//------------------------------// // 39: Rescue Mission // Story: Death of a Queen, V2. // by Arkane12 //------------------------------// Twilight stormed down the hallway, brushing past her armored guards and leaving Shining and Cadance struggling to keep pace with her. At the end of the hall, she kicked the door open and stepped into the large, circular room.  In the center, a wooden table held a collection of maps depicting the whole of Equestria. Small plastic figures littered the map, arranged purposefully to depict current military operations. Except for the one at the edge of the table, which Thorax bounced back and forth in his hooves.  With a huff, Twilight threw herself down into one of the seats around the table. Once the doors were closed, Shining and Cadance took positions on either side of the princess.  “Alright, someone mind explaining to me exactly what happened?” Twilight asked, glancing around the table.  “I got a full report from Quartz.” Shining Armor cleared his throat. “Neither Quartz nor the previous shift had visual confirmation of Chrysalis. She could’ve slipped away five minutes ago or several hours ago.”  “How exactly did this happen?” Cadance demanded, massaging her temple. “She didn’t have the magic to shapeshift. And we’ve got pegasi patrolling the castle airspace, so she couldn’t fly out.”  “If I might say something?” Thorax leaned forward in his seat, waiting patiently for the others’ attention. “Chrysalis has trained countless generations of changelings on the ways of infiltration. She doesn’t need magic to break out of a place like this. Especially with the more lax guard she’s been under lately.”  Twilight scoffed, but Cadance spoke up first.“Do you mean to say that this was her plan? After everything we’ve all been through, she was just waiting for us to relax to make a break for it?”  Thorax Shrugged. “Could be.” “No.” Their focus turned to Twilight. “She had plenty of opportunities to escape before, but she didn’t. Something must have changed recently to convince her . . . ” Realization crept over Twilight, sending her collapsing into her seat. “Something like our conversation last night. I’m such an idiot. I knew something was wrong, but I left anyway.”  “You’re not the only one,” Thorax said. “Our conversation last night didn’t go so well, either. And that was before the other changelings showed up.”  “That’s enough out of you two,” Shining Armor interrupted. “We can assign blame and feel bad about it after we fix this. Thorax, do you have any idea where she might go?”  “Only the Queens above know where she might have gone. With her magic gone, I doubt she’ll go anywhere with too many ponies. She has abandoned hives all over Equestria. I’d say one of those would be our best bet.” Thorax lowered his head. “But that’s making a lot of assumptions. She could be hiding under any rock in Equestria.”  “Well, before we go looking under rocks, let’s start with her hives.” Shining drew a quill and ink from a nearby drawer. “Can you show us where they are? Do you have an exact count or coordinates?”  “There’s no point in sending soldiers to search the old hives. I’ve already got scouts on the way. Except for one. I’ll be heading there personally when we’re done here.”  “The Badlands?” Twilight asked, not bothering to look up.  Thorax nodded. “Back where this all started. Something she said last night makes me think that’s where we’ll find her. But honestly, I might just be chasing shadows. Only one way to find out for sure.”  Twilight jumped from her seat. “I’m going with you.”  “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Twilight?” Cadance asked, putting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “With Celestia and Luna out of commission, should you be running off like this?”  “Don’t worry, Twilight, I’ll take a few guards in chariots and head out with Thorax,” Shining said, donning his helmet.  Thorax shook his head. “That won’t work. A chariot won’t get you there. Not in one piece, anyways.” The three ponies all stared at the changeling, waiting for him to elaborate. “The storm season has begun. Between the winds and hail, the chariots would be torn apart, let alone the riders.”  “But you’ll be just fine on your own?” Shining asked skeptically.  “Yeah.” He tapped a hoof against his chest. “This chitin isn’t just for show, you know. It can withstand the storm long enough for me to get into the hive. That's why we built it there.”  “I’ve got my shields to keep us safe,” Shining argued.  “And while your shields are certainly impressive, the storms are far more powerful. By the time you make it all the way to the hive, your magic will be exhausted. There’s no way you can--” “What about the airships?” Cadance interrupted.  “The airships?” Shining asked.  “The airships down at the docks. They’re older models that just came in for refits.”  “Would that work, Shiny?” Twilight asked.  “I have no idea. The barges are slow, but they’re designed to withstand cannon fire. Would that armor be enough to weather the storm?”  Thorax sighed. “It’s better than nothing, I suppose.”   “Right.” Shining nodded. “I’ll gather a team to get the airship set up for us. Gather up everything you need and meet us down at the docks, Thorax.” With that, Shining turned and marched out of the room. Thorax rose and exited after him, stopping just long enough to address Twilight. “Don’t worry. I’ll bring her back. I promise.”  “Thank you, Thorax.” Twilight forced a smile that lasted until the changeling walked out. With only Twilight and her sister left, she sank back down in her chair.  Hoofsteps rang out as Cadance stepped forward, putting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight?”  “Yeah?” Twilight asked, her voice warbling.  “Are you alright?”  “No, Cadance, I’m not.” Twilight rolled her shoulder, knocking her sister’s comforting touch away. “This is my fault. I should have pried. I should have sat there until Chrysalis told me what was wrong.” She rested her chin on the table. Her wings drooped.  Biting her lip, Cadance sat on the edge of the table. Rather than try to comfort Twilight again, she crossed her hooves over her chest. “Don’t beat yourself up, Twilight. None of us know what Chrysalis is thinking. If anything, I think you’re the only reason she stayed as long as she did.”  “I know you’re trying to help, Cadance, but please don’t.” The room slipped into an uncomfortable silence until Twilight took a deep breath and continued. “I should be out there looking for Chrysalis and trying to find a cure for Celestia. But instead, I’m here playing politician for a bunch of ponies that couldn’t care less about me or what I think.” “You know that’s not true.”  Twilight lurched back in her seat, nearly tipping it. “You know something, Cadance?” Her eyes focused on the map, but saw miles past it. “I don’t think I can do this. I’m just . . . I’m lost. I don’t have a clue what I’m supposed to do. I’m not cut out for all of this, I just . . . sometimes, I wonder if Celestia made a mistake. I certainly don’t feel like a princess.”  “Don’t talk like that, Twilight. You earned your wings.” Cadance shifted back and forth, as though she forgot how to sit. “Those ponies out there don’t know anything about you. Celestia did. She knew you could handle it. I know it, too. And so does Shining Armor. Any pony that knows you knows you can handle any problem you set your mind to.” “I . . .” Twilight sighed. “I don’t know if I agree, but thanks for saying that.”  “Just look at what happened here, Twilight. I know how you feel. I know you like to lead the charge and that it’s killing you to just sit here and do nothing.” Cadance swept a hoof through the air. “But you’re willing to give all that up for the sake of Equestria. That sort of loyalty and sacrifice sounds like a princess to me. But what do I know, I’ve just been a princess for a lot longer than you.” She finished with a smile and a flourish.  “I could not agree more, Cadance.”  The two princesses turned toward the door, startled by the new voice. Luna stood in the doorway, unsteady and leaning on her guard for stability, but standing.  “Luna?” Twilight’s eyes lit up.  “Aunt Luna?” Cadance slid off the table. “What are you doing up? You should be in bed resting.”  “I got bored. Thought I might come down and see how things are functioning without me.” Luna limped forward, her crutch careful to keep pace with her. “And it sounds like I arrived just on time.”  “On time for what?” Cadance asked as Twilight ran forward and hugged Luna.  Luna ran a hoof over Twilight’s mane. “My sister chose you because she believed in you. And, over my long life, I have learned to trust my sister’s instincts. Which is why I will take over your court duties for the rest of the day.”  “You what?” Twilight balked. “Aunt Luna, are you sure? You look like you’re barely standing.” Cadance took a half step forward before stopping herself.  Luna put a hoof on her chin. “Is Celestia’s throne still sitting in the Great Hall?”  Cadance blinked. “Yeah.”  “Then I do not think I have to worry about standing.” Luna smiled wide enough to show her teeth. “And in the meantime, Twilight will accompany Thorax and Shining Armor. Unless, of course, you have a problem with that, Twilight?”  “Yes. I mean, no. I mean . . .” Twilight took a shaky breath. “I want to go. I have to go.” “That is what I thought.” Luna glanced up toward Cadance. “Find Shining Armor. Inform him of our change of plans. Twilight, you should head up and pack a bag. Quickly, now. We have a Changeling Queen to save. Again.”   “Thank you, Luna,” Twilight said, growing teary-eyed. With one last affectionate squeeze, she slipped past Luna, headed for the door. As she left, Twilight heard Luna’s voice chasing after her. “And when you find Chrysalis, make sure you thank her for me.” Twilight tore through the castle hallways, taking to the air when possible to make her journey even quicker. She burst into her room, grabbing a saddlebag and tossing whatever she thought she might need into it.  “Reading material. Note paper. Ink. Extra quills. Stitching set.” Twilight’s words moved as quickly as her hooves as she ripped the items from the shelves, knocking over more than a few of the knick-knacks she had stashed there. After determining nothing important had broke, she made a mental note to clean them up when she got back.  With her pack full, she shut them tight and slung it over her shoulder. Without her magic, she struggled to fasten the buckles, but eventually prevailed. Just as quickly as she arrived, she left her room, doubling over the list in her head to make sure she wouldn’t forget anything helpful.  But her thoughts derailed as she spied Chrysalis’ room. The guards were long gone, pulled away from their duty guarding an empty cell. Somehow, they left the door cracked open slightly. With a nervous flitter of her wings, Twilight changed direction, heading for the other room.  The door swung open at her touch. The lights inside were out, as they usually were. She recognized a few strands of her own fur in the bed from where she had laid the night before. Likewise, the covers were still ruffled where Chrysalis’ weight had shifted them.  The air felt cold. Cold enough that it stung. Twilight’s breaths grew shorter the longer she stood, watching. The room looked no different than she remembered. No signs of a breakout or tampering. But most importantly, nothing in the room marked the previous tenant’s presence. Nothing of Chrysalis’ was left here. Twilight’s skin crawled as that thought struck her.  “Hold on, Chrysalis,” Twilight said to the empty space. “I’m coming to get you.” Twilight turned, letting her promise linger in the air for a moment before leaving, making sure to pull the door shut behind her.  She moved deftly through the halls, navigating more by instinct than memory. Her wings fluttered as she ran, boosting her already impressive gallop. The urgency in her steps alerted guards and servants alike as she sped past, causing more than one incident with a spilled tray. Her rapid heartbeat thudding away in her chest refused to let her slow for even a moment.  She plowed through the barracks and out into the yard. Despite feeling the afternoon sun on her back, the cold winds of winter blew past, forcing her to slow as her body shuddered involuntarily. Perhaps her list should have included winter gear. Or at the very least, a jacket.  “I’m here. Don’t leave without me,” Twilight hollered as she rocketed down the path toward the docks. Several of the soldiers waiting on the docks jumped to attention as the princess skidded to a stop in front of them. They cast worried glances at one another, scored by the sound of Twilight trying and failing to catch her breath. “Twily?” Shining Armor stepped forward, removing his helmet. “You alright? You sound like a recruit after a morning run.”  “I . . . didn’t . . . want you . . . to leave without me,” Twilight said, her voice broken by constant panting. Shining chuckled. “Well, your timing is impeccable. The last of the crew just boarded. We’re making sure that the ship’s safe for takeoff, then we’re heading out. Go ahead and climb aboard when you’re ready.” He motioned to the ship beside them.  Twilight never had much interest in airships. But she couldn’t deny feeling a little intimidated by the monster waiting in its berth, bobbing up and down in the breeze. If she were in an honest mood, she wasn’t sure she would even call this thing an airship. It bore a closer resemblance to a fortress in the sky. Heavy metal plates were welded over a solid wooden frame. Several cannons peeked over the edge and out through portholes in the ship. It stood taller than most houses in Canterlot, four or five decks at least. A small army of ponies in armor stood on the deck, inspecting every inch of the ship. Four massive balloons held the transport in the air, letting it dangle back and forth as the wind blew.  “After you.” Shining swept his hoof through the air, motioning toward the gangplank. With a curt nod, Twilight stepped past her brother and put a hoof on the wooden walkway. The docks themselves hung over the edge of the city. The constant up and down motion of the gangplank on top of that made Twilight dizzy. Through the cracks between the planks, she could see the trees in the valley miles below.  “Nervous?” A voice called from the deck. Twilight glanced up to see Private Quartz leaning over the rail, smiling like an idiot. “Don’t be. If you fall, I’ll catch you.” He chuckled. Despite his joking demeanor, the promise did put Twilight a bit more at ease. Closing her eyes, she took a step forward. Then another. She felt the beam incline. But eventually, she stepped onto level ground as she reached the ship.  “See? Not that bad.” Quartz leaned back against the rail, his spear resting beside him. “Private Quartz, have you completed the inspection of your assigned area?” Shining Armor asked as he appeared behind Twilight.  Quartz’s smile vanished as he snapped to attention. “With all due respect, Captain, my orders are to stand here and not break anything.”  “And who gave you those orders?”  “Lieutenant Diamond, Sir.”  “Of course she did.” Shining sighed. “Alright, at ease, Quartz.” Rolling his eyes, he turned to Twilight. “I’m going to go speak with Captain Shield. With any luck, this bucket will be flying within a few minutes.” With an enthusiastic nod from Twilight, Shining walked off toward the cabin near the rear of the ship. Through the tempered glass, Twilight could see him walk up to and speak with Captain Shield at the wheel.  “I’ve got to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a winged pony afraid of heights.” Quartz’s voice drew Twilight back to the present. He was sitting now, his back against the rail. Despite that, his wings flopped lazily at his sides.  Twilight plopped down beside him. “Call it instinctual. I didn’t always have these wings, you know.”  “That’s right!” He clapped his hooves. “You used to be a unicorn, didn’t you? I almost forgot about that. That must have taken some getting used to, huh? I couldn’t imagine if I woke up with magic one day.”  “I don’t recommend it. One wrong twitch and . . .” Twilight threw her hooves up and made an explosion noise. “Magic can be finicky.”  “I believe it. You learned quickly, at least.” He smiled, his eyes traveling down Twilight’s side to her wings. “You seem to handle those wings well.” After a moment of silence, his smile faded. “Hey, Princess?”  “Yeah?” Twilight asked, caught off guard by the sudden seriousness. “I know that you have . . . feelings for Chrysalis, yeah?”  “I . . .” Twilight’s cheeks reddened.  “It’s alright, you don’t have to answer.” He sniffled and pawed at the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I should have kept a better eye on her. It’s my fault that she’s gone. I promise you, I’ll do whatever it takes to find her and bring her back.”  “Don’t beat yourself up, Quartz,” Twilight said. “She’s a master of stealth. She got past all of the guards, not just you.”  Behind him, his spear rose, gripped tight in magic, and tipped over, knocking him over the head and interrupting whatever he had to say next. “Hey!” He yelled, massaging his head.  “Are you bothering the princess again, Private?” The two sitting ponies watched Dusti emerge from below deck. “Feel free to throw him overboard for insubordination, Princess.”  “It’s alright. We were just talking,” Twilight said. “Besides, I’m not sure throwing a pegasus off an airship is all that much of a punishment.”  Dusti shrugged. “Won’t know unless we try.”  “You’re so mean, Lieutenant,” Quartz retrieved his spear and used it to climb to his hooves. “Captain Armor was looking for us. He wanted to know how the inspection was going.”  “Alright. Which way did he go?”  Quartz nodded toward the cabin. “I’ll take you to him. It’s been a pleasure chatting with you again, Princess Twilight.” He gave a sloppy salute as he marched away. Dusti rolled her eyes, obviously annoyed, but followed after him. The two of them disappeared inside through the same door Shining had used.  At some point, the rest of the crew had moved on to other parts of the ship, leaving Twilight by herself. In the silence, the buzzing of insect wings became audible as Thorax landed on the deck. Twilight acknowledged him with a smile. In return, Thorax’s steps became awkward, as though he didn’t know whether or not to stop. In the end, he simply smiled back before disappearing below deck. “This is Captain Shield.” The voice poured out from loudspeakers across the ship. “Our final preparations are complete. All hands brace for takeoff.” There was a crackle of static before the speakers died.  Twilight used the rail to pull herself up to a standing position. She felt the floor beneath her shift as the engines roared to life. Columns of fire exploded from the tall stacks on the ship, filling the balloons with hot air and lifting the ship up and out of its spot on the docks.  Dock workers, composed mostly of burly pegasi, waved goodbye as the ship departed. Twilight waved back. She waited until they were far enough away before letting her smile fall. Instead, she glanced off into the distance, her stomach twisting and turning at the knowledge of the path ahead.