The pair of worker ponies scratched their heads as they considered the bare foundation where one of the port's shops had been before Blackbeard showed up. Sharing a look, they shrugged and one pulled a potted sapling out of their cart and set it down on the foundation. With a nod, they carried on appraising damages and repairing them as needed.

Despite the shock Blackbeard's attack had provided, the fact the port hadn't been completely destroyed and most of its residents had been unharmed meant complaints were fewer than might be expected. But fewer is still greater than zero.

"This humidity is ruining my mane!" Rarity complained with a whimper as she fanned herself. Applejack and the other Element bearers nodded in agreement.

"I hear ya. It's hotter than heck out here!" She huffed, wiping her brow. She looked around the port at the worker ponies. "Why'd that fella have to cause a ruckus down here?" Before anyone could provide insight, the door to the port's management office swung open and slammed against the exterior wall. Turning, they watched Twilight step outside with a scowl.

"Well, Darling, I can't say that expression gives me much hope," Rarity hummed, drawing a snort from Twilight.

"The port's owner is refusing to give me any more details than what he gave the guards," she explained.

"What? Why not?" Pinkie asked, tilting her head.

"Dunno, but I'd bet Goldflame has something to do with it," Twilight mused, rubbing her chin in thought. Rainbow was the first to respond and did so with a groan.

"Jeez, I get Discord can't just poof this guy away for whatever stupid reason," she griped before turning to Fluttershy. "But can't he at least poof us right to him?" Fluttershy gasped and shook her head.

"Oh! He couldn't do that today," she explained, adopting a small smile. "He said he had a very important interview to conduct now that he's retiring from being the Lord of Chaos." Rainbow rolled her eyes, but Twilight perked up.

"An interview? What, some kind of 'meta-cosmic bureaucracy' thing?" She asked. Fluttershy blinked and looked away for a moment.

"Uhm," she hummed and slowly nodded. "I think so! He just said it was important." Twilight wilted at the ambiguous answer before shaking her head.

"Good for him," she muttered before nodding at the girls. "Well, we at least already had an idea which way Blackbeard was going. Woulda been nice to know how many of his buddies were still in fighting shape, but oh well!"

"Thanks again for agreeing to this interview Mr. Discord!" Bally Hoo, the pegasus president of the Equestrian Economic Times newspaper chirped. Despite his crooked bow tie, greasy, slicked-back mane, and single golden tooth all giving him the appearance of a sleazy, used wagon salespony, the stallion was head of the premier source for breaking news in the world of print. He finished setting up his writing material on the table between himself and his interviewee who had also taken the liberty of teleporting their table into the middle of a lake, much to the astonishment of the Ponyville denizens on the shore.

"Oh-hoh, no, Mr. Bally Hoo! Please!" Discord chortled, wagging a paw at the journalist. "The pleasure is all mine! I just love the panic your headlines tend to induce." Bally smirked at the spirit.

"What can I say? I know how to capture the imagination," he said with a wink before grabbing a quill with his wing and dabbing it in ink. "But for now I'll settle with capturing your own words! So! The Discord is retiring, eh?"

"Yes! It is unfortunately true!" Discord said with a dramatic sigh as he draped an arm over his eyes. "I have seen the jingling keys used to keep the ignorant and immature masses complacent and welcomed the love of friendship into my heart!" Bally nodded vehemently as he wrote down everything the spirit said.

"You do have a way with words, Sir," he said with a hum before jabbing a hoof at Discord. "Was there a particular event or perhaps individual who assisted in spurring this sudden change of heart?"

"Oh, I'll never tell," Discord chortled with a claw to his chest before he fixed Bally with a sideways leer and nodded behind him. "He, however, is a notorious whistleblower." Bally raised an eyebrow and turned to see Discord, in a trenchcoat, looking left, then right before leaning down to whisper.

"It was Fluttershy," he said with a nod, drawing a bright smile from the reporter.

"Ah hah! One of the Elements?" He snapped his attention back to the first Discord with a malicious smirk. "Do you perhaps share the fears of some of our readers that the Equestrian State employs the Element's magic as a form of brainwashing to coerce and cultivate ideal behavior patterns?"

Discord adopted a wide frown and blinked at his question. "Do you readers really-?"

"They could," Bally offered.

"Then yes, it keeps me awake at night," Discord confirmed with a nod, drawing a wicked chortle from Bally as he frantically scribbled down a few things. His hoof shot up and pointed at Discord.

"On the topic of coercion, seeing as you're leaving the title behind, willingly or otherwise, what happens when a Lord of Chaos retires?" He asked as he continued writing down not only the spirit's words but his own spin and embellishment.

"A whole lot of bother, that's what!" Discord snorted, folding his arms as he spoke. "Literal mountains of paperwork handed to me in the middle of a cosmic, timeless void!" He paused and shuddered hard.

"And Winston made me do it all by claw!" He hissed before squinting with a shrug. "Of course, the retirement party was an absolute blast, but that barely made up for it."

"Vastly fascinating that even at the higher levels of conceptual and divine governance, some things stay the same," Bally replied finally satisfied with what he'd written and looking up at Discord. "But what happens to your office now?"
Discord tilted his head. "Pardon?"

"Office, title, whatever you want to call it!" Bally pressed, waving a hoof. "My question is will there be another Lord of Chaos to take your place?"

"I 'unno. As far as I know, I'm the only one that's ever existed, and I turned in all my credentials," Discord said with a shrug, before reaching into his chest and pulling out a wallet. Unfolding it revealed a picture of himself with a big red prohibitive stamp smashed on it. "I'm banned from transdimensional travel or meddling for the next two epochs, so it's not as if I can pop in and check what they're going to be doing."

"Interesting, interesting," Bally said as he considered the picture. He pursed his lips and leaned back with a raised eyebrow. "They say you're responsible for those two super-powered bipeds currently mucking things up across the country."

"Correct," Discord replied plainly, earning a smirk from Bally.

"And I'm sure our readers are dying to know," he chortled, jabbing a hoof at Discord. "Who'd win in a fight, Fremont or Blackbeard?" The spirit laughed.

"I 'unno! But it wouldn't end well for whatever postcode they duked it out in," he chirped.

"A solid assessment! Next question!" Bally replied with a wave of his hoof.

About an hour after learning that we were soon to receive a changeling queen, I sat with my quill waiting to jot down any spells Sunset named as she paced the floor of my room with my spell book and monster book. Her head snapped from one to the other as she processed the information each presented and filtered it through her own knowledge base. Behind the end of my comforter which was hanging off the edge of my bed, I could feel Honeysuckle's curled-up form pressed up against the back of my leg. She'd fallen back asleep after the scare Sunset gave her but had used her magic to keep my legs pinned, seemingly to prevent me from leaving the two alone again.

On my nightstand was a platter of donuts and coffee Sunset had demanded while she disappeared to collect something she said would be important. One donut with sprinkles on it was snatched up in her magic and pulled to her waiting maw as she nodded at my books.

"She'll definitely be too strong for any mind control type spells you've got right now," Sunset mused before taking a bite from her treat, drawing a nod from me as I began jotting down her thoughts. "In fact, the fewer 'save or suck' spells you prepare, the better." I jolted and looked at her in shock.

"How do you know that term?" I squawked. Rather than answer, she pulled back her cloak and levitated a glass ball to me.

"Now, I took the liberty of making this for you from a chunk of the palace," she said dropping the ball into my lap.

"Sick crystal ball," I whistled, looking it over.

"Thanks, Buddy," she replied mirthlessly as she continued studying. She nodded her head towards the ball. "Now, you can use this to read her thoughts if she starts a fight."

I blinked and looked up at her in surprise. "I can?"

"Clairaudience, remember?" She urged. When I didn't respond, she looked at me and discovered my bewildered face, which she countered with an annoyed leer. "C'mon, Vic."

"I dunno! I'm not trained in this shit!" I cried, throwing my hands up and then scrambling to catch the ball as it rolled.

"Okay, okay!" She said, holding up a hoof. She shook her head with a sigh before magically pouring herself some coffee. "Want to know something fun?"

"Lay it on me, sister," I retorted, grabbing a donut for myself. She took a sip with a strained sigh before nodding and shaking my spell book.

"I'm like ninety percent positive Polymorph Other can override a changeling's natural transformation magic," she explained before fixing me with a smile. "So! You can lock down her ability to shapeshift!" Her smile widened when I adopted a steadily widening frown.

"Fun, right?" She purred before holding up a hoof and shaking her head. "But I'm going to be honest, I don't think you'll be able to like, you know, turn her into something and keep her like that. I think it'll just keep her in her normal form, understand?" She gave me an expectant look, at which I slowly nodded.

"Friends are nice," I mused quietly, earning an earnest and happy nod.

"Aren't they?" She chirped, tilting her head before shooting me a critical glare. "You practiced Telekinesis at all?"

"No, why?" I asked, immediately regretting the question when she opted for a very tactile demonstration of the answer. By magicking my fingers and painfully spreading them.

"'Cause it lets you do things like this," she replied, returning her focus to my book. I blew hard through my lips and she released me, rubbing her chin with a hoof. "And at your level, you can apply a heck of a lot of force, too."

"Noted," I squeaked, clenching my aching hand into a fist and rubbing it against my lips. She blinked and considered me for a moment before blinking again and focusing on my book.

"Sorry," she said quietly. Her ear swiveled my way and she furrowed her brow. "Kind of-" She grunted.

"Kinda forgot a lot of sociability-type stuff since I've been on the road for so long," her eyes narrowed for just a brief moment before she looked back at me. "And alone. I didn't break anything did I?"

"No, I don't think so," I sighed, rubbing my hand with my other one. I raised an eyebrow at her. "We're gonna have to work on that." I blinked and looked down when a maintained snickering broke the silence.

"And I got to make friends with a magic lady who doesn't immediately try to cripple me," I said, yanking the comforter up to reveal Honeysuckle, who had a hoof clamped over her mouth as she chortled. "You wanna come say hi?" She flinched and looked up at me and then Sunset.

"Non! Non!" She cried, curling up and scooting further back. "Ne me tuez pas!" I smirked at her before looking up at Sunset who held a hoof to her snout as she snickered. Suddenly, the door to my room rattled as someone beat against it.

"Emperor Fremont, you may want to come outside sir," Ivory called. "The Crystal Heart's barrier has been triggered." Sunset and I shared a look before all three of us exited and followed Ivory outside.

The Heart was pulsing like it did when we first recovered it, a sight that gave some degree of comfort to the crowd of crystal ponies gathered on the plaza outside the palace. However, all eyes were skyward as the faint pink energy field the Heart generated was ignited and shimmering. Before I could ask, the entire thing vibrated for a moment.

"That's the fifth time," Ivory huffed as I scanned the barrier.

"What the hell was that?" I murmured.

"Yes! How do you care for that, you knave?" Sombra bellowed with a malignant cackle before leaning off the snowy cliff he was perched upon and jabbing a hoof at the barrier-encased city far in the distance. "Have another!" His horn crackled with dark power and a massive black crystal erupted from the cliffside before snapping off and sailing through the air at the city.

The second it made contact with the barrier however, it disintegrated harmlessly. Sombra hummed a laugh that gradually grew to a full and hearty guffawing fit before he sputtered and coughed a few times. Shaking his head and clearing his throat, he considered the unfazed city with an even frown for a few moments.

He smacked his lips and then squinted, holding a hoof over his eyes. "Is that-" Before he could ponder what he'd seen further, the snow behind him crunched and he whirled around. "Who goes there?" There, on the cliff with him was a hooded pony whose horn was visible and lit up, providing a small amount of illumination to the snowy vista.

"King Sombra, Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Master of the Dark Arts, and Shining Standard of Unicorn Supremacy," the newcomer greeted, bowing close to the ground. "It is an honor, my lord." Sombra nodded sagely in response to the fellow's words.

"Who dares address me with the appropriate degree of reverence?" He demanded. The stallion rose and held his hoof out, presenting a silver badge depicting a sharp triangle piercing through a feather and a leaf.

"I am a representative of the Platinum Ponyhood, a band of adherents seeking to restore Equestria to its once great state," he explained as Sombra considered the badge with a purse-lipped leer. "An era when unicorns reigned supreme and all other tribes cowered in humble subservience." The perceived implication of slavery caused Sombra to perk up.

"Verily? I can respect the ambition," he said with another sage nod before raising an eyebrow. "What does this have to do with me?" The visitor bowed and gestured to the city in the distance.

"My lord, you conquered the Crystal Empire and enslaved its lowly populace an age ago," he offered.

"Correct," Sombra replied.

"And though the ignorant princesses made no effort to understand your genius, we in the Ponyhood have firmly believed you did this for similar motives that we ourselves hold," the stallion continued, taking a step closer and bringing a hoof to his chest. "You saw the lowly state unity between the tribes brought Equestria to and were seeking to found a proper state for unicorns by unicorns." Sombra slowly squinted both eyes and raised his eyebrows. Blinking once, slowly, he looked off to the side and then the other.

"Yeeesss," he slowly replied before nodding just as slowly. "Yes, precisely that." The pony took another step and bowed his head.

"And for this reason, my lord, we welcome your return," he added and from his low stance he leered up at the dark unicorn. "We wish to discuss our plans with you." Still with his squinted expression, Sombra nodded.

"Elaborate," he urged. The pony beamed briefly before offering a hoof.

"My lord, why settle for just the Crystal Empire," he said gesturing to the city and then to the landscape beyond it. "When you could have all of Equestria?" A change overtook Sombra at that moment, as his eyes went wide and sparkled. He held his surprised expression for a few moments, to the concern of the hooded pony, before he relaxed into a smug, smirking leer.

"You son of a harlot, I am interested," he finally declared.

"Looks like it's over," I murmured, scanning the barrier above with a hand over my eyes. Humming, I turned to face Ivory, Sunset, and Honeysuckle, the latter of whom was standing with Ivory between her and Sunset. "Maybe we should round up some volunteers and go-"

"Mr. Fremont!" Scuttle chirped as she suddenly popped up behind me, causing me to jump out of my skin.

"Jesus!" I cried, whirling around to glare at her as she beamed up at me.

"She's here!" She squealed, frantically prancing in place. I heard Sunset hiss behind me as my heart skipped a beat.

"How?" I murmured, as my skin tingled from a rapidly developing cold sweat.

"Magic!" She chirped, still prancing.

"As a wizard, I call bullshit," I snarled, slowly dragging my hands up and locking them on top of my head. "I haven't had time to-" A gasp from the crowd drew my attention upward. As soon as I looked up, the plaza was filled with buzzing and a half-dozen armored changelings with yellow highlights like Scuttle were swarming toward the palace.

At their head, trotting along the road with her head held high and an even look on her face, was a tall alicorn changeling with a mess of yellow, faintly glowing hair that looked almost like lichen or moss which was long enough to wrap around her shoulders almost like a shawl and was fixed into two thick braids. Atop her head just behind her crooked horn was a little black crown with tiny golden beads on each point. As it matched the rest of her chitin's shade, I wasn't sure if it was natural or not.

As the crystal crowd parted nervously for her, she approached me directly, standing a few feet away before looking me up and down.

"I am Queen Apterygota," she greeted in a buzzing voice. "And I have come to treat with you, Emperor Fremont." I furrowed my brow and considered the swarm of changelings that landed and lined up behind her. Scuttle beamed up a her queen and then back at me, but I folded my arms as a few dots suddenly connected and more importantly, a plan formed.

"Why were you banging on my bubble?" I demanded, causing the queen to blink and tilt her head.

"Pardon?" She murmured, at which I rolled my eyes and drew my books.

"Someone was banging on my bubble," I explained as I scanned for Polymorph Other and locked it in. "Then you walk in." To my relief, she began stammering and sputtering, giving me time to find a few more spells as I pretended like I was waiting for an explanation. Out of the corner of my eye, Sunset beamed for just an instant before stepping right beside me and glaring at the queen.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about," Apterygota murmured, holding up a hoof. "Genuinely, it wasn't us. I ordered my changelings to stay close to me as we entered your city." I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips as I locked in a few of the classics like Magic Missile and Shield.

"Perhaps your Crystal Heart simply reacted to our arrival?" The queen offered looking around nervously as Sunset narrowed her eyes.

"Perhaps," I replied.

"Emperor Fremont, what is going on?" Ivory suddenly asked, drawing my attention to him and then the rest of the crowd who were looking at me nervously. I nodded my head towards Scuttle.

"Our guest contacted her queen, who then invited herself to come speak with me," I explained loud enough for all to hear. "I'm very sorry, Senator, but I genuinely didn't have time to alert anyone." Ivory's jaw hung open slightly as he considered the changelings and their queen. Apterygota blinked at my words before her ears shot back and she averted her eyes.

"Ah," she murmured, slowly nodding. "I see. I beg your pardon, Emperor." I looked at her for a moment as she brought a hoof to her chest.

"Circumstances being what they are, I-" She paused and nodded again. "Acted with more haste than is fit. Your suspicions make sense now. I beg your pardon again." I snapped my book shut and shared a look with Sunset who wagged her eyebrows for a near imperceptible moment.

"What circumstances are those?" I asked as I turned back to the queen.

It occurred to me as Apterygota stood before my throne that I'd yet to actually hold a royal audience or whatever it's called, where I'm on my big, cool-ass crystal throne and people bring their wants or whatever before me. Some of the more influential members of the Children of Change were gathered as well, forming with Senator Ivory and Sash a sort of privy council to the events unfolding before us.

I got so lost in appreciation of the moment that Sash, who was standing beside me, noticed and gently smacked my hand on my armrest. Blinking, I straightened up and returned my focus to the queen. Honeysuckle, who stood on the opposite side of my throne snorted at me.

Sunset had teleported away just before the meeting began, claiming she had forgotten something important.

"All my life I have sought only one thing: The security and longevity of the hive in which I was born," she explained, bringing her hoof to her chest and fixing me with a sincere and firm look. "I have strived to ensure we are guarded against all outside threats and have sought the means to provide my changelings with the love they need to survive." Her expression soured and she looked off to the side.

"In recent years, both of these tasks have been thwarted thanks to the actions of my rival queens," she added before hissing quietly. "Especially Chrysalis." I raised an eyebrow as she turned back to me.

"When I learned of the foolishness she sought to accomplish by attacking Canterlot, I recalled all my changelings who had hidden within Equestria," she said, shaking her head with a dour look in her eyes. "Her failure was anticipated, but even had she succeeded the land would become desolate and drained of all love." She took a shallow breath and nodded at me.

"And as she has failed, I do not wish to run afoul of whatever measures the Equestrians have taken to avoid another changeling incursion," she hung her head and looked back at the small group of changelings standing to one side of the room. "As a result of all this, we were forced to sustain ourselves on our love stores, which would be drained by year's end." I nodded and considered the changelings as well, especially Scuttle who waved at me.

"And so you sent out Scuttle and presumably others to find a new source of food," I said at which Apterygota scrunched her muzzle.

"Uh, no, actually," she said in a strained tone, fixing Scuttle with an incredulous leer. "She ran off on her own after I told her not to." I blinked and glanced at Scuttle again, who now stuck her nose up with a proud smile and brushed off her chest with a hoof.

"But now I'm glad she disobeyed, for she has inadvertently found what we needed; Love, in an endless supply, sourced from that magical artifact fueling this city," Apterygota said before fixing me with a warm smile and half-lidded eyes. "And more importantly, what we need is currently in the keeping of an intelligent, rational, and competent creature, such as yourself." I furrowed my brow and adopted a tight frown as she took a few steps closer with a hoof to her chest.

"Emperor Fremont, I beseech thee," she added, bowing her head. "Permit my hive to integrate into your empire and you shall have my eternal gratitude." I tilted my head back and raised a finger, opening my mouth to speak when the throne room door suddenly slammed open.

"Absolutely not!" Candycorn screamed as she stomped in and pushed past the changeling queen, who recoiled in shock. Cadance shot a venomous glare my way. "And how dare you hold a meeting concerning the future of-"

"Polymorph Other," I said, leveling my finger at her and shooting her with my spell. A double helix-shaped beam of light drilled through the air and struck her dead on, coiling around and through her before shivering and then dispersing in a burst of pink light. Cadance's eye twitched as I frowned at the fact she'd evidently resisted my spell.

"Did you just try to turn me into a toad?" She asked in a low, caustic tone. I slowly brought my hand up and gently swept it at her.

"Restrain the hysterical unicorn princess," I ordered, causing my cultists to share a nervous look before slowly surrounding her.

"Hey!" She barked as she looked around at them.

"Now, what's your problem?" I demanded with a sigh. She clenched her teeth at me.

"She's a-" I held up a hand, cutting her off.

"If your complaint is she's a changeling I'm gonna flashbang you again," I said causing her to choke and then clamp her mouth shut with a thoughtful frown. I then pointed just behind Apterygota. "And if he doesn't stand down I'm gonna turn him into a toad." Everyone turned and saw Shining Armor, in full dorky armor, looming behind Apterygota with a spear hooked under each hoof and a third clamped in his mouth. When he saw everyone was looking he blushed and dropped his weapons before clearing his throat.

Cadance groaned and glared at me. "You-"

"What is happening?" Apterygota murmured, looking up at me.

"Racism," I replied.

"No!" Cadance argued.

"Yeah," I contested. Apterygota considered the prince and princess for a moment before gasping.

"You're Princess Cadance," she murmured, recoiling as the princess turned to her with a, to my frustration, softer glare. "I- I did not realize you were here." The queen turned to face Shining Armor and her at the same time.

"Please, you must believe me. I do not seek to do any harm," she said, bowing her head at them. "I only wish to provide for my hive." The pair shared a look.

"Chrysalis wanted something similar," Shining said with a humph. Apterygota let out an annoyed snort.

"So she claims," she replied, rolling her eyes before adopting a soft frown. "But do you really believe she actually cares about her hivemates?"

"I 'unno, maybe?" Cadance groused.

"I don't either, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt," I declared, rolling a hand at the queen. "At least on that particular topic. I haven't decided on your request, however." Cadance shot me another glare as the queen nodded my way.

"I understand. Is there any way I can convince you?" She asked, tilting her head. I reclined in my seat with a hum.

"I think-" Before I could answer fully, the sound of hoofs galloping toward me drew my attention forward. Sugarplum shot through the open door and passed everyone else before darting up to my throne and hiding behind my legs where she curled up in a tight, quivering ball. I leaned forward to look down at her with everyone else. "Sugarplum? What's wrong?"

"E'nin' folks," came a voice with a thick southern drawl. Looking up, I saw a tall, bulky guy in a heavy black coat, a metal mask, and a wide-brimmed hat. He slowly stalked into the room, his feet making heavy thumps with every step. "Hope I ain't interruptin' nothing proper and detrimental."

"Who are you?" I demanded with a furrowed brow.

"Call me Double," he replied. Apterygota stepped out of his way as he took her place in the center of the room. Cadance and Shining shared a look as the cultists murmured amongst each other. The changeling queen retreated all the way to her armored unit which formed a defensive line between him and her.

"Okay, Double. The fuck do you want?" I demanded again, leaning forward more to hide Sugarplum from him. Honeysuckle gasped quietly.

"You're-" She murmured before recoiling as Double jabbed a claw at her. I winced at the crooked, spiny nature of his hand.

"That one there," he said without actually looking at her. "Her daddy needs her home right quick." I recoiled and looked at her for a moment before sweeping my hand at her.

"Okay, well, see you later, Honeysuckle," I huffed, causing her to choke.

"What? Non!" She screamed, whirling around to rear up on my chair. "I refuse!" She leaned close and whispered through clenched teeth.

"Victor, that is Bad Teeth. I'm sure of it!" She hissed.

"Huh?" I quietly gasped before considering the guy and Sugarplum's trembling form. I pursed my lips with a nod and reclined, preparing to blast the guy. "Welp, sorry, Double. I think she's busy tonight."

"I ain't asked you that," he retorted, grabbing what must've been his belt through his coat and adjusting his unseen pants.

"And I ain't considered your stance on the issue," I spat, waving a hand at him. "Get lost before I let the candy-colored alicorn unleash her racist husband upon you."

"Hey!" Cadance cried. Double fell into a controlled, yelping fit of laughter.

"Oh, that's a mighty awful threat, right there!" He squeaked before leaning forward at the hips. "Allow me to retort." Seemingly, I'd grown either sharp enough, reflexive enough, or just antsy enough that when something just wrong is visible to me, I can throw my Shield up mostly on reflex. I think this because my vision was suddenly obscured by Bad Teeth snapping right up to me. He hurled his claw forward and it slammed against my Shield with a resounding thud.

I jumped hard enough that my glasses flew off, before tensing up and gasping as he tilted his head to look me up and down. "Holy shit," I heaved. Then, we locked eyes. I didn't even have time to consider why his were glowing red.

"He's been petrified!" Sash screamed as the monster withdrew his claw and considered the human encased in stone. As the throne room fell into a panic, Apterygota stamped a hoof.

"Dang! Welp, who's next in line for the throne?" She huffed, looking around and then fixing Cadance with a wide, hopeful smile. "We can still work something out, right?" The alicorn blinked at the changeling before a series of cries drew her attention back to the throne.

"Somewooly stop him!" Sash yelled as Double locked a claw around Honeysuckle's neck. The unicorn kicked and heaved and lit up her horn before Double snapped his free hand out and clamped a dampening ring upon it.

"Hey! Put her down!" Cadance yelled, pushing passed the terrified cultists and jabbing a hoof at Victor. "You can keep the ugly lawn gnome, but she didn't do anything!"

"Never said she did," Double chortled as he fixed the struggling unicorn under his arm. His coat shifted and he reached inside it before drawing a very well-crafted sword. "But her daddy needs her back and is paying pretty well to get her." Honeysuckle strained and gasped when she saw the sword.

"Give me that!" She screamed, reaching for the sword.

"Hush up," Double demanded. He bent his free arm and a quill shot out of his elbow, through his sleeve, and stuck in Honeysuckle's side. The unicorn squealed and then shivered before going limp. As Cadance recoiled and then took a step closer, Double's coat suddenly shifted again and a pair of long branch-like appendages burst out the back before unfolding into a pair of huge bat-like wings.

Cadance spread her own wings in response before another set of hooves hitting the floor cut through the tension of the room.

"Hey, what'd I miss?" Sunset asked with her mouth full as she trotted into the room with a platter of donuts. She blinked and considered the whole scene before leaning to the side to get a better look at the petrified wizard. Wiping her mouth with a hoof she pointed at each individual as she named them. "Okay, so did the new guy petrify Vic, did the queen petrify Vic, or did Cadenza petrify Vic?"

"Sunset Shimmer?" Cadance gasped, blinking and shaking her head as her wings drooped. Seeing her visible distress, Shining trotted up beside her and began gently petting her back. "I'm so- I'm so mad? Why is she- Here?"

"Probably Fremont's fault," Shining whispered.

"Yeah," Cadance desperately huffed, slowly sinking to a sitting position and shaking her head. "I just wanted to be the Princess of the Crystal Place, Shiny."

"I know. I know," he replied. Sunset ignored the pair as she looked Double up and down.

"You seem familiar, have I robbed you before or something?" She asked, tilting her head. Double recoiled slightly as his wings drooped before he chuckled.

"You're Celestia's old pupil, ain't ya?" He hummed, tilting his head as another long quill slowly extended from his elbow. "The one worth all that cash?" Sunset tilted her head back and forth a few times before gasping.

"Oh wait! I know you!" She chirped, pointing a hoof at him and carefully setting the donut platter down. "You're number ninety-nine! From Dr. Plum's stock!" Double went still at her words.

Sunset pursed her lips as she considered the monster. "I thought you got relocated to a preserve for rare and endangered animals after F.R.O.W.N cleared his mansion?"

"Got loose," Double replied in a dire tone.

"Neat," Sunset chirped, wagging her eyebrows. A silence fell between the two for a few moments. "You gonna depetrify Vic?"

"Reckon I'm not," Double replied. "Reckon I might eat your face instead." Sunset gasped, bringing a hoof to her mouth.

"Oh no! Don't do that," she cried in a sarcastic tone, throwing her head back with her hoof over her eyes. "I beg you! Be gentle." Everyone jolted when Double's coat began rattling. Turning they saw the monster was shivering violently with his head bent forward and his claw clutched as if he was in pain. Double brought his claw to his head and panted before leveling a glare at Sunset who retorted with a smirk.

The monster hissed before spreading his wings and, in a single beat, shot into the air and through one of the crystal windows. The room stared at the window he'd flown through for a few moments before turning to Sunset who hummed a curt laugh and then picked up the platter with her magic.

"Anyhoo, I brought the donuts!" She chirped, presenting the tray.

Author's Note

Sorry for the lengthy delay despite the copious free time I've had during December, I've just had too much fun writing Cutter.