The Last Cutie Mark Crusader

by Jatheus

33 - Darkness, Part 3 of 6

Scootaloo sat staring at the scrap of fabric she held in her hooves, her mind wandering as she grappled with everything that had taken place. She sat in the throne-room, which had been somewhat cleaned since the battle, but a breeze pushed through the gaping holes left by the destroyed windows. She was trying to pay attention to the things the Taskforce and Shining Armor were discussing, but a feeling of dread for Sparklefly was foremost on her mind.

The eye patch that Scootaloo now held had been ripped from its band during the prince’s fight with the changeling queen, but it would be salvageable. The mare decided she would try to fix it, though sewing was never something at which she’d been skilled. Somepony had already located a scrap of red fabric, needle, and white thread.

It wouldn’t be pretty, but Scootaloo began the work while the others discussed other battles that had been taking place across Equestria. It seemed that the EUP had fended off attacks from Las Pegasus to Manehattan in the previous few days, and by current reports, no battles were underway.

After cutting the red fabric into a long strip, she folded it in a few times length-wise and began sewing it together. It wasn’t elastic, so she had to cut it in half and sew those ends up so they didn’t unravel. The others had moved on to farm output. Scootaloo finally began attaching the makeshift strap to the beautifully crafted silk that Rarity had made. The repair stitches were crude but strong.

Scootaloo tested them, trying on the eye patch to ensure there was plenty of length in the new strap. She took it of again and looked at her work. A sadness flooded the mare, but not so much that it would cause outward expression. Her gaze fell lazily to the floor of the throne-room, where bits of debris still lay scattered, and shorts ends of threads had fallen as she worked.

The mare found herself caught in a memory from when she’d been the flower-filly at Shining Armor and Cadence’s wedding. That day it was flowers covering the carpet, not debris. A shiver ran up Scootaloo’s spine as the recollection grew. That time, it was Princess Cadence that had been taken by Queen Chrysalis and hidden in...

Scootaloo leapt up and practically yelled, "The caves!"

The rest of the Taskforce and the prince stared at her blankly for a moment. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it sooner, but it would be the perfect place to hide an entire company of prisoners.

"The caves under the city. The last time changelings took prisoners here, that's where they put them," she said.

Pain flashed across Shining Armor's face for a moment, presumably at the memory of Cadence being imprisoned in that same place by the changelings over a decade before.

"It fits," Flittergear said softly.

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go rescue Sparklefly!" Pacer said.

"I'm afraid we don't have time for that," Shining Armor said.

Scootaloo felt all hot inside and spoke before thinking, "But your majesty, we can't leave-"

"Silence!" Prince Shining Armor said with thunder in his voice and a red flash though his eyes. "Do not question my orders again."

Scootaloo stood at attention, but anger was building inside. What was it Sparklefly had told her last time? She couldn't remember. She told herself to just be calm.

"With permission," Charging Lance said. "May we appoint somepony to begin SAR operations? There’s no telling how many ponies they have taken down there.”

Still looking at Scootaloo in an almost challenging sort of way, the prince said, "Go ahead."

Charging Lance turned to Major Skyflame, “You have the command. Coordinate with Brax’s divisions. Make sure you send plenty of medics.”

Major Skyflame nodded, and cantered out of the throne room.

"Now that that is seen to," Shining Armor said, “The guards tell me that Queen Chrysalis is awake. I need to talk to her, and I want all of you with me. I don't know how fast rumors are spreading, but it seems that her capture has been as good for us as we hoped. Timberwolves have retreated from every forward position and no attacks have happened since we retook the capitol yesterday morning."

"Maybe they can't control them without her," Masher offered.

Scootaloo tried to focus on this, but worry for Sparklefly was robbing her of the ability to think about anything else.

"Perhaps," Charging Lance agreed.

"Oh, yeah, catch the queen and they're done," Pacer boasted, "We've got this."

"Enough speculating for now," Shining Armor said. "We need to talk to her and see what we can gather. I mean to put this changeling threat down once and for all. We have the queen, but there is much work to be done. We do not stop until every last one of them is dead."

Scootaloo was a little irked to hear him say that, especially since their secondary objective had been to locate the changeling hatchery. She didn’t think he had it in him to commit murder, let alone genocide, despite his declaration to the contrary. He had come close to killing the changeling queen, but it was in the heat of battle. The other members of the Taskforce looked equally uncertain about Shining Armor’s words.

The prince and his guards led the way; there were six of them now at any given time. Additional measures had already been implemented any time anypony went near the monarch. They were being scanned at two different checkpoints. It was infuriating, but understandable considering what had almost happened.

In spite of traveling with the prince, their entire party was scanned before they were permitted entry to the dungeon. It was a round, subterranean stone structure. The hallways went all the way around in rings, with the entrance to the next secure level half-way around the deeper corridor. It took fifteen minutes just to walk into the heart of the prison, and their identities were confirmed at each checkpoint. Scores of guards and a number of portcullises could be used to lock everything down at the first sigh of trouble.

The Canterlot dungeon was the most secure place in Equestria, and that is where Queen Chrysalis sat waiting for them. She looked much less threatening now, chained and defeated. Scootaloo had half expected the same fire of life that she'd noticed before, but their nemesis instead sat placidly.

“I’ve come to ask questions," Prince Shining Armor began. "You will answer."

The changeling snorted, and a narrow grin momentarily flitted across her face.

"What is the nature of your control over the timberwolves?" the prince asked.

She said nothing, but instead stared at Shining Armor, her eyes boring into him like drills.

"Where are Sparklefly and the company that was with her," Scootaloo asked.

Silence was the answer again as the queen continued staring at the prince. Scootaloo exchanged glances with the other members of the Taskforce, but nopony seemed sure what to do if she wouldn't respond.

"Where are the alicorn princesses?" Shining Armor asked.

An eerie, slow laugh escaped the changeling queen. ”I see you haven't made yourself king yet," Chrysalis spoke in a condescending tone. “Pity... Why not?"

The prince tilted his head slightly, "I don't think you understand the situation you're in. I ask; you answer."

"Oh, scary," she mocked, "am I shaking?"

"You should be," the prince replied with daggers of ice in his voice. "We have captured nearly two-thousand of your kind throughout the course of the war. I need you; I don’t need them. I would be more than happy to execute each and every one of them in front of you."

Her confident grin faded, her resolve seeming to waver somewhat as if she cared for the lives of her own. Perhaps they weren't so different after all. Scootaloo exchanged a look with Charging Lance; he also seemed uncomfortable with what the prince had just proposed.

"Caught or killed makes no difference to us," Chrysalis said, her facade again in full force. "We accept our fate as it lands. I would think it is your own lives you should be concerned with. My, that is a lovely amulet you’re wearing. Pity it wasn’t in the Canterlot vault when we claimed the city.“

Scootaloo found that a curious thing to say, given that the prince was again wearing robes that would hide any ornamentation he wore on his neck. She must have been referring to what she’d seen in the battle. It was so familiar...

“Back up a second, what is that supposed to mean?" Pacer asked.

"So your scouts haven't kept you updated? They must not be as much of a threat to us as I had thought. And to think how much effort we’ve made to capture and kill them,“ the queen answered with a smile.

"Just cut to the chase, will you?" Masher sighed.

"Come now, a little anticipation is what makes the chase fun."

"Silence!" the prince roared; his voice boomed and echoed throughout the prison like a thunderclap.

Scootaloo covered her ears and nearly fell down from the shock of it.

"If you won't answer straightly, then it's going to be as I said. We'll be back with one of your subjects in an hour!”

Prince Shining Armor turned to leave, and the Taskforce members scurried along behind him. Scootaloo came last.

Chrysalis yelled after them, “In an hour, I suspect you'll realize you have larger problems to worry about than whether or not I answer!”

Something in the changeling queen's voice sent a chill through Scootaloo. Their party left the prison, coming back out into daylight. The burned but reclaimed capital city was alive with activity. Citizens were already returning to begin repairing and restoring it.

"What do you think?" Shining Armor asked, stopping suddenly.

"She's crazy," Pacer said. "Just trying to get us off balance with all of that talk about bigger problems."

Scootaloo wasn't convinced, but couldn't say why. She was still far too concerned about Sparklefly to think clearly.

"Perhaps," Charging Lance said more thoughtfully, "She may be using head games to work on us. They are gifted at such. What do we know from latest scout reports?"

Flittergear timidly offered, "All timberwolves retreating. Large numbers heading south away from our cities."

"South away from our cities," Masher said. "Assuming they are still under the control of the changelings, what do they gain by going south?"

"Nothing," Pacer said. "All they do is give us time to get ready for whatever they're doing."

Scootaloo snorted, "Which won't do us much good if we think they're not doing anything but retreating."

Pacer looked angry as if he were about to say something, but Charging Lance spoke instead, "I think we need more updated reports. Have they been moving south for two days?"

Flittergear shrugged.

"Find out what they're doing and report to me," Shining Armor said. "I'll be in the throne room."

Shining Armor and his guards walked away, and Scootaloo still wondered at his behavior. Something just didn't seem right about him. Granted, both his wife and sister were missing, probably dead, and he was doing everything he could to hold Equestria together. Those circumstances alone would be enough to push anypony to the edge. However, it wasn't just his attitude; the last time Chrysalis had been in the throne room, she’d overcome even Celestia. The powerful magic that Shining Armor had performed was another thing that seemed familiar somehow. In fact, she knew she had seen that amulet before, if she could just remember where.

"How are you feeling?" Charging Lance broke Scootaloo's thoughts.

"What, me? I'm fine. The medic said I was ‘surprisingly unscathed for being that close to a magical discharge and thrown into a wall.’ I’m fit for duty.”

"So we send scouts now?" Masher said.

"That we do," Charging Lance answered. "West, southwest, south; we need to cover as much ground as we can from south of Baltimare to the San Palomino Desert. I doubt if the-" he paused, and then abruptly yelled, "Catch her!"

Scootaloo turned just in time to see Flittergear falling towards her. She caught her head but fell herself in the attempt. Flittergear started, but seemed disoriented. Charging Lance came close. Scootaloo’s heart was racing from fright.

"Have you eaten anything?" he asked her.

She made a noise, almost like a moan and shook her head.

"Go get me some oats or hay, anything you can find," he ordered Pacer.

"Why, does she have a tummy ache?" he mocked.

"Now!" Charging Lance shot back.

Pacer snorted and trotted away without any further comment.

"What's wrong with her?" Scootaloo asked, still holding the mare.

"She'll be fine," Charging Lance answered. "She has a medical condition and can't maintain her blood sugar very well. Sometimes, if she doesn't eat regularly, it crashes." With deep concern written on his face, he continued, "She told me it isn't life threatening, but it could be, depending on what she is doing when she faints."

"Huh," Masher said, "so that's why she's eating all the time."

"Yes."

Flittergear wasn't that heavy, but it was a relief when Charging Lance lifted her off of Scootaloo. She and Masher followed them into the castle and found that the library was empty.

"Go find Pacer, and let him know we'll make this our base of operations for the time being," Charging Lance ordered.

They didn't take long to find the food, and Flittergear slept until they returned. Scootaloo was amazed that she'd been with them for so long and was still able to be surprised like that. It made her wonder what other secrets might be found with a little digging. Her thoughts quickly returned to worry about Sparklefly.

Comments

[Blaster M]

The game has changed.

[Jatheus]

8516096
Indeed it has! The beast is wounded, but far from finished! (so to speak)

[OmalleyCaboose5]

"Oh, scary," she mocked, "am I shaking?"

I'm shaking in my custom baby seal leather boots

[Jatheus]

8746353
I LOVE MEGAMIND!!!!

[Emperor]

I wonder if Flittergear is pregnant, or just diabetic. Or something else.

Well, let's see what Chrysalis has up her (proverbial) sleeves to be so cocky like that. Still, with Shining Armor wearing the Alicorn Amulet, I can't help but wonder if the delusional megalomaniacal dreams of grandeur it's no doubt giving him is causing him to somehow subconsciously slow down the search for the Princesses.

[Jatheus]

8782412
The technical term for Flittergear's condition is hypoglycemia. And it does act sort of as described. During a "blood sugar crash", the afflicted individual loses energy and falls asleep. Not life threatening... unless you were doing something dangerous at the time of a crash. But those other two were great guesses.

Chrysalis definitely has something up her sleeves, as any good villain would... it's time for Plan B! Also, she maintains a facade of strength to not show weakness in front of her enemies. You know, ruler of an empire and all that. I definitely wanted to make sure she seemed regal and grand enough to be that matriarch.

Megalomaniac Shining Armor? I'll go with yes. Delaying his search for the alicorns? No. He desperately wants to recover them, but simply doesn't know where to look. The common consensus is that they perished when the forest exploded.