//------------------------------// // 23. Eyes Afire // Story: The Teal Changeling // by MrAlterad //------------------------------// Chrys was lost in thought, seeing the coming holiday in a more informed light. She really liked the idea of giving her clutchling a gift. The question was, what? “...Does anyone else smell that?” Dud asked, pulling the young queen from her thoughts as she glanced to the window. Getting closer, she took in a whiff of the outdoor air, before adopting a disgusted look. It smelled of sulfur. “What stinks?” Momo asked, making Dud tilt his head, standing up as he adopted a curious smile. “I haven't gotten a whiff of this since Neighgarou!” he said happily. “What is it? Is it bad?” Chrys asked, prompting Aegis to stop the cart as she stepped out, a guarded look on her face. The odor carried a tint of danger. “There's a dragon nearby,” Dud said nonchalantly, getting looks of confusion from the others, “Did you know that a dragon's hide can only be pierced by weapons crafted in mythril?” he added sagely. “You're serious?” Aegis asked with a frown, getting a nod from the pony, prompting the guard to free himself from the carriage. “I don't think we need to worry,” he added dismissively, getting troubled looks from the others. “I think we do,” Chrys retorted, “Dragons aren't known for being friendly.” “Well, the Shadowbolts are looking after us. If it was a bad dragon, then they'd be fighting it right now,” he pointed out. His smile faded as a monstrous roar cried out from down the path. His ears fell as everyone's eyes looked ahead, seeing a line of fire and black smoke billow through the leave-less trees. Without hesitating, Dud flew off towards the commotion. Chrys hesitated for a moment, before adopting a determined look, chasing after him. She wasn't going to just stand back and watch. “Highness, it's not safe!” Aegis said, getting a cold shoulder from the queen as he followed after her. Momo watched them, briefly eyeing her bandages, before chasing them, leaving their carriage unattended. Chrys ran with a speed that surprised her protector, passing a large rock leaning by the trail, revealing a slightly scorched patch of woods. The air felt odd around here, one moment freezing, the next warm, even hot, depending on where the wind blew. Chrys had to resist bringing a hoof to her nose. Her eyes widened, falling on a dragon, shorter than Aegis, but longer in all other dimensions. He had two horns on his head, arched back, with spikes lining his spine. The dark creature's eyes were watching the skies, a toothy scowl on its lips. He was looking at a pair of darkly dressed ponies, whom Chrys took to be the Shadowbolts. She briefly noted that one of them was a batpony, a kind she knew of, but had never seen before. Admittedly, her attention was more drawn towards the fire-breather. “Whoa there big guy,” the pegasus mare said in a put off tone, “What's with shootin' first? We just wanted yah to move on outa here!” The dragon hissed in response, before it noticed Chrys and her companions. Its eyes met hers, and the young queen felt her heart skip a beat. For a moment, her emotions lined with the dragon's, who adopted a look of surprise. It didn't last. Chrys's hooves started to tremble, digging into the ground, a dark scowl growing on her face as the dragon's surprise shifted to amusement. Sledge laughed. “You survived...” Aegis said, his voice oozing with anger and disappointment as he placed himself ahead of Chrys. “Are you kidding me!?” Momo added, stopping by Chrys's side. “Oi, yah know this overgrown newt?” the mare asked, making Sledge briefly glance between the Shadowbolts, and Chrys. “Wait a second,” Dud began, taking in his friend's reactions. “Sledge?” he asked, getting a brief glare from the dragon, “Huh. Well, I guess you found a dragon. Well done,” he said with mixed emotions. “That's enough chit-chat,” the batpony stated, flying close to the dragon, who was taking in a deep breath. Chrys's eyes widened as Sledge's chest and throat began to glow bright orange. Despite that, the Shadowbolt got shockingly close to his head. The batpony then let out a high-pitched screech, its grating noise making everyone step back, most covering their ears as Sledge let out a roar of pain, his fiery breath going off into the sky. Chrys could feel the heat from it, and the smell of sulfur was almost smothering. She frowned as the screech came to an end. The world was still ringing. “Dang it Whisper, some warnin' next time!” the female Shadowbolt demanded. “Sorry,” Whisper replied, glancing to the others, “You guys stay back, we'll take care of this,” he added stalwartly, deftly circling around Sledge, dodging a swing of the dragon's scaly tail. “Murmur, how about working up some Equestrian hospitality!” “Yah got it, love!” she replied energetically, before diving up. Chrys's gaze followed Whisper for a moment, before she realized that Sledge was sending a gout of fire her way! Aegis placed himself before her, and Chrys was caught off guard as Momo shielded her. The fire bore on them, the heat licking them as the conflagration shifted to the side, missing. Chrys and Momo let out a breath of relief, sweat forming on their brows as they looked to see Dud giving them an assuring look. He had made a gust of wind to sway the flame. Despite that, Aegis' fur was singed. “Sorry about that,” Dud said sheepishly, getting a neutral look from the guard. “Let those two take care of Sledge,” he said coldly, moving to usher Chrys and Momo back. That won a glare from the young queen. “No!! Attack him!” she commanded, getting a frown from the guardian. “I can't protect you from his fire if I leave your side,” he said sharply. All the while, Whisper was keeping Sledge occupied, the dragon occasionally breathing fire towards Chrys, only to be deflected by Dud. “If you want to protect me, then we need to beat him down to the point where he can't fight back!” she decreed, horn glowing as she pushed the guard aside, to his surprise. Chrys bolted past Aegis, Momo a pace behind her, but they paused when they noticed darkness directly above Sledge. A lightning cloud had formed. A dark blur was circling around it, squeezing and shaping the cloud, condensing it, making it almost pitch black as it crackled with energy. Whisper let out another painful screech, making everyone stagger back, including Sledge. “Oi, newt! Get some!” Murmur said energetically, flying over the black cloud, before diving her hooves into it. A thick bolt of lightning struck down upon the dragon, getting a crackled scream from Sledge, before he disappeared in a fiery explosion. It took several moments for Chrys's eyes to readjust after the blast, her ears ringing again, before an odd silence fell over everypony. They all looked to the cloud Sledge disappeared in, before Murmur let out a cheer. “Hah hah~! Works every time!” she mused, sticking her tongue out at the cloud. Whisper eyed it carefully, before glancing towards the others. “Why are you still here? I said we had this!” he shouted in annoyance. “Now now, be nice to 'em,” Murmur chided, flying closer to the stallion. Whisper's ears then twitched. His eyes widened as he quickly turned to the mare. “Murmur, look-” he was cut off as a line of fire flew out of the cloud, passing right between the two. They both backed in surprise, before Sledge's tail whipped out, catching the mare in the stomach, sending her flying. “Murmur!” Whisper cried out, fear in his eyes as she crashed right into a tree. The whole tree shook from the impact, knocking snow off. Murmur's wings were splayed out, eyes open in surprise and pain, before she collapsed limply into the thin cloud Sledge was hiding in. “Sledge, get out of there!” Chrys called out, frowning when no response came. “He probably can't hear us,” Dud pointed out, quickly dispersing the cloud with a flap of his wings. Chrys's eyes narrowed, seeing Sledge preparing another breath towards the unconscious mare. The young queen had more than enough of this. Her horn glowing, she grabbed one of his horns, giving his head a sharp jerk as he let loose, his fire wasting away into the sky. “Aegis, get in there!” the young queen hissed, heart pounding. The royal guard frowned for a moment, before charging forward. Sledge grunted in annoyance, his head twisting free of her magic as he rounded towards her, just in time for Aegis to crash right into him. Chrys winced, feeling the collision though the shaking of the ground she stood on. The guards rolled over each other from the impact, crushing small trees in their path. With Sledge out of the way, Chrys ran towards Murmur, who was surrounded by Dud and Whisper. Momo hesitated, glancing from Chrys to Sledge, before looking to Dud, a considering look on her face. “Is she alright?” Chrys asked, making Dud shake his head, looking towards the two royal guards. Sledge was starting to get back up. “Dud,” Momo began, catching up to them, “How do we fight him!?” she pressed, getting a surprised look from Chrys as the stallion considered her. “A dragon's weak spot is their eyes. Their scales are really tough, but they're still squishy inside, so really hard hits will still hurt.” “Eyes and hit hard, got it,” Momo replied, giving him a hard nod. “You, batpony,” Chrys began, getting a distant look from the stallion, worry in his eyes as he cradled Murmur, “We'll take care of Sledge, so keep her safe,” she stated, before turning towards Mantis's pawn, “And, thank you,” she added, seeing that the royal guards were staring each other down. “Sledge, did Mantis truly order this?” Aegis asked. Sledge's eyes narrowed, his head tilted, as if trying to make out what was said. “Don't waste your breath,” Chrys spat out, slowly approaching the two, avoiding the hot embers around her as she got a rueful smile from the dragon. “What are you smiling about, fool? Do you really think you've got a chance against us, after what happened last time?” Again, he paused, considering what he was able to make out of her words. “You think you can best me here?” he asked, before letting out a deep laugh, “Last time I was poisoned, weak from dealing with that snake, and hungry,” he said confidently, giving her a toothy grin, “Not anymore.” “You bested the hunter?” Aegis asked, sounding surprised, shocked even. His question fell on deaf ears. Chrys's eyes widened at Sledge's words. Did that mean he had dealt with the lamia that'd been hounding him? The one that helped her get away twice now? The one that hugged her, in that dark, broken mountain? Snare, Ssarah's mate, was defeated? For some reason, she was finding this knowledge very distressing. She wasn't particularly fond of the lamia, but Sledge's words bothered her all the same. It aggravated her. It made a fire light in her eyes, adding more fuel to the blaze she directed towards him, a flame called hatred. Sledge fanned that flame, before taking in a deep breath, his chest and neck glowing orange as he looked past the young queen. She could tell that he was looking towards the Shadowbolts, his intention clear. Aegis charged him. Dud and Momo were by Chrys's side, both at the ready. Suddenly, Sledge snapped his neck, turning towards Aegis. Chrys's mouth fell open as a jet of flame, wider than the previous, caught the guard off by surprise. Everypony's eyes widened as Aegis was swallowed up in the conflagration “Aegis!” Chrys cried out, surprised by her own worry. She could count the beats of her heart as she waited for the fire to pass, to reveal what became of him. The fire died, the smoke rose, leaving a line of charred, smoldering earth in its place. Aegis stood beside the line, his fur black, barely standing as he glowered at the dragon, getting a breath of relief from Chrys, and not to her surprise, Momo as well. Sledge wasn't giving them time to rest. He flapped his webbed wings, sending a powerful burst of air into the ground, sending snow, soot and embers into the air. Aegis shook his head, before charging towards him, but before reaching Sledge, the dragon covered himself in amber flame, changeling fire. It mixed with the snow, instantly melting into steam, obscuring the area. Dud frowned, jumping forward into the air, advancing towards the cloud. “Not again!” he decreed, his wings blowing the cover away, only to reveal a line of razor sharp teeth coming right for him. Chrys's heart was pounding, the world seeming to slow down as those teeth came closer to her friend. Her horn glowed, brow furrowed as she grabbed something close, pulling it hard. As she pulled, Dud flapped backwards, inching away from those fangs. They were still gaining on him. Chrys closed her eyes, turning her head as Sledge's jaw clamped shut. The sound of crunching wood broke through the forest, the dragon's maw easily crushing through the branch Chrys had pushed between Dud and the dragon. The branch was as thick as she, and he bit through it like paper. The tinder caught fire as Sledge's head came low, eyes locked onto the Shadowbolts as he spat out the debris, along with a ball of flame. Dud pivoted in the air, beating his wings down, sending the flame into the ground, sapping its strength upon hitting the earth. Whisper pulled Murmur from the remnants of the attack, slipping her on his back, before taking to the air. Sledge's eyes went from the Shadowbolts, his head tilting as he saw Chrys to his left, and Aegis charging towards his back. Seeing how quickly he acted, at that very moment, made Chrys realize just how dangerous he was. He was the personal guard of Mantis. He had been taught how to fight by the hive's greatest soldier. He singled out the Shadowbolts in an effort to keep them from contributing further, and now that they were fleeing, his attention was effortlessly shifting to next largest threat on the field. This wasn't a Sledge being caught off guard. This wasn't a pawn being weakened by hunger, or crippled by the element of surprise. He was a ferocious, determined, experienced beast. Once he had taken care of Aegis, she knew that she was next. That knowledge came together, forming into a single, paralyzing thought. They were going to lose. She hated that thought. The Amber hive couldn't afford her losing. Chrys frowned, her startled state shifting into determination. Sledge started taking in a deep breath, his tail lashing like a whip, tripping up Aegis. The royal guard rolled past the dragon, surprise evident as Sledge smiled at the young queen. With a swipe that appeared as a blur, he raked a claw across the ground, sending dirt and rocks flying towards her, Momo and Dud. Chrys was still caught up in her thoughts to react, being pushed down to the side by Momo, who shielded her. Dud wasn't as fortunate, getting pelted by the dirt and rocks, debris flitting through his feathers as he let out a cry of pain. Sledge followed up with a breath of fire, his jet flying towards the pony. Momo got off her clutchling, picking something up in the same motion. Chrys quickly rose to her hooves, seeing Dud roll low, trying to get out of the burning path. Sledge followed his movement, making the line weave towards him. Sledge then let out a bellow of pain, his flame being cut off as he reached for his face, covering an eye. Chrys and Dud blinked, looking to Momo, a heated look in her eyes as she picked up another hoof-sized rock. Chrys smile as her horn glowed. Sledge glared at Momo with one eye, which widened as she chucked her weapon. Her rock was joined by half a dozen others, each carried in a teal aura. Sledge brought a webbed wing over his face, deflecting the attacks. With an annoyed grunt, he dug his claw into the earth, everyone's eyes widening as he ripped out a rock half the size of a pony. His eyes narrowed on Momo as he spat upon the boulder, covering it in liquid fire. Momo's surprise shifted to action as she jumped to the side, putting distance from between herself and the others. “Momo, wait!” Chrys cried out, Sledge hurling his rock towards her clutchling. He threw it hard, cutting through the air with a loud 'whoosh'. Chrys's horn glowed bright, trying to hit the rock, but it was too heavy, too fast. The rock missed its mark, crashing into the smoldering ground before Momo instead. She jumped, her instincts getting the better of her as she tried to fly out of the path. She couldn't. The impact upturned earth, the force of it knocking Chrys over as stone, fire and burning embers were knocked forward. Momo was swallowed by the debris. She let out a scream, her bandages catching fire as she disappeared under the scalding rubble. “Momo!” Chrys and Dud shouted in unison. The stallion moved first, flying towards her, his focus lost on Sledge as Chrys got back on her hooves. She could see the dragon preparing another gout. She could see Aegis leaping towards him. She could see that Aegis would strike first. But, what then? Chrys blinked, before quickly glancing around. She felt the heat of Sledge's attack, her peripheral vision seeing it go into the sky as Aegis plowed into him, sending both rolling. She kept looking around. She needed a weapon. Something to hit Sledge really hard with. Something to shut that fiery mouth of his. She paused, ears falling as she felt something large whooshed over her head. Her heart skipped a beat as Aegis crashed into a thick tree past her, snapping it in two. The young queen lifted her head, turning to Sledge, the sound of a tree falling behind her making her breath catch in her throat. Sledge was smiling at her. It would take several moments at best for Aegis to recover. The Shadowbolts were gone. Dud was frantically clearing hot earth off of her clutchling. At this moment, it was just her, and Sledge. There wasn't going to be any interrupting lamia. Bulwark was nowhere to be found. And the safety Queen Amber gave her was a world away. Sledge took a step forward. Once again, she felt the urge to step back. It was overpowering. She wasn't going to be struck if she didn't run. She'd suffer something far worse. He took another step forward. Sweat beaded down her head, her body caught between the chill of winter, the heat of his fire, and the fear in his promised malice. And despite all that, a single question stood on in her head. Do queens back down from dragons? Her heart was racing, but she still adopted a fiery look. She still had one thing over Sledge. One thing he'd never have. She took a step forward. Sledge's eye glimmered for a moment in confusion. Chrysalis wasn't going to lose. Her horn glowed bright. Beyond bright. The whole world was bathed teal, the orange fires in the forest yielding to her color, a radiant beacon of light that was brighter than it was back in the The Badlands. Sledge stepped back in surprise, letting out a roar, shielding his eyes as Chrys ran to the side, looking back to where Aegis lay. The guard wasn't moving; part of a tree was resting on him. Chrys focused on the tree. With a twist that made her horn flare in pain, one of the larger branches snapped off, being carried in her power. Sledge let out a frustrated cry, his body being wreathed in amber flames, making Chrys reel back from the heat, feeling parts of her coat singe from the contact. He rubbed his eye as he glanced around, making the queen smile. His hearing was still compromised, so he had no idea where she was, despite her less than subtle movements. Her eyes were locked on him, a fire in her stare as she brought the branch to her side. It was as long as Aegis, and as thick as her waist. Her horn glowed bright as she glared at Sledge, his good eye starting to gain focus as he looked around. His eye met her glare. He hurt Bulwark in the hive. Dud in The Badlands, and in the broken mountain. He's hurt Snare, Ssarah's mate, Lin and Ren's father. He hurt her clutchling. All of it, because of her. Each of those moments played in her head, filling her purpose, horn glowing brighter, as she brought the branch down. She put everything she had into, teeth gritting as she saw his throat light up. That swing felt like the longest moment in her life. She watched as his fire licked the air. Winced as her magic connected with his skull. Her eyes closed as his mouth did, his head being pushed towards the ground. Cracks spread through the branch, fracturing. His chin was slowly buried into the earth, his eyes widening in a moment of shock. With a loud crunch, the branch broke into countless pieces. Fire that was caught in his mouth leaked into the ground, his head disappearing in a blast of flame. Chrys brought a hoof to shield her face as splinters and fire pushed into her, sending her flying back, as time seemed to snap back to normal. The hit birthed a loud explosion that rocked the nearby trees, sending snow falling all around, as the teal queen 'landed'. She skidded through the snow, coat and mane burning slightly, before crashing into a tree, knocking the breath out of her. Despite that, she quickly got back on her hooves, coughing as she looked to Sledge. His head wasn't visible, lost in a cloud of smoke, but the his body wasn't moving. Her eyes were locked on him, time lost to her as she waited for him to move. She knew it wasn't over. After all, the fool had a thick skull. How much time passed since the blow, she wasn't sure. A few seconds? A minute? How long was this silence going to last? Should she be preparing another blow? Her horn glowed, making her wince as it's magic flickered out. Another blow wasn't an option. She flinched when the tree resting on Aegis crashed to the earth, the royal guard rising to his hooves. Chrys let out a small sigh, before giving him an annoyed look. She was about to speak up, but a deep growl made her freeze. Sledge was getting up. “Aegis, crush him!!” Chrys ordered, putting the guard into motion as he charged the recovering dragon. Sledge looked to him, his face charred, several teeth missing as he let out a loud roar. That roar was cut short when something from above crashed into his back. Chrys blinked, surprised to see Whisper standing poised on top of Sledge, a fierce look in his eyes. Sledge turned to him, forgetting about the one barreling towards him. With a casual hop, Whisper was off of Sledge as Aegis plowed into the dragon. Aegis and Sledge rolled over in the snow for a moment, ending with Aegis on top, stomping several satisfying hits into Sledge's belly. “Hey, big guy!” Whisper shouted towards Aegis, “Get off him, quick!” he added, getting a confused look from the guard, before he noticed the shadow that had fallen over them. With a final sharp jab of his hooves, he kicked himself off, knocking the wind out of the dragon, who immediately slumped over, gasping for air. Chrys's eyes looked above him, seeing a lightning cloud that was almost twice as large as the previous. Which was natural, since there were two pegasi forming it. Dud and Murmur drove their hooves into it in unison, making Chrys cover her ears as a pillar of light forked down into the dragon, getting a hoarse cry from him. Once again, Sledge disappeared in the aftermath of smoke. This time, the smoke didn't last, being blown aside by Dud, revealing the scorched, bruised, winded dragon within. Sledge was done with all this. With a flap of his wings, he took to the air. Before he could chose a direction to flee, he tumbled over mid-air. Something had plowed into one of his wings, letting out a loud pop that made Chrys blink, before her eyes lit up with pride and happiness. Momo spat at Sledge as he crashed into the ground, her discolored wings spread proudly as she hovered over him. Sledge looked at them, then to Aegis, and finally Chrys. His wing twitched, getting an annoyed growl from him. Aegis, Momo, and Whisper charged towards him, getting a cry of alarm from Dud. Momo and Whisper paused, Aegis continued as Sledge wreathed himself in fire. Aegis crashed into him without hesitating, hitting him square in the side, head on, sending Sledge barreling away. The dragon let off a wave of fire, lighting several trees, scorching the ground in a line to keep Aegis from pursuing, before turning around, and fleeing into the forest. “Get back here you coward!” Chrys cried out, chasing after him. Aegis stopped her, getting an flustered look from the young queen. “Aegis, we have to finish this!” “My apologies, Highness, but I must insist that we let them manage that,” he said, nodding towards the Shadowbolts, who were in hot pursuit. “We must to tend to ourselves.” “They'll get him,” Dud assured as he landed close, Momo coming to his side, before faltering over. He caught her, giving her a mixed look, before glancing back to Chrys. “I- I'm okay, just a little light-headed,” she assured, before looking to Chrys, “I messed up his wing, so he won't get very far,” she added, a sly grin on her face, “He's no Mantis, but making him grounded felt really nice.” She then looked Chrys up and down, “So, uggh, you okay? You look a little toasty.” Chrys gave her a flat look. There were remnants of burnt bandages wrapped around her waist, her light coat was extra sooty, and she smelled like a fireplace. “So, I look just like you?” she asked, making her clutchling look over herself, before giving Chrys a sheepish look. “I'm... gonna get a raincloud going,” Dud said, his eyes taking in the battlefield, several trees still burning. Momo eyed him for a moment as he took to the air, before looking to Chrys. “So, not only did we just beat Sledge, but we beat him as a dragon!” she said proudly, making Chrys tilt her head, before giving her a smile. ~~~~~~~~~~ Sledge let out a steamy breath, heart pounding as he trampled through the woods. He occasionally paused to spit fire at his pursuers, keeping them from getting too close. If they tried to tackle him, his fire would make them regret it. He kept moving, not letting the pegasus have a chance to call down another lightning strike. He moved with purpose, seeing the forest thinning ahead of him. Rambling Rock Ridge was in sight. Taking in a deep breath, he sent a sweeping line of fire ahead of him, burning the trees and creating a good deal of smoke. The shadowbolts weren't letting him get out of their sight, their wings blowing the smoke away as they followed. Reaching the edge, he looked down upon a stony valley, a steep decline in the terrain before him. With several swipes of his claws, he sent several large chunks of stone falling down the incline, before following after them. The shadowbolts shared confused looks, as Sledge rolled down into his own avalanche. They followed close, trying to get rid of the cover the commotion was causing. Their effort to clear the dust and snow only fueled the avalanche, creating more cover instead. When Sledge felt the moment was right, he grit his teeth, before shapeshifting. His eyes widened as his damaged wing disappeared, the pain only growing as his body shifted into something without wings. He clutched the ground, letting out a pained breath as he ended his roll, before curling into a ball. The dust and snow fell past him, the Shadowbolts following after, paying no mind to the rocky ball behind them. The camouflaged cragadile smiled. Now all he had to do was wait, and he'd be free of pursuit... ~~~~~~~~~~ “Yeah, that could have gone a lot worse,” Dud said, moving his wet mane from his eyes as he looked to the others, soot free and soaked to the bone. On the plus side, the water was pleasantly warm. Pegasi magic sure is convenient. “Well, it would have been better,” Chrys added, “if he hadn't gotten away!” she said, getting sheepish looks from Whisper and Murmur. “I have to admit, I'm disappointed as well,” the late to arrive Arrow Twine added, getting hurt looks from the Shadowbolts. “L- Look,” Murmur began, “one second he was there, and the next, he was just gone!” “I'm not disappointed in you two,” he added, getting confused looks from them, “Just at the situation in general.” He let out a sigh, “If he was able to hide from Whisper's ears, then there was no helping it.” “Thank you for that, sir,” Whisper said, getting a nod from the old stallion, before looking to Chrys. “So the dragon was after you,” he said, getting a bothered look from her, “If it's after you, then it shouldn't be too hard to find again. Equestria is a big place for a single dragon to hide in, but it's going to make a mistake if it continues hunting you.” “Ah, about that,” Dud chipped in, “Sledge probably isn't the only dragon in Equestria,” he pointed out, getting everyone's attention. “There's another dragon too. Or else we wouldn't have had to fight him like that,” he added, getting looks of realization from the changelings, and confusion from the ponies. “Explain,” Arrow said sternly. “Not now,” Chrys interjected, matching his tone, to the old stallion's surprise, “It's something I'd rather keep between myself and Princess Luna.” “...Very well,” Arrow said, letting out another sigh, “Is there anything else hunting you? A rabid phoenix, or a manticore maybe?” “Hah,” Dud let out, getting a raised eyebrow from the stallion as Chrys shook her head. “It's just Sledge,” she assured. “Well, one threat shouldn't be hard to keep an eye out for,” he said, turning to the others, “Make sure all the fires are out, then continue watch.” He then hesitated, looking to Murmur, “How's your back?” “It hurts, but it ain't keepin' me down,” she assured. “Take it easy,” he said sternly, “Get yourself looked at when we reach Canter Town.” “U- Understood, sir,” she said in a worried tone, before tilting her head. “What 'bout you? What will you do, sir?” “See if I can track 'Sledge' down.” “Be careful sir,” Whisper began, “He was able to light himself on fire. Never heard of dragons doing that before.” “You needn't worry,” Arrow assured, “I am the pony caution calls when it wants advice,” he replied, giving the shadowbolts a salute, before flying off. Murmur flapped her wings, but hesitated when Whisper approached Chrysalis. “Excuse me, Princess...” “It's queen. Queen Chrysalis,” she said, making the batpony blink. “So, you're not a princess?” “Didn't I just make that clear?” she asked, getting a small smile from the pony, who directed it towards Murmur, getting a flustered look from the mare. “Oh come on! That's a technicality!” “Ah ah ah,” he chided, “technicals count. Pay up!” he said, flying to her side as she rolled her eyes, before both slowly took to the sky. “What was that about?” Chrys asked, getting a shrug from the others. She then looked back to the shadowbolts, before taking in their charred surroundings. The battle played out in her mind's eyes, placing each line of black, the craters, the heat. She frowned at it all, before looking to the others. Momo and Dud were giving her curious looks, while Aegis simply looked on coldly. “Let's … get back to the carriage,” she said, turning back the way they came, getting a nod from the others. “Good thing we didn't bring that into the fight!” Dud pointed out, before eyeing the ruined path the battlefield took place in, “Though, getting it through this mess will be tricky.” “I can manage,” Aegis said, before looking to the young queen, “Chrysalis, we need to talk.” She stopped at that, blinking as she slowly turned to the guard. “Alone.” “Anything you have to say to her you can say to us,” Momo interjected, getting a frown from the guard. “It's fine Momo,” Chrys assured, looking to her and Dud, “Can you guys get lunch ready? This won't take long.” Momo and Dud shared a look. “Aegis, you better not hurt her!” Momo said, getting a sigh from the royal guard. “That isn't my intention.” “Come on Momo, let's let them talk,” Dud said, getting a troubled look from the changeling, before following the pony back to the carriage. “...Well?” Chrys asked, “Out with it.” “Highness, you were a fool for entering the fight.” Chrys was taken aback by his forwardness. “I'm a fool for wanting to help? For wanting to get rid of Sledge? For wanting to protect Momo and Dud!?” “You're a fool for getting involved,” he repeated. “There's nothing wrong with any of those, but you must understand the value of your own life.” “What's that supposed to mean!?” “It means that your life is more important than theirs,” he said coldly, getting a scowl from her. “Glare at me all you like, it's the truth. If Queen Amber were to fall, our future would rest on you. I am not exaggerating when I say that you are the second most important changeling alive. And I can't protect you if you throw yourself headlong into danger!” “There aren't a lot of changelings that agree with your sentiment,” Chrys said flatly, “And I'm not frail. I recovered a lot quicker than Momo, and I was the one directly hit by that lightning. Sledge can hurt me, but it'll take more than being smacked around or burned to do me in.” “Are you sure of that?” he asked, coming closer towards her, his posture giving off a sense of danger that almost made her take a surprised step back. “A queen is hardy, this is true, but you are not as tough as a royal guard. Not yet, anyway.” “It doesn't matter. You were there, and we won.” “And it could have very easily gone the other way. Highness, you must avoid standing on the front line in the future. Or, do you wish to make Queen Amber cry?” Chrys's eyes widened at that, ears falling as she glared at the muddy ground. “That wasn't fair.” “My apologies, Your Highness. I am a royal guard. It's natural for me to place my charge's life above my own. But, a queen must never do the same. Her life is the most important. If she values another more than herself, then she will ultimately fall.” “...Aegis, the fight for Canter Town, is it the first time Amber's left the hive to 'join the front line'?” “As I understand, yes.” “So, she's stayed in the hive, where it's safe, while the soldiers and drones were sent out where the danger was. That's how my mother sees it?” “Yes. That's how the hive sees it.” “...I don't think I'm ready for that,” she admitted, water running down her face as she looked up to him. “I don't want to see things that way,” she added firmly, making him frown. “I understand what you're saying. So for that, I'm sorry.” “So I take it you have no intention of making my job any easier?” he asked, making her glance to the side. He then let out a sigh. “You should talk to Momo.” Chrys gave him a confused look, “She knows how to fight, which she should be able to teach.” Chrys blinked at that, “Highness, if you intend to put yourself in danger, then the least you can do, is better prepare yourself towards managing it.” “That's ... a really good idea,” she said, a considering look on her face. “Aegis, the next time I tell you to charge, you'll do so, right?” “That depends on the situation, Your Highness,” he replied, getting a frown from her, “I am not your Bulwark. As I have said, I have no intention of replacing him, regardless of what fate befalls him.” “What do you mean by that?” “I mean what I said, and nothing more by it.” He then motioned back towards the carriage, “Highness, shall we continue?” he asked, making Chrys consider him for a moment longer, before turning her back on him. “Yes, let's get going,” she replied, moving past him. “...Thank you, for keeping everyone safe,” she added, hearing his steps falter for a moment, which made her smile, as they returned to a waiting, warm lunch.