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// Chapter 8: The Standoff 
// Story: Growing Bond (mature versions) 
// by Zack Catcher 
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“Guards, do everything you can to separate those two, use your spears if you have to” " Mom said as the guards approached us, before I could even process this whole thing, I could feel somepony trying to take me away from Zack. I could see that it was a royal guard dragging me away with his sphere right in front of me, “Stay away, changeling,” the guard said as I was doing everything I could do to get away from the guard. I began kicking and screaming but it was to no avail, as I couldn't break free from his grip.

, I kept trying to get out of the guard's grip, “Let me go” I said as Zack began to walk toward me, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guard lower his horn to Zack, “Zack looks out,” I said trying to warn him but it was too late, and a blast of magic came out of the guards horn a hit zack sending him flying hitting the ground. “NOOO!” I shouted, teleporting out of the guard's grip to Zack. with tears in my eyes, I looked to see if he was still alive.

He was still breathing but he was unconscious, suddenly a cloud of magic pulled me away from Zack as the guards put him in chains and dragged him, “let me go” I protested, “no you are coming with me so I can break whatever spell this changeling put on you,” mom says as she brought me inside the castle,

“Mom I’m not under any kind of spell, this is the real me, and Zack didn’t do anything bad”, I protested. “Oh what has that thing done to you”, Mom said. “Can…Can you just stop for a second and listen to me for once? Zack didn’t do nor want any of this”, I said in a fit of rage. “Zack is the enemy and you know it. He has blinded you from what’s good and bad and you know it all too well.”

 “Mom, are you really this ignorant to see my point of view? Your own daughter’s point of view?” I said, trying to make her see reason. “I know what’s best for you, you are my child and I will do what I have to make sure you are safe, Don’t interfere with that” " Mom said as she continued to walk, the tears continued to stream down my face as I replied “Can’t you just hear me out instead of letting my words fall on deaf ears”,

 “THAT IS ENOUGH. Until I find a counter spell to this curse that this…thing has put on you, I sentence you to your room” " Mom ordered as she used her magic and put me in my room, casting a lock spell. “For what it’s worth, I…truly am sorry. So…very sorry” " Mom said as she didn’t even look me in the eyes as she locked the door.

After this, I started to walk around the room as I was pretty frustrated. I couldn't believe that my own mother, the pony who brought me into this world, would do something so heartless, so cold and unwilling to listen to reason. Heck, even after my father died, I was in a dark space and I didn't even see her that much and this is how she treats me? It was like I was a whole different pony to her, that she had no idea I was her daughter.

I had to do something but I couldn't do anything in this room. I then remembered Zack and that just made this whole thing worse knowing that mom could be doing who knows what to Zack and I could have done something about it. I was worrying so much about him that it made me worry more than I ever had in my life. I just couldn’t.

After some time, I then thought of a plan. If I could teleport out of this room and into the dungeon, I might be able to find Zack and put this thing to an end. It was a long shot but I just had to try. I then used my magic to break out of my room and teleported into the dungeon floors below. I looked around the room I was in and found nothing there. I then went out into the halls as I heard what sounded like a scream.

“That has to be Zack '', I thought to myself as I listened to where the scream was coming from. I could hear the screams getting louder and louder with every single step and each move that I made. I then came across a cell in which I saw two guards who were punching Zack, when they threw Zack to one of the walls I froze in fear as one of the guards charged at him with a spear, but it didn’t pierce his skin, instead, the spear hit his skin but it caused no harm to Zack. Without even a single thought in my head, I teleported next to Zack in the cage and I used a spell to push the guards away as I don’t think I had ever been this mad in my life before. I was so tired of seeing Zack get hurt by these guards that I couldn't keep it in any longer.

“Flurry, stand away from that th-”, one of the guards said before I cut him off. “HE’S NOT A THING. HE’S MY FRIEND”, I yelled at the very top of my lungs. “Flurry now isn’t the time to argue. Stand away from h-”, the guard said. “NO…NO I WILL NOT”, I yelled again. I could feel so much anger in me as I just couldn't let these guards hurt Zack any longer. I was so fed up with this back and forth that I knew I needed to end it. “Flurry…please…stand over there” " the guard said as his voice started to turn from a serious tone to a sacred tone. “NOT IN A HUNDRED MOONS”, I yelled. “Flurry…Just calm down…step aside and-”, The guard said. “I AM DONE WITH PONIES TELLING ME WHAT TO DO, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LAY ONE HOOF ON HIM,” I said as I felt my anger getting stronger. “Flurry…this is the last time I will tell you, let the adults do this for once” " the guard said, seeming a little scared but trying to remain calm.

 “I JUST SAID I’M TIRED OF PONIES TELLING ME WHAT TO DO. I WILL STAND BY WHAT I SAID EVEN IF IT’S THE LAST THING I DO”, I yelled just as loud this time. I then pointed my horn at the guards who seemed to be scared to the bone at this point. They took a step back with their legs shivering. “Please Flurry, stop this at once” " the guard said. Barley even thinking, I then started to cast a spell as the guards tried to get out of the cage but couldn't remove the lock in time. I did the spell I was thinking of and it sent the guards flying back as they landed on the floor, barely even able to get up. “Please…don't…don’t…do…this…Flurry”,

The guard said. “It’s a bit late for that”, I said as I picked up Zack and put him on my back and teleported us out of the cage. when we got back to the room I let out a sigh when I heard hoofsteps coming. I wasn’t scared this time as I was getting Zack out of this dungeon and no pony was going to stop me this time. As the hoofsteps got louder, I braced myself for whoever it could be until the pony showed itself. “What is he doing here again, flurry”, Mom said with a strict tone.

“I’m not letting you torture him, Mother”, I said in a sincere voice. “I should have known you would free him. Guards, take this creature to the cell” " Mom said as some guards came around us again. “Mother, please. I will repeat this as many times as it takes until you decide to listen, Zack isn’t a threat. He’s anything but a threat and you know it, you know I am right”, I said, speaking with conviction, “No he’s not, and I know that Flurry. He’s cast a spell on you for far too long. If only I was there to protect you” " Mom said as she started to talk with a disappointed tone. I could feel my anger rising as I had to restate what I said before. “MOTHER FOR THE LAST TIME, ZACK NEVER CAUSED ANY KIND OF SPELL ON ME. THIS IS THE REAL ME TALKING. WHAT MORE DO I HAVE TO SHOW YOU TO CONVINCE YOU OF THIS”, I yelled as loud as I could.

“Lies. Being with this changeling has blinded you from the truth, that every single changeling out there is nothing but evil," I snapped back at Mom saying, "Then I guess Thorax is evil too right”, “He was one exception. The only changeling who was somewhat nice. I know for a stone-cold fact that he isn’t the same", mom said as she started to fluster a tiny bit as I started to get an upper hoof. “If he was a nice changeling then I’m sure that he wasn’t the only one”, I said with a smirk knowing that I had the upper hoof, “That's just it. This has gone on long enough” " Mom said. “I agree. You haven’t seen what I've seen for far too long. Can’t you just tolerate this? For me even? Your only daughter”, I said playing the only card I had left,

 mom looked away not trying to make eye contact with me as I knew she was thinking of this. I then saw that she closed her eyes and an angry face appeared on her. “Oh so now you're not going to talk to me. Because you know you can’t stop me or because you know I am right,”

 I said when Zack got off of my back and started to walk to my mom. “Guards, take him away” " Mom said. “Cadence, please. Just hear me out“, Zack said. “I don’t need to hear anything from you that I already know” " Mom said. “All I ask is that you listen to me. Can’t you do that? You’ve done it before I’m sure”, Zack said. mom stayed silent for a bit. “Make it quick”, mom said.

“I know you think I'm going to do terrible things to Flurry but I won't. She’s the reason I stayed here but I’m pretty sure you know that. All I ask is for you to just give me a chance. You don’t have to accept me but just tolerate me. That’s all I ask is that one little favour. Please? For Flurry and Flurry alone”, Zack said as my mother listened through Zack’s talk. She then sighed as Zack continued, “I’m sure I can’t change your mind at this point”, Mom nodded her head replying. “Your right, you are a changeling that broke into my daughter’s room,” My mother then sighed again as she froze for a second. “If I can truly trust you won’t do anything bad to Flurry-”, Mom said. “You have my word”, Zack said. “Then…Then…you can stay with Flurry, under the condition that you will stay in the castle and will listen to me”  Mom said Leaving the room, me and Zack looked at each other before pulling each other into a hug, thinking that the pain was finally over