Crystarium Fantasia

Astrána awoke to the sound of a sharp rapping on her door and Twilight's voice.

"Astrána? Wake up! Astrána!"  She could not help but think how she wasn't woke by her spell.

"I'll be out in a minute Twi!" Astrána yelled back. She rolled out of bed with a yawn, she fixed her mane and tail with a quick magic spell before unlocking her door with a small key.

"Good morning!" Twilight said with a grin. Astrána smiled back She's ok. she thought with a sigh of relief.

"How did you sleep?" Astrána asked, trying to make some idle conversation, she was not looking forward to moving to another city so soon. Even though she had become great friends with Twilight she wasn't sure how awkward it would be staying with her. She couldn't help but think it must be awkward for her too, it being her first time teaching another pony.

"Oh... Quite well. I-I'm sorry about last night, I just don't know what came over me. I was just in shock, that's all." Twilight said, a wry smile on her face.

"When are we leaving?" Astrána asked Twilight.

"In about four hours, grab something to eat and have a stroll around Canterlot, I have some stuff I have to take care of. Not to mention the Queen's journal, Celestia wants me to deliver it to her. Astrána smiled and nodded at Twilight, she side stepped around Twilight and trotted down the corridor in the direction of the dining hall.

***

(Yes I am changing it, the other one was too much trouble. Also ponies.)

Astrána had eaten her breakfast and was now out wandering Canterlot looking for something interesting to do other than sight seeing, it didn't interest her much. She was it as a rather mundane thing to do when she could be doing much more physical things out in the open. A shop caught her eye, it was marble, just like the rest of the city, with some golden gilding along the walls, a mosaic book as depicted above the doorway. Out of curiosity Astrána wandered inside, to her surprise the entire store was dedicated to spell books. Oh my! she thought as she observed the floor to ceiling book shelves lined with old decaying tomes, it appeared as if these books were not hoof written, they had all be hoof written and handed down generation to generation. Whoever owned the store obviously had a lot of experience collecting these works. Astrána browsed with rapt attention until she found a particular spell book that seemed to resonate with her. She took it off the shelf using magic, the book seemed to open of its own accord when it came close to her. A gasp escaped her when she noticed the hoofwriting. This was writting by the Queen! I must get this to Twilight! She galloped to the counter in pure excitement, she gave the book to the store owner so he could price the item.

"Oho?" He said, "You have quite an eye for books don't you miss - Uhh?"

"Astrána." She replied. A small smiled crept across the old colts face.

"I see, this book should cost about seven hundred bits... But you..." The old colt contemplated Astrána for a moment.

"Seven hundred bits! I can't afford that!" Astrána said in astonishment before the old colt had time to finish his sentance.

"To you... You can have this for twenty bits."

"Wha? That... No, I couldn't, it's worth too much!" She insisted, still, she stared longingly at the book knowing it would be terrible to lose it. The old colt shook his head and handed it to her.

"I know, I feel it too. It should belong to you. I don't know why but you seem to have some... Connection with whoever wrote this particular book."

"I... Ok." Astrána said, her eyes wide as she stared at the kind old colt. She placed down twenty bits and placed the book into her saddlebags.

"Have fun now." The old colt said as she walked out the store.

***

Twilight watched as Astrána walked down to the dining hall. After a few moments Astrána disappeared into another corridor. Twilight headed back to her own room, hers was a little more lavishly decorated as she had been staying in Canterlot a lot since she graduated from being Celestia's student to being her assistant teacher. She put on her saddle bags and moved the journal into her saddle bag before she set out to Celestia's throne room. A few moments passed, Twilight had made it to the throne room but was surprised to see Celestia was not there. She trotted over to one of the guards.

"Hello, have you seen the Princess anywhere?"

The guard stared at Twilight for a moment before he said, "She is atop the tower, watching over the city." Twilight smiled at him in thanks. Running towards the stairs Twilight considered the many reasons the Princess may be watching over the city. Maybe she felt that too... That doom. I can't be sure, but she never watches over the city, she is always too busy. Twilight finally reached the roof, Princess Celestia stood on the end precipice of the tower, her hair flowed in the wind as she looked out over the city. Twilight noticed she had a worried look in her eyes.

"Twilight." Celestia said in a stern voice.

"Yes, Princess?"

"I know you felt it last night, that... Horrible feeling. I got the same feeling the day my mother disappeared." Celestia's eyes lowered.

"Do you know what it was, Princess?" Twilight asked curiously.

"No, I do not. I can only guess." She paused for a moment, "Did the bring my mothers journal?"

"Ah! I did." Twilight passed the book to Celestia using a levitation spell. Celestia gave twilight a quick nod of acknowledgement and dismissal. As Twilight trotted down the stairs and began to head towards the dining hall should couldn't help but worry. *The Princess is scared, something is happening... She thought, her mane flowing in the breeze that entered through the window.*

***

Death's Blade paced back and forth by the fire while the other five ponies poured over a ethereal map Nocturn Dusk had conjured up.

"We will attack in a month, in the time leading upto our attack I suggest we roam the forest a gather as many forces as we can. I am sure we can convince these foul beasts to join our cause." Nocturn Dusk said, peering around at the other ponies.

"How can we convince the creatures to follow us? They will just see us as regular ponies." Lightning Wing stated as he hovered above the map.

"Our elements of course, they should sense the darkness emanating from them, they may be animals but they're not stupid enough to disobey ponies with such power." The ponies considered Nocturn Dusk's statement for a short while.

"I see. What of the Ursa's in the area, should we try to recruit those beasts?" Blood Wrath asked in a deep voice.

"No, even they will now bow to us until we have displayed our battle prowess. We need to take a few pony settlements before that can happen." Shadow Fiend flew over to the map, pondering Nocturn's statement.

"We have a month to do this?" He asked.

"Yes." Nocturn replied.

"Excellent, I have a plan of my own. Do you mind if I put it into action?" He asked hopefully.

"No, I do not." Nocturn said dismissively, she obviously treated him with apathy as she knew of his frivolous attitude to their plans. She also knew that most of the time his plans benefited hers. Shadow shot a quick grin at Fate's Blossom, immediately she rolled her eyes knowing his plan will involve her some how. *I don't have time for this, his plans usually over exert us. She looked pleadingly at Nocturn Dusk.*

"No, Fate, I have a good feeling about his plan this time." The sternness in her voice intimidated Fate's Blossom, she lowered her head and patted the ground with her left front-hoof.

"Now, go and get some rest everypony, we have work to do tomorrow." At Nocturn's words the other ponies walked off to the areas they had turned into their sleeping quarters for the time being.

(Writers note: This scene is terrible, I know. It will be improved one day but I had the insane urge to write at 5 am.)

***

Astrána met Twilight just outside her room, she had packed all of her luggage already.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I'm late, Twi. I ran into something quite astonishing." A grin spread across her face as she thought of the Queen's spell book being in her possession!

"Hmm? What was that?" Twilight asked, noticing Astrána's delighted grin.

"Oh! Umm, I'll show you when we get to Ponyville, is that ok? I'd like to be in a safer environment." Twilight peered curiously at Astrána for a moment before accepting her proposition, albeit hesitantly.

"Ok, go and pack quickly, the train is leaving in twenty minutes." Astrána smiled and nodded at Twilight, she couldn't help but smile herself, although she didn't understand why she did.

A few minutes later Astrána returned with her saddlebags packed.

"Are we off then?" Twilight asked.

"I guess so." Astrána added before they both trotted out the castle and headed towards the train station.