After outsmarting the tyrannical golem pony King Tezel out in the Castle in the Sand, Raisin made a critical choice in her most dire time. Torn between using a cursed weapon that she was promised would defeat Tezel and removing the Adanemzurai from her back that would freeze her in place, Raisin made the order to her controlled Pegasus, Rainbow Dash, to put the Adanemzurai into Tezel’s Crown. Upon joining the two cursed artifacts together, Raisin lost consciousness and awoke to the loving embrace of her parents. After a long and perilous quest that cost her mortal, living body, she had defeated the evil king.
The two Royal Princesses awarded Raisin’s incredibly brave actions with a prestigious Royal Medallion. All of the unicorns that had constructed Titanio stand before her now, owing their very lives to her steadfast deeds and stubborn spirit.
As the Princesses gently bow their heads, the Royal Medallion they've awarded you clinks against your stony chest. It makes a beautiful chiming sound. You try to remember everything that's happened so far; one minute, you were in the Castle in the Sand, the next, Canterlot. You panic a little bit. Something precious of yours was inside that cursed box...
"Wait... hold on. Where's Hayseed?"
Celestia and Twilight both look confused. Twilight rolls her eyes. "Uh... Hayseed... Hayseed...?"
Luna speaks up. "Your doll?"
"Yes! Yes, Hayseed! Where is she?"
The lunar princess looks around for a moment. "...she's probably still inside the Adanemzurai."
You rub your stony hoof against your head for a moment. You see some dust float in the air as it grinds off your granite skin.
"What all happened, anyways? I blacked out after the Adanemzurai was plugged into the crown... where did it go? Where's Tezel?"
Celestia steps forward to answer. Her expression is very soft and calm. "The Crown and the Adanemzurai are safe. All of the cursed artifacts from the Castle in the Sand have been put into the Canterlot Royal Archives where they can be kept under close watch." She turns to look outside of the window. "As for Tezel..." She nods to the window.
Looking outside, you see the royal gardens. You're not close enough to the window to see beyond the balcony.
"Please... Princess Celestia, Princess Luna... I need to get her back. Can we retrieve her from the box?" You do your best to make a convincing set of filly eyes, though without the tears, your not quite sure how it looks.
You hear a couple of the unicorns in the audience 'aww' and comment about how cute you are. Your dad gives Celestia a look through his bleary eyes. "It's the least you could do. She loves her doll."
Your mom chimes in. "Please... she cherishes her so much... she's had her since she was a baby..."
Celestia looks over her subjects as they stare back expectantly. She closes her eyes and nods. "Alright. We shall investigate the box with the help of Archæus. We should be able to figure out a way to open it."
She turns to address the room. "Everyone, please, enjoy yourselves. Our Hero will return momentarily."
Celestia starts making her way to the doors as a small party commences. "This way." She motions to you and your parents.
As you begin following Princess Celestia, an odd urge overwhelms you to look around for maids in the hallways. Looking down each corridor as you pass them, your sudden, weird compulsion produces no positives sightings on any maids.
"Aww..." You mutter as you approach the Archive Vault doors.
Archæus sits at a desk out front. He's got a new pair of glasses on as he seems to read over a stack of papers. Celestia addresses him calmly. "Archæus, can you open the vault doors for us?"
The cranky old pony gets flustered for a moment, then realizes who gave the order. A very soft, cheery expression overwhelms him. "Oh, if it isn't my most wonderful Princess Celestia! Of course, it would be my pleasure!"
"Nice glasses, gramps. They new?" You grin from ear to ear, a few flecks of stone cracking off as you can barely keep in a bout of chuckles.
Archæus gives you a warm smile. "Oh! Our most wonderful little hero! Indeed, my glasses are very new! Some nasty little fillies broke my old ones yesterday... darn kids..."
He hobbles out of his chair and touches his horn to the door. In a flash of light, it begins to stir and open. Several very large tumbler locks spin on the outside as a complicated set of pictures align. You hear air get sucked into the room before the two giant doors slowly swing open.
You and Celestia carefully make your way into the vault, your parents close behind. "This is incredible... almost nopony ever gets to see the inside of this place..." Your dad searches around the vast chamber, taking in all the sparkling sights.
"Don't touch anything. Most of the items you see in here are very dangerous. Any one of them could unleash a catastrophe." Princess Celestia looks back over her shoulder.
"Understood, Princess." You dad pulls in a bit tighter, closer to your mom.
Before you lies a giant crown on an altar... The Adanemzurai is sticking out of it. It rests peacefully. Beside it is a stack of treasure that you remember seeing inside of the Castle in the Sand.
Celestia looks at you with concern. "Hayseed... your doll... if I understood my sister correctly... is trapped in there." She points towards the Adanemzurai. "I'm sorry, but I do not know how to get her out of there. If it's any consolation, you'll always know where to find her; she'll be safe here in the Archives."
"Princess... we have to try... please?" You give her another set of your biggest, saddest eyes your little golem face can muster. "Did anypony try to open it after it was brought back?"
The Princess looks down at you. "Princess Luna personally oversaw the procurement of all of the artifacts from the Castle in the Sand after Pinkie brought you back to Ponyville." She looks a bit more stern. "Nopony has touched the Adanemzurai."
"Do you think we could try opening it? I can't leave her in there forever..."
After a few moments of hesitation and staring at your big granite eyes, Celestia leans down. "I'll try. You and your parents need to stand back."
You gather your parents and take a few steps back. With a brilliant glow of golden light, Celestia's horn bursts with a stream of magic. The Adanemzurai quivers in place, then suddenly dislodges from the crown. She pulls her head back, letting the box slide on the cold floor.
The ting of the golden box echoes throughout the large chamber. Celestia looks about but keeps her distance from the box before turning to look at you. "It came free... but I could not open it."
You peek around the Princess' long legs to look at... Her... again. Something about the box begins to breathe a feeling of joy into you again, like a fire burning up a tall tree. Your love for Her begins to return...
"Princess... there must be a way to open it. I can't get anywhere near it..."
Celestia picks the box up off of the floor, watching as your eyes follow it back up. She closes her eyes in sorrow. "As long as your doll is inside this box... it seems that its curse still hangs over you." She holds it at a distance. "Until we find a way, the Adanemzurai... and your doll.. must remain here."
She plugs the Adanemzurai into the crown once again. You feel the pull from the box die almost immediately. You shake your head as the only feeling you've had since you awoke leaves you.
You watch as Celestia's magic releases the Adanemzurai from her influence. The Princess turns to you, then starts heading out of the room. "We'll find a way to release you and her, one day..."
"Stop! Wait!"
The Princess stops. Your parents sit by your sides. "Hold on... I think I know a way to open the box safely. There were pedestals inside the Castle that Tezel used to open it..."
"The Castle was stripped bare by Luna and the guards. Everything that was once there is now in here. Artifacts like the ones you found and interacted with are far too dangerous to leave unchecked."
You look around, noticing that the huge mountain of cursed artifacts you saw in the treasure room are all arranged neatly by the Crown and Adanemzurai. There's a few artifacts that you've never seen before.
"...Princess... Hayseed is one of the most beautiful, lovely, soft, wonderful dolls in all of Equestria... I can't leave her hanging."
Princess Celestia smiles. "I'm sure she is, Raisin. We won't let anything happen to her while she's staying here at that Castle."
As you see the Princess gesturing you out of the vault, you stop her once again. "Hold on... that stand, over there... the evil looking one."
Princess Celestia comes back. "Yes, Raisin?"
"What's the top look like? That might be one of the pedestals that opens up the box safely."
Celestia smiles again. "You're quite determined to help your little friend, aren't you?" She approaches the stand with some caution. "Let's see... the top looks like it has a set of horns coming up out of the base, like they're supposed to hold something." She continues looking it over. "There's a few holes in the bottom of the stand..." She gasps. "Wait a moment... how did the bottom of the Adanemzurai look?"
"Oh! Oh! It had holes in it!" Your hooves make a very loud, heavy impact with each excited hop you perform. You can hear the polished tiles under you crack.
"...and yes... there's one single protrusion in the very center. This could be it, Raisin... well done!" She charges her horn once more. "Mr. and Mrs. Raisin... make sure your daughter doesn't move while we try this."
Your mom and dad put their hooves over your back and give you a nod. "You really love that doll, don't ya grapefruit?"
With another quick jitter, the Adanemzurai pops off the crown with relative ease. Suddenly, you feel warm again, like the box itself is the only radiant warmth in the whole world. An overwhelming urge tempts your approach, but you resist. Your parents keep you held close as the Golden Box hovers into position.
Celestia stands back as the box engages with the golden stand. She spins it around so that the horns align with two grooves on either side of the box. It grinds into place, resting on the stand with a firm clink.
Suddenly... the box opens.
Little Hayseed sits comfortably inside the box with her hat on. She looks like she's been kept safe and sound. Carefully, Celestia lifts the little doll out of the box. As she does, you feel coldness return to your stony form. It saddens you a little, but seeing your precious redheaded doll emerge from the Adanemzurai fills your mind with hope.
"Celestia... fancy meeting you all the way out here..." A familiar voice echoes from the stand. "Taking my avatar, I see."
"Princess! Shut it! Shut it!" You shout as you hear Adanemzurai address Her Royal Highness. Celestia doesn't seem too bothered by the stand.
"Former Queen Adanemzurai. Welcome to the Canterlot Archives."
You see the box immediately slam shut by no means of Celestia's magic. The voice emanates again. "Canterlot... Archives? Where am I?"
Suddenly, a ghostly unicorn mare's face appears. She looks amazingly beautiful; her mane flows and billows like clouds, but you can see a certain resentment and scorn in her eyes. She looks over to you. "So... you're Raisin..." She gets a confused, menacing smirk. "I was certain you were older..."
The room falls silent as the ghostly visage looks you over. "We could have been the queen, you know... of Equestria."
Celestia speaks with a formal tone to her voice. "Adanemzurai, for the evils you've committed in Equestria, against my subjects, against your own subjects, and against the very one you called your husband, I see no reason why I shouldn't leave you in your cursed little prison."
The ghostly face looks back to the Princess. "You can put me anywhere you like. As long as my dumb husband's stony soldier walks thi-"
"The one called Tezel has been freed of the Crown." Celestia interrupts.
The pale ghostlike eyes widen, then flutter a moment. "Is that so?" The eyes look over towards the Crown sitting upon the altar. She looks like she's gritting her teeth. "Alright then... so... he's down as well." She looks incredibly angry.
Suddenly, you see the horns on the altar wrap around the top of the box, trapping it in place. "Well, then... I can assure you I'll be staying right here. As long as the artifacts are separated, there w-"
"-ill never be a chance that you will ever spread your evil throughout my kingdom ever again." Celestia looks her down.
The ghostly face glowers at her, then looks towards you.
"Hey, um, you wouldn't happen to know the cure for my, um, condition?"
Adanemzurai's brows furrow. "I cannot nor will I ever change you back. For the rest of your days until the sun itself dies, you will walk this world as an abomination and a monster."
Your dad steps up. "You tell us how to change her back or I'll find a way to melt your precious little prison down into fillings."
"Foolish mortal. I cannot be destroyed. How many do you think have tried to free me from this prison?" She shakes her head. "I share the same fate as your daughter."
Celestia turns her back towards the Queen and hands you Hayseed. She rests your doll safely upon your back. "Come, my honored guests. Let us return to the celebration."
"I will return... I will. And when I do... I will crush you. All of you..." Adanemzurai's ghostly face hangs in the air as you watch the doors shut tight. She casts you a cruel smile as they latch into place.
Fearing that you won't be able to feel the softness of Hayseed's mane or see the wonderful memories she instills in you, you grasp your little doll tight in your hooves. You fall behind Celestia and your parents as they walk on ahead. You feel nothing but the chill of your lifeless body.
...
A little spark kicks off inside you. It feels like a soft sunny light emanating from where your heart used to be. It feels... warm.
"Awww..." Your mom walks over and nuzzles your cheek. Even though your stone face is rough against hers, you love being close to her. "Come on! All of your friends should be arriving any minute... you know, the ones that always get you into these kinds of things?" She winks and puts a hoof around your shoulder, walking with you back up to the celebration hall.
As you reenter the room, you see the entire party of unicorns stamp their hooves wildly, welcoming you back. Suddenly, three fillies flock around you and start squealing with joy.
"Raisin! You're alive!" They all shout in unison. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom wrap their hooves around you in a big group hug. "We thought we lost you!"
You get lost in the party for a little while. Most of the unicorns dance and drink punch with the others, remarking about their last memories before they woke up at the Castle in the Sand. You let your friends mess with you a bit; Scootaloo attempts to pick you up, unsuccessfully. Applebloom keeps bopping you, seeing if you can feel anything. Sweetie Belle keeps asking you a bunch of questions about what it's like to a be a rock...
After some more fun and games, your eyes catch Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia talking out on the balcony outside. Twilight was staring back at you, but directs her eyes back towards the horizon.
As you glance over at Twilight and Princess Celestia, you suddenly imagine Twilight in a maid's uniform. You perish the oddball thought, but it prompts you to scan the room for maids.
To your disappointment, it doesn't seem like the normal castle staff was invited to attend the celebration. There are a bunch of servers wandering about, but no maids.
"Wait... why am I even thinking about...?"
You duck out of the main party. Dodging a sea of legs, you maneuver your way towards the balcony. When you get outside in the open air, you flex your chest as if pulling in a breath, but you haven't needed to breathe in quite some time. You cannot feel the air around you.
You sit down, holding Hayseed in your forelegs. You stay just out of view, trying to get a listen for what they're saying. The only words you hear are 'permanent' and 'Zecora'. Twilight looks a bit upset, but finishes the conversation. "I'll do everything I can, Princess. You can count on me."
While the Princess stays, Twilight turns to see you. She draws in a quick breath, then approaches. "Hi Raisin... I didn't see you come out here. You're so... quiet!" She smiles, then sits down next to you.
The two of you stare out over the horizon before she speaks again. "Raisin... I know you've been through a lot in the past few days... and you've discovered an incredible, amazing talent deep within you. As long as we never give up hope, there's always a way to overcome our problems..." She taps on your hoof gently. "...even this one."
"Is Rainbow Dash mad at me?"
Twilight doesn't answer for a moment. "Oh.. um... no, she's not mad at you... after all, you were telling the truth the whole time. She doesn't have any reason to be upset with you."
"What about the guards? Are they mad at me?"
Again, Twilight hesitates. "The guards.. uh... well, most of them are alright with..." She stops stammering, then just pulls you in tighter. "Let's not think about them right now."
You're immediately concerned. You remember how you swatted nearly half of the Pegasus Guard legion out of the sky with Kelthrax's wing against your will.
"Twilight... please tell me they're all okay..."
She nods. "Yes, they're all... okay... they're just a teeeeensy-tiny bit... well, upset. With you."
You breathe a sigh of relief. "Okay, that's fine. I wanted to make sure this was a no-death run."
Twilight doesn't respond to your last comment. She just looks out toward the horizon with you once more.
You stop to wonder about Twilight's own predicament with the bad luck curse she had placed on her from Cilepharus' journal.
"Twilight... remember when you opened Cilepharus' journal and got tha-"
She immediately covers your mouth. "Fixed it, don't say anything, it's perfectly fine!" She sounds a little nervous about the subject.
"If you say so..."
You stare out into the distance a bit longer, Twilight starting to get a little tired under your weight. You speak once more. "Twilight... I was thinking about my mom and dad..."
"What were you thinking about, Raisin?"
"Do you think Celestia could hook them up with a business deal in Canterlot? Our grapes are amazing... I think everypony would love them up here..."
"I'll... see what I can do! I'll put in a good word for your parents' vineyard." Twilight feels like she's getting a bit shaky.
As the mare starts to give way under you but is far too kind to say anything, you lean up on your hooves again. She breathes a sigh of relief before you ask her another question.
"Is there a cure to this?" You hold up a hoof.
She looks off to the left, then meets your eyes. "I'm sure there's a cure out there somewhere. If magic did this, magic can undo this."
"Do you think Zecora can help?"
"She's helped me anytime I've gotten in a jam. I'm sure she can find a way to help you too. Together, we'll come up with something." She gives you a hug. "Don't worry, everything will be okay."
Celestia starts to make her approach. "Oh, Twilight, Raisin! Do make your way inside; there's still plenty of celebrating to do!"
Twilight hops up. "Come on, I'm sure your friends are all wondering where you went off to."
"Well, Twilight, if there's anything I've learned after all this, it's that you should never take your body for GRANITE!"
You laugh out loud and try to put a chipper smile on your face. The mare stares at you for a few moments as your laughter fades away. Suddenly, she starts giggling. "Oh, granted, granite!" She busts
As you head back in, you mumble under your breathe, "I swear I'm going to chisel out a Cutie Mark myself if I have to. I've earned it by now..."
The lively party music fills the air once more. Again, a couple of unicorns by the balcony stamp their hooves as you make your way back in. "Hey, there she is!" They all look incredibly happy to see you again.
You swing back into the main room, looking for your friends. When you meet up with them again, they treat you just as if you weren't made of stone at all. The celebration continues on for a few hours until a large group of chariots pulls up to the main airdocks. You notice some of the guests already heading back out to their hometowns, eager to meet up with their families again.
THE END