I'll Wait For You

I'll Wait For You
Ink Mage

Chapter Five
Age Sixteen

"Don't you think we should tell them soon?" Crystal Hoof complained, walking by Flurry Heart as she turned to him and gave him her signature smirk.

"Nah, they tortured you for fifteen years about this.... and it's only been a single year so far," she said slyly. Crystal Hoof threw his head back.

"You're so evil," he said simply, grinning at her. Flurry Heart shrugged.

"Yeah, I tend to have that effect on people," she said simply.

"But seriously, Flurry, your parents still don't know that you know about my changeling form. It's been far too long, we should tell them sooner or later," Crystal Hoof reasoned, "you haven't seen your father's anger like I have. Trust me." He shuddered.

Flurry laughed. "Oh are you really scared of my dad? C'mon, Thorax." She gave him a playful punch as they made their way into a secluded room. Crystal Hoof sighed.

"I'm not scared, I'm just... taking the necessary precautions to ensure the absolute and utter safety of the princess who controls most of the Crystal Empire's weather. Seriously, Flurry, your powers are the only thing that actually scare me," Crystal Hoof joked. Flurry grinned, lighting up her horn and creating a few swirls of snow around him.

"Oh, like this?" she asked teasingly, making a snowball with her magic and dropping it onto his head. Crystal Hoof squealed and shook his head roughly.

"Yeah! Exactly like that!" he exclaimed, as the two started laughing. Flurry looked to her cutie mark; a large crystaline heart between swirls of different-colored sprinkles of snow and frost.

"It is pretty awesome, isn't it," she sighed happily. Crystal Hoof raised his eyebrows at her.

"By awesome, do you mean downright frightening? Because there's a fine line between those two," he said, before erupting into flames and transforming into his changeling form.

Flurry smiled upon seeing him. "I love it when you do that," she said.

Thorax grinned. "I love it that you love it when I do that," he teased.

"Hey, I just got the most brilliant idea ever," Flurry suddenly said, her eyes widening as she appeared to think over something. Thorax nodded, gesturing for her to continue.

"Do go on, Princess. I am eager to listen to what your heart has to tell." He winked. Flurry slapped him playfully before clearing her throat.

"How about we break the news to my parents on my birthday? It's only in a few days, so it'll be perfect!" she exclaimed. Thorax looked at her curiously.

"Break what news?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"About how I know about your changeling-ness," she said. Thorax's eyes widened.

"I thought we weren't telling them," he said.

Flurry Heart smirked. "That would be an awesome return gift though, don't you think?"

"I take it back, you're not evil," Thorax said, "you're downright despicable." He grinned.

Flurry whipped her hair with her hoof for dramatic effect. "Well, I do have my moments," she teased. "Now come on! We have some serious pranking to do."

"Sixteen, huh?" Thorax snorted.

"Hey, everypony loves a good prank," Flurry said, moving to walk out the door. Thorax grinned, nodding.

"Well alright, who will I be taking the form of today?" he asked. Flurry smirked, thinking.

"What about... my father?" she asked cunningly. Thorax gaped at her.

"Your father?! Only Celestia knows what'll happen if he were ever to find out!" he exclaimed.

"Weren't we just discussing how you weren't afraid of my parents?" Flurry asked knowingly. Thorax sighed.

"Well played, Flurry Heart, well played," he said, before transforming into Shining Armor with a flash. Thorax struck a quick pose, shooting her a wink. "Well, how do I look? Fabulous, no?"

Flurry couldn't help but chortle.

"Cadance, dear," Shining Armor said as he looked over a giant array of papers and diagrams on a coffee table in the kitchen, "I get that it's her Sweet Sixteen and all, but isn't this a little too much?"

Cadance shook her head. "Shiney, if it was too much, I would have called in the flamingos!"

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. "And those flamingos would then make it too much? Why not just call them anyway?" he asked, before his eyes widened. "Oh no, I didn't just give you an idea, did I?"

"You may have," Cadance smacked her lips together as she smirked at her husband's groan.

"You have got to be kidding me," Shining Armor said.

"Okay, come on, even you can admit that flamingos make everything better," Cadance said. Shining Armor thought about this.

"You're right," he said with a grin.

"I always am!" Cadance said, twirling on her left hind leg.

Shining Armor muttered something under his breath, turning to leave the kitchen. "I should go check on Array Six of the house guards. They promised me a full report on Area Fifteen and I need to get that done before dinner. Save me some salad, or something?" he asked, turning to his wife who was giving him a blank look.

"Honey, Array Six gave you their report two weeks ago," she reminded. Shining Armor stopped, planting his hoof on his forehead and sighing.

"Oh yes, it was Array Four then, my mistake." He made way to leave again, but Cadance stopped him.

"Uhm... no, Array Four gave you their report three days ago. Are you overworking again?" she asked, a concerned look plastered on her face. Shining sighed.

"Just ensuring upmost protection for our Flurry. She's getting older, she needs more protection and ponies looking out for her wellbeing," he reasoned. Cadance frowned.

"I think you got that a little mixed up, but alright," she said, "don't work yourself dry though, I still need my quality Shining time." She winked, making Shining Armor blush profusely. Cadance laughed, sending him off with a quick motion of her hooves. "I'm just teasing, go out and do what you have to do."

"Right... well, I'll go do that now," Shining Armor said, opening the door with his magic.

"Oh and, Shiney, it was Array Five Hundred Sixty Three that needed their report in by the end of today," Cadance called.

"I was close!" Shining said over his shoulder, exiting the room.

Shining Armor made his way through the castle, weaving in and out of all the many hallways and passages, trying to get to the training grounds before role call begun.

He suddenly heard voices from somewhere nearby, and if he wasn't mistaken, it sounded like his beloved daughter and... himself?

Shining Armor immediately broke course, determined to investigate this further. He walked through one of the restricted areas, only to come face to face with a scene he never expected to see.

Shining Armor- I mean, somepony who looked exactly like him was ordering a guard around, and Flurry Heart was behind and off to the side, laughing her head off.

"Now, do the chicken dance!" 'Shining Armor' declared. The guard gave him a questioning look, but didn't say anything as he began to walk around and cluck like a chicken.

"BAHAHAAHAHAHA!!" Flurry Heart laughed, rolling on the floor and clutching her sides.

Reality hit Shining Armor like a brick. That wasn't some random impersonator... it was Thorax!

Shining Armor's eyes narrowed as he stared upon the changeling. He really had Flurry Heart fooled, didn't he. Shining Armor knew that if Flurry knew who she was dealing with, she wouldn't be laughing so hard.

"Tell him to go and do my homework for me!" Flurry Heart yelled to Thorax. Thorax turned and gave her a wide grin, looking back to the guard.

"You heard my daughter!" he yelled, "go and do her homework for her!"

The guard instantly sprang up and ran out of the hall, going straight in the direction of Flurry's room.

Shining Armor thought his was the perfect time to make his presence known, but Flurry had other plans.

"Oh that was brilliant!" she said, wiping a few tears of laughter from her eyes. "Simply brilliant! Splendid! Hilarious! Miraculous! You name it!"

Thorax smirked through his disguise. "I know! That was by far the best transformation you've ever asked of me!"

Shining Armor frowned. What was Thorax going on about? What were these two talking about? Why wasn't Flurry questioning her so-called 'father' about his antics? Something wasn't adding up.

"My pranking record just went up by five million! Do you think its enough to beat Rainbow Dash?" Flurry asked, still trying to get over her laughs.

"Well, with me by your side, your pranks will soon be legendary!" Thorax said.

"Oh sweet Celestia, Thorax," Flurry Heart said, bursting into laughs once again, "that was bloody brilliant! Did you see his face? I-"

"What in Equestria is going on here," Shining Armor suddenly said, stepping out from the curtains he was hiding in. Flurry Heart and Thorax both froze on their spots, turning around slowly to face Flurry's dad.

Shining Armor was less than pleased.

"Shit," Flurry Heart said, instantly looking over to Thorax who had a dumbstruck facial expression on. Shining Armor ignored her, turning to Thorax.

"Thorax, what the hell is going on," he said in a calm voice. Thorax gulped.

"Uh... I..." he stammered, trying to make out words.

"First of all, remove that ridiculous disguise," Shining Armor said. Thorax dropped his head, nodding. He quickly transformed back into his regular changeling form, looking between Shining Armor and Flurry.

"Now, let me ask this once again. What. Is. Going. On."

"Oh Dad!" Flurry Heart suddenly exclaimed, running up to him and getting onto her knees. "It wasn't Thorax's fault! Honest! He never meant to tell me! I knew all along!"

"You... what?" Shining Armor asked in disbelief. Flurry nodded desperately.

"It's true! I remember when Thorax first looked at me when I was a baby! I always knew that my foalhood friend Crystal Hoof was in fact a changeling," she explained. "This isn't Thorax's fault! Please don't punish him for something he never did!"

Shining Armor gaped at his daughter, looking between her and the shocked changeling who was staring at Flurry. Thorax was looking at her with a meaningful look, a look that could only mean one thing, 'Thank You'.

Shining Armor looked at Thorax, and then at Flurry. He huffed, turning away so that his back was facing them.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow," he said, before trotting out of the hallway in another direction.

Thorax immediately looked towards Flurry Heart, who had a pained and relieved expression on her face.

God, she looked beautiful.

'Whoa, what? What am I saying?' Thorax thought to himself. 'I am absolutely not allowed to think of Flurry in that way. Nope, not at all.'

Thorax gazed upon his foalhood friend. She had just saved him. Saved him from the upmost wrath of her father.

'She saved me. She actually saved me...'

"Flurry, I-"

"Thorax, I just-"

They looked at each other for what seemed like hours, a faint blush beginning to tint both of their faces.

"You first."

"You go first."

They met eye contact.

"Thank you..." Thorax said softly, moving closer to her. Flurry did the same, stepping closer to him.

They moved till there was almost no space between them. Flurry suddenly dropped her gaze, a sad frown etching her facial features. She turned, looking away from him. Thorax looked at her almost helplessly.

"You're welcome," she almost whispered, before disappearing down the hall.

In the far reaches of the Frozen North, a young stallion emerged from the frosty bushes and cold snow storms of the south. He looked every direction, desperately trying to find someplace warm.

He spotted a nearby cave, a glowing warmth radiating from it. He moved closer to it.

It was the perfect campout spot to plan his next move.

After making a fire and warming himself up besides him, he took out a newspaper from his satchel, looking at the pictures with an icy stare.

It showed Princess Flurry Heart's sixteenth birthday party, a giant bash filled with fun and flamingos. His eyes sought one individual; he found who he was looking for in the very corner of the picture.

"I'll get you, Crystal Hoof... I'll get you back for all the pain you caused me. You bloody identity thief. You reckless stupid pony who took my face from me."

His eyes moved to the middle of the picture, where Flurry Heart was standing having a laugh with her friends.

"And I know exactly how I'll do it."

He smiled evilly, placing the newspaper away.

"All I need is a little time..."