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by tom117z

Chapter 18: 18 - Forward onto Canterlot

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“I really don’t like the idea of you going to that city so soon after… you know…” Panacea said to her husband, worry written on her face.

Carduus gave his wife a sympathetic look, before moving to reassure her. “Honey, I promise I’ll be fine, Princess Twilight knows Celestia and Luna; if any of us can sort this mess out, it’s her.”

“Perhaps, but what of when you first arrive? I doubt changelings are going to be thrown a party on arrival.”

‘From what the Princess tells me, one might,’ Carduus mused, slightly grinning as he remembered some of the stories Princess Twilight had told him over the last few days.

“That’s why we’re called changelings, honey. They won’t see any changelings entering, only a dashingly handsome stallion, and his less attractive friends.” He stood straight, and pulled a pose; unable to completely remove his grin.

Panacea rolled her eyes before letting a grin slip. “Well that dashingly handsome stallion better come home safe with all his limbs intact, or he’s sleeping on the sofa.”

“I better come home safe th-“

He was cut off as a black blur barreled into him, knocking him to the floor with the cutest bear hug possible.

“Daddy!” the voice came out slightly muffled, his daughter's muzzle was crushed up against him.

“Hey sweetie!” Carduus swept Iuvenes into his fore-hooves to give her an embrace of his own.

She shifted so she could look at his face. “Do you have to go?”

“Well one of us needs to make sure the princess doesn’t do another all-nighter in a library somewhere,” Carduus chuckled.

Iuvenes responded by giving him the biggest puppy eyes she could - Carduus cringed at the big glowing blue orbs looking up at him in a begging manner.

Luckily for Carduus, Panacea came to his rescue. “Hey sweetie, I’m sure your father will bring you back some of those equestrian donuts from Canterlot if you ask nicely!”

Iuvenes face lit up instantaneously. “Oh oh, please dad, pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!”

“Oh I’m sure I could manage,” Carduus laughed, picking his daughter up in his green magical aura and depositing her on her mother’s back, where she promptly curled up in between her wings.

“Now, I really have to go; the others are likely already at the carriage.”

“Be safe,” Panacea said one last time, giving her husband a loving nuzzle that he returned gladly.

Carduus kissed his daughter on the forehead, picked up his sword and placed it into its scabbard, placed his helmet upon his head and after some final farewells left through the front door of his home.

“Forward onto Canterlot,” he muttered to himself.


Chrysalis’ personal carriage, a black carriage decorated with exuberant green emeralds rolled along the rocky Badlands landscape. It wasn’t the most comfortable ride in the world, but the two Changeling guards pulling it knew both the safest and most direct route to Equestria, so they were in safe hooves.

Either side of the carriage the other two of Carduus’ squad flew alongside them, wings buzzing as they looked out vigilantly for any possible threats to their princess. Within the carriage itself the rest of the entourage sat in silence. On one side sat Longshot, Vladimir and Shining Armor, who had been staring out the window so far for the entire trip. On the other side sat Carduus and Twilight, both undisguised. Twilight herself was staring at the floor, shuffling as she took in the uncomfortable sound of silence dominating the carriage interior. A silence eventually and predictably broken by Sergeant Longshot.

“So… what’s the plan exactly? You realise Canterlot won’t throw you a welcome party right?”

Carduus chuckled. “You sound like my wife.”

“Um, what?”

“Never mind, and to answer your question, I do realise this. That is why when we get to Equestria we will change into ponies.”

“Won’t the armor give you away?” Longshot pointed at the dark blue armor adorned by the changeling guard captain.

“Meh, I wouldn’t worry. Our armor is enchanted to change with us, otherwise it wouldn’t be much use to a race of creatures preferring stealth over brute force most of the time.”

“I guess Canterlot was one of those few other times?”

“Hay if you remember, the Queen did infiltrate AS Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and bring down the shield,” Carduus pointed out, before remembering Shining Armor was sharing the carriage with them.

All eyes turned towards the Solar Guard, who luckily didn’t seem to have heard a single world, and instead remained staring blankly out the window.

Longshot coughed. “Anyway, I bet if I was there things would have been different!”

Carduus cocked a non-existent eyebrow. “Oh really?”

“Yup, you only faced off against the guard. I mean, they’re good and all!” Longshot added, catching Vladimir’s glare. “But you haven’t faced off against the EUP!”

“Huh, the Changelings who captured you didn’t seem too impressed. Captain Vlad had to save your flank, before going down because you didn’t properly incapacitate one of your combatants. And then Shining Armor had to surrender because you became a hostage.”

Longshot’s eye twitched ever so slightly. “Not… one of my best moments.”

Carduus grinned in victory.

“But you haven’t seen our helicopters!”

“Your… what?”

“Big metal armoured flying machines with crossbow turrets that would tear any soldier to pieces. Not to mention they’re fast enough to outrun all but the most experienced Wonderbolts!”

“Really? How do I know you’re not exaggerating?”

“You’ll just have to take my word for it.”

“Uh-huh.”

Vlad rolled his eyes. “You two quite finished?”

“What?” Longshot responded. “There’s nothing wrong with a bit of competition.”

“Until you get so competitive you end up in joint last,” Twilight remarked, smiling at that particular memory.

“Sound like there’s a story in that, Twilight,” Carduus noted.

“Oh the things I could tell you about my time in Ponyville, what I have already told you isn’t even the half of it.

Longshot shuddered, remembering the story Vladimir told him of the ‘want-it-need-it’. “Oh please don’t, not right now.”

“What’s the matter Sergeant?” Vladimir grinned. “Want me to retell the story of Lesson Zero?”

Twilight blushed at that, while Longshot had a look of pure horror. “I need an adult.”

“I am an adult,” Vladimir responded.

“Moving on!” Twilight near shouted to change the subject. “In all seriousness what do we do when we get to Canterlot? I mean, meeting with the princess after all this…” Twilight trailed off.

Vlad sighed, and gave Twilight a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry Miss Sparkle, our authority can get you all into the castle as long as nopony sees you as changelings, also I would recommend you take on a different form than the usual, until we see the princess at least.”

“Why?”

“Uh, well. You see it’s not just a select few who know about you being a changeling. In fact everypony pretty much has heard by now…”

Twilight’s eye twitched. “What? Everypony… knows…”

“Hey! Vlad said it would be fine so it will be! Come on, let’s not freak out over this,” Longshot interjected.

“But…”

“Twilight I know it will be hard, but things will work out, you’ll see. What could possibly go wrong?”

“Anyway - as I was saying, once we get you into the castle we will report to Princess Celestia, and you will come with us, what happens then is really up to you,” Vladimir finished.

Much to the worry of all those present their words did little to calm the Changeling Princess, who seemed to be on the verge of an all-out panic as she began to hyperventilate. Luckily for them Twilight put a hoof to her chest and took some deep breaths, just like Cadance had taught her as a filly.

During this only Carduus noticed Shining finally look up at Twilight, brotherly concern on his face. Only when Twilight did finally calm down did he return to his personal musings looking out the window.


Life was returning to normal in the city of Canterlot, ponies of all races and pastel colours went about their lives.

Princess Celestia overlooked it all from one of the castle’s many balconies. A sense of unease surrounding her regal aura.

“Aunty?” A kind voice called from behind. Celestia looked behind her to see her niece and sister joining her at the balcony, standing either side.

“Sister what bothers thou?”

“Dialect.”

Luna gave Celestia a death glare at that little remark, only to receive an amused smirk in response, a smirk that quickly fell away as Celestia’s eyes turned back towards Canterlot.

“They should have been back by now.”

“Sister the fate of Equestria no longer rests squarely on your shoulders, you need to stop worrying constantly.”

“How can I not?” Celestia countered. “My little ponies are in danger, Twilight is in danger. And now we have heard nothing from Shining Armor’s team.”

“He will be fine aunty,” Cadance reassured, yet Celestia didn’t miss the worry she herself was trying to hide. “Shiny can watch out for himself.”

“Don’t discount my own Captain, or the EUP Sergeant with them,” Luna added. “Give them a few more days, if we hear nothing, well, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

From their vantage point, had the three alicorns been paying attention they might have just spotted a black and green carriage entering the city limits.


Canterlot’s ponies gawped as they witnessed a black carriage outfitted with expensive emerald decorations sped through the streets of the Equestrian capital.

Particularly noticeable was the two Pegasus stallions flying alongside it, and the two Earth-Pony stallions leading the carriage, all of them carrying swords that hung at their sides.

Private security was the first thought that entered most ponies heads. It wasn’t particularly uncommon with the many nobles living within the city. But they normally had carriages made of all sorts of gems and gold. And the security they hired were also normally outfitted to also show off that particular noble’s power. The darker décor of this carriage was new, and the swords carried by these stallions were iron with obsidian hilts. They couldn’t even see the occupants of the carriage as the curtains were drawn shut. All this certainly did little to keep the populace at ease.

Anypony watching the carriage for long enough would have seen it go all the way up to Canterlot castle, where they were met by two Solar Guards when they arrived at the front gates.

A thestral in night guard armor stepped out of the carriage, on which both Solar Guards stood to attention and saluted, after talking to them briefly the guards opened the gates and the carriage rolled on through unobstructed.

Inside a blue mare with a black mane sighed in relief, before shedding the precautionary disguise in favor of a familiar lavender one.

She peeked though the curtains, a small amount of panic returning as the castle in which she had spent a good portion of her life loomed over her.

There was no going back now.

Twilight Sparkle was back in Canterlot.

Author's Notes:

I saw this on youtube while browsing :derpytongue2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kscG_gs2BOc

Next Chapter: 19 - Canterlot Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 37 Minutes
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