10 Months Ago

.....And That's how Sombra was Defeated, but at a great cost, the loss of the Crystal Empire."  Cadence said looking at her notes.

  "Are you still reading those cliff notes?"  Shining asked from the seat across from her.

"Of course I am!"  Cadence snapped. "We're going to the northern most tip of Equestria to inspect a kingdom that's been missing for 1000 years!  And on top of that potentially fight some Phantom Unicorn King hyped up on Dark Magic Mojo!  I would like to be prepared."  

  "Haha. Fair Enough" Shining Armor replied.  " I don't think we'll have too much to worry about though. I mean how much trouble can some 1000 year old Phantom Unicorn actually be?"  Shining said with confidence.

   Cadence sighed.  "Well now that you've jinxed us by saying that, it'll probably be super hard you idiot!"  She thought.  

"You OK there dear". Shining asked, giving his wife a concerned look.

" I'm fine, your right. I'm sure everything will be just fine."

".... If only that were true". She thought to herself as she looked out the window.

The Day Before

  "The Crystal Empire has returned!"  Celestia said, a most serious look upon her face.

"The Who What now?"  Shining asked with a dumbfounded look on his face, staring at Cadence who just gave a "Heck if I know shrug"

" 1001 years ago, before the Nightmare Moon Incident, there was another threat to Equestria, a powerful Unicorn  taught by StarSwirl named Sombra became obsessed with Dark Magic, and it's effects on the hearts of ponies.  He discovered he could use the Crystal Empire to spread his darkness all throughout the land, he used his dark powers to conquer it, and there he ruled as a tyrant & dictator, treating its citizens as slaves while he studied the mysteries of The Crystals power.  Thankfully Luna & I were able to stop him by banishing him to the darkest depth of the northern ice.  However, before the final blow was struck he cast a spell making the Crystal Empire disappear."  

"Well, that wasn't very nice". Shining replied.

"Not very nice?  Seriously, that's your reply!?" Cadence thought to herself, trying not to let the annoyance of being woken up early bother her more then it already had.

  Celestia ignoring Shining's comment continued her story "We believed the Crystal Empire lost for good, but now my troops stationed at the Northern Peak tell me it has returned!  With this news I am obviously quite pleased to once more have another Relic of Equestria restored, however..."

"However What?"  Shining Asked.

"I fear the Empire is not the only thing that has returned. Sombra May Be Back As Well, I need you and Cadence to go check on the situation and report to me your findings, if Sombra has returned, we may have to use the power of the Elements of Harmony once more!"

Cadence looked at Celestia "I doubt there will be need for that."  

"Oh you do! Do you?"  Celestia asked, looking at her niece like one would a child who makes a wild claim.

"Yes, Shining and I are more then capable of handling this task ourselves". Cadence said confidently.

"Very well  you have 3 Days, if the Kingdom is not secured by then, I will have no choice but to send in Twilight & the others.  Is that understood Cadence?"  Celestia said in a voice more stern then usual.

"Yes Princess Celestia, as you wish". Cadence said, bowing.

Later In Cadence Room

  "she's having you go where!?"  A shrill voice asked.

"To The North, to fight some stupid Phantom Unicorn King & save an Empire or something like that."  Cadence replied.

"well that sounds fun"

" As if Chrysalis". Cadence said looking at Chrysalis through the hologram projected by the Changeling Tear Gem.

"Well sufficed to say this will put a kink in our plans."  Chrysalis said, a tinge of disappointment in your voice.

"True, but on the bright side, I hear this old fart dabbled in some pretty strong black magic, so who knows, maybe I'll find something useful while I'm down there"

" Oh yes, a book of ancient forbidden magics, how delightful, the perfect suvioner!"  Chrysalis cooed.

"Well just be sure to contact me when you can, and have fun with your ice and crystals & what not, later Cader!"  Chrysalis said, ending the transmission.

" Yeah fun". Cadence thought, rolling her eyes.

...............

..............

..............

After The Battle For The Empire

  Pain, all she knew was pain, the crystallization brought on by the Crystal heart had briefly replenished her energy, but now, now she was helpless & she was burning, not just from the loss of sleep, or overuse of magic, or the mental strain of putting up a force field for so long, no, she was burning because once again it had been Twilight Sparkle & her friends to the rescue, they saved the day, and even worse that little pet dragon of Twilights helped even more then she had, given if that bumbling idiot shining hadn't launched her off the balcony at the right moment , Goddess knows what would have happened, but still, being upstaged by that purple unicorn again, it burned her pride pretty badly.

"Ahh nurse, your finally here! Good". She heard Shining's voice say from the hall.

"Vy yus, Eye Ahm". The nurse replied.

"Wow, heavy accent". Cadence thought to herself, trying anything to forget about her pains.

"Hello deary, I am nurse Hearth Gem, how are you?"

"Huh, funny, the accents gone now" Cadence noticed.

"F...fine I guess"

"Well you don't look fine to me Cadey". The Nurse said with a laugh

"that voice".   "c-Chrysalis?"  Cadence asked.

"The one & only Darling". The nurse said, her eyes glowing green.

"Wh...why are you here?"  Cadence asked, her voice weak,

"You hadn't contacted me in so long, I feared the worse had happened my dear". Chrysalis said, a sad look on her face.  "After all who could replace you as my partner in crime!?"  She cooed.

"Yeah Right, like you care about me at all you ugly witch bug" Cadence thought.

"What Do You Want?"  She asked

" I want to know what the next step of the plan is darling, that's all". She said in a seductive voice.

"Power!"  Cadence replied.

"Power, I'm we I need more power, I know Sombra must have his research hidden somewhere,  find it, find it for me and help me get stronger, that, that is the next step!"  Cadence said, a crazed glazed look in her eye.  "I won't be second to Twilight Sparkle anymore!"

Chrysalis grinned a most satisfied evil grin, and bowed.

"As you wish my princess"