The Rhythm Of The Dance

by BlackRoseRaven

Episode II: The Rising Drumbeat

Episode II: The Rising Drumbeat
~BlackRoseRaven

Cadence really wasn't sure what to do: she and Shining Armor had healed from their ordeal with the Phoenix Guild, but as much as she wanted to just charge off to the Crystal Kingdom... well, at the same time, she really didn't. Not because she had so much she treasured here in Canterlot: she loved this town, and she enjoyed being a princess, even if... well... it required so much work. And swallowing back that other side of her.
She sighed a little, slumped over the railing of a balcony, gazing silently down into the pavilion that sprawled out beneath the castle. She could see a few unicorn guards, lighting their way with magic as they calmly patrolled; she wondered if Shining was down there, or if he was still stuck on desk work because they were 'concerned for his injuries,' which was a really nice way of saying 'we don't want to risk you getting ambushed again.'
With Sombra defeated and driven off, the remaining Phoenix Guild had quickly dispersed throughout Equestria. There was a small chance that Sombra himself had been destroyed, but... Cadence knew this was too good to be true. Considering his ability to regenerate from even the smallest point of shadow...
“Why did Luna and Celestia turn him into shadow, anyway? What was even the point of that?” mumbled the mare, brushing her curly locks back out of her face, and then she winced when there was a chuckle behind her.
She blushed as she looked over her shoulder to see none other than the Princess of the Night standing behind her. Her blue-green eyes were amused, and her flowing, starlight mane made her sapphire coat seem to all but glow as she responded gently: “I have always thought it somewhat silly myself, but it was what was required at the time to banish Sombra away. I will not pretend to completely understand my sister's reasoning... Celestia, after all, has always kept her own counsel.”
Cadence nodded a little, smiling faintly over her shoulder at Luna before she turned around, unable to help from lamely glancing up. Her diadem was missing, as was her peytral and the rest of her royal accoutrement, while Luna had her own pretty vestments all on and neat and polished...
“Don't worry, Cadence. The night is my realm, not yours... you're off-duty.” Luna said gently, giving a slight smile, and the rosy mare nodded with a small, relieved blush. “Although my sister has been worried about you these last few days... and of course, so has Twilight Sparkle.”
Cadence laughed a little, then she shook her head and said softly: “She was so mad at us. Well... her brother thought he got the worst of it. But you know Shining. He can be a bit of a drama queen, especially when it comes to his little sister.”
Luna laughed a bit, then said wryly: “Well, from what I have seen of stallions, they have not changed much since the old days. They were always full of pride and bravado, but the smallest splinter or the tiniest fright, and there they go, running off to the comforts of the nearest mare.”
Cadence smiled despite herself, and Luna hesitated before asking almost impulsively: “But those talents you displayed, Cadence... more, the dreams that you have been having as of late. They both fascinate me so. If you would be willing to... perhaps... help me understand some of your skills... perhaps I could help you better understand your dreams.”
The rose-colored winged unicorn couldn't help but cock her head curiously, and Luna blushed a bit as she scraped a hoof against the ground. “It interests me, Cadence. You're the opposite of most ponies I encounter: in your good dreams, you're... living a simple, happy life. An old-fashioned life that I recognize more than most ponies of this day and age would.
“But in reality, you are a princess... and a warrior, too.” Luna smiled slightly, tilting her head towards Cadence. “I have never seen any pony move the way you did. And your weapons are... well, they strike me as strange.”
Cadence smiled a bit at this, nodding a little as she looked down and rubbed slowly at a foreleg. “Well... you might be right about that, Luna, I am a little bit strange. I don't know where all these skills came from, though, or why I... am the way I am. But I know the... the bad dreams have something to do with it. The good dreams are just fantasy, the bad dreams... they...”
“Nightmares stem from fear, and trauma, and...” Luna smiled a bit, looking down silently and nodding briefly. “Other things that we would rather forget. I've respected your privacy, Cadence, since these nightmares are more personal to you than they are the ghosts of campfire stories and arguments with other ponies... but...”
“Yes, I trust you, Luna. You and Celestia have been like sisters to me, ever since... I arrived here.” Cadence smiled a little, bowing her head forwards before she hesitated and added: “I want... I really want to return to the Crystal Kingdom. They've grown strong and happy, and they rule themselves well, but... the answers I'm looking for, that I need... they're there.”
“And you know they'll welcome you back, Cadence.” Luna said gently, before she smiled slightly and looked knowingly at the mare. “But that's not what you're nervous about, is it? It's telling Celly your plans, isn't it?”
The rose-hued pony cleared her throat and shifted awkwardly, before she said finally: “It's just... she's done so much for me, Luna. She really, truly has. You all have, but... Celestia was the one who took me in, helped me... find myself, introduced me to Twilight Sparkle and in a way, Shining Armor... and she's always covered up for me. Even when I went to save Shine, she covered up for me...”
Cadence strode slowly past Luna, and the Princess of the Night turned to follow beside her, smiling softly even as the rose-colored mare continued worriedly: “And now, after all that, I'm telling her... I'm going to go search for my destiny? I'm going to abandon everything she taught me? I'm going to go running off into the Crystal Kingdom looking for... oh, I don't even know what yet, and I'm taking my husband with me?”
Luna only laughed quietly and shook her head slowly, and Cadence looked over at her uncertainly before the sapphire mare said kindly: “Cadence, all my sister truly wants from you... is for you to find where you belong. You have done many good things for Equestria, and you work well alongside us; when you were in charge of maintaining the Crystal Kingdom with Shining Armor, you handled yourself wonderfully.”
The pink mare sighed a little, then she nodded a bit and murmured: “Don't get me wrong, Princess Luna. I do enjoy it. Even if it's... it's a little hard for me to maintain such a degree of... dignity... all the time. But I feel... I feel the Crystal Kingdom calling me.”
“Then you should return there, Cadence... but if you truly are worried about needing a better reason that your instincts alone, then let me help you with your nightmares.” Luna said softly, and Cadence looked uncertainly at the Princess of the Night. Part of her felt like Luna was pressing the subject a little... and another part of her wanted to clutch those nightmares close, hide them from the eyes of other ponies until she could better understand what they were.
No, it wasn't even that, was it? It was that she didn't want to seem... vulnerable, even to a Princess of Equestria like Luna was, even to a pony she could treat as friend and sister and mentor. Cadence smiled faintly at this, shifting a little, before Luna said quietly: “I don't mean to... push too hard, though, Cadence. I just want to help you, however I can. I'm very eager to prove that I can be as helpful as my sister.”
“It's alright, Luna. I do appreciate it.” Cadence hesitated, and then she smiled a little, asking: “Do you have any duties to attend to, though? I'm not the most important thing in Equestria, after all.”
“But you are my friend. A friend who just went through a rather traumatic event, at that.” Luna replied gently, and the sapphire mare shrugged awkwardly before the sapphire mare added: “And besides, it's not that late yet, and you and Celly tend to handle most of the laws of the land. My sister and I always agreed that was much more part of the day than night, after all.”
Cadence smiled despite herself, nudging Luna gently with one wing as she said mildly: “Anything to pass off the paperwork, huh?”
Luna smiled slightly in return, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she replied pointedly: “I have been away from Equestria for a thousand years, Cadence. It's only right that I sit back and allow other ponies handle the serious, important business while I continue to... adjust.”
“Right. By eating a lot of candy and reading all those silly romance novels of yours.” Cadence responded easily, and Luna gave a little huff as she rose her head primly.
“Need I remind you that most of those 'silly romance novels' came from you, Cadence? Furthermore, they are most certainly not all romance.” Luna said pointedly, and Cadence coughed before the sapphire mare suddenly turned down a side hall, and the rose-colored winged unicorn followed with a tilt of her head. “But I still desire to see you in action, Cadence. I can't believe I slept through all that madness.”
“You do have a tendency to sleep through things, Luna.” Cadence couldn't help but say, and the sapphire mare gave her a pointed look, but her fellow princess only hummed and looked forwards innocently before she frowned a little. “Wait, we're not going into the barracks section, are we? Shining gets really annoyed when I use the training rooms... says I tend to make the boys uh... jealous.”
Luna simply shrugged, responding reassuringly: “Well, most of them will be either on duty or at home by now, Cadence. And let those few who are there stare if they will, Cadence. Your skills are certainly nothing to be ashamed of.”
Cadence only smiled awkwardly, and then she sighed a little and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “I'm not even entirely sure where these skills come from, Princess Luna. And... well... Celestia has always warned me that I should try and keep myself in check...”
“Yes, but Celestia worries about every little thing, Cadence... and if I may be frank, cares too much at times that we maintain our 'dignity.'” Luna smiled slightly and shrugged a bit, before she said softly: “Although... I suppose mares like you and I are prone to worse failings, so it's not like we can pick on Celly too much.”
Cadence laughed a little at this, even as she felt absurdly touched at how easily Luna included her as a 'mare liker her.' It made her feel warm and welcome inside, and the rose-hued pony nodded a little before mumbling: “I... thanks, Princess Luna.”
“Just Luna. And Celestia might not express it as often as I do, but I know she'd prefer if you were less formal with her as well, Cadence. She can... 'take a joke,' as I believe the expression is. She is fun, if you catch her in the right mood.” Luna paused. “Or get her drunk.”
The rose-colored winged unicorn couldn't help but give an amused smile over at Luna, who shrugged easily and smiled amiably back, and they walked the rest of the way through the castle in silence. Thankfully, the training room that Luna led them to was almost empty, only a few of the Royal Guard working with weights or at the far side of the room, and Cadence sighed a little before she said finally: “I don't know what you want to see here, Luna.”
“I'll create a sparring dummy for you, Cadence, so you don't have to hurt anyone. But I want to see the way you fight.” Luna replied, and when the fellow mare bit her cheek and looked at her pointedly, Luna sighed and gestured towards the empty boxing ring, saying mildly: “This may strike you as funny, Cadence, but in the old days my sister and I often attended many tournaments. Many of these memories are still fresh in my mind.”
Cadence frowned a bit at this even as she hesitantly lifted herself up to the edge of the ring, and then she looked questioningly over her shoulder. But Luna only smiled in return, shaking her head briefly before she said softly: “Come now, Cadence. The question my sister always had was never where you were from... it was when.”
The rosy mare looked down for a moment... then she gave a faint smile and sighed softly, nodding a little as she slipped up into the boxing ring and cracked her neck. Her wings spread and flapped once before she brushed her curly mane back, grimacing a bit at how starchy it felt: but, being set on fire would do that to your hair. “I... don't even know what to say to that, Luna. My mind's already foggy and confused enough as it is.”
“I know. So, like I tell Celly, work out your stress.” Luna smiled slightly as she flicked her horn, and Cadence was surprised as a wooden practice dummy suddenly leapt up into the ring with her, crashing down and glowing faintly with the Princess of the Night's magic. It clicked as it straightened, and Cadence whistled slowly and smiled a little as she set herself.
As her mind focused, she was able to tune the entire world out: there was just her and this toy, and Luna's voice floating in from the sidelines. She didn't feel the curious gazes of the Royal Guard, or the soreness that still lingered in her stomach, or anything else: instead, her mind had already processed the size and depth of the battlefield, was measuring the opponent and studying the way it moved, was judging how hard her hooves would have to hit it to damage it and how she could disable it...
Then the mare's eyes narrowed as the puppeted dummy sloppily charged at her: its creaky joints made it bob uncertainly up and down, and the fact that its legs weren't all exactly the same length probably didn't help much either. Cadence smiled slightly, letting it leap at her even as she felt the magic that powered it flicker: Luna had hesitated.
But Cadence didn't: she leapt straight up and slammed a front hoof into the back of the dummy's wooden skull, knocking it crashing down on its stomach in a prone heap. Then her wings flapped, carrying her neatly backwards to land against the ropes of the boxing ring, leaning back and smiling slightly at the puppet as she said mildly: “Luna, I can only work with what you give me.”
Luna smiled wryly at this, and a moment later, the puppet sprung suddenly upwards. But Cadence was ready, balancing herself against the ropes as she kicked both rear legs up and wrapped them tightly around the puppet's throat before twisting firmly to the side, dropping off the side of the ring to slam the construct down on the mats. This time, it reached up and seized into her legs as it continued to roll, however, and Cadence was almost surprised as it jerked itself around and flung her across the ring.
Cadence twisted her body without thinking, back hitting the ropes as her rear hooves slammed down, making them creak and bend further before she launched herself off the wall as the puppet began to leap at her again. Instead, her knee slammed into its face, knocking its head back before she dropped both front hooves in a tomahawk to its skull, crunching the construct down into the floor of the ring.
She punched down into its back before it could recover, then neatly used her front hooves to spring off the puppet, landing behind it with a slight smile. And some instinct called a warning to her even before she knew what was happening as she dropped flat on her stomach, both rear hooves of the puppet donkey-kicking the air where she had been a moment before.
Before its legs could drop, Cadence rolled over, hooking one leg out at the same time to yank more than kick the puppet sprawling, the rose-colored rolling neatly into a straddle overtop the construct's back before she slammed her front hooves smoothly down, smashing apart the vulnerable joints connecting rear legs to the main puppet.
The construct bucked helplessly, magic sparking out over its lower limbs as it tried to feebly drag itself out from beneath the mare, but Cadence swiftly spun around and seized it by the back of the wooden skull, slamming its head down into the matting and pinning it there as her other front hoof smashed once, then twice into the thicker hinge that served as its shoulder. It flailed helplessly before attempting to buck her off again, and this time Cadence let it throw her, seizing its front leg as she dove forwards over it and twisting savagely.
The limb was torn completely off the puppet, Cadence rolling quickly to the corner of the ring as she tossed the useless hunk of wood away, and the construct was left with one twitching foreleg, Luna's magic slowly sputtering out around it. Then the rose-colored mare blushed as the world around her faded back in, losing that sense of focus and discipline as she heard a few loud cheers for her from the now-gathered soldiers.
Luna, meanwhile, was smiling slightly, rubbing thoughtfully under her chin before she murmured softly: “I must admit... I'm impressed, Cadence. But you seemed... different, for a moment there. Like you became someone else.”
“I... well...” Cadence shook her head, laughing awkwardly and rubbing at her flushed cheeks. “It's hard to explain. I... I just go into this zone when I'm... doing that kind of... thing.”
She halted lamely, rubbing at her muzzle, then she cleared her throat and looked awkwardly around at the soldiers before hurriedly turning back towards the puppet, lifting it quickly with telekinesis as she mumbled: “I'll just. Um. I'll just put this over here.”
She floated it hurriedly over to a rack where several other training dummies were placed, and dropped it in... then turned beet-red when it banged loudly backwards in the shelf and knocked several of the other puppets loose. She stared at the jumble, then spluttered for a moment before Luna said soothingly: “I'll clean it up, Princess Cadence. Besides, we have business to deal with now: why don't you wait for me outside and I'll join you in but a moment?”
“I. Well, yes, I... okay.” Cadence mumbled, even as she quickly gathered up the limbs she had broken off the construct. But Luna was quick to gently take these from her psychic grip, and Cadence sighed a little before turning and awkwardly hopping out of the ring, smiling lamely at the soldiers and dropping in a little curtsy to them before she hurried towards the doors leading out.
Cadence sighed tiredly as she turned the corner and dropped back against the wall, reaching up and banging her hoof against her forehead. Some princess she was supposed to be: her power to channel the energy, the magic of 'love' wasn't exactly your every-day ability, sure, but apart from that... she had never exactly been talented when it came to spellwork. Even just moving things around, well... Shining sometimes called her a magic klutz. And she kind of hated that he was right.
“Him and his. Hair.” Cadence glanced up and absently blew at her own curly locks, then she mumbled a little to herself before glancing up with a small smile as Luna emerged and gazed at her kindly. “I. Thank you.”
“For what? Thank you, Cadence, for indulging my interest.” Luna replied gently, and then she gestured calmly to one side with her head. “Let's go and find some privacy before we continue our business. I don't think you want to be exploring these thoughts in public.”
“Well... okay, but...” Cadence bit her lip, hesitating before she asked with maybe a little too much hope, a little too much eagerness: “Did you recognize that style at all?”
Luna looked thoughtfully over at the pink winged unicorn, then she simply shrugged before saying finally: “You were fast, and fluid. But it's made difficult by the fact that you were playing a little, weren't you? Still... the way you moved, using your hooves so much instead of any kind of horn foiling, how your movements were designed to leave them open to hoof-to-hoof combat, not magic... well, it did remind me of old times a little.”
The sapphire mare smiled slightly as her ethereal mane wafted upwards with the faintest pulse, and Cadence studied her curiously before Luna chuckled and said wryly: “Just old thoughts. But as is so rare for me... good memories, not... bad ones...”
She fell silent, then shook her head and looked thoughtfully over at Cadence. “I wonder what you would have done to Nightmare Moon. You certainly wouldn't have gone Celly's route, I know, but I may be missing a leg or two in the here and now.”
“Oh come on, Luna, you know I wouldn't do that to you... besides, I'm sure Twilight or Celestia can reattach limbs.” Cadence said helpfully, and Luna laughed and shook her head, giving the rose-colored winged unicorn a look of entertainment.
They walked on, enjoying each other's pleasant company: Luna was a little bit awkward now and then, maybe being too direct in asking some question or other, or not really understanding where social boundaries were, but she was friendly enough. Cadence knew her awkwardness was chiefly because of two things, anyway: one, she wanted to make a good impression on people, and two, she hadn't had a lot of time to practice modern day social skills, and when she got nervous, she tended to revert back to old court standards.
They made it to the privacy of a den on the upper levels in good time, and Luna smiled as she latched the door to make sure they weren't disturbed. It was nice here: a pretty fireplace, bookshelves, big, comfy couches and chairs... and Cadence climbed into one of the latter, sitting back and gazing over at Luna as she strode past.
The Princess of the Night gave her a slight smile before flicking her horn, and flames burst up in the fireplace before the mare turned fully towards her fellow princess. They studied each other for a few moments, and then Luna said softly: “I don't need to be able to see into your dreams to know how much these thoughts and nightmares have been troubling you. You've been worried and forgetful. You haven't been attending the Royal Council these last few days, and normally you would always be there, taking part. And Shining Armor, of course, has been just as distracted.”
“Well, that's not my fault. That's his. And his hair.” Cadence defended lamely, and when Luna gave her a pointed look, the rose-colored mare sighed a little and nodded awkwardly, dropping her head as she mumbled: “Okay, maybe it's my fault a little. I... he spends too much time worrying about me and trying to take care of me.”
“You're lucky to have him.” Luna said softly, and Cadence smiled faintly and nodded again, lowering her head. There was silence for a few moments, and then the sapphire mare looked up and said gently: “I can join you in your nightmares and help guide you, but I can't fight them for you.”
“I don't... I want to do this myself, Luna. I appreciate it, but... these nightmares are more than that. There's a door to my memories there... it feels like there's a part of my past that keeps bubbling up, again and again...” Cadence hesitated, bit her lip, and then she turned curious eyes towards the sapphire mare, asking suddenly: “Can you make them... more real? Can you strengthen them?”
Luna looked dumbfounded at this request, and Cadence blushed before explaining hurriedly: “Part of the reason they're so hard for me to fight is because, well... they're so ethereal. It's all just... I catch glimpses, I hear voices, I know it's related to...” She swallowed, stopping herself before she could blurt out something she was afraid she'd regret. “If you... if you can make it more real, I mean, make me experience... more of it somehow... maybe I can actually fight it. I can't fight smoke, but something solid... maybe I can deal with it myself.”
Luna was silent for a few moments, and then she bit her lip before saying hesitantly: “I... believe it is possible, but... it would be very dangerous, Cadence. What you're asking me to do is... an attack on your mind, essentially. And if you fail to stand up to the assault, or the memories are of... events better left forgotten... what I will be doing is essentially torturing you. No, maybe we should talk to Celly, or at least let Shining Armor know-”
“No!” Cadence burst out, and Luna reared back in surprise at this outburst before the rose-colored winged unicorn blushed, then dropped her head and mumbled: “I mean... no. Please, Luna. I can survive this. And I need to know... I need answers. No matter what I have to go through, the torture of not knowing is far worse.”
The Princess of the Night laughed quietly at this and shook her head slowly, saying quietly: “I've said that myself before, Cadence... and I cannot begin to tell you how much I regret... what I learned. But... if you're so intent on this... will you at least consider allowing me to inform Shining Armor? Your husband has a right to know.”
“He does. But I'll tell him myself what I went through... after we're done.” Cadence smiled faintly, reaching up and brushing her curled locks back. “I cant have him worrying about me while he's on there on patrol, Luna. Look what happened last time.”
The sapphire winged unicorn sighed after a moment, and then she finally nodded briefly before murmuring: “Very well. Close your eyes, Cadence, and relax as much as you can... and do not fight the darkness. Let the darkness rise, and swallow you up...”
Luna's horn glowed, thrumming with eerie energy, and Cadence trembled as her eyes closed, then clenched, her horn sparking and her body shivering before she leaned forwards as Luna's voice scraped through her brain, terrible and beautiful images forming in her mind's eye: “Blot out the light. Let the light be swallowed... let your memories rise. Feel every edge, relive every pain... watch even joy blacken; watch happiness turn against you, making it hurt more every time it's taken away...”
“No...” Cadence whispered, shifting and moaning as the darkness squeezed her, crushed her, suffocated her.. and then two monsters lunged at her from the darkness, all fangs and teeth and skull, and she shrieked as her eyes snapped open...
And she was sitting back in a place she didn't recognize, made of sandstone and dry rock. Cells lined one wall, and there was only one large archway leading in and out, up a flight of spiraling stairs that light shone down from like a path to Heaven...
But a gargling filled her ears, and Cadence looked sharply to the side as she saw distorted images. They moved and writhed together, but gradually turned solid... and she couldn't repress her cry of horror, stumbling backwards as she suddenly saw not just static and smoke, but a unicorn soldier being throttled by a chain wrapped around his throat, held tightly in the hooves of a brawny earth pony.
No... there were two earth ponies. And they were both grinning, mouths filled with teeth that had been filed and broken into fangs, their bodies huge and muscular and tightly covered by almost-leathery black hide. Furs half-covered their forms, but did little to hide the branding of runes that covered one side of each pony: one had scarred shapes all down his left side, and the other the same mirrored over his right.
She couldn't see any emblem, any cutie mark, but... could monsters like these even have such things? They didn't even look like they were pony anymore, they were all muscle and teeth and their eyes, their deep dark hollow awful eyes were...
Staring right at her.
Cadence trembled: she was small, and weak, and they were huge, and monstrous. She felt like a child again... she was a child again. A little foal, faced with two monsters as the twin earth ponies turned towards her... and as they did so, the nightmare overlapped with a memory of a not-so-distant past as she saw two ghoulish cadavers transformed into bodyguards for a cruel king, and then one of them said in a strangely-soft, almost-pleasant voice: “Sibling, look at her.”
“Look at her, sibling.” agreed the other: and Cadence trembled and stared, seeing both the hideous things she and Shining Armor had fought as well as these monstrous, barbarian ponies... and oh Horses of Heaven, she didn't know what scared her worse. “Shall we kill her?”
“We shall kill her.” Left said with something like tenderness in his voice. The twins looked at each other, then they both smiled and nodded at the same time, and Cadence stumbled backwards before she stared as they began to approach, moving in perfect time: if not for the different furs and broken restraints that decorated their bodies, she would have been convinced she was seeing double, some kind of illusion, some trick of light and mirrors...
Cadence felt her body turn to run away, even as her adult mind screamed that it was the worst thing to do, but she was helpless to control her foal's body... and a moment later, a strong hoof slammed down on her back, cruelly crushing her into the rock floor. She squealed and shrieked, and the brothers laughed... and oh, even their laughter had an awful, mocking synchronization to it, filling each other's time to create one long string of 'huhahuhahuhahuha-'
Focus! Cadence screamed at herself mentally, trying to make this foal body do something, anything... but a moment later, she was dragged up into the air by her tail before one of the twins flung her across the room, sending her smacking painfully down... but in the corner of her eye, she saw the stairs. She saw the way out, and her bouncing body managed to roll as she locked her eyes on this, spinning around and bolting for the exit.
But she only just managed to reach the first of the steps when one of the twins leapt past with a hiss, slapping her like a cat and sending her rolling backwards into the room. Both of the stallions laughed again, and Cadence's mind was going wild with fear, making them loom bigger in her eyes, turning them into horrendous beasts and not just earth pony barbarians, her mouth going dry, her eyes bulging with fear...
Fight it... fight it! They're just ponies! Cadence cried desperately through her own mind, forcing her eyes to look at them, to stare at them even as the two monsters leisurely made their way towards her, to box her in and stand over her. But as she forced herself to look up at them, their size returned to normal, their shadows no longer seemed to writhe of their own accord, and the haze of fear slowly began to lift from her mind to let her think.
“Sibling, shall we keep her?” asked Right suddenly, looking curiously over at his twin brother, and the other stallion licked his lips slowly and thoughtfully, eyes narrowing greedily as the filly whimpered and slowly dragged herself backwards.
“We shall keep her, sibling.” Left confirmed softly, hungrily after a moment, and then he lowered his head, eyes locked on her, mouth falling open as drool dripped from his jaws. And Cadence whimpered again as she dragged herself further backwards, gritting her teeth even as she forced herself to focus on that monster slinking slowly closer, as his twin eagerly paced back and forth behind him...
And then she saw it: her chance, as his eyes closed and his nostrils flared and his head rose ever so slightly, and Cadence poured all her strength into making this stupid filly body of hers move, react, and fight. And to her shock, fight it did, as she suddenly brought both rear legs back before kicking Right directly in the mouth as hard as she could.
Right screamed, teeth shattering like brittle white ice, lips exploding like overripe tomatoes, and Left yelled as if he felt his brother's pain, leaping up to his side as the bloody-faced twin scampered backwards with his front hooves covering his muzzle, shoving himself away on his belly from the little filly.
Left snarled at Cadence, then dove towards her, snarling: but the filly was already forcing her body to move and react, even as she didn't know whether or not it was memories propelling her, or all the focus and desperation she was focusing on now, to combat these nightmares: she thought it might be a little bit of both.
Her wings flapped hard as she launched herself into Left's face, then shoved off it as hard as she could, almost arcing over his head... but then a hoof caught her in midair and slammed her down into the ground, and Cadence cried out before shrieking again when she was viciously stomped on, Left growling down at her as Right shook his head back and forth before hissing: “Kill her!”
“Kill her.” rumbled the twin in agreement, looking across at his brother as he rose his hoof, and Cadence cursed as she scrabbled forwards. The monster snarled and attempted to crush her down into the ground, but the filly managed to dodge out of the way this time before she leapt out of range when Left tried to jump on top of her.
He crashed down and skidded forwards, looking up at her... and Cadence leapt at him, full of anger and pain and hate and retribution. Her hooves were small, but it only made it all the easier to slam both sharp front hooves into the target of one eye, and the monster screamed as he jerked his head backwards. Right growled and ran in, mouth still dripping blood, but as Left grabbed at his own eye, Cadence bolted beneath him and leapt nimbly away when Right grabbed at her.
He almost bowled Left over, the brothers both shouting and cursing as Cadence bolted towards the stairs again. And this time, she made the bottom step... a moment before Right crashed down on top of her, smashing her into the steps and knocking her senseless with his heavy body. Cadence gurgled... and then her mind filled with panic as she felt him crushing her down harder, his hot breath washing out over her face before she could move, one of his forelegs wrapping around her to prevent her escape as he hissed: “So stupid, little girl...”
“Little girl, so stupid!” agreed the other in a rumble, and then the pressure, the horrible heat of that body was suddenly gone... but only so teeth could bite savagely down into the back of her neck, making Cadence cry out in agony as she was flung back into the room. And this time, instead of letting her hit the ground, Left caught her by the face... and then slammed her down once, twice, thrice into the ground, glaring down at her furiously.
She was rattled and bloody and broken. She was helpless, unable to defend herself against these monsters, losing the fight to memory and nightmare. Cadence whimpered brokenly in the body of a filly, unable to make it move any longer, feeling terror and revulsion and despair eating up her insides as Left and Right bracketed her, closed her in, huge male bodies crushing her little helpless filly's form, and oh, god, she felt a hoof seize her wing and twist, and she felt another grabbing her leg, running up it as Left kept her suspended in the air, and they were moving her around like a toy, hurting her, examining her, they were going to do things to her and she was powerless and helpless and nothing but prey and oh no no no-
“Put her down.” said a quiet voice, and light and hope flooded Cadence's mind as she looked up in shock, and... and such brightness was shining out of the stairs now. Such warmth, that made the nightmares lose their strength and restored her own, as both Left and Right looked up with growls.
She stared as a figure, a unicorn, calmly strode out of the light... and oh, she felt both wonderment and terror, relief and despair, as the stallion rose his head fearlessly, looking across at the two earth ponies with... no, no hatred. Not even anger, or contempt, or disgust: he looked at them with calm pity in his eyes.
“That is my daughter. Put her down.” he said quietly, a natural command lacing his words. Both Right and Left growled at him, but he didn't flinch, he didn't fear; he stepped forwards, his long black mane tied tightly back, his white coat still seeming to glow with the light that seemed to cascade around him. A simple crown rested on his head, and a regal cloak fell around his body, although it only seemed to magnify the light that he exuded with the way it made radiance almost frame his form.
Cadence tried to speak... and then the twins threw her savagely into the ground. It was only reflex that saved her, letting her get a forelimb down first that saved her from breaking her skull open against the ground. But she forced herself not to cry out in spite of the feeling of her leg breaking, breathing hard before she looked up and shivered with loathing as one of the twins said softly: “Shall we kill him, sibling?”
“Sibling, we shall kill him.” the other nodded slowly... and then both monsters lunged suddenly, viciously forwards towards the white unicorn. But they were far from catching him off guard: with a flick of his horn, the unicorn blasted them both backwards, before he made another short, easy flick, and Cadence gasped as she was snared in a bubble of magic, pulled swiftly to safety in the grips of a protective sphere of... of warmth, and love.
She floated beside him... and trembled as she turned her eyes on him, staring at this handsome, powerful stallion as he looked calmly across at the earth ponies. She wanted to cry out so many things, to shout, to scream, to tantrum, to... to somehow warn him in this memory of what the future held, as if that could change reality... but then he looked at her, with his calm, dark eyes, and he gave the smallest of smiles before reassuring her gently: “Calm now, Cadence.”
And in spite of everything, she couldn't help but feel... soothed. Almost at peace, even as both Left and Right leapt up and roared as they charged again, barbaric and cruel and moving with almost supernatural speed. And her father, the King, met them both with a startling gentility, flicking his horn first towards Left and blinding him with a flash of light, then tilting his head towards Right.
One of the manacles around Right's legs glowed brightly, and the monster staggered stupidly as this suddenly jerked his limb in the wrong direction, falling flat on his face as Left howled like an animal and shook his head wildly, bounding back and forth as if he could throw off the blindness. And the King shook his head slowly before he said softly: “Poor fools.”
Both Right and Left looked up with snarls, then lunged with matching roars, moving almost as one, and in Cadence's eyes they became monsters again, became a black wave of darkness... but calmly, without fear or anger or so much as a flinch, the unicorn simply flicked his horn and countered with a simple spell.
The manacle on Right's foreleg glowed brightly as a similar manacle on one of Left's rear limbs lit up, and then a tremendous force seemed to seize both stallions, yanking them around in midair before they could collide with the King. Instead, their glowing manacles slammed together and fused into one, and the two dropped into a pile on top of each other, yelling and roaring and cursing as they flailed and shoved at each other helplessly.
“Let go of me, brother!” Right wailed, and then he snarled and snapped his jaws at the King, attempting to drag himself forwards... but Left kicked out wildly and tried to roll onto his own hooves, and he only succeeded in dragging Right out of range again, as the unicorn simply looked down at the two with pity, without batting an eye. “Let go!”
“Let go! Brother, let go of me!” Left shouted, trying to shake Right off as, more by his own movements than his twin's, he dragged his sibling half-onto his back and twisted his leg awkwardly up behind his own body. He gave a half-whimper, half-growl, and then a moment later, both Right and Left were rolling on the ground and shouting at each other, forgetting the King completely as they clawed and bit at each other like animals, bound together by the manacles and losing themselves in stupid, blind struggle... even though both of them wanted the exact same thing.
Cadence stared in disbelief, and the King shook his head slowly in... sympathy, it seemed, as he said softly: “Look at them, Cadence. Little more than animals. When I saw what they were doing to you, I had to work hard to resist lashing out at them... but look, what good would laying further harm on their heads do? They don't understand. They've forgotten their noble heritage... but even that isn't entirely their fault. These savage earth ponies that have been raiding our beautiful Crystal Kingdom... they were twisted by greed and the evils they have seen. We should not blindly hate them, my darling, even when they hurt us... even for taking Shieldstrong's life, even for what they have done for you, even when they attack and pillage and burn. We should pity them.”
Right and Left rolled back and forth, screaming at each other, their argument made all the more horrific by the way they constantly repeated each other's words. And the King simply looked at them with sympathy in his eyes... this loving, wonderful stallion, who ruled the Crystal Kingdom with a heart so pure and good it protected their ancient home from the most dangerous evils that wandered these wilds...
Cadence could feel her body healing inside the warm bubble, and the King looked over at her with a kind smile, his horn glowing faintly as she felt him focusing more of his magic strength into the bubble: into protecting her and healing her, as he said softly: “It is the animal in us that demands we hurt others when we hurt ourselves. If we are to prove that we are better than animals... better than those we strive to protect others from... we must rise above the animal. To fight, to hurt others... it is a last resort. And if you have the choice, Cadence... never kill. Cripple, break, maim or terrify... but even the lives of these barbarians, these beasts-dressed-as-ponies, their lives are sacred too. All life is to be protected. Kill only when you have no other choice.”
The filly trembled a little, and she felt pain and pride, love and hate, and... so many other emotions, as she stared at the King... and as the King smiled, memories overlapped, and it was Sombra standing there. It was Sombra, with his curved horn and his glowing eyes... but what hurt the most was that he still wore her father's expression, he still spoke with her father's voice as he said softly: “I will always love you.”
She wanted to tear her eyes away. She wanted to cry out, that it was all unfair, that this was all wrong. She wanted to struggle, or scream, and yet... she couldn't. She couldn't do any of those things, as she stared at her father... and then he turned towards her, and the world turned black as he caught the sphere in his front hooves and his horn glowed, his features becoming animal, his eyes glowing as he black veins spread through the previously-welcoming orb of warmth, as she felt pain and hate and fear sizzle through her body as he rasped: “My daughter...”
Cadence screamed... and then there was a snap, a sense of vertigo, and a moment later, she was laying in a stunned heap on her back, the chair she had been laying in disarray on its side. And Luna was standing over her, trembling as she grasped her shoulder, the sapphire mare whispering: “Cadence... I had no choice but to break the connection, your mind was overloading... and... I saw...”
The rose mare slapped Luna's hoof away, glaring up at her, eyes overbright with tears that refused to fall as she opened her mouth to snap at her... but then Cadence trembled before swallowing back her words, closing her eyes and bowing her head as she whispered: “Sorry. Thank you.”
“I... 'twas not my intent to gaze deep into thy mind...” Luna stopped, then shook her head quickly and mumbled: “I mean... I'm sorry. I didn't... mean for that to happen. But your mind began to overload and I did not want to risk...”
“It was mine to risk, Luna. It... it was mine to risk, but...” Cadence breathed slowly in and out, then she closed her eyes tightly and nodded a few times all the same, murmuring: “But I... know that's not entirely fair to you and... I appreciate your help. I just... I just didn't want this to be true...”
She shivered a little, then closed her eyes and dropped her face against her hoof, breathing slowly in and out as Luna stepped hesitantly back, studying her uneasily. Then Cadence shook herself again before looking up and asking quietly: “Can we do another session?”
Luna looked at her with disbelief, and Cadence smiled faintly, tears glowing in her eyes as she whispered: “I have to know more. I have to know what... changed my Father. I have to know why Left and Right... what role they played in this. I... I want to see my childhood, know where I come from...” Cadence trembled, fighting back tears before she slammed a hoof against the ground and shouted: “Even if all the good memories... seeing my Father so pure and good hurt so much more, him rescuing me was just a cruel joke, knowing what he's going to become... what he has become! But I need to know!”
“Cadence...” Luna stopped, then she shook her head slowly before saying quietly: “I can not and I will not bring you into another nightmare of memories. Especially not with you so highly strong, your emotions so volatile. It would be foolishness... as it was, you were... injured.”
Cadence shook her head shortly... then frowned when Luna pointedly rose a hoof, and the rose-colored mare hesitantly rose her own hoof to touch her nose. And then she stared as she drew her hoof back and saw fresh blood: her nose was bleeding. Yes, now she could feel the wetness... taste it, too, on her lips, as Luna said almost pleadingly: “We should tell Celly about this. Please, Cadence... she will not judge you, and she-”
“No, I... no. This... this is something I have to do for myself. The answers... I know all the answers are in the Crystal Kingdom.” Cadence said quietly, shaking her head slowly before she closed her eyes tightly, trembling and scraping a hoof slowly against the floor. But after a moment, she forced herself to relax as she breathed slowly in and out, looking up and giving a more-honest smile, even as her body trembled... even as her mind and her heart and her very soul ached. “Thank you, Luna... and... I... I will talk to Celestia, I promise. But... I know that I have to do this, too. I've put off finding myself... for too long.”
Luna sighed softly at this, looking down silently for a few moments before she looked up and asked finally: “Will you at least accept our help? Perhaps... we can send Twilight Sparkle with you. Would that not be acceptable?”
“No, it wouldn't be.” Cadence smiled faintly, looking down and shaking her head slowly, closing her eyes. “Shine would go crazy, trying to look after both of us at once. And more than that... Twilight belongs in Ponyville, where she's working so hard and... I think she has a great destiny ahead of her. She should focus on that.”
“I agree.” Luna sighed again after a moment, studying the mare across from her before she finally gave the smallest of smiles. “Then you will at least allow me to walk you home, and help you to sleep... a dreamless sleep, this time. You need to rest before you go pushing yourself any further than you already have.”
There was silence for a few moments, and then Cadence looked down and nodded a little before she closed her eyes and sighed softly, mumbling: “Okay. I know that I should let Shining at least finish his shift and get a few hours' of sleep before I go dragging him off on another adventure, anyway.”

“I'm not going on another adventure.” Shining said grumpily, glaring over at his fellow Captain, but Clarion only gave him an amused look, before the ivory unicorn added pointedly: “Also, seriously. Stop... escorting me everywhere. Or at least stop walking so close to me. Ponies are going to think we're having an affair.”
“Well, don't worry, Shining. With all the primping and preening you do, I'm sure plenty of ponies already know that you're a colt cuddler.” Clarion said kindly, and Shining slowly turned a sour look on the fellow Captain, who added positively: “But that's perfectly okay. It also explains why your wife is more of a stallion than you are. And why you always smell like... lavender? Lilacs?”
“Shut up, it's. Cadence's shampoo. I. Totally ran out of my... Wild Musky Dog for Real Stallions.” Shining defended awkwardly, and then he cleared his throat and added hurriedly: “And I would have used sandpaper but. You know. Cadence complains.”
Clarion rolled his eyes, then he looked mildly back and forth as they followed a well-trod path around the edge of the Castle's grounds, before he announced: “Captain Prince Shining Armor your lordship sir, you appear not to be in danger.”
Shining Armor sighed tiredly, and then Clarion became a little more serious, glancing over at him and adding quietly: “But as much as I may poke fun at it, don't let down your guard. The Phoenix Guild has dispersed, but...”
“Yeah. I know, Clarion. Thank you.” Shining Armor grimaced and looked down, muttering: “What hurts the most, though... what bothers me the most, is that I lost all those good ponies...”
Clarion sighed at this, and then he said gently: “And why I harass you, Shining Armor, is to try and keep your damn mind from going back there again and again... even though I know I can't stop it. Losing soldiers like that, in this day and age, an age of... civilization and peace, where our duties are to maintain order more than fight wars... I know it hurts. And you know that of all ponies, I'm the one who can understand you most right now.”
Shining Armor finally looked silently over at Clarion: a unicorn who was a little larger than him, but who had a prosthetic front leg, powered mostly by his own magic, lost in an ambush by a rampaging dragon that had claimed his entire unit. His coat was a deep green, pockmarked with scars and grafts, his mane and tail little more than white bristles...
“I know. I got off lucky, I know that, too.” Shining Armor halted, then he smiled a little and nudged Clarion before looking over his shoulder, at the half-dozen guards they had in tow. Most of them were almost asleep on their hooves, in spite of the fact that Canterlot was still in a state of alert, but Shining had already seen several Night Guard winging over their heads, keeping an eye on them from above. “Maybe you want to pick on them for a while, though.”
“Yeah, you're not getting off that easy, your lordship majesty honor sir. Besides, these kids I'm going to run ragged once they're put under my command instead of yours. I'm just here as a friend, to walk you around the lawn. Make sure you don't go missing again, so your wife doesn't have to show all of us up saving you.” Clarion replied comfortably, his hazel eyes flicking absently up towards the night sky. “So when are you leaving?”
“I am not going on an adventure.” Shining complained loudly, and then he cleared his throat when several of the Royal Guard following them looked up, the ivory unicorn hurriedly turning his eyes back ahead and using his magic to light the way as he muttered grumpily: “Look, Cadence and I have talked about this already, and we decided running off to the Crystal Kingdom wouldn't be right. We both have our own duties to attend to here. We have things we have to do. We have-”
Clarion's horn suddenly flickered, and the scarred pony looked sharply up before he roared: “Changeling! Spread out and search!”
Shining Armor stuttered to a halt, staring with disbelief at his fellow Captain,  even as the soldiers behind them immediately snapped to attention and then broke off in pairs, hurriedly scanning the area around them with magic. Clarion, meanwhile, was looking back and forth as he muttered: “Oh, that's the last thing we need. Maybe they sent a scout to see how vulnerable we were after the incident with the Phoenix Guild...”
“How the hell did you even detect one? Have you been scanning the entire time?” asked Shining Armor, doing his best to keep his incredulity out of his voice. Clarion only gave him a slight smile, however, and Shining grumbled under his breath before his own horn lit up with a faint radiance, the light around him dimming even as he quickly scanned the surrounding area himself. “Also, shouting to alert us of one scout? Not very smart. Come on, Clarion, next time work it into conversation or something.”
“I apologize your majesty lordship sire. I suppose we humble soldiers just aren't aware of all the diplomacy we should go through in dealing with foreign invading entities, Prince Captain cuddlebutt.” Clarion replied wryly, and then he added in a lower voice: “And the scout didn't run, Shining. Scan to your one o'clock.”
Shining frowned as he did this, and his eyes flicked upwards, towards a short, stocky guard tower framed against the night sky. It was currently out of use... but he detected life there, all the same. And yes, it felt like a Changeling... except... “I'm going to check it out. Don't follow me, even if I give chase: secure and hold down the perimeter. I'll send up a flare if I need help.”
“Alright, Prince Shining Armor, I'll certainly let you wander into certain danger alone to get kidnapped again, that sounds like a marvelous idea, your lordship.” Clarion said blandly, and Shining glowered over at his fellow Captain.
“Clarion, just trust me on this. I'm not pulling rank on you, but I am asking you to give me the benefit of the doubt here.” Shining muttered, and Clarion frowned at him... but then sighed tiredly, shaking his head slowly before he straightened and smiled wryly.
“Alright. Captain Armor, you check out the tower. I'll lock down the perimeter with the others. I'm not too good on steps with this leg of mine, anyway.” Clarion said finally, glancing down and flexing his synthetic limb a few times, and then he turned around and shouted: “Form up and fall in! Wingbeat, Iron, head back to Canterlot and report to the Commander we've made contact!”
Shining Armor smiled despite himself at how professional Clarion was with the troops... which was funny, considering that when it came to getting things down, the scarred Captain was anything but. He did always get the job done, however, and that was what counted... something Shining himself had taken a long time to learn.
The ivory unicorn shook his head briefly as he reached the bottom of the guard tower, forcing himself to focus. Then he frowned a bit at the door: from the signs on it, the lock had been disengaged manually. He leaned forwards, studying this... then stared as the door swung back and open, a mare leaning nonchalantly against the edge of it as she said in a silky voice: “Hey, handsome. You miss me?”
“Oh great.” Shining Armor scowled and straightened, narrowing his eyes across at the mare: she was a gorgeous red, with pink-edged wings and a mane that was a swirl of white and crimson streaks. A large, emerald jewel was secured to her forehead by thin golden chains, and reflected the almost poisonous light of her green eyes.
She smiled at him tenderly, and Shining Armor looked at the door before he asked distastefully: “Can we trade places so I can slam the door on you?”
The mare laughed loudly, then she almost slithered forwards, sinuously twisting around his body before she whispered teasingly in one of his ears as their sides pressed together: “Oh, what's wrong? I know you missed me, Shining Armor. You always do.”
“I need an adult, Clarion! I need an adult!” Shining Armor yelled loudly as he threw his head back, consternation filling his voice, and the mare laughed loudly again before she hopped easily away from him, landing just inside the guard tower and spinning around with a sultry smile.
She reached up and calmly flicked the scarf she was wearing back over her shoulder, asking with almost a pout despite the teasing tone of her voice: “Are we really going to do this again, Shine? Come on, can't we not go through this one time?”
“You're a criminal. And you annoy me. And you make Cadence really angry. I don't like it when Cadence is angry, she makes me sleep on the couch and try to cook my own meals and she eats a lot of junk food.” Shining Armor replied pettishly, as Clarion lumbered quickly up beside the stallion, the fellow Captain's eyes narrowed and his horn already glowing.
The mare barely paid the newcomer any heed, however, looking with mocking sympathy at Shining Armor as she said kindly: “And I bet she doesn't let you use her shampoo or bath salts either, does she, poor baby?”
“That's... completely beside the point. Why the hell does everyone have to make this about my hair?” the ivory unicorn grumbled, glowering at the mare, and then he turned his eyes to Clarion, purposefully taking his attention off of her as he said pointedly: “You do the same thing.”
Clarion looked sourly back at Shining Armor, not speaking... well, probably not even fully comprehending what was going on. Admirably, he still tried to play along as he remarked: “Well, she does have a point, captain my captain my prince.”
“I'm glad you agree with me, Captain Clarion, of East Gamma Division, sole survivor of Charghast the Vile's attack.” the mare said sweetly, and Clarion looked towards the mare with shock as Shining winced, looking up as well, both making that silly mistake of focusing all their attention where she wanted it... and the mare simply smiled as she rose a hoof to press against her temple, adding in a friendly voice: “Let's chat again sometime.”
Then a bright green flash blinded both Clarion and Shining Armor, and the two unicorns shouted and staggered before Clarion's prosthetic limb gave out from beneath him, sending him spilling to the ground. Shining Armor cursed at this, then leapt forwards even as the green static disoriented him, charging into the base of the tower and then stumbling hurriedly up the steps beyond.
He managed to shake off the worst of the haze that had consumed his mind as he looked up with a curse, and he saw the mare already standing at the top of the curling wooden stairs, tipping him a wink before she leapt up through a trapdoor and out onto the top of the tower. Shining Armor cursed at this, putting on an extra burst of speed, not wanting to let her get away as he hammered through the trapdoor...
And then he winced when a pair of forelegs wrapped around him from behind and yanked him back on his haunches, a warm body sliding up along his back as something nuzzled into his neck, before the mare's voice whispered: “Always so eager.”
“Dammit.” Shining Armor mumbled, and he took a slow breath, dropping his head forwards as he said moodily: “Look. Turn yourself in. I can get you help. How long do you think you can keep playing these games for before you get caught? Changelings are easy to detect.”
“I'm only half-Changeling. And well, Shining Armor, you're the only stallion who's ever managed to... catch... me...” She teased, leaning up and nipping the end of his ear gently, and the ivory unicorn winced a bit even as he wheezed slowly. “Won't I always be your special, your lovely, your greatest... Miss Take?”
“Well, when you put it like that...” Shining mumbled... and then he suddenly bucked forwards as he seized one of the forelegs around his neck, yanking her over his shoulders and flinging her across the top of the tower. But Miss Take laughed and easily caught herself, gracefully spinning around to catch herself on her hooves before she grinned widely as Shining Armor charged at her.
He swung a hoof out, and she dodged backwards before he grabbed at her... and she laughed as she almost slithered beneath him, lunging through his hind legs and then stepping back to bump their rumps together before he could turn around, the stallion wincing as Miss Take teased: “What is that silly saying your wife does? Something about... bumps, and shakes...”
Shining Armor spun around, slashing his horn out... and the jewel on Miss Take's forehead glowed, a green flash lighting up the night around them and canceling out his magic, leaving the stallion dazed as the mare laughed. “Oh come on, my darling! You know better than that!”
“I am not your darling.” Shining Armor muttered, leaping forwards and swinging a hoof out at her, and Miss Take easily avoided it before he made a wild grab... and was surprised himself when his hooves actually seized into her. But then Miss Take laughed and grabbed his shoulders, yanking herself forwards and burying her face against his neck, turning his grapple into an embrace as he stared down at her stupidly before slapping at her wildly and trying to shove her away with a curse.
Then, before he could react, Miss Take suddenly dropped and slid down between his legs, and the stallion had enough time to look dumbly down before she suddenly reared back and sat up, hooking his hind legs against her shoulders. And as his rump was hauled high into the air, his face swung down and smacked painfully into the ground before the mare's body whiplashed forwards and slammed Shining Armor over her head and down onto his spine.
He lay on his back, stunned and gurgling... and Miss Take let herself fall forwards, propping her head up with one front hoof as she half-laid over his lower body, smiling as she gently traced shapes with her hoof along his chest. “I know you love Cadence, sweetie. And you know I don't mean to hurt you, but we all know Chrysalis played a role there too, didn't she? How much of what you two experienced was real?”
Shining Armor scowled up at the sky, but he didn't bother moving, doing his best not to rise to her bait. But Miss Take only smiled slightly, continuing tenderly: “Darling, loves come and go. You and Cadence are a great pair, my sweet, sure... but you're young, too, and you've married based on a great flare of love and... a desire to prove to the world that Chrysalis certainly couldn't have orchestrated the whole thing, oh no no no. Well, I, more than most, understand that the hottest loves often burn out the fastest... it's hard to keep that heat going for long without turning everything to ashes in the process.”
The ivory unicorn grumbled moodily... then winced and looked down as Miss Take gently kissed his stomach, her eyes half-lidding as she looked up at him with a slight smile. “And it would be silly, my darling, for you to pretend that you don't like me. That you don't enjoy these games we play. And if I didn't think so much of you, my pretty stallion, I would be worried that you're not just with Cadence out of obligation and friendship and some dying fumes of love, but because you happen to enjoy being a rich prince, free to do whatever you want, riding on the coat-tails of her achievements and the... grand adventure she wants to take you on.”
Shining cursed, then attempted to snap his rear legs up around her, but Miss Take shoved herself off the ground and flapped her wings hard, floating in the air above him with a teasing smile as the unicorn glared up at her and snapped: “I love her! You're nothing but a criminal, a... a thief who hides her real face! And you... you're... you clearly lack self-esteem!”
Miss Take mockingly covered her own mouth, and Shining Armor huffed a bit as he said almost sulkily: “Well, it's true. I'm just... I don't believe in calling mares names.”
“Yes, but hitting us is fine?” teased Miss Take, and then she sighed and shook her head slowly, hovering calmly in the air before she suddenly tensed a little... and a moment later, launched herself sharply upwards.
A Night Guard narrowly missed her, the bat-winged pony cursing and starting to twist around... and one of Miss Take's rear hooves slammed into his face, knocking him senseless. She used the kick to redirect her momentum, eyes flicking up as a second Night Guard flew at her: without hesitation, her wings snapped shut and her forelegs reached up as the guard tried to grab her, then gaped in shock as she seized his front legs instead as her body dropped, using both her weight and gravity as she twisted and flung the soldier out of the air.
He crashed down into the edge of the battlements with a loud crack of metal helm against stone, then collapsed senselessly to the ground below. And a moment later, Miss Take landed in front of Shining Armor, the stallion staring at her before her tail swung upwards and gently stroked beneath the ivory unicorn's chin as she tipped him a wink. “Looks like it's time for me to go, darling. Give Cadence a little kiss for me, won't you?”
“Wait!” Shining Armor shouted, as the mare began to leap away, and Miss Take paused as she landed on the battlements, looking curiously over her shoulder before the unicorn asked sharply: “How did you know about-”
“All this? Oh please, Shining Armor, all of Equestria knows by now about the Phoenix Guild's attack. Although only a precious few know that Sombra was behind it...” Miss Take gave him a second slow, knowing wink, as Shining Armor mouthed wordlessly. “And fewer still know that you're planning to go to the Crystal Kingdom to clear all this mess up. But sweetie... I have sources that even the Princesses don't.”
She paused, then smiled tenderly, leaning forwards and adding kindly: “Here, darling, I'll do you a favor since you and Cadence seem so indecisive. I'm going to go rob the Canterlot Bank now. Then I'm going to go to the Crystal Kingdom. And if you don't get there in time, I'm going to steal that gorgeous Crystal Heart, because I do ever so need a new accent piece for my living room. That giant gold statue you helped me steal looks so lonely in his little corner. A magic love artifact should help warm him right up.”
“I didn't help you steal it! I caught you black-hooved, turned my back on you for one second and you... ran off with it somehow!” Shining Armor shouted in a strangled voice, glaring up at her furiously. “And this isn't a game!”
“Life's a game, my pretty stallion. And as I recall, I made a little wager with you that I could steal it and escape in thirty seconds, and you said you'd turn your back on me for ten.” Miss Take smiled tenderly, a strange softness in her eyes even as she stretched out like a cat. “Don't lie to either of us, darling. You gave me enough time to make my escape. You just didn't know I lied about needing at least thirty to take the statue with me. But you always have been naïve, my darling.”
Miss Take paused, then added in a half-playful, half-chastening voice: “And 'black-hooved' is a racist expression, Shining Armor. It relates to the days before earth ponies had rights and worked in muddy fields all day. Were they ever caught stealing they were said to be 'caught by the mud on their hooves,' which eventually was shortened to 'black-hooved.' Really, darling. You're better than that.”
Shining Armor mouthed dumbly at this, and then Miss Take spread her wings and primly launched herself into the air, spinning around once to blow him a kiss and singsong a loud 'ta-ta!' before she all-but-vanished into the night sky. The ivory unicorn was left simply staring after her, not even sure what to say... hell, not even sure what to feel.
Then he winced as the trapdoor nearby banged open, and Clarion huffed grumpily as he managed to half-crawl up onto the rooftop, dragging his prosthetic leg as he grumbled: “Oh, and of course you've already gotten beaten up. Perfect.”
“I'm not beaten up! She... ran away. To. Oh hell, we have to go report this. Miss Take is going to rob the Canterlot Bank.” Shining Armor said tiredly, and Clarion frowned in surprise before he sat up and flicked his horn sharply.
A purple flare of light launched high into the air, and Shining Armor followed this streak of light with his eyes in spite of a nagging feeling in his stomach. A reluctance, even as Clarion looked over at him and said quietly: “Pull yourself together, Shining Armor. It's not like you to-”
“I know. I'm sorry, I've just... dealt with her before. And I hate feeling that this is... useless.” Shining Armor muttered, even as several Night Guard descended quickly on their position. And in spite of his misgivings, the ivory unicorn looked up and said calmly: “Priority one alert. Canterlot Bank is being robbed as we speak by a wanted criminal, Miss Take. Alert the Royal Guard and then have the Night Guard blanket the skies and cut off her escape. Do not attempt to engage her at the bank, prioritize blocking all exits out of Canterlot.”
The Night Guard looked like he had his misgivings, but he saluted all the same and then shot up into the air to spread word. Clarion, meanwhile, was frowning over at Shining Armor, saying slowly: “'Do not engage?' As in, just let her rob the bank, and then try and catch her afterwards? But I am glad you at least emphasized how dangerous and ruthless Miss Take is supposed to be. You know. How many ponies she's disabled with her bare hooves, how she uses antimagic charms, made sure they wouldn't just think she was some thief or something stupid like that.”
“You're a little cranky, Clarion, aren't you?” Shining Armor said ironically, and then he reached up and grumpily rubbed his back, adding grouchily: “Furthermore, Miss Take has never killed anyone. Which I know, because she didn't kill me, she just... threw me around a little.”
“No, no, never. Just metaphorically killed them. How many ponies has she left in coma or maimed, again?” asked Clarion sourly, and Shining Armor grimaced a bit before the scarred Guard Captain added dryly: “And I thought you said she didn't beat you up.”
“She didn't. She. Threw me into a... rock. I landed on a rock.” Shining Armor said awkwardly, rubbing slowly at his back again as he looked back and forth over the top of the tower, and then he sighed a little and turned his eyes back to Clarion, saying finally: “I'm not protecting her.”
“I never said you were.” Clarion replied in a softer voice, and there was silence for a moment before the scarred unicorn sighed a little, dropping his head. And thankfully, also seeming to let the subject drop for now as he muttered: “You and your damn hair. Always getting all the hot mares interested in you.”
“Yes, but please allow me to point out that I'm married and you've seen what Cadence can do when she gets mad.” Shining Armor said tiredly, and Clarion finally gave a bit of a smile, the two looking at each other before the ivory unicorn glanced at the scarred stallion's prosthetic limb. “Do you want me to fix that for you? By which I mean, I can kick it or something.”
“If you spent less time primping your mane, your princeliness, you might have plucked out less of your brain.” Clarion replied dryly, and then he reached up and absently hammered at his synthetic leg, muttering: “No, your marefriend's little antimagic trick fried it. I'll have to bring it to the Magic Academy and get them to take a look at it.”
Shining Armor grunted, then scowled suddenly and said flatly: “She is not my marefriend. I'm married. To Cadence.”
“That was a bit of a delayed reaction.” Clarion said dryly, and then he shook his head briefly before turning towards the trapdoor, flicking his horn to yank it back open as he added: “And you sort yourself out, Shining Armor. Just because you're a Prince now doesn't mean you have to go acting like Blueblood, trying to grab up every mare in your path.”
Shining Armor glowered at this, saying stiffly: “I love Cadence. I am married to Cadence.”
Clarion simply shrugged, then he turned and began to limp down the steps, Shining Armor following after the scarred unicorn. But he wasn't able to stop himself from glancing over his shoulder and up through the still-open trapdoor...
Their walk back to Canterlot Castle was a long one, with Clarion having to drag his front leg along and Shining not in any great rush himself. He definitely wasn't interested in helping protect Miss Take, not in any way, but... he already knew that any attempt to catch her was useless. She was sly, and fast, and seemed to enjoy the games of cat and mouse she played with the Royal Guard...
He remembered, not all that long after Chrysalis had been first defeated, when he'd first met Miss Take: as in, when he had been sent to investigate a possible Changeling sighting, and he'd seen this gorgeous Pegasus mare being attacked by several drones. He and a few other guards had driven them off – and only afterwards he'd reflect that it had been far too easy – before they'd taken this poor, scared mare to Canterlot Castle so they could make sure she was safe and find out why Changelings had been attacking her...
And an hour later, that pretty mare had ransacked the treasure vaults, demolished a hoof-full of soldiers, and he was fighting her with all his strength as his soldiers hurriedly closed the emergency doors at either end of the hallway. He had a sword on his back, but he was only using his hooves: it was important they take her alive, find out just who and what she really was...
And he still didn't know how it had happened, but she had vaulted him suddenly, and he had spun to face her... and his own sword had been pressed against his throat, leaving him staring and her smiling coyly. Their eyes had met, staring at each other for the longest time... before she suddenly spun around him, keeping the sword at his throat with one hoof while the other clung to him, almost draping herself over him as she'd threatened to kill him unless they let her out of the castle.
She used him as a living shield – and a riding horse – to get to the western wing of the castle, on the highest level. The whole time, she'd chattered away amiably, like this was all fun and games to her: Shining had yet to realize that it was. That she didn't get any thrill from the pack of treasure on her back, she didn't care about riches or money... just about the thrill of stealing it, and the challenge it presented to her. Winning the game she set up with all her own unknown rules.
She'd gotten her back to the window, then suddenly shoved him down, pinning him to the ground before a flash had blinded all the soldiers that had been escorting them, and she had simply seemed to vanish. The open windows pointed to her having left through them, and as Shining Armor crawled to his hooves, he'd shouted to go, to get her. All the soldiers had listened to him, leaving him alone in the hall... except the moment he started to regain his composure, readied himself to join the rest of the guards in the search, Miss Take had suddenly dropped her head in front of him with a bright grin, winking at him as she hovered upside down.
He remembered gaping, and then she dropped in front of him, grabbed him, and kissed him. And because his luck was just so fantastic, Cadence burst into the hall to make sure he was okay after hearing from another guard what was going on.
And Shining Armor, tactical genius, first class officer, Prince of Equestria, had stared in horror as the Pegasus only giggled before he'd blurted, of all the goddamn things: “It's a mistake!”
“That's my name, darling. See you soon, handsome.” Miss Take had called brightly, and then she'd vanished. And Shining Armor had slept on the couch that night. And he'd been forced to make his own dinner for a week. And Cadence had hidden all their nice soaps and bath things and used his toothbrush to scrub out the sink. And the toilet.
Clarion cleared his throat loudly, and Shining Armor was brought back to reality as they crossed the threshold into the castle. Then the scarred stallion asked mildly, before Shining could even think of anything to avoid what he knew was coming: “Trying to figure out how you're going to tell your wife about your marefriend, your prince highness lordship?”
“She is not my marefriend. And... well, I... I'm certainly going to tell Cadence that there was a problem but...” Shining shifted awkwardly, looking back and forth through the halls before he sighed half in relief, half in annoyance as a grizzled unicorn rammed through the doors at the end of the corridor and strode towards him, muttering: “Look sharp.”
“You look sharp. You're the Prince.” mumbled Clarion, and then he quickly put as serious an expression as he could on his face he forced himself to straighten, saluting and saying crisply: “General Archon, sir.”
“At ease. Both of... you.” General Archon scowled a little at Shining Armor, who forced himself to keep his eyes respectfully forwards as he saluted, even though the immolating orange glare of the General always made him want to curl up in a hole and hide. Archon was an old war-horse, after all, not like a lot of Celestia's officers, who usually favored more-cautious tactics... instead of what usually amounted to setting everything in sight on fire. “Shining Armor, I take it you failed to capture the Changeling?”
“Yes, sir.” Shining Armor said as blandly as he could, and then he bowed his head awkwardly: mostly so he could look away from the large, orange-and-yellow unicorn made of bitterness and anger and incendiary magic. “I apologize, sir. If our forces fail to catch her in Canterlot, however, we do have a lead on where she will be heading next, sir.”
General Archon scowled, then he said icily: “I don't need your false respect, princeling. You are still under my command while you wear that armor. Where is Miss Take headed?”
“The Crystal Kingdom.” Shining Armor said quietly, glancing up and grimacing a bit, and General Archon frowned deeper. “I... I will pursue her myself. Princess Cadence and I were supposed to head there shortly anyway.”
There was an awkward moment of silence, and then General Archon snorted before saying moodily: “Then I will inform Princess Celestia that I will lead this operation into the northern lands. Your multiple failures to apprehend a dangerous Changeling criminal have gone from embarrassing you to embarrassing our entire organization.”
Shining Armor simply forced himself to smile, nodding awkwardly and mumbling out: “Yes, sir. It won't happen again, sir.”
General Archon glared him down into the ground, then he tossed a disdainful look to Clarion, who saluted again before the large unicorn simply snorted and turned around, striding back the way he'd come. Clarion and Shining Armor looked at each other for a moment, and then the scarred stallion said dryly: “Nice knowing you, Shining Armor. But I don't expect you to come back from the Crystal Kingdom now. I doubt after Archon kills you he'll have the courtesy to send you home, after all. He'll probably just leave you hanging from a post. Assuming there's enough of you left over to hang.”
“Oh, well, Clarion, thank you, thank you so much for that imagery. Look, okay, Archon hates me, I get that. I'm the little Prince Captain and that tends to rub people the wrong way sometimes.” Shining Armor said dryly, lowering his head a little before he hesitated and then said finally: “But it's a good thing, really. If. Something awful happens, I can push Archon in front of me. And he'll just. Burn it to ashes, take all the credit, get another medal and maybe give that creepy little smile he always does whenever he sets something on fire.”
Clarion looked dryly over at Shining Armor, who looked dumbly back before the scarred pony sighed and shook his head, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder. “I'm going to go get my leg fixed. And look, my honest advice for a moment here... be honest with Cadence about your marefriend Miss Take showing up. Because you know how she feels about her.”
“Yeah, I do. That's. Part of why I don't want to tell her right away.” Shining Armor said finally, and Clarion gave the stallion an amused look before he shook his head slowly and turned, limping off down the corridor as the ivory unicorn added hurriedly: “And she's not! I hate her more than I hate... uh... apparently everything because I can't think of anything else I hate!”
Clarion ignored him, and Shining Armor sighed tiredly before he dropped his head, shifting a bit from hoof-to-hoof. He was married to Cadence. He loved her, and he would be beside her forever... he was sure of that. He really was, a hundred percent sure of that...
He sighed again, then looked back and forth for a moment before turning and listlessly dragging himself through the halls as his mind turned to Cadence... and he realized there was a whole different reason she might end up being less than thrilled with him now. He had kind of just gone and... decided for them that they were going to go to the Crystal Kingdom here and now, after all. Cadence had wanted time to think, but he had half-panicked and half let himself be led along by... a mistake.
He smiled wryly at this thought, then mumbled: “But I did make one, didn't I? One hell of a mistake. One hell of a Miss Take. Miss Take is one hell of a mistake. Dammit, it's just that... stupid Changeling influence...”
Shining Armor halted and hammered at his head a few times, and then he grumbled under his breath before sighing and continuing through the familiar labyrinth of Canterlot, smiling awkwardly now and then at ponies he knew but... not really in the mood to stop for conversation beyond saying there had been a security alert, and the Royal Guard was dealing with it.
He made his way up to the quarters that he and Cadence shared, here in Canterlot Castle: not as nice as their little home in the city itself, but it was easier for them to stay here in the castle when they were both supposed to be on duty. Although his hooves felt heavy as he made his way up, and for some reason, he kept wanting to turn the other way, go down a different path, not... head right back up to Cadence right away.
Guilt, probably. He hated the thought of burdening her even more, bringing up Miss Take... the cunning half-Changeling who showed up now and then purely to cause some petty little drama before dashing off into the sunset. Shining Armor couldn't help but reflect moodily that at least Cadence got a dangerous, terrifying monster for an archnemesis in Sombra: he got a crazy mare who was obsessed with ruining his marriage and liked to steal shiny objects.
He reached the door to their apartment, and lingered for a few moments outside before finally reaching up and pushing it open. And he blinked in surprise before smiling a little as a distinct, sweet scent touched his nose: “Cadence? Is that your blueberry tea?”
He walked inside, heading through the little entrance hall to the kitchen, and he found his wife sitting at the table with a steaming cup in front of her, the mare smiling faintly as she glanced up at him. He frowned worriedly, leaning forwards as he saw the strain on her features... but the rose-colored winged unicorn simply shook her head quickly and murmured: “I'm fine, Shine, don't worry about me. What happened to you, though? You're all dirty and your mane's all a mess.”
Shining Armor smiled awkwardly, and then he hesitated and bit his cheek before stepping forwards and slipping into the chair across from her with a sigh. She frowned, leaning forwards... and Shining Armor shifted a bit, looking at her uncomfortably.
She just looked so tired, so... hurt and out of sorts. He studied her silently for the longest time, and then he said finally: “You're going to be mad, but...”
Cadence tilted her head, shifting a bit in her seat, and Shining Armor met those big, pretty eyes of hers, so... worried. There was something in the depths of them that scared him to see: some fear she had bottled away, some... knowledge that was cutting her up inside, and the stallion bit his lip before he said awkwardly: “We're going to the Crystal Kingdom tomorrow. I... General Archon is sending us. A... patrol found out that someone's going to go after the Crystal Heart.”
“Horses of Heaven, not again. I wish they'd put that thing somewhere more secure.” Cadence mumbled, shaking her head briefly before she gave a small nod and smiled faintly at him, reaching out and silently taking one of his hooves. “Well, Shine, that's... that's okay, actually. I was hoping to. And I know you can't exactly control what General Archon orders... come on, I don't come across as that needy and controlling, do I?”
“As long as it's not morning.” Shining Armor said mildly, and then he smiled a bit when she leaned forwards and whacked him with her other hoof, but she was smiling as well as he asked hesitantly: “What about you though? You look tired yourself, Cadence... and that's me trying to be polite for 'you look like complete hell.'”
“Yeah. I know.” Cadence mumbled, and then she shifted a bit before sliding out of her spot and walking over to him, burying her face against him and sighing softly as she hugged him fiercely, murmuring: “I'll tell you after I get some sleep, okay? I really don't want to think about it right now. I really just want to be here with you, and... safe.”
Shining Armor softened, wrapping his forelegs around her and hugging her close as he nodded. One hoof silently stroked through her mane as he cradled her against his body, and Cadence smiled faintly as she rested her head against his neck, breathing slowly, inhaling his familiar scent: that mix of stallion and all those silly soaps of hers he liked.
And for a little while, nothing else mattered and everything was okay, as Cadence rested against him, and Shining Armor held her close to his strong, armored body. Mistakes were forgotten and shadows were rendered harmless, and Cadence was finally able to slip down into a comforted sleep that even Luna hadn't been able to help her achieve with all her magic, while Shining felt his strength and resolve renewing, taking relief in her solace.
But both knew, in their heart of hearts, that nothing would truly be okay until they reached the Crystal Kingdom: only then would both Cadence and Shining Armor be able to find whatever destiny was waiting for them, and whether or not they were meant to face it together... or if it was going to draw them apart.