Celestia's blazing sun shone down upon the heartwarming scene of Equestria covered in a thick blanket of frost, ice, and snow. Chilled air and gusts of wind brushed across the coats of its many inhabitants. Ponies walked to and fro covered in warm hats and scarves in an effort to battle the elements. Despite the few grumbles and groans that came with the first snowfall, most ponies got into the spirit of things as they awoke to the sight of a shining carpet of white covering the fields; the perfect snow for a number of winter activities. Three ponies in particular had wasted little time in diving right into the cold sheet of wonder.
"You can't get me Shining!" Cadence shouted, as she ran as fast as she could away from her pursuers. A steady drip of water could be heard in the background, muddled by the glorious winter's day.
"Hurry, my steed! She is getting away!" Twilight Sparkle laughed, clinging to her brother's thick neck, as the two tried to chase down the fleeing Cadence, Shining Armor flinging snowballs with his magic at every opportunity. Cadence, for her part, laughed right along side them, despite having to struggle to try and dodge all of the projectiles being sent her way, while also trying to avoid being run down by the pair.
The sound of bursting flame rang through Cadence's ears, and she felt her coat tingle at the oncoming blast of heat. It was a sweet feeling for Cadence, but as quickly it came, it vanished, leaving the cold to continue to bite at Cadence's coat. Cadence scanned the horizon around her, but could not identify the source of the noise and warmth. Cadence chose to forget the event and focus on the game, as the the two ponies pursuing her seemed to be doing.
"Yes, my knight!" Shining Armor whinnied, doing his best to play the part seriously, made difficult by the wave of giggles coming out of his throat. He quickened the pace of his hooves, and soon they found themselves gaining on the young princess. Twilight Sparkle carefully focused on the snowball she held with her magic, still in the midst of learning telekinesis. "Just focus hard on where you want it to go," Shining Armor encouraged, breaking character in an effort to help Twilight.
Cadence kept a rhythmic pace to her breathing and hoof-falls, trying her best to break away from her rapidly approaching friends. Her concentration was broken, however, when a sudden shock ran down her spine as a snowball hit the base of her neck. Exhausted, Cadence willingly fell to the ground upon being hit, laughing in-between short breaths and turning her gaze toward her pursuers as she lay on her side.
"I did it!" Twilight Sparkle screamed, jumping off her brother's back to dance around jubilantly. "I did it, I did it, I did it!" Twilight repeated like a mantra, thoroughly consumed by her own joy. She had worked hard the past few weeks trying to get her telekinesis to a higher level, and finally felt it paying off as she had aimed an object with more precision and strength than she ever had before.
“It's freezing. Where's the warmth? Why isn't this warmer? I'm..I'm..bundled up," Cadence reflected as she lay in the snow, before a soft voice saved her from her own thoughts.
"You OK?" Shining Armor asked, walking over to the sprawled Cadence and leaving his sister to her own devices for a moment. He offered a gentle hoof to help her up off the snowy ground. Cadence beamed up at him, charmed at Shining's usual consideration and kindness.
“He's always looking out for everyone in these kind of games, making sure nopony is hurt. He's going to be a wonderful guard someday,” Cadence thought privately to herself, before accepting his offered limb and pulling herself up. "I'm fine," Cadence said aloud, before shivering due to the lingering ice on her neck. "Just a little-"
"So..cold..." Cadence said, breathing deeply as the dream faded. Her entire body was wracked with a wave of shivers. She opened her eyes and glanced upward to observe her surroundings once more, hoping that today she might be somewhere else. She was disappointed.
Within the blanket of darkness around her, there was little warmth to be found. Her surroundings were the same deep purple rocks and crystals they always were, their jagged nature making the room feel smaller. She was still completely surrounded by walls of these stones, with no hope of breaking through them; only the one who imprisoned her seemed to be able to break through and manipulate the caves. The only sound was her own breath and the steady drip of water falling from an overhanging rock, its origin a mystery to her. The cold was a constant sting, like needles pricking into her body. She was far beneath the heat of Celestia's shining sun, and too exhausted and hungry to conjure up any more spells that might alleviate her temperature.
"What did I do...?" Cadence groaned, burying her face in the hard floor beneath her and closing her eyes. The cavern had taken its toll on her; her coat was scratched and bruised, her mane was ragged, and her waist was too thin to be healthy. "What did I do to deserve this...?" Cadence asked, to no response. The walls silently mocked her.
There was one strong source of warmth in the room- a large crystal, black as night, dancing with images and bathed in hypnotizing green fire. The crystal was a dominating presence in the small cavern. Far larger than any of the other rocks around her, its size acted to constantly pull Cadence's eyes toward it. It was a nearly impossible thing to escape.
“No Cadence, don't look at it! It’s not going to help you,”Cadence resisted the urge to turn her head around to gaze into the crystal she knew was right behind her. She had situated herself as far away as she could from the cursed rock, determined not to give into its inviting warmth. “Looking at it will only crush you. You're stronger than that.”
As if reading her mind, the burning crystal started to echo noises throughout the enclosed cavern. Cadence could hear the flames rising in intensity, before the voices began to speak. She could not escape the sound that beat angrily on her eardrums. She could not escape the sighs that plucked the strings of her heart. She could not escape the dark reality hat drove her soul into the the abyss. She could not escape; but she would always try her hardest to do so, even if she had no permanent solution.
"You can fight this,” Cadence murmured, giving herself comfort when no one else could. As the invading sounds of her impostor's schemes grew louder, however, Cadence's desperation grew. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” Cadence shouted, covering her ears and trying to ignore the voices. “You're going to be fine. You can't hear it. You won't go near it. That..hellfire..can't touch you.” Cadence clung desperately to the cold of the cave, a lifeline against the scorching pain she knew would come from behind her.
"Cadence," spoke the the voice of her beloved, and her world rippled. Her knight in shining armour. His voice was so warm and soothing that her heart fluttered, a canary in a cage. So loud, and so close that he could be speaking right into her ear. But he wasn't. "What are..." Shining interrupted himself with a mighty yawn. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be with Princess Celestia, working on the wedding."
"I needed to be with you," said the demon that definitely wasn't her. "And I know you needed me too. Your headaches haven't gotten any better, have they?"
"I'll be fine. I just-" Shining Armor interrupted himself with a painful yelp. "I..I.." he groaned, breathing heavily, the words lost on him. "I need you," he finally managed, submitting to his guilty desire for comfort.
"I need you too, Shining," the real Cadence whispered, helpless to to stop herself from replying, even though she knew he could not hear her. "Now, more than ever." She desperately wanted to be there with him, to be able to comfort him, and be comforted in return.
"I'm here for you. You should always tell me when you need me," the demon's voice rang out. The sighs and the smattering of lips that followed acted as claws on Cadence's throat, making it difficult for her to breathe. She desperately crashed her head down and tried harder to smother her hearing with her hooves, her eyes leaking out her sadness, unheeded by the world above.
"This..this..isn't..happening!" Cadence voice fell and rose again, as she tried to re-summon the courage she needed to fight against the onslaught of her own despair. She felt as if the walls were closing in on her. The world was spinning, and the rocks were lost in a haze. The voices behind her continued to whisper sweet nothings, burning her ears as she desperately tried to escape from them. "I'm not here right now. I'm not. I'm..."
"Is something wrong Cadence?" Shining Armor asked gently, pulling her out of her reverie. He took her hoof in his, a comforting gesture. "You seem kind of out of it."
"S-sorry," Cadence stammered, blushing with embarrassment. "I guess I was just..lost in the scenery."
Their surroundings were indeed beautiful. They were on a stone balcony, sitting at a small table with a parasol over their heads. Ahead of them was a glorious blue sea, the waves creating a calming lullaby with their rhythm. The sky was clear and the sun was setting, a shining orange hue transforming the sky; Celestia's personal artwork. The light danced across the surface of the water, creating a grand image of paradise. She felt the soft breeze of the wind and the warm rays of the sun. It was heavenly. Cadence had always dreamed of coming to the sea-side for her honeymoon, and thus far, it had exceeded every expectation.
"I lOvE yOu sO MucH, CaDEncE," Shining Armor said, voice distorted and muffled. Cadence quickly put a hoof to his mouth, trying to silence him for the moment.
"I know," Cadence replied sadly, a tear streaking down her face, nearly breaking the moment apart. She reached out and ran a hoof down his neck, trying to pull herself deeper in her interaction with him. "I love you too, my Shining."
Shining sighed, closing his eyes and leaning into the contact. The sound of his breathing did not seem to match the rhythm of his chest, but Cadence tried to ignore that.
"I think I'm going to go for a swim," Cadence suddenly decided, standing up and moving toward the staircase that led to the nearby shore.
"Since when do you like swimming?" Shining asked jovially.
"Since I needed to cool off," Cadence joked, winking at him, before running down the steps toward the beach. Shining Armor laughed, before standing up to follow her at a slower pace.
Cadence took a couple of steps in the water, a smile plastered on her face. It was cold, but she could take her time and slowly lull her body into the temperature. Cadence plodded forward, accelerating her pace until she was neck-deep in water, swimming just enough to keep herself afloat. She turned to the shore, seeing Shining Armor tentatively make his first steps in the water, intent on joining her but discouraged by the biting cold of the sea.
"What flowers do you want for the wedding?" spoke a disembodied voice that seemed be coming from everywhere. Cadence pretended not to hear it, desperate to keep up her games with her husband. Shining Armor followed suit, and acted completely oblivious to the strange question.
Grinning, Cadence decided to play a little trick to hurry Shining Armor toward her. Without speaking, she fell under the surface, holding her breath and shutting her eyes. She couldn't hold her breath for long, but she knew she wouldn't have to.
"Cadence? Cadence? Cadence?! Are you alright?" Shining Armor called out to her over and over, to no response. Instinct taking over, Shining dived head first into the water, using every muscle in an effort to get closer to her, ignoring his body's screaming protests at the sudden temperature change. He quickly realized, however, that he had been fooled, as Cadence floated under the water, staring back and waving at him. Shining Armor rolled his eyes before swimming forward to meet her. The two surfaced together, their lungs immediately feasting on the fresh, clean air around them.
"You..you scared me half to death," Shining Armor panted, bringing her close to him under the water. Cadence did not object to this, desiring the contact more than anything.
"You need to lighten up a little," Cadence teased, a small laugh escaping her lips. "We're on our honeymoon. You don't need to be super pony all the time." Cadence punctuated her point with a small splash that splattered harmlessly against his neck.
"WhAtEVer You WANt my LoVe," Shining Armor responded, his speech once more becoming distorted. Cadence closed her eyes, and her husband came up with a more suitable response.
"What should I be then?" Shining Armor asked.
"Mine," Cadence whispered, before smashing her lips against his and pulling them both underneath the water. They danced under the pressure of the sea, fully consumed by the kiss, neither caring about the impracticality of it. It had been a guilty fantasy of Cadence to do this ever since she had read of it in one of her many romance novels, and she intended to live this fantasy out to its fullest. The water dulled the distant echoes of the world outside them. However, the need for air soon forced them back to the surface; they had to face the world once more.
"And you call me cheesy," Shining Armor joked after a long moment of silence. Cadence laughed in response, pushing him slightly farther away in a form of mock protest.
"My special talent is spreading love, Shining," Cadence responded in her most artificially haughty voice. "I'm supposed to be cheesy."
"I think I just need a bit more bed rest," Shining Armor replied, voice turning to a whisper as his form started to fade out and become blurry around the edges. Cadence suddenly felt the cold of the water rip into her hard.
"B-but you've always been cheesier than I have, Shining," Cadence said with desperation, trying to keep the easy going conversation going. She loved being able to talk with him like this- like she always had- and didn't want it to end. "Remember that time you-"
"Rest, MY SHINING, my everlasting lover," the disembodied voice roared, overpowering Cadence's efforts. The sea beneath Cadence's hooves began to change. The water's heat increased before its colour shifted from blue to red, the previously calm tides transforming into angry waves. The water shifted and moved the two ponies, unrelenting in its fury. Cadence felt herself burning, and looked around her to see she was now being bathed in an inferno.
Cadence smashed her hooves to the ground with all the force she could muster. "I'm not going to hide anymore," she spoke, with all the fire her passion could muster forth. "I'm not going to keep hiding the dreams of the past. I'm not going just sit around and dream of a future that might never come. I can't just keep trying to ignore the present like this. She may have taken EVERYTHING from me, but she can't beat me. No-one..no-one is going to call him that, but ME!" Cadence breathed deeply and sighed, before finishing her speech softly. "My..my shining. My light, at the end of the tunnel. My star on the darkest of nights. My true dream. She won't take that away from me."
Cadence turned to the crystal that she expected to display horrifying images, but was surprised to see that the scene was inactive. Her Shining was laying in bed, an ice-pack resting beneath his horn, but otherwise sleeping peacefully alone. Where had the demon gone? Was it all just a ruse? Was any of it even real?
"Now what am I supposed to do?" Cadence sighed, her anger draining out of her in a small stream, before she walked over and plopped herself in front of the flaming crystal. She took solace in greedily gazing at the image of beloved, while wracking her mind for the thousandth time as to how she might overpower her captor and escape.
After more agonizingly long minutes, Cadence's mind struggled to find a solution. “What can I do to beat her and get out of here? I have my love magic, but she FEEDS on that. And my magic is drained enough as it is. I'm not as physically capable as her, and I don't think I can sneak past her when she next comes. What can I use to get an advantage?”
Cadence found the urge to resign to defeat become increasingly difficult to push down. Her righteous fury had become a flickering candle flame. Every time she tried to confront her situation, it stared her down and offered no solution. The coldness of the cave seeped into her coat again, and she shivered. She idly doodled into the dirt with a hoof, drawing an image of herself. She added a few unrealistic touches; her general body size was much larger, her wing span and horn particularly increasing in width. Her cutie mark was still a crystal heart, but now a crudely drawn wand was across it.
“If only I was as strong as Auntie Celestia or Luna..if only I had their kind of magic, I could beat her. I could stop her and whatever she's plotting, and save Shining Armour. If only...”
"And do you, Cadence, take Shining Armor to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Cadence gazed deeply into the eyes of her beloved, who stared as intently into her own. Both their pupils flashed green, but nopony seemed to notice it. Cadence smirked, and stated the words that would put her plans into the final stage:
"I do."
Princess Celestia beamed at her two little ponies. After watching them growing up, seeing all their trials and hardships, they were finally going to start the lives they'd always wanted with one another.
"If anypony has any reason to object to this union," Celestia said. "Speak now, or forever hold your peace."
The doors to the wedding hall were forced open in a large display of force and light. The large crowd of onlookers turned around and gasped at the intruder, awestruck by the mighty presence. Everyone immediately bowed, not one daring to question the new arrival.
"I object," the REAL Cadence spoke bluntly , slowly walking forward. Her hoof-steps were powerful, her anger resonating within the very foundations of the building. Her size had grown exponentially; she was now a head taller than even Celestia, her great wings fully extended far outward in an act of intimidation. Her mane was a wavy and beautiful stream of pink and violet hues, mimicking those off the elder princesses. Her horn was a blazing supernova of light and magic, a white ball of energy gathering at the base of her horn that steadily increased in size.
"No! You're supposed to be trapped!" the impostor shouted in disbelief, moving to try and meet Cadence head on. The impostor channelled her own magic, sickly green light enveloping her horn. "I imprisoned you once, I can do so again! You can't stop me, you little nag!"
"I'm stronger than you now," Cadence stated simply, not ceasing her slow and steady march. "And you will never get between me and my Shining again." Cadence unleashed her charged spell, blasting the imposter in a bright flash of light. The impostor tried her utmost to fight back, sending out a beam of green energy in return, but it was swiftly consumed along with the impostor herself. The disguise was shed, revealing a large, black, insect-like creature. The spell continued to act, the creature screaming in pain before being shot through the air like a cannonball, straight through the roof of the wedding hall. A comical imprint of her body was left in the roof.
"She won't be bothering us any more," Cadence said happily, voice losing its harsh edge, re-assuring the many ponies around her, who gawked at her incredible display of magic. Cadence channelled another spell and shrunk to her normal size and appearance, content to her previous stature now that she had removed the threat. The wedding dress magically appeared on the real Cadence, and she trotted forward to meet her soon-to-be husband, who was shaking his head free of a lingering mind-control spell.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Cadence asked the motionless Celestia, who was staring at her as if she had just turned into solid crystal. "No need to put a good wedding to waste!"
Cadence was roughly snapped from her fantasy when an opening suddenly manifested along the cave wall, and her jailor entered the cramped room. Cadence glared up at the spitting image of herself; same pink coat, same horn and wings, same multi-coloured mane. Their key difference lay in how much more well-groomed her imposter looked; coat shining, mane perfectly brushed, regalia well polished. Cadence, by comparison, was a wreck. She was covered in rock and dirt, her mane unkempt, and various bruises still dotted her body.
"Why hello there, little foal," the impostor mocked. "Did you miss-"
Cadence stood up and unleashed what little offensive magic she could muster, her mind still trapped in the realms of fantasy, intent on fighting this creature she so hated; the creature that had taken everything from her. “Maybe if I take her bysurprise I can-”
Cadence thoughts were interrupted when she was suddenly slammed by a blast of green light, back crashing against the rough and unforgiving cavern wall, rock scraping painfully against her spine as she slid down to the ground. She could feel a cut open up under her wing, indicated by a chilling feeling of warm blood dripping down her back.
"Oh please, are you still trying to resist me?" the impostor said, mimicking her voice perfectly. She had not even been phased by Cadence's desperate attempt at magic. "I thought by now you would have realized that fighting me is pointless."
"I'll never-" Cadence croaked weakly, voice interrupted by her own struggle to find the strength to keep talking. She managed a defiant gaze toward her foe before finishing her statement, her voice returning to her. "I'll never stop fighting you."
"And I do love that about you," the impostor stated, leaning closer to Cadence's weak form. "It makes this all the more fun. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to have to play the pretty pink pony princess all day long," the impostor's voice turned into a squeak in her description of Cadence. Her daily mockery usually had her using the voice at least once. "I'd probably have gone insane if you and my hunk of a stallion didn't try and resist me so much. "
"He's not yours," Cadence refuted. "He's his own stallion, but he's my-"
"Don't try to lecture me," the impostor interrupted. "I don't have time for another one of your grand speeches about love. I have a schedule to keep." With that, the impostor grabbed the entirety of Cadence's weak frame with her telekinesis. Cadence felt her coat burn as she was touched by the magic, but was powerless to stop it. The impostor slammed her against the wall once more before beginning to channel another spell. As a wave of pain swept over Cadence, she thought up a last ditch effort to overcome her adversary. She would try to use reason against her foe.
"Why are you doing this?" Cadence asked weakly, struggling to find the words against the onslaught of her impostor's magic.
"WHY am I doing this, the pampered, spoiled brat, asks me? Why would someone ever want food? Why would someone who has been stomped under pony's hooves for so long, seek vengeance and recognition? But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" the impostor's voice dripped with hatred and bitterness, something in Cadence's words clearly striking a chord within her.
"No..I..I don't know..." Cadence replied softly as the impostor pressed her harder into the wall with her magic.
"Nopony ever cared about what happened to me or my kin, as we struggled out in the wastes, while you ponies sat in your splendour."
"I care..." Cadence tried to respond through desperate breaths. The impostor responded with a harsh, wailing laugh.
"That's really rich. What did you plan to do then, princess? Was marrying your knight supposed to make everything better? Did you really think that would make a difference to anyone?"
"Yes..." Cadence whispered honestly, but doubt stained her word.
"It was never going to make a difference to anyone. That's why I trapped you so easily. You were never prepared. And that's why I'm going to win. You ponies just think that love alone will somehow win your battles for you. That you can just wish good will, and that will somehow help those of us who suffer. But to make real change in this world, you need to take REAL action. And I'm the one that's going to do just that!"
“Please, don't do this,” Cadence said in a low voice. “There are other ways. Please...”
"You and your prince getting married was nothing but a dream,” her impostor went on, completely ignoring Cadence. “And I am going to crush that dream. He's mine, and you'll never have him back. He doesn't even remember being with you anymore. And when I'm finished with him..well, you'll see what will happen soon enough," the impostor grinned monstrously, letting Cadence's imagination fill in the blanks.
"STOP IT!" Cadence shouted with all the strength she had remaining. " I LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING PLEASE-"
Cadence gasped out in pain as a pink wisp phased through her chest, before floating toward her foe. The impostor opened her mouth wide and sucked the wisp in, biting down and swallowing deeply, before releasing the weakened Cadence from her telekinetic hold.
"Mmm..particularly delicious today. You must tell me your recipe some time," the impostor laughed, as Cadence struggled to maintain consciousness. "But as much as it would please me to leave you like this- for putting me through the struggle of living through your absurdly naive and stupid life- I need you a bit longer yet. Soon, you and my Shining Armor will give me enough power to take over your vile kingdom. But that time is not yet." With that, the impostor swept out of the room, levitating a small bale of hay she had brought with her into the centre of the cavern. She then exited, sealing the cavern in a flash of green light. Cadence was alone once more.
Cadence could feel the last vestiges of her hopes were beginning to drift away from her, and she began to sob. Her body was aching and sore, and she was too magically exhausted to do anything about it. “I...I...lost to her..again. I can't..I can't do anything right! I keep trying, but she just tosses me aside. I can't fight. I can't escape. I can't save him. I'm nothing.”Cadence softly cried herself to sleep, succumbing to the destruction of her spirit.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life."
Celestia and Cadence stood on a balcony overlooking the Kingdom of Equestria, the sun high in the sky. The ponies of Canterlot directly below went about their everyday lives, oblivious to the two powerful gazers watching their moves. Beyond the tall structures of Canterlot lay the rest of the Equestria, filled with rolling hills and forests far and wide. Cadence could just make out Ponyville on the horizon, and smiled down on the small town.
The warmth of the scene did not stop Cadence from feeling cold.
"You could do anything you want with your life, Cadence. You're still so young..do you really want to tie yourself down this way?" Celestia asked.
"I do," Cadence replied firmly. "I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but this is my dream. I know I'm meant to be with him."
"But Cadence..." Celestia struggled to find the right way to explain her fears to her esteemed younger pony. "Marrying your true love..do you really think that will be a happily ever after? There's more to being a ruler than that Cadence. Nothing is that simple. I know that better than anyone," a shadow passed over Celestia's face, but it quickly faded, replaced by a sunnier disposition. "I just don't want you to make a mistake by rushing into this. You have so much more to learn..."
"If you're worried about losing a student, you still have Twilight," Cadence teased, unearthing a smile on Celestia's face. "I know what I'm doing is a bit silly. But I know it's what will make me happiest, and I'm never going to regret it. And I think..I think this is what Equestria needs right now too. It saddens me to see ponies out there dreaming only for things like money or power. Ponies resorting to deceit, or stealing, or bullying to get what they want. I don't think what I'm doing is for everypony, and maybe my dream is naive..but there's hope to it. Maybe there's still room in this world for the simple hope and promise of a happily ever after wedding. Maybe I can inspire ponies to seek their own special happily ever afters, whatever they may be."
"But to make real change in this world, you need to take REAL action." The statement gnawed like a termite at the back of Cadence's mind, but she did not show it.
Celestia considered the words of the young mare. Cadence stood tall and proud, not a shadow of doubt in her eyes or stature. “It may pain me to let her go like this, but it's clear now..she's ready. She might be wiser than even I was at her age. She's going to be a great leader,” Celestia thought to herself.
"Very well, Cadence," Celestia said. "I'm proud of you, and your determination. There is wisdom to your words, and I'm impressed you've come so far as to be able to stand up to me like that. The ability to trust your own instincts..that is indeed a valuable trait to have." Celestia paused a moment to consider that statement, and filed it away for later use for another special student. "Don't stray from the path you have chosen, Cadence. There are those that will try to convince you that what you're doing is wrong, but stand strong," Celestia leaned down to embrace her niece, a giant wing coming around Cadence in a comforting gesture. "Don't let anyone take your dreams away from you.
"I won't," Cadence replied, melting into the love of the embrace. They stayed like that for a moment, just enjoying the peace and serenity of being family. "But I should get going," Cadence said after the pause, separating herself from Celestia. "I mean, I'm getting ahead of myself anyway. I don't even know if he'll say yes yet!"
"He's mine, and you'll never have him back." The voice send a shiver down Cadence's spine, and the world seemed to become hazy.
"I'm sure he will," Celestia reassured, putting the dream back into focus. “And if he doesn't, I'm sure I can find some dungeon to banish him too. I hear the Gryphons have built some new ones up north..."
"Auntie!"
"Kidding!" Celestia laughed at look of indignation on Cadence's face. "Go and get your knight in shining armor, Cadence. Don't let anyone stop you."
With that, Cadence smiled and ran off, a large weight lifted off her shoulders at her elder's approval. She would finally be able to propose to her beloved, and live the dream she had been dreaming for months now.
“Why would I dream that..tattered..old..pointless...” Cadence's speech stumbled as she awoke groggily, her mind lost in a blanket of fog. She took a brief glance of her surroundings, and upon realization of her continuing imprisonment, felt her head fall and her eyes close once more. “Never mind..let me go back there..something nice...” Cadence muttered.
"How much do you love me?" the tormenting crystal sounded loudly, blowing the fog and sleep out of Cadence's head and forcing her to awaken against her wishes. She sighed, forcing her weary body to move, as she lifted and turned her head towards said black crystal. Its image brought another pang of pain to her heart; Shining Armor and her impostor locked in a passionate embrace, overlooking a romantic sunset.
"More than the world," Shining Armor replied, leaning down to touch his lips to hers. Cadence gagged, overcome with revulsion, but forced herself to keep down what little she had in her stomach.
"What's the point anymore, Celestia?" the real Cadence sighed in defeat, as she watched her love and hope grow further away."Why should I keep fighting for this dream? It hasn't helped me, it hasn't helped him, it hasn't helped anyone! Why should I fight..for something that just doesn't happen, for something that crushes me every day, for the dreams of a naive..weak..school filly?! WHY?!" Cadence shouted out to nobody, her voice reverberating through the walls of the cavern, the harshness and misery of her words echoing back to her. Cadence gasped at her own outburst and put a hoof to her mouth, fully realizing what she had just said.
Tears sprung from Cadence's eyes as misery overpowered her. She could feel it in her heart; she was losing her talisman against the darkness, losing her hope for the future, her dreams, and her Shining Armor. She struggled to keep fighting for them; after an untold amount of time trapped here, at the physical and mental beatings of a demon, she felt too weak. She could feel her dream was on its last legs, and if she wanted to keep it, then she needed something to inflame it again.
The cavern felt darker and more constricting than it ever had before. The misery of her lost love, of her imprisonment, and the end of her hopes had Cadence stranded within the eye of a storm of emotion. Cadence desperately wanted to escape again- to forget her woes and return to her dreams once more. At war with her surroundings, Cadence sought a way to untangle the web that was her heart, and decided she would sing to bring herself back to happier times, and forget her pain. Her voice like a cracked window, Cadence sung softly to herself, reminiscing:
“There was a time when all were kind,
When all voices were soft,
And the world inviting.
There was a time when love was blind,
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting.
There was a time...”
"Hey, Cadence?" A young Twilight Sparkle asked as the two lay down in the young filly's room, making crayon drawings with their magic. The room itself was the same dark cavern she had become accustomed to, her prison cell not relinquishing its grasp on her.
"Yes, Twilight?"
"I've told you about how I'm going to be a great sorceress," Twilight Sparkle began. "And how Shining Armor is going to be Captain of the Guard someday. But what do you want to be?" Twilight Sparkle smiled up at her, her voice filled with an innocent curiosity.
"Well, I'm actually not sure what I want to be yet,” Cadence responded. She turned to gaze toward the other end of the room where Shining Armor stood, watching over them peacefully. He smiled at her. “But I think as long I have you two with me, I'll be happy no matter what I decide.”
“Aww..that's so sweet...” Twilight Sparkle responded, before crawling up and throwing her hooves around Cadence's neck, Cadence eagerly taking the little filly into her embrace.
Suddenly, Cadence felt Twilight slip through her hooves, and looked down to see the young pony was no longer there. Cadence desperately turned back toward Shining Armor, but he had vanished as well. She was alone.
“Then it all went wrong...”
Cadence knew that her first attempt had failed; that she had not managed to forget where she was. She chose to struggle onward however, continuing her song while closing her eyes and desperately trying to think of happier places once again.
“I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high, and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed this world would keep on giving...”
Cadence struggled to recall any more memories that were strong enough to penetrate the walls of darkness that had surrounded her mind. Her words felt hollow to her, as if the tiniest tap would shatter them. Digging deep within herself, she continued by recalling the happiest memory she could; the best night of her life.
“Then I was young and unafraid
And love was made and used and soaring.
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, the wine was pouring.”
"This night has been wonderful Cadence," Shining Armor said as the two huddled close together on their picnic blanket, gazing upward at the night sky that was brightened by a fireworks display she had personally requested. "The best night I've ever had..since the last time we were together anyway. It's so hard to compare," Shining Armor chuckled, placing a hoof around Cadence's shoulder and bringing her in closer.
"Mmm..." Cadence sighed her agreement, breathing in Shining Armor's scent. However, nervousness was splayed across her features. She slyly tried to move her picnic basket a bit closer with magic, but was struggling to maintain enough focus with how wracked her nerves were.
I dream a shadow, long gone by...
"Something on your mind?" Shining Armor asked in concern, noticing her sudden squirming.
"It's..it's silly..." Cadence stuttered closing the picnic basket and trying to shove it away. "Let's just enjoy the-"
"Cadence," Shining interrupted, putting a hoof to her mouth to quiet her own self-dismissal. "It's me. You don't have to be afraid. If I laugh, it's only ever going to be with you. What is it you wanted to say before?"
My hopes so weak, can I keep living?
Cadence beamed at him, forgetting her nerves at her Shining's reassurance. He was always able to light a path for her, even in this. She levitated the basket closer, and then pulled out a small red box, presenting it to Shining. He looked at it in shock, awestruck by the promise the box contained.
"Shining Armor," Cadence began. "I know we're young, and I know we still have much of life to experience. But you've always been my rock, my guardian, and my light. Every time we're together, I feel like the world is singing, and when we're apart, the world seems so much colder. The time we've been together has been the best in my life, Shining. I want to walk the rest of my life with you," Cadence finished, her eyes gazing deeply into Shining's own, as she opened the box to reveal a large, bright, golden ring with a small, aqua-colored gem within the centre.
I dreamed our love would never die...
“Shining Armor, will you marry me?”
Shining gazed deeply at her, his smile stretching all the way across his face. Cadence read the joy on his features and the tears leaking from his eyes, and was hopeful. Was the incredible stallion before her about to make her all of her dreams come true?
But I know this world won't keep on giving...
Shining Armor was bathed in green fire before he could respond, Cadence having to flinch backward to avoid being consumed with him. She could hear maniacal laughter in the background; the echoes of reality. When the flame was gone, all that lay before her was a pile of ash.
“I can't..I can't do this, can I?” Cadence spoke aloud to herself, and the dream dispersed around her.
Cadence did not muster the effort to think of another dream. The cavern walls seemed to laugh at her as she continued, her song transforming from a desperate ploy to an outburst of sorrow. All she could think about was the green fire, still bathing the giant black stone in front of her. She continued, her voice drawing from the well that was her anguish:
“But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder...”
“I thought by now you'd have realized that fighting me is pointless.”
“Was marrying your knight supposed to make everything better? Did you really think that would make a difference to anyone?"
"But to make real change in this world, you need to take REAL action."
The impostor's words pounded against Cadence's brain as she continued, her song carrying the power that the words held on her:
“As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame!”
Cadence's eyes looked up toward the crystal, where an image of Shining Armor was showing, his mane blowing in the wind as he looked out and away. To Cadence, he was an image of near perfection. The knowledge that he was completely out of her reach dug into Cadence hard, as she continued to sing:
“He spent a childhood by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder.
He held my passion, in his stride
But now he's lost within this flame...”
Cadence was lost in a storm, the power of which overtook her voice and gave it the strength to fully express her raging emotions. She was angry at everything that her life and dream had become, but she no longer tried to hide within those dreams. She cast them aside at last, giving into the harsh reality of a world that seemed black as coal:
“I want to dream he'll come to me,
And we can live the years together!
But there are dreams that can not be
And there are storms we cannot weather!”
The harsh winds within her made Cadence shake violently, her voice becoming lost within them. Her anguish strangled her as she belted out the end of everything she once was, that was all lost in the fire in front of her:
“I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now, from what it seemed...”
Cadence paused, weariness suddenly overcoming her. The storm had ripped her apart, and passed on, its duty completed. Cadence, with her last bit of power, slowly sung out one more line, that simply stated what had happened to her:
“Now life..has killed..the dream..I dreamed.”
She fell into sleep, and dreamed of nothing.
Author's Note
The quote used in the description is from "The Notebook". I haven't seen the movie, but it seemed like a poignant and suitable quote for this story.
A big thanks to Fighting_Oreo for helping me edit this, and to Hoivi for letting me use the wonderful cover art.
