> Lord of the Crowns > by Professor Coconuts > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to my Editor/Descriptive writer, United Bronies. There were 20 crowns made for all of the kings of Middle Equia. 9 for the Pegasi, 7 for the Earthbound and 4 for the Magic Wielders. These were called the Crowns of Power. But one draconequus was jealous and turned evil. He forged another crown over the fiery mountains of doom. This crown was not normal. It took over Discord and made him more powerful than ever. The free ponies of Middle Equia feared him. The Magic Wielders and the Pegasi formed an army to destroy Discord. One pegasus had a magic sword called the Blade of Hope. Discord came out of the old castle of the royal pony sisters in the Everfree Forest, and walked to the frontlines of the battle. He pulled out his Mace of Destruction and swung it three times. The Pegasi were thrown back into the rocks surrounding the battlefield. Only the Magic Wielders and the lone Pegasus were left. Discord walked over to the pegasus who had the magic blade. In fear, he swung his sword and cut off the head of Discord. The battle was won. The pegasus, still in shock, picked up the crown of Discord. He could hear it speaking to him and taking over his body. He put it on his head and felt victorious. A Magic Wielder took the pegasus to Mount Doom so that he could destroy it in the fire of which it was built, but the pegasus was stubborn and kept the crown for himself. But the evil forces that were still loyal to Discord attacked him and the crown was lost, until a river pony named Gollum found the crown. The crown had a mind of it’s own and ruined Gollum’s life. The crown was still trying to get back to its owner. A wise pony called Granny Smith picked up this crown in one of her many adventures and kept the crown as a trophy. Granny Smith could withstand the power of the crown, but only for a while. She took it back to her home and kept it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Applebloom, Applebloom, are you here Applebloom?” “Where is that filly?” Applebloom was sitting beneath the trees. She was looking forward to Granny Smith’s birthday party, as they would be drinking heaps of creamy apple cider. But then she heard a horse-drawn cart travelling along the road to Hobbiton. Applebloom galloped as fast as her hooves could take her. She stopped when she got to a hill and saw the pony in the cart. “You’re late.” Applebloom said bluntly. “A wizard is never late.” said Twilight the Grey. They looked at each other with emotionless faces. Then their faces both burst into grins. “It’s great to see you Twi!” “I wouldn’t miss Granny Smith’s birthday if my life depended on it! How is your old Granny anyway?” “She seems to be lonely, all she does is sit and write in that book of hers. I think she might be hiding something from me.” Applebloom whined unhappily. A group of young ponies heard that Twilight was coming down the road. They mobbed her cart and started shouting “Twilight! Twilight!” They were expecting some spectacular magic trick to happen. BANG! A loud explosion of multicoloured fireworks shot up into the air. All the young ponies shouted in amazement. “Sorry my little ponies, but I have to go now.” Said Twilight. She kept going along the road. At long last, she arrived at Apple End. Twilight rapped on the door three times with her hoof. Immediately, a faint voice said, “Go away, no visitors allowed. “How about old friends?” said Twilight. A clopping noise got louder and louder until it reached the door. Granny Smith opened the door and was delighted to see that at least one friend of hers was able to make it. Granny Smith offered for Twilight to come in. She gave her a mug of apple cider to drink. Twilight could see that there was something different about Granny Smith though. She seemed tired and wasn’t in an adventurous mood like she usually was. Granny smith came back with some cider, sat down and sighed. Twilight now knew that something wasn’t right. Granny Smith’s bag was on the table that they were sitting at. She kept looking at her bag, just staring into it; it was talking to her, taking over her body. Twilight snapped her out of it. “I best be off to check out how the celebrations are going Granny.” “All right then, but it would have been nice if you could have stayed for longer.” Twilight walked out door and made her way to the party. She got to the party and was amazed at just how much work was put into it. She hoped that Granny Smith would be all right for the party. The sun went down and the party started. Everypony was having the time of their life, drinking cider, dancing in the moonlight, and of course enjoying the fireworks.One of Applebloom’s friends, Sweetie Belle, was day dreaming about a stallion that giving out cider. “You should go ask him if he wants to dance.” said Applebloom. “Na, he’s probably way too busy giving out cider. And besides, he’s probably already got a special somepony.” Twilight was walking around and could hear that Granny Smith was telling the young ponies about all of her adventures, and how she once encountered 3 trolls that were going to cook her up in a stew. The young ponies gasped in amazement as she told the tale. Pinkie Pie and Scootaloo, in all their recklessness and wild partying, were able to sneak into the tent that contained all the fireworks. “Ooh! Take the big one, take the big one!” Pinkie shouted. Scootaloo tried bury part of the firework into the ground, but Pinkie accidentally lit it on fire. They realised that they hadn’t set it up properly, and thus a hectic game of hot potato started. They kept throwing it at each other, forcing the other to hold it. Whoosh! The rocket shot into the air, leaving a bright, blazing trail, and two ponies with black ash all over their faces. Everypony looked at the fireworks in amazement. It suddenly exploded into the air and formed into a fiery red pegasus that was diving straight for the party. Ponies screamed in horror. “Granny Smith, duck!” shouted Applebloom. “Wha’d you say?” “Duck!” Applebloom pulled Granny Smith down in the nick of time. The fiery visage flew through the air, over everypony’s head and exploded into a shower of glistening colours in the middle of the night sky. The party, although still in shock, resumed. Granny Smith was called up and was pressured into give a speech. She stood up, walked to the stage slowly and took a deep breath. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks again to my Editor/Descriptive Writer, United Bronies. “Thank you for being here, all of you.” The nice smiling face of Granny Smith died out into an expressionless mask that suddenly made Twilight suspicious. She grabbed her bag again and put her hoof in it. “ But now I have to go somewhere else. I don’t belong here.” She took something out of her bag and put it behind her back. It was shaped as a crown. “I don’t expect to return.” In the blink of an eye she put the crown on her head and vanished. Everypony gasped in shock. Twilight ran as fast as she could to Apple End. She snuck inside, and nobody was home. Twilight heard the door open. “There are only 20 crowns with that much power!” Twilight exclaimed. “It was just for a laugh, and I’m leaving for Rivendell now.” said Granny Smith. “I’ll tell Applebloom that you’re leaving Apple End then.” Granny Smith opened the front door and sighed. “One last thing Twilight. I left my crown on the table for Applebloom. Please give it to her so she’ll always have something to remember me by.” Granny Smith left Apple End, and started on the road to Rivendell. Applebloom suddenly came through the door, reducing it to a pile of splinters. “Granny Smith!” Applebloom shouted in earnest. “She’s gone to Rivendell, and she’s left you her home.” Twilight said sadly. Applebloom was so shocked that she sprinted out the door immediately, chasing after Granny Smith. Twilight tried to pick up the crown to show Applebloom that Granny had left it for her as well. Suddenly, the evil eye of Dicord seared itself into Twilight’s retinas. She threw the crown to the ground. Applebloom came through the door, panting, and picked up the crown. “Granny Smith left her crown for me, didn’t she?” Twilight was amazed that Applebloom could pick the crown up. Something clicked in Twilight’s brain, and she immediately said: “Keep the crown safe, I have to go somewhere. I’ll be back soon”. “Where are you going?” said Applebloom. “There’s no time to explain!” Twilight shouted as she ran out the door. “See ya later!” Twilight immediately teleported to Minas Tirath seeking knowledge of this crown. She arrived at Gondor. Twilight asked Lord Denethor if she could look at his private archives. She dug through all the scrolls until she found the scroll written by the pegasi that killed Discord. It was believed that the crown ruled over him, and the only people that could even remotely understand it were the Unicorns. Meanwhile, Applebloom was making herself a cup of cider and saw that it was dark outside, and very quiet. Too quiet. Applebloom heard whispering outside her window. She slowly walked to the window to see what it was. Out of nowhere, Twilight barreled into Applebloom and screamed. “WHERE IS THE CROWN???” Applebloom showed Twilight where the crown was. Twilight picked up the crown and threw it straight into the fire. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” shouted Applebloom. “Pick up the crown.” Twilight said. Applebloom reached her hoof into the fire and grabbed the crown “Can you see any writing?” said Twilight in earnest. “No.” As soon as Applebloom said that a flash of red writing shone on the crown. “Hang on Twi, I think I see something. It seems to be some sort of magic language.” Twilight snapped. “We must leave, protect the crown!” “Why?” asked Applebloom. “People are after you, that crown is evil!” A sudden sound of movement came from the window. Twilight protected Applebloom and grabbed what was lurking outside. She threw the pony inside. Twilight started to yell. “What did you hear?” “N-n-nothing, just something about a crown, that’s all!” Sweetie Belle was still in shock from when Twilight threw her through the window. “Applebloom, you have to take the ring to Rivendell!” said Twi. “And as for you, Sweetie Belle, you will carry Applebloom’s things.” “You must keep this secret. When you step out of the door you will no longer be known as Applebloom, got it?” “Alright.” said Applebloom. Applebloom then commenced her journey through the forests of The Shire with her trusty companion Sweetie Belle by her side. They reached the Borderline of the Shire. “If I take one more step, I’ll be the furthest away I’ve ever been from home.” said Sweetie Belle sadly. “C’mon Sweetie Belle, we’ll take the step together.” They stepped outside The Shire, and were on the road to Bree. It was dark and they were able to find a nice tree to sit under and camp out. Sweetie Belle took her frying pan from her bag and was able to cook a meal for them. All of a sudden they heard this music come from a road next to them with a big vibrant white glow. They saw Unicorns walking to the heavens. They thought this sight was amazing. They went back to their camp and slept in the trees. The next morning they found themselves in a big cornfield. CRASH. It was Pinkie Pie and Scootaloo. “Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, It’s good to see you!” Pinkie Pie said. A loud shout from a nearby farmer startled them. “I’ve had enough of you stinking ponies running around my field, GET OUT!” Applebloom started to gallop. “Follow me everypony, we have to get out of here!” They ran through the farmer’s fields, trampling all the crops. The ground in front of them suddenly dropped out, and all the ponies went skidding over the edge. They all got up and dusted themselves off. Applebloom looked at the road and saw that the road split off in many different directions. She saw a Black Rider form out of the misty distance. “Everypony RUN!” They all sprinted through the misty and damp forest, knowing that the evil being lurking in the shadow behind them was following them. They jumped down a small cliff and found an overgrowth of roots. They slowly crawled under the roots, terrified. The Black Rider’s hoof made a loud clunk as it stepped on the roots, not knowing that the ponies were hiding under there. He raised his dark head over the roots and wasn’t able to see the ponies. They could hear loud, ragged breathing right on top of them. Applebloom was giving in to the Black Rider’s power. She was slowly raising the crown above her head. “Applebloom, you alright?” asked Sweetie Belle. The Black Rider left the murky and dark forest in a hurry, thinking that the ponies went the other way. “What was that thing?” asked a terrified Scootaloo. “It’s after the crown.” said Applebloom. They ran blindly through the forest, attracting more and more of the Black Riders, although it was the only way to escape. They finally reached a little river with a boat. Everypony jumped into the boat and untied it. It started to drift away. “Where’s Applebloom?” asked Sweetie Belle. Applebloom was running behind while the Black Riders were following her. She got to the boat. “Jump Applebloom, jump!” Applebloom leapt into the air, she managed to just get into the boat. The Black Riders did not go through the water. Instead, they went the long way, through the Brandywine Bridge. The ponies knew that they would catch up to them sooner or later. They ran into Bree and knocked on the town’s gate. The gatemaster opened a window that was in the gate so he could see the ponies. “What business do you have in Bree?” “We wish to stay at the Prancing Pony, our business is of no matter to you.” said Applebloom. “Alright, I’ll let you stay, but there’ve been some strange ponies around these parts, so be carful.” The town’s gate opened with a resounding thud. The ragged group dragged themselves to the Prancing Pony, only to be greeted by ponies drinking cider. Applebloom found a table for all of them. They all sat down after a tiring day of adventure and helped themselves to a big mug of cider. Applebloom saw a strange pony with a hood over their face. The pony was staring at them intently. The bar man came over to pick up the empty mugs of sider. “Who’s that pony over there?” Asked Applebloom. “That’s one of the pegasi, they call him Strider.” The Black Riders reached Bree and charged through the gates, killing the gatemaster in the process. Applebloom suddenly fainted. She hit the ground with a large THUD. Strider swooped to Applebloom’s side with unbelievable speed, and deposited her in his room. The rest of the group followed and broke through the door that Applebloom was in. Without thinking, Sweetie Belle yelled, “Take your hooves off her!” Strider uncovered her face and tried to calm them down. “It’s alright. Applebloom is safe with me, I know what she’s carrying. “My real name is Dash. Rainbow Dash.”