Mitch POV<<<<<<

"So, I'm going to guess that storm coming isn't normal?" I asked aloud as I skimmed a couple titles regarding spells and alchemy, knowing full well I wouldn't get a verbal answer from my canine friend.

I wonder if he ever does speak...Gotta ask Piper about that next time I see her.

After seeing the storm out the window, Reks and I had came to the decision to hasten our search for the book, moving up a floor in as we searched for anything relating to Duisternis and my arm.

Getting a snort and a shrug from my companion as an answer, I turned my back to him as I went to the next bookshelf, only to notice a blue light glowing off of it.

"What the hell?" I muttered as I reached out and touched it with my crystal hand, only to retract it quickly after the hand began to sizzle.

"Fuck! The damn things got some kind of security measure over it." I stated, waving my hand slightly as Reks came over and looked it over. "Looks like we might have our book though...if we could get to it."

Reks pointed past me, causing me to turn my head sharply to the left just to see a line of bookcases with the same glow on them.

"Books locked away magically? Really?" I thought aloud, my mind flashing back to when I had watched Harry Potter with my family when I was a kid.

Good times.

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I turned to my partner, pointing my thumb at the bookcase as I gave him a wry smile.

"So, got any bright ideas on how-" I went to ask, but was interrupted by what sounded like a rather loud commotion downstairs on the main floor.

"Young Filly! Get back here!"

Huh?

Carefully looking over the railing, I could make out what looked like a blue maned unicorn chasing after a...smaller pony with wings AND a horn? What the hell?

Just as the unicorn was about to catch the child, it disappeared in a flash of yellow light and appeared on the other side of the room, where a veeeery pink pony was standing and began to hop after the rather nimble little one.

"Come to your aunt Pinkie Pie!" The pink mare exclaimed joyfully as she chased the flying small pony down a row of bookshelves out of sight.

"What are they doing?" I whispered as Reks looked over the railing and pointed at another pink pony that was flying around and collecting books with what I'd guess is her magic, considering the horn.

Wings and a horn on her too? What kind of pony is that?

Taking a step back from the ledge, I turned to my stalwart companion and shook my head.

"We need to hurry up. I'm not sure who they are, but we don't need any distractions from the..." My voice trailed off as Reks simply stared at me, waiting for me to finish my thought.

"Uh, when did you get wings?" I stated as my eyes were drawn to the white wings that had spread from Reks' back.

With his eyes widening, Reks quickly did a three-sixty trying to grab the wings before that same small pony flew out from behind him and looked directly at me with big wide eyes.

It was a little white furred pony with a cotton candy mix of blue and purple hair. The odd part was that she had wings AND a horn...was that normal? I couldn't remember if it was.

If it is...then why am I slowly beginning to feel stressed out looking at this kid?

"Oooookay, so you have to be a baby, right?" I asked it as the small pony garbled out nonsense in a response before giggling, elicting a face-palm from myself. "Right, babies don't speak."

Just as Reks was about to grab the child, the baby took in several deep breaths as her nose began to scrunch up, causing my eyes to widen.

"Get down!" I dropped quickly in a squat as the baby sneezed, only instead of avoiding baby snot I saw my shadow illuminated on the ground for a split second as a yellow beam shot over my head and into the bookcase behind me.

Quickly standing up, after making sure I wasn't going to die by baby, I looked at the babbling child in shock.

"This things a fucking demon." I whispered in absolute awe of it as Reks had retreated several yards away from me and the baby and was watching from afar.

Really, man? The Dog can handle wolves without issue but flees from a baby?

Just as I was about to say something to Reks, the baby giggled before beginning to glow yellow again, disappearing in a flash all the while allowing me to let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Why the hell is my heart racing?I thought, a hand on my heart as I took a moment to slow my breathing and calm down.I mean, I get she sneezed out a beam and all, but the feeling had began the moment I saw the horn and wings...

Amid my thoughts, I noticed that the blue glow that was over the bookcase was completely gone, most likely thanks to the sneeze beam from the little pony that was just here.

"Looks like something good can come from children after all." I chuckled as I skimmed over some of the books. "A history of Centuars, Battle of the Badlands and all eighty thousand of its casualties, The Crystal compendium...Oh!"

Pulling out a book from the D section, I looked at the title and showed it to Reks.

"Duisternis, the realm of shadowed realities." Tapping the metal book cover, I couldn't help but smile. "We got it, Reks! This has to be what we've been looking for!"

Turning to face my companion, I noticed he had yet to come back after the baby had left, and was still looking at me warily.

"What?" I asked as he pointed at my head, causing me to lift my free hand up and feel that there was indeed something on my head.

Pulling the thing off, I turned it to face me only to be met with the baby from before again, only this time it quickly freed itself from my hand, latching itself to my chest and getting comfortable.

Lowering my hands I couldn't help but shake my head at the sight. I'm mean, C'mon it's a BABY for crying out loud and she's snuggling up to me like I'm her dad or something...

Shuddering to myself, I scratch that line of thought from my mind immediately. I'm FAR to young to be a father to anything.

Looking to Reks, who had finally approached and had poked the child twice in the side, I slapped his hand away with the book and held it out to him.

"Here, the covers metal, so you should be able to absorb it." I told him, watching as he took the book and slowly shoved it through his chest into whatever pocket dimension he has with his power.

Casually rubbing the childs mane, I turned for the staircase and began walking just as Reks followed after me with a confused grunt.

"We gotta return the kid to the ponies downstairs before we leave, I'd rather not be a babysitter to a living weapon." I told him as we made it to the second floor of the library and were met face to face with two of the ponies I had seen earlier, both the overly pink pony and the blue haired unicorn that had been chasing the baby on my chest.

"Um...anyone lose a baby?" I asked with a shrug as the super pink pony hopped up to me and Reks.

"OH! So THAT'S where Flurry Heart went! I was sooooo worried when we couldn't find her, Shining thought she left the room but I told him no-Sir-ee! She had to had went to another floor and-"

Thankfully, the blabbering mess of content candy in front of me was pulled away magically as the stallion I had seen before walked up and freed me from the clutches of the baby with pinkish colored magic.

"Thank you...whatever you are for finding her. It's been a long day already, and with the current situation any sort of help is appreciated." The rather tired looking stallion giving the now now sleeping baby a look over before placing it on his back. After making sure he or she was snug, the pony turned his gaze to Reks, his eyes widening while doing so. "Lieutenant? What are you doing here?"

Looking between Reks and the stallion, I went ask what he meant by that before I heard raised voices coming from the bottom floor, causing the stallion in front of me to sigh and shake his head.

"Nevermind that, I need to check on my wife and sister, Thanks again!" He stated as he turned and galloped away all the while the Pink pony waved to us erratically before hopping after him.

"Well, that was weird...but how did that guy know ya?" I asked Reks as he rolled his eyes and tapped his chest before pointing towards the staircase the two ponies had just went down. "Right right, we got the book so let's go and-."

My phone choose now of all times to go off, forcing me to to reach into my pocket and pull the damned thing out, showing off a single letter on the caller I.D.

D.

This guy again... I thought with slight venom in my words as I answered the call.

"Yello?"

"Ah, young Mitch! Tell me, are you safe from the storm outside?" The snarky tone of D spoke over the phone as I looked at the phone weirdly before returning it to my ear. "Trick question, my boy. No one is."

"Then why ask me then?" I stated, slightly annoyed at his joking manner as I heard a laugh on the other side while Reks began to eye the phone with almost childlike curiosity.

"Calm down, human. Your kind is soooo easy to rile up." D said as he cleared his throat. "But what I said wasn't just a side gag, if that storm isn't stopped the whole empire is doomed."

Pushing Reks away as he tried to grab the phone from me, I walked a few steps away from him and looked out a nearby window at the approaching storm, which had managed to only get bigger and engulf more of the outside mountain area than before.

Yeah, that might be a problem.

"So, you want me to help stop it somehow?" I asked, hearing D snicker on the other side as I glared at Reks to halt him from trying to grab the phone again.

I swear if Reks doesnt stop I'm going to find a fucking newspaper.

"Heavens no, how cliché would it be for the human to save the day!" He exclaimed distastefully before continuing. "No, I simply need you and your friend to look up." He said before the call ended abruptly.

Huh?

Reks, having leaned in close from behind me, heard the order and shared a questioning look with me as we looked up at the ceiling...

...only to be met with yellow eyes and red irises that seemed to engulf my vision entirely.

"Boo." Was the last thing I heard before a finger snap echoed, making everything go black.

Zephyr Breeze POV<<<<<<

"Ugh, this is sooooo boring. Why did we agree to this again?"

I'm starting to see why my sister gets annoyed with my attitude sometimes, especially if I even come close to acting like the mare hovering beside me.

"We agreed to it because SOMEPONY had to go and come up with the idea to stalk a royal and his military marefriend." I reprimanded Lightning Dust as she glared at me slightly.

"I don't recall doing that alone, Zephyr." She states smugly before sighing as she looked ahead at the mentioned couple, who were currently too busy arguing about some sort of vacation or something. "But still, I'm kinda jealous of that dog."

This caused me to become stationary in the air as I gave the mare beside me an incredulous stare.

"Really?" I asked her as I caught up with her and flew beside her yet again. "How so?"

Lightning Dust didn't respond at first, causing a nice rush of worry to flow through my veins.

Buck, I offended her didnt I? Luna, Damn it why am so bad at-

"I'm only jealous because of what they have is all. Not easy to find a stallion worth the time these days." Lightning Dust answered, pulling me out of my funk as I turned my head to face her.

"How long are you going to search for that stallion? I've heard of mares attempting to find their ideal lover for decades before giving up and going into a retirement home all alone." I said, running a hoof through my mane to make sure it was still in place after all the flying we had done today.

What? A stallion of my caliber has to keep his looks up at ALL times!

"Well, how long are you gonna hound Rainbow Dash?" She asked bluntly, causing me to nearly crash to the ground in surprise, earning me a laugh from the mare as she shook her head. "It was obvious from how you lit up when her name was mentioned earlier that you have a crush on the mare, and honestly its kinda pathetic."

Recovering from my stupor, I couldn't help but glare at the pegasus, only to receive a shrug in return as she ignored my irritation.

"I'm just saying it plainly, Zephyr. I know her type, and she'd never go for a run of the mill stallion like you." Lightning stated before stopping mid flight and landing on the ground. "Wait...why is the castle entrance covered up?"

Managing to land on the ground, I looked ahead and saw that there was a red partition blocking sight of the centerpiece of the empire entirely.

"Don't know, but it's probably for the ceremony." I said coldly as I sped up a bit with a flap of my wings, trying to put what Lightning Dust had said out of my mind.

What does she know? She's just some random mare who probably has the hots for Rainbow Dash, considering how much she wants to find her. My mood picked up slightly as that thought ran through my head. Yeah! Shes just jealous of the fact I know Rainbow Dash and doesnt want any competition is all!

Feeling something grab my foreleg, I look down to see Blueblood motion to Piper, who was on one knee holding her paws against her ears.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked her, nuzzling the side of her face as Piper put one arm around the stallion and slowly got back up on her feet, albeit shakily as she shook off whatever happened to her.

"I-Im fine...just got startled by a loud screech up ahead." She explained as Lighting Dust caught up to us while I dropped to the ground quickly, giving the couple some space.

"Screech? I didn't hear anything." Lightning Dust stated as Blueblood, after making sure Piper was alright for the moment, turned to the brash pegasus.

"Piper and her fellow Diamond dogs have sensitive hearing, even compared to us equines its on another level entirely." He informed us as he looked towards the castle with a grimace. "Whatever she heard was up ahead, and it couldn't have been good."

Casting a concerned glance to the captain, I couldn't help but feel my chest tighten slightly at the thought of danger up ahead.

Calm down, Zephyr...theres nothing to be worried about, whatever Piper heard couldn't be that bad, right? I reassured myself, barely managing to stop myself from shaking slightly from the fear coursing through me. Even if it is, if my sister can face danger...So can I!

"AHH!" I Yipped as something touched my side, making me hop into the air before nearly crashing face first into the crystal cement.

Turning to my side as I stabilized myself I groaned as I saw Lightning Dust snickering at my fight or flight reaction.

"Jeez, Breeze." She started in between her laughter. "Can't say it surprises me your that easy to spook, but it doesn't make it any less lame."

Glaring at the pegasus, I was just about to use one of my famous witty remarks on her when the prince intervened.

"Enough!" He yelled, stopping the oncoming argument between Lightning Dust and I. "You can settle your grievances AFTER we get a read on the situation at the castle."

Looking between us, Prince Blueblood shook his head and turned away as he and Piper continued walking ahead, though I could've swore I heard him muttering under his breath something about babysitting foals.

"Whatever...figures a prince would be a party pooper." Lightning Dust grumbled as she and I followed the couple up to the castle, though a herd of ponies off on one of the main roads caught my eye as we approached the crystal spire.

"Whoa...wonder if their here for the Crystalling?" I stated aloud as I tried unsuccessfully to count the ponies that were crowded up nearby.

"Imagine if we had came from that side of the city, we would've never gotten through." Lightning Dust added on as we made our way towards a pair of guards that were standing in front of the partition.

"P-Prince Blueblood?" The first guard, a stocky purple pegasus with a blue mohawk stuttered out as he stood to attention at the sight of the prince.

"Captain Piper! It's an honor, Ma'am!" The second guard, another pegasus with a red mohawk sounded off as he saluted the captain, getting a smile and a salute from the diamond dog.

"At ease, boys." She said with clear authority as she and the guards dropped their salutes and relaxed their postures. "Now, we need to know where princess Cadence is, could you help us?"

As they continued talking, I felt a wing poke my side, inclining me to turn my head towards Lightning Dust.

"What?" I asked bluntly, honestly not in a mood to deal with the mare after her attitude recently.

"Isn't it weird that those guardponies treat Piper as if she's their commanding officer?" She whispered to me as I raised an eyebrow at the question.

"Uh...not really? From what Prince Blueblood told us earlier, their clan has deep ties with this kingdom. Perhaps they simply have an alliance or something?"

"That wouldn't make them salute her though...maybe she holds high regards with princess Cadence or something." Lightning Dust stated as I couldn't help but continue the line of thought.

"But how would that happen? Did they save the princess or help her people out some-"

"HE DID WHAT?!"

Turning our attention back the the couple and the guards, Piper was now looking pretty ticked off as she dragged a paw down her face.

"Your telling me that my brother, who is in an officer position and represents my entire tribe, was last seen sprinting through the streets alongside Mitch in a race? Without any care for anyone in the way?"

Yeah, she's definitely mad.

Seeing her anger, the blue maned guard tried his best to settle the captain down with his next words, as if not to somehow anger her further.

"Y-Yes Ma'am...but the road they came in from was mostly empty due to the populace gathering near the front of the castle for the ceremony, so there was no harm done."

"Oh, I'm sure there wasn't, because if their was there would've been-" Getting a jab to her side from Blueblood, Piper cleared her throat. "Nevermind that, you said the princess is inside?"

The guards nodded and stepped off to the side, opening the partition and allowing us access to the castle.

"Right this way, Ma'am. Both the princess and your brother were last seen in the library of the castle." The red maned guard stated before returning his gaze forward towards the road.

"Well, there's no time like the present." Blueblood chirped merrily as he trotted in with Piper, though the latter still looked annoyed about the news of her brothers mischief.

"Didn't think Mitch would be here, but it's gonna be great to see him again!" I said with a smile as I followed the couple as Lightning Dust put a hoof on my shoulder and spun me around.

"Somethings not right." She stated quickly as she turned back towards the exit and looked up at the sky. "Zephyr, tell me what you see out there."

Walking up to her side I followed her gaze as I saw what looked like a bunch of clouds coming this way.

"Uh, looks like a storm...so?" I asked as the mare face-hoofed.

"Not just any storm, those clouds look like a combination of nimbostratus and cumulonimbus clouds." She said as I blinked.

"Nimbo-huh?"

Letting out a yell of frustration she pointed at the clouds. "Nimbostratus clouds cause snow, cumulonimbus clouds are present during storms. Now, imagine them together, Zephyr!"

Oh buck...

Seeing the look of fear in my eyes, Lightning Dust made a 'hmph' sound and turned her gaze back outside.

"Back in the wonderbolt academy, they had told us what types of clouds do and don't mix, and one of the main ones to never mix were cumulonimbus and Nimbostratus, or the CNS duo."

"What would happen if they did?" I asked her as the mare turned back to me, and for the first time since meeting her I saw a look of worry in the those amber irises.

"A class five storm...and one this high in the atmosphere is going to be one tartarus of a snowstorm." She answered me as I took a couple deep breaths to calm myself down before responding.

"Wait...How do you know all of this stuff? I get us pegasi can manipulate clouds and all that, but you seem to know a LOT about clouds."

It was then, for a brief moment, I saw a flash of sadness etch across the mares face. It disappeared as quickly as it came though, even if her folded ears betrayed her neutral expression.

"I...I wanted to be a wonderbolt not too long ago, and that stuff is pretty much the basics in the program I took to try and join." She shut her eyes for a second before sighing and walking past me towards the prince and Piper, who were currently looking at a center pillar in the middle of the room.

Watching Lightning Dust walk past me, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the mare.

Did she fail to join them somehow? If so, I know exactly how that feels...especially right now.

Choosing to not ask more on the topic, I followed Lightning Dust over as Blueblood seemed to be short of a panic attack.

"Where the buck is the crystal heart?!" The prince exclaimed as he took another step towards the heart, a loud crunch sounding off as he looked down where his hoof just landed. "No...you've got to be bucking with me!?!"

Looking closer around the middle spire there was cracked glass surrounding it in an almost perfect circle, and it didn't take a genius to know what had happened.

"That...can't be the crystal heart, right?" I nervously spoke up as Lightning Dust simply looked on in horror while Piper slowly knelt down and picked up a shard.

"That scream from earlier...the one that I heard on the streets." She muttered as she started shaking slightly. "Without the heart, this whole kingdom and the surrounding province is doomed."

The captain stood up quickly and turned to Blueblood, who now had his eyes on his lover as she looked down to him with eyes coated in fear.

"Bluey? Is there any way we can fix this?"

"Thats what we're trying to do, Captain."

Turning towards one of the doorways to the side, I couldn't help but feel my heart jump in my throat as I saw none other than the prince of the empire walk over towards us alongside some of my sisters friends. (I know the pink one had pink in her name, but I've never even spoken to the alabaster mare...though she seemed to be glaring at Blueblood).

"Prince Shining!" Piper exclaimed before kneeling to the unicorn. "The chief sends his regards."

Showing a quick smile, Shining nodded as Piper stood up and at attention.

"I'm glad to hear he's doing well, even if the news comes at a troubling time." Shining Armour stated as Blueblood snorted.

"Troubling is an understatement, what we have right now is a disaster." The prince said as he walked up to his fellow royal. "What's the main course of action, Armour?"

"My wife and sister are working on fixing the crystal heart, and myself and the elements are going to evacuate the city southward to avoid the coming storm." Shining answered as Lightning Dust raised a hoof.

"Hate to cut in here, but the storm is coming from all sides, how does evacuating one direction help at all?"

Looking to the pegasus, Shining seemed almost resigned as he spoke.

"We have underground bunkers in that part of the city, alongside the train station. If the tracks aren't frozen over, then we start sending ponies to safety."

"And if not, then we use the bunkers to outlast the storm...right?" Lightning Dust finished for the prince, earning a nod from Shining as the unicorn mare spoke up.

"Not that this conversation isn't interesting and all, shouldn't we be hurrying it up a tad? The storm is on its way still." The mare spoke up as Piper nodded in agreement.

"Right, now this is where we need to split up." She turned towards Lightning Dust and I. "Dust, you'll assist me in helping the evacuation. Without the Crystal heart to protect the city, the storm may be the least of our worries."

Lightning Dust let off a whoop as she took to the air with a big smile.

"Aw yeah! Time to save a city!"

Ignoring her, Piper turned to Blueblood and knelt before him, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"And I need you here, Princey! Your bound to be able to help the princesses with the heart, and they need your brain more than I do right now."

Blueblood shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he removed her paw from him with a scowl.

"If you think I'm going to let you go out there without me your-" He began, but was cut off as Piper pulled him into a rather passionate kiss, drawing gasps from everypony watching.

Sweet Lunas Flanks Piper has quite the tongue!

"Oooooh! I NEED to throw them a party!" The pink mare exclaimed happily, hopping in place while the alabaster unicorn next to her muttered something under her breath as she watched the couple with a glare.

Pulling back from the kiss and leaving Blueblood dazed, Piper giggled softly and stood up.

"Don't worry, your looking at the toughest Bitch in Equiis. You focus on saving the empire, Bluey." Piper stated strongly as she turned to me. "And Zephyr, go find Mitch and my brother and bring their flanks out to help with the evacuation."

Catching myself before I almost saluted Piper, I decided to nod instead and turned to an approaching Shining Armour.

"I saw her brother with someone else in the library above us." He told me, motioning to the door he came from with his head. "You and Blueblood can go through their and see if their still there. If not, rendezvous with my wife and sister and help them wherever its needed."

"Sounds good, Prince! Be careful everyone!" I called over my shoulder as I took off and flew through the doors alongside a suprisingly quick Blueblood.

Then again, he DID say he traveled for a living, maybe thats why hes no slob. I thought as we ascended upwards, keeping an eye on the prince as we did so. He looks so in control of the situation...makes a pegasus want to so whatever he asks.

Making it to a rather large doorway at the end of the hall, I landed on the ground with a small thump.

"So, this is the library entrance?" I asked aloud as Blueblood looked over the etchings on the doors

"Has to be. There wasn't anywhere else to go." Blueblood answered, though before we could open the doors we heard a snap from behind us.

"My my, so the prince and the pauper have come to play?"

Turning around quickly, I let out a a totally stallionly squeal as none other than Discord was floating in front of us.

"Chaos Lord, what do you want? We don't have time for your games!" Blueblood demanded while Discord turned upside down and smirked at us.

"Oh, but everyone has time for my games. Even now, your both currently players." He said ominously, though before we could ask him what he meant he lifted up his talons and snapped them, plunging everything around us into a blinding light.

Author's Note

Hooooly crap college has been kicking my ass.

Well, not really, I've just had a crapload of stuff happen (Homework, car issues again, financial problems and the like).

Thankfully, I managed to get this much done chapter wise, and decided to split it in half to give yall something to read while I continue to write and be busy.

See any errors or other things please do so, or just comment anyway!