//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Summonings 
// Story: Dawn of a New Age 
// by GTthe4th 
//------------------------------//





(Badlands, Thorax’s Hive)

The enormous barrel’s tap was wrenched open, and a golden-brown liquid poured out into the large bowl underneath, much to the delight of the gathered Changelings in the newly-decorated Great Hall. Many of them cheered and raised their soon-to-be-filled mugs in a toast to their good fortune and Thorax’s boundless generosity. Several of the more daring and younger Changelings dove underneath the open tap to drink from the liquid directly, only to be swatted away by irritated (albeit amused) guards. The Grá ó Neamh mead was precious after all, especially if it came from Queen Chrysalis’s private stock. She always kept the good stuff on hoof for events like these.

And what an event it was! It was a feast like nothing the Hive had ever seen: breads and cheeses both exquisite and tasteful, succulent meats that sent the tongues wagging, salads that had the more vegetarian Changelings drooling, and even hearty stews that were quite popular with the guards. But despite all the normal foods, there was something else that all the Changelings could feel in the air around them and on the foods in front of them, and it made them truly happy --- love. Love was everywhere! Never had they felt so full, or so blessed!

It was paradise, and its king had just arrived.

The crowds roared, wings buzzed, and hooves stomped in applause as Thorax appeared at the top of the stairs leading to the Great Hall. There was no question in their mind, he was already a much better leader than Chrysalis ever was. He hadn’t just saved them, he had given them their lives back. Starvation was a thing of the past, and so was burying their loved ones because of it. Even Chrysalis, for all her plans and schemes, could never do that.

Thorax couldn’t help but smile at all the attention, and his cheeks burned. He bowed his head to all of them, and that only seemed to intensify their cheering. As he walked down the steps, several guards flew up to flank him, only for him to hold up his hoof to shoo them away. He didn’t need the protection tonight, much to their relief.

When he joined the crowds, the cheering had lowered to excited chattering as Changelings everywhere filled their mugs with love-infused mead and waited for Thorax to take his seat at the head of the enormous, horseshoe-shaped table in the hall. The chattering fell away to whispers as Thorax sat down, and when he held up his hoof, silence dominated the room, and all eyes turned to him, eagerness in their gazes.

Thorax once again felt his cheeks redden, and he cleared his throat. “You all know me, and I know all of you, so I don’t think introductions are necessary. A little over half a year ago, I abandoned the Hive in search of...well, I guess I didn’t really know at the time. A friend, wayward love that I could survive off of, or something more? For whatever reason it was, that decision started a chain of events that ultimately led to this moment. For months I thought about that decision, wondering if I had made a terrible mistake. Yes, I made friends in the Crystal Empire, but it was only until recently, when a strange force sought to tear them apart from the inside out, did I discover that they trusted me, and that I, in turn, loved them.

“I think...at that moment, something changed inside me, and I realized what it was that I was searching for. It wasn’t just friends or love, but a family. A family that I would gladly go through Tartarus for, and a family that cared about me. It also told me something else --- it told me that although I had found a family in the Ponies, I was also missing my family back here. How could I live, knowing that there was a way to not go hungry, when my first family in the Hive suffered so much? I knew that at some point I had to return to tell you all about what I had found, and as fate would have it, Chrysalis had made her move on that same night.”

Several Changelings hissed and booed at Chrysalis’s name, but Thorax held up a hoof again to silence them before continuing. “I know, our old Queen wasn’t the nicest ‘ling of the lot, but it was ultimately her invasion of the Crystal Empire that led to me and my friends in Ponyville taking a stand against her. And, now that I sit here and see all your smiling faces, no longer starving, no longer afraid, and no longer hopeless...” He paused and smiled at all of them. “I now know that it was all worth it.”

Smiles broke out within the crowd, and a few Changelings even had tears in their eyes.

“Now, I know you’re all hungry, so I’ll finish this with one last thing,” Thorax continued with a chuckle as he stood up, grasping a mug full of mead with his hoof. “You all crowned me as king, but I don’t feel like one. I’m just a Changeling like any of you, and I don’t want to change that. The only difference is that I’m not traditional by any means. I know that sounds silly, standing here right now to start the feast, as is tradition since our Hive’s origins, but it’s the truth. When I left the Hive, I broke every tradition there was in the book, and bucked every trend that had been set. I don’t intend to stop it, and so, I want to announce that from here on out, things are going to change in the Hive.

“I’m not going to treat any of you like subjects, because I’m no better than any of you. We’re all equal, as Changelings, and we’re always changing together. When Chrysalis was kicked off the throne, it was just another change in our history, and now look at us! We’re healthier, stronger, faster, and happier than we’ve ever been. There’s only one thing that we’re missing: a purpose. Without the need to steal love, what use are we? What comes next for us? To be honest, I don’t know, but I’m hoping that we’ll find out together, if you’ll join me.” He raised up his mug into the air. “So how about it, huh?! Let’s live our lives to the fullest, keep this liveliness and joy going, and keep moving forward, no matter what comes our way! To the future, whatever it may hold!”

The Changelings all raised their mugs with him and cheered. “To the future!”

“Well then, what are you waiting for? Dig in!” Thorax yelled. Immediately the Changelings dove into the piles of food on the table with zeal and gusto that made Thorax laugh. The love that had saturated the air now felt intoxicating as it poured off of each Changeling in waves. Thorax closed his eyes and sighed as the love began to course through his veins, feeling it invigorate him.

And then the music started.

Instantly the mood changed in the Great Hall, and all eyes turned to the band in a corner of the room as they stood on their hind legs and played their violins, flutes, and drums with beaming smiles on their faces. Hooves began to tap on the floor, wings began to buzz, and heads began to bob in time with the music as the Changelings ate their food. Several of the teenagers and nymphs began an impromptu dance-off in front of the table, eliciting cheers from their parents and friends as the music picked up in tempo.

It was a sound they hadn’t heard in years, and it reached into their very souls and brought something to light that they hadn’t felt in so long: boundless, unlimited joy. Laughter and happy chatter filled the Great Hall, as did many more Changelings pouring in from the rest of the Hive to partake in the feast.

Was this what they had been missing from their lives for so long? Was this what it truly meant to be free, unconfined, and redeemed? If so, they never wanted it to end.

Thorax did his best to mingle with the crowd, joining in on several conversations and retelling his humble tale of how his friends saved the Hive with his help, making sure to downplay whatever achievements he had in the whole affair. Nevertheless, the other Changelings knew the truth, and constantly reminded him of that fact as they showered him with praise for his own efforts. Thorax could only blush and nod in meek, reluctant agreement with them. Who was he to deny them, after all?

As he finished retelling his story to a group of nymphs for the third time, a Changeling couple walked up to him, one blue and the other green, and waved him over. When he reached them, the blue stallion asked, “King Thorax, I know that today might not be the best time to ask, but my wife and I are wondering, once the feast is over and things get back to normal, what are we going to do?” His wife nodded with a smile.

Thorax mulled over the question, putting a hoof to his chin. He, of course, had given it plenty of thought before, and while he had an overarching goal for the Hive itself, how that goal was going to come to fruition he didn’t know. In any case, it was far too sudden to start enact any sweeping changes right away, he needed to ease the Hive into it. With these thoughts in mind, he looked at the couple and answered, “Well, right now I think we should take this moment to relax a bit and enjoy ourselves. After that, we should look into rebuilding the Hive, and making it a bit more...I don’t know, unique? Less drab, maybe? Even some plants would be nice, and more lighting. Plus, our battle with Chrysalis left the Hive’s peak fairly damaged, so we really should get around to fixing that up.”

“And then?” the mare asked.

Thorax shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know, but I want to find out. Right now we just need a little time for ourselves first, though. Unleashing ourselves upon the world again is a little too soon, especially right off the heels of Chrysalis’s invasion.”

The two Changelings nodded. “Of course, we wouldn’t dream of rushing you or ruining our chances at good relations with the rest of the world. Laying low and rebuilding is wise,” said the stallion.

Thorax nodded back. “Was there anything else you needed?”

The two Changelings shook their heads and smiled. “Nope, that’s about it. Thanks, Thorax!” replied the mare as the two excused themselves.

Thorax waved at them as they left, then felt a tug at his leg as a few larvae and nymphs looked up at him with expectant eyes. Behind them, their parents looked on with knowing smirks. The Changeling king then froze as he felt something crawl up his neck with little hooves, and he craned his neck around to see a tiny larva blinking at him with bulbous, curious eyes. The little larva lifted up her forehooves and giggled at him and Thorax felt his heart melt at the sight. Picking up the larva with a hoof, Thorax deposited her on top of his head and sat down, letting the larva tower above all the other Changelings in the room with a look of glee on her chubby face.

Not to be forgotten, the other nymphs and larva all looked to each other and came to a silent agreement. Thorax had only a split second to realize what was happening before he was dog-piled by a sizable portion of the Hive’s young, tumbling backwards in a tangle of limbs, wings, horns, and tails while the surrounding Changeling adults cheered on their children, proclaiming it to be the next coup, with the larva hanging onto his head as the new Queen.

Thorax hoped they were joking, because he laughed along with them.





(The next day, in Canterlot Castle...)

RING-RING-RING-RING-RI--SMASH.

“Morning, Twilight,” said Spike as he sat on a chair, filing down his claws.

“Wake me when it’s the evening, so I can go back to sleep...” Twilight muttered, planting her face back on the pillow and letting the parts of the alarm clock slide off her hoof.

“Don’t think the ambassadors would like that, although I think Celestia might find it hilarious.”

Twilight’s eyes shot open and she blinked. “Oh.” Before Spike could say another word, Twilight shot off the bed, sending blankets and pillows flying everywhere as she dove into the bathroom attached to their shared quarters and began brushing her mane in front of the mirror, while brushing her teeth and preening her feathers with magic at the same time. Spike sent her a knowing smirk and shook his head as he hopped off the chair and grabbed a clipboard from the room’s desk.

“Spike, what’s on the agenda today?” Twilight asked, ending with a gargle of water and spitting into the sink.

“Breakfast in three minutes, preliminary ambassadorial meeting right after that, followed by a short recess, and then followed by the remaining items on the meeting’s docket. After that, Rarity wanted to visit the city shopping center, said something about getting a few crates of silk and cotton. We might want to join her to get a new alarm clock,” Spike answered, reading from the list. He glanced at the remains of the ladybug-shaped clock and frowned. “Uh, make that two alarm clocks, just in case. I don’t understand why you keep buying the ladybug ones.”

“Makes it less embarrassing when I smash them into itty-bitty bits,” Twilight answered without batting an eye as she got the last loose hairs in her mane straightened out.

“Uh-huh,” Spike deadpanned, flipping up the paper on the clipboard. “After that, we’re pretty much free until tonight. Fluttershy got us tickets to some show she had heard about from a couple excited foals: Five Nights at Furry’s, or something like that.”

“What’s it about?”

“Supposedly it’s got a rabbit, a chicken, a bear, and a fox in it, and a Pony trying to keep them all out of a room for some reason that everypony’s all tight-lipped about. Got great reviews, and Fluttershy’s bear friend is playing the starring role, somehow, so she’s excited about it.”

Twilight walked out of the bathroom and floated her saddlebags over to her, placing them on her back. At the same time, the sheets, blankets, and pillows all rearranged themselves on the bed to perfection. “Well, sounds like a full, rich day. Let’s see what’s for breakfast.”

Spike nodded and stuffed the clipboard into his backpack, following Twilight out of the room. The two Solar Guards at either side of the door stiffened and saluted her as she passed, then relaxed as Spike sighed and made a cutting motion with his claw next to his throat. The Alicorn and her assistant then made their way down several corridors to the massive and opulent dining hall, which was currently buzzing with activity.

Celestia and Luna were, of course, at the head of the long table, with Celestia cutting into a large pile of whipped cream-topped pancakes and Luna shamelessly biting into a pineapple --- a whole pineapple, skin and all. All along the remainder of the table sat their friends, each of them eating (or in Pinkie’s case, inhaling) their breakfasts. Rarity, naturally, had stuck with a daisy sandwich topped with tomato and pepper, with eggs as a side. Applejack and Rainbow were sharing a few apple pie slices with apple and orange juice, respectively. Fluttershy and Starlight stuck with the more traditional hay-bacon and eggs choice, with some buttered toast on the side. And Pinkie...

...Pinkie was giving the head chef a conniption with how many pancakes, fruit salads, cupcakes, muffins, and sundaes she was devouring, which was in itself not surprising or impressive in the least. In fact, Twilight knew that Pinkie was holding back for the sake of being a good guest. Still, it didn’t stop the nearby maids, butlers, and servers from eyeing the pink party Pony with looks of sheer terror.

Everypony’s eyes lit up when Twilight and Spike entered the room, and Starlight waved them over. “Twilight, Spike, there you are! You’ve gotta try these eggs, the cooks did some seriously screwy black magic or something to make them taste this good.”

“I can assure you that Head Chef Pepper Jack’s magic is strictly within his hooves and his spices, not his non-existent horn,” Celestia chuckled.

Luna raised an eyebrow slyly at her sister. “He has magic in his hooves, sister? In what ways?”

Rainbow’s eyes bulged and she spat out her orange juice across the table. Rarity, unfortunately, was in the direct line of fire, but without blinking or even looking up, she raised a small shield around her and her plate, letting the juice to simply slide down around her.

Celestia, for her part, simply smiled and took another bite of her pancakes. “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about, Lulu.”

Twilight gazed between the two Princesses with a scandalized look. Starlight chuckled at her expression and explained, “They’ve been going at each other like this for a while now. I think it’s a morning ritual for them, or something.”

“Who’s winning?” Spike asked.

“Celestia,” Applejack answered. “Ah’ve never seen a pony take anythin’ on the chin like that, not since mah pa.”

“So Twilight, how was your sleep?” Fluttershy asked with a smile.

“Pretty good! Although for some reason I kept dreaming about Dragons,” Twilight replied, grabbing a stack of three pancakes from the table and pouring syrup over them. “Purple ones.”

“That might’ve been the pitaya juice from last night disagreeing with you,” Rainbow joked, still cleaning up her own mess.

“Or me,” Spike shrugged, grabbing his own stack of pancakes.

“Yeah, maybe,” Twilight sighed, taking a bite and swallowing. “So, who are we meeting with?”

Celestia set down her fork and knife and wiped her face with a napkin. “We’ll be meeting with delegates from Saddle Arabia, Farasi, Yakyakistan, and the Griffon Empire. Ambassadors Zeli’ah and Haakim have been close friends of mine for a while now, and their countries have been allies of ours since Equestria’s founding. They’ll most assuredly understand things as we tell it, and will back us on any decision we make regarding the Changelings. Ambassador Fjord and Ambassador Gregory, however...they’ll be a little harder to convince.”

“Why’s that, Princess?” Rarity asked.

“The Yaks have only heard bad things about the Changelings from others, so they’ll need some convincing from us to get them on our side,” Luna explained. “The Griffons, on the other hoof, have been infiltrated and directly affected by the Changelings on several occasions in their history, and are even more wary than the Yaks. Gregory will want a full, detailed report on the situation, as well as assurances from all governments involved that they’re no longer a problem, otherwise he may advise his own government to do something...drastic.”

Pinkie finished off her last cupcake and bounced in her seat excitedly. “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, I can’t wait to see the Yaks again! They’re sooooo fun to be around!”

Twilight nodded, rubbing her hooves together. “And I’ve been meaning to get more direct information about Farasian and Saddle Arabian culture for a while. There’s only so much the Dusk Watch can tell me about them without me having to find a first-hoof source.”

“You’ve never visited their countries before, Twilight?” Starlight asked, turning to her.

“No! Can you believe it? I’ve wanted to for sooooo long, but I haven’t gotten the chance yet.”

“And the Griffons?” Rainbow asked.

“Well...after you and Pinkie went there last year, I figured it would be better to wait until things got a little better there first before I visit,” Twilight answered.

“Actually Twilight, Griffonstone isn’t the only city the Griffons have,” Celestia said, sipping at some tea. “It’s more of a slum city for the lower class, really. The merchant city of Cobblerock, the capital city of Graymourne, the industrial city of Kouma, and the Hall of Unity are all still standing.”

“Well, even a thousand or so years later, Graymourne is still a bunch of ruins...” Luna added sheepishly.

“And who’s fault was that, sister?” Celestia asked, glaring at her.

“In my defense,” Luna countered, raising a hoof. “Emperor Grendel did insult Princess Amore’s flanks. I felt it was well within my rights to--”

“Take. The fights. Outside the city!” Celestia emphasized, slapping a hoof to her face with every syllable.

“I said I was sorry, what more do you want?”

“We went to war with them!” her sister roared.

Luna huffed and crossed her hooves. “Which lasted all of three days; and we won, with my pride and dignity as the only two real casualties.”

“And all of Graymourne being a pile of rubble, which they literally cannot fix because the graystone they used to build it doesn’t exist anymore!”

Luna smirked and waved a dismissive hoof. “Details, details, nobody was really hurt. Besides, Grendel deserved it, the old toad.” Celestia groaned and buried her head under her wings.

“Um, Princesses?” Rarity asked, tapping her fetlock.

Celestia sighed. “Right, explanations and arguments can wait. The important thing to note is that the Griffon Empire is far bigger than just Griffonstone. Each city has a king or minister, and all answer to the Emperor in Graymourne. The Changelings recently tried to unseat the current Emperor a few years back, so they’re understandably wary over the prospect of them ‘being good’ now.”

“Well,” said Twilight, shovelling the last few bites of her pancakes into her mouth and swallowing. “Since we’re all done here, we should probably go meet them and set the record straight.”

“Oh joy, more talking...” Rainbow muttered. “I hate this dry stuff! Can’t you guys just go on without me?”

“Sorry partner,” Applejack replied. “But if we’ve gotta suffer through it, we’re all gonna do it.”

“That, and the ambassadors would find your absence disrespectful,” Rarity added.

“So would the Wonderbolts, but you don’t see them complaining!” Rainbow countered.

“Girls, please, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get on with our normal, quiet, unassuming lives in Ponyville,” Starlight said, tapping a hoof on the table.

“Um, it’s not that quiet...” Fluttershy murmured as she and the other Bearers hopped off their chairs.

“That’s the joke, Flutters,” Rainbow said, patting Fluttershy’s shoulder with a pitying smile.

“Wastin’ time, wastin’ time, wastin’ time...” Applejack murmured, dragging Rainbow by the tail with her teeth.

After thanking the servants and cooks for the meal, the Princesses, the Elements, Starlight, and Spike all made their way out of the dining hall and towards the throne room. Curiously, there seemed to be a lot more Solar Guards patrolling the halls this morning, and when Twilight asked Celestia about it, all she received in reply was a confused shrug.

Twilight’s face soured. If even Celestia didn’t know why the Solar Guard were more numerous today, it was very concerning. She hoped that nothing was wrong.

After a few minutes of meandering through the castle in relative silence (the only interruptions being Pinkie and Rarity ooh’ing and aah’ing at almost every painting and vase along the corridors), the group reached the throne room, the doors to which were closed with Captain Shield Wall pacing in front of them. When he noticed the Princesses, he quickly straightened himself and saluted.

“Princess Celestia, ma’am, the delegates are ready and waiting inside,” he reported.

Celestia nodded. “Thank you, Shield Wall. Before we go in, can you tell us why there’s so many Solar Guards in the halls this morning?”

Shield Wall grimaced. “Ah, an unfortunate precaution, Princess. I apologize for not telling you sooner, but we had a break-in last night.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Was it serious?”

“No. As far as we can tell, nothing was stolen and nopony was hurt, Your Highness,” Shield Wall replied. “We also did several scans of the castle, interior and exterior, and the mages have concluded that nothing is amiss or out of place. That’s why I didn’t think it would be necessary to disturb either of you during your nightly duties or sleep. The perpetrator is unknown at the moment, but I already several Paladin mages investigating. If anypony can find out who broke in, they can.”

Celestia nodded. “Good, good, you seem to have everything well in hoof. However, I expect to be notified next time, even if it’s seemingly unimportant.”

Shield Wall nodded and bowed his head. “Of course, Your Highness. My deepest and most sincere apologies.”

“Just don’t let it happen again,” Luna chided, then turned to the others. “Well, let’s not keep the vipers waiting.”

“Luna!” Celestia admonished, poking her with a wingtip. “Haakim and Zeli’ah are not ‘vipers’.”

“Perhaps, but they work for them,” Luna countered.

Celestia rolled her eyes, and her horn light up with a golden hue. The doors to the throne room then swung open, and the group of Ponies once more entered the throne room. This time, four finely-dressed creatures sat waiting for them in prepared chairs around a circular, oak table. One was a Zebra with red stripes all over her white coat, wearing a golden silk robe with a blue sash over her left shoulder. Her mane was a vibrant red like her stripes, her eyes were brown, and she wore an elegant jewelled headband that had Rarity swooning. She bore a friendly, welcoming countenance and was calmly sipping at a cup of herbal tea.

The second was a tall Saddle Arabian, another Equine race similar to Ponies, but more lanky and angular. This one was a brown-furred stallion with a light gold mane and purple eyes, with a blue, cyan, and orange cape draped over his back, bearing the symbol of Saddle Arabia: an upside-down crescent moon with a five-pointed star above it. Like the Zebra mare, he had a kind look in his eyes that spoke of great wisdom and a gentleness of a light breeze, yet his proud stance spoke of firm inner strength.

The third was a large, black-furred, extremely furry Yak with enormous, curved horns. His eyes were hidden behind a large tuft of his fur, but that didn’t seem to stop him from seeing what was in front of him. On his head was a ceremonial helmet of iron and fur, and on his humped back was a dark blue cloak lined with white and decorated with patterns of stripes and triangles. He was easily the largest and physically strongest of the four delegates.

The fourth was a green-furred, black-feathered Griffon, tall, proud, haughty, and scowling. He wore nothing but a scarlet sash over his chest, bearing the Griffon Empire’s seal on a leaf of gold stitched into the sash. His golden eyes were narrowed, and the Elements could tell that he had been arguing rather harshly with the other delegates, judging by his expression and ruffled feathers.

These were Zeli’ah, Haakim, Fjord, and Gregory, the four ambassadors that had requested to see them. Even before anypony said anything, they all could tell it was going to be a long, exhausting meeting.

Zeli’ah’s eyes lit up when she saw Celestia and Luna, and she set down her tea and smiled at them. “My friends, my friends, thank you for coming!”

Haakim nodded with her. “It has been a long time since we’ve seen each other, Celestia and Luna.” He turned to the others and smiled. “Ah, and of course, these must be the Element Bearers. Welcome, my friends. Many tales have been told in my country of your heroism and valor.”

Twilight blushed and bowed her head. “It’s an honor to meet you all, ambassadors.”

The massive Yak bellowed out a laugh and smacked Gregory on the back, causing the Griffon to lurch forward and nearly fall. “HA! Yak no need no titles among friends. Fjord is my name, Princess Twilight. Fjord pleased as punch to meet new Ponies!”

“Hiya Fjordie!” Pinkie cried, hopping up to him and waving a hoof. “I met with your Prince when he came to Ponyville a couple years back. He was cool!”

“Yes, Prince Rutherford very cool,” Fjord agreed, grinning. “Coolest of all Yaks! Yaks like him very much. He sends regards to all Ponies.”

Twilight stepped forward and smiled. “Well, in that case, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends: Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike.”

Zeli’ah dipped her head in a respectful nod. “And I am Zeli’ah, daughter of the Red Sky Tribe.”

Haakim put a hoof to his chest and bowed. “Haakim, son of Achmed, humble servant.”

Fjord stamped a cloven hoof on the floor (making Celestia wince slightly as the marble cracked). “Fjord, elder brother to Prince Rutherford and proud warrior.” Pinkie gasped at this, and immediately pulled out a notebook from her mane and scribbled something in it, before hiding it again.

“And I,” said the Griffon, spreading his wings wide. “Am Gregory, appointed ambassador of the Griffon Empire, servant of His Glorious Majesty Emperor Gaston the Second, and Lord of Cobblerock.” He pulled his wings back to his sides, and he never lost his frown.

Twilight’s smile grew with the first three ambassadors, and fell just slightly at the colder reception from the Griffon; not enough to be noticed visibly, only if somepony was paying attention. Nevertheless, she bowed her head at the four of them equally and motioned with a wing to the table. “Well then, now that we’re all introduced, shall we begin?”

Haakim nodded and pulled out his chair. “Of course, Princess Twilight. We have much to discuss.”

“Starting with these Changelings,” said Gregory sitting down and leaning over the table at Twilight, who had just taken her seat alongside her friends. “And why none of us were informed of the situation, or that the Changelings were this organized and prepared to launch a surgical strike against arguably one of the most powerful nations of the world.”

Rainbow groaned and slapped both of her forehooves against her face, dragging them down and pulling at the skin under her eyes. Twilight rolled her eyes at her antics and turned her attention towards Gregory with a sigh.

This was going to be a long day.





“’You want speed, I’ll show you speed!’ Idiot...” Zephyr muttered angrily to himself. “Dragons are not speedsters like Ponies! We can do long-distance endurance flights, but not speedy ones. Ember knows this, but noooo, she asked for speed, so speed I gave. And I’m gonna kill her for it. Someone really needs to invent a better mail service...”

His wings ached, his stomach growled, his eyes drooped from sleep, his mind was foggy, and he felt like he had seen the same green hill, spiky mountain, forest, or river the past sixteen times. Maybe he did, and his mind just didn’t register it in time for him to notice before he passed over them. Had he been flying in circles? Maybe, he didn’t know or care anymore. He just wanted to get the message to Canterlot, and then hire an old granny somewhere to knit him a noose. It wouldn’t do anything for him, of course, but it was the thought that counted.

He needed a vacation.

A flicker of light shone in his eyes, and he winced and squinted, seeing a massive white pillar with a golden roof in front of him. His eyes shot open, and he let out a yelp of surprise before he smacked face-first into a large tower on the outer walls of Canterlot. His body hung there for a moment, simply sticking to the tower wall before it slowly peeled off and he fell to the parapets below, leaving a Zephyr-shaped imprint in the tower.

The Unicorn Solar Guards on the walls stared at him as he landed in a heap on his back, not saying a word or even blinking, merely glaring at him as they pointed spears, crossbows, and swords at him. From among the crowd of Guards, a lone Pegasus Paladin walked towards him and drew a sword from her side with a hoof and pressed the point against his head.

Zephyr cracked open an eye and looked at her staring at him through her visor, before opening up a corner of his mouth and spitting out a tooth from his impact, which flew through the air and smacked a helmet off of one of the nearby Guards. Then he grinned at her. “Hello there! I’m Zephyr, fastest messenger of the Eastern Lair. I’ve got a message for one Princess Celestia from Dragon Lord Ember. Where can I find her?”

The Paladin said nothing, nor did any of the Guards.

Zephyr hummed. “Look, I just flew for thirty-ish hours. I’m tired, I’m grumpy, I’m peeved, and worst of all, I’m hungry. Y’all are looking mighty tasty right now, so unless you want this to get ugly, point me in the direction of the nearest Princess so I can deliver this stupid scroll to her. That way, I can get a nap, and maybe a lava bath if I can locate one.” He held up the scroll, which bore the seal of Dragon Lord Ember. “You can check the seal if you want, but don’t open it. It’s for the Princess’s eyes only.”

The Paladin let out a grunt and sheathed her sword, grabbing the scroll from his claw and looking intently at the seal. She studied it for several long moments before nodding to the Guards, who all relaxed and returned to their posts. She then handed the scroll back to Zephyr and motioned with a wing for him to follow her.

“You’re not a very talkative fella, aren’t you?” Zephyr asked, returning the scroll to his satchel.

She glared at him. “No.”

“Ooooh...” he winced. “Girl, right. Sorry. And sorry about the tower.”

“No need,” the Paladin muttered through her visor, pointing to several Unicorns who were already repairing the damage, as if he had never even smashed into the tower in the first place.

Zephyr let out a whistle. “Niiiice...”

The Paladin began walking towards the Castle, waving for him to follow. “This way.” Zephyr nodded mutely and followed after her, smirking at the odd looks the city’s residents were giving him.





“So it’s true, then?” Zeli’ah said, sipping at her tea. “The Changelings are free from their Queen and now seek peaceful cooperation and relations with the nations around them?”

Starlight, who had just finished giving her full account of her adventure with Trixie, Thorax, and Discord (for the fourth or fifth time, she had lost count), nodded with a smile. “It’s all true, you have my word.”

Fjord snorted, sending a tuft of fur away from his eyes. He looked thoughtful as he leaned back, which made Luna and Celestia cringe slightly as they heard the creaks of protest from the relatively tiny chair he sat on.

Haakim bowed his head towards Starlight. “Princess Twilight has trained you well, it seems, Miss Glimmer. You have our sincerest thanks for dealing with the Changeling problem before it could get even more out of hoof.”

Starlight flushed and sat back, rubbing the back of her head. “Well...it almost did.”

“But it didn’t,” Twilight reminded her, sending a warm smile her way and putting a hoof on her shoulder. “You took every lesson I taught you about friendship and applied them the best way you could, and because of it, the Changelings now no longer have anything to fear. I’m so proud of you!”

“Do they?” Gregory murmured.

Everypony looked at him, and Pinkie tilted her head to the right. “Huh?” she asked.

Gregory cleared his throat and spoke louder. “Do the Changelings really have nothing to fear? As Miss Glimmer here has already told us, their former Queen is still on the loose, and the chances are high that not every Changeling went along with the coup. There could very well be a force still loyal to Queen Chrysalis out there.” Seeing the contemplative expressions forming on everypony’s faces, he smirked. “Plus, there’s also us to consider.”

“What about us?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow. Even Rainbow looked more attentive now as she furrowed her brow.

“We were their sworn enemies,” he replied evenly. “Equestrians, Zebras, Yaks, Griffons, Reindeer, Saddle Arabians, Dragons, Diamond Dogs, Minotaurs, Kelpies, even Kirins and the other Lost Races --- we’ve all been affected by the Changelings in one way or another. They are surrounded on all sides by former enemies, and as much as you Ponies wish to make peace, not everyone else will be so willing.”

Celestia sighed and sent Twilight a somber look. “He’s right, you know. It will be an uphill battle if the Changelings wish to become friends.”

Twilight tapped a hoof on the table. “I refuse to accept that the Changelings can’t have a place in the world! They want to make amends, and they deserve a chance.”

“Hear, hear,” Starlight chimed in.

“Yeah!” Rainbow exclaimed, punching the air. “Just because they were bad before doesn’t mean they can’t change. Thorax proved that.”

Fjord nodded. “Rainbow Pony correct, to a degree,” he rumbled. “Changelings not so bad now, as pretty Glimmer Pony said.” (Starlight’s face went red, and Rarity giggled.) “Want to change? Give them a chance. But watch them. May change minds later just like they change sides now.”

“I concur,” Zeli’ah said with a nod, putting her empty teacup down. “Caution is wise, but as Equestria has taught us, opening our hooves in friendship often solves many problems more than it causes them.” Haakim nodded in agreement with her.

“One day you’ll open your hooves once too often,” Gregory warned. “And to the wrong people. I’m not saying we shouldn’t give the Changelings a chance, all I’m saying is that we must pursue all options in case this goes south. To that end, I will be contacting my government and advise that we close our borders to all Changelings and enact several policies relating to Changeling detection, just until we’re certain that they can be trusted. If Equestria wishes to be the hotbed of Changeling relations, then we shall watch them closely.”

Luna sighed. “I wish it didn’t have to come down to that, but we won’t dictate policy to the Griffon Empire. What you do within your borders is your business, but I do wish you would reconsider.”

Gregory shook his head. “All of what I’ve heard today hasn’t convinced me that the Changelings are no longer a threat. I’m sure Miss Glimmer is telling the truth with her report, and I have nothing but respect for a Pony who would willingly dive into danger to rescue not only her rulers but also her friends from the very heart of enemy territory, but I cannot advise His Glorious Majesty to open up the entire Empire to these creatures until we are certain they no longer mean us harm. I’m sorry, but this is final.”

Celestia nodded gravely. “Then we shall issue a formal protest, and leave it at that.”

Gregory shrugged. “Noted, have it your way.”

Twilight looked to the other ambassadors. “And what about the rest of you?”

Haakim stood up and put a hoof to his chest. “Saddle Arabia stands with Equestria, now and forever. We will defer to whatever decision Their Highnesses Celestia and Luna make. In this we trust their judgment.”

Zeli’ah smiled at Twilight. “The realm of Farasi will also stand by the Princesses of the Sun and Moon.”

Fjord grunted and leaned forward, much to his chair’s distress. “Yak will discuss with Prince Rutherford, make informed decision then. Will have response soon.”

Rarity let out a breath she had been holding. “Well, I suppose that’s the least we could ask for.”

“On one condition,” Fjord added, causing Twilight’s ears to perk up. He pointed to Pinkie. “Prince Rutherford likes party Pony. Wants to order cupcakes.”

Pinkie leapt out of her chair and gasped as she hung in the air, zipping over to his side in an instant with a notepad in hoof. She had gone into her Serious Business Mode. “What color does he want? What style of frosting? Any flavors he likes or dislikes? Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry shortcake, what? Light sugar or ALL the sugar? Does he want a dozen or two dozen? Three dozen? FOUR?! Does he like cherries on top? And sprinkles, tell me he likes sprinkles! I must. Know. Everything!!”

Fjord moved his face closer to her and brushed the fur away from his face, blinking at her with large blue eyes. “Vanilla taste. No sprinkles. Light sugar. Chocolate frosting. Cherry on top. Eight dozen. Big celebration in three days, harvest season.”

Pinkie’s hooves flew across the notepad until her pencil was literally smoking. “Done and done! You’ll have them tomorrow!”

Fjord shook his head. “Cupcakes go bad before Yak celebration. Three days.”

“Not these ones!” Pinkie declared, sweeping her forehooves up in the air. “These are made with love and tender care, and they won’t go bad.”

“I can see why the Changelings want to be friends,” Haakim quipped. “What a joy it must be to live a life such as hers.”

“We went from matters of national security to discussing cupcake flavors,” muttered Gregory, rubbing a claw down his beak. “I can see Equestrian politics haven’t changed in the last few centuries.”

Celestia’s ears swivelled to the throne room doors just as they opened, revealing a lone Paladin mare. “Your Highness, urgent message for you from the Dragon lands,” she called.

Celestia rolled her eyes and looked sheepishly at the other ambassadors. “My apologies, I’ll be back in a moment.”

“’Tis not a problem, Princess,” Zeli’ah replied. “Take your time. We only have a few other minor matters to discuss anyway.”

Celestia nodded and slipped away from the table, glaring sternly at the Paladin in the doorway as she approached her. “I told the guards and Captain Shield Wall that I was in an important meeting. Can’t this wait?”

“Apparently not, Your Highness,” the Paladin replied, craning her head back. “She’s here. Deliver your message and begone.”

“Yeesh, for Ponies, y’all are very grouchy,” said a male, slightly nasally voice. A tall, blue Dragon stepped towards the door and gave a bow of his head to the Princess. “Princess Celestia, right?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “To whom do I have the pleasure?”

“Name’s Zephyr, fastest courier in the Eastern Lair,” Zephyr replied, digging around in his satchel. “Come on, ya little bugger...ah, here it is.” He pulled out the scrolled and handed it to her. “Straight from Dragon Lord Ember.”

“Can it wait?” Celestia asked, taking it in her magic. “I’m in the middle of--”

“Trust me, Princess, I don’t even have to know what the scroll says to know what it’s about. I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Zephyr interrupted, a serious expression adorning his face. “Once you open that scroll, you’re gonna drop everything. This is more important.”

Something in Zephyr’s voice stalled Celestia’s, and she looked at the sealed scroll in wonder and a twinge of worry. She nodded to the Paladin. “Sergeant, please take Mr. Zephyr to the guest quarters. Give him whatever he needs.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Zephyr said with a grin. “Um, if it’s not too much to ask, do ya happen to have any lava for a bath?”

Celestia blinked. “I...don’t believe we do, I’m sorry.”

Zephyr clicked his tongue. “Dang. Ah well, a bed sounds nice, at least. Catch ya later! Let me know when you’re heading to the Lair, I’ll join ya.” With a wave of his claw, he followed the Paladin mare down the hall.

Celestia furrowed her brow as she watched him leave. Since when was she going to the Dragon lands? She looked back down at the scroll, and then turned and entered the throne room once more. The ambassadors and the Element Bearers were discussing a few small points regarding various new policies and laws being passed, and Twilight was busy writing them all down as fast as she could, with Spike carefully unrolling a scroll for her as she wrote on it.

As she walked, Celestia broke open the seal on the scroll she carried in her magic and opened it, glancing at the words. She suddenly froze mid-step, and her eyes widened. She moved the scroll closer to her face and began reading at a more rapid pace until she reached the very end. Then she read it again. Then a third time. And then she gave herself a pinch with her magic and read it a fourth time just to be sure.

Just as the ambassadors were about to discuss the latest developments in Farasi, including the ongoing Dusk Watch operations there, Celestia tossed the scroll onto the table in front of them, silencing all conversation as they stared at her. The expression she bore spoke volumes, as did the tone in her voice. “Read it.” It wasn’t a request.

Twilight and Luna looked at her in worry, and Starlight grasped the scroll in her magic and quickly glanced over it. Like Celestia, her expression switched from curiosity to full-blown astonishment, and she passed it to Twilight. Spike and the rest of the mares crowded around Twilight to get a peek as she began to read aloud:



To Princess Celestia, Diarch of Equestria;
To Princess Luna, Diarch of Equestria;
To Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship,

Greetings.

This is an urgent request from Dragon Lord Ember to come to the Eastern Lair immediately. Very recently, a massive portal opened up in Halflinger Grove, and deposited an entire city onto our lands. This city is heavily-defended, and the inhabitants are unlike anything we’ve ever seen, except for one. One of the three inhabitant races is Draconic in nature, but unlike any Dragons known to exist. They bore markings and armor that are alien to us. Another race is almost like a mole, but they are highly advanced in technology. I’ve seen cannons on the walls that look powerful enough to punch a hole through a mountain.

We’re not experts in the fields of magic, especially not portal magic, so I, Dragon Lord Ember, request your help as soon as possible. They’ve already started to send out scouts, and we’re unsure of their intentions. If they’re hostile, my Dragons will fight tooth and nail for our home, but we don’t know if we’ll win or not. Come quickly.

Signed,
Dragon Lord Ember, Daughter of Torch, Lord of the Eastern Lair



Celestia had barely opened her mouth to speak before Twilight let out such a shrill cry of joy and delight that it sent everypony in the room nearly jumping into the rafters. The Princess of Friendship then let off a stream of incomprehensible squeals and demands, which Celestia could only catch a few words of. Something to do with “research”, “greatest discovery in our time”, “first contact”, and “choose me please or I’ll hold your head chef hostage”.

Realizing that her prime source of culinary delights (including her precious black forest cake) was at risk, Celestia blinked away her surprise and cleared her throat, causing Twilight to pause mid-rant and look up at her former mentor with an expression of childlike glee and innocence. “Yes, Princess Celestia?” she asked sweetly.

“You can’t go.”

Twilight blinked. Then her jaw dropped, her mane wilted about as much as Pinkie’s, and her ears flopped down, her hopes, dreams, and desires crushed with those three little words. “But...but...”

“Not without backup,” Celestia added with a smirk.

The wind was immediately squeezed out of Celestia’s lungs as she was snugly assaulted by the younger Princess, who had thrown her hooves around her and buried her head into Celestia’s chest fur. “OhthankyouthankyouTHANKYOU!” Twilight cried, her exclamations muffled from being buried in Celestia’s fur.

Celestia glanced at the others, a plea for help in her eyes, and Luna conspicuously began to look at the painted walls around her, admiring them with a gaze she had never shown before. The ambassadors merely sat back and ignored the entire scene, and all of Twilight’s friends looked about ready to join in on the hug. Even Rainbow Dash, ever in denial, held her face in her hooves and was smiling.

Twilight released Celestia from her grip and whirled around to face Spike, beaming at him. “Spike, pack our bags, we’re going home. We’ll need notebooks, LOTS of notebooks. And pencils, and my journals, and maps, and--”

“Whoa there, sugarcube,” Applejack exclaimed, cutting her off. “Aren’t ya forgettin’ somethin’?”

Twilight thought for a moment and then flinched, turning her head towards the bemused ambassadors. “Um, right, sorry ambassadors. In light of this new discovery, can we finish this some other time?”

“Of course, child,” Zeli’ah replied, her voice soothing. “We all understand that desire to see new things for the first time. In fact, I remember my first experience with a warp gate...fascinating device, that. Scared the stripes off my sister’s back, though.” She giggled at the thought.

“Yak no understand,” Fjord interjected. “Yaks like old stuff better, more traditional, less headache. This Dragon city? Magic portals? Biiiig headache, much annoyance.”

“On that note, why don’t we just take the warp gate here?” Rarity asked. “It would be much quicker getting back to Ponyville that way.”

“Down for repairs, unfortunately,” Luna sighed. “A power crystal exploded as it was connecting the pylon to the portal network. Nopony was hurt, thank the stars, but it’ll be down for a few months until the next crystal can be carved out and enchanted with the proper protection and teleportation spells.”

Rainbow let out a whistle. “That’s a long time.”

“A pity,” Gregory mumbled. “I was hoping to use it to return home tonight. Ah well, I suppose traditional messaging will have to do for now.”

“Well, I suppose there’s no better time than to end the meeting now,” Haakim suggested. “Besides, I believe this new development must be communicated to our respective governments as soon as possible.”

“Agreed,” said Celestia. “We can resume this meeting at another point in time, when things are less urgent.”

Everypony stood up from their seats and exchanged cordial goodbyes, with Gregory even stepping up to Starlight to shake her hoof before departing. Zeli’ah promised to send Fluttershy the recipe for her herbal tea, and Haakim gave Twilight his copy of the Eque’ran, which he said was a holy book from his kingdom that would tell her much of their culture (she accepted this about as well as Pinkie would if offered a thousand cupcakes). Finally, invitations to Yakyakistan’s harvest celebration were offered to all the Element Bearers, Spike, and Starlight by Fjord, which they graciously accepted, although they wondered if they were going to make it.

After all, it wasn’t just everyday that a city full of alien Dragons and mole creatures suddenly appeared out of nowhere.





(Ponyville outskirts, Everfree Forest)

A nudge to his side wasn’t enough to wake him, nor was the push, nor even the light slap on his back, so Cynder took a deep breath and let loose her last resort: a very shrill cry directly in his face.

The result was instant, and Spyro leapt up into the air with a shout of surprise and fear, clinging to the underside of a thick tree branch above his resting spot even as Cynder rolled around on the grass below, laughing her fool head off. He scowled at her and lowered himself to the ground. “Oh sure, Fear Element to the face to wake a guy, why don’t you?”

“Oh come on, Spyro, it’s not that bad. You’ve faced much worse anyway. Besides, it’s ten o’clock, if we want to figure out where we are, I’d say it’s time we start asking the locals.”

“Locals, right...” Spyro muttered, shaking the cobwebs out of his head. “How long have you been awake?”

“Couple hours,” Cynder replied. “Tried to scrounge for some food again without getting too close to town, and I found a couple raccoons. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.” She pointed to two freshly-killed and roasted carcasses, one of which was mostly stripped down to the bone. “Already had my fill, the rest is yours.”

“Thanks Cyn, you’re a life-saver,” Spyro said, spearing the meat with his talons and taking a bite. As he ate, he looked at the town in the distance, eyeing the clock tower with interest as it struck ten, causing bells to ring. “What about the town?”

“No change there,” Cynder answered as she followed his gaze and sat next to him. “Which is good, it means that we haven’t been found. Although, I did see a couple Ponies in armor walking around; probably the town guard.”

“Makes sense,” Spyro mused, taking another bite. “Anything else?”

“There seems to be three kinds of Ponies, from what I can tell. Some have horns, some have wings, others have neither. I saw the horned ones perform some kind of magic, and a couple of the flying ones were pushing clouds around.”

“Eh, we’ve seen stranger things, I suppose,” Spyro shrugged, taking his last bite of meat and tossing the bones in a pile. He looked back at the forest behind them and gave a small frown. “You know, in the morning, it doesn’t look as scary or dense. More sad than anything.”

“Maybe some kind of dark magic?” Cynder suggested.

“Maybe...” Spyro murmured, wiping his claws on the ground and licking flecks of meat from his teeth. “Well, we’ve rested, we’ve eaten, and like you said, I think its time we have a chat with the natives.”

“Yeah, it’s about time we got some answers around here,” Cynder nodded in agreement, standing up and looking back at the town. “Sooooo...how do you want to do this?”

“Well, we’re about the same height as them, so our size shouldn’t scare them,” Spyro replied. “Plus, going in all sneakily would only raise even more red flags.”

“So the plan’s just to waltz in and say hi?”

Spyro shrugged. “Pretty much. It’s not like we’re going to attack or anything.”

Cynder laughed and lightly punched him in the shoulder. “Spyro, you’re about as subtle as Sparx on a good day, and twice as handsome.”

“Thank you,” Spyro said, before doing a double take and looking at her. “Wait, what?”

“Come on!” she laughed, trudging from the forest towards the town while running her tail under his chin.

Spyro blinked and his face turned red at the sight, and then followed her with a slight wobble in his legs. The soon fell into step next to each other and approached the town from the main road, noticing a sign which they briefly stopped to read: Welcome to Ponyville, Equestria’s Quietest Town --- Population: 12,000.

After passing the sign, they soon reached the first house on the outskirts of the town, noting the lack of movement within, as well as the “for sale!” sign on the front lawn. Still no one was around to see them, although the two Dragons could clearly hear the expected noises coming from the town: hooves galloping, children laughing, Ponies talking loudly and happily, cart wheels squeaking in protest of their loads, bells ringing, and even the occasional whistle from an inbound train, just to name a few. Clearly the sign had been a bit of an exaggeration.

Finally, they reached the town’s outer reaches, and, taking a deep breath, stepped into Ponyville. They were at the edge of a wide, open area surrounded by houses and market stalls, with cobblestone covering the space between the buildings. The whole area was crowded with Ponies, all of them going about their business, whether it be selling their produce, talking with their neighbors, gardening in front of their homes, playing in the streets, or even just relaxing on benches. In the center of the square sat a fountain with a statue in the middle, the water emerging from a stone jug in the statue’s hooves, and in front of it was a short pillar of white stone crowned with a purple crystal in the shape of an upside down pyramid. The pyramid glowed softly with magical light, and several sparks crackled along its edges. Most of the Ponies wandering the square were avoiding the pillar, although a few glanced with curious eyes before turning aside to continue on their walk.

At first, nothing happened when Spyro and Cynder stepped into the proverbial spotlight, and Ponies simply walked past them without so much as a glance their way. Then, a trio of colorful mares selling flowers from a booth noticed the two strangers in their midst and gasped loudly and pointed, drawing the attention of several other mares and stallions in the street. Soon the entire area had quieted down, and a sizable crowd had formed, all of them staring at the two Dragons in silent worry.

Spyro, being the friendly Purple Dragon that he was, lifted a claw and waved it, smiling as he did. “Hello!” he exclaimed.

“DRAGON ATTACK!!!!” one of the flower mares, the pink one with a green mane, screamed before promptly fainting into a bouquet.

“The horror, the horror!” her red-maned companion said before following her example. The third mare simply shrieked and ran off to parts unknown.

In an instant, the town had turned upside down and inside out, as Ponies screamed and panicked and scrambled to get away from the supposed “invaders”. They rushed into houses and boarded up windows and doors faster than Spyro or Cynder could even blink, even pulling in the welcoming mats out of fear. A trio of young foals riding a wagon and scooter skidded to a stop in the middle of the scene, saw what was going on, and immediately turned around and went back the way they came without making a sound. In moments, the entire square was deserted, all the window shutters were closed, the doors latched, and the market booths abandoned.

As if to emphasize the point, a tumbleweed blew in from one of the alleyways, thumping softly in front of Spyro and Cynder as it crossed the road. Where it came from, neither of them knew, especially since they weren’t anywere near a desert.

Cynder turned her head and stared at Spyro, with Spyro doing the same to her. “Was it something I said?” he wondered aloud.

Before Cynder could answer, a cherry-furred, golden-maned mare came hurtling down the street towards them. It was the third florist, and following close behind her was a large host of the armored Ponies Cynder had seen before. In seconds they reached the two Dragons, completely surrounding them. Most of them were of the horned variety, and were pointing said horns at the Dragons threateningly, with each horn tip charging some kind of magic bolt. A few others had wings, and were wielding crossbows and javelins, all of them aimed at them. However, none of the Ponies attacked; they were merely waiting, either for orders or for the Dragons to make the first move.

Cynder spread her legs in an aggressive stance and opened her mouth, a small lick of black flames emerging. Spyro held out a claw and shook his head. “No, they’re not attacking yet,” he hissed.

“I know, neither am I,” Cynder replied with a smirk. “But I’m letting them know that if they make the first move, I’ll be making the last.”

“Hold your fire!” bellowed a male voice from behind the line of guards. Three of the Ponies stepped aside, letting a grey-furred, blue-maned stallion with wings in the same violet armor as the rest step forward. Unlike the other guards, however, he had two red markings on his helmet, signifying his status as their commander. Without another word, he stepped closer to Spyro and Cynder until he was within five feet, then stopped and looked them over with a scowl.

“Um, hi there,” Spyro said. “Are you--”

“What are you two doing here in Equestria?” the stallion growled. “Our scouts along the border would’ve notified us if unannounced Dragons had illegally crossed the borders. I hope you two have a good reason for violating our treaty with your kind so recklessly.”

Spyro and Cynder glanced at each other in confusion before Spyro spoke up again. “Uh, yeah, see, that’s what we’ve been trying to say. I think we got off on the wrong foot here. My name’s Spyro, and this is Cynder.”

The stallion nodded. “And I am Captain Silver Moon, commander of the Dusk Watch under Princess Twilight Sparkle. State your business here, and be quick about it.”

“Well, we’re kinda new here,” Spyro explained, relaxing just slightly. “We’re not exactly sure where we are, how we got here, or how to get back home.”

Silver nodded. “The Dragon Lands are due southeast from here, across the ocean. Can’t miss it, giant volcano and basalt slabs surrounded by rain forest, jungle, and ocean.”

“Ever heard of Warfang? The Dragon City?” Cynder asked.

Silver put a hoof to his chin. “No, can’t say that I have. Didn’t even know you Dragons had any cities, I thought they all lived in caves.”

Cynder looked at Spyro with worry in her eyes, the fire dying in her mouth. “Spyro...”

“Okay...then I just have one question for you,” Spyro asked, his tone becoming grave. “I have a feeling I know the answer to this already, but I have to ask it anyway. Did any of you experience some kind of world-shattering event recently? And I mean that in the most literal sense? Fire, death, destruction all over the place, followed by a wave of healing magic that fixed everything?”

Silver arched an eyebrow, and the Dusk Watchers behind him shifted on their hooves nervously. “A few years back the Centaur Tirek attacked, and nearly burned down the entire countryside in an effort to kill Princess Twilight and steal her magic, but she fixed all that up years ago. Is that recent enough for you?”

“...I see...” Spyro muttered, hanging his head sadly. “So it’s true, then.”

“Spyro,” Cynder whispered urgently. “What’s going on?”

“We’re in another world, Cynder,” Spyro replied, looking up at her. “This whole time, we’ve been stranded in another world. I don’t even know if we even saved ours from its death or not.”

Cynder’s jaw opened and closed, but no sound emerged. It couldn’t be true, and yet...all the evidence pointed to it. One moon instead of two, Pony creatures unlike anything they had ever seen, and Spyro said that even the ground they walked on felt foreign. It was true. It was all horrifyingly true. “No...”

“You’re from another world?” Silver asked, raising a hoof.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Spyro answered in a melancholic voice, his wings drooping to his sides.

Silver sighed. “I see. Then, as commander of the Dusk Watch and protector of Ponyville, I must ask you to come with me to the castle. You will be held for questioning until we can sort this out. Do not worry, you’re not prisoners, you’ll be honored guests until the Princess returns. She can decide what to do with you then, because this is clearly way above my pay grade.”

Spyro nodded. “We’ve got nowhere else to go, captain. Do what you need to.”

Cynder looked between him and Silver. “Spyro, I don’t think--”

“We’ve got no choice, Cynder,” Spyro cut her off. “Please, I don’t want any fighting.”

Her eyes met his, and she saw the plea within his gaze. He had already seen so much fighting, enough for several lifetimes, and he didn’t want any more innocent lives to be in danger because of him. She sighed and nodded her head towards Silver, who then quickly stamped his right forehoof down on the ground twice. Several of the Unicorns behind him stepped forward and surrounded the two Dragons, giving them enough space to move but not enough to escape. The other Dusk Watchers quickly dispersed and let the hidden Ponies know that the danger had passed.

Bit by bit, the Pony townsfolk trickled out of their homes and resumed their lives, while Spyro, Cynder, Silver, and their entourage made their way down the main road to the large, crystalline castle standing and shining proudly on the other side of town. Spyro looked downcast as he walked, and Cynder draped a wing over him in comfort. The Dusk Watchers near them looked on in pity, but said nothing as they led Ponyville’s latest guests to the Castle of Friendship.

As he walked, Silver looked up and called down one of the Pegasi guards, handing him a quill and parchment. “Take a letter,” he ordered. The Pegasus mare nodded and readied herself, just as Silver began dictating a message to the Princess about the situation. Once he was done, the mare rolled up the scroll and was about to fly off, when Silver stopped her and pointed ahead to the castle. “Inner guardhouse, third floor, my quarters. There’s a purple candle on my desk. Light it, and then burn the message on the flame.”

“Sir?” the mare asked in confusion.

“It’s a Dragonfyre candle, made by Princess Twilight so that I can keep in contact with her through Spike.”

The Pegasus nodded and shot up into the air, flying towards the castle. Silver watched her leave and then kept walking alongside the two Dragons, eyeing them with equal curiosity and caution. Something about them seemed...off. They looked more dangerous than the Dragons he had seen before, although definitely not as physically imposing. They had a sharp look in their eyes, as well a posture that he recognized. These two were soldiers, or something close to it, and despite their seemingly young age (he guessed), they had seen a lot of action in their time. He pitied them for that. No one should ever have to go through wars and death in order to appreciate the life around them.

He shook the dark thoughts out of his mind, and he and the Dusk Watchers left the square behind them to its devices. The Ponies had returned to their lives, and the town once more fell into its daily lull of activity and grind.

Then, a few moments later, the crystal atop the pillar in front of the fountain flashed white and spun in the air for a few seconds. Realizing what was happening, any nearby Ponies stepped back, giving the pillar a wide berth as a flash of light momentarily blinded them before the pillar returned to its normal, inactive state. The townsfolk then returned to their routines once more, annoyed at the constant interruptions.

Three new Ponies had joined the crowd, each wearing the armor of the Dusk Watch. However, unlike their Pegasi or Unicorn brethren, these three were Earth Ponies. Very grouchy, very tired, very dirty Earth Ponies --- two stallions and one mare.

“Ahhhh, Ponyville,” one of the stallions said, sighing deeply. “The town that treats a missing rabbit as a national emergency and the end of the world as a holiday; home of the Element Bearers and assorted company; Chaos Capital of the world with the Lord of Madness as its self-elected representative; gathering place for all manner of curious connoisseurs of crazy and furious freaks of fluff. Long may it stand as a testament to how bizarre and hilariously friendly we Ponies can get.”

“Ugh, I told you we should’ve taken the train...” the other stallion muttered, rubbing his head as he shook off the effects of the portal.

“And that’s why you’re the private, Samwise, and I’m the corporal,” the second stallion retorted, brushing himself off. “The warp gates are a thousand times faster, at least. It took us a few seconds to get from Farasi to here, when it would’ve taken a week by train and boat without stopping.”

“Seriously Plucky, do you have any idea what a warp gate does to the body?”

“Do we...hrk!...wanna know?” the mare wondered aloud as she dry-heaved against the ground.

“It’s not pretty, I’ll tell you that much.”

“Oh, do tell, Samwise,” Plucky teased, looking at her with a smirk. “I think Prism’s interested.”

“I’m not,” Prism corrected, raising a hoof to her mouth to hold back another wave of nausea. “I’m really not.”

Her pleas went unheeded by both stallions. “Basically, the portal deconstructs your body into its base elements and molecules, then flings them halfway across the entire world like an ape flinging its unmentionables into a fan, and then rematerializes you as close as you can get back into your original body at the target destination,” Samwise recited.

“As close as you can get?” Plucky raised an eyebrow.

“Supposedly the first few tests didn’t exactly go very well. Plenty of body, not much guts to speak of aside from his liver,” Samwise replied, shaking his head sadly and drawing a heart sign over his chest. “Poor Private Bucephalus, rest in peace.” Plucky bowed his head and did the same.

“Oh, for Faust’s sake...!” Prism muttered before diving for a nearby bush and tossing what was left of her already meager lunch.

Plucky clapped his forehooves together and laughed. “Great work Sam, knew I could count on you.”

Samwise tilted his head to the left. “Huh?”

“Nothing,” Plucky replied with a snicker. “Come on, we better report back to the captain. Prism, you good in there?”

There was no answer.

“She’s fine,” Samwise quipped with a cheery smile, raising his spear and poking the bush.

Prism yelped and leapt out, shaking off bristles from her legs and glaring at him. “Buck. You.”

“No surprise naps from you, we’re not done with this trainwreck of a mission yet,” Plucky said, marching past the crowds of Ponies and making his way to the Castle of Friendship, the other two members of the team following close behind (with Samwise soon picking a sleeping Prism off the ground and carrying her on his back).

And so, life in Ponyville went on.





(Warfang Temple, Council Chambers)

Nothing stirred around him, and his breathing had lowered to only a short, quick puff of air that even he barely felt or heard. He sat alone in the Council Chamber, meditating throughout the night in the still silence of purity and peace, feeling the Earth under his claws and hearing its ancient thoughts in his mind. He never spoke, never moved, and never once let anything but that same purity of Earth enter his mind.

Terrador was at peace, but he was not content. He would never be content until he had found what he was looking for.

The only problem was that what he was looking for could never be found, only freely given to a very select few who sought it. His old friend Ignitus was one of them, and so was he. And so, he continued to meditate, waiting for the gift to come.

The Pool of Visions in front of him shimmered, and a small rippled rolled from the middle the edges before the Pool lay still once more. Only, instead of a reflection of the ceiling above, it now showed an image of foreign lands far away. Terrador bowed his head and smiled, whispering a silent prayer of thanks to the Ancestors before opening his eyes and staring into the pool.

The Pool stared back, revealing its secrets to him: a great city of marble and gold situated on a mountain, reflecting the gentle light of the sun for all to see; a dark and gloomy forest stretching far into the horizon; a castle formed from a crystal tree, spreading its protective majesty over all those beneath it; a town full of curious equine creatures of all shapes, sizes, and colors; and...

...And Spyro and Cynder, being led into the crystal castle, flanked on both sides by several of the equines. But these were not like the townsfolk. These ones were armed, and were watching the two Dragons intently.

The vision ended, and Terrador gasped, recoiling and breathing heavily. He glanced at the Pool of Visions once more, but it was still and silent. It would not answer him again today.

Stumbling to his paws, he raced out of the Council Chamber and into the great hallways beyond, which were still under repair from Warfang’s most recent siege. It would never truly regain its grand opulence that it had a thousand years before, but it was still standing, and that was all that mattered.

But none of that mattered to him at that moment. Ignoring the hails and shouts of greeting coming from the working Moles and Dragons, Terrador barrelled past them and threw open the large entry doors to the Temple, practically tumbling down the stairs leading up to them as he entered the courtyard. “CYRIL!” he bellowed as he took to the sky on his mighty wings. “VOLTEER! To me! I have news!”

One his left, a window on one of the Temple’s towers opened and Volteer’s curious face poked out. “Terrador, what is it?” he called out.

Cyril, who had been lending a hand in the reconstruction of the courtyard gardens, flew up to meet Terrador just as Volteer managed to squeeze himself out of the tower window. “Yes, old chap?” Cyril asked as he met Terrador in the sky.

“I’ve seen a vision!” Terrador gasped out, catching his breath as Volteer joined them. “The Pool spoke to me. I know where Spyro and Cynder are!”





(Unknown location)

Far away, past the Smokey Mountains to the west, beyond the Gates of Tartarus, and even further beyond into the desolate wilderness there was a path. It started subtly, barely an indentation in the ground, and continued in this manner for many miles. No Pony, Griffon, Kirin, or any other creature had trodden it in many centuries, and all those who did manage to see it never bothered to follow it. After all, this path led to nowhere but the Wandering Woods, a truly boring and miserable place. It held no dark magic like the Everfree, nor any precious natural resources like the Whitetail Woods, nor even any suitable locations for a town. It was a dry, thick patch of green pines and brown brambles, with thorns in the ground and toxins in the fungi.

Nobody these days knew why the path was there, or where it eventually led to, but if it only led to such an undesirable forest, nobody had ever decided to follow it further. Had they done so, they would’ve eventually reached the other side, and would’ve seen a sight that few had ever seen in many years.

The Wandering Woods curved like a natural barrier around a lone cliff that jutted out into the sea beyond, with nothing but sharp shards of rock and a solid wall of stone below. Atop this cliff was a lone, towering Spire, reaching up so high into the heavens that it rivalled the size of Mount Canterhorn itself, and dwarfed the shining city of Canterlot. From the Spire grew several smaller spikes and curving horns, almost like a crown of thorns to emphasize the Spire’s might and majesty.

From the ground, the Spire was just an oddly-shaped mountain, and aside from its significant size and location, nobody really bothered to look any further. And so it was just another landmark on a lost wanderer’s journey, if they even reached it in the first place. Just another mountain for the morning sun to dip past.

But at night...at night, when the sun vanished, is when the Spire revealed its true secret.

At the sound of drums and cheering, the walls would open like a hundred maws of some great beast, and the Spire’s inhabitants would emerge to dance and sing under Luna’s moon and stars. For it was not a mountain, nor was it a mere landmark. It was a city like no other, the seat of a mighty Empire that had been hidden in the shadows since the dawn of the world.

It was the first, it would be the last, and it was always the greatest of the Changeling Hives. Civilizations had come and gone, nations rose and fell, kingdoms burned and wars were waged, and the millennia passed into history, and history passed into legend. But the Primordial Hive --- the pride, joy, honor, and glory of the Changeling nation --- remained strong and true.

It was a humbling thought, and Emperor Tarsus smiled as he gazed out of a small window down upon the lands which he served and ruled, knowing that it would continue to stand the tests of time. A throne of obsidian lay behind him, inviting and tempting in its splendor, but he resisted its allure. He knew that to sit on it would mean that the moment of solitude would be past, and he would return to reality. The long, slender wings on his yellow-striped back buzzed at the thought, and his smile smoothed out to a straight line.

The sound of boots on the marble floor alerted him to an invasion of his privacy, and he turned from the window and clasped his hooves behind him, the mandibles on either side of his mouth spreading slightly as a sigh escaped his lips. With long strides, he moved from the window to the throne and sat down, resting his forelegs on the throne’s arms. A Hornet guard approached him and bent a knee in reverence to his Emperor.

“Speak,” Tarsus commanded, his voice low yet oddly youthful and lilting.

“Your Majesty, we have received urgent news from our scouts in the Badlands,” the guard reported.

“By the Maker, what has Chrysalis done this time?” the Emperor sighed, rubbing his forehead. Could that rogue pestilence of a blight on Changeling history not cease and desist in her continuous quest of self-damnation?

“Your Majesty, Chrysalis has been overthrown, and she has fled to the north, out of our reach. The Badlands Hive has a new leader: one King Thorax.”

A brow over Tarsus’s compound eyes was raised, and he leaned forward. “Truly? Who is this young upstart?”

“From what our spies have pieced together, Thorax was a traitor to the Badlands Hive, Your Majesty,” the guard answered. “He refused to follow his Queen’s orders, and exiled himself to the Crystal Empire to the north. After that, he allied himself with the Ponies, giving them advice and information on how to detect Changelings, and then a few days ago he and a Unicorn mare led a coup in the Hive. Most of the Hive’s drones followed him, having been suffering the effects of love malnutrition for many years. After the coup was successful, they made him their new leader.”

Tarsus leaned back in the throne and put a hoof to his chin in deep thought. “I see...” he murmured.

“And there’s something else, Your Majesty. All the Changelings who followed him...they’ve changed their natural appearances. Their wings aren’t tattered, nor are there holes in their legs. They’re whole once again.”

Tarsus nodded. “Then they truly are free, but at what cost, I wonder...” He held up a hoof and pointed to the guard. “Go to the barracks and tell the captain that I’m authorizing an extra portion of love for you tonight. And then tell her to send me her two fastest messengers.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the guard said, saluting and flapping his wings until he was airborne, flying out of the throne room and closing the door behind him.

Tarsus sat on the throne for several long moments before sighing and stepping off of it. He then walked into one of the seven lights that were shining down from above into the darkened room. The moment he stepped into the light, the shadows beyond began to stir. Five other Changelings royals emerged, each moving into their respective circle of light, yet none of them looked the same. All of them looked to Tarsus with curiosity in their eyes.

“So, Chrysalis has finally been cast off her throne of lies,” said one of the three Queens in the room. She crossed her arms over her elongated thorax and sneered. “Good riddance, I say.”

“And yet it was done in a way that is unfortunate for us,” argued one of the two Kings opposite of her. “Chrysalis was mad, that is true, but she was a Hive Queen. A Queen’s power is absolute, and the first rule for any Changeling is to never disobey the Queen or King. Disobedience means death.”

“And yet this traitor now sits on the throne she once had,” said the second King.

“But he freed his Hive!” cried another Queen, her voice shrill and young. “You heard the report just like the rest of us, the drones there have become whole again.”

“Through treason and betrayal,” retorted the first Queen. “Qualities that no Changeling on the Council of Seven should share. It’s why Chrysalis was banished in the first place.”

“Enough,” Tarsus said, staring at his five guests in turn. “There’s no time to argue about this. We must move quickly if we’re to make sense of this situation. We must contact the Badlands Hive and request Thorax’s presence in the Primordial Hive immediately.”

“And if he refuses?” the third Queen asked, speaking at last.

“He will not refuse the call from his Emperor,” Tarsus replied smoothly. “It’s instinct for any drone or royal to defer to a position of higher status. It cannot be ignored.”

“What will we do with him once he gets here, then?” asked one of the Kings.

“Simple,” said Tarsus. “Regardless of the results, Thorax is guilty of leading a coup against his Queen, and he must answer for his crimes of espionage, treason, and defection. He spilled secrets about our race, and many of our agents are now compromised. Because of his actions, we can no longer afford to survive in the shadows. We have to act swiftly if we’re to ensure the Empire’s future remains bright.” He pounded a hoof on an armrest. “We must break the masquerade, and reveal ourselves to the world.”

Silence met his ears, followed by the clicking of mandibles as the third Queen whispered, “It will be the first time since the time of the Fauns that we have left the shadows entirely. The last time we did, the Satyrs nearly wiped us out. Are you sure this is wise?”

“I concur,” said one of the Kings. “The world has changed since we were last seen walking under the sun. We are now the old ones. Ponies, Dragons, Griffons, Hippogriffs, and many more...they now rule the world. And because of Chrysalis, we Changelings are now feared and hated. If we reveal ourselves, it could mean war.”

“And yet Thorax was able to work together with the Ponies to ensure his Hive’s survival,” Tarsus argued. “That proves that some Ponies aren’t afraid of working with our kind. As such, I propose a test. If we can prove that Thorax has truly changed his Hive for the better and can lead them well, and that the Ponies will be willing to live peacefully alongside us despite our differences, then we have a much better chance at ensuring our civilization’s survival than if we were to stick to the shadows. For better or worse, our secret’s out. We must have allies if we’re to keep going.”

“This is a risky venture,” the first Queen warned.

“An Empire is built on taking high risks and reaping higher rewards,” Tarsus countered.

“Then we will entrust his testing to you, Your Majesty,” said the second Queen, bowing her head to him. “And I pray that Thorax will emerge victorious. It would be an honor to have the Equines among us once again.”

“If the Maker wills it,” Tarsus said with a small smile.

As one, all six members of the Council of Seven bowed to each other, and starting from the far left end, began their traditional farewells.

“Queen Reaver, of the Mantises. We are the sorcerers, loyal and wise, and we offer our magic and power for the good of the Empire.”

“Queen Alexa, of the Ants. We are the architects, strong and true, and we offer our works for the good of the Empire.”

“Queen Titania, of the Scarabs. We are the soldiers, stalwart and fearless, and we offer our lives for the good of the Empire.”

“King Venom, of the Scorpions. We are the assassins, silent and swift, and we offer our honor and our morality for the good of the Empire.”

“King Cocoon, of the Moths. We are the healers, gentle and diligent, and we offer our hearts for the good of the Empire.”

“Emperor Tarsus, of the Hornets. We are the artificers, inventive and insightful, and we offer our creations for the good of the Empire.”

A moment of respectful silence was held as all six Council members looked sadly to the seventh circle of light, belonging to the Equines. Despite their misgivings, all of them wanted nothing more than to see their fallen brethren return to the light that they knew was rightfully theirs. With hope and fear in their hearts, the five Kings and Queens vanished into the shadows once more, leaving Tarsus alone in the room.

With nothing more to do other than to wait for the messengers to arrive, he walked over to the window once more and peered outside, sending his gaze to the east, where he knew that somewhere the Badlands lay. He wondered about Thorax, and what he was like. Was he a brute, who only freed his Hive for selfish means? Was he a kind soul who had saved them from destruction? Or was he something else? Would he become something more? Tarsus wasn’t sure.

One thing he knew for sure, however: things were changing in the world, and the Changelings would simply do what they always did --- change with it.

“If the Maker wills it,” he echoed to himself.