The air whipped past Flurry, she was flying as fast as she could. She was hitched up to a sky chariot, holding Shining armor and an unconscious Cadence. Shining had almost lost it when Flurry suggested going to her hive, Flurry merely pointed out that they knew no one else who might know how to counter such a curse. Shining had tried to argue that Celestia, Luna or even Twilight might be able to, Flurry shut that down pointing out none of them had any knowledge of changeling curses, as they were very different from other types. With great reluctance Shining had agreed, Cadence had seemed to be getting worse by the second and Shining was getting desperate.

The ground flew past in a blur, Canterlot was about a day away by train. An unburdened pegasus could make the trip quicker if they were well trained and had the energy to spare. Flurry was neither, she hadn’t slept since before raiding the tavern the night before, she had a lack of endurance flight training and she was carrying two other ponies, but she would be damned to tartarus if she didn’t try. Using all of her alicorn strength and stamina, Flurry pressed on as fast as her load would allow. Five hours into the flight, FLurry could just make out the beginning of the Canter Mountain range, where Canterlot stood, she had cut a half day off the trip. SHe knew she would be paying for it latter, but that was future Flurry’s problem, current Flurry was only concerned with making it to Canterlot and her Hive.

An hour latter the ground came rushing up as Flurry dove towards Canterlot, she wasn’t sure where the entrance to the hive was, only that some of her changelings could be found around the castle. Twilight had told her this on her visit, allowing her to tell the crystal ponies she sent how to find them, even if she didn't know how to get into the hive proper. As she continued her dive, two black dots raced up to meet her. Squinting Flurry could see they were changelings, spreading her wings Flurry cut as much speed as possible.

“Flurry, we got your message, this way!”

Flurry didn't hesitate, she had sent a message ahead of them via messenger orb, she was glad for that now. Following the two changelings, they led her to an out cropping in the cliff side below the city. Darting through the opening Flurry caught a glimpse of two guard lings, they entered a cavern with a tunnel leading further into the mountain. About a dozen ponies and changelings were gathered in the space, all waiting for Flurry to land and hoof over her cargo. The chariot landed with a thud as it came to a stop, the ponies and lings hurrying forward.

“How long has she been out?” Asked the lead changeling.

“The entire trip plus and hour, I had to knock her out.”

Seeing changelings, Shining instinctively tried to keep them away from Cadence.

“Mr. Armor,” The lead changeling spoke. “Your wife is in critical condition, we can help, but you need to let us.”

“Shining,” Flurry called unhitching herself. “This is why we're here, let them do their job.”

With a sigh and no small amount of reluctance Shining let the changelings past, Cadence was placed on a stretcher and hurried off through the tunnel entrance, the various changelings and ponies talking in rapid fire to one another. Flurry and Shining were hot on their hooves, the group entered a large open cave. Changelings and ponies were everywhere, regardless the running group had a clear path as then entered a carved out building. The inside of the building was recognisable immediately, clean tiled floors and white walls, bright lit halls and rooms, the smell of medicine and cleaner, a hospital in every sense. The group carrying Cadence entered a pair of double doors, but Shining and Flurry were barred by a changeling nurse.

“I’m sorry, but you two will need to wait out here, doctors and medical staff only.”

Shining made to retort but was silenced by a voice behind him.

“Shinny!”

Shining Armor spun around in time to receive a tearful hug from Twilight.

“Whats happening? What's wrong with Cadence?”

“She's infected with a changeling curse, other than that we don’t know anything.” Flurry supplied for Shining, who was barely holding himself together.

“How is that even possible?”

A regal voice spoke up from behind them. “The why we can determine latter, right now we need to make sure Cadence survives.”

All three ponies turned to see Celestia, she and Luna were standing in the hallway looking downcast. They all knew Cadence could go either way, they were just praying for her to recover. From behind Celestia came four faces Flurry knew anywhere, Rocky Thunder, Spade, Shade, and Quick. All four approached Flurry quietly, words were not needed right now, anypony could see how Flurry was feeling. They embraced Flurry in a warm hug, for the first time since the attack, Flurry felt safe. The group was silent for a time, the only sound was from other ponies or changelings going about their business. Flurry looked up from her friends, seeing Shining and Twilight looking at them with varying expressions. Flurry pulled herself back together some before speaking.

“Shining, Twilight, these are my friends Spade, Quick, Shade, and Rocky Thunder. They’ve been my closest friends for years, guys this is my first father Shining Armor and his sister Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight approached the group with an outstretched hoof. “Its very nice too meet Flurys friends, though I wish it was under better circumstances.”

Twilight received hoof shakes and a ‘likewise’ or ‘same here’ comment from the four friends. Shining was still not completely trusting these changelings, but he returned the hoof shakes regardless. Before anything else could be said, a loud rumbling made itself known, everyone looked around, before settling on a very embarrassed Flurry Heart.

“I guess I’m a little hungry.”

Hooves met faces of the four friends before Quick flew out promising to return with food. The group finally moved out of the hallway and to the waiting room, taking the time to sit. Only now did Flurry start to feel the fatigue of the past day and a half, she slumped on the floor, her body too tired to stay up.

“Flurry are you alright?” Twilight asked urgently.

“As much as can be, haven't slept since yesterday, problems up in the Empire.”

“Problems?” Celestia questioned.

Shining Armor filled in the general details of the past thirty or so hours, while he brought the princesses up to speed, Quick returned with a large plate of mushroom steaks, Flurry’s favorite. Living underground meant some foods were easier to get than others, mushrooms and other such plants that grew underground were plentiful, and large grilled and sauteed mushroom steak caps had become Flurry’s favorite. She ate the three steaks vigorously, she hadn’t even realized how hungry she was until she was licking up the last of the tasty sauce.

Some time latter a changeling doctor walked in, all eyes were on him as he calmly approached the group.

“We’ve identified the curse, it's a curse specific to fully ascended changeling queens.”

Twilight gasped. “Cadence face Chrysalis in her hive!”

The doctor blinked at this. “That would explain a few things, the curse it actually a fusion of several curses, all queen class, if she was fighting while trying to cast them it would explain why they're all so sloppy.”

“If they are as such,” Luna began. “Will it prove easier to remove them if they were done improperly?”

“I’m afraid not princess, each curse has a specific method to removing them, these were thrown together to poorly that they are literally overlapping, were going to have to figure this out from scratch.”

Everyone in the group was quiet, things were definitely not looking good.

“That is the bad news, the good news is that we’ve been able to stabilize Cadence but at a cost.”

“What cost!” Shining demanded.

The doctor looked nervous. “Let me show you.

~o0o~

The group followed the changeling Doctor down another hall way, explaining that Cadence had been moved to an intensive care room. Flurry was far too tired to stand and was being carried by Shining armor. Quick and Shade flanked both of them, much to Shining Armors protest, but they insisted on being at their friend's side and would not be told otherwise. The doctor stopped in front of a door, making sure to keep the inside out of sight.

“While you can enter, I must insist that none of you use magic, and you must be very careful, she is stable, but only just barely, any unnecessary disturbance inside could harm Cadence immensely, do I make myself clear?”

All of them nodded in reply, Shining and Twilight agreed they would enter the room with Flurry, the others would remain at the door so as not to crowd the room. The minute they saw the interior of the room everyone froze, the room was a simple white room you would find in any hospital, the only thing different was the cocoon. In the center of the room was a green slime cocoon, it pulsed with energy, and had a circle of magic gems around it. Cadence could be seen suspended in the center of the cocoon, her body lay still as she slumbered. Shining nearly lept at the cocoon, intending to slash it open and free Cadence, an outstretched hoof barely holding him back.

“BBBFF, don’t. You might wind up killing her.”

The statement was enough to take the wind out of shining’s sails. Walking more calmly into the room, Shining and Twilight examined the cocoon as well as the gems around it.

“The gems are suppressing the curse for now, as long as they are charged the curse won't be able to spread. The cocoon it keeping her in a coma, several aspects of the various curses are affecting her physically, until they can be removed her body is also at risk, this is the best we can do until a cure can be devised.”

Shining continued to study the cocoon, his expression grim. He was not at all trusting of changelings, and right now they had his wife in one of their cocoons, they only thing staying his hoof from tearing everything down around him was Flurry and Twilight.

“I am not ok with this, how am I supposed to even know if this is helping her?”

“Mr. Armor,” The doctor began. “Everyone here is licensed to practice medicine by both Equestrian and hive law, ‘Primum non nocere’.”

Shining blinked, hearing the Equestrian medical oath was something he didn’t expect.

“BBBFF, I know it's hard, but please trust them, I do.”

Shining just hung his head. “If only it were enough,” Shining looked between Twilight and Cadence. “I don’t trust changelings, but for my wife's sake, I will try.”

The others were quiet as Shining left the room, Quick and Shade began to follow, but thought better of it, deciding to give the stallion some space. Flurry began to drift off on Shining's back, the last thing she saw before passing out was a fleeting glimpse of her hive.

Author's Note

'Primum non nocere' - First do no harm

What's this, double update?