On a Royal Arrow
From a Royal Cross
by: TundraStanza
inspired by several other works.
Chapter 1: ESBFF
"She was my E.S.B.F.F.," says Dusk Shine.
"E.S.B.F.F.?" asks the other five stallions.
"Elder Sister Best Friend Forever," Dusk clarifies, "Back in Canterlot, she was the only pony I really ever accepted as a friend."
A bird flies over as Dusk lifted a hoof up.
When I was just a colt I
Found it rather old
To see how many other ponies you could meet.
He flashes back to one day when he was walking through the street fully absorbed in a book in front of his face.
My nose deep in a book
I didn't even think to look
For other ponies to make my life complete
But there was one mare that I cared for
I knew she would be there for me.
The colt Dusk walks smack into a fairly easygoing, pink and purple mare. They share a smile.
Elder Sister
Best Friend Forever
Like two peas in a pod we did everything together.
She taught me how to fly a kite.
(Best Friend Forever)
The colt accidentally releases his grip on the kite string. The mare quickly catches it before it can escape.
We never had a single fight.
(We did everything together)
Sister and little brother share an apple.
We shared our hopes
We shared our dreams
Cadance joins the royal guard. This scene is quickly followed by stallion Dusk's departure for Ponyville.
I miss her more than I realized, it seems.
Dusk's friends quickly join in singing the harmony.
Elder Sister
Best Friends Forever
Clouds in the shape of Cadance and Dusk Shine start playing with a ball-shaped cloud.
Like two peas in a pod you did everything together.
Dusk resumes the solo part.
And though she's oh so far away
I hoped that she would stay
Elder Sister Best Friend
Dusk starts walking away from the picnic blanket and his friends.
Forever.
Forever.
He tears up as a ghost-like image of Cadence stands beside him and then disappears in twinkles of light.
"You have a lot to think about," says a disappointed Prince Solaris. The doors slam behind him.
"Maybe I was being overprotective," says Dusk. He walks up to the stairs and lies down on them with fresh tears in his eyes.
"I could have gained a brother, but instead I just lost a sister."
She was Elder Sister Best Friend
Forever
...
But now we'll never do anything
Together.
Prince Armora da Shinenza steps forward in Dusk's time of grief. He rubs Dusk's mane to grab his attention.
"I am so sorry," apologizes Dusk. He almost doesn't catch the green glint in Armora's eyes.
"You will be," says 'Armora'. His horn glows an eerie green and Dusk Shine soon finds himself surrounded by green fires of hell. He's soon enveloped and consumed by the floor as 'Armora' walks away with a content smirk on his face.
One of Dusk's magic blasts finally hits a wall and reveals Prince Armor, who looks rather beaten and bruised for some pony who was just taunting Dusk earlier. Said colt quickly jumps on the young Prince in anger.
"Please, don't hurt me," begs Shining Armor. Then he realizes who he's looking at.
"Dusk Shine, it's me!" he exclaims, "Please, you have to believe me. I've been imprisoned like you. The Shining Armor who brought you down here was an imposter."
"Pfft. Likely story!" huffs Dusk.
"Sunrise, sunrise, katydids awake," dances the Prince, "Clap your hooves..."
"And do a little shake," finishes Dusk. They share an old-time smile between colt and foal-sitter.
"You remember me," cheers Dusk.
"Of course I do," replies Armor, "How could I forget the colt I loved to sit for the most?"
A faint laugh that sounds kind of like Armor interrupts their brotherly hug.
"We have to get out of here," states Dusk. Shining Armor nods his head in agreement.
'Armora da Shinenza' walks up to his mirror in the dressing room.
This day is going to be perfect
The kind of day which I have dreamed since I was small
All those Armor loving bores
Say I look good in uniform
What they don't realize is that I have fooled them all.
Shining Armor looks helpless as he runs forward but is unable to actually move anywhere.
This day was going to be perfect
The kind of day which I have dreamed since I was small
But instead of having cake
And all my friends to celebrate
My wedding bells may never ring for me at all.
'Armora' stomps around knocking over tables and mannequins alike.
I care not a thing about the ring
I won't partake in any cake
Vows, well I'll be lying when I say
That through any kind of weather
I'll want us to be together
The truth is I don't care for her at all
No, I do not love the bride
For my heart is dead inside
But I still want her to be all mine.
Shining Armor and Dusk Shine keep running through the caverns looking for an exit when they come across a mining cart.
We must escape before it's too late
Find a way to save the day
Hope I'll be lying if I say
"I don't fear that I may lose her
To one who wants to use her
Not care for, love, and cherish her each day".
For I oh-so love the bride,
Oh, in my heart she does reside
Oh, Princess Cadance,
I'll soon be by your side.
The mining cart is finally dislodged. When it hits the buffer, Dusk and Armor go flying. Armor manages to open his wings to enable a glide to the other side of the gap.
'Armora' is standing at the top of the stairs. No pony seems to notice the green wonky look in the bride Cadance's eyes as she comes waltzing in.
Finally the moment has arrived
For me to take a very lucky bride.
Armor starts to panic.
Oh the wedding we won't make
She'll end up marrying a fake.
Princess Cadence will be...
"...mine," finishes 'Armora', "All mine. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha."
The main six bronies have been captured. King Metamorphosis takes a moment to reflect.
This day has just been perfect.
The kind of day which I have dreamed since I was small
Every pony else to control
Every mare, stallion, and foal
Who says a king can't really have it all.
Let the music tell you how this story ends.
"Love you, Dusky."
"Love you too, ESBFF."
"Ready to go?" asks Shining Armor after Princess Cadance gets in.
"Oh! Almost forgot," she says as she tosses the bouquet. Surprisingly, it lands in the possession of Princess Bluebelle. Every colt and stallion nearby quickly takes one giant step away from her.
Love's in stride.
A handsome groom and
A beautiful bride...
A/N: Inspired by works that belong to Hasbro, Conner Cogwork, philsterman01, and vckhaze. I gain no profit from this. I'll probably regret doing this.
From a Royal Cross On a Royal Arrow
inspired by several other works
"Well, I'll be," wooed Applejack, "Your sister's getting married? That's great news!"
"Yeah, great news," replies Dusk Shine with a bit more sarcasm than enthusiasm, "That I just got from an invitation rather than a personal letter. Thanks a lot Sparkling Shield."
When I was just a colt
I found it rather old
To see how many other bronies I could meet.
My head lost in a book
I didn't even think to look for
Other ponies to make my life complete.
But there was one mare that I cared for
I knew she would be there for me.
My Big Sister
Best Friend Forever
Like two peas in a pod
We did everything together
She taught me how to fly a kite
(Best friend forever)
We never had a single fight
(We did everything)
We shared our hopes
We shared our dreams
I miss her more than I realized, it seems
Your big sister
Best friend forever
Like two peas in a pod
You did everything together
And though she's oh so far away
I'd hoped that she would stay
My Big Sister Best Friend
Forever...
Forever
"So, let me get this straight," pipes in Elusive, "We're not only being a part of a wedding for a princess but also the High Captain of the Royal Guard?"
"I guess we are," sighs Dusk Shine. While he stands there in disappointment, the rest of his friends and Barb dance around silly in excitement.
"When did you even meet this Prince D'Amore what's-his-name?" asks Dusk Shine pounding the bridge for emphasis.
"Dusky," smiles Sparkling Shield, "Prince D'Amore Tiempo... is Tempo, your old foal sitter."
"Tempo?" perks up Dusk, "As in the best foal sitter ever?"
"You tell me," chuckles Sparkling, "He was your foal sitter."
"Oh... my... gosh!"
The memories flood Dusk Shine's mind of the wonderful past.
"~You're marrying Tempo! You're marrying Tempo!~" he sings while practically jumping for joy.
"Er-hem," interrupts a stallion's voice, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Tempo!" cries Dusk Shine while looking forward to reigniting the old dance, "Sunrise. Sunrise. Katydids awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"
"Uh, what are you doing?" asks 'Tempo' with an eyebrow raised.
"Tempo, it's me! Dusk Shine!" says the colt with passion.
"Uh-huh," dismisses the prince while walking right on past him. Dusk looks disheartened at Tempo's lack of recognition. 'Tempo' meanwhile stands next to Sparkling.
"I've got to get back to my post," says the High Captain, "But Tempo will be checking in with you all to see how things are going. I think I speak for both of us when I say we couldn't be happier to have you here. Right, honey?"
"Indubitably," 'Tempo' affirms with a brief smirk that leaves Dusk a bit unnerved.
"Well, we'll let you get to it," says an unaware Sparkling Shield.
"Think maybe you're being just a tiny bit possessive of your sister?" asks Applejack tilting his head. The rest of the bronies agree with him.
"I am not being possessive," argues Dusk Shine, "And I am not taking it out on Tempo! You're all just too caught up in your wedding planning to realize that maybe there shouldn't even be a wedding!"
On that note, he marches off leaving his friends to completely dismiss him. It's a bit ironic that they learned nothing about taking Dusk seriously from the day of the want-it-need-it incident.
Dusk Shine watches in horror as 'Tempo' shoots a beam of eerie green magic that make his sister's eyes glow green and spin.
"He isn't just rude and prissy," he whispers, "He's downright evil!"
"Dusk Shine!" calls Sparkling Shield as Dusk runs away from the scene.
"Let him go," orders the prince.
"Huh," ponders the High Captain, "It seemed like he had something he really wanted to say to me."
"In fact, if I were you," comments Sparkling, "I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all." She goes off to comfort her groom. The rest of Dusk Shine's friends soon follow suit.
"You have a lot to think about," tells Prince Solaris in a disapproving tone. This just downright shatters all that's left of Dusk Shine's heart. The doors seem to slam to emphasize how alone he is right now.
"Maybe I was being overprotective," he whimpers, "I could have gained a brother. But instead, I just lost a sister."
She was my Big Sister Best Friend
Forever
But now we'll never do anything
Together.
Somehow, 'Tempo' has reentered the room and rubs the unicorn's mane in pity.
"I'm so sorry," says Dusk with tears still dripping from his eyes.
"You will be," whispers the prince as evil green fires sprout from the ground. They catch Dusk Shine off guard as they seem to devour him and drag him to the underworld.
Dusk Shine gets a little trigger happy, well trigger angry actually, at the crystal caverns. Eventually, he blows up an entire wall. It reveals the pony that he thinks has been taunting him. He almost doesn't notice all of the scratches and bruises covering the other pony.
"No! Wait!" yells Tempo as Dusk Shine performs a full body tackle.
"Please, don't hurt me," begs the prince. His expression seems to brighten slightly when he sees who he's talking to.
"Dusk Shine, it's me!" he exclaims. The lavender unicorn just raises a questioning eyebrow.
"I've been imprisoned like you," explains Tempo, "The Tempo who brought you down here was an imposter."
"Hmph! Likely story," scoffs Dusk Shine.
"Sunrise, sunrise, katydids awake," dances Tempo wearily, "Clap your hooves..."
"...and do a little shake," finishes Dusk. Genuine smiles are shared between these two ponies.
"You remember me," realizes Dusk as they embrace each other.
"Of course I do," confirms Tempo, "How could I forget the colt I loved to foal sit the most?"
Tempo frowns at the distant laughter that is a mockery of his own voice.
"We have to stop him!" declares Dusk Shine. The prince nods as they run down the tunnels.
Out of sight and only half out of mind, 'Prince D'Amore Tiempo' gets prepared for his big day.
This day is going to be perfect
The kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small.
Every pony will gather round
Say she looks lovely in her gown
What they don't know is that I have fooled them all
Running down one tunnel after another, the real Tempo expresses his laments and worries.
This day was going to be perfect
The kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small.
But instead of having cake
And all my friends to celebrate
My wedding bells may never ring for me at all.
'Tiempo' walks around the prep room undisturbed.
I could care less about her dress.
I won't partake in any cake.
Vows, I'll be lying when I say.
That through any kind of weather
I'll want us to be together
The truth is I don't care for her at all.
No, I do not love the bride
For my heart is dark inside
But I still want her to be all mine.
Time restraints add to Tempo's panic.
We must escape before it's too late
Find a way to save the day
Hope I'll be lying if I say,
"I don't fear that I may lose her
To one who wants to use her
Not care for, love, and cherish her each day."
For I oh-so love the bride
In my heart she does reside
Oh, Sparkling Shield
I'll soon be by your side.
The mine cart that Dusk and Tempo ride comes to an immediate halt at a buffer. This catapults them over dangerous stalagmites. Thinking quickly, Tempo unfurls his wings to glide over the chasm.
Meanwhile, 'Tiempo' looks at the approaching mare that no one seems to notice is a bit green around the irises.
Finally, the moment has arrived
For me to be one lucky guy
Landing on the other side, Tempo again expresses panic.
Oh, the wedding we won't make
She'll end up marrying a fake
Sparkling Shield will be...
"Mine, all mine," cackles 'Tiempo' wickedly. Again, the attenders of the wedding are completely oblivious to the obvious signs that something isn't quite right.
"This wall's too thick," laments Prince Tempo, "We'll never get out of here."
"Oh yes we will," prods Dusk pointing to a visible light shining from an elevated opening. With a focused thought, he and Tempo are teleported to the platform just a few yards away from the opening. Unfortunately, their path is blocked by three advancing ponies. (Contrary to what would sensibly be genderswapped versions of Lyra, Colgate, and Twinkle Shine,) They appear to be what could only be described as the bridesmaids: the Professor, Caramella, and Cherry.
"You're not going anywhere," they say in a mesmerized trance of green, glowing eyes.
Conveniently, Tempo notices a stray bouquet of flowers. On instinct, he levitates it in front of the zombie-like ponies. This seems to catch all three of the mares' attentions. With a flick of magic, the bouquet is sent down a tunnel far to the right.
"I want it!" yell all three mares in unison.
"Where did that bouquet even come from?" asks Dusk Shine sensibly.
"Do we really have time to wonder about that?" kindly retorts Tempo.
"Good point," agrees Dusk as they run off to the opening.
"Prince D'amore Tiempo and Sparkling Shield," declares Prince Solaris, "It is my great pleasure to pronounce you..."
"I object!" shouts a voice from the open door. All of the wedding attendees look over to see Dusk Shine. His friends take various poses that seem to say, "Really, Dusk? Really?"
"Urgh!" growls 'Tiempo' audibly and skips straight to the point, "Why does he have to ruin my special day?"
"Because it's not your special day!" answers a voice similar to his, "It's mine!" Another Tempo stands at the door, covered in scrapes and dirt, but Tempo nonetheless. A multitude of gasps echo throughout the room.
"What?!" half-exclaims, half-asks 'Tiempo', "But how did you escape those bridesmaids?"
Dusk Shine and Tempo look at each other before looking back at the questioner.
"Girls love their flowers," answers Dusk with a shrug. Tempo chuckles lightly.
"Hmph," humphs 'Tiempo', "Clever, but you're still too late."
"I... I don't understand," stammers Applejack, "How can there be two of them?"
"He's a changeling," answers Tempo taking a few steps forward, "He takes the form of some pony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them."
What follows is a rather grotesque sight. Green fires burn along 'Tiempo''s flesh and clothes. His coat burns black. His wings lose their feathers and look much more shell-like and old. His hooves have an irregular pattern of see-through holes. His horn becomes crooked and bent in a painful looking spiral as his mane takes a sickly sea-green, blue hue. But the most disturbing sight is his eyes. Whatever this creature is, its eyes neither resemble a normal pony's nor fully that of a wild animal. It's like looking into the pools of dragon and Medusa, but a viper-esque gaze inside them prevents you from turning into stone and forces you to keep looking at them.
The changeling laughs a sort of raspy laugh as he affirms, "Right you are, Princey, and as king of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for them. Equestria has more love than I've ever encountered anywhere else. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it, that we will gain more power than we could have ever dreamed."
"They won't get that chance," counters Tempo, "Sparkling Shield's protection spell will prevent them from ever reaching us!"
"Oh-ho, I doubt that," scoffs the changeling king, "Isn't that right, snookums?"
"Uh-huh," confirms Sparkling Shield in monotone. Hoping to do something, Tempo starts galloping toward his beloved only to be stopped by a giant stomp from King Metamorphosis.
"Ah-ah-ah," torments the king, "Do you want to go back to the caves?" His misshapen horn glows a grossly green. Tempo slowly backs away but doesn't lose the defiance in his eyes.
"Ever since I took your place," says Metamorphosis, "I've been feeding off Sparkling Shield's love for you. Every moment, she grows weaker and so does her spell. My minions are chipping away at it as we speak. True, she's not my wife, but she is in my full control now."
"No," whispers Dusk Shine in worry, "Sis."
"And," adds the king, "I'm sorry to say that she's unable to perform her duties as High Captain of the Royal Guard."
"Not my Sparkling Shield!" exclaims Prince Tempo as the rest of the ponies gasp.
"Soon my changeling army will break through," brags Metamorphosis, "First Canterlot and then we'll take all of Equestria!"
"No, you won't!" decrees Prince Solaris, "You may have made it impossible for Sparkling Shield to perform her spell, but now you have so foolishly revealed your true self."
Alicorn and changeling momentarily clash their horns like a couple of swords before breaking contact.
"Now, I can protect my subjects from you!" cries out Solaris with one flap of his almighty wings. A golden aura surrounds his horn. Then, what looks like a similarly golden energy beam exits from its tip and flows toward the changeling. Metamorphosis counters with a similar beam but of a green aura.
"Ergh!" grunts the king as it becomes apparent that his magic is losing momentum against the prince's. Closer and closer the golden beam approaches him. But then, a small smirk crosses the changeling's fanged mouth. In an unexpected moment, he cuts off his own magic and rolls to the left out of the way. This leaves the golden beam to hit a section of the floor that explodes on contact.
Metamorphosis follows up by standing up and releasing three shorter bursts of green magic from his horn. Solaris, caught off guard by the changeling's mixed up strategy, is too slow to evade or counter the new attacks and takes the blunt impact from each of them. The king fires off a second, long beam of green magic and it seems to blow up on contact with its target.
A crown falls to the the ground as Solaris' slightly burned body soon follows it. Green sparks skate around him before discharging completely. The ponies are all shocked and horrified at the most recent turn of events. This includes one particularly faithful student.
"Prince Solaris!" yells Dusk Shine in worry as he runs over. The rest of his friends soon follow his example and run over to the Prince's side.
Metamorphosis is almost shocked but then giddily laughs, "I'm even more powerful than Solaris now!"
"The Elements... of Harmony," murmurs Solaris through his pain, "You must... get to them... and use their power to defeat the king." Never before had the Prince released this much anger through his words. This was serious then.
All six of the chosen ones nod to each other. Four suits fly into the air as five young stallions run out the door. The sixth young stallion tries ever so hard to prevent his wonderfully crafted suits from hitting the floor. He worked so hard on them. He couldn't just let them go to waste.
"Lucy!" call five voices of varying pitch.
Elusive sighs as he finally drops the suits in his grasp. He rips off his own and runs out the door to follow his friends.
With marginally better quality of breathable air, Prince Tempo is stuck to one spot on the floor by changeling goop. At least it's better than having blood rushing to his head like the upside-down, hanging Solaris. Still, he tries to sound defiant.
"You won't get away with this!" shouts to younger prince, "Dusk Shine and his friends will..."
The door opens and in walk Dusk and his friends. A large group of changelings apprehended them and are bringing them back. The Elements of Harmony are not with them.
"You were saying?" mocks Metamorphosis. He then turns to a separate swarm and orders, "Go! Feed!" The swarm happily accepts the new order and flies into the city.
"It's funny really," says the king with a chuckle, "Dusk Shine here was suspicious of my behavior all along. Too bad the rest of you were caught up in your wedding planning to realize those suspicions were correct."
"Sorry, Dusk," apologizes the apple farmer, "We didn't listen to you."
"Don't apologize," dismisses Dusk, "He fooled every pony."
"Hmm," thinks Metamorphosis, "I did, didn't I?" He walks over to a tall, open window as an invisible piano plays itself.
This day has been just perfect
The kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small
Every pony I'll soon control
Every mare, stallion, and foal
Who says a boy can't really have it all?
He then chuckles at his own reprise. During the king's moment of ignorant bliss, Dusk Shine crawls over to where Tempo is and uses a small burning spell to remove the goop.
"Quick," Dusk whispers, "Go to her while you still can."
Tempo trots over to his beloved. Looking at the hypnotized eyes makes him tear up involuntarily. He hugs her tightly as a small charge fills his horn. A valentine-shaped light floats from his horn and flies over before popping in front of Sparkling Shield's face. The green lantern seems to leave completely as the High Captain blinks a few times. Tempo lets go of her allowing her to shake her head free of any cobwebs.
"Wha...? Huh?" wonders Sparkling Shield in a daze, "Is the wedding already over?"
"It's all over!" declares King Metamorphosis.
"Your spell! Perform your spell!" cries Dusk Shine.
Metamorphosis laughs, "What good would that do? My changelings already roam free." A quick look out the window is enough to see that he's right. Screaming and destruction are the rampant results of rowdy ruffians.
"No," whispers Sparkling Shield. She tries to focus magic from her horn, but it only looks like a few pitiful sparks squirt out. She pants in exhaustion.
"My power is useless now," she says despairingly, "I don't have the strength to repel them."
"My love will give you strength," insists Tempo who hugs her again.
"Ah ha ha ha," laughs the changeling king, "What a lovely but absolutely imbecilic sentiment."
The lovers look each other in the eyes before closing them. Their horns come rather close as both charge their signature spells. A bolt that resembles static electricity flows from Tempo's into Sparkling Shield's. A light, wavy barrier starts forming around their feet and climbs in height and size. The two ponies open their eyes and are surprised at what it looks like. But then they smile and resume full concentration on their respective casting.
The light starts to fill the room. The bearers of Harmony smile with eyes shut. King Metamorphosis, on the other hoof, finally looks over at the two and opens his eyes and mouth in worry. Tempo's and Sparkling Shield's eyes glow white as the barrier around them does the same. The magic swirls around them before releasing in every single direction at once as an expanding sphere.
"No!" screams Metamorphosis, "NOOOOOOOOO!" The expanding barrier literally pushes him out the window. In turn, it flows through the entire city of Canterlot pushing all other changelings that get in its way. The real ponies look relieved. The changelings are flung into the distance like Dementors from an Expecto Patronum spell. (Oh... wait, wrong franchise.)
The white swirling magic slowly dissipates and the two lovers are gently lowered to the floor. With content smiles, they hug each other. Dusk Shine runs over to help the slightly drained Solaris back to his feet.
"Don't worry about me," insists the Prince of the sun, "I think you have a real wedding to put together."
Over at the mixing table, Bubble Berry pulls DJ-C0L7 out of nowhere and shouts, "Let's get this party started!" DJ-C0L7 starts scratching discs while Bubble Berrry throws a microphone over to Dusk Shine. He seems to sing a harmony line as a song from an invisible girl starts.
Love is in bloom (Love is in bloom)
A beautiful bride, (a handsome groom)
Two hearts becoming one (They're becoming one)
A bond that cannot (be undone because)
(Love is in bloom)
(A beautiful bride, a handsome groom)
I said (love is in bloom)
You're (starting a life and making room for us)
"Yeah we're here
At the wedding of the year.
No matter what the weather,
They will always be together."
Your special day (It's your special day)
You celebrate now (the pony way)
Your friends are all right here (Yeah, they're all right here)
Won't let these moments (disappear because)
(Love is in bloom)
(A beautiful bride, a handsome groom)
I said (love is in bloom)
You're (starting a life and making room for us)
For us.
"Dusk!" calls out Sparkling Shield, "None of this would've been possible without you, little bro. Love you, Dusky."
"Love you too, B.S.B.F.F.," returns Dusk Shine.
"All set to go?" asks Tempo.
"Whoops, almost forgot this," realizes Sparkling Shield. She leans out the window and blindly tosses the bouquet.
"Just wait until you see what I've got planned for the bachelor party," snickers Barbara the baby dragon. To this, Dusk Shine and his friends share a good long laugh.
