The Dragon Amulet (Scratchpad)

(aight when you get hosers to read this, copy-paste the whole thing into a separate doc, then give eef's account permission to contribute. readers can write down notes as they read, if they'd like.)

if you have strong thoughts regarding certain scenes, characters, lines of dialogue, etc, insert these () and please write them down as they come to you. This will make it easier for me to address things that might need changing. 

(hmm, perhaps start with some sort of event, like jousting haha. flurry is super into it, and then she sees some memories)

So how does this translate into MLP? Would the Crystal Ponies use a breakable lance? What would they make it out of? Ooh they do have trees, I can see them here and there around the houses. So they COULD make breakable lances. And if they don't have the materials themselves, they can get imports.

OR, since the Crystal Ponies seemed to be really into the M6 jousting, should the objective be to TOSS your opponent as far as possible, as Rainbow Dash demonstrated? Would certain ponies be handicapped? If you're supposed to toss your opponent and they happen to be a pegasus, what's stopping them from using their wings to shorten their falling distance? Or a unicorn could imbue their lance with magic to toss their opponent farther. Would they segregate the races to ensure fairness? Or would they apply rules to keep everypony at about the same level? CAN they actually do that? If they're trying to bring everypony to the same level of physicality, earth ponies would have an advantage because that's their thing. Although, if the Crystal Heart originally shared power between all the Crystal Ponies, then that wouldn't be a problem because they're at the same level already.

Buuut if both lancers hit each other at the same time, which is pretty likely, all their energy will cancel out and neither will be tossed. So maybe we should stick to lance breaking.

--This is an excerpt from The Dragon Amulet, by PurplePartyTiger. The story is a work in progress, and details are subject to change.

Chapter 1: "If Hatred and Fear Take Hold..."

"Welcome everypony, to the annual Crystal Empire jousting tournament! Coming onto the field are some of the finest jousters you will ever see, let's give them a big round of applause!" 

A jolly fanfare began to play as six armored jousters trotted onto the field. They paraded around the arena before thick crowds of ponies, and the air rang with the sound of cheering, stomping, and hundreds of hoofs clapping in unison. The squires stood nearby, raising posts high in the air that proudly bore the flags of their knights. 

"Let me introduce you to our first jousters. Hailing from our very own Crystal Empire, Thunder Charge!"

An earth pony, his physique broad and well-toned, raised a hoof at the raucous stands of ponies and grinned.

"Competing against him, a newcomer from Baltimare, Rapid Strike!"

A rather scrawny looking unicorn also raised his hoof in greeting, visibly relaxing when the crowds cheered in response.

"And here to spectate with us today, the royal family; King Shining Armor, the lovely Queen Cadence, and for the first time, Princess Flurry Heart!"

Such was the joyous noise that arose, that the ponies tending to matters within the Crystal Castle thought they were hearing the distant rumble of thunder. Within the stadium, the sound was almost deafening, and the young princess Flurry Heart squished her ears down against her head with both hooves.

She felt a tap on her left shoulder and looked up to see her mother smiling at her. "You'll get used to it, honey."

On her right side, her father leaned in and whispered behind a hoof, "Don't worry, it won't be a problem once your hearing goes."

The two of them snickered and Cadence rolled her eyes, though she could not keep her lips from turning up.

"For those not hailing from the Crystal Empire, the rules are quite simple. There are three passes in each match, and three blows to be exchanged. The jousters will be aiming to score points; should their lance-tip break cleanly it will be one point they are awarded."

"Are the jousters allowed to use their horns? Or wings?" Flurry asked, watching as one on the sidelines stretched her wings out, the feathers quivering.

Shining Armor shook his head. "Nope. This game is all about breaking your opponent's lance, or tossing them really high into the air!"

"Remember, you'll be giving the medal to the winning jouster," Cadence informed Flurry, magicking a bag of crystal berries to her side and popping a few into her mouth.

A pang of anxiety made Flurry Heart gasp, bunching her mane up around her blushing cheeks with her hooves. "Oh, I'd almost forgotten about that..." 

"Hey, no biggie! All you gotta do is take this medal and put it on the jouster. Piece of cake." Flurry let go of her mane and held out her hooves as her father levitated a small golden medal towards her. 

She clutched the cold medal and watched as the jousters moved into position. Sunlight danced off each rattling set of armor as the jousters stared each other down, snorting and tossing their heads. So far she wasn't a big fan of the noise level, but the joyful atmosphere was contagious and she found herself eagerly awaiting the first pass. 

Flurry's ear twitched. She frowned and pawed briefly at it, then returned her attention to the jousters. After a moment, it twitched again. Amidst the noise of the jousters and the crowd, something seemed to be tickling her ear, deep down on the inside, like the whisper of a distant sound. She felt it wriggling like a worm through soil, getting closer to the surface, until-

SCREAM.

Flurry jumped in surprise. A shadow was cast over the field. She heard the pounding of hooves and watched as a crowd of ponies charged through the field. They came from the direction of the castle, eyes and mouths wide in unhinged terror. They seemed to care little for what crossed their path, trampling the jouster's curtain and knocking over snack stands. Somepony charged right past Flurry, almost knocking her over, and she threw a hoof up in defense-

"Woah, Flurry, what's going on?"

She lowered her hoof and glanced all around herself, panting in shock. The shadow had passed, and sunlight dazzled her vision. There was no crowd of charging ponies. Just grandstands filled with sitting ones.

Her father was the one who had spoken, his tone a mixture of humor and bewilderment. Now the latter was stamped cleanly across his face as he studied her, tilting his head to one side.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, reaching out a hoof.

She was sprawled on the floor next to her chair. She must have tumbled right off it. Everyone under the royal canopy was looking right at her, expectantly. 

Without answering, she scrambled to her hooves and darted out the side of the canopy, ignoring Cadence calling for her and glancing at the sky. Had a cloud covered the sun? No, the pegasi had promised clear skies for today so the tournament wouldn't be disrupted, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. She looked north, towards the castle just beyond the jousting field. Where had all those screaming ponies come from, and where had they gone? 

Ignoring the calls of concerned ponies behind her, she cantered to the right, towards one of the main roads. As the ground beneath her changed from packed dirt to smooth crystal, she heard the signal of the bugle, and the sound of hooves pounding the ground underneath clattering armor. She glanced back at the field-

The sky darkened, and the field changed. The jouster's curtain had fallen over and lay crumpled in the dirt. Bits of wood cluttered the ground and formed a pile where the grandstands had once been. 

Two ponies stared at each other from opposite sides of the field. Flurry felt a stab in her chest as her eyes fixed themselves on the one standing on the right side. It was a stallion, dark and with a strangely curved horn. He looked familiar to her somehow...but she couldn't place him. So she turned to the other pony.

This one had a pinkish-purple coat and wings spread wide over her back. Her mane looked like pure chrysocolla, falling in blue and green waves that obscured her face. 

The two ponies tensed and crouched low, before charging straight towards each other-

CRASH.

"Ooh, a lance broken down to the meat! That's two points to Rapid Strike!" 

Light returned. The two jousters came together in a spray of splintering wood and stumbled about dazedly. Near the road, unbeknownst to them, Flurry mirrored their clumsy movements and shook her head in confusion and fear. Who did she just see? What was happening to her?

Something tickled her ear again. She turned towards the castle, her eyes drawn upwards, tracing the points and curves that led to the spire. 

She'd never been up there. The way was locked and had not been opened in a long time. Gazing at the topmost tower, Flurry thought she heard...something, or someone, calling from up there. Though it was quiet, it had a sharp, mournful edge, like the cry of an oboe.

She blinked rapidly, then turned and galloped towards the sound, unaware of the calls of her parents somewhere behind her. Ponies not attending the jousting tournament milled about in the streets, some setting up stands and carts of goods to sell when the crowds left the field. They called out eagerly to Flurry as she passed but she paid them no mind. Her ears were filled with sorrowful sounds, her hooves driven ever faster to reach her destination. 

She skidded to a halt before the castle, panting heavily. She swallowed hard, trying to ease her dry throat. As she looked up, searching far above for the spire, she realized she couldn't hear the strange sounds anymore. 

Her eyes widened as the sky changed once more. This time she was watching, as the cheerful, cloudless blue was painted over by a dim, dark smog. She inhaled a lungful of smoke and coughed harshly, wiping tears away from her eyes. 

When she looked up again, a stream of green magic shot straight upwards from the spire. At first she thought it was the magic of the Crystal Heart, rippling through the air. Then it formed a hollow circle. She was reminded of the patterns a single drop of water could make in a puddle, as the circle of green light quickly grew larger and cascaded down to the very edges of the Empire. When it touched the ground, a massive wall of green and purple flames erupted into the sky. 

Shouting and wails of terror filled her ears from all around. Her chest felt tight and she wanted to let loose her own cries. But her eyes were drawn back to the castle, as another sound cut through the din. On the balcony, a dark form emerged. It was the same stallion she had seen before, at the jousting field. But where was the other pony, the mare she had seen?

The stallion's laughter was a horrible sound, echoing deeply through the air. It mixed with the screaming and her head buzzed as everything grew louder and louder. It felt like her head was going to split open. She threw herself to the ground, hooves over her face, and screamed.

"FLURRY HEART?!"

As somepony nearby shouted her name, the buzzing gathered in her horn and shot out as a massive bolt of magic. It screeched upwards and flew straight into the balcony with a great crash. Crystal fragments and bits of railing rained down, and great chunks of the balcony descended towards the inert filly.

Something slammed into Flurry from behind, grabbing her so tightly she could hardly breathe. She felt her stomach drop and air whistling through her ears, then the horrible sound of the balcony exploding into the ground, before an abrupt halt that sent all her limbs flailing.

"Flurry!" She was set on the ground below the castle and felt hooves around her cheeks, lifting her whirling head to meet her mother's worried eyes. "What in Equestria just happened?! Are you alright?"

"M-mom--" Flurry mumbled through squashed lips, and Cadence immediately let go.

"Oh, I'm sorry honey. I just -- you scared us, Flurry!" Cadence looked at her daughter helplessly. "Why were you screaming?"

"Flurry!" Her father galloped towards them and skidded to a stop, chest heaving. "Flurry, are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

"N-no, dad." She glanced at the perfectly blue sky beyond the castle, then between her parents, at their increasingly worried expressions, and wondered if they would know what she saw.

"What happened? Did you have another surge?"

"I -- well, yes, but--" Behind her father, she could see a twisted pile of rubble inside a cloud of dust. The remains of the balcony. Ponies were starting to gather, expressions of concern and worry lifting eyebrows and dropping jaws. Her breathing quickened, and the world swam as tears rose into her eyes.

"Okay, honey, look at me." Cadence sat down and placed a hoof to her own chest. Flurry automatically mimicked her. Cadence inhaled deeply, then let it all out in an airy whoosh. Flurry took a shaking breath, and sighed heavily. They repeated the exercise three more times, until Flurry could breathe steadily. 

"Let's go inside, Flurry. Shining, get someone to take care of the balcony. Let them know everything's fine." She pointed with her chin to the jousters field. Shining Armor nodded and trotted off. Cadence unfolded a wing and let it drape over Flurry's back. Flurry, feeling small and tired, leaned against her mother as they walked quietly to the stairs that led inside the castle. 

She peeked over her shoulder at the balcony, crumbling on the ground. There was no sign of the dark stallion who had stood laughing upon it. 

~*~

Cadence led Flurry up to the master bedroom, carefully navigating the castle so as not to go near the destroyed balcony. An uncommon draft blew through the halls, slamming open doors shut and causing Flurry to flinch. Her mother's wing tightened around Flurry's shoulders. 

Once they enter her parent's room, Cadence guided Flurry to the bed. She needed no encouragement, and flopped down with a sigh.

Cadence regarded her with a clouded expression, then reached a hoof out and drew Flurry's head beneath her own chin. "Stay here for a minute, honey. I'll be right back." Cadence let go and trotted softly into the hall, shutting the door behind her.

Flurry stared at the closed door for a while. Except for the tiniest flicker in her eyes, she didn't move. Thoughts flowed loosely through her mind, like a pool of abstract colors. The strange dark stallion, the screaming ponies, the mysterious mare...the corners of her tightened lips twitched downwards against her will. She thought about how dry her throat was and glanced around the room for a glass of water. But she didn't see one. Her throat tightened, and she blinked furiously. She'd let a surge happen, and destroyed the balcony. Her breathing quickened. She had gone so long without one, and now she was back to square one. 

She started to sob, and fat tears slipped down her trembling cheeks, falling onto the bedspread with audible plops. Something cold and wet slid through her nose and she sniffed, reaching for the box of tissues her mother always kept on her nightstand. She went through four tissues before the bedroom door opened again.

"I'm back, Flurry," Cadence called softly, quietly shutting the door again. She started forward and stopped, as Flurry looked at her with puffy red eyes and sniffed loudly. Cadence went quickly to the bed and eased herself up next to Flurry, gently wrapping her up in hooves and wings as Flurry began to cry harder. Cadence rocked her slowly back and forth, making soothing hushing noises and brushing damp curls away from Flurry's cheeks. 

When Flurry recovered enough to speak, she asked, "Mom, ca-an I ha-ave some water?"

"Sure, I'll be right back." Cadence left the room again and returned moments later, a glass of water held in her purple telekinesis. Flurry took the offered glass eagerly in both hooves and gulped the contents down, relishing the banishment of the dryness in her throat. She set the glass on the nightstand, wiped her mouth, and took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Are you feeling better now?" Cadence asked, putting a hoof on Flurry's shoulder and tilting her head to look her daughter in the eye. 

Flurry sniffed and nodded. Then she croaked, "I'm sorry about the balcony."

"Oh Flurry, I'm just glad you didn't get hurt...but, I do need to know; what happened? Why did you run out of the jousting field?"

Flurry wrinkled her brow as she thought for a few moments. "I saw something...and I don't think anypony else did."

"What did you see?"

"It was...when I fell out of my chair, it was because there were ponies running around and yelling."

Cadence blinked in confusion. "What ponies? The jousters?"

"No, not the jousters. I don't know." Flurry rubbed the side of her head and tried to explain. "The sky got dark and a crowd of ponies ran through the field. I think they were running from something. Then the sun came back and all the ponies were gone."

Cadence scrutinized her daughter carefully.

"I went out to look at the sky but it seemed normal. I wanted to find out where the ponies went, so I ran to the road. But then the sun disappeared again and I saw just two ponies in the field."

"Do you remember what they looked like?" Cadence asked, absently brushing a stray hair away from Flurry's face.

"One was a mare. I couldn't see her face, but she was a pinkish-purple pegasus with really pretty blue hair."

"What about the other one?"

"It was a stallion, with a dark coat and a red cape. And his horn was funny looking."

Flurry jumped when Cadence gasped, her gaze snapping to look at her mother's face. "What?"

"You say his coat was dark? Was his hair dark too?"

Flurry scrunched her eyes up. "I think so."

"Did his horn have a patch of red?"

"Yeah."

Cadence put a hoof to her own cheek. "That sounds like...King Sombra."

"King Sombra?" Flurry asked in surprise. "That's what he looks like?"

"I'm not surprised you don't remember him. You were still pretty young when he tried to take over the Empire a third time."

"He's scary," Flurry mumbled.

"How did you see King Sombra...?" Flurry didn't answer, as it sounded like her mother was asking herself more than anypony else. "Well, it's alright now. He's long gone."

"Do you...do you know what happened to me?" Flurry asked meekly. 

"Hmm..." Cadence tapped her chin with a hoof in thought. "I know Celestia has prophetic visions, but...this sounds more like something that already happened. I'm not sure why you would be able to see those things, unless you took Zecora's memory potion."

Flurry shook her head rapidly. "No, I didn't."

"Then -- I don't know, honey. But maybe Twilight does. We'll go visit her as soon as we're able, and maybe she can help us figure out what happened."

"Okay." 

Cadence wrapped a hoof around Flurry and squeezed her close. 

-

(Shining Armor returned to the castle after reassuring everypony at the fields that they were not being attacked, and encouraging them to continue the tournament. Ponies were already hard at work, fixing the hole in the side of the castle and clearing away debris. )

Flurry was with her mother in the dining room, chewing on a chunk of daisy, when the double doors opened and her father entered. 

"I've got a team of guards taking care of the balcony. They should have it fixed by tonight," he reported as he approached. He stopped in front of Flurry and leaned down to look her in the eye. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay." 

Shining Armor nuzzled her cheek. "Glad to hear it."

"She's okay, but we'll be making a trip to Canterlot as soon as possible, to talk to Twilight," Cadence said, her eyes following Shining as he moved to his chair and sat down.

"About what?"

"Flurry, why don't you explain?" Cadence looked at her daughter, who swallowed a mouthful of salad before speaking.

"I ran out of the tent because I saw ponies running and screaming, and -- mom thinks I saw King Sombra."

Shining Armor's eyebrows shot up. "For real?"

"No dear, visions," Cadence interjected. "No one else saw anything out of the ordinary, especially not him."

"You think Twilight will know what's going on?"

"It's worth a try. If anything, the answer is somewhere in that library of hers."

At the word "library," Flurry's ears drooped, and she looked down at her plate. Cadence eyes snapped to look at her and her expression softened. "Oh Flurry..."

"Hey there." Shining Armor scooched his chair closer to Flurry's and put a hoof around her shoulders. "You're going to grow out of this. Then you can go inside of any library you want."

-

The ride to Canterlot was a quiet one for Flurry, full of inner thoughts. 

-

(mmmmm twilight's plan for flurry.)

From the double doors came Gallus, a blue and yellow griffon clad in golden armor. "Your Majesty, the assistant librarian has returned."

"Oh, good! Please send her in."

Gallus bowed curtly and flew back to the double doors, disappearing beyond them.

Into the throne room slipped a purple earth pony mare. Her golden mane fell thickly around her face and down almost to the floor, her tail dragging quietly along the carpets. She stopped a short distance away from the group and bowed lightly. "Princess Twilight," she greeted in a soft voice. 

"Hello Dahliah. I assume the tablet is now translated?"

"Yes. I brought my transcription and the tablet." Dahliah reached into one of the saddlebags strapped to her back and produced a small stack of papers bound with string. 

"I'll take those and the tablet." The stack of papers glowed purple and lifted away from Dahliah's hoof. Next the mare produced what looked like a thick wad of cloth wrapped around a rectangular object, and that too was enveloped in Twilight's magic. "I can't read them just yet, much as I'm dying to. Dahliah, this is my sister-in-law, Queen Cadence. And her daughter, Princess Flurry Heart."

Dahliah bowed to each of them in turn. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Dahliah, assistant librarian at the Canterlot Royal Library."

Flurry looked into her eyes curiously. They were very pretty, a color that was neither blue, nor green, but somewhere in between.

"She knows Old Ponish very well, even more so than I! So I had her translate this stone tablet that was dug up in Rambling Rockridge. Ooooh, just imagine what information this tablet contains!" Twilight's eyes sparkled as she gazed longingly at the stack of papers. "(mer, more mer, aand), old recipes!" Her wings fluttered.

Dahliah smiled lightly and glanced to one side. "Well, the contents are certainly...interesting."

Twilight's looked at Dahliah curiously, her own smile gone. "Did something bad happen?"

"Oh no, nothing like that," Dahliah reassured her, waving her front hooves in (dismay? mm not quite). "I didn't want to alarm anyone, but..."

"What is it?" Twilight asked, earlier priorities suddenly forgotten.

Dahliah rubbed one hoof against the other. "Well...assuming it is authentic...then some of the history book might have to be rewritten"

Cadence gasped. 

Twilight looked equal parts horrified and insanely curious. "Oh my. You haven't told anyone else, right?"

Dahliah shook her head. 

"Is there anything we can cross reference this with? To confirm authenticity?" 

"Uh, do you want us to stick around?" Cadence asked, raising an eyebrow at Twilight. 

"Oh!" Twilight smacked her face with a hoof. "I'm so sorry, I let myself get carried away. Dahliah, why don't you meet me in (ehujeuy???)? I need to finish my meeting with Cadence and Flurry."

"Of course." Dahliah bowed again, turned, and trotted away.

Twilight let out a whooshy breath. "Okay!" The stack of papers and cloth covered object floated over to the throne. 

(continue with whatever twilight's plan for flurry is lol).

(First encounter with Sombra)

Coal noticed a faint light, coming from the other side of the room. Moving carefully, he slid the covers back and slipped of the side of the bed. Nebula shifted slightly, her blue mane curling softly around her cheeks. His steps produced light clinking sounds as he crossed the room. As he neared the (desk thingy?), his eyes fell upon the red gem, casting rays of ruby light across his face. 

Had it been glowing earlier, when it was presented to him, but it went unnoticed in the strong afternoon light? Or had the glow been building since then? The ponies who presented it to him gave no indication that it was anything more than an extremely handsome gem. He picked it up with a hoof and examined it closely. He noticed that, although the light from the gem was strong, the very center seemed shadowed. 

                                                     (omfg this is amazing I love that i can do this)

He gave a start when the shadow moved, shifting like a curl of dark liquid. The light pulsed, growing steadily brighter. He felt a strange, tingling sensation...and the air darkened, becoming cloudy...

~*~

He felt as though he might stumble and tried to catch himself. His hooves flailed through open air, finding no purchase beneath. There was none to find. The floor, and the rest of his bedroom, had been swallowed up by the dark red void he now found himself in. He could feel the vast unendingness of the space around him, stretching to unfathomable lengths in every direction. The air hit the back of his throat, burning as it entered his lungs and causing him to cough.

Wiping his watery eyes, he raised his head and noticed a light far above him, like the evening sun behind clouds of smoke. The light shone weakly down on the stallion, seemingly the only thing in this void. 

(sombra is in a laying down position. coal manifests right next to where sombra's chest would be. the dragon's neck is stretched around him and he draws it back and up, almost blocking out the light coal saw far above, when he rises up.)

A deep rumble rattled his chest. From somewhere behind him a bright yellow light erupted, casting his shadow far into the void. He wheeled about, hooves pawing the air. 

An enormous yellow orb, broken by a long black slit through the middle, dominated the space before him. The slit was longer than he was tall, though not by much. The orb winked out briefly, and the returning light stabbed his eyes. But he found he could not look away. His heart pounded, and his breathing grew shallow and quick. 

The orb...looked like an eye. And if this was an eye, it was much, much larger than any he'd ever seen in his life.

The eye began to move, sliding around Coal's right. He followed it as it began to rise, and another appeared to the left of the first. Up and up, and something incomprehensibly large rose before him. It blocked the light, creating a hazy silhouette of a beast, long necked and large of frame. Two curving protrusions jutted up on either side of the creature's head, ending in wicked points.

 The eyes, casting beams of harsh yellow light down upon him, narrowed as they focused on him. A deep voice rumbled through the air down to Coal, buzzing inside his ears. 

"A pony?"

He did not respond, too awestruck to say anything at all.

"After all this time, I still must be tormented by your wretched kind?"

Coal opened his mouth, his throat burning. "Sir, I do not mean to disturb you--"

"And yet here you are, fouling the air with your stench," the creature rumbling angrily, his words slow. "Even in death I find no peace."

Coal was utterly confused. "Death? This cannot be, I was alive mere moments ago."

"Whether we're ready to meet it or not, death always finds us."

"No, I cannot be dead, all I did was touch your gem!"

"Gem?" The eyes winked out for a moment. "What gem?"

"Allow me, sir, to introduce myself. I am Coal, and I was crowned earlier today as king of the Crystal Empire. I was gifted a magnificent ruby by my subjects. After the queen and I retired for the evening I saw the gem glowing, and approached it to investigate. I did not know that touching it would bring me here, much less that you reside inside of it. I offer my sincerest apologies for disturbing you." Coal bowed as best he could, embarrassed to find himself rolling forward like a ball down a hill, and righted himself clumsily. 

A deep, rhythmic rumbling came from the creature. It sounded like...he was chuckling. 

"A king? Ha. Lesser beings should not think so highly of themselves." 

The creature's eyes drifted through the smoky air till they hovered once more before Coal. The deep black of each iris held a reflection of Coal. He could see the fear in his own eyes. Beneath the eyes, a seam opened to reveal long, wickedly sharp teeth like tree branches. The creature's mouth was so large, Coal could easily fit inside. The creature spoke, his voice so loud that Coal clamped his hooves over his ears.

"Gaze upon a true king, little pony.  I am king of the dragons. They called me many things. Bloodclaw, Devourer...but my true name inspired more fear than any other. 

"I am King Sombra."

A dragon? Here?! Coal had read stories of Sombra's kind, and how the founders of the Empire defeated many a long time ago. He never imagined they could grow to such a size as this one, who could fit Coal into his mouth with no effort. He couldn't be eaten in here, right? Perhaps this whole thing was just a vision, and Coal was not really here in body, but in spirit. However, Sombra seemed to have a personal vendetta against ponies (and would probably try to eat him anyway lol. need to tread carefully to prevent sombra exploring this possibility). 

Attempting to present himself as non-hostile, Coal answered "Pleased to make your acquaintance, your highness."

A snarl curled the dragon's lip. "You ponies and your theatrics."

"Forgive my ignorance, this is the first time I've met one of your kind, and I know nothing of your customs," he hastily replied. "Though I have heard tales of your--strength."

"Anything else?" Sombra growled. Alarm shot through Coal when he saw a deep red glow appearing in the dragon's mouth, reminding him of a glowing bed of coals in a fireplace.

"I-I've read that you breathe fire," he stammered, leaning away from the glowing maw. "And that your hides are tougher than crystals--"

(sombra is angry because he is remembering what the alicorns did to him, and pressing coal to see if HE knows.)

"Bah!" Sparks billowed from Sombra's mouth as he spat. "If my brethren had not been driven across the eastern sea, perhaps your knowledge of history would be different."

"Your highness, I can see you wish to be left alone. (If you could show me the way out Ill leave you in peace)"

A long, low grumble issued forth from the dragon's chest. But the glow in his mouth had died down, and he drew his head back slightly. Coal breathed a silent sigh of relief. "I would not still be here if I knew how to leave. But perhaps there is a way out, at least for you."

"How did you come to find yourself in here?" Coal asked, carefully watching the dragon's eyes. They blinked slowly.

(trapped inside his "heart," he feels the need to now follow logic and his head instead.)

"I did not simply appear, as you did. I've been here a long time."

"And you've never been able to find the way out?" Coal asked, feeling his hopes plummet.

"No. However, I've also never had a visitor." The dragon's massive head tilted as he scrutinized Coal, allowing the distant light Coal had seen before to shine directly into his eyes. He raised a hoof to shield them.

"What about the light?" he asked, tilting himself around to see it better. An idea came to him and he churned his legs, trying to gallop through the open air. To his surprise, it worked, and he rose past the dragon.

"Hmm?" Sombra turned to watch him.

"Have you ever tried to approach the light?" he called over his shoulder, then turned around again. He could feel a strange fuzziness enveloping his head, and tried to keep going. As the light grew bigger, his limbs felt stiffer. 

He thought he heard Sombra say something below him, but he could no longer move, and the light filled his vision.

~*~

The light faded, and he realized his eyes were open. They were staring down at the gem in his hoof, no longer filling the room with its ruby glow. He wriggled his body, feeling stiffness in every muscle and joint. As he turned his head from side to side, he locked his gaze on the window next to his bed. The moon had hardly moved at all, still shining on Nebula, who laid on her side in a cloud of her own mane. 

He shook his head and blinked a few times. Though he'd woken up feeling like a crystal statue, his body buzzed with energy. This puzzled and concerned him. He needed sleep for tomorrows duties. He briefly wondered, even if he were tired to the bone, would he be able to sleep with so many questions?

He set the gem down and trotted stiffly back to bed. When he slid beneath the covers and settled in, Nebula stirred and turned over, rubbing her cheek against the pillow and opening her eyes slightly.

"Go back to sleep," Coal whispered, reaching a hoof up to touch her shoulder. She smiled faintly and closed her eyes.

He kept his hoof there for a few moments, listening to her breathing grow quiet, thinking. 

(why wouldn't he tell her? does he think she would be frightened by sombra? what does he intend to do? does he think he can show friendship to sombra?)

~*~

He was back in the smoky void. He realized he could see Sombra's body before him, and looked up to see the dragon's neck stretching far above. Just as he found Sombra's head, it jerked and looked straight down at him.

"You've returned."

"Yes."

"I am surprised." The dragon paused. "That is not something I've said in a long time. How did you leave this place?"

"I followed the light above us," Coal answered. "I came back to myself in my chambers. My body was standing exactly the same way it had been when I first touched the gem, and it was still night; in fact, it seemed as if no time had passed at all. My limbs were quite stiff. But I felt energy coursing through me, and had difficulty falling asleep."

"Hmm..." Sombra rumbled. He studied the air above them, then curved his neck and brought his head down to get a better look at Coal. "Why would you return to this place?"

"From what I've gathered, King Sombra, you seem to be predisposed towards ponies."

"That is putting it mildly."

"Did somepony do you a great disservice?"

"Ponies have been a constant ache in my scales for a long time. My last encounter with them is what led me to be trapped in here. I will not lie; when I first saw you I was inclined to swallow you whole." Coal stifled a shudder. "However, the mystery of your appearance here, as well as your respect towards me, has prevented that thus far.

Coal cleared his throat. "Ahem--very good. Well, you are a creature which demands respect, even without saying so. Your power is quite tangible." As soon as he said this he felt a tickle in the back of his mind, like a thought not fully formed. He grasped for it mentally, but nothing connected, so he let it dissolve, and continued. "I wish to show you that I mean no ill will, and would be honored if you could humor my visitations."

Sombra gazed silently at him for a while. Coal returned it steadily. When the pony showed no signs of fear, Sombra exhaled. "I've met very few ponies with spines. Once again, I am surprised."

Coal also exhaled. 

"Very well. I have nothing but time on my claws."

"Might I ask you a question?"

Sombra nodded slowly.

"Where do you hail from?"

"My subjects and I once lived beyond a range of mountains, feasting upon a vein of gems that ran belowground. We were driven out of that place and flew south, over the mountains to a stretch of countryside. We settled in a tall peak at the center."

"Did ponies drive you out of your first home?" Coal asked.

"Yes," Sombra growled. 

"I recall you mentioning your 'brethren' before, that they had been driven across the eastern sea," he said carefully. "Tell me, was that ponies too?"

"They played a part."

Coal thought to himself for a spell. Then he raised his head and looked the dragon in the eye. "Sombra, I promise you my subjects and I will not treat you the same way. We are a peaceful nation and would not harm others for the sake of it."

Sombra tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Do you intend to bring your whole empire in here?"

"If I can enter and leave this place, surely there's a way for you as well. I would intend to find it, if you so desire."

Sombra stared silently for a moment.

"Do not make promises you cannot keep, pony. I've been trapped here for countless years."

"You said yourself, you've also never had a visitor. Perhaps that is enough to change things."

Once again there was silence. Coal waited.

"You may try, little pony. But I do not think you will find the way."

"I will do the best that I can either way," Coal told him.

"Hmm." The dragon stared down at him, his bright yellow eyes unblinking. 

~*~

Sombra had just stomped down on several attempted revolts and was attempting to locate the missing crystal princess when he felt something. Concentrating, he examined the chain of enslaved ponies in his mind. The queen's spell was being tampered with. He sent a group of soldiers to confront the source.

As soon as Celestia and Luna had left the Broken Pass, they found themselves trekking through mounds of snow. Frigid winds blew icy particles into their eyes. Close to the Empire, the ground was bare and warm close to the walls of flame. The sisters managed to carve a path through the flames and fly through before it closed. Picking themselves up, they looked around for the first time at the Crystal Empire. They did not have long to gawk, for a troop of mind-controlled soldiers confronted them almost immediately. Celestia stated she wanted an audience with the rulers of the Empire, and when she showed no hostility, the soldiers led her and Luna to the castle. The beautiful crystal walls of the castle were stained black, and small shadowflame fires burned in some places. Eyes gleamed in the shadows between houses. 

~*~

Brain scenes to write out:

- 

~*~

Once my life was plain and clear

I recall, once my ignorance was bliss

Nightfall came, like a serpent's kiss

To my troubled mind

Why, oh why my God

Have you abandoned me

In my sobriety

Behind the old façade

I'm your unburdened child

So take me cross the river wide

Binding promises were made on my soul

Grand illusions led astray

Ice cold winds swept my heart away

Bring me back to you

- Abandoned, from Kamelot's The Black Halo.