The sequel to Maybe Love Bites... series, part 61. Follow our main character thought his newest trails as he tries to better understand the consequences of his influences on Equestria; and how it affects the ones he loves.
Part 61 in the Maybe series... Love is a strange and wondrous thing, however how far can somepony go before love becomes an obsession; and how far can a pony be pushed before love becomes dangerous. For one family in Equestria being blinded by feelings could have more impact then any villain's actions, especially when the line between hero or not can get blurred.
The night chilled air has not completely dropped its hold over the world, but this fact has little eminence to the tall white mare that stands on the balcony. The colors of her swaying mane brightens the darker floor that stands from her large shadow as her eyes continue to focus out and over the world the sun now begins to take hold of.
However, her eyes do not lay to the sky and the gold shine of magic that run up the length of her horn is not directed to the sun. Instead, the light transparent gold glow is held to the metallic white gold, orange star stoned crown that floats in front of her.
It tumbles in her magical holds as the tall mare continues to study every inch of it. But just as it starts to rotate back to its original position the sound of hooves coming up the stairs to the room takes her attention.
"Ah sister, there you are."
The happy and slightly lipsy sounding voice stays to one spot as the dark blue mare holds a smile to the pony across the room, "We had hoped you would be joining us for breakfast."
Her words slowly turn Celestia around as she floats the crown next to her, "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting sister, but I will not be joining you for breakfast." Her eyes drift back to the crown as she continues, "I think I have finally been able to break Discord's spell over the Element of Harmony’s crown."
Luna blink to the comment as she shifts her eyes to the new orange gemmed crown, "Forgive us for asking, but the crown has not been needed for so long, why have you dedicated so much time to something so insignificant?"
The mare's words flick Celestia's ear as she cocks an eye to the younger pony, "Luna, this crown is very important for Equestria's safe guard."
"I understand this my sister, but its power has not been needed for so long?" Luna holds a slight smile to the mare as she continues, "I just do not see the reasoning for your captivation."
Celestia's magic tumbles the crown a little as her eyes stay locked to it, "You missed a lot in your absence Luna..." The mare's words get a little lower and drawn out as she continues, "...You have no idea of this item's importance, and power."
Luna's ear flicks to the words as her own eyes start to drift to the crown.
- - - (Outside of the castle)
Despite the later morning time the sun has yet to peek over the taller inner buildings of Canterlot, and as a result the stone streets are a little cooler then they should be. The more unpleasant feel to the hoof, however, does little to one certain greyish crystal pony with emerald green and light silver colored mane.
Instead, Starlight's concentration is held to the important contents of the satchel she adjust around her body.
The glow of her light gold magic to the strap around her however does not stay long as her trot begins to bring her to the downed castle’s drawbridge, and more importantly to the two guard ponies that trot towards her.
But as the two stallions get near a smile crosses her face as her eyes lock to a the darker cream colored guard pony on the right. The earth pony's armor is mainly gold with one line of blue trim on the right shoulder of the armor, however it is not the stallion's rank that has brought the mare's smile up. Instead it is the dark magenta almost purple flower that pokes out from the stallion's helmet.
The mare's trot comes to an end as she speaks up, "Hello Aerolight...Or are you still going by Arrow?"
The two guard ponies stop for a moment as they take notice to the pony a little in front of them, but the pegasus on the left brings his trot back up as he leaves the cream stallion's side.
Aerolight brings a slight smile to the crystal pony in front of him as he nods, "You could call me hey guy if you want..."
He shrugs a little as he continues, "...It really doesn't matter."
Starlight gives a little laugh to the stallion, but her normal well spoken voice comes back up as she looks over the stallion's tired eyes, "I must say Arrow, you look offley tired since the last time Celestia called me back into the city."
Arrow just shrugs to the comment as he holds his voice to an unusual low, "I'm fine, what's Celestia got you doing now?"
The mare taps her hoof to the bag for a moment as she speaks up, "Oh nothing too major..." Her words get a little lower as her tapping hoof slowly comes up to her chin, "In fact it was just a twenty page report on magic and its effects on the mind...Quite an unusually easy thing."
Aerolight shakes his head to the comment as he speaks up, "I never knew twenty pages was an easy assignment..." He shifts his eyes towards the waiting pegasus stallion as he speaks up, "...I might have to let you do my next guard report, it would be alot better then having my sister make fun of my spelling."
The crystal mare just shrugs as she rings out a response, "She just is a little bored right now."
Aerolight cocks a slight smile to the words as he nods, "Yep, well I should get going." The younger stallion moves his trot a little past Starlight as he continues, "If you're in town for a little we'll catch up."
"Bah." The mare waves her hoof to the comment as she speaks up, "I'm sure Violet has told you every interesting story from the Crystal Empire, I won't bore you with the same stories."
Aerolight's lower smile lightens a little as he nods, "You said it not me."
A low giggle comes up from the mare as she peeks her head up a little more, "Good bye Aerolight."
The stallion nods to the comment as he picks his pace up to meet with the waiting stallion. To the absent pony Starlight brings her trot back up as she starts into the castle's grounds.
Truthfully Canterlot should not be foreign to anypony, especially to a student of Celestia. But, the castle's older and more historical looking stones and layout has always interested the crystal mare. She does however give a few nods and smiles to the familiar guard ponies of the city as they start their early morning routines.
Starlight's pace quickly brings her to and up the short staircase to the castle's entrance. Within moments the mare finds herself pushing onto one of the two large and elegant castle doors as she trots into the foyer.
Her trot slows a little though as she swings her head around the room, but her eyes quickly lock to a maid dressed pony as she speaks up, "Excuse me can you tell me where Princess Celestia is?"
The unicorn maid turns her head as the magically held duster floats next to her, for a moment the mare looks over the crystal pony in front of her, but she nods towards the hallway on her right as she answers, "I believe she is still in her room."
Starlight nods to the comment as she trots down the hall a little more, "Thank you." This time however her pace is held to a slower trot, seeing as how she's not going to be rude and walk into the Princess's chambers.
The trot quickly comes to the empty throne room, despite the lower reaching sun the mostly white stone flooring has taken on a multitude of colors brought on from the stain glassed windows that line the throne room.
A relaxed sigh rolls from the crystal mare as her pace turns into almost nothing more than a crawl as the mare's attention is held to the pictures painstakingly put into the windows.
But, the lazy occupation of the throne room is quickly brought to an end as the sound of voices start to chime into the room from the spiral staircase that sits a little behind the throne.
Starlight's ear flicks to the muffled voices as she turns her attention towards the back wall. Just as her eyes meet to the spiral staircase entrance a flash of blue light lights the slightly darker hallway, quickly followed by the uncanny sound of a cracking spell.
The mare's eyes go wide as she kicks into a mindless gallop towards the staircase, "Princess!"
Every step she takes only brings the sound of cracking spells and muffled voices to her ears, and within moments her hooves have made contact with the first stone stair as she quickly begins to round up them.
Her heart pounds hard and her horn sparks up with its own gold glow as the top of the stairs run closer and closer to her with every hoof she plants to the ground.
"Princess!!"
The mare's abrupt entrance and shout into the room takes the two tall pony's attention as they both look towards the crystal pony.
However, this bit of distraction is quickly snatched up by the white mare as a fast bolt of gold magic strikes against the turned dark blue mare in front of her.
Luna's eyes go wide to the bolt that hits right between her sprawled out wings, but her gaze is quickly brought to an end as she falls to her stomach to the hard stone ground in a pant. The silver tiara atop her head falls and rolls a little towards Starlight's hooves, however that was not the only object that rolls to the floor as the element of harmony crown rings out a metallic sound until it settles onto the ground.
Starlight just blinks to the mind boggling scene in front of her, horn still glowing.
"Alert the guards, Princess Luna may have reverted back to Nightmare Moon!"
The mare's voice snaps Starlight back to reality as she stares to the serious expression the mare across the room is wielding, "Y-yes Princess."
Starlight quickly turns herself from the room as she starts down the stairs.
Celestia holds her gaze to the sound of her fading hooves for a moment before she sparks her horn up to bring the gold crown from the ground.
The sounds around you boom with an almost bass like tone and your upper chest grows tighter and tighter with every breath you take. Of course, this is to be expected when somepony has been bound and blindfolded to a chair, like you are now.
Truthfully you have no idea how long you have been sitting here, but the ache in your tailbone would suggest you have been at least on this hard wood chair for a good hour or so.
However, your mind has not really been focused on the time for the duration of this little torture game. Instead you have been focusing your mind to every sound in the room, which seems to have paid off seeing as how you have counted at least four ponies around you...Or maybe just one...Counting the sound of hooves has never been something you thought you would have to do, it is kind of interesting though.
Your ear flicks to your last thought as you think to yourself, okay...I just said listening to a pony walk is interesting, ya I have lost it.
With this new thought boiling in your head you speak up, "Twilight...How much longer are you going to make me sit here?"
Your ears stay up as a faint response from up stairs trickles in, "Just one minute!"
The answer brings a little groan from you as you speak up again, "Can I at least untie these ropes? It's not like I'm going to move, and this feels really unnecessary."
"Nooo...And stop asking."
You sigh as you just go back to trying to squint through the black ribbon that the lavender mare put around you. Truthfully when Twilight first blindfolded and tied you up you had the strange idea that some how you would be getting lucky or something...But that thought quickly was kicked out of your mind when you heard the sound of Twilight's magic starting up.
Now you just hope that whatever she has planned does not involve you bending a lot.
That thought brings another slight groan from you as you shake your head, am I really getting that old?
As you realize how much you have been thinking since you were tied here you bring your voice up again as you call out, "Twilight I don't want to sit here anymore."
"You're such a foal...One minute!"
You squint to the blackness in front of your eyes as you think to yourself, did she just call me a foal??
The sound of Twilight's hooves coming closer stops your thoughts as your ears instead perk up to the slow trot.
"Okay Mr.Whiny."
Your ear flicks to the word a you chuckle, "Mr. Whiny?" A slight one ha laugh comes from the mare as she speaks up, "Yes, you are." The sound of her magic sparks up as you feel the ropes around you starting to undo.
The absence of their weight brings a sigh of relief as you speak up, "Great now I can take this blin-.."
"NO!" Twilight's voice is quick to stop you as you drop your hoof back to the ground.
"What? Why can't I take it off yet?"
Even through the blindfold you know Twilight just rolled her eyes before her voice rings out, "Because, it's a surprise."
Your slight smirk fades from your face as you speak up, "Twilight...You better not be pregn-.."
A hoof to your stomach quickly ends the comment as the mare speaks up, "Wouldn't you know?"
You rub your hoof to your stomach as you shrug, "I never know with our luck."
Again you can feel the uncanny presence of Twilight rolling her eyes burning to you as she again speaks up, "Just follow me."
You put your hoof back to the ground as you give a little chuckle, "And how do I do that? I can't see."
A little giggle comes up from Twilight as the warm feel of her magic starts to form around you, "You have to trust me."
The tug of her magic quickly forces your legs into motion, but you still give a nervous laugh as you speak up, "W-why is this the test of trust?"
"Because."
You slowly trace each hoof across the wood floor of the library as you continue, "I'm pretty sure everything we've done together should count...Meaning I should take my blindfold off."
"Nope."
Damn, why did I think that would work? Your trot continues across the room for what feels like miles until Twilight's voice comes back up, "Alright, these are the stairs."
You give another slightly nervous laugh as you speak up, "Great."
The warmth of Twilight's magic runs to your legs as you continue to just stare into the unholy amount of nothingness this one blindfold can bring to you, "Just let me guide your legs."
You groan a little as you slowly allow Twilight's magic to bring you to the first step, however just as your hoof makes contact the sound of a low crunching sound flicks your ear, "What's on the stairs?"
A little giggle comes up from Twilight as her voice comes out, "No questions...Focusing."
You give a little smirk to the comment as you think to yourself, yep...This is how I die, this time i'm sure of it. The slow trot up the stairs take a lot longer than you would have thought, but as your front right hoof moves to the leveled hallway your fears start to wash away.
Your body slowly starts to loosen as you give into Twilight's magic a little more. However, just as you get use to the straight path you feel her starting to direct you to turn to your left.
Naturally you do it, but being blind to the world around you still makes it feel weird. But, for the moment your thoughts shift to something else your heightened senses bring to you, the room you have just stepped into has a strong sweet fresh smell to it. Almost like wild flowers or something, but at the same time you can smell a more wax like scent, "Candles?"
A little giggle comes from Twilight as she speaks up, "No peeking."
The feel of her magic comes from your body, which prompts you to turn an ear to the sound of the mare's trot. Your ear flicks however to the sound of her figure coming to the bed that must lay a hoof or two away from you.
"Alright...You can look."
To the words you bring a hoof to the blind fold as you remove it and look around the room. Your thoughts about the candles was right as you stare to the slightly melting candles that sit to every free spot in the room. You blink to the bedroom as you quickly turn your eyes to the strange feeling at your hooves, but you just stare even more confused to the bright rose red petals on the ground.
"Well?"
The mare's lower voice brings your head up as you turn your eyes to the mare one the bed.
"Are you going to just stand there?" Twilight's voice matched with her side ways lay and half closed eyes widens your own gaze for a moment as you just stare to the lavender mare.
However as your stare trails on for a moment you find a smile starting to crack to your mouth followed by a little laugh.
Twilight's sexy little persona is quickly lost as her eyes open a little, "What?" She looks around the room and the rose petal covered bed as she continues to look for some kind of mistake, "What's wrong? I followed the book?"
You hold your smile to the mare as you speak up, "What's the catch Twilight?"
The mare just blinks to you as she shakes her head, "What do you mean?"
You bring your hoof up a little as you wiggle it to the room, "Do I have like a lot of chores? Did Celestia send you some letter saying that me and you have to go and talk to an army of undead ponies? Or something?"
Twilight shakes her head as she speaks up, "No no, I just thought this would be something nice. Everypony is out of the house, the library won't be busy until noon and Spike is gone for the week."
You slowly start to lose your smile as you start to feel like a dick for not immediately complimenting her on her hard work. The raised hoof you have falters as you nods, "O-oh..."
"And I also thought this would be something nice, seeing as how next week i'll be in heat and-.."
Your ear flicks to the comment as you start to turn from the room, "Nopenopenope."
Your retreat into the hall is brought to an end as Twilight moves from her laying position to a more upright sitting, "Wait." Her magic pulls to your tail as you turn around.
"I'm not in heat."
You nod to the comment as you speak up, "Your right, because if you where I would be sleeping in the other room tonight."
Twilight just rolls her eyes to the comment as her voice dips into her know it all tone, "Do you really think I want to have another foal when Violet is having one??"
A wide smile comes to your face as you stare to Twilight's expression, "D-do you feel old?"
Your words turn the mare's head as she now stares to something else in the room, "Violet deciding to have a foal early does not affect my age and I-..."
"You do?!" The wide smile on your face holds as you take a step forward.
Your step forward quickly turns the mare's head as she squints to you. Her front hooves cross as she speaks up, "I guess we're not going to do anything...Good thing, I think i'm starting to get a headache."
Your ear flicks to the comment as you squint to her, nice move Mrs. Sparkle...But this game is not over. The smile on your face holds as you quicken your speed a little more to the mare sitting on the bed, "Oh really?"
Twilight holds an unamused stare to your closer proximity as she dramatically rubs her hoof, "Yes, all this work must have taken a lot more out of me then I thought. I think i'll just lay down."
You lower your head as you stare into her eyes, "Mind if I join you?"
You can already tell that Twilight knows she has the upper hoof right now, and to your surprise she actually plays it off quite well as she turns her gaze a little, "I don't know...It's a bad headache."
The mare's words bring you a little closer as you plant a little kiss on her neck, "Are your sure?"
Just that simple touch already careens the mare's body, but she continues the little game as she speaks up, "I don't know, it really does feel bad." Her eyes turn a little to you as you start to slowly bring the mare's back to the bed with every simple little kiss.
You close your eyes as you start to move a little more to the bed, all the while continuing your playful assault to her neck, "Mhhmm..."
The wordless acknowledgement brings a slight giggle to the mare as you feel her front hooves start to wrap around your own neck.
Her motions spark your lips to part a little as you begin to work the one side of her neck a little more into a sloppy mass of fur.
Your position in the bed shifts a little as you and Twilight find a more comfortable spot near the middle of the bed.
However as you continue your assault on the mare's neck you start to notice her horn starting to glow.
The sight of it brings a slight smile to your face as you take your mouth from her for a moment, "Getting a little excitable in your age huh?"
Your words bring no response from the mare, however you do take notice to the continued glow of her horn as you continue to kiss a little further down her neck.
But just as your lips near the base of her front legs Twilight jerks forwards as the sound of a magical pop rings through the room. You just barely miss a quick hoof towards your face as you stare to the scroll of paper that her spell shoots out.
You blink to the paper as Twilight catches her breath a little. Your own magic sparks up as you float the familiar sealed paper over to you, "It's from Celestia." A slight sigh comes to you as you turn your eyes back to Twilight.
"Why did you stop?" The slight pant to her words blinks your eyes as you just stare to her.
However you do not question it as you toss the scroll of paper aside as you lunge your head forward to her lips.
The wet heated kiss pops a little as you pull your lips from her and continue your little teasing game.
Twilight gives a little giggle to your slight tickling as she slowly loosens her hooves to lay to the bed as she lets you take full control.
But, unbounded to you the glow to her horn starts up again like before. Twilight's voice however does not come up as she clenches her eyes to her excitement and to the spell growing on her horn.
As you slowly start to work your way down though you feel the mare's body tense under you a little, and as a result you cock your head back to her face for a moment.
Bad move. Just as you tilt your snout a little towards her, her body jerks and her right front hoof bashes you at the tip of your nose from the spell and scroll that pops to the room.
You quickly snap your head back as you feel a warm feeling rushing to your nose.
The absent weight over her a little brings Twilight's head up as she reaches a hoof to you, "Sorry sorry...That spell is still new to me."
You nod your head as you tilt your head up a little to stop the blood from rolling out of your nose as you move from the bed.
Twilight sits up a little more as she watches you quickly moving into the hall and darting towards the bathroom, her hoof races to her mouth as she gives a little giggle and calls out, "Sorry, a-are you okay?"
She stares to the door as the sound of your voice rolls back into the room, "Yep, just drowning in my own blood."
Twilight's ears flop down a little as she tries to wipe the smile from her face, "I-is it bad?"
The sound of your hooves coming back to the room holds the mare's attention as she watches you come back into the room with a rolled up piece of toilet paper poking out from your nose.
She holds her hoof over her mouth as she looks you over, "Oh...I'm sorry."
You cock an eye to the mare's stare as you speak up, "What? Am I not sexy enough?"
The mare sparks up in a little giggle as she tries to hold a little smile, "I never said that." She lowers her head as she tries to bring up her lower tone, "In fact...It's um...Kind of different. And it matches the rose petals."
You shake your head to the mare's comment as you sigh, "I don't think we should do this...I don't think a higher blood pressure is a good thing with a nose bleed."
Twilight tries her best to hide the little smile as her horn sparks up to tug you a little forward, "Well...We can always go slower."
You shrug to the comment as you give into the little tug of magic, "Sounds fine."
The little giggle comes up from Twilight as she extends her head a little towards you, but you both find it a little harder to get a kiss. This fail brings another light chuckle from you both as you eventually just give up and start to both fall back to the bed.
However from your new position your eyes catch something in the window, and as you get a good view of it you flop back to the floor, "Rainbow?!!"
The sight of you falling back to ground takes Twilight's attention for the moment, but your words turn her head as she gives an annoyed and slightly angry stare to the mare at the window, "RAINBOW DASH???"
As you pull yourself from the ground the window of the room comes open as the cyan pegasus pokes her head into the sweet smelling room with a nonchalant smile, "Hey guys, what's up?"
"What's up?!" Twilight blinks to the statement as she speaks up, "How long have you been there?!"
Rainbow shrugs as she sets her front hooves to the window sill, "Well I got to see you jab him in the face with your hoof, not bad Twilight. But maybe you should not play so rough huh?"
Twilight's face is beat red with anger and embarrassment as she speaks up, "W-why were you watching!?"
Rainbow rolls her hoof to the comment as she just blows to it calmly, "Oh come on Twilight, it's not like I was going to watch." She gives a little laugh as she continues, "It was just weird to you know...See it, I-I mean you two are like the oldest married couple in the group and we all kind of thought you two just sit around the house talking about books or something."
The words do not alter Twilight's red blushed face as she speaks up, "Well that doesn't mean you can just stay outside of the window!"
You hold your mouth shut as you just listen to Twilight's embarrassed and slight rage filled tone.
Rainbow rubs her hoof to her neck as she speaks up, "A-alright fair enough...Anyways, who's the letters from?"
Twilight blinks to the quick change in conversation as she floats the two letters up and gets up from the bed, her silent trot start into the hall as she tries to hold her embarrassed face from her friend.
Rainbow watches the mare move to the hall as she comes in through the window and looks you over, "S-sorry."
You shake your head to the comment as your mind almost blanks with how to deal with the situation, "R-really? Is it that hard to get some stallion?"
The comment brings a quick response from the mare as her wings flair out, "Oh really? I'll have you know that-..."
You wave your hoof to the mare as you cut her off, "No no." You turn your trot towards the hall as you shake your head, "You can keep it to yourself Rainbow, I believe you."
The mare cocks a slight smile as she nods to you, "Ya ya, you should watch where you walk wouldn't want to hurt your back old pony."
You pause your trot into the hall as you raise a hoof to the mare, "Old? I like just stopped that lake monster thing from eating Fluttershy-.."
"That?!" The mare gives a little laugh as she shakes her head, "That was like four months ago, and it wasn't even cool." She flicks her rainbow mane from her face as she continues, "I mean like really if somepony where to write a book on your life THAT would totally not be in."
You blink to the mare as you realize something, she just barged into my house and now we are doing one ups??? You bring your hoof to your head as you speak up, "I-I think I'm going to stop this conversation now."
Rainbow's cocky smile fades as she realizes the room she stands in, "Y-ya...Sorry again, I just wanted to know if Twilight got the new Daring Do in and well...I thought I heard something."
You shake your head to the comment as you just laugh to yourself not knowing what to say.
However, your voice is cut off as Twilight comes back into the room.
You and Rainbow both take notice to the mare's stare as you speak up, "What?"
"P-Princess Luna may have reverted back to Nightmare moon."
Rainbow's eyes grow wide as she speaks up, "WHAT?"
You blink to the name as you swing your head between the two mares, "Night Mare Moon? what's that?"
Twilight turns her gaze to you as she continues, "Princess Luna was once out to take over Equestria, but we used the Elements of Harmony to turn her good."
You blink to the words as you try to understand why you have never been told this before. But you continue to listen to the mare as she trails on, "...Celestia has Princess Luna right now but she needs us to come to Canterlot first thing tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Rainbow's wings flared out as she speaks up, "What? Why don't we just get there now?! I can get everypony in like minutes!"
Twilight shakes her head as she speaks up, "Celestia has not had enough time to work on the Element of Harmony since Discord corrupted it."
Rainbow's wings flop down as she shakes her head, "HOW? That was so long ago?"
"She has been busy with the changelings, she hasn't had time for something like that." Twilight's words bring your voice out as you speak out, "S-so what are we doing?"
Twilight shakes her head as she speaks up, "She said she will tell us tomorrow."
Rainbow just blinks to the comment as she shakes her head again, "W-well what was the other letter?"
Twilight's voice gets a little lower as she continues, "Violet wanted to come up tomorrow to see everypony...But now I need to send her a letter. I just hope she gets it in time, I can't send it to her that kind of magic is hard even for me."
The words bring Rainbow's wings back to her back as she speaks up, "Well what should we do until tomorrow?"
Twilight just shrugs to the comment as she shakes her head, "Just be ready I guess... She only sent two tickets so I don't worry."
"Don't worry?" Rainbow takes a step forward as she blows to the comment, "Um hello? Princess Luna turning back into Nightmare Moon, shouldn't that be something important?"
You nod to the comment as you speak up, "Ya are you sure the letter said tomorrow?"
Twilight nods her head as she starts back into the hall, "Yes, now I need to find my old research papers on friendship...If Celestia gets the crown back to normal it won't be bound to us anymore, I just hope there's something in the reports to help somepony use the crown."
She brings her hoof to her forehead as she trots away a little more, "Oh...Now I have a headache."
Rainbow quickly moves past you as she speaks up, "Hey I still have some of my own papers you had me write at my house, I'll be back with them."
The mare quickly moves past Twilight as she darts down the stairs and out the door. Too the two absent mares you poke your head out and into the hallway, "I'll make sure the house doesn't burn down...I guess."
You turn back to the candle lit room as you spark your magic up to the candles with a sigh, "So much for today."
The cheerful sounds of Club Luna's music and the chattering ponies that occupy it. However, its not the allure of a quick conversation that has drawn a certain stallion into the building; instead the armor pony has his back to the majority of the room as he just stares into the abyss of the drink in front of him.
The noises of the room behind him does however hold the stallion's attention as he continues to indulge himself in the meaningless conversations that chime in around him.
But, the random bits the young stallion can put together do little to bring any real distraction to the day he has had today.
"What are you doing Arrow?"
The voice from behind the counter in front of him quickly brings Aerolight's eyes up, "What do you mean?"
The tan unicorn stallion floats the white towel to drape around his neck as he speaks up, "I'm not going to go back and forth with you Arrow."
Aerolight just blinks to the stallion as he speaks up, "Alright Taffy."
The stallion takes a step towards Aerolight's seat as he shakes his head, "Alright Aerolight, what's the deal huh? Even Gust has been in a better mood then you." His hoof extends as he points to something in the room behind Aerolight.
The hoof slowly brings Aerolight to turn his head as he looks to the other armored stallion in the room who has seemed to have continued the conversation with the light green coated and lime highlighted maned pegasus mare he started talking to when they first walked in.
Aerolight holds a slight smile to the stallion's nervous looking face, but he only looks over his friend for a moment before he turns back to the stallion across the bar top, "Just been a long day."
Taffy's ear flicks to the comment as he puts his hoof back to the ground, "Long day? You kidding me? I have to be in here and listen to drunken ponies jabber on for hours upon hours until they eventually fall down or are dragged off."
The unicorn quickly snaps his hoof back up as he points to Aerolight, "...And when you don't help drag some of these ponies out of here, I have to hear them longer."
Aerolight just gives a little chuckle as he turns his head towards the drink and helmet in front of him, "Sorry Taffy."
"Sorry?" Taffy blinks to the comment as he wiggles his hoof, "Ya ya, don't hoof me that. I mean really, how hard can being a guard really be, heck you can do it."
Aerolight just holds a little smile to the comment as he shrugs, "Not always."
The comment just rolls Taffy's eyes as he speaks up, "Who knew you would gro-..."
"Hey c-can...Can I get another drink?" The wobbly stallion that stands a little down the bar on Aerolight's right holds a dopey smile as he wiggles the empty glass towards the bartender.
Taffy squints his eyes to the young pony as he speaks up, "Sure, just wait a little more down the bar."
The stallion starts his wobbly start up as Taffy turns his head back to Aerolight, "You know what Aerolight how's about you and Gust start dragging some of these stallions home with you. I mean there's got to be something with you guards, just look at the pretty little flower you get for moving up in the ranks." His hoof wiggles to the helmet sitting on the counter with the dark magenta almost purple flower.
Aerolight however just holds a little smile as he nods to the stallion's mane, "I think those highlights in your mane are starting to mess with you."
Taffy squints his eyes as he raises his hoof a little, "Don't push me Arrow, I still got your balls for that tab last week."
The comment holds Aerolight's smile as he nods, "That reminds me, go ahead and put this drink on my tab, i'm leaving after this."
Taffy just rolls his eyes as he trots a little down the bar's length. To the absent stallion Aerolight turns his attention back to the drink in front of him.
But just as he goes to take a sip a pony on his right slightly bumps into him. The spiky maned stallion does not even notice the gold armored stallion as he continues to talk to the pony on his right, "...Totally dude, I heard a few guards talking about earlier."
"...No way, that's not true."
Aerolight's ear flicks to the stallion's words as he turns a little to listen to the spiked maned pony, "Ya, it's true. Nightmare Moon is back! And everypony is keeping it secret!"
The young stallion's excitable voice sparks Aerolight's hooves as he pulls his helmet close to him as he quickly stands from the chair.
Neither of the two ponies take notice to his movements as Aerolight starts towards the exit of the club. As his trot passes by Gust he gives a little nod, which goes unnoticed to the pegasus's locked eyed gaze to the mare in front of him. This little fact brings a slight smirk to Aerolight as he moves the helmet to loosely sit to his head.
His pace quickly brings him out of the music booming club as he takes his first step back into the dark night world.
Despite it being much later in the night the line outside of the building seems to have stayed the same, and as the young stallion trots pass the red velvet rope line he can not help but smile to all the still waiting ponies.
- - -
(A little later)
The large white moon hangs high in the sky, despite its keeper being locked in the Canterlot dungeon; or wherever Celestia has moved her since this morning when ever guard was put on high alert.
A low nightly chill runs down most of Canterlot's side streets with the same gust as the main street, thanks to the tall building's draft. Of course though the heavier gold armor that sits to Aerolight's body wards off any unwanted cool air.
However, the world around the young ponies has started to turn the outer part of the armor into an almost ice cube like shelling, that his legs unfortunately have to make contact with.
Luckily, the stallion's journey through the city has started to near its end, as his eyes turn the simple two story normal white stone made house on his left. The torch street light flickers that stands in front of the house flickers a little to light the majority of the house's front door.
Aerolight's young legs quickly bring him to the door as he dips a hoof to the hidden pocket for his key. Within moments he brings the house key to the door as he starts inside of the dark house.
But just as the stallion closes the door and sparks his horn up to turn on the house's lights his eyes lock to something in the room before him.
"Hello Aerolight."
The well spoken southern accent lofts towards the stallion's ears, but he remains unmoved as he just continues to stare.
To the stallion's eyes the freckle nosed brilliant yellow mare with her two blue shaded mane speaks up again, "I see that you have finally taken your career seriously." The mare holds her green eyes to the gold armor as she squints to the flower on the helmet, "And what is this?"
Her gaze holds as she takes a hoof forward, "Did you cross breed a Lupine?" The mare flashes a happy smile as she continues to take a hoof forward, "I know that you are an earth pony, but I had not thought you had a green hoof." As her words come down her hoof comes to raise towards the stallion's helmet.
However, her hoof is stopped as a yellow magic wraps to her hoof to hold the mare in one spot, "What are you doing here..."
The stallion's hard stare and deep voice drops the mare's smile as she moves her head a little closer to Aerolight's, "You seem stressed Aerolight...When was the last time you had any fun?"
The comment brings no change to the stallion's face as he brings his deeper voice out again, "What are you doing here Milky?"
Milky's ear flicks to the name as she smiles, "So you have not forgotten me?"
Aerolight's magic drops to the mare's hoof as she quickly put it back to the ground to help her balance, "What are you doing here?"
The mare just holds a low smile to the stallion's face as she looks over the stallion's pink eyes, "Tell me why I'm here." Her low well spoken southern voice rings the stallion's ear as Aerolight just stares silently to the mare for the moment.
To the stallion's silence Milky brings herself a little closer as she stares deeper into the stallion's eyes, "I'm waiting Aerolight."
The young stallion turns his head as he speaks up, "I don't know."
Milky just holds her smile as she inches her head closer, "Tell me Aerolight, how many ponies have you been with since we last saw each other?"
Aerolight's stare falters a little as the mare's voice and eyes slowly start to work over him, but he gives no response as he just stares to her.
"Do not lie Aerolight...You never know who you were really with." Milky's eyes flicker to her words as she holds her little smile.
The mare's smile slowly coxes a response as Aerolight swallows, "Three..."
Milky slowly runs her hoof to the stallion's armored chest as her voice turns into a whisper, "I must say Aerolight...I am surprised at how low a number."
Despite the fact her hoof has no effect on the stallion's body Aerolight finds his own head starting to drift a little more towards the mare in front of him, "And will I be surprised about you?"
Milky moves her hoof from the stallion's chest as she takes her head a little back from his, "I think there are other things that would surprise you then just something as trivial as that."
Aerolight continues to drift his head a little closer as he sparks up the flashy smile that has laid dormant to his face for far too long, "Then show me something surprising Milky..."
The stallion's approaching head cringes the mare's back for a moment. But as the impending kiss finally makes contact the tensed up muscles of her neck loosen for the moment, and she soon finds herself giving into her own feelings. The light sparks of magic that rings from the stallion's lips shines even to the well lit room as the two ponies continue to indulge themselves on the other's unique taste and sensation.
Chapter 4 – A galloping heart and fluttering wings
The room's air hangs heavy with the same musky scent that clings a little too the two ponies since their previous activities. The covers of the bed sit in disarray and the gold armor that was so carelessly tossed to the floor of the room now shines from the white light of the moon that sits outside.
However, despite the lacking blankets the two ponies continue to lay comfortable against the other. But, unlike their first encounter the mare has fallen into a peaceful sleep from what the young stallion can see.
Her lightly freckled nose and head are buried a little to the stallion's chest, which allows Aerolight's position the perfect view of the mare.
Strangely though, the mare's sleep chases away none of the thoughts that have started to swell in the young stallion's mind since he found himself in this situation again.
Milky slowly starts to stir as she nuzzles her head into the stallion a little more. But the mare does not settle as she slowly starts to open an eye to the pony she lays up against.
Aerolight's eyes shift from the mare's stare as he brings his low voice up, "Sorry to wake you..."
A little laugh comes up from the mare as she closes her eyes, "Not really easy to sleep with somepony staring at you all night." The mare slowly brings her eyes open a little more as she turns her head to get a better look of the stallion's face, "Are you not tired Mr.Guard Pony?"
Her playful well spoken southern tone rolls through the room like a breeze through tall spring hay as she gently brushes her hoof to the stallion's chest.
However, Aerolight's demeanor stays the same as he brings his low voice out again, "Why did you come here tonight Milky?"
The mare's little smile fades for the moment as she just looks over the stallion.
Her silence brings Aerolight voice up again as he holds his soft pink eyes to her emerald gaze, "Why did you really?"
Milky takes her hoof from the stallion's chest as she closes her eyes and adjust her head too the pillow with a little giggle, "Perhaps you should just rest your mind Aerolight you must be-..."
"Milky...Please."
The stallion's voice slowly brings Milky's eyes open, but she does not dare turn her eyes towards his as she just listens to his voice.
"...When you left that night I couldn't get you out of my head, and-and when I finally get you out of my head you show up here tonight." Aerolight swallows as he runs his hoof to the mare's side, "And now i'm afraid to close my eyes because I keep thinking I'm just going to wake up and find you gone again."
Aerolight lowers his head to the mare's left ear as he continues, "So please Milky...Tell me why you're here. Because I can't close my eyes not knowing if this was something more than just one night."
Milky holds a straight face as she continues to stare to the stallion's chest, "I can't tell you Aerolight."
The words bring the stallion's voice up a little as he takes his hoof from her side, "Why? Why can't you tell me Milky?"
To the slightly louder voice Milky turns her head a little as she looks to the stallion's distressed face, "I-if you can't tell me at least tell me what this is? B-because I don't want to guess like last time."
Milky holds her low smile to the stallion's face as she brings her head from the pillow a litte more, "Aerolight, you know that answer. And you know why it is the answer."
Aerolight's eyes turns from the mare's face as he slowly brings his voice out, "T-then at least let me know you...Not just somepony you pretend to be."
The smile to the mare's face slowly fades away as she shifts a little back from the stallion, "N-no."
Her slight stutter brings Aerolight up a little more as he sits up right, "Why? I-I've already excepted what it means Milky..." A slight laugh comes from Aerolight as he shakes his head a little, "I'm in bed with you Milky, and I know what you are!....J-just tell me who you are."
"Aerolight..." The stallion's pink eyes turn Milky's gaze as she sinks a little more to the pillow, "...go to sleep."
The nonchalant words bring Aerolight's voice up a little more as he turns more towards the mare, "I'm not going to just wake up tomorrow and guess what happened to you Milky, I-..."
Ffffhhhhhiiizzzzz
Aerolight's head falls back to the pillow with his eyes closed and his mouth open as the green small quick bolt of magic smashes into him.
Milky looks over the little particles of magic that fall back to the bed as she sighs, "You should have just went to sleep Aerolight...It would have been much easier."
As the words loft into the now silent room Milky slowly adjust her head back on the pillow beside the forced asleep stallion, however as she looks him over she moves a little closer to him.
- - - (Across Equestria)
The gust torrent of rain screams into the crystal house and onto the nice red carpet in front of the door as the light orange coated and wet dark blue and orange maned pegasus quickly comes inside. The door closes a little louder then Sparky would have wanted, but its slam is covered by the thunder of the rain outside.
A light sigh comes from the drenched stallion as he turns his attention to the key rack on his right, the key ring in his hoof finds its place quick as the stallion trots a little more into the dim house. The dark world outside makes the house seem a lot darker then it is, but truthfully the kitchen lights do not really illuminate the whole downstairs living room.
Sparky shakes his head a little to dry his mane as he starts to flex his wings from the heavier water soaked satchel around him as he starts to look around the room. However, he holds his voice down as he takes notice to the ponyless area.
The stallion squints to the room as he trots a little towards the kitchen table, but he only needs to take a few hooves towards it before his eyes catch the folded up piece of paper that reads, dinner's in the oven.
Sparky turns his eyes a little to the oven for the moment before he brings his trot back towards the stairs a little further behind him.
His hooves are quite up the stairs as he holds his head down a little for some extra kind of silence, but as he reaches the top of the stairs he takes notice to the brightly lit cracked door at the end of the hall.
This brings a little smile to the stallion as he sparks his trot up a little quicker, within moments he has come to the door as he opens it slowly just in case the mare is a sleep.
But, as the door opens the light purple mare sitting in the middle of the bed surrounded by a few stacks of paper looks up.
As the wet maned stallion comes in a slight smile comes up to his face at the sight of the mare, "Hey Violet, thought you would be asleep?"
Violet shakes her head as she brings her hooves up.
As of lately the mare's puffed outsides have started to prove a little bit more of a challenge then the younger mare would have thought; and as a result leaving the house has proved to much of a problem. Half because of the mare's own over protection complex and half because it is just to hard to balance when communicating.
But, the mare has no problem when she is sitting down, and judging by her speed and length it would be a good guess no pony stopped by today. Sparky holds his smile as he speaks up, "Ya the first event went well." He nods towards the rain hitting the window in the room as he continues, "They held the rain until after the show."
Sparky turns back to the mare with a little smile as he trails on, "Some ponies were a little disappointed that the Wonder Bolt's halftime show was just somepony cloud shaping...But." His wings flare out a little as he continues, "...It wasn't anything I couldn't make interesting."
As his words come down a few orange sparks of magic zap to his wings.
Violet just cocks a little smile to the stallion's showing off, but she holds her comments back as the stallion quickly speaks up, "You really should come next time Violet, the seats of the stadium are still brand new and I can make sure they're comfortable."
The words flick the mare's ears as she nods her eyes towards her puffed out mid section.
Sparky takes a few more steps towards the bed as he shakes his head, "Violet I have seen other pregnant mares at the show."
Violet shakes her head as she takes on a know it all persona and brings her hooves with a quick comment.
Sparky just rolls his eyes as he speaks up, "Oh ya? And how do you know more then me?"
The comment brings a quick smile to the light purple mare as she holds her hoof towards something near the door. Sparky turns his gaze to the hoof's point as he quickly notices the stack of books, "What's all this?"
Violet's blue magic comes over the first book as it stands up to show its name off.
Sparky look over the title as he speaks up, "Foal carrying 101?" A slight laugh comes from the stallion as he turns back to the mare, "I think you have to much time on your hooves."
Violet's slight smile is brought to an end as she sparks her horn up to collect the scattered papers around her into one stack.
As the stack comes together it floats over towards the pegasus, "This what Cadence wanted you to do?"
The mare nods as she starts to stretch her hooves a little, all the while still collecting the pens and scraps of paper from the bed as she floats them towards the side table behind her.
Sparky squints to the stack in his hoof as he speaks up, "But wasn't this going to take you a week?"
Violet happily nods as she moves a little more to one side of the bed in a more comfortable position.
The stallion just blinks to her nod as he moves the paper to the dresser, "After I bring this to her tomorrow you are getting out of this house."
The comment flicks the mare's ear as she cocks her head to the stallion as she brings her hooves up.
Sparky blinks to the mare as he rubs his hoof to his neck, "Oh ya I forgot we were going to Ponyville tomorrow."
Violet rolls her eyes as she sparks her hooves up again.
But Sparky just waves to the comment as he laughs, "Of course I had the letter sent. I even got the tickets for late tomorrow afternoon." He taps his hoof to the wet bag as he smiles.
Violet holds her eyes to the stallion with a doubtful gaze as she just looks him over. The gaze does little to the stallion as he speaks up, "Ooohhh, the stare." He holds a little smile as he speaks up, "You're going to be a scary mother."
The comment flicks the mare's ear as a slight wheezing laugh comes from Violet.
The laugh only grows the stallion's smile as he brings a hoof to his chest, "That just means I'm going to be the fun one."
His words stop the mare's laugh as she now cocks an eyebrow to him.
Again her stare does little as Sparky moves a little more towards the bed, "Did that make you mad?"
Violet squints to the comment as she shakes her head, but her horn sparks up as a book floats up from the side table next to the bed.
Sparky moves his hoof to the book as he looks over the title, "Daddying for derpys?"
Violet holds a little smile as she hooves out a little comment.
Her words bring Sparky closer as he speaks up, "Oh small words huh? I need small words?"
The stallion's tone brings a little wheezing laugh from the mare as she happily nods her head.
Sparky just holds a smile as he steals a quick kiss before tossing the book back to the end table, "I'm a big colt, I can read anything." His trot comes back towards the dresser in the room as he continues, "I'm going to get something to eat, and then I can read a little in these all knowing books of yours."
To the stallion's turned head Violet sparks her magic up to his mane, Sparky instantly turns back to the mare as he awaits the mare's hooves that always follow this little trick of Violet's.
However, Sparky blinks to the mare's request as he speaks up, "You want a milkshake and hay fries?"
The mare bites her lip as she slowly nods and brings her hooves up again.
"Small?"
The words quickly brings the mare's head back into a nod motion as she smiles.
Sparky gives a little smile as he turns his attention to the rain still pelting against the window, "Y-ya...I can get something in a little."
Violet gives a little smile as she turns her attention back to one of the other books at the end table behind her.
To the mare's turned eyes Sparky adjust the uncomfortable wet satchel around him as he tries to plan out for the mare's late night request.
The morning sun hangs unusually high in the sky today, which would make you think that Twilight perhaps slept in a little later. But, seeing as how that is unlucky the next best thing is that the sun was just raised faster today.
This totally plausible fact tumbles in your head for a few moments, which is a decent break from the normal thoughts you have had since Rainbow came back to the house yesterday with everypony else. Truthfully when you first heard the idea of Luna being some bad pony you just shrugged it off, especially seeing as how Celestia's letter said that she still had Luna...But after hearing Twilight and her friends talk for the better part of the day you realized that the slightly socially awkward princess of the night whom you and Twilight had baby sit Violet a few times may have not been the nice and kind pony you took her for.
Still though, you have a weird feeling in the back of your mind about the whole situation.
You slowly start to drift from your thoughts as you turn your attention to the lavender mare beside you, "Hey Twilight, how come Celestia only got us tickets but not anypony else?"
The mare's locked stare to the castle's outer walls that continue to get closer and closer is broke for the moment as she turns her head to speak up, "The elements of harmony are no longer bound to me and my friends...Celestia most likely wants us because we were the last two ponies to have contact with them."
She nods her head to the satchel she has on around her as she continues, "...I just hope that all of my old reports on the magic of friendship will help with connecting the elements back to harmony."
You blink to the comment as you look over the bag, "What happens if they can't?"
Your words hold the mare’s attention as she shakes her head, “I don’t want to think about that right now.” Twilight slowly starts to turn her head back to the path in front of her as she continues, “It took over a thousand years for somepony to find the elements of harmony, and it was just by luck that me and my friends were able to connect to them.”
Twilight’s tone makes the words stick a little to your mind as you shake your head, “I don’t even think I believe in that kind of luck anymore.”
The strange confidence you have holds as Twilight turns her head back to you as you trail on, “You’ll get that crown back to whatever it needs to be.”
A slight smile comes up too Twilight’s face as she cocks her head, “I thought you were the negative one?”
You cock your own smile too the comment as you turn your head back to the castle that now lays only a few hooves from you.
However, your trot is brought to an end as an armored pegasus mare trots forward from the gate, “Halt, who goes there?”
Twilight takes a step forward as she speaks up, “Twilight Sparkle.”
The guard mare blinks to the name as she takes a step back from the middle of the drawbridge, “O-oh sorry Mrs.Sparkle, Celestia has been expecting you.”
Twilight nods her head to the comment as she starts forward, “Thank you.” You follow after her as you swing your head around the few guard ponies that seem to be going about their normal routines.
As the trot through the castle courtyard starts to come a little more towards the center you trot a little more next to the mare as you speak up, “Do you think Aerolight knows about everything?”
Your words slow the mare’s trot a little as she nods, “Of course, maybe we can stop by after this and see what he knows about Princess Luna.”
You nod to the comment as you move a little ahead of the mare and up the short staircase to open the door for the mare.
The normally expected gesture goes for the most part unnoticed by the mare as you trot in behind her.
The inside of the castle is definitely something you have become familiar with over the years, however that does not mean all of your old feelings are put to rest. Which really is no surprise, especially seeing as how nine out of ten castles you get summoned to always end up with some kind of problem.
But as you look around to the various guards, maid and random ponies that just trot around the halls you walk down you begin to allow your mind to rest.
You and Twilight's trot through the castle's hallways comes to its end as you both now stare to the closed doors of the throne room.
Twilight moves ahead of you as she sparks her horn to one of the doors and begins to move inside with a slight smile, "Princess."
The word brings your legs up a little faster as you move inside to stand next to the mare, all the while as you hold your eyes to the sight in front of you.
The stained glass windows light the room up with a colorful and cheerful lighting that even shines to the large throne towards the back of the room where the white mare sits. However, for the moment your eyes turn to the familiar crystal mare that stands a little next to the throne with a few pieces of papers floating to her magic.
However, as you stare to the two ponies you start to realize the one thing they have in common, they both look to be tired or stressed.
"Hello Twilight." Celestia's calm voice rolls from her seated position as she turns her head to the crystal pony next to her, "Starlight could you give us a moment please?"
The mare nods to the comment as she floats her papers from Celestia and begins to trot towards the throne room's door. But she gives a little pause to her trot as she gives you and Twilight a little nod hello, which you both return.
Her nod however does not hinder her pace as she moves out of the room and closes the doors behind her.
Just as the doors close Celestia's voice comes up, "Thank you for coming so fast Twilight."
Before the mare can really finish her sentence Twilight speaks up as she takes a little step forward, "What happened Princess, has Luna really turned?"
Celestia seems to hesitate for the moment as she speaks up, "Yes, and this is why I need your help." She does not move from the throne as her calm voice continues to ring out, "I have been able to break Discord's spell over the crown, but I fear my magic may not be enough to fully revert the crown back to its original state."
Twilight proudly holds her head up as she taps her hoof to the satchel around her, "Not to worry Princess, me and my friends were able to find our old friendship reports, with them we should be able to reconnect with the elements."
The words do not alter Celestia's expression a she just speaks up again, "I'm sorry Twilight but I have reason to believe the crown will only be reactivated with something of equal power."
Your ear flicks to the comment as you start to think a little, what could be as strong as the elements of harmony? You hold the thought as you try to remember everything you know about magic and how it affects literally everything. However, this thought only brings the idea that Celestia is about to ask you to find some element tree or something like that.
"...I need you to bring the Crystal Heart to the castle."
Celestia's words bring you back to reality as you now listen to Twilight's question, "The crystal heart?"
"Yes." Celestia nods her head as she continues, "The Crystal Heart is the only other easily obtained power source of harmony."
Twilight blinks to the comment as she cocks her head, "Princess are you sure it's safe to take the Crystal Heart from the city?"
The words quickly bring a response from Celestia as she speaks up, "I have been looking into magic and its effects on the ponies around it, and I believe that as long as we use the heart quickly and return it there will be no problem."
You slowly bring your voice out as you speak up, "What could happen to the Crystal Empire?"
Your words turn Celestia's head as she stares to you for a moment, but her silent stare is brought to an end as she nods, "The Crystal Empire would just feel a little different, but nothing of true concern."
Twilight now brings her voice up as she holds her voice to a respectful low, "Princess what if we were to take the crown to the empire instead?"
"No." Celestia shakes her head as she continues, "We can not risk somepony taking the crown, even in it's current state it could be used for the wrong reasons. At least with the Heart it is active, and will not allow itself to be used for anything other than its purpose."
Twilight slowly nods her head to the comment as she speaks up, "Yes Princess."
"Thank you Twilight, I know I knew I could trust you." Celestia holds a little smile as she bows her head a little, "Do make sure you send a letter when you have removed the Heart."
"Yes Princess."
As Twilight's words come down the lavender mare turns back to you as she begins to trot towards the doors, you follow her turned trot as you follow her out into the hallway.
However just as you close the doors behind you the crystal mare waiting outside comes towards you and Twilight with a little smile, "Well that was faster than I had expected..." The mare lowers her head a little as she continues a bit sheepish, "I trust the Princess has not asked something to hard."
You look over the mare's expression a little surprised. Sure it must be a bit disheartening for Celestia's newest errand pony to be passed up on one of Princess Do-nothing's little tasks, but it is not like these are the kind of things everypony should beg for.
Before you can bring your voice up Twilight speaks up, "Yes, but at least this way we can stop by and see Aerolight."
Starlight gives a little smile to the comment as she brings her voice out, "Do tell him I say hello, I we were going to catch up but...Not after yesterday."
Twilight cocks her head to the comment as she speak up, "Where you here yesterday?"
"Oh yes." Starlight's ears flop down a little as she continues, "I was the first pony to find Celestia and Luna after she must have changed....When I saw them Luna had taken the element of harmony crown." She shakes her head a little as she squints to the ground, "I just do not understand why the crown's magic would have lasted so long in Luna, especially if that was the only thing holding back Nightmare Moon?"
Twilight nods to the comment as she stays silent for the moment.
However, her silence brings the crystal mare's voice up as she brings her head back to a normal position, "Well I should get back to Princess Celestia, I have not yet finished showing her my report."
Twilight's expression changes a little to the comment as she nods, "Of course." You and her both take a step aside as the mare returns to the throne room.
To the absent hallway you and Twilight bring your trots up as you set out to the train you inevitably have to get back on.
- - - (A few moments later)
The trot back through the castle only takes a few moments, however as you exit through the castle doors Twilight breaks her thinking silence, "We still have a little until we have to get to the next train, we should stop by and see-..."
"Twilight!"
A deep stallion's voice turns yours and Twilight's heads as you both turn to a decorative armored blue unicorn stallion trotting from a small group of guards in the courtyard.
Twilight sparks a smile to her face at the pony's sight as she speaks up, "StoneGem."
You look over the stallion with your own smile, but it starts to fade as you look over his up all night eyes.
Despite his expression he holds a cheerful tone as he stops his trot a little in front of you both, "I had figured Celestia would summon you two here." A slight sigh comes from the stallion as he nods, "At least I can rest a little easier tonight."
Twilight nods a little to the comment as she speaks up, "The Princess already knows how to help Luna..." Her ear flicks to her own words as she lowers her head a little, "How is she?"
StoneGem gives another little sigh as he speaks up, "She has refused to talk to anypony...I would take you to her, but Celestia has made it clear to everypony that no one is to see her with her presence."
Twilight cocks her head to the comment, but she holds her tongue as she speaks up with a different question, "Where is Aerolight today? We want to see him before we get going."
A slight chuckle comes up from StoneGem as he speaks up, "Aerolight asked to do the night shift tonight...It's a little unusual for him but I would guess it was because of the mare he had with him. Of course with the situation I still told him to stay alert and-..."
"What mare?" Twilight's voice comes up a little over StoneGem's as she awaits an answer.
StoneGem shrugs as he speaks up, "I'm not sure, some pegasus."
The words just bring Twilight's voice up a little more as she shakes her head, "Well what did she look like?"
StoneGem just blinks to the comment as he shrugs, "Sorry Twilight it's been a little hectic the last two days, I can't really keep track of Aerolight, and seeing as how he's matured over the last few months I don't need to." He turns his head back to the small group of ponies still in the courtyard as he speak up, "Sorry Twilight, but I need to get everypony on the same page today."
You nod to the stallion as you say good bye and begin to push the mare along, "Come on Twilight maybe Aerolight is busy."
Your words bring the mare's voice up as she blows a little to the comment, "Pfff, we can stop by for a moment, i'm sure he won't mind."
A slight smirk comes to your face as you nod your head, note to self, God Princess of the night may have turned evil and want to take over the world, son still more important... The thought holds a slight smile to your face as you turn an eye to the fast paced mare beside you, at least I corrupted her in a good way.
The trot through the awaking city proved a little more today than you or Twilight would have thought, especially in the residential area. But, as the simple two story house comes within a few hooves Twilight's voice comes up, "We'll just say hello and get going."
You just give a simple nod to the comment as you continue to let the mare's excuse for wanting to see this mare Aerolight took the day off for slide.
As you near the front door of the house Twilight trots forward as she knocks her hoof to the door.
However after a few moments no pony comes to the door.
Twilight again brings her hoof to the door, this time as she calls out a little, "Aerolight, it's your parents are you home?"
You wiggle your hoof to the mare as you speak up, "Maybe he's not home?"
Your words slowly bring the mare's hoof from the door as she waits for the moment, "...Oh, I hope he's okay."
A slight chuckle comes from you as you shake your head, "I'm sure he's fine...Now, shouldn't we be heading back to the train station?"
Twilight slowly turns her eyes from the door as she nods, "Yes, the next train should be here within the hour, at least we can be early for it."
You nod to the comment as you speak up, "Good, somepony has to do Princess Do-nothing's bidding."
Twilight gives an annoyed sigh as she turns to you, "Celestia has done a lot for everypony, and a lot for us. I can't even imagine how hard it is for her to face this problem again."
The mare's strong tone brings a nod from you as you stretch your legs out a little, "Then let's not try and bother Aerolight with it."
As your words come down the mare brings her trot up and back towards the street you only just came from.
- - - (Across Equestria)
The young stallion's eyes continue to shut for the moment as his head rocks to the sway of the moving surface he rides on. However, as his thoughtless mind and closed eyes are finally shot open as his head bangs against something.
Aerolight quickly jumps a little to the upright position he sits in as he frantically looks around to try and place himself.
But before he can a little giggle flicks his ear and he now snaps his eyes to the pale green pegasus mare with mint and white mane, "How was your sleep?"
Aerolight just blinks to the never before seen young mare as he quivers his mouth for the moment, "Um...I...Uhhh..."
The mare across from him holds a little smile as her girly and giggly voice comes up again, "You know, you look pretty cute when you're clueless...Mr.Guard."
The word flicks Aerolight's ear as he blinks to the mare, "M-Milky?"
A little smirk holds to the mare's face as she speaks up, "Have you been cheating on me?"
Aerolight's mouth again quivers as he tries to think through his confused and slightly dazed mind, all the while as he continues to look around the train car he currently resides in. Judging from the sun outside and the lacking ponies it seems to be early in the morning, however this fact brings no cooling sensation of clarity as the young stallion just struggles to remember even walking to the train, let alone getting on it, "W-what's going on?"
The mare across from him loses her smile a little as she cocks her head, "You don't remember?"
"N-no..." Aerolight's voice raises a little as he looks over the mare, "A-and who are y-...."
Before his words can come to a finish his mouth binds with a little green magic to his lips. The mare across from him just smiles as her green eyes sparkle a little to the early morning light, "You know Aerolight you are a lot easier to deal with when you're asleep."
The magic to his lips slowly comes undone as the pegasus in front of him continues, "...But I was getting lonely."
Aerolight just blinks to the mare as he speaks up in a lower voice, "Where are we going?"
The mare cocks her head as she looks the stallion over, "Don't you remember?" She turns her attention towards the window as she playfully starts to tap her hoof to the glass, all the while as her almost school filly like attitude comes through in her young girly voice, "You took off work today to take me to see something special..."
She cocks her head back to the stallion across from her as she holds a playful little smirk to his confused stare, "...I do hope you intend to make this trip worthwhile."
Aerolight just shakes his head to the comment as he speaks up, "W-what special something?"
The mare holds a smile as she turns her eyes back to the window, "I can't believe you would forget what you told your filly friend...Why if my name wasn't Minty Hooves I might start to think you forgot all about the good sight seeing you promised."
"Minty Hooves?" Aerolight blinks to the name as he slowly drifts his hoof to his head and whispers to himself, "What happened last night?" However, the young stallion does not stare to the floor of the train for long as he turns his head to the window.
The train's speed has held to a steady and quick roar as it continues to barrel through the bright spring fields that sits to the outskirts of the large crystal city that sits a little down the rails. Aerolight just blinks to the sight as the mare across from him turns back to his stare with a little smile.
"Oh Aerolight..."
The young stallion slowly turns his head as he looks over the mare that now leans a little closer to him.
"Do you remember last night?"
Aerolight holds his tongue for the moment as he just looks to the pale green mare in front of him, "Yes."
Minty holds her little smirk as she studies the stallion's face, "And what did you want to know last night?"
The words again stump the stallion for a moment as he continues to search his mind through the confused haze he sits in, "I asked....um....Why you came back?"
"Yes, you did." Minty's smile widens a little as she turns her head to playfully stare to the stallion, "Ask me that question."
Aerolight squints to the mare as he slowly brings his voice out, "W-why did you come back?"
The mare slowly brings her front hooves to the stallion's bottom knees as she stares deep to his eyes, "I can't tell you...And you have to trust me."
Despite the mare's new body and voice there is one thing that has stayed the same, and that is her eyes. The strong, deep colored pupils that stare back to the younger stallion are what his own gaze latches to as he speaks up in a low voice, "A-alright Milky..."
The name brings a slight smirk to the mare's face as she nods, "My name is Minty, and you are going to show me what I have always wanted to see, ever since I was a little filly...The Crystal Heart."
The early morning sun well over most of the crystal buildings as it continues to shine down its warming rays. Despite the fact that it is still a little early the light refracting through the crystal made structures around the city's main street glows with a bright and cheerful coloring.
The colorful lights that sit a little to the simple light blue street however bring no interest to the light purple mare. Instead, her focus has been to the ponies around the street she tries to refrain from getting to close to, for fear of one of them bumping into her a little to hard.
A loud and slightly annoying intake of air comes up from the stallion on her left as Sparky's voice rings out, "We should really move to the outer part of the city."
Violet's ear flicks to the comment as she just squints to the stallion with a, why? Like look.
Sparky notices the mare's stare as he nods to the more spaced out buildings around them, "Well it's a lot more like Ponyville’s main street." He takes another deep breath as he smiles, "And that hard stone like smell is not that bad out here."
The mare just rolls her eyes to the comment as she nods her head back to the road behind them.
It takes a moment for the pegasus to pick up on the gesture, but with a pretty good guess of what she means he speaks up, "It's not really that far from the castle" The stallion turns his eyes back to the castle that still sits a decent way from them."
A slight laugh comes up from the stallion as he turns back to the more open fields of green that sit to the empire's outer area, "Come on, you don't miss Ponyville a little?"
The comment turns the mare's head as she starts to take a look around the fields to either side of her. But she does not agree to the stallion's comment as she just continues to trot along.
Sparky just sighs to the mare's turned eyes as he adjust his wings from the two satchels he has around him, "You'll like Ponyville again when you get back."
As his words come down he turns his attention to the crystal and dark wood train station that starts to get within a short gallop. However, his eyes shift from their set goal as he, like the majority of other ponies around him look to the sky for some reason.
The strange impulse to look up holds Sparky's trot as he just blinks to the clear blue sky. But his stare is brought to an end as the mare that has moved a little in front of him tugs to his mane with her low glowing horn.
Sparky brings his eyes down as he gives a slight chuckle, "I have no idea why I stopped kind of wer-..."
Before the stallion's words can reach their end a loud and unexpected sound of lightning cracking over head cuts his sentence off.
The sound brings Sparky's head up as he looks to a bizarre stream of green, pink and gold light almost like a rainbow. But, instead of the normal defined lines of a rainbow these colors seem to be smeared across the sky, stranger still it seems to be growing.
Sparky blinks to the sight in the sky as he reaches his hoof out towards the mare, "Violet do you se-..."
Sssshhhiiiizzzzzzz
The sound piercing noise brings Sparky's hooves back to his ears as he stumbles back a little, however as he quickly brings his eyes open he stares to a bright blue wall of magic that has formed in front of him.
The pegasus quickly springs forward as he shouts to the mare on the other side, "Violet?! Violet?!"
Sparky's words go unheard to the pregnant mare as she just stares dumbfounded to the wall of magic that has popped up in between them.
But her gaze to the wall is quickly changed as she snaps her head towards the bright sky and swirling colors above her. The three colored lights have now started to spin together, and from the whipping mane on Violet's head there must be some force to it.
Sparky bangs his hoof to the wall in front of him as he screams out, "Violet, can you hear me!? Violet?!"
The mare does not turn her head as she just continues to stare to the bright colors that lay only to the sky behind the wall.
However, the sight of the mare is quickly brought to an end as the wall of magic glows bright with the white similar to that of the sun's, which quickly forces Sparky to turn his eyes.
His heart pounds as he shoots his eyes open and quickly back towards the wall of magic, however as he stares out into the world outside of the wall he is left with a completely different scene.
The bright green fields with spring flowers that roll towards the woods and crystal train station are now bare with bright white fires burning to them. No train tracks are visible and the train station is no where to be seen, but the thing that now has the stallion slamming his body full force towards the wall is the absent mare that no longer stands behind this wall of magic.
"VIOLET!!"
Sparky's voice is weak as he feels himself starting to break down as he continues to stare into the fiery world that lays behind the bubble of magic he is trapped in.
But just as he feels himself starting to lose his mind out of fear the scene in front of him turns dark.
Sparky's mouth quivers to the impossibly black screen that sits outside of the magical wall. The dark world outside quickly changes again as a purpley green wisp of what looks like magic starts to form in front of where Sparky stands.
The form quickly starts to take shape as two green and red eyes open to face directly towards the pegasus.
Sparky just blinks to the sight behind the wall of magic as he speaks up in a low shaky voice, "S-Sombra?"
The figure takes on a ghostly like shape as it gets a little closer, with each inch it comes closer the dark gray coat and outline of the pony gets a little more visible.
And just as it seems that Sombra is about to walk right into the wall of magic the world around Sparky disappears into nothing but a simple black background, to which the stallion pays no mind.
"Hello Sparky..."
The red horn of the stallion slowly starts to form from the shadows around Sombra as his echoey voice continues to ring out, "...I must choose my words carefully, or your mind might kick me out. My friend you must understand this dream if you wish to safe yourself and your mare."
Just as the words ring out Sombra's figure starts to fade and the stallions green eyes look up towards where the sky once sat.
Sparky's heart pounds as he blinks to the fading figure in front of him, "W-what?! TELL me! Tell what you want? Sombra? Sombra..."
- - -
Sparky's whispers slowly bring the sweaty stallion awake as he quickly sits up in the bed. His hooves dart to his tear filled eyes as he desperately tries to remember something from the fading nightmare he was just stirred from.
His slightly frantic motions start to disturb the sleeping mare next to him as Violet clenched her eyes a little tighter all the while trying to pull the blanket that was just moved back over her.
The mare's early morning noises flicks Sparky's ear as he quickly turns to the mare and wraps his hooves around her, "Violet!"
The tight grip the mare has just been locked to quickly flings her eyes open as she tries to push herself from the stallion's hold.
Sparky is a little reluctant to let go but he does as Violet begins to use her magic to pull his mane.
As she frees herself she brings her hooves up as she gives an annoyed and rushed comment.
"I-I just had a horrible nightmare."
The mare blinks to the stallion's sweaty chest and face as he continues, "It-it was us and we were going to the train station and-and then this wall split us and I was trapped in the city! And then everything was on fire! And Sombra...muffpp-..."
Sparky's mouth is warped shut as Violet gives a silent sigh, but her magic is brought to an end as she slowly sets her head back to the pillow.
To the absent magic Sparky brings his voice up a little more as he continues, "I-I don't think we should go to Ponyville today."
Violet cocks her head to the stallion as she gives a silent laugh, her hoof slowly comes to Sparky's mouth as she holds her smile.
Sparky just blinks to the mare's reaction, but before he can bring his voice up Violet starts her hooves up.
Her comment brings a fast response from the stallion as he shakes his head, "W-what? What does me being worried about being a dad have to do with a dream like this?!"
The mare holds her little smile as she continues to just stare up to his serious face from her pillow. Again her hooves come up as she moves just a little close to the stallion.
Sparky just shakes his head to the mare as he sits up a little more, "No, Violet this dream was way too real and-..."
His words are cut off as Violet brings a hoof to his, as she wraps her hoof around his she guides it towards her large belly. Sparky bites his tongue hard not wanting to make the mare mad, especially seeing as how her mood swings could be at any moment. His pause has however started to allow his mind to doubt his own experience as he starts to entertain Violet's reason.
She brings Sparky's hoof to rest over her belly as she turns a little more to her back to bring her hooves up for a quick comment.
Sparky slowly grinds his teeth as he waits for the mare's lengthy words to come to an end, and as they do he slowly brings his voice up, "M-maybe we can send a letter to your mom huh? I mean all I have to do is take one to the library and they can send it to her with magic."
Violet rolls her eyes to the comment as she turns her head towards the still early morning sun that peeks over the city. But, she does bring her head back to the stallion as she sparks up a comment.
Sparky nods to her as he speaks up, "Ya we don't have to be at the station until noon, it only takes a few minutes for me to get to the library, and I can just tell her to send it back to the library."
The mare gives a little nod as she sighs.
"Alright i'll be back in a little." Sparky quickly moves from the bed as his voice rings out, but as he does his back leg gets tangled a little to the bed's covers and he tumbles to the ground.
The unpleasant rush of cooler air brings Violet to push herself up from the coverless bed as she just stares towards where the stallion fell.
Sparky quickly frees himself from the covers as he picks them from the ground and places them back to the bed, "S-sorry Violet."
The mare just rolls her eyes as she starts to move towards the side of the bed.
"You don't have to get up, we still have a few hours before we have to leave." The stallion's words bring the mare's horn up as she shakes her head and starts to float the covers of the bed up and into the air to make the bed.
Sparky holds his head down a little as he trots towards the door, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Violet just nods her head as she glares a little to the bed she was brought from.
The mare's stare goes unnoticed as Sparky makes quick words of the short staircase towards the stairs. Violet's spell begins to come to its end as she turns her attention to the hall, and then more importantly to the bathroom.
Sparky's trot down the stairs is quick as he turns his attention to the kitchen table, his wings flair out a little as he starts to think out loud, "Okay Sparky it was just a dream...But lets send a letter just to make sure there's no random colors in the sky in Ponyville."
His words pause his trot as he stands in the kitchen, "Oh man...I hope i'm not getting all those dreams Mr.Sparkle talked about." Sparky shakes the thought out of his head as he speaks up, "Paper...paper...paper-Ah!" The pegasus quickly takes himself from the ground as he grabs a sheet of paper and then turns back to the table to write something down with the pen Violet used to write the note she left out yesterday, which still sits to the table.
The pegasus's hoof writing has never been as good as Violet, and truthfully the majority of letters sent out are written by her, but despite this fact Sparky continues to try to bring his racing mind to words.
The sound of heavier hooves to the stairs start to clap to the house as the light purple mare just blinks to the stallion that hovers next to the kitchen table as he struggles to finish the letter he wanted to write.
Violet squints to the stallion's almost rushed hoof movements as she gets a little closer, but she only watches out of the corner of her eye as she trots past the stallion and instead more into the kitchen.
"There done." Sparky's hoover moves more towards the living room as he turns to the mare, "Alright I'll be back in a few minutes alright?"
Violet just nods her head as she continues to stare into the fridge to allow her mind to pinpoint which unbearable craving she has this morning.
Sparky moves to the door as he scoops up the satchel from the spot underneath the key rack. But just as he stuffs the letter into his bag the door on his left rings out with the sound of somepony knocking.
The sound actually catches Sparky off guard for the moment as he turns to open it.
However as he looks over the dark cream coated stallion at the door his voice comes up with a friendly and slightly confused tone, "Hey Aerolight?"
Sparky's eyes slowly drift to the pale green mare next to the young stallion, but as no name comes to mind he turns back to Aerolight.
Aerolight gives a little smile as he speaks up, "Hey Sparky, is Violet home? We were hoping she could show us around the crystal castle-..."
Before his words can come to an end the mare on his right leans into him as a girly like squall of glee runs from her, "Like OH my Celestia, I totally did not believe you were like related to Thee Violet Sparkles."
The mare's voice may be a little high pitched, but her realistic excitement brings a slight smile to Sparky's face as the mare pokes her head a little more towards him with a playful whisper, "I totally didn't believe him when he said our date was seeing the Crystal Empire!" Sparky gives a friendly little chuckle as he speaks up, "Ya... Um-."
The pegasus's slight stutter is saved as the light purple mare comes next to him in the doorway.
Aerolight's eyes widen to the mare's puffed outsides as he takes a step into the house, "Hey Violet." The mare next to Aerolight losses her smile for the moment as she looks over the other mare in front of her.
Despite Violet's weight she is able to bring her right front leg up as she gives the young stallion a little hug.
Sparky moves aside as he allows Aerolight and the mare to come inside.
The flashy smile to Aerolight's face brings his voice up a little more to his normal tone as he turns to the pegasus in the room, "I knew you got my sister pregnant but I didn't think you would be having twins."
Sparky's eyes widen to the comment as he quickly and nervously shakes his head, "N-no we're not having twins."
Aerolight playfully turns his attention back to the mare as he holds his smile, "Maybe you should lay off the cupcakes huh?"
The comment rolls Violet's eyes as she forces herself to keep her hooves on the ground instead of trying to risk a comment. Sparky however does speak up for her as he tosses a comment to the young stallion, "Well maybe somepony would know more about his sister if he came out of the shadows more than once a year."
Minty just stands silent in the room as she watches the two stallions going back and forth with a slight smirk to her face.
"Pff..." Aerolight just rolls his hoof to Sparky as he speaks up, "No normal pony gets this big after five months." His flashy smile holds as he turns back to the mare, "But then again when have we been normal?"
The comment brings a slight wheezing laugh to Violet as she turns her attention back to the kitchen table to sit down.
Minty however brings her voice up as she holds her girly tone, "You know I hear some unicorns can have an early pregnancy like nine months or something."
Sparky's ear flicks to the mare's voice as he shakes his head, "No, we've been careful with everything."
A slight smile comes to Minty's face as she nods, "Of course..."
As her words end she turns her attention to the stallion next to her as she bumps Aerolight a little, "So are we going to the castle?"
Aerolight is silent for a moment as he shifts his head between the two ponies in the room, "Oh this is Minty Hooves everypony." A slight chuckle comes up from the stallion as he continues, "And we were wondering if one of you could give us a tour of the castle."
Minty quickly takes over as her excited voice comes out, "Yes of course, I have always wanted to see the castle." She brings her hoof up to her mouth as she continues, "...C-could we see the Crystal Heart as well?"
Violet's ear flicks to the mare's comment as she turns her gaze to Sparky for the moment.
The light orange pegasus pauses for a moment as he tries to speak up, "Uh...Well Aerolight we were actually planning on going to Ponyville to see everypony today, after I send a letter."
"OH, do you mean like your parents?" Minty taps Aerolight as she continues, "Didn't that StoneGem tell you your mom and dad where getting summoned by Celestia?"
Aerolight just blinks to the mare's words as he speaks up, "O-oh ya."
Minty playfully taps Aerolight again as she looks to Sparky and Violet, "He took me along when he took today off for our little trip, isn't that right Aerolight?"
The stallion just nods to the comment as he tries to give a little smile to Sparky and Violet's stares.
"Wait? So your mom and dad are not in Ponyville?" Sparky holds his ears up to the next words as he impatiently waits for Aerolight to continue.
With a nod the young stallion brings his voice up, "Ya, Celestia wanted them." His voice slowly comes down as he continues, "Yesterday Luna attacked Celestia, and it may be because of the elements of harmony."
Sparky and Violet's eyes go wide as the stallion speaks up for their confusion, "Whoa whoa what do you mean?!"
Despite the news Minty's expression holds no surprise, but her reaction is not what everypony focuses on as Aerolight slowly rubs his neck with his hoof, "Well we're not supposed to say anything right now...But I figure Cadence or Shining will tell you."
"W-well we just got up and I haven't gone to check the mail yet." A slight smile comes to Sparky's face as he lowers his head.
His comment however flick's Violet’s ear as she quickly brings her hooves up to him.
Sparky shakes his head as she speaks up, "N-no I said I sent the letter yesterday...But I came straight home after work because it was raining."
Violet just rolls her eyes as she pulls out a few chairs from the table as she motions Aerolight to sit down.
However he stalls for the moment as he slightly shifts his eyes to the mare.
Sparky notices his shifting eyes as he speaks up, "Well our tickets are royal tickets...So we can go any day." He turns his head to Violet as he repeats his comment from earlier, "I don't think we should go to Ponyville today."
Violet nods to the comment as Sparky continues, "Tell us what happened."
Minty turns her eyes to the clock in the room for the moment as she trots towards the table, Aerolight quickly follows after her.
The cooling tea that sits on the table stands as testament to the lengthy and unexpected amount of time Minty has stayed in the house for the three ponies to catch up. However, aside from monitoring how much time that has passed with every quick glance towards the clock she has fared well for the situation; even giving into the conversation when needed.
But, as Sparky starts to stand from the table Minty's ears shoot up, "Alright, well we really should get to the castle, I'm sure Cadence will have something for you Violet."
To the stallion's words the mare starts to stand but before she can really bring herself up the stallion's voice rings out again, "No no, Violet you can stay here ." His wings flair out a little as he speaks up, "I can bring anything back."
Violet just gives a little smile to the comment as she shakes her head.
Aerolight looks over the large mare for a moment but he holds his voice back not really knowing who's side to take. So he instead just stands as he turns his attention to the pale green mare beside him.
Minty however does not even notice his stare as she continues to wait for the first pony to start towards the door.
"Alright Violet..." Sparky pulls his satchel from where it drapes on the chair as he speaks up, "Then lets get going, the streets get crowded around noon."
The light purple mare sparks her horn up to the cup and tea kettle as they float to the sink for later. Sparky now moves towards the door with Minty and Aerolight following after him, as the front door comes open everypony starts to file out into the late morning sun.
As the door closes Violet begins to take the lead and pace towards the tall crystal structure that is clearly visible in the center of the city.
- - - (A little later)
The short trot through the city has fared well with the only pauses brought on by Violet's slightly slowed speed. But even this has been no problem thanks to how close the house really is to the castle.
Within moments the large overhang of the standing castle comes over head.
Aerolight turns his head from the tall light blue crystal as he starts to look around to the few crystal guard ponies, however a slight smile comes to his face as he realizes how happy or laid back they all look. In fact most do not even really turn their heads to the four ponies that continue to near the steps towards the castle's open doors.
Sure being with Cadence's right hoof mare and heir to the throne should be something that does not really need to be looked into, but the young stallion still holds his smile with the knowledge these ponies are allowing a changeling into the castle without even knowing.
The thought slowly starts to drain the smile from his face as he finds himself slowly drifting his head to the pale green pegasus that has stayed to his side for the duration of the trip.
His stare does not alter the mare's locked gaze as she starts up the stairs and towards the castle.
Aerolight however halts his trot for a moment as he watches the mare trot even past Violet and Sparky on the stairs. But, his pause is short lived as he tries to clear his mind with the trot up the stairs he now begins.
Sparky turns his head from Violet for a moment as he holds a low whisper to the young stallion, "Hey Aerolight."
The words bring Aerolight's trot to a stop as he looks to the pegasus. Sparky nods towards the door that Violet just now trots into as he speaks up, "I know you're trying to impress that mare and everything, but maybe next time you should not promise a tour of the Crystal Empire huh?"
Aerolight cocks a slight smile to his face as he nods, "I don't tell just anypony who my family is."
Sparky gives a little nod as he starts to trot towards the door, the young stallion follows after him.
Just as they come into the castle a stallion's voice comes up, "Oh, Mr. And Mrs.Wave...Hello."
The older and well dressed crystal pony brings a smile to Sparky's face as he moves next to Violet, "Hello Nimby, is Cadence and Shining here?"
The crystal stallion shifts his eyes to the two other ponies in front of him as he slowly continues, "Yes, they are in the throne room...Should I inform them of your arrival?"
Violet nods to the comment as the crystal stallion turns around, "Follow me please."
As the group starts to follow after the pony Aerolight starts to turn his head around the castle's hallway. Castle are not something foreign to the stallion, especially seeing as how he has to go in one just about every week for his schedule, but the slight glow of the crystal's walls give off a completely different feel than the old stone of Canterlot.
"Just one moment."
Aerolight turns his eyes from the unique building as he watches the crystal stallion dip into the throne room's closed doors.
However, the stallion is only absent for a moment as he comes back to the room, "They wish to see you now." He moves aside as his words come down.
Violet and Sparky take the lead inside with Minty and Aerolight close behind.
Much like Canterlot's throne room the bright open windows shine into the room, but without the different shades of color brought on by the stain glass.
Cadence and Shining both stand near the middle of the room as they hold their eyes to the four ponies that come in.
For the moment though Violet and Sparky take the brunt of the attention as Cadence speaks up, "Did you get your mother's letter as well?"
Sparky brings his voice up as he steps aside to reveal Aerolight a little better, "No, we just found out about Princess Luna when Aerolight stopped by."
A happy smile comes up to Cadence's face as she nods to the dark yellow stallion, "Nice to see you Aerolight..." She sighs a little as she continues, "We all really need to get together on just a normal day."
As her voice comes down the armored stallion next to her speaks up as Shining holds his hoof out, "Violet I know you probably want to help but we think it would be best if you just go home, the crystal heart started acting strange last night and in case it expels any magic you shouldn't be here."
Violet just blinks to the comment as Sparky brings his voice out, "What's wrong with the heart?"
Everypony holds their attention to the two ponies in front of them as Cadence speaks up, "We're not sure...Which is why we are a little worried. Princess Celestia wants to use the Heart to help Luna.-.."
The mare's voice slowly is rolled over as Shining's comes in, "...But we can't let Twilight take the crystal heart with her if there's something wrong with it."
Minty's eyes stay focused to the conversation as Violet desperately tries to fight her growing need to speak out.
Sparky takes notice to the mare's tightening face as he speaks up to the best of his ability, "Did you tell Celestia?"
Cadence shrugs to the comment as she nods, "She still wishes the heart to be moved. We were going to wait for Twilight to arrive, but there is no way we can release the heart to her if it is still acting like this."
Minty slowly leans her head to Aerolight as she speaks up, "We can leave now...Thank you for the trip."
Aerolight blinks to the mare's comment as he turns his head to her, but before he can whisper back the doors to the throne room comes open, "Sorry to bother you, but Twilight Sparkle has arrived."
Cadence nods to the comment as she speaks up, "Oh please send her in."
To the words the stallion opens the door a little wider to the two ponies in the doorway.
However as you look over everypony in the room you pause your trot as you think to yourself, so much for this being some special mission.
The mare next to you does not share in your surprise as she trots into the room with a smile and laugh, "W-what is everypony doing here?" Her eyes slowly drift to the unknown pale green pegasus next to Aerolight.
But before she can bring her voice up again Shining speaks up, "They were just stopping by..." He turns his head to Violet as he nods, "You should get home."
You and Twilight both blink to the heavier feel of the room as the lavender mare next to you speaks up, "Is something wrong?"
Shining nods as he continues, "The Crystal heart has been acting up and we don't think its safe to move."
"Acting up?" Twilight cocks her head to the comment as she continues, "Princess Celestia didn't say there were any problems."
Cadence nods to the comment as she speaks up, "We have sent her letters, but she keeps insisting that there is no problem."
You like everypony else just continue to volley your head back and forth to the conversation.
Twilight taps her hoof to her mouth as she slowly brings her voice out, "Have you tried any spells on it?"
Shining shakes his head as he answers, "We have not opened the chamber since this morning."
"Alright." Twilight's voice takes on a firm know it all tone as she straightened her posture, "I can calm the magic and we can get it back to Celestia, if there is something wrong with it she will be able to-..."
"NO."
Your ear flicks to the unfamiliar voice as you like everypony else turn to the pale green pegasus next to Aerolight.
Twilight just blinks to the mare's hard expression as she squints her eyes, "I'm sorry?"
"Are you really this blind?"
Violet and Sparky just blink to the mare's sharpe voice as they turn their eyes to Aerolight for the moment, but his confused expression brings no answer as he like everypony else just listens to the mare.
"You will not be removing the heart from the crystal empire."
Twilight slowly shifts her eyes to the dark cream colored stallion behind Minty as she speaks up, "Aerolight why are you in the Crystal Empire? StoneGem said you took the day off?"
Minty trots a little in front of Twilight's gaze as she shakes her head, "Did you hear what I said?"
The mare's sharp voice brings both confusion and annoyance to your mind as you just stare to the mare not understanding why she is being so fierce, especially to two ponies she does not know.
Twilight's voice comes back a little sharper as she takes her attention to the mare, "Excuse me but who do you think you are?"
Minty's eyes flash green as she takes a step forward. Your eyes widen as you watch the all too familiar shine of magic rush around her figure, and within the blink of an eye the magic comes down to reveal a spine chilling sight.
"I am the Queen of the changelings and the rightful ruler of Equestria!"
Where the pale green coated and mint maned mare stood now stands a bright white coated and blonde maned unicorn mare. However the thing that floods your memory is the burn scar that sits to the upper left side of her chest.
It only takes a moment for everypony in the room to jump into action as Sparky moves in front of Violet, you, Twilight and Shining spark your magic up and as Cadence screams out towards the door, "Guards! Guards!"
The door burst open to the first two armored ponies as everypony stares to the white coated mare.
However, in this instance Aerolight has come in front of the queen.
Twilight's voice is the first to ring to the room as her horn's glow lowers, "A-Aerolight step aside."
Your magic completely fades to your body as you stare to your son that now stands sure eyed and firm in front of the mare.
"No."
Aerolight’s words break Twilight's spell as she just blinks to the word, Shining and the guards however do not flinch to the words though.
"N-no? Aerolight do you know what you're doing?" Twilight's eyes widen as she shakes her head slowly, "D-do you know who that is?"
Aerolight swallows hard as he nods, "Yes, YES I do!"
His words take the mare behind him by surprise as she just stares to the back of his head.
You and Twilight both are stunned silent as you try to bring your voice out, "S-son she tried to kill you before you were even born! W-why are doing this?"
Aerolight straightens his postures as a green magic starts to form around his shaky hooves, "I-I am doing this because...Because I-..."
Ffffzzzaappp!
Aerolight's words are cut off as the mare behind him sends a small bolt to the back of his head, "He is under my spell! I give myself if you will listen to me!"
You and Twilight both bring your magic up again with a burning parental hatred to the mare, but before you can act the guards from the door have rushed past you as they move to detain the mare and stallion.
Shining's voice comes up as he quickly gallops in front of you and Twilight, "Put them in the dungeon."
The unicorns in the small group of armored ponies spark their horns up as they pop from the room with their teleportation spell.
Twilight's voice is quick and building in emotion as she speaks up, "W-why did you take Aerolight?!"
Shining slowly turns around as he brings his voice out with a low and calm tone, "We don't know if Aerolight is under a spell or not, w-we can't risk him being out until we know what's wrong with the Crystal Heart."
Twilight's eyes flutter to the words as she shakes her head, "N-No, I can break the spell on Aerolight."
Shining brings the mare in for a hug as he nods, "The knockout spell will stay on him for a few hours...You just have to wait until then."
Twilight continues to shake her head as she repeats herself, "Aerolight didn't help on his own, h-he wouldn't." She turns her head to you as she continues to shake her head, "H-he wouldn't."
You nod to the words as you bring your own hug over to the mare, "Of course..."
As you feel Twilight's emotion starting to get the better of her you turn your attention to Sparky and Violet as you clear your throat and try to hold your own composure, "V-Violet I want you to go home until we figure out what's going on."
The light purple mare shakes her head as she straightens her posture and turns to Cadence, despite her better judgment she brings up her front hooves one at a time as she hooves out her comment.
Cadence blinks to the mare as she shakes her head, "I don't want you working on the heart Violet..."
The mare holds an annoyed stare to the comment as she again hooves out a comment.
However Shining is the one to answer her request as he nods and turns to you and Twilight, "She's right...We can't let you two take the heart until we know if somepony is waiting for you."
You nod to the comment as Twilight starts to pull her head from you, "H-how long do we have to wait for Aerolight?"
Shining brings his trot up as he answer her, "A few hours...You can wait here, I have to alert the guards to be on watch."
The day has rolled on slow and dismal since Aerolight and the changeling were taken. Despite yours and Twilight's words Violet and Sparky ended up staying in the castle with you, which was actually the best thing for Twilight seeing as how she has started to beat herself up for not noticing some difference in Aerolight.
You may not have broken down and cried like Twilight, half because you can not believe your own son would help a changeling and half for Twilight's sake.
However, talking with Violet and Sparky about how Aerolight and the mare acted around them has started to lead you to believe Aerolight knew what she was. This fact along with Twilight’s own fear to tell Celestia has sent chills up your back and you have been trying your best to avoid that thought as you instead try to pass the time in the dining hall Shining told you to wait in.
Twilight's eyes still show there visible sadness, but the constant conversation brought on by Violet has helped to keep her mind off of her thoughts.
You slowly start to drift your mind from your thoughts as you turn your attention from the table in front of you and instead to the light conversation the two ponies across the table have held with the mare next to you.
"S-so you haven't started thinking about a name?" Twilight's voice is a little lower than normal but it holds to a steady tone.
Sparky shakes his head as he speaks up, "Well we've talked about a few things...But it's to hard to pick a name until we find out if it's a colt or filly."
Twilight holds a little smile to the comment as she nods her head, "Just make sure you have a name...You never know if something will bring a little surprise."
As the mare's words ring to the large room the doors of the dining hall comes open.
Shining now trots into the room as he brings his low voice up, "Aerolight should be awake by now...Are you ready?"
You can feel Twilight's body shutter next to you as she stays silent.
A few moments pass as Shining just stands near the doorways awaiting a response. But the moments of thinking are over for you as you stand up from the seat, "I'm ready."
Shining shifts his eyes to Twilight as he looks her over, however she does not change her set gaze to the table. You turn your head as you put a hoof to her back, "I'll be right back."
The words spark Shining’s legs up as he trots towards the door, his trot quickly brings yours up as you follow after him.
- - - (elsewhere in the city)
The underbelly of the castle or wherever the two ponies were brought to has a hard musky smell of iron bars that have mixed with the heavy and slightly hotter air.
However the bars that Aerolight's head leans to slowly starts to tug against his mane until his eyes start to open.
Aerolight takes a deep breath as he brings his hoof to his head, "Ugh...."
As he continues to rub his head he stares to the mare sitting in the cell next to his. Like his, her cell is nothing more than a simple bed, his stare prompts his voice out as he leans forward from his spot against the cell's bars, "Did you hit me?"
The mare just blinks to the question as Aerolight continues to rub the back of his head, "Because I could have sworn you hit me." A slight laugh comes up from the stallion as he shoots a flashy smile to the mare, "You could have warned me."
However the mare just shakes her head as her low voice comes out, "Do you have any idea where you sit right now?"
The words flick Aerolight's ear as he turns his head around the cell he sits in, "Well it's not Club Luna...and the color scheme is too nice to be your house so-..."
"Do not act coy Aerolight."
The young stallion just chuckles to the words as he drifts his head down to the ground, "So...Is this who you really are Milky? Because everypony seemed to know you."
"You have put yourself in great danger Aerolight-..."
Aerolight starts up in a laugh as the mare tries to continue, "...And you have no idea-.."
"Ha ha ha ha."
"Aerolight"
"Ha ha ha ha."
"AEROLIGHT!"
Milky stands from the bed as she trots over to the bars that separate them, "Do you have any idea what they are going to do to you?! They believe you helped me, and I do not know if I can save you-..."
"Save me?" Aerolight's head pounds a little from his loud tone but he continues as he jumps from the bed and towards the bars Milky stands at, "...And what was your plan Milky?! To show yourself and hope they will listen??"
The mare slams a hoof to the bars as she speaks up, "You can not know my plans!"
"Why not?!"
Milky's voice stalls for a moment as she just looks through the iron bars and towards the stallion in front of her, "Because you should not have to pay if I fail."
Aerolight studies the mare's face as he slowly nods, "Then stop worrying about me."
The stallion's sure words and confidence makes the mare take a step back as she just blinks to the stallion, however before the mare can speak the sound of the heavy doors to the dungeon sound.
Milky quickly moves back to the bed as she holds her eyes from Aerolight's stare.
The sound of hooves gets closer as Aerolight turns his head towards the hallway into the one exit room.
However a feeling of guilt and remorse comes over the young stallion as he looks over you and Shining coming into the room.
Your eyes lock to his as you swallow and turn your head to the stallion beside you, "C-could you give us a minute?"
Shining nods without hesitation as he turns back from the room and trots away.
You hold your eyes to the stallion's trot until he's too far to hear anything, and once he is you almost jump towards Aerolight's cell as you fiddle with the lock on the cell, "Aerolight listen to me..." The low and rushed whisper you hold burst through your mouth before you can really even think about your next word as you continue, "...I can get this cell open, when your out of it you can teleport just get out and meet me at-..."
"I'm not leaving dad."
"Damit Aerolight listen to me!" Your voice echos to the room and you shoot your eyes to the hall just hoping Shining is not coming, but your mind is at ease for the moment as you take notice to the empty hall.
You take a deep breath as you turn back to the young stallion, "I'm going to get you out of here do you understand me?"
Aerolight just smiles as he shakes his head, "You can't do this, you need to be their for mom-..."
You poke your hoof to the bars as you bring your sharp voice up, "Right now you're who I'm here for and you're going to listen to me do you understand?"
"I have always admired how much you can love..."
The mare's voice turns your head as you stare with a built up rage to the mare at the bed, however as you look her over you feel a strange calmness come over you.
Milky smiles as she continues, "...You two have a lot in common, especially how stubborn you can be."
The mare's words flick your ear as you feel your magic starting to build, "And how do you know us so well huh?" Your trot move to her cell as you continue, "H-have you been following my family huh? Trying to finish your task? Huh? IS that it?"
"Dad."
You snap your head to the stallion as he shakes his head, "Don't."
You blink to the stallion as a thought runs to your mind, "A-Aerolight...How do you know her." Aerolight turns his gaze as he tries to formulate the words he wants to use. However before he can speak up the mare has stood from her bed, "Do you want your son back?"
You slowly turn your head to the mare as you just stare to her not knowing how to deal with her if she were trying to get into your head.
"...Then allow me to explain myself."
The words ring to your head as you stare to the unicorn that still sits trapped in the magical cell, "How do I know you won't just leave."
Milky lowers her head as she slowly speaks up, "Because a pony can only run so long..." Her eyes flash as she slightly glances towards Aerolight, "...And a changeling can’t hide forever ."
It has been a half an hour since you and Shining left the dining hall, and despite the fact Cadence came in to comfort Twilight. However, the light conversation has done little to help quell her own regret for not wanting to go and see Aerolight.
"...So will you be sending a letter to Celestia?"
The words shake Twilight from her stare as she speaks up, "What?"
Cadence blinks to the mare's quick voice as she repeats herself, "About the Crystal Heart, will you be telling Celestia it can not be moved?"
Twilight slowly nods to the comment as she speaks up, "Y-yes, we can't risk moving it. I'm sure Celestia will be able to bring the crown here once we tell her."
Cadence gives a sweet smile as she tries to reach her hoof from her seat across the table, "Twilight I can't imagine what this is like for you... And I will not pretend like what happend did not. But right now we need to make sure we don't make any mistakes."
Violet and Sparky just watch the conversation in silence as Cadence continues, "You don't have to worry about Aerolight...We can break any spell a changeling put on him."
A slight laugh comes up from Twilight as her head drifts towards the table, "Of course..."
Just as Twilight's words come down the dinning hall doors open.
It only takes a few seconds for the lavender mare to jump from her seat as she watches you and Aerolight coming into the room, "Aerolight!"
Without hesitation Twilight wraps her hooves around the young stallion with no intent to let go.
You take a step aside as you turn your gaze to the three ponies at the table, but their eyes all shift to the other ponies that come up behind you.
Twilight slowly brings her hooves from the young stallion as she watches the white mare trotting in beside Shining and two other crystal pony guards.
A bright crystal horn band sits to the unicorn's horn, but this fact does little to curve Twilight's defensive gaze.
Shining turns his head to the open doors as he sparks his horn up to close them, just as the sound of the doors closing rings to the room his voice comes up, "She has agreed to talk in exchange for breaking the spell over Aerolight."
The words bring a slight smile to Milky's face as she waits for her turn to talk.
Twilight quickly swings her eyes to the mare as she speaks up, "Alright...Then talk."
Milky nods as she holds her eyes to the lavender mare, "You can not move the Crystal Heart from the castle."
"Did the changelings mess with its magic? Is that why the Crystal Heart has been acting strange?"
The white mare takes a deep breath as she shakes her head, "It is preparing itself for a fight, how it can know what is about to come is something I do not have the answer to."
Cadence cocks her head to the comment as she stands from her seat, "What fight?"
Milky shifts her eyes to the mare as she continues, "Princess Celestia is about to release the Crown's current magic, when she does all magic will fluctuate and the consequences will be catastrophic."
The room goes silent for a moment as everypony's ears shoot up, but Twilight's voice quickly shatters the quiet as she brings her voice up, "And HOW do you know this?"
Shining's voice rings out next as he squints to the mare, "Celestia would never do something that could potentially harm anypony."
Cadence nods to the comment as she speaks up, "Yes, and why would Princess Luna turn if this was Celestia's plan. She would have known before you."
Twilight holds her head up as she shakes her head to the mare, "You are just trying to scare us to let you go."
Everypony continues to go back and forth until Milky's voice comes up and over theirs, "WHY would I have allowed myself to be caught?!" Milky quickly continues as she rushes her voice, "Luna is not Nightmare Moon, she must have tried to stop her sister."
A slight laugh comes from Twilight as she speaks up, "Oh and how do you know this?"
Milky squints her eyes a little annoyed to every ponies quick dismissal as she shifts her eyes between the poines in the room, "We have spent the last few years getting our kind into positions of power throughout Equestria. I would not give this information out unless there was a direct threat to the changelings." The mare's posture perks up as she continues, "If Celestia is allowed to go through with her plan we will all be exposed and-...."
Shining's voice quickly comes over her's as he turns to his guards, "And there is your reason for wanting the Crystal Heart, guards take her back to the dungeon."
Milky's ear flicks to the words as she turns her head to the armored white stallion, "I WISH the heart to stay here!"
Her words do little to Shining as he shakes his head, "Why would I believe somepony who has tried to harm my sister and everypony-..."
Ffffhiizzzzz!
The bright bolt of green magic slams into the wall beside Shining, making the stallion like the two guards take on a quick glow to their horns.
However with the same instinct you have jumped in front of Aerolight as you scream out, "WAIT WAIT!"
Aerolight pushes past you as he swings his head to everypony in the room, "Then don't believe her, believe me!"
Twilight slowly trots towards the stallion as she speaks up, "Aerolight you're not you just sit dow-..."
Aerolight takes a quick step from you and Twilight as he brings his voice up, "I'm fine really."
The words quiver Shining's mouth as he just stares to the dark cream coated stallion not knowing how to act on his confession.
However the tension in the room is quickly broken as Milky's low voice comes out, "Send a letter to Princess Celestia." Her eyes turn to Twilight as she continues, "Just tell her you have the heart...If I'm wrong tell Celestia I give myself up."
Twilight blinks to the comment as she turns her eyes to Aerolight for the moment, but she slowly nods her head as she brings her voice out, "F-fine..."
To the mare's words Shining’s voice comes up as he nods to one of the guards, "Bring us some paper."
As one of the stallions moves from the doorway Shining's magic comes over Milky and Aerolight's bodies as he directs them to trot to one of the seats at the table.
Milky and Aerolight do not hold their eyes to anypony in the room as they just stare to the table.
It only takes a moment for the guard pony to come back to the room as he floats over a light blue piece of paper and a pen to Twilight.
The lavender mare quickly takes the two items into her magic as she swallows and starts to write something to the paper.
Her quick magic makes short work of the paper as her horn glows a little bright until the paper on the table disappears with a slight pop sound.
Twilight slowly brings her eyes up as she nods, "T-there, I told Celestia that we have the crown and that we are on the train."
Milky brings her head from the table as she nods, "I wish there was another way to make you believe me..." Her head turns down the length of the table as she stares to the large and open crystal window that sits to the other side of the room.
Through the window the east side of the city can be seen, as well as the rolling hills of the grassy plains that lay on the outskirts of the empire.
A light sigh comes from Milky as she starts to turn her head back to you and Twilight, "You know I'm actually surprised you two have not seen Celestia's manipulation over the years..." Her eyes come to you as she smiles, "Stories have been told of The Destroyer over the years, and if they are true why is it you have never picked up on everything Celestia has done?"
You and Twilight both stay silent to the mare as you find yourselves listening a little harder to her calmed and slightly defeated voice.
Cadence and Shining notice the long stare as the stallion speaks up, "That's enough."
The words do nothing to alter the mare's words as she continues now with her eyes focused on you, "Her intentions may not be as bad as ours or Discord might have been, but she still has her own agenda." Milky squints to you as she smiles, "Didn't you find it strange she needed you to charge the element of harmony?"
Shining's voice comes up a little more as he blinks to the mare, "I said that's-..."
His words fall flat as Milky turns to Twilight, "And did you really think it was just bad luck that you found that one spell book all those years ago?"
The room starts to get a little brighter as Milky continues to stare to you and Twilight.
However, the room's new light is not just from the sun moving from behind a cloud. Instead the lights now Shining into the room are almost like a rainbow of bright colors.
Sparky is the first to turn around towards the window as he stares to the aurora borealis of lights that seem to be dancing across the sky with a wavy like form.
The pegasus's heart starts to thump a little harder as he reaches his hoof to the light purple mare's hoof that sits next to him.
Cadence's voice comes up as she trots towards the window, "W-what is that?"
Milky turns her eyes towards the window as her confident smile starts to fade, "Like I said...Magic will fluctuate, even the magic that holds the sun at bay."
Cadence continues to hold her gasping mouth to the window as her slow trot brings her closer and closer to it.
However Shinning is the first to speak up as he turns to Milky, "What's happening?"
Milky shakes her head as she speaks up, "I know nothing of what is happening, I only know why."
"Magic is being altered."
Twilight's voice takes everypony's attention, even the two shaking guards that stand near the center of the dining hall's closed doors.
The mare's words quickly bring Cadence around as she speaks up, "What does that mean Twilight? C-could Celestia really be doing this?"
You blink to the comment as you let it sink in for a moment, how could Princess Do-nothing be the worst pony I have ever meet? The thought tumbles in your mind as you turn your gaze to the lavender mare next to you, who has locked her top jaw line to her bottom lip in a bite, "I-It's possible, the Element of Harmony is the only thing that could do something likes this."
Shining shakes his head as he stops his horn, "Why would Celestia do something like this it-it makes no sen-..."
The stallion's words are brought to a halt as the entire crystal made structure shakes and rumbles, around the room the light blue crystal walls begin to glow almost with a pulsing light from the floor to the ceiling.
Everypony standing starts to wobble a little as they shoot their heads around the room, just wondering how long and how dangerous this structure can be.
However, everypony's attentions is striped from the room as the colorful array of lights that shoot across the sky get a little more dull.
From the top of the crystal castle a large wall of blue magic is starting to form, almost like a dome around the entire city.
Your eyes widen to the slow moving wall as you look it over, it looks similar to the spell Cadence used when Sombra first tried to get into the city. But, a strong feeling of uneasiness follows the sight of the magic instead of the calmness you remember all those years ago.
Sparky's wings flare out as the young pegasus brings his voice up, "What is that!"
The tall pink mare in the room just stares with an open mouth out the window as she shakes her head, "T-the crystal heart is sealing the city..."
Just as her words come down the doors to the dining hall come flying open to a normal pale amber yellow pegasus with gold and cyan armor that holds his spiked up dark blue mane, "King Shining something has happened to the city!"
Shining nods his head to the stallion as he speaks up, "We know Flash." His words slowly come down he turns his head to the white mare at the table, "...What do we do?"
Milky's ear flicks to the words as she stands from the table, "For starters you must remove my horn ban."
Shining hesitates for a moment as he just stares to the mare's lowered head, but he brings his trot up as he moves a hoof to the crystal ring around her horn.
As the ban comes off the mare turns her attention to Cadence, "I do not fully understand what we must do..." Her eyes drift to Twilight as she continues, "I had hoped that just the knowledge of the crystal heart still in place would keep Celestia at bay... But obviously that was not what happend."
Twilight's face tightens as she glares to the white mare.
Aerolight notices Twilight's stare as he speaks up, "Milky..."
The name quickly flicks the mare's ear as she tries to talk over the stallion, "Shining and Cadence must stay here." Her eyes shift between the two rulers of the crystal empire as she holds a smile, "There will be a lot of ponies wanting answers if that dome seals them in."
You shift your eyes back to the window as you continue to watch the dome creeping down the outside of the city.
"...Next we must find a quick way to Canterlot." Her eyes drift back to Twilight and you as she continues, "You both along with me and Aerolight will need to teleport."
The words flick Twilight's ear as she speaks up, "That is halfway across Equestria! E-even if we could do that we would be in no shape to reason with Celestia!"
Milky just cocks a smile to the words as she nods, "Precisely why we must teleport to a power source...We will direct our spell to the Canterlot caverns, if its magic is enough to be used as electricity for the whole city we should be able to teleport to it with ease. It also allows us into the Canterlot castle without just walking through the gate."
Her eyes shift to Cadence as she continues with a smile, "You should be familiar with the Canterlot caverns, so you should be able to help with the spell."
You bring your hoof up as you look between Cadence and Twilight, you may not be the best with magic but you do know any long range teleporting hurts; and being hurt if you have to take on the sun god is NOT what you have in mind, "Two ponies can't do a spell like this??" You shift your eyes between Twilight and Cadence as you wait for one of them to second your comment.
However, their voices do not ring out as Milky speaks up, "This is why you and Aerolight will be helping. This is the only quick way to Canterlot, once we are in the caverns we can come up with a plan."
Shining takes a step forward as he speaks up, "No no, you're not going to trick us." He turns his head to the three guard ponies in the room as he speaks up, "You three are going with them to make sure this changeling does what she says she will."
Milky's voice comes up with a sharp tone as she turns her attention to the three other ponies-, "You are making a grave mistake adding more ponies-..."
Shining sparks his horn up as he shakes his head, "I'm not going to put anypony at risk with you." He shifts his eyes to Cadence as he nods, "We don't have much time, if that dome closes no pony can get out, not even with magic."
Twilight sparks her horn up as she tries to take a deep breath, your ear flicks to the sound of her magic as you speak up, "What do I do?"
Cadence brings her horn up as she speaks up, "Just start a normal teleportation spell, but keep your mind clear."
The words bring no real instructions to follow, but you bring your own purple magic up as you shift your eyes to the two ponies still at the table, "Violet, stay here okay?"
The mare just blinks to the words as she stares to ponies in front of her that she could very well be seeing for the last time. However her answer is not needed as Sparky nods, "We're not going any where."
"Is everypony ready?" Cadence's horn now glows bright to her magic as she holds her eyes tightly shut.
Twilight nods her head as she speaks up, "Get closer everypony...T-this spell could be bumpy."
You swallow hard to the words as you shift your eyes to the dark cream stallion that stands next to the white mare you have come closer to.
However, your sight is quickly cut off as you feel the magic to your own fur start to burn, within moments the room around you has become a flash of colors as everypony's spell burst into action. The vortex of magic that swirls to your eyes and ears is loud and feels almost like being consistently hoofed in the stomach, but you muscle through it as you close your eyes to focus on your own part in this spell.
- - -
The rush of magic that swirls around you slowly starts to subside as the spell begins to near its end. However, as the bright lights that forced you to keep your eyes fade you open your gaze to see a dark world around you.
This area of absolute darkness sends a slight chill up your back as every horrible possibility to where you have just been teleported runs through your mind. But just as quick as these thoughts pound to your head, a bright purple light glows next to you.
"Is everypony okay?"
A low green changeling like glow comes to the white mare's horn as she nods, "Yes."
The one other unicorn guard pony slowly sparks his light blue magic up as he holds his eyes to the strange area around him.
You do the same as you blink to the crystal like stones that layer the walls of the cave you stand in, "Did it work?"
Twilight only looks around for the moment as she speaks up, "Yes, we are in the Canterlot cave." Milky trots forward as she continues to look around the area, "Are we close to the castle?"
The lavender mare nods her head as she points her hoof to the slight bend in the cave ahead of you, "The entrance is just behind the bend."
Aerolight comes a little closer to you as the two mares start to speak up mainly just to each other, "Good, we will need to split up, I and-..."
"No no no." The still shaky orange pegasus with the bright decorative armor brings his trot up as he tries to regain his composure from the spell, "...King Shining wants us to watch you, and we will NOT be allowing you out of our sight."
Milky cocks an eye to the stallion as he trots to the front of the group, however she turns her gaze to the two crystal guard ponies as she speaks up, "I'll be needing your help now."
The mare's tone squints your eyes, but before you can even think it over the cave around you has sparked up with the bright light and loud sounds of bolts of magic flying past you.
Within moments the decorative armor wearing pegasus has collapsed to the ground in a faint, just like one of the other crystal guards.
Twilight's eyes widen as she takes up a defensive stance, "What are you doing?!"
Milky slowly drifts her eyes from the crystal unicorn, whose horn still glows from his spell as she speaks up, "You did not really expect me to give myself up without the means of escape should you all not listen to reason..." Her eyes drift back to the crystal stallion who now takes on a green changeling like glow as she continues, "Still...I had thought there were two of you." She cocks a smile as she looks the falling veil of green magic that reveals the sleek black and sharp fanged changing, "...Nice blending."
Aerolight just blinks to the changeling as it nods, the young stallion has never truthfully seen a changeling, but the stories you and Twilight have told him now start to flood back to him as he stares to it.
"What are you planning?!" Twilight's words prompt you to take up your own stance a little in front of Aerolight as you impatiently wait to the changeling who continues to flip sides.
Milky however, does not bat an eye to you and Twilight as she nods, "We must break Princess Luna out of the dungeon, meaning we may have to harm guards who are simply doing their jobs. Shining's little foal sisters would be useless."
Twilight just blinks to the words as Milky continues, "..Now, I, Aerolight and my friend will free Luna and distract the guards. Celestia is expecting you, so you two will need to find a way out what you wish until Luna can arrive."
The white mare brings her trot to the downed crystal guard as she sparks her horn up to pull the armor from around his chest, "Are we clear?" The armor floats around the mare as she waits for an answer.
You and Twilight blink to the comment as you both just nod.
"Good." With a flash of magic the armored mare disappears as a Canterlot armored unicorn stallion now stands in her place. Her new deep male voice comes up as she trots over to where Flash lays on the ground, "Aerolight, you know where Luna is being kept correct?"
The dark cream stallion slowly comes forward as he continues to just stare almost dumbfounded to the new stallion, "Y-yes."
"Good."
Milky's horn sparks up again as she pulls the decorative armor from the orange pegasus body, "My spell on the armor will only last for a little, so we have no time to waste."
The armor comes around Aerolight with a slight green glow to it, but as it starts to fasten around his chest it begins to change shape and color as it becomes the normal armor the young stallion has at his own home.
Milky turns her eyes to the changeling who now copies the spells as he quickly shifts forms into a Canterlot guard pegasus, "Give us a few moments and then head into the castle, Celestia is sure to question why you will not have the crown, but at least she will not be suspicious of anything when she hears you have arrived."
As her voice comes down her trot comes up, the changeling immediately follows after the mare but Aerolight does not as he turns to you and Twilight.
Twilight's voice is the first to ring out as she takes a step forward, "Be safe...Okay?"
Aerolight nods as he tries to give a little smile, "Just committing treason right? No biggie...."
The comment brings a hard twinge of reality to your mind as you swallow, "You'll be okay Aerolight, just don't worry."
"Aerolight...We need to go." Milky's voice comes up as she holds her trot to the bend at the cave's wall.
Her words spark the younger stallion's trot up as he quickly moves to catch up with her.
As you watch the stallion trotting away you feel your throat tighten up a little, however you shift your eyes from the three ponies as a slight groan comes up from one of the two ponies that still lay to the ground.
The bright day's sun now shines to the three ponies eyes as they continue out of the cave. In front of them only about five or so hooves away is the drop off to the castle, Aerolight shifts his eyes towards the stone wall behind him as he speaks up, "We're on the north side of the castle, we have to go around."
His eyes continue to trail up the castle's length as he turns to the bright color lit sky above him.
Milky turns her own head up as she speaks up, "We need to get moving."
The comment brings Aerolight's head down as he nods and starts up his trot, the two Canterlot guard dressed ponies follow after the stallion's quick pace as he leads the way.
Despite the outskirts of the castle being undefined with the harsh drop off into the valley below the castle, the three ponies find themselves quickly coming to the front of the castle.
Aerolight moves himself against the wall of the castle as he peeks around the corner and towards the entrance of the drawbridge. The moat that sits under it runs with its murky water only a few hooves away from where he stands.
But his set gaze is quickly taken back to the two ponies behind him as he nods, "Okay nopony is at the bridge." He lifts his hoof to the end of the street that sits just out of hooves reach above them as he continues, "Can you teleport us up there quick."
The words bring Milky's horn up as her spell quickly takes hold over the three ponies, within the blink of an eye the rush of magic has teleported them to the hard stone ground of Canterlot's street.
As the magic continues to fall around the three ponies Aerolight rushes his eyes around the area as he looks to make sure no pony saw the three ponies that have just teleported on the street. With no pony in sight he brings his posture up, "Alright...Stay close."
Aerolight's trot starts up as he directs his eyes towards the castle's lowered drawbridge, but just as he sets his eyes to his goal something else takes his attention.
A familiar light gray armored pegasus, the sight of the pony brings Aerolight's ears up as he tries to shift his eyes from the pony, in hopes that it would make him invisible.
This however does not work as the stallion's voice comes up, "Oh hey Aerolight."
The small group slowly comes to a halt as the pegasus trots over to the dark cream stallion, all the while looking to the two ponies behind his friend, "I thought you were out for the day?"
Aerolight's trot only slows for a moment as he shakes his head, "No no, I just was coming in late."
Gust blinks to the stallion's continued trot as he speaks up, "Oh, well you should check in with StoneGem, he should be back in a few, Celestia has him reassuring everypony that the rainbow is nothing to worry about." Gust quickly shoots his right hoof up as he continues, "Can you believe that-..
"Ya thanks Gust, got to go."
The unusually short conversation stumps the pegasus for a moment as he just holds his eyes to the two other ponies that continue to trot close behind Aerolight.
However, the sight of the small group is lost as they drift more into the castle's courtyard.
The two ponies behind Aerolight hold their heads straight with almost no glance to the other ponies that trot past them, which allows them to more easily slip through the bustling courtyard that seems to be going through their shift changes.
Aerolight's trot starts to turn towards the adjacent one story building on the left, the white and gold stone matches with the castle's color scheme but the large emblem of the Canterlot guard proudly hangs over the doorway arch.
Again the two ponies follow after Aerolight, but this time they take a few steps back as they near the front door of the guard barracks.
It only takes a few moments for the small group to come into the bright polished stoned lobby of the guard barracks.
Around the lobby a few armored ponies stand, all engaging in some light hearted conversations; however, Aerolight's mind stays locked to the side hall he now trots down. Truthfully the dungeon is never off limits to guards, especially seeing as how everyponies personal lockers are located within the same down stairs area. But, seeing as how Aerolight has never kept anything in his locker the young stallion's mind starts to race with something he could say if somepony were to stop him.
Luckily though, no pony is in sight, and the trot down the short hall has come to its end as the small group stops to the large iron door that stands between them and the lower part of the dungeon.
Aerolight takes a deep breath as he sparks up the spell every pony with magic is given instead of a key.
With a low metal clanking sound he brings his hoof to the door as he pushes it open and starts down the stairs.
The underbelly of the guard barracks has lost the luster of the polished stone and bright open room feelings, instead the darker stoned walls bring a more dismal emotion to the young stallion's mind.
Their pace quickly brings them to the bottom of the stairs as Aerolight looks around the locker filled room. But, his gaze quickly turns to the last indent hall at the back of the room, his trot locks as he starts through the cleared out area.
However just as his confidence reaches its peak, it's lost as he now stares directly to the large armored unicorn that stands guard to the next closed slightly gold glowing iron door.
Aerolight may be a real guard for Canterlot, but this dark blonde maned and hard faced stallion is somepony he has never before seen.
The young stallion holds his head high as he trot into the simple entrance of the dungeon, but before he can even get his voice up the stallion at the door speaks up, "No pony is supposed to be down here for another ten minutes."
A flashy smile comes to Aerolight's face as he nods, "Ya ya I know, but uh...StoneGem wanted me to take your position earily.
Aerolight's smile squints the larger stallion's eyes as he speaks up, "No pony is allowed down here without Princess Celestia's-....."
Ffffhiizzzzz!!
A bright bolt of green magic quickly strikes against the larger stallion's armor, which sends him back and against the wall as he slumps down it in a groan.
Milky's deep stallion voice comes up as she turns to the pony next to her, "Find the key, Princess Celestia is sure to have given one to the guard."
The white coat of the stallion starts to glow a little green as his entire form gets a little large to match the downed pony he trots near.
Within moments the changling's magic has striped the burnt chest plate from the stallion as he now floats over the key that was hidden around the larger pony's neck.
Milky's horn sparks up to take hold of it as she nods, "Make sure no pony comes down here, we can not be certain no pony heard this."
The stallion nods as he moves to take up a position at the doorway of the hall.
Aerolight slowly follows after Milky as the mare moves the brass key to the iron door's lock, which sends a loud magical chime through the halls as the door's lock opens.
However Milky does not trot in as she takes a step aside for Aerolight, "Free Princess Luna." Her words end as the brass key floats to Aerolight.
He quickly takes hold of it with his own magic as he blinks to the stallion's comment, "Alright." Without another moment of hesitation he quickly trots into the room, his eyes lock to the gold glowing cell at the end as he starts up in a gallop.
Milky turns her head from the stallion now deeper in the hall as she nods to the other changeling next to her.
The sound of his hooves stirs a dark blue shape that leans a little to the simple stone walls, however as Aerolight nears the cell he turns his eyes to the tangled haired pony that sits inside, "Princess Luna, we're here to get you out."
The dark mare blinks to the words as she stands from the bed she sat on, "Y-you are down here without my sister! Y-you must tell-..."
Aerolight jams the key into the iron lock as he rushes his voice out, "We know about everything Luna, my mother is already going to the castle."
Luna's ear flicks as the sound of the magic that encases the cell comes undone, "Thank you! Our sister is not well...H-has anything happened?"
"You need to get to the castle."
The words quickly bring the mare's horn to spark up as she nods, "Of course." Within moments her powerful magic has ringed through the room as she teleports from the building.
Aerolight blinks to the absent mare for a moment as he starts to turn around, but just as he does this his legs become bound and he falls to the floor with a loud thud.
The key is dropped from his hold as the stallion Milky has taken the form of trots in.
"W-What are you doing?!"
Milky gives a little smile to the stallion as her magic forcefully drags him across the ground and into the cell, "Thank you for your help Aerolight."
The door quickly slams shut and the magic that was just broke from it now sparks back up again as Milky continues into the room.
Aerolight, now free from the stallion's magic jumps to his hooves as he rushes to the end of the cell, "Milky what is this?!"
The mare looks over the stallion for a moment as her coat starts to glow a bright green, however she says nothing as the young stallion behind the magical wall now bangs his hoof to it, "Milky don't do this."
The glow to her coat reaches its apex as it flashes.
Where the white stallion once stood now stands an exact replica of Aerolight, the flashy smile that is held to his face also holds as the changeling queen just stares to the young stallion, "Goodbye Aerolight.”
It has been about ten minutes since Aerolight left the Canterlot caverns. Truthfully you and Twilight are not really sure how long you were supposed to wait; but the bright stream of colors that continued to roll into the sky and your own fear for making sure Aerolight is still okay sent you out of the cavern and into the plan.
To your surprise though, when you and Twilight got onto the street in front of the castle there was no mass panic or guards trying to break up any street fights. Which is what you wholeheartedly expected to see from what the changeling queen was talking.
But that moment of astonishment was quickly chased from your mind when you started into the castle a few moments ago. Instead, your mind now focuses to what you do know, the rainbow of lights that have shot as far as the Crystal Empire are nothing that you have seen before... Unless when the Elements of Harmony are used.
You slowly start to drift from your thoughts as you shift your eyes to the mare that trots beside you.
Your voice comes out in a low whisper as you ensure the guard pony in front of you does not hear, "What if Luna really did turn evil?"
Twilight does not shift her head as she whispers back to you, "Then we may have just allowed the changelings to releases Equestria's greatest threat."
The words sink into you as you nod your head, "And what if Celestia has turned and Aerolight is late."
The mare slowly turns her head as she smiles, "Then...well..."
You look over her stumped expression as you try to give a little smirk, "If we survive this one we really need to go on a vacation."
Twilight's smile holds to the lighthearted comment as she nods.
"Here you two go."
The guard mare in front of you holds her hoof out to the door as she turned herself around as she waits in front of the throne room's closed doors, "Princess Celestia said she was expecting you and nopony else."
Twilight nods to the comment as she holds a slight smile, "Of course, thank you."
To the words the guard pony brings her trot up, as she begins to start down the hall she just walked. You and Twilight however do not immediately move to the doors as you both just take a deep breath.
You take the lead as you bring your hoof to the door.
It only takes a moment for the loud sound of chiming magic to pound against your ears as you and Twilight cautiously enter the room.
The windows towards the back of the room are shrouded with the bright colorful lights that continue to shoot from the crown that sits to the mare who sits to the throne near the end of the long hall like room.
The straight postured white mare turns her head to the two ponies that continue forward as a little smile comes to her face, "Twilight..." The chime of the magic from the bright gold crown ceases, but the lights shooting from it and out of the stain glassed windows remain.
Celestia squints her eyes to the lavender mare as she speaks up, "Where is the crystal heart?"
Twilight stands next to you as she brings her voice out, "It's in a safe place Princess."
The words do not shift Celestia's hard gaze, but the mare nods as she speaks up, "Then you should bring it Twilight."
The lavender mare holds her composure as she shifts her eyes to the crown atop Celestia's head, "Princess...Why are you using the crown's magic?"
Celestia cocks an eye to the comment as she speaks up again, "I am simply allowing the crown a chance to warm up. It will of course take a lot of magic to turn Princess Luna back."
"Your sister."
"Excuse me?" Celestia shifts her head a little forward as she holds her eye gaze to the smaller mare in front of her.
Twilight takes a step forward as she speaks up, "Your sister, not Princess Luna."
You bring your posture up a little more as Twilight's voice continues a little lower, "...Celestia, I want to see Princess Luna for myself."
The words slowly drain the smile from Celestia's face as she looks over the two ponies in front of her. But the lost joy from the mare is quickly brought back as she speaks up with a sweet tone, "Oh Twilight you have nothing to worry a-..."
Her calm and collected words are thrown from the room as a bright powerful ball of magic burst into the white stone throne room just in front of where you and Twilight stand.
"Your tyranny has come to its end sister!"
The once placid mare on the throne now jumps from its soft cushions as she holds an angry glare to you and Twilight, "I suppose my most faithful student had a hoof in this! I'll deal with you next..."
The powerful words from the do nothing mare you have known for so long strikes fear into your heart as you just look past the dark blue mare between you.
Luna, however is unfazed as her horn sparks up, "The crown has corrupted you sister, relinquish it." Her lispy voice has been replaced with a powerful command tone and her once soft mane now glows a bright but tranquil blue and night time sky color as it flows to one side.
The tall white mare cocks a devious smile as she shakes her head, "Oh no sister...This crown and I will never part, and there will be no remorse this time, because I know I won't die alone."
Her sharp words end abruptly as her eyes flash a bright orange and her once colorful mane now has turned into an intense orange and yellow flame that now burns like the sun.
Luna's horn quickly sparks up to the white mare as she shouts out another command, "Sister stop this-..."
A flaming bolt of magic is sent rushing towards the dark blue mare as her voice is brought to a halt. Luckily though a shield of her magic quickly stops the rushed spells as Luna now takes to her wings and sends another bolt to the mare.
You and Twilight quickly dart to the left side of the room as the two alicorns take themselves into the air above the throne room's flooring.
The room after only seconds has already started to flash with the two powerful magics as the entire building starts to shake.
Twilight quickly takes notice to the sound as she sparks her horn up to the doors of the throne room.
You spark your own magic up as you ring your voice out, "What are you doing?"
"We can't let anypony outside hear this or they might stop Luna." The spell Twilight holds finally encases the door of the room as you turn your head back to fight not really in the mind set to question the logic.
Luna and Celestia continue to combat each other's equal magic as they continue to circle the room.
This prompts you to take a step forward as you send your own bolt of jagged emotionally driven green magic out.
However, the scream of your magic is quickly snatched up by the flame mane mare as Celestia teleports from her spot and back to the ground.
Your magic slams into the throne room's ceiling just inches from where Luna still hoovers, the sparks of magic that burst from your magic stick against the dark mare's hard flapping wings as Celestia quickly takes advantage of the distracted mare with a quick bolt.
Twilight's eyes widen as her voice comes out just as the bolt is sent, "No!"
But the bolt of orangey gold magic misses its target as the dark mare quickly scouts just outside of it.
The spell the lavender mare held to the door is broke as she now sends her own purple magic to the white mare.
Again, like yours, there is no effect as Celestia just smacks the bolt away with her own well place rebuttal, "You can not win this!"
Luna's eyes glow a bright white as she speaks up, "Do not be so sure sister!"
The words just bring a smile to Celestia's face as she sends two quick light bolts of magic towards you and Twilight.
You both easily are able to dodge or block them, but the slight turn of the eye they brought to Luna is enough to allow Celestia the opportunity to send another bolt to the lofting alicorn.
Luna is struck by the lower glowing bolt as her building horn and god glowing eyes are lost from the pain.
But her pained yell brings yours and Twilight's magics up as you both send a bright shot of magic towards the white coated mare.
Both strike against her, but she just laughs as the crown atop her head now rings out with a bright rainbow glowing light around the tip.
You and Twilight just stare in astonishment as the well made windows of the room vibrate on the brink of shattering.
Celestia's eyes glow bright with the color of the sun as she turns back to you and Twilight, "Was that it my most faithful student ha ha...?"
Luna groans as her wings flare out again, "Twilight the crown!"
The smile to the white mare's face slightly fades as she shifts her eyes to the three ponies in the room.
Within moments the air in the room has become heavy as you as well as everypony else sparks up their magics with their eyes set to the crown.
Celestia's horn sparks up as well as she tries to shift her eyes between the ponies around her.
Your own lack of skill and anxious forces you to send a bolt forward as the jagged green bolt of your magic is sent to her.
A solid gold wall of fiery magic sparks up around the mare as your bolt of magic is just absorbed.
Twilight's fair's no better as the mare's well place bolt of purple is just ricocheted to the ceiling.
Luna's, however does not shoot out as she holds her keen eyes to every lowering bubble of protective magic, and after a few more moments of her building spell she jerks her head forward as a bolt of bright blue magic rushes into the side of the bubble.
The magic burst into the room with a sharp gust of heat, the crown to Celestia's head rolls to the floor next to her as Luna is quick to take it into her magical grasp.
The orange gem of the crown is shrouded in a bright blue as Celestia's eyes widen, "Wait!"
Within moments the blue glow around the stone is popped as the crown is dropped to the floor, orange static of magic runs around the crown as the sound of what seems to be Discord laughing echos from the center piece-less crown.
Celestia's bright orange eyes go dull for the moment as the fire to her mane slowly starts to die down.
However, your attention much like Twilight's now shifts to the dark blue mare that has fallen to her front knees, a shroud of dark shadows now begins to appear around the mare.
Twilight's body tenses as she speaks up, "Oh no...W-with the element of harmony damaged nothing is holding the real Nightmare Moon back."
Luna's eyes are held tightly shut as the mare's whole body starts to tremble, her horn sparks between a light blue and a deep dark almost black blue specks of light.
The white mare that continues to stare wide eyed across from her slowly starts to regain her normal mane coloring.
"L-Luna..."
The soft voice turns yours and Twilight's head as you both stare to the white mare, Celestia's eyes have started to flutter as she looks to the ball of dark shadows that has formed over the mare.
"I-I'm so sorry."
Luna's magic starts to ring to the room as the shadows around her start to reach their apex of cycling.
You and Twilight both spark up your magics as you turn now to where Luna once stood.
The chime of magic continues to grow as the swirling shadows start to wobble more and more. However, within moments your eyes and face are assaulted with a gust of air as the magical ball Luna was trapped in burst open.
You quickly shoot your eyes open as you ready yourself for anything, but as you look to where the mare stood as you stare to the unchanged princess of the night.
"LUNA!"
Celestia's voice breaks through the silence as she stands to her hooves in shock.
The dark mare shivers as she just blinks to her sister. But Celestia's trot is brought to a halt as she swings her head between the three ponies in the room with her eyes now almost on the verge of tears, "I-I do not know what happened... I j-just was trying to reset the Elements of Harmony."
Luna's voice is low as she speaks up, "Sister, you stood by me after the elements changed me...I will stand by you."
The white mare just blinks to the words as she shifts her eyes between Luna and you and Twilight again, "Y-you have grown so much sister, b-but I do not believe this will be as simple for me I-..."
Her words are cut off as the throne room door burst open to a mass of guards and other ponies that now crowd the doorway.
However your eyes quickly lock to the dark cream stallion that stands towards the front of the group.
Celestia quickly brings her voice up as she looks over all the ponies at the threshold, "Everypony I have something I need to say-..."
Her voice is cut off as Aerolight rushes himself into the room, but the silence is not just from the movements, instead it is from the bright green magic that flashes around him.
The young stallion's cream colored body is quickly peeled away as the new tall sleek black coated bug winged pony gallops over to the crown on the ground. Unlike Chrysalis, her legs and body are not riddled with holes, but the sight of the queen like form still brings a shiver to your spine as her voice rings out, "At last! Discord's plan has worked!"
Her horn sparks up as the crown comes from the ground, "Let it be know that the changelings have won this day!" A dramatic and slightly over zealous laugh rings up from the mare as she quickly vanishes from the room in the bright green light of her teleportation spell.
Everypony at the door scrambles into a commotion as they try to make sense of the quick seen they just witnessed.
Celestia and Luna both speak up at the same time as they ring their voices out, "The crown! Seal the castle!"
Within moments and despite the dark mare's presence the guards in the mass of ponies spark their hooves up as they gallop into the hall they just came from.
As the noises start down to ring from around the castle you and Twilight speak up as you turn to Luna, "Where did you last see Aerolight?!"
The dark mare blinks to the comment for the moment before her new take charge persona comes up, "The dungeon, he freed me."
Her words lower Celestia's ears as she stays silent to her sister's continued voice, "...I know my subjects, that was your real son." Luna holds her posture as she nods, "I am sure he is safe."
- - - (A brief search later)
The sound of hooves ringing in from the hall bring Aerolight up from the bed he was sitting on as he brings his voice out, "Help!"
His voice rings through the hall for the moment as the sound of voices start to call back, however within moments the familiar sight of you and Twilight come into the threshold of the hall.
Aerolight blinks to you both as he speaks up, "Where is Milky?"
Twilight's slightly out of breath panting is halted for the moment as she moves close to the magical cell with a whisper, "Aerolight, she planned this the whole time, we can't let anypony know we helped-..."
"Twilight." Your voice stops her comment as a armored pony comes into the room.
You bring your voice up as you try to continue the act, "Get the key, he's locked in their."
The armored pony nods to the comment as he turns back into the other room, but the time for talking with the young stallion is over as more ponies start to come into the adjacent room to the dungeon cells.
Aerolight just blinks to the commission as he turns his attention back to Twilight, "S-she took the crown?"
Twilight taps her mouth to tell the stallion to be quite as she quickly nods her head.
The nod brings the young pony's ears down as his face takes on a emotionless stare to the cell bar's in front of him, his thoughts now swelling in his mind.
The day has started to come to a close as the dark moonless sky continues to take hold over the city of Canterlot. But the approaching night does not bring the young stallion's trot up any quicker, instead for this pony his mind is elsewhere, still trying to understand everything that has happened only a few hours ago.
The world as he knows it could have been completely changed, it could have been thrown into chaos, either by it being altered itself or by the vortex of power struggles that would have followed with a new head ruler being crowned.
But nothing has changed...
Aerolight swings his head up from the ground as he looks around to the few pegasus ponies who have started to light the touch streetlights on his block. Which would seem almost pointless seeing as how the clouds above look to be rain clouds.
But, He holds his stare for the moment as his mind continues to rage with everything he has been told today.
However two things stand out the most in his mind as the young stallion slowly drifts his eyes to his simple two story flat. The first thing in his mind is what Luna suggested, no pony is to speak of what happened...
This comment continues to baffle the stallion, how can everything just stay the same? How can Celestia stay in power?!
Aerolight stops in front of the door as he thinks over the last image he had of the tall white sun bringing mare. Her mane's color did not seem to glow as bright and her own stare seemed to be distant, no doubt with regret for what she did and could have done.
But still, the mare's sad expression brings no payment for what she did to her sister and what she would have done if not stopped.
Aerolight just shakes his head with a smile as the second thought comes into mind, he slowly lowers his head as he stares to the ground in front of his door with a whisper, "Ya...Nothing changes, but everypony still gets to blame the changelings."
His pink eyes slowly run up the door in front of him as he sparks his magic to unlock the door he does not have the key for at the moment.
The sound of its lock brings his hoof up as he starts inside the dark house. However, just as he does this the room illuminated, with every light in the bottom floor simultaneously turning on.
"Hello Aerolight...."
The voice runs through the room with a low feminine and sweet southern tone, but Aerolight just sighs as he turns to the brilliant yellow and blue mane mare that stands in the living room to his left, "Everypony in Equestria is looking for you Milky..."
Aerolight's low voice nods the frickled nosed mare's head as she speaks up, "Then it would seem strange I would come to a guard's house would it not?"
Her unchanged sweet tone just sinks the dark cream stallion's expression more as he looks her over, "Why do you continue to play with me Milky?"
The mare averts her eyes from the stallion's gaze.
The silence in the room just brings a faint smile to Aerolight as he nods his head in defeat, "...Alright...Then at least tell me why you took the crown." The stallion tries to hold a strong posture as he brings his voice up a little more, "...Because Luna has hailed me as a hero for freeing her, and I nor anypony else can tell her how we knew she had not changed."
Milky nods as she brings her voice up in a low tone, "Power Aerolight...It's as simple as that."
A slight laugh comes up from the stallion as he shakes his head to the ground, "S-so this whole time it was just for the changelings to come out on top?" He swallows hard as he continues, "T-they think I'm some great hero or something, and I don't know if I can handle knowing I could never stop the greatest threat to Equestria."
The words bring a little smile to the mare's face as she cocks her head, "Are you trying to flatter me Aerolight?"
Aerolight just shakes his head again as he shrugs, "Why Milky?"
Milky nods to the stallion's low tone as she brings her head to a straight up position, " Years ago Discord put a spell on the elements of harmony to corrupt them. Celestia would not damage the crown nor would Luna, because it was believed that its magic was the only thing holding Nightmare moon back. Even with Discord gone the spell to the crown stayed, we knew it was just a matter of time until its magic finally got to Celestia."
Her voice holds as her lengthy speech starts to bring Aerolight's head up, "...The two sisters did not come to Equestria to become rulers, they came to help guide the three original tribes of ponies into peace. But there were things that would make that impossible, so they stayed."
"Both sisters have deemed Equestria's ponies as unworthy, Luna just did so long before Celestia did today. But, both where stopped by the other. I choice to steal the crown today as too protect, protection from the anarchy that would follow everypony in Equestria learning that their long loved Princess was just a ticking time bomb."
A faint smile comes to her face as she continues, "It is better to have everypony hate changelings then for all of the ponies in power that Celestia has placed to be thrown out."
Aerolight blinks to the mare as he lets her reasoning sink into his mind.
However Milky takes a step forward as she brings her voice up, "We could never be together Aerolight...We both put each other in danger." She holds her eyes to the stallion as she gets closer, "But, we have tonight."
Her green eyes flutter a little as she brings her head to the stallion's, "And right now, that's all I want to worry about."
The extended kiss is quickly snatched up by the wanting stallion as the two ponies close their eyes and just give into the other pony.
Milky breaks from the kiss as she nuzzles her head under Aerolight's just trying to hold onto the safe feelings his touch has always stirred in her. Aerolight quickly brings his own head to the mare's neck as he kisses her, "Nothing is simple Milky, but that doesn't mean everything is impossible."
A light smile comes to the mare's face as her closed eyes start to tremble and a tear rolls from them. The steams of salty water quickly bleeds through the changeling's spell revealing the sleek black fur that lays just underneath it. But Aerolight does not move from her as he continues to kiss a little to the side of her neck.
It has been a few long months since Celestia almost brought Equestria to its knees, however despite the fact of only a few select ponies actually knowing what happened the sun keeper has started to stay in the shadows a lot more. Luckily though the Princess of the night has taken on a much more active role in Equestria, which as of lately has been rewarded with one of the most prosperous times so far in Equestria's history.
Of course though, the world's problems and triumphs mean nothing to a certain light orange pegasus who continues to pace back and forth the bright pale pink crystal lobby he has been stuck into since he jumped from the bed over two hours ago.
Sparky's unbrushed mane is flared out more then his anxious wings as he continues to whittle down the hard stone floor he trots to.
"Mr.Wave..."
The feminine voice echoes through the almost empty lobby as the stallion quickly turns his attention to the nurse hat wearing light blue mare, who continues to trot from one of the hallways, "...Will you please follow me?"
Without a moment of hesitation the young pegasus brings his trot up as he moves to the mare's side, "I-is everything okay?"
The mare turns her head back to the hall as she brings her voice out again, "Like doctor Garnet said, an early birth is nothing to truly worry about."
Sparky just nods his head as continues to follow the mare pass a few more rooms, but her trot is quick to come to an end as she gives a smile and stops in front of one of the last rooms on the right, "Here you are."
Her smile does little to the young stallion's nerves as he slowly brings himself to the closed door.
However, as the brighter lights of the crystal room come into view Sparky shifts his eyes to the tired light purple mare sitting up right in the bed. On the right side of the room stands one of the doctors who's head is just buried to the clipboard he writes something to, but his presence does not change Sparky's eyes as he stares to the light pink bundled up foal in Violet's hold.
Spark's legs wobble a little as he slowly comes to the side of the bed, "H-hey, how are you doing?"
The question brings a faint smile to the mare's face, but she nods her head to the foal in her hold as she moves the blanket a little more for the stallion to see.
Sparky's own pride filled smile starts to spread across his face as he lowers his head to the closed eyed light yellow coated and almost grape maned pegasus filly. He sighs as he feels his own emotion starting to get the better of him, "H-hey..."
The stallion's voice continues to hold a slightly giggly tone as he moves his head a little closer to the filly's, "You're going to do great things Astral." He kisses the little pony's mane as he continues, "Welcome to the world."
