Cadance walked through the doors of the Battle Tower, her bruised and aching body proof of her improvement. Lee had been stronger than she had expected, though she had always been a quick learner. Thanks to a series of self-defense lessons she had taken under Princess Celestia, she found that she could hold her own as her focus improved. Even so, Lee had been a masterful fighter. Every move he made was designed to crush or tear apart his foe. As her skill increased and she had fallen into the rhythm of the battle she was able to counter and evade more easily. Though he had proven to be superior in close combat, she had overcome that with her magic. She could now create shields almost immediately after an attack was launched at her, and through the sharpening of this skill over a five-hour sparring session, she had managed to convince Lee to let her travel the city alone. After a hot shower she had sent her sweat soaked armor to be cleaned while she set off through the streets of God's Breath.
The city was vast, and she hadn't had time yet to properly explore it. As tired as she was, the exercise had lifted her spirits and now she wanted to see what this place had to offer. After an hour of wandering she crossed into the Zone of Winter, a place that the Pokémon referred to as the Coldlands. There was a single, sprawling forest here covered in snow and mist. Cadance walked along as she enjoyed the quiet beauty of the landscape. The snow fell from a massive cloud high in the sky. Lorna, leader of the ice-types and ruler of the legendary Pokémon of God's Breath had explained to the ponies in Eqeustria that the weather in and around the city was controlled by large groups of Castform that flew through the clouds.
Cadance squinted as she looked to the sky. After a moment she recognized the little creatures and smiled. Spreading her wings, she flew thirty thousand feet to meet them, higher than the peak of the mountain that sat at the edge of the forest. The tiny cloud creatures smiled as she approached them, and for a while she flew with them, enjoying their company. They were eager to show off their mastery of the weather as they created larger and more complex snowflakes that floated gently down to the ground far below. She added her own creations to the mix, conjuring large, fluffy snowflakes from the air with crystal pony designs. Cadance smiled longingly at the forms of her friends and subjects while the Castform danced around them. Hiding her sadness, she said her goodbyes and returned to the ground.
She stood at her landing site, her tears freezing as they fell from her eyes. With her telekinetic magic, she drew a picture of a heart in the snow, and with a smile of remembrance she added herself and her husband in the center.
"I'm sure he's safe, princess," said a wispy voice at her ear. She turned around to find its source, but there was no one to be found.
"Who's there?" she questioned, lighting her horn with magic to illuminate her surroundings as the sun sank past the horizon.
"Forgive me, your majesty," the wispy voice said again. "I didn't mean to startle you. I shall leave you to your thoughts."
The snow lightened for just a moment, but it was enough for Cadance to see through the storm and find the source of the timid whisper. In the distance, a creature floated above the ground near a snow-covered hill. It had a shape similar to the humans Twilight had described from her trips through the mirror portal, though it had no legs. It wore a white kimono with a red bow tied around its waist, with small horns of ice sticking out of its head. Cadance pulled the pokédex Lord Gallah had given her from her saddlebag and scanned the Pokémon as she walked toward it.
"You're a Froslass, aren't you?" Cadance asked. "It's alright, I want to be your friend."
The Froslass put her sleeve-like hand on the pillar of a doorway built into the steep hillside. Then, with swift, graceful movements she fled. Cadance ran to the doorway to see a tunnel leading into the earth below. She galloped through as the Froslass's red ribbon disappeared around a corner. She had felt so lonely before being spoken to, and though she couldn't explain it, that Pokémon's sudden and unexpected words of hope had touched her heart. She wanted to find her. She wanted to speak to her and thank her for that small act of kindness.
For that purpose, Cadance traveled deep underground, through frost covered tunnels and caves filled with beautiful icicles, across frozen underground lakes and caverns so large they made her feel like an ant. Many dancing Litwick lit the way, all of them grinning at her. A Lampent floated here and there among its smaller kin, all of them waving their long black arms gently in the air. She felt a strange pulling sensation as she passed by the creatures, as if someone was pulling at her mind and heart simultaneously. Without considering the source of the feeling she cast a spell enveloping her body in love and light. The pulling sensation stopped and the Litwick cheered her on, though for a moment, she swore she heard the sound of disappointed moaning from some of the Lampent. Finally, after what seemed like hours of running, she came to a stop in the largest, most impressive cavern she had yet seen.
Murals of ancient battles covered the walls in between hieroglyphs of creatures Cadance's pokédex identified as Unown. On one side of the cavern sat a large, white golem creature surrounded by hundreds of smaller golems of different types. It was hunched over something that Cadance couldn't make out from the cave entrance. She carefully walked over to see what it was making, and to her surprise she realized that the large golem was busy creating more of the smaller golems. It held two large boulders, melding them together so deftly that they soon became a single, torso shaped rock. She stood transfixed as she examined the creatures, marveling at how such a thing could craft life with its bare hands.
"Father is always busy making more of his children," said the timid, wispy voice of the Froslass.
"They are beautiful, in their own way," Cadance replied. "I can see the love and care Regigigas has for his creations."
Cadance turned to see her new companion blushing at being addressed directly. She smiled kindly as she addressed the Froslass and began to notice the unique traits of her new friend. Her fingers were tipped in gold rings, and the obi at her waist had a fierce golden meteor pattern that shimmered with the colors of a fiery rainbow when she moved. It was a perfect match to the designs on Lord Ra's sarcophagus.
"I didn't mean to startle you," Cadance said gently. "Your words just struck a chord with me when I was feeling sad and lonely. They made me feel better. Thank you."
"Y-you're welcome, your majesty," the Froslass said, the blush in her cheeks deepening.
"My name is Cadance. What's your name?"
"I… I am Mistress Sakura," she said, bowing deeply to the alicorn. "I am the first and only consort of Lord Ra. It is an honor to meet the one who led the sealing of Dark Arceus."
"Oh, that? It could have gone better, believe me. I let my fear hold me back and we failed to seal it completely. Celestia and Luna had to step in…"
"Yet you accomplished that which none of our kind could have hoped to accomplish, save King Siebold. Fear is only natural when confronting Dark Arceus. It's nothing to be ashamed of, your majesty."
"You lift my spirits yet again, friend," Cadance said, smiling.
"I'm sure you're lost down here now. Would you like to follow me to my chambers? I can make us some tea."
"That would be lovely."
They said goodbye to Father as they left, to which the Regigigas responded by waving goodbye and calling to them happily. Sakura led Cadance through a frozen tunnel that quickly turned into a steep hill of rock and ice. After a minute of climbing, the hill evened out into what Cadance first thought was another cavern. But as her eyes adjusted to the darkness she soon realized that this place was under a beautiful night sky. Stars shone brightly, yet there was no moon. Nor was there any heat, only the still cold air and an enormous tower standing before a pair of massive black gates. Stepping out of the cavern felt like walking through a bubble, but as she entered the somber, grassy plane, the denizens of this area came into view.
She rubbed her eyes to make sure that they hadn't deceived her, but when she looked a second time they were all there. Ghost-types of all shapes and sizes floated above the ground, or sat next to small shrubs as they sang and played together. Their music was dark and mischievous, yet strangely alluring. Cadance walked to the front of the tower alongside the Froslass, humming the haunting melody without fully realizing it. Sakura stopped and stared at her, tilting her head to the side.
"Is something wrong?" Cadance asked.
"Be careful when you hum here, your majesty," Sakura said. "I do hope that you make friends with our kind, but remember, the dead do not always have the best interest of the living in mind."
"I… understand," the princess said, suddenly unsure of her choice to follow Sakura to her home. She shook those concerns aside as two Phantump brought them tea in small, delicate cups. Taking the tea and thanking the Phantump, she and Sakura walked through the doors of the tower.
The first sight that greeted her was row upon row of gravestones extending into a mist and beyond her sight. She squinted her eyes at the ceiling, and saw only a dreary, cloudy sky.
"What is this?" she asked, frowning. "I don't understand where we are."
"This is the final resting place for the citizens of God's Breath," Sakura said, gesturing to the gravestones. "Some choose to become ghost-types and remain among the living. Most, though, choose to travel beyond the gates. It is blessed by the mighty Giratina, as a gift to our great king."
"And what lies beyond the gates?" Cadance asked. She knew the answer, but she needed to hear it from someone else for the reality to set in.
"The Afterlife, your majesty," Sakura said simply. "Should the city fall, all will travel through those gates to the lands beyond. Death is inevitable, but it is not the end."
Cadance considered her new friend's words as she walked silently through the graveyard. Life was a celebration in Equestria, and a life well lived was worth celebrating when it was over. Ponies didn't necessarily fear death, but they didn't embrace it either, not like the Pokémon did. The Pokémon were surrounded by death in the form of the many ghost-types that populated the city, but even more, they lived with the knowledge that the evil god they guarded could break free and kill them should their leaders fail.
Cadance considered her actions and her emotions, and most importantly, her fear as she walked with Sakura through the graveyard. The landscape never changed, though the names on the headstones did. This minor difference was the only way she was able to tell they were still moving forward. After several minutes the mist parted to reveal a massive mausoleum. A statue sat on top of the beautiful structure. It took the form of a Mew with many rings in its ears and tail, smiling happily with its eyes closed as it floated above the tomb. On the walls of the mausoleum were carved happy, playful depictions of every Pokémon species.
"Our king served us to his dying breath," Sakura said softly. "But make no mistake, even he felt fear in the presence of Dark Arceus. But that never stopped him from performing his duty. You are just like he was. Despite the fear you felt, despite the hopelessness you felt when facing the dark god, you never stopped fighting."
"Word of my cowardice has spread quickly, it seems," Cadance said, feeling regret for her weakness.
"No, your majesty," Sakura said, smiling gently at the alicorn. "I stood outside the circle leading the Elite Guard. I heard what went on through the psychic link, just as you did. But you misunderstand me. It is not weakness to feel fear, it is only weakness to give into your fear. Despite the unholy fury of Dark Arceus that bore down on you that day, you never let up on your spell casting. You stood bravely in the face of death, fighting against instinct and logic to perform your task. That is what makes you like King Siebold."
"Harmony told me that staring down Dark Arceus was the bravest feat she knows of, but I feel as if I only shook in fear before that monster. I don't feel as if I really defied it at all."
"Did you cease your spell casting and run away?"
"No…"
"Did you lessen your effort in any way?"
"No, but…"
"You are far too hard on yourself, majesty. Only the High Council can boast such a feat as yours, and they have done so only after many years of training. You need to relax and remember who you are and why you are here. Who are you? What is your purpose in our city?"
Cadance thought for a moment, silently wondering if she had been foolish for her guilt all this time. Slowly, she responded to the questions.
"I am Cadance, the Equestrian Princess of Love, and I am here… to protect my kingdom, the lives of my subjects, and the lives of my new Pokémon friends."
"Will you sway in those duties, Princess Cadance?"
"Of course not!" Cadance said, feeling shocked at the very idea of turning away from protecting others. "I love my subjects and I love my friends! I love the Pokémon of God's Breath, and I will protect this city for as long as it needs me. But many will perish in the coming conflict…"
"And they shall not die in vain, nor shall they be left to pass through the Gates of Death alone. But death cannot be avoided in these circumstances. As for you and your fellow ponies, we Pokémon understand your commitment and respect your love and friendship so much that we have made you our leaders. Do not take those sentiments lightly, princess. Do your duty to the best of your ability and without regret. That is all we ask of you."
Cadance turned from her friend to stare at the smiling statue of King Siebold, the words and emotions of the Froslass echoing in her mind. She closed her eyes, placed a hoof over her heart and bowed before the mausoleum. Then, with renewed purpose she turned to Sakura and smiled. Sakura smiled back, and led her out of the tower.
A large gathering of ghost-types met them outside. The friends stopped and looked around in surprise as a single Aegislash floated out of the group to hover before Princess Cadance. The princess considered the spirit for a moment, a hint of recognition sparking in her mind.
"Fu Hao, what is the meaning of this?" Sakura said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"I only wish to speak with the princess," the Aegislash said, her telepathic voice carrying a note of shyness.
"Tell the truth Fu Hao. What is your business?"
"I…" the Aegislash said, her voice soft and ethereal. "I have come to offer my services to Princess Cadance. I wish to be her sword and shield in the coming battle. As we speak, my sister and brother go to offer their services to the other princesses, if they are willing to accept."
"I am grateful for your offer," Cadance said. "I remember seeing you floating alone next to a tall tree, but I'm not sure if I should accept. I realize that you must be quite powerful, but I plan on leading from the front. I would hate to carry anyone into danger."
"I am a weapon of war, your grace. The battlefield is my home, and as one of the most powerful of my kind in the city, it would be my honor to fight for you. All you need do is link your soul to mine, and I shall move and attack according to your will."
"Linking souls with an Aegislash is a very dangerous business, Princess Cadance," Sakura said, still suspicious of the other Pokémon's motives. "They're known for using mind control to rule human nations through their kings and queens."
"Is this true?" Cadance asked, her eyes narrowing in worry.
"It is true," Fu Hao said, sadly. "Aegislash have controlled humans for many generations. I can only speak for those of us in the city when I say that we wish only to serve you, your grace. I beg of you to accept my service."
"I would like to discern her intentions through a battle, your majesty," Sakura said as she floated forward to hover before Fu Hao.
"If anyone is going to spar, I would like to be one of them. I underwent some intensive training with one of Lady Harmony's bodyguards, and if this is to be settled in a battle, I would like to test my skills."
"As you wish," Sakura said, bowing to Princess Cadance while giving a suspicious sideways glance at Fu Hao.
"Then follow me out into the field, if you will," Fu Hao said as she turned and floated away.
The ghost-types that had gathered to watch formed a large circle in the field before the tower. Cadance came to stand ten yards before Fu Hao, a sudden feeling of nervous excitement filling her heart. Cadance mentally cycled through her combat strengths as Fu Hao assumed her Blade Form.
"If you hold back in the slightest, I'll call off this match and refuse your service," Cadance said as she stretched her wings.
"Of course, your majesty," Fu Hao said. "I will hold nothing back."
"First to faint loses," Sakura said as she took a referee position on the edge of the circle. "Are both parties ready?"
Cadance and Fu Hao both gave their consent. Sakura raised a single hand in the air and brought it down to start the match. Cadance knew a bit of swordplay, but she had never fought a living sword. No amount of fencing practice could prepare her for the furious movements that Fu Hao unleashed. Cadance created an energy blade from her magic, but the Aegislash was much quicker than she could have predicted, forcing the princess to use her shields as she was pushed backward. Fu Hao floated through the air at a relatively slow speed, but once she was in range of Cadance she was utterly relentless. No movement was wasted, and every time the princess struck at an opening Fu Hao changed stances and blocked it with a terrifying quickness that belied her nature.
"You will never defeat an Aegislash in a swordfight, majesty," Fu Hao said as she assaulted the unarmored princess with her shadow.
"Clearly," Cadance said as she teleported backwards, out of the way of the massive living blade. "I suppose I will have to fight you another way, then."
Cadance charged energy to her horn and fired at her opponent as her magical blade disappeared. Fu Hao changed stances to block it, only to have a second attack hit her from behind. Surprised, Fu Hao turned to use Shadow Sneak once more to knock Cadance off her feet, but the princess had already teleported away. The Aegislash was lifted high into the air with a telekinetic spell and slammed hard onto the ground. Without missing a beat, Fu Hao launched another Shadow Sneak at Cadance, this time connecting with the princess and slamming her to the ground with jarring force.
"Perhaps I was wrong," Fu Hao said as she floated toward the fallen pony. "Perhaps you aren't worthy to follow in our king's footsteps. That must be why you were unable to seal Dark Arceus. Clearly, you are unworthy of my services."
"I don't know why I was unable to seal Dark Arceus," Cadance said as she pushed herself up. "And I didn't come here to follow in King Siebold's footsteps. I came here to protect Equestria from the evil god imprisoned in your city, and I remain here to protect the Pokémon friends I have made."
Fu Hao struck out the moment Cadance finished her sentence, slicing through the air to cut the exhausted alicorn in half. But she froze before the attack could connect, held firmly in place by telekinesis. Fu Hao struggled against the powerful grip, fighting with a strength that almost rivaled the hive tyrant Cadance had fought before. But no matter how she tried to break free, Cadance's grip was firm. Not even the sword's shadow could move, for Cadance had anticipated that attack and trapped it with her magic as well.
"Regardless of her intentions, I was wrong not to stand up to Cloe," Cadance said as she stared Fu Hao down. "I was wrong to be so hard on myself for my fear. I see that, now. I will walk among the citizens of God's Breath as their friend, ally, and leader. I will answer only to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, for they are my elders and my friends, and I will never again shake in terror before the evil that threatens us!"
It was hard to tell, but Cadance believed that Fu Hao was smiling at her. Her hilt had lifted on both ends, and her single eye had become calm and peaceful. At the very least she had stopped struggling. Cadance released her, holding her head high despite her aching muscles and a building headache. Fu Hao floated toward Cadance, lowered herself to stand point town on the ground, and leaned forward to offer the princess her hilt. Recognizing the stance a warrior takes when offering an oath of service, Cadance unfurled her wings to their full length and stood before the Pokémon.
"I did not plan on giving you a test, your majesty," Fu Hao said. "But I'm glad that is what happened. Thank you for passing this trial. It would be my great honor to fight at your side, if you will accept me."
Cadance smiled regally as she considered the Aegislash's words, then bowed her head in acceptance.
"Now that we understand each other, and I understand myself a bit more, I will accept your service. A powerful blade will be invaluable in the coming battles. But do not forget, I am princess. I will gladly be your friend, but you will not control me. Am I understood?"
"Yes, your majesty. I shall be your sword and shield… and your friend. If you will permit me, I shall connect my spirit to yours so that you may wield me as you wish."
Cadance nodded and stepped forward. Sakura watched with an air of suspicion, but she made no move to stop Fu Hao as she placed a gentle cloth ribbon hand upon the princess's cheek. Cadance felt a light tingling sensation as she stared into the Pokémon's eye. Suddenly, she felt Fu Hao's presence in her mind, not unlike the psychic link she had been a part of during the sealing of Dark Arceus. However, there was a strange difference. As Fu Hao's shield design changed to form a bronze copy of her cutie mark, Cadance felt as if the Aegislash was now a was now a part of her, and not a part of her. The princess shook her head as she struggled to contain her confusion. After a moment, the feeling settled, fading into a small presence in her mind that she could barely distinguish from herself. She considered the reputation of Fu Hao's species, but chose to accept their new situation despite her concerns.
"Through this connection I will teach you how to properly wield me in battle, princess," Fu Hao said. "A proper weapon is an extension of the user, and thus shall I be for you. When we fight, you have but to think it and I shall respond."
"I look forward to working together," Cadance said as the Aegislash lay down on her back and wrapped its hands together like a sash around her neck. "From this day forward, we shall be as one."