"Shining, honey? I'm heading out into the Everfree again."
Princess Cadance had turned hiking in the Everfree into a hobby. At first, she had stormed into the Everfree after an argument with Shining Armor, but soon came to simply enjoy the scenery. Here and there, a few pleasant surprises occurred, such as a family of rabbits hopping along the trail, or meeting somepony she knew. Overall, though, it was usually pretty nature and quiet beauty.
"Oh, okay," Shining replied with a smile. "I remember the last time you went in, and you came back steaming over a changeling you found."
"Oh, yes, that..." Cadance's voice dwindled. She thought back to that day six weeks ago. She was in the forest, in a mild mood, when she had come across a changeling. She recalled his face: fearful, terrified of something. He had looked injured in some way. Out of hatred, Cadance had acted completely hostile towards him. What was it she had said again?
I hate you.
You're worthless.
I will kill you.
What had the Changeling said in return?
Something's after me.
Don't leave me here.
Please.
There were tears in his eyes. Cadance remembered. He had begged for help, and she had threatened him. And afterwards, when she had gotten home, she reported it to her husband, and he had sent a patrol to try to find and kill the changeling.
A wave of guilt and nausea washed over Cadance. A look of sadness crossed over her face. Shining, noticing her change in countenance, stepped forward. "What's wrong, honey?"
"It's just..." Cadance sighed, "...that changeling I met in the woods?"
"Mm-hm?"
"I'm...well, I'm upset with myself for saying what I said to it."
"What? Why?'
"It..." Cadance grimaced. "It's was terrified, Shining. I don't know what was wrong with it, but it was fearing for its life. And I...I belittled it. Insulted it. I threatened its life myself. And now, I can't help but wonder if I should have helped it."
"What?!" Shining gasped. "Cadance! It was a changeling!"
"I know! I know! But...it just looked so helpless. Like a foal."
"Cadance, honey." Shining put a hoof under his wife's chin and looked her in the eyes. "It was a changeling. Whatever you said to it, it deserved it."
"I'm not sure." Cadance most certainly didn't sound sure.
Shining Armor sighed. "Tell you what. Go out and have a walk in the Everfree. Try to shake off whatever is irritating you. If you still feel bad about the changeling..." Shining paused. "Well, you'll feel better sometime."
Cadance nodded uncertainly. She craned her neck upwards and planted a soft kiss on Shining's lips. "I love you, Shiny."
Shining chuckled. "I love you too, Cadance."
Forestry surrounded Cadance as she walked, slow and steady, along the path that cut through the Everfree. The sun and moon sat on opposite sides of the horizon. Small creatures scampered along, from squirrels to rabbits to owls. Cadance smiled as an owl landed on her withers and softly pecked the back of her head, curious as to what she was. Upon a chirping noise, however, the owl flew for a tree, landing on a branch with a nest in it.
I wonder what other kinds of creatures live here, Cadance thought. Probably mice. I know timberwolves inhabit this place, the monsters. Blue jays, maybe, or-
The changeling flitted across her mind. Oh, no, Cadance inwardly moaned. Not you again.
Yes, it is me, it seemed to respond. I need your help. Something's trying to kill me.
There's nothing here, Cadance reasoned.
Yes, there is! The changeling protested. Please, just help me!
Cadance tried to distract herself from the changeling. I have to go.
W-wait! The changeling cried. Don't leave me! I don't want to die! Please!
Cadance was growing distressed. I'm sorry! She screamed in her head. I can't help you!
You can! The changeling pleaded tearfully. You just have to take me somewhere safe! I'll die if you don't!
Leave me alone! Cadance's body began to shake. What's done is done! I can't help you! Go away! GO AWAY! I CAN'T-
A squirrel chattered beneath her hooves, and she promptly jumped. Her breath came in loud gasps, as if she had participated in one of Rainbow Dash's "Iron Pony" competitions. Terror turned her stomach inside-out, and her heart seemed to beat loud enough to awaken the dead.
Cadance struggled to calm her breathing. W-what just happened? Had she been so caught up in the object of her guilt that it had become a reality? Why were her own thoughts actively speaking to her? Was she going insane? Don't be silly! Cadance admonished herself. You were just upset with...what you did.
Why was she so upset over a changeling? Shining was right; it deserved everything Cadance had said to it. It was a changeling after all. Changelings had tried to sabotage her wedding, her life, and all of Equestria. They didn't deserve kindness. Did they? Cadance didn't know anymore. She didn't want to know. She didn't want anything to do with changelings ever, ever again. Taking a deep, slow breath, Cadance continued through the Everfree. Stop thinking about it. That's the solution.
However, she didn't get very far before something flickered dimly at the edge of her vision. She stopped abruptly before turning her head in the direction of the flicker. Off in the distance, she could see a small, orange glow. Fire? What was a fire doing in the middle of nowhere? Was it a campfire, and if so, who had built it? Confusion overcame Cadance, then curiosity, and she headed straight for the glow, despite the rational part of her mind shrieking at her not to. What was it young ponies always said right before they did something stupid? YOLO? Cadance shrugged away the thought. It wasn't important. She crouched into the foliage and crept towards the glow.
Upon reaching her destination, Cadance realized it was, in fact, a campfire. And it was surrounded by two changelings.
Cadance's heart sank. For goodness' sake! She thought frustratedly. When will it end? She quietly began to head back for the path, until the curious part of her mind crept up again.
Stay here, it told Cadance. Find out what they're doing here.
This time, the rational part of her mind fought back. Why?
Because you might be able to make up for the last changeling you met. Cadance stopped. That could be true, she admitted. Should she stay around to find out what they were doing here, she could redeem herself, maybe get rid of the guilty pit in her stomach. And if it didn't work out, well...YOLO. So Cadance, determined to atone, turned and snuck back to where the changelings were sitting.
She would have to be careful. The light of the fire could expose her vibrant pink coat hidden in the leaves. She just hoped that the night would be dark enough. Just to be safe, however, she gingerly rubbed mud into her fur. As she did this, Cadance reflected on how different she would look back at the castle: Sleek, clean, and regal. But this was not the castle. This was a chance for her to make something right.
Cadance crouched into the thickest bush she could find and silently watched the two changelings. One was tending to the fire with a strange, worried expression, while the other was asleep, propped up on his hindquarters against a tree. Upon closer inspection, Cadance saw multiple grievous slashes across the entirety of the sleeping changeling, with a particularly grisly gash on the side of his head. Cadance felt sick just looking at the thing. Now she could see what the other changeling was worried about—his comrade would die without help.
The other changeling stood up from the fire. He walked over to his companion with a slight limp—Cadance could see he had been slashed too, especially along his left foreleg—and sat down beside him. Cadance was still silently retching at the sight of them when the changeling looked over at his sleeping friend and spoke.
"Hey, Greyscale," he murmured so softly Cadance had to strain to hear. "How's it going?" The other changeling, whom Cadance took to be Greyscale, said nothing, not that he could. The other changeling sighed, then said, "It's been a month since I got separated from the hive. Three weeks since I found you. Two weeks since we got attacked by timberwolves."
So that was what the slashes were there for.
"You remember that, right? There were three of them. We managed to get away from them somehow. It was really scary. You probably don't remember much after that. You fell unconscious before I could build a fire. I figured you just needed some rest, but..." Cadance could hear a tremor in the changeling's voice. "But you haven't woken up since then.
"What am I doing wrong? I've tried to take care of your wounds, but as far as I can tell, they've only gotten worse." A painful look crossed the Changeling's face. "Why won't you wake up? I'm doing all I can." The changeling squeezed his eyes shut; Cadance saw a tear leak out. "There's nowhere to go. I've had to carry you around for the past two weeks. I can't find better care for you." A sob came from the changeling. "You're my best friend, Grey. I can't afford to lose you. If you could just... just..."
Whatever was holding the changeling back broke. He burst into tears, throwing his forelegs around Greyscale. "Just say something! If you could just look me in the eyes and say something, I know you'll live. If we don't make it back to the hive, you're all I'll have left. So just say something, dammit! Please! Just say something!" The changeling buried his face into Greyscale's chest. "Please," he whimpered. "That's all you have to do, is just say something." He continued to sob into Greyscale's chest. "Don't die. I'm begging you."
Cadance's heart broke. I can't stand by and watch this. I have to do something. She rose up out of the bushes and walked over the the pair. The waking changeling didn't notice her, so she tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped, then his head whipped around to look at her.
"Can you walk?" She asked.
They were nearing the edge of the forest when the changeling gasped. "I know you now! You're the pony our Queen impersonated!"
"Mi Amore Cadenza? Yes, that's me."
"Why are you taking us somewhere? I mean, I-I thought you hated changelings."
Cadance grimaced. "I, well...I most certainly don't appreciate what you did to me at Canterlot, but if I were to choose between losing my title as Princess or condemning the entire changeling race to die, I would choose to lose my title."
"Really?" Cadance nodded, shifting Greyscale into a more comfortable position on her withers.
They were just leaving the forest when the changeling asked, "Where are you taking us?"
"Canterlot," Cadance replied without looking at him. "I'm admitting you and your friend into a hospital."
"What's a hospital?"
"It's a place where sick and hurt ponies are taken care of. You might instead have nurseries."
The Changeling gasped. "You... you'd do that for us?!"
"There was no way I was leaving you two there. It's either I take you to a hospital and risk becoming infamous for helping changelings, or leave your friend to die and you to watch him die."
The changeling's breath caught in his throat. "I... I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to thank me." Cadance once again readjusted Greyscale. "Changeling or not, no one deserves to go through that."
"Are those changelings?!"
"What's the princess doing?"
"Is she crazy?"
More and more ponies came out of their houses as Cadance walked past with the two changelings. Some stared with shock at Cadance, others glared threateningly at the one walking changeling. Said changeling shrunk fearfully against Cadance. "I don't like this, Amore," he whimpered fearfully. In response, Cadance knelt down as if she had dropped something, and her lips brushed against his ear.
"Don't listen to them," she whispered. "I won't let them hurt you." She quickly stood back up and walked on, as if the angry ponies weren't there. Cadance wasted no time in reaching and getting into the castle.
The second she was inside, a Royal Guard rushed up to her. "P-Princess Cadenza!" he stuttered. "Are those changelings?"
She ignored the question. "Get them to a hospital," she ordered bluntly. "I didn't bring them here like this for nothing."
The guard stuttered for a moment, then shook his head out. "Y-yes, Princess!" Cadance slipped Greyscale onto his back, and the guard hurried off with a "Follow me!" Thrown over his shoulder at the other changeling. Cadance watched them go, sighing before trudging wearily up to her room.
Upon arrival, she was greeted with an angry Shining Armor. "What's this I hear about you bringing changelings into Canterlot?"
In that moment, any trace of tiredness left Cadance, and she straightened up to meet him, immediately defensive. "You didn't see what I saw, Shining! There was no way I was leaving them where they were!"
Shining Armor growled. "Are you mad, Cadance? They're changelings!"
"I know they're changelings," Cadance hissed back. "But you know what, Shining? I. Don't. Care. No one deserves to go what they would have gone through had I not intervened!"
"Do you even remember what those things nearly did to us?" Shining snarled. "We wouldn't be standing here today if they succeeded in taking over Canterlot!"
"What part of 'I don't care' do you not understand?" Cadance yelled. "I don't care that they were changelings, I don't care about what they did, and I certainly don't care where your beliefs stand on this matter!" Cadance was shaking with rage. "If I had left them, I'd be as horrible as you make changelings out to be!"
"Tell me then," Shining growled. "Tell me, what did you see that convinced to bring a couple of monsters back to Canterlot?"
Cadance stamped the ground. "Fine, then! You want to know? I'll tell you!" Cadance felt no love for her husband right now. "I saw the two changelings at a fire in the Everfree. I saw one go over to his unconscious friend and start speaking to him. I saw him burst into tears and embrace his friend, begging for him to just say something. That was all he wanted him to do, was say something. The changeling was a wreck, Shining. He couldn't bear to lose his friend, and I couldn't bear to sit back and watch him! What would you have done?"
Shining's response was simple. "I would have killed them. They're changelings."
For a split second, Cadance glared at him like she wanted to stab his heart. Then, her head dropped, and she whispered something.
"What was that?" Shining asked.
"I said..." Cadance returned her gaze to Shining. "Fuck you."
Shining was speechless. To think Cadance, a princess, his wife, would say that to him, even if they were this angry at each other, was revolting. But Cadance didn't stop.
"Fuck you, Shining. I don't care. I don't care what you think, I don't care what the public thinks, and I don't care what Celestia thinks. Those changelings deserve to live just as much as a pony does." Shining tried to speak, but Cadance, suddenly fitful, cut him off.
"This conversation is over!" she screamed. "I've had enough! Nothing, and I mean NOTHING you say will change what I think!" Cadance glared at her stunned husband for a little longer, whipped around-
-and bumped straight into Celestia.
Cadance fell backwards and landed on her plot. Pain went up her cutie marks. Celestia looked down at her as if that was supposed to happen. Taking in the haggardly appearance of the fellow princess, she softly asked, "Was it you who brought the changelings into the hospital?"
Cadance shot up. "The changelings!" she gasped. "Are they alright? Did the hospital refuse to care for them? What happened to them?"
"I convinced the workers to provide care for the changelings," Celestia reassured Cadance. "But I can't say I agree with you on your views of them." Cadance winced. No matter what she thought or said, if Celestia wanted the changelings gone, then out they went.
"However..." Celestia smiled softly. "I can safely say that I am proud of you, Cadance."
Disbelief shot through Cadance, and she looked up with her mouth open. "Wha-?"
"You risked your public appearance, your marriage,"—Celestia briefly gestured towards Shining Armor—"and perhaps even your life to do what you thought was right. And even if I don't entirely agree with what you are doing, I am proud to have made the decision to have Ascended you into an Alicorn all those years ago."
Cadance was stunned. She was so worried that Celestia was going to punish her for bringing the two Changelings in, but rather, she was commending Cadance, despite her own disagreement. Unbelievable.
Celestia turned her gaze to Shining Armor, who wilted under her disapproving stare. "And while I don't personally support Cadance's decision to bring the changelings to Canterlot," she began. "I do not approve of straight away killing them simply because they are changelings, either." Celestia's frown deepened. "Your beliefs are justified, Shining Armor, but that does not mean they are morally correct. We cannot judge the entire changeling race because some of them attacked us. Who knows, maybe even Chrysalis' actions might not seem evil from a non-Equestrian perspective."
As for the both of you..." Celestia spun Cadance around, so she was facing Shining again. "I believe you owe each other an apology."
Cadance and Shining stared at each other for a good, long while. The air was split with tension. Finally, however, Shining huffed, looking away. "I guess Celestia's right," he admitted grudgingly. "I shouldn't kill them simply because of what they are. They can't help it that they were changelings." He looked back at Cadance. "I'm sorry I yelled at you and disrespected your beliefs."
"And I'm sorry I swore at you." Cadance was not hesitant in her apology. "I can see where you're coming from involving the changelings." She glanced away briefly. "I...I don't want this to drive a wedge between us, Shining."
Shining brushed Cadance's dirty mane out of her eyes. "It won't," he reassured her, "I promise. No matter what happens, I love you, Cadance. Don't ever doubt that." All traces of anger had vanished from his gaze, leaving only a tender smile.
Cadance looked back up at him with a small smile. "I love you too, Shiny."
And with that, the two shared an intimate kiss.
Celestia looked at the two with warmth. It always pleased her to see these kinds of conflicts resolved. She didn't let them stay together long, however, before she interrupted the two.
"Come, now," she ordered. "We need to get you two washed up. The changelings are waiting."
Clean, white walls surrounded Cadance and Shining as Celestia led them though the lobby of the Canterlot Hospital. She stopped at a reception desk and waited patiently until the mare working at the desk looked up.
"Oh! Princess Celestia!" The mare looked astounded to see the ruler of Equestria there. "I, uh, didn't see you there."
"It's quite all right," Celestia chuckled merrily. "I wish to see the changelings."
"The changelings? Um, room 3 on the second floor," the mare instructed. Celestia nodded, leading Cadance and Shining Armor into the halls of the hospital. As she walked past, Celestia silently pulled out three five-bit coins and slipped them into the mare's pocket. The small coins didn't even make a dent in the mare's white coat. Celestia strolled innocuously onwards.
It did not take them long to find room 203, especially considering the small, hoofmade sign that read Warning: Changelings! Discreetly, Celestia opened the door and headed in.
A doctor greeted her at once. "Celestia! What are you doing here?"
"We,"-she stepped aside to reveal Cadance and Shining-"wish to see the changelings."
"Oh! Well, they're right this way." The stallion led them past a few cots containing patients of various health. "The two changelings seem to be recovering quickly, now that they are in proper medical care," the stallion said. "I'm surprised you convinced the doctors to care for them, being completely honest, but they should be fine soon. The unconscious one has already woken back up."
He stopped at the two cots in the back of the room holding the two changelings. The doctor led the three over to the first one, the one that was initially awake. Various small bandages were wrapped around his midsection and left foreleg, but that was about it.
The changeling was sitting up when they came over, and he saw them at once. "Mi Amore!"
"Yep, that's me," Cadance chuckled softly, "Mi Amore Cadenza."
"I'll leave you to do... whatever it is you're doing," the doctor said, before heading back to the front of the room. Cadance only briefly glanced at him before turning back to the changeling. She pulled her husband closer to him. "I'd like you to meet my husband," she said, "Shining Armor." Shining gingerly stuck out his hoof. Tentatively, the changeling took it.
"Nice to meet you," he said. "My name's Finishing Touch."
"Whatever," Shining grumbled, murmuring an "I still don't like changelings." under his breath before looking back up and asking, "Who's your friend?"
"That's Greyscale," Finishing Touch answered. Shining nodded. Upon a teasing glance from Cadance, he groaned and finally muttered, "Nice to meet you."
Celestia stepped forward. "I am pleased to meet you, Finishing Touch." She smiled. "I'm Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria."
"What?!" Touch gaped up at her in amazement. "Y-you govern the entire country of Equestria?!"
Celestia chuckled. "That's one way of putting it.'
"Wow!" Touch smiled in childlike wonder. "That's amazing!" Shining couldn't help but grin at his naïveness. He leaned over and whispered in Cadance's ear, "Okay, he does look kind of cute. In an insect-creature-thing kind of way."
"I think he's cute, too," Cadance replied. "Just look at him! Smiling like that."
They stayed with Touch for a little while longer before turning and visiting Greyscale's bedside.
The changeling was groggy and looked incredibly sleepy, but when they came over to him, he slowly sat up and focused his eyes on them. He looked the tiniest bit drugged, but other than that he seemed fine. Once again, the trio introduced themselves. Greyscale was oddly lacking in any sort of response, however.
"Go on, Greyscale," Finishing Touch called from his bed, "Say something." Cadance smiled at Greyscale.
"You heard your friend," she giggled. "Say something."
Greyscale's eyes came into focus. He fixed his gaze on Cadance.
He studied her for a bit.
Then he said something.
"You're that pink pony I met in the woods."
Author's Note
I think I'm the only person who spells Cadence Cadance.
I hope I kept everyone decently in-character.
This is the longest story I've ever written on this site. I feel proud.
