//------------------------------//
// The Duumvirate 
// Story: The Return of Greg 
// by sbloom85 
//------------------------------//

Ten Weeks Ago, Canterlot

Twilight Sparkle enters the throne room and approaches Princesses Celestia.

"Princess Celestia." Twilight says, bowing before her teacher.

"We are equals, Twilight." Celestia says. "And always have been. There is no need to bow to me."

Twilight giggles sheepishly. "Sorry. Old habits, I suppose." She explains. "You needed to see me?"

Celestia nods. "Indeed." She says warmly. "Now that you are a princess and are familiar with the responsibilities that come with the position, it is time for you to properly acquaint yourself with the other leaders."

Twilight nods. "Of course. Where do you want me to start? The Griffons? Minotaurs?"

Celestia shakes her head. "No. Your first stop will be Saddle Arabia. You briefly met their delegates and I thought they would be the ideal choice to begin."

Twilight nods in agreement. "Then I will go to Saddle Arabia."





Nine Weeks Ago: Ponyville

Rarity enters the library as Twilight is packing her saddlebag and gasps. "Twilight, dear!" She shouts. "What in Equestria are you doing with that old thing?" She asks, referring to the bag.

Twilight fastens the latch on the bag. "This is my favorite bag. Why should I get rid of it?"

Rarity gasps again and sputters. "That may be fine for trotting around town, but you're a princess, Twilight!" She explains. "You simply must have a new, more elegant one for your new position."

Twilight groans. "The train leaves in three hours. If you can make one for me within one hour, I'll consider it."

Rarity's ears flatten. "That's a tall order, Twi." She says before her ears perk again. "Oh! I promise to have one made by the end of the day and send it upon completion." She says ecstatically. "Hopefully it'll be there before your arrival."





Eight Weeks Ago: Saddle Arabia

Twilight is escorted to a VIP room in the palace. "I hope your visit is a pleasant one, Your Majesty." The guard says.

Twilight smiles. "It has been so far already, thank you. And please, call me Twilight."

The guard bows his head. "As you wish, Twilight."

The guard salutes Twilight before leaving her to unpack.

A few minutes later, another guard approaches her room and knocks on the door. "Your Majesty," he calls, "a package has arrived for you." He says.

"Go ahead and put it on the bed." She says, organizing the dresser. The guard complies and places the parcel on the bed and leaves. After putting away the contents of her suitcase, she turns to the bed, looks at the package and smiles. "She did say it would be delivered before my arrival."





Now

In a cave somewhere between the Crystal Empire and Changeling territory, a massive blob of dark magical energy is in the process of rebuilding itself. A figure emerges from the outside, approaching the blob.

"Chrysalis..." A voice from the blob hisses. "You're late."

Chrysalis adjusts her mane. "My apologies." She says sarcastically. "We might have hit a snag."

"Have they found you out already?" The voice says irritably. "I shouldn't be surprised. It's been over two years since your failed attempt to conquer Canterlot."

Chrysalis huffs. "Don't forget your own failed attempt to retake the Crystal Empire." She throws out. "At least my Changelings and I were able to put up a fight." She shakes her head. "But no. They are not the problem, an outsider arrived in Equestria sometime this morning."

The blob groans. "What is it?" It asks. "Griffon? Dragon? Minotaur?"

Chrysalis shakes her head. "None of them. This is a different creature, alien to us, yet he is somehow familiar with us."

The face of King Sombra emerges from the blob. "Then go back and make sure this creature doesn't pose a threat to our plans!"

Chrysalis looks behind King Sombra to her victim and smiles before transforming into her. "Shining Armor and Cadance won't be able to save you this time." She says in Twilight's voice before letting out a maniacal laugh.

Chrysalis leaves the cave, Sombra shifts himself to face Twilight Sparkle and laughs. "Just wait until I get my hooves on the Crystal Heart..."





Eight Weeks Ago: Saddle Arabia

Twilight was in a meeting with one of the delegates she met in Ponyville, preparing herself to meet with her boss when a guard rushes into the room. "Pardon the interruption, but a messenger from the Griffon Empire has arrived, severely injured."

Twilight and the delegate are escorted to the hospital, to the Griffon guest's room. They look inside and the Griffon was barely awake. "I wonder what happened?" Twilight asks aloud.

A doctor exits the room. "The Griffon should be more alert in a few hours now that we're treating his wounds."

Before they could leave, they hear raspy breathing. "P... Princess..." The Griffon struggles. Twilight and the delegate approach his side. "Ch... Change... lings... attacked..." he manages to say before passing out.





Worried that the Changelings have returned, Twilight decides to write a letter to Celestia.

Dear Princess Celestia,

A messenger from the Griffon Empire arrived a few hours ago. He was barely alive then and it doesn't look good now. All he could say was that the Changelings attacked them. With your permission, I would like to investigate this attack.

Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle

She rolls up the scroll and sends it to her teacher. She then hears some knocking on the door, well it was open, so she looks over and sees the queen of Saddle Arabia.

"Forgive me for not meeting you sooner, Princess Twilight Sparkle." She says.

Twilight smiles. "It's fine, Your Highness. I figured the Changelings would resurface one day, but I never imagined it would've been this soon."

The queen nods. "I would like to offer you the escort of a few of my guards."

Suddenly a scroll appears before Twilight. "That was quick." She commented, opening the scroll.

Dearest Twilight,

I give you permission to begin your investigation, All I ask from you is to wait for a detachment of Pegasi guards and that you be careful.

Twilight rolls up the scroll and puts it in her bag. "It looks like there will be some time for us to talk. Princess Celestia is sending some Pegasi guards, and if the offer still stands, I would like some of your guards to join me as well."

The queen nods. "Of course."





Now, the cave

"Where is Chrysalis going?!" Twilight asks, struggling in her cocoon.

Sombra laughs. "Somewhere familiar, to prepare for the second phase of my plan."





Canterlot

The ride to the castle had been a dull one. Neither of them wanted to say anything to each other. The chariot lands, Celestia exits along with Greg and the Unicorn guards.

"Escort Mister Sanders to the holding area." The princess orders. "I still have a few things to take care of and then I'll be with him."

The Unicorn guards salute her. "Yes ma'am." One says, taking Greg away.

Celestia turns to her Pegasus guards. "You four search for Twilight Sparkle. Don't come back until you've found her. Am I clear?"

The Pegasi salute her. "Yes, ma'am!" They shout in unison before flying off.





Two hours have passed since Greg was locked up. He sits on his cot, thinking about the events that led him to his current situation. He looks onto his bare forearm, a Unicorn guard removed the SRG as he was being processed. He looks over at the Pegasus guard who was supposed to be watching him, but instead was reading some kind of magazine. "What are ya reading?" He asked, as he couldn't see the front cover. The guard ignores him and continues reading the magazine. "That good huh?" He continues, examining the guard's posture. It must be a dirty magazine judging from the way he's sitting.

The guard puts the magazine away and stands at attention as they hear the sound of hoofsteps approaching them. He clears his throat and composes himself before Celestia enters the room.

"I apologize it took so long." She says, trotting up to Greg's cell. She begins casting a spell, her horn glowing the same shade of yellow it did when she cast the translation spell on him, relieving the human. Upon completion, a wide beam scans him from head to toe.

"Let me guess..." he begins, "that was an identification spell." He surmised. She nods. "Can I come out now?"

"Of course." She says, turning to the guard. "Please release Greg." The guard picks up a key, trots to the cell door and opens it. Greg steps out and sighs. "Forgive me for doing that. One can never be too cautious."

"Not with Changelings running around." Greg adds. "I think we both know who the imposter is at this point."

Celestia nods. "I will send for her friends and I want you to help them find her."





The Crystal Empire

Chrysalis approaches the crystal castle with a pair of her Changelings posing as Pegasus guards, reciting Twilight and Cadance's silly secret hoofshake in her mind. Back when Twilight did it the first time, she thought it to be absurd. She enters the castle and both the princess and her prince were there to greet who they thought to be Twilight. Cadance rushes over and the two begin the ritual.

"Sunshine sunshine ladybugs awake; clap your hooves and do a little shake!" The two yell in unison while doing the dance. Chrysalis felt like vomiting in her mouth and clearly showed it.

"You okay, Twiley?" Shining Armor asks. "You don't look so hot."

Cadance giggles. "She's been on a long journey, Shiny."

Shining Armor nods. "Maybe." He says, smiling at his sister. "Still, we weren't expecting you to be here. We'll have a room prepped for ya."

"Thank you, BBBFF." She smiles, trying not to vomit. "I don't think a princess of Equestria should have a reason to visit her family, should she?"

Shining Armor laughs. "You're right. Come on, you and your guards must be hungry if you flew all the way from the Griffon Empire."

Chrysalis grins. "You have no idea." The plan was going well, maybe they'll actually have a shot at this.





Seven Weeks Ago: The Griffon Empire

Celestia sent a group of six Pegasi guards and the Saddle Arabian queen sent four of her guards with Twilight. The chariot ride from Saddle Arabia took longer than expected as they had to pass several checkpoints before arriving. Once within the city proper, the Saddle Arabian guards stop, allowing Twilight and her Pegasus guards to exit the Chariot.

Twilight was shocked to see the place. It looked like a war zone pictured in one of her history books. She immediately sees a Griffon propped against a building and gallops up to it. The Saddle Arabian guards unhook themselves and follow her along with the Pegasi.

"What happened here?!" She asks it.

"Change...lings." He says with heavy breaths. "Th... The king..."

"What about the king?" She asks.

"In... dan-" he tries saying.

Twilight examines the Griffon. "He's dead." She says before looking at a wrecked castle. "We need to make sure their king is safe." She orders.





Once inside the castle, a group of four Griffon guards approach Twilight and her guards. "Stop right there!" One says. "Leave this place or die, Changeling!"

Twilight and her guards stop. "Allow me to prove that we aren't Changelings." She requests. She powers up her horn, preparing a spell when the lead guard stops her.

"Enough." He says, realizing she's not a Changeling, but is still wary of her guards. "Are you here to see our king?" He asks.

Twilight nods. "Is he alright?"

The guard shakes his head. "I'm afraid not."

Twilight winces and turns to her guards. "Split up." She orders. "Help them recover survivors." Her guards nod and leave the castle. "Take me to him."





Twilight is escorted to the king. "Wh... who's there?" He asks. His eye were covered with a blood-soaked cloth.

"Sir, we have an Equestrian visitor." The guard announces.

"Celestia?" He asks in a hopeful voice.

"No, Your Majesty." Twilight answers. "I am Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's personal student and new princess of Equestria."

"I see..." he says, "I'm sorry about the mess. I imagine my home doesn't look pleasant now."

Twilight forces back a tear. "Don't be, Your Majesty." She said, trying to reassure her host. "I sent my guards to help yours rescue survivors."

A smile creeps onto the king's face. "Bless you, Princess Twilight." He says weakly. "Please escort the princess to one of the guest rooms. I will send for you when I am ready to speak again."

Twilight bows. "Of course." She says. "I will be awaiting your summon."

A guard takes Twilight out of the infirmary and she stops an incoming doctor. "Will he make it?"

The doctor slowly shakes his head. "We're not sure." He says. "If he does pull through, I'm afraid he won't be able to see for the rest of his life."





Twilight's guards spent the whole day looking for survivors and managed to find many. Dusk was falling and the king's adviser invited their guests for dinner. Questions about the Changelings came up, how many there were; their method of attack, and much more. There was no clear answer about their numbers, but the Griffons knew they were aided by dark magic.

Dark magic... it was something Twilight was familiar with when she helped her brother and sister in-law free the Crystal Empire. She felt the same magic here, but thought her mind was playing tricks on her, but the answer was clear: King Sombra was still alive.

After dinner, Twilight was escorted to her quarters. It was messy, but she didn't mind. As she clears a space for any guests, she hears a knocking on the wall. She turns around sees the Griffon adviser. "Good evening, sir." She greets. "What can I do for you?"

The Griffon grins at her, his eyes flash green for an instant before transforming back into his original form. Twilight tries to scream, but the Changeling knocks her out. He steps out of the room. "Deliver her to the queen and our ally." He hisses. The two Pegasi's eyes flash green and they nod.





Now, Canterlot

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Greg and Spike were lined up in front of Celestia. "Thank you all for coming. I'm sure many of you are wondering what has been going on." Everyone but Greg and Spike nods. "As you know, I sent Twilight on a diplomatic errand to Saddle Arabia about two months ago. She found out about a Changeling attack in the Griffon Empire and went to investigate."

Applejack raises a hoof. "Why didn't ya send fer us?" She asks.

"That's a fair question, my little pony." She answers. "The last message I received from her, she was entering Griffon territory, and after that, nothing." She lowers her head and closes her eyes, forcing back a tear. "I fear that she has been captured by the Changelings and I didn't want you to suffer that fate either.

Greg raises a finger. "Question." He says. "How long does it take for a Changeling to adapt to a new physiology?"

Celestia shrugs. "I don't know. We've been trying to get information on them since the attack here in Canterlot, but we found nothing."

"Have you notified Cadance and Shining Armor?" Greg asks. "They should be warned about a potential attack."

Celestia nods. "I've already taken the liberty."

"Now here's a good question," Rainbow Dash says, "what the hay are we still doing here?!" She asks. "We need to get our flanks out there, save Twilight and stop the Changelings."

"I agree with your enthusiasm, Rainbow Dash," Celestia says, "but it's not just the Changelings. King Sombra has returned as well."

Every pony's jaw drops. "WHAT?!" Applejack yells. "Ah thought we defeated him."

"It seems his current form has the ability to regenerate, an oversight my sister and I regret." Celestia says somberly. "I fear he'll be after the Crystal Heart."

Greg's ear perks. "Sounds like this artifact is a double-edged sword for him."

Celestia nods. "It is. The heart will feed him power as long as he's near it, but if he stays close to it long enough, he will be fully mortal."

Greg taps his foot on the floor a few times before a smile forms on his face. "Celestia, I think I have an idea on how to kill two birds with one stone."

"Why would you want to do that?!" Fluttershy yells. "What have the poor birdies done to you?"

Everyone started glaring at Fluttershy. "I don't think he meant it that way, Flutters." Rainbow Dash says. "I think it's one of his weird human metaphors."

Greg nods. "That's exactly right. I'll need time to formulate the plan properly, so I request we take a train ride."

Everyone was shocked. "Since when did you become a tactician?" Celestia asks.

"The ship that picked me up a year ago was a warship and I spent pretty much the whole time with the ship's captain, a brilliant tactician, and I suppose I learned a few things from him."

Celestia floats a scroll and a quill to her and begins writing something. After a few moments she calls a guard to deliver the message to the train station's manager. "Good luck." She says to the group. "And be extremely careful."