The simple library became filled with ponies chattering about what they thought they were called for. A surprise party? A celebration of some sort? A meteor shower? No one knew exactly… or even had a clue. That alone is why everybody looked to Twilight standing in the center of the library. “Alright… welcome everybody,” Twilight nodded to them, “ponies…” looking to Breaburn and his cousins, “griffon…” turning, she looked to Gilda standing off to the side annoyed, “dragon…” Spike just sighed since he was the only dragon there, “I’m glad you could all make it.”
“Make it? Make it to what?” Rarity asked from out of the crowd.
“At first I assumed we all would know why I called you here… But I was clearly wrong.”
“All yer’ letter said was ‘it’s time’. Off the top of ma’ head, I can think ah’ ten things that could mean!” Applejack pointed out.
“Yes, yes. I should’ve been a bit clearer… But ink isn’t cheap and I was trying to keep each letter under 20 characters.” Twilight admitted.
That itself made enough sense, so a few of her guests simmered down; save particularly Rainbow Dash who was looking rather confident. “Don’t worry, Twi,” Rainbow Dash swooped down and put a reassuring hoof on her friend’s shoulder, “I understand exactly what we’re doing.”
Twilight was genuinely surprised by this, smiling all the while. “What? Really? That’s great. Well then, I’ll let you go ahead and explain how we’re taking over Canterlot,” Twilight allowed, metaphorically handing Rainbow Dash the reigns.
Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded proudly while everyone else in the room looked petrified and at a loss for any words. “Awesome. Well, here’s the—“ doubling taking a look at Twilight, Rainbow Dash looked confused, “Wait… we’re taking over Canterlot?”
“Well, yeah. What did you think we were doing?” Twilight asked, starting to get curious.
The pegasus shifted nervously before ducking away back to Fluttershy’s side. “N-Never mind what I was thinking…”
Still, everyone remained stone cold with the echoing of Twilight’s words ringing through there skulls. It was Applejack that finally spoke up, clearly very unsettled. “Did ya’ say… take over Canterlot?”
“Yes, Applejack, I did,” Twilight said frankly.
A long pause settled over the lot of them before in a chorus, everyone said, “I’m out.”
“We’re out.”
“Out of here.”
One by one, in a flowing manner, everyone began to exit the library. Quickly, Twilight teleported in front of the exit with a frantic look about her. “Where are you going?”
“Away from here… you’ve gone mad if you think we could –much less would- take over Canterlot,” Rarity said frankly.
The chorus of agreement followed her statement, but Twilight only frowned. “But don’t you all wish you had more? Canterlot is the center of Equestria. If we take Canterlot, we take Equestria, if we take Equestria, we will have everything we could ever want.”
“Let’s say yer’ right,” Applejack started, “Canterlot has guards coverin’ every dang inch of the city. Led by yer’ own brother, I’d remind ya’, too.”
“Right you are… but Shining Armor has already been dealt with…” Twilight said in a foreboding manner.
…
“Cadance, are you sure this is the right way?” Shining asked as he and his wife ventured down a twisting road.
“Of course,” Cadance answered cheerfully, “Twilight wouldn’t lead us wrong. Just you wait; when we find this ‘snipe’ creature, we’ll be able to put it down in the history books right along our names.”
“If you say so…” Shining sighed tired.
…
“Yes… taken dealt with…”
“A’right… but that still leaves almost one hundred guards,” Applejack added.
“Correct. But without Shining Armor’s guidance and leadership, we’ll be able to rip right through them and—“
“Get our hats handed to us by the Princesses…” Breaburn spoke up flatly.
Once more, everyone in the room agreed with little chatter and slight nods. “Oh please. I already told Celestia my plans and gave her plenty of time to evacuate… she’s not stupid, so she and her sister are probably long gone by now.”
“Twilight!” Applejack finally snapped, “This is stupid! Celestia knows yer’ plan, she’s taught y’all everythin’ ya’ know, and she knows none of us are gonna’ possibly beat her or her army!”
Twilight remained silent for a second, pursing her lips casually and narrowing her eyes at Applejack. “You know, Applejack… there were creatures that thought like you too… Do you know what they were called?” Twilight asked calmly, leaning closer to her cowpony friend. Applejack readied to retort the comment before Twilight snapped her head up into the air, “They were called Changelings!” everyone looked around the room confused, but none more then Applejack. “They were self-centered, un-ambitious creatures that wanted to rob everyone of their joy! Are you a Changeling, Applejack!?” at that moment, everyone gasped while Twilight pointed a single hoof at Applejack.
“…No?” Applejack responded blandly.
“Are you a Changeling, Applejack!?” Twilight shouted louder.
“No!” Applejack said once more, feeling everyone’s eyes resting on her.
“Because Changelings are not allowed in my library, much less my villege!”
“I ain’t no Changeling!”
“I think you are! Quick! Everyone hold her down and zap her!” Twilight ordered; and strangely enough, many began to inch closer to Applejack.
“Stop!” Applejack shouted, throwing her front legs into the air, hoping to stop everyone, “I’m not a Changeling! I’m good ol’ Applejack! Ah’ swear!” she pleaded.
“Good…” Twilight softly excused, gesturing for everyone to take a step back. “Now… allow me to enlighten you about a group that never surrendered… they were called Changelings.”
“For the love of—“ Applejack cursed under her breath after rejoining her siblings.
Twilight ignored the objection and continued on. “Their whole plan was thought to be extreme and rather insane,” the ponies in the room nodded thoughtfully at the recollection, “But, you wanna know what? They got pretty close, didn’t they? Do you know why? They stayed dedicated,” a few ponies voiced a simple ‘yeah’, “they kept unified!”
“YEAH!” many more joined in, leaving Applejack dumbfounded when she saw Apple Bloom throwing her hooves up too.
“I know for a fact a lot of you ponies here thought they were stupid for even trying…”
“Oh yeah…” they all said dejectedly.
“Well, Applejack said it herself, we’re stupid, so that gives us just as much a chance, if not more considering our diversities!”
“Techinicly, ah’ didn’t say we were—“ but Applejack’s interjection was quickly dashed by everyone going into a roar of agreement.
Seeing now how she was having them eating out of the flats of her hooves, Twilight pressed for the finisher. “Now, follow me in this thought. First, we take Canterlot; then, we move onto Ponyville, then the Everfree Forest! At this point, our forces will be so monstrous and massive, not a single pony or creature alike will stand up to us! Then, who knows? We take Cloudsdale,” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy smiled a little at the thought of owning their own home town, “Then even Appleloosa!” Breaburn straightened up and became bright faced at that idea, “We may even reach Saddle Arabia!” even Rarity had to ponder such an endeavor as taking over such vast lands, “And wherever it is that Gilda and Zecora are from! No offence you two.”
“No biggie,” Gilda shrugged, still completely bored and uninterested with what was going on.
“The idea is fine, to conquer the home of mine,” Zecora nodded her approval
“Then you know what we’re going to take after that?” Twilight lead them to answer her question.
“Equestria?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Why stop there? We’ll take over the whole world!” Twilight encouraged. “So tell me… What are you all? Changelings?” everyone grumbled at the notion presented, “Or are you Changelings!?” at once, everyone through their front legs into the air and cheered with hoots and hollers.
Seeing her revolution taking fruit, Twilight Sparkle just took it all in for a moment before noticing a pink mare sitting next to her. “Oh. Pinkie Pie. When did you get here?”
“Around the Changeling speech…” Pinkie replied, adjusting a hat outfitted on top of her head.
Twilight cocked her head a little and examined the choice in headwear. “That’s a nice trilby; any reason why you’re wearing it?”
“Oh, you know…” Pinkie shrugged before giving a side glance to nowhere. “I guess you can say for the rest of this adventure… I’m gonna be Atop the Fourth Wall!”
“…Huh?”