"I'd reckon that'd be Fluttershy and whoever y'all met out there. "
"She did say she had a sister and somepony else they had met... huh. Thought the filly said they had more than that in her group."
Twilight released a relieved sigh, glad to see Fluttershy safe and sound. Fluttershy waved to them as she landed in front of Twilight, standing in front of the mare and a smaller filly.
"What's a noble's duty to its citizens?" Twilight whispered as they met.
"To protect and lead them, to give them guidance, and to nurture them, regardless of the situation." Fluttershy whispered. Twilight nodded and cleared her throat.
"I guess these are the ponies Rainbow Dash told me about?"
"Mhm. I was going to bring them back to the Crystal Empire, but there's a bit of a... er... a s-situation going on in their group."
"What happened?"
"My dumb friend decided that it'd be a good idea to go back to the changelings so they'd leave us alone." The mare said, stepping to Fluttershy's side with the filly. She broke into a coughing fit.
"Are you feeling well, Ms..."
"Lance Force. My sister's Blooming Lily." Lance forced a cough down. "I've got an infection on my shoulder. A changeling stabbed me when we tried to get out."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Pinkie, would you be a dear and look in the basket? I'm certain we have a first aid kit inside."
"Lemme check." Pinkie pulled the basket up onto her lap, biting her tongue as she looked through it. "Yep!" She pulled the first aid kit out, a victorious smile on her face.
"'Scuse me, but why'd your friend do something like that?"
"He blames it all on himself. Thought we'd be better off without him."
"Why'd he think that? Did somethin' happen y'all don't know about?" Applejack asked. Blooming looked up at Lance, and Lance stared back down at her before looking back up to Applejack.
"Is everything fine, darling...?"
Lance sighed.
"He... he had to kill a changeling so we could get out of the Changeling Empire. Blooming even saw him... him bash its..." Lance paused, glancing downwards.
Rarity gasped, bringing her fore-hoof to her mouth.
"Stop, sugarcube. Y'all don't have to say no more."
"I-- I'm sorry. Please, you don't have to continue. I had no idea. I-I can't even imagine what you've been through to get where you did."
Lance nodded. Blooming stared at the ground, uncomfortable and saddened by what had happened.
"Here--" Twilight stepped to the side "Sit down. You can stay here for the night. We can have Fluttershy make sure everything's fine."
"Thank you."
---
"No! Get away from her!"
Shining Armor's eyes shot open, hearing Cadance's panicked voice. Two changeling soldiers were dragging out Taltra's limp, unconscious body, only for Cadance to hold her inside. She held Taltra by her chest and fore-hooves, desperately trying to keep her in the cell.
"Move her aside. If she won't do it willingly, then push her out of the way." Queen Chrysalis ordered. The guards took a step closer, pointing their spears towards her. Shining began to pull himself up, using the wall as a support.
"You're not taking her!" Cadance pushed them back. The guard in front slapped her as the one on the left pushed her down. They began stomping on her chest and stomach. She flinched and covered her head as she tried to block their strikes.
"Cadance!" Shining rushed forwards, only to stumble and fall in front of her. He crawled over her, covering her with his body, forcedly blocking their strikes.
"Forget about Cadenza, grab her."
The guards grabbed Taltra, lifting Taltra and dragging her by her fore-hooves.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon..." Shining muttered, gently shaking her right shoulder. "Wake up..."
"Shining..." Cadance said, slightly opening her eyes. "Taltra--"
The guard stomped on Cadance's stomach, causing her to cough. She was already unconscious. Shining looked up to them, watching them drag her away.
"Let her go!" Shining yelled, reaching forward to grab Taltra, only to be knocked in the snout by the end of one of the guard's spear. He fell back, his vision misty. He crawled forward, trying to get to the cell door. It slammed shut before he reached it, the lock clicking as it latched shut.
"Tsk-- I'd have expected more of a fight from you Shining, see how she broke your spell in the first place." Queen Chrysalis said. The door slammed shut as Shining rushed back to the bars. His snout was bleeding, his vision was misty, and he was feeling dizzy.
"I won't let you get away with this! I'll get out and you'll regret ever doing anything to us!"
"Oooh, what a temper!" Queen Chrysalis mocked him, bending her neck down to look at him at eye-level. "Are you angry, Shining?" She finished. Shining growled. He turned his attention back to Cadance, shaking her by her side as he tried to cool his currently boiling blood.
"How much weaker can you possibly get? You couldn't even protect Cadance. Although she's pretty weak herself... all the love I've been siphoning from her takes a toll on her body."
"Shut up!" Shining said, getting up and trotting to the other side of the cell. She was not about to toy with him.
"You couldn't even protect your own incompetent sister."
That made Shining snap.
He rushed over to the bars, sticking his left fore-hoof in between the bars. She was just out of reach. Queen Chrysalis smiled, chuckling under her breath.
"Oh, oh no." She said in an overly-dramatic tone. "Looks like you're just short of me. Seems like you've been sub-par most of the time lately."
Shining pushed forwards even further, however, she was just barely out of his grasp.
"I doubt Twilight even cares about you anymore. They probably abandoned the search for you two long ago."
Shining squeezed his shoulder through the bars, giving him enough length to grab Queen Chrysalis.
He grabbed her by the throat and pulled her down to eye-level. Queen Chrysalis kept her ground, returning Shining's scowl.
"If you ever, ever insult Twilight or Cadance again, I promise you that I'll drag you to the Crystal Empire and leave you in the streets tied up."
Queen Chrysalis stared at him, a mixture of hatred and fear.
"What's the matter?" Shining asked. "Has the great queen finally found a pony that she's afraid of?"
"You..." Queen Chrysalis hissed, exposing her fangs and sharp teeth. She turned away, calming herself after a moment.
"You're lucky I need you. Otherwise, you'd in the disposal rooms beneath this kingdom long before now."
"You don't scare me."
Queen Chrysalis giggled.
"You will come to fear me. Or respect me. Whether you approve of it, or not..." Queen Chrysalis said, turning and trotting away, about to step outside of the room. However, before she could leave, Renla stepped inside.
"Queen Chrysalis, my group has found one of the escaped prisoners."
Oh no...
"Good. Describe him."
"Stallion. Tall, muscular, dark gray coat and a brown mane, and his cutiemark is of three crystals."
"Ah, yes. I had an audience with the three of them when they entered. Bring him to the Throne Room. I'll meet you there."
"Yes, my queen." Renla bowed before he turned back to the door. He opened the door for Queen Chrysalis, allowing her to exit first. He looked around the room, noticing Taltra's absence before stepping out.
---
Twilight quietly bit off a piece of the apple held in front of her by her magical aura, surrounding it. Their camp was quiet. Somber, even. The sky was pitch black, with the exception of a few constellations. Rarity huffed as she sat out the last sleeping bag. They all surrounded a large campfire at the middle of the camp.
"Good thing we found some dry wood. We'da been freezin'."
"Certainly." Rarity sighed as she sat down atop of the sleeping bag she had just sat down. She pulled out a small handkerchief from her saddlebag as her horn glowed with her light blue magic aura, lifting up an apple from the basket and taking a small bite from it, before patting down her mouth.
Lance Force and Blooming Lily were sitting beside each other in front of the large campfire. Blooming was nibbling on an apple while Lance scooted closer to the fire.
"How're you feeling, darling?" Rarity swallowed the rest of her apple before she spoke. Lance glanced back to her with a nod. She covered her mouth as she coughed.
"Better. Thank you for patching me up." Lance turned back towards the fire.
"It wasn't an issue, darling. You deserve to relax after everything you were forced into."
"No..." Lance trailed away. "No, I don't."
"Why not?" Blooming asked. Lance stared into the fire as she became silent. "Lance?"
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart." She smiled, before ruffling Blooming's mane. "And thanks for letting us stay here."
"It's no problem. We packed two extra sleeping bags for Shining and Cadance anyway."
"Wait, Cadance? Like, Princess Cadance?"
"Mhm. We're trying to get Twi's big bro and sis-in-law back from the changelings." Rainbow Dash said. Lance shook her head, still confused.
"Brother? So that means you're... Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Lance asked. Twilight nodded.
"Sorry, princess. I would've addressed you as such if I'd have known."
"It's okay. Relax. Just call me Twilight." Twilight said with a smile. Lance nodded.
"So Prince Shining and Princess Cadance are there? Were they taken in the raid too?"
"No. They were... er... captured by Queen Chrysalis a few days after they started the cleanup and recovery. She posed as Princess Celestia and infiltrated the kingdom." Rarity said. She wiped her mouth and began to set out the sleeping bags.
"Oh..."
"She took control of Shining. One minute he's normal, next he blasts Cadance into the wall and then me."
"That's just messed up... she's controlling ponies against their will now?!" Lance exclaimed, disgusted. Fluttershy somberly nodded.
"What if that's what happened to Rocky?" Blooming asked fearfully. The group fell into a somber silence. Lance especially.
"Er... hey! Blooming, right? Let's go play Hide and Seek, before it's too late. Do you want to?" Pinkie asked, energetically jumping up and trotting to Blooming.
"I-I don't know..." Blooming said, looking to Lance. Lance nodded, approving.
"C'mon. It'll be fun!"
"I guess." Blooming timidly said.
"All right! Let's go!" Pinkie said, galloping towards the sleeping bags. Blooming followed behind.
"I guess it hasn't been easy on her?"
"She couldn't sleep for the first couple of nights after we escaped. She's had trouble sleeping at night, knowing they're looking for us. And the fact that she saw him... 'do it' didn't help."
"Are y'all sure this stallion's trustworthy? I ain't meanin' to bad mouth him, but we have to know."
"Yes. He's a good stallion. But he was just..." Lance paused for a moment.
"Is everything all right?"
"His friend was captured too. He was in the Crystal Guards with Rocky. He was almost fully a changeling and we hadn't even been there a week."
Twilight's throat suddenly became dry.
I-is that what's happening to Shining?
"He was screaming at Rocky in pain. He was literally begging him to kill him."
Twilight's heart dropped. Her worst nightmare may have just been confirmed.
Shining... I-I'm sorry... I don't know if I'll be able to save you...
A kind hoof touched her shoulder. She turned, seeing Fluttershy standing behind her.
"Don't worry, Twilight. Shining had been in the Crystal Empire for days. He'd have at least started to show some sign of... er... changing."
"Yeah... yeah. Thanks." Twilight said, slightly calmed.
"-He... he had to do it. There was no other choice."
"I get it sugarcube. Don't say no more."
"Thanks... do you mind if I go ahead and go to sleep?"
"No. Just go ahead and pick a sleeping bag."
Lance nodded, getting up and trotting towards the eight sleeping bags Rarity had just finished setting out.
---
"You. Wake him up."
A swift, cold hoof slapped me in the face, jolting me awake. I opened my eyes, scanning the room drowsily, but it was too dark to make out any shapes. The only thing I could see were those... those cold eyes. Oh no...
"I see you've finally joined us."
Queen Chrysalis' voice echoed around the room. I remained quiet... they aren't going to find out a bucking thing about Lance or Blooming, no matter what the hay they do.
"So, tell me, why'd you allow yourself to get captured?"
I kept my head pointed towards the ground.
"Ahem... I don't think he heard me. Make him aware of my presence."
Somepony twisted my broken hoof, sending a wave of pain through my hoof, causing me to grind my teeth and raise my head.
"Now, please explain to me why'd you allow yourself to be captured."
"So you'd leave them alone..." I breathed.
"Who-- oh... the mare and that filly. I guess you think I'd call off my soldiers if you gave yourself up?"
"..."
"Again."
Somepony punched me in my stomach, knocking the air from my lungs and causing me to bend over.
"Yes..." I wheezed out.
"There. That wasn't so hard, now was it?"
"W-will you leave them?"
"Oh, I don't know..."
"Please! Do what you want with me! Just leave them out of this!"
"I don't know... if I bring back that mare, I could get some excess love..."
"No!" I bared my teeth in anger. "Don't you dare lay a hoof on her!"
Queen Chrysalis laughed.
"Fine, fine. I guess you'll have to do. On one condition."
"Whatever you want!"
"You'll agree to be executed tomorrow, at noon, after your love is siphoned."
"What?!"
"You heard me. Give me that, and I'll leave her out of this. I'll give you ten seconds to decide."
I felt my heart drop as the words weaved their way through her lips. Ten seconds?! That's it?!
"Eight seconds left." Queen Chrysalis chimed in as she began to circle around me. I-I can't- what would Lance think of me if I-- I just gave up?!
"Give me a moment!"
I can't let them get captured! No matter what!
"Five." Queen Chrysalis continued. There's not enough time! My heart is pounding!
"Two..."
I have to make a decision now!
"Okay! I agree!"
Silence. Queen Chrysalis completed her circle, the tapping of her horseshoes pausing as she stood in front of me. "You've sealed your own fate."
I... I'm going to die, aren't I?
My hooves shook, my vision became blurry as tears came to my eyes as I realized what I had just done. Queen Chrysalis patted my head.
"Good... very good colt. Don't worry, your mare will be safe." She bent down to my eyes, wiping my tears before standing. "Take him to his holding cell. Leave him there until the morning." Queen Chrysalis ordered. My head hung low as the changelings dragged me away, tears streaming down my face.
---
Twilight Sparkle sat in front of the fire. The wood inside had been burnt away, and the fire was smoldering. Everypony else was in their sleeping bags beside Twilight and Applejack. Applejack sat on the opposite side of Twilight.
Shining... please be safe. Twilight thought. If you or Cadance is hurt... if you're a changeling... Twilight paused, unable to bear the thought of Shining being a changeling. Nothing scared her more than losing her brother.
"Don't worry, sugarcube."
Twilight looked up at Applejack.
"Shining's gonna be just fine."
"H-how can you be so sure?"
"Y'all'd have noticed if he started changin'. Plus he's tough as nails. Ain't a darn thing that Chrysalis would do that'd scare Shining." Applejack said with certainty. She stood up and trotted towards the sleeping bags. Twilight still didn't feel good about Shining's fate.
"Applejack?"
"Yeah?" Applejack asked, turning to Twilight.
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
"Not'a problem, sugarcube." Applejack said, turning back to the sleeping bags and laying on the far right(the second place with an unoccupied sleeping bag).
I'd better go on and get to bed. I need to get up early and prepare if we're about to go into the hornet's nest...
Twilight stood up, trotting over to the far left part of the row of sleeping bags, laying between Lance, Blooming, and Fluttershy. She took one more good look around, looking at her friends before laying down.
Please be safe tomorrow, guys. I can't lose you too...
---