The Ring Leader (Part 1)

I did not have anything to do with the show or anything else mentioned here (except for this particular story), they all go to their respective owners. I just wanted you guys to know that (then again, you probably already knew that... didn't you?). Ok then, I hope you like it~

Some time ago, as in many, many moons ago, there was a special artifact that very few ponies know about. No one knows where it originally came from or how it came to be. Long before Princess Celestia and Luna arrived to help make Ponyville prosper, there was supposedly a pony that was just trying to practice his magic as a part of his 'special training'. One day while he was getting some food to eat after a hard day of work, the pony came across something very shiny on the ground. It seemed to look like a ring and it even fits like one... but this was no ordinary ring. Legend has it, that whoever had this ring in possession could have any wish granted to them.

However, there were also some dark twists that occurred as not everything was what it seemed. When the powers of the ring got out of control and nearly tried to take over all of Equestria, a powerful magician showed up to have a grueling duel with it by using his magic. He won, just barely, and he hid it somewhere where no pony would ever find or use it for evil purposes again... or so many thought.

"Man, talk about boring and untruthful, you can never trust these ponies who write this stuff down, can you?" I muttered while watching some lame representation of the ring at school. We've been going through facts about the dang ring for quite a while now and it's kind of getting annoying. Learning about some jewel piece that can somehow make wishes like a genie lamp? I don't believe it, not in the slightest. On the other hand, the more I see this, the more I get curious about whether or not this is true.

My name is Chocolate 'Cinnamon' Strudel Pie; my close ones call me Cinnamon for short. I was a young peach skinned unicorn trying to learn more about magic and fashion. I have short light brown hair, a cloud colored blouse, a pretty in pink skirt (along with a matching hand bag and hat), and a cookies and milk cutie mark. A cutie mark is supposed to represent your purpose and goal in life, but I was not happy with it. I wanted to find a better purpose in my life than just sit around and munch on cookies like I'm Sandy Hoofs or something.

I raise my hoof for the teacher. "Um, excuse me miss?"

"Yes, what is it?" She turned to ask me.

"Can you tell me what is the point in doing all this?"

"To learn about the history and such, we want you all to be smart ponies by the time school ends."

"Ugh."

Before we could into anymore depth on the video, the school bell rings and everypony heads on out of the classroom.

"Don't forget to write an essay during your spring break, ok?" She reminded us all, much to our annoyance. I knew I wanted to do something fun in my break and I also knew that everypony else wanted to it also.

.-.-.-.

Usually after school ends, I would go to my locker room and meet up with my only friend Minty and we would chat for a while, but sadly she got sick and had to stay home. I then decide to head on over to her house to visit her... but first, I should check the library to look up on some more info on the ring if it was that special and intriguing. That would at least make an interesting essay, that's for sure.

I look around for some books to find for a short while. I groaned as I closed up a history book in the World's Largest Library. "Well at least I know more about that piece of jewelry... but it still isn't enough." I sigh sadly, maybe there's something that I'm missing in this old thing. I walk over to the counter with the book to pay for it.

"That'll be ten bits please." The mare behind the counter said.

I pay her money and then walked out the store with the book.

.-.-.-.-.

After walking out, my tummy starts rumbling, I decide to go over and get something to eat. It was afternoon as I walk around to find a restaurant to eat something simple and sweet. The sky was blue, the birds were flying around, and it was pretty windy today. I eventually find a sweets shop called Pattycakes and head on inside. I order strawberry covered brownie and vanilla milkshake and sit on my table to wait for it to come around.

While I was waiting, I took out my new book to have another look at my book to see if I was missing anything about the ring. Ever since I had told about this in my history class, I had been curious about this mystical thing and wanted to know more about it. Was it actually possible to have magic wishes from a piece of jewelry like some kind of lamp? I pondered while scrolling through different pages of the book. The words seem to be getting smaller and smaller the more I try to look at this; it was starting to give me a headache. Though I really wanted to know how to get that ring...

I soon got bored and decide to at least take out my phone to call up Minty to at least give her a heads up.

"Hey Minty, how's the cold going along?" I greeted her.

"Oh, it's going ok as usual." My friend replied while coughing. "So... how was the video?"

"Boring, painful, and awful. I mean man, why'd it have to get banished though? Isn't it Celestia's job to do that?" I mean, think of all the possibilities if you could actually wish from it. Why, if I had that then maybe I—" I try to explain it to her.

"Uh, Cinnie calm down." The best friend interrupted in a calm tone.

"Hey, I told you not to give me that nickname, remember!?"

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting." Minty chuckled for a bit before getting back to topic, "Anyways Cinnimon, I think you're over exaggerating on this. So what if you don't think the history is true, it's not affecting you, right?"

"But don't you at least want to know more about the ring and its potential powers that it has? I mean, think about all the things you could get just from making a wish from that ring Minty!"

"Hmm, well if I did have one of those, then I'd probably wish for a nice clean pair of socks..."

"...That's it, nothing else!?"

"Hey, I like socks, and I'm not as greedy as you Cinnamon Bun, no offense. What would you even wish for if you had that anyway?"

"I'd probably go for an infinite supply of candy or time travel or something along those lines."

"Uh... ok. Maybe you should just relax and try to forget about that ring so you won't feel as stressed, ok?"

"You're no help at all."

"I'm always happy to help, talk to ya later?"

"Yeah, I guess... see ya. And good luck on that sickness, ok?"

"Sure thing, bye!"

I hung up and sighed again. I forgot to tell her I was going to visit her... oh well, guess I'll just surprise her, my mom said it was ok when I texted her and Minty does love surprises. But with that aside, I was obviously getting nowhere with this ring business at all; I had a feeling that this will be the death of me if I don't find it. I need to find a way to get to that ring, there's just so much potential to be had with this! I just can't get it out of my head! The only problem is though... how in Equestria am I going to even get close to it?

"Here you go ma'am, sorry about the wait." Before I knew it, I heard the waiter come up and present me with my order. He was a gray pony with black shaggy hair, deep blue eyes, and had a waiter suit as well as a red star for a cutie mark. He sure is lucky; his isn't food of any kind. "I'll just place this on the table if it's ok with you..." He placed them down onto the table for me as I slid the book away so it wouldn't get wet... or dirty. "Can I get you anything else?" He asked politely.

"Oh, no, that'll be all, thanks a lot. Uh..."

"Star Sprite, remember? We're in the same History class y'know."

"Ah, right. You know I'm not really good with remembering stuff like that." I scoffed. Just as I take a sip from my shake, I glanced over to see he's still standing there for some reason. "Um... can I help you?"

"Yeah, I wanted you to finish so I could ask you something." He replied casually. "That book on the table, I got that one also, I had no idea you were that intrigued in it, you usually sleep during class."

"Uh-huh, so? I only got it cause of that ring there." I raised an eyebrow, "Now what is it you want?" I asked impatiently.

"Ah, that mystical ring, I've heard so many rumors about that in so many different books that I've read..."

"Why are you telling me this? You already have the book and I have the book so you shouldn't be telling me all this."

"Oh sorry, I ramble a lot actually, get so into it y'know?"

"No." I took a bite out of my brownie.

"Anyways, while I don't think any pony knows about the real deal, I have actually heard that you can go and see a replica of it at the Mare Museum if you're interested in that."

"Yeah, and I—" Wait, did he say what I thought he said? I swallowed hard and thought deeply about this. Maybe I can get some clues for this after all! "Where did you say this museum place is again?"

"I, uh, didn't tell you yet... it's to the right of Little Lane and straight off of Sea Street.

"YES!" I stand up with glee, only to notice some other pony folk are staring right at me. I sit back down in embarrassment and clear my throat. "Anyways thanks for the help and time I will now be going." I said rapidly and dashed out the door.

"But miss, you forgot to pay!"

I dash back inside to give him a tip and then dash outside again to head over to the museum.

.-.-.-.

I walked across the streets and cut corners while looking for a building that looked liked a museum. I looked up and notice the sun was sinking a little bit; knowing that I didn't have much time before the stores close, I hurried over while panicking. I may be acting childish for a piece of jewelry, but I really wanted to know and see it as quickly as possible.

Eventually I find the museum (I don't know any other store that has a skeletal pony as its logo... but who puts it there anyway!?) and head inside. The place was no doubt big, filled with so many fillies and gentlecolts alike, wearing regular and fancy outfits respectively. Why would fancy ponies come here to stare at some boring paintings and there dead brethren?

I shook my head as I didn't have that much time to comment on these ponies lifestyles and walk around to search for the ring. I walk around the bottom floor for a while since that usually where it would be in those lame movies I've seen and heard about.

I walk around and accidentally bump into a random security guard pony standing in duty. He had coral mane and hair as well as a silver body, but I could not tell what kind of cutie mark he had since the outfit he had was blocking the view. "Hey there, is something wrong?" He asked.

"Hey there, can you watch where you're going?" I asked.

"I wasn't walking while turning my head a different direction to where I was walking now, was I?"

"It's so wordy, I forgot to laugh." But he did have a good point, I didn't want to admit it though. Come to think of it, I should probably save the trouble of walking constantly finding something like an idiot and just ask somepony for directions. "Do you know where I can find this black and silver ring? I heard it was here."

"Oh, sure thing, just upstairs in the center of the history section, everyone who's been here knows that... are you new here?"

"Yeah, sorry for not being smart like everypony else. Anyway thanks, I'll be going now."

"Hey wait, don't forget this place closes in less than an hour."

"Ok, I'll keep that in mind." I reply as I walk off to the next floor.

I ride on an escalator as I ponder why they would have their most ancient relic here on the floor before the top one? Maybe they want to up the security or not make the same mistakes as the ones in the movies? Nevertheless, I get off the escalator and head over to the History Section, which was right between Science and Math.

The place was huge, filled with a ton of statues, around the sides along with pictures of famous ponies and even books about them and their history... might as well be The World's Largest Library. The wallpapers were light brown; the floor had a neat glass tile pattern [with a large red carpet no less], and the ceiling was packed to the brim with a drawing of Celestia and Luna (and a gold chandelier), seems like there famous here also even when they are out of retirement... I think they are anyway.

And then when I looked back down, I saw in the center was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in quite some time... a big black ring with some sliver lining and carvings on it trapped inside a showcase pillar for all to see. I rushed over to see a closer look on it.

'No way, this is the real deal? The one rumored to grant those wishes for whoever possesses it?' I thought. 'It's so beautiful, so cool, so lovely, and yet so lonely. I need to get it out of here and see if this really can make wishes... but how?'

I looked around and saw there were many different ponies around here, including some guard ponies. I'm sure there's going to be guards surrounding the place at night in case somepony tries to take it away. I guess I'll have to wait until closing time in order to retrieve what is rightfully mine... but where should I hide? I look around for a while, then check over and see if anyone's looking. "Perfect." I whisper.

.-.-.-.

More time passes by as it gets to closing time; I opened my eyes to take a peek at what's going on right now and there happen to be some pony guards walking about. I had to be really sneaky and quiet about this. It was a good thing I had learned about that camouflage spell a while back when I first went to the library on my own. It was a lovely time I must say. While waiting, I overheard some of the guards talking, one of them looked rather familiar.

"Hey, don't you ever get tired of standing here all night?" He asked his companion.

"Don't you ever get tired of hearing complaints from other ponies?"

"I asked you something first."

"Well, it does get cold and lonely here but it's our job so there's nothing we can do about it. Even though nopony breaks in here and steals jewels anyway."

"Have you ever been to a jewelry store?"

"No, why would I? I barely even go outside for reasons besides working here!"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I know!"

While they were distracted, I turned off the spell and slowly proceeded to the showcase. I took out a hairspray can sprayed the room, which was filled with lasers.

"Hey, what was that?" The first guard asked.

I jumped and freaked out, wondering what I should do.

"Uh... what is it Goliath?" The second one was totally puzzled and lost in thought [thankfully].

"Didn't you hear that?"

"Eh... it must have been a cat or something."

"Why would a cat be in here?"

"I dunno, hey you wanna go get something to eat?"

"No. We have a job remember?"

"But I'm hungry, and not to mention bored from standing!"

"Then sit down."

The companion pouted as he sat there muttering to himself.

I sighed in relief since they didn't notice me at all. I had a feeling that the only way to get to that ring was to not make a sound. I decide to use some more of my magic from my horn to levitate myself over to the showcase slowly without any of them noticing. I struggled with it at first but I manage to get myself off the ground for a bit.

I reach over to the showcase and stare blankly at it. Curious, I scratch and make a circle around the ring with my fingerhoofs and gently pick up and place the thing down to pick up the ring inside. 'Finally' I thought, 'the ring will soon be all mine.' After taking it out, I heard an alarm go off and some more guards come rushing in. 'Uh oh...'