The first thing I realized when I came into the new world of the memory orb was that I was of course a pony. The warm blooded-ness and furred hide I felt was an obvious indicator of that. After a quick second of thought, I also got to realize that the pony I was inhabiting for this memory was an earth pony stallion. Great, more awkwardness of feeling what it was like to be the opposite gender. Fantastic.

The next thing I noticed was the large amount of clamor and that we were standing in a large crowd of ponies. The stallions eyes were skyward to the massive tower that had stood in the center of the empire, clear crystal floors giving a giant snowflake design to the city, and from the distant background I spotted that the brick buildings and the wall hadn't existed yet in this memory. But the stallions attention was not drawn to the landscape, but to a pony.

A unicorn stallion in armor befit for a soldier... No a General. In a pale purple military suit with medals pinned upon his chest his fur was white, with a blue mane and tail. Eyes of similar color around his gaze. His fur was oddly shining as if made of the same crystals that made up the castle itself. As people cheered, the various names they called him had reflected his name relatively clearly to me, as my host yelled with them.

Shining Armor, Husband to the Crystal Princess, and General of the Empires forces. He slowly waved down the cheers until the crowd quieted to hear what he had to say. The prince looked stoic, if somewhat Glum before he began, but stepping next to a microphone he began.

"We cannot allow the natural clashes and prejudices of other people to lead our country to destruction." he paused, fixing his neck tie to be a bit looser before he began again after the clapping of hooves rose and quieted down, "The Ministry's and monarchy of Equestria are the foremost powerful group trying to lead this country into the world war."

There was a number of booing at that, not at the prince but at the equestrian government, and again Shining Armor had to quiet them down with pacifying gestures until he could speak over them once again, "Its members have used the war emergency to claim total war and claim unlimited beings and push us into a debt that is already the highest we have ever known... And have used the war to justify the restriction of the congressional courts power and pushed down the route of dictatorial procedures of a most harsh and unimaginable nature that haven't been seen since the rule of the former King Sombra."

More Booing ensured, cursing out the names of the Mares of the ministry, and the princesses and their former king ensued. There was an odd whistle from one of the guards around the base of the tower that got civilians to start calming down... yet again. "The power of the Ministries and the monarchy depends upon maintaining a wartime emergency. The trusted founders of each Ministration depends upon the success of their military. To whom Princess Celestia had abandoned her political future and shifted the war upon her younger sister Luna. This was the leader who thought with the aide of their Griffon and Yak allies could easily win the war. The danger of these Ministries lies in their subterfuge."

Shining armors voice grew angry from his neutral tone, "While its members have promised us peace, they have lead us to war, heedless of the platform of which we were connected."

Cheers rang out, though I knew not why, only that Shining continued over them, "They have selected Zebras, Minotaurs, and Changelings as the major agitators of the war, but ignoring their own essential presence that had brought forth this war party and if any of them were able to talk back, no doubt Equestria would be listed as a key agitator that had lead to our involvement. I did not believe without unification of all the Ministries and the Monarchy, that they would of had the power to carry on the war, but the firm belief that the war must continue has driven all Ministries and the Monarchy to further its cause."

"When hostilities had commenced between Pirates in Zebra waters when Equestrian hostages were taken so many years ago, no one could imagine the chain of events that lead Equestria, whose people didn't want it, into entering a total war, and they knew it would be useless to ask us for a declaration of war at that time." Shining Armors voice grew from angry to stern, "They believed that the Empire could be enticed into the war by pulling on the strings that had connected us to the Mares of the Ministries."

He took a breathe as a few cheers rang out for what choice they were taking, and Shining continued on, "They thought first, they could prepare the Empire for war with foreign nations under the guise of Equestrian defense. Second, they thought they could guide us into the war step by step without our realization. Then Third, to cause a series of incidents that would force us into the conflict. This was of course, to be powered, and done in secret by the Ministry of Image. Of whose involvement have filled our theaters and plays with movies and acts portraying the glories of war."

The hush of silence had fallen over the crowd, "News reels have lost all sense of objectivity. Newspapers and magazines began to lose money and advertisements if they carried anti-war articles. Their campaign was focused against individuals who proposed intervention. The terms that followed it, Stripes, Traitor, Heartless Menace, Discordant, were thrown ceaselessly against anyone who dared to suggest that it was not in the best interest that the Equestrian nation do enter war."

There was yelled agreements, of disgruntled ponies, zebras, minotaurs, yaks, even a few young dragons and thestrals were among the crowd yelling against the Ministry again, "People lost their jobs, if they were frankly anti-war. Many others, dared no longer speak. Before long, lecture halls that catered to advocates of war, were closed to speakers that opposed it. The fear campaign was inaugurated. Forcing many races to seek the shelter of their homelands, or come to us. This campaign was so effective, that the former Queen Chrysalis of the changelings came here and begged for her hive to be allowed peace and abstinence from this war to the very stallion and mare that she had attacked on their wedding day in exchange for their services."

Shining Armor stomped his hooves onto the side of the balcony, "The very mare who had thought us an enemy for the remainder of her life, managed to forge peace in desperation because her hive was being hunted down for merely existing, and similar executions were happening across the country side with Dragons, Zebras, Minotaurs, Alpacas, Llamas, and even the Elephants, who had no part in the war as of yet. The Buffalo, wishing to avoid eradication for living on their sacred grounds that they had stampeded upon for generations, abandoned them as the military claimed the land for its resources. Dragons hordes were taken away and if they refused, they were killed and their hides used for armor. Zebra shamans, one of which the Ministry mares were even close friends with, were herded into internment camps that ended swiftly with their deaths."

He stomped again, "We were told, that there was no complications in obtaining billions of bits in the acquirement of arms under the guise of protecting Equestria. Our people, stood united, for a program of defense. Foolishly the Congressional Court of Equestria gave appropriation upon appropriation as powers to the monarchy to the princesses who had vied for total war without knowing what it meant which lead to the development of guns, weaponized magic, and battleships. With the overwhelming approval of Equestrias citizens. Which a large amount of these appropriations were used to develop an offensive weapon that we did not know about until later."

To the crowd he resumed a calmer tone of voice, "That, was another step. To give another example, we were told three years ago to increase our air-core to include counter measures to Changeling bombardment, Dragon flyby attacks, and to include the Wonderbolt strike force into our defensive lines. We denied their necessary legislation. Three months later, the Equestrian government told us that our aircore should include at least five hundred pegasus ponies, and several bomb delivery vehicles which provided the second step of our becoming wiser to the Equestrian war machine was threatening our international safety as Bombers that were made in our factories were sent abroad instead of staying home for our defense. Though our airborne core was in desperate need of new equipment that hadn't been updated since before the Crystal Empires original disappearance at the hooves of King Sombra."

Shining Armor was a patient stallion as the crowd of beings below erupted again against Equestria, "We have been lead to believe that instead of carrying on the defense of our nations, we have been unalerted that we were secretly supplying the Ministry of Technology with weapons to advance the war in Zebrica and its allies when we were under the pretense of building an adequate defense for our own nation."

Shining Armor looked as glorious as he was pissed off, but a kinder smile took his face, "There is only one thing that has prevented us from entering the war, and that was the hearts of the Crystal Empires people. You have given us through democratic vote today a majority vote that has never been seen since the start of the Equestrian and Zebrican war."

He paced round the balcony looking over everyone, "Instead of joining a war whose only victor would be chaos and devastation you have selected to maintain neutrality to the other nations and cut all ties to both Zebrica and Equestrian soils. To that end, I thank you for your wise decisions. We were on the verge of war, for which we were still unprepared and for which no one has offered a feasible reason or plan for victory. Instead, the contrary happened, you all presented a very reasonable argument that couldn't be ignored. For who is our Princess?"

"The Princess of Love!" everyone shouted together, and a wave of energy overcame the crowd at that moment as everyone glistened with a coat shinier than any mundane gemstone.

"That's right!" Shining Armor shouted back to them, "And what we represent is the ideal of peace and unity between all races! No matter how big or small or the patterns of their fur! As of today, The Crystal Empire declares itself an independent nation from Equestria and holds neutral grounds from all nations, where refugees from the war are welcome and won't be turned away. Joining us are the Yaks who have closed off their borders to the Equestrian government, and the changelings of Queen Chrysalis's hive. We will maintain peace, and there isn't any words that can be shared to change our mind at this present time. Now everybody, what do we stand for?"

"Love and Tolerance!" the crowd shouted once again, and Shining Armor bowed out as the crowd roared on. The memory orb slipping away with the cheers of the crowd. As the memory orb ended, I found myself drawing into the next one after having something to quick to drink, deciding to see what the next orb of interest was about. The earlier one was named 'This is not our War' and now the next one was called 'don't ever forget his face'.

When I entered the next memory orb, it was a remarkably different experience, having acquired it from a different vault I was shoved into the body of a young, malnourished mare whose body was in agony from a combination of over exertion, the chains chaffing against her hooves, and the tight collar around her neck as strange ponies with strange suits of armor that glowed green from the various slits that allowed movement watched over her and the other ponies in her group. They were mining, gems, coal, metals, and other stuff from a pit as an orange and red tinted sky was overhead. What had caught my hosts attention however was a tall dark colored stallion who seemed to be flanked by a contingent of guards. As he observed the mining slave ponies, for what they were, I was able to get a closer look at him, and to my shock I recognized him. It was Bramos, the same pony who had traded me Roggar's box for Cloak and offered a few words about how I smelled and that destiny had some plans for me. He had referred back then to his 'first death' which drew me as odd, as how could somepony be both alive and dead at the same time?

Two and two didn't quite put it together about why Bramos would be in this memory until my host muttered the name, "Sombra..." with a glare in his direction. Then I put it together.

Bramos with the letters rearranged could make the name Sombra if one took the first and second half of the name, flipped their letter order around, and then traded the spots. So what was Roggar doing with 'the tyrant of the Crystal Empire' being his delivery-pony? My thoughts was interrupted as my host pretended to collapse from hard labor. No pony even flinched except for Sombra, who, through my hosts nearly shut eyes, hurried over, and called for a doctor. As he drew close however, my host pulled a shiv from her mane with her hooves and tried to stab him. In that instant all hell broke loose as slaves turned against slavers and descended upon their masters, trying to beat them up.

It was a fine and dandy plan, which made me think that Sombra was about to die his 'first death'. But when the shiv connected into the spot between the plates of his plate mail and slid in, it did so extremely easily, far too easily in fact. As she twisted it and pulled it out, not even a drop of blood was on it, only the disappointed face of King Sombra as he casually back-hoofed my host into unconsciousness, and as the vision was fading, I was seeing that the prisoners were faring no better against his guards than they had against him. As my consciousness returned, I resolved to ask Roggar what he was up to with hiding Sombra's identity, and I got a creeping feeling I knew who our guide to the Empire was going to be, but before I was going to ask, I was going to get through the rest of these memory orbs. The next one was labeled 'blackmail' which featured a pony dyeing envelopes in ink to turn them completely black before mailing them out with some rather scandalous images in them with notes made of newspaper clippings. It was an interesting idea but useless overall to what I was trying to learn.

The memory orb after that was labeled 'Tyrant Speech' and I faded away into the world again, I saw I was once again the same stallion that had attended Shining Armors speech, only the sky was the same mix of red and orange as Sombras rule, and braziers full of green fire lit up a lot of the surrounding environments while the rest seemed to be dark with shadows. Out of the balcony that Shining Armor had used for his speech had stepped out Sombra and unlike the cheering that had accompanied Shinings arrival there was just stark silence. The Crystal Heart had vanished from its pedestal and in its place was a unicorn pony strung up by her hooves. Sombras gaze was passive and without much emotion he had begun to speak, completely unaided he was speaking in volumes that could shake the balcony and blow ear drums from up close but from this far away it sounded like he was talking normally as if right next to us, "Citizens of The Crystal Empire, look down upon your former ruler, Princess Platinum, and know that there are to be change upon the Crystal Empire. No longer are we to be used to farm money for dragons, princesses, the luxury of the rich or the greed of the royalty." His expression was complete deadpan, an emotionless speech for a passive bunch that was staring at him, "It is not my intent to be a merciful ruler, or a good ruler my ponies. But to get you to a state of operation and restore the former beauty of this nation either by choice or by force. Once our work is done, we will all be free to dethrone me, kill me, or do whatever you want. I swear this to the lady above who granted us our favors. So please toil further, and remain as is until construction of your new living quarters are complete. But there is a list of changes that are to be introduced."

He started to toll on and on, after he pulled out a list, "First off, your rations are to be upgraded from the lumber soup and water to oatmeal and carrot juice." He droned on as a few ponies started to look hopeful as he started actually listing some better living conditions, "Bedding is actually going to be given, it may not be particularly comfortable but the prior princesses royal pillows are to be given to those too elderly or sick to work, and the fabrics of all the castle are to be torn down and remade into blankets."

The ponies were starting to look even more hopeful and he continued on, "Next up on the list, the heavy chains of your imprisonment are to be released on all law abiding ponies, and cruel punishments such as that to be only delivered upon law breaking citizens, keep in mind I still expect you to work as hard as you were, but mandatory breaks over the course of the day have been increased from one minute every two hours to ten times the amount with water and other supplies to be offered to maintain stamina." The guards began releasing the various ponies of their bonds, the heavy clatter of chains hitting the floor before being collected in carts that were passing by.

"Where's the Crystal Heart?!" one pony shouted out, interrupting him.

Sombra paused, and for a second I thought the brief flicker of a grimace, "It has been removed by me and hidden away in order to prevent its use against the very ponies who lived here. There are stronger forces than I, and while the Princess still lives, it is connected to her as a dangerous weapon. To that end we have hidden it away until she has passed of natural causes."

"Kill her!" the crowd clamored and he continued to stare impassively, merely replying as if looking down on a swarm of cockroaches, "That would lower you to her level. Never let her lower you to. Her. Level." he said the last two words with emphasis, and the crowd dissolved into angry murmurs.

"Now as I was saying." He continued, "Until she has passed of natural causes-"

"What if the Windigos return!?" one of the ponies shouted.

He sighed visibly, before resuming his loud voice, "The Windigos are dead, we killed the last one we sighted near twenty years ago. As long as you maintain your unity, the windigos should not return." He spoke as if he was talking to a bunch of aggressive foals before returning to his monotone, "Now if you're done interrupting your new prince-"

"You're the new leader?" One of the ponies shouted, "You're no Crystal Princess."

I could of sworn I saw his eye twitch in annoyance, "The male equivalent of a Princess is a Prince."

"There has never been a Crystal Prince before!" another mare shouted.

He snapped, shadows erupted up behind him as he showed anger, "Thats because you've only had one ruler, who happened to be female since this place was FOUNDED!" Ponies screamed and ran away into the various in construction buildings and zones that weren't really fit for living but could serve as a place to hide.

I could feel my host deadpan, "Smooth move Clever Cookie ... I feel like a gossip mare in hind sight about that anger management of yours." My host snorted and rolled his eyes before resuming to pay attention as Sombra wiped a hoof over his face and regained control of his anger.

He rose his voice so the fleeing ponies could hear him, "The list of changes will be copied onto more scrolls and pasted onto the pillars of the tower for viewing upon your convenience." Without much more words Sombra he turned and slammed the door shut behind him as he re-entered the castle, and the memory orb ended. Okay, so maybe there was more to this story than I thought.

"Anything good?" Pumpkin asked as I exited my latest memory orb, "Not much in the term of the artifacts location..." I said somewhat woozily, it was still very strange being an actual pony rather than myself or myself disguised as one. Ugh that fur just felt weird. Let alone being a stallion instead of a mare. With a mare it was more familiar towards my own identity, but with a stallion it was completely alien.

That answer had been enough for Pumpkin however, and she turned back to tinkering on some of her pyrotechnical devices as I mulled over the two speeches. It seemed that with Shining Armor he had a lot more approval from prior action and having this Princess Cadence as their 'princess of Love' to benefit from his discussion. In a way their speeches were similar yet completely different. Shining's speech had been filled with a lot of emotion and expression, while Sombras was more straight to the point. Though I couldn't adequately judge Sombras since it was ended before it could even really get going from all the ponies shouting questions at him.

I was lead to believe that they hadn't quite trusted Sombra, but then again the mood lighting of the strangely colored sky, and the very evil looking braziers as well as him being a creepy shadow-smoke pony probably had stretched their limit of trust. But then again being a shadow pony wasn't necessarily scary. After all, I thought I was very not scary. Right?

"I'm not scary am I?" I asked Pumpkin.

She gave me a look, and then went back to tinkering.

"Am I?!" I asked again, a bit more frantic

She chuckled but didn't give me an answer.

I grew very visibly upset and spent the rest of the night glaring at her from the hole inside my sleeping bag. Occasionally buzzing my wings like an annoyed bee at her at random intervals until I fell asleep...

Update: All mentions of the name Bramos from this point on has been changed to Sombra unless otherwise noted.

Xp Footnote: 35% until level up

The first memory orb was inspired heavily in part by the speech of Charles Lindbergh's 'This is not our fight' speech who was a primary advocate against the second world war as an anti-war person.