21 - Returning Home
The regalia shimmered within the lavender containment shield Queen Twilight Sparkle has placed over it. The item floated in the middle of the troop cabin, bobbing gently in the air as their transport made the final approach to the city of Canterlot. Within the cabin alongside the Queen were Broad Sword, Vladimir, Spike and Shining Armor; the other five changelings and ponies were all loaded up in a second helicopter flying alongside theirs. The two carrying the surviving members of the team were flanked by five more of the vehicles, Luna having rallied together as many as she could on such short notice to escort them back. The five escorts had their weapons active at all times, taking no chances with the life of the exhausted Changeling Queen.
Still, exhausted or not, Twilight had no intention of resting.
Recent events had only gone on to highlight the urgency of the matter, the death of Queen Draco only being the most recent example of the threat facing all of changeling kind. The regalia itself seemed to be inert, damaged by Draco’s & Twilight’s magic, but still physically intact. Twilight didn’t trust it, not one bit. Thus, the shield. The shield was designed to stop any attempt to reach out to the outside world in any form, whether that be magic or hive connections. In truth, it wouldn’t particularly help if the regalia was still linked with any of the missing queens, but it should have at least stopped it from potentially stealing the minds of any more as it had done with Draco.
Twilight wasn’t letting the chest piece out of her sight for a moment, fearing what might happen should it get loose and not be as inert as it seemed. She would keep it by her side, safely sealed within the magical bubble, until she reached the council and informed them of the situation. Then, they would need to decide how to proceed, how to track down and eliminate the one behind all of it. They would also need to decide what to do with the regalia, and in that regard Twilight was all for destroying it if at all possible. Her younger self might have been overly eager to run tests, but since taking the throne the Queen had come to realise that some lines of research should simply never be undertaken. Too many people in the past looked into things best left alone, and seldom did it ever end well - The road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions.
Still, despite her own plans, the Queen couldn’t help but feel unease. The death of her friend didn’t help in the least, but it was more the uncertainty that concerned her the most. She still had no idea as to who the regalia’s true owner was, the mysterious female individual so bent on dominating the changelings. The drone that had briefly been freed before dying had called her a ‘demon’, so another escaped prisoner from Tartarus? If that was the case, then Cerberus really needed a cut in pay. But then there was also Queen Draco’s own words before her self-inflicted death.
“The ancient one, come back to claim what she believes is hers,” Draco muttered. “Her name is… her name… GAH! Get out of my head!”
An ‘ancient one, come back to claim what she believes is hers’ were Draco’s words to describe that individual. Ancient could easily describe one of the denizens of Tartarus, but she believed that the changeling race to belonged to her? That would suggest a long standing history with her kind, and something that could easily fit the individual she spelled out in her earlier theory to Captain Vespertillio.
The Changeling Empress.
‘So an escaped prisoner akin to Tirek, or the ghosts of the past coming back to haunt us? I’m cautious as to what the answer will be…’ Twilight mused to herself.
“Twily?” The Queen looked around towards her brother. Shining Armor was standing to the left giving his younger, and yet substantially taller, sister a look of concern. “You’re looking a little spaced out over there.”
“Sorry Shining, I’m just thinking.”
“I imagine there’s a lot to think about,” Broad Sword stated in understanding. “It’s not easy, losing a friend.”
“I’d prefer not to talk about that, not now,” Twilight asked, taking a calming breath. “I need to stay focused, there’s still a lot at stake here.”
Broad Sword nodded gently. “I understand, apologies your highness.”
“It’s fine.”
Just then, the pilot called back into the cabin. “”We’re about to land in a few minutes, Princess Luna will meet us there.”
“What about Princess Celestia?” Shining Armor enquired.
The pilot conferred with his radio for a moment, turning back to answer when he had answers to give. “The Princess will take us up to her elder sister once we arrive, she’s waiting for you within the castle itself.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on that.”
“Prepare for departure on arrival,” Twilight communicated to her drones on the other craft.
“Yes, my Queen!” the chorus of three voices responded.
“Pass? Twilight, what are you up to?” Shining questioned.
“I think we’re heading onwards,” Spike muttered.
Twilight didn’t yet answer her brother, instead turning her hive mind to one individual, a very good friend whom she had known for ten years. “Carduus? Are you there?”
“Ready and waiting, Twilight,” Carduus responded. “Your personal guards have been keeping me and some of the others up-to-date, about Draco and Scorpion…”
“Not now,” Twilight tried not to snap, but couldn’t keep the bit quite out of her voice. “Sorry, recent times have been most trying."
“Don’t worry about it, I know,” he stated in return. “Are you returning home? You could use the rest.”
“Hold the concern, I’m not finished yet.”
“You shouldn’t push yourself.”
“One final hurdle, then I will consider it.”
Even though she couldn’t hear it, much to Twilight’s chagrin she could just sense Carduus’ sigh. The Queen rolled her eyes, and then waited for the former Captain of the Royal Guard to speak again.
“Fine, just be careful,” he cautioned. “So, what do you need?”
“Now that Scorpion is… no longer with us, I need you, Carduus,” Twilight stated. “I know you can’t fight, and I’m not asking you to leave the hive. However, I need you to put those old skills of yours to use and set up an escort for me. Have them meet we part way to the Council Hive, before we leave Equestria’s borders.”
“I can do that,” he confirmed.
“Good. Once we have discussed the situation, assuming nothing else immediate comes up, I will return home to rest up. Then, we should prepare for the worst.”
“I’ll see to any preparations.”
The Equestrian Hive
Carduus had just finished up his conversation with Queen Twilight. The changeling allowed himself a sigh as he looked over the statues of Queen Chrysalis and Avia at the heart of the atrium. Eight years of peace had been shattered, he was fully aware. I didn’t mean he liked it, in fact it worried him greatly. He was a father after all, worrying was simply a fact of life for him.
“Honey?” Panacea approached her husband. “Where did you go? You were there one minute and gone the next.”
“Yeah dad,” Iuvenes stated, joining them. “What gives?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry. The Queen pinged me.”
“Queen Twilight?” Panacea enquired. “What did she say?”
“That… I have work to do.”
“Work? Honey, no offense but you know full well you simply cannot handle being in the guard in your condition.”
“Thank for reminding me that I’m a cripple,” Carduus deadpanned. “And no, that’s not what I meant.”
Carduus explained to his wife and daughter everything that had happened recently, all the way from the Queen leaving the Crystal Empire all the way to the death of Queen Draco. The story, it was safe to say, left them rather shocked.
Panacea gawped. “Queen Draco is… dead?”
“Yeah, the guards with Twilight informed me and a few others just after it happened,” he explained. “We’ve put a lid on it until the Queen says otherwise, none of us have leaked it through neither hive mind nor word of mouth. Until now, anyway.”
“I knew things were bad, but this?” Iuvenes muttered, the teenage changeling shivering momentarily in her chitin. “W-what about Pue? She and Soronis are outside the hive still!”
“Soronis and Puellula will be fine, honey,” Carduus assured his child. “They’re safely tucked away in the middle of Manehatten, and are accompanying the Element of Generosity. There’s little chance of something happening while they stay there.”
Iuvenes sighed. “I hope so. I’m… I’m going to go talk to her for a bit, to make doubly sure.”
Iuvenes parents watched as she quickly sauntered off, not wasting time in contacting her best friend over the hive. Despite it all, Carduus couldn’t help but chuckle.
“How cute it is that they set up a direct hive connection between one another.”
“Carduus, we’ve talked about your teasing,” Panacea scolded.
“What? She’s not here right now to hear it.”
His wife have him a deadpan look.
“Alright, alright, stopping now. But still, she’s not wrong to be concerned. Things are pretty bleak right now.”
“But they never stay that way,” Panacea said confidently. “The Queen will sort this all out, she always does.”
“The Queen and those friend of hers. I should have asked if they’re getting involved by this point.”
Panacea shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me. Those gems, the Elements of Harmony, are quite effective.”
“Or as Rainbow Dash once called them, the ‘tactical rainbow of instant win’.”
“Huh?”
Carduus smirked. “You should really understand by now that Twilight’s friends are a most curious array of characters.”
“Does that include you?”
“Oh yes,” he confirmed jokingly while stealing a quick kiss on his wife’ cheek, causing her to blush through her chitin. “Why else would you marry me?”
“I do wonder sometimes…” she joked back. “But I’m keeping you from fulfilling the Queen’s commands, go. I’ll still be here when you get back.”
Carduus nodded. She was right, of course. And it would be good to play Captain of the Guard again, even in an unofficial capacity.
“You’re going straight back to the Council Hive!?” Shining all but shouted, though it still wasn’t loud enough to completely overtake the noise of the helicopter. “Are you nuts?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
The Queen had just finished talking to Carduus over the hive mind, and had then proceeded to explain her intent to Shining Armor. His reaction left something to be desired.
“Twily, we’ve just been though some seriously messed up things, you need the rest.”
“I’ll rest when I’m ready to!”
Shining’s mouth gaped open and closed for a few moment, trying to form a response. In the end, he opted for a loud groan. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?”
Twilight smirked. “I wonder where I get that from, hmm?”
“Your mother?”
Twilight went to retort, but had to concede that one. “OK, true. But also you; you did jump aboard a helicopter under the cover of an invisibility spell, after all.”
“That is true…” Shining admitted. “Cadance is SO going to kill me.”
“Exactly, I think I win that argument,” Twilight said smugly. “The end, you lose.”
Shining rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, Twily. I still think it’s a bad idea.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on her as always,” Spike stated. “You can trust me.”
Twilight nodded, before throwing Shining Armor an amused glance. “Unfortunately, YOU are not coming with us this time?”
“What? Why!?”
“One, because last time you were a stowaway. If I let you come voluntarily this time around then I too will be facing my sister-in-law’s wrath, and I would rather not. Two, I will be looking out for any tricks this time so don’t think you can pull another stunt like you did the other day.”
Shining grumbled, unhappy with the ultimatum. He was ultimately unable to do much about it this time, however. Even he knew that he was in enough trouble as it was. He couldn’t give any other retort anyway, because they were all interrupted by a large bump that signalled that their transport had made a successful landing at Canterlot Castle.
“We’ve arrived,” the pilot informed. “Princess Luna and her guard are waiting for you all outside.”
“About time,” Vladimir muttered, being the first one to reach out, open the door, and jump out into the fresh air.
He was also immediately swarmed by a team of doctors.
“Hey! What gives?”
As Twilight and the others exited shortly after the thestral, she saw the other five had also departed their own ride and were being checked out by medical personnel.
“The wing is cauterised and bandaged, but we should definitely give it a thorough check up,” one of the doctors stated, trying to lead Vladimir to a nearby ambulance carriage.
“Now hold on a minute!” Vladimir protested.
“Do not struggle, Captain,” the voice of Princess Luna commanded as the alicorn approached the group. “Your report can wait until they have seen to you.”
Vladimir glanced towards his friends, and saw that none of them were going to take his side on that particular occasion. So with a resigned sigh, he allowed himself to be whisked off to a nearby hospital for a proper check-up, the two Solar Guards joining him as Twilight’s changelings retook their positions at their Queen’s side. Shining Armor, Broad Sword and Spike also remained behind, all being vastly uninjured.
“Twilight, it is good to see you well. Or as well as you can be given the circumstances,” Luna stated, greeting her old friend. She then turned to Broad Sword and Shining Armor, giving the latter a disapproving glare. “I would ask you two return to the barracks until Vladimir is cleared from the hospital. I want a report from all three of you to both myself and my sister later.”
Broad Sword saluted. “Of course, your highness.”
Luna nodded. “Good. Now, Twilight, Tia is waiting for us in her study.”
Twilight shook her head. “Sorry Luna, there’s no time to catch up. We must leave now.”
Luna tilted her head in confusion. “Leave?”
“Yeah,” Spike spoke up. “We’ve got urgent business with the other Changeling Queens.”
“No.”
Spike looked up at Twilight, unsure as to why she said that. “No? Twilight, what do you mean?”
“Stay here for now, talk with Celestia alongside Broad Sword, Vladimir and Shiny. Then, I want you to go to Ponyville. It’s high time my friends knew what was going on. If I need their help, and I suspect I will, I will send a scroll through your dragon fire.”
Spike nodded. “Got it, you can count on me!”
“Twilight, what exactly is going on?” Luna enquired.
Twilight sighed. “It’s a long story, Luna. And time is short, so until you speak to Spike and the others in a while. For now, a quick explanation will have to suffice.
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Keept us waiting, huh? Nice calm chapter
And she... she sure did leave all her non-changeling support behind (even SPIKE), didn't she? She brought ponies with her because they couldn't be controlled. Now she's bringing only changelings.
When this goes South, as we KNOW it's about to. I want her to actually stop and think back to this exact moment. And have a genre-savvy realization that she literally just set up how bad things are about to get for her and just be like "Damn, Past Twilight was a derp-ass bitch!" before she finishes getting sucker-punched.
8052307
I kind of wonder if she's being subtly controlled by the regalia.
8052396
Might be. The original Changeling Sparkle took down the Empress with the Elements. Twilight didn't stop to rest or join ranks with Celestia and Luna, LEAVE the regalia with them (... it only works on Changelings, c'mon), or get her friends to bust some Orbital Rainbow Friendship Cannon. She has to be severely muddled right now. Being subtly influenced by the regalia would explain a lot. The girl has access to everything she needs to handle this situation before it blows up and she's just like
. "I don't trust this thing at all, and it's probably not dead. I better take the changeling-queen-dominating device to where the last remaining free changeling queens are."
Murphy: *sigh* Well, time to get to work.
8052307 Well, the story still needs to continue somehow. Twilight hasn't finished her bedtime story.
Somethings bad is about to happen, and itshe so freaking nerve racking! To know somethings about to happen but not knowing what!
I'm glad to read that the Mane 6 will be featured more in the future chapters.
8052307
8052396
She kind of HAS to be influenced it at least SOME. Even the tiniest iota. There's no other explanation for her suddenly having such a lapse of all reason. Ditching all her non-changeling support, taking the artifact that can control queens, and bringing it TO the remaining queens? This isn't just careless or shortsighted. It's downright crazy, stupid, and crazy stupid.
8053472
8052482
It wasn't complete, she's still herself. But it's subtly there nevertheless.
8053877
Well I hope ANYONE ELSE comes to their senses and they don't just let this happen. Spike, Shining Armor, the princesses, anyone. Particularly Spike. They see this happening, aren't effected by any mind altering artifacts, and should be smart enough to at least say something. "Hey Twilight, I know you told me to stay here in Canterlot, but that's kind of weird since I go with you literally everywhere else, including into that mess we were just in. I'm thinking maybe I come with you anyway. There's literally no reason not to. And I know you put a shield around it, but it still seems like a bad idea to take that thing to the other Queens. Just saying." Or, "What, she won't even wait ten minutes come to see me? I've been ruling for over 1000 years. Doesn't she think I might have some advice for her in the way of ancient evils?"
8053877
-dancing around the vindication tree-
8052315
I was thinking this vary thing.
it is time to pull out the big guns.
or maybe a little back up is required.
Why do I get the feeling the regalia is going to go to the ancient palace?
8056478 Because thats where the counsil is waiting for Twilight
It's not a good idea bringing a mind control device to the only place with free changelings. On a side note, Shining coming with the others turned out to be a good thing after all.
I predict that there will be tea, tears and cake.
Well, it's nice to know one of my crazy theories was correct, Twilight didn't fully combat The Changeling Empress, and is now bringing NO backup! As well as the object that has shown ability to control changeling queens to the remaining free changeling queens...
On another note, I have another theory as to how this story plays out. "Bad things happen, Twilight and co. fix the issue, ponies save the changelings from becoming slaves to The Empress, changeling queens accept ponies as useful for more than food and start reading and other useful practices with the hives and Equestria!"
And to end it off... All this build up is putting me in a state of suspense so large, I might explode if the action fillee chapter doesn't show up soon.
I love it