CRYSTAL EMPIRE

Twilight came down the steps singing a melody, she finished descending when she saw a figure coming from far away, she opened the glass door with her magic and continued walking towards her brother's room, the figure kept approaching, she could hear an accelerated breathing. Twilight was focused on her thoughts, she kept walking, suddenly someone small bumped into her hind hoof, the unicorn looked at a startled dragon.

"Twilight!, Twilight! You won't believe it!" shrieked Spike, jumping up and down several times wanting to get Twilight's attention.

Twilight smiled and looked at the dragon. "What's the matter, Spike? Are you out of drinks?

Spike shook his head, catching her tail and hugging her." No... Much worse!".

Twilight arched an eyebrow.

"Spike...?" the words hung in the air, Twilight's gaze fell on the window, no, on the weather. The weather worsened, the clouds began to turn dark and cast evil lightning on Celestia's shield.

"Eh... Forget it." muttered Spike.

Twilight's hooves flew as she approached to run outside, before, she grabbed Spike with her mouth and put him on her back. Twilight's hooves ran as fast as she could, she dodged several crystal ponies, while Spike grabbed Twilight's tail due to the little dragon shot out of Twilight's back. The doors burst open, the throne room showed two worried alicorns, Twilight stopped running.

Spike staggered down, almost fainting.

"Princess Celestia... What's going on?" asked Twilight, looking between Princess Celestia and Luna, then looking at her brother, Shining Armor. "Where is Cadance?"

Shining Armor looked down, a tear came out of his right eye, Twilight immediately despaired, her friends came in showing confusion on their faces. Twilight now looked at Celestia, who gave her an uncomprehending expression.

"Somebody say something to me!!!" shrieked Twilight. Taking a few steps backwards, she almost tripped over Spike's tail.

Celestia walked over to Twilight, and put her helmet on her shoulder. "Don't rush to despair, Crystal's heart has been stolen, Cadance has gone looking for it, yet.... He hasn't returned" Celestia announced, looking at Twilight.

Twilight's exclamation of horror shocked everyone in the throne room. "The Crystal Heart... HAS IT BEEN STOLEN?!" shrieked Twilight, imperventilating. "And Cadance hasn't returned?!".

"Let's hope he comes back soon, Cadance is strong in the face of his priorities" commented Luna, looking serious about the situation. Her sister nodded. Fluttershy and Rarity looked at each other, with a hesitant look. Twilight understood that she couldn't do much, even if she wanted to. She approached her brother.

"Shining Armor, are you all right?" asked Twilight, looking at the sad state he was in.

"No, Twilight, I can't be okay knowing that Cadance is out there, in danger..." His words surprised Twilight, her brother was Cadance's guard, even down to friend.... But the way he expressed himself she could understand that there was something else there.... Shining Armor had not yet stopped loving Cadance.

For now, only the curse was back. Princess Celestia asked Twilight and her friends to guide the crystal ponies to safety. While Shining Armor and Spike guarded the entrance, without the Crystal Heart they were even more exposed to the curse, and this time Cadance was not there to help. Twilight ran down the stairs, while with her magic she levitated books around her. The unicorn's eyes were moving everywhere, Twilight bit her lip.

"There's nothing!" she shrieked, when she entered the throne room and saw the princesses there, Twilight dropped the books on the floor. "This is worse than I thought, last time we made it because we had the heart, and Cadance! It's going to be our undoing!" Twilight's breathing was too fast.

Celestia came walking over the books on the floor, and perched her helmet on Twilight's shoulder." Calm down Twilight, Luna and I will make a new aura field, while you can keep researching how to fix this." proposed Celestia, her sister nodded as she looked at the sun princess pupil.

Twilight's ears flattened, she sat on the floor with her gaze on the ground." I wish Cadance would come back, Shining Armor hasn't spoken to me all morning, and that makes me even sadder" Twilight said.

The two princesses were silent.

The hours continued to pass and there was no news about Cadance. The curse kept getting closer, Twilight managed to break some dark magic crystals that were materializing inside the Empire. And so the whole week went on, with no news from Cadance, the princess was still missing, some ponies were asking for their princess; Twilight had to invent some absurd excuses about it.

The week was almost impossible, the crystals kept breaking through the barrier, and came back stronger than before. It seemed that someone from the outside was strengthening them. Twilight lately was more nervous than usual, while her brother seemed to be calmer about the situation, but still had a deep sadness in his eyes.

"Spike, prepare the timbers for the Crystal pony houses" Twilight ordered, walking over, Spike at her side nodded and going off to do his job. Twilight's friends followed the unicorn behind, waiting for Twilight, like a good leader, to say a few words to them. "Fluttershy and Rainbowdash will clear the clouds of Sombra " the two pegasus nodded with determined smiles. "Rarity and Pinkie Pie will take care of the crystal ponies." Twilight turned around, looking at her friends. "Applejack, you'll help Spike." the three nodded looking at each other, confused.

"And what will you do, Twilight?" asked Pinkie Pie, tilting her head to the side.

Twilight turned around, turning her back to them unconsciously, she looked towards the outskirts of the Empire, she sighed. "I'll go find Cadance."

All three shrieked in horror. "For the apples, Twilight! You can't go by yourself!" claimed Applejack, taking Rarity and Pinkie Pie's concurrence.

Twilight looked at her friends. "I don't know what to do!!! I'm so confused!" shrieked Twilight, sitting up as tears from her eyes fell to the floor.

Her friends hugged her. "Oh, dear, you would have said so earlier. You can't leave so many emotions to yourself!" exclaimed Rarity, covering Twilight's body with a robe. The snow was coming to the Empire.

"I know..." was all Twilight said.

Twilight's thoughts remained on a single idea all afternoon, until night fell. The cold was the iciest of all, it seemed to be a battle, the beginnings of one. They undertook to lay in every corner a trail of a campfire, while Shining Armor continued to destroy some dark magic crystals. The moon had never been so dark before, even the princess had to give an explanation. The crystal ponies took shelter in their homes or near the campfires, without knowing that heart was not there. It hurt Twilight to see all that and do nothing about it, and it hurt more to know that Cadance never came back when she went out after the thief.

The unicorn's eyes fell on her pegasus friend, Fluttershy. "What's wrong, Fluttershy? You look a little uncomfortable." commented Twilight, turning to her friend.

The pegasus looked at her, covering her face with her mane. "Twilight...remember the papers you asked me to take to Canterlot?"

Twilight smiled, "Of course! It was of utmost importance that they were with Celestia." the unicorn frowned. "Why do you ask?

Fluttershy tilted her head even more to the ground." They were stolen... " she whispered.

Twilight's eyes widened." WHAT?!". Fluttershy recoiled backwards as her friend started to imperventilate." Oh, no. No, no, no. This can't be happening." Twilight turned to Fluttershy, a little more relaxed... "Did you see who stole them?".

Fluttershy blinked. "She said her name was Sunset Shimmer, and she was back."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, began to shuffle around her books. "I've never heard someone by that name." she commented, frowning.

"I yes."

The two presences turned their gazes towards the door, Celestia held her chin high. She stepped into the room, her gaze wandering off somewhere.

"Princess Celestia, I'm so sorry, it's not Fluttershy's fault, it's mine..." started to say Twilight, until she was silenced by Celestia's blunt gaze.

"Don't worry, Twilight. There was nothing in those papers." twilight's mouth dropped open, if it wasn't for her fur holding her down, she would be on the floor. Celestia continued. "I had my suspicions that an old acquaintance had returned, I only wanted to confirm my suspicions."

"And who is she?" asked Twilight. Fluttershy remained silent.

Celestia looked at Twilight. "My former student.

Twilight's heart could have broken into pieces right there." You... Former student? Why former?"

Celestia walked across the room, stood still at the window, looking at the stars." She wanted more power than she had, it's a long story, Twilight. But I know what Sunset Shimmer wants. I know why she's back, and it has to be stopped in time..."

"I don't understand, Princess Celestia.... What does Sunset Shimmer want?"

Celestia looked sideways at Twilight. "I can't tell you yet. Just keep the crown watched, always." and with those words the princess left the room.

"What did he try to say?" asked Fluttershy, confused.

Twilight closed her eyes, and opened them again in confusion. "I think Sunset Shimmer wants to steal my crown."

Author's Note

Sunset Shimmer approaches the Crystal Empire?

Oh, how confusing.

Where is Cadance?

We'll see in the next chapter!