Chapter 4 Her Highness
Chapter 4- Her Highness
I could have kicked myself for falling into what was obviously a trap, but with Cynder by my side, I knew the two of us could take on a lone changeling.
Unfortunately, she had a few friends waiting in the wings. By a 'few', I mean about two hundred.
"You two were pretty dumb to just wander into our territory by yourselves! Your love will make a fitting meal for our Queen."
That buzzing noise came back. Her friends had us surrounded, so there wasn't much we could do. "Our... love?" Cynder asked.
"That's right, we could sense it the moment you approached the hive. Your feelings for each other are as obvious as the noontime sun!" she hissed. Cynder cut her eyes at me. I wanted to disappear. I didn't think a crush and love were the same thing, but apparently changelings can't tell the difference.
"So, what do we do?" I whispered.
"We let them take us."
"We what?"
"Trust me, I'll be able to get us out. There's no way just the two of us can take on all these... things."
We ended up letting them capture us. I was terrified, I mean, the 'queen' of these things beat Princess Celestia! And that's where we were headed. They tied us up with some kind of goo-rope, and flew us to a really big hive. This one was at least as big as Canterlot castle.
"Cynder, are you sure this was a good idea?"
She took in the massive structure, as well as the literally millions of other changelings swarming around it like hornets. "Not as sure as I was a minute ago..." she groaned.
"Hey Twilight, did those new Daring Do books come in yet?" Rainbow asked, bursting through Twilight's bedroom window to discover her packing saddlebags.
"Goin' somewhere?"
"Spike ran away with Cynder, and it turns out she's some kind of evil monster. Rarity, Blackfang and I are going to get him back."
Rainbow hovered for a few seconds trying to process what she'd just been told. "Who's Blackfang?"
"Hello," he said from behind her.
"Gah! What is that—I mean, what are you?" she said with a start.
"What I am is not important. What is, is that we find Spike before Cynder gets hungry," he said, striding towards Twilight's end table, folding up the map and putting it in the pocket of his cloak.
"So wait a second, Cynder is evil?" Rainbow asked.
"Very much so," he replied.
"She didn't seem very evil when she was here."
"Exactly. She's a master of deception," he said as Twilight slung on her saddlebags.
"So you thought that you and Rarity could go on an adventure without me?" Dash asked indignantly, folding her forelegs across her chest.
"Pinkie said you couldn't miss any more work," Twilight recalled.
"I still have some sick days left! You're crazy if you think I'd miss this!"
"Then you need to get packing, we leave in an hour."
They locked us in what I would guess was their dungeon, but they let Cynder keep the crystals, explaining that we'd die without it. Pretty clever, but they took my map and all my other supplies. From outside our cell, I could see my pack hanging on the wall. It was barely out of reach.
They kept us in the same cell, which I thought was kind of weird. Then I remembered they fed on love. Crushes too, apparently.
"So when do we bust out of here?" I asked after giving up my attempts to reach my bag.
"We'll need to think of a plan. There were millions of them out there, and there's no way we could take them all," she repeated, tapping her tail against the weird, squishy floor.
"Well, they said they were gonna take us to their queen, and Chrysalis isn't the nicest lady around," I said.
She raised an eye-ridge. "You know her?"
"Kind of. She attacked Twilight's brother's wedding a few months back, and imprisoned her beneath Canterlot Castle in a crystal cavern. It was actually her brother and his wife who sent her packing," I explained, taking a seat next to her.
"And you say she feeds on love?"
"Yeah, they all do. I'm not sure how, but why else would they have attacked a wedding?"
She nodded, trying to think of a way to earn our freedom without being hunted by a million angry changelings.
That's when it hit me.
"I've got it!" I smiled, snapping my claws together.
"Okay, so they feed on love right? How good are you at pretending to love?"
"Uh... it's not really something I've ever had to do..." she replied cautiously.
"Alright, here's the deal, you pretend I'm your son, and I'm sick with some kind of horrible illness, and we were on our way to find a cure that grows just on the other side of her territory."
"Okay, then what?"
"We tell her that if she lets us find the cure, we'll stay here, and your love for your 'son' will keep them fed for years!"
Cynder put a claw to her mouth in thought before answering.
"Okay, but why would they trust us not to just run away?"
"I'll act sick, and you'll have to act like you're my mom, and you simply couldn't go on if I died," I said, pacing back and forth in front of her. "Then, when we're near the border with our guards or whatever, you beat them up and we run out of they're territory to safety!"
"Well, it's better than anything I would have thought up. I guess we have no choice," she admitted.
A few minutes later, a few drones came to take us to Chrysalis.
"You really have to pretend to love me, or this won't work," I whispered to her as we walked.
"I'll do my best," she returned.
"Just pretend I'm that other guy—what's his name, Spyro? Just pretend I'm him!'
"Okay then—"
"No talking, slaves!" the guard barked, shoving both Cynder and I forward down the hallway. I put on a bit of a hobble just to sell my 'illness'.
For a group of savages, they sure had ways of building things. Some parts of the roof had doors leading to other areas, doors seemed to pop up and every angle imaginable. It was pretty trippy, and way easy to get lost. After a bit of walking, they led us to a really big door made of what looked like green muscle. I swear, it seemed like it was alive! It opened without either guard touching it, and inside a cavernous room sat Chrysalis, still a bit banged up from her butt-kicking in Canterlot.
"Your Majesty, we present the two trespassers on your lands," the guard's voice boomed throughout the hall.
"Approach the throne," she hissed, her voice more hoarse than I remembered.
We carefully stepped forward as I gave Cynder a subtle nod. She returned it as we reached the foot of the throne.
"What were two dragons doing trying to infiltrate my kingdom?" Her voice was raspy, and dry-sounding.
"It's my son Your Highness, he has been cursed. We were crossing your lands in search of a cure," Cynder replied, her voice shaking expertly. Looks like I didn't give her acting chops enough credit.
"A curse?" Chrysalis replied.
"Yes, simply look at how small he is! He was once a bold, brave dragon with a mighty hoard! Now he is small and weak, and pathetic excuse for a dragon. He is now just a dried up, withered husk of his former—"
I coughed loudly, cutting her off. She didn't have to get that specific!
"The cure was rumored to be in the forest across your territory. We had been cast out from the dragon realms, and would gladly remain here, feeding you all with the love I have for my son, if you would simply allow us to find the cure before it's too late."
Chrysalis considered Cynder's offer. I even thought I saw a tear or two in her eye! She was good, and I was doing my best to look frail and sickly. It was harder to imitate than I thought.
"Very well, but you will have a guard detail with you at all times, and should they find you doing anything suspicious, they have my permission to feed you to the younglings," she growled, sealing her point with an ice cold glare. "Understand?"
We nodded.
"Guards, take them away."
They gave us our stuff back, and soon we were outside the hive. I checked my map and began hobbling toward the edge of their territory. Looking back on it now, it was a terrible plan. All we were basically doing was making a run for it once we were at the border. We'd either have to escape the guards, or Cynder would have to take them out.
Still we had those crazy gems, and we had the map, so we at least had a shot at making it out. As we were walking through the fog, I felt a tinge of regret for having chased Cynder all the way out here. I could have been back home with Twilight, eating gems by day and organizing books at night. You know, the simple life. I looked to my right and saw the battle scared scales of my traveling companion, and they re-affirmed why I'd done something this desperate and crazy in the first place.
The fog began to thin as we approached the border. I could see the dense forest in the distance, but making a break for it from here would be suicide. I didn't know what "younglings" were exactly, but I didn't want to find out.
I gave a knowing glance to Cynder as she pointed to a bush growing near where the land became... well land again.
"There! That's the plant we've been searching for!" she shouted dramatically. "Thank the ancestors!" We ran toward the shrub and began picking the leaves as our guards stood close by. There were four of them, and each armed with magic from the other prisoners I'm sure they had hidden somewhere in that terrible hive of theirs. I figured they'd be a lot stronger on their turf than they were in Canterlot.
As I knelt down to help Cynder pick leaves, I was able to whisper without letting the guards hear.
"Now what?" I asked.
"What do you mean now what?" she replied. "This was your plan!"
"You think I can take on all these guards? I'm only three feet tall!" I snapped back.
She huffed. "Fine. Hold your breath," she whispered turning to face the guards, who immediately took a defensive stance. With a sharp inhale, she blew the familiar smoke over the four of them. I was expecting to hear the terrified screams of whatever it is changelings fear most. Instead, the smoke cleared, and they glanced at each other in confusion before turning back to Cynder.
"Have you gathered the required nutrients?" one asked. Cynder looked just as confused as I felt. Out of options, I grabbed her claw and made a break for it. She picked me up and threw me onto her back before taking to the sky. I had been on flights with Rainbow Dash before, but never in fear for my life. At the time, I was terrified. Looking back on it now, it was actually pretty awesome. Cynder was pretty quick for a dragon her size (I hope she doesn't read that!). Our escorts were still hot on our trail when I remembered what Cynder had taught me. I turned around with my head facing her tail and our pursuers. I kept my belly on her back and my arms and legs around her as securely as I could.
I heard her ask me what I was doing, but I didn't have time to explain. I took in a huge breath, and released the biggest column of fire I'd ever seen! Cynder rocketed forward and we left those guards in the dust! I couldn't believe that had actually worked. That was two harebrained schemes in a row! Once we were safely out of changeling territory, she landed. I climbed off her back and turned around, expecting to see her just as happy. Unfortunately, she was panting pretty heavily for a flight that wasn't really very long. I thought maybe it had just been a while since she'd flown, but that sparked another thought.
"Cynder, if you can fly with me, wouldn't it be easier just to... you know, fly?"
She bit into an energy crystal before laying down in the clearing where we ended up. "It's not that simple," she began. "Before I traveled to this realm, I was warned I could not survive here for a long time. I don't belong in this universe, Spike. With each day that passes, each time I expend energy—like flying—I get weaker. I've got enough crystals to last well beyond the lifespan I would have without them, but that still isn't much time."
I didn't know much about inter-dimensional travel, so I had to take her word for it. It wouldn't sink in until later, but knowing she had to leave really... well, it hurt. I mean, it's not like I expected her to stay around forever, but... I don't know. I guess a setting a time limit on something just stresses me out.
I nodded and took out our map. "Then let's keep going."
"Girls, this isn't going to be easy, or fun. If you want to back out now, I understand." Twilight said like a general addressing her troops before battle.
"Uh, Twi? We volunteered for this, remember?" Rainbow said. They had gathered on the edge of town with their ape traveling companion, ready to charge into the unknown and rescue Spike from Cynder's clutches.
"Heh, right." She blushed, turning to Blackfang. "Do you have our route?"
"Yes. If we head north, I believe I'll be able to pick up Cynder's trail," he replied.
"Well then, is everypony ready?"
Rainbow saluted. Rarity stamped a hoof, a look of determination across her elegant features.
"We didn't let those brutish dragons take our Spike, and I'll be damned if I let this one!"
"Then let's go!" Twilight commanded. The four of them began their march into the woods, in pursuit of Spike and Cynder. Blackfang took lead, searching for any sign that his black dragon prey may have come through here.
The three ponies hung back, enough that Rainbow felt she could talk without him overhearing.
"So, what do we know about this guy?" she asked, hovering above her friends.
"We know he knows Cynder is evil, and he knows how to find her. That's good enough for me," Rarity replied.
"I know, but I still don't think she was evil. I mean, she may be kinda weird, but evil?" Dash asked.
"Did you not see the pictures of her destroying villages?" Twilight answered in a low tone.
"No, but why would she have been nice to Spike, or taught him all that dragon stuff if she was evil?"
"Well what do you expect an evil dragon to do? Start terrorizing ponies the moment she ends up in Equestria? She'd find herself on the moon for something like that," Twilight said, confident they had chosen the right side. "Listen, as soon as this guy leads us to Spike, we can get him back, these two can settle whatever score they have, and we can be on our way."
Rainbow was usually one to argue a point, but accusing their tracker of not being up front with them certainly wasn't going to get Spike found any faster. She shelved her argument for the time being, and fluttered along silently until Blackfang stopped them in the middle of the forest. A small area had a smattering of ashy black material covering the plants.
"What is it?" Twilight asked, her friends poking their heads around behind her.
"Dragon breath. Cynder's been here."
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It's ALIVE! Ahem, I wonder how much time she has left, and if she'll be able to outlast Blackfang (I don't remember if he has any red crystals)
Edit: Is this the part where I claim first?
I haven't played the spyro and these games yet, but I hope Cynder is the good guy.. because if she isn't, I'll be SO MAD dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_RageFace.png
Pancakes
Dash as the voice of rationality, I love it!
Do I need to have played the spyro games where cynder appears?? 'cause I played, I think just one spyro game on the ps2 and I barely knew little to no English
1158584 no it's not necessary.
1158695 Thanks!
YAY AN UPDATE!! FINALLY!!
GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE UPDATE !! :DDDDD GREAT JOB !!!!!! D: !! waaaaaaaaaaa poor spike his new friend couldnt stay foreva D:
Charming premise, but I personally could not get over the way the words were written.
Not my cup of tea, but don't stop because of what I said. I'm certain you've established a good fan-base (well durr... 115 comments does make a good fan-base!
)!
Lastly, enjoy writing! I know I do.
Ah, I've been following this story like most of your others (some are from before I watched you, and thus, haven't checked to see if'd be ones I might be into). I remember somewhat when used to play the Spyro games, all the way back on PS1, and to a lesser extent, ones on GBA (though never played them all or finished, at least). Ah, nostalgia. Anyway, I have a question meant to ask on the last chapter, but didn't get around to it cause I was kinda lazy.
Did you start writing this before the end of Season 2? Just cause, in the Prologue chapter during Spike's convo with Twilight at the beginning of his retelling of this story, it seems to imply it takes place right AFTER the Dragon Quest episode (though it doesn't establish time frames very well in the show); but then in span of few chapters which covers only a few days and not a few months (like this chapter and maybe the previous establish), mentions what happened in the Canterlot Wedding one.
Anyway, if it's an inconsistency, not sure if would recommend fixing that, if anypony else has noticed or I'm right, even.
Anyway, format certainly is interesting, telling through Spike's journal/diary what happens. And Spike's concern over Cynder reading what he writes is very cute, clearly indication of something going on between them (at least, on his side for time being). Though I'm not sure if those of the Mane 6 who're going on this journey listening to a stranger (don't know who Blackfang is, if he was in a game, or one I even played) was the right call, given some of their past experiences and lessons (most recently, the supposed Canterlot Wedding one, siding with a stranger over friends and learning to trust your instincts, possibly; but also the Swarm of the Century one with listening to your friends' perspectives and opinions), even if it is what they wanted to hear. Makes me wonder how you'll have them react, should Spike side with Cynder when they eventually meet up, no doubt. As well as the hilarity or what have you, if they think he's been hypnotized by her charms or again, what have you.
As for this chapter, seemed kinda... meh, for some reason. It was a good chapter, but not sure it progressed things too much, even though so far, that's the way it's been and know with it being told in diary format, probably won't move very fast. Also, not sure about the whole mother/son thing; at least, with Cynder's made-up explanation of Spike's illness. I mean, isn't she only a LITTLE taller than him? Even if she was once big, when she was under Malefor's influence, but probably not like would've had any dragon cubs by that time. I shudder to think about that... anyway, I'm rambling and maybe nitpicking too much, sorry.
Well, I'll continue to read and see if it gets interesting, at least in what you decide to have Spike write about next, if won't cover every piece of their journey together. Don't get me wrong, like it and the idea and hope to see more! Just... eh, dunno if not in the best place as I've been typing this or a bit tired or what have you, so take my review with a grain of salt.
1158290 LOL, crystals only work for dragons, though apes do have a way to harness the power into magic, though I don't think they can heal with them.
1204850
but I did 100% it.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png
Sorry the last Spyro game I played was Ripto's Rage
1205427>>
Nice. I'm a TLOS fan/obssessor myself, especially Cynder, she's one of my favorite characters of all time. LOL, hance my avatar. *hugs homemade Cynder plush*
This is awesome as all heck!
Will definitely be awaiting updates
... Nyeh... I don't know... this story DOES have a LOT of potential... a strong and interesting concept... I just feel that the delivery falls short.
Just been catching up on a bunch of story’s I’ve had in my read later list since July. This was an instant favourite.
‘Looks to see date of last update’
Urgh…
‘Notices hiatus status’
ARGH!!!
1830039 yes, but don't lose hope! I wanted to finish the other multi part fics I have running before I got back to this one.