The Ponyville Express, the train that rode the rails between the center of Equestria, Canterlot, and the small town of Ponyville, rolled to a stop in the train station. Ponies who were expecting friends gathered around the station and eagerly awaited the departure of who they were waiting for. Three of those ponies stood out like sore hooves in a crowd, for they were none other than the friends of King Rocket Sky; Peachy Keen, Inner Wisdom, and Tick Tock.
"Its been a year since we've seen them," Peachy was saying, munching on a doughnut while they waited, "Do you think they'll be glad to see us?"
"Peachy, I am certain that they will be overjoyed to see us again," Wisdom answered, drinking one of those Mega Caffeinated Coffees that Pinkie had been drinking at the time they had been following Salad Top around, "His guards, on the other hoof, might not be so pleased to see us again."
"Chill out Wisdom," Tick said, holding a metal guitar that he had used to great effect during the Changeling attack on Ponyville a year ago, "I'm sure that our friends and their guards will be happy to see us, regardless of who won and lost the war game."
"Speaking of the war game I wonder who won." Peachy commented, having never been told which of the factions had actually won the latest war game.
The trains doors opened and ponies began to pour out, but none of them were the ones that they were waiting for. The line suddenly opened and out walked Princess Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the Elements of Harmony. Fluttershy smiled at Tick as they passed, but it was clear that something was up since Twilight seemed extremely annoyed about something. If Peachy had to guess it was because she had lost the war game, but she was only guessing since the winner had yet to be revealed to them.
When the train had emptied did six Changelings, five of them dressed up in light battle armor while the sixth dressed almost like a royal guard, step off the train and make a path for the next two to deboard. The first one to step off the train was a Queen sized Changeling that Peachy and her friends immediately recognized due to the innocent looks she gave them. She was none other than Rose Petal, or Queen Viscarias of the Changeling Empire. Though Tick could have sworn that she had gotten fatter since the last time they had seen her. The next one to step off the train was the one that they had been truly waiting for.
An armored Alicorn, whose coat was light blue and his mane and tail were golden, stepped off the train and smiled. As he stepped towards the group the armor began to turn to mist, breaking apart before reforming as aquamarine colored jewelry that resembled Princess Celestia's set. On his flank rested a quill Cutie Mark and his silver eyes shone as he and his wife approached the three ponies. He was none other than King Rocket Sky of the Changeling Empire, the pony they had been waiting for.
"Rocket!" Peachy exclaimed, throwing her hooves around the stallion's neck and hugging him fiercely, "I'm so glad to see you again."
"Likewise Peachy Keen," Rocket happily said, returning the mare's hug before they broke up, "Its great to be back in Ponyville after a year of being gone."
"So, you ever think of having a foal?" Tick suddenly asked as the group began walking away from the station.
"Seriously?" Rocket asked in return, "I'm married, so of course I'm planning on having a foal in the future. Maybe even sooner than you think."
"I for one am glad to be back," Rose commented, hoping to drag the conversation away for a bit, "Live at the Hive has gotten annoying since I became Queen, but at least we can have a break every now and then."
"I've been meaning to ask about life at the Hive," Wisdom commented, "but right now I think we are all interested in hanging out with you guys. So, what's the plan?"
"Well, considering what time it is I was thinking we'd go eat first," Rocket said, making the others notice that it was already six in the afternoon, "and we just happen to have reservations at the Midsummer Retreat for six-thirty.'
"How did you get a reservation there?" Tick asked, "From what I learned from Octavia it is almost impossible to get one at that restaurant."
"Well we got one regardless," Rocket answered, noticing something about each of his friends, "Now, if you don't mind me asking, why are you still wearing your war game armor Peachy?"
None of his friends had changed out of their armor from the war game, which meant that Wisdom was still wearing his monk's robe, Tick still had a strap that his cannon could be carried on, and Peachy was, well, still dressed up like a mini Nightmare Moon.
"I like how I look," Peachy said, flipping her hair back as she looked down at her light silver armor, "I'm not sure about them, but I don't think I'll be changing out of my armor anytime soon. Besides, how will I learn to read dreams if I don't have the armor on?"
Peachy had been learning from Princess Luna for quite some time, mostly to see if a non-unicorn had to potential to read dreams and such like Luna could do. While it wasn't her special talent, which left her flank bare still, she was definitely skilled in the art. She still crusaded, but she took time to learn whatever Luna had to offer her.
Wisdom and Tick, on the other hoof, weren't receiving any special treatment from the Princess they served during the war games. It really didn't bother either of them, but they knew Peachy enjoyed the treatment considering the Lunar Princess was likely lonely still. Still they wondered which faction had won the war game and they wouldn't stop until they knew the answer.
"I know your going to ask eventually, so I'll tell you anyway," Rocket said, "Princess Luna won the latest war game, stealing the winner spot from her sister."
"I wonder how it is that your always losing the war games," Tick commented, "considering that you have such godly powers I would think that you would be able to take all four of the Princesses together."
"If you recall that power is unstable," Rocket countered, "I'd rather not do what I had done to them last year again. I doubt they would forgive me if I did."
He was referring to the fact that the old Changeling Queen, Chrysalis, had bitten him and turned him into a monster bent on erasing the Royal Family from the face of Equestria. He made been seconds away from nearly killing his own friend Peachy when Rose had made the choice to kiss him in his Changeling shape. The curse broken and his ascension into an Alicorn complete he defeated the evil Chrysalis and banished her, but not before she said that she would one day return to exact revenge on him. Now, a year later, Rocket knew that she would not return and would live the rest of her life in exile.
"Oh, we're here," Rose mentioned, breaking Rocket from his memory lapse and bringing him to the now.
They were standing in front of the Midsummer Retreat, the very same restaurant that Chrysalis had been working at under the guise of Salad Top. The Manager was a kind hearted pony and he smiled as the group entered the room.
"Ah, King Rocket Sky and company," he said, penning something down, "right this way."
They were seated at a table with enough room for them and the guards, which was a little awkward since they still had their war game armor on. Some of them blushed and made theirs vanish like their King had done, while the others had simply made them vanish. Of course most Changelings didn't actually need to eat, but the group of guards ordered salads with various toppings anyway. Rose smiled as the rest of the group ordered and they got to talking about how things were going on with each of them.
This is too perfect, the waitress, Salad Top, thought as she noticed the group sitting down,I can take my revenge on the stallion who ruined my life at long last.
As the dishes were prepared and presented to her she was told exactly which dish was to go to which member of the large group. When she was told which was Rocket Sky's she gave them a smile and waited till she was between the kitchen and the rest of the restaurant to slip a red leaf into rocket's dish. She continued to wear her smile as she approached the table and set down the dishes in front of who they belonged to, her eyes never leaving the stallion she hated so much.
As the evening wore on and Salad kept constant tabs on the dish she noticed Rocket finally eat the red leaf that she had planted on his plate. All was going according to plan. Now all she had to do was wait and the final victory would be her's. Of course she had to tend to her other tables before she was fired and lost her job, so she hurried off and got back to work.