Chapter 24: The Gathering
On the next morning, the whole Crystal Castle was busy. The throne room was filled with guards, Sharp Pitch amongst them, and Shining Armor was giving them last orders. About half of them would follow them along to the school this morning, the other half would stay at the castle and guard it. In case anything went wrong today, it was the guards' task to protect them on the way back to the castle and to prevent the mob from getting inside. The captain was pulling all the stops to ensure that each and every guard was prepared and understood the seriousness of the situation and how important their assigned tasks were.
At his side, Cadance was giving her own instructions, to Sunburst and Spike. Countless times, she went over the procedure and their strategy with them. Both their faces showed that reiterating everything over and over again began to wear them out, but neither Spike nor Sunburst dared to say anything, knowing how hard the situation was for the princess and mother. And Cadance was visibly stressed, not much was left anymore from the cold serenity of a ruler she had displayed the day before.
The briefing went on for a few more minutes, then Shining Armor ended it by putting a hoof on his wife's shoulder, reminding her on something.
Cadance nodded weakly, her eyes showing gratitude. She addressed Spike and Sunburst. “You can go now. Shining Armor and I must wake up Flurry Heart, it is time. Once you are ready, wait at the castle gate. We must leave soon.”
The dragon and the unicorn stallion nodded, sobriety on their faces, then turned around and followed the guards outside of the throne room. Only Sharp Pitch stayed behind.
Cadance waved him over as she scurried to the door at the side of the massive room. Only a second later and she had already thrown it open, not caring about being quiet as the valves hit the wall and let the crystals scrunch by the powerful impact. She disappeared inside, Shining Armor and Sharp Pitch barely able to catch up.
Cadance was heading straight for the bedroom she had woken up in with her husband an hour earlier. Still numb for her surroundings except for the path ahead of her, she turned the knob around and pushed the door open. Cadance stared at an empty bed and froze, her eyes bulging. The condition lasted only for a second and as sudden as the stiffness of her body had come, as sudden it was gone again. She swirled around and trotted back, almost running her husband over.
“Shining Armor, were is Flurry Heart?!” She pushed her face at him, forcing him to do a step back.
Shining Armor furrowed his brow in concern. “She is not here?”
“No!” Cadance yelped in panic. “Let's find her!” Without awaiting an answer, she moved past him and Sharp Pitch, who had only now understood what the sudden commotion was about, and hastily went into the kitchen. Her voice had something mechanic now and so did her movements.
As she found the kitchen empty she checked the other rooms in the same fashion, from Flurry Heart's bedroom to the bathroom and, finally, the guest room. Cadance barged into it, just as she had done earlier when entering the royal apartments.
“Sunny, have you seen Flurry Heart? Is she here?” Then she realized that her words had been useless. This room was empty as well. There was no sign of Sunny Spirit anywhere and Flurry Heart was not here either.
Cadance's face got distorted in horror as several gruesome pictures flashed up in her mind. She left the room and ran into Shining Armor again.
“Shining, Flurry Heart isn't here, she isn't anywhere! We've got to find her!” Her eyes had begun to twitch.
Showcasing the opposite emotion, Shining Armor placed a hoof on his wife's shoulder. “Cadance, calm down. I'm sure she is okay, you see t–”
“How do you want to know, Shining, how?!” Cadance interrupted him, her face showing consternation now. “She could be in danger, she could sit outside crying somewhere, she could–”
“Ssh.” Now it was Shining Armor who interrupted his wife, by putting a hoof on her lips. “You need to stay calm, Cadance,” he repeated his words from earlier, with more emphasis this time. “Sunny is not here, I'm sure this means she and Flurry Heart left for school already.”
Cadance shoved his hoof away, anger flaring up in her eyes for a moment. “Through the throne room, Shining?! We were in there, we would have seen them!”
The guard captain still remained his calm. “We were both busy and the guards were too focused on me. Or maybe they used the secret passage here, Flurry Heart knows how to open it. And don't forget that our daughter can fly. There are plenty of ways how they could have left.” The explanation eased Cadance's face a little, but most of the panic remained in it. Shining Armor turned around to Sharp Pitch.
“Go and gather a few of the guards to search for her. Once you found her and Sunny, escort them to the school. It is too much risk to let them go alone.”
Sharp Pitch nodded, then left the royal apartments in brisk steps.
Shining Armor faced his distraught wife again. Very gentle, he placed his lips on hers for a kiss, their mouths locked for a few seconds before he pulled away again. He looked into his wife's eyes.
“Everything will be fine, Cadance, I'm sure of it.” He moved a hoof along her mane. “Let's go now. There is a problem we have to solve and we don't want to be late, or want we?”
Cadance just nodded. She looked calmer than before now, but her heart was still beating wild in her chest. Hesitantly, she trotted at her husband's side, where he put a hoof around her and they left the royal apartments in slow tempo.
The moment to leave had come, so they didn't waste any time and went down the stairs into the hall at the entrance of the castle. The guards meant to accompany them were gathered there, already in formation, with Spike and Sunburst in their midst. They parted a little to let their rulers in, then Shining Armor and Cadance took place at the side of their daughter's crystaller. Shining Armor called the guards to attention a last time, then they left the castle through the gate and the procession made its way towards the school.
While moving through the streets, Cadance kept looking around hectically. It was the usual way to school, she recognized the buildings, but Flurry Heart wasn't to be seen anywhere. As they had reached the school building and there still wasn't any sign of her daughter, she sought her husband's comforting words.
“Shining, she isn't here..... Where is she?”
Shining Armor increased the tight grip around his wife. “Maybe they have taken the longer route to school. I'm sure Flurry and Sunny want to have time to talk now.”
Cadance eyed him penetratingly, her face looking disastrous.
“Stay strong now, Cadance.” Shining Armor put all his confidence into his voice. “Sharp Pitch will find her.”
“Are you really sure? Maybe we should–”
“I am!” Shining Armor cut her off. “Now let's go inside. You know what is to do and that we need to be here for it.”
Silent now, Cadance lowered her eyes and stared at the ground. Reluctantly, she went inside with Shining Armor and the guards.
Having entered through the crystalline swing doors of the school building, they found the hall of the school crowded, much more than it had been on Friday. The parents of the school's students were there, judging by their number, not a single one of them was missing. A lot of their foals were there as well and, of course, the teachers and the principal.
Moving past the crowd, hushed whispers came from the gathered ponies and Shining Armor and Cadance were met with piercing glares. It was a different atmosphere than on Friday as well. For some reason, the hostility had returned. Distracted from the worry for her daughter for just a moment by a sudden thought flashing through her mind, Cadance brought her lips close to her husband's right ear.
“I-Is this because of Silver Hoof? Do you think his family told other ponies that he wanted to come to the castle?”
Shining Armor's face became grim. “Maybe,” he whispered back in the same fashion. “All the more reason to stay calm, Cadance. We can't appear suspicious now.”
Cadance nodded. She closed her eyes and began to fight her nervousness. It proved futile, though, as she got unexpectedly interrupted. Two ponies approached them, a stallion and a mare, their coats cream-colored.
“Princess Cadance!” The mare did a step towards her. Her face was marked with distress. One of the guards lifted a hoof and pointed at her. “Stop!” he said, his voice rough.
The mare came to a halt, but kept looking at Cadance. After opening her eyes and exchanging a glance with her husband, Cadance addressed the mare.
“Yes? I-Is there anything you need?” She did her best to hide the shaking in her voice.
“Princess,” the mare replied, her own voice shaking. “We are missing our son, Silver Hoof. He wanted to visit Princess Flurry Heart, but he never returned after he left our house on Saturday. Is there anything you know? Have you seen him?”
Cadance gulped carefully. “W-We didn't. Right, Shining Armor?” She looked at him for support, trying to not make her eyes look pleading.
Being the complete opposite of his wife, Shining Armor shook his head, face deadpan and sincere. “No. I received reports by the guards that a young stallion asked for entering the castle, but was sent away. We don't know if it was your son or somepony else. I'm sorry that I don't have better news.”
Cadance admired her husband silently. His facial expression was completely relaxed and unsuspicious. Even his voice expressed sincere regret for being unable to tell the couple more about the whereabouts of their oldest son.
Inspired by this display, she looked back at the two ponies. “Please don't worry too much,” she addressed them comfortingly. “Silver Hoof is a young stallion, I'm sure he got distracted by something. Maybe he decided to visit a friend or met a mare and went home with her. I'm confident he is alright.”
The words didn't miss their effect. The faces of the mare and her husband eased and showed signs of relief. “Maybe you are right. It's just not like him to stay away from his home for so long without giving notice about it,” Silver Hoof's mother answered Cadance's uplifting words.
Cadance set up a smile. “You know how they are at this age. And the Crystal Empire is a safe place. I'm sure he will return to you soon.”
“Maybe we worry too much,” the mare said now. “We will return home and wait for him.”
Cadance nodded. “That's good. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask. We will help as much as we can.”
“Thank you, princess.” Silver Hoof's parents bowed and left them.
Cadance looked after the couple as they left the building, then returned her gaze to her husband. He answered it with pride in his eyes. Now freed from this responsibility, Cadance's heart was beating fast. She felt exhausted now and the nervousness returned. That the conversation with Silver Hoof's parents let the hushed whispers increase and the glares intensify did not make it easier. It was just the wrong moment for this to happen.
Shining Armor nudged her subtly. “You did fine. Just keep it together for a little longer, Cadance. We're done here soon.”
Cadance nodded again, gulping.
They continued their way to the front of the crowd. There were familiar faces in it; a few other parents they knew more closely, some foals Flurry Heart was in contact with, Magnolia Sunshine and Starry Skies among them, and there was..... Austere Knowledge. He stood right at the top of the crowd, in the first row. Shining Armor and Cadance looked at him and their glances locked for a moment. The teacher's eyes radiated pure hatred, but a not insignificant amount of satisfaction as well. It was not hard to see that he looked forward to them getting shunned by the crowd. But Shining Armor and Cadance had a surprise for him and both of them felt confident that it would be his day that gets ruined, not theirs.
The royal couple averted their gaze from Austere Knowledge. They had taken position with the guards, just a little bit right from the crowd. Shining Armor and Cadance exchanged a last look, then nodded.
The captain gave a sign and the guards parted, letting Spike and Sunburst out of their midst. They approached the free space between the crowd and the door that led outside on the schoolyard. Both of them felt the tension in the air as nearly all of the ponies in the crowd eyed them with suspicion and distrust. It would be anything but easy. Sunburst broke out in sweat again and dabbed his forehead with his handkerchief.
They arrived at their chosen position. The dragon and the stallion were polar opposites; while Sunburst seemed to crack under the pressure, Spike remained confident and optimistic. He nudged Sunburst, giving the sign to begin. Sunburst nodded and put his handkerchief away, then they began to address the ponies in attendance.
Silently, Shining Armor and Cadance watched them as they began their speech. The introduction of what they had memorized in countless practice sessions over the last two days went over well. Sunburst did not provoke much reaction from the crowd, but every time Spike spoke, it eased the ponies slightly. He was their trump card, if the crowd should turn into a mob.
Cadance looked at her husband. “Do you think it will work?” she asked him quietly. Her voice was shaking as before and now her body had joined her voice in this as well. Inside, she felt her nervousness and her worries tearing her apart.
Shining Armor looked back with confidence. “He talked with all of them about Thorax and made them accept him. They only decided to trust Thorax because they trust Spike. If he could convince them that a changeling has good intentions, then he can convince them that our daughter is not a threat for them as well. Have faith in him, Cadance.”
Cadance wanted to answer her husband's words, as she noticed something in the corner of her eyes. Sunburst just started to explain Flurry Heart's uncontrolled, magical outbursts, as Sharp Pitch entered the school building quietly. The other guards were not at his side, but his face was crestfallen and clad in concern. Not drawing any attention to him, he approached his rulers slowly.
Cadance followed his hoofsteps with her eyes. Every quiet clop they made on the floor felt like hammer blows inside her head and made her heart beat a little faster. Then it did a jump as she noticed that Sharp Pitch was holding something in one of his hooves.
Sharp Pitch reached them and the other guards made room for him. He did not get the chance to start the conversation.
Cadance barged at him. “Where is Flurry Heart?!” she asked, now not paying attention to the volume of her voice anymore. “Please tell me you found her, Sharp Pitch!” she pleaded.
Taken aback by the desperate outburst, Sharp Pitch opened his mouth to answer, but failed. Unable to tell the bad news in another way, he gave Cadance what he was holding, a small piece of parchment.
Cadance ripped it out of his hooves. Her eyes widened the moment she noticed the hornwriting on it. It were only a few lines, and they were hastily written without a single break between them, but they let the mother feel like she was losing the ground under her hooves and falling into a deep, black pit.
Mommy, Daddy, I'm leaving. I can't stop thinking about what Sharp Pitch has told me and if I stay here, everypony will soon hate me even more..... I will go far away and I will leave Equestria for it. I can't tell you where I'm going, I'm sorry. Please don't come searching for me. And tell Sunny I'm fine and that I won't forget her. I love you. Flurry Heart.
Cadance's mouth was a thin line and her pupils had become small as she looked back at Sharp Pitch.
“Another guard found it on the windowsill in her room, princess,” was all he could say in response.
Cadance gritted her teeth and crumpled the piece of paper between her hooves. Her breath was going stronger and stronger, her chest heaving.
“She's outside,” Cadance whispered, her voice almost getting stiffled by the shock.
“Honey.....” Shining Armor said, his voice becoming strained.
Cadance ignored him. Her mind went over the events of the past five days and let her relive them in a condensed way. Fires of fury and anger flared up inside of her.
“It's all because of him.....” she hissed. “He who destroys our lives and lets Flurry suffer..... This teacher.” Like to confirm her words, she turned around at the spot and eyed Austere Knowledge, who gave Spike and Sunburst pitiful, mocking looks. Her face was full of hatred.
“Cadance, honey,” Shining Armor said again, with more urgency, and reached out for his wife. But it was too late. His hoof grasped at nothing but air as Cadance shoved the guards aside with her magic and galloped through the space she had created, towards the object of her hatred.
The crowd cried out and screams rang out across it. Some of the foals started to cry as they saw the aggressive face of the ruler they usually knew as so benevolent and kindhearted. Austere Knowledge himself only noticed what was happening as he felt the magical grip of Cadance at his body. In pure rage, Cadance grabbed his neck and pulled him close to her face.
“You are going to pay for what you did to us now!” she roared at him, a fire in her eyes like nopony in the Crystal Empire has ever seen it before.
Fear was the reaction one would expect from a pony getting assaulted in such a way, but Austere Knowledge was completely unphased. The mocking and pitiful expression in his eyes remained like nothing was out of the ordinary and his lips curled up into a sardonic and satisfied smile.
“Do it, princess,” he whispered. “They are all here to watch. Don't disappoint them. Show them what you do with someone who messes with your rotten abortion.”
Albeit unintentionally, there was a certain warning ringing in his words, a warning to not go any further and to not do the unspeakable. To not let the situation getting out of control even more. Cadance didn't have ears for this warning and she was at the point where she did not care anymore.
Her magic still tightly grasping Austere Knowledge's neck, she lifted up a hoof. It was twitching and shaking, but it didn't remain in this position for long. In the next moment, it came down on Austere Knowledge's face. His head got yanked to the side as Cadance's hoof hit his mouth. His lower lip popped open and blood spilled out of it, a few drops landing in Cadance's face, the rest hitting the floor. The audience of the violent spectacle screamed out again and the foals began to cry louder.
No whimpers of pain came from Austere Knowledge. Instead, he grinned, more blood pouring out of the wound and down his chin. He chuckled in glee, quietly, so only his attacker could hear it. “Very good job, princess,” he said. “Thank you.”
“YOU.....” Cadance began to roar again, then let her horn flare up brightly and brought it down at his face.
It was in this moment that she heard loud hoofsteps behind her. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a magic aura herself and felt pulled back from Austere Knowledge.
“Cadance, no, don't do it!” The alarmed voice of her husband found its way into her ears. “You can't go this far, you already did too much. Just look at them.” He pointed to the crowd. It did not reach Cadance.
“I don't care, Shining Armor, it's too late anyway. He deserves it for all he caused, let me finish this!” She struggled to get free.
But Shining Armor kept her tightly in his grasp. “We have to leave!” he just said, not addressing his wife's desires for revenge. He teleported and a second later, appeared with her at the gate of the school.
To his left, the crowd started to stir. Words got yelled at them and the scraping of hooves could be heard as they began to head towards them.
Spike and Sunburst took it as the command to leave. They made a quick getaway. The path to the school's entrance door being cut off for them, they fled outside through the backdoor and onto the schoolyard.
At the other side of the hall, the guards, led by Sharp Pitch, hurried after their rulers. Getting shielded by them, Shining Armor dragged his wife out of the building. The guards followed closely and behind them, the mob poured out of the gate, still yelling at them.
Austere Knowledge was in their midst. He held a hoof at his bleeding lip, but was still wearing the grin. None of the fleeing rulers or their guards seeing it, he pointed after them with his blood-covered hoof.
“Now see your rulers,” he said, his voice addressing the crowd in a warning tone. “Unveil inconvenient secrets they keep from you and they will try to silence you by all available means.”
The loud shouts of agreement were the last things Shining Armor and Cadance heard from the crowd.
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Congratulations Cadance, Shining you've been so easily played its not even funny... You need an Elim Garak or a Varys to dig your way out of this mess.
Unless of course Flurry Heart's little flight inadvertently leads us to some clues... But yeah even in our protagonists carry the day they'll have a long time rebuilding the trust of their people, amazing how quickly they can screw over liberating them from Sombra...
Gods, I wish I could punch that damned Austere Knowledge guy in the fucking balls.
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
21:51_4/5/2017
8076984
There is one word in your comment that might just be the solution..... Or it could make matters worse, still, if handled wrong.
Time will tell.
Oh my God...
I've never hated any character in a story as much as I hate that damned teacher...
8079361
Any character?
That is more than I hoped for with Austere Knowledge. Thank you!
It makes me happy that I was able to create such an odious villain everyone hates.
that kind of sounds funny tbh even though this is a really serious fic
I know I'm late to the start but honestly Austere is getting to the point where he's like a cross between Deloris Umbridge and a cultist who hates the government. An evil fucker with the power and desire to bring down the mighty.
8084151
a mocking term, meant to enrage, to raise reaction from opponent by its inadequate form.
I can compare it to Dr. Who's "sitting up there in your silly little space ships with all your silly little guns".