Chapter 5
"A Hostile Canterlot Welcome"
In the days following General Kuwaga's eventual defeat and capture, ponies from towns and cities across Equestria that were the targets of the Changelings descended on Canterlot to unleash their anger and frustration on the captured shapeshifter. In fact, Kuwaga knew that his time was coming for a trial to Canterlot. Still, he had his dreams of escape and return to the changeling empire where he would be in the safety of his fellow shapeshifters.
"Wake up, Kuwaga!" snapped a royal guardspony in the Crystal Empire as the captured changeling slept on the cold floor of his prison cell. "We have orders to bring you to Canterlot!"
Kuwaga opened his green eyes and struggled to his feet, scowling at the guards with an incredulous stare. The guards couldn't wait any longer for him to move faster and open the door, using their magic to drag Kuwaga to his feet, not even caring about the injured wing he had obtained in his battle with Shining Armor and Lock Down.
"Mind my wing!" he muttered, struggling forcefully with the guards. "I'll see to it that my queen hears about this!"
But, the guards didn't sympathize with the captured general and as Kuwaga struggled with them, the guards led Kuwaga towards a large cage that was big enough to hold a large animal. There was a good reason for Kuwaga to be placed in this kind of mobile prison, for it had a purpose of making Equestria's enemies feel powerless and small.
"Now, you might as well get used to being in this cage," said the guards as they tossed Kuwaga into the cage. "It is designed to make you feel weak and understand just who is more superior than you!"
"There is no one superior to my queen," growled Kuwaga. "When I get out of this, I will see to it that you will all understand our wrath!"
However, Kuwaga's cries of anger fell on deaf ears as the guards just shrugged them off. For they knew that Kuwaga was nothing more than a scum of Equestria that would soon be cleaned from existence
"Just enjoy the welcome that is awaiting you in Canterlot," they laughed sarcastically. "Believe me, it will be a welcome that is unlike any other that you have ever witnessed."
So, Kuwaga sat in this large cage for several hours, trying to think of a way to get out of the hopeless situation that he was in. It seemed for a moment that he was beginning to think of the victims that he had tortured for the ability to fear on their love. He threw innocent ponies into cages like this and now it appeared, that this at least in his mind, was not about justice, this was revenge. He thought that these ponies were getting even with him for the terror that he put them through.
A little while later, Kuwaga's cage was moved into the center of the Crystal Empire where the Crystal ponies could get a good view of Kuwaga and basically scorn him with malicious intent.
"Look at him," said a brown crystal pony to his marefriend. "This is the one who kidnapped our Crystal Princess. I hope he suffers the highest punishment that our leaders can musher."
"Yeah," remarked another Crystal Pony, a mare that was walking by. "Ever since I heard what had happened, I've always wanted to get my hooves on this monster."
Taking a tomato that she had bought at a nearby market, she took the tomato and threw it at Kuwaga's face, striking him just under the eye. This caused Kuwaga to growl and trot over to the cage to confront this pony. However, before he could go any further, he felt something tugging at his leg and he turned around to discover that a chain had been wedged into his cell, much to his shock and surprise.
"What have they done?" thought Kuwaga. "They dare to chain me, a loyal servant of Queen Chrysalis? These ponies will pay for this if it is the last thing I do!"
With each passing hour, Crystal Ponies would come by and scorn and jeer at Kuwaga. Some threw fruits, vegetables and anything throwable at him. Others just gave Kuwaga dirty looks as they walked by, trying to continue on with their lives. Finally, several of Celestia's guards descended on the Crystal Empire and walked over to the cage.
"It is time," a brown pony said. "Time for you to face justice for all you have done."
"Indeed," added a white Pegasus pony. "The Princesses are waiting for you to face justice for your crimes."
At that moment, the guards moved the cage out of the Crystal Empire and towards the train station where Kuwaga was loaded into a lone boxcar that was attached to the back of the Friendship Express. Once he was aboard, Kuwaga just sat in the dark confines of the boxcar with only the sounds of the humming steam engine being heard. He could have disappeared, but the chain holding on Kuwaga's foot prevented him from doing so.
Finally, after a very long hour alone in the boxcar, the train stopped and the door to the boxcar opened as the shimmering sunlight shone down on the captured Changeling.
"Welcome to Canterlot, Kuwaga," said a guard mockingly as they dragged Kuwaga's cave down to a small cart, waiting to take him for a ride. "Where your queen was defeated for the last time and where you will be punished for all you and your changeling scum have done to Equestria!"
Once Kuwaga's cage was loaded onto the cart, a pair of guards pulled the cart away from the train station and towards the gates where loud cheering could be heard. It was inevitable that Kuwaga was about to face a much larger and angrier crowd than what he had in the Crystal Empire and once the gates were lowered, the captured changeling general was paraded through the streets of Canterlot as the crowd roared and threw anything that they had their hooves on at Kuwaga.
"How dare you attack our kingdom?" cried a pony as she threw a hot cup of coffee at Kuwaga, burning a side of his face. "You don't deserve to live!"
"Try and escape now, you bug," shouted another pony, throwing a whole cake at Kuwaga, covering him in cake frosting. Even a klutzy pony got into the melee by throwing a basket of muffins at Kuwaga.
For the next few miles, Kuwaga endured the verbal abuse that was being thrusted on him and did everything in his power to fight back, but he couldn't. The citizens of Canterlot continued to heap abuse at Kuwaga until they dragged him into the dungeons of Canterlot. From up in a tower, Shining Armor was looking down at Kuwaga's procession and could only sneer at his enemy's arrival.
"General Kuwaga," he said to himself. "Soon, your judgment will be at hand."