The Way of the Black Crystal
Prologue: An average day
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My little Pony. MLP is owned by Hasbro. All I own is my OC.
I walked down the long hallway. Its walls were black and plain. Well no surprise there it´s obsidian after all. The floor had one carpet rolled out on it. It is thin, long and blood red with different symbols of black crystals on it. At the end of the hallway is the giant door which leads to the inner courtyard were subordinates already were waiting for me and my orders. Some ponies rebelled and now it´s time for their execution.
I opened the doors and my soldiers immediately looked at me. The rebels who had their heads lowered, looking at the floor before, now also raised their heads, looking at me with pure dread in their eyes while their whole body begun to tremble. I just grinned at them. I love that look “Oh boy they´re already shiver like that. It´ll be fun seeing their live disappearing from their eyes! Hm... Should I slice their heads off or pierce them with lances? Tough decision, tough decision…” My soldiers saluted to me as I arrived next to them.
“Sir, we´re awaiting your orders!” one of them said. I nod.
“Where is the executioner?” I asked.
“I´m here, Sir.” A big stallion walked over to us. He was an earth pony who was really jacked. “I apologize for my delay, Sir. If you want to punish me for this, I will obey and accept any consequences!”
“This time I let it slide, but don´t repeat it or you´ll regret it” I said. He saluted and nod.
He picked up the black crystal axe which was already laying there, waiting to taste the blood from its next victims. The rebels’ eyes went wide at the glace of the sharp axe which were positioned right above their necks.
“P-please! I-I have foal and wife-“one of the rebels complained but couldn’t finished his sentence, as the axe chopped his head clean off. The stallion´s body felt to the ground and the head rolled away a few meters.
I whistled. “Nice chop soldier.” I said with a grin as he grinned back at me. The other rebels glared in pure horror while one mare of them screamed in appall of what they just witnessed. “Thanks, Sir.”He replied.
We continued with the execution. It would have been so much fun, but the repeatedly praying for their lives of them was annoying after as buck after a while. Now don´t get me wrong it is really fun when your victims cry and do for that, but the screams of the mares were irritating after a while. *sigh* They had to take my fun away with that…but anyhow at least the executioner made great job. Chopped their heads off with a perfectly slice. Not arguing there – he´s good. The Black Cleaver seems to be satisfied as well. Well after devour so much blood and lives of enemies, who wouldn´t be satisfied? After the execution I ordered to dispose the body.
“Feed the monsters in the dungeon with them. But keep the heads. Pierce them on Lances and set them up near the mines as warning” I ordered.
“Yes, Sir!” they replied in union as they started to pick up the corpses and stowed them on a wagon. I made my way to the mines.
“Might as well say Hi to my little workers down there” I thought.
I walked through the castle. Its walls were completely made out of obsidian with blood red, threatening symbols along the wall. They show armies fighting and enemies’ dead corpses. The look would probably terrify a normal pony but you get used to that pretty fast actually. After a few minutes of walking I reached the mines. I walked up to a podium and looked down at the ponies in the mines. The all glared back to me with deep sorrow. “Awww they´re looking so cute with that look in their eyes.” I grinned as I began my speech:
“Hello my favorite scum of ponies. How are you today? Good as always? Great. Anyhow, you all know about the planned uprising and rebellion. And you all also witnessed its consequences.”
I said as I hoofpointed to the soldiers who were setting up the lances with the pierced heads of the rebels on it. Shock made its way through the crowd. Some of them looked away, because they couldn’t handle the view. I chuckled.
“Beautiful, am I right?” I slyly smiled. “Let me make something clear to you: You´re all scum of our society” I said bluntly. “You are living muscles and nothing more. Not worth being called individuals.”
Again their heads looked down to the ground and even trying holding back tears.
“But there is a way to change that.”
Surprised they raised their heads and looked up to me. Some of them whispered to each other.
“Listen ponyfolk: I know you all think of me as some kind of Monster or Demon, and I do thank you for that compliment, but you can ask my subordinates, I treat them well. If you behave yourselves and impress me somehow you can join the ´Obsidian Guards´. You all have a chance to join - mares and stallions equally. You get food, a job, accommodation, and you can torture the workers as much as you like. Take revenge on them, treat them like the guards treated you – everything goes.”
I slyly smiled as I said the last part. Whisper went through the crowd again and I could see on the look on some of their faces that they´re already interested.
“Like I said, all you need to do is to impress me somehow. For example for good obey or for helping expose a planned uprising or something like that. Just behave yourself and you can escape this hellhole of yours. Well anyhow have a nice rest of the day ´My little Ponies´.”.
I grinned as I left the podium. I could hear whisper and even some applause which rather surprised me. Maybe I´m a better talker than I thought. One point of this speech was to get new recruits for the Obsidian Guards, and another was to spread disharmony among them. Because now they don´t know which one they can trust. With whom you could talk about a secret escape plan or something like? Someone who you know is trusty. Well, that just got a lot harder thanks to me.
I made my way back into the castle. I followed the hallway. I took a few turns and stopped in front of my office. I entered it, walked around, my desk and parked my flank on my comfy chair. I took my helmet off and start filling and signing documents. Well being a general isn´t fun all the time. Some poor dude has to do the paperwork.
*sigh*
Oh yeah totally forgot. I should introduce myself. Well, as you saw for yourself I´m not the average good guy who wants to live happily in Ponyville where everything is rainbow and cotton candy.
My name is Soulfire Blaze. I am a Pegasus and General of King Sombra’s Army. Yeah, you heard right, THE King Sombra. After his defeat at the Crystal Empire he retreated and built up a new Kingdom ´The Obsidian Empire´. Fitting to the name the army and the Obsidian Guards wear a black armor, mad out of obsidian, who would´ve guessed, which has spikes on the helmet and on the back. I always loved the look of it. A lot of mares told me that the armor goes great with my black and red mane which is combed back with pointy ends. So is my tail as well. My eyes are yellow and shaped like the ones of the Luna Guards. My coat is pure white. ´Pure Innocence´ HA! *sarcastic mode activated*. Anyway, the upper top of my left ear is missing. I´ve lost it during a battle, just in case you wonder. My wings are shaped like batwings. Like the Luna Guards- ok you got me I´m from a family which has been Luna Guards since generations. Well that tradition actually ends with me. And if you want to know why... buck you that’s why. My hooves are red at the bottom. I like to think of that like I trotted through the blood of my foes. Hey, you gotta´ keep your foalish imagination intact. And well, my cutie mark is kind of special. Well let me say it like this: It´s a white-blue flame with a red star in the center. Although that the look of my cutie mark is already pretty awesome the story behind it and my ´special talent´ is even cooler.
But beside that I´m your average sadistic general who works for an evil lord.
“Hm…Thunder Lion´s vacation ends this week. I think I put him into the responsibility of Block A034 then. He should be capable to handle that.” My thoughts were interrupted as I heard a knock on my office door.
“Come in.” I said not looking up from my documents. I heard the door opening and hoofsteps which ended in front of my desk. I looked up and saw a mare in Obsidian Guard armor. She saluted.
“Sir, I deliver the message that a guest of King Sombra should arrive soon and you, Sir, were chosen by his Highness, King Sombra, to welcome them.” She said.
“Thanks Soldier.” I replied. “Hm...I don´t think we´ve met before, did we?” I narrowed my eyes as I tried to remember if I met her before.
“Forgive me, Sir. We haven´t met before and I forgot to introduce myself.” She smiled a little bit. “My Name is Crystal Rubin.” She said as while her red eyes looked at me.
I stood up put my helmet back on and walked towards the door. As I passed her, I gently stroked her cheek with my forehoof. “Well, it´s always a pleasure to meet a beautiful mare like you are.” I said with a smile. She blushed, smiled and looked away. I let go of her and left my room making my way to the main gate.
“Hm, I wonder who it could be?” I thought. “…Well doesn´t matter anyway it´s not like it´s my business. I wonder if they got a cute mare along them. Wouldn´t hurt to have some ´company´ now and then.” I grinned at that thought.
Soon, I arrived at the gate. It opened and I saw standing, building in two lines so that a corridor appears in the middle, on both sides Obsidian Guards. I smiled when I saw the pony that had just arrived.
“Queen Chrysalis. Your Visit is always a pleasure for us.” I said bowing lightly to show my respect.
“The pleasure is all mine, General Soulfire.” She calmly said with her wicked voice. I could see behind her, standing six Changeling Soldiers. Actually they looked just like the normal Changelings, but with the difference that they wore armor. It´s black with green symbols. The green color is literately shining. It looks, like a liquid that was used for hoofdrawned symbols. “If you may want to follow me, Ma'am.” I said. She responded with a nod and followed me into the castle. Her Changeling Soldiers always close behind her. We walked through the endless hallways of the castle.
“So general,” she begun, “How have you been since our battle at the Hunters Cliff?”
“You mean the battle where I saved your flank dozens of times against the griffins?” I said bluntly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that the Changeling tried to attack me for my rude behavior in front of their beloved Queen. But Queen Chrysalis stopped them before they could take action.
“There is no need for that my children.” She calmly said to her soldier what made them stop their move.
“You know that you are the only one besides Sombra who talks to me like that?” she asked me raising an eyebrow.
“Yup” I just replied. “After all, I can talk to my best friend like that, Chrysie.” I chuckled and look over my shoulder to her. She just smiled.
“But don´t push your luck too far, Souly.” She said in playfully threat.
“I would NEVER do that.” I announced as innocently as I could managed to sound. We both stopped and laughed.
“It´s good to see that you´re still the same Plothole you always were.” She said. I chuckled as we hugged each other. “I get that a lot” was my reply with a grin.
We continued our walk and chatted a bit about old times and stuff like that. Yep you read right. I´m a general from one of the coolest motherfuckers around, also I am friends with Queen Chrysie. Oh and forgot to mention that I´m also VERY successful with the ladies. I know I´m a lucky son of a bitch thank you. But that´s nothing compared to Sombra. Believe me.
We soon arrived at the door which led to the throne room. It was decorated with a few representations of King Sombra in a majestic and warlord like way. I opened the door and we entered. You think I´m a lucky bastard? Sombra had literately invented that term. He sits on his throne, surrounded by his harem of eight mistresses. But they are not just some average mares from the street, they are the top eight beauties of the Obsidian Empire. And that is just his ´official´ harem.
“Talk about a lucky bastard.” I thought. King Sombra opened his eyes and looked our way. Purple fog raised out of his eyes. The cold glare of him decreased the temperature of the room immediately by a few degrees. Just the aura that he sends to his surroundings is enough to bring enemies to shiver in terror and fear. That is just one reasons, why I got a bucking lot of respect for him.
“I see you´ve brought my guest with you, General.” Sombra said in a calm and cool way that gave any mortal goosebumbs. Well I´m used to that so it didn’t affect me anymore…at least not so much.
“Yes, your Highness! Queen Chrysalis of the Hive, with six guards of her, honors us with their visit.” I said bowing down to my King. He nodded.
With his calm dark voice he said “You now dismissed for the rest of the day, General.”
“Understood, your Highness.” I saluted and left the room, but not before saying bye to Chrysie. I left the throne room and shut the door behind me.
*sigh*
Finally, I thought that day would never end. I trotted through the hallway, on my way to my room.
Well at least I had fun. An execution is always a great event. There you can just sit back, relax, close your eyes and listen to the beautiful screams of agony and the trembling in fear of some victims. Hm, maybe the executioner could teach our Berserk-Obsidian Guards a few handy tricks. He got some moves there with his axe.
Maybe you wonder what it takes for a sane pony to turn into a psychopath like I did. Well, first, thanks for that compliment, and secondly, it´s a longer story actually. But let me say it like this: Your god-like sun princess, loved by everypony, and big troll, isn´t as good as she might seem. She maybe looks like an angel with this friendly mother-like attitude, but underneath that white coat of hers with cake stains, lies a real devil. Hm, actually I´ve always had a thing for dangerous mares.
*cough*
Err, anyway, back to the point. I´ll give you a quick explanation about my past. So grab some popcorn, park your flanks on the couch and lean back. Papa Soulfire is telling a story:
I won´t go too much into detail, but I once was a cute, innocent little colt that lived in Cloudsdale. … Sounds lame? Ding, Ding, Ding! 100 points! It really sucked.
Well anyway, my parents were aristocrats. Most members of my family were either Luna Guards or in politician. Those were literately the only two choices. So we´ve often visit Canterlot. And if you think I was a loner as colt, with no friends back then, to those I say: Buck you, you *piep* Ahh! Bucking censoring!
Anyway, back to the story. I did have a lot of friends as kid. However, that changed when I discovered my ´special talent´. Most of them were frightened of it and quitted any contact to me. Well, except two fillies but that´s another story.
Well, coming to the point: When Celestia found out about my special gift she threw me into the Canterlot dungeon and locked me away. The only time I could left my cell was when they made horrible experiments with me that traumatized me which let to my sick mind.
Ha! I´m just bucking with you! It´s not the “I just wanted friends but they treated me like a monster so I became that monster they treated me as”-crap. I´m a bad guy because I LOVE it. That´s all!
But being honest, the part where Celestia threw me into the dungeon is true. Yeah, so much to your great and awesome Sunbutt-Celly there.
Oh you want to know what my special talent is? Well, nope. Not gonna´ tell you.
I walked over to my bed and lay down. I yawned before my eyes closed and the sleep took me into its embrace for the night.
[…]
Chapter 1: The ´mare´ Soulmelody
Chapter 1: The ´Mare´ - Soulmelody
Disclaimer: I do not own My little Pony. MLP is owned by Hasbro. I only own my OC.
…Surrounded by darkness…nothing around me. I feel like I am flying through a void. Open my eyes, but there is just blackness and nothingness. I can´t see, hear or feel anything. “What is this place?” I wondered, feeling weak like a foal again…imprisoned in this dark cell…Seeking for any kind of company...After, what feels like hours of gliding through the darkness, I spotted a source of light. Nothing more than a little sparks... What is that? I tried to glide towards it, but failed. I couldn’t influence the path I was heading. Suddenly there were sounds. They were barely audible though, but it sounded like…music like this old classical buck that the older pony or these frickin´ aristocrats in Canterlot listen too. Like stuck in a void of nothingness wouldn’t suck enough, I´m know stuck in a void of nothingness while listen to bucking classical music... Wait! I…remember something…this music…this unique play style…I remember it...it ´s familiar… I often heard it back in Canterlot when I visited it with my parents. Though I normally dislike this high society crap, this was different. It was…beautiful. “But why do I hear it here again? “ I thought. “Where exactly did I hear it before?” Suddenly I muster something among the music notes that wrapped around me. It was a voice...But this voice…seemed familiar…too familiar...
….
….
….
“WAKE UP YOU PLOTHOLE OF A WANNABEE GENARAL!!”
“AHH!” I screamed as my eyes immediately shot open. Unfortunate for me…I screamed it out in a high pitch pussy voice. I jumped up from my bed and now hung upside down with all four of my hooves holding tightly at the ceiling with my fur standing up like a cat.
I heard laughter and saw Chrysalis laughing her plot off rolling over the floor. I deadpanned.
“That bitch…”
“The scream…too priceless!!” she said between her laughter.
“Yeah, yeah whatever…” I sternly said as I flew down landing on the ground again.
“Why did you wake me up at the first place, Chrysie?” I looked out of the window just to see that the moon is still up there.
“It´s even still in the night, you moron of a bug!” I bluntly said towards Chrysalis with a sternly look.
“Hey, at least I woke you up in a more friendly way as I originally planned…you´re happy I didn’t manage to find any acid that I could´ve pour over you.”
“Love you too…”I sarcastically responded.
“So, now tell me the reason why you thought that it would be worth interrupting my sleep?”
“Sombra wants to talk with you…he got a mission for your General-Flank.” She explained.
“Mission? What mission?” I asked.
“Classified. I´m not allowed talking about it in any other places, except the throne room. We don’t want any chances that might the wrong kind of pony hear the details. If you want to find out you better follow me, my friend.”
She said as she started to move towards the door. Before she reached the door she stopped.
“Oh almost forgot.” She started, “I should do something first…”
“What are you doi- AH!” I was interrupted by the magical blast which Chrysie shot at me. A poison green aura surrounded me. Before my eye lids eventually closed and the blackness once again embraced me…
[One waking up scene in the throne room where the first thing was to mock at Chrysie for that magic-laser-beam and also a rough explanation from Sombra about my mission-later]
“…so…let me get this straight” I started, standing in front of Chrysie and Sombra. He was sitting on his throne and she standing beside it. His mistresses seemed to be gone. They are waiting in his private chamber I guess.
“I should go to Ponyville as a ´new resident´…”
“Yes.” They responded with a nod.
“…and there I should befriend the bearer of the Elements…”
“Yes.”
“…and try to get information about them, about the elements in generally and the princesses, epically this Twilight Sparkle because she´s the newest princess and you guys need more information about her… “
“Yes.”
“…and every 13th moon I should write you a report where I sum up all information I managed to gather…”
“Yes.”
“…and send that via bat, which you guys will send to me each said night, to you guys here in the Obsidian Empire...”
“Yes.”
“Hm…ok...seems legit. Oh just one little-tiny-whiny-minor-thing…”
“Yes?”
I quick looked down at me one last time, and looked back up to them, and-
“WHY THE BUCK AM I A MARE?!?!?!?”
Yeah, right, a mare. I was now a bucking mare. I had blue fluffy hair and tail. I still got my white coat but my wings have changed. They are normal Pegasus-Wings now. Also my eyes shape changed. They are not longer these badass predator-pupils like I had before, now they´re…normal…and girlish, but still neon-yellow though. On my forehoves I wore now bracelets with small dark blue gems in them. And my cutie mark…*sigh* that´s the worst thing. My super cool Soulfire cutie mark was replaced with…a microphone…and hearts…oh for buck sakes…I can literately feel my stallionity going…going…aaaaaand it’s gone. Speaking of `stallionhood´…it´s weird to have nothing down there anymore…I miss my little pal.
“Well,” Sombra started, “one reason is that that is a more reliable disguise than coloring your mane and fur. Secondly, being a mare brings you closer to the Element Bearers, and you can gain their trust faster like this if they see you as a fellow mare. Also, if another mare has contact with the Elements it´s less suspicious for Luna and Celestia, because your stallion appearance isn´t exactly want somepony would call ´average´, or ´friendly-looking”.
Wait, did he just called me ugly?
“And lastly,…”
“It´s just hilarious, seeing you like that!” Chrysie interrupted with a grin while she tried to hold back a chuckle.
I deadpanned. “Go to Tatarus.”
“D´aww. Don´t be like that. You are really cute now.” She smirked while she walked around me to examine my new form.
“Don´t bucking push me on this.”I said through my teeth.
“Oh my!” she said with an overdramatic acting while she cover her muzzle with her hoof in a shocked manner.
“Ms. Soulmelody, such language! That is certainly not the appropriate behavior for a lady like you!”
“…”
I raised an eyebrow. “And since when are you one?”
Chrysie slapped me with her hoof.
“OUCH!”
“Oh shut the buck up!” she growled.
“Speaking of an appropriate language...” I thought. “But wait…”
“…´Soulmelody´?” I asked them with a confused look.
“Your Spy-Name.” Sombra explained.
“Makes sense I guess.”
“So do you accept this important mission, General Soulfire?”
I put my hoof up to my chest.
“I, General Soulfire Blaze, hereby accept the mission you rely on me.
Deception, Sorrow, Hatred. To combine those and slay the slaves of the light with it is The Way of the Black Crystal.” I proudly announced with the official vow of the Obsidian Empire.
A mischievous smile crossed Sombra´s face.
“But there is still one problem left.” I said.
“And what would that be?”
“Even if the name ´Soulmelody` sounds cute and all…I still sound like a dude!” That was the problem. I still had the voice of mine original form. Even though I may not had the deepest voice, but still sounded like a stallion.
Sombra slightly raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Let me explain…” Chrysalis interrupted. “You see, for you it might sound like you are talking with your normal voice, but for everyone else you have a feminine voice.”
“What?” I responded, looking at Chrysie as if she were crazy.
She nodded. “Your new voice just isn’t audible for you but everypony else.”
“So , for myself I still sound like before, but for everyone else I have a mareish voice?”
“Yes.”
“That’s handy.” I thought.
Still, becoming a mare from one second to another is just weird. I still have some rights as pony being! Oh wait, evil overlord. Forgot it. Hm…so Ponyville will be my next destination and also for quite some time a place to stay. Well at least the mission is simple. Just go into town, find the element bearers, befriend them and gather all the information. However, I have to be cautious when the Element of Honesty is around. She´ll maybe see through my lies. Hm...The others won’t be such a problem, well besides the Element of Loyalty. She should be really stubborn one and suspicious against strangers. I need to play out my cards in the right order or I´ll screw up the mission. First I should come up with a false background story. *sigh* I never were the creative one…wait, was Sombra talking all the time?
“…and that would be your background story if anyone asks for it. You got that all? Good. Chrysalis, get ready for the immediately teleportation to Ponyville for ´Soulmelody ´ in…”
...wat?
“…3...”
“…2…”
“…1…”
Wait what?!?
“Fire!” he commanded and Chrysie shot a magic beam directly at me.
I closed my eyes and covered them with my hooves when the beam hit me. It felt like being torn apart at first. Your whole Body gets stretched and curled up, and your entrails get shaken to all directions. It feels like being torn apart and then slammed back together while a pain similar to an electricity shock runs through your whole body and before you ask, YES, it does hurt like a bitch. Through your entire body, like – Celestia shoves her 11 Inches long Allicorn horn so far up your ass that you can like its top with your tongue. Thankfully, that torment ended after a few seconds, just before I landed face first into the dirt.
“…Ow…my…everything…” I grumbled in agony. However, what surprised me was that the pain just disappeared after a few seconds. Hey, I don’t know why, but I´ll take it!
As I finally managed to get up, I shook my head and cleaned my coat and looked around where I landed. I could see a lot of houses and a lot of pony with friendly smiles on their faces. It didn’t take me long to realize where I now was…the place where everything is rainbow and cotton candy…
…Ponyville…
…oh buck my life…
[…]
