Cicada felt a chill crawl up her spine and surround her as she slowly began to come out of her sleep. To say she felt terrible would be a gross understatement. Her throat had been crushed to the point where every breath hurt tremendously, and she had a head-splitting pain behind her horn. When her eyes fluttered open, Cicada quickly realized where she was, and she opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
High in the air, she was suspended outside of a window, just below a great clock overlooking the city of Canterlot. Rope had her hind legs bound and handing from the massive chronometer.
“Are you comfortable, my dear?”
Cicada was in no control of her movement as the volitial winds blew her in circles, but she recognized that the voice was Nickel’s. When she saw him sitting in the window, her eyes narrowed, and she bared her razor-sharp teeth. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words were caught in her throat. All that came out was a fit of raspy coughs.
“Ah, wonderful. You’ll have plenty of time to think about your past mistakes up here, changeling, though I wouldn’t move around so much. It’s a long fall, and without your other wing, well...” Nickel cackled sadistically as he tapped the rope. “I think you get the idea. The highlight of the gala tonight is a speech by Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence at midnight, something about the alliance between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. When the clock strikes, you’ll finally pay for everything you’ve done, and my brother will know some semblance of peace...”
He took one last look at the clock above, then back at Cicada. “Take a good look around, changeling, because this sunset is the last you’ll ever get to see. No pony is coming for you. I’ll make sure of it.”
Tears formed in Cicada’s eyes as Nickel climbed down from the window, closing it as he retreated inside. As the sun set in the distance and the sky began to turn dark, all she could hear over the roaring wind was the deafening ticking of the clock counting down the time she had left to live.
***
Silence had fallen on the room, and something that could only be described as ‘awkwardness’ filled the void between everypony. Amethyst and Phasmid sat on opposite sides of the room. Both mares looked the other in the eyes, both unrelenting and unwavering.
Emerald and Onyx stood by the door, ready to make a quick escape if things got out of control. Pyrite, with a blank expression on her face, sat between her mothers, new and old. She glanced in either direction, first at Amethyst, then at Phasmid.
When her eyes met the elder changeling’s, Phasmid cracked a saddened smile. “Azalea... I can’t believe it... It’s really you...”
Amethyst cleared her throat, and the changeling’s smile vanished. “Actually, her name is Pyrite.”
At the sound of her given title, Pyrite turned her head and looked back at Amethyst.
Phasmid waved her hoof dismissively and made a face of disgust. “You may have given her a pony name, but my queen was hatched with the identity that I gave her, Azalea. She was meant to lead us to a new age of prosperity for changelings.”
Amethyst’s eyes formed a hard glare, and she picked Pyrite up with the magic from her horn. “Pyrite is no queen, and she’s not going to be leading any changelings. She’s my daughter. Tell her, Emerald.”
The guard’s face went white as both mares turned on him. He looked at Onyx for support. “What do I do?”
The sergeant shrugged and prodded him forward. “I don’t know... Just tell Amethyst what she wants to hear.”
Phasmid’s horn ignited, and she ripped Pyrite from Amethyst’s grasp. Thinking she was in the middle of some sort of game, the little changeling laughed as she floated across the room.
Not wanting to set Phasmid off, Emerald cleared his throat softly and stepped forward. “A-A-Amethyst has legal d-d-documents proving her guardianship of Pyrite...”
Amethyst beamed. “Ha! See?” She caught Pyrite and pulled her back. “Pyrite is mine.”
Phasmid chuckled, flashing her green eyes as a show of force. “Legal documents? That’s funny, pony. I almost died for Azalea’s sake.” By the door, Emerald coughed nonchalantly. “If anypony deserves to raise her, it’s me.”
Amethyst rolled her eyes as she held Pyrite close, hugging the little changeling tight against her chest. “Oh please! Get in line, Phasmoid.”
“It’s Phasmid...”
“Whatever. If you haven’t noticed...” Amethyst waved her newly attached prosthetic leg in the air thrusting it into the changeling’s face. “I also risked my life for her. So did Onyx. We all rescued her from Chrysalis’ nest in the Frozen North. If Mantis hadn’t switched sides and helped us, we never would have made it out.”
Emerald went cold as Phasmid’s eyes trained directly on him.
“That smell... I knew it!”
She was on her hooves in an instant. The changeling leaped over the sofa in the middle of the room, landing in front of the guards by the door. She pointed her horn at Emerald, who was shaking uncontrollably. Paralyzed by fear, his hooves felt as though they had been cemented to the floor. His form melted away, revealing a second changeling.
“You tried to kill me!”
Onyx put himself in between the two of them and held up a hoof towards Phasmid. “He’s tried to kill all of us, but he’s changed.” He glanced back at Mantis. “Isn’t that right, Emerald?”
The fear-stricken changeling managed a nod.
Amethyst climbed to her hooves and made her way to Onyx’s side, in between Mantis and Phasmid. “He’s telling the truth, Phasmid. Emer... I mean, Mantis is with us now. Even Pyrite adores him. I know he’s done terrible things, but killing him for his past wrongs will only stop him from doing any good from here on out.”
Phasmid was beginning to foam at the mouth. “I don’t care what good he’s done for you ponies. He still killed my friends, him and Cicada both.” Pyrite watched the whole scene unfold from the floor. By Amethyst’s side, she approached the impending eruption as her nose picked up the volitial tensions in the air. “Mantis is our friend, now. If Pyrite can learn to forgive and love him, maybe you can too.”
When Phasmid saw her standing by Onyx and Amethyst in the defense of Mantis, her glare softened just a little, and she raised her horn. “I... cant believe this...” She looked Pyrite in her eyes. “Is this true, Azalea? Do you really prefer them over me, after all I’ve done for you?”
Pyrite’s gaze fell, refusing to meet the larger changeling’s. At last, the room was silent.
It was so quiet, it was almost deafening. The void that formed in the absence of violence and threats lasted for what seemed like forever, only being broken by the gentle steps of Phasmid’s hooves as she stepped forward.
“I see...” The guards watched as she walked past them, pausing briefly by Mantis to fire him a glare. “I’ll be going, then. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the guardian you needed, Az- I mean...” She let out a gentle sigh. “... Pyrite.”
Mantis and Onyx exchanged glances but said nothing. Amethyst caught Phasmid at the door, just before she could make it into the hall. “What about you? Where will you go?”
Phasmid shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know... I have no queen to direct me and no home to go to. I have nothing... What does it matter to you, pony?”
Amethyst bit her lip, quickly looking over her shoulder at the stallions behind her. Then, she turned back and looked at Phasmid. “You could stay with us and attend the gala tonight... Perhaps, when this is all over, you could even come back to the Crystal Empire, and-“
“And ‘what’, pony? You want me to join your little band of friends, to be a Royal Guard?”
Amethyst cracked a sly grin. “Why not? I saw you on the train, you know. You were kicking ass, my ass mostly...” Phasmid raised an eyebrow, realizing that the purple mare was speaking sincerely. “I think you’d be a great addition to the empire’s guards. Plus, Pyrite would miss you if you just walked out.”
The changeling looked speechless. Her eyes darted around the room, meeting those of each pony in the room, even Mantis’. She looked over her shoulder, at the closed door behind her. Phasmid took a deep breath rubbed a hoof against her eyes, sniffling softly. “Yeah, okay... Fine...” Amethyst looked relieved, and so did Mantis. “I’m only staying for this party, for now... When it’s over, we’ll see.”
The changeling walked with Amethyst to the windows, and the two began to talk.
After accepting the fact that he wasn’t about to be ripped apart by her, Mantis closed his eyes and changed back into his favorite form. Within no time at all, Emerald was standing tall again, but he kept his distance from Phasmid, choosing to stay with Onyx and Pyrite by the door.
The sergeant chuckled, glancing towards Emerald. “Well, this afternoon sure has been full of surprises. If today’s events are any indication of how exciting the future will be, I can’t even begin to imagine what the gala is going to be like.”
There was a gentle knock on the door, startling them both as a mare’s muffled voice came through. “Amethyst? Hey, captain, are you in there?” Before anyone of them could answer, the door opened anyway, and Amber’s head appeared. “Oh... Hello, Onyx.”
Then, she glanced at Emerald, and her eyes widened. “Babe?! What are you doing here?!”
From the window, Phasmid made a disgusted look. “Babe? Uhg... Don't tell me the two of you are in a relationship...”
Amethyst waved her hoof dismissively before turning her attention back to the changeling before her. “Hello, Amber. It’s a long story...”
Amber approached Emerald, and before he could muster a response, she threw her hooves around him and pulled the stallion into a hot kiss.
Onyx rolled his eyes and covered Pyrite’s. “Amber, that’s unprofessional. Cut it out.”
There was a loud ‘smack’ as the kiss broke, and Amber fired him a silly look. “You don’t outrank me anymore, Onyx. I’m a sergeant too.”
His ears folded back. “Yeah... quit reminding me, kid... Amethyst, tell her to stop. It’s unprofessional.”
Amethyst smiled sweetly at him, brushing her mane out of her eyes. “If you’re jealous, honey, I can kiss you later.”
Phasmid’s eyes widened, and she pursued her lips. “Hmm... If it means so much to him, I’ll kiss him right now.”
Onyx went white. To his left, Amber and Emerald struggled to hide their snickers.
Phasmid had taken half a step towards the stunned stallion before Amethyst stopped her. “No! I mean... You can’t.”
The changeling cocked her head to the side and gave Amethyst a puzzled look. “I don’t mind, pony. He’s not bad looking either “
Amethyst bursted our in a fit of snorts and laughter. “No, wait, you don’t understand... He’s my fiancé. We’re getting married pretty soon. Isn’t that right, Onyx?”
Still frozen by Phasmid’s proposal, Onyx could only managed a stiff nod. “Yeah... Yes, that’s right.”
Phasmid’s turned cheeks turned red, and she absentmindedly rubbed her hoof against the back of her head. “Of course... I apologize, pon- I mean, Amethyst.” With that sorted, Amethyst glanced towards a clock on the far wall. “Oh! We better be getting ready. The gala will be starting before we know it.”
She then looked at Phasmid one last time, shooting her a kind smile before retreating towards the bedroom. “I’m going to change. Onyx, you find Prince Armor and make sure Emerald gets in without any trouble.”
Phasmid waved after her. “Wait! What about me?”
Amethyst shrugged. “Beats me, Phasmid. You’re a changeling. I’m sure you can figure something out.”
Then, she closed the door behind her.
Pyrite had gotten bored with the grownups talking and made herself comfortable on the sofa, lounging out and stretching her little hooves. Her moment of bliss was interrupted when Onyx picked her up in his cloud of magic. “Come on, little one. Now that you’re here, you need to look nice for the party. Get changed.”
She had no dress to get into, but with no effort, she copied Amethyst from head to hoof before giving him a ‘happy now?’ look.
“That’s better. Everypony else, move out!”
***
Sadri has been standing for hours. Her hooves were killing her, and her jaw hurt like crazy from the constant smiling she was forced to show to everypony around her. She had no idea how ponies could stand being so friendly all of the time. Needing a break, she found her way to a nearby punch bowl at the far end of a great ballroom that had just been set up for the impending party.
A young stallion in royal raiments stood by the bowl as he offered each guest a glass. When it came to be her turn, she thanked him quickly and moved on with her punch. Sadri sipped the beverage as she walked. It was sweet to the taste, and she couldn’t help letting out a small moan as the dark purple liquid traveled down her throat.
She didn’t bother finding a chair to enjoy the rest of her drink. Though it hurt her hooves to stand, it would hurt elsewhere to sit. Sadri was ready to forget the whole day. In her exhausted state, the golden domina had nearly forgotten why she was even there in the first place.
Then, she saw her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sadri caught a glimpse of a purple princess in a blue gown that flowed from her rear like a river of tears as she descended a grand staircase. It was Twilight Sparkle.
It had been over a year since she saw the princess with her own eyes. Her eyes began to water as the glass fell from her magical grasp. It shattered on the floor, startling several nearby ponies. The young stallion serving the punch was at her side without a moment to lose.
“Are you alright, miss?”
Sadri looked at the mess she had made. “Yes, I think so...”
The stallion ushered her away from the broken glass and spill. “Don’t worry about a thing, miss. I’ll clean this up. Enjoy the rest of your night.”
Sadri nodded her head and, glancing back and forth between Twilight, who was coming closer, and the spill. “Yes... Thank you. I hope to...”
When she turned back around, Twilight’s back was facing her. She looked to be engaged with one of her friends. Sadri didn’t remember them all that well. It looked like the pink one. The memories were unclear, and she was unable to retrieve the pink mare’s name.
No matter.
This was the moment Sadri had been waiting so long for. She took a deep breath. Her body was on autopilot now, slowly shifting her hooves towards her final destination. Pumping blood thundered in her ears, growing louder in volume with each step she took closer to the princess.
Then, she came to a stop.
“Tw-Tw-Twilight...”
The purple mare’s ears perked, and she turned around, coming face to face with her. It had been so long since Sadri had been in close proximity to her former wife. Her breaths shortened and became dangerously rapid and shallow. “Twilight... Twilight Sparkle...”
The princess’ eyes widened, but she said nothing.
Sadri had no clue, no idea of what to do or say. She had rehersed this exact moment a thousand times in her head, but all of that preparation left her. “I... I’ve broken out of prison, and I’ve crossed great lengths to see you... I know how you must feel about me, and... Well, I’m here to say that I understand. The things I did to you were terrible and unforgivable and evil and...”
She felt as though she was about to cry. Her eyes were closed shut as she tried to blink back the tears that were building. “I just have to say that... that I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry for everything... I took you, your friendship, and your love for granted, and I can never make up for the pain and suffering I caused you...”
Her throat was closing as she resisted her tears. “What I mean is... I’ve had a lot of time to think, and I know you won’t take me back, but perhaps I can beg for your forgiveness, and just maybe, you can find some in the loving heart I first fell in love with...”
Sadri opened her eyes at last and, to her surprise, found an audience surrounding her. Worse than that, though, was the presence of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence. She felt very small, smaller than she had ever felt before amidst the very mares she had once tried to seduce and conquer.
Celestia stepped forward first, flexing her majestic wings before returning them to her sides. She eyed Sadri down her snout, causing her to shrink even further. Then, she glanced at the princesses to her left. “Well, Cadence? What do you think?”
The princess of love kept her eyes trained on the domina. Sadri felt as though she had the weight of the world on her back, and it didn’t feel great. “I can’t say I’m pleased, personally, but... her words sound sincere.”
Luna nodded her head gently. “I agree. It seems time in captivity has changed this young mare’s mind, as well as her heart.” The princess of the night offered her a weak smile.
After listening to the verdict of her sister and niece, Celestia let out a long breath. “Sadri, if you can agree to stay out of trouble, I can absolve you of your crimes against Equestria.”
Every inch of her body was shaking so violently, Sadri wasn’t sure if she was responding accordingly. “Of... Of course, your majesty...”
Then, even Celestia cracked a sly grin. “Very well. Enjoy the gala.” The white mare began to turn, taking Luna and Cadence with her. “Oh, Twilight, my sweet, come find me by the dessert table later. We have much to discuss.”
Twilight eyed the elder princess and nodded, still not saying a word.
With the departure of the princesses, the crowd that had surrounded them also began to disperse. Soon, Sadri was alone with her former bride once again. Able to stand on her hooves again, she rose to her full height as the silence between her and Twilight grew more and more awkward. She knew she had to say something, anything. Any topic at this point would be better than the horrible quiet.
“So...” Sadri cleared her throat. “You and Princess Celestia tied the knot, huh?”
Twilight broke her statue-like form, moving for the first time since she laid her eyes on Sadri as she raised a hoof to brushed her mane out of her eyes. “I’m... Yeah, Celestia and I are... hmm... closer than ever. We’re not married yet, but we’re getting there.”
Sadri put on a brave smile, the widest she could muster. “You really love her, don’t you?”
Twilight’s purple cheeks turned red, and a chuckle escaped her lips. “More than anything. I want her to ask me to marry her, but she’s been too afraid to ask. I was kinda hoping tonight would be the night she pops the question.” Once she realized she had been rambling, she caught herself. “Oh, but what about you, Sadri? Have you found anypony special?”
Sadri gently shook her head. Behind the princess, at the farthest end of the room, were the great doors of the palace. A sea of ponies was beginning to flood into the ballroom. Just over Twilight’s shoulder, to the right of her ear, Sadri saw a stunningly beautiful mare enter the palace.
It was the mare she had met earlier on the train, the mare who had helped her get to Canterlot. In an opal-colored dress with a flashy head-piece that branched outward like antlers, Gypsum made her way into the ballroom. She looked to be alone, her eyes darting all around her as she took in the sights. A well-dressed stallion approached her, offering her a drink, but she politely declined.
Sadri suddenly realized that she had been staring, and her ears felt hot. She also realized that Twilight had continued to talk even though she unintentionally tuned her out.
“... and you’ve been in prison, of course, so I can see how that might hamper your progress towards finding somepony.” Twilight saw that Sadri was no longer looking at her, but past her. She looked over her shoulder, following the golden mare’s gaze. “Oh, I see...”
Sadri snapped out of her trance. “Tw-Twilight... I’m sorry, but I need to go.”
The princess of friendship waved dismissively. “You don’t have to say anything. We’ll talk more later, alright? By the look on your face, you have a lot you need to say to that mare over there. Do you know her?”
Sadri nodded hesitantly. “Yes, we met on the train here from the empire.”
Twilight smiled. “Well, I won’t stand in your way. She looks like she needs some company about now, anyway. Go get her, Sadri.”
That was all the encouragement she needed. With a spark of courage in her heart, she set out towards Gypsum. Twilight had spoken the truth... There was a lot she had to say, but most of all, she only hoped Gypsum would return her sentiment.
“Oh, Sadri!”
The domina spun around a final time, meeting Twilight’s eyes. Sadri couldn’t hear her over the chattering of hundreds of ponies, but she could see the princess mouth the words ‘I forgive you’. An explosion of warmth erupted inside her chest, quickly consuming her and spreading throughout her body. Then, as quickly as the feeling came, it vanished.
Twilight too was gone, probably to see Celestia by the dessert table as requested. Now, there was nothing in between her and the mare in front of her.
Gypsum appeared to be eyeing the punch to her right, not noticing Sadri. The golden mare swallowed hard and approached her slowly. Then, she cleared her throat. “Um... Hello, Gypsum.”
The pony looked startled, but having overcome her initial jolt of surprise, her eyes fell on Sadri’s. She frowned at her. “You again... What do you want? I’m done doing you favors. You’ve made it clear you want nothing to do with me...”
Each word hit Sadri in the chest like a bolt of concentrated magic, but she didn’t back down. As Gypsum tried to turn away, she extended a hoof, stopping the mare in her tracks. “Wait, Gypsum. Just let me explain, please...” The pony didn’t look thrilled at the notion, but she agreed as she swiped Sadri’s hoof away. “I think I’m all burnt out in terms of apologies, but I’m sorry I didn’t take your feelings seriously when you helped me on the train.” Gypsum’s frown remained, but her eyebrows raised ever so slightly. “I guess I’m officially divorced now, so I’d like to return the favors you showed me by devoting myself to you tonight... If you’ll allow it, I mean.”
Sadri gaze fell to the floor as she kicked her hooves timidly. “It’s... It’s the least I can do...”
All around them, ponies were beginning to indulge themselves in the festivities and enjoy the party, and soft music from a live orchestra played in the background. Gypsum looked surprised by Sadri’s proposal. “I... Um, well... I don’t know what to say...”
Sadri beamed at her. “Come on, Gypsum. It’ll be fun. I’m a free mare, and tonight, I’m all yours. Have you ever danced with a domina?”
Not to her surprise, the pony shook her head. “No, I can’t say that I have, to be honest...”
Gypsum looked like she had more to say, but she wasn’t able to finish her thought as Sadri took her by the hoof and pulled her onto the dance floor.
***
Emerald whistled in awe as he stepped into the ballroom with Amber and Amethyst. “Whoa... This place looks way better when it’s not under siege.”
Amber swiftly kicked his leg, causing him to let out a muffled cry. “Quiet, you. You’re a guest of honor tonight, so behave yourself.”
“You didn’t have to kick so hard...”
Amethyst stood close to Onyx with Pyrite standing between them. Her eyes were full of awe and wonder as she looked around the titanic ballroom. Everything from the slick floor to the dazzling chandeliers above captivated the little changeling. Amethyst was equally impressed with the look of the party. “I have to say I’m impressed, Onyx. Canterlot sure does know how to throw a party.”
Her fiancé agreed, nodding his head as he scanned his surroundings. “Yeah... I know what you mean, Amy. This place has the Crystal Empire’s ballrooms beat. We should have our honeymoon here instead of Ponyville.”
Amethyst hit her rear against his, and the two shared silly looks. “We’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s do what we came here to do and enjoy ourselves.”
That was an order from his captain Onyx was happy to follow. “You got it, Amy. Would you care to dance?”
She nodded her head, but looked hesitant. “Of course, honey... Later, though. I want to wait here for Gem. Why don’t you take Pyrite to get something to drink?”
The stallion was happy to oblige her, and he ushered the little trickster away. Amethyst spun in a circle, noticing that Amber and Emerald had already didsapeared into the crowd. That only left her and Phasmid, who was disguised as a pink pegasus with a snow-colored mane and tail. The only way the captain could tell it was her was the jagged scar across her lower neck and chest. It was slightly visible through her revealing dress.
“This is the gala? It doesn’t seem so grand to me...”
Amethyst raised an eyebrow towards her. “What’s wrong with it? Everypony seems to be enjoying themselves.”
Phasmid rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “Bleh... It’s boring, pony. There’s no excitement in the air, and the music is dull. Who is that entertainer in Ponyville, the one with the large speakers and electronic music? This party could afford to liven up a little...”
Amethyst chuckled softly and shook her head. “It’s a gala, Phasmid. It’s all about high class and society.” Then, she caught herself. “I suppose I shouldn’t call you that around here... You’re supposed to be a pony.”
The pink mare gave her a surprised look. “What do you suggest?”
Amethyst thought for a moment but quickly came to a great idea. “How about ‘Azalea’?”
Phasmid looked deep in thought and but her lower lip. A few moments later, she nodded her head as a smile creeped its way across her lips. “I like it. When like this, you can call me Azalea.” She sounded excited now, like a filly on her birthday. “I... I need to find the others. They need to know my new name.”
Before Amethyst could bid her a ‘farewell’, she had vanished into the crowd.
Now, she was alone with her thoughts as she waited by the entrance of the ballroom, patiently looking out for Gem and her date. Every so often, a pony or two would approach her and recognize her as a Royal Guard. They would exchange friendly greetings and thank her for her service before excusing themselves.
The minutes began to drag on.
At one point, she saw Onyx and Pyrite through the crowd. They appeared to be having a good time. Pyrite was running up to everypony she could see and saying ‘hello’, her newest word.
Then, Amethyst continued to look around and caught a glimpse of Amber and Emerald. They talked and laughed as they stood in eachother’s embrace. It warmed her chest, seeing them happy together. It amazed Amethyst to see how far Emerald and Gem has come since she first met them.
The captain cursed silently.
She had forgotten that she was supposed to be looking out for Gem, but her friend was nowhere in sight. Almost twenty minutes had passed since she started waiting, and the feeling of worry began to creep over her. The gala was in full swing, and Gem was nowhere to be found. Amethyst stomped her hoof, deciding to swallow her pride and search for the missing mare herself.
She took another look around the ballroom. Onyx, Amber, and the rest would be fine without her. She knew they could handle themselves. Amethyst readied herself to leave the ballroom, and she walked towards the entrance. It felt like she was swimming upstream though as a flood of ponies walked against her.
One stallion held his head low, looking at the floor. Amethyst didn’t see him in time, and he following collision sent them both stumbling to the floor. Her prosthetic leg buckled, threatening to fall off, but the stallion caught the captain and helped her up.
When Amethyst saw his face, a wave of relief washed over her. “Oh, good! Nickel, it’s you...”
The guard in front of her went white as she said his name. “Oh... Yeah. Yes, of course... I’m sorry about that, captain. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Please forgive me.”
Amethyst dismissed his apology with a smile. “Think nothing of it, Nickel. I was just coming to find Gem. She was running late.” She looked over his shoulder. “Um... Is she with you?”
Nickel looked uneasy, like he had just been given a test he wasn’t prepared for. “I... Uh... No, ma’am. Gem told me she had a few things left to handle in our room.”
Her smile faded, and she cocked her head. “Things to handle? Like what?”
Nickel was beginning to look more and more nervous. Amethyst could even sea little beads of sweat forming along the base of his horn.
Something felt wrong.
“Nickel... Where is Gem?”
He bit his lip and frowned. “I’m sorry, Captain Amethyst, but something had to be done.”
Amethyst didn’t like what she was hearing. “Nickel, you better start making sense, or you’ll watch the gala from a hospital window.”
Nickel sighed and turned his head from side to side, popping his neck. “If you insist, captain...”
***
Amber had never had so much fun in her life. Though the party wasn’t the most exciting in all of Equestria, just being able to unwind and cut loose with her coltfriend was enough for her. She hadn’t never seen Emerald dance, and she was loving every minute of it. Emerald was moving his hooves like he was trying to impress a mate.
Though it was entertaining, it certainly didn’t make Amber want to have sex with him. She had to give credit where it was due, though. He looked like her was really trying, exhausting himself to the point where he has struggling to breath. “Ha! You’re doing great, babe... Hey, uh... Azalea? Hey, Azalea, come on! You’re missing out on the fun!”
The pink mare promptly shook her head. “No, pony. I think I’ll decline. I don’t dance.”
Amber made a cute, pouty face. “Oh, please? You have to! Emerald doesn’t dance either, but he’s giving it his all. There’s something about it that you have to admire.”
Azalea looked him over and frowned. “Hmm... His form could use some work.”
Amber and Emerald glanced towards each other and back at Azalea. “I thought you didn’t dance.”
She shrugged innocently.
“I never said I didn’t know how dancing should be done. There are plenty of changelings who can dance. It’s usually the females performing for the males in order the gain their sexual favor, being so few in number as they were compared to us. There was a lot of competition for males in the hive.
Amber’s eyes widened as she looked back at Emerald, who turned away blushing. “Ah... That explains a lot...”
Azalea looked like she had more to say, but before she could open her mouth, a sudden cry echoed throughout the ballroom. Everypony’s head spun towards the source of the sound of distress. Their night had taken a turn for the worst as they watched Amethyst fly through the air, flailing her hooves as she soared across the ballroom. She landed on her back with a hard ‘thud’ and cracked her head against the tile floor.
Everypony began to panic, some dropped their food and drinks while others hugged the walls as tightly as the could. The orchestra came to a halt, and all eyes tuned in on Nickel as he approached Amethyst from across the ballroom. “Mares and gentlecolts, we have traitors among us!”
Amethyst wheezed as she struggled to stand. A staff pony who had been serving snacks tried to reach her, but Nickel turned his horn on the pony and fired, hitting the ground in front of his hooves.
He then closed in on the fallen guard, baring his teeth. “Captain Amethyst and her friends are traitors to all ponies... She has chosen to ally herself with monsters, liars, and murderers, the changelings!”
There were hushed gasps around the room pointed and whispered amungst themselves. Amber broke through the wall of ponies surrounding them, her eyes wide and full of terror. “Amethyst!”
Nickel turned on her and let out a ferocious snarl. Lightning sparked from his horn, and a bolt arched out, hitting the ground just in front of her. She cried out and stepped back.
Amethyst raised her hoof weakly. “Amber, stay back!” Then, she glared at Nickel, her eyes full of rage. “Don’t hurt them! What’s gotten into you?!” Amethyst mustered all of the strength she could and pulled herself up. “If you’ve laid one hoof on Gem...”
His horn lit up and shut all of the doors leading out of the ballroom, trapping himself and everypony else inside.
Amethyst coughed as she stared the stallion down. “You’ve made a serious mistake, Nickel... There’s no way out of this.”
He arched his head back and roared with laughter. “A way out?! Ha! Do you really think I want to escape from this?! There is no escape for me, Amethyst...” He painted heavily as he pointed his horn towards her. “You can kill me, throw me in jail, or do whatever your conscience will allow, but I will have justice for my brother’s murder.” He looked like a wild beast, saliva dripping from his jaw as he bared his teeth. “First, I’m going to kill you, Amethyst. You protected Cicada when she should have been held accountable for her actions! Then, when I’m done with you...”
His bloodthirsty eyes landed on Emerald. “... I’ll be coming for you, Mantis...”
Emerald swallowed hard.
“Amethyst, please stop him...”
The captain brushed herself off. A quick look around told her the entire room was holding its breath. Everypony was waiting for one of them to make a move. Then, she saw Pyrite in the crowd, standing beneath Onyx’s legs, and the look on her daughter’s face filled her with despair.
Scenarios flashed through Amethyst’s mind, scenes of Pyrite growing up without her. If she died here, Amethyst realized she would never get to see her baby grow up, graduate school, find a coltfriend, or get married. The more she thought about it, the more her feelings of despair turned into raw, unchecked anger.
“You...” She turned her attention back to Nickel, who had taken his battle stance, showing he was prepared to fight. “You want to take me away from my family?”
Nickel, briefly looked at Pyrite before turning his murderous gaze back to Amethyst. “Yeah, I do, and when I’m done with Mantis, I’ll kill the brat too. Don’t you worry though... I’ll make her death quick.” His horn lit up.
Amethyst only had a second to act before a bolt of magic came sailing straight for her. She raised a shield, and the magic deflected towards the ceiling. The blast shook the palace and caused the bystanders to panic. Amethyst looked up and nearly screamed herself, quickly rolling out of the way to avoid a falling chandelier.
The ceiling decoration crashed behind her, sending debris in every direction. Nickel was on her in an instant. He ran forward, letting out a blood-curdling cry as he aimed his horn for her throat, but Amethyst was quick on her hooves.
She sidestepped the stallion and brought down her prosthetic leg, hitting him in the back of the head with such for that his horn pierced the ground. This only angered Nickel further, and he ripped his horn from the floor before firing another bolt of lightning. The zap hit Amethyst square in the chest, sending her flying across the room and sliding to a halt on the tiles. Her ears were ringing, and her vision was blurry from the shock.
Looking up, she could barely make out the figure of Nickel running straight for her. She was too tired. Amethyst was one of the best fighters in the Crystal Empire, but her strength was slipping.
A golden unicorn broke through the crowd next to Amber and saw the raging right in the center of the ballroom. “What’s going on?!”
Emerald saw her and waved. “Sadri, is that you?” He pointed to the fight before them. “This crazy stallion showed up and started attacking Amethyst!”
Azalea was beaming. “I take back what I said about this party. This is way more excitement than I expected.”
Amber waved her hoof, getting their attention. “Come on, we have to help her!”
With one hoof in front of the other, Amethyst tried to crawl. Memories came back in flashes, brief glimpses of her in the snow as she crawled after Pyrite.
“Mamaaaaaaa!”
Amethyst’s eyes widened, and she rolled over.
Nickel was mid-flight, diving straight for her as he roared.
She closed her eyes, and her horn ignited brilliantly. It wasn’t her usual, purple color, but a blinding, white glow. As he fell towards her, Nickel cried out in pain and covered his eyes. Even her friends had to look away.
Amethyst saw an opportunity and took it. She raised her rear legs and kicked the stallion as hard as she could, cracking several of his ribs. Nickel hit the ground, gasping for air. “Ah! You bitch!”
The captain didn’t relent. Her horn was glowing hot and starting to burn. Bits of concentrated magic sparked in every direction. The entire ballroom felt as though the sun itself was inside it. Amethyst’s shining horn clashes with Nickel’s. They parried back and forth, alternating between thrusts and kicking with their hooves.
She caught him in he chest, and Nickel howled with pain and retaliated by throwing his hoof at her face. He connected with her jaw, cutting down Amethyst and sending her to the floor, but she quickly rose back up.
Outside, hooves were thundering against the doors as Canterlot Royal Guards tried to break them down.
Horn clashed with horn as shining light clashing with lightning. The electricity cracked and thunder boomed throughout the room, shaking the walls and everypony within them. Amethyst broke away from Nickel and opened her hooves, letting out a terrifying scream that sent out a wave of white magic in every direction. The windows shattered, sending bits of broken glass flying outward, and several of the grand chandeliers fell from the ceiling, crashing around Nickel and stunning him.
The glowing was gone, but a trail of smoke seeped from the tip of her horn. Amethyst breathed heavily, ready to collapse at any moment. She saw that Nickel was still, and she looked around. Everypony stared at her with jaws dropped. Never before had they seen such a display of power from a unicorn.
Nickel had blood pouring from his nose and chest. He glanced to his left and right, at the ponies surrounding them. Amethyst whipped a hoof across her bloodied snout. “It’s over, Nickel... I am ordering you to stand down, now.”
Then, he looked back at Amethyst, and an evil look came over him. “Never...”
He lashed out, leaping over a broken chandelier before charging straight for her.
Amethyst couldn’t raise her horn in defense. She couldn’t even stand.
Nickel yelled as he jumped into the air, diving right at her.
Amethyst tried to hold up her metal leg as a last ditch effort, but the final strike never came.
Nickel was caught mid-air, held in a cloud of sickly green magic. Everypony in the room gasped and followed the trail of magic to it’s source. They were speechless, all of them. Even Amethyst couldn’t find the words to describe what she was seeing.
Pyrite’s eyes were closed as she poured all of her concentration into holding Nickel at bay.
“No...” He groaned as he kicked and flailed above the floor. “No... No... No. No. No! No! NO!” He tried to reach her but found no success. “My brother is dead because of them! They killed Emerald! His death is on your hooves!” Pyrite dropped him abruptly before Onyx moved in with leather bonds. “They killed him! They killed him! They- Mmmmph! Mmmmm!”
Amethyst’s heart was racing. She looked down at Nickel, then at her daughter. “Pyrite... You... You saved my life...”
Her little changeling grinned at her and held her head high. Onyx managed a light chuckle as he rubbed Pyrite’s head. “Well, you saved hers. I guess she thinks she’s returning the favor.”
The Royal Guards outside finally managed to break one of the doors down and filed inside, securing the room. While Onyx and Amber went to talk to the guards and tell them everything that happened, Amethyst went to a window. She could feel that her friend was in trouble. She just didn’t know where...
Then, her eyes fell on Nickel, and she fell on him with vengeance burning in her eyes. She stormed over to him and ignited her horn. “Gem... Where is she, you monster?! Tell me!”
She tore away his gag, and Nickel began to laugh. “I’m not the monster, captain... Not like the changeling that consumed by brother...” His psychotic laughter escalated. “Oh, right about now, our precious Cicada is very close to running out of time... When the day ends and night falls, so will she...” He cackled maniacally before she forced the gag back down his throat, silencing him for good.
Sadri, Emerald, and Azalea appeared by Amethyst’s side. Onyx was the first to reach her. “Amethyst, are you alright?”
She quickly brushed her fiancé away, choosing to stand on her own. “I’m fine, but I won’t be if we don’t save Gem.”
Emerald looked deep in though. “He... He said that when night falls, Gem would fall too.”
Sadri looked out on of the broken windows, at the mountain side. “We’re perched on a cliff. That’s no help.”
Amethyst ran through Nickel’s final words again and again. “She’s running out of time...” Then, the great clock overlooking the city began to chime, signaling the impending stike of midnight. One strike hit, then another one. Amethyst gasped and bolted back over towards the window. “The clock! Gem is out of time!”
Everypony in the ballroom felt helpless as they heard the strikes chime through the night. Amethyst’s throat began to close, and tears swelled in her eyes. “We can’t reach her...”
Azalea flexed her wings and took a several steps back. “I can...”
Then, before anypony had the chance to move out of the way, the pink pegasus fired off like a rocket, straight through the remains of a shattered window before climbing up through the night sky. Amethyst stood speechless as the clock continued to chime, counting down the seconds until Gem fell to her death.
***Up Next: Glitter and Gold***