Future Progressive: The Speedfics and Drabbles of Present Perfect

by PresentPerfect

Burdens of the Throne

Burdens of the Throne
by Present Perfect

The Princess of Love was angry.

Her horn hurt from maintaining the spell keeping Sombra at bay. Such pain shouldn't even be possible, but then few spellcasters were ever required to keep up such extreme feats of magical stamina. If not for her alicorn physiology, she would have given out days ago, and even that was being taxed now that Sombra had reached the barrier.

At the same time, she could see, far below the Crystal Palace, a sextet of ponies including her new sister-in-law singing and dancing as they set up... She wasn't sure, actually.

"What do they think they're doing?" she grumbled. Somepony jerked beside her.

"Huhwha? Cadie, you okay?"

Cadance turned her head towards her husband, who was trying very unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. Shining gave her a tired smile, standing and stretching.

"Shining, you're supposed to be keeping me awake."

He winced. "Sorry, baby, I'm trying. It's just... I have to be honest, it's really boring."

Cadance sighed, biting back a retort. Exhaustion was creeping in, misdirecting her emotions. "Well, could you maybe tell me what your sister's friends are up to?"

Shining Armor trotted to the window and surveyed the scene. His eyes lit up with understanding after a moment.

"Oh! They're montaging!" He turned to her, smiling. "Twilie wrote a letter to mom and dad about it once, after Winter Wrap-Up. It's how they get big tasks done in Ponyville!"

"By singing and dancing and having fun?" Cadance narrowed her eyes. "Shining, do they understand just what a threat King Sombra is, not only to the Crystal Kingdom, but to Equestria as a whole?"

He moved back toward her and put a hoof on her shoulder. The touch calmed her boiling rage.

"Trust me, Cadie, they know. They're good ponies, from good lives, and this is how they deal with dark, dangerous things. They'll get the job done, I promise, and then you'll see that calling for them was a good idea."

At that moment, his stomach gurgled audibly.

"Whoa!" he laughed. "Guess I shouldn't've eaten that fifth corndog last night. Be right back, babe."

She leaned away from his intended kiss, scowling. "You can't just leave me!"

"I said I'll be right back." Shining rolled his eyes. "Just gotta take a quick dump. And, y'know, since we're not in a warzone or anything, it's probably better if I go to the little colts' room." He turned to leave.

"But," Cadance's eyes searched back and forth, desperate, as she tried to think around her spell. "What if I pass out? What if Sombra comes back? Can't you find a servant to bring you a chamber pot? I'm sure there's one somewhere in this castle who isn't too depressed to do menial work!"

"Seriously." Shining gave her a look. "Cade. Won't be a minute. Nothing will happen."

She couldn't hold it back any longer. "And have you ever even been in a war?"

That got his attention. He stopped, mid-stride, turning to face her with a glower.

"Listen up, soldier!" he barked. "Do you think this is a war or a fillies' sleepover? You don't have time to worry about what's happening next, you just do, understand me?"

He walked up, pressing his nose against hers. "The fate of the Crystal Kingdom, neigh, the entirety of Equestria is on. Your. Head! Are you gonna let a two-minute interruption in your schedule break your concentration?"

"N-no..."

"I can't hear you!"

Cadance drew up straight. "No, sir!"

"That's better." Shining smirked, taking a step back. "Now you just sit right there on your pretty little derriere and keep that spell going. I'm gonna drop the kids off at the pool, and if you so much as bat an eye while I'm gone, I swear to your Aunt I will throw you off a balcony. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

Shining relaxed, grinning at her. "Yeah, I've had my share of field training. Love ya, Cadie."

And, blowing a kiss to her, he trotted off to the little colts' room.

Author's Note:

4th-place finalist in the April 2013 Writeoff, assuming there was one.

Comments

[Admiral Biscuit]

I know somepony won't be getting any for a while.

[Shachza]

Oh, so that's why he threw her! It wasn't to save the Crystal Empire, it was battlefield discipline with unintended happy consequences!