The Betrayal (chapter idea [not set in stone])

Howling wind and pelting rain batter the duo as they battle against a giant stone golem. For the past twenty minutes, Shade and Cherry Pie had chipped away at the stone behemoth's armor and finally see a crack in its defenses. Cherry Pie pulls a flash grenade from her belt, bites the fuse off to ignite it, and spin-kicks the grenade into the face of the golem.

The flash reels the stone giant backwards. Shade capitalizes on the disoriented golem by leaping in the air to deliver a flying front flip kick to the golems face. She rides the golem to the ground and musters her full strength to her front hooves to pulverize the golems head.

With its head gone, the stone golem starts to break apart. When the dust settles, a glowing blue light emits from the rocks that had made up its chest.

Cherry Pie's eyes grow with awe. She steps closer to the light slowly. As she reaches for it an ivory hoof swipes the glowing blue light. Cherry Pie glares at Shade who is holding the glowing sapphire orb to her chest.

"Shade, with the Sapphire Stone, I can finally get my horn back," Cherry Pie states low and hold out a hoof. "We came all this way here. I know you can feel its power. We can use it and be treated as we deserve!"

Shade stares into the orb of blue light. "We came all this way here because Jonathan did not want this to fall into the clutches of the Changelings," she reminds Cherry Pie.

"And it won't!" Cherry Pie grins. "Not if they're all dead! With my horn back and all the power of the stone for yours to wield the Changelings will never bother Equestrians again!"

"All power comes with a price, Cherry, and that golem showed us how we pay it back," Shade replies cryptically.

Cherry Pie's left eye twitches and her smile falters. "You're right. When you're right. Your right," she laughs to herself and starts to walk away from Shade.

"It is either your life or the lives of thousands. Why should I choose you? You already owe me, what else do you have to offer?"

Cherry Pie falls to her knees before Shade. "I'll give you my unwavering loyalty, my everything! I will become your faithful servant! I beg of you: please give me my horn!"

Shade smiles sadly, "That is not the answer I wanted."

Cherry Pie hangs her head in defeat.

Shade reaches behind her to place the Sapphire Stone in he saddlebag. A roar and tackle catches her off guard. Cherry Pie headbutts Shade and the stone flies out of her grasp as she hits the ground. Cherry Pie scrambles for the stone as it rolls towards the cliff.

Shade grabs the grape pony's rear leg to stop her but the other hoof connects to Shade's lower jaw. Free from Shade's hold, Cherry Pie lunges for the stone and successfully saves the precious artifact before it topples into the raging sea below. A sudden tightness around her barrel breaks Cherry Pie's fantasy and hitting the stone nearly breaks her spine when Shade bends her back for a suplex.

Cherry Pie loses her grip on the stone and it rolls to the edge of the cliff. Shade ignores the stone and rolls the grape pony on her back to get a clear shot of her face. Cherry Pie kicks Shade off of her which sends the ivory pony skidding across the wet ground and over the edge of the cliff. Shade manages to barely grab hold of the ledge with her right hoof and secure the stone in her left hoof. Shade releases a grunt of pain.

Cherry Pie looms over Shade at the edge of the cliff.

"It comes down to what you want: an indispensable ally or an unrelenting nemesis," Shade lays out the two paths Cherry Pie can take as she dangles from the side of the cliff.

Waves crash against the rocks at the bottom. Wind blows rain into their faces. Cherry Pie switches her eyes from the glowing blue gemstone and the glowing yellow eyes gazing up at her. Even with her life literally hanging on the line, Cherry Pie can not help but give Shade props for keeping her calm countenance.

"I choose: not being in your debt," Cherry Pie sneers and crushes Shade's hoof.

The rock crumbles and Shade utters, "So be it."

Shade falls back and never takes her eyes off the grape pony. Cherry Pie watches as the blue light fades away from view.

The thunder rolls. The wind howls. The rain bites.