Out of Cadance

by David Silver

22 - He Comes

Tempo and Blueblood sat in their room, warmed by a crackling fire. Tempo glanced up from the book she had been reading. "Blueblood, I was curious, I hadn't noticed that statue. What is that one for?" She looked towards the windowsill where a crystal stood.

Blueblood followed her gaze and then looked back at her. "Oh, that. That is an old legend, if you're interested."

Tempo smiled with a swishing tail. "I would love to, but I feel a little guilty, having a story time while my brother and sister struggle to keep us safe. Surely there's something we can do?"

Blueblood raised a hoof to his chin, ears pinning. "I wish there was. I am a unicorn too, as you have noticed by now. Perhaps they could teach me the spell as well?"

Tempo trotted over to hug Blueblood firmly. "I am also a unicorn." She winced back faintly. "Simulacra or not. You raise a good point. We should be taking turns too."

"Indeed we should, dearest." Blueblood rubbed at her cheek with his own. "If we both learn the spell, then that doubles the amount of time Cadance and Shining can rest, correct?"

Tempo clapped her hooves with building enthusiasm at the idea. "Let's find which of them happens to be awake right now. Let's take some weight off their poor shoulders."

Blueblood got up with her, following her out to the main hall. Cadance and Shining were both present, both sitting before a pair of chairs. They looked exhausted, but smiled when Tempo and Blueblood approached.

Tempo hurried her steps. "Sister, brother. We realized we've been complete foals. We are magic-users as well. Teach us the spell so we can help."

Blueblood nodded firmly at that. "We are royals tasked with assisting, as we not? Keeping this spell going is the least we can do to assist, dear siblings."

Cadance regarded them with surprise, her ears tilting. "But you're both—"

Tempo interjected. "You've both been at it nonstop since you arrived here, and neither of you have slept. Shining is a unicorn, so I have faith he can teach us both how to cast this spell."

Shining laughed with fatigue, horn glowing. "I'm, um, holding it, right now."

Cadance stepped forward. "So I will be the one sharing this spell, if you two are quite certain?"

Blueblood sat down in front of her, eyes locked. "Absolutely, dear sister-in-law."

Tempo sat at her side, offering her a soft smile. "Show me."

So Cadance did, tutoring them both on the specifics of that spell.

"Your highness!" A guard rushed in from outside. "Eyes!"

Cadance inclined her head, torn between watching the two practice the new spell and the guard. "Eyes?"

The guard pointed outside. "Just beyond the barrier, eyes! Dread eyes, glaring. I don't know what they are, or who, but they look quite, um, bad, ma'am. They haven't passed the barrier."

Cadance stiffened at the news. "It's as Auntie feared, he's returned. If he can't get past the barrier, good. That means we need to keep it up even more than we already wanted it." She turned back to her practicing family. "Keep at it, both of you. I need to go look."

"Wait, Cadie, we should go together." Shining rushed after her, keeping up with his sister.

Cadance placed a hoof on Shining's chest. "I love you, but you're busy." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Be strong. I'll be right back."

Shining pursed his lips, frowning at her. "That's not a good reason, Cadance." He nuzzled at her, and she giggled at his affections. "You shouldn't be going alone."

"I won't be." Cadance nodded to the guard, and soon several others joined her as she marched from the palace.

Shining sank to his haunches with a weary sigh. "No pressure, but I hope you two get up to speed quickly. I hate not being able to help Cadance like that."

Tempo turned an ear on Shining. "You're helping her, and the whole city, by keeping that spell going. We're working on it as quickly as we can."

"It's a little complicated," murmured out Blueblood, horn glowing as he tried it over and over again. "I'll get it, old chap! Just give me—" He lowered his horn with a soft pant before resuming his practice runs. "—a moment, kindly."

Shining waited there, staring at the door, and wishing he could be on the other side of it.

It didn't take much longer for the ponies to emerge, Cadance among them. She wore a severe frown. "He is out there, and there isn't much we can do about it."

Tempo flicked an ear back against her head. "Who is he?"

Cadance perked at that. "Auntie didn't tell you? No matter. With him at our doorstep, it's hardly a mystery." She sighed softly. "Sombra, former ruler of the—" A crystal pony in hearing distance squeaked with horror and dashed for cover. Cadance lowered her volume as much as she could. "—former ruler of the Crystal Empire has returned, and I imagine with no good will in his corrupt and blackened heart."

Tempo flexed her forehooves, glaring out the window. "Well, what is he? An alicorn?"

"Nope. Just a very determined unicorn." Cadance gave a dismissive shrug. "Which is better than some foes, but this one is especially annoying." She rubbed at her head with a hoof. "Annoying makes him sound far less threatening than he is. He's a true menace. We have to keep that spell up, and strong."

"Ah ha!" Blueblood smiled with triumph. "I have the spell working, dear sister. Brother, let me take a turn."

"You're sure?" Shining tiredly considered Blueblood. "You got the hang of it?"

"Oh, certainly not. I doubt I will ever really get this down just by practicing it." He spoke with a carefree ease, as if that didn't concern him. "But it is my turn to bear the weight. I won't master it until I'm doing it."

Shining considered him a quiet moment, but ultimately leaned in, touching horns to pass the spell along with a bright spark. The shield around the city flickered faintly as Blueblood began keeping it up, but he was doing it. "Thank you." Shining flopped to the side with a pant. "Oh wow, that's so much."

Cadance leaned over and began rubbing at his temples and then his ears. "You're doing so well, Shining, but rest now." She massaged her hooves into his skull.

Tempo was on Blueblood, hugging him from behind. "Is it too hard? I'll keep practicing so I can take my turn."

Blueblood turned an ear back at Tempo. "If casting this spell gets an embrace from you, dear beloved, than I would cast it for the rest of my days." His mouth moved without words, seeking a more poetic way to express things. "My magic is yours to command."

Tempo nudged his cheek, giggling. "I think you've had too much of a heavy burden recently. I'll just use you as a pillow." She nestled in against him as her horn glowed with the practice. The two were working together, much as Cadance and Shining had been doing not long before.

---

"Your majesty, a train approaches!" A guard saluted sharply. "The train will arrive outside the range of the protective shield, unfortunately."

Shining Armor frowned at that. Unfortunately, they were but ponies, and their protective barrier could only go so far. "I'll go meet the train. It's probably Twilight and the others, and we can't leave them to chance. He may notice them."

Cadance patted his shoulder. "Don't strain yourself."

He shook his head. "They're more important."

Cadance was forced to agree. "They are family."

The train arrived a short while later. Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all exited the train and piled onto the snowy platform. Shining Armor waited for them, wrapped up in snow gear as best he could, even a visor over his eyes to reduce the glare of that white snow. "Twily!"

Twilight blinked, not recognizing Shining a moment before it clicked. "Shinie!" They crashed in a mutual embrace, both laughing.

Shining pointed back the way he'd come. "We have to get back to the palace, quickly." He led them on into the snow, despite their confusion. "Cadance and the others are waiting."

Rainbow Dash shivered. "Yeah, but not for us, apparently."

"It's very cold," piped up Fluttershy.

"Sorry." Shining flattened his ears. "It's warmer as soon as we get close to the palace."

Applejack snorted. "I sure hope so. I was not expecting this, no sir. Like stepping into the arctic, it is." She trotted ahead of the others, just to pause, gaping as a set of malevolent eyes opened wide in the dark chill. "What the?"

Shining paused, turning to look, and saw those same eyes. "Hurry, into the city." He picked up the pace, breaking into a gallop. "Quickly, please."

Pinkie Pie hopped over to join Applejack in a leap, eyes turned to the sky. "Meanie!" She cried, kicking up snow at the eyes on her way, to little effect.

The eyes chased after them with only low chortled as a great dark red crystal of a horn manifested, firing dark bolts of magic at them all. Shining Armor, with little to spare, erected a defensive barrier around them all to ward off the attacks, but the strength of Sombra's assault shattered that little bubble as darkened crystals erupted from the ground around the fleeing group.

Rarity screamed in pain as one of the sharp points pierced her hide.

"Go, go!" Shining pushed them all, guiding them along as the eyes closed in, his horn radiating a duller glow with every moment. He hissed as a bolt found his horn, causing it to erupt in strange crystals that shut off his magic entirely.

A deep laugh rang from the darkness as those eyes vanished. "No escape."

Shining Armor gulped. "You're not supposed to be here."

With a final leap, they crashed through the barrier into the warmth of the city proper. The eyes glared at them from beyond the barrier, but seemed unable to pass. Sombra withdrew with a dark chuckle, promising to return without a word spoken.

The group finally made their way to the palace. Blueblood met them. "I see you all made it." He nodded to Twilight, and then the other girls. "I am the Lord of the castle for the time being." He waved behind himself. "Princess Cadance is resting."

Rarity looked at Blueblood, coloring in her cheeks. "Ah, hm. Dear? May I ask why you're here, of all places?"

Blueblood inclined his head at Rarity. "Whyever would I not be? My beloved is here, to say little of my sister and brother-in-law. I am here to assist them all in every way I possibly can." He tapped a hoof to his forehead. "I am well rested, and you all appear quite cold. Would any of you like a beverage of some kind? It has to be cold out there, yes?"

Rarity's coloring only got worse by the moment. "You're being a dear, um, darling, um." She stepped awkwardly from hoof to hoof. "No hard feelings?"

"Hard feelings?" It took a moment for Blueblood to remember. "You made an attempt on what you thought to be an eligible bachelor. It'd hardly be fair of me to carry a grudge for that. You didn't continue once informed of your error. A simple mistake."

Twilight trotted over to give Blueblood a hug. "It's nice to see you. But how's—"

"We have to work, my dear sister-in-law, to restore this kingdom to its true glory." He lifted his head. "And I will do my part to aid it in every way." He gestured to the various crystal ponies bustling around, each doing a small task as they helped clear the debris from the castle, though it looked far better than when he had first arrived.

Twilight nodded quickly. "I gathered that, but how is Cadance? She's resting? What from?"

Shining rubbed at the base of his cursed horn. "She was helping keep the spell up that keeps us safe, and warm. And, mmm." He tried to cast the spell himself, but only little sparks danced and nothing more. "And I can't help anymore, blast it."

Blueblood sighed softly, eyes closing as he maintained the spell, showing no sign of slowing or stopping. "Do be calm, I have it. For now."

Tempo stepped out of a doorway, smiling at the arrivals. "Oh good, you're back, Twilight." She hurried over to her gained sister-in-law. "A pleasure to see you." With Cadance not there, Tempo initiated the ladybug dance, and Twilight gladly reciprocated, leaving them shaking their rumps at one another with a smile. "Shining, are you alright? I know you were struggling with the spell."

"I can't do anything now, blast it all." Shining grimaced in disgust. "The spell got my horn." He sighed and slouched. "Sombra was throwing crazy magic around and he got me." He waved at the others. "I got them here safely at least."

Applejack nodded at that. "We do 'ppreciate that! But how do we turn things 'round? We can't go on like this, ah 'magine."

Fluttershy whined faintly. "That nasty unicorn has us trapped here?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," explained Blueblood. "Come, sit." He ushered them all to the nearest seating. He brought them up to speed as well as he could, about the empire's return and Sombra's threat.

Author's Note:

It's time for the girls to do their thing. Cadance won't have to hold up the barrier on her own this time at least, she has two eager assistants at her side. It's nice having siblings, isn't it?

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Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

Blueblood nodded firmly at that. "We are royals tasked with assisting, are we not? Keeping this spell going is the least we can do to assist, dear siblings."

Surely Opal Bloom will appear in the next chapter or the one after?

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

The new pair can certainly buy time

[Chrome Masquerade]

Shining paused, turning to look, and saw those same eyes. "Hurry, into the city." He picked up the pace, breaking into a gallop. "Quickly, please."

This is an emergency, Shining. A little emphasis, there bud.

A deep laugh rang from the darkness as those eyes vanished. "No escape."

http://finalfantasy.istad.org/2013/07/final-fantasy-vi-recap-ep-ii-are-we-there-yet/no-escape/

With a final leap, they crashed through the barrier into the warmth of the city proper. The eyes glared at them from beyond the barrier, but seemed unable to pass. Sombra withdrew with a dark chuckle, promising to return without words.

1/2 joking: Thank. Celestia. Or at least give him a diff-
Oh, you mean he promised to return, without words. Small punctuation change; Huge difference.

[Chrome Masquerade]

11877299
Joking: What was that about Apple Bloom, now?

[Luckyfanisaac]

static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/1/1c/Crystal_Empire_filly_with_bow_s03e01.png/revision/latest?cb=20130630011606&path-prefix=es 11877464
I’m talking about Opal bloom my favorite crystal filly.

[Chrome Masquerade]

11877485
Just kidding. Couldn't resist

You have to admit; they do look preeeety similar.

[Luckyfanisaac]

11877528
Yeah I’m pretty sure Opal Bloom is just a recolored Apple Bloom.

[techyhalo]

I’m curious how the crystal heart will effect tempo

[tsaukpaetra]

More pony power means slightly-less exhausted ponies! All available energy is required!