Patrick, Varren, Mage, Rhino, Cybis, and myself were in the Hunter ship, as I had Nolandroid call for it during my sledding moment. We were on the way to the Empire, mostly so we could get an official peace agreement with Chrysalis, who was on her way there.
"So, Josh," Patrick asked, "what have you guys been up to?" Both of us had our helmets off, as did the others. I shrugged in response.
"Well, we freed Nightmare Moon from her banishment. Fun fact, in this version of Equestria, Nightmare is the main personality. We've gotten our own group of Guardians, two fire teams of which you guys met, saved Applejack's Parents, actually became members of her family, and we also reached an agreement with Chrysalis that would at least decrease the chances of her attacking."
"In fact, we're heading to the Empire now to finalize that agreement," Nolandroid said.
Patrick shook his head. "I still don't know how you guys got Ghosts, and we didn't."
"Well, Cybis thinks it might be because of how we got here."
"Either way, I want to head home," Patrick said. "You may like being here, but I don't even like the show." Guess i should point out that Patrick never was a brony. Hell, he only knows of the show because of his little sister.
"Well, it's a good thing then that we made a Vex portal," I said, gettig an alarmed look from Patrick.
"You did what?"
"We have precautions in place to prevent the Vex from coming here," I said. "And if they do, Cybis and Rhino have a plan for that."
"Okay, but why haven't you come home, yet? I mean, when she finds out, your mom's gonna be worried."
"I have a plan for that, actually," I said before nodding to Nolandroid, who floated by my head. I held my hand up, and a flash drive appeared. I handed it to Patrick, saying, "This is a record of everything I've been up to since I left, and even has the time displacement in there. As for why I, or, we, haven't left yet?" I shrugged. "It's because, here, even with the others, Nightmare and Twilight to name two, this world still needs us. I won't bore you with the details, Patrick, those are on the flash drive, as well as database shit so my mom knows just what I mean. Unfortunately, even with Celestia helping us before we pissed her off, we still couldn't find a way to remove the time issue. It also has a message for our former clan mates and Christian, as to why I won't be online, for a while at the least, forever at the most.
"We won't leave this world, Patrick. Not while Equis needs us. Hell, even after, we would stay here. For us, it's been nine and a half years, over half of our life before hand, and a third of it now. We have more friends here. We aren't in this for the glory." I sighed. "Yeah, I wish I could see the others again, but this if this is my, no pun intended, destiny, I'll take it. Then find the asshole who gave it to me and shoot his kneecaps." We both laughed at this.
"You sure, Josh," Patrick asked.
"Yeah, I am," I said. "So are Rhino and Cybis. Just give this to my mom, and then show it to Christian. Hell, show it to any one you want. I don't care."
Patrick looked down at the flash drive before he closed his fist around it. "I will," he said. "Guess we're stuck here until we get back to where you guys have that Vex gate at, huh?"
"Yeah," I said just as a beeping noise started. "We're close," I say as I stand up. "Nolandroid, have the others land close to us."
"Right."
"Josh," Tara said, floating over. "I just got a message from Forge."
"What?"
"She says Celestia's gone missing."
"How?" I ask.
"No idea, both for the guard, Disciple, and us," she says. "But we Steel did pick up signatures i recognize as Taken."
"Fuck!" I yell, getting the attention of the others. "Cybis, Rhino, we're in contingency Tango-Omega. Ramp training up, and get the Crucible up. We need the others ready, and we could use some training too."
"Right," Cybis said, abandoning his conversation with Mage.
"Dinklebot, I want you, Nexus, Nightmare, and Twilight to find a way to make Ghosts. We're gonna need a lot of new Guardians." I turned to Tara. "Tara, I want our own displaced tokens ready to be sent out through the multiverse. We're going to need as much help as possible." I turned to face Nolandroid. "Nolandroid, once we get back, get the gate open. Leave it open."
He was silent for a while before saying, in a serious tone, "Right."
"Josh, what's going on," Patrick asked.
"Celestia just went missing, and the Taken energy there suggests Oryx had a part," I said, "but that isn't the worst part."
"Then what is?" Varren asked.
"That Oryx just reunited with, and has begun training, his daughter."
"What?" Patrick said. "Celestia can't be his daughter."
"In this universe," Rhino said, his arms spread, "she is. And we hate it."
"We had contingency plans since we found out years ago," Cybis said. "Hell, that's part of the reason we tried to have Chrysalis as an ally: Oryx and Celestia will fuck our shit up, even with an army at our side."
"You sure you don't want us to stay then," Mage asked.
"Yes," Cybis, Rhino, and I said at the same time.
"You guys need to get back home," Rhino said. "If you were meant to be here, you would have come here first, not us."
"Besides," Cybis said, "we've been here longer, and know the land a little better. We know what we have at our disposal."
"I'm sure that if you guys are meant to be there at the final battle," I said, "the universe will find a way."
After a second, Patrick said, "Fine, but if we do, we're kicking your ass when it's over with."
"Good luck," I said as the ship landed and the main door opened. As we stepped out, I said to the Ghosts, "Make sure every one knows what happened, guys. I don't want any one caught by surprise when the shit hits the fan."
"Right," Nolandroid said as Nightmare, Applejack, and Twilight walked up to us.
Applejack pulled Rhino, Cybis, and I into a hug, one which Twilight joined in.
"I thought you all were gonna die," Applejack said, tears in her eyes.
"Why?" Rhino asked. "Did you forget what kinds of badass your uncles are?" This got laughs out of us before I looked to Nightmare, who stood at the edge of the group.
"Nightmare, get over here," I said. "You're a part of the fire team, too, after all."
I could see Nightmare smile just a little as I said those words, and I even saw a small blush. She walked over to us and joined in the hug and I noticed the look of happiness on her face, and just seeing it made me feel proud, for some reason.
It was Rhino who broke the hug saying, "Looks like she's arrived."
The six of us looked skyward, and I saw a black speck getting closer. "Yeah, that's her," I said. "Remember, cover is that she defeated Sombra, not us."
"We know," Cybis said. "Now, come on. We need to get to Canterlot as soon as we're done with this."
Rhino and I nodded. "Right. With that, all of us, Fire teams Obsidian and Distant Death, us, Nightmare, Applejack, Twilight, Patrick, Mage, and Varren made our way to the Crystal Palace, where we saw Chrysalis heading to.
After a middle length walk, we arrived. To my surprise, the same changeling, the one in red armor, from her old palace was waiting for us. "She was wondering when you'd arrive," he said. "She''l see only those she saw in her castle, with me being the escort."
I smiled. Have to give Chrysalis credit, she does play it safe. "Of course," I said. "Come on, guys."
With that, the six of us that were at her castle earlier entered the palace, the others staying outside.
"So, what's your name?" I asked the changeling.
"Shade," he replied. "And just about every changeling knows your name, Josh. We've had agents in Ponyville for a few years. One was even in the crowd when you six became the Element bearers."
"What do you do?" Cybis asked.
"I'm in the Queen's personal guard," Shade said, and I saw a small blush. "Have been for ten years, and I'm one of the few of her subjects who gets to know her as herself, not a visiage."
"So, you're a friend of hers as well," Cybis asked, and I saw the blush slightly intensify.
"Yeah, but, in all honesty, I'd rather be more, but she's a queen, and I'm just a drone." Cybis chuckled, getting a death glare from Shade. "What's so funny," he growled.
"The fact that you're one of her personal guard, and came here with her when I see no other changeling, or pony that could be one. I think that says that, even if it's in her subconscious, she has feelings for you too. You just need to get the courage to ask her out," Cybis said. "Trust me."
"Why should I?"
"Because if you do, you'll know where she stands. After all, the worst she can say is no."
"I guess," Shade said. "But that really doesn't matter right now," he added with a sigh.
I looked to Cybis with a You thinking what I'm thinking look, to which he nodded with a small smile that went unnoticed by the others.
Any way, we made it to the throne room. Should have guessed that's where she'd be at. Shade opened the door, and, to my surprise, as well as the others, we didn't see Chrysalis on the throne. Instead, we saw a smaller changeling, about pony sized, with white chitin and a purple mane and tail. I mentally face palmed. Okay, so we have, A: Nightmare being the actual personality; B: Celestia being a controlling perfectionist; and C: Rarity is most likely a changeling. I feel like this version of Equestria is made up ideas of mine, given all those.
"Ah, I wondered when you would arrive," Chrysalis said as she turned to face us. She raised a hoof to the smaller changeling. "This is my daughter, Chitinia-"
Even the name!
"-And I imagine you're wondering why she is on the throne and not me?"
"Uh, yeah," Rhino said, to which both Chrysalis and Chitinia chuckled.
"Well, you see," Chitinia said in Rarity's voice. Why must that be here? "My mother, once you all had left, decided that I should be given my own kingdom to rule."
"Actually, Chitinia," Chrysalis said, "there's more to it then that." This got a bit of a surprised look from the white changeling.
"What do you mean, Mother?"
"You see, Chitinia, even before Josh and the others arrived, I had been thinking of leaving the throne and giving it to you," Chrysalis said. "Only, there was nothing I could think of to take the place in my time until now."
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I heard Cybis mumble to himself.
Agreed, Rhino and I said over our link.
"So, let me guess," I said as I pinched the base of my nose between my eyes, right elbow in left hand. "You want Guardian training?"
Chrysalis nodded. "Yes, I do."
"But Mother," Chitinia said before Chrysalis stopped her.
"Chitinia, being a queen is a difficult job, one I could barely do. But you, you're wise and have proven yourself to be a capable leader whenever I was unable to lead."
The room was silent for a while before Chitinia said, "Well, if you want training for being a Guardian, mother, then so do I."
"But then the hive won't have a leader."
"Actually," Cybis said, "we offered Chrysalis the training so that she could be a more efficient protector of her hive. We never said that a country's leader couldn't be a Guardian at the same time. So the both of you can get the training, and Chitinia could still lead."
"We do have a hive mind," Shade agreed. "It might work."
Speaking of things that might work, I thought before I pushed Shade, who stood next ot me, forward and said, "Which reminds me: Shade here has something to ask you, Chrysalis."
Shade shot me a death glare, not that I could care, and began to try to look Chrysalis in the eye as he fidgeted around.
"What is it, Shade," Chrysalis asked.
"Um, well, you see," Shade said, "I was, actually, you see-"
"Get on with it," I said in a dead pan, getting another death glare. from Shade before he turned back to face Chrysalis.
"You see, your Highness-"
"Just Chrysalis, Shade."
"Right, sorry. "You see, Chrysalis, I was hoping that you'd, well, go out with me?"
The room was silent, with Chitinia looking between Shade and her mother before the former queen said, "Yes, I will."
"Really," Shade asked in disbelief, to which Chrysalis replied by walking over to him and giving him a small kiss at the tip of his muzzle.
"Yes, really," she said before looking at us. "So, how is it we will get to where you train your new recruits?"
"Follow us," I said. "Same with you, Chitinia, if you still want Guardian training."
"I don't see why not," she said as she got up from her throne. "I can have my aides run in my place while I'm there."
"Then let's go," I said before we made our way out of the palace, which is when Applejack, Twilight, and Nightmare split off from us to go to their jumpjets and Patrick's personas rejoined us. We made our way to the Hunter ship. Our first stop would be the Tower to return Patrick, Mage, and Varren back to our world, as well as get Chrysalis and Chitinia a place to stay. Shade too, as I'm certain he'd want to stay with Chrysalis.
it took about an hour before we got there, and, after the three changelings got settled and Patrick and the others left, hopefully having been combined back into one person still with the flash drive, Rhino, Cybis, and I initiated our plans.
The first part was to send our own displaced tokens, which are multiple Khvostovs (first weapon) sent throughout the multiverse to other displaced. Hey, when you go against what are practically two gods, you need as much help as possible. The second is essentially removing the protocols regarding to the gate, which meant it was to be left open. We hoped to attract the Vex, and use logic to have them, at least, agree not to attack us, and help when you know who came. Nolandroid and Tara would be watching over the satellites to look for Vex signatures, and send any Vex a message asking for a truce between us and them. An example of the logic is that, while the Vex can react quicker, their platforms have set limits, while organics are able to push past our limits, and adapt. Plus, unlike the Vex, we can't be Taken. That, or Oryx just won't take us.
Once that was done, we made our way to Canterlot, using the Hunter ship, to see just who would take over as Celestia's successor.
We were going over her personal files, and boy did we find something.
An hour into the search, three after the Empire became a part of Chitinia's hive, we found something in one of Celestia's journals.
"Hey, uh, guys," I said, "take a look at this."
"What is it," Cybis asked as he and Rhino came over.
"This," I said before I cleared my throat. "In the event of my inability to perform my duties, my personal student shall act in my stead until such time as I am able to resume my duties.'
"Well, that doesn't help us," Rhino said. "Twilight did resign from her position as Celestia's student."
"Actually, there's something else," I said. "Earlier, I was going over the various profiles of her students, she's had a lot over the past thousand years, and found that officially, one of her students is still officially her student."
"Who?" Cybis asked.
"Take a random fucking guess," I said. "It's Sunset Shimmer."
Just as I said that, a portal appeared in front of each of us. "Well, I'd say some one just summoned us," I said as our helmets were transmatted on. "Shall we?"
"Let's," Rhino said, and we stepped through.