Twilight paced back and forth in the small space she had been given, every so often looking through the enchanted bars that blocked her magic from aiding her only to see another brick wall sitting a few meters away and the two royal guards ordered to watch her every move, a unicorn and a pegasus. She couldn't stop thinking about what might have been happening while she was helpless inside her cell. The other three princesses now saw her as an enemy, the changelings had been revealed and it was only a matter of time before their hiding place was found, it seemed like the only one Twilight could trust was trapped behind enchanted bars just as she was.
“Calm down Twilight,” Shining Armor said as he put a hoof on his little sister’s shoulder, forcing her to stop pacing. “I’m sure the changelings can handle themselves.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Neither do you.” Twilight looked up at her big brother. As much as she felt that she did more damage than she fixed, she couldn't argue with him. He brought his voice down to a softer tone and moved away from the cell door. “When we were in the chamber of the elements of harmony, you said someone was supposed to be there. I’m guessing a changeling but why? I take it there was more planning to this invasion than you let on.” Twilight sighed and walked away from the door as well, joining her big brother and sitting down on the cold, stone floor.
“Prince Vano.”
“Prince?”
“No one knows what happened to Queen Chrysalis after the first attack. Prince Vano was next in line to lead the changelings. It was his idea to ask for my help and it was his idea to lead a second invasion. I couldn't talk him out of attacking, but I at least managed to-” The sound of a metal door creaking open could be heard from the end of the corridor, interrupting Twilight. In the near silence that followed, all she could hear were the hoof steps approaching, slowly getting louder and louder against the stone until the unicorn guard spoke.
“You have a visitor.” A pink alicorn walked into view, barely acknowledging the prisoners’ existence before turning her head to speak to the guards.
“You two can go home for the day, I’ll send in the next guards on my way out.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea Princess Cadence?” The pegasus guard asked nervously, hesitant to question her decision. “What if they attempt an escape? We must ensure your safety.”
“I appreciate your dedication, but I can handle myself. Leave us.” She turned to face her husband, Shining Armor, looking at him through the bars as both of the royal guards nodded in compliance and turned to leave through the solid metal door that Cadence stepped through. After the sound of the heavy metal door closing echoed through the corridor, it was followed by another silence. Twilight didn't bother getting up from her seat on the ground, refusing to look at Cadence while she continued her staring competition with Shining.
“Why are you here?” Shining Armor asked, choosing to be the first one to break the uncomfortable silence.
“Because I don’t understand,” Cadence answered as her facial expression fell to that of a lost dog. “How could you take the changelings’ side over me?”
“I didn't.” He slowly turned his head to his little sister who was still just focusing on the wall. “I took her side.” He turned back to see a hurt look in his wife’s eyes. It was clear that she was having a hard time accepting the situation and choosing to come down here wasn't making things any easier on her. “My own sister… your sister, needed our help and you chose to lock us in a cage.”
“You’re safe in here, not with them. The changelings are dangerous but somehow, despite the second attack taking place in our own home of Canterlot, you fail to see that.”
“During that entire event, not a single one of them came after us. If they’re only after Celestia, why should I believe that they’d hurt us?”
“So it’s ok if they attack Princess Celestia, so long as they keep away from you and your sister?”
“That’s not what I meant! The only peaceful way to resolve this is to follow Twilight’s plan and allow the changelings to return home. Then they’ll leave all of us alone, including Princess Celestia.”
“It’s a bit late for that.” Cadence mentioned somberly as Twilight finally looked up at the two arguing. Unsure of what she had just heard. “The changelings already attacked Celestia. It’s worse than last time. The best doctors from the Canterlot hospital are trying to heal her but it may be a few weeks.” Shining Armor turned away from the bars and looked down at his sister.
“Did you know about this?” Twilight hesitated. She had no idea how to answer. Prince Vano seemed so noble, he held himself with such honor and pride. Was that what he was doing when he stood her up in the chamber of the elements? Even if he was leading an invasion of Canterlot, Twilight found it hard to believe that he would've gone after Celestia like that. “Twilight, did you know about this?” The repeated question went right over her head as she was still lost in thought. Was that why they retreated so easily? Did Vano lie to her just to get a shot at the Princess without her in the way? It was too hard to tell anymore, to separate the good from the bad, the honest from the deceitful, the loyal from the corrupt.
“That’s not all,” Cadence continued, ignoring Twilight’s despondence. “Do you remember when the crystal empire needed you to lend guards from Canterlot?”
“You mean when Sunset Shimmer stole the element of magic?” Cadence nodded.
“We later found out what had been causing the guards sickness. Fifteen guards were each drained of their emotions, just like you were on our wedding day. At first we didn't believe that they were changeling attacks, but all the signs were the same. We thought maybe they were a few independent drifters, still trying to survive after Chrysalis’s defeat. But it was too coincidental, fifteen guards all at once? And while the portal to another realm was open? We can’t say for sure what they were planning but it can’t have been good. We think Celestia was just the start, they could very well be headed to attack the Crystal Empire next.”
“They wouldn't do that.” Twilight said, raising her voice.
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because I trust them.” Cadence just shook her head and turned her attention back to Shining Armor.
“Could you please try to talk some sense into her? I’m sure this is hard for her to accept, it might be easier coming from you.” Shining just nodded in response and sat down on their creaky jail cell bed. “I imagine you two need some time to talk. I’ll come back tomorrow. Goodbye Shining.”
“Goodbye Cadence,” He replied, not taking his attention away from Twilight sitting in the corner.
“Goodbye Twilight.” She sat still, not even looking up at her sister-in-law. She took the hint and started walking away, down the corridor as the other two sat in silence. Once the door had fully closed, Shining Armor was the first to speak.
“I’m sorry about that. She gets like that’ sometimes” Twilight just looked up at her big brother, slightly confused. “This isn't the first argument we've had. I've learnt it’s much easier to pretend to take her side than to get her to take yours.”
“That doesn't sound healthy.”
“Marriage comes with a very steep learning curve. It doesn't help with me being a captain of the royal guard. I’m always too busy at work to help her. Don’t worry, we’ll get around it, trust me.” He smiled warmly at his little sister as Twilight felt herself smile for the first time since being thrown in the dungeon. It didn't last long though before she began to think about the changelings again.
“But how are we going to get out of here?” Her brother stood up and walked over to wrap a hoof around her shoulder, sitting down again next to her.
“No need to worry about that, I've got it covered.” The metal door at the end of the corridor once again creaked open as two sets of hoof steps could be heard echoing through the dungeon. The door swung close as they got closer and closer. The next rotation of two guards stepped in front of the enchanted bars that held them captive. This time they were both pegasi guards, one of them with the normal pure white coat that most of the pegasi guards had but the other one was orange.
“Flash,” Twilight mumbled under her breath, still upset with the guard who gave Cadence the elements of harmony.
"I thought you liked Flash Sentry." Shining whispered with a subtle smirk emerging on his face.
"He betrayed us." The orange guards expression grew concerned as he watched the two whisper back and forth, he could tell they were talking about him and Twilight's disgust could be read from a mile away.
"Let me tell you something about Flash Sentry. He's a lot like me. When he see's an argument can't be won, he pretends to side with them instead. You wouldn't think that would work so often but here we are."
"You mean..." Twilight didn't bother finishing her thought as she watched her brother walk up to the bars with a confident smile.
"Flash Sentry."
"Yes Sir," Flash replied, saluting his captain even from opposite sides of the cage.
"I trust he's with us too?" Shining asked, looking at the white pegasus.
"Yes sir," The pegasus guard answered, choosing to speak for himself. Twilight rose from the ground and walked up to the bars, looking straight at Flash even while talking to her brother.
"You mean all of that was-"
"While you were busy arguing with your sister-in-law," Shining interrupted. "I watched Flash swap out the elements of harmony for fakes. He knew I would follow you, and I knew he would follow me, ever the loyalist."
"Thank you sir," Flash said as he pulled out a set of keys, pushing one of them into the lock that held the enchanted bars together. Twilight could feel magic withdraw from the air as the door slid open.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just side with us in the first place? while we still had the elements?" Her brother opened his mouth to answer but Flash spoke first.
"We couldn't risk leaving with the elements with Cadence right on our tail. This way we can get a head start and by the time she notices we're gone, it'll be too late to follow us. She may know what you're planning, but it's incredibly unlikely she has any idea where the changeling capital is. Celestia knows but from what I've heard, it may be a while before she wakes up."
"Then I suppose we better start going," Shining chimed in,
"I know a backdoor passage out of the dungeons." Flash started leading the way in the other direction to the metal door, Twilight following right behind him, then Shining Armor, with the other pegasus guard covering the back.
"There's still one thing I don't understand," Twilight mentioned as The orange pegasus raised an eyebrow. "Where did you get the fake elements of harmony?" This caught the attention of Shining Armor as well as they both looked at Flash. The pegasus looked back at them for a split second before continuing ahead, swallowing his pride.
"I'm afraid I may have some explaining to do."