Game of Ponies

by Ca11m3Raven

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Romance, Adventure, Tragedy
Length: 6211

(Insert random pun here.)

Blah blah blah, and a bottle of jack.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-11-06 15:07:08 UTC

A cloudy day in Equestria

Scootaloo

"Come on Scoots!" Rainbowdash implored, "The carriages leave in ten minutes!" Scootaloo oozed out of her bed, groggy, though well rested. She began shuffling into the main quarters of Rainbow's cloud home, She had been living there for the past month, ever since the adoption agreement took hold. So now, Rainbowdash was Scoot's legal guardian, and they were really family now. Scootaloo had not yet come into her wings, though with Rainbow's training had learned to hover and glide. The house had been made accessible by Rainbow's placement of a few clouds leading up to the house, which was now located over sweet apple acres.

               "Dash! Did you take our bags ou-!" Scoot's shouting was cut short when she realized that Rainbow was standing right next to her, "Ahem- did you?"

Dash nodded, "Did you need to take anything else?"

"Nope." Scoot replied, "All packed."

Rainbow stepped over and opened the door, "Let's go then." Dash flew strait down to wait for Scootaloo. Scoot, not missing a beat threw herself off the edge of the walkway, opening her wings and gliding to the first cloud down, and the next one, and the one after that, Dash intently watching the whole time. Once down to the ground the two dashed over to the gates of sweet apple acres.

              The crystal carriages already full of the Apple family, sat just outside the gates, patiently awaiting the arrival of the Pegasus sisters. Scootaloo ran over to the carriage containing the waking Apple's, Jumping up to the side window and catching  it, peering around to see three fully awake apples, and a sleeping Applebloom, A smirk grew across her face. Opening the door to the carriage, Scoot proceeded to hovered silently over to the sleeping filly, then licked the inside of her sleeping friends ear. Applebloom woke with a start, jumping to her hooves and looking right at Scootaloo, "Hey!!" Applebloom exclaimed, then wiped her ear dry, "Why, you!!" Applebloom jumped at her friend, only to hit her face against the side of the carriage, Scootaloo having jumped to the adjacent seat. "ERRR!!" Both filly's ran out into the field, Laughing, jumping, tackling, playing.

              Rainbowdash set hoof in the carriage, all ponies sitting on their hind legs, Rainbow across from Applejack. "S-how's bein a big sister treatin ya, Rainbow?" Rainbowdash shot Applejack a glare, She looked outside the window at the two playing fillies, Applejack following her stare,

"Terrible!" Rainbow spat,

"What?" Applejack said with surprise,

"Oh wait," rainbow raised a hoof to her chin, "The other thing, it's awesome!"

Applejack giggled, "Yeah, it just about changes your whole life."

Rainbowdash smirked for a moment, then stared off into space, "When do you think I should tell her?"

Applejack sobered, "Well i cain't rightly say, it ain't for me to decide."

Big mac interjected,"I say she doesn't need to know!" The colt snorted,

Granny smith rose a hoof, "Mac! She's got to find out some day!"

Big mac huffed, "Well, hell, Granny, I just think that all Scootaloo needs to know is that Rainbow and Fluttershy are gonna raise her in their lesbian cloud home!" The carriage went quiet, "Yeah I said it, and we all know its true, n'matter how sick it is."

Rainbow glared at Mac, "Oh, what Fluttershy and I have is sick? How about keeping the knowledge of who a little fillies parents are from her, is that sick?"

             "One minute!" the driver yelled, "One minute till we hit the road!" Applejack called the fillies in with a whistle, both of them galloping right into the car, next to their respective sisters. Applebloom shut the door behind them. Applejack knocked on the crystal between her and the driver, "How bout we make that a 'now' situation?" The driver nodded, and with the snap of the reins, they were off.

Pinkie

The pink pony trotted in place anticipating the arrival of the crystal carriages, the repeating clopping noise emanating throughout the library, teeth chattering pink energy filled the main room of Twilight Sparkles home, that was soon not to be, Twilight was moving back to Canterlot, two carriages were going to arrive at the library one for her, to go to the crystal empire, and the other for her things, bound for Canterlot. In truth she was only taking things essential for work as a princess, So she could commute between there and Ponyville, a bit sad thinking that she would be spending so much time away from her friends.

Still...

        The trotting stopped when Pinkie caught spikes cold stare, The tired dragon wobbled back and forth, "Pinkie, do you know how important sleep is to a dragon?"

Pinkie straightened her posture, "Sorry spike, i'm just a little nervous, and a little exited!"

Spike Raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Pinkie tilted her head, "What what?"

Spike squinted, "Weren't you gonna-... Never mind." Then walked out the door. The carriages pulled up right then, Spike sighed, "Finally." He opened the door to see Pinkie already sitting in the car, vibrating intensely. "I don't even- I- Why even question it." Spike got in lased down and slept.

Rarity

The warm summer breeze flowed through the unicorn's purple mane, as she sat on the bench outside her home, the memory of her parent's death weighing heavy on her mind, "How does a train just explode?" she thought. Tormented by the tragic event, which she had seen with her own eyes, she neglected to pack the usual excessive ten travel bags, or style her hair, though keeping it clean. Her mane hung strait down, blowing in the wind like strands of gossamer. A voice called through the haze."Rarity?"

                   Fluttershy stood staring at Rarity, Sweetie Belle standing next to her. Fluttershy's mane was now cut and styled, she had offered to let Rarity cut it, in hopes that it might get her mind off of, well.. Sweetie was holding up surprisingly well for a young filly who had just lost her parents.

"Is that all your'e packing" Fluttershy asked, trying to sound sincere for comedic effect.

Rarity looked at the bag sitting below her and smirked, "Yes, I suppose it is a bit less than my usual travel bag, or bags." all three ponies giggled. Sweetie Belle looked around, seeing a number of crystalline carriages about the town.

"How many ponies are they picking up?" the filly asked.

Fluttershy raised a hoof, gesturing off to the middle of town, "Well, each carriage has different specifications for who there taking to the games, there picking up athletes, food vendors, like the cakes, and the medical volunteers."

Sweetie looked at Fluttershy with eyes that would melt the coldest heart, "But, how many ponies are they picking up?"

                Fluttershy turned her head to look back at the town, trying to seem like she was contemplating the actual number of ponies, but really, she was hiding a tear, that sweet, sweet kind heart of her's, Sweetie belle didn't want what happened to her parents to happen to anypony else. Though it was a good sign that she was realistic about it, she would be riding to the empire too, no fear involved.

                 Rarity swooned, re-capping her bottle of apple whiskey. "Y'know, personally, i mean, i mean, my guess would be about....." She squinted and bobbed her head around, not really looking at anything, "Fifty, fifty sorry fuckers."

             "Rarity!" Fluttershy objected, "Language." Fluttershy pushed her hair down straitening it but also soaking up the tear that she had shed.

               A carriage pulled up just then, "Miss Fluttershy? Miss Rarity?" The driver asked, "Both here." Fluttershy replied, walking up to the door and letting Sweetie Belle in before her, "Rarity!" The filly called. Rarity fumbled off the bench,

"Coming." She replied drunkenly. Hobbling over to the carriage. Once inside, the three ponies sat up-right on their hind legs.

"Hey!" Sweetie Belle shouted, knocking on the paneling between her and the driver, "How are we going to get to the crystal empire in time in carriages?" Sweetie asked. "Oh you just wait and see little miss,  it'll be quite the treat" The driver said skippidly.

              The carriage took off..

Twilight

"That should do it." Twilight said to the driver of the second carriage, after levitating all of her belongings into it. "You make sure all of that stuff doesn't get a scratch on it and i'll make you a sir, deal?"

"Yes ma'am." the colt said straitening his posture and moments later snapping the reins. Twilight climbed into the first

carriage, sat down, and sighed. She then realized that this was the 'royal' carriage.

"Cupcake?" Pinkie said, practically shoving a white frosted cupcake.

"Thanks." Twilight said, taking the treat.

"So Twi, Iv'e been meaning to ask." Pinkie began to speak semi-hesitantly as the carriage began to move, "Where are you a princess of now?"

            "Oh, i'm a princess of equestria of course," Twilight's ramble began there, "You see Pinkie, I will rule beside, not under, princesses  Celestia and Luna. But i'll be working on the jurisdictional side of things, for example; if a city, say Manehattan wanted to take part of Equestria's territory as it's own and no longer maintain a union, then it would be Celestia and Luna's job to negotiate how much land was given, but my job to write up the contracts."

Pinkie stared off into the distance, "Why would anypony want to secede from the union?"

"Well Pinkie.' Twilight said, taking a bite of her cupcake, "If they wanted independence then they would have the right to command it, unless....."

"Unless what?" Pinkie squeaked,

Twilight continued, "If the region in question was under scrutiny say for committing potential acts of war, then they would not be permitted to secede, until a thorough investigation of the conduct of the governing ponies deemed them innocent." Pinkie Blinked several times, trying to digest this information, and then asked, "What kinds of acts of war?"

            The carriages arrive at the train station...

Mr.Cake

Mr.Cake fussed over his masterpiece for the entire ride to the train station, every time the driver so much as hit a pebble in the road he nearly went over the edge, but he was kept at peace by the knowledge that soon he would be able to relax, not at the beckon call of his two small children. That burden would fall upon his wife, he would have to compensate for his absence when he returned, that didn't matter to him, he loved his wife, till Celestia stopped raising the sun, he would be with her. Because in her, he felt- 'SON OF A BITCH!" He exclaimed, "Hey, can we be a little bit more delicate with the driving an enormous cake around?"

"Sorry about that Mr.Cake," The driver replied, "I know how important it is to have a pristine cake, especially  at an event like this."

        "Y- you do?" Mr.cake said puzzled.

"Oh yeah, my brother in law makes pastries, he's damn good at it too."

Mr. Cake let out a h'm, "Does he do much complaining about transport mishaps?"

The driver snickered, "No, I actually do most of his transportation work, and trust me, it helps that the roads are made of crystal."

Mr.Cake let out a laugh, "I guess that would help."

"Well, here we are," The driver stated, "We're gonna need to get out for the merge, and don't worry, your cake will be fine." Mr.Cake was puzzled, "Merge?" he asked, simply receiving a nod.

           When Mr.Cake left the carriage, he was greeted by Pinkie pie, and Applejack, they discussed parties, pastries, family and what have you, none of the three noticing the crystal carriages lining up onto the railroad tracks, the conversation continued until the horn went off, basting through the entire station and drawing every pony's attention to the train. The train that nopony even expected to be there, seeing as the train that normally sat in the ponyville train station had exploded, due to unknown causes, just a month ago.

           But now, a magnificent crystal train, all formed out of carriages, but taking on an entirely new design, each carriage was now a train car, newly fitted for each of its passengers, including a storage car, which already held the various pastries and other goods, "All aboard!" The crystal whistle blew, ushering in the impressed ponyville folk, who had by now already started asking one-another who had seen the merge,  about the details, and how now it made sense that the 'carriages' were taking them to the 'Crystal empire'...

           "WOW! Did you see that? It was all like ''woosh' and then the carriages were all like 'WoOoOoOoo' and then BAM! A new train." pinkie blinked at her two friends, "What?"

The two simply continued about their business, "So, ya'll exited about seei'n the crystal empire for the first time?"

Mr.Cake nodded, "Yeah, I heard their roads are pretty smooth."

Applejack smirked, "Sure as sugar are." the two ponies met the train, "Well I guess you and I are gonna be neighbors for the rest of the day, seei'n as we both got cargo t'maintain."

          In the minutes before the train took off, Mr.Cake found his way into the storage car, and soon caught himself napping on the floor, he eventually understood why his children often slept for so long on the floor, after tuckering themselves out. Oh he would miss them, but as the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. But just about now absence was a blessing because the dragon's needed feeding and who would be better for the job, but, the cake stallion, but the manticor's were in short supply and we need their big paw's to...

Rainbowdash

Rainbow Dash blurred in and out of consciousness, the crystal train, then the racetrack, and back and forth for hours. Sitting on your hind legs on a train, no matter how smooth, wasn't exactly the best sleeping arrangement. Rainbow woke herself up once she realized that Scootaloo was leaning on her, also napping. She ran through the hypothetical conversation again, telling Scoot who her real parents were, she wondered how she would take it, knowing that her parents had always been there, possibly resenting them for it. Maybe once Fluttershy decides to... She then went about thinking on whether or not Fluttershy would actually move in with them. She pulled Scootaloo closer, as she drifted back to sleep.

               Rainbow Dash was awoken once more, this time by a prancing pink poofy pony, "Dashie!" Pinkie exclaimed, "They've got cake in Twilight's car! We gotta get there fast"

Dash sat strait up, "Pinkie, I'm only going because i'm awake now." The pink one skipped off to the back of the train were Twilight's royal car was, Dash gently shook Scoots awake to see if she wanted to head back with her, she was met with a tired nod, the two walked back to the royal transport car. There were all of their friends, excluding the apple family, who were off tending to their cargo.

               "Rainbow!" Twilight said, trotting up to meet her friend and giving her a simple neck- hug, "We thought you were gonna be asleep for the entire ride."

Dash shook her head, "Nah, I was just power napping."

Twilight offered Rainbow a drink, "So I hear you moved the old cloud home over sweet apple acres." Then offered a seat at the table.

Dash snickered, taking the glass as she sat across from Twilight, "Yeah, and I didn't even think AJ would be so open to the idea." Taking a swig of her cider, "I did have to mention that I could control the rainfall over the whole area though."

Twilight raised and eyebrow, smirking at the notion, "I, uh, got to thinking, why would you want to move to the farm anyway?" Twilight circled her hoof around the rim of the glass, "I hardly think miss Rainbow Dash would move her entire home just so she could do chores for a good friend."

Rainbow stared into her drink, "It's because of Scoots." She said, a voice of quiet hopes, "I don't need a whole lot of 'ground' to train, but she does, and it's better that if, she.. falls. there are more ponies around to help."

Twilight's eyes widened, her brow furrowed, "I never thought about that way, but." Twilight leaned in to whisper in Dash's ear, "This could not have anything to do with her lineage, could it?"

Rainbowdash took another drink, and as she set the glass back down gave Twilight a nod. "She does deserve to know."

Fluttershy sat down at the table, nuzzling up to Rainbow, "What are you girls talking about?" it was obvious that she had been drinking.

Rainbow Dash put a foreleg around Fluttershy, "We were just talking about, eh.." She hushed down to a whisper, "Scootaloo's parents."

Fluttershy's ears perked right up. she pushed herself away from Dash a bit, looking back and forth between the other two, "Oh." She said, sitting upright, maintaining contact with Rainbow.

Rainbow looked at Twilight, "So, princess, do you have any advice?"

Twilight placed her hooves on the table, "Well..."

Discord

Discord stood atop the Crystal Palace, dressed in his best attire, once more able to enjoy one of his favorite views in all of Equestria. He shoveled snacks into his mouth glutinously, he teleported  to the crystal arena, to walk about the edge of the giant coliseum, watching the ponies set up the equipment, some ponies having preliminary races. He teleported back to the Palace, walking about the corridors silently critiquing the various paintings about the walls. He then teleported to the throne room, there he met the eyes of princess Cadence, who had turned back from gazing about her new empire. "My, my, the Crystal Princess, in the flesh."

Cadence turned to meet the Draconequus, "Discord, I hadn't expected to see you so soon." She started to take steps toward him, "But you know, it still surprises me that Celestia would let you roam about so freely."

Discord snorted sarcastically, "I am not so easily leashed, princess." He cocked his head a bit, "Or, should I call you,

Empress? I mean it is a fitting title for one who rules an empire."

Cadence smiled briefly,"I rule the Crystal Empire, but I serve Celestia, I rule as part of the Celestial oligarchy. But of course you know how the politics of this country work."

Discord stepped further toward the window, staring at the city outside, he paused a moment,"This place was never hers to take, but neither was it Sombra's, and who am I to weigh the evils between them."

"What are you implying beast?" Cadence barked, "Are you calling my mentor and friend a tyrant?"

Discord turned around to face the princess, "No, but her subjects certainly treat her as such. I mean they practically worship her as though she were a goddess, as well as her sister."

Cadence took steps back up to the throne platform, "They do rise the moon and sun. Or, had you forgotten about that too?"

"Six of one my dear," Discord snapped his fingers, teleporting into a hovering throne across from Cadence's, "Half dozen of the other."

Cadence stepped into her crystal throne, "I would appreciate not having to decipher tongues."

Discord chuckled, "Then I will be blunt, the Celestial sisters, may rise the sun and the moon, but did you know that they fall all by them selves?"

"Heresy!" Cadence spat, stomping a hoof, "Everyone knows that the celestial bodies have always required magic to rise and set."

Discord let out a booming laugh, "Do you also think that before the sisters, the unicorn tribe operated the sun? No, the sun and the moon are capable of rising and setting all on their own." Discord coaxed a glass of wine into existence, "It's a ploy, to keep the ponies of equestria in their place. The myth of the magic sun and moon will only be broken once the sisters are dead." He took a drink.

Cadence stared into Discords eyes, "So you plan to kill them?"

Discord raised an eyebrow, he looked down into his wine and chuckled. "You know, I wonder why so very many ponies jump to conclusions when speaking to me, ME and that just takes the fun out of things. After all, I do try to let ponies arrive at conclusions on their own, and I am sorry that I had to ruin the sisters secret for you."

"So what are you saying?" Cadence demanded.

Discord spun the empty wine glass into a rose and flaunted it about, "Your'e a good ruler, Cadence. The immortality that was given to you will ensure that when the sisters pass, you, will be ready to replace them." Discord pointed the rose at the princess.

Cadence looked out the window, "Who's to say that any one of the princess's will die?"

Discord nodded, "It is just a hunch, but I have reason to believe that at least one. of the ancient evils that the sisters banished so many years ago will be too much for Twilight sparkle's little friendship squad, and then at least one of them is going to die."

Shining Armor

                           Shining Armor was used to the clang of metals, colts sparring, swords and spears being forged, not here. The Crystal  Empires guard post had all of that, but instead of that satisfying ping of hot metal against the anvil, all Shining Armour could hear was the quiet sharpening of crystals. It was a pity that his only brother in arms from Canterlot had been stationed back at the sun palace, leaving the command position with him. He did like the ring it had to it, 'Commander Shining Armour'. It was the position he was born to be in.

          "Commander!" Sargent Quartz exclaimed, "The Draconequus  has been sighted in several areas of the city, we can't keep track of him!"

Shining Armor turned to face his Sargent, "Discord is a guest of the empire, I know he's a tad eccentric, but he's nothing  to worry about." Shining Armor took a glance at the inner city posts, seeing most of the guards waving around their mounted crossbows like insane beasts trying to find the Draconequus, "And tell the bowmen to stand down, we don't want any civilian casualties just because there trying to shoot down a lunatic."

Quartz trotted off to give the order.

            In the distance, Shining Armor saw the crystal train approaching the station, he had been anticipating his sister's arrival and was happy to see that she was finally here, but something, something strange came over him. A dark feeling, ominous, un-seceding, his horn twinged, it felt like the dark crystals that Sombra embedded in it when the Empire first returned. But a stark familiarity wafted through the air, pungent in its wake, as though some unpleasant truth was about to reveal itself.

            And yet he stood there, clutching his spear. He wanted to run down to greet his sister, but he was frozen, just starring at the train, wishing the dark presence away, his very soul seemed to scream as he pressed ever harder against the malevolent blackness trying to push it's way in. He soon found himself unable to move, and soon unable to see, unable to feel. He once again found his sight, but he only saw snow, the snow and mountains that lay even further north than the Empire, wind was all he heard now, he felt the icy wind burning his flesh, he screamed aloud, the boom of his demonic voice shocked him, it was not his own voice, but the voice of a long defeated enemy. in the back of Shining Armour's tormented psyche he knew that he was seeing through the eyes of King Sombra!

Twilight Sparkle

            Twilight Sparkle and her friends stepped off the train they had begun exchanging banter, the lot had praised Fluttershy on recently coming out of her shell, Applejack separated from the group to tend to her goods, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo quickly following to go meet up with Applebloom, soon Twilight encouraged them to continue to the gates, the weather, that is, the wind, was calm today, one could clearly see the mountains of the north, it was true that they were larger than the mountains of the Unicorn Range, the banter continued. "Hey Twilight!" Pinkie squealed, "Are we gonna get some royal seating?"

            Twilight replied bluntly, "Yes, Pinkie.." She looked up at the guard tower and felt uneasy, an unexpected rush of worry and what felt like guilt rushed over her, as she walked ever further to the gates. stretching all the way to the train station were vendors, selling all sorts of tools, jewelry, random assortments of wooden trinkets and puzzles, Twilight encouraged her friends not to buy anything, knowing that at least Pinkie Pie would be going through the gates with something she didn't need.

            The five ponies eventually reached the open gates of the magnificent crystal city they made their way a few blocks down the main road before they were all stopped by guard carriages, "Princess Sparkle." The heavily armored guard driving the carriage affirmed with her, "I know it was your request to, not, be escorted into the city, but something urgent had come up, it's your brother."

             "What happened!?" Twilight demanded, "Is he hurt?"

The guard nodded, "I was there, he, he just fell, Princess. They took him to the palace."

Twilight turned to face her friends, "Um, I, I guess if you want to go and check on Shining Armour with me, then you can just hop into the carriage." She paused a moment to think, "I've got to hurry ahead!" Twilight took off into the air.

                Twilight flew right to the palace, landing on the balcony, across the throne room Twilight saw Cadence conversing with, "Discord?" Twilight blurted out, Cadence smiled and quickly ran over to greet Twilight, half of a certain schoolyard rhyme ensued before Cadence realized that Twilight was not participating, "I take it you haven't heard."

Twilight hesitated a moment, "Shining, I don't- Somethings happened."

Discord stepped over, "It would appear, that you've got a predicament on your hands."

"Quite." Cadence said, standing in shock. "What do you know Twi?"

Twilight shuddered, "I- all the guard told me was that he.. Fell."

Discord spoke somberly, "Do you two trust me?"

Cadence's eye twitched, "What does that have to do with anything?" She said angrily.

"Good enough." Discord grabbed both Princess's and teleported to where he sensed Shining Armour.

                 Shining Armour lay in the royal couples bed, his eyes open, bloodshot, twitching and wandering. The hoof maidens keeping a close eye on him, he was gasping for air every few seconds, he twitched uncontrollably just as often.

Cadence took a deep breath, and cast a spell around Shining Armour, Twilight's magic soon joining it. The hoof maidens gasped, having never seen magic before. Despite their efforts his condition did not improve. The Princess's magic ceased, they looked at each other in dismay, then made their way to the side of the bed.

Discord stared at the stallion in the bed, he looked at the concerned Princesses, "Ladies, if I may."

Cadences gaze was unbroken, but Twilight snapped right over at Discord, "If you're going to do some thing then do it!" She barked.

                 Discord slithered and hovered over the stallion, placing his talon on the Prince's forehead, Shining Armour convulsed heavily, before slumping back into position and resting still, his eyes closing, he took several long deep breaths, and then drifted off to sleep. Everyone was silent, and for a few minutes, a deafening silence filled the royal bed chambers.

                 Cadence rested her head on her Princes chest, she could hear his heat beat as she stared off into space, she knew that he would survive, but she still listened. "Princess?" Discord inquired, "Are you going to be alright?"

Cadence did not change her expression, nor did she break her gaze, "I will be." she turned her head to look at her husbands face, stared a moment before parting his mane with a hoof. "What could have caused this?" She asked ambiguously.

Discord replied curiously, "A blow to the head perhaps? Too often sparring matches get a bit too hot for safety."

Twilight interjected, "The guards said that he just, fell. Perhaps something neurological?"

Cadence sighed deeply, "Whatever the reason, we must find a way to prevent its progression."

                 Hoof steps broke the young silence that followed, Celestia had entered the bed chambers, Luna following suit. Twilight bowed to Celestia, welcoming her in, "I hope i'm not interrupting anything." Celestia said softly.

"It's quite alright." Cadence said, her eyes still about Shining Armor.

Celestia eyed the stallion, "Am I to understand that our 'Crystal Prince' has had a bit of an, incident?"

Twilight began explaining,"We still don't know what happened, apparently he just fell, I mean this is just a disaster, the games are going to start, there's something wrong with Shining Armor, there's no way that he will be better in time for the opening ceremony-"

"Twilight!" Cadence exclaimed, looking Twilight right in the eye, she moved her hoof from her chest outward, sighing as she raised an eyebrow at Twilight, who soon repeated the motion.

Twilight recomposed herself, "It would appear that we would need to change our plans a bit."

Celestia took a step forward to get a good look at Shining Armor, her eyes glowing green and emanating a violet haze for a brief moment, "Cadence." The goddess called attention to the sleeping stallion, "What did Shining Armor tell you about his battle with King Sombra?"

Cadence wrinkled her brow as she met the sun Princesses eyes, "He, he didn't say anything, he just came back unable to use his magic, there were, crystals in his horn."

Luna stepped forward, "There is a dark presence in this room." The night Princess postulated, "Perhaps the Shadow King still has some kind of hold on him."

Twilight huffed, "Or maybe a certain, chaos lord, has something to do with it." She turned her head to shoot Discord a telling glare.

"Ha, your'e a fool if you think that I would use 'Dark Magic', Twilight Sparkle, or do you forget that I am the one who quieted his seizing?"

Cadence interrupted, "I have not forgotten, and for it, Discord draconequis, you will always be granted asylum in my domain."

Discord ginned at that, "Thank you, Princess." He bowed with gratitude, "Now all I have to do is earn the respect of you other three Princesses."

Celestia called the attention of Twilight and Cadence with a quick look at either of them, "Come, you two, we've got business to discuss, Luna will stay here with the Prince."

The three Princesses left...

Spike the dragon

                   Spike awoke to a dark silence, still on the seat of a carriage, which had been pulled in to the lot with the others, "Twilight?" he called out into the darkness. He shook his head, realizing what had happened, he fell asleep on the train, again, but this time Twilight didn't wake him, he teared up at that. Spike made his way through the darkness, following the light emanating from the door at the end of the enormous room. He opened the door, the sun burned into his eyes, intensified by all of the crystals, he clenched his eyes shut, shielding them with an arm.

                  A few minutes later, the dragon found himself walking about the streets of the crystal empire, he knew the layout of the city fairly well, considering that he had been here before, and the fact that Twilight had made him memorize the map. Spike was headed down the main road to get to the coliseum, where he assumed that Twilight and the others had gone. Along the way there were vendors, a lot of vendors, most of them selling useless junk, Spike kept walking.

                  To say that Spike was out of his element, was an understatement, not that he was the one who felt out of place, but the ponies of the empire all seemed to be watching him intently, he was still walking down the road all eyes on him, the ponies seemed to be whispering and gossiping about the dragon, Spike felt uneasy. Further still down the road vendors started giving him nods of approval, it came back to him that he was the one who had saved this place back when it had first re-appeared.

                  "Hey kid!" Spike heard one of the sales ponies call out, "Catch!"

Spike turned to face the sound, catching the glint of a crystal that had been tossed toward him, he jumped up to catch it, "Thanks mister!"

"Thank you, Spike!" The clerk called back.

                   Spike began to chew on the crystal as he continued down the road, he began walking faster assuming that he was expected, he felt something off in the air, like someone had changed something about the city, and had dared him to find out what. Every pony seemed to be going about their business as usual, though it was a bit odd seeing so many different kinds of ponies in one place, crystal ponies, unicorns, pegasus ponies, the horses from Saddle-Arabia, even zebras!

                    By the time that Spike got to the coliseum the entrance was blocked by an enormous line of equines, he did not want to be in, well.... that, situation. He decided to go around the coliseum in hopes that he would find some, 'V.I.P.' entrance, he did not see anything until he was nearly at the other side, and there were no ponies there, not even guards, "It's an entrance I guess." Spike thought,

                   When Spike arrived at the door he realized that this might be a maintenance room of some kind, and if only out of curiosity, he opened the door. Inside, it was near black in darkness, the light shining through the door revealed unlit torches on either side of the corridor Spike hopped up and snatched one, he lit it with a puff of green flame, and closed the door behind him.

                      As he walked further down the corridor he lit the mounted torches as he passed, leaving an orange path of light behind him, he found that the path went further down as it progressed, eventually leading to a short flight of stairs, light emanated from the small window in the door, Spike raced down the steps, stopping half way down to try and get a glimpse of what was inside. failing to see anything but a white tile floor he decided to dash down and open the door.

                     Entering the room, he felt chills, like hate incarnate, the draft blew out his torch, and he was yet compelled to keep his advance into the room. The chamber was filled with and ambient light. Seeming not to come from a particular source.

                      Spike was startled to find that in the center of the room, there was an enormous cage, formed from blackened crystals, and there, in the cage, lay a gargantuan Crystal Dragon! With white scales and blue eyes, and radiance that filled the room. The dragon rose to meet Spikes gaze.

"Quid hoc? Unum modicum draconem? Appropinquentur, parvo." The Dragon said.

"What's this? A little dragon? Come closer, small one."

                       Spike stared wide eyed and jaw gaping at the Dragon, unable to formulate a sentence.

"Do you speak Equine then?" The Dragon snorted,

Spike nodded, "Yeah, yeah I-"

"Good, then you may be of some use to me." The dragon rose to its feet. "Can you find a way to release me from this cage?"

Spike nodded and began searching, though the room was filled with... Nothing, he searched aimlessly hoping to find a lever, or a key or, something,

Spike looked back at the Dragon, "I-"

"Maledictiones!!" The Dragon spat, letting out a loud huff.

"Cursess!!"

Spike began to question why the Dragon was in the cage, surely he was put in here for a reason.

"Who put you in here?" Spike asked.

"Hah, my owner of course, the pony lord, King Sombra, curse his name. Curse his people!" The Dragon lay back down with a huff.

"You  you belonged to Sombra?" Spike questioned with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yes, and- Belonged? Past-tense?" The Dragons eyes widened.

Spike smiled, "Yeah, we killed him some time ago."

The Dragons brow furrowed, "Who are we? You are responsible for his death?"

Spike crossed his arms with confidence, "Yup, me and my pony friends, and w-"

"HAHAHAHAHA, heh, raised among ponies were you?" The Dragon continued to laugh.

\

"So!?" Spike replied firmly.

The Dragon sobered,"Heha, what?"

"What is wrong with having been raised by a pony?"

The Dragon gave Spike a dead stare, "Nothing, the Dragon you see before you was raised by King Sombra. But you, you are more pony than dragon, you don't even know our language."

"Non iudices specie, stulte!" Spike spoke clearly, silencing the white dragon.

"You should not judge appearances, you fool!"