each heavy hoof stomp.  His armor clanked with each motion as he drew near the red coated infidel.

"Prove me wrong.  Prove to me th-"

Crimson was lifted off the ground suddenly.  Reflexively, he reached for his neck, as if trying to tear off a noose around his throat.  

"Silence, fool!"  Temethyst demanded.  "I am infinitely more powerful than you will ever..."  He paused, as he saw Crimson lower to the ground.  The King put more focus on the telekenetic magic to choke the life from the impotent pony.  He sneered when he realized nothing had happened.  "I know you're not as powerful as you think."  His horns lit up and his eyes unleashed two concentrated bursts of flames.  

Crimson stood and absorbed the fire magic.  To his surprise, the red flames turned black as the tainted Elements of Harmony manipulated the blaze.  He lifted a hoof to help block the attack.  In that instant, the beams went from one of red flames to darkness of void.  He was thrown back, his skin on his hoof partially melted from the hit.  He stood up in a heavy limp.  "Coward!"  Crimson taunted.  Suddenly, he fell down a hole that appeared below him.  He looked up to see an arcing spiral of black flames in the sky curve downward directly toward the hole.  

Having no time to consider his actions, Crimson stomped his injured hoof to the wall, which caused him to nearly yell in pain.  The wet dirt shifted, and covered the hole in a makeshift mud barrier.  He then jumped into the wall, his horn furiously glowing brightly.  The wall he jumped into turned to sand and he tucked himself in as close as he could just as the black flames burst through the ground.  He felt the chill of the strange magic lick at his cowering flesh.  He resisted the urge to shout in terror as the attack grew closer and closer.  Finally, it stopped.  He slid out of his hiding hole into the new, smoking hole.  He looked at his flank to see black burn marks on his skin.  He almost fell face first when he put his weight down on his front hoof.  When he sat up, he looked down at his arm.  His eyes widened in shock upon seeing the extreme damage that initial attack that put him in the hole.  It was charred and melted to the bone, and the whiteness of his bone bubbled in dark blisters.  

His body tingled, but his arm ached.  He leaned back against the mud to let the rain his his coat for a little bit, all while cradling his grossly wounded limb against his chest.
> Chapter 30 - Crimson and the Power of Six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rain hit Twilight Sparkle's coat as she watched Crimson get knocked back, then sucked down a pit.  She looked in horror as the mighty King used the Elements of Harmony's tainted magical powers to launch an arcing ray of dark magic to hit the hole that Crimson was stuck in.  Everything happened so suddenly that no one had any time to react.  

Applejack removed her hat from her head, and held it against her chest.  "Holy hoof."

Rarity felt weak at the knees, seeing the killing blow go into the trap that the admirable and noble pony fell into.  "Twilight..."  Was all she could gasp.

Twilight just watched, trying the best she could to control her breathing.  Fluttershy finally arrived, showing up from the outer perimeter to stay out of sight.  "Fluttershy!"  Twilight said as loudly as she dared.  "Where have you been?"

The yellow pegasi stopped in front of Twilight.  "I'm sorry, Twilight.  I just had to get all the cute, helpless animals to safety.  They were so scared."

Applejack looked at Fluttershy with no small amount of incredulity.  "You did what now?"

Twilight shook her head, getting her frustrations out of her mind.  "Nevermind that.  Did you give the message to the princess?"

"Well, I didn't do it," Fluttershy answered.  Twilight's eyes bulged in rage, which made Fluttershy quickly add, "I had a bird carry a message to the princess.  She said that she got the message."

Twilight let out a sigh of frustration.  "Look, we may have to try my plan without Crimson."

Fluttershy put her hoof in front of her mouth in shock.  "Oh no," she gasped in a whisper.  

"Demi is waiting for us.  Get in your spot, and I will signal Rainbow Dash to come down from the rain clouds."

"We got the entire Canterlot army out here," Applejack commented.  "Why not just charge him?  He's just one pony."

Twilight was shaking her head before Applejack even finished.  "He is far too powerful.  Before the Elements of Harmony were in his full control, he overpowered Princess Luna.  I think this plan is our best chance." 

"What about the damaged part of the circle?"  Rarity asked.

"I don't know what we can do," Twilight answered.  "Let's just hope the magic transfers with that gap in the drawing."
With that, all the girls split up, going around the large circle while trying to stay out of sight.


* * *


The mighty King stood victorious against his diminutive aggressor.  He grinned, then walked over to his tattered leather and fur cloak and telekinetically grabbed it from the mud.  As he grabbed it, he noticed something odd on the ground.  He lowered his head to closely inspect the strange phenomena.  He then realized what it was - a magically hidden circle.  His head recoiled in alert, then his eyes followed the circumference of the magical drawing.  It was indeed large in size, and had a lot of intricate marks.  He turned and looked at the hole in which Crimson was burned alive.  "Clever."  He turned and started to walk away, but paused when he saw a familiar looking pony run around the bottom of the hill.  "What is this?"  He stared and watched as she made her way around the outer perimeter.  "Flee, mortal.  And fear your doom."  

"They are not your adversary," a voice said from behind.  

Temethyst looked behind him and saw the unthinkable - Crimson climbing out of the void magic tomb.  "You have a coward's luck."  He turned around to face his foe once more.  "Though I see you were not unscathed."

Crimson stood up straight with his front hoof bent as to not put any pressure on it.  "I thought you would be able to summon more power with those stolen trinkets."

The mighty king started to walk toward the injured pony.  "Do not think me a fool.  I found your circle, and I know you can't possibly control it in your state."

Crimson started to limp toward his much larger adversary.  "No, I can not."  He looked around at the girls, who ran up to the edges of the circle.  The rain quickly went from a downpour to hardly a sprinkle as, from above, a colorful arc blasted from the skies, crashed on the far edge of the circle, showing a blue pegasi with a rainbow colored tail and mane.  

Temethyst looked around to look at the edges of the circle, and at the strange turn of events.  "Do you think these six are enough to stop me?"  He turned to look at Crimson.  "This land's entire army has been crushed under my hoof."  He looked surprised as he leaned in to get a closer look at Crimson's leg.  "What magic is this?"  

Crimson looked down at his crippling burn, and saw the muscles reforming over the seemingly repaired bone.  He too looked astonished.

"No matter," the King said as his horns lit up.  "I have a world to conquer."

Like a lake of water draining in a hole in the middle of the ground, ponies from all over ran to the outside of the circle, making sure not to enter its perimeter.  

"Ready?"  The purple coated allicorn shouted.

"It's about time!"  The familiar voice of Demi replied.  

Temethyst turned around to see the seer walk from a magical hiding spot to the edge of the circle.  The two princesses, Celestia and Luna, flanked her, as if to protect her from harm.  "Ah, Demina.  You too have a coward's luck."  He grinned wickedly.  "Know that before this is over, you shall be mine once more."  

Demi quivered at that thought, knowing the spiritual and soul violating acts the king would do.

"Let's get this party STARTED!"  A sudden and loud popping sound made Temethyst lightly flinch as he turned his head to see a strange shower of lightly falling colors.  He looked confused, then noticed a pink coated pony with a strange contraption in front of her.  

"You're all fools," the mighty king said as his horns started to glow more intensely.  The Elements of Harmony started to spin faster around the king, and the dark aura pulsed.  Suddenly, the elements were engulfed in a blue glow.  His horn's glow vanished as he felt his magical link blocked by the strange bloom of blue.  Temethyst looked at the elements, then at the source of the glow.  "Haven't you failed your people enough?"  He asked Celestia and Luna, who had a combined beam of magic pointed toward him.  "Prepare to fail them once more."  The earth started to shake once more, and a crack started to form in the ground.  "With your pathetic magic focused on me, the world you once knew will crumble and fall."

"Not quite," Crimson interjected.  Crimson's horn glowed, then he stomped his now healed hoof on the ground.  The bands around his hooves lit up, then he transferred empowered magic into the ground.  He knew this would be an ultimate test, as Crimson's magic would be pitted up against the powerful king.  The two wills battled for the control of the earth - one will to rip the ground apart, the second will to mend and bind the stone.  Ultimately, the ground started to slowly split apart as Crimson's power faltered under the battle.  Crimson gritted his teeth to try to at least match his brother's strength.  A hill started to form in between the two, and a hole burst open.  Thick red and orange liquid spit from the hole, spraying all over the area.  Some ponies in the perimeter were hit by the liquid flames, and they fell to the ground in grave pain.  Some melted before their friend's eyes as they tried to save them from their conflagrated doom.

"We have to go to the next step.  Get ready, my ponies!"  Celestia shouted.  Everyone stood up straight, trying to ignore the damaging images beside them.  "Now, my sister!"  Every pony around the circle howled and bellowed in pain as the magical web once again engulfed them to split and separate the magic absorbed from the Elements of Harmony into the princesses.  At that moment, Demi reared back, them slammed her hooves in the ground.  The massive circle lit up, and an orb of light engulfed the six ponies, creating a hexagon.  

Crimson glowed in a bright white, then he started to grow in size.  His wings burst open, showing the large leather appendages that could extinguish small flames with a single flap.  The armor grew with his increased size as he then stood eye to eye with his brother.  

"So you have been appointed their champion," Temethyst said with an amused grin.

"Now, Demi!"  Twilight shouted.

"Don't order me around, fool!"  Demi shouted, then she ran from an outer circle into the crest of the drawing, where an intricate and elegant design was carved into the ground.  She stood straight, took a deep breath, then activated her internal abilities.  Her eyes turned white as she looked as if she was in a haze.

As soon as her eyes turned, Crimson's eyes lost their color, and his eyes went pale.  His body relaxed, his neck going limp as if oblivious to his dangerous surroundings.

The mighty king paused to consider Crimson's posture, trying to gauge his increased power.  His eyes looked around at the army of magically linked ponies that surrounded the circle, the magical beam that nullified the Element's of Harmony, and at the six who were some how bound to a magical circle.  He looked at the young mare seer, who too stood in a circle with her eyes white and clouded.  He looked up to notice the skies clearing.  He grinned, then looked at the red coated pony.  "Victory is mine."
> Chapter 31 - Crimson and the Arena of Gods
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The two giant ponies didn't move for many heartbeats.  Crimson's head gradually moved and flopped, like he was a new colt who couldn't control his body.  Temethyst continued to stare at his opponent with a confident grin.  The Elements of Harmony continued to orbit him, but their dark tint have been covered by Luna and Celestia's magical beam.  

The king rubbed his hoof in the mud, then swiped it to the side.  Lines of cracks emerged, each line running parallel to each other.  Then, he swiped his hoof perpendicular, creating more lines in the ground to form a grid in the earth.  All who were on the outside of the circle stared intently at the strange action, waiting for some form of devastating attack.  Strangely enough, nothing else happened.

Another long moment of tense uneventfulness passed before the king finally spoke, his booming voice making all around flinch in surprise.  "Come, boy.  Let us get started with my ascension."  His mighty wings snapped open, then used a wing assisted leap.  When he crashed into the ground, a nova of black shot from his landing spot, desecrating the entire area with the power of death, but only as far as the edge of the circle.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna visibly struggled at that action, and at the sudden flex in power.  They felt their magical hold against the elements falter, which made them put more of their concentration into their magic.  "It's... too strong," Celestia whispered.

"Keeep the barrier uuuppp," Demi commented in a haze.  "Keeep the maaagic contaaained in the cirrrcle."

Black smoke rose from the ground and started to surround the king, swirling around him as if it were some sort of mist barrier.  He looked up, feeling the power of the strange clouds, then lunged forward in a roar.  Blue flames shot from his mouth with black veins intertwined.  

Crimson, without even facing the attack, spun away at the last moment, taking only two steps to the side while spinning an full circuit, all while being close enough to the black flames to feel the chill of the void.  As the flames shot passed him, he planted his front hoof on the ground, twisted, then pushed forward with his free hoof into the air.  A column of earth broke through the desecrated ground, punching at the grounded king.  

Temethyst lifted his front hoof and physically punched the column of earth.  It shattered and exploded, rock and dirt flying high into the air and bouncing off the protective barrier to contain the battle of gods from reaching innocent ponies.  Following his punch, Temethyst planted the hoof on the ground, then punched toward Crimson.  The shattered stone formed into a solid wall toward Crimson.  As if it didn't concern him at all, Crimson casually ducked, going as low as his chest was on the ground.  He lightly padded the ground with his front hoof, making only the bottom of the wall turn to sand.  As soon as the wall passed harmlessly over him to explode on the barrier, Crimson stood up hard, whipping his head up and back.  At the same time, the king made another action, rearing on his hind legs and slamming his front hooves on the ground.  The earth buckled under the impact, and a large crack opened up beneath Crimson.  Sanctimoniously, Crimson's magic summoned a large spike of earth to punch through the ground.  Crimson fell into the hole while the king was thrown into the air, slamming into the barrier.  When he hit the barrier, he pushed himself off, slamming into the ground to make the crack close to crush the trapped pony.  However, Crimson shot up through the crack just as it closed.  He spread his wings in the air and redirected his momentum to collide into the mighty king.

The two clashed, and a pulse of magic burst from the impact.  The force was so intense that it pierces through the protective circle, knocking tons of ponies off their hooves and pushing them back on the ground.  The rest started to slide back from the pulse, but they adjusted their positions to get back into place.  The dust picked up inside the circle, blocking all visibility inside the arena.  The ground continued to shake violently as the sound of scraping rock echoed through the area.  

When the dust cleared, dozens of black spikes and pillars were extruded from the desecrated earth as two large silhouettes shot straight into the air through the cloud of dust.  Like ferocious dragons, the two flew into the air in spirals of movement. 
Flames of red, blue, and black, shot and spewed everywhere, hitting and spraying off of the circle barrier that apparently extended in a column instead of a dome of protection.

The two flew higher and higher, Temethyst flying closely behind Crimson.  With a snap of his wings, Crimson spun to the side as a black fireball flew passed him.  His hooves hit the barrier, and he pushed himself off as a cone of void hit the barrier.  It exploded in a wild spray, but the change in momentum gave Crimson the opportunity to act.  He pounced on Temethyst in midair, making the two spin upward for a moment before they started their decent.  He punched his hoof hard into the face of Temethyst, putting much more strength in the blow than he could ever on his normal size.  In return, Temethyst's climbing claws on his back hooves pushed into the protective armor Crimson wore.  The blades were stopped by the enchanted links, but the strength and force behind the the kick made the chain buckle.  

The king slashed down at the red coated pony, putting three deep gashes in his muzzle.  Another slash came up, but Crimson reached his jaws up and bit down on one of the king's horns.  Crimson released his hold, flying up and over to land on the king's back.  He wrapped his arm under the king's neck as his back legs closed down hard against Temethyst's wings.  

The two fell freely from high into the air toward the spiked ground.  Temethyst tried to break his wings free from Crimson's hold.  Regardless of the king's incredible strength, he couldn't get his wings to open.  Instead of trying to break his wings free, Temethyst brought his chin to his torso, then lashed upward.  The curved horns stabbed and dug into Crimson's shoulder.  That loosened the grip Crimson held on his neck, but not around the wings.  

The king looked down to make another stab, but Crimson leapt off the king's back, pushing him down toward the ground.  The king's wings opened, and he slammed hard against the barrier.  Magic pulsed at the impact as the king tired to slow his fall.  He pushed off the barrier to redirect some of his momentum.  He crashed through the spikes and pillars from the side, making the city of skyscrapers crumble from the middle and fall to the ground.  

Crimson landed, blood oozing down the gaping puncture wound in his shoulder, and from his nose to the ground.  He had many black spots on his body and the protective armor from the black flames that sizzled and smoked.  He looked down at the many feet of rubble and ruin to try to find his brother.  He paced, putting favor in his uninjured legs, looking down into the ground.  Suddenly, Crimson stopped and took a step back.

The rubble exploded as the king burst from the ground with an angry roar.  The king leapt into the air and landed in front of Crimson.  The only thing that covered his skin and coat more than the dirt were the many lacerations.  His front hoof was lifted to guard his chest, indicating some sort of injury from under his plated armor.  He looked at Crimson, then grinned.  "I'm surprised, Ebon Commander.  I have not had this much fun in a long, long time."  His eyes started to scan the area, noticing the fatiguing army under the magical web.  He grinned.  "Come, brother.  Let us see how much your allies can endure."  

Temethyst reared up to his back legs, then slammed both of his hooves on the ground.  The rubble below him pulsed, then exploded outward against the magic circle.  


* * *


Twilight almost fell to her knees at the sudden shock from the impact.  She quivered and nearly swooned.  "Come on, everypony!  Hold on!"  She shouted.

"I'm try'n, suga," remarked Applejack.  "This ain't no tree I'm bucking."

Twilight saw Temethyst leap at Crimson, who took a nonchalant step back to avoid the swipe.  The king bucked and clawed more and more, but they were avoided by the white eyed red coated proxy in the circle.  "If he can't beat him with magic, maybe he can beat him physically."  Hitting nothing but air, Crimson ducked and swerved every physical attack launched at him.  All the while, Crimson gave landing bludgeoned swipes in return.  She noticed the king's expression going to frustration and anger as his horns glowed as he continued his attacks.  "Get ready!"  She shouted, preparing for another attack on the barrier.  

Temethyst leapt into the air away from Crimson.  He landed two lengths back, then turned toward Celestia and Luna.  When he lowered his head, a massive burst of blue flames shot at the barrier.  Then, to Twilight's ultimate surprise, Crimson leapt into the attack.  He was slammed into the barrier, and was blown straight through it.  The circle exploded, knocking the six off their hooves and back many feet.  Crimson plowed between the two princesses, and into the purple coated seer.  Crimson, a large pony missile, slammed hard into Demi and they were knocked to the ground, causing them to uncontrollably rolled down the hill.  On the verge of panic, Twilight stood up, then looked around for an answer.  Then, she saw it.  "Oh no," she whispered when she saw the imperfection after the circle was struck from Temethyst's dark whip.  She looked up at Temethyst, who in turn stared angrily at Celestia and Luna, and at their magical efforts to dampen the tainted element's power.  "Oh no."
> Chapter 32 - Crimson and the Last Stand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The purple and red coated ponies didn't move after their violent tumble down the hill.  Twilight looked back at the broken prison cell that once held the mighty and fearsome Temethyst.  The king groaned angrily, his attention now focused on the two who prevented him from using the Elements of Harmony.  

"Can your deficiency in rulership handle another crushing loss, failed goddesses?"  The king took a step forward toward the princesses, who continued their focus on the elements.

"Keep at it, my sister," Celestia commented through gritted teeth.  "We must sap the element's power as long as possible."

Painfully, Luna nodded her agreement.

The mighty king looked at the web of soldiers, then stomped his hoof against the ground.  A shockwave of earth shot out, Temethyst as the focal point, and hit every pony in the area.  They were all knocked off their hooves, the princesses included, and the magical web was broken.  "Your magic is pathetic," he taunted.  "All of you are weak and pathetic."

A ray of gradient color shot passed Temethyst, and the king took a step to the side to recover from the surprise hit.

"I'm tired of standing by," Rainbow Dash proclaimed as she hovered at a distance from Temethyst.  

"As am I," Applejack added as she got to her hooves.  "I think it's about time we kicked this pony down a notch."

"Let's get this party pooper!"  Pinkie Pie said, joining in on the regroup.

One by one, the six ponies stood and circled the mighty king of underponies.  The tall pony stood calm, eyeing each of the ponies one by one.  "Your champion has failed.  What makes you think you will prevail?"

"Because I believe we can," Twilight said.

"You are all fools," the king replied.  "Come, then.  Feel your oblivious in the clutches of my hooves."

Rainbow Dash took the initiative and zipped in to try to catch the king off guard once more.  She was swatted away with a left backhoof from the king and flew back.  Applejack landed a bucking kick against the right side of Temethyst - a blow that was mostly absorbed by the armor he wore.  Twilight paused when he saw the hit from Applejack, and the painful wince the king made.  Though it shouldn't have really done anything, the slight, yet obvious, expression of pain was clear to Twilight.

"He's hurt," Twilight whispered.  She stayed mostly defensive, using her magic to protect her friends over trying to attack the mighty king.  During that time, she studied the giant pony, watching his movements to confirm her suspicions.

Temethyst's wing opened suddenly, hitting Applejack and throwing her back from a buffet.  A beam of light hit Temethyst as Rarity shot magic from her horn while in a trot.  The beam stayed on its target while her movement made her a more difficult target to hit.  That didn't stop the king from stomping his right hoof on the ground to activate his magic.  He twisted his hoof, and the ground under Rarity turned to soft sand.  She looked down as her hooves went in the sand, which slowed her movements.  When she looked back up, she was met with a downward slash of a red flame whip.  She put up a barrier just in time, but the impact made her fly back and slid on the ground.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy joined forces and charged at the king while his attention was diverted.  Pinkie's face turned a deep red as a steam whistle bellowed from her ears.  Meanwhile, the angry Fluttershy glared at their target, ready to ram the large king pony.  They slammed into the right side of the large pony, then fell to the ground as if they ran into a stone wall.

At the two fell to the ground, Twilight paid close attention to the king.  She saw the same wince, and her suspicions were confirmed.  As the king knocked back Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, Twilight started to form an idea.  First, she needed to regroup with her friends.


* * *


A cough from the petite purple coated pony sounded under a burrow of dirt.  The makeshift tunnel moved, then was shoved aside as Demi pushed up against her wounded brother, who was on top of her not moving.  She grunted, using her horn's telekinetic power to assist her in the struggle, then finally slid from under the red coated pony.  He groaned, easing her nerves, thinking that she had lost him.  

She looked around at the field to assess the situation.  Indeed, the situation was grim.  The army of ponies that surrounded the circle were laid out.  Dead or wounded, she couldn't tell.  Then, she saw the six friends battling the mighty king, always nearly getting swiped with a brutal attack from his claws, or barely blocking or dodging a ferocious attack that would have crippled them if it hit.  She looked at the two rulers of Equestria, seeing that they were getting to their hooves as well, obviously recovering from the strange and sudden hit.  She looked down at Crimson, who remained motionless and gravely wounded.  She noticed large splotches of blood on her robes, which made her nearly panic.  She inspected the blood, finally coming to the conclusion that it wasn't hers.  That's when she closely inspected her brother, and saw the grievous wounds that were inflicted upon him.  She paid particular attention to the deep holes that were punched through his neck and shoulder that allowed pools of blood to gush freely into the open.  She gasped in horror at that sight, then she felt the strange magic that the surface enchanted her with inside her heart.  Water started to form in her eyes as she ripped a piece of leather from her robes to tend to the wound.

"Brother?"  She choked.  "Come on, you fool.  Don't die on me."  She look around to find a solution to the desperate problem, but found no answer to her problems.  Her attention snapped to her brother after he groaned.  She wasn't too educated on medical topics, but she knew that he was in bad shape.  She took a deep breath, focusing her will on her innate abilities.  Her eyes turned white as she looked into the possible future for her.  Many moments passed before she blinked in confusion, her eyes returning to their normal color.    

Out of nowhere, the earth violently shook, and the sounds of breaking stone was heard from all directions.  Demi turned to look at the king, who was once again ripping into the earth with his overpowering magic.  She looked back to her dying brother, and a burning rage swelled deep inside her.  Tears fell freely from her eyes as she started to breath heavily.  She buried her head in Crimson's chest, her shoulders sobbing in sorrow and pain.


* * *


Twilight got up after a heavy hit that knocked her down the hill.  She panted and winced as it felt like every muscle in her body ached from any and all movements she made.  Then, Applejack and Rainbow Dash crashed next to her, giving her the opportunity she needed.   

"Are you two okay?"  Twilight asked, helping them to their hooves.

Applejack slowly got up and rubbed her head.  "Uh, maybe."

Rainbow Dash rolled over and stayed on the ground for a moment longer.  "What do we do?  He's too strong."

"Don't worry.  I have a plan," Twilight announced.

"About time," Rainbow said and she stood up.

"Yeah.  We could use a darn tooting plan right about now," Applejack added.

Twilight turned around to see the status of her other friends.  Rarity was on the opposite side of the hill, recovering from a slid in the mud.  Fluttershy was in the air, looking angry at the mighty king.  Pinkie Pie was on her hooves, patting the ground with her hoof to get ready to charge.  The king was turned toward Fluttershy, and returned the angry glare.

"Watch," Twilight said.

The girls waited as Pinkie Pie charged in with all her party might.  She leapt up and smacked belly first at the king's side.  Then, she blew up like a balloon, going maybe three times her size.  The push made the king stumble a step, then he swatted Pinkie Pie to the ground, making her bounce like a ball.

"Did you see that?"  Twilight asked.

Applejack blinked, confused at what was going on.  "What?  That Pinkie Pie bounced like an apple on a trampoline?"

"No.  Look at his face."  

The girls looked at Temethyst's face, and at his slight wince as he turned to his side.

"His right side is hurt."  Twilight turned and addressed the two.  "Probably when he crashed through those stone columns.  That's our chance - exploit his weak spot"

"I think I see it," Rainbow Dash commented.  "Okay, hit him where it hurts.  Got it!"  Rainbow Dash shot up in the air, leaving a vanishing rainbow in her wake.

"Try to tell the others, but only in a way he doesn't see you.  We can't let him know we're on to his injury."

"Gonna be tough."

"Don't worry," Twilight confidently commented.  "I have an idea that will make him pay close attention to me.  And when his focus is on me, you and the girls hit him hard."

Applejack nodded.  "You be careful, now."

Twilight smiled, and looked at Applejack.  "You too."

When Applejack trotted back into the fight, Twilight narrowed her eyes, growing more confident in her plan.  


* * *


The mighty king telekinetically threw a boulder at the blue pegasus, but was dodged as she continued her charge.  Before the attacker got close, Temethyst made an arc in the ground, then stomped a hoof.  When he lifted his hoof, a wall of stone came up from the ground, which the charging blue pegasus crashed into.  After the pegasus was grounded, Temethyst swiped at the air, throwing the wall toward the pearl colored unicorn.  She defended herself by erecting a barrier, protecting herself from the falling slab of stone.  The wall crumbled on impact, burying the pony in boulders.

With no attacks imminent, he reared his head back and brought out a whip of flames to finally strike at the failed goddesses so they could unlock their hold on his newly acquired weapons.  Just before the whip lashed forward, a beam of bright light came from his side that stung his eyes.  The whip flung wildly, missing its mark by far.  He lifted his hoof to block the blinding light as he turned to see the cause of the strange, intense glow.  He took a deep breath, then bellowed a cone of flames at the source of the light - the purple coated allocorn.  Just as the flames were unleashed, he felt a hard bludgeoning hit on his right side.  The armor clanked and soaked the impact, but the sharp pains that were from under the armor were keen in their abilities to deliver agony to the mighty king.  When he turned to use the breath weapon on the attacker, no pony was in sight.

With the anger rising in the mighty king, Temethyst stomped his hoof on the ground, then lifted his head toward the source of the light.  A spike shot from the ground, barely missing the purple coated allocorn.  Considering it was a blind shot, he was close enough to have the light removed from his eyes.  Again, another impact came from his side.  This time, it was a hard hitting impact - one that knocked him off his hooves.  He rolled over to go with the fall, then rose to see the orange coated pony leaping up onto him.  Planting his hoof on the ground, he lifted his free hoof and swatted toward his attacker.  A rock was ripped from the earth and slammed into the earth pony.  She fell to the ground in a hurmp.  

Trying hard not to hold onto his injured side, Temethyst looked around to find the rest of the targets.  He turned his head left, then right.  Suddenly, a loud pop was heard and small objects of all colors splashed into his face.  He reared back in surprise at the sudden attack, all while unleashing his breath weapon once more.  From his left to his right, his flames bit at the ground, lighting the massive amounts of colors confetti on fire.  Again, he felt the hit on his right side.  When he turned to look at his attacker, he saw the purple coated pony firing a magic beam at him.  He met her beam of magic with a beam of fire, overpowering the magical attack and making a fiery explosion where the allocorn stood.  He groaned in pain and anger, then decided that it was time for him to get his weapon back.  

A large boulder smashed into Temethyst's side, but he paid it no heed.  He reared back, then slammed both hooves into the ground.  Ignoring the intense pain that went through his body, Temethyst poured more of his seemingly endless amount of energy into the earth.  His horns lit up, then he reared up once more.  The ground split, and a spiraling column of earth and flame shot up.  He wasn't attacking any of the small ponies, but at the failed goddesses that dampened his powers.  The column struck the white coated goddess, then exploded.  Rocks and flames shot in every direction, raining all over the battlefield.  The blue aura around the elements vanished, allowing him access to the black magic once more.  Once the smoke cleared, the dark and white allocorns were on the ground, steam coming off their coats.  He looked around at his attackers and saw they were at a safe distance.  The armies were recovering from their energy sapping experience - a risky move considering the opponent they faced.  

A primal, angry shout or pure rage sounded from the side took his attention away from the recovering princesses.  Before he could see what the sound was, he suddenly a sharp pain shot through the right side of his chest.  Almost instantly, he crumbled to the ground.  With a might backhoof, he knocked Demi away, splashing blood in her wake.  She flew far away, and crashed hard into the ground near the purple coated allocorn.  When the king tried to stand, he felt a sharp object dig into his ribs.  He looked, and saw a broken horn deep into his side.  His eyes widened as the horn glowed, and the magical energies from inside exploded, ripping his armor apart and blasting a huge hole in his side.  He was launched off his hooves and slid a dozen feet on his side.  


* * *


Twilight Sparkle watched Demi's body fly up and over her to crash behind her.  She looked up at the king, noticing his surprised expression.  Feeling he was distracted enough, Twilight turned and ran up to the fallen seer.

"Demi!  Are you ohh..."  Her voice faded when she looked down at the blood oozing from her head.  Her horn was gone, looking as if it had snapped at the stem.  She blinked for a moment, then was nearly blown off her hooves from a sudden explosion from behind her.  She turned to see the king slid on the ground away from the two, then turned back to face her friend.  She has never seen a wound like this, and she didn't know what to do.  Finally, Demi's eyes opened.

"Did I... get him?"  She whispered in a weak tone.

Twilight meekly smiled, and nodded.  "Better than any pony," she replied, holding back a tear.

"Crimson..."  Her head went to the side, gesturing toward a small hiding spot not far off.  "Tell him..."

Twilight knew what was happening.  She had read it many times in countless stories.  "No!"  She snapped, a tear falling from her eyes and onto Demi's bloodied cheek.  "No, you tell him."

"Shut...  Shut up, fool."  She said with a smile.  "Tell him...  I would have been honored...  to be... his...  lila’vah."  She let out an exhale, then went limp in Twilight's arms.

Twilight Sparkle, Element of Friendship and Princess of Friendship, watched one of her bitter rivals, yet a brave noble friend, die in her arms.
> Chapter 33 - Crimson and the Power of the Sun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A loud explosion brought Crimson from his unconscious state.  With his eyes slowly opening up, Crimson looked up at the sky to see pebbles falling from above.  He covered his eyes with his hoof to protect them as he looked around to figure out where he was it.  He was in a small hole near the bottom of the hill.  Massive amounts of rock and stone surrounded him.  He tried to remember the last thing that happened.  He rolled over, then got to his hooves.  He felt his shoulder was a little achy.  He lifted a hoof to feel the wound, but found a bloody leather bandage wrapped on his shoulder.  He inspected in closely, then recognized its source.  His head darted back and fourth, but his sister was nowhere to be found.  He reached up and removed the bandage to inspect the wound.  The gaping hole that was in his shoulder was almost healed, thanks to the strange and powerful armor that was given to him.  He walked out of the hole to see that the battle was not going well.  Virtually no pony was standing - friend, ally, and foe alike.  His eyes eventually locked on his brother, who laid on the ground with a huge hole on the right side of his chest.  He clearly saw the bones of his ribs, more than a couple broken.  His right wing was mangled and deformed, with the lower parts of his muscle blown away.  He had seen wounds like this during his war days, and he knew this would ultimately be a fatal one less he received immediate medical attention.

Crimson walked up to his brother, then looked upon him with a sense of prideful pity.  "Why did you not surrender, brother?"  

The rays of the sun beamed on the gravely wounded king.  He looked up at the sky, squinting from the intense light.  "Do...  You still not...  Understand?"  The king asked in gasping breaths.  "I...  fight for our survival."

"Fought," Crimson corrected.  "It is over, brother.  You have lost."

"No, my brother."  The king looked up at the sky clearing sky.  "It is finally time..."  He stared up at the sky, and at the rays of light that illuminated the lands.  He grinned, seeing the bright ball above now fully visible.  With the brightness of the sun, Temethyst seemed to grow in confidence.  "Look up, infidels.  Stare at the roof of this world, and gaze upon your doom."  

On queue, every head in the area looked up and saw the sun slowly darken.  

"How fortunate that this world had a core of flames on the ceiling."  A ray of red shot down from the sky and surrounded the mighty king.  The Elements of Harmony floated once more on their own, then began to circle the king.  It pulsed in power as the king started to get lifted from the ground.

"King Temethyst," Princess Celestia announced as she got to her hooves.  "Do not draw the power of the sun."

"Silence, failed goddess!"  Temethyst boomed.  "I shall draw power whereever I wish."  He floated in the air, his arms stretched out to the side.

"The power of the sun is not something to tamper with!"  Celestia implored.

"Believe her, my wayward child," Luna agreed.  "If you truly wish to fight for the survival of your people, don't do this."

Crimson blinked in confusion.  He then looked up at the ball of light from the sky.  "Fire from the sky," he whispered to himself, remembering something that his sister said to him after they reunited.  "Fire from above..."  He looked at the sun through squinted eyes, then his gaze fell upon his brother, who was floating and basking in the bright white light.  

Luna and Celestia brought their horns down and fired a duel magic blast towards the king.  The power of shadow and the power of light combined.  Their aim was true, but their attack was split in two as the aura of the light protected Temethyst.  

"Your powers...  They mean nothing now."  Temethyst's voice sounded with a deep reverberation, as if another entity was speaking for him.  His eyes were glowing white, and beams of light erupted from inside his mouth whenever he opened his mouth.  His major wound also glowed a brilliant white light.  "This is true power!"  He opened his mouth and a beam of pure energy shot out, sundering the earth in a line of destruction.  

Luna and Celestia moved out of the way, feeling the raw power from that simple of an attack.  "The elements," Celestia said, noticing that the Elements of Harmony that orbited above the mighty king's head were no longer glowing black.

The princesses lowered their horns once more and tried to hit the elements, but their combined powers were stopped once again.

"Oblivious awaits!"  Temethyst lifted a hoof, then lowered it.  A moment later, a pillar of flames shot from the sky, blasting the castle's protective barrier.  

"My brother," Crimson shouted as he watched the barrier slowly break.  "This is not the way.  Abandon your misguided ways, and let us save our kind together!"

That gave Temethyst pause, and the pillar of solar flames stopped.  "Ah, my poor brother," he said as he turned to face Crimson.  "Do you not see?"  He looked up at the sky.  "Do you not see the power I have attained?  Now, witness the birth...  of a new GOD!"  He lifted his hooves, as if victorious, and the flaming pillar shot down once more at the castle.  He started to laugh maniacally.  "Mua ha ha ha ha haaah!"  


* * *


Every pony stared in absolute horror at the sight before them.  The six friends huddled together, totally helpless to help the many lives of Canterlot.  

"Twilight, we gatta do something!"  Applejack exclaimed.

"Like what?"  Rainbow Dash asked.  "You saw what that thing did.  It stopped Princess Celestial AND Princess Luna's combined magic."

"He is so angry, I don't think we can reason with him," Fluttershy added.

"Such a waste of beauty," Rarity commented.  

Twilight stared at the barrier, knowing her brother was the sole pony who was protecting Canterlot.  Her eyes looked up at the king, then locked in at the Elements of Harmony.  "Girls!"  She exclaimed, then pointed at the king.  "Look!"

When the girls looked at the king, they went back to Twilight with confused expressions.

"The elements, they're not black," Twilight explained.

"Does that mean..."  Rainbow Dash started to say.

"I don't know.  But let's give it a try!"


* * *


Crimson stayed calmed while the complete destruction of Canterlot loomed over everyone's head.  

"My brother, you have not seen what I have seen.  I ask, for the last time, for you to stop what you are doing."

"Tell me, boy..."  The king turned towards Crimson while the pillar still continued to rip through the shell around the castle.  "What did you see?"

"I have seen your fate, brother," Crimson said.  "And I have seen your demise."

The king smirked.  "And how, pray tell, does that happen?"

The Elements of Harmony pulsed, then started to fly away.  "Like this," was all Crimson answered.  The gems spun in air, then eventually separating from one another.  They stopped next to a pony, each of which were standing in a circle around the mighty king.  The gems glowed a vibrant color relative to their natural color, then a blinding flash from each made every pony blink.  When their sight came back, the gems were set in five necklaces and a crown.  

"What is this?"  The king demanded as he looked upon the Elements of Harmony.  

"The end," Crimson answered.  

The six's eyes glowed white, much like Temethyst's eyes.  Then, beams of various colors shot up into the air, and arched downward toward the king.  He was bathed in a rainbow of bright light - a light that grew brighter and brighter.  After a flux of power, a nova of blinding energy erupted.  After many heartbeats, everyone's vision gradually returned to normal.  The king looked unharmed.  He still floated in his protective solar shell, and the barrier around the castle started to fail.  Beams of flames shot through the barrier, destroying various parts of the great castle.

The king snickered, then bellowed in a victorious laugh.  "Pathetic!  Truly pathetic."  He continued his roar of laughter, but stopped suddenly as a crack in his skin formed in between his eyes.  White light poured out of the newly created canyon on the mighty king's skin, as Temethyst stared blankly in pure confusion.  

"I am truly sorry, my brother.  This is where we say farewell."  

More cracks started to appear, then more.  Eventually, his entire body was covered in cracks.  "Noo.  NOOOOO!!"  In a flux of energy, the great pony exploded, his skin crystallizing from the explosion.  Everyone covered their eyes at the nova of crystallized destruction.  The pillar of solar flames stopped, and the sun returned to its normal color.  

Crimson stood tall and valiant on top of the hill, the sun's natural rays of light illuminating him and giving him a natural aura.  

Every pony erupted in shouts of cheer and victory as the threat to their home, land, and very existence was removed from their lives.  

"Now is not the time to celebrate!"  Princess Celestia shouted.  "Every able pony to Canterlot to help the citizens!  The rest of you, tend to the wounded here." 

The armies of Canterlot went with all speed back to the burning castle as Crimson looked around at his surroundings.  The six walked up to him, as he realized someone was missing.  "Where is my sister?"  

Twilight looked up to Crimson with telling eyes.  "I don't know...  how to say this..."  Her eyes went towards the painful direction where Crimson saw the leather robes of his sister on the ground.  In an instant, he leapt over the girls and ran as fast as he could.  He stopped, then stared down at the lifeless body of the mare he and his family adopted.

Twilight walked up beside Crimson in sympathy.  "She asked me to tell you something.  She said, 'I would have been honored to be your lila’vah.'"

Crimson gasped at the message, then moisture started to build in his eyes.  

"What...  does it mean?"  Twilight asked.

"lila’vah...  A companion bound by honor for life."  He knelt down, and brushed her mane to the side of her face.  "I believe..."  He sniffled, trying to regain some composure.  "I believe you would call it a 'wife.'"  He sat down and put the mare's head in his lap.  "How I have wished...  I have always wished for that to be...  My lila’vah."
> Chapter 34 - Crimson and the Shadow of Dark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hammers and Saws sounded all throughout the day as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sat in their seats in the throne room.  They awaited a very special guest - one who has saved Canterlot on more than one occasion.  Finally, their honored guest walked through the broken double doors of the throne room.  Standing tall and proud, Crimson walked up toward the ones he considered goddesses, then gave a low bow in greeting.  The chains of his armor clinked and chimed, and the jewels and gems in his mane sparkled in the light.

"Crimson, I am glad you could make it," Celestia greeted.  

"I am honored to be summoned by such divine beings," Crimson answered.

Before Celestia could answer, Luna's smirk caught her eye, and she paused to let her sister speak first.

"If thou truly sees us as gods, then I demand something over thee."

Crimson gave a low bow.  "Whatever you may wish."

"Do not look upon us as gods," Luna said.  "Look upon us as friends."

Crimson's eyes peeked up in confusion.  "Friends?"

Celestia, catching on to the ruse from Luna, sat up from her throne.  "Yes, friends."  She walked down to Crimson and put her hoof on his shoulder.  "For what you have done for us, for Canterlot, and for all of Equestria, how could we have you look upon us as anything but?"

Crimson stood up straight.  "If that is your wish..."

Luna and Celestia nodded.  "It is."

Crimson nodded.  "Very well."

"Now..."  Celestia turned around and sat back in her chair.  "How can two friends repay you for your efforts during these trying events?"

Crimson shook his head.  "Payment has never been necessary, Princess."

Luna cleared her throat at the title.  

"With all due respect," Crimson said with a bow.  "Friend or not, you two are still princesses.  Less why you sit on thrones?"

The princesses looked at each other, then smiled.  "Yes, you are right.  I will give you that."

"I have seen all I wish to see of the surface," Crimson said as he stood straight.

Luna's eyes widened in surprise, but Celestia looked as if she knew the answer was coming.  "What does thou mean?"

"I wish to return to my home," Crimson answered.  "I wish to mend the ways of my people."

"And how are you going to do that?"  Celestia asked with a knowing grin.

"I do not know," Crimson replied honestly.  "This is what I saw in my visions.  And I believe that is what my sister would have wanted."

"Before you go," Celestia commented as she reached behind her.  She pulled out a large tome and, with the use of telekinetic energy, set it on the ground in front of Crimson.  "Please take this book."

Crimson looked at the leather bindings, noting it was never read.  "What is this?"

"Princess Luna and Princess Twilight have transcribed the history of Equestria," Celestia answered.  "We believe that this will be a great help in healing the anger of your kin."

Crimson opened the book and saw it was all written in the language he knew how to read.

"I was the only pony who knew this language," Luna explained.  "Though it has been a century since I have really used it.  I hope it is right."

Crimson flipped from page to page, seeing the illustrations and the writings of the tome.  He then closed it and picked it up.  "Yes, your words seem correct."  He looked up at the two.  “A question, if I may ask.”

“Of course.”

“What of the filly seer?”

“She will live peacefully with her brother and her aunt,” Celestia answered.

“The young filly will not be used as a weapon, as thy I am sure thou art fearing.”

Crimson nodded, satisfied with that answer.  After a pause, he took a step back, then started to turn around.  

"One more thing," Celestia said, stopping Crimson in his tracks.

He turned around to address the princesses once more.  "Yes, your ladyship?"

Luna and Celestia walked up, and the both gave Crimson a hug.  

"We are very sorry to hear about your sister," Celestia commented.  "Our hearts break at your loss."

Crimson took a breath, holding back the tears he felt forming in his eyes.  "Your words..."  The hug broke, and they held him at hoove's length.  "Your words are kind.  I thank you."

"Take care."

Crimson bowed, then turned and left the throne room.


* * *


The six meet with Crimson at the crater he crawled out of when he first arrived on the surface.  Each of them took turns giving him great hugs that lasted many heartbeats.  

"You all have given me kindness I never knew of," Crimson said, addressing the girls.  "I do not think I can ever repay you." 

"Hun, you keep say'n that as if it were a debt or someth'n," Applejack said with a smile.  She tipped her had back, then reached in her bags to grab some apples.  "Here, hun.  For yer trip back." 

Applejack and Crimson shared another hug, then Fluttershy approached him.  "Thank you for all of your help, and for saving the poor animals in the fire.  Angel wouldn't be with me if it weren't for you.  He wanted me to give you this."  She reached in her bag and pulled out a small box.

"What is this?"  Crimson inquired as he opened the container to look inside.

"It's tea leaves," Fluttershy answered.  "And a carrot."

Crimson closed the box, then looked up at the yellow pegasus.  "It was an honor to help you, Miss Fluttershy."  The two hugged once more, then Pinkie Pie walked up.

"We didn't know each other very long, but I know you could have thrown one hoof of a party."

Crimson looked at Pinkie Pie questionably.

"With your magic, I don't think any pony could raise a roof like you could."

That brought a chuckle to the girls, but Crimson still stood in complete befuddlement.  

"Because you could make those pillars...  And..."

"Pinkie," Twilight interjected.

"Oh, right."  She reached in her bag and pulled out a book.  "I asked Luna to help me with this."

"Another tome?"  Crimson asked as he took the book.

"What?  No.  It's a book."  Crimson opened the book as Pinkie Pie continued.  "More importantly, a cook book!  Now you can make all of the cakes in the world!"

Crimson flipped a page, and saw the picture of his first time eating a cupcake at Sugar Cube Corner, and at the soot the two were covered in.  He closed the book, and the two gave another hug.

Rainbow Dash approached, hovering in place.  "Only cool ponies can get a hug from me."  She reached back and grabbed a small transparent cube.  "Here."  She tossed it to Crimson, who caught it in his hoof.

"What is this?"

"It's a rain cloud inside some sort of square," Rainbow Dash answered.  "Something Twilight thought of."

Crimson lifted the cube and stared in it for a long moment.  "It looks like it is raining."

"Yeah, it does that.  So..."  

Crimson looked up at the hovering blue pegasus.  "So, what?"

"So you going to give me a hug?"

"I thought only cool ponies could give you a hug," Crimson questioned.

"Yeah, I know," Rainbow answered in a grin.  Then, then two locked in a hug.

Rarity walked up after the hug broke, and she cleared her throat.  "Well, darling.  I have two things for you."  She gave Crimson a small box.  "The box is a pin I made for your beautiful mane."  She then handed him an envelope.  "This...  Well, you'll just have to learn how to read our language to find out."

Crimson took the gifts, then gave Rarity a hug.

Lastly, it was Twilight's turn.  She looked upon Crimson with a solemn expression.  "I'm sorry I couldn't save Demi."

Crimson blinked, then looked away.  "You burden yourself with something out of your control."  He looked back to Twilight.  "You have a lot of responsibility.  Be sure you do not let it drag you down."

Twilight nodded, then the two hugged.  "Oh, I almost forgot..."  She reached back and pulled a large, cylindrical tube.

"What is this?"

"A spell," Twilight answered as she handed it to Crimson.  "Well, two spells.  One, Princess Luna said it may help with the problems you may have when you return home."

"How so?"

Twilight shrugged.  "I don't know.  She really didn't tell me anything else."

"And the second?"

"Oh!"  Her horn glowed, and she removed one of the rolled up parchments from the scroll case.  "This is a dream step spell.  Luna helped me design it."

"A dream step spell?"  Crimson leaned forward and inspected the parchment.

"Yeah.  It's supposed to let you step into other pony's dreams."  She rolled up the parchment and put it back in the tube.  "That way, we can stay in touch."

Crimson gathered the gifts, then looked at the girls.  "You all have once again given me far more than I deserve.  For that, I thank you.  And most of all, I thank you for being my friends."

The group gave one last hug, then Crimson turned around and walked into the darkness to find his way back home.