//------------------------------//
// Book 1: Chapter 9: Complete and Utter Loss of Words 
// Story: Crystal White 
// by Lovinlife 
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Shining's walk through the hall of the barracks became strangely difficult for him when his head began to swim with a fuzzy mist. A throbbing pressure built up in his temples. He found himself having to lean against a wall, rubbing his forehead, trying to relieve the pain. 

"Oh Celestia." He whispered breathlessly, taking long, deep breaths in and out shakily. "I don’t know how much longer this will last."

He slowly stumbled to his room. As before, Shining paid no attention to his surroundings till he reached the door he wanted. He found it open so he just slinked in weakly, leaning his body against a bedpost. His thoughts flashed through his mind, so fast, he couldn't even tell what they were. The world melted around him like hot ice cream.

A voice called out from the mess: "Shining!" In his daze, he looked around for the voice, but it sounded more forced now and closer. It was coming from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see his little sister and adopted little brother, Spike, with heartbreaking horror on their faces.

Twilight was over at his side instantly, her hoof pressing against his forehead. Shining had to wince at the throbbing pain that caused. Twilight instantly backed up from her brother, then said hurriedly: "I'm so sorry! Spike, go get a warm wash cloth!" She ordered the little dragon, who promptly agreed without words. "Shining, what does it feel like?"

Shining couldn't do anything with the mash of thought in his head. He only let out a single forced:" Ow." He collapsed to the floor, the cold tile feeling soothing against his skin. 

As Twilight frantically helped him lean against the bed's headboard, she reprimanded him, "That's not helping. I can't help you it you don't let me."

Spike's little dragon claws clicked along the ground, running back. "Got it Twilight." He gave it to Twilight who held it weakly in her magic, barely there at all.

Through gasps of extreme breathlessness, Shining tried to explain to her. "There- There's a...pain. It's like I have a head cold, or something. It's all up here." He pointed a hoof to where she had touched him.

“We need to get you to a hospital. I’ll do it with a teleportation spell. It’s simple.” Twilight pleaded with her crumpled brother.

He only shook his head. “No. No. I can’t do that. After all this? What would the foals in Canterlot, or even in all of Equestria think if their hero fell to a little cold? They’d be devastated. I don’t ever want to even see a betrayed foal’s face like that. Ever.” Shining stubbornly stated, trying to stand up on his hooves.

“Shining.” Twilight tried to reason with her brother...no, she was begging, really. “Please don’t do this to me. I can’t lose you.”

He turned to her. Her eyes were watering and wide with absolute fear. He slowly reached up and pulled her into his breathing chest as he spoke softly as he could: “I’m not going anywhere, Twilly. Why would I put my sister through that again? I almost did once. But I’ve got to keep out of the hospital, it’s a place for people who have fallen weak and can’t take care of themselves. Celestia’s rule is being challenged by ponies who would exploit that weakness if shown, especially after today. I don't think they’re done yet. Just follow me on this one.”

Twilight pulled herself out of the hug from her brother and slowly paced the room from the bed, to the dresser, to the closed window facing out over the expanse of the city below. The ponies looked like ants. She looked conflicted, Shining thought as he watched her. Finally, she bit her lip and sighed. “Okay. I can see what you mean. But if you're wrong, I’ll knock you out and put you in the hospital myself.”

“Twilight, you don’t mean that, do you?” Spike asked, looking a bit worriedly at his older adopted sister. “Can we still take care of him?”

She looked at the little baby dragon. “We can do it, Spike.”

“Well, if you’re so sure, I’m sure. What do we need to do?”

"Well, he’s heating up a lot. Let's get him to bed. Come on, get up." She leaned her body underneath Shining, and grunted from the exertion of pushing him up until Shining finally got into the bed. He looked at her, confused as to the lack of her use of magic. "Spike, I know I'm asking a lot out of you quickly, but could you go get Shining's neti-pot and get it ready with warm water and…"

"Yeah, Twi. I know how to get it setup. Just get him into bed.” Spike interrupted, but in a very toned down way. He ran into the bathroom, and a moment later the water could be heard running.

At this moment, the door slowly opened to reveal a pale Soul Flasher, who looked like he had been sweating a lot before this, as his mane looked all crusty and shined a bit in the light. "Oh, um...good afternoon Soul Flasher."

Soul wobbled into the room, shaking his head sadly. "No Miss Sparkle. It's not a good afternoon from what's happened. The other guards and I are all shaking sweating, and...or crying. I don't even feel good about what happened out there anymore."

Shining's voice spoke from the bed, still just as weak, but he was trying to force strength into his tone all the same. "Did you at least get the prisoners down into the cells?"

Soul sighed and slowly shook his head. "Yes, but we're going to have to talk about that later."

Wanting to change the subject, Twilight thought hard, rubbing her chin with a hoof. "Hmm. From your symptoms. I'm thinking you might be having what my book calls Post Combat Fatigue."

Soul took a couple of steps back. "Why would you read a book about war illnesses, or whatever that came from?"

Twilight slightly smirked at her answer. "It actually came from a book about ancient pegasi culture."

Soul stared dumbly at Twilight before muttering out quickly: "That's a bit creepy, but strangely makes sense. But I'm not here for idle chit-chat. Princess Celestia has requested that all the leaders from the defense this afternoon meet her in the throne room for a meeting to talk about what happened."

Twilight's pulse suddenly quickened in her veins, and her heartbeat pounded in her ears. Her brother was supposed to be concentrating on getting better, not playing war games. She knew Shining knew that, she knew Soul knew that, and she knew Celestia knew that Equestria was not made for fighting. Celestia was just chucking the dice and taking the chips when she won.

"Really?" Shining whined from the bed. He turned over on his side and faced Soul. "She said that? Every word?"

"Yes. She's not in too much of a hurry, probably steeling herself for the news that's to come."

A complete and utter loss of words hit Twilight. Not knowing what to say, she just went with what her mind thought. "No!" Twilight shouted, jumping in between Soul and Shining, as if she was trying to stop the conversation. Turning her furious gaze onto Soul, she pushed her words into his face. "I won't have Shining put at risk anymore because Celestia says so! He has been getting worse and worse with this sickness, and having him doing all these things like fighting is not helping! He needs rest! This is the last straw and I'm putting my hoof down!"

Soul quickly took a few steps back towards the door as Twilight's eyes pierced him through. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, but these are orders from her Majesty herself and I have to follow them...and so do you. Just don't get mad at me for what she does next time."

Twilight's stomach sunk guiltily. It swam there uncomfortably, just treading water and not trying to get itself out. "So much for love and kindness." She tried to bury that guilt with anger but that only seemed to be fertilizer for the plant and it grew inside of her. Her outward appearance didn’t show a single thing wrong, but inside was a battle all on its own. Maybe ponies weren't made for fighting externally, but they sure could do it internally.

Soul took back the steps that he lost before and got closer to Twilight. He didn't glare at her even if he sure wasn't happy with Twilight's words. She knew that was the case. "You've been a little hot-head lately, Twilight. Why would you be so willing to break so many of the Princess' rules?"
Memories came flooding back to Twilight's mind and she reeled from them The question was a spell going off and it struck her right in her mind and tore through it. Sadness was right behind the thoughts and Twilight couldn't handle it.
"I don't think that's any of your business, Soul." Shining stood up for his shrinking sister, who was slowly moving away from Soul. Spike ran up to her and embraced her as she began to cry.

"It's okay Twi, please don't cry." Spike softly spoke to her.

Shining's glare was like Twilight's as it tore through Soul. The unicorn stood there, looking at the scene before him with his mouth slightly dropped in confusion at what had just happened. "Twilight, I'm sorry if I hurt you." He sighed wholly. "Come on, Shining. The princess is waiting."

"I SAID NO!" Twilight's shrieking, tear stained voice took over.

Spike looked over at the two unicorns and motioned for them to just go. Shining sadly nodded and the pair silently left the room, leaving Twilight and Spike alone with the echoing cry.