Shore Leave

A couple hours after boarding their train in Manehattan, the group of seven disguised changelings had arrived at their destination. Stepping off on to the platform at the station just outside the Crystal Empire, Chrysalis looked on through the veil of her disguise at the shimmering spectacle that was the city made entirely of crystal. Under the light of the moon and numerous stars, the structures shined and sparkled as always. But in the Queen's opinion, it was sickening to look at.

Time, however, was on her side for this part of the mission. With Luna's moon high in the sky, the platform was less busy as it would be if it were daytime. Almost completely deserted aside from a couple security guards, who seemed to rather read magazines than do their job. They didn't even acknowledge the group's presence as they walked by. Almost as though they weren't even there.

"Such laziness," the cloaked Queen said in her mind as they went down the stairs leading off of the platform to cross the tracks. "If my guards ever were like this, I'd have them reassigned to more... unpleasant tasks. Oh well. The less we get stopped by these fools, the better."

"My Queen," one of them who was disguised as Fluttershy softly said after crossing the tracks. "How exactly are we going to do this?"

"Quiet!" Chrysalis softly ordered in the Princess of Friendship's tone. She then looked around to make sure that no one else was around before looking back at the small group following her, each of them disguised as one of Princess Twilight's friends. "It's simple," she continued. "By the time we get there, they'll most likely be sleeping. So all we'll have to do when we find them is just cocoon them. Once that's done, I'll make a portal back to the lair for us to go through."

"A portal?" the changeling disguised as Rainbow Dash asked. "Brilliant idea, your Highness!"

"Keep your voice down!" the Queen sternly said through gritted teeth while glaring at the loud one. "Do you want us to be exposed before we even reach the castle?"

"N-No," the changeling quickly stuttered in a quiet tone. "My apologies."

Hearing that, the cloaked Queen just sighed and rolled her eyes before turning around and walking once more with the group in tow. Soon, they had made their way into the city surrounding the castle. Looking around, they were relieved to see that most of the crystal ponies had returned to their homes for the night as many of the streets were quiet and peaceful.

"Once we reach the castle. Let me do the talking," the disguised Queen softly said as they walked. Looking back at the group, she saw all of them silently nod in agreement. After saying that, the group approached the castle. The entrance of the structure was being guarded by a pair of armor wearing crystal ponies. Both of them were holding spears as they stood motionless, almost as though they were statues. "Hello there," Chrysalis said in her cloaked voice, mimicking the Princess of Friendship.

"Princess Twilight?" one of them responded as both of them looked at the group. "What brings you here, your Highness?"

"Just wanted to check in and see how Captain Blade's family was doing," she replied, being cautious as to not sound out of character for how the young purple alicorn would usually speak. "My friends also wanted to see how they were as well," she continued before looking back at her disguised minions. "Right girls?"

Each of them nodded while smiling in response. As Chrysalis turned her head to look back at the guards, she could see that they both looked confused as their respective gazes looked on at the group.

"Weren't you just here earlier today?" he continued. "I doubt that much would've changed in such a short amount of time." This caught the disguised Queen off guard as she hadn't anticipated being questioned like this. Her response to this was one of two paths. Option one was her first instinct. One that she had to fight in order to keep the charade going. Berating the guard for having the audacity to question her actions. But doing this while disguised as the Princess of Friendship would immediately blow her cover.

The second option would be to keep calm and just go with the moment. Something that was more challenging for her. Clearly this guard wasn't as stupid as most other guard ponies. Something that genuinely impressed her. But it also meant that she'd have to come up with a realistic explanation for why Twilight would visit the same place twice within the span of a day if the words of this guard was to be believed.

"It.. never hurts to keep a constant... tab on how they're doing," she answered, trying to sound convincing while also improvising as she went along. "Besides. Lots of things can happen in just a short amount of time. Plus I'm sure Captain Blade would appreciate having updates on his family."

"I suppose that's fair," the other guard said as he rubbed his muzzle in thought. "After all. This is an unusual situation. It would make sense then to maintain a level of certainty with things like this."

"Precisely," the cloaked deceiver replied.

"But something still seems a bit... off though," the first guard continued as his gaze narrowed at her. "Normally Prince Shining Armor or Princess Cadance would have mentioned something about your arrival to us. They'd even be down here with us as we'd wait. Yet neither one of them are here."

"Well...." Chrysalis said, beginning to sense that they were starting to become suspicious. "This was a... spur of the moment decision. Naturally they wouldn't know we would be coming then."

"If that's the case. Then I'll need you all to wait here," the other one said before turning to go inside. "I must go inform Princess Cadance of your arrival."

"Y-you don't have to do that," the cloaked Queen quickly replied. "We'll just be in and out. No need to get Cadance or Shining Armor out of bed or anything."

"Sorry Princess Twilight," the guard replied as he opened the door with his magic. "But we're under strict orders to let them know if the Captain's family has visitors."

"No!" Chrysalis sternly said before grabbing both guards by the neck with her own magical grasp and lifting them off of the ground, being mindful to also cover their mouths to avoid any calls for help. The expressions of fear and shock in their eyes made her smirk as she looked at them. "You fools will not ruin my plan!" After saying that, she cast a sleep spell on both of them, making their bodies go limp as they drifted off to sleep. Seeing that they were now incapacitated, she set them down on the floor.

"Brilliant move, my Queen," the changeling disguised as Starlight said in a complimentary tone. "They didn't see that coming at all."

"That should give us some time," the Queen replied before turning around to make sure that no random crystal ponies witnessed anything. Fortunately for her, it seemed as though the streets around the castle were finally void of activity. Sensing this good fortune for her efforts, she turned and started walking inside. "We need to move quick though before these two wake up."

"We're right behind you, your Majesty," the changeling disguised as Rarity said as they followed her in. Once all of them were inside, Chrysalis used her magic to drag the two guards inside before closing the doors behind them. If this plan of hers was going to succeed, the last thing she wanted was for it to all be undone by being clumsy with a couple of sleeping guards.

Leaving the pair of guards at the bottom of the staircase leading up into the castle, the group slowly ascended the steps. Once at the top, the cloaked Queen was very careful and attentive when it came to listening for any hoofsteps approaching them. But as she looked at the various doorways and halls leading to different parts of the castle, she realized that searching the entire building for her target's family would take longer than the amount of time they had. Eventually those two guards downstairs would wake up and no doubt sound the alarm.

"How am I going to find them without raising suspicion?" she asked herself in thought.

"Princess Twilight?" a voice asked from outside her view. A voice that upon hearing, her mind flashed back to the demise of her Hive. Turning her head to the direction the voice came from, she found herself looking at the one creature who she hated nearly as much as Starlight Glimmer. That of course being Thorax. As soon as her eyes first caught sight of him, she had to fight the urge to look disgusted at his new form. But as she looked at him, he would look back at her with a confused expression on his face. "What are you all doing here?" he asked as he gazed at all of the cloaked changelings, being mistaken that he was talking to his friends.

"Hello... Thorax," Chrysalis said, trying to sound normal while holding herself together. "We're just here to check in on Captain Blade's family."

"But you were just here earlier today," he replied, adding to the disguised Queen's annoyance. "Not much has changed since then. Aside from them settling in to where they'll be staying."

"I'd just like to keep Steel informed about how his family is doing," she said as the temptation to attack him for the crime of betrayal was starting to become more and more appealing. But her mission was more of a priority. Especially now that there was no turning back. "Would it be possible to speak to them?"

"It... might be," he answered while tilting his head as he looked at her. "Chances are though that they could just be getting ready for bed. You might be able to talk to them before they go to sleep."

As soon as he said that, the Queen's eyes immediately widened with delight. This admission by him was something she immediately knew would work in her favor. If what he said was true, then she'd easily be able to cocoon them all with little to no resistance.

"Perfect," she replied in a happier tone. "Could you take us to where they are?"

"Right this way," he responded before walking away, prompting the group of cloaked changelings to follow. As they walked down one of the many corridors, Chrysalis knew that the chance of coming across Cadance or Shining Armor was high. Should either one of them show up, the entire plan could be ruined as they'd know something was not right. But as the journey continued, no sign of them was seen. Minutes passed until the changeling King stopped in front of a door. "Here we are," he said before opening the door and poking his head into the room.

"This is it!" Chrysalis thought as she silently observed him. "I'm so close to seeing my plan succeed! This incompetent fool doesn't realize that he's led me right to them." But as she stood there, an idea quickly formed in her mind. One that would allow her to exact her revenge upon the traitorous creature in front of her. But in order for her to do it, she'd have to rely on her minions to do it while she remained focused on the Captain's family. As she was simulating everything about to happen in her mind, Thorax backed away from the door slightly before closing it.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," he said as he turned to look at the cloaked Queen. "It looks like they've already gone to sleep. You can tell Captain Blade that they're doing fine though and that he doesn't need to worry about them."

"Are you sure they're all asleep?" she asked.

"See for yourself if you don't believe me," he replied before stepping aside, allowing her to open the door. But once she opened the door and looked in, what she saw was not what she was expecting at all. Instead of seeing a room of sleeping ponies, she was instead looking at an empty storage room. Seeing this only angered the Queen as she realized that Thorax wasn't as dumb as she thought.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked, attempting to keep up the charade as she looked at Thorax, who only looked back at her with a smug expression on his face. "Captain Blade's family isn't in here."

"Of course they aren't," he responded. "And you aren't really Princess Sparkle. Are you. Chrysalis."

This stunned the cloaked Queen as she didn't think that he'd see through her disguise. But sensing that the jig was up, she dropped the act and in a flash of green magic, revealed her true form.

"Impressive," she said in a complimentary tone. "I wasn't expecting you to be capable enough to sense my presence."

"I've matured since the last time we saw each other," Thorax replied. "I learned how to detect changelings in disguise. Just like how you detected me back at the old Hive."

"Old... Hive?!" she angrily said while glaring at him. "That Hive was my home! And you stole it from me! You and Glimmer!"

"You were only holding us back," he said. "We've grown so much since I took over. Where have you been since then? Hiding among the shadows? Just scrounging for any source of love to feed off of? Barely scraping by?"

"And who's fault is that?" she continued. "You betrayed me! You turned my Hive against me!"

"I saw that your way wasn't the best way," he replied in a sympathetic tone while holding out a hoof. "And now. It's time for you to see it too," he said. "Come on. Let's end this hostility. We don't have to be enemies. You can reform yourself. You and the rest of your followers. There's still a place for all of you at the new Hive. You will be welcomed back and accepted. Isn't that what you want?"

Chrysalis just silently looked between his extended hoof and his face repeatedly. Was he actually trying to get her to surrender? To throw everything away just like that? The nerve of him to try and get her to back down when she was so close to seeing her plan come to fruition. Nothing was going to stand between her and getting what she wanted. Nothing.

"You just don't get it. Do you," she said before swatting his hoof away. "Why would I want to be subservient to you? You and that wretched mare made me look like a fool in front of my enemies. You think I'm willing to look passed that and just give up? Especially when I'm so close to achieving the next step of my plan."

"Don't do this!" Thorax exclaimed before gesturing to her little group behind her. "Think of your followers. What way would be best for them? Your way? Or mine?" Looking back, the Queen observed her little group. They all seemed conflicted with what Thorax was saying. Were they actually considering his proposal? Was she about to lose even more of what little of her power she had left?

"The way that makes their Queen happy!" she answered before looking back at him. "My Hive was feared. My Hive was revered. And most importantly, my Hive was respected. Aside from your betrayal, no creature dared to attack it."

"Yeah!" one of them added. "We're not just gonna betray our Queen like you did! Her plan will bring us back from the near destruction you caused!"

"Once I get Captain Blade in my hooves again, we will create a brand new Hive," Chrysalis continued. "A new generation of changelings will be born! One that will be loyal to me! And when that is complete, I will then have my revenge against all who've stood against me."

"What is so special about him?" he asked. "For as long as I've known you, you've never done this much just to get one specific stallion."

"You think I'd tell you my reasoning?" she answered before scoffing at the mere idea of her revealing her plans to him. "You'd have better luck asking an earth pony to move clouds." She then narrowed her gaze to look directly at her adversary in front of her with a threatening glare. "Now," she continued. "This is going to end one of two ways. Either you take us to the Captain's family. Or we will tear this castle apart until we find them ourselves." This earned a heavy sigh from the King as he assumed a defensive stance.

"I offered you a chance to have peace," he said. "But I can see now that there's no hope of that happening. This plan of yours ends here. I will not let you reach Steel's family."

"Bold words for someone who doesn't have the numbers to back up," the Queen said before looking back at the group of changelings behind her. "Subdue him."

"Yes, my Queen," one of them replied before they all pounced and began to beat down the King in front of her. Even though he tried his best to put up a semblance of resistance, it was useless against the number of changelings repeatedly punching and kicking him. Sensing he was in over his head, he opened his mouth to cry out for help. But before he could even utter a sound, Chrysalis used her magic to cover his mouth.

"No one is coming to save you," she said in a confident tone as she observed the beatdown. Within minutes, the once proud King was reduced to a beaten, battered, and bruised creature writhing in pain in front of her. This sight pleased the Queen as she waved off her group and stepped forward to stand in front of his head. She then charged up her horn before casting a mind control spell on him. In his current state, Thorax was in no shape to offer up any resistance. "Get up," she said in a commanding tone before cutting off her magic.

"Yes.... my Queen," Thorax grunted in an emotionless tone as he slowly stood back up. Upon hearing that, the Queen couldn't help but smirk confidently. One of her sworn enemies was now under her control. And now in an ironic twist, he was going to help bring the next phase of her plan to fruition.

"Now," she said as she stood in front of him. "Take us to where Captain Blade's family is being kept."

The mind controlled King just silently nodded in response before turning around and started to walk away. As he did, Chrysalis once again assumed her disguise as did the rest of the changelings. With her newly acquired minion leading the way, the group made their way through many corridors. Along the way, they encountered several pairs of guards who all stood aside and saluted as they passed by. Seeing this as a sign that the two guards who she directly confronted had either not woken up or didn't sound the alarm made her confident that this next phase was moving along smoothly.

Soon, the King stopped in front of a closed door before turning around to face the group behind him.

"Here they are, my Queen," he said before gesturing toward the door.

"Thank you," the disguised Queen replied before turning to look at her subjects. "Keep an eye out for any guards approaching," she ordered. "There's bound to be many in this area."

"It will be done," one of them replied before they walked away to keep watch. Seeing that, Chrysalis turned back to look at her hypnotized adversary.

"Wait here," she commanded.

"Very well," he replied. After hearing him say that, the Queen used her magic to open the door before poking her head into the room. Inside the room was two large beds with four ponies sound asleep on them. An older couple as well as a younger one. Just the mere sight of them was making her mouth water in anticipation of the amount of love she and her subjects could consume. Stepping into the room, she silently closed the door behind her before dropping her disguise.

"Such a lovely family you have, my beloved Captain," she said in her mind as she silently approached the beds. The sounds of their respective snores helped to cloak her steps as she got closer. "They'll be the perfect pawns in my plan to have you in my grasp once again." Deciding to go with the biggest one of the four first, she lit up her horn and grabbed him with her magic. "You must be his father," she said in her mind as she gently lifted him out of the bed, being mindful to not wake the mare.

"No, mommy," the stallion said in his slumber while floating above the bed, making her freeze up in fear that he was waking up. "I don't wanna go to school." Cautiously looking on as she held him in midair, she saw that he was still sound asleep. Wanting to get him taken care of before anything else happened, she brought him over to her and began the cocooning process as slime started exiting from her mouth and binding his hindlegs together. Once she was finished, it wouldn't have mattered if he awoke or not. He'd be powerless to do anything as his magic would be nullified within.

"Soon," she said in her mind as the stallion was spun around in the air like a marshmallow above a campfire while her cocooning slime enveloped more and more of his body. "You all will be mine. And then. My beloved will have no choice but to be mine as well." It didn't take long until the stallion was fully sealed within his new cocoon. The changeling Queen smiled at her work before setting him down on the floor. "One down," she said in her mind. "Three to go."

"Iron...." a voice softly called from the bed, making her freeze up as her eyes darted back toward the bed to find the mare, presumably the Captain's mother, reaching around in her sleep for the stallion she had just cocooned. In a moment of panic, she lit up her horn and cast a new disguise on herself to where she was now in the form of the one now encased. "Sweetie?" she asked before opening her eyes.

"Y-yes dear?" Chrysalis stuttered in the father's tone of voice.

"Why are you out of bed?" she asked.

"I... couldn't sleep," she answered while quickly thinking of an easy and believable excuse. "I'm just... worried about Steel. I didn't want to wake you up."

"You know there's nothing we can do about it, hun," the mare replied. "Princess Twilight has everything under control. It's not like we aren't gonna see him again."

"I just wish he was here now though," the cloaked Queen said, being proud of herself for not getting her cover blown. In the cover of darkness within the dimly lit room, the mare didn't seem to be able to see the cocoon on the floor.

"So do I," she replied. "But all we can do is sit here and wait." She then started to pat the empty space next to her. "Come back to bed, dear. You know I can't sleep well when I don't have you to cuddle with." Not wanting to make her suspicious, Chrysalis did as she was asked and slowly got into the bed next to the mare. As soon as she did though, the mare immediately embraced her as she pressed herself up against her disguised body. Immediately following this, the Queen could smell the overwhelming amount of love this mare had to give. "I know one way that'll make you tired," she said before playfully winking at her. "But I'd rather not do that with Woody and Sassy in the room."

"Yeah," the disguised changeling replied, playing along with her. "Probably not the best idea."

"How about this instead?" the mare asked before she closed her eyes and placed her lips on hers, stunning the Queen as she was not expecting to be doing this. The soft touch of this mare's lips against her own, even with the disguise, was enticing. She could taste so much love that this mare had for the stallion she was disguised as. This wasn't the first time she had kissed a mare while impersonating her loved one. She didn't mind it though. To her, it was just another way to obtain the sustenance needed for survival. Wanting to feed upon this source, the Queen wrapped her limbs around the mare while keeping their lips together.

"Yes...." Chrysalis said in her mind as she pushed her tongue into the mare's mouth. "I haven't felt this amount of love since replacing that annoying Princess. Give me your love. Let me feed upon it." With the mare's eyes still closed, the Queen dropped her disguise, broke the kiss, and charged up her magic. Doing this, a stream of pink colored energy began flowing from the mare's chest into her mouth.

"Sweetie?" the mare asked in a softer voice before opening her eyes only for her pupils to shrink in horror at the sight in front of her. She tried lighting up her own magic to defend herself. But soon found herself too weak to do anything as it dissipated almost immediately afterward. She was too weak to even cry out for help as her love and energy was drained from her body into the awaiting maw of the changeling in front of her.

"Such delicious love," the Queen said after finishing her absorption of the mare's love. "I haven't fed like that in a long time."

"What... are you... doing?" the weakened mare asked. Before she could say anything else, her mouth was covered by the changeling's magic.

"Don't worry, dear," Chrysalis replied in a mocking tone while patting her on the head. "You'll be kept nice and safe inside your new cocoon." After saying that, she used her magic to begin enveloping the mare in her cocooning slime. Now reinvigorated by this meal she had, the process didn't take long at all before the Captain's mother joined his father as her prisoner. Once this was done, the Queen turned her attention to the other bed. The two occupants had seemed to have slept through the entire ordeal.

After several more minutes, four large cocoons laid at the hooves of the changeling Queen. Each of them containing a member of the Captain's family. Chrysalis smiled at her work as the ponies within grunted and squirmed against their enclosures. Try as they could, escape was now impossible for them.

"Time to get moving," she said to herself before lighting up her horn once again. Only this time, she used more of her power to open up a portal that led to the hideout in Manehattan. As soon as she could see clearly through it, she was able to see the minions who had stayed behind.

"My Queen!" one of them said as soon as they noticed the portal had opened. They all soon gathered around the opening and saluted her. "Your plan was successful?"

"Of course it was, you imbecile," the Queen bluntly replied before gesturing at the cocoons on the floor. "Start bringing these prisoners through the portal."

"Y-yes, your Majesty," the changeling stuttered before some of them emerged from the portal to start bringing the cocoons back through. As they were doing that, the Queen walked over to the door and opened it. Looking outside into the corridor, she found Thorax was still standing there under her control.

"Excellent," she softly said before whistling at her subjects who were guarding the corner. When they all turned back to look at her, she motioned for them to come to her. Silently nodding in acknowledgement, they all walked to the room before going inside, leaving Chrysalis and Thorax outside the room. "Get through the portal," she ordered as the last of the cocoons was taken through. "I'll be along shortly. Just have one final thing that I want to take care of."

"As you wish, my Queen," the last changeling replied before going through the portal, leaving the two larger changelings alone.

"Is there something else you need of me, my Queen?" Thorax asked while still under her mind control.

"As a matter of fact. There is," Chrysalis answered. "Hold still." Not even waiting for a response, the Queen punched the entranced King as hard as she could, making him fall to the floor while trembling in pain. "That was for my Hive," she said while breathing deeply as she steadied herself. "And now to make sure you don't remember any of this," she continued before firing a beam of magic from her horn directly at Thorax's forehead.

By doing this, the Queen had ensured that her adversary would not remember anything he had done within the last day or so, covering her tracks as best she could until she wanted her scheme to be revealed. If her plan was to succeed, timing would be the utmost thing to have on her side. And she wanted to have everything go according to her timing. Not Princess Twilight's. Not Starlight Glimmer's. Or any others'.

Gazing down at her fallen foe, she smirked before turning around and walking back into the room where the Captain's family once was sound asleep. All that remained in there now were two empty beds and the opening of her portal home. Closing the door behind her, she chuckled in her own dastardly way as she approached the portal's entrance. As she stepped through, she sighed contently as she was now one step closer to getting the stallion who rejected her back within her grasp.

"You will be mine, Captain Steel Blade," she said in her mind while watching her minions convert the cocoons into pods. Pods where she could actually gaze at the pony within. "One way or another. You will give in and submit to me. Especially now that I have your precious family in my grasp."

"My Queen," a minion said as he flew over to her. "Are we ready to move on to the next step?"

"Yes," she answered. "Bring me Sparkle's friends. All except for Glimmer..."

"How do you propose we do that?"

"The same way as we did the last time we captured them," she answered in a blunt tone. "Now go!"

"Yes, your Majesty!" he quickly replied before he and the rest of her few remaining followers left the warehouse, leaving the Queen all to herself with the Captain's family. As she watched them depart, she sat down next to the pod that contained his mother.

"It would seem your son has a choice to make," she said as she gently slid her hoof along the surface of the pod that was above the mare's face. "One that he had better choose correctly. For the sake of each of you."

As the changeling Queen was relishing in her success, the one that she was wanting to make hers was standing outside of a two story building as he watched Sunset fumbling around in one of the pockets of her jacket for her keys. While he waited, he took the opportunity to look upward toward the clear sky filled with many stars and a full moon. This was one of the many things he enjoyed when he was out at sea. On nights where the sky was clear, he could see countless stars in the darkened sky.

"Ah hah!" he heard his friend exclaim with delight as she pulled a set of keys from her pocket. "I was starting to get worried for a bit thinking that I left them at the mall."

"That wouldn't have been good," he replied, earning a soft chuckle from her in response.

"Nope," she said. "Not at all."

"So this is where you live?" he asked as he looked at the structure in front of them. From what he could see, it was a simple two story building with two large windows on the second floor and just a lone door at the top of a small concrete staircase on the first floor.

"Yeah," she answered. "Just moved here not that long ago. When I first arrived in this world, I had to take shelter inside an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town."

"How did you go from there to here in that short amount of time?" he asked in an impressed tone.

"Had to save up a lot of money," she answered. "My job at the mall might not be one of the better paying ones. But it at least provides a steady income. Eventually, Twilight and the others offered to let me crash at their houses. Which was extremely better than suffering through the winter in a building that had no heat and gaping holes in the roof."

"That definitely wouldn't have been the best time," he replied as she stuck her key in the door's lock and turned it before opening the door.

"Come on in," she said while waving her hand in an inviting gesture. Doing as she wanted, the Captain ascended the stairs and stepped inside. Once in, she closed the door and locked it. Inside, the transformed stallion was amazed by what he was seeing. From the ground floor, he could look upward and see the night sky through a small skylight in the roof. The second floor only covered a small portion of the room below.

"This is remarkable," he said in amazement as he looked around while setting the bag containing his uniform down on a table.

"Thanks," Sunset replied as she took off her jacket and hung it on a nearby coat hook. "Though I'm sure this is nothing compared to what you've got back in Equestria."

"I don't really have a home back in Equestria," Steel said as he continued looking around.

"You don't?" she asked, surprised by what he had said.

"No," he answered. "Most times, I'd just stay on the ship I'd be working on."

"You had your own cabin on those ships though. Right?"

"Well," he began to say. "Not exactly. On the Celestia, I had to share a cabin with all the other lower ranked Officers at the time. Since I was the Fourth Officer, I had to share with the Third, Fifth, and Sixth. We had two bunk beds with one on each side of the room. It wasn't until I got to the Mareitania that I had my own cabin."

"So... what all did you have to do?" she asked in a curious tone. "I mean. Did you have different tasks for each of you all to do?"

"Yeah," he replied. "We all did. For the First, Second, and Third Officers, they'd mostly be in charge of making sure the voyage went smoothly. Mapping the routes, looking after loading and unloading cargo and passengers, and anything else related. My task was making sure that the lifeboats and other safety equipment were in good condition. Had the Celestia needed them for any emergency, for herself or any other ship in distress, we wouldn't want them to fail us."

"So you went from Fourth Officer of one ship... to Captain of another?" she continued. "That's quite the promotion. Congratulations."

"Thank you," he replied.

"How long have you been a Captain for?"

"Not that long," he answered. "Couple weeks. Just short of a month at this point." He then sighed as his eyes drifted over toward the bag that still had his uniform within. "Couldn't even get one crossing under my belt before my ship had almost gotten sunk."

"That wasn't your fault, Steel," Sunset said as she stepped over to stand in front of him. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen."

"Doesn't make it any less true," he replied. "Had Chrysalis not erased the memory of everypony aboard except for mine, I doubt that my crew would even want to sail under my command again. I can only imagine what I'm gonna have to deal with once I'm able to go back."

"Hey," she said in a softer tone as she put a hand on his shoulder. "You need to stop beating yourself up over this. I'm sure you did everything you could've to make sure that no pony lost their life. That's what a Captain does. Right?" She then pulled him into a soft hug. "Look," she said as she held him close. "I may not have known you before today. But from what Twilight told me and what I've seen from our time together, you are capable of bouncing back from this. I doubt many ponies would be able to handle everything you've had to deal with and keep going. Becoming a Captain. Encountering one of Equestria's biggest threats. Almost having been forced to breed with her. And now having to stay in a completely different universe because she's still after you."

"Hold up a moment," he said in a surprised tone. Hearing this, Sunset let him go and stepped back. "How... do you know... about that part?" he asked. "I never told you that part. I never told anypony about that part."

"Remember when I told you that this world had some semblance of Equestrian magic?"

"Yeah?"

"Back at the statue when you fell over and I first tried helping you up by grabbing your hand," she continued. "I was able to look into your thoughts and memory." She then gestured to the pendant around her neck. "I completely forgot that I was still wearing this," she said. "So that's how I was able to find out about what you... didn't want to talk about." A thought then immediately rushed into her mind as soon as she finished saying that. "Not that I was trying to be nosey or anything," she said with her hands held up and waving them around, trying to avoid having him think she was invading his privacy. "The power just shows me what's troubling other people's thoughts."

"So you can't really control it?" he asked, still trying to wrap his head around this revelation. "Or what you see?"

"Not really," she replied after giving a soft sigh. "It really only happens when I touch someone else. Fortunately it only works when I'm touching them directly on their skin. Not when I'm touching their clothes. So there's that at least. That's why it only happened when I grabbed your hand."

"I... see."

"Look. I know what you went through wasn't anything that you wanted," she continued. "And that even though she didn't succeed, it still left an emotional scar on you. But you can't let that moment control you. Otherwise she wins."

"I know," he replied. "But... moving on from it is something that's easier said than done." He then took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them once more. The memory of everything that transpired in his cabin now flooding his mind once more. "I can still see everything like it just happened," he continued as she led him over to her couch. Once there, the two of them sat down. "Chrysalis... gave me a drink that she made. And when I drank it, it made me feel... woozy. I passed out not long afterward. Part of me doesn't even want to know what was in there."

"I can understand that," she replied. "I wouldn't want to know either if I was in your position."

"When I came to," he continued. "I found myself magically restrained to my bed. And... the mast... was standing tall."

"The... mast?" she asked.

"Please don't make me say it," he replied. It didn't take long until she realized what he was referring to as her cheeks grew a bright shade of red.

"I... see..." she softly said as she looked back up toward his eyes.

"Whatever was in that drink was what was causing that," he went on to say. "It... made me fall under her control. She... made me pleasure her. And I couldn't stop myself at first. Not until it was almost... too late."

"It wasn't your fault though, Steel," Sunset replied in an empathetic tone. "You said it yourself. She drugged you."

"But now I can't get that moment out of my head!" he cried out. "The sight of her... almost taking my... my..." His voice soon trailed off as his body started shaking again. His eyes clenched tightly shut as he shivered. Seeing this, Sunset immediately pulled him into another hug, making sure to keep her hands on his clothes to avoid her magic becoming active again. As she held him close, she could feel his heartbeat racing and his body temperature rising.

"You've... never been with another mare before," she softly replied. "Have you?"

"No," he quietly answered. "I... haven't." He then sighed softly. "Pretty sad for somepony like me to still have his virginity. Isn't it?"

"It's okay, Cap," she said. "You can at least take comfort in the fact that she didn't take it from you."

"But what's stopping her from trying again?" he asked. "What if she tricks me with a disguise and reveals that it was her all along?" This made the woman comforting him pause as she tried to think of a response that would help him. In the silence of the moment, one solution came to her mind. But it was one that she had hesitation saying out loud.

"The only way he'd know for sure that she wouldn't get it," she thought while looking up at the night sky through the skylight. "Would be if he gave it to... someone else." She then slightly shook her head to try and dismiss the idea. "No! I couldn't ask him to do that. We just met!"

"Sunset?" she heard him say, making her look back at him to see him looking at her. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" she answered as she slowly relaxed her grip on him and let him out of the hug. "Oh! Y-yeah. Sorry. I was... just... thinking."

"I could tell," he replied. "You had that same expression as my father would when he'd be making designs for new swords or anything else."

"New swords?" she asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "As in... he makes them?"

"Yeah," he answered in a slightly more cheerful tone. "He'd forge all kinds of blades. We even made the sword I had earlier together."

"Wow," she replied as the memory of his sword entered her mind. The glistening metal and fine attention to detail she saw when she had it in her hands was definitely the mark of a professional. Something that she would have been proud to own herself. "Do you... think it'd be possible for him to make me one?"

"I'm sure he'd love to," the transformed stallion answered. "The idea of crafting a sword for someone in a different universe would definitely excite him. We'd just have to get him the details of what you'd want."

"Sounds good," she said while being happy to see that he seemed to be back to normal with the change of subject. She knew that the uncomfortable topic would eventually have to get brought back up. But at least now, he was on the path to getting this traumatic experience behind him. Getting him to at least open up and talk about it was a huge first step in the road to recovery.

"Do you think that Princess Twilight will be able to succeed?" he asked, snapping her out of her own thoughts as he looked up at the skylight. "Capturing Chrysalis and everything?"

"I have no reason to think she wouldn't," she replied. "Twilight's very capable of doing things most would think to be impossible. If anypony can catch Chrysalis, it'll be her and her friends."

"I hope so," he said. "I can only imagine how difficult it'll be though."

"Shouldn't be anything too hard for her," she replied. "I bet she's already got a plan in place to get her and make it safe for you to go back home." She then gently patted his shoulder. "You've got nothing to worry about. You'll be back on your ship in no time." This made a slight smile form on his face as he continued gazing upward at the night sky through the glass.

"Nights like this was always so calm and peaceful out at sea," he said in a calm tone. "No trees to block your view of the stars. The moon would shine brightly among them. And the waves gently rocking the ship back and forth would make anypony fall asleep."

"I wouldn't know," she replied as she leaned back and gazed up at the night sky with him. "I've never been on a ship before."

"Really?" Steel asked, surprised by this admission as he turned to look at her. "You've never sailed before?"

"Well," she began to say. "I guess I've never been on a ship that floats on water. I've been on airships before."

"Ah," he replied. "That would make a difference."

"Yeah," she said before stifling a yawn. "Well. How about I give you a tour of the place before we call it a night."

"Sure," he said before the two slowly got up from the couch. Once they did, he watched as she removed the cushions from where they were just sitting. Once they were removed, she reached down and grabbed a metal handle before pulling it, revealing a decently sized bed that was folded within the couch.

"This is where you'll be sleeping," she said as she finished pulling it out. "It's pretty comfy. And I've got some spare pillows and a blanket you can use."

"That's good," he replied. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said before pointing to a small area underneath the portion of ceiling that separated the upstairs and downstairs portions of the room. Within that area was a desk with a fancy looking piece of technology that he had never seen before. "Over there's my gaming setup," she said with a cheerful tone. "Computer with two monitors, speakers, a mini fridge, and a microwave. Got some snacks in the fridge in case you get hungry. I'll help you if we need to use the microwave." She then gestured over toward the only other door in the room on the other side. "And the bathroom is through that door."

"Excellent."

"Not much else here to show," she said before gesturing at the space above. Looking up, he could see a metal railing with decorative lights wrapped around it. On the wall next to the stairs leading up to it were three guitars. "Up there's my bedroom area. Not a whole lot up there other than my bed, a window, a dresser, and a few bookshelves."

"Nothing wrong with just having the essentials," the transformed Captain replied. "I didn't have a whole lot more than that in my cabin on the Mareitania."

"Great minds think alike. I suppose," she said before chuckling softly.

"Now what exactly is this big square object?" he asked before pointing to a large object sitting on a wooden stand that was now in front of the bed he'd be sleeping on.

"That's my big screen television," she answered.

"Tele...vision?" he repeated. "What is that?"

"I keep forgetting that Equestria doesn't really have all this stuff that we do," she said, chuckling softly again before reaching down and picking up a small rectangular object with many small buttons on it. "Observe," she continued while pressing one of them. Once she did, the television turned on. The screen instantly began showing the scene of an intense battle with the sound of explosions and screaming coming from the small speakers behind them that made the Captain jump. "Sorry!" she shouted before rushing over to the stand and pressing a button on one of the objects below. Seconds later, the noise stopped and the screen turned blue with a gray box saying 'No Signal'.

"What... in Equestria... was that?" he asked while slightly shaking.

"Just a video game I forgot I had going earlier," she answered. "Call to Action: Global Conflict. It's a very popular game."

"A... game?" he continued. "You play that... for fun?"

"Well..." she started to say. "It's more... competitive than anything else because I'd be playing against other people. If I wanted to play something fun and relaxing, I'd play something like Outlaw's Epiphany or Slasher's Paradise."

"You're saying that as if I know what they are," he said while trying to process how games with names like those could be 'fun and relaxing'. "There's... so much that I'm gonna have to learn here."

"Oh yeah," she answered. "Don't worry though. We've got plenty of time for you to get accustomed to how things are here."