Chapters The Crystal Empire [Chapter 3]
"We're almost there!" Tia called out, the blizzard growing around them.
"How do you know?!" Platinum followed her, along with the others.
"I see the northern lights!" Tia replied, shielding her eyes from the thick snow.
"Come on!" Lulu yelled, the blizzard circling them. Something seemed to form behind them. A dark shadow, two green eyes growing out of them. A corrupted purple mist flowed from them.
The group backed away, "Everypony run!" Amore yelled, the group running for their lives. The shadow chased, large fangs expanding towards them. They jumped through a barrier, slamming into the snow. Luckily,it cushioned their fall. Tia looked back, the shadow unable to get in. It turned around, disappearing into the distance.
"What in the name of Faust was that!?" Platinum got up, straightening her scarf. Lulu brushed off snow, looking forward.
"Oh...my..." Tia's voice trailed off. The group followed her gaze, a large castle expanding into the sky. Many buildings surrounded it, a large stadium standing behind it.
"Welcome to the Crystal Empire, girls.."
"The Crystal Heart automatically puts up a barrier if it feels threatened. That must be the barrier we went through. I read about it." Tia looked around as they trotted through the streets, towards the Crystal Heart. With every step, it felt as if the heart was weakening. They reached it quickly, its light flickering.
"So good for spreading light and love through Equestria." Annie Smith sighed, looking at her surroundings.
"There has to be a way." Amore said, looking at her reflection it the heart.
"Lets just get some rest...we need good sleep to come up with a plan. The barrier can hold." Lulu said. They agreed, trotting into the castle, and to bed.
The shadow creature flew through the air, pounding repeatedly at the shield. It wasn't long before it shattered, along with the heart itself. The group stared in shock as two alicorns rose from out of nowhere, blasting a large beam towards the creature as it took form of a pony. Tia could not hear the inaudible scream of terror, but watched as it dissolved into shadow, being banished into the ice of the Arctic North. The word umbra echoed in her head.
Graham Cracker woke up hearing the shriek of many ponies. She rushed out, tying her mane quickly into a bandana headband. A crowd of ponies stood around the shattered Crystal Heart. She looked up, as the shield shattered into bits all around them. The others were already out, grabbing Graham and running up to the balcony. The creature surrounded the empire, the blizzard rushing it. Before they realized it, the crystal ponies were all in chains, along with the 6 ponies in the dungeon.
"We failed her..." Tia was looking out the window. She sighed, hopping down.
"There's still hope-" Lulu started.
"SINCE WHEN!? We literally just got captured, Lulu!"
"Will you two be darn quiet? Fighting ain't helpin 'round here." Annie rolled her eyes, sitting on the straw bed. Platinum sat on a chair, filing her hooves. Graham looked at the ground.
"Come on. There's got to be a way." Cadenza looked at Lulu and Tia.
"Hmph." Tia folded her hooves, turning away.
Graham sighed, changing the subject, "I believe we never introduced ourselves."
They each took turns introducing their selves, smiling slightly. All except Tia. She was on the ground then, facing away. Lulu trotted up, setting a hoof on her sister's shoulder. Magic erupted from the two's horns, bright beams flying around the room. The beams headed straight into Tia and Lulu, engulfing them in light.
Lauren Faust stood before Tia, smiling warmly, "Congratulations my student. You have succeeded in your quest.
"But I thought my quest was defeating the creature.." Tia tilted her head in confusion.
"It was not just that, Tia. You have united with your sister, and created a powerful bond that will link you to your friends. You are not just a regular pony now. You are a princess."
Tia stared in shock as she turned around, two large wings unfolded out on her back.
The two sisters levitated in the air, their eyes glowing bright. They had enormous wings and horns, being alicorns now. The two blasted through the roof of the dungeon, flying up towards the tyrant creature. Their horns collided, a powerful beam blasting towards it, banishing it into the ice of the Artic North as a shadow. The others watched as they descended to the ground.
The crystal ponies and the group cheered. The creature had been defeated. But not before the empire around them began to shimmer, fading. It left the 6 ponies standing in the middle of nowhere.
"Oh sweet Faust..."
The Discovery [Chapter 4]
Tia, known to be Princess Celestia, trotted in the bright cave alongside her younger sister Princess Luna.
Luna gasped, "The Tree of Harmony!"
Celestia flew up, activating the tree.
"Are you sure?" Luna said, trotting up.
"We have managed to discover the only means by which we can defeat Discord and free the citizens of Equestria. Even without these elements, the Tree of Harmony will possess a powerful magic. As long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here." Celestia said, levitating the six gems around her and Luna.
"You got them?" Platinum said, holding one of the elements. It had a beautiful lavender purple color to it, shimmering in the light.
"Yeah. We don't have much time. Come on!" The group galloped through the chaos, stopping in front of an extremely tall throne. A draconequus, Discord, laughed at the group.
"What a wonderful reunion!" He smirked.
The group ignored him, activating the elements. They levitated up, their eyes glowing. Celestia and Luna were in front of the ground, a rainbow beam forming a spiral towards the sky, plummeting down towards Discord. He just kept laughing, turning to hard stone. The statue fell, barely even cracking.
The ponies cheered, clamping their hooves on the ground in applause towards the six ponies on the stage, wearing elements around their necks. The two alicorns, Celestia and Luna, had theirs on as crowns. Luna smiled slightly as the ponies crowded around Celestia, laughing and cheering.
"Job well done, girls." Celestia smiled at the group.
The Seperation [Chapter 5]
Luna stomped her hoof, "It isn't fair! Why must thy friends have all the attention! Am I just some shadow!?"
"Luna, we didn't mean for this to happen-" Tia started.
"NO! You DID! I trusted you all! Now you can suffer without the complete elements!" She threw her element down, chipping it on the stone floor.
"Luna!" Tia covered her mouth, shocked.
"Don't call me that. This friendship is over!" She yelled, trotting away.
The group mourned for the lost of one of their elements, Tia coping for the loss of her sister.
Luna trotted up to the roof, raising her beloved moon, "They don't see my importance..now they will pay.."
A dark quickly engulfed her, making her scream. It wasn't long before Nightmare Moon came to be, and the elements were seperated for Celestia to use it on her sister.
Annie Smith, now known as Granny Smith, leaned against Town Hall's wall. She tapped her hoof, waiting.
Graham Cracker, also known as Granny Pie, stepped out from behind a corner, nervously looking at Annie. She trotted up, "Long time no see."
Annie smiled slightly. Her white blonde mane was streaked with gray strands, tied up in a bun. Granny Pie had a full gray mane, grinning warmly.
Celestia flew down, gently landing on the ground. She trotted up, hugging the two. Princess Platinum appeared, joining in.
Hoofsteps echoed behind them. They turned around, a beautiful blue mare standing at the bottom of the stairs. She slowly trotted up, every step making a soft clamp. Luna's mane was the same natural hair from before her banishment. It was short, hiding one of her eyes. She looked nervously at the group, her eyes stinging with tears. It had only been days since her return. The elements had somehow made the mares grow older slower than usual.
They pulled Luna in a hug immediately, tears flowing down their faces. Never again would they have to be separated like that. Ever again.
"And that's why I believe we should have some kind of protector." Tia folded her left hoof over her right proudly, raising her head high.
Lauren Faust, also known as Fausticorn, had a slightly annoyed hint in her expression, "So you think we should have some sort of protection from outsiders? Look, Miss...Tia Star, is it? Equestria has not been attacked in decades. It hasn't even been attacked once, ever since it was founded. I don't see much for urgent action."
"But your highness, we have no idea what could happen. The land is only beginning to expand! Enemies could find out of our existence!" Tia replied, her face full of worry.
"For the last time Miss Star, Equestria is safe under my wing. We do not need to take urgent action in something so useless at the moment!" Fausticorn rose from her golden throne, glaring at the small mare.
Tia looked at the ground, disappointed in herself for being such a fool. A guard led her out.
Lauren turned towards a window in the throne room, trotting to it. Her disappointment in her student barely did much, knowing she was just trying to help.
"She just needs time..."
Tia trotted inside her room, far above the castle in a tall tower. She threw down her scroll of her plans for the protection idea, shoving all the papers off her table in rage. This knocked down her lamp, shattering it.
"Sister, are thou not the happy again?" Her sister, Lulu, stepped out of the shadows of the now-darkened room.
"She declined it." Tia sat down at her desk, burying her head in her hooves.
"Sister, it shall be alright. Thou plan is extremely useful, even if the queen denies it." Lulu trotted over, sitting across from her sister.
Tia looked up at her, "thanks, Lulu." She smiled slightly, getting up. Lulu watched as she got in bed, facing the wall.
"The good night to you, thy sister." Lulu trotted to her bed, the two drifting off.
A large creature flew through the skies, the sound of chaos echoing in Tia's ears. The creature had a long tale covered in scales, and many different animal body parts.
A draconequus.. Tia thought, gasping. Six figures floated in the air, a rainbow beam circling them. It spiraled into the air, curving down, and charging at the creature. It erupted into pure stone, dropping. The draconequus slammed into the ground, still in a full piece. Tia trotted towards it, stopping near its head. The eyes were full of fear, the claw and paw extended out, as if trying to keep the magic away, before it had been defeated. A stone pupil suddenly moved towards her, looking at her.
Tia burst up, screaming. Lulu tumbled of her bed, the early morning light shining through the window.
"Sister! Are thou alright?" Lulu got up, rushing towards her petrified sister.
"J-Just a bad dream." Tia looked at her, calming down.
"If you say so, sister." Lulu turned back around, opening the door, "I'm assuming breakfast is ready. And you make one good alarm clock," She shut the door behind her.
Tia held in a snicker.
Princess Platinum brushed her mane, looking at her mirror. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza trotted around, packing her bags.
"Darling, you mustn't pack so quickly. It's only gonna be a couple days, and we leave in quite a few hours. You don't need to rush."
"Exactly!" Princess Amore replied, closing her bag, "a few hours! It takes me an hour to do the royal Canterlot ha-"
"Darling, you'll be fine. " Platinum smiled, setting down her brush.
"Yeah. that's what y-"
A guard slammed the door open, his eyes widened, "The queen has requested your presence at the throne room immediately!"
"Oh..okay!" Amore and Platinum followed the guard into the large room. Two unicorns and Fausticorn stood there, turning their heads to look at them.
"Thank you. Gather Annie Smith and Graham Cracker." Fausticorn gave the command, the guard galloping out. A few minutes later, he returned with two earth ponies. He trotted out, leaving the mares in the throne room with the slam of a door.
"I have requested you all here for an important business. A creature has attacked the Crystal Empire."
"WHAT!?" They all yelled at once, shocked. They burst into questions:
"What kind of creature?"
"Are the ponies okay?"
"When did this happen?"
"What are we gonna do?"
Fausticorn held out a hoof, quieting the group. "There's a way to stop it. I'm sending you all there to defeat it. I trust each of you."
They looked at each other, then nodding.
"Good luck, my little ponies!" Faust called out as they ran out of the room.
