“Okay, Shining, relax. J-Just tell me what happened so we can-”
“So we can what!? Panic more!” Shining yelled as he continued running around his room, looking around every corner and space and knocking and flipping around everything from his bed to draws to tables to even under the carpet.
Meanwhile, Twilight was taking the news of his daughter missing more calmly than him. “Shining, I know you're stressed out about this, but-”
Shining interrupted her with a slightly concerning laugh. “Y-Yeah, stressed! I’m stressed out all right; stressed out about the fact that the only child I made is missing!”
Twilight flinched at his harsh tone. “Calm down, Shining. I’m sure we can find her, m-maybe we should go get Cadance so she can-”
Shining ran up to her sister. “NO! W-We can’t tell Cadance about this.”
Twilight backed up. “Why not? She needs to-”
“Twilly, it’s bad enough that I know, and if she knew what happened while I left her alone for a few minutes, she’d hurt me in places that should never be hurt!”
Twilight then thought of the obvious. “What were you even doing that made you leave her anyway?”
Shining stopped and looked back and forth innocently. “Uh...T-That’s not important! What is important is finding Flurry before-”
Three knocks coming from the bedroom door interrupted Shining. “Shining~ How’s everything?” He looked at it then at his sister, dragging his hoof across his lips to signify her to zip it.
“U-Uh, e-everythings fine, dear!” He called out, hoping she wouldn’t open the door.
Cadance then asked the inevitable. “How’s Flurry?”
Shining gulped. “U-Uh...s-she’s doing fine!” He looked at Twilight.. “Don’t say a word.” He whispered.
“Are you okay, Shining? You sound worried.” The doorknob started jiggling, making Shining silently gasp and run straight at the door, managing to stop it from opening all the way and only leave a crack small enough for Cadance to only see him.
“W-Worried?” He smiled as big as he could. “I’ve never felt better! Haha. M-Me taking care of her alone after everything that happened has really been great!”
Cadance crossed her arms. “Shining, I know when you’re lying to me.”
Shining’s eyes went wide. “Y-You do.”
Cadance used her magic to open the door more until she saw Twilight, who was lucky standing next to Shining and still blocking the sight of the room. “Twilight, how’s Flurry Heart?”
Twilight looked back and forth at Cadance and Shining, seeing a face waiting for an answer and another face pleading her to not give a right answer, in the end, she sighed and said, “She’s doing fine, just taking a nap. You can thank me for that.”
Cadance smiled while Shining felt like a tidal wave of calm washed over him. “See, this is why I sent Twilight here while I went out, I know you can’t take care of her alone, Shining.”
“Wha- Y-Yes I can!” Shining yelled, knowing that was an outright lie.
Cadance frowned. “Hon, look at yourself!” She pointed at his face. “Your hair's still messy, you haven’t shaved, and bags are still under your eyes. You look almost as bad as me after having her.” She put a hoof on his shoulder. “You just need some help is all.”
Shining sighed, knowing he’d need as much help as he could get. “Well, t-thank’s for sending her, s-she’ll be a big help in fi- T-Taking care of Flurry, r-right Twilly?”
“Yeah, sure.” Twilight looked away, not wanting to look him in the face right now.
Cadance turned around before looking back at Shining and clearing her throat. “Well, uh, I-I need to go run some more errands, I’ll be back soon.” She closed the door, Shining immediately breathing out a sigh of relief once he couldn’t hear her hoofsteps.
“Th-Thank’s Twilly.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes and walked up to him, poking him in the chest. “You’re lucky you’re my BBBFF, otherwise I’d tell her.”
“B-But it’s not my fault.” Shining repeated that statement in his head before shaking it away. “W-Well, not entirely. T-There’s no way she could disappear this fast...I-I…” He dragged his hoof across his face. “J-Just give me a minute.”
Shining held his chest and took many deep breaths while Twilight tried to think of something for him to calm down. “M-Maybe you just need some air, I’m sure you’ll, oh…” Twilight was about to open a window, only to find it was still open. “You opened it already.”
“I didn’t open the-” Shining froze and slowly turned to the open window, now knowing exactly what happened. “No...i-it all makes sense now…”
“What makes sense?”
Shining ran up to the window and looked outside. “Twilight! I know who filly napped her!”
“Filly napped?” Twilight shook her head, fearing for Shining’s sanity. “Listen, big brother, I doubt someone took your daughter, I mean, who would be stupid enough to take a captain's child.”
Shining’s eyes traveled all across the city from the window. “Someone who’s looking for revenge after what me, you, and Cadance did.”
“What?”
Shining turned to her. “Think! Who’s the one monster out there that would want her? Flurry Heart was made by the princess of love and by a pony who...well, was easy to control…”
Twilight gasped, Now understanding what he meant. “Y-You don’t mean...”
Shining nodded slowly. “Oh, I do mean...That monster, Queen Chrysalis, took her and I’m gonna find her, no matter how long it will take!” Shining turned and started to run out the window, but Twilight grabbed his tail with her magic before he could jump.
“We don’t even have a clue where she is, though.” Twilight pointed out. “And need I remind you that you don’t have wings, Shining.”
“She has to be close!” Shining pulled his tail away. “And when I find that queen, I’m gonna make her wish she never even touched my child!”
Twilight was still sceptical about finding her. “Where would we look first?”
Shining pointed to the door. “All around the empire, then the next town, then the forest, then the caves, then the-”
“Shining, slow down.” Twilight rested her hoof on his back. “We will find your daughter. We just need to take it one step at a time, okay?” She then raised an eye and smiled. “And when we do, we’ll make her pay.”
Despite his mind telling him to run out at full speed, he sat down and sighed, knowing she was right. “Okay...we’ll go slow.” He looked out the window. “But I can only imagine what evil, horrible, vile, despicable things she’s doing right now…”