Chapters It was a warm and beautifully sunny day as the radiant sun beamed its rich, life-giving rays down upon Ponyville. The sky was a deep aqua blue with the occasional group of white clouds floating aimlessly across the horizon, all gently being guided by the summer breeze that caressed the land below. It was a perfect day for anypony to be outside.
"So, what do you think?" asked Twilight, as she sat patiently on her picnic blanket just outside her tree house awaiting her sister's response with an eager but excited look on her face.
Cadence took a moment to savor the exotic and strange flavor of the tea, smacking her lips together ever so slightly.
"Wow, this is delightful Twilight!" she responded, with a slight look of shock mixed with pleasant surprise on her face. "You made this yourself?" she questioned as she levitated her cup with a pink magical aura to take another sip.
"This recipe isn't my own, it's quite a rare one in fact." Twilight paused for a moment as she refilled her own cup.
"Zecora taught me it the other day through one of her old dusty recipe books. I actually happened to stumble across it buried underneath a pile of old scrolls while digging through her library.. with her permission of course." twilight added with a small chuckle.
"Well Twilight, I have never had tea quite like this before." she said as she levitated the cup back up to her nose, pausing for a brief moment to breathe in the exotic scent before continuing.
"I have had my fair share of experience with herbs over the years, especially those with medicine, but the scent of this one is unfamiliar.." she finished, taking another sip as she pondered the strange aroma.
"Zecora and I actually hoof-picked all of these herbal ingredients deep within the Everfree Forest believe it or not." Twilight said as she recalled to herself how difficult it was to decipher which was a herb and which was a crazy plant that wouldn't hesitate to bite your hoof off in a heartbeat.
"Some of these herbs I have never seen before until Zecora showed them to me, which is probably why you don't recognize the scent. On second thought, you won't recognize a lot of things when your in a place like that!" Twilight said with a light-hearted laugh.
"Ahem.. ONLY you and Zecora?" spike interrupted as he glanced over at twilight with arms crossed, tapping his foot gently on the ground as he recalled the nasty side-effects he went through when he accidentally touched the strange blue flowers that one time.
Twilight could not help but crack a smile at his cute display as she playfully rolled her eyes. "And Spike helped too." she finished, as she looked back down at her pet dragon who was now beaming with a sense of accomplishment.
This cute exchange suddenly reminded Cadence of what it might be like to be a parent. Technically Spike was adopted but that doesn't take away the strong motherly bond that resided deep within Twilight's heart for her pet dragon. She could not help but begin to think about her own future.. a future family with Shining Armor.
"It's always nice to see you two getting along so well." Cadence spoke up, as she glanced over to Spike with a smile on her face. "Spike, I remember when you were just a baby dragon" she said as she reached over and gently squeezed his cheeks together in a playful manner. "You have grown up so fast!"
"He still is a baby, aren't you Spikey Wikey?" Twilight added with an evil grin.
Her last comment caught Spike off guard causing him to suddenly jump backwards.
"I am NOT a baby Twilight! I mean as a dragon technically yes.. but.. but I age a lot slower than others!" Spike said, burning with embarrassment. Twilight and Cadence only laughed lightly to each other over his reaction.
"It's not funny you guys!" Spike retorted, clearly irritated now.
"Relax Spike, I was only kidding. If you were a baby then do you really think I could trust you with all of those grown up responsibilities? Like.. writing the letters to the princess.. or organizing the library.. or pet-sitting for Fluttershy.. or even going on 'dangerous' adventures with me?" Twilight said in a reassuring tone.
"Shes right Spike, remember when you were the one who helped us save the crystal empire? Without your help I would have never gotten to the crystal heart in time.. and I am truly grateful for that, little one." Cadence finished as she pecked a friendly kiss on the baby dragon's cheek.
Spike was rendered speechless as he fell backwards, paralyzed from her kind gesture as his heart began to race a mile a minute.
"Is he OK?" Cadence asked Twilight with a confused look on her face.
"He always does that, just ask Rarity." Twilight responded, laughing at the situation.
Cadence took a quick glance up at the sun. Judging by it's angle towards the horizon she could estimate it was roughly around four o'clock, just early enough to be able to fly back to Canterlot before night fall. She averted her gaze away from the sky and glanced back over to Twilight who was still watching her.
"Don't let me keep you any longer Cadence, you need to be able to make it back to Canterlot in time.." Twilight paused for a moment with a sad look on her face, but quickly shook it off.
"It was really nice to see you again." Twilight finished as she wrapped her arms around her sister in law with a loving embrace.
"It is always a pleasure to see you as well Twilight." she responded, returning the gesture with a firm hug of her own. Their hearts grew heavy with sadness but they both knew it was only a temporary feeling of departure, they would eventually get to see each other again.
"I will try to see you more often okay Twilight?" she said as she gently brushed away a forming tear in her sister's eye. "I will bring your idiotic brother next time too." she added with a chuckle. Twilight could only laugh at that last comment as her sadness quickly left her.
"Sounds great Cadence, I will definitely be looking forward to it" Twilight responded, happiness now gleaming in her eyes as they finally broke away from each other's embrace.
Just as Cadence was about to take flight, she paused as a question suddenly crossed her mind.
"Before I leave Twilight, I have a question for you if you don't mind me asking." she said, now turning back around to face her.
"Sure, anything Cadence, what is it?" she responded.
"Zecora's herbal book you mentioned.. I would like to study it for medicinal purposes. Do you think she would let me borrow it?" she asked.
"Absolutely! Especially for a cause like that. I'm sure she would be more than happy to lend it to you Cadence."
"Excellent! I will head over there tomorrow to pick it up then.. err" she suddenly cut herself off, forcing herself to avert her gaze from Twilight in anticipation of her dumb question that she was about to ask.
"Umm.. Where exactly does she live in the Everfree Forest again?" she asked in a slightly nervous tone while rubbing her hoof behind her head. Twilight lightly chuckled to herself at her sister's question.
"Well it's a little hard to explain.. but I'll tell you what Cadence, why not take Spike with you?" Twilight asked. "He knows the way around the Everfree Forest like the back of my hoof!." she finished, with her hoof raised in the air.
"What?! I can't.. I mean, you see.. well I.." She was struggling to find an excuse as Twilight cut her off before she could finish.
"Before you make your decision just hear me out. I will be in Manehattan for the next four days to help out Rarity in her upcoming clothing line. It wouldn't be until close to a week before I arrive back in Ponyville to be able to take you there myself.."
"Well, what about your other friends Twilight? They must know where Zecora lives right? I'm pretty sure they have journeyed through the Everfree Forest alongside you more than once." Cadence added.
"Well.." Twilight continued
"You see.. Spike has been coped up in this house for quite awhile now. He really needs someone to bond with other than myself, and who better to bond with than the best foal-sitter i know! And Besides.." Twilight continued. "I've noticed hes taken quite a liking to you, I think you guys would have an amazing time together!" she exclaimed.
Cadence realized that her sister really was sincere about this idea and to let Twilight down was the last thing she wanted to do. The more she thought about it, the more appealing it began to sound. After a quick moment's pause, she exhaled a sigh of defeat.
"Alright Twilight, I will take Spike with me."
"Oh thank you thank you, THANK you!" Twilight gleefully exclaimed, throwing her arms back around Cadence. "This is a great thing you are doing for Spike! If you ever get too caught up in your royal duties, just remember, you can always drop him off at Fluttershy's if you have to. I'll let her know in advance in case you two decide to swing by." she finished, now with a big smile on her face.
"Okay Twilight, I will keep that in mind." Cadence said returning a smile as she gently broke away from her hug.
"Did you hear that Spike? Aren't you excited!" Twilight said in excitement as she turned around to face the baby dragon.
"Um, Spike?" Twilight questioned. Somehow he was still lying on the ground, completely oblivious to what was going on around him.
"SPIKE!" she shouted, snapping him out of whatever trance he was in.
"IT WASN'T ME! Err... Yes Twilight?" Spike responded, shaking the daze out of his head as he stood up quickly at attention.
Twilight and Cadence both looked at each other for a moment before focusing their attention back to the baby dragon.
"Spike, you're going to spend the next week with my sister Cadence. She needs help navigating the Everfree Forest tomorrow so I expect you to be on your best behavior, understand?" Twilight asked with a raised brow.
"A whole week? With royalty? With.. with Cadence?!" Spike was clearly nervous. "But won't I get in the way Twilight?"
"Please do not worry Spike. You won't get in the way at all. In fact.. I want you to come with me." Cadence reassured him, gently nudging him with her nose.
"Do.. do you really mean that Cadence?" He paused for a second. " I.. I will be the best assistant that I can!" he said proudly.
"Good, now run along you two. You don't want to be traveling when the sun's down.. especially with all the spooooky ghosts." Twilight said in a ghostly tone tying to scare spike.
"Hah! I'm not afraid, not with Cadence here! She'l protect me no matter what!" Spike said in a assured tone as he looked over at the other princess with a nervous look. "R..Right Cadence?" he said shakily, his confidence wavering the more he thought about those ghosts.
"Ghosts?... Twilight, why must you scare the poor dragon with such silly stories." Cadence questioned with a raised brow, clearly seeing that spike was struggling with this issue.
"It's not my fault Cadence, Spike just really loves to read those kind of books in my Library." She responded as she paused to think about her answer for a few seconds. "Well, maybe it is my fault to a degree.. but who doesn't love a good ghost story at night every now and then!" she said, politely defending herself.
Cadence walked over to spike and draped her wing over his body in a protective gesture. "I am a master at protective spells Spike. Whatever monster that comes our way, it will have to go through me first. Nothing is going to harm you.. not even those pesky ghosts you keep hearing about." she reassured him in a confident tone.
"Those ghosts sure can be pesky, eheheh.." Twilight laughed nervously, knowing she may have contributed a little more than she had realized to Spike's problem.
"Alright my new and faithful assistant Spike, hop on!" Cadence said as she lowered her body to the ground. Spike did just that as he climbed on top of her with ease. "I'm ready when you are Cadence!" Spike responded excitedly, eager to partake on the new adventure that awaited him.
"Stay safe Spike" Twilight said in a worried tone, but deep inside she knew that her baby dragon was in good hands.
"Don't worry Twilight, I'll be fine." he reassured her. Cadence spread her beautiful wings, giving them a few test flaps in the process. They were a vibrant pink, lightly accented with a gentle violet shade.
"Don't forget to hang on tight Spike, I don't want to have to bust out an aerial maneuver to catch you if you fall." She jokingly added.
"Not to worry! When your used to hanging on for your dear life to a flyer like Twilight, hanging on to anything else will be a breeze!" He responded, shooting a devilish grin towards Twilight.
Twilight paused for a moment from that last comment, catching her slightly off guard. "Touche.." she said, glaring angrily back at her dragon.
Cadence laughed at their exchange before propelling herself off the ground with a powerful flap of her wings, sending a light gust of air into Twilight.
"Goodluck in Manehattan Twilight!" Spike shouted as his voice trailed off into the distance.
Cadence, along with her new teammate Spike, venture off into the distance towards the mighty city of Canterlot. Unbeknownst to them, their greatest challenge is yet to come.
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The night was calm as Princess Luna rose the majestic moon into the sky. Stars were now shimmering throughout the midnight atmosphere, the air was cool, it was a very tranquil night as the Everfree Forest lay just below, sleeping soundlessly. Deep in the forest lied an old beaten down shack nestled safely in the shrubbery of dense trees and exotic plants. Very few knew about this place as it was once a vendor for powerful potions made by using ingredients from the forest nearly centuries ago. Over time, natural causes had worn down this once proud structure to what it is today, a crumbled badly damaged heap of mess. It would seem vacant to anypony at first glance, however that was not the case this night..
"Do not worry my little Kainen, Mommy is here for you.." the changeling mother said in a gentle, comforting tone as she held her baby in close with a loving embrace.
She took a moment to scan the room they were in. The wooden walls were badly damaged as you could clearly see outside through the many punctured holes. Dusty old furniture was stacked in random places along the walls. Crumbled piles of debris lay scattered throughout the house, making it difficult to walk in certain areas. This was not an ideal place to call their home but they had no choice, they were forced to live here.. hiding in solitude in fear for their lives.
"I just don't understand.." she softly spoke to herself. "Why must they hunt us, why must they try to kill us in cold blood?"
She was now cradling her baby in her arms, observing Kainen's cute features. His tiny white fangs, his fragile blue opaque wings, his dark scaly skin, his cute deep blue eyes. He was precious to her as she gave him a loving nudge with her nose ever so gently.
"We do not all serve Queen Chrysalis.. why can't they just understand?"
A tear formed in her eye as that painful memory of the past came flooding back into her mind ever so vividly. Their old home had just recently been attacked by a organized fleet of stallions from the Royal Guard. She remembers how she fled the scene with her child in panic as her mate stayed behind to fight off the guards in order to give them just enough time to escape.
"Just like you said.. if anything bad happens, that I will meet you here my love.."
They both knew of this hideout, however she began to fear the worst for her mate as he had not returned in over a week. Each and every day without him continued to eat away at her. Thinking about the memory again suddenly filled her with hurt as anger and hatred now burned bright in the changling mother's heart.
"Those equine scum!" she hissed loudly, accidentally scaring her baby in the process causing him to become upset.
"Shh.. shh.. don't cry little one, mommy is sorry." she said as she lightly draped him over her shoulder, gently patting his back. She waited a few moments for him to calm down as she glanced back toward the doorway with an eager look as if her mate would walk through at any second.
"One of these days Kainen.. you will make a name for us changelings." she said, speaking faith into her newborn child. "You will never have to experience the life that your father and I have so painfully struggled through."
She walked over to her baby's basket sitting on a dusty old table near the corner of the room. It was a makeshift basket, made out of sticks twined together with the strong vines of the forest. The bottom of the basket was covered with moss to add a gentle cushion.
"You will be the one my son.." she said as she gently placed him inside his cradle. "You will be the one to end this war.. to unite us all.. I can feel it in my heart." she finished, planting another gentle kiss on his tiny nose.
A few hours passed by as fatigue slowly began to catch up to her.
"I probably shouldn't stay up so late.. but it's just so hard to sleep with all these worries on my mind." she said as she walked back over to check on her baby. He was sound asleep as his gentle breathing was just barely audible. She watched him for a moment as he slept.
"Oh how you resemble your father so strongly Kainen.." She averted her gaze away from her child and glanced out the window towards the moon. "How I miss him.." she finished as tears began forming in her eyes. She looked back over to her son one final time.
"Sleep tight my little changeling, you will need it for tomorrow." she finished as she walked over to her makeshift bed and forced herself to go to sleep.
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End of Chapter 1...
Proceed to the next chapter...
The Nightmare, The Murder
The dawn was breaking as the sun began to peek its head over the horizon, painting its beautiful array of colors into the morning sky.
"She is beautiful Shining.. I am so proud that we are finally parents.." Cadence said with a warm smile as she gently rested her head on his chest. The two of them quietly embraced each other in the hospital while watching their innocent newborn foal peacefully sleep in front of them, snugly wrapped in a cute baby blanket.
"She IS beautiful.." Shining Armor said, pausing for a moment as he glanced over to Cadence. "..just like her mother" he finished as he gently placed a kiss on her cheek.
Cadence blushed at his compliment. She felt so lucky to have such a strong and caring Stallion by her side. He knew all her strengths, all her weaknesses. No matter what happened, he always managed to be there for her, he always knew just what to say when she felt down. He completely knew her inside and out as well as the secrets to her heart..
"I love you Shining.." she said with a tear of happiness rolling down her cheek as she looked directly into his eyes.
Shining gently looked back into hers while displaying a comforting smile on his face as he softly responded. "I will never leave you Cadence.. remember that."
She closed her eyes for a moment as she soaked in his loving words. A moment of silence passed as she gave him a few loving nudges with her cheek as she simply enjoyed his heart-warming presence before finally asking the question that resided in her mind.
"What should we name her?" she questioned as she slowly opened her eyes to view his response but to what she saw completely shocked her. She was alone in a dark room as a sudden feeling of emptiness and panic washed over her body.
"Shining?! Shining where are you!" she called out in distress as she ran out of the unfamiliar space. She arrived to a long, plain white hallway with doors lined up on both sides. She frantically began opening each door, quickly scanning the room for the two of them before moving on to the next.
"Shining?! Where are you! Wheres my baby?!" she called out as adrenalin began surging through her body.
"Moooooooommyyyyyyyyyyy" a soft child-like voice spoke as it echoed off the walls throughout the long corridor. She immediately stopped what she was doing and perked up her ears in attempt to zone in to where the sound was coming from, but the hallway remained silent.
"Shining, please don't do this to me!" she called out as her heart began to wrench in her chest.
"Shining, please!.." she said as she lowered her head to the floor, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "Please.. don't leave me.." she sniffled, no longer able to hold back her emotions as she began to gently sob to herself.
"Cadence... Cadence... Come quickly" a whispering voice spoke out, echoing through the long hallways once more. However, this time she did not recognize who it was.
Without thinking twice, she galloped as fast as she could down the long corridor towards where she thought the sound had come from.
"Cadence... Hurry Cadence..." the mysterious voice said as it grew louder and more hideous the closer she approached.
Suddenly she reached the end of the hallway as there was now a tall black door that towered right in front of her. Having already been slightly cracked open, she could see a feint white light emanating around the doorway giving off a very eerie feeling. She did not know why but she was hesitating to open it as a powerful feeling of anxiety washed over her subconscious. She paused for a moment as she shook the feeling, trying her best to compose herself. She took a deep breath and without further delay, she opened the door and stepped through.
Her vision suddenly flashed white. She rubbed her eyes for a moment, struggling to refocus. Chills began to run down her spine as she observed the scenery around her. There she was, standing all alone in a very dark and eerie graveyard as the sky above her was pitch black. There was no moon, no stars, nothing.. just an empty abyss.
"Where am I?.." she silently said to herself as she slowly and aimlessly walked down the long and beaten path. The trees that surrounded her had no leaves, they were dark and ugly. The branches were growing wildly, gnarled in every direction.
"Cadence.. over here.." said the mysterious voice. She looked over and to her surprise it was Shining Armor, standing in front of a tiny tombstone with his head lowered low to the ground. Without a second thought she galloped up to him, throwing her arms around his neck as a powerful feeling of relief washed over her body. Her anxiety, her sadness, it all faded immediately.
"Shining I have been looking for you frantically! I have been so scared.. I.." was all she could say before being interrupted.
"Cadence.." he said as he faced her. His eyes were extremely irritated and puffy as if he had been crying for quite some time. "Look what lies before you Cadence.." He softly finished as he refocused his gaze back to the tiny tombstone that resided in front of the two of them. She looked down and to what she saw caused her heart to sink in her chest.
"Wha..What..H..How.." was all she could mutter as her worst possible fear had come to life. She could not believe it, she did not want to believe it. The pain of losing a child would drive any mother over the edge even to the extent of killing themselves. The pain she suddenly felt, it was unbearable, worst of all none of this made any sense. She knew that she was a good mother and she also knew that her mate, not only was captain of the Royal Guard, but the most loving, caring stallion she has ever been so lucky to fall in love with. How could any of this have happened?
"Eheheheh.." chuckled Shining. Cadence was in disbelief at what she had just heard come out of his mouth. She looked over at him with disgust burning in her eyes as she raised her hoof and slapped him across the face as hard as she possibly could.
*SMACK!*
Shining's head rocked to the side from the force of the impact, however his demeanor remained unchanged as he turned back to face her with a smile.
"How DARE you Shining! Our child is dead because of our ignorance, and you manage to find humor in this heart-breaking circumstance?!" she fumed. Rage and confusion coursed through her veins as she struggled to remain in control but disbelief in her mates actions began to numb her mind.
"Eheheheheheh" he continued. Cadence's eyes were now wide with shock. She could not believe what was happening. Her true love she thought she knew to the very core was nothing more than a heartless monster. His laugh burned in her mind as she could not bear to hear it any longer.
"STOP IT! STOP IT NOW!" she screamed, slapping him over and over and over again. The laughing remained as she continued her punishment to what felt like an eternity before finally letting up from fatigue. She clenched her eyes shut, tears now freely streaming down her cheeks as she paused for a moment, simply wishing that she could just die.
"What's the matter Princess, upset?" said an all too familiar and vile voice, causing Cadence to glance back up at Shining with even more confusion.
"Why the confused look, don't you recognize who I am?" Shining said as he laughed maniacally to himself, his voice clearly different now.
"No.. It can't be.." Cadence said in disbelief as she took a few steps backwards.
"Yes it can.. ehehahahahaaa!" she laughed, revealing her true form. Cadence stood there speechless, frozen in fear. Now towering before her was the mighty Chrysalis, queen of the changelings.
"How easy it was to trick you my dear.. and now you must suffer through the worst fate of all.." she said as she wiped the blood that trailed from her lip. "The fate of living a life with the loss of your kin AND your love!" she finished, maniacally laughing once again.
Her words suddenly ignited an inner flame deep inside Cadence. Her heart was now filled with rage as the desire to fight back now burned brightly within her soul.
"I am going to make you pay.." Cadence said through her gritted teeth. Her adrenalin was now surging through her body as her legs began to shake with energy. "I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" she screamed as her horn powered up with a bright pink magical aura.
Just as she was about to fire away, Chrysalis took the form of Cadence's baby foal. There she was, lying on the ground, wrapped in her same cute baby blanket. Cadence hesitated as the baby started crying.
"What is this?.." she said as she slowly began to walk up to her with caution. The baby that was now lying before her looked exactly like her cute baby foal that she loved so dearly.. her face.. her voice.. it tugged away at her heart even though she knew it was a trick.
"No.. you will no longer fool me with your vile tricks Chrysalis!" she said as she powered back up her horn. She aimed it directly at the helpless baby as it continued to cry with its sweet innocent voice.
"Mommy?.." the baby said in a gentle tone. It's small cute eyes staring with fear into her own, piercing the very depths of Cadence's heart and soul.
She hesitated once again, struggling to pull the trigger.
"I... I can't do it.." she said in defeat as she powered down her horn for the final time. She stood there in silence with her head lowered in defeat.
"Such a disappointment Cadence.. your love is admirable yet foolish as it blinds you from the truth.. a quality that will cripple you for the rest of your life.." Chrysalis said as she returned back to her normal form. Cadence did not respond as she remained motionless, her eyes clenched shut with sadness and pain. The air was silent only to be interrupted by the soft sobbing that Cadence could no longer hold back.
Chrysalis stood there for a moment taking in a view that was before her. Suddenly, deep within her cold heart she began to feel a hint of compassion towards her.
"I will make this easier on you Cadence.." she said as she began powering up her long jagged dark horn with a powerful green aura. Cadence looked up, she knew what was coming but she decided not to defend herself for she felt there was no longer a reason to fight anymore.
"I will send you to the grave to join your pathetic family!" she yelled as she released a powerful beam of magic straight towards Cadence. She felt the magic hit her as her vision blurred white, however, she felt no pain except for a feeling of numbness that washed over her entire body.
"Cadence... Cadence..." a familiar voice spoke as her body within the dream began to shake back and forth.
"Cadence... Wake up Cadence.."
Suddenly she awoke to Shining Armor in their bed peering over her with an extremely worried look on his face.
"Cadence are you OK?" he asked in a worried tone. "You were crying in your sleep and.." was all he said before being interrupted.
"SHINING!" she exclaimed, with tears shimmering in her eyes as she immediately threw her arms around him, pulling him in close with the hardest hug she could muster.
"It was a dream, it was all just a dream!" she exclaimed with relief as she began to cry.
"Cadence.." he said as he gently broke away from her. He reached out and lightly brushed away the tears that ran down her face before continuing.
"Whatever you were dreaming about.. you do not need to explain it to me" he said in a comforting tone. "I know it was a nightmare and the last thing I want is for you to re-live whatever experience you may of had if you were to tell me." He gently combed her bangs off to the side and lightly planted a kiss on her lips.
"Oh Shining.. I'm just so glad that your still you.." she said with a warm smile as her spirits began to slowly lift from Shining's loving words.
He was slightly confused at this comment but hid it well as he gave her a quick smile in response before glancing out the bedroom window. It was early morning as the sunrise was beautiful outside.
"Stay here Cadence, just relax.. I will go and make you your favorite breakfast, how does that sound my love?" he said, gently nudging her on the nose.
She smiled in response. "That sounds wonderful.." she said as she gently rested her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that everything was still OK.
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*Crack* *Crunch* *Rustle*
The changeling mother shot up from her sleep in high alert, immediately peering over to the front entrance in response to the noise she thought she had heard coming from outside. She remained still for a moment, sitting there in perfect silence, waiting for another sound just to make sure her imagination wasn't getting the better of her.
*Rustle* *Rustle*
Immediately she shout out of bed, racing quickly towards her baby, acting automatically on her mother's natural protective instinct. She took a defensive stance in front of Kainen, her wings spread and teeth bared, waiting to attack the possible intruder without hesitation as she stared menacingly towards the entrance.
*Rustle* *Rustle* *Crack*
"Hey I think I've found something!" said a feint voice. "It looks like an old house of some sort, come check it out Stella!" said the pony as his voice slowly became more audible the closer he approached.
"I'm not sure I want to go in there Cyril, for all we know there are probably some wicked spiders ready to pounce us at any moment!" the mare said as she trailed just behind him.
"Where do you think the entrance is to this dump?" he said as he walked around the side of the beaten down house. The mother could see both their shadows slowly pass by through the punctured holes in the wall, adrenalin now surging through her body from anticipation.
"I don't know Cyril, something doesn't seem right about this place.. maybe we should go."
"Don't be such a filly Stella.. wait, I think I found it!" he said as he approached onto the front porch. They both arrived to the front door, it was pitch black as they struggled to adjust their vision to see what was inside.
"Ladies first" he said, gesturing her to go in.
"I'm not going in first! It was your idea to go to this stupid place anyways" she retorted, clearly firm in her position. "Besides, I thought you were a brave Stallion, not a scared little filly!" she finished.
"Oh shut it Stella, I'm not afraid." he said as he glanced back into the dark room. He hesitated for a moment. He was scared himself but he wanted to be brave for his marefriend. He took in a deep breath and slowly stepped a hoof inside onto the old wooden flooring.
*Creeeeek*
Suddenly the pony was pounced as he flew backwards, landing hard on his back.
"I'll teach you heartless beasts NEVER to mess with the changelings again!" the angry mother fumed as she latched her bite hard onto Cyril's neck, sinking her long fangs deep into his throat. Cyril tried to cry out for help but his attempt was only muffled by a gurgling sound as blood ran down his neck and around her planted teeth.
"CYRIL!" the mare screamed in disbelief and shock. Immediately the pegasus flew off as fast as she could, flapping her wings with all her might in fear for her life as tears ran down her face, dropping down into the forest below.
The mother looked up into the sky at the fleeing pegasus. She thought for a moment if she should chase her but that would leave her baby vulnerable and who knew if there were other ponies still around. She decided against it as she walked back inside towards her baby who was now crying. She quickly wiped off the blood from her mouth using the window drapes that hung on the railing nearby before picking her son up and gently cradling him in her arms.
"I'm.. sorry you had to see that little one." she said as she gently brushed his forehead with her hoof to comfort him. "But nothing is going to take away the last precious thing I have left.." she continued as she gently kissed him on his cheek. "..and mommy will fight to the bitter end just to make sure of that." she finished as she grabbed his basket and walked outside the house.
"We need to leave.." she said as she watched the pegasus retreat way off into the distance. "They will be back.. I know it." she said as she placed her son back into the makeshift basket. She then gripped the basket handle with her teeth and flew off into the distance.
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End of Chapter 2
Proceed to the next chapter...
The royal quarters of the Canterlot Castle remained silent this morning, only to be interrupted by the occasional clanging and clattering of pots and pans that continued to echo down the long hallways, resonating their sound all the way into Cadence's bedroom.
"A bit of this and a bit of that." said Shining as he moved around the kitchen with grace and poise as if he was dancing.
"A cup here and a pinch there." he continued as he dropped some flour and salt into a large cooking bowl. "Now pay attention as I gently pour some water into the bowl WHILE mixing it slow n' steady like so.." Yes, he was imagining himself on the Canterlot cooking channel and maybe he was getting a bit carried away but who hasn't done that in their lifetime once in awhile? Besides, Shining is more of a morning stallion which explains why he is always the first one to get up at the crack of dawn.
"Once the flour is mixed like so, take a baking pan.." He reached down underneath the counter and grabbed a rectangular pan and plopped it onto the counter. "Voila. Now butter the pan because you don't want your bread to be a stickin' mon" he said with a Jamaican accent. He wasn't sure where he got that from but he paid no mind to it as he was too much of on a roll at this point.
"Now fill ze pan with ze dough until it is evenly spread!" He did just that as he scooped and spread the dough evenly in the pan using a spatula that he held very skillfully in his mouth. "Now your oven should already be set to 325°, HOWEVER, if you failed to do that ahead of time then please put down your spatula, gently slap yourself across the face, and then take a seat because now you have to wait another 10 to 15 minutes for the oven to heat in order to continue my friend."
He walked over to the oven, opened the door, and placed his prized creation inside to bake. Before he closed the oven door, he dipped his hoof into the dough for a quick taste test. "Mmm, that is a spicy meat'aball!" he exclaimed as he finally shut the oven door. He was now beaming with a sense of accomplishment as he trotted over to the sink to begin washing the dishes.
*Clatter* *Clatter*
"Nngh.. can't.. sleep.. too.. much.. NOISE!" Spike moaned as he tossed and turned in his bed, holding a pillow firmly around both of his ears.
Cadence laughed lightly to herself. She glanced back out the window as the sky was absolutely beautiful. Yellow, orange, and red were gently blended together, beautifully painting the morning sky with vibrant, beaming bright colors. The morning was always her favorite for two reasons. One was that the sunrise always reminded her of a beautiful new beginning. The other was waking up next to her mate Shining who always reminded her of true happiness. She smiled for a moment before looking over at Spike who was clearly disgruntled.
"Forgive him for the ruckus Spike. He tends to get a bit.. enthusiastic, when it comes to cooking."
"Yea.. I can tell." Spike responded as he was now in a doubled over position while clenching the pillow hard over his head.
"Do not worry young dragon. The noise will let up soon, I promise!" she said, taking quick notice to Spike's obvious irritation. "Besides, it will be well worth waking up early because my husband is a great cook!"
"I hope so.. " he responded groggily. "I'm already half awake which is a huge accomplishment for anypony." he said as he took another pillow and sandwiched his head in between the two.
"I am one TOUGH dragon to get up." he added, his voice being muffled through the pillows.
Shining continued washing the dishes vigorously. He hated doing the dishes.. I mean, who doesn't? There was a gigantic metal pan used for boiling water that was placed just to the left of the sink that he temporarily forgot about as his elbow accidentally bumped into it, causing it to come crashing down onto the floor.
*CLAAAANG!*
"ALRIGHT already!.. You win this time Shining, I'll get up.." Spike said sleepily as he slowly slumped out of bed, that last noise still echoing loudly in his mind. Cadence could not help but wonder why there wasn't a proper door that could seal off the ruckus coming from the kitchen.
"He must be cooking up a storm in there." she chuckled.
"Are you sure Pinkie Pie isn't in there helping him? I mean.. not even Twilight makes this much noise in the morning even if she happens to misplace her cookbook.. and that's saying a lot." he said as he gently rubbed his eyes.
Spike normally didn't complain this much but being the cranky morning dragon that he is, he was having a hard time keeping cool, not to mention the fact that he was forced to wake up 4 hours earlier than usual today. Cadence was quickly realizing this as she began to tread lightly as to not irritate the poor dragon any further.
"C'mon Spike." she said as she lazily slid off her mattress, landing soundlessly on the floor. Her mane was a little frazzled, but it was far too early for her to want to do anything about it. At least, not until she had her morning cup of coffee.
"Since I'm awake and your WIDE awake.." she winked at Spike before continuing. "..Let's go to the kitchen and enjoy ourselves a nice quiet breakfast shall we?"
"Sounds good.." he responded with a yawn. "Let's go."
Cadence exited the bedroom with Spike following close behind, lazily dragging his clawed feet across the floor in the process. They slowly but steadily walked down the long corridor until they arrived to a large open archway which led straight into the impressive royal kitchen. Shining suddenly heard a noise come from the entrance as he glanced over to see who it was.
"Cadence!" Shining exclaimed, immediately lighting up as he excitedly trotted over to her, knocking over another pan in the process.
*CL-CLANG*
Spike cringed at the annoying sound once again as it loudly bounced off the walls in his head. "I swear if I hear ONE more pan.."
"You are so beautiful this morning, as always my love." Shining said, interrupting the young dragon as he gave Cadence a warm hug and kissed her on the lips. However, she quickly broke away from his kiss. "Honey.. not in front of Spike." she said softly as she returned his hug and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"Oh? so.. I can't do this either?" he said with a devilish smile as he began to playfully bite her neck. He knew her weakness well as this was a very ticklish spot for her. "Stahaha...stahahahap!" she laughed as she tried to break away from him but Shining's grip on her was too firm. She attempted to backpedal but ended up tripping backwards over a pile of stacked pots and pans, taking Shining down with her in the process.
*CL-CL-CL-CL-CLANG CLANG CLAAAANG*
That was the final straw for Spike. "WILL YOU GUYS STOP WITH THE BANGING!" he shouted. Cadence and Shining suddenly ceased what they were doing, now frozen motionless in the pile of kitchenware as they stared at Spike with wide-open eyes.
"I'm.. I'm sorry Spike" Shining said as he got up and gently helped Cadence onto her hooves. "This is no way for royalty to act, please forgive us." he said as he politely bowed towards the young dragon.
"No, no it's fine you guys." Spike responded as he began to feel the awkwardness creep up from his sudden outburst. "You all have placed a huge burden upon yourselves by taking me in for the week. The least I could do is have a little more patience. Please, forgive me.. I'm the one who should be apologizing."
"It's quite alright Spike.. There are no hard feelings. We are all friends here, am I right?" She said as she trotted over to him and gave him a warm hug. "And besides.. I think my thick-headed husband Shining is at fault here." she added, shooting a playful grin towards her mate.
"Eheheh yea.." he laughed nervously. "I'm still working on my foal-sitting skills I guess." he added with a slight chuckle.
Suddenly the mess in the entire kitchen glowed bright with a pink magical aura as it levitated slowly and neatly back into place. Shining glanced around, taking a quick view of his surroundings as he was now in a perfectly clean kitchen just in a matter of a few seconds.
"Have I ever mentioned how much I love your magic my dear?" Shining said as he nudged her lightly on the cheek.
"Well.. only every single time I cure a headache of yours." she said with a smile, returning his gesture.
*DING* Shining glanced over towards the timer above the stove which now read 00:00.
"Looks like the bread is done!" he said as he trotted over to the oven. "You guys are going to love this." He added as he very carefully removed his creation using oven mitts as to not burn himself and lightly placed it onto the counter. The scent of the bread was intoxicating as it filled the room with its pleasant aroma.
"Oh wow! that smells amazing Shining! Let me guess, you used amethyst in this recipe?" Spike asked as he was now standing on a kitchen stool while peering right over the bread. "Am I right? tell me I'm right." he added, confident in his answer.
Shining looked over at Spike with a confused look on his face. "Amethyst?.. why would I put gems in bread?" he said with a raised brow.
"Helloooo, I'm a dragon? I eat gems?"
Shining paused for a moment. "Is that so.." he said as he rubbed his chin in interest. Spike covered his face with his hand for a moment before looking back at Shining.
"Really?.. I mean come on Shining, even Rainbow Dash knew that one." he said in disbelief.
"Forgive me Spike for my ignorance, I will have to study up on that. You are the very first dragon I have ever been acquainted with and.."
"Ah don't sweat it" Spike said cutting him off short. "Twilight has a library full of books in that genre, I'll be sure to lend you one." he said politely as he struggled not to drool over the tasty bread before him.
"I can tell your eager to dig in Spike!" Cadence said, observing how he was hovering over the food like a vampire fruitbat over a juicy apple. She levitated a knife into the air and gently gave it to Spike. "Will you do the honors my faithful assistant?"
Just outside the kitchen was a very distressed mare approaching the entrance to the Royal Chambers.
"Halt! who goes there!" said one of the guard ponies as he blocked her path with his long golden spear.
"Please sir, I have urgent news for Princess Cadence!" said Stella. She was clearly in distress as her mane was frazzled and her eyes puffy and bloodshot as if she had been crying for quite some time.
"You cannot just barge in here unannounced like this young lady."
"Sir please! I beg of you.. this is very important!" she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry little one but I must follow strict orders." he said blankly. "If you setup an appointment then we will gladly be able to.."
"YOU DON'T GET IT YOU FOOL!" she shouted, interrupting him as she knocked away his spear with her hoof and bolted down the long corridor.
"Hey! Stop right there! GUARDS! INTRUDER!" he yelled, alerting nearby patrols.
She ran aimlessly and frantically down the hallways, dodging each guard that attempted to tackle her in the process using her nimble body and agile wings.
"Cadence, Cadence where are you!" she called out.
"Shh! hold on guys" Cadence said with her hoof raised. "I think I heard something.." The room fell silent as she perked up her ears, patiently waiting for another sound.
Stella turned a corner as a guard appeared just around the bend. He jumped with all his speed and attempted to pounce her. She lifted herself off the ground quickly with a powerful flap of her wings, causing the guard to miss her by just a few inches as he slid across the floor crashing into some old pony armor that was carefully placed against the wall.
*Craaash* *Clang* *Clang*
"Did you hear that?!" Cadence said, glancing at the two of them before jumping off her seat and hastily exiting the kitchen towards the hallway.
Stella continued to run, and she ran fast. Fatigue was not a factor as her adrenalin fueled her nimble body. Suddenly, Cadence popped out into the hallway in front of the mare, causing her to stop in her tracks.
"Ca.. Cadence?.. NNGH!" she grunted as a nearby guard pony caught up to her and tackled her hard onto the ground. A few more guards shortly followed, slamming their bodies on top of her. One of the guards firmly wrapped his hoof around her neck while the other guard tightly secured her wings.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Cadence said as she ran down the hallway towards the scene with Shining and Spike following close behind.
"This intruder bolted past us! She did not give us a reason for the visit, and quite frankly her distressful demeanor was very questionable." said one of the guards.
Stella tried to defend herself and speak up but the guards choke hold prevented her from doing so as she was struggling to even breathe.
"Can you tell the guards to lighten up? They are choking her!" said spike, clearly worried for the young mare.
"Nonsense! this mare deserves no compassion. She has committed a crime unto Equestria and it's people by trespassing AND posing a possible threat to the royal princess." said one of the guards.
"Release her." said Shining.
"Wh..what?" responded one of the guards. "But she is a threat!"
"I said RELEASE her!" Shining said in a powerful commanding voice. The guards hesitated for a moment before following his orders. She gasped for air as the pressure around her neck was suddenly relieved.
*cough* *cough* "Prin.. princess.." *wheeze*
"It's alright young one, just take your time and breathe.." Cadence said as she gently placed her hoof onto the young mares shoulder. She glanced up at her royal guards who were all standing idly by. "We can take it from here, please return to your posts.. and thank you for your protection as always." she finished, bowing her head slightly in respect to their loyalty.
"Yes my princess" the guards responded as they did exactly what she ordered.
Cadence waited until the sounds of their hooves completely faded into the distance before addressing the young mare that was before her.
"What is your name little one?" asked Cadence as Shining and Spike helped the mare to her feet.
"St.. Stella. My name is Stella." she said as she gently rubbed her throat with her hoof.
"Listen Stella, my guards had every right to attack you like that." Shining said. "You are very lucky that we were here to stop them. If there is a good reason for you to bolt past my guards then please, speak now.. and it better be good." he finished with sternness clearly in his voice.
"My.. my friend.." she responded nervously. "He was murdered before my eyes.." she added as she began to choke up from the horrifying memory that came flooding back to her.
"What!?" all three of them said in unison.
"Yes.. murdered in cold blood.. by a changeling." she said as she struggled to hold back her emotions but the loss of her best friend weighed heavily on her heart causing her to begin to sob out loud.
"I'm so terribly sorry for your loss my dear.." Cadence said as she gently hugged Stella, providing her a shoulder to cry on.
"Those changelings.. just thinking about them makes me sick!" Shining said as he slammed his hoof onto the ground. He paused for a moment, composing his anger before addressing Stella.
"Where did it happen.. show me."
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The day was still young as the changeling mother continued her flight just over head of the Everfree Forest. The wind gently caressed her body as she gracefully pierced through the morning sky. Her muscles, still tense from her previous encounter, slowly began to relax as she scanned the forest below for another possible spot to take shelter.
"Hmm, nothing so far.." she said as she continued aimlessly over the dense exotic foliage. "I swear, I've been scanning these woods for nearly an hour now and nothing looks different.. " She suddenly stopped in mid air, now flapping her wings together in order to stay stationary as she took a moment to scan off into the distance around her.
"Trees here, trees there, trees everywhere.. as usual." she sighed, now slightly irritated.
The acres and acres of the Everfree Forest that surrounded her was a beautiful sight, especially from a good aerial view. However, this was not what she was looking for. She needed to find a noticeable landmark of some sort. Something hidden but not too hidden for she feared there was a small chance of getting lost in unknown areas of woods this far out, especially if she was not careful. She knew that her worst case scenario would have to be picking a designated spot somewhere underneath these trees.. but the risk was high. Any spot chosen there would prove to be indistinguishable from anything surrounding it, making it near impossible to find and return to later on. The second option, despite her efforts, was beginning to seem more and more likely as the day went by.
"One of these days I ought to take a giant plow and end this forest's misery." she spitefully added, refusing to give up as she continued to scan around her, now straining her eyes as she peered way off into the horizon. Suddenly, something caught her interest as she squinted in disbelief.
Far off into the distance was a small rocky mountain just barely visible to her. Its stony peak revealing itself just a few meters above the rest of the dense forest that surrounded it. You could also see layers of clouds masking the area with pillows of gray and white. She suddenly lit up with excitement upon her new discovery.
"Finally! this looks promising.." she said as she began to take off, however, she immediately stopped due to a sudden realization. She cursed herself as she had just remembered that she left Kainen's amulet inside the desk drawer at the old house. Her husband made this powerful amulet specifically for him which took years and years to make. She was not about to just hand it over to some filthy ponies.
"Please.. still be there.." She said as she took off towards the old house as fast she could, slicing through the wind around her like an arrow.
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End of Chapter 3
To Be Continued...
