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// Chapter 33 (FINAL CHAPTER) READ A/N 
// Story: Friendship isn't just Magic, it can heal hearts too 
// by Raumo 
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	From where I sat on my bed, I watched Twilight running around and throwing things at Spike to put into a bag for her. 

Spike then commented, "Calm down Twilight. It's just a test." Oh bad thing to say. No test for Twilight is just a test.

Twilight then had a minor magic explosion causing the tree to fly up then fall back. I lay on the floor, where I had fallen off the bed,  groaning. "Really Spike, you had to tell her that it was just a test?"

"Sorry Alex. I just don't understand why tests are so important to her and why she is so afraid of failing." Spike commented.

I righted myself and just stayed sitting on the floor. "Now that I think about it, her entrance exam into Celestia's school, might be the cause of it. She almost failed it before her magic surge, so perhaps that memory has stuck," I pointed out.

"I'm right here you know!" Twilight commented irritated scowling at me.

I shrugged my shoulders at her, "Oh I know. It makes sense though, right?"

She sighed. "You might be right. Being the student to the princess also is a contributor, I think. What pony wants to fail the princess's tests?"

"You need to relax Twilight. This is a test, and you have prepared so many times for a test. I think you'll find that you're prepared for almost any test she gives you."

"But what if I'm not and I fail?" Her eyes were filled with worry and self-doubt.

"Say you do, you pick yourself up, learn what mistakes you did, and work to fix them. I believe you won't fail though. You need to breathe though Twilight."

"Right breathe. In and out." She followed her instructions as she spoke them. "That does feel better."

"It always helped me. Now come on, we have a train to catch."



Twilight walked into the hall the princesses were in. As she did, Luna walked out looking very solemn.

"You seem worried. Care to share?" I commented to her.

"Ah Rider. Good to see you again." She sighed. "An empire that has been lost for years, has resurfaced. I'm worried Twilight and her friends will not be enough to protect it with Shining Armor and Cadance. It has a very powerful magic, it can't fall into enemy hands."

I remembered my conversation with Twilight just a few weeks ago. See Twilight. You jinxed it. Out loud I spoke up, "The girls are capable. Though I hate it when they run headfirst into these situation, they are very formidable together. I will be there to help as well." She still looked worried. "That's not all, is it?"

"Sombra, the tyrant who cursed the Empire to be hidden, is trying to return and take over the Empire. He is a powerful and cunning unicorn. If he gets the Crystal Heart and regains his power..."

"Though I don't even know what that is, I'll make sure he doesn't get it."

"Even at the cost to Twilight and her future?" I tilted my head in confusion. She explained. "This is Twilight's test. To protect the Empire."

I sighed. "I will give her all the time that I can, but if things start to turn south, I will step in. I care for Twilight, but I can't let the Empire fall to this Sombra guy."

She nodded. "I have faith that you'll succeed if things turn out bad. I believe Twilight can do it, I'm just cautious. She is still so young."

"Unfortunately, that is true. I forget how young she can be sometimes. Rest assured though, I believe she will prove to more than even your sister thought."

She nodded, then we both turned to the doors as Celestia and Twilight approached.

After Celestia telling Twilight that only she could be the one to assist Shining Armor and Cadance, the doors were closed.

Twilight looked at me, "You know what's going on?"

I shrugged, "Somewhat. The Crystal Empire has returned, all of us are going, and you need to be the one that helps Cadance and Shining Armor protect the place."

"That about sums it up." She then walked out with her head down.

I followed and we came up to Spike sitting on the stairs waiting. He spoke up, "That was fast. Let me guess, you got a perfect score." She looked at him then continued her walk. "Did you fail?"

She began singing about being prepared for magic tests, or math ones, or friendship ones, but she wasn't prepared for protecting an entire Empire. Who is Twilight? Sure, there are those who train for this kind of situation, but no one isn't actually prepared for the reality of it.

We arrived at the train station. The girls were there. I rolled my eyes as Pinkie brought out her party cannon. Only she would think to bring that to celebrate passing a test.

After Twilight told them we were going to the Crystal Empire, we headed home to pack for the trip. I put on my flying clothes, then my mission ones. I placed my knives in their places and and made sure my guns were completely charged, with some extra power cartridges.

Twilight stared at me. "What? You're protecting the Empire and I'm protecting you," I told her.

"And if I fail?"

"Well, I hope you will forgive me for this, but if it looks like you can't accomplish your task, I will step in." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.

"I understand. Do you think I'll fail though?" She wouldn't look at me.

"Nope. I have confidence you'll do what needs to be done. Besides, I'm just a safety measure. I won't interfere unless absolutely needed. You'll do great. Also one more thing."

"What?" She looked at me.

"You completely caused the Empire to appear out of nowhere."

"What?! How in the world would I...oh I see what you mean."

"Told you. You jinxed it." She just threw a pillow at me. I easily caught it laughing.

"Come on then Rider. We have a train to catch and take us to the Empire I have called forth."

I snickered, grabbed my wings from their shelf, and followed her out the door.



We arrived at the end of the tracks. Boy am I glad I dressed warm. I don't have fur or scales like the others.

Shining Armor arrived and said we needed to hurry. Being out at night was dangerous. "Mr. Tyrant unicorn trying to get in?" I asked as we plowed forward. Shining looked at me questioningly. "Luna mentioned him."

"Yes, he is been trying to get in." He confirmed.

Twilight was confused why she was being sent here to protect the place, when it was already protected.

"Most likely only a temporary solution!" I yelled to her over the wind and snow, "You need to find a permanent one!" Right as she nodded, a creepy howling noise sounded out. I looked at Shining, he nodded. "Girls! Run now!" I grabbed Spike as I passed.

We were almost to the Empire when Shining slid around to delay the creepy shadow thing. I kept running with the girls, I knew nothing I could do would help. 

We ran through the barrier. I set Spike down. Whoa. When they say Crystal Empire, they truly meant an empire made of crystal. It's beautiful.

As we walked through the city, Rarity was enthused, but I was on edge. This place is quiet. And the ponies walking around are so...somber. I shivered at the link between their demeanor and the tyrants name.

We entered the palace, Cadance and Twilight did their little chant and dance. I frowned as darkness flashed and Cadance flinched.

Twilight was enthusiastic about gathering info for her brother, but as we wandered walked around town and asked the ponies about the empire, I was getting more and more uneasy. Oh Twilight, this isn't like anything you have faced before.

When Twilight commented on the lack of information, I stated, "Forced amnesia."

"What?" She looked at me perplexed.

"The Tyrant has cursed them to forget the happier times before him." I didn't dare say his name after the cringes the crystal ponies made, saying his name. "If Cadance's love and happiness protects this place, it makes sense that he would make sure that the ponies can't remember anything happy to counter that."

Twilight had a thoughtful look on her face. Then she had a light-bulb moment. "Library! I need a library!" She ran to the nearest pony to ask if they had a library. Seeing that they did, she danced happily in place.

"Why don't you head there while I meet the other girls and bring them to you?" I suggested. She dashed off yelling out a thank you. I walked to the giant snowflake engraved into the ground. The other girls had already gathered. 

I told them, "Twilight headed to the library after I told her all the ponies had forced amnesia and she had the idea to look for one." I scratched my head as I thought for a moment. "Whoops. Should've asked her where it was before she dashed off." I walked to a crystal pony nearby. She looked at me warily as I approached. "Excuse me miss, but where is the library?" She silently pointed a direction." I bowed politely. "Thank you."

I waved to the other girls to follow me and we headed the direction pointed to.

Reaching the library. I snickered. "Why ya laughing Rider?" Applejack asked me.

"Oh just thinking that Twilight must be in a one happy daze right now." I replied. I doubled over laughing as we walked in and saw Twilight spinning in a circle just staring at the books. After getting myself under control I called out in amusement, "Miss Sparkle, you are supposed to be looking for a book not just staring at them."

She stopped circling sheepishly. "Alright then, let's get searching."

We all scanned the shelves. Twilight just grabbed them with her magic and floated them in front of her, then dropping them into a no pile. I was about to turn the corner to another shelf, when she yelled, "Yes!" We gathered around her. She opened the book and started reading. "This is it! This is exactly what we need. I've got to get to Shining and Cadance." Twilight ran off carrying the book in her magic and we all followed quickly.

As Twilight read the book to the couple, the girls and I headed to a meeting room nearby. When she and Spike walked in, I snatched the book from Spike's arms.

"Alex! I need that to explain the plan. Give that back." Twilight cried.

"I will. I need to check something Luna told me of though." I told her, flipping through the book. At the end, I noticed the ripped out page. "Twilight, there is a page ripped out, and I think it's the most important part."

"What!? What do you mean?" She grabbed the book and looked at the back. "What is the most important part?!"

"The book mentions a crystal heart as the center-piece at the fair." I flipped back to that part and showed it to her. "Luna told me that if The Tyrant gets the Crystal Heart, the Empire is doomed." Well not quite, but she was very worried when she talked of the Crystal Heart and The Tyrant. "Based on that, it's more than just a crystal shaped like a heart. It's something the ponies actually need for the fair to work."

"Oh no. What do we do, what do we do?" Twilight was starting to panic.

"Twilight, you need to find the Crystal Heart."

"But where could it be?! Help me."

"I can''t. This is your task. Until the situation is dire, my hands are tied. I'll make sure you don't hurt or kill yourself in the meantime."

"Right." She sighed.

"Twilight, it's going to be fine. Now make a plan."

"A plan? Right, a plan." She sat down and I could see the wheels turning. "Girls, get the fair started. You don't have to say it's the Crystal Fair, just a fair to celebrate their return. I'll look for the Heart, while your doing that. Just try to lift the peoples spirits, so that love and light can spread." She handed the girls the book. "That has everything you need to know. Now, come on Alex."

"Wait! I'm coming with you." Spike stated.

Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but I spoke up, "Let him come. I can keep an eye on you both." 

She nodded. "Okay then. I'm going to search the castle. If Sombra is the one that hid it and ripped the page out of the book, then no doubt he hid it here. Ponies would've been to afraid to even try searching for it."

She then ran around searching, with the Spike and I following. I flicked Spike's head-fins things, when he starting looking under a rug. I shook my head when he looked up at me. "It's her task. No helping." He nodded and crossed his arms.

We passed the throne room. Then backtracked as Twilight went and stared at the crystal throne. "Of course! This isn't The Tyrant's castle."

"Care to elaborate? I mean he did live here, didn't he?" I asked her.

"Yes, but it didn't look like this. This castle reflects the light and love of Cadance's magic, but Sombra was a dark ruler with hatred and fear. It would be much different." 

She then shot a stream of dark magic at the most prominent crystal of the throne. Shadows flared out and revealed a staircase going down.

"Uh, Twilight, when did you learn to do that?" Spike and I asked simultaneously.

"That was a little trick Celestia taught me. Now come on." She answered then began trotting down the stairs.

"Careful. Who knows what shape these are in." I told her as I followed. Spike stayed at the top of the staircase at Twilight's order.

A little ways down, Twilight stopped, grabbed a rock and dropped it down the middle of the staircase. The sound of it hitting the floor was a long time in coming.

Twilight called out to Spike, trying to keep the worry out of her voice, "Spike can you see outside? What's it like?"

Spike voice came back, "It's not good. Cadance's magic must be fading."

"Well then. Looks like we are taking the express way." I spoke up. Twilight looked at me in confusion. "I'll fly you down. It's the fastest way."

"Isn't that helping me?" She asked.

"I'm getting you to a location, not helping you locate the Crystal Heart. That's all on you." I knelt down. "Now grab on."

She put her arms around my neck and I stepped off the edge of the stairs activating my wings. We weren't speeding down, but we were much quicker if we had run down.

Landing at the bottom of the staircase, I set Twilight down gently. 

She nodded at me and noticed a door. She used her magic to try and open it. It moved away.

Okay that is creepy. A magical door. Twilight was getting frustrated. Her horn glowed black not pink. She shot a beam at the crystal above the door. It stopped moving and began to open. Twilight began to move forward.

I reached out, put my arms around her neck, and pulled her away from the door as a cold feeling of dread washed over me.

"Alex! What are you doing?! The Crystal Heart could be right there!" She cried struggling in my arms.

"You just used dark magic on that door. Do you really think something good is going to be behind that door?"

She still struggled in my arms. "It got us down here here, didn't it?!" I could see green mist slowly seeping from her eyes.

"Oh yeah, and what better way to slowly kill you then using dark magic. Think Twilight Sparkle, is this really the way? Or are you so afraid of failing that test, you're willing to do anything? Even change who you really are?" I watched her horn with trepidation as black began gathering around it, but I held on and kept speaking. "Is that what you really want to do? Because the true Twilight Sparkle would never be charging up magic to blast me away. If you do, you'll be failing not only your test, but your friends and family as well."

She stilled, and the gathering magic abruptly cut off and dissipated. She started sobbing, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just felt like I was so close and you were keeping me from...from my victory. And I just thought if I could just get you away I could run through that door and grab the Heart. I didn't want to hurt you. Truly!"

I held her close and smoothed her mane. "I know you didn't Twilight. The problem is, when you let a darker side of yourself out, it's harder to contain or change it. Amplify that with the fact that it's magic that is unpredictable, and with your desire to succeed, it's no wonder the dark magic was winning out. Thankfully you don't want to just succeed, you want to do the right thing."

She wiped her eyes, saying, "And the right thing would've never been hurting my friends to reach my goal." She looked at me, tears still shining in her eyes. "I know even if I fail this, you, Spike and the girls would still be there for me."

I gently smiled and stated. "Indeed. I don't believe you'll fail though. You just need to take each step with caution. I don't mean slow, just be aware of everything. The Tyrant is very cunning." 

She nodded. We looked at the open door. My eyes widened and Twilight's gasp sounded out. "It's just a wall." She said in disbelief.

Spike's voice popped up unexpectedly. "What happened? I heard you two yelling and now you're just staring at a wall." He walked over to it.

I scrambled up to try stop him, but was too slow. Black magic surrounded surrounded the crystal above the door, and Spike starting crying out, "No, I don't want to go! Please Twilight, don't make me."

I dashed forward and slammed the door shut. Twilight comforted Spike. She then looked at me, "You were right Alex. I shot the door with dark magic and it leads us to our worst fears."

"And so...," I said out slowly hoping to get her mind to think past that.

Her eyes lit up. "And so, if dark magic leads us to our worst fears, light and love will lead us to the Heart!" She stood in front of the door and started her magic. I was relieved when it glowed pink.

The door opened and Twilight walked through with me close behind. I looked around and snorted. "For some reason Tyrant like stairs. A lot of them."

"Well let's gets started then." She levitated Spike onto her back and started going up.

I stared upwards. "Hey Twilight! Stop!" I called out as I realized something. Sombra is cunning and tricky. He has already used two tricks, why not a third. I ran to where she had paused on the stairs.

"Alex, we can't stop. There are too many stairs and Cadance is weakening." She told me.

"Think about it for a moment. He's already used two tricks to try stop whoever looks for the Crystal, why not a third. There something weird about these stairs" I told her.

She stared at me for a long moment while she thought, then stared upwards at the spiraling stairs. Then she twisted her head upside down. Ouch, doesn't that hurt? A gasped in excitement. Then told me, "Put your hand on my neck." 

I put my hand on her neck and she activated her magic, levitating all three of us upwards, then flipping upside down. I don't understand it, but somehow we began sliding down the smooth underside of the stairs instead falling right back down onto them.

"Care to explain why we are sliding down instead of falling off!" I yelled to Twilight. "Also, you're lucky I have metal on the bottom of my boots, and not rubber!"

She yelled in joy, "I studied gravity spells in case it was on my test! Turns out I was prepared for this! Whoo hoo!"

I laughed at her joy. As we came to the end, she flipped us around and we fell on the floor.

We looked around and saw the Crystal Heart. It pulsed a soft light. Whoa, it's like an actual heart.

I walked over to a window and saw the gathering dark crystals. I turned around to see Twilight about to step into the circle area that held the Heart. Alarm flowed through me, "Twilight, STOP!"

She immediately stopped and backed away. "Alex, what's wrong?"

I stared at the Crystal and the area below it. "Can you use your magic to see if there is some sort of spell on the floor here? Quickly though, he is getting further into the kingdom."

Her horn glowed as she tried to detect a spell. "I'm not familiar with a detection spell, but I can feel dark magic in that circle." She told me.

"Most likely an alert spell. If someone were to be able to get here. He would activate one last measure." I theorized. 

"I can't get it then. Who knows what spell he'll activate. Probably an actual prison this time. I could..." She then started listing out ideas the scrapping them. 

After a few scrapped ideas, she looked at me, then my wings. She then stared up at me. I saw resolve harden in her eyes. "You Alex, you have to get it."

"You sure Twilight? We can find another way." I looked at her intently.

"I'm sure. I will not put the Empire's safety in jeopardy just to save my future. Fly up and get it Alex." She nodded at me determined.

Pride filled my heart as I looked at her and nodded. I carefully flew high into the air, then dived down. I grabbed the Crystal Heart as I passed, then flying upwards again.

When nothing happened, I carefully landed. I looked at the Heart in my hands. "It's actually warm." The other two looked on in wonder. "It's also kind of creepy holding it when it pulses like that."

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Leave it to you to take a moment and put your odd humor in it. Come on let's head down." She looked at the stairs. "Not sure how though. Are these normal or enchanted stairs?"

I stared at the gathering dark clouds beyond the open arches. There was no blue sky. "Uh Twilight, stairs might take too long long. Look," I pointed out the window.

She did so and gasped in horror. "Cadance's magic must have completely given out. We need to get the Heart to her quickly." She looked at the arches and outside it. She spun around to look at me. "Alex you need to fly down to Cadance." She stated firmly.

"I can still carry you and Spike and get there quickly." I countered, knowing what she was thinking.

"Sombra's in the kingdom, if he sees what you carry, you'll need all the speed you can get. Spike and I will just be extra weight.You know that, Alex." Her voice softened, "Thank you for thinking of me, but this is something only you can right now."

I gave her a smile. It probably looked weird for it was a mixture of pride and sadness. "I know. I wish I could find a way to take you, but I know it's not doable right now."

"Now go already, be the hero you are." She said grinning.

I walked over to a window and called back over my shoulder, "A hero? Not likely Twilight. See ya in a bit." I jumped out of the window and rocketed down. Seeing I was coming out of the side of the castle I angled left. 

Unfortunately, I could see that weird shadow king coming at me. I chanced a look at the Heart in my arms and cursed. The thing was glowing bright blue against my black suit.

I sped closer to the balcony, and cursed again as I saw that Cadance was passed out completely. Knowing that taking the Heart to her would be useless, I sped past it and landed near the engraved snowflake on the ground under the castle. 

For a long moment I just thought. Think Alex, there must be something special about this Heart, that Sombra hid it so carefully. I looked at the Heart in my hands and it came to me. Twilight said the fair was to raise the peoples love and unity and use it to protect the Empire from harm and this was the centerpiece. Plus, love and light has been a common thread in keeping Sombra away and getting through his obstacles.

I threw into the middle of the snowflake, and two crystal spikes appeared and held it in place. I turned to the ponies. "Your Crystal Heart has been returned. Use the love and light within you to make sure Sombra cannot!"

The crystal ponies regained their crystalline appearance and knelt down. Their love and light began lighting up the paths ways, then the Heart sucked in all the light and pulsed it out. Turning first the castle and then the rest of the Empire, back into the beautiful place it was when we first came. I watched as Sombra was shattered and thrown far away and sighed in relief.

I looked down at myself and cried out in surprise. So caught up in staring at Sombra, i had missed what the pulse had done to me.

I looked like crystal and could see through my hands. My suit was no longer black, but a deep midnight blue crystal. I looked at the crystal pony next to me. "No offense, but does this wear off? I mean you look awesome. This just isn't my preferred style."

He laughed. "No offense taken. Yes, it does wear off, since you aren't actually a crystal pony."

"Phew." I sighed in relief. "It's just weird for me." I looked at the Heart pulsing in it's rightful place. "Hmm, now I can see why the Tyrant went through all that trouble to hide that. Glad it's back in all of your hooves now and you can now live your lives freely and happily."

"As are we. Thank you for bringing it back to us." Another pony spoke up to me.

"Oh it wasn't me. I just brought it here. It was another pony named Twilight Sparkle that actually found it. We were running out of time to get it here, so only I came because I was the fastest." I told them.

"Still, you have our thanks." All of them nodded. 

I rubbed the back of my neck embarrassed by the attention. Popularity has never really been my thing. I was relieved when Cadance appeared. "Princess Cadance. Good to see you looking, well, um..." I trailed off, not knowing how to put it politely.

"Alive and aware, not dead on my hooves." She finished my sentence with a note of teasing.

"Yeah that." I replied sheepishly.

"Thanks to you Alex Rider. Your insight on the Crystal Heart has restored not only my health, but also the welfare of the entire Empire."

"Like I told these guys wasn't just me, it was a joint effort. Twilight did all the work, I just got it here." I repeated.

"Still, we all owe you our thanks in getting it here." She stated.

"Oh for crying out loud. I was happy to see you, so I could avoid attention. Now you put more on me!" I cried in exasperation.

She laughed. "Oh Rider. I think you'll find that you will get a lot of attention from ponies here, thanks to getting the Crystal Heart into it's rightful place."



And she just had to be right. I tried not to hunch as we left through the Empire to the station. I just put a small smile on my face and resisted the urge to run to the train.

On the train I stared at Twilight. There was worry in her purple eyes. I just sighed and stared out the window of the train, having nothing to reassure her with.

When reached Canterlot, we all walked to the castle. I gave Twilight a reassuring smile as she headed inside. She gave me a nervous one back.

It seemed like forever, but she finally burst through the doors and declared, "I passed!" She danced happily in place.

As the girls started singing together and walking to the station, I looked up to an open window in the castle. Celestia and Luna were standing there.

Celestia and I stared at each other. She then nodded at me, her sister producing a vaguely familiar journal.

I nodded back at her then turned to catch up with the girls. I stopped as the reason why the journal was familiar came to me.

That journal...it's the one Celestia showed me, when she told me the particulars of guarding Twilight and why. I sighed. Oh Twilight. You did pass your test, but you passed an even bigger one that has never crossed your mind. Yet, there are tests on the horizon that will teach you all that you can be.

I jogged to catch up with the girls, one thought going through my mind, I am your friend and student Twilight, but most of all, I am your guard. Through the highs and lows I will follow and protect you any way I can. For that is who I am, and who I choose to be.