66 - Descending
They entered the castle together to find Flash Sentry was guarding the door. It seemed a largely decorational duty, with him nodding at each pony that wandered past, but he perked up on seeing them. "Ambassador Lining, a package arrived for you. It's in your room."
Silver perked an ear. "Were we gone for that long?"
Flash shrugged his shoulders. "It's from Canterlot." He gestured towards the room with a nudging of his head. "No news other than that."
Night smiled a fanged smile. "Thank you. Is Cadance in court or somewhere else?"
Flash shook his head. "She's retired for the day. I think she's planning something? I'm not privy to her personal plans."
Silver bobbed his head. "Of course. Thank you, Flash. Good day." He moved with Night into the castle proper. "Shall we track her down? I should be able to do that. I know her well enough."
Night twitched an ear towards him. "You're going to use that flashy mote spell?"
"I was thinking something else." He tapped his hooves together. "Funny thing, but it feels... right to just make up something new. Is that wrong?"
Night shook her head. "It's your... you." She poked him with a hoof right on his cutie mark. "I'm actually glad to hear it. You weren't paying enough attention to your basic drive." She leaned in and nuzzled his cheek. "So what do you have in mind?"
Silver smiled appreciatively and pulled out his book, flipping through it with a silvery glow. "I had a silly idea to make a paper airplane and let it fly to where we want. Being made of paper, if it hits a door, it'll just slap up against it with barely any noise and fall to the ground, instead of sending a bright mote in to crash a party."
Night quickly nodded to that and pulled out a paper, folding it in her wings as Silver got to scribbling out his spell. Together they were prepared in short time. He touched the plane with his horn and it began to shine gently before launching down the corridor away from them.
They gave chase, clip-clopping away from the main hallway. It seemed to guide them down smaller passages until emerging into a large room that had a throne in it, but it wasn't the throne room they knew. There was a great hole in the center, and the plane vanished right into it, lost to sight immediately except for the faint light that spilled out from the otherwise dark hole.
Silver lit his horn with silvery light. "Things just got..." He trailed off, realizing where he was. That was the hidden place that Twilight had found when seeking the Crystal Heart. "Are..." Night was already descending the stairs within the hole. "Wait up!" He rushed to catch up with her and, together, they descended into the gloomy passage even as he lamented the loss of his dream eyes. Slit like a cat's, he was sure they would have pierced through the gloom easily.
Around and around they went, ever deeper into the earth. The glow of the plane had long since vanished below, but they found it as they approached the bottom of the cavern. On the last turn around it came into view, its nose dented where it had run quietly into the side of Cadance who was staring at a door that led to nowhere but a blank slate of wall. Her eyes were wide, green, with red iris', and also brimming with tears.
Night nudged into Silver, whispering, "You look like you know what's going on."
"I do," he replied, advancing slowly. "This is a trap of Sombra, but I don't know why Cadance would be caught in it."
Cadance suddenly jerked away, eyes going clear as she spun around with a dazed look about her. "Huh? Silver Lining? Night Watch? Why... You shouldn't be here." Her confusion turned into a frown. "Please, leave."
Night gestured at Silver. "My husband's oracular ability has led him to you, Your Highness."
"Oracular? Yes, that's right." Cadance nodded slowly. "Very well, perhaps you know how to open this then?" She pointed back at the door. "It seems to hold nothing but nightmares."
Silver looked between her and the door beyond. "Forgive me for asking, but why would you come here?"
Cadance's face soured into a grimace. "That's not a question you should ask."
Silver put up a hoof quickly. "Consider it forgotten... Um..." He thought back to that episode, with Twilight. What'd she do? She used magic, of course, not dark magic... "Ca..." He cut off, realizing asking her if she knew dark magic would get harsher glares and few answers. "Let me try." He lit his horn brighter and focused his magic on the crystal on the door.
Emerging abruptly through it were the skeletal forms of two horses, and he knew them. "You left us for dead," cried the one on the left with Shei's voice.
"You never cared about us," continued Aila, scowling despite having no flesh.
It was a dream. Silver knew this with certainty. He flared his horn and pushed with his magic at the fabric of that false world. "I need to be awake now!" He returned his effort on the door, ignoring the skeletal figures entirely and their angry demands, he felt with his magic, trying to find the harmony that would...
Tension he hadn't known broke. The grip of shadow magic on his mind shattered, along with the visions it gave. Bright light ran down the sides of the door, and it opened anew, revealing a brightly lit space beyond. Cadance clopped her hooves with joy. "Very good, Silver Lining. You really are something else." Smiling, she moved to advance through the door. "You can leave now."
Night rolled her eyes. "We're not, and you know better than to ask.""
Cadance raised a hoof, and suddenly the love between Night and Silver was cut off. That source of love and support, gone. They gaped at one another, not knowing it until it was gone. The savage immediacy of it was like a strike to the belly of both, worse even then the shadow's grip, and it was no dream. Silver could not deny it. "It can get worse. Go." She smiled gently. "I would hate to see such true love wasted."
There was a cacophonous explosion each time they met. Hooves, horns, and other limbs sprouted for the occasion struggled for domination as Fast and Chrysalis vied for the upper hoof, but neither was finding it easily. The additional power of the city's support had evened the odds against the wily Queen, but experience counted, and they were still even.
Chrysalis sneered as she lashed out. "Why don't you give up? They were never yours to begin with, pony."
Fast met the hoof with one of her own, struggling and wrestling against her. "They're happier... here. Leave them, and us, alone."
Chrysalis roared with an inarticulate fury as she shoved Fast back. "They're mine! I own them! Their happiness is my happiness, and they know it!"
Fast put a hoof to her chest. "It doesn't have to be this way, you know."
Chrysalis raised a brow.
"I mean it. You don't have to be feared. You don't have to hunt."
Chrysalis smiled coyly. "What if I prefer it?"
Fast flared with renewed green energy. "Then you truly are a monster, and nopony in Canterlot likes those." She flew at Chrysalis, renewed. Beneath them, a crowd had gathered, watching the two changeling queens battle with increasing interest. Pony or changeling, it mattered little at that moment. All eyes were locked on the struggle, minds pondering what it might mean, depending on who proved victorious.
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... And now Cadance has firmly settled herself onto my list of hated characters in this story. You just don't mess with the bond between people, "Alicorn of Love" or not.
They should tell celestia about how cadance attacked, and it is an attack, on two diplomats in her country. Or silver should push forward anyways and call her bluff. Although I think night would push instead
this Cadence is wrong fo Cadence, more like a changeling queen trying to find power but who still has the love connection manipulation method of Cadence?
Then again, thats why we didnt get to see this Cadences nightmare attack?
cat - cat's
it ran quietly - it had run quietly
*****
Oh.
Well, that got really dark, really quickly, didn't it?
Still on the edge of my seat for Fast.
6888301 6888303 6888310
Bear in mind that although Cadence may be sweet and kind by default, she is still the head of state in the Crystal Empire and as such must command respect and deference when the situation warrants. This is apparently a situation where she must act unilaterally and without explanation to anyone not her equal and possibly not even then.
It sucks.
It's terribly unpleasant to be forcefully reminded that she sometimes has the obligation and the power to act without question and is above reproach unless she willingly submits to it later. It is the burden of leadership that she cannot always be kind and loving when acting as head of state.
6888315 I blame the nightmare door for all the typos! Imagine it, a world where horsewords were cause for execution at best?!
well this chapter is intense.
Regardless of her intentions, I believe that Cadence just lost her spot on the list of ponies Silver completely trusts now. Which isn't really that long since most of them were from his dreams.
Still, with some carefully selected words, I'm sure she can earn her way back in.
6888352
I dunno, it still feels wrong. Why not just tell them it's an order? And was the spell cutting off their love temporary? Why does Cadance want to get on the other side of that door? Is she being tempted by Sombra like he tried to temp Silver? There's just an empty room, after a huge staircase... right?
Not good, it seems Cadence has been manipulated. Personality shift of 41 degrees has been marked! Assistance is required!
We find it funny that the background ponies are just standing there being useless, I mean, sure there's not much they can do, but surely someone ought to have sent word to Celestia by now?
Keep going! ;)
ask."
That is not loving kindness and gratitude, Cadence.
David I really have to ask this of you. Do you really hate the princesses that much to make them so wildly out of character? I know we don't see much of Luna in the show more so in the comics though but Celestia is in there and so is Cadence I thought Cadence was Silver friend? If that's the case she never would treat a friend that way at least from what I've seen so I gotta ask man what's up with their behavior?
7352883 There isn't a princess I don't adore. However. people are far from perfect. You'll have to be much more specific about who did what out of character.
I think you mean Sombra's
Double quotation mark at the end.
Wow, cadence is the most powerful princess. It's kinda scary that she can change other ponies/peoples feelings for eachother.
So, Celestia and Luna are just watching the fireworks from a balcony? What about the royal guard? The Wonderbolts? The Warlocks?
Mmmm, I've always viewed Cadance as the most dangerous Alicorn if left alone. Domain over an emotion is a powerful thing that can be as spectacular or subtle as you want. With it you can warp and direct the minds of those around you and keep them from ever fully realizing it.
That was outright evil. WTF is wrong with Cadence?
11253958
A great question.
Double quotations at the end there