//------------------------------// // Chapter 61: Pain and suspicion // Story: Era of Harmony // by Gambling_Sam //------------------------------// *Tak's POV* Beep. Beep. Beep. That was all the could be heard in the hospital room they had put Nicholas in. Even with no injuries (Though he did sport an unsettling pale complexion) physically present, the night princess had decided to put him on those life machines just to watch his condition. After landing in ponyville, and meeting up with half of Nicholas's little romance posse, we followed the doctors as they had put him in a room besides the one they put Raiden in. Unlike Nicholas, his brother had been pumped with healing spells since being loaded into a chariot by Luna herself. Whatever sliced his innards had punctured several organs, including his lungs, and he was now hanging onto life by a thread. So, while Luna resided with Raiden and watched over him, I had taken it upon myself to help look after Nicholas. (Of course, the yellow pegasus that claims to be his mom had been doing most of the work after we arrived with Luna, so I mostly just helped her.) And that's how we got to where we were now: A bunch of kids sitting around the bed and a timid pegasus quietly watching over Nicholas with a far off gaze as we conversed about the events so far. "So, where's the rest of your crusader crew?" Axel asked Sweetiebelle as he stretched his legs from the chair he was sitting on. He had transformed into his bipedal form to help push Nicholas to the room and for some reason hadn't changed back. Sweetiebelle sighed. "Applebloom is upset due to learning about...complications surrounding Nicks ability to date more than one mare." Nicholas's current marefriend flinched at that. "As for Scootaloo...she's been with the changelings hive." My eyes widened as I stood. I had forgotten all about Scootaloo! "Is she ok?!" I asked a bit too loudly as everyone jumped a bit in response to my loudness. After the death of Larxene, I found myself suddenly very trigger happy when it came to people I cared about and their health. Before we had left from Canterlot, we had held a three changeling burning ceremony for our fallen comrade at arms. Afterwards, we took the yellow pegasus with us and she had ended up waking up on the way back. Let's just say she was less than enthused to be surrounded by danged pony-like forms. Thankfully, she recognized me and calmed down enough to not have a heart attack. Sweetiebelle smiled sheepishly. "She's doing pretty well, actually. Though she's been a bit busy with some sort of project under the town." So she's working on THAT, huh. Figures she get roped into that pink mares weirdness. I nod and rise to my hooves. "As much as I'd like to stay and wait for Nicholas to wake up, I need to check in on the hive in changeling." I turn to Axel. "Stay here and make sure NOTHING with bad intentions gets to him." I order with extreme sterness in my voice. Axel nods as Roxas follows me out. Hopefully, Nicholas wakes up soon. I have a feeling we're gonna need his power. ******************** Diamond Tiara POV ******************** After Tak left, I looked towards Fluttershy, who had been silently caring watching over Nicholas this whole time. After seeing Nicholas, she had immediately started making sure he was OK. From helping the nurses with anything she could to simply watching over him, she has been keeping it up for at least an hour now and honestly, I'm worried she blames herself for what happened to him at Canterlot It was at this point that Sweetiebelle got up with a yawn. "Where are you going?" I asked her as she gave me a tired smile. "I'm falling asleep, and I don't want to worry my sister by staying here. When Nicholas wakes up, don't forget to find me and the others." She said as she walked out, leaving me alone with the changeling and Fluttershy. Said changeling turns to me and nods his head. "I'm going to go escort the lady out. Watch over our bud, ok?" He said as he walked out of the room without another word. I sighed and walked over to the bed where Fluttershy was literally just watching Nicholas without moving an inch. "Um...Fluttershy?" I said hesitantly as she looked to me, allowing me to see the sadness in her eyes. Yup, she blames herself. "Oh...hello Diamond Tiara." She said meekly as she turned back to Nicholas. "Are you ok?" I asked her, and for a minute I didn't even receive any sort of answer until she finally spoke up. "I was in a garden." She said suddenly, catching me by surprise. "Huh?" I said very professionally. She sighed. "Nicholas was risking his life on an airship and I was frolicking in a garden messing around with the wildlife. And when he went up against a scary ice queen I was ASLEEP!" She had started of quiet, but at that last word she almost hissed it out as she turned to me again. She must have been briefed on the events at Canterlot, and it was obvious she wasn't taking it well. Though the words Ice queen left me clueless. Who the heck did he fight? I thought as she continued. "I wasn't there for Nicholas when he needed me, and now he's hurt. I promised to look after him, and now he's in the hospital." She now had tears going down her face as she buried her head into her hooves and started to cry. I've never heard her speak so much, or so emotionally. I thought as I placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Listen, Fluttershy. You didn't fail Nicholas in any sort of way, and it's not like we knew that he would be fighting some sort of ice queen thingy." I stated as she stopped crying and lifted her head up at me. "Nicholas found a way to teleport me and the girls away from Canterlot and back here, so I understand feeling useless or being left out of his plans. The main thing is he's here UNHURT." Fluttershy smiled softly and gave me a small nuzzle. "Thank you. I can see why he likes you so much now." Aaaaaand now my face is red, to the pleasure of the giggling pegasus. "Don't say things like that!" I exclaimed while putting my face into my hooves. Just because we liked each other doesn't mean I don't get embarrassed by things like that. I heard her giggling stop as she sighed. "And even Raiden is hurt, except his condition is far worse than Nicks." She said in a low voice as I lowered my hooves and looked at her. "Wait...how bad is he?" I asked her as I heard a crash come from the room next door room. "I SAID TO BE CAREFUL!" A loud voice followed as Fluttershy shrank down a bit in fear as I put a hoof on her shoulder. "You stay with Nicholas, I'll go and check that out." I said as Fluttershy nodded before I turned and walked out of the room, slightly peeved at the interruption. Who the heck even makes that kind of racket in a hospital anyway? ***************** Redheart POV, five minutes ago at Canterlot ***************** "Chrysalis?" The newly alabaster queen turned to me as I spoke up with a raised brow. "What is it, Nurse?" I pointed to the pink cocoon-looking thing that had just left the element of laughter (Yeah, she gave birth to an egg straight from her vagina.). "What in Tartarus did I just watch?" Chrysalis smiled gleefully. "You just witnessed the birth of either the next prince or princess of our hive." She frowned suddenly as she evaporated the scary amounts of confetti that was on the floor. "Though the pounds of confetti that came out of Pinkie was NOT part of that process." I looked over at Pinkie, who now rested in a bed passed out due to the exhaustion of...giving birth? What do I even call what occurred here? As if she read my mind, Chrysalis leaned in to my right ear. "It is called the birthing. It's a glorious occasion we usually celebrate for three nights and three days, but this one was a tad...rushed." I looked up at her and frowned. "Rushed?" I asked, not liking the sound of that at all. Chrysalis nodded. "Indeed. Due to the process happening so fast, the resulting child could be any age or any gender upon hatching." My eyes widened in shock. "Chrysalis! What if something is wrong with the foal?!" The queen scoffed. "Nonsense! No changeling spawn have ever came out wrong before!" She retorted, looking sure of herself. I face-hoofed. "Have you ever had a child from anypony like Pinkie pie before?" The smug look of Chrysalis's face disappeared as she looked from the sleeping Pinkie to the pink cocoon repeatedly, her face slowly looking more and more worried before she turned to me quickly. "Where's the nearest hospital?!" She demanded as I sighed. "I don't know much about Canterlot, but we could teleport back to the one in ponyville, that way I know what's there and who can assist us." I said as Chrysalis put her horn to my head as it emitted a soft green glow before she smiled and turned towards Pinkie. "Um...what did you just do?" She chuckled. "I scanned your memories for a room at the hospital that would work. Now sit back and watch." She said as the whole room got enveloped in a green light, much to my shock. "Chrysalis, You cant just teleport willy-nilly, you have to be careful!" I yelled, but by then the spell had activated as I felt my body get warped. Please don't let somepony be in that room! ******************* Diamond Tiara ******************* As I walked up to the closed door to the room next of us, I was able to make out more voices. "Careful?! Pinkie Pie is INSIDE the bed! How is that being careful?" I heard a very angry voice call out, and it sounded just like the one that had yelled out moments ago. "Pinkie is fine, just give me a second..." A green flash came from the other side of the door, followed by a laugh. "See! Pinkie and her egg are fine!" I frowned in confusion. Egg? Why would Pinkie Pie have an egg? I shook my head as I opened the door slowly. Then again, if this is Nicks brothers herd then it's gonna be weird...not to mention the stories about some of the strange things that they do have given me nightmares before. As I opened the door, I noticed two things out of the ordinary. One, there was a pink egg the size of an average pony laying on the ground near the hospital bed. And two, there was a Pinkie sized hole in the hospital bed. Next to the bed was Nurse Redheart and Chrysalis, though they didn't seem to notice me as they continued to argue while Pinkie Pie seemed to be resting on Chrysalis's back. "Great job, Chrysalis. Now I will have to replace the bed!" The nurse snapped at the queen as Chrysalis scoffed. "I was only saving Pinkie Pie from becoming a ponified mattress. I've already got to explain to Ronin why Pinkie is half changeling, and I'd rather not..." It was then that Chrysalis noticed me in the doorway. 'Oh. One of Tak's friends are here." Nurse Redheart turned to me and sighed. "We didn't disturb you, did we?" I narrowed my eyes, remembering why I was there. "Nicholas is in the other room completely passed out from the events at Canterlot, so yeah you are." Not liking my tone, Chrysalis walked up to and gave me a fierce glare. "You'd do well to watch your mouth child. Just because your on good terms with my son doesn't mean I've forgotten the torment you put him through during your bullying days." I flinched at that as she continued. "But you say Nicholas was injured?" I shook my head. "He's not hurt...he just won't wake up for some reason." Chrysalis turned to Redheart as she levitated Pinkie to the ground. "Watch over Pinkie please. It's time I paid some debts to that boy." With that, she walked out of the room as Redheart turned to the sleeping Pinkie with a frown as her ears splayed back with concern. "Hopefully, everyone wakes up soon." She said as I left the room and circled back to into Nicholas's room, where Chrysalis was now having a staredown with Fluttershy. "Let me see him, Bearer of Kindness." She growled as Fluttershy glared at Chrysalus hard. "No. He needs his rest. not anything from you." She said as I walked up beside Chrysalis and made eye contact with Fluttershy for a second before looking away immediately. She was using The Stare! I had only heard about it before, with stories about some sort of chicken monster from Scootaloo and somepony being turned to stone. But I couldn't even attempt to keep eye contact at all, all the while feeling submissive and weak at the same time whenever I'd try to keep eye contact. Chrysalis, however, seemed to be unaffected by it. Hay, she even seemed to enjoy it being use on her, telling by the smile on her face. "That glare may work on more...innocent beings, but I've seen more death and destruction than you ever will, so that little trick won't make me back down." She turns to Nicholas, who still lays sleeping in the bed. "Besides, I'm not here to hurt the boy. Quite the opposite, actually." Fluttershy frowns, though she shrinks back a bit from Chrysalis. "Then what do you plan to do?" Chrysalis chuckled. "To wake him up, of course." She lowers her horn down to Nicholas's forehead before frowning. "Odd...someling else has already tapped into his mental state before, probably how my son got his new looks not too long ago." As her horn touches with his forehead, a soft green light envelops Nicholas for a moment before disappearing, followed by Nicholas groaning softly before his eyes open slowly. "Ugh...what happened?" He said as rushed over and gave him a big hug. "Nick! Your ok!" I exclaimed into his shoulder as I felt tears going down my cheek. I felt a wing go around me as I realized Fluttershy had joined the embrace. "Oh thank goodness your awake." She said as I felt Nicholas return the hug. After a few moments we let go and Fluttershy turned around. "Thank you Chrysa-huh?" I turned around to realize Chrysalis was no longer there. Must've went back to her room with her herdmates. I thought as I turned to Nick and frowned, bopping him on the head. "Ow! What was that for?!" He exclaimed, looking at full health compared to earlier. I narrowed my eyes at him as I scoffed. "First off, forcing us to return to ponyville while you were in danger." He flinched, but I wasn't done yet. "Second off, you got hurt...Bad!" I pointed to Fluttershy. "And third, you made Fluttershy cry." He sighed, looking down at his hands. "I-I-I know...I'm sorry." He looked up at us, tears in his eyes as he smiled weakly. "Can you forgive me?" A small part of me wanted to turn around and walk off, and about two months ago I definitely would've. But now? I nodded, more tears leaving my eyes as I booped his nose. "No more funny business WITHOUT me, ok!" He smiled and pulled me into another hug with one arm as he fondled my ears with his free hand. As he did so, he turned to Fluttershy. "And don't worry, Mom. I'm not doing anything else like that EVER again. Especially with what happened to..." His eyes widened, as if he was remembering something important. "RAIDEN!" He yelled out, jumping from the bed with me still in his arms. "Where's Raiden? Is he ok?!" Fluttershy shook her head. "He down the hall in the emergency section of the hospital...Luna's with him now." She said as Nicholas fell to his knees as I watched on, completely unable to move or act. How bad was Nicks brother off? And what the hay happened in Canterlot that put them in the hospital in such a way?! **************** Tak POV **************** After arriving at the hive, Roxas and I went separate paths. He was going to look into our numbers while I went to find Scootaloo. As I was walking through the caves though, I found myself back at the same place where Axel and the others were born. Though instead of egg shells, there was a white eyed changeling napping with...Silverspoon? What the heck did Zexion do while we were gone? I thought as I spotted the mare I had been searching for. With her back facing me, Scootaloo was currently talking to several changelings, pointing her hooves in different directions as each changeling went to follow whatever orders she had given. After they left she let out a sigh and turned in my direction. I let out a weak squeak. "H-Heya, Scootaloo." A orange blue later I was pinned to the ground as Scootaloo nuzzled my face. "Your back!" She yelled as she looked me over and whistled. "Wow! You look so cool!" She suddenly frowned as a changeling went by. "Do you know how hard it is to get these goofballs to listen to orders?!" She stated as I chuckled. "You have to cut them some slack, they are children." I said as she rolled her eyes and let me get up. "I know, but it's like getting the cake twins to take a bath!" She said a I titled my head, but before I could ask she raised a hoof. "Don't ask. Long story." I shrugged. "So, I was told your working on the project?" Her eyes lit up at that. "Oh yeah! That thing that the changelings said Pinkie Pie wanted built? We finished it an hour ago. Come look!" She quickly ran off into a side cave as I struggles to keep up. After a few minutes of running through and around the now changeling full caves she stopped me and pointed a hoof towards a large hole in the ground. "There!" She said as I looked down it as my jaw dropped. What the...? Inside the hole was what looked to be a combination of pony magic runes and changeling slime that was used to make cocoons. And in the center was a black void. "Um...how did you make that? And where the hay does it go?" I asked her as she shrugged. "Don't know, the changelings involved where part of the R division, but that's even close to the craziest thing I found." She turned down a hall into a cave that had a sign saying keep out on it. "C'mon, I had this closed off until you came back." Following her down the hall, I noticed that it was barely even dug into, and what was dug looked like it was done quickly and not in the way to make a cavern. Whatever made this was running from something, and was trying to dig their way to safety. I thought as Scootaloo stopped and pointed at...something at the end of the tunnel. Casting a light spell, I illuminated the cave... ...And saw a dead changeling body sitting against the wall, torn and beaten to a pulp. I took several steps back in shock. "What in tartarus?!" Scootaloo shuddered. "I threw up when the changelings showed me that. And from what they said after looking it over, it's an older changeling too." That caused me to stop in my tracks. And older changeling...but the oldest were the LAZR squad. I frowned. "This means either their was a fifth member of LAZR, or we have a imposter in our midst." Scootaloo frowned. "Isn't that supposed to be your guys specialty though? Who could pull a fast one on you guys?" I shuddered as I turned around, eager to leave and seal off this cavern. "I don't know, Scootaloo. But I don't like it at all." ***************** Nicholas POV ***************** After hearing the news about my brother, I ran out of the room as fast as I could, turning down the hall and pushing past the doors that said EMERGENCY above them. I kept moving, pausing to look into each room to see if he was there. Please don't let him be dead! Please no! I thought as I stopped in front of an open door. Inside I could see princess Luna using a spell a figure that was behind a curtain. "Did you find him?" Diamond Tiara asked me, shaking me from my stupor as I realized I had her in my arms this whole time. I let her down to the ground and pointed into the room. "Well, then go in." Taking a deep breath, I walked into the room and approached the bed as Luna slowly turned towards me. "I said to not be...Nicholas!" She said, irritated at first before sounding shocked as she looked me over. "How are thou even awake right now?" I shrugged as Diamond walked up beside me and bowed to Luna, looking quite nervous. "C-Chrysalis healed him, princess." Luna smiled softly. "Little one, there's no need for formalities, especially with one so close to Nicholas." Her smile disappeared as she turned back to the bed. "We suppose thou wishes to see your brother?" I nodded as Luna pushed the curtain back with magic, revealing... Oh lord. It was Raiden, but not as a dragon. He was human again, and he had bandages covering his entire body from neck down. He seemed to be hooked up to some of those doctor machines that tell you your heartbeat rate and stuff. But his face...he was paler than paper, and his mouth was a dark shade of red as his hair looked grayer than before. "D-Did Christine do this to him?" I asked, Luna nodded but flinched at the mention of the ice queen. As she should. I heard a voice in the back of my head state. Remember, it's her fault Raiden is hurt. I felt my fist clench as tears came to my eyes. Regardless of who's fault it was, Raiden was hurt bad...like real bad, Ronin was who knows where and I was sitting her at peak health when it should've be me to be injured. My memories went back to that fight. After Raiden got hurt, I had gotten angry, then I...killed her. I killed a living being...a human no less. Seeing my face contort, Luna sighed. "Thou should not blame yourself for what occurred last night. Nor should you let Christine's death burn at you. She was a hollowed soul at that point, and you had no choice." "THERE'S ALWAYS A CHOICE!!" I yelled, turning to her and causing Diamond to jump a mile high. "I KILLED A PERSON YESTERDAY! A LIVING, BREATHING PERSON!" I felt the sting of hot tears down my face as I heaved a sob. "I'm just a kid, Luna. A KID! I should be doing homework and eating sweets with my friends, not being in life or death situations!" Luna frowned. "We understand thous anger, but please listen. We nev-" I cut her off. "NO! I'M DONE WITH ALL OF THIS. I AM NEVER LEAVING THIS TOWN AGAIN! SCREW SAVING THE WORLD, SCREW THE BAD GUYS, AND SCREW YOU!!! LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BROTHERS BECAUSE OF YOU AND CELESTIA! ONE IS ON HIS DEATHBEAD AND THE OTHER IS A MARKED CRIMINAL!" I turned around as I wiped my eyes. "I never want to see you again, Luna." With that, I ran out the door, not caring at all about what the princess (Or anyone else, really) was thinking or feeling.