“What?” She paused as though breaking the silence would trigger something. Her heart was still racing like a Wonderbolt from the sheer sight of them all. It was like the gemstone caverns all over again. Only difference was she wasn’t being replaced by one of them and getting her husband stolen. A single changeling stood up and cleared its throat.
“Your highness,” Cadence shivered. Its voice was like it had a cheese grater for a tongue.
“We are your devoted and loving subjects. After Queen Chrysalis’s tragic death, we all decided to go to our new successor; Queen Cadence.” Cadence just stared, too petrified to speak. Confused, the royal adviser hummed a single half note.
“Queen Cadence loves us all” Oh god they were chanting.
“Queen Cadence will not fall” in Perfect unison
“Queen Cadence guides our life
For our queen, we sacrifice
Queen Cadence knows what to do
Queen Cadence we salute
Queen Cadence takes a stand
Queen Cadence; beauty of the land”
Cadence had no idea what to say to that. She was surrounded by hundreds of changelings worshiping her like…like she was her aunts or something!
“Your most beautiful, we will do anything you command. We are your devoted and loving subjects.” Cadence looked around for just some place to sit and think, but every corner of the room had a changeling in it watching her with creepy, blue eyes. She nudged her husband, but he was snoring hard. She looked at her disgusting followers. They were, technically, her followers. Maybe they’d listen to her; they did say they’d do anything for her. Princess Cadence decided to speak.
“Ch-changelings,” She spoke with nervousness. Every changeling stood to attention. Cadence gulped. They were all looking at her like they expected her to entertain them. She trembled and forced a smile in the face of danger.
“I would like to be alone for…some time.” A changeling in the back raised a hoof. Why would he raise his hoof? This isn’t primary school.
“Um…yes?” She replied still baring that unnatural grin and sweating bullets.
“Your highness, how long shall we wait?” Cadence paused. She asked them to wait and they asked how long? How obedient were these things? Then again, it could still be a trap. Lure her into a false sense of security and control then attack. Then restrain her and suck the love from her body like a parasite! Weren't these things already parasites? Wait, first things first, get these things out of her room.
“Until…I say other wise.” Another hoof rose. Cadence looked around for some kind of intervention. She nudged Shining Armor a little harder. If there were a time she needed him, now would be freaking excellent!
“Your most beautiful, how shall we wait? Shall we remain standing or bowing? Or perhaps neither and we do something else. ” Cadence swallowed.
“Um, just lie down and relax.” Another hoof. How many questions did these things have?! This wasn’t so much as scary now but annoying! Regardless, she kept her guard up.
“Your royalty, where shall we lay?”
“Um, stay…outside my door…please. Anywhere is okay…don’t make a mess!” She said as they all stood to leave. Princess Cadence sighed. The sound of marching hooves stirred Prince Armor’s slumber. He got on his feet as fast as he could. He watched the pony-like monsters file out quietly like ants. Their faces were blank and simple like children.
“Cadence!” He hugged his wife. As soon as it finished, Shining gave his wife a look of deep concern.
“Are you alright?” He asked circling her to check for any injuries or blemishes or things of suspicion.
“I’m fine Shiny, just a little shocked is all.” She laughed uncomfortably.
“Those changelings told me I’m their new queen since Chrysalis died.” Cadence explained with a grimace. She sooo did not want to be the queen of love sucking bug-ponies. Shining threw his forearms around her.
“You can’t let them! I won’t let them! You’re my Love Princess not their…disgusting, bedraggled, and deranged, changeling queen!” Cadence smiled softly and kissed his cheek.
“I know Shiny, but I’m not sure of what to do. There’s just so many of them and one of me.” In response, he kissed her cheek and smiled reassuringly.
“Just watch and learn Cady.” He opened the door. Every pair of blue eyes turned around. With a deep breath, he came up with the stupidest, rage induced face he could think of (imagine Trixie’s when she demanded a magic duel).
“GET OUT OF MY CASTLE, MY KINGDOM, AND MY SIGHT YOU DISGUSTING, MALFORMED MISTAKES OF THE GODDESS HERSELF!! IF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IS NOT DEAD OR GONE IN THE NEXT TWO SECONDS I SHALL UNLEASH TARTARUS’S WRATH UPON YOU LESSER MORTALS!!!!!” The changelings stared at him for two seconds then resumed staring blankly and silently obeying. He closed the doors and turned to his wife. “Weird, that works on the cadets all the time.” Cadence face-hoofed. Stallions.
“Changelings aren’t like normal ponies. They’re fearless monsters! You saw them hail down on Canterlot? Hitting the ground like that would seriously injure a normal pony but they went on just fine!” She said as her wings shivered in the thought of a crash landing.
“We need more information about these things. Is there any paper around? We should write a letter to the princesses or maybe Twilight.” Shining offered. Cadence gulped with a look of absolute horror on her face.
“No…we’d need to go to my office,” She shuddered. “It’s…down the hall.”
~~A few minutes later~~
“Are you ready?”
“No…” Cadence trembled behind her husband. Shining smiled arrogantly at the ingenious of his plan. Who needs military advisers anyway? Shining Armor conjured a pink, semi-sphere shield with his cutie mark on it. Cadence squeaked in terror as he flung the doors open with magic. Every pair of blue eyes was on them again. Shining lowered his head, pawed at the ground, and snorted.
“One…”
“Hold on, I think we should-”
“Two…”
“Are you listening?! I said we should-”
“THREE!!!” Shining charged through the crowd of changelings with Cadence right behind him.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! AAAAAHHHH!!! AAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!”
Changelings bounced off his shield like snow off the front of a snow plow as they galloped through the hall. Shining had to keep his ears down to muffle his wife’s screaming. The changelings didn’t move out of the way. They simply accepted being thrown left and right as their queen screamed past them. It was a one hundred yard dash and ninety seconds Cadence would never forget.
Shining threw a door on the left open; hitting a changeling in the face. Cadence ran through it and he soon after. Shining shook his wife as her screams reverberated off the walls.
“Calm down Cadence! We’re here! Stop screaming!” But she continued. Shining Armor tried to remember how to extinguish his baby sister’s horrible cries. He clamped her mouth shut between his hooves and looked her right in the eyes. “Cadence,” He spoke slowly and very quietly.
“Count to five. When you get to five, you’ll get a treat.” Cadence took a deep breath.
“One, two, three, four, five” She counted. Her husband kissed her.
“Are you feeling better?” He asked. Cadence giggled.
“Yeah, thanks Shiny. I just need to do one more thing.” She punched with all the fury a mare could produce.
“Hey!” He rubbed the hoof mark on his cheek. Cadence’s glare silenced him.
“What kind of plan was THAT?! Just plow through the changelings like a psychopath?! Is that your plan for crowd control next time I go out?!” She yelled.
“It worked didn’t it? I explained everything and you were the one screaming like when we went on the Shadow Bolt roller coaster.”
“All you said was stay behind me and get ready to run!”
“Isn’t that what we did?” Shining smiled nervously. Cadence rolled her eyes and walked away. He hoof pumped after victoriously dodging a bullet. Cadence levitated a quill, ink well, and paper on her desk.
“Well, what are we going to write?” She asked. The top already said Dear Princess Celestia and Luna.
“Um, bring the best pest control services you have?”