Shadow of the Heart

[warror]

"Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia" Cried twilight 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 glassed windows. She blinked and darted her eyes at the coming twilight. Twilight stopped. She lowered her head in exhaust. Twilight was holding a book up with her magic. Princess celestia turned to her eager student. She then took the book from twilight and started reading it. The princess then closed her eyes and turned away, dropping the book to the ground.
"You really love your history" Said the princess.
"But is this true?!" Asked twilight. "Could this be the reason that Sombra did all of this? I'm not justifying his actions but it calls into order the ways of these crystal ponies. their practices-"
"My sister and I are also from that era" Interrupted Princess Celestia. "But I will read along with you this account. 'am pleased that you found an book of the Crystal Empires History"

Twilight and Princess Celestia start reading the book. It tells of the famed and mysterious past rulers of the empire. The crystal monarchy.
After Discord had been banished by the sisters, some of the ponies in the young and unformed Equestria went their distant ways. Wanting to help the world free it's self from the remaining chaos, Celestia and Luna flew all over the lands ridden disorder. The ponies from the Gem mines Discord had force to mine the precious and powerful gems left, far, far up north to rid themselves of anything magic and over bearing. They just wanted to forget their lives as mining slaves.
But they also put their skills to good use. Being earth ponies and miners they were in tuned to the earth. The area they had picked for their new homeland was vast and cold. No trees, no rivers, just frozen. They luckily found caves. these caves had warming and emotion adsorbing crystals that could be used for building. It took them decades without magic and flight, but they built a grand empire founded on the belief of peace and education.
After mining with these crystals there outer appearance became similar to that of the mined mineral. So to outsiders and the rare visitor from another town, they were soon known as crystal ponies.
The leaders among them were strong not only in muscle, but in brain as well. The first queen, a strong mined and loving mare that took care of the youth in Discords mines birthed 3 colts. All but one of those colts died and had another son, who married a beautiful mare of the fields. She died in child birth. leaving the king with a daughter. But not just any daughter. This was one of the few new fillies and colts that as evolved to be truly born with the crystal appearance. They all loved the princess and dove her Quartzia of the Crystal empire. the Chrystal Princess.
Unfortunately like his ancestors before him... the king was starting to get failing health and at a relatively young age. The Princess would care for her father and help him to walk around their beautiful empire. The ponies were nervous about this monarchs coming to pass. Not because they would lose such a valued member of the empire. But because the princess herself was not like other ponies. Somewhere within the family of the monarchy, they had alicorn ancestry And alicorns are the most powerful known type of pony with vast magic.
She could not hide her wings or her long pointy horn. She was raised among the people and they loved her as a filie, but as she grew... so did their fears.

It was said that Quartzia would try to treat her fathers pains,but that the nurse maids would tryto shoo her away, fearing that her magic would hasten his death. The palace guards walked far from her. The chefs would make too much food so that she would not ask them to cook within the palace for days.
Quartzia did so very much for her people. She opened the largest school known in the world. Funded the library by 30 percent and even helped in the fields during harvest. it was at one harvest when things would go down hill for her even more...

[warror]

The Crystal Princess was becoming tired. She was using her hooves all day to pick and pluck. When she thought no one was looking, the princess took up a berry bush with her magic. Unknown to her there was a worker picking at the bush and he became entangled within the floating bush.
"OH, DEAR ELEMENTS! NO! NOOO, 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 15 children-please!!!" The worker sobbed, as the princess carefully put him down. She tried to comfort him, almost laying a hoof on his back, but he looked at her wide eyed, kicked dirt in her face and ran. She quickly rubbed her face, taking away the dirt with her hoof, gasping and crying. Quartzia then heard angry voices, but her eyes were watery and red. When she looked over the ponies became very scared and ran.
"no... NOOO!!! I-JUST-WANT TO LOVE MY FELLOW PONIES!... NOOOO.... NOooo... no...."
The distraught princess ran into the forest that the ponies had grew with her families help and direction so many generations ago. Now it would be a often place for her to hide. She would come here at nights and wonder the wilds. The animals and flora did not mind her appearance. She soon went to her favorite place to lay and lowered her head. Closing her eyes.
"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 then put her face in her front, folded legs and sobbed. Suddenly she felt something... or somepony... stroking her horn... Quartzia immediately arose with her wings open and neck straightened.
The figure was seen behind a tree, within it's shadow. The princess squinted her frosty, sky blue eyes,within that direction.
"Horn, you say?" Said the Mysterious Pony. "You are not the only one with a horn."
The Princess gasped as he stepped forward. He took off his cloak and revealed himself as a silverish-grey pony, with black going down between his eyes, stopping at the beginning of his nose, and a voluminous black mane. "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. She became within a cold sweat, darting her eyes around. He then stepped forward. She locked her eyes on him, almost becoming dizzy.
"I know you... I have been watching you... "
The princess gasped at this admitting and forgot the hatred of magic and one of the rare times flew. She flew fast and Hard threw the trees, cutting and piercing her wings, but got threw the canopy of thick tree tops.
'"No! Wait! I-I did not mean that I-... Sigh..." Said the unknown unicorn.
He lowered his head, darted his eyes around and stomped his hoof into the ground. He then replaced his hood and went back into the shadows.

Twilight and Celestia looked at each other. Celestia then turned her head away and begun to ponder the reading.

"You see, I have complied this binder with recovered diary notes, witness accounts and time lines from the empires library archives and the Crystal palaces chambers." Pleaded Twilight sparkle. "I... I think that the earlier belief that the crystal empire was-"
"How much have you studied?" Asked Princess Celestia.
"All of it..." Twilight 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.

[warror]

Twilight nodded her head. She then sighed and started where she left off.
"Dear Princess log, hold my thoughts, hold my dreams, for no one within the world wants love from me" Wrote the princess.
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 an misunderstanding at the berry farm. I was crying, sobbing as I usually do, when this... this pony that I've never seen before came to me as i had my face hidden crying onto the soil. He... touched me. My horn. At first I was scared, angry and defensive. But then he came from the shadows... And revealed himself to be similar to me. He too had a horn. But smaller and red! I think he would be the pony what is called a unicorn.
He opened his mouth and told me that he'd been... watching me... that he... knew me... His eyes

Suddenly the balcony doors burst open. The candles blown out by the howl of the winters winds. The nursing ponies that were attending to her wings looked around and the guards got close to her bedside. The Princess herself looked around. She then looked at the ceiling and saw a shinny glint, flash within the darken roof. She Squinted her eyes and breathed in deeply.
"You can leave my service for the rest of the night" Said Quartzia to her servants.
"But my fare-mare, you are injured" Said a guard"
"Since when do you care"
A mysterious voice echoed into the room. A voice that the princess recognized.

"WHAT EVIL IS THIS?!" Cried one of the guards.
"If you wish not to find out then leave my chambers. I can handle this... visitor" Demanded the princess.
The guards looked at each other. They told the princess that they would be right outside her door. Everyone left. Princess Quartzia Arose from her bed and closed the balcony doors,pulled the curtains and then re-lit the candles with her magic. She turned back to her bed and saw that stranger unicorn.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Yelled Quartzia.
The stranger unicorn as reading her diary. He then looked forward at her and smiled. The lining of his smile caused her to gulp and turn her head sightly, still looking upon him. The unicorn cleared his throat and looked on at the princess with lowered eyelids.
"I do know you..." Said the unicorn.
""Then why not I know you!" Demanded the princess.
The unicorn laughed and then slid off her bed. He went forward to her. The princess stood her ground as this bold, mysterious pony came within inches of her face. They stood there looking at each other. The princess looking at him intensely. The unicorn looking at her calmly with sight humor.
As the night went on the princess and the stranger unicorn, now she knew as Sombra, talked with each other. Sharing feelings and emotions.
She discovered that as a young colt he was 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 and then dumped him into the forest. This is where he discovered his ability over the shadows.
The princess and sombra were laying in bed together. Holding each other. She was just under his chin as she wrapped her front legs around his torso. He held her also, rubbing her shoulder as they both looked at the roof being it by the light of the moon.
"Then a few years later, I saw you. You were crying... in that spot as you always do... As you did today... I had heard of you but had never saw you... You frightened me... The wings and the horn... But... Then my fright grew to curiosity. I heard your father call you an that's when i saw you fly."
Sombra looked down at Quartzia. She felt his over powering green eyes softly looking down at her. She quickly looked up and then away again.
"I frighten you?"
"No-no... I just... Never been this intimate with any pony... especially someone as..." She said as she darted her eyes away.
"Strange and unusual as I be?" He asked
"Mesmerizing, enchanting and beautiful... oh! oh-my did I-" The princess confessed, loosely.
Sombra laughed and dropped his head back.
"Well if your going to laugh you can just leave!" She pouted.
She released him, sat up and turned away. Crossing her front legs and closing her eyes. Sombra chucked some more and reached toward her.He then stopped and looked out toward the balcony.
The princess looked back at him and uncrossed her front legs.
"What is it" She asked
"(Sigh) I Just may have to leave you... For now"

When the sun started to line the horizon, sombra looked at the princess, and the princess at him.

Like a bat going back to it's cave, sombra revealed his ability to turn to shadow and like a mystical myst, flew off into the darkness of the morning.
Quartzia galloped toward the balconies edge, wanting to fly after her new friend. But then she saw the ponies below and then with a heavy breath looked back up as the magical myst of her friend disappear.
"Oh... Oh, no..." Disappointingly said the princess.
She lowered her head and started back into her room. She was disappointed , but at the same time a feeling that she never thought she would feel. Love.
"What is this that I hear of you getting injured?!" Said her father as he burst threw her bedroom chambers.
"FATHER! WHY, you should be in bed!"
"Not when my foal is getting hurt!" He snapped.
The king started to cough and wheeze, falling into his daughters arms.
"FATHER, NO! GUARDS! RETRIEVE THE NURSE MAIDS, AT ONCE, POST HASTE!" Quartzia screamed.
The sickly king started to cough up blood onto his hoof. The princess gasped and started to cry in fright. She held her father close and started rocking him. Quartzia petted his head with her free hoof, laying her cheek on top of his head. She looked forward at the open balcony, as tears dropped from her eyes like slow rain.
"Not yet father... Please?... Not when I finally found a friend..." She pleaded.
"Oh... My dear child... Then I can truly be released... For you know what love is... You must rule with it.-"
"Father... Father!... Oh... Oh, oh, oh by the stone nooo.... noo..."
The princess could almost feel her fathers spirit being lifted with the suns rose in the sky. For a moment she hated the dawn. Making her new friend go away. And now her father pass within her very hooves. But she would please her fathers wishes. To rule with love.
"Yes father... I shall..."
The nurse maids and guards rushed into the room. They placed the king on her bed. The princess just walked forward, feeling light as a feather and so very detached from her surroundings. She walked onto the balcony, looking toward the arising sun. The smell of a promising morning, the thoughts of the night with her friend and then the current memories of her father passing.

[warror]

Within the coming days, The Empire Buried their beloved King. The Princess was Made Junior Empress. Still Basically a Princess, but with most of the ruling power besides the counsel and delegates. She passed new laws, corrected old ones. Visited Districts and communities. Even announced her Idea for new holidays and events to wash the tide of sorrow.
"It's going to be called The Crystal Fair." Explained Quartzia.
She was in the forest in the late afternoon talking with Sombra. Sombra laying his head on her chest, laying on his back. He looked forward at the forest. Quartzia Laid on her belly and legs curled under her, as one front leg wrapped around sombra's chest. Her hoof moved up and down his chest Has she explained her Idea's to him.
"I'm going to have all the Districts and wards bring their favorite goods and foods. I studied the hobbies and talents of the ponies and are going to have jousting, comedy and plays. Mostly Crafts and foods, with some physical entertainment, but you know the Crystal ponies... they care more for leisure and books then running up and down."
"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 softy.
"I'm trying to be peaceful and resolve their prejudging ways! My father told me to rule with love and since I be apart of him and I feel love within my being... I cannot go against who I' am... I... I Love my people"
Sombra Raised himself to his belly, curling his legs under him. The princess lowered her head, closing her eyes. Sombra looked on at her searching her face for emotion and an answer.
"I thought we had a common understanding" Disappointingly said sombra.
"We do... But I love, and you... Hate... It... Scares me..."
Princess Quartzia said as she raised her head to his face, opening her eyes. They looked at each other gently, but with wanting a common ground from one another. Princess quartzia chuckled, smiled and stood. She walked away a few feet. Sombra looked at her wide eyed. His mouth slightly agape. Princess Quartzia Slightly lowered her head, digging her front hoof into the dirt back and forth.
Sombra walked over to her. He stayed slightly to the side of her, a little behind quartzia.
"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." Said quartzia to sombra, quietly and with gentle concern.
She turned to him with tears in her eyes. Sombra backed slightly away in a slight shock at her strong emotion. He gasped and looked at her slighty wide eyed. Raising his front hoof slighty, sombra became slightly guarded. The princess approached sombra. She laid her head on his right shoulder. She closed her eyes and breathed in his ear. Sombra was a willing uncomfortable to these emotions.They both looked forward ahead of themselves.
"Do you hate me...?" Asked Quartzia.
Sombra Eyes widen and mouth dried as it opened. 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 want to help you... I do not wish to change you... But I wish for us to be... And I want... need... To help you... It is alright..."
"And I wish to help you" Said Sombra wittingly.
As always, the Princess felt sombra's eyes on her. Sombra opened his eyes and looked at her threw the sides of his eyes, with lowered eye lids. A closed mouth smile traces his face. Princess quartzia pop opened her eyes and backed away from him. Sombra raised his head and looked at her. Princess quartzia slightly turned her head, lowered her eye lids and looked at him questionably.
"I'm going to start the fair within a few weeks... I... I... would like it if you came... And be by my side as my special escort and partner." She pleaded gently.
Sombra Huffed and puffed. He lowered his head, darted his eyes around. He then turned away and walked slightly into the forest. He stopped and turned his head slightly to her. Princess Quartzia looked on shocked and worried. She sightly raised her front hoof. Her mouth open in a "o" shape.
"Is that your answer...to me?" Quartzia asked sadly.
Sombra darted his green eyes around, breathed heavily and went into the forest. Princess Quartzia Shut her eyes tightly and started to sob. She galloped hurryingly out of the forest. Now the forest a place of pain, instead of retreat.
Sombra looked on within the shadows as she hurried out of the woods. His eyes darted around and then rested to the left. He breathed fast and chest pumping with blood. Sombra looked down at his chest. He put a hoof to his chest and gritted is teeth opened mouth. Sombra stomped the ground in frustration at these emotions. He then turned to shadow and retreated deeper into the woods.

[warror]

Over the weeks Princess Quartzia did not go to the forest. She thought that Sombra had forgotten about her and did not want to be with her any longer. She poured her attention into making the Crystal Fair the happiest and most loving event in all the world. She even went to distant lands to invite other kingdoms and townships so that the Crystal ponies could see different, yet the same ponies of the world.
The ponies in the empire started to learn from the Unicorns and Pegasus. They enjoyed the Pegasus speed and daring, and the unicorns knowledge and skills. Many were sad when the ambassadors had to leave. But they promised to be back for the fair with their families.
Finally it seemed that the ponies within the Chrystal empire were accepting their princess and seeing her again as one of their own when she was a filly. Ponies Would call on her for advice on where to set up the tents and fair structure's. Fillies and colts laughed and bounced around her giving her baskets of berries and flowers. Even the farmers on the farms asked her for help using her magic. Now she could fly and be free, use her magic and shower her people with love. Everything that she wanted. But looking on at the forest, on the farms and from the palace. There was a hole...
Unknown to her, sombra was around town, secretly watching her over the weeks within the fairs preparation. Wearing his hood. The ponies paid him no mind thinking him a visitor or traveler. He looked up at the palace threw the top of his hood. His jaw tightened.
The princess was going over blueprints, laying in her bed. It was evening She kept looking out the balcony. She then sighed and closed it with her magic. The princess coughed and drunk some tea that was beside her on a nearby table. She was becoming sick. She thought it was from the work of the fair. But secretly dreaded it was her families sickness.
The candles went out within the room. The princess sighed and rolled her head back.
"It took you a while" Said slightly annoyed, by the princess. She then coughed and cleared her throat.
"I see that working with these ponies has made you sick" Said sombra's echoing voice.
The princess clears her throat. She then puts away her notes within a drawer. Quartzia takes a drink of tea and rubs her throat. Sombra Appears at the foot of her bed. He looks on at her.
The princess looks on at her with weakened eyes, a cold sweat and dizziness.
"What's wrong with you" Asked sombra.
"So you do care" She replied.
"You said that you wanted me to be with you at this love-fest. And your obviously not feeling well and you might need me any my ways more than-"
Sombra was interrupted by a tackling embrace. Quartzia hugged him as tightly as she could and hummed gleefully on his shoulder. She then pushes back, resting her hoofs on his shoulders and looks on at him with a closed mouth smile.
"And I know exactly what you are going to wear"
"You would dress me now?! I'm taking flight from here... enjoy your fair" Sombra snapped.
He turned away and made his way toward the balcony.
"NO! No!" She Chuckled. "Wait...*cough*, *cough*... I do not care if your horn just shows up, as long...*cough*... as it is you! *cough-*cough**cough*"
Sombra turned back to her with some concern. He rushed over to her and caught the dizzy princess.
"You are surely ill, young empress" Sombra said.
"If you leave me I would surely waste" She cooed.
Sombra looked down at her wide eyed. He took her to bed, laid her down and then covered her with the warm blankets. Sombra sat on top of the covers on the beds edge Quartzia took sombras hoof and held it in her own. Looking up at him with twinkling eyes and a weak closed smile. Sombra looked at her curiously and nervously He then left the bed and went towards one of the walls. He angrily looked forward and was frustrated.
Princess Quartzia looked on at him. She turned her head to him, on her pillow. She breathed heavily and sighed.
"Even though I know that thou shalt ever say it. I Missed you, very much so. And 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 said the princess.
Sombra lowered his head and darted his eyes around. He flew off the bed. A red glow went over is once green iris'es. 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 totally changing. His once brilliant green eyes were now red and menacing. The green now on the once white part of the eyes and a purple energy flowing from his eyes. His teeth sharpened like a wolf. Sombra's mouth slightly agape. The sick princess rested on her elbows as she looked at him coming forward to her.
"Sombra?" She asked with concern.
"What have you done... What have you done to me?!" he yelled
"What do you-"
"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'm nervous, yet filled with... Excitement and bliss..." Sombra answered
"Ohhoho...*chuckles*, Sombra... That means you care... About me... Why you might even..."
"Might what?!" He pleaded "WHAT Damn you?!" Sombra snapped.
Sombra went over to her bedside again. Princess Quartzia sat up and looked on at sombra. He was breathing heavily. She was calm and collected. Princess Quartzia Reached out to him and hugged him. Then she turned her face to sombra's cheek and then kissed him on his cheek. Sombra rushed off the bed and held his cheek. His face and eyes went back to normal. He turned away from her and looked at quartzia threw the corners of his eyes. Quartzia laughed and then fell into bed. She sighed and then turned away.
"Merry twilight, sombra" Quartzia yarned.
Sombra turned back to her. He sighed and went over to the bed again. He laid in bed with her, on top of the covers. Quartzia snuggles against sombra from behind, grabbing his front leg and wrapping it around her. Sombra bushed heavily. But soon... fell comfortably asleep.

[warror]

The fair was fast approaching. Princess Quartzia was becoming more and more i'll by the day. Sombra made his appearance known now, because The princess needed assistance getting around the empire. Sombra was upset that she was doing all of these things for the ponies that one teased and feared her. Now she was almost dead and she still made it a requirement to get the fair underway.
Finally it was the day of the fair. Early morning,Sombra helped the princess with some ceremonial red robes. She was pale and in a cold sweat. But when quartzia looked at sombra, for a moment she felt better. And they both knew that their company together was the best medicine.
Quartzia made it a priority to show Sombra to all of her close guards and trusted advisers. She put her front leg around him and waved to subjects and visitors alike. She made him stick to her like glue. She wanted to show him the joys and happiness of 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 crafts section. Saw the different animals from the forest and the farms gathered. Even some rare animals that she specially sent for from south of the empires border. They ate sweet foods and hearty meals. Sombra and Quartzia even found time to joke and talk within one of their free time sessions.
"Did I ever tell you that I'm an artist?" Quartzia asked, Sombra.
"No you did not." He replied "I just believed that you were a overly outgoing mare that would love the shadow on a fly"
"Well, why not?"
Sombra sighed and rolled his eyes. The princess reached for sombra's hoof. She looked forward at him and gently shook her head, with a light smile.
"Sombra... 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. That is the way it was created 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 it's surface. He gritted his teeth and turned away from the compassionate princess.
"Your being fake." He snapped "Do you not despise anything?! Anypony?!"
"I do" She answered " I despise hatred of any kind, prejudging of any kind and using my emotion or losing my emotions to someponies 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. And... Unfortunately... You... cannot see that... I care about you sombra... You were the first friend besides my father that I ever had. And 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 sombra. Sombra lowers his head and looks at her walking slowly away threw the tops of his eyes. His eyes starting to shine red again within the iris'es.
The princess gathered everypony within the empire to the base of the palace. She had a four foot podium with what seemed to be 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. Here ye, hear ye! this is your Empress Quartzia De Crystal speaking to you, my dear empire ponies and visitors. Your Empress has crafted a commemorative crystal heart to mark this day. This heart is made 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 said energy throughout that area. Within about a 30 hoof radius or so, per pony that has one. I have instructed all of the crystal masons to craft one for every citizen and visitor alike. So that love can spread across the world."

The crowd of ponies looked at each other and then smiles and talked positively about this invention of the princess. The princess then demonstrated with the crystal heart she had. Quartzia placed her horn onto 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 it's self. The ponies closes 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.
There was something about that energy that made him sick and uneasy. The energy stopped a little over a minute. Sombra was starting to make his way threw the crowd when Quartzia fell. Her eyes rolled back and she slightly turned her head side to side.

[warror]

"Quar-DAMMIT! OUT OF MY WAY, NOW!!!" Sombra demanded. "It's that dammed 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 arms around his neck and coughed..
"It is alright, my dearest and closest, most beloved, friend" The princess assured.
But sombra 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 to be 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 and concentrated 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 based of the place.
"My fellow ponies... I shalt be around very much longer. I'am about to pass."
The crowd gasped and cried in horror and shock. They looked around at each other with fright and nervousness.
"HEAR ME, PONIES AND VISITORS!" She demanded. "I leave you with this gift... It is basically my plan from before but on a much larger scale. Instead of having one heart for everypony, 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 bowed their heads in sorrow and did what they were told by their princess. Suddenly a strong wave rushed out of the heart. Sombra was shot back and away from quartzia.
"SOMBRA! SOM-BRA" The princess cried out to him. She turned onto her belly and reached for him within the blowing wave. Sombra was just hanging on to a post. His body was starting to crack and flake. He yelled in agony.
The wind of love and peace stopped. Sombra Crawled over to the sitting princess. He fell onto 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 is hardened crystal with hate and distrust for anypony. 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's arms. Quartzia 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... But I cannot... Because I'am about to pass and because... You would do wrong to our ponies."
Sombra 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 of me?" He asked angrily.
"I care about the ponies, yes... But you are the shadow of my heart..." Answered Quartzia. She rubbed her hoof on his cheek. "And I know that I'am the light within yours... Aren't I?"
Sombra looked away from her and took in a deep breath.
"You will not even answer your dying princess?" She joked.

[warror]

"Your 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 onto his. She deeply and willingly kissed him for all of the subjects to see. Sombra was frozen and still. He'd 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, stop it... QUARTZIA! DAMMIT! IF THIS IS A JOKE FOR ME TO TELL YOU THOSE SILLY WORDS...! Fine, Quartzia... I... I care about you... If it did not I would not be with you-you know that!" Yelled Sombra. He shook at her trying to wake her. He started to breathe heavily and looked at her up and down. The nurse ponies went down next to sombra 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! dammit your stronger than this... Your stronger than death..." Sombra pleaded. Sombra tightly held quartzia close to him, raising her head to his shoulder. He started rocking with her back and forth. He shut his eyes tightly. Purple energy flowed from his eyes and his teeth became sharp again. The nurse pony tapped him on the shoulder. Sombra's eyes popped open with red iris'es and green. The nurse was startled and sorry.
"We... We need to take her away... her body needs to...-"
"You... All of you... That's all any of you ever wanted to do... take and take. SELFISH!" Snapped Sombra.
The nurse backed away and looked on at him. Sombra darted his eyes around at the crowd. Sombra then raised his head and looked around at them angrily. The ponies backed away and looked on at him. The guards were suddenly blasted away from behind sombra with a shadowy wave.
"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. WITH HER LIFE! I know that it is the work of this... This love crystal heart... It is the last part of the princess'es love for this ungrateful empire. And none of you shall ever see it again!

"Sombra Said. And he hid 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, for our foolishness" Said twilight. "That... That's it princess... Sombra took over the empire out of what he felt was revenge to the prejudging ponies of the crystal empire. he did not see that Quartzia was going to make it a better place for everypony. "
"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. But he felt that they were unjustified for such compassion after all the wrong that the ponies had cause both to him and Quartzia. But like the Beloved Princess said, you must 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... And 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. "everypony 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 also. And 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 never dies. 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 twilight 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 and then celestia. Celestia and twilight's mouth both agape.
Then twilight said, "But that was ancient historical-
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 blushing bride try to wash off that snoozer with some jam filled hoof shoes."
The princess and Twilight looked at discord and went "Eww". He looked at them and cocked his head back.
"We were not going to eat them! We were going to catapult them into towns around Equestria." Answered Discord.
"THAT WAS YOU?!" Snapped twilight.
"Ahh... I think my cat is in the oven... Gotta see if it is still needs it's litter changed" Said Discord as he started to float away.
"That was you?!" Celestia Snapped.
Discord turned to celestia and sighed. He lowered his eye lids and shoulders.
"Really Celestia... You don't know me by now?" Discord answered.
Twilight and Celestia gave chase to the flying, laughing and taunting Discord. The two of them also laughing and taunting him back.
Thee End...

[DeftAndEvil]

Given all the drama in the forum, and with no sign of change, please forgive me if I seem rude, or harsh. I am a little distraught, but I am being completely honest:

I'm glad to see that you've stuck around, but I am somewhat saddened that you've made no progress as a writer. I've briefly glanced at your post and it remains as inane and undeveloped as like, 1 year ago. I don't know your life, and quite frankly, I don't care. There are many ways to learn how to be a better writer. You can take a class at your college (community college if you are out of school; if you are still in high school, I suggest reading your textbook, or checking a book out at the library).

I can see why you are shy about posting a story about a children's cartoon. But, the reason I ask you is why My Little Pony? If you are not going to put the work in to create your own world, and use your imagination, why pick that? Any serious (serious as in thoughtful, not stern) writer won't take you seriously. You're never gonna grow as a writer unless you understand what makes a story. It doesn't have to be good your first time, or your first hundred times, but I need to see that conscientious and artistic input of intellect and imagination. Otherwise, you'd only be wasting your time, my time, and this forum's time. In which case, I'd recommend fanfiction.net, as that place demands no skill or literary merit.

If you'd like, I'd be happy to share with you the basics that I've learned from books, classes, and hanging out with writers; you can ask other writers advice, too. I'd be less happy to give you an in-depth review of your story, but I am willing. I honestly want to help you. It's really up to you to decide whether you want to continue down this path or not.

[4urentertainment]

At 12/7/12 03:02 AM, DeftAndEvil wrote: If you'd like, I'd be happy to share with you the basics that I've learned from books, classes, and hanging out with writers; you can ask other writers advice, too.

I'd be pretty interested in that!

Maybe you could assemble a sort of "Writing Tutorials" series on this forum? That'd be neat.

[warror]

im sorry for this version of the story.

ike i told the prevous person in a private message this is actually the unedited version i posted by mistake. i actually have a better version on fimfiction.net. but i'll leave that up to the people that are interested in seeing the cleaer version.

[Spedmallet]

pony fanfic- a great first step in becoming a recognized writer

you'll be published in no time. it might help if you add a sex scene though. Editors love anthropomorphic sex scenes

[Coop]

Locked at OP's request.