Take Eight: Two Weeks of Silence
Two weeks had gone by since the Cadence incident. Suspicions arose on who could have helped Cadence cheat. First, there was the prince. Within the first week he was arrested and sentenced to treason. But Cadence claimed it was not him. The colt was broken into tears by the time Cadence admitted that, so Blueblood was set free.
There were more than just straight suspicions, whereas Shining had noticed lipstick on Cadence's neck. But he couldn't believe it was even possible. The lipstick was the same Twilight wore. But his little sister would never dig down to such a deep place. Sure Twilight loved Cadence, but no more than a big sister.
Before the final day of the second week, all hoofs pointed at Rarity. But she did not yet know…until she was fitting Twilight in one of her latest designs.
"Oh, darling, you look rather adorable in that dress!" Rarity said with a smile. She bit her lip seductively as she looked Twilight over.
"A-adorable? This isn't even a dress! It's a tight navy blue latex suit with bunny ears and small fluffy tail!" Twilight said as she struggled to move. "What do you think I am, some kind of-"
"Now, now, dear, I think it looks rather cute on you,"
"This…this is humiliating,"
Rarity gave a sigh and walked over to Twilight.
Maybe if I trip, fall on her, and it tears…oh, my. I feel naughty today. But putting these compliments on Twilight will surely help in winning her over.
"Whoa!" Rarity gasped. She faked her trip and fell on top of Twilight, and she applied pressure to a certain place that would tear and cause Twilight to blush a bright red. And it worked.
"R-Rarity…"
"I'm terribly, sorry, dear. Must be the floor. It's rather slippery," Rarity turned her head, and Twilight moved her head back. As expected, Twilight's face was completely red.
"D-don't look!"
"Oh, dear we're like this all the time,"
"I know, but please don't look,"
"I still think you look cute. There's no reason to be-"
The doors to the room slammed open, and ten colt guards burst in, their faces burning with anger.
"So you sleep with married royalty then seduce Shining Armor's little sister? I'm just disgusted," One guard said. Rarity gasped, and her face turned pink.
"W-what?" Rarity said nervously. Twilight looked into Rarity's eyes.
No. Rarity is getting arrested for something I did. What should I do? Should I confess and break her heart? Or watch them send her to the dungeon forever? I…I don't want her convicted of a crime she didn't do.
"Twilight, what's going on? You know me! Tell these rather dashing guards they're wrong! You know I'd never do such a thing!" Rarity shouted. The guards grabbed Rarity and pulled her off of Twilight. Rarity struggled to get free, but the guards' grips on her were too tight. Twilight let out a tear and looked away from the Rarity. Tears began to form at Rarity's eyes.
"Twilight, please! Please help me! PLEASE!" Tears were trailing down Rarity's cheeks as she continued to fight.
"Stop fighting and come with us! Fighting's not going to help you!"
"No! You're wrong! Twilight, don't just stand there, I'm one of your best friends, you need to have some say in this!"
"I'm sorry, Rarity…I don't know what you do after hours, and if anything…you're not my friend, you're my…my…"
"Your highness, we must go. We're going on your brother's demands," The guard said.
"V-very well…" Twilight responded.
"T-Twilight…" Rarity gave in and loosened herself, tears trailing down her cheeks. Rarity sobbed and continued to cry as she was taken away.
Twilight…why?
Twilight watched as Rarity was dragged away, mascara running down her cheeks with tears. The lavender princess sighed.
I'm sorry, Rarity. I'm so sorry. You're not my friend…you're my one true love. I have to go to Cadence and have this fixed.
***
"So it looks like the precious is going to the dungeon. Make the potion, fool! We must have other plans for when the precious is freed, yes,"
Spike had switched back to his normal self and looked around. He was in a dark room with a single black bubbling cauldron and ingredients next to him. He looked around and picked up the book lying behind him.
"Let's see…hmm…aha! Instructions on how to make these potions…"
***
Twilight ran to the medical room to find that Cadence wasn't there. She frantically ran around, looking for somepony with information. All the nurses claimed to know nothing. But Twilight knew better than to ask the lower medical staff. Finally she reached the doctor's office, and broke the door down. The doctor gasped, and nervously backed up to a wall.
"Oh, princess Twilight Sparkle. How unexpected," He chuckled nervously. Twilight gritted her teeth.
"Where is Cadence…for real?"
"She," The doctor gulped. "Was sent back to the Crystal Kingdom,"
"What?! Why?!" Twilight shouted. The doctor continued to shake nervously.
"It seems to be the place where, um, the air is freshest. We decided fresh air is what she needed, so we sent her back there. She's sleeping in the highest tower now,"
"Okay, thanks for the information, Doctor Scaredy Pants!" Twilight shouted as she left. The doctor sighed, and went back to his work.
"My name…isn't Doctor Scaredy Pants…its Doctor-"
"Hoo! Hoo!" An owl sounded. The doctor gritted his teeth angrily.
"You're not even supposed to be up at this time! Why?! You're nocturnal!"
***
It was almost sunset when Twilight arrived at the Crystal Kingdom. Twilight spread her wings and ascended slowly into the air.
"I need to make time. Come on…give me a smidge of Rainbow's talent, that's all I ask," Twilight immediately sped toward the highest tower in the palace and fell through the window. She rolled into a wardrobe that fell hard to the side. It awoke Cadence, and she gasped at Twilight.
"Twilight…what are you doing here? When did you even learn how to-"
"No time! You ruined everything! Why did you tell them it was Rarity who slept with you, when I was the one that did?"
"Darling, it's-"
"Don't 'darling' me! I'm not your girlfriend!"
"Well the bond has been broken. I can't call you sis like I would have as a side comment,"
"Listen! Why did you tell them it was Rarity?"
"I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't want anything to go on between you and Shining Armor. The last thing I want is for your blood to be broken as well through an argument or fight…I didn't want to see you and your brother hate each other for…what I did. I couldn't fight the feelings. I felt something take over me…it was something that accepted my feelings an edged me on. It made me more confident. It was then I literally stuck my neck out so you could kiss it…Shining Armor hasn't been very loving…and he's grown old,"
"How has he grown old?"
"He cast a forbidden age-heal spell. I was half alive…all I could see was a blur. My heart began to slow…it was so painful. Suddenly I felt my heart begin to beat faster, as if my life was beginning to rejuvenate. Next thing I saw was Shining Armor…far older than before,"
"N-no…"
"I told him I was disloyal…that he cast the spell for nothing. Now he's enraged. He didn't break up with me because he knew I would always be loyal to him. Shame he was wrong. But now your brother is corrupt. If you don't get to Rarity by midnight…he'll have her executed,"
"E-executed?!" Twilight gasped. She looked back and forth. "What time is it now?!"
"It's seven thirty. It's a four hour ride to Canterlot…you'll never make it in time,"
"No…"
"No matter what you do…no matter what anypony does…I guess we all run out of time,"
"You're wrong! I can teleport there now,"
"From a distance that far? You're strong, but…it won't be enough,"
"It will be! Rarity, I'm coming!" Twilight began to charge magic in her horn. She hesitated on the amount of time she had and tried to locate Rarity. Sweat trickled down her forehead, and the magic coming from her horn began to create whirlwinds in the room. Items scattered everywhere, and Twilight burst within a veil of magic and disappeared. Cadence grit her teeth and used her hoof to punch the headboard.
"You're going to be mine…when I get off this bed…when I'm clear to leave, I'll go to Canterlot and get you. I'll make you my bride…my second spouse. We loved each other for a night…I want more than that…much more,"
***
Twilight found herself in her bedroom, and it was dark outside. The moon was already high in the sky.
"Oh, Celestia. I hope I'm not too late," Twilight muttered. She looked at her clock. She had five minutes until midnight. "I'll never make it on time! Wait…stupid spell, I wasted so much energy it must have sped up time! Dang it!" Twilight galloped as fast as she could until she reached the Canterlot Gardens. Rarity was on a stage next to an aged Shining Armor.
"Only thirty seconds until midnight, boys! Watch as this home-wrecker gets executed by me!" Shining Armor turned to Rarity, lifting an axe to her head. She had two hooves and her head in a wooden slate. It was locked, and she struggled to escape.
"Please, don't do this! I swear it wasn't me! You have to listen!" Rarity shouted, tears trailing down her cheeks.
"Who else could it have been but you? Blueblood blurted out your secret, so I know it had to be you!"
"Ugh! That little…he truly does ruin everything. But they probably did something to him. What did you do to Blueblood?"
"That's none of your concern, now…" The bell rung at midnight, and Shining Armor readied the axe. Twilight gasped and ran to the stage. She tackled Shining Armor, and the axe dropped to the floor with a heavy 'clank!'
"Twilight! I knew you'd come! You're a true friend after all!"
"Yeah, but…never mind. Shining Armor…we need to talk," Twilight moved her glance back to Rarity. "But before I tell you who really slept with Cadence, you need to free Rarity,"
"You…you know who slept with her? You know who wanted us to part?"
"Yes. But please. Let my designer go,"
"O-okay. Release her, boys!" The guards did so, and Rarity ran to Twilight. She hugged her tightly and smiled. A tear left her eyes, and some mascara rubbed off onto Twilight's face.
"Thank you so much!"
"Its okay, Rare. Just go to your room and wait for me in the morning, okay?"
"Okay!" Rarity ran inside, and the guards went back to all their posts. One guard came with a glass of red liquid and gave it to Armor.
"It's from a friend, sir," The colt said.
"Ooh, that's a first," Shining Armor drank the glass and gave it back to the guard, who bowed and walked back inside. Armor walked with Twilight into the maze, and they spoke along the way.
"Listen, brother…I don't deserve to call you my BBBFF anymore,"
"Why not, Twily?"
"I…I was the one that slept with Cadence…it was my room. I was the only one with her. I don't want to be mean, but…wasn't it obvious?"
"I…I knew it," The two stopped, and Shining Armor shook his head. A burst of his horn caused Twilight to be pinned on a wall. She struggled using her own magic, but nothing works.
"W-what are you doing?"
"I feel enraged, Twily. You're a traitor…you're immoral. You slept with your own sister! She may not be blood, but she was one of the closest ponies to you!" Shining Armor felt a new power coarsing in him. He took in a deep breath and smiled. His eyes glowed red, and Twilight began to shudder in fear.
"I wasn't the one that slept with her! If anything, she slept with me! I told her that when I was little, I kind of liked her. That she was my first crush! So…she wanted to make me happy! Please don't do anything you'll regret!"
"No…sister or not…I'm going to end you. Sorry, Twily…but you won't make it to see the Gala," Armor began charging magic in his horn as he began to become young again. With a wild smirk, he let out a magic burst that flew to Twilight. She closed her eyes…and waited for death.