Nightmares of the Alicorn

Cadence opened her eyes, seeing her pink and purple bangs fall into her face. She slowly sat up from bed, gazing around her bedroom. Shining Armor was still sleeping peacefully, wrapped up in the soft cotton blankets of the swan bed. Cadence blinked a few times, confused, but overjoyed. The nightmare had disappeared. Cadence hadn't dreamed at all. She cautiously got out of bed, not wanting to wake Shining. She opened the door to their bedroom and quietly stole into the room next to hers, Room 707. She peeked her head in through the doorway. Twilight was still sleeping soundly, making soft little noises in her sleep. The sunlight poured in through the windows, bathing the small purple pony in golden sheets of light. The blankets were a pure white, making Twilight almost seem to glow. Spike was curled up on the foot of the bed, little smears of chocolate lining the sides of his mouth. She giggled a little and closed the door, letting them sleep a little longer. She tiptoed to the kitchen and began to make pancake batter. As she worked, the Princess thought about the nightmare. Why did it stop like that? Cadence and Twilight had slept in the same room for a week, curled up by each other in fear, and both woke up screaming in the darkness of night. Finally Cadence decided to try, one night, to sleep in her own bedroom and Twilight sleep in hers. And suddenly the nightmare stopped coming?

Cadence smiled. Maybe it was just their memories getting the best of them. She began to poor the batter into tiny liquid circles on a frying pan, flipping them every so often and putting them on a plate. No one was awake, so she took two and loaded them with powdered sugar, bananas, strawberries, and syrup. She sipped a glass of orange juice and sat in the quiet of morning, waiting for the others to come down for breakfast. No one came, so she finished her breakfast, scooped up a book, and curled up on the couch in the living room.

Something nagged at her, tearing her focus away from the book. There had to be something deeper going on. Something wasn't right.

Cadence heard the thump of footsteps on the stairs. She turned to see a small purple figure running down the stairs.

"Hello, Spike."

"Hello Princess..." The baby dragon looked scared. He ran on short legs and jumped onto the couch next to her, curling on by her side.

"Princess....something is...wrong. Shining Armor...I woke up..and saw him... I couldn't tell what was happening. Im scared.." He spoke in gasps.

Cadence narrowed her eyes. She put her foreleg around him, pulling him closer to her. She was protective of small creatures, and Spike was a very sweet little dragon that she had known for a long time.

"Get on my back. Im going to look. Don't be scared. Its all going to be okay. You're going to be fine." Cadence trotted quietly up the stairs, summoning energy to her horn. She opened her large purple wings and covered Spike with them, hiding his body completely. Cadence took cautious steps towards her bedroom door. As she got closer she could hear the grunts and growls of Shining Armor. He sounded like he was in pain. Cadence walked faster, approaching the door. It was barely open. Cadence very cautiously peeked her head inside. She screamed at what she saw, backing up with rapid pace, tears pouring from her eyes. She panted, feeling that same fear that she felt in her nightmare. She turned away from the door and retched, weak and sick. Cadence collapsed in a heap on the floor. The same image that she had just seen flashed through her mind: Shining lying on the floor, his white fur and skin peeling away from his body like wrapping paper from a gift. It fluttered into the air, leaving his body a jet black. And the worst part: his eyes. He had squeezed his eyes shut from pain, but as Cadence entered, they snapped open, revealing an evil pair of emerald green and blue eyes. The same eyes that she had seen on the Changeling queen.

Cadence looked over to the open door, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure all of Equestria could hear it. She watched in horror as the figure, a disgusting black alicorn, stepped out of the doorway. The creature still had patches of white fur clinging to her body, and her mane was the same blue that Shining's had been. Cadence looked away, glimpsing the door beside her. It was Room 707. Twilight was in there. Cadence struggled to her feet, shaking away the weakness, and burst into the room, closing and locking the door behind her. She could hear the Changeling pounding away at the door.

"Come on out, honey." She hissed in Shining Armor's silly voice. She laughed then, and Cadence cringed at the evil sound echoing through the castle.

"Princess!" Cadence saw Twilight, groggy and confused, standing by the foot of the bed. "What's going on? Are you okay? Where's Shi-." Twilight was cut off as Queen Chrysalis pounded furiously at the door. Twilight backed up, whimpering.

"We need to get out, now." Cadence crossed the room to the large window, forcing the glass up. She turned to Twilight.

"Get out on the roof. Take Spike. I will lift you onto my back. Whatever you do, you can't scream. You must be silent. She will hear you." Cadence looked back at the door. The Changeling was still screeching angrily and pounding against it.

Twilight began to cry, fear clouding her eyes. Cadence opened her wings and Spike jumped down, toddling over to Twilight who lifted him onto her back.

"Hold on, Spike. Don't let go of my mane." She gingerly stepped out onto the tiny square of roof. She turned to Cadence, narrowing her eyes, trying to be strong. "Okay."

Cadence ran for the window, ducking at the last moment as she shot out into the clear sky, fanning her wings out on either side. She banked and landed on the patch of roof. Twilight and Spike quickly arranged themselves on her back, clinging to her sides and to each other.

"Hang on tight. And don't speak a word. Im going to hide us. If she hears you, she will come straight for you. And just because you are young doesn't mean she won't take your body." She looked at Spike. Inside the room, Cadence could see the door straining to hold together, ready to break. Cadence looked back. "Here we go."

Cadence flapped her wings, making slow progress, not used to the weight of a pony and a baby dragon. But she forced herself into the air, fueled with the fear of death. She hadn't had time to process what had just happened, so she began to cry quietly. When she thought she had defeated the evil queen on her wedding day, the queen had really found her way into Shining's body. Cadence had married the fake after all...

The princess shook her head. She had to focus.

She gazed down at the landscape below them. She kept an eye out for the familiar patch of rock that Shining had shown her before they had gotten married. It was a tiny little cave that could fit two full grown ponies. One alicorn, one pony, one baby dragon...it was estimation, but she hoped that it was big enough. She spotted it after a few minutes, well aware that the queen had taken flight by now, and could be anywhere. She prayed that she didn't see them through the heavy patches of clouds. Cadence took a quick note of her surroundings, watching for the black Changeling. It was clear.

Oh Celestia, she prayed. Keep us safe.

Cadence dropped downward. She felt Twilight cling tighter to her neck and flank. Fortunately, the pony was obedient. She didn't make a sound as they began their descent. As the ground grew closer, fear grew larger in her heart. If they were spotted, would Cadence, weakened already by retching up her fluids, and Twilight have enough magic to defeat the enemy? That monster had taken down Princess Celestia.

Cadence lighted on the emerald blades of grass, gently shaking off Twilight and Spike. The baby dragon had fallen asleep in Twilights grasp, and now groggily lifted his head to take in the scene, then relaxed on Twilights back. Cadence waved them along and silently jammed herself into the hidden cave. Twilight went in after her, squeezing against the princess. It wasn't the biggest cave. The entrance made it look tiny, but inside it gave them just enough room to sit or lay down. Outside the entrance were wild onions, so they wouldn't starve. Cadence didn't know what to do. They couldn't hide here forever.

Spike sat up suddenly, eyes widening. Twilight frantically tried to cover his mouth, as she knew what was happening. His cheeks puffed out, and fire burst from his mouth, and a piece of parchment fell to the ground. Fire bursted into air, lighting the back of Twilight's mane on fire. The two ponies winced. Cadence closed her eyes in fear. Maybe the Changeling hadn't heard it....

A laugh rang in the air outside the cave. Cadence felt the tears streak down her face. She squeezed out of the entrance and faced the wicked creature before her. This was her battle. Twilight started for the entrance, but Cadence used the last bit of her magic to create a magic wall. It blocked the entrance. "Cadence, no! No!" Twilight screamed and pounded at the wall. Spike grabbed her hoof and looked her in the eye. Twilight dropped to the ground, her tears making a small puddle on the floor.

Cadence turned to look at the torn face of Queen Chrysalis.

The Changeling's green eyes seemed to bore down to her soul, fear eating her from the inside out. Cadence was scared, overwhelmed with fear, but she had to keep the younger ponies safe. And all Chrysalis wanted was her body. So she was going to let her have it.

Queen Chrysalis smiled a wicked grin. Crooked fangs jutted from her jaw, and her horn was ripped and torn, like chunks had been taken from it.

"Look who we have here. If it isn't the princess. What a beautiful body you have. And it's all mine." The queen chuckled. "I have been listening to you. It's funny that you actually thought that those visions were nightmares. I actually laughed!" Chrysalis pushed her face right into Cadences. Green fire flared in the monster's eyes. "And you think that all I want is you. But I don't want just you. That little purple unicorn will give me a good source of magic when I rip it clean out of her body." In the corner of her eye, Cadence saw Twilight pounding against the force field once more, her muffled screams useless.

"Don't hurt her!" Cadence whispered angrily at Chrysalis. She pushed her forehead angrily against the mangled face of the Queen's. Her voice shook. "She's just an innocent pony. She doesn't deserve this."

"You don't deserve this either, princess. But yet it is happening to you." The Changeling smiled once more, eyes flaring. "Long live the queen."

The Changeling stepped forward, and Cadence felt herself sinking. Green fire surrounded her. The eyes of the queen were the last thing she saw before she was falling.