The Elements of Salvation

by Slick Dash

Chaos, cookies and kisses

With each contact of the two fighter's horns, sparks of different colours burst into life, their light enhanced and refracted across the crystal tunnel. Shining Armour was tiring fast, he'd already fought off countless drones to get the princess's to the throne room. He wasn't as young as he once was, and fighting this young powerful changeling was proving that with every second that passed.

The captain swung hard, trying hit the creature's throat with his sharp horn tip, however his opponent had other ideas. To the older stallion, it simply seemed like the changeling was there one second than gone the next. Armour's eyes dropped down to the floor to see the enemy crouching, leering up at him maliciously. Before he could act, the changeling shot up, and cut hard across the captain's chest with his sword like horn. If not for the captain's swift movement, he would now be a bleeding mess on the floor.

"Come on old man! You'll have to do better than that!" Dying Armour cackled as he advanced once again, pushing his father back towards the stairs. "If you go any slower, you may as well just stand there and let me finish you!" Another smash of horns, red showers of sparks glistened through the air as Shining Armour stumbled and fell to the ground.

"W-why are you doing this?" The captain asked through panting, exhausted breathes. Before an answer came, he saw the sharp horn arching down towards him. He rolled just in time, he felt a few of his mane's hairs pulled out by the blade imbedded in the ground, but he ignored them, and rolled until he reached the wall. When he did, he used it as support and pulled himself up.
"Why?" Dying Armour asked sarcastically, pulling his horn from the ground and lunging at his father in one swift motion. Shining Armour ducked again, and stumbled away as he heard the young fighter's horn stab into the crystal wall.

"Why do you think?" The changeling cried as he tugged hard to free himself. Nothing. So with an angry glare at the crystal, he built up his dark green magic and blasted it hard into the wall, obliterating the crystal and freeing his horn. He turned and stared down at the panting stallion ahead of him, how could he be the son of such a weak creature? Such an inappropriately named 'captain?' "Revenge!" He cried, swinging his horn again at the captain, sending a wave of magic his way, Armour shot one as well, cancelling the attack out. "Revenge for the years in exile!" Dying Armour screamed, getting angrier. He sent another spell, this time far too wildly and the captain avoided it with an easy duck of his head. More crystals dislodged themselves, and began to cascade down like a deadly rain.

"Revenge for denying the changelings what we deserve!" Another spell, this one disarmed by another purple shot from the captain. "REVENGE! FOR BETRAYING MY MOTHER'S LOVE!" The wildest and most powerful spell of all began to brew in his horn, he swung his neck back to cast it, and Shining Armour braced himself for the worst, knowing he wouldn't be able to avoid it!

Suddenly, a panging pain, in his chest, harder and more painful than any wound could possibly feel! Dying Armour let out a choked cry and the spell dissipated immediately as he fell to his knees. Shining Armour watched with weary eyes, not sure if this was a trick, judging by what he'd seen of this fighter so far, nothing could be put past him! Another pang, worse than the last sprung to life, making the changeling commander clutch at his chest. When he looked up, his gaze was filled with fury, his eyes were red and bloodshot suddenly, and the sight made him look only that much more dangerous. His mouth opened, and bore his teeth in a hateful growl.

"W-what -GAUWK!- what have you done." As he choked with pain, he doubled over, though never breaking eye contact with his hated father. Shining Armour gazed in amazement at the sight before him, at his stroke of luck. Yet he also couldn't stand that hateful gaze, not from one so like a pony. Though he hated to think it, not from one so like him.
"Nothing!" Armour cried defensively, considering what he should do, this enemy had just attempted to kill him, succeeded in killing countless soldiers above, Celestia knows how many civilians, and if Discord had been telling the truth, then there would a thousand other corpses in Ponyville due to him! He took a step forward, his horn glowing slowly, gathering his magic. It came to him slowly, as though his very being was in the same doubt as his mind.

The changeling choked again, a small amount of spit and other fluids came from his mouth, speckling the floor lightly. His breath began to come out in heaving pants through his sharp teeth. "I said, what have you done!" He repeated, each syllable dripping with poison.
"NOTHING!" Armour argued, still approaching slowly. "I haven't done anything to you!"
"NOT TO ME!" The creature screamed suddenly, causing the alley to shake with the volume of his rage. Both heard the tinkling of the crystals around them, and it calmed the furious changeling, weary of any hanging gem shards that could fall from above.

"I... I don't..." Armour whispered, unable to understand what had happened to this enemy, still the spell was barely ready, as though with each step closer to the target, his body was screaming it's protest at his actions.
"MY MOTHER, PONY!" Dying Armour screamed, spitting the final word out as an insult! "My mother!" He repeated far more quietly, and the whisper showed more hatred than the scream, it sent a shiver up the pony captain's spine to hear, and stopped him in his tracks.
"I-I haven't done..." Wait! Did that mean somepony had found the queen and dealt with her? Could that mean, even after such unbelievable odds, they'd won?
"LIAR!" The changeling screamed, springing forward in pure rage and tackling the pony to the ground, his pointed sharp teeth bared.

.....

"Now princess, let's leave these two to catch up." Luna felt the chimera's hand garb her. Before she could do a thing, she felt him lift her from the ground. With a scream, she reached out, beseeching the captain to see and save her before it was too late. She saw Shining Armour turn, saw the deep blue of his eyes register the danger, he reached out as well, but it was too late. She felt herself dragged into a teleport spell by her slim captor.

With a flash of light, she found herself at the top of the stairs she had just descended with the captain. "Now we don't want it to be too hard now do we?" The Chimera muttered, not to Luna but to himself. The statement made no sense to the night princess, so she took his pause for thought as her chance, and tried to squirm free. Fire! Green, and pulsing, suddenly exploded at the tips of the chimera's fingers. Luna cried and stopped squirming, and they died away. "You don't want to leave now dear do you?" Luna looked up into those mismatched eyes, twinkling with delight in all this chaos. When Luna said nothing, Discord laughed, and returned his attention to the collapsed stones.

He yawned as her reached out with his eagle hand and gave the wall a light flick. Impossibly, all the stones covering the doorway exploded out into the throne room. Clearing the way for the chimera to enter. As the large heavy projectiles flew through the air, one drone glanced up in time to see one fly into it and instantly crush it against the wall. Discord stepped over the threshold, Luna in hand gazing over the scene with mild interest. He spotted the now dead changeling drone, and gave a little chuckle. "Oh, oops." Then he moved into the centre of the room, where a platoon of changelings surrounded the other princess of Equestria.

The chimera gave a lazy flick of his arm and threw Luna into the circle with her sister. "Tia!" She shouted as she got up, rushing to hug the solar princess.
"Luna?" Celestia cried as her sister's hooves wrapped around her, her voice filled with sorrow at her sister's return. "What happened, why didn't you get away?" Luna pulled away from the hug and glared over the heads of the drones at the bored looking Draconequus.
"HIM!" She growled, loathing in ever letter she spoke. "He ambushed us with a... a..." Before the word came to mind, Discord turned to the thrones and addressed their new occupant.

Queen Chrysalis was lounging across the lunar thrown, though the lesser symbolic of the two, she preferred the colour, black always suited her so well, and now being the pinnacle of power in Equestria she needed to be comfortable as she received the love that would sustain her and her subjects for eternity!
"Dying Armour is dealing with a little family matter my dear queen. Other than that, the job is done. Canterlot is yours." His feet came off the ground and he floated, leaning back slightly and admiring his claws.
"Good, once that fool Armour is beaten to an inch of his life, I'll have everything I've ever wanted!" Her green eyes glinted maliciously as she looked down at the two captured princesses. "Well, that is as soon as you two are dealt with." She flipped around so she was resting on her stomach, her forelegs dangling lazily over the throne's arms. "Now, would you like to profess your loyalty to me here, or in the dungeon? Or should we just kill you now?"

Discord, still looking extremely unbothered by any of the events transpiring before him, looked up and raised an eyebrow at the two sisters waiting to see what they would say. his care free attitude made Celestia's blood boil, the chimera who she had been convinced by Twilight and her friends so long ago, the chimera who she had asked for help over the past eighteen years! He stood there, bored as though the near two decades had been nothing! Her anger taking over momentarily, forgetting about her little sister, she yelled to the usurper on the throne. "We'll never be loyal to you! Never! She locked gazes with the queen who looked at her for a moment, then said happily, flipping back onto her back.
"Death it is then." She clapped her hooves together twice, and the circle of Changelings turned to face the princesses, teeth bared.

"How could you do this?!" Luna cried, horrified at what was happening all around her, the death the destruction, but most of all the betrayal! She wasn't speaking o The queen, but to Discord. Who now, looked at her, his face unfathomably hard to read. "We trusted you!" He shrugged, and returned to admiring his sharp claws.
"What happened to you?!" Cried a far angrier voice to Luna's side, devoid of all the sorrow in her sisters, Celestia's voice contained the anger and fury of an entire kingdom betrayed! "The great and mighty Discord, the pawn of a mere Changeling!" The queen bolted upright, outraged by being called a 'mere changeling.' Discord however had a different reaction, he wasn't angry, or insulted. He merely sighed, and took his hand away from his face. As gently as feather his feet returned to the ground.

He approached the two prisoners, calm and coolly, not even faltering as he reached the line of changelings. They parted and let him pass, all staring at him in fearful awe. When he reached her, he smiled at Celestia, a wicked and gleeful smile, his dragon's tail reached up and ran across her cheek. She cringed at his touch and tried to pulled her head away as best she could. "Pawn?" Discord asked sweetly, "Me? Really Celestia, you should know better than that by now. I'm an..." He stood tall and thought for a moment, "I'm an opportunist, and right now I'm simply playing the game until my chance comes up."
"You're still working for her! Betrayed your friends, your newfound home, YOUR FAMILY!" Celestia shouted, trying to spite the traitor before they were finished by the Queen's drones. Discord's expression shattered into one of pure cold rage.
"I will never turn my back on my family, ever!" He whispered.
"But you have! For that thing on my sister's throne!" The queen stood up, and screeched her fury at being spoken about in such a manner.

"How dare you!" She began to descend the steps towards her captors! "How DARE you!" As she approached, Discord stepped away, but before her did Celestia was sure he heard him say.
"I am no pawn." He moved out of the circle, and allowed the changelings to close in on the princesses. Their teeth came within inches of the sisters, their rotten stinking breath filling their nostrils as they backed up into each other.
"KILL THEM!" The queen screamed. Luna closed her eyes, preparing for the pain of the teeth. Even Celestia looked away waiting for the small fangs to sink in, but they never came. The sisters opened their eyes and saw the creatures, still stood there, glaring at them, but not approaching any further! "What are you waiting for?" The queen yelled, taking one final step towards her soldiers, so she was stood beside the draconequus, "I said kill them!" Still nothing.

"Oh my!" Discord gasped, clasping his mouth in amazement. "What a twist!" The queen's head snapped towards him.
"You?" The paw fell from Discord's mouth, and as she looked questioningly into his dark red eyes, she felt something sharp jab fast into a spot just in the crook of her left foreleg. She let out a sharp gasped and backed away.
"Me." Discord whispered happily. She looked down to see her faintly green blood dripping to the glass covered floor from the wound. She looked from the small hole, to the eagle hand outstretched, it's middle and index fingers wet with the same blood. "I'm never a pawn..." Discord said contently. "You should do well to remember that." Suddenly, his quiet attitude vanished as he spun away like the usual overly dramatic creature of legend. "As well as this little lesson!" He said, crouching beside a changeling, and tickling beneath its chin.

To both the princesses' and the queens amazement, the creature lifted its head up and gave a deep throaty chirrup as the hand tickled it's flesh. "The weak, will always be attracted to the strong..." Discord mused as he stood up again. "Out of fear, they will come, but show them the tiniest amount of love, and promise more... then they'll stay!" He stood on the other side of the changeling circle, staring over their heads at their queen, who was quickly looking pale.
"I-I-I give them love!" The queen argued through now chattering teeth.
"Not for eighteen years." Discord said gleefully, as his entire plan now came out for all to see. For his genius to be explained fully! "Eighteen years is a long wait..."
"But it was a wait for the never ending love of ruling Equestria!" The queen retorted which Discord threw aside easily.
"Too long a wait for such a week promise, when they know... Others Can definitely provide them with what they want other than love." He smiled and clicked his fingers, the large gathering of black drones all swivelled to face their Queen, who backed away a few steps, horrified at the sight. "You have a very destructive bunch here my dear... they are quite fond of destroying things, like towns, cities, so if I promise them more of that, they begin to love me for what I'm giving them, and in turn they do what they love... understand yet your majesty?" The queen backed up until she hit the steps and stumbled to the ground, clutching the weeping hole in her side.

"Y-you... turned my own children against me..." The queen said horrified.
"Come on, you didn't see this coming? I betrayed the king all those eons ago, I betrayed what I once was by becoming... domesticated over the past two decades!" He let out an over the top retch. "Then I betrayed them all again to become myself again, did you really think I wouldn't do the same to little old you?" The grin was wide now, he was relishing this, the chaos this mere, simple and easy plan had created. The queen shook slightly, maybe out of the weakness from her wound, but probably from the sheer shock of this all.
"How, did you persuade them..." She was begging, her confidant tone was gone now, replaced by sheer humility and horror.
"It isn't very hard... They really aren't that bright, mindless drones, far too easy to manipulate really, I would have preferred a challenge.

"Y-you promised me Equestria!" the former queen growled.
"No, I promised you Canterlot." Discord corrected, giving a shrill whistle, all around the hall, the horde of drones moved pouring out the window into the dark night, save for a few larger ones that stood around the princesses still, who both watched on in horrified amazement at the depth of Discords treachery. "And as I promised, Canterlot is yours!" Discord yelled, spreading his arms out, overjoyed. "Enjoy the castle! Go for a stroll down into town, don't let this be a missed chance to experience the joy this capital has to offer you!" He sounded like an overenthusiastic tour guide, or advertisement for a summer holiday. With a chuckle, his arms fell to their sides. He turned and began to walk out of the hall, towards the broken doors to the hall. At his movement, the remaining drones jumped onto the princesses, they cried out in horror as the dark creatures spat green mucus over their hooves, gluing them together in a odorous bind. Then they picked up the writhing sisters, and followed their new master out of the hall. The former changeling queen, now only one mere changeling, reached out as she watched the last of her children leave her. As they rounded the corner, their noises fading fast, Discord's mismatched head peaked back around the corner.

I hope you enjoy those last few drops of love you have my dear," His smile widened as he revelled in his words. "They're the last you'll ever have." And with that final message, he was gone. Leaving the former ruler there on the floor, cold, bleeding, loveless, and alone.

.....

Shining Armour's muscles shook under the pleasure of keeping the fanged changeling off of his neck. Though trying his best, it was proving not enough, as the deadly points edged ever closer to his flesh.
"I-I didn't do anything to your mother!" He protested through gritted teeth.
"Liar!" Dying Armour growled licking his lips, knowing he was so close to what he'd always wanted, he knew what this pain meant, deep down he knew, so now all that was left was to do what he had been ordered to do by his leader, by his queen, by his mother! "You're lying!" He said again loudly, trying to use the anger to give him strength. "You're a pony! Of course you're a liar!"

Panicking, Shining Armour looked for something to use to help himself, he couldn't angle his horn to shoot the attacker, so he'd have to...

He angled his horn behind him, craning his neck backwards, he fired a single shot. The explosion of purple magic wasn't enough to distract the changeling, but when the spell hit the crystal wall, and sent a thousand deadly shards showering down, the force of the attacker's pushing lessened for a second as the noise and feeling of the shards distracted him. Armour took his only chance and pushed up with his hind legs, tipping Dying Armour over his head. Then instantly rolled away the second he was free. When they stood again, both were on either side of the crystal hallway. The lighter, more fine fragments of crystal still fell, almost floating. They glinted as they fell, Shining Armour watched them dance as he stared into the hateful eyes of the creature before him. The hateful eyes of his child... he found it strange that this beautiful effect occurred only in such a dark and deadly situation!

Suddenly, Dying Armour let out an animalistic cry, and charged. Begrudgingly, Shining Armour advanced as well, this opponent was now fighting under a false purpose. He was fighting believing his mother had been hurt by the pony captain for some reason, and now that meant if he lost, and died by the captain's hoof he'd never know the truth.

Dying armour jumped, so he would descend down on his opponent, so Shining Armour prepared. Yes, this younger one had strength, he had speed, he had rage, but what he lacked was what Armour had gained plenty of in his captain's duties. Experience. The sharpened horn descended down like a deadly spear, and in one movement, Shining Armour swung up his right forehoof, and knocked away the flat of the horn, and in another, swinging his own down hard.

The changeling commander let out a bloodcurdling cry, and Shining Armour jumped aside to let him fall. He did so, and skidded several feet before coming to a stop by the opposite wall. Shining Armour wasn't sure where or how badly he'd hit his opponent, he prayed not fatally, amazed at his actual want for this creature to live. He couldn't understand how he wanted it, but deep down, some unknown part of him did.

Shining Armour knew the second he stopped skidding that his ankle had broken on the impact with the ground. Stupid! Stupid angry mistakes just cost him the fight, and probably his life. This damned pony was going to execute him like the heartless monster he was, like the heartless monsters all ponies were! He glanced up at the crystal wall, the spot he looked at was one of the few still intact, and in it he saw his reflection. A single cut running from just under his right eye across his muzzle and ending just beneath the left corner of his mouth was obvious the second he looked. But it was what was escaping the cut that shocked him into staring.

He reached up with his unbroken hoof, and dabbed gently at the cut, then pulled it away and stared. He'd never been cut before, no opponent his mother set him had ever been close to landing a damaging blow. He was too good to be cut, so until today he'd never seen his own blood. He knew a changeling's blood should be a dark shade of green, and most other creatures had red. However, as he stared at his black hoof, no green met his eyes. Only the smear of red blood. A cold ran down his back, sending his skin tingling. "W-what..." He whispered. As he breathed, it became shaky again, anger growing quickly, but he didn't know who it was directed at! The rage built, and built, until he couldn't stand it! Coupled with the terrible panging, and growing emptiness inside of him suggesting his mother was... gone, Dying Armour began to shake, not sure if he was losing his mind or not.

That was another thing he had changelings didn't... a mind, a voice of his own! Until now it had merely seemed like an advantage but now it made him feel, wrong, he shouldn't be like... like... like this! Shining Armour reached the downed enemy, his horn glowing, ready to defend himself if needed. Dying Armour saw the purple hew tint the crystal in front of him, saw the distorted reflection of the pony captain. He saw it reach out almost to check his body! That was the final thing!

In a whirl of hatred, he jumped up, holding his broken limb tight to his chest, and let his wings burst outwards, they made contact and sent Shining Armour stumbling backwards. "DON'T TOUCH ME PONY!" He screamed, his wings beating fast like a dragonfly's. He rose higher, and as he did he looked to his limb, then he spotted the drops, quick and large, dripping from his face, mocking him with their colour. His breath growing in volume through his nostrils, he swooped low and shot over the defensive captain. Without a single word, knowing he was beaten, Dying Armour shot through the winding tunnel, out into the cave it started in, and out into the cold dark night. Without pause, he shot off to the forest, over the railway bridge, and across the meadows. If the feeling in his gut was right, no, not his gut, it was a link he shared with his mother, now it had gone... if that meant what he thought, then the changelings were done, so they would retreat to the lair, he needed to be amongst his fellows. Or at least what he once thought as his fellows.

Back in the crystal hallway, Shining Armour stared at the exit the changeling had taken. Now the fight was over, the adrenaline ebbed away, and he began to sway from side to side. He'd won? No! The princess! He'd let her slip away, all because of his blunder from eighteen years in the past. He needed to find her... somehow... he needed to... protect...

Armour's thoughts faded, and the dark crept up at the corner of his eyes and before he could finish his sentence, he fell to the ground with a hard slam.

.....

Sat around the fire, their bellies full, the elements of salvation sat, happy and chatting, enjoying each other's company. It was the first time they'd really had to actually speak to each other, yes the night before they had spoken to certain members, but this was everypony together. Maybe it was because they knew once they got up to the city they'd not have another chance for a long time, once they told Celestia what had happened in Ponyville they would need to move fast to save anypony left, then came the task of finding their families, then rebuilding if possible, and finding out who they'd lost. So much sadness would be coming their way, so they relished this brief happiness.

"Hey, Seed!" Thor shouted across the fire to his orange friend.
"Yeah?"
"When we're up in Canterlot, remind me we need to see if we can find these two bakers from the town back there." He jerked his hoof in the direction from which their food had come.
"Ummm ok? Why?" Seed questioned,
"Well you know Pumpkin and Pound Cake?" Seed was surprised to hear those names, he hadn't in a long time. Judging by their murmurs, the rest of the group hadn't either.
"They moved out of Ponyville right?" Ruby asked, ensuring she knew the right ponies. Seed nodded. "Quite a while ago, mah mom said she thought they'd never last out on their own at such'a young age."
"Well apparently, they're that town's bakers!" Thor said, to the amazement of the group.
"Wait then why are they up in Canterlot?" Archy frowned.
"Supplies I think somepony said, anyway, don't you think it's right? Seeing as what's happened back home?" A small grumble from each member said yes, though they weren't looking forward to it.

"Hey! Look what I found!" Sweetness gasped, grabbing at something just beneath the material of the unfolded back. When she pulled it up to the fire light, everypony groaned at the sight of even more food. "COOKIES!" the pink pony cried with delight. She was surprised to see each other member of the group quickly roll away and begin to stretch their aching bodies. "Fair enough!" Sweetness giggled and opened the bag, she proceeded to take one out and smell it, it smelt delicious, it smelt fresh, it smelt like home at Sugar Cube Corner! She heard the shifting of feet to her left, and she turned to see the Harpy staring at the round treat curiously.

The pink pony shifted her weight, leant back and held it out to the large bird. "Cookie?" She asked. The bird stared at her for a moment, then opened its beak, and croaked slowly.
"Coo-kie?" Sweetness beamed at him.
"Yes! Cookie!" The bird closed its eyes and flapped it's wings happily. The gust almost put the fire out, grabbing everypony's attention.
"RAAAWWKK! COOKIE, COOKIE! RAAAWWKK!" Sweetness giggled at his excitement. Finally when the bird calmed down, she waved the cookie at him inviting him to take it.
"Go on..." He looked at her confused. Sweetness reflected the baffled expression. "Cookie!" She insisted, she pushed her hoof to far forward this time, and toppled backwards and onto the grass where she erupted into a fit of giggles when the harpy came to investigate and looked at her upside down.

"RAWK! COOKIE COOKIE COOKIE! RAAAAAAWWWK!" The bird yapped again and again, almost looking like he was dancing. Sweetness looked up for help, needing an explanation that Archy slowly gave, smiling broadly.
"Sweetness... I think you just found a name for this guy!" The others laughed as the dark glasses wearing stallion voiced what they all thought. Sweetness beamed at her unintentional success, and looked back up at the large feathered creature.
"Ok then! Cookie the Harpy!" She flung her forelegs up, and the newly named Cookie buried his head into her chest nuzzling her happily, tickling her and making her laugh even harder. The group all laughed, and watched for quite a while as the two new friends played.

.....

Everypony was asleep, except Thor who had vowed to take watch for the first half of the night. Though everypony had been softened by this nights fun, he still knew what they had come from, and knew what could be close by. Waiting. He glanced back at the group, checking each was ok, all of them asleep. They'd fashioned a bed sheet out of the large sack Thor had brought the food in, and beneath it, lay Ruby and Angelica, sleeping softly. He smiled at the sight, then returned to staring out over the landscape. He wondered if he should wake Archy, so they could continue the previous night's conversation. Then he thought better, he'd rather let him sleep, tomorrow was going to be tough enough and they didn't need to add half baked conspiracies about others involved in Ponyville's burning.

Yet again, he thought of that image. Discord, stood on the house roof watching them escape. Why hadn't he helped? Why hadn't he come to their aid? Or the aid of their parents? Then again he could have, either before or after Thor had spotted him... but something had seemed...wrong with the way he had been looking. Almost like a falcon once it's spotted a fat mouse. He thought he saw something, up in the sky! He squinted, and sure enough something was there, moving fast across the night sky. He began to crane his neck, begging his eyes to focus more, to see what that thing was heading in the direction of home. A Pegasus maybe? Sent to inspect Ponyville? No that's stupid, why would they do that?

So maybe it wasn't a pony...

"Hey, you gotta sec?" Thor jumped, and spun round to see a very sheepish looking Angelica stood against the dying embers of the fire. His fear died away almost instantly to be replaced by nerves.
"Umm, yeah I guess..." Thor said, unsure what this was about. Angelica came over and sat beside her fellow Pegasus, but said nothing. After a minute, Thor asked. "So what's up?"
"Nothing..." She said, then thought better of herself, "I mean everything... I mean... I-I don't even know what I mean!" She said flummoxed, breathing out slowly and heavily.
"You're worried about what's gonna happen? Tomorrow and when we get back home?"

A pause.

Angelica nodded, her eyes seemed to shine, as though threatening tears that never came. That was one thing Thor had always noticed and admired about her, she almost never cried. It was admirable.
"Yeah..." Angy began. "I'm worried about that... I'm also a touch worried 'bout me an' you." Him and her?! What did she mean by that? Thor suddenly felt very hot, and at that moment something large decided to lodge itself in his throat, making it hard to breath or talk.
"Really?" He asked trying to sound cool and relaxed, but failing as his voice squeaked a little! She didn't notice, or at least if she did, she was kind enough to ignore it.
"Yeah..." She said quietly. For a moment she said nothing, Thor thought he saw out of the corner of his eye, her glance at him and suddenly look away. Why was it so darn hot all of a sudden! Tor was sure it shouldn't be this hot!

In a burst of worry Thor would have expected from Ruby, Angelica began t ramble. "Look Thor I'm really sorry about slapping you earlier, it's just I was worried about you, and then you came back as though nothing had happened, but we didn't know nothing had happened, so I got angry, and I don't know why I was so angry with you, and we were all just... I was..." Her speed quickly died and she trailed of eventually into a quite mumble. Thor's eyebrows couldn't help but raise, she had been worried about him? Why? Just because he was a friend? Or an Element? Or something... else? Thor calmed his mind, trying to keep his cool as best he could.
"O-ok then..." Angelica looked up from the gloomy view and looked straight at him, Thor turned his head almost robotically to look at her.
"I'm sorry..." She repeated, Thor gave what he hoped looked like a reasonable smile.
"Hey don't worry about it."
"Thanks..." Angy gave a shy little smile, which almost knocked Thor over in amazement, he'd never seen that smile before, so shy looking, so... cute!

Thor gulped, nothing happened, so he coughed to mask him doing it again. This time it felt a little looser.
"So, besides the whole slapping thing... what did you think of the surprise then?" Thor asked, just dying to keep this conversation going, it was probably the longest none flying related topic they'd discussed, and by far the most intimate, everypony was asleep and quite a way away! Angy gave a small laugh that nearly knocked Thor back again, what was with her different tone? She was acting so different to the way he knew her, and he was sure he liked it!

"Well why don' we say I was jus' surprised?" Angy said coolly. Thor waited to think of what to say then...
"I don't think that's entirely true..." Angry looked at him arching a questioning eyebrow. The look did nothing for Thor's nerves, though he thought he was hiding them adequately if not well. "Judging by how you acted when he got here, getting that close with him, I'd say you quite liked the big guy." Angy giggled, actually giggled, and put her hoof to her mouth to cover it up. Thor was close to having a nose bleed due to the shear incomprehensible nature of this talk, he was sure of it!
"I guess I did yeah... I got nothin' on Sweety though..." She laughed and turned and glanced back into the campsite. Thor did the same and couldn't help smile at the sight of the pink pony sleeping against the large bird, his wing draped around her like a cover. The bright contrast of their colours was enough to make you smile, but when you saw Sweetness's body rising and falling slowly beneath the wing, they couldn't help but grin widely at the cute sight.

They turned back again, and Angelica continued. "I guess... I just liked the idea of talking to an animal again..."
"You... talk to animals?" Thor asked, trying to relieve some of this unknown tension with a joke.
"Shut up." Angy laughed softly. She looked out over the trees of the distant forest and began again. "I guess I jus' wanted somethin' to feel like it did... before... you know..." Thor nodded, he did know, he would kill to have a chance to sleep in again, wake up with his dad ramming his hoof hard on the door. It would be nice.

"I dunno, I guess I jus' wanted somethin' to just feel normal." Angry closed thoughtfully.
"Angy..." She looked up at Thor's voice. She locked gazes with him for a moment, and nothing was said. Then... "Nothing in your life's ever gonna be normal, let's face it!" Angry let out a small laugh at the joke, so did Thor. Suddenly, Angy stretched out a hoof, and pushed the burgundy Pegasus playfully, he rocked from side to side chuckling lightly at the happy little moment. He glanced out the corner of his eye and saw her in profile, her smile as she giggled at the joke, her nose wrinkling at the end as she did. Was there any doubt why he liked this mare?

Their laughing died down, and Angry dared another glance at Thor, she looked, and to her surprise he was looking back so she quickly aborted the plan, going back to staring at the skyline.

Thor wanted to say it, hell, he'd wanted to forever now! He may not have the chance again, or at least for a long time, he wanted to say it finally! "A-Angy?" The yellow pegasus looked up and locked gazes with him.
"Hmm?" Thor swallowed, suddenly the temperature was rising again.
"Well, we went to school together..." This was not the best way to start, but it was too late to stop now, just keep going and hope you don't bore her! "We've been in the same flight crew for a few years too and..." He faltered, suddenly not so sure if he wanted to say it. So much for the element of bravery!
"Yes... Thor?" Angry asked, her voice was very quiet, had she gotten closer?! When did that happen? Had it been her or him who'd moved? They were very close now... Thor's way of explaining was left hanging in the air as they stared into each other's eyes, they came closer. Angy closed her eyes, holy Celestia! Was this really happening?

Inches away... centimetres... millimetres! Seed, the closest of the group to them, let out a sudden loud snore, making the two pegasi jump. Thor couldn't help but wish his friend choked on his own tongue in his sleep at that point! He expected that was it, atmosphere blown, chance gone. But as he opened his eyes, and began to pull away, he caught a glimpse of yellow fur, before he felt her lips touch his! The temperature dropped back to normal instantly, the nerves settled fast and Thor's agitations ebbed away, as he sat there, with Angelica kissing him. He could feel her leaning forward into him, so he tipped back slightly, allowing her to come closer. He began to kiss her back, not viciously, just the same amount as she was doing to him.

They sat there, one side of them highlighted by the ebbing light of the fire, while the other stayed in pitch darkness as the starless moonless night absorbed them. Thor couldn't quite understand how, but at this moment, at this second, he was kissing the mare of his dreams unashamed of their friends who could wake at any moment. They just sat there and kissed.

Comments

[Broffalo]

Why did you do this to me you made me chose between sleep and ponies, bookmarked for later, I expect great things for making me have to chose between the two!

[Sepron7]

YES! I've been following this story since chapter one and I've just been waiting for it to get featured. Congrats!

[Slick Dash]

1190573 I know right?! its happened A couple of times when this story's been updated lately this has got to be the longest its been up there though! feeling pretty good right now!

[Alondro]

So many dead ponies.

And yet another evil Discord for me to execute. *sighs* You fanfic writers keep making worlds I have to enter to fix! So many broken and battered universes... the work of the Deux Ex Insert is never done!

[Dr.Derpy Whooves]

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lncie5RBrU1qclt3z.gif

[Tyrant Molestia]

awesome read man/girl!
I just want to say I think Sweetness is the Element of Joy.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Discord's betrayal of Chrysalis reminds of Neyla from Sly 2 Band of Theives, she has a speech similar to the one Discord gave, you should check it out if you've never played the Sly Cooper series before.

[Slick Dash]

1192854I love you, you keep comparing my stuff to things i love! I love sly cooper, and yet again its another thing i'd forgotten about that's vastly simalar!

[SuperPinkBrony12]

1193427 So you HAVE played it, good because it's a series that really brings a lot of depth to it's characters and often makes you wonder who the REAL bad guys are.

[Fierce Feline]

Great chapter! That was epic! More please!

[Prisoner 24601]

Discord:
imagemacros.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/oh_you.jpg

[TheDreamActualizer]

I'll be frank with you; your writing and Discord's dialogue especially is Kick Ass to say the least! it gave me chills when he was explaining his master plan and everything to Chrysalis... but i have an early morning so i have to stop reading for now But soon!
I'm loving the story man keep up the good work! :D