Shadow of the Heartby TuniPeaceChapters23finale12The crystal princess was becoming tired using her hooves all day to pick and pluck. When she thought no one was looking, Quartz took up a berry bush with her magic. Unknown to her there was a worker picking at the bush. He became entangled within it. "Oh dear elements, no! I'm sorry!" He cried. The Princess gasped and shook her head. "No, no, I meant no harm! Truly I was-" "I have a wife and 9 children! Please!" The worker sobbed as Quartzia carefully put him down. She tried to comfort him, almost laying a hoof on his back. He looked at her wide-eyed, kicked dirt in her face and ran. She quickly rubbed her face, taking away the dirt with her heel bulb. Quartzia gasped and cried. The Alicorn then heard angry voices coming her way. When she opened her eyes, they were watery and irritated. The angry farm ponies became very scared and galloped away. "No, no! I just want to love my fellow ponies! No, no, no!" The distraught Princess galloped into the nearby forest, which was cultivated with her family's planning and direction from the first Empress. Those woods was an often place for her to hide, a sanctuary. She would go there at nights and wander the wilds. The critters and flora did not mind her appearance. The alicorn's personal guards recorded their 'annoyance' with having to wait outside the forest for her at times. Quartzia Rose went to her favorite place to lay, going on to her belly, lowered her head down to her crossed front legs and sobbed. "Am I that much feared as this Discord they talk of? My strange wings and long horn. Why was I born this way!" She yelled and demanded from the heavens above. The Princess replaced her face into her crossed legs. Suddenly she felt something, or some pony, stroking her horn. Quartzia immediately arose with her wings open and neck straightened. She spotted a figure behind a tree within the shadow. The Princess squinted her frosty sky blue eyes at it. "Horn, you say?" Said the mysterious pony. "You are not the only one with a horn." The Princess gasped as the mysterious figure stepped forward revealing himself as a silver-grey pony. He had black going down between his eyes, stopping at the beginning of his nostrils. The stallons' mane and tail was voluminous and black. Quartzia also noticed his unusual pointy red horn. "At least your horn is the same color as the rest of you." The stranger said. His green eyes and deep baritone voice instantly pierced her heart. Quartzia Rose felt a cold sweat come over her. Her eyes darted to the bottom left. And she felt her breath quicken. The mysterious pony then stepped forward. She locked her eyes on him, almost becoming dizzy. "I know you. I have watched you." The Princess gasped at this disclosure and forgot the hatred of her magic and wings. Quartzia flew. She flew fast and hard through the trees, cutting and piercing her wings but got through the canopy of thick tree tops. '"No! Wait! I did not mean that I-" Pleaded the unknown unicorn. He lowered his head, sighed and moved his eyes about. Stomping his hoof into the ground, the grey stallion used his horns magic to make a tan hooded cloak for himself. With the hood halfway over his eyes, the mysterious and magical pony went back into the forest shadows. Twilight and Celestia looked at each other. Celestia turned her head away and began to ponder the reading. "You see, I have compiled this binder with recovered diary notes, guard reports, witness accounts and time lines from the Empires library archives and even the Crystal Palaces private book room." Pleaded Twilight Sparkle. "I, I think that the earlier belief that the Crystal Empire was-" "How much have you studied?" Asked The Princess . "All of it." The purple unicorn said as she looked away with despair and worry. Celestia lowered herself to Twilight's level. She put a wing over her beloved student and smiled. "Then you can just tell me what you have discovered, without worry. Everything will work out." Assured The Sun Princess. The little unicorn nodded her head. She breathed deeply and looked at the notes. Twilight was taken aback by the upcoming section of notes. Her heart became heavy and avid. "Princess... These notes were written by princesses Quartzia's very hoof!" "Then we must truly read on." Asserted Celestia. 20th Day, Harvest-berry tide, 210 "Dear Princess log, hold my thoughts, hold my dreams, for no one within the world wants love from me." I fled to the confines of the deep wood that my family had planted for the ponies of this Empire out of love and compassion. After a misunderstanding at the farm, I was crying, sobbing as I usually do. Then this, this pony that I have never seen before came to me as I had my face hidden, crying on top the soil. He touched me. My horn. Frightened, angry and defensive I had become. But then, he came back toward me from the shadows. He revealed himself similar to me. He too had a horn, but no wings! The horn was smaller and red! I think a Unicorn is the type of pony he is. He opened his mouth and told me that he had watched me. That he knew me. His eyes- 22nd day, Harvest-berry tide, 210 My journal writing was interrupted by the balcony doors within my chamber bursting open. It is now two days later. Here is what transgressed; The howling winters winds extinguished the lit candles. Ponies that were attending to my wings looked around. The personal guards got close to my bedside. I looked around the room and then looked upward and saw a tiny flash within the darken ceiling. Squinting my eyes I breathed in deeply. "You can leave my service for the rest of the night." I ordered. "Your injuries, my fair mare." Said a guard. "Since when do you care?" A mysterious voice echoed into the room. A voice that I recognized. "What is this, evil?!" Cried one other guard. "If you wish not to find out, then leave my chambers! I can handle this, visitor." I Demanded. The guards looked at one another. They told me they would be right outside my bedchamber door. Every pony left me. I arose from bed, closed the balcony doors, pulled the curtains and then re-lit the candles, all with my magic. Turning back to my bed I saw that stranger unicorn! "What is the meaning of this?" I yelled. The stranger unicorn was sitting on top and center of my bed, with his legs curled under him while reading my diary. He then looked forward to me and smiled. The lining of his smile caused me to gulp and turn my head slightly. But still... I kept my eyes on him. The red-horned pony cleared his throat and looked at me with lowered eyelids. "I do know you." He said. "Then why not I know you?" I snapped. The unicorn laughed and then slid off my bed, like silk sliding off melting ice. He walked slowly to me. As princess I stood my ground as this bold, mysterious pony came within inches of my face. We stood there, looking at each other. I looked at him intensely. The unicorn gazed at me calmly. As the night went on, the stranger unicorn and myself, now I knew as 'Sombra', talked with one another, sharing feelings and emotions. I discovered that as a colt, he'd been abandoned by his family for being a Unicorn. He was too a Crystal Pony. They kept him long enough till he could be of schooling age, then dumped him into the forest. This is where Sombra discovered his ability over the shadows. I do not remember when, but I found myself with the unicorn, resting in my bed, holding one another. I was just under his chin wrapping my forearms around his torso. He held me also, rubbing my shoulder as we both looked at the roof being lit by the light of the moon. Quartzia Rose had never been this comfortable with any pony. However, for some invisible reason, there was magnetism. A connection, some sort of completion to my being. He spoke so very freely with me. He even recollected when he first saw me as we lay there entangled within one another's forearms: "Then a few years later, I saw you. You were crying in that spot where you are always. I had heard of you before hoof but had never seen you. You startled me with your unusual wings and horn. However, my shock grew to curiosity when I heard your father call you and saw you first fly." I felt his overpowering green eyes softly looking down at me. Quickly and shyly I looked up and then away from him. He asked me if I was ' frightened' of him. "No, no. I've never been this intimate with any pony. Especially someone as-” I paused, trying to ponder what to say. "Strange and unusual as I be?" He further inquired. "Mesmerizing, enchanting and beautiful..." I had confessed loosely to him feeling heavy mortification. Sombra laughed and dropped his head back. I got defensive and told him that if he was going to laugh, that he could journey away from my bed chambers the same way he came! I released him, sat up and turned away. I then crossed my forearms and looked at him threw the corner of my eyes. Sombra chucked some more and reached toward me. He then stopped and looked out the balcony. I fully looked back at him uncrossing my forearms legs. "What is it?" I asked. Sombra exhaled, "I just may have to leave you, for now." When the sun started to line the horizon, Sombra looked at me, I looked back at him. Like a bat going back to its cave, Sombra revealed his ability to turn to shadow. Turning into a mystical mist, he flew off into the remaining darkness of the morning. Galloping toward the balconies edge I wanted to fly after my new friend but noticed the ponies below, walking about. With a heavy breath, I looked back up as the magical, shadowy mist of my friend disappear. "Oh, oh, no." Disappointingly I cried I lowered my head and started back into my room, sad and lonely but at the same moment; a feeling that I never thought I would feel... love. "What is this that I hear of you getting injured?" My Father said as he burst through my bedroom chambers. "Father, should you not be in bed!" I shouted with concern. "Not when my foal is getting hurt!" He snapped. The King, my father, started to cough and wheeze, falling into my forearms. I screamed for the guards and the nursemaids. The sickly King started to cough up blood onto his hoof. I gasped and started to cry in fright. Holding my father close and started rocking him, I patted the top of his mane with my free hoof, laying my cheek on top of his head. I looked forward at the open balcony as tears dropped from my eyes like slow rain. "Not yet father. Please? Not when I finally found a friend." I pleaded. Please forgive the princess if thou hoof be shaky as a record these events. It is quite emotional for me, but these happenings must be captured. "Oh my dear child; then I can truly be released. You have found what love is and you must rule with it." He spoke weakly to me. "Father, father, Oh, by the stone, no! No." I yelled and demanded. I could almost feel father’s spirit lifted with the sun rising in the sky. For a moment, I hated the dawn. The coming morning was full of loss with my new friend going away, and now my father passing away within my very hooves. However, I decided to please my father’s wishes to rule with love. "Yes father. I shall." I told myself. I have been telling myself for these sleepless hours. The nursemaids and guards rushed into the room. They placed The King on my bed. I walked forward, feeling as light as a feather and so very detached from the surroundings. The young, pink alicorn was left behind in the room. Now I was birthed into the new morning as an Empress of an Empire that resented me. I walked further on to the balcony, looking toward the rising sun, smelling of a promising morning. I reminisced the night with Sombra, and then the current memory of my father’s passing. As if emotionally and spiritually being broken and then repaired for the next chapter in my ever changing life. Author's Note Sombra and Quartzia just got emotionally attached. 315th day, Icjam, 210 Within the coming days, the Empire buried their beloved King. I became Junior Empress; still a Princess but with most of the ruling power besides the Counsel and Delegates. I soon passed new laws and corrected old ones, visited districts and communities, announced ideas for new holidays and events to wash the tide of sorrow of my fathers passing. After a few weeks as Empress, Sombra and I found one another within the forest. I explained my idea's to him: "It shall be called The Crystal Fair. My ancestor created it long ago and I shall bring it back." The late afternoon talking with Sombra was a refreshing change of events for me. The grey unicorn laid his head on my chest with his back on the grass, looking forward at the forest. I was relaxed laying on my belly with one forearm and back leg curled under my torso. I wrapped a forearm around Sombra's chest. My hoof moved up and down his chest as I explained the fair to him. I told him my plans for the districts and wards bringing their favorite foods and goods. How I studied the hobbies and talents of the ponies. The demonstrations of jousting, comedy, plays, crafts and foods, with some physical entertainment. "I see that you are pampering them after all the things that they have done to you. All of the wicked thoughts and conspiracies." Sombra snapped softly. "I'm becoming peaceful and have resolved their prejudging ways for myself! My father told me to rule with love. I am apart of him and I feel love within my being. I cannot go against who I' am. I, I love my ponies. Our fellow ponies." I said, trying to reason with him. Sombra raised himself to his belly, curling his legs under him. I lowered my head and closed my eyes. "I thought we had a common understanding." I heard Sombra disappointingly say. "We do! However, I love, and you, hate, it scares me." Telling him my feelings of his attitude. I raised my head to his face, and opened my eyes. We looked at each other gently, wanting a common ground from one another. I chuckled, smiled and stood, then walked away a few feet. Sombra looked at me wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape. I lowered my head and long Alicorn neck, digging my front right toe into the dirt back and forth. Sombra soon walked over to me. He stayed a short distance from my side. "I suppose opposites, attract. We are the same in so many ways, but the way that we want to treat others are so vastly different." I told Sombra, quietly and with gentle concern, I turned to him with tears in my eyes. Sombra backed slightly away and in shock at my strong emotion. He gasped and looked at me wide-eyed. The gray unicorn raised his front hoof, guarding himself. I approached him, laid the grove of my chin on his right shoulder, closed my eyes and breathed in his ear. Sombra seemed a willing-uncomfortable to these feelings of mine. I liken to believe that he became relaxed with my chin on his shoulder "Do you hate me?" I asked. Sombra's eyes widened again. He then lowered his head, closed his eyes and breathed heavily out of his nose. "Your one of the few that I do not despise." He answered. I told him that I wanted to help him. That I did not wish to change him. I wanted us to be by each other's side. "It is alright." I said. "And I wish to help you." Sombra whispered ominously in my ear. As always I felt Sombra's eyes looking on me. My eyes flashed open and then I backed away from him. The gray unicorn raised his head and looked at me. I slightly turned my head, lowered my eyelids and looked at him questionably. I told him that the fair was going to start within a few weeks. I would like it if he would come, be by my side as my special escort and partner, I pleaded gently. Sombra huffed and puffed. He lowered his head, dashed his eyes around. He then turned away and walked into the beginning of the forest shadows. The red-horned unicorn stopped, turning his head slightly to me. I looked on shocked and worried, raising my right front hoof. "Is that your answer, to me?" I asked sadly. Sombra's green eyes raced. He breathed heavily and went deeper into the forest. I shut my eyes tightly and started to sob. The sound of me sob cut his ears sharply. It gave him immediate pause and shock but he still was away from me. Looking at him for the last time, I galloped hurrying out of the forest sobbing. Now the forest a place of pain, instead of peaceful retreat. Sombra looked on within the shadows as I hurried out of the woods. Over the weeks, Empress Quartzia did not go to the forest. She thought that Sombra had forgotten about her and did not want her company any longer. Our leader poured her attention into making the Crystal Fair the happiest and most loving event in the entire world. Empress Quartzia even journeyed to distant lands to invite other kingdoms and townships so that the civilians could see other ponies from all over the world. The ponies of the empire started to learn from the Unicorns and Pegasus. Citizens enjoyed the Pegasus speed and daring, and the Unicorns knowledge and skills. Many civilians were sad when the ambassadors had to leave. Nevertheless, they promised to return for the fair with their families. Finally, it seemed that the ponies within the crystal empire were accepting their Empress and seeing her again as one of their own. Ponies would call her for advice on where to set up the tents and fair structures. Fillies and colts laughed and bounced around her, giving her baskets of berries and flowers. Even the ponies on the farms requested for Quartzia's help using magic. She was free to fly, use her magic and shower her people with love. It was everything that the alicorn ever wanted. However The empress would look on longingly at the forest while volunteering in the mornings, and from the palace at dusk. Everypony felt that there was a hole within her soul. Like a tattered flag blowing in the wind. Unknown to our Quartzia, Sombra was stalking around the Empire. Everypony did not pay him mind, but we now realize he was secretly watching the empress over the weeks within the fairs preparation. He was always wearing a hooded cloak looking at the Crystal Palace through the top of his hood, tightening his jaw. The empress was going over blueprints within the evening, as she lay in her bed. She kept looking out the open balcony as she did every night since her father's passing. Quartzia sighed and closed it with her magic. The Alicorn coughed and drunk some tea that was beside her on a nearby table. She was becoming sick. Quartzia thought it was from the work of the fair, but secretly everypony dreaded it was her family’s sickness. The candles went out within the room suddenly. The empress gave off a sigh and rolled her head back. We guards became alert, but we knew whom it was visiting her. So did the empress. "It took you awhile." Said slightly annoyed by the Alicorn. She then coughed and cleared her throat. "I see that working with these ponies has made you sick." Said Sombra's echoing voice. The empress cleared her throat again. She then put away her notes within a drawer, took a drink of tea and rubbed her neck. Sombra appeared at the foot of her bed and locked his eyes on her. The empress looked on at him with weakened eyes, a cold sweat and dizziness. We had gotten used to Sombra's company, but this was the first time in weeks that he had made a visit to our empresses bed chambers. We stepped back and let them converse with one another. "What is wrong with you?" Asked Sombra. "So you do care." Empress Quartzia replied. "Well you're the one that said that you wanted me to accompany you to this love-fest. You are obviously not feeling well. And you might need me and my ways more than-" Quartzia tackled and hugged the grey unicorn as tightly as she could, interrupting his words. She hummed gleefully on his shoulder. The joyful pink, alicorn then pushed Sombra back, rested her hoofs on his shoulders and looked on at him with a closed mouth smile. "And I know exactly what you are going to wear." She replied. "You would dress me now? I am taking flight from here. Enjoy your fair!" Sombra snapped. He turned away and made his way toward the balcony. "No! No!" Quartzia chuckled, "Wait, I do not care if your horn just shows up, as long as it is you!" The empress started to have a coughing fit. She closed her eyes tightly, raised her front right toe to her mouth and tried to control her heavy coughing. Sombra turned back to her with some concern. He rushed over to her and caught the dizzy alicorn. "You are surely not well, young Empress." Sombra said. "If you leave me I would surely waste." Quartzia cooed. Sombra looked down at her wide-eyed. He took the empress to bed, laid her down and then covered her with the warm blankets. The gray unicorn sat on top of the covers on the bed's edge. Quartzia took his front left hoof and held it in her own two front hooves. She looked up at him with twinkling eyes and a weak closed smile. He looked at her curiously and nervously. The red-horned pony then left the bed and went towards a nearby wall. He angrily looked forward and frustrated. Empress Quartzia looked at him. She turned her head to him, on her pillow, breathing heavily and then sighed. "Even though I know that thou shalt ever say it. I missed you, very much so. I know that you missed me too. So I shall embrace your presence as those words that I long to hear. I shall not say it before you say them." Weakly stated the empress. Sombra lowered his head and darted his eyes around. A red glow went over his once green irises. He increasingly became more frustrated and angry at these emotions. Suddenly he turned to the Princess and slowly started to walk toward her, his face starting to change form. The unicorn’s once brilliant green irises were now red and menacing; the green now on the once whites of his eyes and a purple energy flowing from the outer edges of his eyes. His teeth sharpened like a wolf with his mouth slightly agape. The sick empress rested on her elbows as she looked at him coming to her. We started to approach this strange unicorn, but the empress raised a hoof to us and then lowered it. "Sombra?" She asked with concern. "What have you done? What have you done to me!" He yelled Empress Quartzia Rose looked at him puzzled and told him that she did not know what he was talking about. Sombra became more enraged and frustrated. HIs appearance became more shadow than pony now. I think back to what our empress possibly saw within this pony. Did she not see this as a sign? A warning? "You said that you would never change me! Every time that you, you are away from me, I feel weak and torn. When I see you, I am nervous, yet filled with excitement and bliss. Then when you sob or cry-" He answered. Quartzia chuckled and giggled interrupting the angry pony. "Sombra, that means you care, about me. Why you might even-" "Might what? What, darn you!” Sombra snapped. Sombra then went over to her bedside again. Empress Quartzia sat up and looked at the upset, gray unicorn, whom was breathing heavily. Calm and collected, our loving alicorn empress reached out to him and hugged him. Then she turned her face to his cheek and kissed him. Sombra rushed off the bed again and held his cheek. His face and eyes went back to normalcy. He turned away from her and looked at Empress Quartzia through the corners of his eyes. She laughed and then fell into bed. The Empress sighed and then turned away, snuggling under the covers. "Merry twilight, Sombra." Quartzia yawned. Sombra turned back to her. He sighed and went over to the bed. He lay in bed with her, on top of the covers. Quartzia snuggled her back to the unicorn’s front torso, grabbing his forearm and wrapping it around her. She playfully rested the top of her head in the grove of his chin. Sombra blushed heavily and gulped. After a few moments, however, Sombra fell asleep. finaleThe fair was fast approaching. Princess Quartzia was becoming more and more ill by the day. Sombra made his appearance known now. The Alicorn needed help getting around the Empire and the gray unicorn helped. Sombra was upset that she was doing these things for the ponies that once teased and feared them. Now she was near death and Quartzia still made it a need to get the fair underway. Finally, it was the day of the fair. Early morning, Sombra helped the Princess put on some ceremonial red robes. She was pale and in a cold sweat. However, when Quartzia looked at her friend, for a moment she felt better. They both knew that their company together was the best medicine. Quartzia made it a priority to show him to all of her close guards and trusted advisers. She put her front leg around Sombra and waved to subjects and visitors alike. The Alicorn Empress made him stick to her like glue. Quartzia wanted to show the gray unicorn joys, happiness, peace and love, the community coming together, the laughter and discovery of meeting new ponies and learning from each other. They freely went to events, like the jousting, and the crafts section. They saw the different animals from the forest and the farms had gathered. They viewed rare animals that she specially sent for from south of the Empires border. The couple ate sweet foods and hearty meals. Sombra and Quartzia even found time to joke and talk within one of their free time sessions between events. "Did I ever tell you that I'm an artist?" Quartzia Rose asked Sombra. "No you did not." He replied. "I just believed that you were an overly outgoing mare that would love the shadow on a fly" "Well, why not?" Sombra sighed and rolled his eyes. The Princess reached for the unicorns hoof. She looked forward at him and gently shook her head, with a light smile. "Sombra," Quartzia sighed. "As long as we are alive we must live with others. No, I do not appreciate the buzzing of a fly but it will always buzz. The world we live has always been this way, and it will always fly around us ponies. So why waste so much energy and time plotting and hating, when it is easier to love and forget the little flaws of others?" Sombra stood at the table, slamming his hoofs down on its surface. He gritted his teeth and turned away from the compassionate Princess. "You’re being false with yourself!" He snapped. "Do you not despise anything? Any pony!" "I do." She answered. "I despise hatred of any kind. Prejudging of any kind and using my emotion or losing my emotions to some ponies will when they try to upset me. I shall not have another pony use my emotions to make me into something that I do not like. If I do not like the way they are acting, then I shalt stoop to their level! I will be better. Unfortunately, you cannot see that. I care for you Sombra. You were the first friend, besides my father, that I ever had, I will always care about you. And even though you shall never say it, I know that I have planted something within you." The Princess leaves the table ahead of him. Sombra lowers his head and looks at her walking slowly away through the tops of his eyes. The gray unicorn’s eyes starting to shine red again within the irises. The Princess gathered every pony within the Empire to the base of the Palace. She had a four-foot podium with what looked like a crystallized heart. It was small, only about 4 inches or so. Just small, enough to fit within a ponies hoof. "Mares and gentle-colts, hear ye, hear ye! This is your Empress Quartzia Rose De Crystal speaking to you, my dear Empire ponies and visitors. Your Empress has constructed a commemorative Crystal Heart to mark this day. This heart is of special crystals that are similar to the Elements of Harmony. When you concentrate love and compassion into the crystal, it will send a wave of energy throughout a limited area, within about a 30-hoof radius or so. I have instructed all the Crystal Masons to construct one for every citizen and visitor alike, so that love can spread across the world." The crowd of ponies looked at each other. They smiled and talked positively about this invention of the Princess. The Princess then demonstrated with the Crystal Heart she had. Quartzia placed her horn on the small heart, concentrating love and peace into it. The heart then slightly vibrated and shot a gentle wave of light-rainbow energy out from its self. The ponies closest to her felt the love and compassion of the wave. They laughed and smiled. Sombra was just behind those ponies. He got Dizzy and almost passed out. The energy made him sick and uneasy. The energy stopped a little over a minute. Sombra was starting to make his way through the crowd when Quartzia fell. Her eyes rolled back and she slightly turned her head side to side. "Quartzia, darn it! Out of my way, now!" He demanded. "It is that foolish love energy!" Sombra made his way even past the guards. He got to his knees and raised her close to his chest. She was very limp and her eyes slightly opened. Quartzia remembered the feel of her friend. She wrapped her front legs around his neck and coughed. "It is alright, my dearest and closest, most beloved friend." The Princess assured. The red-horned unicorn shut his eyes tightly and shook his head, gritting his teeth. "If you did not exhaust yourself on these ungrateful ponies-" "So you do wish me around, you? Hmm?" Quartzia cooed at Sombra. She raised her head and looked at the Crystal Heart. The nurses arrived to take her within the Palace but she refused. Instead, she raised The Crystal Heart with her magic. Concentrating all of her power, and will into it. The Crystal Heart grew to about two feet in diameter. She then enchanted the heart to stay in place at the base of the palace. "My fellow ponies, I shalt be around very much longer. I'm about to pass." The crowd gasped and cried in horror and shock. They looked around at each other with fright and nervousness. "Hear me!" She demanded. "I leave you with this gift. It is my plan from before but on a larger scale. Instead of having one heart for every pony, all of you shall share your love with the Empire and the world. Just concentrate your love and hopes into the heart and a wave of pure peace and loving serenity shall pass over the lands of the world. Try it." The ponies followed her direction. They bowed their heads and concentrated. Suddenly a strong wave rushed out of the heart. Sombra had an adverse effect to the wave. Blasted from Quartzia, Sombra caught a post mid-air and held on. "Sombra, Sombra!" The Princess cried out to him. She turned on to her belly and reached for him within the blowing wave. His body was starting to crack and flake. The unicorn yelled in agony. The wind of love and peace stopped after a few moments. The broken unicorn crawled over to the now sitting Princess. He fell to her lap and passed out. Quartzia looked down at him sad and disappointed. Tears dropped from her eyes as she pet his dark mane. "We truly are different. Your body has turned to harden crystal with hate and distrust for any pony. Any love that I try to give you or show you, you hate." The Princess sobbed, holding Sombra close to her. His wounds began to heal. He awoke and shot up out of Quartzia Rose's arms. The Alicorn looked at him with caution and concern. Raising a hoof to her mouth tears dropped from her widened eyes. She coughed and cried at the same time. Sombra held her close to him, putting her head on his shoulder. The Princess shut her eyes and sobbed. "I was going to make you my king. However, I cannot. Not only because I am about to pass away, you would do wrong to our fellow ponies." He took Quartzia by her shoulders and looked at her. Tears were dropping from her eyes. His mouth was slightly agape. "You care of these ponies more than me?" Sombra asked with a gentle anger. "I care about the ponies, yes. But you are the shadow of my heart." Answered Quartzia Rose. She rubbed her hoof on his cheek. "And I know that I'm the light within yours. Am I not?" The gray unicorn looked away from her and took in a deep breath. "You will not even answer your dying Princess?" She joked. "You’re not going to pass. Especially not like this on the palace grounds in front of all these ponies." He snapped. "Even though you will never say it, I will for the both of us." The Princess, with the last bit of her strength pulled herself close to Sombra. She put her mouth to his ear. "I love you." She said quietly. Sombra turned his face to hers. They faced each other. The Princess looked forward at him and then pressed her lips to his. She deeply and willingly kissed him for all the subjects to see. The red-horned unicorn was frozen and still. As if he had never been kissed before and did not expect it from his close companion. Quartzia released herself from him. Wiping his lips of her kiss and lightly smiling. "I, I love, I love-" Said Princess Quartzia with her last breath. She collapsed in Sombra's arms, her body lifeless. "Quartzia, Quartzia Rose, stop it! Quartzia if this is some type of silly joke for me to say those silly words, fine! Quartzia Rose, I, I care about you. If I did not I would not be with you, you know that!" Yelled Sombra. He shook her lightly trying to wake her. The unicorn started to breathe heavily and looked at her up and down. The Nurse Ponies went down next to him and the lifeless Princess. They checked her, looked at one another, then at Sombra and the guards. They shook their heads and started to cry. "I'm so very sorry. She's, she's gone. She has passed." Regretfully said one of the Nurses. Sombra shook his head. The guards and the people gasped and cried out in disbelief and sorrow. "Quartzia, No! No, darn it, you are stronger than this! You’re stronger than death!" The gray unicorn pleaded. Sombra tightly held Quartzia Rose close to him, raising her head to his shoulder. He started rocking with her back and forth. He then shut his eyes tightly. Purple energy flowed from his eyes. The unicorn’s teeth became sharp again. The nurse pony tapped him on the shoulder. Sombra's eyes popped open with red irises. Startled and sorry, The Nurse tried to talk reason with him. "We, we need to take her away. Her body needs to-" "You… All of you… That is all any of you ever wanted to do, take and take! Selfish!" Snapped Sombra. The Nurse backed away and looked on at him. The red-horned unicorn darted his eyes around at the crowd. He then raised his head and looked around at them angrily. The ponies backed away and gazed at him. Suddenly a shadowy wave came from the emotional unicorn, blasting the guards away from him. "All you ponies ever wanted to do was take and never give back! Abandon those that are different. Now you love her because she is dead! Love her when she gives you treats and fairs. Not when all she wanted was your love freely, she had to pay for it! I know that it is the work of this, this 'love Crystal Heart'. It is the last part of the Princess's love for this ungrateful empire. Henceforth, none of you shall ever see it again! "Sombra Said. He soon kept his word, hiding the Crystal Heart in a place were no pony would ever find it again. Who so ever reads this, please help us. We are sorry for what we have done to these two children of the Empire. But the future generations should not suffer the same fate as we are now for our foolishness." Read Twilight. "That, that's it Princess. Sombra took over the Empire out of what he felt was revenge to the prejudging ponies. He did not see that Quartzia was going to make it a better place for every pony. " "Neigh Twilight sparkle, he did see that." Princess Celestia corrected. "He knew that the ponies of the Empire were opening their hearts and minds to differences. Nevertheless, he felt that they did not deserve of such compassion after all the wrong that the ponies had caused to both him and Quartzia. As the Beloved Princess said, 'You should be better than those that treat you wrong'. Luckily Luna and I had heard news of this occurring, but not until many months later, after her death." Twilight Sparkle looked around and lowered her head. She sighed and closed her eyes. "There was something else that I noticed. Princess Celestia." She confessed. "Oh? What may that be?" The Princess asked. "The Crystal Heart is similar to the Elements of Harmony. She seemed to pour her soul into it, at least a part of it. All of her power went into that heart." "Yes, and there is a part of Luna's and my spirit within the elements also." Answered The Princess. "Every pony that wields the Elements of Harmony puts in a piece of their hopes, dreams, love and soul. Luna and I did and now you and your friends so will the next generation after you. That is how we live on and how harmony becomes stronger. No matter in death or within life, harmony and love shall never die. The spirit of it lives on. But so does hate and chaos unfortunately." Answered Celestia. Twilight nodded her head and then went over to Celestia. Celestia lowered a wing and embraced the little unicorn with it. "Oh my, Equestria, That was boring." Snapped Discord. "You, purple little pony. You are not invited to the palace for a month! Bringing that mush fest around here and killing the mood of my awesome presence." Discord crossed his arms and tapped his Lizard foot fast paced, looking at first Twilight Sparkle and then Celestia. Celestia and Twilight's mouths fell open. Then Twilight said, "But that was ancient historical information." Discord snapped "Yes 'ancient' history. Now you go and date a nice worm from the garden and see if he would be willing to read with you while my little 'rainbow sherbet' and I try to wash off that snooze fest with some jam filled hoof shoes." The Alicorn and Unicorn looked at the Draconequus and made displeasing grunts. He looked at them and then cocked his head back. "We were not going to eat them! We were going to catapult them into towns around Equestria!" He answered. "That was you?" Snapped Twilight. "oh, well, um, I think my cat is in the oven; got to see if it is still needs its litter changed." Said the mischievous being as he started to float away. "That was you?" Celestia snapped. Discord turned to Celestia and sighed. He lowered his eyelids and shoulders. "Really Celestia, you don't know me by now?" He answered. Twilight and Celestia gave chase to the flying, laughing and taunting Discord. The two of them also playfully laughing and taunting him back. Thee End. Author's Note Yes i put Discord around the end of this chapter to show that chaos and harmony can still work with one another. And it connects with my other fan fiction. You see Sombra could not balance his hatred for others and instead of living with the princesses example his loathing grew even more. 1"Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!" Twilight Sparkle cried as she galloped down the grand hall of the Canterlot Palace. The Sun Princess was standing with her back turned, facing one of the stained glass windows. She darted her eyes at the coming Twilight. The little purple unicorn stopped and lowered her head in exhaustion. Princess Celestia turned to her anxious student and noticed she had a book with her. She took the book from Twilight and started reading it. "You really love your history," said the Princess. "But is this true?" asked the student. "Could this be the reason that Sombra did all of this? I am not justifying his actions but it calls into order of these crystal ponies." "My sister and I are also from that era," interrupted Princess Celestia, "but I will read with you on this account. It is fortunate that you found a book of the Crystal Empires history" Twilight and Princess Celestia started reading the notes. It told of the famed and mysterious past rulers of the Empire, The Crystal Monarchy. After Discord's stone imprisonment, some of the ponies in the young and unformed Equestria went their distant ways. The young, powerful sisters were trying to find their place within the world also. They chose to help the world free itself from the remaining chaos, traversed the lands still in disarray. The former slaves within the chaotic King's gem mines migrated far, far north to rid themselves of anything magical and overbearing. They put their skills to good use being earth ponies and miners, they were better adapted to the land than they're normal land cousins. The area the ponies chose for their new homeland was vast and cold. No trees, no rivers, just frozen land. Luckily, the settlers found caves. These caves had crystals that absorbed emotion and gave off warmth that could be used for building. After many years of working with these crystals, the mining ponies’ outer appearance became like that of the mineral. Rare outsiders and visitors from other towns started to call them ‘Crystal Ponies’. Without magic or flight, it took the settler’s decades, but over time they built a grand Empire founded on the beliefs of peace and education. Their leaders were strong in body and in brain. The crystals ponies first Queen was a strong-willed and loving mare who took care of the youth in Discord’s mines. She birthed 3 colts, all but one of whom died. That last colt had a colt, whom married a beautiful mare of the fields. The field mare passed away in childbirth at a young age, leaving the King with a daughter – but not just any daughter. This was one of the few fillies or colts who were truly born with the 'crystal' appearance. The citizens loved the Princess and dubbed her Quartzia, Rose De Crystal of the Crystal Empire, The Crystal Princess. Unfortunately, like his wife before him, the King’s health started to fail at a relatively young age. The Princess would care for her father and help him to walk around their beautiful empire. The ponies became nervous about the monarch’s coming death – not for the passing away of such a valued member of the empire, but because the Princess was not like other ponies. Somewhere within the family of the Monarchy, they had Alicorn ancestry. The civilians knew that alicorns were the most powerful known type of pony with vast magic. She could not hide her wings or her long pointy horn. Quartzia grew among the ponies of the empire and they loved her as a filly. But as she grew, so did their fears. Recorded accounts state that Quartzia Rose tried to treat her father’s pains. However, the nursemaids would send her away, fearing that her magic would hasten his death. The Palace guards walked far from her. The chefs would prepare too much food so that she would not ask them to cook within the Palace for days at a time. The Alicorn Princess did so very much for her citizens. She opened the largest school known, raised funds for the library, and even helped in the fields during harvest. It was at one harvest when things went downhill for her even more.
2The crystal princess was becoming tired using her hooves all day to pick and pluck. When she thought no one was looking, Quartz took up a berry bush with her magic. Unknown to her there was a worker picking at the bush. He became entangled within it. "Oh dear elements, no! I'm sorry!" He cried. The Princess gasped and shook her head. "No, no, I meant no harm! Truly I was-" "I have a wife and 9 children! Please!" The worker sobbed as Quartzia carefully put him down. She tried to comfort him, almost laying a hoof on his back. He looked at her wide-eyed, kicked dirt in her face and ran. She quickly rubbed her face, taking away the dirt with her heel bulb. Quartzia gasped and cried. The Alicorn then heard angry voices coming her way. When she opened her eyes, they were watery and irritated. The angry farm ponies became very scared and galloped away. "No, no! I just want to love my fellow ponies! No, no, no!" The distraught Princess galloped into the nearby forest, which was cultivated with her family's planning and direction from the first Empress. Those woods was an often place for her to hide, a sanctuary. She would go there at nights and wander the wilds. The critters and flora did not mind her appearance. The alicorn's personal guards recorded their 'annoyance' with having to wait outside the forest for her at times. Quartzia Rose went to her favorite place to lay, going on to her belly, lowered her head down to her crossed front legs and sobbed. "Am I that much feared as this Discord they talk of? My strange wings and long horn. Why was I born this way!" She yelled and demanded from the heavens above. The Princess replaced her face into her crossed legs. Suddenly she felt something, or some pony, stroking her horn. Quartzia immediately arose with her wings open and neck straightened. She spotted a figure behind a tree within the shadow. The Princess squinted her frosty sky blue eyes at it. "Horn, you say?" Said the mysterious pony. "You are not the only one with a horn." The Princess gasped as the mysterious figure stepped forward revealing himself as a silver-grey pony. He had black going down between his eyes, stopping at the beginning of his nostrils. The stallons' mane and tail was voluminous and black. Quartzia also noticed his unusual pointy red horn. "At least your horn is the same color as the rest of you." The stranger said. His green eyes and deep baritone voice instantly pierced her heart. Quartzia Rose felt a cold sweat come over her. Her eyes darted to the bottom left. And she felt her breath quicken. The mysterious pony then stepped forward. She locked her eyes on him, almost becoming dizzy. "I know you. I have watched you." The Princess gasped at this disclosure and forgot the hatred of her magic and wings. Quartzia flew. She flew fast and hard through the trees, cutting and piercing her wings but got through the canopy of thick tree tops. '"No! Wait! I did not mean that I-" Pleaded the unknown unicorn. He lowered his head, sighed and moved his eyes about. Stomping his hoof into the ground, the grey stallion used his horns magic to make a tan hooded cloak for himself. With the hood halfway over his eyes, the mysterious and magical pony went back into the forest shadows. Twilight and Celestia looked at each other. Celestia turned her head away and began to ponder the reading. "You see, I have compiled this binder with recovered diary notes, guard reports, witness accounts and time lines from the Empires library archives and even the Crystal Palaces private book room." Pleaded Twilight Sparkle. "I, I think that the earlier belief that the Crystal Empire was-" "How much have you studied?" Asked The Princess . "All of it." The purple unicorn said as she looked away with despair and worry. Celestia lowered herself to Twilight's level. She put a wing over her beloved student and smiled. "Then you can just tell me what you have discovered, without worry. Everything will work out." Assured The Sun Princess. The little unicorn nodded her head. She breathed deeply and looked at the notes. Twilight was taken aback by the upcoming section of notes. Her heart became heavy and avid. "Princess... These notes were written by princesses Quartzia's very hoof!" "Then we must truly read on." Asserted Celestia. 20th Day, Harvest-berry tide, 210 "Dear Princess log, hold my thoughts, hold my dreams, for no one within the world wants love from me." I fled to the confines of the deep wood that my family had planted for the ponies of this Empire out of love and compassion. After a misunderstanding at the farm, I was crying, sobbing as I usually do. Then this, this pony that I have never seen before came to me as I had my face hidden, crying on top the soil. He touched me. My horn. Frightened, angry and defensive I had become. But then, he came back toward me from the shadows. He revealed himself similar to me. He too had a horn, but no wings! The horn was smaller and red! I think a Unicorn is the type of pony he is. He opened his mouth and told me that he had watched me. That he knew me. His eyes- 22nd day, Harvest-berry tide, 210 My journal writing was interrupted by the balcony doors within my chamber bursting open. It is now two days later. Here is what transgressed; The howling winters winds extinguished the lit candles. Ponies that were attending to my wings looked around. The personal guards got close to my bedside. I looked around the room and then looked upward and saw a tiny flash within the darken ceiling. Squinting my eyes I breathed in deeply. "You can leave my service for the rest of the night." I ordered. "Your injuries, my fair mare." Said a guard. "Since when do you care?" A mysterious voice echoed into the room. A voice that I recognized. "What is this, evil?!" Cried one other guard. "If you wish not to find out, then leave my chambers! I can handle this, visitor." I Demanded. The guards looked at one another. They told me they would be right outside my bedchamber door. Every pony left me. I arose from bed, closed the balcony doors, pulled the curtains and then re-lit the candles, all with my magic. Turning back to my bed I saw that stranger unicorn! "What is the meaning of this?" I yelled. The stranger unicorn was sitting on top and center of my bed, with his legs curled under him while reading my diary. He then looked forward to me and smiled. The lining of his smile caused me to gulp and turn my head slightly. But still... I kept my eyes on him. The red-horned pony cleared his throat and looked at me with lowered eyelids. "I do know you." He said. "Then why not I know you?" I snapped. The unicorn laughed and then slid off my bed, like silk sliding off melting ice. He walked slowly to me. As princess I stood my ground as this bold, mysterious pony came within inches of my face. We stood there, looking at each other. I looked at him intensely. The unicorn gazed at me calmly. As the night went on, the stranger unicorn and myself, now I knew as 'Sombra', talked with one another, sharing feelings and emotions. I discovered that as a colt, he'd been abandoned by his family for being a Unicorn. He was too a Crystal Pony. They kept him long enough till he could be of schooling age, then dumped him into the forest. This is where Sombra discovered his ability over the shadows. I do not remember when, but I found myself with the unicorn, resting in my bed, holding one another. I was just under his chin wrapping my forearms around his torso. He held me also, rubbing my shoulder as we both looked at the roof being lit by the light of the moon. Quartzia Rose had never been this comfortable with any pony. However, for some invisible reason, there was magnetism. A connection, some sort of completion to my being. He spoke so very freely with me. He even recollected when he first saw me as we lay there entangled within one another's forearms: "Then a few years later, I saw you. You were crying in that spot where you are always. I had heard of you before hoof but had never seen you. You startled me with your unusual wings and horn. However, my shock grew to curiosity when I heard your father call you and saw you first fly." I felt his overpowering green eyes softly looking down at me. Quickly and shyly I looked up and then away from him. He asked me if I was ' frightened' of him. "No, no. I've never been this intimate with any pony. Especially someone as-” I paused, trying to ponder what to say. "Strange and unusual as I be?" He further inquired. "Mesmerizing, enchanting and beautiful..." I had confessed loosely to him feeling heavy mortification. Sombra laughed and dropped his head back. I got defensive and told him that if he was going to laugh, that he could journey away from my bed chambers the same way he came! I released him, sat up and turned away. I then crossed my forearms and looked at him threw the corner of my eyes. Sombra chucked some more and reached toward me. He then stopped and looked out the balcony. I fully looked back at him uncrossing my forearms legs. "What is it?" I asked. Sombra exhaled, "I just may have to leave you, for now." When the sun started to line the horizon, Sombra looked at me, I looked back at him. Like a bat going back to its cave, Sombra revealed his ability to turn to shadow. Turning into a mystical mist, he flew off into the remaining darkness of the morning. Galloping toward the balconies edge I wanted to fly after my new friend but noticed the ponies below, walking about. With a heavy breath, I looked back up as the magical, shadowy mist of my friend disappear. "Oh, oh, no." Disappointingly I cried I lowered my head and started back into my room, sad and lonely but at the same moment; a feeling that I never thought I would feel... love. "What is this that I hear of you getting injured?" My Father said as he burst through my bedroom chambers. "Father, should you not be in bed!" I shouted with concern. "Not when my foal is getting hurt!" He snapped. The King, my father, started to cough and wheeze, falling into my forearms. I screamed for the guards and the nursemaids. The sickly King started to cough up blood onto his hoof. I gasped and started to cry in fright. Holding my father close and started rocking him, I patted the top of his mane with my free hoof, laying my cheek on top of his head. I looked forward at the open balcony as tears dropped from my eyes like slow rain. "Not yet father. Please? Not when I finally found a friend." I pleaded. Please forgive the princess if thou hoof be shaky as a record these events. It is quite emotional for me, but these happenings must be captured. "Oh my dear child; then I can truly be released. You have found what love is and you must rule with it." He spoke weakly to me. "Father, father, Oh, by the stone, no! No." I yelled and demanded. I could almost feel father’s spirit lifted with the sun rising in the sky. For a moment, I hated the dawn. The coming morning was full of loss with my new friend going away, and now my father passing away within my very hooves. However, I decided to please my father’s wishes to rule with love. "Yes father. I shall." I told myself. I have been telling myself for these sleepless hours. The nursemaids and guards rushed into the room. They placed The King on my bed. I walked forward, feeling as light as a feather and so very detached from the surroundings. The young, pink alicorn was left behind in the room. Now I was birthed into the new morning as an Empress of an Empire that resented me. I walked further on to the balcony, looking toward the rising sun, smelling of a promising morning. I reminisced the night with Sombra, and then the current memory of my father’s passing. As if emotionally and spiritually being broken and then repaired for the next chapter in my ever changing life. Author's Note Sombra and Quartzia just got emotionally attached.
315th day, Icjam, 210 Within the coming days, the Empire buried their beloved King. I became Junior Empress; still a Princess but with most of the ruling power besides the Counsel and Delegates. I soon passed new laws and corrected old ones, visited districts and communities, announced ideas for new holidays and events to wash the tide of sorrow of my fathers passing. After a few weeks as Empress, Sombra and I found one another within the forest. I explained my idea's to him: "It shall be called The Crystal Fair. My ancestor created it long ago and I shall bring it back." The late afternoon talking with Sombra was a refreshing change of events for me. The grey unicorn laid his head on my chest with his back on the grass, looking forward at the forest. I was relaxed laying on my belly with one forearm and back leg curled under my torso. I wrapped a forearm around Sombra's chest. My hoof moved up and down his chest as I explained the fair to him. I told him my plans for the districts and wards bringing their favorite foods and goods. How I studied the hobbies and talents of the ponies. The demonstrations of jousting, comedy, plays, crafts and foods, with some physical entertainment. "I see that you are pampering them after all the things that they have done to you. All of the wicked thoughts and conspiracies." Sombra snapped softly. "I'm becoming peaceful and have resolved their prejudging ways for myself! My father told me to rule with love. I am apart of him and I feel love within my being. I cannot go against who I' am. I, I love my ponies. Our fellow ponies." I said, trying to reason with him. Sombra raised himself to his belly, curling his legs under him. I lowered my head and closed my eyes. "I thought we had a common understanding." I heard Sombra disappointingly say. "We do! However, I love, and you, hate, it scares me." Telling him my feelings of his attitude. I raised my head to his face, and opened my eyes. We looked at each other gently, wanting a common ground from one another. I chuckled, smiled and stood, then walked away a few feet. Sombra looked at me wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape. I lowered my head and long Alicorn neck, digging my front right toe into the dirt back and forth. Sombra soon walked over to me. He stayed a short distance from my side. "I suppose opposites, attract. We are the same in so many ways, but the way that we want to treat others are so vastly different." I told Sombra, quietly and with gentle concern, I turned to him with tears in my eyes. Sombra backed slightly away and in shock at my strong emotion. He gasped and looked at me wide-eyed. The gray unicorn raised his front hoof, guarding himself. I approached him, laid the grove of my chin on his right shoulder, closed my eyes and breathed in his ear. Sombra seemed a willing-uncomfortable to these feelings of mine. I liken to believe that he became relaxed with my chin on his shoulder "Do you hate me?" I asked. Sombra's eyes widened again. He then lowered his head, closed his eyes and breathed heavily out of his nose. "Your one of the few that I do not despise." He answered. I told him that I wanted to help him. That I did not wish to change him. I wanted us to be by each other's side. "It is alright." I said. "And I wish to help you." Sombra whispered ominously in my ear. As always I felt Sombra's eyes looking on me. My eyes flashed open and then I backed away from him. The gray unicorn raised his head and looked at me. I slightly turned my head, lowered my eyelids and looked at him questionably. I told him that the fair was going to start within a few weeks. I would like it if he would come, be by my side as my special escort and partner, I pleaded gently. Sombra huffed and puffed. He lowered his head, dashed his eyes around. He then turned away and walked into the beginning of the forest shadows. The red-horned unicorn stopped, turning his head slightly to me. I looked on shocked and worried, raising my right front hoof. "Is that your answer, to me?" I asked sadly. Sombra's green eyes raced. He breathed heavily and went deeper into the forest. I shut my eyes tightly and started to sob. The sound of me sob cut his ears sharply. It gave him immediate pause and shock but he still was away from me. Looking at him for the last time, I galloped hurrying out of the forest sobbing. Now the forest a place of pain, instead of peaceful retreat. Sombra looked on within the shadows as I hurried out of the woods. Over the weeks, Empress Quartzia did not go to the forest. She thought that Sombra had forgotten about her and did not want her company any longer. Our leader poured her attention into making the Crystal Fair the happiest and most loving event in the entire world. Empress Quartzia even journeyed to distant lands to invite other kingdoms and townships so that the civilians could see other ponies from all over the world. The ponies of the empire started to learn from the Unicorns and Pegasus. Citizens enjoyed the Pegasus speed and daring, and the Unicorns knowledge and skills. Many civilians were sad when the ambassadors had to leave. Nevertheless, they promised to return for the fair with their families. Finally, it seemed that the ponies within the crystal empire were accepting their Empress and seeing her again as one of their own. Ponies would call her for advice on where to set up the tents and fair structures. Fillies and colts laughed and bounced around her, giving her baskets of berries and flowers. Even the ponies on the farms requested for Quartzia's help using magic. She was free to fly, use her magic and shower her people with love. It was everything that the alicorn ever wanted. However The empress would look on longingly at the forest while volunteering in the mornings, and from the palace at dusk. Everypony felt that there was a hole within her soul. Like a tattered flag blowing in the wind. Unknown to our Quartzia, Sombra was stalking around the Empire. Everypony did not pay him mind, but we now realize he was secretly watching the empress over the weeks within the fairs preparation. He was always wearing a hooded cloak looking at the Crystal Palace through the top of his hood, tightening his jaw. The empress was going over blueprints within the evening, as she lay in her bed. She kept looking out the open balcony as she did every night since her father's passing. Quartzia sighed and closed it with her magic. The Alicorn coughed and drunk some tea that was beside her on a nearby table. She was becoming sick. Quartzia thought it was from the work of the fair, but secretly everypony dreaded it was her family’s sickness. The candles went out within the room suddenly. The empress gave off a sigh and rolled her head back. We guards became alert, but we knew whom it was visiting her. So did the empress. "It took you awhile." Said slightly annoyed by the Alicorn. She then coughed and cleared her throat. "I see that working with these ponies has made you sick." Said Sombra's echoing voice. The empress cleared her throat again. She then put away her notes within a drawer, took a drink of tea and rubbed her neck. Sombra appeared at the foot of her bed and locked his eyes on her. The empress looked on at him with weakened eyes, a cold sweat and dizziness. We had gotten used to Sombra's company, but this was the first time in weeks that he had made a visit to our empresses bed chambers. We stepped back and let them converse with one another. "What is wrong with you?" Asked Sombra. "So you do care." Empress Quartzia replied. "Well you're the one that said that you wanted me to accompany you to this love-fest. You are obviously not feeling well. And you might need me and my ways more than-" Quartzia tackled and hugged the grey unicorn as tightly as she could, interrupting his words. She hummed gleefully on his shoulder. The joyful pink, alicorn then pushed Sombra back, rested her hoofs on his shoulders and looked on at him with a closed mouth smile. "And I know exactly what you are going to wear." She replied. "You would dress me now? I am taking flight from here. Enjoy your fair!" Sombra snapped. He turned away and made his way toward the balcony. "No! No!" Quartzia chuckled, "Wait, I do not care if your horn just shows up, as long as it is you!" The empress started to have a coughing fit. She closed her eyes tightly, raised her front right toe to her mouth and tried to control her heavy coughing. Sombra turned back to her with some concern. He rushed over to her and caught the dizzy alicorn. "You are surely not well, young Empress." Sombra said. "If you leave me I would surely waste." Quartzia cooed. Sombra looked down at her wide-eyed. He took the empress to bed, laid her down and then covered her with the warm blankets. The gray unicorn sat on top of the covers on the bed's edge. Quartzia took his front left hoof and held it in her own two front hooves. She looked up at him with twinkling eyes and a weak closed smile. He looked at her curiously and nervously. The red-horned pony then left the bed and went towards a nearby wall. He angrily looked forward and frustrated. Empress Quartzia looked at him. She turned her head to him, on her pillow, breathing heavily and then sighed. "Even though I know that thou shalt ever say it. I missed you, very much so. I know that you missed me too. So I shall embrace your presence as those words that I long to hear. I shall not say it before you say them." Weakly stated the empress. Sombra lowered his head and darted his eyes around. A red glow went over his once green irises. He increasingly became more frustrated and angry at these emotions. Suddenly he turned to the Princess and slowly started to walk toward her, his face starting to change form. The unicorn’s once brilliant green irises were now red and menacing; the green now on the once whites of his eyes and a purple energy flowing from the outer edges of his eyes. His teeth sharpened like a wolf with his mouth slightly agape. The sick empress rested on her elbows as she looked at him coming to her. We started to approach this strange unicorn, but the empress raised a hoof to us and then lowered it. "Sombra?" She asked with concern. "What have you done? What have you done to me!" He yelled Empress Quartzia Rose looked at him puzzled and told him that she did not know what he was talking about. Sombra became more enraged and frustrated. HIs appearance became more shadow than pony now. I think back to what our empress possibly saw within this pony. Did she not see this as a sign? A warning? "You said that you would never change me! Every time that you, you are away from me, I feel weak and torn. When I see you, I am nervous, yet filled with excitement and bliss. Then when you sob or cry-" He answered. Quartzia chuckled and giggled interrupting the angry pony. "Sombra, that means you care, about me. Why you might even-" "Might what? What, darn you!” Sombra snapped. Sombra then went over to her bedside again. Empress Quartzia sat up and looked at the upset, gray unicorn, whom was breathing heavily. Calm and collected, our loving alicorn empress reached out to him and hugged him. Then she turned her face to his cheek and kissed him. Sombra rushed off the bed again and held his cheek. His face and eyes went back to normalcy. He turned away from her and looked at Empress Quartzia through the corners of his eyes. She laughed and then fell into bed. The Empress sighed and then turned away, snuggling under the covers. "Merry twilight, Sombra." Quartzia yawned. Sombra turned back to her. He sighed and went over to the bed. He lay in bed with her, on top of the covers. Quartzia snuggled her back to the unicorn’s front torso, grabbing his forearm and wrapping it around her. She playfully rested the top of her head in the grove of his chin. Sombra blushed heavily and gulped. After a few moments, however, Sombra fell asleep.
finaleThe fair was fast approaching. Princess Quartzia was becoming more and more ill by the day. Sombra made his appearance known now. The Alicorn needed help getting around the Empire and the gray unicorn helped. Sombra was upset that she was doing these things for the ponies that once teased and feared them. Now she was near death and Quartzia still made it a need to get the fair underway. Finally, it was the day of the fair. Early morning, Sombra helped the Princess put on some ceremonial red robes. She was pale and in a cold sweat. However, when Quartzia looked at her friend, for a moment she felt better. They both knew that their company together was the best medicine. Quartzia made it a priority to show him to all of her close guards and trusted advisers. She put her front leg around Sombra and waved to subjects and visitors alike. The Alicorn Empress made him stick to her like glue. Quartzia wanted to show the gray unicorn joys, happiness, peace and love, the community coming together, the laughter and discovery of meeting new ponies and learning from each other. They freely went to events, like the jousting, and the crafts section. They saw the different animals from the forest and the farms had gathered. They viewed rare animals that she specially sent for from south of the Empires border. The couple ate sweet foods and hearty meals. Sombra and Quartzia even found time to joke and talk within one of their free time sessions between events. "Did I ever tell you that I'm an artist?" Quartzia Rose asked Sombra. "No you did not." He replied. "I just believed that you were an overly outgoing mare that would love the shadow on a fly" "Well, why not?" Sombra sighed and rolled his eyes. The Princess reached for the unicorns hoof. She looked forward at him and gently shook her head, with a light smile. "Sombra," Quartzia sighed. "As long as we are alive we must live with others. No, I do not appreciate the buzzing of a fly but it will always buzz. The world we live has always been this way, and it will always fly around us ponies. So why waste so much energy and time plotting and hating, when it is easier to love and forget the little flaws of others?" Sombra stood at the table, slamming his hoofs down on its surface. He gritted his teeth and turned away from the compassionate Princess. "You’re being false with yourself!" He snapped. "Do you not despise anything? Any pony!" "I do." She answered. "I despise hatred of any kind. Prejudging of any kind and using my emotion or losing my emotions to some ponies will when they try to upset me. I shall not have another pony use my emotions to make me into something that I do not like. If I do not like the way they are acting, then I shalt stoop to their level! I will be better. Unfortunately, you cannot see that. I care for you Sombra. You were the first friend, besides my father, that I ever had, I will always care about you. And even though you shall never say it, I know that I have planted something within you." The Princess leaves the table ahead of him. Sombra lowers his head and looks at her walking slowly away through the tops of his eyes. The gray unicorn’s eyes starting to shine red again within the irises. The Princess gathered every pony within the Empire to the base of the Palace. She had a four-foot podium with what looked like a crystallized heart. It was small, only about 4 inches or so. Just small, enough to fit within a ponies hoof. "Mares and gentle-colts, hear ye, hear ye! This is your Empress Quartzia Rose De Crystal speaking to you, my dear Empire ponies and visitors. Your Empress has constructed a commemorative Crystal Heart to mark this day. This heart is of special crystals that are similar to the Elements of Harmony. When you concentrate love and compassion into the crystal, it will send a wave of energy throughout a limited area, within about a 30-hoof radius or so. I have instructed all the Crystal Masons to construct one for every citizen and visitor alike, so that love can spread across the world." The crowd of ponies looked at each other. They smiled and talked positively about this invention of the Princess. The Princess then demonstrated with the Crystal Heart she had. Quartzia placed her horn on the small heart, concentrating love and peace into it. The heart then slightly vibrated and shot a gentle wave of light-rainbow energy out from its self. The ponies closest to her felt the love and compassion of the wave. They laughed and smiled. Sombra was just behind those ponies. He got Dizzy and almost passed out. The energy made him sick and uneasy. The energy stopped a little over a minute. Sombra was starting to make his way through the crowd when Quartzia fell. Her eyes rolled back and she slightly turned her head side to side. "Quartzia, darn it! Out of my way, now!" He demanded. "It is that foolish love energy!" Sombra made his way even past the guards. He got to his knees and raised her close to his chest. She was very limp and her eyes slightly opened. Quartzia remembered the feel of her friend. She wrapped her front legs around his neck and coughed. "It is alright, my dearest and closest, most beloved friend." The Princess assured. The red-horned unicorn shut his eyes tightly and shook his head, gritting his teeth. "If you did not exhaust yourself on these ungrateful ponies-" "So you do wish me around, you? Hmm?" Quartzia cooed at Sombra. She raised her head and looked at the Crystal Heart. The nurses arrived to take her within the Palace but she refused. Instead, she raised The Crystal Heart with her magic. Concentrating all of her power, and will into it. The Crystal Heart grew to about two feet in diameter. She then enchanted the heart to stay in place at the base of the palace. "My fellow ponies, I shalt be around very much longer. I'm about to pass." The crowd gasped and cried in horror and shock. They looked around at each other with fright and nervousness. "Hear me!" She demanded. "I leave you with this gift. It is my plan from before but on a larger scale. Instead of having one heart for every pony, all of you shall share your love with the Empire and the world. Just concentrate your love and hopes into the heart and a wave of pure peace and loving serenity shall pass over the lands of the world. Try it." The ponies followed her direction. They bowed their heads and concentrated. Suddenly a strong wave rushed out of the heart. Sombra had an adverse effect to the wave. Blasted from Quartzia, Sombra caught a post mid-air and held on. "Sombra, Sombra!" The Princess cried out to him. She turned on to her belly and reached for him within the blowing wave. His body was starting to crack and flake. The unicorn yelled in agony. The wind of love and peace stopped after a few moments. The broken unicorn crawled over to the now sitting Princess. He fell to her lap and passed out. Quartzia looked down at him sad and disappointed. Tears dropped from her eyes as she pet his dark mane. "We truly are different. Your body has turned to harden crystal with hate and distrust for any pony. Any love that I try to give you or show you, you hate." The Princess sobbed, holding Sombra close to her. His wounds began to heal. He awoke and shot up out of Quartzia Rose's arms. The Alicorn looked at him with caution and concern. Raising a hoof to her mouth tears dropped from her widened eyes. She coughed and cried at the same time. Sombra held her close to him, putting her head on his shoulder. The Princess shut her eyes and sobbed. "I was going to make you my king. However, I cannot. Not only because I am about to pass away, you would do wrong to our fellow ponies." He took Quartzia by her shoulders and looked at her. Tears were dropping from her eyes. His mouth was slightly agape. "You care of these ponies more than me?" Sombra asked with a gentle anger. "I care about the ponies, yes. But you are the shadow of my heart." Answered Quartzia Rose. She rubbed her hoof on his cheek. "And I know that I'm the light within yours. Am I not?" The gray unicorn looked away from her and took in a deep breath. "You will not even answer your dying Princess?" She joked. "You’re not going to pass. Especially not like this on the palace grounds in front of all these ponies." He snapped. "Even though you will never say it, I will for the both of us." The Princess, with the last bit of her strength pulled herself close to Sombra. She put her mouth to his ear. "I love you." She said quietly. Sombra turned his face to hers. They faced each other. The Princess looked forward at him and then pressed her lips to his. She deeply and willingly kissed him for all the subjects to see. The red-horned unicorn was frozen and still. As if he had never been kissed before and did not expect it from his close companion. Quartzia released herself from him. Wiping his lips of her kiss and lightly smiling. "I, I love, I love-" Said Princess Quartzia with her last breath. She collapsed in Sombra's arms, her body lifeless. "Quartzia, Quartzia Rose, stop it! Quartzia if this is some type of silly joke for me to say those silly words, fine! Quartzia Rose, I, I care about you. If I did not I would not be with you, you know that!" Yelled Sombra. He shook her lightly trying to wake her. The unicorn started to breathe heavily and looked at her up and down. The Nurse Ponies went down next to him and the lifeless Princess. They checked her, looked at one another, then at Sombra and the guards. They shook their heads and started to cry. "I'm so very sorry. She's, she's gone. She has passed." Regretfully said one of the Nurses. Sombra shook his head. The guards and the people gasped and cried out in disbelief and sorrow. "Quartzia, No! No, darn it, you are stronger than this! You’re stronger than death!" The gray unicorn pleaded. Sombra tightly held Quartzia Rose close to him, raising her head to his shoulder. He started rocking with her back and forth. He then shut his eyes tightly. Purple energy flowed from his eyes. The unicorn’s teeth became sharp again. The nurse pony tapped him on the shoulder. Sombra's eyes popped open with red irises. Startled and sorry, The Nurse tried to talk reason with him. "We, we need to take her away. Her body needs to-" "You… All of you… That is all any of you ever wanted to do, take and take! Selfish!" Snapped Sombra. The Nurse backed away and looked on at him. The red-horned unicorn darted his eyes around at the crowd. He then raised his head and looked around at them angrily. The ponies backed away and gazed at him. Suddenly a shadowy wave came from the emotional unicorn, blasting the guards away from him. "All you ponies ever wanted to do was take and never give back! Abandon those that are different. Now you love her because she is dead! Love her when she gives you treats and fairs. Not when all she wanted was your love freely, she had to pay for it! I know that it is the work of this, this 'love Crystal Heart'. It is the last part of the Princess's love for this ungrateful empire. Henceforth, none of you shall ever see it again! "Sombra Said. He soon kept his word, hiding the Crystal Heart in a place were no pony would ever find it again. Who so ever reads this, please help us. We are sorry for what we have done to these two children of the Empire. But the future generations should not suffer the same fate as we are now for our foolishness." Read Twilight. "That, that's it Princess. Sombra took over the Empire out of what he felt was revenge to the prejudging ponies. He did not see that Quartzia was going to make it a better place for every pony. " "Neigh Twilight sparkle, he did see that." Princess Celestia corrected. "He knew that the ponies of the Empire were opening their hearts and minds to differences. Nevertheless, he felt that they did not deserve of such compassion after all the wrong that the ponies had caused to both him and Quartzia. As the Beloved Princess said, 'You should be better than those that treat you wrong'. Luckily Luna and I had heard news of this occurring, but not until many months later, after her death." Twilight Sparkle looked around and lowered her head. She sighed and closed her eyes. "There was something else that I noticed. Princess Celestia." She confessed. "Oh? What may that be?" The Princess asked. "The Crystal Heart is similar to the Elements of Harmony. She seemed to pour her soul into it, at least a part of it. All of her power went into that heart." "Yes, and there is a part of Luna's and my spirit within the elements also." Answered The Princess. "Every pony that wields the Elements of Harmony puts in a piece of their hopes, dreams, love and soul. Luna and I did and now you and your friends so will the next generation after you. That is how we live on and how harmony becomes stronger. No matter in death or within life, harmony and love shall never die. The spirit of it lives on. But so does hate and chaos unfortunately." Answered Celestia. Twilight nodded her head and then went over to Celestia. Celestia lowered a wing and embraced the little unicorn with it. "Oh my, Equestria, That was boring." Snapped Discord. "You, purple little pony. You are not invited to the palace for a month! Bringing that mush fest around here and killing the mood of my awesome presence." Discord crossed his arms and tapped his Lizard foot fast paced, looking at first Twilight Sparkle and then Celestia. Celestia and Twilight's mouths fell open. Then Twilight said, "But that was ancient historical information." Discord snapped "Yes 'ancient' history. Now you go and date a nice worm from the garden and see if he would be willing to read with you while my little 'rainbow sherbet' and I try to wash off that snooze fest with some jam filled hoof shoes." The Alicorn and Unicorn looked at the Draconequus and made displeasing grunts. He looked at them and then cocked his head back. "We were not going to eat them! We were going to catapult them into towns around Equestria!" He answered. "That was you?" Snapped Twilight. "oh, well, um, I think my cat is in the oven; got to see if it is still needs its litter changed." Said the mischievous being as he started to float away. "That was you?" Celestia snapped. Discord turned to Celestia and sighed. He lowered his eyelids and shoulders. "Really Celestia, you don't know me by now?" He answered. Twilight and Celestia gave chase to the flying, laughing and taunting Discord. The two of them also playfully laughing and taunting him back. Thee End. Author's Note Yes i put Discord around the end of this chapter to show that chaos and harmony can still work with one another. And it connects with my other fan fiction. You see Sombra could not balance his hatred for others and instead of living with the princesses example his loathing grew even more.
1"Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!" Twilight Sparkle cried as she galloped down the grand hall of the Canterlot Palace. The Sun Princess was standing with her back turned, facing one of the stained glass windows. She darted her eyes at the coming Twilight. The little purple unicorn stopped and lowered her head in exhaustion. Princess Celestia turned to her anxious student and noticed she had a book with her. She took the book from Twilight and started reading it. "You really love your history," said the Princess. "But is this true?" asked the student. "Could this be the reason that Sombra did all of this? I am not justifying his actions but it calls into order of these crystal ponies." "My sister and I are also from that era," interrupted Princess Celestia, "but I will read with you on this account. It is fortunate that you found a book of the Crystal Empires history" Twilight and Princess Celestia started reading the notes. It told of the famed and mysterious past rulers of the Empire, The Crystal Monarchy. After Discord's stone imprisonment, some of the ponies in the young and unformed Equestria went their distant ways. The young, powerful sisters were trying to find their place within the world also. They chose to help the world free itself from the remaining chaos, traversed the lands still in disarray. The former slaves within the chaotic King's gem mines migrated far, far north to rid themselves of anything magical and overbearing. They put their skills to good use being earth ponies and miners, they were better adapted to the land than they're normal land cousins. The area the ponies chose for their new homeland was vast and cold. No trees, no rivers, just frozen land. Luckily, the settlers found caves. These caves had crystals that absorbed emotion and gave off warmth that could be used for building. After many years of working with these crystals, the mining ponies’ outer appearance became like that of the mineral. Rare outsiders and visitors from other towns started to call them ‘Crystal Ponies’. Without magic or flight, it took the settler’s decades, but over time they built a grand Empire founded on the beliefs of peace and education. Their leaders were strong in body and in brain. The crystals ponies first Queen was a strong-willed and loving mare who took care of the youth in Discord’s mines. She birthed 3 colts, all but one of whom died. That last colt had a colt, whom married a beautiful mare of the fields. The field mare passed away in childbirth at a young age, leaving the King with a daughter – but not just any daughter. This was one of the few fillies or colts who were truly born with the 'crystal' appearance. The citizens loved the Princess and dubbed her Quartzia, Rose De Crystal of the Crystal Empire, The Crystal Princess. Unfortunately, like his wife before him, the King’s health started to fail at a relatively young age. The Princess would care for her father and help him to walk around their beautiful empire. The ponies became nervous about the monarch’s coming death – not for the passing away of such a valued member of the empire, but because the Princess was not like other ponies. Somewhere within the family of the Monarchy, they had Alicorn ancestry. The civilians knew that alicorns were the most powerful known type of pony with vast magic. She could not hide her wings or her long pointy horn. Quartzia grew among the ponies of the empire and they loved her as a filly. But as she grew, so did their fears. Recorded accounts state that Quartzia Rose tried to treat her father’s pains. However, the nursemaids would send her away, fearing that her magic would hasten his death. The Palace guards walked far from her. The chefs would prepare too much food so that she would not ask them to cook within the Palace for days at a time. The Alicorn Princess did so very much for her citizens. She opened the largest school known, raised funds for the library, and even helped in the fields during harvest. It was at one harvest when things went downhill for her even more.
