14 - Big Brother
The crystal palace was directly in front of them, looming over the group as the spire shot high into the bright blue sky. Queen Twilight had been heading towards the palace with Captain Scorpion and Spike, though both Broad Sword and Vladimir had used the power of flight to catch up part-way there. The walk to the palace had been simple, a straight if long journey directly down the side of the gigantic crystal road leading from the spire.
The walk itself was uneventful, the group engaging in idle chatter to pass the time, only having to deal with the odd glance of awe from passing crystal ponies. On their arrival to the palace they could see plenty of guard patrols around the artefact in the centre, keeping an eternal watch on the vital magical object. The Crystal Heart itself sat on its pedestal, spinning gently in the day’s soft breeze. Just getting close to the palace and both Twilight and Scorpion could feel the immense power radiating from the Crystal Heart, the abundance of the most pure love energy seeming warm and inviting to the changelings. It wasn’t hard to imagine that any changelings lacking in will would be compelled to latch onto the artefact and never let go, hence the guards of course. It was the source of their trade deal with the Crystal Empire, where the majority of their supply came from with only a small percentage coming from the passive love collected by their drones. With a trade deal like that, there wasn’t too much of a need for love collectors, even if Twilight saw it prudent to not let the profession die lest something ever happened to the Crystal Heart or the trade agreement. Still, no changeling from the Equestrian Hive could complain or dispute the purity of the love from the Crystal Heart, particularly the sisters Soronis and Puellula, whose lives had once been saved by the love the Crystal Heart had provided them many years prior.
However enticing the Crystal Heart was, the Queen could not keep her attention on it as a single guard approached the group and gave a respectful bow.
“Your majesty, you were expected,” the guard stated. “I was sent to find and direct you.”
“I take it that it was too early in the morning for my brother to come out of the palace,” Twilight noted mirthfully. “Where is he?”
“His highness, along with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Princess Flurry Heart, are located in the dining hall where breakfast has been prepared.”
Twilight nodded. “Thank you, I know the way.”
Twilight led her group past the Crystal Heart and into the palace itself, ascending up a staircase embedded within one of the four large legs holding the giant tower up. After the quick ascent they emerged into the main hall, with various doors and passages leading further up the tower. If there was one thing you could criticise about the crystal palace, it was the fact that due to its towering design there was a lot of stairs to traverse. Not so much a problem if you were a Pegasus, but most of the crystal ponies were actually earth ponies, with unicorns and pegasi being far less numerous than in other parts of Equestria.
Despite all this, Twilight was more than familiar with her adoptive sibling’s home, and knew the quickest and most efficient way to get there. Before long, they were arriving at the guarded set of large ornate double doors leading into the dining hall.
The two guards outside glanced at the arrivals momentarily before identifying them, both giving a low bow as they permitted them access. One does not simply stop the Prince’s little sister, who also happens to be a Changeling Queen, from entering the dining hall.
The Queen’s lavender magic threw the doors open for the group, revealing the large decorated crystal dining hall within. Two alicorns and a unicorn were sitting together at one end of the vast table, a variety of food items set out that was obviously meant for more than just the three. Pancakes, cereal and juice aplenty awaited the group, but food was not on the Queen’s mind as she laid her reptilian eyes on the group.
“Guess whose favourite aunt is here!” Twilight cheerfully proclaimed with a playfully outstretched hoof as she approached the family.
“Aunt Twilight!” Flurry Heart exclaimed excitedly, moving to jump from her seat over to the changeling.
The alicorn stopped however when she realised that she was still holding a bunch of pancake in her magic, and she glanced back and forth between it and her aunt a few times. In the end she simply shrugged, downed the pancake in a single bite, and then bolted off to where her aunt was standing expectantly.
The alicorn went to latch onto her aunt, but was stopped in her tracks by a levitation spell, being gently deposited just in front of the Queen.
“Wait, Flurry Heart. Have you forgotten?” Twilight asked teasingly.
Flurry seemed confused for a moment, but then realisation struck her like lightening, causing the filly to nod ecstatically.
“Sunshine sunshine ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!” the two chanted while going through the motions of their special hoofshake, breaking down into giggles by the end.
“Ah, I remember when we used to do that,” Cadance spoke up from the table, a look of reminiscence on her muzzle.
“We still do it,” Twilight shot back, holding tightly onto the filly that was now threatening to crush her chitin with her hugging powers, powers backed up by an alicorn’s version of earth pony magic.
“Come on kiddo, let’s not strangle aunt Twilight,” Shining joked as he approached and pried his daughter off of his sister’s body. “I never knew chitin could turn purple from asphyxiation.”
“Oh quiet,” Twilight said as she playfully whacked him on the nose. “Whether you like to admit it or not, I’m stronger than you are.”
Shining Armor chuckled. “Is that a challenge?”
“Oi, say hello first before letting sibling rivalry kick in, please!” Vladimir stated, making his and the others’ presence known.”
“Vladimir, Broad Sword!” Shining greeted his friends. “You’re doing well I take it?”
“As well as we can be,” Broad Sword responded.
“Don’t forget Spike and the good Captain Scorpion,” Cadance added in, who too had now left breakfast and joined the group. “It’s a pleasure to see you all.”
“Likewise, your highness,” Scorpion bowed his head respectfully.
“Please, it’s Cadance. You should know this by now, I do not like friends calling me by title.”
“It’s a problem I’m working on,” Twilight jabbed. “He forgets to call me just Twilight too.”
“Well, Twilight,” the Captain said with an amused smirk. “How many years did it take a certain Changeling Queen to stop calling a certain alicorn of the sun ‘Princess’.”
“He does have a point,” Shining Armor stated in agreement.
“Nopony asked you,” Twilight shot back. “She was my mentor, my reasons were totally legitimate.”
“Not just that you’re a little awkward then?” Shining asked innocently.
That earned him another bonk on the nose, though this one was a little harder.
From their initial greeting, the group had all gotten back to the topic of breakfast, digging into the feast heartily. It was a nice reprieve for the visitors to the palace, considering what their next actions would entail. Still, it wasn’t long before Cadance was telling Flurry Heart the story about the time when Twilight, who had been visiting the Crystal Empire shortly before Flurry’s birth, had been so tired from staying up studying all night that she had fallen asleep in her breakfast; when she had been awoken, the then-princess has exclaimed the words “I’m pancake”, much to the amusement of her family. Back in the modern day, the Queen was protesting against the telling of the story while Flurry Heart simply giggled in delight.
While Spike and Scorpion both listened on, Shining Armor turned to the two other Equestrians with a serious look on his face.
“You’re sure it’s not necessary for me to come?” he asked. “It will take no time to get my equipment, I’ll be ready before you leave.”
“It’s fine, Shining,” Broad Sword assured the Prince. “We’ll keep her safe, you’re needed here.”
“He’s right,” Vladimir agreed. “We can take care of her. Or she’ll end up taking care of us, she is a Changeling Queen after all.”
“She’s also my little sister,” Shining reminded them. “I’m not comfortable letting her go into this without me.”
“I don’t doubt your commitment. You waded into a wasteland to find her after the wedding,” Broad Sword stated. “But remember that Vladimir was also there in the Badlands right alongside you, and then I was there during the Battle of Ponyville with you both too. We know what we’re doing.”
“Besides, she isn’t so ‘little’ anymore,” Vladimir joked. “She’s as tall as Princess Celestia.”
“But things can go wrong,” Shining argued. “Remember Longshot?”
Vladimir sighed, shifting in his seat at the uncomfortable memory. “Did you have to bring that up?”
“Sorry,” the Prince said regretfully. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It’s fine,” Vladimir said quickly. “Point is though, you worry too much.”
“You sound like my wife,” Shining grumbled.
“Because it’s true,” Scorpion butted his way into the conversation.
Shining, Broad Sword and Vladimir turned to see that all the others had stopped talking, having heard their little conversation after all.
Shining rubbed the back of his head. “Ah, you heard all that?”
“Yes, Shiny,” Twilight said with a sigh. “And you do worry too much, I promise I’ll be fine. Saving Equestria is basically my job.”
“When you have your friends with you,” Shining pointed out. “Why didn’t you bring them?”
“Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie all have their own lives,” Twilight stated. “I know they’re there if I need them, but at this point I don’t know if I do.”
“I can send a quick letter if we do,” Spike stated. “Those five are always ready to go if the call comes.”
“Besides, if I drag Rarity from her project in Manehatten, I’ll never hear the end of it,” Twilight stated with a chuckle.
“Now that is true,” Spike laughed. “You’d get a very passive-aggressive conversation about it. A couch and ice cream might also be involved.”
“I feel we’re getting a little side-tracked,” Scorpion butted in, though amusement was clear in his voice.
“Alright listen,” Twilight began again. “The point is that I have a whole load of guards with me, and I’m not a pushover myself. I appreciate the concern, Shining Armor, but I’ll be fine.”
The stallion in question puffed out a sigh of defeat. “Alright, fine. But if you die I’ll kill you myself.”
Twilight simply rolled her eyes in response, muttering: “Promises promises, BBBFF.”
From there on, the rest of the morning went off without a hitch. Breakfast was eaten, and lighter conversation was had. Tragically, however, before they knew it the hours had gone by them and the time came. Duty was calling once more.
The enchantments around the three vehicles initialised fully as the rotors began to spin, the pilots readying to disembark from the Crystal Empire.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t stay any longer,” Scorpion stated, opening the door to their own transport’s cabin. “It’s nice seeing you happy.”
“Hey, when aren’t I happy?” Twilight asked with a frown.
“I always like seeing the mare under the Changeling Queen,” he replied. “It’s always nice to know the one I serve is a person, and not a complete maniac like a certain other Changeling Queen I used to follow.”
“Nope, she’s only a partial maniac,” Spike added in, hopping into the helicopter. “Usually when tardiness is involved.”
“You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?” Twilight groaned. “We were all young once.”
“And where did that time go?” Scorpion lamented.
Twilight hummed in agreement, a brief wave of nostalgia washing over her. She looked towards the other two helicopters, seeing Broad Sword and Vladimir load up into their respective vehicle with their squads. Twilight swore she saw a brief shimmer through the air move on past her, but examining the area showed there was nothing. The Queen simply shook her head, and stepped up into the cabin herself.
All of her changeling followed closely behind, all of them in better spirits for their brief stop at the Crystal Empire. Still, they now had to do their jobs as their Queen commanded.
The three vehicles had their doors closed, and once the areas had been vacated they lifted into the air and began to move away from the Crystal Empire. It wasn’t long before the edge of the barrier began rushing towards them, the perilous blizzard outside being all that was to greet them beyond.
As they departed, Princess Cadance and her daughter watched on from the palace’s central balcony. Flurry Heart kept on waving until the three helicopters were out of sight, and she was sure her aunt was gone. However, Princess Cadance couldn’t help but find it odd that he husband hadn’t joined them on the balcony to see his little sister off.
Queen Twilight and her entourage quickly left the Crystal Empire behind them, continuing up north to where Queen Draco’s hive awaited.
“Here we go,” Twilight muttered. “No going back now.”
“Well that’s good to hear,” Shining Armor stated as he shimmered into existence, the invisibility spell having worn off. “No chance of dropping me off again then?”
All eyes turned towards the new voice, and the new silence that dominated the cabin was most deafening. It was so silent that you could hear every single time one of the occupants blinked, seeing if their eyes were deceiving them. As it were, there was no such deception to be found.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Scorpion muttered to himself as both he and all the others in the cabin gave the Prince a gobsmacked look of amazement.
“You’re all really surprised?” Shining asked, missing the growing murderous look in his sister’s eyes. “A simple invisibility spell, and a temporary one. Funnily enough it was Twilight who taught it to me, right Twily?”
It was then Shining Armor shrunk back as he noticed the Changeling Queen standing threateningly over him, her eye twitching ever so slightly.
“SHINING. ARMOR!”
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7914305
Twilight was in Ponyville when this happened. This took place during Season 5 episode 3, "Castle Sweet Castle"
And she was so tired cause she had spent all week helping her friends and doing everything to avoid her new castle
oh dear, Shining sneaked in, now i get the feeling he is the poor stallion leaving soon :O
Another great chapter! Although I think you're missing an n here
I'm pretty sure glace was meant to be glance
And... Onward to the death of an important character to Twilight or someone else...
7923786 The timeline is slightly different. In fact, Golden Oaks might still be standing.
7923786
Well this is an alternate universe from the show. Similar things can happen under different circumstances. Even so, the author may be including it as not only the story mentioned, but to possibly give the reader a chuckle at the memory of it in the show.
7923786 You're forgetting that the castle doesn't exist in this timeline, and the Golden Oaks is still standing. Thus, that little scene happened under different circumstances.
7923956 Yup, that's pretty much it.
7923951 You are correct.
7923971
7923968
Just the fact that Shining is coming along pretty much says he's the one who die...........and I shall forever hate you if this turns out to be true. I shall also despise you if it turns out to be spike
And I realise the au now lol
not really. I'll always love you and your stories
****. This is Of Love and Loss all over again...
t's all fun and games untl someone loses an eye. Lookng forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
7923981 If he dares kill any one of the listed characters in the spoiler in the authers note.....
Cupcakes!
This is roughly what I predict will happen:
They all arrive safely; they explore for a bit; Twilight and co. find the problem then all tartarus breaks loose; the Changeling soldiers get hijacked; Twilight is incapacitated; Shining and Spike get Twilight out of there; they hide for a bit then they are found, they resist and are incapacitated; Twilight is brought before Draco where posturing happens, Then one of Twilight's soldiers frees himself from Draco's mind-control and sacrifices himself to save Twilight, then Twilight, Shining Armor, Spike, and maybe her guards escape only to find that the missing changeling hives have launched a massive surprise attack on Equestria, the Crystal Empire, and the unturned hives.
Lets see... Shining's shield spell can hold off a blast from the Death Star, and Spike can simply walk off a direct hit. That leaves the career soldier, the Husband and Father, and the Changeling I have been shipping Twilight with. Now, which of those three would feel most like a pissed off Honey Badger being dropped in one's underpants?
7924430 Nope.
7924474 Your narrowing the list down is accurate.
Oops....
You Monster....also are we sure flurry did not hitch a ride also???
Well, this is going to plan... not..
Twilight is gonna eat shining alive! Lol
OK, here comes the tragic chapter...
LET'S DO THIS SHIIIT!!!
I Really really hope that you dont kill Shinning Armor, if you do, I would really go find you and prove the might of my thunder hammer up your...weknowmemes.com/generator/uploads/generated/g138153328740488589.jpg
Amazing chapter as always.
But in regards to that note you left at the end...
Well, I only have one thing to say:
NOT.
SPIKE.
Kill them all...
“You’re all really surprised?” Shining asked, missing the growing murderous look in his sister’s eyes. “A simple invisibility spell, and a temporary one. Funnily enough it was Twilight who taught it to me, right Twily?”
as if we all did not see this coming
Hmm. In hindsight, re-reading Hard Reset before reading this was a bad idea.
please dont tell me someone dies. im emotionally connected to these characters.
7927136
Unfortunately, that's the point.
7927274 *bangs head against nearby wall*
she then teleport shinyamor back home,
or a piss off goddess of love show up to grab him....
not Vladimir, please, DON'T LET IT BE VLADIMIR, he is the last of the 3 original characters from the first story; Vladimir, Carduus, and Longshot
Shining Armor, do you want to make your wife a widow? Because that's how you make your wife a widow.
7927816 Um, what about Broad Sword? And Carduus is still alive (Crippled, but alive).
My vote is on scorpion being offed... If there's still the changeling influence around, shining will be able to shield Twilight, while the others have no choice when it comes to stopping scorpion...
Or, one of the other guards will be lost before scorpie can be restrained...
You're not welcome. I hope that I'm wrong.
7927924 Broadsword wasn't an original character, technically we only met him in chapter 20 something. (Can't remember exactly. It's been a while). Due to Carduus technically being a side character for this story it is easy to forget that he still exists and he isn't dead.
7937047 Carduus' role, and that of the Mane 5, will increase further down the road.
Remember, this story is pegged at around 67 chapters this time.
Kill shining he was told to STAY PUT and bucked up so shining dies cause the universe needs it if not I say he died any way
7941441 Wow, harsh. Let's let Flurry Heart grow up without a dad.
He's just a devoted brother, and an idiot, but mostly the former.
Scorpion is both a he and she in this sentence.
Or Twilight, since it is queens that are the ones falling. She had far too much confidence regarding the situation, just like Draco when she went up the spiral staircase to investigate.
7942489
Fixed.
My lips are sealed.
Your British is showing with his name. :p You always spell it Armor.
Is joke.
You idiot.
If you pulled Rarity away:
My Manehatten project is RUINED! My life is OOOOOVER!
And suddenly a wild Shining Armor appeared.
WHY!? WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO US!? END THE SUFFERING!!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ySJ1Z5o8y5w
The Captains were foreshadowing this big time, and you're still surprised?
See!