WE'RE BACK EVERYONE! LO AND BEHOLD, THE SEQUEL TO CRYSTAL PRISON! Although I should rework that name soon. Today's chapter is a prologue because I had trouble figuring out how to start the story, so I had an idea. Keep it simple, keep it stupid. A quick chapter to lay the groundwork for the story with a few teasers. I'm stuck between starting a scene with Dusk Shine or something with Sour Sweet. Both are good but I'm struggling to determine which one is first.

Also I posted a WIP of Dusk Shine's family tree on my DA page. He has a secret relative that he doesn't know about. Yet. Since this is a new story, prepare for many new characters, especially Starlight Glimmer and the fan-favorites the Dazzlings.

Now the reviews from the previous story

Fox Boss: I combined the best of both worlds.

Mr. Haziq: Maybe calling Sunny Flare's sister a maid would be more appropriate. Grogar was the closest thing they have to one in the OG series and was highly feared in the lore. Tirek is a video game character. Chrysalis is still a mystery. Do I make her a part of Cadence's and Shining Armor's background? Do I use her alter-ego as a new teacher?

Ice Spades: Technically, this is a sequel, but I'm using the plot of the 2nd movie This story will be considerably longer than the 1st story. We had Dusk Shine taking his revenge, the downfall of Cinch, the introduction of various characters, and more LORE about said characters.

Dusk Shine and the Dazzlings will be the main focus when they arrive.

Solon75: Sunset had a whole song, Luna had several episodes, Celestia and Sci-Twilight had a few scenes. Cadence is the only one who doesn't have a nightmare or evil form. I wanted Fleur De Lis and other CPA characters more of a personality besides hating on Dusk Shine/Twilight. Considering Sour Sweet & Dusk Shine were forced to break up, those feelings tend to linger. I wanted to use this story to give underused characters like Tempest their time to shine.

Moondancer's winning attempt shows how Cinch corrupted the student body. You would think they would stop after what happened, but nope. All they care about is winning. Oh Cinch is deep-fried with 11 herbs and spices. Velvet is a CEO. Night Light is an executive/director specializing in logistics and computers. Shining Armor is a Police Captain. Cadence is her 2nd-in command. Luna is his Godmother, followed by Celestia. Sombra is a lawyer or legal expert. She's done.

Given everything that happened. Anyone would be pissed. Yes the Shadow 5 will be punished for their actions. Cinch couldn't get away with 1/2 of the stuff she did or has been doing without some people sharing her viewpoint or willing to turn a blind eye to it

Wake up

"Who said that?!" Dusk Shine questioned the void.

Wake. Up

"Where are you? Where am I? Tell me," Dusk Shine resumed, hoping for something about his situation.

WAKE UP!

Dusk Shine gasped, opening his amethyst eyes. He found his body free from his hospital gown and restraints. Instead, Dusk Shine was adorned with the finest regalia of lavender, sapphire, and silver in a golden, verdant field—fit for a prince.

What's a prince without his crown?

Dusk Shine jumped from the sudden baleful flame. There it was—his crown. Dusk Shine's hand twitched, grabbing the suspiciously dense crown and placing it on his head. A stygian path lay before him. He followed. This was definitely a dream. Celestia and Luna often told him about these dreams and how they're the gates to the soul and future.

Hail the scorned prince!

"Scorned prince?" Dusk Shine muttered. His crown ignited hauntingly with a cyan hue, yet it didn't burn. The heat spread throughout his body, and not a bead of sweat or discomfort emerged. They dare not to harm him. Soon, Dusk Shine found himself sitting on a lofty throne above a countless crowd, kneeling, praising, applauding, and more. Banners bearing his emblem flapped throughout the city. Dusk Shine raised his hand in a polite wave to his audience, enjoying the reverie. He wondered where his family was.

What about them? This is your achievement.

Dusk Shine frowned before adjusting himself on his throne. Someone groaned before another silenced them with a harsh shush. His face paled, darting his gaze to his 'throne' as it shifted under his weight. His throne morphed into . . . his schoolmates at CPA! They were neatly arranged in a boxy pyramid with Cinch at the helm. Why are they here?!

"WHAT?!" His booming voice cracked the sky, enraged at this discovery. People ran. Fearful at their prince's outrage. The Scorned Prince wasn't known for his mercy upon acting on his draconic wrath. His throne was evidence of that.

Here's the lie the traitorous fate of those who dare cross him

His horrified gaze scanned them. Their skin was heavily scarred with either whips or rods by their symmetrical patterns. Scorch marks burned their skeletal bodies. Gone are their arrogance and sense of egoistical superiority. Here they lay. Bare, humiliated, and ashamed.

Dusk Shine removed himself from the throne as thoughts buzzed like locusts. His family came to view. Their eyes are marked by fear, guilt, shame, and pity for what he has become. Did they miss the signs? Were there things they could've done to help him? Dusk Shine watched his banners burn, replacing his elegant magenta star with a nightmarish mockery engulfed in cyan flames. Members of the crowd started to jeer venomously. His legions marched, eradicating any who dared oppose him as they praised and chanted his name.

No, no, no, no, . This wasn't him. He ran. Away from it all. People hid in any hold or covering they could, abandoning those to their terrifying fate. Dusk Shine continued to flee, leaving a trail of flaming footprints behind him. There was another.

A glimmer of starlight trailed, filled with zeal and fervor, holding a box. She's in front of him now, kneeling as all obedient servants do. It opened. Emblems fell from it, marking his triumph over his foes. She stood, exposing herself to him with open arms.

"Come to me, my liege," Her voice beckoned him towards her. And he did. The tolls of time eluded him; Dusk Shine found himself around a decade older. He had everything. All of his enemies are defeated. Buildings and prestigious awards are named after him. Mountains of wealth with his fair cache of reliable suitors. It wasn't enough. His avarice and ego are limitless. Dusk Shine gazed at the sky at its boundless possibilities.

He soared with sleek wings. A trio of sirens with eerie, bewitching voices approached him as their eyes and amulets blazed red. Through his will alone, he shattered their gems and banished them back to the depths. Dusk Shine left this world, targeting the cosmos and beyond. Crushing the moon in his palms. Devouring the sun. He needed more, far more. Until the stars themself and beyond are nothing more than playthings to him. Something pulled him back.

Dusk Shine found himself again in the fields. He panicked, fearing that he still wore those dreadful clothes. Relief ballooned in his heart, and he was now wearing clothes that suited his scholarly background and a quality book. Spike lay on his lap, snoring and scratching his ears with his hind legs. Flurry's jubilant screaming and the chatter and aura of good company filled the air. He smiled, seeing his family and friends. The scarred woman offered him a refreshing drink. He took it. Dusk Shine felt . . . safe and relaxed. His pocket glowed crimson. He reached into it with a confused expression, pulling three gem shards. The sirens came to him with rage and fear in their eyes. Their eyes screamed that they wanted their gems back. Dusk Shine returned it as they weren't his. He didn't need them. They thanked him and offered their allegiance. He refused, yet they still followed him as did that glimmer.

Where is she? This glimmer smiled, appearing much calmer and surprisingly younger compared to earlier. She looked his age now. The ground rumbled as a mighty tree loomed over them. Vines writhed and snapped, suffocating the earth around it. Dusk Shine dusted himself off, charging the arboreal monstrosity, but he wasn't alone. He had help. Someone was controlling this tree. A nymph? His gaze caught in the trunk. Was that a gem? Dusk Shine reached it as the flames engulfed him once more.

Celestia gasps in a cold sweat. She touched her chest to ease her breathing while another wiped her brow. Her silken hands gripped her lavish sheets. Those accursed dreams. It plagued her venerable family for countless generations before the establishment of Equestria itself. To witness these terrible events and oath sworn to do the minimum at best. The concept of dreams has dwindled in the modern era, relying more on reason and logic. However, her late grandmother advised her to be wary and document these dreams as they can provide an unexpected insight. Celestia grabbed her dream journal and recorded everything she could remember. She swiftly called her sister.

"Morning, elder sister. What brings you at this hour?" Luna answered. It's unlike her to call before the first light.

"Call Cadence now. I had one of those dreams again," Celestia ordered, making Luna pause her actions. "I . . . saw Dusk Shine," Her soft voice shook.

"We'll be right there," Luna avowed, hanging up and immediately dialing the number. Cadence woke up in a drowsy stupor, answering the phone. Luna swifty explained the situation, jolting her niece into action, grabbing whatever appropriate clothes for the provided transport, and explaining it to Shining Armor before leaving.

All three nobles sat at a table with a warm beverage one of Celestia's servants provided. They need something to elevate their worries. The servant stood idle away from the conservation.

"Auntie, what did you see?" Cadence questioned, breaking the suffocating silence.

"Two stars. A glimmer of light. Three red gems. Finally, a massive tree with a gem inside," Celestia revealed in her journal entry.

"Dusk Shine is on the path, isn't he?" Luna feared, taking a gentle sip.

"I'm afraid so or is close to walking it," Celestia confirmed. Luna sighed as her suspicions came true. Knots formed in Cadence's stomach. "His emblem turned black with fire surrounding it,"

"Is this glimmer a person or something should watch out for?" Cadence prodded. They can search for names or listen to Dusk Shine stargaze.

"Yes. She'll be his most loyal companion for better or worse." Celestia replied. This glimmer can help Dusk Shine become his true self or corrupt him into a sophisticated monster.

"Have we met this person?" Luna asked, hoping it would narrow down their search.

"Not yet. Given what happened with CPA and Cinch, there's going to be a few openings," Celestia advised, shooting Cadance a look to be wary. "Same with those red gems. A trio will enter his life, attempting to lead him further down the path," She continued, sparking recognition in the sister's minds—those three girls.

"Is there hope?" Luna muttered.

"Yes, but it won't be easy," Celestia replied sullenly, recalling those horrible moments when she slumbered. "He'll devour everything in his path until he figures out why he's hungry. The tree with the gem shows that" She showed them her drawings.

"Wait. That's one of the trees from Camp Everfree near one of the caves," Luna revealed with widened eyes. Celestia nodded, remembering the camp fondly in their youth.

"I'll book a field trip as soon as possible," Cadence interjected. That saves them plenty of time and possibly even a few lives.

"No," Celestia denied, leaving them shocked. "These predictions can take months to years to come true. All we can do is allow fate to decide what's best and help guide him," She disclosed with a heavy heart.

"We can't let him destroy himself," Luna argued, with Cadence nodding.

"YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT!" Celestia exploded, slamming her fists on the table and shaking it. That startled the room, for they never saw her act in such a way. "Our elder warned me about interfering with matters such as this. She had to watch, only acting briefly in crucial moments, unable to ease the suffering of others, fearing it'll cause a greater calamity," Sorrow and regret twisted her graceful features as tears swelled. "If we act too swiftly, then Dusk Shine will be lost, and countless others will be burned in his ambitions," Celestia cautioned as her heavy words rested.

"What can we do?" Luna weighed their options.

"Hope, pray for the best, and ease the pain," Celestia answered, yet it didn't ease the heavy burden on their shoulders. To watch a loved one suffer while being unable to help. There are few pains greater than that. They shifted their conversations to more palpable topics regarding how to proceed with the school year after the Friendship Games. The education board and the ministry will demand a full report and their cooperation. Luna and Cadence finished their teas and headed home."Can you please leave me alone for a moment?" Celestia requested as she stood to gaze out a window.

"Yes, ma'am," The servant obeyed, leaving their mistress to have privacy. Tears flowed as the door shut. This window had an ideal view of her garden as the sun rose. She did it every morning.

Galaxia urged Celestia to do this, reminding her about the simpler things in life. Things that made life worth living. Wealth, material possessions, and social status are all good things but aren't worth everything. Treasuries drained. Possessions lost or destroyed. Status can be erased with a few pen strokes. Those can happen at any time. Sometimes, having a good cup of tea with good company as the sun warms the skin is enough. Celestia relayed those words to Dusk Shine when he was a child. He was so energetic when it came to learning. She smiled as Dusk Shine babbled about the various flowers in the garden, the greenhouse, and the koi fish. Celestia missed those days. Does a spark of that person still exist anymore?

"Faust, if you can hear me. Please give Dusk Shine the strength to make it through these troubling times," Celestia prayed, hoping their patron heard her humble request.

Alright, alright, alright. It's about time to start this party. You guys got some lore about Celestia and her family. Tension is brewing up within Canterlot and we're only getting started

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