I glared at the bug creatures that had taken on my appearance. I gave a chuckle and got into a low crouch. “Oh come on, haven’t you ever read comics or seen the movies?” I said before lunging, pushing off the ground hard enough to crack the marble floor as I grabbed one of the imposters, slamming his head into the ground. “Copies are almost never as good as the originals.” My claws dug into the shapeshifter, digging through the fake skin and drawing a green ichor like substance. “So you bleed green huh? Good to know.” I said before standing up and quickly throwing the body at the other two.

The shapeshifters dodged out of the way of their fallen comrade, about to lunge at me. Though the one on the left was too slow as Scratch leapt down from above, his Musica Sword enlarging a bit more before slashing down through the false Connor. With the death of it’s caster, the illusion around the being dropped, both halves reverting back to their original chitin covered form.

Scratch looked down at the creature and gave a wince. “Ugh, I do not envy the cleaning staff of the castle.” He said, shaking some of the ichor off his blade before we turned to the remaining duplicate. It looked between the two of us before it changed back to normal then shifted into a rat and ran off under a crack in the wall.

I rolled my eyes at it and looked at Scratch. “Come on, we need to go to where they took Twilight and the others.” He nodded and we both ran down the hallway. “If memory serves, they are in the same place as that explosion before.”

Moments later we turned a corner, encountering several dozen of the shape-shifters. “Oh good. I needed to get more of a workout. Fifteen hundred years of just standing around is murder on the muscles.” I growled, slamming my fist hard into one of the being’s head. “Tetsuryū no Gō Ken” I shouted, a magic circle appearing as I literally knocked his block off, the being’s head flying off out a window as it’s body slumped, oozing more green ichor onto the floor.

Scratch growled as he grew his sword longer, slashing it sideways through the first row of enemies, bisecting them all and splattering the walls. “Reminds me of the dune beetle swarm back in the deserts of Thaczil.” He said, noticing a few were still moving even after being cleaved in half, launching over and stomping their heads, resulting in a loud crunch and squish sound. He gave a smirk before grimacing, sticking his tongue out. “Ugh, that’s gonna take forever to get out of my fur.” He said, slashing at another one.

Several minutes and and a couple scratches later, the duo stood over a slaughtered platoon of body parts. “Well that takes care of these ones.” I said before we walked over to the sealed door. “This should be it.”

Scratch nodded, about to bust the door open with his blade before I stopped him. He looked at me with confusion. “What are you doing?”

“Come on man, fifteen hundred years gone by. If I know Celestia she's in there as well. We gotta do something to surprise her even more than just bursting through.” He blinked before giving a chuckle and nodded. “Excellent, now then, what to do….hmm oh I know. How about a classic.”

Twilight could only watch in horror as the changelings laid waste to several sections of Canterlot, while their ruler almost seemed to dance around the wedding hall.

Chrysalis laughed as she moved about the hall, overlooking the mayhem, singing about how the day had been just perfect. Twilight saw this as a chance to try and sneak over to free Cadance, but before she got more than a few feet away, a shot of green slime had cemented her hooves to the floor.

“Ah ah ah. Can't have you ruining my perfect day by trying anything heroic.” The queen of changelings said with a malicious chuckle. “Hmm, perhaps I should simply get rid of you all now.” She turned to a drone near the doors
“Commander Delta, bring your platoon in here. I'm feeling generous and will allow your squad the honor of slaying these foolish mares.”

The changeling officer nodded, connecting to his troops before blinking. “My queen, I am unable to connect to my men.” He said before turning to the door. “I can't find them among the hive at all.” He said.

Chrysalis blinked at this and gave a groan. “Never send a commander to do a Queen’s job.” She said, attempting to connect the soldiers outside the door, only to see the last fleeting images of something metallic cleaving and tearing through them. “What?! This cannot be.” She flew over to the cocooned Celestia, uncovering her head but leaving her horn neutralized. “I thought I told you to tell all your troops to stand down.”

Celestia blinked. “I did.” The imprisoned princess said. “Believe me Chrysalis, I don't like this, but I'd rather surrender after a defeat than see any more of my ponies hurt.” She said in a defiant tone.

“Then what in Tartarus had just slain a platoon of changeling soldiers?” She said, about to blast the princess before a loud knock echoed off the door. She blinked and looked at the door where Delta was stationed.

Delta looked at the door as more knocking came.

Knock knock knock knock-knock

Pinkie pie immediately bounced up. “Ooh ooh, now knock back twice!” She said excitedly. Upon hearing this knock Celestia's eyes widened.

Knock knock knock knock-knock

Delta looked to his queen who gave a simple shrug and nodded. Delta turned to the door and gave two solid knocks.

Knock Knock

As soon as the second knock hit, the doors were blown inwards, launching the changeling commander against the wall, the heavy oaken doors slamming against him resulting in a rather unsavory crunch and squish sound.

All ponies and changelings present looked at the now open doorway, the dust clearing to reveal two beings. The one on the left appeared to be a large humanoid feline carrying a massive sword, while the other one was a bit shorter, but their skin gleamed like polished iron. The slightly shorter one gave a grin as he called out. “Luuuucyyyy I'm hooome”

I looked at all their practically stupefied reactions, chuckling. “See Scratch, I told you it would make em speechless.” I smirked, shifting my arm into it’s iron sword form.

He chuckled. “That you did Connor, that you did.” He said, hefting his blade up.

Chrysalis stared at us before shaking her head. “You!”

I smiled. “Me! Man I’ve always wanted to do that little bit.” I said with a laugh. I looked around and spotted Celestia strung up in a cocoon. “Well that’s one way to keep the princess from frying you with solar fire.”

Chrysalis gave a growl. “You are the things that killed my troops out there.”

Scratch raised a hand. “Guilty.” he smirked at the changeling queen. “We’ll send you the bill for our dry cleaning.”

She gave a growl and glared. “Whatever, drones. Kill them.”

I gave a glare before turning to the trapped ponies. “Those of you with a weak stomach, i recommend closing your eyes and covering your ears.” i said before lunging, slashing at an incoming drone soldier, taking his arms off. He stared at his stumps before the edges of my blade revved up, cleaving through his chest with ease.

A few of the ponies could only stare in shock as the two beings tore through the changeling drones like hot knives through butter. Twilight couldn't help but go a bit green seeing the changelings being sliced and diced. “So...Awesome..” She blinked and turned, seeing Rainbow watching the fighters with rapt attention.

I gave a grin, my left arm turning into a solid iron pole. “Tetsuryūkon!” I lunged my arm forward, slamming through several more changelings and smashing them into the window, launching them off the balcony.

Several more changelings flew towards us attempting to end us, only to get swatted aside by Scratch's sword that had grown massive, resulting in the small cluster of troops getting knocked to the side in a crumpled heap. We smiled and looked at Chrysalis. “So, shall we dance? Or do you want to just surrender now?” I say with a sharp toothed grin.

Chrysalis gave a growl and opened her mouth. “Rushers!” She said, her voice echoing.

Applejack blinked as she tilted her head. “Rush what now?” Her question was answered as two holes were made in the ceiling, two hulking shadows crashing down into the room.

The dust cleared, revealing two changelings vastly different from the other soldiers. These more resembled large hulking beasts the size of a tractor trailer, three large segmented legs on each side ending in three four inch long claws that dug into the marble floor. Their wings were a mix of insectoid and dragon, the membrane between the wings more translucent and fibrous like a dragonfly’s. Though by far the most disturbing feature was their heads, the insect like mandibles clicking in front of a mouth whose lower jaw split into three as the behemoths roared loud enough to shake the room.

Chrysalis smirked at her beasts before turning back to us, only to stop upon seeing our faces. Across mine and Scratch's faces were not looks of terror like she had probably hoped, but more akin to a foal at Hearths Warming.

“You got me a present?!” We both shouted, Scratch’s sword enlarging a bit more as my other arm shifted into an iron sword, both blades revving.

I kicked off the ground, launching myself using an iron pole to land on the left behemoth’s back, digging my blades into it’s back,sending green ichor splattering across the wall behind it. The beast gave a roar, trying to buck hard and launch me off it’s back, but my blades held me on tight. “Yippie ki-yay mother fucker!” I shouted with a laugh as I held onto the behemoth as it ran around the room, trying to launch me, the blades revving more, splattering before it finally began to slow. I smirked and pulled my blades out, launching myself off it into the air. “Tetsuryūkon!” I shouted, both legs turning into iron poles before slamming down into the rusher’s head, splattering it on the ground.

“Well, that’s one down. Now how is Scratch…” I looked over, barely able to restrain my laughter. Scratch literally had the behemoth in the air, using his hands and feet to bat it and spin it like a giant ball of yarn. After a few moments he pushed hard, launching it up before swinging his blade, the weapon increasing in size before cleaving down the center of the beast. I watched him smirk and stand, before a giant glob of ichor splattered down on him, covering him from head to toe. I could see his eye twitch a bit before we both looked at the stunned Chrysalis.

“Ready to give up NOW?” Scratch asked as he shook off the ichor.

Chrysalis only stared. “They never said there’d be a dragon slayer, and whatever the hell that cat is here.” She said aloud. “To hell with this plan. I’m out.” She said before a bright glow encompassed her, what looked like the silhouette of a pony appearing before it shot into a changeling drone just outside the window, the drone flying off. The changeling queen then collapsed to the ground, all the other drones simply freezing where they stood and hovered, awaiting their orders from the queen.

I blinked and looked at Scratch. “Uhhh….did we win?” I said, going over and poking the now unconscious changeling with an iron pole.

“I would think so, though it seems she was under the control of someone using subjugation magic.” Scratch said, his body glowing before he shrunk back down from his battle form. “It would seem she was just a puppet for someone’s goal.”

Before I could say anything we were interrupted by a sudden shout. “Wait just a second here. What is going on? First we find out my old foalsitter was replaced by a shapeshifter, then she used her army to invade the city, and then just before she’s about to finish us off you two bust in like something out of a movie. Who are you? What are you? What was that magic you were using? How did he shrink from a full stallion’s height down to the size of a cat?” Twilight practically ranted out.

Scratch and I both looked at each other, me about to speak before I remembered something. “Scratch, think you can go up and cut Celestia’s cocoon down?” He nodded, his wings sprouting into existence before he flew up, using his blade to cut the princess’ cocoon open. I stood below and caught her, giving a cheeky grin. “Hello Tia, miss me?”

Celestia only stared in shock at me. “C….Connor?” She said, reaching a hand to my face to see if I was real.

“In the flesh. Though apologies if I seem a bit manic. While I only woke up technically a few hundred years ago, aside from Scratch the only real conversation partner was Discord, so some of his madness may have slipped through.” I said with a chuckle, slowly setting her down to her hooves.

The solar princess simply stared at me before grabbing me in a practically bone crushing hug. “Ai ai ai, Tia! Bones not made of iron at the moment!” I said, wincing at her strength.

She then let me go and gave me a quick smack across the head. “That’s for pulling that stunt with sealing yourself away. Your friends were heartbroken for a while.”

I gave a soft smile, rubbing the back of my head.

“Princess Celestia! What is going on? Do you know him? How do you know him? Who is he? Again just what is going….” Twilight’s questions were interrupted by a groan from the changeling queen on the floor.

“Ohhh…..my aching carapace.” She said, her voice now lacking that strange double echo it had before. “What is going on? This isn’t the hive chamber.” She said, slowly looking around, her eyes settling on Celestia. “Princess Celestia of Equestria?” Her slitted pupils dilated as she seemed to realize where she was. “Oh no no no, please tell me that was all just a dream! I didn’t really try to conquer Canterlot right?”

Scratch floated next to her. “You remember what happened?” He asked her.

The changeling queen jumped a bit at the sudden voice next to her, looking at the floating exceed. “Bits and pieces….I remember going to check the hive’s entrance for any misconstructions for the maintenance drones to repair, then everything goes hazy. I remember a train, the princess of love, seeing the purple unicorn over there, then the wedding. Then I….I fought with Celestia and won….but then you two showed up…..What happened?”

Scratch looked over and flew onto my shoulder. “As I was saying to Connor, it seems you are the victim of subjugation magic. A type of magic that allows someone to control others, whether it be summoning them, gathering them into a sort of pocket dimension, or in the extremest cases, full possession. Most likely someone took control of you to gain control of your hive.”

Her pupils shrank back down to slits as she realized what happened. She shook her head. “No no, my hive would never have done this.” She tried to say more but Celestia raised a hand to stop her.

“Before we go any further, perhaps you should tell your remaining troops to cease all attacks, and then we can discuss what will become of the changelings after the events.” Celestia said with a calm tone. “And you can start by releasing my student, her friends, my niece, and her husband/my captain of the guard.”

Chrysalis nodded, snapping her fingers as a few drones moved over and released the captive ponies, Cadence immediately running over and snapping her husband out of his trance like state. Shining Armor blinked and looked around hazily. “Huh? What? I-Is the wedding over?”

I chuckled. “Not exactly.”

A few days later, repairs to Canterlot were almost completed. Despite the damage to the city, there were no casualties on the pony side. Which considering they were needed to produce love as the changelings needed, made sense. What good is your food source if it's dead. Anyways, a public apology and statement was made, telling the public about how Chrysalis was being controlled by dark magic, forcing her and her hive to attack.

While some nobles were stuck with their noses in the air about someone who wasn't a pony being accepted, many ponies openly accepted their apology. Scratch and I also apologized to Chrysalis for taking down so many of her soldiers, but she understood. Given the situation, had ponies invaded her hive they would have done similar.

Work repairing the city went surprisingly fast with all the drones helping. Granted there were a few hiccups with Twilight constantly trying to question us about who we were, and we had to keep telling her that we would explain once Luna was back from her diplomatic duties.

Once everything was repaired, the wedding was held once again. The ceremony went off without a hitch, mine and Scratch’s jaws dropping at the sight of the sonic rainboom.

A few hours later during the night me and Scratch stood off to the side in the shadows, Celestia having told us Luna would be back that night for the reception. We watched Cadence and Shining dancing slowly to the music with a smile before looking up, seeing the princess of the night flying down. “Hello everyone, did we miss anything?”

I took this as the perfect cue to walk over next to her while she was looking the other way. “Not much your highness. Just a little hiccup in the ceremony.”

Luna blinked and nodded. “Thank you Connor.” She said before turning back to her sister to continue chatting. I mentally counted down, waiting for it to sink in. A few seconds later she froze and turned to look at me. “Tia, while we miss him too, tis a bit odd to make an illusion of Connor here.”

I smirked and reached over, booping the lunar princess on the nose. Her face scrunched up a bit before her eyes widened. “Missed you too Lulu.” I said with a laugh, immediately hardening my skin as I could see her lunging at me to give me a hug. A few ponies cleared out of the way as she tackled me several feet. I chuckled and gave her a tight hug as well, making sure to dodge an incoming smack. “Your sister already hit me, I don't need a reminder.” I laughed as Scratch flew over, landing on Luna's shoulder.

Luna looked over and smiled, pulling the feline into a hug, petting him. Scratch was trying to struggle but soon succumbed to the petting, purring slightly. I chuckled and looked over as Pinkie zipped over to the dj station, shaking my head as she seemed to pull a white mare with an electric blue two toned mane out from underneath. ”Was she waiting under there for that?”

The dj pony, who I learned later was ironically called DJ PON-3, started up the music, Pinkie tossing a mic to Twilight who caught it and began to sing, all of us bobbing our heads and soon getting into the dance.

Once the song ended, we watched the happy couple head off on their honeymoon. Spike then gave a chuckle. “Just wait til they see what I have planned for the bachelor party!”

The girls simply laughed as Scratch and I gave him a slightly dumbfounded look. “Dude, the bachelor party is supposed to be before the wedding. You know, when the groom is still a bachelor?” Spike simply blinked and looked at me like a deer in headlights before slowly facepalming. At this point we couldn't help but laugh at the young drake’s naivety.

Author's Notes:

Let there be blood!!! -coughs- so yeah, violence and fun. Also, yes I decided on use of subjugation magic for a reformed chrysalis. I felt it fit, as a true queen of infiltrators would never do a full bum rush tactic, even if desperate. So yeah. The royals and Connor are reunited, next chapter the mane six take a more involved role as they learn about Connor and Scratch, and we learn what happened during their 1500 year nap. Til then folks. PEACE OUT!