The Cutie Mark Ripper: Conquest is Magic

Back behind the relatively safe walls of Chanterlot, Gallus walks about the palace walls, leading two stallion guards with him. The three of them could feel the coldness of the palace walls and floor, as the princess has been spending almost all of her time trying to solve the Cutie Mark Ripper case. Gallus could feel the despair and sorrow throughout the walls, but he didn't want to get it in his head that all hope was lost. But now in present, Gallus and his mini-company meet a closed door, "Halt." He raised a fist in the air as the veteran stallion stopped while the newly trained bumps into the veteran.

"Hey, watch it, newbie." The green mane stallion scolded.

"Oh sorry, sir..." The black mane stallion whimpered.

"Relax, you aren't in trouble, Midnight." Gallus reassured, "Today, the niece of Queen Novo and her friends will be here for the Friendship Summit to representing their species, and Princess Twilight asked for each of them to have a personal bodyguard in case of an attack or something along those lines."

"Uh, sir, not to question the princess' choice, but won't it maker more sense for the girls to have mares as a bodyguard, so they can be protected at all times and feel less uncomfortable?"

"Look, the guard is spread pretty thin across Chanterlot, I couldn't spare anyone else other than us three."

"Makes sense..." Midnight says.

"Anyways, Justice, you will be guarding Smolder. Midnight, you're guarding Ocellus, and I'll be guarding Silverstream." Midnight and Justice salute and with a nod, Gallus opens the door, revealing a dragon, a changeling, and a hippogriff.

"Hey look, guys! Gallus is here!" The hippogriff shouts charging and glomping Gallus, hugging him tightly.

"Oof! Hey Silverstream. Good to see you too." Gallus grunts, having a little trouble breathing.

Justice walks over to the dragon, "Smolder, I presume?"

"Yep that' s me. I don't get why we need bodyguards."

"Because the Princess said a very dangerous being is on the loose." Ocellus says, "Best be safe than sorry."

"Oh... Yeah..." Silverstream's bubbly personality deflates rather quickly, "Hey Gallus? Can we talk in private?"

"Uh, yeah sure. Justice, Midnight, you know what to do."

"Yes sir!" The two stallions saluted, walking away with their VIC or very important creature.

"So... Miss Ocellus." Midnight began, as he and Ocellus walk to her private dorm.

"Yes?"

"Uh... This is going to sound like a weird question, but are there other changelings other than the changeling kingdom ruled by Thorax?"

"Hm... Good question. As a matter of fact, yes. But they aren't on this landmass. We used to be connected to them, but I guess they wanted to burn those bridges before the idea of giving love instead of taking it could reach their changelings."

"Hm... I see." Midnight appears more relaxed, "What about Chrysalis?"

Ocellus stops in her tracks, raising an eyebrow at the stallion, "What about her?"

"Um...." Midnight shrinks back, "I was just curious... I mean... The stone spell didn't last too long for Discord, how do we know that Chrysalis won't return with a changeling army?"

"She didn't return with a changeling army the third time she returned. I am sure she won't return with an army of any kind, seeing as she's turned to stone." Ocellus emphasized.

"I... I know..." Midnight glances around, "Oh look!" Midnight points to a door, "There's your room! heh..." Ocellus walks to her room, keeping an eye on Midnight. Once Ocellus closes the door behind her, Midnight sighs a sigh of relief. Was it so bad he could ask questions? He sits at his post, for he does not know.

"Are you sure you want to speak with her Silverstream?" Gallus asks, walking with the worried hippogriff.

"I... I don't want to, I need to talk to her. It's been 6 months and I've been trying to reach out to her, to comfort her. I know what's it's like to be fearful of someone that can and will hurt you." She turns to Gallus, "And you out of anyone should know what's it like to feel alone."

"I guess I never thought of it that way..." The duo reaches the stained glass window hall, looking at various depictions on the walls. One that caught Gallus' eye was one with 6 creatures: A pony, a griffin, a changeling, a yak, and a hippogriff, all appeared to be fighting a large armored beast. Gallus smiled, looking up at the window, "Remember that day? We fought the tarrasque that was tearing up the countryside?"

Silverstream stopped and looked up at the stained glass window, smiling bittersweetly, "Yeah... But I don't really want to think about it. Kinda don't want to remember how awkward it was after the battle."

"Oh... Right..." Gallus looked away from Silverstream, remember that day. That was the day Gallus wanted to confess his feeling to Silverstream, but the Princess summoned them, to take care of the tarrasque that had escaped Tartarus. After the battle, Gallus finally confessed, even gave Silverstream a kiss, but Silverstream didn't feel the same way, and they remained friends. That day reminded Gallus of victory and a bittersweet confession.

"Come on, Gallus. Let’s not keep the princess waiting.” Silverstream placed a claw on Gallus’ shoulder, plated with golden armor.

Gallus smiled at his friend, “Yeah, let’s go.” The duo walks through the door leading to the throne room. There, sitting regally on her throne was the Princess of Friendship, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Twilight looks at the Griffin and Hippogriff, smiling at her former students.

"Your majesty." The two say, bowing down.

Twilight laughs and flies down from her golden throne, "No need to be so formal. It's nice to see you again, Silverstream."

"It's good to finally meet with you again. I hope you're doing well." Silverstream says wearily.

"I'm... Doing better... I suppose...It's been a rough 6 months but I'm working hard to solve the case."

"Trust me, she has been." Gallus comments.

"So... Why weren't you responding to my letters? I was so worried about you." Silverstream walks with Twilight, Gallus following close behind.

"I was meaning to send you a letter, but I could never find the time to mail it, not only that, but new cases popped up, I had to focus all my attention on it." Twilight explained.

"Uh-huh. I see... Well, glad to see you're doing well, Princess."

"And I'm glad to see one of my former students making her way to the Friendship Summit."

Suddenly, a very loud sneeze is heard from the stained glass hall, startling the three creatures. A familiar green maned stallion, now coughing up ask and scorched in the face, stumbles into the throne room, "Why do the dragon sneeze trees always bloom around this time?" And falls to the floor, as Smolder walks in, rubbing the snot off her nose.

"You're going to need a fire management team out there..." She says, trying to keep another sneeze in.

Twilight could help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, "Yes yes, I'll get some help." She laughs some more, "My I haven't laughed like this in a while."

Gallus looks over to Silverstream who is giving him a hopeful grin. Gallus smiles as well. Silverstream's mission is turning out as a success so far.