Starbound

"Attacked!? By what!?" 《Att... acked...? Aaaaaah...》 Crystal fainted straight away. "Attacked!? What would attack you!? Maybe... maybe the diamond dogs! Maybe the ghost pony! You are NOT okay! Does it hurt? And I TOLD you ponies not to drink to much of that... blech! Where were you!?"

(Oh yeah!) 'Oh my gosh, what happened to you!? Where did you go!? Why didn't you tell us!?" Willow ran to Embers and looked at him. Crystal gasped and backed away, shrinking to the ground. 《*whimpers*》"Wh- what happened!?" 《*squeaks*》"Are you okay!?"《*whimpers* Are you... hurt..?》She said, whispering.

Don't even bother waiting for me. I'm havinf problems and won't be posting for a while.

"It makes sense, because it felt like we just stood there... although I'm sure something happened. Um, even if it was good or bad. Can we, um, go now?"《if its um... okay with you.》 "The Crystal Empire is not gettimg a lot colder, fast. I don't know why... the earth should have trapped more heat and the sun shards had to have helped warm this all up."《Maybe...?》

《V- vanished? *whimper*》"We just vanished? Just disappeared? I don't remember going anywhere, though. Just touching the sun shard, and rhen a few seconds later walking to where you were. 《I- I don't remember anything either. But sometimes...it feels... like I'm forgetting something.》

《Wha... what... what do you mean? We were gone? To... where?》 Crystal said, panting. "We were gone? When? I don't remember going anywhere. Willow started getting worried. Where could they have gone to? (Seriously, I don't remember making them leave anywhere. You have me stumped too.)

"Alright." The two stood on either side and pushed down as hard as they could. Willow was using her wings her head; and her hooves, while Crystal was jumping on it. The shard slowly sunk down into the earth. After a few seconds, the shard was halfway buried, and thet were panting from exertion. "Alright Flower, one last push." 《But... its... so... water... tiring!》"Please, Flower?"《Fi... fine..》 They pushed on the shard as hard as they could and it sunk comepletely. Willow was panting, and Crystal slumped to the ground. "See? It was not that hard.."

C: C: C: C: C: C:

The mention of the sun shard made her jump. Something happened. Something horrible. She just couldn't quite figure out what. She dismissed the thought. "Okay! Lets go!" She trotted out of the tent. She stopped at the sun shard, looking at it. She remembered faint thimgs about her encounter with Celestia, butonly muted voices.

Well, being evil has its advantages. You get Darth Vader, flying worm skeletons, the color white, cookies, cool towers, giant mushrooms, and best of all CHOCOLATE MILK RAIN 11111

《Oh. Um, what is in that cider that makes it special?》"I've figured that out. The keg says "hard cider" which has alcohol in it. Alcohol is bad for you if you drink too much, though." 《Are they supposed to drink 5 glasses, then?》"Um, I don't know." (I wonder what would happen if Luna found out you were drinking. Can I tell on you?)

I do, but because I get shy I don't really share them with people.

"Well, um if we cant drink it, then you can just tell us. We would have listened. Right, Flower?" 《Yes. But one thing. Why would you like to drink stuff that makes you act different? Isn't that...》"Unhealthy?" 《I was going to say unusual, but that works fine too.》 (Since Crystal and Willow love eachother so much, they like to finish eachothers sentences.)

"Um, I don't know whst happened, really. Wanderlust? Are you okay? You seem a bit..." 《Hasty.》 "I was going to say giddy, but that works." 《But if that cider tastes funny, why were you drinking it?》Crystal eyed a glass, and levatated a few drops to her open mouth, but she stopped herself.

Inspiration, inspiration, inspiration! I'm getting so much ideas on cool stories from all of you!

《Willow, what happened?》"I don't know, Flower." To protect them, Celestia had made them forget what happened. "We should go find the others. They walked into the house Wanderlust, Embers, and Grell were drinking in. 《Apple cider? Can I have some? Please? I remember back in Ponyville when Applejack gave us all that Cider. Yum.》"Can I have apple cider too? Please, please please?"

The world started fading into black. Once everything was black, a star appeared. Then another. And another. And another, until there was a beautiful night sky. 《Willow, where are we?》"I don't know, Flower. Follow me." They walked into the darkness, uhh ntil they saw Princess Celestia lying on the ground. "Mom!? Mom!" 《Mooooom!》 They both ran to her and saw she was barely awake. "Mom...?" "Everything is alright, my loves." She said in her usual sweet voice. 《M- mom? Where did you go?》 "Crystal Flower, sweetie, I have come a long way.I am afraid I won't be coming back." 《B-but Mom! You have to! We can't live without you!》 "I will not be going anywhere, love." She touched their chests. "I will always be right here. If you need help, just ask me." A ring of fire surrounded her and seperated them. 《Mom? Mooooooom!》 "Its okay, daughters. I am with you." The ring of fire surrounded them now, and got smaller... they hugged eachother, and returned to the world, still hugging eachother.

Crystal got up and walked to Willow. 《She is fine, Wanderlust. Give her sometime alone.》 She walked up to her and nuzzled her wing. They both touched the sun shard together, and disappeared in a flash of light. A voice sounded in Wanderlust's head. "It looks like we are gone, but really we are right there. You just see an illusion."

"Right... here!" They were both burned. They had been so close to the impact. 《Willow, what happened?》 Willow hurt a little bit, but she could not stop looking at the sun shard. She felt drawn to it. Suddenly she remembered. "The sun shard! It will tell me!" 《Willow, tell me, wha- big sis? Are you okay?》

When Crystal and Willow walked outside into the frigid air, they shivered. 《Its gotten a lot colder, Willow.》 Suddenly a bright light flared in the sky. "Crystal, watch out!" She jumped in front of Crystal, wrapped her in her hooves, and shielded her with her wings. The light came down to the earth crashed 20 feet away from them. They were blasted with heat and then with air, knocking them down to the ground. The sun shard that Runedawn had golf whacked into the air blazed in front of them. A deafening boom sounded that could be heard from kilometers away.

Willow was happy that she could find the sun shard, but sad that she had to leave again. She and Crystal ran Luna and swept her into a big hug. "Dont leave here, Mom. I dont want to lose you again." 《Me neither.》With that they stood up and sadly turned for the exit of the cave. Willow decided to tell Crystal the truth when the time came. She couldn't bear her sister thinking Celestia was on a vacation any longer. She quietly whimpered. "Crystal, I'm going to find Mom. She is not on vacation. I was lying to protect you, Crystal. Celestia is lost, she is hurt." 《Y-you were lying to me!?》 "Crystal, I-" 《No! You- No, I'm sorry, Willow. Now- now I understand. I'm so sorry, big sis.》 "Its okay, Crystal." She turned back. "Everypony, I'm going outside with Crystal. You can come when you are ready."

(I love your play on Christmas stuff) 《O- Catch myself?》 She smiled as she was thrown in the air. She tried hugging herself, but that did not work. Next she tried to use her magic to levitate herself, but then she realized that was cheating. 《How can I catch myself?》

Willow lay down in a corner of the cave. "She is not gone... she cant be. No, she cannot be. No, no. No, no no no no no! I'm going to find her. Mom is wrong, even though it hurts me to say. I'm going to find her, and nopony is going to stop me! Wait. The sun shards! They would know where she is! We need to find the first sun shard. As quickly as we can." She got up and hovered near the roof of the cave. She found a suitable nook and sat down. She put her head on her hooves, dreaming. "Mom's parents, help me! Where is Princess Celestia? Please!" <Well done, little one. You have summoned us yourself. What is wrong, child?> "Princess Celestia is lost! I don't lknow where she is! Luna says she is... not coming back... but she has to be wrong, right?" <Her essence has left this world, yes. She is with us now. But remember, Winter Willow, she will always be with you and Crystal Flower. Look deep inside you, and you will find her. All is well, Willow. Stay safe little one... grandchild...> In a flash of light she returned to the real world.

《Really? So they magicky things and then they can fly? Whoa!》 She tried chanting "Alakazam!" And ran in a circle. 《How come it won't work? It makes me jealous that Willow can fly AND do magic and I can only do magic. Then she just tells me that I have to 'embrace my beautiful self' even though I don't know what that means.》

That tiny sliver of hope that gave Willow light was extinguished. "But she is Princess Celestia! Sh- she can't be gone! Just gone! I'm going to find her, even if it kills me! This time, I won't listen to any orders!" She thought. In a hushed voice, she said "Mom, Wanderlust did not take me. I followed him." With that she walked away. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Crystal looked up at Wanderlust. 《Can they fly and do magic like we can?》 (By the way, like my new signature?)