Groom Hornwell's 2022

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.