Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

By Steel Soul

The Princess of Love In the Kingdom of Crystal

Green to start music and red to stop music

Crystal Empire Throne Room…

“Oh my goodness! Twilight!”

Sora watched as a rather pretty pink pony, one not unlike Celestia and Luna, came bounding weakly towards his side. Her three toned mane seemed as if it had seen better days...maybe even weeks. The tell-tell signs of sleeplessness and fatigue seemed the most apparent on the poor mare. The young stallion could see a hint of a constant bluish glow emanating from her horn, something he couldn’t help but notice.

The pink pony gently nuzzled the unconscious unicorn that laid across Sora’s back and would then turn to face the others, a look of concern on her haggard features. “What happened to Twilight?” Her gaze scanned everyone within the room, a look of dread forming on her face. “A-And where’s Shining Armor? I don’t see him anywhere here. Is he hurt?”

No one could meet the pink pony’s gaze as she looked to all of them for some kind of answer. It was only after a heavy sigh from Applejack that the country mare decided to speak up on everyone’s behalf.

“Twilight and Sora used their magic ta get us inside, Princess Cadence,” The farm mare explained. “The whole of outside was crawling with those freaky shadow ponies. Twilight had a hoof in helping us out and just overdid it is all.” She placed a comforting hoof on the unconscious unicorn’s side. “She’s plum worn out, but all she needs is a bit of rest and she’ll be right as rain soon.”

“And Shining?” Cadence asked with baited breath. “What happened to him?”

“He…T-That is we…” Applejack looked away as she finally relented. “We don’t know.”

It almost looked as if the princess's world shattered at Applejack's answer.“W-What?”

Sora stepped forward, shifted Twilight on his back so he could at least be a little more comfortable as he spoke. “He stayed behind to face King Sombra so we could escape.” the keyblade wielder answered. “He gave us all the opening we needed to make it to safety.” Sora looked away from the alicorn mare. “I…It’s my-“

Before he could finish, Pinkie Pie darted in and wrapped him in a tight hug, careful not to disturb Twilight. “Shining stayed behind to hold off that big ol’ King Dark Pants so he couldn’t come after us. Sora really wanted to go back and help him—he really, really did!” she said with uncharacteristic solemnity, her usually bright eyes shadowed by worry.

Applejack stepped closer, nodding in agreement. “Shinin’ made sure we knew what we had to do, Cadence. He told us ta get everypony else to safety first.” Her voice softened as she glanced at her little sister, who was standing close by. “Even Twilight agreed. We didn’t have a choice.”

A myriad of emotions flashed across Cadence’s face—fear, disbelief, sorrow. She closed her eyes for a moment, visibly struggling to regain control over her rising panic. When she opened them again, her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling yet determined. “Please... tell me everything.

~~~

It took little time for Sora and Applejack to relay what had happened back in the frozen wasteland that surrounded the Crystal empire, and despite how she was trying to keep herself in check, anyone with eyes could see that the pink princess was shaking ever so slightly with pent up emotion.

“-When I went back out to help him,” Sora spoke, his tone somber. “They were gone, every last one of them.” He hung his head down. “If I had stayed by his side then-“

“Then the others would have been put in danger as well.” Rarity interrupted, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “You did what you had to do in order to protect us, Sora. Nopony will fault you for that.” She shot a glance toward Rainbow, who seemed to be looking away from them all as they talked. “Or at the very least I wouldn’t.”

“S-She’s right Sora. As strong as I have heard you are, you are but one pony. You can't be everywhere at once.” Cadence told him, gaining the stallion’s attention. “It…It pains me that Shining Armor has been captured but holding you or any pony responsible would be foalish on my part. I’m sure you all did everything you could to help him.” Her words seemed laced with sorrow as she spoke, and she seemed to struggle as she said the next few words. “We…we can discuss it later. Right now we must worry about the kingdo-Nggh!!”

Everypony gasped as the alicorn cringed, her horn fluxing in power, almost like like she was hit with a power surge. A flash of light caught Sora’s eyes as his gaze shifted towards the window. To his shock, the shield that had been keeping the heartless at bay seemed to be flickering in and out of existence.

“Princess!” Applejack ran to her side, catching the pink pony before she could topple over. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

The alicorn sighed. “I…I have been able to use my magic to spread love and light throughout the empire. I think that’s the only reason King Sombra has not been able to get in.” She rubbed her aching horn as her magic once again picked up. “Shining Armor’s spell kept getting countered by King Sombra and because of that…”

Rarity gasped. “So that means that...You have been awake all this time?!”

“It’s because of that shadow varmint!” Applejack spat. “No wonder ya look worse for wear, Princess. Ya can’t stop your magic for even a second to rest.”

Cadence, though clearly unsteady, straightened up as much as she could, brushing off Applejack’s concern with a weary but determined smile. “It’s... it’s alright,” she insisted, though her voice trembled. “I’m fine. I have to be.” She wobbled slightly but managed to stand, her horn flaring again as the bluish light pulsed, though it was weaker than before.

Her smile faltered slightly, though, as Rainbow landed in front of her, frowning. “I’m sorry, Princess,” Rainbow said. “But you look anything but fine.”

Rainbow is absolutely right,” Rarity spoke in agreement, her brow furrowed as she stepped closer. “Just look at yourself, darling. You simply can’t keep pushing like this.”

“But if the barrier fails,” Fluttershy whispered, her voice trembling, “then… you-know-who will come for us.”

“I won’t let that happen.” Sora stepped forward, looking between everyone. “I had promised to do my best to stop Sombra! That's why I’m here, after all!”

“It’s why we’re all here, Sora,” Applejack said, gently but firmly correcting him. “And we’ll do our best together. We’re in this fight as a team after all.”

Cadance smiled and nodded. “Neither I nor Shining have been able to collect any information due to me putting all my strength into keeping the spell going and-” Her voice broke as she spoke “Shining looking out for signs of trouble in the arctic. We haven’t been able to gather much information from the Crystal Ponies.”

“Crystal Ponies!” Rarity cried, her eyes glowing brightly. “There are Crystal Ponies?!”

Everyone looked towards the fashion mare with a look of ‘Really?’

Cadence was the first to recover, clearing her throat “Yes, Rarity, there are Crystal Ponies. They’re the heart of the Crystal Empire,” she explained. “But ever since Sombra returned... they’ve been too frightened and disoriented to offer us much help. Their memories are foggy, and many of them are afraid even to speak.”

Rarity blinked, her enthusiasm dimming slightly as the weight of the situation hit her. “Oh... I see. That’s... dreadful.” She paused, then added more softly, “Still, Crystal Ponies... how marvelous they must be.”

“Focus, Rarity.” Applejack admonsed her, “We ain’t here ta gawk at ‘em. We need ta figure out if any of ‘em can tell us somethin’ useful.”

“Indeed…” Cadance continued,. “We have to believe that one of them knows how we can protect the empire, without relying on my magic.”

“Well what are we waiting for?!” Rainbow Exclaimed. “The faster we figure it out, the faster we can save Shining Armor, and the faster we can kick that Dark King’s flank!” She made a beeline toward the door leaving behind a rainbow trail in her wake. The rest of the mares followed suit, leaving only Applejack, Cadence and Sora behind.

“Here Sora,” Applejack slid Twilight off his back and placed her upon her own. “I’ll stay here and take care of Twi and the princess. You go on ahead and find out everything you can so we can save this here town.”

Sora hesitated for a moment, looking between Applejack, Cadance, and the unconscious Twilight. “Are you sure, Applejack? I can stay here and—”

Applejack shook her head firmly, adjusting Twilight on her back. “No need ta worry ‘bout us, sugarcube. We’ll be fine. You’re the one with the Keyblade and the know-how when it comes to fightin’ that dark magic. We need ya out there.”

“She’s right, Sora.” Cadence agreed. “ I’ll keep the barrier up as long as I can, but the sooner we find a solution, the better chance we all have.”

The stallion nodded. “Got it…” He turned toward the princess. “Don’t worry. Will find a way to stop Sombra and save Shining Armor.” He smiled as he held out a hoof to her, “You have my word…as a friend?”

Cadence blinked, momentarily caught off guard by Sora’s gesture, but her expression soon softened. Despite the exhaustion weighing heavily on her, she managed a warm, albeit fragile, smile. She raised her hoof, touching it gently to his. “As a friend,” she echoed, her voice filled with gratitude. “I trust you, Sora. I know what you are capable of…what you all are…and I believe in all of you.”

As soon as Sora disappeared around the corner, following after the others, Applejack would soon feel Cadance’s weight shift against her, the alicorn leaning heavily on her side. The strength Cadance had tried so hard to maintain in front of the others seemed to crumble away. Silent tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, and despite her efforts to stay composed, her emotions were now visibly raw.

“I know I want to believe...I know I do...but...but...My Shining...”

Applejack placed a hoof around the princess as the saddened Princess began to bawl her eyes out.. “Trust me princess,” She smiled. “He’s not the type of stallion to leave a pony hanging. I know that for a fact.”

The farm mare’s gaze shifted towards the barrier in the distance. The only thing keeping this Kingdom from falling into darkness.

Like it or not...We all are counting on ya Sora.

~~~

Despite Sora’s grand gesture the boy really didn’t have a clue on what to do or where to go. If he was being honest with himself, he wasn’t the best when it came to coming up with a plan. He was always the go and get em kind of guy. Still, he had made a promise to Cadance. Something he wasn’t going to back down from.

“So whats the plan big guy?”

Sora nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Spike's voice, the unexpected question breaking through his train of thought. He turned his head to see the little drake ridin gupon his back

“Spike! When did you—how did you—I thought for sure you stayed behind to help out with Twilight and AJ.”

Spike grinned down at Sora from his spot on the Keyblade wielder’s back, completely unfazed by the surprise in Sora’s voice. "Nah, Twilight’s out cold, and AJ said she’s got everything under control. Figured you might need some backup, so here I am!" He puffed out his chest a little, clearly proud of himself for tagging along. “And besides…seems like you need it. Seeing that you are just running around like a silly filly.”

“Heheh. That obvious huh? I’m not really the type to go around and gather information if I can help it, so anything you can provide might make it easier for all of us.” Sora looked around at all the buildings taking in the sights as he continued to speak. “So Spike…What do you suggest we do first? Because to be honest, I’m a bit lost.”

The drake thought for a moment, pondering that very question before slamming a fist into his open claw, an idea popping into his head. “I got it! Whenever Twilight is stumped on something, she always turns to her favorite catchphrase.”

Sora raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

Spike grinned and nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! ‘When in doubt, check it out!’” When Sora’s gaze refused to change expressions, the drake continued, “It means whenever she’s stuck, she heads straight for the library or somewhere that has information. So, I say we find the Crystal Empire’s library and dig up whatever we can about the Crystal Heart or Sombra’s curse.”

“Oh!” Sora brightened up at that. “That does sound like a good idea!” He paused. “THough something tells me she never said those exact words…”

Spike chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Okay, maybe I paraphrased a bit. But trust me, it’s pretty much what she means! And hey, if we’re lucky, some Crystal Ponies might hang out there and be able to give us some extra clues. Double win!”

“Alright, Spike, I’ll take your word for it.” Sora smirked. “Alright…never thought I would say this but… Let’s find that library!”

~~~

As Fluttershy, Rarity, and the Crusaders walked through the eerie streets of the Crystal Empire, the oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on all of them. The soft clinking of hooves on the crystalline streets was one of the few sounds to break the silence, aside from the faint hum of the flickering barrier overhead.

Sweetie Belle stayed close to Rarity, casting worried glances at the shimmering shield above them. "Rarity, do you think that... that barrier will hold?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her eyes flicked between her sister and the sky, concern etched on her young face.

Rarity, ever the composed big sister, smiled gently at Sweetie, though even she couldn’t completely hide her own worry. "Of course, darling," she said, giving Sweetie a comforting nuzzle. "Princess Cadance is doing everything she can, and we’ve never let a little darkness stop us before, have we?"

Scootaloo, trotting alongside Apple Bloom, tried to sound brave. "Yeah! Besides, Rainbow and Sora’s here too, right? He’s got that big key sword thing, and Dash gots her powerful hooves. No way they are getting beaten by that dummy Sombra.”.

"Ah hope you're right, Scoots," Apple Bloom said softly, looking down at the ground as she walked.

The group would pause and notice a few Crystal Ponies they passed, all of them just a little bit skittish and distant, their gazes confused and uncertain.

“Oh dear,” Rarity spoke. “The poor dears. Sombra’s influence has clearly left them shaken, but if we’re to find any useful information, we must try to speak with them.”

Fluttershy nodded, though her own anxiety was more then evident. “I-I know, but they look so scared... I’m not sure they’ll want to talk to us about what happened. It might be too much for them.”

“We won’t know until we try, darling. We simply must be gentle and kind in our approach.”

As they turned a corner, they spotted a small group of Crystal Ponies huddled near the base of a building, whispering nervously amongst themselves. Rarity took a deep breath and put on her most reassuring smile. “Follow my lead, Fluttershy.”

Approaching slowly, Rarity cleared her throat softly to announce her presence. “Excuse me, darlings. I hope we’re not intruding, but we were hoping you might be able to help us.”

The Crystal Ponies looked up at Rarity and Fluttershy, their eyes filled with apprehension. One of them, a mare with a pale blue coat and a mane dulled by fear, stepped forward cautiously. “Help you? W-With what?”

"Yes, darling," Rarity said gently. "We’re trying to gather information that could help us protect the Crystal Empire from King Sombra.”

At the mention of King Sombra, the mare visibly shuddered, her eyes darting around in fear as if she expected the dark king to appear at any moment. The other Crystal Ponies huddled closer together, their apprehension growing.

Fluttershy stepped forward, her voice soft and soothing. "We don’t want to frighten you," she said, her kind eyes full of understanding. "We just want to help. If you remember anything, even the smallest detail, it might make all the difference."

The pale blue mare hesitated, looking to her companions, who whispered anxiously among themselves. She took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I don’t remember much. It's like everything from before Sombra’s return is... a blur. But there’s something—something about the the plaza…the base of the Crystal Castle…Something was suppose to be there but…we…”

Fluttershy exchanged a glance with Rarity, her eyes widening. “The plaza? You think something could be there?”

The mare nodded hesitantly, still struggling to piece together her foggy memories. "Yes... I think so. There was always something important about the plaza... about the base of the Crystal Castle. It feels like that's where the heart should be, but... it's all so jumbled."

Fluttershy’s eyes softened with sympathy. "That’s okay. You’ve already helped us a lot. Knowing the plaza is important might be just the clue we need."

“Come on Fluttershy.” Rarity spoke, already turning and rushing away, “We best go investigate this Plaza. Go over it with a fine tooth comb if we must!”

“Oh…Oh dear.” Fluttershy bowed her head towards the other ponies. “T-Thank you…and sorry…” She turned and followed after her friend, telling the fillies to keep close.

~~~

Elsewhere within the City of the Crystal Kingdom

High above the streets of the Crystal Empire, Rainbow Dash soared through the sky, scanning the city below. And though her eyes were sharp and never missed a beat, her mind was anything but focused. The image of Shining Armor staying behind to face Sombra gnawed at her. As much as she tried to push the thought away, it kept creeping back, stirring an anxious frustration inside her.

"Sora should’ve done something," she muttered under her breath, her frustration bubbling up. "He’s got that Keyblade and all. I mean... How could he have just…gah…Just left him out there?"

She asked the question out loud but she already knew the answer. He did it for the fillies. He did it to save Twilight and the others, including myself. Still, she wasn’t just going to let him off the hook that easily. She couldn’t allow herself to.

“He should’ve been faster,” she muttered again, the words bitter on her tongue. "He’s supposed to be the hero, right? He’s supposed to save everyone!”

But as soon as she said it, Rainbow winced. That wasn’t fair, and she knew it. He was ready to take all of the blame on himself and if Pinkie hadn’t stopped him...

The rainbow maned mare shook her head “Gah! I know that! I know that he did try his best to save him…but…he just …he-”

Her mind questioned her relentlessly, wondering why she was trying to push the stallion away. Obviously she cared for him, for his well being, so why not accept him.

“Because he’s just like him! That’s why! GAHHHH!!”

Rainbow Dash’s wings faltered for a split second as the truth she had been avoiding finally bubbled to the surface. He’s just like him.

~~~

Dressed in a sleek black spy outfit, complete with a matching hat and night-vision goggles, she tiptoed dramatically from corner to corner, sneaking past oblivious Crystal Ponies as she scanned her surroundings.

"Operation Sneaky-Pie is a go!" she whispered to herself, her voice comically exaggerated. She slid behind a crystalline bench, her eyes darting left and right. "The mission: gather intel on the Crystal Heart and avoid detection from any dark and shadowy bad guys."

Pinkie peered around a corner, spying a group of Crystal Ponies huddled together, chatting quietly. Her eyes narrowed as she zoomed in on them through the goggles. "Suspects spotted... initiating spy mode." With a flourish, she pulled out a notebook and pencil, ready to jot down any clues.

With over-the-top caution, Pinkie darted closer, her movements exaggerated as she slunk along the ground like a cat. She even hummed her own sneaky theme song as she moved. "Dun dun duuuun, sneaky sneaky Pinkie Pie, doo doo doo..."

As she got closer, she could hear bits and pieces of the Crystal Ponies’ conversation.

“I still don’t know if we’re really safe,” one of the Crystal Ponies whispered, her voice trembling. “If Sombra is trying to break through the shield, what do we do? Is there anywhere we can run? Anywhere to hide?”

Another pony, a stallion with a pale green coat, sighed heavily. “I don’t think there is. This is our home, and if he gets inside... there’s nowhere else to go. The Crystal Empire is all we have.”

“Those other ponies that came in.” Another spoke up. “Maybe…Maybe they defeated him?”

“Aha! They’re talking about us!” Pinkie whispered excitedly to herself.

The group of Crystal Ponies continued their conversation, unaware of the pink mare lurking nearby.

The mare who had spoken earlier, her voice filled with uncertainty, shook her head. “I don’t know... They seemed strong, but Sombra is... different. He’s not like any other threat. If he gets inside the empire, it’s over.”

The pale green stallion furrowed his brow. “If only we had…we had…that…” He shook his head, a hoof gently grasping it. “I…I don’t even remember…what it is…but if only…”

Pinkie Pie’s ears perked up at the stallion’s words. “He doesn’t remember something that could protect them all!” she whispered to herself, scribbling in her notebook. He must’ve done something to mess with their memories, she thought, tapping her chin. Just like with Celestia and Luna…this is going to be a tough case! “BUT PINKIE IS ON THE JOB!”

Pinkie Pie froze as all the Crystal Ponies turned to look in her direction, wide-eyed and confused. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she’d accidentally said the last part out loud. Their eyes were now glued to the bright pink mare in a spy outfit, standing not-so-sneakily behind a crystal bench with her notebook still in hoof.

"Uh-oh," Without missing a beat, she pulled a small pouch from her outfit and dramatically tossed it to the ground. "Cover blown! Initiate escape plan!"

A puff of pink smoke exploded around her with a loud poof, filling the air with a sweet, cotton-candy scent. When it cleared, she was gone.

~~~

Within the Crystal Kingdom's Library

It wasn’t long before Sora and Spike, after asking around town, found themselves standing in front of the Crystal Empire Public Library. Both of them grinned excitedly, their spirits high as they hyped themselves up for the next step in their mission. They were ready to find the information they needed, stop King Sombra, and save Shining Armor. But the moment they stepped inside, their expressions quickly changed to shock and awe.

“Holy Smokes…” Spike’s eyes widened in disbelief, the first of the two to recover. “Twilight would totally have a nerdgasm if she saw this place! It has to be almost as big as Canterlots!”

Sora gulped, staring up at the seemingly endless rows of books, stretching across multiple floors. “This is the largest amount of paper I’ve ever seen in my life,” he muttered, feeling a little overwhelmed. He turned to Spike. “Where do we even start? How do we start? This could take forever.”

Spike thought for a moment, not really knowing himself, that is until some movement caught his eye. “Hey, what about her?” He pointed a claw to an elderly mare walking towards them. “She looks like she works here.”

The mare, another one of the crystal ponies, stopped a short distance from the pair, adjusting her glasses as she gave them a once-over, slightly confused to see them. Sora putting on the friendliest face he could, made his way towards the old mare. “Hey. Scuse me. Mind if we ask you something?”

The elderly crystal mare blinked at Sora, her eyes squinting slightly as she adjusted her glasses again, as if trying to get a clearer look at him and Spike. "Well, I suppose I can try to help, dearie," she said, her voice a little shaky but kind. "What is it you're looking for?"

Sora smiled brightly, doing his best to put on a friendly face. "We’re looking for a book," he began.

The mare tilted her head slightly before gesturing to the countless shelves around them. “Well, as you can see, we have plenty of those.”

Spike rolled his eyes before shoving Sora’s head down to make himself more visible. “What my friend here means is, we’re looking for a specific kind of book—something on the history of the Crystal Empire.”

Sora glanced up at Spike, puzzled. “A history book? Why that?”

Spike grinned smugly. “Think about it. The best way to figure out how the empire used to protect itself is by learning its history. Maybe they had defenses we can use now.”

Sora’s eyes lit up in realization. “That’s actually a great idea, Spike!” He turned back to the librarian, his smile widening. “Do you have any history books?”

The mare tapped a hoof on her chin, repeating the word “history” to herself as if trying to recall something buried deep in her mind. After a long pause, she finally responded. “Ah yes… history.”

Sora and Spike leaned in expectantly, waiting for some direction. But after a moment of silence, Spike blinked and spoke up. “So… where would that be exactly?”

The mare squinted, her face scrunching in concentration. “I… I can’t seem to remember.”

Both Sora and Spike groaned in unison.

“Looks like we’re on our own,” Spike said with a sigh, glancing up at the towering shelves. He turned to Sora with a determined look. “I’m pretty good at finding books, but this is gonna take a while. I think we’ll need the girls’ help for this one. Can you go find them while I get started here?”

Sora gave a quick salute. “Got it! I’ll be back in no time!”

With that, he dashed out of the library, leaving Spike to dive into the sea of books, hoping the others could help speed things along.

~~~

Rainbow Dash soared through the sky, her wings cutting through the air as she made a beeline toward the Crystal Empire’s plaza. Her mind raced as fast as her flight, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

As she descended, she spotted Rarity, Fluttershy and the fillies below, searching around the base of the Crystal Castle. Rainbow landed with a thud, gaining both of the mare’s attention. She trotted over to them, a look of agitation upon her features.

“Nothing,” she announced, her tone sharper than intended. “I’ve been all over and questioned so many ponies, but barely any of them are talking and if they are, it's just about how much they fear Sombra this or scared of Sombra that.”

Rarity sighed, brushing a bit of dirt off her hooves as she turned to Rainbow Dash. “I’m afraid we’re not faring much better, darling. We’ve managed to gather a few bits of information here and there, but it’s all so vague and scattered.” She gestured around the plaza, her frustration evident. “The Crystal Ponies we’ve spoken to can hardly remember anything at all it seems. Just something about this place here.”

Fluttershy shook her head sadly, her eyes filled with sympathy. “It’s heartbreaking,” she said softly. “The poor Crystal Ponies... they’re so scared, and most of them can’t even remember why. Sombra must have been such a terrible pony to leave them feeling like this, even when their memories are clouded.”

“That’s exactly what I found out too!”

Fluttershy let out a startled yelp as Pinkie Pie suddenly dropped down from above, suspended by a rope attached to who-knows-what, dressed head to hoof in a tight black spy outfit, complete with night-vision goggles. Upon touching the ground, the poin mare pulled the zipper down her costume before huffing softly. “Too bad my cover was blown before I could get any more info!”

Rainbow Dash rubbed her temples in frustration, shaking her head as she tried to process everything. "So... we're back to square one?"

Scootaloo, seeing that it was her time to shine, had just opened her mouth to suggest an idea when Sora's voice cut through the plaza.

“Hey! Girls!”

They all turned to see the stallion galloping toward them, a look of relief within his eyes. The stallion skidded to a stop in front of them, panting slightly from the run. “Whew! Glad I found you guys!” he exclaimed, catching his breath.

“Sora!” Fluttershy exclaimed, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the stallion. “There you are? Is everything okay?”

“And where the hey have you been?” Rainbow asked, her hooves folding across her chest.

Sora gave them an apologetic grin. "Haha…Sorry. Me and Spike might have found something tho.We were at the Crystal Empire Library. It’s massive—like, bigger than I imagined—and we think it might have some info on how to stop Sombra. But it’s gonna take forever to find anything useful with just the two of us, so Spike asked me to come and get ya.”

Rainbow Dash groaned, running a hoof through her mane. "The library? Seriously? Ugh, I knew this would turn into another one of those boring research missions."

“It’s better than running around willy nilly." Rarity mused. "In fact, I'm sure it's something Twilight would have done, and she wouldn't have been wrong either."

Rainbow Dash sighed, still not entirely convinced but clearly outnumbered. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Twilight would be all over this library thing... Fine. Let’s just get it over with, then." She turned towards Sora. “Lead the way, Hero.”

~~~

Spike was hunched over a large, ancient-looking tome when the group arrived at the Crystal Empire Library. The little drake couldn’t stop the smile on his face as he waved to his friends. “Hey guys! Glad you could make it to the study session.” He pointed towards a few books near him. “I already found some that seemed promising.”

Rarity smiled warmly as she trotted up to Spike, her eyes twinkling with pride. "Well done, Spike! Always one step ahead of the game, aren’t you?"

The little dragon blushed brightly at Rarity's praise, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Aw, it's nothing," Spike muttered, trying—and failing—to hide the huge grin spreading across his face. "Just trying to help out, you know?"

Rainbow Dash let out an exaggerated sigh as she plopped down onto a nearby cushion, her wings drooping in dramatic frustration. "Ugh, I hate reading anything that's not Daring Do," she groaned, folding her hooves across her chest. "Why do all the answers to saving the day always have to be hidden in dusty old books?"

Fluttershy, already picking up one of the books, turned her attention towards her friend. “Well…to be fair…it did help us back when Nightmare Moon came…”

“I’m with Rainbow on this one.” Sora spoke up. “But right now this is the best plan we got. So…The faster we find a solution the faster we can save everyone.”

Rainbow Dash let out another sigh, though this time it was a little less dramatic. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, though."

Soon enough, the ponies would get to work, Fluttershy and Rarity positioned themselves next to Spike, helping him flip through the books he had already gathered. Their eyes scanned the ancient texts, looking for something that might help.

Rainbow Dash, though still grumbling under her breath, zipped up to the upper levels of the towering library shelves. She grabbed books at random, her speed allowing her to cover more ground.

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo took the lower shelves, moving quickly between rows and pulling out any books that looked even remotely useful. Applebloom tapping each one for Sweetie to pull out with her magic and place on a cart. Scootaloo would then buzz the pile of books towards the other’s waiting for them.

Sora, all the while, worked at his own pace. He wasn’t the best at reading, an overall slacker at school sometimes, but he was diligent if nothing else. It was just like going though Jimmy’s Journal or the reports he would sometimes find in his travels to other worlds. He wouldn’t quite understand it but if something stuck out he figured the others would know more.

As minutes turned into hours, the quiet hum of the Crystal Empire Library was punctuated only by the soft sounds of flipping pages, the occasional thud of a heavy book being placed back on the shelf, and the distant buzz of Scootaloo pushing yet another cartload of books toward the group.

“Is it just me,” Rainbow asked after flipping through what she believed was her hundredth book. “Or do we seem to be putting all our effort into a lost cause?”

“Rainbow’s right!” Scootaloo complained. “How do we know a history book even exists?”

“Scoots, it would only make sense that if Cheerilee’s class has a history book, then so would any other place around Equestria.” Sweetie Bell deadpanned. “Maybe you would know this if you stayed away more in class instead of sleeping through most of it.”

“Well maybe you should…stupid.” Scootaloo folded her hooves about her chest, proud of her retort.

Sora groaned at the book he had just flipped though, tossing it to the side when he was done. “Darn it! Not that one either! Not one of these books seems to have what we’re looking for!”

“We can’t just give up though!” Applebloom called out from a book pile she was sifting through. “There’s gotta be something.”

“I’m not giving up Applebloom.” Sora said reassuringly. “ But there has to be a better way to-“

Before Sora could finish his sentence, Spike’s excited voice echoed through the library. “I found something!” The little dragon came running toward the group, a large, ancient-looking book clutched tightly in his claws.

“GASP! You did!? YIPPIE!” Pinkie bounced up and down on her tail as she cheered. “This calls for a ‘Spike found the Book’ party!”

Sora’s ears perked. “What did you find, Spike?” he asked eagerly.

Holding the book up, he showed off his prize to the others. “I think this might be it! A History book! At least from what little I read in it!”

“Way to go Spike!” Rainbow whistled, “Who’s the dragon?”

Spike puffed out his chest proudly, holding the ancient book up higher for all to see. “That’s right! I’m the dragon!” he declared with a grin, clearly enjoying the praise.

So enticed was the dragon with himself that he failed to notice the black and red blur coming at him until it was too late. Knocking the drake upside the head, Spike hit the floor and dropped the book, causing it to slide upon the ground far out of anyone’s reach.

Just as it stopped in its momentum two more of the same creatures that had hit Spike popped into existence around the tome, the bag-like monsters bouncing about as if they were dancing for joy.

"Heartless!" Sora shouted, his Keyblade appearing in his grip in a flash of light.

Rainbow Dash stared at the bouncing, bag-like creatures in disbelief, her brow furrowing. “Those things are Heartless too? They look like... weird little bags with stick pony legs! Seriously?”

Sora nodded, his expression serious as he kept his eyes locked on the creatures. "Yeah, they're Heartless, alright. A friend of mine named them Red Nocturnes, Yellow Ophras and Blue Rhapsodies. They’re small but the magic they use is no joke.”

“How did those dreadful things get past the barrier that Cadence has up?” Rarity spoke aloud. “I thought it was supposed to protect us from any dark magic.”

“Forget that for now! Look!” Pinkie called out, pointing a hoof toward the heartless. “I don’t think they want us to have that book!”

The little Heartless zipped around erratically, bouncing and spinning, but never straying too far from the ancient book that had slid across the floor. Their chaotic movements almost seemed playful but it really did seem like they were guarding the tome with clear intent.

“I think you’re right Pinkie! Which means that whatever's in there is something we need!” Sora took up a battle stance “Everyone stand back! I’ll take care of them!” Before he could charge in, however, Rainbow zipped forward, landing beside him with a confident smirk.

"Not without me, you’re not," The mare declared, her wings flaring out. "I’m not letting you have all the fun."

On the other side of the stallion, Pinkie Pie popped up, bouncing in place and giggling excitedly. "Ooooh, I wanna play too!" she chirped, "These Heartless look like they’re having a party, and I love parties!"

Sora balked, eyes wide in surprise. "Wait! No! You girls stay back! I can—"

“No way!” Rainbow cut him off. "I’ve been waiting to smash some Heartless since we got here. I’m so not sitting this one out."

"Yeah! And besides, you know what they say! The more the merrier!" Pinkie winked. “Don’t worry! We got this!”

Sora blinked, looking between Rainbow and Pinkie, his hesitation clear. "But—"

"No buts!" Rainbow interrupted again, "We’re Fighting rather you like it or not! So ship up or shape out!”

Sora huffed in frustration, shaking his head slightly as he gripped his Keyblade tighter. He muttered under his breath before nodding. He would have preferred not to involve them in the fight, wanting to protect them from the dangers he had faced before, but it was clear now that they weren’t going to back down.

"Fine!" Sora relented, giving a determined nod. "But stay sharp! These Heartless might look silly, but they’re no joke!"

Rainbow Dash grinned triumphantly, her wings twitching with excitement. "Now that’s the spirit! Let’s make this quick."

Pinkie Pie giggled, bouncing in place. "Yeah! Quick and fun! Let’s show these little bouncy Heartless how to party!"

The stallion couldn’t help but smile despite his earlier frustration. If nothing else, It was good to fight along with someone again. He adjusted his grip on the Keyblade, focusing his attention back on the Heartless. "Alright, let’s go!"

The Heartless immediately shifted their focus toward the trio of aggressors, their erratic movements becoming more calculated. The nearest Red Nocturne began to glow with a faint red light before launching a ball of fire toward the group.

Sora was the first to react. He swung his Keyblade, deflecting the fireball away from the group with practiced precision. The flames fizzled harmlessly as Pinkie and Rainbow Dash darted to either side, the pink mare going for the blue and Rainbow the red.

Pinkie bounced toward the Blue Rhapsody, her unpredictable movements making it difficult for the magical Heartless to land any of its cold attacks. The icy blasts it fired were dodged with Pinkie's signature energy as she giggled and twirled around the creature. "Ice guess you can’t hit me, huh?" she taunted with a grin. “Looks like you’re all Snow and note frostbite!”

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash zoomed straight for the Red Nocturne, her speed making her a blur of colors. The Heartless charged another fireball, but Rainbow was too fast, darting around it with ease. “Come on, is that all you’ve got?” she jeered, dodging a blast of fire before landing a powerful kick to the Nocturne, sending it spinning. “Hey! Coming at ya Pinkie!”

Pinkie Pie, mid-giggle and holding the Blue Rhapsody down as she tickled it with a feather she’d somehow conjured from nowhere, perked up at Rainbow’s shout. “Coming at ya, Pinkie!”

She looked up just in time to see the Red Nocturne spinning through the air toward her. Without missing a beat, Pinkie grinned, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “I got it!”

In an instant, she darted to the side, reaching behind a nearby bookcase and pulling out her trusty party cannon from who-knows-where. The Red Nocturne flew right into the cannon’s barrel, its fiery body sizzling faintly as it landed inside.

“Perfect landing!” Pinkie cheered as she spun the cannon toward the Blue Rhapsody, which was just getting back on its feet after her playful assault.

With a dramatic flair, Pinkie Pie slammed her hoof down on the cannon’s button. “Party’s over!”

The cannon boomed, sending the Red Nocturne hurtling toward the recovering Blue Rhapsody. The blue, almost in a panic, blasted its magic, hitting the red Heartless and turning it into a block of frozen ice.

Pinkie being Pinkie, couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “Hey! No need to give somepony the ‘Cold’ Shoulder.” The pink pony gasped before ducking as another bolt of ice shot just over her head. “Hey, that wasn’t very ‘Cool’! You forgot to yell ‘Freeze’!” Not being able to hold herself back, she laughed uproariously, rolling on the ground as she did so.

As the pink pony laughed her flank off, the Ice Heartless charged itself up for another attack. Its retaliation, however, was cut short however due to a wayward book knocking it out of the sky and onto the ground below.

"Ha!!" Scootaloo shouted triumphantly, standing a few feet away with a smirk on her face. “Take that, ya freaky excuse for a saddlebag!”

“Scootaloo!” Fluttershy hooked a leg around the orange filly pulling her in just as a yellow bag heartless appeared in front of them. Fluttershy, Rairty and the fillies starred in wide eyed shock as the heartless began to surge with electricity ready to strike. Before it could do so however, Sora’s keyblade sliced clean through it, causing it to dissipate in a cloud of smoke and its crystal heart to disappear into the air.

Sora quickly spun on his hooves, dodging another blast of lightning from a Yellow Opera as it zoomed toward him. His Keyblade shimmered with light as he deflected the magical attack, sending it careening into the distance, where it dissipated harmlessly. Without missing a beat, he charged forward, striking the heartless with a flurry of blows, each hit as precise and powerful as the least. The Yellow Heartless let out a final spark before vanishing in a puff of darkness, its heart floating away.

He smiled as he allowed his keyblade to vanish from his maw, "That was close. Are you girl’s o-”

Before Sora could finish his sentence, he was suddenly tackled to the ground by a blur of yellow and red. Apple Bloom had leaped at him, knocking him over in her rush of concern. "Sora! Are ya okay? Did ya get hurt?!" she asked, her voice full of worry as she peered down at him, her hooves pressing lightly on his chest.

"I’m fine, Apple Bloom! I promise," The stallion told her after recovered from the sudden filly attack. Grinning, he gently lifted the filly as he sat up. "You don’t need to worry about me—this is what I do.” He turned towards Fluttershy and the others. “Like I was about to say though, are you girl’s okay?"

Fluttershy, still holding Scootaloo close under her wing, nodded, her eyes wide but grateful. "Y-Yes, we’re okay... thanks to you, Sora," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly as she released the little filly from her protective embrace. "You saved us... again."

"That was far too close for comfort, darling.” Rarity mused as she let out a sigh of relief, placing a hoof over her heart. “But yes, we’re fine, thanks to your impeccable timing." She tossed her mane slightly before adding, "Though I must say, these Heartless are simply dreadful to deal with. They have absolutely no respect for personal space!"

The fashionista’s sister bounded towards the stallion, her eyes lighting up."Oh gosh! That was so cool! And that Keyblade is so cool!”

Scootaloo buzzed her wings excitedly, breaking free from Fluttershy's gentle grip. "Yeah! I mean, did you see the way Sora deflected that lightning? That was awesome! And Rainbow Dash too! She was like a Heartless Fighting machine! Zooming this way and that way! You guys totally kicked Heartless butts out there!"

Sora chuckled at Scootaloo's excitement, and his grin widened as he stood up. "Thanks, Scootaloo! You were pretty awesome yourself back there with that book throw." He gave her a playful wink, causing the filly to puff out her chest proudly. She then felt something sharply pull at her ear, the cause of which being Rarity.

“Yes yes, very good. Don’t do that again.”

Scootaloo yelped as Rarity gently tugged at her ear, pulling her away from the praise with a disapproving look. "Ow! Rarity! I was helping!" Scootaloo protested, her wings buzzing in frustration.

Rarity sighed dramatically, though her expression softened as she gave Scootaloo a stern but gentle smile. "Yes, darling, and while I can appreciate your... enthusiasm, throwing a book at a dangerous creature like a Heartless is not something we want to make a habit of, hmm?" She released Scootaloo's ear, patting her on the head. "Let’s leave the fighting to those who are a little more experienced, alright?"

Scootaloo rubbed her ear but nodded, her earlier pride dimming a little. "Yeah, okay... but I still think I did a good job."

Rarity, her attention shifting away from Scootaloo, enveloped the ancient book with her magic, lifting it carefully into the air. "Now, enough distractions. We have more important matters to attend to." She floated the book over to Sora. "Here you go, darling. I believe this is what we were all risking our necks for."

Sora nodded as he took the book into his hooves. “Yeah, they were going through a lot of trouble to get this back.” He smiled as he opened the book, the rest of the mares gathering around him as he did so. “Lets see what they were trying to keep us from finding out.”

~~~

The sting of ice against his back was the first thing Shining Armor registered as he stirred from unconsciousness, a dull throbbing in his head from a blow he couldn't even recall receiving. He tried to move, but his limbs were immobilized, encased in crystallized ice. He instinctively attempted to ignite his horn, but the effort was futile—black crystals embedded around it siphoned away his magic as quickly as he tried to summon it.

"D-Darn it... that could've gone way better..." he muttered.

A voice, smooth yet laced with malice, interrupted his thoughts. "You can say that again, little captain."

Shining stiffened at the sound of the mare’s voice, his gaze snapping toward one of the cavern entrances where a cloaked figure approached. He glared hard at her, masking his unease with defiance. "I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I promise you this—you won’t get away with it."

The mare sauntered closer, unphased by his threat. She wrapped a hoof around his neck, pulling him closer. "Oh, Captain Shining Armor, your threats would be intimidating... if they weren’t so hollow. After all, here you are, helpless and alone. Defeated by the Sombra’s Heartless."

"Heartless, huh? So that’s what those things are called." He shot her another glare. "And what about you? Are you working with Sombra? Who are you?"

The mare feigned surprise, bringing a hoof to her chest dramatically. "Oh my! You mean to say you’ve forgotten me?" She chuckled, a low, sinister sound. "Though I suppose that’s not so surprising. After all, it has been a while since we last saw each other. You know, back when I disappeared through that mirror." She stepped closer, a smirk curling on her lips. "And here I thought you’d remember an old acquaintance, Captain."

Shining’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "The mirror… your voice…" Realization dawned on him. "No… it can’t be…"

The cloaked mare laughed, the sound dripping with mockery. She raised a hoof and swept her hood back, revealing a vibrant yellow coat and a mane of fiery red and yellow. Her eyes glinted with a menacing red glow. "Oh, but it is. Sunset Shimmer, at your service, Your Highness." She gave a mocking bow, her smirk widening.

Shining’s jaw dropped, shock and disbelief clear in his expression. "Sunset Shimmer... Princess Celestia’s former student?" His shock quickly turned to anger. "What are you doing here? Nopony heard from you after you disappeared into that mirror! And why in Tartarus are you working with Sombra?!"

Sunset shrugged, her smile cold and smug. "Working with Sombra? Oh, no, no, no. It’s more of a mutual arrangement. We just happen to share a common enemy, that’s all." She leaned in closer, her face inches from his, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What’s the matter, Shiny? Are you mad?"

Shining Armor glared, his frustration mounting. "Why? Why are you doing this? You’re a pony! You were Celestia’s student! You were meant for so much more than this!"

"Why?" Sunset’s eyes flared with rage as she took a step back. "I’ll tell you why! Because Celestia stole from me what was rightfully mine!" Her voice grew more venomous with each word. "She cast me aside and replaced me with that insufferable Twilight Sparkle!" She spat the name like poison. "I was supposed to be the greatest! I was destined for power! But she took it all away... and now, both she and her little protégé are going to pay. With their hearts."

Shining Armor struggled violently against his icy bonds, fury blazing in his eyes. "You leave Twilight out of this, you witch! I swear, if you hurt her—"

Sunset cut him off with a cruel laugh, waving a hoof dismissively. "Hurt her? Oh, Shiny, I think you’ve misunderstood. It’s not about hurting her. It’s about destroying her. Everything she holds dear—gone. And you? Well..." She glanced at his frozen limbs, a sinister smile playing on her lips. "You’re in no position to stop me. You’ll be staying here, in these caverns, right where Sombra was meant to be imprisoned. Helpless. Trapped. Watching as everything you care about crumbles."

She leaned in close, pressing a mocking kiss to his cheek. "But don’t worry. If you behave, maybe I’ll let Cadance keep you company. You know, out of respect for old times."

Shining Armor roared in fury, struggling against the ice with all his might. "You won’t get away with this, Sunset! You hear me?! I’ll never forgive you for this!"

Sunset stepped back, cackling as she walked toward the cavern entrance. "It was nice catching up, Shiny. But I have a kingdom to overthrow and a world to plunge into darkness. You? You’ll just sit here and watch."

As Sunset’s laughter echoed through the cavern, Shining Armor’s curses followed her. The clinking of her hooves grew quieter, and soon, she disappeared from sight, leaving Shining trapped, furious, and helpless.

From the shadows above, a pair of glowing green, catlike eyes observed the scene in silence, watching... waiting.