There is a crystal statue in the royal garden that seems out of place. A large rabbit the princesses don't like talking about too much.
There is a crystal statue in the royal garden that seems out of place. A large rabbit the princesses won't go into detail about other than it's from the Crystal Empire. Now cracks have appeared and with the elements having been returned to the Tree of Harmony after the defeat of Tirek, the mane six can only hope it isn't a threat. Will Twilight be able to solve this mystery of the white rabbit? (Yes, this is a Displaced story but highly unlikely of any crossovers that conflict with the plot.)
9/15/17: Fixed broken picture in Prologue and added backup link to picture should it break again.
(Story up for adoption... I really wish I could continue it but my writing is kinda kaput without a computer. Just let me know you are interested beforehand.)
Most individuals think it would be awesome to be a monster. Just doing whatever the hell you feel like and saying, "Screw you!" to the consequences... That's not how it works at all... Imagine a life of pain, suffering, and misery, where nothing you say or do ever goes your way... Where if something does go right for once and life seems perfect, It's probably just The Fates setting up something really big to take it all away and leave you with even less than you started with. Trust me, I know from experience...
~Three Days after the Crystal Heart Faire and the fall of the mad tyrant, King Sombra.~
Torches lining the walls cast flickering shadows along the narrow passageway, lighting the way for three figures as they followed the path into the utmost depths of the castle in the Crystal Empire. One was a white unicorn stallion with cerulean blue eyes, a sapphire blue mane with cerulean and phthalo blue streaks. His cutie mark was that of a blue shield with a six-pointed purple star on the face and three blue five-pointed stars above it. Next to him was a cerise Alicorn mare with purple eyes, a violet, rose, and gold streaked mane, and a cutie mark depicting a gilded crystal heart. The third pony that was leading the group was a sapphire crystal unicorn in armor with teal eyes and a blue mane. His cutie mark and mane were currently hidden under his armor and couldn't be identified at the moment. No words were spoken among them and only the echoing sound of their hooves traveled through the corridors as they approached their destination.
Both Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza; Aka Princess Cadence looked worriedly at each other as they followed the crystal guard down the steps into the lower dungeons. They had no idea why they were being led there, just that something had been found during recent renovations that they had to see. “I am very terribly sorry for the secrecy your majesties, but given recent events it might be best just to show you what we found rather than say. After all, the last thing we want is word to spread and cause another panic or depression...” the guard explained.
As the group descended deeper the shading on the steps began to change from purple to solid black, which signified they were getting close to the part of the castle reserved for prisoners. Depressing as it may be, it was a necessary evil at times. Eventually the stairs ended as they came to a rather heavy looking black steel door. After reaching the door, It appeared both heavy and sturdy, with runes pulsing magically, enhancing it against blasts of all sorts. The sight of it would no doubt be quite intimidating for anyone destined to spend extended time beyond it, or those trying to break in.
“Here we are, your royal highnesses, beyond this door lies something that has not been seen in a thousand years. Not since that monster, King Sombra locked it away for eternity.” said the guard in an unusually chipper tone.
“Just open it already…” Shining Armor grumbled bitterly, clearly unamused by the secrecy of the situation. Princess Cadance merely pursed her lips as she tried not to laugh from his impatience.
“As you wish your highness.” the guard responded and placed the key in the lock causing the runes to immediately fade. Heavy turning of gears could be heard from the other side followed by three distinct loud clangs as the door was unlocked allowing him to open the door to the dungeon beyond with his magic.
The room beyond the door was large, dome shaped, and depressing. It would have been dismissed as bare if not for the heavy cobwebs on the walls and a solid black crystal statue in the center. The statue was that of a slender rabbit like creature standing on its hind legs with its forelegs crossed in a defensive position and a very expressive face looking like it was challenging all in front of it.There were chains wrapped around the body along with shackles, all marked with runes, binding the wrists, waist, neck, and ankles of the statue. All the chains tethered to the floor with heavy, inset rungs that were built into the very ground. Further still, there was a dark steel cage adorned in spikes and a circle of glowing, pulsing, blood red runes around the outside, giving off an ominous feeling of dangerous energies to further ward off anyone from approaching.
“Soooooo, you wanted to show us that King Sombra actually had an unusual artistic side that nopony knew about?” Shining hazarded a half joking guess as to the nature of what he was seeing.
“I think this is a prisoner dear…” The princess said softly as she stared at the unusual fortifications in front of them and the even more unusual reason they seemed to be there.
“But these are pretty extreme measures just to secure a mere petrified victim. Why would he go to such lengths to do all this just for this thing?” Shining questioned in utter disbelief that King Sombra could have truly been this mad. "That is actually a good question, I wonder if Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna could tell me something about this strange creature?..." Cadence thought to herself.
The guard spoke with a dark tone as his expression turned rather ominous. It was clear that memories were being recalled of something that he'd rather forget. “Because she turned out to be a threat to him and was winning…”
Had any of the three prismatic ponies been able to sense what was going on within the statue at that very moment, they would have noticed a very sleepy and sluggish mind briefly begin to stir before simply giving a mental shrug and slipping back into the dark, peaceful, dreamless, oblivion of its slumber.
"What is a monster?" I have asked myself this question most my life ever since mother told me the truth. I understood her reasons for making me but couldn't get the thought out of my head that I was dirty somehow, nothing but a Red Herring, a cheap imitation of real life... Afterwards I poured over every reference I could find on the subject, looking for some form of comfort. The first thing I found is the old phrase, "A Monster is not born, they are made." (This didn't do much but make me angry for some reason...) I have also pieced together that it seems monsters come down to an imbalance of "self" between three parts, usually lacking one part more than anything else... The mind, The heart, and the soul... (Just because someone is deformed, doesn't automatically make them a true monster.) I know I have a mind because I tend to overthink things, a heart because I feel things emotionally, but do I have a soul? I can only hope I somehow obtained one during my "birth" since it was the only part of life mother couldn't actually create...
~Years later in Canterlot, mere hours after the defeat of Tirek~
The castle Night-guard made their way through the castle and gardens looking for any signs of intrusion as was their purpose. Two rather new recruits in particular had made a rather unsettling discovery in front of one particular statue (That had been brought from the Crystal Empire some time ago) and both currently were debating how to deal with it.
"Shouldn't we inform the Princesses?" the first one asked worriedly. "About what?" the second questioned as he looked away, trying to act like he hadn't seen anything. "Seriously, You don't see those cracks?" the first asked in an almost disbelieving tone. "It's a statue, they sometimes get cracks..." responded the second. "Cracks that glow in the dark and spark with lightning energy?" hissed the first, clearly angry and on the verge of panic. "Um... Which one do you want to wake?" asked the second after a good minute of silence just staring at the obvious signs of his life most likely being over.
Meanwhile, Princess Luna lay her head on her pillow and began her nightly patrol of the Dream Realm. With all the trouble Tirek had caused, she knew her subjects would unfortunately be needing her aid for a good long while. Upon entering the space between dreams she immediately sensed something different, an unsettlingly strong darkness seemed to be leaking from the seams of a particular door nearby. Luna cautiously made her way to the portal and in a flash of her horn, opened the door into the realm of whomever this particular dream belonged to.
~~~(Skip if you have a strong dislike of scenes of disturbing imagery and unpleasant dark stuff.)~~~
Luna found herself in a forest of pine trees surrounded by a thick fog of darkness. Tendrils of fog seemed to crawl through the trees and slowly dissipate over time. If this wasn't disconcerting enough, there was also the sound of humming of what she recognized as the tune to “Row, Row, Row your boat“, but the voice sounded off, as it was coming out flat or cracked in a way that distorts all warmth from it. It reminded Luna of a broken music box, badly out of tune and now echoing its haunting melody through the forest.
Luna could sense the presence of the dreamer and could tell they were in the direction the music was coming from. It didn't take long till Luna found what she was looking for. At the edge of the tree line was a small lake that seemed perfectly round. In this area was a sight that gave even the night princess chills.
The sky above seemed to be a swirling mass of storm clouds spiraling slowly with an eye like a hurricane in the middle of the vortex. Meanwhile at the lake’s very center below, was a rotting wooden boat whose frame seemed to be made from the bones of some large creature long since dead. She immediately found the source of the singing was the boat’s sole occupant, a somewhat short bipedal creature completely concealed by a hooded black cloak. The boat itself was currently acting quite odd as instead of being propelled forward, it seemed to be stuck in a slow spin despite the cloaked figure’s best efforts to row to the horrible haunting melody.
As the boat turned, the princess gasped in shock from two horrific details she had missed. The first being that the oars of the boat were really carved bone like the frame. Not only were they rotting, but actually oozing crimson blood out into the water, leaving the boat surrounded by a ring of scarlet ripples. The second detail was more notable as she drew close enough to see below the figure's hood. The face was still concealed in the shadow but the princess recognized what had once been a pair of large, beautiful blue eyes that seemed to be literally lit from within. Luna remembered those eyes and the singing voice now. She had seen and heard both long ago, so full of life and mischief unlike how they were here in this nightmare, completely empty and dead.
~~~(End of the unpleasant dark stuff.)~~~
She was about to call out to get the dreamers attention, when she heard voices calling her name back to the waking world. Before she could utter a single syllable to capture the attention of the creature in the boat, she found herself in her bed, staring at the two panicked guards who had awoken her.
Before a single word could be spoken between the three, a bright flash of light outside the window and an explosion that only could have come from thunder was heard. Without wasting a moment, Luna teleported to the garden already aware what it was that could have caused the commotion. Her suspicions were confirmed at that moment as upon the pedestal that once held the crystal statue was a large white rabbit. Her head sported large bangs highlighted with red streaks and she was dressed peculiarly in torn black clothing that could be considered revealing. A red mini-skirt with a slit on each side added to the leggings she had and both were held up by a spiked belt. Matching spiked armbands held black arm-length gloves in place as well. A sturdy pair of black boots with two red lightning bolts on either side protected her feet, and to top the ensemble off were a matching pair of aquamarine earrings at the base of each ear, mirroring the pendant around her neck attached to a black leather choker.
The most unusual thing was though this creature had obviously been just struck by lightning, it showed no obvious evidence other than the smoke rising from it and the remains of its prison. It seemed so unconcerned in fact that it had simply curled up on its pedestal and gone back to sleep, two digits placed in its mouth as it enjoyed the most peaceful dream it had experienced in the past thousand years.
~Personal Entry~ Mother seems to be acting strange lately... more secretive and tired. She claims to simply have been busy with her work and hasn't had much sleep, but I can't help but worry... hopefully it's nothing, but for now I think I might help with the chores a little more till she feels better... ~From the Private Journal of RΔB~
~~~~~~~Flashback 1000 years ago in the form of holiday poetry~~~~~~~
Upon a mountain, up so high, A rabbit stands watching a dragon, flying the skies. Soon it would reach the crystal city of light, And there it would give the ponies, Such a wonderful fright.
Every pony down in the Empire liked Princess Amore a lot... But the rabbit who lived north of the Empire, Did NOT!!! The rabbit hated the whole empire and it's one eternal season! Now, please don't ask why. No pony quite knows the reason.
It could be her head wasn't screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, her boots were just a little too tight.
But I think the most likely reason of all, She saw them having their hearts two sizes too small.
Whatever the reason, Their hearts or her boots, she stood on her mountain, hating the brutes,
Staring down from her perch with a sour, rabbit, frown, At the warm lighted windows below in their town.
When all a sudden, there came behind her such a clatter, She jumped and spun right around to see what was the matter. And there what she saw, made her stomach quite turn, a creature she disliked even more, worth all of her spurn...
He was dressed all in black, from his head to his foot, his eyes were hazel, and his hair was the color of black soot. A device on his wrist and a sword slung across his back. "DAFUCK?" was all he could exclaim before the rabbit attacked!
~~~~~~~End of flashback and poems~~~~~~~
~Rabbit's POV the next morning~
Blackness is the first thing I noticed waking up, that and the slow steady beeping that was not helping my headache any. I also could smell disinfectant assaulting my nostrils. I hadn't even opened my eyes yet and I had already determined I was in a hospital and some pony had stolen my clothes. I layed there for a while before I realized another thing, I was not alone. "Oh well, guess it's time to get up and deal with stupidity..." I thought to myself sarcastically as I opened an eye blearily to see my would-be tormentor.
What I saw made me less than thrilled and my face probably showed it. Standing by the doorway was none other than a certain white Alicorn I swore I would never go anywhere near again. “Don’t tell me, I died fighting Shadowbutt and now my eternal punishment is you as my personal demon in Tartarus?”
“You would be surprised Rabbit...” Celestia replied, her eyes narrowed slightly as she stood tall. The Alicorn herself did not look too pleased to be talking with me either. Not that I could blame her...
I decided to pull the covers tighter around me as the Alicorn’s gaze was really causing a shiver to run down my spine and tried to act innocent. “If this is about the incident with the dragon, I swear I was hardly involved…”
“I would believe that if it wasn’t from you.” The princess replied curtly, giving the emotionless Royal glare,
I couldn’t help but look away not daring to meet her gaze. “Well if I was, then most likely I was only doing what I needed to survive…” I said bitterly. “I tried being nice to those crystal snobs but they acted like I was some disease ridden thing not worth their time… Especially that whorse, Princess Amore…”
Celestia let out a soft sigh, “If by treating them nicely do you mean, attempting to leech from the Crystal Heart like some kind of parasite?” The mare finished as she kept her gaze on me.
I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. “I never asked to be like I am and It’s not like it’s that much different than any other creature, I just wanted enough energy to regain my strength… Selfish creatures like that don’t deserve that kind of power if they’re not willing to share it… I don’t care anymore, if you're going to punish me for my mistakes, let’s just get it over with…”
“I’m not here to punish you,” Celestia replied in an almost motherly tone not displayed earlier. Standing tall and trotting toward me, she stroked a hoof down her back in a reassuring manner. “I understand My Little Rabbit…” She whispered sensually, “against all my better judgement I have come to a decision as to what to do with you.”
I couldn’t help but feel a little hesitant before speaking about what I really hated about the conversation. “You know I hate it when ponies simply call me Rabbit like that, especially when they know my name already... And why do I get the feeling I’m going to wish you did punish me?...”
~Meanwhile an hour later in Ponyville~
Twilight Sparkle began her morning with some tea as she watched Barb the dragoness moving around the kitchen making breakfast for the both of them. She was currently writing her daily checklist for going over things needed to make her daily checklist when suddenly Barb gripped her stomach and groaned painfully as it gurgled violently, before letting out a large flaming belch of green fire that quickly swirled together to form a scroll marked and closed with the royal seal.
To my dearest student, Twilight Sparkle, I require your assistance at the castle in Canterlot. A unique situation has occurred that may require your talents to resolve... Please come to Canterlot at your earliest convenience and please bring Miss Rarity and Miss Fluttershy as well if they would be so inclined to join you. Sincerely yours, Princess Celestia~
Needless to say the rest of Twilight's morning was spent panicking then scrambling to get her and her friends to to the train station.
(To be continued)
Chapter 3 (Part 1 of 2): Friendship is Punishment?
I once believed, like mother, that nature was a pretty plaything. I know now, without a doubt, that true nature would actually rip everyone's faces off and wear their skins as trophies if it could... Funny how you can understand something more clearly when you can't exactly count yourself part of it anymore...
~ From the Private Journal of RΔF ~
Celestia sat on her throne. It had been several hours since she had sent her letter to Twilight and had gotten a somewhat delayed response that she would be on her way with her friends in tow. She had gotten most of her daily affairs finished and now was patiently waiting for the arrival of Princess Twilight and her friends.
A few more moments passed before the doors of Celestia’s throne room burst open, the purple alicorn Princess panting heavily as she entered. “I am terribly sorry about the delay, Princess! Something turned up and it took a while to wrap up..” Twilight said taking a final deep breath before regaining her composure with the breathing exercises she had learned from Princess Cadence.
Celestia smiled softly as she saw Twilight enter, slightly amused but trying her best not to show it. “It is quite alright my dear Twilight. I hope perhaps you and your friends had a safe journey?”
“We did, they're just outside of the throne room. I can bring them in if you’d like, since this is something that will probably affect all of us…” She said rubbing a hoof against the back of her head before bowing.
Celestia couldn't help but laugh softly. "There is no need to bow Twilight, You are a princess now... However I believe they will be very helpful in a small issue that has arisen”
“Oh?” Twilight asked raising an eyebrow as she straightened up while looking quite embarrassed. “an issue like what?”
Celestia smirks enigmatically as she makes her way to the door. "Explanations can wait till everypony is present but perhaps I should tell all of you on the way… I’m afraid if I leave it unattended for long, she might decide try to alleviate her boredom…"
“Who is... she..?” Twilight asked, her ears folding over her head, for some reason a shiver running throughout her body. "Something is going to go wrong..." she thought. "horribly horribly wrong…" She didn’t know what exactly it was that made he shiver. But it couldn’t have been nothing, right?
Coughing a bit, Twilight took a small breath, “That does... seem like the best call..”
Upon exiting the throne room, Celestia was greeted by the bowing of Twilight's entire entourage. Celestia smiled softly seeing that she had indeed come in full force rather than just Rarity and Fluttershy like she had requested. “You may rise My Little Ponies.” She said regally as she motioned for them to follow.
They all followed on foot except Rainbow Dash who simply flew like she always did, smiling as she spoke cockily, “So where is the nearest monster I get to kick?”
“Rainbow Dash...show some manners... You are in the presence of royalty after all!” Rarity scoffed as the cyan mare sighed, “Of course... Sorry…” She said begrudgingly almost.
The country pony Applejack tipped her hat while looking up at Celestia, “What seems to be the problem anyway Princess, I hardly reckon this is a social visit?”
"I do not believe kicking would be advisable Miss Dash, as this particular problem was one even King Sombra did not fully wish to face. Anyway, I was just about to explain that Applejack. Are any of you perhaps familiar with the story of the incident in the Crystal Empire a thousand years ago involving the dragon and the Crystal Heart?"
Fluttershy immediately looked worried at hearing the word dragon and tried to look as small and uninteresting as possible, really hoping she wouldn't have to face another dragon.
“I'm familiar with it…” Twilight mumbled softly looking to the side as the others raised an eyebrow, “what’s it about?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I hope she likes PARTIES!” Pinkie said bouncing up and down, quickly pulling out her party cannon and prepares to fire.
Celestia looked at Pinkie with a confused expression having taken notice of the obvious fact the word she had been used. Turning to Twilight, she smiled proudly. "I would expect nothing less of my prized former student, perhaps you could tell it as we walk?"
Twilight nodded at her former teacher before she recited the tale. “Long ago, before the Crystal Empire and Equestria where allies... There was a greedy dragon that disputed ownership of, and stole the Crystal Heart from the Crystal Ponies... Celestia, Princess of the Sun, and Luna, Princess of the Moon, extended a hoof of friendship to help the crystal ponies and defeated the dragon with the Royal Canterlot voice and stare, scaring the dragon into submission and returning the Heart to its proper place…”
The princess couldn’t help but sigh. “Sadly that is neither the true beginning, nor the true end of the story... For there was another involved who remained in the shadows. One I believe intended to claim the heart from the dragon for themselves, not out of any kind of evil intent, but rather childish spite…”
Twilight blinked slightly as she looked at Celestia in disbelief, “So a selfish act seen as a joke in a sense... How come I never read anything about that?” She asked, looking utterly shocked that a book hadn't told the whole story.
“Many moons before the dragon, a creature wandered out of the endless expanse of snow surrounding the Empire. It was in fact a creature nopony had ever seen before. It was quite timid in fact but for one reason or another it had come because it was in need of help. Lost and alone and suffering from both hunger and weakness from the cold, it begged the crystal ponies for access to the heart so it could replenish its strength, but Princess Amore worried of its interest in the heart and offered it food and treatment for its injuries instead. Afterwards she sent it on its way hoping that would be the end of the matter…”
"Ooooooooh, What happened next?" asked Pinkie as she munched on some popcorn she had somehow acquired mysteriously when nopony had been looking.
Before Celestia could answer or anypony could inquire about Pinkie's popcorn, a loud noise like thunder striking could heard around the corner. Following the noise, the high pitched scream of what sounded like a small filly was heard immediately afterwards.
Five minutes earlier in another part of the castle
The rabbit currently was not in a good mood. Some pompous idiot of a white unicorn with a blonde mane and an attitude worse than Sombra had blundered into the room a little after Celestia left to take care of her duties. She had layed down for a quick nap before she was interupted by the intrusion. He called himself Prince Blueblood and had made his way to the medical wing originally to get a nurse to get rid of a headache. Upon finding the rabbit however, he started insulting her and calling her all sorts of unpleasent things. Needless to say, after being called a "Vile, disgusting, misshapen, monstrosity" she felt she was handling the situation quite well...
She smiled evilly as she had snared the offending unicorn in her blanket and giddily laughed cocooning him like a spider would a fly. She also made extra sure the blanket would tightly cover his muzzle so no more offensive words could be said. "I wanna tell you a story of why you shouldn't judge somepony by appearance alone."
"Long ago in a far away land... A young pony prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind...
But then, one winter's night, a begging rabbit came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold.
Repulsed by her unusual appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the rabbit away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when the prince refused her again the rabbit's beautiful, true form was revealed to him.
The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.
Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.
The rose she had offered was truely an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another and earn love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not he would be doomed to remain a beast forever..."
The rabbit giggled and smiled darkly as she tugged the blanket causing him to spin like a top into the wall. Then she jumped backwards up onto the bed, her eyes glowing brighter as her hands crackled and sparked with electrical energy. "Smile my dear princey, it's time for your makeover..."
~Meanwhile back with the Princess and the Mane Six~
"What was that dreadful noise?" inquired Rarity as everypony rushed to investigate the noise. Celestia looked quite livid yet decided to hold her tounge.
Suddenly the slamming open and closing of a door was heard just ahead, followed by hooves galloping towards them. What they saw left everypony staring in shock, except both Rarity and Pinkie Pie whom seemed to be fighting the urge to start giggling.
Running toward them was was Blueblood, now sporting a blonde afro that was rather singed and smoking from some of the tips. What seemed also off, was an expression of pure panic as he rushed past them on his way from who knew where. "MONSTER IN THE PALACE!!!" he cried which was quickly followed by him spouting "DON'T LOOK AT ME, I'M HIDEOUS!!!" as he rounded the corner.
Celestia sighed and looked to Twilight and her friends before stating in a quite annoyed tone. "Cover your ears if you please..."
Rarity seemed unusually giddy as she and the others followed the odd request from the Princess of the Sun "I take it the reason we are here, is that this wonderful creature is visiting the palace?"
The palace suddenly seemed to shake as The Princess of the Sun did the unthinkable, "REINA DELTA FROST, COME HERE THIS INSTANT!!!" She had used the Royal Canterlot Voice for the second time in her life...
