Fallen Harmony

Twilight stared at the door of the boutique, her magic holding Sweetie Belle back. A crowd was slowly gathering, but the layer of over-glow on her horn maintained the barrier well enough that no one could get in. Or out. They’d gotten here before it could escape. This time the Chimera would answer for its crimes. Even if it was too late for another of Twilight’s friends. Sweetie Belle’s screams had confirmed it even before Shadow had gone inside. Rarity was gone. This time, Shadow had forgone subtlety. The second they’d arrived, his guise had vanished, a wolf replacing the stallion that stayed by her side.

The door had been blown off its hinges from the impact with his front paws. Even though no one else could hear through Twilight’s barrier, her magic allowed her to hear what was happening inside. Shadow and the Chimera were fighting, but the fight hadn’t moved beyond the front parlor, where she could hear labored breathing. Rarity was still alive. That realization struck home, hard, as Twilight started to move forward, only to see the window get blown out, Shadow’s side slamming into it.

Everyone jumped back, even as Shadow vanished again. Looking around, Twilight sought out someone she knew would keep Sweetie Belle from trying to follow her. Spotting Big Mac and Applebloom, the latter clasping her hooves together as they watched, she ushered Sweetie over to them. “Watch her.” Was all she said to Big Mac as she ran towards the barrier, a small opening appearing and disappearing as she raced through. Ducking as she passed the window, she went to the door and peeked inside.

The Chimera that Shadow was fighting with wasn’t the variety he’d mentioned. Something about it was off. The snake head was far to scaled, more like a dragon than a snake. And the other two heads were creatures she barely recognized. A bull with horns that curved backwards before jutting forward and a wolf with glowing red eyes. This wasn’t a Neighponese Chimera. Seeing Shadow slam into its side as it lunged for Rarity, she realized why he wasn’t really fighting it. He was protecting Rarity. They could save her.

Swallowing her fear, Twilight watched for an opening when they weren’t rolling around near Rarity. Two other sets of eyes could, at any minute, focus on her instead of Shadow. Her moment came when Shadow and the Chimera rolled into the kitchen. Racing in, Twilight threw herself over Rarity and immediately erected a triple layered barrier as well as making the barrier outside thrum with a signal she knew Princess Celestia would immediately recognize. The same signal she’d used once before, when she was a filly.

Almost immediately, the room exploded with a burst of Solar energy as Princess Celestia, her own magical barrier erected around Twilight and Rarity as she stared down the Chimera, who had frozen mid step as it attempted to run out of the kitchen. Now it had three options. Stay and attempt to get passed the Princess of the Sun at the target it had nearly succeeded in dropping. Stay and fight the wolf, which was winning despite being two heads less vigilant. Or run and fight another time, banking on the Princess not wanting to shed further blood in one of her fiefdoms.

Shadow stalked up behind it, his hackles raised, blood dripping from his jaws from the chunk of the Chimera’s side he had ripped out. The bull head whispered something to the wolf, causing it to spit on the floor before turning and racing for the back. Twilight’s barriers around the house immediately dropped as the Chimera raced off. Shadow started to go after it until Celestia ordered him back. It would take his strength to get Rarity to the hospital in time to save her.

He nodded as he limped over to Twilight, nuzzling at her gently as she pressed back against him, checking his injured leg. “I’m glad we got here in time to do some good.” He said and she smiled up at him, tears in her eyes. Sweetie Belle ran in a second later and immediately went to her sister. Right behind her were two guards and a medical team. As soon as the medical team stopped to load Rarity on a stretcher, Shadow growled at them and shook his head. “Load that thing on a cart and have it waiting outside. We need speed, and you two aren’t fast enough.” He said and the two medics looked at Celestia who just nodded. One of them went outside, carrying the stretcher with him while the second remained by Twilight’s side. Nurse Redheart.

“I’ll do what I can to stop the bleeding.” She said and Twilight nodded, stepping aside just a little while the nurse went to work. Shadow stayed by Twilight’s side as Celestia pulled Sweetie Belle to her, shielding her from the sight while talking to her in gentle, soothing tones. Seeing her mentor act this way made Twilight’s heart swell with joy. She’d heard many a pony in cities like Cloudsdale and Manehatten say that Celestia was just a ruler who cared little for her subjects. This was proof of the opposite. As soon as the other medic returned with a cart, the stretcher and a few layers of blankets lining the sides and bottom of it, Twilight helped load Rarity onto the stretcher.

Celestia lifted Sweetie Belle into the back with Rarity while Shadow got strapped in. “Nurse Redheart, ride with Sweetie Belle and Rarity. With my speed, we’ll need you to tend her wounds and keep them from getting worse. Twilight, ride with them and help however you can.” He said and she nodded as she and Redheart climbed into the cart.

“I will meet you at Ponyville General so you have a clear path.” Celestia said before taking off a moment later, flying straight towards the hospital.

“Alright, hold on you three.” Shadow said before taking off down the street. It wasn’t exactly a straight shot to the hospital, but there weren’t many sharp curves. Twilight almost wanted to peek up over the edge of the cart to see how quickly they were moving, but she had to focus. Redheart wasn’t a unicorn. Her skills were needed to guide Twilight’s magic, which was focused on the most pressing injuries. A gash in Rarity’s side and two puncture wounds on her shoulder. Fang marks. The snake head, or whatever it had been, may have been venomous. While Twilight and Redheart worked, Sweetie Belle clung to her sister’s hoof, silent tears falling from her cheeks.

Two hours later saw Twilight, Celestia and Shadow in the waiting room at the hospital. Several other guests, as well as two other soon to be patients, had migrated to the other side of the waiting room. Shadow still looked angry, and had yet to wipe the blood from his wounds or his lips. And his pacing didn’t help either. Celestia sat on the floor, none of the chairs were large enough to accommodate a fully grown Alicorn, one of her wings draped over Twilight’s shoulders. The light to the intensive care wing hummed statically, the only indication that they were still trying. Sweetie Belle had been pulled out by Big Mac, the little filly having worn herself out worrying about her sister.

Twilight watched Shadow pace, her heart thundering in her chest. The second he’d burst through the door into the boutique, her heart had nearly stopped. This thing had killed Applejack by dropping a boulder on her. If it was strong enough to do that, what would she have done if it was strong enough to get him? As the scenarios raced through her mind, her heart rate steadily increased as her pupils narrowed to pinpricks, her breathing become rapid and ragged. She barely registered Celestia calling her name, but her mind was so focused on what could have been she couldn’t even hear her teacher.

“Twilight!” Shadow shouted, inches from her face. She jerked back with a yelp, looking up at him only to immediately fall against him, his forelegs going around her. “It’s alright. I’m right here.”

“Is... is Rarity...?”

“We don’t know yet.” He said, looking up at the light. Intensive Care still glowed brilliantly. “You were panicking. Celestia went to get you some water.” He said and Twilight nodded, pressing her head against his chest, her horn resting on his shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment longer, only separating when Celestia returned with a couple of glasses of ice cool spring water. One of them she gave to Twilight, the other she sat on the chair she’d have been sitting on, had she been a normal sized pony.

“Shadow, I’d like to speak with you in private. If that’s alright.” She said and he nodded as he stood up, Twilight’s wing remaining on his side until he was out of her reach, following Celestia into the hallway. Twilight watched as Celestia sent two guards to stand beside her student and make sure she was ok while she and Shadow disappeared around a corner. As much privacy as the hospital waiting room would allow. When Celestia’s two guards sat down on either side of Twilight, the young alicorn leaned against the one she’d known the longest. Sergeant Bulwark, now Captain of the Canterlot Guard. Her brother’s former lieutenant.

“Everything’s gonna be alright Twili. Celestia called some doctors down from Canterlot. They’ll be here within a few minutes. If they can’t help your friend, I dunno who can.” He said and Twilight nodded.

“I don’t want to come off as insubordinate...”

“Then don’t speak, Private.” Bulwark said and the soldier that had been about to talk clammed up and stared at the wall across from him. “I contacted Shining Armor. He, Flurry and Cadance will be here tomorrow to help with shielding spells to keep Miss Pie safe.” He said and Twilight nodded.

“Thank you Bul...” she said and he nodded before walking off to chat with Doctor Stable.

That night found Twilight asleep against Celestia’s side, the Princess of the Sun as awake as her student’s guardian. “You should sleep, Princess. You’ve got to raise the sun tomorrow.” He said, his tail flipping in annoyance behind him. They hadn’t heard anything about Rarity in six hours. Captain Bulwark had left for the day, confident that Shadow could protect both princesses as well as the entirety of the Canterlot Guard. One of the nurses had brought a blanket to cover Twilight with as the Princess of Friendship snored gently, her head resting on her teacher’s legs.

“I will be fine, Captain. His will not be the first time I have spent all night awake.” She said and he nodded, closing his eyes as his ears swiveled around. She smiled as she draped a wing over Twilight, taking some small comfort in the knowledge that her student, and one of her dearest friends, was by her side. Even with his eyes closed, Shadow was listening to everything. His ears were focused on every door and window in the hospital. If anything happened, he’d be on his feet and alert, ready for any kind of danger.

Celestia looked up at the light above the operating room door. Surgery in Progress. Even if they tried, they couldn’t go in. The doors were locked and sealed magically. It would take Celestia or Twilight to break through the magic on those doors, and then Shadow would likely be forced to injure himself breaking the door down if anything happened. Looking over at Shadow again, she saw the steady rise and fall of his chest. He was asleep. Smiling a little, she glanced at his head and saw that his ears were still moving. Sentry Sleep. He was alert, partially awake, even though his body was resting. He could be on his paws and ready to fight at a moment’s notice.

Hearing a ding, Celestia and Shadow both turned toward the door. The light was off. Gently rousing Twilight, the two princesses and the wolf stood as the doors pushed open, Doctor Stable walking out with his mask off. When he looked up, Twilight sucked in a pained breath. It was no secret that Doctor Stable had adored Rarity. She’d never been sick a day in her life, and her designs had replaced the drab hospital garb months prior, saving the hospital itself hundreds of dollars in bits for new uniforms.

“She’s stabilized and awake, but we don’t know how much longer she’s got. I’m sorry Princess. There’s nothing more I can do.” He said and Twilight stared at him, tears in her eyes. “She asked to see you. You may take one of them in with you, but two is all I can allow. I’m sorry.” Twilight nodded and looked to Celestia.

“Take Shadow with you. I need to speak with the doctor.” The princess said and Twilight nodded to her teacher before walking in with Shadow. The entire operating room was cleared, save for Rarity’s bed in the middle of the room. Monitors and tables of tools lay around the bed, a single light on an end table next to her illuminated her skin with a sickly yellow tint.

“Twilight? Darling, you look dreadful.” She said as the two of them approached. Twilight sat beside the bed, reaching up and taking Rarity’s hoof between her own. “I know... I don’t look much better, do I?” she asked and Twilight shook her head, sniffling a little. “Is Sweetie Belle safe?”

“She’s with your parents at the hotel. I’m going to ask Shining Armor if he can take Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to the crystal empire for now. They’ll be safer there.” Shadow said and Rarity smiled at him.

“Thank you darling.” She said before turning to Twilight. “Please don’t cry. Not yet... save your tears until after you’ve stopped the chimera.” She said before turning away from the two of them and coughing violently, clutching at the bandages across her chest. Twilight started to rise to go for the doctor until she felt Rarity’s hoof on hers. “There’s nothing they could do... I just... I wanted to tell you, Twilight, ever since we’ve met, you made me believe I could really be somepony. When I first moved here to Ponyville from Manehatten... I didn’t...” coughing interrupted her until she felt a cool glass of water pressed against her lips. Taking a sip, she watched a dull black glow place it on the table next to her bed. Shadow’s magic. “Thank you. I didn’t think I’d make it as a fashionista. My designs were drab compared with Canterlot fashion.

“And then you came from Canterlot and I got the chance to meet Fancy Pants and Fleur dis Lis, Prim Hemline, Sapphire Shores, Hoity Toity, and all manner of other fashionable ponies from the upper reaches of society. They gave me the chance to see my designs in a new light. More fashion, less...”

“Drab?” Shadow offered and she smiled and nodded.

“Yes, exactly. I know what the Mayor will say, but I left the boutique in your name. I want you to hire somepony you trust to run it, Twilight.” Rarity said and Twilight nodded. “Thank you. I hope... I hope you find this thing before it hurts Pinkie Pie...” She said before laying her head on the pillow and closing her eyes. Twilight held onto her hoof for a moment longer until she felt it go slack. Looking up at the heart monitor, she realized why it wasn’t making any noise. Shadow had opened the side panel and removed the speaker.

“I’ll be outside.” He said as he leaned down and nuzzled Twilight’s cheek gently. The speaker remained hanging against the side of the heart monitor as he turned and walked to the door. As soon as he was out, Celestia flowed into the room and went directly to Twilight, wrapping her student in her wings and immediately casting a sound proof barrier. No one outside needed to hear their princess break own into a sobbing mess.