Extended Holiday
Chp 7: The day was going to be Perfect
Act 1
Chrysalis stalked across what many were calling in the crisis “Wedding Hall” of Canterlot castle, her Canterlot castle now. Admittedly there losses had been massively more than first expected but with the three creatures nullified, the night guard was easily being worn down and the lunar princess had mysteriously vanished. In front of her where the Elements of Harmony holders and on the roof from cocoons hung two of the creatures and Celestia. While in front of where she stopped lay the body of Shawn in the dented Armor. A small smile on her muzzle.
The room was empty save for the Queen and her underlings, the other guests had been ferried to another part of the castle.
“This day has been just perfect.” She sang softly to herself. She placed a hoof over the seemingly dead creatures chest symbolizing her dominance.
Meanwhile Twilight snuck over to Cadence using her magic to vaporize the changeling gloo she looked at her old foalsitter.
“Go to him.” She encouraged.
Not needing to be told twice Cadence silently made her way over to the ensorceled captain of the guard. she tried in vain to get his attention before giving up. unseen a small spark moved from her horn forming a heart that floated over to Shining Armor, popping on his muzzle his eye’s returned to normal.
“Uh, is the wedding over?” He asked as he moved a hoof to his head, it felt like something was fading, as if waking up from a foggy dream. He couldn’t even remember the day, or most of yesterday. This he found confusing and a bit frightening.
“Shining Armor” Cadence gasp throwing her hooves around the white unicorn and nuzzling him.
He looked around a little as his military training started to kick in. But at the same time wrapping his own hoofs around Cadence “Woah, Cadence, What happened?”
“The Changeling’s, your spell?” she looked at him hopefully.
Shining blinked and gasped. “Right, I…” he closed his eyes and tried to use the spell but.. he slumped a little. “It’s no use they drained me… I, I need time to recharge to activate the spell.”
“My love will give you power.” Cadence said lowering her horn to Shining Armors, sparks began to fly.
“A foalish notion but you're welcome to try.” Chrysalis taunted.
The energy began to gain in intensity, the pink glow encompassing the unicorn and the alicorn. Growling chrysalis turned to them her own horn beginning to glow as doing so, she took her hoof off Shawn’s chest and her symbolic gesture of defeating the capital. “A foalish notion because you won’t live to complete it. I have been feeding on more than just Shining Armor’s love since this battle has started my Changelings have fed me as well.”
While above the heads of the ponies Taze, Celestia, and Matthew watched in horror at what they were about to see. They found also that once they had opened their eyes, while it didn’t hurt the eyes, they also could not blink again. Their eyes were open and clear thanks to the liquid inside the cocoon.
A voice echoed in Shawn's head. “Wake up Shawn thou is not yet finished, onward to victory.”
Soon after hearing the voice his eyes opened, and a last spark entered his mind, through his dull senses he still knew a couple things. Chrysalis was still alive, she was doing something to another, and he was running out of time.
After flipping over, as quietly as he could he stared at the Changeling Queen, a dull anger still roaring inside him. Around him the Changeling underlings just stood there in shock and silence as they saw the twice dead warrior move and started to stand upon its two hind legs. Chrysalis had no warnings as to what came next from Shawn.
Knowing his time was short he did one last thing. Noticing the window behind her, he did something that would possibly be his last action.
He charged.
All Chrysalis would get to see in the moment she looked over, was a being who just would not die.
Wrapping his arms around her midsection he lifted her while still charging forward, and before anyone could yell out for them, he jumped through the window, holding her around her midsection to hold her wings down, and shattered the window into oblivion.
Shawn looked around as they fell, the world seemingly slow to him as he fell, holding her to make sure she didn’t escape. The drop seemed to last forever, and in that moment, he closed his eyes, accepting his fate.
From the cocoon Matthew just seemed to stiffen a little at the final moments that he saw. He could not speak, but in his mind, he felt like screaming but his body just, he was in shock and he did not know it. He just stared at the window where Shawn had gone with the Changeling Queen. The sky through the large hole was sky, nothing but sky and he did not know what the drop was. So his mind told him that he was heading down the drop all the way to the valley floor below them. He just was there. Unable to move his eyes, unwilling to move his eyes as he just stared at the window or the remains of the window.
Taze screamed a muted scream, watching his friend disappear through the window with the monster caused numerous emotions to flow through him. Fear, anger, rage, and hatred melted together in seconds, he didn’t even seem to notice as the fluid in the cocoon seemed to boil around him. His feelings were stopped however as a pink wave passed through the room, instantly vaporizing the cocoon’s around the three of them. With a grunt Taze hit the floor and everything went black.
Matthew more felt the wave and he looked down at the floor and he blinked, for him the fall caused him to have a life pass by your eyes moment as he figured that this was going to kill him. Only to blink as he land on something a little softer than the marble steps that would have also broken bones. He lands on Celestia’s back. As she had opened her wings in the fall and caused a happy accident that caused the two to land on the base of the steps. He blinked as this sudden event made him put his head against the soft thing that saved his life, and closed his eyes in sorrow, pain, and a tired body all made him fall asleep.
The pink wave kept moving outwards, ignoring ponies and other creatures in Canterlot but for any changeling that contacted it, it was as if they’d hit a wall. Outside and below them on the palace grounds Shawn was shoved aside on the ground as Chrysalis was sent flying from the impact. In a matter of minutes the invasion ended as every changeling in the city was sent flying into the horizon in different directions. All except one currently laying unconscious in the hall of history.
Celetia after placing the sleeping form of Matthew on the stretcher that once bore Shawn, then turned to face the window and charged ahead through the hole in the window. Returning moments later with Shawn's body in her magical grasp. She laid him down on the floor gently.
“He’s alive.” She assured the ponies. “But not by much, we need a healer in here, now.” She looked at Rainbow who saluted and sped away.
Twilight began to remove the dented chest plate with her magic “I hope he at least got his wound closed up… of course not.” She deadpanned noticing the rough bandage.The bandage was now completely red and wet with fresh blood. Celestia used her magic to apply pressure to the wound.
“We need something to bandage it.” Celestia said.
Pinkie pulled out some cotton swab and medical wrapping from under the nearby rug. “I keep medical supplies all over canterlot incase of medical emergencies.” she explained.
Twilight levitated the cotton gently placing them on the wound before wrapping it as best she could. “He still needs to get to the hospital” she noted looking around the room. “They all need to get to a hospital.”
“One question there sugar cube? How exactly are we gonna do that?” Applejack asked looking around. “Shucks, the smallest ones bigger than Big Macintosh”
It was Celestia who answered the question as she slowly levitated Matthew up along withe the Stretcher. “I think we can help.”
“Agreed Sister.” Luna replied with her sudden appearance and looked at the two humans. “We shall take the bigger one as we feel it as a fellow Warrior’s courtesy with all he has done to protect our fair capital.” She gently picked up Shawn in her magic and drapped him on her back as their was no time in her mind. With a crack she was gone in teleport.
Celestia groaned a little. “Wait up, you don’t even.” She snorted in exasperation and was gone in her own teleport. Leaving Taze knocked out on the marble floor near Cadence who looked at the others and then at Taze and around the empty room. “My aunt could have easily taken both of them… what happened?”
It was Pinkie who answered the question while the others seemed unsure of how to answer the question. “He called her Sunbutt.” She replied cheerfully.
The look on Cadence and then to Taze was an odd expression. “Amazing that he still can walk after that insult was flown from his lips, I guess I better catch up with them and see what happened.” She moved and even though Taze was still out she talked to him like a small colt. “Come on, time to move, we’re going to see a doctor for some of those nasty bruises,” She turned to look at the others. “See you all later, sorry my wedding caused such a disaster.” She smiled a little. “Maybe we can meet up for ice cream and I can tell you some stories from when I foal sat Twilight here.” She smiled and gave a small laugh before she too was gone.
“I like her.” Pinkie Pie cried out hopping around and jumped suddenly with a gasp. “Come on girls we should head on over to Canterlot Royal Hospital.” She was gone in a puff of smoke as she galloped away. With some very confused and tried friends behind her.
Matthew blinked open his eyes and found himself looking up at the ceiling. “Oh.” was all he replied as he blinked again as he tried to remember what happened. As he slowly reviewed the past unknown hours of the day. “Oh, back to square one it seems.” He looked down and sighed in relief. “No surgery and no new scars.” He relaxed a little as he heard a door open. “Hello, I am awake, what’s the damage doc?” he asked as he looked around the hospital room.
The doctor, an Earth Pony Matthew realized as he turned his head to the slight clearing of the throat. “Yes, you appear to be okay, we had to up a little bit of your dosage on the potion to return your blood levels back to normal, why you want your blood thinning is beyond…” He never finished as Matthew let out a rather loud no.
“Doctor, the reason why I have thin blood is because of this.” He patted his heart. “Did you not hear it. Did you not compare,” Matthew growled and threw up his hands. “At least I did not need surgery, you could kill me. In fact you are killing me. I have artificial valves, and I need the blood thin to keep them from clotting.” He did not realize that his face and glare was something that was unnerving the doctor who only backed out slowly. “You. Go. Fix. It. Now.” Matthew said each word with emphasis and slowly. “If you have, look it should be on record somewhere just where my blood was when I came to this world. Find those numbers and return my blood to that way… or you will be burying me.” He waited till the doctor left before returning to laying on his back and looked up at the ceiling. “Heaven help me, why can’t my mom and I get a break and we have to be vigilant with everything,” He seemed to plead with the ceiling. “Can I please have a break? Please, just a week.” He turned to his side and blinked. “Well at least they have IV’s… maybe they can fix me up that way, bitter drink is bitter.”
“Argh...” Taze rubbed his head as he moved to sit up, getting the warning to not attempt to move too fast which he promptly considered and then ignored he props himself up. “Everything okay Matthew?” he asked.
“No… the docs thought they would be nice and fixed my thin blood.” He shook his head. “I can go a day or two with normal blood but the longer I go, the more risk of blood clots and that could gum up the valve or break off and travel to the lungs.” The tone of voice was grumpy, maybe a bit more. “I think I scared the doctor with the yelling but, I do not want to die due to medical mistakes.” He blinked and his voice took on a kinder tone and one with worry. “How are you doing?”
“Well apparently, I am mentally and physically exhausted, or had exhausted myself, my blood sugar dropped incredibly low due to my constant stressful activity as well as minimal blood loss from wounds they didn’t find till they brought me in here. some minor stitches and all that, but with any luck I should be out of here tomorrow.” Taze said looking to his left at the small brown colt in the bed next to him. “Didn’t notice you in here, I’m Taze what are you in for?” he asked.
“I was walking down canterlot with my joy boy and something hit me in the head.” He said not looking up from his game that Taze noticed in his hooves. “I’m Button Mash!”
“Your parents gamers or something?” Taze asked raising an eyebrow.
Matthew had turned to look at the bed and just stared. He blinked and rubbed his eyes and shook his head as if he could not believe that he was actually seeing this.
“Mom always say’s her and dad loved games when they were my age.” Button nodded.
“Best name ever!” Taze smiled.
Matthew coughed into his hand a little and spoke up. “Name’s Matthew. What’s the game you're playing?” He smiled a little remember the first game he got for his handheld, Pokemon Blue.
“It’s Donkey Kong!” Button Mash cheered, “See this big gorilla stole Pipe Wrench’s girlfriend and now Pipe Wrench has to work to get her back while dodging barrels and fireballs sent down by Donkey Kong!” Button’s voice seemed a lot more energetic describing his game.
“That sounds cool.” Matthew replied and shook his head at the game described, it was the old game, the original before any of the characters… “Anyway…” He paused and yawned rather loudly before continuing. “I might take a little nap while the docs work and hopefully come back.” he looked at Taze. “At least they didn’t have to crack me open this time.” He turned a little and closed his eyes, “Night all.”
“Night Matthew, so Button Mash, you play a lot of video games?” taze asked.
“Uh huh, I play everything, I’m the best gamer in Ponyville, no matter what Button Bash say’s.” Button nodded.
“Button Bash?” Taze raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah he’s my rival, he’s a big cheater thought” Button said
Taze idly shook his head, these pony names were gonna drive him to insanity eventually. Taze looked around carefully. “Where’s Shawn?” He asked. looking as one of the orderlies walked in. “Excuse me? Was there a third person brought in?” he asked.
“Yes but last I heard he was in intensive care.” The pony responded.
“Could I see him maybe?” Taze asked.
“I’ll check with the doctors.” The orderly nodded leaving the room.
Taze was wheeled into the room by the orderly. Matthew was currently having some doctors working with a few Night Guards watching as they worked on returning his blood clotting factor to his normal, not Equestrian normal, otherwise he would have joined as well.
Inside the room was a single bed, Shawn was laying on the bed, still unconscious, but the part that caught Taze off guard was the fact that there was straps on his wrists and ankles. His body was wrapped around his stomach and over his left shoulder, and some more on the lower part of his legs and a bit of wrapping on his face. What was surprising was the fact that there were no casts on him whatsoever.
“What’s wrong?” Taze asked. “Aside from his injuries why would he be like this if there is no serious injuries?”
“He’s trapped within his fear.” A voice mentioned behind him as Luna entered the room. “His fears have taken hold of him in his current state, and he is in a world of what if’s and could have beens.” Luna said.
“Wait you’re saying he’s trapped in his own mind?” Taze questioned.
“Not quite, it is a nightmare within that has hold of him within the realm of dreams.” Luna said. “I will need to enter his dreams to free him of this.” Her horn began to glow.
“But, you can save him right?” Taze asked looking at Shawn.
“We can most certainly try.” Luna said lowering her horn to Shawns temple and vanishing suddenly.
Luna found herself on a familiar path of shining lights, she glided down them carefully before approaching one causing the world to change around her as she entered Shawns nightmare.
The nightmare showed several things, every one was a scene of failure. Ranging from getting out of the caves he was trapped in, to watching his friends fall before him. Each one Shawn could only watch as he seemed to screw up left and right.
Failed to protect Taze.
Failed to protect Matthew.
Failed to delay Chrysalis.
Failed to help them.
Failed.
Each time it happened his body would lock up as he watched one after another fall. No matter how many he would get struck, he could only keep his eyes forward in an attempt to prevent what was to come.
“Shawn you must stop this.” Luna attempted to break the nightmare with her magic. “You did not fail!”
Shawn didn’t even look at her as his mind pushed him forward into another battle once again. “I did though! I failed to help them! It just won’t stop!” He yelled as his sword cut through changelings that were in his path to Taze, the night guard seemed to be falling behind.
“You helped them Shawn, because of you Equestria is safe.” Luna cast a spell, throwing the changeling away en masse.
Shawn’s sprint seemed to slow with each step as the dream copies of the changelings and his friends seemed to fade in the wind, like ash drifting away. His steps slowed and soon he found himself standing still, staring forward at the world faded to darkness, only himself and Luna still remaining. His head leaned forward as he just stood there, not making any movement.
“You must absolve yourself of your fear, you succeeded Shawn, stand tall stand proud.” Luna pushed.
“But what if something like this happens again and I can’t help them…” Shawn mumbled to himself.
“Then you must have faith they can take care of themselves.” Luna said “Where they not fine when you found them?”
Shawn nodded slightly, then sighed pulling his head up he looked at Luna, his expression was blank. “I just don’t know what I would do if I ever found them hurt.” He closed his eyes pulling his head down. “I just…” He sighed again. “Alright.”
Luna laid a wing lightly across his shoulders. “I have seen many rise and fall Shawn, I have lost many I’ve called friends and allies in the field of battle, every fight is a risk, all we can do is our best.”
“Yeah…” He said softly before his head raised again quickly. “Are they alright?”
“Matthew is a little battered and Taze is exhausted and bruised but they will live.” Luna told him.
Shawn smiled lightly, his shoulders dropping lightly as he relaxed. “That’s all that matters, that they are fine. That they are alright…” He said as his body lost most of its tension, finally letting him relax.
His dream shifted from its dark void to something, different. They were standing in a hedge maze, specifically the one in the Canterlot gardens, his mind at rest finally.
“Sleep well Shawn.” Luna nodded, “I must away.” And with that the lunar princess vanished again. She reappeared in the room smiling. “Your friends nightmare has been conquered, he is resting peacefully.” When she received no response she turned to see Taze sleeping soundly. “It seems we still have not become reaquainted with the time differences of the dream world yet.” Smiling, she left the room to summon the orderly.
Matthew looked up into the dark night sky as the stars slowly appeared. He looked forward and slowly walked down the ramp of the hospitals main floor and slowly pulled the light jacket around him. It was colder, not that the ponies seemed to mind, they had fur coats he thought to himself. “Still, a spring night in the mountains, rem,” He paused and shook his head, “I miss home.” he muttered as he kept on walking back towards the castle while sticking to the main roads. It was sad to see all the damage still from the Changeling attacks but he was already seeing signs of repairs, both from the city and from individuals. He did not notice a pony following him from the distance. However the pony ducked into an alleyway upon hearing a voice call out through the night air.
“Hey Human.” A Thestral landed besides Matthew. “You got released I see.”
“Yeah, they had a few more being admitted and they needed my bed.” He chuckled, “Besides half the time I was lost with what Taze and Button Mash were talking about.” He chuckled at the look he got from his friend. “A patient that was put in with Taze and I, all I can say is that I think he has made another friend here in Equestria.”
“That is good to hear. I think I shall escort you back to the castle,” She held up a bat wing to prevent protest. “Besides, I can get you through the checkpoints faster if you are with me and you still look tired.”
“Yeah,” Matthew replied. “Yesterday, was it really only yesterday that the invasion happened?” he just sighed and continued on talking. “Yeah I am tired, I am looking forward to having my own bed again.”
Moonshade only smiled. “Good, well since you agreed, let’s take one of my shortcuts.” She replied and before Matthew could protest about the bad idea of short cuts. He had found his hand taken by her hoof and all protest failed as he now wondered how he was being dragged by a Pony with a hoof and him with a hand. “This makes no sense.” He yelled out as he was pulled away.
Behind them the same pony followed them. “I must take revenge, revenge, revenge.” The pony muttered as it staggered after the two. “he defeated the queen, she, she left me.” The Pony continued on with its staggered steps.
A few minutes later found Matthew just staring at something rather fascinating, tucked into the back alleys of Canterlot in a small plaza was a fountain that to his taste buds was the cleanest purest water he had ever drank. He just looked at Moonshade. “This… this is amazing.”
“I know, it comes from a spring deeper in the mountain and many of the locals in this area usually fill up a canteen or two to take with them.” She paused and swung around only to have a large metal dish that had hung from the wall of a closed cafe connected with the front of her face.
Matthew froze at what he saw. “A.. El Capitan? But, I, You got hit, you should be dead.” Matthew stepped back only to feel the rim of the fountain press into his legs.
The Changeling hissed but did not move forward. “You claim you killed this one?” The Changeling paused. “Why does that sound wrong, What did you do with me?” it blinked. “Me… singular, something you use that are not of the hive.”
Matthew blinked and sat down on the rim of the fountain. “Yes. Me, I, Those are personal pronouns, individuals.” He paused and looked confused…. “You, you can’t feel the hive?”
What came next was angry buzzing and a weight hitting him in the chest, causing both to land in the fountain. However when Matthew was able to get to the surface of the fountain’s water he blinked at what he saw. The Changeling was sipping the water and looking back at him. “Why does this lessen the pains you gave me?”
Matthew looked behind the Changeling and the stunned look that was on Moonshades muzzle. Matthew looked back at the Changeling. “Are… you saying you are thirsty?”
“Thirsty?” The Changeling asked in confusion. “What is that? Is that something you non hives crave?”
Matthew slowly nodded his head. “Yes, it is one thing that keeps us alive.” He looked at the Changeling. “Are you hungry? Their more pain in your body?”
The Changeling stiffened and growled. “What do you know about the pains? What did you give me?”
Matthew looked back at Moonshade and the Changeling looked behind it and froze as well before turning back and seemed frightening. “The Queen would end me right now, I am in risk of capture.”
“Yet she won’t will she, you blamed me earlier about the Queen and not feeling the hive.” He looked quickly to Moonshade. “Get something to eat, something you might eat… this.” He paused and remembered his sticky hands, and blinked as something came back to his memory, not in the heat of battle he recalled some of his bolts being sticky and the events in the room he growled and looked to the sky. “TAZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Moonshade blinked and it clicked on her mind as well. “Uh… if both of you come with me, I think we can get something figured out on what to do. Maybe we can help you reconnect to the hive?”
El Capitan as Matthew called the changeling seemed to freeze at that. “She would kill me. I, I don’t want death, I escaped it from the flying deaths, I do not.” Matthew blinked at the sudden paused and he looked to Moonshade. “Self preservation…. I think something, I think the chemicals mixed and did something to our friend, he sounds rather un changeling like.”
Moonshade, Matthew, and their new mystery slowly got out of the fountain and slowly made their way to another location. As Moonshade replied a Night Guard post in the city where they could feed the Changeling, and maybe get some quick field tests finished, at the moment the Changeling had created a guise of a black coat with green mane and tail.
Matthew on the way to the post now had two questions in his head that he felt were top priority, what happened with the Changeling, and how can Moonshade be pulling him by hoof again.
Matthew looked back at the taxi cab and sighed the last night had been… odd. What more he could not tell anyone or anypony about it till Luna gave the okay, or Moonshade. What a event. It didn’t help that the Changeling bite him in anger and a new emotion, frustration. heck any emotions were new to this thing, creature, son? He shook his head he was not father of a new subspecies he reminded himself.
“Hello, Equestria to Matty.” Pinkie Pie called out waving a hoof in front of his face. “You went to la la land.” She smiled as she hopped up the ramp. “You never said who we are picking up.”
Matthew looked at Pinkie and the other five friends. “Taze.” He sadly smiled as five of the six ponies screeched to a halt. “I don’t care what he said to you all, I will not stand by and see friendships or even those of acquaintanceship be destroyed, I am going to make sure you both apologize, Taze could have done what he did with more tact, and you five could have one, not stormed off and left Twilight, or let alone give Taze the cold shoulder.” He sighed and face palmed. “Hoof? Flank? Whatever.” He could see Twilight about to correct him on something.
“Well, I guess it would be the proper thing to do, after all he did risk his life for ours dears.” Rarity replied, “I might tell him I’ll make him something if he ever is in Ponyville.” She looked at the other four. “Come on, we do owe him a second chance.”
“Wow,” Twilight replied. “Thank you, that was very mature of you.”
“Why thank you dear, but if he ever treats us like that again, I’ll poke his flank with my needles.”
Twilight laughed a little. “Ah there is the Rarity I know.”
Matthew could only smile a little and moved again to the doors. “I hope we can surprise him in the lobby.” He entered the doors and found Pinkie Pie all set up in a corner with balloons, streamers and a home made sign saying “Happy Discharge Day.”
“How? But, How? She was, but,” he turned and pointed behind him as Twilight passed by and smiled placing a hoof on his side.
“It’s Pinkie Pie, we all learned not to question it.” She continued on in and sat next to Pinkie as the two started talking.
“Yeah, like one day she was able to chase me all over Ponyville and I still don’t know how.” Rainbow Dash muttered as she flapped past Matthew and sighed.
Matthew waited for the others to join Pinkie and he moved inside and sat down in one of the waiting room chairs and sighed. “Well now we wait.” He replied unsure of how long he was going to wait today, but he was going to be here when Taze got out.
It was almost an hour before Taze was wheeled into the lobby of the Hospital, his eye’s widened a little to see the reception. “Well, this is unexpected”
He blinked as Pinkie jumped up into the air behind him throwing confetti over his head with a loud “Surprise.”
This woke Matthew up from a nap in the chair and smiled as he stood up slowly. “Hey Taze, don’t mind me… I really wore myself out and sore from all the running for my life during the attacks, how are you doing? That is the main question I have.” he had waved off some concern Taze was about to show with a wave of his hand. “Also, I think you, the girls have something to discuss while we walk back to the castle.” He took up the back again of the group as they slowly moved back out into the sunny outside. It was nice and warm and took Matthew back to home and sitting outside with his neighbors and just talking with friends.
Taze staggered a little at Pinkies surprise before eyeing the group. Getting up from the chair he made for the door. “I need coffee.”
Pinkie blinked and followed at Taze’s side, looking a little sad. “Did, did you not like my surprise?” The others slowly followed, while Spike blinked and looked at Taze’s back.
“So we are going to Joe’s then?” he asked what he thought was a very cool person. “I could go for some of his doughnuts myself.”
“I must have missed something here, when did we get back on speaking terms?” He turned to Pinkie.
She blinked. “Well when I thought we could apologize. Well when I say we, I mean the girls on how we treated Twilight, and maybe try and get back to being friends? Because I am friends with everyone in Ponyville and outside with friends of friends and I was hoping that I could be friends with you? I’d even throw you a I am so sorry for being a meany pants to my friends party if it would make you feel better.” She had said that all in almost a minute’s time without a single breath of air.
It was Applejack who spoke up next. “What Pinkie is trying to say is we are sorry, and we know now that we acted a might harsh towards Twilight, I guess well I know for sure that I just thought she was over reacting like she does at times. Like the time she had to invent a problem so she could solve it.”
“I thought we promised not to mention that event?” Rainbow Dash asked in confusion. “Still, I was some element of harmony back there not standing by my friends, or rather the one that counted in the moment. I just don’t know what happened.”
Matthew blinked and was thinking back. “What if it wasn’t their fault, what if the Queen did something to the air or subtle smells to create the tension she wanted?” All eyes turned to look at him. “What? It was just a thought on how everypony seemed to turn on Twilight even though they were good friends and big brother best friend forever.”
Taze turned to them carefully eyeing each of them. “There is nothing worse then a betrayer.” Taze started slowly. “A wise man once said ‘those who disobey the rules are trash, but those who turn their back on there friends are worse’ I’ve been stabbed in the back before, quite a few times actually. I won’t tolerate betrayal to myself or too anyone I call a friend, if I decide to give you another chance it will be the last one, this happens again and you might as well be dead, because I won’t recognise your existence.” He took a deep breath. “Can you understand that?”
The Six ponies all nodded their heads. “We understand.” They all said at once. Matthew just watched from where he stood and frowned a little at what he heard from his friend, and his heart hurt to think of the pains he went through. He smiled a little and patted his side of his waist where a small bag hung.
“Well,” he spoke softly, “I, if you all don’t mind, How about I buy first round of coffee? Or doughnuts?” He moved forward and slowly began to hum a little bit of music, Taze could recognize it as Mars from the symphony of Planets.
“Let’s go.” Taze said. “I really could use a good cup of coffee.”
The others only nodded their heads and Spike climbed up Taze’s back. “Hey… are, are we still cool?”
“You kept with her.” Taze said “That’s something not everyone could do in that situation, the world needs more people like you Spike.”
“Aww, I was only being her number one assistant.” he replied with a blush. “I just wish I knew before claw that the Twilight at the wedding was a changeling.” He blinked at Matthew’s cough. “Wait, what? You mean the Twilight I was talking to that raced off and left me in the wedding hall was a changeling?”
“Oh yeah.” Spike replied, “You got sick on the wedding day. It was pretty cool when Twilight and the real Princess Cadence attacked the imposters and stripped the disguises away.”
Matthew looked at Taze and then at the other five ponies. “Don’t think about it, you all thought fake Twilight was real, so don’t try to weasel out, you,” He took a breath, “Just give him time. To him, a warrior you have to know you can trust your friends, otherwise, you could end up hurt or worse, dead on hunts.” He moved slowly up to Taze. “Permission to walk next to you?” He asked softly. Taze could see that Matthew was still a little worried about the anger he had seen before towards the others. “I’m sorry.”
“Always Matthew.” Taze said. “Lets just hope we never have to do that again.”
Matthew only nodded his head. “Yeah, It, I hate arguing and the like, it has always left a foul taste in my mouth. Debating on the other hand, I like.” He smirked a little and laughed. “Thanks for reading those letters I kept on sending.”
“Sometimes you’d be surprised how the little things can keep you sane.” Taze chuckled “We’ve known each other a long time haven’t we? Funny yesterday we fought a war, now I just feel old.”
Matthew nodded his head. “Welcome to my world.” he sighed and chuckled a little and looked up at the sky. “Five Open Hearts can do that to you, make you feel old, make you love every day, take the good with the bad and know that while today was bad and nothing but pain. Tomorrow will always be better. Just remember, The sun will come out tomorrow.” he sang a little off key.
“Be careful.” Taze chuckled. “You may start a chorus.”
Matthew laughed as he followed his friend to Doughnut Joe’s, “What’s wrong with them learning Tomorrow from Anne? It is an uplifting song and fun to sing. Plus their is a hard not life for us.” he paused and looked at Taze. “Besides, its a song from our world. We have translators around our necks, I doubt they would know the lyrics to Annie.”
“You never know.” Taze laughed one last time before turning to greet joe.
Matthew responded to Taze right before they ran into Joe who was standing outside of his place of business. “We have to try that, Americans love to do experiments as well as question everything.”
In his darkened room, Shawn slowly began to stir. Opening his eyes revealed his plain white room, with the sun thankfully just behind a set of curtains. With a yawn he went to stretch only to have his movement limited. Looking down he noticed a set of straps on his wrists and ankles. “Uh…”
Quickly looking around he noticed nobody was in the room with him. “Uh…”
Testing the straps strength he found that he really didn’t have much energy in the first place. Looking towards the door he crossed his fingers and called out. “Hello?” He waited a second. “Anybody there?”
He saw a Solar Guard look into the room, blinked once and left in a bit of a hurry, almost as soon as he was gone a Doctor walked into the room. “You’re awake, that is good to know, how are you feeling today?” As he asked he began to look over the charts and some other items, it was here that a nurse came in and automatically started to take his vitals. “You did give us a scare when you were first brought in, but we were lucky that your blood was able to handle a normal solution of salin. We are just happy that you did not need a blood transfusion.” He seemed relieved a little. “Also you were under while we let your body produce more blood. Now you are awake, I am going to be upfront you are in for at least two more days while you get back to normal, as well as getting back to eating solids and having normal bowel movements.”
Shawn blinked a couple of times. “Huh…” He mumbled slightly. “Well, that’s good to hear, it could have been worse… Much worse really.” He said placing his head back on the pillow. “My only question is, what’s with the straps?”
“That was to prevent any undue struggling, or getting up and harming yourself any more then you have.” He looked at Shawn. “Even in the shape you were, and the wound you sustained, you were still trying to move as if possessed by something that could not let you rest. You have been medically in a coma just to recover.” It sounded like he was cross with Shawn but his tone softened for the next part. “Your friends are fine, they are out already and returning to help with the new wedding the real wedding. They are holding off till you are recovered and released. The guards told me some of what you did and I am just glad I wasn’t in your way.” he chuckled a little. “If you need anything just push your hoof on the large green button to call the nurse.” he paused. “Uh, what you have where we have a hoof.” He backpedaled. “I have some other patients to look in on, but we shall be taking good care of you.”
The Doctor and Nurse left and soon a Night Guard entered the room and sat down on a stool next to the door and nodded at Shawn as a greeting.
Looking at the guard only one thing passed through Shawn’s head. “Hey.”
“Yes?” The Night Guard asked before smiling. “Oh, that is a greeting, sorry. Hey back.”
He chuckled lightly at the guard before him. “What’s your name?”
“Private Moonlight.” The Guard replied with a small bow of his head.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you. My name’s Shawn.” He said, he attempted to raise his hand in greeting but found his wrists still constricted. He looked down and paused. “Yeah… Forgot about that part.” He mumbled to himself, shrugging.
“So, onto another note.” Shawn started again. “What exactly did I do? I’m drawing a couple blanks in some spots, with me being tired and apparently the amount of blood I had lost at the time of said events…”
“Well, I can tell you what I saw, we fought in the same area, I cannot tell you anything till you burst out onto the courtyard from the castle proper, and there you,” Here the next couple hours were spent with Moonlight filling in on some of the blanks as well as answering any questions Shawn might have as he recounted what he remembered.
“Wait, wait… I did what to Chrysalis?”