Dawn of a New Age

by GTthe4th

Chapter 5: Contact

(Frozen North, Mount Everhoof)

Pharynx took several steps back, shivering as he felt the Voice’s presence in his mind. It felt alien, dark, and unnatural, and he was not having any of it. He pushed back against the Voice, shutting it out of his mind. There came a chuckling sound from all around them, and he and Chrysalis looked back to the crystal.

Shutting me out already? Was it something I said, or perhaps, didn’t say? I’m hurt, general, but I’m also understanding. You need to know if you can trust me or not. Rest assured, by the night’s end, I will be your friend.

“No, not friends!” Chrysalis hissed. “Friendship ruined my Hive. Do not mention that cursed word in front of me again!”

Hmmm...then perhaps allies? We have the same goal, after all: to end the lives of those who ruined ours.

Chrysalis nodded. “That is acceptable.”

“Who, or what, are you?” Pharynx growled, stamping a hoof on the ground. “And since when did you know the Queen?”

I don’t, not personally, but you could say that I know of her, and that she knew something was here that could help her.

Chrysalis nodded. “When I drew near to the base camp near the Empire, I felt the thoughts of all the Changelings within it. One of them heard tale of a crystal of great power within the mountain, and had intended to tell me of it.”

Pharynx frowned. “I heard nothing about this over the Hivemind.”

I must confess, it was my doing. I put the suggestion within the little Changeling’s mind, meant specifically as a message for your Queen.

“Why?” Pharynx pressed.

Because you Changelings interest me. You have so much magic coursing through your veins, so much potential, and so much Aether, even more than the Ponies. Your potential for the future is staggering, and it intrigued me to no end. And so I decided to contact your Queen, to offer my services in unlocking that potential.

“He and I have kept in contact since I arrived at the base,” Chrysalis explained. “At first I was unsure of his intentions and his words, but he’s offered us shelter, a means to defend ourselves in case the Ponies come for us, and a means to replenish our lost forces. With his help, we’ll be able to retake the Hive and the Crystal Empire!”

Pharynx’s frown deepened. There had to be a catch, he just knew it. “And what do we have to give in return?”

Hardly anything at all, my dear general. I merely wish to...observe. Study. Research. I only truly require one thing.

“And what’s that?”

“A Changeling,” Chrysalis replied, smirking.

Pharynx’s eyes widened. “No! Absolutely not!”

Chrysalis sneered at him, but before she could say anything, the Voice interrupted her. I can assure you, Pharynx, I will not be bereaving you of one of your best soldiers. I don’t even care which Changeling I get. Old, young, short, tall, weak, strong, it doesn’t matter. In order to create a force powerful enough to reclaim your Hive and your glory, I need just one Changeling to study and...change. Once the deed is done, it will be all I need to help you finish what you’ve started.

Pharynx faced his Queen, a desperate plea in his eyes. “My Queen, don’t do this! Surely there’s a better way than sacrificing one of our own? A Hive is nothing without its drones.”

“It’s too late, the deal has already been made and agreed to,” Chrysalis replied with a wave of her hoof. “Besides, general, it’s just one Changeling. One weak, tired, crippled Changeling in exchange for an empire. I call that a bargain, and so would many of your soldiers. They would line up to be the one chosen, knowing that their sacrifice will be worth it, that it will be the start of something great. They live for the Hive, so to die for it...that would be their greatest honor.”

As I said, general...hardly anything at all.

Pharynx’s head fell and his eyes closed, a sigh escaping from his lips. There would be no stopping this, and he knew it. Once the Queen’s mind was made up, he couldn’t change it. “Except life itself...” he murmured in response.

“Do you doubt me, general?” Chrysalis spoke in a low voice, stepping towards him.

Pharynx could feel her eyes on him, as well as the Voice’s presence in his mind once more. This time he didn’t bother trying to fight it. He hung his head lower, bowing to his Queen. “No, Your Majesty.”

She put a hoof under his chin and lifted up his head until their eyes met. She leaned forward and smiled at him. “And do you trust me?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Her smile grew, and her fangs flashed in the dim light. “Then trust me now, just like you always have, just like I trust you. This is what’s right for our people. Through the death of one Changeling will arise an empire unlike any other, and our names will be spoken out from the lips of millions. In love, in adoration, in praise.”

And in hatred, Pharynx thought bitterly. “Yes...Your Majesty,” he whispered.

Chrysalis let her hoof fall and turned to face the crystal once more. “Then, while I help our new ally here out of the snow, you find me the Changeling that will bring our people to glory.”

Pharynx’s throat hitched, and his breathing quickened. In his mind, a vision formed, and he knew that whoever was behind the Voice was smiling viciously; victoriously. He saw sharp claws, teeth that gnashed at worlds, great wings that shadowed the ground, burning cities, screaming faces, and golden eyes.

No...this isn’t what--!

Now, Pharynx.

Whatever thoughts he had before, they vanished, as did the vision. Instead, his Queen’s instructions echoed through his head, and a memory of the half-blind, weakened female resurfaced. Despite himself, he shed a tear even as his Queen’s instructions repeated once more.

One Changeling for an empire.

One death for the life of the Hive.

This wasn’t right. He lived for the Hive, and he lived for the Changelings and for his Queen, but this wasn’t right. And yet, he could not disobey. Disobedience was treason, and treason meant death, or worse, exile.

He could not let what happened to Thorax happen to him or anyone else under his command. Not again. Not after...the first time.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he fled the cavern. “I’m sorry...”

Chrysalis watched him leave out of the corner of her eye, and then glanced at the crystal. “You never did tell him your name,” she mused.

Did I not? The Voice replied innocently. Hmhmhmhm...must’ve slipped my mind.

(Badlands, Thorax’s Hive)

Corporal Pupa approached the Hive’s gate, whistling a merry tune and bobbing his head to the music in his head. Sure, his latest assignment, replacing the guard at the gate, wasn’t the most glamorous, but he was happy to still be useful and he figured that having a little fun while you worked was never a bad thing.

That was probably what the soldiers of the Hive had feared the most when Thorax took over --- they had feared that he would no longer have need of them since he was taking a more friendly, approachable stance with the rest of the world. Luckily, their fears were unfounded, and Thorax, while naive, was decidedly not stupid. The patrol teams were still sent out to keep watch over their territory, the guards still roamed the many halls and corridors of the Hive, and the soldiers still trained in the barracks. Whether Thorax was friendly or not, there were still monsters out there, and Changelings were still by and large physically weaker than most species on Equus.

And so Pupa whistled while he worked, for he was happy. Love was back on the menu, he was now full for the first time in decades, and still felt like he was contributing to the Hive in his own little way. Why wouldn’t he be happy? As far as he was concerned, Thorax was the best thing to happen to the Hive, especially since that no-good witch of a Queen had starved them for so long.

As he approached the gate, he saw Private Crellus sitting down with his back against the wall, dozing off with his chin against his chest. Pupa smirked and lightly nudged his fellow guard in the leg, waking him. “Inspectin’ the ol’ eyelids again, aye?”

“Wha...huh?” Crellus groaned, rubbing his head. “What time is it?”

“Thirteen hundred,” Pupa replied, standing near the opposite wall from Crellus.

Crellus’s eyes widened and he shot up, brushing off his armor. “Oh, bleedin’ heck, not again!”

“Ain’t gonna rat on you, just don’t let it happen again. If the CO sees you like that, she’ll rip you a new one, and then she’ll get mad.”

“Ah, thanks dude, you’re a life-saver,” Crellus sighed in relief.

Pupa nodded and looked out over the Badlands beyond. “Well lookie there, looks like the weather gods blessed us with some rain last night.”

“Eh, don’t think the Ponies are that generous,” Crellus said. “’Sides, I think it was just a rogue rainstorm from the north. Everfree’s unpredictable this time of the year.”

“True, true,” Pupa grunted. “So, got anythin’ for ol’ Pupa? Any action?”

Crellus shook his head. “Nope. Not a peep, not even from the patrols.”

Pupa hummed. “That’s good, then. Well, I can take it from here. Go get some sleep.”

“Dude, what do you think I was tryin’ to do? I’m knackered,” Crellus grumbled. “Good luck for your shift, old-timer.”

“Thanks, kid,” Pupa replied with a smile, nodding to Crellus as he retreated into the Hive. Pupa then walked a few steps outside the gate and sat down, planting the butt of his spear in the ground and watching over the Hive’s lands with an observant gaze, just like he had done several hundred times before in his career.

And yet today, it all felt different. He was happy; truly happy.

Minutes passed, then an hour. He yawned and blinked his eyes, looking up at the sun’s position to check the time. He still had a few hours to go before his shift ended, so he opened up one half of his elytra and slipped a book out from underneath it, cracking open the pages with an eager grin.

Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny
Chapter 8: The Benefactor

Daring Do didn’t quite know exactly what to expect when she opened to the door to the abandoned warehouse, but if the note she had received the night before was any indication, somepony in the city had the information she needed, and was willing to part with it for a price; one that she was all too willing to give, if the info turned out correct.

With quiet and swift flaps of her wings, she slipped into the warehouse and ducked behind a stack of crates, peering over the edge cautiously. Several masked Ponies were guarding the area, each armed with a crossbow. One Unicorn stallion, however, was sitting at a desk oddly positioned in the center of the warehouse, writing nonchalantly on a scroll. A suitcase lay next to his chair, and a tray topped with a tea pot and teacups lay on the desk next to his scroll.

Daring could smell the trap a mile away, but she had come this far, and wasn’t about to let this information slip out of her hooves. Dr. Caballeron and his henchponies were already on the move, and if they found the Ring of Destiny before she did, the entire world would be plunged into chaos. If she had to spring one more trap in order to stop that from happening, then by Celestia, she would.

She reached up and clambered up onto the crate above her, trying to get a higher--

“Ahem.”

Pupa jumped, the book slipping out of his hooves. He gripped his spear and glanced up, seeing two tall creatures he had never seen before. Both of them looked like giant hornets, only they had hooves and bore a passing resemblance to Changelings. How they managed to get past the Hive’s patrols, he couldn’t guess, but he was now all that stood before them and the Hive, so he gripped his spear and pointed it at them with narrowed eyes. “Halt! Advance to be recognized!”

“We don’t have time for this,” one of them growled. “Tell us where King Thorax is now, or we’ll make you tell us.”

“S-seriously? I’m the one with the weapon here! Now, I said halt!” Pupa yelled.

Both Hornets reached behind them and drew longswords from scabbards on their backs, pointing them at him. “Tell us. Now,” the second one demanded, both of their eyes narrowing.

“I...” Pupa started, only for his mind to blank out. Two voices assaulted his mind relentlessly, hammering at his defenses until they broke through and entered the Hivemind. Before he even knew what was happening, he lowered his spear and stepped aside. “Central tower, third floor. He’s directin’ repairs of the throne room from there.”

Both Hornets nodded and sheathed their swords. “Thank you, corporal,” the first one replied. “Now, return to your book. The good part’s about to start.”

In a flash of yellow flames, both Hornets transformed into minuscule flies and flew into the Hive, leaving Pupa alone by the gate. Blinking, he returned to his book, and thought no more of the two Hornet Changelings.

“Uh, maybe they should go...here instead?”

Several drones groaned, and one of them facehooved, pointing to the blueprints again. “Your Majesty, we’ve told you, putting a bunch of plants next to the central heating conduit of the Hive is a bad idea. It’s a fire hazard, especially during the winter when it’s coldest outside the Hive and warmest inside. You’ll have to find another place to put them.”

“Then what about--”

“No, not there either,” said another Changeling with a shake of his head. “It would block the sunlight from reaching the farms.”

Thorax put his hooves in his head and pointed randomly to a spot on the blueprint with a raised eyebrow and a straight face.

“The hatcheries?” the first drone wondered, putting a hoof under her chin. “That could work...gives the little nymphs something new to play with, and also to hide inside in case of an attack.”

“And it would look nice,” another added.

“So can you do it, Celes?” Thorax asked.

“This, yes, we can do,” said the first drone. “After the throne room is done, of course.”

Thorax nodded, rolling up the blueprints. “How goes it, anyway?”

“Poorly,” Celes responded. “That explosion took out most of the supports and the walls, and I don’t even know where the ceiling went. It’ll take weeks, if not a month just to get the materials to repair it. Even more to actually fix it up to the way it was before.”

“Just do your best, there’s no rush,” Thorax said with a smile. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”

“Of course I do, it’s why ol’ Cheese-legs kept me and my team around,” Celes muttered, walking away. “Come on lads, back to work.”

Thorax sighed as he watched them leave, leaning against the table and using a hoof to support his head. It had only been a few days since he had started running this place, and already he was starting to feel a little pressured. So many drones wanted him doing different things all at once. Each one had their own ideas on how to improve the Hive, and try as he might, he couldn’t appease all of them. Doing one thing meant disappointing another, which only led to further disappointment down the road.

Leadership was overrated, he decided, and, as if to emphasize the point, he yawned.

“King Thorax?”

Thorax looked up, seeing a blue-armored, purple Changeling standing next to him with a curious gaze. “Yes, Captain Shelly?”

“You look tired, my King. Why don’t you get some rest?”

“Thanks Shelly, but I don’t need rest,” Thorax replied with a sigh as he stood up from his chair. His ear flicked as a fly buzzed near it. “What I need is a walkabout.”

Shelly nodded. “Aye, that would help too. I’ll take care of things here, you take some time for yourself.”

He smiled, and his ear flicked again. “Thanks Shelly.” He began to walk towards the corridor leading downwards from the central tower, and frowned as a second fly buzzed past his ear.

He was about to smack the fly out of the air when he suddenly heard a small voice in his ear. ”Upstairs, your quarters. We need to talk.”

He paused, looking around. No other Changeling was near him. His ear flicked again, and more gruff voice said, ”Now, King Thorax. We have a schedule to keep.”

“Who are you?” Thorax whispered, stepping into the corridor as both flies landed on his head.

”All will be revealed in time. Just go to your quarters, we can speak there.”

Thorax made a flat expression and turned away from the stairs leading down, instead going up. The voices in his ears didn’t say anything more, nor did the flies leave his head, despite his annoyance. He continued to walk up the stairs until he reached the hallway that held his temporary living quarters. Upon entering, he shut and locked the door, and then swatted at the flies on his head. “Off with you. Now, what do you want?”

Both flies buzzed in front of his eyes for a moment before flying about the room. Then, in a flash of yellow flames, two larger creatures stood before Thorax, both of them akin to hornets with hooves and a Changeling face. They both dipped their heads towards him out of respect, but before they could say a word, Thorax let out a loud gasp and covered his mouth with a hoof.

“You...y-y-you’re Changelings?!” he whisper-shouted.

One of the two creatures nodded. “That we are, Your Majesty.”

“HOW?!” Thorax cried, backing up a pace in shock. “Chrysalis never told us about any other Changelings. Sh-she taught us that we were the only ones!”

“So...you don’t know about the others then?” one of them asked as they turned towards each other in confusion.

“What others? How many Hives are there?”

“Perhaps we should start from the beginning,” the second Hornet interjected, bowing at the waist and pressing a hoof against his chest. “I am Corporal Slider, and this is Corporal Kalis. We are messengers from His Majesty, Emperor Tarsus.”

Thorax raised an eyebrow. “...Who?”

Slider sighed. “Right, of course, you wouldn’t know who that is. Emperor Tarsus is the lord of the Primordial Hive, ruler of the Hornets, and leader of the Council of Seven.”

Thorax blinked, and his jaw slowly fell open. “Seven. You said ‘seven’.”

“Yes,” Kalis answered. “There are seven Hives, of which yours is one.”

Thorax was still too shaken to fully comprehend what he was hearing. “Se-seeee-SEVEN?!”

Slider scowled. “This will make these proceedings difficult, then.”

“What proceedings?” Thorax cried, falling to his rump. “What are you, where did these other Hives come from? How do I know you’re not lying? What’s going on?!”

“Calm down, Your Majesty,” Kalis said, stepping forward and putting a hoof on his shoulder. “Breathe.”

“Calm down?” Thorax echoed, pressing his hooves against his temples. “How can I be calm? I’ve just been shown evidence that everything I knew about my race has been a big fat lie. Heck, how can I even trust you?”

“King Thorax,” Slider chided. “ We aren’t enemies, only messengers. There is a way to prove what we are saying is true, but you’re going to need to remain as clear-headed as possible for it. The message we have can only be delivered through the Hivemind. Please, compose yourself, Your Majesty.”

Thorax cast glances between the two Hornets, slowly relaxing under their firm yet understanding gaze. As instructed, he took several deep breaths before asking, “What...what message?”

Satisfied with the King’s state, Kalis and Slider closed their eyes, paused, and then reopened them. Both of their eyes had changed from a bright purple to pure, glowing white, and Thorax suddenly felt their minds touch his. Memories and feelings once buried arose to the surface of his mind unbidden and unwelcome. The voice of his Queen, the coldness of her gaze, and the venom in her words. His relaxed state vanished and he panicked, pushing himself away from them as fast as he could until he felt his back press against the wall. Still their minds pushed against his mental barriers.

“Let us in, Your Majesty,” Slider said, his voice echoing. “It’s the only way for the message to be delivered.”

“I don’t care, use your words!” Thorax argued, slamming his eyes shut and straining to fight back. Memories of his final night in the Crystal Empire emerged, and he shivered as he recalled the Voice and his words.

Every Changelings instantly knowing where he was.

The Queen demanding his return.

His old comrades hunting for him.

’We could do great things together, Thorax...’

The Voice’s dark, silvery voice echoed in his ears, promising power and glory. It was as if he never left. “Get out of my head, get out of my head, get out!” Thorax screamed.

’Let go.’

NO! Not this time!

“Your Majesty, please...” Kalis pleaded. “We’re not going to harm you.”

“I won’t let it happen again!” Thorax declared, glaring at them. “I am the King of the Badlands Hive, and I won’t have--”

LET GO!

LET GO!

Thorax gasped and his eyes widened as his mental barriers suddenly shattered before he realized what was happening. The two Hornets’ minds entered his, and instantly every voice and mind in the Hivemind froze, instinct and fear taking over. The entire Hive heard them, and knew that there were intruders, but by then it was too late. The message had been implanted into every Changeling mind in the Hive.

A voice sounded over the Hivemind, but it wasn’t his, nor was it either of the Hornet drones. This one had a tone of authority that even Chrysalis could only dream of achieving. Whoever the voice was, they demanded not just respect, but reverence.

King Thorax, of the Badlands Hive, heed the words of Emperor Tarsus, lord of the Primordial Hive, ruler of all Changelings, and leader of the Hornets. A great crime has been committed, one that must be answered for. You stand accused of treason, of defiance to your Queen, and of breaking the masquerade that shields our race from the world. You willingly gave other races secrets they were not meant to know until they were ready, and you and your Hive openly defied Queen Chrysalis’s rule by overthrowing her by force.

You have been summoned to the Primordial Hive to answer for your crimes. No other Changeling shall be accepted from your Hive into the Primordial Hive until your trial has concluded. If you are found guilty of your crimes, you are to be exiled, your Hive disbanded, and the Changelings therein absorbed into the Primordial Hive, and your place among the Council of Seven will be permanently removed. If you are found innocent, you shall reclaim your rightful place among the Seven, and your Hive elevated once more into glory.

These are the words of His Majesty, Emperor Tarsus. You have three days remaining before you must come to the Primordial Hive. You know where it is, for its call is instinct. All Changelings know of it, and all praise its glory. May the Maker guide you well.

Both Hornets then gasped and collapsed forward as the message ended, their thoughts retreating from the Hivemind. Thorax curled up against the wall and rocked back and forth, whispering urgently for the voices to stop. Slider and Kalis looked at him in horror, not knowing what had caused the King to revert to such a vulnerable state. Surely it hadn’t been them?

Kalis got to his hooves and reached out towards him slowly, only for the doors to Thorax’s room to burst open. Captain Shelly and several guards rushed in, brandishing halberds and spears as they ran to protect their King. Both Hornets backed up and put their hooves into the air in surrender, while Captain Shelly attended to Thorax.

“My King, are you alright?” Shelly asked, kneeling down next to him. “We all heard that voice and the message. What was it?”

Thorax blinked and looked up at her, tears pouring down his face. “He’s in my head, and I can’t get him out. Just like her. Just like...him. I can’t get him out and I can’t ignore him. I can’t disobey the Emperor. He summoned me. I have to answer...I have to go.”

Shelly’s gaze hardened and she stood up, glaring at the two Hornets. “Cad a rinne tú dó? What have you done to him?” she demanded, stomping towards them and baring her fangs.

“It’s not our doing,” Kalis replied. “Emperor Tarsus implanted the message into our minds. We were just the messengers.”

“Is he alright?” Slider begged. “Please, tell us he’ll be alright. We’ve never seen anyone react that badly to the Hivemind before. We didn’t mean to--”

“Quiet!” Shelly growled, pointing at them. “Pod them, and don’t let them out until we can--”

“Captain,” Thorax wheezed, reaching towards her. “Let them go.”

Shelly spun to face him. “But my King, they attacked you!”

“No, they were right, I should’ve remained calm...” Thorax replied, standing up. “This was all my fault. None of you were meant to hear that message, it was only meant for me. But now the secret’s out, because of my stupid relapse. They were just following their orders.”

“Relapse?” Shelly asked quietly, her ears wilting.

“It...it’s n-nothing,” Thorax whispered, dangling a hoof. “Just let them go...”

Shelly looked ready to protest some more, but the look that Thorax sent her made her pause mid-syllable. He looked haunted and scared, but also determined. Despite his inexperience at leading, he knew that this was one order he had to be adamant and immovable about, and she knew it too.

The Changeling guard captain looked over towards her troops and nodded, and, reluctantly, they lowered their weapons. One of the walls of the room opened up a gaping hole, revealing open air and skylight beyond. The two Hornet drones slipped out without a word, their large, membranous wings buzzing as they soared into the air. The hole closed up after them, and the last any Changeling of the Badlands Hive saw of them, they were speeding across the sky towards the west.

The room was silent for several moments, as all the drones looked to their King in concern and worry. Thorax sighed deeply and walked up to them, trying (and failing, for the most part) to look authoritative and in control. “Go back to...whatever it was you all were doing. Captain Shelly, please stay.”

Giving him one last worried glance, the guards all piled out of the room, muttering under their breath and reassuring themselves that Thorax would handle this new mess. Shelly looked up to Thorax and bowed her head. “Command me, my King.”

“Shelly, please stop doing that,” Thorax pleaded. “I don’t like it when everyone does that.”

“But it’s the way of things, my King,” Shelly responded. “All Changelings bow to the King or Queen of the Hive.”

“Well, not this King,” Thorax said, lifting her head up. “And not this Hive. It’s hard to make friends with someone who won’t even look at you.”

“I...suppose that’s true,” Shelly admitted. “Sorry, King Thorax, I’m still getting used to all of this.”

“You’re not alone there,” Thorax said with a smile. “I’m still learning as I go as well, especially when it comes to leadership.”

“Aye, we’ve noticed,” Shelly quipped.

“There, see, that’s the spirit. We’re already bantering!” Thorax grinned, nudging her in the shoulder. Shelly gave a nervous chuckle in response. Thorax then looked up to the clock on the wall, and said, “I need you to do something for me. Princess Twilight gave me a purple candle before she left, and said that it could be used to contact her if I ever needed her help. Please get it for me; it’s down in the Atrium, in my old home.”

“What’s it doing there?”

Thorax shrugged. “I’m still moving my stuff into this room, haven’t gotten to everything yet.”

Shelly nodded. “Of course. Um, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you going to do?”

“Simple,” Thorax replied, walking over to a desk in a corner of the room. “I’m gonna send her a message asking her to come with me to the Primordial Hive. I know I’m new to this whole leadership thing, and I know my limit, and I think I just reached it. If I’m going to get past this next hurdle, I’m gonna need someone who knows what they’re doing and can see things from another angle.” His antlers lit up in a cyan glow and bent inwards, and a pencil floated up next to him as he sat down and began to write on a scroll. “Besides, she’s a friend, and she’s always wanted to know more about our culture. This is an opportunity neither of us can pass up.”

“But didn’t the message from this ‘Emperor Tarsus’ say that you had to come alone?” Shelly reminded him.

“Not quite. It said that no other Changeling can come with me. But Twilight isn’t a Changeling,” Thorax replied with a knowing smirk.

Shelly grinned. Thorax was no Chrysalis when it came to experience, but he had clearly not forgotten how to be sneaky. “Ha! Fuair ​​tú é fós,” she laughed. “I love it! I’ll be right back with that candle.”

“Thanks, Shelly!” Thorax called after her after she left the room. With a chuckle, he returned to writing his message.

Then, thirty minutes later, a purple candle was lit with a green flame, and the scroll was burned.

(Ponyville, Castle of Friendship, Library)

It didn’t take very long to get the Rangers up to speed with what was going, and while they were understandably surprised to learn that the world they were in wasn’t their own, they took it much better than Spyro or Cynder expected. It was Sparx who surprised them, however, by simply shrugging and accepting the situation as if it was the most normal thing in the universe. When asked, he said that he had seen stranger, and Spyro couldn’t refute that.

After the explanations were out of the way, the Rangers and Ponies had decided to take the opportunity to get to know one another, especially since their hasty introductions outside hardly sufficed. Both groups had split up into smaller gatherings, leaving Spyro, Cynder, Sparx, and Blackout to observe.

Pinkie and Spotlight hit it off about as well as anyone had expected. Both of them were the most hyper and unpredictable members of their respective teams, and as soon as they laid eyes on one another, it was if they had found a lost sister or kindred soul. Pinkie bounced around, asking all about Spotlight’s favorite things to do and to eat. Spotlight, in turn, asked what Ponies did for fun, and that had led into an impromptu game of hide-and-seek, with Applejack getting roped in as the unfortunate seeker. She lost every game, and her jaw dropped further and further to the floor with every obscenely impossible hiding place Spotlight and Pinkie chose. Somehow Spotlight had even managed to hide herself inside a potted plant three sizes smaller than her, and that’s when Applejack called it a day with a scream of “Dear Faust, there’s two of ‘em!”

Blades and Rainbow had started off by comparing their adventures, each of them trying to out-do the other. Blades wowed her with his daring tale of rescuing three Moles from an erupting volcano while fighting off several wyverns. Rainbow countered that with the story of her first rainboom, and how its effects caused her closest friends to all get their Cutie Marks, as well as how she used the same move to save Rarity and several Wonderbolts from falling to their deaths. This, naturally, led to both of them arguing in friendly terms over who was the most skilled flyer of the two, and a legendary rivalry was born. They left the castle and took to the skies, showing off their respective skills and move sets, including both of their affinities for weather and wind-related magic.

Fluttershy had gone over to Echo, realizing that out of all the Dragons, Echo had spoken the least, and had also seemed the least willing to interact with anyone other than her own team. Fluttershy tried everything she had in her arsenal of friendship: her soft voice, her smile, her kind words, friendly conversation, and even asking Echo if there was something wrong and if there was anything she could do to help. Only the last one got a reaction from Echo, and that was for her to get up and walk away, although not without a sigh and a cursory glance Fluttershy’s way. Fluttershy didn’t know what to say after that, but she knew that look Echo had given her: the Water Dragon wanted to be alone.

Fluttershy made it her mission then and there to help Echo in any way she could, as well as to get her to open up a little. When she told Spotlight about it, the silvery Dragon could only shake her head in sympathy.

In stark contrast, Rarity and Flashwing had hit it off almost immediately, both recognizing the other as the most fashionable of their respective races. Rarity gushed over Flashwing’s flawlessly polished scales and bejeweled wings and horns, proclaiming it to be the single-most gorgeous arrangement of natural beauty she had ever seen on any creature. Flashwing, in turn, commented on how well-groomed Rarity’s mane and fur were, as well as her attention to detail and etiquette. As their conversation went on, covering a wide variety of topics (which included Flashwing showing off some of her own abilities with the creation and sculpting of ice crystals), Rarity declared that as soon as it was possible, she would take her new friend to her boutique for a dress fitting, claiming that she had been inspired. Flashwing reluctantly agreed.

Sprocket, Twilight, and Starlight had wandered off to a quiet corner of the castle library to discuss a variety of subjects, particularly on Dragon culture and level of technology. Sprocket, having finally found someone as eager as he was in the pursuit of knowledge, had been more than willing to share in his vast stores of knowledge, with Twilight hastily writing down every last detail she could squeeze out of him. By the time Applejack had calmed down from her experience with Spotlight and Pinkie, she had found Twilight buried under a small mountain of scrolls, papers, and broken quills, and still Sprocket was relaying information to her. Starlight could only grin and shrug as another filled-out scroll smacked Applejack in the face.

As he watched all this from afar, Spyro could only shake his head and smile, marveling at how quickly both the Rangers and the Ponies had acclimated to each other. Cynder, Sparx, and Blackout next to him were in the same boat, watching as their friends interacted as if they had always known each other.

“There’s something magical about this place, huh Spyro?” Cynder mused.

Spyro nodded. “No arguments from me, this is actually pretty cool. It’s nice to finally meet another race that’s either not a bunch of isolationist jerks or trying to kill us.”

“Indeed, it is rather...refreshing,” Blackout admitted, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

“I see that, big guy!” Sparx exclaimed, pointing at him.

“See what?” Blackout asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Oh-ho, no, don’t even try to hide it under that gruff face. I saw those lips curl up!”

Blackout huffed. “Why is it that everyone thinks I can’t smile or never do? I smile plenty of times! I smile when my wife’s around, I smile when a plan comes together, I smile when my wife’s happy, I even smiled when I heard Malefor was defeated. Boy, that was a smile. Made Spotlight go crazy...even more than usual.”

Spyro chuckled. “You must really love her, huh?”

Blackout smirked. “She’s my whole world. Had it not been for her, I...well, let’s say I would’ve still been in a very bad place, and maybe even dead. I owe her my life, and so I gave her my heart.”

“Aaaand, that’s where I tune out,” Sparx gagged. “I’m gonna go check on rainbow-girl and sword-boy.”

“Yes, you do that, make sure Blades doesn’t poke his own eye out again,” Blackout muttered, watching as Sparx flew away in a hurry. He then turned to Spyro again. “Spyro, word of advice, if you ever find a Dragoness who loves and cherishes you as much as you do her, don’t wait.”

Spyro and Cynder glanced at each other and blushed, dipping their heads slightly. Blackout looked over both of them and smiled. “I see you have no need for that particular piece of advice. Congratulations.”

“We-we’re not exactly...you know...yet...” Cynder murmured, her face flushing harder.

Blackout held up a claw. “Say no more, I understand. Follow your hearts, young ones; that is all I’ll say.”

“Awww, giving the kids some advice on how to be cute? You’re adorable when you’re being your real self,” Spotlight said, suddenly appearing at Blackout’s side and nuzzling his cheek.

Blackout huffed and narrowed his eyes. “I’m my ‘real self’ every day, Spotlight.”

“Aw, buncha hooey, that,” Applejack called from nearby. Blackout, Spyro, and Cynder turned to see that all the Rangers and Ponies in the room had gathered around to listen in on Blackout’s conversation. Applejack was grinning, as were the rest of the mares. “Ya can fool the bad guys with that, but not this mare.”

“Nor us, for that matter,” Flashwing quipped. “Face it, captain, under all those shadowy scales and rough and dark exterior, you’re just as crazy and sentimental as the rest of us.”

“Current assessment: Flashwing is correct,” Sprocket added with a nod.

“By the Night, a few hours in a town full of colorful Ponies with cutesy smiles and all of you have gone native,” Blackout remarked, but he gave a smile and hugged Spotlight to him with a wing. “Ah well, when in Avalar...”

A window above them exploded in a shower of glass, and Blades landed in a heap in front of them, a dazed look on his face. He pumped his front claws into the air and moaned, “Touchdooooown...”

“Yo, dude, you good in there?” Rainbow called from the broken window, Sparx buzzing next to her. They both then flew in and landed next to him. “I told you that wind current was too strong.”

“I...am a Wind Dragon,” Blades muttered, rising unsteadily to his claws. “And I...laugh in the face of a gentle, seasonal zephyr!”

“Uh, guys?” Sparx said. “Angry Princess, six o’clock.”

Both daredevils looked up and saw Twilight and Starlight staring disapprovingly at them. Rainbow looked between them and the glass shards, and blushed, rubbing the back of her head. “Uh, heheh, oops. I’ll get this fixed, I promise.”

“You better,” Twilight said sternly. “Those windows are tricky to replace. We had to--”

The library doors slammed open, and Spike ran in, wearing an apron and clutching at his throat. “Twi-ack!-light!” he coughed out, running towards her.

“Spike?” Twilight wondered aloud, forgetting about the window as she rushed over to him. “Are you alright?!”

“Did a gem go down the wrong way?” Fluttershy asked, flying over and patting Spike on the back a few times.

Spike raised a single finger up as he leaned down, coughing once more. He then turned to the side and belched out a massive green flame, scorching the floor slightly. Every Dragon in the room winced, and Blades rubbed his throat instinctively.

A scroll appeared in the air after the flame dissipated, and he caught it and held it out to Twilight. “I hate long-distance Dragon mail. The service is terrible...” he murmured, his voice hoarse.

“...What did I just see?” Echo asked, scratching the side of her head in confusion as Twilight opened the scroll and began to read.

“Dragonfyre mail, darling,” Rarity replied. “Our dear Spikey-Wikey was enchanted with it by Princess Celestia when he was old enough to handle it. It allows him to send or receive messages or other objects if they’re burnt with a Dragonfyre flame or sent via magic. It takes a moment for the messages to reach their destinations, but it’s certainly faster than conventional delivery methods.”

“That sounds handy,” Blackout remarked. “Warfang could’ve used something like that during our war against the Dark Master. Would’ve made troop management a breeze.”

“Trust me, it’s not as fun as sounds,” Spike replied, patting his chest. “Gives you sore throat something fierce, especially if it’s a long-distance message like that one was.”

“Oh, come ooooon!!” Twilight cried, dropping the scroll after reading the first few lines. “Why me? Why now? Just when I was on the brink of scientific discovery that would’ve changed the entire world as we know it! WHYYYY?!”

“What is it, Twi?” Rainbow asked, grabbing the scroll.

“It’s Thorax,” Twilight explained, her ears drooping. “He’s asking for my help with something, and it has to be me.”

“Holy...! Twilight, do you know what this even says?!” Rainbow cried, smacking a hoof onto the scroll.

“I only got to the part where he was asking me to go with him somewhere, and that will take me away from visiting Warfang. What of it?” Twilight grumbled in response.

Starlight grabbed the scroll and read the part where Rainbow was pointing. “He’s saying that...that his Hive has been contacted by another!”

“...Wait, WHAT?!” Twilight exclaimed, fluttering over to her and reading over her shoulder.

“And that he’s apparently been accused of treason, and that the emperor of the entire Changeling race has called him to something called the ‘Primordial Hive’, where he’ll stand for trial. He wants you to come with him to help him out of the mess,” Starlight read aloud.

“I TAKE IT BACK!!!” Twilight squealed, bouncing on her hooves and hopping about the library like a giddy school filly. “Finally, after all these years, actual knowledge about the Changelings and their culture! And not just any Changelings, but their emperor himself! I didn’t even know they had an emperor, much less an empire, or heck, any other Hives in general except Thorax’s! This is unprecedented, utterly fascinating, improbable yet profound, amazing, wonderful, astonishing!”

“Welp, we found the Pony version of Volteer,” Blades whispered to Flashwing, which caused her to giggle.

“But what about Warfang?” Rarity asked.

Twilight froze mid-bounce and flopped to the floor. With a shake of her head, she stood back up and looked down, frowning. “Oh...right...”

“Hey,” Starlight said, trotting up to her and putting a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Twilight. Either way you’ll still be learning something fascinating.”

“I know, but...alien dimensional Dragon city...” Twilight moaned, plopping down onto her rump.

“Well, we could go some other time,” Fluttershy suggested.

Twilight shook her head. “No, no, we can’t do that. Celestia’s counting on us to open diplomatic relations with Warfang as soon as possible. We have to go, I just...can’t go with you girls, that’s all.”

“Well, that ain’t fair at all,” Applejack declared, stepping forward. “Ya shouldn’t have to miss out on Warfang alone.”

“But Thorax asked for my help,” Twilight replied. “I have to help him. If I don’t, he’ll be exiled, and his Hive disbanded. I wouldn’t be a good friend or a good Princess of Friendship if I just turned my back on him just to satisfy my own curiosity.”

Applejack shook her head and smirked. “That ain’t what Ah was gettin’ at.” She glanced at Starlight. “Did that there scroll say that only Twilight was allowed to go?”

Starlight put a hoof to her chin. “Well, no, I suppose not.”

“Then there ya go! Ah’m comin’ with ya, Twi,” Applejack announced. “At least then somepony can keep ya company.”

“I concur,” said Rarity stepping forward. “I for one think that learning about Changeling culture could be a fascinating experience. So much new inspiration for fashion, and maybe even an opportunity to expand my business.”

Spike marched up to Twilight and stood next to her. “Me too. Where Twilight goes, I go.”

“Spike--” Twilight started.

“Oooooh no, not this time, Twilight,” Spike said, shaking a finger. “Thorax is my best friend, and I think you’ll need my help with this one. Besides, how else are you going to keep in contact with Celestia and the others going to Warfang without me? This way you can even send reports of your own, and Silver can coordinate things here.”

Twilight’s eyes shimmered as she looked down at the baby Dragon. Well, not so much of a baby anymore. He had matured a lot since the two of them had arrived in Ponyville, all those years ago. He was right, of course. She couldn’t keep holding him back forever. “Oh Spike...” Twilight smiled softly as she pulled him close with a wing. “Where would I be without you?”

“Eh, either clueless or hopeless, or both,” Spike snarked, but he hugged her back. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Soooo, does this mean the party’s splitting up?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight chuckled. “Yes, Pinkie, the party’s getting split up. The four of us will go to the Changelings, and the rest of you girls will be going to Warfang with our new friends. With any luck, you can help Ember and Celestia establish an embassy of some sort.”

“But how will we get there?” Rainbow asked. “I mean, the train doesn’t go to the Dragon Lands, we don’t have one of those warp gate thingamajigs set up there, and not all of us can fly. It’ll take way too long to walk there too.”

“I walked there,” Spike said.

“Yeah, until you reached the ocean, and then you hitchhiked on Derpy’s back when nopony was looking since she was heading to Abyssinia!” Rainbow retorted, pointing at him with a smirk. “Don’t think we didn’t see you. We were tailing you, after all.”

Spike’s face turned red and he kicked at the ground.

“There’s no need to worry about transportation,” Blackout replied, stepping up. “We’ll carry the ones who can’t fly or can’t keep up.”

“You sure?” Starlight asked. “I mean, you’re about our size. Wouldn’t we be a bit of a heavy load for quite a long trip?”

“Nonsense,” Echo replied. “We flew from Warfang to Ponyville in a few hours at most. And we’ve carried much heavier loads before during Warfang’s defense, including entire cannons.”

“A few hours?!” Twilight cried, her wings shooting out to the side briefly. “That’s...how can you reach speeds that fast?! It took even the fastest Dragon messenger from the Dragon Lands over a full day to reach Canterlot, and that was with favorable wind conditions. A normal Dragon would’ve needed twice that time, plus rest and food.”

Blades shrugged and grinned, bowing low while sweeping his bladed wings back. “That would be me. Wind’s my Element, and I know how to manipulate it like the best of ‘em. That includes making wind resistance act more like wind compliance.”

“Just like the Pegasi,” Rainbow gasped. “Dude, you and I are gonna get along juuuuust fine.” Blades bumped her hoof with a fist.

“An’ Echo?” Applejack asked. “She ain’t got wings.”

“I have an...alternative means of transport,” Echo smirked. “No need for wings when water-flight suits me just fine.”

“Elemental abilities, Dragon flight techniques, and now ways for wingless Dragons to fly. I am going to miss so much...” Twilight groaned, putting her hooves in her face. Spike patted her side in sympathy.

Starlight let out a nervous chuckle. “We better start packing, or Twilight’s never going to emotionally recover from this.”

Blackout nodded. “We’ll meet you outside whenever you’re ready.”

“Just don’t take too long,” Spyro advised. “It would be better if we reached Warfang before nightfall.”

“Concurred,” Sprocket added. “Warfang’s scouts reported hostile activity from the surrounding woods. Unidentified creatures comprised of wood and stone. Hypothesis: magical in origin. Supposition: highly dangerous. Extreme caution advised.”

Cynder rolled her eyes. “Lovely.”

“I’ll go pack the gem cakes!” Pinkie cried, disappearing in a pink blur out the open window (which shocked every Dragon in the room, seeing as the window was at least twenty feet off the floor).

“We still don’t eat gems!” Spyro yelled after her, but she was already gone.

“And I shall get my essentials for our trip to the Hive!” Rarity announced, trotting to the door.

Applejack sighed. “An’ Ah’ll go make sure she actually packs the essentials this time.”

“My back thanks you,” Spike said, walking after her.

(Ponyville, warp gate square)

A couple hours had passed since the decision was made to split up into two teams. During that time, each of the Mane Six had packed their things, Starlight had informed Captain Silver Moon of the plan (to which he insisted a different course of action, which was summarily denied by Twilight), and Twilight had sent no less than sixteen messages to Celestia informing her of everything that had happened that afternoon.

Everything. Spike had never seen her so thorough, and that was saying a lot. He fully expected his sore throat to last for a month, so he packed extra cough drops for their trip.

There wasn’t much fanfare or delay after that. Hugs and farewells were exchanged, and then Starlight’s group left with the Dragons, heading southeast through the air (with the grounded Ponies being carried gently underneath). It was Blackout and Echo that caused the most stir within both groups, however, when mid-flight Blackout turned into black smoke and simply vanished, while Echo slammed a claw on the ground and the water from the pond behind the castle erupted like a volcano and shot up into the air. She then leapt into the water stream, and the stream cut off after a moment but did not fall back down to the ground. A glow emerged from her eyes and claws, and she swam in the water stream even as it flowed through the air like a graceful serpent gliding across the ground.

It was enough to move Twilight to bitter tears, and she nearly wrote out another three scrolls of notes before Spike pulled her aside.

From there, Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and Applejack made their way through the busy Ponyville streets to the warp gate at the edge of town. They passed several friends and acquaintances along the way, from Bon-Bon and her marefriend Lyra sitting at a cafe together, to Vinyl Scratch bobbing her head to some dubstep song. Even the ever-faithful Derpy could be seen finishing her mail rounds throughout the town (with her usual innocently destructive flair). Roseluck and her sisters at their flower stall, Dr. Whooves testing out his latest invention, Caramel helping Big Mac deliver some apples (to the wrong house, much to Big Mac’s ire), Berry Punch getting kicked out of a cider bar (again), and Cloudchaser and Flitter bickering over which flowers to buy Thunderlane. Twilight smiled and waved at each and every one of them.

Applejack noticed Twilight’s actions and smirked, nudging her in the side. “Ya do realize ya ain’t gonna be gone for long, right Twi?”

“Oh, let her be, Applejack,” Rarity chided. “She’s made a lot of friends here besides us.”

“Ah know that, Ah’m just sayin’.”

“I’m not just doing this for my own benefit, girls,” Twilight said, glancing behind her. “If I show them that I’m alright after this whole Dragon fiasco today, they’ll be more at ease.” She paused, then giggled. “That’s my hope, anyway. This is Ponyville, after all.”

“’Equestria’s quietest town’, mah apple-buckin’ flank,” Applejack snorted. “Mayor Mare was outta her mind to put that on the sign.”

“Or positively plastered,” Rarity snickered.

“Why not both?” Spike suggested.

“There ya go, that’s it,” said Applejack, bumping a hoof with his outstretched fist.

Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling. “You three are the worst, I swear...” She looked ahead and saw the fountain statue getting closer. “We’re almost there now. Thorax said in the letter that he’ll meet me...us in the Salt Block Saloon in Appleoosa. This shouldn’t take long.”

“Would you like a sun hat, darling?” Rarity asked with a wink. “I packed an extra, just for you!”

“No, but thank you,” Twilight replied. “We’re not going to be there very long anyway. Once we have Thorax, we’ll be heading to the city of Hakoda.”

“Hakoda?” Spike asked. “Why are we heading to Farasi?”

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “You know, he didn’t--”

“Princess Twilight!” somepony called from behind.

The four of them stopped and turned around, spotting a brown stallion with a messy black mane and green eyes galloping towards them. He wore a plain grey robe with a red feather medallion hanging from his neck, and his hood was pulled down. The barest hint of a Cutie Mark could be seen under the robe: a simple loaf of bread.

Twilight smiled wide and trotted towards him, waving. “Hi there, Father Breadcrumb! Long time no see.”

Ponyville’s sole Faustian priest slowed down to a trot and held out his hoof, shaking it with hers. “Princess Twilight, it’s good to see you again. I heard you returned from Canterlot so I just had to see you.” He looked behind her and grinned. “Miss Applejack, Miss Rarity, Spike, it’s a pleasure.”

“Charmed,” Rarity said, bowing her head. Applejack tipped her hat and Spike gave a two-fingered salute.

“What can I do for you, Father?” Twilight asked, leading him to a nearby bench and sitting down.

He sat down next to her. “Well, I suppose the first order of business is to get some clarification. I recently heard about several Dragons that visited the town today, and my whole congregation was in an uproar. I trust you’ve taken care of it and I can reassure them that it isn’t the end of times?”

Twilight let out a snort of laughter. “No, of course it isn’t. And yes, the ‘problem’, has been taken care of. Turns out these Dragons are our friends. Hmmm, who knew?”

“Who indeed?” Breadcrumb chuckled. “I suppose I should’ve known that Harmony and friendship would once again prevail, especially with its chief proselytizer on the case.”

“Just part of the job, Father,” said Twilight. “Now, what’s the second item on the docket?”

Breadcrumb leaned forward and sighed deeply. “I’m afraid I’m the bearer of...well, perhaps not bad news, but unfortunate nonetheless.”

“Oh?” Twilight asked, tilting her head.

Breadcrumb nodded, looking up at her. “Yesterday I was called to Canterlot by the Oracle of my order. I’ve been ordered to find a new town for which I will be the priest. They say that Ponyville is already a bastion for Harmony and friendship thanks to the efforts of you and your friends, and as such, there’s little need for me here anymore.”

Twilight’s face fell, and she put a hoof on his. “So...does this mean...?”

He nodded again. “I’ll be leaving today, Twilight. I don’t know where I’ll go, but I suppose the hoof of Faust will guide me. Perhaps Baltimare, or Dodge City, or maybe even Hollow Shades. I go where I’m needed...where Harmony is needed.”

Twilight threw her hooves around him in a tight, warm embrace. “Then I wish you luck, Breadcrumb. Please, don’t ever be a stranger, and let me know when you’ve found your place again.”

Breadcrumb hugged her back, nuzzling her cheek. “I will, Twilight. Remember that you will always have a seat reserved for you in the temple, wherever I go.”

Twilight let him go and wiped a tear from her eye. “Well, I guess this is goodbye...”

“Eh, was never one for goodbyes,” Breadcrumb said, standing up and smirking. “So longs, farewells, even see you soons, those always fit me better.”

“In that case,” Twilight announced, bowing her head. “See you later, Breadcrumb.”

He gave a sharp, mock salute. “Yes, ma’am!” He then dipped his head towards the other three. “Ladies, Spike, have a wonderful day.”

“Thank ya, Father,” Applejack said.

“You too!” Rarity called after Breadcrumb had turned away to leave.

Once he was out of earshot, Rarity’s face turned incredulous and she gaped at Twilight. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, you little sneak! You never told me you were religious!”

“I-I’m not! Not...really,” Twilight replied, her face flushed. “Besides, I, uh, thought you knew?”

Applejack raised a hoof. “Ah’ve seen her in the pews a couple times, but that was a long time ago.”

“No, I most certainly did not know about this,” Rarity said, siding up to Twilight as they continued down the road to the warp gate. “When did this happen?”

“Since I was little,” Twilight replied. “Celestia was the one who introduced me to the concept of Faust during my studies, initially just to educate me on the various Pony religious sects so that I would have a better understanding of them in a real world context, but over time it...appealed to me, so I asked for further reference materials, and it just went on from there. Something about the Prophecies drew me in. Granted, they only really started to make sense after I made some friends of my own, and I haven’t gone to the temple in a long time since becoming a Princess...but still, I like it.”

“Well well, six years of friendship, going on seven, and you’re still full of surprises, darling,” said Rarity. “What about your brother?”

“He used to go, not sure if he still does, or if he truly believed or not,” Twilight replied. “I know my mother never approved of it, though. ‘A writer’s rubbish taste in myth’, she used to tell me. And I suppose in a way she was right, it is a lot of myth and legend, carefully transcribed by the Oracles throughout the ages. Some of it is bound to be mistaken or mistranslated, as is normal for such documents. And yet somehow, that never seemed to bother me in the least. I couldn’t see it, I couldn’t prove it, but against all forms of logic...I could feel it in my heart that it was right.”

“An’ your pa?” Applejack asked.

“He didn’t care one way or the other,” Twilight answered, smiling softly. “I was his baby girl, and he was my dad, and we loved each other. And even though she still doesn’t understand some of the things I’ve done in life, I know my mom loves me just as much as he does. She never once stopped telling me, after all.”

Rarity smiled, and her eyes glistened. “That’s beautiful, darling. The love of family is truly special.”

Applejack let out a sigh and looked into the sunny skies above. For a moment, she could almost see her parents’ faces smiling down upon her. “Yeah...it really is somethin’.”

Spike clambered up Twilight’s leg to ride on her back, and hugged her neck gently. She nuzzled his cheek with a smile and then looked ahead, realizing that they had arrived at the warp gate. “Well, we’re here now.”

“Sooo, how does this here doohickey work?” Applejack asked, sitting down. “Never really used one before.”

“It’s really quite simple,” Twilight replied, stepping up to the pylon and putting a hoof on it, ignoring the sparks coming off its edges. “Each warp gate in every city they’re in has a specific password to it. You speak the password, and the pylon teleports you to whatever city is linked to that particular password in the network. Before that, however, you need a ticket. Spike?”

Spike dug around in his backpack and pulled out a small round disk of crystal with a blue center, handing it to Twilight. She grasped it in her magic and slipped it into a slot in the middle of the pylon. The purple crystal on top of the pylon began to spin, and the sparks turned from white to purple. Applejack then jumped back as a holographic display was suddenly projected in front of Twilight with a list of city names on it, making Rarity giggle at her reaction.

Twilight scrolled down on the list until she reached Appleoosa, then tapped it with her hoof, lighting up the name on the display. She then closed her eyes and whispered, “Four, Zim Tik Plu.”

The purple crystal spun faster, and every other Pony near the pylon glanced at it briefly before cantering away suddenly realizing that they had better things to do than to watch three Ponies and a Dragon be disintegrated. This, of course, gave Applejack pause, and she raised a hoof to ask Twilight if the warp gate was actually safe, but only got the first syllable out before her vision was blurred with all manner of colors.

She felt herself falling rapidly through a sea of purple stars, watching as streaks of light shot past her by the thousands. A tunnel of blue opened up underneath her and she felt herself getting sucked in. She opened her mouth to scream, only for no sound to emerge as she fell further into the tunnel, getting swept away by a current of magic to parts unknown.

Moments later, she blinked, and her eyes adjusted to sudden light. Her entire body felt cold, and yet the unrelenting heat of the sun bore down on her as if she was in a desert. She blinked again, and realized she was in a desert, and that she was standing in Appleoosa’s town square, judging by the worn, wooden buildings around her. Multiple Ponies wearing wide-brimmed hats and vests passed her by, tipping their hats towards her with smiles on their pleasant faces. Even a few Buffalo roamed the streets, talking with their Pony neighbors as if they were old friends, rather than the enemies they used to be.

“Well, that was quite the thrilling rush,” Rarity said, putting on her sun hat and posing. “Oh, how I love these latest developments in magic and technology.”

“You okay there, AJ?” Spike asked, hopping off of Twilight’s back. “You look a little lost there.”

Applejack lowered her hoof, looked down at him, and said the first thing that popped into her head after experiencing...whatever it was she just went through. “...Ebbeh.”

Twilight snorted, trying to hide her laughter. “Oh, she’s fiiiine,” she said, before muttering under her breath, “First-timer.”

“So, where to next, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“The Salt Block Saloon, wherever that is,” Twilight answered, looking around. “Braeburn showed us the last time, but that was in a different part of town.”

“Ah can show ya,” Applejack said, shaking off her befuddlement from the trip. “An’ maybe later y’all can tell me just what it was Ah went through back there, ‘cause my head’s still spinnin’ like a carousel on double speed.”

“If I tell you, you won’t want to come with us to Hakoda,” Twilight replied, following Applejack down a road deeper into town.

“Hey, RD may be the Element of Loyalty, but don’t y’all underestimate mine,” Applejack countered.

Twilight shrugged. “Just being honest, Applejack.”

Applejack opened her mouth to object again, then closed it and shook her head, grinning. “Got me there.”

Luckily for the four of them, they didn’t have to walk very far into town in order to find their destination. The warp gate was situated at the edge of town, but the town itself was still in its infant stage, making it a cinch to locate the town square, despite its recent growths over the years. The red clock tower at the square was easily the tallest building in town, and could be seen from all angles, which made it even easier to find. From there, all they had to do was find the building with a giant saltshaker sign hanging from the top.

This, of course, was even easier to find than the town square, since before they even noticed the sign they saw a blue-furred stallion getting roughly thrown out of the Salt Block, followed shortly by his cider-drenched hat. The stallion raised a hoof and barked angrily at the bartender, who was bumping hooves with one of his barmaids as they both sent smug smirks in his direction before returning to the bar.

Applejack and Spike barely even spared a second glance at the uninteresting sight, and stepped into the saloon. Twilight helped the stallion to his hooves and sent him on his way, and Rarity dried out his hat with her own magic. He gave them each a nod of gratitude, but didn’t return their smiles as he turned and walked away. The two mares shrugged at each other before following their friends into the saloon.

Music, laughter, and rowdy voices met their ears even before they entered, followed by the sharp scents of apple cider, salt, and sweat. Rarity scrunched up her nose and gazed around, watching as a mare and a stallion duked it out over a table, swinging drunken hooves at each other while their companions cheered and guffawed at their general direction, raising their mugs and placing bets. Most of them, she noticed, were in the mare’s favor.

The moment everypony saw Twilight, however, the room quieted down somewhat, and even the brawlers stopped for a moment to watch as she entered. Twilight blushed slightly at all the attention, and waved back at them, her gaze imploring them to not stop on her account. With that, the conversations (and brawl) continued, although it was much quieter now.

Applejack pulled up a few chairs in a corner table for her and her friends and sat down, waiting for them to do the same. Once everypony was comfortable, they looked around, not seeing anypony coming their way.

“Think we’re early?” Spike asked.

“It’s possible,” Twilight replied, fidgeting with her hooves. “I mean, it’s not like Thorax can just fly all the way from the Badlands to here in an hour. A Changeling’s even slower than a Dragon when it comes to flight speed.”

“Not all of us,” said a voice, making all the mares and Spike jump and turn their heads. A beige, blue-maned stallion wearing a stetson smiled down at them while standing next to their table. “I learned that when I escaped the Crystal Empire when Chrysalis attacked. Turns out that love makes you stronger, and in my case, also faster. Must be a royal thing.”

Spike grinned. “Hey dude, what’s up?”

Thorax sat pulled up a stool next to him and sat down, bumping his fist with a hoof. “I’m doing great, thanks Spike. Hello Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack.”

“Hi Thorax!” Twilight said, smiling. “We got here as soon as we got your message.”

“Well, wasn’t expecting you to bring friends, but considering it’s you, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised either,” Thorax replied. “Besides, I’m grateful you did. Having the rest of you with me to back me up in this...it takes a lot off my mind, believe me.”

“We’re always happy and ready to help a friend in need, darling,” said Rarity.

“Speaking of which, where’s everyone else?” Thorax asked, looking around. “I don’t think I saw Starlight, Pinkie, or any of the others when you four walked in.”

Twilight shook her head. “You kinda caught us in an unfortunate time, Thorax. There’s some strange things happening in the Dragon Lands, and Celestia had sent me and my friends to go check it out. Starlight and the others left for the Eastern Lair while the four of us decided to help you.”

Thorax raised an eyebrow. “What sort of strange things?”

“Dude, you wouldn’t believe us if we told you,” Spike replied.

Thorax smirked. “Try me.”

“Well, first of all, there’s a city full of alternate dimensional Dragons now sitting in Halflinger Grove, all of whom just escaped from the destruction of their world, and we even met some of them today. They actually come from another world, Thorax!” Twilight explained in an excited tone. “Spyro, Cynder, Blackout, Spotlight, Sprocket, Echo, Flashwing, and Blades, they’re all so diverse and yet soooo fascinating! Each of them has their own elemental powers too, from electricity to fire to even shadow and light!”

“The city’s called Warfang,” Applejack added. “We were on our way to help Dragon Lord Ember make a few friends with ‘em.”

“They don’t even know how they got here, or if they can even get back, the poor dears,” Rarity said with a shake of her head.

Thorax blinked, and his mouth opened slightly as his mind processed this revelation, even as Twilight continued to drone on and on about how fascinating the discovery was and how she wished she could be a part of it. He had stopped listening to her moments ago, his thoughts transfixed on what she had said before. Alternate dimension, and an entire world’s destruction. He nearly dropped his disguise as words entered into his mind unbidden, and unwelcome.

’I am from another world, much like this one in its own ways, although very different. I was a great leader there, destined by prophecy to annihilate my world and recreate it in ways too beautiful to describe.’

“Could it be...?” he murmured, becoming lost in his thoughts. It had only been almost a week since that night, but the timing was too coincidental. Too close.

“Thorax?” Twilight asked, tilting her head to the side. “Are you okay?”

“Hm?” he hummed, looking at her. “Oh, er, sorry, heheh...just zoned out for a bit there. Wow, that really is a lot to take in...” He paused, and his ears wilted. “Wait, you wanted to go there, didn’t you? To Warfang? I mean, from what Spike told me in his letters, this sort of thing is right up your alley. I didn’t ruin it for you, did I?”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “What? Oh, nonono, Thorax, you didn’t ruin anything for me, really. The well-being of a friend means more to me than anything, even scientific discovery. Besides, Starlight’s just as capable as me when it comes to note-taking, she’ll do just fine.” She reached over and put a hoof on his shoulder, smiling. “You asked for my help, so I came. Don’t feel bad about that.”

Thorax smiled back, meeting her kind gaze. “Thanks, Twilight. I needed that.”

A moment of silence passed, as each of them sat back and took in all that had been said. Rarity looked between them all and noticed Twilight blushing slightly, as well as Thorax fidgeting whenever he looked her way. She smirked to herself and leaned back against the wall of the saloon, putting a hoof under her chin.

“So,” Spike spoke up, getting everypony’s attention. “What next?”

“Now we’re off to Hakoda,” Thorax replied, getting up from his stool. “I can’t really explain it, but when the Emperor’s message was going through my head, I felt something...drawing me somewhere. Northwest, in fact. I’m hoping Hakoda is far enough northwest that it’ll cut our travel time in half, that way we’ll make it long before the deadline is up.”

“Well, that’s smart of ya,” Applejack said.

Thorax shrugged. “Well, we’ll see about that. Shall we?”

“Yes, let’s go,” Twilight said, hopping off her chair and following Thorax out of the saloon. One of the barmaids glanced between them and their now-available table and rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath.

A few minutes later, they five of them found themselves standing next to the warp gate pylon once more, and Applejack gulped, squeezing her eyes shut. Rarity and Spike snickered while Twilight rolled her eyes and selected Hakoda as their destination. As she began to whisper the password, Thorax tilted his head and said, “I’ve never used a warp gate before, although I’ve heard of them. What does it--”

And then, all five of them disappeared in their own beams of light and shot high up into the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

(Halflinger Grove, near Warfang)

The wind rushed past Starlight’s face as she dangled from Spotlight’s claws, and yet it somehow didn’t feel uncomfortable. Whatever Blades was doing up in front of the group to improve their speed and reduce wind resistance, it was working. They had made record time flying from Ponyville to the Dragon Lands --- only a couple hours, by Starlight’s count. During that time, it was concluded that having Flashwing carry Pinkie instead of Spotlight was probably the best decision that both groups could’ve made. Starlight didn’t think any one of them could handle that much hyperactivity condensed into one space.

Of course, that didn’t stop Spotlight from talking Starlight’s ears off, nor did it stop Pinkie from doing the same to Flashwing. Flashwing glared at Starlight from her spot in the V-formation, and Starlight could only offer a helpless shrug and a smile in response.

Fluttershy, held up by Spyro, giggled at the sight. Unlike Rainbow Dash, who was flying alongside Blackout (and was totally not geeking out over his shadow abilities), it was quickly determined that Fluttershy couldn’t keep up with the much faster Dragons, so Spyro offered himself up as an air taxi. While initially opposed to the idea, she eventually warmed up to it, especially when she realized that it was a surprisingly comfortable ride (though she would never admit it).

Blades craned his neck backwards and yelled, “Not much further, now!”

“Great!” Starlight yelled back over the rushing wind. “Let us know when we’re within sight of the city.”

“Roger!”

“Her name’s Starlight, silly!” Pinkie laughed. Almost every Dragon around her groaned.

Spotlight, on the other hoof, snickered, and winked at Starlight. “Man, I love that joke.”

Starlight rolled her eyes and looked down, seeing that they had now returned to flying over land instead of the ocean. Specifically, wooded land; there were trees as far as the eye could see, and she could barely make out the outline of the craggy, arrowhead mountains that surrounded the Eastern Lair to her left. It was an amazing view, especially with the soft, golden glow of the sun beginning to dip down below the horizon. In a few hours it would be night, and not a moment too soon.

“There it is!” Blades cheered, pointing ahead with a claw. “We’re home, lads and lasses!”

Starlight looked up to him, and then brought her gaze to where he was pointing, the other Ponies doing the same. After a single moment of silence, they collectively dropped their jaws.

The sight was incredible. When Spyro and Cynder had described the city of Warfang to them in their tale, they had completely failed to capture the majesty of what now lay before them. To that end, the Ponies were willing to forgive them, since the two Dragons had been fighting for their lives at the time, but that hardly mattered at the moment.

Thick, imposing walls of granite and brick surrounded the city, crowned with wide battlements and tall towers, upon which many Dragons, Moles, and Cheetahs roamed. Crimson banners and flags, slightly tattered and burnt but still flowing with the breeze, hung from the walls or from poles atop the towers, each bearing a single symbol: a white Dragon, curling protectively around a golden egg.

Behind the walls was the city itself, a massive conglomeration of various houses and towers, almost all of which had a dome or sloped roof of some kind at the top, and some had arched bridges connecting them. Many were damaged and under repair, but almost all of them were still standing. All the scorch marks had been carefully scraped away, and all the fallen stones and rubble had been cleared. Even the gardens had been restored to their former beauty, as large Earth Dragons connected with the Earth beneath them to regenerate the plants and soil.

But what had drawn the Ponies’ attention was undoubtedly the truly immense structure that rose high above the rest of the city atop a rocky hill at its heart. It had another wall of its own, along with six towering spires at the edge, each tipped with a crimson flag, with a long bridge leading from the gatehouse to another, smaller hill with a small fort, which led back down to the city. Within the walls lay what the Ponies could only assume to be the Warfang Temple, as described by Spyro and Cynder. It looked more like a domed castle with towers; battlements; and ornate, elegant balconies than a Temple, but Starlight supposed that Dragons had a different style of architecture when it came to this sort of thing.

Blackout grinned as he watched the Ponies take in the sights. “Welcome to Warfang, the last stronghold of the Dragons...and the last bastion of our hope.”

Cynder’s eyes glistened and she glanced Spyro’s way, smiling. He smiled back, as did Sparx on his head. They were finally home.

Rainbow shook her head and smirked, pulling out a camera from her saddlebags and snapping a photo of the city. “Twilight’s gonna blow a gasket when she sees this...”

“I think I’m about to!” Pinkie half-squealed, half-murmured as she squirmed in Flashwing’s grasp.

Flashwing grunted and held her tighter. “Please...don’t.” Echo passed by her in her water stream, snickering.

Sprocket’s eyes narrowed and he glanced towards the sunset. “Captain, we must continue. Night approaches.”

Blackout nodded. “Right then, enough chit-chat and dawdling, keep flying and don’t stop until you reach the Guardian’s Terrace at the Temple. On the double!”

With that, the Dragons continued on their flight, this time with renewed vigor. The Ponies, meanwhile, could hardly keep their eyes off the city as they moved closer to it. They didn’t notice the sun finally lower behind the mountains, nor did they notice the moon rising. All the saw was the lights of the city below, and the future.

(Trotsylvania, Governmental Headquarters)

Far to the northeast of the Dragon Lands, beyond the Stampede Stream and at the foothills of the Himallamas lay a city. It was neither grand nor noteworthy, but it was there nonetheless, still standing throughout the ages. Its inhabitants were Ponies, with the occasional Griffon and Peryton visitor, and they loved their city with all their hearts. Their city, after all, was Trotsylvania, one of the three Frontier Colonies, established over a thousand years ago when the Griffons and Dragons were still largely unknown to Equestria.

In its prime, Trotsylvania, being the first of the Frontier Colonies, was Equestria’s leading place of commerce near the Griffon Empire, and was world-renowned for its impressive political and military might. It was the ancestral home of the Hussars, Ponies of all tribes who trained their entire lives to be the greatest warriors in the land. They loved Equestria and their home, and their pride and honor as warriors was lauded throughout the known world. During the Dragon Wars, many had given their lives to defend that which they called dear.

But that was long ago. The wars ended, the Griffons and Dragons retreated back into their homes, and yet the Hussars remained alert and ready, awaiting orders that would never come for centuries afterwards.

Their sister cities of Ho Chi Mane and Shanghay were constructed as the Griffons allowed more and more Ponies into their lands. Trotsylvania was no longer Equestria’s first line of defense in the east; it was now a trading post. Still the Hussars trained. Still they waited. Their pride and honor held firm.

In Equestria, the Royal Equestrian Legion was founded, and all Hussars were offered the choice to join the new military. They refused, for it was an insult to their legacy and heritage. Then taxes were raised by the nobility in Canterlot, and they knew then that it was the end for them. The Hussars had been cast aside and replaced, and no one remembered the sacrifices their ancestors and their Houses had made for their country.

And so another war begun, one not born from weapons, but from words. The Trotsylvanians refused to be cast aside and their Houses forgotten. They were noble families, born and bred for Equestria’s defense! And if Equestria didn’t need them anymore, then Trotsylvania would have no need for them either. They would seek independence, and they would get it. Their pride and honor demanded it.

Dissent grew, as did the Frontier Colonies’ distrust of the Diarchy and the Canterlot nobles. Shanghay was the first to side with their Trotsylvanian brothers and sisters, followed shortly by Ho Chi Mane. Now, with all three cities declaring independence, Celestia had no choice but to view them as their own nation, each with their own elected leaders. It was, after all, the will of her little Ponies. To do otherwise was to invite a civil war on Equestria’s borders, and that was something she would never abide by.

Centuries passed, and the three Colonies held, independent and alone, in a world that had shunned them. Luna had returned, and Equestria had seen many changes in the past six years since that day. Still the Hussars trained, and this time they watched. They watched everything, from Chrysalis’s invasion, to the Crystal Empire’s return, to Tirek’s rampage and Twilight’s castle rising from the ground. Still they waited, not for orders, but for the right moment to emerge and once again return to glory.

And today might be that day, the ruler of Trotsylvania, General Snow Drift, had decided.

As he sat at the head of his dining table and ate his supper, a lone, armored Hussar captain with red fur entered the candlelit chamber, walking steadily on his hind legs with his forelegs clasped behind his back. Snow didn’t even look up as he moved closer, instead only setting aside his fork and closing his eyes.

“Well?” Snow asked serenely.

“It’s as we feared, my lord,” the captain rasped, putting a forehoof on one of the dining chairs and leaning against it. “This new Dragon city in Halflinger isn’t a city, it’s a fortress. One that even Equestria or the mighty Griffons would have trouble penetrating. Rumor has it that Dragon Lord Ember wishes to make peace with them, or at least to establish some sort of trade.”

Snow hummed, wiping off his mouth with a napkin using his magic. “And your spies are sure that these Dragons aren’t from the Eastern Lair? That they are from this...alternate dimension?”

“Positive, my lord,” the captain replied. “And these new Dragons have allies of their own. A rodent-like race akin to moles, and Abyssinians.”

Snow frowned. “What are the cats doing in the Dragon Lands?”

“I don’t know, sir, but we’ll find out.”

“Please do so, this is troubling news. I’ll have to ask Queen Cynthia about it during our next meeting at the Conclave. Anything else?”

The captain nodded. “Yes sir, there is one more thing. Our spies managed to get a closer look at one of the cannons on top of the wall.” He opened a pouch at his side and pulled out a blueprint, laying it flat in front of the general. “By our estimates and thaumatic scans, these cannons have the power to level a small mountain if they had to, provided a continuous rate of fire and a large supply of ammunition.”

Snow reached across the table and lifted up a small pair of glasses, placing them on his snout and glancing down at the blueprint. “Intriguing...how many of these do they have?”

“We counted at least twenty, with possibly more within the walls themselves, although we can’t be sure.”

“Whatever they were defending against must have been a powerful enemy indeed,” Snow sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Continue your operations, Captain Rippler, and let me know the moment contact has been established between the city and the Eastern Lair. Should the Dragon Lord get her claws on those cannons, and should they decide to turn them on us...”

“Equestria is strong, my lord, and so are we,” the captain replied, grinning. “We won’t let the lizards even think about conquest again, not after the last time. Dragons live for thousands of years; they haven’t forgotten how we drove them to the brink.”

“No...they haven’t,” Snow said, grasping his fork once more. The Dragons had very long memories, and their bitterness, while hidden from the world, ran deep in their veins. Dragon Lord Ember was just another lizard, born from a long, noble line with even longer memory. She had heard the tales, and had seen the remnants. She spoke of friendship between Ponies and Dragons, but knew only war. Snow and his Hussars knew this, and so they trained. “And for the sake of the Colonies, I hope you’re right,” he finished, digging once more into his food.

They nearly exterminated the Dragons once, and had the Dragons not surrendered and had Celestia not been weak that day, they would've never been a problem afterwards. Should there be a next time, the Hussars would finish the job.