Moondancer knew exactly what she was doing as she strolled through Canterlot. She could feel the stares as she passed from aristocrats and normal ponies alike as she walked towards the palace. She surprisingly hadn't had to face the entire mass of the Equestrian army yet, but she knew she would have the chance to coming up soon if any of her knowledge of how ponies reacted to fear stimuli and she was a walking red flag to their senses.

She almost laughed at the thought of just walking down the street now probably becoming less fun than it was before she had this gem forcefully jammed into her heart. And she remembered the sheer mindnumbing pain that market days tended to be with her dislike of ponies.

She turned onto the road up to the castle and stared at an entire line of guards. She sighed. Predictable to be sure, but she had at least trained them well. Her jewel whispered sweet nothings in her ear as she tried to figure out what to do. Because while she was a mare on a mission.

She waved at the Solar Guard legion that was only a few hundred meters away and quickly performed a wordless amplification spell. Not because she was completely insane, though the glowing gem kept saying otherwise, but because she didn't want to spook the guards into a fight.

She just had stayed up with Twilight, catching up for hours. And before that was Ironhoof and the mess that was. She wasn't at the top of her game, even if she was supposedly the best archmage currently within Equestria, though Twilight technically counted as Ponyville's archmage and from reports on Sunburst, he could probably match her wits.

She didn't want to cause an accidental bloodbath because some greenhorn recruit got spooked from the next umbral herald of darkness or whatever guff the Guard Academy was teaching these newly minted adults.

She waved down the most impressive looking guard there- usually a sign that they were slightly above the normal grunts and cupped her hooves. She hoped to Celestia that this would work.

"I would love to speak to the senior director of either guard company. By the rules of permissive entry, I won't move until either the Solar or Lunar Guard Captain comes out and vouches for my safety."

Moondancer waited to see what the guards would do. Usually the guards acted more civil within the walls of Canterlot. It did help that she had once read the entire history of the guard as something to keep her boredom away. And unless they had updated the odd loophole of "Permission for Entry" in the last hundred years, she'd guess they would look like a chicken had cut their heads off as they performed the mental gymnastics necessary for this gambit.

She didn't have to wait long until the pony in front stepped forward and walked slowly towards her, most likely reading her body language as well.

A raspy female voice answered her. "Solar Guard Captain Mjolna, at your service." The mare took off her helmet and Moondancer saw a pony she didn't know. Not surprising since she had barely ever left her home except for the rare occasion or mandatory meeting that Celestia had ordered her to go to. "Don't try anything or I will execute my authority to the extent of the law. Detail your cause of entry, name, and length of stay.

But she would have remembered an earth pony captain. Those tended to be rather rare. Canterlot loved their unicorns and it took a real special piece of work to be chosen without the requisite horn. Earth ponies easily could cast magic, but Canterlot loved a show of things.

"This is going to sound completely insane, but my name's Moondancer. Canterlot Archmage. You probably haven't heard of me." Moondancer awkwardly stood there as the brown earth pony stared daggers into her soul, and especially lingered on the thing buried in her chest.

Mjolna raised her hoof and with a few hoof signals, let the guards know that the danger had passed. The guard moved quickly once they got the order, ponies walking into connected side streets and the unicorns all teleporting away in a flash.

The mare turned and beckoned her to follow. "The princess has been expecting you." She breathed slowly. "We've already got reports about Ironhoof. Everypony's on edge." Mjolna turned and glanced at Moondancer. "I preferred you in cream. Seemed more fitting. Plus then my new recruits wouldn't have thought Sombra returned for fun. You know how the children are when a war's likely."

Griffonstone had seen better days. The golden city that had rivaled Canterlot in wonder now lay in a state of disrepair and isolation from the outside world, most gryphons in a haze of breeding, egg laying, and fighting over the bare scraps of a once glorious empire that had encroached onto Equestrian lands not but three generations ago, two if you counted the now rare elder gryphons.

There weren't gryphons alive now that could remember the day the sun rained down fire and melted their golden city. But stories about Celestia and her anger over sharing the land with anything that she deemed even slightly predatory were bandied about to tell the hatchlings who exactly to distrust. Ponies. Ponies were distrustful, evil things that wanted to weaponize friendship and kill with kindness. Or kill with force when that option didn't work.

Gallant paced around the hatchery as she waited for any news from the Crow's Nest. Her mind raced as her red wings lazily flapped about in a slight nervous tic she had never truly gotten rid of. She had put her name within the bones and prayed to the eagles above that she would be chosen for the next chief of the gryphons. She fulfilled each and every odd restriction, save one, she was of true royal lineage from the first chieftain off her grandmother's side, her father was the previous chief and had a chick or four of her own. Besides the equipment that the gryphon elders decided that gave them their positions, she was willing and able. And from her months of planning coups just in case, she was fully willing to do whatever she needed to do to get in power.

"Whatever you do, I'm just here to support you- not the birdbrained scheme you'd hatched." Gilda rolled her eyes. "Mother, can you please stop?" Gilda lazed about on a rock, carefully preening herself.

Gallant rolled her eyes. "It helps me relax."

"You don't look relaxed."

Gallant glared at her. "Well I'd be so much more relaxed if we weren't dealing with our own problems. Like how those three old birds have been in there for two weeks; that's unheard of. And I hope they choose me for chief, else it will be rather awkward explaining what happened in the Crow's Nest. The whole plan I have going."

Gilda yawned. "Yeah, yeah, Grandpa Grumble kicked the bucket. And you're a bitch. Anyway, wasn't he like eighty billion years old or something?"

Gallant stretched her wings out in offense at the statement. "You take both of those back. He was the best gryphon chief in a hundred years."

"Because we had two in the last hundred years. You've talked my head off every night when I was little about that. Chief Galahad versus the horrible Celestia. We lost. And Grumble took the throne barely out of an egg. I mean I don't like the ponies, but at least they don't have to draw lots for a meaningless position."

Gallant huffed. "I should have never agreed to send you to that infernal place."

Gilda rolled her eyes. "From how you explained it to me, it wasn't even your decision."

As Gallant stared at her least favorite child, she saw white smoke come from the Crow's Nest. The selection process for the newest chieftain was at its end. She saw the curling smoke rise and cut the blue sky in twain as it snaked its way towards the east. She breathed as she saw the wrought iron doors open and looked east again. At least they finally decided, else he plan might cause her death.

It wasn't likely, but nothing ever was.

Moondancer stormed into the Sun Court and was barely conscious of the murmur of discontent that rose from the crowd as she entered. She bowed, barely following etiquette and stood there. In the middle of a debate already going.

Blueblood glared at her. "Pardon me, but I had the floor."

Moondancer turned her head and he felt silent as he noticed her blood red eyes. She waited to see if any other smart ponies were going to speak up. Nopony did. She breathed a deep breath and stared up at Celestia, the beatific smile unchanging, not giving any hint of turmoil or worry. "I guess if Blueblood so graciously gave me the floor, I can speak."

Celestia waved a hoof. "It is good to see my archmage yet again. How was Twilight?"

Moondancer stared up at Celestia. "She's great. Though I guess you knew that already. And I want to talk, or else I quit."

Celestia nodded and stared out to her Day Court. "While I would love Prince Blueblood regale me more about the deepening Klugetown situation, I think we may have to reschedule our debriefing. Blueblood, please talk to Raven while you are leaving, she'll move my appointments around so we can truly talk about our outpost there."

Blueblood fumed as he stormed out.

Celestia turned and shook her head. "He sometimes reminds me of his grandfather. Brilliant mind contained within a prideful heart. Now what were you saying about quitting?"

The black unicorn facehoofed. "Let's see, you told Twilight and her marefriend to 'test' if I was a good pony. When I have an amulet shoved in my chest that amplifies my emotional state. How do you think I feel about that."

"Betrayed, most likely."

"Understatement of the damned century there. I've had like four hours to think of all the stuff I would say to you and all I came up with is why? And don't say you did something similar to Princess Luna cause I would so understand why she went all Nightmare on you."

Celestia sighed. "I didn't do it to Luna, no. I just presumed that whatever Twilight came up with would provoke a negative reaction. I've seen artifacts like the one right there-" Celestia tapped a hoof on Moondancer's gem. "become addictive to those that use them and from what Twilight told me about Ironhoof, it made me rather worried I'd have yet another magister of some renown swallowed by darkness." Celestia turned away as she looked up at the stained glass windows. "And like most of those mages- they get wiped from history. I didn't want that to happen."

Moondancer rolled her eyes. "Please stop talking in vagaries, I'm guessing you just didn't want a Stygian situation on your hooves. Or Sombra. Or Nightmare Moon. Or Sunset Shimmer. Actually when I think about it, there's something up with how many ponies around you turn evil or run as far away as possible from you. Either that's a character flaw or you just have really bad luck choosing ponies."

Celestia breathed long and slow as she tried not to be overwhelmed by feelings. "Immortality has its drawbacks."

Moondancer shrugged. "Probably. Still you kind of had a bad call." Moondancer barely smiled. "So let's get this horrible shit behind us and actually act like grown mares. Even though I do have to say that my jewel absolutely hates your guts. And I'm currently out on if I agree with it or not."

Celestia stared at the glowing red gem. "I bet."

"But that can be figured out later, since I'm not done being pissed off about you. Thankfully my job comes first." Moondancer breathed out and looked at Celestia again. "So Mjolna's told me Ironhoof jumpstarted the military again? What do you want me to do? I mean I know you won't let me leave since I have an artifact of unknowable power in me and I'm way too smart to be killed even though I see all your guards readying for something. Please don't tell me you're sending me to Tartarus. Cause that place is awful."

Celestia smiled. "I had a few ideas. Come with me. And guards? I think I can take her, please stand down."

The ten guards that surrounded Celestia during court proceedings, stared at one another as the pair walked away.

Gallant stared up at the withered old birds that controlled the selection process, they were older than her by decades if her ability to still lay eggs even a decade after most of her egg group stopped. Her body, even with years of slight decay, her speed wasn't what it used to be, her body slightly pudgier than her prime- she made up for these slights with determination and cunning. Whatever they would say, she wouldn't accept it if they chose another. She had her contacts. She had her own confidants. She had her base and it was stronger than the rest of the nest in loyalty and devotion. She puffed her feathers out as they stared down at her.

Old Garner rose from his chair, his white feathers askew and missing in patches, his head bald with age and his eyes nearly blind from cataracts that gave his stare an unsettling feel to Gallant. He wheezed as he stood up fully and slowly began to talk. "We have come to a decision on who should hold the throne of Griffonstone." He coughed into his hand, his chest rising and falling in quick gasps for air. "While I disagree immensely about my younger and far more radical peers, I was the dissenting voice in this." Garner carefully rose his claw as he tried to point in her direction- missing her entirely due to his blindness- "I'd rather have Galen or his brother Geralt than you on this throne. They understand restraint." He sat down, winded and breathless.

Gallant stared up at the weak old bastard that hung onto life like a dying rat. She bowed, her form stiff and rehearsed. As she felt her head touch the granite floor, she wondered what the old man would sound like as she strangled him to death. It seemed like she was now chieftain. Why not act like it.

Elder Gwyn nodded to the other Elder, Gallant thought that one used to be head of the predator shock troops, Gregos if her memory could be trusted, but she could be mistaken. Old gryphons aged like dirt. In unison, the pair spoke, their warbled tenor voices echoing down at her. "Hail, Chief Gallant the first of her name. May your reign be everlasting."

Gallant smiled, her eyes cold and unyielding as they surveyed the Elders.

She had some plans. Clearing her throat, she politely bowed and flew up to the golden throne, the one thing that had not melted in the heat of the sun a century ago. With a deft touch, she floated down upon it and felt the chair almost mold to her, she knew it was impossible, but she felt the mental switch. She had prayed for this day. She quickly clapped her claws together. "First order of business, since Grumble's death only happened a mere fortnight ago, and you three have been cooped up here debating the ins and outs of succession. . .rather well I might add." Gallant silently chuckled. Usually choosing a chieftain took but a day or two- her addition must have given Garner a stroke. "You missed out on one rather major thing that seems to have happened with the Conquering Sun's territory of Equestria."

The three elders stared at each other unsure of what this would be leading to. Gregos, still a decent specimen for a gryphon despite his age, his black feathers and hawkish look telling all she had to know about the gander. "Usually there is a period of acceptance for the new chief. Wouldn't you want to wait a few days, revel in the festivities, let the birds know you well before declaring" Gregos paused and cracked a claw in annoyance. "a war? A sortie? An expedition? Whatever you would term it?"

Gallant smiled and looked at the large open windows. "I would. I'd love that." Gallant smirked. "From what I hear from the ganders and hens that follow me, there tends to be some who call me an insatiable whore for cock." She lazily looked at her talons. "I'm not. And the less said about what happened to those who said those hurtful things the better. So let's just forego the festivities. Those aren't the festivities I care for."

Garner turned his head, his eyes off focus. "What do you want instead?"

Gallant stretched her red wings and plucked out a few unkempt feathers, lazily tossing them away, their falling forms lazily falling down like droplets of blood. "I want death. I want war. I want pain. And we're going to cripple Equestria until it knows how it feels being useless and lame."

Gwyn shook his head. "While I do admire your resolve and willpower, even Chief Grumble was unable to infringe upon Celestia's domain. The Predators still aren't up to their full potential. The hatcheries say that the heat that Celestia brought down upon us caused the batch then to come out deformed. We are still trying to breed out the beta stock from a century ago."

Gallant rolled her eyes, she knew that the Predators now either came out hulking monstrosities, muscled beasts of gryphons unable to cast magic, pure power- not a lick of a spell within them. Or the weak gryphons- all speed and magic, nothing to speak of in size or strength. Gryphons prided themselves on their size, their power, their apex predator skills honed to a light sheen.

Except that had caused the mess.

Gallant stood up. "I have a few deformed chicks to my name. And they aren't useless."

The trio of old ganders laughed. Gregos wheezed out a response that made Gallant's eye twitch. "What is the world coming to? Back in my day, if a deformed gryphon was born, the parents would just throw the chick off of the highest point of the nest and watch it be broken upon the Valley of Bones below."

Gallant thought of her youngest, Gallus, he was her greatest hope. And yet from the time he had entered the world, the bright blue feathers he sported told her exactly that he was special. Blue was unnatural on gryphons- it was Grendel the Great's royal plumage and he died childless during an invasion of the Stormlands. Blue was special. "Maybe your parents should have thrown you down there."

Gregos clenched his fist and took a deep breath. "It seems our chieftain has a bit of spunk in her. That must be why she has so many chicks."

Gallant rolled her eyes. "Whatever gave you that idea. And if I can get back to what I was saying, I know our eggs are deformed. Unlike you, I keep a ear to the ground and see if there's advantages. Bit of a new field of study, but my far less contentious daughter, Gala, has been trying to see of we can duplicate pony spells with gryphon techniques. And while most are failures, there's a few that can replicate them well enough to make me excited."

Gwyn stared at her. "I've never heard of that. Magic is supposed to be rare for a reason, it's unnatural to use magic outside of maybe speed enhancement or wind manipulation. And I've heard nothing of these experiments."

Gallant smiled. "You thought I put in my name for chieftain without planning out everything first? Gwyn, it seems like the gryphons are being slightly held back by the old ways. Personally, I love adaptation. My father tried to cooperate with the ponies with sending my firstborn to Equestria as a sign of goodwill. I'm not my father. I'm going to kill their children like they did to ours."

Garner stood on shaky legs. "Are you deaf? We don't have an army big enough to fight every pony there. They outnumber us. It's a suicide order to send out the young for a revenge mission- even if I want revenge too."

Gallant stared out the window.

"And that's why I agreed to join the Storm King."

Gregos paled, the large gryphon, honed by decades of battle had heard of the immortal. "You didn't. He's on his way here?"

Gallant laughed. "No, he's not. He sent the Changelings."

The three elders stared out as the sun was blotted out by ten thousand Changelings. The buzzing hum of their wings and their wailing screeches were deafening. Gallant just smiled.

While she hated the idea of cooperating with the Storm King, he at least had results. The Changelings, for their failures, had results.

The gryphons? They had decided to hide for a hundred years, scared of the pony that had melted their golden city until molten gold had run like a boiling river of death. Celestia was far more capable of death than some fuck hungry bugs.

Cooperation was a necessary evil.

Celestia led Moondancer down stairs that she had only seen in passing. As the stone steps continued, they became more rudimentary and basic forms of stairs, small, squat things that were more natural than pony made. Suddenly the small narrow cavern that barely fit Celestia within spread out into a massive crystal lined cavern with a massive stone table in the middle of it. Moondancer then realized that logically, that shouldn't have been possible- the table took up much of the space of the room, a logical paradox that couldn't be solved when accounting for the size of the passageway.

She wasn't going to get an explanation any time soon as Celestia fired up her horn. Moondancer felt the air shift as the princess started casting high level magic on a whim. Before she could speak, multiple blue portals opened and ponies she knew tumbled out of them.

Celestia stretched her wings as she walked over to the table and sat down. "I hope I didn't intrude upon your midday festivities, but time is ever of the essence."

Spitfire popped her head out and stared at the princess. "When you sent out a letter warning me about it, sure. Still I might have to tell Soarin' I wasn't swallowed by a portal. At least you didn't take Soarin' too cause those new recruits are hapless idiots without some sort of guidance. Though he's probably having a panic attack right now so it's more like he needs a babysitter."

Blossomforth rolled her eyes as she stood up. "Sup, bitch. At least you got a letter. Still got whiplash from flying directly into one of those things." The former Wonderbolt Captain cracked her neck." Celly, while I love our get together times and winding up in a cave is one of my sexual dreams, I'm not really in the mood- hard to relax when Rainbow's been missing for a fucking week in the ass end of nowhere."

Cloudkicker whacked her companion in the back of the head. "Hush. Not the time."

Bon Bon peeked up from the edge of the table and stared at Celestia. "Does this mean M.A.R.E is back or what?"

Lyra coughed. "Bonny, I hope not, cause I'd rather fight Changelings that the stuff you told me about. What was that about the tatzlwurm nest near Dusky Shades? That sounded like a mess. I get Changelings, bugs and all. Actual monsters? Count me out. I already have enough stuff to worry about with Scoots."

The two captains of the guard stared at one another as they shook themselves off, slightly more used to Celestia's odd penchant of mass teleportation during a political crisis. Mjolna slightly waved at Moondancer as she took a seat in silence, slightly bowing her head as she passed Celestia. Moondancer thought the thestral was named something like Indigo Zap or something like that- she really hadn't left her little slice of Equestria in quite a while and that name kept popping up whenever a invitation to the Night Court passed through her mail. She had tossed those invitations into the garbage. She'd had at least a slight need to sleep every once in a while.

"Is this about Starlight?" Moondancer stared as Sunburst timidly walked out from a nearby pillar. "I mean I was on my way here and all and actually being teleported to here via a summoning spell is quite the experience. But I really don't get exactly why I'm here if that's not the case."

Fleur walked out from behind another pillar and groaned. "I hope not, my husband's still ranting and raving about how he sees the light now. Something about pure happiness. So whatever you have to say about Starlight, little man, I know firsthoof that she's an adder."

Celestia smiled a wry smile at the rag tag group of ponies and beckoned Moondancer to take a seat. Celestia kept her eyes on her archmage as she uncomfortably sat next to Sunburst. Celestia cleared her throat and tried to relax as she worried about how her next few sentences were going to be received. "Due to the fine line balancing act I've been trying to push for a century and the current situations in Klugetown, Ironhoof, and the Stormlands and surrounding lands- we have a coming storm of issues that will compound upon each other. For an eyewitness account on the Starlight question that Starburst had, it seems Moondancer here has had a miraculous recovery."

Moondancer eyed Celestia. Yeah, the princess was toying with her. "Thank you. And while I love debating about my radical change in appearance, I do have to say that was Starlight's idea."

Sunburst piped up as he stared at her gem. "I mean I mentioned to her once or twice that fusing ponies and gems were possible, if highly untested and-"

Moondancer furrowed her brow. "Yes, I'd just love to tell you the logistics of what she did to me personally but I think her attack on Canterlot, destruction of free will, obsession, and treason might be more pressing issues.

Sunburst stayed quiet as Moondancer talked.

Blossomforth chuckled. "And here I thought little Moony went through a goth phase. I'd still hit it."

Cloudkicker whacked her in the back of the head with a hoof.

Gallant coolly stared down from her perch as Changelings swarmed Griffonstone, the locust like creatures caterwauling in loud buzzes and hums as they circled the one place that the gryphon chief had told them about. They flew past the town, focused entirely on scent pheromones that the Changelings followed. Towards the only important place in fifty miles.

Gwyn shuddered as the bugs crawled up the stones, jaws unhinging in starts and stops as they stared at food. Food and breeding material for the queen. Mindless, ever crawling movement towards a singular goal. "Call them off."

Gallant stretched her blood red wings. "Can't do that. I'd love it if I could, but I mean they did fly all the way here. Calling it off seems anticlimactic." She lounged back on the throne and stared at the other two. "Only way out is death."

Garner shakily got to his feet and started to hobble over towards the new chieftain. "See. I told all of you that she was a bad choice. I told-" Gallant pointed a claw at the old gryphon.

The changeling horde locked eyes on him and slowly changed direction. Each bug crawled over the next in a wave crashing upon the stones of the Nest itself. Garner himself couldn't see him doom, the old bird nearly blind and now focused on squawking his displeasure about how he was correct, that his choice of other candidates would be better than a traitor. Better than a female with no harem of birds to her name.

Gallant looked away as the Changelings lunged upon the old gryphon, gnashing their fangs in rage and focused pheromonal lust. The lone hen in a room of tough ganders. She looked at the faces of her new subordinates, their faces of horror and shock far better than any gore filled image. She heard Garner's bones snap, the age and disuse of his body making his bones ever more brittle than the average bird. She heard a thump, a crash, and screams of carnal desire and need of meat rise up from the pit.

She raised a full fist of hers and the commotion stopped. Silence reigned as Changelings turned to face the hint of a command. She got off the throne and bowed her head as a lone Changeling buzzed up, the armor it wore showing its rank in the army of similar creatures.

The bug stepped on the raised platform of the Nest and reached out its leg, its black chitin making Gallant slightly dread the touch of the thing. She tentatively reached out with a claw and felt the leg have some pliability to it- like a meat jelly, she thought. The bug opened it's mouth and Chrysalis' voice filtered out, slightly tinny and distant, as sultry as ever Gallant thought. She had been exchanging slight pleasantries with the ruler for a month, as her father died in a slow and painful aged death, she had sent more missives to the queen.

"The Storm King sends his regards. And while I'd love to see you face to face and exchange pleasantries and whatever else we might do, I've been building up an army that can match the ponies and their Elements. Their dreaded alicorns. Each of them has spited me by beating entire hives, their few bug hunters have killed many a new hive deep in their territory. Eggs of mine. Children born from my loins." The speaker stopped for a moment. "Sorry. I get rather heated about it." The changeling sauntered on over and stared at the two gryphons. "Pleased to meet you two."

Gallant rolled her eyes. "You can't fuck them. Even if they wanted to, you'd barely get a snack out of them."

Chrysalis chuckled. "I know that. It's just been so long since I had a chance to play with a gryphon? What's it been a hundred? Two hundred years?" The changeling's voice buzzed with excitement. "I would love to see if my science experiments have been paying off."

Gallant walked towards the two ganders and patted them on the chest. "I bet, but I need some legitimate way to consolidate power and while I know you two are far less loud and messy than that old thing down there was, but I want a clean break from tradition."

Chrysalis' voice echoed. "Your wish is my command."

Everypony sat there silent as Moondancer stopped her story, her voice lightly echoing in the cavern, the final syllable dying in the air as she sat there. "So that's it."

Indigo Zap raised her hoof. A tight quiet whisper emanated from the thestral's mouth. "Ironhoof had entire battalions of soldiers camped out there, a Diamond Dog colony, an entire town. Don't you think it odd that Moondancer never mentioned the 9th and 10th Battalions? Eastern incursions from across the sea aimed at Manehattan are supposed to stop there for good reason. Unicorns, Solar and Lunar Guards, not to mention a rudimentary Wonderbolt presence thanks to Manehattan's airspace- it's fortified beyond belief. Where the hell did the ponies I trained actually go cause I doubt they'd go AWOL, I'd take them out myself if that ever happened."

Bon Bon clasped her hooves together. "That's not good. So if Moondancer's report didn't mention them at all, we have what 400 civilians in stasis, an uncountable number of dogs in states of death or near death and nearly 8000 missing soldiers. Near Manehattan. And now we have the Storm King showing dominance. We're actually kind of screwed aren't we?"

Mjolna sighed. "Not very likely. We've had attacks on our borders ever since the Storm King attack. Mainly the southern colonies in the Badlands have gotten it bad since the reptiles have fortified Klugetown again. It's a real mess down there. But not unwinnable- just going to be a lot of dead there as well. Cause knowing the Southern Quadrant, they love holding onto shit territory."

Lyra sighed. "I guess we have Changelings too since Queeny's a bit of an opportunist."

Celestia nodded. "Whatever happens, will happen. But I'm invoking war powers now." Celestia stayed silent for a bit. "So for right now, the army, Wonderbolts, and Royal Guard are all on prospective active duty."

Blossomforth raised her hoof.

Celestia smiled. "That includes ex Wonderbolts and Royal Guard recruits that didn't fit in exactly. So Fleur that includes you and a fair bit of the Canterlot aristocracy. I will leave the task of informing your brunch compatriots about the situation and weed out the pro-Starlight side."

Fleur held her face in her hooves as she stared down at the table. "Great."

Celestia stared up at the crystalline ceiling and sighed. "And if that won't be enough for the coming storm, then every one of my little ponies will have to join the war effort in some way."

Moondancer stared up at the princess. "I'm sorry, what? I mean sorry, but I've read the reports on the military." Moondancer saw the other eight stare at her, mainly because it was slightly in bad taste for an Archmage to focus on matters besides thought experiments. "Yeah, sue me. I was bored and I completed my tasks early. So what if we lose 8000 soldiers? Morale hit to be sure, but we have nearly three hundred other battalions- mostly Royal Guards, then the Wonderbolts, and finally the Mages of any actual power, but we aren't hurting for troops."

Celestia nodded. "True. But all the armies in the world are useless if we have a repeat of the Canterlot Wedding and sadly there's only so much a powerful army can do when split on multiple fronts. So for now, business as usual, my legions and Luna's own will both hold off the waves, while you ten train the new recruits."

Lyra blinked. "Run that by me again, cause I didn't sign up for that. I dropped out of officer school."

Celestia smiled. "I know. I've had a long night reading each and every one of your files- Miss Heartstrings, you and Sweetie Drops are sadly the best and brightest, along with Moondancer here on anti-Changeling strategy."

Lyra stared at her marefriend. Moondancer could almost swear she could hear Lyra's voice whisper to the earth pony mare "Who's Sweetie Drops, Bon?"

Bon Bon stared down at the table shaking her head in slight annoyance. She had killed that part of her identity for a reason. "It's me."

Gallant winced as she saw the screaming figures of the two surviving Elders be carried off like the spoils of war. She stretched and groaned at a slight muscle spasm in her neck. She'd gotten damned old. Not like the elders, sure, but she was living and they'd be dust once Chrysalis was done with them. From what the bug told her in passing, she fucked her partners to death.

Gallant chuckled. It was probably a bug thing, though the idea of hot, passionate sex like that slightly excited her. It made her feel twenty years younger- the first time she'd met her mate, eagles rest his bones. She stretched her head and saw Garner's picked corpse smile back up at her, flesh still stuck to bones, the stench of it wafting up and spoiling her meal. "I'm getting sentimental. Bet you'd never expect that Goldwing, you magnificent bastard." She edged her paws over and sat down on the Nest's edge. She could heard the commotion below, the birds squawking in fear as the Changeling horde left as quick as they came, a plague of locusts falling upon an unsuspecting population and disrupting it.

Changing it.

She saw the first Predator Guards walk deftly into the room, their hulking forms slightly exciting parts of her that she neglected. Gallant shook her head and quickly tore out a few of her feathers and scratched a few claw marks over her chest, letting the blood drip down her feathers and staining them a slightly darker red. She had to act the part of weak willed female gryphon in pain. She'd do it. It wasn't her normal demeanor, but she could fake it well enough. She waved and slipped off the Nest itself, her fall into the pit's forward momentum stopped at the last moment, years of practice flying drills in secret and knowing what her body was still capable of after decades shown off in a moment as she bowed. "So glad you are here."

The Predators grunted. They weren't really suited for actual small talk. Their musk and changes in microexpressions telling each bird what the big guards were saying. She would change the structure of the Guards, because while she loved seeing the absolute pinnacle of meat slabs walk around like they owned the place, she was far too old to get just enjoyment out of a one or two night stand. She needed conversation. The monotone voices didn't tell much. "What happened?"

"Yes, well, it seems like due to that unfortunate mess of blood and bones over there, Elder Garner if you were wondering, and Elders Gwyn and Gregos tried to negotiate with what seems like a colony of Changelings on the move. And in the ensuing mayhem, were either killed or dragged off."

The Predators grunted a question. "If so, why are you alive? Changelings are supposed to be one of the deadliest creatures in the world."

"Yes, I know that. I tried to fight off a few Changelings, but I had to hide, you know, female. Not suited to fighting. Right on the cusp of uselessness if you ask me, but before the whole thing went to complete shit, Garner himself said that I was the perfect choice. Something about carrying the will of my father in my eyes or something equally odd. The old bird did tend to be rather senile at times."

Annoyed grunt. "How could you be the perfect choice? Elders are dead and taken, maybe you should have stepped in."

Gallant shrugged and puffed out her feathers in fake surprise. "I know, it hit me as well. Why should I be chieftain? Well besides the family line and all, I have no qualifications. My actions until now have been cowardly, dishonorable, and despicable. But if the Elders in their last act willed it, it must be true."

Accepting grunt. "You don't seem to be lying. Eagles be praised.

Gallant waved as the Predator Guards walked through the doors, she took a breath. She hadn't expected that to be so easy. Sure the Predators were known to be slightly dull and stupid, but most could tell when a lie was being told. Either they were more defective than she thought, or maybe they preferred the lie she told. She would ask Gala later. Her favorite daughter was head of the hatchery, so any defection should be easily discovered. That was for later though.

She walked outside and smiled at the noonday sun. Today was a new day and plans for attacks on Equestria whirled within her head. She saw the gathered crowd of gryphons, a crowd filling in the outer Crow's Nest walls, with the rest of Griffonstone either watching from rooftops and staring down upon her in wonder and fear, unsure of what exactly just happened, or gryphons hovering in the air, waiting with baited breath as the Predators gathered around her.

The hulking gryphons nodded and in one swift, practiced motion, they turned and bowed to their new Chieftain. "Hail Chief Gallant, first of her name."

Gallant smiled as she saw the waves of gryphons bow in stuttered actions, one row starting as one finished, those in the air just bowing their heads, those in buildings touching their heads upon the stone floors. The gryphons moved as one mass again and she loved the feel of it.

She waited until the last gryphon stood up and focused back upon her. As that happened, she thought of what to say, She breathed out and ruffled her blood red feathers in a show of dominance. "Thank you, I know these last few weeks have been difficult for all of us, especially me, with the loss of a great chieftain, a decent father, and a better gander than most gryphons ever hope to be. But today has been challenging, the Changelings may be gone, but their appearance in our skies was a portent of things to come. They moved towards the west, towards the dreaded ponies that have brought our great culture to ruin with a thought. Celestia herself has the power of the sun on her side." Gallant pointed up at the noonday sun. "That thing up there is hers to do with what she likes. But we don't have to say we agree with that. And while I hate the bugs as much as any good gryphon has been taught, my father used to preach about cooperation with the other species. And I have to say, I agree with him. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So let's take the initiative and fly towards our glory, our lost land." Gallant bowed her head. "While this pains my heart, I say let us prepare for war."

An eruption of squawks and roars met her ears. She would have smiled except she noticed one particular gryphon turn her back and leave as the wave of excitement hit her new army. She had planned that speech for weeks and had tried to get every single thing that her spies told her about- the helplessness of the poor, the want for adventure from the young, the boredom of the rich. Invasion of another land diverted those few woes of her flock into notable action.

Gilda had gotten up and turned away.

Gallant scowled as she saw her distant child turn towards the caves and their personal section. She would discipline her later.

She was just happy that, for once, she could lead the entire race to glory again.

Gala had been planning the next batch of hatchlings for a conquest and they should be hatching anytime soon. The hatcheries and their breeding hens and their mates had been pushed into a breeding frenzy as Gala had pumped in enough Predator hormones to set off all of Griffonstone. They'd been fucking like animals for weeks for this plan. Gallant had seen the orgy once and it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen, the mass of birds bleeding as love bites became more feral, screaming in a mix of ecstasy and pain as hens had been laying eggs nonstop for weeks, their eyes dull and listless as they had finally gotten all they wanted out of life- giving their all to the war machine that would put Chief Galahad's flying legion of gryphons a hundred years ago to shame. She had her voice projected into that cavern of depravity and told them that their sacrifice was not going to be in vain.

Griffonstone was the liveliest she had ever seen and all it took for a transfer of power was killing the three gryphons that had held it back. Though Gwyn wasn't too bad, she'd miss that elder, he was the one she had hoped would see reason.

Gallant touched her bleeding chest and felt the blood stick to her claws. This was just a flesh wound, that would heal with time. The pain she and her flock would cause as they swept upon an unsuspecting Equestria would be so much greater than a self inflicted wound.

It would be total war.

Celestia adjourned the first meeting of the War Council without much issues. The alicorn stretched her wings and let the portals reopen with a quick magic spell, their blue hue wavering slightly as it connected to the other side. "I thank you all for your time and while I would love talking strategy all day, I feel like I can't hold you here due to your lives being equally important. I'll see when our next meeting will fit best into my busy schedule-" Celestia smiled as she saw Blossomforth's hoof raise. "And next time, I'll warn you all."

Lyra crossed her hooves. "Cool. See you next week, And Bonny?" Lyra breathed. "I think we might have to talk about a few things that shouldn't have stayed a secret just so I can get this weird feeling off. Cause I remember meeting you in Vanhoover and hitting it off. Remember what I said to you?"

The earth pony demurely nodded. "Yeah. 'I'll follow you to the ends of the earth as long as you don't keep secrets from me.'"

Lyra sighed. "Yeah, I meant every word. But let's get back home before Scoots worries about us. You know how she gets sometimes and, unlike her, we set our own bedtime." Lyra held out her hoof and entwined hers with Bon Bon's."

The pair went through the portal and it closed with an audible pop.

Spitfire looked at Cloudkicker and Blossomforth and awkwardly placed a hoof on her former captain. "Uh, you want to get something to eat in Canterlot because I think we should catch up for real." She hesitated. "I'll pay for food."

Blossomforth thought for a moment, slightly tapping her hoof as she tried to weigh her options. "Okay, but on two conditions."

Spitfire rolled her eyes. "What are they?"

"I get one of everything I can eat on the menu, and two, I get to be Assistant Captain to the Wonderbolts."

Cloudkicker chuckled. "Blossom, what are you even doing?"

Spitfire paused for one moment and held up a hoof. "Let me check if that's technically possible."

The grayish pegasus lightly tapped hooves with her marefriend. "I dunno, but Dash does stupid shit all the time and calls it power moves so why not do something similar?" She watched as Spitfire walked up to Celestia herself and hashed out the deal, the princess' face hiding what she truly thought at the time. The pegasi both stood there until Spitfire walked back.

"So? What did Celly say?"

Spitfire grimaced. "Technicality. Since the idea of Joint Captains never has been breached before, there's nothing actually stopping us from doing it and it would make it easier to delegate operations and duties with equal partners. In short, I think this is a terrible, awful idea that reeks of the shit you pulled years ago."

Blossomforth hugged Spitfire. "I mean what could go wrong?"

Cloudkicker piped up. "Well besides that whole Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy mess a week or so back? That ring any bells?"

Blossom waved a hoof. "That wasn't so bad. I mean Cloudy you should have seen what I did to build character years ago, it involved a rubber chicken-" The three pegasi walked into Spitfire's portal and the portal closed behind them as well as the connected portals back to Ponyville.

Celestia glanced down at Moondancer. "So Moondancer, what do you say about meeting me and Discord for dinner, I bet he'd love seeing how you are adjusting to your new self."

Moondancer groaned. "Sounds great." She shivered at the last time she had met the chaos serpent, his tail wrapping around her as she had tried to figure out his magic and how it worked. It wasn't a particularly great memory. "I'll put it on my calendar once I figure out a new place to live."

Sunburst coughed. "Yeah. Though palaces are pretty large. What is the dimensions of the castle here? I mean I guessed it is quite large enough to house a few dozen mages here no problem."

Moondancer rolled her eyes. "Princess, you still have Twilight's old room open? Cause Starlight's little buddy and I have to have a chat about her cause I just realized that I just have to vent." She turned her head slowly towards the stallion. "Cause the only thing she ever talked about was you and I don't get why."

Starburst tried to teleport away as he felt the black unicorn's red eyes on him. "Uh, I have a few-" He stayed quiet as Moondacer pulled him upstairs by his cape.

Fleur stretched a hoof towards Celestia as she looked at the quickly disappearing pair of mages. "Well I guess I should go see if my husband is trying to convert his friends to nihilism again." She shook her head. "Honestly, I wish I had never offered to let that mare into my house."

Celestia bent down to stare the model unicorn in her eyes. "We can't fix what already happened. Trust me, I've tried before. That road only ever leads to worse outcomes." She stretched her wings for a moment. "But at least that situation taught me something."

Fleur looked up. "What was that?"

Celestia smiled. "That I was complacent. This last week has taught me that. So don't worry, at least somepony got something out of that. Even if I should have learned that a thousand years ago."

The unicorn vaguely nodded, unsure of what to say next. "Yeah."

Celestia watched the unicorn go, her form shrinking into the darkness. Celestia could have sworn that the mare looked unsure of herself as she left. The alicorn didn't blame her. She felt the same, she just was slightly better at hiding it. She never liked war, that being more Luna's domain, the things she had done centuries ago souring her memories of the past. The deer, the sea serpents, the gryphons. She had brought down her power in anger because of the pain they had caused to her ponies. On reflection, she was not much better than the invading armies. They never were able to handle coming too close to the sun, because it burned everything it touched to ash.

"Princess?"

Celestia blinked and stared down to her two Captains of the Guard. "Yes?"

Indigo Zap bowed quickly. "I was trying to say that while I support this rather forward thinking measure, you seem to have collected a whole mess of fools to lead your army. And I don't want to question your motives, but why?"

Celestia looked up to the crystals above her, their colors shimmering in the near dark. "Creativity. You all are all different, different lives, different ideas, different moods. Without that, we'd have one or two plans while we get attacked on all sides. With this, we have ten."

The alicorn hoped that was enough.

Author's Notes:

Rest of the chapter will focus on the main characters- just needed to get some of the stuff in the periphery of Twilight and her friends actually going.