How The Mean 6 should have ended

"Cadence, what troubles you?" Celestia asks, looking down from her throne to her niece, who's clearly deep in thought

"I don't know, I just feel something...it's putting me on edge with the inactivity around here" Cadence huffed, she had been in Canterlot for the past few weeks for diplomatic meetings and was eager to get back to The Empire, back to her Shining Armour and Flurry Heart.

"If you like, there is a cargo airship heading back to The Crystal Empire, I'm sure it'll be fine if you left a couple of days early" Celestia suggested, lowering her voice slightly out of fear of any diplomats hearing

"R-really? But, the delegates..." Cadence did her best to reel in her enthusiasm, it was her duty to be here after all.

"Don't worry, I'll handle them, I've managed it on my own for a millennia, a couple of days won't be a problem" The ivory alicorn said with a smile. Cadence could barely hold back now.

"Oh thank you aun...uh Princess" She said, bowing slightly before trotting off, a grin plastered on her face and a spring in her step...that gut feeling...she simply shrugged and made her way to the airship docks. As she skipped her way out of the room one of The Royal Guards discreetly slipped out of the room, making his way through the halls of the palace, before entering The Starswirld The Bearded wing, which was off limits for renovations, he headed deep inside, where he was confident that he was alone.

He then closed his eyes and a green aura appeared around him, his disguise disappeared, leaving a Changeling drone alone in the empty room, it's horn lit up, casting a spell on a nearby mirror, the surface changed until it didn't seem like a mirror, more like a window leading somewhere, on the other side was Chrysalis.

"My queen" the changeling said in a raspy voice, bowing down on one knee and lowering it's head.

"Rise drone" She said in a commanding tone "Tell me, what have you learned?"

"There is an airship leaving Canterlot for The Crystal Empire soon, they aren't expecting trouble" The drone explained, standing up tall, a grin growing on it's face as it proved it's worth to it's queen.

"Good...you have done a good job indeed, now return home, the next stage of our plan must come into effect" Crysalis said, almost exploding in a fit of laughs at hearing her plan going just as expected, but she stayed collected, remembering it hadn't succeeded yet. The Changeling bowed once more, before the spell dissipated, it then re-assumed it's disguise and beat a hasty but discreet retreat back to meet up with the hive.

Cadence reached the dock, it was packed with Ponies all heading to passenger liners and the like, thankfully not many paid her too much mind as she squeezed through the crowds, heading instead for the supply docks, this area wasn't as well travelled by regular Ponies, only by those with deliveries to make and other business related goings on. She was having some trouble finding the exact dock and airship though...

"Okay...which dock is...Applejack?" Cadence would recognise the orange farmpony anywhere, though it helped she was never without her signature hat. She made her way over to Applejack, who was talking with a dockhand about something, but she turned and smiled at the princess.

"Well golly Princess, fancy seein you here" Applejack said with a smile, making sure to respectfully bow when Cadence came over.

"Please, you don't need to do that, we're friends after all." The pink mare said, smiling as politely as she could, but to be honest she'd gotten tired of diplomats and royals bowing and treating her like royalty, it certainly didn't help that she was exactly that...but at least her friends can treat her differently.

"It's just common courtesy, 'sides...bad habits die hard, anyways why are ya here, if ya don't mind me askin?" She asked, still a little confused as to why royalty was running around warehouses.

"Well...Celestia let me go home early, there's an airship around here going to The Empire?" Cadence said, looking around in the hopes of spotting her airship

"Lucky we bumped into each other then, I'm hitching a ride on an airship leaving in a minute that sounds just like that" Applejack smiled, turning and gesturing for Cadence to follow. "I mean, it's kinda a passenger ship too...so it ain't just us and a bunch of boxes" she chuckled, waving a hoof at some of the Ponies standing on the deck, she recognised a few from all over the place...but then again crowds always seem to have the same ponies in them...probably a trick of the eye.

"Again thank you Applejack, you've been a real help" The Princess said holding her hoof to her heart "I don't know what I'd have done if I didn't meet up with you..."

Applejack visibly blushes at the compliment "Aww shucks Princess, I'm sure you'd have done just fine without me, anyway lets get aboard, I'm sure they're itching to set off" With that the two mares boarded the airship and waved to passerby's as they left dock and headed out into the open air. After looking around the ship a little Applejack and Cadence eventually made their way to the command deck, where they met the captain and crew.