The World Changes
Ch. 1: Setsuna F. Seie
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either MLP or Gundam 00.
Death is a natural part of life. Without death, life could not exist. If life did exist without death, life would become meaningless. The people we love will continue to grow older and older without release. They would be trapped in a rotting corpse, never allowed to leave. This is the essential part of death, to release us from the pain of life.
Cadance felt her skin crawl, Celestia's solemn words echoing in her mind. The Princess of Love sat silently in the hospital wing of the Crystal Palace. The room was cold. Cadance shivered in the pale atmosphere, the dying light of the sun reflecting off the blue walls and crystal tile. Two rows of hard beds lined each side of the long room. The cold air, unmoving and still echoed the sorrow Cadance felt inside her heart.
Cadance sat silently next to the only occupied bed. The sound of the heart monitor sang loudly, accompanied by a choir of mechanical hums and hisses creating a sickening orchestra of mechanical sounds. Heart monitor, air pump, blood filter and a number of other devices gave the impression that the patient was still alive. But it was a false reality. The still form under a pile of light green blankets showed no response to the world around him, or the hoof wrapped around his remaining limb. Dozens of wires were sticking out of the white unicorn's body. Cadance questioned whether he was more machine than pony.
The pale skin of the stallion looked sickly in the dull light. Cadance could barely look into the face of her husband, her eyes glazed as she stared unblinkingly at his slowly rising and falling chest. Cadance clung to Shining Armor's left hoof. His right side was almost completely destroyed. The skin was burned completely from his muscles and bones. White wrappings hung tight around his torso and stomach. The useless stumps of his legs lay uselessly to his side. From Shining's chest several long tubs ran in and out of his body.
Cadance eyes slowly moved to his face. Shining Armor's lift side was left untouched. The right side is what caught her attention. His flesh was stripped to the bone. Shining Armor's ear and eye were missing, torn off by the blast that was meant for her.
Cadance held Shining's hoof closer to her chest. King Sombra's return had caught them all by surprise. The mad king rampaged through the Crystal Empire in his shadow form. The dark magic of Sombra sent a dark wildfire through the streets, destroying the homes of the crystal ponies. Shining Armor and Cadance both were able to push back the dark energy that sought to consume everything in its path. All of their subjects took sanctuary inside the Crystal Palace behind their Prince and Princes, fear gripping their hearts. Many were injured. Thankfully no lives were lost.
Shining Armor, Cadance and the members of the Crystal guard pushed into the city. Shining Armor and Cadance continued to push back the black fire in search of the mad king. From the shadows, a blast of pure darkness fired at Cadance. Sombra sought to strike down the symbol of the Crystal Empire. With Cadance's death he'd break the crystal ponies again and remove their only means of fighting him, the Crystal Heart.
Cadance felt herself being flung away through the air, a pair of hooves shoving her to the side. When she looked back, Cadance felt her heart break in two as Shining Armor was engulfed by black magic.
Cadance's grip tightened around her husband's foreleg. She cried at first, screaming for the doctors from Equestria to save Shining Armor. But there was only so much modern medicine could do. The doctor's Celestia sent could only put Shining Armor on life support with no real hope of him waking up. There was too much damage to Shining's body and brain.
I never wanted this, Cadance thought to herself. She never wanted to be in charge of the Crystal Empire, to be the immortal princess of these harsh Northern lands. Her subjects were so far behind when it came to the modern standard. Medicine, magic, trade and even culture were heavily outdated. The only competent doctors in the entire empire were an old warhorse that actually tried to schedule a bloodletting and an exorcist.
Cadance could deal with the stress of bringing the crystal ponies into the modern world. She could deal with the constant demands from her bloodthirsty subjects to demonstrate the Crystal Empire's might by destroying the opposing nation in a jousting tournament that made the fight at her wedding look like a water balloon contest. Or the dwindling population as more of the crystal ponies left to explore this new world. Cadance could deal with all these things as long as she had her greatest supporter, her husband.
Much like the coming night, any hope of Shining Armor waking up began to fade to black. Shining Armor never reacted when she visited. When she held his hoof or when she wept into his chest.
Celestia had done her best to support Cadance through the pain; sending three platoons of her own personal guard to improve the security of the Crystal Empire, continuing to provide financial backing until the Empire's economy became stable and giving Cadance every second of time she could spare. Celestia even cancelled the meeting with the dragon King's representative just to spend an evening with Cadance.
Kind words and more soldiers could not replace the emptiness in Cadance's chest. Nothing could replace the hole Shining Armor left inside her heart.
Cadance gently placed the white hoof to Shining Armor's side. Placing a single kiss on his undamaged cheek, Cadance whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow."
Cadance left the empty wing, her hooves clicking loudly throughout the crystal halls. Four guards silently formed around their princess as she left the double doors, two in the front and two in the back. Their movements perfectly matched Cadance's pace. To the guards it was only a half an hour of standing at attention. To Cadance, it felt like she had just spent hours looking at her vegetable of a husband.
The guards remained impassive, but their eyes conveyed sadness for their ruler. Three of the guards were crystal ponies. Their armor reflected the light along with their glittering coats. The last guard marching on Cadance's right was an orange Pegasus in gold armor.
Flash Sentry asked, his voice loud in the empty air, "Princess, would you like your meal in the dining hall tonight?"
"No," Cadance said, "I'm not very hungry." Cadance held her head high, but her shoulders were sagging. Her face was strained, deep lines developing around the corners of her eyes complemented the dark bags under the bulbous orbs.
The four guards exchanged worried looks. Flash Sentry pushed the issue, "How about the gardens? You always love to see the sunset from the palace garden."
Cadance turned to him, seeing the worry written in his face. Cadance knew she couldn't win this. The Royal Guards had been trained by Shining Armor himself and all of the Guard respected him to the highest degree. They would not allow her to waste away. The Royal Guard would do their best to protect and support the wife of their lost commander in every way possible.
"Very well."
The small group turned down the nearest hallway, heading towards the greatest view the Crystal Empire had to offer.
Flash sentry and a second guard held open the doors for Cadance to pass into the inner sanctum of the Crystal Palace. The legend was that King Sombra constructed this room for his former wife. The room was filled with flowers of every imaginable color and species. Lilies, roses, sunflowers and more than Cadance could possibly name filled each side of the pale stone paths. The vibrant colors deepened as the sun drew lower into the horizon.
What made this room so special were its walls. The walls were enchanted to make them look like the outside. Many scholars sought to uncover the mystery of this magic, but the fruits of their research have yet to be born. The wall looked over the land of the Crystal Empire. The homes and buildings came to life in the dying light. Reds, violets and blues shimmered in the air. I can see why Sombra created this room. It's breathtaking.
Cadance sat down at the ornate white table station in the center the open grass, a salad of healthy greens and shiny crystal fruit. Cadance's eyes moved from her food to the empty spot on her left. There use to be a second chair, but the maids had removed it out of curtesy. There would only be one dining tonight.
Cadance felt a sharp stinging in her eyes, but she didn't cry.
A good princess didn't cry in the presence of her subjects. That is what she had to be.
A good princess.
0 0 0
The night grew cold. The pale moon's light created a field of eerie silence in Cadance's room. The room was lavishly furnished with velvety drapes, priceless furniture and a bed big enough to fit four ponies. Cadance shivered under the covers. A cold draft slipped between the thick blankets, chilling her to the bone. Lifting her head from her pillow, Cadance scanned the large room with fog filled eyes.
When her eyes cleared, Cadance froze.
Standing before her, in the center of the room was a towering figure. The figure had to be taller than Celestia, wearing a black cloak. The long cloak completely covered the pony. The long sleeves and trim flowed around the pony's figure as if stuck in a constant breeze.
The only distinguishing feature of this figure was the long horn of silver protruding from the hood. The horn had a sharp edge to it. As if some cruel being had attached a sword to the center of the pony's head.
"Princess"
Cadance's eyes widened. The thing's voice was quite, raspy and cut through the silent air like a knife. It's voice was cold, piercing Cadance with icy fear. Cadance's wide fearful eyes looked into the pitch black hood. She felt the pony's eyes on her. These invisible eyes held her in place as the pony took a single step forward.
When she found her voice, Cadance asked, "Who are you?"
"Who I am is not important," the thing replied. "What I can offer you is."
"What do you mean?" Cadance's hooves trembled, sending shaking waves through the bedspread gripped tightly between her hooves.
"I mean to offer you your husband back," The dark pony stopped beside her bedside, looking down at her.
"H-how?"
Cadance felt the air ripple before her, "That will depend on you." Lower his head to her, the cloaked pony asked, "I want to know, how badly do you want him back?"
Cadance took a moment to think, her heart flutter frantically behind her ribcage. Something about this shadowy figure compelled her to speak, forced her to speak the truth."More than anything."
"Would you want your husband exactly the way he was?"
Cadance nodded. More than anything in the world she wanted her Shining Armor back.
"What happens after that?" the figure hissed his voice far colder than the northern air.
"What do you mean?"
"What happens after that?" the figure reiterated. "If I bring him back as the pony he was, he would still be mortal. Shining Armor would still die, whether it is from King Sombra or from old age."
Cadance looked away from the figure. She knew the pony's words were true. When she ascended, became an alicorn, she had adopted many of the species traits. Namely, she would live forever. Cadance would never age or grow old like the world around her. Cadance would watch the ponies he loved grow old and die over and over again.
"Now you see the problem," the figure said sagely. "If Shining Armor were to be brought back, he would still die in the end."
Cadance spoke up, "You're right. We both knew this would happen. But we talked about it and Shining Armor decided to stay with me no matter what."
"Because he loves you."
"Yes," Cadance said, feeling the warmth of that feeling, the feeling of being loved and returning that love.
"But," the figure's voice broke through her reveries, "You would forget him eventually."
"Never!" Cadance snapped, anger flaring in her like her wings. She would never forget her Shining Armor, no matter how many years have passed.
The figure chuckled, "You're still so young. So naive." The silver horn began to glow with a frail white aura, "Let me show you the truth."
Cadance's world became white as the unknown figure cast a spell of blinding white light. Blinking rapidly, Cadance found herself standing in the center of a large crystal throne room. I know this room. Cadance scanned the room around her. The cloaked figure stood silently to the side. Cadance's light purple eyes moved from the silent watcher, focusing on the throne.
Sitting on a regal throne of shining pink and white crystal was a pony Cadance never thought she would ever meet, herself. This Cadance stood high above her younger self. Tall and regal, the future Cadance looked at her in confusion. Her mane simmered in the light as it fell across the throne to the floor, proclaiming its shiny splendor. Past Cadance ignited her horn. Using a spell she learned from Celestia herself, Cadance tried to break through the illusion the cloak figure had create. To her shock, nothing happened. If this was an illusion caused by either magic or some kind of chemical, she would have felt the pressure of the pony's magic or the drugs running through her system. Even if this was a dream, her magic would notify her.
Instead her magic pointed to everything in front of her was true and physically there.
"Who are you?" The older Cadance asked in confusion.
Breaking her concentration, Past Cadance looked to her future with an uneasy look. Cadance didn't know what to say. What do you say to your future self?
Before Cadance could say anything, a strong male voice asked, "Cadance, is everything alright?"
Both Cadances turned to the entrance of the throne room, finding a large stallion of a crystal pony enter. His crystal fur sparkled brightly in the light, reflecting his red fur onto the surrounding walls and floor.
"No dear, everything's fine," Future Cadance said, turning her attention back to the younger Cadance.
The Past Cadance felt something wrong, asking incredulously "What do you mean dear?"
"It means exactly what I said," Future Cadance said with a small amount of annoyance entering her voice. "Fire Spear is my husband and I like to call him dear. That should be obvious."
Cadance felt the breath leave her, "Y-y-you remarried?"
"Of course I've remarried," Future Cadance raised an eyebrow, "I've remarried multiple times over my reign as Princess of the Crystal Empire. Did you believe I would stay alone for all these years?"
"But," Cadance's voice echoed in a hush whisper, "What about Shining Armor?"
"Who?"
Past Cadance felt her blood turn to ice, "Shining Armor! My husband! The pony who took the blast Sombra used to try and kill me! Don't you remember your first husband?"
Future Cadance's brow furrow deeply, "Shining Armor." Future Cadance rolled the name over her tongue, deep inside she knew that name. But it was only a feeling. A long lost memory left in time. "No," the future ruler of the Crystal Empire said. A look of sadness spread across Future Cadance's face, it has been so long since she thought about the past. It's been so long since she tried to view past that cloudy window of time. But the memories did not return to her. They simple trickled away like the water in a river, never meant to stay for longer than a heart's beat.
The cloaked pony chuckled, breaking past Cadance from her own revelries. How could she forget the stallion who gave his life for her? How could she forget his sacrifice? Looking up, Cadance found herself inside her room. "Immortality is quite the burden, isn't it?" he said. "To live forever… and all those years weighing heavily on the mind. Could you imagine what it's like? Could you image what it feels like to drift through time as your memory fades into nothingness?" Taking a deep breath, the figure said, "No matter how much you try or how hard you struggle, time cannot be refused. Eventually, everything must fade"
"What do you want?"
The figure smiled under his cloak. He poked and prodded in just the right spots, now was the time to finish the magic and bind Cadance to his cause. "I propose a way to bring back your husband, but better than ever."
"How?" Cadance snapped, the corner of her eyes burning. Turning to face the mysterious figure, Cadance glared directly into the center of the figure's hidden features. The cloaked figure's magic continued to swirl around the princess, unseen and unnoticed by Cadance.
"There is a spell," The figure said, "deep in the Crystal Empire's Grand Library, inside the security vaults, resting on the S self. The spell is held within a red wooden cover inscribed with a white crystal including the initials KS. This spell is one of the last creations from King Sombra himself." The figure noticed the look of horror on Cadance's face, "Don't worry, it was before his fall into madness. During his studies, Sombra discovered a spell that could potentially heal any injury by manipulating energies from our other selves in the mutiverse."
"What?" Cadance mouthed soundlessly.
"To make a long explanation short," the figure said, "the physical bodies and energies of a counterpart in another dimension could be used to recover a dying or physically impaired pony. If you will, imagine taking tissue and energy from this person's body with the exact same genetic material as the patient. The doppelganger would experience some pain and a loss in energy to perform the procedure, but the result would be a completely healed pony. The purpose of this procedure was to heal a pony that may have, let's say, lost a leg or were suffering from an incurable disease. However," The figure held up a hoof, "the greater the injury, more tissue would need to be taken. With brain damage, Sombra found the personalities of these inter-dimensional beings would bleed into the pony he was trying to heal. Pieces of that other self would become part of his patient. This led to some gaining knowledge and experience they could never know or they would wake up as a completely different pony."
Taking a deep breath, the hooded pony's horn began to glow with a weary white light. Cadance's eyes misted, becoming unclear. "To ensure you don't get an evil personality, use the Crystal Heart. Its judgment will pick the perfect candidate for Shining Armor's replacement and provide Shining Armor with some new upgrades. I'll make sure of it." Taking a moment to think, the figure ordered Cadance in a soft voice, "Do not tell Celestia, Luna, Twilight or any pony what you are doing until it is over. You will do this alone. Tomorrow, you will retrieve the scroll, the Crystal Heart and perform the ritual. Then you will have your immortal husband."
Turning away, the figure made to leave but stopped when he reached the center of the room. Looking back, the cloaked figure said in a kind voice, "Remember Princess of Love, even though your husband will be a different pony when he wakes, some part of Shining Armor will live on inside of him. Your husband's love will continue to burn and with it Shining Armor will never truly die."
Cadance's eyelids fell, blackness welcoming her to sleep. Under her calmed expression, the pony's words continued to play over and over again.
0 0 0
Mariana Ismail,
By the time you read this, I will no longer be in this world.
The eradication of war through the use of armed force... all I knew how to do was fight.
But Celestial Being gave me a reason why I should fight; like that day I saw the Gundam.
I wanted to know why was the world so twisted?
Where did this twistedness come from?
How can people be so wicked without needing to be?
And why don't they realize their wickedness?
Why are there things that bring chaos to so many lives?
Why do people rule and let themselves be ruled?
And why do they hurt each other?
And why despite all that do people still want to live their lives?
I was just looking for answers.
I thought that if I met with you, you'd give me those answers...
because you're looking for the same thing along a different path from mine - from the path
where people can understand each other - for those answers.
I was looking for answers... together with my Gundam... with MY Gundam.
Marina Ismail, Princess Royal of the Kingdom of Azadistan sat silently at her desk. Silent tears fell from her eyes as the haunting words echoed in her mind. Oh Setsuna, she thought in sadness. Looking out from her window, she saw the lights of her kingdom blinking brightly under the night sky. The heavy desert heat had been replaced by freezing night under the full moon high above their heads. Her heart was heavy. All she wanted to do was end the fighting. Even in her home, the Conservatives and the Reformists continued to feel the fires of war deep inside them. Many of her subjects wanted to turn to violence for the failing economy of Azadistan and the intervention by both the UN forces and Celestial Being.
But in this moment it wasn't her home she felt for, but for the boy stranded thousands of kilometers above the Earth's surface. The boy's name was Setsuna F. Seie. With all her heart she wanted him to never have to fight again, to have to bear that lonely existence.
0 0 0
High above the atmosphere laid the broken Mobile Suit Exia, laid the unmoving form of Setsuna F. Seie. Modeled after the human anatomy, Exia consisted of sturdy white arms and legs with its central body consisting of a green sphere surrounded by various moving plates of blue armor. Exia's head was missing along with its left arm. The once proud white helm with glowing green eyes were lost in the silence of space. On its back, Exia had a large white oval sticking out of the blue armored torso. The GN drive, the soul of the Gundam. The GN drive was the power source that provided the machine with the glowing GN particles, giving the Gundam the gift of flight and powered its weapons. The GN drive didn't spin or move. The lack of particles could be attributed to the melted hole in Exia's chest.
Earth. Inside the cockpit, the cold hands of space passed through the gaping hole through the front monitor to surround the small human wearing a deep blue suit and helmet. Standing at a mere 5' 3", Setsuna appeared so small inside the dark blue space suit and the sharp helmet protecting his face. Thankfully, the thick material of Setsuna's suit kept him still alive, even as the vacuum of space sought to snuff out his life. The plasma blade that had ripped through Exia, leaving Setsuna's body battered, bruised and in pain. Cracking open his eyes, varying shades blue, green and tan blurred together before Setsuna's eyes. Groaning, Setsuna tried to adjust his position, getting a better sight of the blue orb clearly visible through the melted metal. Setsuna's brownish chestnut eyes tried to focus on the light entering the cockpit.
Setsuna's attention focused on a truly strange sight. A single white light hovered in front of Exia, as if looking at the damaged machine. Setsuna focused on the light, sure that it was either light reflecting off of some debris or an illusion brought on by his near death experience. The light blinded Setsuna when he looked directly at it, leaving a vague afterimage dancing across his vision.
To Setsuna's surprise the tiny star moved closer. Setsuna tried to move, his limbs slow to obey him. The star entered the cockpit, taking extra care to avoid the melted metal and dangling wires. Hovering directly in front of Setsuna, the object spoke. Its voice was old and ancient, "Do not be afraid, Setsuna F. Seie."
Contrary to the floating ball of light's belief, this did not calm Setsuna. The human attempted to reach for the firearm behind his back, but an invisible force held his hand. What is this?
"You won't be needing that," the orb of light said, its voice echoing inside Setsuna' head. With a sigh, the orb of light rested on top of Setsuna's chest. Even through the protective fabric, Setsuna felt the heat radiating from the ball of light. Setsuna shut both his eyes tight, the blinding light hurting even through the darkened visor of his helmet. "My time is short, so I will be brief," the orb began, "Out of many compatible souls that I have encountered. I have chosen you Setsuna F. Seie to become Prince of the Crystal Empire."
Setsuna had no idea what this thing was saying. Everything the orb had said made no sense to him. Prince? Crystal Empire? What does that mean?
"I have chosen you for two reasons," the orb's light began to brighten, burning through Setsuna's eyelids. Setsuna tried desperately to turn away, but his range of motion was limited inside the cockpit of Exia. "First, you have great skill at the young age of 16. Your hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship will give you an advantage over many opponents. And the second," the orb hesitated for just a second, "I believe you need a better life." Setsuna growled at the orb's words "Do not mistake me. You have tried to change the world you live in, but all you know is fighting. I want to change this. I want you to experience joy and love. I see you so alone and isolated in your fight. You deserve to have some happiness in your life. If not in this life, then I will give it to you in the next one."
The orb shot into Setsuna. Pain. A burning, searing fire flooded into Setsuna's body. Screaming, Setsuna writhed in his seat. Every cell felt like it was dying under the onslaught of the orbs bright radiance. The orb's magic took what it needed from Setsuna. From blood, skin tissue, muscle fibers, bone marrow, and even his vary brain would not be saved from the orbs purpose. Setsuna could see the memories the orb was taking from him. Images of his home burning, his dead parents and friends were extracted from his mind like a metal stake slowly being pulled from the center of his brain. The orb felt sadness seep into its immortal being. This pain was necessary. For Shining Armor to be revived, the orb needed to take as much as she could from Setsuna's body and mind. Without Setsuna's personality or memories, Shining Armor would end up as an empty husk, a living body without any conciseness to guide it. Setsuna would survive, Both here and in Equestria.
"Do not worry about your world," the orb tried to sooth the human as he continued to struggle. "You will not die. Nor will you leave this world unprotected. Here, you have a great destiny Setsuna F. Seie. I am only taking a part of you to help mine. But I will not leave you empty-handed." The orb pulled itself Setsuna's body, turning its attention to the machine around it. Filling the small space with blinding light, the orb began to absorb everything Exia had to offer from material to information and weapons. "Your Gundam will do nicely," the orb hummed to itself. "While I cannot create a giant mechanical suit for you, I can still provide you with armor, weapons and power." The orb focused on the heart of Exia, the lifeless GN drive. The power source of the Gundam held great potential, "Oh yes, you will have power… power to protect your new family and kingdom." Looking down at the human before her, I am sorry to leave you like this but I must go. My planet needs me.
"Farewell, Gundam Meister of Celestial Being."
Without another word, the orb of light disappeared from Exia. Setsuna was left to float aimlessly in space with his body beaten and in pain.
0 0 0
"W-what's going on here?" Flash Sentry asked. After an explosion of light and agonizing cry, the Royal Guard burst through the double door into the hospital wing to find Princess Cadance standing in front of a formation of blue and white crystals encasing what was supposed to be Shining Armor. The sharp, twisting crystal wasn't the only problem. Hovering above the formation of mineral was the Crystal Heart in its entire splendor.
Princess Cadance looked intently at the scroll in her hoof, confirming the spell was working correctly. Now the spell says I have to wait two to three days for all of his injuries to be healed. Then the crystal will disappear. "Hmm," Cadance hummed to herself, reading the personal notes scribbled at the bottom parchment. "Looks like the patient may not immediately become conscious, depending on the severity of their injuries. Patient will also suffer a period of low energy and inactivity. This is considered normal for the more seriously injured patients. Their normal level of health and range of physical movements will reach normal levels after a couple of weeks of rest." Cadance continued to skim through the rest of the notes. Nothing of major importance, just the varying hypothesis King Sombra considered but would never be substantiated due to the legality of this magic.
"Princess?"
Cadance turned to find the door to the hospital wing being overcrowded by her guards. All of the armored ponies looked to her with confusion and worry. The giant crystal that had suddenly consumed Prince Shining Armor was a little unnerving.
"Don't worry my little ponies," Cadance said as calmly as she could. "Everything is under control."
Cadance was wisked away by a babbling group of guards urging her to return the Crystal Heart to its proper place. Some even went so far as to say Cadance should get in contact with Celestia, Luna or even Twilight Sparkle. Cadance was more than happy follow the guards in returning the Crystal Heart. Inside, Cadance felt the small glimmer of hope. The mysterious pony's orders continued to repeat inside her head. The scroll was exactly where he said it would and the spell seems to be working the way it should.
But what comforted Cadance's choice, was to hear the voice of the Crystal Heart speak to her. In its ancient voice, the Crystal heart gave her comforting words of solace. Words that said her husband would come back. That Shining Armor would be with her again. Cadance stopped for just a moment, coming to a complete stop in the middle of the market district on the return trip to the palace. Be patient with him. The one I have chosen for you is young. He is from a land unlike ours and will have no knowledge of Equestria or its people. Lead him. Guide him. But never forget, some piece of Shining Armor will live inside him and nothing will change that.
In the echoes of these words, Cadance's thoughts returned to the notes written by the hoof of King Sombra. Just who am I getting in exchange for this? Shining Armor or a complete stranger?
Hidden in a shadow filled alley alleyway, the cloaked pony from the previous night watched the Princess's movements. From the surge in magic and subsequent light show from the windows of the Crystal Palace, the cloaked figure knew his plan was now in effect. Reaching inside the folds of his cloak, the lone pony pulled out a wooden box of red wood. Looking at the white crystal and initials, the cloaked figure set the scroll in his hoof on fire. Soon the parchment and paper were reduced to dust. "I am sorry for the deception, Princess Cadance," the pony whispered, looking up to see the retreating form of Cadance standing out against the crowd of crystal ponies. "But to ensure the future of this world, a new champion is needed. One who can blaze a trail to the future."