Long Before Equestria there was the Crystal Empire and the Crystal Heart, fueled by the love and light of it's Citizens. But where did it come from?
Before Equestria there was the Empire, ruled by a King and Queen who loved their ponies with all their hearts. The Crystal Heart was the Highest Law in the entire Kingdom, able to denounce any King or Queen and instate a new Prince or Princess who was more worthy of the throne. Very few ponies know the story behind the origins of the heart and, until Prince Sombra stumbles on a old fairytale, no one thinks it is really alive.
Unfortunately She was.
Silken Blade has slept for hundreds of years in her crystal prison, waiting for when somepony would free her and let her fly among the Stars again. Her Curse: She is bound to her Savior til their death.
Once upon a Time there was a King and Queen named King Solaris and Queen Selene. King Solaris brought about the Day and Queen Selene, painted the Night. The King wore a crown made from the rarest of jewels and most valuable of metals, anyone who wore it learned the secrets of the universe and all within. The Queen wore a set of Mithral armor that gave its wearer eternal youth. The King and Queen loved each other greatly and ruled fairly. Their kingdom prospered and grew beyond the seas. All was well.
Until...
One day a strange pony arrived in the night, while the Queen was protecting the dreams of her citizens. He snuck into the armory and stole the Queens armor from beneath the noses of her most trusted of guards. Her guards ran off in search of the Thief, searching far and wide but never able to track down the crafty Thief. Within a few months the Queen became gravely ill. The King had no choice but to send her most loyal hoofmaiden to retrieve the armor.
Once Upon a Time in the Crystal Empire, There was a Prince. The Prince was desperate to gain any and all knowledge possible. It became his biggest obsession in life. Many a night was spent researching spells and studying philosophy. His Advisers grew increasingly worried as he dug himself deeper and deeper into the Royal library, shirking his Responsibilities. He was rarely seen in public. Under his Rule, Ponies went hungry.
The Hoofmaiden searched far and wide, questioning Dragons, Changelings and Ponies alike. All wanted the Queen to get well again and aided the Hoofmaiden however they could. They all told her whatever they knew, giving her gifts and places to rest. They fed her and kept her clean, Unicorns putting blessings and Earth Ponies clearing paths. Dragons gave her knives to cut down the thief and Changlings showed her loved ones she missed. With every lead the Love in heart grew from the friends and allies she made, until her coat shone with the Light in her heart. The thief's fear grew and he began to lay traps to keep the Hoofmaiden away. He fled north until the land beneath his hooves was frozen and mountains speared the heavens. Cornered, the thief turned to his normal trickery to avoid capture.
The Prince eventually found a story of a Crown, the Crown was said to grant all the knowledge one could want. He greedily set out to find the one pony alive that could help him find it. His advisers noticed that everyday his coat grew darker and demeanor more violent. Days later he turned to dark magic to complete the ritual that would summon the pony that would aide him. In doing so, he warped his body to a hideous imitation of a pony.
The summoned mare was not amused.
The Hoofmaiden followed the thief until she reached a cave. She stumbled upon the armor, alone and abandoned. She put on the armor to best carry it back to the Queen, but once the last piece of armor was in place, she found she could not move. The thief had placed a curse on the armor, whoever put it on turned to crystal. Seeing she was trapped the Thief ran, leaving her with no friends to aide her and the inability to return to the Queen.
Weeks later a Dragon friend of the Hoofmaiden stumbled upon her in the cave and brought her to the King and Queen. The King was able to remove the Curse from the Armor and safely heal the Queen, but try as he might, he could not free the Hoofmaiden from the curse and the Kingdom weeped at the loss of their dear friend. There was no hope left for her.
'Those who seek knowledge often find despair, I will grant your wish as it is my Curse to Obey.' With that the Mare pointed to a map where the crown was hidden.
The Prince sent out his armies to retrieve the Crown. When they returned they told a tale of how the last Pony to wear it had warped into a terrifying being of Chaos. The Prince cared not and set the crown on his head anyway.
The Summoned mare watched on through his mad reign, acting on his will, no longer truly there. Some thought sh was just as mad as the Prince, Others thought her an unwilling slave. No one knew the truth. Eventually the Prince declared himself King and forced his citizens to Mine deep into the earth for rare gems, working them near the point of death. The Princesses of the south rose up and attacked the King and the Mare in an attempt to drive them back into the shadows.
The King fell deeper and deeper into the Darkness, His madness driving him to use more and more dark magic, his eyes becoming permanently stained. Through great difficulty the Princesses of the south managed to seal him in the ice of the frozen north, but in doing so the Crystal Empire vanished with him.
Once Upon a Time, there was a young Filly who loved to learn magic. She was soon taken under the wing of a wise Princess who had lived for over a thousand years. The Filly grew up to be an incredibly powerful and wise unicorn, who faced many dangerous threats. She freed a mad Alicorn from Darkness and imprisoned a being of Chaos in stone. She hatched a dragon and braved the Everfree Forest.
The Filly made five friends who were all Extraordinary in their own ways. One could tear open the sky with an explosion of light, another could stare down a Dragon. One of them could warp reality to her whim while another could clear an entire orchard in a day. the Fith was a mare of great beauty who created many beautiful dresses and gave selflessly. Together they wielded Artifacts of great power that could vanquish any evil. One day the wise princess sent her student to the north to face a great threat. Her and her friends bravely went to vanquish their foe. But they forgot to bring their Artifacts and failed. They were captured by the enemy and used to keep the Princess at bay.
Such a shame too, they could've been the ones who got their happy ending.
The Prince was cold and bitter, no one ever showed him love. All he knew was the false affections of desperate mares and the lies of greedy nobles.
Sombra scrapped together the last bits of his magic and chuckled. Rise. The magic flew from his horn and struck the falling Crystal Heart. A flash of brilliant blue light briefly stung his eyes as the Heart reacted to his commands. An armor-clad Pegasus took form, swooping down to rescue the falling Dragon and the Alicorn. It flew down and gracefully set the two down on the streets. The Crystal Ponies screamed in fear and fled back to their homes, locking the doors and shutting windows.
"It's her!"
"Sombra's demon!"
"Run for your lives!"
Sombra rolled his eyes at their ignorance. If she took pleasure in obeying my will I'd already be back on my throne and they'd be back in the mines. He sneered at the tricky mare. She's probably thinking of how to sneak away yet again. "Slave! Take these interlopers to the dungeon." The Crystal mare shot a glare at him but lifted the Alicorn to fly off. "And none of your tricks!"
"As you wish, My King." Her ears twitched in agitation. "Would you require anything else?"
He began to speak but was interrupted as the Sky blue Pegasus that had arrived with her friends flew out of the stampeding crowd and knocked him down. "What did you do with Twilight, Freak?"
Twilight? She must be the one who got through my traps. If he wasn't so magically drained he would've flown up there himself and slain her right there and then. "Don't worry, as long as you and your friends don't step out of line I won't harm a single hair on that pretty little head of hers." He winced inwardly at that line. It made him sound like a poorly written villain from a cruddy adventure novel.
Can you spell 'Cliche'? S-O-M-B-R-A. A bubbly voice echoed inside his head. Would you care for a boost, My King?
"Get these outsiders out of my sight." He growled, shoving the Pegasus off of him and storming towards the palace.
"As you Wish, My King." She chirped, just as giddy as she sounded in his head.
Silk fluttered her wings, hovering eye to eye with the rainbow Pegasus. "If you could kindly and calmly follow me, this will be much easier."
A conflicted expression washed over her face. Before she managed to make a decision a lasso Wrapped around Silk's midsection and yanked her to the ground. "Quick, Dash! Find where he's keeping Twilight, we'll hold her back!" Silk slid her wing blades upwards and sliced through the rope. The Pegasus, Dash, had already flown off. "Now listen here, Miss Crystal Heart, Y'all are gonna help us stop Sombra, cuz' ya don't yer dooming an entire Empire to suffer under his rule." An Orange Earth Pony loomed over her.
"I already knew that." She chirped, earning a few horrified looks. "I'm cursed you see. As long as I'm in this body, I'm bound to the pony who freed me."
A Pink Earth Pony bounced forward. "So how do we turn you back?"
"Do you have a pound of chalk, six mangoes, a flute and a powerful Unicorn?" Silk stretched out her wings and thought. "Or was it two pounds of salt, four watermelons and a Sombrero?"
The Pink one pulled out a a Flugelhorn. "Will this work?"
Silk eyed her. Is she for real? "I... Doubt it." Silk leaped forward and tapped the hooves of both the orange and pink Earth Ponies. Light blue Crystals sprung out and bound their forelegs together. "I'm terribly sorry, I stalled for as long as I could. Maybe your Rainbow friend will reach Canterlot and warn the Princesses."
A bolt of magic stuck her armor. Well, Stuck is a bit of an exaggeration. It felt more like a light tap. Silk glanced towards the source of the magic. Maybe it was just a warning shot? A pure white unicorn was rushing towards her. "Unhand them you ruffian!" The Unicorn cried.
Silk rolled her eyes and vanished. The two Earth Ponies struggled against the crystals to no avail. Silk stood by the Earth Ponies and waited for their two friends to get close. The unicorn lowered her horn to the Earth Ponies hooves. "Hold still, Darlings."
"Boop." She tapped the Unicorn's horn lightly and the Crystals sprouted around it's base. "Seriously? Did you think I teleported?"
"Aiieee!" The Unicorn jumped at least three feet at the sound of Silk's voice. She couldn't help but giggle as she tapped the yellow Pegasus's wings. The most she received from her was a small, 'Eep.'
Silk dropped the invisibility and looked around at the four mares, "This fight is depressingly one-sided. Diamond-butt, and Butterfly, come with me. You have no magic, and no Earth Pony strength to help you and I really do not want to hurt any of you." She looked at the Earth Ponies. "Which of you is the biggest threat?"
"I Am." They claimed simultaneously. They both shared a look of confusion at their shared claim.
Silk growled and stomped over to the nearest house. With a swift buck she knocked open the door, revealing a cowering family of Crystal Ponies. "You," She pointed at the father. "Help me escort these interlopers to the dungeons and your family will be spared from the Mines." The Father leaped up and rushed out the door. Silk felt a pang in her heart at the idea of dangling that kind of freedom over their heads. It's not like I have a choice. She thought. I can't help what the Curse makes me do.
The ponies continues to struggle as the Stallion lifted the Earth ponies and placed them on his back. The unicorn mare kept trying to rub the crystals off her horn and the Pegasus cowered behind her friends. Silk carried the little purple dragon on her back and tried to start a conversation with the four that wouldn't end in bitter remarks. "I mean, It's not like we don't appreciate you guys trying to free us but Sombra is Incredibly powerful and he doesn't have any qualms about torture. The most I can do is keep him from going all murder happy."
"..."
"I'm sure your friend is fine. Sombra may be Evil, but he keeps his promises."
"..."
"... So where are you from?"
"..."
"Oh look, we're here!" Thank the Stars for that. Silk swung open the cell door and the Stallion tossed them in, rather roughly. "I'll be down with some food later!" She locked the cage after shoving the last two mares and the sickly alicorn into the cell. She smiled at the Stallion, "I'll be sure to mention your contribution to the King."
The Stallion fell down at her hooves and began to kiss them. "Thank you, Thank you, May the Gods smile upon you!"
Ahh, nope. She jumped up in the air and flapped her wings until she was out of reach. "Yeah, yeah, go back to your family." She flew past him and headed to the throne room. She was certain that's where Sombra would be holed up.
"Well hello there, Mister Tall, Dark, and Grumpy." Silken Blade landed right next to Sombra's throne. He only grunted in response. "You hungry?"
"No." Why doesn't she just go away?
"Thirsty?"
"No."
Silk fluttered her wings in annoyance. "Why is no one in the mood to talk? I can't hear what you're thinking unless it's directed at me."
Go away.
Silk frowned at him. "Fine." She flew towards the massive double doors and slammed them behind her. You aren't achieving anything, you're just making them hate you more. What does the wealth matter if it only leaves a hole in your heart? I told you before that this Greed will be the end of you, Fear is not a substitute for Love.
The dragons carved the Thief's name into her blades to ensure they would fly true and hit their mark.
Sombra was in a fairly good mood. He'd taken back his empire and silenced those who'd dared to question him. It'd been so simple too, all he had to do was threaten the Unicorn who'd snuck past his traps and the rest fell into line. He'd probably to decide to kill her anyway, someone that powerful would surely be a threat to his rule. Of course, that would have to wait until his magic was back.
He leaned back in his throne and grinned. It was good to be king.
Corazon groaned loudly, interrupting Star-gleam for the eighth time in that hour alone. The Crystal mare forced a smile. "Princess Corazon, is there something you'd like to mention?"
"Why are we learning about stuffy old ponies who we're never going to meet, that weren't all that great and don't know how to have fun?" Corazon huffed and dropped her head onto her desk. "What does this have to do with the Crystal Heart?"
Star-gleam beamed, "Oh it has everything to do with the heart! All these ponies did something that resulted in the Crystal Heart dishonoring them and stripping them of their titles. Tomorrow the Crystal Heart will choose one of you to be the Future King or Queen of the Crystal Empire. It's a great honor that only a few ever get to experience." She grabbed her chalk up and began to write something on the board. "The last time the Heart chose someone from outside the Royal Family was almost one hundred years ago, your ancestor, King Guiding Light, who was notable for being one of the few royals who married an outsider..."
Sombra flattened his ears to avoid hearing the rest. It would eventually lead to Corazon complaining some more.
"How does the Crystal Heart choose Ponies if it's just a rock?" Corazon asked.
Sombra's ears perked up in curiosity. "Well, the Crystal Heart is an ancient Artifact that was enchanted to choose ponies that were best suited to rule our good Empire. Long ago the Heart chose new Royals every generation so Kings and Queens didn't even worry about lines of succesion. It wasn't until Queen Amber stone was Dishonored and her crown given to her daughter that the Royals began to keep track. That line lasted for 23 generations."
Sombra began to wonder about that. A rock wouldn't be able to make such delicate decisions regarding who was fit to rule and who was too stupid or incompetent. How did it know when someone was no longer worthy or had committed a crime against the Empire? It had to be more than that.
I was such an idiot back then. Sombra thought, chuckling.
Silk slumped down against a wall and pulled out a thin Mithral knife, laying it against a hoof. Along the flat of the blade the word 'Starswirl' was etched in a long dead language. She twirled the blade, catching the light.
Silk bounced into the cave, her cloak fluttering out behind her. Her silvery mane fell over her eyes as she looked about. "Starswirl, I know you're in here. Surrender peacefully and the Queen might have mercy of you." Her eyes fell on the pile of armor in the center of the cave. "What!?! You can't just leave Armor like this laying about in some dark wet cave!" She scrambled to collect it all, dropping it constantly.
"It'd be easier to wear it." A deep baritone echoed through the cave.
Silk paused, pondering it. "You're right!" She slid the helmet over her head, reaching for another piece. "I mean, it's pretty lightweight. I can fly with this on." She unhooked her cloak and let it fall to the ground. She managed to fasten every piece into place after a few hours of trial and error. "There, now to get back to the Queen." She spun around and started out of the cave, not noticing her pale blue coat was beginning to get heavier with each step. By the time she reached the cave entrance she could no longer move her legs.
"It's almost sad to watch." A gray unicorn trotted past her, fastening her cloak around his neck with his magic. "If you weren't too naive to live. Seriously, how did you manage to get here without getting yourself killed?"
"I-I need to get back.." She couldn't move, her hooves felt like ice and the feeling was beginning travel up her barrel. "The Queen..."
"Is an Alicorn." Starswirl rolled his eyes. "By the time you got back she would've been right as rain. I can't believe you wasted a good three years of your life chasing me when she's probably fine right now."
It was getting hard to breathe. Everything was soo cold. "You... are the first pony I've genuinely hated." Silk gasped, the cold inched it's way up her neck until she could no longer move her head. "Why..?"
"Isn't it obvious!" he tapped the armor. "This armor could save hundreds of ponies each year and your Queen is hogging it all to herself. I took it so I could learn it's secrets. I'm happy to say I have the spell down pat, even with you persuing me to the ends of the earth. I completed it just before you came in."
"Could've... askk-." The cold wrapped around her muzzle. She couldn't breathe. This was it, she was dead. And worst of all, she had to listen to him gloat. Why couldn't he have made the spell move quicker?
Starswirl spun around and left the cave. "Good-bye, Miss Blade! Enjoy your imprisonment." Silk shed a single tear as everything took on a pale blue sheen and she could no longer blink.
Silk blinked and remembered where she was. She bit her lip and tried to hold back her tears. An entire life gone. Yes, it was foolish of me to follow him. She growled and gripped the knife tighter. I should've driven a knife into his skull the minute he walked int the castle.
The Trickster chuckled, thinking he'd bested the Student and her Friends. 'Harmony is officially... dead."
Twilight bucked at the crystals feebly. Her magic was almost completely drained and she was beginning to grow weary from the attempts to escape. The Crystals were too strong for her to break, magically or otherwise. This is it, I've failed Celestia. A tear rolled down her cheek. I've failed Equestria. She broke down in despair. She was so distraught, she didn't notice the red eyes watching her from the center of one of the crystals.
The crystals melted into shadows and swirled about. Twilight's ear twitched and she looked up to see it form into a tall gray Unicorn stallion with flowing black hair. He would've been quite handsome if it weren't for the menacing fangs that peaked out of his mouth and the curved red horn that jutted from his head. He eyed her like she was something stuck to his hoof that should be scrapped off. "So... you're what Celestia sent to defeat me?" He snorted. "I'm insulted."
Twilight rose to her hooves and took a fighting stance. "Princess Celestia defeated you before she can do it again."
Sombra chuckled. "Things can change in a Thousand years. I imagine its been peaceful, yes? I'm certain she's grown fat and lazy since then."
Twilight growled and fired a flare spell right at his face. He roared in pain and shielded his eyes. "How dare you insult the princess!?!"
Sombra snarled and began to form a spell at the tip of his horn. Twilight threw up a shield spell just as the bolt flew. "I am the King! I will speak as I please!" Cracks formed in the dome as he began to charge up another spell. "You will respect your King!" the spell shattered her shield and sent her flying back. He stalked towards her limp body, growling. Twilight cried out in pain as his dark magic gripped her mane and yanked back her head. He lowered his head and forced her to look him in the eye. "I'm letting you live because you serve a purpose. If you weren't Celestia's Pupil I'd just throw you off the side of this tower and listen for the splat."
His magic wrapped around her and teleported her to some remote part of the Castle. She rubbed her scalp and glanced around. Ow. She took a deep breath. "Okay Twilight, Analyze your surroundings. There has to be some way out of here." I wish I had a Quill and Parchment. It'd be so much easier to have a checklist. "First on my mental checklist, Find a way out. Second, find my friends. After that we'll run back to the train station and hoof it back to Canterlot. Simple!"
She facehooved. "Of course that entire plan hinges on me finding a way out. Sombra probably has way more complex spells in place than the ones around the Crystal Heart, there are hardly any Unicorns in the Empire as far as I can tell." She lit her horn and took in her surroundings. There was a window -barred- and a small, pathetic looking bed completed with threadbare blanket and poor, beaten pillow. In the corner there was -ick- a chamber pot. The door looked to be made from Silver or something similar to that. There was a thin slot to slide meals through but she didn't know any shrinking spells.
She ran a scanning spell over the walls and found that they were reinforced by the same crystals that had trapped her in the tower.
"Rah!" She kicked at the door with all the remaining strength she could into her kick. It didn't work. "Ow! Owowowow!" She flopped into the bed. "What is that door made from?"
Silk watched the shadows coalesce into Sombra. She said nothing and decided to just watch him. "You're judging me." Sombra grunted.
"I always judge you, i'm just not very vocal about it." Silk laid down sphinx style next to his throne, still looking up at him with deep blue eyes. "I'm surprised you didn't jump at the oppertunity to learn about this new time period."
"Maybe I'm just not interested."
"Uh-huh." She smirked "I call horseapples. You're always interested in everything. All the magic under Solaris's sun couldn't change that about you."
Sombra looked away. "I don't need an outsider's help."
They lapsed into silence, for a moment. "She's rather pretty though." Sombra's eyes shrunk down to pinpricks and a light blush colored his cheeks. "She's also very powerful and well liked by the Princess."
"Where are you going with this, Silk?" He huffed.
"Well, lets operate under the assumption that you gave two shits about the Empire. Were that the case, it would be in your best interests to find a way to keep Celestia from unleashing the power of the Sun on our little kingdom and destroying you for daring to lay a hoof on her dear apprentice." Silk grinned, noticing that Sombra was starting to pay attention. "One way is to just lock her in a cell and use her as a meat shield, which of course has it's own flaws. Eventually she'll figure someway to break out of that cell, Unicorns only get stronger with age. Then you'll have a powerful unicorn who's extremely pissed and probably not too stable mentally. You can see where that will go."
Sombra's eyes zeroed in on Silk. "I'm surprised you thought of this."
She shrugged. "My mind tends to go on tangents. The second Option is also a bit risky. You could try to brain wash Miss... Twilight was it?" Seeing his nod she continued. "This is assuming she has a very malleable mind since Celestia probably placed a few mental walls around her to ward off your influence. This could keep her docile and maybe even give you a chance to mold her into your own apprentice. This is of course assuming her friends do not escape and undo all your work with their presence.
"The third option is my favorite. Endear yourself to her. Restrain her magic but let her wander the castle. She might be less inclined to incinerate you once she'd gotten a look at your softer side."
"I don't have a softer side, he died along with my irritating cousin." He growled.
"You misjudge the amount of time I've spent inside your head. Anyway the problem with option Three is that she might not be too inclined to trust you after today's... outburst." She flinched at the thought of Sombra throwing the poor mare around like a ragdoll.
"... You want me to apologize." Sombra said, dangerously calm.
Well life, we've had a good run. We accomplished a lot and I'm a bit disappointed I won't be bringing anyone with me but I have no regrets... Except maybe not carving Sombrero Suckz in the dungeon before my untimely demise. That would've been fun. "Yes."
Sombra leaned back in his throne and closed his eyes. "I tire of this." He teleported away to his room, leaving Silk alone in the throne room.
"I guess that means he's going with option one." I'll go prep for our impending doom... and maybe feed the prisoners.
Twilight rubbed her back hooves and whimpered. They were starting to swell and they had chipped in such a way that Rarity would throw a fit. She set down her head on the pillow. I'm just closing my eyes for a second.
"Twilight Sparkle, Lady of Ponyville!" The Herald cried as Twilight entered. She wore a dress similar to that of the one she wore to the Gala. The ballroom was filled with bright and happy Crystal Ponies. Cadence and Shining were dancing together and the Girls were all chatting cheerfully.
"Twilight!" Spike wrapped his arms around her foreleg. "We did it! We saved the Empire." She smiled and hugged him back, proud that he'd saved the Crystal Heart in time.
"Presenting, Princess Luna Of Equestria!" The Alicorn stomped into the ballroom, earning quite a few bows from the Crystal Ponies. She was dressed in her regalia and flanked by two lunar guards. She eyed everything before making her way towards Twilight and her friends. Twilight smiled at her and waved. "Princess! When did you get here?"
"Twilight Sparkle, How does your mission to the Empire Fare?" Luna waved away a Crystal pony who had offered her a drink.
Reality came crashing down on her. She'd failed, Sombra had her and her Friends captive. The Crystal Heart hadn't worked. Tears filled her eyes as the dream began to fade. "I... Failed. I'm so sorry princess." She collapsed at Luna's hooves and sobbed.
Luna wrapped a wing around Twilight. "Fret not Twilight Sparkle. I told my sister that you were not yet ready for a test of this magnitude. But worry not, There is still hope. Has Sombra destroyed the Crystal Heart?"
Twilight sniffed and shook her head. "He hit it with some Dark Magic but I can still feel it's presence."
Luna nodded. "Follow me, Twilight Sparkle, Sombra most likely has the secret to the Hearts whereabouts hidden in his dreams." They began to walk and Twilight noticed a change in their surroundings. "Be wary Twilight Sparkle, His mindis riddled with Dark Magic."
They passed what looked like memories. Twilight stopped and peered into one, seeing a very young Sombra practicing Dark Magic. His horn was not red and curved and he had no fangs. Twilight almost didn't hear Luna remind her to stay close. "Princess," She began. "Are we really in Sombra's mind?"
"Yes, He must not be back to full power quite yet if he has not placed any wards around it." They passed a memory of Sombra battling the Two Sisters. "He must still be awake, I do not sense any dreams at this time."
"Greed will be the end of you," A voice chirped from a nearby memory. "These Crystals do nothing to stop the Corruption." Luna's eyes zoomed in on the memory and gestured for Twilight to follow her in. The Memory was in what she assumed was in Sombra's bedroom. A Pale blue Crystal Pegasus mare bounced on the bed, fluttering her wings. "You could, of course, just stop using Dark Magic. That might work."
"I've already tried that." Sombra growled from beside the fireplace. "It didn't work."
"Magic Addiction is such a wonderful thing, isn't it?" The Pegasus rolled over on the bed and smiled at him. "What do you want me to do about it? As far as a can tell there are only two ways out, Cold Turkey and True Loves Kiss and by the time you find someone willing to look past the Dark Magic it'll be too late."
"Silk," He looked up, a look of genuine fear across his face. "I don't want to die."
Twilight gasped as the Mare, Silk, jumped off the bed and approached him without a hint of fear. She sat right across from him and looked into his eyes. "You die and we're all free," She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I could give you some vaccinations, they won't do more than prolong it for a bit. I'll have to give you love from my personal stores since there won't be many festivals soon to fill me back up..."
"Do it." He whispered.
Silk leaned in and gave him a half-lidded stare. "Hold still." She gave him a small kiss on his nose and his coat briefly took on a crystal sheen. "Ow!" She rubbed her lips.
Luna's horn glowed briefly and they returned to the Ball room. This time it was completely empty of ponies, Crystal or otherwise. "This... changes everything." Luna murmured.
"If that means what I think it means, than Sombra found a way to turn the Crystal Heart into a Pony." Twilight took a deep breath. "How is that possible, Princess?"
"We don't know, We-I should tell My sister about this." Luna laid her wing over Twilight's back. "When We-I return, I shall teach you to dreamwalk on your own. It would be simpler that way."
Twilight nodded as Luna disappeared, leaving her alone in that empty dream.
As bitterness blackened the Princes heart, the Crystal Heart said nothing. She had abandoned them.
Sombra stormed into his room, stripping off his cape and armor. The metal clinked against the floor around him. He took a deep breath and Roared. The sound echoed through the Castle, waking Twilight from her rest and Causing panic in the dungeons. Sombra kicked out his legs and crushed his nightstand.
"I am a King! I do not yield to pathetic peasants and their dreams of grandeur." He stomped a hoof against the ground, cracks forming in the crystal floor. "I do as I please!" He flinched as the feeling of sharp knives stabbed into his thoughts, making it had to focus. Snarling, he laid back on his bed, eager to get some rest. Before he knew it, everything went black.
Rainbow Dash: Fastest flier in Equestria, Element of Loyalty, and one of the few to ever accomplish the legendary Rainboom... was running away.
More specifically, flying away. Far, far away from the impending doom that was Sombra.
It wasn't that she didn't want to stay and help her friends. Her loyalty was the reason she was flying away. The Princesses could do far more for them than she could, as awesome as she was, she still had limits. She couldn't battle someone made out of smoke and powered by fear and hate, for one.
Dash winced at the soreness of her wings. The blizzard whipped freezing shards of ice against her face, the wind fighting against her. She pushed forward anyway, determined to reach Canterlot. If she didn't, she was certain that He'd kill everyone. She had to save them, it was her duty as the Element of Loyalty.
Her wings gave out on her and she landed in a snow drift. She attempted to stand and failed, collapsing yet again from exhaustion.
She wrapped her wings around her barrel and curled into a ball to conserve heat. As the blizzard carried on, sow spilled up over her. Eventually, despite the cold, she fell asleep. She slept through the night and awoke once the blizzard had ended. She braced her wings and pushed out wards, in a burst of Pegasus magic. Aww, crap. I can't see anything. She sneezed. And it's freezing. I need to move quickly. She shuddered and opened her wings.
She looked up and saw smoke billowing out of the side of a mountain. It's either a dragon or a village, She took off in that direction, powerful wings propelling her ever forward. As she approached she saw a wall and several buildings hidden against the mountain. Her spirits lifted considerably and she dipped towards them already thinking of sitting by a warm fire and telling someone about what had happened in the Empire. Just as she drew closer she heard somepony shouting at her and saw ponies running to and fro.
A bolt of energy left a unicorn's horn and whizzed past her head. "H-hey! C-caref-ful!" They didn't hear her and more bolts of magic flew at her. She dodged them as best she could before somepony got lucky and hit her in the wing. She cried out in pain as she fell before passing out from a mixture of pain and the cold.
"Ugh...Did I crash into the Library again?" Rainbow Dash lifted her head to look around. The room she was in, while filled with lots of dusty old books, looked nothing like the familiar Golden Oaks Library. The walls were made from stone instead of carved from a tree. There was no purple librarian waiting to scold her for knocking over her recently re-shelved bookshelf. There was a brick fireplace only a few feet away and she was wrapped in a quilt.
"Ah... you're awake." An elderly looking unicorn said from his spot near the fire. He was reading a spellbook that was propped up in front of him. He barely glanced up as Dash attempted to jump off her cot and landed on her face instead. "Careful, you took quite a blow to the head."
She flinched as he lifted her in his magic and tucked her back into the cot. "What am I doing here?"
"Simply put, Crystal ponies don't like outsiders. They hardly trust me as it is, and I've lived here for years." He brought a bowl of soup to her lips. "My name is Starswirl. And you are?"
Rainbow slurped up some of the soup and stared at him. "Wait, you're Starswirl? As in Starswirl the Bearded?"
"That is correct." He smirked. "I didn't realize you were a fan."
"What? No. That's egghead stuff. My best friend Twilight talks about you all the time!" Rainbow tried to open her wings. "Ow! What the hay?" Her right wing was tightly wrapped in gauze. "Did you guys seriously shoot me down?"
Starswirl frowned and lifted the bowl towards her yet again. "We'd just received word that Sombra had returned, and the Capital as well. We were worried that you may have been someone else."
Rainbow remembered how the Crystal Ponies had reacted to the Mare who'd emerged from the Crystal. Her coat was similar to her own and her mane had been hidden beneath her helmet. "Now that's just Tribalist."
"I assume since you've said that, it means you meet her." Starswirl scowled. "She's a tricky one. Her special talent lies with Subterfuge and Intrigue. I'm amazed you got away without her slipping a poisoned blade between your ribs."
Dash's ears fell. She thought of how she'd flown away and simply left her friends behind. She couldn't have... could she? "My friends..."
"Are most likely long gone." He shared a sympathetic look. "I'm very sorry for your loss." He rose to his hooves and began to hobble out of the room, seeing the pain in Dash's eyes. "I will leave you to grieve."
She was so distraught she didn't notice the smirk etched across Starswirl's face.
The Student lived to learn, but she never worried enough about the effects of knowledge. She hid in a tower until she met her friends. Only then did she truly begin to learn.
He's so peaceful when he's asleep. Sombra snored loudly into his pillow. It's a shame he has to wake up. At least I can have some fun with that. She raised the cymbals over his head. 3...2...1 "GOOD MORNING, MY KING!" The cymbals crashed and the King of Shadows leaped across the room in surprise. Silk smiled, barely holding back her laughter. I have to thank the Pink One later. And remember her name. "Now that you're awake we can discuss urgent matters, the Prisoners just made their first attempt to escape and the Purple one managed to put a dent in a Mithril door." She scrunched up her eyebrows. "Which I find very troubling."
"You over estimate them." He growled and rubbed his forehead.
Silk huffed. "You under-estimate them. Celestia wouldn't send six completely powerless mares to battle a Shadow Mage as powerful as yourself. And the Alicorn won't stay weak forever." Damn you voice, why can't you sound more worried?
Sombra brushed passed her and floated his armor to his body. "Has there been anymore changes?"
"No." She bit back a bitter remark. "I believe the Corruption has halted it's transformation of your physical form."
"Good. That means we're one step closer to curing me." He lowered the crown onto his head and rolled his neck. "And you thought it was irreversible."
Silk flicked her tail, one ear twitching. "There's still your memory loss." She earned a glare for mentioning that. "Describe Corazon to me right now." She demanded.
"Loud and irritating, you two would get along swimmingly." Sombra flung open the doors to his chamber and began to storm down the hall. Silk took flight and followed him closely. "I recall that you let one of those 'completely powerless' mares get away."
"She was too fast for me." A touch of irritation finally managed to slip into her voice. "And you're changing the subject. Your temper is just getting shorter and you are letting your emotions influence decisions. The Corruption isn't receding, it's attacking your mind." A memory bubbled up from the previous day and she jumped on it. "Yesterday, you could barely make coherent sentences."
"Well I'm fine today." Sombra shot her a glare. "Is there a point to all this?"
"You aren't going to cure yourself by using even more Dark Magic." She lifted a hoof. "My offer still stands. It won't reverse the transformation but..."
"No." He turned away from her and marched on. Silk watched him with pain in her heart. Her coat, however, remained as bright as polished gems. "I can do this myself." He hesitated for a moment. "Go with Option Three. Just don't go overboard like you usually do." He disappeared into the castle library.
"At least this is some progress." She muttered to herself. She
Twilight ceased her onslaught on the wall to examine her progress. A few pebbles littered the ground of her cell but other than that she'd hardly made a dent in the wall. She groaned and flopped onto the bed. I'm never going to get out of here.
The silvery door swung open and revealed the same Pegasus from Sombra's memory. She beamed at Twilight. "Hello, I'm Silk. Wow, you actually broke off a piece of the wall?" Twilight lit up her horn and began to form a teleportation spell. Before she could fire it off the mare ponced and tapped her horn. "Boop. None of that, I mean you no harm Lady Twilight." She jumped off of her and smiled. "Follow me."
Twilight looked up to see her horn had been sheathed in a pale blue Crystal. "How did you..."
"Walk and Talk, Lady Twilight. The Castle is a big place, I wouldn't want you to get lost." Silk purred from the doorway.
Twilight followed her, caution in every step. "How did you block my magic?"
Silk cocked her head to the side in confusion. "It's Crystalkinesis. All Crystal Ponies can do it. It's how we build our houses. It also blocks magic from being used in hostility."
Twilight paused. "Oh for the love of... you mean that's why the walls..."
"It's Sombra's personal Surge chamber. It's top of the line stuff, don't feel too bad." Twilight was positive that Silk was mocking her. The Pegasus paused in front of a pair of massive oak doors. "King Sombra has granted you free rein of the castle."
Twilight eyed her. "What's the catch?"
Silk flung open the doors, revealing an ornate bathhouse. Steam drifted off the clear water, seapony fountains sprayed water into the deep pools, and a particularly pink Party pony was preparing to plunge into one of the soapy bathes. "He'll tell you at dinner tonight."
"Girls!" Twilight bolted towards them only to slip on a puddle and splash head-first into the pool, earning a shriek from Rarity and a squeal of joy from Pinkie. She coughed out the water she'd accidentally swallowed. "He didn't hurt you guys did he? Where's Rainbow Dash? Where are Shining and Cadence?"
"We're fine, darling. We're actually just as surprised as you are." Rarity glared at Pinkie who had decided to make soap beards on everyone. "One minute we were sitting in our cells and then this young lady came to our cell and said..."
"She said tha' Sombra wants' ta have us ta Dinner." Applejack scowled as Silk attempted to run a brush through her mane. "An' then she started fussin' over us like we were newborns."
"I find it simply divine!" Silk placed a towel behind Rarity's head before beginning to rub shampoo int her mane. "It's much better than that filthy cell. Don't you agree Fluttershy?"
"Oh, well, It's nice and all, but, how is she in three places at once?"
Silk beamed and slammed her hooves on a cloud, dousing all five of them. "Sorry, I just can't help myself. When I'm excited my magic starts acting up. I haven't had a chance to indulge my Special Talent in years." She gestured to her Cutie Mark. A pair of knives, bound by a silk cloth.
Pinkie wiped off her bubble beard. "What does that have to do with baths?"
Silk giggled and hid a blush. "Actually my talent lies with Serving and Protecting royalty. And everything that entails. Royals are a very Lazy bunch." She watched as their expressions changed from confusion, to realization. "You girls may not be Royalty but Sombra never gives me a chance to do this sort of thing." with that, she leaped off her cloud and began to wash Twilight's mane.
Twilight cleared her throat. "So where's Spike?"
"He decided he'd rather not get pampered with us. Ah almost wish ah stayed with him." Applejack grumbled, scrubbing her coat.
Rarity pouted. "Poor Spikey-Wikey, all alone in that gorgeous room."
Pinkie Pie looked up from her bubble sculpture. "Shining Armor and Cadence are still in the Dungeons, And Rainbow Dash flew away to get help." She added a horn. "'Mwhahaha! I'm King Sombra! I'm mean and pouty and never have any fun. Bring me Crystals!'" The girls giggled as Pinkie began imitating him.
Silk smirked. "That is amazingly accurate."
Twilight smiled, happy to be among her friends again. For a brief moment she worried about Sombra's Invitation. He could have just had them all killed and moved on without so much as a second thought. So why had he shown them mercy? If what Celestia had told her was true, then Sombra would not have let them live, much less wander the castle unguarded. Her eyes flicked to the Pegasus, who was helping Rarity style her mane. Unless, She thought. Silk is lying about her special talent. It would make sense. Luna says that she's the Crystal Heart so it stands to reason that she shouldn't have a Cutie Mark. Speaking of which, why doesn't she take the form of a Unicorn? It would be easier to explain her abilities that way.
"You alright, Sugarcube?" Applejack queried. "Ya seem like yer in a whole different world."
Twilight blushed and giggled. "I was just... thinking."
'Though you dwell in the Night, do not fear the Day for it brings life. Though you live in the Day, do not fear the Night for it protects you from the flaming sun.' ~The Princess of the Night, addressing the Night Guard. Pre-Nightmare Moon
Sombra popped open the cage and lifted out another rat. The rat munched on some grass pellets as Sombra began to transfer a small sliver of his magic into the rodent. It immediately let out an inequine shriek and squirmed. It's paws turned black and it's body began to warp into some horrifying mockery of a rat. It's eyes turned blood red and it's teeth sharpened to needles. Sombra jotted down some notes as he levitated the shrieking rat into another cage filled with similar monstrosities. "The mutation seems to remain consistent throughout each transformation. They seem to getting along well enough... scratch that, they've begun cannibalizing each other. Lucky me, I have Zombie Rats."
He rubbed his eyes and sighed, ignoring the grotesque carnage happening right beside him. "The mutation moves too quickly for there to be any significant breakthroughs. Stars, this is exhausting." A throbbing pain traveled down his horn and he growled. It's getting worse. He closed his notebook, turning back to the last living Mutated Rat. It was gnawing on the bones of one of its brethren, its body pulsing and changing still. "Time to dispose of you." With a flick of his horn, he snapped the creatures neck.
"So fragile." Silk chirped from the doorway. Her blue eyes flicked between the unicorn and the cage. "At least you aren't experimenting on Ponies."
"That's likely to change." He murmured, floating the mutated rat and a few surgical tools over.
Silk suddenly appeared right beside him. Her wings draped over him like a cloak. "You have something, right... there." She booped him on the snout. His eyes crossed as he focused on the blue crystalline hoof pressed against his snout. Her magic was always leaking out, making ponies more agreeable, but this was a direct dose of pure love magic straight to his system leaving him a bit lightheaded.
He blushed, scowling at the overly affectionate pegasus. "What was that for?"
"For you to to lighten up. Come on, there's going to be a party in your honor with pretty mares, booze and guards wearing ceremonial armor, that's like, your top three favorite things." Silk leaned against him, her back hooves helping support her weight. She scrunched up her nose. "You need a bath, you smell like something died.... wait."
The resulting silence was broken by a sudden bark of laughter from Sombra. Silk smiled and joined in, noting his shortening fangs
Twilight rubbed her horn wistfully. Not being able to use magic was a huge pain. Spike was still helping Rarity look for quills and ink. The fashionista was inspired by the palace interior and was determined to make them all new dresses once they got home. Applejack was staring down the door. A pair of Sombra's guards had escorted them back to their rooms and currently stood just outside. Pinkie was stuffing her face with treats that were brought by some anxious maids whose names Twilight could not remember. "I don't understand why He's letting us walk around."
Fluttershy looked up. "Well... maybe... possibly... he might not be as bad as we thought."
"What!?!" Applejack broke her vigil by the door.
"What?!?" Twilight nearly jumped out of her seat.
"Mrfff!!!!" Pinkie exclaimed, chewed up pastry spraying out of her mouth. She swallowed it all in a single gulp and licked the remaining icing off her face. "What?!? How could you even think that!?! He was all 'Grrr, Crystals! Slaaaves!' And the Crystal Ponies were all," She grabbed a pair of cupcakes and moved them about to mimic speech. "'Oh, no! It's meanie pants King Sombra! Run!' and then he swooped in and laughed evilly 'Bwahahaha!! I'mma gobble up the Crystal Heart, then I'mma gobble you!' 'Noooo!'" Pinkie then proceeded to eat a heart-shaped cookie. "Ohm nom-nom-nom!"
Twilight took a moment to Recover from Pinkie Pie's... Pinkieness. "He threatened to throw me out of a tower and the Crystal ponies were terrified to the point where they didn't even want to remember what happened to them. While I doubt he eats other ponies he's still a bad Pony."
Fluttershy flinched from the sudden"I'm not saying he's good, just, maybe... a little teensy tiny bit... misunderstood. I mean, he could've killed us, but he didn't. I mean, he's fed us and let us bathe. I mean, if he planned on hurting us that seems like a waste of time."
"Why don't we just ask one of the Crystal Ponies what happened?" Applejack huffed.
Twilight bobbed her head in agreement. "That sounds like a good idea, Why don't we ask the two maids the next time we see them?" The Rest of the Girls agreed and settled down around the table. Heh, Sombra being good, that's about as silly as Celestia being an Evil Mastermind. She imagined a caped Celestia wearing a fake mustache and twirling it evilly. She stifled a giggle a the thought and made a mental note to apologize profusely -with cake- once they escaped.
Rarity worked quickly.
Some how- Spike wasn't about to ask questions- she'd managed to make several brand new dresses for each of the Element Bearers that both complimented their personalities and remained fairly simple as opposed to her normally extravagant work. That was mostly to cut down on time but it didn't keep her from whining over the fact that she was unable to whip something up suitable for royalty.
Twilight looked determined as opposed to Fluttershy who seemed to be attempting to shrink into the ground. Applejack was admonishing Pinkie for bouncing around in her dress. Rarity looked just as lovely as she always did, and was fussing with her mane. "It's such a shame I couldn't find any makeup, I suppose this will have to do."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Rarity, He's Evil."
"Oh of course, but that's no reason to be disrespectful. He's still King of the Empire. Perhaps..." She smiled mischievously at Fluttershy. "He just needs a little push in the right direction." Fluttershy squeaked.
"Are you suggesting that Fluttershy try to use her Stare on him?" Twilight asked. "That might work." She tapped a hoof against her chin and wondered how likely it would be to succeed.
Rarity sighed. "That wasn't what I meant." She said, raising an eyebrow.
Twilight turned bright red, while Spike remained clueless. "Nope nope nope." She shook her head. "Not gonna happen."
Rarity pouted. "But Twilight, Think about it. The cold-hearted tyrant falling for a lowly peasant girl. She is the only one who can sooth the pain of his past. Their love facing many challenges before they can be wed." Rarity swooned at the idea. "Isn't that just the most romantic thing you've ever heard?"
Twilight opened the door and smiled at the two Crystal Guards that stood there. "We're ready."
"This conversation isn't over." Rarity huffed.
Sombra glanced out the window and saw the sun setting in the horizon. The sunlight glinted off the Empire's buildings. It was a beautiful sight that would push a pony to tears. And yet he felt... nothing. Silk lounged on a cushion nearby He turned his attention to the doors as they swung open. His attention was quickly drawn to the fact that they were all wearing dresses. He couldn't help but chuckle.
The yellow pegasus squeaked and hid behind the one named Twilight. Twilight simply glared at him. She seems to be very defiant. "I would like to apologize." All of the mares looked surprised at this. "I was not acting myself yesterday, please, sit."
Twilight took the seat across from him while the pink earth pony and the yellow pegasus to the seats on either side of her. A small purple dragon set a cushion down next to Twilight and joined in on the glaring. "Be that as it may, King Sombra, we still aren't very inclined to trust you."
"I don't require your trust. I will not be returning you to your princess however." They all stared at him in shock. "If I do that she'll have no reason to hold back, will she? I'm thinking about my own safety here, dying is a very uncomfortable experience." He lifted his wineglass to his lips and took a sip. Silk kicked him under the table, maintaining an amicable smile for the five mares .
The Orange one slammed her hoof against the table. "So yer just gonna lock us up in some posh room and take us away from our lives and families!"
"Applejack," Twilight hissed.
"You will be allowed to leave your room of course. If you wish to leave the castle you'll have to be escorted by either Silk or a group of guards. I won't keep you from sending letters to your families, I'd hate for them to grieve for you while you're still alive." Sombra continued. The girls all attempted to come to terms with this development. "I'm very sorry it has to be this way..."
"Like hell you are." The dragonling jumped off his cushion and onto the table. Green flame trickled from his maw. "You're a monster! You oppress the Crystal ponies and enjoy their misery. You locked us up because we dared to make a stand and then you turn around and start dangling freedom just out of our reach. You don't feel sorry for anything. It's all just."
Silence. Silk twitched beside him, obviously uncomfortable with the silence. Sombra sat up straighter in his chair and sipped his wine. "You're right, I am a monster. I came to terms with that fact a long time ago. I am not sorry that you won't see your family again. Think of me what you will, but that does not change the fact I am not going to harm any of you or set you free. I have no reason to do either."
The Dragon growled and was pulled back to his cushion by Twilight. She looked him in the eye. "Thank you." She said.
He blinked. "For what?"
"For promising not to hurt us, Silk says you keep your promises." The White one answered for her.
The Stars were never as bright and the Sunrise never quite as brilliant. It was not long until they vanished, leaving the Unicorns of the world to herald the Day and Night in their stead.
Silk dove into a snow drift to hide. A pair of Crystal Unicorns walked past her, scanning the area around them for intruders. Her wings twitched at her sides as she popped out and snuck closer to the outpost archives. She could sense his magic in there. All the more reason to be careful. If anyone knew a possible cure to Corruption it would be Starswirl. Even if she couldn't find one She wouldn't go back empty hooved.
She opened the window with a wing and slid into the building. Her hooves clicked against the ground and she sneaked through the shelves, staying close to the ground. Whispers met her ears and she froze. "I don't understand what we need with another pegasus, we already have an entire aerial unit trained and ready."
A deep and familiar voice responded. "Because Silk won't be able outfly this one." Silk bit a hoof to keep herself quiet. "With some training She may even be able to take Silk down all on her own." Starswirl purred.
The other voice hesitated. "What of Sombra? He controls the demon and will be able to resummon her if she falls."
"Let me take care of Sombra, He's a foal compared to me. It'll be easy. Then you can have your Empire back with a new King on the throne."
Silk almost hissed at that. There is only decadence in this Empire, none are worthy of that responsibility. Sombra barely qualified. The Other pony left the room and she peeked around the shelf she was hiding behind. Starswirl released an illusion spell that had been cloaked around him. His coat was snow white and his mane and tail were a mousy brown color. He didn't look any different from when she'd last seen him, except for a great big bushy beard. If it weren't for the fact that I've vowed to find a way to kill him, I'd want to play with it.
Starswirl's horn glowed and wrapped around a few papers, tucking them into a portfolio and setting it on the shelf. Her wings itched to toss a knife into his neck but she held back. After a bit he left the building, blowing out a candle as he went. Once she her the door close, SIlk leaped out from her hiding spot and grabbed the folio.
"Mine." She tucked it into her saddle bags. "Lets see what these rebels have in store."
Twilight found herself back in her library and smiled. She was certain she could smell somepony cooking in the kitchen and briefly wondered if Spike was dreaming of home. Dreaming was as close as she would get , that was what she was certain of. She took in the room and sat on her bed. After hearing the sound of wingbeats her ears shot up. "Princess Luna? Are you there?"
"We are here, Twilight Sparkle." Luna appeared on the balcony. "What has happened, has that demon hurt you?"
"No. We're fine. Is Celestia planning a rescue mission?" Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit helpful. Maybe if Celestia can overwhelm them...
Luna frowned and shook her head. "She is afraid that Sombra will move to harm you or the other Element Bearers. You are all too important to risk letting die." Luna's frown deepened. "Which is why I objected to sending you in the first place. You were not ready." Luna snapped her attention back to Twilight, noticing her despair. "It is not Your fault, Twilight Sparkle. Our Sister was Foolish enough to believe that Sombra was still too weak to possibly take back the Empire. You are young and not yet fully trained."
Twilight nodded. "Are we going to begin?"
Luna nodded. "The spell is a bit tricky, it requires that one be in a trance-like state before it can be performed. As most unicorns can't cast spells while they are asleep...
Spike squirmed out of Twilight's hooves. Celestia, she's stronger than I remember. He jumped off the bed and looked back. Fluttershy laid in the center of the tangle of Ponies, she had burst into tears after they'd returned to their room. The other girls had rushed to comfort her. Except Applejack, she cried on the inside.
He wasn't about to give up though. He would just have to use all of his skills to find a way to get out... Granted they were fairly limited. But he was certain that he could find a way to use them in such a way that would best help him to escape.
... He was doomed.
His scaley feet slapped against the crystal floor as he jogged through the palace. This place is a labyrinth! How does anypony get anywhere in this place? He turned a corner and ran into a trio of guards. The tallest one scowled. "Heh... Sorry. I didn't see you guys there." He rubbed the back of his head with a claw.
"Oh look, another one." A guard with a squeaky voice- from here on to be referred to as Squeaky- snapped.
"What's Sombra thinking? Letting a filthy reptile like this wander around." The Tall one said.
"At least give it a leash." The Last one said. The other two chuckled.
Spike took a few steps back, suddenly feeling very anxious. The Tall one took a step forward. "Hey, we didn't say you could go anywhere. You came with those outsiders, right?" Spike nodded, seeing the other two beginning to step forward. The Tall one tsked his tongue. "I knew they were no good."
"Pfft, Ponies being friends with Dragons, that's like if these outsiders are looking to get killed." Squeaky said.
A gust of wind brushed past him and he noticed the Guards take a step back in fear. "I heard laughter, did someone tell a joke?" A bubbly voice said. Spike glanced up and saw a smiling Silk. There was a faint dusting of snow in her mane but it didn't melt. "I like jokes, can I hear?" Her wings fluttered in excitement.
The Tall one rubbed the back of his head. "Um well, the thing is..."
Silk took in a long horrified gasp. "You three weren't ganging up on some poor defenseless, baby dragon were you?" Her Smile turned down into the smallest of frowns. "I would not like that. Tell me Littlest One, were they picking on you?"
Spike wasn't sure how to respond when the Guards all began to stare at him in horror. The tiny frown on Silk's face deepened slightly. "Um... Well..."
"We were just messing around!" The Squeaky one said. The other two bobbed their heads in agreement.
Silk sighed in disappointment and Spike couldn't help but think of Princess Celestia. "Boys... I'm going to have to bring this to Sombra." The Guards fell to the ground and began pleading that she not tell Sombra. Spike felt an ice cold wing wrap around him and saw Silk give him a wink. He stifled some giggles at her mock serious expression. "We can't go around terrorizing poor little Dragons... especially with Sombra's plans at stake."
"W-what plans?" The Tall one stuttered.
Silk pushed Spike ahead of her. She walked away from the Trio. "That doesn't concern you three. Head back to your rounds, I'll have words with you later." Once they were out of earshot, she dissolved into giggles. "Are you all right littlest one?"
Spike smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You should be careful. There was a falling out between the Royal Family and the Dragon clan near here. I'm not sure about the reasons behind it but it was pretty big. I was napping that Century. Had I been awake I'm sure I could have dealt with it. Then again I have a bit of a soft spot for Dragons." She smiled down at him. "And what is your name Little one?"
"Spike."
Her wing lowered to allow him to climb onto her back. "Let me guess. You were going to try to Escape."
Spike stiffened. "I... Well... Yes." Spike twisted his tail. "You aren't going to rat me out are you?"
She closed her wings and seemed to think about it. Spike's anxiousness grew with every moment she stayed silent. They'd been walking for quite a bit and were now in a part of the Palace he didn't recognize. Silk pressed her lips together and hummed. "I don't think that it is necessary." She opened a door, revealling the Room the Girls were staying in. "Though I do advise caution, Sombra would not like to know that there are dragons sneaking about unsupervised in his palace." She pushed him into the room and gave him another smile. "Rest little one. It's not so bad. There are far worse fates than a golden cage."
She closed the door behind her and Spike listened as she walked away. "Spike?" Rarity lifted her head towards the door. "What are you doing up?"
"I, uh, I couldn't sleep."
Rarity flopped back to sleep. "Get to bed Darling, If you aren't there when Twilight wakes up she'll have a heart attack."
Spike looked back at the door before padding over to Twilight and snuggling into her forelegs. I will find a way to Escape, and when I do, I'm going to rescue all of them.