Revelations in the Mirrorby TheTimeLordWriterChaptersMirrorsHaunted MemoriesMoral ConflictsMirrors“Curse those Princess! They think they can banish me? I’ll punish them all for this!” “Master, I won’t let you do that.” “You think you will rise against me too, young one? How pathetic. Remember who taught you your magic? I did! Did that Princess Luna get into your head? Do you think you suddenly have what it takes to beat me? That Princess was setting you up for death.” “At least, Master, I will stall you.” “My name is Bloodstone…and I failed.” A dark grey-blue pony awoke from her dream. She was small, no bigger than an average unicorn. Her horn held icy blue stripe that spiraled to the tip. Her eyes were the same icy blue that was nearly white at the center. Her mane was midnight blue with a stripe of white blue starting on the left side down the back of the hair. The mane was short on the left side but around the middle of her neck switched to the right where it flowed extremely long. One strand of hair that was parted by the right ear settled down her forehead and was white. Her dark blue fur tinted to lighter blue near her hooves. Her chest held some heaver fur which was white in color that ran down her under belly where a lighter gray-blue fur changed to white. Her tail was long and choppy at the tips with one stripe turned from icy blue on the outside to white on the inside. Her flank held sword cutie mark with its thick blade that was flat on one side. The sharp edge was blood red. Three magic sparks circled the hilt of the sword. She was in a misty room of white, and it never ended no matter what direction you took. The mare let her hair fall over her face as she lowered her head, one ear flicking before she slowly moved forward. As she walked, mirrors appeared. The first one appeared out of the mist in front of her. “Holder of magics, The Dark Mare, Servant of Sombra, Daughter of Shifting Moon and Crystal Meadow, how do you plead?” “Guilty.” Her voice was strong but soft in tone. Her eyes lifted to see the golden armored Stallion. “To what?” “Serving King Sombra in his enslavement of the crystal ponies and betraying him at the end. I am Bloodstone, master of Shifting Magic. I plead guilty to all I have done.” “To the banishing of the crystal empire?” She glared at him. “I had nothing to do with that.” “Do you believe your punishment is over?” “The question is…do you?” She answered only for the image in the mirror to disappear. Suddenly mirrors shot up from the ground, creating a massive maze of mirrors. There were three paths ahead of Bloodstone. She went through the middle while two red blurs separated on each side of her and went through the left and right paths. One red blur turned into Bloodstone’s special transformation form. A large four-legged beast roamed through the mirror halls. Its face resembled a wolf-lion mix. Its ears were that of wolves with three light blue and white feathers sticking up from behind, its body was that of a lion with the same coloration of that of her pony form, only there was a thick layer of dark purple fur from the neck toward the back that hung off the shoulders and speckled in blue. Its front legs were that of a lion with red claws while the back legs were that of a wolf. On its back where two dark grey-blue wings with the tips of the feathers colored red. The middle spine of the feathers was red. The tail was the shape of a lion’s tail with thick fur that covered the top to the fluff of blackish red fur on the tip. The beast roamed watching with blue eyes and irises of red. Down the left path was a humanoid form. Her hair was dark bluish-grey with one streak of ice blue and one streak of red. One strand of bangs was white. Her clothing was black and red, a cloak, knee tall boots, and a sword strapped to her side. Her cutie mark was a symbol on the leather strap of her shoulder. She wore a red gem necklace. Her eyes were the same icy blue. The pony version kept walking, the mirrors started to reflect fuzzy forms. Some of them reflected a dark and enslaved crystal empire with hateful eyes of ponies following her movements, some displayed her as a foal when taken from her parents by Sombra and raised in her mysterious magic, while some of them showed the Princesses with Celestia looking mistrustful while the other was disappointed. All the mirrors started to speak with words of fear, hate, pain. Bloodstone kept walking forward. The human form looked insecure. She showed the most emotion and the true emotion of Bloodstone. She kept walking with the words from the mirrors turning to loud noise. Suddenly, she stopped and covered her ears. The Beast started to growl with her ears pinned back as she tried to block out the noise. She looked back as the mirrors suddenly started shattering. Her ears perked up, and she dashed forward in a race to get out of there. The mare flicked her ears back behind her to hear shattering mirrors. Without looking back, she took off in a run. The hallway started to curve before splitting into more paths. She raced through a random one turning left and right as she kept running. The voices of her fear, her anger, and her pain echoed behind her. The voice of her fear was Luna’s, the voice of her anger was Sombra’s, and the voice of her pain was Celestia’s. The human broke off in a run as well with tears slipping from her eyes and screams pouring from her mouth. All three took different paths that widened and narrowed at random points, twisting and turning until they seemed to be uselessly leading nowhere. “I am Bloodstone, I served Master Sombra as he trained me in my rare magic. I am not innocent, I am not loyal, and I am not burdened, pitied, or sad. I am me in this never-ending maze of mirrors. I am not orphaned, and I am not evil. My situation was not ideal, but I will move on…” The three paths started to turn toward one another. All three versions of Bloodstone were still racing against the shattering glass. A dust of sparkling white and blue started to follow them. In turn, each of them sped up to out-run it. The three paths lead to one room with one large mirror in the middle of it. As the three entered the room, the human and beast merged with the pony and the only one in the room. The mirror displayed her last battle. Bloodstone’s horn glowed red as the sword on her flank suddenly started to appear. The blade cascading to life until she tilted the blade solidifying the whole thing. Bloodstone narrowed her eyes at Sombra as he laughed at her. “You think your little sword can scare me? Who taught you to summon it, to wield it?” “You, Master, but this sword will stop you. The Princesses will be here soon to banish you.” Bloodstone hissed out. “I think not.” Bloodstone charged with her hooves echoing on the crystal ground as Sombra followed the charge. Her blade hit is horn as the two stared down one another with neither one giving way. “You are weak.” “Speak your curse words elsewhere. I will not fall into your dilutions.” Bloodstone spat at him. “But your fear is so great.” “It is your own fear that you sense!” Bloodstone shouted as she slashed her sword away from his horn and down horizontally at his side. He evaded it and blasted his dark magic at her. She moved her sword to block it. The magic dissipated as it hit the red blade. Bloodstone narrowed her eyes as she charged again. This time, she teleported right before she met Sombra’s horn again. She appeared behind him, but Sombra turned and used his back hooves to kick her down. Bloodstone’s sword clattered away from her as her magic lost its grip. She curled in one leg while she stood up. She panted as she looked at Sombra. He blasted his magic at her, but she quickly brought up a red magic barrier. He kept blasting his magic on it. With each hit Bloodstone’s face became tenser. Suddenly it broke, and the magic hit Bloodstone. Bloodstone slid across the floor a few feet with the signs of green flames spouting from her eyes. Sombra turned only to get hit with a blast of magic. He stumbled forward to see that his enemy’s eyes were normal. “How?” He growled out. “You think I haven’t learned to combat that little trick, Master?” “Hmph, it doesn’t matter.” He said as he charged back at her. Dark Crystals suddenly sprouting all around Bloodstone. With only a few moments to think, she grabbed her sword with magic and swung it all around breaking the crystal before she slashed down at Sombra. She hit his horn and caused a small crack. However, Sombra had been charging a powerful spell, and he blasted it at her. The spot where she had once been was smoking with left over magical energy. The last spell he ever caste soon banished all the crystal empire. “And this is my never-ending prison, my punishment for betraying King Sombra.” Bloodstone stated as she slowly reached and touched the mirror with her hoof. The mirror only showed her reflection as her hoof fell away. Her ice blue eyes staring emotionless back at herself. She closed her eyes and turned to leave the room like she always did for all the thousand years she had been banished here. She didn’t notice, but the mirror behind her showed Princess Luna staring back at her solemnly. Bloodstone stopped before her horn began to glow red. She turned and shot at the mirror shattering it completely and leaving only the frame. That’s when magic started to form into the frame turning into a swirling portal. Bloodstone blinked before she carefully walked toward the portal. She narrowed her eyes and examined it up and down. After a few minutes of this, she finally walked through leaving only a darkening abyss behind her. “Sister, she has returned.” The Lunar princess stated as a foggy form of herself remained in the mirror realm. “Yes, Dear Luna…she has.” The blackness started to seep throughout the world with only one final flash of sunlight before it all went black. Author's Note Disappears into the night. I REGRET NOTHING! Haunted Memories"Time Travel is easy, one only needs to look at their memories and remember that specific time. Like photographs they can capture moments and lock them away for all eternity to be viewed as often as one wishes, but like many things they can trap you in the past in a never-ending time loop. My memories haunt me, but they will not hold me." Bloodstone felt her whole body falling before she was thrown out of a doorway. Her body hit crystal flooring with a smack. She groaned as her whole body ached. She opened her eyes to see a dark unicorn with green glowing eyes staring at her. In a panic she jerked up, but the figure disappeared into the doorway she just came from before the door slammed shut and disappeared. Her breathing was quick as she slowly processed what had happened. She slowly stood up on shaky legs. It wasn't easy to transverse dimensions; sometimes it would leave you exhausted. "I'm...free." Her voice echoed through the dark room. Her ear flickered before she turned to look at her surroundings. It was dim, but thankfully not void of light. There appeared to be a window casting light down onto a staircase leading up. She was in a dungeon of some sort. It was probably one of Sombra's pocket dimensions within the castle itself. She remembered a particular one where the staircase led on forever. She shook herself out and looked at the staircase before her horn glowed in order to study the magic on it. She grunted as she approached the staircase and waved her hoof over it. She blinked as dark crystals appeared on the steps. She backed away from it with narrowed eyes. Those sucked out the magic of those they touched. Not only would it be painful, but it would suck her dry before she reached the top, if there was even a top to begin with. He truly loved to reuse old tricks, stubborn old stallion he was. Sombra found it necessary to barricade her this way? Did he think she was but a foal who would not check? She had to get out before her "master" returned to find she escaped. She looked around the empty room before her horn glowed once more. She scanned the area with her magic before a wall seemed to bend inward at her search. She approached it before tapping her hoof on it. It sounded real, but illusions was his specialty. "Too bad you taught me well." She grumbled as she closed her eyes and let her horn glow brighter and brighter. The red glow from her horn engulfed her before a long hum rang out. The wall before her glowed with green inscriptions. She read them through her magic and annualized them all. It was something that took years to learn, but most magical users could do it with some time. Reading through your magic and not your eyes cut reading time by 90% and made it so you could read multiple books at once. However, it all depended on how fast you could process the information. If you could not process the words fast enough, it made the whole spell useless. Bloodstone bit her lip as she read through the inscription before she opened her eyes and looked sadly at the wall. The inscription stated that the betrayer could pass through, but not without pain following her every step. It was not a complex spell as she could easily remove it, but the spell was not Sombra's intention. No, he was stabbing at her specifically. "Can you blame me so easily, Master?" She whispered as she pinned her ears back. "It was not easy for me, either." She shook her head as she looked around the room. "Don't you get it? Even you are not that heartless!" She stomped her hoof on the ground and listened to her voice echoing off the walls. She flinched as she heard her pain clearly. It reminded her too soon about the world she just came from and the echos of the voices screaming within. Did he think it was easy to betray him? No, that was one of her sins and a great one that weighed heavily on her mind. She turned back to the enchanted wall. She did not have time to shout at echoes. If the princesses were successful, than she would have to escape the crystal ponies' wrath. If they were not, her master would still rule these lands. If he found her, it would be a fate worse than one she had just come from. She quickly broke the enchantment before a hole in the wall appeared in front of her. She heard a door opening from the staircase above. Flight quickly took hold and caused her to run into her escape route without further thought. Panic was not one thing Bloodstone was known for, but in this situation was it not required? Action without thought can be the line between life and death, and right now Bloodstone thought she was in that kind of situation. "Did you hear that?" A crystal guard asked as he looked down the staircase. He was a shining purple hue with silver armor. His armor displayed the Empire emblem which was the crystal heart at his chest. His helmet covered up grey mane. He was a unicorn as his horn stuck out from the helmet of his armor. Another guard took notice and approached his partner. He had a yellowish hue to his coat in his crystal pony form. He was an earthpony and stood slightly taller than his unicorn partner. His mane was bluish silver covered by his armor. He stood a little behind looking at the strange door that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Um...where did this door come from anyways?" The earth pony guard asked as the two stallions looked down the stairs together. "Hey! What are you two doing?" Another male voice scolded from behind them. The two stallions jumped as they both looked at the white unicorn stallion with a blue mane. "S-sorry, Shining Armor...Sir." The unicorn stuttered out as he tried to recover from the scare. The other guard composed himself a lot more quickly. "Just another one of... his doors, sir. We thought we heard something coming from down there." He stated as he glanced down the steps. "This place is still crawling with his magical traps." The guard pony shivered. "Which is why we are still scanning the castle constantly." Shinning Armor stated as he looked through the door. His horn glowed which showed the dark crystals protruding from the steps. "Seal this up immediately! I cannot have anyone accidentally slipping through this door especially not Flurry Heart." The mention of the new princess foal instantly set the guards into action. With a spell from the unicorn guard the door disappeared. Shining Armor nodded before he turned. "Good work." He stated as he moved off in a trot. The guard ponies glanced at each other before setting back to work. Bloodstone kept racing through the tunnel before she stopped as she reached an old room. She slowed to a trot as her hoof-steps echoed in the dusty room. She looked around the ancient books before she recognized the room as Sombra's old laboratory. It held all kinds of old equipment. She quickly lit some candles with her magic before she looked at the room closer. One side of the room was one long crystal counter that held off two feet from the ground on the wall. There were tubes and stone inscriptions scattered about the counter. She looked to the center of the room where stone pillars held bowls. Even from here she could still smell the faint scent of blood. She looked over at a stone slab that was stained a dark brown. Many ponies had died here and that seemed to chill the air. Curses rested upon this place. Bloodstone could feel the magic of the resonating anger from Sombra's victims. Angry memories had turned to magic and created a vortex that could lead to one's misfortune. The curse of the dead. Of course Sombra would lead her here. Even in the real world, she was still his pawn to toss about however he pleased. It pleased him to remind her just what she had let him do, what she was responsible for. His sins were hers, and his anger for her could possibly still be restless. Sombra walked around the room as he held up a stone as he wrote his findings in his own code. He watched what appeared to be a crystallized light on one of the stone pillars. His eyes turned to look as Bloodstone walked in. He smirked as he noticed the tremble in her body as she stepped through the doorway. He chuckled darkly as his tongue ran over his fangs. "Look at this...the body is gone, but this consciousness can be separated and contained. The essence of their lives can be sealed away, or perhaps into a more useful form. Could it be a key to immortality for us poor mortals? Bloodstone tried to shake off the anger emitting from the crystal. Whatever poor soul he sealed in there probably had a painful death. She glanced at the corpse on the other side of the room. It was barely recognizable as the skull was ripped open and key organs scattered about. He probably ripped the pony a part alive in order to gain the spirit that now was sealed in that crystal. She had become numb to such scenes, but the emotion coming from the sealed away spirit chilled her. "What use is immortality be if it came at the cost of a physical form? You could do nothing." Sombra sighed at her before he turned to look at his pupil. "Magic can still be assessed in this form. It is not a physical ability but a spiritual one. Remember what I taught you!" He huffed before he turned and let his eyes glow with a green mist. He shoot a dark beam at the crystal. His eyes widened as the spirit seemed to scream before fading to the dark magic and changing from a light color to a dark twisted mix of black and green. Bloodstone blinked though she hid her flinch at the ghostly scream. She slowly approached carefully almost too carefully for Sombra's liking. She examined the tainted spirit with her ears pinned back and her head held low. "It appears anger leaves them vulnerable to corruption." "So it does." Sombra sang as he held his head up triumphantly. He seemed almost giddy at his success. He did always love science and magic, no matter what form. "Good observation. This is the first success I have had at corrupting these crystal ponies. Even after they die they are disobedient. I suppose tonight they all may rest for this good fortune of mine." He smiled at her before approaching and nodding to her. Bloodstone tried not to notice the blood staining his fur and mane. He trotted around her in circles. He tended to forget himself whenever there were new discoveries like this. These were moments Bloodstone remembered best, moments where he seemed truly himself. Bloodstone tried to remain as stone faced as possible, for the spirit now sung a haunting tune. The song was of pure hatred, a hate that could easily kill. She glanced at the spirit and jumped back as two eyes formed outside the crystal. Sombra stopped in his tracks before he turned to the crystal and growled out. He zapped it with his magic before the spirit once again settled. His good mood gone, he now stood with his usual intimidating stature and hate-filled his eyes. "It...appears seals fade fast on spirits." Bloodstone stated as she tried to calm herself. "Interesting..." Sombra suddenly smiled wide. "Magic does not effect spirits as much as physical ponies, and yet their magic can be just as strong as in their physical form. A new type of magic perhaps, not tethered by the physical strain it takes to cast spells?" Sombra's mood suddenly shifted back to excitement as Bloodstone felt a cold chill down her back...or was that just his breath? She turned to look at her master as he smiled down at her. One thing she also noticed about him, he did like sharing his accomplishments. Perhaps that is why he kept her around? Bloodstone shook off the memory. She did not even notice she had started shaking again. Tremors when through her muscles as if a chill had soaked into her. She turned and trotted out the door. She quickly activated her magic and ran it over her coat. She flicked her head up as she glared at the ghostly black that came off of her fur. The spirit seemed to chuckle at her. She tossed it back into the wall with a toss of her head as she glared at it. "You cannot haunt me, little spirit. There is no more room." She stated as she looked straight ahead of her. At least now she knew where she was. There was another thing that room cleared up. Sombra was no longer here or else his lab would not be covered in dust. She was safer than before, but not safe enough for her to carelessly continue on. She snuffed out the old candles with her magic before shutting the door quietly. She proceeded on with the red glow of her magic lighting her way. She was currently under the crystal castle which meant all she had to do was go up. Author's Note So, this kind of goes more in depth with what kind of world I am establishing and a peek into Sombra's personality in this one. I like to give my villains a little flare. They need to have a bit more than "Oh I'm evil and I'm grouchy." So, Bloodstone and Sombra's relationship should be interesting to study, and clearly I am not pulling any punches. Bloodstone is not an innocent pony, and she knows that very well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Moral ConflictsOur actions lay stings that create a web of our life. Each decision lays dormant until the string is plucked and shown in the light. The web can either fall apart or sparkle in beauty. One can only hope that even after some strings are broken that their web can rely what lies at their heart...but some would still have it hidden. A white alicorn with long bright colored mane flowing down sat on her throne alone. The throne was large and made of gold with a red carpet that flowed from her seat down the center of the large room. On each side of the carpet was stain glass windows by which the sun shined their bright golds, blues, and purples onto the white marble floor below. The only sound came from the water that flowed from below the four platforms below the main throne. Sunlight cascaded in to shine the room in a gold color before a cloud moved over and the throne room was dim for a moment. Celestia, who had been working on a new trade proposal for the Yaks, halted her writing. It wasn't often she was alone in the throne room, but she required solitude to handle this matter with delicacy. However, her thoughts where still focused on The Crystal Empire. The Crystal Ponies could be very mistrusting and easily panicked. Sombra's rule had left scars that even could block Celestia from forming a strong bond with the empire. Cadence could only do so much, but since Celestia had failed to save the empire from banishment she had been shed in an unpleasant light. They called her weak, they called her manipulative. How could she be so powerful? They held little respect for her, and thus were suspicious of everything she did. Celestia's lost her concentration and the quill fell from her magical grip. She blinked and grabbed it once more in her golden magic. She sighed as she let her smile subside in her solitude. How should she handle Bloodstone's return? That pony could do...had done horrific things. King Sombra had his own dark magic fuel her magical growth for so long. How can she trust this pony? Yet, she had been the one to suggest reformation for Discord, was she not? Discord was a powerful being, and this was a mere unicorn. She certainly cannot change reality, but even Discord's mischief held a line, but this pony had crossed the line before. Still, she had been trapped for many years in a realm beyond realms, one made to be a personal hell. Luna had been able to access it only in a limited manor, but enough to observe Bloodstone and keep watch in case she returned. When Luna felt a shift in that realm, she had grabbed Celestia from her dream and they both watched Bloodstone escape. Celestia shook her head before her ears perked up at the sound of hoof-steps. She turned to look at her right as Luna came from a secret door behind the throne. Celestia was surprised to see her awake at this hour. "Luna, what are you doing up?" Luna let out a yawn. "Am I not involved in the current situation?" She looked around the throne room and took notice that not even the Royal Guard was in the room. She glanced at Celestia questionably. Celestia sighed. "I needed silence." She added before she waved a hoof to her sister. "I have informed the Crystal Empire of the situation. If they have not captured her now, they will soon." "And what then?" Luna stated as she walked up the throne to sit beside Celestia. "She has served a sentence." "That doesn't mean she has changed." "You know..." Luna stated as she looked around the empty room. "This room is much to large." Celestia blinked before she chuckled at her sister. Luna's tired mind was having a hard time focusing, or perhaps she was trying to lift her spirits? "I suppose it seems that way when alone like this." She glanced at Luna. Luna held a smirk before her face turned serious. "You should have Bloodstone brought here." "Here?!" Celestia nearly recoiled back. "Whatever for?" She stated as she stared at Luna. "So, I can watch her." Luna said with slight irritation lacing her voice. She shifted uncomfortably as her tired eyes stared in front of her. Luna's left ear swiveled toward Celestia. "I beg your pardon?" Celestia asked as she blinked a few times. "Well, not me specifically..." Luna stated before she turned to smile at Celestia, but it was not a happy smile. "I once asked her to face a monster, and she faced that monster knowing she would fail. I thought...." Luna lowered her head and her ears pinned back. Celestia's heart wrenched for a moment. "...I put her in that prison." Luna's brow furrowed. Celestia shook her head. "She was not innocent." She looked at Luna seriously. "One action cannot make up for what she had done." "Perhaps." Luna stated. "But she does feel like my responsibility." Celestia shook her head. "You are much too hard on yourself." Celestia knew what it felt like, however, because she herself felt very responsible for Luna. After all that had happened, guilt still carried in her heart. "Are you any better?" Luna asked with a smirk. "It is not that simple, Luna. The Crystal Empire will be in an uproar if we take her here. She is their enemy and an enemy of Equestria, and I doubt that mindset will change." "It seems your own mindset needs changed." Luna stated as she stood up. "You are constantly watched, but I am not. I can take this responsibility. I will take her under my care." "Luna..." Celestia looked incredibly worried. "The backlash..." "Is nothing to the possible potential this pony has. You believe in your subjects that shine in the light, but I know those in the dark." Luna stated as she eyed Celestia. "In the dark, there is very little to see on the outside, but you learn to look a little deeper." Celestia bit her lip. "I... will trust you on this, Luna. However, I will ask Cadence to release her to us. There is no reason why this should only be on you." Luna coughed and cleared her throat. "I already talked to Cadence about who will be taking charge of this. She...err already has agreed to release her to me." Luna smiled wide before making a quick exit. "WHAT?!" A pink alicorn paced around her throne room. It was made of blue crystal with a purple carpet flowing down the center. Her throne was similar in design to Celestia's, but her throne was made of crystal and not gold. Her wings twitched at her side in her agitation. She had gotten word that there was a unicorn loose in her castle, one that had dealings with Sombra. She could not calm until she was sure Bloodstone was contained. Luna had stated that this pony should be treated as a threat, but not to harm her. Celestia had left a brief description of who this pony was, and suggested this be kept as quiet as possible as to not alarm the Crystal Ponies. Her subjects were a very loving people, but anything to do with Sombra could spark many...MANY problems. Her ears lifted in alert as she looked as her husband walked through the doors. "Shining Armor!" She ran up and gave him a hug. "Any news?" Shining Armor frowned. He hated seeing Cadence in such a worried state. "Not yet, but we are looking. She couldn't have gotten very far. This castle only has so many places to hide." He stated as he rubbed the back of his neck. Cadence sighed and pulled away from him. He watched her before he stood up a little taller. "We'll find her, Cadence." "That is not all I am concerned about. Perhaps it would be better to let her flee." Cadence stated as she dropped onto her hunches and bowed over in her exhaustion. "Let a war criminal go?!" Shining Armor trotted up to his wife in both shock and concern. He placed a hoof under her chin and tilted her head to look at him. "It's more complicated than that!" Cadence threw up her front hooves. "She's been imprisoned for a very long time." "That didn't stop Discord..." Shining armor stated flatly as he raised one eyebrow and let his hoof fall from her face. "Or Tirek, or even Nightmare Moon before the elements of harmony changed her back to Luna." He pointed at her with his hoof. "Trust me, this pony is a threat, and we cannot believe she has changed just because she's been trapped. Many of the Crystal Ponies still don't remember all of what Sombra did, but I've still heard stories about this, this Bloodstone." Cadence shivered at the mention of her name. Sometimes her husband could be so cynical, but the weight of her cutie mark did not give her the luxury. "Luna wants to transport her to Canterlot. To release her into another's judgement will not sit well with anypony, but it is what I must do." Shining Armor straightened up. "Princess Luna? Why would she want that?" He narrowed his eyes. "She said she wants to watch her and reform her." "That's like trying to reform Sombra." Shining Armor stated in disbelief. "We can't just hand her over!" He pointed his hoof at her and narrowed his eyes. "We have too. She would not be safe here, and she would cause panic if we imprisoned her. They will not believe they are safe until she is dead." "It's not safe to have her there." He pointed his hoof behind him in the general direction of Equestria...or so he thought. Okay, it was more of a representation than actual directions. Cadence shook her head. "Princess Luna seems to think it is worth the risk." "We should hold her until we can be sure she will comply." He pressed, but Cadence was having none of it. "Can you guarantee her safety? If my subjects find out who she is, hate is guaranteed to fester, and hate can only lead to one thing." "You're worried about her protection? What about your subjects' protection? She's a war criminal and a murderer." "Can you say you have not taken a life?" Cadence narrowed her eyes at her husband. Her stress suddenly reached new heights. "That is different." "It is not!" Cadence stomped her hoof down. Her eyes widened before she lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, but killing is killing." She sighed. "It is also for the safety of my subjects that I would let them take her." Shining Armor took a step back before he pinned his ears back and glared at her. He knew she saw that taking a life was always the same, but not everything was as black and white as she seemed to see it. Her mindset was always love and compassion and he admired that in her, but he could not always see things that way either. He had a duty to protect the Crystal Empire and right now he needed to protect it, but he also could not go against his wife. "What would you have me do?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "Capture her and then prepare to take her to Canterlot. We will wait until nightfall, and meet Luna there." Shining Armor nodded and turned. He was stopped by Cadence's voice once more. "And she is not to be harmed unless absolutely necessary." Shining Armor's ears flickered and twitched in irritation. Normally such a statement would not bother him, but right now it felt accusatory. He swallowed any comments and left without a word. Author's Note You have no idea how much I wrote and rewrote this chapter. xD Sorry if this seems short, but I promise I have a reason.
Mirrors“Curse those Princess! They think they can banish me? I’ll punish them all for this!” “Master, I won’t let you do that.” “You think you will rise against me too, young one? How pathetic. Remember who taught you your magic? I did! Did that Princess Luna get into your head? Do you think you suddenly have what it takes to beat me? That Princess was setting you up for death.” “At least, Master, I will stall you.” “My name is Bloodstone…and I failed.” A dark grey-blue pony awoke from her dream. She was small, no bigger than an average unicorn. Her horn held icy blue stripe that spiraled to the tip. Her eyes were the same icy blue that was nearly white at the center. Her mane was midnight blue with a stripe of white blue starting on the left side down the back of the hair. The mane was short on the left side but around the middle of her neck switched to the right where it flowed extremely long. One strand of hair that was parted by the right ear settled down her forehead and was white. Her dark blue fur tinted to lighter blue near her hooves. Her chest held some heaver fur which was white in color that ran down her under belly where a lighter gray-blue fur changed to white. Her tail was long and choppy at the tips with one stripe turned from icy blue on the outside to white on the inside. Her flank held sword cutie mark with its thick blade that was flat on one side. The sharp edge was blood red. Three magic sparks circled the hilt of the sword. She was in a misty room of white, and it never ended no matter what direction you took. The mare let her hair fall over her face as she lowered her head, one ear flicking before she slowly moved forward. As she walked, mirrors appeared. The first one appeared out of the mist in front of her. “Holder of magics, The Dark Mare, Servant of Sombra, Daughter of Shifting Moon and Crystal Meadow, how do you plead?” “Guilty.” Her voice was strong but soft in tone. Her eyes lifted to see the golden armored Stallion. “To what?” “Serving King Sombra in his enslavement of the crystal ponies and betraying him at the end. I am Bloodstone, master of Shifting Magic. I plead guilty to all I have done.” “To the banishing of the crystal empire?” She glared at him. “I had nothing to do with that.” “Do you believe your punishment is over?” “The question is…do you?” She answered only for the image in the mirror to disappear. Suddenly mirrors shot up from the ground, creating a massive maze of mirrors. There were three paths ahead of Bloodstone. She went through the middle while two red blurs separated on each side of her and went through the left and right paths. One red blur turned into Bloodstone’s special transformation form. A large four-legged beast roamed through the mirror halls. Its face resembled a wolf-lion mix. Its ears were that of wolves with three light blue and white feathers sticking up from behind, its body was that of a lion with the same coloration of that of her pony form, only there was a thick layer of dark purple fur from the neck toward the back that hung off the shoulders and speckled in blue. Its front legs were that of a lion with red claws while the back legs were that of a wolf. On its back where two dark grey-blue wings with the tips of the feathers colored red. The middle spine of the feathers was red. The tail was the shape of a lion’s tail with thick fur that covered the top to the fluff of blackish red fur on the tip. The beast roamed watching with blue eyes and irises of red. Down the left path was a humanoid form. Her hair was dark bluish-grey with one streak of ice blue and one streak of red. One strand of bangs was white. Her clothing was black and red, a cloak, knee tall boots, and a sword strapped to her side. Her cutie mark was a symbol on the leather strap of her shoulder. She wore a red gem necklace. Her eyes were the same icy blue. The pony version kept walking, the mirrors started to reflect fuzzy forms. Some of them reflected a dark and enslaved crystal empire with hateful eyes of ponies following her movements, some displayed her as a foal when taken from her parents by Sombra and raised in her mysterious magic, while some of them showed the Princesses with Celestia looking mistrustful while the other was disappointed. All the mirrors started to speak with words of fear, hate, pain. Bloodstone kept walking forward. The human form looked insecure. She showed the most emotion and the true emotion of Bloodstone. She kept walking with the words from the mirrors turning to loud noise. Suddenly, she stopped and covered her ears. The Beast started to growl with her ears pinned back as she tried to block out the noise. She looked back as the mirrors suddenly started shattering. Her ears perked up, and she dashed forward in a race to get out of there. The mare flicked her ears back behind her to hear shattering mirrors. Without looking back, she took off in a run. The hallway started to curve before splitting into more paths. She raced through a random one turning left and right as she kept running. The voices of her fear, her anger, and her pain echoed behind her. The voice of her fear was Luna’s, the voice of her anger was Sombra’s, and the voice of her pain was Celestia’s. The human broke off in a run as well with tears slipping from her eyes and screams pouring from her mouth. All three took different paths that widened and narrowed at random points, twisting and turning until they seemed to be uselessly leading nowhere. “I am Bloodstone, I served Master Sombra as he trained me in my rare magic. I am not innocent, I am not loyal, and I am not burdened, pitied, or sad. I am me in this never-ending maze of mirrors. I am not orphaned, and I am not evil. My situation was not ideal, but I will move on…” The three paths started to turn toward one another. All three versions of Bloodstone were still racing against the shattering glass. A dust of sparkling white and blue started to follow them. In turn, each of them sped up to out-run it. The three paths lead to one room with one large mirror in the middle of it. As the three entered the room, the human and beast merged with the pony and the only one in the room. The mirror displayed her last battle. Bloodstone’s horn glowed red as the sword on her flank suddenly started to appear. The blade cascading to life until she tilted the blade solidifying the whole thing. Bloodstone narrowed her eyes at Sombra as he laughed at her. “You think your little sword can scare me? Who taught you to summon it, to wield it?” “You, Master, but this sword will stop you. The Princesses will be here soon to banish you.” Bloodstone hissed out. “I think not.” Bloodstone charged with her hooves echoing on the crystal ground as Sombra followed the charge. Her blade hit is horn as the two stared down one another with neither one giving way. “You are weak.” “Speak your curse words elsewhere. I will not fall into your dilutions.” Bloodstone spat at him. “But your fear is so great.” “It is your own fear that you sense!” Bloodstone shouted as she slashed her sword away from his horn and down horizontally at his side. He evaded it and blasted his dark magic at her. She moved her sword to block it. The magic dissipated as it hit the red blade. Bloodstone narrowed her eyes as she charged again. This time, she teleported right before she met Sombra’s horn again. She appeared behind him, but Sombra turned and used his back hooves to kick her down. Bloodstone’s sword clattered away from her as her magic lost its grip. She curled in one leg while she stood up. She panted as she looked at Sombra. He blasted his magic at her, but she quickly brought up a red magic barrier. He kept blasting his magic on it. With each hit Bloodstone’s face became tenser. Suddenly it broke, and the magic hit Bloodstone. Bloodstone slid across the floor a few feet with the signs of green flames spouting from her eyes. Sombra turned only to get hit with a blast of magic. He stumbled forward to see that his enemy’s eyes were normal. “How?” He growled out. “You think I haven’t learned to combat that little trick, Master?” “Hmph, it doesn’t matter.” He said as he charged back at her. Dark Crystals suddenly sprouting all around Bloodstone. With only a few moments to think, she grabbed her sword with magic and swung it all around breaking the crystal before she slashed down at Sombra. She hit his horn and caused a small crack. However, Sombra had been charging a powerful spell, and he blasted it at her. The spot where she had once been was smoking with left over magical energy. The last spell he ever caste soon banished all the crystal empire. “And this is my never-ending prison, my punishment for betraying King Sombra.” Bloodstone stated as she slowly reached and touched the mirror with her hoof. The mirror only showed her reflection as her hoof fell away. Her ice blue eyes staring emotionless back at herself. She closed her eyes and turned to leave the room like she always did for all the thousand years she had been banished here. She didn’t notice, but the mirror behind her showed Princess Luna staring back at her solemnly. Bloodstone stopped before her horn began to glow red. She turned and shot at the mirror shattering it completely and leaving only the frame. That’s when magic started to form into the frame turning into a swirling portal. Bloodstone blinked before she carefully walked toward the portal. She narrowed her eyes and examined it up and down. After a few minutes of this, she finally walked through leaving only a darkening abyss behind her. “Sister, she has returned.” The Lunar princess stated as a foggy form of herself remained in the mirror realm. “Yes, Dear Luna…she has.” The blackness started to seep throughout the world with only one final flash of sunlight before it all went black. Author's Note Disappears into the night. I REGRET NOTHING!
Haunted Memories"Time Travel is easy, one only needs to look at their memories and remember that specific time. Like photographs they can capture moments and lock them away for all eternity to be viewed as often as one wishes, but like many things they can trap you in the past in a never-ending time loop. My memories haunt me, but they will not hold me." Bloodstone felt her whole body falling before she was thrown out of a doorway. Her body hit crystal flooring with a smack. She groaned as her whole body ached. She opened her eyes to see a dark unicorn with green glowing eyes staring at her. In a panic she jerked up, but the figure disappeared into the doorway she just came from before the door slammed shut and disappeared. Her breathing was quick as she slowly processed what had happened. She slowly stood up on shaky legs. It wasn't easy to transverse dimensions; sometimes it would leave you exhausted. "I'm...free." Her voice echoed through the dark room. Her ear flickered before she turned to look at her surroundings. It was dim, but thankfully not void of light. There appeared to be a window casting light down onto a staircase leading up. She was in a dungeon of some sort. It was probably one of Sombra's pocket dimensions within the castle itself. She remembered a particular one where the staircase led on forever. She shook herself out and looked at the staircase before her horn glowed in order to study the magic on it. She grunted as she approached the staircase and waved her hoof over it. She blinked as dark crystals appeared on the steps. She backed away from it with narrowed eyes. Those sucked out the magic of those they touched. Not only would it be painful, but it would suck her dry before she reached the top, if there was even a top to begin with. He truly loved to reuse old tricks, stubborn old stallion he was. Sombra found it necessary to barricade her this way? Did he think she was but a foal who would not check? She had to get out before her "master" returned to find she escaped. She looked around the empty room before her horn glowed once more. She scanned the area with her magic before a wall seemed to bend inward at her search. She approached it before tapping her hoof on it. It sounded real, but illusions was his specialty. "Too bad you taught me well." She grumbled as she closed her eyes and let her horn glow brighter and brighter. The red glow from her horn engulfed her before a long hum rang out. The wall before her glowed with green inscriptions. She read them through her magic and annualized them all. It was something that took years to learn, but most magical users could do it with some time. Reading through your magic and not your eyes cut reading time by 90% and made it so you could read multiple books at once. However, it all depended on how fast you could process the information. If you could not process the words fast enough, it made the whole spell useless. Bloodstone bit her lip as she read through the inscription before she opened her eyes and looked sadly at the wall. The inscription stated that the betrayer could pass through, but not without pain following her every step. It was not a complex spell as she could easily remove it, but the spell was not Sombra's intention. No, he was stabbing at her specifically. "Can you blame me so easily, Master?" She whispered as she pinned her ears back. "It was not easy for me, either." She shook her head as she looked around the room. "Don't you get it? Even you are not that heartless!" She stomped her hoof on the ground and listened to her voice echoing off the walls. She flinched as she heard her pain clearly. It reminded her too soon about the world she just came from and the echos of the voices screaming within. Did he think it was easy to betray him? No, that was one of her sins and a great one that weighed heavily on her mind. She turned back to the enchanted wall. She did not have time to shout at echoes. If the princesses were successful, than she would have to escape the crystal ponies' wrath. If they were not, her master would still rule these lands. If he found her, it would be a fate worse than one she had just come from. She quickly broke the enchantment before a hole in the wall appeared in front of her. She heard a door opening from the staircase above. Flight quickly took hold and caused her to run into her escape route without further thought. Panic was not one thing Bloodstone was known for, but in this situation was it not required? Action without thought can be the line between life and death, and right now Bloodstone thought she was in that kind of situation. "Did you hear that?" A crystal guard asked as he looked down the staircase. He was a shining purple hue with silver armor. His armor displayed the Empire emblem which was the crystal heart at his chest. His helmet covered up grey mane. He was a unicorn as his horn stuck out from the helmet of his armor. Another guard took notice and approached his partner. He had a yellowish hue to his coat in his crystal pony form. He was an earthpony and stood slightly taller than his unicorn partner. His mane was bluish silver covered by his armor. He stood a little behind looking at the strange door that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Um...where did this door come from anyways?" The earth pony guard asked as the two stallions looked down the stairs together. "Hey! What are you two doing?" Another male voice scolded from behind them. The two stallions jumped as they both looked at the white unicorn stallion with a blue mane. "S-sorry, Shining Armor...Sir." The unicorn stuttered out as he tried to recover from the scare. The other guard composed himself a lot more quickly. "Just another one of... his doors, sir. We thought we heard something coming from down there." He stated as he glanced down the steps. "This place is still crawling with his magical traps." The guard pony shivered. "Which is why we are still scanning the castle constantly." Shinning Armor stated as he looked through the door. His horn glowed which showed the dark crystals protruding from the steps. "Seal this up immediately! I cannot have anyone accidentally slipping through this door especially not Flurry Heart." The mention of the new princess foal instantly set the guards into action. With a spell from the unicorn guard the door disappeared. Shining Armor nodded before he turned. "Good work." He stated as he moved off in a trot. The guard ponies glanced at each other before setting back to work. Bloodstone kept racing through the tunnel before she stopped as she reached an old room. She slowed to a trot as her hoof-steps echoed in the dusty room. She looked around the ancient books before she recognized the room as Sombra's old laboratory. It held all kinds of old equipment. She quickly lit some candles with her magic before she looked at the room closer. One side of the room was one long crystal counter that held off two feet from the ground on the wall. There were tubes and stone inscriptions scattered about the counter. She looked to the center of the room where stone pillars held bowls. Even from here she could still smell the faint scent of blood. She looked over at a stone slab that was stained a dark brown. Many ponies had died here and that seemed to chill the air. Curses rested upon this place. Bloodstone could feel the magic of the resonating anger from Sombra's victims. Angry memories had turned to magic and created a vortex that could lead to one's misfortune. The curse of the dead. Of course Sombra would lead her here. Even in the real world, she was still his pawn to toss about however he pleased. It pleased him to remind her just what she had let him do, what she was responsible for. His sins were hers, and his anger for her could possibly still be restless. Sombra walked around the room as he held up a stone as he wrote his findings in his own code. He watched what appeared to be a crystallized light on one of the stone pillars. His eyes turned to look as Bloodstone walked in. He smirked as he noticed the tremble in her body as she stepped through the doorway. He chuckled darkly as his tongue ran over his fangs. "Look at this...the body is gone, but this consciousness can be separated and contained. The essence of their lives can be sealed away, or perhaps into a more useful form. Could it be a key to immortality for us poor mortals? Bloodstone tried to shake off the anger emitting from the crystal. Whatever poor soul he sealed in there probably had a painful death. She glanced at the corpse on the other side of the room. It was barely recognizable as the skull was ripped open and key organs scattered about. He probably ripped the pony a part alive in order to gain the spirit that now was sealed in that crystal. She had become numb to such scenes, but the emotion coming from the sealed away spirit chilled her. "What use is immortality be if it came at the cost of a physical form? You could do nothing." Sombra sighed at her before he turned to look at his pupil. "Magic can still be assessed in this form. It is not a physical ability but a spiritual one. Remember what I taught you!" He huffed before he turned and let his eyes glow with a green mist. He shoot a dark beam at the crystal. His eyes widened as the spirit seemed to scream before fading to the dark magic and changing from a light color to a dark twisted mix of black and green. Bloodstone blinked though she hid her flinch at the ghostly scream. She slowly approached carefully almost too carefully for Sombra's liking. She examined the tainted spirit with her ears pinned back and her head held low. "It appears anger leaves them vulnerable to corruption." "So it does." Sombra sang as he held his head up triumphantly. He seemed almost giddy at his success. He did always love science and magic, no matter what form. "Good observation. This is the first success I have had at corrupting these crystal ponies. Even after they die they are disobedient. I suppose tonight they all may rest for this good fortune of mine." He smiled at her before approaching and nodding to her. Bloodstone tried not to notice the blood staining his fur and mane. He trotted around her in circles. He tended to forget himself whenever there were new discoveries like this. These were moments Bloodstone remembered best, moments where he seemed truly himself. Bloodstone tried to remain as stone faced as possible, for the spirit now sung a haunting tune. The song was of pure hatred, a hate that could easily kill. She glanced at the spirit and jumped back as two eyes formed outside the crystal. Sombra stopped in his tracks before he turned to the crystal and growled out. He zapped it with his magic before the spirit once again settled. His good mood gone, he now stood with his usual intimidating stature and hate-filled his eyes. "It...appears seals fade fast on spirits." Bloodstone stated as she tried to calm herself. "Interesting..." Sombra suddenly smiled wide. "Magic does not effect spirits as much as physical ponies, and yet their magic can be just as strong as in their physical form. A new type of magic perhaps, not tethered by the physical strain it takes to cast spells?" Sombra's mood suddenly shifted back to excitement as Bloodstone felt a cold chill down her back...or was that just his breath? She turned to look at her master as he smiled down at her. One thing she also noticed about him, he did like sharing his accomplishments. Perhaps that is why he kept her around? Bloodstone shook off the memory. She did not even notice she had started shaking again. Tremors when through her muscles as if a chill had soaked into her. She turned and trotted out the door. She quickly activated her magic and ran it over her coat. She flicked her head up as she glared at the ghostly black that came off of her fur. The spirit seemed to chuckle at her. She tossed it back into the wall with a toss of her head as she glared at it. "You cannot haunt me, little spirit. There is no more room." She stated as she looked straight ahead of her. At least now she knew where she was. There was another thing that room cleared up. Sombra was no longer here or else his lab would not be covered in dust. She was safer than before, but not safe enough for her to carelessly continue on. She snuffed out the old candles with her magic before shutting the door quietly. She proceeded on with the red glow of her magic lighting her way. She was currently under the crystal castle which meant all she had to do was go up. Author's Note So, this kind of goes more in depth with what kind of world I am establishing and a peek into Sombra's personality in this one. I like to give my villains a little flare. They need to have a bit more than "Oh I'm evil and I'm grouchy." So, Bloodstone and Sombra's relationship should be interesting to study, and clearly I am not pulling any punches. Bloodstone is not an innocent pony, and she knows that very well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Moral ConflictsOur actions lay stings that create a web of our life. Each decision lays dormant until the string is plucked and shown in the light. The web can either fall apart or sparkle in beauty. One can only hope that even after some strings are broken that their web can rely what lies at their heart...but some would still have it hidden. A white alicorn with long bright colored mane flowing down sat on her throne alone. The throne was large and made of gold with a red carpet that flowed from her seat down the center of the large room. On each side of the carpet was stain glass windows by which the sun shined their bright golds, blues, and purples onto the white marble floor below. The only sound came from the water that flowed from below the four platforms below the main throne. Sunlight cascaded in to shine the room in a gold color before a cloud moved over and the throne room was dim for a moment. Celestia, who had been working on a new trade proposal for the Yaks, halted her writing. It wasn't often she was alone in the throne room, but she required solitude to handle this matter with delicacy. However, her thoughts where still focused on The Crystal Empire. The Crystal Ponies could be very mistrusting and easily panicked. Sombra's rule had left scars that even could block Celestia from forming a strong bond with the empire. Cadence could only do so much, but since Celestia had failed to save the empire from banishment she had been shed in an unpleasant light. They called her weak, they called her manipulative. How could she be so powerful? They held little respect for her, and thus were suspicious of everything she did. Celestia's lost her concentration and the quill fell from her magical grip. She blinked and grabbed it once more in her golden magic. She sighed as she let her smile subside in her solitude. How should she handle Bloodstone's return? That pony could do...had done horrific things. King Sombra had his own dark magic fuel her magical growth for so long. How can she trust this pony? Yet, she had been the one to suggest reformation for Discord, was she not? Discord was a powerful being, and this was a mere unicorn. She certainly cannot change reality, but even Discord's mischief held a line, but this pony had crossed the line before. Still, she had been trapped for many years in a realm beyond realms, one made to be a personal hell. Luna had been able to access it only in a limited manor, but enough to observe Bloodstone and keep watch in case she returned. When Luna felt a shift in that realm, she had grabbed Celestia from her dream and they both watched Bloodstone escape. Celestia shook her head before her ears perked up at the sound of hoof-steps. She turned to look at her right as Luna came from a secret door behind the throne. Celestia was surprised to see her awake at this hour. "Luna, what are you doing up?" Luna let out a yawn. "Am I not involved in the current situation?" She looked around the throne room and took notice that not even the Royal Guard was in the room. She glanced at Celestia questionably. Celestia sighed. "I needed silence." She added before she waved a hoof to her sister. "I have informed the Crystal Empire of the situation. If they have not captured her now, they will soon." "And what then?" Luna stated as she walked up the throne to sit beside Celestia. "She has served a sentence." "That doesn't mean she has changed." "You know..." Luna stated as she looked around the empty room. "This room is much to large." Celestia blinked before she chuckled at her sister. Luna's tired mind was having a hard time focusing, or perhaps she was trying to lift her spirits? "I suppose it seems that way when alone like this." She glanced at Luna. Luna held a smirk before her face turned serious. "You should have Bloodstone brought here." "Here?!" Celestia nearly recoiled back. "Whatever for?" She stated as she stared at Luna. "So, I can watch her." Luna said with slight irritation lacing her voice. She shifted uncomfortably as her tired eyes stared in front of her. Luna's left ear swiveled toward Celestia. "I beg your pardon?" Celestia asked as she blinked a few times. "Well, not me specifically..." Luna stated before she turned to smile at Celestia, but it was not a happy smile. "I once asked her to face a monster, and she faced that monster knowing she would fail. I thought...." Luna lowered her head and her ears pinned back. Celestia's heart wrenched for a moment. "...I put her in that prison." Luna's brow furrowed. Celestia shook her head. "She was not innocent." She looked at Luna seriously. "One action cannot make up for what she had done." "Perhaps." Luna stated. "But she does feel like my responsibility." Celestia shook her head. "You are much too hard on yourself." Celestia knew what it felt like, however, because she herself felt very responsible for Luna. After all that had happened, guilt still carried in her heart. "Are you any better?" Luna asked with a smirk. "It is not that simple, Luna. The Crystal Empire will be in an uproar if we take her here. She is their enemy and an enemy of Equestria, and I doubt that mindset will change." "It seems your own mindset needs changed." Luna stated as she stood up. "You are constantly watched, but I am not. I can take this responsibility. I will take her under my care." "Luna..." Celestia looked incredibly worried. "The backlash..." "Is nothing to the possible potential this pony has. You believe in your subjects that shine in the light, but I know those in the dark." Luna stated as she eyed Celestia. "In the dark, there is very little to see on the outside, but you learn to look a little deeper." Celestia bit her lip. "I... will trust you on this, Luna. However, I will ask Cadence to release her to us. There is no reason why this should only be on you." Luna coughed and cleared her throat. "I already talked to Cadence about who will be taking charge of this. She...err already has agreed to release her to me." Luna smiled wide before making a quick exit. "WHAT?!" A pink alicorn paced around her throne room. It was made of blue crystal with a purple carpet flowing down the center. Her throne was similar in design to Celestia's, but her throne was made of crystal and not gold. Her wings twitched at her side in her agitation. She had gotten word that there was a unicorn loose in her castle, one that had dealings with Sombra. She could not calm until she was sure Bloodstone was contained. Luna had stated that this pony should be treated as a threat, but not to harm her. Celestia had left a brief description of who this pony was, and suggested this be kept as quiet as possible as to not alarm the Crystal Ponies. Her subjects were a very loving people, but anything to do with Sombra could spark many...MANY problems. Her ears lifted in alert as she looked as her husband walked through the doors. "Shining Armor!" She ran up and gave him a hug. "Any news?" Shining Armor frowned. He hated seeing Cadence in such a worried state. "Not yet, but we are looking. She couldn't have gotten very far. This castle only has so many places to hide." He stated as he rubbed the back of his neck. Cadence sighed and pulled away from him. He watched her before he stood up a little taller. "We'll find her, Cadence." "That is not all I am concerned about. Perhaps it would be better to let her flee." Cadence stated as she dropped onto her hunches and bowed over in her exhaustion. "Let a war criminal go?!" Shining Armor trotted up to his wife in both shock and concern. He placed a hoof under her chin and tilted her head to look at him. "It's more complicated than that!" Cadence threw up her front hooves. "She's been imprisoned for a very long time." "That didn't stop Discord..." Shining armor stated flatly as he raised one eyebrow and let his hoof fall from her face. "Or Tirek, or even Nightmare Moon before the elements of harmony changed her back to Luna." He pointed at her with his hoof. "Trust me, this pony is a threat, and we cannot believe she has changed just because she's been trapped. Many of the Crystal Ponies still don't remember all of what Sombra did, but I've still heard stories about this, this Bloodstone." Cadence shivered at the mention of her name. Sometimes her husband could be so cynical, but the weight of her cutie mark did not give her the luxury. "Luna wants to transport her to Canterlot. To release her into another's judgement will not sit well with anypony, but it is what I must do." Shining Armor straightened up. "Princess Luna? Why would she want that?" He narrowed his eyes. "She said she wants to watch her and reform her." "That's like trying to reform Sombra." Shining Armor stated in disbelief. "We can't just hand her over!" He pointed his hoof at her and narrowed his eyes. "We have too. She would not be safe here, and she would cause panic if we imprisoned her. They will not believe they are safe until she is dead." "It's not safe to have her there." He pointed his hoof behind him in the general direction of Equestria...or so he thought. Okay, it was more of a representation than actual directions. Cadence shook her head. "Princess Luna seems to think it is worth the risk." "We should hold her until we can be sure she will comply." He pressed, but Cadence was having none of it. "Can you guarantee her safety? If my subjects find out who she is, hate is guaranteed to fester, and hate can only lead to one thing." "You're worried about her protection? What about your subjects' protection? She's a war criminal and a murderer." "Can you say you have not taken a life?" Cadence narrowed her eyes at her husband. Her stress suddenly reached new heights. "That is different." "It is not!" Cadence stomped her hoof down. Her eyes widened before she lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, but killing is killing." She sighed. "It is also for the safety of my subjects that I would let them take her." Shining Armor took a step back before he pinned his ears back and glared at her. He knew she saw that taking a life was always the same, but not everything was as black and white as she seemed to see it. Her mindset was always love and compassion and he admired that in her, but he could not always see things that way either. He had a duty to protect the Crystal Empire and right now he needed to protect it, but he also could not go against his wife. "What would you have me do?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "Capture her and then prepare to take her to Canterlot. We will wait until nightfall, and meet Luna there." Shining Armor nodded and turned. He was stopped by Cadence's voice once more. "And she is not to be harmed unless absolutely necessary." Shining Armor's ears flickered and twitched in irritation. Normally such a statement would not bother him, but right now it felt accusatory. He swallowed any comments and left without a word. Author's Note You have no idea how much I wrote and rewrote this chapter. xD Sorry if this seems short, but I promise I have a reason.
