Amethyst couldn't see. She couldn't breathe. The pouring rain and blinding wind blew her mane with a ferocity she had never experienced before.
All around her, Royal Guards and changelings were locked in a ferocious battle, on the train or in the sky. Occasionally, one of the dark creatures would be hit with a bolt of magic and fall, plummeting towards Equestria.
She struggled to roll on her side and stand up, only to realize that her leg was missing. “Onyx!” Amethyst cried as she felt blindly for her missing leg. “Onyx, help me!”
But Onyx didn't come. He was too far away, locked in a struggle with several changelings, desperately trying to reach her.
Instead, a hoof came down in front of her, stopping the guard in her tracks. She looked up at the shadowy figure standing over her, her tattered wings and shining fangs glistening in the lightning crackling across the storming sky overhead.
“Gem… please…” Amethyst whimpered sadly, sobbing almost. “I know you're in there, and I know this isn't who you are…”
The changeling snarled viciously, raising her hoof to strike. “Shut up! My name is not Gem! I’m not a stupid pony!”
Tears streamed down her cheeks from her pale eyes. “You know nothing about me!”
Amongst her tears, Amethyst cracked a bloody smile, startling Cicada. “I know…” She coughed violently, spitting blood all over her chin. “I know you're my friend…”
The changeling raised her hoof even higher. With the raging storm beating down on her, and the sound of the roaring wind fading to silence, Amethyst prepared herself for the end.
***Earlier***
When Amethyst woke up the next morning, she felt a warm pair of hooves wrap around her. A smile crossed her lips, but her eyes didn't open until she felt somepony’s mouth brush against her neck. Soft, gentle, and slightly wet, the kisses on her neck grew more passionate with every passing moment.
He spoke at last.b“Good morning, captain…”
Amethyst turned to look at the stallion and saw that he had a huge grin on his face. She narrowed her eyes and gave him an ‘unimpressed’ look, catching Onyx off guard. “Why’d you stop?”
Then, they both fell into a fit of laughter, and the kissing resumed. This time, their lips made contact. Again and again, they kissed hotly, swapping tongues and saliva back and forth between their respective mouths. The sudden surge of love and passion woke a very hungry changeling filly from her crib in the corner. Not noticing this, the ponies continued their foreplay, becoming more and more ‘aggressive’ as passion turned into a burning desire for physical pleasure.
“Mama?”
Amethyst let out a scream and thrusted her hooves outward, pushing Onyx off of the bed and onto the floor. She bolted upright, and her eyes scanned the room. In her crib, Pyrite stood on her rear legs with her front hooves hanging over the railing. In her changeling form, she watched her mother and Onyx as they struggled to recover from their initial fright.
“Amy…” The stallion groaned as he climbed off of the floor and back onto the bed. He held a hoof across his chest where Amethyst’s kick left its mark. “That wasn't necessary…”
As her own breathing slowed and grew more steady, she fell back onto her pillow and let out a long sigh. “Pyrite doesn't need to see us doing… those kinds of things…”
Onyx rolled his eyes at her paranoia. “I've told you before that she needs her own room. She's a big filly, now.” He regretted saying what he said almost immediately, because Amethyst turned on him with a fire in her eyes.
“Pyrite is my baby.” Her voice was rigid and cold. “She could need me at any moment.”
Onyx knew it was a lost cause to argue with her. In situations like this, which happened quite often, he'd change his tone and agree with her. He loved her with all of his heart. There was no arguing that, but he couldn't stand the mare when she got overly protective of Pyrite. There was being a parent and being a guard, and Amethyst often forgot she was a parent and became Pyrite’s personal guard.
“If you're really so concerned about her, why not train her?”
That got Amethyst’s attention.
Her glare softened, and she cocked her head. Onyx could tell that she was suddenly interested in what he had to say. “Well... I mean… We train our own Royal Guards every day. We could train Pyrite to be a guard herself. That way, she could guard… herself…” Only after speaking did he realize the redundant structure of his idea.
Still, Amethyst didn't seem to hate the idea, by the look he was getting from her. She had a very subtle smile, almost crooked, like you only notice it from a specific angle. “You really think Pyrite could be a Royal Guard one day?”
Both ponies looked towards the crib, at the changeling looking back at them.
Only let out a long sigh. “If she learns from the best, she could be a captain, just like her mother.”
Amethyst’s chest felt lighter, and her cheeks turned red. “Oh, Onyx… That's so nice of you to say…”
He fired her a confused look. “What? I was talking about Amber.”
Onyx didn't have time to laugh or explain his side of the joke before he ended up on the floor once again, this time with a stinging hoof mark on his rear.
***
It was early.
Really, really early.
The sun hadn't even risen, and the royal family of the Crystal Empire, along with their escorts, was boarding the train that would take them to Canterlot. Flood lights illuminated the platform where over a dozen guards stood in front of their respective cars, ready and waiting with their bags to board the train.
Amethyst stood with her officers and Gem, huddling for warmth as they prepared to embark.
“Why?” Gem looked to her left and right, at the rest of the guards who were about to board. “Why must we all be out here before the crack of dawn while Mantis and Pyrite sleep in? This is most unfair…”
Amber didn't always agree with their former enemy, but in this instance, she most certainly did.
“The train looks like it won't be leaving any time soon.”
She sounded cold and bitter, and Amethyst could perfectly understand why. It wasn't ideal for them to be up so early.
“It'll be a long ride.” Onyx pointed towards the edge of the city where the railway stretched far into the dark horizon. “We’ll be traveling all day, if we're going to reach the gala on time.”
Gem looked like she was going to collapse right there and go back to sleep. “But… I thought the Grand Galloping Gala was tomorrow…”
Shining and Princess Cadence had finally arrived. Their daughter, Flurry Heart, was with them. Luckily, the little princess was still sound asleep, or the tired guards might be far more aggravated. Shining and Cadence stopped several cars away from Amethyst’s.
He turned and waved, managing a weary grin, and Amethyst waved back. “It was Prince Armor and Princess Cadence’s idea to arrive a day early. I imagine they want to spend some time with their friends in Equestria before the gala.”
At long last, a loud whistle sounded across the platform, signaling to everypony that it was time to board the train. The guards quickly and eagerly gathered their bags and climbed into the car, one after the other. Amethyst, Onyx, and Amber filed into their own car with Gem following close behind.
Once inside, they were immediately greeted by a blast of warm air. A soft, yellow glow illuminated the entire car from the lights overhead. The train car was split into two parts. On the end they entered was a comfortable-looking arrangement of sofas and tables, in addition to a small fridge.
Gem looked impressed by the setup. Having spent most of her days living in a dark cave or inside the barracks, she wasn't used to traveling so luxuriously, but what was on the other end of the car captivated her attention. There were three small rooms, each housing a bed and a dresser. An even smaller room housed what she believed to be a bathroom.
Amber set her suitcase down on one of the sofas and too noticed the sleeping quarters. “Wait… There's three beds and four of us.”
Gem realized this as well and looked towards the door, perhaps wondering if they had entered the wrong car. Amethyst didn't seem fazed by this as she approached the first room. “That's alright, Amber.” Then, she turned to look at her fiancé. “Onyx and I can share. Isn't that right, babe?”
The stallion’s cheeks turned bright red as he nodded his head, following her into the room with his suitcase in tow.
That left only two rooms, the one next to Amethyst’s and the one at the end of the car. Amber took her things into the middle room while Gem settled into the farthest one.
As the changeling sat down, she heard the muffled cry of train’s whistle, signaling the beginning of their great journey from the Crystal Empire to Canterlot. The train lurched forward, causing her to stumble as she neared the bed. As speed increased, the car became stable once again, and the disorientation began to wear off.
“Whoa! You all need to see this!” It was Amber.
Gem poked her head out of her room to see Amethyst and Onyx doing the same. At the other end of the car, Amber was investigating the fridge. “It's fully loaded!”
Gem realized that she hadn't eaten since she woke up, and she could see the same sparkle in Amethyst’s eyes. The captain tried to reach the fridge, but she was stopped before she could leave her room.
“Oh, no you don't.” Onyx held his hoof across the door, blocking her path. “I packed us healthy snacks, Amy. You're not going near that fridge.”
Amethyst let out a muffled snarl as she tried to push her way through. “Let me go, Onyx. Don't make me pull rank on you, ‘cause I’ll do it!”
Gem laughed quietly to herself before stepping out of her own room, closing the door behind her. She walked across the car, passing Amethyst, who had a very sad and defeated look on her face. She stopped, looked towards the captain, and leaned in closely. Onyx had his back turned as he set up the bed and was out of earshot. “I'll get you something…”
Amethyst smiled and mouthed the words ‘thank you’ before returning to Onyx’s side.
Gem walked on to join Amber on one of the sofas. As she sat down, her body sank into the soft cushions, enveloping her almost completely. The feeling was so pleasing that she couldn't help letting out a satisfied moan as the silky texture rubbed her fur coat the right way. “Ahhhh… The luxuries of the pony lifestyle are truly… breathtaking…”
Amber had already devoured one chocolate chip cookie and was working diligently on her second. Curious and hungry, Gem too peeked inside the fridge. Dozens of cookies, muffins, small cakes, fruit bars, seasoned oat bars, and many fizzy drinks stocked the gently whirring appliance. Interested by the oats, Gem took one and eagerly tore away the wrapping. It smelled deliciously enticing.
Unable to help herself, she devoured the snack whole, causing a shower of crumbs to rain down on her chest. Amber snickered softly at Gem, before passing her a bubbling bottle with her magic. “We've come a long way, huh, Gem?”
The changeling frowned as she accepted the drink, removing its cap. “What do you mean? We've only been moving for a minute, maybe two.”
Amber laughed again, shaking her head. “No… I mean, you’ve changed so much since we first met. Any changeling can shift their appearance to mask themselves, but it takes somepony special to change who they really are.”
Gem blushed slightly as she brought the bottle to her lips. She took a long sip before lowering the drink, savoring the feeling of the fizzing substance as it traveled down her throat and into her stomach. “Mantis was like me, but he changed his ways… I figured I could do the same, if his actions were redeemable.”
Amber knew she was referring to her coltfriend, Emerald.
“In the Frozen North, when we last fought, he told me that he was better than me, because he was trying to make things right. Even by the act of trying, he could atone for all of the wrong he did…” Her gaze fell. “… to ponies and changelings alike.”
Amber reached towards her, placing her hoof on Gem’s. “Doing right is only half of the battle, Gem. To be the new you, it's also important that you let your past go.”
Gem shook her head. “Amethyst says the same thing. She says she forgives me for everything I did to her. She says I need to forgive myself, but it's not that simple.” She could feel tears build behind her eyes. “I hurt so many who didn't deserve it, and there are many I will never have the opportunity to apologize to. I've forever silenced so many voices, but now it seems I can't stop hearing them in my mind and my nightmares.”
Amber shook her head as she scooted closer towards the changeling. Gem was startled by the mare’s hoof as it fell across her back.
“I get it, Gem… You're haunted by your past, but thinking about the old you will drag you down like an anchor. You'll never be free unless you cut those chains.”
*Free…*
The word echoed in Gem’s mind.
Freedom. Total and utter freedom. Freedom to go her own way and to make her own choices. Freedom from a tyrannical and ruthless queen. Free from her past. Free from the hive. Free from all she once knew.
*You’ll never be free…*
Gem winced as she heard the voice of Queen Chrysalis in her mind. She shut her eyes in an attempt to shut her out, but it didn't work.
*You forget, Cicada… You're mine. You belong to me.*
“No…”
*My most loyal agent… My most loyal servant… My most loyal slave…*
“No!”
Gem cried out, opening her eyes. Looking around the car, she realized Amethyst was standing over her. Onyx watched from the door of their room. “Are you alright, Gem?”
The changeling quickly shook her head as she realized she had been sweating. “No… I mean, yes. I'm fine, really…”
She took a swig from the bottle in her magical grasp before setting it down. She knew she'd regret it. The sugar would never allow her to sleep, now.
Luckily, Amethyst appeared to have bought her fast response, and a smile came over her. “Alright, tough girl.”
Gem smiled back as the captain sat down beside her, opposite to Amber. In between the two mares, Gem’s rapidly beating heart began to slow down and relax.
She felt warm inside, the feeling of being loved by her friends brought her a great sense of comfort. She'd never admit it to Emerald, but she loved them too, especially Amethyst. The warm feelings grew hotter until they began to hurt.
Gem winced.
The poison was beginning to take effect in her system. Slowly, it would drain her until her body gave up, shutting down forever. She didn't know how much time she had left. Gem had never used it on anypony, let alone herself. She could have a few hours to a few days before she closed her eyes, never to open them again.
Despite the unavoidable, her smile didn't waver. Gem knew she had made the right decision. Amethyst’s life would be spared, the queen’s sinister plot would be foiled, and she would at long last know peace.
Lost in her own thoughts, Gem was brought back to the train car by the laughter of Amber and Amethyst. Realizing the conversation had gone on without her, she opted to jump back in.
“… and your first idea was Emerald? Really, Amethyst? There are much better foal sitters out there.”
Amethyst smirked as her eyes rolled. “He's a trusted friend, Amber. He's your coltfriend.”
Amber didn’t look convinced as she folded her hooves across her chest. “That's exactly what I mean, Amethyst. I spend a lot of time with the guy, and let me tell you, he is not ‘daddy’ material.”
Gem nodded her head slowly. “I can confirm that. When I had a… relationship with Mantis, or tried to insure one, he always seemed to care more about his mission than me.”
Amethyst leaned back and glanced her way, looking her in the eyes. “Gem, can changelings… can they mate?”
It was a simple question, but Gem knew she was really asking. She knew that Amethyst wanted to know if changelings ever got intimate with each other and if they could reproduce as a result.
“Yes, and no…” Gem shook her head. “It's pretty common for changelings to engage in those kinds of activities, the ones you might call ‘mating’. Since the females outnumber the males twenty to one in a single hive, a male like Mantis might have a dozen mates at a time, but only a select few changelings can ever reproduce, and I am not one of them.”
Amethyst’s smile faded. “You mean Pyrite, don't you?”
Gem nodded her head. “She is a queen. Queens are born one in a million, and when she comes of age, it will be her time to take males, as many as it takes to begin her own hive. It's… an internal desire. You can try to prolong it, but stopping it from happening is… unlikely.”
Amethyst put on a brave smile, but Gem could tell it was only to mask her true feelings. “Don't worry about my little baby, Gem. No colt is going to lay a hoof, or anything else, on her while I'm around.”
She sounded confident enough. Besides, Amethyst was a good mother. Maybe she would be able to raise Pyrite against her natural desire to mate and start her own hive.
Their gazes shifted, towards Amber. “What about you? Have you ever considered having foals?”
Amber’s eyes fell, and she lowered herself to her drink. “Like I said before…” She took a long sip. “Enerald’s not exactly ‘daddy’ material…”
That pretty much butchered the conversation, and the mares sat in silence. After a while, Gem’s discomfort began to fade. She stood, quietly excusing herself to her quarters. She entered her room and closed the door behind her. That's when she felt the chill riding up her spine.
Gem didn't know how, but she could feel Queen Chrysalis’ presence. The changeling queen was on the train.
*Amethyst will never reach Canterlot or the Grand Galloping Gala alive.*
***
The train hummed and shook gently as it roared down the tracks towards Canterlot. On board, the royal family of the Crystal Empire and just over a dozen guards, as well as a few more passengers, enjoyed the luxuries the train had to offer. Gem didn't know how long she had been asleep, but when her eyes opened, it was still dark outside. She had failed to brush her teeth before she climbed into her bed, and as a result, a bad taste lingered in her mouth. In need of some water and a quick stretch of her legs, she rose from the bed, quickly brushed her mane and grabbed her toothbrush and paste before opening the door to the rest of the car.
At the far end, Amethyst and Onyx too were awake, sitting on a sofa and talking. Gem could only overhear a little of what they were saying, something about a storm scheduled by the weather ponies later in the morning, but they didn't seem to notice her.
Amber must have still been asleep in her room. Quietly, she glided across the car towards the door and opened it, stepping into another car. This one resembled her own car. Several guards were sitting on a sofa, drinking what she assumed to be coffee.
At her arrival, they looked up at her.
Embarrassed, Gem sheepishly took a step back and lowered her head. “I… was just looking for the mares’ restroom…”
The guards shared a quick glance, and one pointed towards the other end of the car. “The bath car is just through that door, two cars down. It's not far.”
Gem nodded her head appreciatively, showing she understood. “Thank you.”
With nothing left to say, she stepped past them and went on her way. To the rest of the guards, she was just a pony.
Not even Shining knew, though Amethyst considered telling him several times. The captain figured it would be best to let him fully trust Emerald before telling him about the second changeling to join their ranks. Only Amethyst, Onyx, Amber, and Emerald knew who and ‘what’ she really was. Then again, did her closest friends even know her?
She entered the next car and found it full of ponies. It didn't look like the special car she and the other guards had been issued.
It had a more traditional feel to it, with rows upon rows of seats lined by the windows. Gem shut her previous thoughts out of her head. She didn't want to think about the mission or her treasonous betrayal. As she walked down the aisle, she got a good look at some of the regular passengers traveling to Canterlot from the Crystal Empire. Some ponies leaned back in their seats, snoring softly, while others read or talked quietly.
As Gem walked up the aisle, she passed by a mare holding her sleeping foal, a little unicorn. His horn glowed softly as he slept. The mother saw Gem staring and smiled towards her. “He does that sometimes when he's dreaming.”
Gem smiled back. “Your son is a precious one. I can tell he loves you with all of his heart.”
The mother cocked her head, but before she could ask what Gem meant, she had already moved on. Gem left the car behind and entered the bath car. The guard’s directional advice had been sound. It was like a public bathhouse.
Several, compact showers lined the walls in addition to toilet stalls and sinks. The air was hot and steamy from a shower already in progress. The sound of running water and the feel of the steam against her fur tempted her.
Gem figured a shower wouldn't hurt as long as she was here. It would feel good to relax underneath the cascade of hot water and let her troubles melt away, if only temporarily. Her teeth came first, though.
She stopped by the first sink to her right and set her brush down. With her magic, she opened the toothpaste and squirted an ample amount onto the bristles of the brush and went to work, scrubbing the brush against her teeth. The mint was a refreshing change to the foul taste that had accumulated earlier. As she continued to brush her teeth, savoring the minty taste, the sound of running water behind her stopped.
The squeaky handle turned, cutting off the flow of water from the shower head. Looking at the mirror in front of her, Gem could see the shower curtains part behind her. She didn't mean to peak, but her curiosity got the better of her.
A unicorn mare climbed through the curtain with a towel in her grasp. As she came to a stop in front of the sinks, Gem looked towards her and gave her a gentle nod. “Good morning…”
The mare looked back at her and frowned. She said nothing, but she raised her towel towards her mane to dry as she looked back at the mirror. Gem figured the mare wasn't interested in talking to a stranger. Completely understandable, but still rude.
She bit her lip and rinsed her mouth, spitting out what was left after she had finished brushing. Next, she set her eyes on the shower behind her, the one the mare had just stepped out of. She was about to step into the shower when she heard a chilling voice.
“Was she worth it?”
Gem stopped, her hoof outstretched as she reached for the shower. The voice had belonged to the mare behind her. “Drinking that poison yourself so Amethyst could live was pretty brave, but was she really worth it?”
Gem spun around.
The mare faced her, and for the first time, Gem got a clear look at her. Her features seemed like that of any pony, but one detail stood out. A jagged scar, previously hidden by the towel she wore, carved a path across her lower neck. A green flame flickered in the mare’s eyes.
Gem’s eyes narrowed. “You're a changeling…” She bared her teeth. “What do you want?”
The mare smirked as she stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “Our queen is disappointed in you. You betrayed your own kind for the ponies you call your ‘friends’.” She brushed her wet mane out of her eyes as she backed Gem into the shower. “You were the best of her agents, but in your absence, Chrysalis has needed a new, more loyal servant to maintain order inside the hive.”
Gem’s back was against the cold, tile wall. The mare turned the water on, releasing the cascade to drown out their voices so they would not be overheard. “What do you want from me then? Just kill me and get it over with. I'm a dead mare, anyway, but if you think you can lay a hoof on Amethyst, you're in for a surprise…”
Was she bluffing? Maybe, but Gem knew that Amethyst was surrounded by her closest friends and some of the best guards in the empire. Chrysalis wouldn't be able to get close without a fight.
The mare nodded her head as she raised a hoof to Gem’s cheek. “Oh, I will… Believe me, Cicada, I intend to kill you myself, but before you die, I also intend to make you suffer, in return for all the suffering I have endured at your hooves.”
Gem flinched at the sound of her real name. “I… I don't know what you're talking about… I don't even know you. What did I ever do to you?”
The mare snarled and forced Gem against the wall, pressing her hoof against the guard’s head. “If you're truly so blinded by this false love of the ponies that you can't recognize me, allow me to jog your memory…”
A spark ignited beneath the mare’s hooves. Despite the raining water, the flames grew, consuming her, seemingly burning away her fur and leaving behind blackened skin, riddled with holes.
The changeling revealed her true form.
Gem saw her, and a sharp gasp escaped her lips. “It… It can't be… That's not possible…” Her eyes widened. “Phasmid?”
The changeling gave her a malicious grin, showing off her razor sharp fangs and leaving Gem’s head spinning more and more.
“You died…”
Phasmid pressed her hoof against Gem’s head, causing her to groan under the pain and pressure. “You left me to die at the hooves of Mantis, but I survived. The snow saved me, freezing me in time until Chrysalis could revive me.”
Gem struggled to breath under her hoof. “What about the others? What about Aphid? Is he…”
Phasmid glared at her. “Don't you dare speak his name… I was the only survivor of your ruthless attack. You took away my friends… You took Azalea… You took everything from me!”
With the changeling’s hoof crushing her, she couldn't bring herself to speak. Only a garbled mess spilled out of her mouth. “You will know true pain before you die, Cicada, and after I kill you, I'll be coming for Mantis… I'll tear him apart, just like he did to my friends. I’m her majesty’s new favorite, and when I bring her your heads, she’ll reward me richly.”
Phasmid lowered her hoof, setting Gem free. The guard collapsed onto the shower floor, gasping as her lungs filled with air once again. When her eyes opened again, Phasmid was stepping out of the shower.
Gem crawled after her, throwing one hoof out in front of her after the other. “Ph… Phasmid, wait! I'm sorry!” The changeling had disguised herself again, as the same mare she had been before. “You have to listen to me!”
She stopped just before she reached the door that would take her into the next car. “Phasmid, please… I know you'll never forgive me for what I did to your friends. I won't even forgive myself, but…”
She groaned as she climbed to her hooves, standing up behind her. “Azalea is alive.”
The mare’s ears twitched, but she refused to turn around. Her whole body seemed to be shuddering at the sound of Gem’s voice. “Liar…”
Gem shook her head. “It's the truth, Phasmid. Her name is Pyrite, and she's a beautiful and kind filly under the care of a beautiful and kind pony.”
Finally, Phasmid turned to face her. “You speak only lies, Cicada. Queen Chrysalis would have told me if my little Azalea survived.”
Gem frowned and narrowed her eyes. “Would she? The queen is the one who wanted her dead in the first place. Chrysalis is the real liar…”
Phasmid looked at the floor, then back up at her. Then, she wound her hoof back and hit Gem in the face. The guard saw a bright flash of light before she hit the ground, knocked out cold.
She could still hear her and the running water. It all sounded so far away and echoey.
“A dark sun will rise. Amethyst will not escape us this time, and you, Cicada… you will watch her die.”
***
Amethyst and Onyx kissed quietly, so as not to disturb Amber, who was sleeping in her room just a little ways away. Onyx beamed as the kiss broke just long enough for them to catch their breaths. “We should do this more often…”
Amethyst wiped a hoof across her mouth, cleaning away any saliva from her lips. “What? Make out?”
Onyx shrugged. “Well, yeah, that too, but I mean ‘this’.” He gestured to the train car they were sitting in. “We should travel more. I don't know about you, but it feels really exciting going somewhere warm. You know, getting out of the Crystal Empire for a change.”
Amethyst smiled and nodded her head. “I agree. From what I have heard, Canterlot actually has four seasons, and only one of them has snow.”
Outside, the sky was beginning to grow lighter. The once blackened picture had become a dark blue, revealing the countryside rushing by as the sun gradually rose in the distance.
“Aren't you worried at all about Pyrite?” Amethyst’s ears twitched at the sound of her daughter’s name. “I don't want to set off any maternal alarms, but this is the first time you've really left her alone for a lengthy period of time.”
Her gaze shifted towards the window. “Pyrite is in good hooves. I'm sure Emerald has everything under control.” Her eyes shifted towards Onyx. “You did give him the instructions I wrote out, right?”
Onyx knew what she was talking about. Amethyst had left Emerald a very detailed list of things to do and not to do when caring for Pyrite, but now that she mentioned it, he wasn't entirely certain if he gave the instructions to him or not.
“Um…”
***At The Barracks***
“Alright, Pyrite! Who's ready to start the day!”
The little changeling looked up at Emerald, completely disinterested in everything he had to say. She turned her back to him and rolled over on her side. “Mmmmm… bed…”
He let out a soft sigh, realizing now that that might be harder than the originally anticipated. “Come on, Pyrite. Up and at ‘em!”
Her horn ignited, raising the gate on her own crib to lock Emerald out, causing him to let out a startled cry. She looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out.
Emerald’s eyes narrowed, and he reached into the crib. “Oh, no you don't. Amethyst left very clear instructions, and she says you have a strict, time-based diet. Right now, it's time to get up and find you some breakfast.”
Pyrite made no attempt to move.
Emerald was losing patience now. He was about to go in after her when several knocks thundered from the door.
“Hey, Emerald! Are you up, buddy?”
He let out a soft groan. “Uhh… Not now, Shale. I'm pretty tied up, right now.”
The door opened anyway, and a fully armored guard stepped inside. “What's going on? Can I help?”
Emerald gestured towards the crib. “I can't get Pyrite out of bed. She needs to eat, but she isn't cooperating.”
Shale observed the situation thoughtfully. “Have you tried-”
Emerald nodded before he finished speaking. “Yes.”
“Well, what about-”
“It didn't work either.”
Both guards were stumped. It looked like Pyrite might win and get her way, but Shale had one more idea they could fall back on as a last resort. “You know, I saw some cuffs a little while ago…”
Emerald shook his head. “No! We are not binding her to force cooperation.”
They're voices must have been pretty loud, because they were starting to attract more attention.
“Hey, guys! What's going on?”
Shale looked towards the door as another guard stepped through and waved him over. “Hey, Thallium. Come over here for a second.”
Emerald raised his hoof towards his face and groaned aloud. The situation was progressively getting worse with every moment that passed. How many clueless guards did it take to feed a baby changeling queen?
That was a question the world might never get an answer to. “This shouldn't be this hard… Guys, I just need to get her to the commissary for some breakfast.”
Thallium help up his hoof in an ‘I got this.’ motion and proceeded to approach the crib. “Ye of little faith, just you watch. When my baby sister didn't want to get out of bed, my mama always rocked the crib so she'd want to get out on her own.”
He placed his hooves on the edge of the gate and began pulling and pushing the crib, tipping it back and forth on its legs. Amazingly, it worked. As Thallium began rocking the crib a little harder, Pyrite shot up to her hooves, but things went south real quick.
The little changeling had a murderous look in her eyes as her horn ignited.
All three guards panicked and scrambled for the door as bolts of magic sailed towards them. “Run, Shale! Run!”
Pyrite had leaped from her crib, and now she was in full pursuit, chasing the three guards out of the room and down the corridor.
***Back On The Train***
Onyx dismissed the idea and felt more confident that he had left Emerald the right instructions. “You're right, Amethyst. What am I thinking? I'm sure everything's fine.”
Amethyst smiled as she fell into his embrace. As his hooves closed in around her, a soft sigh escaped her lips. They sat in silence for several moments, both looking out the window at the rising sun and the landscape far below. As it became lighter outside, it became clear that a low overcast had set in.
A blanket of dark gray clouds settled over the land, and thunder gently rumbled in the distance.
Amethyst didn't realize the weather ponies in Equestria had scheduled a bad storm that morning. just some scattered showers were reported. She hoped it wouldn't last too long. “Onyx?”
The stallion looked down at her, meeting her gaze as she looked back. “Yeah?”
She craned her neck back and kissed him on the cheek. “I'm ready to get married…”
Onyx smiled and returned the kiss, pressing his lips against her forehead, just next to her horn. “We don't have too much longer, Amy. When we get back to the empire from the Grand Galloping Gala, we'll be together with all of our friends, and…” His voice trailed off as he realized how intensely she was listening to his every word.
“Why'd you stop?”
Her voice was almost at a whisper. Each breath that escaped her lips gently brushed against his chin. “Keep going… Tell me what it'll be like…”
Amethyst readjusted herself, nestling her body tightly against his. With his train of thought broken, Onyx struggled to piece his words back together.
“We… We’ll be with our friends, and we'll meet at the palace. You'll be in your gown, and I'll probably wear something nice. The entirety of the Royal Guards is going to be there, for sure. Princess Cadence will administer the ceremony, and not too long after, we’ll be… married…”
Amethyst closed her eyes and dreamed of a bright future with Onyx and Pyrite. “You know, Onyx… I sometimes try to think about what it was that got me here, what I did to arrive at this moment in time…” She looked back up at him and raised a hoof to caress his cheek. “… but as long as I can remember, ever since I became a guard, you've always been there, by my side.”
She lowered her hoof and shifted herself so her head rested on his chest. “I guess what I'm trying to say is… I never could have imagined, back then, that I'd be here with you. I love you, Onyx…”
Onyx smiled and nuzzled his snout against hers. He opened his mouth like he was about to speak, but the door at the far end of the car opened, and a weary-looking Gem stepped through. Amethyst turned her head to look at the approaching mare and grinned. “Well, good morning, Gem. We didn't see you leave.”
Then, she noticed the water dripping from her mane and tail. “Why… are you soaking wet?”
Gem looked down and observed herself. “Huh? Oh, yeah… I, uh… was taking a shower, three cars that way.” She pointed back the direction she came.
Amethyst looked at the growing puddle of water accumulating under her. “And you didn't think to dry yourself off?”
Gem shook her head. “They were out of towels.”
Amethyst frowned, but she let the conversation drop. Amber must have heard the commotion, because she too emerged from her room, looking quite tired and unkempt. “Hey, gals… Onyx…”
They said their hellos, and Amethyst got up to brew them some coffee. Amber joined Onyx on the couch, blatantly ignoring his attempts to suggest that she should brush her mane and make herself look ‘presentable’. Gem opted to follow after Amethyst. As she joined the captain by the coffee machine, she caught a glimpse of the outside work through a window.
The clouds had grown darker, it seemed. They looked violent and volatile, like they might unravel and unleash a monsoon on the land.
*A dark sun will rise.*
Gem’s heart fell in her chest. Whatever had been approaching for so long had arrived, and there was nothing she could do now to stop it.
*Amethyst will not escape us this time, and you, Cicada… you will watch her die.*
She closed her eyes, holding back the tears that had been building up. She couldn't cry, not now. Her friends would need her.
“Amethyst, there's something I have to tell you…”
The purple mare turned and smiled. “You can tell me anything, Gem. What is it?”
Gem said nothing, but she threw her hooves around Amethyst, pulling her into a tight embrace. The captain was taken by surprise, but after a second, she began to relax, and she put her hoof around Gem in return. “I'm so happy that you're my friend, Amethyst, and no matter what happens, I'll be there for you.”
They stood like that for several moments, enjoying the feeling of each other’s company, but the happy moment did not last.
That's when heard it, a screeching cry outside the car.
The changelings had begun their attack on the train.
***Up Next: Selfless Love***