//------------------------------// // 19 - Consequences // Story: A Fateful Flurry // by FIygon //------------------------------// There was a knock on the door to my cabin. I jumped a little as I hesitantly glanced up from staring at the table, and in the small window I could make out the form of a smiling mare. Judging by the hat, she seemed to be a stewardess of the train. I continued to look at her worriedly, completely unsure of what she wanted. My anxiety kicked in quickly. Would she kick me out? Was she going to ask a million questions? Or were they finally looking for tickets? The door gently and slowly opened, and the mare poked her head in. “Um, excuse me, little one, are you traveling alone?” I shied my eyes away from her and tried to look smaller. A panic grew in me, and I didn’t know how to respond. Noticing my shift in body language, the mare quickly waved a dismissive hoof, “It’s okay!” The stewardess affirmed, “Lots of little ones take the trains for the holidays; it’s alright, dear.” I sighed a bit in relief, finally looking back at her with a small, confirming nod. The stewardess smiled and glanced behind her at something outside of my cabin. I could hear the faint murmurs of some other conversation going on right behind the door. She fixed her gaze back on me apologetically. “I’m sorry to ask this of you; the train is rather full right now… and I’ve got a family behind me that can’t find anywhere else to sit. Would it be alright if they shared the cabin with you?” I felt some fear at the proposition and a bit of annoyance. All I wanted was to be alone right now, and the idea of sharing a cabin with strangers who would ask far too many questions sounded draining. I hummed slightly, unsure, as I finally spoke for the first time. My voice came out small and uneven. “Are you sure there isn’t anywhere else for them..?” The stewardess furrowed her brow and nodded apologetically. "No, there isn’t; I’m sorry, dear…” I heard a mare’s voice from behind the door address the stewardess suddenly; her voice was muffled but audible. “It’s quite alright if he doesn't want to, miss; we can stand in the halls if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.” “But momma! I don’t wanna stand.” A foal whined. I heard a jovial stallion’s voice as well, but couldn’t hear the words. The stewardess looked unsure between me and the family. I knew I was being difficult and taking up far more space than required. The thought soured my feelings and made me feel resigned and upset. Even disguised as I was, I still felt like a huge burden on everybody around me. I couldn’t catch a break, I guess. A good pony would happily agree to share. Was I a good pony? Debatably no; I was terrible at faking it as well. I let the sinking feeling of despair wash over me; I was just wasting space and being a nuisance if I said anything otherwise. So I hesitantly bowed my head and mumbled a reply to the antsy stewardess. “Okay, it’s fine; we can share.” I resigned with a small sigh. The stewardess smiled and nodded, opening the door the rest of the way before walking off with a cart. Suddenly, a head poked around the corner slowly. A green unicorn mare with dark green hair and violet highlights. She wore a purple bandana around her neck and a flower in her hair. Her eyes shone purple as she gave me a careful smile. “Sorry to barge in like that, sweetie. We do hate intruding on your privacy.” She said it gently in an apologetic way as she bowed her head. I just shrugged and turned my head to look out the window a bit. “It’s fine…” She walked forward a bit, and I could see her cutie mark was that of a vine with many purple flowers growing off of it. She turned back behind her and said, “Alright, come in.” Behind her trailed two small foals, probably a good half a foot—a hoof—smaller than me. Their fur was the same cream color on both, with light green hair and purple eyes. It was easy to tell that the two were twins of some kind. However, one had a horn and a more coltish hairstyle. And the other, which I assumed to be his sister, was an earth pony and was staring at me with a proud smirk. They were both tiny, and in classic small-child fashion, one of them immediately quipped something less than friendly. “Is the selfish filly sharing?” The small filly huffed. Her brother immediately bumped her with his side and rolled his eyes. “It’s not selfish; we’re strangers, dummy.” The mother blushed furiously as she glared down at her children and hushed them, “You two, behave!” She hissed. “Sorry momma.” They both answered at once with straightened backs. “You two better be nice or ahm gonna make you pay for your gifts tomorrow!” A stallion remarked teasingly with a small chuckle as he walked into view. He was a large, dark orange stallion with cream-colored hair and brown spots all over his body, and he was also wearing a green bandana backwards. He was rather large and imposing in size, easily rivaling Shining in height and definitely beating Shining in bulk. He set his sights on me and said, with a soft and sheepish expression, “Sorry to force ourselves in, little’un. Not tryin’a crowd ya too much.” It was clear by now that he had a sort of country accent. Which almost weirdly felt comforting, knowing that such things lived on in more than just the world I’d come from. I shrugged yet again, giving only a brief moment to take in the view of their family before I resigned myself back to the window view. The mother eventually clicked her hooves together as they all stood awkwardly in the doorway. “Um, so sorry, where are our manners? My name is Sage Blossom, and those two little ones are Ivy and Rue.” She pointed towards the filly for Ivy and the colt for Rue. I was starting to notice a pattern in their names; however, it wasn’t my business… so. Sage suddenly elbowed the stallion quite hard. He widened his eyes and cleared his throat. “Oh yes, ahm Heath Keeper. Pleasure to meet you… little’un.” He paused awkwardly at the end. Rue took a step towards his mother and sort of shied away. “Nice to meet you…” But the Ivy foal kept staring at me up and down, then huffed haughtily, “I don’t like her; she’s rude.” She remarked while raising her muzzle in defiance. “Ivy!” Heath huffed angrily, “What does yall’s mother always say about bein’ nice to strangers, little filly?” He glared expectantly at her. Ivy cowered a bit at her father’s gaze. “Momma said to treat others the way you wish to be treated.” Sage nodded resolutely. “It’s not nice to say things about somepony you’ve barely just met.” Sage looked up and gave me an apologetic bow. “She’s like this with new foals; I apologize… um…” She awkwardly glanced up expectantly and waited. In my continued silence, they hesitantly looked between each other and eventually decided to seat themselves. Sage finally laughed slightly and looked down at her foals. "Alright, you two, up! Or I’m gonna make Daddy’s threat to make you pay for your gifts a reality!” The mother smiled. After some fearful gasps, the two foals became quiet as their mother herded them up onto the same seat as me. The seat was large enough that I was still a comfortable distance away, but I still stiffened and tried to disappear quietly in the corner. The stallion settled in across from me as the mother closed the door and did the same. We sat there in awkward silence more than I’d like to admit. The only sound audible was the chugging of the train and the howling winds as it passed by. Eventually the stallion began quietly tapping his hoof on the table, and it almost felt like the room grew quieter moment by moment. “I’m… sorry, pumpkin. I didn’t quite catch your name earlier?” Sage continued to prod me verbally. They looked at me expectantly, and I suddenly felt my breath catch in my throat. I couldn’t tell them my name! They’d instantly know who I am and… throw me off the train or tell the conductor! Something awful would certainly happen. I shivered slightly at the thought of being thrown out into the snowstorm. “Everything alright, sweetheart?” Sage asked me with a tilted head. I instantly stuttered out a response—anything to get them off my case. “Um… uh, my m-mom told me not to tell strangers about myself.” I shuffled awkwardly as I lowered myself even more in my seat. “Oh yeah, mommy tells us the same thing.” Rue said absentmindedly as he scuffed the seat below. Ivy glared at him, “Because you’re too nice to everypony!” The two adults looked at each other for a moment, sharing a look before turning and smiling at me. Sage giggled as Heath nodded towards me. "Then, ah’d say your parents taught you well. How ‘bout a nickname then?” I furrowed my brow and tilted my head as Sage nodded with him in agreement. “Good idea! You don’t have to tell us if you aren’t comfortable, pumpkin. But I'd still like to have something to address you with for the trip!” Her smile was warm and encouraging. Too bad I knew it was fake and worthless, just like everybody else’s… But they were giving me an out, and I wouldn’t take that for granted. I hummed to myself as I put a hoof to my chin and thought of a nickname. Rock, because I kinda look like one? Or, like… Stoney… I also kinda look like a can of tuna, but I doubt ponies know what that is… “I um… you can call me… Ash or something… I guess.” I said slowly. “Ash is a sweet name,” Sage remarked, her eyes suddenly sparkling. “Can I call you Ashy? Aww, I love that name.” Ivy giggled. “Ashy!” I laughed awkwardly and nodded hesitantly. “Okay… that works…” I felt relief wash over me at getting past the introductions. Now all I had to do was wait until the train cleared a little more, and I’d be alone again. “Where ya headin', Ashy?” Heath inquired with a smile. At my uncomfortable look, Sage saved me some time to think of a lie. “We’re heading to Heath’s family’s big gathering. Quite a trip from the Empire for us.” I nodded slowly, so they were victims of mine as well, and I had ruined their homes right before vacation. I quickly lowered my head, and I couldn’t force myself to make eye contact. "Oh, I see… Sorry about your home…” The parents furrowed their brows and looked at each other curiously. Heath waved a hoof. “Everythin’s alright; our home’s still standing. And we know Princess Cadance will get the barrier back up an’ runnin’ soon.” He chuckled. “Something always goes on in Equestria; it ain’t our first time. Plus, it ain’t your fault, Ashy.” I felt a pit form in my stomach at those words, and I wished for nothing more than to disappear into thin air. But I knew that, in the interest of keeping their suspicions off me, I’d have to tell them something to hold them over. “I’m… uh… going home. I was having an early Hearth’s Warming with my… grandparents.” Sage tilted her head and asked, “Are they alright? No injuries or anything?” I quickly nodded. “They’re fine…” Heath hummed, “Well, good. There ain’t nothin’ more important than family. I just wish whatever had attacked the Empire hadn’t chosen such a bad time.” “Yeah… me too…” It got really silent again. Until the foals giggled. “I bet it was some big winter dragon!” Ivy proclaimed while roaring. Rue jumped a few times. "Oh, oh! What if it was a pack of windigos! Hehehe.” I looked over at the couple conversing and down at the siblings in the midst of a petty argument and huffed inwardly. I wonder what they’d do if they knew the monster in their minds was sitting right next to them. Would they scream? Run away and hide? They’d already forgotten about me now that they didn’t have to pretend to care who I was. Thank whatever deity exists for that… Cadance appeared in a flash of magic at the base of the castle. The first thing she saw was the crystal heart, still mostly intact. There were a few pieces chipped off, and it was lying on the ground next to its spot. She sighed as she watched a group of five or six guards heaving to try and lift it. “It’s alright, let me.” Cadance remarked calmly. “Princess!” One of them shouted as they all stood in formation. Cadance all but ignored them as her magic gripped the crystal heart. It was difficult even for her to lift, but with a bit of force, she was able to rectify it into the correct spot. The barrier didn’t immediately return as she had hoped, and with a sigh of resignation, she picked up the few broken pieces and forced them into their slot with a magical adhesive. The barrier rippled over her, to her surprise, blocking the eternal winter storm from falling as harshly. For a moment, she thought the barrier was fully intact, but it would fade in and out, never staying completely on in its half-fixed state. Therefore, it was only a temporary fix. Cadance shook her head; that was a problem for later. Right now, she had to see her foals; she needed to see them. She quickly walked away from the guards and towards the main entrance of the castle. She didn’t even have to push open the doors, as the guards at the entrance did swiftly for her. She didn’t know what she was expecting on the other side of those doors. But it was somehow worse than she had expected. The main entrance room had been turned into some sort of temporary hospital for the guards. A few ponies from the academy were concentrating on a barrier to keep the warmth in as multiple nurses made their way between the injured guards. She thanked Harmony herself that the injuries weren’t the worst they could’ve been. “Princess Cadance!” Cadance looked up at the voice in surprise as Moon Petal rushed up to her. Anybody who hadn’t noticed her yet now had as well, and the instant flood of questions from everywhere made her growl out a command. “Silence!” The room grew quiet as Cadance looked back down at her personal nurse, “Moon Petal?” She questioned wearily at seeing her out of breath and the fear in her eyes. “Well, it’s your daughter.” She said carefully. Cadance’s wings shot out and flared intensely as her eyes became pinpricks. “What happened?” She demanded an answer. “Follow me,” Moon said as she rushed off. Cadance followed her swiftly through the hallway and into a more secluded room. She pushed the door open quickly, and Cadance sighed in relief at the sight of her daughter. Looking shaken and having a bandaged wing, but still very much alive. With Silver standing guard right next to her. Flurry looked over at her, and shame washed through her body and eyes, but Cadance hadn’t noticed. Rushing over to her daughter and nuzzling her swiftly, "Oh, honey, are you okay?” She asked as tears left Flurry’s eyes. Moon came up beside her. “A broken wing; it was a clean break, thankfully. I’ve already checked for a concussion, and other than a bruised back leg, she’s alright.” Cadance sighed greatly in relief, gently petting Flurry’s hair as she held her to her chest. "Oh, thank goodness. You’re alright; Momma’s got you.” She pulled back slightly to look at Silver with a worried gaze. “Where is Kieran?” The room grew very silent, silent enough to hear a pin drop. Cadance’s heart stopped, and she suddenly found it very hard to breathe as she looked between the three with fear in her eyes. She hadn’t known such a striking feeling of terror in so long, and she hoped—prayed—that her mind was wrong. “Where is he?” Moon Petal sighed, “Cadance, we… we need to tell you something.” “Where is my son!?” Cadance shouted a lot louder and more commandingly. The two adults winced as Flurry flinched and suddenly burst out in tears. “Mo-Momma… Momma... I… I…I didn’t know!” Suddenly, assuming the absolute worst had happened, Cadance felt herself get lightheaded as she shook her head in disbelief. It all made sense now to her—the reason for her tracking spell disappearing. Something terrible had happened. And she wasn’t there; she didn’t save him. “He’s not… He’s not…” Cadance felt tears stream out of her eyes in horror. “You’re all lying to me! This isn’t happening!” Silver stepped forward, “It’s okay! He’s not dead, I promise.” Silver reassured her as she looked at Flurry. Cadance’s intense panic turned into confusion, and she listened intently to Silver’s words. “Allow me to explain, my princess.” It had been an hour since the ride began. They’d tried to start meaningless conversations with me for a while, but due to my willingness to talk being at an all-time low, I was left alone for most of it. I was feeling cold—much colder than I’d felt when initially getting on the train. I briefly looked up and wondered if the heating had stopped working. But everyone else was still conversing and acting as if it were normal, and the train was still steadily chugging along. But I was so inexplicably… cold. And I felt tired, like really tired. And had a headache. Though both of those were probably due to the events of my escape. It wouldn’t hurt to doze off, right? I rested my head on the wall and let my eyes slowly drift close as the white noise of the train lulled me into submission. I felt myself drifting off quite handily; however, it didn’t last as long as I’d had liked as one of the foals spoke loudly. “Why are you bleeding so much?” Rue asked, a bit uncomfortably close for my taste as I immediately flinched. My eyes shot open, and I gazed at him in curiosity as he pointed down at my hoof. “Your hoof is bleeding.” He said again with a tilted head. "Yeah, stupid, I think she knows.” Ivy said while pushing him a bit. I felt my anxiety come back again in full force as I looked down at my hoof. It was bleeding a bit more than I’d originally given it credit for, much to my unease. I’d completely forgotten, and under my hoof sat a rather large puddle of blood. Sage leaned over the table a bit and asked, “Do you have a cut or something, buttercup?” I shook my head quickly and pulled my hoof towards myself, using my good hoof to enclose the injured one in my cloak. “Yeah, it’s nothing, just a small cut.” I remarked quietly. Ivy gasped and pointed, “Ew! It’s dripping all over the floor!” Alarm covered the two adults' faces as Sage lowered her head below the table. “Oh my word!” She remarked quickly. She pulled her head up and looked at me in sudden horror. “Honey, a ‘small cut’ doesn’t create a pool of blood on the floor!” She admonished me quickly. Sage immediately stood up as Heath’s eyes widened at his wife’s words, lowering his head to see for himself. He huffed loudly in disbelief after looking underneath. “Ashy, that ain’t an alright amount of blood to be losing, little’un.” “Alright, up!” Sage commanded her foals, who immediately jumped down off the seat next to me. I shook my head and continued to shrink in my spot. “It’s fine, I told you. It stopped bleeding a while ago! I swear!” I touched my hoof to it under my cloak and winced audibly as I felt the warm liquid trail out of my body. Sage sat mouth-agape for a moment as she leaned over the seat. “Fine my flank!” She huffed as she outstretched her own hooves. “Ashy, let me see your hoof, please.” I slowly shook my head, and Sage sighed, “Ashy, I just want to help, dear. I promise.” I continued to hold it to myself as I looked at her wearily. But Sage grew impatient after a few more moments and sighed, “I don’t have time for you to be difficult about this, dear. It could be serious!” Against my wishes, she pulled my cloak away, gripped my hoof, and pulled me towards her, though it was much gentler than I was expecting. She turned my hoof over and got a good look at it. Though there wasn’t much to see since the entire leg was caked with a mix of dry and fresh blood. Sage shook her head in disbelief, unhoofing me for a moment as she untied the bandana from her neck. “It needs to be cleaned, but I’m going to cut your blood flow off for a bit first.” She did just as she said, tying her bandana on my upper leg as tight as she could. Her head locked onto her husband. “Heath dear, go see if they have a first aid kit, would you?” “Right away.” He remarked as he exited the cabin. Sage held her hoof’s fetlock over the wound with diligence as she put pressure on it. As we waited, she locked eyes with me, and I’d say I don’t think I’ve ever felt such shame from a stranger in my life. The look she was giving was the epitome of judgment that only a professional mother could scold a child with. It brought me right back to the days in the orphanage with Mrs. Cramble. You didn’t want to hide things from Mrs. Cramble… “And why did you not get any help with this?” She asked curtly with a raised brow. My eyes drifted away again as shame washed over me. “I didn’t think it was such a big deal…” “You wouldn’t have been thinking anything for much longer if you’d kept letting yourself bleed out like this.” The blood from my cut was now seeping out from the edges around Sage’s hoof. “Honestly, sometimes I feel like foals have no self-preservation.” She continued as she clicked her tongue worriedly. Sage pulled her other hoof up so she could put twice the pressure on it. “How would your momma have felt when you returned to her without any blood in you?” She scolded me with a raised eyebrow. “Our momma would scream.” Ivy said with a bit more seriousness than she’d been before as the two foals sat on the other bench across from us. “Yeah, and cry… like a lot.” Rue remarked. “Because this is like… worst nightmare number two or three for every single momma in the world!” Sage said, a bit of worry creeping into her voice as the blood from my hoof still managed to make its way out between both her hooves. "Honestly, Ashy, what were you thinking, dear?” I started crying, but probably not for the reason Sage thought. I genuinely hadn’t noticed the wound, and along with the slew of other things that had gone wrong recently, I was nearing my breaking point. But I managed to hold on a bit longer; it helped focusing my crying on the pain I was just now feeling instead of the elephant in the room—or my mind. I think Sage felt a bit guilty about her admonishment after I started crying. She leaned in and placed her muzzle on top of my head as a way to comfort me without hooves. “Shh… it’ll be alright. We’ll get you fixed up, pumpkin.” The shutter of the door rolled open. “Ahm back!” Heath announced, “An’ I found a doctor too.” Sage widened her eyes at that, as a pink and red-maned unicorn mare walked in and instantly took hold of the situation. She set the first aid kit down on the table and looked towards me and Sage. “Open wound, applying pressure, and cut the blood flow off.” The nurse smiled at Sage, “Good job!” She began rummaging through the kit. “Alright, just keep doing what you’re doing for a moment, alright?” Sage nodded. The nurse was rather efficient at her job. She cleaned the wound with alcohol, which felt awful but nonetheless worked. And unfortunately for me, the nurse had to put three stitches into the leg wound. Sage had to hold me still, as the piercing feeling of needles with nothing to stifle the pain was horrible. But in all, the entire process didn’t take too long, and the nurse gave me a dose of pain medication she carried with her on her travels. Before long, she was exiting the room with instructions on when I could remove the stitches as well as things to avoid while I had them. With all the blood cleaned off of me and Sage, and Heath wiping the seat and floor of the rest of it. The nurse hummed as she looked at me. “She’ll probably be really sleepy, which should be okay now. Make sure she drinks a lot of water, and please come get me if she acts overly lethargic or oddly in any way.” Sage nodded intently at her words, “Thank you.” The nurse gave a final nod, “No problem; I hope your daughter gets to feeling better.” Sage opened her mouth to correct her, but simply shrugged as the nurse shut the door. I resisted the heavy urge to groan at the heavy feeling of pain and annoyance. I kept myself secluded in the far corner of the other seat. Their two foals watched me intently from a few feet away, now that my cloak had been removed due to all the blood coating it. And I really couldn’t have cared less what they were thinking; my mind was numb. All I wanted to do was go to sleep. After a minute, Heath chuckled softly. “Nothin’ like a medical emergency to bond a couple’a strangers together!” It remained silent, as Sage lightly elbowed his side, he quickly cleared his throat. Sage sighed and stood up, scooping up her two foals who were on the seat next to me. “Hey!” Ivy grumbled as she placed them in the seat next to their father. Sage slid into the seat next to me and leaned down. “Feeling okay?” “Better than before you and the nurse held me down and stabbed me?” I griped. Sage actually giggled a bit at that as she hoofed me a cup of water. “Sorry pumpkin. I had to do what’s necessary…” I reached out to grab it, but due to my exhaustion, I wasn’t even able to force my magic to grab it. That’s why I always let Cadance… Ugh… “Need help?” She offered, and I gave a begrudging and slow nod as she raised the cup to my lips, and I let the cool water wash down my throat. Satisfied, Sage pulled it away and set it down as I fell more into my drowsiness. My eyes shot open at the sudden feeling of a hoof against my mane. I shied away and looked back at Sage, who tilted her head. I sighed and pulled myself farther away from her. “Can I be left alone, please?” Her brow shifted downward as she looked at me worriedly. “I’m sorry, would you like a blanket?” I just shook my head and returned my head back to its place in the corner as I tried to shut my eyes. She gave me a soft, worried sigh. “The seat isn’t very comfy… Wouldn’t you rather me hold you while you sleep?” The brief image of Cadance flashed before my eyes, and Sage was giving me the same worried voice. I knew Sage was just trying to help, but I still grew annoyed and shifted away from her coldly. “Like I said, I’d rather be left alone.” I said maybe a bit harshly. Sage’s face fell sadly as she gently scooted herself away to the other side of the seat. “Okay… Just… tell us if you need something, pumpkin.” “We’re here if you're needin’ anythin’.” Heath reconfirmed as well. I held myself back from saying anything more as I huffed and buried my head under my good hoof. Curling into a ball on the seat. By the time I’d almost fallen asleep, I felt a soft blanket make its way onto me. But I didn’t fuss about it and simply resigned myself to a much-needed recharge. Cadance continued to pace back and forth in the room; her face darkened as she looked at her hooves. She would pace briskly to the end of the room, then turn before doing it all again. Her mouth moved silently as she did so. Flurry couldn’t help but continue to shiver in the bed. “Momma?” She spoke quietly. She had never seen Cadance act so coldly before, and not at all to her of all ponies. Cadance stopped, briefly giving her foal a charged gaze, before gritting her teeth and sighing as she continued to pace again. Nurse Moon Petal cleared her throat. “Well, that’s all I have information wise, my lady. I will take my leave to help the other nurses if you wouldn’t mind.” Cadance stopped and nodded curtly. “Thank you.” She muttered under her breath, though it was just audible over the deafening silence. Cadance began lightly tapping her hoof against the floor. As Moon exited the room and the door clicked shut, a heavy feeling filled the room. It was so thick that it almost suffocated the occupants. Flurry felt conflicted but scrambled to say something before it was too late: “I’m sorry, Momma.” Cadance’s hoof tapping stopped, and she sat there with her back turned for a few moments. “Why?” Flurry shrank. “Why am I… sorry?” Cadance turned and gave her a sharp look, her eyes piercing right through her and making her blood run cold. “Why’d you do it?” Flurry’s eyes widened. “I… I didn’t… I didn’t do it on purpose.” Cadance stamped her hoof. “Lies,” she said harshly, causing a wave of fear to wash over both Flurry and Silver standing next to her. Cadance took a few steps towards her. “He begged you, and you didn’t listen. The moment you understood what was happening, you should’ve shut up, gotten Silver, and waited for me to arrive back home…” Cadance gritted her teeth and glared. “But what did you do!?” She yelled. Flurry burst into tears as she tried to hide. “I… I know! I’m sorry!” “Sorry is not going to rebuild the trust that I’d been building with Kieran for weeks!” Cadance shook her head in disbelief. “What you did was so incredibly selfish, it makes me sick!” Cadance scoffed. Flurry shook her head wildly. “I was doing it to get him his magic, finally!” “And he begged you not to!” Cadance snapped right back at her, “You don’t just force somepony to do something as they sit there and plead and beg you to stop!” “I…I…” Flurry whimpered and cried, “I thought I knew better than he did… and I was wrong…” Cadance shook her head as her face darkened. “I told you to leave him be; let him grow at his own pace. And all you did was shatter his trust a second time…” Cadance's voice broke as she held her head with one hoof and began to cry. “Flurry, do you understand how hard it is to mend somepony that’s been broken twice? It might not ever happen.” Flurry looked down at her hooves, opening her mouth over and over, hoping she had an excuse. Though she knew she didn’t deserve one, and that answer never came, no matter how much she sat in silence. “I thought I raised you better…” Cadance sighed. “You did, momma…” Flurry choked out. Silver looked between the two awkwardly and sighed, “Princess-” Cadance held a hoof up and glared. “I don’t want to hear it from you either right now, Silver.” Cadance snapped as she glared dangerously. “The only other face he saw right after Flurry made him do all of this was yours.” Silver nodded solemnly and bowed her head. “And I looked at him like a monster. Yes, you’re right. I regret it terribly.” Cadance nodded curtly. “You told me you understand how a mother thinks, yes?” Cadance asked. Silver gave a shameful nod as Cadance gritted her teeth. “So I think you’ll understand when I tell you to leave the room, right now.” Without a word, Silver saluted and exited the room. Though Silver paused at the door with her back turned, “I will continue to have the guards look for Kieran. I promise I’ll make amends, my princess.” At the lack of response, she continued outward. Cadance watched carefully as she exited without issue. And when she was gone, she kept her back turned on her daughter. Flurry shuddered with fear and anxiety. “Momma, where’d Kieran go?” Cadance sighed and bowed her head. “I don’t know.” She seethed through her teeth harshly. “But… the tracking spell…” “Gone. Ever since his magical cataclysm. The pressure was so heavy it snapped.” Cadance continued with a thoughtful and cold-sounding voice. “Oh…” Flurry spoke quietly as she teared up again. “Momma… I really messed up this time.” Cadance sighed greatly and looked back at her daughter with a sad glint in her eyes. “Yes, I think you have.” Flurry sniffled as she alternated between hooves, wiping her dripping face. "Momma, do you…. D-Do you h-hate me now?” She whimpered, “Because… B-Because I’m really sorry!..” She broke down, crying. Cadance looked up at her daughter with shaky breaths of her own, finding it hard to find any words to help her. Flurry hiccuped through her tears. “I just wanted e-everyone to be happy… But I ruined everything, a-and now everyone hates me.” Cadance’s lip quivered and her eyes softened as she walked back over. “No… No shh…” She leaned her head in and nuzzled it over Flurry’s head. “I don’t hate you, honey.” “B-But you’re disappointed, right? Like, really, really disappointed?” Flurry countered through sobs. Cadance sighed and sat down, pulling one hoof up onto the bed to hug the filly slightly closer to herself. “I am, but… for many reasons.” Cadance continued to stroke the back of her hair and nuzzle her at the same time. “An alicorn's power is just so… potent. I will never understand why it was given to a foal. I can raise you as best I can, but eventually there will be hiccups, as there are when raising any unicorn or pegasus.” Flurry blinked a few tears away and looked up into her mother’s eyes. “So y-you blame whatever made me an alicorn?” Cadance sat back and gave her daughter a worried look before another sigh escaped her lips. “Alright, little one, let us get something clear right now.” Flurry tilted her head curiously and sat in silence, waiting. Cadance smiled. “I wouldn’t trade you for the entire world; I love you with all my heart… However, I also would have never, if given the opportunity, allowed you to be born an alicorn.” Flurry nodded carefully, understanding exactly why such a problem would be caused by her mere existence. Cadance slowly took her hoof away from her daughter. “But even if alicorn magic is too much for a foal to possess, I am still incredibly disappointed in how you’ve handled it. Unfortunately, life isn’t a fairy tale, Flurry. You can’t just wish somebody’s problems away and erase who somebody is just to fit your own ideals.” Flurry lowered her head in admission as her mother scolded her. “But I wasn’t trying to…” Cadance furrowed her brow. “While you may not have meant for any of this, your actions are the direct cause of everything that has happened. When, or if Kieran ever returns, would you have him take the blame for it?” Flurry shook her head wildly. “N-No! I would never… I…” She looked lost for words. Cadance hummed, “Then it would be up to you to shoulder the blame. To take with full responsibility the repercussions of your actions.” Flurry trembled. “Would I go to the dungeons?” “Well, would you expect Kieran to?” Cadance countered right back, Flurry opened her mouth to say no, and Cadance huffed with a raised brow. “So you see where selfishness can bring you, hmm? You’re so eager to take the blame for him, yet worried about the consequences. What would you do if one of you did have to be thrown in the dungeons?” Flurry suddenly shook her head rapidly. “I don’t want to be selfish! I’ll do anything if it means Kieran isn’t blamed for it all!” Flurry cried with a desperate tinge in her voice. She quivered, “But you wouldn’t actually throw me in there, right, momma?” Cadance sighed, standing on all her hooves and resting a hoof on her daughter’s head. “No, Flurry, I wouldn’t. I just want you to think about things and where those thoughts can bring you. Nobody likes a selfish princess.” Cadance brought her hoof away and looked down at it as she began to let her thoughts wander aimlessly. Cadance turned her back and sighed. “Unfortunately, my poor colt is still out there freezing in the snow…” Cadance’s voice barely contained the strained worry and heartache she felt as she walked towards the door. "Momma, are you leaving?” Flurry asked carefully. Cadance huffed, unwilling to answer any more questions. “I need to find Kieran before it’s too late.” She opened the door and felt the wind chill her to the bones, which seemed to strike a bit more adrenaline into her as she thought horribly of what could’ve happened to her, Kieran. Even Flurry pulled the blanket around her tighter as her thoughts also wandered to her stray clone. Wondering just what she had inflicted upon the poor foal. “I’ll be here. Please find him, momma.” Flurry said nearly above a whisper. And with a short nod, Cadance exited her room, closing it with a resolute shut. There wasn’t very much for Flurry to ponder. She had very few chances to make things right. She had hurt her kingdom, her friends, and her family, and worst of all, she had tortured an already battered heart with the exact same wound that he’d already been inflicted with in times past. And for a brief moment, Flurry wondered if there was any difference between her and a monster. She broke down crying again, burying herself in her blanket as she repeated the same words over and over: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” She whimpered again and again. She pleaded in her mind, as if somewhere, something could hear her. ‘I’ll fix everything; I’ll actually fix everything. Just tell me what to do! I have to do something. I have to know why…’ And with as cryptic a question as that was, she continued to sob as she ran through the events of the day in her mind. Again and again. As Cadance walked through the castle, she pushed the remnants of rubble to the side, clearing a pathway until she was able to make it to her regular study room. Opening the door required more effort as she pushed books and furniture away from the door. She looked around for only a moment with a forlorn sigh before looking around for what she needed. After acquiring a paper, ink, and a quill, she sat herself down at the desk, which managed to sit in the same spot as it always did. She began writing. “To my dearest friends and family,” Cadance finished writing the letter with tears in her eyes, begging her friends and family to help her. She had no idea what else to do, and she felt that she couldn’t be trusted to run her kingdom in this state. She finished sealing the letter and rolling it; she duplicated it, sending it to all who she trusted. As the scrolls disappeared in front of her in a plume of magic, a brief image flashed in her mind of her sitting at this very desk. Teaching Kieran to read as he excitedly pointed to words in the book. And when she’d teach him history, he’d point to parts of the map and look to her for praise. She lowered her head to the desk between her hooves and cried.