Shining Armor trotted into his room. He sat down at the side of his bed, staring at the ground with anger. Taltra followed behind him. She trotted up to him, pulling out a small roll of gauze.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine." He muttered quickly. Taltra knelt down to him.
"Close your eye." She said as she ripped off a large piece of gauze, hovering it over Shining's left eye. Shining closed his left eye as she firmly held it in place. Her horn glowed with her dark blue magical aura. She began to wrap the gauze over his left eye, wrapping it behind his head, going over and under his left ear.
"I know you're angry, but you must understand, she's only trying to see if you're trustworthy."
"She doesn't have to use my sister against me like that. Do you have any idea how much she means to me?" Shining glanced up to her. "To have your family used against you?"
"You have no idea..." Taltra said in a hushed tone, glancing away as her magic weakened. She quickly tied it behind his head and stepped back. "You're lucky. You got picked out while I was only a side effect."
Horseapples. I-I didn't even think that she may have been like me.
"I'm so sorry. I-I had no idea--"
"No- it's fine," Taltra smiled. "That's long behind me now. Too late to change it." Her voice took on a bittersweet tone.
"How long have you been here, then?"
"Ten, fifteen years." Tears welled in her eyes. Shining stood. "It's been so long since I've seen another pony here."
"What about your--"
"My family?" She turned to him with a weak smile. "It's been too long. They've probably forgotten me by now."
"I'm sure that isn't true."
"I-I appreciate the gesture Shining, but let's be honest. They've forgotten me." A tear slipped down Taltra's right cheek. She quickly wiped it away.
"I assume you used to be a pony?"
Taltra remained silent. She turned away from him.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll be late for the stock count." Her voice trembled as she trotted away from Shining slowly. "Stay here for a few hours. Queen Chrysalis won't want to see you for a few hours."
"Wait, Taltra-" Before Shining could finish, Taltra trotted out of the room hastily, rushing down the stairs. He trotted after her, but as he went towards the staircase, he saw she was leaning against the wall, breathing deeply.
"Taltra?"
"Just leave me alone, please..." She turned away from him.
"You're not. Please, let me know. You're one of the only changelings I feel like I can trust."
"I don't want to speak about it," Taltra said, in a more stern tone. Shining took another step towards her.
"Please-" "No!" She turned to him, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Horseapples- I have enough on my conscience! I-I don't need to be reminded of my past! Now leave me alone!" Her voice was harsh as fury took her over. Shining stepped back.
"Thank you." Taltra said, her voice frail. "Now please, go back to your room."
Shining nodded. "I'm sorry." He turned, trotting back to his room.
---
Twilight picked up the frozen feather, breaking half of it off, like last time, and inspecting the inside. She found it to be the same as the last dozen of feathers.
"Same..."
Twilight chipped off a small piece of the feather and put it in her left saddlebag.
Hopefully I could use it for when I can progress the spell. If I can.
Knock
Knock
Knock
"Twilight? May I enter, dear?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
The door opened moments later, and Rarity stepped inside.
"Do you need anything, dear?"
"I'm fine. Get some rest."
"I've gotten enough rest. Let me see if I can assist you with the spell."
"Are you sure? I mean, this magic I'm working with isn't the easiest to comprehend or understand, even for me."
"Of course. I don't mind."
"Okay. Thank you." Twilight said, motioning for Rarity to come up to the table. "Let me catch you up to where I am now."
Rarity trotted up to the table as Twilight flipped the page to her theoretical spell.
"Here's the formula," Twilight slid the notebook in front of Rarity. Rarity took a moment to process the information. "And there's all the magical components under it."
"Hm... okay, I think I understand. The bare necessities, at least." She giggled as she turned back to Twilight.
"Okay. If you would, please keep track of my notes. I'm going to continue with my experiments and, if you would, you'll keep track of if the feather has changed, how big it is, how wide it is, and if the texture and/or shape of the feather has changed."
"Okay dear. I'm ready when you are."
---
"Lance, slow down-" I limped quickly behind Lance. She was trotting, almost galloping ahead of Blooming and I. "Blooming's falling behind. Hay- I can barely keep up. Slow down."
"We can't. We need to keep moving." Lance said, opening her wings. She jumped as she passed the fallen trees and the withered branches of those still standing. Blooming tripped over some fallen tree branches, barely keeping up with us. The snow covering the ground is too deep for her small hooves.
"Lance, chill out. You said it yourself, we've got plenty of time to get back."
"I know. We just- keep moving."
"I get why you're so worried, but-" I stopped speaking as Lance stopped in midair, only flapping her wings to keep herself from falling into the snow. She slightly turned her head towards me, only allowing me to see the right side of her face.
"Rocky, shut, the hay, up."
I stared at her. Horseapples- I get it- we need to get back to the Crystal Empire soon, but we've got plenty of time. I mean, she just found the infection yesterday.
"Uh, wh-what are you talking about?" Blooming stood beside me, staring up at her. "Why are you worried?"
Lance stared at me, shooting me daggers, before kneeling.
"I... I'll explain later after we stop, okay?"
"Is something wrong? Did I do something?"
"No- of course not. What's going on isn't your fault. I'll just-- Rocky and I'll explain later." Lance stood. "Now c'mon. Rocky can carry you. We need to hurry." She turned away, trotting hastily
"What's wrong?" Blooming turned to me. "What happened? H-have I said something to h-hurt her feelings."
"You haven't done anything wrong, sweetie." I rubbed her head. "Here, climb onto my back. It'll be easier this way." I knelt down. Blooming nodded with a pink blush spreading across her cheeks and carefully stepped onto me, sitting near my neck and gently putting her forehooves around the sides of my neck and resting her hind-hooves near my ribs.
"Okay, I'm good."
"All right. Let's catch up before Lance decides to leave us." I chuckled.
"Okay." Blooming said. I began to trot towards Lance, taking extra care to not hit my broken hoof against anything.
---
What's the matter with me? Shining asked himself, staring at the ceiling . Although, he wasn't thinking of Cadance or Twilight. Only of one pony. Or rather, one changeling.
Why was Taltra so defensive earlier? He pondered to himself.
Was she a pony? No- she had to be if she had a family.
Knock
Knock
Knock
Shining directed his vision towards the wooden door.
"Shining Armor... m-may I come in?" Taltra asked from the other side of the door. Shining slid off of the bed and trotted over to the door, opening it. Taltra had bags under her eyes, and there were tear stains that ran down her cheeks.
"I apologize for earlier. It's just that... that I was under a lot of stress. I didn't mean to snap off at you."
"It's fine, Taltra."
"N-no, it isn't. But, I can't talk with you right now," Taltra said, backing away from the door. "I've got too much to do right now."
"I'll make it up to you later. I promise. But I just- not now. I can't. I'm sorry."
"It's fine Taltra. Go ahead."
"Thank you. Goodbye." Taltra said, shutting the door
---
"-Note that there's a slight change in the height of the feather. By about... two inches, I think."
"All right... experiment 70... change in the height... and... there!"
Twilight Sparkle and Rarity had been experimenting with the new spell for the last hour.
"I think we should rest for a minute or two," Twilight said, trotting over to the chair beside Rarity and sitting down. "I'm beginning to feel dizzy from all the magical usage."
"Oh, would you like me to ask a servant to bring you a beverage? Or something to eat?"
"No thank you. I just need to sit down for a minute."
"Okay, dear. Just let me know if you need me to assist you with something."
"All right. Thank you, Rarity."
"It's no trouble at all. dear!" Rarity exclaimed. A few short moments of silence passed by before, all of a sudden, the door to the archives burst open, and Pinkie Pie rushed over to Twilight.
"Twi', Rarity! You're never gonna believe what I heard!"
"What?" Twilight and Rarity asked simultaneously.
"I was out asking ponies if they'd seen Shining Armor like you asked me to. I stopped by this small store that wasn't messed up like the others. It seemed like a bakery or a restaurant. Anyway- back to the story. I talked to a couple of ponies. We had a great time and trotted around the village for a while. We met up with some of their friends-" "Pinkie dear, I don't intend to seem impolite or unladylike, but please, get to the point."
"Right. While I was talking to those ponies, I mentioned Shining trotting around the castle a couple of nights ago, and one of the mares in the group said that she saw him heading out of the village with Princess Cadance, towards the north!"
"Did she say anything else about it? Were they going to any specific location?"
"I don't know..."
"Okay; that's all right. Thank you, Pinkie. Really."
"No problem-o!" Pinkie said trotting back towards the exit. Twilight looked down at her notebook, thinking of Shining and Cadance.
We'll find you both... I promise.
"I'm good now Rarity. Let's get back to work."
---
"We'll break here," Lance stopped by a large rock covered in ice and snow and sat down, leaning against the rock, setting the bag down in front of her. I sat my spear, the blanket, and my helmet beside the bag. "Come here Blooming, sit beside me. I'll explain it all."
Blooming trotted up to Lance, sitting down beside her.
"I'll give you two a few minutes." I turned, trotting behind the rock.
This isn't going to be good...
Lance leaned over Blooming, whispering in her ear.
"Now do you understand why we need to hurry?" She stood, picking up the bag.
"Mmhm. I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Lance kissed Blooming's forehead. "We'll be fine. We're all going to make it back to the Crystal Empire."
"O-okay. Let's go."
Blooming quickly trotted passed me. I turned back to Lance as she trotted passed me, carrying the bag. I grabbed my helm and the spear and followed behind them.
---