Chapters The back alleys of Canterlot would be enough to give anyone an uneasy feeling. The tall buildings surrounding the heavily neglected streets blocked out most of the light, leaving the alleys in a perpetual state of shadiness. The streets were overcrowded with piles of boxes and barrels that carried anything from overripe fruits and vegetables to fake valuables. The apartment entrances and storefronts carried a feeling of constant neglect, with window sills that haven’t been dusted in years, paint jobs that were so badly chipped that the raw wood underneath was revealed, and highly rotten doors. Despite these conditions, a few Canterlot ponies have occasionally decided to brave the alleys. They usually ended up being shaken down for their money and sent home terrified but unscathed.
The stallion that went down the alley that midnight in early spring knew that he wouldn’t be jumped. His height alone was impressive, as he was a head taller than even Princess Celestia, and a horn as long as hers. He held himself with a sense of power, an aura of strength coming off of him that would have spelled doom to anyone attack him. His dark, ebony-black coat would have given him a sinister appearance, but his flowing, magically enchanted mane was a dull rainbow of hues and effectively detracted from his coat’s ominous color. His eyes were piercing as their magenta irises stared cautiously around the alley for threats.
It was his pair of alicorn wings, however, that he knew would stop any attackers from coming forth.
His name was the Collider, and he was over a thousand years old.
His horn glowed faintly with a combined spell: a flashlight spell, which allowed him to see his way through the shady streets without bumping into anything; and a tracker spell, tuned to a magical signature that he had followed into the alley. The magic led him through the streets, and he strutted towards his goal like an overzealous peacock. A grin grew on his face as he approached the destination: a windowless shop front with a sign nailed to the door:
“The Map Shoppe”
The Collider ignored the sign on the door, and instead focused on the prize he was after. The magic that he was tracking told him that the artifact was inside the shop, and nothing would stand in his way of getting it. He magicked the door open and stepped inside.
The room was small and square, and it was evident as to why the store was in the back parts of Canterlot. The only light in the shop was from a single candelabra, which did a decent job lighting up the room. Dark wood-paneled walls contrasted a moldy white marble floor. Almost every inch of floor space was given to barrels and boxes and shelves filled to the brim with scrolls of varying degrees of age, just barely providing enough room for a regular-sized pony to move around comfortably; for the Collider, he had to squeeze his way through the shop. A small number of unfurled scrolls were pinned to the walls, showing political, geographical, and historical maps of Equestria. The back of the store was dominated by a counter that was little more than a wooden box, the only things on top of it being an outdated cash register and a half-empty oat smoothie. Behind the counter, contradictory of the dark walls around it, was a brightly-colored Bohemian bead curtain, covering an open doorway.
“Hello?” the Collider called out, his tone heavy with disgust. “I’m looking for the owner of this… establishment.”
“That’d be me,” a unicorn mare answered, stepping through the curtain. Her coat was a grayish tan, her mane was a sickly olive color, and her eyes were a pale chartreuse. She had on a grubby gypsy outfit which gave off an odor that told the Collier it needed to be washed by last week. Her cutie mark was a blue-and-gold compass rose.
She gained a powerful sense of intimidation from looking at the Collider, her eyes going wide as she stared the stallion twice her height. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she sized up her guest, finally speaking once she noticed his wings.
“Er, h-hello,” she stammered out, swallowing a bead of saliva that had formed on her tongue. “My-my name is Rose Compass… I’m the owner of this store. How can I help you?”
“I’m in the market for a map,” the Collider said. His tone shifted from judgy to indifferent as he began to rifle through a barrel of scrolls. “A particular one that I was informed would be in your possession…”
“Oh, of-of course! What map are you looking for? I have countless in my--”
“The Castle of Harmony.”
Rose Compass stared at the Collider for a few seconds, her expression shifting from confusion to fear as she processed his request. Finally, she spoke.
“I’m, I’m sorry, sir…” she said, averting her eyes. “But, that map… It, it doesn’t exist.”
The Collider’s gaze turned cold in a heartbeat. He forced Rose Compass’s chin up and bent down to her level. His eyes burnt with barely-suppressed rage, and as he spoke, he did so in little more than a hiss.
“Do not lie to me.”
Rose Compass swallowed her fears, continuing in a trembly voice, “I-I’m sorry, s-s-sir,” she whimpered. “Th-that map doesn’t exist… it-it’s a legend, you see… I-I wouldn’t have--” Rose Compass suddenly stopped mid-sentence as her throat closed up. She let out a rasping choke as she grabbed at her neck, trying instinctively to free herself. She noticed, through her panic, that her neck was engulfed in a bright orange magic aura, and upon looking up, she saw that the Collider’s horn was also bright orange.
“Listen here,” the Collider said, all calm pretense abandoned. “I know for a fact that the map to the Castle of Harmony is in here. How do I know that? Because it is my legend’s map.” He lifted his wing and turned just enough to allow Rose Compass to see his cutie mark: a pattern that resembled a flower with six petals, all different colors, and a core that was a solid gold. “Now then, since this part of the legend is real and has no issues with crushing you like a bug and turning your store inside out to find the map, I recommend just giving it to me. Are we understood?”
Rose Compass nodded quickly, more terrified than she’d been in her life. As soon as the Collider released her throat, she crashed onto the floor, landing spread-eagle on her stomach. While she gasped loudly to catch her breath, she scrambled behind the desk, feeling as if she was going to be sick. She threw open a drawer and began to dig around inside, her hooves moving past useless knick-knacks and new scrolls as she hunted for the one thing that would save her life. After a short moment of searching, she felt the gentle brush of ancient parchment under her hooves, and a wave of relief passed over her as she pulled a rolled-up map. She read the letters marked ‘c of har’ on the tie holding the map into a scroll and broke into a smile. She placed the map on the counter, looking visibly relieved.
The Collider levitated the map over to himself, unfurling it to verify that it was the map he was after. A small smirk crossed his face as he closed it back up, then nodded at Rose Compass.
“Thank Celestia,” Rose Compass muttered to herself, before saying out loud to the Collider, “A-as for the fee, well, it-it’s on the house, of course!”
“As expected.” The Collider put the map away before he focused his gaze more intently on Rose Compass. “Now, onto more important things than the here and now. Should something go awry with my plan, you’ll be receiving six guests to your shop in about a week, searching for the map that you just sold me. I don’t expect this to come to pass, but I’m simply covering my bases. Tell them whatever lie you want to cover up my purchase, and do not tell them that I was ever here. Once they leave, contact me with this.” The Collider pulled out a blank sheet of parchment and placed it on the counter. “It’s enchanted so that anything you write on it will appear on a similar one in my possession. Write to me that they’re in Canterlot, and include where they’re going should they mention it.” As he turned to leave, he suddenly seemed to think of something else. “Oh, and, Miss Compass…
“Do not try to protect them. I would hate for you to receive the same treatment I have in mind for them…”
The Collider stepped out of the shop. He gave a smile of satisfaction, having completed this next part of his plan. He took out the map to the Castle of Harmony, smirking at the time-yellowed paper that he held in his magic. He had come so far to get the piece of paper that he floated in front of his face and knew that the troubles he had encountered getting it were all worth it.
And then he crumbled the map into a little ball and lit it on fire.
After ensuring that it was burnt beyond all recognition, he threw the useless scrap of paper into a nearby barrel, smirking as he trotted calmly away from the map store. He made his way back to the main streets of Canterlot and turned his gaze to the beautiful spires of Canterlot Castle. The last few phases of his plan were going to happen within its walls. Soon Equestria would be under its rightful ruler, and the Collider knew that his rule would be truly great.
Author's Note
Some of you may be confused as to why I had decided to reupload the prologue. The answer is simple: I wanted to make it clearer, cleaner, and more concise.
I hope you're satisfied with the changes I made.
The day that Astral Stream got the letter was the day everything changed.
She had opened it feeling bemused at first. Most of the ponies she knew lived in Ponyville with her, though she did have a few candidates in mind for who would write to her. Once she had opened the letter, her brother’s name immediately caught her eye, and she had broken out into a smile as she began to read.
“Dear Astral,
“It’s been a while since I last wrote. A while might be an understatement. What’s it been, six months? Almost seven, I think. I’m sure a lot has changed with you, as a lot has changed with me.
“I’m writing because I have some pretty big news. I’m being promoted! You are now hearing from the Royal Guard’s brand new first lieutenant. It still sounds surreal to me. I still think of myself as that bright-faced cadet, the one who’d do anything for his kid sister.
“I’m sure you remember all of that, though. After all, you were the reason I decided to join the Guard in the first place. And since you’re the reason I joined altogether, perhaps you’d care to join me in a celebration this Friday? Just the two of us, like old times.
“Yours, First Lieutenant Stone Shield. ”
Astral had felt elated upon reading the words that Stone had sent her. It had been over half a year since she heard from him last, and she was beginning to wonder why he hadn’t contacted her. Now that she had an explanation, she was excited again, and had immediately set about making preparations for the visit…
The sharp blast of the Friendship Express’s steam whistle jerked the midnight blue unicorn out of her reminiscing. She turned and glanced at the clock on Ponyville’s station platform -- five fifteen. She had been stuck in her head for a few minutes, and while she was thankful for the distraction from waiting, she now focused all of her attention back on the present.
The Express pulled into the train station with a screeching grind, and the train doors hissed open. A small crowd of both tourists and Ponyville natives poured out of the train, mixing with the ponies already on the platform as everybody moved to get to their destination. Astral just barely squeezed into the passenger car, managed to get a window seat, and settled in for a long train ride.
After a few moments, the steam whistle blew again, the entire train lurched forward, and the Friendship Express was on its way to Canterlot.
For most ponies, the towering spires of Canterlot Castle were a sight to behold, but Astral wasn’t interested in the castle. She supposed the first time she had seen the royal palace she was as awestruck as anyone. But now that she had been inside the castle over half a dozen times, it wasn’t anything more than another building to her, albeit a regally-decorated one.
She was more consumed by her thoughts than sightseeing as she headed up the walkway leading into the castle plaza. She wasn’t focused on her surroundings as she approached the castle. She barely even registered the guard stationed at the end of the walkway until his wing came out and blocked her path.
“Uh--” Astral started, immediately brought back to earth. “I’m sorry? Is there a problem?”
“State your name and business, please, miss,” the guard said formally, his crimson eyes boring holes into Astral.
Astral was unnerved by his intense expression. “I’m, Astral Stream… here to visit my brother, Stone Shield? The new first lieutenant?”
The guard blinked a few times before he retracted his wing, nodding politely. “Of course, miss. Go right ahead.”
“Do you mind telling me why you asked my name and business?”
“A threat has been spotted in Canterlot,” the guard explained at once; he seemed to have been expecting Astral’s question. “The castle has been placed on a state of high alert until the threat’s been dealt with. Only those with official business are allowed inside.”
Astral blinked. “A threat? What kind of threat?”
The guard shook his head. “Sorry miss, but that information is on a need-to-know basis. We don’t want to cause a panic.”
“Of course…” Astral said uncertainly. As she trotted past him, she glanced back and saw him resume the stoic posture of the guards.
Despite being put off by the guard’s unusual behavior, Astral was still determined not to let anything put a damper on her visit. Once she had entered the throne room, however, she immediately felt something was wrong.
While the castle usually had a warm, inviting feel, Astral was struck by an almost oppressive atmosphere. The castle’s grand foyer was darker than usual, lit only by candles and torches lining the walls instead of the massive chandelier hanging overhead. The stained glass windows of the five princesses at the top of the stairs were covered with a black tarp, blocking them from view entirely. An increased number of guards were stationed at every entrance and exit to the castle, all of them with emotionless expressions as they stood sentry.
Astral took a steadying breath as she walked into the grand foyer, all heads in the room turning towards her. She could feel her heart racing as she approached the door that headed out into the garden. She stopped a few feet in front of the two guards, both of their eyes the same crimson color as the guard out front. Their expressions shifted from indifferent to hostile. Astral explained what her business was within the castle, and after exchanging a look with each other, the guards stepped aside, allowing Astral to proceed to the garden.
The atmospheric changes that Astral had sensed in the foyer had also seeped into the garden. Over half of the lights lining the path were dimmed or extinguished altogether, filling Astral with a mild sense of dread. Even more guards patrolled the garden, either supervising the few gardeners working at night or just on the lookout for threats. Their expressions were identical to their comrades inside: blank and emotionless, with the exact same crimson eye color that Astral was unnerved by.
What in Equestria is going on? Astral thought, standing and observing the guards patrol the grounds. I can understand the patrols -- those threats must be serious if the princesses are increasing the ranks -- but what’s with the light? And that tarp? And the eyes?
Determined to ask Stone about the changes around the castle, Astral soldiered on, igniting her horn’s light and keeping to the path. She wore a brave expression as she trotted through the garden. Her apprehension grew, however, as every pony she passed gave her a suspicious or threatening look. Astral quickened her pace, eager to reach the familiarity of her brother.
Astral soon reached the barracks, and broke into a canter as she approached the commanding officers’. She knew that waiting behind the door was her older brother, who she was sure would explain everything to her. She grasped the door handle in her magic and pushed it open, stepping inside.
She wasn’t expecting what she found.
Astral’s eyes immediately fell on the stallion sitting on Stone’s bed. He was large, almost twice as large as Astral herself was, with a neat coat colored an ebony black. In sharp contrast to his coat, yet still adding to his ominous appearance, his mane was a rainbow of colors, ranging from a hot pink to the same shade of crimson that the guards’ eyes were, and had a magical flowing quality that Astral had only ever seen in the princesses’ manes. Yet what she found most unnerving about him was the fact that he was an alicorn.
“Who are you?” Astral demanded at once. “Why are you here?”
“Oh, finally,” the alicorn smirked. “You’ve arrived. I was starting to get bored waiting for you.”
Astral was taken aback. “Waiting for me? What do you mean? Who are you?”
“Yes, yes, who I am… It’d be rude to not introduce myself.” He stood up, staring down at Astral as he spread his wings. “I am the Collider. You must be Astral Stream.”
“How do you--”
“Patience, Astral… Is that not one of the qualities your brother taught you?”
Astral glared at the Collider. “Where is Stone, then?”
“He’s right here, of course.” The Collider gave a short whistle, and out came Stone Shield, wearing the uniform worn by the lieutenants of the guard. His expression was blank, and Astral noticed that his eyes were the same dull crimson as every other pony’s she’d encountered that night.
“That’s not Stone,” Astral said, before demanding, “What did you do to him?!”
“Oh, nothing that you should worry yourself about,” the Collider chuckled.
“You…” Astral gasped. “You’re the threat they talked about, aren’t you? The one they found in Canterlot!”
The Collider shook his head, smirking “Oh, no, Astral, it’s not me...
“You’re the threat.”
Astral took a step back, her expression hard. “I’m no threat! I don’t hurt innocent ponies, unlike you!”
The Collider plowed on as if he hadn’t heard Astral. “Yes, you’re the threat, and here in Canterlot, we take threats to our safety very seriously… I do believe the proper punishment for a criminal of your magnitude is life imprisonment.”
Astral barely had time to react before the Collider’s horn lit up, remove Astral’s saddlebags and enveloping her in a magical force so powerful she couldn’t move. She tried to struggle against it, yet as she was lifted into the air, Astral found she was frozen; the only body part she was able to move was her head. The Collider’s magic brightened, and Astral felt a searing pain in her hooves. Glancing down, she saw that her flesh and blood was being transformed into gray crystal.
Astral was being turned into a statue.
She tried her hardest not to express the agony shooting through her body, not willing to give the Collider the satisfaction that he wanted. Instead, she forced herself to speak.
“You’re not going to get away with this,” she said through gritted teeth, glaring at the Collider.
“Here’s a news flash, Astral: I already am,” the Collider answered with a derisive laugh.
Astral turned her eyes from the Collider, instead focusing on Stone, standing to one side like a broken doll. She realized that this was going to be the last time she’d see him, and unconsciously, her thoughts drifted to others she was never going to see again: Her mother, Willow, Violetta, Falcon...
Blast…
I’m sorry… she thought, hoping that her friends could hear her through the aether that separated them. But I’ll make sure he never finds you.
As suddenly as the pain had come, it stopped. Astral felt a pins-and-needles sensation in her hooves as the crystal shattered. The spell had failed, and Astral fell roughly onto the floor. Chancing a glance at the Collider, she saw that he was clutching his head and wincing in pain.
Astral grabbed her saddlebags with her magic before she sprinted out the door, her hooves pounding into the ground as she galloped away. The static sensation in her legs faded away as she rushed down the path, eager to get away from the Collider. The sound of hoofsteps coming up behind her made her increase her pace, adrenaline coursing through her body. Risking a glance behind her, Astral saw Stone approaching, his expression having changed to angry and threatening. The bloodlust in his eyes reminded Astral of a wolf hunting its prey, and as she was the quarry, she didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
“Stone!” she shouted. “What are you doing?! This isn’t you!”
“Quiet! You’re nothing more than a criminal, and a threat to my prince!”
“Your prince?! Stone, don’t you see?! He’s got you under his spell -- This isn’t you! I know you’re in there, and you would never try to hurt me!”
Astral took another glance back, hoping to see Stone come to his senses. Instead, he was gaining on her. She let out a strangled shout of fear and involuntarily sent an attack at him. A projection of a meteor came shooting out of her horn, crashing into the ground at Stone’s hooves and creating a crater. Stone tripped, allowing Astral escape into the castle ballroom.
Astral cleared the ballroom in no time at all and found herself in an unpatrolled section of hallway. She took a few moments to catch her breath and orient herself, recalling where she was, as well as where the few exits were. She moved slowly through the castle, careful to not to let herself get caught as she wandered the maze of hallways and corridors. It wasn’t much time until she found the kitchen, and she smiled to herself as she saw an exit door. Opening it, she found herself in an alley behind the castle. Astral dashed down it into the crowded main street.
Blending into the Canterlot crowd was simple enough for Astral, as her wavy black-and-blue mane matched the city at night. Her brain shifted into overdrive now that the worst part was over, attempting to organize what she just experienced into cohesive thoughts.
Who was the Collider? That was the biggest question for Astral at that moment, as she wasn’t aware that stallions could even be alicorns. She hadn’t heard or read anything about him, which she thought was strange; a sixth alicorn would be national news.
What was the spell he put on all the ponies in the castle? She didn’t know of any mind-control spells powerful enough to affect so many ponies for so long. And their eyes… They all had crimson eyes. What was that about?
Why did the Collider want her? She wasn’t anything special, as far as she knew; just an ordinary unicorn from a small town. She didn’t think her status as one of the youngest astronomers to be published would be enough for him to want to hurt her, let alone turn her into a statue.
And what was she meant to do now? She couldn’t just leave Stone in the clutches of the Collider; she cared too much about him to do that. But to charge back into the castle, with all of the guards and the Collider himself, would be suicide. If she were to save her brother, she’d need help.
While she was thinking, Astral had made her way to the airdocks. She figured that the Collider would be watching the train station for her, and she needed a way out of Canterlot. A hot air balloon seemed a perfect way.
“... moonlit ride over the plains of Equestria,” a vendor was explaining to a married couple. “Enjoy your anniversary from a pegasus’s point of view.”
“Excuse me,” Astral interrupted, walking up to the vendor. “But I need a way out of Canterlot.”
“Of course!” the vendor said, giving Astral a friendly smile. “Perhaps after these two get their--”
Astral pulled a small bag of bits, which more than covered a two-pony fare, out of her saddlebag, her expression severe. “No, I need it now. No questions asked.”
The vendor, at the sight of money, waved off the couple and set about preparing the balloon for a journey. “So where do you need to go?”
“Ponyville,” Astral said frankly, climbing into the balloon’s basket.
“Ah, Ponyville! A lovely, quaint town. Perhaps you’d enjoy visiting the Willow Groves? It’s a beautiful--”
“The Willow Groves is perfect, actually. Could you try to land there?”
The vendor gave Astral a look at her unusual request. “I… suppose, though it’ll cost a bit more.”
Astral rolled her eyes in annoyance, adding an extra ten bits to the total. “Just get me out of here.”
The vendor nodded and climbed in alongside Astral, untethering the balloon with his magic. “Ma’am, if I may, why do you need me to land IN the Willow Groves? It would be closed now.”
“The owner is a friend of mine. I need her help with something.”
“With what? Why did you need--”
“I said no questions.” Astral glared at the vendor. “Why I needed to get out of Canterlot so fast is none of your concern.”
The rest of the trip was in silence. Astral was afraid that telling the vendor anything he didn’t need to know would cause disaster, and she didn’t want to risk putting him in the Collider’s crosshairs.
Ponyville fast approached as the vendor shut off the flame, allowing the balloon to sink down. A small grove spread out underneath them, with a cottage placed close to one of the edges.
“Well, there you are. Willow Groves, just as you asked,” the vendor said, nodding at Astral. “I hope you had a pleasant flight.”
Astral just nodded back as the balloon touched down in the ponymade forest. She climbed out of the basket and walked away, indifferent to what happened to the vendor now. Astral trotted swiftly through the darkened grove, knowing her way around it by heart. She soon saw the dim light of a lamp, and as she followed it, more and more of the cottage she saw from the air came into her view. She gave a short sigh as she stepped up to the front door, knowing that there was no turning back.
Astral knocked on the door.
Author's Note
The opening part of this chapter took me forever to get right. Out of the week-long period between the prologue and the first chapter, the first THREE DAYS were spent trying to get Astral on the train.
Astral held her breath as she waited at Willow Whisper’s back door. One moment passed, then two, and as the faint echo of her knock ebbed away, worst-case scenarios started to flash through her head: that Willow wasn’t home; that Willow wouldn’t want to help; that Willow was under the influence of the Collider...
She didn’t have long to contemplate the scenarios before the back door opened a crack. An azure eye appeared in the opening, peering out at Astral.
“Astral?” the eye’s owner asked, and the door opened wider, revealing Willow, draped in a forest green bathrobe that matched her straight mane. She had evidently just rolled out of bed, as her mane was mildly disheveled. “Why are you here this late? Is everything okay?”
“No, Willow, everything is certainly not okay,” Astral sighed, shaking her head as she stepped past the almond earth mare. “I’m in trouble.”
“Trouble?” Willow gasped, placing her robe on a table. While she spoke, she worked her tail into a braid. “How can I help? What happened?”
Astral shook her head, grimacing. “We should get the gang together first; this isn’t news I want to repeat.”
“Oh, of course...” Willow said, sidling up to Astral as the unicorn trotted to the door. “Astral?” she added.
“Yes, Willow?”
“Is everything going to be alright?”
Astral took a long pause before answering. “I… don’t know, Will. But you know I’m not going to give up until I try.”
Astral magicked the door open and marched out; concerned, Willow scampered after her.
It took Astral a short while to round up all the members of her group, but soon, all five of them were assembled in the study section of the Starry Night Observatory.
The fivesome was as diverse was as a group could get, comprised of three mares and two stallions: two earth ponies, two pegasi, and one unicorn. Falcon was the earth stallion, dirt brown with a spiky dirty-blonde and orange-tipped mane, relaxed iron-colored eyes, and a cutie mark of three raptor tail feathers. Violetta, the pegasus mare, stood next to him, her magenta coat giving her the appearance of a giant piece of candy; she had an untamed mess of a plum-and-lavender mane, teal eyes, and a massive smile fitting for her nine-clouds cutie mark. The pegasus stallion Blast Wing had a cerulean coat, an unruly periwinkle-and-cornflower mane, sharp burgundy eyes, and a trio of abstract explosions for a cutie mark -- a special talent ironic for his calm demeanor, yet explained the missing tip of his left ear. Willow was nestled in next to Blast, and all four of them watched as Astral paced in front of them.
“Okay,” Astral said, looking at the assembled group, “let’s get down to business.”
Falcon yawned, “Yeah. What exactly couldn’t have waited ‘til morning?”
Astral closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she remembered what happened to her. In her mind’s eye, she was transported instantly to the darkened barrack, the Collider looming over her with a cruel, sadistic grin. “When I went to Canterlot to visit Stone, something--” she paused “-- strange happened.”
“Strange how?” Blast asked. “Strange like Stone sending you away once you arrived?”
“Strange like Stone trying to kill me.”
There was a tense moment of shocked silence, in which the four ponies reacted to the news in their own way. Willow whimpered and retreated into her mane; Violetta’s wings became half-erect; Falcon gave a small gasp, going bug-eyed; and Blast gained a sympathetic expression.
Violetta quickly broke the silence. “Kill you? That’s ridiculous -- and trust me, I know ridiculous!”
“Vi’s right, Astral,” Blast agreed. “That’s not the Stone I remember.”
“It wasn’t the Stone I remembered either, but it still happened,” Astral insisted.
“What would make Stone try and hurt you?” Willow asked. “He’s so kind and loyal…”
“Something bad must’ve happened to him,” Falcon agreed.
“I think I met that ‘something bad’ on the visit,” Astral said. “When I got to the barrack, there was another stallion in there, in addition to Stone.”
“Captain Chain Mail?” Blast asked.
Astral shook her head. “I don’t know who this stallion was, but he certainly wasn’t a friend of Stone’s…” Astral paused again. “He called himself ‘the Collider’.”
“The Collider…” Violetta contemplated. “Where have I heard that name before?”
“Nowhere I’ve read, that’s for certain,” Astral answered. “I don’t have a clue who he is.”
“Glad I’m not the only one, finally,” Falon quipped. “Maybe if we just ask him--”
Astral shook her head. “He’s not interested in talking. He… He…”
“What?” Willow said, looking concerned at Astral. “What did he do?”
Astral stared down at her hooves and paused for several seconds, before finally saying, “He… tried to turn me into a statue.”
The other four reacted as one to Astral’s news. They spoke over one another, their concerns coming out as little more than unintelligible noise. Astral felt a surge of annoyance that triggered her magic, her horn sparking as she glared daggers at the group.
“Guys, calm down!” she shouted, immediately silencing them. “We’ll never figure this out if we’re talking over each other.”
“Tried to turn you into a STATUE?” Blast asked, disbelieving. “No way he has magic that powerful. He’d have to be an alicorn, and there’s --”
“He was.”
“So what are we going to do?” Willow asked. “We can’t go up against an ALICORN…”
“Not unless we want to get thrown in the dungeons for the rest of our lives,” Falcon said.
“But we can’t just do nothing!” Astral asserted. “Stone’s in danger; I’d rather be turned into a statue instead of turn my back on him.”
“We may not have to!” Violetta cut in, grinning broadly. “I just remember where I heard the name ‘the Collider’ from.”
“Where?” Astral asked. “Where’d you read it?” She turned to an array of bookcases, filled to the brim with textbooks. “I’m sure I have it somewhere--”
“Not a book,” Violetta shook her head.
“Not a book?” Falcon cocked his head to the side. “Where’d you hear it, then?”
Violetta gave a vague smile as she strolled to the door, refusing to elaborate further. After a few seconds of staring expectantly at her, the other four followed.
They followed the blithe pegasus out of Ponyville, their frustration growing with every step they took. Finally, Astral voiced what they were all thinking.
“Violetta, for Celestia’s sake, where are you taking us?”
“Just a little further,” Violetta chirped.
Astral growled and swallowed her retort, falling back in line. The five ponies continued walking in silence until a small building, little more than a shed, came into view. Violetta turned to face the group, beaming.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, I present to you--” she paused for dramatic effect “-- Silver Spirits, the stallion who is going to solve all our problems.”
“Silver Spirits?” Falcon glanced at the shed. “That healer from Canterlot? The one who hates ponies?”
“He doesn’t HATE ponies,” Violetta corrected. “He just prefers to be alone.”
“How do you even know him?” Blast asked.
“Because I was his welcoming committee when he first moved to Ponyville!”
“Of course you were,” Astral said, shaking her head. “So you’re sure this Silver can help us with the Collider?”
Violetta nodded. “Absolutely. Besides, we don’t have any other ideas, so he’s worth a shot.”
She trotted up to Silver’s door and knocked. A muffled complaint sounded, followed by quiet clops. The door was suddenly magicked open, revealing a unicorn stallion that everyone assumed was Silver.
Fitting for his name, Silver’s coat was a dull silver, with a matching dark grey mane that looked like it hadn’t been combed in years. His cutie mark was one that only Astral recognized: an iron blue alchemist’s symbol for sulfur. His olive eyes, as well as his posture, showed that he was annoyed at his late-night visitors.
“It’s midnight,” Silver groused.
“Heya, Sil!” Violetta chirped. Silver gave her a cold glare, and she chuckled nervously.”We, kinda need your help…”
“Again: It’s midnight. What’s so important that it couldn’t wait until morning?”
Violetta nodded at Astral. “It’s her brother… He’s, kinda under some kind of curse that’s causing him to do things that he wouldn’t normally do.”
“Can’t help you,” Silver said bluntly. “I’m a healer, not a curse-breaker.” He turned, his horn glowing as he tried to close the door. Astral’s horn also lit up, stopping the door. She forced it back open, her face twisted into an expression of rage.
“Listen here, you,” Astral spat. “Violet said that you’re the only one who can help me break the curse that the Collider put on him, so you’re kind of my only hope. So if you don’t help me, I swear to Luna…”
“Hold on, hold on.” Silver held up a hoof to stop Astral. “Did you say ‘the Collider’?”
Astral paused, blinking in shock. “Yes, I did. So what do you know about him?”
Silver gave a resigned sigh, opening the door fully. “You might as well come in.”
“Why don’t you come out?” Blast suggested nervously, staring up at the building. “This house doesn’t feel very structurally--”
“Just come in!”
Despite Blast’s concerns, the five ponies corralled into the tiny house. It was furnished in an average manner, except for the various alchemical devices lining the wall and the cauldron in the fireplace. Silver went over to a bookshelf, reading the spines of the books as he spoke.
“So, you encountered a pony who called himself the Collider, right?” he asked without looking up.
Astral nodded. “Yes. Who is he? I’ve never heard anything about him, which is usually for me.”
“You wouldn’t have heard much about him in the first place,” Silver answered, as he took an ancient book off the shelf. “He lived over a thousand years ago.”
“Over a thousand years ago?” Blast asked. “Like, with Princess Celestia and Luna?”
“Before them, even,” Silver said as he placed the book on a table. It was a diary of some sort. “He lived around the same time Equestria was first founded.”
“So is that his diary?” Willow asked.
Silver shook his head. “This journal once belonged to a unicorn stallion named Snowsheet -- the best friend of the former Prince Rapport, who you know as the Collider.”
“Where’d you even get that?” Astral asked.
“A friend from Canterlot,” Silver answered, refusing to elaborate further. He opened the journal, which was written in an unrecognized language.
“What IS that?” Falcon asked.
“It’s Old Ponish…” Astral muttered, glancing at Silver. “How old is this journal?”
“Older than Princess Luna,” Silver replied. “Snowsheet and Rapport were some of the first ponies to move to Equestria after its founding, and that’s around when the journal starts.”
“Okay, so, who’s the Collider?” Blast said.
“As I mentioned, the Collider was once Prince Rapport, the Prince of Harmony,” Silver began. “When he ruled, he embraced the powers of the Elements of Harmony to protect Equestria. Now, here’s where the story gets interesting…” Silver gave a slight grin. “According to Snowsheet, Rapport was one of the creators of the Elements.”
“I thought it was the Pillars of Equestria who created them?” Astral said.
“No, the Pillars’ magic is what’s behind the power of the Elements, but apparently, the spell that converted their Elements into the Elements of Harmony was cast by Rapport. This was what gave Rapport his wings.”
“So Rapport was a good guy,” Violetta said. “What turned him bad?”
Silver flipped to a page near the end of the book, and read, “‘Rapport’s been acting strange lately, almost resentful towards Princess Celestia. I finally asked him what he was so upset about, and he said that Celestia didn’t know how to lead Equestria. He said that he’d be able to do better, if only she weren’t in the way. I don’t know what he meant by that, but I hope he’s not going to do anything rash.’” He looked up at the rest of the assembled ponies. “This was one of the last entries that mentioned Rapport. The only other one this far in just read ‘Rapport is gone’.”
“What did Snowsheet mean by that?” Willow asked, tilting her head. “‘Didn’t know how to lead Equestria’... Celestia’s a great Princess.”
“Rapport must’ve felt resentful towards the Princesses,” Silver reasoned. “He apparently thought his power was more than enough to constitute him as Equestria’s rightful -- and only -- leader. My guess is, with his return, he’s already dealt with all five of OUR princesses.”
“This still doesn’t explain why he wanted to hurt Astral, though,” Violetta said. “She’s just another astronomer. Why would she be in his crosshairs?“
“And what are we supposed to about him, or Stone?” Astral added. “I can’t lose my brother -- I just can’t.”
“Very touching,” Silver said, barely suppressing a sneer, “but I believe the answer is in the past. When Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon, Princess Celestia banished her using the Elements of Harmony. Who’s to say she didn’t do the same to Rapport, or ‘the Collider’?
“So what are you saying?” Falcon said. “Get the Elements…”
“And you beat the Collider,” Silver finished.
“And get Stone back,” Astral added.
“Guys, the Elements disappeared a long time ago,” Blast said. “How are we supposed to use them against the Collider if we can’t even find them?”
“Luckily, Snowsheet already thought of that.” Silver flipped instantly to another page and read, “‘Rapport’s been focused on the task of finding ponies responsible enough to uphold the virtues of the Elements. I believe I’ve come up with a spell that can do just that… But it will require keys.’“
“Keys? Like, door keys?” Willow asked.
“I don’t think so,” Silver said. “A few of the records of Princess Twilight’s battle with Lord Tirek mention six items -- a spool of thread, a flower, a coin, et cetera -- that unlocked a chest. My guess is, you’re looking for something similar.”
“Don’t suppose Snowsheet mentioned what they are,” Falcon said with a nervous chuckle.
Silver shook his head no. “But I think I can figure out where they are. He added a spell that works with the magic the Tree of Harmony uses to locate the keys. All we need is a map…”
“This is bad. This is a bad idea,” Willow fussed.
The group had gone straight to the Castle of Friendship after their visit to Silver’s. Its usually-inviting atmosphere was all but gone in the absence of Princess Twilight. Silver trotted up the steps and pulled on the door handle, which refused to give way: it was locked.
“Locked?” Willow gave a sigh of relief. “Oh, well, let’s go try and find another-- what are you doing?”
Silver’s horn lit up as he bent down to the handles. Faint clicking sounds could be heard before the entire door swung open, magically unlocked. “Lockpicking spell, obviously.”
Astral gave an impressed whistle as the group followed Silver inside. “You’ve got to teach me how to do that.”
“It’s basically just a levitation spell on the pins inside the door.” Silver shrugged. “Nothing complicated.”
They proceeded through the hall and into the main throne room, where the Cutie Map, blank as a regular table, sat in the middle of a circle of seven thrones. Silver immediately made his way over to Princess Twilight’s throne, plopping himself down into the chair. The others nervous sat around the table at the other five pony thrones.
“So how’s this work?” Falcon asked. “You just shoot the Map, and it shows you where the Elements are?”
“In… layman’s terms, yes,” Silver nodded.
He opened the journal to the page where the spell was scribbled down, his eyes scanning it as his horn glowed. A beam of magic soon shot out of his horn, hitting the tabletop. A light blue glow spread across the table as a map of Equestria manifested itself. The magic wasn’t done, however, as more beams shot out of the cutie marks on the thrones, bathing six cities in multicolored light: Coltarcas, Manehattan, Stratusburg, Vanhoover, Fillydelphia, and Canterlot.
“There’s our answer,” Astral said. “Those must be where the keys are.”
“I was hoping for more of an answer as to what we were searching for,” Blast said. “Manehattan’s a huge city; it’d take us forever to find the key there.”
“At least we’re working on familiar ground for some of us!” Violetta said. “Fal’s from Manehattan, I’m from Stratusburg, Silver’s from Canterlot... Couldn’t be more perfect!”
“Sorry?” Silver scowled. “Are you seriously suggesting for me to come along with you?”
“Well… yeah,” Violetta nodded. “I mean, you’re kinda the resident expert on the Collider!”
“Plus, we need six ponies for the Elements to work,” Astral added.
“You’re kind of important…” Willow muttered.
“C’mon, dude,” Falcon urged. “It’ll be fun. Six friends riding across Equestria, huntin’ for the things to save our hides...”
“Are you in or not?” Blast asked, trotting over to Silver, and holding out his hoof. The other four walked up as well, joining the pile.
Silver stared at the hoof pile, then at the map, and finally at the five ponies assembled around him. Finally, he let out a reluctant sigh and placed his hoof on top of the pile.
“Fine. But only to stop the Collider,” he insisted. “Nothing more.”
“Good enough for me!” Violetta said, throwing her hooves up with the others in a symbol of togetherness.
“Just go home, get some rest, and get ready,” Silver said to the group at large. “We’ve got a long trip ahead.”
Author's Note
The plot thickens. Some very meaty exposition here, which took me a while to figure out how to phrase without it sounding boring. Let's hope I did a good job!
