//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Critical Mass // by SC_Orion //------------------------------// Rainbow groaned a little as she walked back out of the castle. 'Princess Luna, please be here somewhere...' She bit her lip while sweeping her gaze around, looking at the Royal Guards and checking to see if Princess Luna was among them. She sighed a little after completing her sweep, finding Princess Luna absent. She took a deep breath, then steeled her resolve and flapped her wings. She leisurely flew over to the nearest Royal Guard, a pegasus who calmly walked from left to right in front of the castle, whether he had a destination in mind, she didn't know. Rainbow landed in front of the pegasus and flared her wings out to grab his attention. He came to a stop and blinked once. "Uh, hey, can you tell me where Princess Luna is?" she asked. The pegasus squinted at her and nodded slowly. "You're Rainbow Dash, correct? Bearer of the Element of Loyalty and Wonderbolt?" His eyes quickly moved about as he searched over Rainbow's features. Rainbow nodded and smiled. "Yeah," she answered. "So, can you tell me where Princess Luna is? I'm kind of in a hurry." She paused and grimaced. "She's not in Canterlot, right? Please tell me she's not in Canterlot, I really, really don't feel like flying that far..." "No, she had returned to Canterlot late last night, but I heard that she had returned maybe a half hour ago," he answered, shifting his weight on his hooves. "I don't know where she is right now, but I don't believe she would have headed back to Canterlot again." He paused and pursed his lips. "You're one of Princess Twilight's friends, right?" he asked, his voice shifting from one befitting a guard to a normal, everyday stallion. Rainbow's expression blanked. She nodded slowly. "Yeah," she answered. "Yeah, I am. We're close," she stated. The pegasus grimaced, then offered her a weak smile. "We'll find her," he said, something in his voice sounding like a promise, but more than that, he believed it. A smile pulled at Rainbow's lips, eventually making them curl upward, and a little of her worry was eased. A little of the anxiety and fear dominating her mind drifted away, somehow eased by knowing that a normal Royal Guard believed things would be okay. Maybe it was just his reassurance and belief, but it helped her feel a little better. "Thanks," she replied warmly. "No problem, Ma'am," he replied, raising a hoof to salute and flaring out his wings. Rainbow nodded her thanks, then turned away from him and beat her wings. She calmly flew higher up into the sky and looked around. After a moment, she glanced back down and watched the pegasus walk off, returning to his duties. She smiled again, then it faded and she looked over Ponyville. 'Okay, think, if Princess Luna's here, then where would she be? The hospital, maybe?' she wondered. She looked back at the castle, then flew up higher and looked out in the general direction of the hospital. 'Okay, that would make sense,' she thought. 'Keeping an eye on the changeling, probably... I would have thought she would have stopped by the castle, though...' She shook her head, then surged forward, beating her wings hard and taking flight in the direction of the hospital. As she flew over Ponyville, her gaze was directed downward. In the early morning light, she discovered that most of the ponies roaming the enchanted dirt streets were Royal Guards, rather than the town's residents. She wasn't surprised, given recent events, although she wondered how many ponies actually knew that Twilight was missing, that Chrysalis had captured Twilight. A pang of loneliness rang out through her chest, emanating from her heart. She bit her lower lip and looked back up across the horizon, then scanned the skies. There were few clouds in the sky, and all of them were white and fluffy, lazily drifting about in the gentle, early morning breeze created by the pegasi, or being pushed directly by a weather pegasus. More than a few Royal Guard pegasi patrolled the sky, always in pairs, some of them flew higher than her, while some flew lower and closer to the houses as they patrolled. Some of their paths crisscrossed, while all of their flight patterns seemed to be rigid, straight lines. She was happy she wasn't preoccupied with being a Wonderbolt or a Royal Guard. The monotony of patrolling or searching in straight lines like the rest of the pegasi patrolling wouldn't have helped her any. 'Thanks for getting me out of that, Celestia...' she thought to herself, smiling a little. She closed her eyes briefly and let the cool morning air flood her senses. The comforting, familiar noise of the air running passed her, making her mane and tail whip back and forth slightly, as she wasn't flying her fastest. The cool embrace of the morning air, flowing over her coat and slipping in between her feathers, invigorating her body with strength. The gentle heat from the morning sun striking her side and back, contrasting against the cool air. And yet, something was missing. Her stomach sank as she opened her eyes, a faint echo of a giggle from a mare who wasn't there playing through her mind. She looked to her right longingly, almost being able to picture Twilight flying beside her. Twilight looked happy and smiled a warm, content smile as she looked back at her. 'When you get back, we're going to fly more often,' she affirmed as the anxiety she felt gradually grew, then faded, throbbing inside her body as it built up and disappeared, though never leaving her alone. Eventually, she reached the hospital. Rainbow flew in low, then folded her wings and landed on the road. Without breaking stride, she started walking as soon as her hooves touched the ground, and she strode toward the hospital with a purpose in mind. A dozen Royal Guards were stationed outside the hospital doors, and they all remained stoic, not bothering to regard her as she approached. She glanced at the six on the left side of the doors, then to the six on the right side of the doors before she looked ahead and strode into the hospital lobby. As soon as the doors open, and an even chillier gust of air washed over her, filled with an artificially clean scent. The scent wasn't unpleasant, nor overbearing, but it just seemed wrong to her. She shivered from the chill as she stepped inside and the doors closed behind her. Inside the lobby was mostly deserted, leaving the clean, white walls mostly devoid of life. The barren emptiness felt overwhelming, but it should have been a good thing, it meant that not many ponies were waiting on something to do with the hospital. She shifted her weight and ruffled her wings, then walked up to the main desk. A purple-coated pegasus with a deep, flowing pink mane looked up at her and smile. "Um, is Princess Luna here?" Rainbow asked. The pegasus blinked once in confusion. "Oh, right, yes, Rainbow Dash," she said at length. "One moment, please. She is here, yes, let me find out where she is," she said, rolling away from where Rainbow was and skillfully using her feathers to type away at a keyboard. "Waiting room Three B," she replied as she rolled back in her chair over to where Rainbow was. "She requested that any of Princess Twilight's friends be told where she was. I think she's expecting you specifically since she said you by name. She should be alone, although there might be some Royal Guards," she said. "I hope you have a wonderful day!" Rainbow smiled warily. "Thanks, you too," she replied, then pulled away from the desk and headed off, navigating the hospital's hallways. She ignored the many beeps and hushed whispers of doctors, nurses, visitors and patients, even though she occasionally heard the familiar name of her alicorn slip from their lips as she made her way to the designated waiting room. She slowed on approach and felt uneasy. The twin guards, both unicorns, broke their stoic gaze and acknowledged her with a subtle bow of their heads on her approach. She stopped and shifted her weight before returning their nod. Both of them looked straight ahead again, and Rainbow walked around and opened the door, then through the doorway and paused. Princess Luna calmly sat in one of the seats, while her sister slowly paced back and forth. Both of them turned at the sound of the door opening. Celestia's expression warmed at the sight of the pegasus, and she smiled. "Rainbow Dash, I was wondering when you would arrive," she said, her voice calm and flowing smoothly, as if all of the prior day's stress had been wiped away with nothing remaining, not even a memory. Her mane and tail flowed lazily and calmly like normal, and her coat seemed a little brighter than yesterday. "Princess Celestia," Rainbow acknowledged, bowing her head respectfully. She stood back up, then walked inside, closing the door behind her. She turned her attention to Luna and frowned. The younger alicorn wasn't as happy as Princess Celestia. Luna's features were weary and wary, her eyelids were held lower than normal, and her features seemed more subdued than normal. Her mane and tail still flowed gracefully, but the sparkles in them seemed to shine a little less brightly. Her coat, while well-groomed, somehow seemed unkempt even though it was clean. "Luna?" Rainbow asked, frowning uneasily. Luna took a deep breath, then slowly stood up and nodded. "Rainbow," she acknowledged. She opened her mouth and pursed her lips. A second passed, then she closed her mouth and exhaled. "I was unable to locate Twilight last night in her dreams. I did not even find her dreams," she said warily. Rainbow's body sagged down a little, and her lips fell limply into a flat line. "Oh..." She swallowed and shifted her weight on her hooves, then looked at Celestia, who regarded her sister warily, grimacing, before looking back at Luna. "Is... what... does that mean?" she asked in a reserved voice, forcing herself to retain her composure, even as the ache in her body and mind throbbed more intensely. "It means that she did not dream last night, which likely means she was prevented from sleeping, likely out of fear or from being unconscious," Luna answered calmly. She slowly pursed her lips again, then opened her mouth. "I... am sorry, Rainbow, I was unable to find her as I had intended and hoped..." she trailed off, her lips pressed tight together. "We will find her," Celestia said quickly. "We still have a few leads to go off of. If neither of them bears any fruit, then we may have to wait for Chrysalis to slip up or for our scouts to locate her." "What about the changeling that... impersonated Twilight?" Rainbow asked tentatively. "One of the guards said you hadn't interrogated it yet, but... do you have anything?" "I am expecting word soon that the changeling has recovered enough and that we will be able to begin," Celestia answered. "And I intend to handle the interrogation myself," she added. She looked at Luna and nodded. Luna took a deep breath. "I am going to go join the forces which were assigned to hunt down Chrysalis. I probably should have gone sooner, but the plan was always to wait for them to locate Chrysalis and trap her, at which time I would arrive and secure her capture," she said. "But, as things have changed, I am now going to join them and aid them in capturing the remaining changelings which are an obvious diversion." Rainbow squinted. "But, we need to get Twilight back! How does going after a diversion-" "Rainbow," Celestia said calmly. "Just because they're a diversion doesn't mean going after them has no worth. They may know more about Chrysalis' plans which would aid us in locating her and Twilight. On top of that, they are a threat still, as they are still loyal to Chrysalis." Rainbow sighed and slumped down, sitting down on her haunches and hanging her head. "Sorry, I just..." she trailed off, shaking her head. Celestia calmly strode over to Rainbow. "It is alright, Rainbow. This is hard on all of us," she acknowledged. She grimaced as she looked over the pegasus' crestfallen features. "I take it you did not sleep well last night?" Rainbow nodded guiltily and hesitantly looked up at Celestia. "I... couldn't sleep. I couldn't get comfortable, without Twilight..." She slowly looked down at her hooves, shifting her weight. 'I can't believe I just admitted that...' Celestia sighed and nodded in understanding. A gentle knocking on the door drew the three ponies' attentions. Rainbow stood up and turned around, and Luna walked around to the two as the door opened. "Princess," a Royal Guard acknowledged, bowing. He rose from the bow, "The doctors have given the okay for you to interrogate the changeling." Celestia smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you," she said. The guard saluted, then closed the door and disappeared. Celestia looked over at Luna. "Well, I do believe that is my cue to begin my hunt, sister," Luna acknowledged, nodding. "Good luck," Celestia said softly. "Fie, sister, thou knowest that we shalt not need thine luck!" Luna scoffed, smiling and drawing out a larger smile from Celestia. "I will be fine, 'Tia. I have fought far worse than changelings and emerged on top," she added. "What... am I supposed to do?" Rainbow asked, looking at the two alicorns unsurely and curiously. "If you were better rested, I would offer to bring you along with myself. Perhaps you would still like to come?" Luna offered. "Although it would still be dangerous for you, however, I will protect you." Rainbow blinked, then turned to face Celestia. Celestia looked at Luna, studying her expression. After a moment, she looked down at Rainbow. "Very well, you may join Luna. Be careful," she said. Rainbow smiled eagerly, some of her exhaustion vanishing as anticipation and excitement surged through her. Celestia laughed quietly at how Rainbow perked up. She turned to Luna. "Take care of her. If something happens to her, Twilight would never forgive either of us." Luna nodded warily. "I will protect her with my life," she stated firmly, lightly planting her right hoof into the floor, bringing a sense of finality to the statement. She turned to Rainbow. "If you are ready," she said. Rainbow took a deep breath and licked her lips. She nodded and ruffled her wings. "Yeah, let's go. Sitting around and doing nothing isn't helping anything." Luna smiled and lit her horn. "Then let us be off," she said, then took Rainbow in her magic and cast the teleportation spell, easily teleporting the two of them halfway across Equestria in a split second, leaving a simple crack of magic and a flash of light in their wake. Celestia watched the spot where her sister was for another second before she calmly opened the door, then stepped out into the hallway. As she crossed the threshold, the guard on the right fell in sync with her without a word. Celestia gave the soldier a smile and turned to head down the hallway. Rainbow blinked her eyes quickly, finding herself feeling a bit dazed from the teleportation. As soon as she regained her senses, she looked around and surveyed the area. Luna stood to her right, standing proudly, all traces of her exhaustion having faded to be replaced with a regality and power that befitted her, and her eyes and body were calm. Just from looking at Luna, she knew she never wanted to get on the alicorn's bad side, and she almost felt sorry for the changelings they were going after. She would have, if it wasn't for the fact that they brought it upon themselves by helping Chrysalis and that because of them, Twilight wasn't safe with her. Looking away from Luna, Rainbow scrutinized where they were. It appeared to be a camp, several tents of a heavy, thick, faded grayish-white fabric were arranged in rows. Each tent appeared to be the same size and designed to house two or three ponies. There were a few notably different tents she noticed, two larger ones, one which had a white patch with a red cross over the entrance which was wide open, looking large enough for three ponies to walk inside at the same time, and another tent which looked like it served as a command center. A few multicolored changelings buzzed about. For the most part, they ignored Rainbow and Luna, but they drew more than a few glances from the vibrantly colored reformed changelings. Two ponies ducked out of the larger command tent. Their gazes immediately fell on Luna, and then strode out with dignity and pride. "Princess!" the one on the right, their commander, called out. Luna turned to the commander, then calmly strode over to him. Rainbow fell in behind Luna, letting her take the lead. "Commander," Luna acknowledged with a nod. The commander, a unicorn, fell into a respectful bow, as did the soldier beside him. The commander's armor, unlike the rest of the soldiers', was not golden in color, but purple, reminiscent of Twilight's coat, but deeper. Rainbow was surprised by that, but thinking back, she could remember Twilight's brother wearing the same style of armor. She pushed the thought aside as the stallion stood up. His expression was one of shock and excitement, surprised by the princess's arrival, but he welcomed it with open hooves. "What brings you here, Princess?" he asked. "This hunt has gone on long enough. Rainbow Dash and I are here to end it and secure the changelings which have been leading you astray on a wild goose chase," Luna answered. "I will be assuming command," she stated. The commander bowed. "Of course, Princess. Give the word and we shall move out immediately!" Luna nodded. "Moving out immediately would do us no good. I require more information before we begin, I must admit that I am not as up to date regarding the situation here as I should be due to the unforeseen events which transpired yesterday," she said. The commander's expression fell. "Of course, Princess," he said, his voice much less forceful and eager than before. "Please, this way," he said, motioning his forehoof toward the command tent while he stepped aside and turned. Luna started walking at a calm pace toward the command tent. Rainbow ruffled her wings and looked around as she followed Luna. The commander waited for both of them to pass before walking with them, heading around to Luna's right side and walking slightly behind her, though still at her side. "As you should know, the changelings have been using caves to hide and lay ambushes for my soldiers, and it's been slow going locating them because of that. On top of that, the forest offers plenty of cover and defensible positions for them since they're here first," the commander said. Luna nodded. "That should provide only a moderate delay at best," she commented. "Reported estimates put the number of changelings here around fifty, but what do you feel?" The commander shifted his weight on his hooves as he walked. "They always seem to pull more forces out of thin air. My gut tells me that they have double that number here. Maybe not quite that many, but it's a sizeable force. I think they planned this for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if the intelligence we used to discover them here wasn't planted." Luna grimaced. "That... is a possibility, and it would make sense in light of Twilight's capture." They grew silent as they walked inside the tent. Rainbow paused in the opening as Luna and the commander walked inside. She looked around, taking it in. Easily a dozen ponies filled the tent, all clad in the golden Royal Guard armor. Most of the guards were unicorns, but there were a couple of pegasi and two earth ponies standing guard just inside the entrance. She glanced at both of them, then walked inside. The center of the tent was dominated by a large table with a map of the surrounding area. There were small flags on the map which she discerned to represent locations of soldiers. The camp was a large blue flag that had something of a fort at the base, while there were other blue flags placed around and occasionally moved a short distance away. A few red flags were being chased, but most red flags remained in the same position. Rainbow walked over to join Luna, who was looking over the map. The commander stood stoically, though he glanced at Rainbow as she approached. Luna nodded to herself as she took in the map, then she looked over at Rainbow. "I do hope that your Wonderbolt training was thorough and that you truly are prepared for this. We have a lot of ground to cover, Rainbow Dash, and very little time." Rainbow let a smile creep onto her face. "Hey, I'm the fastest pegasus alive!" she replied. A small smile crept onto Luna's lips. "I maaay have slacked off a little when I was helping Twilight," she said sheepishly, idly rubbing the back of her mane with a forehoof, "but I won't let you down," she said seriously. A moment later, some of her eagerness faded, being replaced by a solemn expression, "And... I won't let her down..." she said quietly. Luna nodded. "I will attempt to locate her again tonight, and I will continue to until we find her," she stated. "If you would like, I can use my magic to help you sleep tonight. It would not do for you to be exhausted when we move to rescue her." Rainbow thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Thanks, Princess. I'd appreciate that," she said. Luna smiled. "Of course, Rainbow Dash." She turned back to the map and got a feel for the layout of the area. She lit her horn, then let her magic loose and felt out their surroundings, scanning for the nearest group of changelings. After a minute, she nodded and let her aura die. She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the map. "The nearest group of changelings is located her," she said, pointing at an area missing a red flag. The commander frowned. "Princess, are you sure? We have no indication that they're there," he said. Luna nodded. "There is a cave which they are hidden in. The cave is shallow and only has one way in and out. I will take a squad and secure the cave. Please have a team assembled and ready within ten minutes," she said. The commander saluted. "Yes, Princess. I will attend to it myself," he answered, then turned and walked away with formality. Luna watched him leave from the corner of her eyes, then she turned to Rainbow. "If you are too tired to aid me, you may remain here," she offered. Rainbow shook her head. "No, I'm coming with you. I can't just sit around and do nothing while Twilight's out there." Luna nodded in acceptance. "I... know the feeling," she admitted. "Twilight is as much my family as Celestia is my sister," she said. "And... I owe her a lot." Rainbow frowned and shifted her weight. "Um... what? Are you two really that close?" Luna pursed her lips. "Twilight... she is a part of the royal family. And my sister is the one who elevated her to the status of an alicorn. Not everypony can become an alicorn, however." She tilted her head to the side and squinted. "You... and the other four bearers... do have the potential..." she admitted unsurely, slowly turning to face Rainbow. Rainbow squinted. "Wait, really? I always thought that Twilight was special and-" "Twilight is special," Luna said with a nod. "But... that is for another time. Twilight is one of my best friends and like a sister to me," she stated. Celestia took a deep breath as she slowed down on approach to a door in the hospital. Behind the door was just another hospital room, no different from any of the others, except for the fact that inside was a changeling drone. The changeling drone which impersonated Twilight. One of the few leads they had to follow to find Twilight. Celestia calmly exhaled, both of the Royal Guards guarding the door, one on each side, stood at attention. She gave them a nod, then opened the door with her magic. She calmly strode into the room. Immediately inside the room were another two Royal Guards. All four of the guards were unicorns. Walking into the room, she turned to face the sole bed, upon which rested a black, chitinous figure. The sharp, piercing blue eyes of the changeling revealed nothing about where it was looking, but she felt its gaze lingering on her. She calmly walked a little further around, then headed over to the bed, looking over the injured drone. A light gray ring was placed around the base of the changeling's horn, and the drone's legs were tied down, held firmly by straps. The changeling turned its head to follow her. "I see you're awake," Celestia acknowledged. The drone's wings buzzed briefly, whether out of agitation, fear, or anxiety, she wasn't sure. The changeling's body language revealed nothing of fear or agitation, only resolution. She came to a stop beside the bed and looked over the changeling's body. The side of its head was still wrapped up tightly from its injury, but other than the head wound, it was in good shape. "I'm here to talk," Celestia said calmly. "I'm going to ask you some questions. You're going to give me answers. If you do answer my questions, then when this is over, you will be handed over to King Thorax-" The drone's mouth shot open, baring its teeth and revealing its fangs, and it hissed a primal hiss, betraying no fear, only agitation. It pulled its limbs against the bindings and hissed again, then started shifting its weight and tugging harder on the bonds. A wave of pain rolled over the changeling's expression as it agitated its injury, but it still continued to fight against its bindings. "You're not going to escape," Celestia said dismissively. She sat down on her haunches and watched the changeling ignore her. "Even if you get out of those straps, then what? You're trapped in this room. There are four guards here to keep you from escaping," she stated. The changeling seemed to glare at her and snarled. "Your magic is locked away by that ring," she said with a nod. "And you're in no condition to attempt to escape. On top of all of this, there's me," she added. The changeling's struggles slowed, then stopped, and it stared at her impassively. Celestia gave the drone a little smile. "Now, as I was saying. If you answer my questions, then everything is going to be okay for you. If not, then once you recover, you will be handed over to the court system and tried for attempted assassination of royalty and impersonation of a princess of Equestria with malicious intent," she said. The drone didn't react. Celestia's smile wavered. "And no, Chrysalis is not going to rescue you. She used you to get her revenge," she said. "King Thorax-" the changeling growled but made no attempts to fight his captivity, "on the other hoof, would be more than willing to accept you into his brood. Chrysalis doesn't care about you. She nearly killed you to convince us that you were Princess Twilight Sparkle." She studied the changeling only to find that it didn't seem to care or take any interest in what she was saying. Celestia mulled over her options while continuing to watch the changeling not letting her smile, nor her mask fall. "Why are you still loyal to Chrysalis? She has been defeated and she has no real power left." The changeling finally broke its silence, speaking in a high-pitched voice that, if listened to for a long enough time, was sure to give one a headache, "The Queen captured your princess," it stated. "You underestimate her!" "Progress," Celestia acknowledged with a nod. She took a deep breath and then calmly exhaled. "She captured Twilight, yes. A pony who was injured and defenseless. I hardly consider that to be admirable, nor respectable. All it goes to show is how weak Chrysalis truly is, unable to do anything more than attack and capture somepony who was defenseless." "And who left her defenseless?" the changeling asked. "You. Chrysalis's plan was a success. Yours was not. She has once more outplayed and outsmarted you!" The changeling smiled as Celestia's smile faded into a neutral, unreadable line. "At every turn, she has bested you and Equestria!" "And at every turn, she has always lost in the end," Celestia retorted. "Do you remember the Royal Wedding you all attacked? She won, then she was defeated," she said simply. "And when you captured all of us?" she asked. "She had us, she won. She overlooked a couple of ponies, and it was her undoing." The changeling bared its fangs and hissed at her once more. "The Queen's plan is perfect this time! You will not prevent her revenge!" "And yet, here you are," Celestia said coolly. "Chrysalis may win, but you won't. You've lost. You're not escaping. The only way you're getting out of this is by helping us." "And turning into one of those half-breed freaks?" the drone spat. Celestia grimaced. "They have something that you don't. A few things, actually. They have friends. They have a good leader who genuinely cares about them, rather than just their own power. And, they have happiness. Do you truly wish to continue to serve a queen who would kill you in a heartbeat in order to further her own plans?" The drone remained silent, his resolution unwavering. Celestia calmly rose to her hooves, then slowly turned and walked away from the bed. "If you decide to change your mind, feel free to inform one of the guards. I will be back, of course, after you have been given more time to recover from your injury. It has clearly affected your ability to see reason." The drone hissed at her again. Celestia ignored it. Rainbow grimaced and huffed as she pressed herself up against the back of a tree. Bolts of green magic shot through the air passed the tree, and she felt one of the bolts slam into the tree, sending splinters of wood showering the forest floor. She rolled her head to her left and looked over the five unicorns with her. Two of them were crouched down, taking cover behind a recently fallen tree, and two more of them were hidden behind large rocks jutting up from the ground. The fifth unicorn was pressed up against a tree like her. Rainbow's body heat, combined with the ambient warmth and humidity made her sweat, and caused the flight suit she wore to cling to her body uncomfortably. She lifted a forehoof up and swiped it across her brow. She grunted as another spell struck the tree she hid behind, and she winced a little. She ducked out from the tree. About eight black figures were peeked above rocks and looked out from the cave they were holding. Each one had a horn glowing with a sickly green aura. They saw her and soon the barrage against her intensified. She wasn't sure if the changelings were just poorly trained, or if they weren't trying to kill her, because the vast majority of the spells flew wide from her tree. And her tree wasn't exactly a small target. Three unicorns rose up from their cover and let loose a rapid barrage of spells from their horns, sending pulses of magic down onto the changeling's position in a bombardment which shattered the rock, sending small shards and pebbles flying, and filling the air with a rocky dust. The unicorn's attack drew the attention of the changelings, who turned their attention to the more dangerous threats. After all, unicorns could attack at range, and Rainbow didn't have any weapons on her. For the moment, at least. 'Luna, you'd better hurry up... I don't want to be sitting here all day...' She looked straight ahead into the forest and huffed. A moment later, there was a flash of light and a loud crack of magic. The princess of the night appeared in the middle of the group, completely out in the open. She quickly surveyed the area. The changeling's assault paused for a moment as they looked between themselves, then they all targeted Princess Luna. Luna squinted and flared her wings out. A blue barrier formed around her. The green bolts of changeling magic slammed into the barrier and caused rippling waves to expand outward from the source of the impact. Luna glanced over at Rainbow and nodded, then tossed a saddle over to the pegasus with her magic. Rainbow jumped forward and grabbed it, then retreated further back to another tree for cover. At the same time, Luna angled her wings down, then charged forward, a glint of joy in her eyes. She lowered her head and pointed her horn at the mouth of the cave, then a surge of her blue magic lurched forth from her horn. The changelings scattered at the sight, jumping out of the way. As the beam impacted the stone, the magic exploded, ripping through the stone and collapsing the cave. The beam continued through the stone, shattering it. Luna lifted her head back up, then flared her wings out and teleported to the right, beside a changeling who was just starting to pick himself up off the ground. Luna reared up on her hind legs and slammed her hooves down on the changeling. A satisfying crunch filled the air, and a viscous liquid spilled out of the limp changeling's mouth. Not a second later, she teleported again. The next changeling jumped out of the way and fired a pulse of magic at point blank range. Luna, having just teleported, wasn't prepared for the sudden attack. Without her barrier, and at such close range, the spell easily landed square on her chest. She grunted but shrugged the attack off, then pounced at the changeling and pinned it to the ground. She swept her head down and pressed her horn against the changeling's neck, then sent a jolt of magic into the changeling. The changeling's body spasmed once, then went limp. Its legs continued to twitch as Luna stood back up and turned to the left, teleporting the stunned changeling back to their camp. As she turned to the left, the unicorns hold up behind the fallen tree jumped over it, horns blazing, assaulting another changeling's position. The changeling hissed and turned away, then jumped into the air in an attempt to flee. Rainbow spread her wings out and bolted into the air. She locked onto the changeling, then lined up with it and bit down on the handle in front of her mouth. A lightning bolt shot out from a metal rod mounted on the saddle she wore on her back and hit the changeling. The drone hissed and spasmed in the air, its wings twitching violently, then gravity kicked in and the changeling fell limply to the ground. She glided over and landed near another changeling, facing away from it. She pulled her hind legs back, then launched them back into the changeling. Both of her legs connected with the drone's body, sending it tumbling on the ground and struggling to pick itself up. Another unicorn jumped around and pinned the changeling to the ground, then touched his horn to its neck. A jolt of magic later, and the drone was unconscious. Rainbow stood up and surveyed the area, counting seven neutralized drones, eight including the one Luna teleported away. Luna calmly walked over to Rainbow, looking over the saddle and twin rods mounted on her shoulder. She nodded. "Truly, we should deploy these for pegasi in the Royal Guard, although I suppose that may not be entirely necessary as they are rarely needed..." Rainbow shrugged. "The Wonderbolts don't use them that often, anyway," she commented. "No real reason to. They didn't even use them back when Spike was attacking Ponyville." She frowned. "And I'm not entirely sure why we don't use these more often. And Spitfire's never given me a straight answer on that..." Luna nodded idly and surveyed the damage done by the battle. She grimaced a little. "I may enjoy battles, but... I do not enjoy war, nor the consequences of unrestrained battles..." she said warily. "Anymore, it reminds me of when I fought with Celestia as Nightmare Moon..." she said quietly. Rainbow gave Luna a reassuring smile. "Hey, nopony holds any grudges against you for that. You weren't in your right mind," she said. Her smile faded. "Besides, we're doing this to get Twilight back," she added in a quiet voice. Luna nodded. "Well... we are burning daylight, as they say," she commented. "There are many more groups of changelings that we must deal with. I applaud your success here. I was unsure as to whether or not you would be able to hold your own, and I am glad to know that you can," Luna said. Rainbow squinted at Luna. "Hey, I can hold my own!" she retorted. "You should know that! I've fought against a lot of Equestria's enemies before!" Luna nodded warily. "That... however, was different," she said. "None of them were seeking to kill like the changelings are now..." She shook her head and looked upward. Tree branches and leaves blocked her view of the sky, but there was one open spot where a tree had fallen, revealing the sun, still climbing into the sky. "We are at greater risk now," she said. Rainbow grimaced. "Well, yeah, but... I mean, I'm a Wonderbolt. I've kiiiinda been trained for this sort of thing," she said, her voice crackling. Luna looked over at Rainbow and regarded her. "True, but still..." she trailed off, shaking her head. She looked around at the limp changelings and teleported them away for them to be dealt with at the camp. She took a deep breath and looked around at the Royal Guards and Rainbow Dash. "Form up," she ordered. Almost immediately, all of the soldiers fell into a formation of a circle around her, with Rainbow Dash standing beside her. "Teleporting now," she stated calmly. With a quick flash from her horn and a crack of magic, the eight ponies disappeared only to reappear almost immediately in the vicinity of the next group of Changelings. Rainbow groaned quietly as she trudged alongside Princess Luna through the hospital's white, brightly lit hallways. The cheery lighting felt overbearing, but the cold was welcome, even if it sent a shiver down her spine. As the two walked side by side, doctors and nurses, along with the occasional guard, made sure to keep out of their way. A few of them starred, not so much at Luna, as at Rainbow. Every step sent an ache through Rainbow's body. Several shallow cuts adorned her body, though all of them had barely bled, leaving only the slightest hint of dried blood remaining. Her coat and mane were a mess, filled with dust, dirt, and debris, leaving her looking like she hadn't showered in days and making her coat lackluster and dull, while her mane and tail were tangled slightly. She was worn out from the day, and her legs and hooves ached. Her wings burned slightly, but the burn was fading, and she held her wings loosely at her sides, letting them sag slightly from gravity. And she limped, a result of kicking out too hard and then not connecting with her right hind leg. "Yeah, this isn't what I wanted to do when I joined the Wonderbolts..." she muttered. Luna cast a glance at Rainbow and smirked. "You handled yourself quite well, although I believe I can tell that you slacked off of training while aiding Twilight with her recovery," she stated. Rainbow quietly groaned again. "I wasn't expecting that many changelings to still be loyal to Chrysalis..." she sighed. Luna grimaced. "And that was likely not even half of the forces which remain loyal to her. I was under the impression that she did not even have that many Changelings still loyal to her... It is... disconcerting," she said calmly. "We underestimated her yet again, it seems... I do not understand how, though... King Thorax seemed to believe that she couldn't have had that many loyalists remaining, and yet she had more there than we expected, and that was just a diversion..." Rainbow watched Luna warily, feeling a forgotten dull ache in her chest surge back to life, putting the physical pain and exhaustion she felt to shame. "She... might have more than that with her guarding Twilight?" she asked quietly. Luna paused and looked over Rainbow's ragged form. She pursed her lip and slowly, unsurely nodded. "It... is something that I would not put past her," she answered at length. "It is something that we must be prepared for, lest we be caught off guard once more... I am concerned that we will not be able to move enough forces into position quick enough without her realizing... and of course, once we begin the assault, she will know, and... that puts Twilight in greater danger..." Rainbow clenched her jaw. She slowly looked away from Luna, staring at the wall, then looking down at the floor. She slowly turned her head back forward, then her head fell to look at the floor. Her wings sagged more than before. After a moment, she took a deep breath and steeled her resolve. "Maybe Princess Celestia's figured something out..." she offered. While she hoped it was true, she didn't believe it would be the case. Luna nodded and casually resumed her slow stride through the hallways. Rainbow walked beside her. Seconds passed in silence. She watched Luna as she walked. The alicorn, despite the day's events, looked no worse for wear, despite multiple ambushes and being caught off guard. Despite leading the charge against dozens of changelings, she acted like it was just another normal day for her. She shivered, then ruffled her wings and held them close to her sides. 'Twilight might be like that eventually...' Rainbow's pace slowed at that thought. Twilight was powerful and strong, and she knew that. The alicorn had single hoofedly fought Lord Tirek at his height and would have won, had he not used her friends as leverage. Granted, she had the magic of four alicorns at the time, but she handled herself quite well. She had traveled through time when she was a unicorn, and again as an alicorn. She was very talented with magic. Rainbow wouldn't have been surprised if Twilight actually knew more spells than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna combined, and both of them were thousands of years older than her. Twilight was young, but she was going to be alive for a long time. And then Chrysalis had taken her magic away from her, sabotaging a reactor and hospitalizing her best friend, forcing them to take away her horn, her magic, in order to save her life. It left Twilight devastated. Rainbow's expression fell, then hardened. It wasn't fair and it wasn't' right. Chrysalis wasn't going to get away with hurting Twilight like that. She would make sure of that. She would protect Twilight and make sure nothing like that happened again, and she would make sure Chrysalis would never be able to do something like that again. Chrysalis would pay. She picked up her pace, finding renewed strength, and quickly caught up to Luna, who paid her no mind. The pair navigated the hallways until they reached the waiting room. The twin guards saluted and remained stoic, not seeming to notice Rainbow's state. Luna opened the door and let Rainbow walk inside first, then she walked inside and closed the door behind her. Rainbow paused as she saw Celestia conversing with King Thorax. Both of them were calm, but the room seemed to have a solemn air to it. Celestia glanced away from Thorax, noticing the arrivals. She looked at Luna, then frowned uncertainly at Rainbow's disheveled appearance. Thorax noticed the two of them and looked uneasy. "Sister," Luna acknowledged with a nod, then she turned to the other occupant, "King Thorax." "Princess Luna," King Thorax acknowledged, humbly bowing his head respectfully. "I am... afraid to ask," Celestia said, motioning her head at Rainbow. Rainbow smiled sheepishly and shifted her weight. "There were a lot of changelings... we took care of them all, but... it was a busy day," she answered. Celestia squinted and nodded. "I see... I was not expecting you to get it all done in one day." "The Royal Guards simply needed a little help, was all," Luna said dismissively. "However, there were far more changelings than expected. I believe that Chrysalis may have far more Loyalists than we realized since her forces were more than double what was reported." Celestia and Thorax both frowned. "But... she shouldn't have that many drones..." Thorax said warily. "This... will need to be investigated," Celestia said calmly. She turned to Thorax. "Can you handle this?" she asked. Thorax nodded hesitantly. "I'll see what I can figure out," he said as he jumped out of his seat. He lit his horn, then teleported away in a flash of light. Luna frowned slightly. "I was unaware Thorax could teleport." Celestia gave Luna a small smile. "That was my doing. He was a quick study, and since his ascension left him with more magic than before, it wasn't difficult." "I see..." Luna said simply. Celestia turned to Rainbow. "Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow shifted her weight on her hooves and she nodded. "Yeah, just... it... was a long day. I'm fine." She bit her lower lip and shuffled closer to Celestia. "Did you learn anything from the changeling impersonating Twilight?" Celestia slowly shook her head. "I'm afraid not. He was very loyal to Chrysalis." Rainbow slumped down for a second, then recovered. "Well... the Royal Guard now have a bunch of Changelings to interrogate, so I guess it's not a complete loss. One of them should say something..." Luna nodded in agreement. She looked at Celestia, then turned to Rainbow. "It is getting late, Rainbow Dash. If you wish, I can use my magic to help you sleep tonight. Once more, I will attempt to find Twilight, however I do not know if I will be successful." Rainbow nodded. "Yeah... go ahead," she said. Luna's horn glowed a soft shade of dark blue for a moment, then it faded. Rainbow squinted, not feeling any different. "That should help you sleep," Luna commented. "Now... you should go. Rest, take a shower. Relax. I need to discuss a few things with my sister." Rainbow nodded and turned around. "Rainbow, one moment, please," Celestia said. She stood up and walked over to Rainbow. Rainbow turned around to face Celestia. Celestia's horn glowed a soft golden shade and the alicorn closed her eyes. Rainbow felt a sense of calm relief wash over her, and some of her physical pains faded. After a moment, Celestia smiled and opened her eyes. "That should help you recover from your physical exertion." Rainbow smiled at Celestia. "Thanks..." She turned around and opened the door, then slid out into the hallway and closed the door behind her. She made her way out of the hallway, then took flight back to her cloudhouse, where a hot shower and a cold bed awaited her for the night. Twilight sat calmly in the farthest corner from the door to her cell, staring down at her hooves, thinking, worrying, and trying to occupy her mind with anything to distract herself. She looked disheveled, her mane was unkempt, her head sagged, and her body shivered. Dried blood coated her temple and cheek and some of it had mixed in with her mane. Despite the lack of any physical restraints, she was trapped and imprisoned. A cell, an unknown number of changelings, and one changeling queen with a bloodlust for her all in between her and freedom. Her head still felt sickly hot, and the stickiness of the blood lingered, even though the wound had long since stopped bleeding. Her head ached, but it was manageable, and she would have been able to think clearly, if it wasn't for other factors. She licked her dry lips and looked up, toward the cell door. The darkness filling the cell and area beyond it stayed the same, though it looked like there was a light source now. It was faint, weak, and glowed softly. It was a welcomed relief from the monotonous darkness surrounding her. But the shade of the light, green, left her shaking a little more. Her ears swiveled around quickly, and she swallowed. She listened carefully, intently, for the faintest of sounds that would spell the arrival of Queen Chrysalis. She waited and listened with baited breath, the only sound piercing the stillness coming from the calm chittering of the two changelings outside of her cell, and the constant dripping of water splashing into a small pool and echoing through the cavern. The stillness was broken by a low grumble. Twilight's stomach shifted and churned uncomfortably, and the mare closed her eyes until the growling and churning disappeared. In the wake of her stomach's pain, emptiness and a dull ache lingered. She licked her lips again and opened her eyes. She stared straight forward for a moment, then her eyes dropped a little lower, then a second later they dropped lower still, settling on her hooves. Her entire body felt heavy, and the cold didn't help her feel any better. Sleep whispered echoes of bliss in the back of her mind, but she couldn't sleep. She didn't think she'd be able to fall asleep, even with as tired as she was, even if the changelings left her alone. Too much was missing. She pressed her eyes closed. Her lips shifted around and she clenched her jaw. Her mouth felt dry. She was surprised when she felt something warm and wet roll down her cheek. She opened her eyes and stared down at the ground, her vision blurry. She snorted and closed her eyes again. Her head sagged forward, and her mane gently fell with it. She lifted a forehoof and brushed away the tear. She missed the warmth and light of day, the reassurance that Celestia was still there. Now, sitting there in the darkness, she didn't have that. She didn't have anything except herself, and her ever traitorous thoughts, whispering to her how it wasn't going to be okay. How her friends weren't going to come for her because she wasn't worth it, or how Chrysalis would stop them even if they did, and what Chrysalis would do to them. She couldn't bear thinking about what Chrysalis would do to them if she captured them, because she knew Chrysalis knew how much that would hurt her. She would hurt them badly, just to hurt her worse, and for that reason, a part of her hoped that they all stayed away and left her there, even knowing that meant she might never see the sun again, nor feel the gentle breeze of a summer day, nor enjoy the warmth of a fire in the winter, nor enjoy the scent of the rain or fresh flowers in the springtime. A croaked sob escaped her lips, and her body shuddered, falling forward even further. And none of that was the worst of it. She might never see her best friend again, she might not get a chance to see Rainbow again. Or, perhaps even worse than that, she would get to see Rainbow again, held in the clutches of Chrysalis. Her eyes burned as more tears formed in the corners of her closed eyes. Her shivering increased, driven not by cold, but by fear. A deep, sickening fear, leaving her wanting to vomit as her stomach churned. Her over-analytical mind betrayed her. She tried her hardest to not think about what would happen if Chrysalis captured her friends, or worse, captured Rainbow, but that only served to prod on her mind to focus on that. Chrysalis would hurt her friends physically, and maybe even worse than she was injured from the reactor meltdown. And Chrysalis would likely do it in front of her, forcing her to watch as Chrysalis tortured her friends to get back at her. A wheezed, despairing, hysterical cry escaped her lips. She pulled her hooves in closer to her body and lifted a forehoof to her mouth, then bit down on it, and stared down at the floor, shaking. Another broken cry escaped her throat. She bit down harder on the firm flesh covering the edge of her hoof. She felt her hoof throb in pain, but it was nothing compared to what her mind was imagining. The cavern seemed to grow deathly silent and she cried out and rocked back and forth, even the changelings chittering had stopped. And that was just from fear for her friends. Chrysalis had proven she was sadistic and insane. Chrysalis would figure out that she loved Rainbow, and she knew it was only a matter of time. She had put Rainbow in danger. Her eyes stung even more. She pressed her eyelids closed tightly in an attempt to spare herself the pain. Chrysalis would hurt Rainbow worse than she hurt her just to cause her more pain, and there wasn't anything she could do about it, except hope that Chrysalis wouldn't figure it out and hope that Chrysalis wouldn't capture Rainbow. If she did, then Twilight wouldn't be able to live with herself, knowing that she was responsible for Rainbow being hurt by Chrysalis, because Chrysalis was using Rainbow against her. She released her forehoof from her mouth and her her forehoof against her chest, then unfurled her left wing and wrapped it around her forehoof and chest, holding it there against her body. 'N-no, stop it... they'll come for me! They will rescue me... they won't leave me here!' she told herself. 'And... when they do, Chrysalis will be there, waiting for them. She wouldn't even have to capture them, all she would have to do is lead them here, then attack them, right before my eyes. Or, maybe she would just let them get this far, then ambush them. They wouldn't stand a chance...' Seconds faded to minutes, which eventually faded further with the monotonous passing of time she couldn't track. Eventually, her eyes no longer stung, but they felt warm and puffy. She breathed calmly once more, but her body was cold and still shivered. Her shivering did nothing to help banish the deep, bone-chilling cold which sapped the energy from her body. Her eyelids drooped. She slowly slid her forehooves forward over the rough, uneven and sharp cave floor, until she was laying down. She laid her muzzle down so that her chin was on the rocky floor. She wanted to just close her eyes and sleep. She wanted for this all to just be a nightmare, like she had when Chrysalis attacked her and Rainbow. She slowly closed her eyes as a near pain tore through her chest and exploded outward from her heart. She just wanted to close her eyes and not wake up. 'I really am pathetic,' a part of her mocked. 'Just giving up like this. Rainbow deserves better than me,' it spat. Her body heaved once with a silent sob. 'If Rainbow saw me like this, she would hate me. They're not coming for me... but... I'm their friend, they wouldn't leave me...' She clenched her jaw tightly, then relaxed it and opened her eyes. She looked down with an absent, empty look, then she glanced up at the cell door. 'They wouldn't just abandon me. Rainbow wouldn't abandon me. She promised she wouldn't, and... she wouldn't break that promise. I... I can't... lose hope... She... she wouldn't... want that...' She slowly slid her tongue out of her mouth and ran it over her lips, then drew it back into her mouth. And the thought that Rainbow wouldn't break that promise scared her. If Rainbow came after her, she would be in danger because of her. Twilight swallowed, even though she had nothing to swallow in her dry mouth. She spaced out, staring at the cell door. Time seemed to stretch on forever. Eventually, her stomach churned again. A wry grimace spread over her lips as her stomach churned, feeling a bit sour. After her stomach settled down, she took a deep breath, then slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, then she slowly stood up. She glanced back at her right side, then her left side, flaring her wings out in the process. 'This is exactly what Chrysalis wants... she wants the enjoyment of seeing me broken, she wants to break me... but... if I... stop... trying... she wouldn't get the enjoyment... No! I can't think like that...' She took a deep breath and slowly swept her head to the right, then to the left across the bulk of the cell. A little of the fogginess at the back of her mind faded, but she still felt heavy, weak, and sluggish. She swiveled her ears about, looking for the source of the dripping water. Eventually, she turned to her left, following the faint, soft echoes of dripping water falling into a shallow pool. She slowly stepped forward, one hoof after the other, gradually walking toward the sound, always lingering after each step. Eventually, she stopped and recoiled slightly, feeling a cold drop of water splash across her muzzle. She looked up. The dark stone looked wet, but it was hard to tell. She made a note of its location, then stepped back out from under the dripping water. She sat down on her haunches and looked over the floor, searching for the pool of water. Eventually, she found it. It was small and shallow, an irregularly shaped depression about the size of her head, but barely any depth to it. There wasn't enough light to see her reflection. She cautiously leaned down and sniffed at the water, trying to discern any warning signs that it was poisonous or something that shouldn't be drunk. She tentatively dipped her muzzle above her lip and below her nose into it. The fluid felt like ice and felt thin like water. She hesitantly opened her mouth, then stuck the tip of her tongue into the fluid. There was no discernable taste to it, but it was a bit gritty. She grimaced and turned her head toward the cell door, studying the exterior to make sure nothing was watching her. She turned back to the pool, then started lapping it up with her tongue. Her lips twisted into a disgusted scowl as she stared at the wall ahead of her. She managed to lap up most of the fluid with her tongue, but she also managed to get a lot of gritty sand and gravel from the floor by lapping it up. The sandy grit lingered in her mouth even after she finished it, and feeling it inside and in between her teeth made her want to wash her mouth out, although she had no means to do so. She looked over at her right foreleg, then lifted it up and started running her tongue over her coat, wiping her tongue off. Using her tongue and foreleg, she eventually managed to get most of the grit out, but the memory lingered. She hesitantly stood up, then slowly walked back to her corner and sat down, staring at the cell door. She frowned. She could make out two voices talking in low tones just outside of the door. Both of the voices belonged to changelings, such was obvious by the annoying pitch and tone of the voices. She scowled a little but listened in. "...the hive's forces!" one of them hissed. "It's all part of her plan, she wouldn't have sacrificed them without a reason!" the more annoying one on the right countered. Both changeling's wings buzzed in agitation. The one on the left growled quietly. "Did you hear what she did to Chintintin? Shen nearly killed him before making him impersonate the Princess! How can that be to help us!?" Twilight felt a shiver run down her spine after the moment it took her to process what the changeling said. 'Chrysalis nearly killed one of her own drones..?' She felt her heartbeat speed up and adrenaline start to kick in, pushing away the exhaustion. 'If she nearly killed one of her own drones to impersonate me...' the thought trailed off. Her lips pulled into a grimace and she clenched ehr jaw tightly. The more annoying one was silent for a moment. "It'll keep the ponies off of our trail for a little longer, giving us more time to prepare!" the annoying one countered. Twilight quietly rose to her hooves, then slowly, quietly made her way up to the cell door. She had never consciously chosen to move that close to the door before, and she felt an overwhelming sense of dread welling up inside her chest as she neared it. She placed a forehoof on the bars and glanced at the changelings in turn. The changeling on the right's head shot around to face her, and he hissed, baring his teeth at her. Twilight quickly withdrew her hoof from the bars and jumped back. She stumbled as she landed, nearly falling over. Her weak legs barely held her up and she breathed a little quicker. She steeled her resolve and took a deep breath. "Chrysalis is just using you," she stated calmly. Both changelings turned around. The one on the right glared at her venomously, while the one on the left folded back its ears. "Silence!" the annoying one growled. Twilight maintained her composure. "She's using you. She almost killed one of you to impersonate me? She's using you to get revenge, not to help you all. She's lied to you and she's used you. She doesn't care about you in the slightest." "Our Queen would never betray us!" the right one retorted, his wings twitching in anger. "What if she's right? Chrysalis hasn't been the same since..." the drone trailed off as the other one glared at him and hissed. "Your lives are all in danger, then," Twilight said calmly. "And they don't have to be." The one on the right turned his icy gaze back to Twilight. "Let me guess, you want us to help you escape? That's never going to happen!" "King Thorax-" Twilight started. "Another word from either of you and I will inform Chrysalis of this treachery..." he groweled in an icy, calm tone. The changeling on the left shrunk back and looked at Twilight almost pleadingly. Twilight matched the changeling's gaze, then glanced at the other one. She reluctantly stepped back and looked down at the floor. "Wise choice, Princess," the one on the right mocked. Twilight closed her eyes and tucked her tail in between her hind legs, then headed back to the corner and sat down, staring down at her hooves. Rainbow groaned softly as she opened an eye, feeling well rested. She still hadn't slept as well as she had before Twilight was captured, but Luna's spell helped. She nestled into the pillow she held against her chest and planted her nose in it, then deeply inhaled. The lingering smell of Twilight's scent made her breath catch in her throat. She swallowed down a knot and released the pillow. She looked down at the pillow and watched it for several seconds. Eventually, she steeled her resolve and pushed the pillow away, then put it back in its rightful palce at the head of the bed. She rolled over and shoved the covers away from herself, then planted her forehooves on the bed and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She flared her wings out, then leaned forward and stretched out on the bed. She closed her eyes and moaned contently as her muscles started to wake up. Eventually, she slumped down a little, letting her body relax and go limp. She withdrew her wings and folded them to her sides, then she hopped out of the bed and walked over to the window. She looked outside and studied the sunrise. Gentle pinks and oranges filled the sky. She glanced back at her nightstand and squinted at the clock, then groaned. She hadn't expected to wake up so early. She sighed, shook her head, and shrugged it off, then headed into her bathroom. She shut the door behind her and turned the shower on warm. After it heated up, she hopped in and took a very quick shower since she took one last night, then she brushed her teeth, mane and tail before heading back out into the bedroom. She stopped and looked over her bedroom. It felt and looked so empty. The trophies were an empty reminder of her skill, but even they were silent. She sighed a little and her ears folded back. After a second, she shook her head and perked up, then headed downstairs. She made her way out the door and flew toward Twilight's castle. The flight felt repetitive and dull. She occupied herself by looking around for the pegasi flying on patrol and noting the clouds in the sky. After what felt like far too long, she finally landed at her friend's castle and ducked inside. She glanced around the lobby, then took off at a brisk trot, heading toward the dining room. She had no idea if anypony would be awake and there yet or not, but it'd be a good place to check. As she approached the dining room, she could start to make out a few voices conversing, but she wasn't sure about what. She immediately recognized three of the voices as Starlight, Celestia, and Luna, but the fourth voice wasn't as familiar. It was masculine, rather than feminine. As she walked into the dining room and took in the four ponies and baby dragon seated around the table, she realized who it was that had joined them. She smiled a little, seeing Twilight's brother. They weren't that close, but Shining Armor was a cool pony in her book. The brother of Twilight, former Captain of the Guard, married to Princess Cadance, and really good with magic, although nowhere near as good as Twilight was. "Rainbow Dash," Princess Celestia acknowledged, nodding her head and smiling warmly. "Princesses, Prince," she acknowledged. Shining Armor rolled his eyes. "Rainbow Dash, how have you been?" Rainbow shrugged a little as she walked into the dining room and sat down beside Starlight, who sat across from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Shining Armor sat a few seats away from the princesses on the other side. "Fine, I guess... it's not been easy with Twilight missing, though..." she answered, then sighed. Shining Armor's face hardened, and he nodded. "Yeah... I..." he trailed off, nodding more eagerly. "Yeah," he stated. A few seconds passed in silence. "I uh, never got a chance to thank you for helping my little sister. Thanks... I wish I could have been there for her but... being a father and a prince isn't easy," he said with a good-natured chuckle. Rianbow smiled a little. "Yeah, I imagine that having a baby alicorn flying around isn't easy..." she trailed off, squinting. After a moment, she shifted her weight uncomfortably. He shook his head. "You have no idea..." he said, exhaustion slipping into his voice. He still smiled. "But, I wouldn't trade it for the world!" "Prince Shining Armor arrived not long ago," Princess Luna cut in. "He is here to assist us with finding Twilight if you did not already know or figure that out," she added. Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I guessed that," she replied. "So uh, when do we get started? And uh... any progress?" "I'm afraid it has been slow going, but that is to be expected..." Celestia answered calmly. "Once again, I was unable to locate Twilight last night," Luna said tentatively. She shifted her weight and pursed her lips. "I will keep trying, but I do not believe I will be met with much success..." Rainbow groaned. Starlight lifted a forehoof and gently set it on Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow glanced over at her, and Starlight gave her a gentle smile. After a moment, Rainbow looked away from her and took a deep breath, then sat up straighter. "We can discuss strategy and go over what we know over breakfast," Luna stated idly. Spike nodded. "I can go and fix something up. Pancakes sound good?" His offer was met with a murmur of agreements and nods. Spike hopped out of his chair and headed to the kitchen. Princess Celestia scooted back and stepped out of her chair, following after Spike. "I'd be happy to help you, Spike," she offered. Spike looked back at her and smiled. "Well, I'd be confidant to do it myself, but if you want to help, I won't say no!" Celestia giggled and smiled warmly, nodding. "I've been told I make very good pancakes," she commented as the two of them walked toward the kitchen. "You do," Luna agreed, nodding. "Which is why you should have them more often instead of oatmeal," she said evenly. Celestia paused and glanced back at Luna but said nothing. After a moment, she continued on into the kitchen, closing the doors behind her and Spike. Shining Armor smiled a little and shook his head. After a few seconds, he turned to face Rainbow and looked her over carefully. "So, I heard that you and Twilight went to Canterlot. How was your trip?" Rainbow shrugged nonchalantly. "It was alright, I guess. I think she enjoyed being back in Canterlot, but by the end of the trip, she missed Ponyville and her friends." Shining Armor nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like her alright... Years ago I never would have believed that," he said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "Was... she doing alright?" he asked. "I know that she said she was fine the last time I talked to her, but... that's been a while, and she's kind of fallen out of the habbit of sending letters to keep in touch as of late." Rainbow grimaced. "She..." she started uncertainly, not exactly sure how to describe it. "She... has her issues. She was doing better, but... it was hard on her. She just... kind of seemed... I don't know, lifeless? Weak? Vulnerable?" she asked, wincing internally. "I... really don't like using those words to describe her, because she's my best friend and she's a strong mare, but... just..." she trailed off, shaking her head. "I think I know what you mean," Shining Armor said quietly. "She was not always like that," Luna commented. "I have seen her quite happy as of recently... truly, she simply worries far too much." Rainbow nodded. "Yeah... I've tried to get her to stop worrying, but..." she trailed off, groaning quietly. Shining Armor grimaced and gave a half-hearted laugh. "Yeah, getting Twilight to stop worrying? Good luck with that, I don't think anypony could actually succeed at that short of Princess Celestia, and I'm not sure if even she could!" Rainbow smiled a little. "You'd think that with as close as they were that Twilight wouldn't worry so much." "Well, my sister is an introvert by nature... Having friends has really helped her come out of her shell, that's for sure," Shining commented. Rainbow chuckled a little. "Yeah, she's really changed a lot since we met her. I remember back when she consulted a book for everything!" she said, shaking her head and smiling at the memories. "That sounds like her, alright," Shining said with a nod. "You've really been good for her. She has changed a lot, and for the better. I think she's a lot happier than she was when she was younger. Or at least she seemed happier until... you know..." Rainbow grimaced. 'And part of that was my fault...' she knew. She sighed a little and slumped down in her chair. Before anything else could be said, the door to the kitchen opened and out trod Princess Celestia, levitating a large platter heaped with plates of pancakes. She smiled warmly, and as the fragrant aroma of warm food wafted through the air, a little of the heavy atmosphere faded. Spike walked out over to the table and returned to his prior seat. Shining Armor scooted out and walked around to the other side of the table to sit down beside Spike. "There's plenty more if you want extra," Celestia said as she started distributing plates, silverware, and napkins to the ponies. Next, she distributed glasses filled with milk. Rainbow sat up and brought her plate closer to her and looked it over. There were three pancakes stacked neatly, and none of the pancakes had the faintest scorching from heat. Butter calmly melted over the stack, and she could see blueberries inside the pancakes. In between the layers of the pancakes, there was syrup dripping down and slowly pooling onto the plate. To top it off, the pancakes had a smiling face on top. Sliced strawberries for the eyes, and whipped cream in a circle around the whole pancake, and an upturned line for a smile. Rainbow looked up to see Celestia sitting down beside her sister, smiling brightly. Even Luna wasn't immune to the gesture, as a slight smile spread across her lips.