Cadance woke up, feeling happier than she had in a while. She had finally gotten her emblem! Still, it's not over, she still has to work hard if she wants to help Solus save Equestria from Celestia's tyranny.
And that begins by waking up Mac.
"Mac, wake up! It's morning!", she says melodiously.
Her friend fidget a bit, moaning something like 'not yet'.
"Come on Mac, I heard the cooks are making apple pancakes today!", she says, prodding him.
That get him to spring right up.
"Apples?", he asks, still half asleep.
Cady giggles. He's so predictable.
"Yes, yes, apples! Come on, we don't want to be late for breakfast!", she says, dragging him out of bed. She heads for the dressing room, so they can get ready to face the day without looking like they spent last night in a tornado. Especially for her, considering she had let her mane grow since she had been rescued by Solus.
They enter the dressing room moments later where they encounter their best friend, Solus.
"Good morning, Solus!", she declares cheerfully.
"Morning", Mac says, in his usual sedate tone.
Solus turns and smiles warmly.
"Good morning to you too! I hope you're hungry Mac, the cooks are making apple pancakes today!", he says with mirth, continuing to brush his coat with the help of his magic. Cady was extremely jealous of his telekinesis spell. If she had it, prepping herself each morning would be a breeze!
"Wait, Cady wasn't telling me a fib?", Mac says, with happiness radiating from his eyes. Cady thought she could even see a bit of drool at the corner of his mouth.
"What?", she says with an affected affronted tone. "You thought I'd lie to you? For shame, Mac, for shame."
Solus laugh as Mac scrapes the floor with his hoof and mumbles an apology. She places a wing on his back and nuzzle him.
"It's fine, I'm just messing with you!", she reassures him with a smile on her face.
Solus shakes his head at their antics before speaking up again.
"Come on you two", he says while gesturing for them to sit in front of the mirror, "we haven't got all day."
They do as he says and he begins brushing them. Cady was really jealous of that telekinesis spell. But well, a big brother that does it for you is just as good!
Big brother...
She smiles at the thought. He really is their big brother, isn't he?
"What are you smiling for now, Cady?", Solus asks her.
"I'm just glad to have you as our big brother, that's all."
The brushes stop moving. Cady can see the look of surprise on his face, thanks to the mirror.
"Well I-"
The door opens and she hears a cavalcade of hoofsteps before Solus gets assaulted by a giant pillow.
"So am I, Solus!", said 'pillow' declares joyfully.
"Good morning, Shiny", Solus says with a resigned smile. Shiny was a real cuddle bug, who would assault you with hugs as long as he felt comfortable around you. "What about you, Mac? Are you glad to have me as your 'brother'?"
"Eeyup. I'm glad to have all of you as my family", he says with a calm smile.
"Awww", Shiny and herself say at the same time.
Solus let out a soft laugh before resuming his task of brushing us.
"Shiny, sit down, I've got to prepare you too", he says to the colt still clinging to him.
"Okay!", Shiny replies happily, sitting down and smiling.
Cady really was happy. Just a few months ago she was a captive of these horrible ponies, and now...
Now she had a real family. Maybe not the most usual one, or even the most harmonious one, but it was still hers, and she wouldn't want anyone else.
Shiny and Cadance were in a salon, sitting and listening to Diurne Compendium, their history teacher, as he was pontificating on the historical period known as the New Dawn.
"...and so Her Divine Radiance established her rule over ponykind, creating the Imperial Order for her subject to live by. However, some were not happy with this change. Beasts coming from the all the dark corners of the world came and ravaged our lands to prevent us from seizing our manifest destiny of bringing peace and Order to Domus. Griffons, manticores, diamond dogs, dragons and others came bearing down, bringing Chaos and hatred. But our magnificent Empress lead us into battle, fighting back against these dark creatures, and bringing us victory against Evil!"
Evil? Well, maybe she would have believed that if Solus hadn't told them that Griffons and others could be just as harmonious as anypony.
"But vanquishing them was not enough. They were still a threat to the Empire, so Her Radiance led a crusade against the filth of this world, hunting them down, destroying their lairs and liberating the lands they were oppressing. Three of the four Archduchy were formed during this crusade: Monsoriens, the land of the griffons, Corignis, the nest of the fire-worms and Transalbania, home to all kind of foul creatures, even today still a menace to Imperial citizens."
Cady raised her hoof.
"Mister Compendium?"
"Yes?"
"What happened to the creature living there?", she asks.
Somehow, she thought she could guess their fates, but she wanted to know for sure.
"They were tamed and put to work for the Greater Good. Those too wild to be tamed were exterminated."
Oh. How many...?
"Still, we brought them peace and enlightenment, for the now follow the Sacred Scriptures of our Radiant Lady. And one day, all of Creation shall submit to the benevolent rule of our Divine Mother."
Right...
"Hmm, it seems we will have leave at this for today. I will see you tomorrow, Cadance, Sir Armour."
Cady blinks. It's already over? Fine by her. She gather her things and leave with Shining.
Shiny leans toward her as the walk away from Diurne's apartment.
"No wonder Solus hates him, uh?", he whispers.
She snorts. Solus indeed hated him with a passion. He said he was one of the worst historian he ever had the displeasure of meeting. Something about history needing to be as objective as it could be, which was a concept Diurne did not seem to understand. On top of being pretty boring, too.
They continue walking before they reach an intersection.
"Well, see you later Shiny", she says. "Good luck with your training!", she adds with a smile.
He grimaces before replying.
"Good luck with Strict Rule", he says cheekily.
That makes Cady shiver. That meany-pants was one of the worst stick-in-the-mud she had ever met, even Solus feared him.
"Away with you, you mockingbird! At least you actually learn something useful!", she shoots back at him.
"What? But knowing which fork to use for dessert is plenty important!", he says, barely concealing his laughter.
Cady narrows her eyes.
"Continue like that, young stallion, and I'll tell him you've using the wrong spoon when you eat your soup!", she threatens.
That stops his mirth right there and then.
"You wouldn't?!", he says with eyes wide in fear.
She smiles.
"Not if you play nice."
He pouts and turns his head away.
"Fine. You win that one, Cady."
"As always", she replies while putting a hoof on her chest.
"Yeah right..."
He shakes his head, smiling.
"Anyway, see you later!", he says as he leaves.
"See you later, Shiny!", Cady replies with a smile.
Oh, that she hate etiquette. Couldn't Solus have needed a cook or a bard?
Fancy Pants notices her coming in and walk up to her, bowing.
"Welcome back, Miss Cadance, how was your day?"
She smiles. Fancy was always so nice.
"It was good, thank you for asking, Mister Fancy!", she says with cheer.
"Good, good! Unfortunately, it is not over yet."
"What? What do you mean? Do we have a lesson?"
His face scrunch up minutely, enough so that she doubted most ponies would have noticed.
"Not...exactly. Come with me, Master Solus needs your assistance."
"Solus? Is something wrong?", she asks worriedly.
"No."
There was a "but" there, but what is it?
She follows after him, walking through the halls of the castle. A dozen minutes later, they arrive at the main courtyard, where a carriage is present. Fancy enter it without hesitation, and beckons her to do the same. The carriage starts moving.
She's now really nervous. Fancy was never this quiet before.
Several minutes later, they reach what looks to be a simple shop. Fancy nods to the shopkeeper as they enter, before going in the backstore. The shopkeeper comes in after them, using his magic to reveal a trapdoor.
Now she was really afraid. But she kept silent. Solus said Fancy could be trusted, so it's fine.
They enter the passage, dark and damp, with only Fancy's magic to light their way. Soon after they reach a door, covered in glowing symbols. And...
Is it humming?
"Miss Cadance?"
The sudden sound startles her, but she looks up to Fancy nonetheless.
"Y-yes?"
"Master Solus awaits you inside."
Inside? Why?
"What does he want me to do?"
"I...I cannot tell you. All I can tell you is that he trusts your capacity to be good, as well as your capacity to see good in others. Remember that."
He opens the door, manually, and gesture for her to enter.
She does, reluctantly. As soon as she cross the threshold, the door close behind her. She feared the room would be dark, but it's actually well lit, by glowing symbols similar to the one on the door. They are everywhere, walls, floor and ceiling. She would have preferred if the room was dark. In the middle of it all, was Solus.
"Solus?", she asks with a anxious voice.
"Hello, Cadenza", he says, his back still turned toward her. Was it just her or did his voice sound...cold?
And also, 'Cadenza'?
"Is something wrong, Solus?", she asks, worried for her fr-brother.
He laughs. It's a rough, bitter sound, entirely unlike the Solus she knew.
"Oh, no! I've never felt better, in fact!", he says, finally turning to face her.
"Solus, what is that?", she says, pointing to the necklace he was wearing. It was made of a dark metal, with a blood-red jewel shaped like a heart. And the jewel was glowing, but not like the symbols, its light was sickening and just wrong.
He places a hoof on it, smiling. Or trying to.
"This? This will allow me to match my Mother in power. It's the Amulet of Amplification by Jealousy, or the Amulet of Amplified Jealousy, both are correct translations. It feeds on jealousy and other negative emotions to give power to it's bearer, and this world is filled with them!"
"But that's wrong!", she protests.
He quirks an eyebrow.
"Wrong? Why? I'd get rid of her and then I would rule. Rule and bring peace and prosperity to this world. There's a reason I was born, after all."
She felt her eyes water. This was a nightmare, it had to be a nightmare!
"That's not you! You told us we should try to uphold Harmony!"
He smiles at her, a twisted, hollow thing.
"And we will. When this is over, and the world is guided by my benevolent tyranny."
"Do you even realize how much you sound like your mother?"
His eyes narrows and he bares his teeth, which seemed oddly sharp for a pony.
"Don't you dare compare her to me!", he shouts, stomping toward her.
"I'M NOTHING LIKE HER, DO YOU HEAR ME!?", he screams with fury.
Cadance steps back, but still hold her grounds.
"Then stop acting like her!", she retorts.
His face is twisted by an ugly snarl. He strikes her, growling like a savage beast. It sends her sprawling to the ground, disoriented. She can taste blood in her mouth, and she thinks one or two of her teeth are loose.
"I AM NOT LIKE HER! I'LL NEVER BE LIKE HER!", he shouts with an unnaturally loud voice.
She fights back her tears and stand back up.
"Then stop! The Solus I know would never hurt me!", she shouts back.
He stumbles back, looking like he was the one who was slapped.
"HUrt you?", he says, his voice becoming soft as a whisper. "I'd never hurt you..."
Cady smiles softly.
"I know."
"...it's your fault."
What?
"You made me angry. But I'll forgive you this time", he says with a deranged smile
No! that's not at all what she meant!
"Please, Solus! Remove the Amulet!"
His smiles turn into an angry rictus, with him glaring at her.
"What? Never! I've never felt more in control in my entire life here! I'm no longer at the mercy of that bitch or Proper or ANYONE ELSE!!!"
"No! You can't think like that! You'll be just like them!", she cries out.
His horn lights up, and she suddenly feels like her body is on fire. She falls down, writhing in pain.
"SILENCE! I'M TIRED OF PLAYING THE HERO! I'M TIRED OF CARING, FEARING EACH DAY THAT YOU'LL ALL BE TAKEN FROM ME! I'M TIRED OF FIGHTING FOR THE GOOD CAUSE, WHEN I COULD JUST KILL EVERYONE WHO STAND IN MY WAY!"
She could feel his magic enveloping her, hurting her. But there was something else. There was...
Love...love twisted by a dark force. She reached out to it, by pure instinct. The darkness tried to seep into her, but it was burned by her compassion. She soldiered on, taking a hold of it. It screamed as the darkness was burned away, replaced by a warm light.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STOP THIS AT ONCE, YOU BITCH!", Solus shrieks.
She ignore the shadow that took her brother away, reaching deeper in the well of energy, to the source of the darkness. She entered, and she felt the anger, the pain, the hatred. She took it all in and gave patience, care and understanding in return. The core of darkness slowly turned into light, and she felt energized by it.
"NO, IT'S MINE! IT'S MY POWER! STOP IT!"
She took in the light, and she felt strong, stronger than ever before. The light grew, and grew, and grew, until the world faded away.
She opened her eyes, her mind clear and free of any and all worry.
She stood up and looked around, gazing at the oniric landscape. The sky and the land were one, all streams of light and mist and stars, of every colors and of every shape, flowing quickly and slowly at the same time. It stretched on forever, but it felt cozy and familiar.
'Where am I?'
She hadn't opened her mouth, and yet she had heard her own voice. But it was different. It was warm, pure, confident, regal. The voice she associated with the alicorns of old that Macintosh's parents told him about.
'Cadance?'
Solus? Where is he?
'Where are you?'
'I don't know! Help me!'
His voice sounds strange, it's...childish and fearful. The complete opposite of his usual voice. It's also hard to hear, like it's only half there. She looks around, trying to find him. She feels his presence, but...
There!
'Solus!'
She reaches out to him. He seems so...distant. His body is like a half-formed mirage, the suggestion of a pony's form. But there's something else, the impression of a tall silhouette, towering over him, casting a cold shadow over him.
'Cadance!'
He sounds afraid and desperate. Cadance runs toward him, enveloping him in her wings as soon as she reaches him.
'I'm here Solus, you don't have to be afraid anymore.'
'It was so scary, Cadance! I was alone and you were gone and everything is so strange and-'
'Shhh, it's alright, everything's fine.'
'It's not! I tricked you, I lied to you!'
His voice was changing, becoming hollow and full of regret and despair, a voice of an old, tired soul.
'It's okay, I forgive you.'
'But I lied to you! I lied to Mac and Shiny and I killed Proper! How many more will I kill because I think I'm better than them? How many lives will I break while I try to save them?'
'Sol-'
'But noooo! I have to cling to the past, to what was supposed to happen! A future that I'm not even sure is true!'
His form was fading, and the world around them was rippling like a sea in the middle of a storm.
'Solus!'
'And then I go right ahead and use all of you, exactly like Celestia would! I really am just a clone of her...'
'Solus.'
He looks up, his eyes empty, desperate to be reassured.
'You saved us. You love us. We want to help you, and we trust you. You don't have to feel bad about that.'
'But I manipulated you...I lied to you.'
'And that's fine. I've known since the beginning that you knew more that you let on, and I'm sure you have your reason to keep that knowledge a secret.'
'But-'
'No but. Isn't that what you always say to Shining Armour when he beats himself up over nothing?'
'I guess...'
'It's going to be fine, Solus. It's time to go home.'
'Okay. Where are we, anyway?'
'Everywhere.'
Cadance opens her eyes and stands up, feeling very much awake, to her surprise. She looks around and see Solus on the ground, seemingly doing much less fine than herself. She helps him up and then hug him.
"Cady?", he asks, uncertain.
"I'm here, Solus. Everything is fine", she reassures him. She lets go and smile. "Do you remember what I said?"
"I...I do. It seems like an half remembered dream, but I do remember everything you told me."
"And do you believe me?", she asks.
He looks at her with a small smile.
"I do. Thank you, Cady. Also, you should cross your eyes", he says, his smile turning mischievous.
"Huh?"
What did he...
What is that pink thing on her forehead? Is that...is that a horn!?
"Why do I have a horn?", she says, beginning to panic.
Solus puts a hoof on her wither, rubbing it gently.
"It's okay! That's exactly what I wanted!"
"And what would that be?", she says in a shrill voice.
"I wanted you to become an alicorn."
That make her freeze. Alicorn? Her?
"I'm-I'm not an alicorn!"
His hoof squeeze her wither gently.
"Yes you are. That's why I went to such lows as to use that cursed amulet", he says, hanging his head in shame.
"Solus...I really am an...?"
"Yeah."
"But, I'm just a pegasus..."
He looks up, his look full of anger.
"Don't say that. Do not ever say that. My mother's bullshit has nothing to do with this. You deserve to be an alicorn. You earned it. Entirely and completely. I simply helped things along. The potential is all yours."
She smiles.
"Okay."
And then that smile promptly falls off her face.
"Uh, Solus?", she asks.
"Yeah?"
"How are you going to hide my new horn from, well, everypony?"
He smiles.
"I actually have something for that!"
He goes to a corner of the room, where a simple box lays on the floor. He picks it up in his magic and opens it, revealing a golden necklace inside.
"It's not exactly what I wanted to get, but I'll get you a better one when I can.", he says, looking contrite.
"Uh? What are you talking about, it's-"
She cuts herself off when she realizes what he meant. It's not exactly a necklace. It's a collar.
"I'm sorry", he says, his eyes filled with sadness. "It needed to be inconspicuous and large enough for the runes to be etched on it."
Oh.
"It's...it's okay. I don't mind. I know you don't think of me that way."
He's clearly still sad, but he nods his understanding nonetheless.
"Why don't you try picking it up with your magic?", he suggests with a wan smile.
"My magic? How?", she asks, genuinely curious.
"Reach for your essence, your Heart of heart. Considering what you did with the amulet, I think it won't be the first time you did so."
Reach for her...
She closes her eyes and breathe deeply, like she had seen him do countless times before. She reached out for the same warmth and light that allowed her to help Solus. She was so focused that she no longer noticed what was going on around her. The light, the warmth...
There!
She opens her eyes and look up at her horn, covered with a cyan energy.
"Is that it?", she asks.
"Indeed it is! That's great, Cadance! You'll master magic in no time at all!", he answers enthusiastically.
"So, what do I do with it?", she says, smiling.
"Oh, right! you need to envelop the collar in your magic, like a blanket. Not too much, or you'll crush it, but also not so little that you'll let go of it. It would be best if you start small and then increase the output."
She does as she says. It takes a quite a few tries, but she manages to lift it up, with a semblance of stability.
"Good", he says. "Now, reel it in."
She brings it closer, around her neck, and closes it.
The flow of energy abruptly stop.
"Solus?", she asks, worried.
"It's okay, it's meant to do that. It wouldn't do for you to accidentally do magic in public. I'm really sorry."
"Oh. It's...I really hate the Imperial Order."
He snorts.
"You're not the only one. Come on, let's get out of here, Fancy must be worried sick!", he says, heading for the door.
"Oh, I nearly forgot he was here!", she says, following hurriedly after him.