-10 months later, Crystal Empire-

A lot had happened since Flurry Heart had left with Chrysalis, none of it was positive. Without the heart, moral had reached an all time low, worse than even the era of Sombra's tyrannical rule. There was no joy, hope, happiness, or any other positive emotion including love present anywhere in the Empire. Everything seemed darker and duller, like an ominous calm before the storm, lurking in waiting for the final trumpet to be sounded and alerting everypony of its impending arrival.

Nopony knew how to feel or approach anypony else, so all the citizens had become self-conscious and secluded, making the overall feel of the Empire seem abandoned. Inside the Crystal Spire was no different, Princess Cadance had fallen into a deep guilt and regret-fueled depression, and only still alive through force feeding using magic since she refused to eat or drink anything on her own.

"Cady dear, please eat something, the nurses' horns are starting to get sore from having to constantly magically convert your food and drinks into a form your body can absorb through magic." Shining pleaded with his now-frail wife. "I am begging you... do you think that Flurry would really want you in this condition?"

Cadance lifted her head and stared at her husband, her once-beautiful violet eyes now dimmed, the flame and driving force behind them long since extinguished. "I am sorry Shiny but I just can't... I failed as a ruler and wife, but more importantly I failed as a mother. That is the pain that caused my heart attack on that day so long ago and caused the Crystal Heart to shatter, please Shiny let me waste away like the piece of trash that I am since the spark to my being is gone... and hates me and I have nopony to blame but myself. I should have listened but I was a blind fool... I don't deserve anything good in life..."

That rattled Shining to his core. "Don't talk like that dear! I love you with every fiber of my being and I don't know what I would do without you, I am sure that in the time since the incident Flurry's hatred has cooled and she will come to reason. You saying "spark" gave me an idea, I am going to make one last attempt to have Twily ring up some spare guards to go..." Shining sighed and swallowed hard, not wanting to say the next part of his statement. "capture our daughter and her wife and bring them in for crimes against the Empire. I am sorry Cady, but your state has deteriorated to the point I have no choice but to charge them with attempted murder against you. I swear on our marriage no harm will come to them, but be aware they have to be held here..."

Cadance silently lowered her head in understanding, not wanting that to happen but knew it had to be done. Shining then nuzzled her and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek as he prepared to leave. "I will be back soon love." He then fired up a teleportation spell and teleported into his sister's throne room. The other Elements of Harmony, Starlight, and Spike were there. Seeing them all in the same room was expected, however there was a visitor with them he did not expect to see, one of his daughter's drones.

"Oh hello BBBFF," Twilight said in an uncharacteristic monotone. "I was just about to have Spike send you a correspondence regarding the fact this drone, one of Chrysalis' and Flurry's, came to me wanting help to see if I could repair Flurry's and Cadance's relationship. Before we begin, I want to say sorry for not helping sooner, but I didn't realize just how bad of a situation it was until this drone came."

Shining's a heart and hope sank, but before he could open his mouth the drone spoke up as it bowed. "Grandpa...err...Sir Shining Armor, my name is Silver Streak and I need yours and Princess Sparkle's assistance."

"Before we begin..." Shining said in a stern and level tone, a small smirk on his muzzle being kept expertly hidden. "who birthed you for you to call me "grandpa"?"

Silver stammered. "M-mother Chrysalis did sir... it is just that since Momma Flurry is your daughter.."

Shining, who's smirk was slightly larger but still unnoticeable, dismissed the poor drone's statement with a hoof. "Sure your name isn't Yellow Streak?" Shining then broke his facade and chuckled while ruffling the drone's fin, which felt softer than any mane to his touch. "I'm just teasing you kiddo so relax. Now back to the matter at hoof, what is so bad with Flurry that you would need our help with her? Yes I miss her and her mother is a broken mare, but she is 17 and is grown enough to have her own life and make her own decisions without coming crying to us about them. In life, every action has an equal and opposite reaction and it may not be the one you want it to be. In this case, Cady exiled Flurry now she is suffering in guilt, so what is Flurry's issue?"

Silver gave Shining a blank deadpan stare. "First of all, I am not a coward, and secondly-..." The drone was silenced as its eyes changed from its' normal blue orbs to Chrysalis' green slits, and when the drone spoke again it was Chrysalis' voice that came from its' muzzle.

"Hello again Shiny, before we get down to business I have to know..." Chrysalis paused, her tone cracked showing the concern and sadness she was actually feeling. "how is my mother-in-law doing?"

The room was dead silent, everypony's jaw was slack and nopony dared to speak for over a full minute before Shining sighed. "Not doing well Chryssy, she is a shell of her former self, and I have had to assign a few guards to closely monitor her so she doesn't do "anything stupid" if you catch my meaning. Her actions have broke her badly, there is not a day that goes by where she doesn't show regret and wishes she could go back in time and prevent herself from having this walking nightmare. Look, I used to be Celestia's Captain of the Guard so I am going to tell you straight just how she is, Cady is slowly dying. Between starving herself and the constant chance of attempted suicide she has maybethree months to live at the most if she holds her will on for that long."

The drone opened its' muzzle to speak but Shining held up his hoof to continue. "In all honestly, I don't think she will last the rest of this month. Not only does the Empire get weaker as she does, but I do as well. You grew strong on my love for her all those years ago so you know just how intwined mine and her's beings are. In other words, if Cady dies, the Empire... as well as myself... will quickly follow her into the forgotten passage of time. Unless you want that to happen I need you and Flurry to come to the Empire as soon as you both can, otherwise I would be forced to round up some guards and escort you both personally back to it in shackles."

A look of sheer terror crossed the drone's face, and Shining knew without a doubt that Chrysalis shared the same expression from her place at the hive. The drone then bowed and Chrysalis spoke again. "I will come without a fight, Flurry is going to be more hard pressed to go but I am sure that with some "persuasion" she will also come without conflict. Our hive has now relocated to near the Castle of the Two Sisters, I suggest you and Twilight come alone and I will be personally be waiting there with Flurry no matter how pissed off she gets. Until then Shiny have a good day and may the First Mother grant you safe travels."

In a flash of green flame the drone was gone, teleported back to the hive where a highly unnerved Chrysalis sat on her bed and looked at her wife, who was sleeping peacefully. "I am sorry Flurry, but I have to do this before you let your hate consume your soul..." After kissing Flurry on the forehead, Chrysalis rested her troubled head on her pillow and drifted off into a troubled sleep, trying to formulate a plan to get Flurry and Cadance back together without causing too much problems for her liking.