Groom Hornwell's 2022

Chapters

Prologue: Twilight's corruption
Routine
Fieldwork
The purple dragon
P.I.A.
Photo opportunity
Photo Opportunity II
Photo opportunity III
Photo Opportunity IV
Just an 'extra' in this story
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons II
To finish what a ling starts
Stingerless
Tiny little details
The mare in the high castle
Epilogue: Remains and future
Dungeons and Dragons III

Prologue: Twilight's corruption

Almost a century as the ruler of equestria, Twilight Sparkle was losing it, everything of it.

First, it was her friends and almost all of her relatives. They had passed away and their successors were lost in time, or simply didn’t care about the Council of Friendship.

Then, it was Spike who had to leave. He was growing big and irascible. She couldn’t help but to kick out the great beast he had become. Her last sight of him was when he flew into the sunset.

The goddesses, Luna and Celestia, had vanished. How, nopony could officially explain. It could only be theorized what happened to them.

The princess of Love, Mi Amore Cadenza, had already parted to the stars when Flurry Heart was just a filly. She was officially the first alicorn to die, killed by dark magic related to Sombra.

Almost every day, Twilight was brought new friendship problems and other conflicts.

Her body looked young, majestically slender and tall, but her mind was old and rusty.

Although she still had two disciples left.

Flurry, her niece and her only blood-relative alive, had become the marshal of the royal guards and the wonderbolts, then called The weapon or simply Weapon. With the mandatory drafts, its numbers quickly increased from a few hundred to almost ten thousand.

Her second disciple was the newest alicorn, Luster Dawn, daughter of Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer. She was the commissar of the Stablo, acronym for Stable Oversight. Her duty was to command the law enforcement of all the regions of Equestria.

Many moons after Twilight’s ascension, she did the unthinkable. She, tired of solving crimes commited by griffons, banned them from living near ponies.

The press was shocked but couldn’t do much when the Stablo raided them and arrested anypony who expressed a contrary opinion on the matter of griffons.

That species was only the first to be deported away.

Then it followed the hippogriffs because of the Feather Fever mass contagion between pegasi. According to the commissar Luster Dawn, that disease was the hippogriffs’ fault. No journalist dared to object.

The anti-non-ponies laws enacted by Twilight had a widespread reaction around the whole Equus world: Griffonstone threatened a war, Seaquestria begged for justice, the Neighpon government asked what happened to the kirin colony in Peaks of Peril, Queen Chrysalis started to recruit the resentful changelings, and the dragons swore to kill anypony who got into their territory.

The only ones that seemed unaffected by Twilight's laws were the yaks. They lived far away from the ponies anyways.

Zebras and donkeys went missing or were arrested.

Every day, fewer ponies dared to express their own ideas.

The ponies, happy or not, had silent peace for a while, especially for Twilight in her high castle.

But peace always dies young. And war makes sure to bury it deep.

Equestria and its ponies, found themselves surrounded by enemies of other species. That’s why the Weapon was created, and thousands of young ponies have been dragged to war.

Three pony classes were defined, either officially o de facto: the poniticians, mainly unicorns. The soldiers were mostly pegasi. And the draught-ponies or working class consisted of a majority of earth ponies and few unicorns and pegasi.

It was the year 2022 after Celestia's birth, and it was Twilight Sparkle’s era.

Routine

My name is Red and I work at the Stablo’s Press building. My job is simple but it has a catch. You can write all you want about fake data, for example, the number of horseshoes that has been produced by the draught-ponies or the new territories that have been annexed to Equestria. But, if you commit the mistake to make it appear that it is all a lie, you are probably going to get arrested, as if you were a member of the opposition against Twilight Sparkle’s government.

I live in Canterlot. I’m lucky to say that. It’s probably the safest and prettiest place of all in these war times. In the streets you’ll see lines and lines of unicorns and others, waiting for their entrance to factories, to do who knows what. The reality is that we ponies here are desperate for a job so that we don’t get drafted.

I wake up thanks to the morning siren. There’s atleast one on a pole in every residential block.

Now getting food can be tricky. It’s discouraged to eat the grass on the ground because of the acid rain-clouds that are brought by griffon squads. The only viable option is the feed right tickets. In order to receive this ticket, you must prove that you have a job (see the importance). If you don’t have a function defined and are mildly healthy, you can say goodbye to your loved ones and get sent to the Griffonian or Zebrican front.

It doesn’t really matter if you are a unicorn, a pegasus or an earthie, atleast not for the government. I feel glad to be a unicorn because it really eases writing the newspaper. If I get drafted I’d probably be taught how to transform my horn into a laser gun that efficiently kills flying griffons.

I don’t have a family, nor a coltfriend. I have nopony to ever visit me if they lock me up in the Canterlot’s Dungeons. This prison is underground the east side of the city and it's connected to a network of caves in the same mountain where Canterlot is supported.

Every day, on my trot to work, and then waiting in a too long line to enter the Press, I see crying dams, whether saying good bye to their drafted children or getting out of the dungeons after visiting them.

By title, I’m a draught-pony, but my function is one of the most ponitical. Journalism. I think that the only reason they gave me this job is the fact that I have never been seen with non-ponies and there’s no record of it at all. But, since I have no family, meaning nothing to lose, I’ll probably never be promoted to boss or get into a high-risk confidential position.

When the line finally advances, I get into the press building. The inside is too white and boring. There is a strong smell of sweat, and I seem to be the only one to forget there are no windows when I try desperately to find one.

Another siren, this time with a different tone, marks the start of duty. Me and my hundred colleagues find our places to work.

Celestia, give me patience for this eleven hours shift. I’ll never get used to this routine.

Fieldwork

It's maneday. And I'm so happy! I finally get the chance to go out and do fieldwork as a journalist.

I'm writing this in my journal while I wait in the train station .

I'll explain how I got to be outside when everypony else is stacked in buildings.

I was performing my boring tasks of reading and transcribing data for the newspaper,about apple production, which has been decreasing this season. I was so focused I almost bucked when somebody tapped my shoulder.

"You, blonde. Follow me to my office." It was my boss. A jackflank who can't remember my one syllabe name. It's Red, Celestia's dammit.

So I obeyed and we started to go to his office. We first went to the stairs to the second floor of the Press house.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, my boss is not a journalist but an agent of the Stablo. He's a brawny pegasus too impatient for dealing with bookworms like half the journalists here.

When we got to his office, he sat on a throne too big for the room, and looked me in the eyes. "No need for you to sit down, mare..." Mare? seriously? He told me. "Grab that." He pointed at a camera on a close shelf on his right.

I first looked at the object and then back to his eyes. I didn't dare to move.

"Come on! Grab it." He was really unpatient today.

I quickly walked in order to reach the object. The camera device had a strap for my hoof to grab it through. Then I put it around my neck as if the object was a necklace. If you wonder why I didn't grab the thing with my telekinesis, it was because I was bucking terrified. I don't know why I thought my boss would take as an offense that I used magic.

I cleared my throat. "Uhm, sire..."

"No talk. No need. Take a train ticket and go to ponyville. Then take a photograph of Sweet Apple Acres. One with a good background (At first I didn't understand what he meant by this). "It's better if it's with the workers there." He said.

We stood in silence for a few seconds. The camera down my neck slowly swayed back and forth. "S-so, you need me to go to Ponyville, and only bring you back a photograph of the apple farm?"

"Did I neigh, unicorn?" He said. What a bucker.

"No, sire," I answered. "Excuse me." I turned to leave the office.

"Wait!"

I stopped my pace and looked back "Yes, sire?"

He sighed. "There's a little issue in Sweet Apple Acres, one related to fire coming from the Everfree forest".

"How so, sire?" I asked, turning my body at him.

"Well it's none of your business." He chuckled. "Or mine...or-or ours really. Just make sure that the photographs you take have nothing to do with burning trees, etcetera."

"Understood, sire," I said before leaving.

Back to where I actually am while narrating this: the train station.

The train has just arrived. And it seems that I'm gonna be its only passenger. The station is isolated except for a few guards, the train driver and me.

I'm excited and kinda terrified about this trip to ponyville.

Wish me luck, future reader!

P.S.: I see a smoke cloud coming from the south.

The purple dragon

I’m still on the Victory Express (that’s the train’s name). We are now passing the Saddle Lake. For those ponies who think that Ponyville is close to Canterlot. Well, let me say that by train, it is not. It's actually an overnight trip.

I feel like I’ve been in this train for an eternity. To give you an idea: I boarded it at noon, and by the moment I’m writing this, the sun it’s already setting on the far away Smokey Mountains.

I started to wonder if my boss, that forgetty tushbag, realized that going to a place by train takes longer than flying with his pegasus wings. This kind of vehicle has many curves on its way. He probably thinks I’m going back to Canterlot with the photo already. But the thing is I haven’t even made it to Ponyville yet! I just hope he doesn’t fire me.

We are reaching Ponyville’s train station. I look through the window. The houses of ponies with that mangerman style are beautiful. Even in this wartime of ponies against the rest of Equus world. I see ponies walking surrounded by markets. This landscape really makes me forget war.

I took a pic.

Oh, shoot, I better check if there’s enough reel in this thing. Not being able to take the one important photograph would be my doom.

The reel is new! Awesome!

I can’t say I hated this train trip. I really enjoyed it when we went inside the mountain, crossing it. It all became dark for atleast two minutes.

We finally reached the station and the wagons quickly started to lose speed. Then, the doors opened.

Wow. Too many ponies here at the station. Wait. They are soldiers! Coltage draftees! They are wearing the infamous black shirts. They must be the newest conscripts of the Weapon.

I get out sliding through the crowd of shaved manes. These poor ponies are nothing but weanlings. They should be at school.

I walk through the station, getting away from the recruits that are now boarding the Victory Express. Yeah, Victory, let’s hope for this fillies and colts. Before they all entered the vehicle, I took a photo of them. Who knows if any of them would come back.

After walking for a minute, I find myself on a dirt road. I look north; I see a hospital far away. Then south, I see a school. But wait, there’s more. Apple trees…Oh yeah, that’s Sweet Apple Acres! I better get going before it’s too dark. I hope the workers there let me stay the night.

I mentioned before that the sunset was around the corner, meaning that the start of the night was close. And oh pony I feel dumb now. I haven’t even made it to the farmhouse yet and the path it’s completely dark now. Hay, it’s not even paved! My hooves keep tripping on rocks! Thank princess I’m a unicorn, because I didn’t brought a flashlight.

I’m coughing now! Blech! The air is so dense and smelly out of a sudden. Oh, right, the smoke from the forest fire. But I see no fire on these trees. It must mean it’s just burnt wood of the Everfree forest, like my boss told me.

I keep walking, no, I better trot for now. I’m almost there. I see lights. Wait, green lights?! Why would candles lights be_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________OH MY CELESTIA, What’s ____that purple thing! It’s coming after me, a dragon !!!! I took a picture! I’m throwing this on the floo___

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Ponyville Today Newspaper

Fire on Sweet Apple Acres

P.I.A.

Pony in Absentia

“Where is that damn unicorn with my photo?! It was for yesterday!” roared Kalby, the Stablo’s Press director, flying instead of walking in a corridor of the building. The ponies sitting in their respective cushions just stared at him while he ranted. “This office’s next to the train station! Hay, that damn farm in Pon…!” The ponies in front of Kalby looked behind him.

“Ehem!” a female voice called for attention.

Kalby, still in the air, turned his head at the voice, and opened his eyes wide. Quickly, he landed and turned his body around.

In front of him was the chief of the whole Stablo. Luster Dawn.

“Well, director, I almost thought you had the Feather Fever, with all that irresponsible talking. My my” She said.

Kalby and the ponies around bowed before her.

“Excuse me, commissar. It won’t happen again” he said, with his head down.

“Alright, director” She smiled and looked at the other ponies “You can get back to work. I’ll have a talk with your boss”

Luster Dawn followed Kalby to his office on the second floor. She closed the door behind her.

Kalby pointed at his throne. “Please, sit there if you need, commissar”

Luster shook her head “No, thanks, director. I just need to ask you some things” With her magic, she took out a newspaper and a red notebook out of her saddlebags. She brought the notebook close to Kalby with her telekinesis. “This journal, let’s call it, I believe it belong-ed to one of your employees”

“Uh, no, it can’t be, it’s forbidden to…” Kalby grabbed the notebook with his wings, and opened it. On the first page, he read aloud: “My name is Red”

“Sounds familiar? The name I mean.” She said.

Kalby closed the notebook with a thud. “Uh, I-I’ll get this investigated, I promise, commissar”. He put the book on his desk.

“Just like the smoke cloud, the one that came from Ponyville?” Luster asked. With his magic, again, she brought the newspaper close for Kalby to grab it. It was Ponyville Today newspaper.

“Actually commissar, the smoke was coming from the Ever…” He read the front page and his eyes opened wide “…Sweet Apple Acres?!”

“Indeed, director” Luster sighed “Sincerely, I expected answers coming here, not questions.”

“What do you mean, commissar?” Kalby asked. He left the newspaper next to the red notebook.

Luster dawn turned around and opened the door. “There’s one more thing before I leave, director. Did you feel the earthquake last night?”

“Uh, yes, commissar, but it was made sure it wasn’t an enemy attack. I was told all the Canterlot’s entrances were watched all night.”

Luster turned to him. “What about the main entrance?”

Kalby gasped. “Commissar, I just told you th…”

“I mean the aerial one, director” She started to walk away. “Anypony can fly into us”

Kalby followed her until they reached the stairs. Then Luster went downstairs. Kalby stood there, at the top of the stairs, watching Luster as she left.

He turned around and went to his office. He closed the door, and got close to his desk. With a wing he grabbed the red notebook.

He then went to his throne and sat. And he opened the notebook right where it started. Red’s journal.

Photo opportunity

Kalby woke up due to the siren that marked the end of duty. He had been sleeping in his throne and his head was resting on his desk. On the floor there was the red notebook. He looked at it and sighed.

He grabbed the object, which had stayed open on the page he left it: I haven’t even made it to the farmhouse yet and the path…

He then read the last line written and his eyes opened wide: that purple thing! It’s coming after me, a dragon!!!! I took a picture!

“What the hay?” Kalby muttered. “She took a pic of it” He repeated the sentence in his head. “But, where’s the camera?” He thought aloud. He then read: I’m throwing this on the floo___

That was it. Or maybe wasn’t, Kalby thought. He remembered Red, her face, and the camera around her neck. Maybe when she said that it was throwing it on the floor she meant the notebook, not the camera.

For director Kalby, an agent of the Stablo, there was only one way to find out. “Enough of sending foals to do a horse’s job”, he spoke to himself.

He got up from his throne and headed to the door. But then went back to grab the notebook on the desk. Just in case, he thought.

Then outside the building, Kalby headed to the Stablo’s headquarters, which were located six blocks away from the Press office, on the middle south-west of Canterlot.

He flew to the place, passing five buildings before reaching the headquarters. The building was twice as tall as the Press and was of a greyish color on the inside and outside. That building indeed had windows, unlike the warehouse where Kalby worked.

He got in. It was foursday afternoon, and most of the poniticians were already home, so there wasn’t much movement besides the guards on every door.

He then approached to a Stablo's officer behind a desk. The unicorn immediately got up to salute Kalby, his superior. “Good afternoon, sire”

“At ease, lieutenant,” answered Kalby. “Is the commissar upstairs?”

“Uhh, no, sire. She got off-town at noon”

“She is off-town? Where?” Kalby inquired. He scratched his ear softly with a wing. “I really need to see her”

“I do not know, sire. Besides I was told it’s confidential”

Kalby, putting a hoof on the desk, sighed. “Well, haven’t heard about weird stuff? Say about a dragon?”

The lieutenant tapped his jaw with a hoof. “Uh, I don’t think so, sire. What I do know is…”

“Yes?” Kalby lowered his head at him.

“The train stations are frozen, from here to south Equestria. That’s all I can tell you, sire”

Kalby circled his hoof around the desk “Oh, okay, that’s strange, but, didn’t the commissar mention a camera, perhaps?”

“Uhm, no, sire, I’m sorry to say”

Kalby, exhaled, and looked at the ceiling. “To be honest with you, lieutenant.” He looked back down and smiled “I’m actually not disappointed to hear that!” He turned around without saying more and started to gallop to the entrance. He pushed the doors to go outside and took flight.

“Wait, sire, something just fell from your saddlebag!” The lieutenant grabbed the red notebook with his telekinesis, and ran outside, and saw Kalby far in the distance, disappearing into a cloud.

Photo Opportunity II

Kalby was flying. He had left Canterlot thirty minutes ago. He was flying high, dodging the clouds in his way.

Just like the same time as yesterday, the sun was setting on the western mountains. Ponyville looked beautiful with an orange tint thanks to the leaving sun.

When he saw Ponyville in the distance, he decided to reduce the height of his flight.
He descended more and finally landed near the Ponyville's train station. From then, he walked.

He could see a sign on the road to the station: Equarantine No Trains Available. The sign was of wood, and it was staked on the dirt. The paint was still fresh.

He looked south and saw a School and the Apple farm in the distance. He started to follow the trail to Sweet Apple Acres. He crossed a stream and continued on a dirt road.

While he walked, with a wing he opened one side of his saddlebags. He looked for the red book, introducing part of his wing inside the bag. Then he checked the bag on the other side, but in vain. He stopped walking. Both of his saddle bags were empty.

"Dung! I can't believe I dropped it!" He told himself. He sighed. Then he kept walking to the orchard's direction. "Please, Celestia, tell me she followed this path.

He kept walking for a while then decided to fly low. He watched the ground, looking for any objects that ressembled a camera. "I can barely see. It's getting dark." He thought aloud.

"Buck this" He kicked the air with a leg and turned around. He advanced but then stopped. "Wait, she said she looked north and saw a, uh, hospital, yes! Red, alive or dead, must be there". He took flight and headed to the hospital building.

Flying, in less than two minutes, he got to the hospital entrance. The building looked like a mansion; and it had the same style of a regular Ponyville's house.

He opened the door and walked inside. The waiting room was stacked of ponies waiting for a turn. Even some of them were sleeping on the floor. Most of them were elderly or foals.

He was greeted by a nurse crossing the hallway. The nurse was a female earth pony with a pink coat and white mane. She approached Kalby with a smile. "Good afternoon, gentlecolt. Do you need anything?"

"Uh, hello, yea". Kalby cleared his throat "Have you received ponies in the last 24 hours? I mean ponies that came here because of the fire on Sweet Apple Acres. You know, uhm, the workers from there or maybe others."

The nurse's smile dropped. "Yes, I'm afraid"

"Great, uh, heh." He combed his mane with a wing "Can I pay them a visit? It's for, uh, the Stablo's sake"

"Of course, sire, although you may have to choose where to go first", the nurse said, looking down. She started to walk and Kalby followed.

"What do you mean?" Kalby asked.

"Either the recovery room or the morgue"

Photo opportunity III

Kalby followed the nurse down a hall of the hospital. The nurse turned back her head at him while they walked.

"So, where should I take you first, sire? To the recovery room?" She said.

"Uh, yes, please" Kalby answered.

They kept walking until they reached a door. The nurse pushed the door and kept it open for Kalby to enter.

Kalby looked inside the room, full with injuried ponies. Some were bare-coated while others wore black shirts. All of them seemed to be unconscious or asleep. Many of them had bandages partially covering their bodies.

"Huh?" Kalby expressed. He looked at the nurse "Aren't these from..."

"The Weapon, yes" she completed. "But some of them are workers from Sweet Apple Acres. We had to mix them up due to the lack of space."

"Okay, I understand. What happened to them?" Kalby asked.

"The farmers have burns, ranging from first to third degree. And the soldiers, well, the train they were going unfortunately derailed" the nurse answered, she raised a hoof and pointed front. "Please feel free to take a closer look of them"

Kalby nodded and advanced. The nurse waited by the door.

He was passing the beds, turning his head left to right. He reached the end of the room and had only seen unfamiliar faces.
He turned around and looked at the nurse. "She's not here"

"I beg your pardon? Are you looking for somepony in particular?"

"Uhh, yes, actually" he approached the nurse and they both left the room "Have you seen a white pony, with a blond mane and gray eyes, an-and her tail shaved? She was holding a camera around her neck"

They both were walking and the nurse looked down. "Uhm, I think I might have, sire..."

"Oh, really?! Where is she?" Kalby opened his eyes wide.

"Uhm, sire, I don't want to make rushed assumptions, but I think I seen her in the morgue. Although, I don't remember seeing a camera."

They were now on a hallway, passing rooms' doors. The path they were going became darker with every step. They finally reached an elevator in the end.

The nurse pressed a button on the wall next to the elevator. Its doors opened. The nurse entered first and turn around to see Kalby "Is something wrong, sire?"

Kalby pawed the floor softly. He sighed and got in the elevator "Believe or not miss, even on these difficult times, it's been a while since a saw a corpse"

Kalby positioned himself next to the nurse inside the elevator. Being an hospital elevator the space was large.

The nurse pressed a button and the doors closed. "Well, sire, you worry not. They are all inside compartments. I'll take you to the exact one" she said.

They started to go down.

Once the elevator stopped and its doors opened. Both ponies got out of it.

The nurse walked in front of Kalby. The hallways on that floor were all white and the ceiling had vents. But the illumination was poor.

Kalby didn't want to admit he had goosebumps. He walked with his tail between his legs. No, wean up, dung it!. He straightened his head and tail.

Again, they reached the end of the path, which lead to a door. That door of black metal contrasted with the white floor and walls.

The nurse went forward and pushed the door. A cloud of cold air escaped from the room.

Kalby and the nurse went inside the freezer.

The room they found themselves had silver metallic walls and a floor of white tiles like the ones of a shower room.

On both the walls on the sides of the cold room there were like square wide lockers.

"Uhm, let's see..." The nurse got close to one of the locker walls and started to walk next to it. She looked at every locker, and read the labels: "Male...,No..., Black coat..., Uhm this one is not" She reached the corner of the wall, and turned his head at Kalby "I believe it's this one" She put a hoof on the locker, tapping it twice.

Kalby inhaled, he was by the black metallic door and hadn't dared to move since he entered the freezer. "Alright, let's see her!" He approached the nurse.

The nurse put her hoof through the locker handle and pulled.

Photo Opportunity IV

The nurse looked Kalby in the eyes "Now, sire, before I uncover this corpse" She looked at the back of the room at a metal cabinet. "Do you wish to look for the, uhh, the camera there?" She pointed with a hoof. "See, usually when the ponies are brought, their belongings are put there"

Kalby immediately nodded after she spoke. "Yea, let's not, ehem, waste time"

Both him and the nurse went to the Lost and found cabinet.

The nurse opened its doors.

There were many objects: black clothes and hats; horseshoes; scythes, rakes and other tools that had straps for one's hoof. It looked more like an evidence compartment than a hospital cabinet.

No camera in sight.

"Feel free to move the objects around, sire" the nurse said.

Kalby did as told and started taking stuff out the cabinet. The hard objects hitting the floor echoed in the room. "No, it's not here. Dung it!"

Kalby quickly turned around and went at the exposed corpse under the blanket. He pulled the sheet out.

"Holy sisters!" Kalby legs dropped to the floor. "What the tartarus happened to her?!" He turned to look at the nurse with wide eyes.

The nurse approached Kalby and the body, covering the later with the white blanket again.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, sire" She turned to Kalby and offered a hoof for him to get up.

Kalby grabbed her hoof and stood up. He sighed deeply. "I-I think it's her. Celestia! I hope she had a quick death"

The nurse looked at the floor "Well, actually, uhm... Nevermind." She sniffled.

"What was that?" Kalby asked. He put a hoof on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, oh, sire!" She started to cry and hugged Kalby "I had no choice!"

"Hey, hey, what are you talking about? No choice for what?"

A sudden flash of green light blinded Kalby. "Buck! What the hay?"

Kalby opened his eyes. A black being was standing in front of him. A changeling.

"I'm sorry!" The creature approached Kalby, but he slowly backed off.

"Hold it right there, changeling, I don't want to hurt you"

"I had no choice, sire. She forced me to!"

They both stopped their legs.
"Who forced you? And to do what exactly?"

The changeling looked down. It sniffled. "Uhm, Queen Chrysalis. She wanted me to hold you here as long as possible."

"No way!"

"Yes, sire. And one of my kind was told to imponyate you, while you are here and he is in Canterlot"

"Why?"

"Uhm, I'm not sure, sire, I just follow orders. Or followed."

"Why?" He repeated.

The black being sighed. "I-I think something bad is going to happen, sire"

"Me too, I gotta go back to Canterlot. But first let me know something. How did you know your way around this hospital?

The changeling pawed the floor. "Uhm, I'm usually around here, disguised. It's my watch zone."

"Look, changeling. You better get out of here. Just like I have to. Right now."

Another flash of green light and the nurse was there again.

"Hey, one second!" Kalby shouted and stood in a defensive pose "What have you done to her? I mean the pony you are imponyating!"

The nurse/changeling shook its head "Nothing, nothing, I swear! She is safe in her home, she's just sick! This is the last time I imponyate her or anypony! I just need to get out of here safely!"

"Fine" Kalby sighed. "You better follow me until we get out of here"

Just an 'extra' in this story

Kalby and the nurse got out of the Ponyville's hospital.
They both stood by the door.

"Take me to her" ordered Kalby, looking at the nurse by his side.

The nurse pointed itself with a hoof. "Do you mean...?"

"Yes. And let's do this quick. I know it's night already but I want to make sure you are telling me the truth" Kalby said.

"Okay, sire. I'll show you"

"Stop calling me sire. You are not a pony" he harshly whispered.

"Uhhh..." The nurse looked behind at the closed doors of the hospital. "... Oh, I understand. No problem." It nodded twice.

They started walking on the paved road that connected the building to the rest of the town.

They passed a bridge over the train tracks and followed a road of cobblestones illuminated with antique streetlights on its sides.

Near a lamplight there was a sign:

<----- Spiral tower
Old ponies home ------>
Residential blocks ----->

Kalby and the nurse turned right.

After two minutes of walking, they reached a house just like any other around. Kalby approached the door and was about to knock when the nurse grabbed his hoof.

"Wait!" it whispered. "I told you she was sick! Do you expect her to go downstairs and meet you?"

"Shut up and let me solve this, okay?" He pushed its foreleg away. He then softly flapped his wings and went up until he reached a window. He got close to it.

The inside of the house was dimly illuminated by a candle. A pony lay in the bed.

It had a pink coat and a white mane . Just like the nurse/changeling.

Kalby got away from the window and landed next to the nurse.

"Was she there?" It asked.

"Yeah, be thankful" Kalby answered. "Now, let's take you to the Everfree forest. From there, you'll be free to go back to the hive you came from"

"Oh, but you must go to Canterlot now! Please just let me get out of here." The nurse pleaded.

"I insist, come on" Kalby moved and the nurse had no choice but to follow.

They decided to go flying low. Since the changeling was imponyating an earth pony, it made appear wings on its back.

Three minutes after flying and they were above the limit between the west Orchard of Sweet Apple Acres and the Everfree forest. They were over a creek.

Kalby, in mid-air like the nurse, was behind it.

There was another flash of green light, and in front of Kalby was the changeling on its true form.

The changeling, with tears on its cheeks, turned around to Kalby. "Thank you for sparing me, sire!" It flew to Kalby and hugged him.

Kalby looked up to the stars while he hugged the changeling around its neck. He started to gradually apply pressure. "What's your name, changeling?"

"Uh, ehem, my name is Larynx" the changeling started to push Kalby away but couldn't get off him. "Uhm, you are holding me too tight. Agh!"

"Oh, the irony lies on your name" Kalby said softly.

Kalby was strangling Larynx. He could feel it's trachea contract thanks to force of his forelegs.

"N-no!" Were Larynx's last words.

Twenty seconds later, the body of Larynx fell from a height of ten meters into the creek.

Kalby sighed, and started to head to Canterlot.

Dungeons and Dragons

Kalby was about to reach Canterlot. He had left Larynx half an hour ago.

When he was reaching Canterlot's train station he saw many lights on the east side.

It was the lights of atleast a hundred unicorns.

Also, the noise. All the sirens around Canterlot were on. At night, that could only mean trouble.

A mass of ponies was heading inside the dungeons.

"What's this now?" Kalby asked himself, approaching the moving ponies.

He landed within the crowd.

For being a disorganized bunch of ponies, it was pretty silent. Agents of the Stablo gave directions to the citizens entering the tunnel.

Kalby walked to one of the agents. "Hey, lieutenant, what is going on here?"

The unicorn looked at him and his eyes opened wide "Sire?! How did you do that?"

Kalby tilted his head, frowning "Do what exactly? I just want to know why all the ponies are entering the dungeons".

"Sire, we just talked, like a minute ago, and you told me you were going to guide the ponies inside the dungeons. I even saw you get inside." The lieutenant said.

Kalby shook his head "I can assure that wasn't me. Look, where is the commissar?"

"She's in the castle, with princess Twilight"

"Alright, see you later" Kalby turned around to take flight.

"Wait, sire, you can't go there now! All the stablo agents must help the ponies get safely into the dungeons"

Kalby looked at him, turning his head"Why are the ponies entering the dungeons?!" He insisted. He turned around back again.

"Sire, you are supposed to know that. There's a griffon threat, they are coming from the east. Atleast that's what you and the other commanders told us subordinates."

Kalby opened his eyes wide "I haven't said such thing. The others probably haven't either!" He grabbed the lieutenant's shoulders "Listen to me, the changelings are here, in Canterlot, and probably everywhere else in Equestria, they are imponyating us, the ponies who are in charge!"

"Sire... are you okay?" Asked the lieutenant.

Kalby sighed, he turned around and took flight. He flew low through the streets. He passed the press building, then many blocks and the Stablo headquarters.

After flying for about three minutes and taking a shortcut through the Artisan Crops farmland, he reached the Canterlot Castle.

Near the entrance there was a whole platoon of the Weapon covering the entrance. They were all wearing black shirts and helmets.

He landed near of them. And immediately a pegasus soldier approached him. "Stay away, citizen"

Kalby snorted "Haven't you seen my purple legband, colt?" He pointed with a hoof the cloth on his left foreleg. "I'm a stablo commander and I must see the commissar. She's in there".

The soldier shook his head "We have orders to not let anypony interfere with the meeting"

Kalby smirked "What meeting? With the marshal Flurry Heart too?"

"The meeting and its members are classified info" answered the soldier.

"Well, if you wanna be of use instead of just standing here..." Kalby inhaled deeply "Let our leaders know that there are changeling spies here in Canterlot, imponyating commanders and they are sending all the ponies to the dungeons so the city would be easier to attack!"

The soldiers that were behind all stared at Kalby.

The soldier in front of Kalby batted his eyes. "Anything else?"

Kalby pawed the floor once "Celestia dammit, did you hear anyth..."

The earth began to shake out of a sudden. An earthquake.

"Stay low! Defensive maneuvers!" said the soldier in front of Kalby, looking at the platoon behind him.

Kalby, staggering, galloped to the castle entrance.

"Hey, stop!" The soldier shouted and began to chase Kalby.

Kalby was about to reach the doors.

The soldier jumped to tackle him. Then another soldier, and another went all over him.

Kalby and the soldiers fell on the stairs.

"Commissar!" Kalby yelled with all his might. He attempted to crawl to the door, with the soldiers still over him.

The doors opened.

Dungeons and Dragons II

The earthquake only lasted a few seconds.

The doors of the Canterlot Castle opened. Flurry Heart, Luster Dawn and Twilight Sparkle were by the doors.

“Something tells me everything is not going to be…” Twilight Sparkle was saying but then stopped.

The three alicorns looked at the mess of black shirts all over Kalby.

“Commissar, Princesses, agh! You gotta listen to me!” Kalby said, his breath crushed by the soldiers over him.

Luster Dawn looked down at Kalby, opening her eyes wide. “Hey, get off him, now!”

The soldiers on top of Kalby stayed still.

Flurry Heart, on Twilight’s left side, cleared her throat “At ease!”

Immediately the soldiers obeyed and let Kalby get up. He coughed loudly. He put a hoof on his chest. “Agh! Thanks. Uhm, I have something really important to say!”

Twilight was in front of Kalby. She looked at Luster on her right. “Luster, can you explain the meaning of all this?”

Luster stared at Kalby “Uhm, yes, princess. I guess the pony here just forgot to declare something else, besides the griffon threat”

Kalby inhaled “The changelings have infiltrated Canterlot! They are imponyating the commanders, including me! I believe they are preparing an attack to the city while most of the ponies are in the dungeons!”

“Luster, is that true?” Twilight said.

Luster looked at her, then at Kalby again. “I don’t know what he’s talking about, princess. I saw the griffons with my own eyes on my way back from Fillydelphia. But I haven’t seen any changelings”

“I’m telling you. It’s the truth!” Kalby insisted.

“Arrest this pony!” Luster ordered. But the soldiers didn’t move.

“What? Why?” Kalby asked.

Flurry nodded at them, and the soldiers grabbed Kalby by the forelegs.

“No!” Kalby shouted, slowly getting dragged away.

“Princess, I assure all the entrances are being watched” said Luster.

Kalby narrowed his eyes after hearing what she said.

Twilight and Flurry turned around back to the castle inside. But Luster stood by the stairs, watching Kalby. She shook her head.

Kalby looked Luster in the eyes. Then his eyes opened wide.

“Luster Dawn is a changeling!” Kalby shouted. He was already many legs away from the alicorns.

Twilight and Flurry stopped walking and turned at Luster. The soldiers that were dragging Kalby also stopped.

“Uh, that pony is crazy, isn’t him?” Luster defended herself.

“She’s not wearing her damn glasses! I bet she acted all weird in your meeting!” Kalby shouted again.

Twilight, Flurry, the soldiers and Kalby stared at Luster Dawn. All eyes were on her.

“You traitor!” Luster yelled, looking at Kalby. She flew to Kalby and the soldiers and landed over him, crushing him against the concrete floor. Kalby didn't have enough to make a sound. “That’s what you get, stupid drone!” Her hooves got stained with blood.

The soldiers moved away from Luster and Kalby.

“Luster, what the hay have you done?! You killed a pony!” Twilight shouted, flying and landing next to her. She stared at Kalby’s body.

“No! He’s the changeling here!” Luster answered, also staring at Kalby.

Flurry approached them “I just want to say, with my experience on the battlefield, when you kill a changeling they always transform back to their original forms. No exceptions.”

“He was a pony”. Twilight said.

Luster Dawn started to laugh. “So what? What’s a pony life less? With the lifestyle you ponies have thanks to you…” She pointed Twilight with a hoof. Red drops fell from it “…There’s not even love for us changelings to feed anymore. It’s all hate now!”

Luster took flight. And in mid-air she was suddenly surrounded by a green light.

There was no Luster there anymore. It was only Queen Chrysalis. She flapped her bug-like wings, staying over the ponies on the ground.

Twilight, Flurry and the soldiers opened their eyes wide.

Queen Chrysalis touched the necklace she had with a hoof. The object was a red heart gem.

“Twilight Sparkle! There’s an old friend who wants to pay you a visit!” she said. And suddenly, the necklace she was wearing glowed.

Another earthquake. This time it was followed by a roar.

Twilight took flight. Flurry and the soldiers imitated her. The non-pegasi soldiers, who were a minority, climbed on the backs of the pegasus ones. They all went after Chrysalis.

Chrysalis started to fly away, laughing as she did.

Twilight and Flurry shot laser beams from their horns. But couldn't get Chrysalis as she flew on zigzags.

“A dragon! Behind us!” One of the soldiers on top of another shouted.

Twilight looked behind.

An enormous purple beast was pursuing them.

It was Spike.

To finish what a ling starts

"No! What have you done?!" Chrysalis, in mid-air attempted to grab the dozens of fragments that once were a single gem.

Twilght blasted a laser beam at Chrysalis. That time, she couldn't dodge it. The bug queen lost consciousness and started to semi-fly down to the ground. Black smoke escaped from her body.

Flurry, just like Twilight had done, was flying around the coliseum. However, Spike stopped chasing her.

Spike, the great beast, landed on the coliseum ground again. He ripped the golden medal off his neck and threw it away. He looked confused, his eyes nervously looking at all directions. He grabbed his head with his claws. He roared and his voice echoed. "T-turn it off, please!" He covered his fluorescent ears.

Twilight took flight to meet Flurry, who had landed a few legs away from the dragon.

"Aunt, the sirens bother him" Flurry said.

"I know". Twilight pointed at one of the soldiers that was behind Flurry. "Tell your soldiers to go and turn them off".

Flurry nodded once and turned around at her team. "Attention platoon!"

The twenty one soldiers gathered in two organized columns in front of the alicorns. They stood with their necks and jaws straight. Their black shirts and helmets seemed to swallow the lights of the stadium.

Flurry looked at Twilight. "Before anything, aunt, I gotta count them"

Twilight sighed. "I know you worry, Flurry, no need to showcase. Take a look at Spike". They both looked at him.

Spike was shaking on the ground, still covering his ears. They couldn't see his face but it sounded like he was sobbing.

"He's like a big baby", Twilight said. She looked Flurry in the eyes and smiled. "Come on, Flur, I don't wish to break the chain of command"

Flurry nodded and looked at the group of soldiers in front of her. "Calfa!" She called.

"Here!" Exclaimed a soldier in the column. He took a step forward and raised his right foreleg.

"Bronco!" Flurry said.

Nopony answered the call.

Flurry sighed. She started to walk around the soldiers. "Bronco!" she repeated.

None of the soldiers spoke or moved.

With her telekinesis, Flurry took a cantie-rantie out of the pocket of her black shirt. It was a communication device the size of a brick. She pressed a button of the device. "Bronco, this is the marshal. Do you copy?"

No answer from the communicator. She turned the device off and put it back on her shirt pocket.

Flurry approached a female pegasus from behind. She tapped her shoulder twice with a hoof. "Damma, this is your chance for a promotion." She said and walked to Twilight's side again. "Alright, Calfa and Damma...!" She loudly spoke. "...You have the task to go and turn off the sirens, starting by the closest ones in the area. Understood?"

"Yes, marshal!" Calfa and Damma shouted in unison.

"Go!" Flurry ordered.

Calfa took flight first and Damma followed. They quickly flew away, heading south.

Twilight had walked away while Flurry commanded her soldiers. She circled Spike and went to where she had seen Chrysalis fall.

"Flurry!" Twilight shouted.

Her niece came flying as fast as she could.
"What's wrong, aunt?"

Twilight and Flurry were staring at a small pool of a dark green liquid. It was at the same spot where Chrysalis had landed.

"She's gone!" Twilight pointed at the nasty pool with a hoof.

They looked up and saw that there was a trail of green liquid and hoofsteps.

Stingerless

Queen Chrysalis was bleeding, if bugs could bleed. Since her last confrontation with Twilight, a new hole, similar to the holes in her legs, was present in her body. It was on her chest. If her anatomy had been like the one of a pony, she would have been able to see her heart. And that would only have been if it wasn't destroyed by the laser beam she was hit with.

She was striding through the Alicorn Alleys of Canterlot. She would have flown away, but she had broken a wing on her crash landing. It was the weakest part of her body after all. Not that it wouldn't regenerate, but that would take some time and a nutritious love meal.

Also, severely injured, a changeling was unable to transform. And if they managed to do it, they would still feel pain or bleed, whatever the case. At that moment, the idea of transforming was the last thought on Chrysalis's mind. She only wanted to survive.

She got out of the alleys on the east side. She chuckled when she saw the building in front of her. A hospital. It was ironical to her. Recovery was her prime need. But of course she couldn't just transform and imponyate an injured pony. Besides, everypony except the doctors on call were secured in the dungeons and caves in the mountain.

Instead of going forward to the hospital, she turned right and followed the road to the town center. That was her safe point. That was the place she had to go if the attack with the dragon went wrong. There they would be waiting for her, or she would be waiting for them. Her army of changelings. The changelings that had been imponyating random or not so randoms ponies of Canterlot. They were her salvation. They had to be.

She was reaching the center of Canterlot. She saw a crowd from afar. She was getting close to it. There were many ponies there. And a few of them were middle-aged and wore purple legbands on their left forelegs. Supposedly, agents of the Stablo.

One of them saw Chrysalis approach. "Hey, everyling, she's here!" He pointed at her with a hoof.

"She's coming!" Another one said.

"It's our queen!"

Every member of the crowd was illuminated by green lights. They went from pastel to jet black coats. Changelings. Atleast a hundred of them.

"Come on, my children, help your queen!" Chrysalis said. She approached the crowd. A grin on her face.

The changelings surrounded her.

A green force field started to form around Chrysalis and the changelings. "Hahaha! Come on, my pretties, give me your love and heal me!"

The green atmosphere had become so big it started to take over the whole town center.

Then the green force field vanished.
Chrysalis stood within the crowd, completely healed. Her wings were perfectly shaped and the hole on her chest had vanished. Her bug like coat shone against the moonlight.

Queen Chrysalis looked at her subjects. A wide grin was on her lips. She laughed "Listen to me! I'm not dying like a honeybee on its first strike! We're not desisting from this mission! We will take Twilight Sparkle down!"

She received an ovation from the changelings. Then, they started to march.

One last attempt. They would head to the Canterlot Castle.

Tiny little details

"Aunt", Flurry called. They were near Spike and the soldiers on the coliseum. "We have to go after Chrysalis!".

Twilight shook her head, still looking at the pool of green blood. "There's no need to do that, Flurry". She turned her head and looked Flurry in the eyes. "They'll come to us".

Flurry narrowed her eyes. "They? You mean...".

"I think you know what I mean. Remember what the Stablo agent, the one killed by Chrysalis, said?". She turned around and approached Spike. She looked at him with a smile.

"Yes, I remember that. But, what's your point?". Flurry asked, following her.

"That was around ten minutes ago. And, then, five minutes ago, did you see the crowd of ponies in the town center, the one that didn't seem to care about the sirens?".

Flurry stretched her wings. "Uhh, yea, I did". Seconds later, she opened her eyes wide. "Oh, Celestia, was it a troop of changelings?!".

"I believe that's Chrysalis's plan bee. A formal invasion". Twilight answered. She had been petting one of Spike arms. Then she stopped and turned around to face Flurry. "I believe it is time to ask for The Weapon's help".

Flurry energetically nodded "O-of course, aunt! Let me call for backup". She took flight and flew over Spike to the other side of the coliseum. She approached the soldiers and landed in front of them. "Attention, platoon!". The soldiers trotted and stood straight in two organized columns.

"Uhm". She cleared her throat, frowning. "Alright! Deltail!". She called.

One of the soldiers strode forward. It was a unicorn. "Here!". He raised his right foreleg.

Flurry looked at him and then facehooved. "Uh, nevermind" She shook her head "Deltail dismissed!".

The unicorn stepped back into the column of soldiers.

Flurry cleared her throat again. "Uhm, listen all! All the pegasi, step forward!". The pegasi soldiers did as told.

Flurry swept them with her eyes. "Alright, you, pegasi, the ones on the first column, you are heading south west, to Cloudsdale, and ask for backup, gather all the Weapon ponies you can! Emergency password is cee, em, cee, two, kay (Changelings Menacing Canterlot, to kill). Understood?!".

"Yes, marshal!". The pegasi soldiers in the first column exclaimed.

"Go!".

The group of pegasi quickly took flight. They headed south west.

Flurry then looked at the back column of soldiers, especifically at the pegasi. "And you, second team, you are going east, to Fillydelphia, and will ask for all the backup possible! I repeat, the emergency password is CMC2K!". Flurry inhaled. "Understood?!"

"Yes, marshal!", the pegasi left said in unison.

"Go!".

The pegasi took flight, heading east. In the column of soldiers there were only unicorns and an earth pony left.

Flurry felt somepony touch her shoulder from behind. She almost bucked. She turned her head with her eyes open wide.

Twilight was behind her. "All done, Flurry?"

Flurry relaxed and shook her head "Not yet, aunt. Calfa and Damma haven't come back yet. As you can hear, there are still some sirens on". With her telekinesis, Flurry took out the cantie-rantie from the pocket of her black shirt. She put the communicator close to her mouth. She pressed one of its buttons. "Calfa, Damma, this is the marshal, do you copy? Over". The cantie-ranties of the soldiers left resonated with Flurry's voice.

"Copy that, marshal, I'm with Damma. We have turned off three sirens. Over", A voice coming from the device said.

Since the two pegasi went on the mission of turning off the sirens, the noise in Canterlot had gradually become weaker.

Spike wasn't shaking of fear anymore. He stopped covering his ears. He sat on his haunches. When he sat down it produced a small earthquake.

Flurry looked at Twilight. She nodded once at Flurry. "Calfa, Damma, abort and come back to the coliseum. Over".

"Understod, marshal. We are aborting and coming back. Over".

"Over and out", Flurry said. She put the cantie-rantie back in her pocket. She looked at Twilight. "Uhm, aunt, what do you think happened to Luster?"

"I think I know about her whereabouts as much as you do, Flurry". Twilight looked to the ground. She sighed. "The last time I saw her, she told me she had Stablo business in Fillydelphia. And that was at noon". Twilight took flight and got in front of Spike. "Spike?" She softly called.

Spike, playing with his claws, was looking down. He looked up and locked his eyes with Twilight's. "Y-yes?", He said with a deep voice. It sounded like his throat was dry as rocks.

Twilight smiled. " Spikey wikey, are you okay?" She laughed and so did Spike, briefly.

"Uhm, I-I am", He answered. He looked down again.

Twilight approached him and put a hoof on the tip of his purple nose. "Spike..." she caressed him "Your big sister needs your help".

The mare in the high castle

The soldiers Calfa and Damma came back to the stadium. They landed before Flurry and the other soldiers, saluting her by raising their right forelegs. “Mareshal, I report that we’ve turned off three sirens around the city”, said Calfa.

Flurry nodded. “At ease, everypony”, she said looking at them. The formation of soldiers left broke. They started to disperse a bit around the stadium.

Twilight was in front of Spike’s face, talking to him. “Don’t you want them to pay for what they’ve done to you?” She asked.

Spike sniffled, he was looking down. “Twi-Twilight, you have n-no idea what they made me do!” He slowly raised his arms and covered his eyes with his claws. He started to sob.

Twilight smiled and got closer to him. She started to pet his muzzle. “You can tell me anything, dear brother”.

Spike uncovered one of his eyes, looked at Twilight and then to the ground. “We-well, they made me attack the apple farm…” He inhaled. Twilight stopped touching him. “…An-and I derailed a train too. Oh, I’m so sorry!”

Twilight sighed. She looked up the sky and then back at Spike. “Spike…”

He looked up. “Ye-yes?”.

Twilight smiled. “Do you think it’s your fault you hatched as a dragon?”

Spike raised an eyeline. “Uh, what?”.

“Nevermind, Spike, don’t worry.”

Flurry approached them, flying to be next to Twilight, and cleared her throat. Twilight looked at her. “Aunt, what’s next? We wait for them to come and get us here? I ask, because the first backup will take atleast an hour to come”.

“Flurry, if you wanted to overthrow me from my government, where would you expect to meet me?” Twilight said.

Flurry narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to one side. “Um, well, the place where you are most of the time I guess”.

“And that is…?”

“... The Canterlot Castle?” Flurry suggested.

“Exactly!” Twilight slowly nodded once. “Gather all of the soldiers you have left. We have a flight to the castle” She looked at Spike, who had been looking at them talking. “Are you coming with us, little brother?”

Spike nodded vigorously, generating a small hurricane that almost moved the alicorns off their flying spots.

Flurry moved to one side of Spike and looked at the ponies behind him on the ground. Then, she turned her head at Twilight. “There’s one issue. All of my team left is non-pegasus, except for the two that have just come”.

“Do they have vertigo, the non-pegasi?” Twilight, still in front of Spike, smirked at her.

Flurry chuckled, shaking her forelegs. “Come on, aunt, don’t underestimate them. You know they have flown ‘til here thanks to the pegasi’ help”. She opened her eyes wide. “Are you suggesting…?!”

Twilight laughed briefly. Then, she looked at Spike. He had been nervously playing with his claws. “Spike, can you lend the Weapon a claw?”

Twilight and Flurry were flying, heading to the Canterlot castle. Behind them was Spike. On his back were the soldiers that lacked wings, holding onto his scales. The two pegasus soldiers were flying by the dragon’s sides, making sure that none of the unwinged fell off his back.

They had flown over the School for Gifted Unicorns, the Opera House and the Moon Memorial. They were about to reach the castle’s plaza.

“Watch out!” Flurry shouted out of a sudden. A green laser beam passed near the group. It came from the castle direction. Then many others came. Twilight, Flurry, and the two pegasi, performed stunts in mid-air to dodge the laser beams.

Spike was hit by many laser beams at the same time. Twilight, briefly, turned to see Spike’s status. The skin of his chest was singed. But the laser beams seemed to be unable to break through his reptilian skin, only burning the surface.

On the ground of the castle’s plaza, a hundred black beings were illuminating their horns, shooting magic attacks from them.

Twilight and Flurry got ahead of Spike and the soldiers. They started counter attacking too with their magic. They both blasted many changelings on the ground with their laser beams.

“Come on, my pretties! Take flight and get her!” A voice emerging from within the crowd of changelings said. Chrysalis took flight, and so her followers did.

Twilight turned around and approached Spike. He was flying still and was taking many shots on his chest. “Spike! Go and roast them!”

Spike opened his eyes, and nodded. He roared with fury, his body almost shaking off the soldiers on his back.

“Wait!” Flurry approached them, still dodging lasers. “Land and take them off your back first! Otherwise you’ll get them killed!” She turned around and returned to combat.

Spike looked at Twilight. She nodded. “Spike, do what she said!” She went back to the aerial fight too.

Spike started to fly down. While he did, the pegasus soldiers already helped the other soldiers to get on ground.

Most of the changelings had already taken flight and headed against Twilight and Flurry. Chrysalis was there too. “Go for Twilight Sparkle! Make sure she suffers!” she exclaimed, surrounded by her children in mid-air.

As Chrysalis said, most of the changelings stopped paying attention to Flurry, although Flurry was still shooting many of them down that had turned their backs on her.

Twilight had her own fight there. She had shot many of the changelings down. There were even enemies that went horserk and charged against Twilight in the attempt to stab her directly with their horns. But they couldn’t reach her, not physically atleast.

Meanwhile on the ground, there was another battle. The soldiers that came down from Spike’s back, where shooting laser beams with their horns at the changelings in the rear, that had stayed on the ground. To protect themselves from the enemy fire, they got cover in the Farmer’s Market, hiding behind large wooden boxes. Although, these objects after being hit with hot magic, started to catch fire. Green fire.

Since the two pegasi, Calfa and Damma, couldn’t do much against the changelings besides physical contact, they decided to stay near their unicorn comrades. The same applied to the earth pony soldier.

“Get out of there, Deltail! It’s catching fire!” Damma yelled, pointing a large wooden box with her hoof. The unicorn behind it quickly trotted to another cover.

“We’re running out of covers!” exclaimed Calfa. “Watch out!” He grabbed Damma by the shoulder and pulled her before a laser beam passed in front of them. “We need another cover!"

The unicorns and the pegasi gathered on their last cover. It was a statue of Celestia. When it was hit by the laser beams, parts of the concrete body started to fall or explode into dust.

The unicorns every few seconds took their heads out of the cover to shoot at the advancing changelings. On one chance, a changeling had flown behind them and shot two unicorns before they noticed and counter attacked. The floor was starting to flood with pony and changeling blood.

Meanwhile, Spike had joined the battle. He was probably the one with most kills. He flew around the plaza and spat fire at the swarm of changelings in the center, roasting the bugs he caught. A strong smell invaded everypony’s nostrils. The burnt black beings, with part of their bodies turning gray, started to fall on the ground from a height. Their bodies splashed against the hard concrete.

And it didn’t matter how many laser beams they shoot at Spike. None of them could pierce through his skin.

Flurry, apparently being ignored by the changelings, started to look for her platoon. She was over the Royal Hedge Maze. She took her cantie-rantie with her magic. “Uh, Calfa, Deltail, where are you all?! Over!”

“Marshal, this is Calfa! We are south the plaza! We need support immediately!” exclaimed the voice coming from the communicator.

Flurry, without saying no more, started to head south as fast as she could.

That time, it was Chrysalis who went after Twilight, accompanied by her minions. Flying, they got into a fight of laser beams behind the castle. “Would you die already? Stupid alicorn!” Chrysalis said, as she, like her minions, shot lasers at Twilight.

Twilight did a backflip in the air in order to avoid getting hit. With a hoof, she took the part of her mane that fell on her face. Her forehead was soaked with sweat. She sighed, taking as a rest the seconds they stopped shooting at her. “Let me ask you something, Chrysalis!” She shouted. They were only a dozen legs away from each other.

Chrysalis grinned. She raised her foreleg and the changelings on her sides stopped shooting. “Consider them your last words!”

Twilight, still in mid-air like her opponents, cleared her throat. “Well, let’s suppose you win tonight. That’s if Spike doesn’t take revenge and incinerate all of you changelings. Tell me, would it be any difference then?”

Chrysalis rubbed her lower jaw. Her eyes went to the sky for a second. Then she looked back at Twilight. “Uhm, yes, there wou-will be differences! First of all, it will be the doom for your species. You will all be incarcerated in dungeons like the one here in Canterlot. Maybe that would teach you, specist ponies, some modesty when treating other species!”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m not on the wrong side of history, Chrysalis. I am protecting my species. Is that a sin?”

Chrysalis snarled. “Enough of stupid questions! Take her out!” She pointed at Twilight. The changelings obeyed and went after her, shooting more laser beams at her.

Flurry Heart was going to the southern part of the plaza and she saw fire. A lot of green fire was coming from wooden objects. Behind a deformed concrete structure were the members of her platoon. Although some of them were lying on the floor, asleep or dead, cause she saw them lying next to them, the awake and unafraid. With words she thought she’d never speak, she said into her cantie-rantie: Attention, platoon, I’m going to distract them while you escape to the castle, leave the injured or dead behind. Copy that?!”

"Marshal, we've got two kays, and the earthie is injured! We cannot left Omegait behind!" Calfa's voice answered from the communicator.

Flurry got closer to the changelings attacking the soldiers and shot them in the back. "Just obey me, I'll take care of Omegait!" She shouted directly at the soldiers.

They looked at her. Calfa got out of the cover and looked at his comrades, pointing at the castle doors. "Move to the castle, now, now, now!"

The rest behind the concrete statue obeyed and started to gallop to the castle.

More changelings were coming to attack them, but Flurry took them out before their laser beams could reach them. She went behind the statue and saw three bodies. Two unicorns, and an earth pony that was still breathing. He had lost one of his forelegs. Blood wouldn't stop coming from it. He screamed in pain. Flurry approached him. "Omegait", she called him. He looked at her, gritting his teeth in an attempt to stop screaming. "Ma-marshal, marshal! Please kill me!"

Flurry opened her eyes wide. "What are you even saying? Get your hoof out of there and let me see!". She sat on her haunches in front of him. She took a look at the stump that was once his right foreleg.

"Ma-marshal, I don't wanna be a bucking amputee!" He sobbed loudly. "Just end my life! Shoot me!"
Flurry's horn started to illuminate. With high precision, she shot at the wound of his leg and cauterized it. "No!" Omegait gave a last scream, but it sounded more like a dissapointed noise than a painful one.

"Alright, now I'll take you to the castle inside", Flurry said, grabbing Omegait with her telekinesis and putting him carefully on her back.

Another sudden earthquake striked. Spike had fallen to the ground of the plaza. Blood poured out of his chest, flooding the area around. The changelings, even though he wasn't moving anymore, kept shooting him the back, in the chest and in the head. A dense smoke was coming from his enormous body.

Twilight, who had been flying pursued by Chrysalis and her minions, got from the back of the castle to the plaza. She saw the dragon on the ground. "No! Spike!"

Luster Dawn had left Fillydelphia fourty five minutes ago. She was about to reach Canterlot. The reason why she was flying so fast is because of what she heard while in Fillydelphia. The five pegasus soldiers sent by Flurry had gotten to Fillydelphia and asked for backup. They told the emergency password. CMC2K. And Luster knew well what that meant. She flew so fast she passed all the Weapon backup soldiers heading to Canterlot.

She was reaching Canterlot's train station. She flew over the Stablo press building and then over the headquarters. She was looking at the empty streets. "They all must be in the dungeons", she thought aloud.

She flew to the Castle, going over the farmland and reaching the plaza of the sisters. She reached it.

There was chaos, in front of her in the air and on the ground. Luster jaw's dropped. On the ground lay an enormous purple beast and dozens of black beings. Changelings. Just like she'd heard. Although nopony back in Fillydelphia mentioned a dragon.
A strong smell of roasted flesh invaded her nostrils. She even coughed a little. She started to approach the castle doors. Even though she saw changelings moving around just a couple of dozen legs away, they didn't seem to care. Or maybe, they hadn't noticed her presence.
She landed on the ground and pushed the big doors that were the entrance to the castle. The inside was dark.

"Hey, somepony is coming!" A male voice said from the inside.

"I'm Luster Dawn, don't shoot!" She stepped inside and the door closed behind her. She turned around and saw Flurry with her horn illuminated, ready to shoot. "Prove you are not Chrysalis again!" She told Luster.

Luster Dawn looked down. "Okay, I'll prove it". She sighed. "Twilight won't admit it, but between you and me, I'm her favorite". She looked up to face her.

Flurry snorted, turning off the light of her horn. "So it is you". She chuckled. "You missed the rodeo, neighrd", she said, drawing imaginary circles around her eyes.

Luster smiled. "But I still got here before it ends". With her telekinesis, she took a cloth out of her saddlebag. Then grabbed her round glasses and wiped them. Behind her in the hall were the soldiers. They were resting on their haunches. Their black uniforms were stained with green matter and blood that shone against the light of the unicorns' horns.

"Hey, I've still got to swat some bugs out there". Flurry pointed at the door with a leg. "And since we are short-hoofed here, I believe you could lend us one".

"You shouldn't worry about being short-hoofed. Your backup from Fillydelphia is coming", Luster said.

"Thank princess for that. It turns out I forgot that the Weapon division in Cloudsdale was sent to defend Las Pegasus. I sent six pegasi there for nothing. I'm just glad they came back unharmed", Flurry said. She pointed at the soldiers with a hoof.

While Flurry was speaking, Luster had walked to the door. "Shall we go? We really gotta find Twilight".

"Of course. Just give me a second", Flurry said. She looked at the soldiers. "Attention platoon!"

The soldiers, except for Omegait, got up and formed in two organized columns. There were five unicorns and eight pegasi.

"You'll hold this position until further notice. The backup is on its way. Understood?"

"Yes, mareshal!"

Flurry turned around and went to the door with Luster. They pulled the doors open and took flight.

Twilight was flying over the Lighthouse, near the Airship Mooring. Chrysalis and three changelings went after her.

"Hahaha! We killed your tiny little brother!" Chrysalis said in the midst of laughter.

Twilight dodged a laser beam from one of the changelings and shot back. They also dodged. "And he killed atleast thirty of your children. Do you even care for them?" she asked.

"Thanks to their sacrifice, I'll be a real queen again and I'll spawn thousands more. Equus pro equus!" Chrysalis answered.

Twilight looked behind Chrysalis. "Flurry!" she shouted.

Chrysalis looked behind her. Nopony was in sight. Then turned her head forward again. Twilight was escaping back to the castle. "You coward! Come back here!"

Flurry Heart and Luster Dawn were fighting in the air over the plaza, killing the changelings remaining. There were only a few left alive. And those alive weren't even fighting anymore. They hid or run away from the alicorns. The light grey floor was full of black spots. The cantie-rantie of Flurry resonated: "Marshal, we have reached Canterlot with the backup, where are you? Over!" With her telekinesis, Flurry took the device out of her pocket and pressed the button. "I'm in the castle plaza. But the situation is under control now. Over and out".

"Copy that. Over and out".

Luster Dawn flew around the castle and then approached Flurry. "I can't find Twilight! Do you think she's okay?"

Flurry sighed. "If she's still alive, she'll get here no matter what." They both started to fly down and landed on the plaza, in front of Spike's body. "Can you believe this beast, Spike, helped us in the battle?"

Luster nodded, looking at the burnt corpses of changelings around the place. "I have no doubts about that", she said with her eyes wide open.

They both looked up the sky and saw, coming from the north east, atleast a hundred ponies. They all wore black shirts and helmets. The Weapon soldiers. "Cavalry is here. A little bit late, but is here", Flurry said, smiling. Then Flurry and Luster looked north. Twilight was coming, pursued by Chrysalis and three changelings. Both Flurry and Luster took flight and went after them.

But before they could reach Twilight and the changelings, they saw them heading behind the castle. "I'll go behind them!", Flurry said, looking at Luster. "You go to the other side of the castle and wait for them there!" Luster nodded and headed south west while Flurry followed Twilight and the changelings.
Luster went to the right side of the castle and stayed flying close to the wall. Then they appeared in front of her, coming from the back of the castle. But something was wrong, because all of them, except Flurry, had purple coats. "What the hay?" Luster couldn't help to say.

There were five Twilights. All exactly the same.

Flurry was behind, with her eyes wide open. Her horn was illuminated, unsure of shooting.

They all look tired. They all looked sweaty. Even the tiny little details like the messy hair. They simply were flying on their places, in front of Flurry and Luster.

Luster looked at Flurry. "Who is the real Twilight?! You were going after them!"

Flurry shook her head. "There was a sudden green flash that blinded me. I can't tell who is the one".

Luster swept the Twilights with her eyes. "Okay, you're gonna prove you are the real Twilight", she said. "I'm gonna ask you something you would only know if you were the real one", The Twilights simply stared at Luster. "Tell me why...". Luster cleared her throat. She briefly looked at Flurry and then back at the Twilights. "Tell me why I'm your favorite and why Flurry is not"

"Because..." The Twilight in the middle of them started to say. "Agh!" She was automatically shot by Luster. A green flash invaded everypony's eyes. Chrysalis body was falling. It landed with a loud thud on the Royal Garden.

From the four Twilights left, three were surrounded by green lights too. They were now three changelings and striked laser beams against Luster.

Luster dodged the attacks and shot back. The same did Flurry and the real Twilight. Those three changelings' bodies quickly fell on the ground.

Twilight flew down to where Chrysalis had landed. She shot Chrysalis many times with her magic.

Flurry approached Twilight from behind. And touched her shoulder. Twilight almost bucked. She stopped shooting and turned her head at Flurry. "Aunt, she's dead already. Calm down".

Luster Dawn approached them. They were in the Royal Garden. "Are you okay, Twilight?" She asked.

Twilight sighed deeply. She looked at Luster. "How did you know it was her, the one imponyating me?"

Luster looked down. She chuckled. Then looked up again. "Well, I supposed that her minions wouldn't dare to speak...". She laughed briefly. "And I know you would never admit I'm your favorite".

Twilight and Flurry smiled. They laughed too.

The cantie-rantie on Luster's saddlebag resonated. "Attention, all Stablo agents! The dungeons have collapsed with the ponies inside!" A voice from the device said.

Flurry, Luster and Twilight looked at each other with their eyes wide open.

Epilogue: Remains and future

After ninety one years as the ruler of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle was getting it. Everything of it.

First it was the changeling invasion. They had failed to conquer Canterlot and left the castle plaza full of corpses. It was the second changeling attack in the whole history of Canterlot.

Then it was the collapse of the Canterlot dungeons. Many pony lives were lost in that incident. The ponies; lured by Stablo agent imposters, told there was a griffon threat; went inside the dungeons and got trapped there by the changelings. Many of them died because the dungeons collapsed on them, with parts of Canterlot's surface collapsing too; like the Housing Complexes and the Hospital. That incident happened, many ponies believed, because of the earthquakes produced by Spike. It took hours to help the survivors get out, and days to find all the bodies. Twilight felt really responsible for that. After all, she was the overseer for the construction of most parts of the dungeons. The prisoners held in the caves connected to the dungeons didn't need to be moved out because there was only a minor collapsing in the caves. About twelve hundred ponies entered the dungeons that night and only three quarters of them got out alive. Around three hundred lives were lost in that incident.

Spike had died. His body was magically lifted by the three alicorns; Flurry, Luster and Twilight; and was taken to the Everfree forest.

Chrysalis had died too. Moons later after the incident, changelings were sporadically seen. It was believed that the changelings remaining in the Equus world simply decided to blend in, disguised as ponies, for the rest of their lives. It was believed by ponies that they were without a chance to reproduce due to the lack of another queen.

Some days after the Canterlot battle and the dungeons incident, the Stablo Press was shut down and renamed as a nest of lies. Red, the journalist, was identified in the Ponyville's morgue and considered just another martyr of a cruel destiny. Something similar happened with Kalby, the director of the Stablo press. Although, he was found dead in Canterlot. Larynx's body, the nurse changeling, was found by the farmers of Sweet Apple Acres. It was buried near the Everfree forest.

The two Weapon soldiers that were killed by changelings that foursday night, also called the Night of the hundred, received proper military funerals. However, the first sergeant Prad Deccart, a pegasus also known as 'Bronco' by his comrades, was never found. He remained as a Pony in Absentia. Also, the survivors of that event were all promoted to official ranks, if they weren't already. Nevertheless, the soldiers that went to call for backup in other locations before the Canterlot castle battle were only given medals, not promotions. The former second sergeant alias Omegait, the earth pony soldier with a leg missing, returned to his home, Sweet Apple Acres, and got a wooden prosthesis. From then on, he worked on the farm everyday of his life.

The trains to south Equestria, that had been frozen due to a derailment, were soon available again. The name of the train, that was Victory Express, was renamed back to its original name: Friendship Express.

The School of Friendship reopened after the war ended. It had been serving as a bunker, just like the Friendship Castle, for the ponies in Ponyville during the war. After the end of the conflict, its doors reopened and all species one could think of were welcome to learn about friendship. Again.

Almost everyday, Twilight was brought complaints. The canterlotian ponies were angry with the government. They had lost their trust to the Stablo members.

Twilight's body looked colorless, creepily slender and hunchback. But her mind was fresh and curious as the day she first visited Ponyville. Those grisly events seemed to adjust the nuts on Twilight's brain, making her ideals suddenly change.

Although, she still have one disciple left.

Flurry Heart continued as the marshal of the Weapon (the mix of the royal guards and the wonderbolts), but as the war against other species got into a truce, the mandatory drafts stopped by order of Twilight. Also, a division of the Weapon was created in Canterlot. But it was voluntary to join.

On the other hand, Luster decided to quit from her Stablo functions, and became an independent detective and a journalist. She had Twilight's blessing.

Many moons after Twilight's ascension, she did the unthinkable. She, tired of being full of hatred and stress, asked for peace.

The press was shocked. The Equestrian government declared to the whole Equus world a plea of peace. It was well received by the hippogriffs, kirins, zebras and donkeys. Although, it took time to convice the griffons and dragons to cease the fight. Other species, besides ponies, were able to live again on equestrian soil.

The hippogriff species was the first one to come back to Equestria.

Then it followed the zebras and donkeys. No pony supremacist dared to object.

The non-pony species that were incarcerated for ponitical reasons were freed.

Every day, more and more ponies shared their ideas with other species.

The ponies, happy or not, looked more alive. Except for Twilight in her high castle. She had aged a hundred years of stress on that changeling night.

But war always burns down and like the phoenix it's reborn with the name of peace.

Equestria and its ponies, found themselves surrounded by friends of other species. That's why the Weapon mandatory drafts stopped and thousands of colts and fillies could go back home.

Two pony classes were defined, either officialy or de facto: liberals and supremacists.

It was the year 2022 after Celestia's birth, but it was also the year 0 as it marked an era of rebirth.

The end.

Dungeons and Dragons III

The pursuit of Chrysalis reached Canterlot’s center. There on the ground, a crowd of ponies was standing still, watching at the show of lights and lasers in the sky. Unlike the soldiers and Flurry Heart, Twilight Sparkle had stopped pursuing Chrysalis. Instead, she went on a different direction, attracting the enormous dragon’s attention. “I’ll deal with the dragon, you keep chasing her!” Twilight had told Flurry.

Twilight took a turn on the left, flying over the School for Gifted Unicorns.

Spike roared behind her, spitting green fire that almost reached Twilight.

“Spike, stop this!” Twilight shouted.

They got the coliseum, flying over it. Twilight flew in zigzags, dodging the fire spat by the beast. They were moving in circles around the stadium.

“Fire all you want, I’m not letting you this!” She shouted and then flew upside down, getting behind of Spike.

Twilight looked Spike’s back, from tail to head. Her eyes, running through his scales, stopped on his neck. He was wearing a necklace.

Spike turned around, almost generating a tornado with his sudden movement. He locked his green feline eyes with Twilight’s.

Twilight took a look on his necklace again. It was a golden medal with the symbol of the star of her cutiemark. It was a bigger version of the medal she had given him when the Council of Friendship was created, almost a century ago.

Spike and Twilight stared at each other for a few seconds. Then Spike’s medal glowed. He roared.

“Spike, take off that necklace! It’s controlling you!” Twilight shouted, flying away from him.

“It’s pointless, haha!” A voice behind Twilight said. Queen Chrysalis. She had got there, still being pursued by Flurry and the soldiers. She started to fly around the coliseum shouting and laughing. “He’s under my control!”

Flurry and the soldiers stopped chasing Chrysalis when they saw the dragon. Spike had landed in the center of the stadium. He attempted to grab Twilight with his claws, but she dodged him every time. “Twilight!” Flurry yelled and began to approach her aunt.

“Flurry, stay away!” Twilight ordered, dodging another strike of Spike. Flurry stopped in mid-air, with the soldiers behind her.

“But aunt!”

“No buts, Flurry, just go for Chrysalis! She is controlling the dragon with her necklace! Grab it from her!”

Flurry nodded and saw Chrysalis behind the dragon. She and the soldiers took flight to get her.

Chrysalis flew away again. “Hahaha, Spike, kill ‘em all!” her red heart necklace and Spike’s medal glowed.

Then Spike took flight off the coliseum ground and started to chase Flurry and the soldiers.

“Split up!” Flurry exclaimed. The soldiers behind here went on different directions. But the dragon kept pursuing Flurry.

Chrysalis was watching the chaos many legs of distance in the air, laughing nonstop.

Twilight looked at her and took flight. She chased after Chrysalis. She looked at Twilight and started to fly away.

“You are about to lose another relative, Twily! Hahaha!” Chrysalis said.

Twilight was only a few legs away from Chrysalis. “How dare you control my little brother!” She was so close of reaching Chrysalis. She wanted to blast her with her horn magic, but she needed the necklace intact.

“Oh, you want this?” Chrysalis, turning around and flying backwards, pressed the gem necklace against her chest with a hoof. “I’m sorry but you, dictator, can’t have everything!”

Twilight blasted Chrysalis on her neck with her magic.

“Agh! No!” Chrysalis screamed in pain.

The red heart necklace exploded into tiny little pieces.