A New Life in the Crystal Empire

Chapters

01. Starting Over.
02. What No One Wants.
03. Not Exactly To Plan.
04. An Introduction to (the dangers of) Political Demands and Power.
05. Roles of a Guardian.
06. A Whistle and a Chance.
07. The Best Laid Plans.
08. Even the Best Laid Plans Fail.
09. Examine the Past. Determine Your Future.
10. What Lies Below.
11. Bad Medicine.
12. Excess Love & Misplaced Devotion: I Am The Hive.
13. When Friendship Fails...
14. The Dark One.

01. Starting Over.

[Tuesday, 17 May 2016, The Equestrian 16th Day of Love.]

It had been ten hours since departing Ponyville. Much of which had been dedicated to sleeping; sleep that was well deserved.

Cadance lay in her bed, still awake, providing comfort to Cerb as he slept, surrounded by those who were brave enough to take on the mission of nursing him back to health.

Spitfire and Fleetfoot had more than transparent ambitions to woo the brave human who came to their lands. To what degree Cadance had yet to inquire, less she fully expose her own intentions. Regardless, the bravery they displayed in fighting Harmony made them more than adequate choices for Cerb to nurture into fine warriors when the time would come.

Thunder Glide was another such fighter. Not of the Wonderbolts, but she'd established herself well in the Solar Guard and proven herself essential as a Twilight Guard in the fight against Harmony as well. Her every bit of ferocity in combat and dedication to Cerb rivaled that of any other.

Then there was Rainbow Dash, who slept the closest to Cerb. Another who fought to protect Becky but now guarded Cerb as she had against the Timberwolves as only an Element. An Element who repelled Rarity away from doing further harm to Cerb and thus ensured he would stay his course to the Crystal Empire.

All things considered, fate had been kind to include Rainbow. Regardless, they all had many hours to travel before arriving at the Crystal Empire. Plenty of time to stay close to the man they all collectively found themselves drawn to.

"Emm?" Cerb groaned as he started to stir.

Slowly, his eyes opened, cautiously searching his surroundings.

"Good morning," Cadance warmly greeted Cerb. "I trust you slept comfortably?"

A bit astonished, though still too sore to move around, Cerb stayed where he lay over Cadence's legs. Despite having slept for so long, his strength was lacking.

"Yeah," he admitted with some weakened surprise. "It was just like… Just like I was with Rarity-"

His wilted shock turned to remorse, knowing how he, in effect, told the mare goodbye by not attending the dinner he was supposed to assist in hosting. That thought was only half of his realization as were, though.

“-and Fluttershy."

While contemplating what it all meant not to combat his nightmares when in the company of Cadance and Rainbow, as far as he could see, Cadance grew curious as well.

"You suffered the same exhaustion as your friends after Ocellus consumed your love… or at least the love magic that dwelled within you. You were only awake long enough to thank Ocellus and… tell us how you felt after that."

Cerb swallowed hard, trying to bury his emotions. There was a lot he still needed to digest, so Cadance went on to inform him of what he missed.

"After you passed out, Doctor Horse discovered us. He was livid, of course, but allowed me to take you to the train as you had requested. You… had a nightmare as my guard carried you on board."

Cadance's voice lowered as guilt began to seep in.

"I… didn't listen to what you told me. You were in such poor shape. It was already dangerous to move you, I couldn't risk you further injuring yourself."

She laid her fetlock over the side of his neck and stroked him gently, seeing how he was already starting to get worked up over his prior unconscious outburst.

"As soon as I held you and assured you, you were safe, you calmed down. None of the guards were injured, thankfully. Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart were able to stitch you up and attach an IV… I haven't let you go since. We've all been waiting here with you to make sure you're taken care of."

Slowly, Cerb lifted his head enough to turn and see Thunder, Spitfire, and Fleetfoot all asleep. The fact they weren't crawling all over each other seemed odd. However, given his physical state, he figured it was for the best and let his head fall back into Cadence's hold.

Now, given that Cerb had been brought mostly up to speed, Cadance extended her wing to jostle Rainbow awake.

It took a few shakes for Cadance to realize that Rainbow was a stubborn sleeper. Then again, he did remember hearing that it was pretty accurate to her character.

Oddly enough, Cadance’s efforts somehow woke up both Thunder and Spitfire, but Rainbow was still out cold.

Cerb, entertained, and without asking, took his free hand to get the job done by covering both of Rainbow’s nostrils and her muzzle.

Rainbow fidgeted a bit before snorting and hacking until it forced her awake, huffing in surprise and annoyance.

"What's the big idea? Can't a pony sleep in-'

As soon as her eyes adjusted, she quickly changed her tune with a fear of a recurring problem that had been on display.

"Oh, shit. I wasn't talking in my sleep, was I?"

Cadance did her best to smile and ignore Rainbow's question, opting to stay on topic for the moment.

"Sorry to disturb your sleep, but Justin is awake and… I think it would be best if he knows all the details of what he missed while he was indisposed."

Rainbow gave a blank stare for a moment, wondering why she had to brief Cerb. She was, after all, the last one to make it to the train, only to remember that she wasn't the last who made it to the train to see Cerb.

"Oh… That."

She pushed herself up and tried to prepare herself, not knowing how Cerb would react. The fear she had gone too far was present in her tired voice.

After all, Cerb had already once proven at the hospital that even wounded, he could toss a guard around if his instincts took over. All the more reason to not appear as if she was hiding anything.

"Rarity tried to take you back last night, but she came when you were still unconscious and getting stitched up. She kept trying to pull you away. Not that she could, but… I ended up having to… throw her off the train."

Cadance pulled back from Cerb, knowing how the news was likely to affect him.

"Justin, I have to go back to the Crystal Empire, and I agreed to help you with everything I can… but I know how you feel about Rarity and Fluttershy. Even still, it was reckless to move you as we did, I wasn't about to risk you reopening your wounds again by allowing her to move you improperly. That being said, I cannot force you to stay."

Cerb didn’t move for a moment, trying to take it all in and what Rarity must have been trying to accomplish by chasing after him. Then, after nearly a minute of silence, he sighed and all but went limp.

"I'm not going back on my word. I relied too much on them… I left for them just as much as I did because of them. Besides, after all the trouble you guys went through to patch me up, it wouldn’t exactly be considerate to run away and injure myself all over again."

Knowing this could ruin everything, Cadance had to make sure Cerb was being honest with himself as well as to her.

"Justin, I wanted you to know so you can make the decision that is best for you. It's important that we be honest with each other, even if it's uncomfortable to-"

"I'm not changing my mind," Cerb complained with a grumble. "I've been in this situation before… And ponies are no different than people outside of the obvious. The majority of them don't really change. Especially when it matters the most, and they tell you to change instead. I've had that bridge burned before."

It would seem that scars on that heart may heal with time, but the lessons learned tend not to fade. Cerb would not be changing his mind any more than he was ready to move.

Rainbow, on the other hand, wasn't sure what to think.

"So, you're not, like, mad at me or anything? Because, if we're all being open and honest, I wasn't gentle when I threw her off the train."

She recoiled inward as Cerb's eyes fell on her, but at that point was too nervous to stop talking.

"I'm sorry, but what she did wasn't cool, it was cruel… She was your guardian and your special somepony. But she still left you alone in the hospital. Made you sleep alone."

Thinking about his hardships and prior struggles, Rainbow couldn't stop from getting a little misty-eyed.

"I mean? Come the fuck on… Even I stayed with Becky at night so she could sleep. We don't even know if Sword is dead, but Becky and I knew that if Rarity and Fluttershy weren't going to be here with you…"

Rainbow's eyes were now more than a little misty, and Cerb reached out to hold her hoof.

"Stop crying. I'm not mad at you or her. I'm just… It wasn't going to work out… Not everyone can stay with someone like me… It happens all the time."

"Not here," Cadance interjected, sounding both stern yet concerned. "You shouldn't take your mistreatment so casually. However… you do have rather firm control over your emotions, so you should be commended on that. In the meantime, since you are awake. Some routines are in order to start one's day."

Cadance extended a wing to flick Spitfire's ear, letting the mare know that she was aware the Wonderbolt was awake.

"Spitfire, if you would be so kind as to help Justin get comfortable in bed while Rainbow Dash lets the guards know that we are awake, I need some time to myself. And Justin, if needed, if you require assistance with the lavatories, the guards can assist. Or, if you'd prefer to wait, I shouldn't be too long… I hope."

While Rainbow slid off the bed, Cerb watched how slow and uncomfortable Cadence's movements were. It was only then that he remembered her long list of injuries, particularly her intestinal issues.

"Take your time… I just want to sleep right now. Everything hurts… But I'll make this up to you."

[Meanwhile, in Twilight’s room.]

Tending to the only human in need of round-the-clock care, Becky brought a straw to Sniff’s lips to help wash down his first dose of medication for the day.

“I still can’t believe you helped Cerb run away like that.”

Partially feeling guilty but too stricken by pain, Sniff sipped enough of the potent juice to swallow his pills, then spat the straw away.

“I made the right choice. Cerb was on the decline, and had it not been for everyone telling me what the fuck was going on when I was in my Harmony-induced coma, I wouldn’t have been able to figure out that Benny would have suck-started his forty-five.”

Furious, Becky slammed the glass down on the nightstand.

“You don’t know that!”

Unable to move, while his body still screamed from the stab wounds, Sniff’s temper spiked to near hyperventilation.

“Ben still isn’t over losing that kid on the boat, and you didn’t catch half of the conversations me and him had about fucking up with his ex. Had I known that was the cause, I could have helped him stay with his counselor. Or better yet, pay for a better one, but you know full goddamn well that losing Ocellus would have been one kid too fucking many. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if word got out and it started a whole new fucking war if the changelings ever found out.”

There was a lot Sniff had time to dwell over while in his coma, and he now had the chance to explain himself and the reasons behind his actions. Shame it had to be under rather hostile circumstances.

“It was the right thing to do for everyone… For fuck’s sake… Ocellus is probably about the same age as Mylee would have been had he not fucked up his engagement with Tiff. And frankly, I don’t care whether you agree with me or not.”

The heated argument was quickly pushing Sniff past his limits, and he turned his head away, hoping to calm himself, even if only slightly, if that’s all he could muster, given the pain.

“You all could have stopped this from happening,” Sniff grumbled angrily. “Justin was suffering… Inside and out, he was falling apart, and he would have torn himself apart the rest of the way with nothing to do and without even one of his girls to keep him from slipping… If not, he would have probably drank himself to death or find another way to destroy himself.”

Without further argument, Becky turned and stepped away to avoid acting on the urge to punch her patient.

“Then why send him away?!”

Slowly, Sniff turned his head back to Becky’s direction again, looking at her like she were an idiot.

“For the same fucking reason I didn’t let anyone tell you and the rest what he was going to do. You all would have stopped him and locked him in that fucking chair like he was in a hospice… You can’t just turn off that part of him, Becks.”

That was the truth, and finally, he could see Becky giving up her hostility. That, or she was accepting that her ideals would have never panned out because Sniff was right. Why else would she have sent Rainbow after Cerb on the train?

For Sniff, it was a sad reality that he had to break this down from his powerless position.

“You gotta accept the facts, Becks… We never took the fight out of Justin… Saving you? Meeting the rest of us? All we could do was point him in the right direction, fighting off all those other pricks over the years… He was never gonna be a builder like his dad or a planner like his mom… Too many run-ins with the cops to be one himself. He was lucky the Marines even took him in. Lord only knows what would’ve happened to him otherwise.”

Tired of the infighting, Sniff relaxed and let the pills allow his thoughts to drift as the pain ebbed away. His mind sadly remained locked on the aftermath of Cerb’s return from war.

“For Christ’s sake… He worked under the table as a bouncer when the Marines wouldn’t take him back… He either has to save the world around him or pick a fight with it… And then you stuck him in a fucking wheelchair again and took away what little control he had to lash out at the worst parts of the world he could safely bully back.”

Suddenly feeling more than just a little tired, a familiar sensation of his wilder days left him slightly numb and light-headed as the room began to spin.

“Did you spike my drink?” He angrily growled as he eyed his glass despite growing double vision.

Becky sniffed her nose clear, holding back what few tears she could.

“Yeah,” she unashamedly answered with a weary smirk and quivering voice. “Twilight said you barely got any sleep last night… So get some rest… Even if you piss me off, I’m still gonna take care of you. Whether you like it or not.”

Knowing the cocktail she had whipped up would be putting Sniff under any minute now, she gave a heavy sigh and swallowed her pride.

“Just like I should have done for Justin.”

Now extremely drowsy and feeling a little fantastic, Sniff lost his capacity to be angry.

“Ya did what ya could, Becks… Justin just… Hez still hurt’n. I juz… Cadence will take care ‘en ‘em so long az he thinks hez gonna fight again.”

The cocktail proved more potent than anticipated, Sniff was unconscious in a matter of moments, unable to continue any further arguments or apologies.

Becky turned to Twilight, who had been reluctant to step in between what little time she had promised to her medical friend. Now, though, Becky’s emotions were harder to hide, and more of the remorse was showing through.

“Sorry I wasn’t nicer to him… I’m… really mad everyone is leaving us… Still not sure if sending Dash off was the best idea… At least she won’t abandon him."

For all the bumps and emotional trainwrecks Twilight had suffered these last few days, she could emphasize and did what she could to console Becky.

“Not everyone is leaving. Justin needs to recover from his injuries. You and I both know that he’ll be safe with Cadance. I’m sure her and Dash will do more for him than we should have.”

There was still a discussion needing to be had with Rarity and Fluttershy, but they weren’t going anywhere, and the focus was on those who were. Thus, another friend Twilight had seemingly neglected came to mind.

“Kelly… Well, I haven’t had an opportunity to talk to Luna or Big Mac, but that’s for them to work out and I think this is more of a business trip for her anyway. Asbinsinia is a very safe place for her to visit.”

They were both in a moment of wanting, compelling Becky to lean down and give Twilight a much-needed hug.

“I’m sorry, Peter wants to leave, too. He belongs here with all of us.”

Try as Twilight did, her eyes still managed to fill with tears as she returned the hug.

“It’s my fault you three weren’t better protected. Now Peter is scared all the time, still being so close to the Everfree Forest. He can’t sleep because of it, which puts him in constant danger, and he’s not going to heal any faster because of it.” She hugged a little tighter. “I don’t want him to go, either.”

Pulling back from the hug, Twilight whipped her eyes and did her best to straighten herself out.

“Oof… Sorry… Umm… Could you please stay with Peter until I get back from the Castle of the Two Sisters? I’m afraid of what might happen when Trixie Rose tries to leave. And you should be much safer here this time. Even without Dash here, Shining will be nearby if you need anything… Unless you care to reconsider attending the ceremony at the embassy… There are those other than Fluttershy and Rarity that could use your support… We are all still friends, after all."

[Back on the train.]

The car was quiet, with only the constant rumbling of tracks passing underneath filling the cabin. Cerb stayed centered between Flatfoot's nest of pillows with Spitfire and Dash now at his chest.

Cadance had moved to her desk, busy trying to catch up on what little work she could. The many tasks of a princess had not taken a break in her absence, much to her frustration.

Along with other duties, Thunder entered the car with a food tray held in her wings. Unfortunately, in her short absence, Cerb had fallen asleep again.

"Cadance, could you wake Justin up? He needs to eat."

Rainbow sat up and wrinkled her nose, noticing another issue to address.

"More than that. Big Guy here needs a change of clothes and a bath. His seasons and citrus smell is getting a little too heavy on the nose."

Cadance pushed herself away from the desk, welcoming the distraction.

"Calm down, both of you," she said with a hopeful smile. "It's high time we give him a checkup. Rainbow, Spitfire, would you both pull back the covers. Gently, mind you. No need to startle him."

A sudden clatter echoed through the room, jostling Cerb from his sleep. He immediately reached out at the first thing he could grab. A terrible vibe of danger encompassed the room from the abrupt awakening.

"Ahh!" Rainbow's voice shouted, having been fiercely grabbed by the foreleg in Cerb's firm hold.

Cerb held still for the moment, not letting go of Rainbow, breathing heavily as if caught in the middle of a brawl. After a moment of silence had passed, Thunder tilted her head down and began to pick up the spilled food tray.

"Sorry… Your breakfast slipped. I'll clean it up."

Cerb finally released his grip and let himself relax, allowing Rainbow to defuse the situation further.

"Easy there, Big Guy. You okay?"

A little embarrassed, Cerb sunk back into the sheets, still sounding drained.

"I'm sorry, Dash… I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Rainbow gently shook her hoof, feeling out any damage.

"Nah, I'm good. Gave me a jolt there though tough guy. Don't worry about it. We brought you something to eat and… we need to get you cleaned up."

After the long night and what appeared to be a high sun outside the window, Cerb's empty stomach finally caught up to him, along with the ripeness emanating from under his arms.

Tired as he was, he felt equally as uncomfortable in his own skin at the moment. At least for their sake, he would have to get up.

"Yeah… Gonna need some help to get moving."

Cadance stood again as Rainbow and Spitfire slowly brought Cerb upright, but another struggling to function was caught out of the corner of her eye.

"Thunder, dear. Let me take that for you."

In a snap, all the items were collected, stacked, and recovered in Cadance’s aura. In its place, Thunder's halberd was dropped in front of her hooves, one with a new order.

"Pick up your weapon and stand ready," Cadance softly instructed.

There was no hesitation in Thunder’s response, promptly rolling her feathers around the shaft and tensing up as the weapon was raised. Oddly, though, she held her breath until the end when she gave a firm, steady exhale through her nose.

“I stand ready, Princess.”

Cadance gave her nod of approval but did not appear to be impressed, even speaking as though Thunder had missed the point of this random exercise.

“Yes, you are. But tell me… How much did that hurt?”

Thunder huffed under her breath, discomfort evident across her face, yet held firm in her stance.

“Nothing that I can’t tolerate.”

Again, Cadance nodded, closing her eyes as she rethought her question.

“I see… Now, lower your weapon to a low guard, and as you do, try to answer the question again. And I expect you to be honest with me, not tell me what you think I want to hear.”

Cerb lifted his head, now able to watch the demonstration.

The tip of the blade slowly dropped at first but quickly fell in short dips with each labored breath and grunt until the blade crashed to the floor. It was there that Thunder was able to answer, though it pained her to do so.

“It hurts a lot, Princess. But please-”

“Please, nothing,” Cadance quickly responded firmly. “The fact you can still stand is nothing short of miraculous, but you have more than answered the call. You need to rest, as we all do. You, as much as Justin and Fleetfoot, need to let your wounds heal."

The message was clear, yet Cadance could see the strong will in Thunder's eyes, though the mare's physical strength was clearly declining. Potentially her health would be as well, leaving Cadance to change tactics and sigh in borderline regret for what came to mind to resolve this unwanted conflict.

"From here on out, until you are deemed fit for full duty, you are not to leave Justin's side. When he eats, you eat with him and ensure he has his fill. When he bathes, you bathe and make certain his wounds are tended to. What he cannot reach, you will be his hooves, but you are not to exert yourself nor lift anything greater than any piece of his bedding. For anything else, myself, Rainbow, or Spitfire will assist."

Thunder didn't know if this was a punishment or a reward. It very well could have been either masked as the other, but Cadance had more orders to issue.

"You protected him once to your detriment… I will not allow you to do so again over something so trivial as carrying a serving tray when you are in no condition to do so. There is much work to do, and your expertise will be required away from us at times. You will be of no benefit to our cause if you strain yourself into collapsing."

Confident she had dealt with the matter, she turned back to Cerb.

"My apologies, Justin, but I must ask you to watch over Thunder Glide. While she may not be as injured, she is certainly just as stubborn. Even if for noble causes, you both appear to need supervision to keep your reckless tendencies to a tolerable level. I'm sure if I entrust her recovery to you while she tends to yours, you're both sure to keep each other out of trouble. If not, at least compensate for any further injuries while attempting not to burden each other."

Cerb turned his sad stare to Thunder, then back to Cadance.

"I'll keep her in line."

Having settled that matter, for the moment anyway, Cadance returned to tending to Cerb's needs.

"I trust you will, but for now, we all could use something to eat. We also need to get you out of those filthy clothes and apply some clean bandages."

Starting simple with what would be easiest, Cadance lifted the cover to Cerb's tray, only to reveal the jostled mess that remained. Though, even if it was presentable, it didn’t appear to be a meal that did not appeal to her standards for the hungry human.

"Well… perhaps Thunder's accident with your food was a blessing in disguise. It would seem my staff failed to understand that a bowl of grains and a mixed dish of apples and carrots would not suffice for a recovering human such as yourself. I'll be sure they come back with something more appropriate."

Now that the meal was scrapped, the next item on the list wasn't exactly a moment of vulnerability Cerb was ready for.

"I'm not feeling up for a whole scrub down at the moment. Could that wait until we are settled in at your place and maybe just do a quick towel bath or something?"

Rainbow, still propping him up, already knew the potential issue with the likes of the Wonderbolts currently in company.

"Uh, yeah. This isn't really the best place for that right now. You know how humans are about staying covered up in any place but a bathtub."

For Cerb, Thunder and Rainbow weren't a concern, but the situation with Cadance and Shining could be an issue. Then again, asking her to leave after Shining had already okayed her helping him with a bath only one day earlier, muddied up the proverbial waters.

Beyond that, it was hard not to feel at ease when she was around.

"Thunder and Cadance helped me wash up last time before going to the hospital. They’re fine."

Rainbow's cheeks went flush with red, and Cerb knew why.

"No-no. I was covered…" He turned his eyes to Thunder. "Well, for most of it anyway."

With that still missing context, Cadance was left ignorant to all the discomfort from Rainbow, but played along.

"Yes, Justin was persistent on not exposing all of himself. We mostly took care of washing what he could not reach himself."

With that cleared up, Rainbow was back to business.

"Right. Sorry… So, I guess take off what you can, and I’ll look you over like Becky showed me."

Cerb sat on the edge of the bed and had Thunder pull off his shirt.

The excitement was null and voided as soon as the blood that stained his clothes came to view. The further bruising and marred skin said a lot about how bad of a beating he had taken in the fight days ago. His inability to stand without Cadance’s help solidified the conditions they'd be working with.

"This hurts too much. Let me lay back down."

The physical inspection was over before it started, and Rainbow was without a clue about how to proceed.

"Oh, fuck. This is so much worse than after the first Timberwolf fight. Is it safe to try a flex test? How much can you even move your leg?"

Humiliated and too injured to sulk without ripping his back open, Cerb had to lean to his right on his arm extended out. His left arm; swollen, bruised, and ripped, was too stiff and battered to even work the cloth to cover himself. It might as well have been in a full cast for how little he could move it.

"Small steps, but it hurts all the time no matter what. The hole in my back just makes it worse. Fucking everything hurts."

It seemed like with each passing minute, Cerb’s overall condition was stiffening. Not only the damage done, but Rainbow could also see future damage caused from him having to deal with his immobility. Or even worse, his refusal to accept it.

Either way, he was now her responsibility as much as Thunder was liable for, less she fail her promise to Becky.

"Well, then. For now, your only priority should be recovering. The flex test we can do later when you're strong enough to stand. For now, a sponge bath. Then back to laying down until the food's ready."

Under other circumstances, the concept of a sponge bath would’ve made Cerb cringe, too many associations with senior citizens. However, Cerb felt especially gross and could already smell his stink getting worse. So, despite his discomfort, he knew that poor hygiene could end up as another infection and didn't resist.

"Yeah… Just don't scrub too hard."

[Elsewhere, at the border of the Everfree Forest and the Human Embassy.]

A small congregation had gathered near the treeline, the last few exiting the forest to join the rest. Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Aspen, Ember, Novo, and Rutherford departed from the security detail to escort Benny and Kelly to those waiting.

Chris with Starlight and Lumbermen, along with Applejack, stood on either side of Fluttershy and Rarity, both dressed in black dresses and veils. They all stood facing the forest until Benny took his place in front of them. Starlight moved next to Fluttershy, making them the center two ponies Benny was to address.

"My friends, I apologize for this not being the memorial service either of our two fallen friends deserve. The nature of their passing were sacrifices worthy of a day of mourning for all nations. Instead, our attendance is small. The obligations of those that wish they were here with us like King and Queen Abyssinia who are with Gruff, and those who are not well enough to join us or are tending to them, has left only us. Beyond that… we are bound to secrecy, and no remains to dignify with a proper laying to rest."

Ashamed of the insultingly pitiful service, Benny lowered his eyes slightly as Fluttershy again started to sob.

"They deserve better because they both gave more than any of us and others they leave behind. But it's not what we leave behind for them that matters the most. It's that we continue to protect everything they fought for so that they did not make their sacrifices in vain."

Fluttershy's sobs grew to outright crying into Rarity's shoulder, prompting Straight to break down into sobbing as well, leaning into Chris for support. It was as to be expected, but it didn't make the job easier for Benny.

"I never had the chance to get to know Discord, but Trixie and I were lucky enough to share some time together. She wasn't the pony most thought her to be. She was conceited and boastful, but she was also kind… Too used to being alone, which I think made her gracious for the friends she had among us. And perhaps it was that friendship we shared with her that gave her the constitution needed to save us. For which, I'm certain we all will be eternally grateful."

With so little time given ahead of this, and even less time remaining, Benny looked to Starlight to share a few words. Instead, Chris kept his bandaged hand resting against her and apologized silently with a somber shaking of his head to ward off the still unspoken request.

That left Fluttershy, who was in no condition to speak through all her sobs and blubbering she faintly was able to restrain. Thankfully, Kelly gave Rarity a nudge and stepped up to be the new shoulder to cry on so at least one pony close could say something of value on Fluttershy's behalf.

While usually one for attention, but not one to dwell on others' misery, Rarity faced the small audience, focusing on Fluttershy.

Not many honestly had been emotionally invested in Discord enough to be brought down like Fluttershy was over his passing. She was sadly the only mare who mattered in this regard.

"Ahem… Discord was a rather confusing… Well, I would say friend, but I don't think I ever gave him his due justice to grant him the opportunity. I thought what he was, how he chose to be, was too dangerous. It was Fluttershy who saw that there was something greater within him. A greater good he could offer and find peace with if…"

She sunk low in her posture. The moral lesson having been one they both were now suffering from after not properly learning the simple practice.

"If only some creature would be so brave as to accept him as he was. So that he may have found the willpower to accept such kindness. To truly be a friend. To take his misunderstood talents and turn them into something helpful and wonderful. To become more than just a friend… One who would be willing to give their life for those they cared the most about. No matter the objections or knowing that… their determination to protect us would still hurt us by accepting the dangers."

For a moment, Rarity grew quiet, eating her plate of crow, which had stewed in the mess she made. Seeing how it made her feel lesser for her choices and how she treated others left a bitter taste of remorse she felt. More so, she felt worse now than Fluttershy and Starlight.

It was then she started tearing up.

"I feel terrible for how I viewed Discord and Trixie. I held grudges instead of offering a proper hoof. I should have tried harder, like Fluttershy and Starlight, to find the good in them. I should have accepted their faults and been somepony they could have trusted more. Maybe then… perhaps things could have been different. Perhaps had more of us been stronger and wiser to learn from our past grievances, to give more than receive, we could have stood by them to be their support so they could still be here with us."

In full agreement, Rutherford bowed his head with respect, letting out a heavy snort.

"Never again," he firmly asserted. "No more doubts for good creatures. We all friends. Discord and Great and Power Trixie prove they best friends to all. We not make same mistake."

Quietly, Luna took to Rarity's side, laying a wing over her shoulder to show her support.

"Friends. This battle for our freedom came at a great cost. Not only have we lost two great allies but dear friends as well. It is shameful that we cannot go public with their sacrifices, but the world is not ready for these harsh realities.”

Looking over the small congregation, Luna’s heart sunk lower as Benny’s words from earlier had etched out the underwhelming setting.

“Harmony has taken much from us. We know not the toll, but we will never forget these two. As such, to commemorate the fallen, a monument will be built at the Crystal Ring, which now protects us. It will always be open for all of you to visit once completed.”

From within the small gathering, Kelly raised her voice loud enough for all to hear but tame enough to let Fluttershy and Starlight know that she was speaking primarily to them. Even if Fluttershy had her face buried in Kelly's chest and Starlight was a few feet away, the delivery was clear.

"It's good to remember them and all the good times you shared together. And you can never put on any of the blame for their choices on yourself. Right or wrong, even if you try to reason out why it wouldn't make sense, you can't change their minds in retrospect. But one lie I won't tell is that one day the pain will go away. That pain is there because you love them. Without that love, there is no pain… But the pain will fade and become easier to manage."

Fluttershy's heavy sobs began to dwindle as she pulled away to wipe her eyes, taking in everything Kelly had to say.

Part of Kelly wanted to be angry with Fluttershy, but more of her understood the terrible choices one can make when the fear of losing a loved one consumes you. Instead, she hoped some more kind words would help to get over this rough patch of grieving, and she bit her still partially split lip before speaking again.

"Just like our bumps and bruises, or any injury, we adapt and heal, knowing they wouldn't want us to suffer in misery just because they're gone. They'd want us to be happy and safe, just as they did when they were still here."

On that happier note, Lumberman could see that with no practice or proper planning, on top of no religious ceremony to be performed, this was an appropriate place to stop.

"What Kelly said is right, and while none of us are certified grief counselors, I know I'm just about always open to talk to. So if anyone needs to talk, you know where to find us."

The message was understood, and Celestia stepped in front of the crowd to finalize the makeshift event.

"While I wish there was more we could do to show our appreciation to memorialize those lost, this will conclude the services. And while many of us have further business to attend to abroad, Benny has been kind enough to offer up his home.”

Just in view, a good distance away from the tree line, Celestia stared at those who chose not to crowd the event in the backyard of Benny’s home.

“Drinks and a small spread will be available for those who wish to partake."

[Back on the train.]

Cerb sat in only a robe and his boxers. His shirt was ruined, his pants filthy, and his boots and socks stunk. His boxers were no better off, but humility and questionable doubts of motives kept them covering him.

However, no ill intentions had presented themselves while in the care of the many mares. His doubts and insecurities began to weigh too heavily upon his conscience.

"Hey, girls? I just wanted to say thanks for everything, and I'm sorry for being so quiet. I don't mean to be uneasy around you. It's just that after being so close to Fluttershy and Rarity…"

He trailed from his thoughts, unsure of how to explain all the misgivings and questioning their intentions. It was frustratingly difficult to put to words when he wasn’t even sure what Thunder might have known or Rainbow thought of him.

Thankfully, Cadance was there to soothe his concerns.

"You have no need to apologize. We know that your wounds of the heart are just as severe as those any doctor could stitch or mend. You've been through so much, and when you needed them most… we stepped in to do what they would not. But that might not be enough to calm your concerns that it could happen again."

Seeing an opening to express some thoughts of her own on the matter, Thunder finished disposing of the towels and stood closer to Cerb.

"Justin, I've been able to watch you more than most since the night you brought Kelly back to your embassy. You were a curious anomaly that became my greatest challenge. Then, during the fight with the Timberwolves, your strength and virtue to save my fellow guards earned you my admiration. And when I discovered that it was your honor and dignity that showed me mercy from combat, that there were lines you would not cross, you had my respect."

She extended her wing to hold over his right hand and sat before him. Vulnerable in her own way, she looked up to him to finally open up.

"I'm not anything that Fluttershy or Rarity were to you. I never earned that right or dared to believe I could be so close to you as they did. I can't even fight off your nightmares with the best of my efforts. I don't even have orders to be here now. All of us are here because none of us took you for granted. We know Equestria needs you, so we wanted to do the right thing and stand by you as you stood by us and finished the fight."

Looking back at Thunder, listening to her speak from the heart, he was reminded of her last words in the fight against the Echoes.

"I won't regret these scars on my back if you can finish the fight."

In the heat of battle, Thunder had thrown herself in harm's way to shield him. The soon-to-be scars on her back were there because she chose to save him. A fellow warrior, willing to give it all to save her brother in arms… just to be close to him.

Now, here she still was, pushing herself just as he had for what she believed in.

…which was him.

That brought about a change in Cerb. He was indebted to these mares. Each had contributed in their own way, though some more than others, and Thunder stood out in particular for the moment.

"I believe you, but you need to stop doing so much. You're as bad as me for not resting enough, so come on. Help me get comfy again."

With his only good hand, Cerb tightened up his waistband and started to crawl back to the center of the bed.

Thunder followed him by the side, watching him and waiting for whatever he asked for. To her surprise, he tapped the empty spot next to him.

"Do you want another pillow?" She asked blankly.

Cerb huffed a little laugh and grinned.

"No. You need your rest, too. Get in bed."

A bit taken back, Thunder's ears perked up.

"Oh. I'm not that-"

Ignoring her excuses, Cerb tapped his hand again. This time Thunder fully accepted the request.

"If that's what you want."

Slowly, Thunder hopped up and laid down to face away from Cerb. Then, surprised again, Cerb reached out and pulled her against him.

He kept his strong arm around her barrel, letting his bare chest press against her exposed back.

"I know how much you all like this. Hopefully, it will help you feel better so
you can heal faster."

It was so sudden, Thunder hadn't anticipated such a response from Cerb. The heat from his body, the strength coursing through his arm, and the warmth from his reciprocated emotions, she could feel them all. Safe, comforting, welcoming, and dulling the pain from the many puncture wounds sewn shut came from every touch she felt from him.

As shameful as it was, he needed someone to be close to. Lonely hearts crave company, and for now, he had more than ample amounts of quality company while holding her.

"Thank you for always answering the call, even when I didn't know I needed saving."

Flattered and perhaps hoping for the impossible, Thunder hugged her forelegs around Cerb’s arm. Even if she didn’t believe she deserved more, she'd at least thought she had earned this.

"It was an honor… And any good Lioness knows to take care of her pride."

[Elsewhere in Zecora’s hut.]

Deeper into the Everfree Forest, Zecora had kept herself busy with the many arduous tasks a potion maker could have. Specifically, a new challenge that had presented itself gave room for more long-term endeavors that had kept her in her hut.

"The flesh has been made weak, while the will remains strong. A new remedy is needed to keep the blood where it would belong. Closing a wound for our friends should not require a suture. A quick fix for wounds should make a more promising future."

Sunburst, brought along for the task as he had unexpectedly been left behind, was struggling to keep up with this new mad science.

"I don't understand why this is proving to be so difficult. Harmony allowed us to conjure up potions and spells to heal many of our wounds in the past. Why would she leave out the knowledge that could save lives from the likes of what she was used to heal Kelly with?"

Attempting another mixture, Zecora kept her mind trained on new methods of potion brewing.

"I have not been granted the truth. There are secrets even too dangerous for either of us to keep. Unsolved mysteries involving our mortality. Lives taken ruthlessly, and graves dug too deep… Or that's what I could gather from what little Becky could tell me. More than likely, in time, we both shall see."

Having been on foal sitting duty every day, that was still more than Sunburst had been told earlier. Still, he knew things were bad.

"Zecora, I think we're getting in over our heads here. Shouldn’t our focus still be helping Becky?"

Undeterred, Zecora sprinkled a blue powder into her brew. She observed as it blended in, sizzling with a purple mist rising from its beaker.

"Harmony affected us so only our wounds would be superficial at best. Without Harmony and her magic, we bleed just like all the rest. But I've come to believe the human's touch should not be overlooked or left amiss. It could have been our violent destruction, yet they chose to give us protection and bliss."

There was a connection Sunburst was starting to understand but couldn't put all together.

"You think the effects of Harmony and humans are related?"

As quick as Zecora was with her rhyme schemes, there just wasn't the time needed to be clever when her focus was stained as it was.

"You know how wonderful a human's touch can be. From a simple hoof to a handshake or a hug, it is better than any pony can deliver. From the stories I've been told and the slap to Tea Love's face first received gave me a hint of something more. The same can be said for removing the spell that made us so durable and capable of tolerating injuries that our humans cannot. I believe that Harmony numbed us to all sensations. Our access to magic and special talents was essentially Harmony's version of alcohol. Further numbing us while making us believe… Who knows what all she could have had us believe."

Frustrated from having to be so blunt, Zecora scooped up a ladle and began to fill a series of bottles.

"I suffered Timberwolves trying to tear me apart. I remember their wooden teeth marring my skin. Tearing away the fur. My bones pressed and nearly broke in their maws… But I suffered nothing compared to Applejack and her splinters. Even if she refused to show it at first, some part of Harmony’s given protection had been taken away."

She dropped the ladle and began to cap the bottles.

"I've shaken many hooves and shared many warm embraces with friends here and family I left long ago. None of them are like the comfort a human can bring. And more than that, they can unlock..."

That last comment almost slipped, but out of caution, she held her tongue for the moment. The confessions from Fluttershy allowed for many theories to arise in the past few days.

"Regardless, one such human stallion has been cast free to any mare wise enough to win him over. Justin not only deserves better than the treatments currently available. If I can heal his wounds, I can learn more about curing Becky. Now…"

She stepped away from the cauldron and bottles, following a path for Sunburst to view one she held in her hoof.

"I need a unicorn's magic to enhance these potions. These would do well for treating simple scrapes, but magic does little for our friends. They will require further enhancements to affect one resilient to magic as Justin. Are you willing to help me to these ends?"

Sunburst, eyeing the vile carefully along with his options, contemplated briefly before looking back to Zecora with an honest question. Potion-making had never been his forte. Then again, he’d always had an eye for magic, no matter what form it came in.

“You’re a lot easier to understand when you speak normally. Why do you rhyme so much if you don’t need to?”

Zecora’s whole posture frumped at the question, but since the provided response didn’t come as a no, she gave into answering.

“The Zebra race has been said to be unable to practice magic. I refused to be restricted and learned many magic potions and enchantments in time. But still, all the strongest spells are said to be spoken in rhyme… However… I believe the humans may offer a much stronger alternative.”

Again, she raised the vile, speaking more sternly as she knew the unicorn's own passion for the mystic arts.

“We fell for Harmony’s trickery and lies once, but never again. We are free, and this is where our new adventure will begin.”

Author's Note

So begins the second arc (which I was misspelling as "arch" for months). There is already a lot going on, and even more getting filled in that was left unmentioned in the first arc. Where will it all lead, and what new revelations await our heroes?

Perhaps we'll get a good idea of what to expect in the next release, Chapter 02: What No One Wants.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01.

To stay better up-to-date with future chapters and events, follow along and interact with me and other CTTB fans on my Writers, Editors, Readers, and Artist Connection Discord Server. Or for short:
MLP WERA Connection

02. What No One Wants.

[Tuesday, 17 May 2016, The Equestrian 16th Day of Love.]

It took some explaining to the staff on the train, but a new menu was prepared, though one dish left Cadance still feeling questionable about its appeal.

"Justin," Cadance calmly spoke up at the small table. "Would it be rude to ask what it's like to eat something that was once alive?"

Knowing this would be a sensitive topic to cover, Cerb swallowed before opening his mouth.

"Umm… Not sure how to answer that. I never really put much thought into it because… Uhh… As a species, we eat meat before we even learn to talk. So… I guess it's no different than the rest of the food we eat. Then again in our world, animals can’t talk and really aren’t sentient, so it never really comes across as wrong."

Curious, Spitfire flatly asked, "How's it taste?"

Another question that deserved some tact from Cerb to answer, given the truth of the matter.

"Honestly? Umm… I think they seared it a little too much on the outside and left it a little more rare in the center than I would normally cook myself. And the textures are kinda unusual for me. But even without any salt or seasonings, it's actually really good."

While nearly all the mares gave the dish a few critical stares, Thunder reached out to serve a sample to her plate.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. Predator species prey on the weak, and none of us are weak. I think a pony eating an owlbear is poetic justice, even if humans just call it breakfast."

Thunder lowered her muzzle to the plate with little to no table manners. She gave even less consideration to the other's sensitivities for whatever reason, placing her hooves down on the thick slice of meat and pulling off her first bite.

"Hmm! Wow," she openly spoke to the table in a placid tone. "It's a lot more chewy than I would have thought… Really juicy, too."

The other mares were shocked to see not only another pony eating meat but that said pony enjoyed it? Of the four others, Rainbow was at least curious.

"So, for a first-time carnivore… what's it taste like?"

Thunder took another bite and started to rend the flesh from under her hooves, pulling away with her teeth sinking deeper as the strands of muscles tore free.

"Et's ditherent. Kent really describe et."

As interesting as watching Thunder tear apart her food like a neanderthal was, there was only so much meat to go around for one meal. It was, after all, meant for Cerb, and Cadance didn't want to see him go without. Not for this meal at least.

"It seems the gift from Prince Aspen is well appreciated enough to warrant revisiting. Justin, would you mind if we all join you next time after informing the kitchen on how to prepare the beast properly?"

After everything else that was introduced to the ponies, Cerb couldn't believe that, of all things, eating meat was catching on. Though, he was a little against the idea, at least for the ponies.

Was it even moral to encourage a carnivore's behavior in a herbivore, sentient or not?

At the same time, it was good to have a balanced diet again, not to mention good company to share it with.

"Sure. Sounds like a great idea, but first, I'm going back to sleep after this."

[Back in Twilight’s room.]

The door slowly crept open as Twilight peeked inside to assess Sniff’s condition, careful not to wake him. As foretold, he was still unconscious, which was a welcomed sight given Becky’s careful watch over him.

"We're back. How is Peter doing?"

The door opened further, with Kelly letting herself in alongside Twilight. Swifty trotted in close behind as if to stop her but relaxed her advance when she noticed Peter still sleeping.

A look of disappointment fell over Kelly's face when she noticed the same.

"Damn. Looks like I won't be getting a proper farewell after all."

Becky put down a notepad and stood up to make her way across the room to Kelly.

"I don't think anyone is going to around here," she answered, giving Kelly a friendly hug. "And Peter is doing fine. If I know my drugs, Peter will be out for a few more hours."

She pulled away and turned all their attention back to Peter.

"I found a drug similar to ketamine. It’s more effective when injected, but I used that to spike his drink, along with a pill for nausea and another painkiller mixed in… My mother would be proud."

Becky’s words sounded like a typical joke shared among her friends in tough times. However, Kelly didn’t laugh, and neither Twilight nor Swifty understood the reference, leaving Becky to continue without acknowledging the jab at herself.

“He should be fine when he wakes up, though he might act a little loopy like Applejack did on her pills. Either way, he's going to need those meds on a regular basis. If he can't sleep or says the pain is too much, get a hold of me, and I'll see what I can come up with."

Swifty nervously shuffled her hooves next to Becky.

"I don't want to see Peter in pain. Can't we just give him more to make him feel better all the time?"

If that were the case, Becky would have been happy to share the good news. Instead, she huffed and folded her arms over her chest.

"No, sadly. Peter never handled pain as well as the other guys did, and the meds he's on becomes toxic in too high of a dose. Just stick to the schedule, and if things become too rough… we might have to switch to injecting the ketamine substitute until he heals enough to handle being awake. Also, wherever he goes, keep as much of what's around him sterile and clean. Even though he's on a ton of antibiotics, a lot of bacteria likely spilled out into his body from his intestines getting cut open. Fighting off internal infections is where most of his struggle will be. Any further exposure in his weakened state could allow for any external infections to take hold, which will be hard to treat. That, or he could get sick and… Yeah… That would be a whole nother uphill battle."

Now, even more nervous, Swifty could feel her heart racing.

"What do I need to look out for? What should I do?"

Becky calmly let her arms down and gave Swifty a few gentle pats on her shoulder.

"You know what Peter looks like normally. If you see any new bruising, redness, swelling, discoloration, or puss around his wounds, or he starts to run a fever, that's an emergency. Call me… Err, fuck. No phones. Right. Just get some pony to fly me and the usual team over."

That was the simple stuff, but knowing what little she did, there was another warning to give. She would relay this message with a playful tug on the mare's ear.

"And no naughty stuff. No matter how bad Sniffy begs.”

A blush grew over Swifty as Becky released the mare’s ear. A good measure of levity was needed to tone down the drama of the whole disaster that was his critical condition.

Even still, Becky knew how much help Sniff would need and sighed again.

“Seriously, though. Peter is going to need a lot of help and support. These next few weeks will be crucial that he stays in bed with as little stress and movement as possible. His recovery will probably be months before he can start proper rehabilitation or even walk safely. So, I took the liberty of detailing as much information as I could think of for taking care of him while in Canterlot. A lot of stuff I remember from taking care of Justin, or at least when I could, back when he was all fucked up… I have faith in all of you… Which I’m really going to need if I’m going to find any time to go check up on Justin any time soon."

Their parting was rapidly approaching, and Becky turned back to Kelly. A little more hope behind her smile than the fear of the unknown made her words ring with an honest tone.

"Jus… fucking be safe out there. And write me… please."

Kelly wanted to be sad, but with a roll of her eyes and a forced grin, she played off an air of confidence.

"I'm not as dumb as I was coming out of high school, Becks. And if worse comes to worst, I still have my temper… and the butcher knife. You just keep everyone else out of the hospital while I'm gone."

Becky huffed a quiet laugh and pulled Kelly in for another hug.

"Don't be gone too long then. You're the only girl I have left in this sausage fest."

On cue, Helix was at the door and knocked before entering, being the only one in the room who looked genuinely optimistic.

"Miss Bardwell, your belongings have been loaded, and the King and Queen are waiting for you."

Not more than a few steps behind, Celestia made her way in with Novo, but Celestia was cautious as she made herself known.

"Twilight… The chariot is ready. Lyra Heartstrings has been sent ahead to prepare Peter's room, as you requested, as well as Cutter to review the security. Is everything else in order for his transfer?"

Twilight’s heart sank deeper than she thought possible, and she took one long resonant breath before she exhaled.

"We were just finishing up, but I'd like a moment alone before you take him."

Celestia bowed gracefully, not wanting to entice further strife before their parting.

"Of course. I'll inform the guard to stand back until you call for them."

Knowing this would be intimately difficult, Kelly decided to give her farewell first and leaned down to hug the nerdy princess goodbye.

"I'm gonna miss the shit out of you, Twiggs. Keep an eye out for my idiot friends. Becky can only do so much to keep 'em stitched together. I wanna see us all together for another game of Kings when I get back. Even if I have to wear the next frou-frou dress."

The sudden rush of those first few days and that night washed over Twilight like the genuine affection she felt from Kelly. It was enough to draw out a few happy tears as she held Kelly tighter.

"I'll miss you too, Drip. You're always welcome here, and please write to me, too. I'll do everything I can to ensure we can all celebrate your return. There's so much I never had the chance to talk to you about."

Next up was Novo, who decided to get in on practicing these friendly exchanges and gave Twilight a warm hug as well.

"You stay strong now, little cutie. You're already dealing with a lot, but I know I can trust you with Silverstream. I won't be so hard to get a hold of now that so many of us will be staying in the Thicket. And we still need to get caught up on what you told me about."

Novo pulled back with her forelimbs still draped over Twilight's shoulders. Warmly, she stared up at her own motionless ears, then back down to properly look Twilight in the eyes.

"Just being on dry land again has me feeling strange as it is."

Losing Peter to Canterlot would be straining Twilight’s mental state, but she happily accepted Novo's offer. It gave her some comfort knowing she had so many new friends to reach out to provide her with some much-needed support.

"I hope you can visit often. Especially for the ear thing, but there are so many questions about your history I still want to learn about. And thank you. Silverstream is such a sweetheart. She'll be in good company with the rest of the delegates here."

After those few exchanges, the door shut, leaving Twilight to make her way back to Peter, still sleeping away the early part of the day. She sat beside the bed and laid her head over his open hand.

Feeling more alone, knowing her goodbye would fall on deaf ears, she quietly sobbed as she lamented over the poor outlook she was facing.

"I don't want you to go away from me… Harmony is gone, and I'm doing everything I can to keep every creature safe."

She nuzzled his open palm and gently kissed his fingertips curling up as she pressed further into his hand.

"I already miss you. I know you need to heal, but all I want is to have you with me again like before. Our herd needs you. I need you… it feels like everything is falling apart because I couldn't keep us all together… You would know how to keep us all together. Tell me what I wasn't seeing.”

Pulling back to lay her cheek over his palm, more of her harsh thoughts came to mind.

“I thought Fluttershy and Rarity just needed time and… I don't understand why Kelly can't stay or how to bring her and Luna back together. Now there’s a new mare with Big Mac, too?"

She raised her head and lifted Sniff's hand to hold against her cheek, though it didn't feel the same as when he held her while using his words and insight to calm and comfort her.

"I don't want to lose you, but I can't protect you from everything. There is so much I can't foresee, and I don't know if Benny is ready to handle those dangers as Justin did… And I know I should trust Celestia… but she's still hiding something from me. She would have been free from Harmony's whispers too many times while she was with us not to tell us more. She shouldn't have made us stay away from each other."

Nearing the point of finishing saying her piece, she returned Sniff's hand to the bedding before rising up to give him one final kiss over his lips.

"Getting close to you was the greatest decision I ever made. I won't let this distance between us keep us apart. I'll ensure Ponyville is safe, and then you can return to me. Back to all of us, and no more nightmares."

Having said enough, Twilight stepped aside from the wide open door as she returned to the hallway.

Farther down, Ovens stood between Mayor Mare and Topsy behind Swifty with the security detail.

Twilight nodded, signaling Swifty to begin the next transition.

Swifty nodded back, raised her halberd, and tapped the pommel to the floor.

"Litter Detail. Bring forward the stretcher for transportation and begin Operation Guardian Flight. The ambassador, Peter, is to be carried with extreme care. Coordinate your movements as if you were transporting Celestia herself. Failure in executing your mission will not be tolerated."

A group of six ponies in Solar Guard armor quickly trotted up in formation bearing a stretcher. Swifty followed behind, leading another four into the room where she stopped to supervise next to Twilight and spoke under a hushed tone.

"Are you sure you won't be joining us?"

Twilight kept her eyes on the team of ponies, carefully lifting the sheet with Peter and moving him with military precision onto the stretcher.

"I can't… I can't bring myself to watch him be taken away from me like that. Even if I know I'll see him soon, I know how much it’ll hurt Rarity and Fluttershy to watch the one they love be taken farther and farther away out of reach. Especially since it's still partially my fault. I should have stayed behind-"

"You did nothing wrong," Swifty answered abruptly. "Not even Discord or Celestia knew what was happening. It was unavoidable. So, even if you had been there, Peter would have pushed you out of the way instead of me. There is no sense in dwelling on what you should or should not have done."

Ovens nuzzled up close to Twilight's side, her own heart breaking at the sight of straps securing Peter in place.

"We all took the same risks going out there. Peter did what he thought was best to keep Swifty safe. It wouldn't have mattered who was there. None of us are human, and not even their strongest weapons stopped her. Peter's sacrifice is probably the one thing that saved us in the end."

Mayor Mare sat next to Twilight and leaned against her heartbroken lover to share further support.

"Twilight, my dear. At one point or another, we all thought Peter was too good to be true. That whatever wonderful future was standing before us with him was impossible… that we would be alone and foolish to think otherwise."

Quietly, the pony guards around Sniff began to notify the others of their status.

"Legs secure."

"Hips secure."

"Barrel secure."

"Right forelimb secure."

"Left forelimb secure."

"Head and neck are immobilized. Brace is secure."

"All litter straps tied down. Package ready for transport on your command."

It was about to happen, but Mayor Mare looked on as if none of it were more than a bad dream.

"But you two made our fantasies real. Let Peter show us that what was possible was better than we could have believed… So even though he will be away for a while… We are still not alone, just as he would never want us to be. We need to stay together for him."

Twilight knew that without her current support, she would have broken down long ago. However, that wasn't what Peter needed. He needed the Twilight he gave all his faith to.

"Swifty, thank you for everything. I have the utmost faith in you. Spike is still recovering, so I expect a letter in the mail first thing in the morning about how Peter is adjusting comfortably under the supervision of his Guardian."

Swifty nodded, gripped the halberd firmly by the shaft, and then raised it.

"I think we've seen the worst of it, Princess. I won't let you down… Never again."

The pummel dropped to the floor, and Swifty firmly issued her command.

"Litter Detail. Heave up and move out."

[Later that evening in the Crystal Empire.]

It had been another long eleven hours on the train. The Crystal Guard had gathered to welcome back Cadance, not expecting the extra company in lieu of Shining and Flurry Heart.

The two royals' absence had caused some concern, but they were formal and welcoming all the same to the new guests. At the very least, that was the vibe Cerb got as he was carried off in his chair into a familiar-looking chariot. That is to say, the guards looked friendly and formal when not carefully analyzing him under the glow of gas lights and torches.

Secured for transit, Cerb sat next to Thunder, sitting on the seat next to him, both looking at Cadance. There wasn't much room for any immediate concern, though old trends were hard to overlook for Cerb.

"I'm not gonna get stabbed, am I?"

His smirk said he was joking, but the humor wasn't well-received by Cadance.

"I would never allow such a transgression to fall upon you while you're under my care. If any of my guards even so much as-"

It was a joke too far, and Cerb raised his hand to stop the fearful tirade.

"I'm kidding. They just seem really uncomfortable around me. Figured I’d lighten the mood a little."

While not tasteful, Thunder was well-adjusted to his ways, so she would play mediator and address the needs of both.

"The Crystal Guard is slightly more reserved than the Solar or Lunar Guard. Their biggest concerns are anything dealing with King Sombra or The Changelings. They don't deal with half the problems we do. If anything, they'll give you some odd looks, but I'll be with you at all times, so you have nothing to worry about."

Cadance relaxed again, but with so little time to prepare, she wondered what she might have overlooked.

"Justin, is there anything else you might need while you're here? There isn't anything I can think of that would be too difficult to procure if desired."

Still tired and sore, Cerb didn’t need much time to answer.

"I need to heal the hole in my back, fix my leg, and stop my nightmares. I can't do anything to help any of you until that's all taken care of. So for now, I just need a bed."

That wouldn't be too difficult to accommodate, but that didn't mean it didn't require a gentle approach from Cadance.

"My castle will be a safe haven for you, but your sleeping arrangements still need to be discussed."

If anything had to be discussed, this was the one Cerb needed to iron out first. Especially since he knew where his sleeping arrangements would keep him.

"Yeah… I know you've been helping me, and I can’t afford another outburst. My leg is already killing me, and I can't risk tearing my back open, but we need to talk about your situation as well. Given who isn’t here, our current arrangement won't look good for you, and I think Thunder should know."

As unpleasant as the conversation would be, Cadance knew it wouldn't stay a secret forever, and Thunder would be in the middle of it regardless. So, trusting her as she did, she took a deep breath and sighed, already feeling the shame and embarrassment that came with her separation.

"Thunder Glide, Justin is right. At the moment, Justin's nightmares only seem to be calmed by particular mares at his side while he sleeps. Without Rarity and Fluttershy, I have been fortunate enough to provide him with that relief. However, when I told you all that Shining and I would be traveling different paths, it wasn't strictly for the needs of Justin and Becky. We have effectively stepped away intentionally to better discern if our love for each other is legitimate or not."

The hair on Thunder’s neck stood up on end. Her shock hadn't gone unnoticed, and Cadance could predict the assumptions Thunder could make.

"The Harmonys had orchestrated the union between Shining and I as their Words instructed. We know not of the depth of influence she held over us. That said, we know that our hearts spoke more freely without the whispers that Justin and his friends kept from us. Beyond that, every major event that led us together was done so by the manipulation of Harmony. So, there is no doubt that the closeness between Justin and I will not go unnoticed, especially given our sleeping arrangements."

Thunder had a lot to think about. Cerb was more than a powerful ally. He was a man worth fighting for. Even her ambitions were beginning to stir, so the thought of a newly separated princess sharing a bed with Cerb in secret would be the scandal of the century.

Then again, she didn't know how close these two truly were. Certainly, they weren’t rutting like his former mares, but still. If Cerb was looking out for Cadance, as she trusted him enough to keep Shining willfully not returning a secret, what could she do to stop him when she knew Cerb needed Cadance just as much, if not more?

No matter the truth, Thunder knew how to answer, even though she could imagine the potential outcome of such sleeping arrangements.

"Justin is a special guest. One would think that his presence would require special protection in his injured state. If you provide me with a private detail, I should be able to keep the guards far enough away so as not to draw suspicion."

Feeling as though she was saying all the right words, Thunder looked over to Cerb.

"After all, if Cerb were to suffer another night terror, the guards should be told to keep their distance, as only we are qualified to subdue such an outburst."

A better perspective couldn't have been taken to give a more favorable outcome. Cadance would be even greater in Thunder’s debt as she was agreeable.

"You are right on all accounts. I will inform the guard that you will be in charge of security for Justin. That will include the physical security and procedures while in the castle. I'll also brief the kitchen specifically about Justin's menu items… and that we accepted his generous offer to share."

Hearing that, Cerb made a funny face, prompting Cadance to respond proudly.

"Don't give me that look. The more I normalize this practice, the more it will put my subjects at ease."

Cerb smiled with a limp shrug, still finding it odd how quickly they had taken to his dietary needs.

"I'm not judging. I just can't help but think of how Twilight first reacted… You’re all just so chill about it."

Thunder could relate but gave little concern to the matter.

"Had it been just about any other creature, ponies would have reacted a lot differently. I think so long as you keep eating other predators, no pony will mind… Maybe we'll get lucky and find another owlbear causing problems out here so we can keep you stocked up."

Cadance and Cerb turned to Thunder, now sitting awkwardly under their gaze, the mare hesitant to respond.

"What? It could happen."

The stares did not improve, and her confidence dropped to feeling defensive.

"Oh, come on. Those few boxes won't last forever, and we're all going to want more… You know I'm right."

Cerb reached out with his good hand and ruffled Thunder's mane.

"Let's not go looking for trouble. That one owlbear already caused us enough problems. No point in rocking the boat."

Little talk was shared the rest of the way to the castle. Most of it consisted of the castle’s layout and the guards, namely that they were only comprised of only Crystal Earth ponies and some recent pegasi additions. That, and Cadance had a lot of work to catch up on, which would include the addition of a program to add unicorns to their ranks.

The castle itself could barely be described with any accuracy to its scale and appearance while doing it any justice. If Twilight’s Castle was made as a reflection of her, Canterlot was a thousand years worth of development and engineering, then the Crystal Castle was truly the epitome of fantasy.

It easily dwarfed Twilight's castle and outclassed Celestia’s in terms of symmetry and elegance.

Two towers of alabaster crystal rose from the outer midsection of four arching bases meeting under the main structure, forming a hallowed dome. Each of the arches held stairways into the castle’s interior of massive highrises, pillars, and one brilliantly inspired tower filled with sky blue crystals encased in the same alabaster from the center. All its majesty balanced out to present a balcony perfectly settled in to address the kingdom below it.

When they arrived, it was a whole affair, with staff greeting them after parking under the balcony.

"Your highness," a guard greeted as he opened the door to the chariot. "Welcome home."

Cadance stepped out, forcing herself to stand tall and proper, despite her ongoing discomfort.

"Thank you. Please hold all briefings until after our guests are situated. Our honored guest Mr. Husk will require assistance up to my floor. At which point, Sergeant First Class Thunder Glide will take over for security regarding all matters with his stay and the areas he is to occupy for the time being."

The guard bowed, readily taking his orders.

"As you wish. I will bring a pair of-"

Rising from his bow, he caught sight of Cerb in his wheelchair, waiting to be carried.

"Five of my strongest guard stallions… Maybe six."

After a tense hike up too many flights of stairs Cerb cared to count, he was finally set down, and Thunder took on her more serious personality. The guards who coordinated Cerb's trip up the stairs came under Thunder's questioning without a moment to rest.

"First things first. What's the normal detail you have assigned to patrol this floor?"

One of the more senior guards caught his breath enough to answer for the others.

"Two guards monitor each end of the hall. A patrol will make the tour through these spaces once an hour."

That seemed a little tame but easy for Thunder to work with.

"How many of your forces are on standby?"

The guard didn't miss a beat.

"We have a hundred and twenty in our ranks. Normal operations keep eighty on duty, though only about sixty-five are combat-ready and make up our garrison. The rest are support that varies when they come in; as needed, rotational, and reinforcements. The garrison can rise to ninety at our strongest when standing up our entire company."

Thunder nodded, taking the numbers all in stride.

"Very well. My only instructions, for now, are to double the guards above and below this floor, which includes using the guards normally posted here. For the time being, have the patrols avoid this floor. That is for their safety. The reasons why will be shared by Princess Cadance when she deems it necessary."

The guard blinked, amazed at the break of protocol to protect the most crucial floor. Even still, he had to make sure he understood the directions clearly.

"You want us to ignore protecting the princess while she sleeps? …As in, no guards? ...At all?"

It was an order even Thunder would have questioned if in his position, but she never hesitated with her response.

"Not when she sleeps. All hours of the day. But, it will likely be for only a few days as we acclimate to the new environment. Mr. Husk requires no interruptions while he recovers and will be under the direct supervision of Princess Cadance or myself during her absence… You should verify this with her, as I know how absurd it must sound."

This time the guard saluted, sounding confidently resolute with his orders.

"I will verify as you recommended, but we trust Princess Cadance. Your orders will be carried out as requested. Mr. Husk, you can rest soundly knowing the Crystal Guard is on duty. Sleep well."

Without any further discussion, the guards departed, emptying the hall.

That left Thunder to lead Rainbow and the two Wonderbolts to their rooms.

"Rainbow, you and I have the rooms across from her royal chambers. Spitfire, Fleetfoot, you two can use either room together or separately in the other two rooms adjacent. Justin… for now, you will be staying with Cadance, though she has left the option for you to allow any of us you wish to join you if you think it will help."

This felt slightly familiar to Cerb. Not only from the train ride but from his first night being coaxed into sharing a bed with Fluttershy and Rarity.

Of course, back in Ponyville, he was oblivious to the desires of his now ex-mares. Thanks to Cutter, he knew the Wonderbolts had an attraction for him. He also knew Rainbow and Thunder had his back, just like Cadance, but he didn't know where to draw the line.

"How about for now we all settle up in our own rooms? No need to get too comfortable taking over one room right off the bat."

Spitfire took the hint not to crowd Cerb and started pushing Fleetfoot down to the first door.

"I'll stay with Flatfoot here. At least until she can start walking on her own. Just give us a holler if you need anything."

The two left, closing the door behind them. That left Thunder to make a request neither Cerb nor Rainbow expected.

"Justin, I'm sure you would appreciate a proper bath. Would you like me to inquire about staff services, or should this be a task for Rainbow to assist you with? There are other duties dealing with the guards I still need to attend to while Cadance is receiving her briefings. And I know Princess Cadance said that when you shower, I shower, so if you would prefer to wait or want another one of us nearby..."

A proper bath would be amazing but wasn't going to work.

"If there's a shower available, I can do that. But if you could hurry back to at least help put on some new bandages, I'd like your help with that… since you need yours changed, too… And don't push yourself."

Thunder started to push Cerb to Cadence's room with a complacent grin.

"I'll make the inquiries quick and hurry back."

[A short time later, in a shower big enough for five.]

The warm water rained down over Cerb, sitting on a stool customarily left by the vanity mirror. A mix of relief blended with the sting from mending wounds and abrasions the water agitated. Nevertheless, Cerb’s most extensive injury remained dry, protected by Rainbow's wing pressed against his back.

Under the sprinkling stream, Cerb found the silence unbearable and broke the ice.

"Do you think I made the right choice to let go of Rarity and Fluttershy?"

"Huh?" Rainbow quickly blurted out, turning her eyes back to Cerb. "Oh… Uh."

A stream of water rolled into her eye, making her wince and reach with her other wing to turn the water off.

"Damnit… Sorry. Got some water in my eye. But… I… I mean, I want to say yes because they just left you dangling in the wind. But they're also my friends… But so are you, and they should have known better. And Rarity only came after you when you didn't do what she wanted you to do."

Still dwelling on the matter, she reached for a washcloth and started a lather in her hooves.

"Even Fluttershy. She was crying non-stop over Discord, who, okay, turned out to be a hero in the end. But she should have been all over you crying, not locked away in her room. And fuck that owlbear. Crying over him?"

Carefully, she took the lathered cloth and gently scrubbed his back.

"That thing could have killed all those kids. It nearly killed Ocellus, who you had to save. And knowing those two, I don't think they would have let her feed on you."

Cerb sulked slightly further, knowing the risks he had taken, despite the outcome. Even worse, he couldn't help but find his own faults.

"I was careless," he quietly admitted.

Such an odd omission had Rainbow stop mid-scrub on his back, leaving a window for Cerb to expand upon his guilt.

"I wanted to fight… I always have… And there was nothing about those two that reflected that mentality."

Unsure of how to interpret this admission, Rainbow went back to scrubbing, hoping she could find an opening to follow his train of thought.

"Don't blame yourself for their mistakes, Big Guy. Their ideas of intense action are wearing dresses and tea parties. Not everypony can enjoy kicking ass like us."

The sentiment was appreciated, but Cerb didn't like the weight of his choices still left on his shoulders.

"They said they would help me prepare for the next big fight. That we would be in it together… That's what I wanted… part of the reason I took everything they offered me."

So many of the particulates about how Cerb ended up with his now ex-mares had been left secret. Hearing it now became a difficult pill to swallow for Rainbow, but Cerb had more to say.

"It was selfish. They gave me back everything I wanted. I was so… lost… after the war. I wasn't done. I knew what I was made for, so I gave as much of myself to them as I could, but I… I never should have brought them into my world."

That was a heavy confession to take in, and Rainbow was having difficulty finding the right words to reply with. His world of violence was much larger than she knew how to confront. So, she decided to focus elsewhere as she rounded his side to work his chest.

"Justin… I don't know your whole back story, but I know there is much more to you than just fighting."

She took a moment to carefully adjust her washcloth to focus cleaning around some scuffs of lost skin.

"Granted, you're amazing when it comes time to fighting, but you're more than that… You can't let one trait define you. I mean… I know you’re really good at lots of other stuff, but those two said they took you as you were. We all did. Besides, I know you still have me and Thunder, who will stay with you when you need backup for a fight."

Comforting words. That should have helped cheer up Cerb, but there was more to it than that. Everything else he gave up left just as big of a hole in him.

"I miss them, Dash… I miss what we had. It was… too good to be true… Too good for me."

Hearing Cerb cut himself down like that should have set Rainbow off, yet it struck her differently. In fact, it hurt to hear him sound as if he was giving up on future aspects.

Conflicted, her expression was remorseful, but her voice was more annoyed than anything else.

"You're battered enough as it is. Stop saying stupid shit like that. I'd hate to have to deck you if you honestly thought anything other than you were too good for them."

Her sad eyes turned bitter as she looked up at his empty expression.

"They got lucky sweet-talking you like they did. I'm still surprised at how far they managed to push each other; just trying to keep up with you. They did everything they could, but they couldn't cut it. You didn't fail them or fall short of what they needed you to be. They failed you, Big Guy. They fucked up everything you all had going for each other. They had you all to themselves, fucked it up, and now you can give somepony else a chance that won't tell you to stop being you… You know?"

She had reached his lower abdomen. Far lower than before, and was unsure why he hadn't stopped her. Of all the times to tempt fate, this wasn't it. It wasn't what he needed, and certainly not the way she wanted him, sobering her tone.

"Justin… At some point, you gave being with a pony a chance. Two ponies, but you had to have thought we were worth it… And what I'm trying to say is, just like what Ember said about you at the dinner you skipped out on. You stopped once and realized the mistake you made, but never again… Don't give up on yourself or us mares."

That must have been the right thing to say, judging by the shift in how Cerb held himself upright. Even if only a tiny change, it was in the right direction, which brought a weak smile to Rainbow.

This small opening was enough to inspire some further honesty for Rainbow to confess.

"I know you had some good times with Rarity and Fluttershy. I might even know more than you'd want me to…, but I also know what Starlight figured out about Chris also applies to you. Even after every time I knocked her down and tried to tell her she was bad for Chris, she never let me or any injury come between her and who she wanted to be with... You're a human worth fighting for."

[Meanwhile, in the Wonderbolts room.]

Spitfire finished adding the last pillow to Fleetfoot's nest.

"I think we're in over our heads, Flatfoot."

Fleetfoot, nursing a bottle of honey whiskey, had to agree, but not entirely.

"Rarity will not take well to Rainbow Dash kicking her off the train. And Cerb is royally messed up… but you can't tell me that wasn't the greatest day of laying in bed today. I'm totally fine being in over my head so long as I can get a little more bedtime with Justin."

That wasn't what Spitfire was talking about, as accurate as that might be, to which she was about to admit.

"Okay, the cuddling in bed together was nice, but we're still the odd ones out. Princess Cadance practically owns him but she has to stay close to him to stop him from freaking out when he sleeps. Then Rainbow Dash and Thunder Glide already have their ins to have him reaching out for them… We need to find a new angle… or at least more opportunities to help take care of him."

Fleetfoot considered all that, realizing they had been proverbial third wheels throughout this trip.

"We need to be patient. Think of this as Wonderbolt training, and we're the newbies. If we go headstrong into a role we haven't earned, they're gonna push us back. We wait for the go-ahead to do our best at what they want us to do. Then, after we finally impress them, stay confident and not act like we run the show."

She shifted again, finally finding her comfortable spot for the night, and tried to relax her mind.

"The goal is to take care of Justin, so that's what we'll do. Only after we accomplish that can we finally consider getting more than the crumbs Rarity and Fluttershy left behind. We'll get our piece of the cake sooner or later, just like Thunder did."

[Meanwhile, in Cadence's throne room.]

The briefings had been running shorter and shorter with the clear indication that Cadance was only looking for the most pressing matters. That being the case, once the staff sought to expedite the process with her, things ran much smoother.

“It is good to hear that the damages were minimal and repairs will not take long. Considering that the economic trends have continued as the appropriations committee has projected, I will continue to entrust them to keep our programs operating as suggested. How have the crops been fairing?”

An older stallion stepped forward with a series of rolled parchments to answer this question.

“The crops are still doing fine, outside of those we lost from The Darkness. However, there has been a noticeable drop in the temperature within reach of the Crystal Heart’s protection. An unseasonable decline of ten degrees started three days ago following another unusual shift of the westward winds overpowered by those in the north. The change has been enough to lower the local weather by five degrees. I fear what may happen should this trend continue.”

Three days marked the first day Equestria was free from Harmony, and the change in the winds fell in line with her demise. It couldn’t have just been a coincidence, being how the surrounding weather seemingly ran like clockwork.

Cadance could now see how things could be expected to change on even the most fundamental levels in this new world she had helped produce.

“This is unfortunate. The lower temperatures will certainly have an impact on this growing season. What countermeasures-”

Already on top of things, the stallion raised one of the parchments.

"We have already erected tarps to tame the winds. Also, we have begun covering the necessary crops with cloths in case of frost during the night. However, if the temperature does not steady itself or rise again, we could easily be looking at a food shortage that could even lead to an outright famine. The price of imports would be outrageous for the volume of food we will require."

Action would have to be taken, but there was a limit to what Cadance could divulge at this point. Beyond that, she was still sore and tired on top of all of the other personal issues on her mind. Her responsibilities as ruler had suddenly become much heavier than she’d previously seen.

"Thank you for your swift response. However, unless there are any emergency items for action, we will pick up on this again tomorrow. Also, starting now, create a record of any and all unusual changes. The weather, wildlife, geographical, atmospheric... Anything that may appear out of the ordinary or even slightly out of sync. If even the changing of the wind threatens us with hardship, I want to make sure we can plan accordingly. Otherwise, we are lucky enough to have a seasoned weather mare staying with us who I am sure can help in the meantime."

That was one possible solution, but Cadance couldn't help but think there would be more problems to make themselves known in the coming days. One way or another, she couldn't help but think she would need Cerb. If not to conquer a new problem, then at the very least, be the rock she used to have Shining be to lean on.

"Also, I will rely on you more than usual in the upcoming days or weeks. More information will be made available, but a new race of creatures called humans arrived in Equestria. There are seven in all, but one of them will be staying with us here in the Crystal Empire for the foreseeable future. With his help, new alliances and more favorable ties were forged with neighboring kingdoms. His wellbeing has been entrusted to me, just as he has vowed to protect us from the dark forces that wish to do us harm."

Such a claim should have been empowering, but as they knew so little about him, if not anything at all, she could see they needed more explaining to calm their nerves.

"There is no need to worry. Mr. Justin Husk, or Cerb, as you will likely come to know him, was involved in rescuing several delegates that had fallen into trouble while finding their way into the Everfree Forest in Equestria. This incident eventually grew into a fierce battle against many Timberwolves and other creatures requiring the combined efforts of many nations… It is safe to say that great tragedy would have befallen the ten children, a majority of them delegates themselves, and even myself, had it not been for the aid of our new human allies. It is because of them that The Darkness that entered our world was thwarted."

That was rather vague and excluded the most important truth of Harmony and the world nearly ending. That felt like a detail that should remain hidden, the sheer existential panic such information could cause was terrifying to consider.

Regardless, leaving early with Cerb had taken her out of the loop of additional information provided in Equestria, so she couldn't say much more.

"The specifics are still being investigated, but with our new human friends, it is believed that there is no existing threat they could not overpower and decimate that has threatened us before. Justin alone has demonstrated that even the likes of King Sombra would stand no chance if he were to return… And I will say that our new allies are very protective and committed to assisting us. They have saved many lives at the risk of their own. Some, including Justin, have suffered terribly for it, which is why he is here and why I will ensure he is well enough to continue standing at our side."

Having said enough, she rose from her throne but faltered in her first step down. Thankfully, she caught herself, but those in the room hadn't missed it.

"As you were. And pardon my current state. My injuries are manageable… But I would not dare imagine how things might have turned out had the likes of Justin and his friends not been there for us. I'm sure the life I know would be over, and this kingdom would have fallen under the control of another if not lost altogether. So, I bid you all good night."

[Not Much Later, Back up in Cadence's room.]

Cadance entered her room without knocking, as old habits would have her do. Her first sight was of Cerb sitting on her bed, barely covered, enduring the long task of allowing his bandages to be replaced. Something he was not enjoying.

"Not too tight and- fuck. No tape on the stitches, Thunder."

The aforementioned mare was having issues fitting the new bandages over the stitches on Cerb's ribs, sounding just as clumsy with her words.

"I'm sorry again. My hooves aren't working with me like they should be. All this tape feels weird, and it's distracting me."

Likewise, Rainbow was also a bit distracted and opted to speed-wrap Cerb’s right arm in gauze instead of applying a patch.

"How the fuck does Redheart make this shit look easy?"

Cerb noticed Cadance walking in and started to cover his bare lap.

"It's fine. Girls, you did enough."

Rainbow tore the gauze free with her teeth, leaving it long enough to tie on loosely if a little messily.

"Yeah, right. Did you see all the bloodstains you left back on the train? Do you want to ruin this bed, too?"

No one offered a retort, though Rainbow did feel a few glares at the somewhat tactless response.

Even so, it was late, and Cadance had no issue with replacing the whole bedroom so long as she could keep Cerb in it at this point.

"Girls, he looks more than fine from where I'm standing. And if his desire for comfort over cleanliness means a change of sheets in the morning, so be it. I've collected more bedding than I'll ever use, so it's a fair trade for some sleep if he’s ready to have it."

For most of the girls and Cerb, it had been a rather laidback kind of day. For Cadance, though, she still had her royal duties to catch up on for much of the ride back, so Thunder could understand.

"Justin, you are more than sufficiently bandaged. I still have some matters to attend to regarding the day-to-day schedules. Afterward, would you like me to return to your side this evening?"

It had been a long day, and Cerb also could take a hint.

"Uh… How about tonight we don’t overcrowd Cadance? We can change things up later or if I… freak out tonight."

Rainbow didn't need to ask at this point. The sleeping arrangements were already made for her.

"I'll leave my door cracked open. If you need anything, just scream loud enough to wake me. Just make sure it's uh, Ahhh. Not ah, wahhh."

Cerb tried to force a glare, but it came off more as a smirk as he attempted to swat her off the bed.

Of course, tired and sore, his motions manifested only as a short slow swing of his arm, which never came close to touching her or knocking off her cocky grin as she easily dodged his attack.

"Real funny, Dash. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out."

Thunder and Rainbow both departed, closing the door behind them after Rainbow turned back with her tongue sticking out, leaving Cadance to hastily crawl into bed.

"You must forgive my impatience, Justin, dear. After all my sudden trips back and forth, and time lost after the battle, I have fallen behind in the responsibilities to my subjects. And now, it seems that what little good Harmony had created to keep us complacently ignorant has started to come undone."

She made her way to the center of the bed and pulled the covers back for Cerb to join her. The look on her face hinted at her weariness, but there was much more on her mind, as Cerb would have expected.

Not that she gave him the time to comment as such, as an uncomfortable-sounding grumble came from her stomach. Even then, she still spoke coarsely over the rumbles.

"I only know of changes in the weather that may affect our crops for this year. I'm sure there will be more in the days to come, but for now, I just want to rest."

Taking extra pity on Cadance, Cerb crawled with his good arm beside her. Not content simply to take her good graces and abundant charity, he pulled his battered arm from the sling and began to rub her belly.

"You're not used to eating meat, so that’s probably going to upset your stomach a bit. And I'm still so sorry about you and Shining."

Cadance remained silent. A simple sympathetic touch from Cerb blurred her misery with the thrill of having a comforting hand upon her. Despite her troubles, her mind momentarily went numb with wanting more of him on her.

The thought of so little taking away so much of her mental strain and emotional clout was a welcomed distraction. How easily they could be removed left her motionless with her thoughts to share.

"I'm still trying to find myself… It used to be so easy with Shining at my side. His bright light and steadfast shield, as well as his dedication… Harmony gave that to me… then took it away when the Echo told me it was all of their wills. Like some play I was unwillingly cast in."

The bittersweet memories of how well she played her role momentarily danced through her mind. A performance she once would have taken a bow to, for any audience, given how in love she was with the cast she shared. Such a role so many would have fought for.

Now?

Now, she was her most cynical critic.

"Your greatest fear since arriving, I tried to dispel, was my own truth. Everypony I know. All of those I called family, a product of mind control for some greater good. A fairy tale, paved in the blood that I was to be a footnote of.”

A weakness in her heart had her reach for his hand and pull it tightly against her chest. Prior fancies of being so inappropriately touched came tumbling down in a flimsy heap at the need for her insecurities to be calmed.

“I feel so empty inside, Justin,” she quietly admitted under a crumbling strong front. “We had a child together, and I remember nothing of our most intimate times together. My love… My purpose… My family… The memory of my parents? Harmony took them all away, and now even my kingdom faces uncertainty because I chose to live free? As if my blind slavery was needed to keep my subjects fed? Is my freedom to come with the death of those I will now come to know?”

The chains that kept her foundation from falling apart unbound themselves. Mentally, pulled free from their locks and pins, she let her monuments of success collapse so she could turn and pour herself around Cerb.

Moving to face him, she pulled him against her chest, hugging him closer than she had ever held him before. Even if he didn’t, or couldn’t hold her as tightly, she forced her wings around his back, bandages and all, laying her cheek over his shoulder to cry over his cuts and bruises.

“Please help me. If I can’t save you, then I have nothing to hold onto.”

There was so much emanating from Cerb. A warmth of love, a quiver of fear, the calming from his compassion, and finally, a painful tinge she felt from him forcing himself to try and hold her as best he could. His pain and his own needs were all felt pulsating for her to embrace.

This wasn’t her fantasy. There was no harmless adventure into something new and unknown. Both of their pains were real, but their culmination was of necessity, not intrigue.

So, if not precisely everything she fantasized about over the passing weeks, it was more than she needed.

For that alone, she was grateful.

“You’re the only thing I know that’s real for me… Please don’t let go.”

Everything she had said, every word, how she spoke, Cerb had understood more than what she had told him. It was terrible to know, but perhaps now he knew the real reason he was asked to be here.

Then again, as a parting gift from one who didn't know how to let go of the lie forced upon this once happily married princess? Maybe he should have seen it coming.

"Shining isn't coming back to you, is he?"

For the rest of the night, Cerb let Cadance cry out all the pain she couldn't show anyone else. Her many tears and quiet sobs trailed on until she would eventually succumb to sleep.

In that time, until sleep overtook Cerb, as selfish as it was, he held her just as needfully.

After all. No one truly wants to be alone, and in that short while, neither of them were.

Author's Note

Well, starting off with the picture, I kinda like how Thunder Glide's face turned out, but the rest shows that I still have a lot to work on.

Regardless, addressing equine diets, there's a slight misconception that they're biologically unfit to consume meat. They've been recorded to eat small birds, eggs, snakes, and insects and will often consume their own placenta after giving birth.

It's not always a matter of preference, but more of a necessity for the much-needed nutrition of protein, carbs, or lesser accessible nutrients plants fail to deliver.

After that, we got to see a bit more of the various kingdoms parting ways, as well as Twilight having to deal with the hardship of allowing Sniff to be taken away for his own care. As it would seem, Sniff was suffering more than he had led everyone to believe before the end of the previous arc. Of course, he may be heading out of the frying pan in into the fire, in more ways than one.

At the same time, what will become of the mares he's leaving behind? Who all will be staying with Sniff, and for how long? Swifty? Lyra? Cutter? Who else? When? In what compacity?

Otherwise, the bulk of this chapter was setting up the real focus of this arc and where it would lay. Well... at least most of it. That being, of course, the goings on of the Crystal Empire with Cadance, Cerb, and the rest of the mares there.

Each mare has their own objective and their own angle, as well as their own set of issues. Not to mention, there is, of course, Cerb, stuck in the middle of all of them.

For this night, though, I wanted to really bring it all together with Cadance to show you how much this has affected her. Not just her, but also to help better understand why Shining might have acted the way he did in the end.

Regardless, things are only going to get more complicated as the days go forward as Cerb finds himself further smothered in mares.

What do I mean by that? Find out more next time in chapter 03: Not Exactly To Plan.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 & 02.

03. Not Exactly To Plan.

[Still Tuesday, 17 May 2016, The Equestrian 16th Day of Love.]

While Cadance had earned her night of uninterrupted sleep, Thunder had more work to tend to. However, a battered body required more rest than she wished to admit, and she returned with an incomplete outline of her schedule for the following day.

Sooner than she had desired, she found herself back in her room. Granted, it was luxurious, but luxury wasn't going to compare to the comforts afforded to her on a crowded bed. That is to say, not without the same company she had prior.

Lying in this bed felt regrettably empty, and the blankets, quite expensive and soft, were deficiently less comforting. That, of course, left her mind to dwell on who she was really fixated on, among other things.

"Stupid hooves. Gah. I looked so clumsy tonight. What's wrong with me? I'm gonna get sent back if I keep screwing this up."

Frustrated, she squirmed on her side to get comfortable and hopefully drift into dreams, but her body wasn't having it. The scabs on her back were nagging at her, and the dull ache of the wounds piercing her muscles was more than the mild medication she opted to take could handle.

It also felt like her entire body was covered in heavy armor that rendered even stillness uncomfortable. The sensation was far more maddening than she wanted to admit.

It was then she remembered that she had the same pills as Fleetfoot, so she had another option, so long as her neighbor next door was awake.

A knock came on Rainbow's door. Gentle in its rumblings, it stirred Rainbow from her sheets with the fear of their first emergency was already upon them.

"Oh, shit."

She rushed to the door, only to find Thunder looking just as tired.

"Uh… Everything okay?" Rainbow asked, confused as to the clear lack of panic.

Not knowing how Rainbow would respond, Thunder made a somber request.

"Mind having a few drinks with me? I can't sleep."

There was a heavy cloud hanging over this mare's head. Thankfully, Rainbow was up for the social call, and in no time flat, they were sitting together, passing a bottle of vodka back and forth.

"So," Rainbow finally started, taking a quick shot of the bottle. "You didn't stay at the hospital for very long. How bad were your injuries?"

Thunder winced, hastily taking the bottle only to cough after taking a sip.

"Gah… That stuff tastes like wood polish. It's almost bad enough to take my mind off of how bad my back hurts… Which is a lot."

Rainbow took the bottle, unfazed by the unique taste of the alcohol.

"Yeah, it's not for everypony. But… the way that other Trixie and Becky were talking, I thought you were dying."

Still fighting the flavor of cleaning products in her mouth, Thunder was unabashedly honest.

"I almost did. Some of the shards cut into the lining of my lungs, and at times it still hurts to breathe… All the time, really. But the worst of it healed faster than expected. Nevertheless, I was taken off duty. I can't fly, run, or train... I wasn't even supposed to leave the hospital, but I was in the room next to Justin's. So when he left after attacking Midnight, I went with him… Well… More like I snuck out."

She grinned at the mention of blatantly disobeying an order or two, but the underlying difficulty of her decision was present in her bandages.

"I told them I would go back if I wasn't getting better while at the embassy… but I didn't want to admit how bad I felt or how much worse I got wrestling Justin in his worst moments."

It didn't take a Princess of Love to put the pieces together, but Rainbow had figured this mare out a while ago. Or, she at least figured she did and wasn't shy about it.

"Be careful. Rarity and Fluttershy started off the same way with Justin, and we’ve all seen how that played out."

Not sure what Rainbow was alluding to, Thunder turned with a slanted eye.

"Excuse me?"

Confidently unbothered by the reaction, Rainbow took another, slightly longer drink and casually offered the bottle back.

"I'm not stupid, so don't play dumb. You like Justin, and the kind of loyalty you keep showing off makes it obvious. But I like you, so as a friend, I'm telling you to be careful not to overstep your boundaries with him. He may be single again, but he's not ready for another mare friend."

Careful not to take the bottle with an aggressive yank, Thunder gently pulled it back in her fetlock.

"I appreciate the advice, but I have no intention of making myself available to court him. I aspire to one day prove myself worthy of standing alongside him in combat again. And I'll do so by his choice, not the convenience of my position or with my gender as a handicap."

Not believing a word of it, Rainbow rolled her eyes away from Thunder souring her face while trying not to gag from another swig of the bottle. Rainbow could see the denial.

"Right. And I'm sure your thoughts were nothing but sunshine and holding his axe while he held you against him on the bed today."

While insulted, Thunder was in no condition to turn this into a fight. Then again, the altercation with Spitfire had taught her a lesson in when to start one and how to avoid one. If not, then at least luring her target into a position of vulnerability was a viable option.

"No… Having Justin hold me like that had me wishing I could have more than his respect. I suppose the thought of having him alone without his robe on and rutting me like he did Rarity and Fluttershy crossed my mind as well. We'll be batting together after tonight, so the possibility is there."

In a flash, Rainbow shot off the bed and stood in front of Thunder. Her wings splayed out, and all four legs spread for stability. She couldn’t believe that confession came out so brazenly.

"I knew it!"

Having turned the tide in the power dynamic, Thunder extended her hoof with the bottle for Rainbow to take. All the while keeping a straight face and the real secret to herself.

"Calm down, I know better. Chris explained the practices of courtship to me before Twilight’s get-together. So I know how it starts with foreplay, kissing, and touching one another. Putting the stallion's penis in the mouth to arouse him or him doing the same for her. Thrusting his member back and forth inside her until he cums… Though I believe Justin to be the type to enjoy swapping between foreplay and rutting. Rarity and Fluttershy seemed to leave much to the imagination, but I'm sure you know more than I do."

Flabbergasted, Rainbow now didn't know what to think. With how much tip-toeing others had done around the subject, it was shocking to find somepony so blunt and upfront about it.

"You? You know all that and still want me to believe you're not going to try to get with him?"

Since Rainbow chose to posture and lecture, Thunder brought the bottle back to her lap, still not letting on to how much she was enjoying this exchange.

"Am I to take it that is what you desire from him?"

Now on the spot, Rainbow drew a blank. She had no words, despite her mouth drooping open.

"I… eh."

Quickly, Rainbow shook her head clear and re-poised herself.

"Look. Justin is my friend. We've saved each other's lives, and more importantly, he's family to Becky. She sent me here to keep him safe. He trusts me probably more than anypony else. And, an-and, it's not like…"

Finally, the struggles Rainbow was going through got to Thunder, and she couldn't stop her smile from peaking through or childish snickering from escaping.

"Rainbow, please. Between all the rumors and crazy shit we've both seen together, I'm sure every unattached mare wants to be with one human or another. We both admire Justin but relax. He can't even walk or properly care for himself. He pulled me into bed once, you washed his body all by yourself, and Cadance is the only one he can sleep with. So what? Are any of us any closer to replacing his mares?"

After all the panicking, Rainbow now felt like an ass and sulked.

"N… no, but you don't know the amount of shit we all went through when sex became an option for us back in Ponyville. I've never seen mares act so crazy."

With an exhausted huff, Rainbow took the bottle back in her wing from Thunder and rejoined her to sit on the bed.

"To tell you the truth, I wanted to be with Justin, too. Instead… Fuck me… I dunno. Everything just happened so fast. I never had a chance. Every human was claimed by somepony else, and for as angry as I am at Rarity and Fluttershy, I can't bring myself to even think about trying to date Justin. Especially not when he's so…"

Remembering her last exchange with him in the shower, she took another drink from the bottle.

After gulping another mouthful, she exhaled and set the bottle on the floor, finally feeling some of the liquid kick in.

"Justin is more torn up on the inside than he looks on the outside. So, at this point, I'm more scared of him getting hurt again by another mare than anything another Echo or Timberwolf could do to him. That's what I was really trying to say to you earlier. He doesn't need another mare right now. Not for sex or romance. He needs friends like us. He needs his confidence and strength back."

While the exchange had quickly drifted into dangerous waters, the end result had given Thunder some pleasant takeaways. Perhaps a little more appreciation for the multicolored mare as well that she would have to share.

“I can’t help but think it’s a shame you ended up where you are. A weather mare is a noble occupation, to be certain, and being a Wonderbolt has its prestige and honor, but I think you would have made a fine soldier in any of the Guards.”

While clearly the statement was given as a compliment, something about it didn’t sit well with Rainbow. She needed a better understanding of what was implied, if not first defended.

She did have her pride, after all.

“Being a weather mare taught me responsibility, and being a Wonderbolt has been my dream since I was a filly. It would mean that of all the pegasi, I would be the best flier. I'd be part of something important that’s rich in history and tradition while keeping Equestria safe. What’s there to regret about any of that?”

Thunder nodded a few times before lowering her muzzle to point her view at the floor. A smile faintly crossed her lips, though the impact of her word choices appeared to have her questioning herself.

“There’s nothing wrong with either of those. What I meant was that your dedication and loyalty to those you care about is what’s needed so much more in the Guards than anywhere else. A weather mare like yourself can do the job alone. The Wonderbolts are dedicated to their craft and loyal in a lot of ways, but it’s different for a soldier. A lack of loyalty doesn’t mean a few clouds get overlooked or a stunt goes wrong. Wars and lives can be lost. Damages to infrastructure or our monuments can affect the entire kingdom if the guards working together lack loyalty to one another. It’s not the same in the Wonderbolts, where coordination can be mistaken for teamwork while following a scripted routine. Even a disloyal Wonderbolt can rise in the ranks so long as they continue to follow their maneuvers.”

Having said the bulk of her piece, she reached for the bottle again but eyed it up slowly as she put her last few thoughts together.

“We have our moments of putting on a dog and pony show when we march, conduct ceremonies, or even stand watch… But you fought with us out there in the Everfree Forest and against the Echoes. Combat is different. War is different. You can’t just follow a routine or stick to yourself and expect praise when you come back untouched because you didn’t help the soldier next to you who struggled. Everything changes and every soldier has to compensate and keep each other safe to complete the mission, even when nopony else is watching. Justin knows all that and he lives it by taking care of all of us in any way that he can. And you? You threw one of your best friends off a train and told her to fix herself instead of leaving her in the dust with no direction, even though it was a painful thing to do. Then, even though you wanted to be with Justin, you still put the feelings of your friends and his first. You even offered me advice? True loyalty like that, even in the face of adversity and sacrifice, that is the making of a fine soldier."

She raised the bottle with a smile that vanished with the return of vodka hitting her tongue, though that didn't spoil her mood.

"Uck… Besides… I saw what losing those mares did to him from start to finish. He still loves them. And it's not like he held me with any kind of passion. Even if he did know I'd enjoy it, I know he would still miss them, knowing I was where they should have been."

Rainbow's ears perked at that last comment, but Thunder kept talking, preventing an interruption.

"He left them to save them. I'd be foolish to think I'd be anything other than another warm body to hold while he tries to find the strength to let go of them. So, I won't change how I treat him. I know where I stand, and that's right where my duties have placed me… That's my loyalty."

That seemed to lay out Rainbow's part as well, as sad as it was to hear. At the same time, it was just as sad to hear for Cerb.

"Yeah… They really screwed him over… Not to mention the rest of us who might have wanted more. And I tried telling him that he should try again. So… even though I might want to take a shot of being with him if that's something he wants, don't think you could never be with him either. At the very least, he'd be lucky to have a mare that cares about him like you do."

Thunder extended the bottle back, but Rainbow politely pushed it back with her hoof, taking a more somber tone.

"You keep it. I'm done for the night, and we both need some sleep. Plus, I don’t feel like waking up with a hangover tomorrow."

With that, Thunder nodded and capped the bottle.

"Thanks. I think I can sleep now."

As Thunder returned to her bed, a mix of thoughts came to her inebriated mind.

"Me and Justin? More than comrades in arms? I'm not even an Element… Not that such a thing was needed by Chris and all the mares he chose to be with. Though, even if I could, do I even want that?"

In the process of trying to talk herself out of the fantasy of having more, her mind wandered back to catching Cerb in the act.

"I've never wanted a stallion like that before. I didn't understand how any mare could. Still don’t if I’m being honest."

She felt a shift in her body as if a new set of gears had turned, and a flood of sensations washed over her.

Warm, tingly, tantalizing feelings coursed through her, forcing her body to curl in like she remembered Rarity straddling Cerb.

"But if I could… What must it feel like? He's so big. He could crush me… And that part of him is also so big. How did they do it?"

Her right ear twitched, snapping back against her mane. The sensation grew as she curled in further but felt the strain on her stitches, and her eyes shot open.

The pain pulled the thoughts away from her wandering mind's images of passion.

"How could I do it?" She regrettably asked herself. "I'm sure the last thing he needs is anypony reminding him of them."

The rush was over. In its place, her mind went back to what she knew best.

"I'm not an Element. I'm only here to answer the call… He would not ask for such things from me. I’m his Lioness… not his mare."

[Wednesday, 18 May 2016, The Equestrian 17th Day of Love.]

[The next morning in Cadance’s room.]

Cadance opened her eyes to find herself still holding Cerb next to her. He was asleep. Barely even a sound escaped his slumber to alert her of his existence over his slow breathing.

For a moment, she questioned why she expected to see Shining. Not that she had been confused about his whereabouts, but more that she had grown so accustomed to having him there.

That was his place to be, given their vows. Instead, regardless of all the actions she had taken to ensure she would have Cerb with her, it didn't seem as though her reality was to be what she had awoken to.

Even if she had acted with clear intentions, this new string of fate that had led her here felt undeserved. That, or the results of letting go of the past she had been puppeteered into for this new present and unknown future, had not yet impacted her as they should have.

It was something she had to ponder to herself in these waking moments. Though she feared she may go mad in the pursuit.

"Justin, my dear. What have our lives become? How can I need you so much when you need so much more than I can give? All I wanted was to feel your love against me, but did I ever truly know what love really was? Then you… I feel your pain, your loss. Who am I to ask anything of you?"

She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with his rich scent of spices. The faint hint of sea salt lingered quietly in the melody of his fragrance, teasing her senses with more guilt and longing.

"Soon you will wake. The agony your body must be in, only matched by your heart's struggles. How do I begin to fill that void when mine is so clouded and needing itself? I fear that you may have guarded yours again after all you've been through… All of those terrible nights I could have held you, nights you chose not to surrender your fight for us."

While Cadance was warring with both her heart and mind, her body had issues of its own. Not only the constant pains and aches in her bruised muscles and joints, but her stomach churned and growled from discomfort.

Cerb groaned in a groggy stir, slowly waking from the grumbles. His bruised arm was tracing down Candace's side but crawled to a stop at her hip.

"Em?" Cerb mumbled as his eyes finally opened. "Oh… Sorry."

Slowly he raised his hand higher, bringing it back to Cadence's shoulder as he regained his wits.

"I, uh… I guess I'm not used to waking up normally and not… Uh… Sorry… I'm used to waking up with someone else along with me."

Had it not been for the increased size difference, Cerb would have likely started off this morning quite differently. Given how he had a much longer reach to get to Cadence's posterior than Rarity or Fluttershy, she would have had a much different wake-up as well.

For now, Cadance would remain clueless about the near mishap, staying focused on the man in front of her instead.

"No need to apologize. I felt much the same way this morning. I'm sure we both have a lot of adjusting to do… Did you at least sleep well? No unpleasant dreams?"

Cerb's eyes turned away to think about that. One of those questions left him searching for how to answer. Shame Luna wasn’t here, or else he could make a funny quip to lighten the mood.

"I slept fine, all things considered… but I didn't dream at all."

That didn't sound good nor bad to Cadance, but his delivery left her wondering what the potential issue was.

"Is that normal?"

For a moment, Cerb continued to think but just as quickly gave up. The answer was there, though he still seemed a bit lost with it.

"I dunno… It's just… All the times I went to bed with Rarity and Fluttershy, I don't think I had a single dream. Good or bad… I just slept."

That was odd. However, such topics would have to wait.

"Well, a restful night's sleep sounds far better than your nightmares, but you must excuse me. I am in need of the little filly's room."

Understanding her needs, Cerb pulled back his arm and started to try and lay on his back.

"Yeah-yeah. Go ahead. I'm up."

Despite her hips and lower back zapping her with electric knives of pain, Cadance made a speedy walk to a set of tall french doors.

Thankfully, in her rush, she missed the sight of Cerb working his hand under the sheets to puff up the fabric around his crotch. As it were, it hadn't been only his hand that started off the morning as if he were back in bed with his prior mares.

"Jesus," he grumbled to himself. "What a great time to find out that still works."

At least in this position, he could take in the millstone with the progress of tolerating this much pressure on his back without cringing or tensing up in pain. There's no telling how many close calls he had from a yak, dragon, and/or an elite guard taking him to the floor.

Just the same, there were just as many close calls from him just moving on his own before Smolder operated on him. It was beyond good fortune that he hadn't ended up paralyzing himself since leaving the hospital.

Regardless, despite how much it hurt, it was such a drastic improvement over what he had left the cave with. It was also a far cry different from a 7.62 round ripping through his torso, or the fragment from the other rounds that followed.

Somehow, making the quick comparison of war wounds left him feeling optimistic. However, despite the optimism, he wasn't motivated enough to move, let alone capable in the duration Cadance had been preoccupied.

Finally returning, Cadance was reluctant to stay.

"A thousand apologies, Justin. Not just for having to rush off first thing this morning, but for last night."

All things considered, it didn't really matter what Cadance would have said next. Cerb was already well past such trivial matters.

"Don't worry about it. Life gets messy and… I dunno. We stick together the best we can and try to hold each other up."

Kind words can often do so much more to keep one's spirit strong when coming from a genuine place. To Cadance, they were more than enough to improve her day.

"Thank you again. Unfortunately, I have much to tend to today and will require Rainbow Dash for likely much of it. Will you be fine with only the other three tending to you?"

Unphased, Cerb lay still on the bed, sounding unconcerned.

"I'm still stuck in bed. Having any company should be more than enough."

Cadance went to turn away, a slight grin growing from Cerb's commentary but stopped with a serious thought.

"Would you be against sharing some… private time with me this evening? I know we both have so many issues to work through, but… if we could… I'd like some time just to talk like normal ponies would. Or, humans."

Cerb drummed his fingers over his chest, taking in her sad request.

"Yeah. No need to jump into the heavy stuff right away. And it's not like we've had a super long time getting to know each other."

Cadance smiled and lowered her head, showing some relief as she started for the door.

"Thank you. I'll alert the others to join you, and the staff will be at your service. You need only to pass a request along through any of the girls, and it will be done. That includes your meals, entertainment, or whatever your heart desires."

Sporting a tired grin, Cerb waved her off.

"Food and sleep. I don't need much more than that."

At the door, Cadance corrected her posture, sounding more optimistic for the day.

"Perhaps not, but we have more to offer when ready."

After the door closed, Cerb had only moments to minutes to himself and brought his hand to head.

While running his fingers through his hair, he quietly brought his concerns to words.

"Jesus… Shining up and left me to take care of Cadance because he didn't plan on coming back? What the fuck did I miss in that cave?"

He lowered his hand and sighed a deep breath, knowing how dangerous he was playing things.

"Sharing a bed with a married woman? A princess at that… Now I'm a poacher… Shining had to have known what he was doing… Unless they both… No… He cares for her. He has to… It's not like…"

Remembering that Cutter had warned him about Spitfire and Fleetfoot but also suspecting that Rainbow was sitting somewhere on the fence, he momentarily questioned the intentions of Cadance. She had to be on the level, and now thinking otherwise, Cerb questioned his value as a friend for misjudging Cadance's loyalties.

Then again, this entire reality secretly was controlled from behind the scenes by some magic pony goddess to keep everything G-rated and family-friendly. It all threw a massive spanner into the works and made thinking logically about the whole thing difficult.

A collection of thoughts to be had once he had more time to himself, perhaps. At that moment, a knock came with the opening of the door again, welcoming in Thunder's voice.

"Good morning. Justin? Cadance said you were awake."

She peered inside just far enough to see Cerb waive and invite her in.

"Hey. Yeah… I'm awake."

Taking the invite, Thunder walked in at a leisurely pace, not sure what to make of her start of the day or what conversation to begin.

"Did you sleep well?"

Cerb raised his hand in a careless gesture, only to let it flop down to his side.

"Yeah… You?"

From the sound of things, Cerb wasn’t in the best of moods, which was understandable. However, Thunder hadn't exactly slept through a restful night either.

"Not really. Couldn't sleep at first. Back problems again. Ended up sharing some drinks with Dash just so I could tolerate lying down… Would you like some breakfast?"

With so much on his mind, he wasn’t ready for food, still sounding distracted. Honestly, drinking himself into oblivion sounded more appealing.

"Maybe in a bit… I'm just kinda… at a loss right now."

Curious, Thunder joined him by the side of the bed.

"I take it you don't mean because it's a new castle?"

Cerb shook his head slightly.

"No, but that's going to be another thing for me to try and get used to. I just don't really know what I'm supposed to do right now, and everything is so messed up with everyone trying to figure out what to do, and who they are or want to be with."

For a moment, Thunder thought she had been discovered, but as the awkward silence carried on with Cerb staring at the ceiling, she hoped he was speaking in general terms. It was enough that she still had to question him.

"Do you mean you still want to be with Rarity and Fluttershy, or are you talking about the wants of others?"

Cerb took another moment to collect his thoughts. There was a lot he could say, but even as much as he trusted Thunder, some things shouldn't be spoken of so flippantly in any company.

"Yeah, I miss them a lot. It hurts that I had to let them go, but I was wrong to think they could handle me and the way that I am. They'll be fine on their own. That was their plan to begin with, thinking I wouldn't stick around. As long as they’re happy, then I’m happy."

That was understandable from one point of view, but Thunder didn't see it that way.

"Justin, if I'm not being too forward, I think you are more than just a warrior. Certainly, on the battlefield, you have proven yourself, but even as a civilian you are more than any one mare could hope for. Though, for me, the way you carry yourself and the level of respect you've shown towards me and so many others, I see you as one I am fortunate to serve under."

Cerb smiled a little at hearing that. The confirmation graced both his troubled heart as well as his pride.

"Thanks, and don't worry. I won't be laid up like this for too long. I'm sure I'll be battle ready well before I'll go looking to find another mare… If at all."

Hearing those words dug at Thunder. Even if she had all but convinced herself of never being with Cerb, the sentiment felt like an unwarranted punishment.

At the same time, who was she to question his reasoning?

"I'm in no position to say what you should do or what relationships to aspire to, but there's no reason not to share your intimate company. Not every mare needs a full commitment of your time. Sniff has demonstrated that much."

Certainly, there were some thoughts to be shared with a statement like that, but with two more arrivals walking in, he'd have to wait. Fleetfoot was wide awake and wheeled in by Spitfire.

"Rise and Shine, Devil Dog," Fleetfoot called out. "Are we ordering breakfast? Steak and eggs sounds like a great way to start the day."

If it would change the subject, Cerb was willing to take it.

"Yeah. Let's do that."

Not the warmest welcome, it was early, and Cerb was still in rough shape. However, since their company was welcomed, Spitfire had a new plan to enact.

"Also, since you can't really leave the bed, I figured we'd get some study material to review. If you want to start our training sooner rather than later, you need to know more about the potential threats we should prepare for."

[Off in the Changeling Hive.]

Sitting upon her dark and twisted throne, Queen Chrysalis brewed quietly with the new information provided.

"Another human injured while in Ponyville? The Solar Guard on higher alert with the Lunar Guard but Shining Armor staying behind as Cadence returned alone? …And even Twilight has her own Guard as well?"

Curious, Chrysalis leaned closer to Pharynx, standing firm with his report. The newest update was not pleasing her.

"And you are certain that no pony has any clue as to what transpired in the days Celestia was missing?"

Pharynx stood tall, not wavering in his demeanor.

"No, your most wickedness. There has been no mention of any events in Ponyville. However, we believe it has something to do with the dark ooze that attacked every major city. It's a mix of hushed rumors that the humans were responsible for either its arrival or removal, but no pony knows anything. Even still, the Crystal Empire will be more vulnerable with Shining Armor taking up residence in Canterlot again."

Still, there was the bad news that he knew he had to converse with his queen over. It was vital to have her insight and new instructions regarding how to move forward.

“It isn't like the Solar Guard not to be so out of the loop. They always gossip and share rumors that would captivate those in their more private settings. Should we pry more aggressively?”

This new development left Chrysalis more uneasy than usual. Not that she would let it show.

"We were lucky to ward off the ooze when it attacked the hive. We should assume every Kingdom suffered worse results. It is good that you returned when you did. With no sight of our two runaways, we need to focus on more important things. With the Crystal Empire so poorly defended, we will move forward with our infiltration and send our spies to investigate what happened in Ponyville."

The orders were clearly stated, but Pharynx felt one important matter had been overlooked.

"And of my brother?"

Still focused on his priorities, Pharynx narrowed his eyes.

"He has yet to be accounted for and dealt with. No matter where he could be, it would only complicate matters if he were discovered."

[Back in Cadence's throne room.]

Rainbow had plunged deep into her work, looking over weather charts and the local farmer's almanac.

"Yeah, you're right, but so are the books. Arctic oscillation would cause a natural cold wind from the north to flow this direction, but it's never happened here before. With weather teams controlling southern winds to balance out the air pressure where needed, that would be easy to manage."

A little confused, she flipped back and forth between a few pages in both books to verify her analysis, yet one glaring problem stood out.

"These weather patterns of consistent mild winds and warmer spring growing seasons existed long before weather teams could have managed such large-scale planning. This would be typical weather team coordinated efforts had you looked anywhere else."

Cadance sat back in her throne, quietly taking in the information. Though, a simple question had to be asked.

"So… can we fix this?"

A simple question, that it was. Unfortunately, Rainbow knew there wasn't a simple answer.

"I mean, mostly. Yeah. But I can probably do a little to help by myself. Or, more than likely, do little to help. You're going to need a whole weather team, maybe even a whole division working on coordination with Equestrian territories to make sure you don't accidentally throw their weather patterns out of whack."

Finally pulling her nose out of the books, Rainbow turned her full attention to Cadance.

"We need to spread the word. These same types of changes could be happening all over Equestria and other kingdoms. This could be the start of major problems for more than just your fields right now. Us pegasi can only do so much."

She turned her eyes back to the charts, trying to work out some plan or rhythm to the patterns needed.

"I can clear a sky in ten seconds flat, but there's too much sky to cover to keep the temperature controlled outside of a few degrees for long. We still get cold winters, hot summers, and issues with precipitation. Holding too much back or forcing too much out can affect how much influence we have over weather control. Even holding back a normal rainstorm can turn a few showers into a superstorm or alter the headwinds and screw up everypony else's weather. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if this is already affecting Yakyakistan."

That last comment made Cadence's ears perk up. While they were allies, they could be a fickle bunch, which only complicated matters.

"Rainbow, for now, if there is anything you can do to help my farmers, please do what you can with as little to no detriment to our neighboring kingdoms. I will reach out to Celestia and Prince Rutherford with what we have discovered. In the meantime, I will draft a letter appointing you as our lead counsel for weather. Any support you need, my staff will assist you with."

Rainbow bobbed her head, giving no thought to the appointment.

"Yeah. No problem. I can clear up some clouds and see how the winds…"

Slowly, it dawned on Rainbow what was being offered. She had unwittingly stepped in some rather large shoes to wear with no guidance.

"Wait-what!?"

Already with a quill in her aura, Cadance was busy drafting her letter.

"Rainbow Dash, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but for now, I need your help and you're the only one fit for the job. If you're not comfortable with the title and know another pony better suited, I'll happily take your recommendation. For now, though, there is too much at risk for me not to act."

While it was a big request, Rainbow knew Cadance already had a lot to deal with. Potentially, that could take time away from Cerb. For Rainbow, taking care of Cerb also meant taking care of Cadance.

So, with a sigh of giving in, Rainbow had to accept the request.

"Ah… No. No pony I can think of right now. But I will need the help I mentioned earlier at some point. I'll need to be selective about what changes I make for you."

Before making much progress on the letter, a guard trotted in with a parchment at his side.

"Princess, my apologies for bothering you, but our guest, Spitfire, delivered a list for reading materials. She said that Mr. Husk wanted your approval before issuing the request from the royal library."

Curious, Cadance levitated the letter in front of her and eyed up the contents. It wasn't very long but made perfect sense after remembering Cerb's mission.

Assuming his intentions, a gentle smile graced her royal lips as she returned the parchment back to the guard.

"Yes. Any book in the library that doesn't require my special access is to be made available to Mr. Husk and the rest of our guests. The same will go for any reports, official logs, or documents from the Crystal Guard archives that may assist them. I will thank Justin for his thoughtful consideration when I see him again for lunch."

No sooner had she lowered the parchment, a wisp of smoke trailed in overhead. Stopping just above eye level, a small pop and flash gave way to scroll holding Twilight’s familiar golden horseshoe seal.

Believing it to be important, Cadance caught it in her aura and opened it, hoping for good news or any important updates. Why else would the message have been sent from Spike?

However, having all but robbed Equestria of one of their seven humans, the opening dialog should not have shocked her as it did.

Then, the text that followed most certainly did shock her. It downright infuriated her and left a knot in her stomach… until she finished reading the very bottom line.

Thankfully, Rainbow had been so drawn in by the oddity that was this contradicting weather reports that she hadn’t noticed Cadance, which Cadance took advantage of as she trotted off towards her legal office.

“You keep working hard, Dash. I have to go remind some ponies that demands go through crowns, not to them.”

Rainbow might have been listening but waved the princess off just the same as she tried to map about the winds.

“Sure thing, Princess.”

Still livid, and now out of earshot, Cadance uttered angrily to herself.

“Order me to my own doorstep? What good will that do you if you never make it to my empire, bitch?”

[Later that afternoon.]

Having proven herself to be rather productive, Cadance returned to her room for a late lunch, much calmer, serving cart in tow. On her bed, Cerb had appeared to have been relatively unmoved. However, all around him, the remaining mares had taken up residence.

Spitfire sat behind Cerb, acting as his pillow as she looked over his shoulder. Fleetfoot lay along Cerb’s left side with her legs in their casts over his thighs while his bruised arm came to rest over her torso.

Lastly, Thunder lay along Cerb's right, held close by his good arm. She read aloud from a book Cadance knew too well.

"-carried deeper underground, Cadance struggled against the hastily tied bindings. Glowing eyes of green and blue narrowed and glared as the dark creatures would take turns hissing with forked tongues as they ensured she remained… Oh… Sorry, Princess. We were-"

"Studying," Cadance answered with no trace of bitterness. "And the changelings are a good subject to become familiar with. Ocellus is proof that they have not left these lands. Even if she has proven to be an ally, she is young and does not hold a grudge as those we defeated assuredly do. Otherwise~"

She gave an odd smirk as she examined the four huddled together on her bed. They were rather close, after all.

"I imagine Justin has been well tended to before you found yourselves so attached?"

On that note, Cerb flipped the book closed for Thunder and ended the impromptu study session.

"This is my doing. My back was hurting from laying down so much, and Spits makes for a better pillow than an actual pillow. Then I just felt bad for these two suffering so I thought I'd share as much comfort as possible to help ease their pain… Close contact seems to do the trick… also makes it easier taking turns reading."

It was a pleasant sight, warming Cadence's heart as she approached closer.

"I see… Well, since I am here. First, thank you for being so considerate to ask for my permission before accessing the contents of my library. Not necessary, but still appreciated. Second, if you have any questions about my time imprisoned by the changelings, feel free to ask. I'm sure you could imagine they were nothing like Ocellus, and the book does leave out a few details."

A little amused at the princess's resolve, Cerb nodded but didn't wish to sour the mood by revising the romantic reunion the story ended with. Instead, he would focus elsewhere.

"I might have a few questions later. Mostly I'm trying to find out more about their habits and tactics. There's a lot of potential danger they pose outside of their shape-shifting abilities. Also, as strong-willed as Thunder is, I want her to recover along with Fleetfoot as much as possible next to me."

Finally catching the last request, Cadance sat on the bed, frozen, save her eyes drawing down on Cerb.

"Hmm?"

Not surprised, Cerb was quick with an answer, explaining as he strummed his fingers through the fur on Thunder's chest.

"I don't like being alone, and I can't keep comfortable on my own. The girls both keep me constant company, and Spitfire flies around for us while Rainbow is busy. At the same time, just like how Benny helped keep Ocellus stable and Applejack healed so fast with Lumberman, I think close physical contact will help these two heal faster."

He looked towards Cadance with a softer, endearing smile.

"Same goes for you with all your physical needs."

Cadance adjusted her hips slightly, releasing a dull pop in her back. The reminder of her still sore joints pushed down any possible joke she could’ve made about his word choice.

"Emph… I've certainly had more needs as of late… And you do provide some much-needed comfort."

Pulling up her serving cart closer, the tray lifted from an elegant spread of soup, salad, some bread, fruit, and a pastry. No meat had been prepared, but she could hold off for later.

For now, she was content with the meal and her company in good spirits.

"You know, at some point, we'll have to start putting in more effort than you put out for us. In fact, I’m certain there must be something more we can do for you that we aren’t doing for you now."

That might have been true, but it was hard for Cerb to feel that way whenever Cadance was around.

"No. You all do way too much for me. If anything, I feel like I'm the one getting more than giving back… Surrounded by beautiful ladies. Full-service day and night… Free room and board in a castle made of gems? ...Not being left behind or so easily moved on from?"

Knowing how much the separation was still weighing down on Cerb, Thunder laid her hoof on his thigh as she trained her eyes on his.

In his eyes, she could see him still holding back his words, just as she could feel the sensation of physical misery fighting not to be discovered.

"We are all warriors here. Not because of strings pulling us into battle but because we choose to answer the call. Even Princess Cadance refuses to give up our fight after Harmony’s intervention, which could have given her cause to step away from defending her kingdom."

Having set the pace, Thunder relaxed more and laid a bit further into Cerb's side, as she knew what he needed to hear.

"You are to us what we could not be, nor dream to deliver. Yet, you keep us at your side, striving to be what we can be for you. Grateful to have you near as we travel the same path… We want this life and you in it. We get to be what we desire most, so don't think for a moment we would so easily part ways. We understand loyalty, and Rainbow Dash can vouch for that."

[Meanwhile, outside the barrier of the Crystal Empire.]

The bitter polar winds of the north blew without remorse high above the protected planes of the Crystal Empire. Hammering snow and cutting spats of chiller vapors, the merciless cold front waged its war against a new challenger for the right of occupation over the Empire.

"I said turn, you stupid fucking wind!"

Rainbow battled the gusts and ice, forcing what she could to divert the freezing winds one degree closer to the east. And while not truly sentient, Rainbow could have sworn the winds of this frigid tundra were intentionally fighting her demands.

"Gawd damn, it's cold!"

No matter how familiar the currents felt, bitterly cold or not, they were unseasonably rigid. Every ounce of energy she poured into altering the course of the cold front stubbornly resisted to the nth degree, taking only a fractional portion of Rainbow’s influence to shift.

“Come on! Come on!”

Rainbow snapped again at the winds that flexed and bowed under their unwavering pressure building up.

“Turn just a little more! Come on!”

She gritted her teeth, nearing the breaking point of either easing the headwinds in a new direction or building up a dangerously high-pressure system.

“JUST-”

SNAP

“SHIT!”

The pressure pushed back, forcing all the compressed cold air of the winds out in a whirlwind, instantly crystallizing any remaining trace of moisture in the air.

Rainbow reacted instinctively, curling up and folding her wings around her with her head and tail tucked inside.

Ice crystals covered her body and adhered to her wings, but her vitals were saved. Although saved didn’t take into consideration the freefall she was now tumbling in.

She had to be out of the worst of it, or at least within reason, and unfurled her wings with a series of painful pinches and crackles. The ice was thick, and her mobility would suffer because of it.

Thankfully, there was no need to panic for one of such experiences as hers. Rainbow simply allowed her wings to open as far as they comfortably could, controlling her glide down back to the gates to the empire’s primary entrance.

Now all she needed was a cooperative set of gate guards.

“Official Weather Council emergency landing! Open up!”

The guards nearly tripped over themselves but managed to part the gates enough with seconds to spare, allowing Rainbow to glide in without further challenge. At least, no greater challenge than what the next day would have her facing.

“Fuck me… This is going to be a lot harder than I thought… I’m going to need help.”

Author's Note

i apologize for the lack of art. Sure, I know not everyone here is flocking to my story for it, but it was one of the big things I wanted to do for this second arc. However, my ER visits keep on happening and my motivation is tanking. Just trying to keep it real wit y'all about that.

Otherwise, I was happy with the start of this chapter but was a little disappointed that I couldn't throw in more to make it pop with a little more excitement. Mostly that happened because this chapter is meant more as a build-up and setup for the next chapter that will start to establish more of the some of the external factors to expect fo this story. That, of course, being a stronger contraction of the last chapter's more substantial internal points of focus to expect.

As for the next chapter, expect a bit of a heavy dialog portion, but with a swift kick something that should make up for it all. Probably something not really any of you would have caught onto even if you were paying attention to with the last few chapters.

But, I guess none of us will know any of that until you find out in the next time in chapter 04. An Introduction to (the dangers of) Political Demands and Power.[/spoiler

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 & 02.

04. An Introduction to (the dangers of) Political Demands and Power.

[Still Wednesday, 18 May 2016, The Equestrian 17th Day of Love.]

The long day had finished with completing the entire book on the Changeling Invasion of Canterlot. The additional commentary from Thunder was also providing further details and enlightenment about the event.

Not to say that it was a prideful or boastful retelling, but her narrative was certainly something Chris would have loved to hear.

"So, yeah. Changelings were everywhere. Three of them jump out of nowhere, and I instantly lose my halberd. Half of my squad was either captured or being captured. I roll away and lose one, kick off another, and then I'm fighting this other one. It's just me and him, or her; hard to tell. Next thing I know, there's two other guards standing with me. I call for help from the guard nearest to me, and it's another changeling in disguise."

The door opened just as the story was getting good, and Rainbow shambled in.

With ice trailing down her tail and snow in her mane, she shivered and did her best to shake off what bit of work she had brought back with her.

"Fuck the cold and fuck snow. I officially hate my job."

Far be it from Cerb not to say the first thing that came to mind while looking at the half-iced-over pony. After all, she was the shit-talker of the mane six.

"The hell happened to you, Dash? It looks like you got gang-banged by a dozen snow ponies… Did they at least buy you dinner?"

While the joke should have been funny, Rainbow instead grit her teeth and bore her eyes shut to violently shake off the remaining ice and snow. With her cold, damp fur left dripping, she turned to leave the room, doing her best to exit with a witty reply as a new low set of hooves clopping grew closer to the door.

"I feel like I was force-fed a snowjob from a pack of wendigos. Not even so much as a pat on the head or a post-fuck-you cookie. Tomorrow I'm going back out again, and Spits, you've just been promoted to assistant lead weather mare. Congratulations. Your on-the-job training starts tomorrow at zero eight hundred when we brief with the Crystal Empire staff for Cadance. I'm gonna go thaw out in the tub, which means I'll see you after dinner unless you need me. So, Justin, you're gonna shower with Thunder like normal tonight. Also, we're having owlbear for dinner, so don't take too long, or it'll get cold. Cadance is on a schedule, ya know."

Speaking of the Princess, Cadance gracefully made her way into the room. Tired but mindful, she bowed as she entered.

"Spitfire. If you would be so kind as to assist Fleetfoot down to our Medical Ward. The local specialist requested by Nurse Redheart has arrived and would like to examine her injuries."

It seemed as though the day's fun was over, prompting Cadance to make another request.

"Thunder. I will be joining with the medical examination, as I have my own needs to follow up with, on top of assuring no wrong questions are asked of the cause of our injuries. Could you please attend to Justin in the shower so he may be ready for dinner? Also, I requested you to be examined after we are done."

After running through every pony there, Cerb was curious why he was overlooked.

"What about me?"

Cadance held the door open for Spitfire to roll Fleetfoot out and spoke confidently in her response.

"Our staff is not ready to handle your medical needs. If they are competent in their assessment of Thunder, we will approach their involvement. As for now, I only trust those who have already been entrusted with your care by Becky; the Ponyville staff, and Becky herself. Partially due to Nurse Redheart's warning not to leave you unattended to any medical staff not trained in assessing a human. My staff will be trained in due time. I will not risk your health to them until then."

Hearing the reasoning, as it was, made Cerb remember how certain mares could act out their newly discovered interests. So, for the time being, he was in no shape to fight off a new batch of love-crazed ponies.

"No. You're right," Cerb humbly answered back. "I guess I'll see you after you're done."

Only a few short minutes later, it was a clumsy mess of a time with Thunder helping Cerb into the shower. That is to say that it would have been, had Thunder been able to see what she was doing.

"Alright," Cerb begrudgingly protested towards the intentionally blind mare. "Thunder, for the love of fuck, will you open up your God damn eyes. Or do we have a problem?"

Cautiously, Thunder forced her eyes up to take in the sight of Cerb, disrobed and still seated in his wheelchair. He didn't bother covering himself with much more than a robe sleeve, which did little to hide his modesty and nothing to mask his scent.

The sites and senses bombarding her would have left her acting foolish had it not been for her guilt and fear taking control. At least the mental dredge was enough that the annoying twinge feeling in her ears was masked as they were left pinned back.

"I don't want you to think I'm confusing my professional duties with an opportunity to pursue desires of a romantic nature. I know that my place is-"

"Woah!" Cerb loudly interjected with a quick swipe of his free hand. "Woah-Woah. Okay. Hold up."

This wasn't going to be as easy as it was last time explaining to Rarity and Fluttershy the social taboos and acceptable degrees of comfort for his nudity. Hopefully, she would adjust as quickly as Rainbow did.

"Look… I appreciate the concern for respecting my boundaries, but I know I need help getting cleaned up and help getting in and out of this chair. If you're confused about the whole… what rutting concepts are, this isn't it."

It was clear as day that Cerb was not only in no condition to rut, he wasn't even adequately stimulated by the looks of it. Given these facts, Thunder could relax, knowing he must have understood at least part of her concern.

Of course, that only meant she needed to address those concerns directly.

"It is because I am fully aware of your rutting practices; I did not want to appear focused on your… You prefer, dick, correct?"

Thank Christ phrasing wasn't a thing Cerb had to deal with Rainbow gone. Thankfully, the immediate drop in tension and Cerb’s nonchalant nod allowed Thunder to relax more with her explanation.

"Rainbow has been kind enough to remind me of what I already knew. That Fluttershy and Rarity both…" She trailed off for a moment, unsure how to accurately describe his struggles. "I guess I can't properly claim to know what all it is you're going through. But I know in some ways how close you three were, as well as some of the private acts you shared."

Finally addressing the uncomfortable portion of this meeting, Thunder's tone rose with her flustered demeanor.

"All the mares with a human of their own shared moments of their sexual experiences. Their struggles, their pleasures, how to be careful to minimize pain, and what precautions to consider with your emotions."

This wasn’t a typical conversation to share. So, Thunder raised her eyes to meet Cerb's, hoping to convey her most honest feelings.

"There was no mare that did not make what you all shared sound wonderful or leave any of us to feel envious at one point or another… But I'm not any of them. I'm not… None of us here are what those two were for you. Least of all me, and… I don't want to make you think I'm trying to be. I respect you too much to think of myself as anything more than your guardian. One that you will soon make into a more worthy warrior to serve alongside you."

Nothing about this new life or the current living arrangements would be easy, but Cerb had to deal with every new complication as it came. At the moment, he had to be careful in how he handled this particular issue, and it started with a weary sigh.

"Look. I'm having a hard enough time dealing with how everything got fucked up with me and them. I don't need everyone feeling sorry for me on top of it. As for the sex stuff…"

Cerb held his tongue momentarily. The thoughts and memories of all he had done sat precariously on a needle's point. They could have fallen in any direction, good or bad.

Perhaps he was still unsure of what all he thought he wanted. Was there anything he actually needed, given Harmony's lack of control over his arrival?

Without a prophecy to explain his purpose, he was flying blind. His mere existence had ruined potentially everyone’s fated path, let alone his own. Even his flimsy grasp of what he thought he needed from the failed relationship with Fluttershy and Rarity now seemed like foolish delusions.

Problems for another day to be dealt with. He hadn't unpacked enough of that emotional baggage to be able to sort it out with anyone, let alone Thunder, even if he did want to still confide in her. Those wounds were left too wide open that the wrong kind of intentions could end up tearing them open even further.

"Thank you for being as concerned as you are. I have been a bit on edge about who might be trying to get with me next, and I really don't need that right now… Which… might be why I lean on you and Rainbow so much."

Knowing there was more both could say, Cerb quickly flipped away what bit of fabric covered him and gave a step up in his voice to squash any further debate.

"Not that I don't like the Wonderbolt girls. I certainly do appreciate what they bring to the table, and, ya know. They're cool… But… So long as you're okay with it, I still like having you all close to me. Both, because, I believe it will help you heal faster, but also I think I need it, too."

Thunder thought the bridge had been mended between the two of them. Their positions clearly stated made their intentions clear, and Thunder extended her hoof to assist Cerb out of his chair.

"I will be here for you as much as I can in any way that I can. And for all the pain relief that you provide for me, it's all the more comforting if it helps you deal with your other issues in the meantime."

With a little better understanding of the two's positions, Cerb took hold of Thunder's hoof as he rose weakly from his seat. Even the short walk of only a few steps wasn't easy, made only more challenging as he lowered himself down to the stool. At least this time, Cerb took a closer look at the scabs forming on Thunder's back, giving him thoughts to dwell on.

"Hey. How fast would you say you were healing compared to the bat ponies who had to be in the hospital?"

As the faucet was turned and the rapidly warming waters sprang from the showerhead, Thunder stopped to try and assess her progress.

"Umm… I know I was really bad when we all first got to the hospital, but the holes in my lungs sealed up faster than Becky thought was possible. Even the other punctures appeared to start closing up faster than what the two bucks or any of the bat ponies were able to start recovering from. It's actually the only reason I wasn't ordered back to the hospital."

Thinking back to that night again, Thunder remembered something else that stood out.

"I remember how much it hurt when I first got hit in the back in the cave. I also remember how much less it did once you realized that it was me you were wrestling. Although, I feel terrible about not being able to save your arms more from the bits of crystal exploding. For how much you were bleeding everywhere, I know it had to hurt."

Thunder couldn't overlook their shared injuries. not after thinking back on how they bled together in Harmony's cave. She undoubtedly saved his life, but it was astonishing how close she came to losing her life, even while in the hospital. Only, in retrospect, all those painful hours compared to where she was now?

"Although, I think I started healing a lot faster since leaving Ponyville Hospital. I know it hurt a lot worse at times since leaving, but nothing like what you went through with Ember."

Cerb struggled to hold a position that hurt the least while trying to figure out what he was missing. There were bound to be changes, and it was likely that Thunder needed anything other than more time to heal before he could see anything drastic.

That is to say if he even knew what to look for, which he honestly didn't. The blood contamination theory had all but been solidified by Sniff, though it lacked any definition. In theory, any contact or fluids could or already had created changes. He was going to need Chris's input on this as well.

"Yeah… We both had it pretty bad, but you were with me through the worst of it. So, if you could do me a favor. Keep me informed on your medical updates. Without Becky or Chris here, I'm probably the most knowledgeable on things to look out for with any sudden changes you might have."

Thunder raised up on her hind legs to reach up and adjust the shower head, slightly straining herself in the process.

"Changes like what?"

Even if Cerb was still dealing with the pain of his war wounds and the emotional damage of his relationships falling apart, seeing Thunder standing in a partially revealing display roused up some questionable feelings. More so, the view he saw was a physically inspiring spectral of romantic encounters he recently grew accustomed to.

"Umm… You know… Shit that seems different?"

The shower head shifted out enough to allow the streams to fall only as far as Cerb's knees. Just far enough for Thunder to shift Cerb where she needed him and best manage a rinse-off if needed. More than enough space to give herself room to wash up as well.

So, as she dropped back down to all fours, she couldn't help but notice a sudden spike, if not a sizzling scent, an exotic seasoning burning with salt in the steamy air. It was pleasant enough to almost be distracting, had not it been for the sting from hot water dancing upon her back.

There was so little left of what she could remember feeling normal in her life. Where should she start?

"I've been stuck like a pin cushion with crystal shrapnel from a fake Twilight Harmony abomination from another dimension. Also… feeling you in your different emotional states while either fighting me off or holding me close, those are all types of different I'm dealing with."

She still didn't know precisely what Cerb was inquiring about, though she had no qualms with attempting to feed any of his interests. There were plenty of new topics to cover during the duration of this mutual scrub session.

Actually, as she picked up a sponge with her front right hoof, she noticed something odd. Something that had distracted her the night before.

"Uh… Now that you mention it. I do feel a little different since getting injured in the cave."

She held up the sponge, tightly pinching the small portion of material her frogs could grasp.

Something was distinctly new, the unfamiliar sensations against her cloven flesh, against her entire body, the more she thought about it.

"It's like… some kind of heightened sensitivity."

All these thoughts were curiously interesting, but she continued on by applying a healthy dose of soap to the sponge and reaching out to start washing around Cerb's shoulders.

"I've never hurt like this before, stab wounds or not, but it's just the same with the good stuff, too. Warm stuff is warmer. Cool things feel cooler. Softs are softer… and all of them are better when I'm with you."

She retraced a path of suds down over a discolored bruise on Cerb's chest but pulled away to take in more of what she was currently experiencing.

"The hot water stings when it hits my stitches. It's almost like a burn and an itch, but it's so warm and relaxing on everything else that I kinda like it."

A few seconds drifted by before Thunder gave a half sigh and returned to her washing duties, focusing on Cerb's chest again.

"I guess my other senses are more sensitive, too… Food tastes better. Smells are richer. Some other things feel odd as well."

Her eyes followed lower down to Cerb's midsection as she continued her scrubbing. A trail of bubbles raced down farther ahead of her progression, having been caught in a stream of water flowing quickly toward Cerb's groin.

Of course, her intentions were innocent, yet the area of focus gave another reminder of newer sensations she had yet to understand. The entirety of the derailing experience gave her pause and a blurred state of mind, letting her thoughts and eyes wander.

"I find myself getting distracted a lot easier as of late. I’ll get… lost in my head at times. And now I can’t help but notice...”

As her voice trailed off, Cerb's mind started to rapidly calculate what response he should lead with. With her eyes locked on the area of his nude member, he didn’t want to jump the gun and imply she was eyeing his goods. However, if this was anything like his prior encounters...

“You’re bleeding again,” Thunder finally declared in a defeated tone.

Cerb looked down at his arms. First, his left, then his right, and near his elbow on the latter, a small trail of dark red was slowly washing away down off his leg.

His previous concerns, while cut short of being fully thought out, appeared to be needlessly appropriated, and he relaxed again.

“Oh, shit… The scab must have broke open when it got wet again. Yeah. That happens. It’s fine. Just wash around it when you get to it, and we’ll bandage it up again when we’re done.”

Thunder went on with her gentle scrubbing. Never pressing too hard in any general area and always gentle with every stride over each bruise. Not once did she allow the cloth to catch a protruding stitch or course edge of a scab. Just the same, she would not dare venture near the most tempting danger zone, despite Cerb not explicitly hiding himself or warding her away.

She merely kept quiet to herself for the time being. To herself, she rolled over some of her previous thoughts of how things had changed for her. Which senses and sensations had changed precisely, and how many of them were tied directly to Cerb, and why she hadn’t been more clear about that?

At the same time, Cerb had been lost in his thoughts as well.

How much weight and importance had he placed on Fluttershy and Rarity before letting them go? Why did he allow himself to be swallowed up in their embrace so easily? What made the sex they indulged in so addicting that he still missed it?

Might he have fallen into the same mental traps as Sniff and Kelly? Losing himself to the physical release to avoid the true issues he held within?

No... Well, maybe... Slightly... There were so many more moments of opening up and finally accepting help for once.

Was that it? Had his life become so complicated from all the barriers he’d built up that the first physical relationship with any positive emotional support allowed him to endanger so many around him? If that was the case, was he still searching for purpose with those around him?

“Thunder?” He suddenly spoke her name while she was washing around his knees. “Have you ever been afraid to be… I mean, been too afraid to live a life others would tell you not to, even if it would make you happy?”

The perpetual droplets had not made it too difficult to converse in the shower, yet, Thunder still reached behind her to turn the water off. This discussion didn't sound like an out-of-the-blue random topic, so she would give it the proper attention it deserved while returning to her work.

“I’ve never liked being told what I could or couldn’t do. And I don't mean being given orders. I mean being told that I wasn't strong enough. I should stick to something easier. I shouldn't enjoy beating up my fellow guard so much, even after they mocked me. A mare wasn't meant to be so mean just because she can't be pretty… I was even told to stay away from you."

Having finished the lather over both of Cerb's legs, she turned the water on again and used her feathers to help clear away the suds. She could speak clearly and loud enough to remain professional during her tasking.

"But there are limitations… I'm not strong enough for the war hammers Earth Ponies have for special training, but I mastered the halberd. I'm mean when I need to be, but I don't care to be pretty."

She flicked away the last few suds but then sat under the stream of water with Cerb for a moment, almost looking vulnerable.

"I paid for a makeover, once… and I hated it… Not that I wasn't pretty. Pretty just wasn't me… I even hated the compliments. That’s just not who I am."

Finally, she looked up at him, sharing a weak smile.

"And I wanted to beat you as soon as I knew Luna would call me to the mat. I wanted to pummel you… I didn't even properly know you, but I wanted you to show respect to the guard after you challenged Captain Flash Sentry. Even if you were right, I wanted you to show us... me... respect... Instead, in the gym, I took your forfeit as a rejection or an insult. So… despite the danger, I was walking into and the insults I deserved after the events of the Everfree Forest, I knew I wasn’t going to be happy unless I had the chance to learn from you, no different than I did from Cutter."

She gave a short chuckle, not having a full breath remaining to provide much of a laugh, then cracked a grin up at Cerb.

"Just the same, I came between you and the exploding echo... Can't seem to stop myself from jumping into danger's way.”

She took a deep breath, inhaling the thick steam and rich aroma that was ever present with Cerb, giving a slight vibration in her right ear and a larger smile.

“I don’t know what secrets you passed along to Rarity and Fluttershy that made them so fierce while they were still with you, but I did what I could to prove myself worthy... I was happy then, and remain so now, knowing that I gave it my all and will continue to do so. And unlike my makeover, I don’t regret my choice. This is who I am. I would not be happy otherwise.”

Cerb took a moment to let that response sink in. That, and since it was so well spoken, he would have hated to have interrupted her had she anymore to say.

However, since she sat there proudly, so sure of herself, so sure of him, he was convinced she was waiting for him to reply.

Sadly, this wasn’t a very well-thought-out conversation on his behalf.

“Yeah… You've never really seemed to back down from what you wanted since I’ve known you.”

Thinking back to himself, Cerb had a moment of clarity about his own history of behavior.

“I’ve always really had to hold back.”

He needed room to breathe for this conversation, and maybe a distraction wouldn’t hurt either.

“Hit the water for us and turn around for me.”

Taking the request as an order, Thunder shut the water off once again and stayed facing away from Cerb as his good hand gently guided her flanks down while he explained himself properly.

“When I bathe, you bathe. You take care of me; I take care of you.”

A handful of shampoo found its way onto Thunder’s back, which she was grateful to receive, and Cerb found himself back into his previous thoughts.

“I wasn’t always so nice, but I’ve always been good at hurting people. I got too good at it.”

Another familiar feeling reclaimed Cerb as his one good hand worked the lather of suds into Thunder’s neck. He was wounded, still in recovery, unsure of himself, and questioning his growing relationship with a mare he was now bathing with.

Even still, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the familiarity and the comfort it brought.

"I was addicted to it for all the wrong reasons. It made me feel safe. Even the pain, I was proud to be hurt and keep fighting… After a while, it wasn't even for only me and my brother's sake. Not even the war could take that part away from me."

Careful of his hand placement and Thunder's reactions, he worked his fingers under her wing and down her left side.

"I was still happy to fight. Still proud to take the hits and suffer through it all if at the end…"

He trailed off in his words, switching his hand to Thunder's right side and working a new lather over what he could reach. In thinking about what he would have said, he gave a deep sigh and started over.

"If I never would have stuck it out with my friends, I would have been a horrible person. Had I been in this world growing up, I probably would have been a villain, not a hero."

That last statement had Thunder turn quickly to face Cerb, giving a ghostly look of shock on her face.

"But… You were a killer in your world? And Luna spoke of your familiarity with death-"

"I didn't enjoy it," Cerb quickly interjected, though his expression was becoming difficult to read. "-or at least not all of it… You learn a deeper appreciation for life and the things that matter that others never will. There's a rush it gives you that you can't get anywhere else."

There was a look coming from Thunder that was oozing with repressed resentment and judgment. A look that Cerb would confront without hesitation.

"You told me of your fight with the changelings today. You fought to subdue and repel them. With me, you fought to kill the echoes and owlbear just like they fought to try and kill us."

He let his hand drift away, and silence fill the space between them to escalate the tension.

"Tell me… Even if for the wrong reasons, which battle will hold a greater impact on your life? Which one made your heart race faster? Which one reminds you more than the other that you're alive and serve a purpose?"

Thunder tried her best to think how she could answer around the question. Some quick-witted way she could respond without any positivity towards death. Yet, when she tried to think of the answers, the questions were stacked against her.

Fighting alongside Cerb, if even only out of necessity at the time, had been so rewarding and impacted her pride immensely. Knowing the stakes and rising to face the challenge the echoes posed with Cerb made her heart race with more than just the shock and initial fear of the changeling invasion. Then, to sacrifice her body, to be held so warmly and see the care and concern in Cerb's eyes as they bled together?

Those were unfair questions, but only she knew the full truth to the answers and turned away, angry with so many of her emotions conflicting with her duties.

"What of it?" She answered, trying to sound neutral, but there was audible anger and reservation in her voice.

Cerb returned his hand to the center of Thunder's back, granting her some much-needed warmth and comfort along with his touch. His gentle strokes reworked the lather from behind her ears to the dock of her tail in a manner he knew she would appreciate.

"We're more alike than probably anyone else here… Overprotective… Dedicated to our duty. Our friends… We like to hurt others that deserve it more than we should… Hell… We even push through the pain more than we need to because we know we can… So I guess it's a good thing fate has us watching out for each other. I just wish I was as sure of myself as you are."

The pleasant sensations from Cerb's cleansing hand and his reassuring words were double trouble against Thunder's concerns she held before. This was more than the praise she was receiving. There was camaraderie to the point of admitting he was lucky to have her with him while lavishing her with physical attention she thought reserved for royalty or the Elements.

At the same time, Thunder was relieved that she wasn't falling into a logical trap to be coaxed into being painted as a villain. She was getting closer to Cerb in ways others likely never had, so she had to try to stay just as positive toward him.

"What is there not to be sure of? You knew better than the rest of us what to take care of. Mission planning for going into the Everfree Forest. How to save Onyx and the civilians from the Timberwolves. Discovering what happened with the guards who attacked Kelly and clearing their names. Defeating the echoes. Justin? ...you’ve been ahead of everything.”

“I expected a fight every step of the way,” Cerb quickly answered as he moved his hand down to pull her closer and start working on her chest. “I planned for the worst based on what we knew at the time. I wasn’t sure of anything, and when I thought I was, it nearly got me killed."

Much like his injuries, the truth hurt, and Cerb did his best not to let it show as he summed his experiences thus far.

"I was at my best when I was overly cautious and lucky the rest of the time.”

Whether it was Cerb’s plan or not, Thunder was completely under his influence and leaning back further against his seat to increase his access below her chest. At the same time, she had to question his admissions, as it sounded unlikely her new idol had made so many mistakes she hadn’t heard about.

“None of us knew about the echoes. Even then, you were cautious and knew we were walking into a trap... Not that it saved Harmony or the echoes."

That was true, but not at all what Cerb was referring to, yet he continued rubbing below her ribs as he went on to explain.

"You weren't there for the discussion, but in our first fight in the Everfree against the Timberwolves, I thought being magic-proof made me invulnerable… And then one of them tore into me… Even then, I was only mostly right. So, like you said… Limits. That, and I only figured out what happened with the guards that attacked Kelly on accident with everyone else's help. I went in trying to prove their guilt."

As he cracked a grin from finding the humor in pointing out his flaws, he instantly remembered another one that Thunder happened to leave out as a previous brag-worthy achievement of his.

"Oh, and less we both forget. There was also that awesome coaching advice I gave you that nearly had you hoof-blasting Spitfire's skull off her shoulders."

Thunder snorted out a laugh, as there was no forgetting that slip-up.

"Pft! Please. That was hardly the fault of either of us that she never thought to duck. Your advice was flawless… It's not our fault she was operating coachless on Team Zero at the time."

Laughing still hurt Cerb, but that joke caused him some pain he was willing to endure.

"Okay, fine. Plenty of blame to go round on that one," Cerb admitted with a smile before his tone changed. "But I also thought for a while that there was a grand scheme in motion with me and my friends."

Different thoughts and pieces of conversations about the night fighting Harmony collided in his mind. So many broken theories and misunderstood concepts still lay unexplained amid the clear picture of where he and his friends actually stood.

"We never could figure anything out about why we were here because Trixie fucked up her spell because that other Trixie fucked up, and we ended up getting brought here. But even that other Trixie was confused, or… Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I thought I was making a lot of the right choices because of how this world works, but this world never wanted me here to begin with."

In the midst of rehashing his thoughts and where his theories led him again, a touch of sadness ran through his fingers. Colder, empty, almost ghostly feeling through Thunder's skin was what she felt as she turned to face Cerb again and what he had left to say.

"I just wanted help. And I couldn’t keep them safe. Then Cadance... you…"

There was no getting around it. Cerb wasn’t the unending mountain of strength and resistance Thunder typically built him up to be. His moment of hesitation and doubt was more than just a fluke in the cave against the owlbear. His weaknesses went beyond the bruised skin and torn open muscles.

She knew now by the new trails streaming down Cerb’s cheeks that Rainbow Dash had been right. The damage done to him on the inside was worse than any she had bandaged up for him on the outside.

Now overwhelmed with a rush of emotions, Thunder softly hushed Cerb to be quiet as she turned and raised herself to gently hold each other chest to chest. Drawing closer, she softly laid her neck over his right shoulder, letting the soap and suds mesh and slide over one another, both holding each other as best they could, but still weakly, mindful of open wounds and so many other injuries.

“Oh, Justin,” she confidently spoke. “I am your faithful Lioness. I understood there were risks to be taken when we entered that cave, but do not ever think I would hold any of my misfortune against you."

She was crossing the line. It wasn't exactly clear how or to what degree, but he was nude, exposed, and if she drew any closer, she would likely have to climb atop his lap or press between his legs. Had that been an afterthought, or perhaps buried under her intuition to cater to his emotional needs, it was impossible to tell. Either way, it felt as if she was creeping irresponsibly close to where she had seen Cerb rut with Rarity.

"Try as I might, my halberd was not empowered like Swifty’s blade to strike down Harmony. My greatest effort to you was aiding Cadance and her plan. Even then, my wounded target snuck away so I could blindside the echo Cadance had distracted... One strike of Kelly's knife, that was my only contribution... That was until… I came to you. And yes… I know… but what was I to do? I was without Kelly’s blade. I couldn’t intercept the echo’s attack nor move quickly enough to push us both into safety.”

Even with the dampness of their bodies chilling in the air, Thunder couldn’t pry herself from the growing heat emanating from Cerb. It pierced the soft chill from the sorrow he still had swimming in his heart, as there was still something else stirring, which was far more inviting. Something that silently beckoned her closer, had she been brave enough to listen.

Sadly, though, as the truth was, just as it had been in the cave when they had been struck down, she knew her limits here as well.

“I was only there to support you until we could return aid to Cadance and the others… Instead… With no weapon or shield or even enough time to think…"

As Thunder slumped lower to kneel in front of Cerb, the silhouette of another standing at the entrance of the shower was finally noticed.

Both turned to see Cadance watching them with interest, only now moving closer to intervene.

"I swear, you two when left alone."

Using her magic, the water was turned on again, raining down over Thunder and rinsing Cerb's legs clear.

The two expected a lecture. Instead, Cadance carelessly dropped her regalia, sat her crown on the floor, and stepped out of her shoes. Then, without warning or an invite, she sat next to the pair and shifted the shower head to begin rinsing off as she lowered her head with a look of exhaustion showing through as she stared at her hooves.

"Justin… clearly, you were more prepared for combat than any who fought in any of our battles. Even still, you had next to no training in, or exposure to our tactics, or understanding of our full capabilities, let alone that of our foes. It is unreasonable to hold any expectations to protect everyone around you while so ill-prepared.”

Finally able to allow herself to relax, she turned to face Thunder.

“And Thunder… I shouldn’t have to explain why you’re here, despite the fact you should be in Ponyville Hospital, where Twilight ordered you to stay. Yet, time and time again, you have proven your dedication to Justin. It has nothing to do with the power you wield behind your halberd or the skill you showed with Kelly’s knife in my time of need. Just the same as it is for Justin, you need to remember where your true strength lies.”

In a sudden and precise jab, Cadance extended her left wing to poke a long primary feather in Thunder’s chest, followed by a stern glare.

“It lies within your heart.”

No sooner had she gotten her point across she retracted her wing and returned her focus to relaxing in the warm downpour of her long-awaited hot shower.

Or, at least, she would once she finished with another set of orders.

“And while I hope not to sound rude, but if you could be quick with your rinsing and drying off, the doctors are waiting to see you. I hope there have been no issues and that you both were merely taking your time to be overly cautious. Justin is still bleeding, after all."

Both quickly turned to see the slow trickle of blood Cadance had pointed out, and Cerb instinctively tried to cover the mess with his other hand while Cadance continued pointing out their oversights.

"Otherwise, I can’t see why other than stopping to converse mid-bath, it’s taken you both this long to not finish bathing when dinner is nearly ready.”

There was no need to throw Thunder under the proverbial bus, so Cerb quickly spoke up to cover for them both.

“I was holding Thunder up. Just… having a harder time tonight, then my scab tore itself open and…” He gave a heavy sigh, not sure if he was overselling his own pity party or trying to overprotect Thunder. “Candy… you know I got a lot of bad memories locked up inside ‘uh me. I trust Thunder enough to talk to like I do with you… It’s only fair I let her open up so I can listen, too.”

Cadance took a deep breath and exhaled, sounding more like it was an exercise than if she had been upset. However she may have felt on the inside, she expressed it with her eyes remaining closed, pointed up toward the shower head, only barely cracking a smile.

“I’m not angry at either of you. The day has been long, and I’m tired of dealing with doctors and stress. Now, you’re keeping the doctors waiting that I so cleverly stepped away from so you could be seen, as was my concern, and now I will have to finish bathing Cerb so we can have dinner. And I am famished.”

There were plenty of reasons for Thunder to vacate the shower. Not wanting to upset Cadance, she used all of them to hastily finish rinsing herself off with what little bit of the spout still fell upon her.

“My apologies, Princess,” she spat out with urgency. “It is as Justin said. We were-”

“It’s fine,” Cadance all too quickly replied, returning the full force of the shower head to Thunder as she spoke. “Even I find myself relying on Justin for council and support while in need of it. However, time and place need to be kept in mind when there is a schedule to be upheld.”

Since Thunder wasn’t wanting to be scolded any further, or potentially expose any unprofessional behavior, if not unsavory intentions, she hurried with her rinse. It was clear enough that Cerb wanted to calm her nerves, even if he thought she was overreacting.

“Don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed in you. That’s never been the case. And maybe we can talk more tomorrow… take a longer shower, too. Finish with we both started.”

Maybe he was sending mixed messages, but it wasn’t intentional. He wanted to help her, just as he had been honest about trusting her. Then, there was also how easily she slipped through his defenses and could rest so close to him. No differently than Rainbow or Cadance. No differently than Rarity or Fluttershy.

Perhaps, deep down at his core, that really was a weakness of his. He really was love-starved; needed someone to be close to, and Thunder accepted this unspoken request blindly.

“Of course," she answered after a short pause and with a confident smile gracing her lips once more. "I'll see to it that we have plenty of time reserved. And Princess, my apologies. I left off at his knees. Now, if you'll excuse me."

And with that agreed upon, she gave a bow to Cadance and stepped out beyond the curtain, walking out with a towel and closing the door behind her.

After the door latched shut, Cadance returned with a sympathetic gaze to Cerb.

"I should apologize. I entered when you were discussing why you were confused as to why you were brought here… I should have made myself known, but I also don't want to deprive you of what sounded like a very healthy way of dealing with your issues. But… I was afraid Thunder Glide was getting a little too worked up near the end, and I know that you already have so much troubling you…"

Cadance grew quiet again, but turned in her seated position to face Cerb at his side and grabbed a washcloth that Thunder had neglected to use earlier.

"Justin… it's no secret that we're all lying to each other in one way or another about how we feel. That we're fine, how we hurt, what we can tolerate, or the lies we tell by omission."

She gathered a hefty dose of soap and began to wash his left leg, taking slow strides down Cerb's shin. Her speech was well-controlled and reserved as she carefully navigated this potentially touchy subject.

"You have taken on so much for us, and have burdened yourself with more than you should be concerned with. Even worse, even before all this horrible madness, I wished to have you here so that I could consult with you on another matter that I struggled with for as long as I can remember. Now, I can only imagine the emotional weight all the others may end up piling on you."

Feeling a cold and draining chill flowing through Cerb's skin, despite the abundance of hot water washing over them, Cadance knew she found him at his core about how he felt about the others. Knowing this, it was going to be difficult to proceed, so she continued to work over his feet, carefully washing between his toes.

"How much are you capable of taking on? All of our sorrows and insecurities while dealing with your own? Sorting through your past while recovering for our future? I only ask these questions because your body was so badly injured and your heart damaged even more… I will not risk us breaking your spirit when we have so little to contribute other than our company."

Cadance switched her attention to Cerb's next leg, continuing her lecture.

"You are here to recover under my care and protection."

Finally, she turned her eyes to meet his guilty expression with the finality of her thoughts.

"I know your heart is guarded. I feel the love and hurt you have inside, and it scares me at times how in flux it races in your chest while emotionally shutting itself off from us… If you would like more defined boundaries or do not recognize the need for them, I can, and will enforce them."

Slowly, Cerb’s heart was sinking into his stomach. She had him dead to rights on all accounts, and he had no real answers to provide.

“Candy, I… I dunno,” he answered, now staring at his feet. “It’s like… everything I’ve wanted has been taken out of reach from me. And now, everything that's still in reach…”

Cadance nodded along, acknowledging the trending thoughts.

“We all are rather dangerous mares, Justin,” she happily stated, almost as if she was replying to a different conversation. “Only now, away from the fields of battle, opening up your heart is leaving you vulnerable to all the dangers I wish to save you from. The ones you’ve left locked away deep inside, and I worry of new wounds you may be inviting in.”

There was, of course, some truth to that, but Cerb had another concern weighing down on him.

“Everyone has such high expectations of me. I can’t meet all of them. Right now, I can’t meet any of them, but I still want to help.”

“And you are,” Cadance happily retorted without hesitation. “You were right about Fleetfoot. The doctors said that after reviewing her medical documents, they said that she should be much worse off at this point. And while I’m sure Becky’s assistance also played a role, her pain management is much easier to control while she's with you. Otherwise, she’s admitted to not following the minimal time needed between doses or relying on your alcohol to get her through the night. And while I may not be a doctor, I know without a doubt, Thunder has healed faster than nearly any pony before her with even lesser injuries while beside you.”

There was that welcomed fact to be addressed, but Cerb desperately needed to speak with Sniff and the others regarding it. There was likely so much information he needed to get a better understanding of before divulging such knowledge to Cadance or the rest.

Until that time came, he would contribute in the ways he knew he could. For the rest, he would fake it until he could make it, as they say.

“I know enough not to let things go too far. Everything today was fine. That last bit with Thunder was unexpected, but I would have handled it, just like I still plan on talking to and helping you tonight.”

That should have lifted Cadance’s spirits, yet, it somehow appeared to leave her looking more dreary than before. If her appearance did not give away as much, her saddening tone certainly did as much.

“I fear I will only continue to grow ever deeper in your debt… And yet, the only thought more frightening is Twilight may demand to have you returned.”

Cerb huffed and nearly laughed at the notion, but realized Cadance was serious.

"Demand to have me returned? How? Why? I'm free to go anywhere in Equestria I want with whoever I want. Luna said so. Twilight can't tell me what to do."

[Back in Twilight's Throne Room.]

The main six were gathered and in their assigned seats, save for Rainbow Dash, now replaced by Starlight.

Along with the heroic ponies, papers had been collected, drinks half consumed, serious business started, and Rarity hammer-dropping her hoof on the table yet again.

"You most certainly can demand to have Justin returned to us!"

Twilight was uncharacteristically collected, despite her friend's repeated outbursts and the papers rudely dropped in front of her.

"Rarity, you don't need to keep forcing this fucking document in front of me. I wrote it. I know what it says. I know what it means. Justin isn't a criminal. The status of forces agreement doesn't apply."

Fluttershy, still much calmer than her counterpart, spoke up to take a different approach.

"Perhaps not, but he does need to come back to Ponyville, Twilight. He said so himself. He's not well. And as his guardians, it's our responsibility to ensure that he receives the care he needs. We've learned from our mistakes. Now we need to make up for it, and we can't do that until-"

While such ideas were well-spoken, Twilight sat up and cut in to stop the repeated request.

"Fluttershy? Weren't you listening? Cerb left of his own free will with Cadance. The Crystal Empire is still an independent kingdom. I can't make a demand without a valid reason."

Rarity bore down on the table with both hooves, huffing out her answer.

"Ember ripped out the shards from his back. Cadance took him away to a Kingdom a thousand years behind our advanced medical knowledge. Knowledge that only works because of Becky's help. His night terrors put every pony around him in danger without us there to calm him at night. He needs us!"

This was a crucial point for Twilight to intercept her friends. She needed to be considerate, but she couldn't be weak to their desires either.

She'd never had her crown tested in this manner before.

Thankfully, with the help of a reply from Cadance she would now read from, she hoped that would help set the stage.

"Ahem."

Dear Twilight,

I was rather shocked to receive a letter with concerns regarding the well-being and health of ambassador Husk. First and foremost, any report concerning his sleeping issues not being properly attended to has no standing. Such issues are directly attended to under my care and have been reported to be just as effective with the same quality of sleep, as per the declaration of ambassador Husk himself.

Furthermore, all required medication needed for continued care is stored locally under my protection, along with all instructions provided by Ponyville Hospital's most trusted staff. For further assistance, my on-site medical staff has begun to review materials provided by Nurse Redheart while treating Fleetfoot, Thunder Glide, and myself.

However, in regard to the emotional needs of ambassador Husk, out of respect for all parties involved, I will only state that he is doing better than expected in a warm and supportive environment. At all times, he is cared for by at least one of your trusted heroines involved in the Young Ambassadors Rescue Event when I am otherwise unavailable.

To be clear, ambassador Husk's current treatment extends to more than simple food, rest, and medication. With the assistance of Prince Aspen, we provide a balanced diet dedicated to his unique needs. In consideration of his sensitivities, he has multiple caretakers to assist with his hygiene needs and examinations familiar with performing his assessments, and has his approval of trust.

What's more impressive, beyond his ability to adapt to his new surroundings, is his continued positive outlook and sense of humor since departing. So much of his infectious humor has kept all of them actively engaged with him, even while he energetically has been assisting others around him to improve themselves for future endeavors.

With all these matters addressed, I hope all your concerns have been calmed, and any extradition request can be needlessly avoided in the future. We have all gone through so much as of late, and such strenuous legal demands would surely cause unnecessary tension where it need not be.

With love,

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza

Twilight lowered the parchment with a glare, keen with a focus on Rarity.

"First things first. Don't you ever go behind my back to send not only a legal, but highly political, correspondence to another fucking kingdom! And you used Spike to send it when he should be healing!"

Rarity, unmoved, didn't yield an inch in defiance as she sat with her forelegs crossed in her chair.

"Twilight, dear. You know as well as I do that Justin is not safe in the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Guard is laughably small, trained less than the Solar Guard, which was probably by Harmony's doing, and has what other support? Rainbow Dash by herself? Oh, wait, one wonderbolt who can't fight on her own, another with two broken legs, and one of your newly appointed guards who nearly bled to death after failing to defeat a single echo. All of them gathered under a Princess who could barely hold her own and had to be carried out of the cave as well. For crying out loud, not even your brother is there. Justin is vulnerable and unprotected."

The defenses surrounding Cerb were painted all pitifully tragic by Rarity. Yet, there were no lies in her claims. All of which Fluttershy would build up upon.

"Even if Cadance can help Justin get through the nights, for now, she's only one mare. The others can't help him with his night terrors. With all his injuries, Justin should also be sleeping during the day. He would need both Rarity and me at his side for that. The same goes for his bathing needs."

What should have been some breach of trust that would launch the others into a fit, Fluttershy proceeded to seamlessly speak calmly and professionally.

"We were able to bathe with Justin before becoming intimate. But even after the fact, he would have a much greater level of comfort with us being able to ensure he's kept properly clean. And as you remember, staying clean is vitally important to avoid infections and illness, just like it was for Applejack. But beyond that, I’m far more suited to deal with his nutritional needs now that we have access to a reserve of owlbear. For everything else, we would have Becky, Nurse Redheart, and all of us, plus his family is here to support him. So there is no reason we should risk having Justin stay in the Crystal Empire any longer than what a friendly request to have him returned would require.”

While Rarity brought the passion, and Fluttershy laid the logic down thick, one simple solution seemed to evade all but the simplest of minds, and Pinkie wasn’t about to let that go unchallenged.

“If it’s such a good idea to bring Cerb back, why don’t you both go over and ask him to come back with you?”

Fluttershy’s calm persona stayed relatively unchanged, minus the slightly frighteningly psychotic twitching in her right eye and otherwise stone-like smiling face.

"Why... Not?" Fluttershy asked, sounding like she was about to utterly lose her shit if even the slightest agitation were to be added to the mix.

Twilight lit her horn and slid the papers provided earlier back to Rarity, and offered the room an explanation.

"Because they can't. Rarity's brilliant idea of sending a correspondence was actually a demand letter to Cadance to release Justin back to her and Fluttershy in twenty-four hours. At her doorstep, no less. Instead, despite Cadence still recovering, she managed to send a reply message to Celestia and another to me. Celestia had my letter courier delivered to me so Spike wouldn't be bothered. Celestia did let me know that Cadance apologized for her abrupt departure before the dinner with Justin, stated that they all arrived without any issues, alluded to some weather issues that Rainbow Dash would be looking into, and informed Celestia that upon receiving that demand letter that two of Equestria's citizens would be temporarily barred access from entering the sovereign land of the Crystal Empire."

With Rarity's anger renewed, she stewed even deeper in her seat with a sharper scowl.

"The nerve. Cadance issued some frivolous Royal Travel Ban for threats against the crown. We were stopped in Canterlot and had our tickets refunded. The ticket pony said that he had no choice but to enforce the order. We even stopped to ask Celestia, but we ran into Lyra instead. She told us that not even Celestia could overrule another kingdom's decree, even if she wanted to, despite the fact Fluttershy had committed no fault in this."

As angry as Rarity was at Cadance, she was largely angry at herself for creating the blunder in the first place.

"Fluttershy should be free to march in and make her claim... Had I only written my name on the letter, we likely could have avoided this."

Already way ahead of the blame train, Twilight huffed and groaned.

“That’s what status of forces agreements are for, and I'm more pissed off that you didn't run any off this by me. Even if she considered you both friends before all this, and that she's part of my family, as well as a fellow princess, it was never going to work just demanding that she give him back... If anything, we're lucky neither of you made it there. You have no idea how much trouble that would have caused.”

With that point out in the open, that left room for the others to voice their input. Starting off with Applejack after a sip of her tequila.

"Welp, I certainly do feel for ya two. I know ya both helped me out a lot before shit really hit the fan, and we've been through thick and thin long before. But… I can say the same for Cerb now, too… And he made the choice to walk away after you both did the same to him. It’s up to him to come back now. Not you."

Before emotions could run into overdrive, Starlight leaned in with a voice that almost came as an alarm.

"But it's not so simple to point the blame."

The room stopped to give her their attention, allowing Starlight to lean back and collect herself.

"Cerb was hurt, and there wasn't an easy solution to his situation if it meant keeping yourself involved. Granted, things were different with Chris and me, but I ended up pushing him away when I should have tried holding him closer. But even then, I had to earn Chris's trust again before I could fix things between us. You girls will have to do the same."

There were some similarities between the two sets of relationships, but also some harsh extremes. Regardless, the two romantic mares could appreciate the wisdom of Starlight’s experiences and her compassion for their situation.

Then, of course, there was Pinkie, who wasn’t going to reflect so gently on their mistakes.

“You two really fucked up.”

“PINKIE!” Starlight shouted in shock.

Equally as offended as Starlight was shocked, Pinkie stood up from her seat and pointed at Starlight with a domineering hoof.

“No! You weren't there with us before everypony started calling dibs on their special somehumans.”

Not letting her anger falter, only redirecting it towards its true targets, Pinkie dropped her gaze to Fluttershy and Rarity.

“Every human was so precious to every pony who started falling in love and craving cock! But what happened when Pinkie wanted to get a taste? What was the answer when Pinkie wanted to feel it too? Was Pinkie invited to play along with anypony to get her pink pussy smashed, dashed, bashed, splashed, or even fucking looked at? NO!”

Ripe with justified anger, Pinkie again pointed her hoof at Rarity, who was actually having trouble facing these arguments.

“You two jealously guarded Justin! You were mean to ponies who got too close to him! You were mean to me! And Thunder Glide! And Ember! And lots more who just wanted to be nice to him! But do you remember what you both told me when I wanted to run off and have Benny rut me in the bowling alley?”

Fluttershy remembered that afternoon vividly well. The build-up, the porno they watched, and how poorly they treated Pinkie that day. None of which made her feel any better about her current situation.

“We-”

“Me neither,” Pinkie abruptly shouted. “But it was really nice… Something about putting those I care about before my vagina. But… not directly in front of my vagina, which was what I wanted to do with Benny. More like, emotions, and being nice or-”

Wherever this conversation had to go, this wasn’t it, and Twilight had to real her belligerent friends back into some form of civility.

“Will all of you shut the fuck up!”

Confused, angry, and whirling with a mix of so many other issues still left unaddressed, Twilight brought her forehooves to her temples and dropped her head to the table. It was there, through some muffled speech she issued her true cause for this portion of the meeting.

“I’ve given this a lot of thought, which is why I asked you all to come here tonight. You’ve all basically made the same points I’ve come up with on my own. Not just the letter of the law or Rarity sending that stupid fucking letter behind my back…"

There was more than the simple frustration of the letter that was bringing Twilight down. The inner conflicts couldn't be held back at this point.

"Rarity… Fluttershy… You’re both my friends… I care about both of you, and I want you both to be happy, just like I want the same for Justin. Even more so after everything he’s done for everypony he’s helped and saved so many times over… But I can’t overlook the fact that you both abandoned your duties as his guardians.”

Even if they had claimed to have learned their lessons, on top of the other hardships that had befallen them, neither of the two could bare to look at Twilight sulking with her face on the table.

“But still,” Twilight continued, finally raising her head enough to rest on her now crossed forelegs laying on the table. “Fluttershy is right about Cerb’s well-being while with Cadance. Her guard is small and not well-armed, either. They rely too much on outside support from the likes of us or the Solar Guard. Her medical staff will have no clue how to treat Cerb if he has any health problems while he’s with her. Even Nurse Redheart and Doctor Horse still have trouble without Becky looking over their shoulder most of the time.”

Finally, coming up to some of the more sensitive issues, Twilight sat up to address Fluttershy and Rarity directly.

“As for Cerb’s hygiene, I know Rainbow Dash has been trusted to oversee his health assessments before, and I imagine Thunder Glide would be trusted to help as well. Especially since she risked punishment by disobeying my orders to stay in her hospital room to heal.”

Despite sitting up to address Fluttershy and Rarity, Twilight was still staring at them, while they were staring at their hooves. It was understandable, but it left Twilight shaking her head in disappointment.

“We know Rainbow Dash, at one point, wanted to pursue a relationship with Justin. It’s just as likely that Thunder Glide, with all her admiration for him after seeing what he was capable of in the Everfree and how he treated her, she’s likely feeling the same… What I’m saying is, I don’t want this to turn any uglier than it already is.”

Fluttershy couldn’t bring herself to so much as blink in Twilight’s direction, but Twilight did catch Rarity turning an eye up to her finally. That was promising enough to allow her to continue with confidence.

“Rainbow Dash fought Starlight once just to let Becky talk to Chris, and Thunder Glide didn’t back down when you threatened to skin her alive after requesting to spar with Justin… We know Rainbow Dash already attacked Rarity once, and she won’t hold back anymore after fighting Sword and the echoes, and Thunder Glide may not have been able to do much against the owlbear or other echos, but she held her own the whole way through. Now though? Just like Spike, she has Justin’s blood to empower her. Once she’s done healing… she could be as strong as any of us.”

That got the entire room's undivided attention, and Twilight had to make her position perfectly clear.

“Legally, right now, only Justin can decide if he stays or goes… Though, technically… our humans fall into two categories. They are honorary guests, as well as they are wards under the protection and responsibility of their guardian or guardians."

Instantly, Applejack's eyes went wide, and her jaw nearly dropped.

"Woah! Hold on a minute!"

Twilight knew that since Applejack had grown up raised by her grandmother, she knew what was about to be implied. As a percussion, she raised her hooves up defensively.

"Yes. I know. It's sneaky, dirty, and an under-hoofed trick. And honestly, there may be a lot more problems created by trying to go that route than any solutions created."

On the other side of the table, Fluttershy was completely lost.

"What problems? What solutions? How can we get Justin back as his guardians?"

Applejack shot Twilight a dirty look that was about as sour as day-old milk left out in the sun.

"She means treat'n Cerb like a lost foal and you his state-appointed guardians. The courts would battle it out to determine what's best for 'em at that point."

Twilight groaned, levitating over a bottle of bourbon, her voice coming off in a mix of anger and disgust.

"Or, Justin would renounce his honorary citizenship status and dissolve the guardianship altogether. Possibly break ties and damage relations with the rest of us in the process. Oh. Also, the courts may decide that only humans can only be honorary citizens or wards and not both. Then we have a political battle of our own where they lose political protection and rights as they lose their status as diplomats. That and..." Twilight's voice wilted along with her posture as she reflected on her final thoughts. "-there are other issues that could arise from the legality of our guardian status if it were pushed to the courts."

The tension in the room grew thick as Twilight poured a tall glass. She capped the bottle and carefully hesitated to a drop of water to add to the bourbon before she spoke again.

"Our world is changing without Harmony pulling her strings. Our normal problems are no longer bickering friends, and petty rivalries of not getting enough attention, not being noticed fast enough, or feeling left out… The choices we make here won't just affect us in small ways shortly and the rest of the world gradually. They can have massive impacts that might bring about irreversible damage far beyond Equestria itself."

Twilight reached out with both hooves and brought her drink to her lips. She took a slow sip, silent, gentle, then carefully set the glass down with a controlled exhale.

"Justin's physical and emotional health are potentially both in danger while in the Crystal Empire. His protection is in question. His sleeping conditions and dream state are subject to review. All of these combined put not just his life in danger. It puts all of those around him and potentially the rest of the world in danger if it's discovered what a human body can do to empower another creature or the weapons they bleed on."

Applejack nodded, though she still looked angry as she harshly eyed Rarity.

"But ya can't be making decisions just fer yerself. If 'ole Cerb don't want to be near these parts because 'uh what y'all did 'tuh him… He'll be just as vulnerable and miserable here as y'all think he already is over there."

Starlight wilted slightly in her new seat at the table and groaned.

"He said he needs time to heal. Maybe that's all he really needs, and we should send him our support instead of our demands. Then, once he's better, maybe then he'll know that you've changed and come back."

Pinkie sat a little cross and munched a Moonshine cherry.

"Justin might have been scared of me at times, and that's fine. I can be a bit much when I'm excited, and I even scare ponies when I get excited. But Justin noticed when I was sad and still tried to help. I was too busy trying to help BenBen, and had to stay away from him because of you always getting so angry at me… And we owe Justin better than what he got after he fought so many echoes for us. He can do whatever he wants."

Twilight sighed and pulled her glass of bourbon closer for another drink.

"We will have the night to think it over. Tomorrow, I'm going to see the remaining Stranded Seven in Ponyville to ask them how they feel about it. Then, the decision will be made as a vote between Celestia, Luna, Shining, and me. I wanted your input before I decide on how I’ll vote."

She looked around the table; her face was tired and heavy with stress.

"The well-being of the humans is my sole responsibility. Celestia knows she can't take that away from me, but this is now an international issue as well. I can't act alone with everything in play."

The room was quiet again, and it seemed as though the severity of Cerb's choice to leave and the conflict of their desire to have him return was becoming fully realized. That left Rarity to offer one final peace offering.

"I will give it some serious thought. But also, just to be clear and avoid any misgivings of malice or neglect towards Spike, I asked him when he would be well enough to send the letter. He said he couldn't leave a lady in distress. It was not my intent to force him to hurt himself."

As she thought back to Spike's small sacrifice, her eyes began to well up.

"Spike admires both Justin and Peter. Now both are gone while he's wishing he could heal like Ember or be there to protect either one of them… I couldn't have stopped Spike from helping me if I had to… Our men have taught him better than to leave a lady in distress and shown him time and time and again that the sacrifice is worth it. So, do be kind to the poor lad."

[Over in the Canterlot Castle Throne Room.]

Celestia sat upon her throne, looking over the latest letter she would soon send her sister.

“Damn it all, Rarity. Had you not the legal president to even speak on Justin’s behalf, I’d have placed you under house arrest. Making such a demand of Cadance after all the stunts you pulled.”

Knowing what finer details had been worked out with Benny in the status of forces agreement’s amendments with Twilight, Celestia pend in more notes as she sipped from her glass of white wine. It was doing wonders to calm her nerves and quench the flames she was kept under control for the moment, but there wasn’t much more to hold them all back.

“I can’t believe I’m going to have to be this direct with Luna after everything. Even if we are on better terms, I’d be a fool to believe I can just shift the blame on Harmony for all I’ve done. Even still…”

She levitated up the paper and reviewed her writing as she drew another sip. Her words were simple and direct but not lacking empathy. They did well to explain the situation but also didn't drown the paper with details.

“Flash? Not to put you on the spot, but do you know why I am so incredibly vexed over Rarity sending a letter demanding the return of her ward, Justin, back to her, at her own castle, at a time of Rarity's choosing?”

The throne room was empty, so Flash Sentry had no concern about answering candidly if his princess was asking.

“Because everypony is still recovering. Emotions are still running high with all the losses we suffered, and even after all the mistakes both she and Fluttershy made, she’s ignoring them and trying to correct them by exercising power she doesn’t actually possess… She may be Cerb’s guardian, but once outside of Equestria, it becomes a matter for a princess or the courts to arrange his return.”

Celestia nodded slightly but didn’t smile as if she was pleased with his answer. Her expression was rather flat and bore notes of contemplation before she downed the rest of the wine and took a deep breath.

“I like the way you think. You’ve taken a lot of perspectives into consideration and the processes that should have been followed that Rarity clearly failed to address. And for those simple reasons, you are correct, but I am beyond disappointed in her that she couldn’t keep herself in control long enough to work with Twilight to start a civil dialog. At least start to work things out to reconnect with Justin... as if she could rely on her guardian status. We could have worked something out on her behalf over time if needed.”

As Celestia levitated up her bottle and began to pour herself another small glass, she huffed again, letting off a small wave of heat that put Flash on high alert that he may have missed something.

“But no,” Celestia finally answered, ending her pour. “Justin left those two behind for a reason. Cadance made sure not even Rarity would follow along with them but took two of my Wonderbolts, one of Twilight’s guards, and Rainbow Dash along with her while stealing away Justin like a thief in the night.”

She turned to Flash with a look of a mad-mare who had seen into the abyss long enough to learn how to no longer blink.

“But before that, she helped Justin save Benny’s newly adopted daughter, remotivate all his friends, and if you didn’t notice, win the allegiance of all the most powerful allied kingdoms surrounding Equestria. Even I was cheering along!”

Leaning farther down off the thrown, her pupils narrowed and flashed with auburn embers above her twisted smirk.

"And all those cheers came from a letter read by Dragon Lord Ember because neither Justin nor Cadance were in attendance."

Still, without blinking, Celestia’s horn began to glow, wrapping the scroll in her aura, rolling it closed, binding it with her seal, and finally teleporting it away. Only then, with her hopes of fighting off the pending tide through the aid of her sister, did she let her eyes rest and give up the ghost, and relaxed back against her throne.

“I do not ask you these things to mock you nor explain them as an insult. These are dangers I hope to train you to understand better in the future. What we are witnessing Rarity doing, and likely without even realizing it, can very easily lead up to distress between nations and even wars. Because you are right. Emotions are running high. And if the laws force my hoof to act against Justin’s wishes…”

Now Flash was getting it.

“The Deer Kin, Hypogryphs, Dragons, Yaks, Abyssinians, The Crystal Empire… perhaps even the griffins if Gilda or Gal-”

“We’re surrounded,” Celestia coldly answered. “And you’re forgetting the remaining humans who are still among us.”

Having explained herself, and knowing that Flash understood, Celestia raised her glass and calmly sipped her wine.

“Mmm… But, thankfully, we have all made amends. The fair lady Kelly has been most welcoming to us and the Solar Guard after correcting Spearheads’s misunderstanding. Miss Landon has only once run afoul with us, or actually, it was I who ran the transgression against her, but we easily corrected ourselves and have maintained a positive, albeit professional-friendship, with her. The Chris fellow has always been accepting, and Lumberman has held no grudges. Benny even has shown great respect now that he has taken on more responsibilities for his delegation.”

She sipped again, tasting her wine with a much sweeter flavor, bringing a wide smile to her lips.

“And, of course, mister James has taken up residency with us to remain protected and heal. He, among all of them, has always shown great favor toward me. Of which, I must remind you. Peter’s safety is to take top priority. Even above my own, as I’m sure you need no reminder as to what I am capable of.”

Flash gulped, too afraid to move while a thin bead of perspiration built up at the thought of the fiery beast that still dwell under the unassuming exterior of his princess.

“Yes. Of course, princess. I have not forgotten. It need not be repeated. A new dawn is rising upon the Solar Guard. We will be ready for the next threat that comes when it is time for us to answer the call.”

Content for the evening’s events and Flash's resolve, Celestia moved her glass to the side and returned more papers to review in front of her.

“Glad to hear it, but if there is nothing else, you may retire for the night. I will see myself to bed shortly. Tomorrow will start early for me, as I have a meeting with Benny and Chris. I expect them to receive a warm and cordial welcome when they arrive by train. Oh, and be sure that only the most competent staff and guards are present to cater for our guests. Twilight will be with them. I want her to leave with no doubt that Peter is receiving the best care possible while with us... I require her attention elsewhere after tomorrow, not focused on us or flaunting the authority over Peter and the others."

Flash bowed as he backed away to take his leave for the night.

"Yes, Princess. I'll inform you if any alterations to the plan are required."

Author's Note

So, I wasn't able to get any art done for this chapter either. Just never had the time or energy/motivation after dealing with all my health issues. I did, however, end up doing all of my own editing this time, mainly because I forgot to get ahold of my editor and kept making changes during my readthroughs.

Regardless, the shower scene did drag on a bit with Cerb and Thunder, but I kind of had to for the purpose of showing there are reasons for Cadance to worry. Cerb still does need a lot of help and not everything is probably meshing as it should be. Not to say it's terrible for him, but the little things do add up.

Mainly, it was to show were the real tension was coming from. Right now, political tensions are already forming between different royal factions. Twilight's crown, Celestia's, and Cadance's have all started to lean and pull their influence on each other in different ways. Soon, even Luna will be pulled into the mix, along with the humans, and we haven't even begun to see how the other kingdoms might want to mix in when the time comes.

Also... why did Flash mention a plan? Doesn't Celestia always have a plan?

What could be in store for Cerb or any of our other stressed-out royals? Find out next time in the next installment of Chapter 05: CHAPTER NAME PENDING DUE TO ME BEING ILL AND NOT COMPLETING THE DAMN THING! ...my bad.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03.

05. Roles of a Guardian.

[Still Wednesday, 18 May 2016, The Equestrian 17th Day of Love.]

"Ahh-choo!"

Another sneeze befell Rainbow. Even if the heated water of her luxurious room’s bath had warmed her up to her chest, the chill at her core kept her shivering. Emotionally, however, the unfinished job left her nearly equally heated.

"Damn it. What kind of luck is this? Frozen out on my first day on the job? I didn't even get halfway done. The cold front out here is so fucking rigid."

A small icicle still sticking to the front of her mane broke off and fell into the pool, a reminder of just how cold things had really gotten.

Spitfire, tentatively listening as she sat along the outside of side of the tub, dumped another bucket of fresh warm water over Rainbow's head. It wasn't to annoy her, but a continued effort to win over some favor and avoid some nervous tension growing.

"Sorry I can't be of any real help, Newbie. Heh, spent so much time focused on flying I never learned anything beyond basic weather theory and emergency storm flight procedures. I can't manage much more than the current I'm flying in. Not unless you can help teach me before we fly out. In fact, you can call me the Newbie.”

Filing the bucket again and pouring it more gently over Rainbow’s still shivering wings, the leader of the Wonderbolts took a glance outside at the frost-covered window.

“ I can't clear any more clouds than the ones in front of me. What we’re doing is safe, right?"

Rainbow shook her mane of the excess water and shivered at the thought of going out to fly in the constant polar storm again.

"Ahh-choo!" She sniffed hard to clear her nose before addressing Spitfire. "Thanks, and some of it can be dangerous. It’s not as easy as being told what to do before we get out there. This is kind of more on-the-job training than anything else… Riding out a storm and helping another flier to feel out the turbulent winds and pressure spikes… a classroom can't teach you how to react or point out the patterns that throw off even the most experienced weather ponies. Even I trip up sometimes in some of the harsher conditions without support, and it's not easy assessing a flier's limits even when you're right there with 'em."

Hearing the humility coming from Rainbow, two words she’d never picture in the same sentence together, Spitfire thought to win extra favor with some flattery, though her tone came off sounding friendlier than normal.

"What? A super cool Element, who also happens to be a Wonderbolt, can't take the pressure? Figured you would Sonic Rainboom your way out… Can't you?"

"Puh," Rainbow scoffed with just a hint of a smile. "I’ll admit I’ve pulled some boneheaded stunts in the past but you won't see me flying off into a situation I can't fly out of on my own. And I need time and a lot of sky to build up my Rainboom… Not that I haven't learned a few tricks of my own, but still. Just like at the Wonderbolt Academy, we won't be jumping straight into the more… muh… muACHOO!... More complicated maneuvers. Especially after what happened today."

That was probably the twelfth sneeze since starting this bath, making Spitfire question the quality of Rainbow's health.

Scratch that. Her ears stood up on alert, and she tried to hide her rise of nervous discomfort.

"Uhh, Dash? You sure you're up for this tomorrow? If you’re feeling sick or-"

Disgruntled, Rainbow raised up her small bucket and poured another dose of warm water over her head, then shook the excess free before she took a few test sniffs to clear anything out.

"Blah… I just spent a bit too much time out in the cold thin air. Weather mares get like this all the time when we work in this kind of weather. Besides, I still don't have enough information to submit a full report to Cloudsdale so we can get some real help sent our way. Oh, and what did the docs say about Fleetfoot?"

Spitfire rolled her eyes and leaned in lazily on the edge of the tub as a wave of relief took hold, but dragged some darker thoughts along with it.

"Not too much. They all made a big deal about how she's healing like she’s supposed to, if not better, but Justin said that just being near him will do that." She cracked a wide grin and looked to hold back a forced laugh. "I don't need a swift kick to the head to know not to doubt that guy. Am I right?"

Rainbow gave a low chuckle as she sank deeper into the water, but it appeared her laugh was as artificial as the joke Spitfire gave. For some reason, having her lead Wonderbolt acting so chummy in such a private setting all of sudden felt off.

Whatever it was, Spitfire seemed to stay on topic and continued to press her optimism.

"She's one tough mare. She'll be back on her hooves in a few weeks and flying rings around the obstacle course, making us all look bad before you know it. But when she is back in her flight suit… try not to knock us out of the sky during the high-speed maneuvers, Newbie. She might need our help for that."

That last comment sounded a lot more genuine, and Spitfire looked back to see the earnest look of concern coming from Rainbow.

Now things were looking good between these two with the added report of blending areas of expertise. Perhaps it was time to narrow the focus to where Spitfire really wanted it and avoid the other topics stressing both of them.

"What all are we going to need to wrap up this weather conflict we're dealing with? You missed out on some quality time studying with Justin today. I feel like we're really getting to know the guy. Certainly getting a lot closer than we did back in Canterlot."

Somehow Rainbow was seeing those all-too-familiar red flags rising up again. She didn't want to have this talk a second night in a row, yet, here she was. And now she was wishing she had a bottle of something with her to make this less of a pain.

"You know—"

"Fleetfoot really needs it, too," Spitfire quickly added in, noticing too late that she interrupted Rainbow. "Huh? Oh, sorry. I wanted to say that the meds the docs and Becky gave Flatfoot and Tincan don't cut it. Even Justin hurts a lot more than he’ll tell us."

Suddenly changing her tone and lowering her voice, Spitfire didn't sound so upbeat or positive. She turned her back to the cold porcelain of the bathtub and sat on the floor to continue her thoughts aloud.

"Fleetfoot did more than just break her legs… Her hips, fetlocks, knees… They’re all… I mean; I know she’s gonna be fine eventually. But right now, she drinks until she sleeps, and she drinks when she wakes up. It's only when she's around Justin she says those pills are enough, and I know it's the same for Thunder.”

For a brief moment, Rainbow thought that Spitfire had finished, but again she continued with her worrisome observations.

“Justin, though… There were times I swore when I was holding him up… We'd make a joke, and he would laugh, and everything I could feel of him felt better than the freedom of the clear open skies as you lie in the warm sunshine on the perfect cloud, Dash."

Spitfire took in a deep breath and sighed, sounding saddened by her own thoughts as she raised her hoof to examine it.

"When he's sad or scared… even if only for a moment, some of his pain kinda… You just feel it… Not physically. It’s like the chill you get running up your spine when somepony is watching you, only with him, it's worse. It’s like… when Tirek drained you of your magic. That empty feeling like you’ve lost something that leaves you feeling like you’re no longer whole…"

She dropped her hoof down to her side and let the back of her head rock against the tub behind her.

"My coat isn't even the same color as Fluttershy's. Poor guy… Probably can't get those two out of his head even after traveling all the way out here."

That speel threw Rainbow off from where she thought Spitfire was heading originally. Forcing optimism in the midst of everyone else pretending to be okay around her. Even if she was a tTop Wonderbolt, she was one of the few able-bodied ponies left standing, but still far behind the curve in terms of knowing what was really going on, let alone what all happened prior.

"Yeah," Rainbow groaned in a low breath. "Human emotions can do some crazy things to a pony.”

The side conversation had gone farther than Spitfire had intended. It wasn’t like her to open up so much, but these trying times were tough, and there was so much still over her head that she was still trying to catch up while avoiding her own issues suddenly thrust upon her.

“Hey, sorry about blabbing about all of this to ya, Newbie. But, come on. You’re a Wonderbolt now. We look out for each other. Not like your other friends that you—”

Spitfire wanted to say more; find more of a conversation to carry on with, but the vibe from Rainbow was all wrong. She knew she had said something off-putting. It certainly could have been the fact that she nearly name-dropped Rarity by mistake, but was probably something about Cerb since that’s when the distance between them really started to grow again. She, unfortunately, didn’t know what it was or which was worse.

In a split-second decision, she decided to cut her losses over whatever she hoped for the exchange to be and stood up and started off for the door. She’d find another way to make amends for whatever slip-up she made.

“Forget about what I said, Dash. Cerb will be fine. Everything’s gonna work out in the end. Always has, always will.” Deciding she needed some air, Spitfire sat up and stepped away from the tub. “You keep warming up in the tub, and I’ll see if the kitchen has some honey, lemons, and elderberries. I may not know much outside of my job, but I was taught how to make a great home remedy for the Snow Shivers.”

Something about that caught Rainbow’s interest. Turning an ear at first and then her head toward Spitfire just about to leave, she had to know, if even out of the sake of curiosity itself. So, still shivering in the tub, forced out the words to keep Spitfire in the room.

“Wait a sec… Not just any pony calls it the Snow Shivers.”

Hearing the question, Spitfire stopped short of opening the door. Again, she had said the wrong thing. Only this time, it was for a different reason.

For Rainbow, she already stopped Spitfire from walking out, so there was no point in not asking the question now.

“Spits… Were either of your parents on a weather team? I remember meeting Stormy Flare, I mean, your mom, but I never had the chance to ask about your—”

“Yeah, Dash,” Spitfire answered abruptly in a sad, hushed tone, her hoof frozen on the latch to the door. “She taught me how to make it a long time ago. She would get really sick and not be able to take care of herself. That’s why when Wind Rider left that letter to try and frame you, I left so fast.”

That certainly explained why Spitfire flew off during that scandal the year prior, but there was bound to be a follow-up question she didn’t want Rainbow to have the opportunity to ask.

“The trick is to boil the lemon seeds in the tea water. Everypony throws them out, but that’s what makes it work. You’ll see. Mother knows best, right? And don’t just dump the bucket over your head. Let your neck soak in the water. You’ll warm up a lot faster that way.”

Not wanting to argue or make things more awkward, Rainbow started to sink lower into the tub, unsure of why the sudden cold shoulder from Spitfire came about. Sure, she wasn’t the most pleasant company towards her new mentor into the Wonderbolts, but any weather mare info, even in passing, would have been worth going over.

“Oh?” Rainbow suddenly mewed as the warm water rose up to her throat, and her shivers slowed down. “Well… at least she got that right… Why the fuck didn’t anypony tell me this before?”

[Back in Cadance’s shower.]

Cerb thought Cadance’s concern was laughably Ludacris to the point he huffed and nearly laughed at her suggesting Twilight could order anything of him. Then, when he realized Cadance was serious, his entire demeanor changed.

"Demand to have me returned? How? Why? I'm free to go anywhere in Equestria I want with whoever I want. Luna said so. Twilight can't tell me what to do."

Cadance barely moved or even batted an eye. The reality of the situation wasn’t going to change no matter how Cerb felt or reacted or how she explained it.

“You are mostly correct. Twilight cannot simply make such an order of you while you are with me, nor do I imagine she would ever be so misguided to attempt such a decree. You are not one of her subjects, even if being granted an Honorary Guest grants you all the same rights as one. Even as an ambassador, you are awarded many privileges and protections… though you may have superseded some of them when you accepted Fluttershy and Rarity as your… guardians.”

Listening to Cadance’s response, Cerb’s reaction varied between bewildered and angered.

“But… I didn’t agree to any… I mean—” He turned his head away, now angrier but unsure of where to direct his dizzying frustration. Frankly, the fact this insane situation he’d found himself in had any kind of logical progression to it was impressive enough. “We thought we were getting some extra protection. Not ownership. We’re not like… We’re not slaves or something, are we.”

Slowly, Cadance nodded and used her aura to turn off the shower for the last time. Their shared bathing time was a short-lived relief from the day, but ran its course without much benefit.

So, even if this was difficult to deal with, she needed to address it honestly.

“I see. So, clearly, the guardian and ward relationship wasn’t explained to you. And it can get confusing since there are two categories. But, no. You’re not slaves. No pony owns you and I hope you can believe no pony in Equestria would ever engage in such a barbaric practice.”

She moved her wing to draw open the curtain and levitated in a pair of towels. The first she draped over Cerb’s shoulders, the second over her own. She let Cerb dry off most of himself first, taking his sensitivities into consideration, and continued to explain further as she started to dry herself.

“Normally, if a pony or any other creature were with Celestia, he or she would be designated as a ward and have a Royal Guard, or guards, assigned to protect them. In those cases, the guard would become their guardian and responsible for their overall safety and advising council when needed… Basically, they would be a bodyguard that gave good advice, but couldn’t stop them from making poor life choices.”

“So, more like a best friend than a parent in a sense?”

“Not exactly the metaphor I’d use, but that’s the idea.”

Cadance’s towel was nearly instantly drenched, so she took a pause to swap out for another and changed over to the second scenario.

“In your case, as well as the others, what Twilight did is what is normally done for orphaned foals or the infirm. In those cases, Celestia, or another of appointed royal authority, would designate a guardian over a ward to provide protection and hold certain legal powers over those who weren’t able to take care of themselves.”

That sounded rather vague, leaving Cerb to stop drying his chest to ask the question, “What kind of legal powers?”

Again, Cadance traded out for another towel, laggardly running the expensive cloth over her barrel as she mentally drew up a list of what seemed most prevalent to share.

“If a ward is not properly feeding themselves, the guardian can order a change of diet or request an order for food deliveries, though obviously can’t force their ward to eat what’s put in front of them. Medical care if they’re sick or injured… A change of housing if they deem their current living situation unsafe or insufficient to others they themselves or the crown could provide.”

Again, Cerb didn’t know if he should be angry, as he still couldn’t understand how Cadance claimed those rules both did and yet didn’t apply to him.

“So… can they or can’t they make these orders on my behalf?”

By this point, Cadance was mostly dry, but since Cerb had stopped drying himself, she took his towel in her aura and began to pick up where he left off. Perhaps it was calming to him, she thought to herself, as he appeared willing to assist her, lifting his arms, allowing her to pad him dry while she tried to explain the complexities they found themselves in.

“Celestia and I often stay in contact over important matters that affect our kingdoms. I did not receive much regarding you and your friends upon arriving. It wasn’t until shortly before the delegation that we finally had a chance to speak about your time here… It wasn’t a pleasant exchange, but it was mentioned that a Status of Forces Agreement was signed between your embassy and the Equestrian Kingdom.”

Cerb lowered his arms and found a cold stare showing how much having to address this conflict was upsetting her. Just as cold, Cadance’s tone bore no favor to speak the truth.

“Officially, the Crystal Empire has no agreements with your embassy. We do, however, have such agreements with Celestia and the Equestrian Kingdom. That includes those of her adjacent crowns, Luna and Twilight. If any of them make an official request to have one of their subjects returned on behalf of their guardian's legitimate concerns, I am legally bound to oblige their request.”

There was a moment Cerb was about to breathe deep and hope the proper words would come to him so he could rage on her behalf. Instead, he was hit with a perplexing question he instantly shared.

“Wait… I’m only an Honorary Guest. Doesn’t that exclude me?”

All the disdain Cadance held slowly gave way to sorrow as she tried to find the best explanation for yet another quagmire.

“Had you been a pony and a subject of Celestia or the others while still in Equestria, it wouldn’t even be a question. However, as an Honorary Guest staying in my kingdom under my protection, I still have advocacy rights of my own. Such rights will be easier to enact, given how your guardians abandoned their responsibilities.”

What Cadance now had on her mind had her lower her gaze. It was a lot to ask, if not even suggest.

“Justin… So long as you maintain your Honorary Guest status, there may come a point where a majority vote of each crown could overrule my advocacy to let you heal and recover here, where I can continue to assist you… As a final option, you could choose to renounce your Honorary Guest status, and I could grant you full citizenship under the Crystal Empire.”

Cerb said nothing at the moment. Not only had what she stated come off as a double edge sword, but even she knew he could tell there was a catch. If he knew there would be consequences, she wasted no further time withholding the crucial details.

“Renouncing your Honorary Guest status, as is your right, would absolve the guardianship along with it, as such rights cannot be bestowed upon non-citizens of Equestria, nor to those not within its borders. Granting you my citizenship would return you all of the same visitation rights and privileges our kingdoms share… But to do so would likely permanently damage some relationships and require you to adhere to the same laws as all other citizens."

Finally, having said enough, Cadance released her hold on the towel, dropping it over Cerb's lap and looking away in shame.

"There have been plenty of arguments over your standings and purpose, if not your intentions. And while some, at one point or another, may have feared you or your friends, there is no doubt that your allegiances and favor have all been extensively sought-after after discovering what it is you are capable of."

It didn't take a political genius to see the real potential fallout of Cerb taking the easy path out of this drama. Part of the problem may have been his fault as well.

"Ember read my letter to all the major leaders at the dinner I was supposed to be at. They know I'm not well, and I don't know how much else they might know about the issues my other friends have, outside of Chris and Becky."

Cadence started to look up again, but it wasn't easy for her to watch Cerb come to terms with where he was now sitting. He was in the middle of an international hornet's nest, waiting to be kicked, and she couldn't even get him dried off and ready for dinner without causing him grief. Yet, here she was, having to explain in further detail the political dangers they were facing.

"There are many kingdoms to choose from with many favorable options to offer. If they believe that Equestria is not providing the most adequate conditions to the seven most powerful and capable, loving and desirable creatures, who saved our world and free will… Such offers may not remain so civil and open for review of ethical standards if presented to an unwilling human."

That was putting it lightly. Cerb could see it for what it really was if his memory of the other races proved true for any number of the kingdoms he had yet to come to know formally. That, or if any of the existing relationships began to degrade, he could imagine how some egos could influence their diplomacy.

Needless to say it was a potential powder keg that could go off if he wasn’t careful about his decisions.

"If I break up the Stranded Seven by changing my citizenship to save myself, it could start an arms race between the other nations, and every human is a weapon they’d be after. Each nation could bribe or coerce any of my friends into joining them… or even start a war if their pride or other emotions got mixed up in it if they were turned down… Fuck. Cadance… This is—"

“There is no need to worry,” Cadance hastily spoke up, only to pull back. “For now, at least, and I apologize, but I should have told you earlier. Rarity used Spike to send a demand letter that I return you to her and Fluttershy tomorrow. The letter stated that she would be taking you back and that nothing would stop them.”

She looked up to Cerb, sad to still be going over this, a little afraid of how he would react. However, a small crack of a smile still showed through on her muzzle as she was perhaps somewhat proud of herself.

“I won’t deny that I am still rather cross with Rarity, in particular, but legally speaking, such verbiage towards a princess is to be taken as a threat. So… I sort of… banned them entry… to my Kingdom… for a while.”

Seconds went by, neither being able to say a word, and the embarrassed smile Cadance tried not to share shrunk away on its own. It was wrong of her to take pride in going against anyone Cerb still may have lingering feelings for, and her shame would have stayed had Cerb not have started audibly stumbling over his own muted laughter.

“Wha the fuck?” He huffed out in an exasperated whine of amusement. “Do I not get a say in this at any point? I mean? …can’t I just tell Twilight or Celestia I don’t want a guardian anymore?”

Cerb’s laughs were not by any stretch of the imagination genuine. He was angry, and the vibe he was giving off wasn’t masked at all by the humor he tried to force in front of it.

Sadly, there was very little Cadance could do to comfort his worries.

“If you wish to remain here, banning Rarity and Fluttershy will help to buy us time. However, so long as you continue to need the help our friends and allies know you have come here to receive, Rarity will continue to hold precedence to make her claims. And I would hope that Twilight would not consider enforcing Rarity’s demands, but if she is as stubborn as you are, it’s likely to happen. If she does, I can play upon Twilight’s goodwill and continue to deny any claims of your care not being properly attended to as I did in my last reply that I sent to Celestia, along with the banning.”

Unimpressed, Cerb huffed while returning to the task of drying the top of his legs.

“You’re right, Rarity isn’t a pony to take no for an answer. She’s very good at getting what she wants. So what good is your banning going to do if Twilight sends Rarity when she can’t get her way?”

Again, Cadance couldn’t help but smirk a little.

“Well… What good is Rarity’s word against mine if she isn’t allowed anywhere near you to verify her claims?”

That was clever, if not dastardly. Cerb would have laughed or smiled had the situation not been so serious and the stakes so high. Honestly, he was more grateful than anything send though part of him was still hurt by the fact that Rarity wasn’t letting this go. That, or maybe it was more painful that part of him wanted to hold on.

“Candy… I know I’m still all messed up inside, but I’m not ready to go back. And honestly, if they keep pulling this kinda shit, I might not want to.”

Cadance raised her right hoof to Cerb’s hand, working the towel over his lap, and did her best to meet his gaze with an honest smile.

“I’ll continue to help you as you have continued to help me. And I promise that I will do everything in my power to ensure that once you are well enough, no pony will have a need to claim guardianship over you. For now, though, we need to get you dried off and ready for dinner. We're having owlbear served in a traditional Crystal Pony herb and vegetable stew. I’m sure we’ll both enjoy it. Let me bring you another towel."

Cadance lit Cerb’s towel in her aura, but Cerb held tightly to it over his lap.

“Wait,” he quickly requested, wanting to stay covered. “Um… I’ll keep this towel around me until I’m done drying all the way… No need to risk catching a cold or something. That, and I still need to wait for Thunder to get back and change out the bandages on my back, anyway. I need to keep it covered with something until then.”

That seemed reasonable enough to Cadance, and she gave it no further thought as she levitated over another towel.

“Good idea. The air is a bit cooler than normal with the cold weather that’s moved in over us, anyway. I’ll be sure to have my staff fetch us extra blankets tonight.”

Actually, there was at least one curious thought she now had if Cerb showed this much concern over being covered to stay warm.

“Does having your penis extend outside of your body make you more susceptible to the cold?”

She gave a quick glance down at his groin, still covered with his towel, though much more visible than normal, much to Cerb’s embarrassment.

“The copy of your medical papers made special notes of your genitals, something my medical staff made mention of. Shining’s never stayed like that, so is that common for all of your kind? And I apologize if I come off as rude asking, but normally if you’ve seen one body-”

“You’ve seen them all.” Cerb recanted, having heard the phrase more than once. “Yeah, I’ve had this discussion before and… We can hold off on my health stuff for now. Rainbow Dash and Thunder Glide can take care of those concerns for now. They both know about those things and can patch me up after dinner. My mind needs a rest, and I'm ready to eat."

[Meanwhile, back in Twilight's Dining Hall.]

The long table had become the new hot spot for the three daily meals and the new residents. However, with Twilight still engaged in her meeting with the remaining main six and Starlight, that left Becky, Chris with Prim Posy, Lumberman, Shining, Flurry Heart, and a newly arrived motherly mare.

"Flurry," Twilight Velvet huffed in bewildered amusement. "Why won't you let grandma feed you your mashed snow peas?"

"Dolly!" Flurry demanded again, removing the glob of green from the tiny spoon in front of her and tossing it in the mare's face.

Twilight Velvet was very clearly the visual mother of Twilight. Had it not been for a color swap of a pale gray coat, a matching mane and tail with soft lavender stripes with white, along with the lack of wings, she could have been mistaken for an earlier version of Twilight as a unicorn look alike. Even her three dark violet stars for cutie marks were a reminder of the Sparkle family.

Of course, the fourth addition of baby food to her face and mane did mask some of the family resemblances.

Either way, Shining could only put his mother through so much and levitated Flurry up and over to where her royal demands decreed.

"Sorry, mom. Flurry's schedule has been hard to keep up with after everything went crazy here."

Reluctant to take on the role of feeding Flurry yet again, but incapable of saying no, Becky tilted her head back and gained a groan towards the unlit ceiling. After a short pause of what looked like her staring into the dark nothingness overhead with her arms held out in waiting, she took hold of Flurry, breaking the aura and taking on the foal's full weight and her giggles.

Eskimo kisses and giggles welcomed the gleeful foal into Becky's lap once more.

"Oooou, you little tummy terror. You gonna eat up all my peas again?"

There was a bit of awkwardness in the air hanging over the table. None would speak of it. There was more than one reason, given all the new developments and peculiar happenings within the castle. Thankfully, Velvet was gracious to turn to Lumberman as she started to clean her face while Flurry all but forced Kelly’s hand to feed her feed her. At the same time, to avoid the otherwise dead air with more pleasant conversation, one innocent observation came to mind.

"So, Mister Lumberman. I heard some ponies mention they requested a human lumberjack to fix their roof in town. Is that you, or is there another one of you who fixes houses?"

Almost embarrassed, having been caught with a fork full of meat, Lumberman lowered his utensil back to the plate and covered it with his napkin.

"Oh, um, no, that's me. LumberJack is the name of my business. Applejack wanted me to work an apple into the name of my company or logo or something like that, but I put our names together instead."

Velvet gave a warm and sincere smile as she removed the last bit of a failed feeding attempt of creamed corn from her mane.

"That is so endearing and precious. I just wish my daughter found a stallion of her own who was so dedicated to—”

"Ahem," Prim not so subtly coughed aloud, then pretended to pad her lips before bringing another fork load of owlbear for her man to bite. "Chris, perhaps we should finish dinner upstairs. You still have a lot of records to look over before meeting with Celestia tomorrow morning."

Careful to remove the stripped fork from Chris's mouth but not hiding the fact she was leaving over the company, she raised his plate in her wings and started off for the stairs.

Even still, she wasn't completely without her manners. She stopped by Lumberman's chair, raised up, and gave him a quick hug from his side as he sat.

"Sorry. Not trying to be rude. There's still so much paperwork we have to go through that Benny wasn't ready to review and, well, you know how crazy everything’s been."

Lumber and gave Starlight a few gentle pats on her back, knowing full well why she was leaving with Chris.

"I know, I know. Everypony is wanting more and more of our Brony Expert. Go on. And let Gallus know he's still welcome anytime tomorrow to come and visit if he's feeling up to it."

Clearly, some offense had been given, and Becky welcomed Prim in for a good night hug while balancing Flurry on her knee.

Tensions were high enough to warrant not inviting an argument. That, and she didn't want Prim to spill Chris's plate, now balancing in one wing over her own dinner.

“Don’t worry about Gallus. I’ll talk to him tonight when I check up on him and the other kids.”

That was one Becky hug too many, and Flurry corrected Prim’s mistake with a royal forehoof away from Becky’s feeding hand to bop Prim on the nose.

“Dolly! MmmINE!”

The royal correction was certainly noticed, but more than enough carnal exposure to Order had given Prim enough protection to leave the alicorn’s smack as little more than a normal foal’s love tap.

“Oh!” Prim playfully squeaked, the whole room silent, save for the sound of a few grape seeds hitting the table near Becky's plate.

Quickly, Becky dropped her spoon and grabbed Flurry’s hoof to pull it safely against her, trying not to laugh as she called out the obvious.

“Flurry!” She lectured, but still laughed with her response. “God… Possessive little munchkin… You okay, Prim?”

Prim stepped back to laugh off the attack and bow with her respects, playing off the attack as if it were her own foal’s childish antics. More impressively, not once spilling a single item from Chris’s plate.

“My apologies, princess.” She stood up straight and playfully bumped hips with Chris. “I’m rather protective of my dolly, too. And I’m fine, Becky. But if you could, remind Cotton to stay in her bed tonight. It’s her first night sharing a room with the other delegate children. I know they all get along, but it’s her first night she won’t be next to Chris after… her rescue… We all need to get used to our new arrangements.”

Prim finished her statement with a slight side-eye toward Velvet, though she returned her eyes forward with neither escalating the exchange further. She made her point well enough and trotted for the stairs.

“No need to risk another royal assault by getting too close. You have a good night too, Prince. Let me know if you’d like me to look after Flurry again with the other youngsters tomorrow morning. Otherwise, Derpy will be over tomorrow after she's done with work, and you know how well Dinky and Flurry get along.”

Poor Shining was doing his best not to aggravate the growing rivalry between these passive-aggressive mares and answered kindly to the offer.

"That would be great. And don't think I didn't notice how nice Cotton Cloudy was playing with Flurry Heart earlier, either. I appreciate all your help, Prim."

Chris was slow to get up, but Lumberman gave him a quick pad on the shoulder as he passed him by.

"Yo. Get some real rest, brotha. We need them knuckles back just as much as your brony knowledge. And if you need us with ya in Canterlot tomorrow morning, just say so."

Chris continued on, moving at his own pace to stop by Becky's side.

"I'm resting as much as I need to, and no; me and Benny got this for now. Oh, but Celestia may want you later for infrastructure talks at a later date."

Next up for Chris was Becky, but this interaction was going to be different with the alicorn playing mediator.

“Have a good night, Becks. And do I get any good night hugs, Flurry?”

Becky lowered her spoon full of sweet potatoes down for Flurry to reach her forelegs out with excitement.

“Keddy! Hugs!”

Still unable to use his hands, Chris leaned down and let Flurry hug around his neck and nuzzle in against his cheek.

“Keddy, soft. Giss boo-boo. Mwaa.”

After the adorable kiss on the cheek, Becky gave Chris her own soft pad on the back and let him go for the night.

“Pretty sure Keddy is a mix of Chris and Teddy. Are you sleeping alright, though? Pain isn’t too bad?”

Chris slowly continued to the stairs, Prim having long since left him far behind; he wasn’t in much of a rush anymore.

“Kinda figured, and yeah. Those pills always knock me right out. Hurt like hell the rest of the day, though. Have a goodnight. You too, Shining. And Misses Velvet, I apologize about making things so uncomfortable for you. Try not to take Prim’s anger too personally, but this is the way things are, and they’re the reason your family is still alive. Well… all of our families.”

“Very well,” Velvet replied in a solemn tone as she stood from her chair. “If I am not needed until tomorrow afternoon, and if Becky has taken over my duties, I will entertain myself for the rest of the night.”

These didn’t seem like the best turn of events, and Shining rose to try and keep his mother civil.

“Mother, please. There’s no need to leave all upset. Once you get to meet Peter, you’ll understand.”

Velvet was near the end of the table when she stopped and looked over her shoulder at Shining.

“Meet Twilight’s new colt friend? What a lovely idea. Why, all we need to do is gather up the mayor, the baker, the bartender, some gardeners, and maybe we can pick up a barista or how many other mares she wants us to add to her conga line of shared marefriends.”

That couldn’t be unsaid, and Velvet had no intention of taking it back, nor did she plan on sticking around. Instead, she trotted off in a huff.

Granted nopony, especially the humans, couldn’t say that didn’t understand her anger. After all, seeing the wife of one child seemingly run away from their motherly duties, then finding out her other child was just one of a massive harem of ponies was not something any parent wanted to hear.

“I don’t approve of your love life choices, Chris, but you're not my foal, so it’s none of my business. Twilight is another matter, and once I get my hooves on Cadance, we’ll get that love-crossed, confused mare back to the daughter of mine I remember.”

As the large double doors leading out of the castle closed shut, Twilight’s voice and face poked around the corner.

“No, mother, but by all means, go entertain yourself.”

Becky, Lumbermand, and Shining turned their attention to Twilight and the rest returning from the end of their meetings. None of them looked to have walked out on a pleasant note, but at least their moods looked to improve the further they stepped away from each other.

One of the first mares to pull away from the group was Applejack, who was quick to claim her man.

“Woody, scarf down what ya can. We’re leaving.”

Before Applejack could storm off, Starlight reached a hoof out to hold Applejack by her shoulder to stop her.

“Wait, please.”

Had it not been for Fluttershy and Rarity passing by Applejack in a hurried manner, Applejack likely wouldn’t have held her place. Instead, the three exchanged glares until Fluttershy and Rarity departed the castle as well, leaving Applejack to remain with the rest.

“Well, shit, Starlight. What’s so important now that we’re done?”

Mentally exhausted, Starlight sighed and wilted before Applejack.

“I know we didn’t end our discussion with agreeing on much of anything, but we're still all in this together. And… I still owe you so much for helping, which is why I want to help you with your ideas going forward, but we can't shut down their ideas just because of the dangers."

It was clear that Applejack was holding a lot of her anger in, but she was also clearly trying her best to bring as many pleasantries out as possible as she gave her reply.

"Don't think I feel the same way about those two. Even before all this madness, they helped me out a great deal. You sure did the same with me in private when I asked for it, but I'm not devoting my life to war, ya hear? That's their plan to win back Justin, and you know it."

Pinkie, not wanting to interrupt things, but also needing to leave, stepped alongside them, fidgeting in place slightly with a look of urgency and stitching ears.

"We'll have to fight again, and I know you'll be good for it, AJ. But I gotta run. It's been a long day, and I'm dying to release some stress."

Not even bidding the others farewell, Pinkie was off in a puff of dust and clattering of hooves. There, Starlight pleaded her case one last time.

"Look, I'm not saying to give up the farm or your family. It's never been if… another fight will come to us. The only thing that has changed is the when… And as good as you are in a fight, you're not as resistant as Lumberman, and your biggest weakness is managing multiple targets. So find some time to train a little… Be the best you can be for the next time you have to fight next to Lumberman. The rest of the time, we can do things your way."

Before an answer could be given, Twilight intervened from behind by laying a wing over Applejack's back.

"You don't have to answer right now. We all have plenty of time to think about what we discussed before we finalize any votes."

Whatever was happening, Lumberman knew it wasn't worth adding to. Dinner had been rough enough to sit through, so he could only imagine what the others had dealt with.

"Sorry 'bout your mom, Tin. I know the dinner menu didn't improve the situation, but I doubt she's gonna change her mind about this other shit. Just keeping it real. Twi… I don't recommend pushing it until Sniff can wordsmith his magic and do what he does best. But that's just my opinion. Thanks for offering dinner again, though."

Twilight didn't seem to react much to the sentiment, looking rather passive in her expression as she turned towards the table.

"You're more than welcome for dinner. It's always nice to have you visit. As for my mother, she can believe whatever she wants for now. So long as she remains civil, I don't care. She's here to help Shining, not me. But, you both have a good night. You too, Becky, Shining. I’ll be at Oven’s place tonight and back in the morning, but we still have plenty of the Lunar Guard on duty if you need anything."

Now ready to leave, Twilight made one quick turn to stop and give Flurry a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight, Flurry. Be a good girl for Becky and daddy."

Flurry gave a sleepy smile, yawned, then burped before hugging Becky's arm.

"Mmm. My dolly."

Flurry sure was cute, but Becky couldn't overlook the growing issue around her, and it wasn’t the security.

"Yeah, I know they’re around, and I think little Flurry is ready for bed, but I'm worried she might be getting a little too attached to me."

Author's Note

I don't have a whole to say about this one. Originally, this and the next chapter were going to be one big longer chapter, but I had to break it down to keep it readable and manageable. The big thing was Cadance explaining things in better detail for Cerb about the legal matters of the guardianship he fell under. That, and I wanted to finally draw him... that I'm not pleased with how that picture turned out.

I'm not back to 100%, and so this ended up getting rushed when I finally had time. Regardless, you can see the battle scars on Cerb he managed to survive, as well as some of the newer stitched-up wounds he received from Timberwolves, how messed up his arm is from where the owlbear bashed him, and even the puncture wounds on his forearms from the shrapnel Thunder mostly saved him from.

So, I had to build up a bit more of the rest of the cast there with Cerb during the day. Spitfire and Rainbow sure did have a nice little exchange. Needed a lot more time to build ole Spits up for when they finally head out together.

Of course, we have one more stop to make before we get to Rainbow and Spits, heading on their next mission. And to see where that leads, you have to tune in next time for:

Chapter 06. A Whistle and a Chance.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, & 5.

06. A Whistle and a Chance.

[Late into the evening, Wednesday, 18 May 2016, The Equestrian 17th Day of Love.]

Shining opened the door to a room lined with beds and filled with some young, friendly faces, lying on pillows collected on the floor, all directed toward a laptop in the center of the room.

It was basically one big sleepover.

"Alright, every creature. Movie time is over. Time for sleep."

Together, the groans and whines of Gallus, Silverstream, Smolder, and Cotton Cloudy grew loud enough to drown out the ramblings of a talking donkey on screen, explaining why everybody loves cake. They were almost loud enough to wake Yona, who had passed out on the floor next to them.

After curiously watching for a moment to understand the movie itself, Shining lowered the lid to the laptop, temporarily ending the film viewing for the night, despite their ongoing silent protest.

"Come on, now. You all know who is in charge here. Becky says you need your rest, and Cotton has school tomorrow. Plus, I'm sure Yona will want to enjoy the movie with you while she’s awake."

Though young creatures were known for being stubborn, as it was late, and the need for recovery was still draining on the youths, at least Smolder could speak some reason for their acceptance.

"Yeah, this seems like something Sandbar and Ocellus would want to watch with us anyway."

Together, Smolder and Gallus picked up a blanket and covered Yona. Then, they both slid into their own beds while Silverstream set Cotton into one closest to hers. It was a bed that had been left open for any of the other foals who may happen to stay when Chris's harem were visiting overnight.

That left Becky to lay Flurry in the crib, which was moved in for extra protection.

Thankfully, after a long day of activities and a full belly before being rocked in Becky's arms, Flurry was left practically catatonic.

Slowly, Becky braced her hips against the frame of the foal's bed. A slight sudden slip forward nearly had her gasp had it not been for Shining rising up behind her.

His left fetlock gripped around one of the vertical bars and pressed against Becky’s inner thigh while a portion of his chest firmly flexed against her lower back. Just as quickly, though far more gently, Shining eased his right hoof under Becky’s arm supporting Flurry’s weight, and helped to ease the foal down to her mattress.

“Easy does it, Becky. You can always ask for my help with anything you need, you know.”

"Geeze," Becky quietly huffed as she freed her sore arms, giving no attention to Shining’s abrupt close physical proximity but also not shying away from the slight graze of Shining’s hoof pulling away from under her bust. "Either Flurry is one growing girl, or I need to start lifting weights. My arms are killing me."

After shaking off some of the numbness and releasing the strain that had built up, she stepped over between Smolder and Gallus. She knelt down between their beds and whispered so as not to disturb Yona, still sleeping, but was still loud enough for Silverstream to listen in from the next bed over.

"I know this is still really weird for you both, but are you still doing okay? No trouble sleeping? Wings and cuts not hurting too much? …Sharing a room like this?"

Gallus turned onto his good side and faced Becky, raising his bandaged wing with a sleepy smile.

"Had a few bad dreams, but Luna pops in for those right away. Otherwise, the pain is fine. I can deal with it. It's not as bad as the company you stuck me with, but if Smolder can put up with me for this long, I can't complain about it that either."

Smolder chuckled and rubbed her claws over the cast on her arm.

"He means we're getting along fine. So long as we're together, we don't mind watching over the other foals to keep them safe… Besides, how many dragons can say they were strong enough to protect an alicorn princess?"

The small show of bravado was actually quite welcoming. It was pretty refreshing to see the young ones had managed to bounce back from their ordeal without much in the way of trauma. Shame the same couldn’t be said for other encounters she’d seen.

Since they weren't complaining about the pain or any other of their current arrangements, Becky turned her attention to the lone hippogriff.

"What about you, Silver?"

Silverstream brought her talons up to her necklace and tapped on the gem strung to its chain, bringing a dim blue light that swirled around her under the sheets. As the light faded, her beak and feathered facial features were replaced with a true pony's muzzle and ears matching her complexion.

"I get to learn all about the surface creatures, humans, protect a princess, and I get a third transformation. This is the best, Becky. I'd take a hundred owlbear scratches for friends like these."

Becky rolled her eyes and smiled a goofy grin as she stood up and started to walk away.

"Yeah. Let's avoid that altogether and keep the friends we got for now… Sleep tight. And if any of you need anything, just let one of the guards outside know, and they'll wake us up if they can't help you… Same for you, Cloudy."

She was about to leave but figured some, or rather one more than others, required additional incentive to follow her instructions.

“And Gallus. Lumberman and AJ said they’d love to have you come back and visit, but you need to actually stay in bed and recover for that to happen. Same for any of your friends you may want to take with you. Which means no more sneaking late-night movie showings. Okay?”

Whether he would or wouldn’t had yet to be decided, but Gallus faked a yawn and pulled the covers up further around him to at least look the part of compliant.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I’ll be a good little griffon.”

It was all Becky could do to hold back the scoff of her laugh as she stepped away toward the door.

“Y’all think you’re so slick. I was in way worse condition than most of you, and I was getting away with a lot worse. I know when you’re up to no good and how you think you’re gonna get away with it… Ain’t none of you pulling a fast one on me. I’ll make Chris take back the laptop if I have to… Now… Go to sleep.”

Together, the four youngsters, still remaining awake, whispered, "G'night, Becky."

[Out in the hallway.]

Becky slowly closed the door and turned to Shining as the door latched shut. The hall was sparsely lit by the gas lamps glowing, leaving Becky to stick a little closer to Shining's side.

"Those kids are so lucky to have each other like they do. They're a lot better off than me and my friends were at their age… but I’m worried about Flurry. Well, not just her, I’m also starting to worry about…”

It may have been hard to see down the hallway, but Becky knew better than to assume they were alone.

“Midnight. Can me and Shining have some privacy for a while tonight?”

From the shadows above, two reflective yellow eyes blinked open before Midnight Flash silently dropped down into view in front of Becky. Now in full view, he bowed and spoke with confidence and pride.

“The Lunar Guard trusts your safety with Prince Shining Armor, Lady Landon. We shall give you all the space needed and follow you no further. You require only to use your whistle, and we shall return to our stations when desired."

Instead of returning to the shadows, Midnight backed away and stood post by the door to the children's room. At either end of the hall, more eyes were illuminated from the darkest corners. Five more bat ponies descended from where the light did not reach, then marched over to join Midnight.

It was moments like these that Becky was grateful to have won over the bat ponies as she had. Though, she felt she had underestimated their generosity.

"Damn… I thought there was only two of you with Midnight following me… I suck at this."

Shining cocked an ear in Becky's direction before looking at her in shock and bewilderment.

"You could tell he, I mean, more than one of them was following us?"

Sporting a cocky grin, Becky ran the tips of her fingers under Midnight’s jawline, trailing off and raising his chin as she passed him by.

“Oh… Now that I know Flashy is always watching me when he’s on duty, I have a pretty good idea where he’s at. Otherwise, one sneezed like a lady, and another one blinked their green eyes at me once. And Midnight's eyes are a most haaaaandsome shade of translucent gold.”

Shining turned to the line of bat ponies standing watch in front of the door to the children's room. Midnight's eyes were a distinctly polished hue of yellow, but he noticed the guard standing just to the right also had yellow eyes.

"How did you know this one wasn't Midnight if all you could see was his eyes?"

To answer that, Becky turned and looked Midnight over as if she were examining a well-trained watchdog. The way she spoke, however, was more akin to boasting of a gold medal olympian.

"Midnight is professional in everything he does watching over me. So even if I did make a weird noise during dinner and might have accidentally looked up at him watching over me…"

Both Midnight and the other bat pony turned to look at Becky, waiting for her to finish her explanation.

“…or who I thought was Midnight watching over me.”

After finishing that sentence, this new bat pony looked nervous and gulped.

It was at the first sign of the nervous bat pony’s response that Becky knew she had this guard dead to rights, and she smiled even wider.

"Midnight wouldn't eat on the job unless I told him to. And even then, he wouldn't almost drop the seeds he was spitting out on my plate while I was trying to feed Flurry Heart."

The guilty stallion turned to Midnight, fear and shame plastered over his wilting expression.

"It was an accident. I slept in and missed chow. I thought some grapes would hold me over. But then I thought she saw me after Princess Flurry Heart tossed the snow peas—"

"Busted," Becky jokingly said but quickly turned to leave them as they were. "Let him off easy, Midnight. It can't be easy to do your job hungry, so let him take a break now that you have some downtime. I might be a while. And come on, Shining. Carrying Flurry up those stairs didn't do my legs any favors. I need to lay down soon."

Shining was still trying to process the interaction between Becky and the now heavily blushing Midnight, trying not to look flustered at his post. He wanted to know more about how Becky was catching on so quickly to the ways of these bat ponies, but the chance of Becky needing him took priority.

“Right behind you.”

Once alongside Becky again, he had to know what was bothering her.

“Is it about the young delegates? I’m certain with all of us here and Chris and the others not too far away, no creature is stupid enough to attempt another attack on any of us.”

Becky pushed open the door to her room, where Shining held fast at the threshold of her private living space.

"Uh? Becky? If you still want to talk tonight, shouldn't we—Nah!"

Unexpectedly, Becky reached out and pulled Shining into her room by the ear with one hand, then closed the door with her other.

Once they were both inside, she promptly sat on the edge of the bed, spread her legs, and padded the space between them as if summoning a puppy.

"Tin… There's not a lot of ponies here I trust more than just normal friends. Even after all the heroics, I'm not blind to the fact that there's a lot going on around me that I'm not supposed to know about. But with Rainbow Dash gone looking after Justin, I’ve got… like… you and Midnight looking after me that I can really trust and be open with. And I think we both need someone to talk to, and you need someone to help you relax. So come here. I’ve got some stress built up, too.”

Cautiously, Shining sauntered up to Becky, only to be turned around and have his rump pushed to the floor so Becky could draw his back closer to her. There, she let her concerned hands fall upon his neck and traced down his shoulders.

Such pleasantries felt so devilishly undeserved as she soothed his worries as she spoke her mind. It would have been the proper thing to protest such unwarranted treatment, but amid the room filling ever stronger with the sweet aroma that was her natural scent, Shining was temporarily mute.

Becky, however, was sounding rather invested in her own conversation. She wasn’t happy, per say, not exactly sad, but she was without a doubt concerned about something.

“I’m sure Cadance is expecting me to take care of you, just like she did before, but also, I’m sorry Justin talked her into heading off to the Crystal Empire without us. It’s partially my fault for not doing more than patching him up… He needed a lot more help than I knew how to give him, and that’s probably what pushed him to leave in the end.”

Even if she was feeling a little down on herself, there was still a little joy that came from how comforting the simplest of her efforts were to the likes of Shining. At least, it made talking about such a dreary subject easier to converse about.

“I mean… At least it led to him saving Ocelous, which saved us from a lot more nightmares and hardship, but… had I stepped up and helped Cerb and his girls, you wouldn’t have to be away from your wife. Now it’s just the two of us, which must still feel awkward after our time in Canterlot. We’d still would have made it over to your kingdom, only, I think you would have to needed to wait a little longer—”

Suddenly, Becky felt Shinings hoof reaching up to stop one of her hands from rubbing over his shoulder before it could reach down into his chest. Then she noticed how still he was.

Motionless, sitting in front of her no different than the moments he sat by her watching Gruff fall away to his demise. Then, even if she couldn’t see it on his face, she knew she must have mentioned something that hit Shining in a way she never intended.

For Shining, he wished this conversation would have never come to pass, but it was inevitable. Yet, for as bittersweet as it was to have Becky to be the one to first reveal it to, he was glad it was her he could hope to find some understanding with it all.

“Becky… Twilight hasn’t told me much about why Cerb really left without Fluttershy or Rarity, but I know they pushed him away after he killed the owlbear… But, don’t think you’re in any way responsible for keeping me away from Cadance… I wasn’t going back to the Crystal Empire and I asked Justin to go with Cadance to protect her. I couldn’t leave her vulnerable and abandoned again, but… I… didn’t know they would leave so soon.”

There was so much repressed hurt and masked regret coming from Shining that Becky pushed her hands from his shoulders to reach around his neck and pulled him into a soft hug from behind.

“Shining? What happened?”

Warm waves of compassion seeped through Becky’s hands, and fearing the temptation, Shining pushed himself upright and out of her hold.

“Harmony happened,” he coldly answered.

As he turned again to face Becky, the last few days of holding back his emotions began to show through with bitter, angry, hurt-felt tears in his eyes.

“You and Chris know the most about our world, about us. Do you know how Cadance and I came to fall in love with each other? That Cadance used to be Twilight’s favorite foal sitter, but they hardly knew each other? They only saw each other a few times over the span of a week or so when Twilight was a filly. I mean, they never saw each other again until our wedding, but Twilight acts like they were lifelong friends. And then Cadance and me? We… we… wuh… Beck—Becky…”

Finally, Shining started to crumble. First, faltering down to his fore knees, then slumping down to his hindquarters as the tears steadily grew, and he couldn’t stop himself from quietly sobbing over his words.

“Harmony made it all up. Cadence and I talked about it while we were in the hospital together. We noticed something was different with us after meeting all of you. How so many pieces of what we knew didn’t fit together, and everything just started to fall apart."

He raised a foreleg to wipe his cheeks and sniffed hard but was still a mess. Even though he sat only a few feet away on the floor, the distraught omissions of his life-long illusions came from a stallion alone in a world of his own.

"Twilight said your Order could block Harmony's string of whispers. And spending enough time around you could shield us from her influence… or that's what Rose believed… And because of that, Cadance noticed how much we didn't want to be with each other. Perhaps we never really did."

That news hit Becky like a ton of bricks. Even after all the revelations and refinements of their theories, she couldn’t believe that Harmony’s influence would have gone that far. Not even the revelations from within the cave would have granted her such a theory that the love between Shining and Cadance she swore was pure had been another fabrication.

“But… What? How could you both not love each other? What about Flurry Heart? …You’re both not getting a divorce, are you, or is this just a separation?”

Shining slumped all the way to the floor and looked to control himself slightly better but was by no means improving. Even his voice was lower in tone as he retold his recent misery.

“Those Echoes, they told us in the cave about how they controlled the lives of our other versions in all the other worlds. How they made sure Cadance would lose her family, and we were always supposed to fall in love. And then Sword… in his world, when he was its Harmony, just like ours in this one, another version of you unknowingly interfered with his plans, but they were plans that were going to bring me and Cadance together before their world could be saved… So he killed that version of you… Killed every version of your friends he brought to save his world… then destroyed it… That’s how serious each Harmony is about making sure Cadance and I stayed together, to The Words. The Words that whispered her to fall in love with an unpopular geek like me.”

Shining, now feeling a little ashamed, he looked away.

“After Cadance and I talked about it, we agreed she was better suited to lead the Crystal Empire, and I have more family experience to look after Flurry. We decided that she would return to rule over the Empire, and I would raise Flurry and help watch over you while she would help Justin. If I were to return with you as originally planned, we both would be welcome to visit, but there would be no mistake that our love for each other is nothing more than that of friends…" He returned his full attention to Becky with a sad but open look. "And what did you mean by divorce?”

There was so much coming at Becky from this conversation that went sideways just as fast as it started. It seemed like almost from the start of her adventure and arriving in this world, she had misjudged so much of what was possible from these ponies. Even their capacity for love in its most holistic form was now shown to be a lie in front of her.

However, now that she knew why Shining had stayed behind and remained quiet for so long about not returning home, she had resolved that her indecisiveness had gone on long enough. She’d been their friend, a doctor, an impromptu heroine, and a lifesaver when needed, but she had failed at every attempt at trying actually to help a relationship for anyone she called a friend. Instead of standing by, or walking away, or even sending a hopeless mare blindly into the darkness, she would do something this time around.

“Shining,” she mournfully spoke his name as she knelt on the floor in front of him, hugging tightly around his neck. “I’m so sorry this all happened to you. Both of you… We’ll fix this… Then we'll help Justin and find a cure for me, too. I'm just sorry I didn't realize something was wrong sooner."

While her confession was heartfelt, her inner thoughts were far more condemning.

“I’m so fucking stupid,” she silently lectured herself in her head.

Shining slowly brought his forelegs out from under him and did his best to hug Becky back, but his strength was lacking as his heart was breaking. Inside, his thoughts battered against the walls of his mind over what he wished he could say aloud.

"There's nothing left to fix for me. All the love I had for Cadance was a lie that Harmony gave me. I don't ever want to love again… I can't afford to lose you, too. Not if loving me is what can get you killed."

He sniffed hard to clear his nose, taking in Becky's sweet scent and the warmth of her loving touch. Even if this was all he could have, he wouldn't give it up and finally hugged her with some of his familiar strength returning.

"Thank you… I don't care how things turn out for me… We have no whispers between us. Harmony can't take away how important you are to me… You're the only one here I can talk to that knows what Harmony did to us."

[Back in the Crystal Empire.]

Cadance’s chambers were easily large enough to double as a dining area for two. A small table in the room was the perfect height for Cerb to stay seated in his wheelchair and Cadance to join him in a seat of her own.

Between them lay a spread of small dishes with various slices of bread, steamed veggies, and a pot of some rather hearty stew.

“Is the food to your liking?” Cadance asked.

Cerb finished another spoonful of the stew, questioning if leaving the towel over the slow healing, stitched-up hole in his back was a good idea.

“Oh, yeah. Real good.”

Really though, he still was running over everything in his mind about his recent choices and mental hang-ups.

“Thunder knows about sex and how human bodies work, and at least Cadance has some understanding that my dick is different from a pony’s… but neither one is trying to jump my bones or even make me uncomfortable… Not that Fluttershy and Rarity didn’t act the same way at first, but… why was I even checking out Thunder?”

It was going to be another quiet evening with just the two of them, but Cadance felt the need to carefully examine Cerb's view of the missing mares from their attendance.

"I hope you don't mind only the two of us dining together tonight, but I was curious. You seem heavily concerned about Thunder's health. Is there something I should know about? Because the doctors said before leaving Ponyville that she was healing exceptionally well."

It was more than simply Thunder's battle wounds healing that Cerb was concerned about. Even still, there was much he didn't know enough to begin a proper explanation of his more lewd concerns.

"Yeah, uh… Well, I never got all the details on it all, but the Order that's in me, it can do more than nullify magic and block Harmony's effects on you all. It might open up other physical… mental… I dunno. Some things can change for ponies if they have too much exposure to… us… Things she might need my help with. So I wanted her to know that I could help her if she started to notice changes and needed help… She'll be fine."

While the conversation was going well, and Cerb sounded to be on the level, Cadance had other, more pressing, topics on her mind to address. Now, given the conversation she finished having with Cerb in the shower, it seemed like the right time to start if he was so inclined to assert his assistance where needed.

“So… Do you remember when we were riding alone in Canterlot? I wanted your help with something that no pony else could help me with, but only if you were willing to open up about it. Only now, it seems even more complicated since I know it was all Harmony's doing.”

Cerb was concerned about where this new line of conversation was going, but he remembered her starting to ask for his help in Canterlot after the shouting match he exchanged with Celestia. Although, Cadance all but shut down as their time ran short during the carriage ride. Regardless, he had been adamant about repaying her for all the support she had consistently provided.

“I… Sure, Candy. At this point, I’m an open book. What’d you need help with?”

Cadence lowered her gaze to the table and set aside her utensils. Her eyes began to glisten with her emotions welling up as she dug deep to prevent herself from breaking down upon Cerb yet again.

"Before I understood my place in the world… I lost everything… My home, my family. My past… I didn't know if I had been lost in the wilderness or abandoned. Were my parents alive? Was I missed, simply unwanted? Or, knowing now, how Harmony so carelessly slaughtered any who did not serve her purpose, if my family were common pegasi with no means to protect me, were they made to forget that I even ever existed?"

She looked up Cerb again, still no joy to be found in her eyes.

"When I first wanted to ask for your help, it was to learn how to accept being a child who was left behind… But now I think I need your help with losing my parents and having to leave the only love I’ve known, which was a lie, and a daughter I left behind with it."

Even when pressed with such crushing weight, Cerb still looked to carry an appearance of strength behind his shared sorrows. Then, in front of him, Cadance sat hollow, sadly unable to hide how crushed she was by her burdens and new tears lining down her cheeks.

Letting go had been painful, and part of her still hurt when talking about it. Not even speaking to Cerb could dampen all of what she was feeling inside when she finally opened up about it.

"I know our situations are different, you see," she weakly lamented. "Well, Shining and I, we tried so hard to make things work. Everything we did only showed us we… Damn it all, Justin. Everything we did for each other only helped us to see that we wanted for each other to be happier with someone other than each other… And I miss what I felt for him… but that love is gone, and all I have now is the hole in my heart it left behind."

Slowly, Cerb placed both his hands on the table, silently searching for the words to say before he dared to speak. Those moments felt like a small betrayal, but they were needed to ensure what he said next bore not only truth but the reinforcement she sought from him.

"We don't know how much control Harmony had over every single creature to the same degree of influence she did like you and the others we know of. That being said, let's keep the blame on her for now and just assume the worst because that seems to be the way she chose to operate. In which case, I'm sure Harmony wanted things done quickly and efficiently, so your parents likely never suffered or knew what happened, and you can take solace in that."

It was sad for Cerb to let this meal go to waste, but the mood had shifted too drastically, and he had lost his appetite. Now his attention was fixated on dealing with this new drama that had been spilled onto his proverbial plate.

"I… never really got over losing my family… I chose to hate my dad instead of grieving like I should have for my mother, and I focused—"

Cerb quickly caught himself from saying too much, as far as Cadance could tell, but suddenly he started back up with a more confident tone.

"No. Fuck it. Open book… I turned the loss of my brother into anger at killing others like those who killed him and focused on training those alongside me so they were better Marines… Better fighters. Smarters tacticians in the sandbox… More efficient killers… I can't teach you how to take the pain away or mend your heart."

Cadence was staring at him, waiting for an answer to come. Some follow-up surprise statement that was meant to exceed her expectations.

Across from Cadance, Cerb had less than what Cadance deserved to deliver on her behalf. None of the grief counseling or therapy he received could he prepared him for this for the years of abuse and manipulation he was going to try and help talk her through.

"All I can do is help build yourself up, so you’re strong enough to get over all these fucked up things that happen to us… Listen... Scars heal over the wounds. Grass grows over the graves. And every day, we move farther and farther away from the things that hurt us. If you keep holding on to these bad memories, then all you're doing is picking at the scabs, and digging up the graves… trying to run back to the pain, and I get that, but you don't need that."

From the short distance that the table presented between them, Cerb could see Cadance was struggling with his proposal. So, he'd have to dig a little deeper.

"Look, when I focused on my mother dying, all I could do was cry. Then, when I switched to my father walking out on me… After I got done crying about that, all I could do was be angry about it. And when I was angry, it was hard to focus, but at least I could get some shit done. If I thought too much about how much I missed my baby brother, I would start to break down. If I thought more about putting another body in the ground of someone trying to kill another one of my brothers, I was motivated. And when I start to think about all the good times I miss with Rarity and Fluttershy…"

Cerb froze again. He said he was an open book, but there was much he still hadn’t fully processed yet.

“I… eh.. I dunno… I rely so much on all of you right now for everything they did for me, but there’s so much more that I hate myself for missing about them.”

Hearing that, the ears on Cadence wilted, as did her whole presentation.

"It is sad… We both have chosen to leave our prior relationships, knowing what is best for us is not where we thought our hearts had led us, yet we can't help but long again for what we left behind."

A touch of hope found its way into her ambitions, and she raised her eyes to try and find his. A small smile began to grow, feeding off of some of Cerb's prior words.

"At least, as you said, we have each other for the rest. For me, at least, I know that having you close, being able to confide in you… cry with you… I don't know how I would be able to keep my sanity… I fear I may one day ask too much of you for how much of your closeness and affection I rely on to stop from falling apart at times."

For as much as Cerb thought he should have been afraid of the position he was falling deeper into, he oddly felt closer and more warmth for Cadance. Not too dissimilar to the affinity he experienced towards Rarity and Fluttershy, but this was different. It didn't blindside him after a scare or following another near tragedy.

This was a slow-growing realization that came the more she opened up and shared her empathy. She shared his fears and loss in a lot of ways, something he didn't have with his prior mares.

"I know I need you girls just as much… I’m sorry, Candy… I know I’m still all messed up. I can’t sleep during the day, so I need the girls to keep me up, and I can’t sleep at night without you… So, yeah. I’m in the same boat as you… I’d probably be tearing myself apart if I didn’t have all of you, knowing that… now that I got no one else.”

This was another fork in the road for Cadance to navigate. One path could end up reopening old wounds further, while another path could lead to more fruitful ventures.

After all she had experienced with Cerb’s good nature, she had faith there was workable soil to yield the results she desired if toiled with care. Promising enough that she again started to smile.

“Come, now. If you say that any more convincingly, I may start to believe you doubt the intentions of all of us in your care. And just the same, since it does appear to help you, I believe it best for you to continue to assist Thunder with her perceived shortcomings during the day as you have done so for me in the evening. And, if the other mares happen to suffer any unfortunate… new revelations… I am certain they will require your strong shoulders to lean on as well.”

Cerb nodded, seeing that as a viable course of action, but all too quickly registered the odd change of tone Cadance used when referencing a portion of her suggestion.

“I’ll do just about anything for you girls. But what do you mean, new… revelations?”

Cadance gave a deep sigh as she looked over their table. There was much to say, and much of their meal was left untouched.

“It is not for me to say as of yet, given that I am hopeful for more promising results now that we have left Ponyville.”

The entire spread of the table lifted. Each plate, dish, bowl, and utensil levitated up and was returned to the dining cart. In their place, a new cloth was placed on the table, along with two clean plates, forks, a pair of drinking glasses, a pitcher of milk, and a whole cherry pie topped with a dollop of cream placed in the center between them.

“I apologize for our conversation turning so unpleasant this evening. We, unfortunately, had no time to plan your transition here, so of course, on top of so many other problems facing us, we should expect there to be issues. Regardless, for now, I think a nice dessert should do us well to finish off our day before Thunder returns, and we can finish with your bandages.”

That sounded like an acceptable plan to Cerb, though he thought of at least one more thing to add to help round off his submission of good advice.

“Yeah, I could go for a slice. But, I should also say that for getting over all this bull shit that keeps happening to us… Time can help numb the pain, though it won’t ever fully go away. And as for the hole in your heart… Usually, you fill in the gaps with better people.”

A small but adoring smile found its way onto Cadance’s muzzle as she placed a generous slice of pie on Cerb’s plate and passed it to him. His words had reached her, and she was graciously accepting.

“Justin, my dear. I’m doing all that I can to move past what my prior life was, and I have you and your friends to thank for that. Both Shining and I do, and we could not be more pleased than to have people like you to fill in the gaps that only your love and compassion are capable of.”

[Later, at the Castle of Friendship in Becky’s Room.]

After a civil discussion of how the dissolving of a marriage works and the options of sharing parental rights could go, Shining was feeling a new sense of calm with his outlook.

“You know, Becky, if this all works out, it will be a brand new start for me. I won't have to ask for my old job back as Captain of the Guard or live with my mom again… This might take care of everything."

What had been discussed may have sounded all well and good, but it was still only theory until put to practice, as far as Becky knew.

"Don't get too excited yet. You still have to talk to Cadance to make sure she's on board with it and find out how the process would even be done here. Not that I'm sure any Princess could do it, but it might not be that easy if there's a court process or something."

After all that Harmony had exposed her many millennia’s worth of evil treachery, Shining was certain a divorce was the proper choice of action. If anything, after all the suffering Celestia had taken, he assumed even she would be understanding of his plight in all of this.

"You always seem to have the best ideas. I wouldn't doubt you. And thank you again for talking with me about all of this. I think what we discussed will make it easier for everyone else to deal with when they find out, too. Letting Cadance be free to let her heart find love freely on her own, that will be good for her."

What should have been a kind-hearted statement caught Becky as a bit short-sighted. Something she quickly hit back with some questionable commentary, given the mutual, if not gracious split she was explaining Shining had with his wife..

“Not just her, Tin. You deserve to be happy, too. You're still young. A stud. You're a hot piece of royalty, and we both know Cadance wants you to enjoy yourself."

A brief smile showed over Shining’s muzzle, but it was impossible to determine whether it was forced on her behalf or if it was a show of something more he attempted to hide any sings of flattery.

“Thanks, but I think it’s too early for me to worry about anything like that.”

That was true enough, Becky figured, having jumped from trying to help comfort him from missing his wife to now helping him move past her and onto another. Although that also jumbled up a lot of other complicated emotions she was now left to deal with.

Conflicted or not, she laid her hand on Shining's shoulder again, choosing to be the supportive friend above all else.

"Yeah. Sorry… I can't imagine any of this is easy to let go of, even with Harmony messing with your head, it still was real for both of you."

Shining reached up and stroked his frogs over the back of Becky's hand while he closed his eyes and his face tilted to the floor.

"No… none of it was real. Not what I thought I had. Not who I could protect… Justin was right about things being too good to be true. We were never allowed to see that. This time, though… This time, things will be different, and thankfully Cadance had the good sense to convince me to stay here with the only friend I can trust to make sure it will be.”

Seemingly having said enough, Shining tapped his hoof on Becky's hand before turning away toward the door, leaving the sweet scent of sunflowers and honey Becky was filling the room with.

"It's getting late. I think I'll be turning in for the night. You sleep tight, Becks."

Wearily, Becky's arm fell back to her side as Shining stepped away. She was even less certain how to feel about all of this now given his mental state in his last reaction.

"Good night to you, too."

Shining casually opened the door and backed out of the room to bow as he left. The door closed quietly, and Shining left just as silently down the hall.

Becky had sat alone in her room for some time. It was more than a few moments, more than a few minutes. She wasn’t exactly certain for how long. The time had all but escaped her while she pondered where and how she had gotten everything so mixed.

“I thought finally I had them figured out.”

She had been so sure of herself. Almost proud of herself, even.

Now, as she brought her hands together and rubbed them over each other, noticing where the feeling of touch was lingering with loss of the finer muscle coordination?

“God damn it. This is what I get for being so fucking stupid and scared for so long.”

Too much time had passed without alerting the guard that they could resume their normal duties. In fact, there was another favor she could ask one of them, so she reached around her neck to pull out a thin silver necklace.

Hanging from the bottom of the silver links was a narrow fluted tube, which could have easily been mistaken for a dog whistle. No matter the appearance, she placed the mouthpiece to her lips and gave it three soft puffs from her cheeks. She could only faintly hear anything but the air passing through its chamber, though there wouldn't be much she could have heard otherwise; that wasn't this whistle’s purpose or function.

After only a few short breaths, the fast beating of wings turned to hooves hitting the hard floor outside Becky's room, and the door swung open again with Midnight barging in.

He stood ready, solid, one wing reaching for a blade tucked away behind him, now unsure of what he was charging into with two guards behind him… all of them not knowing what to do or say.

Becky, on the other hand, while also confused, didn't seem so lost for words.

"What the hell? I thought three short blows meant send someone for a service call, not an emergency. Or... Oh, shit. Did I do three loud blows on this thing? Because I can't tell the fucking difference."

Midnight, seeing no cause for alarm, returned his weapon and relaxed before bowing at the door.

"My apologies, Lady Landon. We were only expecting one whistle for an all-clear. When we heard three…"

It was understandable, and Becky rolled her eyes as she gave a sigh.

"No, no. You're fine. Better safe than sorry."

Still, their response time was impressive, leaving Becky to examine the tiny whistle.

"At least we know this thing works. And you can stay, Flashy. I really only wanted to talk to you for a while, If you don't mind."

The two other bat pony Lunar Guards bowed and departed out of sight, leaving Midnight to step inside and join Becky. Of which, he seemed much more collected upon his approach.

“Of course, it works. I may not have said much about a bat pony’s hearing before when you asked about our echolocation, but we have a much higher frequency range we can hear than the average pony. Most ponies are only able to hear a whistle in the thirty thousand hertz range. The whistle we gave you is measured around ninety thousand hertz… And, no. You did not blow too loudly. Our ears are sensitive to those sounds, but we do not hear them as well as most sounds of lower frequencies. You would have to blow a lot harder, and we would have to be much closer to cause any discomfort.”

“Oh,” Becky softly answered as she scooted closer to her pillow, leaving more room for Midnight on the bed.

Midnight noticed the vacant spot on the bed now clearly opened for him and shot a curious look to Becky.

“Lady Landon?”

Becky’s facial features dropped to a sadder expression with her gaze closer to the floor, then to her nightstand, where she pulled out a bottle of rum.

“All my friends are gone or busy with their ponies. I sent Dash away to watch over Cerb, and even Shining has his own shit to take care of. I’m not gonna bother Twilight when I know she’s overwhelmed as it is… You’re the only one who hasn’t left me.”

It was clear to Midnight that Becky was in distress, and he was not living up to his word by questioning her request so much that she had to spell out her newfound dependency on him.

“Of course not,” he declared as he hiked up onto the bed and sat comfortably close to his ward. “You have been a true and faithful friend to our kin. All my brethren still healing in the hospital sing of your praise and kindness. The whistle is but a testament of our dedication to repay you for all you have done for us. If you need anything of me, I am here. You need only ask.”

Becky quickly poured herself a glass of the dark rum and sat with it in her lap, thinking of where she wanted to start.

“I used to talk to Chris when I was bored because he always had something to entertain me with. Or I’d hang out with Kelly because she loved to take care of me. Lumberman and Cerb were always like my big brothers protecting me, and Sniff always kept us moving with something to do or gave us somewhere to go. Then we got stuck here, I had Dashy with me, and we could talk about anything… And you say your kin sing of my praise, but they’re not healing like the other ponies before them or Ember did.”

Hastily, Becky raised her glass and sloppily began to chug the rum, guzzling it down and letting some slip past her lips to drip down her chin. Just as quickly and only half finished with the glass, she lowered it down to catch her breath and continue.

“Applejack scabbed her wounds closed in a matter of days. Redhearts bones healed in… less than a week, I think? Which is almost as impossible as Ember and Ocelus healing after whatever Cerb did to them… But I can’t fix Vogt, Kühn, who almost died saving me and Sniff. Then there’s Buckskin. He’s still broken. And the bat ponies singing my praise? …Aster’s ribs are still broken, and so many more of your friends are still in casts and haven’t healed like—”

In a frustrated and flustered motion, Becky turned her head away while making a fist in one hand, then turned back and raised the other to empty her glass.

After just as sloppily downing the remainder of booze in her glass, she whipped her lips clean and returned her glass to the nightstand, and she abandoned herself to lean hard against Midnight’s shoulder.

“All my friends made their ponies stronger and more capable. They all made each other better versions of themselves because they fell in love and… weren’t afraid to find a way to be happy with each other… But I was afraid… I didn’t want any of it to happen… I thought I wanted the same world Harmony wanted… No death. No pain. No misery and suffering… No complicated love relationships and getting caught up in trying to find a hook-up… But I was wrong about everything, Flashy.”

Cautiously, Midnight began to lay his wing over Becky's back and shoulder, slowly extending its leathery folds to drape over her arm and cover as much as he could. When he did not feel her pull away or push him out, he leaned in, pinned his ears back, and set his cheek to rest against the top of her head.

“The yaks and deer kin adore you, as we all do, Lady Landon. Many even quarrel with each other over who harbors your affection more than the other. And there is no question of your abilities or intentions for those still needing your care. We know not of the abilities Lumberman, Chris, and Justin may have used to heal only one or two at a time, nor would we dare to say they would not have their right or their reasons to.”

Still receiving no resistance to his efforts consoling Becky, Midnight raised a forehoof around her midsection as she slid further into his hold.

“But you… How many have you saved and still comfort? Do you not give so much to so many, even when it leaves you exhausted? Have you not tired yourself day in and day out, even here when you should be asleep? Lady Landon, you tend to the children of kingdoms unable to safely take them back and yet another foal without her mother. You are nothing like the evil Harmony was to us, yet everything we wished her lies would have been… Can you not see how much it is you do for us? All the value you’ve given us?”

Each question was self-explanatory, but it did little to address what else Becky was dealing with. Only now, things were feeling even more difficult to process that she was allowing herself to be held so delicately by Midnight, slumped over with her head in his foreleg over his lap. Yet, now swallowed up in both of his wings like a blanket, her free arm holding over his foreleg bravely holding her, she wondered why she wasn’t brave or foolish enough to have pushed for another's comfort before this, if not now.

“It’s more than that, Flashy… I keep choosing the wrong thing until someone suffers because I didn’t make the right choice fast enough, even when I know there’s a problem. But now… Goddamnit… I don’t know if I’m going to end up hurting who I thought I was trying to help, but for a moment, I couldn’t help myself from wanting it to happen because I can’t stand being by myself anymore.”

For all the time Midnight had spent watching over Becky, this behavior was so unlike her. He had heard she reacted poorly when discovering the potential fate of Swift Hoof at the hospital in Canterlot, but this seemed more personal. Becky sounded more as though she doubted her own intentions as opposed to her capabilities. Even more confusingly, was it because she was possibly seeking companionship?

Ironically, Midnight, bat puns aside, had never felt as though he ventured into a situation so blindly as he had this one with Becky.

“Lady Landon? Are you saying you’re concerned that you will be unable to heal a patient, but you secretly wanted it to happen because you wanted… maybe more time to be closer to… I’m assuming a stallion?”

Laying in the protective hold of Midnight’s embrace, the painful nagging at the back of Becky's mind and the ache in her depths broke what little reserves of restraint she had left. Even if she couldn’t tell this faithful guardian of hers everything, she couldn’t keep all the misery to herself.

“No… Not a patient. Just a friend that I only recently figured out could have been more if I hadn’t been so stuck up at the time… or stupid. Or scared, or whatever.”

She curled in further, getting as much of her body as close as she could to Midnight, not caring that he currently wore no armor and was bare. He was clean, friendly, and gentle while handling her, and even his scent was a brisk aerated musk that was easy to take in. Not exactly the rich scent of an expensive shampoo like that of the stallion who had just left her room, but it was oddly inviting in its own way.

It was comforting enough, or perhaps her emotions and hormones were finally getting the better of her, and she continued to vent in hopes of finding more sympathy.

“Another friend had invited me in to get closer to him. Told me everything I needed to hear to feel safe about being as close as I was. Even encouraged me to go for more… but he was never into me, but I think she thought he was. Even I was concerned he was for a while.”

She thought back to how much things changed the night she sent Rainbow away after Cerb with her blessing. How much more alone she was. All the relationships that had been strained and how strong the attractions were. How strongly so many were willing to go for those willing to accept one another, their willingness to share their relationships and lust for humans… How uncomfortable she was with so few options surrounding her. That is, save one who always danced the line but never renounced or acted against his devotion around her, even this very night when she wished he had.

“And after I realized how much I don’t want to be alone, I figured out how she was really trying to help me. Maybe help all of us in her own way. So, I selfishly wanted him to be that for me. Even if it was only going to be a little bit of what she offered. Until I realized they should have been together the whole time… I’m part of the reason they’re not together. But I can tell he still loves her. ”

To hear such news was disheartening for Midnight, so he held her a little tighter and nuzzled in closer, though he did so cautiously.

“I am sure you should not blame yourself, though I am certain it is also understandable for a stallion to be taken in by your charm and beauty, Lady Landon. You must not blame every wandering set of eyes or jaded mare on what must happen naturally.”

To that respect, Becky’s night was ruined, but her inner turmoil was churning with a need for some compensation to pacify her questionable longings.

“Flashy… I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, but can we share a bed tonight?”

Author's Note

First, I planned on doing art for the final scene of this chapter, but I don't have the coordination at this point in time for it. Despite my best efforts, I can't produce art like I used to. I know my last art piece was terrible on top of being rushed, but my skills have dropped even worse, is what I'm saying.

Well, not the most exciting chapter, and I apologize for that. However, this does wrap up this Wednesday in the story, and the next chapter will start a new day and a lot more developments, I promise.

Even still, a big turn of events was Becky finally starting to show some interest in finding a little romance. Although, it seems like after the final battle with the Echos and Cadance going her own way, Shining has a very different outlook on his freedom and responsibilities.

Makes you wonder exactly how Midnight is going to play into this since he's always been loyal to the humans and has done a solid for just about everyone. Only, since the battle, he's stuck super close to Becky, and now... Becky asked him to share a bed with her after she had intended to potentially seduce Shining?

Damn... Shit is really going to be interesting the next morning.

Just where exactly is Becky's head these days anyway? Hell, Cerb isn't too far off either getting confused on why he's fixated on pony poon at the wrong time.

I guess the only way to figure out how any future events are going to evolve will require you to check in again during the next installment in,

Chapter 07: The Best Laid Plans.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5.

07. The Best Laid Plans.

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 18th Day of Love.]

Cadance awoke from her sleep with a silent gasp in the early morning hours. Her eyes had burst open into the dark room, stuck in a state of shock and panic.

For a moment, she dared not to breathe. Her mouth slightly parted open, holding her next exhale from falling out over Cerb’s lips while she tried to recall what had set her on edge.

“Just a dream,” she silently thought to herself. “Shining would never hurt me.”

She finally released her breath against her current sleeping partner, careful not to wake him, luckily he slept so deeply it did not wake him. It was then that she wondered what it was exactly that had woken her.

Funny thing about dreams was how you almost immediately forgot about them the second you woke up, even if it was fresh in your mind. And therein was the conundrum.

The dream had just ended. What was it exactly? Something familiar. More than familiar, in fact, not too long ago, it was part of a passionate conversation at Twilight’s castle. Only, at the time of the conversation she had shared with her husband, she couldn’t recall what she felt from her dream.

[Moments ago in Cadance’s Dream.]

The room was the same as she was in, but the time was many, many months ago. Certainly over a year, not more than two, but… why was that night so hard to remember?

“I can’t imagine loving you anymore than I do now,” Shining lovingly declared between another kiss with Cadance.

With a growing fervor, Cadance returned the kiss and pulled Shining closer to their bed, only pulling away long enough to reply with words equally devoted. Words that came from a glowing source of inspiration.

“I want to give you more to love.”

Her body was hot, bristling with anticipation. She was moving without thinking on her own, swept up in a rush of excitement and—

"I should turn around for him."

Wait….what was that?

Were those really her thoughts? So much of it seemed foggy. A mix of memory and the haze from adrenaline had washed over the details with a strong emphasis on the physicalities and sensations.

In a way, it almost felt as though her body was moving while her mind didn’t even register what was going on.

There were tingles from Shining hugging his forelegs around her waist from behind. A faint recollection of romantic tickles as he kissed and drug his teeth over the back of her neck.

The strange embrace created a growing heat and sweat building up from under her tail as she lifted it for him.

Then…

…pain?

“The rut will only hurt for a moment.”

Even with the fog, all of that moment of her memory was clear again. Instantly, the recollection of those words running through her mind that night and logic dictated she had found clear evidence of a whisper.

Shining was hurting her. So, why did it not feel wrong?

Portions of her inner feminine depths felt like they were being stretched and torn, yet, something beautiful was glowing throbbing along with the pain. Despite her body crying out from the unexpected expansion of what had been forced inside, thrusting over and over again, it also screamed louder for more as it wrenched down against each stab inward.

Then… there was warmth, deep from within, expanding fluid, with a heat that left them both exhausted and panting. Shining lay motionless on her back, save for the labored breaths heaving from his chest.

All of it felt so foreign, so odd, yet her body demanded more.

From under her stallion, she was unable to move away. Her inner convulsions delivered titillations that only human skin could invoke fantasies of. Each convulsing wave crept through her loins, washing her mind in a dreamlike state of fulfillment and love.

From there, it was all a blur.

[Back in Cadance’s Bed.]

There was a maelstrom of thoughts attacking Cadance. The mystery of what happened with Shining was a forced act of copulation?

Her private thoughts demanded all of her attention.

"Why did it… Wait… Justin's medical documents mentioned his genitals were always exposed. There were even notes about reproduction… But that doesn’t make any sense. What would any creature's genitals have to do with rutting or… No. Not rutting. I mean. No. That’s… Wait? What am I even thinking about?"

In a desperate attempt to put all the pieces together, Cadance raced through her memories for any connection to draw her attraction together with her desires.

"The love in Justin caught my attention, but I quickly was attracted to the complex and valiant stallion he is. And, of course, his touch… Every human has that wonderful touch of their skin. I wasn’t thinking about marriage. I was already married. I was only wanting physical love at first. Didn’t I? And did that love only extend to simple kissing and touching?"

In a sudden bout of guilty fantasy, her mind went to the night of the welcome party in Ponyville.

"When we danced, and he held me… Oh, that feeling of pressing against him while he swung me around. It didn't hurt at all, like what I can remember Shining doing to me… Or at least how it felt at first… Was that the feeling I've been searching for all this time? That same feeling I got from… Why did I not remember what a rut was? Every pony knows what a… No… Harmony said our memories of death and fornicating were under her control. She paired Shining and I together specifically. Yet, if that’s the case, why wouldn't she rob me of such an important memory when she's taken so much more from me?"

Cadence felt her mind twist itself in multiple directions, trying desperately to make sense of this new information and thoughts.

With such dim light coming into the room, Cerb's features were all but muted hues of the shadows surrounding them. Even still, the faint outline of his face, his alluring scent, the heat from his body, and the flowing comfort she held around him still provided her some solace.

Her dream of time gone was difficult to digest. That love she had for Shining was gone, likely never real to begin with. By all rights, he was a sweet and admirable stallion, otherwise worthy of her affection, but that spark was long since extinguished. Not even in that fleeting moment of her recollection where she had some semblance of that physical release she sought after was reigniting that old flame.

To be fair, how could she when Cerb was safe within her embrace?

Lying next to her, faintly covered by a flowing robe she could remove the next time he bathed, was her new object of desire. A future where her previously forbidden fantasies could be straddled and entwined against her. There, her flame could burn with all the intensity she was previously denied the joys of exploring.

Those joys may be strange, new, once-forgotten desires she didn't fully understand, but he could help her. He was an open book of knowledge and ready to repay his helpful mares in any way he could.

What mare didn't deserve all that and more after showing him that she could be the mare to give him all the love and support he was searching for?

"I wouldn't abandon you," she quietly spoke to her sleeping man. "I know what you want. I see that love inside you that keeps you fighting for us."

Her soft whispers fell over Cerb in his sleep, unnoticed as the mare inched her way closer to lay against him. Her foreleg draped over his battered arm, and her hindleg slipped up under the hem of his robe to rest over his knees.

Even now, still sore and feeling her bruises and inner swelling aching in and over her body, she wished Cerb was awake. Feeling more of him against her, her dream, that memory, it didn't seem so terrible if she could reimagine Cerb with her for that night.

Her imagination began to recreate the scene. They would be in the same room as they were now. He would be healed and no longer concerned with covering himself with the novelties of a robe or towel. Together, they would climb into her bed, and she would be welcomed to feel over every inch of his forbidden skin. She could even take it further and take the place Rarity once held over Cerb the night she oversaw them together in Twilight's castle—

"Hooo~”

The sudden reality of what she had secretly spied upon that night left her in a hushed gasp. She could barely speak above a whisper in her state of shock at the multiple layers of revelations.

"That was… Justin you… Your physical love you were sharing with—”

All too quickly, so many of the odd behaviors she had noticed prior started to become more clear from those she had witnessed them from.

[Nine days ago, late into the evening of Tuesday, 10 May 2016, The Equestrian 18th Day of Love in the Castle of Friendship.]

Prince Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, Octavia, Vinyl, and Helix were all collected around Cadance, who was resting gracefully on her bed. The dinner party following a happy hour, as well as an emergency trip back to the Castle of the Two Sisters, had ended, which had led Cerb and many leaders into a private meeting. A meeting that was already crowded as it was unscripted, leaving Cadance and Shining to entertain the other guests and not impose too heavily on the likes of Rutherford or Ember.

Then again, in more recent years, Celestia tended to give Cadance the footnotes of important events not involving her, so this wasn’t outside the norm. Besides, she still had many curiosities to inquire about these new human relationships and one of Cerb’s closest friends she knew he shared a particular bond with had joined in a similar multi-mare pairing. So, what better way to pass the time than to see what she could learn from the two mares under the guise of a private conversation with a random grouping of partygoers.

In the room, Shining leaned against the bed frame, more or less a fly on the wall during the conversation taking place while Helix sat next to the door. Helix wasn’t exactly standing guard, but he wasn’t really sitting at his leisure, either. Rainbow seemed uninterested in the conversation, mostly taking a slow pace from one side of the room to the next, looking over the various odds and ends of the room left for Cadance and Shining’s comforts. Mostly they were old books, toys, and trinkets of Shining's youthful days, which held their own curiosities in some ways.

Then there was Octavia and Vinyl on the cozy loveseat, trying not to sit too comfortably close to each other while in front of royalty with whom they were less familiar with. Upsettingly, their secret love was all but written in ink for Cadance to see, though it was peculiar to see in the open. Nonetheless, they were of trusted company to Benny and the others alike, and whether they knew it or not, still offered plenty of information about what Cadance was after.

That is, If only Cadance could find the words to better earn their trust, which she was carefully approaching.

"I believe we all have danced around the topic long enough. You both love each other as you have fallen for the brave Mister Yale. I understand your concerns, but our human friends are showing all of us that there are more expansive ways to share their love with each other."

At that remark, Vinyl couldn't help but cock a grin if this new princess was going to be just as accepting as the others so far.

"Oh, yeah. Really looking forward to Benny using some new ways of expanding us with his—”

"Ahem," Rainbow crudely coughed into her hoof, then very discreetly made the motion of zipping her lips to Vinyl while making it look as though she were wiping her mouth toward the others.

Octavia was grateful that Rainbow had acted fast enough that she didn't need to, given that she had been so nervous she would have failed to discreetly stop Vinyl. Ironically how the normally mute mare never seemed to be able to shut up when she did decide to speak. In fact, she feared Cadance might have noticed, but at least now she could recover for her loose-lipped marefriend.

"I believe what Vinyl was trying to say is that Benny has allowed us to express ourselves in ways we never felt confident in before. Just the same, it has taken the combined efforts of both of us to truly be able to reciprocate to Benny any level of assistance for his needs and difficulties."

Seeing Rainbow continue to busy herself again and Cadance now deeply invested while Vinyl thankfully kept quiet, Octavia continued with a calmer tone.

"Benny… if not all humans, much like many of us, needed time to adjust to how much their lives had changed. Even with all the compassion we could give them to trust in what we wished to share, we had to always tread carefully."

Vinyl adjusted closer to Octavia and laid her fetlock around the back of her mare's neck. She sported an expression that was just as cocky as before but spoke a bit tamer in her tone this time.

"Princess, lemme tell ya. These humans are into some crazy wild stuff. I'm sure you know by now they’ve got secrets that you wouldn't believe if you didn't know 'em for more than five minutes. But I can’t say more than that….mostly cause I’m pretty sure Tavi here would slap me if I did... Then again. I doubt that I should need to. I’m sure after tonight, Tavi and I will be just as experienced as you and your royal sweetheart. Know what I mean?”

There was a bit too much divulged there, as evidenced by Octavia immediately leaning in so she could interject. A simple effort given before any further clarification from Vinyl was added or questions from Cadance were put forth.

“You’ll have to excuse our elusiveness, Princess. It’s simply that our shared relationship with Benny, while new to us, appears not to be unfamiliar with its progression as it has been for the other mares.”

While Cadance would have loved to have been privy to all the details, there was presumably still plenty of information to extrapolate from what they could clarify they couldn’t tell her.

“Oh?” She inquired. “I’ve spoken with Justin about love and how it can be expressed differently than how we may have traditionally viewed it be shared. Then of course, there is how they have taken on more than one mare to love… and certainly, in Chris’s case, for each mare to share as well, just as I presume you both are. Which I find to be incredibly wonderful for all of you, if a little unconventional. I see only more of the emotional support our dear human friends need coming from what you’ve all started to share together. But… what exactly is it that you… can’t say?”

As soon as Cadance asked that question, she could see Octavia searching the room again. A momentary lapse of judgment for the present company might have left such a query ill-advised. Helix may have been a shared friend but was practically a stranger to them. Shining, while her husband, another trusted royal, also likely added more tension to the room. Then Rainbow, who was giving a stare that… on closer look, only gave more indication to Cadance that the cough earlier had to have been a warning and not involuntary. That meant Rainbow also knew something she wasn’t letting on.

Whatever this unspoken truth was that Octavia was trying not to say on Vinyl’s behalf, Cadance had to lighten the atmosphere of the room.

“Please, forgive me, Lady Octavia. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that, but you must understand that as the Princess of Love, and a pony with a shared interest in Benny’s well-being as the others, you are among friends and can speak freely. There is no need to be so nervous about your feelings or the complications, and certainly not the excitement you must have with Benny and Vinyl. Although, we do understand.”

To make her point clear, she turned to her husband.

“Shining, dear. How would you say your opinion has changed upon the newly formed bonds of love between ponies and our new human friends.”

Shining took a moment to respond as if he were taking mental notes of where he was leaving off on a daydream. When he snapped out of it, he quickly turned to the pair of mares on the loveseat with a confident smile.

“Oh, sure. I was a bit confused about it all at first, but I think it’s been great for everypony involved. Cadance and I have been happy to support and learn more about all we can since it helps every creature involved. Especially the love stuff. It’s really helped bring Cadance and me a lot closer together.”

Of course, Shining was onboard with the whole ordeal. He wanted Becky to get more involved as well, after all. Helix, though? He was, without a doubt, a friend to Cerb as of late, but how much else did he buy into?

How much could her crown influence him, if at all?

“Helix Ray?” Cadance gently called out. “You’ve been on the outside looking in for most of this. What’s been your opinion of everything so far? Such a fetching and capable young stallion as yourself must be interested in the prospect of having more than one marefriend, don’t you?”

From the start of the question, Helix had been attentive, likely taking everything in from the start. His response came off as rather even-keeled and respectful, always keeping his eyes on Cadance as he spoke.

“I haven’t much to say about the whole multi-mare dating trend as of late, Princess. I’ve heard of stallions trying to go after more than one mare at a time before, but this is more than the complete opposite. Even still, I trust the likes of Cerb and Benny. Well, all of them, really. Even more, knowing how powerful they can be while at the same time seeing how reserved and friendly they are to us ponies. So… I’m not surprised so many mares have become fixated enough on them that they might share a human stallion. Though even now, I do still find the idea surprising. Still…”

Finally breaking eye contact, he turned his view to Rainbow.

“It’s a lot better than fighting over them.”

Cadance then turned her attention to Rainbow, who was trying to busy herself with a shelf full of old mementos and not look flustered over being called out.

“And you, Rainbow Dash. With so many of your friends joining in these new relationships, don’t you feel as though we should all be in good company together and not feel so afraid to express our feelings more freely?”

There was no escaping this conversation, so Rainbow turned to face her audience, though she showed signs of nervousness.

“Eh, well, first off. I didn’t fight over any human. I fought Starlight because Becky needed to talk to Chris. But for Vinyl and Tavi, of course, they should be able to talk and date or whatever. They’re not hurting anypony, and Benny is an awesome human. He needs good ponies looking after him just as much as Justin does. But that doesn’t mean we should go around talking about all their private stuff, either.”

Rainbow held a strong glance at the two mares on the loveseat for a moment but then turned towards Cadance. It wasn’t accusatory, nor did it bare any malice. It was more of a stern reminder from a friend, but with a touch of sadness behind her eyes.

“When humans trust someone they can be intimate with, emotionally or physically… It’s not just any pony’s business to share. And if they’ve been hurt in the past by being intimate with another person and lost it, or that sense of trust, it takes a lot for them to open up to share that again… if at all.”

Cadence couldn’t find fault in such beliefs, given Rainbow was the Element of Loyalty, betraying one’s trust was likely the worst crime one could commit in her eyes.

At that note, Vinyl leaned in closer and brushed her hip to Octavia’s as she spoke in a voice that was either messing with her mare or outright taunting her.

“Guess it’s a good thing Benny Boy trusts us enough we can try some of that at his place tonight, huh Tavi? We’re bound to get some physical lovins with both of us working together, right?”

Yet another selection of cass words from Vinyl set Octavia to face hoof and groan, again wishing the DJ pony would return to her long silent period.

“Damn it, Vinyl. Just because the other girls at the bar tonight mentioned how much more they could do when they were together doesn’t mean that’s what we need to do. Rarity told us specifically that we need to be careful not to push things with him.”

Frustrated with the situation Octavia found herself in, she lowered her forehooves across her midsection and turned to face away in a huff.

“I only wish he would be more honest with us about it all.”

Well, it had been a good attempt, and Cadance would likely put together some useful knowledge afterward from this disjointed conversation, but more serious issues were now presenting themselves. Real issues of the heart were apparent, which could affect the love life of these two mares and a valued friend they all shared.

Cadance had to do the right thing and properly counsel these two.

“No, no. Rainbow Dash is right. And, as to how I have been able to assist Justin with his emotional needs before, I’ve been allowed information about some of the emotional weight he’s carried for others as well. So, I can understand why Benny may be hesitant to open up about all his hardships.”

Taking another moment, Cadance remembered with greater clarity what Shining had told her before about Benny’s past and the horrors he witnessed on that boat. Those terrible memories ruined more than his continued service in the military, he lost the woman he loved and her child he would have taken as his own.

It was clear why she lost focus on her prior objectives after this problem had arisen.

“Benny will need to know that you care about him, that you take his concerns seriously. But you also must communicate with him in a way that he understands so that he can easily communicate back to you what he needs… Then… Then I believe you will see that there may be more room in his heart to share that level of trust Rainbow Dash mentioned they need to open up to you.”

Octavia held a long stare of hope toward Cadance. So much of that resonated with her after all the progress they had already made. She had to believe it was true.

“Do you really think we can do more to help him?”

If Cadance could be this supportive, Rainbow could step in to do more and did so by marching her way over and forcing herself onto the loveseat next to the wishful mare. Adding another foreleg behind Vinyl’s to make it more personal, Rainbow thought she could put this issue to bed.

“Tavi, that Benny guy of yours really took a liking to both you girls. And while he may not be exactly like Justin, they are a lot alike. They’re rough, they’re tough, they’ve been hurt a lot, they need our help, and they have great tastes in mares.”

Vinyl instantly mirrored the same sentiment.

“The best taste, Sweet Cheeks.”

There wasn’t a moment to spare before footsteps were heard approaching the door by Helix, and he rose up.

“Sounds like they’re here, everypony. The night shift should be taking over. If nothing else is needed of me, Princess.”

Cadance bowed with respect and a gracious smile.

“I’m sure the others have turned in for the night. You are free to go, Helix.”

Vinyl and Octavia quickly slid off of the loveseat, and as expected, Benny, Becky, and Cerb made their way into Cadance’s room. Once inside, Octavia and Vinyl immediately made clear their intention to depart, which was voiced graciously by Octavia.

"Princess Cadance, thank you so much for talking with us. We will take your advice and write to you with the results."

Vinyl played up her cordial demeanor as best she could, but her excitement and natural playful nature came through equally clear.

"Thanks a mill, Princess. I owe you ya DJ session. Anytime, you name it."

As the first two mares exited the room with Benny, Helix figured he should see himself out as well, knowing Cadance had been waiting to speak with Cerb for some time now. Although, he had left one question unanswered, which he figured he should answer before leaving.

"I suppose I should be getting some sleep as well. Not that I'll be doing much tomorrow, and thanks for letting me sit in for the talks, Princess. Not sure if I’m ready to even have one marefriend, but I’ll keep an open mind."

Just as Helix stepped out, Becky stepped in first, making eyes first to Rainbow, though she looked a bit troubled, if not slightly worn down.

"Sorry, that took so long. We got the other delegates clued in on what's been going on here. Not everything, of course. Just the big stuff. The Shadow, Timberwolves, blood-related injuries… the fact that we're the key."

Rainbow had hopped out of the loveseat, likely more energized to leave than she led on, but froze in place at Becky’s last portion of her remark.

As it turned out, the humans weren’t the only ones holding onto secrets, and a big one Rainbow had been holding onto was now known.

"Oh… yeah… that."

[Back with Cadance in her Bed.]

The physical love between humans and ponies was sex. Carnal knowledge that had been held captive by Harmony from all the Equestrians but was free to receive by those liberated from her influence. That is, of course, if they were liberated while in the embrace of a loving, trusting human who was willing to open up to such acts of intimacy.

"Curse you both," Cadance harshly scorned in her thoughts at the memory of Fluttershy and Rarity. "If Justin and Benny truly are alike, how much damage has been done? Justin all but had his heart broken before he was sent home from his war, just as Benny had. That may have been years before they arrived here in Equestria and opened up enough to love again, and you both knew that… I can’t let that happen to him again."

A completely new layer of complications had just been dumped into Cadance’s lap. Not only did she need to balance the political dangers, Cerb’s health, and his guardians on top of her own needs. Now she had the added danger of the mental and emotional damage that could come about from any separation from those Cerb was depending on.

Even worse, the fallout that could happen if Fluttershy and Rarity were to force their way back into his life again could be devastating. At worst, they could rip him away back to a place he didn’t want to be, and who knew what darkness could befall him at that point.

Looking at him again, she remembered his pain, the hurt he tried to hide away, the kind of despair he fought from sinking into when he left the hospital without the support he needed. Thankfully, he had trusted her this much, to be this open, sharing so much of himself, as he had when they first met back in Ponyville.

She brought her muzzle closer to Cerb and kissed him upon his forehead as he remained deep in his sleep. Even in his calm and sedated state, her lips against his tender flesh gave a teasing comfort of what she knew she desired to discover further with him.

The newfound clarity gave all the more to fuel her ambitions which strengthened her resolve while clarifying what hurdles had been placed ahead of her. She was so emboldened her voice slowly crept out, quiet enough not to wake her sleeping companion.

“Changes both physical and mental that would require your help… It’s what Harmony took away. That’s what your touch can give back, isn’t it?... Now I understand… All that love I detected coming from your room that night I saw you with—”

In an instant, Cadance’s brow furrowed with a glare as she recalled the intimate moment witnessed through the window that fateful night. Spying through the window to find Rarity sitting atop Cerb’s bare flesh while deeply kissing Fluttershy before the unheard cries of passion tore the two mares apart.

At the time, Cadance had been enamored with the sight of Cerb’s zealous display of passion shared privately behind the four walls of his room guarded by a silencing spell. The thought of what it would have been like to have been there in Rarity’s place when Cerb brought their lips together only made her more cross, now knowing the harm it caused when they pushed him away.

“Rarity and Fluttershy,” she hushed in an angry whisper. “I knew they were never going to be enough for you.”

Cadance was wide awake at this point. With so much of her prior confusion gaining clarity, her typical fanciful thoughts began to morph into plotting.

“Don’t you worry, Justin. I wasn’t the only mare outside your window that night… and I think I should find out how much help she might be looking for.”

[Meanwhile, in Becky’s room in the Castle of Friendship.]

A series of low hums and chimes rang from Becky’s phone as the screen illuminated the current time of five-thirty AM.

Midnight, still sitting on the bed with Becky lying over his lap, curiously eyed the strange device. He was slightly familiar with what it was, or at least some of its functions, and had heard those same noises coming from this room before at the same time in the few days prior. However, seeing the device act on its own had him questioning for what purpose this otherworldly device would serve.

To vibrate and chime such an annoying melody while brightening the room his eyes had become so comfortably adjusted to, it was interfering with his limited time with his ward.

Before any thoughts could move past wanting to smash the damn thing, Becky pushed open her escape from the folds of his wings to lay eyes on her phone.

"Oh, shit," she groaned before shielding her eyes from the light. "Why didn't you wake me? Are you okay?"

Slightly confused, Midnight turned his head and shifted his ears away from the phone while he assisted Becky to sit upright next to him.

"My apologies, Lady Landon. I did not know you wanted to be awoken at a certain time. And I am fine. The noise is not so loud… slightly irritating, perhaps, but I was not going to complain if—"

"Em-mm," Becky half groaned, half moaned before reaching for the phone and swiping the alarm off. "No. I mean, why didn't you wake me so you didn't have to sit there all night?"

Due to a heavy overcast outside and the sunrise about another half hour away, the room went incredibly dark as soon as the cell screen timed out. In the darkness, Becky was blind, but Midnight had just enough ultrasonics emanating through the room to keep Becky's outline and the faintest of her features in his awareness.

"Lady Landon, you were sleeping so soundly. You need your rest no differently than the patients you care for. I consider it an honor to have been able to assist you, considering the nights prior you were so restless in bed before settling in for sleep."

With no light to see Midnight's face, Becky didn't exactly know how to interpret his claim.

"What? I wasn't… What do you mean I was restless? Are you guys spying on me through the window or something?"

Midnight's heart jumped in tempo at the accusation. It wasn't out of anger, but the fear of having his professionalism and trust called into question.

"Lady Landon. This is your private quarters. We all respect these confines as if they were the chambers of the Princess herself. We would never disrespect your wishes as to try and observe you without your knowledge."

His ears twitched, doing his best to follow Becky's movements in the dark. While his vision was nearly as absent as Becky’s, what he could visualize through his echolocation, the dark-violet outlines and hints of silver showed her carefully inching closer toward her nightstand.

With so little light, Becky needed to find the oil lamp or the matches to get it lit. However, finding it came at the cost of knocking both items off the nightstand.

“Careful!” Midnight blurted out.

Instead of a crash, three hooves hit the hard floor, followed by the soft thud of glass meeting fur and muscle.

After a moment of Becky fearing she would have a mess to deal with, the striking of a match burst with another flash of light that illuminated Midnight’s face. Then, before Becky’s eyes could adjust, the flame faded behind a small panel of glass and grew in brightness again as the flame found the oil-soaked wick.

“These lamps can break and spill easily, Lady Landon. Perhaps you should use the light from your music contraption next time.”

With the source of light restored, Midnight returned the lamp to the nightstand and stood before Becky, ready to apologize or leave her room. Whichever she requested first, he was ready to obey.

Instead, Becky was still fixed on his prior claim.

“Yeah, good point. But, what did you mean by I was restless?”

It was a fair question, prompting Midnight to flatly provide his honest answer.

“Well, to address your earlier concern, due to my kind’s heightened hearing I am able to pick up otherwise inaudible sounds from within your room even with the door closed. While patrolling outside your chamber, I could hear you fidgeting under the covers. Then there was another sound. It sounded similar to a bat pony’s tongue sliding into a melon. It was somewhat difficult to hear over your shallow panting.”

Midnight took a moment to stop his recanting of what he heard the past few nights, as it clearly made Becky embarrassed. What other reason would she have held her breath and begun to turn red in the face?

….Oh, God. She hoped he was honestly clueless and not beating around the bush for her sake.

Now embarrassed himself, he couldn’t think of anything else to do but finish answering her question and hope the resolution would put her at ease.

“A thousand apologies if you are sensitive about your difficulties falling asleep. It was enough that I nearly knocked on your door to offer any assistance. A glass of warm milk or a change of bedding if that would have helped to ease your discomfort, but before I could, I heard you say… that’s better, the first night. So I assumed you had finally made yourself comfortable since the other noises stopped and your breathing went back to normal.”

By all rights, Becky was mortified at the descriptions used to describe what he heard during her private time. Then again in hindsight probably wasn’t the best idea to…relieve herself when she had someone with super hearing on the other side of the door.

Thankfully, remembering how little ponies seemed to know about what was otherwise common knowledge, particularly regarding sexual activity, she at least had her dignity intact… assumine she could come up with a convincing lie.

“Oh?” She weakly squeaked out, which instantly turned into a short coughing fit. “Emph, um… Yeah… Sometimes I just… have a hard time getting settled in for the night, but can we keep what you heard just between us? It… It’s embarrassing that I have a hard time getting to sleep and, uh… fidget like that.”

Respectfully…and utterly ignorant, Midnight closed his eyes and bowed.

“Of course, Lady Landon. I will speak nothing of it. But…”

He rose again, looking softly toward Becky.

“If you normally have such trouble falling asleep on your own, I would be happy to stay with you again any night you wish. I remember you had no issues falling asleep in Canterlot while Rainbow Dash was with you in the room Celestia reserved for you. And with it being such a normal practice for the likes of Cerb and his sleeping issues, I’m sure any of us would be willing to assist.”

Becky was thankful to the stars above. This guard was so clueless, but at least he was trustworthy, on top of being kind, and rather sweet in his own way. She couldn’t help but keep a certain soft spot for him and his offer.

“Um… how about tonight, if I whistle three times, you come and check up on me first. I, um…”

She was growing flustered with her thoughts and what her body was telling her. No matter what, she needed to get her mind right.

“It’s all still embarrassing. I don’t normally get this restless, but I like the fact that I think I can trust you so much. Really, I do… I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable or…”

Midnight bowed again, having no other means to address her concerns. Perhaps a little unprofessional courtesy would help.

“Lady Landon. If it is not too uncouth to say, my admiration for you goes beyond that of formalities and duty. I have always enjoyed the time you have shared with me, and last night through this morning was no exception… I consider you more than my ward, and I hope you trust me enough to be more than your guardian.”

Unexpectedly, Midnight felt Becky’s hand slide under his jaw to round up under his chin and lift his view high enough to see Becky smiling warmly back at him.

“Of course, I see you as more than a guard. I thought I told you during our dance we need to hang out more. And stop bowing and calling me Lady Landon all the time… My name is Rebecca… Everyone else calls me Becky, so you can too, but I would prefer if you looked me in the eyes when you did.”

Midnight was struck momentarily. Becky had used this method of getting his attention before. Her every touch granted to him was always coursing with pleasantries and warmth. Even her eyes, beautiful tiny orbs of emeralds that always found him in graces that he never understood the reason for, were looking at him in a way he had never noticed before.

She was happy in the glance they shared, though there were hints of trepidation, excitement, and if he wasn’t so lost in the moment, he could have sworn there might have been some empathy as she waited for him to respond. All he had to do was find a way to break the spell of the enchantment she had over him.

“Lady La… Becky… If you were to have plans for me, I’m certain you hold enough sway over Princess Luna that any request for my time off duty would be granted without question.”

That was the most roundabout way Becky had ever heard of someone asking for a date. On the other hand, though, she didn’t know how their work schedule was laid out, and she could see how having her make the request would all but guarantee the approval.

Even still, she had a lot to think about and work out on her own, so she changed the comforting hold of her hand to move into some soft taps on his cheek. She needed time, and while she knew that had been a problem for her in the past, she would use a few tricks she learned from Kelly to hopefully keep this stallion interested.

After all, her…nighty activities could only keep her satisfied for so long.

“I’ve got a busy schedule, too, ya know.”

She stood up from the bed and started a slow walk toward her private bathroom, turning just enough to give a clear view of the outline of her bust and posterior in the lamp’s glow.

“I really need a shower since I didn’t take one last night. Could you be a dear and get my tea ready while I freshen up? I think we can head into the hospital a bit early this morning… Kill some time together there.”

Midnight began to bow but quickly shot up straight to make eye contact with Becky.

“As you wish, Lady La— I mean, Rebe… Becky. Yes. I’ll see to it that your breakfast is ready for you this morning… Is that all?”

Becky beamed as she found herself at the doorway to the bathroom and turned again to pose on the door frame. She leaned up against the vertical structure, looking as cute as she could at the stallion clearly growing more flustered with each passing moment.

“Don’t wake the kids up for breakfast. You and I both know they watched another movie and need their rest. You and I can eat together since you didn’t get to eat last night.”

She watched his smile widen. An expression she rarely got to see him share, which brightened up her morning even more than the impending sun that would be rising soon.

“Go on, you. And take your time. I think I’m going to relax and take a longer shower than normal this morning.”

Again, Midnight went to bow but caught himself much faster than last time and kept his eyes locked on Becky’s.

“As you say… Becky.”

Within a few minutes, Becky was enjoying the comforts of a warm shower pursuing other means for another release. Unsettled ambitions of the night prior created conflicting thoughts that had taken her down to sitting on the tiled floor of her shower.

“Gawd, I can’t believe he heard me fingering myself,” she moaned in a low voice as she teased herself over her southern divide, while wishing she could just smash her head against the wall and erase the memory.

She looked down upon herself. The low light seeping through the curtains brought up thoughts of the weeks prior with Shining.

Aside from the dance, he never pushed or pressured her. Even the dance itself was relatively harmless in retrospect. Otherwise, he was considerate and overly understanding. He was charming with his humor and even funnier with his nearly buffonish levels of naivety.

Honestly, it was hard to determine if he was always like that or simply a result of him being from an up till recently G-rated influence of Harmony.

But then there was their mock date he didn’t understand he agreed to until Cadance had explained it to him.

Not only had he taken the time to treat her out to a wonderful dinner, provided a tour of the city of Canterlot, and kept her entertained, he spared her from the drama and fallout Cerb had created. He protected her from the crazed echo that tried to murder her.

He was there for her so often. A shoulder to lean on, or a tentative listener, and even a sturdy set of legs when she could no longer walk on her own.

She trusted him, and Cadance had trusted him with her.

[Four days ago, 15 May May 2016, The Equestrian 14th Day of Love, in Ponyville Hospital.]

Cadance shifted uncomfortably in her hospital bed so she could sit upright while Becky looked over her chart. It was late, and Cadance saw no need for Becky to be staying up later than needed.

“Put that down and get some rest, deary. The doctors and Nurse Redheart said I’ll be fine to leave in the morning. I’m only here under protest and an abundance of precaution.”

Becky turned her eyes up to give Cadance a momentary glance of annoyance, but her expression quickly turned to an exhausted smile while she lowered the notes back down to the foot of the bed.

“I seem to remember a certain Prince and Princess sticking by my bedside when they had better things to do.”

Cadance rolled her eyes, but her reaction to having the hypocrisy called out obviously entertained her.

“This is hardly the same thing. I am perfectly fine, aside from some bruises and swelling. You, on the other hoof, could hardly crawl into the bed Shining carried you to. Not to mention your trouble breathing, the chest pain, the leg pain, that terrible cough you had, the—”

“Okay, okay,” Becky said, finally giving in. “You were the last one I wanted to check up on tonight. I’m heading back to the castle after I know you’ll be fine for the night.”

Cadance returned her eyes to Becky and grinned, though it softened slightly as she could see how tired Becky looked.

“But how are you holding up?” She softly asked, afraid Becky would not be honest with her. “Shining tells me you haven’t been the same since you sent Cerb back to the embassy. He and I are still concerned for both of you.”

There was so much going on, and Becky had been hiding all of it. Even then, she didn't want to let too much of it out. So, she would focus on the one problem she was sure would handle itself.

"Justin was like this before… All torn up and lashing out in his sleep. So, I sent him back to the place he would feel the most comfortable in without causing another scene."

She sat back farther in her seat and sighed, trying not to dwell on the matter, though she couldn't shy away from it.

"He'll probably booze it up for a while so he can sleep, and then Rarity and Fluttershy can swoop in and save him again… Probably… take a hold of him and magic away all his worries like I never could."

That wasn't how Cadance saw things, given her direct observation of Cerb working through his issues. Regardless, she would deal with that personally the first chance she got. For the time being, she could offer some help to the human in front of her.

"And what about your worries? Who will take a hold of you and give you the kind of comforts Justin has come to embrace? After all you've done and been through, I would think you should have somepony that—"

"No," Becky groaned. "I don't have a pony of my own. I've only had one guy here who even sort of showed any interest in me, and it was Doctor Horse of all ponies… And he made it weird and… even I made it weird… I don't even like him that way… Certainly don't trust him like that, now."

There seemed to be no harm in Cadance offering her services, so she smiled softly again with the first thought that came to mind.

"Becky, my dear. You need a little more love in your life and somepony to help take your mind off of everything you've been dealing with. The first chance you get, let Shining know that you would like another day in Canterlot—"

"No," Becky groaned, nearly laughing at the offer.

"Some dinner," Cadance continued, almost laughing herself.

"Cadence," Becky said, trying to stop the embarrassment from continuing.

"A nice romantic night as the hip candy for the stallion I was so happy to make available for you—"

"Oh, please," Becky scoffed, finally laughing out loud and blushing wildly, wishing something, anything, would end this awkward conversation.

Cadance, however, relaxed and spoke calmly on the matter.

"Becky… Shining and I owe you so much for all you've done for us. I know that he adores you for how genuine you've been and how you've helped us better understand our relationship. And just as Justin helped me to see that there are differences in loving someone and being in love with someone, how you express it, and where those expressions might overlap. That’s why I was so happy to see you both have gotten so close to one another."

Becky relaxed more in her seat, thinking back to their carefree time in Canterlot and how sweet Shining had been. Then, she remember Cadance's offers before she left for the date.

"Is that also why you gave me permission to give him a smooch or two?"

The question was asked as a joke, but Cadance knew how serious the offer was and how Becky had taken it.

"If that's all you were comfortable with."

Becky instantly raised her eyes to look at Cadance, thinking there was some follow-up or a gotcha reaction coming her way.

Cadence, in actuality, kept her smile simple and sat at ease in the bed with her forelegs lazily crossed on the sheets over her stomach.

"It's late, sweety. Tomorrow will be a better day and another small step towards a better life for all of us… That includes you as well."

[Back in the shower with Becky.]

Her legs quivered around her hands. Two fingers sunken deep inside her center carried her down from the rapidly dwindling high of her climax. Another two fingers worked over her sensitive pink nub to prolong the journey before it would all fade away.

“Gah,” she huffed, doing all she could to control her breathing and avoid another coughing spat. “Better… but not good enough.”

She sat under the downpour of the steaming shower, trying to imagine how far she would have gone had Shining not admitted his heartache.

It might have been taboo, but that married stallion had been made available to her. She wanted to hold him until he held her as she had never allowed another man before. It had been so long since even sharing a kiss with a man that she was tempted to request to feel his lips against hers and fulfill Cadance’s request.

Then, to take things further, the sight of a stallion’s member wasn’t so unappealing from what she recalled. It certainly was no less appealing than any of the sex toys she no longer had access to.

Even if she wasn’t ready to go that far, there were other options she could eventually experiment with. After all, it wasn’t as if she were a lesbian, but she had no regrets about her weekend with Kelly.

Would a stallion be so different in terms of having an outlet for her sexual needs if he was willing and wouldn’t take her for granted or use her? Was it a double standard if she would have used him? Could it be even worse if she were to dump all her intentions for Shining and throw herself at another?

“Midnight, Midnight, Midnight,” she lamented loud enough to hear her words clearly over the downspout. “Are you the one, or am I making another mistake again?”

[Deep in the frozen mountains of the Crystal Empire.]

Snow-covered rocks stretched out into blanketing darkness, all encased in ice within the dark enclosure. A swirling mass of green magic, surrounded by dark swirling wisps, floated the projection of Queen Chrysalis on her throne in the center of the space, angrily looking down upon four changelings.

Up front, in view of the dark ice enclosure, Pharynx stood with his head held low.

“He… got away.”

From the other side, Chrysalis screamed out her discontent.

“Incompetent fool! I gave you one simple task while all the others are working themselves to exhaustion repairing the hive and scrounging for love to bring back to replenish our reserves. In the days that I have let you continue to fail me, you could have been useful in leading the patrols around the hive like you were supposed to. But you couldn’t even do that right! Thorax and Ocellus running away are both your fault! Had you done your job correctly, you would have caught them leaving! GET BACK HERE AT ONCE! …I will deal with your punishment for all to see and make you an example so that no others will dare betray my trust and waste my time as you have.”

Now feeling even more ashamed, Pharynx lowered his head even further.

“I… can’t, my Queen. We’re… trapped inside a cave not far from the Crystal Empire’s boundary. Thorax was starving and—"

“YOU MANAGED TO GET YOU AND YOUR TEAM TRAPPED!” Chrysalis screamed. “How in Tartarus did you allow Thorax to trap you!”

Pharynx rose up, and his prior fear amplified with urgency.

"He fed on Gaster's love. I managed to separate them, but the others couldn't hold him and must have hit an ice column that caused the cave-in. I barely had enough time to save him—"

"Save him?!" Chrysalis yelled again. "Your bumbling nincompoops fed him, let him escape, and then caused the cave-in that not only made you lose him, but were responsible for getting yourselves trapped in a cave?! It sounds like your cowardly brother is more competent than the whole worthless lot of you."

This was a mess far too frustrating for Chrysalis to deal with. In fact, she had reached her limit.

"I have no more patience for you and no pity for your situation. You've obviously gone soft and let Thorax escape. Now you and the others are of no value to me. If you need me to save you from yourselves."

Pharynx threw himself to the ground, forelimbs extended and bowing as deep as he could to plead for mercy.

"My Queen! Please! We have been loyal. This was an accident! We're injured and need your help!"

The look on Chrysalis's face shifted from anger to disappointment and discontent.

"Pitiful… Only the weakest and defeated beg. And if you can't dig yourselves out of this mess you've made or bring me Thorax, then make yourselves at home. I'm finished with you."

Chrysalis charged her horn, and the like green aura spread over the viewing portal and erupted in a flash that shattered the four glowing beetle devices empowering the spell.

As the last pieces fell and smoldered to dust, the cave dimmed to black until Pharynx lit his horn with a small amount of his magic and looked to his comrades.

"This is all your fault," he growled.

Another changeling rose up, charging his horn and butting heads with Pharynx.

"You had him! You shoved him into us, which caused the cave-in! This is your fault!"

Pharynx pushed back against his comrade harder, shoving his fellow changeling to the ground.

"I protected Gaster because she is devoted to the hive! And I saved Thorax because he's my brother! You three failed to hold him!"

Another horn lit up in front of Pharynx, and another Changeling spoke up, starting with an angry hiss.

"Hisssss! Haltere is right. You've been protecting your spineless brother since you were a grub. Had you ambushed him like we said, instead of trying to persuade him to come back, we would be on our way back to the hive by now. Don’t you agree, Elytra?"

Another horn lit up, increasing the green glow in the enclosure to show the last able-bodied changeling standing behind their downed comrade.

"You slow-tracked Thorax on purpose. You didn’t take him down when we had the chance. You didn’t stop Thorax from feeding on Gaster. You didn’t push Thorax into us so we could capture him!”

Rightfully enraged, Elytra stepped over Gaster and smashed her forehooves into Pharynx’s chest, slightly pushing him away.

Even if the hostile act didn’t have the level of impact she desired, she didn’t let that diminish her hostility and exchanged hisses until he knew she would refuse to back down.

“Instead, we get to freeze together because you put your brother before the hive," she growled with a sharpened tongue.

Pharynx reared back, his horn glowing brightly, heaved his chest, then slammed his forehooves into Elytra’s chest, smashing her onto her back and skidding hard into a rock.

"WE ARE THE HIVE!”

He turned to the others, seeing them cowering at his domineering display of aggression.

“YOU! ME! GASTER! EVEN THORAX!”

He turned again towards the exit that had been filled in, analyzing every faulty approach he could take to start to dig their way out.

“All we have is the hive, and all the hive has is us. Every single one of us… Thorax needs to learn that, then we can return. Not as a prisoner, but as a true changeling. One worthy of serving our Queen.”

Elytra rose to her hooves again, giving a good show of pretending not to be hurt. Instead, she focused on her admiration for Pharynx’s strong will and determination but did so with sarcasm, of course.

“And how are we going to do that, genius? The way we came in is buried, and every time we try to dig, more snow and ice pours in. The only other exit is full of that black ooze that attacked the hive. You saw what it did to Thorax. We’re not touching that stuff.”

There was another option, one Haltere was looking at behind them.

“Not unless that way can lead us out of here.

The last option was a crack in the wall that first started the cave-in, but it led down and in, not up and out.

Pharynx eyed the crack, all the dark mysteries it held, and the chilling cold that breathed out from its depths.

“We’ll take turns carrying Gaster. And if we can’t find a way out, we’ll make a new way out.”

Author's Note

This chapter really speaks for itself, with the exception of the ending there. The changelings appear to have some issues. More will come of that, but I can't give too much away at this point. You'll have to find out more in:

Chapter 08: TO BE DETERMINED... because I really fell behind in my writing.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 05-07

08. Even the Best Laid Plans Fail.

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 18th Day of Love.]

Why was he having this dream again?

“I can’t imagine loving you anymore than I do now.”

Cadance was pulling him closer to their bed, drawing him in for one kiss after another between baited breaths and loving calls of devotion. Their passions grew to a point he couldn’t process, and his body began to move of its own volition. Her voice, her body, her scent, this incredible moment they were sharing were all coming together, empowering his desires toward loving his wife in a way he never had before.

Then, she spoke the words that all but removed his inhibitions.

“I want to give you more to love.”

As her body turned, flashing her tail high and to her side, Shining was already on top of her with his forelegs around her hips. Such wondrous sensations flooded his entire being; mind, body, and soul.

Even if he didn’t know what it was, it felt incredible, and it was all because of the loving mare he dotted with small kisses up and down her neck.; small kisses that drew larger until he felt his teeth pulling away on her skin as if he were anchoring himself on her for leverage.

“Our love will make this feel beautiful for her,” rang the alien thoughts that invaded his mind.

Those couldn’t have been his thoughts. It was so hard to remember. Nearly impossible to focus when everything felt so wonderful and warm, gripping around his loins.

The sensation was a smothering heat, yet wet, but smooth, though it came with the feeling as though he was relieving himself. Albeit, nothing leaving his body had ever felt so magical as this memory of him thrusting his hips against his wife's backside while hugging her.

That made no sense, not even for the memory of a dream that was growing dark… blurring… hazing… growing louder with moans… thuds.. slaps. splashing-beating-churnch-SCREAMING!

“STOP!”

Something had changed. The pleasure was fading, replaced with the cold numbness of his body disconnecting from his mind.

“SHINING!”

The voice called out again, and it was unmistakable. Becky was in danger, but it was hard to see anything in this unfamiliar space Shining now found himself floating in.

Ting!

Shining’s horn brushed up against something metallic, and he instinctively turned to see what he had bumped into. What he saw was a series of vertical bars stretching up beyond his sight from a point he could not make out and expanding in all directions he could have hoped to bypass.

Beyond the bars were two large ovals cut out of the black space he found himself in. It was no different than looking through a mask that didn’t fit correctly.

Finally, it all made sense, and Shining gasped in terror as he watched his bloodied right hoof rise up in view while his voice rose even higher from outside his new prison.

“YOU’VE RUINED EVERYTHING!”

Another shriek from Becky tore out, along with Shining screaming just as loud, reaching desperately through the bars for the woman out of reach.

“BECKY! SWORD! STOP IT! LET HER GO!”

Another crack of hoof to bone snapped and splurt of blood splashing over the face surrounding the mind Shining was trapped behind painted a film of red over his view of Becky being violently brutalized. He tried again to reach, flexed every ounce of magic into his horn, pressed harder into the bars, though every effort met in failure.

Then, with another drop of Shining’s hoof beyond his reach struck a fear-ridden and bloodied Becky; the two viewing ports outside of his prison blinked shut.

Choking and sputtering bubbled beyond his realm of influence just as the bars wisped away to dust, and he fell forward into empty nothingness.

“BECKY!”

As Shining continued to fall, two strong forelegs gripped tightly around his barrel and jerked him upward to safety.

“Calm thy self, Shining Armor!” Demanded the reassuring voice of Luna, with whiskey on her breath.

In a flash, the empty dark prison was gone. In its place, incredible landscapes of impossible proportions came into view below.

To the south, a bright sun illuminated lush fields of green where deer kin gathered closely around each other. Up to the right in the east, the light dimmed over an empty beach. Then, further to the north, the light glistened over rolling hills of freshly fallen snow and three yaks butting heads. Lastly, to the west was a dark-lit forest, littered with reflective eyes peering out from the trees with glints of polished blades reflecting back the light of the moon.

Shining might have seen it all, but he reacted to none of it. His mind was still on his nightmare, leaving him to flail and swing wildly.

“BECKY! I’LL SAVE YOU!”

The reassuring voice of Luna again spoke up.

“Shining, please! You must—”

Shining’s flailing caused the back of his head to smack into Luna’s lips, and her reassuring voice disappeared, along with her grip.

“Fuck it! Down you go!”

And down he went, barreling straight into a blanketed landscape of white while Luna casually fluttered in place, drawing another pull from her bottle of booze.

Shining quickly hit the snow down below, hooves first, feeling only the cold at first, then the soft cushioning turned to what felt like a thin layer of concrete. It didn't stop his descent. Instead, the crash and snaps came with a splash, and instantly he was submerged in frigid cold water.

He didn't travel too far through the freezing waters until hitting another layer of thicker ice with a hollow thud and echoing crack. The impact knocked a puff of air out of his lungs, and he turned his eyes to see Becky's face pressed up against the transparent sheet of ice.

"Shining, stop!" Becky's voice cried out before Sword's familiar hoof reached behind her neck and pulled her away.

Releasing another portion of breath, Shining screamed, "Becky!"

Determined to save Becky, Shining channeled magic into summoning his weaponized shield. His horn began to glow brighter, constructing his weapon with all its deadly edges, then drove it into the ice where he last saw his damsel in distress.

The ice crunched and cracked; white fractures spidered out from where pieces of ice shattered out and floated up.

Why was the ice so thick? Moments ago, Becky's face couldn't have been more than an inch or two from under him.

Crunch!

Again his deadly constructed shield fell upon the ice, digging in and chipping away toward the inevitable rescue.

Gulp.

He half swallowed a mouthful of the air and tried not to exhale when a burst of bubbles hit him in the face, but it came with a half gulp of freezing water. Now he noticed everything was cold, numbing to his bones cold, crushing his lungs, buzzing with an ache in his head.

"Prince Shining!"

That was Queen Novo's voice screaming at him from deep under the ice.

"What are you doing?! Stop it! You're scaring everyone down here!"

Peering through the thick sheet of ice, Novo raised her trident, illuminating it brightly to see the narrow-driven terror in Shining's eyes. There, in the movements, he withdrew his shield over his head to drive it down again; seeing the blue in his face and last gasp escape his hold, she knew where the problem lay.

She would have to sift through the fallout later.

"Boy, you bet'uh not hold this against me when you wake up."

Light from the trident focused around Shining, sending the water and floating ice pieces into a vortex that swirled around him. Before he could deliver another strike with his shield, the water around him burst like a geyser upward, jettisoned through the previous ice he first broke through, and was thrown into the open air, flying out of control.

“SHINING!”

Suddenly, Shining was caught again, this time held by his face in the grip of the bloody hooves of Sword himself.

The crazed echo’s appearance was paler than before. His severed wings fluttered overhead, detached from his shoulders. Blood-deranged eyes stared madly into Shinings, the eyes of an executioner ready with glee to drop the axe. His muzzle, still split and bleeding from the top as well from under as much from the gashes torn up on his throat, he freely spat as much blood as he spoke.

“Don’t be afraid. Love her.”

Sword pulled his right foreleg back, departing it from his severed hoof still pressed to Shining’s face so he could point to himself.

“It’s what you killed me for. But you didn’t listen! So go on! Love her. Make her yours. Then kill her. KILL HER! KILL AlLL OF THEM! BECOME THE SWORD!”

“ENOUGH!” Came Luna’s Canterlot voice.

Both Shining and Sword turned and looked up in the direction of Luna’s voice, but all Shining caught was a whistling sound from an unknown glistening object was flung through the air, followed by a crashing sound of shattering glass on Sword’s head and a sudden robust scent of alcohol as something wet splashed against his face.

[Back in the Castle of Friendship.]

Shining shot upright from his covers, gasping for air. His hooves were pressed hard into his cheeks where he last felt Sword holding him hostage. He could still feel the icy cold chill of the waters Novo expelled him from as keenly as the odor of whiskey stuck in his nose, but they were all figments of his imagination. Another passing nightmare he had awoken from, alone in his bed, with one thing on his mind.

“Becky.”

There was an order to do things in the Royal Guard, and Shining’s plan was to stay ahead of those procedures. What better way to keep an eye out for danger for the woman who mattered the most.

Of course, typically, the duties he was conducting now would typically fall upon a curator or some other highly appointed assistant to the Princess. However, since he was staying with Twilight and she didn’t care for all the extravagance and overhead of a full staff…

Knock-Knock-Knock.

“Spike?”

From the other side of the door, Spike gave a surprisingly enthusiastic greeting.

“Munuh gunuh sunnuh suh buh muh… Nuuh-yet.”

After all the less-than-stellar changes Spike had experienced recently, Shining new adjusting had been difficult. Adding on one mentor after another taking their leave, getting any type of verbal response from the young drake that didn’t come as a reply toTwilight, Chris, or now Becky… that was enthusiastic enough to Shining’s ears.

“Come on, Spike. You know that no dragon makes breakfast better than you in this castle. Becky and the kids are gonna be up soon. You don’t want to leave them hungry, now, do you?”

From behind the door, the obvious sounds of blankets being pulled into a ball, muffled sounds of grumbles, and other noises alerted Shining of Spike trying to go back to sleep. Normally, that wouldn’t deter his efforts so easily, but the sudden presence behind put him on alert.

“Prince Shining Armor.”

Shining did a sharp turn of his head to see one of the bat pony guards standing behind him. Assuming it had to be something important, he quickly turned to face the guard directly and stood at attention to take the report.

“Yes?”

Without hesitation, the guard continued.

“We apologize for any miscommunication this morning, but breakfast will be delayed by the request of Lady Landon so that the children may sleep in and receive the rest they require. Additionally, Spike was instructed to wake the children after the sun rises and have them assist with making their own breakfast, as well as any and all clean up, as part of their punishment for staying up again to watch a… Kung Fu Panda. ”

Rightfully confused, Shining slipped out of his military composure into a state of befuddlement.

“A what? Last night they were watching a donkey and giant talking green… green thing. How did she know they were watching a different movie?”

The guard, somehow, maintained his baring and answered as best he could.

“I am unaware, your grace. She opened the laptop device and must have used a spell, or their devices have some human magic that we can’t see because she knew they had disobeyed her orders. She knew almost instantly.”

After all the peculiar skills humans possessed, Shining couldn’t rule out that Becky could detect any unauthorized use of Chris’s device. As far as he knew, he thought he had deactivated it by folding it closed, no differently than he would a book.

Then again, he didn’t understand how it worked, as it was Chris who gave the children an explanation of how to operate the device. Shining, on the other hand, had only seen it deactivated once by Becky closing the lid.

Regardless, he now had more time on his hooves than he had originally planned.

“Well… I suppose Becky knows best how to deal with the matter. Is she taking care of the matter now or… Wait? Where is Becky?”

[Over at Ponyville Hospital.]

Evening Aster lay more comfortably inclined in her bed than she had during her previous days confined to the hospital’s care. The early morning hours had been spent alone before receiving her dinner, though it would have been a very early breakfast for everypony else. For this meal, though, once it would be served, she was beside herself with joy at the visitor sitting next to her.

“Lady Landon, you really didn’t need to stop in to visit with me, but I’m always happy to have your company.”

Becky sat contently next to Asters’s bed with her right hand resting contently on the mare’s closest hoof, thoroughly enjoying the positive experience she was bringing to the room. Sure, it was a bit crowded with the other bandaged bat ponies occupying every edge of the wall with wheelchairs or seats they could steal from other rooms to join her. Not to mention the few that had pushed up the panels of the suspended ceiling so they could hang from the support structures above. They all were happy to see her, and unlike the kids before, never had the chance to have a meal with any of the humans while recovering, let alone share one.

She could see how much this meant to them.

“Oh, please. This is the least I can do after all you did for us. I think I lost focus a while ago and started putting more attention on some of my needs, which really got me thinking—”

The entire room erupted in a quiet uproar of bat ponies groaning and giving their disapproval in one way or another. None more than Aster herself.

“Lady Landon? Do you hear yourself? We know full well you haven’t had, but maybe an hour to yourself since that nice dinner the Princesses put together for all of you. We do ourselves right by your instructions to give you no grief so that you might take more than a break or two between our visits when you’re here and not looking after the young delegates we all fought to save. You know you’re health is just as important as ours.”

“No,” Midnight answered from the corner of the room. “Her rest is more important than ours.”

Knowing their audience, Midnight had to keep things professional.

“Lady Landon, as I have told you before, we owe you so much, but you continue to stretch yourself so thin. You must take better care of yourself. We can only do so much for you, and sadly, even less for each other.”

Again, Aster spoke, but it was warm and with admiration.

“That night in the cave. Even though your hands were shaking and your friend needed so much help, you kept me breathing—”

This was another round of praise Becky was all too embarrassed to receive, if not feeling undeserving of. Certainly not when she was hardly responsible for the initial response.

“That was Cerb, Aster. His medical combat training helped him recognize your crushed ribs were collapsing your lungs. I only followed his lead.”

True or not, Aster remembered another life in that cave she helped save.

“And Thunder Glide?”

Again, Becky countered.

“Only after the other Trixie pointed it out. Same with Vogt.”

Both of those were true, but Aster had more than ample supplies of more immediate examples Becky couldn’t escape.

“Lady Landon, my dear… So many ponies and other creatures were busy tending to those in the cave… but who was the only human able to lend their healing hands to the wounded Lunar Guard left bloodied in the mud and rubble outside from Harmony’s warpath?”

Becky looked around the room. Each of the bat ponies in attendance was one she had personally tended to before securing safe travel back to Ponyville and continued to provide care for there after.

Their broken limbs were now healing in well-mended casts. Many had tattered wings that were glued, stapled, or stitched so they could heal. All of them still showed bruises to some degree, if not other clear signs of injury.

Together, though, they were alive, healthy, and happy. Happy to be with the one stuck by their side every day after their horrible nightmares.

“Lady Landon,” one of the bat ponies, wearing an eye patch, spoke up from his wheelchair near the door. “Doctor Horse has been following up with the anti-inflammatories you recommended for my head injury. He said the swelling of the optic nerve has started to go down, a-a-and last night I started to see some of the light he was shining in my eye while examining it. He thinks I’ll recover most if not all of my vision.”

From the ceiling, yet another excited bat pony mare, this one still with much of her face covered in bandages where portions of fur were missing, spoke up, sounding more encouraged than the stallion before her.

“Oh! Lady Landon. After breakfast, you must stop into my room. My squadmate, Bearing Pulse, he’s the one you did the truckuh… treckie, neck-hole—”

“A tracheotomy,” Becky answered.

The term wasn’t important; the news this pony wanted to share was, and her voice bore such excitement.

“Yeah! That! Well, we were all worried about Bearing after had his throat crushed in the fight, but last night he asked for water! He! Finally. Spoke! Isn’t that amazing!”

Becky raised both her hands to her lips and gasped. Everypony in the room could feel the exhilaration pouring out of her as she took in the amazing update.

“No way! He could barely breathe when I got to him. I thought for sure his vocal cords would have been… I mean, hell, yeah. Let’s go see him after this.”

“Ahem,” came a not-so-subtle interruption from the doorway by Doctor Horse. “Miss Landon, while we all appreciate your dedication to the hypocritic oath for our patients, you should apply that oath to yourself.”

Doctor Horse wasn’t walking in empty hoofed. In front of him was a food cart, though that seemed out of place, but at least he owned up to it as he entered the room.

“And yes, normally, one of the orderlies would bring the meals. Buuuuuuut, once I heard Miss Landon would be joining us and wanted to have you all here eating together… Well, I just had to see this new method of medicine for myself.”

Becky rolled her eyes, along with nearly half the room at the doctor’s ever-growing blatant advances toward their favorite provider and caretaker. Not that she thought he was rude or even egregious with his antics, as they were dotingly harmless.

“This is no method of treatment, Doc. My friends here appreciate me, and I want to show that I appreciate them as well. And, since I decided to give myself some extra free time this morning, I thought I’d let the kids sleep in and have breakfast here.”

As Doctor Horse lifted the first food tray, Becky had another thought come to mind.

“Actually, there is something to having a positive mindset and improved health, but the medical staff need to be careful about having unprofessional relationships with their patients.”

She quickly grabbed the plate meant for Aster off the cart, brought it to her lap, and forked a large slice of mango to hold up high enough for all to see.

“Thankfully, I don’t really work here.” She smirked. “I have a lot more free range. Now open up, Aster.

Aster was gracious, as would be expected, and happily took the sliced drupe with a gleeful hum.

Now, while it may have been a bit childish, if not unnecessary to be fed in her condition, it was still it was a delightful experience for the Lunar Guard. Still, as Aster chewed her final meal before sleeping when the sun would rise, another scent rose above the rich scent of mango.

“Mmm,” Aster moaned as she chewed before swallowing, never taking her eyes off Becky’s fingers. “Lady Landon. What is that new perfume you’re wearing? I thought only Princess Luna and Miss Bardwell wore that fragrance.”

Becky pulled her hand back with the now empty fork, very unsure of what she might have splashed on to warrant such a reaction. Though, that would quickly change after a correction from Midnight after two quick sniffs close to Becky’s hand.

“Hm, no. I believe you are mistaken, Aster. That is…”

Midnight’s nostrils flared with an involuntary quick inhale to retake in the aroma, even though the source returned to Aster’s plate. He wasn’t sure why he needed to smell that fragrance again, but on after a second take of its decadence, he noticed how much better it was than Becky’s normal scent of sunflowers and honey.

This time there was something so much more to it. Something that was more distracting than the other times he detected similar scents on others in passing.

“Ahem. Excuse me. Uhm… No. I recall Starlight Shimmer wore something much the same since the day of the first events in the Everfree Forest. Of course, Twilight and the others eventually started to wear their own versions after the Post War-War Party. Though—”

He sniffed again, taking a long and slow, deep inhale over Becky. His nose started near her shoulder but quickly trailed lower to the plate to finish over her knuckles, which she pulled out of reach.

“My apologies,” Midnight quickly stated, readjusting himself and taking a step back. “Yes, however, though, as I was saying. Unlike the others, this… perfume, if that is what you wear, is much more mild than the others.”

Suddenly looking as though he was hit with an epiphany, Midnight jolted slightly, then looked at Becky again differently.

“Is it something you wear at night to help you… Uh… Relax? Like some type of aroma therapy? I noticed you had on a lot more while in your room last night.”

Somewhere in the midst of Midnight’s awkward delivery, Becky managed to start to put things together in a way that gave her some incredibly uncomfortable yet flattering feelings. Sadly, the instant she felt such flatter, she would have been amiss if she didn’t recognize her own shameful temptation to the truth.

Not that she was ready to confront her temptations, of course. Not when there were certain details needing to be worked out.

“Something like that, I guess,” Becky answered with a careless grin. “But I think it comes and goes. Not that I mind, so long as you enjoy it.”

She turned her eyes up to Doctor Horse and noticed the addition of a pair of pants added to his lab coat that would only cover his top half.

“Doctor? After their dinner, you mind if I have a moment with you in your office?”

[Back at the Castle of Friendship.]

Shining teleported up to the rooftop of the Castle, luckily finding Twilight with Starlight going over some training.

“Twilight! Why was Becky allowed to leave the castle without me this morning?!”

Twilight remained seated in front of Starlight sitting across from her and raised a hoof in Shining’s direction, keeping her eyes closed, then slowly levitated her crown down to adorn it atop Starlight’s head.

“Now… Slowly… Let the magic in my crown reach out to the vast depths of the night sky, but don’t try to move anything yet.”

Shining started to march forward but quickly slowed his pace as he realized exactly what they were going over. Knowing what it was, it could be dangerous to interrupt Twilight at this point.

“Now,” Twilight calmly continued. “Before you even begin to try and move anything… feel the pull of the moon. Feel how it can move on its own before you try to alter its course. Feel how the stars shine and sparkle like opening your eyes? And I wish you had wings so I could better explain the colors, but what’s really important is the moon. Now that you have my crown, I want you to first anchor to it like you were going to lift it like any other telekinesis spell—”

Starlight slipped forward slightly, barely catching herself against Twilight.

“Woah, that… That’s not at all like—”

Twilight softly chuckled and helped Starlight to properly sit upright again.

“I know. That’s why I said to first anchor yourself. This kind of magic has some of its own self-governing rules as fail safes. Without enough raw power or properly attuned magic like Luna’s, you can overwhelm yourself and drain your stamina trying to control all of its influence all at once… So now… Now that you can feel it moving, slowly start to draw it down, and picture in your mind the night sky folding back towards the horizon like a pair of wings falling over your back…Then open your eyes, and I’ll help you guide everything into completion with the sunrise, and we’ll be done.”

Shining kept his distance, training his eyes up to the final portion of the night sky fade and give way to Celestia’s rising sun. It was a seamless transition without the spectacle of a crowd or ceremony or the clueless faltering of novice students.

Starlight had only one mild stumble of taking on more than needed but had adjusted so quickly to the rest under Twilight’s instruction. She was even far more stable than Twilight had been after her time at the Ceremony of Power and Beauty only a few days ago.

“Wow, Twilight, that was amazing,” Starlight excitedly raddled off, setting Twilight’s crown down at her hooves. “I’m so glad you’re letting me help you with this. This is a bit much for now, but I’m sure in no time at all, I’ll be able to take over for you when you need me. But, I think Shining needs you for something, and I’d really like to wake Chris up this morning since Prim helped him to sleep last night.”

After an excited squee, Starlight teleported out of sight, and Shining trotted up closer to his sister’s royal presence. The training session had been impressive, but if the moment was over, he had other issues to attend to.

“Twilight, we need to have a discussion about expectations of Becky's safety and my role in overseeing her protection. Did you know she left this morning early this morning to visit the Lunar Guard recovering at the hospital without any planning or scheduling details?”

Twilight lowered her head and returned her crown but remained calm in her response as she answered.

“Shining… You know exactly how sensitive the current situation with every human is. Becky’s security is by far one of our top priorities here, among everything else I’m juggling. She left with Midnight and the rest of the security detail that would normally accompany her in the evening hours.”

Unphased by Shining’s line of questions, or Becky’s actions, Twilight stood up, calm and collected, and made her way to stand in front of her brother, stopping just shy of passing him face-to-face.

“As well as half of the rest of the off-duty Lunar Guards who secretly watch over her, the human embassy, the Apple Farm, and my castle. Not that she doesn’t know they’re always watching over her, but she allows it. She welcomes their help and their attention because they never push or make her feel uncomfortable. They don’t make her choose or act like they own her, nor do they make her feel helpless.”

As calm as Twilight sounded, there was deep seeded frustration and tiredness seeping under her words. Some unspoken threat or anger unmasked that she kept hidden, tucked narrowly below the surface of her words before she stepped away towards the stairs back into her castle.

“It was kind of you to stay behind for Becky’s sake when Cadance took Justin away with her. Out of all of the humans, even if she was one of the most helpful, she was of the slowest to trust us completely and the least accepting of what we had to offer. Now with Rainbow Dash gone, you’re the pony she trusts the most. Even more than me.”

Shining was somewhat amazed at how observant, or at the very least, informed, Twilight had been about Becky. It made him cautious about pressing his luck if she were to pry any deeper regarding anything about him and Cadance in passing. So, to avoid that, he would have to adhere to her instruction for now.

“Okay?” He answered, doing his best to sound agreeable before turning around to follow her down. “So then, what should I do?”

Twilight stopped at the door, the stiffness in her posture giving notice to some added agitation, but again, she answered calmly.

“She wanted time at the hospital with the Lunar Guard. Let her do as she pleases. The children will be waking soon, and so will Spike to ensure Becky’s instructions are followed through this time, unlike last night. I’m sure Becky would appreciate your help with that. Otherwise… When she gets back, let her know that you were worried when you found out that she left without you. You know she’s safe with Midnight and the others, but with Cutter still in Canterlot, you’re currently my Captain of the Guard, and you are to be notified when, and if, she leaves the castle to ensure the proper precautions are taken or she is given as much space as she requests.”

She turned her head back to Shining and gave him a stare with one eye that was unreadable with all that must be weighing on her mind at the moment.

“From there, you give your best advice and protect her as best you can. Otherwise, if you can’t prove that you can help her or… if she doesn’t feel safe around you, she’ll go somewhere else and leave you behind.”

There was something almost bitter, if not cold in Twilight’s response as she finished. It could have been that she was tired, having left late to sleep at Oven’s house in town and coming back early enough to train Starlight. However, if anything, it was projection.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, Benny will be over shortly with Water Bug. I hope you don’t mind one more foal to watch over while we’re away. I’m not getting enough sleep to manage every problem on my own.”

[Just outside of the Human Embasy.]

“One, two, three, nine. One, two, three, and ten,” Benny finished counting with his young mare mirroring his jumping jacks as he finished. “You know, you could at least pretend to be a little tired during these workouts. And you don’t have to stay in pony form when you're home with me.”

Ocellus, still looking like the young filly she disguised herself as when she first infiltrated Ponyville. The same filly, though now she wore a pair of baggy gym shorts and sported a smile that beamed back brightly in the early morning rays of the rising sun.

“I’m just so full of energy, I can’t help it. Besides, with all the ambient love in the house my future moms keep giving off, it makes my tummy hurt if I don’t burn off all this extra energy I have.”

Benny laughed as he gave his torso another stretch, hoping his little filly didn’t know the half of it about the love those mares could give.

“Yeah, well, they do tend to go overboard with the affection when they have me all to themselves. Can’t have my Little Love Bug waking up every morning with a tummy ache.”

Again, Ocellus mimicked Benny’s stretches, simply elated to be living this life she found herself in. At the same time, she knew she was being spoiled.

“Is that why you said they had to stay at their house in town last night?”

It was far too early into this new father-daughter relationship to have “the talk,” so Benny made the wise decision to agree.

“Oh yeah. I figured since I was going to be busy all day in Canterlot, I’d spend as much of my morning with you, then we can have another movie night together. Then, tomorrow, I’d ask Twilight if it would be okay if you spend the weekend with the rest of your friends and burn off all the energy you want with them.”

Now overly excited, Ocellus broke from the stretching routine to launch herself onto Benny, hugging her forelegs around his neck and playfully kicking her back legs.

This hadn’t been the first outburst Ocellus had grown accustomed to use to show her affection, and Benny had quickly learned how to catch and spin her around in a shared hug. They both laughed and giggled at the silliness of their antics, but there was still a full day ahead of them, and Benny set her down, though she would have stayed in his arms for longer, given the chance.

Instead, she was bouncing up and down, dashing back and forth around him like a jack russell terrier.

“This is going to be so amazing! Training with the coolest dad ever. A whole day with my best friends. Another father-daughter movie night. Then, a whole weekend with the best friends in the whole world in the Princess’s castle! And I don't have to worry about being a prisoner or chased away or anything like that!”

If nothing else, Benny could take pride in knowing he provided an environment that left Ocellus feeling safe.

"That's right. You're my little girl now."

"Little Love Bug," Ocellus cutely corrected him as she jumped up to eye level with him long enough to flaunt her nickname.

That was right, and Benny promptly corrected himself.

"Yes, my Little Love Bug. And no one is going to try and hurt you because of where you come from or what you are. Every Princess and the other kingdoms gave their word, you have all the same protections I do."

Still jumping around, Ocellus landed, and in a fluid transition, her yellow fur began to turn a pristine white, starting from a long white spiral horn that grew from her forehead down, then continued down to the tips of her hooves. When she stood tall and proper, long, majestic feathered wings extended from her once adolescent thin, frail back and shoulders. Where she once sprouted a lazily combed over a teal-colored mane and tail, ethereal strands of hair now freely flowed in the non-existent wind, capturing all colors of the rainbow.

Somehow, without flashing lights or much of a sound, she appeared as the full-sized Celestia, and even stretched out the gym shorts.

"Well, of course, Sir Benjamin Yale," Ocellus replied, mimicking Celestia’s regal voice and tone. "I do recall the dinner where you accepted the brave changeling child as your own. The other leaders were so moved they pledged to defend your new daughter the same as you had for their family and citizens."

Dropping the proud, regal act, she cowered slightly, beginning to tremble.

"Of course, there were the terrifying stories of one pony who dared to threaten the pore, defenseless, scared, little changeling grub while she was barely conscious. But he was forced to back down when not even the Mighty Cerberus was able to stand, and you—”

Having taken a few too many liberties with her abilities, as well as letting her guard down, she felt Benny's hands grip around her back legs and rip them out from under her. With one quick yank, she was laid out flat on her belly with her forelegs stretched out in front of her.

"Oof!"

Before she knew it, Benny had sat down over her lower back, and his fingers were tickling her sides.

"What's one of the rules?"

Horrendously ticklish, Ocellus was forced to submit and shrunk back to her smaller filly form.

"Nah-haha! No posing as royalty-hehe!"

And the fingers ceased their assault, given the quick surrender of Ocellus, which Benny was a little let down to see.

"Yeah… and, sure, that rule doesn't really apply when you're home, and no one else is around, but not in the open like this."

Ocellus tilted her head back and smiled, rolling her eyes back as far as she could, seeing Benny still playfully pinning her down.

"Yeah, yeah. I gotta be smart about not drawing too much attention to myself until the public is ready to accept me."

Benny started to stand up, though he hated the thought of making his new daughter feel alienated or discriminated against.

"No," he cautiously stated. "If I can be accepted, you can be accepted. My concern is keeping you safe from anyone else who still wants to hurt us."

Ocellus shot up, showing no fear behind all her smiles.

"But I am safe! You're safe! We can keep each other safe! I'm a lot stronger now because of Uncle Justin! What happened to me in the cave can't happen again!"

There was no way of knowing that, and none of their new limits had been tested. If anything, Benny was trying to relearn his own.

"I will do anything to keep you safe, Little Love Bug. And I have no doubt you are stronger than anything this world is ready for… But we got a three-mile run to do."

And that's all the distraction Ocellus needed.

"Race ya! Winner gets to drive to the castle!"

Quicker than Pinkie's blood sugar levels rising at a dessert table, Ocellus was off in a gallop. Benny, however, only had two legs to run with and wasn't powered by love magic.

"What?! No! I didn't agree to that!"

There was no telling what that girl would do if Benny let her win.

"Hey!"

He was already way behind and had to take off faster than he would have wanted to pace himself.

"If you win! I might let you control the radio on the way there!"

[Not Much Later, Over In The Crystal Empire.]

Cadance’s throne room had been occupied with her normal staff, as well as the new addition of Rainbow and Spitfire. Although, it was nearly twenty-past eight in the morning. It wasn’t like Cadance to run this late.

Then again, there were talks among the six crystal pony council members of the royal court discussing things that were out of the ordinary for them. Namely the chancellor.

“This is so unbecoming. Friends of the Princess or not, these new guests have degraded the efficiency of our empire. Morning, noon, and night they have her attention divided and her time wasted.”

Another mare, adorned in a black silk gown with long closed sleeves and flapped collars with Cadance’s crown etched over a weighted scale on either scale, added her opinion as well.

“Never you mind them. The legality of the human guest is a quagmire better left as a forfeiture in a political bonfire.”

A groan came from another mare, this one in a half-lab coat and her cutie mark showing a crutch tilted over a roll of gauze.

“Neither of you have it half as bad as I do. Their medical files are impossible to follow. The other Wonderbolt that’s laid-up, I can’t even get a cause of injury, and you don’t even want to know how bad what I did find out was. But the human’s medical file?”

This time, instead of a grown, the medical mare blew raspberries and gave an expression that she was either mocking the report or mentally exasperated by its contents.

“This creature defies all sense of medicine and biology, and that’s if you can even make sense of any of it. I can’t even remember half of what I read the day after, it seems.”

Other comments had been made throughout the morning. Each time Spitfire had to hold Rainbow back and shake her head, if not make a motion of being kicked by bringing her hoof to her temple again. Anything to remind Rainbow that this wasn’t worth starting a fight over.

Rainbow was nearing her limit of having to listen to the gripes and insults carelessly tossed towards their friends, accumulating into hushed words of anger under her breath she shared with Spitfire.

“This is bullshit. We didn’t need to be here an hour early to listen to these ass-hats whine and complain. We should have had breakfast with Justin and come down with Cadance.”

Spitfire groaned and pulled back on herself, not wanting to look Rainbow in the face over her choices that ate up so much of the time that morning.

“We needed supplies if we’re going out in the field with no backup.”

To that set of reasoning, Rainbow groaned like a disappointed parent.

“Oh, come on. We’re doing a weather patrol over the snow, not overwatch in the Everfree.”

Finally, Cadance was announced by a guard posted at the entrance.

“Now arriving, Princess—”

“No. Thank you,” Cadance politely requested as she did her best to hurry her steps in. “My apologies for keeping you all waiting. A bit of a slow start this morning. Let us forgo the usual formalities. Please, begin.”

The court staff members were typically rather humble and simple ponies with not much in terms of fanfare for daily procedures. Still, it was clear that there was some shock that the simple traditions they carried were going to the wayside once again since Cadance had returned after this last adventure. Rather, more honestly, since she returned with her new guests, she was giving their customs less of the respect one would expect.

However, if that were her request, the chancellor would start things off.

“As you wish, Princess. First—”

“Great, I’ll start,” Rainbow blurted out, butting into the start of the morning routine. “Spitfire and I will be heading out this morning to continue the evaluation of the unusual weather activity that’s been causing your local cold factor problems. Currently, the weather systems are far stronger and denser than any I’ve ever encountered before. However, I believe that I am able to combine enough wing power with Spitfire to alter one wind current more than three degrees and sustain its redirected course; it should create a rolling slipstream effect with enough negative pressure behind it to create a vacuum strong enough to alter the course of the receding air currents behind it, but with diminishing returns for each new current it effects.”

And the room was silent, much to Rainbow’s disappointment or embarrassment, as well as frustration.

If not the silence, then the dirty looks and alien looks she was receiving only further set her off after everything else she had to put up with that morning.

“Oh, come on. This isn’t anything like the lame stuff you were bitching about before Cadance showed up. It’s not even complicated egg-head science stuff. This is everyday weather stuff.”

Not wanting to over-explain things and possibly have to show how much she actually learned about weather, she flew up and shoved all the other court members into a line, shoulder-to-shoulder, all facing Cadance, and raised their right hoof up onto the pony’s back next to them.

Maybe she wanted a little payback, too.

“Okay, now hold onto the pony next to you real tight, don’t let go, and imagine you’re all cold currents of air blowing through the mountains. Each one of you are bringing more cold air than what this empire needs right now, and that first air current on the end is the ring leader.”

Without warning or explanation, Rainbow flew overhead and, with one mighty shove, pushed the older pony over. A chain reaction of each pony holding onto the next to pull each other down started until they all fell.

By this time, Cadance made it to her thrown and carefully took her seat, confusedly eyeing the spectacle, but let Rainbow continue while Spitfire facehoofed off to the side.

“Alright,” Rainbow boasted. “Now. As you can see. The pony I first knocked over, he took the worst of it.”

“Geeet off,” the chancellor groaned.

That sounded about right to Rainbow, who then fluttered over to the last pony, already starting to stand up on her own.

“But you there. You didn’t take it so bad. See? Diminishing returns. So, if my theory works, I can submit my results to Cloudsdale, and they can provide us full-sized weather team and help to properly coordinate how much air current conversion would be needed to safely turn away the cold air affecting your empire without disrupting the weather of the other kingdoms and causing them problems. I’m sure you won’t forget that, will ya?”

Clearly, this was not a great start to any pony’s morning, nor proper etiquette for the proceedings of the royal court. One saving grace was Spitfire, safely positioned off to the side, who thankfully caught Cadance’s attention. Why or how wasn’t important to Spitfire, who took the opportunity to make the quick gesture of nodding her head toward the door, requesting an exit, then pointing her hoof at Rainbow, and finally opening her wings only enough to flutter them enough to give the impression of flying away.

So, even if Rainbow made an ass of herself and physically assaulted Cadances’s entire trusted council, she didn’t want to make the others suffer any further indignities.

After all, she could see how this morning was already turning out and would be grateful to let this newly festering issue remove itself before complicating any of the other problems she was dealing with.

“Most impressive, Rainbow Dash,” Cadance proudly announced to the room. “I support the immediate implementation of your theory, post haste. Enough that I would excuse you from the remainder of this morning’s briefing to begin. Are there any objections?”

“No!”

“Geeet! AWWFF! MEEE!”

There wasn’t much worse than dealing with politics, but dealing with the politicians certainly was, and Spitfire wanted no part of it now that Rainbow had them dogpile each other.

“You heard the votes, Dash. No time to waste... Princess?”

There was, of course, a process to these things, and Cadance was appreciative that Spitfire would acknowledge it, and thus gave her nod of approval.

“Yes, please. You are both dismissed.”

Spitfire graciously bowed before she backed away towards the door.

“Thank you, Princess. Sunset should be just before twenty hundred hours this evening, and we plan on returning well before then to avoid the rapid drop in temperature. We’ll leave a copy of the mission plan with your curator before we depart. If we are needed before our expected return, the mission plan highlights our projected flight plans—”

“Don’t worry about us, Princess,” Rainbow boldly announced, looking over her shoulder while pushing Spitfire the rest of the way out of the room. “We’ll be back in no time to send off our letter to Cloudsdale, and then your crops will be safe once again.”

With Rainbow and Spitfire out of the room and the rest of her advisors coming back up to their hooves, Cadance wanted to get right into the more important matters needing her attention. Hopefully, she could put a few other things in order as well.

“Well, since most matters will be on hold until this weather anomaly is resolved, the majority of our business can wait until you are all situated. Also, whatever issues you have with my guests or any of the changes that have been implemented with their recent stay, bring them to my attention, and not speak them so freely behind my back that my friends feel the need to disrupt these briefings on my behalf any further.”

The chancellor was finally freed from the bottom of the pile but was in no condition to open himself up to scrutiny. He was humiliated enough as it was.

“My apologies, Princess. Part of my frustration has been attempting to handle all of the Reservist Wonderbolt’s training facility restoration. You originally mentioned Soarin’ would be assisting, and that would be under the supervision of Prince Shining Armor. Now Spitfire has been sent off on weather pattern correction testing? Yesterday you said she would be unavailable, attending to Mister Husk?”

Cadance took a deep inhale through her nose, her agitation now showing more clearly.

“Hmm. Perhaps it was best that Rainbow Dash went first and was excused from the rest of this briefing. This conversation really would have gotten out of hoof, but yes, I did not make Spitfire available to you. Spitfire, just like Rainbow Dash, was brought here to be in service of Mister Husk while I am not available. That was their purpose. It was decided she would assist Rainbow Dash today because this weather anomaly is a potential crisis to the empire as a whole, and they are taking on this task as a favor to me, despite the fact they require their own rest and time to recover. So do not assume any of my guests… are here for your leisure. Understood?”

The chancellor gulped and bowed his head, now seeing how he had overstepped not only his authority but his good graces as well.

“I beg your apology, Princess. I let my ambitions blind me to reason. It won’t happen again, but without experts readily available, there will be delays.”

There were plenty of reasons Cadance wanted to stay angry over this matter. So much of it reminded her of what a terrible morning it had been since leaving her bed.

“We will have time to discuss our options at length if there is good news from the Ministry of Health. Madam Resilience Recovery? Thunderglide has been healing remarkably under far less favorable conditions than Fleetfoot. I was assured that the specialists in this area would be better suited to treating leg injuries… What have I not been told that Fleetfoot knows?”

Resilience Recovery, now silently fretting about the reaction she would receive once she gave her report.

“Princess, our specialists deal with assisting the recovery of ponies with broken bones from hairline and minor-compound fractures. We rarely deal with any major-compound fractures to this degree. The patient Fleetfoot has multiple compound fractures that have damaged the surrounding muscles, and there are many more spiral hairline fractures. Her tendons…hips.”

Sadly, this mare was finding herself at a loss. Most of these issues weren’t supposed to have been spoken out in the open, but she had to address them now. At the same time, she was unsure of how to fully explain them.

“Then there are her spinal alignment issues… Princess… In theory, she may never walk properly again, let alone fly straight. Without going into the details of each injury that I have yet to fully explore and diagnose or review, most of which Doctor Horse has already recorded, there’s not much I can tell you that Fleetfoot hasn’t figured out on her own by now.”

Cadance furrowed her brow, narrowing her gaze at her Minister of Health.

“And what might Fleetfoot have figured out on her own that I haven’t? When Spitfire delivered her to recover with Mister Husk for the day—”

Suddenly, Cadance understood why Spitfire had taken Rainbow away so early this morning and even more desperately, even if silently, requested their removal from the throne room.

“No…”

[Up in Cadance’s Bedroom.]

Still lying in bed, Cerb did his best to coddle Fleetfoot, lying at his side, her head resting under his chest, letting her tears and sobs flow out as if her dreams were bleeding out of her eyes. The shared bottle of whiskey was needed more to calm her now that she was at Cerb’s side, but even that was a struggle.

“I’m supposed to be a Wonderbolt. They’re going to retire my wings! …I gave up everything for this!”

She squeezed tighter around his midsection with her forelegs, hating all the pain in her legs, all the pain she felt everywhere.

“Justin… Harmony broke me… I’m all broken…Now they’re going to send me away… but I don’t want to go… I’m supposed to be here—Justin, don’t make me go.”

On the other side of Cerb, Thunder sat attentively, unsure of what to do or what to say. Her face spoke of all the apologies that did nothing to fix the situation.

Cerb, however, felt like he, more than anyone, knew what she was going through and continued to stroke her neck.

“Maybe they won’t take you back. That’s their loss… But if you want to keep on fighting… Fight any way you can. I got you…. I got you, girl… You’re not going anywhere if I can help it.”

Author's Note

Of note, this chapter was published without the assistance of review of my editor, as... I sadly have too much going on for that. Just the same, the image provided doesn't fully capture what I wanted it to, but it helps break up the text a little, so there's that. Also, it's another AI-generated image that I had to heavily edit because I can't really produce my own art at the moment.

Hecky. Even this chapter was released a few hours late because I couldn't wake up on time with all that's going on.

Otherwise, on the with the chapter review, below.

Well, well, well. Now we get a better view into the mindset of Shining and what's been eating at him, or at least what has him so scared to be close to Becky. Kind of makes sense, though. After seeing all the echos and knowing how many times history must have repeated itself, Shining must be fearing the same thing on some level.

Becky, on the other hand, is having to learn a lot of the old information on her own since she kept to herself most of the time while other Stranded Seven were off fucking around and talking about it. But she's at least taking her time to try and figure things out before... umm... huh...

What exactly is she up to?

Benny! Oh, lord! Wasn't that sweet? Him and Ocellus are getting along just swimmingly. She's happy, healthy, safe... and can transform in a way she wasn't able to before? That's interesting.

She's also not returning to her natural changeling form. That's even more interesting. It seems what Cerb did that Ember never got to finish telling Fluttershy and Rarity has done some miraculous things to our Little Love Bug.

Finally, Fleetfoot is now dealing with the consequences of her brave acts in the battle against Harmony. Spitfire could see the writing on the wall the night before and didn't want to deal with, nor let Rainbow get involved. Really, all she wanted to do was give her fellow Bolt all the care she could. And at the time, all she could do was give her as much of Cerb's attention.

Where will that lead? Find out next time in:

Chapter 09: Chapter pending. Delays may be expected due to medical reasons.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7

09. Examine the Past. Determine Your Future.

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 18th Day of Love at Canterlot Castle.]

It was late into the morning in Celestia’s throne room as the large doors opened so Flash Sentry could make his announcement.

“Now arriving. Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship. Also arriving. Human ambassadors, Sir Benjamine Yale and Sir Christopher Breslin, accompanied by Starlight Glimmer.”

It was a long walk from the doors to the throne. Hell, it was a long walk to just about anywhere in the castle, but Benny was certainly taking his sweet-ass time with his slow, small steps. Although, his attitude sounded positive and chipper.

“Good morning, Princess… Sorry. I’m moving a little slow today… Tried to outrun Water Bug this morning… Ow… I might as well have tried to lower the sun myself while I was at it.”

If anything, Benny’s sunny demeanor was a positive addition to Celestia’s day, and she returned his greeting just as warmly as she bowed.

“Good morning to you as well, Sir Benjamin. It warms my heart to hear you’re new daughter still sounds to be healthy. And in good spirits, I imagine?”

Given Benny’s slow pace, Twilight trotted ahead of the group, happy to give her take on the situation.

“Water Bug appears to be in excellent health, and she seems to raise the spirits of all the other children around her… And while we have a lot to still understand about her biology, at least we have no reason to question her allegiance.”

Chris, not as limited in motion but still far worse for wear in his current condition, left Benny to walk on his own and joined Twilight with Starlight at his side. He also had some favorable opinions to share about the changeling’s recent addition to the group.

“That kid has been stuck to Benny’s side like white on paper. The only time I see them apart is when she plays with the other kids. It’s funny because I think between her and Smolder, Button is having a hard time deciding on which one to play favorites with.”

Finally, Benny made it to the group, though the discomfort in his legs fought equally with the proud smile on his mug, prompting Celestia to ask another general question. Although to be more formal and show respect where it was due, she directed her attention to Twilight.

“It sounds as though things are coming along rather well for all of you in Ponyville. As for this morning, however, was the welcome committee at the train station acceptable? I would have been there myself had I not been dealing with other responsibilities. I'm sure you agree that I provide my presence here in the Castle. Of which, I will provide an update once we begin. Plenty of good news to share, I assure you.”

Despite the time that had gone by and the favors exchanged between the two royals, there was still a dark cloud that brewed between Twilight and Celestia. It was no secret between the two, though neither openly spoke of it. Yet, Twilight could tell Celestia was doing her best to placate their relations in these formal settings with honor and respect, befitting her position as an equal finally.

To that, Twilight would return the gesture with equal gratitude and grace.

“I understand the Royal Guard as a whole has been strained as of late. None more so than your Solar Guard. So, to see them posted at the station to welcome and escort us to the castle was most appreciated, as we understand the additional burden it likely caused you. Otherwise, even with my only remaining pegasi Twilight Guard watching over Peter, I feel safer knowing that you remain close by in case anything were to happen. As for the good news, I presume it will fall in line with letters I’ve received from both Sergeant Major Cutter and Sergeant Swift Sails that all security, health, and comfort requirements have been either met or exceeded.”

Far be it from Chris not to be clueless about some of the more subtle notions of power dynamics between political leaders or women in general when they weren’t exchanging death glares or spitting venom… but something felt off with the over-sanitized exchanged between those two mares in front of him. Their words were too clean, soft, and well-spoken while not delivered with any sense of genuine empathy or depth. It reminded him of sitting in a courtroom and listening to lawyers speak true statements without conviction to win over a judge.

He wasn’t sure what was happening or why the exchange now felt so uncomfortable to be in the middle of, but there was other business to attend to and a table set up for them to conduct their discussions.

“Great,” Chris spoke up, breaking the hopefully non-tension of the room, and motioned his way to the table. “We have a lot to get through, and there might be a lot I think we need to discuss together to help me best break down what I was asked to uncover for you. A lot of it is still theory, but I think you’re still going to want to hear it.”

It didn’t take long for the small group to get situated at the small table. A few papers were passed around, some coffee, and Celestia setting the stage.

“In today's meeting, I hope to continue our strong relationship. Benny, as the head delegate and lead ambassador for all humans, I wanted you present for what would be discussed today, as well as ensure all precautions are taken to ensure the safety of your new daughter. Chris, as legal counsel for… Are we sure Stranded Seven is still the best name?”

Benny shrugged without a care, but his grin said he clearly found some amusement in the title, if not Celestia’s reaction.

“For now. Branding and public relations is all Sniff, and we’re not changing anything without him.”

That was a good enough reason as any, so Celestia continued.

“Yes, of course. Well, Chris, aside from the legal counsel, you are also by far the most knowledgeable in terms of Equestrian intelligence and theory. The primary focus of today's meeting will be to discuss your findings over recent events and suggestions for future plans.”

Benny and Chris weren’t the only two guests in Celestia’s company, so additional formalities were to be presented.

“Princess Twilight, aside from some political theater at play involving Mister Husk in the Crystal Empire, none of which you are to be blamed for—”

Hearing Cerb’s name dropped with the addition of political problems, Benny’s posture and aura sent off an alarm that Twilight leaned in with an extended hoof to quickly address.

“Princess, if you would, please. That is a subject I would like to save for the end of our meeting today. And Benny, Chris, please. Cerb is fine. He hasn’t done anything wrong, and he’s not in any kind of trouble. We do have some concerns about his care while he’s away and would like to ask you a few questions about how best to provide his care and address his needs after discussing what we originally came here for, which is why I am also still here. I’m still in charge of overseeing your care and protection. If there were any immediate concerns, I would have brought them to your attention.”

That seemed to calm the room, but if not, Celestia moved on to the last pony at the table.

“Thank you, Twilight. And Starlight, as Twilight’s pupil and guardian as well as a committed partner to Chris, we thought it best to have you along to assist him in any manner as you have previously through all these ordeals. Many of which will likely be discussed. So, Chris, if you would like to begin.

Finally, all the attention was put back on Chris, and the tension died down again.

“Well, to start things off, Crystal Rose helped to clear a few things up, but we still don’t know why we specifically were the humans selected to come here. For all we know, it could have just as likely been as much of a random draw or as much of a choice made based on our Order, whatever that really is, and not who we are as people. After talking to Benny a lot more and the bit I was able to with Cerb before you left, we don’t believe there were any fate-driven forces behind our actions that led us to where we are now. Not in the same way Harmony was manipulating any of you or however many other Equestrians.”

Simply mentioning Harmony or her manipulation soured the mood for both Twilight and Celestia, but Chris expected as much. There was no avoiding it, but that was the discussion to be had and one of the many topics to cover. So, knowing there was more to cover, he pressed on.

“Knowing that, and now understanding her motivations, that brings up some discrepancies I didn’t fully realize until after everything settled down and I was able to look into things more closely and read some of the reports provided.”

Chris turned his eyes directly toward Celestia, letting her know he was now addressing her.

“One thing, in particular, confused me the night we fought Harmony that you told me. Just like how Twilight didn’t go through the mirror to the human world to fight Sunset Shimmer in the series, you mentioned something you and Discord did that didn’t match up with the show The Words are based on.”

Celestia and Twilight both turned to Benny, who was intensely focused on Celestia, looking heavily concerned, if not utterly lost.

“What?” Benny asked. “I’ve been busy trying to be a dad and working with Aspen, Novo, and Luna when I can. And that’s between trying to get my house fixed and trying to get back into fighting shape. I’m behind on everything except taking care of Water Bug. I got nothing on this. Chris hasn’t told me anything.”

The reactions were something Starlight had anticipated, given how she first had to have Chris’s findings explained to her. At this point, though, there was no reason going any further without first casting a spell that gave them all the privacy they needed.

So, without much effort, a faint aura from Starlight’s horn grew and then dimly flashed over the interior of the room, granting them complete protection from any unwanted listeners.

“Please pardon the privacy spell, but this is going to be very hard to take in, if not even harder to explain. We haven’t told any other creature, not even you, Benny. And Celestia, we apologize for not notifying you sooner, but at the night of the dinner at Twilight’s, we… discovered…”

This was indeed going to be difficult to explain and an even more daunting task to admit that Celestia had been left out of the knowledge for days on end. So, Chris laid his bandaged hand on Starlight’s hoof and started to take over.

“Princess… Trixie Rose refused to tell us just about anything of The Words or any future plans the other echoes had for any version of Equestria. What we did discover, though, is that there is a link between what we know as the show that is based on your world and The Words. And part of it makes sense, but a lot of it doesn’t make sense to me, because now I can’t explain it.”

For all the beating around the bush, Celestia knew it had to be bad news. However, she’d suffered enough bad news as it was, and drawing out the final blow wasn’t going to soften its landing as far as she was concerned.

“Just—” She broke from her words to give a heavy sigh and lowered her head to her hooves in a look of defeat. “Whatever it is you have to say. Just say it already. We all are busy and our time is limited. If we are to dispense with pleasantries, then I prefer we complete our business and let our kind words be exchanged naturally over things we care about in our personal lives and not our responsibilities to others.”

That was a fair point, so instead, Twilight decided to break the bad news on this one.

“The Words were not simply instructions for Harmony or the echoes to follow or manipulate us. The Words were also the scripts used to create the shows, comics, and possibly other mediums for content based on us from their human world.”

Again, Chris jumped in to try and better explain.

“Trixie Rose verified it when we showed her a few of the episodes on a copy of my phone. She said that everything matched up to The Words as she understood them. She even verified that events that happened in the comics based on the show happened, but that’s where things get more confusing, and I’m more confused by The Words or how the show would be in line with them.”

Somehow, for only now hearing this theory, Benny thought he had a good grasp of the situation, which led him to question Chris’s confusion.

“No… That explains it. The Words are the words to the show. Harmony was trying to make this world recreate how the show was supposed to happen, but something was going to interfere with the script, so we were brought here to—”

“No,” Chris interjected, shaking his head at the misunderstanding. “Forget the darkness and us being brought here for a moment. The Words are the show. Okay, I’d buy that. The comics, that’s harder to buy, because, and I know this only because I never really read them because of the problem the other fans had with them… they’re not all canon.”

Already, all eyes were hyper-focused on Chris again, but he didn’t want to deal with the bull shit that was coming his way.

“I know, I know. We had this discussion on day one. But Trixie Rose made it clear that even when she was a Harmony for her world, that not everything was understood what was supposed to happen based on The Words. She said there were contradictions, and she had to figure out what were… I don’t remember exactly how she said it, but if events in the comics were supposed to be part of The Words, then I get it. Because even the creators admitted that not all of the comics were canon if they conflicted with the show’s material—And I know that’s fucking stupid, but that’s what happened.”

For a moment, no one at the table spoke to try and question what Chris had explained. As the sole source of that knowledge, they had no grounds to challenge it.

That, of course, allowed him to collect his thoughts to move on to another point.

“Now, three other problems exist that I know of, so far, that confuse me, outside of the Darkness prophecy or me, Benny, and the rest of our friends being brought here.”

In all likelihood, there were still many questions to be asked, but Chris still held their attention.

“This world,” Chris said, sounding like he was questioning his own words as he spoke them. “—has things… ponies in it… that technically it shouldn’t. Some I can’t write off because I wouldn’t know if they existed or not, but others I do because I know enough of the source material… And Twilight, I know I told you weeks ago, but Cream Heart shouldn’t exist here. She’s a fan-made character. She’s never been part of the show, but neither has the Twilight Guard.”

Upon saying that, Benny’s quick wit kicked in.

“Well, maybe we caused that to happen sooner than it was supposed to, like we did with the six kids coming together.”

At first, Chris nodded along, looking like he was in agreement, then raised his bandaged right hand and pointed to Benny, shaking it gently to signal some message of approval.

“You know, I totally had that same thought in mind. Which is another point I will get to, but the Twilight Guard made me remember something about the Royal Guard and how it's divided in the show.”

Again, he looked at Celestia and returned his hand to the table.

“Where I come from, everyone points out the difference in the color of the armor worn by guards here to tell if they’re either in the Solar Guard or the Lunar Guard, but they’re never called either of those names. They’re always called Royal Guards. Not Solar or Lunar. So, it’s not just The Words that were the script of the show that Harmony and the echoes were hearing. However, coming into point number two… The Words project beyond what we could have known to create any of the episodes, comics, fan-made shit, anything… They knew things, things that by all rights, to us, would have been future events.”

Saying that out loud, Chris had to restate something about his theory.

“Okay, and now, if it was a prophecy, then that would mean they would know the future. But if it were based on content about the show as I know it to be, and somehow took in non-canon material, it doesn’t explain why the Equestria Girls split didn’t happen, why all the Mane Six still had their Elements to use when we got here, or why Discord never knew where the Tree of Harmony was.”

For some reason, Twilight gave Chris a look that questioned his statements. Her tone was also just as questionable when she spoke.

“How could Discord have known? He never went down there before. Celestia and Luna did over a thousand years ago when they first discovered the Elements of Harmony. Then it was rediscovered by Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and myself when the Everfree threatened to overtake Equestria. And no matter how reformed Discord was, we knew better than to let him know where the Tree of Harmony was located.”

Twilight had stated her claim like it was a reaction, but just as quickly had a change in expression as if she had said something out of line.

“And by that, I’m sure I mean that Harmony had wanted us to believe that we couldn’t trust Discord enough to know where the tree was located.”

Her expression looked to drop slightly, and everyone could empathize with the loss his sacrifice meant.

“We knew he wanted to find out and often tried to ask around the topic, but we never would say. Even after Tirek nearly defeated us and stole Discord’s magic, he was too weak to follow us so we could retrieve our Elements of Harmony.”

Without Becky in the room and Benny only moderately familiar with the show, Chris was the only one there to see where some of the major flaws in this world were originating from.

“That’s… No. That’s not how it was supposed to happen. The vines that took out Harmony and saved us a few days ago should have appeared about two years ago. What happened that made you go into the Everfree Forest to save the Tree of Harmony made you lose your Elements?”

For the first time, Chris’s advanced knowledge of the Equestrian world appeared to have not only fallen short but was completely out of sync with their reality, leaving Twilight uncertain in her response.

“We’d never seen those vines that Discord raised up to fight Harmony before, but it’s not the first time vines had been used to attack her… or at least when we only knew her as the Tree of Harmony. The same potion Blackthorn gave Gilda to use that created magic inhibiting vines had been used on the Tree of Harmony once before, about two years ago. It happened after… Well… it’s a long story.”

Benny and Chris did their best to follow along with the bat-shit crazy story that Twilight had retold, which Benny was struggling to recant in a condensed version.

“So… a bunch of minotaurs decide to build an amusement park where a portion of the Everfree Forest was and employ a bunch of ponies to work for them. The deer kin live in the Everfree, so it’s their home that’s getting messed with, and it’s disturbing the balance of the forest, habitats, and deforestation. Classic environmental protection plot line… But then they kidnap King Aspeen’s kid, force him into a contract to be the park's mascot, which is already illegal as hell, as far as I can tell… But King Aspen makes a deal to trade places with his son to spare him the shame instead of just claiming jurisdiction and arresting… No… I’m blaming Harmony on that one.”

It hadn’t been said, but for all the poor choices made and failure to execute logic at the time, neither Twilight nor Celestia could bring themselves to say as much.

Either way, Benny wanted to make sure he had it all down.

“Regardless. Then it ended in an all-out brawl between all of you fighting alongside the deers and a bunch of animals and monsters from the forest that Fluttershy talked into joining you to… almost… fight the minotaurs and construction crews off… Because you didn’t need to fight them when their industrial-sized barrels of smoothie mix, combined with the deer's vine-growing potion, made the vines and forest grow back faster and stronger than before?”

It was ridiculous, and Twilight knew it. And yet… that had been her life.

“Yes… King Aspen was grateful to have his forest back and was even kind to us afterward… Mostly... Rarity and Pinkie had caused some friction along the way. Again, though… let’s blame that on Harmony. Rarity isn’t normally so distracted, and Pinkie is… still the same… Nonetheless, shortly after we spread the potion mixture throughout the Everfree Forest.”

Twilight sighed, showing that this portion of the story was more strenuous to recall.

“We thought something happened to King Aspen again, but he ended up having the same problem. The whole forest was. It started forcing some of the more dangerous creatures out and even affecting the weather around us. So… we summoned Discord, thinking it was him that was to blame.”

Having lost Discord, it was obvious why bringing this up must have bothered Twilight, though she continued to tell the story, even if it appeared to hurt while doing so.

“King Aspen was angry that we returned Discord from his stone prison and refused to work with us after that. That’s largely the reason he was so difficult to work with when you first met him. Discord, however, said that he wished he could have taken credit for the vines but that they weren’t his. Although, the way he spoke the whole time, looking over the vines like he was… not surprised, but maybe disappointed, nervous even, but we all thought he was hiding something. He did, however, suggest that I speak with Zecora to discover why it was all happening again.”

Finally, this started sounding familiar to Chris.

“Did Zecora make you turn a purple potion to white so you could see back when Luna became Nightmare Moon and—”

No matter his good standing with any of the ponies, royals included, Chris did not want to say the wrong thing about Celestia’s relationship with her sister.

Thankfully, Celestia was in no position to call foul on anyone pointing out the harsh truths of her past.

“Yes. From what Twilight and I discussed afterward, Twilight explained in depth of what she saw in her visions. It was, in fact, the night my sister became Nightmare Moon, and I was forced to banish her. Another vision showed my sister’s and I’s final conflict with Discord, which turned him to stone, as well as the Tree of Harmony, the Elements of Harmony, and that even with the Elements removed, the Tree would continue to control all that grew there in the forest.”

If Celestia had said her piece on that portion, Chris figured he could summarize the rest.

“Then, after that, Twilight and her friends went into the forest to find the tree, but they said you should go back so you would be safe. You talked to Discord when you got back to town, and he sent you back to help your friends. They saved you from some vines that sprayed some mist at you. Then you gave up your Elements back to the Tree to remove the vines covering it, just as those vines wrapped you up and nearly stopped you. Finally, with the vines removed, Celestia and Luna were freed. Then the treasure box that held your castle was revealed.”

Celestia turned her attention to Twilight, then back to Chris, where her concern was plainly on her face.

“Chris, we have sought your council because of the knowledge you possess and your ability to access future plans and tactics through your understanding of our history and how it shapes our present and future… but this is the most inaccurate depiction of events from our past you’ve shared with us.”

That was true, but perhaps a bit too much for Twilight’s tastes, who spoke up in a more apologetic tone.

“Not that you’re completely wrong about everything. It’s everything from me running into Discord again to saving Harmony and Celestia, and Luna. That didn’t all happen exactly the way you said it did. I actually—”

Poof!

In a swirl of magic, a scroll dropped down in front of Celestia and bounced in between everyone seated at the table.

Immediately, Celestia noticed the seal binding the scroll and spoke to apologize for the interruption.

“Oh, my. Pardon the interruption, but perhaps we can take a break for a moment. This story will take a while to tell, so if you like to take this time to stretch or freshen up, I should also read this.”

Everyone eyed the scroll, now taking notice of Cadance’s seal wrapping up the paper, prompting Celestia to explain.

“I doubt Cadance would write to me unless it were important… unless it was about Rarity or Fluttershy again.”

[Over in the Crystal Empire.]

Cadance stood staring at the entrance to her room from the hall. The aura from her horn now faded along with the spell she finished casting, leaving her to sigh.

“I’m sorry, Fleetfoot,” she mournfully whispered to herself. “Celestia had to know… I just hope you’re doing alright.”

Once she was sure her nerves had been steadied, she opened the door and led her way inside, cautious of what she’d find and what she’d say.

“Good afternoon,” she softly greeted the silent room as she stepped closer to the bed. “I can only imagine the morning you’ve all had… Should I put in a request for lunch, or is now not a good time?”

Cerb still sat with his back inclined over a mound of pillows and holding Fleetfoot against his side while she slept. Thunder lay next to Cerb, searching, turning her attention to Fleetfoot while Cerb's eyes met Cadance with a sympathetic glance, and he answered just as quietly.

“I think we can do with a meal… I’ll have her eat when she wakes up.”

Cadence looked down at Fleetfoot, completely out of it, sound asleep with a foreleg slumped over Cerb's waist and her mouth agape as she audibly drew breath.

"She?"

Cerb didn't have to guess the question Cadance was going to ask, not answer it. But when Thunder would do that for him.

"She barely slept last night, from what we could get her to tell us. Other than she's broken, that is, the poor girl. We had to cut her off from drinking so much, but she didn't stay awake much longer after that anyway."

Cadence took a neutral stance by the side of the bed, looking over the sleeping mare. It was so saddening to see her in this state now that she knew the extent of the injuries.

"We knew things were bad for her. Now, she may end up in Cloudsdale to finish up her treatments before she is officially retired… They have clinics that specialize in pegasi injuries and recovery."

As soon as Cerb heard those words, something inside him stirred loose that he hadn't in many years.

"What would it take to get her back in?"

To answer this, Cadance went from standing to sitting at the bedside.

"Justin… I knew Fleefoot's injuries were bad and that they would affect her career. I was hoping that they would only be bad enough to keep her from performing. She wouldn't have been a Top Bolt any longer, and I would have counted on you to keep her spirits up for that… But at least then, I could have kept her here longer without raising any suspicion."

She stared over the mare, imagining all the good she could have done for the empire, or at least for Cerb.

"I can't keep her here. Not Spitfire, either… And now Celestia knows of the current prognosis for Fleetfoot. And if she receives orders to be transferred out to Cloudsdale, Spitfire will have to accompany her out like she did to get here. Nothing can keep her in the Wonderbolts other than being the best flier… and no pony sees that happening. Her injuries were too much for anyone to heal… I hoped you could have done more since Becky could not, but we have to accept that we all have our limits.”

Perhaps that was true, but there were other methods available that Cerb had yet to attempt. Although they only worked in theory and his previous cases, he knew there could be repercussions. Potential downfalls to full exposure to his Order could potentially weaken a body as well as strengthen it from what he was told.

“Yeah… maybe, but if possible, when everything is said and done, Fleetfoot did right by us. I don’t want to leave her out in the cold. I can put her to work.”

“Justin—”

“I was discharged once, too,” Cerb quickly fired back, though he spoke in a sad tone of defense. “I wasn’t fit for duty. Couldn’t run, couldn’t fight, couldn’t walk… took me some time, and they still wouldn’t take me back when I could fight again… Let me help her if they won’t.”

Cadance looked at the two. Part of her knew she was going to ruffle some feathers if she made any moves to keep Fleetfoot when, and if, any orders came for her to move. And yet, something emanating from Cerb made it feel wrong to try and separate them. She could even feel herself growing warmer and closer the more she appealed to Cerb’s protective nature.

“You are in luck… Not all of the tests have been completed, and the prognosis for Fleetfoot’s degree of recovery is only preliminary. I’m sure I can find ways to help drag out more tests and therapies to prolong her stay. Perhaps even find a way to help her recover fully, if not exhaust all of her remaining time in service until her retirement has taken effect without her even leaving the Empire. However, if we are to make such plans, I would prefer we start immediately.”

That sounded promising enough, and Cerb wasn’t about to squander a golden opportunity.

“Wake her up, sober up, lunch, and plan?”

Cadence grew a smile and stood up.

“Sounds like a lovely idea. Thunder, could you please send for the kitchen to prepare us all something light and… well, even if they protest, another serving of last night’s stew would be delightful. Then, when you get back, assist Justin with getting ready. With Spitfire still out, I’m afraid I’ll be taking care of Fleetfoot.”

[High Above The Outskirts of the Crystal Empire.]

"Push it down harder!" Rainbow screamed. “Stop slipping down in with the current! Rely on your hooves if you can’t feel it with your body!”

The pressure was building again, the cold air growing denser as they pushed the current farther toward the snow below them.

Try as Spitfire might, she sadly was far too out of practice with this level of weather control, and her flight suit’s insulation made it harder to feel out her surroundings.

“I can’t!” She grunted. “It keeps slipping and pushing me back!”

Rainbow fought through the dense air and strong gusts to loom behind Spitfire and examine all the mistakes her apprentice was making.

"Stop trying to push the current forward!" She yelled over the winds. "You can't! It's too big! Focus on pushing it over! The high-pressure system will drive itself forward!"

Spitfire shifted her position, angling her wings to push the air down more instead of ahead of her like she was before.

The air shifted heavily, rolling in on itself, pulling more of the surrounding air around her. It felt much like a wave in the ocean crashing down in front of her, drawing her in closer. She almost lost her balance until Rainbow’s hoof reached out and pulled back on her mane.

"Woah, there! Don't lean in farther than your center of balance!"

The sudden yank nearly had Spitfire backhoof Rainbow. However, as the high pressure finally shifted with Rainbow’s wings driving the rest of the turbulent wings down, the roll of the current picked up to a near-violent degree, making Spitfire’s heart rate jump at how close she came to getting sucked in.

“What the hell, Rainbow!”

Rainbow, sounding a little too proud at the moment, started to explain over the roaring winds.

“We did it! Cold air currents travel a lot faster down these air streams than warm air currents can travel up! If you’re not careful and lean too far into them, they’ll pull you down with them! Now, come on! We gotta see if the rest of the winds will follow along!”

Both Spitfire and Rainbow started to fly higher into the thinning, less frigid air, where Rainbow really started to relax.

“Fuck me blue. You have no idea how much harder that was on my own, and I couldn’t even get it done. Now all we have to do is make sure the cold front will start to deviate further east.”

As they rose higher, Spitfire looked over her shoulder to see where they would be observing to see the rolling white clouds pouring over the mountain’s crest.

“Hey! Look! They’re starting to turn!”

Rainbow made a quick turn in her flight to face the mountain’s heights behind her. As claimed by Spitfire, the white clouds that had been slowly rolling straight down into the valley below toward the shielded empire were now drifting further east and away from causing additional potential harm.

“Oh, yeah! Totally called it! Now, this is only a small change in the northern climate, which shouldn’t affect anything north of probably… maybe a little more warming air into Manehatten’s weather team or pushing colder air toward Trottingham. I doubt it would have enough strength to affect anything across the Celestial Sea to affect Griffonstone or any of their territories. Even still, I’ll have to write up my report to show…”

As Rainbow had been following the trail of clouds along their new path, something about their unusual weather phenomenon began to look far more unnatural towards the peaks of Mount Everhoof. Something that Spitfire felt required to call out from what she could see through her aviator goggles.

“Uh, Dash? Are those clouds supposed to be coming out of Mount Everhoof?”

Unlike the pristine, smooth, and soft arctic clouds that had been rolling in from around the mountain's lower crests, these new clouds were dark and appeared to form out from the mountain itself. The odd sight left Rainbow scratching her head.

“What the fuck? That’s… That’s not natural. That’s not even natural in the areas of nature we can’t control.”

Suddenly getting an idea, Rainbow extended an emptied hoof to Spitfire.

“Quick. Empty out a jar of the most useless shit you brought and give it to me.”

Since this had to be important, Spitfire did as she was told by reaching into her saddle bag, undoing the lid, and pouring out an entire meal’s worth of oats.

As soon as Rainbow felt the oats hit her hoof, she flicked her fetlock back to empty her hoof and twisted her body toward Spitfire with a snarl.

“I mean, give me the fucking jar, genius!”

Insulted, Spitfire flared up with her forelegs extended in an exaggerated pose.

“How am I supposed to know what you wanted?! I’m the rookie here, remember?”

At least now that the jar was empty, Rainbow dusted off her hoof and then started to fly toward the icy peak. Sure, she was a little aggravated, but that was due more about her poor choice of words than anything else. That, and this was going to eat up more of their time.

“Yeah-yeah, whatever, rookie, come on. We’re supposed to report on anything out of the ordinary we see. So if we can, I want a sample of those clouds, if that’s what they really are. Maybe it’s something we can send to Cloudsdale or Twilight to look at.”

Spitfire recapped the empty jar and stashed it back in her saddlebag before attempting to catch up to Rainbow.

“Hey!” She shouted as she grew closer. “This is taking us way off course of our planned area to cover! What if Cadance needs us back early for something?!”

Flying towards the peak was a lengthy distance from where they were supposed to be, but Rainbow’s confidence kept her zeroed in on task. Although she wasn’t blind to what she was flying into, and the weather with the air was all wrong. It was so cold it hurt to breathe it in, and their breath was heavy as it fell with each exhale.

“Spitfire? You feeling a lot more drag all of a sudden?”

Lagging a bit behind, Spitfire flapped her wings harder, feeling the air cushioning under her wings growing thicker.

“Yeah! Air density has increased substantially, but the air temperature has dropped! What’s up with that? Colder temperatures compress the air and water molecules needed to create the difference in air pressure to create lift for flight. It should be warm air creating—”

“We lost the draft!” Rainbow shouted.

“What?!” Spitfire shouted back before noticing the change as well. “What the? Dash?! This doesn’t feel right! Why is the air so thick?! It’s hard to breathe here!”

All around them, the heavy air began to chill as random white sparkles pulled together before freefalling to the ground far below. They were small, distant from each other, but slowly becoming common enough to recognize.

“Snow?” Rainbow asked aloud and reared back to flutter in place.

Spitfire took notice of Rainbow’s abrupt stop and swooped up to take in the sight as well, which was both mundane for what it was but astonishing for how they witnessed it.

“Cloudless snow? Is that even possible?”

Rainbow reached with a hoof to catch a flake. One small flake, so bitterly cold, stuck to her hoof, shimmering like a precious gem, yet so out of place for where they were.

“It’s called Diamond Dust, but that requires warm, humid air dropping down into another below-freezing air supply… This… shouldn’t happen up here. Not like this.”

From behind Rainbow, the sound of a glass jar opening popped, along with the dangerous sounds of a rookie’s optimism.

“Hey! Your dark cloud is here! Come’ear, ya little rascal.”

Rainbow spun around to see Spitfire diving down below with the empty jar toward a small dark cloud that had strayed in below them. The cloud itself was still sinking lower and drifting further from the slope of the mountain cap. That wouldn’t have drawn much of her curiosity had it not been for the lack of a down draft she’d encountered earlier.

Taking another look around, she could see more of those dark clouds sinking down from all along the mountainside. Although, they didn’t simply follow along any channel of air. They seemed to force their movements over the rocks, ridges, and banks of snow, swirling to encompass every new ice-covered obstacle they crossed before moving on.

At the same time, much further out, what few white clouds they had passed along the way behind them to the south were drifting up and to the east, bound to the whims of rising currents.

She turned again to face the peak, then looked far to the west. More of the natural white clouds were doing the same. Only those clouds were rising and drifting to the south and some to the southeast the further she followed. Then, she looked to the north. Those clouds were rising and sailing to the west?

Another turn to her right showed the same pattern of eastern clouds rising to the north.

“Yeow!” Spitfire yelped from below, quickly fluttering away from the cloud and slapping off the dark puffs that clung to her. “That cloud is super cold. Dash, if we’re going to get a sample of one of these clouds, I’m going to need yo—HEY!”

With a sudden yank, Spitfire was ripped up and away from the dark cloud and accelerated up to the skyline by Rainbow.

“Forget the sample! We’re about to be caught in an arctic downburst!”

Having sailed into the lower altitudes and now flying on top of each other, the drag was interfering with both their flight attempts in the highly-dense air. Still, Spitfire needed clarification on what sounded impossible.

“Artic downburst?! There’s no such thing! Downburst only happens in Thunderstorms!”

As Rainbow and Spitfire tried to climb higher, more of the tiny sparkling flakes of snow began to descend at a faster rate. The more flakes descended, the more collided, flickering and snapping against each other, only to evaporate into a mist that hung in the freezing air around them.

“Shit!” Rainbow screamed. “It’s advanced weather theory! I barely understand it! Ice molecules left in stagnant air create enough friction to reach their melting point and evaporate! They can’t move apart fast enough to freeze again and can’t slow down enough to turn back to water and rain down. They all hang together like chain links until they collectively cool together and—”

Suddenly, feeling like every part of their bodies were being squeezed at once, they were dropped thirty feet before slowing their decline.

“Gah!” Rainbow grunted, having to breathe deep to inhale. “That! That fucking happens! Only faster!”

Confused and flying in a panic, Spitfire asked the most obvious question under labored breaths.

“This can’t be happening! You said it’s just a theory! RIGHT?!”

Rainbow did her best to hold back another shutter as more of the dark clouds built up and rolled down snow under them.

"It's the dark clouds! They're enchanted! No clouds are that cold on their own or move like they do! I’ve only seen Discord make clouds that can maneuver like these do! But these are sub-freezing! It’s hyper-cooling the air, warping the stagnant air around us! We’re out of time!”

Feeling the sinking air picking up speed again, Rainbow swooped down over Spitfire and wrapped her forelegs around the fiery Wonderbolt’s barrel.

“Hold on, and don’t let go!”

Spitfire placed her forelegs around Rainbow’s right foreleg before her head was thrust back into Rainbow’s chest by the sudden burst. They were flying back towards the shining empire but following the slope and traveling with the rapidly chilling winds dropping down.

Spitfire still didn’t understand what was happening, and their approach toward the snowy cliffs below added to her hysteria.

“Dash! Pull up!”

Rainbow only pushed herself harder, picking up speed as she tore through stagnant air, forming a cone of white as the pressure around her began to build.

“I can’t! We don’t have the ti—”

A crushing weight fell on the pair as the air plummeted down, sending Rainbow into a tailspin and rolling out of control. The downburst had begun its descent, pulling the dense air down with such a violent decline Rainbow couldn’t regain her control.

On the way down, pockets of air began to destabilize. Vapor reformed to water. Water became a mix of rain, snow, sleet, and hail, pelting and freezing to the two freefalling mares. In other locations, the unchecked friction between ice crystals created unstable electric charges that arced upon contact as the two passed by, delivering painful shocks as they continued their plunge.

It was a mini storm they had instantly fallen into, with gale-force winds driving them down, and now Spitfire was fighting against Rainbow, flailing and desperately trying to pull away.

“STOP! I DON’T WANNA DIE! LET ME OUT! DASH! STOP! LEMME GO!”

It was all Rainbow could do to hold onto the frantic mare. The winds were picking up, and the ground was approaching fast. There was only one hope Rainbow had to swing them into a safer path.

“CLOSE YOUR EYES! HOLD YOUR BREATH! OPEN YOUR WINGS! RIDE THE OUTFLOW!”

As Rainbow drew in a deep breath and outstretched her wings, she watched in dismay as Spitfire curled into a ball while still held in her grip.

Together, they dropped into a downflow of dark, freezing clouds that tore apart and mashed together with roaring winds.

Rainbow was blind. Raging winds over a hundred miles an hour whaled out in the savage storm to deafen the world around her. Every inch of exposed skin under her fur felt like frozen cat claws were digging in and racking over her body. The cold permeated through her hooves, into her eyes, her nose, and her ears. It was instant pain everywhere all at once that stiffened her exterior, save what little protection Spitfire’s body could sparsely shield her from as she fell victim to the whims of wherever the outflow of the downburst would throw them.

A flash of momentary light struck a red hugh through Rainbow's eyelids as they were clinched… frozen shut. The winds that had hollowed around her fell to the distance, with only the sounds of her numb, frozen wings whistling through the air, alerting her to their abrupt freedom.

Rainbow couldn't take in their situation, nor could she adjust her wings. Her feathers had iced over, along with her eyelids. Much of her exterior felt stiff, also covered with a thin layer of ice.

Now desperate for their spatial information, as well as finding out about the well-being of her fellow Wonderbolt, still balled up in her forelegs, Rainbow forced her lips apart.

It wasn't an easy task, the strips of flesh cracking and peeling, shards of ice cracking and flaking away painfully until her mouth popped open.

"Gah! Ahhh! Spitfire! Where are—”

"Dash, look out!"

WHAM!

Whatever Dash plowed into, it sent her toppling ass over forehead, separating her from the once tight hold she held on Spitfire. It was too thick to be a cloud but more permeable than a rock cliff or the dirt.

Whatever it was, she extended her wings to attempt to catch herself and hopefully regain her glide toward safety. Unfortunately, with each flap, she found her wings unresponsive and numb, minus the pain drilling into her back and joints as she tried to further control her wings in her forced moments of frozen blindness.

WHAM!

Again, she found herself hitting the cold, semipermeable mesh of granular, unforgiving powder. That had to be it. Snow. She hit the downslope of the mountain.

She was grounded.

“Dash!” Spitfire called out over the crunching of dense snow. “We gotta move. I’m sorry that I freaked out! Let me help you… Oh, no…”

Rainbow tried to stand but fell into Spitfire’s forelegs instead. There were so many questions to ask and answers to demand, but all she could do was moan in pain. More pressing were her wishes for Spitfire to stop dragging and yanking her further down the mountain, adding more injury to her battered body and aching wings.

Instead, Spitfire did all the talking, which was more frantic calls for alarm between her strained grunts.

“I’ll get you out of here, Dash! Ruh! We’ll get you patched up! Okay! You’ll be back to flying innnnn no time! Wonderbolt rescue training—Guh, won’t let you down! You’ll be fine!”

In between the continued grunts and grated parting of snow, the low hum of a brisk breeze began to pick up into a stronger howl. Fine grains of ice and snow whisked by, burning and stinging Rinbow’s skin and feathers, along with every pull along the frigid depths of the unforgiving white powder.

"No-No-No-No-No," Spitfire repeated over and over as the winds picked up around them, chilling the air closer to the painful freezing temperatures they just escaped. "Dash… I'm sorry, but I'm going to need you to trust me and hold tight."

Spitfire turned Rainbow around to drape the mare's forelegs around her neck, then reached down under her haunches to bring Rainbow's rear legs over her hips. Now, Rainbow was holding onto Spitfire with all four legs while Spitfire stood upright on her back hooves and held her forelegs around Rainbow's back.

Then, after taking a few steps back, Spitfire unfolded what remained of her wings. All but a dozen or so of her primary feathers snapped off and fell away in the steadily growing winds.

"We're going into a freefall, Dash. I can't fly us out of here, but if you hold tight, I think I can slow us down enough that I can absorb our fall when we land."

As much as it hurt to try and speak, Rainbow offered her assistance.

"I can help. Call out where you need me to steer us."

As Rainbow extended her wings, a stinging pain ran through where her primary feathers should have caught the wind. Instead of her secondaries, there was only numbness overshadowed by a dull ache. All of her greater and secondary coverts rattled and snapped, breaking off as the gusts in the winds picked up. Even the median and lesser coverts broke apart like brittle, colored leaves blown away in the changing of the seasons.

She could feel the damage of what she wasn't able to see. She began to know how bad her condition was, why Spitfire was carrying her, why neither of them could fly. Even still, her thoughts could only focus on one thing.

"My wings?"

Rainbow's realization came out as a weak crack of a cry, emboldening Spitfire to hold her even tighter as she took her last step back toward the ledge.

"Just the feathers, Dash. They'll grow back. Now hold tight."

Leaping further into the unknown, Spitfire dropped down into the mouth of a deep crevasse. Her wings opened to their maximum capacity, forcing her not to float or glide but spin erratically as she descended much faster than she had anticipated.

"Gnah!"

Instinct kicked in, and Spitfire jerked her right wing up while she pushed her left wing down and back with a steeper pitch to avoid crashing into a jagged wall of ice of the crevasse. A near miss, but the next spin created a trajectory into a splintered pillar of ice, where Spitfire had to rapidly switch the alignment of her wings, shedding more flakes of feathers in the process.

"Damnit!"

The whole experience was painful. Portions of skin meant to be protected were left exposed to the bitter cold air blowing past the raw flesh. Every turn and moment of increased acceleration tore off more feathers and skin. It was enough she finally drove herself into a wall, hoping for some semblance of a decline in speed.

"Don't let go! I need to slow us down!"

Three of her hooves hit the icy wall, and she did all she could to dig in and grip down, but there was nothing to hold onto. Her valid attempt did little to slow her decline, though one quick twist gave her a jumping point to fight against gravity's pull and gave her a new trajectory toward the darkened floor below.

"Coming in hot! Impact in three! Two! Wha—"

The bottom of the crevasse was a thin layer of dusted snow over an aged layer of hardened snow, impacted and frozen over the immovable tundra of rock and ice.

Spitfire tucked and rolled, never letting go of her fellow Wonderbolt, despite the pain until the tumbling stopped, and she knew they were still alive.

Relieved, Spitfire released Rainbow, rolled onto her back, and looked up to see how far they had fallen.

Sadly, what she saw wasn't very motivating.

"Awe, damn… We're at least eighty or more feet down from the surface. Climbing out is going to be hard when the storm passes, but at least we're safe from the—"

No sooner had Spitfire assumed their safety did she notice the dark clouds from before spilling over the edges.

"Shit-Shit-Shit! Dash! We're not out of this mess yet!"

With little else option, Spitfire reached out with her right wing and laid it over Rainbow's back and side to help guide her along. There were plenty of cracks and divots in the walls and flooring of this pit they had trapped themselves in. There had to be some additional shelter if they looked close enough.

Astonishingly enough, as Spitfire neared a particular crack along a poorly lit portion of one of the walls, she noticed a welcomed sight that was completely out of place in the snow.

"Hoof prints? Holy smokes! We're not the only idiots out here, Dash!"

A strong gust of icy wind picked up from behind them, kicking up sharp fragments of ice and dust. Spitfire turned back to see the dark clouds from before billowing over the edges in mass and drawing in closer.

"Shit! Run, Dash! I'll guide you in!"

The two ran side by side, nearly tripping over the slippery, uneven surface that would often give way when it was more snow than ice. It was a terrifying blind run for Rainbow until Spitfire pulled back on her wing to allow her down, then lowered her head, only to take both forehooves and shove her face first into a stone wall.

Rainbow bounced off the vertical stone barrier and shook her head clear of the stars spinning in her otherwise blind state. She tried to feel around for her surroundings, only finding the wall she had struck earlier, but could now hear spitfire heaving, grunting, and what sounded like kicking.

"Guh! Guh! Ha! Come on! Break!"

Over and over, Spitfire was bracing herself on her forelegs to kick high over the small entrance they found. It was hard to see from the dark clouds filling in from just beyond, but that was the problem. The darker the outside became, the closer the freezing clouds approached and the more danger they would be in.

If not for the soft blue light that briefly flashed from deeper within the interior of the mountain they retreated to, Spitfire would not have seen how deathly close the clouds had come.

"Fuck!"

With one last adrenaline-inspired kick, her two rear hooves struck with enough force to split off a section of ice that collapsed over their entrance… and potentially only exit.

"What did you do that for!" An unknown male angrily called out. "You could have brought the whole place down!"

Rightfully frightened and on high alert, Rainbow fanned her mangled wings out wide and braced herself against the wall while her ears searched for the location of the voice.

"Who's there?! Where are you?!"

Also still on alert for any danger but cautious to create any new problems, Spitfire ran over to Dash, laying her forehooves on her shoulders to hold her in place, and looked toward the new voice.

Not too far out, on a boulder larger than a house, stood a blue Earth pony glaring down at them. He was somewhat unthreatening looking, given his shorter stature and thinner frame. Kind of a big head for his unfit body, which was rather disarming, if not making his entire appearance even more out of place in this location. A little more disarming, if not concerning in other ways, was how he held the right side of his head with a hoof like he was fighting a headache.

Regardless of appearance, Spitfire had higher priorities than worrying about his frailty.

"Sorry about sealing off the exit there, but let me explain. My name is Spitfire. I'm a Wonderbolt sent out on a mission by Princess Cadance, and this is Rainbow Dash, a fellow Wondebolt and the Element of Loyalty. We were both injured while on our mission by some form of magically enchanted weather, making the clouds unnaturally cold to the point of doing instant and potentially lethal injury."

Having set the stage for who she was, who she was connected to, and how dangerous the situation was, she released Rainbow and set herself back down to all fours. This time, when speaking, she softened her tone as though she had just done this new stallion a favor.

"This deadly weather produces clouds that can move on their own over obstacles and freeze a pony in seconds. They were about to force their way inside before I was able to block them from getting to us."

The blue stallion turned his eyes to Rainbow, his eyes dilating upon finally recognizing her and his right hoof returning below him to give him greater stability.

"Ruh-Ray-Ray-Rainbow Dash? Thee Rainbow Dash? Here?"

The blue stallion raised his left forehoof as if to back away but then stopped and took another good look at the injured mare. After a second or two, and training his neck further downward to examine her current state, he came to a sudden realization.

"She looks like she could use a friend."

Spitfire blinked at the odd choice of words, if not out-of-place suggestion. Then again, how was she to know what level of mental stability this pony had after finding his way this far up into Mount Everhoof, presumably on his own?

"Yeah… That would be me. I'm her friend, but the rest of our friends are back at the palace with Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire. We can't go out the way we came in. Is there another way out of here you can show us? I'm certain you will be rewarded for any help you give us."

The blue Earth pony appeared to dwell on a multitude of thoughts before answering with excited glee.

"Yes! I know of a few ways out! But… we need to be careful. I'm being hunted. That's why I was hiding in here. And there are a few other dangers other than those clouds you mentioned. They're not the only thing that can freeze a pony down here."

Spitfire was in the middle of trying to help Rainbow up an incline to the landing next to the boulder their new guide had been standing on when his warnings finally hit.

"Hunted! Hunted by what!? Who even are you!? Why are you up here, for that matter?!"

The blue stallion jumped down behind the boulder and slid down a path to a narrow opening that led deeper into the mountain and rooted inside, his voice quietly echoing out to them.

"My name is… Thorax. Yeah… The name doesn’t seem to go along with my cutie mark, does it? Kinda like me. Not really fitting in anywhere. I didn't have any friends back home, so I set out to find some. Something was telling me to head north to the Crystal Empire for a long time, but I didn't have what I needed to fit in or settle down. I don't know what finally convinced me to make the change. Then, one day, I saw my chance to leave and took it… But without any friends, money, or a place to hi… I mean, stay, I ended up traveling further north."

To say Spitfire's trust in this stallion was questionable was putting it mildly, but she had little else choice. However, she still couldn't so easily accept his story. Not after she'd heard enough recruits try to pass off their own sob stories in search of sympathy and more lenient treatment under her instruction.

"No friends, huh? What about family? You didn't have anyone you're related to in the area to reach out to?"

Suddenly, this new stallion was in front of Spitfire his eyes flared wide, and pupils narrowed thin.

"No!" He shouted but quickly retreated to clutch his head again and wince in pain. "Su-Sorry… My family is probably the biggest reason I left. My mother is vile, unloving, angry all the time. Nothing I did was ever good enough for her. Even my brothers and sisters are just as mean and selfish. They hate everything and everypony. I had to get away from them… Well… all but one of my brothers. He looked out for me, in his own way. Never let any of the others pic on or beat me up."

Spitfire finished helping Rainbow up, still trying to figure out how on the level this strange stallion was. His anger could have been a front, but it also came off as legitimately self-defensive. Plus, it sounded like he came from a terrible family, so perhaps his odd behavior and reclusive nature could be explained by his environment. Maybe he deserved a little sympathy.

“Well, at least you have one brother that treats you well.”

Such a claim wasn’t going to go unchallenged by this stallion, who let go of head forehead again and rolled his eyes before turning back to venture once more further into the mountain’s interior.

“Ha! Treated me better, for sure, but making sure that he was the only one who could call me names or hold me down and hit me in the face with my hoves while saying, ‘Why are you hitting yourself? Stop hitting yourself’… But he also did allow me to leave… or at least he didn’t stop me the first time.”

Rainbow, physically struggling, though oddly interested in the story, asked, “The first time?”

Not much farther ahead of the two mares, the stallion eyed up the few paths that lay before them. Somehow, this portion of the mountain’s interior provided some light from crystals glowing deep within the icy walls. His ears flicked and twitched, searching for some unknown threats.

“Yeah… The first time was when I first left home. He knew I never really fit in, and I didn’t have a reason to be sneaking out when he caught me leaving. He asked what I was doing, but I just asked him to allow me to leave. I told him that the rest of the world was calling out to me. That they were better off without me. That he would be better off without me. No more picking up my slack or looking weak trying to defend me… Then he said he heard something suspicious behind us and said if ever there was a time for me to leave… that I better not come crawling back.”

Somehow, Spitfire felt like she knew where this story was going.

“Lemme guess. Somepony in the family expected you to come crawling back, and they sent your brother to hunt you down and bring you home?”

“Yeah,” Thorax huffed with a bit of surprise before turning back to face his two new companions. “I guess that makes two groups that are hunting me. My brothers and sisters trying to bring me back home to mother, and who or whatever those cold ponies are. But we need to head this way. Quietly. My brother and the others are down the mountain a ways, but I doubt we’ll run into them. There’s a lot more danger upwards, and we're going to have to travel up that way before we can climb back down now that you blocked our exit.”

Thorax started to turn and took a step forward, only to freeze in place as another thought came to mind.

“Woah. Almost forgot. There’s this black stuff that’s pooled up around inside the mountain. It appeared a few days ago. No idea what it is, but… I suggest you don’t let it touch you. And definitely stay away from the big pools of it. That’s where the really mean cold ponies like to gather.”

The two mares finally caught up, but since Rainbow was still blind, she had some concerns to voice.

“Hold on. What do you know about the black ooze? Its not moving on it’s own and attacking ponies, is it?”

Thorax rubbed the right side of his face again, carefully examining the paths for them to travel.

“I don’t know what it is or where it came from. It did move when it first appeared a few days ago, but it hasn’t moved since then. Just the same, I know that whatever it touches, it crushes.”

Suddenly, Spitfire stopped and forced Rainbow to stand where she was.

“Hold up for a moment. Before we go anywhere, I need to take care of my friend here.”

Without warning or provocation, Thorax darted off, nimbly jumping from one ledge to any imperfection jutting out of the wall to bypass the natural slopes that would have been much easier to traverse.

“You do that! I’ll scout ahead! I’ll shout if there’s any danger! Stay safe, friends!”

Before Spitfire could question his reasoning or urgency, he had vanished behind a high cliff’s edge and was lost to her.

“Yeah! …Thanks, buddy!”

Switching to refocus on tending to Rainbow, Spitfire bit down on the left sleeve of her Wonderbolt uniform and pulled until the threads tore and the fabric parted from her shoulder. With another yank, the whole sleeve was removed, and she pulled the partial garment inside out and started to place it around Rainbow’s head like a blindfold.

“Cold Weather Rescue Training, Dash. Superficial freezing of limbs can be easily treated even after prolonged exposure. But deep tissue freezing and vitals like the eyes and inner airways need immediate attention.”

Upon contact with the new binding, Rainbow had already started feeling the benefits from the extra layer of protection and insulation. She didn’t need anymore reminders or even to see what was happening to know what Spitfire was doing to her. She knew the training and could recite it just as easily.

“Secure the cold weather victim to rescue warming devices or appropriate heat sources. If none are available, improvise with any sanitary, dry blankets, fabrics, or clothing available.”

Spitfire finished tying the sleeve around Rainbow. Not too tight to cause discomfort and not loose enough to slip off, though the sight was enough to remind her of how bad of a situation they were in.

“I don’t know if we can really trust this pony, Dash,” she quietly said to Rainbow. “But he might be our only way out of here.”

Rainbow gently rubbed a hoof over the makeshift blindfold. Everything still hurt. She was bitterly cold, sore, lost, and would have been scared out of her wits had it not been for the seasoned Wonderbolt at her side.

On second thought. She was angry, if not downright furious at herself.

“This is all my fault, Spits. You weren’t ready for this… but I… I didn’t plan for anything. Even after everything Justin tried to teach us. Everything Benny and Twilight trusted me with, I—”

Spitfire put a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder and gave her a not-so-subtle shake.

“Hey! None of that defeatist mentality around me, newbie. Fine, we came out here under-prepared, but I fucked up, too… I… I was scared, Dash… Too scared to say anything. Too scared to act… Too distracted.”

Mournfully, Spitfire pulled back her hoof and sulked, turning her eyes to the cold, icy floor they both sat upon.

“My father was lost in a weather storm that appeared out of nowhere. I lost my nerve when I should have helped you.”

Rainbow’s sulkd quickly curled up into a forced smile, coming along with some much-needed bravado which may have been equally an imitation of the real thing.

“Would you listen to us? Complaining to each other like this is the end already? We’ve been through worse. This is… What? Some lost feathers, temporary blindness, bad weather, maybe a few bad pools of oil, a colt’s family drama, and some cold ponies, whatever those are, coming between us and our number one stud back at the castle. We got each other, some awesome friends waiting for us, and this new stallion who just wants to hang. We move slow, keep quiet, warm up, and once we find the exit, make a break for it. Then we’re home free… give or take the six to eight hours it will take us to make it back on hoof.”

Spitfire smirked at Rainbow’s sudden shift in attitude. Sure, the blind mare was probably talking tough and pushing optimism… but it sure sounded good to her.

“So you think we can trust him?”

Rainbow shrugged and smiled with a more genuine expression despite the pain she was in.

“He’s stuck between a family that sucks, other ponies he doesn’t like, and freezing murder clouds while living in a fucking ice cave. What’s not to trust?”

[Not much farther ahead, up away from Rainbow and Spitfire.]

Thorax sat rocking back and forth, clutching the right side of his face as more of his shell cracked and crumbled away with the dark oil slowly contracting down. His right ear was missing, and where the oily ooze had reached the dark fin on the back of his neck, the membrane tissue had split and corroded. Smaller cracks formed down his neck where the ooze had leaked down and fractured every inch of the once polished exterior.

All the while he rocked his body, a blue and white light flickered on and off around him as he moaned and grumbled to himself.

“Oww. Oww. Keep it together. These are nice ponies. You help them. They’ll help you. You’ll be friends. Rainbow Dash is the loyal one. She’ll have to stay loyal to a friend. Then they’ll get this ooze off emmm~”

Try as he might, Thorax was struggling to fight through the pain and hunkered over, this time holding his gut.

“I’m so hungry… Ung! Stupid Gaster looked so happy to try and capture me. And I know she fed recently. She didn’t need that love. I did. I would have been nice to that pony. They probably would have given me their love freely had I been given the chance.”

In that moment, that was all Thorax could think about. The anger built up again over how he’d been treated before holding the side of his head again.

“Why wouldn’t the cold ponies be nice to me? All I want is a friend, but every changeling hates me. Every pony is afraid of me. All I want is a friend. I’m so hungry. Why does this have to hurt so much?”

The more he fought with his desires and wrestled with his thoughts, the more pain began to win. Eventually, perhaps only tens of seconds, he slumped over, the pain giving way to one solution.

“That Spitfire pony called me buddy because I’m helping… I can’t be weak anymore.“

Though it saddened his heart and felt like it was betraying a part of himself that had always controlled him, Thorax stood up, somehow less in pain as he abandoned some former morals.

“If I want to make friends…” With little struggle, Thorax managed to reapply his minimalist blue pony form once more, furrowing his brow and failing to notice that his fangs had not fully retreated. “—then I’m going to have to make some enemies.”

Author's Note

Well, it's been a five-month dry spell for me not being able to upload anything. However, I'm bringing it back in spades this time with a lot of content. I wanted this return to come with something special, and for me, that meant some more visuals. Also, the whole backstory of the vines attacking Ponyville happened in the comics, which would have been a whole lot to try to fit in by trying to type it all out and reworking it as a narrative flashback. It was much easier to link to the YouTube video so you could watch and listen to the whole thing that way.

As for the story itself, there is sill tension between Twilight and Celestia. Even after the battle with Harmony and the dust has settled, Twilight still harbors some resentment, and Celestia feels like she's being treated unfairly. Both have merit to their claims and valid reasons, but time will tell how or if they choose to settle their differences.

Benny and Chris are taking more active roles with their positions and new responsibilities, and even Starlight has found herself thrown into the mix. Not that it's amounting to them making much progress, but it's still early. I'm sure they'll figure it all out before too much trouble is created with everything in play.

Meanwhile, Cerb still has his hands full with all the mares he's surrounded himself with. Fleetfoot is a wreck and Cadance is stuck balancing his needs with everyone else's on top of her own. That of course will likely only get worse when the find out what's happened to Rainbow Dash and Spitfire.

Speaking of Rainbow and Spits... While they were successful in one task, getting sidetracked to investigate Mount Everhoof proved to be a near-fatal mistake.

I had to do some research into Downburst. Pretty scary stuff, but they theoretically can't really happen in cold weather climates from what I was able to look up. Polar vortexes are one thing, but what they flew into was a whole other nightmare.

Then there were those dark enchanted clouds. Seems like they might be involved somehow. Gonna have to stick around to see what they're all about.

Of course, though. Can't end this wrapup without mentioning where the chapter left off.

Thorax... That poor changeling is hungry and hurting. It was supposed to be Spike who found him originally, but without the original Harmony there to guide all the events as The Words dictated, things are happening differently.

He'll have to rely on Rainbow and Spitfire to get out of that cave alive and find friendship and acceptance, but he has to avoid the other changelings hunting him down, the killer weather, revealing himself, his hunger taking over... and cold ponies?

What else will be discussed in Canterlot? What's Becky up to? Will Cerb have coffee or orange juice with breakfast? Who are the cold ponies?

You'll have to come back to find out next time to find out in Chapter 10: What Lies Below.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7

10. What Lies Below.

[Two Years Ago, 2014, Equestrian Day Not Recorded.]

Twilight returned to Ponyville with Spike on her back after departing from her friends in the Everfree Forest and the near-miss with a hungry cragadile. Once in view of the town interior, she found Discord toying with a severed piece of one of the green vines.

Behind him was another section of the vines holding two ponies captive above the ground.

Berry Punch and Comet Tail both screamed for help while Discord poked at the severed vine that had entrapped them and peered at it in a manner of intrigue and frustration.

“Discord!” Twilight shouted with scorn, assuming the worst.

Having been caught, Discord flinched, almost appearing frightened to have been caught off guard. However, once he noticed it was Twilight, he discarded the piece of vine he’d been examining and then snapped his lion’s paw to summon a giant pair of garden shears that snipped through the pony-ensnaring vine with ease.

The two ponies, now released by the vines, dropped to the ground and immediately sprinted off to safety.

Discord leaned forward, raised his eagle talons to his lips, and shouted to the retreating ponies.

“You’re welcome!”

After the two ponies ran out of sight, Discord turned his attention back to Twilight, a smug look of disinterest on his face.

“You’re back rather soon and alone, no less. Were you and your friends able to solve that little tree problem of yours?”

Twilight appeared to abandon her anger at discord, instead returning to her self-disappointment.

“We ran into some trouble. And my friends decided it would be best if I returned to Ponyville while they continued the search. Equestria will need me if Princess Celestia and Princess Luna don’t return.”

Discord rose with his eyes raised to the sky and his talons held over his chest, holding a pose and an expression as if taken aback or shocked.

“I’m just surprised that you—”

“What were you doing with that vine?” Twilight suddenly asked, looking over her shoulder at Discord.

Discord froze in his semi-dramatic stage pose, not expecting to have been interrupted.

“The what now?”

“The vine,” Twilight asserted. “When I came back and found you, you were looking over a piece of the vine instead of helping those ponies behind you, and you didn’t look too happy about what you were looking at… What do you know about these vines that you’re not telling us?”

In a flowing, fluid motion, Discord dropped the dramatic act and strolled closer to Twilight with a pleasant smile across his lips.

“Well, I suppose since you took notice, there’s no point in playing coy.”

Without so much as hinting at flexing his power, Discord appeared in view with a dark pair of pants and a white shirt with long green sleeves. Once in costume, he walked onto a stage that appeared out of nowhere and continued to the center, where a comically four times normal-oversized gray couch stood.

Twilight was about to ask what Discord was doing when a mass of applause, whistles, and cheers surrounded her. She looked around and realized she was seated in an auditorium by herself. She was a one-mare audience, so the sounds were just another one of Discord’s fabrications.

Meanwhile, in front of her, Discord somersaulted over the couch's armrest and landed on the cushions, bouncing up and standing boldly.

“I want to explain this to you with some style.”

Discord looked out at the audience, which still was only Twilight, and waited for her to laugh. Instead, she only sat, staring at him, equally confused as she was unentertained.

“Right,” Discord awkwardly stated before coughing into his paw. “Well, I wanted to keep this explanation simple, so there's only this one prop. What’s really important is what’s inside.”

He walked over to the right side of the cushion and reached down, pulling out yet another gag item. This one was equally as oversized, not as funny, though probably edible.

“No, this is only a potato chip.”

He reached in again, this time pulling out what looked to be a long feather that was dripping ink.

“Oops. Nope. That’s a quill.”

Again, he reached in, this time dropping to his knees to dig in further and pulling out a book.

“Princess Twilight’s Private Journal. Now, how did that get in there?”

“Hey!” Twilight shouted angrily, watching her book of private thoughts get tossed off stage.

Paying Twilight no mind, Discord crawled forward and pulled out the golden Twi-scepter, then held it up for inspection, almost looking genuinely confused.

“Now, if your journal shouldn’t have been there, this certainly shouldn’t have been in there.”

“DISCORD!” Twilight shouted again, this time even louder.

Giving in and realizing that the Gallagher spoof wasn’t landing the way he wanted, Discord reached in one final time and pulled out the severed piece of vine he’d been examining earlier.

“Here we are! Just your everyday run-of-the-mill magic growing, anti-magic, partially altered, deer kin potion produced vine.”

“Partially altered?” Twilight asked, suddenly feeling her body bounce up into the air.

“Why, yes,” Discord answered, falling out of view from Twilight. “And do you think the font for my name is okay? The retro color isn’t too much? Is the font too hard to read? I think ponies might misread the lowercase D as a double c.”

Twilight looked down to see that she was rising up above the couch. Where the cushions once were, a trampoline had been installed. So, instead of falling back down, she began to flap her wings to flutter in place. Also, the lowercase d did look like a double c had been written in, but that wasn’t important to her.

“Discord! If you didn’t do this! Do you know who did!?”

To answer that question, Discord sprang into view from above Twilight, somehow having bounced down from above instead of from below.

“Oh-ho-ho~ no, but they certainly did a spectacular job at mashing together this masterpiece of chaotic, mish-mashed magic. Sure, it cancels out the magic of whatever it embeds itself into or manages to wrap itself around, but it seems like more of a hindrance if used against you when targeting a specific tree.”

“DISCORD!”

Snapping his taloned claws, Discord had both of them flash out from the air and reappear in a nearby cafe. They were both dressed up in formal attire while Spike stood on a stool in a butler’s uniform, pouring Twilight a cup of tea.

“Twilight,” Discord calmly spoke in a posh manner. “I’d never make something so dangerous that it could be used against me in a way that it could overpower me… That, and if I made an overgrown vine, I think I’d be more partial to black than your garden variety of green. But, you’re right. These vines are much too dangerous for the likes of us.”

Finally snapping out of a trance, Spike stopped in time from overpouring Twilight’s cup of tea while Twilight herself gave Discord a dirty look and grew a sharp tone.

“The likes of us?”

Discord whipped out a fancy napkin and tucked it into his collar as he laughed a cocky, elitist laugh.

“Oh, come now, Twilight. Us! Those who are out here! Enjoying the finer things in life! Not like that stupid tree you’re so protective of. What does it even do for anypony? It wasn’t strong enough to keep itself safe from these vines, and it was so weak that even your friends sent you away to stay out of harm’s way. I say good riddance to that boring old thing. And once your friends get back after figuring out they’re too late, we can all start living far more interesting lives.”

Instantly, Twilight recoiled at the suggestion.

“The Tree of Harmony isn’t weak! And my friends won’t fail!”

The look Discord gave Twilight somehow gave the impression that despite the grin he gave her, he never meant a word of his condescension, and he expected her reaction.

“Oh, well, how silly of me to assume they needed you. All you did was choose to keep your precious princess self out of harm's way while your friends thrust themselves right into danger. It’s not like you’ve done everything together before. I'm sure you'll all be the best of pals again when they return from their terrifying yet deeply bonding experience that they're having without you.”

That seemed to have put Twilight’s mind back on the right track, and she was determined to right the wrong she had started.

“I never should have agreed to come back here.”

In no time at all, and with even less effort, the fancy dress and butler clothes were removed, and Twilight was galloping off back into the Everfree Forest with Spike on her back yet again. Although, the start of their drip did not come without some hesitation from Spike.

“Come on, Twilight. He's just trying to get under your skin.”

True or not, Twilight didn’t care.

“Well, it’s working!”

The story continued on from that point, as Chris would have originally expected. Twilight ended up getting lost in the Everfree Forest at the same time ther remaining Main Six located Harmony’s dwelling. Spike climbed a tree in time to see the others approaching Harmony’s entrance as Twilight was attacked by vines that spat out plumes of spores or some other toxin that began to choke her out. Although, again, these vines were green, not the black vines with blue thorns Discord had created, as Chris remembered from the show.

Regardless, more of the story played out the same, only with the others finding Harmony’s tree not covered in those green vines but merely surrounded by them. Also, of course, once more, this world’s Harmony was a larger and more vile, twisted, thorny tree. Only two massive coils of said vines managed to get close to the tree but never passed the exposed roots near the trunk of the tree itself. Chris already knew what, or more specifically, who were in those coils of vines, but that would all play out in the story eventually.

As to be expected, Spike still showed up on time to pass on the message that Twilight was in danger, the girls showed up in time to rescue her and then return to the cave.

However, after returning to the cave, this was where the story began to change once more. It changed in ways that Chris could not have expected.

Twilight pushed ahead of her friends and flew closer to Harmony’s tree to try and inspect the overgrowth as well as what lay beyond it. Of course, the vines sprung forth and latched around Twilight's forehoof, causing her to sever the attachment with a quick blast from her horn before the vines could bind any of her magic.

After Twilight fluttered back and saw through the gaps where the dimly lit tree held its empty slots for holding the elemental pieces the bearers wore, words from Celestia came back to revisit Twilight from her memories.

“Even without these elements, the Tree of Harmony will possess a powerful magic. As long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here.”

An epiphany hit Twilight, so she turned to face her friends with a new plan.

“I know how we can save the tree. We have to give it the Elements of Harmony.”

Rainbow spoke up from the back of the group and flew up over the others to land in front of Twilight to speak her concerns face to face.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, heh. How are we supposed to protect Equestria?”

Rarity, just as concerned, particularly with more immediate and local threats, stepped forward and raised a hoof, attempting to speak reason to Twilight as well.

“How are we meant to rein Discord in if we can't use the Elements to turn him back to stone?”

Without a moment of hesitation, Applejack marched forward, closer than the previous two had, standing within striking distance of Twilight, but brought her hoof to the apple jeweled element around her neck instead. Then, without anger but a near frightened and somber tone, she pleaded her case not to give up their last weapon of defense.

“Twilight... The Elements of Harmony... They're what keep us connected no matter what.”

Looking back in the retelling of this story, there was no doubt that it was Harmony’s influence, likely one or many whispers guiding Twilight’s thoughts to her conclusions. No matter the cause or even Harmony’s reasoning, Twilight spoke with certainty of what had to be done but said her piece with calm compassion.

“You're right about one thing, Applejack. The Elements of Harmony did bring us together. But it isn't the Elements that will keep us connected. It's our friendship. And it's more important and more powerful than any magic. My new role in Equestria may mean I have to take on new responsibilities, and our friendships may be tested, but it will never, ever be broken. There's no time to lose. Everypony ready?”

It was all taken on blind faith, but blind faith in Twilight, who rose high above them, ready to claim their elements.

So, with the decision being made without further debate, the remaining five cheered out to Twilight, “Ready!”

One by one, Twilight gathered each of the elements from around the necks of her friends in her aura. They were pulled closer, each circling around her slowly until finally, she removed the last element from her crown and let it join with the others.

With all six together, their slow dance became a violent swirling blur, to which the vines reacted by lurching out.

Instead of the vines subduing Twilight, the swirling jewels expanded their reach to intercept the vines and shredded them to pulp upon contact. Twilight gasped in shock at the violent response that had so quickly saved her, but to her surprise, the elements moved on their own once more.

The circle of their destructive path expanded again, and lights of all their colors shined out brilliantly with an uncomfortable warmth as they raced towards the mass of vines and the Tree of Harmony.

Where the lights shined brightest and were cast upon any portion of the vines, they rapidly dried to a husk, crackling and crumbling before they were dashed to pieces or blown away by the whirling winds of the elements. The blinding lights, heated air, and rushing winds cleared all but ash and dust of what had been the vines before each gem slammed into their previously secured slots that had been bored into the tree, returning the lost luster to Harmony and rapidly eradicating any remaining vines beyond the cave.

With the vines vanquished, two large piles of ash and dust fell away to reveal Luna and Celestia, both scratched from head to hoof and appearing exhausted.

Twilight, excited to see her mentor once again, rushed up and embraced her.

Celestia, while tired, was just as pleased to see Twilight hugging her with one foreleg and wasting no time praising her former student.

“We know how difficult it must have been for you to give up the Elements. It took great courage for you to relinquish them.”

Before Twilight could acknowledge the words of praise or explain herself, the tree began to glow bright again and hummed with magic. Drawing everypony’s attention, they stepped forward to see a trail of the spectral magic feed down from the six Elements down the trunk of the crystal tree into Celestia’s cutie mark also embedded in the tree, then further down into Luna’s, then further still past the trunk until sprouting a flower that grew just beyond Twilight’s height.

Curious, if not drawn to it by some unknown force, Twilight tapped her hoof upon the flower, releasing a brilliant light from which the petals blossomed open.

Inside, a treasure box presented itself, and all the others gathered around to examine the new discovery.

“What’s inside it?” Twilight asked. “How’m I supposed to open it?”

Luna, standing the closest, could only state the obvious.

“Six locks. Six keys.”

Both Luna and Twilight turned to Celestia, who regrettably shook her head.

“I do not know where they are.” She turned and started to walk away with a smile and positive outlook. “But I do know it is a mystery you will not be solving alone.”

It seemed that all that had needed to be dealt with had been taken care of, so they all started to make their way out.

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 30th Day of Love at Canterlot Castle.]

The table was now quiet. Celestia hadn’t moved or interjected, much like Benny seated between her and Twilight. At the same time, Starlight waited uneasily next to Chris, who sat contemplating
over Twilight’s history of events.

All of the new details only seemed to add more mud to the already murky waters.

“That’s it?” Chris finally asked. “The discussion you had with Discord was different than it should have been, but he never had you drink that white potion again when you got back to town? To give you a vision to show you that he planted the chaos seeds that grew up under Harmony’s tree back when he first went up against Celestia and Luna before he lost?”

Sadly, all Twilight could do was shake her head.

“No. He was surprised that we gave up the Elements of Harmony and either hinted at or joked about returning to his villainous ways. We were all worried that could have been a problem, but Fluttershy reminded him that doing so would end their friendship, so he seemed to give up on the idea of it and even offered to help us clean up from the aftermath.”

With that bit of history cleared up and the discrepancies explained… Chris still had nothing.

“I… I dunno. With Discord, Harmony, and Rose all gone now, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to figure this shit out. I mean… Why would Harmony allow those vines to run wild if she couldn’t control them? Why put all of you in so much more danger with something that could have ended up doing so much more damage to any of you?”

Those were good questions, and Benny had one of his own.

“Or could it have been that she only controlled them if they weren’t physically touching her? That would make sense if Discord and Harmony really were so similar."

Chris thought for a moment, then looked to relax more in his seat.

"Yeah, that would make sense. But why not follow the script for such a crucial point in the story she was supposed to be following… Not unless she was stronger than we thought, and Discord's vines couldn't reach her, so she went an alternate set of… No… if she was stronger, she could have lowered her defenses and allowed the story to progress like it was supposed to. But if she was too weak to fend off Discord's vines, then…"

The room went quiet again as the endless possibilities of unknowns ran through everyone's perspective scrutiny. Then, Chris had a thought worth sharing.

"Actually, maybe Harmony was too weak at the time to go up against Discord's vines after all. If she was holding back the darkness like Rose and Ring said she was, and Discord could have weakened her tree even further, maybe she knew she couldn't fight off both at the same time… And if she could control the deer vines, so long as they weren't touching her, just like they didn't when you saved her back then, maybe she changed how The Words said these events were supposed to play out just enough to make it feel the same as best she could? She already missed the events of Equestria Girls, where you would have gone through the mirror to the other human world, and everything else seemed to play out as expected."

Benny gave Chris's explanation some serious consideration and couldn't find the fault in its logic.

"If you think the two stories sound close enough to work out with the same end, Harmony would have a lot of time between that part of the series and the next to make any further adjustments with her suggestions to compensate. That kinda shit happens in the military all the time."

All three ponies focused their attention on Benny, instantly putting him in the position of needing to explain himself.

"Commanding officers get their mission requirements handed to them with expectations of a certain outcome. They get with their department heads to make a plan of action, and those plans get passed down to senior leaders to carry out with their subordinates to complete the mission."

Having their full attention and thinking that maybe only Celestia could follow along on a technical scale, he carefully thought of how to phrase the rest more clearly.

"Nothing ever goes to plan. Equipment breaks, communication between personnel sucks, people forget things… That's just the way it goes. But, redundancies are usually kept in place to overcome these factors, if not overcompensate in different areas to still achieve the mission goal when other parts of the mission fail. Like… maybe it’s not a missile that takes out an enemy ship but a torpedo instead. Or instead of intercepting a pirate ship using a patrol craft or a rib, we drop in from a helo."

Of course, some of those military terms were completely foreign to the likes of the ponies there at the table. Mostly Celestia.

“I’m sorry; a rib? And what’s a helo?”

Explaining those terms might have been simple to someone back home, but for this conversation with the present company, Benny decided to keep it brief.

“Oof. Um… Military transport vehicles. The technical side isn’t important. I’m just trying to convey the idea of what Harmony was probably trying to do.”

Twilight nodded, seemingly understanding the message Benny had done his best to convey.

"So, even though the plan doesn't work the way as intended to achieve the desired outcome with specific requirements met, you can change and adapt enough to still have the required outcome."

Chris sighed with a mix of relief and frustration. Everyone could see that something wasn't sitting well with him in all of this.

"We can accept that for now, but something is still bugging me about Discord not knowing where Harmony was even after the fact. It's like she was protecting herself, which would make sense. Discord did end up killing her… but if she was able to make those changes and still have everything else play out as required… what else might she have changed? Also… If Harmony had the Elements, how did you get them back? You had them when you came to Benny’s house."

Celestia’s expression remained placid as she stared at the group.

“It wasn’t much of a detour for me to stop and grab the Elements on my way to your embassy. I pulled them out, put them in a box, and returned to my guards before they reached Ponyville. I didn’t imagine we would need them long enough for the vines to grow again. Is it possible Harmony had plans for them to be used, or could there be another threat we are still not aware of?”

There was no way of knowing for sure, and no one at the table made any effort to offer a single theory. So, Chris decided it was time to move on.

"Maybe, and we can always come back to that. Otherwise, I still can't figure out what The Darkness actually is or why it was trying to destroy everything. It… I don't know where to go with this portion yet. The crystals make me think King Sombra and the metal works for The Pony of Shadows. The ooze portion of it… Nothing in this world that I’ve been able to see fits. I’m guessing that if The Words were based on the show, and this might be a stretch, the oily ooze has something to do with a villain that’s been reimagined from the first version of the show as we know it.”

Again, Chris had everyone’s undivided attention.

“The show based on your world is less than six years old, but the My Little Pony franchise, with characters that reappear and are reimagined, has been around for maybe thirty years. And I hardly remember seeing it when I was a kid. My older sister would watch it, so I had to watch it. I think it was the movie, but it was called The Smooze, and it was some kind of slime monster made from a potion.”

The room was silent for at least thirty seconds.

“And?” Celestia finally asked.

Sadly, Chris gave no strong presence in his reply.

“That’s all I got. I know the reports say muscle tissue was found in the oily mix that was excavated and dumped or burned, but I can’t explain this one yet. I’m guessing that probably like The Pony of Shadows hadn’t been seen as he was, the Smooze or whatever this Darkness was is probably a villain from a future portion of the show, or maybe we’re dealing with another dimensional jumping variant. Well, one that wasn’t supposed to exist in this timeline or a version of the show Harmony thought The Words foretold. We already know the Storm King is a villain we have to look out for, so who knows how many others are out there. Maybe even Harmony had plans to bring back Grogar.”

Hearing that name, Celestia’s eyes grew wide and her posture erect.

“Grogar?!”

Everyone turned to Celestia, who suddenly looked slightly embarrassed but quickly composed herself.

“My apologies, everyone. That name has been spoken only in legends far older than Equestria itself. He was a powerful ram of great evil, but stories say he and his city of slaves, Tabelon, vanished. Banished or retreated to a realm of darkness. Though perhaps it was either Harmony or Discord that removed him, we may never know. However, there are records of a city named Tabelon having existed and artifacts depicting Grogar’s appearance, so that may be another threat we will have to consider.”

Chris hung his head, some mental fatigue showing through.

“I can’t give you too much guidance on characters like those being reintroduced to your world. Lord Tirek was actually a lot more evil in the original series but had different powers. He was more of a wizard, from what I remember reading, and his name used to be spelled with a C, not a K. There could also be an Abyssinian… queen or a witch-queen. She was also from the first series, but she was easily turned good, from what I remember. There was also some other kind of cloud or smoke demon thing that stole shadows. But you also have others that are unique to this world, like the changelings, as well as the Storm King, Nightmare Moon…”

He turned his eyes toward Starlight, giving her an almost sad look, then back to the rest of the table.

“We also don’t know how much of Harmony’s influence over any future hostiles may still be affecting them. They could be innocent ponies or other creatures pushed in the wrong direction.”

Celestia hung her head and slowly huffed a sigh of discontent.

“This revelation of Harmony’s influence also poses a serious conflict with those currently held in Tartarus. Wild beasts, as well as Tirek himself. If Harmony influenced their intentions, then they may not have been fully at fault for their actions. Yet, I cannot rule out the possibility that their transgressions could be far worse had her whispers been removed. If that is the case, Tartarus may not be enough, and more permanent solutions may be required.”

Such a statement could only be taken in so many different ways, and Chris could only imagine Celestia meant it to mean one thing.

“Princess… From the outside looking in, I may be the most informed about this world. I’m also the most educated about law from ours, even if I never specialized in criminal prosecution… Implementing law for the justification of lethal force by state powers is dangerous and has more downfalls than advantages.”

Just as quickly, Benny thought to chime and mediate a little more tactfully.

“That’s not to say there aren’t justifications. Of course, what we’re offering is only advice, and at least militarily, there is plenty I was trained on that covers all branches of service about what provides the best justification and explanation of lethal force. It’s not perfect, but it paints a pretty specific set of circumstances to justify that level of force.”

Opposite of Celestia, Twilight seemed to meet both parties somewhere in the middle.

“I don’t think we’re ready to make any laws on who can or can’t kill any creature. The purpose of self-defense and defense of others, like Justin has stated before, sounds like more than enough for us to make any case-by-case decisions. Otherwise, just like against Harmony and those who chose to fight alongside her, a royal decree to grant exceptions can clear up any other legality.”

“But then you’ll look like tyrants,” Chris quickly countered.

Careful not to let this conversation turn into a heated debate, Benny raised one hand over the center of the table and placed his other on Chris’s arm.

“Again, these are only opinions, but also, I should make it clear that this is a topic we all need to have a lot more information on, legally, culturally, and with a bit more insight if not cool minds.”

He quickly turned his gaze to Chris, who looked like he realized he had said too much. At least that let Benny know to ease up and pull his hands back before speaking more calmly.

“To be honest, Chris and I have very different opinions on the death penalty. And I don’t mean killing in the time of war or self-defense. I mean using death as a form of punishment for seriously heinous crimes like treason, murder, rape… world-ending plots… But, again… I suggest we move on to other topics and return to this later on. And personally, I think Chris and I should talk before even either of us say too much on the matter.”

It might have all been an accident, but Celestia didn’t want any of these topics to turn hostile. Certainly not with any of the humans, knowing full well the political weight they carried, even if they themselves didn’t know what lay in wait for them yet.

“There is no need for concern, either of you. And Twilight, I believe you are right as to what Cerberus had previously tried to educate us on. There is a time and place where logic dictates the immediate or inevitable call for the defense of life and, thus, a requirement for more drastic measures call for us to act. However, I would like to set up another meeting such as this one, where we could discuss such matters before even approaching the process of putting such concepts to paper to consider for law. Perhaps Chris is right that more discretion may be needed to prevent…”

Celestia was doing her best to be as delicate and formal with her words, which seemed to be too slow for Starlight’s tastes. So, with the absence of Celestia being able to explain herself, Starlight took over.

“I think Cerb made it pretty clear that no guard here has any proper training with their weapons to not accidentally kill somepony. That’s what almost got Kelly killed. I don’t think the whole world is ready for any creature to start setting laws on when it’s okay to kill when we don’t know who is even as durable as we once were or not. We’d be putting more ponies and other creatures in danger.”

Days prior, that would have been crossing the line against Celestia, but again, she had to keep the present company in mind. So, once more, she kept her civilities at the forefront and addressed the table as a whole instead of Starlight directly.

“I’m more than aware of the lost durability of the many creatures involved in the battle against Harmony. We also have no way of knowing how far she allowed the spell to remove her enchantment to travel and who may be vulnerable. Knowing this, it is not my plan to allow any of my guards or subjects to travel blindly into danger where their lives would be placed in even greater peril than previously considered. Just the same, any law passed would have to come with a broader understanding of the limitations and capabilities we are bound to.”

Having said much of her speech civilly, as well as politically candid, she then turned her attention solely to Starlight. There simply wasn’t enough properly conveyed with such niceties.

“I’ve lived for over a thousand years with countless lives butchered and slaughtered under my nose and at least one before my eyes from what little I can recall. Widows, orphans, entire families lost, possibly entire villages of lives reduced to bones for a heartless lunatic to play with. So even if Harmony is gone, Chrysalis is roaming free with an army of love-starved changelings who I’m sure would have no qualms feasting upon the well earned affection your growing family with Chris has garnished. A power-hungry warlord who defeated two dominating armies may return in search of slaves and may yet still have his sights on Equestria, where you and every creature you care for lives. And if Grogar or some other unknown danger is to rear its ugly, uncaring, murderous head upon my kingdom, I’d rather let them and the world know they did not live to tell the tale of how they failed. Instead, I’d rather you and every creature raise their horns and hold their weapons high… screaming… never… again.”

Once more, Benny spoke up to help calm the temperature in the room, which was starting to rise along with Celestia’s anger.

“I apologize to everyone for how this topic was brought up. It wasn’t outlined on our agenda. We should probably put it aside until we have more time to gather our thoughts. We need to do a lot more research on our point of views before trying to debate anything off the top of our head or with raw emotion.”

Starlight lowered her head and looked away from the table, a bit of embarrassment taking over as she shied away as her eyes began to tear up.

“You’re right. My apologies, princess. After losing Trixie and everything that happened to Chris and the kids—”

“It’s fine,” Celestia quickly countered, taking a deep breath and lowering her temperature a few degrees. “It’s… Trixie was more than one of my little ponies. She wasn’t only one of my subjects, either. She was also once a student of mine… One I failed to nurture. One I couldn’t save… Nor could I properly avenge her… Not a single pony… Not Gruffo. Not Discord… Never again.”

Without further prompt, Celestia stood up from the table. She didn’t look angry, though she was clearly upset, most likely at herself, but spoke plainly to her small audience.

“My apologies. It was a pleasure to visit with all of you, and this meeting was very productive and informative. However… professionalism and royal protocols aside, we are all still over-taxed, not being afforded the time to destress as we need.”

She turned her gaze to Starlight and spoke softly in a near motherly tone.

“Starlight, my dear. I cannot imagine the stress of trying to adapt to the life you once knew to the struggles of then studying under Twilight, finding love—” She blushed and had to avert her eyes. “—Lots of love, as it were. Then, having it all cast into danger on top of losing a friend… Please. Even if there is much I request of Chris, there is little to be gained if neither of you have the proper time to decompress. I will ask for no work of either to be addressed until… I understand you are familiar with our royal calendar system, Monday. Or for you, Starlight, our twenty-second day of Love.”

Without giving either Chris or Starlight a chance to respond, Celestia turned her attention to Benny.

“And you, Ambassador Yale. I know much has been asked of you on top of taking in young Water Bug. That is on top of how much you have been overworking yourself to fill in for the absence of Cerberus.”

“I’m not—” Benny started to say.

“You are,” Celestia quickly interjected, cutting off Benny with a graceful smile. “And it is greatly appreciated. Not only by me, but Prince Aspen and Queen Novo have taken notice. However, your body needs rest, and that new daughter of yours needs time with her loving father, just as I’m sure Vinyl and Octavia need more support with their now-public relationship… Please… Find a little more balance. I’m sure Chris could help provide some help in that department.”

Lastly, Celestia turned her eyes to Twilight but just as quickly dropped her gaze to the table.

“Benny, Chris, Starlight. Even if we are all friends, and you are new to this, so I take no offense, but in these formal events, when royalty stands, you are to stand as well. Regardless, you are dismissed, and I wish you a pleasant day. Flash Sentry will escort you back to the station… Twilight… We will talk privately.”

The pleasantries continued well enough as Benny, Chris, and Starlight took their leave. It took a few long awkward moments for the throne room to clear the final exchanges, mostly due to Benny still moving slowly. However, when it was only the two royals, it was clear that both mares knew the conversation was not going to be pleasant, particularly starting from Celestia’s opening remark.

“I’d have thought the worst blunders of policy and decision-making would have been made by Harmony’s influence in this castle, but even with her help and after her removal—”

And instantly, the illusion of the prior student-teacher dynamic Twilight held so honorably was gone.

“Oh, fuck no. I am not taking the heat for Rarity picking a fight with Cadance.”

So, now it was time for Celestia to bring it to Twilight's level.

“Don’t you start bringing in the human’s vocabulary into this when I cannot retort with it as a means of deflection, Twilight. You’ve made it very clear that as you were around the likes of Peter and the others so often, your mind was far more free and clear of Harmony’s influence than the likes of mine or any others. The humans were in your care, and you left the charge of their well-being to the likes of Fluttershy and Rarity, who have failed spectacularly.”

That was only partially true, and Twilight was not about to throw her friends under the proverbial bus.

“That’s a totally unfair assessment,” Twilight snapped with a stern glare. “You saw how devastated Fluttershy was at the memorial service—”

Celestia turned abruptly and rolled her eyes, blurting out her complaint flippantly with a mocking tone.

“Oh, when is Fluttershy not devastated, Twilight? And at a time she would have needed some comfort and support, she kept Rarity at her side and left Cerberus with two foreign leaders and one of your disobedient guards.” She turned again and sat at the table, looking away in disgust. “It’s not like she had the remains of her long-lost parents paraded in front of her face like a pair of marionettes… Not that I’ve had the time to grant them a memorial service. Nor will Luna even speak to me of it.”

Twilight stood next to the table, champing at the bit to argue back, but also backed into a corner from the position Celestia had been pushed into. Her reply would have to tone down the hostility.

“None of us have been spared from the fallout in the aftermath of Harmony’s actions. I haven’t even told my parents of what we saw that night. Not even the bodies of… I suppose I’ll never know which grandmother Harmony was flaunting in front of me. It could have come from either side of my family… but you are right… I failed to act in time to ensure Justin was given the care he needed.”

Slowly, Twilight made her way to the table and retook her seat. She sat with a slouch and showed no pride or enthusiasm, no different from Celestia across from her.

“We were all overwhelmed. Trying to understand Harmony, the echoes, the darkness, which villain or war was to come our way, all of our wounded, protecting the young delegates. Then, trying to get any information from Rose before she left… I mean… Celestia, be reasonable with me here. Since I was your pupil, you taught me magic until you pushed me out to learn friendship. Once I became a princess, I’ve unfurled banners and led the events locally you were too busy to attend. Everything else has been preaching friendship or fighting the battles you couldn’t… I’ve been doing far more than you’ve prepared me for, all of this included. You can’t hold me completely at fault for not meeting the expectations you never explained or using the skills I haven’t been trained me to use.”

Celestia finally turned her full attention back to Twilight with a look of pleading.

“Then you should have asked for my help.”

“We both know why I wouldn’t,” Twilight quickly snapped.

There wasn’t a good retort to that, and Celestia hung her head with a sigh.

“I’m doing my best, Twilight. And had I known things were as bad as they were, I would have invited Cerberus to stay her in Canterlot as well—”

“No,” Twilight again interjected, bringing her forehooves to her temples. “I know Rarity royally screwed up by sending that letter behind my back, but she actually had good reasons behind her intentions. It’s something I still need to follow up with the rest of the Stranded Seven about.”

This seemed like an interesting topic to approach on even ground, so Celestia encouraged her younger princess.

“I’m listening.”

Twilight lowered her hooves and crossed them over the table as she turned to look away. Not out of anger or disgust towards Celestia but genuine frustration over the situation.

“I’m not sure how much you know about all the help Fluttershy and Rarity were giving Justin. He suffers from terrible nightmares about when he was still fighting in his war back in his world. They’re so violent and overwhelming that he would act out as if he was still fighting in those battles after he woke up. For some reason, not even Princess Luna could help him, but both Fluttershy and Rarity could… until they stopped staying with him when he slept.”

Mournfully, Twilight dropped her gaze to the floor. A sad memory of her failures to act coming back to haunt her.

“We didn’t really know about it until the night of the Welcome Welcome To Ponyville Party that Pinkie Pie set up for them. Benny tried to warn us, but we didn’t know how bad it could be until the night Justin had to sleep alone in the hospital.”

[Five days earlier, Saturday, 14 May 2016, 13th Day of Love in Ponyville Hospital.]

Twilight was running down the hallway as fast as she could. Guards were sprinting in all directions, covering exits, checking windows, taking positions, making call-outs, and demanding answers, but it was her question that held the most importance as she raced towards Cerb’s room.

“What’s happening?!”

One of the few unicorn Lunar Guards shifted nervously side to side, searching for danger down both ends of the hallway.

“A possible security breach. One of the guards heard Ambassador Cerberus call out an attack, but we don’t know from where!”

From further down the hall, there was a muffled cry for help. The words were indiscernible, but the call was all too clear as the sound of glass breaking broke out from behind one particular door.

Before anyone could even begin to rationalize what was happening, Midnight had swooped down from above the tiled ceiling and into the hall to open his comrade's door.

“Justin! Hold on!”

It was too late, Twilight couldn’t stop the bat pony from rushing into danger.

“Midnight! No! Becky warned us not to—”

Becky’s warning had either been ignored outright or overruled by Midnight’s sense of duty, maybe even his dedication to a fellow warrior and loyalty to one he likely considered a friend. No matter the reason, Cerb’s reaction and violent, threatening words said that he didn’t recognize friend from foe in the lightless room.

“GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!”

In a panic, Twilight switched from her gallop to teleport to the doorway.

Crack!

In the faint light of the night and shadows of the hospital room, Twilight caught sight of Midnight slamming with his backplate of armor into the wall. Stuck in a daze, he remained unmoving, lost as to what had happened or why Cerb had attacked him, leaving him unable to pry himself free from the plaster.

Instinctually, Twilight raised her wing to flip the light switch.

“Justin! Stop!”

The light appeared to blind Cerb, but instead of merely shielding his eyes, he clenched them shut and hunkered down to grip the side rail of the bed next to him. Then, in one mighty heave, snapping the nuts and bolts free, Cerb tore the metal support structure free from the bed and went straight for the windup.

“You mother fuckers!”

In a quick flash and a pop, Twilight teleported Midnight from out of the wall and into her forelegs. She jumped back out into the hallway, far enough to slide into the wall. She slammed with a thud in time to see the railing Cerb had swung dig into the wall, where it stuck.

Had it been an actual weapon like his familiar axe, the cut would have gone much further if not cleaved straight through.

By then, more guards had stormed up to the room, some in armor, others were patients still in bandages themselves, but all of them ready to engage. Twilight, however, was needed to call them off, less another pony became a potential casualty.

“Everypony! Stand back!”

Unfortunately, or fortunately, one patient among the many there, who was not a pony nor required to listen to such orders, pushed her way forward.

“Justin! I’m coming!”

Ember had left her room, hobbling and forcing her limbs to push the guards out of her way as she made her way to Cerb’s side and all but collapsed around Cerb’s arm to hold herself up.

“Justin! Where are they?! Who attacked you?! I’ll kill them! I’ll kill all of them!”

Twilight attempted to sit up farther and move Midnight further towards the protective line of guards but froze as Becky ran past the guards, who all parted ways for them as she called out her own orders.

“Everyone get the fuck out of here! Move!”

Without fear or hesitation, Becky put her hands around Cerb’s wrist and started to pull him back as she tried to speak to him.

“Justin! Justin… Hey. Hey… Justin. You’re bleeding everywhere. What are you doing?”

Slowly, Cerb began to succumb to his injuries as the nightmare faded and the adrenaline wore off.

“Fluttershy and Rarity won’t wake up,” Cerb angrily answered. “They got King Abyssinia and Gruff.”

“Justin?” Thunder’s voice wheezed from Twilight’s peripherals, trotting her way out from the room next to Cerb’s.

Of course, this only set Twilight off.

“Thunder! What are you doing out of bed!”

Soldiering on, Thunder didn’t even look back as she entered Cerb’s room.

“Answering the call.”

From the hallway, Twilight watched Cerb’s anger slip into despair as the tight grip he held on his improvised weapon slipped free, and his legs gave out.

“Becky, Embers hurt. I couldn’t save her. Thunder Glides bleeding. It was an accident. I didn’t see her in time… I gotta save Discord. Fluttershy won’t stop crying… I gotta save’em.”

From there, Cerb continued to break down as Becky attempted to take control of the deteriorating situation.

“God damnit, Cerb, don’t move. You’re tearing yourself open. Ember, Thunder, you can’t be in here; there’s blood everywhere. Damn it! Someone get Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart!”

[Back in Celestia’s Throne Room.]

Twilight sulked lower in her seat, still not able to look Celestia in the eyes, sounding just as beaten up and torn down as she did that night.

“I don’t know if it was the right call Becky made to have Justin removed from the hospital, but they did try to warn us that he could be dangerous if disturbed while having one of his nightmares… And it was after she made that decision and Justin apologized to Midnight that Princess Ember and Prince Rutherford left the hospital to stay with him in protest. Then Thunder Glide must have walked out and joined them instead of returning to her bed like I ordered… but I knew she wasn’t going to listen, and I wasn’t going to order her back.”

Celestia, now questioning Twilight’s leadership skills, had to ask, “And why not? Such insubordination requires correction. Do you not plan on disciplining her?”

To answer this, Twilight did look Celestia in the eyes, though her expression was hurt and full of pity.

“Ordering Thunder to remain in the hospital was in her best interests and consideration for her health… But after the rest of the guards cleared out as Becky ordered, I sat in the hallway to watch over them. Ember and Thunder Glide refused to leave Justin’s side. And when he finally realized where he was and that his nightmare was just a nightmare… I watched him cry over Thunder and Ember. Holding onto both of them, saying how grateful he was that they were still alive… that he saved them.”

While it might have been a bit childish, Twilight turned away from Celestia and crossed her forehooves over her chest in a huff.

“It would have been irresponsible of me to send Thunder Glide away from the hospital when she was in such rough shape. But if it’s all the same to you, she made the right call to give Justin the care he needed when I couldn’t get Fluttershy or Rarity to help him. The fact that not even Cutter, let alone any other of my Guard, not even once tried to tell her to return or ask if they should bring her back means they knew she did the right thing as well… I’m letting it go for the good of my guard’s morale as well as Justin’s.”

Twilight would continue to stand on this position no matter the scrutiny. However, there were other matters to address surrounding the topic of Cerb and his health.

“Otherwise, regarding Rarity’s letter, as I pointed out, Justin’s health is a concern. Just as worrisome is the potential danger he poses if he lashes out during one of his nightmares. And while I believe Cadance is being honest with me when she wrote that Justin is being taken care of and she can keep his nightmares at bay, it may not be enough. Her own internal security may not be enough to provide the kind of protection that we can provide here. He might be better off returning back to Fluttershy and Rarity’s guardianship… I’m concerned I’ll be put in a position to enforce it.”

Those were good points and worthy of looking into, but Celestia had another glaring problem that needed to be pointed out, along with some other insight.

“Well, first, I must say that your approach to handling the situation with Thunder Glide is commendable. Just be wary of the fine line you are walking by allowing a guard to make a decision that goes against your orders for the right reasons. I believe Kelly nearly paid the ultimate price because four of my guards felt they were doing the right thing.”

That might have been true and likely an insightful exchange, but Celestia also couldn’t keep her eyes focused on Twilight for long as she opened up about her own faults.

“Of course, all of your guards, unlike me, have been close to every human. Even my previously misguided guards have a more favorable relationship with them than I do. But… I suppose that is another problem for me to fix, which is partially why I decided to request Sir Benny and Chris to take more time away from their duties despite our need for their assistance. Nevertheless, that brings us to your predicament with potentially enforcing the return of Cerberus to the questionable guardianship of Rarity and Fluttershy.”

Twilight’s glare further soured as she sat cross in her chair, knowing this blunder couldn’t be overlooked. At some point, it would become a contentious issue, legal or otherwise, and Celestia wasted no etiquette on proverbially laying it out on the table.

“You are right to say there is much I have not trained you on, and rarely have you been in need of one of my guards to be appointed as a guardian over you while in travel. So you would have been clueless about what is needed when—”

“I know!” Twilight loudly snarled in frustration, though her anger quickly melted into regret. “Guardianship authority appointed to a citizen has to be filed with the local municipality… which I never did… I thought a royal decree was all that was needed, just like it was when you did it for me and other dignitaries visiting.”

Celestia sighed, knowing all the difficulties that could arise from these complications, as well as another.

“Not only are all of our humans technically running around without proper guardianship, along with Cerberous in potential danger in the Crystal Empire, Kelly is also in the Abyssinia Empire… We still find ourselves in uncharted territory.”

Knowing it was true but still curious, Twilight asked, “How so?”

Trying to look disinterested, though honestly still holding some morbid curiosity herself, Celestia returned to a neutral pose and did her best to speak with a placid tone.

“I sent a letter to my sister concerning Rarity’s letter as well as the response from Cadance, which seemed far more aggressive than I would have anticipated. Regardless, Luna is planning on intervening, acting on her own accord, as it appears she also holds strong concerns for Cerberus as well. However, her concerns for Kelly are certainly much stronger, to which she has come to realize that there has never been an instance of the crown taking guardianship of another… save one.”

Twilight tried to think what Celestia was referring to, but it only took a moment for that to become, for lack of a better analogy, crystal… clear.

“Cadance!”

Celestia rolled her eyes, remembering the recent arguments and headaches the two created for each other, but it was true.

“Yes, but I signed, sealed, and approved my guardianship papers for Cadance… Given how we did not know the whereabouts of her parents, and she was so distraught over the fear of making them feel rejected or abandoned, I took sole custody as her aunt. Again, likely another influence from Harmony, but that won’t be a consideration for the courts. What would be is that president set by my action… That being a figure not being of the Royal Guard or a civilian gaining guardianship rights.”

Twilight was trying to follow along, and for the most part, she was, but couldn’t see where this was leading her.

“That still doesn’t help us. Neither Fluttershy nor Rarity are royalty. They’re not even guards or soldiers. Far from it.”

Celestia slowly pushed her forehooves out further onto the table, then drew them back onto the surface, carefully considering her next few words.

“Far from it indeed… In fact, one might say they are much more than any guard. They serve a far greater purpose than any of the Solar, Lunar, and now your Twilight Guard.”

Again, there was a point to be made, and Twilight was almost afraid to ask. Even still, Celestia needed to mend as many bridges as possible. At the very least, she needed to keep Twilight’s hostilities from growing and return to her previous path before this madness began.

“Regarding Luna and Kelly, my sister has made it clear that she will see to Kelly’s protection and will likely have no issues securing her guardianship. As for the others, unlike myself and any other princess, besides yourself. Unlike any guard or all the other ponies of Equestria, they have risen to a higher status along with you as Elements, who have time and time again saved our world.”

Finally, Twilight could see the angle Celestia was working from, though Celestia had one more card to play.

“Lest we not forget, Twilight, they all have a seat at your table and not solely by appointment as your council… They are… something more… But we would be creating new precedents, new law.”

This was indeed a powerful new card to play if it came down to it. However, Twilight could also see the downsides.

“But we would be using it to enforce our will over a friend who has been likely our most powerful ally against all our unknown threats. Even worse, Justin could reject the guardianship relationship or even his honorary status. We could end up splitting a wedge between all of our human friends or even Cadance and the whole Crystal Empire. Possibly any kingdom that would choose to side with Justin over us. I can’t just make that call without—”

“I’m not telling you what to do,” Celestia quickly butted in. “However, I did put you in a position clearly you were not—”

Stopping in time from saying something that could have been taking as an insult, Celestia stopped herself and took a breath. After a moment, and seeing how Twilight had also remained calm, she continued.

“My apologies… No pony was ready for the responsibilities you have taken on. And I have failed you as a mentor, your princess, and a friend… with or without Harmony’s influence. At least now, with a clear mind, I can tell you that to move forward with such an aggressive measure would be ill-advised, as you clearly understand. But it can still be used as a motivation piece. Something to negotiate with. A warning to provide. Not given as a threat, but offered as a means to barter down to more favorable terms.”

If that comment wasn’t clear enough, Celestia was going to be blunt.

“Be honest and tell Cadance that it was my idea. Make me the enemy. You could use that to ensure we do not lose ties with Cerberus. Neither of them have to like me for you to be the good friend they make the favorable deals with.”

For a moment, Twilight started to question herself. She had held such a grudge against Celestia, and perhaps rightfully so, but now? Sure, the conversation started off a bit abrasive, though looking back, much of it was warranted. Perhaps even Celestia’s attitude was only a reflection of the negativity she had been generating her, so she couldn’t even be upset about that either.

“I… Thank you, Princess. But why would you offer yourself up as the scapegoat?”

Celestia’s sad expression shifted to frustrated disappointment as she tilted her head.

“Even if Cerberus respects my position, he has yet to show that he sees me as anything but an incompetent leader. I did not visit him as he healed, nor has he reached out to me. The battle we fought in together and understanding Harmony’s meddling thereafter may have removed some contention, but there is no point in not pretending there’s more of an advantage for you using my poor image to keep things civil until Cerberus comes around and we make amends. Shit… For all the arguing over Cerberus and the other humans with Cadance, until recently, we’ve never been more distant than we are kingdoms apart.”

Again, Celestia’s mournful tone returned as she did her best to open up to her once most faithful student.

“Right now, I can’t fix this. A majority of the most powerful kingdoms have shifted their focus onto our human counterparts and, by extension, you to work through them. I still have to manage the rest of Equestria, the reconstruction, safe removal and destruction of The Darkness that invaded our world, as well as entertain the remaining kingdoms who were not involved in fighting Harmony… with an exhausting illusion of my ignorance and abundant concern.”

Frustrated, Celestia gave a deep sigh and glanced over at the letter she had received during the meeting earlier.

“Fleetfoot’s injuries are beyond recoverable. Spitfire authorized her medical transport to the Crystal Empire along with Cerberus for treatment at their facilities, but she has already been filed for medical retirement… However, she’s fighting their claim, but, of course, she can’t even talk about the injuries, and I’m not there to cover for her… Not even Becky was able to make any further recommendations for treatment, and I have no solutions to offer, yet… here I remain.”

Celestia looked at Twilight again, her sad eyes meeting her former student’s but then slowly drifting down to the table.

“All while walking on eggshells with my sister, my niece, and every creature I once thought I could call a friend… Even my most faithful student, despite me taking in the human she obviously worries for the most and trusts me with the least.”

That was a low blow Twilight wasn’t expecting, but it’s rare that anyone expects their secrets to come back to bite them in the ass. It was also not something Celestia was going to let Twilight have a retort on either.

“I’m sure you’ve received word that he’s adjusting fine to his new living arrangements. With Spike recovering, I’m more than aware of the mail that comes and goes through these halls, though I have respected your privacy to the contents, of course. I suggest you go see him to verify I have not allowed any harm to come to him. Not that our vigilant Sergeant Major Cutter would ever allow it… Though I’d wish she’d take more time to recover as well. Not that she’ll listen to me.”

This all seemed to end on such a sour note for Twilight. She didn’t know how to end the conversation, having entered this private exchange as the aggressor.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were dealing with so much. And I had no idea Fleetfoot’s injuries were that bad. But as for Cutter, I’ll… talk to her. I know she’s been pushing herself too hard. We all have.”

This was a good position to try and negotiate some goodwill and foster better ties, so Celestia softened her tone again.

“If you ever feel as though you could use some advice, I’ll do my best to be more receptive and offer better support than I have in the past. And while I am busy, I am used to the heavy workload. I can take on additional tasking if it becomes too much for you. Because right now, keeping all of our kingdoms allied together has become your responsibility by attachment of our human allies. And it should probably start with ensuring Cerberus is, in fact, well tended to, whether your previously appointed guardians approve or not. I’m sure you can handle that, but I’m more than willing to—”

“No,” Twilight softly answered. “I think you’re right, and I wanted to speak to Peter about this first. I plan to speak with all of the humans before making a decision, but visiting Justin to verify for myself is an even better idea. But… I need to apologize. I’ve been overprotective of Peter and the others. And… when we have more time, we really need to reconnect and sort things out. There are so many… um… private… things I wished I could have shared with you. And if there is anything you’d want to share with me that you’ve been—”

“In time,” Celestia calmly answered. “I do not mean to be rude or distant, but if Harmony made our minds as human as any others, then I have my secrets I intend to keep just as they do. I… need time to better understand who or what I am without her whispers telling me what to think or how to feel… All she’s taken from me. Everything still forced upon me.”

That was fair, and perhaps Twilight was pushing for a bit too much after all their bad blood. At the same time, it was a far better way to end things.

“That’s understandable,” Twilight replied as she stood up from the table, matching eyes with Celestia standing along with her. “I might not be the pony to talk to about these kinds of things anyway. But if you get the chance, talk to Peter… He’s a lot better at helping ponies improve themselves and figure things out when they’re unsure of how to move forward.”

Hearing that, Celestia smiled and bowed to her former student.

“I can see that. Best of luck to you, Twilight.”

As Twilight started to walk away, Celestia had one final comment to give, though it came with concern.

“Be sure to knock and have those tending to Peter make certain he is fully awake and aware of your arrival… He may be adjusting well, but he is still having his nightmares.”

Instantly, Twilight’s entire demeanor sank, and she couldn’t look back, too heartbroken by the memory of such details.

“Yes… Of course… I haven’t forgotten.”

Twilight’s departure was all but a walk of shame, which actually did leave Celestia feeling sorry for the poor mare. They both were going through a lot, and both were going through much of it alone in their own ways.

Only Celestia wasn’t fully alone as she sat upon her throne and gazed into a small mirror. She levitated up to see the fiery alter-ego mirroring her sentiment.

“Twilight still clings to her princess title too tightly,” Daybreaker declared with a pout. “You must have really hurt her feelings, reminding her of those terrible nightmares. You know she blames herself.”

Embarrassed and feeling guilty at the accusation, Celestia turned her head away and brought her right forehoof to her head.

“Oh, that was not what I meant to do at all. I was only looking out for Peter’s well-being. She would have felt even worse had walked in and woken him up and… Come on. You know how terrible that would have ended.”

Daybreaker rolled her eyes and lazily floated around the rim of a vintage handheld, or fetlock-held, given the pony-designed mirror.

“Don’t lie to yourself, Tia. Your emotions should not get the best of you. Our goal was to put Twilight back on track of overtaking your responsibilities to secure your throne so you can take your freedom with Peter as your own. Not only did you send Twilight back on another mission to discover another lesson about Friendship, she sent you to Peter’s shoulder to cry on. Not even I could have planned for that.”

From beyond the reflective side of the mirror, Daybreaker’s expression saddened as she pondered what Peter’s council would entail.

“Do be careful with Peter, Tia. He saw through Cutter’s deceptive nature far better than you ever have and tamed her anger in ways you never could. Not to mention her daughter, and you saw the way she fought for Peter… Her flames are different from mine. We are playing with fire if Peter does not part ways with her on his own accord, and Cutter will not allow that to happen so easily. You know she means to make that stallion her son-in-law.”

Celestia stared at the burning reflection in the mirror, the other mare likely knowing full well what she was thinking.

"We read the report and spoke to Lyra herself. They are merely practice. Mares Peter fancied while he believed himself to be temporarily stranded. When he comes to terms that his stay here is permanent, he will need a mare with more permanent standing. And besides."

Drawing a quick breath, Celestia playfully blew onto the surface of the mirror. Her cool breath blew out the flames and restored her own reflection so she could take upon her image once more, even puffing up her bangs a little with her hoof.

"Oven Fresh is a modest baker and of modest means. She can't afford the tastes Peter seems to appreciate… Certainly not what he deserves."

Despite the throne having been secured, regardless if Twilight and the others had already left or not, one of the large doors swung open. This caught Celestia's attention and instantly stirred her annoyance as she recognized the voice, or precisely, who was forcing his way in. Even his aura that opened the door was visually irritating.

"The NERVE! The door should be opened for me, not BY ME! I’m returning from a very important diplomatic mission, I’ll have you know. Auntie Celestia must hear from me, immediately.”

Some audible noise started to creep out from one of the guards' failed attempts to protest outside the door but was quickly snuffed out by Blueblood strutting his way in and shutting the door behind him.

“Auntie!” He loudly called out as he changed from a strut to a canter up to the throne. “I have the most pleasing news to report from the minotaur's capital.”

This wasn't a welcomed report nor a congenial appearance Celestia had anticipated. Even if Blueblood was family, through some questionable extended relation she was growing ever more doubtful of, her warm smile failed to show itself as she greeted him.

“Prince Blueblood. How kind of you to bring me your report directly… and ahead of schedule, no less.”

Blueblood stopped to take his bow before Celestia’s throne and rose with his right forehoof to brush his golden mane back. His pearl white coat was well brushed and shined as much as it was cared for and pampered as he was entitled. His unicorn horn was equally polished and shined to match his tailored partial black tux-vest and exorbitantly expensive blue bow tie.

Lowering his forehoof down over his chest, he posed in a cordial curtsy and fluttered his light blue eyes to boast.

“Oh, Celestia, my dear. I simply couldn’t get back to civilization fast enough. Dealing with the insufferable minatours, I thought that was going to be the worst, but then that horrible black oil came and made such a mess of the negotiations you sent me on. PUH!”

The arrogant unicorn rolled his eyes and stomped his hoof in protest. It was as if he recalled some personal insult and was slighted all over again.

“It was a fool’s errand to expect a minotaur to partake in any future events with the words POWER or BEAUTY attached when we are to outclass them. Sad to say that even the yaks can overpower their economy these days, though, when it comes to desserts, those bovines to make a beauty of a vanilla—”

“PRINCE!” Celestia shouted but quickly caught herself in time to cover her lips and finally force a smile. “If you would please, could you make quick of your results. Much has happened in your absence and my time with you, regrettably, will be short.”

Somewhat taken aback, Blueblood quickly composed himself and stood upright and proper, ready to give his report.

“Apologies, Princess, but the minotaur High Chieftain, after the attack, wanted me to send his apologies for again not attending this year's Flower Garden Party and passing on participating in Twilight's display of Power and Beauty. However, he did show interest in meeting these new humans you raised such a fuss about."

"Out of the question," Celestia spat out, hiding no sympathy toward the request. "You will be brought up to speed on what you need to know about the humans when I have the time to inform you. As for the minotaurs, since they continue on as they have in the past, they will no doubt bring more trouble than they have to us before. We have done our best to provide open hooves to welcome them into our community of kingdoms, but they remain stuck in their old ways."

Thinking back to dealing with the stubborn race of bipedal bovines, Celestia couldn't help but feel as though she was overlooking something. Something nagging at the back of her mind telling her of why she kept their kind at such a distance.

"For now, continue on as you have. You have done well with them to keep our kingdom's relations civil, and confrontations limited only to those who dwell outside of their borders. As for their request to meet with the humans, if they are to ask again, we are currently unable to make such arrangements on their behalf. And to do so would require the likes of Benny or Chris first getting briefed on their temperament and other sensitivities you have come to navigate."

Blueblood postured proudly again, looking smug, if not letting the words flow in one ear and out the other.

"As you wish. I'm sure these furless oddities can be taught no differently than any other monkey."

Without even realizing it, Celestia began to radiate dangerous amounts of heat.

“Monkey?”

Somehow, Blueblood failed to take notice of the rise in temperature and continued to elaborate, appearing to laugh at his humor.

“Oh, auntie. The guards you sent off with me. Real salts of the Earth they are. They told me the brigade you took down to Ponyville, and those poor, frail, hairless creatures. Needing to be saved by Twilight, her backwater friends with the Elements of Harmony after mistakenly antagonizing a fight with your Captain. But with no claws or agility like an Abyssinian or the brute strength of a minotaur, what should they expect when challenging the might of the Equestrian’s finest? That’s not to mention their appearance. Flat-faced, tiny eyes? One stallion said the large one reminded him of a pale-colored shaven ape. Ha! I could only imagine.”

Sitting angrily on her throne, the plush-cushing Celestia sat atop began to smoke as her mane and tail flowed more erratically around her. Steadily, her breathing heaved with her failure to hold back her anger, and sparks ignited around her, sending arcs of flames to run through the ethereal colors of her mane and tail.

“Wipe that smirk off your face this instant!” Celestia demanded, causing Blueblood to flinch hard and recoil in fright below her. “You know NOTHING of our human guests, yet you mock their appearance and trivialize their tragedy to amuse me?”

Rightfully frightened, Blueblood spoke urgently to apologize.

“No, Auntie! I thought—”

“NO!” Celestia countered with scorn in her voice. “You weren’t trying to entertain me? Were you amusing yourself with another’s suffering? Here? When my time is precious, and you force your way before my throne? Imposing upon me to conduct unrequested business at your leisure?”

Again, Blueblood pleaded his response without thought, still cowering on his haunches.

“Auntie, no! I—”

“Stand up straight!” Celestia barked, interrupting whatever apology or excuse Blueblood was about to give. “Speak clearly. We are no longer exchanging in familiarities or friendly conversation. You will address me by royal title as I shall do the same. Do you understand, Duke?”

Blueblood slowly rose to all fours but rose his head even slower. It took every ounce of strength to speak past the embarrassment he felt and the hurt that came from having his official title cast down upon him. It was even more insulting when it came from Celestia herself, but an order was an order, and he understood the protocols far better than most.

“Yes, Princess,” he answered with a wounded, yet straightforward enough tone. “I, Duke of Equestria’s Northern Precinct, understand and apologize. My behavior was brash, unprofessional, and unbecoming of official procedures.”

Celestia didn’t care how collected, sad-looking, or well-spoken he delivered his response. Too much had been said that she wouldn’t let go of so easily.

“Your lips have grown as loose as your ego has overgrown your title. I’ve known foals barely old enough to earn their cutie marks who learned better than to raise their social standing and favor by talking down others and laughing over their misfortune.”

She was still livid, but Blueblood had always been like this, and she had always allowed it. Only now, she had a better understanding of possibly why and started to think both needed to either cool off or have more clear minds about themselves. So, she levitated up a section of parchment, a quill still wet with ink, and started to write.

“You were certainly right about one thing, Duke. This behavior of yours is most unbecoming.”

Not putting too much thought into her writing, Celestia finished scribing her letter, tore off the parchment, rolled it, then levitated it to Blueblood.

“Take this and show it to the guards outside these doors. Follow them to Captain Flash Sentry so those two guards can be replaced. The two guards being replaced will be escorting you home where they will guard your doors instead of mine, since they couldn’t do their job here for me by letting you in, they will stand guard there for you at your home. And best of luck to you fending for yourself until further notice because you are hereby under house arrest. No guests. No staff. No delivery service. Just you and complete solitude. And if my guards fail at their job a second time of only letting in or out who I allow… Well, all three of you will answer to me.”

By this point, Blueblood took notice of the heat and all of Celestia’s anger. He had no worldly idea what exactly he had done to upset her to this degree, but he had a feeling in his gut not to attempt anything but comply.

“Yes, Princess. I thank you for your—”

“GO!”

[Back in the caves of Mount Everhoof.]

Fighting through the discomfort of her injuries and the bitter cold of their surroundings, Spitfire helped guide Rainbow down another set of stones. This area was lowly lit and nearly as dangerously for her as it was for her blindfolded friend, had she been walking down alone.

“Easy does it,” she cautioned with one hoof on Rainbow’s chest, helping her down. “Just a few inches.”

Despite Spitfire's help and Rainbow’s another-day ruggedness, her hooves slipped, and she fell forward face-first into Spitfire’s muzzle. The force of contact was annoyingly minimal but frustrating on both mares navigating these winding paths.

“Ow!” Rainbow yelped, falling down to her side and raising both forehoves to hold over her right eye that took the brunt of the blow. “God damnit! Isn’t there an easier way out of the stupid mountain?”

From where Rainbow landed, a few loose chunks of ice broke free and tumbled down. Before either mare could react, Thorax was on top of them, his left foreleg on the back of Rainbow’s neck to hold her down and his right foreleg on Spitfire’s left cheek, shoving her face down next to Rainbow’s.

“Shh!” He loudly hushed them, angry in his delivery.

For the moment, neither mare could do anything. Rainbow was, of course, blind and had to follow their lead. Spitfire, also taking Thorax’s lead, had to assume he had good reason not only for his hasty action, but she was also momentarily frightened by the strength this frail-looking stallion forced down on her.

Sure, he was an Earth pony, which came with some greater inherent strength compared to the superior speed and agility of a pegasus, but even for his body composition, this stallion's output didn’t match his body composition.

Regardless, pinned down on the icy floor of the cave, she listened to the debris knocked loose that continued to tumble down, echoing through the vast chambers and frozen walls unseen below them. Then, after one or two met their resting place, likely many hundreds of feet below them in the greater reaches of darkness none of them could peer into, two or three found their way into something liquid that echoed up with splashes.

Still, Spitfire waited, wondering what danger would warrant such a reaction. Finally, another splash or a slosh. Something moving in the unfrozen waters below, along with a heavy snort and a noise too low to be a whiny; a grotesque noise sounding more beastly and guttural like a squeal, sickly and drowning.

Suddenly more concerned with what lay down below, Rainbow quietly asked, “What the fuck was that? Is there a hot spring down there or something?”

Spitfire, just as concerned, kept her ears honed on what sounded like more squeals and splashes joining the first she heard below.

“It’s so cold and barren out here. How can anything live down here? What’s down there.”

Cautiously, Thorax moved back, raising his right forehoof to hold against his face again, sneering down at the two mares.

“There are no hot springs on this side of the mountain. Down there is only more of that black ooze, and I don’t know what they are. I just call them cold ponies because that’s what they are. I’ve evaded them before, but that’s because I was careful and quiet… Be.. more… careful—”

Seeing the concern and likely growing number of questions his two new companions were likely to ask, he quickly pulled his hoof away from his cheek and forced a smile that failed to hide the pain he was fighting.

“—my friends. This path is not easy to take, but it is the safest one I can take you through. But we must move faster now.”

From down below and much farther away, a faint hue of green flashed, followed by a dull crack sounding like stone or ice snapping. More or the same flashes came with another series of cracks, but this time with howls and squeals growing louder from the other side of their group, and they might have been closer.

“Spitfire, help our friend up and start moving her. I need to scout ahead and look for a new way out of here. Even if it might be harder, we can’t keep going down anymore.”

[Further below in the depths of Mount Everhoof.]

Pharynx stood battle-ready at the newly caved-in wall he created, huffing and puffing in rage, his horn still glowing brightly, ready to blast away at any threat were to force its way through.

“WHAT IN TARTARUS WERE THOSE THINGS!”

Behind him, Haltere stumbled around in a half circle, his vision clouded through a haze of hazy aqua-colored blue, and his voice muffled behind the ice covering his head.

Elytra, finally able to recover, dropped the still unconscious Gaster and limped over to her comrade, her right foreleg covered in a heavy coating of ice as well.

“Stop moving around, you idiot!”

With a strong swing of her icy hoof, she bashed ice on ice, cracking off only a portion of her own imprisonment in the process.

“Pharynx! Do something!”

A small blast of green light hit Haltere’s ice-covered head, knocking him to the ground. Enough ice broke free to reveal his blue eyes behind a glossy black battle helmet, allowing him to finally gasp desperately for air… and then promptly scream.

“ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US ALL KILLED!”

Unphased by the complaints, Pharynx marched past Haltere and Elytra to look over Gaster.

“You’re wearing armor, dummy. Would you rather suffocate?”

Finally reaching the last member of his team, Pharynx looked down to see Gaster looking no different than before. Unmoving, unresponsive, barely breathing, but now more of a burden to all of them with the new dangers popping up around them.

“Haltere… You said the path was clear. Are you blind or stupid? You put all of us in danger.”

Struggling, Haltere gave a hefty push on his helmet, splitting off more of the ice to free up the rest of his vision and easing muscle to speak more clearly.

"It was clear! I wasn't going to let your backstabbing brother get the drop on us. Those things came out of that black stuff. That's the only explanation. There was nowhere else to hide."

Pharynx gave a heavy sigh and lowered his muzzle to under Gaster's forelegs.

"Fine. Maybe they did. We don't know what they are or even what that gunk is. Both are clearly dangerous and now we have even more reason to return to the hive. If more of them can appear and jump out to start attacking changelings like us, the whole hive is at risk."

As dire as the situation was for these changelings, that news still gave them hope.

None more optimistic than Elytra.

“Our Queen will have to take us back! We’d be heroes to the hive!”

Pharynx finished maneuvering Gaster onto his back, then looked out to the faintly lit cave spaces that lay ahead of them.

“We’ll need more than that. Our Queen demands that Thorax is turned to face judgment and returned to where he belongs. But without evidence of those creatures rising out of the ooze, his face will be reason enough to remove what remains around our home. So we’re bringing Thorax back, one way or another.”

Still shaken but remotivated, Haltere took position to the right of Pharynx.

“This black stuff doesn’t move on its own like it did when it first showed up and attacked us. That means that it will all flow down… We need to try to avoid climbing down to get out and think about climbing up, even if it might take longer.”

After a few more kicks to break off that last bit of ice around her hoof, Elytra moved to the left of Pharynx, seeing a wide open path and plenty of risks to take.

“Those things move through the air like fish in water. Pretty fast, too.”

Fearing the worst but hoping for a miracle, Elytra raised the right carapace shell over her back and extended her wing. Brittle frozen fragments on the edge of what remained of half of her wing broke away and fell to the ground she’d be limited to traversing.

Stuck in the center, Pharynx didn’t need to look to see Elytra’s current state. He knew the hit she took. There was no mistaking the disadvantage they were in.

Even still, he wasn’t giving up.

“We are the Hive. We are not weak. We are all we got. Ponies are weak. Ponies run and hide when the going gets tough, but we’re not fools either. Even if I made Haltere fly you up there, Elytra, those things would still take both of us out before we even made it out of the shadows.”

Taking that assessment as an insult, Haltere turned to Pharynx and hissed.

“Hss! Who said I would even—”

“Hss!” Pharynx readily turned with a glare and hissed back, making Haltere back down. “You’d do it if I made you do it. Now move up and take point again. But this time, don’t screw it up.”

Not ready to leave the only other able-bodied changeling un-insulted, Pharynx turned to Elytra with an equally miserable glare.

“And just because I don't think you’re weak doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re not sloppy. You lost a wing and injured your leg because you were carrying Gaster, so now I have to carry her for you. That means you’re bringing up the rear from now on.”

Unsurprisingly, Elytra came to feel just as insulted by the criticism and fired back with what she viewed as a valid point.

“What? Haltere got hit, too! I don’t see you calling him sloppy!”

This time, Pharynx got right in Elytra’s face, muzzle to muzzle, pushing her down into submission further and further with every jab of his hoof into her head as he spoke.

“That’s because he was smart enough to block the attack with his helmet, dummy. You didn’t even think to use Gaster’s shell. It’s strong enough to take a hit.”

That last bit of their argument must have been too loud because just as they were getting heated up, heavy thumps, smacks, and cracks of ice started growing from the other side of their emergency cave-in.

On a more important note, they had more critical matters to attend to and less reason to stay and die, and Pharynx really didn’t want to die. So, after spitting a glob of his secretion to Gaster’s forehooves that would normally be reserved for securing a cocoon, so they would adhere to his chest, he gave his orders.

“Haltere, stick to the walls. Find us a path up and out of here. Elytra, you’re my eyes and ears for what I can’t see behind me, but don’t you dare fall behind or slip off the wall because I can’t carry both you and Gaster.”

“What?”

“I SAID MOVE!”

[Meanwhile, back in Cadence's Royal Chambers.]

Having spent most of the morning crying out the fear of the unknown and all the anguish of her losses, Fleetfoot remained rather motionless next to Cerb. Still laying as comfortably as possible, her aches and pains held passively at bay through a combination of whiskey, medication, and Cerb’s comforting touch, she contemplated her future remaining at his side.

“I can still coordinate training. Manage recruits from the ground… maybe take up archery.”

Cerb kept his sore arm over Fleetfoot. Sure, it hurt, but she needed the comfort more than he needed his own. Not that he would have been doing himself any favors by letting her suffer any further.

“We both need to learn to walk on our own again, and senior leadership is more about knowledge and experience than motivation and potential… and archery sounds cool. I’m sure we can brainstorm a lot more when Dash and Spits get back.”

Cadance, sitting patiently near the foot of the bed, looked somberly toward the pair.

“Yes. Justin is right. I sought you out before because of the value you would bring to our goals, providing Justin the expertise he would need. That does not change now, despite your prognosis. Also, I’m sure we can bargain further leverage with Auntie Luna. She requested to visit and speak to me regarding the travel ban… While neither Fluttershy nor Rarity are royalty, they are considered representatives of Equestria, who, by my own interpretation, threatened me… The proper response would be to send a pony over to discuss the offense and work out a solution.”

On the other side of Cerb, Thunder sat nervously.

"I hope nothing comes up about me. I'm technically not supposed to be here… I've never gone AWOL before… I might be out of a job and not even know it."

Author's Note

Sorry if the start of this chapter confused anyone, but I wanted to fill in some gaps that... no one seemed to catch in the first arc. Sure, Discord used his black Chaos Vines to destroy the Tree of Harmony, but those vines should have sprouted up and been defeated years ago... Right?

Well, here's why that all was able to go down. Also, this helps give a bit more insight as to why the Deer Kin's vines were able to work on Harmony as well. Or, at least for this world's Equestira/Harmony.

Either way, everyone is still trying to figure things out, and real adulting is hard. Politicking is way harder.

Just ask Twilight and Celestia who... well... Those two still got issues. Even if they think they're working things out, I don't think they know the kind of conflict they might be heading for.

Then again, Ovens and Twilight worked out okay. So, maybe there's hope for these two.

Also, filling in some more gaps, now you really know how that pony-sized dent got put in the hospital room Cerb was staying in and why Becky told him to leave. Also, maybe seeing Cerb like that... Maybe that has something to do with all the animosity Ember had towards Fluttershy and Rarity.

Let's see... Oh! Daybreaker is still around... sorta. Not sure if Celestia should be fucking with her like that, but at least Daybreaker isn't a total nutjob.

Tying another loose end, remember Blueblood was mentioned being sent away so he wouldn't cause problems? Well, I didn't. Now he's back and everyone's problem.

...mostly Tia's.

Oh, yeah... Shit's going down in Mount Everhoof still. Didn't have any chance to get artwork put together for Dash, Spits, Thorax, or anypony else stuck under all that ice. Maybe next chapter, though.

Lastly, Fleetfoot sounds like she's doing a little better. Although Thunder Glide is nervous, it is adorable.

Anyway, this will sadly be my last submission for the year of 2023. My health is has improved in some areas while getting much worse in others. Besides that, I'm finally getting the chance to go home and see my family for the first time in (I think) 5 years, and it won't be for a funeral.

When I get back, I'll be hitting the grind and hopefully putting out some more great content for you all to enjoy.

So, in 2024, or whenever you find this, look forward to see what happens next in Chapter 11:

Bad Medicine.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7

11. Bad Medicine.

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 30th Day of Love at Ponyville Hospital.]

Lost in their own little worlds of medicine, healing, and warring levels of admiration that teetered on infatuation, the many patients under Becky’s care carried on their daily routines. For the majority of the bat ponies, given how the sun had risen hours ago, as it was well past noon, had long drifted to sleep. Others, like Buckskin, the only remaining deer kin patient in the hospital, and Vogt, the only remaining yak patient, they had to wait to see Becky again… Which was fine as it gave them plenty of time to bicker to do more to defend her in whichever scenario they would dream up to argue about.

Becky herself, on the other hand, had found herself pulled from one room to the next far too often to celebrate one patient’s new victory or milestone met. If not a new victory, she was there to assess their progress, provide her admired gift of a comforting touch and sweet words of encouragement.

Her day had become much easier with the likes of Redheart joining her, even allowing her to wear one of the staff’s lab coats. Also, another pair of competent hooves did so much to lighten the load and gave her more time to sit in each room. This additionally gave her more time to push back her time with Doctor Horse, as she realized too late that she needed to put more thought into her initial hypothesis. Mostly, it was just another control portion of her test to verify if she was correct.

Everything was going smoothly, minus one surprise visit from Kühn, the only other yak still in Ponyville, who was able to be released from said hospital. And while his visit did earn him a lecture from Becky, it was good to see him still doing well, even if he wasn’t great at following her instructions when out of her sight.

Still, his visit was helpful to her cause.

Thankfully, as the day went on and as crazy of an idea as it was, Redheart was thrilled to lend her assistance. Granted, she would be only providing a second level of control to this potentially insane test; it would be helpful all the same.

“Just go in there and see how it goes,” Redheart suggested. “I’ll be right outside if this don’t pan out the way you want. Just make enough noise to get my attention, and I’ll knock on the door, and you can excuse yourself.”

It wasn’t like Becky was afraid of anything crazy happening; it was more that she felt stupid for even going through with this plan.

“Thanks, Red. Not just for backing me up, but…”

Redheart inherently blushed but wasn’t ashamed to let it show as they neared Doctor Horse’s office.

“It’s fine, dear. Stop being so shy about it.”

Once at the door, Becky knocked before announcing herself.

“Doctor Horse? It’s Becky. Do you have a moment?”

“Come in, Miss Landon,” Doctor Horse called out from his office.

As nonchalantly as possible, Becky let herself in and took a seat in front of Doctor Horse’s desk.

“Thanks for taking the time to see me. I know there’s a lot going on, and with so many new patients and all their complex injuries burdening the hospital, your hooves are full, but I wanted to also follow up on your… let’s say private diagnosis we discussed before.”

It took Doctor Horse a moment to recall what Becky might have been referring to. When it finally hit him, his face ran flush with crimson and child-like embarrassment. He didn’t look to be shy away in discouragement but more akin to bashful encouragement.

“Miss Landon, I—”

“But first,” Becky interrupted. “I also wanted to run these by you.”

After reaching into her lab coat, Becky sat five test tubes down on the desk for Doctor Horse to see. Each one contained a small cotton swab on a thin plastic wand and was labeled separately as #1, #2, #3, #5, and #8.

“This may seem a bit strange, but with the growing fear of infections, it's still a major issue I would like to avoid. Thankfully, I’ve been told that a pony’s sense of smell is supposed to be vastly better than mine, which is what I would test with you.”

The sudden swapping of topics had thrown Doctor Horse off. However, he was more than willing to assist in whatever this new test Becky was introducing, especially if she was showing more interest in him because of it.

“Oh? Well, certainly. What did you have in mind? What kind of test is this?”

Becky reached over the desk and spread the three tubes out, rolling them over so each number was facing up.

“The vials will contain a swab sample that is contaminated with a sample of an infection, a clean sample with no infection, or a sterile swab that hasn’t been used on a patient at all. I know which ones are which, how many or of which, but I can’t tell you which ones are which or how many of what type there are. All I can tell you is that an infection will smell awful or give you a very negative reaction.”

Doctor Horse stared at the vials for a moment, then looked back up at Becky.

“That’s… interesting… But what exactly is the purpose of this test?”

Becky did her best to hold her composure, keeping her hands folded over her lap and her eyes trained over the swabs she hand-picked for this test.

“Mostly, early detection of infections for patients. I know that where I come from, even though our sense of smell is not as keen as yours, even we can often detect things like strep throat, a yeast infection, or Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Though, that last one is more a fruit smell than a rotten smell. Regardless, recognizing that an odor on a patient could be an infection and not poor hygiene or something they stepped in… Probably good to know. Could save lives if not prevent further degradation of a patient's health.”

That sounded like a sound theory and easy enough to put into practice, so Doctor Horse levitated over the first test tube, starting with #1, and uncorked the top.

“Simply fascinating. With all the blood-related injuries we’ve had to start treating here, I could only imagine the future benefits of expedited treatment.”

Not expecting much, Doctor Horse drew in the scent from the tube and instantly scrunched his nose. His follow-up reaction forced him to force the cork back onto the sample and clear his lungs before responding.

“Uck! If that’s not an infection, I’d swear you bottled a three-week-old spoiled grape juice.”

The reaction didn’t surprise Becky too much, though it may have been more than she anticipated. It was, at the very least, starting with the sample she’d hoped he would have gone with first, so she reclaimed the test tube.

“I don’t have any equipment or procedures to verify, but I’m willing to bet what you just smelt in there was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It’s a bacteria that grows everywhere with moisture. Bathing areas, bathrooms, sinks, pools, potted plants, dirt… It’s probably on our skin right now, because it usually is. But, it rarely causes an infection, and thankfully, we caught this patient at the very early stage of theirs because it is a very stubborn infection to fight once it takes hold… You’ll see the report for it later.”

While the scent had been rather unsettling, and news of an infection being found was distressing, the fact that Becky was on top of things and this method of detection held merit gave Doctor Horse some comfort.

“Well, I will be looking forward to the report. On to #2, I suppose.

Moving a bit slower than last time and bracing himself for the worst, Doctor Horse took a small sniff of the second sample with no reaction. Thinking he might have missed something, he took another sniff but didn’t seem to detect anything out of the ordinary.

“Hmm. I’m assuming this one is sterile?”

Becky reached out, took the small tube out of the doctor’s aura, and resealed it, returning it to the desk with the first one she collected.

“For now, I’ll only own up telling you about any sample you accurately detect with an infection. That’s what’s most important. Detecting sterile from non-infected samples isn’t as important and might ruin another test I might want to try later.”

Doctor Horse shrugged and continued on to #3, raising it in his aura, removing the cork, lifting the rim to his nose, and giving a small sniff. For a moment, he stopped as if to ponder what he was smelling, then sniffed again. He gave it one final sniff but then returned the cork over the top before levitating it over to Becky.

“There is something there I can smell. I’m not sure what it is. It’s familiar, but it didn’t give me a negative reaction like you said an infection would. I’d gather it is of a pony, but nothing more than that which I can tell you.”

All Becky did was accept the test sample, return it to her pocket, and nod before answering.

“That’s okay. I’ll make a mental note of it. Two more.”

Again, Doctor Horse moved on to #5, this time taking more time to examine the tube before opening it, then taking a slower sniff after it was open. His second sniff was longer, more deliberate as if he was searching for something, trying to find what Becky was hoping she had been waiting for him to detect.

However, after the third sniff, he recapped it and returned it to Becky as though he had let her down.

“That one had to have been sterile. I smelt nothing.”

Becky huffed a short laugh and smiled.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. There’s no right or wrong answers for what you’re able to smell. I’m looking for capability and reaction. This isn’t a memory test or anything like that. Now come on. One more.”

Curious as to what would await him in #8, Doctor Horse levitated up the final sample and uncorked it under his lips.

His reaction was instantaneous as the cork forced the air out against his muzzle.

From across the desk, Becky watched the doctor’s expression soften and his ears wilt. Then, with a quick inhale, he drew a deep breath through his nose to take in the scent of this final sample, pinning his ears back before snapping them to full attention.

“Oh, my,” Doctor Horse tried to whisper but instead spoke as clearly needed for any proper conversation as his eyes were perfectly fixed on the lady sitting in front of him. “You’re not a patient.”

The color nearly drained out of Becky’s skin, and she thought she was about to fall through the floor. Her plan had seemingly backfired in a way she hadn’t expected.

Of course, she knew a pony’s sense of smell was far more accurate than hers, but she neglected the fact that she carried a rather unique scent of her own.

“Fuck.”

The good doctor quickly recapped the vial and carelessly dropped it down to the desk. There was a wild excitement in his eyes, overwhelming his voice of concern as he left his seat to Becky’s side.

“My reaction was nothing negative at all, but you must tell me if that was any sign of an infection—”

“Nooo,” Becky groaned, now kicking herself over the results of this test. “Yes, that’s me on the sample, but no, there’s no infection.”

As Becky was about to stand up and walk about, she noticed that Doctor Horse had held off on his advance. While she was worried about him making the moves on her, she remembered that he’d never been that forward. Even his presumed methods of flirting were weak, and he certainly imposed himself enough to make her uncomfortable.

“You weren’t supposed to know who the subjects were,” she finally added, thinking it sounded like a legitimate enough testing perimeter. “I never told you the race or gender of the patient either. It was all supposed to be a blind test… And you did better than I expected… I guess.”

Still staring at the doctor, Becky couldn’t help but notice his growing smile and twitching ear. This was new for him. His smiles were passing from a glance. Generally, his attention came off as amateurishly, and then he disengaged.

Now, he—

“Ow,” he awkwardly groaned through his forced smile, hunkering down and backing away. “I’m sorry, but I think if we’re done with your test, and you’re feeling perfectly healthy, we should reschedule your follow-up about my-ahh.”

This was now too awkward for Becky to stick around for. She’d learned enough, and it was clear that Doctor Horse meant her no harm, or at least wasn’t going to make any moves on her.

“Pants too tight?” She asked, honestly feeling sorry for him at this point.

Doctor Horse kept his smile big and bright as he scooted further behind his desk.

“Your diagnosis is as accurate as ever, Miss Landon. I’m sure you’d like to be going now.”

There couldn’t have been a better invitation to leave, and as soon as Becky stood up to do so, she stopped. Replaying those last words Doctor Horse just said made her hesitate to step away, leaving her locked eye-to-eye with the stallion.

Somewhere in the unspoken exchange, Doctor Horse could read Becky’s expression. The shock, her confusion… perhaps even a bit of pity.

“You’re perfectly fine, Miss Landon. I’ve spoken with Nurse Redheart about procreation and these urges. I’m well aware of why you wear clothes and why you recommended I wear pants as well. Rarity was kind enough to sew together the pants for me, but one conversation led to another, and… I appreciate your concern for my health and general well-being, but I’ve gathered enough to understand that Miss Rarity told no lies when she said that you hold no interest in companionship.”

He held his hooves over his crotch and rocked forward slightly, tightening his core as he huffed to stifle any other sounds he might have made involuntarily. At the same time, his horn lit up again, illuminating all the vials Becky’s had provided so that he could levitate item over to her.

“You are a lovely mare, Miss Landon, human or otherwise… and I dare not say more.”

Becky stood up and gently accepted her samples back, letting the aura dissipate before pulling them away. This entire endeavor made her feel slimy and dirty for misjudging this stallion.

“I appreciate your honesty, Doctor… Sorry if I make things difficult for you.”

Doctor Horse returned a genuine smile to her comment, which then turned into a sly grin.

“No, that would have been Dash mentioning a hands-on demonstration. Putting that in my head has made things difficult at times.”

It hadn’t been that long ago that Becky was in this very same office with Doctor Horse when Rainbow had made that crude joke. Remembering the terrible pun made Becky turn and cover her lips with her free hand to muffle her laughs.

“Damn it, Dash. I’m so sorry for that, Doc. I’m leaving now. Again, sorry for everything… Have fun.”

Once Becky was outside the office and closed the door, she made a sharp turn and started marching for the exit.

Redheart quickly caught up and was excited to discover the results.

“Soooo, how’d it go?”

Becky’s smile dropped to a more neutral expression as she raised up test tube #8 in her hand.

“He went five for five. Nothing threw him off. He reacted to the stench of the infection Kühn got from picking at his fucking scabs, the lucky numb skull. He got nothing from the next unused swab. Number three, he said he smelt something familiar but got no reaction from it. The fourth one, another dud, didn’t fool him at all, even though he was trying to find something.”

She eyed the last bottle with trepidation one final time and, against her better judgment, decided to open it.

“But when it came to my sample, not only did he react like everypony else, he knew it was my scent specifically, and he got aroused.”

Redheart kept her pace with Becky down the empty hallway, but her eyes were on the open vial, now even more thrilled at what it held inside.

“Well, what did you expect? That’s what stallions want. Well, not only stallions… Sometimes.”

As much as it pained Becky to give in to this, she had to know how true it was going to work both ways, so she stopped in the middle of the hallway to give Redheart what she wanted.

“Are you sure you really want to do this?”

Redheart stopped and turned in front of Becky. It was clear she had no qualms over what was to be offered.

“Becky, it was my idea. Besides, you know what I’m into, so this is nothing for me, and this is going to help both of us understand a lot more about each other.”

As agreed, Becky tilted over the bottle, sulked, and, with a sigh, gave her offering.

“Fine… Smell my cooch.”

Without a care in the world, Redheart leaned her muzzle to the sample and drew a deep breath.

Not much differently than what Becky had seen with Doctor Horse, Redheart’s expression melted into a dreamy smile, and her right ear snapped back.

“Mmm, Becky,” Redheart moaned as she drew back from the sample. “Who were you thinking about when you put it in?”

"What?!" Becky yelped before capping the lid back on and storming off in a flustered mess. "Who said I was thinking about somepony?"

Redheart caught up to Becky in only a few steps, seeing Becky's slightest blush, but she had already caught on before seeing the visual cues.

"I never said somepony, Becky. And you don't have to tell me right now, but I know you had to be thinking something really nice. You always smell like sunflowers and honey, but there's a little bit of that perfumy hint to it with a touch of sea salt. But with Chris, when he gets excited, the sea salt gets sooo much stronger. You had that, too… Kinda makes me wonder why Doctor Horse didn't react to Evening Aster's sample, though."

If switching topics would help ease the focus off of Becky's confusing interests and varying levels of vaginal fragrancy, she’d humor Redheart's new curiosity.

"Aster doesn't have an infection. If anything, he should have smelt the mango she ate for dinner from the oral swa… Red… did you—"

"Of course I did," Redheart answered with the same carefree smile. "I told her you needed to take a sample to run a test. She didn't even hesitate… Didn't react to the swab either… Has a super cute pussy, by the way."

"Red!" Becky all but shouted, her cheeks flushing out of embarrassment for the bedridden bat pony.

The two continued down the hall together, neither slowing their pace. Becky, however, continued to bounce between her embarrassment, guilt, frustration, and even some resentment toward Redheart's newfound unprofessionalism.

Redheart, on the other hand, may have worn a smile still, but she didn't know how to feel on the inside.

"Becky… Before you all arrived here, I would have felt nothing down there, either. I don't think anypony would have that kind of reaction from a mare's scent… I can feel everything now. Even more with Chris. The girls and I? We can make each other react like that when we're together and are close enough."

She glanced up to Becky, seeing the questionable look cast down upon her. It might have been warranted, but she didn't care.

"Harmony kept all this from us. All of you gave it back… if we ever had it to begin with. So, why doesn't Aster have it even though Harmony is gone? Why doesn't any pony else? Why only a few of us? Why not even Rainbow Dash?"

All of those questions seemed to weigh down on Becky more and more with each probing inquiry asked. When the last query was asked, though, it hit Becky differently.

"What do you mean? Dashy knows about sex."

Redheart rolled her eyes and frowned at the remark.

"Then she's one of the few who knows about it, but I don't think her body does. She certainly doesn't smell like it. All the girls who can, they all have that scent on them. Or maybe she hides it better than any mare I've met so far. It's warm and inviting. It's everything their normal scent is, but always stronger with that extra layer of perfume Starlight told us about. For example, Princess Luna has it, but not Princess Celestia, despite all the time both spent around all of you."

Curious, Becky had to ask, "What about Shining or any of the other bat ponies? Do any of them have the same scent? Is their's different?"

Redheart disappointedly shook her head.

"No. Only Doctor Horse, Big Mac, and Onyx Armor that I've seen so far. It's just the same for all of them; only the salty aroma has a stronger burn. Maybe not so much for Onyx… Still not sure why, but I learned about that from Chris. Something Chris thinks he did to him, but not even he understands it. Either way, all of your friends have that same scent on them even hours after they try to wash it off. It won’t be as strong, but it sticks with them. Any hint of increased arousal, especially if there are no clothes in the way, it's hard to miss… It can be distracting at times… Maybe you should ask Princess Luna about that when you see her, too. I’d say ask Twilight, but besides being incredibly busy, I can tell she’s not doing well with Peter asking to leave. I’d talk more, but I have to get back to work."

Becky thought she had the ponies figured out with their rise in lust and love interest, but it looked like there was a new layer of mystery added. Something she had missed to make who was affected almost seemed random or targeted instead of by association like she originally thought.

"Yeah… I didn't know most of that… I think the guys tried to tell me about some of it a while back, but I couldn’t handle listening to it. Even now, it doesn't make any sense… I'm sorry."

Thankfully, Redheart turned toward the exit again, sporting a soft smile and swishing her tail side to side as her ears started to twitch.

“It’s perfectly fine, Becky. I’ll walk with you for a bit more.”

Walking side by side, Redheart continued to extend her goodwill and understanding.

“I know not everything is easy when it comes to human relationships. Starlight made sure we knew that before she let any of us get involved with Chris, and we all learned how complicated things could get the more intimate we got with each other. There’s still a lot we’re learning. Managing our time, how to pace ourselves—”

She reflexively arched her back in as she felt her inner femininity contract and moisten. Having to wear the extra layer of clothing was both a blessing for the protection each article provided. They were also a curse for how they would, at times, add to the stimulation with unneeded pressure or friction.

“—Uh! And then the urges. Fuck… It’s a shame none of my girls or Chris are here with me. Taking care of these urges yourself is never as satisfying.”

After hearing Redheart open up so much and laying everything out, Becky couldn’t help but drop her guard a little more.

“Uh. Tell me about it.”

Redheart snickered and turned her full attention up to Becky again, knowing they only had a few more seconds before walking into another halfway where more attentive ears could listen if they weren’t careful.

“Just do me a favor and don’t tell Chris or any of the girls that you got me turned on like this. There’s a lot we haven’t properly worked out about finding attraction in others outside our harem. I know Chris isn’t looking, and neither is Starlight, but I catch the other girls with wandering eyes. Probably harmless, but Chris is sensitive, and you know how protective Starlight is.”

Now, there was an understatement, but also something Becky couldn’t overlook either.

“Yeah. Magic resistance or not, I’m gonna piss Starlight off anytime soon, but… this isn’t the first time you hinted at—”

“No-No,” Redheart giggled, wanting to wrap this up in the last few seconds they had left. “That was very early on when I knew a lot less than I do now. Not that I don’t think it would be amazing, but I’m sure you already have some other pony in mind… But if not, that’s something you’d probably first need to talk to Chris and Starlight about. I love the taste of sunflowers, and honey is always so sweet on the tongue, but I don’t call the shots. Know what I mean?”

Before Becky could attempt to question what Redheart meant to imply with that last comment, Redheart forced open a set of swinging doors into a large, busy room of staff and guards making their rounds between patients being transported from one room to another.

“Excuse me!” Redheart shouted to the first pair of guards in range. “Miss Landon, here, has exhausted herself after arriving early and needs to return to the castle. Could you both accompany her back for transport and have Midnight woken up for escort? I need to step away for a private matter in my office and can’t be bothered. Thank you so much. Take care, Becky.”

It was a clean getaway. Becky never got another word in before a Lunar bat pony and a unicorn guard were on either side of her, and Redheart was already on the other side of the doors. All she got was the swinging door, sending a whiff of the tail-scented arousal drifting her way.

"Fucking Guchi cooch perfume… Why is it that's the one thing on them I can smell."

The unicorn guard standing next to Becky nodded in agreement.

"I've noticed as well, Lady Landon. Perhaps she is wearing more of it today to try and overcompensate. The Guard all agree that while she is a fine pony and a wonderful companion for Sir Breslin, that perfume is far more agreeable with your fragrance of honey and sunflowers."

The bat pony guard standing next to Becky didn't nod but kept his bearing as he spoke.

"Lady Landon, if it is not too forward to say, the scent you leave behind is a comfort we all appreciate. Far more invigorating than the harsh chemicals they use to sterilize and clean with so frequently in this place of healing. Nurse Redheart either applies too little that it makes us wish you were here or so much at once that it's utterly distracting."

The unicorn guard took a deep sniff, looking like he did so involuntarily, scrunched his nose, then raised a hoof to hold his left ear down.

"Bah. Where does she keep that cursed bottle? We never see her with it, let alone where she stores it, but yet again, she's practically swimming in it."

The bat pony guard snorted as he shook his head, nearly removing his helmet.

"Gah. It's not as strong as that doctor's cologne. Another pony trying to be like a human, but he wears so much it burns your nose if you stand too close. We barely patrol their hallway anymore because of it. Nearly started a fight between the ranks of who would stand there."

Everything these guards were saying came unprompted, yet they were solidifying all the claims Redheart had made. She didn't know what it all meant, but she knew one thing she needed to get rid of.

Behind them, another voice chimed in a similar opinion.

“Gah!” Gilda grunted. “It’s too early in the day for Redheart to be stinking up the place. Becky, can I bug ya for a bit? These stitches won’t stop itching, and the cream they give me stinks almost as bad as that Doctor Horse pony.”

If it wasn’t one thing, it was another, but this wasn’t a problem Becky couldn’t deal with.

"Yeah, don't mind the perfume or whatever they're wearing. Can you two just give me a second before we go? I gotta dump something and help Gilda out."

The two guards stood back and watched Becky approach one of the supply stations with Gilda in tow. Some of the staff greeted her, which was to be expected. She seemed to converse with them in some friendly banter while pulling a few vials out of a pocket from her lab coat.

"You think it's strange that only some of the mares close to the humans get to use that amazing perfume?" The bat pony guard asked. "You think maybe it's a human-exclusive item, like their alcohol?"

The unicorn guard sniffed the air again, then thought about the question for a moment before giving up.

"I wouldn't know. My squad kept getting assigned to positions away from the humans at first, after we finally made it over to Ponyville. Then we were stuck behind protecting the civilians while you were all in the Everfree during the battle. I haven't even had any alcohol yet."

Together, they watched Becky take a bottle of rubbing alcohol and pour it into three of the vials, recap them, then drop them in a trash bin. All the while, she kept her conversation going with the staff who were looking over Gilda’s wing. Clearly, Gilda was growing more frustrated with every drawn-out moment they took, but a moment of relief finally came when Becky reached over and helped pull back some of the plumage, allowing a small tuff of feathers to fall into the same bin she had discarded her vials into.

Curious, the unicorn asked, "Is it true what they say about her hands? They don't look all that different from a dragon's or an Abyssinian's limbs, minus the claws. The minotaurs have it worse with their hooves on the tips of the nubs for grabbing. Had one grab me before. Not at all pleasant."

While Becky was dumping the last two test tubes in the trash and finishing up with the staff, the bat pony guard shared his thoughts on the matter.

"I've yet to feel her touch, but my brothers and sisters swear by it. She's a miracle worker. I've seen my brothers with broken bones and bloodied faces, their screams all calmed by her hands… Warriors like the brave Cerberus fought with us to rend the timberwolves to rubble and the echoes to scattered glass… But Becky mended our bodies and saved us from death.”

The bat pony guard took a moment to admire Becky from afar. Her every carefree motion was one he held in reverence before taking a deep breath and sighing in admiration at what he held in sight.

“You are lucky to be among us, brother. A new age is upon us, and we who guard the remaining Stranded Seven will forge the path to a greater tomorrow. We must be better than we were in the Everfree."

"Never again," the unicorn guard replied.

"Never again," the bat pony answered back.

Finally finished with destroying her evidence, as well as assisting Gilda, Becky returned to her two guards.

"Okay. I'm ready to go. Let's grab Midnight and head back to the castle."

[Back in the interior of Mount Everhoof.]

Thorax stood atop a steep ledge looking down at Rainbow, reaching down with his hoof.

"Spitfire, push her up higher," he whispered.

Spitfire, with her forehead lost somewhere behind Rainbow's flanks and her own forelegs pushing up on said flanks, grunted back, "What do you think I’m doing? I don't have anything else to stand on. Stop being so demanding and try being more helpful for a chan—”

A sudden mess of cold dirt and ice funneled down over Spitfire, along with an odd chime and swirling sound that flashed with a low blue light. She tried to see what it was, but the debris was in her eyes as fast as the light was, and she was blinded.

Just as fast, Rainbow was yanked up with a yelp, along with Thorax apologizing.

"Sorry about that. I got her."

Spitfire fell back a step and went to wipe her eyes clear when the same odd sound came back again. At the same time, Rainbow was voicing her complaints about her rough treatment.

"Don't grab me so hard. That hurt."

From above, Thorax was honestly sounding remorseful.

"I… I'm sorry. I thought I was grabbing you gently enough to lift you. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Finally getting her eyes cleared, Spitfire looked up to see Thorax peering down over the ledge next to where the dirt had broken free.

"Sorry. Are you okay?"

More and more, something about this stallion was giving Spitfire the wrong vibe. His behavior was off, and all their happenstances were not adding up around him.

"Yeah," she answered calmly in her voice, though she was clearly annoyed. "Just some dirt in my eyes… What happened?"

Thorax looked nervously from side to side twice before returning his gaze back down to Spitfire to apologize again.

“This path isn’t as stable as the one we were on before. I slipped, but I was able to get Rainbow up. We have to be more careful, and I can’t keep doing the bulk of the work for both of you. Just… try to jump up and lend me your hoof."

There was still one more thing Spitfire noticed that left her cautious. One that was leaving her more on edge.

"Everything up here is unstable. You could have knocked me off… but what was that flash of light I saw?"

Thorax blinked once, making him wince in pain, slightly adding to his place of desperation.

"I'll show you once you get up. We need to keep moving. It isn't safe here."

It wasn't clear how much of a risk she had accepted running off with this stranger, but it was clear there was an assured risk of death in staying put. Likely greater risk in running off blindly toward what was intentionally hunting them below. Then there were those family members chasing after Thorax. He made them sound awful when compared to his friendly demeanor, even if she thought he was hiding something.

She still had to trust him at this point.

"Show me, then let's keep moving."

Thorax laid flat over the ledge and stretched out with his hoof again. Spitfire gave a small jump and reached up, interlocking their fetlocks to let him pull her up. With a strong yank, all three were together again and now closer to their escape.

"The light in here is very dim," Thorax started to say as he backed away, dragging his hoof along a patch of snow to reveal more of the glowing ice. "I think I knocked some of the ice loose when I grabbed Rainbow Dash. More of the light was able to shine out. That was my mistake. It could get us discovered. Just please, trust me. We have to keep moving. You don’t know how much danger we’re in."

Off to the side, Rainbow made the decision to lay down.

"Thorax, buddy. You're doing a great job and all, but Spitfire and I are still injured. We can't move as well as you can through here on our hooves alone. I know it might be a lot to ask, being how we just became friends, but could you let us take another break to rest and maybe see if there's any more dangerous spots ahead of us like that last one? My eyes are really hurting me. I need Spitfire to fix this thing on my head. The sooner my eyes warm up, the sooner I can see on my own, and I won't be slowing us down so much."

They all had been moving non-stop for a while. Flying this long wouldn't have been too much of a struggle, but after the beating they took from the storm and having to move on hoof and climbing, often half or completely blind, as well as either of them needing to lift or carry Rainbow, Spitfire felt the same.

"Rainbow's right. We may need to keep moving to stay ahead of everything coming after us, but if we're too tired to move safely, we're no better off. And if you can find us a better path, that's all the better. Right now, you’re putting us all at risk."

Thorax rubbed his cheek a few times before setting his hoof down in a huff.

"I’m doing my best, but you can't rest for long. But since we're such good friends now, I think I can give us a little more time. And I'll do my best to look for an easier path, but I doubt there is one. Just stay quiet and don't go anywhere."

Once again, Thorax took off down the dimly lit caverns on his own, his hoofsteps quietly disappearing into the fading light. No telling how long he'd be gone this time.

Spitfire slowly made her way over to Rainbow and reached for the torn cloth she’d previously given to her fellow Wonderbolt.

"Okay, Dash. Let's get this adjusted for ya."

It wouldn’t take much to readjust the binding Spitfire had placed around Rainbow’s eyes, but as soon as she made contact with the torn fabric, Rainbow reached up with her left hoof to hold Spitfire’s in place.

“Actually, the blindfold is fine,” Rainbow whispered. “What I think I really need is a little more warmth. Could you try warming my eyes using your neck? I didn’t realize how much heat could move back and forth from there until you showed me that trick in the bathtub.

Rainbow’s sudden change of request came off as odd to Spitfire, but rescue training did mention the exchange of body heat to help keep a victim warm. More importantly, the neck was where one of the more crucial areas to focus on to maximize warming a victim as well as uses from a rescue provider. The neck could give off as well as take in a lot of heat, but this would also have been the easiest portion of her anatomy to position for Rainbow at the moment.

“Sure thing, Dash,” Spitfire groaned in mock annoyance before laying down in front of Rainbow and pulling her friend's forehead into her neck. “Can’t have you stumbling around the whole time we’re down here.”

Cautiously, if not sounding embarrassed, Rainbow asked, “ Thorax isn’t giving us any funny looks, is he?”

Just to make sure, Spitfire did a wide search of the whole area around them. The path they were on wasn’t one where she couldn’t see far enough ahead that even in the dim light she wouldn’t have been able to see Thorax walking toward them. Behind them was the drop-off they all recently scaled, and it wasn’t likely Thorax could have found a path that doubled back that far, and less likely he would have taken it. Then, even around them, there were only frozen walls and pillars of stone and ice. Not much of any knuck or crannies she could see for an Earth Pony to be running around in either.

“No. He’s not back yet. Why?”

Rainbow shuffled her legs enough to bring her head up so she was cheek to cheek with Spitfire. To help make sure Spitfire stayed where Rainbow needed her, she raised both her wings, despite how much it hurt to do so, as well as how little coverage they gave, and wrapped them around both their heads. It mostly was enough to cover the exposed sides of both their face, Rainbow's eyes, and the back of Spitfires’s head, but it gave Rainbow the privacy she needed to whisper in confidence.

“Don’t say anything. Don’t react. Just stay calm no matter what I tell you… I couldn’t see anything, but I know what I heard, and I know what I felt. That sound we heard when Thorax grabbed me, I heard it at Cadance’s wedding before, and he didn’t use a hoof to grab me, it was something else. He’s a changeling.”

Spitfire did all she could to stop from visually panicking. Her eyes went off into a thousand-yard stare while her heart all but beat out of her chest.

“Then… his family that’s after him?” She whispered.

Rainbow’s heart was beating just as fast. She could feel her pulse throbbing just out of sync with Spitfire’s, but the question also gave her hope.

“Water Bug was a runaway, too. Thorax said he wants to be friends. We trust him for now. Okay? They can't all be bad… He would have tried something by now if he wanted to hurt us, but he doesn't trust us… And I still can't see… it feels like pins and needles all over my face.”

Sadly, this news did complicate matters for the two of them, even if it did mean they potentially had yet another runaway changeling on their side. That also meant they had any number of other changelings who would be hunting them as well, but Spitfire wouldn't focus on that for the moment.

"Superficial frostbite, Dash. Nothing too serious for us to deal with here and now. Keep them warm. Don't rub or press too hard… But if you’re wrong about him, I learned my lesson from Thunder Glide. We’re getting out of here. You’ll see.”

[Farther ahead in Mount Everhoof.]

Thorax leaned the right side of his face against a sheet of ice and sobbed as he held his aching stomach.

"Ahh… Ow. Ow. Why is it hurting so much again? The closer I get us out of here, the more it hurts. Stupid cold pony. Why wouldn’t he just be nice to me?... That black stuff was everywhere.”

Thinking about it again and all the pain he was suffering, his thoughts shifted.

“It’s all their fault they got hurt, just like Gaster… but I’m still so hungry."

Slowly pulling away from the icy wall, Thorax took a moment to review the damage he could see in his reflection. The dim lights from the crystals and aqua-colored ice glowed only enough to show the outlines of the cracks in his carapace over his face, running down his neck and now spreading down his chest and right front leg.

It was rare for a changeling to see their own reflection. The hive was a desolate, dreary place without much in terms of amenities. The only furniture to speak of was the Queen’s throne. Any other prized possessions, if a mirror were to be included, would have been jealously guarded by her. In that regard, one's own reflection would rarely be seen other than in a pool of water if one had such a reason to gander. Otherwise, every brother or sister might have well been the next best thing to view as a reflection.

Here, though, in this frozen mountain, when not transformed, his missing ear couldn't be ignored, nor the pain it gave off, along with the dark red fluid slowly oozing out.

Somewhat out of reflex, he reached up with his hoof to examine this mysterious new liquid.

"Ah!" He sharply yelped but fell back to hold his muzzle closed with his other hoof. "What is… This didn’t happen to the cold ponies, and they had much more of this gunk on them. This is more like—"

"Worthless! Lazy! Leave her!"His Queen's words came shouting back in his memory.

"I've… seen this before?” Thorax hushed to himself. “After the failed invasion of Canterlot, we were cast out by the love from Cadance and Shining.

His mind went back to those moments of all his fellow changelings recovering from the unfathomable distance they all had been launched. They had landed maybe hundreds of miles from Canterlot, and it wasn't a gentle landing.

“I thought if I helped Shelby up, she'd want to be my friend, but her neck was limp and squishy after we landed. She wouldn't say what was wrong or say anything. We couldn't wake her up."

So many were hurting when they ended up in that poor land of loving creatures… Creatures that Chrysalis abused and drained.

Chrysalis had her hive all feed like gluttons. It was heart-wrenching to watch, but Shelby wouldn't feed. She wouldn't move. She lay there on the ground with her twisted neck and that same red liquid dripping out from her mouth and nose.

Why was it so much easier to remember all of the suffering of those poor creatures his brothers and sisters fed upon? Wasn’t she there? Why was it so hard to remember?

While Chrysalis wasn’t gorging herself, he was scolded for not feeding enough.

Why didn’t she wake up? What was the deal with that red dripping out of her nose? Why did Chrysalis abandon and ignore her for disobeying her orders instead of punishing her like any other changeling would have been?

…and why did he have that same red leaking from his missing ear now?

"Is it because I haven't fed enough? Shelby should have fed. I know she must have been hurt. She ran away after that. She—”

A brief image appeared in his mind where something shiny emerged from the ground, pulling her under. It was almost out of view. Others had to have seen it, yet none reacted to the odd display. It shimmered like crystals or shards of ice, but the others were too busy feeding, consuming the love of their helpless victims while all he wanted to do was run away.

No changeling made mention of the abduction. Shelby never made a sound. Did she know she was slipping away? Was she even breathing then? How could she, with her neck bent back so far and twisted? She never even blinked her cold, vacant, drained, whitened eyes as she sunk into the ground.

At that moment, Thorax was terrified. The thought of her sister, no matter how distant in generations, having been removed from their world had him scared stiff. She was never seen from or mentioned again. She stopped being a changeling, stopped… everything. Only that red and her refusal to feed set her apart from the others, and then she was gone, simply taken away.

"No… This isn't the same. She was hurt. She landed wrong. She should have fought back," he quietly reassured himself. "Changelings get hurt, but we're strong. We just need rest and to feed so we don't… we…"

He was searching for the words, any explanation to rationalize his fears. It was staring him in the face, yet he couldn't fathom the possibility of it being true despite the new confusion of the mysterious abduction.

"We don't die. The swarm doesn't… Changeling's don't die. We've survived for… No. This can’t be… Why am I… Did those cold ponies… They didn’t crash, but the ice, the cave-in, that gunk… Oh, no… Gaster? Did I—”

The panic overtook him the more he could feel his carapace cracking, splitting, spreading open farther where the dark ooze would expose more of the sensitive membrane under his shell. Then, almost as fast as it started, the pain fell to something he could tolerate again, and he was left with only the hunger to manage.

New traces of blood traced down from his cheek, making him turn to his reflection, where he found a new feature added to his profile.

A new curved, yet with a defined edge, piece of carapace was jutting out from where his wound had opened up.

"That can't be good."

From far down below, crumbling rocks broke free and tumbled below, followed by a distant whisper.

"This wall is falling apart. We'll have to move down and around."

Thorax slowly crept over to the ledge and peered over. Down below, he could see his brother being led over to a path he had taken not long ago. His time for scouting ahead had been cut short, as his changeling brethren would not be as hampered in their movements as his new friends were.

"No… What am I going to do? …I need to get out of here."

[Back over with Rainbow and Spitfire.]

“He’s taking longer than before,” Spitfire cautiously commented. “Should we worry, and how’s your face feeling?”

Rainbow quietly grunted before shuffling what remained of her tattered feathers.

“Maybe it’s taking him longer finding a path that won’t fall apart on us this time, and my face is starting to feel better. I think I felt my eyelids move… How do my wings look?”

Spitfire gave little effort to look over Rainbow's wings. She'd seen them enough since entering this miserable labyrinth to know what she'd find.

"They look like an Echo who picked a fight with Justin."

Not wanting to laugh, Rainbow raised her right hoof and thumped Spitfire in the chest.

"You couldn't just say bad?" She grunted, but her snort thereafter gave away some undertones of humor.

Carefully, Spitfire raised her right hoof to lift up Rainbow's left wing. Rainbow gave some resistance at first but quickly relaxed, and Spitfire was able to examine the limb more closely.

"It's bad, Dash. But it's nothing you can't grow back. You and I will be grounded for a while. That's all."

Rainbow let out a few restrained coughs into Spitfire’s chest before cracking a grin, as her mind couldn’t help but imagine how her recovery plan would play out. If not an actual recovery plan, some shameless wishful thinking.

“I’d be fine with being bedridden until my feathers grow back. Justin could use the company anyway.”

From above them, a steadily growing stomping of hooves over stone and tundra rose before Thorax peered overhead in a panic.

"No more resting," he strongly encouraged in a stage whisper.

Abruptly, his panic of being discovered was replaced with something new emanating from just below. It dissipated just as quickly as he had announced himself, but there was no way of mistaking its alluring decadence. It carried no scent, not in the traditional sense, yet it hung heavy in the air for the briefest of moments, reminding him of the hunger that pained him nearly as much as the injuries he was trying equally hard to mask.

"There are no other paths I could find. I can help carry Rainbow if you need me to, but we need to get moving. We just need to stay quiet to avoid the other cold ponies up top."

Now on alert, Spitfire asked, "There are more of them up top? How much of that oil is up there?"

Thorax was pacing back and forth, searching their surroundings and holding his stomach out of sight as he thought and answered.

"I've only seen a few near the surface. They're not as aggressive as the black ones that hide much further below, but they'll still come after us if we get too close or bother them."

Spitfire kept Rainbow close to her, now wanting more information before standing up.

“Hold on. What kind of dangers are we walking into? We still don’t know what these cold ponies are. Who are they? What do they want?”

In an instant, Thorax turned from worried to snarling mad, sprinting over and jumping down to approach Spitfire.

“I don’t know,” he growled. “I know Earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and plenty of other creatures big and small from here to the Bad Lands and even farther than that. But I’ve never seen or heard of ponies like these. They’re big, mean, cold from head to heart, and they always attacked me when I tried being nice to them.”

Finally, they were close enough to smell each other’s breath, and Thorax was too wound up to consider putting on a smile for the mare trying to stare him down.

“I came here to make friends and start a new life. You came to me. You needed my help more than I needed yours, but all I asked for was a little friendship and your trust. If you don’t want to listen to me, I’m not going to risk—”

“You heard’em,” Rainbow grunted as she pulled away from Spitfire. “Our safety is in our new friend's hooves. And Thorax, just tell us as much as you can on the way while we avoid them. Then, before you know it, we'll be back in the Crystal Empire, and you can meet the rest of our friends, and we can keep you safe from your family and the cold ponies and whoever else is after you. That's what friends do for each other after all, right Spits?"

The message was clear to Spitfire. They needed to play nice and trust him, and tossing some reassuring words would only make things easier for the pair. So, she would play along.

"You're right, Dash,” Spitfire reluctantly replied. “Thorax, please keep leading us out, and we'll take care of you. You've more than earned our friendship by now."

Thorax stood in front of them, only looking angry until Spitfire's words were finally processed. Then, his anger turned to shock, and he backed away, almost looking afraid.

"You… You really mean that?"

It was strikingly odd for Spitfire to comprehend at first, but thinking back to Ocellus, maybe it wasn't so hard to believe. Perhaps, if given the chance, changelings could be more than the villains they had been made out to be. His tears were real, and his reactions couldn't have all been a performance. He didn't appear to be faking his astonishment.

Thinking more on it, reports she read up on the day prior with Cerb about the Canterlot Changeling Invasion mentioned repeated examples cited of poor recreations of normal emotional responses. Even if the changelings looked the part of a normal pony, they could never deliver an emotional reaction that was anything other than abnormal.

What else was there to believe other than they had the good fortune to find another runaway changeling who wanted to change?

"Yeah, I do," Spitfire warmly answered, though was hesitant to do so.. "Now come on. Walk and talk. I think you'll fit right in with our group of misfits and runaways."

"Right," Thorax answered, turning around to start down the path and wipe his eyes clear. "Just… give me a minute to collect myself. I've never had anypony call me their friend before. I didn't know it would feel…"

Spitfire helped Rainbow up and laid her tattered wing over the mare's back to help guide her along.

"Take your time. Where not going anywhere too fast that you can't take it all in."

Silently thinking to himself, Thorax was at war with himself.

"I have real friends. They said so. It's all I've ever wanted… So why is everything hurting so much worse now? Why am I so hungry? Why don’t I feel what what they feel with each other?"

As he stepped forward, fear, excitement, joy, and confusion spun his mind into a flurry of conflicts, and the hearing in his right ear became muted. A feeling of pressure built, and he shook his head twice to try and remove the sensation, only to finally feel it out with his hoof, making him wince in pain and tear up again.

He sniffed his nose clear and opened his eyes to see more of the red painted across his hoof.

"Yeah… Plenty of time."

[Down Further Below in Mount Everfree.]

Haltere, confused, readjusted his helmet as he met up with Pharynx and his other changeling comrades.

“He’s not hiding his tracks very well. It’s gotta be Thorax running back and forth.”

Elytra, equally confused, looked at the scuffs in the dirt and snow they had been following.

“So is Thorax following the other ponies and getting lost, or what’s his deal?”

Being the bigger brother, Pharynx gave his best assessment of the family he thought he knew best.

“Thorax can’t do anything right. He’s probably running ahead of his next meal instead of charging in and pummeling them into submission so he can feed on them. But he must be so hungry he can’t even think straight. Not even for him.”

Sadly, reading tracks was more of Haltere’s field of expertise, and he was going to lay out what he could see for everyone to hear.

“Uh, no. All the tracks walking off together are pony tracks. Thorax is in disguise with these other two, and he’s traveling with them before he runs off on his own and changes back.”

“What?” Pharynx asked in a deadpan tone.

Again, Haltere adjusted his helmet, still trying to figure it out for himself.

“I don’t get it either. That’s why I wanted to check those tracks again because I thought I was reading them wrong.”

Pharynx and Elytra looked down again at the set of tracks that went off in one direction, also trying to understand what Haltere was still explaining.

“The tracks split off on their own. I can see where he changes back to normal. It looks like he… paces back and forth and sits against a chunk of ice, then changes back into what I’m guessing must be an Earth pony, going by the weight. But, yeah… His trail leads back to here, where I’m guessing twooooo mares? Probably mares. Two other ponies are sitting. They get up, and they walk off together, helping each other climb, leaving a trail of frozen feathers for some reason. Their both probably Earth ponies, too. None of them are flying over the ledges like we are. Cept for you, Elttra.”

Annoyed by the comment, Elytra snapped back, “Buzz off. I’m down a wing. All I can do is climb. But why would Thorax help two ponies climb through this place? Any changeling would have fed on them by now. There’s no way he could have gotten a full meal out of Gaster. And if he doesn’t want to come back with us, why stick around with ponies when he could have flown off?”

Still more of a tracker than an infiltrator, Haltere shrugged.

“Maybe they know a way out, and he’s using them as cover?”

For Pharynx, he knew his younger brother well enough that providing cover wasn’t going to work at this point. Saving Thorax was more important, and the thought of it made him angry enough to stomp his hoof hard enough to make Gaster jostle slightly on his back.

“No,” he grunted. “That idiot is helping them because he thinks he can make a friend. He already asked others to share their love so he could feed. Maybe these ponies are dumb enough or too weak to fight back and are feeding him just enough so he can get by to help them get out.”

“Hehe,” Elytra giggled quietly. “What a dummy. Changelings don’t make friends. Remember when he tried to help, uh… What was… Crud. I can’t remember her name. That lazy grub who landed face first after Canterlot? She wouldn’t eat, and your brother kept trying to wake her up? Kinda looked like Gaster does, come to think of it.”

Pharynx rolled his eyes, both annoyed yet also finding some amusement in the comment.

“We’re changelings. Who doesn’t look like Gaster?”

Haltere cracked a grin and was about to laugh, only to get stuck struggling to remember anything about that changeling.

“Huh…Didn’t she run away, too?”

The conversation was getting way off-topic, and Pharynx didn’t care to waste any more time.

“She didn’t run away. She… Our Queen made her… No. She woke up and then… No… Wait? Who was she? Hold on. What batch did she hatch from?”

Elytra cocked her head to the side while Haltere moved his helmet to scratch his head. The question went unanswered for a few seconds before the two looked at each other, thinking one of the others must have had the answer.

Finally, Elytra came back with a new question.

“I can’t even remember her name. Did she even fight with us in Canterlot? It’s not like some other changeling would have drained her to leave her so weak like Gaster is.”

Haltere gave another shrug to the question.

“Maybe she came in after Shining Armor’s shield came down. I was there the whole time outside the city. Came in to scout a clear path for the infiltrators before the shield went up.”

To that remark, Elytra vehemently shook her head.

“No way. I was there to take down the shield from the outside. I remember every soldier changeling stuck out there in the forest, waiting for the chance to break in. She wasn’t there with us… It was a she, right? She had to have been an infiltrator like Gaster. No way a drone like your brother would have been allowed into… Wait? Why was your brother there?“

Annoyed all over again, Pharynx raised a hoof to his head.

“Will you both shut up already? We can ask Gaster after we get Thorax and take him back to the Hive. We’ll get her fed, and when she feels better, we can find out who she is and why she… Whatever happened to her. If it was a her. For right now, though, if my idiot brother is helping anypony, then we can catch up to them a lot easier now.”

As they started down the path, Haltere had a thought.

“Hey, Pharynx?”

“What?” Pharynx grunted, readjusting Gaster on his back again.

Haltere turned his head away toward the tracks that had wandered off, then back to where they were headed, now second-guessing if he should even ask his question.

“Say Thorax does manage to slip away… Can we really not go back to the hive? I mean… What do we do?”

Pharynx never faltered in his stride or wavered in his response.

“We are the hive. All we have is the hive, and all the hive has is us. We’ll be fine. Stop worrying. Bug up.”

[Meanwhile, back at Ponyville in the Castle of Friendship.]

In the kitchen, Shining kept a close eye on the youngsters busy cleaning up the mess from a late breakfast.

"You're doing great, every creature. You'll have this whole kitchen done in no time."

Spike said nothing, only handing over another plate for Smolder to dry off and stack. Smolder, however, was getting tired of this punishment.

"Shouldn't we be resting and not stressing ourselves? I only have one arm ya know."

Ever determined, Shining stood his ground.

"And rest you shall… Once your chores are done.”

Just in time to be their savior, Becky walked in to check up on things.

“Afternoon everyone. Did you all get some sleep finally?”

Looking into the kitchen and everyone at work, Becky had to question how things had gotten to go this far. Spike was washing the dishing, Smolder was drying, Sandbar was wiping down all the counters, Gallus was mopping the floor with Yona drying it with rags behind him, and then one person she would never have expected was stacking the dried dishes in the high cabinets on the far side of the kitchen.

“Justin?!”

Becky couldn't believe it. There he was… Shirtless, shoeless, stripped down to a pair of shorts, leaning back to see who had called out to him, only to then lose his balance, flail his arms and fall flat on his ass. However, the feminine voice that spoke was nothing that Justin would have complained with.

“Ow! How can humans keep their balance on two legs with no tail or wings? And this skin is so slippery on a wet floor.”

And in an instant, Becky could have kicked herself for being duped so easily.

“Damn, Ocellus. You're turning into humans now?”

Curling up and shifting back into her pony form, Ocellus sat with a frown.

“I had another tummy ache, and Uncle Jay is the hardest thing I can shift my body into without getting into trouble. I need to use up more of this stupid love everyone keeps feeding me… I use more energy holding a form I’m not used to. And don't call me Ocellus. I'm Water Bug, now.”

After everything these kids had gone through, Becky knew they had it rough. Now, with the added info from her day at the hospital, she knew they needed some added reinforcement. So, she started to walk toward Ocellus and spoke as sweetly as she could.

“I'm sorry, Water Bug. I forgot the name change. And I'm not mad at you. I just really miss Uncle Jay, and I imagine you do, too. Right?”

Quick to jump on the bandwagon, Smolder added her sentiments.

“Lord Ember said Cerberus was the strongest human there is. He’s coming back to us. Isn’t he? I wanna hear more stories about all the asses he kicked.”

Spike, finishing the last dish in the sink, finally spoke up, sounding sad in his delivery when he asked, “Does he even want to come back since Rarity and Fluttershy dumped him?”

The entire mood of the room dropped with Spike’s question, and Becky felt the blow landing on her harder than anyone else in the room. Even still, she had to remain optimistic.

“Of course, Justin wants to come back to us. He just… Spike, there is a lot you don’t know about Justin. Not all of his problems were with Rarity and Fluttershy, and they know they made a mistake. I’ve been one of his best friends since we were kids, all of us still are. We're his family now, and not even all of us could help him with the issues he’s still trying to fix. I wished he would have stayed here with us, but I know he’s getting more help with Cadance right now than he would have here. He just needs time to heal up and feel better.”

She took another look around the room, seeing the depth of cleaning all the kids were engaged in, which confused her.

“Are you guys cleaning the whole kitchen top to bottom? How big of a mess did you make this morning?”

To answer this, Shining stepped in to explain.

“Actually, since every creature slept in so late and disobeyed your strict instructions, I decided a little extra work was in order to help remind them of who's in charge. Let them know what happens when they don’t listen and do what’s best for them.”

And just like that, Becky’s mood soured, and she glared at Shining.

“What? Shining?” She quickly turned to the rest of the kids. “Everyone, stop what you’re doing. You’re done. Gallus and anyone else who wants to go to the Apple farm, clean yourselves up, and get ready to go.”

Slowly, all the youngsters walked out of the kitchen, leaving Becky to talk with Shining, which she didn’t exactly know how to approach.

“Shining… I know you were trying to help, but did the kids do anything after I left to make you think they needed to be punished more than what I said they should do?”

Stuck without a defense prepared, Shining didn’t have a response prepared.

“I just thought that… No… You know what's best for them, and they're not listening to you. But I’m also in charge of protecting them while I’m here, and I was supposed to go with you this morning. If I can't protect you when you're out taking care of others, I thought I should at least make sure your orders are being enforced here while you're gone. Even beyond that, discipline will help keep them safe.”

Becky ran a hand through her hair and leaned against the counter. She thought for a moment and gave herself a brief pause to breathe before responding.

“I didn't want them to clean the entire kitchen. Just cleaning up after themselves would be annoying but not enough to stress them out. That and Spike usually ends up doing most, if not all, of the cleaning by himself, so I imagine he ends up feeling left out. Sandbar and Silverstream have a hard time walking around as it is, and all of them need to pace themselves with what they can do. A few dishes was a task so small, meant to remind them that they can't get away with everything but not make me look like a bitch for coming down too hard on them… They don't need their time here made to be any harder for them when they still don't understand why Harmony put them through hell.”

She thought all her finer points laid out, but one final obvious blunder struck her last moment that she had to blurt out.

“Sandbar wasn’t even here last night to watch the movie or stay up late. Neither was Water Bug! Goddamn it, Shining.”

All Shining could do was stare at the floor, leaving Becky to need to comfort him as well.

“Shining, sweety,” she softly said, lifting up his chin so they could look each other in the eye. “It’s fine. It's not like you yelled at them or were beating them. And they need a strong authority figure to keep them in check.”

As much as Shining wanted to take in Becky’s kindness, he was still cursing himself for letting her down. But then she smiled, talking to him with even more encouragement.

“We can be a team on this. Good cop, bad cop. Now they know you’ll back me up if they step out of line. Just talk to me first next time. I’m still figuring out how much help they still need and what all they need help with. We’re both going to make mistakes.”

There it all was again. Shining was getting lost in her eyes, drawn into her touch, and wanting more than he thought he should.

“Speaking of bad cop,” he softly said, carefully pulling Becky’s hands down into his front hooves and holding them gently together out in the open between the two of them. “I can be your support for helping to take care of the young delegates, but my first and foremost responsibility is to take care of you. And I can't do that if I don't know where you are.”

Becky tilted her head slightly at that statement, drawing an inquisitive look about her. The second Shining saw her reaction, his response was to pull back on his approach and take as much advice from Twilight as he could implement.

“Right now, I'm filling in as Twilight’s Commanding Officer while Cutter is with Peter in Canterlot. There's still a lot of grey area to be worked out with how the Lunar Guard and Twilight Guard work together and share information. Even if they know me, it's not exactly the same as when I worked in the Solar Guard, or even the Crystal Guard, which was never as close as we would have liked.”

Throughout this brief introduction of Shining’s explanation, Becky never pulled away, though her expression showed that she was lost with where he was going.

At the very least, he still had her attention and continued doing his best, appearing cordial and smiling as though it were a simple misunderstanding.

“I had no idea you left early this morning. And while it's fine that you were with Midnight and the others, I trust them; your safety is still my overall responsibility, and I was worried about the change of plans made without me.”

Becky’s smile grew with a slight flush, subtly shaking while she tried to respond.

“What? You were asleep? The Lunar Guard takes over between sundown and sunrise. And the guards there always come back with us anyway. Why would you need to be woken up for me going to work early?”

Thinking fast on his hooves, Shining came back with his own counterquestion.

“If there was a change in Peter’s daily procedural routine that could have put his health at risk while he was here, wouldn't you have wanted to be made aware of it, even if they had to wake you up early?”

For a moment, Becky thought she could easily come back with something to shoot his line of thinking down. Unfortunately, the logic behind it is what made her come to her senses.

“Oh… right… We did kinda just leave you in the dust, didn't we? And this is your job… And I owe you for saving my life and everything, so I'm sorry about that, but I need you now. I think I need to see Luna, if you can make that happen… and maybe have some time to chat with the kids after that. Just let me know what you need from now on.”

[Upstairs in the Young Delegates Room.]

While all were quiet so as not to wake Flurry Heart from her nap, Smolder had some steam to vent while under her breath.

“What's up with Prince Shining making up more work for us to do? It was only one movie we watched after hours.”

Angry, but without the ability to properly voice her own complaints, Yona glared vehemently and gave a nod in agreement.

“Mmm-hmm.”

More sore than angry, Sandbar glanced over at the laptop.

“What I wanna know is how she knew what you watched.”

Hovering overhead in her pony form, Silverstream gasped in amazement as her imagination came up with an idea.

“Hey, guys! What if she gained superpowers from destroying the first Harmony while it had control of us?!”

She tapped a forehoof to the shard on her neckless, allowing her body to return to her hippogryph form after the twisting lights faded off around her. It wasn't something she needed to do in private, but her natural state allowed access to her claws, which she wiggled deviously in front of Sandbar while sporting a wicked grin.

“Only instead of controlling what goes into our mind, Becky can pull out our thoughts. Now, no chosen future heroes of Equestria will ever get away with breaking curfew ever again. Mwah-Ha-Ha-Ha!”

As stupid as Silverstream’s delivery was, not to mention her idea, everyone laughed. However, not to be outdone, Ocellus reared up to her back legs, seamlessly growing out her forelegs into long, slender arms. Her fur became a paler white skin, and her mane was replaced with locks of auburn. Still in her shorts, she pulled off a bed sheet and draped it over her head and shoulders, letting the rest fall over her bare chest to cover up the portions she didn't know how to properly recreate. From the sides, she allowed her new feminine hands and arms to creep out from the makeshift cloak.

“What amazing and frightening creatures these new protectors be,” she eerily hushed to the others in a darker, more heavy version of Becky’s voice as she crept closer to the center of the room. “Humans, we call them. But what really are they? Warriors who crush our enemies? Healers that mend us? …Entertainers who guard their movies with—”

“DOLLY!”

Wam!

Not being quiet enough, the small group had woken Flurry from her afternoon nap, and nothing was standing in her way from her favorite resident human of the castle. Of course, the lack of awareness from Ocellus left her wide open to the assault of a high-speed tackle hug, sending her down flat on her back with a thud.

“Gah! Flurry! Dolly is downstairs. I'm Water Bu—Damn it. I am not Becky.``

Lifting Flurry up in her hands, and did Ocellus ever appreciate how dexterous those limbs could be, her body began shifting back to her pony form. The whole time, Flurry wiggled and giggled as if they were in the middle of some game. The fingers holding around her sides pulled back down into the hardened hooves just as the long, skin-covered arms became thin Earth pony forelegs. All of the beautiful womanly features and hair retreated back to the bare and empty pony frame and uninteresting mane, but it was still the friendly smile from Ocellus that returned.

For Flurry, she was still doing what only a foal her age would do.

“Up! Up! Dolly, up! Dolly! Air-baihn! Air—”

Without warning, Flurry suddenly stopped her little game and looked down at the pony holding her up with great confusion and concentration. There was no fear in her eyes or any sign of distress. It was more as though she was searching for something or trying to understand who she was looking at. Even her tiny hooves feeling over the forelegs of Ocells gave the impression that perhaps the transformation wasn't the best idea, so Ocellus lowered the young foal down to her belly to sit.

“See? Just me. Remember my name? Water Bug?”

Carefully, Flurry thumped her right hoof over Ocellus’s chest. She tapped it once, twice, then rubbed both her front frogs out coarsely to feel past the fur and reach the skin underneath.

Curious to what the young foal was up to, Ocellus asked, “Flurry? That tickles. What are you-ack! Ow!”

Before the question could be fully asked, Flurry had dropped herself down and was wrenching down with a bear hug around Ocellus.

“PLAY!”

Unfortunately, playing was the last thing Ocellus wanted.

“GET HER OFF!”

Gallus, being the closest and honestly a little frightened, closed the distance and grabbed Flurry off from Ocellus in one quick yank. While it was a quick yank, he was surprised how much force was needed to pull the young filly off.

“Woah there, little Princess. Playing a little rough today, aren't ya?”

Unlike usual, Flurry began to fidget and fight back while being held. More than that, she was whining and groaning, twisting and flapping her wings, trying to pry herself free.

Meanwhile, Ocellus was doubled over on the floor, clenching her gut and groaning in pain, prompting Sandbar to rush to her side and try to comfort her.

“Water Bug, did she squeeze you too har—”

“Don’t touch me!” Ocellus barked, swiping her hoof at Sandbar’s to keep him at bay. “My tummy… It hurts. I need to go!”

Without another word or anyone else having the chance to help, Ocellus sprang to all fours and bolted out the door.

Everyone left behind was bewildered at what just happened. That was, everyone except for Gallus struggling to hold onto Flurry who was flapping so hard she was pulling him closer to the open door, her forehooves still reaching out.

“Big Dolly! PLAY!”

Gallus couldn't believe this foal’s strength. He could barely hold on.

“One of you close the door and get Becky or Shining! Something is seriously wrong with this kid! Grab her Whammy! That usually calms her down!”

As Yona went to block the door, Lunar Guards took post, two out in front, two more chasing after Ocellus, and two more that entered the room. The two in the room closed the door behind them but stood in bewilderment at the young princess screaming with tear-filled eyes. Silverstream tried to offer the crying filly a plushie of a large snail, but it was knocked to the ground by Flurry, finally escaping from Gallus.

Unfortunately, with the door closed as well as enchanted, Flurry was left circling the room until giving up and landing behind the closest bed to the door. She was frustrated and confused, yet demanded only one thing.

“WANT BIG DOLLY!”

Author's Note

So, then. After a nice holiday break, we return to the wonderful world that lies beyond the Trixie Bridge. What we find is that Becky is still in way over her head with pony romance and understanding how she might fit in with it. On the bright side, it seems like just about everypony is being respectful and able to control themselves. Although, Redheart is still a wild one.

Also, Shining doesn't fully have the best grasp on how to play his role. Especially not with the kids. More on that in a bit.

Otherwise, moving on to the trouble in Mount Everhoof... Yeah, big emphasis on trouble. There seems to be a bit of a rough going for our trio looking for their escape. Blindness, injuries, exhaustion, butting heads, mistrust... starvation.

Also, somehow, Thorax started to remember something that probably would have been a memory better left locked away. A little comic lore throne in there, showing what happened after the defeat of the changelings in Caterlot via the power of love from Cadance and Shining *Cough* Harmony *Cough*. Although, in that second pic Yes, that was an edit by me. it seems that one of the changelings didn't stick the landing, so, Harmony did what Harmony did to keep her illusions alive and removed what she didn't want to be seen.

Kind of odd that Thorax was able to recall that... as well as bleed.

Yeah, defiantly gotta say Thorax is having an off day and is going to need some help.

At the same time, kinda funny that the disruption has caused such a stir that even the other changelings have noticed the proverbial glitch in the matrix. Sadly, though, their perception of the glitch is far more lacking.

ANYWAY!

Things back in Ponyville ended off rather... oddly. We knew Shining was struggling, but now he's just trying too hard. That might be a problem because all of the kids are having problems of their own, and even the one we probably thought was the most well-off, that being Ocellus, seems like her blessing of love is coming back with some side effects finally.

What's going to happen with all the Big Dolly Energy and excess Love Magic? What can we expect to see happen with our two runaway changelings in vastly different environments?

No one will know but me until the release of:

Chapter 12.
Excess Love & Misplaced Devotion: I Am The Hive.

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7

12. Excess Love & Misplaced Devotion: I Am The Hive.

[

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 30th Day of Love, Ponyville, in a Carriage ride to the Apple Farm.]

The ride had been a quiet one the way since leaving the castle. None of the kids were sure why Ocellus had run off or why Becky had taken off with her separately, or where they had gone. In fact, they were rather worried about her. Not that any of them could speak a word of it, not while Shining was riding with them.

Sure, he seemed like he was being friendlier than before, but Flurry was still acting up and wouldn't stop shouting.

“BIG DOLLY!”

Much to Shining’s confusion, he was trying to figure out why his daughter wanted to play with someone who was nowhere remotely close to them geographically. That, or she was getting confused.

“Flurry, settle down. Becky isn't here right now.”

Now more frustrated, Flurry wound back and smacked Shining in the nose.

Slap!

“Ow!” Not expecting to be hit that hard, Shining let go of Flurry, allowing her to flutter around the small cabin, only to find no exit and randomly choose Silverstream to drop down in front of to plead her woes.

“Big Dolly? Judin play. Want Big Dolly.”

While she was a bit apprehensive, though still more compassionate than concerned for her own well-being, Silverstream picked Flurry up and brought the young foal to her lap.

“Sorry, sweetie. Justin isn’t here, but we can play with you when we get to the farm.”

There was only one trick left, and Sandbar had thought enough ahead to bring it along. At the very least, he hoped it would work now that she had calmed down since the last time they tried.

“Hey, Flurry. Do you want your Whammy?”

From his saddle bag, he pulled out a plushie of a green snail. It seemed to get Flurry’s attention, and she sadly reached out for it.

“Want Big Dolly,” she whined again, taking the plushie and cradling it as she lay in Silverstream’s lap to pout.

With that whirlwind resting, Shining finally addressed the rest of the youths, appearing even more beaten with a scuff mark of a hoof print on his nose. It wasn’t the first time taking care of his foal left a bruise, but knowing that he was taking care of his only child without a wife left the sting on his slowly bruising lips stinging more than he cared to admit or was willing to show.

“I apologize for the extra work I had you doing after you ate this morning, but it's important that you listen to Becky when she tells you to do something. We all put a lot of trust in you to do the right thing when we're not watching you. So when you disobey, we have to be stern, and sometimes that might mean that you won't like us for a while… But don't think that it ever means we don't like any of you. We all care a great deal about you. Especially Becky.”

He took a moment to make sure he made eye contact with each one of the kids. As cramped as it was inside, even with Yona sitting on the floor; his glance over them didn't take long to complete.

“Becky is responsible for all of your care, and I’m responsible for your protection. I am responsible for taking care of Becky. So when she’s not around, her responsibilities fall on my shoulders… But I don't want to be the bad guy… Not when you all do such a great job taking care of Flurry Heart for me… I really do appreciate all the help you give by watching over her when Becky, my mother, Sunburst, and myself aren't available. I know she can be a hoof full.”

From the side, Sandbar spoke up with some soft sentiment.

“Flurry certainly has her quirks, but she's not that different than my younger sister when I had to foal sit for her. I'm just surprised she was able to hurt Water Bug. I know she gets her stomach aches, but I don't understand why she was confusing her with You Know Who. She looked and sounded exactly like Becky at the time. And did any creature else notice that she doesn’t do that flashy light thing when she changes anymore?”

There wasn't much Shining was allowed to say. So much was supposed to be kept secret to protect everyone involved, but these children didn't understand the dangers that lay in wait for them. He had to be careful with what he would say, despite what they had lived through or were still living in.

“We don't know much about Changelings. We know Water Bug needs love to survive, but she's having trouble adapting to everyone giving her so much. There's no reason for us to stop, but we have to be careful. Becky and Benny will know what to do. And just like with Silverstream, we have to protect her true identity until the rest of the world is ready to accept her, and we know she’ll be safe.”

There was more Shining probably could have said. There were plenty of topics that had yet to be ironed out as to what they were even supposed to do while under the care of Becky and Shining, but he didn't know where to start or have all of that information himself.

“So, you did a great job this afternoon and earned your free time. When we get to the farm, go ahead and have some fun. I'll let you all run free for a while. Just try to stay out of trouble.”

[Over at the Castle of the Two Sisters.]

Becky approached the throne of the mending castle, finding a tired Princess Luna to greet her.

“Becky. Wuter Bug. To what do eh oh… I owe the plez… urp…Hello.”

Strike that. Becky approached a very tired and drunk Princess Luna.

“I'm sorry to bother you, Princess, but we need your help… Or at least a safe place to help Water Bug.”

As slow as Becky normally was on her feet, she had to turn around to encourage Ocellus to catch up with Midnight trailing off somewhere further behind.

It wasn't a situation of Ocellus dragging her feet, but more of hampered movements from the ache in her stomach limiting the gape of each step. The difficulty of simply walking was made more clear as seen by the tears in her eyes and heard from the sobs she softly whimpered out as she slumped to the tattered red carpet at the doorway, far from the throne itself.

“I wanna go home. I don’t like it here.”

This was hard to deal with, knowing the limitations Becky had to work within trying to help Ocellus.

“I know, sweetie. We're going to try something first. If it works, you'll feel much better. If not, then we can take you home and wait for Benny to come and take care of you, okay?”

Now, seeing the condition of Ocellus, Luna, even if drunk, started down from her throne in a speedy, if not wobbly, trot to meet her guests.

“Water Bug, my dear. What happened to—”

“Don’t get too close,” Becky warned with an outstretched hand, stopping Luna from approaching any further. “She’s very sensitive to any kind of affection right now. I can't even get too close to her. I need a safe place for her to burn off some energy. Somewhere she can shapeshift and fly or do whatever she wants without being bothered or seen.”

Still a little woozy, Luna stood a bit awe struck, if not baffled, at the request for a moment but composed herself.

“Guards!”

Quickly, six bat ponies clad in armor swooped in from the shadows and aligned themselves on either side of Luna, three by three, each kneeling.

“Yes, Princess,” they all hailed in unison.

“Ahem,” Luna announced, clearing her throat. “Lady Landon and the young daughter of Sir Benjigin. Beniguhn… Benny requires privacy in the forest. Alert King Ass…Aspen’s guards in the area to stay clear of the rear entrance portion of the castle.”

The guards all raised their heads and saluted to acknowledge their orders together, “Yes, Princess.”

Before they could move out, one dropped his salute and stepped forward.

“Princess. What of Miss Zecora? She is still gathering items in the area.”

Luna stared at the guard for a moment, blinking at him in a short stupor before recognizing what he was asking.

“Shit… Becky? Do you mind if Zecora is there, too? I’m fucking tired.”

It was a lengthy walk into the forest, but when they met up with Zecora, Luna figured they had ventured far enough for privacy, and their introductions began.

“Zecora, I would like you to meet Water Bug, Sir Benny’s new daughter. I don’t believe you had much of a chance to properly meet her at the dinner party. Water Bug, this is Zecora. She is a trusted friend and may be able to help.”

As accustomed to meeting new acquaintances, Zecora approached the young filly with a bright smile and a warm greeting.

“Hello there, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. What is it that has you troubled and looking so blue?”

Immediately, Ocellus backed away to cower behind Becky, who stepped further in front of the filly to guard the young mare.

“Long story short, Water Bug wasn't just some random filly who ran away and got caught up in battle out here with the echoes. She’s a changeling. Benny was taking care of her since she was freed from Harmony in the cave not far from here. Cerb saved her with whatever magic Fluttershy or Rarity imprinted on him or something when she was with the other kids in the hospital. We haven't figured any of that out yet, so don't ask. What we do know is that the love magic she fed off from him is too much, and she's absorbing love around her without even trying, which is hurting her.”

Becky turned behind her to see Ocellus still cowering, shaking, holding her stomach, and unable to hold back her tears. The sad reality was that she couldn't even reach down to comfort Ocellus while in this state, so she turned her attention back to Zecora.

“She’s just a kid, and she really needs our help… I don't know enough about magic to be sure about anything, but I wanted to bring her out here to let her try and burn some of it off to see if that would help… If you know of anything else, I'm all ears.”

Zecora stood in her tracks, motionless. All she could do was stare at the filly quivering behind Becky while trying to rationalize this additional information previously omitted. However, there was more than enough to allow her to accept much of what was presented with ease.

“Justin has not led us astray before. I see nothing wrong with this pony that Benny does adore. If my assistance is what you request, you need only ask, and I will do my very best.”

Sure, it was an act of faith, but Zecora had been in this filly’s position before, so again, she approached Ocellus.

“When I first came here, the ponies were all frightened. But given time, they all have become enlightened. One pony even sang a song of how I would eat them, cook them in a big tasty stew. I imagine for a changeling, that doesn't sound too different from you?”

Slowly, Ocellus started to peek around Becky’s legs and take a look at this new mare.

“We don't eat ponies. We feed on love. I didn't even know we could eat normal food like ponies can until a few days ago… But now I keep taking in every creature's love without even trying. I don't even want to. And I'm so full that it makes my tummy hurt. But my daddy, and his mare friends, and my friends, and Princess Luna’s guards try to help me and be nice to me, but it's too much for me. And then I met Flurry Heart today—I mean, it was the first time she played with me, and she hugged me, and she gave me so much love, and now my tummy really, really hurts.”

Zecora nodded agreeably and took a few steps back to give Ocellus some breathing space. In that empty space, Luna stepped forward to offer some guidance on what she assumed Becky was alluding to earlier.

“Changelings consume love not only to survive. It fuels their own magic. The love Justin gave you gives you the ability to change your appearance, fly, and similar like that of a unicorn, you are capable of using some offensive spells that are unique to changelings.”

Hearing that, Ocellus turned her face to the ground with a scowl and held her stomach tight.

“I don't wanna use changeling magic. Changelings are mean and stupid. They use their magic to hurt other ponies and I don't wanna do that. Daddy and I run around to keep my tummy from hurting every morning… but I can't look like anything big and scary or be a princess, and I draw too much attention when I look like a human if I’m not at home.”

This wasn't exactly the method of release Becky was hoping Ocellus would be afforded, but she didn't know enough to safely push for more. Even if she was knowledgeable about this world in general, her knowledge of changelings was still grossly limited; she lacked any education on magic, and Ocellus wasn’t even her kid to be parenting.

Sadly, she wasn’t comfortable with trying anything Ocellus wasn’t comfortable with doing on her own. Certainly not if Benny wasn’t there to give his approval.

“Well… No one will judge you here. Go run and change into whatever you want to just like if your dad was here with you. Don't run too far, though. I can't keep up, and Luna is… also tired.”

Ocellus took her first step forward, trying to get used to the feeling of human feet and toes being used to keep her balance on the uneven ground as she transformed her appearance.

“I won't run far. I know there's still Timberwolves and other creatures in the area. I hear Daddy talking about the reports with everypony when they come over.”

Almost like watching Cerb run off after having too much to drink, Becky watched the young changeling run off down a path and out of sight.

“Midnight, keep an eye on her. I'll be fine here with Luna and Zecora.”

Giving a bow, Midnight prepared to take his leave.

“As you say, Miss Landon.”

Taking off in a dash, Midnight ran toward the treeline and flew up into the branches. “Guards, fan out!” There were a few initial sounds of rustling branches, then silence as Midnight and two other bat ponies disappeared into the forest.

“Well, shit,” Becky huffed as she dropped to sit in the grass. “That could have gone better.”

Taking a seat next to Becky, Luna opted to let her exhaustion take over, and she lay flat instead.

“We are always willing to help when able, Becky, but your timing is terrible. I had nearly slept an hour or two when I was woken for your arrival. We thought Justin’s departure, while sad, if not inspirational, has caused more problems than we could have anticipated. I'm having now to balance this while monitoring so many more nightmares than I've ever had to than ever before.”

Luna gave a heavy sigh and abandoned herself to let her head rest in Becky’s lap.

“I know you had your issues with our relations before, but I miss our Becky dearly. Even not having Justin close to comfort us is even more taxing… though it breaks my heart, I could not comfort him in his time of need. I do hope Cadance can do what I could not.”

Shifting slightly, Luna pushed herself further into Becky’s lap. She drew in a deep breath and allowed her body to go limp from exhaustion, the physical and mental strain made evident in her voice.

“I am as overwhelmed as I am alone. Could I be weak in these few moments and ask that you comfort me while we have some privacy, my dear sweet Becky. Peter is now with sister, and Twilight has become burdened with her duties. Lumberman has his own life to build, and Applejack guards him jealously. Chris is buried in new responsibilities, and when Starlight is not tending to him, Twilight requires her assistance since Spike is still recovering. Even Benny, I see him when his duties have allowed for it, but King Aspen requires so much assistance with his kin and their integration. And Queen Novo… Her issues have many centuries of complications as my own. I cannot compete for his attention when his poor daughter needs him more than I.”

It was safe to say that Becky was sympathetic and began to caress Luna’s neck and shoulder. In the days prior, everyone still in Ponyville had been busied off in one corner of town, a meeting, or an office to themselves had she not been at the hospital herself. Sharing a meal at the dinner table was maybe the rare occasion she’d see Chris, but otherwise, even she knew how much lonelier the recent days had become, along with her own alcohol consumption.

“Is that why you've been drinking so much? You shouldn’t drink alone.” Becky softly asked.

Luna sighed, feeling a little dizzy still, on top of being exhausted.

“I do not like this distance that has grown between Kelly and I. There are so many terrible nightmares that I protect others from, I have no one to save me from mine of losing her. So, yes… I drink… while I watch over the dreams of those who need my protection.”

That was as good of an opener as any, so Becky used this as her chance to pry.

“These nightmares… How bad is it for the kids? Like, how bad is it for Gallus or Ocellus?”

Luna didn't waste a breath before answering.

“All of the children suffer the worst nightmares that I ward over. The owlbear hunting them down. Harmony calling them, trying to put them to sleep again… Gallus has the worst nightmares of Gruff. One moment, berating him. The next, reaching out to hold him as if he was returning from where he was lost to us, only to fade away before Gallus could reach him.”

Slowly, Luna recoiled inward, covering herself with her wings, and her eyes turned away as if she were avoiding the sight of the griffon’s pain by simply mentioning its memory.

“He cried all night in his dream the first time I found him… I brought the others to him for all their protection. They keep each other safe and wait for Ocellus to join them so they can stay safe together… try to protect her from her nightmares.”

Curious, Becky continued her gentle strokes down Luna’s neck and asked, “What does Ocellus have nightmares about?”

Luna took a deep breath and shuttered with her eyes clenched shut. A few tears came forth and pooled before falling down her cheek.

“I don't know… I can never find her... It was the same as Justin… I’ve only heard her screams.”

[Over on the Apple Farm.]

Not far into the orchard, Gallus had led his pack of friends down to a new activity they were all still trying to understand his passion for. An odd one that had him shimmied up high in an apple tree.

“Soooo,” Silverstream questioned aloud, holding up an apple as she fluttered in place. “How many of these are we collecting?”

All around the nearby trees, the other remaining young six carried their baskets at different levels of fullness with apples, minus Yona, carrying Flurry Heart swirling her plushie around and giggling. Meanwhile, as Gallus lazily explained, he continued to drop down apples for the others to catch.

“Applejack said all the ripe apples in this portion of the orchard are okay to pick. They've been falling behind on orders since Big Mac is still laid up in bed, and the house needs to finish being repaired. Lumberman is busy with that, and Applejack is helping him since the bat ponies have a hard time guarding him during the day. Granny Smith is too busy taking over the market side of things in town, and she doesn’t trust that new unicorn mare, Sugar Belle, so she goes where Granny goes. The rest of the Apple family is caught up in their own farming problems to come out to help, so we should harvest as many as we can.”

Sandbar placed his basket down and slowly sat in the shade, only to roll over to his side.

“Hey, Gallus. Not that I'm against helping anypony, especially Applejack, and Mister Lumberman, but my hip isn't ready for this. Is there anything else I can do?”

All of them had their limitations, so Gallus poked his head out from the branches to take a better look at their situation.

“Don’t worry, bud. No need to stay on your hooves more than you can stand… Umm… Well, since you know more about apples than the others, how about you sort the apples I drop down in their baskets to the larger barrels?”

Knowing the others had issues to work around and different strengths to utilize, Gallus looked around to the others to help guide them.

“Silverstream, some of these branches might not support my weight, but since you can still fly and it's better for you to stay off your hooves, how about you fly up and pick the apples I can't get? And Yona… You make sure Flurry doesn't try to go chasing the chickens again.”

Since Silverstream was already up in the area she needed to be in, Yona trotted up closer into view, carrying Flurry atop her back, and gave a proud nod.

“Em-hmm.”

On top of Yona’s back, Flurry brought her plushie up to her chest and squeezed it tightly like it were another unlucky fowl.

“Bawk-bawk!”

Yona turned her head to glare at Flurry, where Flurry returned an equally menacing glare. Then, without warning, Yona reared up slightly and started up into a playful Gallup, forcing Flurry to reach down and hold onto Yona’s shawl.

The two proceeded to run small circles around the trees while Flurry giggled and laughed at the new game, leaving Silverstream to strike up a conversation with Gallus near the apples he couldn't reach.

“You like this apple farming life?”

Gallus eyed another apple before plucking it from the branch and tossing it down.

“It's alright… but Gruff was right. I won't get rich from it. It will take forever for me to buy a house of my own, but it was the first thing I was able to do on my own. My first step towards… I dunno. Being happy and… it's what he would have wanted me to do.”

From down below, Smolder felt compelled to add her two cents.

“He's not gone for good, you know. He’ll wake up sooner or later, and if Luna can hear Ocellus, pretty sure that means that that stubborn old bird is lost somewhere like she is. We just gotta go find her. Once we’re all together again, nothing's gonna stop us from finding him.”

From the edge of the orchard, another young voice called out.

“Hey, guys! Where’d you run off to?! Are you playing hide and seek?!”

Sandbar turned his head toward the voice.

“That sounds like Apple Bloom,” he said before shouting back. “We’re over here!”

Within a minute, all three of the crusaders had found themselves among the group, with Sweetie Belle to announce their arrival.

“Hey, every creature. Applejack said you went to go play in the orchard. Can we play, too?”

Since Smolder was the closest, she opted to answer, as well as lead away from the previous sensitive conversation.

“Nah. We’re not playing. This is more, ah…”

Having picked the portion of the tree clear, Gallus swung low and dropped to the ground.

“We all owe Big Mac, Applejack, and Lumberman for saving us. They're both too busy, so we want to help out by collecting apples for their orders.”

Seeing an opening, Smolder cozied up and nudged her elbow into Gallus’s ribs.

“Plus, we all get a cut of the profits of every bushel we collect for’em.”

Hearing that, Apple Bloome groaned.

“Gah. So unfair. I'm lucky to even get an allowance… Hey? Where’s Water Bug?”

Again, there were topics this group didn't wish to share with others, so Sandbar spoke up to sidetrack the filly's interest.

“Water Bug went off with Becky. Another check-up or something. Where’s Button, Cotton, and Dinky?”

Almost like they were taking turns, Scootaloo answered this question.

“Miss Cheerilee took all three over to her house. It sounds like she’ll be watching them after school lets out from now on, and then their moms will take turns watching them until they go home. Or they stay overnight, but I think Dinky will be staying at Twilight’s castle tonight? …I don't think they know what's going on. They seemed really confused and said they wanted to stay with Chris and the rest of you guys. Didn't Cotton Cloudy stay with you last night?”

Silver stream, having picked the last apple from her tree, hovered down and deposited her basket for Sandbar to sort through.

“Yeah, she did, but that was only because Prim Posy stayed the night, too. Although, Sandbar stays at his own house with his family. I think tomorrow night, Button’s mom will be over, and so will he.” She nudged her dragon friend with her elbow. “Heh, Smolder is gonna have her claws full trying to keep that colt contained.”

Feeling generous and wanting to keep the conversation away from Ocellus, Gallus came up with an idea.

“Hey, Crusaders. How about you help us fill up a few barrels and I treat us out to Sugar Cube Corner?”

Even though the fillies had plenty of bits from helping Shining, they weren't going to turn down free food, and all shouted together, “Okay!”

[Back in the caves of Mount Everhoof.]

Thorax helped pull Spitfire up another ledge but was growing more nervous.

“We need to pick up the pace.”

From below, Rainbow blindly extended her hoof.

“Achoo! …I'm going as fast as I can. Everything is slippery and falling apart under my hooves.”

Again, Spitfire took hold of Rainbow and pulled her up to the next height as more rocks and ice gaveway under Rainbow’s hooves.

“I don’t like the sound of that sneeze, Dash. If that’s not the Snow Shivers, we really do need to pick up the pace.”

Thorax placed his left hoof on Spitfire’s back as soon as Rainbow was on her hooves, cautions as more of the unstable rocks fell away from Rainbow’s forceful jump off crumbling structure below.

“Shh… Black oil… Not a lot, but enough that the cold ponies will probably be nearby. Walk softly, don't talk, don't look up, and never touch the oil.”

Slowly, taking timid, gentle steps, Thorax began to lead Spitfire with Rainbow at her right side down a narrow path. On their left, patches of the black ooze lay in pools of varying sizes. Some small enough only to stand in, others large enough for groups to wallow in. How deep they were, none of them knew, nor did they care to find out.

On the other side, a steep drop-off opened up to a pit where a collection of the glow crystals gave off a pleasant blue glow that reflected off more of the ooze.

Clip clop. Tip tap. Crunch crack.

Each step they took, as carefully as they were, brought about the faintest sounds of their meticulous maneuvers. The good fortune of being pegasus meant Rainbow and Spitfire were naturally lighter, yet Thorax was surprisingly light on his hooves as well. Even for his smaller frame, he should have been heavier.

As they slowly tracked forward, a grinding of crystals stretched and echoed up to them. All three stopped dead in their tracks.

“Nopony move,” Thorax whispered so low it nearly wasn’t heard over the crackling and grinding below.

Loud sniffs were heard down by the glowing crystals. Something large and beastly managed its way below to the dangerous depths where the ooze had pooled together.

Out of instinct, Spitfire’s eyes shifted towards the noises.

Dancing on the walls were only the reflections of shadows of a large pony’s head and mane cast by the light from the crystals. The shape was familiar, yet it was distinctly wrong in its form. The snout was too long, longer than an Arabian's, and the mane seemed to shift and flow like an alicorn’s. Then the noises… they were not pony-like at all.

Grunts and groans that were too deep and bellowing as if they were warnings from forest dwelling predator and squeals that stabbed into the air like cries of a nightmare escaping into the waking world.

Bum bump. Bum bump.

Rainbow was shivering, her coat quaking over her skin as the excited noises grew louder while her heart pounded louder and louder in her chest.

“Move… slow,” Thorax whispered again.

Bum bump. Bum bump.

Had it not been for Spitfire’s tattered wings still held over Rainbow’s back, gently pulling her forward, she likely wouldn't have had the fortitude or enough sense about her to take the first step. Truth be told, she was worse off in this venture than in any before. She had lost her sight, couldn’t run, fight, or hide. She was utterly defenseless and had to rely on Spitfire and this new changeling they hadn't figured out yet.

Now, these new noises were sprouting up around here, echoing their haunting growls and sickly grunts.

She knew she wouldn't be able to protect herself if anything were to come at her. The new guy could bolt at the hint of danger, and Spitfire was injured and not as battle-tested as Thunder Glide or half of her other friends. She needed Cerb or Cadance or… Actually, there wasn’t a long list of candidates that were available or capable to choose from at this point.

Bum bump. Bum bump. Bum bump.

“Ah,” Rainbow quietly huffed inward. “Uh-uh”

Rushing in just in time, Spitfire threw what remained of her left wing up to cover Rainbow’s muzzle.

“Achoo…”

They all stood still. The sneeze was covered but still loud enough that all three knew by the sounds reverberating throughout the caverns that Spitfire’s efforts had not been enough.

“Rrrrrrrrr!”

“Move faster,” Thorax whispered. “Don’t run, and don’t look up. We’re almost out of here.”

Clip clop. Tip tap. Crunch crack.

Their hoof steps moved faster and louder as they continued their approached the end of the land bridge that would take them closer to their exit. It was then that pebbles and tiny chunks of ice began to trickle down from high above the ceiling, and Spitfire reflexively looked up.

Flickers of blue lights blinked and swayed from the giant stalactites that stabbed out from the cave’s ceiling. At first, the lights appeared like sparkles or glints from the ice or perhaps more of those glowing crystals that dotted the caves. But the longer she stared, the more she realized they were staring back at her.

There were no crystals to emit any glow. The area was too dark, save for the soft glow of those tiny orbs of blue narrowing their focus of light.

“I said eyes down,” Thorax grumbled, forcing his hoof down on Spitfire’s muzzle to direct her eyes to the path below her.

A series of angry huffs puffed down with an unnatural chill that blew past them, sinking deeper than any cold wind could blow. It was as if the air breathed down upon them passed through their bodies, skin and bones alike, followed by a threatening rumble of that same ungodly squeal they had heard before.

Slowly and carefully, Thorax pulled back his hoof as he took a step away, his prior anger replaced with fear as he held his face again.

“They don’t like to be looked at,” he whispered. “...or talked to… If we stay much longer, the dark ones might come.”

More grunts, snarls, and those nasty squeals called out from above but seemed less aggravated than before, yet seemed to draw closer, along with an icy chill swirling in overhead. All Spitfire could do was march forward, staring at Thorax’s hooves and the scuffs of tracks they left behind.

Bum bump. Bum bump.

Huff. Huff. Huff.

Over the erratic beating of Spitfire’s heart, heavy breathing with exhales spewing polar chills colder than the eternal winter air of the frozen north they found themselves in were beating down on the back of her neck.

Huff. Huff. Huff.

A long, drawn-in sniff of her main pulled up the fine, freezing hairs. Her mouth dropped to scream, but she held her breath. Instead, she drew her eyes to search as far back as they could see, but again, she was warned.

“Don’t look back,” Thorax whispered, his eyes trained toward the narrow opening of an exit. “We can't outrun them.”

“Hey!” Shouted a female voice Spitfire was unfamiliar with, calling out from not far behind. “This ledge is falling apart! Lift me up!”

In a panic, Spitfire pulled Rainbow in tight next to her, either for comfort or to protect her; she wasn't sure of which, but mostly because she nearly turned to face the voice.

Thankfully, all she did was slightly falter in her step, and only slightly enough to catch herself in time to hear another male’s voice that was also new to her.

“Elytra! Stop panicking! Haltere! Hurry up and grab her before the whole thing collapses!”

Another loud huff puffed out over the back of Spitfire’s neck, this one louder, stronger, and audibly angrier.

Spitfire coiled inward as she pushed Rainbow to the ground and threw herself atop the blinded mare. She shivered with as much fear as she did from the arctic cold frosted over her uniform and shambled wings. Above her, more of the enraged grunts, huffs, and violent squeals erupted in volume as they rapidly descended from the shadows above.

“Somethings coming!’ That new male voice shouted.

“It's those things!” Came the female voice, now clearly frightened.

“Fly, now!” shouted another male’s voice.

“Hide, you idiots!” The first male shouted again.

“Pharynx! I’m slipping!” The female shouted. “PHAR—!”

“I got you!” The first male shouted again.

“WE’RE SLIPPING!” The female shrieked. “DON’T LET GO!”

“HALTERE!” The first male screamed. “WHERE ARE YOU?!”

There were only two screams briefly heard. Then, rapidly, the horrific, monstrous wails from beyond Spitfire’s sight faded behind her. Down further into the depths of which the trio had ascended, the monstrous calls grew quiet.

Snap!

The nearby crackling of ice broke through the air, making Rainbow whimper and Spitfire tighten her hold over her blinded Wonderbolt.

Huff! Huff!

Crunch, crack. Clip. Tip. Tap.

Huff!

Crunch, crack. Clip. Tip. Tap.

The cycle repeated, drawing closer and closer until the angry buffs drew down over Spitfire’s head, streaming down not icy chills but angry steamed breaths.

Bam.

It felt like a block of ice was jabbed into Spitfire’s nose.

“Hey,” Thorax grunted with a scowl. “They're gone.”

Carefully, Spitfire opened one eye to see Thorax staring down at her with discontent. Then, she let her eyes wander down to his front left hoof, covered in a thin layer of ice from slightly below the knee down.

As soon as he was sure Spitfire had taken notice of the icing, he raised his leg and slammed his hoof down, shattering the ice free from his limb.

“Must be nice to have a friend to watch over you.”

Everything had happened so fast Spitfire didn't have a clue what even happened or what they were still dealing with.

“Thorax, I—”

“The exit is just ahead,” he coldly responded. “Pick her up and get her ready to move. I'll make sure it's clear ahead. I doubt we’ll be followed any time soon.”

Not to leave any room for conversation, Thorax turned and trotted off.

It took Spitfire and Rainbow a moment to collect themselves enough to stand up, but when they finally were able hold themselves upright and slow their pulse rates, Rainbow asked, “What happened?”

Thinking they were in the clear, Spitfire looked around the empty cavern they were in. The ceiling was absent of the glowing blue eyes. No shadows danced over any walls. As for what or whoever had snuck up behind her, they were gone as well.

“I have no idea. I saw a shadow of one of those cold ponies Thorax was talking about. Maybe a bunch of them. I think they're some kind of massive pegasi. They might be causing the cold weather, even.”

As Spitfire tried to reason out what could be the most logical, if not a logical explanation, her eyes wandered further ahead. Much further ahead, perhaps a good thirty yards in front of her, a newly formed and fractured mound of ice was spotted. The broken piece on top was just large enough for a pony's leg to fit inside, if she had to guess.

Spitfire was shocked, but such a revelation would have to wait over what likely motivated that stallion’s actions.

“Dash, we need to move. Who’s ever after Thorax, I don’t think we can save them… Not anymore.”

Spitfire marched with Rainbow through the narrow passage and made a sharp turn in the direction where she last saw Thorax lead off. It wasn’t a long path she had to travel, but the narrow and winding path leading to an opening with two slender pillars of opaque ice on either side she had to pass by.

“Hey, Thorax? You didn't leave without us, did ya? I know things got a little scary back there, but—”

“Thorax?” Asked a new red-coated unicorn stallion standing around with six other ponies surrounding Thorax. “I thought you said your name was Blue Vase?”

Thorax turned to face Spitfire and Rainbow, an expression of warning in his eyes.

A tan pegasus mare with an all-pink mane and tail fluttered over Thorax, dropping down between him and the pair of Wonderbolts to size them up. She gave a cocky grin after a second or two of looking them over before turning away to flash them a brief glance of her cutie mark of an open bear trap.

“Hey, Thorax. I thought you said you were alone in here. You know these ponies?”

Ashamedly, Thorax lowered his head and spoke timidly.

“They’re… my friends.”

Together, the seven new ponies erupted in laughter. Some threw their heads back, and others lurched forward, gawking wide-eyed; the others doubled over. All of them openly mocked Thorax as their source of humiliation, and now Spitfire knew that he was among familiar company and started to back away with Rainbow close at her side under her mangled wing.

Two flashes of green light spun up behind her, along with a familiar sound she had heard once in the caves below.

She spun her head in time to see a black hoof flying in towards her line of sight.

Crack!

The punch came seemingly from out of nowhere but hadn’t taken her out. She landed with a thud on the frozen dirt and snow next to Rainbow, and a hoof pressed firmly into the back of her neck. She quickly looked back to see the two pillars of ice had been replaced with changelings.

One stood over her, staring down, grinning, his fangs bared, holding her down, one hoof on her back and the other down on her snout. There was another changeling to her right, shaking his hoof while holding an expression that he also felt the hit he just delivered.

“Oh, she’s a tough one.”

Next to Spitfire, Rainbow had scrambled her hooves over the icy dirt, never finding her footing enough to stand well properly without the support of the wall of ice she found herself pressed against. Not that it mattered; she was already surrounded.

“Spits! What’s happening?! Where are you?!”

As more of the new ponies approached Rainbow, ready to pounce, Thorax tried to take a step forward but was stopped by the red unicorn putting a foreleg around his neck, though that did not stop him from voicing his concern.

“Stop! They’re already hurt! Rainbow Dash can’t even see!”

The red unicorn’s laughing smile turned even wider, pulling Thorax closer into what looked to be a hug.

“Rainbow Dash?!” The unicorn asked aloud with amusement, though the question was more of a statement of shock directed toward Thorax. “Look at you! You stuck it to Pharynx, took down an Element of Harmony, a Wonderbolt, and made it all the way to the exit all on your own? Buddy… Were we ever wrong about you.”

Shocked, Thorax turned to this new stallion with a lowered guard.

“Buddy?”

The red stallion laughed a little but suddenly sighed as he turned his head around behind him, where he frowned.

“Yeah. Sure… And, well… You almost made it to an exit.”

Thorax turned his attention to where the exit should have been. Instead, a clean sheet of ice had been frozen over the threshold.

“Yeah, our Queen really wanted to know why you up and ran off. But when she heard your brother was the big softy and you were the one taking charge and doing damage, she really wanted to welcome you back. And now that you brought us these two!”

Making a quick turn, the red unicorn was covered in a blur of green light that swirled from his hooves to his horn. After the light faded, his dark changeling form stood next to Thorax and pulled up a bag, reached in, and pulled out a familiar-looking scarab device.

“Urtica! Let's set these up! Our Queen will want to know how more productive Thorax has been than his incompetent brother. Maybe she'll even let us feed before returning to the hive. We're gonna be here for a while, after all.”

There had been enough threats and boasting made, and none of them were any that Rainbow could take any longer.

“Spits!” A sudden cough interrupted her angry shout. “Point me in the right direction! Come on, Thorax! We made it this far! We can-GAH!”

The pegasus with the bear trap cutie mark had no trouble kicking a rear leg back into Rainbow’s gut, making the blind mare crumple off the wall into a heap on the ground.

“Pipe down! Changelings don't do friends!” She smirked and started to trot toward the changeling of focus. “We are the swarm. Friends are beneath us. And a changeling like Thorax…”

From another bag left lying on the ground, the pegasus mare pulled out another scarab device and set it on the ground next to three others in a square formation. A green light began to glow from the first device, which shot to the next and continued to spread until the circuit had closed and all four were drawing together.

A swirling mass of dark green magic formed faster and larger than the devices closing their distance. It was only a matter of seconds, mere moments of terror, where Spitfire had to watch and wait to discover what fate would await her.

Before she could have imagined the device's purpose, a flash shined out from the orb of dark green light and in the center projected the face of the twisted queen herself, surrounded by a shroud of dark aura.

“Arista! This better be important!” Chrysalis shouted through the orb.

The changeling, who once disguised himself as a red unicorn, bowed boastfully to his queen.

“Your most wickedness. We have located Thorax without any trouble, and he has even came bearing gifts.”

Arista stepped to the side of the viewing orb, revealing the dull, shameful-looking Earth pony that was Thorax in disguise, Spitfire still pinned to the ground behind him, and Rainbow coughing and wheezing not too far away.

Immediately, her eyes shot open with surprise.

“Rainbow Dash and a Wonderbolt! What are they doing here?!” Her eyes fell back on Thorax, turning from shock to disgust. “And take off that disguise. I can't take you seriously when you look like that.”

Hesitant to comply but not seeing any other option, Thorax released the hold of his transformation, bringing another shock to Chrysalis when his injuries came into view.

“Thorax! What happened to your face?! Look at you! Did Pharynx do this to you?”

“No,” Thorax angrily replied, bringing a hoof to his cheek and looking away in shame. “I'm so sick of running and hiding. I wanted to get away from everything. I thought I wanted a friend. Just one. But every creature out here is cruel and just causes me more problems. I'm so hungry, and everything they do causes me more pain. I don’t know what I’m doing…”

All the changelings were taken in by the sight of the condition of Thorax and just as drawn in by his confession. It wasn’t unheard of for a changeling to be injured from one conflict not going their way, the Canterlot debacle, for example, but this stood out as an extreme. It was enough none of them could find it within them to mock him for the tears he started to shed as he continued to confide his troubles.

“Pharynx wouldn’t listen to me. First, he let me leave the hive and told me not to come back. Then he finds me hiding out here and says that he knows what’s best for me.”

[Hours earlier in the lower outer caves.]

An old, worn saddle bag hit the frozen dirt.

“Thorax,” Pharynx spoke the name to a small boulder lying suspiciously in the center of the corridor of the cave. “I know that’s you. Stop hiding.”

Green lights swirled around the boulder, revealing Thorax facing away from his brother, sulking, battered, and in no mood to converse.

“Are the others with you still out there? There are other places I can hide.”

Pharynx didn’t care for the pity party his brother was putting on. His concerns were more urgently focused on the injuries he could plainly see on his brother’s body.

“You’re hurt. When have you last fed? For hive’s sake, I never should have let you go. You can’t do anything on your own. You need to come back to the hive. If you come back willingly, Queen Chrysalis will be lenient on you. We need more changelings to help with repairs to the hive. After you left, we were attacked by a wave of black ooze. I’ve seen it around here, too.”

Neither had to look very far as Pharynx pointed a hoof off to a corner of the mouth of the cave where another opening leading deeper in had filled in and failed to drain itself of the wretched ooze.

“For hive’s sake, you’ve been hiding right next to it. You don’t know how dangerous that stuff is. It nearly—”

Thorax spun around in a violent display, revealing the full extent of the damage done to his face. More than the eroded fin that ran down the back of his head or the missing right ear, cracks and shattered carapace had revealed the sensitive tissue underneath, and Thorax was just as sore with his response.

“I know exactly how dangerous it is!”

The strong front had aggravated his injury, and he winced in pain, but it also startled Pharynx enough to force him to step back. Nevertheless, Thorax quickly found his upright posture and confronted his brother again.

“Whatever that ooze is, it came here. Out of the sky! Out of the ground! It chased me, and then it stopped. Then the cold ponies came—”

“Cold ponies?” Pharynx asked abruptly, only to be talked over by Thorax again.

“They didn’t say anything. I thought they came to help. Maybe they needed help. I tried to talk to them. Tried to look like them. But they saw right through me. They didn’t like me getting close to them. I couldn't even be near them. But they kept gathering around all the best hiding spots deep in the mountain. Deep where most of the black gunk would gather. Down where it wasn’t so cold. I was shivering all night alone.”

For a moment, the pain started to subside, and Thorax stood relieved.

“I was starving. But even worse, I was freezing. The night was cold, but down there, I could shield myself from the wind… and there they were again… gathered around that black stuff… just staring at it. Gawking at it. Admiring it.”

Slowly, Thorax turned his gaze to Pharynx. A smile started to form as he spoke again.

“If you can stare at it long enough, you can almost feel the despair and hopelessness trapped buried within its depths.”

This new behavior was so unlike Thorax. The new passionate, albeit, vibrant deep seated anger in Thorax left Pharynx feeling worried for his brother.

“You need to come back.”

Unphased by the conjecture by Pharynx, Thorax continued.

“But within the hopelessness… is anger. I felt it, not at first. I wanted to calm those cold ponies hovering around the black. See if they would share their love, and first, they ignored me. I got so frustrated… Then they attacked me. All I did was yell at them a little, and they attacked with their cold hearts, their cold eyes, and their cold breath.”

Thorax started to pace around in a circle; pacing impatiently into the more open section of the cave. Pharynx thought for a moment that Thorax was about to run, but his brother continued to pace… as if he were still trying to unravel some unsolved riddle racking his mind.

“They were so cold,” Thorax finally went on to say. “So cold to me. I tried to run, but they were faster. They hurt me… It wasn't like at Canterlot… I couldn't hide… I couldn't pretend… I was scared…. Angry… So I caused a cave-in… Just one shot into the ceiling brought it all down.”

He abruptly stopped his pacing so he could turn to his brother to show a fearsome glare.

“But one still came after me. Its face was covered in that black oil. Crushing it. Breaking it apart. Splitting its face in half. Screaming and crying out. Spitting all the disgusting oil that… that… did this to me! That’s when I felt it! All that anger! They were trying to save me. I deserve this! I made him lose his ear! I made him lose his eye! He’s probably still buried down there—”

Pharynx rushed to his brother and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Come back! I know what's best for you!”

Before another word could be shouted, another voice came from the entrance.

“I knew it!” Gaster snarled.

Both brothers turned to see three changelings standing at the entrance of the cave with three more saddle bags dropped to the ground.

Caught off guard, Pharynx pushed himself away from Thorax.

“What are you all doing here? I said to scout ahead.”

The four changelings marched their way inside. All of them circled around Thorax, but Gaster continued her verbal assault.

“I knew you were making us avoid this area. Still protecting your weak little brother.”

Haltere proudly marched behind the pair, leering through his helmet at Thorax and the injuries suffered.

“That’s got to be some kind’a trick. Not even a soldier fresh out of their grub shell fighting a maulwurf came back looking that beaten up.”

“Shut up,” Thorax groaned under his breath. “Just leave me alone.”

Elytra made her way around the far side of Thorax and took a better look at the back of his head, taking in the full sight of his damaged fin that had eroded into his neck.

“Forget being fresh out of his shell. I can practically see into it.”

Gaster stood strong blocking the entrance, not taking any pity on the runaway changeling.

“Enough with the chit-chat. If Thorax wants to play with the black stuff that attacked our hive, he should go back to work on clearing out all the oily gunk that flooded in below her Royal Chamber. Maybe if he works hard enough, he can fight for a share of the rations the grubs are allowed to feed on. That is, if Thorax isn't too busy hitting himself. Right, Pharynx?”

Thorax narrowed his eyes on Gaster, his anger surpassing any pain he may have been feeling at the moment.

“I never hit myself, and you're not taking me back. I can't stand feeding on helpless creatures like that anymore.”

Gaster lit up her horn as she stepped closer to further entice Thorax.

“It doesn't matter who's hitting you, and you're going back. But if you're tired of feeding on helpless creatures—”

[Back in the cave with Thorax.]

Chrysalis kept her eyes bearing down on Thorax, uncertain if she was more impressed with his capabilities or infuriated over his rebellion.

“Gaster was far from helpless. There was a reason I made her an infiltrator long ago, yet you fed on her after she challenged you… Normally, such behavior would have earned even one of equal standing as hers to be punished, but you earned that meal if she was foolish enough to wager it. You were even more entitled to it if you had to fight your brother and the other two imbeciles to reach it.”

Given how he was no longer under the immediate fear of being torn down or belittled but instead was given some form of praise, Thorax tilted his eyes up to his queen.

“They started it.”

[Back in the flashback.]

“—I’m not so helpless,” Gaster mockingly hissed. “Now bug up, we’re going home.”

“Bug up?” Thorax coldly, slowly asked as a flash of green wiped over his eyes. “Why didn't I think of that?”

Large flares of blue lights rose up around Thorax, alerting Pharynx to a reaction he never would have anticipated.

“Thorax, no!”

From the blue flash of Thorax’s transforming lights, a large, dark-blue insectoid limb swung out, catching Haltere the most by surprise.

“Did he jus—”

Crack!

Before any could have realized it, Elytra, Haltere, and Pharynx were all slapped away into the icy wall behind them. Haltere crashed into a portion of the icy wall, helmet first. Instead of merely chipping away chunks, his head entered a dark cavern with only enough light piercing through from where he entered to see a large fracture spiraling up into the ceiling.

More icy debris fell as the unstable ceiling eased into the compromised wall, all due to the behemoth of an insect that stood before them, pining Gaster to the ground.

“What are you doing?!” Pharynx shouted to the several rotating blurs of his brother. “You’ll bring the whole place down on us!”

Elytra lay wedged between a slate of ice and the floor.

“Pharynx! Stop him! I'm stuck!”

Blue and white lights flickered around Thorax as he loomed over Gaster. Portions of the back of his neck that had transformed flashed in and out to show his true self underneath, showing the difficulty he was experiencing.

From Gaster’s perspective, she could clearly see the right side of his face peeping in and out behind the flickering of lights from his filtering transformation. Not that his alternate form wasn't without its strengths, as his massive forelimb had pinned her on either side of her neck.

Even still, who was she not to talk some smack?

“That’s your bug up moment? What are you, a grub? You can't even hold it right! You should have stayed a rock!”

Whether it was a lapse of focus because of Gaster’s insults, draining hunger, the additional stress of pain, some fault over his carapace from the injuries, perhaps a reaction due to the ooze, or any combination of these issues, the transformation Thorax had taken fell.

“Ha!” Gaster shouted as Thorax dropped out from the height of his altered form back down to normal size in front of her, and she began to pool magic into her horn. “If you're gonna fight like a bug, fight like a real change—”

Crack! Swip! Crunch!

Before Gaster had fully sat up, two hooves had smashed into her chest, lifted her up, and carried her into the solid ice vertical barrier of the cave's entrance. The last thing she felt after the resiliency of her back shell being tested was something in her chest pop.

“Guh!” She painfully grunted, leaving her mouth agape, now staring eye to eye with the split open face of Thorax, also with his mouth open, fangs bore wide to the glowing pink aura drawing in between them.

Thorax narrowed his eyes, the hue of a soft glow from his eyes darkening into empty depths. Only the initial glow from his horn gave any warning, but he spoke no words of insult or comfort. He was too focused on feeding his hunger.

Gaster felt her torso tighten from within. Then, like having been forced to exhale every ounce of air she held in her lungs at once as well as vomit at the same time, an immense feeling of exhaustion overtook her as Thorax swallowed.

Her muscles forced air back into her lungs with an audible gasp, followed by another pop.

“Stop it!” Gaster screamed, trying desperately to force magic back into her horn. “I was joking, you freak! You're not supposed to drain another—”

Another siphoning of emotions stole her breath as well her voice, drifting away in the pink aura, along with a thin trail of violet.. More than that, Thorax felt something new he was drinking in. It was rich and hot. Not warm and hearty like the love he was familiar with. This new flavor was bolder yet equally as potent.

“Thorax!” Gaster shrieked.

That new flavor was gone, but the love she had fed on previously was still there. There wasn't much left, but he was starving.

“Thor—” Gaster’s plea ended as an airy choke in her throat that was swallowed in by Thorax.

For Thorax, it had been too long since he last fed, but this wasn't the same meal as his last.

At least not the way he viewed it as he fed, drinking in the the thinning pink aura that was darkening with trails of deep violet he thought to be reserves of love.

“Look at you now, Gaster. You should have been nice to me. I tried to warn you. Now that last meal of yours is mine… and—” Suddenly, the meal started to taste unfamiliar and was as if a new well had been struck for him to pull from. “—did you feed again on the way here?”

Gaster, still stuck between an icy wall and a hungry maw, struggled to keep the flow of magic channeling into her horn. She was growing dizzyingly weak, so weak it scared her when she tried to raise her foreleg to fight off her attacker.

“Stah—” her voice cut shirt again as her hoof pathetically pawed at his muzzle before dropping to her side. “Thu… rax… stop.”

The glow in her blue eyes began to dim in sync with her lids failing to stay open. The magic in her horn had finally reached its minimal charge needed to effectively fire off, yet she was losing sight of her target, despite him staring her in the face.

What she felt now was worse than hunger. It wasn't starvation, she was all but vacant inside. She had nothing left but a whisper.

“...you’re taking too… much.”

With one final gulp, Thorax watched Gaster’s eyes close, and the spell she had meant to cast upon him discharged into the ceiling instead.

“Let her go!” Pharynx shouted for the side.

Thorax turned to face his brother’s voice and finally pulled out of his blind-feeding haze.

“What?”

The connection broke, returning a faint wisp of the aura back to Gaster along with a shallow breath just as Pharynx forced himself between his brother and the limp changeling. With one quick yank, he pulled Gaster free and held her firmly against his chest, where she slumped in his protective hold.

“What are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!”

Above them, more cracks spiraled out throughout the ceiling, releasing shards of ice and dusting of ice alike. The stability of the corridor they were standing in was failing.

Behind them, another fracture split the wedge of ice Elytra had been trapped under, and she rushed to her hooves, pulling Haltere up with her.

“Move it, slow poke!”

As she got Haltere to his hooves and saw he finally had his helmet on straight, she stepped ahead of him and tossed him forward, making him slide in behind Thorax.

“Don’t let him escape!”

Again, Thorax was surrounded now that Elytra had slid into place behind him to form a tighter triangle to cover his blind spots.

Pharynx, still staring down Thorax, tried to shake Gaster awake while scolding his brother, even as more ice and rock snapped and fell around them.

“The hunger has gotten to you, but you got your fill! Now, either you fly back with us, or we’re carrying you back!”

Under the crumbling stone and ice, all were at a standstill. Haltere and Elytra had barely recovered, and Pharynx was no better off compromised by holding Gaster up. Even Thorax seemed at a loss either over what he had done or the position he had placed himself in. Then, faintly, a whisper hushed between the crackling ice and shuttering dust.

“For… the… hive, ” Gaster struggled to say as she reached out her hoof toward Thorax, only to completely fall limp in Pharynx’s forelegs. “Traitor.”

Another snap, louder than the others, erupted overhead, heralding a mass of ice from the mouth of the cave, larger than any two of the changelings put together separating from the entrance.

Without even thinking, Pharynx turned and threw Gaster further into the corridor, then reared up to buck Thorax in the chest.

“Look out!”

The boulder of ice came free and crashed down, narrowly missing Thorax, who was bucked back into Haltere and Elytra, slamming all three into the wall of the entrance.

Another loud snap thundered as the ceiling of the entrance began to fall apart and fill the rapidly accelerating cave-in.

Elytra held squeezed tight around the only foreleg she could get a grip around in the moment of blindness after knocking her head against the wall.

“Stop struggling! You’re not going anywhere!”

Haltere had nothing but snow and dust in his eyes from the falling debris and fought just as blindly against the captive pulling away from his hold.

“Hold still, ya little twerp!”

Thorax looked up, seeing Elytra wrenching down on Haltere’s left foreleg while he was wrestling against her, pulling against each other while everything was collapsing around them.

In a moment of desperation, Thorax opened his wings and raced through the remaining narrow gap between rocks and ice to freedom.

Behind him, the rumbling of the mountain's interior quickly grew quiet, but he didn’t turn back. He wasn’t going back. He needed to run, another place to hide, but first, he would need to rest, and there was one safe place he could sneak off to while he cleared his mind.

Though, as he entered the open sky and neared the peak, he had to ask himself, “What have I done?”

[Back in the cave with Thorax.]

The small cave entrance was silent after Thorax finished his story. Everyone was waiting for the next portion to drop or some reaction. Maybe some admission of guilt or perhaps for Chrysalis to lash out over the projection.

Instead, it was Spitfire who broke the silence.

“Holy shit, Thorax. Do you go through life stabbing every creature in the back and trying to get them killed? Is that why you ditched us back there and tried to run away? I mean, thanks for not causing a cave-in on your way out, being how that’s your M.O., apparently. Not that it would have been easy with your hoof getting frozen to the ground. Cold ponies, I take it?”

Instantly infuriated, Thorax turned back and marched over to Spitfire, quickly getting caught by two of his fellow changelings, but they couldn’t restrain him enough to stop his shouting.

“You were terrible friends! Had you done what I said and not slowed me down, we could have been long gone! But you had to keep taking breaks. Always doubting me. Asking me all those questions when I was only trying to get us farther away from my brother!”

“Who you left for dead!” Rainbow snapped, making her cough as she struggled to sit upright and sniff her nose clear. “I can’t believe I still trusted you after I knew you were a changeling. Was your plan to kill us the whole time or just turn us over to your bitch of a mother?”

“SILENCE!” Chrysalis shouted over the projection with a scowl. “I will not be insulted with such… What word is that? Have you ponies thought up an even more soft-brained vocabulary to speak with? Am I even supposed to feel insulted by that?”

From the narrow tunnel behind, another voice called out.

“Stop right there!”

In a rush, Changelings scurried from all sides, picking up Spitfire and Rainbow, securing their limbs, and brandishing them out in front with chokeholds.

“Let me go!” Rainbow demanded, squirming and fidgeting to no avail.

A small stampede of hooves trampled down the narrow tunnel, revealing Pharynx with Gaster still slung over his back and Elytra posting up at his side, though she showed favor to her injured leg.

“There’s nowhere left to run, Thorax,” Pharynx huffed, steam puffing out with every angry breath.

Again, the small enclosure erupted with laughter from the new batch of changelings, though Thorax was not among those amused.

Through the projection, Chrysalis was at least surprised.

“Well, well, well. The prodigal failure returns. Empty hoofed, yet again, no less. Only now, you seem to have misplaced the scout you were entrusted with. Had I ever expected to see you again, you would not have failed to impress me with all the miraculous new ways you can disappoint me. Elytra… You look terrible.”

Taking that comment as an opening, Elytra stepped forward to speak.

“My Queen. Thank you for noticing. We come with terrible news about the black substance that attacked the hive. Not only did it attack the other kingdoms, strange new creatures, cold ponies, can arise from their depths and attack the hive! You are in danger!”

“What?!” Thorax shouted in confusion. “The cold ponies didn’t come from that gunk! They came from the sky.”

“What?” Pharynx asked back in greater confusion. “But you said—”

“No,” Thorax groaned as he held his head.”The cold ponies gathered around that oily stuff. I went out looking for frie… something to feed on the day after the black stuff arrived. That’s when they showed up. I spent the whole day trying to talk to them. That’s when the storm hit. Really strong winds, and the air got even colder than normal, so I had to go inside and… I’m pretty sure they didn’t survive that gunk getting on them.”

“Who or what the fuck are the goddamn cold ponies!” Rainbow shouted. “And, of course, you killed them! That stuff was sent here to kill every living thing on the planet, you dumb shit! I wish whatever that cold pony was would ‘uh spat more of that darkness on you, and it crushed your whole fucking head!”

Chrysalis turned her attention to Rainbow, angered over the outburst.

“Arista! Silence Rainbow Dash! And not that I’m against the addition, but why the blindfold?”

Arista proudly strode over to Rainbow and playfully tugged off the blindfold from her head to her muzzle and tightened the knot. He smugly watched her struggle to open her eyes, though she didn't seem to be able to meet his gaze, which was good enough for him.

“Not entirely sure, my Queen. Thorax brought her to us like this. Said she was blind. Same with her wings already being torn up, just like the Wonderbolt over there.”

With the conversation having been disrupted, Pharynx stepped up to restate his position and earn his way back into good graces.

“My Queen, Thorax is mistaken. Haltere can confirm that these dark wingless flying pony-like creatures do come from the same oil that attacked the hive.”

“The dark ones?” Thorax replied, now with some doubt. “Oh… those ones did show up later.”

Now, with some questionable doubt in the air and too much information given without clarity, Chrysalis grew frustrated all over again.

“All of you! Cease your jabbering! None of you are making any sense! What are these cold ponies?! And what heedance should I give any of your warnings? You have no credibility. Haltere isn’t even here to confirm your claim. Elytra, did you witness any of this?”

Nervously, Elytra eyed each other changeling facing her, then Pharynx standing at her side before facing her queen again.

“Nuh… no, my queen. But I believe Haltere was telling the truth when—”

“I don't care to hear your stories!” Chrysalis shouted. “That fool Haltere wears a helmet for a reason. I’m astonished he was ever capable enough to scout, but I am unsurprised his intelligence failed to grow beyond that much competence. I wouldn’t trust a word he said had he been here to say so, let alone a second-hoof account of his stories.”

Pharynx, now desperate to save himself and his team, tried again to plead his case.

“My Queen, you must listen! We have fought these creatures! They are formidable, but we know they can be beaten! If you would let us return—”

“Return!” Chrysalis countered sharply. “You have done nothing to earn back my trust or favor.”

Desperate, Pharynx raised a hoof and pointed to his brother.

“But, Thorax? We have him now.”

Arista took position alongside Thorax, draping a foreleg over his back, looking very buddy-buddy again.

“Nnnnnno. We have Thorax, and once this storm clears up, he wants to go back with us. The greatest infiltrator of all time.” He gave Thorax another friendly squeeze, though it looked sleazy at the same time. “Deceived the Element of Loyalty and even a star Wonderbolt after they knew he was a changeling.”

Urtica mushed Spitfire’s face to the side, leaving the mare in confident hooves of two other changelings so she could stand by Thorax’s free vacant side.

“We thought this whole time Thorax was weak, but it looks like you've been holding him back. I mean, tell us Thorax. What were you gonna do with these two mares?”

Now that he wasn't being hounded, and appeared to be welcomed, Thorax felt free to answer.

“I was going to have them take me into the Crystal Empire… I was going to feed when I got there.”

From the projection, Chrysalis began to smile deviously.

“My word. Thorax? Clearly, leaving you as a mere drone under the hoof of your brother has wasted your potential. You have made me most proud. Perhaps all that foolish talk of wanting a friend was actually your true calling for discovering the true art of deception all along.”

“Deception?” Thorax asked, turning to face the projection of his mother. “But I—”

“Thorax,” Chrysalis interjected. “We are changelings. We don't do friendship or love. We feed on the weak who rely on such pathetic cudgels because that is how we survive. Did you survive fighting those… cold ponies with friendship?”

It took Thorax a moment to think about what Chrysalis was saying, but the answer was obvious.

“No… Trying to be their friend nearly cost me my life.”

That was the answer Chrysalis wanted to hear, and so she continued her manipulation.

“And what about your brother? Let's be honest. He was soft on you… As mean as he wants to act, he never stopped treating you like a helpless grub. Did his friendly approach help him, or did it give you the opening you needed to take what you needed to survive?”

In a moment of what felt like Thorax having his identity shattered and reformed, his eyes went wide, and his mouth dropped open.

“Ah… I… But… I didn't—”

Chrysalis leered closer into the projection, grinning and sneering for all to see.

“Look at yourself. Changelings like you disgust ponies like them. It was instinct that made you deceive them by looking like a helpless pony to win them over. And look at them! Blind! Flightless! Tired! Beaten! Lost! They deceived you after knowing what you were just so they could find a way out!” She turned her hateful eyes to Spitfire. “When friendship fails, treachery wins. We are born into it and die without it!”

Not willing to take this all standing idly by, Pharynx took a brave step forward.

“But what I did was different! I saved Gaster from Thorax! Thorax! I saved you from the cave-in! Had we not stuck together, the cold ponies—”

“Your weakness has cost you everything!” Chrysalis snapped. “Had you let Thorax do his job as he was supposed to instead of coddling him, he would have matured normally. Had you not let him escape, he never would have needed to be returned! Had you forced him back as I ordered, Gaster wouldn't have been rendered useless and the rest of your team forsaken along with you! Instead, you acted soft and compassionate! Just like our enemies! It's every changeling for themselves unless I say otherwise!”

Awestruck and left feeling betrayed, Pharynx was at a loss.

“But, my Queen. I did this all for the hive. We… We are the hive. We are all the hive has, and all the hive has is us.”

Hearing the conviction in those words, Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. She was angry in a such manner that was different than before, which left all in attendance uneasy.

“Thorax, step aside. Pharynx, remove Gaster from your back. Approach me and kneel.”

With haste, Pharynx removed the adhesive that bound Gaster around his neck, slid her off his back, and delivered her into Elytra’s forelegs to care for so he could rush to kneel before his queen.

“Yes, your most wickedness. I come as you order. What would you ask of me?”

Stewing in her anger, Chrysalis stared down at her devoted sentry.

“Bow your head. Show me the respect I deserve.”

“Yes, my queen,” Pharynx answered, his voice quivering in a mix of joy, fear, and anticipation, laying his horn to the dirt.

“All we have is the hive?” Chrysalis coldly asked.

“Ye-ye-yes, my Queen,” Pharynx answered again.

Slowly, Chrysalis nodded, mulling over his answer before moving on.

“And… all the hive has… is… us? Is that what you said?”

Now starting to shake, Pharynx had more trouble controlling his voice.

“Th’d… That-that’s, yes. That’s what I said. It’s my motto, my queen.”

Chrysalis nodded again, seeming to run some thoughts through her mind as she eyed the room over.

“Hmm, I see. It is very well-spoken. I could see how it would motivate you to put your team ahead of your duties and carry Gaster with you. However, that… that first part you said. Could you repeat it for me? And do stand up. It’s awfully difficult to understand your groveling from down there.”

Without hesitation, Pharynx rose to attention and stood proudly to meet his queen's demands.

“My queen… We are… the hive.”

Through the projection, Chrysalis grinned madly, having seen the confidence return to her sentry with his delivery.

“Ah! Yes! So I did hear you correctly the first time.” She turned to the largest changeling standing nearby. “Bulky. Promptly strike Pharynx in the face as hard as you can.”

“What?”

Crack!

From the back of the cave, Elytra watched helplessly as Pharynx was blindsided by arguably the largest changeling of the swarm from one front hoof to her team leader’s jaw. Not simply hit to be hurt, but layed out completely, knocked off his hooves and skidding in the icy dirt far from where he was standing prior.

“Pharynx!”

No longer needing to hide any illusions of good intentions, Chrysalis turned to another changeling to bark another order.

“Urtica! Bring me Elytra! Now!”

Elytra was frozen, petrified at what she saw and even more terrified at the thought of what was going to happen to her.

“No! Please! I didn’t do anything! I tried to stop Thorax! I was following your orders!”

Without mercy or compassion, Urtica flew over and grabbed Elytra by the front left foreleg.

“You heard our queen. Move!”

Elytra dug her rear hooves into the icy ground and clung tightly to Gaster.

“Please! My queen! Have mercy!”

On the sidelines, Spitfire was mortified but speechless, watching this changeling being dragged over like a prisoner with her unconscious companion. The level of cruelty seemed unreal.

Thud!

Both were dropped in front of Chrysalis to face their judgment.

“Look at you,” Chrysalis snarled. “Clinging to Gaster for protection. Or are you still protecting her?”

Too afraid to look up, Elytra remained hunkered over Gaster’s body, shivering.

“She’s… dedicated to the hive… to you. And we fought so hard to bring her back. She deserves a second chance.”

“NO MORE SECOND CHANCES!” Chrysalis screamed as her reply. “Not for you! Not for any of you! I have come too far to leave any risk of your incompetence ruining the operations in play.”

Slowly, Pharynx started to rise up from the ground, only to be picked up by Bulky and dropped unceremoniously next to his beaten comrades, which was where Chrysalis wanted all of them to be for this conclusion.

“My mind has become much clearer over these passing days. I have been too lenient, too kind, and ignoring my inner instincts for conquest. I was going to leave you to starve in this wasteland, but you managed to escape. Banishment would have been fitting for your failure in any other case, but this weakness you now all cling to is a disgrace to the changeling ways that I cannot ignore… However, there is one punishment I can think of that will atone for your transgressions and prove your true allegiance to me; not this foolish notion that you are the hive.”

Both Pharynx and Elytra looked up to Chrysalis, hoping to find their salvation, but bowed their heads upon seeing the vitriol in her glare.

“You claim creatures spawn from the dark mass of oil, metal, and jagged crystals that attacked the hive. The hive of which we dwell within, not your ideological wishful thinking of togetherness; disgusting friendship masquerading as devotion to my cause… Prove to me a creature can survive crawling through such vial dark magic ooze, and you may return.”

If this was the only means to return, Pharynx would take responsibility.

“Yes, my Queen. They are located much further below us. It will be dangerous, but I will not fail in venturing down again if that is—”

“No-no-no,” Chrysalis playfully interjected with a loving smile. “You three will be the ones going in and coming out to prove it’s possible for a creature to survive.”

Author's Note

Okay, so this chapter took longer to come out than I had originally intended. One, in part because of my ER visit and recovery. Then, I went a little overboard on the images to help support this chapter.

As for the chapter itself... Well... Things are looking rough for the kids, that's for sure, and Shining sure took a hit that he'll be feeling for a while. At the same time, it's good to see how well the young six are able to get along and support each other.

Becky may have some issues to deal with, however.

As for Thorax, Spitfire, and Rainbow... They got nothing but trouble in every direction. And for those who are wondering what's going to happen with Pharynx and his crew, or even what happened after the cold ponies went after them since they lost Haltere, you'll have to come back and read:

Chapter 12.
13. When Friendship Fails...

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7

Bonus!
Alt version of Yona by herself:

13. When Friendship Fails...

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 30th Day of Love, Outside the Castle of the Two Sisters.]

It had been a while since Ocellus had run off into the forest, leaving Becky with Luna passed out in her lap and Zecora eventually ditching most of the rhyming.

“So… sex… with a pony…” Zecora struggled to ask.

“Totally illegal where I come from,” Becky answered again. “And it has nothing to do with the lack of having a kid together. It's the whole view of it being abuse because they can't consent-thing. They're only animals in our world. Not even like the animals of this world, from what I've seen from the show I told you about. Even the birds and other critters Fluttershy can talk to have minds at least similar to ours. They have wants, needs, concerns, and… I'm guessing the full range of cognitive thought. Those on our world don't. That's why we had such a hard time at first.”

Zecora tried again to process what she was told. All the complexities of physical contact and wealth of details compared to what little Fluttershy had briefly told her before meshing together into a more complete theory, though still lacking.

“And these feelings of bliss… There is still something I fear I miss.”

Becky hung her head and sulked, having her fill of the rhyming scheme returning.

“Zecora, please…”

“Sorry,” Zecora chided. “I know it can be a bit much to take. It’s an even harder habit for me to… stop myself from doing. But there is much we both wish to learn from each other. It is clear to me that you must be right. These new… understandings and sensations in our bodies, even the blood-related injuries, they must have some connection to you and your friends.”

The whole conversation was mostly a repeat of old topics and theories for Becky, so she was still mentally spinning her wheels.

“Yeah… It has to be a mix of hormones and physical contact. Maybe fluid contact and exchanges are required for stronger effects to take hold and last, but there’s no getting past the physical reactions.”

As a means to prove a point they both knew to be true, Becky reached out, pulled Zecora’s head into her side, and began to stroke her cheek. Perhaps Becky needed the comfort as well to help her destress.

Either way, Zecora melted under Becky’s touch and hummed happily with the human fingers strumming down the underside of her jaw.

“Mmm… I may be a mare, as I’m sure you can tell. But your fingers stroking up and down do pleasure me as—”

“Gawd damn it, Zecora,” Becky said through a muted laugh. “Don’t go and take what I taught you and turn it into a dirty joke like that. But come on. You said you might have a potion capable of healing us? What’s that all about? Isn’t that what started the topic of us opening up more capabilities for all of you or something?”

Zecora hummed another happy note as Becky trailed her thumb under one of the rings around the mare’s neck and then ran her fingernails behind the mare’s ear.

“Hmm, yes, my dear,” Zecora continued. “A simple concoction that I have brewed. One that will may have your injured flesh renew—damn it. You have me rather distracted. I wasn’t even trying with that one.”

Becky chuckled to herself and continued running her fingers over Zecora’s ear and over her scalp, letting the zebra mare deal with the distraction of her gentle petting.

“Yeah, well. At least it wasn’t a dirty joke. But, if we have time, do you mind if I pull you to the side for something? Not a lot of ponies that I trust, and… fuck… I’m not even sure if it will be worth the effort… But anyway. The potion?”

Whatever Becky was saying, Zecora was entirely tuned out to but also completely on board with her friend’s invitation.

“Pull me here, pull me there. With those hands, pull me anywhere.”

“Gawd damn it,” Becky grumbled, pulling her hand back.

“No-no,” Zecora quickly corrected herself, rolling onto her back, failing to grab Becky’s hand and pull it down to her chest to begin rubbing her again. “We talk of changelings, medicine, then sex, and now you want me focused on my potions, of which there are many types. But Becky, you must know when I am distracted, you cannot change the way I speak no more than you can change my stripes.”

For the time being, Becky was stuck with a depressed, sleeping Luna on one side of her lap, and helpful Zecora took up the other side, who may, in fact, be able to help her answer some of the questions Redheart couldn’t. So, she gave in and returned to petting Zecora. The effort was low, but the was heavily amused by the mare’s effort, so the output was more than palpable.

“Fine, fuck’n stubborn ass, bitch. Think you’re so damn cute.” She turned her head to look down at the grinning mare, slowly batting her brilliant, luscious blue eyes and her forelegs raised up, hooves relaxed, almost like a puppy begging for attention. “Gawd, I hate how adorable you bitches are… Fucking beat-box the whole thing if you have to. Just tell me already.”

Zecor grinned wildly as Becky’s hand returned to her chest, gently stroking her chest and rubbing her up and down over her belly, easily coaxing the desired information out of her.

“There is no denying the truth any longer. Something about you humans make ponies stronger. There was Spike with his flames and Starlight’s devastation. Those were the first two examples from my observation. Next came Fluttershy’s restored memories and desire to rut with Justin. She knew his penis had to be stiff and where she needed his thrust’n.”

The cheerful delivery of Zecora’s rhyming explanation had Becky leaning back, covering her mouth with her free hand so she wouldn’t wake Luna with her laughing, though she rocked back far enough to make the princess stir slightly.

“Oh, my gawd,” Becky struggled to say, her voice muffled behind her hand as she laughed. “Come on, Zecora. Tone it done a bit, will ya?”

Zecora grinned, enjoying the humor of her little joke and the strumming of Becky’s fingers pleasing the lowest exposed portion of her neck as she considered how to continue explaining her thoughts.

“Harmony left our minds simple and dumb. Our bodies were durable but numb. Your presence awakened new thoughts and temptations. Your touch brought us new pleasures and sensations. We were puppets on strings; it’s all plain to see. Then you risked your lives to set us all free. Now, I wish to repay you for your dedication and strife. If I can heal Justin’s wounds, I’ll be closer to saving your life.”

Taking a deep breath, Zecora took her hooves and placed them on Becky’s hand to keep it held on her chest over her heart, letting the steady thumping below her chest beat through into the hand comforting her. When she knew Becky took notice of her pause, she turned to meet her gaze.

“Becky… I worked with Fluttershy to treat your symptoms. Sunburst has been helpful trying to assist me with my potions, but what we know is not meant to treat the ailments as serious we’re now facing. I need to make my current potions stronger. I need stronger magic to improve them if we have any hope of them affecting bodies so resilient to magic like yours and your friends. Sunburst is willing but, unfortunately, not up to the task… Whatever it is you and your friends have done to increase the potential of our kind, I need that.”

Reluctantly, Becky withdrew her hand, understanding the interactions that brought about the changes that empowered every pony her friends were with. At the same time, her life was potentially in Zecora’s hooves.

“Chris pointed out that raw magic barely works on us in our weakest state. However, we didn’t really notice it at first, but potions have about a maybe a thirty percent rate of effectiveness on us… but that was only one time on Kelly when she was in a weakened state. So, we don’t know the conditions needed for potions to work on us for a longer period of time or what conditions have to be met to make them work long-term. Even still… what are you thinking? What makes you so sure you can do this?”

To answer the question, Zecora sat up, urgently pressing Becky for a vote of confidence.

“Becky, please hear me. I know I have not been allowed all the details, but was it not how it happened for the likes of Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and all those closest to you and each of your human friends that fought the echoes and Harmony herself? A titan of power we thought unbeatable. Mear ponies, not even alicorns or the might of Discord, defying the odds of pushing past their limits of power, speed, understanding, tactics…” She started to stumble on finding the words to say. “I thought Water Bug to be a lost foal close to death from Harmony’s crimes. In truth, you show me today that she is a changeling child saved from death by Justin. A sweet child who no longer craves to feed on others because she is full, beyond measure, and loves not only her new family but trust in the company we all call friends. If I am wrong in believing that the gifts you share make us more than what Harmony would have let us be, please tell me so that I may search elsewhere for solutions. But as we sit here, Justin still suffers, and your lungs grow weak. There is a solution for you both, I know it; that is all that I seek.”

The case had been rather clearly laid out in front of Becky, and she was unsure how to respond to Zecora's admirable wishes. However, one of the last points reminded her of a problem she had lost track of, making her reach for her neckless.

“Awe, shit. Water Bug.”

After saying the name Ocellus preferred, Becky pulled out her necklace and gave three soft puffs on the attached whistle.

It took only about ten seconds for three bat guards to emerge from the castle, each landing with a bow to the left of Becky.

“Lady Landon,” the first guard greeted her. “You require assistance?”

Becky looked at the three guards, glad to see the whistle still worked but not happy to see that these were the guards to arrive.

“Sort of,” she said hesitantly.

From the treeline, a rustling from the branches broke free, and another batpony erupted out, barreling down to meet up with the other guards.

“Hold on,” Becky said, turning her attention to the newest arrival as he skidded to a stop, huffing and puffing. “Where’s Water Bug? She’s been out there for a while. Is she getting tired yet? Is Midnight still with her?”

The guard rose from his bow, still panting, and wiped his brow, heavy with sweat.

“Lady Landon,” he huffed. “Water Bug. She—” he stopped to swallow hard and breathe deep again. “—that child is unnatural.” He stated with bewildered amazement. “She breathes heavy but not slowed her pace. We have—” He took a moment to sit to breathe easier. “We follow her in turns now. We can’t keep up together. We don’t think… How is she not exhausted?”

Whatever Zecora may have wanted to discuss further or any possible solutions to work out would have to wait. Becky didn’t know how safe it was for Ocellus to push her body with such prolonged exertion.

“Luna,” she said, raising her voice and lightly jostling the sleeping princess. “Hey. I need you up. Come on. Nap times over.”

“Ugh,” Luna groaned, disappointed to have her nap ended while while still feeling so tired. “Must you wake me?”

Unfortunately, Becky felt she had to, so she lifted Luna’s head from her lap so she could stand.

“Send one of your letter things to Twilight and have her bring Ben here. I don’t think Ocellus can run off the extra energy she has, and she’ll probably hurt herself with all the strain she’s putting on her body. We’re going to have to get more involved.”

[Back in the caves of Mount Everhoof.]

Urtica and Arista led the large group back down the path into the large open area Thorax had tried to abandon Rainbow and Spitfire in earlier. Pharynx followed a few paces behind, with Elytra at his side and Gaster's limp body slumped over her back. The hulking mass, Bulky, eyed them with malice from behind.

“Hurry up!” Bulky ordered. “Our Queen expects you to prove your devotion.”

Riding the high of this new victory, Bulky turned his head to look behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he sized up Spitfire guiding Rainbow, still under her wing, which brought a sneering grin to his lips.

“Been waiting for another chance to pay you back for the last time we fought, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow slowed her pace to look up at the voice speaking in front of her, her eyes squinting and tearing up from the irritation, but a hoof from another changeling shoved her forward.

“Gah! Knock it off! I don’t know any of you! What payback? Is this for the Canterlot wedding, or did your mamma land on her sandy vag so hard after she got booted out it cracked your egg, and you were born ugly? Cuz that’s not my fault. You’re all born ugly.”

Bulky made a quick turn, closing the distance to Rainbow and picked her up by the throat with his front hooves as he fluttered his wings to raise her in the air.

“Not Canterlot! After that! The village of creatures we conquered. You and Applejack tried to take us head-on, but we had you cocooned up in no time.” He watched Rainbow squirm and gasp as she tried to pry his hooves away from her neck. “Put up a good fight, but Twilight brought the castle down on us after you cheered her on. Had us buried under all that rubble for weeks… Maybe we should throw you in with Pharynx. See if ponies float in that black stuff.”

“Drop her!” Arista demanded from the front. “Our Queen wants both ponies brought back. Thorax and Urtica will take their places, but we need them breathing to be interrogated.”

There was a moment of hesitation where Bulky continued to stare Rainbow down, waiting for her eyes to open. They flickered slightly, but after only a few more tears streamed out, he dropped her and fluttered back to the ground, sounding off with a dismissive tone.

“Bah! Wouldn’t be any fun if she can’t see me do it anyway.”

Behind him, Spitfire knelt down and wrapped Rainbow in her forelegs, pulling her tight to her chest while Rainbow coughed and gasped for air.

“Dash! Breathe, girl. You okay?”

Rainbow’s breathing was deep, ragged, and raspy. Her coughs sounded wet, and she shivered a bit.

“Fucking assholes…” She wheezed and coughed, then snorted hard through her nose, clearing a stream of mucus building up.

Slowly, Rainbow lifted a hoof to wipe the tears from her eyes and raised her head. She took a deep breath, cleared a few more coughs, opened both eyes, squinted, then closed her left eye and tried to focus on the blurred mass before her.

“Oh, yeah… You’re that big one Applejack knocked the lights out of?” She asked with a laugh, which brought about another wet cough, though she smiled through the exchange. “Six of us against over twenty of you holding three foals hostage? Yeah. Real tough talk. Must really impress your pals. Choking a blind, sick mare half your size after you have her surrounded.”

The cave was so quiet a pin drop could have broken the silence.

“Then again,” Rainbow said with a smirk, still wheezing and stifling a cough. “Guess I can’t blame ya. I’m only outnumbered, sick, blind, and underweight… If I were you, I’d think it was my only chance of putting hooves on me without getting hurt for once, too.”

“Shut up!” Another changeling demanded, shoving Rainbow's face to the ground from behind. “Don’t go picking a fight you already lost. Sick, blind, young, old, big, small, we don’t care. Everypony is weak to the swarm eventually.”

As the hoof holding Rainbow pulled back, Thorax finally walked by with all four sacs holding the scarab devices.

With the situation so dire, Rainbow had to make some kind of move to work her way out of this.

“Thorax, I really did trust you, so I’m asking you to trust me. Don’t do this. I know more about that gunk down there than any of you do. Even if you hate your brother, you don’t want to kill him. And I’m telling you, a little might hurt, but tossing him in WILL kill him. If you let them go and come back with us, I’m sure we can get you the help you need. We have friends that stop creatures like you from dying.“

Thorax stopped in his tracks, feeling a new weight to the scarab devices he carried pulling down on him with Rainbow’s offer. More than the weight, a hesitancy was hanging with his hope that instantly doubled the pain pulsing through cracks in his not-so-proverbial armor.

“Creatures like me?” He asked, slowly craning his neck down to face Rainbow as she tried to assess him with her one partially open eye. “I don’t think you’re seeing me well enough yet, Rainbow. I don’t need pity or friends. I need love. That’s what changelings need to stop from dying. What pony medicine could fix the cracks in my face or the—”

“I’ve seen worse,” Rainbow smeared, making her cough hard enough to momentarily drop her head out of eye line. “Had a changeling get lost and cross paths with us just before The Darkness came and attacked your hive and everywhere else. A young one. Got attacked by an owlbear. Damn thing scratched her back all up. Scratch her up so bad she couldn’t turn into a rock to hide herself, so she turned into the big bug thing like you did in your story. Turns out she hadn’t fed enough in a while, so she couldn’t hold up the big bug form for long, and it eventually got her. Bit a hole into her chest and back. Tore her up a lot worse than you are now.”

There was a chance that playing this angle wouldn’t work out, so Rainbow had to change the story up a bit and leave out some of the details. The last thing anyone needed was changelings going on a hunting party in Ponyville.

“We barely got there in time to save her. She didn’t think we would. Didn’t think we could. She was too weak to even feed herself… Tried. Didn’t work. But my friends found a way. Healed her broken shell and—”

“She’s lying!” Arista shouted from the front of the group, having grown impatient as well as annoyed with Rainbow’s stalling. “That’s practically a retelling of the same story she just overheard you telling all of us a few minutes ago, but with Gaster’s condition thrown in and an owlbear to make it sound scary. Don’t listen to her. She’s just trying to save herself because she knows Twilight isn’t here to bail her out this time. Make the call to Queen Chrysalis.”

Thorax sighed with a look of disappointment and turned with the bags swinging out in front of him, leaving behind the hope, the weight, and the pain it brought. He walked past his brother and the other two condemned, not even bothering to turn a glance at any of them. Instead, he took comfort in the ease of suffering by accepting his anger and resentment from his previous ambitions.

“Mother was right. When friendship fails… treachery prevails… Even ponies will say anything to save themselves. Now, move aside. I need more room to set this up, and you three are in the way.”

The scarabs were slowly getting set in place, and Rainbow’s last-ditch effort was a bust. The look of dejection and fear began to take root as Bulky shoved Pharynx and Elytra closer to Spitfire and Rainbow.

With one final shove, Bulky slammed Pharynx into Elytra, knocking them both onto the ground and Gaster off Elytra’s back to lay lifelessly in front of Rainbow’s hooves.

Pharynx, if not for his own life, was desperate to at least save another’s and turned his attention to Rainbow, who looked just as out of options as he was.

“You weren’t lying, were you?” He asked in a voice low enough that all could still hear him but quiet enough not to cause a fuss. “You’re friends? The changeling… Did they really save her? Was a changeling really that badly injured she needed to be saved but couldn’t do it on their own? Could your friends save Gaster?”

Rainbow raised her good eye to the battered changeling who spoke to her. She figured if he was about to die and she couldn’t save him, the least she could do would be to offer him some peace of mind.

“I was with her every day my best friend did everything to keep her alive… Pony food, medicine, oxygen, injections, weird… medical shit that’s too smart for me to understand. Every day, I watched that poor kid struggle more and more to breathe, and more of the blue in her eyes fade to white… But it took another friend. He shared part of himself that saved her. I swear it’s true. And I am sure they could save your… Gaster.” She turned up a nasty glare toward Thorax. “Could probably unfuck your face if I asked them nicely.”

If there was a moment for pleading, as pathetic as it was, this was all Pharynx had left.

“Thorax. They can help you. They can save Gaster. You don’t have to do this!”

Something about hearing that statement made Thorax slow his motions. Memories of Shelby’s body lying motionless with the blue faded and the white glaring out. Those pale, haunting whites. That much couldn’t have been a retelling of anything Rainbow overheard, and that made him stop short of sliding the last scarab device in place.

Self-preservation changed so much of his perspective on things. Now, another opportunity was revealing itself, and he wondered… with the last scarab only inches away from sliding into place, making the call to his Queen and information that could swing the tides of wars for his kind by saving lives, save his own…

But would Rainbow still trust him enough to prove it?

“Rainbow Dash…” Thorax slowly asked, his voice low and uncertain. “This young changeling you claim that was saved… If it’s not all a story—”

Standing not far behind Thorax, Arista’s eyes danced between the last device that needed to be placed and Thorax's staring at it.

“She’s stalling, Thorax! Just make the call!”

“—what was her name?” Thorax finally finished asking.

This was Rainbow's last chance to save herself and maybe even a few others. All she had to do was keep a few more details hidden or outright lie, and maybe she could bring a few more changelings into the fold. If nothing else, she didn’t see these new changelings she was held prisoner with as any creatures worth killing. She had to say something.

“Uh… Sh-she said her name was Ocellus.”

Both in front and behind her, all the changelings who had stood guard exchanged stares of shock. It seemed Rainbow had said the correct name, but she couldn’t expose much more without putting others in danger.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, trying to sound confident and mask her fear as she coughed again. “That’s what she told us before she flew off.”

“Hmph,” Thorax huffed as he stood up straight and dropped the final device to the ground. “Can’t believe after everything I’ve done, you still trust me… Like we could actually be… friends.”

Behind him, Arista was furious.

“Thorax! What are you—”

Tink!

With a tap of Thorax’s hoof, the fourth and final scarab device was kicked.

Green lights and shadows formed as the dark orb rose into view, and the Dark Queen’s projection once again came into view from Thorax using his hoof to send the final scarab device into its proper alignment.

“Arista!” She barked with a growl, finding him farther behind Thorax. “What took so long!”

Before Arista could finish his bow, Thorax cocked his head and stared at his mother's projection with joyous anticipation.

“Treachery, of course. Rainbow Dash wished to bargain my health and comfort in exchange for freeing our prisoners so I would return with them. Instead, I led her to confess that she has friends with abilities capable of healing injured changelings at the brink of death as well as feeding them to restoral even if they are too weak to even feed themselves. I’d have pushed for more information, but…” He turned his and Chrysalis’s attention to Rainbow, her mouth agape and one eye open as far as it would allow. “Tsk… It seems that you’ll have the honor of extracting that information. Starting with where they found Ocellus. They apparently know that grub by name. I wasn’t even aware that she was away from the hive, but Rainbow Dash claims that she and her friends allowed one of your precious, underdeveloped daughters to be attacked by an owlbear.”

Again, the cave was silent… but only for a moment.

“YOU ROTTEN, TWO FACED, LYING FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!” Rainbow shouted, projecting spit and flem as she began to stand up but was promptly tackled from behind.

No sooner had she been tackled by two changelings, Spitfire was up and trying to reach for Rainbow but was grabbed by Pharynx. Quickly, he wrapped Spitfire up in his forelegs as he took her to the ground next to Gaster’s body.

“Don’t,” he whispered. “I need you to save Gaster, please listen to me.”

As Rainbow struggled against her captors and Pharynx held Spitfire down next to Rainbow to protect her from getting swarmed, Thorax gloated and continued to explain his findings.

“It seems Rainbow Dash also has information about this gunk that attacked the hive as well as injuring me. I thought she was just talking out of anger earlier, but she called it The Darkness.” He turned his attention back to his brother and the other two doomed changelings. “I… don’t think she’s lying about that gunk being able to kill a changeling. Do we really need to throw them all in?”

A stillness washed over the group, and Pharynx felt his heart beat wildly in his chest. While the act of compassion should have sickened him, he had to marvel at how expertly his brother had managed to play upon the pony’s weaknesses to pry the information needed to leverage an argument to save him and his comrades.

“My Queen,” Pharynx pleaded, finally releasing Spitfire to stand up and properly address Chrysalis. “If what Rainbow Dash says is true healing Gaster and Thorax, it would strengthen the swarm. Much more resilient for your plans.”

There was truth to what Pharynx had stated, and Chrysalis was not about to waste good intel. At the same time, she was not about to let her authority go unchallenged, so she turned her attention back to Thorax through the projection.

“We know this Darkness, as Rainbow Dash calls it, is dangerous. What of your brother's other claims? He still has yet to prove himself worthy of returning to the swarm. Do you expect me to welcome him back and threaten the safety of the hive without validating his claims or allowing him back to weaken us from within with his compassion? The same compassion that has held you back? Aren’t you tired of being weak and mocked?”

Thorax kept his eyes on Pharynx. Memories of their young years that had shaped his development replayed in his mind. Echoes of mockery mixed with masked words of encouragement. Beneath the abuse, there was brotherly love and a sense of protection, but it was always overshadowed by disappointment and ridicule. It was an uneven balance of being told who or what to be while never accepting who or what he was.

Hypocrisy at its finest.

“No,” Thorax finally answered, feeling a part of him die a little inside as something else took root. “I remember what happened to Shelby after the invasion of Canterlot. She was too hurt to feed herself, and she couldn’t stop the crystals from taking her. And maybe we should have let her go if she couldn’t bug up and fight back. But it sounds like Ocellus fought back against the owlbear, and Rainbow Dash’s friends can heal those of us who know what it means to be a real changeling.”

He turned his eyes to Elytra. A momentary flash of compassionate thoughts came to mind, but only as memories of a mentality that failed him.

“We only need to throw in one changeling to see if they can crawl out. I’ll feed on Pharynx after Elytra takes his place. He can prove his devotion by ensuring I have the strength I need to take Rainbow Dash’s place when I fly back to the Crystal Empire with Urtica… Sound fair, my Queen?”

Beyond the projection, a fire in Crysalis's eyes began to burn with excitement. The cruelty, betrayal, decisive decision-making, and terror it brought upon its victims created such a wicked smile she couldn’t contain herself. Slowly, her toothy smile was revealed from behind her lips, and her gleeful eyes fell shut as she began to giggle, falling into a full-throated roar of laughter.

“YES!” She finally belted out. “I love it! Let Pharynx reap what he has sown! See what his compassion brought him.” She turned to glare down at Pharynx, still frozen in shock and awe at his brother’s rise to the position of his executioner. “It appears to me that all you have is your own little hive of three. And all your little hive of three has is you to blame.”

As panic overtook Elytra, realizing any room for bargaining had been removed, something Thorax said finally clicked in her mind. With her thoughts racing, she said the first thing that came to her, hoping to buy them a little more time, if not unravel some of that mystery itself.

“Shelby? That was her name? That’s who you tried to help. She was a soldier like me. What crystals took her? I thought she ran away?”

Her tactic came without the response she desired, given how Bulky hooked his fetlock under her foreleg and began to drag her to the ledge.

“You heard our Queen. In ya go!”

Elytra clung tightly to Gaster’s body, dug her hooves into the frozen dirt, and screamed, hoping to stop this madness.

“Nooo! Please!”

“Wait!” Chrysalis shouted, making Bulky halt his march to the edge. “Shelby? Perhaps I was too caught up in the moment, but Thorax, do tell me. Who is this Shelby you speak of? And who would dare take one of my minions? A stray is one thing, useless as they are to me.”

As anxious as Thorax was to get everything over with, these new memories had been eating at him. So, he wasn’t shy about sharing them.

“After we landed in the village with all those creatures. Shelby… I noticed that she landed on her neck. And it bent…. It bent, or more like it turned like yours can, but ours can't do that. Her eyes weren’t bright anymore, she didn’t blink or breathe. I tried to talk to her, tell her to feed… said that she could have my share… Then… something came out of the ground.”

For a moment, Thorax looked lost in thought, lowering his gaze to the glowing crystals that illuminated the cave’s interior around them. A little more of it seemed clear to him now.

“They were crystals… Growing up like a plant covered in thorns. I… barely noticed it—noticed them. They were almost outside of view. Every changeling else didn’t seem to notice while they were feeding. Not even when it pulled her underground.”

He raised a hoof to his missing ear, rubbing it gently down along the crack in his shell, feeling the protruding shard had grown larger. Pressing in left him wincing from the pain, but he persisted until he felt enough of the red had covered his hoof to show his Queen.

“She also had this red stuff leaking out of her… Now I have it, too.”

Despite the distance and poor lighting of the area, Spitfire noticed the red smear on Thorax’s hoof he showed to Chrysalis, and she couldn’t help but blurt out what she saw.

“Holy shit, he’s bleeding.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t need to see the blood, nor could she while still being held down under two of the other changelings. Too much of the story had Harmony’s thorny vine tracks raked all over it.

“No shit, he’s bleeding,” she angrily grunted before shifting her focus to the changeling everyone had their eyes on. “Thorax, this is your last chance. I don’t know why that other changeling was allowed to die, but sometimes that happens, and their bodies are taken away with the memories of those who knew them. It happened to all of us, too. But if you’re bleeding, then you’re not as strong as you used to be, and just feeding won’t stop you from dying. We went through all this with Ocellus, just like she didn’t think she could trust us ponies or make friends. She’d be dead if she didn’t believe in having friends or changing how she thought she was supposed to act because she was born a changeling.”

Rainbow started to cough again as the changelings holding her down pressed harder against her back, but Thorax waived a hoof to motion them to stop.

Given the room to breathe again, though still pinned down, Rainbow went on to try to give reason to Thorax.

“Your death will be slow and painful, and that’s if something else doesn’t kill you first because you’re not as durable as you used to be. Maybe none of you are if it’s spreading farther than we thought possible. Either way, only my friends can save you, but you won’t know who they are or where they are. And they’re not gonna do shit unless I say so.” There was one more long-shot approach to try and take that might shift this changeling’s mind. All Rainbow had to do was phrase it right. “You might think there was something inside you telling you to hurt others. To be evil, like those thoughts weren’t really yours. You don’t have to be that kind of changeling. You can be better, all of you. Be free. If you really want to change and live somewhere that you belong, this isn’t it. You won’t be the first ones my friends can help change for the better.”

Unphased, Thorax surrounded himself in a flash of blue light, emerging as the blue Earth pony form he held earlier once again.

“I listened to that little voice once, Rainbow Dash. It led me here, and nothing got better until I stopped listening to it. I’m exactly where I belong now that I know the truth. In fact, I know I’m stronger than I was before. You saw the shape I’m in. No changeling with this many injuries can hold a transformation for this long. But even low on love, I only needed to take a few breaks long enough to let you two rest the whole time we were climbing our way out of here.” He flashed out of the transformation, returning to his normal self, a look of anger and contemplation mixed upon his face. “But if only your friends can save me, and they’ll only listen to you… I guess I can’t exactly go back as you. Not if I’m to learn their secrets…”

He brought a hoof to his chin, then his eyes fell upon Elytra still holding onto Gaster. Somehow, everything all seemed to come together for him in an instant.

“I guess I’ll have to go as myself. Thorax, the changeling who barely got away trying to save the brave and loyal Rainbow Dash. All because he wanted a friend but could only save a Wonderbolt instead.”

He stepped to the side and nudged Urtica with his elbow, who finally got the hint and took the cue to transform into a perfect copy of Spitfire.

With his new partner in crime at his side, Thorax was ready to gloat, though more pain was showing through on his face.

“Ow… All this celebrating is making my face hurt,” he said with a pained smile. “But I’m sure after they hear that I was injured trying to save you and that only I know where they’ll be keeping you, and that only I can help them.”

He grinned, feeling more of the cracks on his face spread open, but without as much pain as before.

“They’ll have no choice but to show me how they do all those amazing cures you promised me they can do.” His grin turned into a toothy smile. “The power of friendship. Such an amazing weapon when put in the right hooves. It’s making me feel better already..”

Without taking his eyes off Rainbow, his grin turned to a sour, grimacing sneer. He resolved to end it all.

“Bulky, get rid of Elytra and Gaster. Looking at them keeps reminding me of how stupid friendship is and only proves how deadly it is to changelings… Couldn’t save Shelby. Won’t save any of them.”

This time, when Bullky took hold of Elytra, instead of crying or screaming and digging in her hooves, she only held tightly around Gaster. Her forelegs were secured firmly around the limp mare’s neck, and her rear legs were anchored around the mare’s waist as she held her chest to chest.

“I won’t let go,” she hushed, her voice trembling.

Bulky didn’t even wait to reach the edge. Flexing his strength, he twisted and curled up his foreleg to toss up Elytra and Gaster, ensuring neither would have a chance to reach out and grab the edge or cling to the wall’s surface on their way down.

“Climb out if you can, Elytra! Maybe you can walk your way home with that busted wing once you ditch all that dead weight!”

Fearing how it would end, Pharynx, Spitfire, and Rainbow watched Elytra finish her downward arch out of sight, never letting go of Gaster while the other changelings laughed. Only Thorax stood out, watching with discontent, as if he were angry that any of it even had to be dealt with.

Then, only a dim disturbance of green light reflected off the walls gave any hint of their demise. There were no sounds of splashing or screams. Nothing could be heard over the laughter, and that wouldn’t do for Chrysalis.

“Quiet! All of you!” She shouted her orders, then looked over to Pharynx. “Too bad. Now you’re a hive of… Well, I suppose one doesn’t exactly make you a hive at all, now does it? Only I hold that title.” She giggled to herself; the pleasure she took in the execution was enough to make anyone nauseous. “If it makes you feel any better, we can let you join your little hive when Thorax is finished with you. Hmm? No? No better? Oh, well. Any last words?”

More than disgusted, hurt, and betrayed, Pharynx was seething with anger. His nostrils flared, huffing and snarling as he stared down his once-favored Queen.

“I… gave you… everything. I… EXUTED the changeling way! Sacrificed my integrity to try and save Thorax in a way he would understand. And even with my mistakes, whether you approved of them or not, I provided for the swarm. But we are the hive. All we have is the hive, and all the hive has is us.” His eyes narrowed as he crouched lower, baring his fangs. “And you know what? My mind has become more clear over these past few days as well. From here on out, I’ll take care of my hive the way you never could.”

While the short speech was delivered with enough bravado to impress Chrysalis, she still laughed at his claims.

“Ha! Your hive? Pharynx, we’ve been over this. I am the hive. You’re not even a part of the swarm any longer. You. Are. Alone.”

Pharynx drew a deep breath and hissed, waiving his forked tongue at his former Queen in the most disrespectful fashion he could to show his retaliation.

“I may not be a part of your swarm any longer, but you’re wrong about my hive. Even from the start of things. You said I was a hive of three…” His purple eyes flashed with violent brilliance, and his horn flared defiantly with magic despite being outnumbered and surrounded. “I’m still a hive of four.”

Suddenly, it dawned on Chrysalis that she might have overlooked something if not failed to witness something important, and she turned to the edge where Elytra had been tossed over.

“You fools! Where are the bodies!”

Bulky was still the closest to the ledge and darted over to look for any signs of the remains.

“I don’t see any sign of them! There’s no way either one of them could have—”

In his frantic search to find any wakes stirring in the oil or signs of a changeling not returning to the surface, he caught sight of something completely unexpected. Something that was hanging just below the ledge that he had to peek his head over the side to get a better view of.

“What the? It’s Gaster? She’s been cocooned here the whole time!” He tapped his hoof to the green exterior. “This has been here longer than we have!”

Now Chrysalis was infuriated, and she turned back to Pharynx.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Pharynx returned a grin that bore every bit of hate and malice deserving of her disownment and abuse.

“Haltere asked me what would happen if we could never come back, and I told him not to worry. Not because I knew it would all work out, it was because one way or another, I’d take care of them. That’s what a hive does. What it should do. So, I knew that if you stuck true to your word, that I couldn’t come back, fine. But I knew there was a chance you weren’t going to save my brother, save Gaster, or let Haltere or Elytra back in… and by my own words, I knew what that would mean for us. Because I knew you wouldn’t risk runaway changelings interfering with your plans, so I had to play nice. And if friendship fails?”

From down the long, crumbling path beyond everyone, a sudden rise of grotesque squeals and rumbling roars started echoing up.

As all the new changelings took notice of the sounds of horror calling out their way, Spitfire sprang forward, shoving the two changelings off Rainbow and pulling her back next to Pharynx before they could reposition. Even as they started to move in, the howels from the depths below cried out with such dark, ominous howls that the once boisterous changelings were too afraid to move.

At that point, Thorax understood what his brother had done. He was surprised that he never caught on.

“Treachery… You had Haltere swap with Gaster and play opossum this whole time? That’s why Elytra never let go… They’ve been adjusting their plans the whole time together right in front of us.”

While the exposition was enlightening, Chrysalis was stuck behind her projection, trying to ascertain what new threat was heading toward her minions.

“What is that awful noise?!”

Pharynx stepped in front of Rainbow and Spitfire, ready to make a new deal.

“That’s the sound of my hive bringing the cold ponies back where we found them. We know how to fend them off. Thorax and the rest of your swarm, they don’t. Let us go safely with these ponies and my brother, and I’ll let our hives part ways.”

The tide had turned, and Chrysalis still wasn’t completely sure why or how it all happened, let alone what these cold ponies were. However, before she could give her reply, Halter flew in with Arista still clinging to his underside.

The two flew in high and swooped in next to Rainbow. Elytra rolled into a fighting position while Haltere adjusted his helmet.

“Gah! Stupid pony. I told you we had a plan. Did you have to keep yapping so much?”

Rainbow arched her back and cracked her neck, still unsure what to think of these new changelings.

“Yeah, yeah. Wait until we attack. Real specific on the details. And you couldn’t clue any of us in before psycho brother over there tricked us? You’re lucky your leader gave better instructions to Spitfire… And don't think that this means we trust you, either.”

Elytra stepped back and repositioned next to Rainbow’s exposed side, shielding her from the other changelings. She did not look all too pleased about the new alliance, either.

“We’re not your friends, and you’re not in our hive. We get you out of this, and your friends save Gaster.” She turned her eyes toward Thorax just long enough to shoot him a dirty look and then returned to sizing up the other changelings still surrounding them. “Maybe him, too, but I hope not. After that, we get a pardon, and we’re out of you pony’s lives for good. We won’t bother you. You won’t bother us. And Pharynx, we put a few hits on ‘em, so they're good and mad. Get ready.”

Meanwhile, Pharynx stood in contest with his former Queen, staring her down, letting the wails and squeals that grew louder do most of the arguing for him.

“Well?”

The grinding of teeth from Chrysalis could have shattered the molars of a lesser creature, but in a sudden passing of her fury, a passive sigh escaped along with a dismissive smile.

“You are in no position to make orders of me. Although, this whole endeavor has provided a wealth of new and exciting information for me to explore once I find out who these friends of Rainbow Dash are. And all I wanted to was to have Thorax returned so he wouldn’t interrupt my plans by being discovered. So, how about instead of making a deal, I let my minions kill you, and I have Thorax kill these cold ponies just like he did the last time? Nothing has changed at all.”

From the entryway where the dark howls came, two icy hooves gripped the sides of the mouth of the entrance, spreading cracking shards of ice. A flowing ghost-like mane drifted into view, leading a long horse's head with early glowing eyes of a ghastly unliving white.

“Windigos!” Spitfire shrieked. “Cold ponies are windigos! What the hell are they doing here?!”

As if summoning demons from the coldest depths of hell, five more pairs of glowing eyes rose up from behind the first, each of them creeping closer into the open air.

Whatever odds Rainbow thought they had about escaping this already slanted scenario drastically plummeted as she watched the haze of blue floating forms drift closer into view of her only working eye.

“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. You guys actually have a plan, right? This wasn’t some big bluff that isn’t about to bend us over, right?”

Pharynx started to step back towards his comrades, his horn primed and his confidence high.

“I know you’re a pony, but try to stay calm. Do what we tell you. We’ll get you out, and then you hold up your end of the deal. We know how to deal with these things.” He looked at his brother. “Thorax… please…”

As the Windigos crept nearer, crawling closer through the air like sharks stalking their prey, Arista and Urtica backed closer into Thorax. Neither of them knew what they were looking at, but Urtica was the most unnerved.

“Uh, Thorax? What do we do here?”

Thorax kept his eyes locked on his brother, the one shamelessly now guarding the enemy. There was no going back for him, and his anger pulsed out, widening the cracks in his fractured carapace, dropping a piece down next to his hoof, the protruding shard on his cheek now larger and sharper.

“There’s far more of those things down below. We’re boxed in up here. Pharynx and the rest have nowhere to run, but neither do we.” He eyed the group of exiled changelings and the two mares protected between them. “Don’t look at the cold ponies. Don’t run. If we can recapture my brother and the rest of them, we’ll just bring this whole place down. If the mountain doesn’t crush them, The Darkness will finish them off.”

Suddenly, Pharynx realized his plan was about to be caved-in on, and he was still one changeling short for his exit strategy.

“Uh… crud… Elytra, Haltere? I need one of you two to get Gaster. Rainbow Dash, Spitfire? I know you’re pretty weak, but I really need you to not be weak right now. We’re going to have to fight our way out of this.”

As soon as Pharynx tried to step closer to approach his brother, Rainbow lurched over, grabbing him by the head and pressing her muzzle to his ear. At first, his reaction was to bring his front hoof back to toss her off as hard as possible, but then the words she whispered to him set off a chain reaction of explanations and forced reconsiderations.

“Oh, come on!” He belted out. “That’s so stupid!”

The whispers from Rainbow were repulsive in nature but also confirmed his own strategy against what he came to know as cold ponies, or windigos as they were correctly identified, now. Only now, he’d have to hope that he could work against that theory to save his hive, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way. The threat became evermore present as the Windigos circled everyone in the wide-open area, chilling the air to a frightening degree.

“Haltere, Arista…” Pharynx whispered. “New plan. I’ll distract the cold ponies and the rest of our former brothers and sisters. Both of you get Gaster. Protect Rainbow Dash and Spitfire, but no fighting along the way. Not unless you absolutely have to. We’ll meet back at the entrance and… be nice.”

“What?” Haltere question, a little louder than a whisper. “How hard did Bulky hit you? You’re not making any sense.”

Spitfire pushed closer to Haltere, still wary of trusting these new allies but still trusting the plan more.

“Unless you wanna be frozen where you stand, shut your trap and do it. We don’t like it either, but I’m pretty sure we can keep you safe from the windigos.”

“Pretty sure?” Haltere angrily grumbled as he hunkered down, half tempted to buck the mare off the ledge himself. “Gaster is going to owe me half her rations for the rest of her life if we get out of this alive.”

It was a three-way standoff. Pharynx staring down his brother, Thorax eyeing up his brother and those he wanted to take prize of again, the rest of the changelings trying not to look at the windigos and waiting for one of the enemies to make a move, and the windigos circling above. The only non-combatant was Chrysalis, watching everyone, impatiently stewing on her thrown, waiting for her prisoners to be reclaimed and four loose ends to be removed.

Finally, Pharynx picked his target.

“FOR THE HIVE!”

With a full charge of his horn ready, Pharynx turned his head away from Thorax, leaping into flight, and discharged a bolt of magic at the closest changeling on their flanks.

Bulky was struck in the chest, erupting in a burst of explosive green magic and smoke. The hulk was thrown back, and the six remaining reinforcements held off their retreat. His body tumbled, knocking over one changeling and tipping over another, who jumped into flight.

“Get him!” The changeling demanded, bringing the other four battle-ready changelings to join him.

“No!” Thorax shouted, seeing the windigos already funneling in on the group. “No sudden movements! You’re gonna—”

It was too late. Volleys of green bolts shot down, all of which Pharynx flew between, changing his path to bring the fight closer to the last three still standing on the sidelines.

“Idiots!” Thorax shouted, extending his wings, more blood starting to leak from his face as he shouted new orders at the last two changelings behind him. “Focus on Haltere first! Elytra will go down easy after that. Then capture the ponies!”

With the new orders given, Thorax lept into the air to meet his brother, focused his magic around his body, wanting to meet him with maximum force, seeing Pharynx preparing a transformation of his own.

The two flashed out of their spells. Thorax revealed himself, flying out with four of his massive insectoid limbs, ready to meet his brother. Pharynx burst from the green lights as a tiny flying squirrel, passing under his brother's massive gaps of armor.

“You rotten—” Thorax tried to shout but collided with the first windigo chasing Pharynx.

Passed Thorax, Pharynx used his elusive appearance to glide in close to the last two targets, flying in just close enough to finally be noticed and transforming back to his normal form above their heads before they could reach his hive mates.

“Eyes open, scout!”

Hearing the callout to his position, Arista turned in time to see Thorax kicking his hoof down and taking the full blow to his snout.

“Gah!”

Urtica had dodged to the side far enough to avoid staying in striking range but, upon seeing Arista taking a hit, pivoted to engage Pharynx.

“Dirty, pony-loving traitor!”

As Urtica narrowed in to attack, she was hit from behind by Thorax, his massive insectoid frame smashing her past Pharyanx just in time for him to fly off unscathed. She skidded on her side, quick to turn and search her surroundings, finding Thorax fighting off not one but two of the windigos.

Each of his sharpened limbs steadily grew more layers of ice as he attempted to bat them away. Their angry howls and piercing shrills release plumes of frosted air that covered his limbs and chest.

“They're getting away!” Thorax shouted, swinging one of his ice-covered limbs to bash away one of the windigos. “Stop them!”

With all the chaos of fighting breaking out and enough distractions created, Haltere saw their opening to cross the small land bridge’s width.

“Let’s make this quick! Stay close!”

Together, Haltere started their short sprint across, ducking below Pharynx leading a trio of windigos toward Thorax and the other two changelings. It was nearly impossible to keep track of all the moving bodies flying and diving overhead and behind them, but he had to stay focused on his hive mate, who still needed to be rescued.

“Not so fast!” A changeling called out, sounding male in voice, diving in and slid to a halt in front of him with another at his side. “Just give up. You’re still outnumbered, weak, and out of tricks to pull.” He motioned to his left. “Scutellum, don’t let them get past you.”

Scutellum, the other changeling, charged her horn, side-stepping to block a path forward or any offensive posturing.

“You miserable, rotten, pony-loving—”

Crack!

Behind the two changelings, one of the windigos landed with a rough impact, shaking the questionably stable landbridge and knocking both changelings off their hooves. Both changelings shook themselves free from the initial shock, the male skidding off to slide further away and jumping to his hooves while the female rolled to her side, slightly more dazed, and turned to face the ancient entity.

The windigo’s eyes narrowed, piercing her presence, huffing plumes of icy trails of exhaust with each step it took forward of its only two legs. Its ghost-like lower torse trailed off and flowed as if half in the living world and half still drawn into the afterlife. Every inch it drew closer, the air grew colder, thicker, harder to breathe; focused in on, as if vexingly curious to this particular changeling.

“Get away from me, you ice-covered freak!” Scutellum scretched, recharging her horn and dispersing a bolt to the creature’s face.

The bolt exploded upon impact, leaving a puff of smoke and flakes of ice dropping behind another harsh cry from the windigo.

From the projection, Chrysalis had been observing with wild excitement and frustration as her minions had split to evade and clash with these ancient creatures of magic and lore. Thorax had impressed her with his physical prowess, but finally, one of her subordinates had shown their might.

“Ha!” Chrysalis exclaimed. “Yes! Excellent! Scutellum! That windigo didn’t stand a chance! Now, Plumose, just like Scutellum, show Haltere and Eletrya what happens to those who—”

An angry cry from the beast bellowed out from the smoke, spewing forth a stream of white frost that washed over the still-downed changeling. The frost attack forced all to back away except Plumose, caught in the mist as she tried to take flight. The white mist enveloped her body, her forelegs and upper torso that barely reached out.

Haltere initially backed away to avoid the mist, but the shock and terror he saw in Scutellum’s eyes as the breath was stolen from her had him rear up and push his party back behind him with his forelegs forced out. He quickly found himself back from where he sprinted from, and Spitfire had to stop him from pushing her into the oil as Scutellum dropped out of flight from her hasty failed attempt to flee.

Scutellum landed uncomfortably, her limbs numb from all but cold she couldn’t hide.

“Ah!” She tried to yell, but the chill in her lungs shuttered her cry, raising her head and charging her horn to retaliate. “You… m-m-miserable… in-n-n-n-s-s-sssignif-f-f-fficigant-t-t—”

The windigo’s eyes glowed, focused on the changeling. Beneath Scutellum’s hooves, more shards of ice sprouted up, trapping her in place before growing up her legs, stifling her chilled words of contentment.

“—We… are…”

A brighter flash glowed, growing the pillar of ice up the changeling’s torso, leaving only her head exposed.

“...the su-su-swarm.”

As her horn primed with the final bit of power needed to launch another attack, she was swallowed whole by the ice, no differently than the ponies in stories of old folklore.

Plumose remained fluttering in the air, awe-struck at the sight of watching one of his own overwhelmed by this creature’s breath and stare. For a moment, he had sworn that his hive-mate had struck the beast down, but instead, there it stood, in his way.

“You… victory stealing, party crashing, cold-hearted, fake-pony, freak!” He screamed, diving down at the beast. “That’s our job!”

The windigo turned to face the dive-bombing changeling, its eyes flashing bright, casting a layer of ice around Scutellum’s wings.

Scutellum’s target was close enough, and his rage was high, so he chose to abandon flight altogether. With a quick flash of light around his body, his wings were removed, the ice still partially adhering to his back as he dropped out of the vanishing light as a raging longhorn bull and slammed his head into the windigo’s body with all the inertia, he could deliver.

As the path before the small group of heroes was cleared again, minus the new changeling icicle for them to move around, Spitfire swallowed hard and moved closer to Elytra. Spitfire started to take their first steps forward, still cautious of their surroundings but Elytra wasn’t making any snide remarks or attempting to force any distance between each other, which she was grateful for.

“Until we make it out of here, you and I are gonna be best of friends,” Spitfire encouraged. “No fighting. No fussing…” Their cautious steps sped up to hurried trot as they neared the frozen changeling, with none of them able to resist their eyes taking in the frozen features of Scutellum. “No freezing to death.”

Elytra looked to her right, taking quick notes of Thorax thrashing his limbs at the windigos and walls to break off the layers of ice building up his appendages. Urtica and Arista were zig-zagging around the same group, taking pop shots with magic, yielding questionable results, as far as she could tell. Scutellum was just getting up, his bull horns covered in ice, and this new windigo target of choice looked to be spreading more ice as it rose up. Another quick glance to her left showed the remaining changelings firing their green bolts, the mini-eruptions breaking loose shards of ice and rock, the windigos spreading and growing more ice as they chased down their targets, slowly fighting the frost taking over them. However, there was one changeling with his head on a swivel, still trying to shake Bulky back out of his daze, even though the windigos ignored them despite being wide open and unprotected.

“You ponies figured it out, too, huh?” Elytra asked, assuming it was true but hating what it confirmed. “Fine, but we’re only friends until we get out of this.”

Together, the small group reached the steep edge.

“Alright,” Haltere said, looking over the ledge. “Watch my back. It wasn’t easy putting Gaster in here when I had Pharynx helping me; it won’t be easy getting her out.”

From down the ways of the bridge, Bulky was finally coming out of his daze, rubbing his chest and chasing the stars out of his vision.

“That sneaky little…“ He grumbled, finally getting his bearings. “Where’s Pharynx?”

The shaking changeling coaxing him pointed to Pharynx on the run, speedily turning round columns of stone and narrowly avoiding blasts of icy breath or new shards of ice that erupted from the walls and ceiling the windigos created with their stares. That bug was already on the ropes, and Bulky wasn’t about to try to match speeds with a more nimble opponent when a superior flier was on his target’s tail. Instead, he saw a more vulnerable group and a mare he was looking forward to paying back.

“Malpighian, join the others,” he grumbled. “I’ll thin out the weak ones. Then we’ll have our prisoners, and we can bring this place down.”

Bulky rose to his hooves and shook off the dust from the blast in his tumble while he marched toward the rainbow-maned mare he had his sights set on.

“Alright, ponies. Sick, weak, blind—” he grinned wide, flashing his fangs. “—or only half blind, but still outnumbered. You can come along quietly…” He stopped a few feet in front of the group, staring down Elytra in a crouched position, her wings fanned out, rattling, shaking off parts of her damaged wing, hissing her forked tongue, and still favoring her injured leg, making it all the more enjoyable for him to sneer down at. “...or you can make this fun for me.”

Haltere could hear Bulky’s voice from the side of the ledge.

“Elytra! Keep him away! We can’t save Gaster without those ponies!”

Elytra hissed again, posturing as best she could. Her heart was racing. The first swing she took could bring down any number of the windigos, but that was if Bulky didn’t smash her out cold first.

“I got this one,” Spitfire announced confidently, stepping out from behind Elytra.

Rainbow reached out, grabbing Spitfire by the tail with her teeth.

“No!” She growled with a wheeze and a cough. “No figh—”

“Too late, Dash!” Spitfire snapped back, jerking her hips to the side to free her tail from Rainbow’s maw, then rearing up on her hind legs into a human fighting stance. “We can argue all day and night whose fault this is why we’re in this mess, but I’m the only close to being fit to fight right now. Either way, neither one of us are gonna be getting out here without them helping us, so let me take the lesson Thunder Glide beat into me so we can thank Justin for it later. Keep the windigos off my back until then.”

It couldn’t be helped. A touch of pride, a sliver of wanting, and a flicker of a flame started to burn inside Spitfire as she thought about what she said. Returning to Justin as a warrior who stood alone after taking his teachings. Granted, they were only what she learned second hand from Thunder Glide, but this would go beyond the needs of grudge match or what Harmony presented. She was stepping up in a new way.

“Fun way it is,” Bulky said with a grin, rising up to try and match Spitfire’s stance. “Rainbow Dash was just a replacement for that orange Earth pony anyway.”

Time to take some humility to work, and thankfully, Spitfire had years worth of experience and a calmer mind to put them to use.

“I don’t mind being the stand-in for Dashy over there. Us Wonderbolts are always on standby for cleaning up loose ends like you after the Elements have their fun. We’d let the Filly Scouts of Equestria help out, but they already get a merit badge for picking up the trash.”

Bulky’s grin dropped into a snarl.

“Fine! Just fun for me then!”

[Back in the Crystal Castle.]

The long day had been mostly quiet for Cerb. Having spent much of the day comforting Fleetfoot, then helping her sober up, discussing possible future plans, but they hadn’t much else to do. At the same time, the silence wasn’t sitting well with Cerb.

“It’s getting dark. They should have been back by now.”

Thunder Glide looked out the open balcony from the bed next to Cerb, watching the sunset with him. Her concerns were much the same.

“Rainbow Dash and Spitfire are both experienced fliers, and you know they can handle themselves in a fight. Certainly, Dash can… but the weather out here is pretty harsh, and I’m in no condition to be out looking for them.”

On the other side of Cerb, Fleetfoot tapped her hooves together, humming and thinking.

“Hmm… Cold weather operations.” Tap-tap-tap. “Night-time flight procedures… Winter season training cancellations…” Tap-tap… Tap. “No… Something’s wrong. Thunder Glide, go get Cadance. Spitfire knows not to be out this late.”

Hearing the request but not understanding, Thunder Glide turned and gave Fleetfoot a confused look.

“What? What’s wrong? What does she know?”

“GO!” Fleetfoot shouted, pointing her hoof at the door. “I need Cadance up here, now! I’ll explain it to her so you don’t have to! Go!”

That was a clear enough motivator for Thunder, and she hurried off the bed and was out the door. However, now Cerb was even more concerned. His rapidly rising anxiety had him sliding off the bed to fetch his clothes.

“Fleets? Tell me, what's wrong? Give me the quick and dirty.”

Fleetfoot tapped her forehooves together a few more times, her eyes twitching back and forth, internally searching her memories again for all the details while watching Cerb struggle to dress himself.

“We have year-round cold weather rescue training for all Wonderbolts. We need it for all the kingdoms we might travel into, as well as high-altitude complications… but here… Night time. Winters. Always the same problem.”

She stopped tapping her hooves and started to sit up. Every motion she made caused her pain, but lying down was no longer comfortable for her either.

“It gets too cold, even with our flight suits, and Spitfire knows that. She wouldn’t risk her safety or Rainbow Dash’s… Something had to have gone wrong. We’re going to need to mobilize a search team, and I can’t do that like this. I mean, I could if I could get the word out, but—”

With a little last-second help from Cerb, Fleetfoot sat upright, her legs propped up with pillows.

“Emph… yeah… This is going to be an emergency order only a Princess can authorize to get the help we need.”

Author's Note

I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Motivation was a little low this month. Simply put, it's been rough with health, doctor appointments, legal matters (work-related, nothing against me), depression in general, and you know how life goes... but worse than normal because... shit sucks.

As for the story, was it what you expected? Probably not. This is a brave new world, and who knows exactly what any creature is capable of doing with a will of their own?

I'd say more, but I'm having a hard putting all my thoughts together at the moment.

I'm sure all of you want to know how this stand-off is going to end, but to find out, you'll have to come back and read:

Chapter 14.
The Dark One.

Oops, I forgot to mention that I screwed up with the file size for the pic of Zecora, so it was posted on a different site than usual. If you want a full-size version of the picture, you can find it here: https://derpibooru.org/images/3327673

Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7

14. The Dark One.

[Thursday, 19 May 2016, The Equestrian 30th Day of Love, Outside the Castle of the Two Sisters.]

It wasn't a long walk into the forest for Becky, Luna, and Zecora to be led to wear Ocellus running another lap. Her appearance ass still something to adjust to. The sweat and heavy breathing showed her fatigue if not her stamina.

“Water Bug,” Becky called out. “Can you come here for a moment?”

The heavy frame of Cerb slowed down and strolled up to Becky, panting, but held a steady, upright stance.

“Yeah, sure. I'm really getting the hang of holding my balance now. I only tripped a few times,” she said with a toothy smile. “My stomach still hurts, but I think if I do more jumping jacks—”

“Water Bug,” Becky spoke up, interrupting with a concerned expression. “I don't think this is working. Not fast enough, at least. We want to try something else because I don't think this much exercise is safe for your body. Not when you're this young and developing.”

Water Bug’s smile melted into something more distraught, which was far easier to read on her human appearance.

“What?” She huffed. “No! I'm not fine. I still have all this energy! I need to get rid of it!”

Luna, now more sober, moved up next to Becky to stake her position.

“We are aware, young one, but this is clearly not working as we would have wished. It would seem that your physical limits do not exceed your energy consumption. We would like to help you try something more direct.”

As wrong as it was, Luna looked at the human form Ocellus held up and down. It was a near-perfect recreation of what she could remember laying her eyes on before, and Ocellus did not disappoint. However, the stiffness of the muscles did look a bit unnatural.

“Are you not tired, my dear? If not tired, you must be sore from all that running. My poor guards could barely keep up with you.”

“Guards?” Ocellus asked, still panting. Slowly, she realized she may have been watched the entire time and started to search the surroundings.

For Becky, this had gone on long enough, so she looked to the trees.

“Midnight! Come on out! You're done for now!”

A few trees behind Ocellus, a few branches bowed, shaking the leaves, Midnight dropped down, his fur darkened with sweat over his brow, chest, and back.

“Gah! Lady Landon… Water Bug,” he said, his breath heavy with exhaustion. “She is truly blessed by your kin. Are we not certain she is human herself?”

Frustration took hold of Ocellus, and she shifted her form back to her filly pony form to vent.

“I wish!” She belted out, her legs buckling under her weight as the soreness finally caught up to her. “Ow… Daddy only ran a few miles and was too tired to do our normal cool-down exercise. I'm not tired at all. All I do is keep hurting.”

A softer approach was going to be needed to ease Ocellus into accepting any kind of workable resolution, so Becky stepped over to kneel next to the poor filly.

“It's okay. When I was your age, I had a lot of health problems, too. In fact, I still do. But, I was able to get a lot better by trying new things to help make my problems not hurt me so much. And not everything worked the first time, but…”

There was a line Becky wanted to feed Ocellus about never giving up, but that didn't feel right at the moment. She knew she couldn't have said it with confidence or been able to hold any trust with this young changeling if the truth was ever known, which likely would happen eventually. So, she took a short pause to rethink her approach.

“I wanted to give up on what others kept on trying to tell me would work best for me. I didn't like how it sounded. I hated the way it made me feel, and I don't know about you, but I was more scared it wouldn't work.”

Ocellus stayed lying in her grumpy slump on the forest floor, but she turned a curious eye toward Becky. Even then, the curiosity couldn't be overruled by the inner resentment she held inside.

“It's not the same. I know you're sick. Daddy told me everyone is still trying to fix their lungs, but you don't need love to survive like I do. You weren't born into a family of evil changelings that hurt other creatures for fun. And I don't want to be anything like them.”

If this was the path Ocellus wanted to take, Becky would have no choice but to follow her lead.

“No, I needed love, just like you do,” Becky softly replied. “Maybe I don't feed on it like food, but I still needed it. Just like how Benny loves you as his new family, Benny loved me like a sister when we were growing up because I was born into an evil family.”

Becky noticed that her admission grabbed the attention of everyone around her. Ocellus inadvertently had her ears perk up, showing great interest. So, Becky decided to roll with this approach and moved to sit more comfortably next to Ocellus while reviewing her shitty childhood.

“My mother wasn't a changeling or a queen. She didn't feed on love, either. I don't think she knew how to love anyone… probably not even herself. She used people. I can say she preyed on their love for me to get what she wanted… and a lot of the time, the medicine I needed to get better, she would take for herself, so I had to rely on my friends to help me out a lot.”

Slowly, Becky leaned forward and let her weight rest on her elbows.

“I know it's easy to think you can get by doing what's safe, only doing what you know works, even if it won't cure you. Because I was doing that for a long time… Your uncle Jay came out here and risked his life to find a cure for me just a few days before saving you. He doesn't think either one of us should give up, and I know he doesn't want anyone he cares about to suffer like we do.”

If ever there was a good enough delivery, that had to be it, and Becky turned her eyes up to the rest of the group to verify her claims.

“None of us here want to see you struggle or keep on hurting. We want you to at least give this a try.”

Midnight thought he would step up to give his take to help foster some introspection. At the very least, he had to give Becky all the backing up she needed.

Anything to keep this changeling from running more laps, if nothing else.

“That magic is a part of who you are. It is no different than the magic used to give the appearance you have now. It is neither good nor bad. Where your heart lies, and the actions you take, those make the difference between good and bad, right and wrong.”

Ocellus turned to the intimidating-looking bat pony. He never seemed to say much and usually kept his distance, which was appreciated, given all the affection he seemed to give off. However, the sternness in his voice brought back more of her shy, timid nature, and again, she fell behind Becky, though he did not relent in his lecture.

“Zecora was feared because she was Zebra, a race we know very little of because of the distance of our kingdoms. Luna was feared because of her dark past, and after she was saved, the ponies of this land did not know who she truly was as a princess.” Still a little winded but not having all of the young mare’s attention, Midnight took a few shaky steps between Ocells and the rest of the group so she could see him pointing his wing toward the zebra. “It has come to be known of the many great deeds Zecora has aided in with her potions when such skills could have far more easily been turned to poison or curse.”

He lowered his eyes and turned a glance to Luna.

“Princess Luna has used her powers and authority to further peace and prosperity for Equestria, even when that same darkness came calling back with offers of granting selfish desires and greater power. Instead, she guides us to protecting the night and guarding the dream realm so that many may sleep safely.”

Finally, he lowered his head down to match eye level with Ocellus. His golden eyes narrowed their slits, and he opened his jaws enough to reveal his fangs before licking his lips.

“Even my race, my fellow bat ponies. We own the night and bask in darkness. We have been feared, mocked, and shunned by many, but we choose not to prey on those who wander into our shadows. Even if it would have been easy to do so.” He flashed his fangs again. “I did once, however, sink my teeth into one foul creature who dared threaten to harm the one you are currently clinging to. Much like you used your fearsome powers to beat, bite, and slash at one who dared harm your friends.”

Easily frightened, Ocellus clung tight to Becky, shivering in fear as she felt compelled to shout her defense.

“But I had to! That owlbear was going to kill us!”

Carefully, Becky placed her hand on the back of Ocellus’s head.

“We know that,” Becky softly said to calm Ocellus. “What Midnight is saying is being a changeling isn't a bad thing. Other changelings might do bad things with their magic but that doesn't mean that you using yours will be bad so long as you use it for the right reasons. And right now, using it so you stop hurting while you're here with us, in a safe place, you're still going to be the same cute little Love Bug we take home with us.”

“Ow!” Ocellus yelped, rolling away from Becky. “Okay!”

Instead of standing up on all fours, Ocellus pushed herself up to her rear legs. As she sat up, her soft fur melded into firm tan skin. Her frail, petite frame grew and bulked with muscles and all the familiar scared appearance of Cerb.

“I can do more shape-shifting and stuff out here, but I didn't know how to do the other magic stuff. I only learned a few pony forms, the rock, and my big bug form when I was still in the hive. Attack magic was for older grubs going into their soldier class if they weren't going to be drones anymore… I wasn't even old enough to be a drone. I don't know how to… use my magic for that.”

“Well,” Luna started with a confident smile. “You happen to be in luck. I happen to have been trained by none other than Sir Starswirl the Bearded himself. I can assure you that training two alicorns—” She turned her head with a sneer. “—especially when one so stubborn and bothersome as my sister…” She turned back to Ocellus, her friendly smile restored. “I am certain I can take his lessons and… tame them down to be more friendly and accommodating so as to assist you in channeling your magic to defend yourself and loved ones.”

Ocellus, slightly confused, cocked her head to the side, her expression with Cerb’s face, looking priceless.

“More friendly and accommodating? What kind of lessons were you given?”

Before answering, Luna rolled her eyes and groaned heavily, with centuries of emotional baggage visible on her shoulders.

“I'll ask your father to forgive my crude language after he arrives, but I cannot overstate the fact that while Starswirl was a wise and powerful mage, he was nothing short of a complete asshole as a mentor.”

[Back in the cave of Mount Everhoof.]

Spitfire stood ready, confident, yet unsure of the danger she was confronting. This changeling was large for one of their kind, and it would be her first one to fight, at an extreme disadvantage at that. Yet, she had to hope prior lessons would work in her favor.

“Just fun for you?” She playfully asked. “I don't know about that. Watching you getting blasted was fun for me. I'm sure a few hits to your smug ugly face will be a nice treat after having to deal with that twerp of a leader you're hanging out with over there. Now, come on. You gonna stand there and bluster your feelings to me all day or try to kill me with your rank breath you keep crying your poor-me stories about. I hear enough sob stories training rookies in flight camp. Didn't know the changeling army was filled with so many cry-baby softies.”

At that, Bulky lost all of his composure and lunged in at his target.

“You little runt!”

Bulky dived in, throwing a wide-sweeping haymaker. Spitfire dipped back and slid into her fighting stance again, quickly studying his movements. His recovery was fast, pulling his right hoof to swing a string jab of his left hoof at her face.

She sidestepped his jab, feeling the air push past her mane with the force meant to take her out. She could tell he was like her not long ago. Headstrong, angry, and had a point to prove, not choosing his targets or working with a strategy that she could see, but then he came rushing in, a flurry of punches, swinging wildly.

Her head moved side to side, ducking and dodging each telegraphed swing, but he was picking up speed.

“Shit,” she thought to herself. “I’m not ready for this.”

Her forelegs rose up, absorbing the next strong series of blows, knocking her back and driving her away from the group.

“Not so tough, are ya, pony!” Bulky shouted, rushing in to grip Spitfire’s right foreleg and striking down with a right cross she couldn't avoid.

Spitfire raised her left foreleg and took the hit. Bulky’s punch plowed into her foreleg and smashed into her face with enough force to cast her out of his hold. The blow had her spin to the ground and skid to all fours, but she immediately stood back to her ready stance, shaking off the pain in her left foreleg.

This wasn't the ideal matchup, and she'd have to change up her tactics from her air-style combat to fit her grounded situation, but she could see a way out of this.

“Oh, please,” she mocked. “I've had hail storms hit me harder than this. Now, if you were a seasoned soldier in the Twilight Guard, you might have me worried. Those mares know how to throw down. This?” She shook her hoof again, trying not to let the pain show through. “We might have to call you numb skulls over to give the newbies a warm-up. I thought you were supposed to be tough?”

Bulky snorted, the back of his shell opening up to let his wings rattle, sounding off his agitation.

“Cocky little fly pony. There's a reason we never bother with you show ponies. Now I'm really gonna wipe that ugly smirk off your face.”

He charged in, closing his wings and drawing back for another haymaker. This time, Spitfire raised her left guard, turned her body into Bulky’s advance, and drove her shoulder into his solar plexus.

They collided with a dull thud of Spitfire’s body and a crunch of Bulky’s ribs, both losing a little air from their lungs in the exchange, but Spitfire spun with her right hoof up into Bulky’s gut.

Wump!

The blow shocked his system, weakening his core and locking his rear legs in place. Reactively, he retracted his forelegs, only to shoot them out and shove the first thing that came into view: a wall of tattered wings.

“Get off me!” He grunted with the last bit of air he could breathe out.

His hooves effortlessly pushed away the feathers, the momentum of his efforts driving his body forward enough he had to catch himself from sprawling out face-first into the dirt.

In the quick maneuver, Spitfire folded her battered wing in and finished her spin move to catch Bulky bracing himself for stability. With the extra momentum, she extended her left hoof and struck Bulky squarely on his left jaw, snapping his head away.

After only a second of stumbling back, Bulky rose his head and realigned himself to face his opponent again. She bound from one hoof to the other like a boxer, her front hooves raised up slightly below her muzzle, her previous smirk replaced with a look of focus and determination. For himself, he wasn't exactly seeing stars, but he wasn't about to let himself be knocked around that again.

“So, you fly ponies can fight, huh?”

This wasn't the time for Spitfire to let her guard down, and she began to circle the brute, who was regaining his wits and balance. She knew she couldn't overwhelm him off the start in her condition compared to his relatively fresh start in this fight. Buying time or wearing him down was the goal, and she could still do that.

“We’re the best of the best. And some of the best moves I have are the ones you'll never see coming. Now, come on. The punching bags on base are never this fun to knock around… They're not as dumb or defenseless either, so I'll take it easy on ya.”

Rainbow was stuck watching Spitfire, impressed with how she held her own.

“Damn, girl,” She said with a cough. “You really did learn your lesson.”

Elytra looked on, seeming to be equally impressed.

“Is she going to be okay?” She asked, only to turn her head away with a look of scorn. “Not that I care or anything. She’s your friend, not mine. We just need to get you out of here in one piece. She shouldn't be fighting him alone.”

Rainbow continued to watch Spitfire bait Bulky in with his wide telegraphed swings, only to duck and sidestep each one. Most ended with a jab to his ribs or another taunt that clearly lowered his focus.

“She should be fine,” Rainbow commented with a slight wheeze in her voice. “A couple of weeks ago, we had the greatest warrior in Equestria train a junior Lunar Guard in about an hour to kick her flanks. Really humbled Spitfire.”

Rainbow watched Bulky miss Spitfire with a left hook by a country mile and stumble, only for Spitfire to rush up behind him and deliver a flurry of blows to his back and poorly guarded midsection.

As Bulky was forced to jump up and take flight and circle overhead, Rainbow could see how this wasn't the same fight she witnessed between Spitfire and Thunder Glide. Even around them, the battles were growing more intense, and this small conflict drew more attention from the windigos.

She shivered and coughed before clearing her throat, the air around them continuing to chill with the windigo’s ire.

“Spits fought with the best of us, but she’s hurt like both you and me. She might need us if that jerk does something crazy.”

Off to the behind Rainbow, Haltere was having a new set of issues.

“Elytra! I need a hoof down here!”

Rainbow looked over her shoulder to where she heard Haltere’s voice, then turned to Elytra. Even without the common facial features of expression to read, Rainbow knew what Elytra was thinking but didn't say it out loud.

“Go. I'll be fine. I can still take on any other changelings that come after me. And I can run to Spitfire if things get worse, but your friends need you.”

Elytra turned with a glare to step away.

“We’re not friends. We’re hi—”

The words were irrelevant, and Rainbow didn't care to hear them, prompting her to place both her forehooves on Elytra’s flanks and give the changeling a hard shove.

“I don't give a shit! Go!”

Thorax wrestled with the last windigo to remain locked in combat with him. Urtica and Arista seemed to be doing well enough, keeping the other engaged, but he struggled to reposition with his limbs constantly freezing over.

One thing that wasn't helping was his Queen barking orders at him.

“What are you doing?!” Chrysalis demanded. “Stop them already! Are you listening to me?! Thorax! Overpower that windigo!”

Thorax moved to bat the creature away, drumming its icy hooves on his chest, wanting to strike with his clawed left limbs, but he found them frozen in place.

“What do you think I'm doing?!”

With Thorax's left side still largely immobile, he swung as hard as he could with two of his massive limbs from his right. His ice-covered legs struck the windigo in the side, finally removing the onslaught of blows and ice that had frosted over much of his shell.

He turned over to see the icy opponent, flailing to get to its hooves but largely unaffected by their struggles, save a few mars and scratches. However, its new position was perfect for a new line of attack.

Thorax opened his wings, thankfully left protected from having been forced on his back for most of the fight so far. He took to flight, rapidly closing the distance between him and the windigo.

The windogo’s eyes flashed blue as it drew a deep breath and blew a torrent of icy air toward Thorax.

Crack!

An ice-covered limb from Thorax’s midsection tore through the icy air to strike the windigo in the throat, rocking it back onto its ghostly haunches, its attack halted by the blow.

“Are you watching mother?!” Thorax yelled back for Chrysalis to hear before striking down with another ice-covered limb, freeing his last leg and sending the windigo down to the ground. “This is where Pharynx is going next!”

Thorax turned and, with his back two legs, kicked the windigo off the ledge into a smaller, shallow pool of black oil.

As the windigo splashed into the oily substance, tall strands sprang out with a small wave that recoiled back into its source, overtaking the new invader.

A sharp squeal pierced the chamber as the windigo struggled to find any footing in its new confines. Painful wails instantly took the attention of everyone who could see. Ponies, changelings, and even the other windigos stopped to look down on the writhing creature, pulling itself from the coils of the oil engulfing the beast.

Over the sounds of the wails and squeals, crunches and cracks snapped louder than the sloshing of oil and splashing it created as its icy exterior was compromised.

Thud!

The windigo reached the land bridge with one hoof and freed its upper torso from the gunk.

Screech!

A long black blade emerged from the oil, cutting its way up the windigo’s back, sending small splashes of oil and stray chunks of ice.

Crack! Snap! CRACK!

As the windigo pulled the rest of its body free from the pool, shards of dark crystals formed around the first leg to stand. Together, the crystals grew and contracted, severing the leg and sending the windigo down to the ground again with a guttural wail.

The long blade that had cut a trail up the windigo’s back tilted, grinding out more chunks of ice that churned out with the excess oil that snapped and popped.

In a frantic move, the windigo spun its head around, its eyes blazing bright with blue. Ice shards as clear as glass formed around the blade, locking it in place. The beast, still writhing in pain, huffed a plume of cold breath over the oil, slowing the oozing mass to crawl but not stopping its advance or constricting, crushing squeezes around its frame.

Like a wild animal caught in a snare, the windigo began to flail, twist, and even try to fly away from the ooze but fell back to the ground, splattering more of the dark oil and breaking off more pieces of its ice-construct body. More crystals sprouted from the oil, parting way to reveal new masses of muscle-like structures coiling under the liquid, flexing and tightening their hold around the windigo’s ribs. The muscles contracted, squeezing the breath out of the creature with a painful gasp.

Slowly, the windigo tried to crawl away. The only reaction was the blade dislodging itself from the block of ice, injecting violently down through the beast’s torso, jutting out the creature’s side, causing another desperate welp.

Thorax stepped closer to the creature, showing no pity for its suffering.

“Just like the last one.”

He opened his maw and began to inhale. An aura lifted off of the windigo, pink at first but quickly fading out to a violet so dark it was indistinguishable from black.

The windigo whined and wheezed, its life force draining as Thorax's feeding continued while its body continued to crumble. The black ooze itself contained to spread up until the aura latched onto the foul liquid, making the oil recoil and slip further back to expose the mangled remains of shattered ice.

Finally, the aura lifted from the fallen creature and Thorax closed his lips with his eyes in an expression that looked as if he drank in a fine wine.

“Oh, not exactly the love I was expecting, but… that hit the spot.”

Behind him, Chrysalis was glued to the projection, watching the windigo’s remains crumble to chunks beneath her new champion.

“Yes… Yes… YES! No creature is safe from the swarm! All of you! You saw how it’s done! Feed on their love! Drain them until there is nothing left!”

High above, one of the changelings took advantage of the windigos being distractied and dove in from behind, latching his legs around the back of the creature’s neck. His limbs began to freeze on contact, but he would suffer the short losses if it meant gaining a meal.

“Feeding time!”

The windigo dove down, twisting and turning to try and shake free the joy rider. On its backside, the changeling opened its mouth, creating a small pink sphere at the back of his throat that cast an aura of the same color over the windigo's head. He inhaled deeply, drawing out all the love that he could take in…

“It's not working!”

Another changeling flew in close by, trailing as close as he could with all the twists and turns, trying to assist in the takedown.

“What do you mean it's not working?! Malpaghian, how are you screwing this up?!”

Malpaghian tugged hard on his hooves, now frozen to the windigo’s neck and back, between his attempts to siphon any love from the squealing beast.

“There’s no love in this thing! I can’t feed on it!”

Again he drew back, trying to take in any trace of the empowering emotion to feed off from, but the connection proved fruitless. There was no love to be tasted, detected, let alone taken.

“I'm stuck! Vertex! Get me off this thing!”

Down below, Chrysalis was not amused with the lack of progress the rest of her underlings were advancing with.

“Thorax! What is the meaning of this? You said we could feed on them! What are they doing wrong?!”

Thorax clenched his teeth, his right hoof now pressed against his cheek as he groaned in pain.

“Gah! I don't know. Their love is different!” He leaned forward, lowering his head as more pieces of the carapace protecting his face fell away, and something else painfully forced its way out. “It didn't taste the same.”

Chrysalis paused to watch a small trail of blood stream down from Thorax’s face behind his hoof. Slowly, the visual cues she had overlooked began to revisit her, making her question what had really happened in that cave.

“Love is pink when we drain it from our victims.” She narrowed her eyes and leaned in closer to the protection. “What did you feed on from that windigo, Thorax?”

[Back over with Spitfire.]

Bulky swung down hard, striking the ground and chipping away a chunk of the ice after missing another blow on his target.

“Rah! Stop hopping around, Ya little runt!”

Spitfire kept her wings open. Even if their mass of missing feathers gave her less of the balance and acceleration she was used to, she still kept her cardio better than she had last time going one-on-one in a fight like this. Even still, she could feel her strength leaving her. Now, she could see why combat sports had rounds go for only a set number of minutes.

“How about you stop swinging your hooves around like a rock on a slinky?” She mocked. “You don't actually expect me to stand still for you to hit me, do ya? I mean, I know a lot of you changelings are dumb, but come on. Really?”

Fed up, Bulky stood ready to accept his shortcomings in this matchup.

“Alright, so you're tougher than you look and quick on your hooves to boot. I'll give ya that much, but I got plenty of tricks of my own.”

A swirl of green lights engulfed Bulky, fanning out and rising up eight feet high before dropping down to reveal his new form of a manticore.

“Brute strength and unrelenting assault. I'll crush you eventually.”

Inside Spitfire’s mind, she was panicking but knew better than to show any weakness.

“Unrelenting? Such an intelligent word for such an underdeveloped mind. Do you keep changing into bigger creatures to make up for your lack of intellect?”

Bulky roared like a lion, his rage boiling over as he fanned his wings open and drew his claws into the icy dirt.

“I'm gonna tear you apart!”

Both charged at each other, Bulky wanting nothing more than to beat the cocky Wonderbolt into a pulp and Spitfire knowing she couldn't keep up her previous tactics with this new form.

CRASH!

Between them, a windigo landed hard, and a changeling was tossed free from his back, wailing in pain.

“Ahh! My leg! My leg!”

Vertex flew over, finally having a clear shot, and unleashed a bolt of magic from his horn on the downed windigo.

Boom!

It was a direct on the lower back of the windigo, creating a small cloud of dust, smoke, debris, and ice.

“Malpaghian! Get up! If you can’t drain the stupid thing, then fight!”

Still screaming, Malpaghian squirmed on the ground in a fetal position.

“My leg! I can't feel my leg! It hurts!”

Vertex spun in the air and started to charge his horn, landing next to his downed comrade and taking a defensive position.

“It's just a little ice. Get up, ya grub!”

Malpaghian attempted to scramble to his hooves but was hampered by his rear legs having a thick layer of ice over his joints and painfully expanding in the holes naturally formed in his extremities. When he went to stand on his left foreleg, his body sank forward, and his pain doubled with the sound of a dull, cold thunk impacting the ground.

“Gah! My le—”

There was a moment of disbelief. Malpaghian looked down and saw below his knee that his leg was missing after the ice had covered what remained of his limb.

He looked over to his right foreleg to compare, seeing his other foreleg, covered in fractured portions of ice but still with its entire length, then back to the one in pain. As if being reminded of the missing length, all the pain returned. With the rising affliction, a mix of fear and hatred took hold to match his pain as he trained his eyes toward the slowly resting dust falling over the rising windigo with a black nub of a lower leg frozen to its back.

“Gimme back my leg!”

He felt his heart begin to race, his head grow light, and his vision begin to blur. His anger and confusion were still focused on the windigo, but he was unsure exactly how to engage. All he knew was that the beast was to blame.

The shell on his back opened to reveal his wings, and he took flight toward his target, but he was blind to the danger he was flying into.

“Malpaghian, no!” Vertex shouted, diving in to tackle his comrade out of the path of icy breath, skidding to a halt and into safety. “What are you doing?!”

Under Vertex, Malpaghian huffed shallow breaths while holding his ice-clad hoof over his chest.

“Gnah. My heart… eng, and my stomach. It hurts. I can't… I can't think straight. What was I doing?”

Nearby, Rainbow couldn't help but overhear what sounded familiar, and even if they were the enemy, old habits were hard to suppress.

“He's going into shock!” She shouted over the chaos and continued fighting. “If he keeps fighting, he's gonna die! Keep him on his back with his legs up!”

Vertex snapped his head back at the source of the unsolicited orders.

“What?! Who asked you?!”

Standing next to Rainbow, Elytra pulled Rainbow back to have her new ally face to face.

“What are you doing?! Don't help them! They're trying to kill us!” She turned her eyes back to Vertex, trying to pull Malpaghian back to his remaining hooves, albeit both of them struggling. “And what do you mean he's been shocked? He was frozen, not electrocuted.”

Cautiously, Rainbow survived her area, eyeing up the windigo rising up again, Bulky and Spitfire circling each other, then back to the struggling pair of changelings. It took her a few raspy breaths and another cough, but she quickly gathered her thoughts.

“There’s so much you don't know about what made ponies and others like you and them want to be bad for so long. I can't blame all of them when they're not able to fight back.” She sniffed hard and spat out what had drained into her throat. “And it's not electric or surprised shock. My friend that helped save Ocellus explained it to me after saving another… friend. It's caused by a dramatic loss or disruption of blood flow. His limbs are frozen, so his blood flow is being slowed or blocked. If he doesn't get warmed up and sent to a hospital, he's gonna die.”

Further ahead of Rainbow and Elytra, Malpaghian lost his balance and fell forward, catching himself on the frozen nub of what remained of his missing leg.

“GAH!” He screamed, collapsing to the ground again. “Vertex! My leg!”

As quick as Vertex could, he moved to pick up his comrade.

“Stand up straight, you idiot!”

As he lifted Malpaghian, the remaining pieces of ice on the damaged leg snapped off, stuck in the dirt, along with chunks of carapace and hardened flesh.

And that's when the blood began pumping out.

“What the?!” Vertex shouted in panic before dropping Malpaghian. “Thorax! That red stuff on your face! Malpaghian has it, too! What's happening!”

Rainbow began to back away towards the edge at the sight of the bleeding changeling. Quickly, she realized how fast danger was escalating around her, perhaps worse than they had when fighting Harmony and the echoes.

“Shit-shit-shit,” Rainbow frantically mumbled to herself. “It’s just like Harmony said. Every creature has its limits. We gotta get outta here!”

She turned her attention back to Spitfire, sliding under a swipe of a manticore’s tail and breaking off into a sprint behind the beast. A small puff of smoke started to build up behind her.

Spitfire took off in a sprint, running as fast as she could to stay in Bulky’s blind spot behind him as he turned and searched for her. His increased strength, combined with the added size and mass he had gained in this new form, could not be denied, so she would have to play to her own strengths.

“Quit running around! Bulky demanded, only finding a trail of grey smoke. “You can’t keep this up forever!”

Before he knew it, he had turned completely around, only to find a ring of grey smoke surrounding him. Somewhere in the smoke were hooves racing circles around him. Clipping and clopping in long strides before jumping and the rustling of her tattered wings would flap, spreading the smoke out wider to blind him.

“You can’t hit what you can’t see,” Spitfire taunted.

The smoke was too thick to see through, but the clopping of hooves was still close enough to pick up on. The strides stayed consistent between the short flaps of wings, unable to carry her far, so he only needed to time her leaps and landings.

“Nowhere to run or wings to fly, little pony,” Bulky warned with a grown.

Another flapping of wings came, along with hoofs hitting the snowy dirt, sliding to a stop off to Bulky’s right. He spun to face his hidden target, waiting for Sptifre to emerge from the ring of drifting grey smoke.

“Not goona work, twerp. You can’t get the jump on me if I don’t wonder in your little smoke screen.”

Tink!

The sound of something knocking into a stone further to his left pulled his attention to potential movement.

“Sneaky little—”

“RAAAAAAAH!”

From out in front of Bulky, Spitfire dove out, her left forehoof punching out to give her momentum, her right forehoof wound back, her googles missing, and a war face that matched her scream.

CRACK!

With a well-timed turn of her hips as her left rear leg touched the ground, Spitfire carried through with all her might as her right forehoof connected with Bulky’s manticore jaw.

In an instant, Bulky’s vision turned white, then black, while his head was snapped so far to the left that his cheek slapped against his shoulder.

“Guh!” He grunted, stumbling to catch his balance. “Snuky luddly—” His words slurred out of his mouth. “Yer gunna—”

Crunch!

“RAH!” Bulky roared in pain, jumping back with his front left paw cradled. “Stop it, ya little—”

Giving no reprieve, Spitfire rushed in towards Bulky’s upright, dazed, and impaired mass. As she neared, she jumped and somersaulted in the air, extending both her rear legs into Bulky’s thin, unprotected gut.

“Oough!”

The double kick to the gut had Bulky doubled over, holding the scuffed hoof prints on the hard-pressed, matted fur, making it look as if he were bowing low to pay his respects. Unfortunately, there would be no respect given or quarter given as Spitfire sat herself up and rolled back in to close the distance.

“See me now!”

With all the speed she could build up in the short dash she muster, she turned her hips and extended her right hind leg.

Crack!

Her hoof connected with Bulky’s face again, snapping his head limply to the side where his body dropped, and a green flash surrounded his body. Where the flash of light left, Bulky returned to his true form, unconscious, a gasp of breath leaving him as his top left fang fell out from his upper lip.

Near exhausted, Spitfire stood in the dissipating smoke, huffing and puffy, trying to catch her breath.

“Ha… Like I said…” She whipped her mouth clear of a speck of spit. “Some of my best moves are the ones you don’t see coming.”

At the steep ledge over the deep pool of oil, Haltere and Elytra were struggling to bring Gater’s limp body back up to safety.

“Come on,” Haltery grunted with his foreleg around Gaster’s back, interlocked with Elytra’s. “Don’t slip on the ice, here.”

On the other side of Gaster, Elytra was struggling more than Haltere.

“Slow down. I only have three good legs. If I slip, you can only catch one of us, and she’s all slippering from the cocoon.” Nearing the peak of the ledge, she started to peer over and requested the unthinkable. “Rainbow Dash! A little help, maybe?”

Unfortunately, her request for help was about to go unfulfilled.

“Spits!” Rainbow cried out. “Look out!”

Spitfire heard Rainbow’s warning from behind and moved to position herself low and crouch, ready to pivot to avoid any danger.

“Gah!” She yelped, nearly twisting her back left ankle.

Now high on alert, she turned her attention to her back leg, shocked to find a trail of ice had been growing under the smoke screen she had created and had begun to entrap her hoof. In a panic, she yanked twice, cracking the ice and tearing off a portion of her uniform but freeing her leg in the process.

“Dash! A little help here!”

As more of the smoke faded and lowered to the ground, two bright blue, glowing eyes pierced through the shroud. A windigo with a changeling’s leg frozen to its back, breathing out a chiller warning, loomed forward.

“Shit! Dash!”

More shards of ice sprouted from the ground, and Spitfire jumped back to narrowly avoid them. She darted to her right towards Bulky’s slumped-over body, but a stream of icy breath cut off her path, forcing her to lock up her legs and grind to a halt.

She turned to run, but a crackling of ice erupted with a wall of ice to impede her escape.

“Spits!” Rainbow called out, jumping over the fading smoke and growing ice trail. “I got you!”

It was still a gamble, going on lore, but Rainbow slid in next to Spitfire and locked her forelegs around her fellow Wonderbolt, holding her tight and hoping all her goodwill and admiration would win out.

“I’ve always admired you,” Rainbow said hurriedly, admitted with a raspy voice before coughing and drawing a deep breath. “I never would have made it without you. None of this was your fault. I should have listened to you more and prepared more. I was overprotective of Justin and wanted to get back to him faster and spend more time with him because he needed us.”

The windigo stepped closer, slowing his pace. It studied the two mares with its glowing blue eyes, yet it did not relent on the mounds of ice summoned around them.

“It’s okay,” Spitfire hastily replied, wrapping her forelegs around Rainbow in return. “I get it. I don’t blame you for any of this. You were doing your job, and I would have been frozen if you hadn’t taken charge and led us out of the storm when I was too scared to act on my own. And I wasn’t honest about Fleetfoot, and I wasn’t honest about Justin either. We knew there was something special about him since my fight with Thunder Glide. We know we can’t have the whole cake; all we wanted were a few crumbs!”

“Cake!” Rainbow shouted, baffled if not offended by Spitfire’s unprompted admission and the confusing last statement. “What cake?! What crumbs?! And you both are trying to get with Justin, too?!”

The windigo’s eyes shone brighter, casting a layer of ice over Spitfire’s and Rainbow’s hindlegs.

“Shit!” Rainbow shouted, realizing they were trapped because of her resentment, prompting her to hug Spitfire tighter. “I’m sorry! Justin can love whoever he wants to! I can’t stop him or you or anypony else!”

To their side, another windigo was slammed to its side, hitting the ground, bouncing off the ground, and flying back with a torrent of icy breath. A raging bull, shacking off flakes of ice, roared past the stream of ice breath, followed by two more changelings in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, overhead, more magic bolts fired off, pillars of ice sprouting off the ceiling, callouts for directions of fire, and wails from windigos continuing. Not too far out in front of Rainbow and Spitfire, Malpaghian was still screaming out for his leg while Vertex stumbled around in all directions, unsure of what to do. Chrysalis could be heard screaming at Thorax, but that was it.

The other changelings were still with Gaster, and Pharynx was off flying around as a decoy. Rainbow and Spitfire had isolated themselves.

“We didn’t want to cause any problems,” Spitfire admitted, cringing and shaking in fear as she held tightly to Rainbow. “We didn’t know if we had a chance. The cake is a metaphor. We wanted what Rarity and Fluttershy had with Justin. What we thought Thunder Glide was close to getting with him. Anything to not be coltless until we retire and give up our wings and end up alone! We didn't mind sharing! But we never had an in! We're not good enough!”

This was do or die. Rainbow had to put aside any prejudice or selfish desires and be honest. At this point, the ice was climbing up to their hips.

“That's not true! Justin respects you both! He wanted you both here from the start! You both proved yourselves fighting Harmony! You stuck with him when Rarity and Fluttershy wouldn't! He needs you! I need you!”

Shivering from the cold invading their bodies and from the fear of being frozen over, Rainbow and Spitfire held tight to one another, the ice climbing up to their waists.

“Grrr,” the windigo angrily growled overhead, leering down at the two mares though its eyes lost their shine.

Behind the windigo, Thorax recoiled in pain, holding his face, enraged at the site.

“What are you waiting for?!” Thorax shouted, ripping his bloody hoof away from his mangled face. “Just freeze them already! What’s so special about those two?! Huh! Is it because they’re friends?! You don’t want to keep them apart or something?! Why do you keep ignoring them?! JUST FREEZE THEM TOGETHER!”

Chrysalis gagged at the site.

“Gah! You ponies make me sick. Praising each other through your failures. Supporting one another's fragile emotions… You should have run while you had the chance. Nothing but weakness holding onto more weakness.”

“I disagree,” Pharynx called out, finally landing in front of Elytra securing Gater to Haltere's back, all of them safely standing on the land bridge, a small flame of green on the tip of his horn. “It's what makes a hive strong.”

Elytra nodded, an angry sneer directed at her former Queen as she pulled her hooves free from Gaster's binding secretions.

“Pharynx, you never gave up on us. You're dedicated to the hive. Dedicated to making sure I'm a better, smarter, more capable changeling. Even when we fail and you scold us, you correct us to make us better. We didn’t understand that’s what you were trying to do with Throax, but we understand it now.”

In front of Rainbow, the bull changeling rolled to his side, an angry huff mixed with exhaustion as it lowered its head to charge. Before it could dart forward, however, the windigo in front of Rainbow snapped its head around to face the bull, its eyes full of wicked light again and casting a layer of ice that trapped the bull’s foreleg to the ground. The ice had grown so large and so fast that it managed to ensnare the bull’s horn as well.

“What the?!” Plumose shouted, his eyes now fixed on the ground. “I’m stuck!”

Distracted by the callout, Urtica turned her attention to the site of the bull with its head frozen to his leg.

“Plumose, you dummy!”

With her eyes turned away, she missed the windigo she had been fighting, drew a deep breath, and quickly unleashed a torrent of frozen mist over her right side.

Having been paying attention, Arista caught the attack in time and charged his horn.

“Gotcha!”

Instead of discharging a bolt to fire from a distance, Arista rocketed down in a blaze of green magic surrounding his body like a homing missile.

Wah-boom!

With a thunderous crack, Arista hit the windigo in the back of the neck, sending the beast down to the land bridge below and him tumbling down thereafter. He landed on his back, his shell absorbing all the blow, still knocking all the air out of him. At least it would have if something wasn't covering half of his face.

Groggily, he tried to roll over but couldn’t lift his head off the cold, hard ground, or at least what he thought was the ground. Raising a hoof to his muzzle, he found a hefty layer of ice had now covered much of his head. Half of his muzzle, starting from his left nostril, over his lips and chin, stretching over his cheek and up to his still burning-with-cold right eye, were frozen over.

Urtica, struggling to breathe, knocked her only free hoof against a mound of ice pilled over most of her chest and abdomen, reaching down over her hip and reaching as far as her knee. The weight had her pinned down without any mobility to gain the leverage needed to push herself over, and the awkward angle gave her little moment to strike the ice holding her.

Both had been rendered immobile and vulnerable.

Meanwhile, Haltere, taking the same initiative, stepped forward, his horn flaring at the tip with a small flame of green magic.

“I thought it was every changeling for themselves, and I almost gave in and left you three behind when those windigos first came after us up here. But as I was flying off, I looked back to see Phyarnx risking his life to save both Gaster and Elytra. It was then that I remembered that without them, I couldn’t get Thorax back to the hive. And even if we couldn’t, I would have no changeling who would risk their life for me like I knew Pharynx would. The way Elytra fought to protect Gaster, how she rushed to save me when my head was frozen. This is my hive.”

Elytra, standing tall and proud, no longer caring about the pain in her leg, grinned and boasted about their bond. At the tip of her horn, a small green flame began to burn.

“Haltere is more than a scout. He’s quick, strong-willed, loyal to the hive,” she turned her attention with a sly expression towards his direction for only a moment before adjusting back at Chrysalis. “To our hive, that is. He saved me when he could have saved himself. Not once, but twice. This is the hive, I claim, now.”

The two windigos chasing Pharynx flew in low over the small band of changelings, their eyes glowing bright, casting a wall of ice around the group to block off their escape. With angry growls and squeals, they flexed their magic to enlarge their influence, narrowing the remaining space left for the changelings to stand.

Unfazed by the threat, Pharynx stepped out from the center, approaching Chrysalis's projection, his horn shining with a brighter, more radiant, brimming with unnatural magic to that of a changeling. Its flame burned with a warmth that reached out to warm all it touched without discomfort but a sense of safety.

“All we have is the hive. No other creatures protects us, feeds us, or would be willing to risk their lives for us. All the hive has is us. Without our willingness to support, defend, or even sacrifice ourselves for each other, there would be no hive. Because when we fend for ourselves, we are left alone to fall. But together…”

Together, all three changelings erupted in the same flame. Their light combined to illuminate the entire cave before swirling off their horns over them, amassing in a giant green burning heart of blazing magic.

Together, they declared, “We are the hive! Together, we will survive!”

Half warmed by the green light and half freezing from the waist down, still locked in ice, Rainbow was in awe of what she could see. A site of reimagined legend that sent the windigos scattering to all corners of the caves to hide in shadows or deep crevices.

“The Fire of Friendship,” Rainbow called out in a raspy voice.

“What?!” Pharynx barked back at Rainbow. “No! This is the Heart of the Swarm! Don’t call it something stupid like Fire of Friendship! Fire burns things. This is… Green… And warm and—Never mind that! You both agreed to help us, so we’re making an exception for you two ponies. We’re getting you out of here.”

Elytra couldn’t hide some form of a smile as she stepped closer, though she had to keep her eyes fixed on Bulky’s body when talking to keep herself from showing any further emotions.

“Huh. Bulky is one soldier of a changeling none of us can push around, but you took care of him on your own, injured and already worn down. Not only to save your fellow pony but to protect us.” She started to smile wider, even blushing a bit, but then turned her head in a forced display of disgust. “Guh! We still only have to get along until we all get out of here, so don’t get the wrong idea.”

Equally impressed, Haltere examined the level of ice covering the two mares.

“Same thing happened to us when I flew back to save Elytra. Those flying cold pony, windigo things boxed us in. We thought we were done for.”

[Not much earlier before the fighting began in the caves.]

“Hey!” Elytra shouted, fear gripping her as she felt the ledge give way underneath her hooves, holding on for dear life. “This ledge is falling apart! Lift me up!”

The trail was fresh, or so Haltere had said when he Pharynx up this way, but the footing was weak, making him hurry ahead to lessen the load on the faltering ledge.

“Elytra!” Pharynx shouted back. “Stop panicking! Haltere! Hurry up and grab her before the whole thing collapses!”

Before Haltere could safely make it to the edge to reach for Elytra, as ordered, a familiar cold breeze drifted in from where the trail was leading them. Along with the cold, threatening wails and squeals came pouring out down the entrance towards them.

“Somethings coming!’ Pharynx called out as a warning.

“It's those things!” Elytra shrieked, seeing the first one round the corner.

“Fly, now!” Haltere shouted out, jumping down behind Elytra to open his wings out of sight.

Pharynx was stuck out in the open with Gaster still on his back and the enemy closing in. They didn’t have time to plan, the room to flee, or the numbers to fight. There was only a small amount of space for them to hopefully hide in if they were quick enough.

“Hide, you idiots!” Pharynx ordered, only to turn back and see Elytra still gripping tightly to the crumbling ledge Haltere never removed her from.

“Pharynx! I’m slipping!” Elytra shouted. “PHAR—!”

Finally, succumbing to the wear and tear of time, as well as the new weight of recent travelers, the ledge broke free, dropping Elytra along with broken stone, dirt, and ice.

“I got you!” Pharynx shouted, diving out to grab Elytra’s hoof in the nick of time.

Pharynx had been fortunate enough to reach Elytra in time, but with Gaster still on his back and the angle of what remained of the ledge on a downward sloop, he couldn’t lift Elytra to safety. In fact, what remained of the inclined sloop was more ice than rock.

“WE’RE SLIPPING!” Elytra shrieked, feeling both of them slowly slide lower. “DON’T LET GO!”

The situation seemed impossible. There was nothing to hold onto, no imperfections or rough spots to grip. Pharynx had ensured that Gaster was properly secured to his back, and he wasn’t about to let go of Elytra, nor did she show any sign of letting go of him.

He needed help.

“HALTERE!” Pharynx screamed. “WHERE ARE YOU?!”

Swip!

It was inevitable. They couldn’t fight gravity, and the ice had worked against them. Perhaps the benefit of falling was a few more moments of avoiding those cold ponies still descending on them as they fell screaming down to the depths below.

Even still, Pharynx had to try, with Gaster on his back, Elytra’s forelegs locked around his, he managed to open his wings and did his best to fly.

“AHHHHH!” Whether it was fear, frustration, or determination, Pharynx didn’t know why he was screaming, but he was still focused on one thing: “We can make it.”

They weren’t slowing enough. Not enough to break their fall. If anything, they were only slowing enough to allow the windigos to catch up to them.

“Let her go!” Haltere shouted, his voice barreling in from behind.

Before Pharynx could register what was happening, something had ripped Elytra out of Pharynx’s grip, and he could see Haltere flying off ahead of him with Elytra folded over his shoulder.

“Yell at me later! We gotta make a run for it!” Haltere shouted as he took point.

Elytra, riding uncomfortably over Haltere’s shoulder, was half still in shock, the other half furious with her savior.

“You left me! What the heck, Haltere?!”

Buzzing around pillars of rock and ice, dipping down into any passage open, Haltere did his best to give reason to his actions while trying not to crash.

“I came back, didn’t I?! Besides!” He buzzed down low to avoid hitting an underpass they had traversed earlier. “What good is a scout without a soldier to back’em up? It’s like a changeling without a hive! Don’t make no sense! Now, hold on!”

Still angry, Elytra held tighter than needed but watched their rear as they were hopefully taken somewhere safer.

“Hold on?! Why should I ever trust you again?”

Before Haltere could answer, Pharynx flew ahead, racing ahead and veering right.

“Stop arguing and keep flying!” Pharynx shout. “We need to circle back!”

“Wait!” Haltere shouted back, steering himself up and turning sharp to round up back to where they scaled on hoof not much earlier. “Pharynx! Stop! Let me take point! You’re heading towards a—”

It was too late. Haltere knew where Pharynx was leading them and stopped short of crashing into where Pharynx nearly slammed into a wall of ice. The same wall Haltere had examined before that had led to previous confusion.

“—dead end,” Haltere said with a defeated sigh. “This is where Thorax wandered off to before.”

“Dead end is right,” Elytra announced with alarm as she pushed herself off of Haltere’s back. “We’re trapped.”

Haltere and Pharynx turned to see windigos edging themselves around the narrow entrance, their only escape to this small chamber. The temperature around them dropped rapidly as ice crept closer from the entrance, encasing the walls and covering the floor from the windigo’s cold, glowing stare.

“You should have left us when you had the chance,” Elytra angrily stated as she backed closer to the wall, but even closer to Haltere’s side.

“No,” Haltere declared, a firm mix of pride and determination in his voice. You three are all I have. I have no reason to leave this stupid ice heap if I can’t bring you all with me. That’s why I came back. I never should have left. Pharynx wouldn’t abandon us, and even if I freeze down here because of it, I won’t abandon any of you ever again.”

Without intentionally prepping an offensive spell, the tip of Haltere’s horn began to glow with a small green flame while the windigos slowed their approach for some reason.

Elytra, thinking they were making their last stand, thought at least to say a few words.

“Ya big dummy… Thanks for coming back anyway. Even if we did mess things up, we never would have made it this far without you. You’re a great scout. I was proud to watch your back. You never led us down the wrong path.” Without warning, the same green flame began to glow on the tip of her horn. “And Pharynx… I’d rather freeze in this fight at your side than wander alone. Thank you for not leaving me behind.”

Pharynx pushed his way ahead of his two other hive mates, a brighter green flame burning over his horn.

“You two are the bravest, strongest changelings I know! We are the heart of the swarm! I’ll die before I let them take you! Not these cold ponies or any changeling else!”

[Right back to where Haltere was reminiscing.]

Haltere walked up to Rainbow and Spitfire, turned to the side, and kicked the ice surrounding them firm enough to shatter it enough for them to step out safely. The recollection of prior events kept to himself as he released his temporary allies.

“It’s not a long story, but I’ll spare you the details and say we did it better, faster, and never got caught up in their ice like you two. Once we acknowledged how great our new hive was and we created the Heart of the Swarm, those windigo things flew off.”

Things looked to be all clear, so Pharynx stepped forward to fill in the rest of what he thought the two mares should know.

“The windigos retreated from Heart of the Swarm—”

“Fire of Friendship,” Rainbow interjected with a sneer.

“Shut up,” Pharynx responded in deadpan. “We flew back up to where we last heard you three. It was much faster with the windigos all hiding from us. However, when we came back to where we fell, Elytra suggested we hide Gaster in case we had another fight with Thorax. I didn’t want to at first, but it made sense. Then, when we heard the other changelings with the rest of you two, I knew the risks we were taking and told Haltere to pose as Gaster. I thought if anything, I’d be taken back as a prisoner, and Elytra would be left unguarded to tend to who they thought was Gaster, allowing her to escape with Haltere and recover the real Gaster.”

Elytra, unable to hide how happy she was to see how well things had turned out for her new hive, didn’t mind standing next to Spitfire and Rainbow for the time being.

“We didn’t think things would turn out this bad. At worst, we thought we would have to come back and rescue Pharynx. Haltere wouldn’t stop whispering that he wouldn’t we couldn’t let them separate us if we were going to be kicked out of the hive.”

While the background information may have been appreciated, and the liberty to speak more freely was putting them at ease, Rainbow still had something else to attend to.

“Yeah, that’s great, guys. Seriously, I want to know more about it later, but first, we gotta take care of this changeling over there.”

Even if the windigos had removed themselves, not all the threats had been removed, and two more changelings swooped down to block Rainbow’s path.

From the projection, Chrysalis defiantly stood her ground.

“Anetenn! Frons! Don’t let any of them near Malpahian. Vertex, stop grubbing over Malpaghian. He’ll be fine. And Thorax, pull yourself together.”

Shocked, Rainbow stumbled back a few steps, her tattered wings raised in protest as her angered voice responded the same.

“What?! He’s bleeding to death, and you’re going to stop me from helping him?!”

Finally, Thorax raised his head from his hoof to face Rainbow. Where the damaged carapace had once fallen away, new dark, sharp crystals covered the once-exposed raw flesh.

“You want to save him? Surrender. Give yourself up and let me take your place, or I’ll kill him myself.”

“What?!” Rainbow shouted, more than shocked, her heart practically dropping into her stomach.

“Thorax!” Chrysalis shouted as to reprimand her subordinate. “You are not to wager the lives of my—”

“He’s dying,” Thorax interjected just as sharply. “If we let him go with Rainbow Dash and the others, they’ll never return him or the information we want. We lose everything, and they'll tell the Elements of everything they’ve seen here. If they really want to save Malpaghian, let them prove it. That’s what ponies do, after all. They risk their lives for others. Even my brother’s so-called new hive are doing the same. So if he’s dying, and they say I’m dying, and every attempt at friendship is killing me, let them do the right thing and sacrifice themselves to save me and Malpaghian.”

Vertex, standing in Malpaghian’s blood, recoiled violently at the proposal.

“You can’t kill him! He’s one of us!”

“QUIET!” Chrysalis demanded before turning her attention back to Rainbow. “Well… It's not the tactic I would have led with, but now that I think about it, I don’t want to lose any of my changelings if I don’t have to. I’ll be losing many more if we don’t learn your secrets. As for you, it seems you don’t want to let them die if they don’t have to. And I don’t think you have what it takes to betray your virtues. So if you don’t surrender yourselves, you’ll be responsible for whatever happens to Malpaghian and Thorax.”

Scritch.

The sound of carapace dragging over frozen dirt and snow broke the silence.

“Ugh!” Vertex grunted.

Scritch.

The dragging came again.

“Gah!” Vertex grunted again, pulling Malpaghian away from Thorax and closer toward Rainbow and the others. “Stand up and help me move your dumb, heavy body. This red stuff is making you slippery.”

“My. My leg,” Malpaghian weakly spoke, his voice distant and delirious. “I can’t… I can’t find… my leg… Are we going home?”

Crystalis, furious, turned her ire towards Vertex, dragging Malpaghian away.

“Vertex! What are you doing?! Bring him back this instant! That’s an order!”

Not even bothering to direct his full attention back at Chrysalis, Vertex leaned down lower to lock his forelegs around Malpaghian’s torso, opened his wings, and began to lift his comrade as much as he could to drag him away further. The whole effort was clearly a struggle, yet he had clearly made up his mind.

“Forget you! Forget the swarm! Malpaghian is my brother from the same batch! I won’t let Thorax or you kill him to save his stupid, broken face! And what about Scutellum? Who’s going to save her?!”

Rainbow turned to look at the changeling's still-frozen form from earlier. Things were still a little murky about durability and mortality, but she had to at least be optimistic.

“Well, so long as the Fire of Friendship keeps burning—”

“Heart of the Swarm,” Pharynx corrected her.

“Shut up,” Rainbow snapped, not wanting to argue about the proper title. “Or whatever their version is, she should thaw out in a few hours. Since I think the ice is enchanted, it’s probably keeping her alive in there.”

Boom!

An explosion of green smoke and dust erupted from where Vertex had been dragging Malpaghian. Both bodies dropped to the ground, Malpaghian slamming hard first, and Vertex sent flying further away and tumbling a good distance away.

Thorax grit his teeth, his eyes glowing with rage and his horn still sizzling after the discharge he sent off.

“Now I know,” Thorax quietly started to say in a hushed tone. “Just like love and friendship, how I can smell it, taste it in the air when you ponies pretend your lives are so grand and great. Those windigos weren’t trying to warn me about The Darkness. They were guarding it. Stealing from it. When I looked into The Darkness, that emptiness, hopelessness, all that rage, it’s so… filling. I can smell the hopelessness on Malpaghian, taste the rage pouring out of Vertex… I’m getting hungry all over again.”

Spitfire swallowed hard and stepped back closer to Rainbow, not sure of what they were to do now.

“Uh, Dash? Can we actually save these changelings and ourselves? And since when can changelings feed on… emotions other than love?”

Rainbow quickly glanced at Vertex struggling to reach his hooves, then at Malpaghian still bleeding out, and then back at Thorax.

“We gotta try. Ocellus showed us not all changelings are bad.” She let out a few cold, wet coughs and spat before sizing up the main changeling in front of them. “As for this Thorax and what he’s doing… I think we’re gonna need Twilight’s help talking with our brony expert. This is all new to me.”

Knowing this fight wasn’t going to be easy, she kept her eyes on Throax but called back to Pharynx. It would all be much easier with added numbers on their side, after all.

“Since were working together until this is all over and your brother isn’t changing sides, you three mind helping us take these last few guys down so we split?”

As eager as Pharynx was to leave, as well as stop Thorax, if not save him, there was some bad news he had to share about honoring that request.

“Uh, if we move too far away from The Heart of the Swarm, it burns out. Then the windigos will come back… Cuz, you know… Fighting? …Can’t you ponies take this one?”

Spitfire snapped her head back to bark at the changelings.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! Two against three?! Dash is sick!”

Slowly walking up behind the two mares, Vertex shook his head clear of the stars dancing in his vision, but made no hostile posturing as he moved to stand alongside next to Rainbow.

“Name’s Vertex. If you got a deal with those three for getting you both out of here alive to help Gaster, save my brother, and I’ll make it an even three on three. But I fight dirty.”

Rainbow was about to say some words of encouragement, but as she opened her mouth, something else came out.

“Achoo!” Another sneeze came out, putting an ache in her lungs that told her how poor her health was declining and how much help she needed. “Gah! Fuck it. No pony else is here to watch us. Kick’em while they're down if you want to. I’m sick of them and this cold ass mountain. The faster we take’em out, the faster we get out of here. But we gotta be quick. I don’t know how long it takes for a changeling to bleed to death.”

Behind Rainbow, Spitfire, and Vertex, Pharynx stood under the glow of the burning green heart that required his audience. Before him, stood two ponies ready to contend in a battle that should have been his with a brother that should never strayed from home.

“Thorax!” Pharynx called out. “You can still join us! You can belong with us! Our own hive!”

The tension was high with the offer hanging in the air, and Chrysalis had to know.

“Well, Thorax?” She asked coyly, practically mocking the proposal. “Care to give friendship another try?”

Thorax opened his shell to extend his wings, looked past the three still willing to challenge him, and focused all his rage on his Pharynx.

“I’ll make him hate me before I watch him drown in Darkness. And their Heart of the Swarm, be glad you're not here to see it for yourself.”

While it was true that Chrysalis was revulted at the site of the floating, mystical object burning infront of her projection, she was now curious as to what exactly she wasn’t there to witness herself.

“Oh? And why is that?”

This time, Frons, standing next to Thorax, licked his lips and salivated as he was fixated on the burning heart.

“It’s made of love, my Queen. I want to taste it.”

Standing on the other side of Thorax, Anetenn could see it just as clearly and felt the same urges.

“Chrysalis? May we feed?”

That bit of information was rather unsettling, and Chrysalis did not take kindly to any of it all.

“Recovering those two ponies takes priority. After that, do whatever you wish, but Pharynx and his new hive must not leave this mountain alive.”

Off to the side, not too far, barely in earshot, Urtica shouted out clarification for her role.

“Hey! What about me?!”

Thorax turned his eyes just enough to see the state she was in, covered in his, as well as Arista floundering to pry himself free from his miny ice trap. They were both passingly pathetic obstacles to avoid in his eyes.

“It’s every changeling for themselves unless Chrysalis says otherwise. Pick yourself up and make yourself useful.” He turned his attention back to Rainbow specifically as another piece of carapace fell off his cheek, revealing a shiny piece of metal. “Anetenn, take Spitfire. Frons, you get Vertex. I’m going to see how much love I can pull out of Rainbow Dash before she’s as lifeless as Gaster.”

That settled things for Rainbow, and she saw fit to lead the charge.

“Take’em down!”

Both sides charged at each other, and despite Rainbow’s sickly state, her superior speed still put her ahead of the trio, where she met with Thorax first.

Tat-Tat-Tat-Tat-Tat-Tat-Tat!

In rapid succession, Rainbow unleashed a series of punches over Thorax’s neck and chest, pushing him back but not taking him down.

Barely a second behind, Spitfire met with Anetenn, who leaped high with his hooves out to tackle her to the ground. Spitfire, faster on her hooves than Anetenn could adjust in the air, fanned her wings out with their pitch to the ground, making her body slump low and out of his reach. Just as quick, as if to loop in flight, she changed the pitch of her wings, crouched, and jumped with her forehooves extended.

Crunch!

Both hooves hit Anetenn in the ribs as he passed overhead, knocking the air out of his lungs and him off his projected path.

“Guh!” He grunted, folding up in the air before tumbling down into the dirty snow.

Spitfire wasted no time, spinning herself back around and darting back toward her opponent. She could see him holding his chest with one hoof, the other trying to push himself up while his wings began to flutter to bring him up to flight.

“Oh, no you don’t!”

Crack!

With no flight-worthy wings of her own, Spitfire delivered a left hook to Anetenn’s jaw, spinning him back down to the ground where she immediately took mount over his tender ribs. Under her right rear leg, she had his left foreleg pinned while Anetenn’s right was up and batting wildly at her face as she groaned, wheezed, and hissed.

“Knock it off!” She screamed, finally catching his free foreleg under hers before dropping hammer blows to his face. “You wanted this fight! Take it!”

At the same time, Vertex and Frons seemed dead even in their traded throwing blows that nearly knocked one another away or dodged one advance or the next.

"Come on!" Vertex shouted, egging on his rival. "All those times I scouted for you! You never learned to fight!"

Behind all six, Chrysalis watched, grinding her teeth at how her underlings were fairing.

“Anetenn! You worthless insect! Get up! Frons! Stop flying around and do something! And Thorax! Rainbow Dash is sick and flightless! Destroy her already!”

Still going hard in the fight, Rainbow continued her pummeling Thorax. Body blows with punches, quick kicks to his sides and shoulders. Every hit landed with precision, the force she’d practiced for years, yet none of them took off his hooves or knocked him away like a normal changeling.

“You’re going down!” Rainbow cried out, throwing powerful punch into a rising blur of blue magic rising up around Thorax.

Shin! Thunk…

“Need some help there, Rainbow Dash?” Thorax asked, now holding Rainbow’s hoof in a large five-fingered-like paw. “Maybe another lift?”

Before, Rainbow wasn’t the changeling with a broken face or the large insectoid Throax had changed into before. Amid her attack, he had changed into a yeti. A towering quadrupedal beast of the arctic areas, hind legs like those of a jungle cat, a broad chest of a lion, but a near furless face of the same species with no discernible ears. Its fur was a mix of large tufts of thick, white fur over its chest that hid the muscular form underneath. The rest of its legs and torso were a darker, mated grey fur that showed its refined, sculpted anatomy. The hindquarters, much like its front paws and face, were all but bare, dark grey skin. What ultimately stood out were the unnatural flooded orange eyes that matched a small four-pronged growth of skin that sat almost like a crown atop its forehead.

Unlike so many other creatures Thorax could have taken, what was unique about this form was the five semi-opposable clawed toes it wielded on each front paw. One paw, in particular, that still held Rainbow’s by the fetlock. There was no aposable thumb, but all five digits had been wrapped with such a painfully strong hold that it didn’t matter.

“Let me know if I grip too tight!”

In the blink of an eye, Rainbow was lifted off her hind legs.

Crack!

“Guh…”

Rainbow tried to gasp. Her back, her head, and her wings were all throbbing and aching. None of those aches or pains compared to the agony of what she felt in her foreleg, still gripped in Thorax’s hold.

In one fell swoop, Thorax had lifted her up and swung her down from over his head onto her back, slamming her down onto the unforgiving, unmoving, frozen ground.

She could barely breathe. Her lungs demanded she cough, but instead, she choked and wheezed.

Thorax, stood over her, his new, vicious, beastly form, sneering down at her with hungry eyes and that viousious mouth of giant, sharpened teeth.

“I'm sorry,” he mockingly cooed as he wiggled her limp foreleg in his paw. “I thought I was grabbing you gently enough to lift you. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Too caught up in the moment, Chrysalis had to call out a warning.

“Thorax, you idiot, look out!”

The sound of rapid insect wings buzzing grew louder, and Thorax turned in time to see Frons gut-checked in Vertex’s shoulder, diving bombing in toward him.

“Incoooming!”

Boom!

Vertex charged his horn at the last moment, erupting a blaze of green around his impact. It struck Thorax in the chest, creating an explosion that separated all parties in different directions.

Spitfire spun around from the changeling’s chest to see the mini explosion’s aftermath.

“Dash!” She shouted, now panicking and jumping off the battered changeling’s ragdolled body.

Slowly, Anetenn brought a hoof to his face, brushing a way chips and chunks of busted carapce. One eye was swollen shut already, the other barely opened at all. He tried to turn to his side to stand, but was overwhelmed by the flux of pain and loose rocks or pebbles left jumbling in his mouth.

Instead of trying to stand, he took a deep breath and used the air to spit the loose gravel he must have taken in during the beating. Unfortunately, with the one eye still granting him vision, as he spat, all he could see leaving his mouth were teeth.

“Canterlot wasn’t this bad… Oww.”

Over with Rainbow, Spitfire quickly made her way to her downed Wonderbolt’s side to asses her injuries, rightfully concerned, given the mare’s state.

“Dash! Dash! Oh, my gosh. This is bad. Can you still move?”

Rainbow as in a daze, wheezing, her wet cough sounding worse than before.

“Can’t… fight… him,” she struggled to speak aloud. “Felt… something… wrong…” She coughed again, a deeper rasp in her voice. “Danger. Power…Anger… Like Justin… When he…fights.”

Nothing about that sounded promising, urging Spitfire to reach down and lift Rainbow up to her hooves.

“Gah!” Rainbow sharply yelped out, her voice cutting off as she again struggled to breathe.

Concerned, Spitfire froze, first seeing Rainbow struggling to breathe, but then her right foreleg hanging low from her shoulder, her knee twisted out of place, and her fetlock swollen larger than her hoof.

“Oh, shit. Dash. This is bad. We gotta go. Full retreat.” She turned to Pharynx and took Rainbow’s good foreleg around her neck. “Hey! It’s now our never! Forget your Heart of the Swarm, grab the other changeling and Vertex, then fight us a way out of here! We’re leaving!”

“NO!” Thorax’s voice boomed through the cavern, drawing everyone's attention on him, holding Malpaghian up by a hindleg near the edge of one of the shallow pools of dark oil. “I’ll break you apart. One by one. Drain you all. Kill all of you if I have to. Then I’m going to the Crystal Empire. Find those friends of yours. Tell them whatever they need to hear about HOW I ALMOST SAVED YOU WORTHLESS, stubborn lives… and then they’re gonna heal me.”

As the heroes looked closer, they could see drops of blood slowly but steadily leaking from Throax’s yeti lips. Whether it was from his previous injuries spreading further or new ones created from this current fight, no one could tell. What was clear was that he was hurting, bleeding, and more serious than ever.

“Vertex, get up… Remove the ice from Urtica and Arista, and I’ll let you take your brother back to the hive. Frons, wake up Bulky. It might be every changeling for themselves but I’m getting tired doing all the hard work myself.”

Malpighian was weak, dizzy, hurting in places he didn’t understand, and growing colder as he watched his blood continue to pump out from his busted leg into the snow. It was such a strange sight to see; such a shade of red was uncommon where he was from. There it was, pooling together below him, melting the snow, slowly carving a crimson path over the ledge toward The Darkness, threatening his life if his brother did not comply with Throax’s demands.

In the center of all the madness, Vertex defiantly stood up, refusing to cater to Thorax.

“Let my brother go! You think I’m stupid?! I can’t trust you!”

Thorax thought this would have been easier. Then again, he’d proven himself to be deceptive, merciless, and that he held no loyalty to even his own brood. So, he decided to provide a little more incentive by lowering Malpighiana little further, half over the edge and hovering over the safety of same landbridge he stood on.

“Hmm, maybe you can’t, but you can’t get your brother back without me, either.”

“Hey,” Malpighian weakly spoke up, suddenly sounding more concerned.

Thorax, ignoring Malpighian, kept his eyes on Vertex and the others as he gave his ultimatums.

“Think about it. You want what I want. The knowledge Rainbow Dash’s friends have. You can’t heal this. I can’t. Chrysalis can’t. A cocoon might sustain him, but have you ever seen a three-legged changeling?”

Again, Malpighian called out, this a little louder with more panic.

“Lift me up.”

Still, Thorax held Malpighian to bleed over the ledge, making his demands as passively as possible.

“These ponies owe you nothing and will give you noth—”

“Pull me up now!” Malpighian screamed, finally alerting Thorax that something was wrong.

Too late, Vertex saw it too and called out for his brother as he opened his wings to take flight.

“Malpighian!”

Thorax raised Malpighian and looked down to his side to see the black oil had climbed up over the ledge, running up the trail of blood that had fed its way down the side. Reacting violently, crystals and jagged shards of metal began to sprout from the pool of blood the oil overtook, dangerously close to Thorax himself. Then, as if aware of his presence—

Shink!

From the oil, a shard of black metal sprouted out, stabbing Thorax's paw, standing in the pool of blood being overtaken.

“Rah!” Thorax shrieked, jumping back and slamming Malpighian’s body down like a club on the mass of oil and jagged shards that had attacked him.

“Guck!” Was the sickly sound Malpighian made as his body hit the ground, shattering crystal and metal that pierced his carapace.

As fast as Vertex could fly to his brother's aid, he watched in horror as the black oil crawled further around each limb.

“Hold on!”

Malpighian was more than in a state of shock; he was shivering, trembling, panicking, bound by oil wrapped over him and impaled through his gut and hip.

“Vert-ACK!”

Before Vertex could reach his brother, a mass of dark crystals burst from his lower abdomen so fiercely it punctured through his left thigh. Where blood began to pump and spry out, the oil quickly overtook the world, devouring flesh and fluid alike. More crystals grew and contracted, sprouting jagged shards of metal that tore open from his back and flanks, leaving Malpighian to scream uncontrollably in agony.

Behind Malpighian, Thorax carefully stepped away, too entranced by the violent nature of what The Darkness was capable of doing to a living creature. The windigos, entities constructed of ice, as far as he knew, were one thing when stripped down, crushed, and broken open… but this terrifying.

“Stay back!” Rainbow shouted, sending into a coughing fit, doubling over on Spitfire’s shoulder.

Vertex refused to yield in his rescue and continued to race over to his brother’s screams, but apprehension of The Darkness consuming his kin and screams kept him just out of reach as he hovered over his brother’s outstretched hoof.

“Malpy! Get up! Fight! Bug up! You can do this!”

Somewhere deep in Malpighian’s body, a sickening crunch muffled out with the sound of tearing tense fabric and sloshing of fluids. Malpighian’s hoof fell limp, his head slumped over the ledge, and his frightened blue eyes faded to a lifeless white. A low rumble briefly escaped the motionless changeling’s mouth, but that was only for the few drops of blood to find their way before more of the oil overtook the flow, covering his lips and jaw. The oil quickly looked to firm itself, coiling around like a band of barbwired snakes before contracting and crushing the mandible, skull, and horn alike.

Unsure of what he witnessed, Vertex remained hovering in place.

“Where… where’s my brother?” He quietly asked if the answer wasn’t plainly in front of him. “Malpighian… He… He was just right here. He was just right here! Where’s Malpy! WHERE’S MALPY!”

Thorax looked down at his paw, a familiar ache returning. From where The Darkness had stabbed him, not only was he bleeding, but more of the oil was festering, corroding, melding with his flesh.

“Maybe it doesn’t matter,” Thorax started to say, coldly, a bit of emptiness taking hold as he seemed to accept the position he was in. “The white crystals. The black crystals… They come for us all. Rainbow Dash said he was going to die… and he did. Rainbow Dash said that only her friends can save me, and I refuse to die. I’m too scared to die. Too tired of living like this.”

Slowly, Vertex, hovering, his wings beating with desire for vengeance, began to turn as he started to pull some of his magic into his horn.

“You’re tired of living, Thorax? Fine… I’ll kill you, too.”

All the while this was happening, Chrysalis was speechless at everything she was given view of. The Darkness, in fact, could kill a changeling. Thorax was willing to kill for her, and perhaps there was a mystery to the crystals, death, and missing changelings that she needed to be looked into as well. Beyond that, Thorax, of all her underlings, was outclassing any in her swarm she could have tasked with facing any of the Elements, injured or not. Despite how much she instilled uniformity within her ranks, Thorax was distinctly different… and she wanted him back.

“That’s it! I’m sending another team! Thorax! Capture Rainbow Dash and Spitfire. We need that information if The Darkness is too dangerous to the swarm! Send any who get in your way into The Darkness. Whoever betrays the hive will perish!”

Vertex, enraged, with tears in his eyes, his horn brimming with magic, waiting to be discharged, screamed, "LIKE MALPY! He was loyal! You could have stopped this! Could have stopped Twilight the last time. Should have stopped Cadance in Canterlot. But we’re always starving, hiding, sent off to fight the battles not even you can win. You’re worthless!”

If Chrysalis could have reached through her projection to strike down Vertex there and then, she would have.

“Silence, traitor!”

Having taken enough, Vertex narrowed his eyes on his former Queen, ready to make a vow he could never take back.

“Even if it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to see you stripped of your hive, mother. And I’ll drag you down into this Darkness myself if I have to.”

Things had gone too far, and Spitfire couldn’t stop herself from shouting down evil in front of her. Her eys watering up with a mix of the terror of what The Darkness had done and ruthlessness of Thorax under Chrysalis’s command.

“You should have learned your lesson, Chrysalis. Once we get out of here, you have no idea the kind of pain we’re going bring to you. You thought the Elements of Harmony fucked you up?! We have the killers Harmony feared ready to fight for us, and they won’t bat an eye if they have to kill for us… They can’t be killed. And Thorax, you’re first.”

Suddenly, another chill ran through the air. A drop in the air so sudden that shouldn’t have been possible with Pharynx’s Fire of Friendship/Heart of the Swarm still burning. Yet, as the tensions rose, and Throax readied his claws and threats, the air grew colder still.

“You know what?! You two know so much! I’m thinking I’ll only need to bring back one of you alive!”

“RAHHHHHHH!”

From the depths of beyond the steep ledge were the deepest portions of the oil lay, a large figure emerged, screaming, squealing, splashing globs of the oil in its path between all bickering changelings and poneis. It seemed to have no determined path or target, huffing puffing pumes of white mist that chilled the air in direction the mists traveled.

Without direction or cause, its two large cracked front crystal hooves stomped their way between Urtica and Arista, huffing out strong puffs of frigid that had a scent of coal, something metallic, and another element that was ominous all of its own. Yet, as it scurried through, the trail of oil not exactly thinning out by falling off but absorbing into the beast, an amorphous tail began to take form on its backsides as it neared the remains of Malpighian.

Finally, after huffing another white plum, it drew a deep breath and turned its head toward Thorax. It gave a hungry squeal and sprinted closer, barreling through the frozen statue of Scutellum, who had been left undisturbed since early in the fight.

Fracturing into pieces that sprawled under its hooves, crushed further, carelessly Utica and Arista frantically began to pull, pry, and attack the ice that held them in place. Misplaced chunks of their once whole commrade spinning like toy pieces in view after bouncing off their faces having motivated them immensely.

Just the same, as Spitfire was backing away, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest, and she almost elbowed Haltere in the face, stopping just in time when she recognized his helmet.

“Gah! What are you.. Your heart thing? I thought? What is that?”

Pharynx took his position in front of the group, watching the creature sniff its way closer to where Malpighian last fell, and Vertex was darting back and forth the remains, shouting at the beast.

“The Heart of the Swarm kept the windigos away, but these are different. These aren’t affected by The Darkness at all.”

Further ahead, Thorax hunkered low and backed away, letting Vertex take all the attention. Surprisingly, though, the creature only briefly studied the changeling screaming at him.

“Get back!” Vertex shouted despite being ignored. “Stay away! That’s still my brother in there! Hey! Listen to me! You got rocks for brains! Hey! Heeeey!”

Unbothered by the shouting, the creature lowered its head, more of the oil cleared away to show a black mirror polished windigo’s head dipping its muzzle into the mess that used to be Malpighian.

Crunch. Crack. Snap. Huff. Crunch. Pop. Crunch. Snap.

In a moment of disbelief, Vertex nearly lost control of flight and fell several feet before catching himself at the site of watching this… thing carelessly, hungrily, eat what remained of his brother.

“What… What is happening?!”

Behind them, the warmth of the burning green heart faded out, and Pharynx made it clear what was happening.

“Rainbow Dash is too hurt to fight, and now we have to carry her out just like Gaster. We can’t save Malpighian or Scutellum; we need to get past that thing and then bust out. I hope the storm has passed. We’re not gonna make it back the way we came. Our problem won’t be getting past Thorax or any of the windigos… Even they don’t want to go near the dark one.”

The dark windigo feasted greedily upon what was left of Malpighian and paid no mind to Vertex. However, when only scraps were left and sparse splotches of the oil to sift through, it sniffed again and turned its eyes up to Thorax.

Thorax caught eyes with the creature, but that was only at a glance. This dark windigo was made of black ice, crystals, and metal; its face fractured unevenly down the middle, one ear was different as if it had grown back recently as a crystal. More disturbing was one eye had been hollowed out and glowed with a dark blue aura, resonating with a deep hatred whle it stared back at him.

Somehow, instantly, Thorax knew what he was looking at, and he abandoned his yeti form. As the blue magic dispelled around his damaged body, Thorax spat a bit of blood out before he bore his fangs and charged his horn, ready for a new fight and another victim of vengeance.

“You…. You did this to me." Under the glow surrounding his horn, some of the polish began to erode, revealing a metallic shine. “I guess there wasn’t enough of that gunk to kill either of us last time. This time I’ll drain you before I before I crush you.”

Author's Note

I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. In vain with the last submission, getting some of the art done did slow me down, but largely so did the writing as well as my health.

I've been trying to do more to relax, which is saying a lot because I can't do much as is. However, mentally, I'm really struggling at times. Not only that, but now that I'm back to living on my own again, I'm finding a lot of pitfalls in where my limits are. And by that, I'm pretty sure twice of me cleaning up after myself and some light tidying up I mistook having to lay down for a moment and falling asleep for passing out, or really, I'm still lying to myself about it all, and I simply don't like admitting the truth.

Regardless... I'm sure you can summarize the severity of the events that took place here in this chapter. Shit has finally tipped the scale from Life-Threatening to Life-Ending.

Where does it go from here? You'll have to come back and read:

Chapter 15.
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Also, acknowledgments to my story support:

The Fan Without a Face:

Editor for Chapters 01 - 03, 5, 7