Shining Armor tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep, his head pounding with each heartbeat. The faint screams of crystal ponies were incessant, and his conscience refused to allow him to sleep.
They're going to hurt Cadance! I can't- I-I won't let it happen! Shining stood up. No! Queen Chrysalis'll become angry! I can't upset her, she'll hurt Cadance! He sighed, massaging his temples as he sat back down on his bed.
I can't do anything right now. I'll have a big day tomorrow. Should just go to sleep. Defeated, Shining turned onto his right shoulder, resting his head on the pillow. The throbbing in his head lessened.
This is what she wants. S-so be it. Shining sighed, shutting his eyes. "No..."
Shining sat up. "I have to keep her safe, even if it means disobeying Queen Chrysalis." He trotted towards the door, turning the knob. The door was locked from the other side. Shining rammed his shoulder into the door with force, trying to force it open.
"Calm it! You still have a whole night to get through!" A changeling called through the door. He released the knob with a growl as the throbbing in his head worsened, more than it was before.
"Get out of my mind..." Shining whispered. He held his head as he trotted towards the bed.
I won't let them hurt her without a fight.
No- I can't! It'd be treason!
They won't get a single hoof on her once I get down there! Shining tried to remain resilient as he stood over his bed. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
This pain! I can't stand it! He groaned, climbing into his bed. I just have to hold on a little longer and do what Queen Chrysalis says. Cadance'll be safe. Shining tried to convince himself, although he had lingering doubts. The pain in his head lessened. Exhausted, he shut his eyes, awaiting sleep.
---
We came upon a large, white building. Like the other building, it's white paint had began to peel and fade after years of abuse by the harsh elements. This one was larger, and looked more like a cottage rather than a small shed.
"Who'd want to live out in the middle of nowhere like this?" Lance questioned as she and Blooming turned to the left, trotting towards the front of the house.
"I can see why. It's s-so busy back at the Crystal Empire."
"Or it could be changelings."
Blooming whimpered, her ears falling flat to her head.
"Don't worry." Lance rubbed Blooming's head with her right wing. "Rocky and I'll check through the house, just in case."
"Okay." Blooming slowed, letting me pass by her. We turned to the front of the house and trotted towards the door.
I unraveled the blanket from around the spear and held it close as we stopped at the door. Lance gently pushed the door open, the hinges screeching it opened. Water rushed out, covering our hooves.
"Should've expected that." She sighed, stepping out of the water. "Don't think we'll find anypony or changeling in there."
"Probably, but I'd rather be safe than sorry." I stepped in, using the little light from the door to guide me. There was a small, hole filled light blue couch against the wall to the left with a dirty blanket, a table in front of the couch that had been flipped and had one of the legs broken off of it, and two doors to the right of the room. I pushed open the one to the left, opening with ease. The foul smell drove me away, but there weren't anyponies inside. Only a broken bed. I shut the door, then turned back to the door to the right, but it didn't budge. I pushed against it, but nothing pushed through.
"Everything's good. Nopony's here."
Lance trotted inside over to the couch. She sat. Blooming trotted in, sitting down beside her.
---
Twilight's horn ached. The feather in front of her, like the many others, had become a pile of smoldering ash.
"I've used up too much of my magic..." Twilight rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the dull pain and dizziness in her horn.
I need relax for a minute or two. Too much magic usage.
Twilight relaxed herself in her chair, sinking down.
"I think I may have over did it..." She sighed.
Knock
Knock
Knock
"It's open." Twilight called out.
"Howdy, Twilight." Applejack trotted in. "How's it comin'?" She trotted up to Twilight, sitting in the empty chair beside her.
"Not very well. I created a spell that, in theory, could transform Shining back into a pony."
"Have y'all tried it out yet?"
"Yes." Twilight pointed to the pile of ashes. "As you can see, it's gone fairly well." She said sarcastically. Applejack chuckled.
"Y'all're doin' just fine. Don't expect'cha to get it down on y'all's first day."
"I guess."
"You're sure y'all don't need help? I don't mind. Sure I could sort this out if you could teach me."
"No thank you. I can handle it, AJ." Twilight said. Applejack nodded.
"Just lemme know if you need anymore help."
"Thank you." Twilight nodded. Applejack stood.
"Well, I'll leave you to it. Good luck." She turned, trotting towards the exit.
"You too." Twilight turned back towards the table.
Back to the research.
---
"Okay, Shining Armor. You have two choices."
Shining looked at Queen Chrysalis with a mixture of fear and intrigue. He had been woken up in the middle of the night and brought to this strange, dark room. Too dark to see.
"Choice one: you stay with me, and become the captain of my best guards." Queen Chrysalis said as the room behind her light up. The silhouettes of Queen Chrysalis cast over Shining.
"Or choice two: I think this'll be more than enough to tell you what I mean."
A light enveloped Shining, the source of it coming from behind him. He turned around and saw his Cadance, bound at the hooves and gagged.
"Cadance!" Shining said as he tried to rush towards her, but was stopped by something.
"Wait a moment. I have to elaborate on some of the consequences of the choices." Queen Chrysalis said. Shining looked back at her.
"If you choose your wife, I and my subjects- your fellow subjects will be left to starve to death."
"I-I don't want that to happen, your highness."
"Good. But let me finish. Now, if you choose I, Mi Amore Cadenza's love for you, your sister, everything and everypony, will become my next meal. Even you will get a taste" Queen Chrysalis said. Shining's eyes widen as he realized that he was going to have to make a choice. An impossible choice.
"Please, your highness. Don't make me choose. It's your kingdom." Shining said, trying to avoid it.
"Oh, but Shining, you must choose. You and you only."
Shining looked at Queen Chrysalis, then at Cadance. She had a look of true fear. Tears welled in her eyes. Her muffled screams echoed in his ears.
"Choose, Shining."
"I am! Just- give me a minute."
I-I need Cadance.
But I need Queen Chrysalis too! I need them both!
"You love her a lot. I can sense it. She feels the same." Queen Chrysalis said. Shining groaned as he tried to block out her voice.
I... I choose...
With his hooves trembling, Shining trotted over Cadance.
"What a shame... I would've expected better."
Shining quickly pulled out the gag.
"Shining!"
"Cadance, are you alright?" Shining asked in a gentle voice.
"Yes... but you should've chose her."
"Why-?!"
Cadance's eyes changed from the familiar light purple to blue. The same shade of blue as Taltra.
"No..." Shining said as he began to back away. The rest of her body began to transform into one of a changeling.
---
Shining jerked up in his bed, covered in cold sweat. He frantically looked around the room, seeing that he was just in his room. No one was inside with him.
It... it was just a dream...
Shining wiped beads of sweat rolling down his forehead away and took a deep breath.
Calm down. She'll be all right, Shining. I don't need to worry about Cadance anymore. Shining thought as he rested his head back on the pillow.
---
I paced in front of them for a moment before trotting over to the couch and sat down to the left of Blooming, Blooming was asleep already. Poor mare- must be a lot of excitement for a filly her size.
Lance tossed the blanket over us, covering us in what little warmth we could get. She wheezed and released a chesty coughed, before opening the water and taking a sip.
"Everything all right? That didn't sound good." I questioned. Lance glanced away.
"Want some water?" Lance turned back to me with a grin. I shook my head.
"Suit yourself." She took another sip before screwing the cap back onto the top.
"There's been something worrying me."
"What?"
Lance cleared her throat. She glanced down to Blooming before looking back up to me.
"I-I think the stab wound in my shoulder is getting infected."
"What?" No! We can't have this! Not now! "Let me see it."
Lance pulled the cloth aside, revealing her scabbed wound. The skin around it had became reddened and there was some whiteness in the middle. My heart skipped a beat. Oh horseapples!
"What can we do? Have you tried anything?!"
"Maybe with some antibiotics, but we're in the middle of this forsaken place. " She pulled the cloth back up. "I'd use the water to wash it out, but that's all we have to drink."
What are we going to do?! I can't take care of Blooming and wave away the changelings at the same time! I-I need Lance!
"I..." Horseapples! "What do I need to look for to help? Anything?"
"There'd be nothing out here. We need to get back to the Crystal Empire, and soon."
I took a shaken breath, turning away from her. I'd be out here without Lance, only with a devastated filly against an army if changelings?
A gentle hoof touched my right shoulder.
"I'm not going anywhere yet Rocky" She said with a smile. "It'll take it awhile for it to get bad. It's not the end of me, not without a fight."
"You're... you're right. I'm sorry." I turned back to her. "Just imagining being out here alone, without you, only with Blooming d-devastated- it overwhelmed me."
"Aw-" She wrapped her right fore-hoof over my neck, pulling my head close. "Nice to see you care about me."
"I-I do." My face burnt. Lance turned to me with a strange, almost shocked look. She blushed.
"I-I think I'll go to bed now. 'N-Night." Lance released me, turning away. and resting her head on the head of the couch.
---