Twilight, beaten by the elements of nature itself and her own emotions, sat with a heavy sign against the wall that lay behind her, a cough escaping her lips as she moved a hoof to cover her mouth quickly, when lowering her hoof she breathed heavily, looking up into the cracked ceiling of a broken throne room.
Marble was shattered amongst the floor, great feats of work predicted on such colorful windows, now smashed against the chipped and tarnished floor, banners once set ablaze, were now crisp to the base, pillars collapsed on the ground and fragmented severely, making the floors they collapsed on more diminished.
As Twilight looked up into the sky through the gaping hole, of which was a dome roof previously, she only saw blazing comets, raining down with such a tense fury, if it wasn’t for the white glares that illuminated their presence, the smoldering red sky would have concealed them. Twilight panted, coughing again into the putrid air, this time to weak to lift a hoof to her mouth as she coughed, putting her remaining strength into staying awake. She was tired from her previous running, running from chaos that followed her with such a determination to consume her, but failed when Twilight barricaded herself inside the ruins of Canterlot Castle.
Twilight began to drift to sleep, she couldn’t stay awake forever, she could stay awake for so long, even the adrenaline was fading, despite her current position and her heart racing, she just couldn’t stay awake. She looked to her left, blinking through her frazzled, filthy mane, brushing aside a few strands before struggling to lift a saddle bag that she dropped before collapsing. Slowly the bag floated over with a dim, purple aura around it, hovering with an erratic pace, speeding up to get closer before slowing down, speeding up then slowing down again, matching Twilight’s breathing. When the bag had reached her it dropped with a small thud, Twilight reached over and opened it, grabbing the bottom of the Saddle Bag and dumping the contents to the grimy floor. The contents were nothing but scrolls, folded up hastily, that were now opening to the sky, revealing writings, detailing the events prior to the present day. With a sigh she took a scroll from the pile, a letter that was sent to her, asking for her immediate presence at Canterlot Castle, signed by Celestia and with nothing more to go on than a urgent need, Twilight packed her things and left, post haste. Twilight, in a state of despair, thought upon herself to do one last endeavor and counter this heinous foe, she began her act, through her most admirable trait, thinking. So she began, taking the scroll that lead to Twilight’s tragedy’s and read it, remembering the events that took place in order they happened, thinking on it after reading the first sentence of the tattered parchment, she remembered a train and a rainy day.
…………
The day started out normal enough, raining with a few breaks in the clouds to reveal a glimmer of sunshine, a steaming locomotive pushed itself through the cold and rain to get its passengers towards their final destination. A few train carts back was stationed as passenger carts for the ponies to ride on, a few specific ponies to ride this part of the train would be Twilight and her friends such as Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Spike was along for the ride, but he was in another train cart, looking for a snack to munch on, leaving the girls to ponder and discuss the news they received, not a day ago. Twilight sat next to Applejack, who was behind Fluttershy, next to her was Rainbow Dash and across from them was Pinkie Pie and Rarity, all converging there gaze at Twilight who looked at each of them with a smile.
“Twy-light, what exactly did the princesses want from ya?” Applejack said first, breaking the 5 minute long silence.
“I’m not sure, they just wanted ‘me and my companions to join them in the throne room for some urgent news” she said, reciting from her memory.
“But why, exactly?” Rainbow Dash asked, holding the edge of the seat as she leaned in closer to hear Twilight explain.
“I just…don’t know, the message just told me to get there with you all in hoof, I guess it was so important she couldn’t relay the message entirely?” she said with a shrug
“Well for whatever the reasons, the princesses must have had a good one” Rarity said, turning to face Twilight from her right hand side window.
“I hope so, Rarity, princess Celestia usually isn’t this short with her messages, at least without telling me she's busy before hoof.” Twilight said, thinking on the possible reasons as to why the princess only sent a short letter.
“Maybe there throwing a super duper surprise birthday party!” Pinkie said in a near shout and wide smile to the thought of delicious, frosting covered goodies and streamers.
“But it ain’t one of our birthdays, so if it we’re that perticular reason why were bein’ asked to come to Canterlot, then this pony must sure be important.” Applejack suggest, adding to Pinkie Pies desires.
“Well for whatever the reasons, like Rarity said, they must be good” Twilight added, there conversation continuing, eventually moving onto a brighter topic with Spike returning moments later for the summary.
With a couple hours of chatting and snoozing they arrived in Canterlot Castle was majestic, spirals and pointed roofs aimed for the sky in tall towers, marble and white pain showing a clean and untouched service to the castles exterior, showing a haven more than a stronghold. Twilight and her friends hopped off of the train and existed the train station with no bags lingering, Spike riding on Twilight’s back looked around as usual, her friends doing the same. When they reached the gates they were escorted into the throne room with haste and from there they approached Celestia and Luna, who sat upon there twin thrones. It seemed off actually, as Twilight and her friends entered with Smiles they were only greeted by a frown, a very dark one by the god like equines themselves.
“Twilight Sparkle-“ Celestia began, waiting a second to gather her thoughts “Its good to see you again, I pray the journey was easy for you?” she asked, her somber expression.
“It was, your majesty, thank you…” she said with some unease “w-why..have you called us here?” she asked with a raised brow.
“You are here for a very important mission” she stood up, gracefully trotting down the stairs that lead to the door, stopping to look down at Twilight and her friends “There is an evil in our fair land, far darker than anything you have faced before” she said grimly, Luna coming down from her throne.
“Twilight Sparkle, thy has defended our humble estate many times before, would thou do us a service and combat this evil?” Luna asked, a lighter expression on her face, but all the serious.
Twilight nodded with a courageous smile, her wings unfolding to stand proudly “you can count on us your majesty!” her friends nodding.
“Good, then head to the Crystal Empire, the sense of sin is strong there and hurry” she said, adding “The fate of Equestria could very well be in the balance of your hooves”
When Twilight departed, she rushed for the train station, taking no second to rest as she took this mission like no other, brushing herself past the streets, as Spike held onto Twilight’s tail as best he could. When she ran to the train with such a determined she was planning on what she needed to do, how to accomplish this goal as best as she could, imaging however, in the depths of her mind, what scared her beloved teacher so much for her to make such a dark expression. Twilight didn’t want to waste any time on the thought and went post haste to the Crystal Empire. When every pony took there seats they began to think of a plan, it wouldn’t be so hard to ask Cadence what was happening, but it was preferred to come up with one, should Cadence or Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor, be absent.
“Alright, Twi whats our next step, if the trouble in the Crystal Empire, is as bad as Celestia told, do ya think everything will alright to just, walk in?” AJ asked, curious as to what they should do, other than ask of course.
“I know we have to find Cadence, if her Empire is under attack and she doesn’t know it, then she might be in serious trouble” Twilight gave a concerned expression.
“D-Do you think it any of the Crystal ponies are seeing any trouble?” Fluttershy asked with a soft tone.
“I don’t know, hopefully this will go smoothly…” Twilight said, uttering a small sign at what she might witness in the coming hours.
It was around seven PM when they arrived into the station, it was a pretty quiet night, lanterns lit up the path in and out of the terminal, making it easy just to get them out and traveling to the palace. When they arrived into the city, it was still as beautiful as the first time they came around, after the whole evil slaver, king event that took place. From the station they travelled the path towards the Crystal Empire’s Palace, by passing a lot of different ponies, small ponies, tall ponies, slender, but never fat it looked like, only normal to thin.
Twilight smiled, seeing the ponies that she freed have kept up such a happy life, like nothing had ever happened to the in the first place.
When they entered the castle she saw Princess Cadance on her throne, talking to a few guards before they scurried away to there new assignments, Cadance, once realizing Twilight and her friend’s presents, looked up and smiled at them.
“Twilight, its been so long, how are you?” she asked, hoping off of her shining, crystalized throne and trotting over to Twilight.
“I’m doing fine Cadance, thank you” she embraced her old foal sitter into a hug “and how are you and Shining?” Twilight asked with a smile.
“We’re doing fine thank you, Shining is out with the guards he still can’t let go of being Captain of the Guards” Cadance gave a light chuckle, remembering every time some recruits would idle or follow Shining as he gave lectures on what to do and not to do.
Twilight nodded, knowing her brother’s personality. A smile, turning into a serious frown, her mission and purpose for being here was not forgotten. “Cadance..” Twilight uttered, trying to sort her words in a way that wouldn’t concern the Alicorn of Love “Have you seen or heard anything strange in the Crystal Empire, anything at all?” Twilight began, a curious expression on her face now.
“No, nothing to strange I mean, we get out usual shenanigans like open street parties and occasional guests that wants to gets snobby, but nothing to strange, why?” Cadance asked, her own curious expression formed as Twilight’s faded into a slightly surprised one.
“No reason, I’m just…checking up with foreign affairs..” Twilight said, making up the words as she goes.
Cadance seemed all but convinced, with an “uh-huh” expression, knowing better, but not wanting to press onto the subject, she knew she couldn’t get anywhere with. With a smile though she nodded.
“Alright Twilight, will you be staying though, it is quite late and Ponyville isn’t around the corner”
“We could use the sleep, would you mind if we did?” Twilight asked, not wanting to impose, but was tired from the trip.
“Of course, i’ll see to it that your accommodated” she smiled and bowed, playfully, Twilight returning it with good humor before Twilight and her friends where shown there rooms within the castle.
Two were assigned per room, AppleJack and Rainbow Dash were set to one room, Fluttershy and Rarity to another as Twilight went into her room with a bouncy, over energetic, pink pony. Twilight laid onto her bed, Pinkie was over energetic, but tired none the less, hopping into the bed next to Twilight’s, Spike joining Twilight’s bed, sleeping next to her and falling asleep near instantly from exhaustion. Twilight’s day was planned ahead of her tomorrow, research, asking ponies and luck that she’ll find this strange feeling that Celestia had sensed, but that was tomorrow, right now its sleepy time.