"Urg! It's been three days already and we have no leads on this threat we kept on hearing about.", Shining whines annoyance. "Not only that today is the Friendship Festival."

"Then why don't we have our own Friendship Festival for just us guards?", Assassin Creed, a brown pegasus stallion with a black mane and a cutie mark of cross knife, said coming out of nowhere scaring Shining Armor. "And we can't have a festival without cake! For cake do you like carrot or apple?"

"Apples! Apple, apple, apple!", Apple Tea, an orange earth stallion with green mane and a cutie mark of an apple tea, cheers grabbing Shining Armor and drags him to the Crystal Castle throne room, where some of the other guards are doing the decoration. "Right, Captain? Captain, you like apples, right?"

"Either is fine!", Shining screams in annoyance breaking free from Tea's grip.

"You traitor!", Apple Tea said pointing his hoof accusingly. "Did you forget The Apples Oath?"

"What's with that team name?", Shining asks. "I don't remember taking no oath!"

Assassin throws an imaginative knife to Apple Tea's heart. Apple Tea clutch his chest as if he was stabbed for real.

"Carrot cake is a classic. Who is fine with it?", Assassin asks pointing the picture.

Everypony raise their hooves approving the carrot cake.

"Looks like the carrots win.", Blade Dancer, a cream color pegasus mare with a red mane and a cutie mark of two silver wingblades that twirl around each other with trailing ribbons, said to Apple Tea.

"I'll eat you up!", Apple Tea growls chasing after Blade Dancer. Shining Armor tries to break off the chase with no avail.

Sitting on Cadance's throne is Blueblood reading a book. He looks over seeing the whole ordeal causing him to chuckle a bit.

"Did you see that? Blueblood just smiled and is enjoying this.", Blueberry Frost, a dark blue earth mare with dark blue and white-striped stringy mane, said to Flash Fire, a brown pegasus mare with a crimson fiery mane and a cutie mark of a flaming arrow. "I thought he was a stuck up snob."

"His drastic change in behavior is the result of how he has less responsibilties as compared to his time before Twilight became the Princess of Friendship. Most of Blueblood's duty as royalty is given to Twilight Sparkle and her friends, since their job is similar to his.", Flash Fire said putting up the Royal Guard's Friendship Festival banner. "Blueblood prefers adventuring hence his compass cutie mark."

"Look at them, brother!", Kuwaga, a white earth stallion with black mane and a cutie mark of a stag beetle, said to Kabuto, a black earth stallion with white mane and a cutie mark of a rhinoseros beetle. "They're having fun in Canterlot, while we're freezing our flanks looking for a threat that doesn't seem to exist."

"Who is the right mind would send 90% to the Royal Guard on a wild goose chase?", Kabuto asks in annoyance shivering.

"That would be Celestia.", Kuwaga answers.

"Great, another dumb mistake.", Kabuto mutters.

"I'll admit Celestia's judgement and leadership is questionable..."

"Oh, please! Even their own mother, Queen Faust has forsaken them."

"What makes you say that?"

"My grandfather told me a story a long time ago. The days Equestria was under the rulership of Faust was known as the Golden Age of Harmony. That age continued on when Luna and Celestia took over, but that age came to an end when Luna became Nightmare Moon and the sisters lost connection to the Elements of Harmony."

"What have they been calling the age afterwards?"

"The Cursed Era."

"Oh, but what makes you think Queen Faust would make any difference?"

"Queen Faust is not only wise, but she is know to be one of the strongest beings on this planet with at least 99 others rivaling her. The combine power of Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Elements of Harmony Bearers, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis, and Tirek are bugs compared to her true might."

"How do you even know all this?"

"Our ancestor once served as Royal Guards of Queen Faust herself. In fact grandpa gave me this book our ancestor wrote all about his life.", Kabuto said pulling out a very old yet preserve book. "The final chapter took place after the birth of Luna."

"A group known as PURGE launched an all out invasion on Equestira."

Thousands of ships swarm the seas and air, while billions of troops cover the land.

The invasion was sudden and nopony was prepared, thus half of Equestria was conquered in less than a week. However under Queen Faust's leadership the Equestria launched a successful counterattack, starting by forming the Knights of Equestria."

Queen Faust stands before 88 ponies giving them the powers of an alicorn, while twelve others choose to remain themselves, among them is Starswirl and the Pillars.

"It was an intense and bloody battle, but eventually Faust and her Knights pushed through the army to the leader himself, Chaos."

Chaos place his hand onto the land and creates a large castle and cemetery theme titan.

"Chaos created the Great Land Titan Gadoma in order combat the threat. In the heat of the battle, the Knights were picked off one by one."

Gadoma fires a powerful blast vaporizing 80 of the Alicorn Knights and 6 of the regular Knights surrounding him. Faust herself narrowly avoids the strike, suffering a cut on her cheek. Blood drips onto a seed on the ground causing it to glow.

"At the demise of majority of the Knights, Faust's grief turned to rage. Refusing to allow anymore suffer and death she use the Harmonic Wave."

Many gems circle around Faust as she charges his horn of maximum power. She then fires a powerful blast piercing through Gadoma and striking Chaos.

"Not only did the attack defeat Gadoma, but it also sent Chaos and his army into another dimension where he can do no more harm. The battle was won, but there was no taste of victory. 86 of the Knights perished and Queen Faust herself have vanished, although it is said that Starswirl knew what became of her."

Starswirl and the Pillars plants the seed that Faust's blood dripped on, while surviving 8 Alicorn Knights depart to parts unknown. While the land where Gadoma fell slowly became the land known as Tartarus.

"The magic of the Elements of Harmony is Queen Faust. Her power is inside of Princess Twilight and her friends.", Kuwaga said in realization.

"Which proves that Twilight Sparkle and her friends are worthy to inherit everything from Faust.", Kabuto said.

"Then what will become of Luna and Celestia?"

"They will soon lose their alicorn magic, immortality, everything... and will live off their rest of their lives in disgrace."

"That's kind of harsh."

"But there is a chance of redemption. Celestia and Luna must reconnect with the Elements of Harmony."

"But they apologized to each other! Their fighting is the reason why they lost connection."

"It is not each other they must apologize to. They must gain their mother's forgiveness."

"That's not going to be easy.", Kuwaga said before noticing clouds in Canterlot. "What's with these storm clouds?"

"Probably Discord doing one his his dumb pranks.", Kabuto said. "Besides the four princesses are these and all the big bad like Tirek are dealt with. I mean what non-alicorn level bad guy can beat four alicorns?

"Good point. I mean if they did lose and Princess Twilight has to do the saving they'll the losers among the losers."

"Careful what you say, they are Captain Armor's relatives.", Kabuto said. "Now, let's get back to the city, I'm freezing."

Meanwhile in Canterlot, Tempest Shadow turns Princess Cadance, Celestia and Luna into obsidian statues.

Discord's Time

"Welcome to Discord's Time. I'm your host Discord the Lord of Chaos.", Discord said sitting on a couch. "It seems like a lot has happened during the movie, but as for me I'm speaking with the villains of this series. Our guest for his chapter is the dethroned Queen of the Changelings, Queen Chrysalis."

The camera turns to Chrysalis, who is hooded and cloaked.

"Hey, Chrissy. Haven't seen you since Where and Back Again.", Discord said only for Chrysalis to ignore him and lick her leg. "Are you listening? I'm over here."

Chrysalis continues to ignore him.

"You really don't like me.", Discord said. "That's not surprising considering that fact no one likes you. Regardless you've done what no other villains have done and that is nearly conquering Equestria not once, but twice and even defeating the heroes until something goes wrong. You even attacked me. How mean."

Discord then gets angry.

"But this is the most unforgivable thing you've done.", Discord said turning on the TV showing the scene of Chrysalis scaring Fluttershy causing her to cry. "Here it is! Here! I know we never got along, but how dare you do that to Fluttershy!"

Discord stands up and grabs Chrysalis by the neck.

"My one last regret is actually...", Discord said going the abusing your pet cat movement before tossing her across the room straight towards the wall. A KO bell is sounded. "This is what happens when I get serious."

Chrysalis discards her cloak and reveals her monstrous form hissing at the now frightened Discord.

"Wait. We can sole this through talking.", Discord said nervously. "What do you want? Stay a villain or get redeemed?"

Chrysalis jumps and attacks Discord.

"Wait! That hurts! Ow ow ow ow! Wait! Wait! Ow ow ow! Stop it!"

Author's Note

This story is the prequel and tie-in to the Changeling Empire and takes place during the MLP Movie.

It explains what the Royal Guards are doing and why they and several other characters are missing in the movie. They are also losing faith in Princess Celestia, Luna and Cadance as they serve as damsels in distress than some great protector like Queen Faust and Twilight Sparkle. Also gives me a chance to give Blueblood some characters, since his only major role is the Grand Galloping Gala and non-canon comics.

Certain OCs and MLP contents. do not belong to me.
MLP and everything related belongs to Lauren Faust/Hasbro
Blueberry Frost is owned by Sword-of-Akasha.
Blade Dancer belongs to fiddlesticks
I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FEATURED! ALL CREDIT FOR THEM GOES TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS!