Sins of an Equestrian Empire: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter 5 – Ruins of Forgotten Royalty.

These elements have been a step in the wrong direction of our family for ages past, responsibilities cast down upon me by mother and father they have become more of a curse then a blessing of responsibility. I cannot be rid of them nor can I hand them down in fear of their use for evil, Luna has become slowly aware sowing the seeds of jealously. Mother had always taken special care sharing them between me and Luna, father must be laughing wherever he is now.

Princess Celestia to Star Swirled

Date – Unknown

Twilight herself could not believe the site that covered the entire horizon. Canterlot her home where she studied magic and learned under Princess Celestia now a smouldering ruin a forgotten relic of this new depressing world. Truly now she saw this world for what it has become a society discarding the old ancient order of the world and placing it solely in the hands of the corrupt and the unjust. She slowly stepped down from the rails on the wagon and slowly slouched down in an exhausted, tired manner upon the truth that might befall her that she might not be going home after all. Steel looked partially confused over all of this and begun to slowly lean in to consult with the purple unicorn.

“Somethin the matter Twi?, a second there it looked like you got the fright of your life, then again Canterlot does have a kind of ruined beauty now do not cha think?” Steel now nudging Twilight trying to get a simple response from her.

“My..my..home…gone.” Twilight said while a tear ran down her left cheek. “Friends..gone and worst of all my hometown destroyed, there’s nothing for me here you were right Steel.” her head lowered accepting defeat and her fate of being stranded in this new cruel world.

“Whoa, wait this is your hometown?” Steel looked more confused “Well Twi this place has been like this since my great great grandpa almost, are not no way this place can raise a youngin such as you, you sure this be your hometown?” he began looking concerned but at least happy being able to talk straight with Twilight without breaking into an argument of sorts.

“I..It was once, now I do not know anymore Steel, what do you know of Canterlot by the way?” Twilight trying to gather even the slightest bit of detail even though it might not have helped it still would help calm her nerves over all of this.

“Well gee not much to talk about this place, since this city has been like this for a while now, I can remember that the Empire fella’s just leave this place alone mostly, seems there not interested in such ancient relics of previous rulers…..maybe?.” Steel shrugged while continuing to speak more.

“Second mostly this place is hired out for the likes of treasure seekers, looters and worst of all poachers huntin any wildlife in the underground catacombs for sport and leisure. Worst of all it is not anymore disgusting then seeing them bounty hunters dragging somepony from the ruins for just working to pay off their debt now is there, everypony just hates seein them kickin and bucking screaming that they missed a few payments to pay for medicine or food at times.” The dark chestnut pony looked into the distance looking disgusted at such a place of beauty being tainted by grave robbers and hired goons bought by the wealthy and the corrupt running from upon the countryside.

For Twilight it seemed like an eternity as Steel recalled everything he had to say about Canterlot becoming nothing more than a grave for vulture’s to pick at all her memories of her former home town. Anger should have taken over her at this site but it was nothing more of shock and pity at the overall outcome. The carriage begun its final decent over the last hill as the main gates of the city where getting closer and closer within Twilights view, she was home finally but not the way she wished for.

Everything that reminded her of Canterlot was there to be seen by all, the waterfalls that shimmered over the mountain was there still water flowing under the drawbridge and down into the lush green countryside. The lakes within the city were now empty, barren devoid of the life that once inhabited the land replaced with an empty hole of dirty and decay. Across the hill into the city Twilight could see the few ponies that still inhabited the city most likely looking for whatever of value and others seemed to be mining within the mountain seeking for the gems and rubies that where rumoured to cover the entire landscape. Everything to do with Celestia was gone, flags, banners and monuments of the sun Princess glorifying the old rule was either torn from where it once laid or desecrated in the Empires honour.

Twilight tried her best to detach herself from the images that cycled all through her head while still trying to remain positive about this new outcome. She began to look over at the castle and begun wondering of how she could turn this all around. Twilight began to show her insane smile at the crazy ideas that hatched within her mind about that if the castle was still intact so must be the libraries that laid all across the castles many rooms, the time scroll might still be there she thought now ignoring all logic within reason.

Steel nudged her again worried from what he saw a unicorn with a slight crazy mood swing from worried to apparently happy within the space of a minute.

“You alright Twi? You seem mighty weird all of a sudden, seems like you hit the crazy wagon all of a sudden.” Steel jokingly trying to make conversation while doing everything to not make a scene in front of the other ponies.

“Oh no everything’s Steel, what could possibly be wrong in the slightest?” Twilights head now tilted in a frightening fashion showing the most deranged smile that Steel had ever seen.

The earth pony now backed away a bit as Twilight turned her head again and looked away from the worried pony, all the others did not looked interested in the slightest, they usually looked up to catch a glimpse to observe any entertainment on the carriage ride but mostly all they saw was senseless chatter between the purple and chestnut ponie. Twilight looked again towards Canterlot her stance returning back to normal and the evil smile slowly disappearing. The foreman pony begun to look back towards the carriage full of ponies and begun yelling that they have finally arrived after the long trek from Ponyville.

The carriage trotted slowly over the massive archway still decorated with the engravings of the two goddesses still standing fifty feet high in the air with the walls of the city still standing strong with the giant wooden gates into the city now missing or destroyed from a battle long ago. The entrance to the city at long last went over Twilight as she admired its beauty it slightly assured her that Celestia and Luna might be still alive somewhere in some manner. She knew what must be done to possibly get home, get in that castle find the Star Swirled the bearded wing and find that time scroll, if it is still there after all this time

The carriage made its way past the main gate and deeper into the city of Canterlot, rubble was the best way to describe the scene that Twilight saw before her. She could make out all the places where she used to wander as a filly and lately during the night before her brother’s wedding. Twilight looked all around, shops that sold everything from food to fashion designs where left barren and empty most likely looted or faded with time. The fountains that were scattered all over the city where empty also, parched of water for countless years with overturned tables, chairs and windows smashed with half the buildings missing the front door or barely hanging on for dear life with a rusty hinge. They passed by one of the back alleys on their way to the town centre overseeing two ponies fighting over what seemed to be a piece of a random gem that was found in one of the houses down in the market district, nopony seemed to care or even watch all of them passing it off as some random act of violence that probably happened here on occasion, whether it was over money for food or to pay off a debt was completely irrelevant to everyone except Twilight.

The town centre was finally reached and was temporarily settled up as a centre of operations for the mining and hunting for artefacts within the city. The carriage made a pass around the massive decorated fountain in the centre and stopped to let the ponies off to start working for whatever amount of bits that they could muster from this job. All the ponies hoped off to stretch and prepare for what was ahead, the foreman pony walked over to greet the other pony in charge of this operation saying lines such as “Long time no see.” and “Got some more for the grinder”. Twilight and Steel passed this off as the foreman turned around to address the new recruits.

“All you bunch of maggots, line up and keep your damn mouths shut, here is how this is going down.” he said while walking up and down the line of the some six or seven new ponies.

“Your all here to help oversee that this operation runs smoothly, this city you might not of known is Canterlot and boy it is a sorry state of a city if you ask me.” Twilight looked somewhat disgusted at that slight remark.

“Some of you will be posted on mining duty others will be sent on artefact huntin, and might I tell ya neither of them is a walk in the park ya bunch of mares. Alright once I pair you up with a partner you will be assigned to a specific duty after which make your way over to the hut and grab your gear, are not no pony gonna die on my watch and be assured of one thing. If that does happen are not no pony gonna be getting your cut of the share I promise you that.” the foreman went over to grab the chart which would let him see which tasks where more important for the oversight committee.

Twilight was still remembering the last statement that the foreman made to the group and thought mostly about its disturbing new fact of her hometown being much more than a grave, it apparently became a beautiful rose with many sharp thorns, beautiful to admire but dangerous as well waiting to crush any clumsy ponies.

The foreman interrupted Twilights thinking to basically give a warning to all the new ponies about their first time in Canterlot “As you can all basically see in the distance, the castle is off grounds to any and I mean any pony. If I see anypony makin their way over to that castle you can bet you will not be getting paid. That castle is off limits due to the monsters from the Everfree along with the rumoured ghosts that haunt the grounds, a bunch of silly country pony superstition if ya ask me” the foreman finished talking and got down to business.

“Alright here we go, Brimstone and Sermon your to go onto mining duty up over in the mines over next to the castle outer wall and that includes you too Theo. Next are Brumby and Dio both of you scavenging over in the market district, rumour there is some decent history or whatever the oversight want you to look into that.” The foreman told each of them to get a move on and report over to the hut to get outfitted with pick axes and shovels along with a whistle to signal for help if need be. He breathed a loud sigh before flicking the next page of contents to see the allotted tasks.

“Alright you two the purple unicorn and the chestnut pony over here and make it snappy” the foreman eyeing both of them with what to do with the extra two he picked up back in Ponyville.

“Names and make them quick.” he said quickly.

“Twilig……ehh Purple Prancer from Ponyville” Twilight stuck to her fake name just to be safe, still remembering her episode from the Tax Office.

“Steel Steedly from Ponyville also” having no need to hide his name for any reason to the foreman.

“Alright consider both of you’s lucky that Theo is pitching in on mining, your task is the social district down the road, a lotta of houses and mansions bound to be somethin good in there, now hurry grab your things from the hut and report back here and no time wastin were on a schedule here.” the foreman having no patience for these two random ponies at all.

Twilight and Steel only responded with a nod and continued past the fountain into the large brown shaped tent to receive their gear for the trip. As they went inside all of the other five ponies left all fitted out with hard hats shovels and pick axes. The other ones looking for anything of value just got a simple gem to light their way and a whistle to signal for help, not that the oversight would care about helping simple hired ponies. Twilight walked up to the desk to the grey pony on the other side and simply stated her job and location.

“Artefact finding over in social.” Twilight keeping her response simple and to the point.

The grey pony looked up and responded back to her “Well look’e what we have here it is bein a while since we had a mare looking for this kinda of work, oh do not you worry we’ll fix you right up pretty good and whose this over here your stallion frienda sorry state if ya ask me.” he finished with a laugh at the motion and Twilight began to feel partially not comfortable around this pony.

“No, no she is not.” Steel replied back, “Now just give us our bucking gear and lets do what we were sent here to do.” his attitude apparently wanting nothing to do with this grey pony now fully in his face ready for a fight.

“Alright, alright ya firecracker of a pony, here is ya gear and the social district is about a couple minutes down the way ya came back, and I for one would watch yourself, a lotta ponies suffer….unfortunate accidents…especially the hot tempered ones.” the grey pony being slightly threatening about Steels sudden temper episode.

Both ponies grabbed their gear and proceeded to walk out the tent looking over and seeing if everything was in order. At the current moment it was lunch time and food was slowly being served from within the cook tent on the other side of the town centre. The meals where simple just a healthy dose of carrot and pea soup with a small side piece of bread along with a simple tankard of apple juice to wash it all down. Twilight, Steel and the rest all dug into the meal before properly starting their jobs. All the ponies quickly departed after the meal and Steel along with Twilight made their way into the social district on the other side of town, Twilight was still determined about getting into the castle and getting that time scroll, but first she would have to get it under the cover of the night. She continued walking alongside Steel to her new job location not wanting to see anymore of Canterlot like this especially towards the side of the city where she grew up along with seeing what her parent’s home might be in or what remained after all the looting.

Both Steel and Twilight made their way past what remained of the centre of the city and over past the massive stone bridge that descended down into the social district, the atmosphere was quiet with only the sound of their own hooves only being heard all across the city. No wildlife seemed to journey anywhere near the ruined city, possibly due to the feeling of past death and misery in the city. Steel and Twilight felt awkward with this uncomfortable situation of a place that housed thousands of ponies and no one to see or talk too but only themselves, Steel broke the silence and begun conversation.

“So….. when you said this was your hometown Twi, you meant it right?” for some reason Steel slightly began to trust this unknown purple unicorn.

“Yes, it was once, I grew up here as a filly a few blocks from here, you should have seen the city before all this Steel, the streets where alive with laughter, song and no pony would fight, disagree or even carry a care in the world.” Twilight’s attitude changed from being disappointed to remembering all the happier times in Canterlot where it was all so simple.

“Ahh right, you lived here, want to stop by your home it’s within the social district is not it and well it would not hurt to have a look, who knows you might find something from your past and all.” Steel said testing the ponies response to this notion.

“Actually, yeah I would be glad to if that is okay with you Steel?” Twilight asked if it was not too much of a bother avoiding their work for Twilights personal gain.

“Not at all Twi, after all we have literally an entire day to waste looking through all this stone and rubble might as well make the most of it” he said almost trying to make a game of it to lighten the gloomy mood of this city.

“Then let’s not waste time then.” Twilight said now directing Steel down the road past the old steel gates that lead into her neighbourhood. She knew that Steel was trying to cheer her up but to her the pain was still tugging away at her heart. A part of her did not want to see her home the way it was, she wanted to remember it the way she used to always remember coming home from after school with her mother and father at the dinner table serving up a stew or her mother making her a daisy and daffodil sandwich with her father asking her all about her day. They proceeded past all the homes Twilight remembered going by on her way to and from school. She then walked by the park where she and Shinning Armour her brother used to play knights and princesses on long summer days.

Twilight stopped Steel and walked over further into the park where the old swing set was once where she and her foal sitter Cadence spent their afternoons playing hide and seek. To Twilight it begun to tear more at her from inside as tears begun to roll down her cheek as she turned around and walked onwards to the house. Steel could see the sorrow that plagued Twilight not daring to ask what the matter was. Truly he begun to believe the pony more and more that this might be the actual Twilight but how it still seemed impossible since she apparently disappeared at least hundreds of years ago as the rumours say.

As both walked down the street Twilight finally came to her former home, she could still feel life within the building still. She stopped in front of the house as Steel was walking from behind her and looked around at the other houses down the road. From what he saw looking down the street, Steel noticed very little damage to the neighbourhood since the battle must of took a long way away from here since the main road to the castle was mostly damaged when they first entered the city.

“This is the place…right?” Steel looked towards Twilight.

“Yes… it is.” a nervous Twilight answered.

“You do not have to do this Twi, you know that.” Steel knew slightly the anguish of seeing your home destroyed by the Empire.

“I know but I must Steel for myself” she said making her way past where the door once remained entering the house with Steel following in soon after.

The sight of her former home was a bit hard to take in as she slowly walked through the living room trying to remember what it once looked like. It seemed by the looks of it other ponies have already being here looking for anything of value. She then proceeded to look into the kitchen taking a brief look inside. All the cabinets where empty with the doors hanging by a thread the kitchen table was flipped with the chairs smashed for firewood, a charcoal smell overtook the entire room. Twilight looked away from the kitchen proceeding upstairs to her room. She reached the banister and proceeded upstairs each step creaking as she ascended each hoof leaving a print upon the dust and dirt that littered the entire house. Steel looked at the pony making her way upstairs as she seemed transfixed on what might be upstairs.

Twilight walked down the hallway towards her room and saw nothing that reminded her of her past life, everything she saw was worn out by time and the windows smashed open by random vandals. She entered her old bedroom and remembered her hidden small chest containing her old belongings probably still remained nearby, within the hole underneath the floor boards where she hid all her personal belongings. She used her magic to move the bed aside as it fell apart when it was moved, Twilight did not seem to care as the bed was worn out and had lost its former colour.

She moved a piece of the floorboard aside and to her own surprise she found her small chest was still there. She opened it still containing her own personal belongings. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked in more and picked through all her past memories. Twilight looked through them all, her entrance exam into Celestia’s School was still there along with her necklace she wore at her brother’s wedding, a photo of Spike when she first met him that fateful day. As she looked through she began to cry as she had found what she looked for, a photo of the wedding day she kept hidden. Within that photo it contained Twilight, her family, both the princesses along with all her friends standing within Canterlot gardens with Shinning Armour and Cadence both held in a loving embrace. The picture was faded slightly but she could still remember the ceremony from the music to the last time she hugged her brother as he left on his honeymoon. Tears begun to fall on the photo as Steel heard her now crying from the hallway as he looked in the room and saw the distraught pony on the floor.

“Its okay Twi.” Steel said as he begun to enter the room to hug the pony trying in anyway to help her through all of this, truly he did not know what Twilight just saw, Steel was not good at this but a situation like this did not matter.

“No…*sniff*.. It is not okay, everything Steel, everything is gone, my home my friends everything, look.” Twilight now showing Steel the photo of the wedding.

“Woah, wait Twi that is you in the photo and these must be the princesses you talked about and these must be your friends by the looks of it.” Steel lookin amazed at all of this, it was confirmed finally no exception to all of this, Twilight Sparkle was right next to him this whole time.

“Im sorry, Twi truly I’m sorry for not trusting you when you first told me, please can you forgive me?” Steel felt quite the fool and inconsiderate about the unicorns feelings when he first met her.

“It’s okay Steel, it was not your fault there was no way you would have known.” Twilight held the photo up clearer and told Steel about all her friends and the princesses.

Through all of this Twilight talked as Steel remained silent as she continued telling him what happened that day with the changelings and her marriage into royalty.

“Woah, wait your royalty? Now that is something you do not hear everyday” Steel looking more shocked then confused on this common unicorns new found royalty.

“It’s true ever since my brother married Princess Cadence I have been partial royalty, now that I think of it you do remind me of one of my friends slightly” Twilight begun to see something new in this earth pony.

“Huh which one, where in the picture that tomboy pony with wings?” Steel pointed to Twilights photo guessing which one of other five ponies next to her.

Twilight begun to cheer up and chuckled at Steels response “No, not really more of this one from what I have seen from you” Twilight pointing at Apple Jack “Both of you are country ponies that are strong as well as dependable in saving anyone and from what I have seen you both where the first proper friend I have made when I first came to Ponyville”.

“A Friend..really?” Steel look flustered and slightly embarrassed “I have never really had a friend well, not since I was a filly I was always busy movin trying to keep away from trouble, so ehh friend Twilight, what know?” the earth pony not knowing what to do about all of this and where to go.

“I do not know, but I do know we have to get inside that castle, since I was a student to the Princess there must be some answer to all of this, I can only guess but something that can fix all of this is in the castle” Twilight standing up fully now prepared to leave the room.

“Well sure Twi, but not now, best wait for nightfall and make our way under the cover of the night sky, if that foreman catches us were in for a heap of trouble.” Steel determined to make it up to Twilight for not believing her the first time they met.

“Thank you Steel, in the meantime we must at least find something to bring back to the camp, I know some places that might at least have something of value, its in the wealthier side of town and there might still be another way into the castle” Twilight begun to pack away the chest under the floorboard and kept the photo inserting it into her backpack, knowing that whenever she felt down she knew her friends would be there for her wherever they may be.

Twilight proceeded to walk out of the room with Steel following her slowly “I wanted to ask Steel, why you helped me back in Ponyville along with coming with me to Canterlot?” Twilight asked honestly to the earth pony.

“Well shucks Twi you seemed lost and most of all scared of both Pike and Lancer, they are not gonna hurt anypony while I’m around, and let’s just say them beatin an innocent mare such as yourself just seems wrong in my books” Steel constantly looking back at Twilight as a smile slowly rose across her face.

“Thank you Steel, for saving me”. Twilight returning the hug back to Steel.

“Thanks and you can be sure of one thing Twi, I will be around to do it again” Steel said confidentially to the purple unicorn.

Both ponies laughed as they begun to walk down the stairs and leave the house, Twilight left with a sense of well-being and purpose that if she was to be stuck in this world at least making a friend would make it all the bit easier. Twilight begun to leave the house and walked down the rubble road towards the wealthier part of the social district leaving behind the memories of her childhood, she knew that here it was gone but in her heart it still remained there strong.

The wealthier part of the social district as Twilight remembered usually housed the biggest houses in Canterlot all covered behind by the pearly white gates leading back to the regular district. The bridge that once lead around into the castle from the wealthier side of town was destroyed making the only way to the castle through the main gates which could only be accessed back from the town centre. Twilights plan to get to the castle from the wealthier side of town had to wait, but finding anything of value was easier to get.

They continued walking past the expensive houses each one seemed more looted then the other, Twilight finally looked across the centre of the rich district and saw one mansion she knew would contain the desired artefacts that the oversight would be interested in. The mansion of one particular pony who lived at the ruined mansion hundreds of years ago, the mansion of Fancy Pants one of the wealthiest and most important ponies in all of Equestria and one she has met before on countless occasions, once at her birthday and another at the royal wedding. Fancy Pants wife usually had some of the most fabulous jewels next to the Canterlot Royalty. They finally arrived at the estate and saw it same as Twilights house but on a mansion sized scale, looted and rummaged by other artefact hunters.

They made their way past the main gates past the gardens all overgrown and unattended since the city was in ruins. The main door to the building was like all the other doors in the district, kicked in or creaky open ever so slightly. The inside was dark rejecting any light that tried to enter, some of the windows where boarded up and the chandelier hung tilted above them nearly ready to fall on any passer-by. The main hall had the grand staircase with rooms to the left and right of the current room; tables where broken, turned over or smashed to pieces.

“So Twi, how did you know this place was worth checkin out, and also who lived here anyway, the only places with houses like this anymore are either in Stalliongrad or Manehattan.” Steel admiring the grandeur of the interior decorating even though it might have shown some age being left unattended.

“A important pony called Fancy Pants, one of the wealthiest in Canterlot in his time, next to royalty many of the social elite hung on his every word, I have met him a couple of times but never knew him very well in such short time” Twilight making her way over to the grand stair case heading upstairs.

Both continued upstairs straight to the main bed chamber past all the guest bedrooms in the upper hallway, some of the paintings still hung most of them torn or fallen upon the dusty floor trampled on by each passer-by. The master bedroom was in sight and was easily the biggest bedroom in the entire estate. Twilight knew something must be here of value either it be Fancy Pants or his wives it did not matter, she did however slightly felt a bit guilty robbing from ponies long forgotten and hopefully somewhere they did not matter their valuables being looted for personal gain.

Twilight and Steel begun spreading out across the room looking for anything of value perhaps a safe or a hidden compartment behind a painting, they began tearing up the room looking for anything of that description. They checked the bathroom for anything and only found broken mirrors and a broken bath tub. They met up again at the centre of the room and begun to talk again.

“Whew, nothing like tearin it up like a bull at a rodeo, found anything Twi?” Steel catching a breather from tossing the room apart for anything that might be of value.

“Nope, same as well if there is something here once it is either gone or Fancy Pants is smarter then he led on.” Twilight sitting down to take in some air as well.

“This might be a stab but, hidden room maybe Twi?”Steel trying everything he could think of wanting to find anything other than broken decayed wood.

Twilight shuddered under the idea of another hidden passage “Hidden door then, last time I tried that Steel it was partially responsible for me being sent to this Equestria” joking it all slightly aside, Steel did not bother asking what that comment meant passing it off as some unicorn joke.

Both ponies began tapping all against the walls for any slight change in the woods density and then continued until Twilight found and confirmed Steels theory was true.

Twilight stood back and begun casting a slight blast spell to make a hole in the wall to the hidden room. What they found was a small room full of shelves containing jewellery and exquisite clothes finally lined with jewels and other sapphires’, Twilight looked at the clothes more closely and saw the design was made by her friend Rarity she felt the clothes and the fabric still felt new and unused.

“Well woah-we we found the jackpot Twi, this is us set for easy street” smiles of joy and riches ran all across Steels face.

Twilight detached herself from looking at the dress and talked back to the chestnut pony “Ehh yeah let’s take some for now and head back, I’m certain that oversight would be happy with what we found” both now begun to take some of the jewellery and put it in their backpacks heading back to the campsite triumphant.

As Steel and Twilight walked back into the main bedchamber, Steel turned around and looked at the wall with the hole in it and begun contemplating on what to do.

“Ehh Twi you know we cannot keep it likes this, someone will find this after a while” both ponies looked together knowing what must be done.

“Your right Steel, I will use my magic to move the wardrobe over to block the hole and after cast a weight spell it would make it impossible to move” Twilight looking smug in her decision.

She then began casting her spell with the wardrobe responding slowly rumbling and levitating as the dust on top began to fall upon the floor. The wardrobe was slowly sliding across covering the hole, she finished with lowering the wardrobe and letting it rest again on the floor with a final casting of a weight spell making it much heavier than it was made out to be. Both now seemed adamant in their choice if they needed to return to get more if need be. They now left the estate and out of the wealthy part of the social estate back towards the town centre where they originally started this time with riches and renewed possibilities.

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It was now late in the afternoon and the sun was slowly starting to give way to the ever rising moon, Twilight and Steel returned back to the main camp noticing it from the distance with smoke bellowing from the cook tent in the distance it was close to supper for the camp and both ponies begun to feel slightly peckish. All the other ponies returned from their other tasks except for Dio who apparently did not return with Brumby, Twilight did not bother asking what had happened but Brumby did not seem to mind his partners loss. Everypony begun to turn in all their gear from the tent and walk over to grab a meal for all their hard work mining or digging up artefacts. As Twilight and Steel turned in their gear and there findings the foreman’s eyes lit up like two bright eyes at the rare find.

“Well rookie, I guess I was wrong in doubting you to find anything of value, but hot dog you put out, I’m keeping you on artefact huntin for the while same with your friend there” the foreman not trying to hide his joy at all. “You too go on over to the cook tent and tell them I sent ya, an extra portion for each of ya”.

Both made their way over and helped themselves to their extra portions of potatoes with a daisy sandwich and a tankard of cider to wash it all down. Each sat down around the massive fountain eager to tuck in to their meals. One of the ponies broke out a guitar and started playing to lighten the mood and another got a violin and begun playing as fires flickered all over the campsite. To Twilight it reminded her of Applejacks Summer rodeos, she might of not being able to make the last one but she was sure she would not miss this one as the coldness of the night was replaced with laughing and singing, it seemed fake slightly but it was the closest warmth she got all day.

It was not till the late hours of the night after all the fires died down after all the blankets where handed out that both Twilight and Steel begun to put their plan into action and that was getting into Canterlot Castle. It was deep into the night, Twilight and Steel started slowly and quietly making their away out of the town centre down the palace road. Canterlot at night had a certain peaceful tranquil to it, the stars glistened in the night sky each sparkling more than the other. The moon was in full tonight beaming down a white glow lighting the city and the towers of the castle along with it, looking up in the sky no one would know they were walking within a ruin.

The town centre was now nowhere in sight to the two ponies as they both breathed a sigh of relief over not getting caught by any of the sleeping ponies, it will not be till morning that anyone would miss them and time was plenty on their side. The money from the find within Fancy Pants estate could at least help them for months on end, Steel at least thought of using the money with Twilight and leave the Empire all together settling down in the other kingdoms or hiring a boat and go to one of the free cities over the distant shores.

Finally after the short walk the last road to the palace was in sight, the draw bridge to the castle was lowered allowing free access to anypony to enter the castle grounds. The giant Iron Gate still hung above the massive archway with it still decorated with the insignia of Celestias rule. Both passed over into the front garden of the castle, it was all overgrown and the fountains where chipped away for the jewels that decorated the statues. The castle itself overall was nearly in perfect shape compared to all the other structures around, the windows where all smashed and the main door was unfortunately caved in possibly due to a previous accident. Steel contemplated on what to do next but was assured by Twilight the back garden door into the ballroom was another option to try. Both continued around the exterior of the castle under the many archways dividing the gardens finally reaching the back garden. The metal exterior of the ballroom remained but again all the windows were missing. Twilight made her way inside the castle a little off course but that did not matter, finding the remains of the library was the main concern here.

The main walkway in the ballroom was tattered, torn and the lush red colour of the carpet was all but gone. The massive statue that decorated the end of the hall was cracked and fell on it side letting the wild plants and flowers seamlessly swallow it whole, all the pillars which held up the walls where eroded and some of them missing or toppled over. Steel could only imagine what this place looked in its full glory, he continued to pick up the pace and keep up with the purple pony leaving the ballroom altogether. Twilight knew the castle like the back of her hoove and quickly sped down the hallway towards the library, the gate that led into the library section was gone but from what Twilight saw the bookcases of the Celestia Wing along with the Ancient Catalogues of Equestria History still remained and stood strong, the Star Swirled Wing was around the corner. Twilight was now in a full gallop towards the library knocking over the door into the wing and saw nothing more but a hole in the ground where the library had collapsed, destroying all of the Star Swirled Wing and its contents, the scroll itself lost in eternity.

Twilight could only lower her head in disappointment, she knew this was a long shot but did not get her hopes up over this actually working out. Steel was slightly behind still admiring the grand scale of the castle he never knew when he would be in another castle next time destroyed or still standing, after which he finally caught up Twilight.

“Say I’m guessin Twi that hole in the ground should not be there I guess right?” Steel still wondering what Twilight was looking for all this time in the library.

“It should have being here Steel, the Star Swirled Wing where the time scroll should be, I could have been able to go back and fix all of this, I’m certain what I found and learned a couple of days ago before I met you is what caused all of this.” Twilight no longer hiding her intentions for being here in the castle.

“You found what then Twi” he asked Twilight wanting to know right away.

“It is a long story Steel but basically ancient artefacts is what it comes down to, thousands of years old ago they were made by the goddesses themselves crafted to best evil when friendship is at its most powerful.”

“Uh-huh, right sounds kinda nutty if ya ask me Twi.” Steel laughing at all this friendship nonsense.

Steel looked in his personal backpack for anything of use and found a light gem he forgot to turn in back at the hut, he begun to shake it to light it up and he threw it down the hole to see how deep the darkness went. Thankfully though the hole only went at least a few metres till the gem hit a floor offering another option to both ponies.

“Well looke what we have here, when somepony destroys a library, they usually leave a hole right Twi” Twilight could only chuckle at the awful joke that Steel thought up that previous second.

“Well, if you are not busy making bad jokes Steel, we got a tunnel to explore.” Both ponies leapt down jumping between each stone into the darkness.

Twilight kept her guard up on this new discovery, the last time she did this a trip into the future was the only outcome. She was going to be alert this time she told herself while lighting the way down the tunnel.

“I see this is new to you too Twi, was this around when you were in old Equestria?” Steel asked honestly.

“No , I lived in the castle all my time as a filly and never before has this secret tunnel being here, I remember looking through the blueprints of Canterlot Castle all the time and never before has this being here” Twilight trying to picture how this could possibly lead to something new or ancient.

Then again she thought with all the secrets that Celestia told her this might of being here all along. The tunnel descended deeper and deeper into the mountain finally reaching a lone empty room. The contents itself was nothing more than a statue of a unicorn standing confident in the face of what imaginary danger it was facing. It stood on a pedestal that was bare and not engraved, no name and no date was to be found anywhere in the room or on the statue.

“It makes no sense, why make a secret room just for a statue.” Twilight thought to herself out loud.

“I know what you mean Twi but still, it could be worth something or could have something important inside.” Steel said again throwing random ideas since it seemed to work last time.

Twilight nodded and agreed with the earth ponies thoughts “Sounds good, but no way are we gonna open it all the way down here, wait stand next to me I will teleport me, you and the statue outside to the back garden” Twilight preparing to charge her horn.

Steel stood next to Twilight as she finished the spell and the room lit up in a sudden bright flash and returned back to its eternal darkness this time the statue with the ponies missing. The sun was beginning to slowly shine all across the land over the mountain, their time was almost up soon the ponies down in the city where going to notice soon they were missing. Twilight felt woozy from teleporting the heavy statue and the earth pony felt disorientated from moving from a light shining on his face  to a dark and cold room setting.

“Woah how often do you do that anyway Twi” Steel shaking his head trying to see straight “Quick we gotta head back before somepony notices.” Steel entering a near full gallop towards the main castle gate. The sun was rising faster with its light touching the statue, the eyes on it started to glow.

“Steel wait the statue…it is….it is.” Twilight looking shocked at what was happening.

“Forget the statue Twi, it is not going anywhere we can wait next nightfall.” Steel looking back also shocked at what Twilight saw as well.

The statue was slowly moving each turn a crack ran down the entire length of its body. After a few seconds a bright light burst forth from the stone shaped body revealing a living breathing pony as it begun to open its eyes.

“Wait, what Canterlot it is a.” the mysterious unicorn pony begun talking looking at the castle in its current state.

Twilight and Steel stood there in complete silence jaws open on what was happening before their very eyes.

“Do not worry Princess I’m coming.” the pony said out loud galloping back into the castle grounds at full speed.

Twilight and Steel both looked at each other and said at the same time “The statues alive!?!” as they began chasing it back into the castle.