A somber Tale.

As I was trotting on and about, I noticed that my appearance changed a little. I trotted for a few more minutes and found a river, not wanting to say no to a natural mirror and hydration source; I obliged.

I still had the tint of purple smoke from my eyes, thankfully. My body had lessened and was beginning to look more gray. My mane looked cut, and my maw looked less intimidating; maybe the fact that I didn’t have fangs this time attributed to that thought.

I giggled inside for a while, and continued my journey towards Ponyville undisturbed ‘Maybe they won’t remember me.’.

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Princess Twilight Sparkle was trying hard to ‘get use’ to having wings. Unfortunately for her, she used books instead of actual advice; maybe Rainbow Dash wasn’t suitable enough. She continued this shenanigans, or what she would call ‘study’, a white-ish unicorn came into view; her head tilted up to see from the welcoming grace of the earth.

She was fascinated by what may be inside the saddle bag he’s hanging around. She, like many other times, recognized if a book was in somepony’s possession; being in a library was proof enough that she know’s her books.

She, as gracefully as possible, lifted herself up and dusted her coat and mane. She eyed the saddle bag, trying to decipher as too if she had read that book or not. She like’s to keep up-to-date with these new trends of newly discovered books and was very well versatile with Starswirl the Bearded’s work.

The unicorn took a glance at Twilight, and gave a menacing glare at her; making her question how many ponies really enjoy her princesshood.

She sheepishly looks away, hoping to hide away from his menacing glance. She looks back to see him head low, parallel to the ground; snorting puffs of steam from his nose. She begins to see clearly the book hidden in his bag, one written in clear archaic language unknown to her, and probably to Princess Celestia.

Her curiosity begging her to ask the stallion the title of the book, or whatever he knows of it; but her mind tells her not to interfere as to not anger him further: if his glare wasn’t proof enough. She quickly tries to distract herself with complex mathematical problems, but even those couldn’t distract the years of reading in the Canterlot Library and not once finding that book, or any book showing the same language.

It looked like some Crystal pony runes, was he a crystal pony?

She couldn’t answer that question, as the stallion was boarding a train to Canterlot; and by the looks of his opposite bag, he had the bits to even own a restaurant there.

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I knew I should have veered off of Ponyville, never know if ‘all-mighty Princess Twilight may appear’. Ponies these days, if they have open minds these days: wouldn’t they have already invented complex architectural structures?

He glances at Canterlot Castle, and snorts another puff of steam. Just like the Roaman’s, she goes out of her way and steal anything she glances to. That clearly shouts out Crystal Empire, I mean, if the Spire of the Crystal Castle wasn’t a shout out enough? I know that the Crystal Empire had just recently appeared, shouldn’t critics be criticizing Celestia’s reign?

Oh wait, I know. She doesn’t want ponies to interfere her rule, I know she banished Luna for another reason; I know that Luna is hiding those thoughts beneath her facade, and I know that Celestia sees that and keeps her on a leash.

His thoughts were interrupted when the train had arrived. His snort was now a bigger puff of cloud, not steam. Another stolen technology...

He boards the train and gives his ticket to the conductor, entering sans-faux. He takes a seat to the far end of the car, as to not drag attention to himself as he reads the strange book. He knows by now ponies are trying to document the seemingly limitless language in the ever expanding Crystal Archives.

He reads the book and seemed to not have interest at all. He knows everything written here, he was the one who had been interviewed and gave a free copy of. The author was none other than Starswirl the Bearded himself. He loved studying the various culture the Crystal Empire gave, and was visibly culture shocked by it.

What many ponies don’t know, is that Starswirl the Bearded existed way before C and L, the ponies he even despised; of course the princesses censored it fearing to be rebelled and overthroned.

Sombra admired Starswirl’s ever expanding open mindset, and Sombra theorised that he might still be expanding if he were alive today, of course he could but: he died.

He sighed, missing his old acquaintance and friend, and closed the book; hoping to clear himself of his past.

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Twilight was watching the unicorn from after, and confuses herself as to why he sighed sorrowly. She, of course, didn’t pay heed except for the book he closed. She lectured herself that clearly it isn’t a book, but by the size of it perhaps a manuscript or a codex.

The hoofwritting, from Twilight’s perspective, looks like late-roaman perhaps later. The hoofwritting definitely resembles that of Starswirl the Bearded, now only if she can decipher the language barrier. But, failed as the stallion placed inside his saddle bag, and locked it shut.

She curses herself and was glad that the train stopped at, probably, his destination.

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The train stopped, finally... Can’t stopped being stared at by Twilight, so I took the liberty to humor her by closing the manuscript that Twilight love ‘o so much. I even took the time to lock the saddlebag from possible thieves.

I trotted out the train, and headed for parliament. The parliament, the simplified use of a Ponyx... I hated the word parliament, too Pranks for me. I always had bad relations with the Pranks, always want me to drink their blasted wine... and the cheese, oh how I hate the cheese. The mares were nice, but the cheese and wine....

I entered the parliament freely, it is a public government building. I got my badge and paperwork done and before I knew it I was in the hall as a representative of the Crystal Empire.

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