Chapter 1: It Has Returned
The Far North
Equestria
AD 1358 (Second Diarchic Period)
To the north of Equestria, beyond the Crystal Mountains, laid a barren expanse of frigid tundra. It was a lifeless place; a land buried beneath great mountains of wind-swept snow. Only a scant few ponies had even an inkling of what used to exist in that desolate land, before the cold and darkness claimed it. The only ponies who lived there manned a small observation post at the summit of one of the smaller mountains, keeping an ever-vigilant eye on the silent snow below.
The ponies there were the first to witness its return.
It came with a soundless, blinding flash. A great pillar of blue-white light erupted from the ground, piercing the cloudy sky to reveal the azure beyond. The snowdrifts sublimated into steam as the light spread outwards in great ripples. The ground sprang to life, permafrost blasted into fertile soil in the blink of an earth pony's eye.
Waves of light and color spread out from the pillar, forming into a great snowflake-shaped pattern of purple crystal. Houses and buildings of precious and semi-precious stone emerged from the ripples of light, arriving as if placed there by an invisible hand.
Then, smaller shapes emerged. Equine shapes. They stirred and shook themselves as if waking from a terrible dream. Hundreds of eyes turned upwards as the great pillar of light slowly coalesced into a towering spire of blue-white diamond.
A messenger pegasus was dispatched from the observation post.
Meanwhile, far from the shining city, the ice cracked. Something stirred in the depths. Something old. Something insane.
Something hungry.
---
Canterlot
Equestria
The Day Court was already in session. Celestia had just resolved a dispute between two young nobles when the double doors of the throne room slammed open.
"What is the meaning of this," she heard one of the clerks shout as a haggard-looking pegasus guardspony staggered in. His muzzle was flecked with foam, and his mane and tail were wind-whipped and in disarray.
"Princess!" The gold-armored guard staggered slightly, the other petitioners giving him a wide berth. "The light… the north… it… has returned…"
Princess Celestia rose from the dais, her eyes narrowed and her wings unfurling. That alone was enough to silence most of the confused mutterings of the assembled ponies. The gentle push of her glamour did the rest.
"Guards!" The gold-clad sentries snapped to attention. "One of you escort this poor stallion to the infirmary so he can rest. The rest of you, clear the room. Now."
"Yes, your majesty!" The guards moved into action.
"Merriweather! Sundance! Raven Quill!" The handmaidens quickly shot to attention as well. "Notify my sister immediately. Inform her that I will be in my quarters. Fetch Captain Shining Armor and Princess Cadence and tell them the same."
"At once, your majesty," the trio of mares chorused before darting off.
"Kibitz," she said in an even voice as the petitioners were hustled out, "clear my schedule for the day."
The elderly unicorn stared up at her in shock. "But…but your majesty, there's no way! You have the delegates from Zebrica arriving in fifty minutes, and then there's-"
"Kibitz." Celestia glanced back at her royal scheduler, giving him a calm and measured look. "Clear. My. Schedule. This is going to be one of those days."
Kibitz's whiskers bristled, and she could see him go pale under his dun-colored coat. "…Right. Yes, your majesty. Consider it cleared. What shall I tell the staff?"
"Tell them to fetch me a pot of tea and a slice of the strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. In the meantime, I have a letter to write."
"Does that clarify everything, Captain Armor?"
Shining Armor sat very still on his cushion as he sifted through the information he'd just received. He spared a glance over to his wife, who was also looking just a little bit wide-eyed herself. "Um… just to review," he said, pausing for a moment to clear his throat, "you're telling me that an ancient city that used to belong to my wife's distant ancestor has just reappeared after a thousand-year-long exile caused by my wife's other distant ancestor who happened to be a power-mad unicorn noblestallion."
"Yes," Celestia replied before sipping her tea.
"And you want us to go there just in case said power-mad unicorn, who happened to render himself immortal, actually survived whatever you and Princess Luna did to him and wants revenge."
"As soon as possible, if you don't mind."
"Of course. That's not to mention the fact that you also want Cadence to reclaim the throne of said ancient kingdom and take her rightful place as Princess. Oh, and while we're at it, hopefully prevent an ancient artifact of untold power from falling into the hooves of the previously mentioned unicorn who may very well use it to doom not just the Empire, but possibly all of Equestria."
"I believe the modern term is 'Lost Logia,' but yes." Celestia said brightly. "Any questions?"
Shining swallowed and tried to ignore the churning in his gut. He was the Captain of the Royal Guard, chief soldier of the Crown and protector of Canterlot. True, that mostly meant making sure that all of his stallions had their armor polished and their orders clear, but he was a soldier nonetheless.
"Should… I pack warmly, your majesty?"
Celestia gave him that warm, gentle smile of hers. "I've had the servants prepare kits for the both of you. You'll be departing via pegasus chariot within the hour to rendezvous with the northern outpost. From there, you'll go straight to the Empire itself. And do not worry, Captain, Cadence; I will be sending reinforcements to aid you."
Shining nodded, then slowly stood. "Understood, your majesty."
"R-right…" Cadence nodded slowly as she rose to her hooves.
"Good luck, the both of you. And Cadence?"
"Y-yes, Auntie?"
Celestia stood and made her way over to Cadence and nuzzled her gently. "Don't be afraid. You're a brave young mare. You can handle this. I believe in you."
"T-thanks, auntie," Cadence whispered, leaning up and nuzzling under Celestia's jaw before turning to Shining. "Shiny, let's go. We have an empire to save."
"Right." Shining Armor nodded and fell into step beside Cadence, his ears twitching as he heard the door to Celestia's quarters shut behind them. "So… you're looking pretty confident."
"We're going to die," Cadence said in a hushed and panicked voice. "I'm going to mess up, and we are going to die. Shining, I am not prepared for this. Oh sun and moon, we're so utterly screwed…"
"Hey." Shining paused before her and pulled her into a hug. "Hey. Cadence? Love song? Ladybug? Light of my life? We'll be fine. We've been through worse, right? Remember the fight on the moon? That went well, right?"
"Only because we had Auntie, Luna, both of your sisters, the Wolkenritter and a starship with a really, really big gun on our side," Cadence muffled into his mane. "Do we have a starship, Shiny? Please tell me we have a starship."
"We don't have a starship," Shining conceded before pulling away and holding her face in his hooves. "But do you know what you do have?"
Cadence blinked. "What?"
"Me." Shining grinned at her. "And I've fought more than my fair share of evil sorcerers and horrible monsters. That's gotta count for something, right?"
Cadence paused, then let out a noise somewhere between a giggle and a snort. "Shining, this isn't Oubliettes and Ogres…"
"Shoot. I guess all that Paladin training was for nothing." Shining gave her his best pout. "And here I thought you liked having a knight in shining plus-five full plate."
"You are awful," Cadence giggled and gently pushed him back. "But… thanks."
"Don't mention it," Shining replied as he saw a rather panicked looking maid enter Celestia's chambers. "So… did you know you were the apparent heir to an ancient Empire?"
"Sort of?" Cadence frowned. "I mean, Auntie did tell me stories about my ancestors, but I never really-"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GONE?!"
Shining Armor's eyes went wide as the very stones of the palace seemed to shake. "Maybe we should continue this conversation on our way there."
Cadence nodded very quickly. "Right. Time to hurry."
Golden Oaks Library
Ponyville
Twilight furrowed her brow in concentration as she scratched along her list. "Extra parchment in case we run out?"
"Check," Spike said, flashing Twilight a thumbs up from the exceedingly over-stuffed saddlebag he was holding open.
"Quills and ink?"
"Check."
"Backup quills and ink in case we lose the other quills and ink?"
"Check!"
"Backups for the backup quills and ink?"
"Backups are backed up, for what it's worth."
"You really don't understand the whole concept of 'packing light,' do you Twilight?"
Twilight frowned and glanced over the edge of her parchment scroll at her blonde-haired human companion. "Yuuno, this is no laughing matter. If I'm going on this trip with you, I want to be prepared. What if we discover something of incredible archeological importance? How would we document it properly without writing materials!?"
"Well," Yuuno said as he gestured to Twilight, "you could just ask Raising Heart to record it."
Twilight paused, then glanced downward at the red jewel hanging from her neck. There was a glimmer of pink as the light glinted off the Device's marble-sized Standby Form. "Uh… right. Raising Heart, can you do that?"
"CORRECT, MY MASTER." Raising Heart's reply was, thankfully, quite neutral.
"Huh." Twilight grinned weakly at Yuuno and Spike. "I… guess I must've forgotten about that possibility."
"I MUST REMIND YOU, MASTER, THAT I HAVE MANY USEFUL FUNCTIONS," Raising Heart noted. Twilight could have sworn there was a hint of amusement in the AI's comment.
"You know you messed up when your magical blasty stick decides to make fun of you," Spike noted.
"You know, you could've reminded her," Yuuno replied, ignoring the grumpy glare she was levelling at the pair of them.
"Hey, you've seen how she gets when she starts in on her planning sprees. Anything I say goes in one ear and out the other." Spike poked a claw into one of his ear holes to demonstrate.
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Twilight rolled her eyes. "Okay, I get it. I may have overreacted. But it's for a good cause!" She couldn't help but break out into a grin. "It's a dream vacation; getting a tour of ancient ruins on an alien planet with one of my best friends, who happens to be a well-renowned archeologist and explorer! It's like a Daring Do story, except I actually get to be a part of it!"
"Well, minus Ahuizotl's death traps and the possibility of grievous bodily harm," Yuuno replied. "That's reserved for places where we'd actually run into Lost Logia."
"That too!" Twilight giggled softly, then glanced over at the saddlebags. "Still, I think it'd be a good idea to bring some parchment along. If nothing else, it would make for a nice report to send to Princess Celes-"
Spike's eyes bugged out and his cheeks pooched out just before he let out a loud belch and a shimmering cloud of grey and green smoke. The smoke swirled, then popped into a rolled parchment message with a red ribbon and seal.
"Wow, talk about timing," Yuuno quipped as Spike caught the parchment.
"What does it say, Spike?"
Spike unrolled the parchment and scanned over it. His eyes quickly widened as he held it out to Twilight. "You may want to look at this."
Twilight blinked, then levitated the scroll over to her. "Twilight," she read, "I have a mission of vital importance. Gather your friends, including young Yuuno Scrya, and come to Canterlot with all possible haste. Time is of the essence; do not delay. Celestia."
Yuuno quickly got to his feet. "Must be serious if she wants all of us."
"That's putting it lightly. I just hope it's not as bad as when Discord escaped." Twilight shuddered, then steadied herself. "Yuuno, go get Rarity and Fluttershy. They should be at the spa right now. Spike, go get Pinkie Pie. I'll grab Applejack and Rainbow Dash. We'll meet back here in twenty minutes…"
That idiot, Celestia groused as she waited upon her throne. She just had to run off alone without any backup. I swear, I am going to chew her ear off when she comes back to Canterlot. No moon pies for her for the next three months…
Her train of thought quickly ground to a halt as the doors to the throne room opened, admitting a group of six ponies, one dragon, and one human. "Princess," Twilight called from the head of the pack, "we came as soon as we could! What's the problem?!"
Impressive speed. Yuuno must have teleported them here. Celestia rose to her feet and carefully trotted down the carpeted ramp that lead to the throne. "I apologize for the sudden summons, but there is a matter of grave importance that I believe only you are able to help resolve."
"Ooh! Ooh!" Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly as she waved a hoof. "Did you call us here because the royal bakers are rebelling and built a colossal cake golem as ironic revenge for your constant hunger for sweets, so you need us to build our own cake golem so we can fight them in a dramatic duel?"
Celestia blinked. "Um. No."
"Aw…" Pinkie promptly pouted. "Phooey. I had the plans prepared and everything…"
"To be fair, sugarcube," Applejack chided gently, "that one was a bit out there…"
Twilight sighed. "Girls, focus. What's the problem, Princess?"
"Right." Celestia closed her eyes and centered herself before continuing. "This morning, I have received a report that the Crystal Empire has returned from its thousand-year-long exile."
There was a lull. Only Twilight and Yuuno showed any recognition; the others looked confused.
"The… crystal what now?" Rainbow Dash scratched slightly at her mane in confusion.
Celestia's horn glowed as she summoned an object from storage; a slim spire of purple crystal. "The Crystal Empire was an ancient kingdom far to the north, beyond the Crystal Mountains. It was a close ally of ours, and a marvel to behold."
There was a flash of light as Celestia pushed mana into the crystal. A circular hologram pooled out beneath the spire, depicting a city of shining jewels and pristine parks, with roads of purple glass radiating outwards from the central tower.
"This is Adamanetia," Celestia said as the others oohed and aahed over the hologram, "the capital of the Empire. At its center stood the Imperial Palace, home of one of the most powerful treasures in all the world, the Crystal Heart. For many years, the Crystal Empire served as a shining beacon of hope and light, both for its subjects and for all of pony-kind."
"Then… what happened to it?" Fluttershy leaned in to look at the tiny images scurrying around the hologram.
Celestia inhaled and, with a wave of her horn, conjured an image of a tall, handsome, grey-coated and black-maned unicorn stallion. "Long ago, a unicorn that came to call himself Sombra managed to charm his way into the Imperial Family, marrying the then-current Princess of the Empire."
"Oh my," Rarity said approvingly. "Tall, dark and handsome. Well, at least she had good taste…"
The phantasmal unicorn's lips curled up in a shark-toothed snarl as he opened his eyes, revealing neon green sclera and pinprick-like red irises. Purple flame began to bubble upwards from his tear ducts and his mane began coiling like liquid shadow. Fluttershy let out a squeak and hid behind Rarity.
"Never mind," Rarity squeaked nervously as she balked at the image, "Clearly evil. My mistake!"
"Sombra's heart was cruel, and filled with malice and greed. He took over the Empire, and plunged it into darkness and misery." Celestia's horn ignited again, dissolving the image. "My sister and I managed to defeat him and seal him away, but the Empire was so corrupted that it vanished into the ether, unable to bear the taint that Sombra had left upon it."
"Wait a minute," Applejack said as she raised a hoof. "Yer tellin' me that a city just… decided to vanish? How's that work?"
"I don't know." Celestia sighed. "I am not an expert on the Crystal Heart. But I do know this; if the Empire has returned, then it is likely that Sombra will return as well. And if Sombra manages to reclaim Adamanetia and the Crystal Heart, then all of Equestria will be in grave danger."
"So, I'm guessing we go up there, blast 'em with the Elements of Harmony, and be back home before supper," Rainbow Dash smirked. "No big deal. We got this."
"I don't think it will be quite that easy," Celestia replied as a pair of guards entered with a slim, black box. "But that is part of it. You will, of course, need these."
"Good to have 'em at the ready, I guess." Applejack noted.
"In addition," Celestia continued, "you will be meeting Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor in Adamanetia. They, too, have their own part to play in this. They should be able to fill you in further once you arrive."
"Oooh, this is gonna be so much fun!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "We get to hang out with Cadence again! I missed her ever since the wedding!"
"Good luck, my friends," Celestia said with a practiced smile. "Now, be on your way. There is little time to lose."
Celestia nodded as most of them bowed to her, then turned away and began walking back to the throne.
"Princess?"
Celestia paused, and turned to look back. Twilight had stayed behind, a small frown on her face.
"Yes, my faithful student?" Celestia turned to face her.
"You didn't tell them everything, Princess." It didn't sound like an accusation. More of a statement of fact. "About Sombra. About who he really is. About his… relationship to Cadence."
"I only told them what they needed to know, Twilight," Celestia replied. "That's all."
Twilight stared at her for a few moments, then nodded slowly. "Fine… but Princess… where's Luna? Shouldn't she-"
Celestia sighed. "My sister has… taken the initiative, as it were."
The Frozen North
Far From Adamanetia
There was a cavern hidden far beneath the frozen tundra, long concealed from mortal eyes. There was no entrance to it; no way for any regular pony to reach it from the surface.
Of course, Luna was no regular pony.
She slithered down into the hidden cavern in a wisp of star-studded blue mist, passing through cracks in the stone no wider than the eye of a needle. Her breath misted as she re-formed in the darkness, far from the sun above. Her horn ignited as she summoned a light source into existence to inspect the cavern.
The cavern was a huge, flattened ovoid, like somebody had blown a bubble in the stone. The walls were covered in spidery runes and sigils, forming a complex tapestry of mystical symbols and circles. The floor was studded with jagged outcroppings of crystal positioned at key positions and linked together in concentric rings. Luna knew every sigil and spell carved into the rock around her; spells of sealing and containment, barriers and blocks and wards and other darker things all aimed at the cavern's 'guest.'
In the center of the cavern, in the middle of the layered spells, was a jagged, twisted mass of black crystal. If one squinted and gave the shape the benefit of the doubt, one could say that it vaguely resembled a pony.
"Wake up, monster," Luna hissed into the silent air.
The air grew colder. Luna's ear pricked as she heard the faint sound of a heartbeat.
The surface of the black crystal pulsed.
Luna's horn ignited. Mana flowed into the ancient spell circles and wards, the runes and lines lighting with a silver-blue glow as they came to life.
CRACK.
A thin fracture line ran up one outcropping of black crystal. Blackish goo began to drip from the gash. Luna's eyes narrowed as she saw a single eye peer at her from the blackened gem; green sclera, with a crimson pupil.
YoUuUuU…
The voice was part sound, part feeling. It flowed over Luna like greasy dishwater as more cracks began to form on the crystalline statue.
Luna's eyes narrowed. Her horn burned brilliant blue as she steadied herself.
The statue shattered, releasing a coiling black cloud that looked equal parts fog bank and oil spill.
Luna struck.
The spells ignited. The cloud was quickly surrounded by a multi-layered sphere of silver-blue energy while rings of mystical glyphs spun about it like the rings of a gyroscope.
"Did you honestly think we would allow you free reign, Sombra?" Luna glowered as the cloudy creature writhed and hissed. "We knew this day would come and we have made preparations for it."
NoOoOoO! rElEaSe Us YoU wItCh! The cloud slammed against the sphere of light.
"Never." Luna replied coldly as she triggered another series of spells. The crystalline outcroppings flickered and crackled, then began to rapidly release bolts of silvery lightning into the sphere, slicing through the black cloud and eliciting watery howls of pain.
MeRcYyYyY!
"You DARE ask for our mercy?!" Luna snarled in reply as bolt after bolt struck Sombra. "After the crimes you committed against our kin?! Mercy is for those who are repentant of their crimes. You are a blackguard and a monster, irredeemable to the core! Not even the blackest pit of Tartarus is fit for the likes of you!"
Sombra let out another watery howl. A pair of eyes turned towards Luna, green with red pupils and weeping purple flame. It smashed and hurled itself against the walls of the sphere, the cloudy mass spreading and growing until it filled the container.
"Do not think you can escape," Luna said coolly. "We have woven an impenetrable prison for thee. Never again shall your ambition and avarice harm the Empire."
The howls of pain stopped. Luna's ears flattened as the cloud let out a low, rolling chuckle. "Have we broken you again that quickly, wretch?"
AhA… Ah-Ha Ha Ha! ImPeNeTrAbLe, SaYs YoU? yOu ArE mIsTaKeN, fOoLiSh MoOn ChIlD. wE hAvE hAd CeNtUrIeS tO pUzZlE oUt YoUr WaRdSsSsS…
There was a thrum of power, followed by a crackling noise. Mana flowed over the inner walls of the sphere, a mix of bubbling purple energy, sickly green flame and black lightning. The silver bubble warped and bulged, the walls of the barrier stretching like molten plastic.
"No…" Luna took a step backwards as the barrier began to degrade, scorch marks coating the bubble like a patina of rust.
YeSsSsS! aNd NoW, wE sHaLl ReClAiM wHaT iS oUrS bY rIgHt! OuR EmPiRe!
The bubble shattered. The rings of runes flickered and bent as they tried to contain the darkness.
OuR sLaVeS!
The rings winked out. The roiling cloud spread outwards, quickly filling the room. The glowing crystals dissolved into dust as the spells quickly failed, until Luna's horn was the only light in the room. Sombra's eyes loomed over her like enormous lamps, boring down on her hateful triumph.
OuR… cRyStAlSsSsSs…
I… may have made a miscalculation, Luna thought as the darkness swooped down on her.
Elsewhere
South of Adamanetia
There was a brilliant flash of green light and mana as the seven landed. Snow crunched up around booted hooves and feet as a cold breeze rustled over the tundra.
Twilight narrowed her eyes and raised Raising Heart into a defensive position. "Everybody okay?"
"Fine over here," Spike replied as he gingerly tugged on his jacket, the black box containing the Elements tied like a backpack against his back. "Aside from it being really freaking cold…"
"Hey, how come we're stuck in the snow?" Rainbow Dash flapped her wings before taking to the air. "Couldn't you have gotten us closer, Fuzzy?"
"There's a lot of weird interference in the area," Yuuno replied as he brushed some snow off his cape. "I didn't want to risk us coming out of a transit off course, or worse, halfway into the ground."
"You could have at least worn something a little warmer," Rarity said as she looked Yuuno's Barrier Jacket up and down. "Honestly, darling, shorts in this cold?"
"It's a Barrier Jacket," Yuuno replied. "I'm perfectly fine."
"We should probably get moving," Twilight said nervously as she triggered her Flier Fin spell, a pair of magenta energy wings forming above her withers. "We need to get to Adamanetia as soon as possible. Yuuno, think you can give the girls a lift?"
"Sure." Yuuno spread his arms wide and narrowed his eyes in concentration. A wide Mid-Childan circle sprang up around him, its greenish glow glittering on the snow. "Everybody who doesn't feel like walking, hop on."
"Mighty fine way of travel," Applejack noted as she hopped on. "Sure beats having to slog our way through the snow."
"Tell me about it," Pinkie chimed in as she helped Fluttershy onto the disc. "I dunno about you guys, but my hoofsies were getting chilly."
"At least you guys got fur coats," Spike replied as he helped Rarity aboard. He blushed slightly as Rarity unwound her scarf and slipped it around his neck.
"Alright everyone, we seem to be just north of the mountains. If we keep going north, we should reach Adamanetia. Make sure to stay close." Twilight lifted off of the ground, her energy wings flapping gently. "And make sure to keep an eye out for anything strange."
There was a rush of wind as the group took to the air, Twilight and Rainbow Dash in the lead, with Yuuno and the levitating disc.
"Hey, Twilight." Rainbow Dash swerved in close. "Outta curiosity, what do you think we're supposed to do here, exactly?"
"I'm honestly not sure myself," Twilight replied. "I guess we just need to help Shining and Cadence and maybe fight off Sombra."
"Right. Sombra. Heh, that should be easy peasy!"
Twilight blinked. "What makes you think that?"
"Come on Twilight, you really gotta ask?" Rainbow smirked and zipped ahead of her, flying backwards as she spoke. "We've got the Captain of the Royal Guard, an alicorn princess, the Elements of Harmony, Fuzzy the Brick Wall back there, and Raising Heart. If anything, this is overkill! We're going up against one crazy unicorn sorcerer. I mean, sure, he took over the Empire, but it's still just one pony. We've got him outnumbered and outgunned by, like, a lot. Heck, if he shows up you and Raising Heart can just atomize him with that Starlight Blaster thing you do."
"Starlight Breaker," Twilight corrected.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Point is, this is a cakewalk! Heck, we've dealt with Discord and that freaky Book of Darkness thing. I think we can… handle…"
"Uh, Dash?" Twilight paused as she saw Rainbow's eyes grow wide. "You kinda trailed off there…"
"Twilight," she heard Yuuno shout behind her, "we might have company!"
Twilight peered back, then felt her blood run cold. An enormous black cloud had billowed up from the ground behind them, then began rolling in their direction at an unnaturally fast speed. Flashes of greenish light illuminated the wall of inky blackness, while a horrible, animalistic scream echoed from within it.
"Yuuno! Faster!"
"This is as fast as I can fly while maintaining the Floater Field," Yuuno shouted back.
"Then keep going! I'll see if I can hold it off!" Twilight swung Raising Heart around. "Raising Heart, Prominence Form!"
"STANDBY, READY!" There was a loud clicking as the Device switched forms, taking on its arrowhead-like bombardment form. Loops of magenta Mid-Childan text formed in front of the tip as Twilight took aim at the swirling cloud. "LET'S SHOOT IT. PROMINENCE BUSTER!"
"Fire!"
There was a thunderous report as a pillar of magenta energy blasted forth from the staff, slicing through the air towards the cloud. The beam of magic parted the cloud for a few seconds, eliciting an angry roar as a pair of glowing green eyes with red pupils formed within it. As the beam subsided, the inky darkness re-formed as if nothing had happened.
"MASTER, THE ATTACK HAD ZERO EFFECT," Raising Heart noted.
"Oh, it had an effect alright," Twilight replied nervously as she took aim again. "Let's hit it again, Raising Heart! PROMINENCE BUSTER, FIRE!"
Again, a beam of magenta energy blasted forth. And just like the previous one, it had no discernable effect on the cloud. If anything, it just seemed to make it angry.
"ZERO EFFECT AGAIN, MASTER." Raising Heart noted. "IT APPEARS THE TARGET CANNOT BE HARMED BY STANDARD SPELLS."
"Raising Heart, got anything in your arsenal that can stop a giant inky black cloud of doom?"
"NO."
Twilight gulped as the cloud bore down on her. Her horn ignited as she flared her energy wings, preparing to do battle when another voice rang out in a clarion cry.
"In the darkness, a flash of silver! In the darkness, an argent flame! Moonlight, become now my shining sword, a blade that cleaves even the heavens in twain! SELENE ZANBER!"
There was an audible 'shing' as an incredibly long, gently curving blade of silver light sliced upwards through the dark cloud. The thing drew back as the shadowy stuff that made it up hissed, then began to reform. Twilight's eyes widened as a familiar dark blue alicorn flew up and hovered in front of her, the gigantic blade of light emanating from the tip of her horn. Her coat was blackened and scorched in places, and she looked drained.
"Princess Luna!"
"What are you doing here, Twilight Sparkle?!" Luna's eyes were focused on the shadowy cloud-bank. "This is not your fight!"
"We're here to help! I can-"
"This is not your fight, Twilight!" Luna swung her head, the enormous silver blade slicing through the cloud once more.
"You remember this, Sombra?!" Luna's shout was aimed at the cloud. "My blade of moonlight, the Sword of Equestria that can cuts both body and magic! The very sword I used to carve your heart and soul asunder! Do not think you can escape it again!"
"Princess, I can help-"
"This opponent is beyond your magic, Twilight Sparkle!" Luna shouted at her as the clouds slowly reformed around the wound she'd left in it. "I will handle this, but you must fly!"
"But-"
"GO!" Luna turned back and dove towards the shadow. "GET TO ADAMANETIA!"
"Princess!" Twilight reached out a hoof as though to stop her, then inhaled as she turned and bolted. Her wings left contrails of light in her wake as she flew towards the glowing lights to the north.
Adamanetia
The Crystal Empire
Shining. Shimmering. Splendid.
The city of Adamanetia stretched out beneath the balcony Cadence stood on like an open jewelry box. Buildings of crystal and gemstone glittered and shimmered in the sunlight, while the great avenues of purple glass glistened and almost seemed to glow.
And yet, despite all the grandeur, Cadence felt a distinct wrongness about the place. It wasn't something she could put her hoof on, but the city made her feel uneasy. The citizenry didn't help matters, either. The crystal ponies hadn't paid her, Shining, or their coterie of guards a single ounce of attention when they had arrived. They simply greeted them politely before continuing on with whatever they were doing. They moved like they were half asleep, their expressions ranging from dull apathy to numb indifference.
It's like everything here is… lost. Like it doesn't know what to do with itself. Cadence sighed and rested her front hooves on the railing of the balcony. What am I supposed to do? How can I fix this? Can I even fix it?
"Cadence, I've-"
"Eeek!" Cadence jerked, her front hooves scrambling along the polished railing. She quickly turned to face Shining, who looked a little sheepish. "Shiny, don't sneak up on me like that…"
"Sorry. I didn't realize you were zoned out." Shining trotted up beside her. "I've just checked in with the other guards. They haven't found any sign of the Crystal Heart."
"Nothing?"
Shining shook his head. "Nope. There's no servants or anything either, so there's nopony that can give us a clue to where the Heart is."
"Figures," Cadence muttered softly as she rested her chin on the railing.
"Hey," Shining rested a hoof against her withers. "Cheer up. Our reinforcements should get here soon, right? Once we've got more hooves on the field, we'll be that much more effective."
"That's all well and good, but I still have no idea what I'm doing…" Cadence sighed and pulled herself up. "Be honest with me, Shining… do you really think I'm ruler material?"
Shining frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… let's just say we manage to save the Empire. We get the Crystal Heart back, and all is right with the world. There's still an entire population of crystal ponies that need somepony to lead them." Cadence waved a hoof out over the balcony. "And I'm supposedly the descendant of this place's royal family. So, by default, that means I get the crown…"
"Okay. What's your point?"
"Shining, the closest thing I've done to 'ruling' is work as a babysitter." Cadence began to pace, her tail swishing and her ears folded back. "Yeah, I've worked as an ambassador for Aunt Celestia, but half the time I had no idea what I was doing. And now Auntie's expecting me to become Princess of an entire Empire that was last seen during the first Diarchy!"
Cadence plopped down on her rump and covered her eyes with her hooves. Her body shook slightly as she tried not to panic. "I'm not ready, Shining. I'm not prepared for this kind of responsibility… there's an entire country riding on this and I don't… if I can't… I…"
She paused as she felt Shining pull her into a gentle embrace, a hoof stroking her mane.
"Shh…" He nuzzled her ear. "Cadence, you'll do fine. You didn't start any wars or anything, so you had to be doing pretty well as a diplomat. Besides, ruling a kingdom can't be that hard. Princess Celestia does it all the time. She wouldn't throw you into something like this if she didn't think you could handle it, right?"
"Uh-huh," Cadence muttered into his neck.
"And besides, you won't be doing this alone." He pulled back and nuzzled her, nose to nose. "I'll be supporting you all the way. Go Team Cadence. Pink princess is best princess."
Cadence couldn't help but grin. "Traitor. Don't let Auntie catch you saying that; she might throw you in the dungeon."
"Oh, she already knows about my treachery." Shining smirked. "After all, I married you."
Cadence laughed and pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Thanks. I needed that."
"No problem. But let's worry about the whole rulership thing later, Cady; we still need to save the place first." Shining paused, his ears perking forward as he moved to the railing. "Looks like we have company incoming."
"Huh?" Cadence turned as she saw a bright green streak of light shoot through the sky, heading towards them. "Wait, is that…"
"Let's go and check," Shining said as the light dove downwards towards the base of the Palace.
Cadence nodded and galloped after Shining. The pair raced through the halls of the palace, soon arriving at the courtyard beneath the Palace as she heard familiar voices.
"Ya jinxed it! Ya just had to buckin' jinx it!"
"Hey, how was I supposed to know there was a giant cloud of doom hovering right behind us?!"
"We've gotta go back for Twilight! She's all-"
"Everyone!" Cadence called out as she galloped towards them.
"Cadence!" The group of five ponies, the dragon and the human turned to face her and Shining as they approached.
"Oh, thank goodness you're all here." Cadence exhaled. Not exactly the backup I was expecting, but I couldn't have asked for anypony else…
Shining frowned. "Wait… where's Twily? Wasn't she with you guys?"
Spike flailed his arms as he spoke. "She was, but she stayed behind to fight that giant smoke… monster… thing! We've gotta go back for her! She might be-"
"Wait, smoke monster?" Cadence blinked. "What do you-"
There was a distinctive pop and a strobe of magenta light behind the assembled group. Twilight staggered out of her teleport, her eyes wide and her breathing fast.
"Twilight!" Cadence's voice joined with the others as her sister-in-law looked up, then dashed towards them.
"Sweet Celestia, I'm glad I got here in time," she said rapidly. "We don't have much time. Pleasantries later. Shining! Barrier!"
"Huh?" Shining blinked, then balked slightly as Twilight grabbed his cheeks with her hooves.
"Barrier! Raise a barrier! Cover the entire city! Luna's keeping it at bay, but we may not have much time before it gets here!"
"Until what gets here, Twilight?" Cadence leaned in.
Twilight opened her mouth to speak, then froze as an unearthly, ghostly howl reached their ears. It was faint, but loud enough to send shivers down Cadence's spine.
"That," Twilight said flatly.
"Right. Barrier." Shining Armor dashed off, his horn glowing with a reddish-pink light.
"What… what in Equestria was that, Twilight?" Cadence tried not to shiver too much.
"I… think that might be Sombra."
"Okay, so Sombra's a giant smoke monster," Shining said as he looked around the impromptu meeting table. The gigantic, dome-shaped defensive barrier cast a faint pinkish light through the nearby window. "And Princess Luna's out there fighting it."
"I think so." Twilight exhaled as she settled Raising Heart back around her neck. "I think she was trying to buy us some time. Don't know how well that will work, though. Please tell me that you've found something, Shining."
Shining sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. I've had the guards combing the entire place, but there's no sign of the Crystal Heart anywhere."
Rarity raised a hoof. "Pardon me for interrupting, darling, but I'm still just a teensy bit confused. I understand that the Crystal Heart is extremely important, but… what exactly does it do?"
"I'm a little confused about that myself," Shining admitted.
"The Crystal Heart," Twilight interrupted, "is an ancient gem that transforms emotional energy into magical power. You might remember it from when we were dealing with the Book of Darkness."
"Oh… OH!" Rarity went wide eyed.
"Jeeze Rare, keep up with the rest of us a little," Rainbow Dash smirked.
"Some of us have tried to forget that little incident, Rainbow Dash." Rarity shivered slightly.
"You too, Rarity?" Fluttershy leaned over and gently patted the white unicorn on the neck.
"Wait, ah thought Princess Luna said that tha whole trouble with the Book of Darkness was caused by a little bitty piece of that thing," Applejack said nervously. "So… if this Sombra character gets his hooves on the whole darn thing…"
"Exactly," Yuuno said. "If a sliver of the Crystal Heart could power the Book of Darkness, imagine how powerful the full gem could make Sombra."
There was a brief, uncomfortable moment of silence as the gathered friends looked at each other.
"Well, no pressure there." Spike quipped sarcastically. "Just your standard issue world-in-peril crisis. No biggie."
Pinkie Pie grinned. "Yeah! Plus, this is totally a scavenger hunt!" She ducked under the table and promptly emerged wearing a miner's helmet with a little lantern and carrying a bright pink metal detector in her hooves. "I can do scavenger hunts."
"It's not going to be that easy," Shining said with a grimace. "We don't even know where to start looking…"
"Maybe it's not in the castle?" Spike scratched his ear frill gently as he thought. "For all we know, he could have stuck it in a cave somewhere."
"I doubt it," Twilight replied.
"I do too," Shining concurred. "For one, Sombra would want to keep his power source close to hoof and well protected. He probably wouldn't want somepony to stumble on it accidentally."
"Plus, if the Crystal Heart was somewhere outside the city, he'd have already gotten his smoky hooves on it," Twilight concluded.
"But that's the problem. I've had my colts checking every inch of this castle. So far, we haven't found anything." Shining scratched at his mane. "Not even your traditional secret passages and hidden rooms. Plus, the layout of this place makes no sense."
"Tell me about it. I got a headache the second I looked at this place." Twilight said as she got to her hooves. "Alright, we need a plan. And for a plan, we need information."
"Uh, Twiley," Shining said with an arched eyebrow. "I don't want to pull rank here, but maybe I should, you know, be in charge? Seniority and experience and all that?"
Twilight glanced over at Shining, returning the arched eyebrow. "Not to be too blunt, Shining, but exactly how many gods have you defeated?"
Shining opened his mouth, paused, scratched his chin in thought, then raised a hoof. "Does the time when my friends and I fought Demogorgon back during O&O's 3rd edition count?"
"No."
"Then zero."
"Seniority and experience!" Twilight's reply was chipper as she trotted over to him. "Don't worry, BBBFF. I still need you to boss the guards around for me. Plus, you can be my advisor."
"Eh." Shining shrugged. "I've had worse jobs. So, what's the plan?"
Twilight nodded, then turned to the others. "We need information; not just on the Crystal Heart's location, but how to work it. Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, I need you to canvas the city. Talk to any of the crystal ponies that look like they might know something. See if you can get anything out of them."
The five mares nodded, Rainbow Dash offering a salute.
Twilight turned to Yuuno. "Yuuno, you're on research. See if you can locate a library or archive or something that can give us some clues. It may be a long shot, but hopefully some records survived Sombra's reign."
"Right." Yuuno glanced at Shining. "I don't suppose your guards found anything like that?"
"I think there was a library nearby," Shining replied. "I'll have one of the guards escort you."
Twilight turned to her brother. "Shining, you need to keep the barrier up just in case Sombra decides to come and pay us a visit. Think you can handle that?"
"Pretty sure. I'll make sure to keep an eye out for Princess Luna and let her in when she shows up."
"Let's hope she does." Twilight looked at her assistant. "Spike, you're with me. We're going to tear this castle apart…"
"Cool!" Spike licked his lips. "I was starting to get hungry…"
"Metaphorically, Spike. I was being metaphorical." Twilight sighed, then looked around. "Everyone clear on their jobs? Got it? Good. Let's get to work!"
"Um… Twilight?" Cadence raised a hoof as the others began to scatter. "Is there any way I can help?"
"Uh… sure, Cadence. How about you come with us while we try to figure out this castle?"
"Sure." Cadence gave her a wan smile as she got to her hooves. "I just wish we could've gotten together without another disaster…"
"Hey, the wedding was perfectly fine," Twilight offered gently.
"I know, but this is the second time I've joined in on one of your adventures with all of Equestria at stake. How many times has this happened to you, Twilight?"
"More times than you'd think, Cadence."
Some Hours Later…
"Come on, ya'll," Applejack said desperately, "this is really important! Y'all gotta know SOMETHING about tha Heart!"
The crystal pony she had been questioning shook his head and drew back nervously, muttering something that sounded vaguely apologetic before he shut the door in her face. The orange-coated mare groaned and bumped her head against the door in frustration.
There was a loud whoosh and the sound of landing hooves behind her. "Yo! AJ! Have any luck?"
Applejack turned to look at Rainbow Dash. "Not a darned bit. These crystal ponies seem nice, but ask 'em about the Heart or Sombra or anythin' else and they get more nervous than a long-tailed tomcat in a rockin' chair store. How 'bout you? You learn anythin'?"
"Nope. Same problem." Rainbow kicked at the ground in irritation. "It's really starting to tick me off. We're trying to help them, but they keep acting like we're gonna bite their heads off or something."
"Well, ta be fair, the last time a weird pony came to town he married their princess and did all kindsa crazy stuff to 'em. I don't fault 'em for bein all kindsa nervous 'round us."
The pegasus groaned and rolled her eyes. "I know that! I just wish there was some way we could…"
Rainbow paused and pointed skyward. "Hey, AJ? Does that look like what I think it is?"
Applejack glanced up at the dome-shaped barrier. A small hole opened in the wall as a dark blue shape plummeted through it. It wove lazily through the air like a drunken moth as it descended towards them.
"I reckon it is, RD. Look out!"
Applejack and Rainbow Dash dove for cover as a navy blue alicorn crash-landed in the street where they had been standing. Princess Luna bounced a few times, then skidded a little further before coming to a decidedly undignified halt.
"Oh, horseapples!" Applejack looked to her friend. "RD, go get Shinin' and Twilight!"
"On it!" Rainbow launched into the air, leaving a rainbow-hued contrail in her wake.
Applejack, meanwhile, rushed to the fallen alicorn's side. "Uh… Princess? Princess Luna? Oh gosh, please don't be dead or anythin'…"
"Nnngh… we… are not… dead…" Luna groaned. Several spots on her coat were blackened, and what looked like smoke drifted from her body. "If we were… we would not hurt… so much."
"Oh thank Harmony…" Applejack leaned down as the Princess rose unsteadily to her hooves. "Easy there, yer highness… you ain't lookin' too good. Just lean on me."
"We are…" Luna wobbled, then leaned against her. "We are most… grateful, good Applejack."
"No… problem…" Applejack paused; she felt eyes on her. She quickly glanced around. Sure enough, the crystal ponies were paying attention. Doors were cracked, windows were raised, curtains were opened; everypony was watching, and Applejack was pretty sure they weren't looking at her.
Okay… this is gettin' just a mite creepy. Applejack swallowed. "Hey, uh, yer highness? Maybe we should, I dunno, get you to the palace or somethin'?"
"That would be wise…" Luna inhaled and pushed herself up into a proper standing position. "Let us be off, then, good Applejack."
"Right." Applejack risked another glance at the numerous, curious eyes, then quickly began trotting alongside the weary moon princess.
The doors to the room burst open as Twilight and Cadence charged in, Spike bringing up the rear. "Princess," Twilight shouted in panic, "are you alright?!"
Princess Luna lifted her head from the large bed she had been deposited on as the other ponies turned to look at the trio. "We are fine, Twilight Sparkle. Exhausted, but unharmed… for the most part."
"A little bit more than exhausted," Rainbow Dash noted. "You don't crash that badly if you're just exhausted."
"What about Sombra?" Twilight gently pushed her way closer. "Is he still…"
"He has withdrawn… for the time being." Luna sighed heavily. "It took much of our power, but we were successful. Thankfully, our Selene Zanber could still wound him."
"That's the spell you were using, right? Given the spell's name, I assume it was the basis for Fate's Plasma Zanber spell."
Luna nodded. "The Selene Zanber is a blade of purest moonlight, a sword that cleaves both flesh and spirit. Sadly, it is difficult for us to maintain, doubly so without our moon in the sky. Fate's spell is much simpler."
"Okay. So… we're good, right?" Rainbow glanced around the room. "Luna kicked Sombra's butt. That's gotta count for something."
"Were it only that simple, Rainbow Dash." Luna shook her head, then winced slightly. "Though we have driven away the fiend, it is only a matter of time until he returns. We have bought you time."
"How long?" Shining Armor asked nervously.
"If our predictions are correct, it will take him a day or so to recover his full power." Luna winced again, rubbing her head. "After that, he will return with all his strength. He will likely strike at Adamanetia itself."
"Well," Shining replied, "at least my shield spell will keep him out."
"Your spell, though potent, will not keep him out forever, Captain." Luna fixed Shining in her gaze. "Even we, with all our strength, can only hold him off for a time. There's only one power that can defeat him..."
"Love," Twilight interrupted, drawing all eyes to her. "Well, um, it seems like Sombra's power works sort of like Nachtwal's does. It makes sense that he'd have the same weaknesses, right?"
"Indeed." Luna exhaled slowly. "The power of love is inimical to him as he is now."
All eyes then turned to Cadence. The pink princess swallowed, then nodded. "Right. I'll do what I can..."
"That is all we ask." Luna groaned and rested her head. "Now, leave us. We must rest ourselves. The battle has drained us of our stamina…"
"Alright, alright," Shining turned and jerked his head toward the door. "Everyone out. Princess Luna needs her rest. Go on, shoo."
Twilight nodded, then slowly backed out of the room. She waited as the others filed out, Shining being the last one out.
"So," Twilight said as she looked around the room at her friends as they sat around a large, round table of gleaming quartz, "anypony find anything out?"
"Not a thing, darling," Rarity sighed. "As lovely as this city is, I'm afraid the ponies here aren't exactly the most forthcoming."
"Eyup," Applejack agreed.
"I didn't have any luck either," Fluttershy sighed. "I even asked really assertively and everything…"
"Don't feel too bad about it, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said gently. "I didn't exactly have a whole lot of luck either."
"I even offered cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie's hooves were pressed into her mane. "What pony doesn't like cupcakes?!"
"So much for help from the citizenry," Twilight sighed.
"How about you, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash leaned against the table. "You find anything out with Raising Heart?"
"Unfortunately, no." Twilight rubbed her temples gently. "I have my Area Search sensors scanning over every inch of this place, but I just keep getting static. There's just too much interference for me to get a location. Of course, this headache really isn't helping things…"
"So," Spike crossed his arms. "Anyone got any ideas?"
There was a loud boom as the doors slammed open, admitting a wide-eyed and decidedly excited-looking Yuuno Scrya. "Girls! I think I've found something!"
"Finally, some good news," Twilight said as Yuuno set a heavy-looking tome onto the table. "What'd you find, Yuuno?"
"It took a lot of digging in the library to find this, but I think this is definitely something we need to get to work on. As a side note; thank Harmony for translation spells. I'd have to work backwards through a thousand years of linguistic drift to figure this out otherwise…" Yuuno paused as he received a few grumpy looks from the others. "But anyway, here it is; The History of the Crystal Empire."
"That’s all well and good, but we're kind of on a tight schedule," Rarity said testily. "Skip to the juicy bits, darling."
"Right." Yuuno quickly opened the book and flipped through the pages. "The important part is here…" He lifted the book and turned it about, revealing a heraldic-style illustration of what looked like a great fairground. Images of ponies in bright, jewel-like hues were gamboling about, some clad in armor and bearing lances, while others were in fanciful garb. "The Crystal Fair. According to the book, the Fair was held once a year to renew the spirit of love and harmony within the Empire…"
"So it's a fair, big deal." Rainbow Dash shrugged.
"Yeah, it is a big deal," Yuuno continued, tapping a finger against the illustration. "Because the passage continues on to speak of how the fair also renewed the power that protected the Empire from harm!"
Twilight's eyes widened. "Of course!"
"Ah'm not sure ah follow," Applejack replied.
"It's a ritual! The crystal ponies are linked to the Empire. The Empire is linked to the Crystal Heart. If we can coax positive emotions out of the crystal ponies, then that will resonate with the Heart! That'll mean we should be able to locate it!"
"So if we can cheer up all those frowny crystal ponies, we can save the Empire?" Pinkie Pie grinned. "That's super perfect!"
"Hey, I've heard of crazier plans," Rainbow Dash replied.
"Shucks, ah think we can throw together one humdinger of a Crystal Fair for these poor folk." Applejack said as she adjusted her hat. "They all look like they could use a bit of fun."
"So, it's agreed then?"
"Right!" The five ponies raised a hoof in excitement.
"Great!" Yuuno quickly flipped through the book. "This book has descriptions of all the events and such that were at the Fair. We should be able to put most of them together, though it might take a while…"
"A while?" Pinkie Pie pronked over and peered at Yuuno over the book. "We don't got a while! This calls for emergency Pinkie Pie Panic Party Provisions, stat!"
Yuuno blinked. "Emergency wha-?"
There was a whoosh, and Pinkie Pie was gone. A faint dust cloud in the shape of her body lingered where she had stood.
"I swear," Yuuno muttered as he glanced back at the doors, "I don't know how she does that…"
"Don't worry, sugarcube," Applejack trotted over as Rarity levitated the book from his hands. "Let us handle the fair stuff. You and Twilight need to focus on findin' that Heart."
Cadence stood outside the room Luna was resting in, her hoof half-raised in hesitation a scant few inches from the slightly open door.
I really shouldn't disturb her… she's trying to rest. She lowered her hoof, then raised it again. But she wouldn't be upset if I came to her for advice, right? It would make sense. She is here to help. But... if she doesn't get her rest…
"I can hear you dithering out there," Luna's voice came through the cracked door, causing Cadence to start slightly. "Enter or leave, but at least do not linger like some shadow."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Cadence said as she pushed the door open and stepped inside. She paused as she saw the state of the room. Luna was splayed out on the bed, her wings spread beneath her and her legs curled against her body. Several pillows were piled on the floor around the bed, and the sheets were tangled up into a nest surrounding her. "Um… Luna? Are you okay?"
"I am fine." Luna shimmied slightly, then grunted as she rolled onto one wing, then onto her belly. "My sleep was… restless. What did you need, Cadenza?"
Cadence sighed. "It's… nothing really. Just nerves. It's not important…"
"You are afraid."
Cadence grew stiff at that. "How did…"
"Celestia taught you well in the arts of diplomacy, but you are not quite at her level yet. I can see the tension in you." Luna yawned slowly, then wiped her eyes with her hooves. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"
Cadence sighed and moved over towards the window. She looked out over Adamanetia and sighed, closing her eyes as she softly sang.
"I always knew this day would come
And a true princess I would become.
But it's much worse than I could wish
I was not prepared for this."
"Ambassadorship was a breeze," she continued, turning and making a sweeping gesture as she did so. "Poise and manners? I comport with ease."
"For example," she interrupted her song for a moment, "when visiting Yakyakistan you never, ever want to provoke their wrath by being inauthentic or coy. Be straight and to the point at all times, but be prepared for a surprise headbutt if they decide to get rowdy."
Luna nodded in approval. "Quite true…"
"But an empire falls if this goes amiss?
I was not prepared for this…
Will I fall, or will I rise?
I cannot be sure…"
"You'll stand, I'm sure," Luna crooned in reply as Cadence turned away.
"I know my husband's by my side
And my heart is pure…"
"Your heart is pure…" Luna interjected as Cadence sighed.
"But even with that, I am scared.
Alicorn? I'm only one mare!
And I'm really not…"
"You will do fine…" Luna sang in counterpoint, her eyes fixed on Cadence
"It's true, I'm not…"
"…daughter of mine." Luna's gaze never left Cadence.
"I am not prepared for this…"
Cadence let the last note hang in the air before she slumped, her head hanging low. "Luna, I know I'm just being letting this get to me… but I don't think I can do this…"
"You are… so much like her."
Cadence glanced up at Luna. The dark alicorn's eyes were boring into her, and Cadence could see the tell-tale streaks of tears on her muzzle. "Luna?"
"When I look upon you… sometimes I see her. You look so like her… sometimes, you even…" Luna shook herself. "No…you are not her. You are not Aria…"
Cadence paused, then carefully trotted over and climbed onto the bed beside her. "What… what was she like?"
Luna looked at Cadence, then looked toward the wall. "Much like you, in some ways. She hated conflict. She hated seeing ponies fighting, even if it was a simple argument. I remember when she was but a filly, she had stumbled into her father's council chambers. Two of the ministers were arguing about this or that policy; the sort of argument that would escalate to blown tempers. She simply stood between them and shamed them into civility…" She laughed bitterly. "If only she'd done the same between Celestia and I…"
Cadence leaned in and nuzzled Luna gently. The dark alicorn shuddered, then looked at her.
"There are times, Cadence, where I can barely stand to look at you," Luna said sadly.
"Uh… sorry?"
Luna sighed. "It is of no fault of your own. You and she are so much alike… like you, she was so afraid of the crown and the weight that it carries. I remember long nights where I sat with her, hearing her pour her heart out to me. And yet, for all her fears, she proved to be a fine Princess. Had her reign not been cut so cruelly short…"
"Cadence!" Shining Armor's voice cut in as he skidded to a halt in front of the door. "There you… are…"
There was a brief moment of silence as both Cadence and Luna stared at him. He cleared his throat nervously. "Um… is this a bad time?"
They nodded almost in unison.
"Right. Sorry Cady. Sorry, um, your majesty." Shining backed away from the door slowly. "Uh… I'll just… leave you two alone." He paused, then peeked his head around the doorframe. "Sorry," he added, before he disappeared again.
The two sat there for a moment. Cadence glanced at Luna. Luna looked to Cadence.
Luna quirked an eyebrow. "Does he always barge in like that?"
"Yes. I think it's rather sweet." Cadence replied defensively.
Luna nodded calmly, then lowered her head to the mattress. "There is something to be said for that, I suppose. Go see to him, Cadence. Let me return to my rest."
Cadence nodded and scrambled off the bed. She trotted towards the door, then paused and glanced back at Luna. "Are… are you going to be alright?"
"Nay. Not until this matter is settled." Luna closed her eyes. "Go. Off with you."
"Alright… sleep well."
Author's Note
All music (c) their owners.
