//------------------------------// // A Royal Summit (Equestria Girls) // Story: The Tale of the Second Alpha // by Bergen //------------------------------// Twilight, her friends (including Spike), and Theta all arrived in the Crystal Empire just as the sun began to set underneath the snow-capped mountains of the far north. The six ponies trotting through the large city made almost entirely out of crystal. The gigantic crystal castle standing in the middle of the city. Spike followed the six ponies, him pulling a suitcase on wheels that contained all that Twilight need for her first Princess Summit as the newly crown fourth Princess of Equestria. Theta following a little behind the ponies. Him taking in the surroundings. This being the first time he had visited the Crystal Empire after the defeat of King Sombra, and he planned to take advantage and soak in the beauty of the city. "Hoo-wee! Your very first princess summit. You must be over the moon, Twilight." Theta heard Applejack say to Twilight, the orange mare's words taking him from the beauty of the world around him. "I am excited But, to be honest. I am a little nervous too." Twilight said to Applejack. "You're nervicited." Pinkie hopped into the conversation, literally, her creating her own word in the process. Pinkie's friends all giving her a look of confusion. "It's like you wanna jump up and down and yell YAY ME!" Pinkie said, jumping up and down to emphasize her words. "But you also wanna curl up in a teeny-tiny ball and hide at the same time!" Pinkie said, curling up into a small ball shape. Theta couldn't stop himself from laughing at the pink ponies ridiculousness. "We've all been there!" "I'm there almost every day." Theta heard Fluttershy whisper under her breath. "You've got no reason to fret, Twi. Everything's gonna be just..." Applejack began to reassure Twilight, only to be interrupted by Rarity. Her pushing Applejack out of the way. "TWILIGHT! Oh, sorry, darling, but I just realized you're not wearing your crown. You haven't forgotten it back in Ponyville, have you?" Rarity asked Twilight, noticing the purple alicorn wasn't wearing her golden crown, that just happened to also hold her Element of Harmony, on her head. "It's in my bag." Twilight said to Rarity, looking at her blue suitcase. Rarity pulling shortly afterward. "I just feel a little self-conscious about wearing it. Haven't really gotten accustomed to these yet, either." Twilight said, talking about her wings. Her doing a quick hover only to fall straight back to the ground. "At least you can still fly." Theta heard Rainbow grumbled under her breath, her right wing still wrapped in a protective gaze. Theta taking a quick look at the gaze that wrapped around his neck. The gaze no longer white, but now a dirty maroon color from his own blood and dirt. The gaze even beginning to smell. "I need to get a new wrapping when we get to the castle." Theta mentally noted, returning his focus back to Twilight. "Besides, this isn't much a Princess Summit anyway, since Theta's now joining us and maybe even Alpha, if were lucky." Twilight said climbing back to her hooves. "You are a princess now, Twilight. Embrace it! I'm telling you, if I had a crown like that, I would never take it off. Why I'd sleep in the thing." Rarity said in her usual over-the-top fashion. A yawn escaping passed her lips not long after. "Speaking of which, I hope that this meeting we the Princesses isn't that long. I need my beauty sleep after a long day of traveling." Rarity said, her now leading her friends as they walked into the towering crystal castle that was located in the center of the large city. The castle being one of the few things that Theta had seen in his life that actually made him feel small. Theta eyes drifted off toward the setting sun and he could've sworn that in the mix of the yellows, oranges, and reds of the setting sun he could see a stream of a bright red light mix with a light blue one shooting into the sky. Theta wrote it off as nothing special as he followed the other ponies into the large crystal castle. All of them unaware that in Ponyville something was about to be unleashed. Twilight and her friends all entered the throne room of the crystal castle. The sounds of trumpets playing triumphantly as she entered. The throne room having a red carpet laid out in front of her. Cadence sitting atop of a crystal throne at the far end of the long room with her being flanked at both sides by Celestia and Luna. Purple crystal unicorn guards at both of Twilight sides them holding and using a golden trumpet with their magic. Each of the purple guards coats shining like they were made of actual crystal. Twilight continued to trot down the red carpet in front of her in a state of awe only to stop when she accidently ran into the guard that was standing further to the front on her right side. The guard being different than the rest with him being a regular orangish/yellow pegasus wearing armor that Twilight expected to see guards under the command of Princess Celestia to wear. The orangish/yellow guard shock off the accidental contact with the purple alicorn well and introduced her to the other royals in the room, them being Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence respectively. Shining Armor being nowhere to be seen. "Her highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" The guard announced Twilight, her being followed by the rest of her friends them all in a different state of fatigue. Most of which being Rarity, her body beginning to shut down from a day filled with travel to three different places, all of them being a long train ride from each other. Theta entered the throne room soon after Twilight and her friends and was met with the same royal entering that Twilight had received. The same orange guard announcing the white dragon. Twilight hopping over to her left as the orange guard spoke. "Now presenting Theta, the apprentice of the Second Alpha!" The orange guard announced as Theta walked down the same red carpet that Twilight had earlier. The three other princesses all trotting down from the crystal throne in the far end of the long room. "It is so good to see you Twilight." Cadence said, embracing her sister-in-law in a short hug. "How have you been since I saw you last?" Cadence asked Twilight, the purple alicorn being the verge of a mental breakdown the last time she had seen her. "I'm ok, I mean I'm not perfect by any means, but just... ok." Twilight said giving the pink alicorn a seemingly fake smile. Cadence could tell that the smile was fake, but she didn't press. Cadence turning her attention to Theta. "It is good to see again Theta, and even better that it is on peaceful terms." Cadence said to Theta, the white dragon muscles tensing up at the reference, either it being intentional or not. "It's good to see you to Cadence." Theta said, doing his best to remain cool as his blood began to boil as flashes of his fight against Sigma flashed before his eyes. Theta beginning to feel a wetness on his neck. His scars on his neck beginning to bleed again. Theta internally cursed his internal remember of his brother, his blood only continuing to flow the angrier he got. Theta shifted his attention over to the other two alicorns. The two alicorn sisters standing next each with a warm smile on their faces. "I same for you Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but before we start I do have one question." Theta said, catching the two alicorn sisters' attention. "Yes, and what question would that be?" Celestia asked. "Do you know if Alpha would be joining us for this 'Princess Summit'?" Theta asked Celestia, holding up two claws to make air quotes at 'Princess Summit '. "I had sent two pegasus guards to look for Alpha, but we are still waiting to hear back from either of them." Celestia said, only to stop when she was tapped on the shoulder by her little sister, Luna. "What is it, little sister?" "Look." Luna said simply, pointing her blue hoof at a white object in the sky. In closer inspection it came clear that the white object was indeed the white pegasus guard that she sent to find Alpha or at least one of them. Celestia clearly remembering sending two guards to find Alpha. The white guard landed through the open windows in the throne room. Him completely exhausted and breathing heavily from a day filled with flying from one place to another. "Corporal Lightspeed, such a pleasure to see you once again." Celestia ordered at the exhausted guard, her using her 'princess' voice, not as loud as the Royal Canterlot Voice, but still delivered with force to show that she was the boss in any situation. "One moment... I just give a moment Princess." Lightspeed said to Celestia, him completely winded. "Ok... I'm good." Lightspeed said, regaining his composure. "Corporal Lightspeed reporting for duty your highness." Lightspeed said giving Celestia a bow before standing at attention. "Excellent, now what is it that you have to report?" Celestia asked Lightspeed. "I would also like to now what happened to Private Silver Spear?" Celestia added, noting that the silver pegasus guard was nowhere to be found. "Yes Princess, I suppose I should start with Silver Spear. Silver Spear was, unfortunately, unable to continue once we made it to Ponyville. Him beginning to fall asleep while flying and I was forced to make a decision to make him stop in Ponyville and rest. Me continuing with the mission that you assigned to the both of us of finding Alpha." Lightspeed said to Celestia, her nodding in understanding as he spoke. "And what of your mission were able to locate Alpha?" Celestia asked Lightspeed. "I was able to locate the dragon known as Alpha, and he agreed that he would arrive in the Crystal Empire as soon as possible." Lightspeed said to Celestia. Theta feeling the ground beginning to shake just slightly. He dismissed it as no pony else seemed to notice. "Excellent, did he give an estimated time of his arrival?" Celestia asked Lightspeed. Theta feeling another small tremor beneath his claws. A small appearing on Theta's muzzle as he instantly knew where, or more accurately who, the shaking was coming from. "He didn't say, but he wasn't that far behind me when I was flying back. So I would assume that he shouldn't be long before..." Lightspeed began to say to when he was interrupted by the ground around them shaking violently, the crystal castle literal swaying from the shaking. The shaking followed shortly by an unmistakable roar breaking the silence of the twilight sky. "Yeah, like I said, shouldn't be long before he arrives." Lightspeed said as Alpha's massive head poked through the eternal storm clouds that surrounded the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Empire being a strange oasis in the middle of the frozen tundra of the far north. "Thank you, Corporal, you are now dismissed." Celestia said to Lightspeed with a smile on her face. "Thank you, your highness." Lightspeed said, giving a short bow to the white alicorn before leaving the throne room for some much-needed rest. Alpha continued to walk toward the crystal castle that towered over the city. The earth shaking slightly everytime that Alpha took a step, though the shakes being much less than the massive earthquake that it the Crystal Empire when he arrived. Theta guessing that Alpha had reared up on his hind legs and stomped on the ground in a manner to announce his presence. Alpha arrived at the crystal castle and was so tall that he didn't even need to stand upon his hind in order to look through the open window of the castle's throne room. "You summoned for me, Celestia." Alpha said down to Celestia, in a manner that was more like a question than a statement. "Yes, but I believe that a proper meeting can wait until tomorrow. You look tired from your respective journeys. Now off to bed, you need your rest for a long day tomorrow." Celestia said the Mane Six all nodding in agreement and turning to leave the throne room. Their movements came to a stop when the doors to the throne room shot open and trumpets started to play. These trumpets being much louder than the one's that the purple crystal unicorn guards had used when Twilight and Theta had entered. Twilight and her friends all took several steps backward as four, them being in two single file lines, changeling soldiers wearing black battle armor most likely made out of steel. Alpha instantly tensed up and began to build up a blast of his fire in his chest. "Celestia, what is the meaning of this." Alpha roared, his giant eyes burning through the four armored changelings. They stood their ground but were noticeably nervous as they stared down a dragon the size of a mountain. 'Oh, I almost forgot. Not long after I sent one of my guards to find you I had received a message from the Changeling Kingdom that they had just crowned their newest King." Celestia said, Twilight and Theta's eyes both widening at her words. "King!" Twilight and Theta exclaimed as one. "Yup!" Twilight heard a voice that oddly familiar. "No, it can't be." Twilight thought as she slowly turned her head to face the opened doorway. Her mouth dropped when she saw who was the new King of Changeling Kingdom. "Hi, Twilight." Zulu said to the purple alicorn, him wearing black body armor similar to what the other armored changelings. But what made Twilight mouth drop was the black crown that rested on top of his head. The crown being about the same size as her own while having a large green emerald in the center while having smaller emeralds surrounding the large emerald on the band of the crown. Zulu seemed to grow several inches, him easily being able to rival Luna in height, and his eyes were no longer just blank green but instead green eyes with pupils in the middle. "Zulu...you're the king." Twilight said in disbelief. "Yeah... the last time I checked." Zulu said slightly sarcastic. "Now that we have all of the royals here. I bring up my last request that I presented earlier that we go to sleep and wait until the morning to discuss important matters." Celestia said, all of the royals (including the newly crowned King Zulu) nodding in agreement. "I'll be underneath the castle sleeping if anyone needs me." Alpha said laying underneath the castle, inside the courtyard that held the crystal heart. The rest of ponies inside the throne leaving. Twilight running up to by Zulu's side. The rest of ponies inside the throne leaving. Twilight running up to by Zulu's side. Zulu's guards tensed up at the alicorn's movements only to calmed by a single wave of Zulu's hoof. "No need to worry boys, I am perfectly safe. In fact, you are all dismissed and can return to the hive if you deem it fit." Zulu said to his four accompanying guards. "Are you sure your majesty?" One of Zulu's guards asked him. The guard being slightly taller than Twilight and looking like any other normal soldier changeling. Him having blue blank eyes, a curved horn, no hair, clear beetle-like wings, and wearing black battle armor that was designed to take hits from changeling energy weapons. Him looking more like an insect than a pony. "Yes, Sargent Dustpan, all of these ponies and dragons are my friends. I am in no real danger here in the Crystal Empire." Zulu said, sending Twilight a quick look a blush appearing on Twilight's face before he continued. "Besides, even if I was..." Zulu began to say, the warp blade that was on his right hoof crackling to life. Its twin green blades humming with magical energy in the twilight air. Twilight's purple eyes widened as she stared at the green double blade in front. She had seen Zulu with his spear before, but this was different. It was both beautiful, but also deadly at the same time. Twilight felt a certain part of her body heat up as she continued to listen to the voice of Zulu. A changeling that she was growing more attracted to, as the time that they were together increased. "I think I can handle my own." Zulu finished, his warp blade returning to its original form as nothing more than a black band around his right forehoof. A band that Twilight hadn't even noticed until his used his energy sword. "If that is what you wish your majesty, then we of the honor guard will follow it." Sargent Dustpan said, giving his new King a bow. "It is, Sargent. You and the rest of your men are dismissed." Zulu dismissed his four escorts. "Besides, I have some... catching up to do, and I would like to do it without four guards breathing down my neck at all times." Zulu said to Dustpan, sending a look Twilight's way. Twilight's muzzle turning pink with another. Dustpan shared a knowing look with Zulu before saying. "I see... well come on men it is a long travel back to the Hive, I wish the best of luck unto you, your majesty and may the darkness be with you." Dustpan said before exiting the throne room the other three guards in tow, them all giving their newly crowned King out of respect. "Now that that's settled..." Cadence spoke shifting attention back to her. Twilight, however, had different ideas with her staring into the green eyes of Zulu. Her finding them even more beautiful when he was a royal changeling then as just a regular soldier. "One of the castle's servants by the name of Sugarlily will show you all to your rooms." Cadence said pointing her pink hoof at a light blue unicorn mare with a pink mane. The mare having used to serve in the Canterlot castle before being transferred to the Crystal Empire shortly after the defeat of King Sombra. "Follow me, your majesty. Your room is right this way." Sugarlily said to Zulu. "Please call me Zulu, I don't anything like title making me seem more superior than you in any way." Zulu said to Sugarlily, the blue mare genuinely surprised by the changeling's kind words. "Alright, Zulu if you will just follow me I will gladly show you to your room." Sugarlily said, beginning to lead Zulu to his room inside the castle. "You can follow me as while your highness, your room as while as your friends are along the way." Sugarlily said to Twilight, the purple alicorn she was talking to only partially paying attention. She had different priorities at the moment. "Sure whatever you say, lead the way." Twilight slightly disinterested. Sugarlily didn't take any offense from Twilight's actions she was able to see, while little confused as to how the love in Twilight's eyes every time she looked eyes with Zulu. Zulu being the one that knew the extent of Twilight's love for him more anypony. Her buckets full of love flowing into him very second. Zulu making sure not to consume any of it, him not wanting hurt Twilight. Zulu, Twilight, her friends, and Theta all followed Sugarlily down the halls of the crystal castle. The light blue crystal that made up the architecture of the castle beautiful in the twilight almost dusk sky. The blue crystal reflecting the reds, oranges, and yellow from outside in a beautiful soup of rainbow colors. The colors created by the castle even reflecting off of the white scales of Theta, turning his scales slight shade of rainbow colors. Twilight was by Zulu's side the entire time that they followed Sugarlily throughout the castle. Twilight attraction to Zulu attracting some attention from her friends. The gossiping of which, no surprise, being Rarity. "Is Twilight... no, that's not possible." Rarity said in a debate with herself wither or not Twilight actually had a thing for the new changeling king. "I mean they look adorable together. But Twilight and Zulu, nah that would never work. " Rarity debated with herself. Applejack hearing Rarity debate with herself and deciding to have a little fun with the white unicorn. "You never know Rarity, I hear that you and Spike might have something." Applejack said, both of Rarity's and Spike's movements coming to an instant halt. A blush appearing on both of their faces as they stared at each for a few seconds. Them quickly averting their eyes quickly afterward. Applejack walking passed the odd 'couple' with a laugh and a smile on her face. She could get used to this, what did Pinkie call it. Trolling? Yeah, she could definitely have fun doing this trolling. Zulu couldn't help himself but listen to the batter between the two friends, his hearing and sense of smell being much better than most ponies. Them being more heightened to help changelings when hunting for food, that food usually being love. Their hearing being heightened in order to help determine what prey would be best to feed off of, and their smell to make sure that the creature that they were feeding off of wasn't another changeling in disguise. "I think your friends are talking about us." Zulu whispered to Twilight, the purple alicorn only trotting up closer to Zulu. Their bodies almost touching. "Let them talk, their all just jealous and don't know it yet." Twilight said losing herself in Zulu's green eyes again. Even though in the back of her mind she was debating whether or not Zulu was just doing this as a way to drain her of her power. Zulu and Twilight's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Sugarlily's voice. "This is your room, your majesty." Sugarlily said to Zulu, pointing her hoof at a room that was the fourth one down on the right side of a hallway that ended with a large room in the center. Zulu nodding at Sugarlily's words. "And that room is furthermost down is your room, your highness." Sugarlily said to Twilight, her nodding at looking at her room. Sugarlily showed all of Twilight's friends and Theta to their rooms. All of Twilight friends' room being the six, on both sides of the hallway, that were directly after Twilight's. Theta's being the room that was the one directly across from Zulu's. "Thank you, Sugarlily, you are now dismissed." Twilight said to the blue mare after she had shown all of her friends their respective rooms. "Thank you, your highness." Sugarlily said to Twilight giving her a short curtsy before leaving to finish her the last things that she had to do before the end of the day. Twilight separated from Zulu for the first time since she saw him, her beginning to trot toward her bedroom at the end of the hall. Spike, with her blue suitcase, at her side. Zulu began to open the door to his room with his green, him stopping with the door half open when a thought came to his head. "I need to talk to Twilight, to clear some things up." Zulu thought to himself. "Hey, Twilight!" Zulu called to the purple alicorn, her movements coming to a quick halt. "Yes, Zulu?" Twilight said, turning her head to look directly at Zulu. "I can talk to for a second?" Zulu asked Twilight, making a motion with his head indicating to her that he wanted to talk inside his room. "Sure." Twilight said simply trotting over toward Zulu, Spike beginning to follow after her. "In private, please." Zulu said when he noticed that Spike was following after Twilight. "It's ok Spike, Zulu is a friend." Twilight said reassuringly to Spike. "I see that." Spike said sarcastically to Twilight. He might be young he wasn't stupid, he could tell that Twilight attracted to Zulu. A creature that literally feeds off of your love for them. Spike let out a sigh before speaking again. "Just be careful, Twi, alright." Spike said to Twilight with genuine concern behind his words. "I will." Twilight said, understanding the purple dragon's concerns, some concerns that she also had. Twilight trotted over to Zulu and followed him into his room. Twilight entered the room just after Zulu did, the room being about the same size as her room in her library back in Ponyville. The room being almost pitch black, her almost losing Zulu in the blackness if she hadn't used her horn to light up the room. The room having a large king-size bed in the center of the room. The bed frame being made out of stained reddish-brown wood that Twilight had guessed was mahogany. The bed covered in black and green sheets that fit with the atmosphere of pure darkness that the room was giving all around Twilight. Twilight watched as Zulu used his magic to place his crown on a wooden dresser on the far end of the room. The changeling green magic lighting up perfectly in the low lighting. "Close the door behind you." Zulu said to Twilight as he placed his crown on the dresser. Twilight did as Zulu said, magically closing the door behind her. "I suppose that you have many questions that you want to ask me." Zulu said turning to face Twilight, him using his magic to light a few of the candles that were located in the room. Adding some much needed light to the small room. Twilight let out a small sigh before asking Zulu one of the many questions that had been rattling around in her mind since she saw him as the newly crowned King of the Changeling Kingdom. "How long have been King Zulu?" Twilight asked Zulu, a sigh coming from Zulu. This being the question that he had expected Twilight to ask him first. "A few hours, five tops in fact." Zulu said, beginning to trot over toward Twilight. "So... you weren't the King when I first met you." Twilight thought out loud, getting an affirming nod from Zulu. "No, Omega was still technically the leader of changelings when we first met. I didn't become the King until I left Zecora's hut earlier this morning." Zulu said to Twilight. "So what happened to you, when became King that is. You look different than you did earlier this morning?" Twilight asked Zulu, noting his change in height, design of his eyes, and his even darker appearance than before. "I became a royal, that's what happened." Zulu said beginning to float his crown off of the wooden dresser that it was resting and over toward him. Him staring at his reflection in the large green emerald that was in the center of the crown. "A royal?" Twilight asked, not familiar with the term. "It's like an alicorn, just different." Zulu said, placing his crown back where he had it before. "What do you mean?" Twilight asked. "So many questions, so many questions." Zulu thought to himself, well shouldn't have expected anything less from the priced student of Princess Celestia. "A royal is the highest class of changeling there is, and the rarest out of all of them. There are hatchlings (which are the lowest level) nurse, soldiers, shadow changelings (which is what I am and the second rarest), and finally the royal changelings. There usually only being one royal changeling, unless there is another royal that is just too young to take the throne." Zulu explained to Twilight, the purple nodding in understanding as he spoke. "Is that what Chrysalis was?" Twilight asked, her remembering the changeling queen that tried to take over Canterlot looking similar to Zulu, just even taller and being a mare not a stallion. "Yes, Chrysalis was the last naturally born royal changeling." Zulu said to Twilight, adding another question to Twilight's mind. "Then if Chrysalis was the last royal changeling... then how did you become one?" Twilight asked. "The same way you became an alicorn." Zulu said, a look of confusion appearing on Twilight's face. "Well... sort of. You see, while you were brought to a strange dimension where Celestia turned you into an alicorn." Zulu said to Twilight, her nodding as he continued. "Well, when I was chosen to become the next King of the Changeling Kingdom, and the first king in nearly a thousand years, I was put inside of a chrysalis that would alter my body and turn me into a royal changeling." Zulu said to Twilight. "Did it hurt, I mean I remember feeling some pain in my back with I got my wings?" Twilight asked, taking a look behind her at the pair of feathered wings that were protruding out of her back. "No, at least I don't remember there being any pain. The moment that I had entered the chrysalis I was put into a deep sleep and didn't wake until the process to turn me into a royal was already done, about an hour or two later." Zulu said to Twilight. Him now sensing that Twilight had asked him all of her questions about him being the newest King of the Changeling Kingdom. "I see... so about what happened earlier today." Twilight said, her looking at the light blue crystal floor in shame. The crystal floor that was reflecting some of the light given off by the multiple candles that were giving some much-needed light to the room. "Twilight..." Zulu began to say, only for Twilight to interrupt him. "No, no I get it. I came on too strong and you aren't looking for a relationship." Twilight said. "How do you know that I wasn't looking for a relationship?" Zulu asked Twilight, remembering that she had already fallen asleep when he said that he wasn't looking for a relationship with anypony. "Applejack told me, she told me everything." Twilight said. "I see, Twilight just because I wasn't looking for a relationship doesn't mean that I wouldn't be looking for one later." Zulu said to Twilight, trotting a little closer to the purple alicorn. "No, I need to back off... I shouldn't have put you in that kind of situation in the first place." Twilight said shaking her head back and forth. "Damn it Twilight, you don't get it." Zulu thought to himself, a smirk appearing on his face as a thought came to his mind. Him trotting even closer to Twilight. Him removing the metal ring that was on his right foreleg and placing it on the wooden dresser behind him. The metal ring being located right next to his black crown. The same metal band that turned into his magical warp blade. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry." Twilight said, noticing that Zulu was practically on top of her. "Twilight..." Zulu said catching Twilight's attention. "What Zulu?" Twilight said her staring directly into Zulu's green eyes. "You talk too much." Zulu said to Twilight, mere inches from her muzzle. "What do you mean..." Twilight began to say, her sentence being cut off half-way when Zulu planted a passionate kiss on her lips.