Unnatural

Princess Cadence looked over the Crystal Empire. Everything seemed to be peaceful, but she couldn’t help but get the feeling that something dark was coming. She had seen it many times in her dreams. A mare as clear as a raindrop and having soulless white eyes. She had no idea who this pony was, or why she had been so afraid of the clear pony.

She continued to look out at the empire until somepony’s voice interrupted her thought.

“Hey, honey, are you all right?” A stallion’s voice came from behind her.

Cadence turned to see her husband Shining Armor, staring at her with a worried look on his face, “You’ve been quiet for a few days now.” He said.

Cadence shook her head, “Yes… I mean no…. I mean….” She sighed, “I don’t know…”

Shining Armor trotted up to her and put his hoof on her shoulder, “Look, I’m here for you.”

Cadence gave him a slight smile, “I know.”

Shining Armor smiled back, “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”

She sighed, “I don’t know… I mean, this is supposed to be a time of peace. We have a new princess, and Tirek has been defeated. But, I can’t help but have this feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong.”

Shining Armor nodded, “Does this have something to do with your nightmares?”

Cadence looked at him in surprise, “How do you I’m having nightmares?”

Shining Armor shrugged, “You keep on mumbling in your sleep and sometimes screaming, though not loudly.”

Cadence nodded, “Yes, I’ve been having nightmares… well, actually I’ve been having the same one over and over again.”

Shining Armor looked concerned, “What is the dream about?”

She closed her eyes, recalling the dream, “Well, it starts out with me in the forest, along with another pony who’s a unicorn. I’m not sure who it is, but her coat and mane are as clear as glass and her eyes have no pupils, they’re just as white as snow. She’s also very tall, even taller than Princess Celestia. Anyway, we’re always standing, facing each other. I try to ask her who she is, but she never answers. And the dream always ends in the same way… she stabs me with her horn. After that, it’s all black.”

Shining’s eyes widened at the last part, but then he sat down and looked up, thinking, “A clear unicorn mare who’s extremely tall, huh?”

Cadence looked at him in confusion, “Yeah…”

“Wait here for a second,” He walked out of the room and returned moments later, levitating a book.

Cadence looked up at it, “What book is that?”

Shining smiled, “Complete history of the Crystal Empire.”

Shining Armor opened up the book and flipped through the pages, mumbling, “Clear pony, clear pony…” Suddenly he stopped turning the pages, “Aha! Here we are.”

Cadence looked over his shoulder at the picture and she recognized it instantly, “Hey, that’s the mare from my dreams.”

Shining nodded and started to read the passage, “The only Crystal Pony to ever be clear was a mare by the name of Shard. Shard was born and raised in the Crystal Empire. As she grew older, she got taller. Shard was a quiet individual and some ponies would even describe her as emotionless. Shard had a clear coat and mane and had glowing white eyes. A lot of ponies would mistake her to be blind, but she could actually see perfectly. When she got older, she was chosen to marry-“ He cut off.

Cadence looked at him, “Married who?”

Shining gulped and said, “King Sombra…” Cadence’s eyes widened but Shining continued, “With Shard beside him as his cold, emotionless Queen, King Sombra ruled with an iron hoof. However, two princesses, one of day and one of night, banished the tyrant. Queen Shard fled the city and she was never seen again… Many speculations from various ponies rose up over the years. Most prominently from Ponyville. Ponies say they have seen a tall, clear unicorn roaming through the Everfree Forest.”

Shining closed the book and looked at Cadence.

Cadence was shocked. She had never heard of this Shard and had never seen her before, so how did she keep coming up in her dreams? And why was she hiding out in the Everfree Forest? Was she plotting something?

Cadence finally looked up at Shining Armor. “We have to find her and stop her.”

Shining looked at her in confusion but shrugged, “Do you want me to send a letter to Princess Celestia?”

Cadence shook her head, “No, this is no concern of hers.”

Shining jumped a bit at the aggression in her voice at the mere mention of Celestia, “Then what do you want to do?”

Cadence thought for and finally said, “Tell the guards to keep their eyes peeled for anything that might cause trouble.”

Shining still looked confused but said, “O-okay.”

Shining left the room and Cadence looked back out the window, glaring, “Shard, wherever you are, I will find you….”