Northen Stars

by Flower03

Chapter 8

The sound of galloping hooves could be heard echoing off the walls and glass floor of the castle of friendship. It was caused by a cowboy hat-wearing earth pony, running towards her destination because of the message she had recently received.

Suddenly, a swift gust of air passed by her side, giving her an unexpected boost. She almost tripped due to having to grab her hat tightly and put it in place when it blocked her view.

"Rainbow Dash!" She shouted at the pegasus that had caused this.

"Oops, I'm sorry, Applejack," Rainbow slowed down a bit to be by her side, "But the message Starlight sent us seems to be an important one. What do you think it is?"

"I'm not sure," Applejack shook her head as she jogged a bit more calmly now. "After all, it was just saying that she needed to talk to us and that it was urgent."

Applejack opened the great door that led to the hall where the seven thrones and the map of the castle were located. When they entered, their friends were already there and they all had the same confused expression on their faces.

"Well, we're all here," Starlight announced with a hint of relief in her voice as Applejack and Rainbow settled into their respective seats.

"Why did you call us so urgently, my dear?" Rarity asked in her usual refined tone of voice, but with a slightly worried look on her face. "Did something happen?"

"Are there any problems in Ponyville that we need to solve while Twilight is gone?" Rainbow Dash asked expectantly.

"Nothing has happened in Ponyville, Rainbow," Applejack interjected. "In any case, a few problems with pests in the family garden." She frowned a bit before muttering to herself. "I honestly have to ask Twilight for some help with that when she get back."

"Oh! Maybe she's the one who needs our help!" Pinkie Pie suggested, holding up a hoof.

"Why would she need our help, Pinkie?" The other earth pony in the group asked.

However, none of the mares noticed when Starlight's expression suddenly changed.

Pinkie Pie just shrugged.

"Well, it's not the first time we've helped her with one of her projects," She said simply.

Applejack stared at her for a moment.

"You've got a point there," She conceded.

"Truth is, girls... it's that it does have to do with Twilight, and Spike," Starlight spoke again with a marked nervousness in her voice.

The others were silent when the unicorn announced this, but what really caused her silence and the worry to spread like wildfire among them was when they heard her speak in that way.

"Now I'm worrying," Applejack broke the silence. "Can you tell us what's going on?"

Starlight sighed deeply, mentally preparing to let them know the news that was the source of her concern. She just hoped they wouldn't react so badly to it, though she doubted it a bit.

She wrapped an object near her in the turquoise aura of her magic and lifted it up as she drew it to her hooves. The object was a letter from Canterlot, on which was stamped the royal seal of Princess Celestia.

"Hmm, Starlight... I don't think Princess Celestia usually sends you letters." Rainbow raised an eyebrow with a slight tilt of her head. "Or am I wrong?"

"No, and there's a reason for that." Starlight looked up and turned to them. "When Twilight and I talked about the project she wanted to do these days in the Crystal Empire, she told me that she might have to venture near one of the mountain ranges around it. She wanted to investigate a kind of crystal flower that exists there..."

"Oh, it must be those beautiful crystal lilies we sometimes see when we visit the empire," said Rarity.

"We can understand that," Rainbow Dash interjected after gesturing with her hoof, then turned to the other unicorn. "But let's get to the question. What happened to Twilight and Spike, Starlight?"

They were all waiting for Starlight's answer. She stirred a bit uncomfortably at her position.

"Well, as Princess Celestia says in her letter, while she was studying it in a cave, she found an object..."

"What was that?" Applejack asked as her brow furrowed once more. The other girls were just as intrigued.

"The horn of a former enemy," Starlight blurted out at last. "If I remember correctly, the former ruler of the Crystal Empire who made it disappear for a thousand years."

A new silence spread among the whole group as soon as she finished telling the news. And what news.

The mares' reaction was mixed: while some expressed disbelief, surprise, and even annoyance at the same time, others had a fearful or thoughtful expression on their faces. Applejack again was the one who broke.

"I can hardly believe you're talking about the King Sombra."

"Yes, that's his name," Starlight nodded. "Twilight found his horn, but it apparently did something that caused her to faint and General Sentry had to fly her back to the castle. When she woke up, she told Spike and her brother, and he told the princesses."

When she finished answering, the room this time didn't fall silent, quite the opposite. The mares began to argue with each other, some to a lesser extent than others, but they all had something to say about the situation.

"How could that happen!?" The rainbow-maned pegasus complained with a loud cry. "The Crystal Heart was supposed to destroy it!"

"Just like Starlight just told us, it looks like it didn't quite do it, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said.

"I'm glad Twilight had a gentlecolt get her out of there in time," Rarity said as she put a hoof on her chest.

And among all the questions and comments that rained down on the table, the unicorn managed to capture the questioning that was of interest.

"When did that happen, Starlight?" The cowboy pony asked.

"Two days ago, yesterday was the princesses informed," she answered.

"Then you haven't finished telling us everything yet, cause otherwise it would have been Twilight who would have told us about it."

Starlight straightened up in place. It was time to tell them the real reason why she had called them.

"In the letter she says that Twilight decided to go back to find the horn on her own," she finally announced. "And Spike probably followed her without her noticing."

New silence.

This time he was broken by the other unicorn of the group.

"Are you serious, my dear?" Rarity asked, blinking rapidly. Starlight nodded.

"Oh, poor things," Fluttershy looked down and put a hoof on her chest.

"Of course she's serious, I just can't understand why Twilight did that," Applejack shook her head. "I know she's capable of doing it, but we're still talking about the King Sombra. He's not a pony to be taken lightly."

"As Princess Celestia says in her letter, she did it for us, so that no one else would risk her position," Starlight began again, and the others widened their eyes when they received this new information. "And I think now I can understand that."

They all lowered their gazes, meanwhile a thoughtful countenance formed on their faces.

"I know you girls know a lot more about him when you faced him and all that in the Empire," Starlight began again, looking at them all closely. "But I'm willing to go and be there for Twilight and Spike when they come back."

The next comment came from a certain pink pony.

"Starlight's right, girls," Pinkie Pie said. "Twilight is our friend just like Spike and we should support them in any situation. So who's signed up to go with me too? And with Starlight!"

Pinkie had now climbed onto the table, moved quickly to Starlight's side, and made her lift a hoof along with her. Starlight laughed nervously at her enthusiasm.

"Obviously I'm in!" Rainbow Dash jumped into the air.

"You can count on me," Fluttershy whispered softly.

"With me, too," Rarity announced. "You should always support a friend and make sure they are fine, especially after their adventures."

"Oh, of course I'm going, too," Applejack said, adjusting her hat. "After all, Big Mac and granny Smith can take care of the farm stuff while I'm gone."

"Well, I suppose we can meet in a few hours to leave the station," Starlight said at the end as she shifted her gaze around the group, she saw how they nodded.

She noticed each and every one of their expressions: Applejack and Rainbow Dash's determined gaze, Pinkie Pie's enthusiastic gaze, Rarity's worried but resolute gaze, and even Fluttershy's shy gaze, but which still denoted inner strength, willing to do anything for their loved ones.

But they all had a common goal inside them and that was to be there for their friends in whatever was needed.

---

Night was already beginning to fall in the Crystal Empire... and there was still no sign that Twilight or Spike would appear anytime soon.

To say that Shining Armor was frustrated was actually saying very bit, but he wasn't the only one who was upset. Cadence held a tired Flurry Heart in her hooves, tears threatening to come out of her eyes.

"I think Flurry misses her aunt."

"And I think she senses what's going on, Sunburst, too," Cadence added to his comment, as she gently rocked her daughter in an attempt to calm her down. "We need to solve this quickly."

"We'll stick with the plan that was determined before, but now this has turned into something much bigger," Shining said.

The three older ponies in the room turned their heads as the large doors of the throne room opened. Then Princess Celestia entered in all her majestic appearance and they smiled when they noticed the group of ponies following behind her.

"Ah, I'll never tire of admiring the beauty of the Crystal Empire every time we come."

"Are you serious, Rarity?" I forgot how many times we've done it," Rainbow Dash said boredly.

"Though the truth is, I have to agree with Rarity, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy spoke softly.

"Yes, it's very pretty and all that," Applejack snapped. "But now we have to concentrate on the issue at hoof."

"Of course, Applejack, I was just saying..."

A sudden clearing of their throats in front of them made them slightly startled, realize where they had finally arrived. They received a quick greeting from the three ponies.

"It's good to see them all again," Cadence smiled slightly. "Even if it's under these circumstances."

"Don't worry, princess, we're always ready to help our friends," Applejack said with a nod.

"Could you put us fully in the context of the situation?" Starlight stepped forward with her question. "The letter that Princess Celestia sent me made us a bit aware of what is going on, but we would appreciate knowing everything."

Cadence nodded, and both she and Shining Armor set out to tell everything that had happened since Twilight had returned to the castle.

The others listened intently as they spoke. From time to time they made comments and asked questions, but most of the time they remained silent. Finally, Shining Armor showed them the scroll that Twilight had left behind.

After the mares had read the words written there, the whole room fell silent. Then one mare in particular broke it.

"Well, it's obvious now that we must find them," Starlight emphasized after folding the paper in her magic.

The other mares nodded in a show of agreement to the unicorn, each with a frown of determination reflected on their faces.

"I'm willing to go on any mission you have planned," Rainbow Dash offered.

Applejack slammed a hoof into the ground, expressing her own opinion and intentions regarding the idea of the pegasus, after all she didn't want it to be her alone. Shining Armor, Cadence, and Celestia smiled at the attitude of the group.

"I suppose then we can divide the tasks between all of us to cover more," Celestia said as she stepped forward. "Do you agree with that, Cadence, Shining Armor?"

They both nodded in a clear sign of what they thought, before Shining spoke again.

"Applejack and Rainbow Dash can join me when we have to cover the terrain of the Crystal Range, we know Twilight and Spike went there."

The two nodded excitedly, a little more on Rainbow Dash's part. Then Cadence took the floor again.

"In the meantime, the others will stay with Celestia and me in the castle." She took her daughter in her hooves before pointing to two of the mares. "Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, you'll help Sunburst take care of Flurry Heart."

Fluttershy nodded at her request with a small smile on her face, while Pinkie jumped quickly up to where she was with a big smile on hers. The baby stretched out her little hooves and flew over to Pinkie as she babbled happily and settled in her mane.

"Aunt Pinkie will take care of everything!"

Cadence laughed lightly as Celestia took the floor again and looked at the next mentioned.

"Sunburst and Starlight, you'll help Cadence and me stay connected with the group for the duration of the expedition."

"It will be an honor for us, Princess," Starlight said with a smile as she pulled her friend closer with one hoof. Sunburst smiled too, though a bit more nervously.

"And what shall I do in the meantime, Princess?" Rarity asked, wanting to help as well.

"You will do one of the most important tasks," Cadence said this time. "You'll have to take care of certain aspects of the castle regarding personnel and other things, basically you have to make sure that everything is kept in as much order as possible while we're busy. Although of course you won't do it all alone, you will have our help in that."

"Oh," Rarity had a hoof on her chest with a marveled expression. "Absolutely count on me."

"Then if everything is ready," Celestia said with a small smile on her face. "I guess soon it will be time to start."

Comments

[DarkSnowGaming]

"Applejack and Rainbow Dash can join me when we have to cover the terrain of the Crystal Range, we know Twilight and Spike went there."

Oh so they get to join you, why?

Do I have to mention that Twilight is an Alicorn? Immortal, more powerful than any Unicorn, more powerful and supposedly faster then most if not all Pegasus, and Stronger than any Earth Pony? I really hope that at some point in this story, Shining Armor and Twilight has a long talk about why Twilight is more than capable of making her own decisions. And if Shining disagrees than I would love to see Shining Armor and Twilight engaging in a duel with Shining Armor losing in 10 seconds.

[Flower03]

11889059
Hahaha, that would be fun to see.