The first explosion to hit the side of the train sent a shockwave throughout the cars that caused everypony inside to stumble. Amethyst fell to the floor as a second explosion rocked the entire train, threatening to tip the car over the edge of the tracks. Considering how high up they were, twisting through the mountainous regions of northern Equestria, falling off would certainly mean the end for everypony on board.
Amber was halfway inside her room, reaching for the suitcase that housed her armor. “What's going on out there?!”
Panic could be heard in the neighboring cars as guards and passengers alike scrambled from their once comfortable positions. A third explosion thundered throughout the car, shattering their eardrums. It became plainly obvious that this was an attack, and that it wasn't about to stop.
Onyx and Gem rushed to the windows. The clouds had split open, and a downpour rained from the sky. Sparks of lightning streaked across the black clouds, followed by claps of thunder. Outside, dozens of changelings flew beside the train, each taking shots at the cars using magic from their horns.
“This is no pegasus weather…” Gem pointed towards the clouds. “The changelings made this to mask their approach…”
Every time a bolt of magic hit, the train would shudder and groan. Sensing the imminent danger, Onyx quickly turned around and leaped into his and Amethyst’s room to find his armor.
The captain was already dressed in her own suit. She quickly finished by placing her helmet over her head, allowing her plumage to rise to its full height.
“Amber!” She pointed a hoof towards the young guard. “I need you to get to Shining, Cadence, and Flurry Heart. Protecting them has to be your top priority.”
Amber nodded her head before donning her helmet. In an instant, she was running out the door, into the next car.
Now, only she remained with Onyx and Gem. Both guards had dressed and readied themselves to fight. Gem put her helmet over her head and stepped forward. “What about us, captain?”
Amethyst glanced towards the window, at the swarm of changelings outside. They were getting closer and more bold, some going so far as to get close enough to hit the train and bash the windows with their hooves. They were breaking into the train. “We hold this train, no matter what. There are a lot of innocent ponies on board, and we can't afford to let them down.”
Gem thought back to the mother with her little colt. She wondered how scared they must feel. She was a guard, now. She was here to protect and serve them.
Onyx took off towards the door Amber had left through. “I'm going rally as many guards as I can and see if we can establish some defenses up top.”
Amethyst saw understood what he meant, on top of the train. Holding the line up there would definitely give them a fighting chance in holding off the changelings. They needed to keep the enemy’s attention on them and away from the passengers.
She nodded her head. “Do it, Onyx. Go!”
Now, only her and Gem remained. Gem stood by her side, awaiting orders. She didn't want to leave Amethyst, but whatever the captain wanted, she would make sure to deliver. “What's the plan, Amethyst? What do we do?”
Amethyst said nothing.
Instead, she turned on Gem and lowered her horn. Before she could react, the captain’s horn ignited and fired a beam of magic that threw her back across the car. The magic wasn't lethal, but it packed a punch that knocked the wind out of Gem.
She hit the far wall with a loud ‘thud’ before sliding to the floor. Her breathing was rapid and shallow as she blurry vision came back into focus. She had no time to register what was happening as a metal hoof found its way onto her chest.
“You had something to do with this…” Amethyst snarled as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I know you did… Tell me the truth, now!”
Gem swallowed, hard. She could see the pain in Amethyst’s eyes, the confusion, rage, and sorrow.
“You knew this was coming… All along, you knew, and I let you play me like a fool…”
Amethyst was crushing her, pressing forcefully on her chest and limiting her air.
“Amethyst, please… I…”
The captain pushed down on her chest, silencing her. “I believed you! I actually believed that you had changed, that you had become a new mare, but you lied to me!”
Gem could only make desperate gurgling sounds as saliva fell from the corner of her mouth. “P-P-Please…”
Her eyes were rolling backwards. Her very life was fading. Losing the will to hold her form, a green fire consumed her, revealing the pony to be who she really was. A changeling in armor laid under the guard’s hoof, quietly gasping for air. Just as her vision was about to fade completely, Amethyst’s hoof raised off of her chest. Cicada coughed and wheezed furiously as her lungs filled with air once again.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you, Gem… Give me one reason, right now!”
The changeling’s breaths were deep and dramatic, and she held a hoof across her broken chest. When she could bring herself to speak again, she looked up, her eyes meeting the guard’s. “I can't…”
Amethyst’s hoof was already raised, poised to strike again, but she hesitated. “Wh-What?”
Cicada shook her head as she struggled to stand, only for her legs to buckle. She collapsed again. “I can't… give you a reason… After all I've done, this is what I deserve.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she began to sob. “I'm so sorry, Amethyst. I'm so sorry I lied to you. At first… it was just orders. I was just doing my queen’s bidding, but then, I fell in love…”
Cicada cried out as she dragged herself to her hooves, forcing herself to stand and meet Amethyst’s gaze at eye level. “I fell in love with the pony world, with you, Amethyst. I love you with all of my black heart. I would move the sun and moon for you, for your friends, for Pyrite, and for all of the ponies in the Crystal Empire…”
She removed her helmet, tossing it aside and letting Amethyst see her face. “You're my best friend, and you've never stopped showing me kindness… and generosity… and selfless love… I don't deserve your mercy, and I don't deserve to live… If I'm going to die today, I want it to be by your hooves, Amethyst.”
Cicada stood before Amethyst, her head bowed. She closed her eyes, waiting for it all to end, but the end never came. She felt the guard’s hooves, but not in the way she had anticipated.
Amethyst threw her hooves around the changeling’s neck, hugging her tightly. “I never knew…” She cried into Cicada’s neck, wetting the changeling’s skin with her tears. “… that you’d grown to love.”
She pulled away, wiping the tears from her reddened eyes. “Why didn't you say anything?”
Cicada sniffled as she nuzzled Amethyst’s neck. “I was scared… I was afraid of my own feelings and how I might fit into this new world… I didn't mean for all of this to happen…”
The train shook violently as another blast erupted outside. Things weren't going well for the guards. Through the walls, they could hear the cries of desperation as they fought to defend the train and its passengers.
Amethyst pulled away, staring Cicada down. “We can stop this, right? We can beat them back, right?”
The changeling sniffed as she shook her head. “I… I want that more than anything, right now, but Queen Chrysalis is here. I can feel her presence on board. I don't know if we're powerful enough to stop her…”
Amethyst gently smacked Cicada’s face, taking her by surprise. “Hey! That's not how a Royal Guard thinks! We've stopped her before, at the wedding. We can do it again!”
Cicada’s jaw dropped.
The look of pure determination in Amethyst’s eyes scared her. Then, she remembered that this was the mare who stood in between a baby changeling and certain death. This was the mare who sacrificed so much for those she cared about most. This was the mare who traveled into the frozen north to save the love of her life when all hope seemed lost and gave up her own leg in the process. This was a mare who would not stop until her friends and family were safe from harm.
“Now, are you going to help me save this train, or not?”
Cicada closed her eyes and concentrated. A spark ignited under her hooves and rose to consume her entire body. In a fraction of a second, Gem stood tall, and a weary smile formed along her lips. “I told you before… No matter what happens, I'll be there for you.”
They heard a loud ‘thump’ over head, followed by the sound of hooves running up and down the top of the car. Both guards looked up, and Amethyst spotted the access hatch in the corner over the sofas. “We need to get up there.”
Gem agreed, but she knew Phasmid would be waiting for her. Amethyst was already underneath the hatch. Even on her hind legs on top of the sofa, she wasn't tall enough to reach it. “Come on, Gem… Give me a boost.”
The mare ran to the sofa and climbed under Amethyst, allowing her a jumping-off point from her back. The captain hit the lever on the hatch, sending it flying open. The hole in the ceiling allowed the storm to enter the car. Rain and wind flooded inside, causing the lights to flicker and clothes from open suitcases to fly around. Using all of her might, she hoisted herself through the hatch and onto the roof of the train car.
Once she was outside, she quickly turned around, lowering her hoof down into the car. “Jump, Gem!” She had to scream over the howling wind and rumbling thunder. “Jump, and I'll pull you up!”
Gem lifted herself up onto her rear legs and leaped into the air, catching a hold of Amethyst’s metal leg. The captain groaned as she pulled the mare up and through the open hatch. At the top, they fell over, breathing heavily, but there was no time to rest.
The changelings overhead had spotted them, and several dove for the train, firing a volley of magical bolts towards them.
“Amethyst, run!” Gem pushed her forward as they both began sprinting along the top of the train.
The three changelings landed in front of them, stopping the mares in their tracks. They advanced slowly, baring down on them.
One changeling, the one in the middle, laughed, showing his fangs as the got closer. “Look, brothers and sisters! Mistress Cicada has already captured our prize! What luck!”
Amethyst was no pony’s prize. She took a defensive stance, preparing herself to fight, but Gem calmly walked out in front of her. She looked back at the confused guard and fired her a sly grin.
Then, she turned her attention back to the changelings. “Not today, Stag… This mare is mine…”
When they saw that she stood in defense of the guard, they hesitated. Amethyst saw it in their eyes. They actually feared Gem.
The one she assumed was ‘Stag’ quickly overcame Gem’s threat and narrowed his eyes. “So, Phasmid really was telling the truth… You’ve betrayed the hive…”
Gem lowered her horn, causing the changelings flanking Stag to take nervous steps backwards. “This is your last chance, Stag… Back off!”
A dark shadow flew over them, causing them all to look up. The shadow disappeared into the swirling clouds, but Gem didn't need to see who it was to know.
Stag must have been thinking the same thing, because he lowered his horn. “That's not possible, Cicada. I'm more afraid of Queen Chrysalis than I am of you.”
Then, the changelings charged.
Amethyst prepared herself to fight, but Gem kicked her in the chest, sending her onto her falling onto her rear. “Stay back, Amethyst! I'll handle them…”
The guard sat where she landed, completely stunned as she watched Gem run forwards to meet the changelings.
She caught Stag first, using her weight to slam into him, knocking him off balance before kicking his disoriented body into the other changelings. They landed in a heap, struggling to stand as they fell over each other. One raised her horn at Gem and fired a bolt of magic towards her.
Gem’s horn flared to life, forming a shield that deflected the magic, sending it back towards the changeling. She cried out in terror, choosing to leap over the side of the moving train to avoid the bolt of magic. She opened her tattered wings, but the turbulent winds caused by the raging storm sent her spiraling into the distance.
The other changeling tried to rush Gem and catch her by surprise, but the guard was waiting for him. She quickly spun around, startling the changeling before throwing a hoof into his jaw. He reared back in pain, but it wasn't enough to stop him. He returned in kind, hitting Gem beneath her armor, causing her to wince.
At the same time, Stag had recovered, and he circled the fight, looking for an opening to jump into. Amethyst saw it, but Gem didn't. She was too busy with the other changeling.
“Gem! Gem, look out!”
But Gem couldn't hear her over the wind and rain. She was locked in a struggle with the changeling, and Stag had found his chance. With Stag at her back, Gem couldn't see as his horn began to glow.
Gem let out a vicious snarl and bit into the changeling's neck, causing him to scream before she snapped one of his legs, ending the stalemate. He fell to his hooves, desperately crying out in pain as he struggled to stand on his broken leg with green blood leaking from his neck.
“You bitch!” Gem spun around and gasped, finding Stag’s horn pointed between her eyes. “You may have been on top in the hive, but out here, you've met your… you…”
His glowing horn faded, and he fell over, motionless and lifeless. Gem was shocked, but then, she saw it, a smoking hole in his chest where green blood poured out. She turned around to see Amethyst standing behind her, her own horn glowing bright purple.
Gem let out a soft sigh. “Amethyst… I… I don't know what to say…”
Amethyst managed a weary grin as the glow surrounding her horn faded. “You could start by saying ‘thank you’. It looks like I've got your back now, Gem.”
Gem looked down at Stag’s dead body. “Indeed… You have my thanks, Amethyst. Stag was always a bit of an ass…” Then, she looked up ahead. A band of guards was locked in a struggle with more changelings several cars ahead. “We should hurry and help the others.”
Amethyst saw what she was talking about. Through the pouring rain, she could make out the colored plumage on a guard’s helmet marking the status of an officer.
Onyx was among them.
“Right… Come on!” She took off, sprinting across the top of the train car.
Gem ran after her, following the guard through the wind and rain as they leaped over the gap that bridged the next car, but she was struggling to keep up. With every step, Amethyst got further ahead, leaving her behind. Gem’s muscles were growing tired. Her fight with the changelings had left her without much of her energy, and the poison was beginning to have a serious effect on her.
She knew what would soon happen.
First, her muscles would give up completely. Then, most of her internal organs would shut down. Finally, her heart would stop, and she would die a slow and painfully agonizing death as her body stalled. Gem was running out of time, and Amethyst had no clue.
She kept on running, only thinking about reaching her lover, Onyx. “Come on, Gem! We're almost there!”
Then, the shadow returned.
Out of the corner of her eye, Gem caught a glimpse of an angry-looking changeling. Phasmid was in the air, flying alongside the train, and she was diving straight for them.
“Cicada!”
With her wings spread, she let out a furious cry before plowing into Gem, sending both of them tumbling across the top of the car. Amethyst turned around just in time to see Gem sail over the side, disappearing into the void below. She looked over her shoulder, back at Onyx and the other guards. They were too far away still, too far away to help.
When she turned to face Phasmid, the changeling had vanished. Amethyst was alone, spinning in circles as she looked for any sign of her friend. “Gem!” She screamed as loudly as her lungs would allow, but the storm drowned her out. “Gem, where are you!”
Then, she heard it, the muffled whimper of a struggling mare. Through the rain, she followed the sound towards the edge of the car and looked over. “Gem!” Amethyst immediately dropped to her stomach and reached out, extending her prosthetic hoof towards the guard as she held onto the side of the train.
The mare struggled to reach. “Help me up!”
Amethyst groaned as the weight of the armored mare put a lot of strain on her leg, but she managed to pull her up and onto the train. Exhausted beyond all belief, the captain fell on her back, gasping for air as she recovered.
Gem rolled onto her side and climbed to her hooves.
“We… We make a… great team… right, Gem?”
The mare smiled at her, but something was off. Her lips were curled upward, but there was nothing happy about her expression. Then, Gem drew back her hoof and threw it towards Amethyst’s face.
The captain reacted solely on instinct and her training, rolling out of the way to avoid the hoof as it hit the very spot she once sat. Adrenaline flowed through her, and Amethyst jumped to her hooves. “Gem, what… what are you doing?!”
She dodged every hoof the mare sent her way, but she was growing tired. Her sudden burst of energy had been expended. The wind and rain weren't helping, and the storm had only grown more volatile since it started.
“You destroyed my nest!” The mare grappled onto her neck, holding Amethyst down long enough to hit her in the face with her hoof. “You tried to make me believe I'm something I'm not!”
She brought her hoof down a second time, hard. The force was so intense that it knocked Amethyst's helmet off, sending it flying over the edge of the car. “Gem, please…”
The mare let out a furious cry as she wailed on Amethyst, slicing the edges of her hooves across the guard’s cheeks and pummeling her face. “Shut up! Shut up, Amethyst! I'm not a pony!”
When her hoof came down again, it landed on Amethyst’s prosthetic leg, tearing it away from the guard’s body. She threw the leg behind her, over the edge of the train, never to be seen again.
The captain’s mind went blank as indescribable pain pulsed through her body. Amethyst couldn't see. She couldn't breathe. The rushing wind blew her mane with an unseen ferocity. All around her, the swirling storm raged, and lightning cracked across the sky, followed by deafening booms of thunder.
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 eyes glowing bright green. “Gem… please…”
Amethyst whimpered sadly, sobbing almost. “I know you're 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!” The captain’s eyes filled with tears as her vision blurred. “You know nothing about me!”
Despite 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… my best friend…”
The changeling raised her hoof even higher. With the rain beating down on her, and the sound of the roaring wind fading to silence, Amethyst prepared herself for the end. She heard the charging of a horn and closed her eyes. The horn discharged, expelling concentrated magic, but Amethyst didn't feel a thing.
The mare standing over her let out a pained wail as she flew back several feet before landing on her side. When Amethyst opened her eyes, the Gem standing over her was gone, and another Gem stood in her place, offering her hoof to the captain. “It's me, Amethyst… It's really me…”
Amethyst grinned, showing off her broken and bloody smile. Then, Gem looked down and saw the state of her leg, where a terrifyingly large puddle of blood had pooled, despite the rain washing it in every direction. “Amethyst, you're hurt… I have to get you to a hospital…”
The captain could hardly understand her.
Blood loss was having negative consequences on her abilities to function. “Hold on, Amethyst… You're not going to die today…”
She was about to pick the captain up and carry her inside, but a monstrous bellow sent shivers down her spine.
“YOU WHORSE!”
Gem spun around and took a defensive stance over the wounded Amethyst. The captain didn't know if what she was seeing was real or not, or if it was just the loss of blood, but she could have sworn there were two Gems facing off in front of her.
“I've had enough of you, Cicada… First, I'm going to kill that stupid pony. Then, I'm going to tear your fucking throat out!” She lowered her horn. “Queen Chrysalis will reward me when I deliver to her the head of a guard and a traitor…”
Gem panted heavily. Under the downpour, she struggled to stand upright as the poison ate away at her very life. “Phasmid, please stop this… I’m sorry… I am so, so sorry for what I did to you and Aphid, to all of you. Don't hurt Amethyst for my wrongdoings… If…” She sniffled as she stepped forward to meet the other ‘Gem’. “If you kill her, you'll be taking away Azalea’s mother.”
The other Gem paused, and her glare softened. “Wh… What?”
Gem nodded her head. “That's right, Phasmid… Amethyst found Azalea in that cave, and she rescued her, taking her in to raise as her own daughter…”
The other Gem had a blank expression on her face. Unable to concentrate, her disguise fell, revealing her to be the changeling she really was.
“You can come with us, Phasmid. Come with us and live in the empire. You can be free of Chrystalis. You can see Azalea again.” She looked Phasmid dead in the eyes. “I’ve learned the meaning of forgiveness, but if you kill Amethyst… Azalea will never forgive you…”
Lightning streaked across the sky, lighting up the entire world.
Phasmid looked completely stunned by Gem’s offer, like she might actually be considering it, but a dark shadow fell over them. The temperature of the air around them dropped, and a menacing laugh shook Gem to her very core.
Queen Chrysalis herself descended onto the train car, landing next to Phasmid. “I have to give credit where it is due, Cicada. That was an excellent display, but it was little more than a futile attempt to stop the inevitable. You see…” She raised her hoof, caressing Phasmid’s cheek gently. “Phasmid is my loyal servant.”
The changeling’s gaze lowered, and she looked to her hooves as Chrysalis continued to stroke behind her ears. “Unlike you, a miserable traitor to your queen and your kind, she is obedient, and she does whatever I tell her.”
Phasmid winced with every word.
“You cannot promise her something as useless as freedom…”
The changeling warrior closed her eyes, remembering the night she tried to escape the hive with Aphid and Azalea.
“Phasmid is mine, and she will never be free.”
Her eyes opened, and she stepped forward, shaking away the heavy hoof of Chrysalis. “No…”
The queen’s eyes widened, surprised by the sudden act of defiance. “What… did you just say?”
For a moment, all that could be hear was the sound of rain pouring onto the top of the train and the low rumbling of thunder. Phasmid turned around, facing the changeling queen. “No… I said ‘no’. I am not your slave…”
Chrysalis’ eyes narrowed.
“And you, my queen… You are a tyrant! You're the one who lied to me! You told me my Azalea died by Cicada’s hooves!”
The queen bared her teeth. “Watch your tone, Phasmid… It would be unwise for you to forestall my judgement…”
Phasmid shook her head. “No more… I'm done listening to you. I will be free!”
Then, she charged the queen, only to be swept away by magic from Chrysalis’ horn.
Phasmid cried out horrifically as the wave of green magic pushed her back, sending her flying towards the edge of the car. She held on before falling off, but the queen was on her in seconds.
“Treachery…”
Then, she stomped her hooves, causing Phasmid to fall towards the Equestrian landscape so far below.
Gem’s eyes filled with tears as she watched her disappear. Chrysalis turned on Gem, and her horn began to glow. “Two traitors in one day… This has been most disappointing…”
Already drastically weakened by the poison, Gem crawled towards the critically injured Amethyst.
Her will to move was failing her, and a green flame engulfed her body, burning away the pony Gem.
Cicada reached Amethyst and collapsed next to her. When she got a closer look at the wound, she realized it was worse than she originally thought. She needed to stop the bleeding, or Amethyst would die in minutes. She could use her magic, but that could only work for as long as she could keep her horn active.
No… She needed something that would hold, something like…
Cicada’s eyes landed on her back, on her own wings, and she knew what she had to do. Out of love and desperation, Cicada bit into her own, insect-like wing, and in one swift pull, she tore it off. She howled through her teeth as she took the wing with her magic and began applying it to Amethyst’s stump.
“You will live, Amethyst… I promise...”
She tied off the wing, putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the gaping wound. Cicada didn't have any time to admire her work, because a chilling laugh came from behind her. “Marvelous, Cicada… Now, you and that wretched pony can die together…”
Chrysalis stood over them, spreading her massive wings. “I treated you well, Cicada… You were my favorite subject, my best agent…” Her horn began to glow a sickly green color. “… but I have no sympathy for those who hold a false love for ponies…”
Cicada looked up at her, meeting the queen’s eyes, and a sly grin formed along her lips. “You… You call it false…” She wheezed something terrible as her lungs struggled to work. “… but I can say, with… no doubt in my mind… that I love Amethyst with all of my heart…”
Chrysalis snarled, growling like a beast as she pointed her horn towards Cicada. “My love for her… and her love for me… makes me stronger than the fear of your disapproval ever did.”
Cicada threw her hooves around Amethyst, embracing her tightly as they awaited the end. As Amethyst wrapped her one leg around Cicada, she brought the changeling’s ear towards her lips. “I love you, Gem…”
Cicada closed her eyes as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I love you too, Amethyst…”
Then, as Chrysalis’ horn grew bright to the point of discharging it’s deadly strike, a spark appeared between them, and their horns began to glow. Instead of the normal colors that represented their magic, Amethyst’s horn and Cicada’s both flowed a soft, pink hue.
Chrysalis took a nervous step back. “What… What is this…”
Their horns lit up, glowing brightly as heat and pink magic expanded, growing wider and wider by the second. Chrysalis’ eyes widened. “No… No, this can't be happening! Not again! This love cannot be real!”
It was real, and the cloud of pink magic exploded violently, sending a wave of pure energy that carried Chrysalis and the other changelings far, far away, out of sight. The wave of energy arched across the sky, driving back the storm and breaking through the clouds, letting the rays of Celestia’s sun shine down on the land.
Cicada beamed as she felt the warmth hit her face, and the last thing she saw, before her vision faded to black, was the look of content on an unconscious, but very much alive, Amethyst. “You will live, Amethyst… I promise…”
A long breath escaped her lips before she fell silent, at last.
***
*Gem! Gem, come back! Please, Gem, you have to come back!*
Cicada’s eyes fluttered open, and a lengthy yawn escaped her lips, as though she had just awoken from a satisfying nap. As her vision began to clear, she took in more of her surroundings. She rose to her hooves and stood at the end of a vast, white corridor. The ceiling was invisible, reaching high into the air to the point where it couldn't be seen, and the long, white walls that made up the hall seemed endless as they stretched as far as the eye could see.
Her ears twitched slightly. She thought she had heard somepony speak, but the air around her was quiet and still. Cicada looked down at her hooves and the floor beneath her.
It wasn't a floor.
It moved and shifted like a fluffy cloud, constantly changing shape. They were clouds! She was standing on clouds!
Puzzled, she pressed her hoof into the floor. Despite the flurry appearance, it was firm and very much solid. Cicada was growing impatient. She didn't know where she was or how she got there, but she wanted somepony to talk to.
“Hello?” Her voice echoed in the vast corridor. When her call was met with silence, she opened her mouth again. “Hello? Is anypony there?”
“I'm here!”
Cicada let out a terrified scream as she nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around and came face to face with a tall mare. The mare had a ghostly appearance, having white fur and a light gray mane with a tail to match.
Cicada then caught a glimpse of her cutie mark, a stringed instrument.
She made a mad dash past the changeling and bolted towards a podium in the center of the walkway that the changeling hadn't noticed before. “I'm so, so sorry I was late to meet you, uh…” The mare fumbled through a massive book with the magic from her horn, turning page after page as she tried to find what she was looking for. “… Cicada, is it? You've also gone by many other names, it seems. There's Opal, Sapphire, Adamant, Rune, and… Gem.”
The mare looked up from her podium. “Do you have a preference?”
The changeling had recovered from her initial shock and approached the podium. As she got closer, she noticed the mare had a unique set of wings to compliment her horn. She was an alicorn.
She cocked her head to the side as she observed the mysterious greeter. “Who… are you?”
The alicorn frowned, but her expression was quickly replaced by an apologetic laugh. “Oh… How silly of me… I forgot to introduce myself. You run late after one meeting, and suddenly, your mind is a jumbled mess…”
She cleared her throat. “I am Serenity, princess of death.”
She wore a huge, bright smile. “You may call me Sarah, if you like. All of my friends do. At least, they would, if I had any…”
Cicada’s ears folded back. “The princess of… death? I'm… I’m dead?”
It was all beginning to come back to her. The train… The attack… She didn't feel dead. In fact, she never felt better. Cicada looked over her shoulder. Strangely, she had both of her wings again.
Serenity pursed her lips and nodded her head. “I'm afraid so, Miss- Ah, you still haven't given me a ‘preferred name’. Is ‘Cicada’ alright?”
The changeling waved her hoof dismissively. “Wait… Hold on… Are you telling me I've died?”
Serenity looked sympathetic towards her. “I’m just going to write ‘pending’...” Then, she nodded her head again. “Yes, I'm afraid. All who die pass me on their way to their paradise, the ones who were good enough in life to achieve a paradise, anyway. The bad ones pass through my sister, Distress.”
Cicada’s eyes widened.
She tried to look past the podium in an attempt to catch a glimpse of what might await her. “I get paradise? Seriously?”
Serenity beamed, nodding her head. She had a look on her face like a school filly on a field trip, but the look didn't last long. Cicada remembered all of the horrible things she did and all of the ponies she wronged. “I… I mean no disrespect, princess, but I don't think I should be here…”
Serenity frowned and leaned over the podium. “What do you mean by that, Miss Cicada?”
The changeling shrugged as she gestured to herself. “Well… I mean, look at me. I'm a monster. I've done so many terrible things to ponies who didn't deserve it, and for what?” She tried sniffed back her tears, but she was unable to stop the them from rolling down her cheeks. “I've lied… I've cheated… I've stolen, and I've killed… I learned too late that love is not something to be selfishly devoured, but something to be cherished and shared with those you care most about…”
She heard the sound of pages turning, then Serenity cleared her throat. “I am well aware of your… extensive resume, Miss Cicada, and if you truly believe you don't belong here, I can arrange for you to be sent to my sister, but I want you to listen very carefully to what I have to say…” Cicada blinked the tears out of her eyes and looked up, meeting the princess’ gaze. “You and I would not be here right now, having this conversation if you didn't deserve to be here.”
The smile on her face resembled that of the mother’s on the train as she held her infant son. “You, my little changeling, have done more in the service of others than give yourself credit for, and to top it all off, just as you said yourself, you discovered what it truly means to love.” She reached forward, raising Cicada’s chin. “You gave your life so that somepony you truly loved can live. There is no greater act of love.”
Cicada dried her eyes and wiped a hoof across her wet snout. “Amethyst is... alive?”
Serenity smiled and nodded her head. “She is, thanks to you.”
That was enough to set Cicada’s mind at ease. She felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted off of her back, and she shifted her wings so they fit more comfortably against her sides. Her death was not in vain. Just like Phasmid, she died so Amethyst could live to see another day.
Cicada eyed the book on top of the podium. “Does that thing have the all the names of ponies that have died?”
Serenity nodded. “Yes, why?”
Cicada shifted her weight on her hooves sheepishly. “I was just wondering if another changeling came through here recently, a mare by the name of ‘Phasmid’.”
She really wanted to know if Phasmid received a paradise as well. Maybe, she'd get to see her again and personally thank her for what she did.
Serenity pursed her lips as she flipped through the tens of thousands of pages. Finally, she came to a stop and closed the book. “Hmmm… Nope. No pony or changeling with that name has passed through me. I can check with my sister and see what she has on file.”
Serenity materialized a scroll and quill out of thin air, and she began writing. “That's ‘Phasmid’ with a ‘Ph’, right?”
Cicada nodded her head.
Moments later, the scroll was gone, vanishing in a flash of light. “It may take her a minute to respond. Do you know this changeling personally?”
Again, Cicada nodded, but her lips fell into a frown. “Yeah… There's so much I want to say to her. She died so I could have a chance to save my friend.”
Serenity opened her mouth like she was about to respond, but she was interrupted by the arrival of a scroll. “Ah… That's my sister.”
She opened the letter and read its contents. “Hmm… That's interesting…” Serenity looked up from the letter, meeting Cicada’s eyes. “Are you certain this ‘Phasmid’ is really dead?”
The changeling gave her a puzzled look. “I… I saw her fall. She fell off of the train in the mountains north of Canterlot. There's no way she could have survived, is there?”
The princess set the scroll down. “Well, according to Distress, Phasmid hasn't passed through her realm either. The only explanation is that she’s alive.”
That last word echoed in Cicada’s mind.
She remembered watching Phasmid fall. She had seen it with her own eyes, but if there was really a chance that anypony could survive such a deadly fall, it would be her.
Serenity circled the podium, meeting the stunned Cicada face to face. “Are you ready, Miss Cicada? Your paradise is just at the end of this corridor. Once you enter, you'll never return… Of course, you'll never want to return. That's the whole point…”
The princess laughed at her own joke, and Cicada couldn't help smirking along with her. She liked the sound of having her own realm of eternal peace and happiness.
“However, should you chose to leave now, you will return to the world you died in.”
Cicada froze.
“Wait… What?!” She looked completely dumbfounded. “I can… I can go back?!”
Serenity held a hoof to her face and let out a long sigh. “Yes… I am so sorry I forgot to mention this. It's not every day I get to meet a hero.” Cicada was getting more and more confused by the second, and the princess could tell. “Let me start over. You see, not only did you die having done good deeds in service to others, but you died a ‘hero’s death’, as I like to call them.”
She materialized a new scroll and unrolled it to show the changeling. It was a list of names, some of ponies who died centuries ago or longer. Then, she spotted her name at the very bottom, along with the date and time that she died.
~Cicada~
“All who die hero’s deaths are given the option to have a second chance. As you can see, many of them wanted to accept their fate and walk onto their paradises, leaving the world of the living behind for good.”
Serenity rolled the scroll and put sent it away in a flash of light. “It is very rare for a hero to chose another chance at life, and for good reason.”
Cicada cocked her head. “Why is that? Wouldn’t anypony choose to love again if given the choice?”
The princess placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “You were in a lot of pain when you died, my little changeling. You tore off your own wing, if I recall correctly. If you go back, you'll feel all of that pain again. You'll be alive, but in a world of despair, wishing you'd stayed with me and gone to your paradise.”
Cicada didn't give it a second thought.
“I want to go back.”
Her quick response startled Serenity. “Are… you certain? If you do, I won't see you again until you… well, you know.”
She nodded her head. “I'm positive. I can deal with the pain. I always have before…”
Serenity smiled sadly. “You really want to see your friends, don't you?”
Cicada beamed up at her. “More than anything… My paradise can wait.”
The princess nodded her head slowly as she rose to her full height. “Very well, Miss Cicada. If you will follow me…”
She watched as the princess walked past her, towards a door that she hadn't noticed before. It was white, like everything else in the corridor, with a shimmering, gold handle. Using her magic, Serenity turned the handle, opening the door. As it opened, Cicada was met by a blinding light shining through the other side. “Step through, and you will awaken, Miss Cicada.”
She walked up to the door, shielding her eyes from the light. Standing next to Serenity, she prepared herself to walk through. If any of what the princess said was true, she would face a world of pain, and she wasn't sure if she was really ready, but she needed to see her friends again. She wasn't ready to leave them behind just yet.
Cicada looked at Serenity. “Thank you, princess, for everything.”
Serenity waved as Cicada leaped into the light. “Farewell, my little changeling!”
Cicada fell through blinding curtain. Warmth engulfed her entire body as the light began to fade. It grew hotter and hotter until her skin began to burn. Her muscles tightened, and she let out a pained scream.
She felt like she was on fire.
Then, everything around her became dark. The fire and pain were replaced by a cool, gentle breeze, and she something firm, landing flat on her back.
***
Cicada gasped as air filled her lungs, and her eyes opened wide. She stared straight up. A warm glow from a light shined down on her, and an air vent blew a cold wind against her face. She looked around the room and realized that she was on a sofa back in her train car, facing a window.
Outside, familiar mountains passed by quickly. They were nearing the city of Canterlot. Then, she heard it, the sound of soft snoring.
Cicada looked to her right and saw Amethyst sleeping on the sofa opposite to hers. That sight was enough to put a weak smile on her face. She extended a hoof towards the purple mare, but every fiber of her being felt stiff to the core. “Amethyst…”
Cicada was startled by the sound of her own voice. It sounded rough and scratchy, nothing like herself. She waited until saliva built up in her mouth and swallowed, wetting her throat. “Hey, Amethyst…”
She stirred in her sleep and rolled on her side, facing Cicada. Her stump had been properly bandaged, but she still held the changeling's torn wing tight against her chest. Cicada mustered as much strength as she could, filling her lungs with air and causing her chest to swell.
“Amethyst!”
The captain let out a shrill scream as she fell off of the sofa, hitting the floor with a hard ‘thud’. Her head swung in every direction until her eyes finally fell on Cicada. Amethyst stared at the changeling for several seconds. Then, her jaw dropped.
“Gem… You're awake…”
A huge smile broke across Cicada’s face as Amethyst crawled towards her. Using her three good legs, she rose shakily and hobbled over to the sofa. “I don't believe it… I thought… I thought you were gone…”
Cicada reared her head back and laughed. It caused her entire body to hurt, but she couldn't help herself. “Ha! You would wish that, Amethyst, but…” She groaned as she hoisted herself upright, meeting the captain at eye level. “… it's going to take more than what Chrysalis has to kill me.”
Her gaze fell to Amethyst's stump, and her smile faded. “I'm… sorry, about your leg.”
Amethyst shook her head, dismissing her apology. “There's no need for that, Gem. I can get a new leg, but you…” She held up Cicada’s tattered wing, which was now mostly red after being soaked by the pony's blood. “… you did this for me. You did this to save my life, and I am forever grateful.”
Cicada eyed her wing.
She knew that she’d never be able to fly again, but Amethyst was alive. To her, that was all that mattered. “You better be. I only have one wing left, and I can't afford to lose it.”
Both mares shared a light-hearted chuckle before the far door at the end of the car swung open. Amber hummed as she backed through the door with a silver tray in the cloud of her magic. “Hmmm… Hm, Hm, Hmmmmmm! Hey, Amethyst, I brought you some-”
She turned and dropped the tray. Words failed the young mare as she saw Cicada sitting on the sofa.
Cicada wondered how long she must have been gone. She hadn't considered how everypony might react to her sudden coming back to life.
“Um… Hello-”
Amber bolted out the door, running through the next car cheering and screaming as loudly as she could. “SHE’S ALIVE!”
More guards came, poking their heads into the car to see, sharing brief glances and wide grins. Cicada felt uneasy. She wasn't used to the attention, and she certainty wasn't used to so many Royal Guards smiling at her.
Amethyst placed her hoof on the changeling's. “They've all heard about what you did, Gem. They’re even calling you a hero…”
In the span of a few moments, the whole car was packed with armored guards. Even Onyx was there, though he had a slight limp. One by one, the guards approached her to thank her.
Cicada was star struck.
She couldn't keep herself from smiling as her cheeks turned red from all of the praise. Eventually, they all filed out of the car, mostly being pushed out by Onyx and Amber until only Shining Armor and Princess Cadence remained.
Shining approached her first. He looked cross, causing Cicada to descend from the high of praise she just received. “So… You're the ‘secret’ Amethyst had been hiding from me.” Then, he did something Cicada couldn't have predicted in a thousand years. He bowed to her. “You saved this train from a disaster that would have crippled the Crystal Empire. I hope you understand that means you can't remain a private in the ranks of the Royal Guards.”
He turned towards Amethyst. “Isn't that right, captain?”
Amethyst nodded her head, her smile stretching from ear to ear. “That's right, sir. I can't have her as anything less than my first lieutenant.”
Cicada’s eyes widened. That was quite the promotion. Before she had any time to react, she was approached by the princess and her daughter.
“That was an interesting display of love, Cicada… Your selflessness saved the day. We are honored to have you…” She too bowed to the changeling.
When Cadence rose to her full height again, an announcer overhead announced their imminent arrival. They were nearing Canterlot and would soon be disembarking.
Shining and Cadence excused themselves, and Cicada’s gaze shifted towards the window. In the distance, the sun would be setting on the greatest day of her life, her new birthday.
The whole world and her entire life was ahead of her. However long that was, she had no idea, but she had to make it worthwhile.
Feeling stronger, she summoned her green fire, and became the pony she was always meant to be. Gem rose from the sofa and stood upright before her legs buckled. She would have fallen, but Onyx and Amethyst caught her.
“Easy, Gem…” Onyx let her lean on him, since Amethyst couldn't bare anyone's weight but her own. “You look like you're starving. When we get off the train, we're getting you a meal.”
Amethyst smiled and nodded her head. “Yes, a big one. I think we all need to try out some of these Canterlot restaurants. Then, we have a gala to attend tomorrow.”
The idea sounded like a good one.
Leaning on Onyx and staying close to Amethyst, Gem walked on. Quietly, she hoped the rest of their trip would be uneventful. She didn't need any more excitement, but an event as big as the Grand Galloping Gala can attract the most interesting of guests…
***Amethyst Will Return***
***The End: Volume 2***