//------------------------------// // Distant Early Warning // Story: The Changeling Wars // by Alkonium //------------------------------// Canterlot, Royal Courtyard Wedding Reception of Captain Shining Armour and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza Twilight had to hand it to Pinkie; she certainly knew how to organise a wedding reception. Sure, the pink mare had been given a rather generous budget by Princess Celestia, but Twilight could tell that every bit was well spent. She had hired Vinyl Scratch to be the event's DJ, and managed to stock the bar with signature liquor from almost every city and town in Equestria: Appleloosan Brandy, cider from Ponyville, whisky from Dodge Junction, wine from Manehattan, mead from Whitetrot, port wine from Trottingham, rum from Baltimare, vodka from Stalliongrad, and even some ale from Thunder Neigh. She was almost too caught up in admiring Pinkie Pie's work to notice the voice from behind her. "Twilight Sparkle, might we have a word in private?" Twilight turned around to see Princess Luna, Celestia's sister and Cadance's mother. "Of course, Princess. What is this about?" Twilight then asked. "Not here. Come with me," Luna replied, leading Twilight back into the Palace. They then turned to a corridor Twilight did not recognise, and stopped at what looked like a dead end. "Okay, is this secluded enough for you?" Twilight asked, slightly annoyed with Luna's secrecy. Instead of answering, Luna sent a pulse of energy from her horn at the wall, revealing a hidden door. Past the door was a room packed with enough high-tech equipment to put to shame Twilight's laboratory in Ponyville, or even the Flim Flam brothers' cider machine. "This is the Canterlot War Room, one of the oldest sections of the Palace. I had it refurbished after the first sign of the Changeling threat against Canterlot," Luna explained. "This was what you were doing instead of helping with your daughter's wedding?" Twilight inquired. "We both know that wasn't my daughter. Until Chrysalis revealed herself, I didn't know what she was, but I knew she wasn't my Cadance." Luna retorted. "I'm sorry I mentioned it. What did you want to tell me about anyway?" Twilight asked. "This." The Princess directed her to the large digital map of Equestria in the centre of the room. As if it foresaw Luna's desires, the map zoomed in on Canterlot. "These readings were taken around when the Changelings were expelled from the city." Luna explained. "The changelings are represented by these black dots, which as you can see, were mostly spread out evenly across Canterlot. However, the wedding chapel is not near the centre of the city, so they were not expelled equally in all directions." "Were you able to extrapolate where most of the changelings ended up?" Twilight asked. "That's why I needed to speak with you," Luna replied, sending a pulse from her horn at the display table. It then played out the moment at which Shining Armour and Cadance expelled the Changelings from Canterlot. As the last one left the range of the city, the map zoomed out to show Equestria in its entirety. "According to this, most of the Changelings ended up in the Everfree Forest," Twilight surmised. "Yes, and the closest pony settlement to the Everfree Forest is-" Luna was about to say, before being interrupted. "Ponyville! No!" Twilight exclaimed. She may have been born and raised in Canterlot, but Ponyville had become her home over the last two years. She couldn't bear the thought of the Changelings doing to it what they almost did to Canterlot. "Twilight Sparkle, you are one of the smartest and most compassionate ponies I have ever met. You have more than earned the trust of the ponies of both Canterlot and Ponyville. This is why I am charging you with leading Ponyville in defending Equestria from the Changeling Horde. Do you accept this responsibility?" Luna then asked Twilight. Twilight didn't know what to say. If she failed, she'd not only be letting Princess Luna down, she'd be letting all of Equestria down; but the Princess clearly had faith in her abilities. Even if she didn't fail, there was no way she'd have time to continue her studies and do this. After thinking long and hard about it, Twilight finally responded with, "Yes." "Then I hereby grant you a field commission to the rank of Commander. I know you won't let me down, Twilight Sparkle," Luna replied. "Be ready to begin preparations upon your return to Ponyville." "There's one thing I'm wondering, Princess: Why isn't Celestia doing this instead of you?" Twilight asked. "Equestria hasn't been at war since before my exile, so most ponies don't know that traditionally, Equestria's military concerns fall to me. As for why that is, there's a common saying in the Ibex Empire: 'The night is dark and full of terrors'," Luna explained. "I suppose that makes sense... We should get back to the party," Twilight commented. "You should try to spend some time with your daughter before she leaves for her honeymoon." Back at the party, Twilight tried her best to remain happy for her brother, but found it difficult with the threat of war looming over her head. She spotted Rarity and Fluttershy at the bar, and decided to join them. Seeing that Fluttershy had a Screwdriver in her hoof, and Rarity was using her horn to drink some sort of Martini, Twilight ordered a Caesar. Rarity asked her, "Twilight, is something bothering you? You've been looking upset ever since you got back to the party." Taking a sip of her Caesar, Twilight said, "Oh, it's got nothing to do with the wedding. It's just, I've been talking to Princess Luna, and she suspects that the Changelings are preparing for war, and they're going to attack Ponyville first." "A war with the Changelings? Those things nearly destroyed Canterlot!" Rarity exclaimed. "Not so loud. They're still scattered across the Everfree forest, so we do have some time to prepare," Twilight replied. "Do you know how long we have, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. "No, but the Princess wants me to start work as soon as we return to Ponyville," Twilight explained. "It's the waiting that's really getting to me." "Twilight, I know how you can get when you're under a lot of stress. I think it would help your state of mind if you did what you could for Ponyville here in Canterlot, before we leave," Rarity suggested. "Maybe you're right. Thanks, Rarity," Twilight replied, and once she was done her Caesar, she began composing a letter to the Mayor of Ponyville. Dear Mayor Mare, In light of an impending Changeling attack on Ponyville, I ask that you begin preparations to have all foals, and adult ponies who cannot contribute to the defence, evacuate the town for their own safety. I will join you in preparing the town's defences soon. Signed, Commander Twilight Sparkle Then, after managing to pry Spike away from the dance floor, she handed the letter to him, and said, "Spike, I need you to send this to Mayor Mare in Ponyville." Leafing over the letter, Spike said, "Yeah, sure. Commander?" "I'll explain later." Twilight said, prompting Spike to finally send the letter. "Let's hope that's the last surprise for tonight. I have enough work ahead of me as it is." She thought to herself.