The Brothers Don't

"You can't stop me from going, Cadance!" Shining Armor yelled.

"Do you really expect me to let you go up there again?" the princess asked. "With all the ponies that have gone missing, not to mention your trust in that... that thing down there!" She pointed over the edge of their bedroom's balcony at the aircraft. "You're out of your mind, Shining! The ponies of Equestria look up to you. Our daughter needs you!"

"They need Twilight more," Shining said. "And I will stop at nothing to find her."

He stormed out of the room and hurried to the study. Macintosh and Spitfire were waiting for him.

"Uh oh," Spitfire said at Shining's angry expression. "Is she gonna be okay?"

"She'll have to be," Shining grumbled. "Where's Flash? And Zecora?"

"Zecora's not coming," Spitfire said. "Flash is already in the aircraft."

Shining's jaw dropped. "What do you mean Zecora's not coming?"

"She said it was too dangerous," Spitfire said with a serious expression. "That she had a bad feeling about it."

"Psh!" Shining slammed a hoof on the table. "Well, fine. Make sure we have plenty of medics coming with us, then."

"Already done."

"Macintosh," Shining said, looking into the great stallion's deep green eyes, "what do you think of all this?"

After a deep breath in and out through his nose, Macintosh said, "I'll do anything to find Applejack."

A lump grew in Shining's throat. He nodded. "Right. Let's go. There's no reason to wait around."

The three of them left the palace in silence. Waiting at its base, near the crystal heart, was the unit of new recruits Shining Armor had brought to the empire.

"Soldiers!" he said as he walked nearer.

They looked his way and stood at attention.

Shining frowned. "Where's Zephyr?"

Some of their eyes shifted, but otherwise they made no sound.

"Brick Pounder, where's Zephyr Breeze?" Shining asked.

"I don't know, Sir," said the stallion. "We haven't seen him all day."

Shining sighed and rubbed his eyes with one hoof. "Figures. Right, well, I wanted to wish you all a safe journey. I've reunited with my special operations unit for a dangerous mission to find the Princess of Friendship and her companions. They are a powerful team and have gone above and beyond for the safety of their country. Draw strength from their examples, and do the same. I'm sorry that I can't come with you to the battlefield, but I have full confidence in your loyalty and determination to protect." He saluted. "I'm proud of you, Soldiers. Report back to the imperial barracks and await orders. You'll be on a train before sundown. Dismissed!"

The ponies saluted and began to march away. Shining Armor caught Brick Pounder's attention and said, "When you see Zephyr, please tell him to be safe out there. Tell him not to forget what I said. Can you do that for me?"

Brick Pounder nodded. Shining gave him another whack on the armor and let him follow his unit through to the streets of the city.

"Zephyr Breeze?" Macintosh asked behind Shining.

He turned around and rolled his eyes. "He up and joined the army. Wanted to save Fluttershy."

"Can't blame him for that, I s'pose," Macintosh said.

Shining Armor put his head down. "Yeah. I just... I just hope he makes it. For her sake."

Macintosh was quiet.

Spitfire cleared her throat. "Right, well, I don't know who this Breeze guy is, but let's not let him distract us too much from the plan at hoof."

Shining nodded. "Right. Come on, let's meet up with Flash."

From high above, Cadance cried while watching her husband board Film and Flam's flying machine. "Please come back, Shining," she breathed. "Come back to me."